November 14, 2018 • 40 mins
Doug tells you why he thinks the beef between Kevin Durant and Draymond Green is real and what it means for the future of the team. He breaks down why teams should be concerned about signing Le’Veon Bell as a free agent. Greg Cosell from NFL films stops by and analyzes Tom Brady’s struggles against the Titans.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Doug Gottlieb
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday
from three to six pm Eastern Time that's twelve to
three Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station
for the Doug Gottlieb Show at Fox Sports Radio dot com,
or stream us live every day on the I Heart
Radio app by searching fs R. This is the best
(00:22):
of the Doug gottli Show on Fox Sports Radio. Boom,
What Up America, Doug Gottlieb Show, Fox Sports Radio, coming
to you from the lovely sunny City of Angels. Who
appears Joey bos is getting close, getting close to getting
back planning for the Lightning Bolts. That is big news
(00:43):
for the seventy and two Chargers. We'll ask Melvin Ingram
a little later on the show just how close is
How close is he? But uh? I really want to
start with uh with the Golden State Warriors. That's because
there is there is trouble in Paradise and look there
(01:06):
there's also a things run their course, right, Things run
their course. We We've seen this in every sport, but
especially in basketball. Kobe and Shack could no longer co
exist they just could not. The difference is that this
was a group that had won a championship. Maybe the
(01:28):
reason for toxicity is they won a championship and then
the following year they won seventy three games, and then
they went out and added a player who had had
been an m v P, had led them three games.
One that there was just sometimes relationships don't make it
the distance because of the past. Sometimes guys have mom
(01:51):
issues or dad issues, or previous job issues. And even
if the the idea of the relationship like that works,
why it doesn't sometimes work is there's just too much
to unpack, just too much to unpack. This is not
all Kevin Duran's fault. It is not all Draymond Green's fault.
(02:17):
Some of it, believe it or not, is actually Steph
Curry's fault and Clay Thompson's fault and Steve Kerr's fault,
not because they've done anything wrong, but because they were
so successful on their own. Like look, Steph Curry was
an m v P. He won the unit, unanimously voted
(02:39):
m v P, they won seventy three games. Didn't want
a championship, but it won one previously. He he has
been the most beloved professional athlete in American sports at
times over the last half decade. The most beloved are
their haters out there, sure, but generally have you we
(03:01):
watch Odell Beckham Jr. Warm up some We watched Steph
Curry warm up eighty two times plus the playoffs in
the preseason. From his wife to his adorable daughter. Now
I know he has two kids, to his parents back
when he was like this dude is a beloved dude,
and he opened up his locker room to a guy
(03:22):
who used to be a rival. Who does that? Steph
Curry Like, I actually think he's the real deal as
a star and as a human being. That's it. He's
just as responsible because you had to know that if
you go out and get Kevin Durant. He's played a
(03:43):
different style, He's been wired differently, comes from a different background,
a different part of the country. And oh yeah, by
the way, he was brought in by Draymond Green, who
even Draymond's ideals runcountered to many of the things that
Steph believes him. They all believe in winning, they all
know each other's value. But there's so much to unpack,
(04:05):
so much a team that played with pure joy and
shared the ball and celebrate others. Success brings in a
guy who he's not the most. He's not the He's
not the is O Joe Joe Johnson. He doesn't even
demand the ball and have the usage rate of a
(04:26):
James Harden or Lebron James. But he had played in
a system where one of two guys got it every
time they needed a bucket, and that was just the
way it was. And then you factor in Kevin Durant,
who this is just my belief. I think he's partially
scarred by not winning with the thunder that made him think, listen,
(04:50):
if I just go and win, no, there's nothing anyone
can't say about me. If I just go and play
defense and win, and and I'm better than Lebron James
the same position in the NBA Finals, then no one
can say anything about me. And then they have and
he can't take it. And some of it is the past,
(05:14):
some of it is the present. Some of it is
even the media is insistent whose team is it? Like
I've never walked into a locker room and be like,
whose team? Oh, it's Jimmy's team, Jimmy, Jimmy, you're Jimmy's team.
But as well as Steph Curry seems to handle it,
as well as Clay Thompson seems to handle it, as
(05:35):
well as Steve Kerr seems to handle it, Kevin Durant
hasn't handled it. I mean, burner accounts and going at
guys on social media. What are you doing? You're an
NBA superstar, an NBA superstar. Here's Kevin Durant last night
after the win over the Hawks in which Draymond Green
was suspended for the game. Kevin, have you and Draymond
(05:56):
been able to hash anything out? Do you see that
happening anytime soon? I'm sure it will long season ahead.
Did he cross the line with anything last night that
was said? I'm gonna keep that in the house. That's
what that's what we do here. I know you guys
got a job to do, but I'm not trying to
get nobody no headlines. What happened happened. We're trying to
move on, just trying to play basketball. If you were
(06:18):
trying to move on, you would have had a conversation
about it. Anyone who's ever been in a relationship knows
when you stopped talking. The relationships ceased to exist. Do
you stopped talking with your boss, You're probably going to
be looking for a different job. You stopped talking with
somebody else. You have your own business and you own
it with you own it with a buddy. You guys
(06:39):
stop talking to each other like I can't even talk
to them. And of course, some relationships, if you can't
sit down and have honest, frank conversations and just be people,
then the relationships ceased to exist. And oh yeah, by
the way, Draymond kind of unpacked a lot of baggage
all at once, you know, the words and things that
(07:01):
he said that Durant did step over the line, but
a lot of it was just venting out of frustration.
I was the guy I'm talking about, Draymond, who vouched
for you to join our group. We went out to
the Hampton's, We told you how it would work, why
would work. But I was the guy who swore by you.
This is like when a guy screws up at work
(07:23):
and you were the one who he put down as
a reference, right, I was your main reference. The guy
called me and said, hey, does he have a drinking problem?
And I was like, no, that's over. You'd like to
have a couple of drinks. Then you come in drunk
to work four or five days in a row, and
they gotta get rid of you. And I looked like
the idiot because I swore by you can Kevin Durant
(07:44):
get along and share the basketball. Is sure. He only
didn't in Oklahoma City because they had Andre Robertson, they
had Steven Adams, they had other guys that couldn't play,
so you had to go get your own buckets. You
had to. Of course, Draymond's frustrated the stories about New
(08:04):
York and I've heard the Clippers. I've heard it's the
Clippers or New York and don't ever bet against Jerry West.
But those stories they don't just come out of nowhere.
They're not made up from opposing teams and opposing agents.
Those stories are planted for a reason. And Draymond's point
(08:26):
probably is like, look, dude, we're not idiots. We know
when people get these stories where they get stories from
we came and recruited you. And you can't just even
for the sake of the season, can't say like, hey,
I'm staying here forever. I'm sure the end of the
year you may change your mind be a hypocrite, but
that's that's the way the game is played. Instead, you
(08:48):
leave it open to interpretation. You're gonna keep your options open.
And now we have to answer these questions everywhere we go.
I don't blame Draymond for being upset. I don't blame
for being man. It's like, look, I've been making plays
in transition. Whoever gets it goes with it at the
end of a game, which is what led to this argument. Now,
in the context of that game, I do think Duran
(09:09):
should have gotten the basketball, and I think that the
suspension of of Draymond has nothing to do with the
long term future or sucking up to Kevin Durant. I
just think it's Look, Draymond was out of line. That's it. Period.
He was out of line. He went crazy, he went
and he started talking about things he shouldn't talk about,
(09:31):
and he had an airing of grievances. It was festivals
for the rest of us. But that wasn't the time
and definitely not the place, especially if you guys are
close friends hash it out in private when no one
else is around or closed the door, and have Steve
Kerr joining it. But I do think that this is
(09:55):
one of those relationships that's bound to end in divorce.
And the main reason is Kevin Durant thought that if
you win an NBA Championship, you win an NBA Finals
m v P, you would be fulfilled. And there's something
about the top of the mountain that Kevin Durant has learned.
There's no chairs there. There's no chairs, there's no camaraderie,
(10:19):
there's just the top of the mountain. That's it. To
any of us who are super motivated people, you'll get
to the top of the mountain, you're like, man, this
is great. Now, what shouldn't Is there an automatic gate
to heaven? Is there's some something that makes me feel
more fulfilled that that's one of the reasons that you
(10:43):
gotta have a family, you gotta have balance, is because
if you try and fulfill yourself with just your sport
or just your job, you're gonna end up feeling hollow.
