Transcript
Cody Atkinson: Hello and welcome to the Coastal Launch Sports Talk. I'm Cody coming to you from the bayous of Houston, Texas.
Justin Daulton: And I'm Justin coming to you from the magic of Orlando, Florida.
Cody Atkinson: And today... We will be mixing up the traditional. today as we all know the traditional career path is you go from the nfl back to college but we're doing the opposite and now that we've wrapped up our college previews we are making our move
Justin Daulton: thanks
Cody Atkinson: to the NFL and this move is final. Today, we kick off the two -week NFL preview saga by looking... a deep dive of the NFC. So With our trajectory set, it's time to sit back, lock in and get started with the rundown.
Cody Atkinson: This is the Coastal Launch and we are ready for liftoff here on episode 30.
Justin Daulton: All right, man. Um, fun topics to talk about. There's some depressing couple of weeks here on, on the coastal launch Cody. So we've got some fun topics for. for all of y 'all out here If you would allow me the floor, good sir.
Justin Daulton: Amen. the Tampa Bay Rays. are moving to tampa bay we have a new stadium man and i am so excited um all of tampa is super exciting except for the the the three people who voted no.
Justin Daulton: for the city.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: and the two people that voted no in the county. um But now.
Cody Atkinson: They're a bit bummed
Justin Daulton: Yeah, they're a bit bummed. But we have a $2 .3 billion dollars stadium coming. It's going to be right across the street from Raymond James Stadium. It's renovating one of the community colleges.
Cody Atkinson: Next.
Justin Daulton: down there so it's going to be and this might be something that you have a little bit more knowledge on it's going to be more akin to the battery in Atlanta. um so there's like mixed development you know entertainment education apartment
Cody Atkinson: Mm hmm.
Justin Daulton: um nightlife kind of everything all into one so It'll be a community college, it'll be the stadium, it'll be entertainment, restaurants, everything all into one. kind of area, especially mixing in with Raymond James.
Justin Daulton: a couple of like right across the street. um i know i've sent you a couple renderings cody but um we're i'm super excited to see what this what the stadium turns into be. um i haven't sent it to you today but if you want to look cody to kind of see what it looks like um you know out there
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, i got I gotta refresh myself if you're gonna ask me any questions about it.
Justin Daulton: No, no, no it just just be able to talk about it, man. um it's a massive improvement over the trop cody you've been to the chop with me you know I wouldn't say the drop is ah as big of a...
Cody Atkinson: I have been to the trop.
Justin Daulton: I wouldn't say it's as big of a dump as people make it out to be, but it's definitely on the... the lower end of MLB stadiums. a Man, I'm stoked for this. You know, I looked into...
Justin Daulton: you know, what what would it take to become a season ticket holder? What it what would what would be the price to get in?
Cody Atkinson: There we go. Now we're talking.
Justin Daulton: um So, you know, i I'm interested in it me because it's it's something to finally be proud of in terms of being a Tampa Bay Rays fan. where for years you know everyone kind of talks about that the you know the race plan the dump of mlb and all this stuff so i finally have a stadium to be proud of and like the renderings look amazing so it'll be fun to to dry down the tampa you know going to watch lightning games over the next couple years to to see the stadium come up. uh you know something that
Justin Daulton: you and i really didn't live through most of our lives watching stadiums get built so it's fun to Be in an area where we get to get to see a stadium come up. and be built in. It's a state -of -the -art stadium. it's one that's going to get mixed use on the inside. like they're you know.
Justin Daulton: shaping up to be a concert venue on the inside and hosting. So many sporting events, you know, youth sports, whatever you name it, it's like all that's going to be in the stadium now. Um, but it's exciting man it's it breathes some breath the breath of fresh air into the organization. You saw the guys playing with a lot of energy.
Justin Daulton: This weekend because of the announcement like you can tell the guys were excited about it Kevin cash was excited about especially as and someone who's a native from Tampa Bay. like it's It's something that's very exciting for this community and this... this this fandom that has wanted something like this for A lot of people have looked at it for the past 20 years.
Justin Daulton: trying to get the stadium in Tampa. something to be you know something to be excited about so it's it's a good time to be a race fan man
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, I mean, we went into this season. And all you were talking about was ill I'll talk about the race for two weeks and then i I'll jump on the Astros bandwagon.
Cody Atkinson: and Which is with... with ah There's no hope for this to be. a good year and now you have ah a competitive baseball team that's fighting for the number one seed in the AL. Currently holding it, fighting to hold on to it.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: to to make a run at a world series and now you're going to get a new stadium that Not only... It doesn't it bring the Rays to Tampa. And not only does it look sick, but it just in general.
Cody Atkinson: keeps the Rays from being the talk of relocation every year.
Justin Daulton: Mm hmm.
Cody Atkinson: you know No more Montreal Rays, no more Nashville Rays, no more.
Justin Daulton: Right. Orlando Rays.
Cody Atkinson: Charlotte or yeah, Orlando. or or whoever it is. Now it's it's the Tampa Bay Rays that you know and love get to stay in Tampa and you get to look forward to something new and exciting to see in it.
Cody Atkinson: And for your sake, I'm assuming you live just outside of the taxable range. So it's perfect for you.
Justin Daulton: hey Yeah, yeah
Cody Atkinson: yeah
Justin Daulton: Yeah, I'm definitely not being taxed by it, which is great.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: Even though there's not a lot of commitment to the, at at least from the outset of the deal, there's not a lot of commitment from taxpayers, which is good.
Cody Atkinson: So that's what you get.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah. Yeah, but and just it's the perfect bit, right? You get to drive over to the stadium. Watch a game whenever you want, and you don't have to foot the bill. So what what ah what a location to buy a house, man.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, correct. No, I mean, it's good, man. and like When you get to come visit, we get to go down there. The the fans have already started to coin it the the pizza slicer. the slice or whatever they want to nickname it which is a much better nickname than what people have called the the trop over the years so But yeah, man, it's it's a good time, man. I'm i'm stoked. The stadium looks amazing. so you know ah the the plan is that they want to break ground within the next 30 to 60 days and with the the full intention to be ready by the 2029 season so
Justin Daulton: which is works out perfectly because our release with the chop ends in 2028. So we will have a stadium to play baseball in 2029.
