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Way-Too-Early 2026 WR Rankings, Conference Championship Recap & Mike McCarthy to Steelers
20 Plays1 month ago
We kick things off with our way-too-early 2026 wide receiver rankings, breaking down the elite tier, risky fades, breakout candidates, and why the WR1 range is starting to flatten. Then we recap an electric Conference Championship weekend and react to the latest NFL coaching moves, including Mike McCarthy to Pittsburgh, Joe Brady in Buffalo, and the ongoing Eagles OC search as we head into Super Bowl week.
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Transcript
Introduction and Episode Overview
00:00:11
Speaker
and What's up, everybody? What's up? How are we doing? Welcome back. Welcome back to another episode of the Bush League Huddle Fantasy Football Podcast. How we doing, everybody? How we feeling after this wonderful Wonderful kind conference championship weekend where we just saw four of the heaviest teams to go through everything that we had to go through just to get this Super Bowl right now. My God, but that is upon us right now.
00:00:36
Speaker
We got the Pro Bowl this weekend where we're going to be looking at Shredir Sanders for the first time ever in real life. in the Pro Bowl, like where he's supposed to be, where he deserves to be in the Pro Bowl, just like Bill Belichick does not deserve to be a first ballot. hall oh boy that on We're starting up. We're starting up. This is the world that we're living in, ladies and gentlemen.
00:00:56
Speaker
Trader Sanders is a Pro Bowler. um but Before we jump into all that stuff, guys, we've got a fantastic episode like we always do. We're going recapping some of the coaching changes that have happened in the last few days. We're going to be recapping as well, going over the conference championships that happened over this last week.
00:01:10
Speaker
And we're going to be previewing a way too early to our receiver ranking, which is always fun for us to do because... After the first 10 picks, let's be honest, now it's going be off the rails. But that's the fun part of this, to see where we're at now versus where we're going be in a few months from now. But before we jump into that, ladies and gentlemen, please, please, please follow us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. ah You're going to find all of our stuff, all of our past episodes, all of our past podcasts, all of our wonderful, beautiful faces. If you're wondering, that's NAC, that's Roger, I'm Fab.
00:01:42
Speaker
We're here. we're here for this hour. we're We're here. We're live. We're not live. We could be. We will. But please follow us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter for all your your weekly fantasy breakdowns towards the end of the season and and all of next season too.
Coaching Changes: McCarthy's Move to Steelers
00:01:58
Speaker
But now i'm going to pass things on to Nak, who's going to jump right into it with some of the coaching changes that have happened, especially a big one for for for on your side of the fence over there. And must be pretty happy.
00:02:11
Speaker
Yes, why? I was i had mixed mixed reviews, as did the whole Yinzer Twittersphere. i think everyone everyone went off the rails when Mike McCarthy became the new head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
00:02:27
Speaker
It was definitely met um very negatively at first, that's for sure. um Definitely wasn't the sexy hire, but I've had, what has it been now, 48, 72 hours to kind of digest it, kind of look at it from from both ends.
00:02:44
Speaker
And the the first comparison I want to make is is the John Harbaugh and Mike McCarthy comparison. So if you compare the two of these coaches...
00:02:55
Speaker
Both coached 18 years. They both have pretty much the same winning percentage of just over 600. They both have 12 playoff appearances, and they both have a Super Bowl. One was met with, let's start the parade, and oh my God, we got John Harbaugh, and then one was met with, this guy's a bum, this guy is boss. He's not wrong.
00:03:15
Speaker
But there's context involved, though. Hold on second. Let him finish. Let him finish. let him Okay. It was met with jubilation. It was the Super Bowl for Giants fans, yourself included, Fab. You're damn right it was. Exactly. Right to what we've had. You're damn right it was. McCarthy came in with the exact same resume, and he's actually a year younger, and it was met with such craziness. Ages of new? Yeah, well, because everyone was hoping for that 30-year-old head coach. Everyone was was hoping for – you know but When i take a step back and look at it, everyone was like, well, we always stayed the status quo. What was the status quo the last three hires?
00:03:51
Speaker
Young defensive coordinator, first time head coach. And it worked out. Obviously, each of them won in the building, but it got stale, right? And And for them to go into another in another direction, they now hired an offensive head coach.
00:04:07
Speaker
This head coach has had a track record of developing young QBs. He had Aaron Rodgers. Joe Montana. Montana. Joe Montana. That's a 38-year-old Joe Montana. 38 you know what he gave uh he gave him uh an endorsement today on no he did not he did not knack i listened to that episode too he just said that he was an offensive quality control coach he didn't say that he said he loved the higher oh the higher okay sure thought you meant yes yes thought he meant he would actually develop 38 year old No, no, no, no, no. He endorsed it in the sense of becoming the next head coach. No, he didn't endorse that. He squeezed out all that juice. But I mean, with Dak Prescott, Dak Prescott had his best two years in the NFL under Mike McCarthy. His offense, the Cowboys offense went all the up to top five in the league. He made Matt Flynn a millionaire, literally made Matt Flynn a millionaire when he signed off...
00:05:06
Speaker
he went He went off to Seattle and then obviously wasn't great. But he's had the track record. So for all these Steelers fans and all these guys on Twitter and in their mother's basements and and freaking out over this hire, I think...
00:05:20
Speaker
This is the direction the team needs to go. I think that this is not the year, obviously, to go out and get a quarterback because we know that the draft is not um you know loaded with them.
Steelers' Future Under McCarthy
00:05:30
Speaker
But it's a year to see what Will Howard has. See what you have in Will Howard. See what it is. This this year, it I know they're talking about maybe having Aaron Rodgers back. I don't care. Take him back for one more year.
00:05:42
Speaker
Next year is the year where there's going to be more QBs available and hopefully – This is where his expertise comes in, comes in, drafts the QB, develops the QB, and we have the QB of the future. That is what has been lacking in Pittsburgh since Big Ben retired.
00:05:58
Speaker
So I've come around and I actually love the hire. Actually seeing his his press conference today and how genuine he is, Pittsburgh Steelers guy, Pittsburgh native, excuse me.
00:06:09
Speaker
i don't know. I'm looking at, at, at, at the resumes here and I'm trying to see like, why is he getting so much flack? Why is he, why is there so much pushback on Mike McCarthy? Do you think, you think Mike McCarthy just gets body shamed and that's why people just look at him like differently than, cause you're right. Like, I don't know. Like, I guess he's been out of football for a few years. like one One, one, I don't, I don't see a year this time and a year after green Bay too. I think that's, why i I think that's what it is. I think the relevancy behind it.
00:06:40
Speaker
But I agree. Like, I think this was a great hire. um i saw a bunch of memes and posts on Twitter and all that stuff about how this is basically changing four quarters for a dollar, but I don't see it that way at all. like The only comparison, the only similarities between the two coaches is obviously their outstanding record, which when you want higher replacement coach, why wouldn't you want a guy that the record that he has? He's won 174 games like it doesn't make any sense to me. And and maybe the change towards a more offensive minded approach is the way to go.
00:07:15
Speaker
I'm just curious, like, how are you guys, like, how big, how tall is the bridge you guys are going to jump off of if it's another nine win season? That's what I want to know. Yeah, listen, the the the the thing is, is the roster... Look, ah a lot of it has to do a lot of it had to do with Mike Tomlin, right? Like, i i don't know if he has that same command in ah in a room as Mike Tomlin did. it's It's not a coach that was there for 19 years and, you know, was well-respected. Like, McCarthy should be well-respected, but now he's coming in, he's the new guy, right? He's got to get acquainted with everyone on the team. He's got to understand everyone on the team. So...
