October 30, 2024 • 19 mins
Kevin Harlan of Westwood One, CBS, and TNT joins Dave Softy Mahler to talk about the Seahawks getting blown out by the Bills, his busy recent schedule, Russell Wilson having a comeback year, the unbeaten Chiefs, Aaron Rodgers, and the wild NFC West.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
They are NFL champions.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
The Seattlesyhawks have won Super Bowl forty eight.
Speaker 3 (00:05):
As part of our non stop coverage of the NFL,
this is Softy's weekly visit with Kevin Harlan.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
He's a bulldozer. He's a beast, brought.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
To you by the Emerald Queen Casino, the vetting capital
of the Northwest.
Speaker 4 (00:18):
He was like that pincall banging off, buddy.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
He's a twenty three yard catch it run.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Come down to the beautiful EQC Sportsbook to bet, watch
and win all season log.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
If the touchdown is the touchdown, it's graphite purse.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
On Sports Radio ninety three point three KJR FM, de
bank is.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Calvin Austin and about the forty for the Steelers. Giants
will punt it with man Hawk back pettling and looking
into the lines of the twenty seven yard line. Austin's
got it runs from the near side of the field
of the far breaking the tackle thirty part sideline, forty
part sideline, fifty flags down.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
He's have a thirty got a back thirty far sideline,
twenty ten chase to the fight touchdown, have a pup return.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
For the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Here seventy four yard return to take the lead.
Speaker 5 (01:06):
I want to call right there by our guy every
single Wednesday right here on ninety three to three kJ AARFM.
We are just unbelievably lucky to have what I would
call one of just the great communicators in the sports
play by play business. Really, just a pioneer and a
guy who's busting his ass coast to coast, state to state,
(01:26):
time zone to time zone, all courtesy of the Ameral Quincas. See,
you know the NFL in Westwood won the NFL and
cbsur buddy, Kevin Arlin, how are you nice?
Speaker 6 (01:35):
Thank you very much for this kind words. Good to
be on with you, Dave. And I was a little
surprised by your score with the Bills this Test week.
And I've got the Bills Sunday against Miami. They've got
great momentum, the quarterback is playing lights out. Amari Cooper
certainly helps him. But I didn't see that kind of
(01:56):
game coming for the Seahawks quite frankly up there.
Speaker 5 (01:59):
Yeah, they just got destroyed obviously, just could not really
do much offensively. You know, they could not score in
the red zone. They had all kinds of wacky stuff
had a snap go over Gino's head, stepped on the
center's foot on fourth down and just turned the ball over.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
But I don't know. Four and four.
Speaker 5 (02:16):
They're Seahawks fans. Some of them are a little panicky
in the streets about Ryan Grubb and and Mike McDonald
the future of the team or these guys really the answer?
Why don't you kind of talk to that segment of
the fan base that's a little bit on edge right now?
Speaker 6 (02:30):
Love your coach. I think I think Grub is the
right guy that whole division. Three of the four teams
or four and four, yep, that's the NFL. I think
I think you go. If you can get through Thanksgiving
and be five hundred, yours is in good as shape
(02:51):
is anybody except maybe the Chiefs, maybe Detroit, just a
few select teams. Right around five hundred after Thanksgiving is
a good place to be. And listen, I don't know
that a lot of people had you pegged to go,
you know, much above five hundred this year, And I
think I think you're kind of right on schedule, quite frankly.
(03:12):
First year coach, new system, new voice, new coordinator, new scheme.
You know, a lot going on there clearly. So I
say you take it and say born for good. Some
of the games we've won, yep, maybe we shouldn't, you know,
some of the games we've lost. Kind of rub your
hands together. But I think FOREI and four is fine.
Speaker 5 (03:32):
Well, I gotta be honest with you. I wasn't planning
on talking about the Bills game to start this off.
I'm trying to kind of forget what I saw on
Sunday to be honest with you.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
But I I just.
Speaker 5 (03:41):
Want people to know what you're up to, because your
schedule right now is just silly. I mean, listen, young man,
You're not sixty five years old anymore, all right, and
at some point you got to just pick and choose
the games and slow down a little bit. I'm calling you.
You're on a plane, You're heading to Kansas City. You're
on the road from the NBA going back.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
To the NFL. What is your last week and a
half look like? Man?
