December 17, 2025 • 34 mins
December football always delivers chaos, but this week felt different: not just playoff math and highlight plays, but legacy moments, abrupt endings, and the kind of weird, human storylines that only the NFL can produce. In this episode, we break down the stunning return of 44-year-old Philip Rivers as the Colts’ starter after five years away—and what his ultra-conservative, quick-trigger game plan says about how teams survive when the margin for error disappears. Then we shift to the emotional gut-punch in Kansas City: Patrick Mahomes’ ACL injury, the Chiefs’ postseason elimination, and the unmistakable feeling that a decade-long era of dominance just slammed into a wall. Even Tom Brady reaching out adds to the sense that this is bigger than one game. From there, the conversation jumps to the future. Texas quarterback Arch Manning shocks draft-watchers by choosing unfinished business over immediate NFL money, a rare move in the modern pipeline. We also linger on one of the most relatable moments of the week: 49ers great Trent Williams admitting his long-held touchdown dream is starting to fade—proof that even Hall of Fame careers can still carry one tiny, personal “what if.” We also hit the franchise-shaking fallout in Green Bay after Micah Parsons suffers a season-ending ACL tear—and why the Cowboys’ decision to trade him away is turning into a weekly, headline-sized regret. And because the NFL always balances heartbreak with spectacle, we close with the league’s Christmas Day curveball: Netflix, a marquee matchup, and a halftime show headlined by Snoop Dogg alongside Kelly Clarkson. Wins and losses matter, but the real story is what changes in an instant—careers, identities, and belief. With the season sprinting toward the finish, whose fortune (or misfortune) will define the final weeks?
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/football-army--6811313/support.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/football-army--6811313/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Football Army. If you were paying attention to
the AFC this week, you definitely felt the tremor.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Oh absolutely, it was like the entire landscape just cracked
wide open.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
The tectonic plates of the league literally shifted under our feet.
And the epicenter, of course, was in Kansas City. We
were talking about the week the entire competitive map of
the NFL just completely changed.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
It really did. Yeah, and it's one of those moments.
It doesn't just redefine this season, it casts a well,
a very long shadow over the next one or two
as well.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
For sure, We're now facing a reality where the Kansas
City Chiefs have missed the playoffs for the first time
in an entire decade, a decade.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
That news alone is seismic, you know, given their recent dominance.
But even that gets completely overshadowed by the reason why
the season ending torn acl for their cornerstone, Patrick Mahomes.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
It's just brutal, not just for the Chiefs obviously, but
for the whole league and the immediate reaction we saw
from across the football community. It really spoke volumes about
the gravity of this.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Right yead Tom Brady, who knows exactly what that's like
what it takes to recover from a catastrophic knee injury.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
From his own two thousand and eight ACL tair exactly, and.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
He actually reached out to Mahomes called the rehab process tough.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
I mean, when one legend is offering that kind of
council to another, you know, what's serious.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
And what about the shockwaves inside that building?
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Immediate and powerful. We heard from Travis Kelch, who's been
so central to that dynasty. He basically admitted that this
early elimination feels and I'm quoting here obviously f up wow. Yeah,
and that it's a new feeling for the entire organization,
for the fan base. And while he stressed the integrity
of playing out the season, you know, saying he'll go
(01:40):
out there and play with love, the sting of this
is it's palpable that they were expecting another deep January
run and instead it's over in December, no kidding.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
So today we're plunging headfirst into the chaos this Mahomes
injury created. We have to break down the total AFC turmoil,
from the bizarre return of Philip Rivers in Indianapolis to
the quarter crisis brewing in Miami, and.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Don't forget the spectacular implosion in Cincinnati with Joe Burrow
and coach Taylor. Then we can flip over to the NFC,
where the playoff picture is tightening up dramatically, especially after
some key injuries.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
There too a huge NFC North rematch between the Bears
and the Packers. We have to tackle the JJ McCarthy
enigma in Minnesota. I mean, how is his non traditional
play baffling everyone?
Speaker 2 (02:24):
And the Cowboys collapse against the Eagles final push. It's
a lot.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
It is a lot. And then we'll hit some major
roster shakeups like the Jets cleaning house and deliver a
big college football update. Arch Manning's return to Texas is
huge and it's already shaping the twenty twenty sixth draft.
This was the week where pretty much every major franchise
had to, you know, fundamentally reconsider its future.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Okay, so let's start right where all the chaos began.
Kansas City. Patrick Mahomes season is over, torn ACL. It's
the biggest story of the week, maybe the year, because
it didn't just end their.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Season, No, it created a power vacuum at the top
of the conference.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
And the immediate market reaction tells you everything you need
to know about his value, right, It tells the whole story.
The Titans Chiefs spread shifted by a full eight points
the second the injury was confirmed. Eight points. That's the
definition of a player who was basically acting as the
team's entire engine.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
He was masking so many other issues, and it seems
like his incredible almost you know, superhuman play has been
covering up some truly glaring roster holes for years now.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Absolutely, when you look beyond Mahomes, that foundation looks a
lot shakier than anyone wanted to admit. The two biggest
areas of concern are the receiving core and maybe even
more critically, the run game.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Let's start with the receivers. What's the problem there, It's a.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Problem across the board. You look at the Xavier Worthy,
the guy they drafted hoping for that explosive element. He's
been well underwhelming, only forty catches, four hundred and ninety
one yards.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
One touchdown, and he hasn't been healthy right.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Not fully, he's been dealing with a shoulder injury since
week one. But they're also asking him to run these
complex over the middle, which is a tough ask for
a guy with his build, and as a team they're
tied for the seventh most drops in the league. It
just points to a lack of reliability everywhere. Worthy is
clearly not on a WR one trajectory.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Right now, so it sounds like a systemic issue, which
gets even worse when you look at the run game.
That was supposed to be the thing that took pressure
off Mahomes.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
And it's been, to put it bluntly, an untenable situation.
Their reliance on shotgun runs in RPOs, these run pass options,
it's drawn a ton of criticism because it just sacrifices
the power and deception you need to create big plays.
And the numbers, well, the numbers bear this out dramatically.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
What do those numbers look like, because they sound bad.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
They're staggering. The duo of Isaiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt.
They've combined for only seven runs of twelve yards or more.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
All season, seven on how many carries.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
On two hundred and forty nine carries. It's just it's nothing.
And if you look at the explosive run rate metric
among the forty three running backs with one hundred plus carries,
but Jaco ranks fortieth and Hunt ranks forty.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Seven, so basically dead last, literally dead.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Last performance territory. This isn't something you can just patch
up with a scheme change. It's a personnel problem.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
And the problem gets even worse because all of those
guys are about to hit free agency.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
That's right, Pitchaiko Hunt, and Elijah Mitchell are all set
to hit the open market. This basically signals a mandatory
full scale overhaul in the backfield. The Chiefs have to
rebuild their entire ground attack philosophy, and that's even more
critical now, especially if Mahomes has a delayed start to
next year, which.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Brings us to Travis kelcea his contract is up after
twenty twenty five. Given how emotional his reaction was, is
there a real sense that this might be it for him?
Speaker 2 (05:39):
There is definite and painful speculation around kelce People watching
him all season noted he looked physically depleted, suggesting he
was already on his final run, even though he was
still putting up numbers.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
So the big question is does his competitive spirit let
him go out like this.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Exactly ending the season Eliminated from the playoffs with his
last target maybe coming from Gardner Minshew instead of Patrick Mahomes.
That's a tough pill to swallow for a Hall.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Of Famer like him. That's not how this story is
supposed to end.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Right for a guy who thrives on those high stakes moments,
ending his career with a target from Gardner Minshew in
a meaningless game, it's a real legacy question. He had
surgery earlier in the year. His receptions per game were
the lowest they've been since twenty fifteen, so the offseason
will be huge for him to decide if he has
the physical and the mental stamina for one last go.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Wow, that's a tough one for Cheese Kingdom. Well, speaking
of Gardner Minshew, that brings us neatly to the Indianapolis Colts,
who are hosting the return of old man Rivers.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
It is surreal. Philip Rivers is officially the starter for
Week sixteen against the Niners, five years after he retired.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
And his return against the Seahawks was let's say, modest,
eighteen of twenty seven for one hundred and twenty yards,
a touchdown and interception.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Monest is a good word, but it's the how of
his performance that's so fascinating.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
The physical limitations were obvious, but the mental part of
his game was on full display.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
That's it exactly. Rivers is the ultimate brain over Braun quarterback.
