November 22, 2019 • 53 mins
The winning doesn't get old even as the regular season is coming to a close. Benny vs The Penny makes its gleeful return will a full array of games and a couple that have playoff implications. The afternoon and evening assortment of games promise to have plenty of eyeballs on them, but that is not where Ben puts all of his focus.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome players, You're welcome. Are It's time now Benny versus
the Penny. Then it is Benny versus Penny for Week
twelve in the NFL. As we are back at it
on the fifth Hour with Ben Maller and the voice
of the Penny, the Really Angry David Guest. I'm really
(00:24):
angry about something I don't know. You complain it about
because you're always upset with something I don't know. I'm
cut into the weather. Just finished an exciting game of
cal State Northridge basketball against Portland Women's basketball, women's basket.
You sexist all of a sudden. I just want to
point that out because you you hoodwinked me last week
with a ce Sun game versus Virginia, and I was like, wow,
(00:46):
Virginia won the Final Four a couple of years ago,
and now now here they are in ce Sun in
their little gymnasium. And then it turned out, No, that
was false, false news, fake news, gascon, they call you.
There was nothing I said that was inaccurate. There's nothing
you said that was inaccurate. It did play in the
Final Four a couple of years ago. Uh, they did
play at the Matadome on the campus of cal State Northridge.
(01:09):
So nothing in there was false. You led to believe
that it was a men's game. That's your dumb asphalts,
along with your fake voice of reason, Eddie Garcia. You
guys are trying to trash me on the air on
a national show. It's embarrassing. But whatever. Well, you know
there's a term for that. It's lying by omission. In
the court system. They call that lying by omission. So
(01:30):
you are guilty. That is your mistake, a lie of omission.
You deliberately withheld very important details that would have changed
the story. So you hung yourself with your own rope.
How about that? No, I again look it up. Lie
of omission. It's a legal term. As you know. I've
practiced law behind microphones for many, many years, and uh,
(01:53):
I think I have met the standard of the burden
of proof. I've proven that you are a dirty doll. No,
that's not true, because you would need uh without a
shadow of a doubt. You'd have to have beyond a
reasonable doubt. Since we're in in a court a lot
this was a civil suit, would be evidence. I understand that.
(02:14):
Thank you very much for touching up my work here,
But I the discovery phase was fascinating. When I looked
into you here, it was a fascinating thing. Must you
have been during your show to actually look up what
game I did and verify if I actually did see
Sun and Virginia? Well, listen, I don't do small talk.
I tried to do small talk with Eddie. I thought, well,
this will be pretty impressive. I'll talk about this season, Virginia.
(02:38):
I was very proud of your little school ce Sun there.
I was gonna celebrate season, and then you made me
look like a donkey, So thank you appreciate that. Can
we get to the damn games? Now? Can we get
to the games? All right? We will not talk about
alligator arms. Murray the Umpa Lupa has the week off.
Good for him and the Chiefs. They're not playing, the Charge,
(03:00):
the teams that played in Mexico, they're off. The Minnesota Vikings,
the Bootleg King Kirk Cousins and the Vikings also not playing.
So those four teams have the week off. Remember next
week is Thanksgiving, so we will have a full monty
of NFL game starting on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day next week.
But let's get into We'll start with the early television.
(03:21):
We have to go back. We can't go forward if
we if we can't go back. Oh, now, all of
a sudden, you want to you want to go back here. Okay,
let's go back. Let's let's go back. I thought you
didn't do your homework there. Let's go back and look
at the week that was in the NFL. Another winning week,
another above five week for yours, truly, go ahead, I'll
(03:42):
take my victory lap. Go ahead, week number eleven, Benny
versus the penny. You finished seven and six winning record.
You won more than you lost. Boom done. At the
prep level, you were oh and one as you took
Jay Stert and cover they lost fifty six to nothing. Yeah,
thank you for that. Fund of my one of my dreams.
You know, I said, I want to be a middle
aged man and I want to broadcast a fifty six
(04:03):
to nothing high school football game on a Friday night,
my night off with makeup, I hope exactly, and a
clown suit. I I hope that I suffer from memory loss.
I can block that out. I'd like to have amnesia
from that all night. But that was what Centennial did.
They rammed it. They rammed it all day they rammed
it all night. But anyway, all right, so now I'm
(04:25):
now allowed? Can I now all right? Miami two and
eight at Cleveland four and six. It's on Fox. Are
we playing the Dick Stockton game? Or are we not playing? Yeah?
I think this is actually a Dick Stockton game too.
And you again, guest, Gun, you're already wrong. You've ruled
that you've lost the Dick Stockton game right off the bat.
It's nut cutting time and you lost. I've been known
(04:46):
to have a little premature excitement at that time. So
what the ladies have said? I You're wrong? It's it's
Chris Myers, my former colleague and part of the Fox
Sports Radio Alumni Association. With Darryl moose Johnston on the call.
The Browns opened and nine point favorite. The updated line
here is ten and a half in favor of the
home team, Cleveland. What's the weather gonna be like in
(05:07):
Cleveland on Sunday West, not snow wing or anything like.
That's gonna be sunny, forty one degrees typical weather this
time of the year, although it usually gets a little
colder in Cleveland. At First Energy Stadium to pick is
in and I'm taking the Dolphins to cover the ten
and a half. Now, my logic behind this number one,
the Browns should not be favored by double digits against anyone,
(05:30):
no way. Uh And and this, well, it's not a
true trap game. It's got some of the makings of
a trap game. The Browns are coming off a huge
prime time win, plus they are reeling from that game
Miles Garrett suspension for Thor's hammer toss uh there in
that game. And they also now the Browns get the
(05:51):
Steelers again next week, so this Dolphin game is sandwich
between two Steeler games. And nobody gets up for the
Miami Dolphins, and they haven't gotten up for the Dolphins
since Dan Marino was playing for the Dolphins. And number two.
Miami did win a couple of games a few weeks back,
but they lost last week and they are one in
(06:11):
ten in their last eleven road games. So it's not
like they're gonna win the game. All the Dolphins have
to do is compete. Now that's a dangerous proposition because
we're talking about the Dolphins here, but if they just
show up, they're gonna cover the number. Ryan Fitzpatrick has
actually had some success. He's got ninety plus QB rating
two of his last three starts here, he's he's had
some some good numbers, uh well compared to what he
(06:33):
had done earlier. And he has five touchdowns no interceptions
in three career starts against the Browns. Browns a little
better than they have been. But Baker Mayfield, Now, Baker
Mayfield's numbers have gotten a little bit better. But here's
my argument against Cleveland. The Browns played down to everybody.
I don't see this game being a blowout, even with
(06:55):
a warm weather team going to Chile Northern Ohio right
on the lakes. Or I'm taking the Browns to win
but not cover. Browns twenty seven Dolphins twenty depending on
the opposite way going with the Browns alright. Next up,
Gascon's Denver Broncos at three and seventies of Bronco Fanboy
and the Buffalo Bills at seven and three. It's on
(07:17):
CBS with Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon. They have the
call now. The Bills opened to five and a half
point favorite. The line is at four and it's to
be partly sunny, thirty nine degrees, no lake effects, no
forecast for New Era Field, although we could see some fog.
(07:41):
There's a chance of fog early in this particular game. Now,
I'm gonna take the Broncos here plus the four points
for here's here's my reason. And first of all, Denver
has been playing well enough to lose close. They slipped
on the banana peal last week in Minnesota, that dominating
first half and they played d to playing zombies the
(08:01):
rest of the way. The Broncos have led in the
fourth quarter, as Gascon told me before the podcast, in
seven of the ten games, but the seven of ten
they have led in the fourth quarter, but they have
held on the win just three of those. The Broncos
also are one of three NFL teams this season without
a comeback win. Congratulations. They joined the ben Gals, who
(08:22):
haven't won a game, and the Washington Redskins. So that's
the contemporaries of the Denver Broncos of nineteen. How's Uncle
Vick doing there? The coach of the Broncos. The key
this week, We said it last week. We gotta cover
against the Vikings again, Philip Lindsay. Lindsay the running back
to get that engine going in Upstate New York. Well,
(08:43):
I liked the Bills defense, the weak link in Buffalo
has been stopping the run. Buffalo's nineteenth against the run,
and they have been even worse the last three weeks.
The Bills are getting gouged. They're allowing four point eight
yards per carry. So run, Philip, run is the mantra.
It's gotta be the mantra of the Broncos. Here Lindsay
has four eight yards from scrimmage hundred and seven per game,
(09:07):
three rushing touchdowns passed four on the road for the Broncos.
And since Brandon Allen is the quarterback, is Allen versus
Allen at the quarterback matchup? And Brandon Allen very limited,
which is a nice way of saying he stinks, uh quarterbacks.
They don't anticipate him playing very well in this game.
So it's all about the running game. And uh ride
(09:31):
Lindsay around the mountain, around the mountain, they come. All right,
now a second, you can never trust Josh Allen, the
Buffalo courtback. While the numbers indicate he has played better,
certainly recently he's played better. He's had some mistake free games.
He he has enough red flags to keep me away.
The wise guys have loaded up on the Broncos. Also,
(09:52):
I always like to be on the side of the
wise guys in away from the public. This is the
last cupcake for the Bills before things get cranked up.
If you look at the Buffalo schedule coming up, they
play the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, so it's four days after
this game on Sunday, and then they still have games
left down the line with the Ravens and the Patriots.
(10:12):
So expect this to be a sluggish, lack of daisical
type performance by Buffalo at home, half hearted effort if
you will, Broncos pull the shocker Denver twenty, Buffalo seventeen.
Penny also go on that way, go with the Broncos,
all right? Next up, be sure to catch live editions
(10:34):
of The Ben Meller Show weekdays at two am Eastern
eleven pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the I
Heart Radio app. It is Pittsburgh five and five at Cincinnati,
oh and ten. It's on CBS. Andrew Catalan and James
lofton call. Steelers opened a seven point favorite. The line
we have here now is six and a half. At
(10:55):
the time we are doing this podcast. The weather partly sunny,
forty five degrees at kickoff Paul Brown Stadium, the location there,
the pick is in, I'm gonna take I'm taking the Bengals.
I'm taking the Bengals here. Uh and and I'll tell
you why now, Ryan Finley, Ryan Finley there. Who's Brian
(11:17):
Finley who works with us? The great Brian Finley? Why
I think our top anchor is Brian Finley. So we
don't have an employee that is by the name of
Brian Finley. Just a heads up. He is. He is
so good. He's a Brian Finley that works here. And
that's the same the same concept and the same concept
the guys have stud everyone. He's moving off. He's gonna
(11:37):
replace like Dan Pot someday. He's amazing talent. Anyway, Ryan
Finley has been displaying Blayton football maupractice since he took
over for Andy Dalton in Cincinnati. Finley is the NFL's
lowest ranked quarterback in that stretch's passer rating, his fifty
two point eight UM. The top passer ready are over
(12:00):
a hundred. Perfect would be a hundred and fifty three,
and he's at fifty two uh and more impressively, a
starting quarterback over the last couple of weeks in the
NFL is averaging three point three yards per attempt. It's
member the old thing used to be three yards in
a cloud of dust when you ran the ball. Well,
when Ryan Finley throws the ball at three yards and
(12:21):
a cloud of dust, the stage appears to be too big,
and much like myself when I first started in radio,
he's got flop sweat Ryan Ryan Finley. So so then
you have the defensive excuse. The Bengals have allowed sixty
five plays of twenty or more yards of this season.
