Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Goal Line: Draft Recap + Falcons & Bears Previews
39 Plays2 years ago
The boys are back to discuss the fall out from the NFL Draft and preview the 2024 Atlanta Falcons & Chicago Bears. Plus, Listener Mail
Recommended
Transcript
NFL Draft Insights and Tornado Impact
00:00:15
Speaker
What is up, goal line listeners? We are back with another episode of The Goal Line. It has been a busy two weeks since the last time we recorded NFL Draft. It went down. We got some much needed clarity on where a lot of these teams are heading in 2024, particularly at the quarterback position. And we're going to get into all of it. But first, let me introduce my main man, my road dog, Jordan. What's going on?
00:00:38
Speaker
Yeah, it, uh, draft was something, man. It was a, it, it feels like it's been forever since we talked about football, but it's only been two weeks, but a lot has happened in those two weeks. And, uh, yeah, I'm always excited to talk football and just sports in general. So yeah, we'll, uh, we'll have some fun with this.
NBA Playoffs and Team Performances
00:00:55
Speaker
Yeah, man. How's the late spring, early summer going out in Nebraska? So unfortunately, we had a pretty big tornado that actually hit Omaha suburban or sorry, the suburbs of Omaha Elkhorn. It destroyed about 900 homes. So yeah, it's it's been an interesting couple of weeks since we last talked and record a podcast. So
00:01:22
Speaker
Um, definitely nothing I've ever seen before in my life. I mean, the last tornado that hit Omaha directly was 50 years ago. So yeah, it's been a, it's been a lot, man. Work's been a lot. Um, for those of you that don't know, I do insurance. So yeah, it's a, it's been an interesting two weeks.
00:01:40
Speaker
Uh, you said it took out some houses as close as like three blocks away from yours, right? No, I was farther than that. It was, it was the really bad stuff was about three miles from my house. Um, but I mean, you should have just went with it, man. I was trying to sell you as like the real bad-ass just out there just spacing down the eye of the store. I don't, I don't want it to fucking put any karma in there that I'm like some storm survivor. So yeah, it's, it was bad though, man. Like it was destruction like none of us had ever seen. So.
00:02:07
Speaker
That's pretty wild, dude. All right, you ready to get into some sports talk? Yeah, let's do it.
Falcons' Draft Strategy: Questioning Decisions
00:02:19
Speaker
Hey, real quick before we get into the football, man, I know we both had Celtics and Nuggets for our finals pick. Did you see anything across the first round in the NBA playoffs to take you off that?
00:02:32
Speaker
The tea wolves are tough, man. The, the nuggets got their handful hands full in this round. I think the tea wolves are going to be a really tough out. I think whoever wins that series wins the whole thing. Honestly, the way that he wolves and especially Anthony Edwards are playing right now.
00:02:49
Speaker
Dude, if they win this series, I think they got a really good shot at winning the whole thing. Celtics losing poor Zingus for an extended amount of time. Nobody really knows how long, but it's the same injury that Giannis had and he hadn't played in a month and he said he really wasn't even that close.
00:03:05
Speaker
I don't know, man. I don't think the Cavs can beat him as much as I would love to see that happen. But yeah, I don't know. Knicks are playing really good right now, man. I still feel like they dodged a bullet with the Bucks fizzling out the way they did, man. I feel like the Bucks really were the most well-equipped to take them out. But yeah, it's looking... It feels like it's a damn near sure thing, man. Celtics make it out of the East. Yeah. I mean, whoever wins this Indiana New York series is going to be a tough out.
00:03:34
Speaker
Both really good teams. The, the Knicks slow you down. The pace or speed you up and force you to play a game. You don't want to play NBA playoffs have been really good this year. I mean, I know you don't want, you're not able to watch a ton of it, but it's been really good. That nuggets and wolves game on Saturday night was like, I don't know. It was just like, it's like basketball in the purest form is watching those two teams play.
00:03:59
Speaker
Cool, man. Let's get to some pigskin. All right. I feel like we got to talk about the draft, obviously, because that's where we left off last time we talked. Obviously, the big thing is the Falcons drafting Michael Penning today.
00:04:14
Speaker
I the GM looked at me like we signed who a couple weeks
Titans and Lions' Draft Approaches
00:04:18
Speaker
back? I do. I get like the the premise of it. Like they don't want to be in the same position they were in when Matt Ryan was done. Basically, I get it. But the problem is, man, you just signed cousins. Penix is for sure going to sit two years boring a cousin's injury, which I guess is really not that much of a guarantee that he doesn't make it or that he makes it through the next two seasons unscathed.
00:04:44
Speaker
But dude, I just, I mean him, like the GM talking about after, like I understood his point. They're expecting to be good. And when the division, which would put you picking in the twenties, which would make it nearly impossible to draft a franchise quarterback. I get that.
00:05:00
Speaker
But dude, the Falcons, I mean, we all last year, all we talked about is they were a quarterback away. I didn't say two quarterbacks away. We just said a quarterback away. I just, I don't know, man, it was like a head scratcher on draft night. It's still a head scratcher to me. I hope it works, man. I like panics too. He's, you can tell he's a good kid. Like every time he talks, you can just tell he he's got a good head on his shoulders and he's a really good football player, but I don't know, man. I just,
00:05:31
Speaker
I was really hoping they were going to take defense with the eighth overall pick because that's what they needed more than anything. And they passed on defense again. It's just like, dude, what the fuck are they doing? It felt like you needed, you know, either another weapon to go on that offense to give the Kirk cousins or a playmaker on defense. I will say after letting it, you know, letting it age a little bit, I don't think the pick is as horrible as it seemed in that moment on draft night.
