January 2, 2026 • 35 mins
In the first hour, Dick Fain and Hugh Millen look ahead to tomorrow’s massive game between the Seahawks and 49ers for the top of the NFC, discuss Georgia’s loss to Ole Miss yesterday in the College Football Playoff, then get Lee Sterling’s best NFL bets.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Fadine.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
That's part of our relentless coverage of the NFL. It's
a Football Friday sponsored by Tito's Handmade Vodka, proud sponsor
of the Seahawks, distilled in modeled by Fifth Generation Ain't Koston,
Texas forty percent alcohol B Molume, Save a Responsibly.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
This crowd is going nuts.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Football Friday is on with Safti and Dick on Sports
Radio ninety three point three kJ R FM.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Hugh Millan joins us, and Hugh Jackson just said it
in my ear. You know, it doesn't feel like a Friday.
These are the best kinds of Fridays, the Fridays that
feel like Mondays. But mostly the work week is only
one day, Like this is awesome. We just we literally
just had a weekend and then we worked for a
couple of days, and then we had another weekend, and
(00:56):
then we're gonna work today and then we're gonna have
another weekend.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
This is fantastic.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
Well, I think that for I'm careful in this because
I have a no no. I'm like, hey, do not
come on the radio and gripe about talking sports. Like
as you slide into Dave's chair, I slide into your chair,
and we'll look forward to hearing Dave's take on Monday
(01:23):
from from everything that's presided, but good to be with you. Yeah,
and Friday. You know, this is like the one day
that we don't get football, but other than that, it's
kind of sandwiched between just like day after day of
just like you know, high level anticipation for some great games.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
No shortage of things to talk about. We'll start Seahawks here.
I do win the next segment, though, I want to
talk about all those college football games that took place yesterday,
kind of the good, the bad, and the ugly yesterday
on January first, in the in the college football playoffs.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
But I was on this morning in San Francisco.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
As you know, Jackson's been on sports radio and other
places talking about Seattle sports. You've been on other places
talking about Seattle sports. Today was my day, and the
guys on the game, I mean, he asked me a
few questions. I kind of want to get your take
on how I responded to these guys, and cause you're
coming from a totally different It's so funny when you
(02:19):
when you talk to guys in other cities about the
same game that you've been talking about you just get
these totally different perspectives. It's just really really interesting. And
you know, the first question was just straightforward. They asked me,
are you surprised that we're playing this game with this magnitude?
And basically what I said was, I'm surprised we're playing
(02:42):
this game in Week eighteen for the one seed, but
I'm not at all surprised that we're playing an incredibly
important game between the Seahawks and the Niners in Week eighteen.
I thought both of these teams were going to be
in the playoffs this year. I did not think this
would be the game for the one seed. However, But
if you told me at the beginning of the year
you're going to be playing Week eighteen for the division
(03:04):
championship between the Niners and the Seahawks, wouldn't have been surprised.
If you told me the winner was going to be
the wild card and the loser was going to be out,
I wouldn't have been surprised.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
I think it's just the stakes that surprised me for
this game.
Speaker 5 (03:15):
Well, yeah, when you're playing for the number one, I'm.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Not sure I would have totally predicted that, but I
figured that that was the first thing I looked at
and talked about as oh boy, Week eighteen at San Francisco.
But I'm a little bit comfort comforted by how Seattle
plays on defense.
Speaker 5 (03:35):
On the road.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Now, I'm not comforted by the slide that we've seen
in the passing game. But I think along the line, yeah,
you were talking about had that been in August, but
that was before you know, this series of Hall of
Famers for the forty nine ers going there, There's no
(03:57):
doubt in my mind, Fred Warner's a Hall of Famer.
Nick Bosea is probably likely probably better than fifty percent chance.
There's there's absolutely, unequivocally no doubt that Trent Williams is
George Kittle, you know, I mean, I don't think it's
an absurd suggestion that he could be wearing a yellow jacket.
(04:17):
And you know, of course, Brock Purdy, I'm not saying
he's in the category of Canton bound, but he's had
his uh you know, he's had a number of seasons
where he's been at a top level and they missed
him for a number of weeks and now he comes
back strong. So I am reluctant to say it, but
I think we all are objective enough to tip the
(04:38):
hat to Kyle Shanahan and the forty nine ers in
the job they've done. Not just overcoming injuries, everybody does that,
but overcoming injuries for the status of players that we
were discussing here.
Speaker 5 (04:49):
That's that's impressive.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
You and I are on the exact same way wavelength
because the quote that the game actually tweeted out from
our risk from our interview today, They asked me, why
has the Niners?
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Why have the Niners accomplished so much this year?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
And I don't want to misquote myself when I was
on the air, so I'm just gonna read this. I
said it all points to Kyle Shanahan. I know all
Niner fans don't love Kyle Shanahan, but I do. I
don't want Kyle Shanahan coaching my rivals. I don't know
why this guy has taken so much heat through the years,
because he has taken Brock Purty to a Super Bowl,
(05:27):
He's taken Jimmy.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Garoppolo to a Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
He's taken this team, which you accurately, accurately mentioned you
just like just wipe out all their best players, and Kyle,
let's see what you can do when the football gods
wipe out almost all of your best players not named
Christian McCaffrey for long periods of time.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Let's see what you can do.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
And he says, Okay, I'll take you to the last
game of the season at home, in a toss up
game for the number one overall seed.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
I mean, it's just incredible what he's done.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Yeah, and I think he should be in the running
for Coach of the Year. And I imagine if the
forty nine ers win on Saturday, that he'll have a
very strong candidacy. Obviously, I hope we don't see that,
but I think, you know, there's also something to be said.
I think it's very interesting. Brock Purdy, it could be argued,
is the most intriguing quarterback in the NFL. There's others
(06:19):
that you could make arguments for different reasons, but the
argument for Brock Purdy would be that here's a guy
that has traits that deservedly sent him down to mister
relevant last back in the seventh round, right because he's
six foot and a half exactly, and he doesn't run great.
(06:40):
He has next to no velocity on his throws, but
he's like that that meme where you see the little
I don't know what you call a kitten lion's what's
a young lion Jackson is a good question. Not a
lion ass. That's a female lion, right?
Speaker 5 (07:00):
Is it a lion cub? Sounds right, but let's see
whatever it's called a lion. Okay, so a lion cub?
Have you have you seen this one?
Speaker 4 (07:10):
It's kind of one of those motivational posters where the
lion cub is at the pond and you and we
see that it's a lion cub, but he sees his
image and it's a big, a big lion with the
main in everywhere that's rock purty. Like this dude doesn't
know how how limited he is because he's just he
just chucking it down the field in the intermediate areas
(07:33):
that in theory would be the the the throws that
somebody never told me had a lollipop arm. Because he's
looking to uh to go big game hunting every time
they call a damn pass, and so I admire his aggression.
I think most of us. I could speak for fans
(07:54):
if I could for a second. We don't want to
see check down Charlie's This guy is not a If
he does check it down, it's because he's given it
a damn good look to try and put the sword
right through your neck. And so there's there's an interesting
component to him. He's red hot the last three games.
His passer rating is one hundred and thirty one point five.