That's the most in the NFL, and in even close
(12:41):
because the next closest team is all right as and
they're at fifty six. The Steelers only have thirty offensive
plays though of twenty plus yards, fewest. Fifth yewist in
the NFL is not the worst, but the fifth yew
wist and now that's it Cincinnati. The reason I liked
the Banks they did over against the Raiders last week
on the road since despite their oh and ten record,
(13:04):
there four and six against the spread this season, so
that they don't have the worst against the spread record
in the NFL. Right in the middle, there's a lot
of teams that are four and six or five and
five or six and four right in that area against
the number and be Pittsburgh. Now, I know they're gonna
have more fans, just like a Charger situation. Everyone the
Charges play in l A and have more fans. Pittsburgh
(13:27):
will have more support here. Steeler Nation travels. It's not
that far to get down to Cincinnati. But unfortunately those
people don't play. Mason Rudolph and the Steelers have a
struggle every week on offense, and for this reason, and
pretty much this reason alone, they should not be favored
by almost a touchdown. That is nuts. Divisional games, by
(13:48):
their nature are typically close, even when boss in home
dogs providing value. So give me Cincinnati to win this game,
at least against the number. Behind Joe Mixing and the
power running game. Steelers a win on the scoreboard, But
for the gambler, Cincinnati is the right side here. Pittsburgh twenty,
(14:10):
the Bengals sixteen. The penny picks. The penny is going
the opposite a way. No chance are going with the
Bengals in this one. Steelers Baby, be sure to catch
live editions of The Ben Meller Show weekdays at two
am Eastern Pacific. Alright, let's get trivial. Let's get trivia.
Which quarterback has a seven sixty nine winning percentage as
(14:33):
a starter when having a passer rating of eighty one
or better, but is winless when finishing below that particular mark. Again,
we're looking for the name of a starting quarterback in
the NFL who has a seven sixty nine career winning
percentage as a starter when a passer rating of eighty
one or better, but winless when finishing below that mark.
(14:57):
The answer coming up next up the New York Giants
two and a at the Chicago Bears four and six.
It's on Fox with Tom Brennam and Chris Spielman. So
you better watch the Bears open to seven point favorite
Chicago favorite by six and a half. It will be
sunny forty two degrees at kickoff at Soldier Field with
Doc Mike and the people of Chicago. I am gonna
(15:19):
take the Giants in this game. I saw the Bears
play the Rams last week. I just can't. You can't
go with Chicago at this point. The first thing he's
got Mr Rubinsky, who was benched the Bears, afraid to
admit that for Chase Daniel in the final minutes against
the Rams. Matt Naggy, though, doesn't have the balls to
talk about that. Now we are told that Rabinsky is
(15:40):
going to remain the starter. Health permitting. Wink wink, wink,
health permitting. In air quotes, Uh, Trubisky has been dogshit. Uh.
He has been a dog with fleas all season, but
even worse lately, he's thirtieth. Uh. He's the thirtieth ranked
quarterback in the NFL last four weeks. What does one
have to do to lose their job? He's terrible. Not
(16:01):
only is your quarterback, he sucks. Uh, and he continues
to go out there. Now. The secondly, the Bears. The
reason I like the Giants. The Bears have struggled against
the run since they said bye bye because a Kee
Knicks got hurt. Todd Gurley, who has been miserable for
the Rams pretty much all year, he had a breakout
game against the Chicago defense last week. So connecting the
(16:26):
dots right, connecting the dots, you would suspect even the hobbles.
Sequon Barkley, who has had some miserable performances himself, will
be able to be the wrecking ball through that imperfect
run defense. He is going to need to be since
the Giants only real ammunition on defense is the defensive line.
They got Leonard Williams and they're teaming him up with
(16:48):
Dexter Lawrence. That's a pretty good one to punch for
the Giants defensively in the middle. So the Giants the
only way they're gonna do anything is trying to pounce
the weak offensive line of the Bears, and that is
the weak link for Chicago along with Drabinski. These teams
are way too close right now to have almost a
touchdown spread that the reason the number is so high
is because of public perception of the Chicago Bears. Uh.
(17:12):
And also the Bears are a team that plays on
Thanksgiving in four days as well, so you think about
four days after this game, so you think there'll be
a distraction. Bears will win, but it will be by
the skin and their chinny chin chin. Chicago twenty six
the Giants twenty three. The penny picked. Penny's going with
the Giants to win? Outright, Oh, it went out right,
(17:33):
like I don't think the penny said that. I think
now people were asking if you actually flip the penny.
People think that you're a fraudster and a scamster, and
you don't actually squeeze the penny. I think the penning.
I think if anyone asked or saw me last week
on Fox, they would know that I'm not a fraud. Uh.
I think I would. Uh. I got showered with flowers
and compliments and desserts and cheese, steak and everything else. Well,
(17:55):
you strong armed yourself steak a sniveling child having a
hissy fit. All right, let's get trivial. The answer which
quarterback Escohn has a seven sixty nine winning percentage as
a starter, and and that's when he has a passer
rating of eighty one or better, but his winless in
his career when finishing below that mark. I'm gonna go
(18:17):
with Captain Kirk Kirk Cousins. Kirk Cousins, all right, that's
that's not a bad answer. Cousins is typically been hot
and cold, but it's not Kirk Cousins. The answer is
Baker Mayfield. Baker Mayfield is ten and three is Cleveland
starting quarterback When he has a passer in eighty one
or better. He is oh in ten, He's yet to
win a game when finishing below that number. All right,
(18:40):
next up, Oakland six and four at the j e
t s sucks sucks, suck three and seven. It's on CBS.
Uh and uh listen. I'm gonna take the Raiders here.
I don't know who's doing this game. I'm gonna take
the Raiders. You don't know who's doing this game. You
want me to look you want me to to look
it up here? I didn't. I didn't write it down.
I don't know what you want. We can't have an
entree about utensils. Really, yes, all right, why don't you
(19:03):
talk for a second. I'm gonna look it up here,
all right? So we got the We got the Raiders
at the Jets. Jets three and seventh season, Raiders six
and four playoff bound. Maybe the one area that you
gotta look at us what they do on the road
this season, even with Derek Carr and Josh Jacobs, are
just one and three on the road from the Bay Area.
And I keep in mind they have had a lot
of road games early on this season. So after this
(19:24):
game against the Jets will return to their happy confines
of the toilet known as the what is it the
Oakland That's not the Oakland Alimeda Cola seat Some corporate name. Now, no,
this is actually this is Andrew Catalan. Uh, this is
Andrew Catalan and James Lawton. I had them doing a
different game, but this is their game. Now the magic
number in this game. Wait a minute, I gotta correct that.
Whold on a second, I gotta correct it was an
(19:45):
injustice here the Pittsburgh Cleveland game, which I thought, Wait
a minute. Here they are listed the NFL. But this
is the NFL. Sends me who's doing the games? And
they have the TV broadcast, the serious broadcas s on
XM radio, and they have this is a mistake by
the NFL. They have Andrew Catalan listed with James Lofton
(20:09):
to do two games that start at the same time.
How about that. It's pretty awesome. Yeah. Catalan is apparently
gonna do the Browns Steelers game, and he will also
be able to broadcast the Jets and Raiders. He's gonna
clone himself. Well, on today's digital age, we can watch
one game and watch another, so not might be a
bad option, right, do it digitally? There you go. All right,
(20:31):
let's just get to the damn game. You already talked
about us. I don't need to I don't need to
talk about. You preview the game, you went through all
that and no, all right, I'm gonna listen light rein
at kick off? Did you say that? Forty four degrees
at MetLife Stadium? The Raiders a three point favorite. I'm
gonna take the Jets. I am gonna take the Jets
in this game. I'll tell you why. First of all,
(20:51):
this has all the secret ingredients of a disaster for
the Raiders. You're talking about in gambling parlance, what do
you look for? What do you look for? The signal?
This could go the other way? The the wrong team
is favored, or at least the underdog is a live dog.
You've got look at all these factors. West coast team
playing an early game on the East Coast, warm weather
(21:11):
team in chilly, rainy conditions on the East Coast. You expected,
You're expected to win this game. This is a peek
a boo game because on the horizon, if the Jets
do not win this game, the Raiders win this game.
Next week is a showdown for the Ages and a
f C West blood bath with Kansas City for first
(21:34):
place on the line. But to get to that game,
you've got to beat the Jets all of Oakland's victories
this year have been by a single possession. They play
everyone close, even the Bengals. As we said earlier last week,
the Raiders have generated just twenty feet downs and that
in that particularly twenty feet downs against the Cincinnati Bengals,
(21:57):
who are oh intent now. On the positive side, John
Druden got crucified for trading Khalil Mack last year for
a bunch of draft picks. Not only can the Raiders
get a top ten pick this year in the draft
for Khalil Mac, but their defense that had only thirteen
sacks last season, the Raiders have twenty five this season.
That is the largest sack increase by any team from
(22:20):
last year to this year. So they've improved the most.
Of course they were the bar was pretty low now. Secondly,
I'm not gonna sit here and say that the Jets
have turned the corner. I know that the Hyperboleada New
York is the Jets still have a path to get
to the playoffs. Uh No, they don't. But at least
the George Washington Bridge is no longer falling down on
Adam Gaze. Sam Donald has stopped seeing ghosts because he's
(22:43):
been playing some bad teams. After being held to eight
team points of last seven of their first eight games,
the Jets have now scored thirty four points in back
to back games of coorse to playing the week sisters
of the NFL the week in the Blind that the
Jets beat the Cowboys a few weeks back at home.
This is a value play the Jets. I really, I
(23:05):
really liked them in this spot. As Dave Roberts was,
the Raiders have lost their last five games. If you
look at the trend against the Jets, that goes way back.
Last time the Jets and Raiders game went the way
of the Raiders at the meadow Lands was back in
when Rich code Tight was coaching the Jets and the
quarterback matchup with Jeff Hosteddler versus Frank Reich Hosteller for
(23:27):
the Raiders, right, who's now a coach in Indianapolis, was
playing for the the Jets at that time. So I'll
take Gang Green to win the game outright. Jets twenty
Raiders seventeen Penning to go with one of our loyal
subscribers to the podcast going with the New York Jets,
all right, Next up de Gun, Greg Gumbel, Trent Green
(23:50):
and Melanie Collins on the call Jets and Raiders since
you did not properly do your homework. But again, I
can send you the thing the NFL sends me, but
that does not to have them list. Showing up for
work is one thing, but given the extra effort as another,
I do just that for your podcast. Well, showing up
on time is a problem. Just let's move forward. Alright,
(24:11):
we'll move forward. Carolina five and five at New Orleans
Knowlans eight until it's on CBS. Have you been down
there before? New Orleans? No, I've not spend any time
a New Orleans, you know, I haven't. I need to
go there and get my wife wants to go to
New Orleans. But I don't like seafood, and I don't
like eating like alligator and crap like that. I feel
like a lot of the food in New Orleans is
(24:31):
like so exotic. In the buyou, I don't know that
it would be ben friendly, although they do. They do
deep fry a lot of stuff, which I like. Yeah,
but can your insides actually hold that down? I told
you on the other podcast, gastcount I wish I had
that problem. Everyone that has their gallbladder taken out tells
me the food goes right through you. I have yet
to experience that, but I don't understand why I wish
(24:53):
that would happen, because then I feel like I wouldn't
gain much weight from eating food all of a sudden.
Believe it like you want to just be I don't
want to be believing, but I'm but I'm. What I'm
saying is like everything I've read is when you have
your gallbladder taken out like I had, that you you
can't eat certain foods. It goes right through you. Um,
Mike Harmon, our colleague was telling me that I have
not had that experience. I'm not. And it's been a
(25:16):
couple of weeks since I had this taken out, and
I wish I've had the opposite. As I said, I
can imagine eating anything in the Bayou is probably a
little heightened sense of intensity to the bowel movement. So
let's not test that anytime soon. Alright, though, Well they
go down, you want to do us? Maybe see son
will play a game in New Orleans. You can go
do the game. You can be alongside doing well. I'm
all for that. I will suddenly. Maybe there's a high
(25:38):
school football game in Louisiana. We can all right. Moving on.