00:05:56
Speaker
You know, especially if, you know, we don't, we don't have access to like their in depth, you know, scouting reports and stuff. If they had this guy graded out as like a no shitter game changer franchise quarterback, and you got a chance to get him at the eight pick. Yeah, dude, you got to jump on that man. It's worth it. No matter what else is going on. But it just seemed weird because signing Kirk Cousins screams.
00:06:14
Speaker
to me, we are going all in for the next two, hopefully three years to try to win this thing and draft in a guy who's going to sit on the bench. If all things work out, he's going to be sitting on the bench for a couple of years. That just seemed like an odd way to spin that asset with a number eight pick. But again, if they firmly believe this dude's a no joke, Pro Bowl caliber quarterback, then
00:06:37
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's going to be hard to argue with it. Nobody will remember. Nobody will remember this five years from now if Pinnix does work out or just in general, if the Falcons are actually halfway decent. I mean, nobody will remember it then either. Like, yeah, but they cannot be bad now. Like now that now they've pushed to me, they've pushed all our chips and even more now. Like now you have to compete and be good to make this look like you actually knew what you were doing because
00:07:03
Speaker
If you're bad next year and you're still picking in the top 10, you are literally going to look like you have no fucking clue what you're doing, but they win the division and are picking in the 20s next year.
Importance of Quarterbacks in NFL History
00:07:13
Speaker
I don't know. Maybe we look back at this and look differently at it. Yeah. Like I said, I get the thought and everything behind it. And they've already said the next two years, a quarterback classes are going to be pretty bare. Um, but.
00:07:28
Speaker
I don't know, man. And then watching Bo Nicks get picked at 12, it was like, dude, maybe they just knew that there was going to be a frenzy of quarterback picks in the top 15. And they knew they wanted another one to back up cousins because Heineke is obviously not going to win you a ton of games if cousins does go down. So
00:07:47
Speaker
I mean, backup quarterbacks are more important than ever, dude. I think last year, there weren't a ton of QBs that started every single game. Yeah, well, didn't they say there was like 52 starting quarterbacks last year? Yeah, I think over half the league, either for injury or performance, had to bench the guy they had going in to start the season.
00:08:06
Speaker
I think another big thing on this man is just the Falcons really have, don't really have a lot of goodwill in the bank over the last couple of years. Just the way, you know, obviously the on field results and then the way they've managed certain situations. I don't think that they really get the benefit of the doubt from, from their own fan base and NFL fans at large. You know, I think if it was the Niners or the Chiefs, you know, making this pick in a similar situation, I think, you know, people would be like, okay, good pick. But I think because it's the Falcons, I think people were ready to kind of, you know, dog pile and,
00:08:34
Speaker
you know, trash talk like they like they love to do on our our dirty birds. Yeah, I think you're right there. I think if anybody else does this, any other top team does this. I think it's it's looked upon completely different. I agree with you there. But yeah, it'll be interesting to see how it works out. They finally did draft some defense, so I'm excited to see what happens with that. But yeah, it was I mean, it was an eventful draft, like six quarterbacks in the first 12 picks is absolutely insane.
00:09:03
Speaker
just tells you how much parody and everything there is in the NFL. And there was a rumor that the giants tried to trade like three first round picks to get up to three and the Patriots said no.
00:09:14
Speaker
Yeah. So I mean, of course, Patriots aren't going to do no business with the Giants. Yeah. I mean, maybe that's where we're at. Like I think everybody's just kind of realized, Hey, you can't, you can't just go into the season with a question market quarterback. Like you at least have to have something that you're kind of putting faith into. And yeah, it's, uh,
00:09:34
Speaker
NFL is changing man. Like more now more than ever, you
Season Predictions for Bears and Falcons
00:09:38
Speaker
absolutely have to have a quarterback. You cannot just lean on your defense or your run game. Like you have to have someone that can sling the ball when, when it's in crunch time. Yeah. If you look at really going back really the last 20 years, man, like Nick Foles sticks out like a sore thumb. Pretty much everybody else is either Brady who, you know, we know to be the goat and then high first round picks, man. I think, you know, drew Brees might be the next lowest pick that, uh,
00:10:03
Speaker
that actually want a Super Bowl. And I want to say he was first pick in the second round back when he was drafted. So yeah, the pedigree really does matter at the QB position. Yeah. That's an interesting point you bring up. I think you're right. I think everybody in the last 20 years was a high pick. So yeah, it's going to be interesting, man. It's a, it makes for some good conversation for next year. Cause I mean, dude, let's just say cousins looks like shit and he's not fully recovered from his injury. They can throw him in there like,
00:10:30
Speaker
I don't know. Then we're looking at this completely different at that point. Yeah. Let's look at the, for the Brady area. So you got Brady, then you had Ben Roethlisberger first round pick. You had, uh, Peyton, Peyton Manning, one, eight, seven, then you had number one pick big Ben, one, another one. You had Aaron Rogers, number one pick.
00:10:53
Speaker
Who won it in 2012? That was the Ravens, Joe Flacco, first round pick. 13 was... Russell Wilson was a third round pick, but he was third round with some hype, man. He was a five year starter. So yeah, really Russell Wilson and Nick Foles, man. Other than that, it's been Brady, Matt Stafford, Pat Mahomes.
00:11:13
Speaker
Uh, yeah, dude, you pretty much got to have a top tier quarterback or, you know, the, the high draft package. It's as much as we love to like romanticize like the Brady's and stuff with the world. They really are the exception. You know, Brady Brock, Purdy guys like that, you know, it sticks out because it's so rare that you see somebody not drafted on the first day of the draft actually turned into something at that position. Yeah. Um, how'd you feel about the Titans draft?
00:11:36
Speaker
It was meat and potatoes, man. There were no picks that I could get mad at, but it was just the most boring draft possible. It's hard to get excited about offensive linemen. No offense, man. But you know what? I think that's the exact draft they needed to have. I think they needed a boring draft. We talked about how they couldn't protect the quarterback. They couldn't rush the quarterback with a shit either. So shirring of the trenches is probably one of the biggest
AFC and NFC Team Strategies
00:12:03
Speaker
things that the Titans needed to do.
