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NFL Wildcard Round Recap + Divisional Preview; NFL Coaching Upheaval !
17 Plays2 months ago
Wild Card Weekend Round-Up
- Favourite Wild Card games
- Biggest winner of the WC games? Biggest loser?
- Pour one out for the Eagles and Jags
Head Coaching Carousel
- Tomlin steps down in Pitt
- Harbaugh to NY Giants
- Xabi Alonso fired at Real Madrid
Divisional Round Preview
- Denver vs Buffalo
- Seattle vs San Francisco
- Patriots vs Houston
- Bears vs Rams
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Team Reunion
00:00:09
Emeka
Welcome, welcome, welcome to episode 44 of the Love of the Game podcast. Took a little week break for me personally, but my man's Chukwu and Chennau are holding it down. So let's give a big up to the guys from last episode. Chennau, Chennau, how you living, brother?
00:00:25
Chino Onwuka
I'm doing good, man. Welcome back. It's nice to have the whole team back together again, 2026. lot going
00:00:34
Chino Onwuka
lot going on in the sports world, so I'm i'm excited to get to it. Let's let's get it.
00:00:38
Emeka
Yes, sir. Full squad, but you know, that's the good thing about having depth. People can fill in, and then I never would dream of calling him depth. He's the star man. Chukwu, Chukwu, how you living, brother?
00:00:48
Chuku
Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
NFL Wildcard Weekend Highlights
00:00:49
Chuku
You know, we're living nice. We're living good. No, just glad to have, the you know, I share the same sentiments. Glad to have the whole team back for today's episode. Lots to discuss. And yeah, I'm ready to get into it. Let's do it.
00:01:03
Emeka
Yep, no, this is my favorite times of the year when NFL playoffs kicking off, nearly all the other sports going off, and it's a great time, and we're coming off a a fantastic week of football during the wildcard weekend. Six games, I think it's fair to say four amazing ones, one mariju and one terrible one, but still some exciting, exciting games.
00:01:26
Emeka
So exciting that I had to come back. you I missed yapping with the boys. So we're going to get right into it. Like said, wild card weekend was amazing. I started a few, you know, of the other six games, which one was your favorite to watch?
00:01:39
Chino Onwuka
I mean, definitely wasn't the Jags game because we lost. So I'm going to skip that. There was a lot lot a lot of really good games, but I'd have to say that probably was Bears-Packers obviously coming coming right down to the end like that. I think, you know, Packers started out hard.
00:01:58
Chino Onwuka
And then the question was, hey, we've seen this story multiple times already this season. Ain't no way it's going to happen again. Caleb Williams, what do you got? And there's that you know amazing comeback for the Bears, big letdown for for the Packers, and they they pull it out at the very end of the game. So I'd say for me, that was my that was my game of the wildcard weekend.
00:02:23
Emeka
What about you, Chagoo? Of all the games, what was your favorite to watch?
Bears-Packers Game Analysis
00:02:27
Chuku
I mean, respectfully, there's really one answer this to this. There's only one correct answer to this question, and it's the Bears Packers. They had everything as a neutral that you're looking for for an exciting game, down to the wire, needing a quarterback to step up.
00:02:44
Chuku
Chicago did an amazing comeback. Caleb Williams having a ridiculous career year when it comes to comeback with victories. and Yeah, no...
00:02:55
Chuku
The Bears-Packers. Yeah, that was definitely the most entertaining game, I would say, for sure, of the wild card.
00:03:02
Emeka
Interesting. I don't think we all have the same answer because I agree. Bears Packers was, again, they were four, for me, amazing games. Like any time when... Four teams that lead at the two-minute warning they end up losing the game. It's pretty wild. But Bears-Packers, it was just cinema. like You have the rivalry. You have two young QBs, the big comeback.
00:03:23
Emeka
Like Chinon said, like the Bears been doing it all year. Is it a fluke? that Can it keep doing it? and And that boy, Caleb Williams, man. like I have made a lot of jokes about Mr. Caleb. But good for e he can cut you kids in the clutch.
00:03:37
Emeka
He's got it, man. He's calm, collected. Some of the throws he was making, I've never seen a guy who can splash a step back three-pointed but can't make a layup like Caleb Williams can. It really is amazing to watch. And I have a few Bears fans in my life, and they're all just heart racing and pumping. And, yeah, I mean, it's it's something to see. So I guess, yeah, we're all on the same page there.
00:04:00
Emeka
In that case, I'll give a quick shout-out to some of the
Wildcard Weekend Winners
00:04:02
Emeka
other games. We had the Rams-Panthers. Shouts out to the Panthers making it a game and and Matthew Stafford, Mr. MVP himself, coming through in a fourth quarter comeback.
00:04:12
Emeka
We had... The Bears, I mean, the we talked about the Bears game. We had the Jags and Bills, you know, superhero Josh Allen ending on the last minute interception. And we had the Eagles and the 49ers, which, again, would have thought the hospital 49ers come back here and and win last second like that. So four forced straight amazing, honestly, like, I love football sometimes. And it was, I was spoiled this weekend. Just back to back to back, great games and fun.
00:04:40
Emeka
Ended up with the, i got I'm a Patriots fan, even I can admit that game was terrible. And then the Monday night game, the less said about that, the better. But jam-packed wildcard weekend, storylines all over the place. I thought we'd just keep it simple with this very, very simple question of who was the biggest winner of all the wildcard games for you?
00:04:59
Emeka
This could be a player, a team, a coach, but who stocked one up the most following these wildcard games? And I'll start with you, Chakou.
00:05:08
Chuku
Ben Johnson. Simply put, Ben Johnson. The work he's doing for these Chicago Bears, we have to realize the Bears have been a franchise that has not been one that has been good to watch these last few years. I mean, just last year alone, we were hearing some of the narratives that Caleb Williams was you know coming into the season this season about.
00:05:31
Chuku
not being a winner, not, you know, needing to prove himself, worries about, you know, his place in the league, as far as, like, being a top quarterback. I mean, he's still not, I won't consider him a top echelon quarterback, but the fact of the matter is Ben Johnson has come in and turn this Bears franchise around. It wasn't that too long ago where there was no you you saw them pretty much trying to sell out when it comes to all the top players, you know having to give up a lot of their huge defensive pieces in trades because the team wasn't going anywhere. We didn't know where which
Ben Johnson's Impact on the Bears
00:06:04
Chuku
direction they were going. And Johnson comes in, and all of a sudden,
00:06:09
Chuku
You have them winning a wild card game. Like i got to say, Ben Johnson, your stock is just rising as far as a head coach in the league. And he's my biggest winner.
00:06:19
Emeka
Yeah, I mean, I can't echo everything you're saying there. Like, I feel like it's rare. every Every season, every, like, hiring cycle, there's always that one coordinator candidate that every team dreams of. And it's rare that they're that successful. Like, Ben Johnson was everyone's number one coaching choice, like, hot coordinator in the Lions.
00:06:39
Emeka
took a job last year, then declined it, took an interview for this year's cycle. And I mean, i at I have a lot of Bears fans, and at the time I was like, I mean, he looks good, but what can he really do? And he's lived up to the hype and more.
00:06:50
Emeka
I always, it's funny because in Detroit, he never really gave interviews. So you don't really see his personality. it was always just Dan Campbell. You can kind of tell he... you know, resume under intern under Dan Campbell. Like I thought he was just a football nerd.
00:07:05
Emeka
He's got some, know, some charisma to him going shirtless in the locker room. The way he's beefing Matt LaFleur. Like I kind of like him. If I was a Bears fan, I'd be so, so hype having him as my coach. So like, I i fully agree.
00:07:18
Emeka
Uh, you know, who'd you have as the biggest winner this weekend?
Defensive Strategies in Playoffs
00:07:21
Chino Onwuka
I have one and then I have a second one, but I kind of don't mind you going first so that whichever one you take, if you take one home, I can take the other one. So we can.
00:07:30
Emeka
I'm cool with that. My biggest winner is, i guess a little two-parter, is D'Amico Lyons and the Houston Texans defense. In a league where everyone is chasing the new sexy, like I said, the Ben Johnsons, the sexy offensive coordinators, the Texans have, and I i don't want to be too hyperbolic when I say this, but i it's just filling in my bones, the best defense I've seen since the 2015 Denver Broncos. Like, it's it's amazing, this unit. Like, CJ Stroud had one of the worst games I've seen a QB have.
00:08:01
Emeka
Five fumbles, two picks, just awful. But they would have won that game if you didn't score touchdown. He like the defense.
00:08:08
Chino Onwuka
Here's the thing, though. Are they even better than the Seahawks defense this year? I don't know.
00:08:12
Emeka
To me, they are. And that's the fire.
00:08:15
Chino Onwuka
and good Is that the case if they played the lovely, amazing, exciting, explosive Steelers?
00:08:16
Emeka
We're getting there. cause that's
00:08:24
Emeka
Fair enough. But I've seen them do this to many teams, though. Many, many, many teams. Not just the Steelers, but...
00:08:30
Chino Onwuka
I agree with you. I think in terms of personnel and scariness, like Houston, and then trust me, as someone who sees them twice a year, that defense is scary. But when you look at every single metric, the Seahawks are number one in the NFL.
00:08:46
Chino Onwuka
So, i like, i honestly, this isn't to discount what you're saying. i don't think we can put him up there with the 2015 Broncos when there's another team in the league that statistically has a better defense than that and plays in arguably the best division.
00:09:01
Emeka
Oh, I think it's an argument. They are the best three teams in the and divisional round. I mean, this is all this thing.
00:09:10
Chino Onwuka
have the number one defense, and they played in the best division and have to play those teams twice a year. So I don't i don't think i don't think you could can put Houston with the 2015 Broncos, with some of those Regans teams yet. I don't i don't think so.
00:09:24
Emeka
These are all the arguments was saving for the divisional round preview. But you're making my point. I mean, listen, the Seahawks are my Super Bowl pick because they have... An amazing, amazing defense. But I want to get Domeka Ryan's flowers. And also, same with Mike McDonald. Like, in a league where everyone is hiring offensive coaches, I like that the two of the best teams are there by their – you know, honestly, three of the best, because same with the Broncos. Three of the best teams are there because of their defense, and two of them have young defensive coordinators as coaches.
00:09:53
Emeka
And just for me, I picked the Houston team number one, even though like statistically might not be, because their offense is worse than Seattle's. Seattle gets to have short fields all the time because Donald throws 80-yard bomb to GSM, and they have to play from behind.
00:10:08
Emeka
The Texans' defense, I feel like, has to carry more weight. Maybe I'm biased because, one, i don't really like Stroud that much, and two, I'm seeing Stroud off one of his warps of games of the season.
00:10:18
Emeka
But, like, yeah, it was against the Steelers. Fair enough. But still, the I picked them a winner because I feel like Houston, they don't really get that many primetime games. People don't really see them that much. So, a Monday night game like that and just the way they were doing it, struggle giving them a short field.
00:10:35
Emeka
they got The Steelers got the ball off interception at the 20-yard line, ran six
49ers Overcoming Challenges
00:10:40
Emeka
plays, and then kicked it from the 22-yard line. Like, that defense is just insane. mean, Losing my brand. They hit so hard. And that's honestly reason why I think they're so much better than – not so much better, i'm sorry. Why i think that they're the best in league right now is just I feel like teams are scared of playing them in a way that teams usually aren't in the 2020s era. They hit so hard.
00:11:03
Emeka
And, it's just fun to watch. I love this Texans team. And it's breaking my heart as a Patriots fan. We'll get to it later on the podcast. But – I think going long, long night for her for the boys, man. This Texas team is legit.
00:11:16
Emeka
And also, I like highlighting young black coach. Like, shouts out to Amico Ryans, man. You know, we lost one to Tomlin. I think it was kind of poetic. Tomlin's last game as Steelers head coach was against Amico Ryans. Like, I thought that was a nice little full circle moment there.