The Saints open a seven point favorite. They are favored
by nine and a half. It'll be sunny in fifty
nine outside the Mercedes Bends super Dome in this game. Now,
I'm gonna take the Panthers. I don't love the pick,
but that's the right side. You know that old line,
(26:00):
it's raining, it's snoring, the old man is snoring. The
old man in this case is Kyle Allen. Wait, you
gotta say it right. It's raining, it's pouring, the old
man is snow I didn't. I said it's raining, is pouring.
You said it's raining, It's it's snowing. Did I say snowing? Yeah?
I thought I said. Point that's all right because last
not in your show, you were talking about the hair
of your chinny chin chin, which is the or you
(26:23):
said the skin of your chin something like that. You
really totally left it up, but I like it was
embarrassed and turned off the show. Yeah, but that's fine. Yeah,
I'm here is the guy that was late to the
podcast to do a was it a noons start on
the tip of time for the Matadome, which is the
home of karate Kid Part one the Matta Dome. What
(26:43):
a cute name. So Kyle Allen has been vile, he
has he has fallen into Dante's inferno. He's the Carolina quarterback.
Last four weeks, this guy's managed to put up a
passer rating of sixty point three, second worst in the
entire NFL. Over that stretched shout out Ryan and Finley,
who's dead last. It goes without saying that he's obviously
(27:03):
gotta find a way to get his confidence back in
a hostile environment. It's the unforced mistakes that have been
the backbreaker for Ron Rivera's quarterback here and and be
Drew Brees and the Saints. Now I get that public
perception as they should win this game by twenty five
or thirty points. And I bet against him. Last week
(27:24):
they covered the spread against Tampa on the road. Um,
and Carolina is gonna have to play a cleaner game.
There's a lot of mistakes misques from Carolina. Nevertheless, the Panthers,
I believe we're kind of looking at it. This was
supposed to be a big game. Carolina had one last
week and the Saints had lost which was on the table.
This would have been a much bigger game in the division.
(27:47):
And the Panthers did not compete against the Falcons. And
so if you don't show up to the game before
the game you're looking at, you better win that game.
The game that you're peeking a head to look at.
Christian McCaffrey is going to have to also have the
game of his life against the pretty good Saints defense.
Kyle Allen make some quicker decisions. You don't normally get
(28:08):
blown out back to back to back games, uh in
the division. So if you're trying Carolina and you want
to compete here, any time you get over seven points
in a divisional game, what do I always say? You
don't ask questions. You take those points. You put a
smile on your face. So the Saints will win, but
they won't cover almost double digits. New Orleans thirty, Carolina
(28:30):
twenty threepenny. Go with the Bayou and go with the
New Orleans Saints, all right, Next up Tampa bay three
and seven at Atlanta three and seven. And this should
have been your pick for the Dick Stockton game, because
this is the Dick Stockton game with Mark schlay Riff.
They have the call here from Georgia now the Falcons
(28:51):
open to three point favorite. Atlanta is favored by four
the sunny fifty three degrees at kickoff outside the Mercedes
Bands Stadium in Atlanta. I'm gonna take Tampa in this game. Now.
I know Jamis Winston is hobbled with an ankle problem.
He has expected to play. That's not you know, that's
(29:12):
not going to derail the Buccaneers. The problem is he
has not been the fastest ship in the fleet. As
they say. Winston is leading the world in negative plays
for a quarterback. He's boom or bust. There's a lot
of touchdowns, throws a lot of interceptions. The Bucks quarterback
leads the NFL not only in interceptions with a team,
(29:33):
but also in sacks. Has been sacked thirty six times.
I don't know if he gets a bonus for negligence,
but if he did, he would certainly cash. And it
is craziness. Now, Bruce arians was brought in as the
quarterback whisperer, and how is that working at Winston has
actually done well though against the Falcons. That's something I'm
gonna hang my microphone on here. Last five games in
(29:57):
the vision against the guys from jar you Jamis Winston
has had three or more touchdown passes and he passer
rating of a hundred and ten plus. So he's got
some confidence when he sees that falcon helmet. Uh and
hopefully that spills in for me this week and too,
I get that something has clicked in Atlanta. The last
two weeks. They have looked like a legit team. They
(30:17):
were a dumpster fire the first part of the NFL season,
but they took the Saints and Panthers down. They slayed
the Giant Saints a couple of weeks ago, and they
followed that up within another road win. Now they have
to figure out how to win a game at home
in the Dome in Atlanta in Division it has it
has been a happy place for Atlanta. I think they've
(30:38):
won fifteen of their last nineteen games against NFC South opponents,
and Matt Ryan has the perfect opponent to keep the
good karma growing and going up and all that. Tampa
Bay is the NFL's thirty first ranked past defense. The
last three weeks, they've allowed over three yards per game passing,
just passing, forget the running game. Despite all that, uh,
(31:00):
I I don't fully trust that this balloon is not
going to burst on the Falcons here. They also play
the Saints on Thanksgiving in four days. I look at
that matchup, I say, well, that's a layer of distraction.
This line feels too high Atlanta while they are playing better,
should they really be a four point for their three
(31:20):
and seven? These teams are both three and seven Bucks
twenty seven Falcons twenty six Tampa with the road wind.
Awful pick, Penny going with Atlanta Falcons and not at all,
it's a great pick. It's a wonderful pick. Yeah. I
think we just did Detroit. You and I, oh the
cheese streak cheese. We could we could up the Anny
(31:41):
if you want um. Detroit three, six and one at
Washington one and nine. I heard that on Fox with
Kenny Albert and ron Da Barbera. The hardest working man
in sports television. Kenny Albert amazing, he was in. I
watched him do a Knicks sixers game this week in Philly,
and then, uh, you know the whole thing. Anyway, I
(32:03):
don't get any credit for the hard work that I
put in. Yeah, well, yeah, show up late here. I
don't showed up late here, showed us at start until
eleven PM. I don't know what you're talking about. We're
recording this at Friday morning, unless we're not, unless we're
not so all right, Washington Detroit. This is the game.
(32:24):
We mentioned this on the radio show this week that
you can get a ticket for four dollars for the
price of a cup of coffee, like two cups of coffee.
You can get a ticket in a land over Maryland
to watch this game. Uh and the Lions open to
one and app point favorite their favorite by three and
a half. It'll be sunny forty nine degrees that kick
off at FedEx Field the stadium. Dan Snyder ruined the
(32:48):
pick is in. I am gonna take the Redskins in
this game, and I'll tell you why. This is the
ultimate test for the Lions past defense. They have been
under siege. Detroit is thirtie against the past. So the test,
the real asset test, is can be incompetent. Incompetent Dwayne
(33:10):
hask find salvation against the Lions defense. The Motor City
kiddies here, how bad has Haskins been. He is averaging
four point one yards per attempt. Haskins has yet to
take a snap when the Redskins have had the lead
in this game. I believe that is about to change.
And secondly, the other reason to not like the Lions
(33:32):
here is the public is loading up on Detroit. People
are dumb. Jeff Driscoll is a road favorite by over
a field goal. Jeff Driscoll. Detroit's defense, as we said Incompetent,
the casual better though, is loading up on the lines.
This game will be as about about enjoyable as a
(33:55):
time David Gascon had hemorrhoids. Uh is going to be
at gan icing it'll be unwatchable. Why didn't you know
I had that? Nevertheless, when two bad teams play and
you have a home team who's a dog, you take
the dog, our our our hell to the red Skins,
hell to vic Dory. Washington gets their second win of
(34:19):
the year. Redskins seventeen, Lions thirteen one. In doubt, Penny
is going with the home team, going with the dead Skins.
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. All right, next up,
(34:40):
let's get Trivial. Let's get since he ended the league
in twelve. Russell Wilson has twenty eight game winning drives
in the fourth quarter and overtime. He had another one
against the forty Niners recently, one more than Matthew Stafford.
And I just gave away the answer. I just gave
(35:03):
you happy about that fight. You are you much good
job by me, So I guess you knew what I
was if I telegraph that. So that worked out the
great podcast. It's unbelievable. Actually, the good thing is that
you'll you'll edit that out. No one will hear that,
(35:26):
and this will all end up on the editing room floor.
You professional, You're a good colleague here, man helping man.
I look out for you, you look out for me.
There's a brotherhood in the podcasting game, right. That's bullshit,
But I will say that I can guarantee you you
will have a listener that will hit me up on
Twitter and say what was the answer to Ben's final question?
(35:46):
I can guarantee you all right, So you now you're
taking cheap shots at the fans of the show, A
right of course, all right? Next up, since we got
through the trivia question, Seattle eight and two, Philadelphia five
and five, it's on Fox you better watch. Kevin Burkhardt
and Charles Davis have the call. Now the Eagles opened
at three point favorite, Philadelphia favorite by two and a half.
(36:10):
Now it'll be cloudy forty six degrees that kick off
at Lincoln Financial Field. I like the Eagles a lot.
This is one of my stronger plays this week. And
and and hey, the public. I was looking at how
the public looks at these things. They seem to think
that the wrong team is favorite. Right, The Seahawks are
the choice of the people. Popular people's pick is Seattle.
(36:32):
They are a massive public underdog. Seattle did beat the
forty Niners that throwback come back Monday night football game,
but they have also struggled. Look at Seattle's resume. They
are over raid and they have struggled to win games
against the Bengals and Buccaneers. Should have lost to the
Rams at home. A missed field goal at the Buzzer
(36:54):
did them in. They have only one blowout win, that
was back in Week four against the Oopa Loopa Alligator Arms,
Murray and Arizona. So other than that, it's been a
white knuckle ride for Seattle. Why is that gonna chance here?
Russell Wilson I understand he's gonna have to hold off
Lamar Jackson. The m v P race's last nine starts
(37:16):
on the road, Russell Wilson's got nineteen touchdowns and an interception,
so I expect him to play well. But the key
here for the Eagles, and as at the time we're
doing this, we don't have all the injury reports and
all that, but but they have to find their offense.
And the defense has been good enough here. The Eagles
had the NFL's number one past defense over the last
three weeks. The issue is Carson Wentz, who fell apart
(37:39):
when Lane Johnson left that game against the Patriots with
a concussion. We believe he'll be back. The Philly receivers
are also the freemasons of football, hands of stone. Uh.
And we had the big scandal we talked about on
the radio this week, Nelson Agilar and his burner burner
account apparently got caught red handed. Uh. But if you
depend on those with you, you're gonna end up in
(38:00):
a body bag to catch pass. But I like Philadelphia. Nonetheless,
the Seahawks, coming off of by an emotional key divisional game,
West Coast team goes East Chili conditions. Although Seattle is
not the warmest city, Seattle is not as good as
their record. Eagles Fly, Eagles Fly on the road to
(38:23):
vic Dory Eagles thirty three, Seahawks twenty seven. How's my singing?
I don't know, but it's as bad as you're saying
that this is a divisional game. Penny has gone with
the Eagles as well. I didn't say you did. You
can go back to the podcast. Why would I say
this is a division Sometimes you miss speak. What do
you want for me? I'm just paying attention to you. Yeah, okay, Well,
(38:44):
I'm gonna send you know what to do. I'm gonna
send you to broadcasting school so you can learn the nuance.
You never correct your on air partner. Never, Well, you
just did. You've done it twice. You've done it now twice.
This is not a safe space for you. What do
you do? Doche alright, I'm Middle America. But you can
understand and check people. I agree with him, Alamlsia, you sucked.
(39:07):
I agree with him. You're terrible. Alright. Uh. Last last
part of the schedules the late television windows. So we'll
get to that right now. Jacksonville only couple of eight games,
Jacksonville four and six at Tennessee five and five. It's
on CBS. I an Eagle, the dad of the Clipper broadcaster,
and Dan Fouts have the call. Now the Titans open
(39:29):
to two and a half point favorite. They are favored
by three on the home field. It will be sunny
forty nine degrees that kick off at Nissan Stadium, the
house that Clay Travis pays for in Nashville. Now, I'm
gonna take the Titans in this game. I actually like
the Titans a lot in this game. It's one of
my stronger plays as well. I like Tennessee. And I'll
tell you why. Nick Foles, he I know, he know,
(39:52):
ever has to worry about buying a meal in Philadelphia.