Right now, he's sticking almost entirely to checkdowns. His time
to throw was the lowest of the entire weekend, two
point four to one seconds.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
So he's turning a physical limitation into a strategic advantage.
The defense just can't get to him precisely.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
And his average depth of target or a doot was
just five point two yards. That was the fourth lowest
in the entire league for week fifteen.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
So to put that in perspective for you, his passes
are on average traveling barely five yards past the line
of scrimmage.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
And the stats back it up. He completed just two
of ten throws that went farther than five yards downfield.
We literally saw him straining just to throw the ball away.
Sometimes passes to the outside were just hanging the air.
The velocity is a real issue.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
So he's basically running this historically quick short game offense
just using his mind to process everything in two point
four seconds. Is this is this sustainable?
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Well? Coach Shane Steichen seems to think so, at least
in the short term, he prays. Rivers game management said
they didn't bring the forty four year old back to
sit on the bench, and Rivers himself said he felt
pretty darn good after taking a few hits.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
But the cost is the entire downfield passing game right completely.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
The deep ball is off the menu, and that has
immediate Fantasy football ripple effects. It basically ends the splash
play run for Alec Pierce and it's definitely going to
hurt Michael Pittman and Tyler Warren's weekly numbers.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Okay, from Indianapolis, let's head down to Miami. Another quarterback
squarely on the hot seat. Tua tagove Loa. Their loss
to the Steelers officially eliminated the Dolphins.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
And that extends their postseason wind drought past a quarter
century now.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
And the elimination just opened the floodgates for speculation about
to his future.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Absolutely after a really poor performance. He was six of
ten for sixty five yards and a pick through three quarters.
Coach Mike McDaniel, who is usually mister optivism right, he
stated that everything is on the table when it comes
to benching Tua for the final three games.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
So is that just coach speak trying to light a
fire under him or is the relationship really that damaged.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
It sounds like a genuine, calculated threat. I think it's
driven by desperation to his overall assessment is just tanked.
He's ranked twenty ninth in the week sixteen QB rankings,
and the underlying metrics are while they're damning. Also, since
Week seven, he's been statistically worse in EPA per play
that's expected points at it than both JJ McCarthy and
(09:25):
Baker Mayfield. And those are two guys who are also
taking a lot of heat.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
So if they do benj him, who steps in.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
It could be Quinnyewers or Zach Wilson for the final
three games. But the real issue here is that the
problems aren't just under center, they're organizational, which is why
a QB change might just be a band aid.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
You're talking about that draft miss that's really compounding their
depth issues right now.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
They absolutely whiffed on a major pick, taking cornerback Cam
Smith in the second round in twenty twenty three. That's
looking like a painful, consequential miss. They traded Jalen Ramsey,
they needed secondary help and Smith just never got a
footing in Miami before they.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
Moved on, and it hurts even more when you see
who else was available.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
That's the part that stings. Zach sharponnet Twee Polow, two Osiris,
Torrents were all still on the board. When you only
have four picks in a draft because of other trades,
you just cannot afford to miss on a high second
rounder like that. That kind of inefficiency haunts you. That's
a great point, Okay. Sticking in the AFC, let's talk
(10:24):
about the Bengals. Joe Burrow and the offense were completely
shot out by the Ravens and it led to some
pretty dramatic fan reactions. You know things are bad when
there was footage of a Bengals fan in the stands
literally drafting a serious breakup text to Joe Burrow during
the game. That just perfectly captures the mood in Cincinnati
right now.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
But Burrow, to his credit, he took immediate accountability, which
is what you want from your leader.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
He did. Coach Zach Taylor confirmed Burrow stood up in
front of the team in the media and said it
wasn't his best game. Taylor's stress he takes responsibility too,
but that loss officially knocked the Bengals out of the playoffs,
and that's why the pressure is mounting so fast on Taylor.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
So, despite those reports of a secret contract extension, his
job security is now a major talking point. His contract
runs through twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
The context here is that the team's now for to ten.
It's his first losing season since twenty twenty, and the
organization's primary concern isn't Taylor's contract, it's Burrow's potential discontent.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Ah, So it's about keeping the franchise player happy.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Exactly. If Burrow gets to a point where he feels
the coaching is holding him back, making a change is
the last lever the organization can pull. The front office
just wants to make sure Burrow doesn't reach that state
of NFL specific melancholy that we saw with Andrew Luck
before he retired. Keeping Burrough stable is everything.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
But before we move on, is there any silver lining
for Cincy? What about the defense? Have they shown any life?
Speaker 2 (11:49):
They have? Actually? Yeah, particularly since the bye week. Defensive
coordinator Lou Golden pointed out that they've really improved. They've
held teams to less than a touchdown eight times in
fourteen red zone trips since the bye. That's good execution
when the field shrinks. And what's been the biggest area
of growth third down defense, specifically on third and seven ten.
Opponents are only converting nine percent of the time since
(12:10):
the buye. That is elite and Golden pointed to two
rookies for this turnaround, Mike linebacker Barrett Carter, who's wearing
the green dot and really taking over communication, and Demitrius
Snite Junior, who just got his first two NFL sacks.
Their emergence is a genuine reason for optimism in twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
That is promising. Okay, let's pivot to the team leading
the AFC North, the resurgent Pittsburgh Steelers, now eight to
six after beating the Dolphins. It seems like Aaron Rodgers
has gotten hot at the perfect time.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Rogers was incredibly efficient in that cold Monday night game.
He only had four incompletions through for two hundred and
twenty four yards, two touchdowns, zero picks, eighty five percent
completion rate. The Steelers are now in a great position,
holding a magic number of three to lock up the division.
It's an incredible turnaround.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
So with all the QB uncertainty around the league, where
does this put Rogers for his twenty twenty six future.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Well, this winning streak pretty much solidifies him as the
clear top option for the Steelers in twenty twenty six
if he decides to keep playing. The draft options for
a franchise QB are dwindling, and these high value trades
for guys like Burrow or Kyler Murray are you know,
basically fantasy Rogers at forty two is looking much better,
especially after that wrist injury. He's invaluable to them right now.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
But the Steelers are still doing their due diligence right
hosting quarterback tryouts this week.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
That's just a smart front office. They brought in Hendon Hooker,
the former Lions third rounder, and Jack Plummer. They're evaluating
every single option for the future depth chart, especially since
they've struggled to find a reliable backup for years.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
And we have to touch on the controversy from that game,
the one Troy Aikman was.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
All over taunting call. Yeah, Aikman called the penalty on
Dolphin's linebacker Jordan Brooks ridiculous, and it was Brooks just
stood over pat Freyermuth for a second after a big
third downstop. It's this ongoing problem across the league where
a player showing any emotion costs his team fifty ten yards.
It just kills the flow of the game.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
And what about injuries? Did the Steelers pick up anything
in the wind that could hurt them down the stretch?
Speaker 2 (14:07):
They lost starting left guard Isaac Simalow and linebacker Nick Herbig.
Their status for Week sixteen is still unclear, which is
concerning for the pass rush because Herbig has six point
five sacks this year. He's been a great compliment to TJ. Watt.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
And finally, there's already speculation about another Rogers reunion. Alan
Lazard was just released.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
By the Jets at his request. He wants to sign
with a playoff team, which is totally understandable. He took
a big pay cut but only had ten catches this
year for the Jets, So given Rogers's history, the immediate
thought is he could land in Pittsburgh, maybe on the
practice squad. At first, it's a low risk move that
gives Rogers another familiar target for a potential playoff front.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Okay, we've seen the chaos in the AFC let's flip
over to the NFC, where it's not just about who's struggling,
but who's emerging and who's dealing with their own major
injury crisis. We have a massive NFC North showdown this week.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Absolutely, the Bears are ten to four, leading the division
by just one game over the Packers at nine to
four to one. This week's sixteen rematch is everything.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
And the playoff implications are huge. Green Bay can clinch
with a win and a Detroit loss or tie. Chicago
can clinch with a win and a Detroit loss or tie.
But the Packers just had a devastating loss to Denver.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Devastating is the right word. It was a season changing
loss because it cost them their star edge rusher Micah.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Parsons, the guy they traded a haul to the Cowboys for.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
The very same He suffered a torn acl His season
is over right after he racked up twelve point five
sacks and twenty six QB Hits coach Lafleur confirmed the
terror and said Parsons is actually in Dallas right now
for the birth of his child before he has surgery.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
That's a brutal blow, not just the production, but it
completely exposes their defensive depth. Who on Earth steps up
to fill that gap.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
It has to be Lucas van Ness, their first round pick,
who just came back from a foot injury. Lafleur said
he brought a real boost of energy in his return
and now he's going to be expected to basically step
into Parsons' role as the main pass rusher.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
But they have other injuries too, right they.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Do Christian Watson's chest, Zach Tom's knee, quay Walker Evan Williams.