(08:16):
He's got eleven touchdowns in his last three games. He's
number one in the NFL and Yardsburg attempt over that span,
number one in passer rating. I mean, he's just he's
got it rolling in Brandy Nayuk. We didn't even talk
about him, you know, he's just kind of getting used to,
you know, his wide forty nine or wide receivers two
point zero from a party perspective, because he doesn't have
(08:37):
Deebo Samuel only doesn't have Brandon Nyuk, and so now
he's doing it with you know, Jan Jenning's been around,
but Ricky Piersoll, you know, after the miracle involving him,
he's alive and kicking. Unfortunately, I mean, not boy that
that that came out wrong. I hope you know what
I mean, of course not, it's it's unfortunate that he's
(08:59):
a good player for the forty nine ers. Not unfortunate
that he's a lot. That's right, okay, but I think
we all knew what I meant. But at any rate,
it's an interesting football team.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
No, it is.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
And you mentioned that, you know, the coaching battle.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
McDonald and shanahanmy two of the most viable candidates for
Coach of the Year. And if we learned anything at
least from the odds from last week of the MVP,
Drake May versus Matthew Stafford, I mean Matthew Stafford's odds
tanked on that game in Monday Night Football. He went
from the favorite to by far by well a stretch
(09:33):
second place to Drake May. It'll be interesting to see
what the odds do this week on the Coach of
the Year award. Because you've got McDonald could win the
one seed, Shanahan could win the one seed over in
the AFC Sean Payton could win the one seed. Mike
Rabel could win the one seed. Liam Cohen could win
the one seed. I mean, there is your candidates along
with Ben Johnson. All that I mean, Ben Johnson's the
(09:56):
only the only viable Coach of the Year candidate that
can't win the one seed. At this point, and it
might just come down to, all right, who won the
one seed in the AFC, who won the one seed
in the NFC, and which one do we think they
did a better job? Because I think I think the
winner of this game McDonald versus Shanahan eliminates the other one.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Probably for Coach of the Year candidacy, I.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
Tend to lean as a default. Did a coach have
a great season after having to overcome you know, some
calamity at quarterback? You know, you know, like you win
a division.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
With a backup quarterback.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Now, it's not to say that that could be you know,
trumped by some other circumstances.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Shanahan is the only dealing with all that Bill.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
He's the only one that's lost the starter of all
those quarterbacks that I mentioned for a long perio, all those.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
Coaches yeah, yeah, quarterbacks, Yeah, And I don't And it's
great coffee and beer talk. I'm very intrigued by who's
going to be the MVP. But I can't let the
first segment burn without my concern. As I sit here
right now is left tackle for the Seattle Seahawks, And uh,
I think it's one thing to go from your starter
(11:05):
Charles Cross to Josh Jones, who we did a lot
of talking in in in the summer about how he's
the best swing tackle that I that I think many
of us have seen for the Seahawks in quite some time.
And he was a great pickup from Baltimore. You had
to pay four million as opposed to George Fant was
(11:28):
one point two million. Let me say that again, four
million to one versus one point two million.
Speaker 5 (11:32):
So you he so you upgrade.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
You chose to upgrade at your swing tackle, and it
paid off in in spades against the Rams, right because
he was your left tackle and your biggest game thus far. Well,
now if you have to go from him down to uh,
uh is it Amari Kite? Is that the I mean
it's really the practice squad?
Speaker 5 (11:54):
Yes?
Speaker 6 (11:56):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (11:57):
That has me really on pins and needles. What's happening there?
And so I know we're gonna talk to Greg Billy
we are a little bit later. He's our reporter on
site and we'll get the nearest news. But that's got
me concerned, guys.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
And it should.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
I mean, it seems like the quarterback with the cleaner
pocket likely will win this game, just because it just
you I'm sure you have the numbers to back this up,
but it feels like, and this is probably not just
unique to Sam Donald, but it seems like it Sam Donald.
The gap between how Sam Donald performs when his pocket
gets muddied versus when it's not muddied, it seems to
(12:33):
me like that's when a preponderance of the mistakes come,
even more so maybe than a regular quarterback. You may
correct me and say that I'm wrong, but when Sam
Donald has a clean pocket, I don't see Sam Donald
throwing interceptions. I don't see him missing guys. I don't
see him. I don't see a lot of what, you know,
what the hell throws from Sam Donald when he has
a clean pocket, I just don't.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
Yeah, no, when he has a clean pockets, it's good. Now,
I don't think that he's I'll have to check it.
I mean, you're talking about a guy that unfortunately is
now up to twenty turnovers, and that's relatively high. But
and yes, they're almost all associated with pressures, so the
(13:16):
numbers will probably not be favorable for him. But you know,
at least for the forty nine ers, they are percentage
of passes that result in socks. The forty nine deference,
thirty second in the league DFL and then Harries they
are twenty fourth. So if by chance, and I don't
(13:40):
even want to, I don't even want to put it
in the universe, but if you're down to your third
string left tackle, at least you know Bosas not playing,
how about that?
Speaker 5 (13:49):
Can we just start with that part?
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Yes, we can start with that part.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
And you know, I think I looked it up with
the pressure rate and since week eleven. I chose week
eleven because that's the week that brock Party came back.
So I just want to see last seven games for Seattle,
last seven games for San Francisco. Sam Donald has faced
five defenses in the last seven games ranked in the
(14:16):
top eleven in the NFL in pressure rate. San Francisco
is thirtieth. Brock Perty meanwhile, since week eleven, which is
the week he came back from injury, has faced only
three defenses ranked in the top eleven, and Seattle is fifth.
Seattle should get pressure on brock Purty particularly, and we'll
(14:36):
find out about Trent Williams as well. It sounds like
he's going to play. He probably isn't going to be
close to one hundred percent Trent Williams, so that might
be an advantage Seattle has. It just seems like the
cleaner pocket quarterback will win, and I feel like the
Seahawks should have the cleaner pocket in this game.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
Well to me, yes, Now for Seattle. The percentage of sacks,
we said San Francisco's thirty two, seattles fourteenth hurries the
forty nine ers as we said, twenty fourth Seattle. Second,
you said in pressure rate thirty yeah, So uh I look,
(15:13):
and I say, there's two bites at the apple that
Seattle has a chance to get after Purty. One is
just four man rush, relatively little scheme, maybe a stunt
here or there, but you know, just win, beat your man.
And then there's the Mike McDonald factors like, oh okay,
that's not working. Now let me see. And that's where
(15:35):
you really elevate the chess game between McDonald and between
Kyle Shanahan because now when you have these simulated pressures,
we're bringing guys off the edge. The Seahawks percentage of
plays they bring five or more rushers, they're twenty fifth
in the league, San Francisco's twenty fourth, So stop right there.
They're essentially the same team. They don't want to blitz. Right,
they're in the bottom five or six, and right the
(15:57):
Seattle random you know, six or eight whatever is. But
I quoted this earlier, I'm gonna I'm gonna just quote
it because I think it's better just if I just
quote it from the NFL stat portal ready, guys, yep
quote percent of plays with a five plus man rush
that result in negative EPA for offense, that meaning expected
(16:20):
points added. The forty nine Ers are twenty eighth in
that stat. So they don't blitz very often, and when
they blitz, they don't create a lot of habit. The
Seattle Seahawks are number one. They don't blitz very often,
but when they do create a lot of misery and
so that that that can be a good thing.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
But because it's so unexpected who and where they're coming from.
Speaker 5 (16:45):
Well, it's it's the nature of it.
Speaker 4 (16:47):
I mean, Mike McDonald isn't just saying, uh, you know,
I'm spinning the bottle on his on his on his
blitz call sheet. I mean he's got a real purpose. Okay,
this personnel group, this this, uh, this hash mark, this
down in distance, this field position, this particular personnel group
the you know, what's their propensity that they slide to
(17:08):
the center, uh away from the back. You know what's
the percentage that they that they want to slide the
center to the weak side versus strong side. You know,
how likely are they if they see a four strong, Well,
let's send the center in the back to the same
side to pick up four, leave themselves vulnerable to three
on the other side.
Speaker 5 (17:28):
Like that, there is a whole.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
A whole bevy of factors that a guy like Mike McDonald,
once you get to his level, all this stuff he's processing,
I mean, he's he's into, you know, quantum computing when
all of this is coming out on his call sheet.