Cody Atkinson: There you go
Justin Daulton: which is It's really cool to see.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, and unrelated, but related. If the and NHL comes to Houston, it wants to do so in the 29. to 30 seasons so that could be good that could be a big
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: Big couple years for your boys. If we get.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, it'll be good.
Cody Atkinson: New Rays Stadium and and NHL in Houston would go crazy.
Justin Daulton: It'll be a good time on the pod.
Justin Daulton: that NHL in Texas outside of the Dallas Stars is something to be celebrated.
Cody Atkinson: yeah So. big times on the horizon. That's all I'm saying.
Justin Daulton: Yeah. But i'll I'll provide updates as we keep going. Cody knows that I've been chomping at the bit. all season to talk about this stadium. and and the the progress they've been making. so I held off for this occasion to finally talk about the that day.
Justin Daulton: that the deal is done there's still a couple things in the background that needs to happen to get shovels in the ground and everything that happened but we should see that here in the next 30 to 60 days and Um, some excitement to be had. so Hopefully we can crown that off with a...
Justin Daulton: a World Series Championship. here in a couple months too.
Cody Atkinson: What a year that would be.
Justin Daulton: Correct. But let's pivot, man. we're We're talking football, and the next couple topics will be football. So let's talk some football, Cody. um We had terrible timing last week recording on Sunday night.
Cody Atkinson: The worst times pod of all time.
Justin Daulton: Worst time bought. um obviously we talked about um the Jaden Higgins injury last week to the Houston Texans. um i will give you a moment here to victory lap because you predicted a trade that should happen and both of us threw it out the window and immediately. Like there's no way it happens because this organization is not dumb enough to do it.
Justin Daulton: But Keyshawn, Keyshawn? Keyshawn Booty.
Cody Atkinson: Okay, Sean.
Justin Daulton: um gets traded from the new and to gets traded from the New England and Patriots.
Cody Atkinson: Boutte.
Justin Daulton: to the Houston Texans for Jalen Reed and his seventh round pick. Which I think is a steal. for Boutte.
Cody Atkinson: Mm hmm.
Justin Daulton: um A, I want to give you the chance to to victory that bit, but I do want to... preface it with a quote from mike rabel did you see the quote from mike
Cody Atkinson: No, I did not
Justin Daulton: So the quote from Mike Frabel is Boutte it was an easy deal to be made because Unless injuries happen, Boutte would be... on the practice squad or on that starting week to week.
Justin Daulton: I think it obviously...
Cody Atkinson: Alright, dude.
Justin Daulton: obviously coping, right? but Dude was a stud last year. arguably wider zero one 1B to Stefan Diggs 1A. last year in that system so a just a laughable coping joke mechanism that Vrabel did. like that's That's locker material. I hope oh he's putting it up in his locker.
Justin Daulton: and he looks at it before every single game.
Cody Atkinson: Now it's even better.
Justin Daulton: Like that's that's exactly the type of guy but I mean literally the next day on Instagram. He was posting like can't wait to be in houston like literally flying to houston and all this stuff can't wait to be a texan and all this stuff like he posted a fan edit of like the jersey swap all this stuff so you could tell he's excited to be in in houston and obviously I got this from the South, excited to be back in the South.
Justin Daulton: playing the football down here but I'll give you a chance to victory lap man because you you you called this last week
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: Well, I won't victory lap too much. I think what I said is I think what i said is i i heard people say... that Keishon Butte would be a target and I said, I don't get it because I don't know why.
Cody Atkinson: the Patriots would move on from him like he he Because when I think about it, I think back largely to the the playoff run, the the Patriots -Texans playoff game. and Boutte was the guy who... who dominated like i think he only had like three catches but it was like 75 yards And that's something when you're going, yeah, when you're going up against Sting and Lassiter for a whole game.
Justin Daulton: And a touchdown. Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: and and In a defensive dogfight, he was the guy. who who showed up to the moment when nobody else did. it I take to your point. that i know the patriots added aj brown so he's wide receiver one right and then if if you still view
Justin Daulton: Right.
Cody Atkinson: Stefan Diggs as wide receiver two, then...
Justin Daulton: But he's not there.
Cody Atkinson: Then shh. He digs in there anymore?
Justin Daulton: No, he's a commander now?
Cody Atkinson: Really?
Justin Daulton: Yeah, I think he's a commander now. He didn't resign.
Cody Atkinson: Yes, I got it. I'm going to look this up over.
Justin Daulton: because he had the whole thing with the he had the whole thing with the his personal chef.
Cody Atkinson: What do you think?
Justin Daulton: or something like that and then with cardi b and all that stuff like so he didn't The Patriots didn't bring him back.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, look at that. He's on the he's on the commanders now. Well, then who the heck is...
Justin Daulton: Oh, cool. Got the teamwork.
Cody Atkinson: Who is... who is behind AJ Brown, but I had a case of boots. I thought.
Justin Daulton: You got the idea.
Cody Atkinson: In my mind, he was like A .J.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: Brown 1. Stefan Diggs too, and if you want to cope. and say, k sean can't play the slot or however you want it right like then you could cope and be like he's not going to be on the field unless it's a four wide receiver set which would still be stupid But.
Cody Atkinson: I thought that's where he was coming from. I'd be really curious to to think to to figure out who he thinks is going to replace him. I think this is an incredible deal. um He had a ton of talent at LSU. Obviously, he falls in the draft because he he was betting on himself in a way that wasn't allowed.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: It is what it is, right? Yeah, we...
Justin Daulton: And he was wide receiver too.
Cody Atkinson: we
Justin Daulton: with Jaden, wasn't he? He wasn't the he wasn't the number one guy there when Jaden was there, right?
Cody Atkinson: I feel like he was the number one when he was there. But I think he was number one one year, and then I think he got passed up.
Justin Daulton: Was he not? No, he was he was with BTR, wasn't he? was he He was with... Thomas Jr., right?
Cody Atkinson: Maybe.
Justin Daulton: BTJ for the Jags.
Cody Atkinson: form.
Justin Daulton: I think he was the number one guy with Jaden and then
Cody Atkinson: hold
Justin Daulton: Butte was number two.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, maybe.
Justin Daulton: I think it's how it happened.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah. saty i I don't remember the past super well as a general.
