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Goal Line: Bear Necessities
91 Plays24 days ago
The Fig God breaks down the week in football
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Transcript
Introduction and Excitement
00:00:13
Speaker
What is up, Goal Line listeners? I am back for another episode of the Goal Line podcast, and I am excited to get into all the football action from this past weekend and just kind of share all my thoughts with you guys.
00:00:26
Speaker
Again, thanks for listening and taking it slow with me as i do this by myself. I feel like it's getting easier every week, so... um I hope you guys are kind of feeling the same thing and i hope it gets better every week. like That's obviously the goal.
00:00:41
Speaker
I love just talking football and i mean really any sports with you guys. so It's a good time and I enjoy doing it. um It's week before Thanksgiving so we are deep into the holiday season now. so I hope you guys are getting everything in order for next week. and yeah let's ah Let's talk some football.
College Football Highlights
00:01:16
Speaker
All right, let's get into some college football talk. um The Huskers were on a bye this week, so don't really have anything to add for you guys there. They got Penn State this weekend in Happy Valley for a night game.
00:01:28
Speaker
i think the Big Ten just absolutely hates Nebraska and will do anything to make them lose. It's just Happy Valley on a Saturday night is not good at all for Nebraska. So we'll see how it goes.
00:01:41
Speaker
I'll be hopeful, but not looking forward to that game at all. ah Tennessee did play this weekend. They just wrecked New Mexico State. I mean, I watched a little bit of this. I didn't really give it too much time considering how many good games were on. So I'm not going to go too deep into it.
00:02:00
Speaker
Yeah, they just they looked good against a bad team. so ah Clemson upset Louisville on Friday night. it was a good win for them, but the celebration at the end was a little bit overkill. Like Dabo was celebrating like they won the national title. I know they've had their struggles this year, but for a team like Clemson to be celebrating like that after beating Louisville, I thought was kind of, don't know, it just kind seemed tacky to me, but.
00:02:26
Speaker
I get it. Winning's hard, very hard, and Dabo's definitely had a rough season, so I understand the purpose of the celebration, but considering what Clemson has done in the last 10 years, it just kind of felt like overkill to me.
00:02:41
Speaker
Michigan survives Northwestern. These games in Wrigley Field have such a ah cool aesthetic, like with with Wrigley Field as the backdrop, obviously, but it's just weird seeing a football game played there.
00:02:54
Speaker
Michigan just absolutely escaped from this game. They kicked a field goal at the very end of the game to win. Yeah.
00:03:03
Speaker
I don't know. Michigan's a weird team. One week they look really good and then the next week they look like this. It's just they're going an up and down football team all year. So we'll see where it takes them. But yeah, not not really anything to take away from Michigan in this game.
00:03:17
Speaker
Notre Dame destroyed Pitt. I had kind of touched on this last week. I just I think Notre Dame just a superior football team and they're getting hot at the right time. Jeremiah loves unreal. um Yeah, this team is just playing really well right now. And Those two early season losses haven't seemed to to bother them too much.
00:03:37
Speaker
um I mean, all likelihood is Notre Dame's going to be in the playoff at this point, barring a collapse at the end. So, yeah, we'll be seeing Notre Dame in the playoff again. Texas A&M comes back from down thirty to win 31-30 against South Carolina.
00:03:55
Speaker
They looked dead in the water in the first half. like Whatever Elko said to them at halftime, it got them going because they came out and they looked like a completely different team in the second half.
00:04:06
Speaker
um I mean, yeah, obviously they needed this win, but... Really good win. like That's crazy to come back from 30-3 at halftime and end up winning 31-30.
00:04:18
Speaker
yeah Good for A&M. USC came back against Iowa. Iowa was up early. i want to say it was 21-7. Something like that. Iowa just did not run offense at all in the second half. Not that their offense is like a world beater or anything, but USC kind of got it going offensively the second half and Iowa went in reverse. Yeah.