The problem is he don't play in Philadelphi anymore. He's
in Jacksonville. Folls returned last week and was shell lacked
in the game last week. The numbers were not as
bad as the eyeball test. He helped himself in garbage time.
The stark truth is that Nick Foles has been a
lightweight outside of that out of body experience during the
(40:13):
playoff run with Philadelphia. You add to the fact that
the Jags defense has fallen into poverty, and it's not
going to be a pretty afternoon, a late afternoon in
Nashville for Jacksonville. And and to Ryan Tannehill, while he's
not the long term answer, he is the short term
answer in the micro. He's the guy better than Marcus Mariota.
(40:35):
In fact, since week six, Ryan Tannehill is third in
the entire NFL and completion percentage completing over his passes.
Only Drew Brees and Kirk Cousins have been better in
that stretch. But this week is not about Tannehill. The
Jags have been the NFL's second best past defense the
(40:58):
last three weeks. This game is about Derek f and
Henry al Right, the running back in in Tennessee. Uh yeah,
hit your wagon to Henry and let him play the
role of the wrecking ball in this game. He should dominate.
Jacksonville is dead last. They are the Omega of run defenses.
(41:19):
In fact, the last three weeks, Jacksonville is allowing over
six yards per carry. The Colts had I believe, two
different running backs who were at a hundred yards or
close to it last week. So I am writing the
flame heads betting against Nick Foles Tennessee. They're only a
three point favorite. They'll win this game by double digits.
(41:40):
Titans thirty, jag seventeen the Titans as well. Do you
want to bet on that game? You want to take
a wagering that to win this game, Jacksonville, because you
want to be we should go a game. We just
we have dissension on al right. Next up that we
gotta hurry with you look the clock, yeah, because I
(42:01):
gotta work, and I you know I'm gonna work. But
you showed up forty minutes late, so I want you
to know you would have been done forty minutes ago.
Al right. Next up Dallas six and four at New
England nine and one. It's on Fox with Joe Buck
and Troy Aikman. This is a massive game most of
the United there's only two late games, so pretty much
everybody's getting Cowboys and Patriots. They're expecting a massive rating.
(42:23):
Patriots open to seven point favorite. They're favorite by six
and a half. It's cloudy forty three degrees that kick
off at Gillette Stadium. In this game, I'm a glutton
for punishment. I'm gonna take the Dallas Cowboys here. Uh
and I'll tell you why the Patriots first of all,
are are again going to have to ride their defense
(42:44):
to slow down Dallas. New England's offensive second rate now,
Mohammed Sanu, how do you do is out? Uh, there's
no separation, no separation from the receivers to the defensive backs.
And as a result, Tom Brady is twenty nine and
arts per attempt. Over the last four weeks, Brady is
averaging just five point three yards per attempt. The bad
(43:06):
news Bears is the Patriot offense. Now, despite that, New
England owns an average home margin of victory of twenty
point three points, beating up on the Jets and the
other terrible teams in that division. That is a positive
sign for the Patriots. And this is their first game
at Gillette since October seven. They've been on the road
(43:28):
of late. But the second thing, for some reason, Dak
Prescott has been rolling along. He's trying to lose the
moniker ding dunk Dak dancin dunke Dyak. He's trying to
lose that moniker in Dallas. He has feasted on some
bad pass defenses. Uh. And and I don't obviously the
Patriots don't have a bad past defense here, I figure
(43:50):
the Cowboys should be able to slow down Zeke Elliott.
And and here's the thing. Dak Prescott's got a four
game stretch of three seventy five plus passing yards in
two plus passing touchdowns. That's tight for the second most
in a single NFL season in history. And now Prescott,
though he goes from the junior varsity to the varsity,
(44:11):
in terms of competition, you would assume the position that
Bill Belichick has a strategic advantage against Jason Garrett. I
think that goes without saying if it comes down to
X and os in the fourth quarter. But the Patriots
right now are a two dimensional team. They're not a
three dimensional team. Their defense and special teams. Tom Brady
is playing like an old guy. He's got no weapons.
(44:32):
So I just can't lay a touchdown. And I don't
like Dallas is terrible. I don't think they're horrible. So
I will take the points. Patriots twenty four, Cowboys twenty one.
Penny going with the home team, Going with the Patriots
all right? Next up Sunday Night Football, Green Bay eight
and two at Santa Clara nine and one. Now, should
(44:54):
I should I watch this game? Should I? Stay home
and watch this game? Or should I go to watch
an NBA game? And then why this on my laptop depends?
Will you be getting any kind of inflammatory pictures on
your laptop? Oh? Probably not? Probably not? Then yeah, you should?
You should stay home? Then I should stay home? All right,
(45:14):
I'll stay home. Then, uh, it's on NBC. Al Michaels
and Chris Collinsworth your knucklehead forty Niners inside jokes gascon
forty Niners opened a three point favorite. The line has
stayed the same. It will be fifty nine and clear
at kickoff at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. I'm gonna
take the Niners in this game. I don't trust the Packers.
Aaron Rodgers still holds a grudge, I know, against the
(45:37):
Niners for not drafting him back in the day. Now
he has a chance at more vengeance here. Rogers has
been the hope Diamond, right, he has been the hope
Diamond in these primetime games. Rogers has eighteen touchdowns versus
one interception in his last seven Sunday Night games. So
not only does Chris Collinsworth get aroused and Al Michaels
(45:58):
when they see Aaron, which Apparently it works both ways.
Apparently it works both ways. Packers are arrested. They're coming
off the bye week. That said, I don't trust as
I said the Packers here. They got molly wopped by
the Chargers the last time they went west on their
stage coach to southern California. Secondly, the forty Niners, they
are getting some reinformers, reinforcements back. Now. The key thing
(46:23):
at the time we're recording the podcast, we don't know
whether or not George Kittle is going to play, although
it seems like he's tracking that way. Kittle is about
of the Niners offense. If he plays, I love the
forty Niners. If he doesn't play, I still like the Niners.
I don't love them. This is a chance for the
forty Niners to get some cashet back in NFL circles
(46:44):
after they lost to the Seahawks a couple of weeks ago.
They had to come back to beat the Cardinals last week.
I expect Jimmy g to play well. Love Nick bo
said the forty Niners defense to clog things up for
Aaron Rodgers. He is the better quarterback, but the Niners
are the better team in this matchup from top to bottom.
Plus the public is loading up on the cheeseheads as
(47:07):
an underdog here, I like betting against the dumb dumbs
forty Niners, thirty three Packers. Penny gone, go Pat go Alright,
last game game, excited about this last week. We should
take about twenty minutes to break your This last game
is fitting for you because your team is awful right now. Offensively,
(47:30):
that's all right, they're great defensively, So you look at
your negative. I'm a positive guy. Look at the positive.
You look at the negative now. Monday Night Football Baltimore
eight and two, The L A r i AM six
and four, and David Gascon's Hero Joe Testa Tour has
the Call on ESPN with Booger McFarlan from the Los
Angeles Colosseum in Los Los Angeles. Memorial comes. What do
(47:52):
we memorializing now? The death of the Rams offense. It's
a clear and sixty six degrees that kick off The
Ravens opened a pick him. This game was a pick
in Baltimore is now three and a half point road favorite.
Are you kidding me? You gotta take the Rams in
this game. That's the right side from pillar to post.
(48:13):
Lamar Jackson is the talk of the NFL. This guy
is skyrocketed up the charts because of his play on
the field and that the media there they can't say
enough nice things and throw all kinds of accolades and
platitudes at Lamar Jackson. And he has had some goose
bump causing breathtaking plays. At times he has been a
(48:34):
show stopper. He's also a ticking time bomb. Lamar is
exposed to injury more than any other quarterback in the
NFL because of all the running that he does. He's
also got a bullseye on his back and he's going
against a hungry, hungry old Aaron Donald and the Rams defense.
They have the kind of defense that can send Lamar
(48:55):
Jackson to the injury tent. And also under John Harbaugh,
the Ravens as road favorites, only have a three ninety
five winning percentage in this kind of a spot. Over
the years be the Rams. They have gone from the
greatest show on grass, which is what they were last year.
(49:15):
The last couple of years, the Rams now have to
win grinded out games. They have They have no muscle
on offense. Jared Golf has been a dog's lunch. Todd
Gurley's unreliable. The hope is that Brandon Cooks and Robert
Woods coming back as receivers will inspire the spark of
life here. But l a strength has been defensively. It
has been against the run. How do you beat Baltimore?
(49:39):
You gotta slow down the running game. Forced Lamar Jackson
the beat you with the arm if he does find
The Ravens lead the NFL and rushing yards. They're the
first team since the seventies to have two thousand plus
rushing yards the first ten games. Marcus Peters I saw
his quote this week. He said he has no bad
blood against the Rams. He's very well in Baltimore. He's
(49:59):
he's had more big plays. Uh in Baltimore. They need
his entire time with the Rams. Uh. He's a boomer
Bus defensive back. He's as just as likely to pick
off Jared Golf a couple of times as he is
to get burned a couple of times. Uh in this game.
But the Rams defense has been playing great the last
four weeks in one of the top defenses in the
National Football League statistically, and the Ravens. You look at
(50:24):
this going from East to West. I think they're gonna
be spending their their brief time in l A on
rodeo drive in the Hollywood Hills and going over all
over the hotspots in southern California. There and the Rams
a good team Home Dog Baltimore is overdue for some
regression to the mean Rams seven Ravens in a thriller.
(50:50):
You can't really ram it all day and ram it
all night. And the final pick of the Petty Petty
also going that way with the Los Angeles Penny in agreement.
All right, that'll put the bow, put the baby to bed,
as they say here, put the bowl on the package.
As the Benny Versus the Penny for week number twelve
(51:11):
is in the books. Thank you for listening, Tell a friend.
But yes, yes, we need to ask some of the
the fans of Benny Versus the Penny to give us
some of their results over the course of the first
eleven and twelve weeks. Now one no, no, no, because
everyone was sending, oh, you gotta send the picks in
before games. Yeah, but didn't you had a listener last year?
Didn't he take home like a jackpot prize from from
(51:33):
following some picks? We well we had the guy that
won the big gambling the Vegas contest was a mallar
militia guy. Yea, And yeah, we had him on as
a guest. He's a personal chef from Orange County and
he won millions of dollars in Vegas picking NFL games.
(51:55):
And he did say I believe he was being sarcastic
that Benny versus the penny had influenced them maybe a did.
I'm going with it. Why not? Of course, Man, we
need to get this thing off the ground. Yeah, we
we do. And and we need some some live commercial reads,
paid live commercial reads. We need that, guscon do we
have that as we we do not have that, as
they would say in the industry, we were efforting that. Yeah.
(52:16):
But the guy's name is Eric and cuisine. I don't know,
he's like he was like a personal chef, but he
he won, and uh we had him on the show
and all that stuff, and uh he's he was he's
called the show before before he became a celebrity and
all that, and we had him I think that was
back in January. Uh, so we had him on. He lives, Uh,
(52:39):
I don't want to see where he lives. But he
lives in a place I used to live. So you
said Orange County exactly, I might say the city though,
Newport Beach. I didn't live in Laguna. I didn't live
in the good Yeah, I didn't live there either. I'm
not like you. I don't live near the beach. You're
you're a beach guy anyway. All right, thank you for
listening supporting the podcast. Try the O their podcast if
(53:00):
you haven't heard that. The pretty much guesscon just annoying
everyone on that podcast. Also, uh, but have a great weekend.