00:11:30
Emeka
So, shouts out to Amico Ryans, my winner of the week.
00:11:34
Chino Onwuka
So Houston wasn't going to be any of my answers because, again, I didn't think they were the big winners just because it was the Steelers. that's Steelers really should not have been in the playoffs.
00:11:47
Chino Onwuka
That was the easy pick and win. So my number two answer was going to be Josh Allen because of sort of he was going up against a very, very good Shacks team. And this was a big opportunity for him to get to the Super Bowl for the first time without...
00:12:04
Chino Onwuka
Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, some of the guys that he's had to come up against. So I thought maybe we'd hear some sounds for him. But my pick is the 49ers and Kyle Shanahan because they go in against the defending champions, you know, for all their awards and some of the stuff going on over there. They are still they were the defending champions.
00:12:26
Chino Onwuka
We talk about all the injuries they've had to battle through the whole season. And then on top of that, George Kittle goes down with an Achilles tear. So that's a huge, huge loss. And they still find a way to pull out the game. So for me, you know, i think maybe this was in in in the group chat. You'd mentioned that maybe Shanahan was maybe your coach of the year. And I think this, I just wanted to give him his flowers because, you know, that's a game where,
00:12:51
Chino Onwuka
going up up against a Philly team that's, you know, playoff tested, you know, injuries, you have another, you know, heart-wrenching injury and they still managed to pull it out. So I think that's that's a huge huge, huge, huge flowers for for the 49ers and Cal Shanahan.
00:13:08
Emeka
I'm not even joking. Those are my second and third. like i was just go I split between all three of them for everything you just said. Shanahan was my coach of the year. Look at the 49ers injuries. I feel like they had so many that people kind of disregard them.
00:13:22
Emeka
But their best two... Defensive players out for the season. Fred Warner tried to come back, but he's missed it. Their starting quarterback missed a third of the season. Their number one receiver by salary missed the entire season.
00:13:35
Emeka
Their number two receiver, first round pick, missed pretty much the entire season. They're star tight end and missed half the season. And now it's Torrey's Achilles. And yet they keep on winning.
00:13:45
Emeka
Shanahan and Salah and the staff, like all the credit to them. Like I truly am amazed at how good they were one game away from the one seed with all these injuries. So yeah I echo everything you're saying about Cal Shanahan.
00:14:00
Emeka
Like I love the Shana plan. He's one of my favorite coaches. And I think it's crazy people hold his record against him, even though those first two years with the hospital 49ers, look at his record when he got a real quarterback in Jimmy G and Purdy.
00:14:13
Emeka
He wins games. And to quick to Josh Allen, You know, prisoner of the moment, kind of, and also the fact that Mr. Frogman, Torrey's ACL.
Josh Allen's Playoff Performance
00:14:22
Emeka
Am I crazy in saying that there is a clear best quarterback in the league and it's Josh Allen?
00:14:28
Emeka
There's no more tier, big three what whatsoever. Mahomes, Torrey's ACL, so he's not anymore. The best quarterback the league is Josh Allen. Is that a fair statement to say or is it still too soon to give it to that crown yet?
00:14:41
Chino Onwuka
You know what? It's something I've been wanting to bring up because I think, you know, if we're talking about just as of right now, he is the best quarterback.
00:14:51
Chino Onwuka
if If you're, I don't know whether you're saying Mahomes isn't part of the conversation because he's injured, but even with Mahomes, I'd say he's the best quarterback right now because they both dealt with situations where, you know, they didn't have the weapons that
00:14:57
Emeka
with Mahomes, I'd say he's the best.
00:15:05
Chino Onwuka
They needed to offensively, although I guess he did have James Cook. But then you could say that Mahomes still has Andy Reid. So they were both working with non-ideal situations. And he was just able to, this year, you know carry the team on his back. That's what Mahomes had done consistently over his career.
00:15:25
Chino Onwuka
He wasn't able to do it enough this year to to really have Kansas City in the playoffs, whereas i' Allen was able to do that. So this year, yeah, he's been the best quarterback for sure.
00:15:39
Emeka
and I agree. Out of respect to Mahomes, I was going to give him the ACL as an out, but I also fully agree that even without the ACL, based on this year, and as Shannon Sharp would say, in the NFL, every year you up update your resume.
00:15:52
Emeka
So we don't give legacy points like that. I got to give Josh Allen as the best QB in the league. like it's I know, look, they have James Cook. They have Kincaid. They have a good offensive line. But when you really go through a weapon for weapon, him versus all the other top QBs in the league,
00:16:07
Emeka
yeah it's incredible that he's carrying them like this to 12, 12 wins. Like that's the thing as well, because the Pats were so good with the easiest schedule ever. It made it look like they were like, the bills weren't that good. Cause they weren't winning the division.
00:16:21
Emeka
They won 12 games. Like this is this team winning 12 games behind Josh James, uh, James Cook and Josh Allen. And let's be real. A lot of it was Josh Allen. Like, nah, that's my guy, man. Shouts out Josh Allen. So I, now he Both your two and three, I had them. i just wanted to give some love to D'Amico. But yeah, Josh Allen. And that was, i know I know it came against you your guys, and and we'll get to them soon. But that was a superhuman performance against the the the Jacks. Because ain't no James Cook that game.
00:16:50
Emeka
They shut James Cook down. My guy had a busted finger, bad knee, concussion, and he still carried them boys down to win the game. like That was some superhero stuff from Josh Allen. And when you look at is his, his playoff record is actually hilarious. He's nine and six, no 10 and six.
00:17:06
Emeka
Four of those losses are against the chiefs. Like my guy against every QB, not named Pat Mahomes is 10 and two in the playoffs. That's insane.
00:17:14
Chino Onwuka
And and one one of those losses is against my boys as well. Let's not forget.
00:17:19
Emeka
And one was against the, think it was Houston, Texas. Like, it is.
00:17:23
Chino Onwuka
So, yeah, that's – like, i was I was legit. Like, I sort of saw what was coming down the cards, but I was sick. I was like, so we're going to win the division, and our reward is going to be Josh Allen on a mission, and Houston's going to get the Steelers. I was sick. That's why I was – I was hoping it was the Ravens so that we would both lose and go out. But i was I was upset because I knew the Jags were good, but I was like, the one thing that could stop us is superhuman Josh Allen. That's what I expected to see. And that's what I said in in the in the preview of the matchup. And unfortunately, that's what ended up being the case.
00:18:02
Emeka
Amen. it We'll get to it later on. Any other thoughts, Chuku, before we move on to the losers?
00:18:09
Chuku
Nah, I was just going to talk on Josh Allen for a bit because I'm just, I'm not understanding what I'm watching and what I'm seeing because how is he doing this? Like, the dude has no number one wide receiver year in, year out, been asked to carry this Buffalo offense on his back. Sure, hear you, James Cook, you know, he does have his moments here and there.
00:18:34
Chuku
And, you know, he's not he's no scrub. But some of the wide receivers that Josh Allen has to throw the ball to, again, I keep telling people, I don't think people understand.
00:18:45
Chuku
One in tight end that doesn't even play 100% of snaps and also has been hurt throughout the season is one of your, or did he finish at the top?
00:18:57
Chuku
He should be. If not top, I'm pretty sure Dalton Kincaid finished.
00:18:58
Emeka
Shakur had the yards. think he was second.
00:19:02
Chuku
Oh, say that again?
00:19:03
Emeka
have the most yards i think he was second
00:19:07
Chuku
a Either way, if he wasn't the number one receiver, he was down...
00:19:08
Emeka
you know
00:19:10
Chuku
I'm pretty sure he was second on the team in receiving. And that's your tight end. a Like, bro... what Man, I just don't understand. That's why it had me hot because I'm like... One of the positions was Jax to win. And I'm like... There's no way... I know Jax have some injuries and cool.
00:19:28
Chuku
But like... I really believe this was the year Jags do do something, man. Even without their second overall, all Travis Hunter. I mean, you just brought in, you know, Jacoby Myers. You know, Travis Edian has been know playing really well all year. Lawrence has been having a pretty good season. Parker Washington is coming out of woodworks.
00:19:47
Chuku
You have Brian Thomas, who was supposed to be one of those coming into the season. hearing talks of him being a top five wide receiver. And he still cannot be the dude whose top receiver was a part-time tight end, bro. Like, Josh Allen is just crazy. I don't know what what they're feeding him over there in Buffalo. I mean, I definitely, if not for Ben Johnson and the turnaround with the Bears,
00:20:11
Chuku
Josh Allen would have been my other my second pick because what he's doing there in Buffalo, is just i don't I don't understand it. And that record you mentioned there, brother, with him versus all other quarterbacks except Parcher Mahomes, that just goes to tell you it takes a lot. It takes a lot.
00:20:27
Chuku
to to beat this guy. And I do share the same sentiment that I believe Josh Allen is the best quarterback in the league at this min moment in time. And regardless of, you know, if Mahomes is healthy, I mean, you still got to give it to Mahomes because of the Super Bowls and all the times he's won. But this season and this season alone, I don't think anyone has been more important to their team.
00:20:48
Chuku
than Josh Allen has to this Buffalo Bills offense and this Buffalo Bills team. So, yeah, he's probably going win or should win, you know, probably MVP in my opinion, but it is what it is.
00:21:00
Chuku
He's having one half a year, and he's half a player. Josh Allen.
00:21:05
Emeka
Yeah, no, it's so he's in my division, so i part of me wants to hate him, I can't. I love i just love Josh Allen, watching him. like He plays football like a man. There's no way I can describe it. like Fourth and one, I'm getting that one. like Ain't no plays, ain't no nothing.
00:21:21
Emeka
How many guys out there can get 10 yards on a tush push? Josh Allen is he's built differently.
00:21:26
Chino Onwuka
Oh, all right, all right, all right. He first of all, Josh Allen's getting that fourth and one, but the remaining nine yards from his left hand is picking him up.
00:21:36
Emeka
They literally picked him
00:21:36
Chino Onwuka
And I don't know if that's how he's supposed to be called, I know people say, oh, he got, like, give him his flowers. You talked about his finger. You talked about his You talked about the concussion, but, like, I don't know.
00:21:47
Chino Onwuka
People keep holding on to that 10 yards, and that wasn't even him because it's like, oh, yeah.
00:21:49
Emeka
up. They looked amazing, all right? Like, yes, the replay showed the offensive line actually – not even literally. Literally carried him for a couple of hours.
00:21:57
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, this wasn't a push. This was a a carry. Because one thing I do want to know, and I feel like we should just talk about it now because we're on it.
00:21:59
Emeka
Literally carried him.
00:22:05
Chino Onwuka
You know, I think, you know, i was, you know, people ask me how I felt after the game. I was sort of proud of the Jags. I thought we had a chance, but we got beaten by better team.
00:22:15
Chino Onwuka
What we had to do was stop the run, you know, People were sleeping on it because they said, oh, James Cook could have a game, but we have a very very good rush defense and we stopped the run.
00:22:27
Chino Onwuka
What I knew that I don't know if a lot of people do is the Bills have an amazing pass defense. So I was like, are we still going to be able to move the ball against them?
00:22:39
Chino Onwuka
And we did at times, but they got the stops in the key moments. Now, anyway, back to Josh Allen at fourth and one, know, on that fourth and two, which, you know, had a big impact on the game.
00:22:53
Chino Onwuka
That's what Trevor wasn't able to do that Josh Allen would have, you know, in that time he tried to die for it. Josh Allen would have put his shoulder down and sacrifice his body, you know, to get that two points. And that sometimes that's just the difference.
00:23:07
Emeka
But like, I'm not even mad at Trevor for doing that because that's what 95% of QBs would do.
00:23:10
Chino Onwuka
you know what i I'm not mad at him for doing it, but those are the reckless things that Josh Allen will do and maybe can do that a lot of other guys can't.