So but you know what, Kyle Shanahan's is his counterpart
on that way as well. So, so if Seattle isn't
(17:51):
winning with with conventional just beating their man, Mike McDonald's
not going to just sit there and not you know,
put pressure on Rock Perdy. He's gonna manufacture it. And
that's where things get real interesting.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Maybe the biggest Seahawk regular season game of all time,
certainly only the fourth winner takes the one seed game
in NFL history.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
The last two started by Sam Darnold last year.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
Lions over the Vikings, and then you have to go
all the way back to Cowboys over the Giants in
nineteen ninety three and the Cowboys over Washington in nineteen
seventy nine.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
This is only the fourth one.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
Remember that game in twenty nineteen that was a big
game that was not a winner. Takes the one seed,
that was a Niners take the one seed. Seahawks take
the two seed if they win that games. This is
only the fourth time it has happened. Much much more
Seahawk Talk. Mike Homber will join us at four. Greg
Bell will join us at five. We're gonna talk from
college football on a crazy January.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
First yesterday, those three bowl games. Will talk about him
next on ninety three point three KJERFL Now.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Back to Football Friday, sponsored by Tito's Handmade Vodka, Run
your Home for the NFL Sports Radio ninety three point
three cant y f.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Forty seven yards and it.
Speaker 6 (19:06):
Is good right time.
Speaker 7 (19:10):
The met oh miss leads by three with six seconds
to go.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Georgia fans dealing with the reality something that never happens.
Speaker 4 (19:20):
Bone four quarter leads under Kirby Smart.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
And Kirby Smart really only has himself to blame. Oh
I explain in a moment. But Hugh, we got one
epic game out yesterday.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
That's for sure.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
The three were we were waiting.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
We waited like nine ten hours to get a great
football game. But we got a great performance earlier by Indiana,
but not a great football game. We finally got a
great football game. Can I can I just draft that kicker?
Speaker 6 (19:50):
Now?
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Can I just take him?
Speaker 6 (19:52):
Now?
Speaker 3 (19:52):
I mean that dude's hitting. That dude's hitting the middle
of the net from fifty seven.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
Yards and like Sean said, you know, baby draw, Like
when when I was a holder, would I I came to,
you know, conclude that the most consistent ballflight is that
there's some kickers they have it that it's just a
little bit of a draw and they can just aim,
you know, just like a golfer, right, I mean you
(20:17):
just you know, aim down the right side of the
fairway and and just draw it into the middle. And
and those guys he has that, by the way. Awesome
job by Sean.
Speaker 5 (20:26):
Uh, he was a job.
Speaker 6 (20:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (20:28):
He had Christmas dinner with our family.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Oh cool. So wow.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
So we've been friends a long time, so.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
That's why he was so good because he had millon Turkey.
Yes he did, yeah good.
Speaker 7 (20:40):
I mean he just won that Broadcaster for the Year award,
didn't Yes, he did. So I mean we're talking about
you know Q. I mean we're talking about baby. I
mean I personally will go have Kevin Harlan, not only
because he's on this this this show, but I mean
Sean McDonald killed it yesterday.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Pretty well.
Speaker 5 (20:58):
He's number one.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
Yes, he's number one in the ESPN and hockey and
he's done the World Series. He did that at age thirty.
He's done the Masters, he's done the Olympics, countless sports
in the Olympics, he's done fin not Final four, but
he's done the nca Basketball Tournament. I mean, he's done
Monday night football for a couple of years. You could
(21:23):
argue that he's the most versatile play by play guy
of our generation.
Speaker 8 (21:28):
That's true.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Well, and while we're talking play by play, it just
absolutely flies in the face to the game we saw
the night before. I am sitting there watching with my
son and it's Dave Pash on the call. On the
first play of the game. He says, back to pass again,
and I looked at my son, and he looked at
(21:50):
me and he was like, back to pass again, Like
did I literally I literally rewound my DVR just to
make sure I didn't miss a play and it was
just And then what's even.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
Worse than that? What's even worse than that?
Speaker 3 (22:06):
With two minutes and thirty seconds left to go in
the first half, he said time out cold and he
had like this this void, like really serious time out cald.
With two thirty left in the game, he said, two
thirty left in the game in the first I was like,
oh boy, so yes, there.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
Is a different if all play critique to you.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
Oh I can't even I can't even shine McDonough's shoes.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
There is no question, no question about that.
Speaker 6 (22:34):
He is.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
He's pretty special.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Hey, you know I mentioned Kirby smart there and in
the end of that game, and why these coaches continue
to go forward on fourth down from deep in their
own territory. I'll set the scene. George's down three nine
minutes left to go, they got all their timeouts left,
Kirby refuses to punt well into their own territory. They
(22:59):
fumble inside their own thirty and a few plays later
they are down by ten points. And they lose on
a last second field goal. I mean, do we really
think that they would have lost on a last second
field goal had they not just handed Mississippi seven points
in a four play secrets and then on third and
goal from the four with a minute left, why don't.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
You run the ball?
Speaker 3 (23:24):
You have Mississippi has no timeouts left.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
Run the ball.
Speaker 3 (23:29):
So you have worst case scenario, a fourth down field
goal to tie things up with like ten seconds left
to go by the time they get the they get
the kickoff, but instead they throw, They.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
Leave them incomplete.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
They leave Mississippi a full minute to go down and
get in the field goal. Rangs. I just I mean,
Kirby Smart's a Hall of Fame coach, but I thought
those were two huge gaffs down the stretch.
Speaker 5 (23:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
Hard for me to respond because I can't say it
any more succinctly than you just did. I would just say,
you know, amongst the people last night.
Speaker 5 (24:06):
I kind of go.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
You know, for over fifty years, I always had this
idea that when it's fourth and three from your own
thirty five or your thirty eight, like that's punt time,
especially if you have a good defense and you know,
it's like the whole world has turned upside down in
the last few years with all this going forward on
fourth down. And I would add, in addition, I agree
(24:31):
with everything you said, I would add the defensive call
that allowed that fade route. You go man and man
and you put the balls on the right hash, and
you put your safety on that hash.
Speaker 5 (24:44):
So you're leaving.
Speaker 4 (24:45):
You're leaving everybody else on an island over there where
they you know they've got they're down to seconds. And
it's a very common play. You know, I had my
kids here, and we would call that black star Hawk
black because it's left, not right. Brown is because the
second letter in black is an L. Brown would be
the second letter is an right, so.
Speaker 5 (25:07):
It would be to the right. But it was.
Speaker 4 (25:10):
Very, very ubiquitous concept in both college and pro. But
you do not want to leave a slot fade what's
called the number two counting outside in the number two
on a fade ball with no safety even close to
being able to help, because when when when that receiver
starts to go inside, he has to honor it. He's
(25:31):
the the dB in essence, has a three way cover.
The guy's in the slot, so he has to defend
an outbreaking route, and it could be an outbreaking speed route.
Not just to comeback because he's far enough from the sideline,
he has to defend a crossing route, he's got to
defend a vertical and and you know.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
Just brutally poor.
Speaker 8 (25:53):
I was like, what are they doing calling that defense
and allowing that fade ball to get hit and you know,
of course then the field goal, but.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
Almost almost threw it away before the field goal. Why
are you throwing the ball when you're already in field
goal range with twenty seconds left to go.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
They almost threw a pick on the out route. That
was the time. I was like, holy smokes man, some of.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
The decisions these coaches made down the stretch was incredible.
Speaker 4 (26:25):
Yeah, but you know, if they if they just if
they don't try and get more yards and then they
end up missing the long field goal. I know that
guy was just you know, like Legatron, just.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
Run it for three and kick it down to five
ticket down to six seconds left, and then.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
If you have you know, then kick the ball.
Speaker 4 (26:42):
Yeah exactly, Well that the kid was white hot. I understand.
You know, that's that's one of the things that's problem.
You know, you're making ten million dollars, but you're as
a coach, well that guy is and not all Missus coach,
but you know, you're making millions of dollars to be
a head coach, and you're dependent on, you know, twenty
year olds, twenty one year olds to make good decisions
(27:03):
in the absolute crucible of pressure. And yeah, they were
fortunate there that certainly could have been picked. But there's
there's enough mistakes that we've described there that I'm sure
Kirby smart and I agree, you know, he's no worse
than a top two or three coaching this in college football,
you know, by anybody's standards. And yet I think he
(27:26):
was staring at the ceiling for a long time, probably
until the sun came up, no question about it.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
We'll talk about the other two games a little bit
later on.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
We know one guy, Jackson, that's pretty fired about about
one of the games we haven't talked about yet, that
Miami victory. Yeah, Lee Sterling are handicapper and lifelong Miami
Hurricane fan. He was at the game that they beat
Ohio State. We'll talk to him coming up next on
night three point three KJRFM, It's.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Time for our weekly visit with gambling expert Lee Sterling.