00:12:05
Speaker
I wanted him to draft one. I wanted him to draft a corner in like the second round, but obviously they didn't do that. Um, just to go with Snead, but I mean, I still think they'll be fine. It's just, I don't know, man. When you're, when you're starting over with a first time head coach, like you just got to make sure the cover is not completely bare. And I mean, like we said, they, they got to protect Levis. That has to be their number one priority because I mean, until he gets protected, we don't know what he really is.
00:12:34
Speaker
Yeah, because he was, you know, looking at, you know, there was a couple games where they held up. They did decent against the Dolphins in the second half. And then, you know, the Falcons game, they just had the Falcons on their heels. But for the most part, Levis and Ryan Tannehill were looking at a team picture every time they dropped back to pass last season. So yeah, I'm right there with you. And you know, the Eagles, despite how bad their season feels without, I still think they had arguably the
00:12:56
Speaker
the most talented offensive and, you know, most talented roster in the league last season. A lot of that was because of how much they've invested on the offensive and defensive lines over the last four or five drafts. Dude, that team does not miss when they draft like they, that team and the Ravens have like the best draft strategy
00:13:15
Speaker
of any teams in the league. They, they don't even care what the position is when they're drafting. They are literally going whatever the best player on their board is. That's who they're taking at that pick. Everybody was whining about them having a bad secondary. Well, there you go. They figured it out. We got two of the best corners in college football last year now. So it's going to be interesting. Um, I thought they had a really good draft. I thought Detroit did really good. Um,
00:13:40
Speaker
dude it's just so weird to say I feel like Detroit did really good but I mean dude they're building something really special in Detroit like if they can keep it together and no major injuries like
00:13:54
Speaker
I mean, their secondary was they should, they should have went to the super bowl last year, dude. Dan Campbell, love him, dude. Badass coach. He coached them out of a chance to play in the super bowl last year, dude. And I think if they would have went in and fired up, man, I think they
Post-Draft NFL Team Rankings
00:14:06
Speaker
probably could have freaking took care of the chiefs too. Cause that game was there for the Niners to win. Also, man, the Niners just needed about four or five more points. And then one of those drives and in a field bowl, if they could have turned it into a touchdown, the Niners would have beat them also, man. So it was right there for either the 49ers or the lines to be super bowl champs last season.
00:14:23
Speaker
Yeah. And people are talking about, they think the lines are going to fall off. I think the lines are going to be better this year than they were last year. Honestly, like they lost nothing. Then they gained a ton in the off season. I just, I feel like they're going to be better, man.
00:14:37
Speaker
Yeah, they could totally be a better. I mean they could be a better team and have not a good outcome I mean I kind of get people saying that they're gonna fall off just because it's really freaking tough to make it to the final four in Football, you know, there's only four teams gonna make it and there's 28 that aren't so, you know, I get the odds are kind of stacked against you But yeah, there's no reason that they shouldn't level up even from where they were last year because honestly they were kind of peaking at the right time they were getting better through the playoffs man, like they played a really a
00:15:02
Speaker
a really scrappy Tampa team and, you know, put up 30 plus on them. And then, like I said, they had the Niners dead to rights, just had some really bad breaks and, you know, some bad calls in the second half. Yeah. I feel like they're going to be just as good next year. But I mean, that's to be determined, I guess. So that's why you got to play the games. I was really hoping they would have done the schedule release last week. They were they were teasing it for beginning of May. Kind of sounds like it's going to be next week.
00:15:31
Speaker
I'm really interested to see the schedule. That's always like, it kind of feels at that point. Like football is nearly back once they release schedule and you can start like mapping out, Hey, are we going to be able to go to this game or this game? I just do. We're so goddamn close. Like the draft is just the biggest teaser here, dude. And then they do, they do the rookie mini camps and you get to see that. And it's exciting. It's like, it's so exciting.
00:15:56
Speaker
mowing seasons here, man, you know, you're starting to see more NFL podcasts. In addition to the goal line, the other ones are starting to kind of reignite their feeds and everything. It's going to be about time to start doing signups for fantasy football. Like, yeah, we're, we're almost here, dude. It's going to be money. Yeah, I agree. I love looking at, I really like looking at that first month when that schedule comes out. Cause sometimes you can see, man, that, you know, the schedule making gods are just in your team's favor and you kind of line up
00:16:20
Speaker
with, you know, four really winnable games out the gate, man. And that's usually that momentum just carries, man. If you can get off to a, you know, a three and one or a four to start, it feels like you're in such better position. You know, even if you're not necessarily playing your best, if you can just get those dubs, it feels insurmountable sometimes climbing out of that one and three hole at the start of the season. If you just stumble out of the gate. Yeah, I
Texans vs. Browns: Avoiding Overhype
00:16:42
Speaker
agree. It's
00:16:43
Speaker
It's going to be I feel like this season is going to be one of the best seasons. I just there's so many good teams. I do feel like some of these teams are getting a little bit overrated at this point. Dude, people are way too high on the Texans at this point, I think I think.
00:17:01
Speaker
It's kind of everything's, everything's lining up for them to be the lead. I'm thinking like the Browns, dude, that year after the Browns made the playoffs with, uh, with, with Baker Mayfield and everybody was just going nuts on him, dude. And then it just went into the freaking toilet, man. I'm starting to get that same energy. Yeah, dude. Everybody's getting way too high on them. Um, so we're out of the draft. I figured we should do our, our top five teams in the NFL post draft.