Speaker 6 (04:05):
Uh? It was. It was pretty pretty challenging, quite frankly,
but I said to my wife that that this is
this is the worst two weeks of the of the
year in terms of just a lot of travel. And
we were in Vegas doing the Chiefs on Sunday. Flew
to Detroit that night, so at least they get halfway
(04:27):
to Pittsburgh and slept at the Detroit airport and then flew. Uh,
I'm flewing the Pittsburgh day to that game Monday night
and then early flight to San Francisco on Tuesday. Did
the game last night. And that came off the two
games in the NBA last week in Boston and in Dallas.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (04:48):
After the game in Tampa on on and I don't
even know where my Monday, where my Sunday game was
before that. It was a challenging couple of weeks. But
always enjoy it. I'm not sixty five, by the way,
I'm sixty to just make sure we got the numbers correct.
I'm definitely in the fourth quarter, but still enough energy
(05:09):
to get through that week. And there are a couple
like that that the tournament's tournament in the NCAA tournaments
a little bit. Yeah, rug it, but you enjoy it.
We enjoy your job sometimes that the time flies. That's
literally and figuratively, well, yeah, is how it's been over
the last two weeks.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
You're an animal, There's no question about that.
Speaker 5 (05:27):
Kevin Harlan's with us on the radio show, and why
don't we just go back to Monday night, the Pittsburgh
game against the Giants. Russell Wilson does it again. I
got in the car and heard your call of his
fumble and then heard TJ. Watt get the ball back
either a play or a couple of plays later. But
I don't know, man, it kind of feels like the
Russell Wilson comeback train has left the station.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Man. The hype is not out of control.
Speaker 6 (05:52):
Yeah, you know, he's got a great voice in his
head with Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith is their offensive coordinator,
and he's done a great job with both quarterbacks, both
him and Justin Fields. And they may have the best
quarterback situation aside from the Chiefs in the NFL. They've
got a quality backup. Russell is clearly the choice. He
(06:15):
looks he looks different, quite frankly, than he did in Denver.
I don't know, you know, you know, Pete had away
handling him up there. Sean Payton's is a He's a
tough one. He demands a lot and sometimes that resonates
and sometimes it doesn't. And I just don't I think
(06:35):
from the beginning. Russell felt like it was and maybe
Sean felt this way too, like it was not the
match that you would draw up on paper. You know,
Russell was there before Sean was in Denver, it just
never took hold. Right Now, he goes to a place
that wanted him, with the coach that wanted him, and
(06:57):
they're a mature team and they're ready to go, and
he's the right quarterback at the right time. He's doing
everything they need him to do. And I just think
his body language, his demeanor, his pocket deportment, everything about
what he's doing on and off the field just feels
like the right fit for him at this stage of
(07:18):
his career.
Speaker 5 (07:19):
No, there's no doubt, and it kind of feels like
Tomlin played this perfectly that Hey, let's just make sure
everybody knows what Justin Fields is all about. Show that
what he's all about, and then bring in Russell and
there's no controversy whatsoever.
Speaker 6 (07:34):
You nailed it. That's exactly what it is. You can
always you can always go back to Fields if something happens.
And he had five touchdowns and one interception. He led
him do a nice record four and two. Russell naw
has come in. They've won two straight with him as
the quarterback, and just their defense is high caliber, their
(07:58):
offense has enough, and they've got the right quarterback. I
mean Pittsford now to me becomes a team with Baltimore,
with Buffalo and clearly the Chiefs to watch and uh
and by the way, Denver, I think Denver's about five
hundred and and they're not too bad with the rookie
quarterback either. They're and the and the Chargers are gonna
(08:20):
are gonna push as well. That coach will not let
them slide. So there are a lot of good teams
to watch in the AFC. For sure, Houston clearly at
six and two, but but they've got to stay healthy,
and it seems like week by week they're losing one
important piece after another. Now I think they're gonna get
Nico Collins back from the IR. They got one game
(08:40):
left then a bye and then I think heat can
come off of ir and and that will help them.
But losing Digs, make no mistake about it, Losing Digs
is a big blow to that offense.
Speaker 5 (08:52):
Well, Denver's Denvers five and three, I mean being pretty
impressive with the that's right, I mean you were close.
You said they're around five hundred, and I guess they're
you know whatever, but they're right career close.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Yeah, that's all.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
That's all we expect that he is. Just be in
the vicinity and you're fine. Uh, but you're in but
you're in Kansas City.
Speaker 6 (09:14):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (09:14):
Obviously when you're back home and the Chiefs are seven
and zero, they're at home on Monday night right against Tampa. Uh,
Denver's at home in a couple of weeks, maybe you'll
have that game for CBS. Who knows, but I mean
it's unly. Yeah, there you go, so we will know
where will Kevin be for Sunday in a couple of
weeks from now? At what point do people start talking
(09:35):
about this Chiefs team making some history. I know they
got ten games to go, still over half the year,
but you know that fan base out there, Mann, at
what point are people going to start keeping an eye
on the chief schedule and wondering where that first loss
is coming from?