We'll be back after these NFL games on Sunday night
to discuss that big showdown between the Packers and forty Niners,
and the Cowboys and Patriots, all the other big stories
of the NFL weekend. Be safe, tell a friend, and
we'll catch you next time.
Welcome players, You're welcome. Are It's time now Benny versus
the Penny. Then it is Benny versus Penny for Week
twelve in the NFL. As we are back at it
on the fifth Hour with Ben Maller and the voice
of the Penny, the Really Angry David Guest. I'm really
(00:24):
angry about something I don't know. You complain it about
because you're always upset with something I don't know. I'm
cut into the weather. Just finished an exciting game of
cal State Northridge basketball against Portland Women's basketball, women's basket.
You sexist all of a sudden. I just want to
point that out because you you hoodwinked me last week
with a ce Sun game versus Virginia, and I was like, wow,
(00:46):
Virginia won the Final Four a couple of years ago,
and now now here they are in ce Sun in
their little gymnasium. And then it turned out, No, that
was false, false news, fake news, gascon, they call you.
There was nothing I said that was inaccurate. There's nothing
you said that was inaccurate. It did play in the
Final Four a couple of years ago. Uh, they did
play at the Matadome on the campus of cal State Northridge.
(01:09):
So nothing in there was false. You led to believe
that it was a men's game. That's your dumb asphalts,
along with your fake voice of reason, Eddie Garcia. You
guys are trying to trash me on the air on
a national show. It's embarrassing. But whatever. Well, you know
there's a term for that. It's lying by omission. In
the court system. They call that lying by omission. So
(01:30):
you are guilty. That is your mistake, a lie of omission.
You deliberately withheld very important details that would have changed
the story. So you hung yourself with your own rope.
How about that? No, I again look it up. Lie
of omission. It's a legal term. As you know. I've
practiced law behind microphones for many, many years, and uh,
(01:53):
I think I have met the standard of the burden
of proof. I've proven that you are a dirty doll. No,
that's not true, because you would need uh without a
shadow of a doubt. You'd have to have beyond a
reasonable doubt. Since we're in in a court a lot
this was a civil suit, would be evidence. I understand that.
(02:14):
Thank you very much for touching up my work here,
But I the discovery phase was fascinating. When I looked
into you here, it was a fascinating thing. Must you
have been during your show to actually look up what
game I did and verify if I actually did see
Sun and Virginia? Well, listen, I don't do small talk.
I tried to do small talk with Eddie. I thought, well,
this will be pretty impressive. I'll talk about this season, Virginia.
(02:38):
I was very proud of your little school ce Sun there.
I was gonna celebrate season, and then you made me
look like a donkey, So thank you appreciate that. Can
we get to the damn games? Now? Can we get
to the games? All right? We will not talk about
alligator arms. Murray the Umpa Lupa has the week off.
Good for him and the Chiefs. They're not playing, the Charge,
(03:00):
the teams that played in Mexico, they're off. The Minnesota Vikings,
the Bootleg King Kirk Cousins and the Vikings also not playing.
So those four teams have the week off. Remember next
week is Thanksgiving, so we will have a full monty
of NFL game starting on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day next week.
But let's get into We'll start with the early television.
(03:21):
We have to go back. We can't go forward if
we if we can't go back. Oh, now, all of
a sudden, you want to you want to go back here. Okay,
let's go back. Let's let's go back. I thought you
didn't do your homework there. Let's go back and look
at the week that was in the NFL. Another winning week,
another above five week for yours, truly, go ahead, I'll
(03:42):
take my victory lap. Go ahead, week number eleven, Benny
versus the penny. You finished seven and six winning record.
You won more than you lost. Boom done. At the
prep level, you were oh and one as you took
Jay Stert and cover they lost fifty six to nothing. Yeah,
thank you for that. Fund of my one of my dreams.
You know, I said, I want to be a middle
aged man and I want to broadcast a fifty six
(04:03):
to nothing high school football game on a Friday night,
my night off with makeup, I hope exactly, and a
clown suit. I I hope that I suffer from memory loss.
I can block that out. I'd like to have amnesia
from that all night. But that was what Centennial did.
They rammed it. They rammed it all day they rammed
it all night. But anyway, all right, so now I'm
(04:25):
now allowed? Can I now all right? Miami two and
eight at Cleveland four and six. It's on Fox. Are
we playing the Dick Stockton game? Or are we not playing? Yeah?
I think this is actually a Dick Stockton game too.
And you again, guest, Gun, you're already wrong. You've ruled
that you've lost the Dick Stockton game right off the bat.
It's nut cutting time and you lost. I've been known
(04:46):
to have a little premature excitement at that time. So
what the ladies have said? I You're wrong? It's it's
Chris Myers, my former colleague and part of the Fox
Sports Radio Alumni Association. With Darryl moose Johnston on the call.
The Browns opened and nine point favorite. The updated line
here is ten and a half in favor of the
home team, Cleveland. What's the weather gonna be like in
(05:07):
Cleveland on Sunday West, not snow wing or anything like.
That's gonna be sunny, forty one degrees typical weather this
time of the year, although it usually gets a little
colder in Cleveland. At First Energy Stadium to pick is
in and I'm taking the Dolphins to cover the ten
and a half. Now, my logic behind this number one,
the Browns should not be favored by double digits against anyone,
(05:30):
no way. Uh And and this, well, it's not a
true trap game. It's got some of the makings of
a trap game. The Browns are coming off a huge
prime time win, plus they are reeling from that game
Miles Garrett suspension for Thor's hammer toss uh there in
that game. And they also now the Browns get the
(05:51):
Steelers again next week, so this Dolphin game is sandwich
between two Steeler games. And nobody gets up for the
Miami Dolphins, and they haven't gotten up for the Dolphins
since Dan Marino was playing for the Dolphins. And number two.
Miami did win a couple of games a few weeks back,
but they lost last week and they are one in
(06:11):
ten in their last eleven road games. So it's not
like they're gonna win the game. All the Dolphins have
to do is compete. Now that's a dangerous proposition because
we're talking about the Dolphins here, but if they just
show up, they're gonna cover the number. Ryan Fitzpatrick has
actually had some success. He's got ninety plus QB rating
two of his last three starts here, he's he's had
some some good numbers, uh well compared to what he
(06:33):
had done earlier. And he has five touchdowns no interceptions
in three career starts against the Browns. Browns a little
better than they have been. But Baker Mayfield, Now, Baker
Mayfield's numbers have gotten a little bit better. But here's
my argument against Cleveland. The Browns played down to everybody.
I don't see this game being a blowout, even with
(06:55):
a warm weather team going to Chile Northern Ohio right
on the lakes. Or I'm taking the Browns to win
but not cover. Browns twenty seven Dolphins twenty depending on
the opposite way going with the Browns alright. Next up,
Gascon's Denver Broncos at three and seventies of Bronco Fanboy
and the Buffalo Bills at seven and three. It's on
(07:17):
CBS with Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon. They have the
call now. The Bills opened to five and a half
point favorite. The line is at four and it's to
be partly sunny, thirty nine degrees, no lake effects, no
forecast for New Era Field, although we could see some fog.
(07:41):
There's a chance of fog early in this particular game. Now,
I'm gonna take the Broncos here plus the four points
for here's here's my reason. And first of all, Denver
has been playing well enough to lose close. They slipped
on the banana peal last week in Minnesota, that dominating
first half and they played d to playing zombies the
(08:01):
rest of the way. The Broncos have led in the
fourth quarter, as Gascon told me before the podcast, in
seven of the ten games, but the seven of ten
they have led in the fourth quarter, but they have
held on the win just three of those. The Broncos
also are one of three NFL teams this season without
a comeback win. Congratulations. They joined the ben Gals, who
(08:22):
haven't won a game, and the Washington Redskins. So that's
the contemporaries of the Denver Broncos of nineteen. How's Uncle
Vick doing there? The coach of the Broncos. The key
this week, We said it last week. We gotta cover
against the Vikings again, Philip Lindsay. Lindsay the running back
to get that engine going in Upstate New York. Well,
(08:43):
I liked the Bills defense, the weak link in Buffalo
has been stopping the run. Buffalo's nineteenth against the run,
and they have been even worse the last three weeks.
The Bills are getting gouged. They're allowing four point eight
yards per carry. So run, Philip, run is the mantra.
It's gotta be the mantra of the Broncos. Here Lindsay
has four eight yards from scrimmage hundred and seven per game,
(09:07):
three rushing touchdowns passed four on the road for the Broncos.
And since Brandon Allen is the quarterback, is Allen versus
Allen at the quarterback matchup? And Brandon Allen very limited,
which is a nice way of saying he stinks, uh quarterbacks.
They don't anticipate him playing very well in this game.
So it's all about the running game. And uh ride
(09:31):
Lindsay around the mountain, around the mountain, they come. All right,
now a second, you can never trust Josh Allen, the
Buffalo courtback. While the numbers indicate he has played better,
certainly recently he's played better. He's had some mistake free games.
He he has enough red flags to keep me away.
The wise guys have loaded up on the Broncos. Also,
(09:52):
I always like to be on the side of the
wise guys in away from the public. This is the
last cupcake for the Bills before things get cranked up.
If you look at the Buffalo schedule coming up, they
play the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, so it's four days after
this game on Sunday, and then they still have games
left down the line with the Ravens and the Patriots.
(10:12):
So expect this to be a sluggish, lack of daisical
type performance by Buffalo at home, half hearted effort if
you will, Broncos pull the shocker Denver twenty, Buffalo seventeen.
Penny also go on that way, go with the Broncos,
all right? Next up, be sure to catch live editions
(10:34):
of The Ben Meller Show weekdays at two am Eastern
eleven pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the I
Heart Radio app. It is Pittsburgh five and five at Cincinnati,
oh and ten. It's on CBS. Andrew Catalan and James
lofton call. Steelers opened a seven point favorite. The line
we have here now is six and a half. At
(10:55):
the time we are doing this podcast. The weather partly sunny,
forty five degrees at kickoff Paul Brown Stadium, the location there,
the pick is in, I'm gonna take I'm taking the Bengals.
I'm taking the Bengals here. Uh and and I'll tell
you why now, Ryan Finley, Ryan Finley there. Who's Brian
(11:17):
Finley who works with us? The great Brian Finley? Why
I think our top anchor is Brian Finley. So we
don't have an employee that is by the name of
Brian Finley. Just a heads up. He is. He is
so good. He's a Brian Finley that works here. And
that's the same the same concept and the same concept
the guys have stud everyone. He's moving off. He's gonna
(11:37):
replace like Dan Pot someday. He's amazing talent. Anyway, Ryan
Finley has been displaying Blayton football maupractice since he took
over for Andy Dalton in Cincinnati. Finley is the NFL's
lowest ranked quarterback in that stretch's passer rating, his fifty
two point eight UM. The top passer ready are over
(12:00):
a hundred. Perfect would be a hundred and fifty three,
and he's at fifty two uh and more impressively, a
starting quarterback over the last couple of weeks in the
NFL is averaging three point three yards per attempt. It's
member the old thing used to be three yards in
a cloud of dust when you ran the ball. Well,
when Ryan Finley throws the ball at three yards and
(12:21):
a cloud of dust, the stage appears to be too big,
and much like myself when I first started in radio,
he's got flop sweat Ryan Ryan Finley. So so then
you have the defensive excuse. The Bengals have allowed sixty
five plays of twenty or more yards of this season.