You don't have anybody to share it with because there's
no chairs up there, there's no greeting parade. And Rant
(11:04):
has figured that out the hard way. Be sure to
catch live editions, so the Doug gott Leap Show weekdays
at noon Eastern three pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
and the I Heart Radio app. Take a listen to
what Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, had to say about
soon to be former Steeler Levy on Bell. He's not here.
He's not gonna be here, so we don't talk about it.
I've text him yesterday before the deadline, asking him, you know,
(11:27):
text himself. I hope he was gonna show up and
if he decided not to, wish nothing but the best.
He was a great teammate, a great football player. You know,
to each their own on what they want to walk
away from. Each guy has their own motives and motivations,
and um, you know, I can't comment on him. I
am glad that we want to talk about this anymore.
Though he text you back. Yeah, no, he didn't text
(11:48):
me back. He's done. My my only My only point.
And it's an important, one important distinction is it's basically
like Darrell Reeves. Darrell Rivas was an incredible cornerback for
a time and if you remember, he held out with
the New York Jets and ultimately got his way and
(12:10):
got the deal. Now, it ended up causing the Jets
to ultimately have to break apart because the Jets at
the time didn't manage the salary cap, plus they didn't
have good enough quarterback play. But they went to two
a f C Championship games in row, and they made
the mistake of telling Darrell Reevas saying out loud, hey,
he's the best corner cover corner in football. At the time, No,
namdi ospin I had a ridiculous contract with the Raiders
(12:33):
and he wanted to be paid the same amount. But
if you look at Darell Revas, the knock on Darell
Rivas should have been then. I said it then and
it proved to be true. Look, if you give in
to a guy when he holds out, then he's just
(12:54):
gonna hold out again. And in this case, if Levian
Bell thinks he's done the right thing, he believes that
he's going to change what running backs make and he's
gonna be a free He knows the Jets need a
running back and the Jets have a bunch of money.
(13:16):
In addition to the idea of like, look, I get
he thinks it's Todd Gurley money. But Todd Gurley is
two and a half years younger and Todd Gurley showed
up for every day at work and the Rams decided
to rework his deal. A year before they had two
different franchise. But if you want to use as a
comp fine, we've got to compare ages. He's two years older. Um.
(13:41):
But but here's the most important part. If everything goes right,
Levan Bell is a tremendous player. But if everything goes
right and he achieves Pro Bowl All Pro status, couldn't
we see a day in which Levian Bell decides, I
don't really like this contract. I'll sit out because I've
(14:04):
proven that I will sit out. Here's a guy who Look,
he didn't win the bluff. He just didn't. He said him.
He was not bluffing. You know, he had, by his
own estimation, he had a really really good hand. He
had a good hand. He had read of a kind.
(14:27):
And the problem was the Steelers have a royal flush.
There's nothing he can do. But he had a really
good hand. So we don't think he's bluffing in the future.
But that actually is not that great a thing because now,
if you're the Jets or you ever, whomever you're like, Look,
if we pay him, great, But when we get to
a point in his contract where he doesn't like the terms,
(14:49):
He's gonna sit out. He doesn't care, doesn't care at
all about whether or not we're winning. We got a
chance to win the super Bowl. He doesn't care about
anything other than the bottom line. So, in addition to
costing himself fourteen point five million dollars, an decision and
this wasn't one decision, it's a series of bad business decisions.
That's a bad business decisions. You could have sacrificed half
(15:12):
your contracts, shown up after the trade deadline, made six
and a half million dollars, competed for a super Bowl,
end up making more in in some playoff bonuses, and
then going on you're going on your way and getting
a new deal. But instead he showed I'll sit out
the whole time, which if I'm another team, that scares
the hell out of me. He didn't want a one
(15:34):
year deal at fourteen point five. He wants more money
than that. He want two or three years. But what
happens when we get to the team friendly terms of
a contract. That's how they all work. Levy is gonna
sit out, No thanks, wants to sit out. Guy always
to sit out. Guy just like women will tell you
once a cheater, always a cheater. Yeah, right, Like if
(16:00):
if Levi on Bells, modus up a run his if
his what he's telling people is, hey, I've made a
lot of money. I got enough money. I can sit
out until I get what I want. So if that's
true now and he gets a new contract, that only
be more true in the future. Only be more true
(16:22):
in the future. Ben Roethlisberger said, the guy didn't even
text him back, like you text him. A guy text
you and says, hey, man, I hope you show up
otherwise love playing with you. You don't text him back.
You didn't text him back? Who do you don't text
him back? Yes? Right, you text you back Ryan Ryan Music?
(16:48):
What do you got So from a team's perspective, obviously,
what you're saying about whether or not he's going to
hold out, I think teams will be weary of that.
But just from a player perspective, do you think his
future teammates are gonna look at it from a perspective
of like, well, hey, now he's one of our guys
and that was the past and we're not worried about it,
(17:08):
Or do you think there are actually going to be
a few guys in that new locker room who are
going to be like, I wonder if this guy is
a team guy or if he's just I'm all about Levan.
I don't think anybody will care. Most guys don't care.
They just don't. But you know there will if he
if he ends up no showing, you're like, h here
we go again. I don't I honestly don't think people care.
(17:29):
You know, the one thing about the NFL is as
long as you show up, work, do your job. Guys
don't care. And I do think that NFL players are
hoping that he gets paid and like you're hey, man,
everybody gets more. It's it's like you don't have to
like your neighbor, but your neighbor is selling their house.
You hope it gets above asking Bryce why because it
makes your your your house worth more. I think that's
how NFL players think. My issue is more. If you're
(17:53):
a general manager, you're owner, your front office guy, you're
a coach, you're gonna hire a guy who thinks he
should be compensated above that of a running back. And
and by the way, all those running backs do more
than just run the football. They all catched out of
the backfield. But you know you want you want to
(18:13):
do something above that of a running back, and then
you've shown that in the future if you don't think
that your contract keeps up um with the times that
you're willing to sit out, and that would scare the
hell out of me if I was another GM be
sure to catch live edition so the Doug dot Leaps
Show week days in noon eastern three pm Pacific. Ian
(18:34):
Rappaport joins us on The Doug Gottlap Show on Fox
Sports Radio. Um, Ian, Southern California is going to get
another football game. I actually think this is the right.
I believe the Rams agreed to play in Mexico City
back when they were still in St. Louis at the time.
That was actually kind of part of the deal. But
how big a pr disaster is this considering all the
(18:57):
logistics that have to be arranged to play in Mexico City,
the dignitaries that were said to be there, forget about
the travel and the costs, and the fans are going
to go there. Just how how much, how many calls
and how much glad ending is taking place to kind
of fix this thing. After the field was deemed unplayable yesterday. Yeah,
I mean it's it's obviously not good. I would say
(19:17):
their pr disaster would be I guess, an actual disaster,
which is players playing on a field that's uh, not
ready for competition and something that would be unsafe for players.
So it's obviously a bad situation. But I think by
making this call, they avoided a much, much worse situation.
But it's interesting when this happens. You know, when the
league sort of steps out of itself and there's another
(19:38):
entity that is helping with something actually like game related
for instance, like a game at Wembley, a game at
another soccer stadium for instance, UM or something like that,
or a game in Mexico, it's kind of out of
the league's hands a little bit, much more so than
when things are happening inside the league. And you know,
(19:58):
when you have a lot of range, you have a
secure concert, um, the field suffers. UM. You know, could
it have been okay maybe, But I think they made
a safe decision and said, let's make sure that the
biggest regular season game we've had in a little while
isn't played on a turf that subpar. And I in
(20:21):
no small I think most any game would have been
viewed as such because the field looks so bad in photos.
But also, you know this type of marquee event, Che's
versus Rams, last thing he wanted it to affect either
the teams or the run to the super Bowl potentially correct.
Well yeah, I mean, you know, again like pr disaster aside,
(20:42):
actual disaster would be one of the monster players or
even one of the not great players hurts himself on
a field that's not ready for competition. I mean, think
about think about that. Like you know, it's like you know,
when you're assessing a situation, you have the worst case, um,
and then have something that's like frustrating. Like I would
say frustrating is not having the game in Mexico. Worst
(21:05):
cases a legitimate, real, horrendous, lasting injury with a great
player because the deal isn't ready. You wrapped board joining
us in the Dug Out Live show on Fox Sports Radio.