The paramount sports brought to you by bail Breaker Brewing,
wherevery Hawk has grown in the Yakama Valley family owned
bold and proudly Pacific Northwest grabbed their flagship top Cutter
ipa a citrusy. Find Forward Classic at your local grocery
store or visit dep rooms in Seattle and Yekamon. Now
(28:12):
with Lee Sterly, here's Sathian.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Did Safian deck without the soft one?
Speaker 3 (28:17):
But Jackson, I'm about to talk to someone that is
positively glowing.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Yeah, I would imagine there's no question that.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
Miami Hurricane lifelong fan Lee Sterling is positively glowing right now,
as is his record on our show forty seven thirty
seven and one that's positively glowing as well. Lee.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Have you come down off your high yet? My friend? Congratulations?
Speaker 6 (28:42):
Thank you? Not even close. One of the greatest, maybe
the greatest road game in Miami history as far as
I'm concerned. I mean, I know we won the national
championship the Rose Bowl over Nebraska, and we had to
wait twenty three years, and during those twenty three years
it has not been great football. So I think you
(29:02):
know it was. It was redemption walking out of there,
I did shed a few tears.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
All right, Well, you got a legit shot. Two more
to go. You got a legit shot. Let's head to
the NFL. We've got division championship weekend and a couple
of these in a couple of these divisions. Let's start
with the AFC North. This one always seems like a battle.
It always seems like the underdog covers in this series.
Pittsburgh minus three and a half against Baltimore.
Speaker 6 (29:30):
What do you think, Well, Pittsburgh, if you watch your offense,
it is a tough watch right now. I mean without
Metcalf and also Washington, I don't know how they're going
to generate offense. So you know, maybe they get some
turnovers or you know they're going to be at home.
But even if Tyler Huntly plays and not Lamar Jackson,
(29:53):
I feel comfortable. He completed over seventy seven percent of
his passes. He didn't look when he was good good
and when he didn't mind me these other teams. But
he looks comfortable in this system. They have a great
running game with Henry. You know, the special teams have
been probably a little bit better than Pittsburgh. Also, so
you hate the lay points on the road in Pittsburgh,
(30:14):
but I think they're begging you to go the other
way here and take Pittsburgh. I'm not going to fall
from the trap. I like Baltimore here twenty to.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
Ten, Baltimore twenty to Ooh okay, double digit win for
the Baltimore Ravens. All Right Division Championship Game number two.
Tampa Bay minus two and a half against Carolina, the
team the Seahawks just took care of business against.
Speaker 6 (30:36):
Yep. Yeah, the Bucks only win since midseason or against
six and ten New Orleans, three and thirteen Arizona since
Week ten. The Bucks defense you're talking about falling off
a clip twenty eight ETA per play allowed twenty six
and success rate allowed twenty eighth and passing success rate.
(30:57):
The defense, I mean they're down to bear bones. They
lost an another defensive lineman, another linebacker, and also another
defensive back last week. They just can't make tackles in
space here. I like Carolina. Carolina, when you expect something,
they usually don't do well. But I think they match
up well with Tampa Bay. I think the wrong team's favorite.
(31:18):
I think they win this game here twenty three twenty.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
All right, going with the dogs, all right, Chicago against Detroit.
This line keeps creeping up, up up. I've seen it
at two, I've seen it at three. It's up to five.
Now Chicago. The money pouring in on the Bears against Detroit, and.
Speaker 6 (31:33):
I think this is personal for Chicago. You know, since
the Week two blowout with Detroit scored over fifty points,
they've fallen off of the cliff. Their defense, their cornerbacks,
they can't cover anyone. Also, their linebackers in space are
not great. Also, this Chicago team has figured it out here,
and obviously they're head coach being coached, being the offensive
(31:56):
coordinator last year in Detroit. It's personal, so I think
he's going to go for the jugular. They want the
number two spot in the AFC so they can get
a couple of home games here. And I just think
Detroit's defense is that bad here and even their offensive
line not the same. Let's take Chicago. They get the
revenge for that fifty two. I think it was twenty
one to thirty one loss Week two. Chicago pretty big here,
(32:19):
thirty one seventeen.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
All right, we had to the NFC East to another
team fighting for playoff positioning Philadelphia minus four against Washington.
Speaker 6 (32:28):
Yeah, and even if the Eagles elect to sit some starters,
I think that they're just going to overwhelm Washington here.
So Tanner McKee the quarterback, I think they're still in
good hands. If Jalen Hurts doesn't play, it's not like
he's been great here. So they rested starters in Week
eighteen last year against the Giants and the Eagles won
(32:49):
and covered that game. He was twenty seven for forty
one through the air, two sixty nine, two touchdowns and
no interceptions in that game. So underrated guy here and
Nick sore. He wants to win and I think he
just wants to get a little momentum also going into
the playoffs. Here, give me Philadelphia thirty to seventeen.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
Alright, he likes the Eagles.
Speaker 3 (33:09):
Now the one we've been waiting for Lee and the
Seattle Seahawks. I've started the money talking about the money
being on the Hawks, and it started to pick Hawks,
then went to one and a half. It's crept up
to two. I've seen it as high as two and
a half. What do you think Seahawks against San Francisco?
Speaker 6 (33:25):
Well Brock party last week was incredible. Rarely do you
see two quarterbacks that hot, and you know if he
just is average in this game. I think Seattle has
a big advantage their defense. The last five weeks along
just fourteen point four points per game. Since Week eight,
the Seattle defense number one in EPA per play allowed
(33:45):
San Francisco twenty six. So San Francisco's battling a lot
of injuries and a lot of things have to go right,
I think for San Francisco, and I don't see Sam
Darnold throwing four interceptions again. Here shit the division crown
here twenty eight to twenty over San Francisco.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
Lamas, you're riding with the favorites in Seattle, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore,
taking a dog in Carolina. Now your game of the week.
I love the game of the week. By the way,
Rams minus seven and a half against Arizona. Where can
we get your pick on that one?
Speaker 6 (34:19):
Yeah, you want to get the right side. Just called
eight hundred four hundred nine seven four one. Give me
the Rams in Arizona for free. Eight hundred four hundred
nine seven four to one and we're rolling here. You
want to get with us, you can go with us.
It's called the Jackpot January Special every game from tonight
all the way through the Super Bowl. So you're gonna
get two more rounds college football Playoffs. You're gonna get
(34:41):
Week eighteen of the NFL. You're gonna get the entire
playoffs to the super Bowl, and the top ten Super
Bowl props, including my daughter's pick on the National Anthem
where she's won nine to the last ten show. You
want to hop on board to ninety seven, use coupon
code save two hundred. It brings the price down from
four ninety seven to two ninety seven. Tupunt code save
(35:04):
two hundred just one place, Paramount sports dot com.
Speaker 1 (35:08):
Thank you, Lee.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
We want to be glowing tomorrow at eight o'clock our
time like you were glowing last night at eight o'clock
your time.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
All right, That's that's kind of what we want to
be feeling tomorrow night.
Speaker 6 (35:18):
Sounds like a plan, all right, Thanks.
Speaker 3 (35:20):
Brover, Talking you next week, Lee Sterlink, Paramount Sports, Paramount
sports dot com. He has got his picks Baltimore, Carolina, Chicago, Philadelphia,
and Seattle in his Game of the Week.
Speaker 1 (35:30):
You can call and get.
Speaker 3 (35:31):
Data Rams and Arizona the coach will join Hugh and
myself coming up right after Top of the Hour headlines.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
Mike Homber next on ninety three point three KJFM.