Speaker 6 (09:49):
Well, they gave up Ontom kind of last year, A
lot of the league did. When they're their offense wasn't
doing anything and they were kind of, you know, wandering around.
They did win the division, and and then they got
hot when they us that Christmas Day game to the Raiders.
They went on and rattled off six straight wins, and
now they've got an undefeated record in the seven to
(10:09):
zero after this past weekend in Vegas. And I guess
when you see that record, you're expecting a lot of fireworks, right,
You're saying, Wow, this offense, Mahomes, they must just be
blistering opponents. Well that has not been the case, but
they played winning football. In fact, they're the poster child
(10:29):
right now probably for playing complimentary football. Their kicking game
is terrific. They at the number one punter, They got
a kicker in Bucker who second to none in the league.
Their defense is highly ranked top five in all the
significant categories. And the quarterback is playing well enough to
win and not costing him with mistakes. And so the
(10:49):
complimentary football that they're doing with all three phases truly
is the hallmark of the season so far. I think
that when Hopkins DeAndre Hopkins, who they got trade last week,
I think when he gets up to speed and he
really is in that playbook and with this team for
a month and after Thanksgiving, I think they're gonna take
(11:10):
off offensively. You know, they've been decimated by a few
other teams have been at receiver, and they lost their
number one running back, but they they have patched up
the running back with the guy they've had before in
Kareem Hunt, who is serviceable to good. He's not the checko,
but he's serviceable to good. They have, they've they've tried
to rebuild their receiving core with the trade for Hopkins,
(11:33):
and I think that's going to prove they've got significant
talent at tight end. Even though Kelsey began the season slow,
the last four games, I think he's now got twenty six,
twenty seven, twenty eight passes, so he is has got
his legs under him. He's in shape, and and he
is he is at thirty five on a historical march,
(11:54):
individually and with his quarterback, as long as the defense
is intact, and it is, and as long as Mahomes
is back there and only getting better. He threw his
first touchdown pass for the months last week in Vegas.
I see that the Chiefs now only becoming better as
it goes on, as opposed to to finding any you know,
(12:15):
speed bumps along the way. They'll they'll have the challenges
for sure.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (12:20):
But but but they're terrific and like we said, the
only unbeaten team in pro football.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Kevin Harlan's with us. Kevin. The Jets have lost five
in a row.
Speaker 5 (12:30):
They're two and six, they're seasons falling apart, obviously. Uh,
they got Houston Thursday night, and then they're at a
better kind of uh you know, uh resurgent Arizona team
a little bit here. I guess my question is, do
you see any possibility Rodgers just shuts this whole thing down?
I mean, if they end up going you know, two
and eight, you know, three and nine, whatever, and they're
(12:50):
just done, you think he'll just shut her down.
Speaker 6 (12:54):
Well, he's got so much guaranteed money coming to him,
and they're on the hook next year for his cap number.
So that's gonna be a significant thing for them to
deal with this and next year. I don't know his
his his game is different. First of all, he's he'll
be forty one in December. He's coming off a torn achilles.
(13:16):
I don't care if for twenty one or forty one,
you don't come back in a year and look the same.
You just don't like an a C L mcl. It
just takes time, and he's in that world right now.
Adams will be better as they go along. They got
a first class running back. Their offensive line we knew
it was going to be suspect and it's proven to
(13:36):
be that way. And their defense is just not doing
the job. Gardner is not what he's been at the
corner That was the best tandem, him and him and
Read at those cornerback positions, and they just have not
been great like you would think they would be. So
I don't know, that's a tough situation.
Speaker 5 (13:56):
Well, and how about that Cardinal team. I mean, right now,
they're just tied for first place in the NFC West.
I mean, obviously you know it's a long way to go,
but I mean there were a lot of people over
the offseas. I remember Dick and I Kevin talking about
Arizona that some folks thought they'd be better, and I
was like, based on what they didn't do much over
the offseason. I mean, if you think that Kyler Murray
just takes a step, then I guess fine, But is
(14:16):
this an area. I mean, this is an Arizona football
team that right now, if the playoffs began today.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
They're in and the Niners and Seahawks are out.