Let's get to the Levy on Bell situation. What's his
real value supposed to be like this upcoming off season. Well, um,
I would imagine it's probably similar to what the Steelers
(21:25):
were ready to pay last year, which is, you know,
fifteen million dollars. And remember he turned down five years
seventy million, and the guarantee wasn't great. But for the years,
they're always willing to give a little more upside because
they don't guarantee deals into the second year. That's just
that's just basically how they do their contracts. It's the same, um,
(21:45):
you know. It's the same way that the Cincinnati Bengals
do it, the same way that the Green Bay Packers
do it. And and you know, every contract is a
given takes There's a lot of upfront money, but not
a lot of guarantee, um you know. And I think
for Bell, the real question is is he going to
get the seventeen million that he is asking for. Um.
I can't remember a franchise type running back in his
(22:07):
prime being a free agent. So this is really a fascinating,
really fascinating test case. Yeah, it's I mean, last year
we saw Kirk Cousins. The difference with Cousins was he
played both years with the franchise tag, played well, and
then he's at a position of need and he had
the Jets as a suitor to drive up the price,
and then the Vikings were he ultimately landed there's a
lot of people that believe the Jet Well, the Jets
(22:28):
have all this money and they already have a quarterback,
so they're gonna spend it on a running back. Um,
but that that seems too obvious. And tell me where
this these high high priced free agent running back we
we again, we haven't had this really right. Um, but
do you do do you think that's what the Jets
plan to do with all that money? I mean, I
(22:49):
think the Jets will strongly consider it. Um, you know,
are they going to just take all the money they
have and give it to Levy? I'm not so sure.
I mean I've seen the articles, you know, I've seen
the speculation. Um. I do believe they were a team
that called about possibly trading for him, but there were others. Um.
It's just so hard now right now too. Look at
(23:11):
you know, free agency, and this player is going to
this team when we have a million years to get there,
and um, I just don't think we're there yet. There
Rappaport joining us on the Doug Gotlip Show here on
Fox Sports Radio. Man, We've got some great stuff coming up.
He owes the rap Sheet and Friends podcast, which is
available every week Thursday, Night Football continues this week Great
(23:33):
Game Packers Seahawks on Fox, NFL Network, and Amazon Prime Video.
There there is the narrative out there that the Packers
relationship between Aaron Rodgers and his head coach Mike McCarthy
is irreparable. How accurate is that narrative. I would not
say irreparable, because they've got a lot of success when
(23:56):
things have been tense. I would just say it's tense. Um.
And I would also argue there are other situations like
this around the league and it definitely could be okay, um,
but you know it's something they're gonna have to work through.
And when you have two in incredibly creative, very smart
offensive football minds who don't always think the same thing.
(24:18):
In other words, this play is great, and I'll actually
know it's not um. You know. Then I think sometimes
you get tension and you know, if you want to
know if there's this could actually work. I mean, look
at the Patriots from last year. I mean, I was
certainly a situation where there was a lot of tension
and they were able to work through it and we
didn't win the Super Bowl, but they got there. And
(24:39):
I think for most teams that's pretty good Ian Rabbit
Board joining us on the Doug Gottlieb Show. You mentioned
the Patriots. One local writer went and tracked every throw
that Tom Brady had and the report wasn't good. He
they were bad, but he was bad. He was off target,
he was having trouble throwing the football. Brady earlier this
(25:00):
week said I have to be better. Is there any
concern in New England that that Brady maybe uh not,
just you know that father time might have gotten up
to him. I wouldn't say there's concerned, but you know,
I think for Brady the most important thing is to
realize and understand what he has. So if he's a
guy who has done that, let's say the arm strength
(25:21):
he used to or gunstand in the pocket like he
used to, I know he's struggling against the blitz. I
believe they are going to figure it out because this
is a team, unlike so many that literally just takes
what they have, takes the rules, take all everything they
got and makes it work. Always always makes it work. Um.
So I would say, once they assess what they actually have,
(25:42):
I think they're gonna be fine, even if probably doesn't
have you know, as much physical ability, as he always has.
He's forty one. I mean it's not gonna no, no,
he's clearly not gonna last forever. Check out Thursday. Thursday
Night Football continues this week, Packers taking on the Seahawks
on Fox NFL that work, Amazon Prime Video, and he
sends for what the Ravens do. Lamar Jackson says he's
(26:04):
going to be ready. R G three is actually the
backup quarterback. But they've used Lamar Jackson in kind of
wildcats own read type situations. And then you've got Flacco
who's not going to practice but may well play. What
are you hearing on of Baltimore? Yeah, I mean I
would say this, I expect Lamar Jackson to play on
a significant level. Is he actually the starter? I don't know.
We're gonna find out, but I do think there's been
(26:26):
probably as much subterfuge on this one as I can
ever remember. And I'm sorry I have to actually run
after this answer, but there's you know, it's a it's
a sport. What's you go on the airport? No, I
have not actually okay, I just I heard you zipp
the backup, So I'm sorry, go ahead, No, No, there's yeah,
there's a lot of there's a lot of moving parts here. Um,
(26:47):
but no, I would say this like I expect him
to play significantly. Whether he's starting, I don't know. Uh,
the fact that Flacco is not practicing on a Wednesday
after a bye week is not good. Um, so that
I would say, there's definitely a chance we see checks.
All Right, you go whatever whatever moving parts you got,
go do them because you're more. You're very important to
us and the NFL networking and rap board NFL Network.
(27:08):
Check out Fox, NFL Network, Amazon Prime Video, Thursday Night Football,
Packers and the Seahawks. Thanks so much. In a 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 search f
s R to listen live. Every week, we uh, we
(27:30):
get a chance to dig in with Greg co Sell
from NFL Films has been doing this for forty years
and he gets at all twenty two and he was like,
you know, basically, this is what is actually happening based
upon the film that I'm watching and analyzing. It's incredible
stuff and uh, it's so cool to be joined by him.
Greg Costel joins us in the Doug ot Lip Show
(27:51):
on Fox Sports Radio. I was watching I got a
chance to actually call a game last week on radio
the Saints taking on the Saints taken on the Bengals,
and obviously the Bengals defense is not good. They fired
Tarrell Austin afterwards that said, Um, look, I had heard
and I've watched on tape the Saints ability to use
(28:12):
different personnel groupings, find the mismatch and pick pick you apart.
They really only hit on one pass play that in
the ball in the air traveled I think more than
yards down the field, like one one explosive play. But
they just there's good balance there and they find a
way to get the right guys open and get them
(28:34):
the football. Um, what what's the weakness there is? It?
Is it a lack of explosive, big playability throwing the
ball down the field? Like I'm trying to figure out
how you beat the Saints, how you slow down the
Saints other than obviously keeping Drew Brees off the field,
which is hard because I got the best run defense
in the league. Um, what's the weakness there? I don't
(28:55):
think there is a weakness to their offense. I think
that it starts with personnel, their multiple use of it.
Then its formations, and that's a very multiple as well.
It's shifts, its motions, and it's tempo because Drew Brees
is a master at tempo. So very often he'll get
to the line of scrimmage and he might snap the
ball right away or he might research the defense. You
(29:16):
don't know that, uh, And he doesn't get sacked a
lot because the ball comes out so quick. So it's
a timing rhythm, pass game and breeze. Essentially, Dug wins
before the balls even snapped. The great quarterbacks in today's
NFL do that they win before the ball snapped. They
know where they're going and they've already researched the defense
(29:37):
and yesterday validated on their first step. Of course they do,
but for the most part, they win before the ball snapped. Um.
There have been some Boston area reporters who watching Tom Brady,
and some of it is when he's forced off his spot,
he's never as accurate. He didn't have Rob Gronkowski. But
(29:58):
they're simply pointing out, hey, that ball is not on time,
on target. The accuracy and arm strength just wasn't their
last weekend? How How how many times is that? Does
that happen often? Was this all? This is the exception?
Like you watch all the tape, what's the tape actually say? Well,
last week was a particular game in which the Titans
(30:18):
did a really good job. Now they're not the only
team that has tried what was successful in that given week,
which was a lot of multiple front looks, a lot
of different pressure concepts, very often with just four. But
it was a second or third level player who was
part of the four, and obviously they attacked him in
the interior, which is where everybody likes to attack. Tom Brady.