That's the most in the NFL, and in even close
(12:41):
because the next closest team is all right as and
they're at fifty six. The Steelers only have thirty offensive
plays though of twenty plus yards, fewest. Fifth yewist in
the NFL is not the worst, but the fifth yew
wist and now that's it Cincinnati. The reason I liked
the Banks they did over against the Raiders last week
on the road since despite their oh and ten record,
(13:04):
there four and six against the spread this season, so
that they don't have the worst against the spread record
in the NFL. Right in the middle, there's a lot
of teams that are four and six or five and
five or six and four right in that area against
the number and be Pittsburgh. Now, I know they're gonna
have more fans, just like a Charger situation. Everyone the
Charges play in l A and have more fans. Pittsburgh
(13:27):
will have more support here. Steeler Nation travels. It's not
that far to get down to Cincinnati. But unfortunately those
people don't play. Mason Rudolph and the Steelers have a
struggle every week on offense, and for this reason, and
pretty much this reason alone, they should not be favored
by almost a touchdown. That is nuts. Divisional games, by
(13:48):
their nature are typically close, even when boss in home
dogs providing value. So give me Cincinnati to win this game,
at least against the number. Behind Joe Mixing and the
power running game. Steelers a win on the scoreboard, But
for the gambler, Cincinnati is the right side here. Pittsburgh twenty,
(14:10):
the Bengals sixteen. The penny picks. The penny is going
the opposite a way. No chance are going with the
Bengals in this one. Steelers Baby, be sure to catch
live editions of The Ben Meller Show weekdays at two
am Eastern Pacific. Alright, let's get trivial. Let's get trivia.
Which quarterback has a seven sixty nine winning percentage as
(14:33):
a starter when having a passer rating of eighty one
or better, but is winless when finishing below that particular mark. Again,
we're looking for the name of a starting quarterback in
the NFL who has a seven sixty nine career winning
percentage as a starter when a passer rating of eighty
one or better, but winless when finishing below that mark.
(14:57):
The answer coming up next up the New York Giants
two and a at the Chicago Bears four and six.
It's on Fox with Tom Brennam and Chris Spielman. So
you better watch the Bears open to seven point favorite
Chicago favorite by six and a half. It will be
sunny forty two degrees at kickoff at Soldier Field with
Doc Mike and the people of Chicago. I am gonna
(15:19):
take the Giants in this game. I saw the Bears
play the Rams last week. I just can't. You can't
go with Chicago at this point. The first thing he's
got Mr Rubinsky, who was benched the Bears, afraid to
admit that for Chase Daniel in the final minutes against
the Rams. Matt Naggy, though, doesn't have the balls to
talk about that. Now we are told that Rabinsky is
(15:40):
going to remain the starter. Health permitting. Wink wink, wink,
health permitting. In air quotes, Uh, Trubisky has been dogshit. Uh.
He has been a dog with fleas all season, but
even worse lately, he's thirtieth. Uh. He's the thirtieth ranked
quarterback in the NFL last four weeks. What does one
have to do to lose their job? He's terrible. Not
(16:01):
only is your quarterback, he sucks. Uh, and he continues
to go out there. Now. The secondly, the Bears. The
reason I like the Giants. The Bears have struggled against
the run since they said bye bye because a Kee
Knicks got hurt. Todd Gurley, who has been miserable for
the Rams pretty much all year, he had a breakout
game against the Chicago defense last week. So connecting the
(16:26):
dots right, connecting the dots, you would suspect even the hobbles.
Sequon Barkley, who has had some miserable performances himself, will
be able to be the wrecking ball through that imperfect
run defense. He is going to need to be since
the Giants only real ammunition on defense is the defensive line.
They got Leonard Williams and they're teaming him up with
(16:48):
Dexter Lawrence. That's a pretty good one to punch for
the Giants defensively in the middle. So the Giants the
only way they're gonna do anything is trying to pounce
the weak offensive line of the Bears, and that is
the weak link for Chicago along with Drabinski. These teams
are way too close right now to have almost a
touchdown spread that the reason the number is so high
is because of public perception of the Chicago Bears. Uh.
(17:12):
And also the Bears are a team that plays on
Thanksgiving in four days as well, so you think about
four days after this game, so you think there'll be
a distraction. Bears will win, but it will be by
the skin and their chinny chin chin. Chicago twenty six
the Giants twenty three. The penny picked. Penny's going with
the Giants to win? Outright, Oh, it went out right,
(17:33):
like I don't think the penny said that. I think
now people were asking if you actually flip the penny.
People think that you're a fraudster and a scamster, and
you don't actually squeeze the penny. I think the penning.
I think if anyone asked or saw me last week
on Fox, they would know that I'm not a fraud. Uh.
I think I would. Uh. I got showered with flowers
and compliments and desserts and cheese, steak and everything else. Well,
(17:55):
you strong armed yourself steak a sniveling child having a
hissy fit. All right, let's get trivial. The answer which
quarterback Escohn has a seven sixty nine winning percentage as
a starter, and and that's when he has a passer
rating of eighty one or better, but his winless in
his career when finishing below that mark. I'm gonna go
(18:17):
with Captain Kirk Kirk Cousins. Kirk Cousins, all right, that's
that's not a bad answer. Cousins is typically been hot
and cold, but it's not Kirk Cousins. The answer is
Baker Mayfield. Baker Mayfield is ten and three is Cleveland
starting quarterback When he has a passer in eighty one
or better. He is oh in ten, He's yet to
win a game when finishing below that number. All right,
(18:40):
next up, Oakland six and four at the j e
t s sucks sucks, suck three and seven. It's on CBS.
Uh and uh listen. I'm gonna take the Raiders here.
I don't know who's doing this game. I'm gonna take
the Raiders. You don't know who's doing this game. You
want me to look you want me to to look
it up here? I didn't. I didn't write it down.
I don't know what you want. We can't have an
entree about utensils. Really, yes, all right, why don't you
(19:03):
talk for a second. I'm gonna look it up here,
all right? So we got the We got the Raiders
at the Jets. Jets three and seventh season, Raiders six
and four playoff bound. Maybe the one area that you
gotta look at us what they do on the road
this season, even with Derek Carr and Josh Jacobs, are
just one and three on the road from the Bay Area.
And I keep in mind they have had a lot
of road games early on this season. So after this
(19:24):
game against the Jets will return to their happy confines
of the toilet known as the what is it the
Oakland That's not the Oakland Alimeda Cola seat Some corporate name. Now, no,
this is actually this is Andrew Catalan. Uh, this is
Andrew Catalan and James Lawton. I had them doing a
different game, but this is their game. Now the magic
number in this game. Wait a minute, I gotta correct that.
Whold on a second, I gotta correct it was an
(19:45):
injustice here the Pittsburgh Cleveland game, which I thought, Wait
a minute. Here they are listed the NFL. But this
is the NFL. Sends me who's doing the games? And
they have the TV broadcast, the serious broadcas s on
XM radio, and they have this is a mistake by
the NFL. They have Andrew Catalan listed with James Lofton
(20:09):
to do two games that start at the same time.
How about that. It's pretty awesome. Yeah. Catalan is apparently
gonna do the Browns Steelers game, and he will also
be able to broadcast the Jets and Raiders. He's gonna
clone himself. Well, on today's digital age, we can watch
one game and watch another, so not might be a
bad option, right, do it digitally? There you go. All right,
(20:31):
let's just get to the damn game. You already talked
about us. I don't need to I don't need to
talk about. You preview the game, you went through all
that and no, all right, I'm gonna listen light rein
at kick off? Did you say that? Forty four degrees
at MetLife Stadium? The Raiders a three point favorite. I'm
gonna take the Jets. I am gonna take the Jets
in this game. I'll tell you why. First of all,
(20:51):
this has all the secret ingredients of a disaster for
the Raiders. You're talking about in gambling parlance, what do
you look for? What do you look for? The signal?
This could go the other way? The the wrong team
is favored, or at least the underdog is a live dog.
You've got look at all these factors. West coast team
playing an early game on the East Coast, warm weather
(21:11):
team in chilly, rainy conditions on the East Coast. You expected,
You're expected to win this game. This is a peek
a boo game because on the horizon, if the Jets
do not win this game, the Raiders win this game.
Next week is a showdown for the Ages and a
f C West blood bath with Kansas City for first
(21:34):
place on the line. But to get to that game,
you've got to beat the Jets all of Oakland's victories
this year have been by a single possession. They play
everyone close, even the Bengals. As we said earlier last week,
the Raiders have generated just twenty feet downs and that
in that particularly twenty feet downs against the Cincinnati Bengals,
(21:57):
who are oh intent now. On the positive side, John
Druden got crucified for trading Khalil Mack last year for
a bunch of draft picks. Not only can the Raiders
get a top ten pick this year in the draft
for Khalil Mac, but their defense that had only thirteen
sacks last season, the Raiders have twenty five this season.
That is the largest sack increase by any team from
(22:20):
last year to this year. So they've improved the most.
Of course they were the bar was pretty low now. Secondly,
I'm not gonna sit here and say that the Jets
have turned the corner. I know that the Hyperboleada New
York is the Jets still have a path to get
to the playoffs. Uh No, they don't. But at least
the George Washington Bridge is no longer falling down on
Adam Gaze. Sam Donald has stopped seeing ghosts because he's
(22:43):
been playing some bad teams. After being held to eight
team points of last seven of their first eight games,
the Jets have now scored thirty four points in back
to back games of coorse to playing the week sisters
of the NFL the week in the Blind that the
Jets beat the Cowboys a few weeks back at home.
This is a value play the Jets. I really, I
(23:05):
really liked them in this spot. As Dave Roberts was,
the Raiders have lost their last five games. If you
look at the trend against the Jets, that goes way back.
Last time the Jets and Raiders game went the way
of the Raiders at the meadow Lands was back in
when Rich code Tight was coaching the Jets and the
quarterback matchup with Jeff Hosteddler versus Frank Reich Hosteller for
(23:27):
the Raiders, right, who's now a coach in Indianapolis, was
playing for the the Jets at that time. So I'll
take Gang Green to win the game outright. Jets twenty
Raiders seventeen Penning to go with one of our loyal
subscribers to the podcast going with the New York Jets,
all right, Next up de Gun, Greg Gumbel, Trent Green
(23:50):
and Melanie Collins on the call Jets and Raiders since
you did not properly do your homework. But again, I
can send you the thing the NFL sends me, but
that does not to have them list. Showing up for
work is one thing, but given the extra effort as another,
I do just that for your podcast. Well, showing up
on time is a problem. Just let's move forward. Alright,
(24:11):
we'll move forward. Carolina five and five at New Orleans
Knowlans eight until it's on CBS. Have you been down
there before? New Orleans? No, I've not spend any time
a New Orleans, you know, I haven't. I need to
go there and get my wife wants to go to
New Orleans. But I don't like seafood, and I don't
like eating like alligator and crap like that. I feel
like a lot of the food in New Orleans is
(24:31):
like so exotic. In the buyou, I don't know that
it would be ben friendly, although they do. They do
deep fry a lot of stuff, which I like. Yeah,
but can your insides actually hold that down? I told
you on the other podcast, gastcount I wish I had
that problem. Everyone that has their gallbladder taken out tells
me the food goes right through you. I have yet
to experience that, but I don't understand why I wish
(24:53):
that would happen, because then I feel like I wouldn't
gain much weight from eating food all of a sudden.
Believe it like you want to just be I don't
want to be believing, but I'm but I'm. What I'm
saying is like everything I've read is when you have
your gallbladder taken out like I had, that you you
can't eat certain foods. It goes right through you. Um,
Mike Harmon, our colleague was telling me that I have
not had that experience. I'm not. And it's been a
(25:16):
couple of weeks since I had this taken out, and
I wish I've had the opposite. As I said, I
can imagine eating anything in the Bayou is probably a
little heightened sense of intensity to the bowel movement. So
let's not test that anytime soon. Alright, though, Well they
go down, you want to do us? Maybe see son
will play a game in New Orleans. You can go
do the game. You can be alongside doing well. I'm
all for that. I will suddenly. Maybe there's a high
(25:38):
school football game in Louisiana. We can all right. Moving on.