00:17:26
Speaker
Post draft and free agency, um, doesn't have to be in any order or you can put it in order, um, whatever you feel comfortable with. Um, I'll get us started. I'm going to put mine in order. I'll go with my number five team is the Eagles. I felt like they secured their, they shared up their secondary, which was their biggest weakness last year, their defense, their secondary. I feel like they're still going to be really good on offense. And yeah, if their defense pulls it together at all, I feel like they're going to be really good.
00:17:56
Speaker
I'm going Packers at number five, dude. I think the Packers are just loaded down with young talent. Jordan Love really played his ass off second half of the season. And I think they're going to have a really big season. OK. I'm going to go.
00:18:13
Speaker
I'm going to go bangles at four. Um, I feel like this is like the forgotten team. Like people forget this team is still there.
Falcons' Quarterback and Offensive Challenges
00:18:20
Speaker
Um, T Higgins was not traded. Like they're, they're running it back and they still got Joe burrow coming back. Like I feel like this team, people just kind of forgotten about it. So yeah, I'm going to go with, with the bangles as my number four.
00:18:36
Speaker
You know, I love that pick. And you remember, I picked the Bengals win the Super Bowl, but I see them winning it in like the Eli Manning Giants mold. I think that, you know, maybe Burroughs a little, you know, got to knock the rust off the first, you know, month and a half of the season. I don't see them, you know, storming in as a one or two seed man. I see them possibly even being a wild card and then going straight road warriors, staring the playoffs and marching to the Super Bowl. So I do think they're going to end up standing tall.
00:19:02
Speaker
but I don't think they are going to be one of the top five teams next season, if that makes sense. I'm going, I'm sticking with the AFC North, though. I'm going Ravens at number four, man. I think, you know, they were the best team last season, man. They really were. They just kind of laid a huge egg in the biggest moment, man. They had it right there to knock off the Chiefs. I'm interested to see how Derek Henry's incorporated into this. If they just make him a straight up feature back or if they use him as a closer, you're not going to get worse when you add a guy like Derek Henry to the team, though.
00:19:30
Speaker
We just got to keep Lamar Jackson out there, get him staying healthy for a second season in a row, I think would be huge. But I don't know how likely that is if you look throughout his career, man, like him and Joe Burrow, they both, man, they've had that injury bug the entire time they've been in the NFL, but I'm going Ravens at four.
00:19:46
Speaker
I'm going Ravens at three. I just we just talked about Derek Henry. Dude, I feel like them having a running back is like the most dangerous thing ever. Because I mean, look at the last four years. They have
Falcons' NFC South Prospects
00:20:00
Speaker
not had a actual feature back. Dobbins has gotten hurt every single year. They just rotate running backs in and out. I feel like them actually having a running back they can give the ball to 20 times a game and trust him. I feel like that's just gonna be a game changer for them and Lamar.
00:20:18
Speaker
I mean, dude, you ain't gonna get here. No, I just me, you know, I love Derek Henry, man. So as much as it would pay me to see it, I would definitely have a smile on my face if he finally got a championship next year with the Ravens. Yeah. My number three, I'm going Niners, man. This assuming that they bring Brandon, I back.
00:20:35
Speaker
Uh, I, I think they're going to be right there once again, if they can avoid Superbowl hangover, this team is going to be right there as one of the last, you know, three or four, you know, below the last four teams left. And if they can just get the brakes, the season couch, Hannah handle finally win the big one.
00:20:49
Speaker
Yeah, I'm going Niners number two. So I'm right there with you. I grew with everything you just said. I feel like they're going to bring everybody back. They're going to be just as dangerous as ever. Um, teams loaded, man. I feel like this was going to fall off. I think it would have happened last season, man. I don't think I don't know if he's going to have another year's explosive as last year was, but I don't think there's going to be some
00:21:11
Speaker
Great fall off from him, man. You know, like we saw he had that that nightmare game against the Ravens. He bounced right back and played pretty badass for the majority of the playoffs, man.
00:21:21
Speaker
So yeah, I'm, you know, I'm a big bro. One thing I'm going to say about that team, though, is I feel like they have to win this coming season because I feel like anything after this next season, it's just going to be a crapshoot because they're going to lose people after next season. They're going to be in Bill's mode next season. It's not going to be a full rebuild, but they're going to have to do some some shuffling of the deck. And some of the guys that have been part of this core over the last five years of success they've had are definitely going to be heading out the door. You know, there's people speculating Deebo might get cut before the season starts just for
00:21:50
Speaker
I don't think he'll get crazy. I don't think he'll get cut, but I could see him getting traded for sure. He's got a big salary though, dude. And the thing is, man, like he's a great player, but I feel like he, he's really great. He's almost like the, the Draymond green of the NFL, dude. Like he's perfect in this role that they've carved out for him in San Francisco. I don't know who other, if that contract he's got is going to be worth it for their teams. I mean, I'm sure there's somebody that would be willing to take a one year flyer on him. I couldn't think of one team that would take a one year flyer on Deebo.
00:22:19
Speaker
Uh, Kansas city would 100% take a one year flyer. That'd be nasty, dude. Debo is good. I think he gives him their edge again, kind of like Draymond, dude. I think he's got an intangible value to that team that you've really got to look past the numbers, man. I think he's the tone setter for them. Yeah. Him and Trent Williams lead them out of locker room every single week. Those guys get that team fired up and ready to play every single week. I feel like losing him would be a bigger loss than people are thinking. Yeah. He's one of the dogs for sure.
00:22:47
Speaker
Okay. You're number two. I already said it. I got, I got Eagles at number two, man. I think that people are sleeping on them because of how weird it got end of last season, but I think they're going to be back, man. This really strong team. Jalen hurts is an, is the absolute kind of guy you want leading your team.