00:23:11
Emeka
Yeah. Yeah.
00:23:20
Emeka
In fact, he's built like Cam Newton, but can actually pass to Cam Newton, but can actually like be a pocket QB if he needs to.
00:23:25
Chino Onwuka
Yeah.
00:23:28
Emeka
The throw he had to Brandon Cook's back foot guy in his chest, I was speechless seeing that.
00:23:35
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, and crazy that that's the second best throw of the of the weekend because that was unreal.
00:23:41
Emeka
Straight up, right? That's Caleb Williams. But, like, that's the level of, like, you mean you how many QBs can do both those plays, like you just said? Can do the fourth down, I'm getting you a yard, put body on the line, but also back foot, 40 yards on a rope when I need to.
00:23:48
Chino Onwuka
Yeah.
00:23:56
Emeka
Like, Josh Allen, we can go on and on about Josh Allen. I hate that I'm glazing this guy because, again, he's in my division. But I just i just can't help myself, man. i love I'm like Chris Collinsworth.
00:24:06
Emeka
I love watching good QBs, man. I don't know what.
00:24:08
Chino Onwuka
Yeah.
00:24:09
Emeka
I love watching good QBs.
00:24:11
Chino Onwuka
There's only two QBs I don't, I guess three QBs I don't like watching historically, but we can leave that for a different time.
Eagles' Playoff Struggles
00:24:19
Emeka
very Fair enough. Well, it can't all be...
00:24:21
Chino Onwuka
I would be like, I mention them anyway. Tom Brady, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts.
00:24:27
Emeka
hate and greatness. That's all I can say about that. But it can't all be ri roses and sunshine. My guy's name, three winners. What about some losers of the weekend? And and I can give a start.
00:24:39
Emeka
The internet had come for me and Chinon's guy. i hate to say it, Chinon. but Our young son, Justin Herbert, had had himself a terrible weekend. And I can believe blew my face and say it's not his fault.
00:24:51
Emeka
The offensive line is literally the worst offensive line in the league. And for once, I can actually say it's not even close because all there all the injuries, it's a turnstile back there. And I can tell you about all the drops his receivers had and everything, and but the facts of the matter remain. 0-3 in the playoffs.
00:25:09
Emeka
A 27-point comeback loss, getting shellacked, three turnovers against the Texans, and it now six points against the the Patriots. it's It's a tough opening three games for my man, Justin Herbert. I'm sure you've all seen the memes, potential man, hypothetical man, all that stuff.
00:25:26
Emeka
As a Herbert lover and Glazer, really feel for this guy, man, because he does not deserve this slander, but the slander is there, and yeah it is what it is, man. Justin Herbert, hope for your sake you leave these charges, man. You deserve better. But for now, I think, i think to me, it's unquestionably the loser of the weekend, Justin Herbert. you know?
00:25:51
Chino Onwuka
Loser of the weekend.
00:25:54
Chino Onwuka
he's He's definitely a big loser, and i'll and I'll touch on that a bit because it's it's the dichotomy of Justin Herbert wherein they have no business being in the playoffs if not for him.
00:26:08
Chino Onwuka
No business being in the playoffs if not for me. he We talk about carry jobs. He carried them into these playoffs. But then, once you get into playoffs and you're playing good teams, you know this is where your weaknesses get exposed.
00:26:26
Chino Onwuka
That offensive line is decimated. i think we talked about in the preview. But I think it's also fair to say that he was in a situation where it was impossible to succeed, honestly.
00:26:38
Chino Onwuka
But I think he also didn't play well. There's a couple of opportunities he had. I don't think he would have led to them winning. But he had opportunities to move the ball down the field a couple of times. I think there's a he missed Lan McConkie a couple of times. so And that's just the the reality of it because as talented as you are, you know if you don't win, people are going to hold that against you. And that's just life.
00:27:09
Chino Onwuka
Knowing the personality that he has, he will hold himself to the same standard that people are holding him out to. And that's that's just the nature of the game. Better or equal quarterbacks at his level have those same things against them. Lamar, we've spoken about this over the years. Lamar, we've we've seen some of the stuff that's happened. Drop passes, the last second of the game, missed field goals. But that stain is always going to be on him. And it was. I think we had a lot of the same shots until he finally won one playoff game.
00:27:44
Chino Onwuka
a couple of years ago, and then he lost the next one. But that's just the nature of the beast. To me, a big loser. Just, I think, you know, the Packers are a big loser collapsing, you know, the way they did. But again, I think a big loser are the Philadelphia Eagles.
00:28:04
Chino Onwuka
I'm just disappointed in them because they have the ability to be so much better still by far. the best, the most talented team in the league, offensively and defensively. They're the defending champions. And it's like they just decided we're going to make this as difficult as possible.
00:28:27
Chino Onwuka
Offense, like I don't even know. and and I feel sorry for Chukwu because he's the one that had to I can't even imagine how frustrated you were as an actual supporter of the team. For me, a lot of it was just like, I'm not watching good football. One, which is the important thing for me, knowing how talented they are. And two, yeah, it hurt me in fantasy a little bit, but you know fantasy is fake in my opinion. But it's like, you can't have that much talent b and be that dysfunctional. And so it was it's just a shame, really. We've already seen some of the fallout from that. you know They fired their offensive coordinator.
00:29:00
Chino Onwuka
I think that's going to be a very, very... not I know I'm like, I will touch on it later. That's going to be a very, very hard job because you have the chance to to to make something beautiful with the weapons you have there. But just think Philadelphia Eagles, just huge, huge loser on wildcard weekend for me.
00:29:18
Emeka
Chukwu, you want touch on either the Eagles or you're a loser? I'll let you pick.
00:29:24
Chuku
See, I think you're not to right direction because, in my opinion, Eagles are a huge, and i mean huge losers. But I'm going to go step further, man.
00:29:36
Chuku
I think A.J. Brown is the biggest loser of this entire, in my opinion, situation. The reason why I'm picking him, i want to pick on him, is because I have so much stock on A.J. Brown. I believe, personally,
00:29:54
Chuku
By far, he's a top five or should be it considered a top five wide receiver in the league. That's my opinion in terms of his, you know, God-given talents that we've seen, know, play in year in, year out.
00:30:09
Chuku
But for all the the negativity of the league and... so So negativity of like the season as far as the Eagles have been concerned, the play on the on the field and all the talk that he's hawked are not talked or not said, I should say, in you know with his antics on and off the field.
00:30:31
Chuku
When the team needed you the most, you you let us that you led the team down, man. like how the like There were so many bad drops that I just couldn't recognize...
00:30:45
Chuku
Like, if you had told me this is a dude that people claim has, you know, by talents, you know, by just size, you know, attributes and whatnot, this guy's, you know, top five, top ten, top what whatever you want to give him, right? If you told me he was that level of wide receiver, you wouldn't have recognized that watching him on the field on the over the weekend because – like I said, some of the the plays and, or I should say non-plays that he was not making on out there. I mean, when you got Dallas Goddard having to carry the team as basically looking like the number one receiver on the team, I mean, that tells you all you need to know as far as, you know, the the the field of play that AJ brought to the table this you know over the past past weekend. And it's a shame because, you know,
00:31:36
Chuku
Sanfran was dealing with a lot of injuries and it was something that we should we should never have lost our game. But I just think, yeah, you got got to look within. And AJ Brown, unfortunately, just chose the wrong time to have one of his worst games an Eagles jersey. And he's been a you know a big disappointment. And i with the kind of money he's getting, And the talk that he's been talking, you just can't have that kind of a performance, man. So for me, he's been my, yeah, he's my loser of the weekend by far, unfortunately.
00:32:10
Emeka
Hey, I like that pick.
00:32:11
Chuku
and i agree with you
00:32:12
Emeka
I like that pick. And, you know, say what you want about Sirianni. I was 100% on his side yelling at AJ Brown for everything he just said. If you want to be a diva, you want to complain, you want to go on streaming and say these are your highlights, all that kind of talk.
00:32:26
Emeka
When is the playoffs and you get chances, you better convert them. Because if you do all that stuff and you suck, yeah I'm going to yell at you on the sideline. You were talking all that issue locker room.
00:32:37
Emeka
You were talking that issue on Twitter about getting catches. Well, now you get targets and you're dropping them. Like, I was, the Eagles, man. Like, yeah, i mean, I think they they could have been a loser of the weekend. I just, as a Herbert fan, it hurt me. But in a weird way, I think they're a loser of the season.
00:32:51
Emeka
Like, the vibes were so, for defending champions, the vibes were so awful.
00:32:56
Chino Onwuka
Yeah. Yeah. yeah
00:32:57
Emeka
Like, it I honestly truly feel for Kevin Petullo. Like, when they're little kids out here saying she'll be flipping burgers at McDonald's, like, bruh. We could all laugh about it.
00:33:08
Emeka
My man has live that life, bro. Getting fired the Monday after as a coordinator, too. That's tough. like But deserve, though. Because like Chino mentioned, I see the Eagles and I'm like, why are they just hard to watch? Like, just forget anything else.
00:33:22
Emeka
All the talent on this team. And they're hard to watch. They were hard to watch last year. These are all the same guys. So, yeah. I'm sorry, Petula, but yeah, youter I've never seen a guy deserved to get fired like that.
00:33:37
Chuku
Yeah, not to turn my own horn or anything, but if youre if you listened to last week's episode, there were a lot of things I was prone towards when I picked Fran to win because on paper, it should be the Eagles easily.
00:33:52
Chuku
But man, the vibes, I guess I've never seen vibes as bad as they have been. Coming out as defending champions, like that is crazy. Like the entire year has just been hard.
00:34:06
Chuku
Like it's been difficult. You know what I'm saying? It was not good. We're playing terrible football. We're still finding ways to win games. window really You know, again, we put in a division that, like, again, all the teams in the division, honestly, have been horrific.
00:34:20
Chuku
So, I mean, we're just the best of a bad bunch, in my opinion. And the fact is, like... It's a shame, man, because we have so much talent. We didn't lose that much, you know, from the year before. So you think, you know, we have all the makings to make a, you know, a comeback as far as trying to, you know, go for back-to-back.
00:34:37
Chuku
But we had a very, very poor showing. And, yeah, this is – I mean, look, at the end of the day it was well-deserved because we did not deserve to make it to the Super Bowl or go very far in the playoffs with how we've been kind of, you know, operating as a team this year. So – Hey, man, congrats to San Fran.
00:34:55
Chuku
You know, they're the better team. And, yeah, we just have to, you know, big changes have to be made this offseason because, in my opinion, if the mood doesn't change, you know, with some of these players, like, it might be time to, you know, have to you know, move away from something because sometimes much as someone can be as talented as Brown can be,
00:35:14
Chuku
If he's not willing buy into the team and team culture and, you know, want to mesh with the rest of the gang, it might be time to move on. So we'll see what happens. I hope he doesn't go, but I think definitely, you know, you can see how important coaching is in the NFL. And I think having like a good offensive coordinator that can make the best out of these players,
00:35:35
Chuku
Shouldn't be asking too much because, again, these are very talented players we're talking about here. So we'll see what happens. But I expect big changes coming into this offseason. That's for sure.
00:35:44
Chino Onwuka
And one thing just want to quickly mention is I think part of why it's unfortunate and frustrating for the Eagles is it's a missed opportunity. You know, NFL start stands for not for long.
00:35:56
Chino Onwuka
you have this amazing collection of talent and opportunity and opportunity. there's no guarantees on how long these things will or can last.
00:36:06
Chino Onwuka
You know, for the most part, everyone was healthy this year. you know, you have a salary cap. So how long are they going to be able to keep everyone together like this? it's It's a limited time before some people have to be let go or a player starts to get old. So it's, you know, I think thankfully, you know, i think most people can come back next year, but you know, this year is just a a missed opportunity.