Speaker 6 (14:24):
It meant something. I know it. I know it. And
the Rams are going to get healthier. Yeah, they're bringing
back guys that week after week. They were so limited
in their playbook in LA with the Rams that Stafford
was using about twenty percent of the one hundred. Now
they got in Mikua and they got Cooper cutback and
that changes them. They got the running back, and they
(14:44):
got the QB getting healthier on the line. That team
is going to make a researcher. So keep your eye
on the Rams. I did not see this out of
the Cardinals. I do think Murray Kyler Murray has taken
this season about as serious as he's taken any seasons
were played college or pro. Now. This is a decorated
guy in college and high school, and and his pro
(15:06):
game has been predicated by in the in the view
of some, with not keeping his nose in the book,
not being the most diligent preparer. And I think those
things have changed this year. And he's got the big
contract already, but he seems to be different on the
field and off clearly, and I think that's making a difference.
(15:30):
He's got Connor in the backfield, They've got receiving talent,
and and they just kind of been under under the radar,
you know. Quite frankly, if you would name any team
in the league aside from Carolina and Arizona, might be
that that one more anonymous team, one of the most
anonymous teams in pro football. There are not a lot
(15:51):
of identifiable player, but a Baker. I mean, like they
get that. They got a couple of Every team's got
a couple of guys that stand out, but the majority
of that team is very cool because they've not been
good for so long, and now at four and four,
this is a team that clearly, you know, you go
into Miami and beat two in his comeback with the
Dolphins last week, that's a big win across the country.
(16:12):
That's a huge win for that team. And and and
Jonathan Gannon, they've really done a very nice job there.
I'm I'm I'm I'm about as surprised about the Cardinals
as any team in Pro football. And the quarterback and
the way he's handling himself. I'm glad to see that
that kid's got a ton of talent. Yeah, they don't
have a lot of size, we know that, but he's
(16:33):
got a ton of talent.
Speaker 5 (16:34):
You know, some people might be surprised that Joe Burrow's
leading the league in QBR right now, by the way,
and Jared Goff's like twenty second in the NFL. But
there's a lot of folks talking about Jared Goffer the MVP,
and nobody's talking about Joe Burrow because the Bengals stink.
And there's Mahomes and there's Josh Allen, there's Lamar Jackson.
This feels like is tight at MVP races.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
We've had in a while.
Speaker 5 (16:54):
If I had to pin you down and say, all right,
kind of halfway is point of the year, who's your MVP.
Speaker 6 (17:01):
Well, until they lost in Cleveland, I was gonna say
Lamar Jackson or or or Derrick Henry or one of
the two maybe co MVPs. The way that they were
playing beginning oh and two, then winning four straight, and
and you know, I, I don't know, I don't I
don't know what happened. Jameis Winston came off the bench,
and finally Cleveland, who everybody thought going into the season,
(17:24):
had the roster. They people loved their roster and and
admittedly it was it was it was solid. And and
now they got a quarterback. You know, Watson can't can't
do it, and he's gone for the year. And Jameis Winston.
You know, at this stage, he's a veteran quarterback. He
knows the plays. Uh, he's call in the pocket, he's
(17:44):
got a lot to prove. Little chip on his shoulder perhaps,
and he came out there and gave them hope. And
in Cleveland with that roster and now a quarterback, legitimate quarterback,
you're gonna have to watch them. And and Baltimore may
have taken the off the gas a little off this
game against the Browns this past weekend and they got caught.
(18:05):
They dropped a couple of shoe interceptions Hamilton won late
in the game. That would have made such a difference
and closed the book and they would have had a win.
And as it stands right now, you know, Baltimore is
in back of Pittsburgh in that division and Cleveland you
got to keep your eye on them. And then you
say Cincinnati and Burrow has played great, he's healthy and
(18:25):
he's played great. His line's okay, his weapons are there,
but they have no defense. They they've lost so many
important defensive parts. They can't stop anybody on defense. So
it's like score US thirty four, get US thirty seven,
and we'll roll the ice. We'll take our chances because
their defense is just so porous.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
They can't be stopped, and you can't be stopped.
Speaker 5 (18:47):
Hardest working man in broadcast radio and TV. Kevin Harley
got Dolphins Bill Sunday, so we won't play. Where will
Kevin be Sunday because we know Dolphins Bill's on Sunday
on CBS. And then you got the game on Monday night.
Back at home with the Bucks and Chiefs in Kansas City.
All right, listen, get home, get your favorite PJS on uh,
get your favorite soup, get in bed, cuddle up, hug
(19:10):
your wife, get your favorite TV show one, get some rest,
and we'll talk in a week.
Speaker 6 (19:13):
All right, man, all right, Dave, thank you so much.