Justin Daulton: Well, no, and that was the COVID year too.
Cody Atkinson: concept but
Justin Daulton: And the COVID year sucked for college football.
Cody Atkinson: He wasn't. Was he COVID here?
Justin Daulton: It was 2020, 2021?
Cody Atkinson: He was a freshman. He was 2020.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: I'm at 21 and 22. So let me see who else was on that 22 team. But he had his best year as a freshman, 735 receiving. that he 508 538 so to your point, I don't think that's There's no way he was wide receiver one if those were the stats.
Justin Daulton: Yeah. I think he was under Brian Thomas Jr., which is... which would lead to why he's... showing wider zero two numbers.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah. now that makes sense but i he was a dude that if you watched lsu football You knew.
Justin Daulton: Yes.
Cody Atkinson: Okay, Sean, you knew who he was. He was expected to go. well higher in the draft. He didn't because... uh, It was Malik neighbors. That's who it was. That's who's number one Um.
Justin Daulton: Yes.
Cody Atkinson: 2022, Kayshaun was, as ah Brian Thomas Jr. was on that. team as well and so was malik neighbors but that was That was a big Malik neighbors here. Brian Thomas jr. Was just coming onto the scene 361 yards, so Brian Thomas Jr. blew up the next year.
Cody Atkinson: you know
Justin Daulton: Got it.
Cody Atkinson: b Brian Thomas Jr. blew up in 2023. but But he was number two, to your point, to Malik Nabors. But he was he was a guy you knew, and he was a guy who you expected to go higher. He had the issues with gambling.
Cody Atkinson: Fell super far. It took him a while to find his footing in the NFL, but he really found it last year and And funny enough, how it happens, you you put Drake May. a good quarterback in the system. and And suddenly suddenly he starts shining.
Cody Atkinson: Incredible pick. Jalen Reed is a guy that I liked. definitely but If there was a position that the Texans could trade from it was safety Right? like You want to talk about...
Cody Atkinson: You know, no disrespect to the guy, but a guy that wasn't really going to see the field all that much here behind.
Justin Daulton: Right.
Cody Atkinson: Uh, um,
Justin Daulton: Bullock and Blankenship.
Cody Atkinson: Oh, dear. Yeah, Bullock blanket ship and then We just drafted another corner Ramsey.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, another Kumari, yeah.
Cody Atkinson: Um, that. Yeah, yeah. And then I think there's another one in there whose name I forget. I i told Justin i'm working I'm working on fumes today. But. You want to talk about a a position that was dispensable? um you know great talented player But him and a seventh -round pick for a wide receiver when you...
Cody Atkinson: when you lost higgins and then now I think it was announced today that Tank Dell is going to start the season on the IR. This was an absolute must -get, and you managed to get...
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: probably the best available player without overpaying so
Justin Daulton: Yes.
Cody Atkinson: Absolute win of a deal, if you ask me. you Can't wait to see him play.
Justin Daulton: And he's someone that I saw online he's on his rookie deal like this last year was rookie deal So he's up for renewal. And depending on how the season goes, you can either A, get them cheap. on a resign.
Justin Daulton: Or you can get them on a... pretty. mid -tier wide receiver two contract underneath Nikko. and now you have a pretty much a ready -made offense. And you probably don't have to spend too much on him unless he has like a 2 000 yard season blows up you know 20 touchdowns whatever like which i don't see him doing
Cody Atkinson: In which case, great trade. like
Justin Daulton: Correct. if yeah If yeah, then we're Super Bowl champions. But, you know, you start talking about a wide receiver room that is.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: Nico Higgins, Boutte. and a mixture of Noel and an Tank Delatink. proves to get healthy in these next four weeks. and comes back to you know, rookie season takedown. That's a really good wide receiver room to put around CJ.
Cody Atkinson: in in a make or break year we've said this a thousand times right this is the year where you have to know for sure what you have in CJ. You cannot have questions left over at the end of the year.
Cody Atkinson: so you have to put the right offensive line in front of them i feel like you know We feel they've made improvements to that, at least with Rutledge and some of these signings. And you have to put the the right wide receivers around him. And you could not.
Cody Atkinson: have this season occur where you said Maybe he's the dude if Higgins stayed healthy.
Justin Daulton: Right.
Cody Atkinson: you couldn't have that question linger because you have a $60 million dollars decision to make. and And so now you can make it, right? If Straub doesn't have the season, well, he had the weapons. yet He had Collins and Boutte and Montgomery.
Cody Atkinson: And Mark's in the backfield and Schultz tied it.
Justin Daulton: Marx. Yep.
Cody Atkinson: Like he's got. options. And then, you know, Dell and Noel, if they get healthy, like. He's got options. So you can look at the season and say if Straub doesn't do it. Well, we We know it's because he's not. who we wanted him to be.
Cody Atkinson: And if he does, then you have the confidence to make the offer that you have to make to keep a quarterback in this NFL.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: It was ah an absolute necessity I think the Texans could have gotten raked over the coals. Fur. ah how badly they needed a wide receiver and instead i feel like they won the trade value wise
Justin Daulton: Yeah, I mean, Jalen Reed is someone, obviously was a rookie last year, dealt with injuries last year, wasn't always on the field when he needed to be. But when he was out on the field, he looked great. like So, you know, he's a promising upside for for the Patriots. but That 7th round pick is nothing. he could person um Honestly, New England probably trades that 7th round pick later on down the road. because seventh round pick someone usually
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: pan out. so like that that's just trade fodder at that point so at that point you're just it's a a high upside late round safety for a wide receiver too. which is in this league very tough to come by like you have like what two or three tandems that immediately come to mind of like a good one -two punch like Now you pretty much instantly have that with Nico and Butte.
Justin Daulton: going forward this season and then you know you have a a cast of supporting actors around them. to to prop up that offense. so Yeah, I think it's a massive upgrade for the Texans. shortly after we recorded the pod.
Cody Atkinson: Mm hmm. I think we have another massive upgrade for the Texans to talk about, if I'm not mistaken.
Justin Daulton: we We sure do, man. We sure do. Good transition there.
Cody Atkinson: Thank you.