00:07:53
Speaker
You know, all those all those guys that said, hey, the Steelers are going to finish, you know, ah six and six and whatever this year. The last few years, people have been saying it. Maybe this is the year. Maybe this is the year that it does happen.
00:08:05
Speaker
If Aaron Rodgers doesn't come back, who do they have on the roster right now? They've got Mason Rudolph. They've got Will Howard. And they've got Skylar Thompson. And like we said, this draft isn't loaded. I'm hoping that they don't reach for a Ty Simpson in in the first round because I think that would be a mistake with only one year as a starter at Alabama.
00:08:27
Speaker
So realistically, i don't know who you who you're going to have at QB for this team to win that many games without Mike Tomlin there as the head coach. It's it's hard to for me right now, it's it's hard to, unless Rogers comes back because...
00:08:44
Speaker
Rogers comes back, then you're almost guaranteed nine wins. I think you said it well, Nak. I think a very underrated kind of career from an offensive play caller perspective, like you said, it like two years with the Cowboys. Actually, three years with the Cowboys is pretty much from a points per game standpoint, top five. He's had quite a few top five finishes with the Packers, including when they won the Super Bowl. So I agree. I think he gets a bad rap for sure. I think there's some things that I'm sure some Steelers fans are worried about.
00:09:13
Speaker
Some of the things that impacted or kind of led to his fallout with the Cowboys and even with the the Packers was just the thinking that the offense got stale, lack of motion, um you know, game management as well. I heard there was a feud with Rodgers, which I think Rodgers, he kind of refuted it at some point after ah his time with the Green Bay was ah was over. And we kind of saw how good Rodgers was after McCarthy when Matt LaFleur came on.
00:09:40
Speaker
But Rodgers feuds with everyone. He feuded with Matt LaFleur too in the beginning because Matt LaFleur wanted to change the offense a little bit more than what Aaron Rodgers wanted to. So... right i came around with it you know i was making fun of you and other serious fans saying saying you guys are coping you know you guys are taking a lot of copium um kind of you know oh k chris shula bombed the interview oh this guy bombed the interview but i think Based off the context that I've seen that, hey, the guys in the locker room didn't think Tomlin was going to leave.
00:10:09
Speaker
It's still a veteran-laden team that probably still thinks they could win. They still won the division. They're at least a minimum 9-10
NFL Coaching Vacancies and Speculations
00:10:16
Speaker
win team. It probably makes sense to not necessarily bring in 34-year-old player. the the The one question I have for you, Nakin, this is a very important question.
00:10:26
Speaker
Do you think Mike McCarthy told Rooney and Khan that they he watched every single play from the 2019 or that that this past season in order to evaluate the Steelers? Because that's what Mike McCarthy did and told Jerry Jones to get the Cowboys job. He said he actually said in his press conference today that he watched every Steelers game on on TV. Not every single NFL game of the season.
00:10:53
Speaker
ah not that one not every NFL and every Steelers game he said he was able to watch I believe that on i believe that on TV look it's a new change and and honestly even now like there's less pressure on an offensive coordinator because he also said that he will be calling the plays he was not shy about that so I know that Lunda Wells or Lunda Wells was was a guy who was expected a Cowboys tight ends coach so he was with obviously mccarthy there they had retained him on staff and then a few names being floated around as like defensive coordinators is uh former giants and raiders dc patrick graham there was even mention of of uh essentially al harris
00:11:37
Speaker
i more I'd be more concerned about the defensive coordinator. What I would love to see is obviously my dream scenario would be Raheem Morris. And if Anthony Weaver doesn't get a job, i'd love for him to be poached in and and come in as the D.C.
00:11:52
Speaker
Yeah, you'd have to just the one one small thing. You'd have to think maybe they bring in a young DC to, because Mike McCarthy is 62 years old. Maybe someone, young OC, maybe someone to take over after. They're even saying, they're even saying, there i saw rumblings today of trying to get Sheilhaus out of the Rams, come in as the offensive coordinator, learn under McCarthy. Like, look, he's 62 years old, right? Like, after this five years, like, how much longer could he possibly have? Get that young guy to groom him to be the next head coach. And not that to me would be ah an excellent idea too.
00:12:28
Speaker
Totally. Yeah. Just little final words here for some other um remaining head coaching positions. Joe Brady today was promoted from OC to head coach in Buffalo.
00:12:42
Speaker
i remember I don't know if you guys remember that press conference that Josh Allen had when they were talking about Joe Brady and he like potentially being poached. And he had like made a joke like, no, no, don't don't come get him. He's a horrible coach or whatever. i i remember seeing that that clip earlier today too. So that's pretty good. I think it's a good hiring. I think we all agree that Joe Brady was the correct choice after McDermott leaves.
00:13:04
Speaker
Yeah, totally. I don't think. Yeah. No, no one's going to argue on that. Yeah. um Then you have um the Cardinals, Raiders, and Browns are still looking at head coaching positions. So the Browns, everyone keeps dropping out and and ignoring ignoring the Browns.
00:13:22
Speaker
It seems more... They have a pro-ball quarterback. Yeah. I don't understand you it seems It seems more... It seems more likely than not that Jim Schwartz is actually going to take over that, which is it's such a Browns move. like If there's a Browns move to be had and another four and thirteen season coming, like here it is. like it's It's just really uninspiring. He deserves to be on a good team. He deserves to be on a better team.
00:13:52
Speaker
Yeah. jesus' He's a very good defensive coordinator. I'm talking about the pro bowler.
00:14:01
Speaker
um You have the cardinal stupid ro you Cardinals Cardinals have been interviewing a boatload of um butload of coaches. I feel like it's like like it's wide open to whoever gets whoever gets that job. I saw Ron Rivera interview.
00:14:17
Speaker
ive mean I've been kidding. I saw Ron Rivera interview today. yeah It's like so strange. like What are you guys doing? That might be the second Rooney rule because i know Vance Joseph, they interviewed. yeah and um so I thought he was going to be the guy. and He obviously lost. he He's a defense coordinator for the Broncos. He lost this past Sunday and the hire hasn't been made yet. But I've actually been hearing more Matt LaFleur's brother, Mike LaFleur. Yeah.
00:14:41
Speaker
Who I think, is he with the Niners now or is he with the, the round he's with the Niners, a passing game coordinator. I mean, it would would make sense to stay with Stikowell Le Fleur, but you're going to be in that division, that division that just got three teams in the and in the playoffs. Man, it's it' it's a tough situation. like No quarterback, cheap ownership.
00:15:01
Speaker
it's It's tough. And I'm kind of surprised that the Raiders haven't um yeah found a QB yet. You know, $100 million dollars in cap space, number one overall pick.
00:15:12
Speaker
I feel like this could have been, you know, enticing to um to some here. It's a much more attractive. It's just that, like, and I guess people are not... There's got to be these piece coaches that don't believe in Mendoza either, right? No. I think it's Kubiak. I think they're waiting for Kubiak. I think... I also think i think that's a good point, though, actually, because i was... They're waiting for Kubiak. I you heard that they're going away from him. Why?
00:15:39
Speaker
Why? I was reading recently that they wanted their... It seems like Kubiak is out on on that front, or they were out on Kubiak. Then maybe will we Josh McDaniels is making a return to the Raiders. Oh, my God. Or Antonio Pierce.