The loss of Parsons just takes the teeth out of
that Packers defense, and that's a huge problem against a hot,
confident Chicago team, and the.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Bears are hot. They're being driven by turnovers and protecting
the ball, which is just the mark of a well
coached team.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Their turnover differential is a league leading plus twenty. Think
about that. We only have ten turnovers all year, only
the Lions have fewer. They take the ball away and
they don't give it back. And their quarterback Caleb Williams
is playing really well. He had a clean, crisp performance
in that big win over the Browns and said he's
excited for the moment against.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Green Bay and I want to highlight a really cool
moment involving Bears rookie the offensive lineman Ausie Trapelo during
that Browns game.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Yeah, that was great, a real trial by fire for
him going up against Miles Garrett, probably the best edge rusher.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
In football, and he gave up two sacks.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
He did, which you'd almost expect. But the amazing part
was after the game when Garrett went out of his
way to find Trapollo and show him respect, acknowledging how
tough he was for a rookie, Getting that kind of
recognition from an All Pro player is just immense for
your confidence.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
The Bears do have a tricky situation with their receivers
heading into this game, though.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Head coach Ben Johnson is facing a tough call. With
Romo Donze in his ankle injury. Johnson is actually thinking
about shutting him down to protect him from himself for
the long term.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
That's a smart, big picture move, it is.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
The news is a bit better for the rookie Luther Burden.
His injury isn't as severe, but if Odoun day out,
DJ Moore becomes the clear number one target.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Okay, staying in the NSC North. Let's talk about the
JJ McCarthy enigma. In Minnesota. The Vikings are suddenly scoring
points over thirty one in back to back games, and
McCarthy's reputation has kind of rebounded.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
It's definitely stopped him from being the punchline of every meme.
As one person put it, he's improved his production, cut
down on turnovers, and just as importantly, his behavior before
the Cowboys game, showing respect and maturity earned him a
lot of praise. It signals some emerging leadership.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
But the mechanics still have people worried. Right, it's this
weird thing where the results don't quite match the process.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
They absolutely do. Analysts still call his mechanics non traditional.
They say he throws like a shortstop turning a double play,
comparing it to Derek Jeter.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
Which is not a compliment for a quarterback.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Not at all. It means he's generating power from his
side and his torso, not a clean over the top motion,
and that causes throws to be wobbly or forced. He's
still overly aggressive, and even his big plays sometimes come
on mediocre throws.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Can you give me an example, sure.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
That touchdown to Jalen Naylor, it was a successful play,
but the throw itself was shortened inside it forced the
receiver to work back to the ball for a contested catch.
A top tre quarterback delivers that ball in stride. His
mechanics sometimes forces receivers to compensate for him and.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
The connection with his number ever one guy Justin Jefferson
is still a problem.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
It's been called shoddy and a major point of confoundment.
They just haven't been on the same page. McCarthy's inaccuracy
rate was his highest in a month against Dallas, and
the weird thing is his unexpected improvement is creating this
roster confusion. It makes Minnesota a less likely landing spot
and a trade for someone like Kyler Murray, so they
have to reevaluate their whole QB room.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Let's move to the NFC East. The Eagles are trying
to make a final push. They're nine to five and
can clinch the Vision with a win or a Cowboys loss,
or if both teams.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Tie and they got the game they desperately needed. Just
dominating the Raiders thirty one zero. It was a tension
breaker after that three game losing streak. Jalen Hurts followed
up his five turnover game with a really clean performance. Afterward,
he just said I wanted to win.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
And he's been taking a ton of heat from fans,
with some even calling for him to be benched.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Which is crazy. Coach Nick Sirianni defended him strongly, called
him resilient. But that criticism probably won't go away unless
they go on a deep playoff run. But for now
they're back on track.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
What's the injury report look like for them? Though it
sounds like a long list, it.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
Is based on the walk through estimation. It raises some
red flags. Saquon Barkley with a stimmer, Jalen Carter with
the shoulder, Landon Dickerson with a calf, Lane Johnson with
a foot. A bunch of key guys were listed as
did not participate. That's a lot of significant names.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
And then there's the Dallas Cowboys, who are supposed to
be challenging for the division. They just had a stunning collapse.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Losing to that Vikings team really dimmed their once bright outlook.
But owner Jerry Jones came out and insisted they won't
tank for draft position. He said they owe it to
the fans to stay competitive over these last three games,
no matter.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
What Speaking of draft position, this is a team that
traded away an elite player for future picks, and now
the consequences are showing up on defense.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
That Micah Parson's trade to Green Bay taking a lot
of blowback. They got two first round picks in twenty
twenty six and Kenny Clark, but it's been a philosophical failure.
The Cowboys were built to win now and and trading
a generational talent like Parsons when you're in a Super
Bowl window just left a hole they haven't filled.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
And the numbers back that up.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Oh, they absolutely do. The Cowboys defense has struggled mightily.
They're allowing a league worst passer rating of one hundred
and nine point one this season.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Wait, one hundred and nine point one.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Yes, to put that in perspective for you, Patrick Mahomes's
career passer rating is one hundred point eight. They're making
every opposing quarterback look better than Patrick Mahomes has over
his entire career. The trade has hurt them in the present,
even if it sets them up for the future. Wow.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
Okay. On a different note, there was an interesting trade
pitch involving an Eagles backup QB that could help a
team like the Chiefs.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Kanner McKee, a sixth round pick from twenty twenty three,
He's being talked about as a potential high value trade asset.
Eagles GM Howie Roseman is known for this stuff. McKee
is six foot six and he wowed people with his
limited action late last season, going two to zero with
four touchdowns and no picks.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
So why would the Chiefs be interested in a former
sixth rounder?
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Because of his tools and his poise. In his one
appearance this season, he went three for three. He's shown
just enough that he could potentially be flipped for say
a third rounder, to a team like Kansas City that
suddenly needs a high upside backup on a cheap contract.
McKee could be a really compelling plan.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
B Okay a quick look at the NFC South, which
is coming down to the Bucks and the Panthers, both
sitting at seven to seven.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
This division race is all about their two head to
head games over the next three weeks, and the Buccaneers
are lucky to even be in first place after they
blew that fourteen point lead in weeks fourteen.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
And the focus here is on Baker Mayfield. How has
he been playing?
Speaker 2 (22:37):
Well, since Week seven, his statistical profile has just fallen
off a cliff. He's twenty eighth in EPA pri play,
he's dead last and completion percentage over expected, and he
has the league's worst uncatchable throw rate at almost twenty
eight percent an.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Uncatchable throw rate. He can't really blame that on anyone
he was. He's just missing guys exactly.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
And while his situation isn't perfect, you know, o line
injuries drops, his poor play, his inaccuracy. That's the biggest
thing that needs to change for Tampa to win this division.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
And on a completely different note for Tampa, they did
welcome back a receiver this week after a really serious injury.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Yes, Jalen McMillan. He returned after missing four months with
a broken neck. He told the media the injury was
so bad that doctors told him he came close to
being paralyzed. His return is just miraculous. It's a testament
to his dedication.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
All right, Let's talk about maybe the most chaotic organization
in the league this season, the New York Jets. They
have officially started cleaning house.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
It started with the coaching staff. After that, just humiliating
forty eight twenty loss to the Jaguars. Head coach Aaron
Glenn fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilkes.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
And that move was necessary. The defense ranks twentieth overall
but thirtieth.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
In scoring right. Glenn basically said the team wasn't showing
any improvement week to week, so he had to make
a change. Yeah, when your defense, which was supposed to
be your strength, is ranked thirtieth in points allowed, the
move is unavoidable.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
And they also parted ways with the high profile receiver
Alan Lazart.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
He was released at his request, a mutual parting of
the way so he could sign with a playoff team.
He was in the third year of a big deal,
took that pay cut and only had ten catches this year,
just the definition of a failed signing.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
So what does their QB depth look like now?
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Rookie Brady Cook made his first start. He showed some flashes,
but also made those classic rookie mistakes. Through two picks,
the team took six sacks with fields and Tyrod Taylor hurt.
They released a practice squad QB, which suggests one of
the veterans might be back for Week sixteen. They just
need someone reliable to manage the offense.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
Let's move down to the other New York team, the Giants.