Fadine.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
That's part of our relentless coverage of the NFL. It's
a Football Friday sponsored by Tito's Handmade Vodka, proud sponsor
of the Seahawks, distilled in modeled by Fifth Generation Ain't Koston,
Texas forty percent alcohol B Molume, Save a Responsibly.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
This crowd is going nuts.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Football Friday is on with Safti and Dick on Sports
Radio ninety three point three kJ R FM.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Hugh Millan joins us, and Hugh Jackson just said it
in my ear. You know, it doesn't feel like a Friday.
These are the best kinds of Fridays, the Fridays that
feel like Mondays. But mostly the work week is only
one day, Like this is awesome. We just we literally
just had a weekend and then we worked for a
couple of days, and then we had another weekend, and
(00:56):
then we're gonna work today and then we're gonna have
another weekend.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
This is fantastic.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
Well, I think that for I'm careful in this because
I have a no no. I'm like, hey, do not
come on the radio and gripe about talking sports. Like
as you slide into Dave's chair, I slide into your chair,
and we'll look forward to hearing Dave's take on Monday
(01:23):
from from everything that's presided, but good to be with you. Yeah,
and Friday. You know, this is like the one day
that we don't get football, but other than that, it's
kind of sandwiched between just like day after day of
just like you know, high level anticipation for some great games.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
No shortage of things to talk about. We'll start Seahawks here.
I do win the next segment, though, I want to
talk about all those college football games that took place yesterday,
kind of the good, the bad, and the ugly yesterday
on January first, in the in the college football playoffs.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
But I was on this morning in San Francisco.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
As you know, Jackson's been on sports radio and other
places talking about Seattle sports. You've been on other places
talking about Seattle sports. Today was my day, and the
guys on the game, I mean, he asked me a
few questions. I kind of want to get your take
on how I responded to these guys, and cause you're
coming from a totally different It's so funny when you
(02:19):
when you talk to guys in other cities about the
same game that you've been talking about you just get
these totally different perspectives. It's just really really interesting. And
you know, the first question was just straightforward. They asked me,
are you surprised that we're playing this game with this magnitude?
And basically what I said was, I'm surprised we're playing
(02:42):
this game in Week eighteen for the one seed, but
I'm not at all surprised that we're playing an incredibly
important game between the Seahawks and the Niners in Week eighteen.
I thought both of these teams were going to be
in the playoffs this year. I did not think this
would be the game for the one seed. However, But
if you told me at the beginning of the year
you're going to be playing Week eighteen for the division
(03:04):
championship between the Niners and the Seahawks, wouldn't have been surprised.
If you told me the winner was going to be
the wild card and the loser was going to be out,
I wouldn't have been surprised.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
I think it's just the stakes that surprised me for
this game.
Speaker 5 (03:15):
Well, yeah, when you're playing for the number one, I'm.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Not sure I would have totally predicted that, but I
figured that that was the first thing I looked at
and talked about as oh boy, Week eighteen at San Francisco.
But I'm a little bit comfort comforted by how Seattle
plays on defense.
Speaker 5 (03:35):
On the road.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Now, I'm not comforted by the slide that we've seen
in the passing game. But I think along the line, yeah,
you were talking about had that been in August, but
that was before you know, this series of Hall of
Famers for the forty nine ers going there, There's no
(03:57):
doubt in my mind, Fred Warner's a Hall of Famer.
Nick Bosea is probably likely probably better than fifty percent chance.
There's there's absolutely, unequivocally no doubt that Trent Williams is
George Kittle, you know, I mean, I don't think it's
an absurd suggestion that he could be wearing a yellow jacket.
(04:17):
And you know, of course, Brock Purdy, I'm not saying
he's in the category of Canton bound, but he's had
his uh you know, he's had a number of seasons
where he's been at a top level and they missed
him for a number of weeks and now he comes
back strong. So I am reluctant to say it, but
I think we all are objective enough to tip the
(04:38):
hat to Kyle Shanahan and the forty nine ers in
the job they've done. Not just overcoming injuries, everybody does that,
but overcoming injuries for the status of players that we
were discussing here.
Speaker 5 (04:49):
That's that's impressive.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
You and I are on the exact same way wavelength
because the quote that the game actually tweeted out from
our risk from our interview today, They asked me, why
has the Niners?
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Why have the Niners accomplished so much this year?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
And I don't want to misquote myself when I was
on the air, so I'm just gonna read this. I
said it all points to Kyle Shanahan. I know all
Niner fans don't love Kyle Shanahan, but I do. I
don't want Kyle Shanahan coaching my rivals. I don't know
why this guy has taken so much heat through the years,
because he has taken Brock Purty to a Super Bowl,
(05:27):
He's taken Jimmy.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Garoppolo to a Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
He's taken this team, which you accurately, accurately mentioned you
just like just wipe out all their best players, and Kyle,
let's see what you can do when the football gods
wipe out almost all of your best players not named
Christian McCaffrey for long periods of time.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Let's see what you can do.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
And he says, Okay, I'll take you to the last
game of the season at home, in a toss up
game for the number one overall seed.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
I mean, it's just incredible what he's done.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Yeah, and I think he should be in the running
for Coach of the Year. And I imagine if the
forty nine ers win on Saturday, that he'll have a
very strong candidacy. Obviously, I hope we don't see that,
but I think, you know, there's also something to be said.
I think it's very interesting. Brock Purdy, it could be argued,
is the most intriguing quarterback in the NFL. There's others
(06:19):
that you could make arguments for different reasons, but the
argument for Brock Purdy would be that here's a guy
that has traits that deservedly sent him down to mister
relevant last back in the seventh round, right because he's
six foot and a half exactly, and he doesn't run great.
(06:40):
He has next to no velocity on his throws, but
he's like that that meme where you see the little
I don't know what you call a kitten lion's what's
a young lion Jackson is a good question. Not a
lion ass. That's a female lion, right?
Speaker 5 (07:00):
Is it a lion cub? Sounds right, but let's see
whatever it's called a lion. Okay, so a lion cub?
Have you have you seen this one?
Speaker 4 (07:10):
It's kind of one of those motivational posters where the
lion cub is at the pond and you and we
see that it's a lion cub, but he sees his
image and it's a big, a big lion with the
main in everywhere that's rock purty. Like this dude doesn't
know how how limited he is because he's just he
just chucking it down the field in the intermediate areas
(07:33):
that in theory would be the the the throws that
somebody never told me had a lollipop arm. Because he's
looking to uh to go big game hunting every time
they call a damn pass, and so I admire his aggression.
I think most of us. I could speak for fans
(07:54):
if I could for a second. We don't want to
see check down Charlie's This guy is not a If
he does check it down, it's because he's given it
a damn good look to try and put the sword
right through your neck. And so there's there's an interesting
component to him. He's red hot the last three games.
His passer rating is one hundred and thirty one point five.