00:23:06
Speaker
Uh, and yeah, they're, they're built, they're strong in the trenches, man. That doesn't go, that never goes stale. You know what I mean? That's always, if you're investing in your O line and D line, that's the, it's got a very high hit rate, right? You don't see nearly as many bus at those positions as you do at some other ones in the draft. Um, and yeah, they're just, this team's nasty, man. I think they're going to be right back in the mix where they were two years ago. And
NFL Jersey Reveals and Historical Nostalgia
00:23:26
Speaker
their XP went up like 10 points cause they fired Matt Patricia. So I mean, that can only help that can't hurt.
00:23:33
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, we don't even need to really do any like dramatic pause here. I mean, both of our number one teams is Kansas city. They're back to back champions. Like, I don't think we really need to explain it. Mahomes is still there. Kelsey's still there and Andy Reed is still there. That's all that matters.
00:23:48
Speaker
Hi. Yeah. And, dude, you kind of mentioned it, how exciting it feels like the season's going to be. Dude, a big portion of that. We got the cheese going for three straight, dude. We've never seen a three-peat in the Super Bowl era, man. So that's something that's going to be really cool. I don't think they're going to pull it off just because. I don't either.
00:24:03
Speaker
It just football, you know more than any of the other major sports football has so much randomness baked into it that, you know, something about all like the rings that Brady probably would have random shit didn't happen like the tuck roll doesn't happen he doesn't win his first ring.
00:24:19
Speaker
you know, if the, if the Falcons don't get a holding call at the end of the fourth quarter, dude, that, you know, he doesn't get that ring. If Malcolm Butler doesn't intercept that pass at the goal line, like that's three rings gone from Brady right there, just off of random, you know, random occurrences, dude. So I just think it's really, really tough. I wouldn't bet, you know, I wouldn't bet my house against it happening, but I just, I really don't think that they're going to be able to pull it off just because I've been watching football a long time. There's been a lot of really, really bad-ass teams and we haven't seen anybody do it yet.
00:24:48
Speaker
Yeah, it's gonna be it's gonna be a fun season and an interesting season. But yeah, I agree with you. I don't think the Chiefs are gonna go to back to back to back. But not ranking them number one at this point would be slightly embarrassing for both of us. Yeah, it'd be slander. They're, you know, they're the kings, man, until until somebody knocks them off. We talked about basketball. Is there anything else NFL you want to touch on before we go over our two teams?
00:25:13
Speaker
Uh, I want to save the jerseys for one, one big thing, kind of like we did during our, in our warmups. Uh, I think we did on like our, our pre-show to the, uh, the real debut of the goal line last year. I want to, uh, we got to get into a big recap of all the jerseys, but we'll save that. Cause I think there's still a few more Jersey reveals left to go.
Bears' New Quarterback and Team Impact
00:25:31
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. All right. All right. Let's get in our outlooks.
00:25:48
Speaker
Alright.
00:25:49
Speaker
Looking at two NFC teams tonight, we got the Bears and Jordans, Atlanta Falcons. We'll do Chicago first since we already talked about the Bears a little bit. The Bears were, I think, a little bit better than their record showed last year. So they were 6 and 11, 22nd in offense. They were all the way up to 17th in defense, and they were 19th in point differential. Just had a lot of games where the turnovers would just kill and do. That was kind of the real fatal flaw of Justin Fields, man, that he was just good for two or three turnovers every time he went out there. He'd play bad ass.
00:26:19
Speaker
But he'd have those killer turnovers at the most backbreaking times. Matt Eberfluis did a good enough job to come back as head coach. And they got Caleb Wilson, man. So tell me why Caleb Wilson is going to be a future Hall of Fame. Well, I don't know who Caleb Wilson is. I know who Caleb Williams is, though. Well, first of all, you don't smoke, Coyote.
00:26:39
Speaker
Yeah dude okay so i feel like i was like defending this dude so much coming into the draft i do think he's a really good player but i do i feel like we've jumped the shark now we have people talking about oh there's a good chance he wins numerous super bowls by the time his first contract so he'll be nvp like.
00:27:00
Speaker
Dude, let's all just relax. The Bears have never had a quarterback throw for over 4,000 yards. Part of that is they have shitty ownership. The other part of that is they play in a stadium that is directly off a body of water and there's fucking 50 mana or winds blowing into the stadium on any random Sunday.
Bears' Season Outlook and Division Competition
00:27:17
Speaker
So, like, let's all just pump the brakes here. Like, their receiving core is incredible. Offensive line still, who knows what's gonna happen there. And yeah, Justin Fields did completely.
00:27:29
Speaker
I feel like he derailed a lot of their wins just cause he could not read the defense well enough. Um, by the way, uh, Steelers talking about Justin Fields returning kicks. So he'd say I told you so, but I, I told you so that needs not a quarterback. Um, they really talking about him being a kick returner. That came on a Friday.
00:27:49
Speaker
Yeah, dude, it's not good news for Justin Fields. But yeah, dude, he still has to prove it in the NFL. And until you win games and you prove you can do it in the NFL, I'm not going to start talking about this dude being MVP before even straps on a Bears jersey. Like let's all relax a little bit here.
00:28:10
Speaker
They got a nice little team there. Another thing going in their favor that they may actually be much better than we realize is they were two and six in one score games last year. So if they swing two more of those games, they're all of a sudden they're knocking on the door for a potential wildcard spot. Where do you see them falling out this year, man?
00:28:31
Speaker
I think they're gonna win, I think they're gonna win nine games. I think nine and eight for them is a successful season for a rookie quarterback. They are in a tough division. Dude, Green Bay and Detroit are gonna be really good. I still don't know what to think about the Vikings, but Green Bay and Detroit, that's four really hard games. And if they split those games, if they're lucky enough to split those games, I think nine wins would be a really good season for them.
00:29:00
Speaker
Yeah, I'm kind of right there with you, man. I see them. I see Williams having an up and down year that, you know, ultimately gets them right. Like you said, right on the edge of the wildcard race, but probably not cracking in this. I'll go eight and nine also.