00:04:40
Speaker
Good win for USC. they are They're right there for playoff positioning, so it's going to be interesting. Big Ten's pretty top-heavy this year, so it'll be interesting to see how these teams play in the actual playoff because they've got teams that are right there and got about four or five teams that are that are there for the playoff. Obviously, you have Ohio State and Indiana at the top, then you have Oregon, ah USC, Michigan. like They got some teams there to to make a playoff run. so
00:05:11
Speaker
We'll see. Georgia Tech with a comeback went against Boston College. I was starting to get worried about this team. like I don't know. They just haven't looked like the same team the past couple weeks, but this was a really good win for them.
00:05:25
Speaker
um Boston College played a gutsy game, um but Georgia Tech just finds a way to win. like they're they're They're a fun team to watch, and We'll see where it goes from here. i would assume they're going to play in the ACC championship game as long as they don't completely collapse now, but...
00:05:43
Speaker
I guess we'll see. Next week's rivalry week. so They got Georgia next week. so we'll We'll see how that goes for them. um Texas Tech, man, I just... Every week I watch this team, it just it feels like we're just waiting for the other shoe to drop and feel like this team's not that good, but they are very good. They got oil money, man. that's ah They're pumping money into this team and They're playing really well. Another really big win for them this weekend. and
00:06:16
Speaker
yeah They seem like they're going to definitely be playoff bound. um Oklahoma ending Alabama's home winning streak I did not see coming. i just I did not feel like Oklahoma was a well put together football team. i mean I think I've been saying it all year. i just i'm a doubter of Oklahoma but they did it man. Ty Simpson did not look good in this game and Alabama just couldn't score enough points at the end of the game. Obviously, that's what it takes to win. But it's just, i don't know, Oklahoma just keeps playing good ball. Their defense nails.
00:06:51
Speaker
is They just look like a really good football team. They do enough offensively to win. So, yeah, maybe I should ah should stop doubting Oklahoma and get to it. Georgia rolled Texas in the second half of that game.
00:07:06
Speaker
I've been saying all year, I think Texas is kind of a letdown team. and Yeah, Georgia just absolutely pasted them. I mean, that that has to knock Texas out of the running for the playoff, you would think. It just...
00:07:20
Speaker
Georgia's getting hot at the right time. I said a couple weeks ago I didn't love what I was seeing out of Georgia, but they're getting hot now, and their offense is starting to move the ball. So, yeah, it looked like a tough team, and they're getting hot at the right time. So we'll kind of see where it takes us, but Georgia's going to be a tough out for someone in the playoff, as as they usually are. Kirby Smart's an incredible coach, so it'll be interesting to see what happens here.
00:07:45
Speaker
um That's really all the notes I had from this last weekend. The only thing that really happened of note since last week, ah James Franklin was hired yesterday or today as the coach of Virginia Tech. So,
00:07:58
Speaker
Man, talk about getting a job extremely quick, and Virginia Tech moved on him right away, which I think is a great move for them. like It just seems like he's a great coach for them, and try to get them back on track. like that this This guy can recruit. He's a good coach, so...
00:08:15
Speaker
He has trouble against the top 10, but i mean we'll see what happens. It's not like Virginia Tech is in some great spot right now, but I have faith that he can get them where they need to be. So yeah, good for Virginia Tech, good for James Franklin, and we'll just kind of see where it goes from there.
00:08:32
Speaker
Let's do some college picks. This week we've only got two ranked matchups. this This weekend is traditionally known as the SEC's cakewalk weekend. They all kind of schedule shitty teams the week before Thanksgiving, and that's this weekend, so it's going to be interesting.
00:08:51
Speaker
We do have one good SEC matchup. We have No. 23 Missouri at No. 8 Oklahoma. I can't can't doubt Oklahoma anymore. I think Oklahoma rolls Missouri. I think their defense just completely shuts Missouri down in this game. So, yeah, give me Oklahoma.
00:09:06
Speaker
And then we've got number 16, USC, at number 6, Oregon. This is going to be a good one. I really feel like this going be a good game, but I think Oregon's got too much for them.
00:09:16
Speaker
um I just i feel like Oregon's a more complete team than USC, so... We'll see on Saturday, but I just i feel like Oregon's got their number in this one. So, again, see what happens. But that's really that's it for ranked matchups this weekend.
NFL Team Struggles and Comebacks
00:09:33
Speaker
um I guess let's regrettably talk some NFL and my Falcons.
00:09:57
Speaker
All right. As I said, let's ah let's talk about the Falcons.