(30:38):
Now he got uncomfortable in that game very quickly. He
was started to anticipate pressure. Now, one thing that has
stood out this year, and I think the Titans knew
that going in and they obviously made it worse, was
the Patriots have not been very good versus the blitz
this year. And there's multiple reasons for that. It's not
just Tom Brady, obviously, but that's been a problem all year.
(31:00):
And normally when teams blitz in the old days, you
always say, well you got one on one on the outside.
That's not necessarily the case now because there are so
many more advanced, sophisticated, detailed pressure concept that it's not
just a case of hey, let's win on the outside.
But that's one area in which the Patriots have really
struggled this year. Doug versus Blitz, you have pointed out
(31:22):
throughout the season that as good as Andrew Luck has been,
he hasn't been throwing the ball deep downfield. They continue
to be successful. Is he continued to improve in terms
of arm strength and throwing the ball downfield or is
it is it still kind of cleverly mixing and matching
and finding uh, you know, finding in and around the
line of scrimmage through us. I would say that they've
(31:44):
done a really good job of mixing and matching. It's
not really a downfield passing team. One of the things
that Frank Reich has done exceptionally well is they've made
this a very timing based offense. That's the main reason
he's not been sacked in four weeks. I mean, we
all can remember a lot back sort of in the
I had to say, the old days, but before the injury,
where he was in an offense where there are a
(32:05):
lot of deeper drops where he had to run a
lot because the pressure got to him or he would
get hit as he threw it. That doesn't happen now
because it's a much different pass game, much more timing based,
more rhythm throws, more three step quick, five step. The
ball gets out and that helps your offensive line as well.
So it's a symbiotic relationship. Doug Allive Show here on
(32:26):
Fox Sports Radio. That's the voice of Greg co Sell
from NFL Films. Are the Cowboys playing better offensively? Uh?
Not necessarily, I mean when they run the ball. Well, yes,
they are playing better offensively because their offense is built
on the run game. But again, this is where when
(32:47):
you watch the tape you see what you see with
their pass game. Cooper will help because he can win
one on one and they are very much an isolation
individual based a route running team. Uh So winning one
on one is critical. Cooper can do that, and he
did have a big one on one win on their
final t D drive last week. But but Prescott still
(33:10):
every week he leaves throws on the field. He doesn't
really see things clearly for the most part, and he's
a see a throw at quarterback. He needs to see
it open and that's why he leaves a lot of
throws on the field, so he'll make a few good
throws every week. He is an NFL starting quarterback dog,
but he's the tape tells you a different story that
he's not playing really well, Yeah, it's it's the great stuff.
(33:32):
Great Costell joining us here on the Doug Otlip Show
on Fox Sports Radio. Um, James Connor obviously, statistically has
really been effective. They were great on Thursday night when
we last spoke with you, I was before that Carolina game. Um, is,
are they better? Are they the same? How are you seen?
Like I said, forty years of tape? Sure, get compared
(33:54):
and contrast the Steelers offense last year with the stereos
offense this year and why they've been able to be
so accessful with the different running back. Well, first of all,
let's let's avoid the conversation of traits of Connor versus
Levian Bell, because that's not really irrelevant conversation right now.
James Conner is playing now. James Conner this particular season
(34:15):
has far more explosive runs than Levian Bell had a
year ago, so that certainly helps your offense. In fact,
James Conner, if I'm not mistaken has more twenty plus
yard runs than any back in the league, and he's
shown the ability to be patient, to run with vision,
he's got short area burst, he's got finishing power. He's
a very good back in the context of this offense,
and he's quicker than people probably think he lost weight
(34:37):
since he came out of college. So James Conner is
giving the Steelers what they need from the running back position.
And he's also a very good receiver. So there's really
no difference in terms of production. And one could argue
that he's been as or more productive than Levian Bell
at times, so there's no change in their offense. Sell
(34:58):
Alive show here on Fox works right out. Help me
out with Levian Bell? What what do you think of
You know he wants to be paid a level commensurate
above that of other running backs. Is he worth it? Well?
I think that depends on one on a team's view
of what they want their running back to be, because
I think if you're going to pay it back that
(35:20):
kind of money, then that means that the back has
to be the starting point of what you do offensively.
Now that doesn't mean he gets thirty carries a week,
No one does. But that means that your offense with
the run game obviously, but also with your pass game,
has to work through your back The Rams are a
great example. Their pass game is play action based outside
zone run action based, so even when Girlie doesn't get
(35:42):
the ball, he's still the foundation of what they do.
So if you want to pay Levian Bell that kind
of money, then you have to understand that's how your
offense has to work, because otherwise, if you're going to
give him the ball twelve times a game, there's a
lot of backs you can give the ball to twelve
times a game. Yeah, why did Carolina Panthers struggled son
(36:03):
only obviously Cam had that terrible pick six where he was,
you know, on his back leg and just kind of
flung it up and it ends up getting picked off.
But but they couldn't really get in rhythm. Was it
the Steelers or was it the Panthers weakness getting exposed. Well,
they had that great first drive when they marched right
down the field and they did a really nice job
of using McCaffrey and of creating some matchups um and
(36:26):
then I think they struggled and passed protection quite a bit.
And the Steelers have been very, very good over the
last three four weeks with their pressure concepts, and I
think that caused some problems. Um, they had a high
blitz frequency in that game. They felt very comfortable being
able to match up to the receivers on the perimeter.
So it was it was a game in which the
Steelers pressure concepts beat the Panthers protection schemes. Now that
(36:50):
the Panthers will probably learn from that, but that was
one of those games. Both the Chargers and the Bears
have gaudie records but have played against inferior competence. Let's
start with the Chargers. How legitimate are they? Well, I
think any team that has Philip Rivers at quarterback and
the weapons that they have offensively is a tough team
(37:11):
to prepare for and to defend. Uh, those big receivers
on the perimeter, Allen will both Williams, they're big, their
physical Uh, they have some some vertical ability and Melvin
Gordon is a multidimensional back at this point in his career.
So they're a tough offense to to defend. I think defensively,
it's it's not your grandfather's Gus Bradley's defense. He's done
(37:34):
a lot more as the coordinator there in terms of
personnel and looks and pressure, so I think they're legitimate
the Bears. The Bears are interesting because Drabinsky is a
second year player. He's not necessarily a highly talented thrower,
but it's an incredibly well schemed offense that presents defining
reads for him and causes problems for defenses. And of
(37:55):
course we know their defense is very good. I've always
thought Doug that Vic Fangio was one of the best
defensive minds in the league. He's a grumpy sucker though.
Man h classic old school guy. I did sideline for
a for a game for the Bears Dolphins. I didn't
I didn't say. And you know, one of the guys
I was working with, I won't throw him under the bus.
(38:16):
He was like, this was one of the best thief.
You've gotta be one of the best defensive you've ever seen.
He's like, what us like, whatever, he's he's he's old school,
he's he's he's he's amazing, amazing what what he's been
able to do? Um? Uh, last thing? We we won't
see the Chiefs till Monday, until they match up against
(38:40):
until they match up against the Rams. Are the Chiefs
evolving any like this, Pat Mahomes, it only started one
game when he came into the year, and oftentimes I'm
just wondering. You mentioned how how well schemed the Bears offenses.
Obviously Matt Naggy comes from the Kanci Chiefs just last year.
Are the Chiefs evolving any in terms of how they're
(39:02):
using the homes and all of that weaponry? Well, yeah,
I think they are becoming much more diverse formationally. That's
one of their strengths is they are so diverse formationally,
with Hill, with Kelsey, with Hunt, you know, they run
a lot of empty sets. You really have to match
up two people. Hill is really difficult to cover when
he's in the inside slot two trips when there's three
(39:23):
receivers to one side and he's the innermost. Uh So
they're a team that's based on that, and they're doing
more and more, and then they use a ton of
motion and shifting, so they are really difficult offense. The Rams,
on the other hand, are different. They don't do a
lot of that. They pretty much line up with eleven personnel,
meaning one back, one tight end, three wide receivers, something
(39:43):
like their snaps. They're not really a complicated offense when
you look at what they do. They just make it
difficult with how they go about doing what they do
with their run game, with their jet sweep action, and
they create voids in the middle of the field. How
much does losing Cooper Cup change them? Uh? I mean
(40:03):
I really like Cooper Cup, my guesses, and I know
people will disagree that. I think Josh Reynolds will probably
step in and because they do what they do so
well that it won't be a big, big loss. Great stuff,
Greg cosl NFL Films. Watch him FALM on Twitter. Obviously,
he appears here and on with Colin Cowherd and he
does an amazing job. Greg. We love our time with you.