They've had their own identity crisis, and it's been made
worse by this constant kicker turnover.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
The kicker marry go around just continues. It makes the
team feel amateurish. They wave young Hoku after he badly
missed two fifty one yarders. This came after a game
where he didn't even attempt to kick because of a
bobbled snap. Just illustrates a deeper problem. They can't finish drives.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
But despite they're terrible two twelve record, the internal view
is surprisingly optimistic about the talent on the roster. Is
that delusional.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
It's not entirely delusional, but it's definitely a case of
selective vision. The belief inside the building is that they
have a good nucleus of talent and that poor coaching
is the main problem. And to be fair, the front
seven is genuinely strong.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
But the secondary is the glaring weakness. It just negates
the pass rushcicely.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
The secondary is porous. They need to get pieces to
shore up the back end, but the real issue is
that the Giants can't get out of their own way.
They insist on doing things their way institutionally, which means
ignoring the secondary to keep loading up the defensive line.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
And a key part of that supposed nucleus is their
rookie QB Jackson Dart. What's the analysis on him?
Speaker 2 (25:46):
He is promising, fans should be excited about his playmaking,
but the big criticism is his reckless playing style. It's
very similar to Jayden Daniels in terms of taking unnecessary hits.
He holds the ball too long, which contributes to his
high sack.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Rate, and that recklessness has led to availability concerns already.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
That's the core issue. He's already had a concussion, been
pulled for precaution multiple times. He just refuses to protect
himself and that's a huge factor in long term success.
If he's going to be their guy, he has to
learn self preservation and fast.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Let's quickly hit the Tennessee Titans, who have just had
awful luck with injuries this season, especially in the secondary.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Week fifteen was a disaster for them. They lost six
key contributors, put three safeties on ir ending their seasons,
and this is just piling on to a problem that's
plagued them all year. It's just constant, rotational instability.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
So if the Titans could steal one player from the Chiefs,
who would it be to fix that secondary.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
It's got to be cornerback Trent McDuffie, a two time
All Pro. He'd fill their shut down corner need instantly.
The Titans are just living proof that every contender is
one injury away from a total collapse, especially in the secondary.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
And what about their own rookie QB cam Ward. How's
he handling all this chaos?
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Ward actually showed some progress. He wasn't sacked for the
first time all season against the forty nine ers, which
is a nice milestone, but he still missed open receivers
through a couple of passes that should have been picked.
He's shown flashes, but he still has a ways to go.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
We have to pause for a moment to talk about
the dream of the big man touchdown.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
It's one of the best parts of football. Forty nine
ers tackled Trent Williams, a future Hall of Famer, admitted
this week his career long dream of scoring a touchdown
has now faded.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
And this game, right after Titans defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons
caught a goal line touchdown in the same game.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Exactly the exact type of viral big Man touchdown that
Williams had been dreaming of. It's a hilarious moment that
just highlights how rare those plays are for the guys
doing all the dirty work in the trenches.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
And finally, let's look ahead to Christmas Day. Netflix is
providing the entertainment.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Yeah, they're hosting the Lions Vikings game, and they've announced
Snoop Dogg will headline the halftime show. This follows last
year's event, which had Beyonce and Mariah Carre wait.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
I have to jump in here. They went from Beyonce
and Mariah Carey to Snoop Dogg. I mean, you can
understand why some fans feel personally attacked by that booking decision.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
The fan reaction was immediate and it was loud. They
are slamming Netflix for it, but hey, it keeps the
entertainment stories flowing and shows Netflix is committed to making
that Christmas game a huge cultural event, even if the
musical choices are a little polarizing.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Okay, Transitioning to the college world, The biggest announcement this
week completely impacts the twenty twenty six NFL draft, quarterback
Arch Manning announced he is returning to Texas for the
twenty twenty six season.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
This is huge. A lot of draft analysts thought Manning
might be a first round pick this year just based
on pedigree and talent alone. By staying, he completely reshapes
the conversation for next year's class.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
And his coach, Steve Sarkisian, supports the decision strongly.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
He said Manning needs another year of growth, not just
physically to handle the NFL, but mentally to become a
true field general. He used the phrase that Manning has
unfit finished business at Texas.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
So what does that refer to?
Speaker 2 (29:03):
Specifically, two things the team's goals and its personal consistency.
Texas started ranked number one but finished ninety three. But
Manning himself really rebounded after a tough start.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
He threw for.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
Almost three thousand yards twenty four touchdowns, and he finished
the season on fire with three three hundred yard games
and twelve touchdown passes in his last five starts. Sarkjian
wants him to build on that.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
Looking at the college football playoff, Alabama is getting ready
for Oklahoma and health is a big factor for them.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
They expect a big boost with tight end Josh Quavis
and running back jam Miller likely returning, but their QB
Ty Simpson admitted he's looked like a shell of himself recently,
which is a real concern.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
And on the Oklahoma side.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Their defense is going to try and force Simpson into
obvious passing situations because their own QB, Jackson Arnold, has
been pretty limited, throwing for under two hundred and twenty
five yards in five of his last six games. This
matchup looks like it's going to be a defensive struggle.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
And the coaching carousel still spinning even for playoff teams.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
It is number six. Oly Miss will play their first
game under new head coach Pete Golding, who is promoted
after Lane Kiffin left for LSU. Oly Miss chose not
to le Kiffin coach the playoff game, but Chulaane, their opponent,
is allowing their outgoing coach to finish the season. Just
a philosophical difference in how you handle that transition.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
We've also got some transfer news highlighting the powerships in
the SEC.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Alabama got its first big transfer commitment for twenty twenty six,
tight end Josh Ford from Oklahoma State He's a massive
target six foot six, two hundred and sixty five pounds.
This just shows Alabama is already adapting and plugging potential
holes for the future.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Let's get a quick preview of one of the NANZIAFP Bowls,
the Cure Bowl.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
It's Old Dominion versus South Florida. Both teams are going
for their tenth win, but they'll also both be starting
backup quarterbacks due to opt outs. There's only one career
start between the two.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Of them, so it's real test of depths exactly.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
The prediction favors South Florida twenty seven to twenty one,
mostly due to their strong run game and friendly crowd
there in Orlando.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
Shifting back to the twenty twenty six tract, Notre Dame
running back Jeremiah Love announced he's coming out.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
He is exactly the kind of prospect that a team
like the Chiefs should be looking at. He's a tempo setter,
strong frame, can run inside, and has this untapped receiving ability.
He could be a fantastic mid round pick to revitalize
a struggling run game.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
And looking at some early twenty twenty six mock drops,
who are the names trending high.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
Right now, you're seeing Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate mock
to the Browns to fill their need for a vertical threat.
He didn't drop a single pass all season. Jordan Tyson
from Arizona State is another receiver projected high. On the
O line, Spencer Fano from Utah to Baltimore, and on defense,
cornerbacks Jermaud McCoy and Avion Terrell are top prospects.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
Finally, let's revisit the Packers free agency situation for twenty
twenty six. They might lose some key guys but get
some valuable picks back.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
Right.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
They're likely to lose left tackle Rashid Walker in free agency,
which should get them a compensatory four round pick in
twenty twenty seven, and linebacker kway Walker is also an
unrestricted free agent. If he leaves, he could also bring
back a fourth round compick. It's a strategic way to
offset losing good players.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
And back to the running back market, where do we
see Breese Hall potentially landing in twenty twenty six?
Speaker 2 (32:16):
The Minnesota Vikings are named as a top spot. The
current running back Aaron Jones is getting older and missed
time this year, they could save over seven million dollars
by moving on Hall's skill durability would bring so much
needed stability to that backfield. We've covered just a remarkable
amount of volatility this week, from the AFC Championship picture
just collapsing because of the Mahomes injury and the Parsons
(32:37):
injury defining the NFC North race, to the unexpected emergence
of guys like JJ McCarthy next to the serious struggles
of Tua and Baker Mayfield. It really feels like instability
is the new normal in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (32:49):
It truly does. The quarterback carousel and the talent vacuums
are just shaking up entire divisions. But let's end with
the most fascinating question that was raised by our look
into the Giants organization. They're two twelve, but in fernally
they believe they have a good nucleus of talent and
that the coaching and organization are the real issues.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
And that sentiment, you know that the talent is better
than the record. That's a major theme across the league.
The consensus is that the Giants can't get out of
their own way because they insist on doing things their
way institutionally, and that leads to undisciplined play like the
recklessness we noted with Jackson Dark.