Kirk Cousins' Influence on Falcons
00:29:14
Speaker
All right, I'll let you take it away. What are your thoughts on the Falcons 2023 season? Was it absolute disaster or was there something to be excited about going forward? Well, the biggest thing to me is Arthur Smith is no longer calling plays because he's not there. They actually have a quarterback that's not someone that
00:29:34
Speaker
can throw the ball three yards down the field. That was their biggest problem is they had nobody that could stretch the field or push the ball down field. Um, so London, did Ritter get traded? Did they get rid of him or where's, as he released, or is he still on the team? He got traded. He is on the Cardinals. They traded Ritter for, um, Rondell Moore.
00:29:54
Speaker
There you go. So like, I feel like, and I do feel like they did a really good job right out of the gate, getting some receivers. Um, I still think Mooney has a really good chance of being a good receiver. The bears just didn't know how to use him after two seasons ago. Um, Rondell Moore is still a speedster. They got London on the outside and they got Pitts who's his rookie year with a competent quarterback put up a thousand yards. So like, I just, he was awesome.
00:30:18
Speaker
And they have Bijon like, dude, this team is loaded with offensive weapons. It's just a matter of if a quarterback can get him the ball. Offensive line is good. There was definitely glimmers of hope last year with this team. The defense was in the top 10 at one point until the offense just completely unraveled and couldn't get the ball past midfield. And then the defense was on the field the entire game.
00:30:41
Speaker
Yeah, I feel like there's there's a lot that came out of last season that to hate and I feel like there's a lot of things that I they can build off of. So yeah, I just.
00:30:52
Speaker
getting cousins analytics, but they were 24th in offense, 24th in defense, 23rd in point differential. And they were four and six and one score games. I mean, a lot of was literally a lot of tight games, but 10 of the Falcons games last year were right down to the wire. And the reason they lost the majority of those games is they, cause they could not count on their offense to score in crunch time. Like it's just,
00:31:17
Speaker
because they didn't have a quarterback that could do anything besides play like shit. So yeah, it's been a couple of times too, man, where, you know, credit to Arthur Smith, dude, he would have to play dial it up and Ritter would just make some of the most God awful throws. You ever seen an NFL quarterback make that game against the Redskins, man. Like they totally should have won that. What about that? But what about that bus game when he's running into the end zone and he slows down and doesn't switch the ball to his outside hand and it gets stripped out as he goes into the end zone. They literally lost that game because of that play.
00:31:46
Speaker
Yeah. Just, I don't know, man. I don't know what was going on with that guy last year. Just didn't look like he was lost a lot of the time. Yeah. So yeah. I mean, I think even if they only replace the quarterback, I feel like the outlook for this team for next year is way higher than it was last year. I mean, before the season last year, me and you were giving them some love.
00:32:09
Speaker
But we also were going to win 11 games, but we also assume they had a quarterback that could push the ball more than two yards down the field. So that that was the biggest problem.
00:32:18
Speaker
Yeah, I thought that they were going to beat up on a, you know, a really, really weak division. Um, just didn't work out like that, man. You started off two and Oh, it didn't get much better either is the crazy thing. Like I'm not looking at the buck saints or Panthers come out of the draft. Like there's some kind of world beaters. I mean, the Panthers still have the shortest quarterback in the NFL. The saints still have Derek Carr, which best of luck to you. And for as well as he played last season, like, I mean, Baker Mayfield has shown he could turn into a pumpkin at any point. So
00:32:48
Speaker
Yeah. And I mean, dude, I didn't think, I mean, Baker played good, but I just, I'm not intimidated at all by the bucks either. The bucks did about what the Falcons should have done last season, man, just beaten up on a weak division. And even if you're not that great, you know, you still make a little run, but you know, the bucks, they knocked the Eagles out of the playoffs. I don't see them building though, man. Like you said, I feel like
00:33:08
Speaker
If you're the Bucks, you already got an eye on like the quarterback market for the next year because you know, Baker's just I want to say he's just a short term fix, but he's definitely just a medium term
Confidence in Falcons Winning Division
00:33:16
Speaker
fix. He's just not good enough to where you're going to invest everything in him, man.
00:33:22
Speaker
I think the Falcons can win the division to gun to my head. I say Falcons when the NFC South this year, assuming Kirk cousin stays healthy. I'll caveat out with that. I think even if he doesn't, cause even if Penn excessive play, dude, he's fucking 24 years old. That dude is plenty seasoned. Like, no, I'm dead serious. Like the dude can play football. I mean, if anybody watched him at Washington the last two years and doesn't think, Hey, this dude can play football and he can stretch the ball.
00:33:44
Speaker
I mean, even when the analysts were talking about it being an overdraft, they're like, he was the best passer in this draft by far. Like he's accurate. I mean, he can throw the ball deep. Like, I mean, I don't think there, yeah, there's definitely gonna be a fall off cause he's a rookie, but I don't think it's like some like huge fall off between him and cousins at this point. I just, I don't know, man.
00:34:07
Speaker
I don't know. I was so, so you're locking it in. Even if Kirk cousins doesn't play one snap for the Falcons, he goes down with pro playing in the free season. You said it doesn't matter. I said, it doesn't matter. No, he definitely needs to sit at least a couple games behind cousins and learn how to be an NFL quarterback. Like definitely needs to do that.
00:34:30
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Like I said, I'm picking them to win it, man. I'm going already. I know they smoked me last year, dude. And I think I actually said on the pod, like, if you ever hear me picking the Falcons for anything, stop me. But screw it, dude. I'm going all in again, dude. Dirty Birds win the NFC South once again. I think they win 10 games with the roster they have now. I think 10 and seven is easily attainable with this team that they have. I mean, I might be setting myself up for failure again.