00:36:27
Emeka
Yeah, you know, and I think it's only right. We gave Chukua the opportunity to tie a bow on the on the Philly season, and he's actually eloquent and short, so I'll give you the same opportunity, you know.
00:36:38
Emeka
Any final thoughts on these Jacksonville Jaguars season?
00:36:43
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, I think, you know, very disappointing how it ended because I felt we had a chance to to make a run.
Jaguars' Playoff Journey
00:36:49
Chino Onwuka
I thought we were a good team with, you know, some question marks, you know, coming up against other good teams with some question marks. So, you know, there's a chance to make a run if if things happen to fall your way and they just didn't. But, you know, again, as a Jags fan, knowing what the history of...
00:37:12
Chino Onwuka
this franchise has been. We don't see, mean, not since the 90s anyway, we don't see too many winning seasons, let alone 13 wins. You know, I think this is our, you know, last time we made the playoffs was 2022. Before that, it was 2017. You know,
00:37:30
Chino Onwuka
you know
00:37:32
Chino Onwuka
with a lot of the dysfunction that was happening with Trent Baalke, you know, to to sort of get him out of the house, bringing Liam Cohen in for us to to rebound really quickly to go from picking second, third overall to to winning 13 games. You know, we saw the improvement on both sides of the ball on defense and on offense. We saw the growth in Trevor Lawrence. We saw no Parker Washington, Trevor, just a lot of good positive signs. you know there there There are times where you you play well you can tell it was a fluke.
00:38:08
Chino Onwuka
For me, a lot of the whole season was, it was really hard to believe I was, what's the what's the right word? i sort of felt like i had imposter syndrome because it's been a long, long, long time.
00:38:23
Chino Onwuka
Since I've seen the team this good and this complete. So sucks. It had to end up this way. You know, positive signs moving forward. You know, are we going to win 13 games next season? I don't think so because, you know, part of the things that happens in the NFL is when you finish first in your division, they give you a a schedule befitting of of a team that finished first. So think we're going to have to face tough tests next year, but I think we did play one of the strongest strength of schedules this year. So I think we're built for it.
00:39:00
Chino Onwuka
You know, unlike some of the previous runs we've made, I think we can still, I would expect us to win, you know, 10 games and be in a wild card hunt next year. And, you know, we have a couple of guys we're going to have let go So it's going to be interesting to see who who do we keep, who do we resign. You know, some of our pending free agents are, you know, Travis Etienne, Devin Lloyd. You know, I wouldn't be surprised if both are let go.
00:39:28
Chino Onwuka
So, you know, it's... what are we able to do in the off season to show up our weaknesses? Travis Hunter should be coming back next season. You know, another year of of Trevor in this system, you know, Jacoby Myers, Parker Washington. So, you know, you know, Chukwu's team is a defending champion. So anything less than that is a disappointment. You know, I'm coming from the other side where, you know, this was a really good, fun season. Sad it ended and, you know, hopeful for more going forward.
00:40:00
Emeka
As the great poet Jalen Rose loves to say, happiness is a function of expectations. And I think that last sentence encapsulates it. Defending champs, you know, win the division, you lose first round, people get fired.
00:40:12
Emeka
The Jags win the division, they lose first round. Hey, man, you get a gold black lady, give you props in the press conference. So I think it's fair. And, you know, i' hate to say it.
00:40:22
Chino Onwuka
i really I really want to hear you guys' thoughts on the Jags this year, because all have had a lot of jokes from over the years, legitimately, so it's sometimes it's interesting to hear as a neutral, you know, what you all think.
00:40:25
Emeka
I'm a reason.
00:40:36
Emeka
I feel like, and you can check me if i'm wrong on this, I've but i've been a big Jacks guy this year. Even when the Colts were winning games, I picked Jacks win the division because I just looked at the defenses They're legit.
00:40:48
Emeka
Like, you know, Josh Hines Allen, Trayvon Walker, Lloyd. Like, they're knocking people out. Like, not the Texans or whatever, but they're a top 10 unit easily. Even borderline top five. And I didn't think Parker Washington would ever take a leap like this.
00:41:03
Emeka
And Jacoby Myers, I've loved since he was a Patriot. I've loved Jacoby Myers. You get a him there. And it's crazy that, you know, the guy Chukwu mentioned coming to the season had all the hype.
00:41:14
Emeka
You know, BTJ. he was looking like a third option at times this year. And like, maybe, i don't know, he's better than that, but that's how deep the team is. You traded all this for Travis Hunter. He gets hurt.
00:41:25
Emeka
You don't really miss him that much. So when you have that much talent, young talent at that, yeah, I believe that. I love the Jags. The Jags are, they're going to win 10 plus games next year. I'm fully with you on that. Like, I think...
00:41:37
Emeka
A young, hungry team like this with just a bunch of high, this is what hitting on draft picks does for a team. You end up with just, after three or four years, just a bunch of good people.
00:41:48
Emeka
And that's the secret to winning in the NFL. It's boring, but 52-man roster, you have 30 good players, you're going to win a lot of games. And that's where the Jags are right now.
00:41:58
Chino Onwuka
How about more specifically, Trevor?
00:42:05
Emeka
Wins are not a QB stat. That's all I'll say. Like, listen, the Jags won 13 games. Clearly, you can win games if Trevor is a QB. Can you upgrade on that position? Yes.
00:42:17
Emeka
How, though? That's the thing. He's good enough that you're going to keep him moving forward. The Dalton line, they used to say. Now, do I think he's a top 10 QB? He's got to show me something Because he played like one the last eight games of the season. He played like one for sure.
00:42:32
Emeka
So if he can do that for a full season... I'll do it. But my guy, he there's a demon inside of him that just says, turn the ball over. He's like Josh Allen was four years ago.
00:42:44
Emeka
Where it's like, I'm great. so I'll dive head first, do all these things. I just can't help myself. I just need... I see that guy, and have to throw it to him. Should I just check it down and get the those five yards? Yeah, but that ain't what the fans came to see. and If any coach can fix that about him, it's Liam Cohen.
00:43:02
Emeka
Fantastic. and Also, the reason why I love the Jags. Cohen is an amazing coach. But I think the Jags are an A team with a B quarterback, if that makes sense.
00:43:16
Chino Onwuka
Okay.
00:43:17
Chino Onwuka
Chiku, any thoughts?
00:43:18
Emeka
I really wanted to give you a thoughts on the Jags.
00:43:20
Chuku
Yeah, I was confirming. But yeah, no, I mean, I share a lot of the same sentiments you have, Mecca, because, honestly speaking, like, I just think... The Jags as a team organization, did last cup least this season from what can see, they've shown huge strides as far as the improvement in their play, how's the running of the team, and you know the players they've recruited this past couple seasons. I mean, just got to look at the wide receiver room. like The fact that you're mentioning Brian Thomas Jr. is like...
00:43:53
Chuku
looking at times like the third option, I mean, that goes to show you like how talented, you know, they've been with their recruitment, whether it be by draft picks or you'd be by, you know, way of trade, free agency, everything. Like the Jags are really, really good team. It's just unfortunate, like you said, you know, like you just, you just came across a a man on a mission, you and that man just happens to be the best player in the NFL. And that was Josh Allen, like, you know, because I honestly truly feel,
00:44:23
Chuku
you play any of the other teams that there in the AFC, I think Jaguars have a know really good chance of winning. You know what I'm Yeah.
00:44:30
Chino Onwuka
I think so too.
00:44:31
Chuku
I personally think so. like yeah I mean, yeah, I've been high on Jaguars all year. you know i' thought I've know looked at them as one of the better teams in the league by far. I mean, you don't win 13 games you know by luck. You know what I'm saying? It's a well-coached, well-ran team. And I mean, you're doing this, in my opinion, despite having, a or I should say despite not having a top 10 quarterback because I don't believe Trevor Lawrence is top 10.
00:44:57
Chuku
I don't even, I couldn't make a case. I don't think he's even top 15, but he's just around in around that.
00:45:03
Chino Onwuka
varied that the admitted you're You're wild in there. You're wild in there.
00:45:07
Chuku
I'm wilder.
00:45:08
Chino Onwuka
Yeah.
00:45:09
Emeka
lot QBs in the league.
00:45:09
Chuku
Okay.
00:45:10
Emeka
I'm not, I'm not, not, I'm not.
00:45:11
Chuku
I mean, which part?
00:45:11
Emeka
If he's 14, 15, that's true. I'm with you on that one.
00:45:12
Chuku
The top 15 or top 10?
00:45:15
Chino Onwuka
No, no, i can I can understand he's not top 10, but I think he's he's's he's clearly top 15, in my opinion.
00:45:21
Emeka
he's he's fourteen fifteen as that's true
00:45:23
Chuku
That's what about to say. Like, if he's 12, 15, it's not like hes I'm saying it's 11 or 12. I'll tell you that much. You know what I'm trying to say? Like, he's more closer to 15 than he is 11. That's all I'm going to say. If you want to make a case,
00:45:35
Chino Onwuka
What I'll say, here's what I'll always say, and I mentioned this last last week.
00:45:35
Emeka
which am i one
00:45:37
Chuku
Yeah, that's all I'm going
00:45:43
Chino Onwuka
Trevor Lawrence as your QB, regardless of what he has around you, will get you nine to ten wins. Every season he's been healthy, apart from the first Urban year, that's what he's done. A QB everyone thinks is good, who is probably pretty good, comes in, ma Jones, and that team all of a sudden turns into a four-win team. I don't think people deep that because I see it firsthand. We have a horrible offensive line.
00:46:09
Chino Onwuka
People, like, I don't, people like, put a different quarterback that is not your Josh Allen and you you will be very surprised what you see.
00:46:19
Chino Onwuka
Trevor Lawrence is...
00:46:20
Chuku
How about what you know?
00:46:21
Chino Onwuka
Sorry?
00:46:22
Chuku
Sorry, don't mean to interrupt you, but how about this? like Let's just put it to test. i'm going to start to name QBs in the league, and I need you to tell me if you think he's better than or not better than. Fair?
00:46:31
Chino Onwuka
For sure. For sure.
00:46:33
Chuku
right. Drake May.
00:46:37
Chino Onwuka
I'd go Jake May.
00:46:39
Chuku
Matthew Stafford.
00:46:41
Chino Onwuka
Matthew Stafford.
00:46:43
Chuku
Josh Allen.
00:46:45
Chino Onwuka
doesn't need What's understood doesn't need to be said.
00:46:48
Chuku
Sure. Dak Prescott.
00:46:52
Chino Onwuka
Leanback Prescott. But i think if you put T-Law with those same weapons, I think he'd he'd be the same player.
00:46:55
Chuku
Justin Hivert.
00:47:02
Chuku
I'm picking Dak Prescott, but... prescar but i Well, actually, am I going to join in? Please join in. Dak Prescott.
00:47:08
Emeka
I'm thinking Dak Prescott.
00:47:10
Chuku
Okay. So, I'm like... Okay. Justin Hivert.
00:47:14
Chino Onwuka
Trevor's 3-0 against Justin Herbert. I'm still going to go Justin Herbert, but Trevor's 3-0 against him.
00:47:20
Chuku
Again, NFL is a team sixteen game now. we Please.
00:47:22
Chino Onwuka
know I know.
00:47:22
Chuku
i mean, i looking at quarterback play.
00:47:23
Chino Onwuka
You're talking at film home <unk> talking to someone that supports both teams. I know what I've seen.
00:47:28
Chuku
Fair enough. But quarterback, looking at quarterback play, are you picking Justin or are you picking Trevor? All right.
00:47:36
Chino Onwuka
Justin.
00:47:38
Chuku
Am I good?
00:47:43
Emeka
The closest I would like my heart wants me to admit, but
00:47:45
Chino Onwuka
Exactly. Exactly.
00:47:47
Chuku
All right.
00:47:47
Chino Onwuka
That's what' the truth.