00:15:53
Speaker
Antonio Pierce? We want to scare our friend Nick from partial breakaway. heard rumors of Antonio Pierce is is signing a four-year contract with... I heard John Gruden, too. No, but seriously, yeah um Davis Webb was the frontrunner. He's the... passing game coordinator for the Broncos. We were just talking about it pre-show and Nick, Nick also from partial breakaway Ray, big Raiders and told me as well, like the Broncos basically fired their, uh, OC to promote Davis Webb. And I think because of that, it kind of blocks them.
00:16:25
Speaker
Yeah. I'm not, they're allowed to block because it's a lateral move. So that's, that's actually really interesting. They also have to ask, they still have to ask permission, right? Yeah. Interview these guys and they can say no. Right. So, yeah for sure but it's such i i mean i have to think it's good kubiak may dable i think adam uh adam schepter said by wednesday all the positions uh if not all of them should be filled from from yeah and yesterday. So by this Wednesday, so by tomorrow.
00:16:54
Speaker
So because the the Shrine Bowl, the Shrine Bowl is happening. The Senior Bowl is going to be, I believe, in in a few weeks. If it's not, it's not but already this week.
Wide Receiver Rankings and Trends
00:17:03
Speaker
like I think it's next week. it's Yeah, maybe it might be. triangle is Shrine Bowl is happening right now. Yeah. So like these coaches need to get in place. So you start to see these prospects. So yeah.
00:17:13
Speaker
Yeah. Then you had. Yeah, exactly. We just mentioned Brian Dable took the OC job with the Tennessee Titans, chose Cam Ward over Jalen Hurts. That coaching staff is rounding out to be very nice.
00:17:27
Speaker
Very nice. Like him him and Salah make a very good count of... Make a very good tandem. It's very smart. They're doing all of this, and they had Vrabel in the building. still still Still boggles my mind. Yes. Thankfully, they're putting something competent. Some course correction happening, for sure. They definitely poo-pooed the bag on that one, but it's it's the looking pretty so good so far. And and the Eagles. The Eagles still looking for an OC here.
00:17:56
Speaker
it's it's it's It's crazy that it's taken this long. I feel like they like there's while there's a lot of people obviously that that said no and that that dropped out. Even Mike McDaniels finally signed with the the Chargers as OC. yeah the best pre charles's The best press conference I've ever seen in my life, by the way, for what it's worth.
00:18:15
Speaker
and I missed it. I was listening to the... It was like 45 seconds long. so Okay, guys, I'm not much of a talker. Oh, right, right. he's He sounds always high. yeah Yeah, he does. You're right. He's on an edible. sounds He's eyes like a little bit of. his teeth over Yeah.
00:18:30
Speaker
The only thing I'll say about the Eagles OC opening is it's either an indictment on Nick Sirianni or it's an indictment on Jalen Hurts. I agree. Or both.
00:18:42
Speaker
Or both. Yeah. could be that one on both. That's all I'll say about that. What what I found interesting and and looking back, it makes sense that he didn't. that D'Abel didn't go to Philly because he coached Hertz in Alabama. You think automatically there's going to be a ah parallel there and a commonality.
00:18:59
Speaker
But then you realize he actually benched Hertz while he was in Alabama for Tua. And you wonder why. Yeah, good call. Yes. yeah wonder And it's like, okay, well, maybe he knows something young or on something. I don't know. There's a lot of things that are coming up now through the woodworks. I find that like after all these coaching vacancies are still vacant, you think the Eagles you know is is a prime location that any single offensive coordinator will want to go there and like and cut his teeth in that roster. But again, you have to wonder why. i You have to wonder why. I think the writing is on the wall.
00:19:33
Speaker
That will round out the the coaching vacancies for now. And Raj, why don't you keep this pod going with the wide receiver rankings, the way too early wide receiver rankings. Way, way, way too early wide receiver rankings. So if you missed it, we had our QB way too early wide receiver. cubi way too early rankings a few weeks ago we did the running backs last week this week i did the wide receivers and i thought the running backs were tough the wide receivers were just as tough so before we dive into it just a few stats and facts about the wide receivers in 2025 so i think we all know 2035 was the
00:20:11
Speaker
year of the injury prone wide receiver and the wide receiver impact going down. So I saw a really interesting stat on Twitter from ah Ryan Heath from fantasypoints.com fantasy wide receivers played the lowest percent of possible games since 2016. So wide receivers played 79% of the games and we saw that bear fruit with a lot of the injuries that we saw in the past year.
00:20:36
Speaker
The rate of three wide receiver sets decreased at least since quite a few years. And the pass rate on heavy sets increased more so than previous years, meaning that a lot of tight ends and running backs got more catches ah before. And I even did a little and analysi analysis on my end because I was just curious on the impact of kind of the mid-tier wide receiver.
00:20:57
Speaker
The top tier wide receivers are still eating, but we saw the difference between wide receiver four to wide receiver eight in 2021 that that that was a 55 point gap between WR four and WR eight. Last year is closer to 40 points. So again, we're seeing kind of, you know, once you get past those top three guys in the mid tier range, it's it's really it's really going down. So it's going be really interesting to see what happens in the coming year. It seems like running backs are having more of an impact and the wide receivers are flattening out. So Without further ado, drumroll please, the way too early wide receiver rankings, and that is not it. This is it. That happens all the time.
00:21:37
Speaker
Damn mestream you, Streamyard, damn you. okay so one two, three. I Puka Naku at one, Jamar Chase at two, Jackson Smith and Jigba at three. Like last week, these are super interchangeable in my opinion. You could literally have any one of those three at the top three picks.
00:21:54
Speaker
I basically did the exercise of, do you think Stafford was returning? Do you think Darnold is regressing? or may regress or do you think burrow is getting injured so based off those three questions i kind of rated it one two three nukua chase and smith and jigba but again it's super interchangeable uh puka had 24 points per game chase had 21 points per game and jsn was at 19 points per game so all in all those are the three best wide receivers in the league easily any thoughts gentlemen on the top three no
00:22:31
Speaker
No, but I like your number four. I'm happy you got some respect. He deserves it. Yes. I'm in Ross St. Brown. ah He's been so consistent for the last like four or five years.
00:22:43
Speaker
Literally five years. I looked at his last five finishes. So this is from most recent to least recent. He finished as WR3, WR3, WR3, WR7, and WR22. WR22 was d r twenty who is the first year he came on.
00:22:55
Speaker
And I've kind of, I've always not always been a Amon Ross St. Brown believer, but this year I'm like a 100% all in and he's as safe as a pick you'll get. You keep on saying it's death by a thousand cuts, but you know what? It's still death. Yeah, 100%.
00:23:11
Speaker
100%. Totally. At five, CeeDee Lamb. He was WR21 last year. Back-to-back injury seasons for CeeDee Lamb, plus Pickens having a much bigger impact, obviously being on the on the team with Dallas. Only 15 points per game for Lamb, so he's he's two years removed from that WR1 season.
00:23:29
Speaker
But you know in that offense... Who was his coach then? oh my god just asking for michael mccarthur and my god we're good at thinking that was not going to turn into guys drive dk next year is going to turn into cd i already had your steeler you already had your stealers uh you already had your stealers i just wanted to just i wanted to just make throw the pot that's fine that's okay I think i think of Lamb at five. I mean, you could question a little bit. You know, he could be interchangeable with the guy at number six, Drake London. He missed five games, but he improved on a yards per game basis and yards per reception. It'll depend on the QB. You know, will it be Cousins? It won't be Penix to start the year. i think we all love Drake London's talent. he just needs to stay healthy.