The Saints open a seven point favorite. They are favored
by nine and a half. It'll be sunny in fifty
nine outside the Mercedes Bends super Dome in this game. Now,
I'm gonna take the Panthers. I don't love the pick,
but that's the right side. You know that old line,
(26:00):
it's raining, it's snoring, the old man is snoring. The
old man in this case is Kyle Allen. Wait, you
gotta say it right. It's raining, it's pouring, the old
man is snow I didn't. I said it's raining, is pouring.
You said it's raining, It's it's snowing. Did I say snowing? Yeah?
I thought I said. Point that's all right because last
not in your show, you were talking about the hair
of your chinny chin chin, which is the or you
(26:23):
said the skin of your chin something like that. You
really totally left it up, but I like it was
embarrassed and turned off the show. Yeah, but that's fine. Yeah,
I'm here is the guy that was late to the
podcast to do a was it a noons start on
the tip of time for the Matadome, which is the
home of karate Kid Part one the Matta Dome. What
(26:43):
a cute name. So Kyle Allen has been vile, he
has he has fallen into Dante's inferno. He's the Carolina quarterback.
Last four weeks, this guy's managed to put up a
passer rating of sixty point three, second worst in the
entire NFL. Over that stretched shout out Ryan and Finley,
who's dead last. It goes without saying that he's obviously
(27:03):
gotta find a way to get his confidence back in
a hostile environment. It's the unforced mistakes that have been
the backbreaker for Ron Rivera's quarterback here and and be
Drew Brees and the Saints. Now I get that public
perception as they should win this game by twenty five
or thirty points. And I bet against him. Last week
(27:24):
they covered the spread against Tampa on the road. Um,
and Carolina is gonna have to play a cleaner game.
There's a lot of mistakes misques from Carolina. Nevertheless, the Panthers,
I believe we're kind of looking at it. This was
supposed to be a big game. Carolina had one last
week and the Saints had lost which was on the table.
This would have been a much bigger game in the division.
(27:47):
And the Panthers did not compete against the Falcons. And
so if you don't show up to the game before
the game you're looking at, you better win that game.
The game that you're peeking a head to look at.
Christian McCaffrey is going to have to also have the
game of his life against the pretty good Saints defense.
Kyle Allen make some quicker decisions. You don't normally get
(28:08):
blown out back to back to back games, uh in
the division. So if you're trying Carolina and you want
to compete here, any time you get over seven points
in a divisional game, what do I always say? You
don't ask questions. You take those points. You put a
smile on your face. So the Saints will win, but
they won't cover almost double digits. New Orleans thirty, Carolina
(28:30):
twenty threepenny. Go with the Bayou and go with the
New Orleans Saints, all right, Next up Tampa bay three
and seven at Atlanta three and seven. And this should
have been your pick for the Dick Stockton game, because
this is the Dick Stockton game with Mark schlay Riff.
They have the call here from Georgia now the Falcons
(28:51):
open to three point favorite. Atlanta is favored by four
the sunny fifty three degrees at kickoff outside the Mercedes
Bands Stadium in Atlanta. I'm gonna take Tampa in this game. Now.
I know Jamis Winston is hobbled with an ankle problem.
He has expected to play. That's not you know, that's
(29:12):
not going to derail the Buccaneers. The problem is he
has not been the fastest ship in the fleet. As
they say. Winston is leading the world in negative plays
for a quarterback. He's boom or bust. There's a lot
of touchdowns, throws a lot of interceptions. The Bucks quarterback
leads the NFL not only in interceptions with a team,
(29:33):
but also in sacks. Has been sacked thirty six times.
I don't know if he gets a bonus for negligence,
but if he did, he would certainly cash. And it
is craziness. Now, Bruce arians was brought in as the
quarterback whisperer, and how is that working at Winston has
actually done well though against the Falcons. That's something I'm
gonna hang my microphone on here. Last five games in
(29:57):
the vision against the guys from jar you Jamis Winston
has had three or more touchdown passes and he passer
rating of a hundred and ten plus. So he's got
some confidence when he sees that falcon helmet. Uh and
hopefully that spills in for me this week and too,
I get that something has clicked in Atlanta. The last
two weeks. They have looked like a legit team. They
(30:17):
were a dumpster fire the first part of the NFL season,
but they took the Saints and Panthers down. They slayed
the Giant Saints a couple of weeks ago, and they
followed that up within another road win. Now they have
to figure out how to win a game at home
in the Dome in Atlanta in Division it has it
has been a happy place for Atlanta. I think they've
(30:38):
won fifteen of their last nineteen games against NFC South opponents,
and Matt Ryan has the perfect opponent to keep the
good karma growing and going up and all that. Tampa
Bay is the NFL's thirty first ranked past defense. The
last three weeks, they've allowed over three yards per game passing,
just passing, forget the running game. Despite all that, uh,
(31:00):
I I don't fully trust that this balloon is not
going to burst on the Falcons here. They also play
the Saints on Thanksgiving in four days. I look at
that matchup, I say, well, that's a layer of distraction.
This line feels too high Atlanta while they are playing better,
should they really be a four point for their three
(31:20):
and seven? These teams are both three and seven Bucks
twenty seven Falcons twenty six Tampa with the road wind.
Awful pick, Penny going with Atlanta Falcons and not at all,
it's a great pick. It's a wonderful pick. Yeah. I
think we just did Detroit. You and I, oh the
cheese streak cheese. We could we could up the Anny
(31:41):
if you want um. Detroit three, six and one at
Washington one and nine. I heard that on Fox with
Kenny Albert and ron Da Barbera. The hardest working man
in sports television. Kenny Albert amazing, he was in. I
watched him do a Knicks sixers game this week in Philly,
and then, uh, you know the whole thing. Anyway, I
(32:03):
don't get any credit for the hard work that I
put in. Yeah, well, yeah, show up late here. I
don't showed up late here, showed us at start until
eleven PM. I don't know what you're talking about. We're
recording this at Friday morning, unless we're not, unless we're
not so all right, Washington Detroit. This is the game.
(32:24):
We mentioned this on the radio show this week that
you can get a ticket for four dollars for the
price of a cup of coffee, like two cups of coffee.
You can get a ticket in a land over Maryland
to watch this game. Uh and the Lions open to
one and app point favorite their favorite by three and
a half. It'll be sunny forty nine degrees that kick
off at FedEx Field the stadium. Dan Snyder ruined the
(32:48):
pick is in. I am gonna take the Redskins in
this game, and I'll tell you why. This is the
ultimate test for the Lions past defense. They have been
under siege. Detroit is thirtie against the past. So the test,
the real asset test, is can be incompetent. Incompetent Dwayne
(33:10):
hask find salvation against the Lions defense. The Motor City
kiddies here, how bad has Haskins been. He is averaging
four point one yards per attempt. Haskins has yet to
take a snap when the Redskins have had the lead
in this game. I believe that is about to change.
And secondly, the other reason to not like the Lions
(33:32):
here is the public is loading up on Detroit. People
are dumb. Jeff Driscoll is a road favorite by over
a field goal. Jeff Driscoll. Detroit's defense, as we said Incompetent,
the casual better though, is loading up on the lines.
This game will be as about about enjoyable as a
(33:55):
time David Gascon had hemorrhoids. Uh is going to be
at gan icing it'll be unwatchable. Why didn't you know
I had that? Nevertheless, when two bad teams play and
you have a home team who's a dog, you take
the dog, our our our hell to the red Skins,
hell to vic Dory. Washington gets their second win of
(34:19):
the year. Redskins seventeen, Lions thirteen one. In doubt, Penny
is going with the home team, going with the dead Skins.
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. All right, next up,
(34:40):
let's get Trivial. Let's get since he ended the league
in twelve. Russell Wilson has twenty eight game winning drives
in the fourth quarter and overtime. He had another one
against the forty Niners recently, one more than Matthew Stafford.
And I just gave away the answer. I just gave
(35:03):
you happy about that fight. You are you much good
job by me, So I guess you knew what I
was if I telegraph that. So that worked out the
great podcast. It's unbelievable. Actually, the good thing is that
you'll you'll edit that out. No one will hear that,
(35:26):
and this will all end up on the editing room floor.
You professional, You're a good colleague here, man helping man.
I look out for you, you look out for me.
There's a brotherhood in the podcasting game, right. That's bullshit,
But I will say that I can guarantee you you
will have a listener that will hit me up on
Twitter and say what was the answer to Ben's final question?
(35:46):
I can guarantee you all right, So you now you're
taking cheap shots at the fans of the show, A
right of course, all right? Next up, since we got
through the trivia question, Seattle eight and two, Philadelphia five
and five, it's on Fox you better watch. Kevin Burkhardt
and Charles Davis have the call. Now the Eagles opened
at three point favorite, Philadelphia favorite by two and a half.
(36:10):
Now it'll be cloudy forty six degrees that kick off
at Lincoln Financial Field. I like the Eagles a lot.
This is one of my stronger plays this week. And
and and hey, the public. I was looking at how
the public looks at these things. They seem to think
that the wrong team is favorite. Right, The Seahawks are
the choice of the people. Popular people's pick is Seattle.
(36:32):
They are a massive public underdog. Seattle did beat the
forty Niners that throwback come back Monday night football game,
but they have also struggled. Look at Seattle's resume. They
are over raid and they have struggled to win games
against the Bengals and Buccaneers. Should have lost to the
Rams at home. A missed field goal at the Buzzer
(36:54):
did them in. They have only one blowout win, that
was back in Week four against the Oopa Loopa Alligator Arms,
Murray and Arizona. So other than that, it's been a
white knuckle ride for Seattle. Why is that gonna chance here?
Russell Wilson I understand he's gonna have to hold off
Lamar Jackson. The m v P race's last nine starts
(37:16):
on the road, Russell Wilson's got nineteen touchdowns and an interception,
so I expect him to play well. But the key
here for the Eagles, and as at the time we're
doing this, we don't have all the injury reports and
all that, but but they have to find their offense.
And the defense has been good enough here. The Eagles
had the NFL's number one past defense over the last
three weeks. The issue is Carson Wentz, who fell apart
(37:39):
when Lane Johnson left that game against the Patriots with
a concussion. We believe he'll be back. The Philly receivers
are also the freemasons of football, hands of stone. Uh.
And we had the big scandal we talked about on
the radio this week, Nelson Agilar and his burner burner
account apparently got caught red handed. Uh. But if you
depend on those with you, you're gonna end up in
(38:00):
a body bag to catch pass. But I like Philadelphia. Nonetheless,
the Seahawks, coming off of by an emotional key divisional game,
West Coast team goes East Chili conditions. Although Seattle is
not the warmest city, Seattle is not as good as
their record. Eagles Fly, Eagles Fly on the road to
(38:23):
vic Dory Eagles thirty three, Seahawks twenty seven. How's my singing?
I don't know, but it's as bad as you're saying
that this is a divisional game. Penny has gone with
the Eagles as well. I didn't say you did. You
can go back to the podcast. Why would I say
this is a division Sometimes you miss speak. What do
you want for me? I'm just paying attention to you. Yeah, okay, Well,
(38:44):
I'm gonna send you know what to do. I'm gonna
send you to broadcasting school so you can learn the nuance.
You never correct your on air partner. Never, Well, you
just did. You've done it twice. You've done it now twice.
This is not a safe space for you. What do
you do? Doche alright, I'm Middle America. But you can
understand and check people. I agree with him, Alamlsia, you sucked.
(39:07):
I agree with him. You're terrible. Alright. Uh. Last last
part of the schedules the late television windows. So we'll
get to that right now. Jacksonville only couple of eight games,
Jacksonville four and six at Tennessee five and five. It's
on CBS. I an Eagle, the dad of the Clipper broadcaster,
and Dan Fouts have the call. Now the Titans open
(39:29):
to two and a half point favorite. They are favored
by three on the home field. It will be sunny
forty nine degrees that kick off at Nissan Stadium, the
house that Clay Travis pays for in Nashville. Now, I'm
gonna take the Titans in this game. I actually like
the Titans a lot in this game. It's one of
my stronger plays as well. I like Tennessee. And I'll
tell you why. Nick Foles, he I know, he know,
(39:52):
ever has to worry about buying a meal in Philadelphia.