00:34:56
Speaker
I feel like they got the right offensive coordinator. That dude was under McVeigh's coaching tree. I mean, he's going to run the similar offense that they ran, which is really quarterback and receiver friendly, which is good for Pitts, London, all those guys. Um, like we said, the NFC South is bad. Even if you win five or six games in the NFC South, that means you got to win five more games on the rest of your schedule. You can five fine, five wins on that schedule.
00:35:22
Speaker
Dude, it's been a rough stretch for Falcons fans, man. Well, back to 2012, dude. You had, we had that spike, right, where, you know, run to the Super Bowl, and then the next year we had another deep playoff run, ultimately getting beat by the Eagles. But that's it in the last 11 years, dude. The Falcons, because they missed the playoffs the three years before that, and then they missed it six straight at this point, dude. We're going on two out of 11, two out of the last 11 seasons is the only time the Falcons made the playoffs. Yeah, that's pretty abysmal in the modern NFL. It's pretty fucking bad. You're exactly right.
00:35:52
Speaker
But we're thinking, what do you, let's, the other big puzzling thing for the Falcons this off season, you know, Pinnix kind of took a lot of the heat off. Maybe that would be, and this may be my conspiracy theory brain is saying they drafted Pinnix to get everybody to just shut up about what the hell did or didn't happen with Bill Belichick coming to Atlanta. Cause I mean, it looked like it seemed like that was a lock dude. You know, he had a couple of interviews. I think he had an interview personally with Arthur Blank, and then they ended up going for him Morris instead, like,
00:36:19
Speaker
I know we talked about a little bit when it was happened, but now that you know, we got a couple months in the rear view, where did your feelings ultimately end up landing on the whole the Bill Belichick of it all? So I think the biggest thing and I've read this numerous times now is it does not sound like Belichick was willing to give up.
00:36:35
Speaker
um, decisions on roster. So like he basically wanted to be the de facto GM. And I think that was just too much for, um, the Falcons to take on. I just, I feel like the Falcons are at such a weird point right now that they can't just put it all on one person. You know what I mean? Like what happens if they got Bella check and he came in there and
00:36:57
Speaker
fucking drafted offense the same way he did in New England. And the Falcons just ended up being abysmal and winning five games for the next three years. And then your roster is, I mean, dude, Patriots roster is fucking miserable. That is a terrible roster.
00:37:13
Speaker
probably the least talented in the league, man. Like if I'm, if I'm starting to franchise on Madden, I think there it's probably them or the Panthers, man, are the two teams that I'm absolutely avoiding at all costs. Like what are you building around on their offense? Where Amandre Stevenson, they have no one. I mean, yeah, it's their best. Not good for Drake may man, dude, their second best offensive player last year was Ezekiel Elliott.
00:37:37
Speaker
That's fucking bad. Like, and he's not even there anymore. I just, I mean, dude, when you're rolling out Juju as your number one receiver, you got big problems.
NFL's Competitive Landscape and Turnaround Stories
00:37:47
Speaker
Yeah, big fact. So I think that was the biggest thing to me is I think that was where the disagreement came in. I think the Falcons truly did want him to be their head coach, but I don't think they wanted him making roster decisions. And honestly, at this point, Bill Belichick needs to take a hard look in the mirror and realize he should not be making all the roster decisions and coaching the team.
00:38:08
Speaker
Yeah, I think Bill Belichick is Bill Belichick, the coach greatest of all time, Bill Belichick, the GM, you know, way more misses than hits there, especially over the last last seven, eight years. The problem is, dude, offense evolved so much in the NFL over the last six years. Let's just say since Mahomes got there, so seven years and he never adapted to the times like they were drafting quarterbacks that would have been good.
00:38:34
Speaker
10 years earlier. Like I feel like Mack Jones would have been a fine quarterback in the non fucking scoring 60 points a game NFL. I do. I think Mack Jones is a big slow guy that can deliver the football. Yeah. I mean, dude, if they, if they were still building their team, like they used to
00:38:51
Speaker
prior where they got two tight ends, so you always had safety blankets. They had one really good receiver every year that would always come across the middle. I mean, do they always had a Wes Welker or a Danny Amendola? They had fucking Juju Smith Schuster last year. That was their receiver. What are you doing with that?
00:39:08
Speaker
Yeah, it's brutal man Yeah, I think the page that's why I said I would not want to be you know Gerard Mayo being the guy that that replaces Belichick you want to be the guy that replaces that guy cuz He's just not set up for any sort of success at all unless they're really gonna make a super long-term commitment to him. Yeah All right, you're gonna get into the mailbag. Let's do it All right, Brian Vermeer says which team will be the next Texans the various have a talent to make it happen But it depends on the talent
00:39:38
Speaker
Um, let me think coming out of this draft. I mean, the, the bears are really the only one dude Patriots with Drake may know the, I mean, the Colts had already kind of taken that step last year, but we haven't got to see him play a full season with Anthony Richardson. I feel like they can be really good problem is they're in the Texas division. I don't think that's going to help them at all.
00:40:07
Speaker
There's not a good one for one of somebody going straight from the bottom of the stands to the top I'd say a team that could do a massive turnaround is the Chargers I know like it's not like a perfect comparison just because they do have an established quarterback But you know, they were five and twelve But if you look at the actual DVOA the numbers They were somewhere slightly above the middle of the pack and the NFL their overall performance level lost a ton
00:40:28
Speaker
a ton of brutal, uh, one score games in addition to losing games where, you know, they gave up 70 points, but, uh, they were, uh, or 60 points, whatever it was to the Raiders that, uh, that Thursday night game. Uh, but you know, they got Harbaugh in there to get the quarterback. I think the chargers are probably going to have the biggest turnaround this season out of any one team. You know what? I'll, I'll give you one Washington. Uh, they're going to play tough defense. Like as much as
00:40:54
Speaker
I rip on Dan Quinn about his, the way his tenure ended in Atlanta. The dude can get his team ready to go. They drafted really well. They were smart. They, they put a lot of stock in trenches and stuff like that and building his defense.