(08:16):
He's got eleven touchdowns in his last three games. He's
number one in the NFL and Yardsburg attempt over that span,
number one in passer rating. I mean, he's just he's
got it rolling in Brandy Nayuk. We didn't even talk
about him, you know, he's just kind of getting used to,
you know, his wide forty nine or wide receivers two
point zero from a party perspective, because he doesn't have
(08:37):
Deebo Samuel only doesn't have Brandon Nyuk, and so now
he's doing it with you know, Jan Jenning's been around,
but Ricky Piersoll, you know, after the miracle involving him,
he's alive and kicking. Unfortunately, I mean, not boy that
that that came out wrong. I hope you know what
I mean, of course not, it's it's unfortunate that he's
(08:59):
a good player for the forty nine ers. Not unfortunate
that he's a lot. That's right, okay, but I think
we all knew what I meant. But at any rate,
it's an interesting football team.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
No, it is.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
And you mentioned that, you know, the coaching battle.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
McDonald and shanahanmy two of the most viable candidates for
Coach of the Year. And if we learned anything at
least from the odds from last week of the MVP,
Drake May versus Matthew Stafford, I mean Matthew Stafford's odds
tanked on that game in Monday Night Football. He went
from the favorite to by far by well a stretch
(09:33):
second place to Drake May. It'll be interesting to see
what the odds do this week on the Coach of
the Year award. Because you've got McDonald could win the
one seed, Shanahan could win the one seed over in
the AFC Sean Payton could win the one seed. Mike
Rabel could win the one seed. Liam Cohen could win
the one seed. I mean, there is your candidates along
with Ben Johnson. All that I mean, Ben Johnson's the
(09:56):
only the only viable Coach of the Year candidate that
can't win the one seed. At this point, and it
might just come down to, all right, who won the
one seed in the AFC, who won the one seed
in the NFC, and which one do we think they
did a better job? Because I think I think the
winner of this game McDonald versus Shanahan eliminates the other one.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Probably for Coach of the Year candidacy, I.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
Tend to lean as a default. Did a coach have
a great season after having to overcome you know, some
calamity at quarterback? You know, you know, like you win
a division.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
With a backup quarterback.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Now, it's not to say that that could be you know,
trumped by some other circumstances.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Shanahan is the only dealing with all that Bill.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
He's the only one that's lost the starter of all
those quarterbacks that I mentioned for a long perio, all those.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
Coaches yeah, yeah, quarterbacks, Yeah, And I don't And it's
great coffee and beer talk. I'm very intrigued by who's
going to be the MVP. But I can't let the
first segment burn without my concern. As I sit here
right now is left tackle for the Seattle Seahawks, And uh,
I think it's one thing to go from your starter
(11:05):
Charles Cross to Josh Jones, who we did a lot
of talking in in in the summer about how he's
the best swing tackle that I that I think many
of us have seen for the Seahawks in quite some time.
And he was a great pickup from Baltimore. You had
to pay four million as opposed to George Fant was
(11:28):
one point two million. Let me say that again, four
million to one versus one point two million.
Speaker 5 (11:32):
So you he so you upgrade.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
You chose to upgrade at your swing tackle, and it
paid off in in spades against the Rams, right because
he was your left tackle and your biggest game thus far. Well,
now if you have to go from him down to uh,
uh is it Amari Kite? Is that the I mean
it's really the practice squad?
Speaker 5 (11:54):
Yes?
Speaker 6 (11:56):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (11:57):
That has me really on pins and needles. What's happening there?
And so I know we're gonna talk to Greg Billy
we are a little bit later. He's our reporter on
site and we'll get the nearest news. But that's got
me concerned, guys.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
And it should.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
I mean, it seems like the quarterback with the cleaner
pocket likely will win this game, just because it just
you I'm sure you have the numbers to back this up,
but it feels like, and this is probably not just
unique to Sam Donald, but it seems like it Sam Donald.
The gap between how Sam Donald performs when his pocket
gets muddied versus when it's not muddied, it seems to
(12:33):
me like that's when a preponderance of the mistakes come,
even more so maybe than a regular quarterback. You may
correct me and say that I'm wrong, but when Sam
Donald has a clean pocket, I don't see Sam Donald
throwing interceptions. I don't see him missing guys. I don't
see him. I don't see a lot of what, you know,
what the hell throws from Sam Donald when he has
a clean pocket, I just don't.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
Yeah, no, when he has a clean pockets, it's good. Now,
I don't think that he's I'll have to check it.
I mean, you're talking about a guy that unfortunately is
now up to twenty turnovers, and that's relatively high. But
and yes, they're almost all associated with pressures, so the
(13:16):
numbers will probably not be favorable for him. But you know,
at least for the forty nine ers, they are percentage
of passes that result in socks. The forty nine deference,
thirty second in the league DFL and then Harries they
are twenty fourth. So if by chance, and I don't
(13:40):
even want to, I don't even want to put it
in the universe, but if you're down to your third
string left tackle, at least you know Bosas not playing,
how about that?
Speaker 5 (13:49):
Can we just start with that part?
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Yes, we can start with that part.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
And you know, I think I looked it up with
the pressure rate and since week eleven. I chose week
eleven because that's the week that brock Party came back.
So I just want to see last seven games for Seattle,
last seven games for San Francisco. Sam Donald has faced
five defenses in the last seven games ranked in the
(14:16):
top eleven in the NFL in pressure rate. San Francisco
is thirtieth. Brock Perty meanwhile, since week eleven, which is
the week he came back from injury, has faced only
three defenses ranked in the top eleven, and Seattle is fifth.
Seattle should get pressure on brock Purty particularly, and we'll
(14:36):
find out about Trent Williams as well. It sounds like
he's going to play. He probably isn't going to be
close to one hundred percent Trent Williams, so that might
be an advantage Seattle has. It just seems like the
cleaner pocket quarterback will win, and I feel like the
Seahawks should have the cleaner pocket in this game.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
Well to me, yes, Now for Seattle. The percentage of sacks,
we said San Francisco's thirty two, seattles fourteenth hurries the
forty nine ers as we said, twenty fourth Seattle. Second,
you said in pressure rate thirty yeah, So uh I look,
(15:13):
and I say, there's two bites at the apple that
Seattle has a chance to get after Purty. One is
just four man rush, relatively little scheme, maybe a stunt
here or there, but you know, just win, beat your man.
And then there's the Mike McDonald factors like, oh okay,
that's not working. Now let me see. And that's where
(15:35):
you really elevate the chess game between McDonald and between
Kyle Shanahan because now when you have these simulated pressures,
we're bringing guys off the edge. The Seahawks percentage of
plays they bring five or more rushers, they're twenty fifth
in the league, San Francisco's twenty fourth, So stop right there.
They're essentially the same team. They don't want to blitz. Right,
they're in the bottom five or six, and right the
(15:57):
Seattle random you know, six or eight whatever is. But
I quoted this earlier, I'm gonna I'm gonna just quote
it because I think it's better just if I just
quote it from the NFL stat portal ready, guys, yep
quote percent of plays with a five plus man rush
that result in negative EPA for offense, that meaning expected
(16:20):
points added. The forty nine Ers are twenty eighth in
that stat. So they don't blitz very often, and when
they blitz, they don't create a lot of habit. The
Seattle Seahawks are number one. They don't blitz very often,
but when they do create a lot of misery and
so that that that can be a good thing.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
But because it's so unexpected who and where they're coming from.
Speaker 5 (16:45):
Well, it's it's the nature of it.
Speaker 4 (16:47):
I mean, Mike McDonald isn't just saying, uh, you know,
I'm spinning the bottle on his on his on his
blitz call sheet. I mean he's got a real purpose. Okay,
this personnel group, this this, uh, this hash mark, this
down in distance, this field position, this particular personnel group
the you know, what's their propensity that they slide to
(17:08):
the center, uh away from the back. You know what's
the percentage that they that they want to slide the
center to the weak side versus strong side. You know,
how likely are they if they see a four strong, Well,
let's send the center in the back to the same
side to pick up four, leave themselves vulnerable to three
on the other side.
Speaker 5 (17:28):
Like that, there is a whole.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
A whole bevy of factors that a guy like Mike McDonald,
once you get to his level, all this stuff he's processing,
I mean, he's he's into, you know, quantum computing when
all of this is coming out on his call sheet.
So but you know what, Kyle Shanahan's is his counterpart
on that way as well. So, so if Seattle isn't
(17:51):
winning with with conventional just beating their man, Mike McDonald's
not going to just sit there and not you know,
put pressure on Rock Perdy. He's gonna manufacture it. And
that's where things get real interesting.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Maybe the biggest Seahawk regular season game of all time,
certainly only the fourth winner takes the one seed game
in NFL history.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
The last two started by Sam Darnold last year.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
Lions over the Vikings, and then you have to go
all the way back to Cowboys over the Giants in
nineteen ninety three and the Cowboys over Washington in nineteen
seventy nine.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
This is only the fourth one.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
Remember that game in twenty nineteen that was a big
game that was not a winner. Takes the one seed,
that was a Niners take the one seed. Seahawks take
the two seed if they win that games. This is
only the fourth time it has happened. Much much more
Seahawk Talk. Mike Homber will join us at four. Greg
Bell will join us at five. We're gonna talk from
college football on a crazy January.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
First yesterday, those three bowl games. Will talk about him
next on ninety three point three KJERFL Now.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Back to Football Friday, sponsored by Tito's Handmade Vodka, Run
your Home for the NFL Sports Radio ninety three point
three cant y f.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Forty seven yards and it.