00:47:47
Chuku
Fair enough. Fair enough. Brock Purdy.
00:47:53
Chino Onwuka
Huh?
00:47:54
Chuku
Brock Purdy.
00:47:55
Chino Onwuka
Don't insult me.
00:47:57
Emeka
There's a name you what yeah yeah I'm waiting for you to say.
00:47:58
Chuku
Huh?
00:47:59
Emeka
There's a name I'm itching for you to say.
00:48:02
Chuku
But wait, who did you actually know?
00:48:02
Emeka
of
00:48:03
Chino Onwuka
i take tre I take Trevor all day against Rob Purdy.
00:48:07
Chuku
Overbrook. Interesting.
00:48:08
Chino Onwuka
Yeah.
00:48:09
Chuku
Okay.
00:48:09
Chino Onwuka
I don't understand that, but
00:48:10
Chuku
I disagree, but okay, fair enough. Keir Williams.
00:48:17
Chino Onwuka
Trevor Lawrence.
00:48:18
Emeka
Trevor Lawrence.
00:48:19
Chuku
Okay. Sam Darnold.
00:48:21
Chino Onwuka
Trevor Lawrence.
00:48:21
Emeka
Trevor Lawrence.
00:48:23
Chuku
Okay. Joe Burrow.
00:48:26
Chino Onwuka
Joe Burrow.
00:48:29
Chuku
Okay.
00:48:29
Chino Onwuka
Like just to stage just to save time on this pod, the tier that I put Trevor Lawrence in is in that, uh,
00:48:30
Chuku
Jerry Goff.
00:48:41
Chino Onwuka
Love, Purdy, Caleb Williams tier. And then just in terms of the talent he has, I think he's more talented than both those guys. Now he's in a situation that's as good as those guys. We're seeing more, but that's sort of the tier that I put him in.
00:49:00
Chino Onwuka
Just below, i think you have a tier of Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Lamar. That's one tier. Then below that, you have you know Matthew Stafford, Dak Prescott.
00:49:14
Chino Onwuka
I feel like I'm missing somebody. Then you have a whole bunch of guys, you know Jared Goff, Love, you know Caleb Williams. He's showing that. Oh, Drake Me would have to be in that Matthew Stafford tier just based on what I'm seeing.
00:49:29
Chino Onwuka
CJ Stroud, all those guys in and among those mix, I would put Trevor in that mix and you know put him against any of those guys, honestly.
00:49:39
Chuku
You know what fair enough I mean
00:49:39
Emeka
no
00:49:42
Chuku
look i of say i suit Look, I'm looking at the names I'm seeing, and i would tend to agree he's a top 15 quarterback. I would tend to agree. But like I said earlier, i would have him definitely closer to 15 than I do 11 or to 10.
00:49:58
Chino Onwuka
the ASC, what do
00:49:58
Chuku
So either either way, even what the point I'm trying to make is Jaguars are a very, very elite team, and they're doing this with a middle-of-the-pack quarterback. With all due respect, Jaguars,
00:50:09
Chuku
I'm not going to ever confuse Trevor Lawrence as one of the upper-tier quarterbacks in the league. And you know what?
00:50:13
Chino Onwuka
you do?
00:50:14
Chuku
They don't need him. They don't need him to be an upper-tier QB because the team is that good. So if you ask me about the Jaguars, Jaguars are very, very...
00:50:22
Chino Onwuka
yes in the air
00:50:25
Chino Onwuka
in the area yes you do
00:50:28
Chino Onwuka
In the AFC, you do. That's the problem.
00:50:30
Chuku
Oh, I mean, yeah, yeah, that's true. That's true. I mean, yeah, that's the way you're playing against. The two best QBs in the an NFL, you know, Mahomes and Josh Allen. It's, yeah, it's tough.
00:50:41
Chuku
It's tough. It's it's tough.
00:50:42
Chino Onwuka
I'm hoping most of the time, you know, Lamar or Joe Burrow will be there as well. So that's that's just that's just the way it goes sometimes.
00:50:50
Chuku
Yeah, it's the way it be.
00:50:53
Emeka
I was waiting for Trevor Lawrence or Jalen Hurts.
00:50:56
Chuku
I was about to be...
00:50:56
Emeka
That's all I was waiting for.
00:50:58
Chuku
Hey, respectfully,
00:51:01
Emeka
And I was also...
00:51:02
Chuku
I'm going to stick out Jalen Hurts. I'm going to try to win all Trevor Lawrence over Jalen Hurts.
00:51:04
Emeka
all
00:51:08
Chuku
I'm so sorry. One has a Super Bowl. The other one, arm I mean, enough said. That's I'm say.
00:51:18
Emeka
That's was waiting for. And also i was going to say like, uh, Chukwu's literally it description was of Jalen Hurts. I was di laughing like an amazing team with an above average to good quarterback is literally Jalen Hurts.
00:51:29
Emeka
Also Trevor Lawrence, like they're both the same, similar tier. I think i rather have, Ooh, I don't know. I'm going to ask that question, but yeah, they're the same tier and and we did this exercise and honestly, we came to the same conclusion.
00:51:42
Emeka
He's 11 to 15. You can win with Trevor, but you need a great team around him to do so. And like we know funny enough, he made the playoff twice now.
Mike Tomlin's Departure from Steelers
00:51:52
Emeka
He's lost to Mahomes. He's lost to Josh Allen. It kind of feels right. That's how it goes. Because yeah there's those are the two big fish two of the big fishers, I would say, in the AFC. And you got to do something special to beat them.
00:52:08
Emeka
And a guy who usually has, speaking of bad QBs, trying to transition to this now, you know, a lot of news in the in the coaching circuit this week.
00:52:18
Emeka
And before we go on to divisional games, I think it's only right we touch on some of them, including, I think, probably the biggest news of the week. Long-term head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, 19 seasons, a man who knows a thing or two about winning without good QBs.
00:52:33
Emeka
Mike Tomlin decided to step down from the Steelers earlier this week. For the first time since I can remember, the Steelers are going to look for a new head coach. Mike Tomlin, love the man.
00:52:45
Emeka
You've quoted him all the time. He's out here, pioneer for black coaches. You know, I can go on and on about him, but he's stepping down as the Steelers head coach. And I'll start with you, Chikul. Like, what were your thoughts when you saw the headline pop up on Tuesday that Mike Tomlin is stepping down?
00:53:02
Chuku
My thoughts exactly, it was a bad damn time because with all due respect, man, you can only be a coach in the in a coach for so long, take a team to the playoffs so a wild card so long, so many times, and lose in the first round every single time for as many years as he's managed to do so without having and having to you know lose your job. And you know I feel like it's the same story year in, year out.
00:53:30
Chuku
Like, I mean, look, truth to matter is Mike Tomlin is a really, really good coach. He's probably going to go down in the Hall of Fame, one of the better coaches in the league. But it was just time. It was just time, man. Pittsburgh, you know, they're not they're going nowhere. Like, At some point, you know, the team needs a new voice, you know. And you know don't get me wrong. i can I can easily see a situation where the team regresses heavily.
00:53:56
Chuku
But sometimes, man, you need a regression to be able to rebuild and, you know, build something new. Because usually yeah it just is is a weird place the Steelers have been the last few these last few years where they're not, you know, bad enough to vie for a top three pick.
00:54:14
Chuku
But yet, they're nowhere near good enough to look at Super Bowl run at all. So I think you just it's it's just time to blow things up. And yeah, you know he probably did the right thing, in my opinion, stepping down. And you know sometimes you just got to know give a new voice a chance. So yeah, I think this was the right call or right decision on this part.
00:54:35
Emeka
Yeah, know. I'm with you. And all I'll add is that I like that he got to step down and didn't get fired. Like, I think and maybe I'm just a romantic in me. or As you know, in this podcast, we all root for Arsenal.
00:54:47
Emeka
And I've literally seen two, no, three permanent managers in the 30 years I've been alive. It's just I'm used to keeping team coaches. I like that he got the opportunity. He wasn't fired. He wasn't like Harbaugh with similar tenure and unceremoniously like that.
00:55:03
Emeka
I like that Tomlin got to, you know, talk to the team, give a speech, let them know, and then walk away on his own pace. Like, he deserves that at least. Yes, it was time. Fully agree with you. You can only lose in the first round for so long.
00:55:16
Emeka
But I'm glad he got the chance to do it himself and go out on his own terms. Any thoughts, Chinon?
00:55:24
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, i just want to start with, you know, giving my respects to Mike Tomlin, you know, what a great coach, leader, ambassador for the league representative, you know, as a black man, you know, we always knew that there was someone, you know, in the league that put us in a good light, you know, stood for something.
00:55:45
Chino Onwuka
And he was a great coach. I mean, Almost two decades in the league is nothing to sniff at. No one Superbowl champion was able to have his team play. You knew what to expect from the Pittsburgh Steelers. It wasn't going to be pretty, but he was going to have them, you know, semi competent, you know, regardless of what he had to work with. And so I think he deserves a lot of credit for that. I think the ability to do that is underrated.
00:56:16
Chino Onwuka
But you know in the world that we live in, you know that's not good enough anymore. I think there's probably a time where that type of coach stays for 30 years as long as you're getting winning seasons. But I think you know our generation, you know if you're not winning the chip, then you're a loser, really. And you know, that's something i as you know, like Chukwu said, I felt like it was beginning to become stale.
00:56:44
Chino Onwuka
And so, you know, and like Emeka, you said, you know, it's good that he got to to leave on his own terms. You know, he was getting booed in Pittsburgh, which I think is, you know, disrespectful, as as frustrating as they were playing, you know, i for all the man has done for you, I think that was unfair and unbecoming, but he gets to leave, know,
00:57:04
Chino Onwuka
You know, he has every option in front of him, whether, you know, he that that's his last game coaching or whether he he he takes a short sabbatical, makes some money in TV, and then, you know, gets to come back and pick wherever wherever he wants to coach. So really just, you know, salute to Mike Tomlin. We're probably not going to see too many like him. And, yeah, it's going to be a big miss on the sidelines.
00:57:30
Emeka
Honestly, selfishly, I want it to be on TV. I feel like his bars deserve a studio gig somewhere where I just come in pregame and i just he he gives me some Tomlin's quote and I laugh and flip the channel. i Selfishly, I want him. Also, he coached for 19 years. Take some time off.
00:57:47
Emeka
He deserve it. But AFC North, also some news happening. His long-term rival, John Harbaugh. Got hired by the New York Giants. I think it was a match kind of everyone was seeing come in.
00:58:01
Emeka
He was the hottest candidate. The Maras kind of seemed like the type of organization for him. Old school, that kind of team. They swoop in. I love all the reporting about he's in the building. They want they won't let him leave. all that i love I love head coaching Twitter. It was so funny. But as did in your division, I'll start with you, Chukwu.
00:58:19
Emeka
What are your thoughts are on Harbaugh going to the Giants? dude Is it a good fit? Is it good for Jackson Dart? Is he making a playoff team? like How would you rate this hiring?
John Harbaugh Joining the Giants
00:58:30
Chuku
I'll give it an A-plus, man. I think it's an A move for the Giants organization. And it pains me to say because, you know, obviously this is in my division and, you know, Giants, they've, you know, if they had a game on us, you know, earlier in the and early in the year where it was just, you know,
00:58:50
Chuku
That dart and scatterboot combination, man, it looked a little scary. And this this was all without having their main number one receiver who was out with an injury all year.
00:59:00
Chuku
So, I mean, yeah, it's not looking great, in my opinion. Next season could be very interesting because I definitely have the Giants just, you know, again early on here as one of my dark horses to kind of surprise people.
00:59:14
Chuku
into next year because they've shown me a lot, you know, as far as, you know, darting, what they can do on offense. And when they get everyone healthy, they look like they can be a possible problem, man. So let's see what they do in the offseason. But I definitely think, you know, with the addition of of a very, very, very good coach in John Harbour, forgive me for mispronouncing name there. But, yeah, I think it's going to be really, really good addition for them. And I think the Giants are going to be a very good team.