Always good to be out with your time.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
You're the best.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
Kevin Harlan with us off courtesy the Emerald Queen. We're
gonna break a lot more to come from the five
twenty bar and grow here on a Wednesday night because
we're off tomorrow for kracking at three point thirty and
four with Tronto Right Here on ninety three three KJRFM
They are NFL champions.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
The Seattlesyhawks have won Super Bowl forty eight.
Speaker 3 (00:05):
As part of our non stop coverage of the NFL,
this is Softy's weekly visit with Kevin Harlan.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
He's a bulldozer. He's a beast, brought.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
To you by the Emerald Queen Casino, the vetting capital
of the Northwest.
Speaker 4 (00:18):
He was like that pincall banging off, buddy.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
He's a twenty three yard catch it run.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Come down to the beautiful EQC Sportsbook to bet, watch
and win all season log.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
If the touchdown is the touchdown, it's graphite purse.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
On Sports Radio ninety three point three KJR FM, de
bank is.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Calvin Austin and about the forty for the Steelers. Giants
will punt it with man Hawk back pettling and looking
into the lines of the twenty seven yard line. Austin's
got it runs from the near side of the field
of the far breaking the tackle thirty part sideline, forty
part sideline, fifty flags down.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
He's have a thirty got a back thirty far sideline,
twenty ten chase to the fight touchdown, have a pup return.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
For the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Here seventy four yard return to take the lead.
Speaker 5 (01:06):
I want to call right there by our guy every
single Wednesday right here on ninety three to three kJ AARFM.
We are just unbelievably lucky to have what I would
call one of just the great communicators in the sports
play by play business. Really, just a pioneer and a
guy who's busting his ass coast to coast, state to state,
(01:26):
time zone to time zone, all courtesy of the Ameral Quincas. See,
you know the NFL in Westwood won the NFL and
cbsur buddy, Kevin Arlin, how are you nice?
Speaker 6 (01:35):
Thank you very much for this kind words. Good to
be on with you, Dave. And I was a little
surprised by your score with the Bills this Test week.
And I've got the Bills Sunday against Miami. They've got
great momentum, the quarterback is playing lights out. Amari Cooper
certainly helps him. But I didn't see that kind of
(01:56):
game coming for the Seahawks quite frankly up there.
Speaker 5 (01:59):
Yeah, they just got destroyed obviously, just could not really
do much offensively. You know, they could not score in
the red zone. They had all kinds of wacky stuff
had a snap go over Gino's head, stepped on the
center's foot on fourth down and just turned the ball over.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
But I don't know. Four and four.
Speaker 5 (02:16):
They're Seahawks fans. Some of them are a little panicky
in the streets about Ryan Grubb and and Mike McDonald
the future of the team or these guys really the answer?
Why don't you kind of talk to that segment of
the fan base that's a little bit on edge right now?
Speaker 6 (02:30):
Love your coach. I think I think Grub is the
right guy that whole division. Three of the four teams
or four and four, yep, that's the NFL. I think
I think you go. If you can get through Thanksgiving
and be five hundred, yours is in good as shape
(02:51):
is anybody except maybe the Chiefs, maybe Detroit, just a
few select teams. Right around five hundred after Thanksgiving is
a good place to be. And listen, I don't know
that a lot of people had you pegged to go,
you know, much above five hundred this year, And I
think I think you're kind of right on schedule, quite frankly.
(03:12):
First year coach, new system, new voice, new coordinator, new scheme.
You know, a lot going on there clearly. So I
say you take it and say born for good. Some
of the games we've won, yep, maybe we shouldn't, you know,
some of the games we've lost. Kind of rub your
hands together. But I think FOREI and four is fine.
Speaker 5 (03:32):
Well, I gotta be honest with you. I wasn't planning
on talking about the Bills game to start this off.
I'm trying to kind of forget what I saw on
Sunday to be honest with you.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
But I I just.
Speaker 5 (03:41):
Want people to know what you're up to, because your
schedule right now is just silly. I mean, listen, young man,
You're not sixty five years old anymore, all right, and
at some point you got to just pick and choose
the games and slow down a little bit. I'm calling you.
You're on a plane, You're heading to Kansas City. You're
on the road from the NBA going back.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
To the NFL. What is your last week and a
half look like? Man?
Speaker 6 (04:05):
Uh? It was. It was pretty pretty challenging, quite frankly,
but I said to my wife that that this is
this is the worst two weeks of the of the
year in terms of just a lot of travel. And
we were in Vegas doing the Chiefs on Sunday. Flew
to Detroit that night, so at least they get halfway
(04:27):
to Pittsburgh and slept at the Detroit airport and then flew. Uh,
I'm flewing the Pittsburgh day to that game Monday night
and then early flight to San Francisco on Tuesday. Did
the game last night. And that came off the two
games in the NBA last week in Boston and in Dallas.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (04:48):
After the game in Tampa on on and I don't
even know where my Monday, where my Sunday game was
before that. It was a challenging couple of weeks. But
always enjoy it. I'm not sixty five, by the way,
I'm sixty to just make sure we got the numbers correct.