00:24:16
Speaker
Speaking of staying healthy at number seven, i had Malik neighbors. He missed a ton of time last year. i think he only played two or three games, 15 point per game, but I'm not going to ding him on that because of the mess at QB with Russell Wilson with dart there.
00:24:32
Speaker
Let's see what happens. But there's rumors that he might not be healthy for week one. So that's what kind of concerns me with regards to Malik neighbors. But he's up there for now based on his 2024. I saw another stat by Ryan Heath. Most uncatchable air yards per game in 2025. Malik neighbors was number one in that stat.
00:24:50
Speaker
No surprise. At eight games. Yeah, I know. It's crazy. Yeah. Three games. crazy that's That's what you get with three games. those three games what did What did he have? 18 targets a game?
00:25:05
Speaker
Nah, don't even think so. No. I don't think it was targeted all that much because it's Russell Wilson throwing in the ball. So either he gets moon balls or he doesn't even get targeted at all because Russell can't even get out of the pocket. To that point, that that number was 70 yards per game.
00:25:19
Speaker
The next lowest had 45. Stupid. That's crazy. At number eight, Justin Jefferson. i think we all agree a brutal season. He had three single digit fantasy games in 2024 that doubled to six in 2025. And all of those were after week nine.
00:25:38
Speaker
ah Chris Olave at number nine. I think we all love the way he played. Great comeback season. We all thought maybe he might retire after all those hospital balls from david Derek Carr. excuse me I think there was a big upward trajectory with Tyler Shuck.
00:25:52
Speaker
Finished in the last four games with 24 catches, 352 yards, and four touchdowns. which finished as He finished at that period as a WR4 in that four-game stretch. so I think we all like him in the coming year. level lave Love Olave. Yeah. Yeah.
00:26:08
Speaker
Fab, your boy Nico Collins, another solid season, but another one with injuries. He finished as the WR8. Injuries plagued him. CJ Stroud regression plagued him. I think we all expected more. i think he's still a beast if healthy, but Fab, i'm he's a guy I can't touch anymore.
00:26:26
Speaker
I agree. And at 10 for me, he's too high. He finished wide receiver eight. He had 1100 yards and six touchdowns. Like that speaks to the other wide receivers ahead of him and behind him, not necessarily to how well he performed this year. And I think, i think like a majority of those yards and and touchdowns came when C.J. Stroud wasn't his quarterback. Yeah.
00:26:47
Speaker
Good call. And i don't know, Nequil Collins, like I like him a lot. It's a great number too, but 10 for me is even a little bit too high. and what do you think or what do you both think at george pickens at 11 so he's a potential free agent so that's where the the asterisk goes he finished as the wr5 last year terrific with dak prescott but again you have to factor in that cd lamb will be back if he's back with uh the cowboys um but ah an amazing season for this is for pickens
00:27:18
Speaker
this is similar situation to last year where you had uh chase and t higgins t higgins in the top 11 right where did t higgins finish t against finishes 7 17. so chase four and 17. So you have the same thing. Look, 21. That's a great point. zero w r five So it's, if you're taking lamb at five, then 11 is way too high for a George Pickens as the number two on the team. So you could kind of see, you see it, look, you see it in the stats now, how it's like, it's, it's developed and and you have, look, you have them at, you have T Higgins at 17. Yeah. I like, he he did miss a couple of games. Sure. but
00:28:03
Speaker
Look, even with a couple more games, would he have gotten to WR15 maybe? Yeah. He's not worth that like borderline top 10 pick. I think Pickens is a better player than Tee Higgins. Yes, yes, I love your reasoning yeah ah that made you say, hey, Pickens might be a bit high. So I think that's very fair reasoning. Yeah, two on the same team is tough.
00:28:23
Speaker
at At the same time, though, you did have Puka and Devante Adams finish one and nine respectively this year. So and speaking Matthew Stafford, Devante Adam, MVP Dak Prescott.
00:28:36
Speaker
With the Steelers. With the Steelers. With would Mike McCarthy, excuse me. With Mike McCarthy. He was almost MVP. All roads lead to Mike McCarthy. No matter what we just talked about. He's not the coach now, though. Yeah. Devontae Adams, don't care that years old. I don't care he's years old. touchdowns,
00:29:00
Speaker
23%. He's fun to watch. so I was just curious. I looked at other wide receivers that um played in their age 33 season to see how Devante would compare. And he just turned 33, I believe, in December. So some notable age 33 wide receiver seasons. Jerry Rice, 122 catches, 15 touchdowns. Tim Brown, catches, touchdowns. Terrell Owens, 85 catches, 13 touchdowns.
00:29:26
Speaker
Marvin Harrison, 82 catches, 12 touchdowns. What do they have all have in common? Their Hall of Famers. Devontae Adams is a Hall of Famer.
00:29:36
Speaker
I have no qualms about putting him this high, even though he's he's entering his age 33 year. AJ Brown, my goodness. Somehow he still finished WR11. It was one of the worst rides ever.
00:29:49
Speaker
that That's an indictment on the other wide receivers. It's not projecting how good AJ Brown is. He was good down the stretch. He had the when he was complaining and they gave him the ball. It was a very good stretch of games late in the year.
00:30:02
Speaker
He had six 20 point games in 2024, only four in 2025. So that probably makes a big difference in terms of um you know where his finish and number of points per game.
00:30:14
Speaker
14, Teteroya, excuse me, McMillan. I think it was a fantastic first season. Nice consistency, is seven touchdowns, a thousand yards. And he's he's tethered to how well Bryce Young will continue to develop and continue to ascend. If we see continuous ascension from Bryce Young, wouldn't be surprised if he he maybe gets closer to, you know, WR9 or 10.
00:30:36
Speaker
Rishi Rice, he was 15 points per game. Rishi Rice at 15, excuse me. Rishi Rice, 15 points per game, 18. But I don't know, guys, between the injuries, legal issues, suspensions, I find he's really hard to trust.
00:30:50
Speaker
um 15 is a little bit high for me if i'm being honest um you think about also having back eric benemy as an ah offensive coordinator in that offense like what does it do right like last time he was there as the oc they had like prime mahomes and i'm not suggesting homes isn't prime anymore but that was also like eight years ago he had tyree kill who was fantastic and you had you know prime travis kelsey or now It's a different offense, so you're wondering how that's going to translate for success for Rasheed Rice in there.
Wide Receivers: Mid-Tier Analysis and Conclusions
00:31:21
Speaker
And i don't really see it as wide receiver 15, at least not right now. my Obviously, the opinion can change later on. i think he's I think he's in the wide receiver 2 conversation, but like more on the low end, I think.
00:31:31
Speaker
Mahomes also may not start the year, right? It's not it's not a foregone conclusion that he yeah that that he that he started. Very good point. Yeah. yeah rishi writes just screams wide receiver too to me especially his play style like it's very honestly ah guys i don't really like watching him play personally like it's very very yak uh low very very low a dot he's not like my my ah my my typical flavor uh speaking of a wide receiver who isn't my typical flavor either 16 z flowers zay flowers being wide receiver seven seven last year is probably the most fugazi wide receiver yeah i didn't believe that when i saw it i was like where's like you're missing a one in the front like how did he finish seven wide receiver seven the quietest 86 catch season ever well let's see the oc is there somehow i don't think the ravens have uh figured out who their oc is yet so we'll see
00:32:24
Speaker
ah The aforementioned T. Higgins at 17. He missed two games due to concussions, as is always a customary for T. Higgins. He always misses some games, but another touchdown beast. I think he's a quintessential wide receiver too. Nak, you and Nick had some some fun beef about T. Higgins last year.