00:10:04
Speaker
I go deep dive on the Falcons every week, and I'm not going to stop now. Like, this team is just, don't know. It's kind of even went more off the rails since Sunday. So, yeah, it's ah let's talk about it.
00:10:18
Speaker
um They obviously lost the the Panthers in overtime. um getting swept by the Panthers is unacceptable. it's just They're not a good football team. and Falcons are also not a good football team. Apparently, this is the only team that Bryce Young just absolutely owns. He has four wins against the Falcons. He has eight wins against the rest of the NFL in his career. so yeah He owns the Falcons.
00:10:45
Speaker
Falcons were 21-7. It just seemed like they were rolling. just kind of seemed like they everything going their way. and Then In normal Falcons form, they just they falconed it up. like they just They can't get out of their own way. and It's not good. i mean The of this team are bad. It's it's very bad.
00:11:08
Speaker
The look from the outside is bad. Raheem Morris is a terrible head coach. ah just I don't know, man. It's starting to get even more frustrating at this point because i't know there's just...
00:11:24
Speaker
there's so many good players on this team. There's way too much talent for this team to be this bad. Um, Raheem Morris press conference was very telling this week.
00:11:36
Speaker
I'm just going read you guys a quote. Raheem Morris on his own leadership. Not good. We've lost five games in a row. There's no such thing as a losing team. There's a lo losing leader. We lost. I mean, he's not a good coach. Like I did I was not a fan of this hire from the start.
00:11:54
Speaker
um And it's it's gone really, really bad. So, yeah, it's not good. The Falcons were 6-3 last year. And since that time, they're 5-18.
00:12:05
Speaker
and since that time they're five and eighteen Um, the last time the Falcons had a five game losing streak during the season was week 13 through 17 in 2020.
00:12:16
Speaker
Raheem Morris was the interim head coach. Falcons were outscored by 32 points in that losing streak. Uh, Falcons in this current losing streak under Raheem Morris have been outscored by 34 points.
00:12:29
Speaker
Way too many of the same things. Close games. He doesn't know what he's doing. It's just, it's all bad. I just... don't know. And then it came out yesterday that Drake London has a sprained PCL, I think. So he's at least out this week.
00:12:45
Speaker
um Michael Penix possibly destroyed his knee again. um It sounds like he's probably out for the season either way. but So now I've got to watch Kirk Cousins every week. It's just... Everything about this team is just bad. Like, there's...
00:13:03
Speaker
There's nothing good for me to say about this team. The leadership is terrible.
00:13:09
Speaker
i don't know, man. This is probably... This is getting up there for the most deflated I've been about this franchise. It's just... Nothing seems like it's pointing up. Everything seems like it's pointing down.
00:13:23
Speaker
um Again, way too much talent for this team to be this bad. This... i don't know. They just, they gotta do something. It's just, this is a very bad football team right now. And,
00:13:36
Speaker
Yeah, top down, just not good. Not good enough. I mean, this is this is the NFL, and it's all about what you've done for me lately, and lately the Falcons have done nothing. Raheem Morris sucks. It's just Zach Robinson's a terrible offensive coordinator.
00:13:50
Speaker
i mean, for God's sakes, they give up 450 yards passing to Bryce Young in this game. Like, that's unacceptable. it It doesn't matter. ah He's not a good enough quarterback to throw for 450 yards. It's just pathetic.
00:14:06
Speaker
Yeah, it's really it about the Falcons. I mean, I don't know what else to say that you guys haven't already heard from me. It's just not good enough. ah Titans played tough.
00:14:18
Speaker
Lost to Houston and Davis Mills. It's just they just don't have a lot there. The cupboards are pretty bare. I feel bad for Cam Ward. he does He just doesn't have a lot to play off of and They just don't look like a good football team for the most part. We'll see who they hire as their coach moving forward. I mean, it's going interesting. this This coaching hire process this year is going really interesting because I don't love a lot of the candidates. So we'll kind of see how it goes, but not good.
00:14:49
Speaker
um Thursday night, Patriots beat the Jets. Patriots are now nine into Guys, I say it. This team's for real, man. Patriots are completely back. They're they just... They're a really good football team. And, yeah, it's a kind of depressing. They only had a two year two-year crappy.