I'm definitely in the fourth quarter, but still enough energy
(05:09):
to get through that week. And there are a couple
like that that the tournament's tournament in the NCAA tournaments
a little bit. Yeah, rug it, but you enjoy it.
We enjoy your job sometimes that the time flies. That's
literally and figuratively, well, yeah, is how it's been over
the last two weeks.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
You're an animal, There's no question about that.
Speaker 5 (05:27):
Kevin Harlan's with us on the radio show, and why
don't we just go back to Monday night, the Pittsburgh
game against the Giants. Russell Wilson does it again. I
got in the car and heard your call of his
fumble and then heard TJ. Watt get the ball back
either a play or a couple of plays later. But
I don't know, man, it kind of feels like the
Russell Wilson comeback train has left the station.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Man. The hype is not out of control.
Speaker 6 (05:52):
Yeah, you know, he's got a great voice in his
head with Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith is their offensive coordinator,
and he's done a great job with both quarterbacks, both
him and Justin Fields. And they may have the best
quarterback situation aside from the Chiefs in the NFL. They've
got a quality backup. Russell is clearly the choice. He
(06:15):
looks he looks different, quite frankly, than he did in Denver.
I don't know, you know, you know, Pete had away
handling him up there. Sean Payton's is a He's a
tough one. He demands a lot and sometimes that resonates
and sometimes it doesn't. And I just don't I think
(06:35):
from the beginning. Russell felt like it was and maybe
Sean felt this way too, like it was not the
match that you would draw up on paper. You know,
Russell was there before Sean was in Denver, it just
never took hold. Right Now, he goes to a place
that wanted him, with the coach that wanted him, and
(06:57):
they're a mature team and they're ready to go, and
he's the right quarterback at the right time. He's doing
everything they need him to do. And I just think
his body language, his demeanor, his pocket deportment, everything about
what he's doing on and off the field just feels
like the right fit for him at this stage of
(07:18):
his career.
Speaker 5 (07:19):
No, there's no doubt, and it kind of feels like
Tomlin played this perfectly that Hey, let's just make sure
everybody knows what Justin Fields is all about. Show that
what he's all about, and then bring in Russell and
there's no controversy whatsoever.
Speaker 6 (07:34):
You nailed it. That's exactly what it is. You can
always you can always go back to Fields if something happens.
And he had five touchdowns and one interception. He led
him do a nice record four and two. Russell naw
has come in. They've won two straight with him as
the quarterback, and just their defense is high caliber, their
(07:58):
offense has enough, and they've got the right quarterback. I
mean Pittsford now to me becomes a team with Baltimore,
with Buffalo and clearly the Chiefs to watch and uh
and by the way, Denver, I think Denver's about five
hundred and and they're not too bad with the rookie
quarterback either. They're and the and the Chargers are gonna
(08:20):
are gonna push as well. That coach will not let
them slide. So there are a lot of good teams
to watch in the AFC. For sure, Houston clearly at
six and two, but but they've got to stay healthy,
and it seems like week by week they're losing one
important piece after another. Now I think they're gonna get
Nico Collins back from the IR. They got one game
(08:40):
left then a bye and then I think heat can
come off of ir and and that will help them.
But losing Digs, make no mistake about it, Losing Digs
is a big blow to that offense.
Speaker 5 (08:52):
Well, Denver's Denvers five and three, I mean being pretty
impressive with the that's right, I mean you were close.
You said they're around five hundred, and I guess they're
you know whatever, but they're right career close.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Yeah, that's all.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
That's all we expect that he is. Just be in
the vicinity and you're fine. Uh, but you're in but
you're in Kansas City.
Speaker 6 (09:14):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (09:14):
Obviously when you're back home and the Chiefs are seven
and zero, they're at home on Monday night right against Tampa. Uh,
Denver's at home in a couple of weeks, maybe you'll
have that game for CBS. Who knows, but I mean
it's unly. Yeah, there you go, so we will know
where will Kevin be for Sunday in a couple of
weeks from now? At what point do people start talking
(09:35):
about this Chiefs team making some history. I know they
got ten games to go, still over half the year,
but you know that fan base out there, Mann, at
what point are people going to start keeping an eye
on the chief schedule and wondering where that first loss
is coming from?