(40:26):
Thanks so much. Thanks do appreciate it.
Thanks for listening to the best of the Doug Gottlieb
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday
from three to six pm Eastern Time that's twelve to
three Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station
for the Doug Gottlieb Show at Fox Sports Radio dot com,
or stream us live every day on the I Heart
Radio app by searching fs R. This is the best
(00:22):
of the Doug gottli Show on Fox Sports Radio. Boom,
What Up America, Doug Gottlieb Show, Fox Sports Radio, coming
to you from the lovely sunny City of Angels. Who
appears Joey bos is getting close, getting close to getting
back planning for the Lightning Bolts. That is big news
(00:43):
for the seventy and two Chargers. We'll ask Melvin Ingram
a little later on the show just how close is
How close is he? But uh? I really want to
start with uh with the Golden State Warriors. That's because
there is there is trouble in Paradise and look there
(01:06):
there's also a things run their course, right, Things run
their course. We We've seen this in every sport, but
especially in basketball. Kobe and Shack could no longer co
exist they just could not. The difference is that this
was a group that had won a championship. Maybe the
(01:28):
reason for toxicity is they won a championship and then
the following year they won seventy three games, and then
they went out and added a player who had had
been an m v P, had led them three games.
One that there was just sometimes relationships don't make it
the distance because of the past. Sometimes guys have mom
(01:51):
issues or dad issues, or previous job issues. And even
if the the idea of the relationship like that works,
why it doesn't sometimes work is there's just too much
to unpack, just too much to unpack. This is not
all Kevin Duran's fault. It is not all Draymond Green's fault.
(02:17):
Some of it, believe it or not, is actually Steph
Curry's fault and Clay Thompson's fault and Steve Kerr's fault,
not because they've done anything wrong, but because they were
so successful on their own. Like look, Steph Curry was
an m v P. He won the unit, unanimously voted
(02:39):
m v P, they won seventy three games. Didn't want
a championship, but it won one previously. He he has
been the most beloved professional athlete in American sports at
times over the last half decade. The most beloved are
their haters out there, sure, but generally have you we
(03:01):
watch Odell Beckham Jr. Warm up some We watched Steph
Curry warm up eighty two times plus the playoffs in
the preseason. From his wife to his adorable daughter. Now
I know he has two kids, to his parents back
when he was like this dude is a beloved dude,
and he opened up his locker room to a guy
(03:22):
who used to be a rival. Who does that? Steph
Curry Like, I actually think he's the real deal as
a star and as a human being. That's it. He's
just as responsible because you had to know that if
you go out and get Kevin Durant. He's played a
(03:43):
different style, He's been wired differently, comes from a different background,
a different part of the country. And oh yeah, by
the way, he was brought in by Draymond Green, who
even Draymond's ideals runcountered to many of the things that
Steph believes him. They all believe in winning, they all
know each other's value. But there's so much to unpack,
(04:05):
so much a team that played with pure joy and
shared the ball and celebrate others. Success brings in a
guy who he's not the most. He's not the He's
not the is O Joe Joe Johnson. He doesn't even
demand the ball and have the usage rate of a
(04:26):
James Harden or Lebron James. But he had played in
a system where one of two guys got it every
time they needed a bucket, and that was just the
way it was. And then you factor in Kevin Durant,
who this is just my belief. I think he's partially
scarred by not winning with the thunder that made him think, listen,
(04:50):
if I just go and win, no, there's nothing anyone
can't say about me. If I just go and play
defense and win, and and I'm better than Lebron James
the same position in the NBA Finals, then no one
can say anything about me. And then they have and
he can't take it. And some of it is the past,
(05:14):
some of it is the present. Some of it is
even the media is insistent whose team is it? Like
I've never walked into a locker room and be like,
whose team? Oh, it's Jimmy's team, Jimmy, Jimmy, you're Jimmy's team.
But as well as Steph Curry seems to handle it,
as well as Clay Thompson seems to handle it, as
(05:35):
well as Steve Kerr seems to handle it, Kevin Durant
hasn't handled it. I mean, burner accounts and going at
guys on social media. What are you doing? You're an
NBA superstar, an NBA superstar. Here's Kevin Durant last night
after the win over the Hawks in which Draymond Green
was suspended for the game. Kevin, have you and Draymond
(05:56):
been able to hash anything out? Do you see that
happening anytime soon? I'm sure it will long season ahead.
Did he cross the line with anything last night that
was said? I'm gonna keep that in the house. That's
what that's what we do here. I know you guys
got a job to do, but I'm not trying to
get nobody no headlines. What happened happened. We're trying to
move on, just trying to play basketball. If you were
(06:18):
trying to move on, you would have had a conversation
about it. Anyone who's ever been in a relationship knows
when you stopped talking. The relationships ceased to exist. Do
you stopped talking with your boss, You're probably going to
be looking for a different job. You stopped talking with
somebody else. You have your own business and you own
it with you own it with a buddy. You guys
(06:39):
stop talking to each other like I can't even talk
to them. And of course, some relationships, if you can't
sit down and have honest, frank conversations and just be people,
then the relationships ceased to exist. And oh yeah, by
the way, Draymond kind of unpacked a lot of baggage
all at once, you know, the words and things that
(07:01):
he said that Durant did step over the line, but
a lot of it was just venting out of frustration.
I was the guy I'm talking about, Draymond, who vouched
for you to join our group. We went out to
the Hampton's, We told you how it would work, why
would work. But I was the guy who swore by you.
This is like when a guy screws up at work
(07:23):
and you were the one who he put down as
a reference, right, I was your main reference. The guy
called me and said, hey, does he have a drinking problem?
And I was like, no, that's over. You'd like to
have a couple of drinks. Then you come in drunk
to work four or five days in a row, and
they gotta get rid of you. And I looked like
the idiot because I swore by you can Kevin Durant
(07:44):
get along and share the basketball. Is sure. He only
didn't in Oklahoma City because they had Andre Robertson, they
had Steven Adams, they had other guys that couldn't play,
so you had to go get your own buckets. You
had to. Of course, Draymond's frustrated the stories about New
(08:04):
York and I've heard the Clippers. I've heard it's the
Clippers or New York and don't ever bet against Jerry West.
But those stories they don't just come out of nowhere.
They're not made up from opposing teams and opposing agents.
Those stories are planted for a reason. And Draymond's point
(08:26):
probably is like, look, dude, we're not idiots. We know
when people get these stories where they get stories from
we came and recruited you. And you can't just even
for the sake of the season, can't say like, hey,
I'm staying here forever. I'm sure the end of the
year you may change your mind be a hypocrite, but
that's that's the way the game is played. Instead, you
(08:48):
leave it open to interpretation. You're gonna keep your options open.
And now we have to answer these questions everywhere we go.
I don't blame Draymond for being upset. I don't blame
for being man. It's like, look, I've been making plays
in transition. Whoever gets it goes with it at the
end of a game, which is what led to this argument. Now,
in the context of that game, I do think Duran
(09:09):
should have gotten the basketball, and I think that the
suspension of of Draymond has nothing to do with the
long term future or sucking up to Kevin Durant. I
just think it's Look, Draymond was out of line. That's it. Period.
He was out of line. He went crazy, he went
and he started talking about things he shouldn't talk about,
(09:31):
and he had an airing of grievances. It was festivals
for the rest of us. But that wasn't the time
and definitely not the place, especially if you guys are
close friends hash it out in private when no one
else is around or closed the door, and have Steve
Kerr joining it. But I do think that this is
(09:55):
one of those relationships that's bound to end in divorce.
And the main reason is Kevin Durant thought that if
you win an NBA Championship, you win an NBA Finals
m v P, you would be fulfilled. And there's something
about the top of the mountain that Kevin Durant has learned.
There's no chairs there. There's no chairs, there's no camaraderie,
(10:19):
there's just the top of the mountain. That's it. To
any of us who are super motivated people, you'll get
to the top of the mountain, you're like, man, this
is great. Now, what shouldn't Is there an automatic gate
to heaven? Is there's some something that makes me feel
more fulfilled that that's one of the reasons that you
(10:43):
gotta have a family, you gotta have balance, is because
if you try and fulfill yourself with just your sport
or just your job, you're gonna end up feeling hollow.