00:15:12
Speaker
And now they're back. They're completely rebuilt already. It just... As a fan of a bad franchise, I mean, this is what you want your franchise to be. You want them to come back after two bad years and be good again. So they did it the right way. and It certainly looks like Drake May is their quarterback for a long time, and he's doing a lot of good things. He's thrown a lot of really good passes, and Travion Henderson is also awesome. So, yeah, Jets, I got nothing for you.
00:15:41
Speaker
uh, bills win a thriller against the bucks. This game was as advertised. Um,
00:15:49
Speaker
Josh Allen finally had one of those games this season where you're like, okay, Josh Allen is – he knows what he's – we're back with that Josh Allen. Gabe Davis came – got activated for this game.
00:16:01
Speaker
um that i't feel like that was a really good thing for Josh Allen. Keon Coleman was inactive for this game, healthy scratch, due to being late to a meeting.
00:16:12
Speaker
Everybody just said after the game he needs to grow up, so hopefully that happens. But, yeah, Josh Allen was just unreal in this game. The Bucs' defense after the first quarter just looked abysmal. ah Yeah, they're not good enough.
00:16:27
Speaker
The Bucs really need to get healthy on offense, so they need Bucky Irvin back a lot. Yeah. Tucker was really good in this game for them, but it just seems like every other part of this offense has just regressed as the season has gone on. So we'll see what happens when they get Bucky back. I still think the Bucks are going to be a good team in the playoffs, and they'll still be a tough out for anybody.
00:16:51
Speaker
Dolphins beat the Commanders in Madrid.
00:16:55
Speaker
Man, these international games are they're really getting a treat lately. Dolphins all of a sudden look like a team that actually wants to play. The last month they've definitely looked better.
00:17:09
Speaker
We'll see where it goes, but Commanders just look dead in the water, though. That team just... I know they're missing Jaden Daniels and they've had a ton of injuries this season, but just that that same magic from the first year from Dan Quinn just doesn't seem like it's there. They're just... It's just not a great team, so that's really all I can take from that game.
00:17:32
Speaker
The Jags blew out the Chargers. I don't know what it is about the Chargers, but they can just look really, really good one week, and then the next week look like they're completely inept and have no idea how to play this game.
00:17:47
Speaker
Their line cannot block for Justin Herbert. He's going get hurt back there with this line blocking for him. ah They're missing Joe Alton, Rashawn Slater, obviously. It's not helping, but nobody on this line is blocking well. It's just...
00:18:02
Speaker
Seemed like the Jags were in the backfield more than Justin Herbert was, which not good. It just Jags looked good in this game. They brought it on defense and did enough on offense. So, yeah, they looked really good. and Bears win again in the fourth quarter. Just another comeback victory.
00:18:20
Speaker
i am interested to see what happens moving forward with this team because their schedule is brutal from here on out. They have not beat a team with a winning record this season. So I'm interested to see what they do from here on out. But they're 7-3 and they keep winning. I mean,
00:18:37
Speaker
I did not love what I saw from Caleb this week. Caleb and J.J. McCarthy looked awful. I didn't think Caleb looked great either. It's going to be interesting to see these next couple games how he plays. so We'll see. but i mean They keep winning. that's That's all that matters in the end. In the NFL, all that matters is winning. It doesn't matter how it looks or um what people say from the outside. As long as you keep winning as a team, that's all that really matters.
00:19:06
Speaker
Packers win. This was just the classic Jameis Winston roller coaster. like he just He does so many fun things, and he makes you he just enjoys football more than um possibly anyone I've ever seen. But on the Jameis coaster, you're going to get some turnovers. He only ended up throwing one pick. He did have a fumble as well, so he had two turnovers. But...
00:19:31
Speaker
He's just fun to watch, man. I love Jameis from just everything he does. is just It's fun to watch. and When he retires, these networks are going to be fighting over him because he's just he's such a character. and He's just...
00:19:46
Speaker
He loves football, man. You can legitimately tell this guy loves football, and he just enjoys playing it. and' Sometimes athletes get lost in that. like Professional athletes get paid to play, and sometimes it's lost on that this game is still fun, and it's still supposed to be fun. so Good win for the Packers.