Justin Daulton: um
Cody Atkinson: thank you
Justin Daulton: Last week we teased it at the very end of the episode, Cody, that we have some Jersey talk. to do. The NFL rivalry jerseys. Love them or hate them, very tied to the city connect that Nike has done with MLB.
Justin Daulton: I would say rivalries has had a better reception than City Connects have. But the new prop.
Cody Atkinson: I think so.
Justin Daulton: The new crop of rivalry jerseys was the NSE North. in the AOC South. um The Texans, I think, won this. hand over fist. i don't think there's a I don't think there's anyone that comes close to what the Texans were able to pull off, and that's even removing...
Justin Daulton: like my bias as a fan to the Texans, I think. I think we wiped the floor, I think. you know, finally doing an icy white. head to toe, you know, with the helmet, the using the Houston blue.
Justin Daulton: You know, I i love the the red is the the accent color to this whole uniform. All right. it's beautiful man i can't wait to see it on the field
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, me neither. It's... it's incredible um the use of the tiling i'm not gonna i live in houston i wasn't born here so i don't necessarily always understand the reference to the tiling
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: but I know it's all over the place in this town. And it's ah it's an iconic look for Houston. And to do that with... with the the new version of the H -Town Blue. I don't think it's a spot on for what the what we used to have.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: I think it's it's a brighter if I'm not mistaken. Or at least it looks that way.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, it's a little brighter
Cody Atkinson: than what the Oilers used to have. So it's not spot on, but you hit the H -town blue. with the tiling the crisp ycy it's red as the accent it's It's by far. the best I think it's the best Texans jersey.
Cody Atkinson: that I've seen so far. Like, I i was never a a huge fan of the originals.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: I thought they were kind of bland.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: Personally, obviously you had the Battle Red was was was sick. and then And then the new the new the new crop. Um, Also very good, but there's some aspects of the New Jersey's that make me feel like I'm too old to be the target audience for him.
Justin Daulton: Hehehe.
Cody Atkinson: you know there's some stuff they do that i'm like that's a little too new age for me But then these come out and these just absolutely hit in every single way I don't own a Texans jersey, but I might soon because of these. That's what I'd say.
Justin Daulton: Are you going to commit? to the player here live on the pod. I don't know who you're going to get.
Cody Atkinson: Oh yeah, if I get one, I'm getting there. I'm getting there. Kamari Lasseter jersey because
Justin Daulton: Okay.
Cody Atkinson: because Because not only because he's good. But also because of Detective Lasseter from my favorite show, Psych.
Justin Daulton: and
Cody Atkinson: which um I'm currently rewatching because Amanda never watched it. So we've rewatched. couple episodes a week and I'm i'm deep back deep in the show and i gotta I gotta shout it out when I got the chance.
Cody Atkinson: so
Justin Daulton: There you go.
Cody Atkinson: Getting the Lassiter.
Justin Daulton: um cody if anything that i'm known for i'm known for a good list um so i made a list
Cody Atkinson: You are known for a good list.
Justin Daulton: i I made a list of ranking the 2026 rivalry jerseys.
Cody Atkinson: The summer barely ended and you've got a li you couldn't you couldn't stay away from the lists.
Justin Daulton: So if you would give me the 30 seconds to run through this, I will give a quick blurb. as to why these these jerseys are where they're at. um number eight so they're
Cody Atkinson: Okay, so this is... Okay, so 8 to 1. This is only this year's release.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: We're not talking anything from last year, right?
Justin Daulton: Correct. Yeah. Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: Okay, okay.
Justin Daulton: yeah Number eight is the Jacksville Jaguars. You put a jagure Jaguar print on the on the pants and it looks awful.
Cody Atkinson: That's correct. that's correct
Justin Daulton: um there is aspects of the i will say abstract on everything there's aspects of every jersey that i like but as a whole. um they not all of them work and the jags leopard print, jaguar print thing did not work. It's awful. Don't do it.
Justin Daulton: um The Lions, it comes at number seven because it's not super original. It just looks like their alternate jersey, just with a little bit of a twist to it. um i do like the little like They have like a little end cut on the design.
Justin Daulton: um But if you put it next to the Carolina Panthers, they almost look identical.
Cody Atkinson: Oh, dang.
Justin Daulton: um The Colts is another one that just turned your alternate into a different. a different shade of ah gray like why did you do a great jersey great great jerseys don't look good to begin with but they did use their alternate helmet for this and that alternate helmet is sick.
Justin Daulton: with that like deep blue with the black accent. Chef's kiss. Love that. Um... the vikings another one that wasn't super inspired But they do use the Norse runes on the shoulder patch, high shoulder area. And those look sick. like So shout out to them. to like even like the the script on it is written in like norse like using like norse runes I think that's just such a cool little touch to it.
Justin Daulton: I will give some love to the Titans for this Music City. vibe and did not end up being what the leaks were Cody that you and I were talking about Like it was actually a different.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, I thought they were going to be at the bottom of your list because I remember you hating on the leaks.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, the it did not end up being what the leaks were It actually is a different blue wall entirely. and it actually says like music city the the numbers actually look like like guitar strings almost in a way Kind of like a little flare to it.
Cody Atkinson: Okay.
Justin Daulton: so I think it actually works. the h -town blue that they're using for the helmets take it or leave it it ties the jersey really well together So I will give them a little bit of love. Um.
Justin Daulton: And then the hot take that I have on this list is I really like the bears. um new jersey
Cody Atkinson: Really?
Justin Daulton: um Yeah, I know the internet did not like the Bears jersey. I think this is one that was able to lean into the history. um the Illini which is where the the founder of the Bears came from. He was ah an Illini alumni.
Justin Daulton: So he... took a lot of inspiration when he made the bears to be almost like it like the next like the NFL version of the Eli Knight. but i love the vertical three stripes that they have as opposed to the horizontal that you see on their current jerseys.
Cody Atkinson: Turn them out on the shoulders.
Justin Daulton: um which is a big... Yeah, on the shoulders, yeah. um so i think that was a really good touch um and i just think the colors work really well for the city of Chicago. um hopefully they can get sustained chicago and not go to indiana because i think that's a a ah crime on on sports if the bears leave chicago but that's for a different discussion for a different day And then number two, I have the Packers. I think this is a really good use of...