00:32:41
Speaker
he was He was solid. That's what it is. He's just like he's a touchdown machine. like He's just a huge target. and Again, you're just hoping that you get touchdown you know, full season of Joe Burrow and a healthy Joe Burrow. That's also a question mark, right? Like how many times has he been injured now?
00:32:58
Speaker
He's, he is injury prone. You can, you can random injury prone. Now it's, it's three times in six years. So 50% of your time. So, I mean, it's all going to hinge on, on that.
00:33:10
Speaker
And from 18 to 22, we have some wide receivers who are obviously the model of consistency. Lad McConkie at 18. I'm being sarcastic, ah by the way, guys. Lad McConkie at 18. Garrett Wilson at 19.
00:33:25
Speaker
Jamison Williams at 20. Jamison Williams had two games of zero points. And he still finished as right receiver 12. Still a wide WR fan. And he had two two two other games with, I believe, under three points.
00:33:39
Speaker
Cortland Sutton at 21. He's very consistent. He's just he's not a ha high upside guy, but very consistent. Good touchdown guy as well. um And then at 22, Devonta Smith.
00:33:51
Speaker
Somehow also finished at wide receiver in 19. That's kind of par for the course. He's always going to be, I think, like in the 20s in terms of wide receiver, as long as AJ Brown is still there. Out of out of those guys, is there anyone that you guys can foresee being, you know, maybe cracking the top 10 next year?
00:34:07
Speaker
Garrett Wilson. In the five games that he was healthy this year, he was wide receiver six. knock Ask the question. Who's his quarterback? yeah Who has been his quarterback and he's still had very good seasons ever since he been with ever since he started his career?
00:34:25
Speaker
I mean, Aaron Rodgers, you know, does ah there's a bare minimum. Aaron Rodgers when he was injured the entire season? And the after when Devontae Adams was there, he had a good season. And even even the year when I think it was like what Zach wasn't going to be, he's still like 900 yards and change. 900 yards and change as we're talking about a good season here.
00:34:49
Speaker
well you know what though zach wilson is doing too yeah it is when zach wilson's i say potential the question was potential yeah that's fair that's fair if we're looking at this list i do not see an avenue where garrett wilson touches sorry let me rephrase he's had three straight thousand yard seasons apart from last year where he got injured well this year so who's your guy who's who out out of those uh five top ten yeah who could potentially crack the top ten the only one i see out of those guys Man, like i i don't i don't I don't think I see one in the top 10, to be quite honest with Not even Ladd? Your boy Ladd? I was going to say maybe Ladd, but again, there's a lot of mouths to feed over there.
00:35:29
Speaker
i don't know what's happening with... um Who's this guy? Keenan all Allen. I don't know what happens with Keenan Allen, but what's his name? There's Trey Harris at that that's come in. There's also Quinton Johnson who came on last year. And honestly, i don't know what it's going look like with Michael Haratee.
00:35:49
Speaker
i don't know i don't I just don't see top 10. I can't see top 10 numbers out of these guys. Solid wide receiver twos, but I don't see top 10 numbers. Have you add one more word on that? No, I agree. I don't see it for a lot of Mckonkis. only reason why I really see with Gary Wilson is because we've seen the talent being there. It's just the inconsistent quarterback play, which obviously will continue. but That's what I was going to say. He's the most talented of that of that group. It's so frustrating. i want know No doubt. It's so frustrating.
00:36:15
Speaker
I want to stay with you, Fab. I put Luther Burden as 23. So last four five to six weeks, he was second in targets on the team, targets per route run and routes. i think I think he might have passed Roma Dunze. And there's a lot of talk that maybe DJ Moore might not be back. Fab, I know you owned him in Bush League. Yeah.
00:36:33
Speaker
I like him. i don't know if he, I think him and Roman Duzi do different things. I think they're both going to be involved in the passing game going forward. I think it's DJ Moore that's the odd man out. um Looking from a contract perspective and all that, I just don't think he fits with a Ben Johnson offense. Luther Burden is a name to keep an eye on for next year.
00:36:54
Speaker
This guy going to be involved in the offense going forward and definitely forever. And he's a name to watch and He's exciting. He's good. Yards after catch, he gets open. His routes are crisp. And that's why, that's why they drafted him, you know, and that, and they drafted him knowing that it was going to be him and and Roma Dunze going forward for a long time.
00:37:11
Speaker
yeah Not with DJ Moore, quite frankly. Rome's got to catch the ball better. He was really bad at Rome. Rome before his injury, before his injury was on fire, yep was on fire. And then after he came back and I guess he wasn't fully healthy and he wasn't the same guy that he was the beginning the season. So hopefully with you know the whole offseason being what it is and he gets back to the full health, plus you know there's always that why that year three wide receivers that they pop off.
00:37:38
Speaker
look at Roma Doonsay, look at Malik neighbors, look at a Marvin Harrison jr. Yeah, for sure. It might be a potential guys that could be, you know, you get them for discounts next year and Brian Thomas jr. is Oh, Marvin has jr. No, sorry. Not for sure. Sorry. I squeezed that one in. I squeezed that one in. I think I was falling asleep and I was like, Oh, wrote what? Someone, someone tried to squeeze in more. Try to say my voice is that soothing. It puts you to sleep.
Conference Championship Game Recaps
00:38:00
Speaker
Ladies and gentlemen, are we still here?
00:38:02
Speaker
Speaking of putting us to sleep. I don't know what I was thinking. I immediately hated Jalen Waddle at 24. This is the one I don't like at all here. That team, I think, is is really going to be a a dumpster fire next year. I'm sorry, Guido and staff and Marco.
00:38:19
Speaker
yeah But it it's just, I don't see an avenue where this guy cracks the top 30. I just, I can't. i agree. and Who's throwing him the ball? he's he's so I hate owning him. like i Yeah, he's very frustrating. He's very frustrating. yeah Good player. Great player. yeah But just... yeah Terry McLaurin at 25. I think we love the player. I don't know if i know how much I want to trust him. New play caller, you know injury prone, injury plague season. Jaden Daniels, there's an there's a little bit of an ick with Jaden Daniels right now. yeah i'll be it
00:38:52
Speaker
but For lack of a better term. um Fab, I'm going to go to you just because I don't want Nat to talk about DK Metcalf. What do you think of DK Metcalf at 26? I think he's perfectly ranked. I think you can put him anywhere between 26 and 30. I think a lot of it depends on who the quarterback is going to be next year. Maybe give him a slight bump if it's still Aaron Rodgers with Mike McCarthy being there, but slight being, you know, maybe mid-tier wide receiver too.
00:39:17
Speaker
um it's It didn't seem as if, I don't know, I don't know if Aaron Rodgers plays well with DK Metcalf and type of wide receiver that he is. I don't know if Mike McCarthy will fix that and if he does, to what extent, you know, and I just think it's not a it's not a good marriage between a quarterback and a wide receiver. That's why I don't really have much faith in him hitting the top 15.