The problem is he don't play in Philadelphi anymore. He's
in Jacksonville. Folls returned last week and was shell lacked
in the game last week. The numbers were not as
bad as the eyeball test. He helped himself in garbage time.
The stark truth is that Nick Foles has been a
lightweight outside of that out of body experience during the
(40:13):
playoff run with Philadelphia. You add to the fact that
the Jags defense has fallen into poverty, and it's not
going to be a pretty afternoon, a late afternoon in
Nashville for Jacksonville. And and to Ryan Tannehill, while he's
not the long term answer, he is the short term
answer in the micro. He's the guy better than Marcus Mariota.
(40:35):
In fact, since week six, Ryan Tannehill is third in
the entire NFL and completion percentage completing over his passes.
Only Drew Brees and Kirk Cousins have been better in
that stretch. But this week is not about Tannehill. The
Jags have been the NFL's second best past defense the
(40:58):
last three weeks. This game is about Derek f and
Henry al Right, the running back in in Tennessee. Uh yeah,
hit your wagon to Henry and let him play the
role of the wrecking ball in this game. He should dominate.
Jacksonville is dead last. They are the Omega of run defenses.
(41:19):
In fact, the last three weeks, Jacksonville is allowing over
six yards per carry. The Colts had I believe, two
different running backs who were at a hundred yards or
close to it last week. So I am writing the
flame heads betting against Nick Foles Tennessee. They're only a
three point favorite. They'll win this game by double digits.
(41:40):
Titans thirty, jag seventeen the Titans as well. Do you
want to bet on that game? You want to take
a wagering that to win this game, Jacksonville, because you
want to be we should go a game. We just
we have dissension on al right. Next up that we
gotta hurry with you look the clock, yeah, because I
(42:01):
gotta work, and I you know I'm gonna work. But
you showed up forty minutes late, so I want you
to know you would have been done forty minutes ago.
Al right. Next up Dallas six and four at New
England nine and one. It's on Fox with Joe Buck
and Troy Aikman. This is a massive game most of
the United there's only two late games, so pretty much
everybody's getting Cowboys and Patriots. They're expecting a massive rating.
(42:23):
Patriots open to seven point favorite. They're favorite by six
and a half. It's cloudy forty three degrees that kick
off at Gillette Stadium. In this game, I'm a glutton
for punishment. I'm gonna take the Dallas Cowboys here. Uh
and I'll tell you why the Patriots first of all,
are are again going to have to ride their defense
(42:44):
to slow down Dallas. New England's offensive second rate now,
Mohammed Sanu, how do you do is out? Uh, there's
no separation, no separation from the receivers to the defensive backs.
And as a result, Tom Brady is twenty nine and
arts per attempt. Over the last four weeks, Brady is
averaging just five point three yards per attempt. The bad
(43:06):
news Bears is the Patriot offense. Now, despite that, New
England owns an average home margin of victory of twenty
point three points, beating up on the Jets and the
other terrible teams in that division. That is a positive
sign for the Patriots. And this is their first game
at Gillette since October seven. They've been on the road
(43:28):
of late. But the second thing, for some reason, Dak
Prescott has been rolling along. He's trying to lose the
moniker ding dunk Dak dancin dunke Dyak. He's trying to
lose that moniker in Dallas. He has feasted on some
bad pass defenses. Uh. And and I don't obviously the
Patriots don't have a bad past defense here, I figure
(43:50):
the Cowboys should be able to slow down Zeke Elliott.
And and here's the thing. Dak Prescott's got a four
game stretch of three seventy five plus passing yards in
two plus passing touchdowns. That's tight for the second most
in a single NFL season in history. And now Prescott,
though he goes from the junior varsity to the varsity,
(44:11):
in terms of competition, you would assume the position that
Bill Belichick has a strategic advantage against Jason Garrett. I
think that goes without saying if it comes down to
X and os in the fourth quarter. But the Patriots
right now are a two dimensional team. They're not a
three dimensional team. Their defense and special teams. Tom Brady
is playing like an old guy. He's got no weapons.
(44:32):
So I just can't lay a touchdown. And I don't
like Dallas is terrible. I don't think they're horrible. So
I will take the points. Patriots twenty four, Cowboys twenty one.
Penny going with the home team, Going with the Patriots
all right? Next up Sunday Night Football, Green Bay eight
and two at Santa Clara nine and one. Now, should
(44:54):
I should I watch this game? Should I? Stay home
and watch this game? Or should I go to watch
an NBA game? And then why this on my laptop depends?
Will you be getting any kind of inflammatory pictures on
your laptop? Oh? Probably not? Probably not? Then yeah, you should?
You should stay home? Then I should stay home? All right,
(45:14):
I'll stay home. Then, uh, it's on NBC. Al Michaels
and Chris Collinsworth your knucklehead forty Niners inside jokes gascon
forty Niners opened a three point favorite. The line has
stayed the same. It will be fifty nine and clear
at kickoff at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. I'm gonna
take the Niners in this game. I don't trust the Packers.
Aaron Rodgers still holds a grudge, I know, against the
(45:37):
Niners for not drafting him back in the day. Now
he has a chance at more vengeance here. Rogers has
been the hope Diamond, right, he has been the hope
Diamond in these primetime games. Rogers has eighteen touchdowns versus
one interception in his last seven Sunday Night games. So
not only does Chris Collinsworth get aroused and Al Michaels
(45:58):
when they see Aaron, which Apparently it works both ways.
Apparently it works both ways. Packers are arrested. They're coming
off the bye week. That said, I don't trust as
I said the Packers here. They got molly wopped by
the Chargers the last time they went west on their
stage coach to southern California. Secondly, the forty Niners, they
are getting some reinformers, reinforcements back. Now. The key thing
(46:23):
at the time we're recording the podcast, we don't know
whether or not George Kittle is going to play, although
it seems like he's tracking that way. Kittle is about
of the Niners offense. If he plays, I love the
forty Niners. If he doesn't play, I still like the Niners.
I don't love them. This is a chance for the
forty Niners to get some cashet back in NFL circles
(46:44):
after they lost to the Seahawks a couple of weeks ago.
They had to come back to beat the Cardinals last week.
I expect Jimmy g to play well. Love Nick bo
said the forty Niners defense to clog things up for
Aaron Rodgers. He is the better quarterback, but the Niners
are the better team in this matchup from top to bottom.
Plus the public is loading up on the cheeseheads as
(47:07):
an underdog here, I like betting against the dumb dumbs
forty Niners, thirty three Packers. Penny gone, go Pat go Alright,
last game game, excited about this last week. We should
take about twenty minutes to break your This last game
is fitting for you because your team is awful right now. Offensively,
(47:30):
that's all right, they're great defensively, So you look at
your negative. I'm a positive guy. Look at the positive.
You look at the negative now. Monday Night Football Baltimore
eight and two, The L A r i AM six
and four, and David Gascon's Hero Joe Testa Tour has
the Call on ESPN with Booger McFarlan from the Los
Angeles Colosseum in Los Los Angeles. Memorial comes. What do
(47:52):
we memorializing now? The death of the Rams offense. It's
a clear and sixty six degrees that kick off The
Ravens opened a pick him. This game was a pick
in Baltimore is now three and a half point road favorite.
Are you kidding me? You gotta take the Rams in
this game. That's the right side from pillar to post.
(48:13):
Lamar Jackson is the talk of the NFL. This guy
is skyrocketed up the charts because of his play on
the field and that the media there they can't say
enough nice things and throw all kinds of accolades and
platitudes at Lamar Jackson. And he has had some goose
bump causing breathtaking plays. At times he has been a
(48:34):
show stopper. He's also a ticking time bomb. Lamar is
exposed to injury more than any other quarterback in the
NFL because of all the running that he does. He's
also got a bullseye on his back and he's going
against a hungry, hungry old Aaron Donald and the Rams defense.
They have the kind of defense that can send Lamar
(48:55):
Jackson to the injury tent. And also under John Harbaugh,
the Ravens as road favorites, only have a three ninety
five winning percentage in this kind of a spot. Over
the years be the Rams. They have gone from the
greatest show on grass, which is what they were last year.
(49:15):
The last couple of years, the Rams now have to
win grinded out games. They have They have no muscle
on offense. Jared Golf has been a dog's lunch. Todd
Gurley's unreliable. The hope is that Brandon Cooks and Robert
Woods coming back as receivers will inspire the spark of
life here. But l a strength has been defensively. It
has been against the run. How do you beat Baltimore?
(49:39):
You gotta slow down the running game. Forced Lamar Jackson
the beat you with the arm if he does find
The Ravens lead the NFL and rushing yards. They're the
first team since the seventies to have two thousand plus
rushing yards the first ten games. Marcus Peters I saw
his quote this week. He said he has no bad
blood against the Rams. He's very well in Baltimore. He's
(49:59):
he's had more big plays. Uh in Baltimore. They need
his entire time with the Rams. Uh. He's a boomer
Bus defensive back. He's as just as likely to pick
off Jared Golf a couple of times as he is
to get burned a couple of times. Uh in this game.
But the Rams defense has been playing great the last
four weeks in one of the top defenses in the
National Football League statistically, and the Ravens. You look at
(50:24):
this going from East to West. I think they're gonna
be spending their their brief time in l A on
rodeo drive in the Hollywood Hills and going over all
over the hotspots in southern California. There and the Rams
a good team Home Dog Baltimore is overdue for some
regression to the mean Rams seven Ravens in a thriller.
(50:50):
You can't really ram it all day and ram it
all night. And the final pick of the Petty Petty
also going that way with the Los Angeles Penny in agreement.
All right, that'll put the bow, put the baby to bed,
as they say here, put the bowl on the package.
As the Benny Versus the Penny for week number twelve
(51:11):
is in the books. Thank you for listening, Tell a friend.
But yes, yes, we need to ask some of the
the fans of Benny Versus the Penny to give us
some of their results over the course of the first
eleven and twelve weeks. Now one no, no, no, because
everyone was sending, oh, you gotta send the picks in
before games. Yeah, but didn't you had a listener last year?
Didn't he take home like a jackpot prize from from
(51:33):
following some picks? We well we had the guy that
won the big gambling the Vegas contest was a mallar
militia guy. Yea, And yeah, we had him on as
a guest. He's a personal chef from Orange County and
he won millions of dollars in Vegas picking NFL games.
(51:55):
And he did say I believe he was being sarcastic
that Benny versus the penny had influenced them maybe a did.
I'm going with it. Why not? Of course, Man, we
need to get this thing off the ground. Yeah, we
we do. And and we need some some live commercial reads,
paid live commercial reads. We need that, guscon do we
have that as we we do not have that, as
they would say in the industry, we were efforting that. Yeah.
(52:16):
But the guy's name is Eric and cuisine. I don't know,
he's like he was like a personal chef, but he
he won, and uh we had him on the show
and all that stuff, and uh he's he was he's
called the show before before he became a celebrity and
all that, and we had him I think that was
back in January. Uh, so we had him on. He lives, Uh,
(52:39):
I don't want to see where he lives. But he
lives in a place I used to live. So you
said Orange County exactly, I might say the city though,
Newport Beach. I didn't live in Laguna. I didn't live
in the good Yeah, I didn't live there either. I'm
not like you. I don't live near the beach. You're
you're a beach guy anyway. All right, thank you for
listening supporting the podcast. Try the O their podcast if
(53:00):
you haven't heard that. The pretty much guesscon just annoying
everyone on that podcast. Also, uh, but have a great weekend.
We'll be back after these NFL games on Sunday night
to discuss that big showdown between the Packers and forty Niners,
and the Cowboys and Patriots, all the other big stories
of the NFL weekend. Be safe, tell a friend, and
we'll catch you next time.
Host
Ben Maller
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