You don't have anybody to share it with because there's
no chairs up there, there's no greeting parade. And Rant
(11:04):
has figured that out the hard way. Be sure to
catch live editions, so the Doug gott Leap Show weekdays
at noon Eastern three pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
and the I Heart Radio app. Take a listen to
what Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, had to say about
soon to be former Steeler Levy on Bell. He's not here.
He's not gonna be here, so we don't talk about it.
I've text him yesterday before the deadline, asking him, you know,
(11:27):
text himself. I hope he was gonna show up and
if he decided not to, wish nothing but the best.
He was a great teammate, a great football player. You know,
to each their own on what they want to walk
away from. Each guy has their own motives and motivations,
and um, you know, I can't comment on him. I
am glad that we want to talk about this anymore.
Though he text you back. Yeah, no, he didn't text
(11:48):
me back. He's done. My my only My only point.
And it's an important, one important distinction is it's basically
like Darrell Reeves. Darrell Rivas was an incredible cornerback for
a time and if you remember, he held out with
the New York Jets and ultimately got his way and
(12:10):
got the deal. Now, it ended up causing the Jets
to ultimately have to break apart because the Jets at
the time didn't manage the salary cap, plus they didn't
have good enough quarterback play. But they went to two
a f C Championship games in row, and they made
the mistake of telling Darrell Reevas saying out loud, hey,
he's the best corner cover corner in football. At the time, No,
namdi ospin I had a ridiculous contract with the Raiders
(12:33):
and he wanted to be paid the same amount. But
if you look at Darell Revas, the knock on Darell
Rivas should have been then. I said it then and
it proved to be true. Look, if you give in
to a guy when he holds out, then he's just
(12:54):
gonna hold out again. And in this case, if Levian
Bell thinks he's done the right thing, he believes that
he's going to change what running backs make and he's
gonna be a free He knows the Jets need a
running back and the Jets have a bunch of money.
(13:16):
In addition to the idea of like, look, I get
he thinks it's Todd Gurley money. But Todd Gurley is
two and a half years younger and Todd Gurley showed
up for every day at work and the Rams decided
to rework his deal. A year before they had two
different franchise. But if you want to use as a
comp fine, we've got to compare ages. He's two years older. Um.
(13:41):
But but here's the most important part. If everything goes right,
Levan Bell is a tremendous player. But if everything goes
right and he achieves Pro Bowl All Pro status, couldn't
we see a day in which Levian Bell decides, I
don't really like this contract. I'll sit out because I've
(14:04):
proven that I will sit out. Here's a guy who Look,
he didn't win the bluff. He just didn't. He said him.
He was not bluffing. You know, he had, by his
own estimation, he had a really really good hand. He
had a good hand. He had read of a kind.
(14:27):
And the problem was the Steelers have a royal flush.
There's nothing he can do. But he had a really
good hand. So we don't think he's bluffing in the future.
But that actually is not that great a thing because now,
if you're the Jets or you ever, whomever you're like, Look,
if we pay him, great, But when we get to
a point in his contract where he doesn't like the terms,
(14:49):
He's gonna sit out. He doesn't care, doesn't care at
all about whether or not we're winning. We got a
chance to win the super Bowl. He doesn't care about
anything other than the bottom line. So, in addition to
costing himself fourteen point five million dollars, an decision and
this wasn't one decision, it's a series of bad business decisions.
That's a bad business decisions. You could have sacrificed half
(15:12):
your contracts, shown up after the trade deadline, made six
and a half million dollars, competed for a super Bowl,
end up making more in in some playoff bonuses, and
then going on you're going on your way and getting
a new deal. But instead he showed I'll sit out
the whole time, which if I'm another team, that scares
the hell out of me. He didn't want a one
(15:34):
year deal at fourteen point five. He wants more money
than that. He want two or three years. But what
happens when we get to the team friendly terms of
a contract. That's how they all work. Levy is gonna
sit out, No thanks, wants to sit out. Guy always
to sit out. Guy just like women will tell you
once a cheater, always a cheater. Yeah, right, Like if
(16:00):
if Levi on Bells, modus up a run his if
his what he's telling people is, hey, I've made a
lot of money. I got enough money. I can sit
out until I get what I want. So if that's
true now and he gets a new contract, that only
be more true in the future. Only be more true
(16:22):
in the future. Ben Roethlisberger said, the guy didn't even
text him back, like you text him. A guy text
you and says, hey, man, I hope you show up
otherwise love playing with you. You don't text him back.
You didn't text him back? Who do you don't text
him back? Yes? Right, you text you back Ryan Ryan Music?
(16:48):
What do you got So from a team's perspective, obviously,
what you're saying about whether or not he's going to
hold out, I think teams will be weary of that.
But just from a player perspective, do you think his
future teammates are gonna look at it from a perspective
of like, well, hey, now he's one of our guys
and that was the past and we're not worried about it,
(17:08):
Or do you think there are actually going to be
a few guys in that new locker room who are
going to be like, I wonder if this guy is
a team guy or if he's just I'm all about Levan.
I don't think anybody will care. Most guys don't care.
They just don't. But you know there will if he
if he ends up no showing, you're like, h here
we go again. I don't I honestly don't think people care.
(17:29):
You know, the one thing about the NFL is as
long as you show up, work, do your job. Guys
don't care. And I do think that NFL players are
hoping that he gets paid and like you're hey, man,
everybody gets more. It's it's like you don't have to
like your neighbor, but your neighbor is selling their house.
You hope it gets above asking Bryce why because it
makes your your your house worth more. I think that's
how NFL players think. My issue is more. If you're
(17:53):
a general manager, you're owner, your front office guy, you're
a coach, you're gonna hire a guy who thinks he
should be compensated above that of a running back. And
and by the way, all those running backs do more
than just run the football. They all catched out of
the backfield. But you know you want you want to
(18:13):
do something above that of a running back, and then
you've shown that in the future if you don't think
that your contract keeps up um with the times that
you're willing to sit out, and that would scare the
hell out of me if I was another GM be
sure to catch live edition so the Doug dot Leaps
Show week days in noon eastern three pm Pacific. Ian
(18:34):
Rappaport joins us on The Doug Gottlap Show on Fox
Sports Radio. Um, Ian, Southern California is going to get
another football game. I actually think this is the right.
I believe the Rams agreed to play in Mexico City
back when they were still in St. Louis at the time.
That was actually kind of part of the deal. But
how big a pr disaster is this considering all the
(18:57):
logistics that have to be arranged to play in Mexico City,
the dignitaries that were said to be there, forget about
the travel and the costs, and the fans are going
to go there. Just how how much, how many calls
and how much glad ending is taking place to kind
of fix this thing. After the field was deemed unplayable yesterday. Yeah,
I mean it's it's obviously not good. I would say
(19:17):
their pr disaster would be I guess, an actual disaster,
which is players playing on a field that's uh, not
ready for competition and something that would be unsafe for players.
So it's obviously a bad situation. But I think by
making this call, they avoided a much, much worse situation.
But it's interesting when this happens. You know, when the
league sort of steps out of itself and there's another
(19:38):
entity that is helping with something actually like game related
for instance, like a game at Wembley, a game at
another soccer stadium for instance, UM or something like that,
or a game in Mexico, it's kind of out of
the league's hands a little bit, much more so than
when things are happening inside the league. And you know,
(19:58):
when you have a lot of range, you have a
secure concert, um, the field suffers. UM. You know, could
it have been okay maybe, But I think they made
a safe decision and said, let's make sure that the
biggest regular season game we've had in a little while
isn't played on a turf that subpar. And I in
(20:21):
no small I think most any game would have been
viewed as such because the field looks so bad in photos.
But also, you know this type of marquee event, Che's
versus Rams, last thing he wanted it to affect either
the teams or the run to the super Bowl potentially correct.
Well yeah, I mean, you know, again like pr disaster aside,
(20:42):
actual disaster would be one of the monster players or
even one of the not great players hurts himself on
a field that's not ready for competition. I mean, think
about think about that. Like you know, it's like you know,
when you're assessing a situation, you have the worst case, um,
and then have something that's like frustrating. Like I would
say frustrating is not having the game in Mexico. Worst
(21:05):
cases a legitimate, real, horrendous, lasting injury with a great
player because the deal isn't ready. You wrapped board joining
us in the Dug Out Live show on Fox Sports Radio.