Justin Daulton: using alternate colors that's in your scheme that you don't get to use very often. And I think it really came together. This is another one that uses their alternate helmet. if They didn't make a new helmet for this. And I think it just ties it really well together.
Justin Daulton: And then of course the Texas come in at number one. um for the icy whites all the way through you touched on the tiling I love the red accents when using the Battle Red. um the face mask something that we haven't talked about this candy blue that we're that we're using for for this jersey.
Justin Daulton: It's so good. it's it almost is a helmet that i almost want to go and buy put it on my shelf because it just looks that good along with like our battle red helmet. but I sent you a screenshot of like.
Justin Daulton: our entire closet for the texans and it's What a beautiful scene to actually have. jerseys left to right that are Depictive of like... of the city of Houston, what the Texans want to be going forward. and um this new era so texans win this by far and i think the internet has agreed with us that the the Texans won this year in terms of the NFL rivalry jerseys.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah. No, it's it's... it's an absolutely iconic look um obviously it's brand new but seemed to be iconic Look, I will say I do think Green Bay number two.
Cody Atkinson: as well A little surprised you had the Bears that high just because I don't think it looks that that much different than like a normal Bears jersey. but You know, you're going to have your teams like that, right? Your your historic teams that that aren't going to venture very far. so I do think Jaguars last for sure. Pulse way towards the bottom.
Cody Atkinson: I looked up the the Titans ones while you're while you were looking at it. I like having them towards the top, and I like the Vikings one. as well so i don't think there's much to i don't think much comment on the list other than i might have shifted the bears down and then everyone just kind of come up a little bit So.
Justin Daulton: Yeah. Make sense to me?
Cody Atkinson: But yeah, no, it's honestly a quality when you're releasing eight jerseys at a time This was actually a pretty quality like crop of releases
Justin Daulton: Yeah, for sure. and it you know it's good to see the nfl putting some attention to it too because It's... It's something that does like obviously City Connect didn't do very well, but like man, like getting into these rivalry jerseys.
Justin Daulton: they've all looked good on the field not necessarily great in like promotional art and i think that's something that we did a lot better this year than i was supposed to last year just releasing a photo last year made the Cardinals one look like.
Justin Daulton: a tortilla. which looks awful.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: But what you saw on the field, it actually looked pretty good. so like i think once you get to see these things like actually on a person in moving that's what That's why I think all these promotional videos worked really well this year.
Justin Daulton: um But yeah, I think the NFL did a really good job this year.
Cody Atkinson: Yep.
Justin Daulton: But, all right, man, well, that wraps up. ah the rundown unless you have any final thoughts on those topics before we move into the wrap -up.
Cody Atkinson: No, let's get let's get on to the wrap -up, man. We have a lot to talk about today.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, wrap up for you for the Tampa Bay Rays. They go 5 -2 this week. the loss The second loss coming today. But the big meaningful one here is the Rays sweep a playoff contender from the National League.
Justin Daulton: and the San Diego Padres. ah I will say convincing. This was a back of four series all the way through. um I know you were moving all weekend, in Cody, so I don't think you caught the highlights from yesterday's game with the...
Cody Atkinson: I caught one.
Justin Daulton: The Watch Kid. Yeah, did you did
Cody Atkinson: One highlight.
Justin Daulton: Did you see the botch catch?
Cody Atkinson: You know the one.
Justin Daulton: The botch catch?
Cody Atkinson: Yes, that's the only thing I saw.
Justin Daulton: Yeah. yep um just the resilient rays man that that have kind of caught on this last couple weeks here where you know they kind of dig us themselves into a hole get back into it uh pitching looks really good i wanted to to highlight um Freddy Peralta had a six scoreless innings outing a couple of couple of games ago.
Cody Atkinson: I did actually see that as well.
Justin Daulton: Um, Yeah, so he's coming around. Rasmussen gave up his first run in like the last month. a month and a half or whatever it was so you know Pitching's coming back around. We talked about that last week where...
Justin Daulton: pitching that that was kind of lacking that, you know, got into a slump. but i think the A, the stadium deal injected a lot of energy into this clubhouse, and so the guys were playing with a lot of energy. We had a couple call -ups that have really sparked things for the team.
Justin Daulton: And then the bats come back alive. We're going to talk about Caminero again. Caminero has hit two home runs in the last four games. He's someone that's come alive. Aranda has hit a couple more home runs as well. Chandler Simpson is getting hits again. like The bats are waking up, pitching is getting back to normal.
Justin Daulton: Yes, we dropped the game tonight against the Mets, but we're playing a long stretch again. where You're playing more games than you should be. um but we have a very important series here coming up and i think it's in a week and a half where we have the Yankee series coming up very soon.
Justin Daulton: which is probably going to decide the division going forward.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: Later. um something that i texted you the other day cody is that uh We are talking magic numbers in the city of Tampa. So. uh if i remember correctly i i need to see um where the oriole score was but the rays lost in the oriole's loss the magic number fell down to 11.
Justin Daulton: for the race to clinch a playoff spot. So we're obviously... still further away for you know division playoff or a Division and best record in American the magic number but we are at least talking magic number for clinching a playoff spot.
Justin Daulton: um in tampa so we're talking magic numbers you know things are going good in tampa so obviously need to see this week you know continue to try and keep the pitching going solid and you know Get ready for the Yankees to come in town. and I saw a notification of the other day that Aaron Judge joined the team on this road trip that they have out west right now. so he's He's ramping up. play on baseball.
Justin Daulton: Um. you know baseball operations for himself so Probably going to see Aaron Judge. buy that Tampa Bay Rays series. and you know that's what you want to see you want to you want to beat these teams that are that are playing for these you know these opportunities right the padres was a big series you know it's a playoff matchup a potential world series matchup that the Padres get hot at the right time, right?
Justin Daulton: So you want to, you know, if it wasn't for the terrible setup of baseball playoffs, you would probably be talking about a raised Yankees. ALCS. you know you big opportunities coming down the line for the for the race to really showcase who they are going into October.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, for sure. I mean, that's what you want to do, right? You want to you want to beat the best teams out there best. and If the Yankees get ah get a jolt in the arm because Aaron Judge comes back and they immediately get get bounced by the Rays, like, yeah.