00:39:40
Speaker
i think mark I think DK could fit well in Mike McCarthy, like traditional West Coast offense. That's like slants, slants, slants, posts, middle of the field. Nak, I think you you would agree as well. i want I want to switch up the biases. So I want at 27 Parker Washington. love this to me about Parker Washington. But this is the the first...
00:40:05
Speaker
This is the first Jaguar off the board. Yeah. Yeah. Well, so, so, um, last five games, he was a WR nine in PPR. He was in my, yeah, he was humming with, um, you have three Jaguars in like one after another here?
00:40:24
Speaker
might have been drunk at that point uh parker washington 20th parker washington i like i like parker washington i love i fell in love with him like and i kept saying in our group chat like he plays like amanra i find like tough like inside he's not too big i really like him we'll see what happens okay we'll speed it up um emeco buka at 28 weeks one to five 25 receptions
00:40:47
Speaker
45 yards, five TDs, WR3, and PPR. The rest of the way, he was wide receiver 45, and he was losing snaps to Jalen McMillan. I put him that high just because I can't imagine the Bucs still think Mike Evans is going to be the wide receiver one. And and i don't know, Chris Godwin, was that was that was a rough, rough go at it. yeah Maybe he'll be ah improved ah you know the year after post-injury, but we'll see.
00:41:10
Speaker
uh jacoby myers 29 i thought he played well but i just felt parker washington was better but i think he made a ah profound impact on trevor lawrence michael wilson at 30. my reasoning for michael wilson at 30 he finishes wr10 very ppr very um gar garbage time spammy yeah yeah i just don't know how repeatable it is and we talked about marvin harrison jr which we might as well just we don't have to jump to him we come back to other guys but i have marvin harrison jr at 36 he finished as wide receiver 49. i think i think marvin harrison jr needs to be traded i just don't see it working there right now i feel like he's lost all his confidence i think a a change might might make sense for him but Maybe maybe with the new head coach, that that might make more sense.
00:42:00
Speaker
um We'll click quickly go through the rest. We had ah so Mike Wilson at 30, Brian Thomas Jr. at 31. Again, Seapark Washington, Jacobi Myers. ah Mike Evans at 32. might be a potential free agent. I don't see him going anywhere, but I don't think he's going to be the focal point anymore, anymore as as mentioned.
00:42:18
Speaker
33, Alec Pierce. So he is a potential free agent. 45 catches, 1,000 yards. He led the league in air yards. He led the league in yards after catch. I think he would look amazing with back in Indy. He'd look amazing in Pittsburgh, maybe. Pittsburgh, is this this is this is the player i want them to go after. And it I think it fits the Mike McCarthy role as a player that can kind of play all three positions. Yeah.
00:42:44
Speaker
totally yeah that's a great point he he really showed a lot more than just being like a go a goalball guy yeah uh the aforementioned chris godwin at 34 he finished as wr80 so obviously a rough year um and then roma dunze at uh marvin harrison jr at 36 stefan diggs swan diggs wr uh 37 he finished as wr16 i know it was a two-year i want to was it a two-year deal Three.
00:43:15
Speaker
Three, eight right? But there was a really easy out after one, if I'm not mistaken. Yeah, he's sticking around. I would assume he's sticking around. um TBD, what happens with some of the other the other younger guys? I know Bude came on. Kyle Williams, they like as well.
00:43:30
Speaker
I put a flyer on Tyreek Hill at 38. If I could get Tyreek Hill in the fourth round, or around the fourth round, you know he's not going to be with the Dolphins next year. Where's he playing? Yeah, where's he going? i know And does he come back from that leg injury? What is he, 33 also?
00:43:46
Speaker
Yeah, they he's not the same player. that he wrote That was a gruesome injury. He relies a lot on athleticism, but yeah yeah I would take a flyer on him ah ah in the fourth round, knowing knowing the kind of kind of player he is. sure Michael Pittman Jr. finished his deb r twenty two but...
00:44:05
Speaker
Not a great year. lot of guys on that team. Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, Tyler Warren, and then Ricky Purcell. This is more on potential. Ricky Purcell at number 40. More on potential. The fact that Juwan Jennings is... There's a good chance he might not be there.
00:44:22
Speaker
Brandon Nayuk is gone as well. maybe no George Kittle for the the first portion of the year. So if if he could stay healthy somehow, Purcell could easily, in my opinion, be in the WR20s because he's very talented. but We're missing someone here. Very air injury prone.
00:44:39
Speaker
There's one guy i would be interested to see. definite I think definite top 40 next year if he stays in Seattle, and that's Rashid Shaheen. Oh, I like that. He looks really nice in a Seattle uniform. Even returning punts, he's getting a lot of... He would get a lot of points that way.
00:44:55
Speaker
But he's looked good with with Seattle, especially in the postseason. I like that a lot. I like that a lot, and especially if Clint Kubiak goes back and he doesn't go with the Raiders. I like that a lot. Yeah.
00:45:08
Speaker
That was a very difficult exercise. Those are the way too early wide receiver rankings in PPR for 2026. Obviously, there's much time and room for those to change, but we wanted to give you a little amuse-bouche for the pre-draft, early, early pre-draft. And now, Fab, but let's talk about the the conference championships. the conference championship. We're going to get this ball rolling with the NFC championship, which was arguably you should have been the Super Bowl. Seahawks beat the Rams 31-27. quarterbacks put
00:45:42
Speaker
both quarterbacks put up Three touchdowns, three passing touchdowns each. Almost had exact stats, actually, which which pretty yeah was pretty interesting. 374 passing yards for Matthew Stafford, 346 for Sam Darnold, both three touchdown passes, two zero INTs.
00:45:59
Speaker
um You have to figure, and you have to ask yourself, because this this game was back and forth the whole time. I don't think defense has really made a difference. However, special teams did. Special teams did, especially with the blunder that happened from, I forget, Xavier Smith, number 19, with that muffed punt and just set up a perfect, wonderful go-ahead touchdown to this bo Bobo. What's his name? excuse I always mess up his name.
00:46:22
Speaker
Jake Bobo. But interesting, LA did come very close towards at the end over there, especially in the fourth quarter in the second to last possession. They got down to the six-yard line, and McVay kept on going forward, two incompletions in a row on third down and then on fourth down, when that and then there was a turnover on downs.
00:46:38
Speaker
And they were only down by, well, actually, it was the exact same score. whats it It was 31-27. I mean, there's a lot of conversation. Should McVay have kicked a field goal in that spot?
00:46:50
Speaker
I think he should have gone for two in the touchdowns. when they scored the touchdown because they were down by 11. When they scored a touchdown, he didn't go for two. Even if you miss that two-pointer, you're back in the same position. You've got to score touchdown.
00:47:04
Speaker
So i'm I'm not sure why. And that's a really um strange mistake from McVay. Usually like that would have been a like a no-brainer type go for two. I know it was in the Lee was in the third quarter, so i think that's what kind of weighed on his decision. But ultimately, look, he got down there, and on that fourth and goal or fourth and four, whatever it was, could have kicked the field goal to tie the game. so Didn't he waste a timeout too to review because he wanted the refs review a call? and then He called a timeout to stop the clock, and then it wasn't being reviewed, or it was the Cooper Cup catch.
00:47:41
Speaker
And then he had if he challenged, he asked the refs, if I challenge and I lose, would I lose another timeout? So that was the reason why he didn't challenge. because The Cooper catch that was catch? Yeah. that that catch that was a catch Yeah, I'm still saying it's not a catch. Are we going to do this again? I mean, it's just, but there's the inconsistencies with what's a catch and what's not a catch. And I know, what's his name?