Let's get to the Levy on Bell situation. What's his
real value supposed to be like this upcoming off season. Well, um,
I would imagine it's probably similar to what the Steelers
(21:25):
were ready to pay last year, which is, you know,
fifteen million dollars. And remember he turned down five years
seventy million, and the guarantee wasn't great. But for the years,
they're always willing to give a little more upside because
they don't guarantee deals into the second year. That's just
that's just basically how they do their contracts. It's the same, um,
(21:45):
you know. It's the same way that the Cincinnati Bengals
do it, the same way that the Green Bay Packers
do it. And and you know, every contract is a
given takes There's a lot of upfront money, but not
a lot of guarantee, um you know. And I think
for Bell, the real question is is he going to
get the seventeen million that he is asking for. Um.
I can't remember a franchise type running back in his
(22:07):
prime being a free agent. So this is really a fascinating,
really fascinating test case. Yeah, it's I mean, last year
we saw Kirk Cousins. The difference with Cousins was he
played both years with the franchise tag, played well, and
then he's at a position of need and he had
the Jets as a suitor to drive up the price,
and then the Vikings were he ultimately landed there's a
lot of people that believe the Jet Well, the Jets
(22:28):
have all this money and they already have a quarterback,
so they're gonna spend it on a running back. Um,
but that that seems too obvious. And tell me where
this these high high priced free agent running back we
we again, we haven't had this really right. Um, but
do you do do you think that's what the Jets
plan to do with all that money? I mean, I
(22:49):
think the Jets will strongly consider it. Um, you know,
are they going to just take all the money they
have and give it to Levy? I'm not so sure.
I mean I've seen the articles, you know, I've seen
the speculation. Um. I do believe they were a team
that called about possibly trading for him, but there were others. Um.
It's just so hard now right now too. Look at
(23:11):
you know, free agency, and this player is going to
this team when we have a million years to get there,
and um, I just don't think we're there yet. There
Rappaport joining us on the Doug Gotlip Show here on
Fox Sports Radio. Man, We've got some great stuff coming up.
He owes the rap Sheet and Friends podcast, which is
available every week Thursday, Night Football continues this week Great
(23:33):
Game Packers Seahawks on Fox, NFL Network, and Amazon Prime Video.
There there is the narrative out there that the Packers
relationship between Aaron Rodgers and his head coach Mike McCarthy
is irreparable. How accurate is that narrative. I would not
say irreparable, because they've got a lot of success when
(23:56):
things have been tense. I would just say it's tense. Um.
And I would also argue there are other situations like
this around the league and it definitely could be okay, um,
but you know it's something they're gonna have to work through.
And when you have two in incredibly creative, very smart
offensive football minds who don't always think the same thing.
(24:18):
In other words, this play is great, and I'll actually
know it's not um. You know. Then I think sometimes
you get tension and you know, if you want to
know if there's this could actually work. I mean, look
at the Patriots from last year. I mean, I was
certainly a situation where there was a lot of tension
and they were able to work through it and we
didn't win the Super Bowl, but they got there. And
(24:39):
I think for most teams that's pretty good Ian Rabbit
Board joining us on the Doug Gottlieb Show. You mentioned
the Patriots. One local writer went and tracked every throw
that Tom Brady had and the report wasn't good. He
they were bad, but he was bad. He was off target,
he was having trouble throwing the football. Brady earlier this
(25:00):
week said I have to be better. Is there any
concern in New England that that Brady maybe uh not,
just you know that father time might have gotten up
to him. I wouldn't say there's concerned, but you know,
I think for Brady the most important thing is to
realize and understand what he has. So if he's a
guy who has done that, let's say the arm strength
(25:21):
he used to or gunstand in the pocket like he
used to, I know he's struggling against the blitz. I
believe they are going to figure it out because this
is a team, unlike so many that literally just takes
what they have, takes the rules, take all everything they
got and makes it work. Always always makes it work. Um.
So I would say, once they assess what they actually have,
(25:42):
I think they're gonna be fine, even if probably doesn't
have you know, as much physical ability, as he always has.
He's forty one. I mean it's not gonna no, no,
he's clearly not gonna last forever. Check out Thursday. Thursday
Night Football continues this week, Packers taking on the Seahawks
on Fox NFL that work, Amazon Prime Video, and he
sends for what the Ravens do. Lamar Jackson says he's
(26:04):
going to be ready. R G three is actually the
backup quarterback. But they've used Lamar Jackson in kind of
wildcats own read type situations. And then you've got Flacco
who's not going to practice but may well play. What
are you hearing on of Baltimore? Yeah, I mean I
would say this, I expect Lamar Jackson to play on
a significant level. Is he actually the starter? I don't know.
We're gonna find out, but I do think there's been
(26:26):
probably as much subterfuge on this one as I can
ever remember. And I'm sorry I have to actually run
after this answer, but there's you know, it's a it's
a sport. What's you go on the airport? No, I
have not actually okay, I just I heard you zipp
the backup, So I'm sorry, go ahead, No, No, there's yeah,
there's a lot of there's a lot of moving parts here. Um,
(26:47):
but no, I would say this like I expect him
to play significantly. Whether he's starting, I don't know. Uh,
the fact that Flacco is not practicing on a Wednesday
after a bye week is not good. Um, so that
I would say, there's definitely a chance we see checks.
All Right, you go whatever whatever moving parts you got,
go do them because you're more. You're very important to
us and the NFL networking and rap board NFL Network.
(27:08):
Check out Fox, NFL Network, Amazon Prime Video, Thursday Night Football,
Packers and the Seahawks. Thanks so much. In a 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 search f
s R to listen live. Every week, we uh, we
(27:30):
get a chance to dig in with Greg co Sell
from NFL Films has been doing this for forty years
and he gets at all twenty two and he was like,
you know, basically, this is what is actually happening based
upon the film that I'm watching and analyzing. It's incredible
stuff and uh, it's so cool to be joined by him.
Greg Costel joins us in the Doug ot Lip Show
(27:51):
on Fox Sports Radio. I was watching I got a
chance to actually call a game last week on radio
the Saints taking on the Saints taken on the Bengals,
and obviously the Bengals defense is not good. They fired
Tarrell Austin afterwards that said, Um, look, I had heard
and I've watched on tape the Saints ability to use
(28:12):
different personnel groupings, find the mismatch and pick pick you apart.
They really only hit on one pass play that in
the ball in the air traveled I think more than
yards down the field, like one one explosive play. But
they just there's good balance there and they find a
way to get the right guys open and get them
(28:34):
the football. Um, what what's the weakness there is? It?
Is it a lack of explosive, big playability throwing the
ball down the field? Like I'm trying to figure out
how you beat the Saints, how you slow down the
Saints other than obviously keeping Drew Brees off the field,
which is hard because I got the best run defense
in the league. Um, what's the weakness there? I don't
(28:55):
think there is a weakness to their offense. I think
that it starts with personnel, their multiple use of it.
Then its formations, and that's a very multiple as well.
It's shifts, its motions, and it's tempo because Drew Brees
is a master at tempo. So very often he'll get
to the line of scrimmage and he might snap the
ball right away or he might research the defense. You
(29:16):
don't know that, uh, And he doesn't get sacked a
lot because the ball comes out so quick. So it's
a timing rhythm, pass game and breeze. Essentially, Dug wins
before the balls even snapped. The great quarterbacks in today's
NFL do that they win before the ball snapped. They
know where they're going and they've already researched the defense
(29:37):
and yesterday validated on their first step. Of course they do,
but for the most part, they win before the ball snapped. Um.
There have been some Boston area reporters who watching Tom Brady,
and some of it is when he's forced off his spot,
he's never as accurate. He didn't have Rob Gronkowski. But
(29:58):
they're simply pointing out, hey, that ball is not on time,
on target. The accuracy and arm strength just wasn't their
last weekend? How How how many times is that? Does
that happen often? Was this all? This is the exception?
Like you watch all the tape, what's the tape actually say? Well,
last week was a particular game in which the Titans
(30:18):
did a really good job. Now they're not the only
team that has tried what was successful in that given week,
which was a lot of multiple front looks, a lot
of different pressure concepts, very often with just four. But
it was a second or third level player who was
part of the four, and obviously they attacked him in
the interior, which is where everybody likes to attack. Tom Brady.
(30:38):
Now he got uncomfortable in that game very quickly. He
was started to anticipate pressure. Now, one thing that has
stood out this year, and I think the Titans knew
that going in and they obviously made it worse, was
the Patriots have not been very good versus the blitz
this year. And there's multiple reasons for that. It's not
just Tom Brady, obviously, but that's been a problem all year.