Cody Atkinson: Talk about a jolt of the race, right? it's It's momentum, right? The the Yankees getting. Aaron Judgemack would be a huge boost to momentum, but if they if they go into is it i guess into Tampa or if they let Tampa come to town, whatever the situation is.
Cody Atkinson: And then we raise everything.
Justin Daulton: I'll look at it as you get into it.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, it just gives the Rays a chance to make an absolute statement. And that's what you want to do at this time of year. You want to beat the best at their best, and you want to make statements. And that's what the Rays got a chance to do. so For sure. I'll kick us over to the Astros here for a bit while you look up that last little fact to it Because let me tell you, the Astros.
Cody Atkinson: Had a lot going on this week, Justin. uh it we talked last sunday and this is partly why it was the worst time podcast of all time The Astros were coming off of a 2 -4 week.
Cody Atkinson: losing series to the Oakland A's and the Los Angeles Angels, two of the worst. worst teams in baseball, and if you consider the whole... Nine -game homestand, they went 3 -6 against...
Cody Atkinson: the bottom three teams in their division. And. That was met with the firing of the GM. Dana Brown. This is not something that was surprising at all. Dana Brown. And manager Joe Spada's contracts expire at the end of the year. They had a chance to get extended in the offseason. They were not.
Cody Atkinson: It has been largely assumed that they both will not be with the team anymore at the end of this season, and a lot of people, myself included. have wondered why they if that's the case why did you let them play out this season if you were just going to move on from them no matter what they did.
Cody Atkinson: Because, you know, you had a massive draft this year that was very important. Three pick three picks in the top 50 or something. You had that and and you let a GM.
Cody Atkinson: who's going to walk at the end of the year, lead that draft. You had a chance to be one of the last competitive. potentially one of the most competitive seasons in a title window, and you give it to a manager that you're going to let walk into the year. There's a lot of questions.
Cody Atkinson: Not a surprise to anyone. Um, But I think what went from like... there was a moment of like, it's over, you know, it's like the end of like the Lord of the Rings or it's like, it's over.
Cody Atkinson: Um, we We can move on now. and then And then what I told you, the article releases for what the tentative plans are. And that's to let the front office be run by three assistant general managers, as you should.
Justin Daulton: think
Cody Atkinson: three guys working working in in baseball operations, all trying to make a career out of this, they're going to have a chance to run it. Alongside. Senior advisor.
Cody Atkinson: Jeff Bagwell. And the man himself, Jim Crane. It's unreal that Jim Crane and Jeff Bagwell ran the front office for half an offseason. Before Dana Brown was hired and they handed out two of the worst contracts the Astros have handed out in jose abreu who was released after a year and a half and i think they just finished paying his contract last season And Rafael Montero, who was a a leverage reliever, but he was a reliever that they paid $14 million a year for.
Cody Atkinson: and did not finish out that did not finish out the first season.
Justin Daulton: jesus
Cody Atkinson: of a three year season, obviously. Every GM is going to have bad contracts, but they handed out two. contracts and they were both. absolutely atrocious and so i think it's a disappointment for everyone in the fan base to see that that's still the way they want to do it There's still a belief that Jim Crane.
Cody Atkinson: ever since Jeff Luno has left, has had his hand. in the cookie jar too much is how he has wanted to be a decision maker has wanted to be to show off that not only is he a great owner, but he's a great...
Cody Atkinson: uh gm as well and we We know how that goes, and it it hasn't gone well. have declined every year since since Dusty Baker left. They've declined every year since.
Cody Atkinson: technically since James Click. the the gm printer data brown left but um it is over data brown is is gone we will see What the Astros continue to do the next hire will tell you a lot about how much of a role Jim Crane wants.
Cody Atkinson: to have in this front office. And if he continues to want to have a role, then I don't expect the GM hire to be very exciting because why would they take it? Um, You did also put here there was a rumor that Espada was told that he was being let go at the end of the year and was asked if he wanted to stay for the rest of the season.
Cody Atkinson: That's been disputed by a few people, so it's it's really unclear. whether or not he Has been told he's been let go. or if he still has a chance to try to fight for his job. no one's really sure there's depending on who you ask it's a different report so We'll see, man. it's It's crazy. The Astros come out of that and they go four and two in New York. They beat they beat the Yankees two out of three. They beat the Mets two out of three. They beat...
Cody Atkinson: the al central leading white socks um as we were doing our rundown today so all that all All of that drama and chaos, losing six of nine. to...
Cody Atkinson: to division opponents losing your lead in the division briefly. and And now they're... They're 5 -2 since then and beating teams with a pulse. and This team is what it is, man.
Cody Atkinson: You never know what you're going to get. maybe Maybe they can go on a tear here and give us a little fun before it all blows up.
Justin Daulton: thinking
Cody Atkinson: but I tell you what, the Astros have had a week in trying to... to wrap it up in a wrap up format. impossible. Impossible.
Justin Daulton: yeah What does it sound to be an Astros fan, man?
Cody Atkinson: I did the opposite reason for what it like. you was You came into this year and you're like, I got, I expect nothing. And then you got.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: You got World Series contending in a new stadium. and The Astros came into this year expecting like... Last year. was the year before the year this is the year it all comes together and then we just got an ah atomic bomb of nonsense
Justin Daulton: Okay.
Cody Atkinson: And a 500 baseball club.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: like
Justin Daulton: In a 500 baseball club, yeah.
Cody Atkinson: yeah who who Who might win their division? I don't get it. It's a weird year, man.
Justin Daulton: Yeah. Baseball's always weird, man. There's always something to it.
Cody Atkinson: bit. Baseball is going to baseball, and boys are baseballing.
Justin Daulton: Boise's gonna Boise.
Cody Atkinson: That's right.
Justin Daulton: of the raising Yankees play the last week of the regular season. Four games in the Bronx, one day as a doubleheader, and then there's two other. um game so yes no yeah four games four games in total
Cody Atkinson: There you go.
Justin Daulton: making up for a rained out game in July. So.
Cody Atkinson: I recall that Raindow game. Because we we had but that was the series we had circled as this is where the Yankees slide starts.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: Yes. Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: And then one got rained out.
Justin Daulton: Simon.
Cody Atkinson: And their slide started earlier.