Speaker 1 (33:22):
So this raises a really interesting, provocative thought for you
the listener, to think about this week. When a team
has bottomed out with a terrible record, but the belief
is that the players are fundamentally sound, does that team
need a whole new draft class, a complete teardown, or
do they primarily need a fresh, non traditional voice in
the front office and coaching staff to maximize what they
(33:44):
already have.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
It's an age old question of nature versus nurture in
the NFL, right organization versus pure talent. We've seen the
Bears start to do exactly that, building an identity around
their existing core. If the Giants have the players, but
those players are being reckless and lacking discipline, then an
organizational shift is far more important than anyone draft pick.
It's about maximizing what's already there before you tear the
(34:07):
whole foundation down. Definitely something to watch as the coaching
carousel starts spinning.
Welcome to Football Army. If you were paying attention to
the AFC this week, you definitely felt the tremor.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Oh absolutely, it was like the entire landscape just cracked
wide open.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
The tectonic plates of the league literally shifted under our feet.
And the epicenter, of course, was in Kansas City. We
were talking about the week the entire competitive map of
the NFL just completely changed.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
It really did. Yeah, and it's one of those moments.
It doesn't just redefine this season, it casts a well,
a very long shadow over the next one or two
as well.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
For sure, We're now facing a reality where the Kansas
City Chiefs have missed the playoffs for the first time
in an entire decade, a decade.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
That news alone is seismic, you know, given their recent dominance.
But even that gets completely overshadowed by the reason why
the season ending torn acl for their cornerstone, Patrick Mahomes.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
It's just brutal, not just for the Chiefs obviously, but
for the whole league and the immediate reaction we saw
from across the football community. It really spoke volumes about
the gravity of this.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Right yead Tom Brady, who knows exactly what that's like
what it takes to recover from a catastrophic knee injury.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
From his own two thousand and eight ACL tair exactly, and.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
He actually reached out to Mahomes called the rehab process tough.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
I mean, when one legend is offering that kind of
council to another, you know, what's serious.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
And what about the shockwaves inside that building?
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Immediate and powerful. We heard from Travis Kelch, who's been
so central to that dynasty. He basically admitted that this
early elimination feels and I'm quoting here obviously f up wow. Yeah,
and that it's a new feeling for the entire organization,
for the fan base. And while he stressed the integrity
of playing out the season, you know, saying he'll go
(01:40):
out there and play with love, the sting of this
is it's palpable that they were expecting another deep January
run and instead it's over in December, no kidding.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
So today we're plunging headfirst into the chaos this Mahomes
injury created. We have to break down the total AFC turmoil,
from the bizarre return of Philip Rivers in Indianapolis to
the quarter crisis brewing in Miami, and.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Don't forget the spectacular implosion in Cincinnati with Joe Burrow
and coach Taylor. Then we can flip over to the NFC,
where the playoff picture is tightening up dramatically, especially after
some key injuries.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
There too a huge NFC North rematch between the Bears
and the Packers. We have to tackle the JJ McCarthy
enigma in Minnesota. I mean, how is his non traditional
play baffling everyone?
Speaker 2 (02:24):
And the Cowboys collapse against the Eagles final push. It's
a lot.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
It is a lot. And then we'll hit some major
roster shakeups like the Jets cleaning house and deliver a
big college football update. Arch Manning's return to Texas is
huge and it's already shaping the twenty twenty sixth draft.
This was the week where pretty much every major franchise
had to, you know, fundamentally reconsider its future.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Okay, so let's start right where all the chaos began.
Kansas City. Patrick Mahomes season is over, torn ACL. It's
the biggest story of the week, maybe the year, because
it didn't just end their.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Season, No, it created a power vacuum at the top
of the conference.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
And the immediate market reaction tells you everything you need
to know about his value, right, It tells the whole story.
The Titans Chiefs spread shifted by a full eight points
the second the injury was confirmed. Eight points. That's the
definition of a player who was basically acting as the
team's entire engine.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
He was masking so many other issues, and it seems
like his incredible almost you know, superhuman play has been
covering up some truly glaring roster holes for years now.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Absolutely, when you look beyond Mahomes, that foundation looks a
lot shakier than anyone wanted to admit. The two biggest
areas of concern are the receiving core and maybe even
more critically, the run game.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Let's start with the receivers. What's the problem there, It's a.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Problem across the board. You look at the Xavier Worthy,
the guy they drafted hoping for that explosive element. He's
been well underwhelming, only forty catches, four hundred and ninety
one yards.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
One touchdown, and he hasn't been healthy right.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Not fully, he's been dealing with a shoulder injury since
week one. But they're also asking him to run these
complex over the middle, which is a tough ask for
a guy with his build, and as a team they're
tied for the seventh most drops in the league. It
just points to a lack of reliability everywhere. Worthy is
clearly not on a WR one trajectory.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Right now, so it sounds like a systemic issue, which
gets even worse when you look at the run game.
That was supposed to be the thing that took pressure
off Mahomes.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
And it's been, to put it bluntly, an untenable situation.
Their reliance on shotgun runs in RPOs, these run pass options,
it's drawn a ton of criticism because it just sacrifices
the power and deception you need to create big plays.
And the numbers, well, the numbers bear this out dramatically.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
What do those numbers look like, because they sound bad.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
They're staggering. The duo of Isaiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt.
They've combined for only seven runs of twelve yards or more.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
All season, seven on how many carries.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
On two hundred and forty nine carries. It's just it's nothing.
And if you look at the explosive run rate metric
among the forty three running backs with one hundred plus carries,
but Jaco ranks fortieth and Hunt ranks forty.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Seven, so basically dead last, literally dead.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Last performance territory. This isn't something you can just patch
up with a scheme change. It's a personnel problem.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
And the problem gets even worse because all of those
guys are about to hit free agency.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
That's right, Pitchaiko Hunt, and Elijah Mitchell are all set
to hit the open market. This basically signals a mandatory
full scale overhaul in the backfield. The Chiefs have to
rebuild their entire ground attack philosophy, and that's even more
critical now, especially if Mahomes has a delayed start to
next year, which.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Brings us to Travis kelcea his contract is up after
twenty twenty five. Given how emotional his reaction was, is
there a real sense that this might be it for him?
Speaker 2 (05:39):
There is definite and painful speculation around kelce People watching
him all season noted he looked physically depleted, suggesting he
was already on his final run, even though he was
still putting up numbers.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
So the big question is does his competitive spirit let
him go out like this.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Exactly ending the season Eliminated from the playoffs with his
last target maybe coming from Gardner Minshew instead of Patrick Mahomes.
That's a tough pill to swallow for a Hall.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Of Famer like him. That's not how this story is
supposed to end.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Right for a guy who thrives on those high stakes moments,
ending his career with a target from Gardner Minshew in
a meaningless game, it's a real legacy question. He had
surgery earlier in the year. His receptions per game were
the lowest they've been since twenty fifteen, so the offseason
will be huge for him to decide if he has
the physical and the mental stamina for one last go.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Wow, that's a tough one for Cheese Kingdom. Well, speaking
of Gardner Minshew, that brings us neatly to the Indianapolis Colts,
who are hosting the return of old man Rivers.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
It is surreal. Philip Rivers is officially the starter for
Week sixteen against the Niners, five years after he retired.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
And his return against the Seahawks was let's say, modest,
eighteen of twenty seven for one hundred and twenty yards,
a touchdown and interception.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Monest is a good word, but it's the how of
his performance that's so fascinating.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
The physical limitations were obvious, but the mental part of
his game was on full display.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
That's it exactly. Rivers is the ultimate brain over Braun quarterback.
Right now, he's sticking almost entirely to checkdowns. His time
to throw was the lowest of the entire weekend, two
point four to one seconds.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
So he's turning a physical limitation into a strategic advantage.
The defense just can't get to him precisely.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
And his average depth of target or a doot was
just five point two yards. That was the fourth lowest
in the entire league for week fifteen.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
So to put that in perspective for you, his passes
are on average traveling barely five yards past the line
of scrimmage.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
And the stats back it up. He completed just two
of ten throws that went farther than five yards downfield.
We literally saw him straining just to throw the ball away.
Sometimes passes to the outside were just hanging the air.
The velocity is a real issue.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
So he's basically running this historically quick short game offense
just using his mind to process everything in two point
four seconds. Is this is this sustainable?