00:59:41
Chuku
Have a good a good chance to bounce back and have a good season this next year.
00:59:46
Emeka
No, I fully agree. you know as a I feel about the Giants how I feel about like the Cowboys and the Knicks and the Lakers in that if they're going to be on national TV all the time, I kind of want them to be good.
00:59:58
Emeka
Let me watch good football. like The Giants always, always, always get like seven national TV games a season. Let this time, let let me see something good. So I'm all for it. I'm with you. A a signing, like he's going to make them respectable.
01:00:11
Emeka
Like say what you want about a hardball. He wins games. And I'm curious how Mio Mankin came in and and turned Lamar. He was always a good QB, but he definitely became more of a pocket passer and winning MVPs in Baltimore under him.
01:00:26
Emeka
Kind of has a similar challenge in Dart. You know, can he get it to calm down? You don't have to run all the time. Let's get in the pocket and work something out there. And like you you mentioned, they have talent.
01:00:36
Emeka
So i'm I'm with you, man. It was a great no-brainer signing, and I'm curious to see how it plays out. What are your thoughts, Shuno?
01:00:45
Chino Onwuka
I think it's a really good move. Obviously, he was the number one. coaching candidates add, you know, I had mentioned that, you know, i felt this was obviously apart from the Ravens job now, the number one opening in the league, just because of what they have on both sides of the ball, know, Jackson Dart and Malik Neighbors on the offensive side.
01:01:05
Chino Onwuka
And then defensively, you know, they've got Brian Burns, they've got Abdul Carter. So a lot, a lot to work with, you know, the Giants are a historic franchise. So I think is's a really, really good hire.
01:01:18
Chino Onwuka
Now, I will say it's one of those things where he's come from as a CEO type of head coach who what he bring is organization and leadership.
01:01:31
Chino Onwuka
You know, he didn't call plays on either side of the ball. He's coming from a situation where the Ravens were able to get him the stability, the players, the draft picks that he needed for his style of coaching to work really, really well.
01:01:46
Chino Onwuka
For the last couple of years since since Coughlin left, you know, the Giants have not been that, you know, unfortunately, we've seen some of their their missteps and mistakes, you know, through hard takes.
01:01:58
Chino Onwuka
think they have a good owner who who sort of lets his guys do their jobs and maybe he hasn't had the right people in the job.
01:02:04
Emeka
you
01:02:06
Chino Onwuka
So he has one guy in the job can. can you know, the GM and his staff do their part. That's going interesting to see. And, you know, with a young quarterback, he has to nail that OC hire.
01:02:21
Chino Onwuka
You don't want to situate, I think he has to sort of, he has to balance it in a way where he picks a guy that's good but not too good that he gets hired away and they have to find another OC because I think that's an advantage the Patriots always have anytime they can bring Josh McDaniels back in because he's at the point now where, you know, how many chances he had three now he's not, he's not going anywhere. And so, you know, Drake may is going to have his guy for a long time. And I think,
01:02:52
Chino Onwuka
You know, they need somebody like that who Jackson Dart can grow with and who they can mold and sort of refine his game.
01:03:00
Emeka
No disrespect to Todd Munkin, but I don't think he's getting any head coaching jobs anytime soon. So I think long as Harbaugh is there, he's going to be there.
01:03:06
Chino Onwuka
in fifteen He's interviewing for some.
01:03:10
Emeka
He is?
01:03:11
Chino Onwuka
Yes.
01:03:12
Emeka
Well, I mean, I slanted the man too much, but I want to.
01:03:13
Chino Onwuka
he has he has He has multiple head coaching interviews. And he's the type of person I could see, you know, Cleveland hiring. Because he's he's been a head coach before and he's the type of person where he might be like, this is my last chance.
01:03:24
Emeka
Yeah, I can see that.
01:03:28
Chino Onwuka
So this is where I go.
01:03:30
Emeka
If I was him, I'd take any job they offered me because, yeah. Yeah, no disrespect to him. I have a a fun fact and a pop quiz. The fun fact is following the fire eight well you got firing of Harbaugh and Tomlin resigning, Andy Reid is now the longest tenured head coach in the league, which kind of surprised me.
01:03:49
Emeka
Hired in 2013. This is going to show you the turnover in the league. But the crazy part is, He is now the still stuck it just now the second time he's been the longest tenured head coach in the league because he was hired, and I always forget this, he was hired before Bill Belichick.
01:04:04
Emeka
So when he was fired from the Eagles, he was the longest tenured head coach then. 13 years later, he's longest tenured head coach now, which is actually kind of wild. Just Andy Reid. But my pop quiz is...
01:04:16
Emeka
Now that Tomlin has stepped down, there has been a change in the longest tenured coach in all four American professional sports, major professional sports. Can you guess who it is? And the hint is, it is not a hockey or baseball coach, so it's someone you would know.
01:04:31
Chino Onwuka
Wait, say that again.
01:04:32
Emeka
Following Tomlin, there is now a new record holder for the current active longest tenured head coach with a single team.
01:04:39
Chino Onwuka
that's easy, Miami Heat.
01:04:41
Emeka
Hey, you know it, man, Eric Smolstra.
01:04:43
Chino Onwuka
Easy.
01:04:44
Emeka
2008, getting old, man. I remember when he was hired as a young, fresh-faced video assistant. 2008, he's now been there 18 years, the longest current active head coach in a single team.
01:04:57
Emeka
Eric fucking Spolstra. Eric, good for you, you know. I did i saw a problem on Twitter. It took me by surprise. didn't go live. I was like, anything who is it? Eric Spolstra.
01:05:07
Chino Onwuka
No, just because I know they, the reason why I knew it was him is one, I know he's been there a really, really long time. i mean, he he was there since D-Wade won his first championship.
01:05:20
Chino Onwuka
But, you know, with all the firings we've we've seen in the and NBA recently, it always kept coming up how, you know, he's by far, you know, after literally since Pop left, he's been the longest tenured head coach. So, you know, that was one. and I thought you were going to ask about the NFL and I was ready for that one, too.
01:05:39
Emeka
Yeah, I mean, I was, very brain always just defaults to pop in Belichick. So now that you're like, they're gone now, it's like, yeah, who is it? And then, i don't know, for some reason, seeing that it was supposed to just, it just made me feel old because, 20
01:05:53
Chino Onwuka
We're not going – I don't think we're going to see – we're not going to see that anymore. I think him and you know Andy Reid, for as long as he's coach, she they might be the last two in all of professional sports.
01:05:57
Emeka
years?
01:06:04
Chino Onwuka
Because when I think in in in so soccer, we're going to see a maximum 10 years you know now going forward. NBA –
01:06:16
Chino Onwuka
I don't – I mean, if you look at, you know, Steve Kerr, he's somebody that you think would do that. He's he's not going to last that long. I think that a man of the game, you know, in this era is just too much for one guy to do that for to do it for so long.
01:06:29
Emeka
I fully agree. Because you like for that long, you're outlasting players. Like, I love Steve Kerr. Let's be real. Kerr retires. He's gone the next year. So, like, Eric Spolster was there with the big team.
01:06:39
Chino Onwuka
I love it. another guy who could do it, Sean McVay. We've already heard with he almost retired, but he's he's not lasting 20 years either.
01:06:44
Emeka
that's a good one.
01:06:48
Chino Onwuka
i think I do.
01:06:48
Emeka
Yeah, I think the stress would get to him. Like, coaching like that is –
01:06:50
Chino Onwuka
Yeah. Because
01:06:51
Emeka
o
01:06:54
Chino Onwuka
in the end, Arteta's not going more than 10 years.
01:06:57
Emeka
I think he'd burn out. I think he'd burn out.
01:06:59
Chino Onwuka
Yeah. 10 years.
01:07:00
Emeka
20 years? 20
01:07:02
Chino Onwuka
He'll take a year-long break and then go somewhere else, just like 10 years.
01:07:05
Emeka
years If he be like, they're just too intense to go that long.
01:07:09
Chino Onwuka
Yeah. I'm talking about I'm talking at one spot.
01:07:13
Emeka
Yeah, no, I'm say yeah i will graham with you.
01:07:13
Chino Onwuka
He might have 20 years over the world, but yeah.
01:07:15
Emeka
I think he'd burn out.
01:07:17
Chino Onwuka
We saw Klopp burnt out and he had to leave, so we're we're not seeing it anymore.
01:07:17
Emeka
I think he'd burn out for sure. 20 years is a crazy amount of time.
01:07:19
Chuku
Hi,. I'm sure.
01:07:25
Emeka
yeah Yeah, I fully agree. Hey, good for you. You got that you got that fast. i yeah I saw that news in the news and it shook me for a second.
01:07:29
Chino Onwuka
Oh, yeah.
01:07:31
Chuku
Yeah.
01:07:33
Chino Onwuka
I thought you were going NFL and I had to think about it because I think it's three guys in the NFL. I think it's
01:07:39
Emeka
I just saw ID reach and that the he's been...
01:07:40
Chino Onwuka
it's my oh It's Andy Reid, and then after Andy Reid, it's McVay, Shanahan, and it's one more guy.
01:07:41
Emeka
Oh,
01:07:49
Chino Onwuka
Buffalo, yeah.
01:07:50
Emeka
yeah, McDermott, yeah.
01:07:50
Chino Onwuka
They could they all got hired in the same cycle.
01:07:54
Emeka
Yeah, it's it's really something. So, yeah, coaches, man, like, it's not for the faint of heart. Like, Tomlin and Harbaugh were two pillars, 18 and 19 years respectively.
01:08:03
Chino Onwuka
That's crazy that they both happen at the same time. That game, Pittsburgh-Baltimore is going to be kind of weird going forward.
01:08:12
Emeka
Yeah, we'll see what they hire.
01:08:12
Chino Onwuka
yeah And i wouldn't be surprised if they hire guys maybe similar the in their image.
01:08:14
Chuku
And I wouldn't be surprised
01:08:18
Chino Onwuka
If I had to make a guess, I'm not going to say bet because i leave that to you all. I'd say Minter, you know, for... for the Ravens and maybe Flores for for the Steelers. So, you know, maybe the style is kind of similar, but it's just going to be weird not seeing those two on the sidelines for those teams, respectively.
01:08:39
Emeka
I'm with you. Well, from long-tenured head coaches, we're going to end with a short tenure.
Real Madrid's Coaching Turmoil
01:08:46
Emeka
And I love with the game podcast. no NFL heavy. Fair enough. It means wild card weekend, playoff weekend, but we can't forget about the other football.
01:08:54
Emeka
And another last closing trifecta of coaching news is this week. Real Madrid. Following the Spanish Supercopa that's yeah, I can't believe you get man's getting fired over community shields but following a loss to Barcelona and the Supercopa the next day Madrid fired Javier Alonso the communicator official the fourth shortest tenure for a senior manager and in Euro Madrid history barely made it seven months and They chased him for a year from Leverkusen.
01:09:25
Emeka
Club legend, all that. One Le Decima still only gets you so much rope when El Dictator Mbappe says, you got to go, you got to go. You know, we have Madridist on this podcast. I got to start with him.
01:09:37
Emeka
What are your thoughts, Shuku, about Madrid deciding, yeah, that Alonso stuff is is getting old. Abra Loha, step it.
01:09:45
Chuku
Are you sure that he got fired? Because I think there was some confusion on the and that one. like I was under the understanding that he parted ways, as in like he chose to kind of like walk out, not that he was actually fired.
01:09:58
Chuku
you know I know that, again, there were some reports saying that he got fired. I've seen other reports stating that it was more of like a mutual termination. And it was more of like he wanted to walk out because look, in delving more into the situation, i don't blame Alonso for like wanting out at all.