Speaker 6 (09:49):
Well, they gave up Ontom kind of last year, A
lot of the league did. When they're their offense wasn't
doing anything and they were kind of, you know, wandering around.
They did win the division, and and then they got
hot when they us that Christmas Day game to the Raiders.
They went on and rattled off six straight wins, and
now they've got an undefeated record in the seven to
(10:09):
zero after this past weekend in Vegas. And I guess
when you see that record, you're expecting a lot of fireworks, right,
You're saying, Wow, this offense, Mahomes, they must just be
blistering opponents. Well that has not been the case, but
they played winning football. In fact, they're the poster child
(10:29):
right now probably for playing complimentary football. Their kicking game
is terrific. They at the number one punter, They got
a kicker in Bucker who second to none in the league.
Their defense is highly ranked top five in all the
significant categories. And the quarterback is playing well enough to
win and not costing him with mistakes. And so the
(10:49):
complimentary football that they're doing with all three phases truly
is the hallmark of the season so far. I think
that when Hopkins DeAndre Hopkins, who they got trade last week,
I think when he gets up to speed and he
really is in that playbook and with this team for
a month and after Thanksgiving, I think they're gonna take
(11:10):
off offensively. You know, they've been decimated by a few
other teams have been at receiver, and they lost their
number one running back, but they they have patched up
the running back with the guy they've had before in
Kareem Hunt, who is serviceable to good. He's not the checko,
but he's serviceable to good. They have, they've they've tried
to rebuild their receiving core with the trade for Hopkins,
(11:33):
and I think that's going to prove they've got significant
talent at tight end. Even though Kelsey began the season slow,
the last four games, I think he's now got twenty six,
twenty seven, twenty eight passes, so he is has got
his legs under him. He's in shape, and and he
is he is at thirty five on a historical march,
(11:54):
individually and with his quarterback, as long as the defense
is intact, and it is, and as long as Mahomes
is back there and only getting better. He threw his
first touchdown pass for the months last week in Vegas.
I see that the Chiefs now only becoming better as
it goes on, as opposed to to finding any you know,
(12:15):
speed bumps along the way. They'll they'll have the challenges
for sure.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (12:20):
But but but they're terrific and like we said, the
only unbeaten team in pro football.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Kevin Harlan's with us. Kevin. The Jets have lost five
in a row.
Speaker 5 (12:30):
They're two and six, they're seasons falling apart, obviously. Uh,
they got Houston Thursday night, and then they're at a
better kind of uh you know, uh resurgent Arizona team
a little bit here. I guess my question is, do
you see any possibility Rodgers just shuts this whole thing down?
I mean, if they end up going you know, two
and eight, you know, three and nine, whatever, and they're
(12:50):
just done, you think he'll just shut her down.
Speaker 6 (12:54):
Well, he's got so much guaranteed money coming to him,
and they're on the hook next year for his cap number.
So that's gonna be a significant thing for them to
deal with this and next year. I don't know his
his his game is different. First of all, he's he'll
be forty one in December. He's coming off a torn achilles.
(13:16):
I don't care if for twenty one or forty one,
you don't come back in a year and look the same.
You just don't like an a C L mcl. It
just takes time, and he's in that world right now.
Adams will be better as they go along. They got
a first class running back. Their offensive line we knew
it was going to be suspect and it's proven to
(13:36):
be that way. And their defense is just not doing
the job. Gardner is not what he's been at the
corner That was the best tandem, him and him and
Read at those cornerback positions, and they just have not
been great like you would think they would be. So
I don't know, that's a tough situation.
Speaker 5 (13:56):
Well, and how about that Cardinal team. I mean, right now,
they're just tied for first place in the NFC West.
I mean, obviously you know it's a long way to go,
but I mean there were a lot of people over
the offseas. I remember Dick and I Kevin talking about
Arizona that some folks thought they'd be better, and I
was like, based on what they didn't do much over
the offseason. I mean, if you think that Kyler Murray
just takes a step, then I guess fine, But is
(14:16):
this an area. I mean, this is an Arizona football
team that right now, if the playoffs began today.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
They're in and the Niners and Seahawks are out.