Justin Daulton: So. And this slide started early. But yeah, important to note, the Rays lead the Yankees by four games. There is a four -game series at the end of the season. That series will determine who wins the American League East.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: So there you go.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, almost certain they come into that that series gets entered into with either team having technically a chance.
Justin Daulton: Yes. The AL East will not be decided until the last week ah of the regular season, which... is what is supposed to happen with playing division games.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: in the last month of the season So.
Justin Daulton: Very good. Two quick notifications for you, Cody, before I kick it to you to do this NFC preview. Um... one of these notifications is going to lead directly into the NSE preview. Um... Aaron Donald, the I don't know what his nickname is, the the beast that is the the but one of the best defensive tackles in NFL history.
Justin Daulton: has decided to come out of um, retirement. retirement to no one else's surprise. um but a massive one.
Cody Atkinson: I'll say I'm surprised.
Justin Daulton: Are you really? I know.
Cody Atkinson: No, you're good.
Justin Daulton: I knew he was coming back.
Cody Atkinson: So I learned. between the last episode and this episode that he was actually practicing and working out with the Rams.
Justin Daulton: Oh yeah.
Cody Atkinson: I didn't realize that. But I felt like people saying Aaron Donald was going to return to the Rams was the same thing. as you You always want J .J. Watt to return. He's never going to return. and
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: you know like i i feel like every team or every year there's that one retired player it's like will Big Ben come out of retirement because the Steelers need a quarterback or will
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: J .J. Watt come out of retirement because the Texans needed an edge rusher. I'm trying to think of, will Tom Brady come out? of Like, there's always something.
Justin Daulton: It was Tom Brady playing for the Raiders or whatever, you know.
Cody Atkinson: and i know Yeah, and I never listened to any of it and I just thought this was that again and then he actually did it. So I was surprised.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: I was. surprised
Justin Daulton: Well, okay. Well, I'm glad there is least one of us that were that was surprised by the news
Cody Atkinson: Hmm.
Justin Daulton: um but a massive contract i think 14 million dollars with incentives that could get up to 30 million based off of how the regular season goes.
Cody Atkinson: Crazy.
Justin Daulton: um but a scary looking defense out there in LA, man. So. I'm going to.
Cody Atkinson: Cheers. Amen.
Justin Daulton: it then
Cody Atkinson: I don't know what to expect from a 35 -year -old that's been out of the league for two and a half years, but Aaron Donald next to Myles Garrett is scary no matter the age.
Justin Daulton: Yeah. Correct. I mean, who do you double team? Do you double team Miles or do you double team?
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: air doubled so like yeah
Cody Atkinson: you You probably... play with like nine offensive linemen and double -team them all. I don't know.
Justin Daulton: i don't I don't even think that i don't think that wins because of Miles Garrett is just a beast.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah. Yeah.
Justin Daulton: Um, We'll obviously talk the Rams here a little bit more. very soon but the last notification i have for you is uh carousel When's the Little League World Series? We did not give the Little League World Series any love on the pod the last couple, probably the last month.
Cody Atkinson: There you go.
Justin Daulton: But they played the team out of Nevada. for the US that won the US bracket. Obviously, Carousel went into the international bracket, but... um Shout out to those those kids out there been playing some baseball and having a good time out there in Williamsburg.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, shout out. i got i got one one notification too that we didn't write down here because i i wanted to throw this in
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: i have i have said that this year i'm I'm trying out Everton fandom because the owner of Everton may bring hockey to Houston. And the owner of Everton also might. bring US.
Cody Atkinson: Legend. Faleran Balagan. to everton Ciao.
Justin Daulton: oh
Cody Atkinson: They're trying to get him out of the transfer portal, and that would be huge for my for my Everton fandom, that I would actually know a player on the team, and it would be U .S.
Justin Daulton: hey
Cody Atkinson: red card legend Valerian Valiant.
Justin Daulton: maybe Maybe a jersey in your future if it if it works out.
Cody Atkinson: Maybe. I might have too many of those lined up. We'll see.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, we haven't shown any love to the Premier League yet as the the season's, what, two weeks in? So definitely something we need to...
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, two two weeks in.
Justin Daulton: We need to give some love to our Premier League teams.
Cody Atkinson: Everton. Yeah, Everton with a win in week one, a draw in week two. So they're they're...
Justin Daulton: Chelsea wins in one.
Cody Atkinson: They're sitting at four points, or I think, yeah.
Justin Daulton: Chelsea won in week one.
Cody Atkinson: Great.
Justin Daulton: I don't know what their... Let me see if I can get their record real quick.
Cody Atkinson: I don't know what Chelsea did this weekend. I only did what Everton did this weekend.
Justin Daulton: I love you.
Cody Atkinson: and I didn't look at anything else.
Justin Daulton: Other. they' They're 2 -0. So there you go.
Cody Atkinson: There you go. big Big start to the season for Chelsea.
Justin Daulton: Makes sense. Outside of the drama that they are with. the with the daughter's owner. So. um But without further ado without further ado, I will give you the reins, man.
Cody Atkinson: True.
Justin Daulton: Let's talk in oh sos some NFC football.
Cody Atkinson: Absolutely. Are we going to start? so So I believe... I don't know if this is where we want to start, but I think you do have a recap for us, right? So in kind in in college, what we've been doing.
Justin Daulton: Oh yes.
Cody Atkinson: every Every preview, we start with a recap. Quarterback changes. and head coach changes. It's a little bit harder to do with the NFL because it's it's free agency, not a transfer portal, but I think Justin has put together.
Cody Atkinson: Head coach, quarterback, and wide receiver. significant wide receiver changes, correct?
Justin Daulton: Yeah, that's what I have for you
Cody Atkinson: So let's see what we got here for the NFC.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, so we'll kick off with NFC East. New York Giants bring in John Harbaugh. to replace Brian Gable, right? That was the Giants, yes.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: Um, Jackson Dart obviously remains as the starter.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: But they bring in Darnell Moody. from the Falcons, and then Odell Beckham Jr. also. um coming in and they had malachi fields as wide receiver as well i'm hoping that um Malik Nabors gets healthy enough to come back and play football at some point this year.