00:48:03
Speaker
Number 88 for Greg Olson. No, for the Cowboys. Oh, Jake Cruz. No, the former wide receiver number 88. Michael Irvin as b Brian.
00:48:15
Speaker
That is Brian is still complaining about if it's a catcher now versus Green Bay. Like we're still having these conversations. Just saying, just saying it's just that the inconsistency is frustrating. And I feel like at this point in the NFL, it's a year history right now.
00:48:31
Speaker
Like, can't they advance the reffing to the point where these little inconsistencies don't exist, especially something as nuanced and something as specific as what is a catch?
00:48:43
Speaker
What is a catch? I just, you know what i find strange? I understand that we got to take, we can't have games where it's like always instant replay, but like challenges this, like, why can't we just get it right? Like, why does the coach have to challenge? Oh, I'm out of challenges. So I can't chat. Like, and let's say that the call was, ah it's just, I know that, but it's when there's so many high stakes on the line, like make it all reviewable by New York or or whatever. It is like, let's just get the call. Right guys. Like, what are we doing? Yeah.
00:49:11
Speaker
Yeah, it's a bit too bang. It's a bit too bang, bang. I just wanted to mention just a theory I have with McVay, Shanahan, Peyton and LeFleur and even Ben Johnson, all those kind of play calling head coaches. i i think I think it's a lot for them to try to call plays, ah you know, basically be the main person for the for the quarterback and then do all the time management stuff. Like we clearly see there's time management issues with Mike, Matt LeFleur's teams. He never knows how to use his timeouts.
00:49:41
Speaker
Shanahan has had it for years. McVay were starting to see it. I was about to say, like it's like what's the common denominator there, right? like It's all part of the same coaching tree. And and they all have they all they all have timing issues. They all have game clock management issues. It's not a surprise. Last thing for me, there's a stat I thought was pretty interesting.
00:50:00
Speaker
Guy's name is, I thought saw it on X, Anthony Dabundo. So basically, the three worst teams in terms of special teams EPA since 2020 are the San Francisco 49ers, the Green Bay Packers, and the LA Rams. And the Rams fired their special teams coach during the year.
00:50:18
Speaker
Yeah, that is telling. They had special teams problems all all season long. Like when you're a head coach, you just focus on play calling mostly like you got to focus on the other parts of of the business, the other parts hundred percent of the the team. So see. That's why it's important to have a coach like John Harbaugh, who used to be a special teams coach. And now look what he's doing. rich bringing I'm just, you know. fuck Anyways, speaking of speaking of great turnarounds, we have Sam Darnold. No, no. Sam Darnold ain't seen ghosts anymore, guys. 346 yards passing, three touchdowns.
00:50:50
Speaker
um I don't like, is this the real Sam Darnold? Did he just stand up right now? Because it's not as if the LA Rams have a bad defense. They have a pretty good defense and he put them to the woodshed, you know? So you got to give this guy props over here.
00:51:01
Speaker
Only QB along with Brady with back-to-back 14 win seasons with two different teams, Sam Darnold and Tom Brady in rarefied air. Wow. How's that for a fun fact?
00:51:14
Speaker
And then you got JSN who put up 10 for 153 yards and touchdown versus Bukunuku who put up nine for 165 and touchdown. Running backs are more or less the same. So this was very much an aerial assault on both sides of the ball over here. And I wonder, you know what? ah Sam Darnold, as not Sam Darnold, Matthew Stafford, after the Hall of Fame, after this loss, is he still Hall of Fame discussion? Let's say his career ends tomorrow.
00:51:39
Speaker
He didn't write off in the sunset with the championship. Is he Hall of Very Good or is he Hall of He's not first ballot, but he should be getting it? I think it's the latter. don't see how you can leave him out.
00:51:53
Speaker
I agree. I think he deserves to be in more than than not. I think it's it's close, especially after what happened with Bill Belichick. Nobody is secured to spot, apparently. But I think it's a little bit more. i agree I agree. Yeah. I was curious about it because we talked about last week.
00:52:10
Speaker
man like the way He played really well. and again the mvp The MVP season, he already has a title title in his name. and i I would assume he's going to come back. and i think the Rams are going to be contenders as long as he and McVay are there. so i think they're going to try to write it back for sure.
00:52:30
Speaker
His stats in the playoffs, he averages 328 yards when in losses, 320 yards per game. I've just bought two touchdowns a game with like zero INTs. This is in losses in the playoffs. Yeah. He's good. is he And let's say I think it's six losses.
00:52:46
Speaker
So it's still a big yeah recounting chunk of games. Yeah.
00:52:53
Speaker
Now that's super impressive. That's Matthew Stafford. Um, yeah. So Seahawks advance. Um, They deserve it in my opinion. They played well. they They played very well. Their defense has been very well. They have great coaching. My God, they're fantastic. And part of the Harbaugh tree kind of. price But it's a it's great, great coaching. And you just you figure that this is going to continue up until in two weeks from now when they're at the big dance versus versus everyone's favorite team, the New England Patriots, who beat.
00:53:25
Speaker
the denver the Denver Broncos this past weekend. Fun fact, actually, you know, that that Drake made this something that Tom Brady could never do. He beat the Broncos in Denver in the playoffs. Fun fact. so you know drak John Harbaugh never did that either, right?
00:53:39
Speaker
No, he didn't play quarterback for the Patriots. I don't understand. Stay on point. as We were talking about quarterbacks. talk about head coaching I was trying to plug it for you here. The New York football giants. we' We're going to get there somehow. appreciate that appreciate that Wasn't Mike McCarthy part of the John Harbaugh coaching tree?
00:53:55
Speaker
No, he wasn't. I'm kidding. Imagine how funny would that be? um We've gone off the rails. Of course we have. it's it's It's about time. We're an hour in. Might as well get off the rails at some point. um But for real, talk we went from literally one barn burner to another. This game finished 10-7 in favor of the aforementioned New England Patriots, which was a defensive onslaught. And...
00:54:22
Speaker
Yeah, definitely not the most exciting of games. Speechless. Yeah, i need there's not much to say here. Jarrett Stidham actually had more passing yards than Drake May. However, at the end of the day, I think the the better team won. Even though the score might not necessarily reflect that, the Patriots willed themselves to win this game.
00:54:41
Speaker
And ultimately, as good as the Denver Broncos defense was, and it's fantastic, The New England Patriots ah offense was just that much better. And Jarrett Stidham couldn't get it done. And whether that's Sean Payton as well. I mean, technically it wasn't better.
00:54:55
Speaker
yeah i mean that That much, that much better. It was just their instead of being bad. You wonder how different... Their touchdown drive was 12 yards. Come on. Yeah, exactly. That's right. yeah yeah Yeah.
00:55:09
Speaker
And you wonder how... technically was better. And um yes, and they're running the ball a lot better. Drake May ran the ball. Drake May rushed the ball very good. a lot ah better than he was throwing it.
00:55:20
Speaker
i think that's I think that's the dangerous part with Drake May in these types of games right now, that he can't just break the pocket and make those runs. You to wonder how much of a difference would Bo Nix have made. And I think it's a lot. Yeah, no, I know. No, no, no. I'm not saying he wouldn't have. I'm not saying he wouldn't have, but like you would this, would you given the edge that Denver Broncos being the Patriots of Bo Nix was there? I think so.