01:10:16
Chuku
When you find out how, you know, player, player, you leadership power and player power in the club, like has played a role in things, you know, and for those who weren't following what what I'm, know, what's going on there or what I'm trying to bring up is the whole situation of after the game,
01:10:34
Chuku
You know, they lost. Mbappe is telling guys, you know, giving guys orders that it's opposite of what, you know, Alonso, the manager, is asking the team to do.
01:10:46
Chuku
And it's like, if you're Alonso, like, why why even continue on this situation? It's basically one of which, you know, it clearly shows, you know, your so your word or your sway in the locker room.
01:11:00
Chuku
isn't you know as high as you'd you know you'd imagine when it comes to you know some of the top players on the team namely Mbappé's having more of a say when it comes to what, you know, know I guess the locker room to lock locker room politics. And it's like, it's just a mix, a bad mix altogether. And it's unfortunate because there was very high hopes for Alonso to, you know, do good or amazing things. And it wasn't like was having a bad season, by the way, his record, you know, this year was, it's been respectable. I mean,
01:11:36
Chuku
Granted, we're not, you know, Madrid are not first at the moment, but, you know, it's not like they were having like a terrible season, you know, prior to him leaving the club. So it kind of took me by surprise, honestly, but when you kind of factor in, you know, what what was going on in the lock locker room and the,
01:11:54
Chuku
the you know I guess the player-manager dynamics and whatnot, I can understand and I can see why had to go or why he had to step down or or walk away from the job. And it's unfortunate, but now we have Arbor Lovat stepping in, coming in.
01:12:09
Chuku
I don't know if he's going to be, you know, any better as far as what he's going to bring to the table. It's going to be interesting to see, you know, if he's going to stay on long-term. I doubt that he's going to stay like they're going to offer him a long-term contract as far as being the first team head coach. I do think they'll bring someone in the summer, but, uh, for now it's just a, you know, I guess it's just a time of transition. And, It's going to be very interesting to see, or I'm very interested to see who's going to take the job full-time or who they're going to appoint as the full-time manager and they coming you know in the coming months. But, yeah, this has been a crazy been crazy. Like, to think, you know, guy that has been so highly, you know, respected and highly, you know, I guess recruited to come in and to be the manager, to see him leave in less than a year is kind of, yeah,
01:12:59
Chuku
It's kind of crazy. So hopefully the management knows what they're doing. But, yeah, it took me by a huge surprise to see that happen.
01:13:09
Emeka
I mean, we were on this pod, you know, through a few, four months ago. El Clasico happens, Madrid wins, and the biggest talking point afterwards was, you know, he subbed Vinny off, and Vinny had the the massive tantrum. I remember on this podcast saying...
01:13:24
Emeka
That kind of stuff, it festers the disrespect shown to your manager like that. i hated seeing it. And then you you touched on it. The Mbappe situation was it was crazy to me.
01:13:35
Emeka
Like, he's not this is not a captain. This is a guy who's been there for two years. Granted, up there, one of the best players in the world. But to just so openly go against your manager like that, over something so petty, like a guard of honor, it's just it's it's clear the players run the asylum there.
01:13:52
Emeka
You're beefing with Vinny. I thought all this time Mbappe was on his side. I thought it was okay. I'm, you know, Vinny mad at me because I'm platforming Mbappe, but Mbappe backed me up. Even Mbappe is not doing it.
01:14:03
Emeka
It's over, man.
01:14:05
Emeka
You know, it's, I love Alonso, but yeah, it wasn't a good fit. It just wasn't a good fit at all there.
01:14:13
Chino Onwuka
You know what?
01:14:15
Emeka
So i know.
01:14:16
Chino Onwuka
Yeah.
01:14:16
Emeka
What are your thoughts, you know, on this?
01:14:16
Chino Onwuka
Considering what I'm, you know, I'm beginning to lean with what Chukwu said in that maybe Alonso decided to to leave, you know, and probably the only thing he didn't do was give his own press conference.
01:14:30
Chino Onwuka
Like, like we've seen has become a tactic because
01:14:35
Chino Onwuka
I don't think this is, this is, and Chuky, you might have to tell me, have have you guys fired a coach mid-season before? Even when you guys have fired coach, I feel like it's come for the most part at the end of the season.
01:14:51
Chino Onwuka
Maybe Benita has left mid-season. I can't remember. Anyway, because at the very least, vibes were bad and, and And I think, but I think Perez wouldn't have cared about that as long as, you know, there was still a chance to win Liga and win the Champions League, which I think Real Madrid still had the chance to do.
01:15:18
Chino Onwuka
This is a situation where, you know, come, you know, spring, they're, They're far behind Barcelona for La Liga.
01:15:29
Chino Onwuka
Maybe they've been knocked out of Champions League. Then I can see it. But this, for all those reasons, this smells like Alonso just got sick and tired of what he had to deal with. Now, you know, part of the part of the calculus with him coming in was, you know, he's someone that...
01:15:48
Chino Onwuka
you know Brings the best of both worlds after you know things have followed off with Ancelotti. He's someone that can bring in you know a system, but would know how to manage the dressing room because he's played in that dressing room.
01:16:01
Chino Onwuka
But for some reason, and I really don't know what's going on, he it's quite clear that from the very beginning, you know the players weren't giving him...
01:16:11
Chino Onwuka
weren't respecting him like that from what we saw from Vinny to the stuff that was coming out, you know, in the papers and and and in and in reporting.
01:16:22
Chino Onwuka
And then what I saw from Mbappe and Mbappe is someone who always says my son, you know, on re reincarnated plus maybe. And I'm just so disappointed that one Mbappe did that to that.
01:16:41
Chino Onwuka
The players followed and three that you know. Even though the the other people around the club allow that to happen, you know, if I'm Alonzo that's that's the last straw for me i'm not not coming back to to coach that team so it's really strange one, and I think Alonzo is going to be.
01:17:01
Chino Onwuka
he's gonna be He's going to be someone you know of that a lot of teams are going to be looking for coaches, and I think he's going be one of the first calls. So he'll have more opportunities.
01:17:13
Chino Onwuka
He doesn't have to deal with that. But for Real Madrid, yes, you know, Where do you go from there? You know, we've seen the formula with an Arboloha work before, you know, he's coaching the youth teams, you know, he played for the team before, you know, that's honestly the the pet playbook.
01:17:32
Chino Onwuka
So is it going to work out? We've seen in the first game they've lost in the cup to, to who did they even lose? Levante or something like that. So yeah.
01:17:41
Emeka
They wish it was Levante.
01:17:43
Chino Onwuka
Yeah.
01:17:43
Emeka
17th place in La Liga 2. Abba Reste. I haven't pronounced their name.
01:17:47
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, Albacete or something like that. So not an auspicious start.
01:17:49
Emeka
Abba Sete.
01:17:52
Chino Onwuka
So we'll see if he lasts. I'm sure therere they're hoping he can because you know his his name has been in the mix for a while. But you know come the summer, there's lots of names. you know we We mentioned names that weren't going to go to United or Chelsea because of sort of the the they're probably looking for guys that they control. But I think you Real Madrid, you know, is the sort of job that some of those bigger names that we didn't think would go to Chelsea or Man U do become an option. So your Tuchels, your Nagelsmans, you know, Xavi's not going there, but, you know, I've heard some rummings about Luis Enrique. Actually, Luis Enrique's probably not going there either.
01:18:34
Chino Onwuka
So anyway, your Nagelsmans, your Tuchels, Ancelotti coming back, Ramontada. I'm sure they're going to give Zidane a call again, and I think he's just waiting for the French job. So, yeah, really, really interesting to see. But still all to play for in both La Liga and Champions League. So they got to get their act together.
01:18:56
Emeka
I mean, just devil's advocate, though. If you if you're a Nagelsman, because Tuco, I think, will take it. But if you're a Nagelsman and you have your pick up the litter, after seeing a guy like Alonzo not make it, would that not give you a little bit of pause to be like, man, i what's my what's my what's my let my and my my runaway here?
01:19:16
Emeka
And you know people would say, You go, they get fired. You get paid out. News broke. Alonzo's contract, three-year deal. He gets fired. only gets one year of that. I'm not even getting the payola.
01:19:27
Emeka
What's point of me doing this? I don't know. like If i was I was a guy with many options, I'd definitely consider that.
01:19:30
Chino Onwuka
Who would pick up the litter in your opinion, though? Because, you know, I guess Man City could be in the mix as well. So, yeah, fair point. But, yeah, I think it's just Man City, PSG Madrid.
01:19:43
Emeka
ESG could as well.
01:19:45
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, so fair.
01:19:48
Emeka
That's what saying. But, I mean, look, they're Real Madrid. Like, they're going to get whatever. So, I'm curious. I've been talking about them on the podcast all year. Like, I'm just fascinated by Madrid.
01:19:58
Emeka
They are the biggest team in football. An institution. Perez is the greatest team president of all time. And yet... They just have this little bit of this dysfunction rumbling it up. And more maybe it's been a consistent 10 years, 15 years of success, and we're due to the Galactico era. you know i think I think we're due for another quote-unquote banter session for Real Madrid because it's crazy.
01:20:21
Emeka
Alonso getting fired, I mean, leaving or fired either way out of just the the player you know a empowerment for a guy who's signed for one more year than he is. So, like, who knows if he's even going to be there. So, yeah, it's crazy. And I'm also very curious to see where Alonso ends up. Like, everyone's just kind of penciling in for Liverpool, which I find hilarious because Slott's still a manager and there's never been any concrete reports that he's in danger. or So, if they keep Slott, where's he going to end up? Like, who knows?
01:20:51
Emeka
So, I'm – I found Alonso is, like, so I said for Tomlin, just take the seat the rest of the year off, man. Like, relax. You got done dirty, my guy. You'll find another job soon. So, yeah, it's football. You know, we have the Tomlins and Harbaugh's leaving after 18 years. Now we have Alonzo leaving after seven months. Just goes to show, you know, young or old, doesn't, you know, long or short, NFL, soccer, doesn't matter. Head coaching is, that's why they get paid the big bucks, man. It's dog-eat-dog world out there.
01:21:22
Emeka
Any final thoughts when we move on from this Alonzo topic?
01:21:27
Emeka
and No, well then.
01:21:27
Chino Onwuka
Nothing from me. Yeah, nothing from me.
NFL Divisional Round Predictions
01:21:33
Emeka
All right. Well, as always, we like to end this podcast with picking games.
01:21:36
Chuku
Thank you.
01:21:37
Emeka
And I think it's only right, the divisional round, four hot matchups. We go through and give you our predictions for, you know, help you help you get your gambling, your books right. see Let's see how good our picks can do.
01:21:49
Emeka
For this weekend, we got four hot matchups. I'm personally looking forward to every single one of these games. I can't wait to see them. We'll go through, and if you can, hey any you know quick thoughts you have about any team or storyline for any of these games, also you know feel free to jump in.
01:22:05
Emeka
First game, Saturday, I think 2 p.m. our time, Saturday afternoon. We've talked about them all podcast. Josh Allen, Mr. Superman himself. Knocked off the three seed. Can he do it to the one seed?
01:22:18
Emeka
Travels into Denver to play them. A rematch from last year. almost forgot.
01:22:22
Chuku
Thank
01:22:22
Emeka
A rematch from last year in the playoffs. Buffalo Bills versus Denver. This time in Mount High. I will start off. I really struggled with this because Denver are by far the better team.
01:22:34
Emeka
But in the playoffs, you know, yeah i like to default the best QB at times. What tipped it for me is... Chukwu touched on it. i want to double down on this point.
01:22:45
Emeka
The Buffalo Bills patch casters. They have lost... Gabe Davis. Say what you one about Gabe Davis. For some reason, Buffalo, he becomes good. Torrey's ACL. Shavers, undrafted free agent, putting together a decent season.