00:20:06
Speaker
I still don't know what to think of this team, but it's a good win for them. ah Rams win against the Seahawks. Darnold throws four picks in this game.
00:20:19
Speaker
This game probably isn't close if Darnold doesn't throw his four picks. Seahawks outgained the Rams 414 yards 249. They had downs compared for the Rams.
00:20:31
Speaker
the seahawks have the bowl thirty seven minutes and forty nine seconds like Sam Darnold is the entire reason they lost this game and partially the reason they were in this game. Like, it's just, it's wild. Seahawks defense is for real. They they just fly around the field. it's It's a really good defense, and they're going be in every game because of it. But, yeah, it this was a game that, if you just look at the stats, it looks like the Seahawks should have won easily, but four picks just kills you.
00:21:05
Speaker
ah Ravens, Browns.
00:21:10
Speaker
Man, the Browns have so many games where they get up on teams and they just they look like they know what they're doing. Miles Garrett just absolutely goes off again. Another four-sack game. He's quite literally unblockable.
00:21:26
Speaker
It's just he's so fun to watch. Lamar did not look comfortable at all in this game because of Miles Garrett.
00:21:35
Speaker
Uh, Dylan Gabriel gets hurt, concussed. Shadour Sanders comes in, goes four of 16, does not look good for a lot of it. That last drive, he looked better, but we'll see what happens moving forward. I'm assuming he's going to start this week because concussions for quarterbacks, they usually don't clear them the very next week. So we'll see what Shadour does this week, but The Ravens definitely stepped up on defense when he came in and it just seemed like they were determined to shut him down. So we'll see what happens though.
NFL Defensive Showcases
00:22:08
Speaker
49ers just rolled the Cardinals. 49ers offense just looked like a machine with Brock Purdy back there again. So that's that's good to see for them. On the other side though, Jacoby Brissett set an NFL record for completions in a game with 47. He was of in this game. Like,
00:22:27
Speaker
Jacoby Brissett, 47 of 57. That's absolutely insane. um Yeah, 49ers offense looked really good. McCaffrey looked unreal in this game. So I did say at the beginning of the season, I didn't think he'd ever be the same. He definitely looks like he's got it all the way back again. So hopefully he stays healthy because he is fun to watch.
00:22:49
Speaker
Broncos beat the Chiefs in another really good game. Kicked a field goal as time expired to win the game. Chiefs ah offense, just, it's not the same.
00:23:00
Speaker
It's just the explosion's not there. It's just, don't know. this It's just a weird team. They're 5-5 now. Broncos are 9-2. Yeah.
00:23:13
Speaker
um Chiefs aren't dead by any means. like though They're going to play out this season, and I'm assuming they're still going to be in the playoffs. Hell, they still might win the AFC West. I doubt it. I do think the Broncos' defense is just – they're so good, and their their offense just does enough good things to to keep them in. They're going to a lot of close games. It's just the way they play. They're going have a lot of close games, but they keep winning them. It's just the team they are, guess.
00:23:43
Speaker
Eagles just completely shut down the Lions on Sunday Night Football. The Eagles defense looks as bad as the Eagles offense looks at times. The Eagles defense looks just extraordinary. i mean, they just fly around the field. Their front four just gets after every quarterback.
00:24:03
Speaker
Zach Bonds just a tackling machine. it's It's fun to watch when they're on. Their secondary donpe makes enough good plays. It's just... I thought after last week, I thought the Lions offense was just going absolutely click the rest the season. But, yeah, this was impressive by the Eagles. That's two weeks in a row they've shut down two really good teams. They've shut down the Packers and the Lions back-to-back weeks. So we'll see where they go from here. But I think the Lions or the Eagles are they're looking very good. as Like I said, as much problems as they have offensively, defensively, i just i they can shut down anybody it seems like.
00:24:41
Speaker
Uh, Monday night, Cowboys just absolutely embarrassed the Raiders. I really don't know where the Raiders go from here. i mean, is Pete Carroll even the coach in 2027 at this point? Like, it just, it's not good. Geno's not good.