00:55:44
Speaker
Even Russell Wilson. I think so. It's really unfortunate. Wow, the Russell Wilson plug. It's what's funny because but well no it's funny because um st them Russell Wilson was benched for Stidham that year that that Sean Payton couldn't even look at Russell Wilson. Payton, I have to say something.
00:56:07
Speaker
I'm sure Sean Payton is as good as we say he is. and Look, i mean another coach, another smart coach that usually doesn't make mistakes in those situations, when he didn't kick that field goal to go up 10-0 with a rookie QB, and you were stifling them. they could The Patriots could not move the ball. They had all the momentum, and you went for it with a backup QB with an easy chip shot field goal. And... and It's his job to know that the weather was going to be bad. Yeah, of course. yes It's his job. he is the head coach. It is his job. There's a lot more blame on on on the head coach than anyone else, in my opinion. Because even even from a backup quarterback ah standpoint, like you have a fantastic defense. you have a great you have a great quarterback. Great. And your backup is someone that you need to be able to trust in these situations.
00:56:58
Speaker
so i don't know i just think with peyton like it's lot of like it's there's one title he had drew breeze this entire time it's you know a lot of and to your point nak a lot of the same stuff that mike mccarthy gets crap about sean peyton doesn't get crap about it and the reason why is that peyton is brash he has bravado the media loves him peter schreggen name drops him all the time and it's like I don't know. I don't know. Like Peyton hasn't been that great over the past few years. i don't know.
00:57:30
Speaker
I think he's been pretty good. Yeah, he's been carried by a defense a really good defense. Yeah, well, it's... The offense is... coach you gotta if If you're going to call balls, call strikes too, right? I mean, if you're going to give him crap for losing the game, you got to give him props for making it this far, even with the defense that obviously he helped assemble because he is the head coach.
00:57:48
Speaker
For sure. But speaking of defenses, can we put a little bit of respect on on Drake
Super Bowl Preview
00:57:53
Speaker
May's name? Like, as much as he didn't exactly... blow the roof off the doors over here with his performers versus Denver. But the guy has faced three top five defenses in this playoffs and versus the Seahawks. Now it's going to be four in the top 10 and he's getting it done.
00:58:13
Speaker
They're winning even again, like at the end of the day, you got to, you got to say, yeah, did Jarrett is Jarrett Stidham the problem or like in this game, right? Drake may didn't play Jarrett Stidham. Drake may play the Denver Broncos defense and ultimately they scored more points and they played against same thing against LA Chargers. defense is very good. He can play against Justin Herbert. He played against the late Chargers defense.
00:58:32
Speaker
got all there's there's context He played against a Houston Texans defense, not against CJ Stroud. He did enough. For sure. for sure didn't know i'm just saying and and And you're right. but there's awesome patds defense it sorry interrupt you It's not as if the Pats defense is like a top 10.
00:58:48
Speaker
But there's context behind this, right? Like there's CJ shot at five turnovers, right? They had short fields to work with again against the Broncos. He threw for 80 yards and the touchdown drive was 12 yards, right? Like, yes, a hundred percent. He rushed for 65.
00:59:04
Speaker
He rushed for 65 and a touchdown. I get it. And I understand he threw for 80 though. for For three full quarters, that field was green, right? He threw for 51 in the first half. The first half wasn't great. like There's contents context to this, right? I agree. He got it done, and they they deserve their flowers. They deserve to be there.
00:59:24
Speaker
But I'm just saying, like, the other side of the ball had to play incredibly bad for him to get those opportunities to do so. Again, one hot I'm not taking anything away, but his playoff play off performance at this point is not wowing me at this point in time.
00:59:42
Speaker
Not to say that he wasn't bad, good throughout the year and good throughout everything, but it's just there's I feel like there's content, especially in the last two games. For sure. But at the end of the day, he faced three defense ranked in the top five, and he's going to the Super Bowl.
00:59:58
Speaker
And I think that's the most important context that most people are to be looking at That's just my opinion. I get your point. i I don't disagree. I'm not saying he played fantastic. He didn't. But right now, quarterback would you rather have?
01:00:09
Speaker
I mean... It's very similar to Brady in terms of like the nu like the The thing is, yeah has May is a runner-up MVP this year compared to Tom Brady in 2021, who it was his first year.
01:00:25
Speaker
But the numbers are very similar. And you can quote-unquote say that both both players were carried by their defenses. And I like i don don't mean that to kind of it's usually the case. I don't mean that to poop on me.
01:00:38
Speaker
I think that there was there was elements, maybe not the Charger game, but there was definitely elements in the game against the Texans, even though May had four fumbles. There was definitely elements in the game against Denver. But to your point, not very fair, like the field was green in the at the beginning. um But I think the narrative of like, hey, like let's let's denounce this.
01:01:00
Speaker
Let's put an asterisk on this Super Bowl appearance. You don't put asterisk in the NFL. There's no asterisk behind it. I'm just saying. You're going against a team now in a Seattle Seahawks where they tend to not turn over the ball as much. They tend to...
01:01:17
Speaker
play you know complimentary football so I feel like this is going to be the toughest task yes the Chargers of Chargers they had no there's no offensive line Herbert got destroyed like it there was not there was in Houston Stroud just really complete four interceptions in the first half like what what were you going to do there and then against the Broncos well again if he did play we just mentioned it if Bo Nix was in that game the Broncos win that game but we don't know that the way Drake may play yeah we don't know if There's no fumbling Stidham, no fumbling. and and that like No backpedaling into... like us Exactly. Phoenix plays that game, and Drake May plays exactly the way he played. The Broncos come out victorious.
01:02:01
Speaker
No doubt in my mind. Well, to quote the great Mike Tomlin, if my aunt had, you know what, she'd be my uncle. So...
01:02:14
Speaker
You got to give him a plug, man. The guy's like running off of this. touch that Give us some props. But we're going to preview the Super Bowl next week, ladies and gentlemen. So don't get too excited right now. Because you know what? That that that deserves an episode in itself. Plus, there's going to be other stuff going on, too. But I'm going
Closing Remarks and Listener Engagement
01:02:29
Speaker
to... That was like... ah Like the amuse-bouche really was the Patriots versus the Broncos, unfortunately.
01:02:36
Speaker
Happy that we got the Super Bowl to happen a week early. But let's just hope that next week is going to be – not next week, but next week is going to be the Pro Bowl where we're going to see one one shooter Sanders light up with a skills competition and throw balls into a – That guy's name was mentioned like six times.
01:02:50
Speaker
Guys, it's – Please stop. Please stop. Sorry. My watch is here. ah It's legendary. Mac, you want to end the show? Yeah, i think that's enough for for today. Thanks, guys, once again for for listening. Please remember to follow us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, wherever we get our stuff. Instagram. um We're all tired here. This has gone off the the rails like crazy.
01:03:18
Speaker
But stay tuned for next week. Super Bowl preview. Big things happening. So tune in. Raj. Music.
01:03:29
Speaker
play us out. What do mean to play us out? end the show? Playoffs! Playoffs! That's what John Harbaugh wants next year. That's what John Harbaugh wants. He knows it's happening. It's happening. We have the roster for it. Okay, okay. Guess when you push the button.
01:03:44
Speaker
Hey guys, Mike McCarthy's new coach of Pittsburgh Steelers. Goodbye! Bye guys. bye guys