00:41:10
Speaker
I mean, they're going to play tough defense. That's going to be the thing. And I feel like if a team is going to completely turn around, the NFC is the place to do it because it's not. I mean, there's two, two or three really good teams. And then you got four more playoff spots to decide after that. So I feel like you win eight or nine games in NFC, you get into the playoffs.
Alternative Football Leagues and Arena Football
00:41:30
Speaker
Dude, there are so many good teams in the AFC. I mean, if the Steelers even have remotely mediocre quarterback play, they would have won 12 games last year, probably. I mean, they made the playoffs with an absolute freaking JV squad at quarterback. Yeah, dude, that entire division is probably going to make the playoffs again. Like, it's just that division is stacked. I mean, it's just incredible how good that division is. So I feel like Washington is going to be better this year.
00:42:00
Speaker
getting a quarterback was, was definitely what they needed to do. They need to have a quarterback that they can build around. So yeah, I think Washington has a pretty good team. I'm not saying they're going to win like 11 games or anything, but I could see them winning eight or nine games.
00:42:15
Speaker
I'll always root for Dan Quinn. I think he is a good coach, man. Washington's just, dude, they've been so bad for so long. I know it's NFL. Every single season, every team starts over 0-0. It's fresh slate, but it just feels like they have so much just karma going against them, man. Overall, just the shittiness on and off the field that they've had the last 15 years.
00:42:39
Speaker
I get it. I mean, there's definitely reasons to not feel good about them, but I just, I don't know, man, I guess I trust Dan Quinn. I think he can, he's a leader of, of a good team and I don't know, man, I think they're going to be fine. He got a bad rap at the end of the Dallas run too. A lot of that shit was on McCarthy, dude. McCarthy's a terrible head coach.
00:42:59
Speaker
Yeah, he is, dude. I mean, he got the ring with the Packers, but honestly, dude, with some of those squads and the way Aaron Rodgers was playing, it's criminal that the Packers didn't win more than one Super Bowl during that run. Yeah, he had fucking Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers back to back. How do you not win more than one Super Bowl? Like, Jesus Christ.
00:43:17
Speaker
And the pack, you know, the Packers those years were knocking out of the park with their drafts. Also, it seemed like it was annoying being a fan of another team in the NFC because it seemed like every fucking player they drafted turned into a pro bowler there for a while. Yeah, pretty incredible. All right. Sam Bro says, what's the likelihood of a competing brand professional football eventually overtaking the NFL? What would it look like a more violent, aggressive version like it used to be?
00:43:45
Speaker
I don't know. I can't see anybody overtaking it. It's hard. We really haven't seen anybody even be able to carve out a niche as like a viable off season brand. Yeah. I, I, UFL is good, dude. I'm telling you, I've watched a couple of games this year. It is way better football than people are giving it credit for. Like I hope this ends up being the feeder league for the NFL. Cause that's what the NFL needs me. And you've talked about this over and over.
00:44:09
Speaker
The NFL Europe, although it ended poorly, it did help the NFL, because there was a lot of guys that got into the league because of that. So if this could be a feeder league, that would be the biggest thing to me. But it's not overtaking the NFL. Nothing is, dude. The NFL's king. The draft gets higher ratings than NBA playoffs, dude.
00:44:29
Speaker
I've always loved, uh, the arena football league, man. I always thought that's fun to watch dude. It's pretty exciting football. How many people, I mean, Kurt Warner did it, but how many people are going to move from the arena league to the NFL is the thing like, yeah. Yeah. You're right, dude. I'm just, I'm just talking about personal enjoyment when you're watching it, man. I like it. Like the Nashville cats that they're, they've been resurrected and they're back in the arena league this year. They have thinking about maybe taking Brett to a game. Like we used to back when I was in high school, my dad, me and my brother would go to Nashville cats games. It was always a pretty good time.
00:44:57
Speaker
We have an indoor team here. It's not a, they're not like the level of professionals Nashville, but, um, they won the championship last year and they were undefeated and they're undefeated so far this year. They're in and they started a new league. So I think it's just like a step down from the arena football league at this point. Um, but yeah, they're fun to watch, man. They're good.
00:45:18
Speaker
I think they should just go, I don't know how you could do it without just avoiding all the public backlash, but yeah, if somebody did come out like, Vince McMahon started a football league, like what the XFL was originally supposed to be dude, which is all like the brutal hits, like just fucking take away passenger ferris, dude. You know what I mean? Take away any sort of the calls. I think there'd be an audience for that, man. Because the bloodlust is still a big part of watching football. It's not why I watch it, man.
00:45:45
Speaker
see the, you know, the beauty of the game, but there is a big portion of fans that used to tune in just to see the big hits and collisions.
Enjoyment of Current Sports and Football Season Anticipation
00:45:51
Speaker
And I definitely think that there's a market for that. If you could find a way to successfully, you know, pitch that without it just coming off a super sleazy, which that's pretty, that's pretty tight lane to make it down. But, uh, I do think there, you know, to answer San bro's question, I do think there is an appetite out for that because, you know, it's, it's getting increasingly, increasingly watered down the physicality of the games, getting watered down a lot, uh, year by year, for sure.
00:46:16
Speaker
All right, that's a wrap for this episode of The Goal Line. We'll be back in another two weeks as we creep closer and closer to football season getting here. Jordan, hit us with some closing thoughts, man, and we'll get out of here. Enjoy some NBA playoffs, enjoy some NHL playoffs. Like, football season's getting closer, but enjoy the sports we got on now. I know Seth doesn't enjoy any of them, but don't let this Scrooge get you down. All right, see you guys.
00:47:16
Speaker
I'm alright