01:22:59
Emeka
Torrey's ACL. They now have three wide receivers who have caught over 100 yards active right now. Shakir, who I love, but it's possession receiver. Keon Coleman, who they benched half the season, feels like.
01:23:13
Emeka
And Brandon Cooks, who they signed three weeks ago. These are their three starting receivers. So on that point, give me the Denver Broncos in this matchup. I just, I love you, Josh Allen. If I was here last week, I would picked the Jags. So I'm picking against you two weeks in a row.
01:23:27
Emeka
You might make me look really stupid, but I got to go with the Broncos. Chukwu, who you got for this matchup?
01:23:34
Chuku
I picked against this man last week. And let's just say made me look a fool. I can't do that twice. So here we are. I'm picking Josh Allen, bro.
01:23:50
Chuku
Josh Allen, the Buffalo Bills.
01:23:52
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, I'm going with the Bills as well because I think Denver are a really good team, a really strong defense, but I don't really believe in Bo Nix at all. I believe in Sean Payton. I don't believe in Bo Nix.
01:24:05
Chino Onwuka
So really, it's going to have to come down to James Cook. You know, if they if they can establish the run game, which I think could be more successful against Denver than it was against the Jags, then I think that's going to be their best bet. Lean on the run game and have Josh Allen come through in those superman moments. Because I think, know, if Buffalo plays as well as they did against the Jags defensively, yet then I think, you know, that Denver offense could be in for a lot of trouble.
01:24:35
Emeka
and you know I want to pick Josh Allen so bad. I just, man, Denver's defense is good, and Bill's pass catchers are not. So I like it. R2-V1 then, both picking the underdog against the one seed. hey Fair enough.
01:24:51
Emeka
Saturday evening, a rematch from week 18. The number one seed, Seattle Seahawks, hosting the 49 IRs, Kittle out with an Achilles,
01:25:04
Emeka
Fred Warner is not getting activated. Start with Future and all. Who do you got for this matchup?
01:25:10
Chino Onwuka
I got the Seahawks. You know, i think we might see, I think this might be something where the Seahawks win in spite of, I guess I'd say not in spite of, regardless of what Sam Darnold does, because I think that defense is, is legit.
01:25:26
Chino Onwuka
You know, 49ers are hurting. And so Sam Darnold just has to play well enough for the defense to carry them through. So I've got Seahawks in that one.
01:25:35
Emeka
You nailed all these points earlier in the podcast. just want to reiterate them. It's been such an underrated topic to how good the Seahawks defense is. It is an all-time also defense. Fantastic. I love Shanahan. I love what he's been doing. I just think it's a lot to overcome that. I wish they had Warner back, give him a little bit of juice, but I think it's tough to overcome that defense. so I'm with you. Give me the Seahawks.
01:26:00
Emeka
And I think the biggest blowout of the weekend versus the 49ers. Chukwu. sugargo
01:26:06
Chuku
No George Kittle, no party. Give me the Seahawks, baby. oh Give me the Seahawks.
01:26:11
Emeka
Clean sweep. I'm curious if we get that for the next couple ones. We have for the Saturday, Sunday, morning game. My New England Patriots hosting the Houston Texans.
01:26:25
Emeka
I hate to say this. I really, truly do. I'm taking the Texans, man. That defense has spooked me. They are the one team in the AFC I wanted to avoid the most by far these playoffs.
01:26:37
Emeka
I saw what they did to Josh Allen. In that Thursday night game. Ever since that game. I want no pieces. Of this Texas defense. And Drake May. I love my man Drake May.
01:26:49
Emeka
All pro second team. MVP runner up. Baller. He looked a little shaky against the Chargers. I'll be charged with a good defense. He's a young guy. It's his second playoff game.
01:27:00
Emeka
I think he's just asking a lot from him to overcome the Texans defense.
01:27:03
Chuku
Thank you.
01:27:04
Emeka
And yeah, CJ Stroud was looking booty, but that's the worst game he's going to play these playoffs. I think I'm confident saying that. And you take away all the turnovers. He had a lot of great plays on third down. So I,
01:27:16
Emeka
It hurts me to say this, but if you told me preseason, the Pats would be the two seed and win a playoff game, I'd have snatched your finger off for it. So I'll take it what I hate to predict, but I'm taking the Texans in this matchup.
01:27:31
Emeka
Chukwu.
01:27:33
Chuku
Yeah, to me, this is this is the toughest one for me to pick, to be quite honest with you. Because I really want to say New England, but boy, that Houston defense is a problem. You're going to have one of your best cornerbacks coming off a concussion and Christian Gonzalez.
01:27:58
Chuku
Is Houston, Houston, they lost, they lost a receiver? Like, is Nico Collins lost?
01:28:03
Emeka
Same with Gonzalez, Nico Collins out for concussion.
01:28:04
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, Nico.
01:28:06
Emeka
Who knows if he's back yet, but
01:28:06
Chino Onwuka
Nico Pauling. He hasn't practiced yet.
01:28:08
Chuku
Hmm.
01:28:09
Chino Onwuka
So everyone's going to be sweating until Friday.
01:28:10
Chuku
That's tough. That's tough.
01:28:13
Emeka
on a short week, I'd lean towards him not being back.
01:28:17
Chuku
you know what, man? That defense system is is legit, bro. It's legit. Over into Houston.
01:28:25
Chuku
Damn it. No, man. I have faith, man. Drake may. He's the truth. Give me the New England Patriots, man.
01:28:32
Emeka
Hey, I love to see it, brother. I love to see it. you I know Drake makes you boy as well. You believe her?
01:28:39
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, I got the the the Patriots. I think it's tough for me because I'm a Texans hater because they're my division. So I'm going to go with the Patriots. It's going to be a tough game. It's going to come down to who can overcome more between, you know, can Drake Mayne.
01:28:59
Chino Onwuka
overcome the Houston defense and can CJ Stroud overcome himself? So whichever one does that is going to win the game, but I want the Patriots to win.
01:29:07
Chuku
Thank you.
01:29:12
Chino Onwuka
So I'm going to lean that way.
01:29:15
Emeka
I mean, it really is going to come down to that. Like, if if Stroud plays like he does like did against the Steelers, we can win this game. 100% we can win this game. But if he's just competent, hey, man, listen. Drake Murray, I'm standing for you.
01:29:31
Emeka
Do something for me this weekend, brother. Do something for me. And last but not least, Sunday night, we have the Chicago Bears hosting the Los Angeles Rams in what apparently is supposed to be the coldest game of the year, a snowstorm.
01:29:47
Emeka
Matt Stafford out here wearing in scuba suits and getting ready for the cold to weather. I'll start with you, Trinnell. Who do you have for this matchup?
01:29:56
Chino Onwuka
I got the Rams. I just think they have championship pedigree, you know, Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford, Puka, Devontae Adams.
01:30:07
Chino Onwuka
They've got it all. I think they they play to the level of their competition sometimes. So I think the Bears will be definitely a tougher challenge than the Panthers. But I think that will just raise the level of what the Rams do.
01:30:23
Chino Onwuka
I think the bears have been on an incredible run, but you know, how long can they keep doing this?
01:30:24
Chuku
All right.
01:30:28
Chino Onwuka
You know, I, I had the Packers winning that game because I feel like one, you know, they've depended on a lot of comebacks at a soft schedule. So going up against a really good team will, will their luck run out.
01:30:41
Chino Onwuka
So, you know, the weather is going to be a factor, but you know, Stafford played in Detroit for most of his career. you know, even if we're talking about Cale Williams, he's and he's a Cali boy, so honestly, i don't think that's going to be much of a factor.
01:30:53
Chuku
which is a.
01:30:57
Chino Onwuka
as i don't think it's going to be a big of a factor as some might make it out to be. So anyway, I've got the Rams.
01:31:04
Emeka
Funny you mentioned Stafford played in Detroit. You forget Detroit played in the Dome. And I have two stats for you.
01:31:11
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, but he played he played in that division though, right? So
01:31:13
Emeka
He did, but Dome teams on the road in freezing conditions in the playoffs, 3-14. Matthew Stafford in freezing conditions.
01:31:25
Emeka
1-9. Give me the Bears against the in this game. Give me the Bears. The Rams have not been great the last month or so. People really sleep on that.
01:31:37
Emeka
The end of the regular season, 3-3, two of those wins are against the Cardinals. So my eyes, they're the end of 1-3. Like, they lost to the Panthers. They lost to the Falcons.
01:31:47
Emeka
And, yeah, they lost in a crazy game. they get They lost to the Seahawks. Like, they're not looking sharp. I feel like they've become a little too Puka-reliant as the season has gone on. Devontae Adams is going to come back. We can help them a lot. But I just – the cold weather thing, I think people sleep on that so much.
01:32:05
Emeka
The Rams are a finesse team. They come out. They love to throw the ball around to Stafford. Can they really win a grind-out game in freezing conditions? I don't know.
01:32:15
Emeka
Give me the Chicago Bears. Also, i'm just I'm just seduced by the the vibes that Chicago has. when They just feel like a team of destiny kind of deal. Give me the Bears advancing to the division conference championship game.
01:32:30
Emeka
Give me the Bears. All right, Chukwu. As a tiebreaker, who do you got for this matchup?
01:32:35
Chuku
Whew, man. It's a tough one. It's a tough one. Because I want to say, normally, in if it was a fair weather, i would normally easily go Rams. But the weather just has me concerned, man. It how's me concerned Truly, truly, truly has me concerned.
01:32:53
Chuku
And is the game is in Chicago?
01:32:57
Emeka
It's in Chicago.
01:33:00
Chuku
Man, I'm sticking with or the vibes have been just too immaculate for the Bears, man. I don't know what it is. They got something brewing in the water. I don't know what that is, but... Yeah, I'm picking up pick i'm picking the picking the Bears.
01:33:15
Chuku
Crazy as it sounds, I'm picking the Bears.
01:33:17
Emeka
just feels good, doesn't it, right? It just feels good.
01:33:20
Chuku
It just feels something about this year. just feels like it's the year of the Bears, man. So, yeah, I'm going with the Bears.
01:33:31
Emeka
I love it. I love it. I cannot emphasize how cold this game is is supposed to be.
01:33:36
Chuku
Yeah.
01:33:39
Emeka
It's, I'm looking at, I'm sorry, because 20 degrees, minus twenty weather God forbid playing outside of that. Oh, man, these footballers.
01:33:49
Emeka
And what blows my mind is that they come out there sleeveless half the time to prove they're tough. Could never be me. it Could never be me. I'm looking forward to it. Cold weather is one of those things where you could not pay me enough to sit in it, but as a fan sometimes, it's just great to watch.
01:34:05
Emeka
Either way, I'm hoping we get games more closer to –
01:34:11
Emeka
Packers, Bears, 49ers, Eagles type of game versus the other ones.
01:34:15
Chino Onwuka
That's the thing, right? We're probably in line for disappointment because so many of the wildcard games were good.
01:34:21
Emeka
I know.
01:34:22
Chino Onwuka
It's very unlikely we're going to see as that many good games for this. We can hope, but
01:34:28
Emeka
Yeah, I know. I'm with you, man. and we were like i We were really four in a row came down to the last play. You never get that. You never, ever get that. You only get a couple of blowouts mixed in there. We got one Monday night, but, oh, man, it was – if we get two games that go down like that, I'd be satisfied.
01:34:46
Emeka
So, yeah, I'm hoping – he was hoping we get a nice wild card weekend full of upsets and surprises. And no matter what happens, we'll be here with you next week to cover it all, yap it up, maybe touch on some more. I mean, give us some credit here, man. It was f FA Cup weekend. There's not much to talk about for football.
01:35:05
Emeka
You know, you you know your your teams our team's doing a little something-something. But we'll save that for a future podcast. You know, you have about NFL, you have about football, you have about NBA, about everything.
01:35:16
Emeka
Here on Love of the Game podcast, we love you for listening with us. Thanks for tuning in. We'll see you next time.