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Well? Coach Shane Steichen seems to think so, at least
in the short term, he prays. Rivers game management said
they didn't bring the forty four year old back to
sit on the bench, and Rivers himself said he felt
pretty darn good after taking a few hits.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
But the cost is the entire downfield passing game right completely.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
The deep ball is off the menu, and that has
immediate Fantasy football ripple effects. It basically ends the splash
play run for Alec Pierce and it's definitely going to
hurt Michael Pittman and Tyler Warren's weekly numbers.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Okay, from Indianapolis, let's head down to Miami. Another quarterback
squarely on the hot seat. Tua tagove Loa. Their loss
to the Steelers officially eliminated the Dolphins.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
And that extends their postseason wind drought past a quarter
century now.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
And the elimination just opened the floodgates for speculation about
to his future.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Absolutely after a really poor performance. He was six of
ten for sixty five yards and a pick through three quarters.
Coach Mike McDaniel, who is usually mister optivism right, he
stated that everything is on the table when it comes
to benching Tua for the final three games.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
So is that just coach speak trying to light a
fire under him or is the relationship really that damaged.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
It sounds like a genuine, calculated threat. I think it's
driven by desperation to his overall assessment is just tanked.
He's ranked twenty ninth in the week sixteen QB rankings,
and the underlying metrics are while they're damning. Also, since
Week seven, he's been statistically worse in EPA per play
that's expected points at it than both JJ McCarthy and
(09:25):
Baker Mayfield. And those are two guys who are also
taking a lot of heat.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
So if they do benj him, who steps in.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
It could be Quinnyewers or Zach Wilson for the final
three games. But the real issue here is that the
problems aren't just under center, they're organizational, which is why
a QB change might just be a band aid.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
You're talking about that draft miss that's really compounding their
depth issues right now.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
They absolutely whiffed on a major pick, taking cornerback Cam
Smith in the second round in twenty twenty three. That's
looking like a painful, consequential miss. They traded Jalen Ramsey,
they needed secondary help and Smith just never got a
footing in Miami before they.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
Moved on, and it hurts even more when you see
who else was available.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
That's the part that stings. Zach sharponnet Twee Polow, two Osiris,
Torrents were all still on the board. When you only
have four picks in a draft because of other trades,
you just cannot afford to miss on a high second
rounder like that. That kind of inefficiency haunts you. That's
a great point, Okay. Sticking in the AFC, let's talk
(10:24):
about the Bengals. Joe Burrow and the offense were completely
shot out by the Ravens and it led to some
pretty dramatic fan reactions. You know things are bad when
there was footage of a Bengals fan in the stands
literally drafting a serious breakup text to Joe Burrow during
the game. That just perfectly captures the mood in Cincinnati
right now.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
But Burrow, to his credit, he took immediate accountability, which
is what you want from your leader.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
He did. Coach Zach Taylor confirmed Burrow stood up in
front of the team in the media and said it
wasn't his best game. Taylor's stress he takes responsibility too,
but that loss officially knocked the Bengals out of the playoffs,
and that's why the pressure is mounting so fast on Taylor.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
So, despite those reports of a secret contract extension, his
job security is now a major talking point. His contract
runs through twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
The context here is that the team's now for to ten.
It's his first losing season since twenty twenty, and the
organization's primary concern isn't Taylor's contract, it's Burrow's potential discontent.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Ah, So it's about keeping the franchise player happy.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Exactly. If Burrow gets to a point where he feels
the coaching is holding him back, making a change is
the last lever the organization can pull. The front office
just wants to make sure Burrow doesn't reach that state
of NFL specific melancholy that we saw with Andrew Luck
before he retired. Keeping Burrough stable is everything.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
But before we move on, is there any silver lining
for Cincy? What about the defense? Have they shown any life?
Speaker 2 (11:49):
They have? Actually? Yeah, particularly since the bye week. Defensive
coordinator Lou Golden pointed out that they've really improved. They've
held teams to less than a touchdown eight times in
fourteen red zone trips since the bye. That's good execution
when the field shrinks. And what's been the biggest area
of growth third down defense, specifically on third and seven ten.
Opponents are only converting nine percent of the time since
(12:10):
the buye. That is elite and Golden pointed to two
rookies for this turnaround, Mike linebacker Barrett Carter, who's wearing
the green dot and really taking over communication, and Demitrius
Snite Junior, who just got his first two NFL sacks.
Their emergence is a genuine reason for optimism in twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
That is promising. Okay, let's pivot to the team leading
the AFC North, the resurgent Pittsburgh Steelers, now eight to
six after beating the Dolphins. It seems like Aaron Rodgers
has gotten hot at the perfect time.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Rogers was incredibly efficient in that cold Monday night game.
He only had four incompletions through for two hundred and
twenty four yards, two touchdowns, zero picks, eighty five percent
completion rate. The Steelers are now in a great position,
holding a magic number of three to lock up the division.
It's an incredible turnaround.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
So with all the QB uncertainty around the league, where
does this put Rogers for his twenty twenty six future.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Well, this winning streak pretty much solidifies him as the
clear top option for the Steelers in twenty twenty six
if he decides to keep playing. The draft options for
a franchise QB are dwindling, and these high value trades
for guys like Burrow or Kyler Murray are you know,
basically fantasy Rogers at forty two is looking much better,
especially after that wrist injury. He's invaluable to them right now.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
But the Steelers are still doing their due diligence right
hosting quarterback tryouts this week.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
That's just a smart front office. They brought in Hendon Hooker,
the former Lions third rounder, and Jack Plummer. They're evaluating
every single option for the future depth chart, especially since
they've struggled to find a reliable backup for years.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
And we have to touch on the controversy from that game,
the one Troy Aikman was.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
All over taunting call. Yeah, Aikman called the penalty on
Dolphin's linebacker Jordan Brooks ridiculous, and it was Brooks just
stood over pat Freyermuth for a second after a big
third downstop. It's this ongoing problem across the league where
a player showing any emotion costs his team fifty ten yards.
It just kills the flow of the game.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
And what about injuries? Did the Steelers pick up anything
in the wind that could hurt them down the stretch?
Speaker 2 (14:07):
They lost starting left guard Isaac Simalow and linebacker Nick Herbig.
Their status for Week sixteen is still unclear, which is
concerning for the pass rush because Herbig has six point
five sacks this year. He's been a great compliment to TJ. Watt.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
And finally, there's already speculation about another Rogers reunion. Alan
Lazard was just released.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
By the Jets at his request. He wants to sign
with a playoff team, which is totally understandable. He took
a big pay cut but only had ten catches this
year for the Jets, So given Rogers's history, the immediate
thought is he could land in Pittsburgh, maybe on the
practice squad. At first, it's a low risk move that
gives Rogers another familiar target for a potential playoff front.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Okay, we've seen the chaos in the AFC let's flip
over to the NFC, where it's not just about who's struggling,
but who's emerging and who's dealing with their own major
injury crisis. We have a massive NFC North showdown this week.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Absolutely, the Bears are ten to four, leading the division
by just one game over the Packers at nine to
four to one. This week's sixteen rematch is everything.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
And the playoff implications are huge. Green Bay can clinch
with a win and a Detroit loss or tie. Chicago
can clinch with a win and a Detroit loss or tie.
But the Packers just had a devastating loss to Denver.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Devastating is the right word. It was a season changing
loss because it cost them their star edge rusher Micah.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Parsons, the guy they traded a haul to the Cowboys for.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
The very same He suffered a torn acl His season
is over right after he racked up twelve point five
sacks and twenty six QB Hits coach Lafleur confirmed the
terror and said Parsons is actually in Dallas right now
for the birth of his child before he has surgery.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
That's a brutal blow, not just the production, but it
completely exposes their defensive depth. Who on Earth steps up
to fill that gap.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
It has to be Lucas van Ness, their first round pick,
who just came back from a foot injury. Lafleur said
he brought a real boost of energy in his return
and now he's going to be expected to basically step
into Parsons' role as the main pass rusher.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
But they have other injuries too, right they.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Do Christian Watson's chest, Zach Tom's knee, quay Walker Evan Williams.