Speaker 6 (19:06):
Is good right time.
Speaker 7 (19:10):
The met oh miss leads by three with six seconds
to go.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Georgia fans dealing with the reality something that never happens.
Speaker 4 (19:20):
Bone four quarter leads under Kirby Smart.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
And Kirby Smart really only has himself to blame. Oh
I explain in a moment. But Hugh, we got one
epic game out yesterday.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
That's for sure.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
The three were we were waiting.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
We waited like nine ten hours to get a great
football game. But we got a great performance earlier by Indiana,
but not a great football game. We finally got a
great football game. Can I can I just draft that kicker?
Speaker 6 (19:50):
Now?
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Can I just take him?
Speaker 6 (19:52):
Now?
Speaker 3 (19:52):
I mean that dude's hitting. That dude's hitting the middle
of the net from fifty seven.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
Yards and like Sean said, you know, baby draw, Like
when when I was a holder, would I I came to,
you know, conclude that the most consistent ballflight is that
there's some kickers they have it that it's just a
little bit of a draw and they can just aim,
you know, just like a golfer, right, I mean you
(20:17):
just you know, aim down the right side of the
fairway and and just draw it into the middle. And
and those guys he has that, by the way. Awesome
job by Sean.
Speaker 5 (20:26):
Uh, he was a job.
Speaker 6 (20:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (20:28):
He had Christmas dinner with our family.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Oh cool. So wow.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
So we've been friends a long time, so.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
That's why he was so good because he had millon Turkey.
Yes he did, yeah good.
Speaker 7 (20:40):
I mean he just won that Broadcaster for the Year award,
didn't Yes, he did. So I mean we're talking about
you know Q. I mean we're talking about baby. I
mean I personally will go have Kevin Harlan, not only
because he's on this this this show, but I mean
Sean McDonald killed it yesterday.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Pretty well.
Speaker 5 (20:58):
He's number one.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
Yes, he's number one in the ESPN and hockey and
he's done the World Series. He did that at age thirty.
He's done the Masters, he's done the Olympics, countless sports
in the Olympics, he's done fin not Final four, but
he's done the nca Basketball Tournament. I mean, he's done
Monday night football for a couple of years. You could
(21:23):
argue that he's the most versatile play by play guy
of our generation.
Speaker 8 (21:28):
That's true.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Well, and while we're talking play by play, it just
absolutely flies in the face to the game we saw
the night before. I am sitting there watching with my
son and it's Dave Pash on the call. On the
first play of the game. He says, back to pass again,
and I looked at my son, and he looked at
(21:50):
me and he was like, back to pass again, Like
did I literally I literally rewound my DVR just to
make sure I didn't miss a play and it was
just And then what's even.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
Worse than that? What's even worse than that?
Speaker 3 (22:06):
With two minutes and thirty seconds left to go in
the first half, he said time out cold and he
had like this this void, like really serious time out cald.
With two thirty left in the game, he said, two
thirty left in the game in the first I was like,
oh boy, so yes, there.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
Is a different if all play critique to you.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
Oh I can't even I can't even shine McDonough's shoes.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
There is no question, no question about that.
Speaker 6 (22:34):
He is.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
He's pretty special.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Hey, you know I mentioned Kirby smart there and in
the end of that game, and why these coaches continue
to go forward on fourth down from deep in their
own territory. I'll set the scene. George's down three nine
minutes left to go, they got all their timeouts left,
Kirby refuses to punt well into their own territory. They
(22:59):
fumble inside their own thirty and a few plays later
they are down by ten points. And they lose on
a last second field goal. I mean, do we really
think that they would have lost on a last second
field goal had they not just handed Mississippi seven points
in a four play secrets and then on third and
goal from the four with a minute left, why don't.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
You run the ball?
Speaker 3 (23:24):
You have Mississippi has no timeouts left.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
Run the ball.
Speaker 3 (23:29):
So you have worst case scenario, a fourth down field
goal to tie things up with like ten seconds left
to go by the time they get the they get
the kickoff, but instead they throw, They.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
Leave them incomplete.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
They leave Mississippi a full minute to go down and
get in the field goal. Rangs. I just I mean,
Kirby Smart's a Hall of Fame coach, but I thought
those were two huge gaffs down the stretch.
Speaker 5 (23:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
Hard for me to respond because I can't say it
any more succinctly than you just did. I would just say,
you know, amongst the people last night.
Speaker 5 (24:06):
I kind of go.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
You know, for over fifty years, I always had this
idea that when it's fourth and three from your own
thirty five or your thirty eight, like that's punt time,
especially if you have a good defense and you know,
it's like the whole world has turned upside down in
the last few years with all this going forward on
fourth down. And I would add, in addition, I agree
(24:31):
with everything you said, I would add the defensive call
that allowed that fade route. You go man and man
and you put the balls on the right hash, and
you put your safety on that hash.
Speaker 5 (24:44):
So you're leaving.
Speaker 4 (24:45):
You're leaving everybody else on an island over there where
they you know they've got they're down to seconds. And
it's a very common play. You know, I had my
kids here, and we would call that black star Hawk
black because it's left, not right. Brown is because the
second letter in black is an L. Brown would be
the second letter is an right, so.
Speaker 5 (25:07):
It would be to the right. But it was.
Speaker 4 (25:10):
Very, very ubiquitous concept in both college and pro. But
you do not want to leave a slot fade what's
called the number two counting outside in the number two
on a fade ball with no safety even close to
being able to help, because when when when that receiver
starts to go inside, he has to honor it. He's
(25:31):
the the dB in essence, has a three way cover.
The guy's in the slot, so he has to defend
an outbreaking route, and it could be an outbreaking speed route.
Not just to comeback because he's far enough from the sideline,
he has to defend a crossing route, he's got to
defend a vertical and and you know.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
Just brutally poor.
Speaker 8 (25:53):
I was like, what are they doing calling that defense
and allowing that fade ball to get hit and you know,
of course then the field goal, but.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
Almost almost threw it away before the field goal. Why
are you throwing the ball when you're already in field
goal range with twenty seconds left to go.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
They almost threw a pick on the out route. That
was the time. I was like, holy smokes man, some of.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
The decisions these coaches made down the stretch was incredible.
Speaker 4 (26:25):
Yeah, but you know, if they if they just if
they don't try and get more yards and then they
end up missing the long field goal. I know that
guy was just you know, like Legatron, just.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
Run it for three and kick it down to five
ticket down to six seconds left, and then.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
If you have you know, then kick the ball.
Speaker 4 (26:42):
Yeah exactly, Well that the kid was white hot. I understand.
You know, that's that's one of the things that's problem.
You know, you're making ten million dollars, but you're as
a coach, well that guy is and not all Missus coach,
but you know, you're making millions of dollars to be
a head coach, and you're dependent on, you know, twenty
year olds, twenty one year olds to make good decisions
(27:03):
in the absolute crucible of pressure. And yeah, they were
fortunate there that certainly could have been picked. But there's
there's enough mistakes that we've described there that I'm sure
Kirby smart and I agree, you know, he's no worse
than a top two or three coaching this in college football,
you know, by anybody's standards. And yet I think he
(27:26):
was staring at the ceiling for a long time, probably
until the sun came up, no question about it.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
We'll talk about the other two games a little bit
later on.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
We know one guy, Jackson, that's pretty fired about about
one of the games we haven't talked about yet, that
Miami victory. Yeah, Lee Sterling are handicapper and lifelong Miami
Hurricane fan. He was at the game that they beat
Ohio State. We'll talk to him coming up next on
night three point three KJRFM, It's.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Time for our weekly visit with gambling expert Lee Sterling.