(31:00):
And normally when teams blitz in the old days, you
always say, well you got one on one on the outside.
That's not necessarily the case now because there are so
many more advanced, sophisticated, detailed pressure concept that it's not
just a case of hey, let's win on the outside.
But that's one area in which the Patriots have really
struggled this year. Doug versus Blitz, you have pointed out
(31:22):
throughout the season that as good as Andrew Luck has been,
he hasn't been throwing the ball deep downfield. They continue
to be successful. Is he continued to improve in terms
of arm strength and throwing the ball downfield or is
it is it still kind of cleverly mixing and matching
and finding uh, you know, finding in and around the
line of scrimmage through us. I would say that they've
(31:44):
done a really good job of mixing and matching. It's
not really a downfield passing team. One of the things
that Frank Reich has done exceptionally well is they've made
this a very timing based offense. That's the main reason
he's not been sacked in four weeks. I mean, we
all can remember a lot back sort of in the
I had to say, the old days, but before the injury,
where he was in an offense where there are a
(32:05):
lot of deeper drops where he had to run a
lot because the pressure got to him or he would
get hit as he threw it. That doesn't happen now
because it's a much different pass game, much more timing based,
more rhythm throws, more three step quick, five step. The
ball gets out and that helps your offensive line as well.
So it's a symbiotic relationship. Doug Allive Show here on
(32:26):
Fox Sports Radio. That's the voice of Greg co Sell
from NFL Films. Are the Cowboys playing better offensively? Uh?
Not necessarily, I mean when they run the ball. Well, yes,
they are playing better offensively because their offense is built
on the run game. But again, this is where when
(32:47):
you watch the tape you see what you see with
their pass game. Cooper will help because he can win
one on one and they are very much an isolation
individual based a route running team. Uh So winning one
on one is critical. Cooper can do that, and he
did have a big one on one win on their
final t D drive last week. But but Prescott still
(33:10):
every week he leaves throws on the field. He doesn't
really see things clearly for the most part, and he's
a see a throw at quarterback. He needs to see
it open and that's why he leaves a lot of
throws on the field, so he'll make a few good
throws every week. He is an NFL starting quarterback dog,
but he's the tape tells you a different story that
he's not playing really well, Yeah, it's it's the great stuff.
(33:32):
Great Costell joining us here on the Doug Otlip Show
on Fox Sports Radio. Um, James Connor obviously, statistically has
really been effective. They were great on Thursday night when
we last spoke with you, I was before that Carolina game. Um, is,
are they better? Are they the same? How are you seen?
Like I said, forty years of tape? Sure, get compared
(33:54):
and contrast the Steelers offense last year with the stereos
offense this year and why they've been able to be
so accessful with the different running back. Well, first of all,
let's let's avoid the conversation of traits of Connor versus
Levian Bell, because that's not really irrelevant conversation right now.
James Conner is playing now. James Conner this particular season
(34:15):
has far more explosive runs than Levian Bell had a
year ago, so that certainly helps your offense. In fact,
James Conner, if I'm not mistaken has more twenty plus
yard runs than any back in the league, and he's
shown the ability to be patient, to run with vision,
he's got short area burst, he's got finishing power. He's
a very good back in the context of this offense,
and he's quicker than people probably think he lost weight
(34:37):
since he came out of college. So James Conner is
giving the Steelers what they need from the running back position.
And he's also a very good receiver. So there's really
no difference in terms of production. And one could argue
that he's been as or more productive than Levian Bell
at times, so there's no change in their offense. Sell
(34:58):
Alive show here on Fox works right out. Help me
out with Levian Bell? What what do you think of
You know he wants to be paid a level commensurate
above that of other running backs. Is he worth it? Well?
I think that depends on one on a team's view
of what they want their running back to be, because
I think if you're going to pay it back that
(35:20):
kind of money, then that means that the back has
to be the starting point of what you do offensively.
Now that doesn't mean he gets thirty carries a week,
No one does. But that means that your offense with
the run game obviously, but also with your pass game,
has to work through your back The Rams are a
great example. Their pass game is play action based outside
zone run action based, so even when Girlie doesn't get
(35:42):
the ball, he's still the foundation of what they do.
So if you want to pay Levian Bell that kind
of money, then you have to understand that's how your
offense has to work, because otherwise, if you're going to
give him the ball twelve times a game, there's a
lot of backs you can give the ball to twelve
times a game. Yeah, why did Carolina Panthers struggled son
(36:03):
only obviously Cam had that terrible pick six where he was,
you know, on his back leg and just kind of
flung it up and it ends up getting picked off.
But but they couldn't really get in rhythm. Was it
the Steelers or was it the Panthers weakness getting exposed. Well,
they had that great first drive when they marched right
down the field and they did a really nice job
of using McCaffrey and of creating some matchups um and
(36:26):
then I think they struggled and passed protection quite a bit.
And the Steelers have been very, very good over the
last three four weeks with their pressure concepts, and I
think that caused some problems. Um, they had a high
blitz frequency in that game. They felt very comfortable being
able to match up to the receivers on the perimeter.
So it was it was a game in which the
Steelers pressure concepts beat the Panthers protection schemes. Now that
(36:50):
the Panthers will probably learn from that, but that was
one of those games. Both the Chargers and the Bears
have gaudie records but have played against inferior competence. Let's
start with the Chargers. How legitimate are they? Well, I
think any team that has Philip Rivers at quarterback and
the weapons that they have offensively is a tough team
(37:11):
to prepare for and to defend. Uh, those big receivers
on the perimeter, Allen will both Williams, they're big, their
physical Uh, they have some some vertical ability and Melvin
Gordon is a multidimensional back at this point in his career.
So they're a tough offense to to defend. I think defensively,
it's it's not your grandfather's Gus Bradley's defense. He's done
(37:34):
a lot more as the coordinator there in terms of
personnel and looks and pressure, so I think they're legitimate
the Bears. The Bears are interesting because Drabinsky is a
second year player. He's not necessarily a highly talented thrower,
but it's an incredibly well schemed offense that presents defining
reads for him and causes problems for defenses. And of
(37:55):
course we know their defense is very good. I've always
thought Doug that Vic Fangio was one of the best
defensive minds in the league. He's a grumpy sucker though.
Man h classic old school guy. I did sideline for
a for a game for the Bears Dolphins. I didn't
I didn't say. And you know, one of the guys
I was working with, I won't throw him under the bus.
(38:16):
He was like, this was one of the best thief.
You've gotta be one of the best defensive you've ever seen.
He's like, what us like, whatever, he's he's he's old school,
he's he's he's he's amazing, amazing what what he's been
able to do? Um? Uh, last thing? We we won't
see the Chiefs till Monday, until they match up against
(38:40):
until they match up against the Rams. Are the Chiefs
evolving any like this, Pat Mahomes, it only started one
game when he came into the year, and oftentimes I'm
just wondering. You mentioned how how well schemed the Bears offenses.
Obviously Matt Naggy comes from the Kanci Chiefs just last year.
Are the Chiefs evolving any in terms of how they're
(39:02):
using the homes and all of that weaponry? Well, yeah,
I think they are becoming much more diverse formationally. That's
one of their strengths is they are so diverse formationally,
with Hill, with Kelsey, with Hunt, you know, they run
a lot of empty sets. You really have to match
up two people. Hill is really difficult to cover when
he's in the inside slot two trips when there's three
(39:23):
receivers to one side and he's the innermost. Uh So
they're a team that's based on that, and they're doing
more and more, and then they use a ton of
motion and shifting, so they are really difficult offense. The Rams,
on the other hand, are different. They don't do a
lot of that. They pretty much line up with eleven personnel,
meaning one back, one tight end, three wide receivers, something
(39:43):
like their snaps. They're not really a complicated offense when
you look at what they do. They just make it
difficult with how they go about doing what they do
with their run game, with their jet sweep action, and
they create voids in the middle of the field. How
much does losing Cooper Cup change them? Uh? I mean
(40:03):
I really like Cooper Cup, my guesses, and I know
people will disagree that. I think Josh Reynolds will probably
step in and because they do what they do so
well that it won't be a big, big loss. Great stuff,
Greg cosl NFL Films. Watch him FALM on Twitter. Obviously,
he appears here and on with Colin Cowherd and he
does an amazing job. Greg. We love our time with you.
(40:26):
Thanks so much. Thanks do appreciate it.
Host
Doug Gottlieb
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