The loss of Parsons just takes the teeth out of
that Packers defense, and that's a huge problem against a hot,
confident Chicago team, and the.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Bears are hot. They're being driven by turnovers and protecting
the ball, which is just the mark of a well
coached team.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Their turnover differential is a league leading plus twenty. Think
about that. We only have ten turnovers all year, only
the Lions have fewer. They take the ball away and
they don't give it back. And their quarterback Caleb Williams
is playing really well. He had a clean, crisp performance
in that big win over the Browns and said he's
excited for the moment against.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Green Bay and I want to highlight a really cool
moment involving Bears rookie the offensive lineman Ausie Trapelo during
that Browns game.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Yeah, that was great, a real trial by fire for
him going up against Miles Garrett, probably the best edge rusher.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
In football, and he gave up two sacks.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
He did, which you'd almost expect. But the amazing part
was after the game when Garrett went out of his
way to find Trapollo and show him respect, acknowledging how
tough he was for a rookie, Getting that kind of
recognition from an All Pro player is just immense for
your confidence.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
The Bears do have a tricky situation with their receivers
heading into this game, though.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Head coach Ben Johnson is facing a tough call. With
Romo Donze in his ankle injury. Johnson is actually thinking
about shutting him down to protect him from himself for
the long term.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
That's a smart, big picture move, it is.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
The news is a bit better for the rookie Luther Burden.
His injury isn't as severe, but if Odoun day out,
DJ Moore becomes the clear number one target.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Okay, staying in the NSC North. Let's talk about the
JJ McCarthy enigma. In Minnesota. The Vikings are suddenly scoring
points over thirty one in back to back games, and
McCarthy's reputation has kind of rebounded.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
It's definitely stopped him from being the punchline of every meme.
As one person put it, he's improved his production, cut
down on turnovers, and just as importantly, his behavior before
the Cowboys game, showing respect and maturity earned him a
lot of praise. It signals some emerging leadership.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
But the mechanics still have people worried. Right, it's this
weird thing where the results don't quite match the process.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
They absolutely do. Analysts still call his mechanics non traditional.
They say he throws like a shortstop turning a double play,
comparing it to Derek Jeter.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
Which is not a compliment for a quarterback.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Not at all. It means he's generating power from his
side and his torso, not a clean over the top motion,
and that causes throws to be wobbly or forced. He's
still overly aggressive, and even his big plays sometimes come
on mediocre throws.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Can you give me an example, sure.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
That touchdown to Jalen Naylor, it was a successful play,
but the throw itself was shortened inside it forced the
receiver to work back to the ball for a contested catch.
A top tre quarterback delivers that ball in stride. His
mechanics sometimes forces receivers to compensate for him and.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
The connection with his number ever one guy Justin Jefferson
is still a problem.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
It's been called shoddy and a major point of confoundment.
They just haven't been on the same page. McCarthy's inaccuracy
rate was his highest in a month against Dallas, and
the weird thing is his unexpected improvement is creating this
roster confusion. It makes Minnesota a less likely landing spot
and a trade for someone like Kyler Murray, so they
have to reevaluate their whole QB room.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Let's move to the NFC East. The Eagles are trying
to make a final push. They're nine to five and
can clinch the Vision with a win or a Cowboys loss,
or if both teams.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Tie and they got the game they desperately needed. Just
dominating the Raiders thirty one zero. It was a tension
breaker after that three game losing streak. Jalen Hurts followed
up his five turnover game with a really clean performance. Afterward,
he just said I wanted to win.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
And he's been taking a ton of heat from fans,
with some even calling for him to be benched.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Which is crazy. Coach Nick Sirianni defended him strongly, called
him resilient. But that criticism probably won't go away unless
they go on a deep playoff run. But for now
they're back on track.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
What's the injury report look like for them? Though it
sounds like a long list, it.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
Is based on the walk through estimation. It raises some
red flags. Saquon Barkley with a stimmer, Jalen Carter with
the shoulder, Landon Dickerson with a calf, Lane Johnson with
a foot. A bunch of key guys were listed as
did not participate. That's a lot of significant names.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
And then there's the Dallas Cowboys, who are supposed to
be challenging for the division. They just had a stunning collapse.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Losing to that Vikings team really dimmed their once bright outlook.
But owner Jerry Jones came out and insisted they won't
tank for draft position. He said they owe it to
the fans to stay competitive over these last three games,
no matter.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
What Speaking of draft position, this is a team that
traded away an elite player for future picks, and now
the consequences are showing up on defense.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
That Micah Parson's trade to Green Bay taking a lot
of blowback. They got two first round picks in twenty
twenty six and Kenny Clark, but it's been a philosophical failure.
The Cowboys were built to win now and and trading
a generational talent like Parsons when you're in a Super
Bowl window just left a hole they haven't filled.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
And the numbers back that up.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Oh, they absolutely do. The Cowboys defense has struggled mightily.
They're allowing a league worst passer rating of one hundred
and nine point one this season.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Wait, one hundred and nine point one.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Yes, to put that in perspective for you, Patrick Mahomes's
career passer rating is one hundred point eight. They're making
every opposing quarterback look better than Patrick Mahomes has over
his entire career. The trade has hurt them in the present,
even if it sets them up for the future. Wow.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
Okay. On a different note, there was an interesting trade
pitch involving an Eagles backup QB that could help a
team like the Chiefs.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Kanner McKee, a sixth round pick from twenty twenty three,
He's being talked about as a potential high value trade asset.
Eagles GM Howie Roseman is known for this stuff. McKee
is six foot six and he wowed people with his
limited action late last season, going two to zero with
four touchdowns and no picks.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
So why would the Chiefs be interested in a former
sixth rounder?
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Because of his tools and his poise. In his one
appearance this season, he went three for three. He's shown
just enough that he could potentially be flipped for say
a third rounder, to a team like Kansas City that
suddenly needs a high upside backup on a cheap contract.
McKee could be a really compelling plan.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
B Okay a quick look at the NFC South, which
is coming down to the Bucks and the Panthers, both
sitting at seven to seven.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
This division race is all about their two head to
head games over the next three weeks, and the Buccaneers
are lucky to even be in first place after they
blew that fourteen point lead in weeks fourteen.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
And the focus here is on Baker Mayfield. How has
he been playing?
Speaker 2 (22:37):
Well, since Week seven, his statistical profile has just fallen
off a cliff. He's twenty eighth in EPA pri play,
he's dead last and completion percentage over expected, and he
has the league's worst uncatchable throw rate at almost twenty
eight percent an.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Uncatchable throw rate. He can't really blame that on anyone
he was. He's just missing guys exactly.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
And while his situation isn't perfect, you know, o line
injuries drops, his poor play, his inaccuracy. That's the biggest
thing that needs to change for Tampa to win this division.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
And on a completely different note for Tampa, they did
welcome back a receiver this week after a really serious injury.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Yes, Jalen McMillan. He returned after missing four months with
a broken neck. He told the media the injury was
so bad that doctors told him he came close to
being paralyzed. His return is just miraculous. It's a testament
to his dedication.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
All right, Let's talk about maybe the most chaotic organization
in the league this season, the New York Jets. They
have officially started cleaning house.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
It started with the coaching staff. After that, just humiliating
forty eight twenty loss to the Jaguars. Head coach Aaron
Glenn fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilkes.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
And that move was necessary. The defense ranks twentieth overall
but thirtieth.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
In scoring right. Glenn basically said the team wasn't showing
any improvement week to week, so he had to make
a change. Yeah, when your defense, which was supposed to
be your strength, is ranked thirtieth in points allowed, the
move is unavoidable.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
And they also parted ways with the high profile receiver
Alan Lazart.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
He was released at his request, a mutual parting of
the way so he could sign with a playoff team.
He was in the third year of a big deal,
took that pay cut and only had ten catches this year,
just the definition of a failed signing.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
So what does their QB depth look like now?
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Rookie Brady Cook made his first start. He showed some flashes,
but also made those classic rookie mistakes. Through two picks,
the team took six sacks with fields and Tyrod Taylor hurt.
They released a practice squad QB, which suggests one of
the veterans might be back for Week sixteen. They just
need someone reliable to manage the offense.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
Let's move down to the other New York team, the Giants.
They've had their own identity crisis, and it's been made
worse by this constant kicker turnover.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
The kicker marry go around just continues. It makes the
team feel amateurish. They wave young Hoku after he badly
missed two fifty one yarders. This came after a game
where he didn't even attempt to kick because of a
bobbled snap. Just illustrates a deeper problem. They can't finish drives.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
But despite they're terrible two twelve record, the internal view
is surprisingly optimistic about the talent on the roster. Is
that delusional.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
It's not entirely delusional, but it's definitely a case of
selective vision. The belief inside the building is that they
have a good nucleus of talent and that poor coaching
is the main problem. And to be fair, the front
seven is genuinely strong.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
But the secondary is the glaring weakness. It just negates
the pass rushcicely.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
The secondary is porous. They need to get pieces to
shore up the back end, but the real issue is
that the Giants can't get out of their own way.