The paramount sports brought to you by bail Breaker Brewing,
wherevery Hawk has grown in the Yakama Valley family owned
bold and proudly Pacific Northwest grabbed their flagship top Cutter
ipa a citrusy. Find Forward Classic at your local grocery
store or visit dep rooms in Seattle and Yekamon. Now
(28:12):
with Lee Sterly, here's Sathian.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Did Safian deck without the soft one?
Speaker 3 (28:17):
But Jackson, I'm about to talk to someone that is
positively glowing.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Yeah, I would imagine there's no question that.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
Miami Hurricane lifelong fan Lee Sterling is positively glowing right now,
as is his record on our show forty seven thirty
seven and one that's positively glowing as well. Lee.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Have you come down off your high yet? My friend? Congratulations?
Speaker 6 (28:42):
Thank you? Not even close. One of the greatest, maybe
the greatest road game in Miami history as far as
I'm concerned. I mean, I know we won the national
championship the Rose Bowl over Nebraska, and we had to
wait twenty three years, and during those twenty three years
it has not been great football. So I think you
(29:02):
know it was. It was redemption walking out of there,
I did shed a few tears.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
All right, Well, you got a legit shot. Two more
to go. You got a legit shot. Let's head to
the NFL. We've got division championship weekend and a couple
of these in a couple of these divisions. Let's start
with the AFC North. This one always seems like a battle.
It always seems like the underdog covers in this series.
Pittsburgh minus three and a half against Baltimore.
Speaker 6 (29:30):
What do you think, Well, Pittsburgh, if you watch your offense,
it is a tough watch right now. I mean without
Metcalf and also Washington, I don't know how they're going
to generate offense. So you know, maybe they get some
turnovers or you know they're going to be at home.
But even if Tyler Huntly plays and not Lamar Jackson,
(29:53):
I feel comfortable. He completed over seventy seven percent of
his passes. He didn't look when he was good good
and when he didn't mind me these other teams. But
he looks comfortable in this system. They have a great
running game with Henry. You know, the special teams have
been probably a little bit better than Pittsburgh. Also, so
you hate the lay points on the road in Pittsburgh,
(30:14):
but I think they're begging you to go the other
way here and take Pittsburgh. I'm not going to fall
from the trap. I like Baltimore here twenty to.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
Ten, Baltimore twenty to Ooh okay, double digit win for
the Baltimore Ravens. All Right Division Championship Game number two.
Tampa Bay minus two and a half against Carolina, the
team the Seahawks just took care of business against.
Speaker 6 (30:36):
Yep. Yeah, the Bucks only win since midseason or against
six and ten New Orleans, three and thirteen Arizona since
Week ten. The Bucks defense you're talking about falling off
a clip twenty eight ETA per play allowed twenty six
and success rate allowed twenty eighth and passing success rate.
(30:57):
The defense, I mean they're down to bear bones. They
lost an another defensive lineman, another linebacker, and also another
defensive back last week. They just can't make tackles in
space here. I like Carolina. Carolina, when you expect something,
they usually don't do well. But I think they match
up well with Tampa Bay. I think the wrong team's favorite.
(31:18):
I think they win this game here twenty three twenty.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
All right, going with the dogs, all right, Chicago against Detroit.
This line keeps creeping up, up up. I've seen it
at two, I've seen it at three. It's up to five.
Now Chicago. The money pouring in on the Bears against Detroit, and.
Speaker 6 (31:33):
I think this is personal for Chicago. You know, since
the Week two blowout with Detroit scored over fifty points,
they've fallen off of the cliff. Their defense, their cornerbacks,
they can't cover anyone. Also, their linebackers in space are
not great. Also, this Chicago team has figured it out here,
and obviously they're head coach being coached, being the offensive
(31:56):
coordinator last year in Detroit. It's personal, so I think
he's going to go for the jugular. They want the
number two spot in the AFC so they can get
a couple of home games here. And I just think
Detroit's defense is that bad here and even their offensive
line not the same. Let's take Chicago. They get the
revenge for that fifty two. I think it was twenty
one to thirty one loss Week two. Chicago pretty big here,
(32:19):
thirty one seventeen.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
All right, we had to the NFC East to another
team fighting for playoff positioning Philadelphia minus four against Washington.
Speaker 6 (32:28):
Yeah, and even if the Eagles elect to sit some starters,
I think that they're just going to overwhelm Washington here.
So Tanner McKee the quarterback, I think they're still in
good hands. If Jalen Hurts doesn't play, it's not like
he's been great here. So they rested starters in Week
eighteen last year against the Giants and the Eagles won
(32:49):
and covered that game. He was twenty seven for forty
one through the air, two sixty nine, two touchdowns and
no interceptions in that game. So underrated guy here and
Nick sore. He wants to win and I think he
just wants to get a little momentum also going into
the playoffs. Here, give me Philadelphia thirty to seventeen.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
Alright, he likes the Eagles.
Speaker 3 (33:09):
Now the one we've been waiting for Lee and the
Seattle Seahawks. I've started the money talking about the money
being on the Hawks, and it started to pick Hawks,
then went to one and a half. It's crept up
to two. I've seen it as high as two and
a half. What do you think Seahawks against San Francisco?
Speaker 6 (33:25):
Well Brock party last week was incredible. Rarely do you
see two quarterbacks that hot, and you know if he
just is average in this game. I think Seattle has
a big advantage their defense. The last five weeks along
just fourteen point four points per game. Since Week eight,
the Seattle defense number one in EPA per play allowed
(33:45):
San Francisco twenty six. So San Francisco's battling a lot
of injuries and a lot of things have to go right,
I think for San Francisco, and I don't see Sam
Darnold throwing four interceptions again. Here shit the division crown
here twenty eight to twenty over San Francisco.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
Lamas, you're riding with the favorites in Seattle, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore,
taking a dog in Carolina. Now your game of the week.
I love the game of the week. By the way,
Rams minus seven and a half against Arizona. Where can
we get your pick on that one?
Speaker 6 (34:19):
Yeah, you want to get the right side. Just called
eight hundred four hundred nine seven four one. Give me
the Rams in Arizona for free. Eight hundred four hundred
nine seven four to one and we're rolling here. You
want to get with us, you can go with us.
It's called the Jackpot January Special every game from tonight
all the way through the Super Bowl. So you're gonna
get two more rounds college football Playoffs. You're gonna get
(34:41):
Week eighteen of the NFL. You're gonna get the entire
playoffs to the super Bowl, and the top ten Super
Bowl props, including my daughter's pick on the National Anthem
where she's won nine to the last ten show. You
want to hop on board to ninety seven, use coupon
code save two hundred. It brings the price down from
four ninety seven to two ninety seven. Tupunt code save
(35:04):
two hundred just one place, Paramount sports dot com.
Speaker 1 (35:08):
Thank you, Lee.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
We want to be glowing tomorrow at eight o'clock our
time like you were glowing last night at eight o'clock
your time.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
All right, That's that's kind of what we want to
be feeling tomorrow night.
Speaker 6 (35:18):
Sounds like a plan, all right, Thanks.
Speaker 3 (35:20):
Brover, Talking you next week, Lee Sterlink, Paramount Sports, Paramount
sports dot com. He has got his picks Baltimore, Carolina, Chicago, Philadelphia,
and Seattle in his Game of the Week.
Speaker 1 (35:30):
You can call and get.
Speaker 3 (35:31):
Data Rams and Arizona the coach will join Hugh and
myself coming up right after Top of the Hour headlines.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
Mike Homber next on ninety three point three KJFM.
Dave 'Softy' Mahler and Dick Fain News
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.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Two Guys, Five Rings: Matt, Bowen & The Olympics
Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.