00:24:58
Speaker
They got a lot of issues. He has no one to throw to either. i mean, outside of Brock Bowers, he has no one to throw the ball to. So, we'll see what they do. But,
00:25:09
Speaker
Yeah, Cowboys just absolutely annihilated them last night. There was there was nothing could take from that game really outside of that.
NFL Game Predictions
00:25:17
Speaker
So I think that's it for this week in football talk. Let's ah let's go to the week 12 picks.
00:25:26
Speaker
All right, so Thursday night, we have the 7-3 Buffalo Bills at the 5-5 Houston Texans. I'm going to go Bills. i just I think they keep it going.
00:25:37
Speaker
Texans' defense will keep them in the game, but after Josh Allen has a game like that, it's just I'm hard-pressed to pick the other team, especially Texans have gotten back to 5-5. Pretty impressive, honestly, especially considering Stroud's been hurt.
00:25:53
Speaker
But yeah, I just, I feel like the bills are too much for them. We have the six and four Steelers traveling to the seven and three bears. Rogers probably doesn't play in this game.
00:26:06
Speaker
I'm going to go bears. I just, I think they keep it rolling. They just, I don't know. They've got the luck on their side for sure. I'll say that. We have the 9-2 Patriots traveling to the 3-7 Bengals.
00:26:20
Speaker
I'm going to go Patriots. i just I think they keep it going. This team's really good, so I'll say they keep it going. 2-9 Giants versus travel to the 6-4 Lions. I'm going to go Lions. I just... Jameis will be fun again this week, but I just... The Lions, they don't lose... They haven't lost back-to-back games under Dan Campbell since 2022, so going to go Lions.
00:26:43
Speaker
4-6 Minnesota Vikings travel to the 6-3-1 Packers. I'm going go Packers. J.J. McCarthy is just...
00:26:53
Speaker
He's not doing what he needs to be doing. He's got to read the defense better. But, yeah, Packers will win this game. 7-3 Seahawks traveling to the 1-9 Titans. This is going to be a massacre. Titans are not going to be able to move the ball at all on the Seahawks' defense. It's just not it is not set up for good things for the Titans this week.
00:27:17
Speaker
The 8-2 Colts travel to the 5-5 Chiefs. This is a huge game for Kansas City.
00:27:26
Speaker
I'm going to say Kansas City wins.
00:27:30
Speaker
No, you know what? I'm going to Colts. I'm going to say the Colts win. I'm going to say the Chiefs duck under 500, and we'll we'll see what they got from here. Two and eight Jets with Tyrod Taylor starting, going to the five and five Ravens.
00:27:45
Speaker
Ravens by a lot.
00:27:49
Speaker
Then we have the two and eight Browns going to the two and eight Raiders. Oh, boy.
00:27:56
Speaker
Man, I'm going to go Browns just because of their defense, but this is going to ugly game. Six and four Jaguars going to the three and seven Cardinals.
00:28:08
Speaker
I'll say the Jags win. I think they keep it going. they They looked like a really good team this week, so I'll say they keep it going. Three and seven Falcons going to the two and eight Saints with Kirk Cousins starting.
00:28:22
Speaker
I'll never pick the Saints. I'm going to be wrong here, but I'll take the Falcons even though I do think the Saints are going to win, but I'm going to pick the Falcons just because I can't pick the Saints. Eight and two Eagles going to the four, five, and one Cowboys.
00:28:36
Speaker
Eagles, I think their defense is just, like I said, they're playing so well that I and just don't see it and for the Cowboys this week. Sunday night, we got a good one. Six and four Bucs travel to the eight and two Rams.
00:28:51
Speaker
The Rams are just rolling. They're just playing so well. I'll go Rams. Monday night, we have the 6-5 Panthers traveling to the 7-4 Niners. Niners. I just, that cross-country flight in, I feel like the Niners looked way better with Purdy under center, obviously. So, I'll say the Niners do enough to get the win. Yeah.
Episode Conclusion
00:29:12
Speaker
yeah I think that's going to wrap it up. Again, I hope you guys are getting all ready for the holidays and everything. And again, thanks for listening. Thanks for being patient with me. And yeah, we'll talk to you guys next week.
00:29:41
Speaker
Late night. Out of the laying here alone One o'clock on the dot when I call and she ain't picking up her phone A couple of hours later get a call from her saying that she'll be home in the morning