They insist on doing things their way institutionally, which means
ignoring the secondary to keep loading up the defensive line.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
And a key part of that supposed nucleus is their
rookie QB Jackson Dart. What's the analysis on him?
Speaker 2 (25:46):
He is promising, fans should be excited about his playmaking,
but the big criticism is his reckless playing style. It's
very similar to Jayden Daniels in terms of taking unnecessary hits.
He holds the ball too long, which contributes to his
high sack.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Rate, and that recklessness has led to availability concerns already.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
That's the core issue. He's already had a concussion, been
pulled for precaution multiple times. He just refuses to protect
himself and that's a huge factor in long term success.
If he's going to be their guy, he has to
learn self preservation and fast.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Let's quickly hit the Tennessee Titans, who have just had
awful luck with injuries this season, especially in the secondary.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Week fifteen was a disaster for them. They lost six
key contributors, put three safeties on ir ending their seasons,
and this is just piling on to a problem that's
plagued them all year. It's just constant, rotational instability.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
So if the Titans could steal one player from the Chiefs,
who would it be to fix that secondary.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
It's got to be cornerback Trent McDuffie, a two time
All Pro. He'd fill their shut down corner need instantly.
The Titans are just living proof that every contender is
one injury away from a total collapse, especially in the secondary.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
And what about their own rookie QB cam Ward. How's
he handling all this chaos?
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Ward actually showed some progress. He wasn't sacked for the
first time all season against the forty nine ers, which
is a nice milestone, but he still missed open receivers
through a couple of passes that should have been picked.
He's shown flashes, but he still has a ways to go.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
We have to pause for a moment to talk about
the dream of the big man touchdown.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
It's one of the best parts of football. Forty nine
ers tackled Trent Williams, a future Hall of Famer, admitted
this week his career long dream of scoring a touchdown
has now faded.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
And this game, right after Titans defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons
caught a goal line touchdown in the same game.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Exactly the exact type of viral big Man touchdown that
Williams had been dreaming of. It's a hilarious moment that
just highlights how rare those plays are for the guys
doing all the dirty work in the trenches.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
And finally, let's look ahead to Christmas Day. Netflix is
providing the entertainment.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Yeah, they're hosting the Lions Vikings game, and they've announced
Snoop Dogg will headline the halftime show. This follows last
year's event, which had Beyonce and Mariah Carre wait.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
I have to jump in here. They went from Beyonce
and Mariah Carey to Snoop Dogg. I mean, you can
understand why some fans feel personally attacked by that booking decision.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
The fan reaction was immediate and it was loud. They
are slamming Netflix for it, but hey, it keeps the
entertainment stories flowing and shows Netflix is committed to making
that Christmas game a huge cultural event, even if the
musical choices are a little polarizing.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Okay, Transitioning to the college world, The biggest announcement this
week completely impacts the twenty twenty six NFL draft, quarterback
Arch Manning announced he is returning to Texas for the
twenty twenty six season.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
This is huge. A lot of draft analysts thought Manning
might be a first round pick this year just based
on pedigree and talent alone. By staying, he completely reshapes
the conversation for next year's class.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
And his coach, Steve Sarkisian, supports the decision strongly.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
He said Manning needs another year of growth, not just
physically to handle the NFL, but mentally to become a
true field general. He used the phrase that Manning has
unfit finished business at Texas.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
So what does that refer to?
Speaker 2 (29:03):
Specifically, two things the team's goals and its personal consistency.
Texas started ranked number one but finished ninety three. But
Manning himself really rebounded after a tough start.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
He threw for.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
Almost three thousand yards twenty four touchdowns, and he finished
the season on fire with three three hundred yard games
and twelve touchdown passes in his last five starts. Sarkjian
wants him to build on that.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
Looking at the college football playoff, Alabama is getting ready
for Oklahoma and health is a big factor for them.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
They expect a big boost with tight end Josh Quavis
and running back jam Miller likely returning, but their QB
Ty Simpson admitted he's looked like a shell of himself recently,
which is a real concern.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
And on the Oklahoma side.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Their defense is going to try and force Simpson into
obvious passing situations because their own QB, Jackson Arnold, has
been pretty limited, throwing for under two hundred and twenty
five yards in five of his last six games. This
matchup looks like it's going to be a defensive struggle.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
And the coaching carousel still spinning even for playoff teams.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
It is number six. Oly Miss will play their first
game under new head coach Pete Golding, who is promoted
after Lane Kiffin left for LSU. Oly Miss chose not
to le Kiffin coach the playoff game, but Chulaane, their opponent,
is allowing their outgoing coach to finish the season. Just
a philosophical difference in how you handle that transition.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
We've also got some transfer news highlighting the powerships in
the SEC.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Alabama got its first big transfer commitment for twenty twenty six,
tight end Josh Ford from Oklahoma State He's a massive
target six foot six, two hundred and sixty five pounds.
This just shows Alabama is already adapting and plugging potential
holes for the future.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Let's get a quick preview of one of the NANZIAFP Bowls,
the Cure Bowl.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
It's Old Dominion versus South Florida. Both teams are going
for their tenth win, but they'll also both be starting
backup quarterbacks due to opt outs. There's only one career
start between the two.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Of them, so it's real test of depths exactly.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
The prediction favors South Florida twenty seven to twenty one,
mostly due to their strong run game and friendly crowd
there in Orlando.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
Shifting back to the twenty twenty six tract, Notre Dame
running back Jeremiah Love announced he's coming out.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
He is exactly the kind of prospect that a team
like the Chiefs should be looking at. He's a tempo setter,
strong frame, can run inside, and has this untapped receiving ability.
He could be a fantastic mid round pick to revitalize
a struggling run game.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
And looking at some early twenty twenty six mock drops,
who are the names trending high.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
Right now, you're seeing Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate mock
to the Browns to fill their need for a vertical threat.
He didn't drop a single pass all season. Jordan Tyson
from Arizona State is another receiver projected high. On the
O line, Spencer Fano from Utah to Baltimore, and on defense,
cornerbacks Jermaud McCoy and Avion Terrell are top prospects.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
Finally, let's revisit the Packers free agency situation for twenty
twenty six. They might lose some key guys but get
some valuable picks back.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
Right.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
They're likely to lose left tackle Rashid Walker in free agency,
which should get them a compensatory four round pick in
twenty twenty seven, and linebacker kway Walker is also an
unrestricted free agent. If he leaves, he could also bring
back a fourth round compick. It's a strategic way to
offset losing good players.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
And back to the running back market, where do we
see Breese Hall potentially landing in twenty twenty six?
Speaker 2 (32:16):
The Minnesota Vikings are named as a top spot. The
current running back Aaron Jones is getting older and missed
time this year, they could save over seven million dollars
by moving on Hall's skill durability would bring so much
needed stability to that backfield. We've covered just a remarkable
amount of volatility this week, from the AFC Championship picture
just collapsing because of the Mahomes injury and the Parsons
(32:37):
injury defining the NFC North race, to the unexpected emergence
of guys like JJ McCarthy next to the serious struggles
of Tua and Baker Mayfield. It really feels like instability
is the new normal in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (32:49):
It truly does. The quarterback carousel and the talent vacuums
are just shaking up entire divisions. But let's end with
the most fascinating question that was raised by our look
into the Giants organization. They're two twelve, but in fernally
they believe they have a good nucleus of talent and
that the coaching and organization are the real issues.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
And that sentiment, you know that the talent is better
than the record. That's a major theme across the league.
The consensus is that the Giants can't get out of
their own way because they insist on doing things their
way institutionally, and that leads to undisciplined play like the
recklessness we noted with Jackson Dark.
Speaker 1 (33:22):
So this raises a really interesting, provocative thought for you
the listener, to think about this week. When a team
has bottomed out with a terrible record, but the belief
is that the players are fundamentally sound, does that team
need a whole new draft class, a complete teardown, or
do they primarily need a fresh, non traditional voice in
the front office and coaching staff to maximize what they
(33:44):
already have.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
It's an age old question of nature versus nurture in
the NFL, right organization versus pure talent. We've seen the
Bears start to do exactly that, building an identity around
their existing core. If the Giants have the players, but
those players are being reckless and lacking discipline, then an
organizational shift is far more important than anyone draft pick.
It's about maximizing what's already there before you tear the
(34:07):
whole foundation down. Definitely something to watch as the coaching
carousel starts spinning.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Betrayal: Weekly
Betrayal Weekly is back for a brand new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack. And make sure to check out Seasons 1-4 of Betrayal, along with Betrayal Weekly Season 1.