Speaker 6 (14:24):
It meant something. I know it. I know it. And
the Rams are going to get healthier. Yeah, they're bringing
back guys that week after week. They were so limited
in their playbook in LA with the Rams that Stafford
was using about twenty percent of the one hundred. Now
they got in Mikua and they got Cooper cutback and
that changes them. They got the running back, and they
(14:44):
got the QB getting healthier on the line. That team
is going to make a researcher. So keep your eye
on the Rams. I did not see this out of
the Cardinals. I do think Murray Kyler Murray has taken
this season about as serious as he's taken any seasons
were played college or pro. Now. This is a decorated
guy in college and high school, and and his pro
(15:06):
game has been predicated by in the in the view
of some, with not keeping his nose in the book,
not being the most diligent preparer. And I think those
things have changed this year. And he's got the big
contract already, but he seems to be different on the
field and off clearly, and I think that's making a difference.
(15:30):
He's got Connor in the backfield, They've got receiving talent,
and and they just kind of been under under the radar,
you know. Quite frankly, if you would name any team
in the league aside from Carolina and Arizona, might be
that that one more anonymous team, one of the most
anonymous teams in pro football. There are not a lot
(15:51):
of identifiable player, but a Baker. I mean, like they
get that. They got a couple of Every team's got
a couple of guys that stand out, but the majority
of that team is very cool because they've not been
good for so long, and now at four and four,
this is a team that clearly, you know, you go
into Miami and beat two in his comeback with the
Dolphins last week, that's a big win across the country.
(16:12):
That's a huge win for that team. And and and
Jonathan Gannon, they've really done a very nice job there.
I'm I'm I'm I'm about as surprised about the Cardinals
as any team in Pro football. And the quarterback and
the way he's handling himself. I'm glad to see that
that kid's got a ton of talent. Yeah, they don't
have a lot of size, we know that, but he's
(16:33):
got a ton of talent.
Speaker 5 (16:34):
You know, some people might be surprised that Joe Burrow's
leading the league in QBR right now, by the way,
and Jared Goff's like twenty second in the NFL. But
there's a lot of folks talking about Jared Goffer the MVP,
and nobody's talking about Joe Burrow because the Bengals stink.
And there's Mahomes and there's Josh Allen, there's Lamar Jackson.
This feels like is tight at MVP races.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
We've had in a while.
Speaker 5 (16:54):
If I had to pin you down and say, all right,
kind of halfway is point of the year, who's your MVP.
Speaker 6 (17:01):
Well, until they lost in Cleveland, I was gonna say
Lamar Jackson or or or Derrick Henry or one of
the two maybe co MVPs. The way that they were
playing beginning oh and two, then winning four straight, and
and you know, I, I don't know, I don't I
don't know what happened. Jameis Winston came off the bench,
and finally Cleveland, who everybody thought going into the season,
(17:24):
had the roster. They people loved their roster and and
admittedly it was it was it was solid. And and
now they got a quarterback. You know, Watson can't can't
do it, and he's gone for the year. And Jameis Winston.
You know, at this stage, he's a veteran quarterback. He
knows the plays. Uh, he's call in the pocket, he's
(17:44):
got a lot to prove. Little chip on his shoulder perhaps,
and he came out there and gave them hope. And
in Cleveland with that roster and now a quarterback, legitimate quarterback,
you're gonna have to watch them. And and Baltimore may
have taken the off the gas a little off this
game against the Browns this past weekend and they got caught.
(18:05):
They dropped a couple of shoe interceptions Hamilton won late
in the game. That would have made such a difference
and closed the book and they would have had a win.
And as it stands right now, you know, Baltimore is
in back of Pittsburgh in that division and Cleveland you
got to keep your eye on them. And then you
say Cincinnati and Burrow has played great, he's healthy and
(18:25):
he's played great. His line's okay, his weapons are there,
but they have no defense. They they've lost so many
important defensive parts. They can't stop anybody on defense. So
it's like score US thirty four, get US thirty seven,
and we'll roll the ice. We'll take our chances because
their defense is just so porous.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
They can't be stopped, and you can't be stopped.
Speaker 5 (18:47):
Hardest working man in broadcast radio and TV. Kevin Harley
got Dolphins Bill Sunday, so we won't play. Where will
Kevin be Sunday because we know Dolphins Bill's on Sunday
on CBS. And then you got the game on Monday night.
Back at home with the Bucks and Chiefs in Kansas City.
All right, listen, get home, get your favorite PJS on uh,
get your favorite soup, get in bed, cuddle up, hug
(19:10):
your wife, get your favorite TV show one, get some rest,
and we'll talk in a week.
Speaker 6 (19:13):
All right, man, all right, Dave, thank you so much.
Always good to be out with your time.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
You're the best.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
Kevin Harlan with us off courtesy the Emerald Queen. We're
gonna break a lot more to come from the five
twenty bar and grow here on a Wednesday night because
we're off tomorrow for kracking at three point thirty and
four with Tronto Right Here on ninety three three KJRFM
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