Justin Daulton: And then Wondell Robinson goes to the Titans. So the key departure there. Philadelphia Eagles, Nick Ciorani is returning. Jalen Hurts also returning. But A .J. Brown leaves to the Patriots. They bring in Marquise Hollywood Brown.
Justin Daulton: Dontavian Wicks and then rookie Malachi Lemon who you were really high on. in the draft process
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: Dallas Cowboys, Brian Schottenheimer returns, Dak Prescott returns. and then no other notable changes for you there. um in dallas Washington Commanders Dan Quinn returns. Jaden Daniels returning from injury. and then no wide receiver. changes for you there.
Justin Daulton: Bears, Ben Johnson returns, Caleb Williams returns. No wide receiver changes for you there. Detroit Lions, Jared Goff for returning, Dan Campbell returning. and Also, no wide receiver changes. Shout out to all the New Orleans State Browns. Amen.
Justin Daulton: Green Bay Packers, Matt LaFleur, Jordan Love both returning. Romeo Dawes departs for New England. There's your wide receiver two in New England.
Cody Atkinson: There you go.
Justin Daulton: And then.
Cody Atkinson: That's it. Okay.
Justin Daulton: Huh?
Cody Atkinson: and that That's just crazy that that's what he was. um victory laughing bootay over was romeo dobbs
Justin Daulton: Minnesota Vikings, Kevin O 'Connell returns Kyler Murray, former Texas A &M legend. It will now be the starting quarterback. J .D. McCarthy rumored to be leaving Minnesota very soon.
Justin Daulton: um obviously justin johnson best fighters you were in the league for returns as well Um, Atlanta Falcons Kevin Stefanski, new head coach, replaces Raheem Morris. um quarterback as of right now.
Justin Daulton: to a tag of all the other Is this starting?
Cody Atkinson: I was gonna say, I think it's Tua, right?
Justin Daulton: is the starting quarterback. Michael appendix jr. I would be willing to bet money on will be the starting quarterback for you soon. No wide receiver chain, nope. John Dotson comes to the Falcons.
Justin Daulton: And then obviously losing Darnell Mooney. to the giants. was a big blow for them. um From my Buccaneers fans, Todd Bowles returns, Baker Mayfield returns, losing Mike Evans.
Justin Daulton: to the 49ers. no other wide receiver changes betting on the core that they have there. Carolina Panthers, Dave Kanellis returns, Bryce Young returning. no other changes.
Justin Daulton: New Orleans Saints, Kellen Moore returns. tether shock um it will be your starting quarterback there Maybe Spencer Adler if he gets hurt. No wide receiver changes. Um, 49ers kevin uh kyle shanahan returns brock party returns mike evans obviously the big one We'll see how the rest of that wire super room shapes up.
Justin Daulton: over the course of the season. Los Angeles Rams, Sean McVay, Matt Stafford returning. No other wide receiver changes because they have the best wide receiver room in the in the NFL. CLC Hawks, Mike Medano returns, Sam Donald returns, no other.
Justin Daulton: big changes but i want to note as we talk through this process Kenneth Walker III leaves to the Chiefs. And then your last one is the Arizona Cardinals. Mike LaFleur from that CLC Hawk team.
Justin Daulton: Right. Did I get that right? From the Seahawks, yes. No. Yeah, he was the defensive coordinator right for the for Seahawks.
Cody Atkinson: This is a microflor.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: in the second hand. I was legitimately as unprepared as possible to talk about the Cardinals in any way, shape or form.
Justin Daulton: No, you're good. Yeah. But he replaces Jonathan Gannon as you look that up.
Cody Atkinson: uh
Justin Daulton: and the quarterbacks are a toss -up between Jacoby Brissett. and garner an issue. as they look to replace Conor Murray. and then Kendrick Bourne A relatively unknown my receiver joins the Cardinals.
Justin Daulton: this offseason.
Cody Atkinson: He comes to the Cardinals from the Rams offensive coordinator
Justin Daulton: Rams. Ah, that's what it was.
Cody Atkinson: I was going to say, LaFleur is an offensive last name.
Justin Daulton: yes
Cody Atkinson: I was like, that was throwing me off.
Justin Daulton: He was the the one that replaced our boy in Houston after last season.
Cody Atkinson: ah what Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Nick Haley. Yeah.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, the killing.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, yeah, he replaced Nick Haley.
Justin Daulton: So there you go. That's a quick little rundown on the of the NFC. I think there's more AFC stuff that we'll talk about next week in terms of coaching changes. but um That's your general a recap of where we're at from last season. Obviously, the Seattle Seahawks are the defending Super Bowl champions.
Justin Daulton: So it means they are the defending NFC champions. um Cody and I think that's where we that's where we jump into our our breakdown of the NFC.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, that's where we're going to jump into our breakdown. We're going to do two things. So if you've been following along with college football. previews you know that we're we're big predictions we're not we don't necessarily Cover every team.
Cody Atkinson: But we do cover categories of teams who to look out for, what to watch. We're going to do it a little differently here in the NFL because it's only a two -week process. we're going to start with a tier breakdown so we got four tiers of teams we've got super bowl contenders playoff teams.
Cody Atkinson: fringe teams, not... garbage but not play off and then we have the garbage pile So what what we're going to do first is we're going to take our 16 teams, we'll allocate them. amongst that and then we will get into our predictions which you may be more familiar with from our college football previews. So we we'll just kind of.
Cody Atkinson: We got the teams listed here on the on the on our show notes, so we're just going to kind of go in order. We'll start with the NFC East. and let's just let's put these teams in categories justin i know That you're a Giants guy.
Cody Atkinson: Because you're... You're a Jackson Dart. Camp Scataboo Head.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: So I'm going to guess. that you have them at at least tier two, but I'm curious where you have the Giants.
Justin Daulton: I'm going to be realistic. I think they're a fringe. um this year.
Cody Atkinson: All right.
Justin Daulton: um Just being realistic. But I do think this is a team that can play together. I like John Harbaugh a lot. out there. um he seems to really like dart as well so i think he'll do really well with them um but it's got healthy it's like neighbors healthy um they get Thibodeau back they get you know Odell in the YRC record so Can this thing get healthy? Can they put it together?
Justin Daulton: We'll see. But I think they're a fringe this year, but a marketable improvement from last season.
Cody Atkinson: Okay. that that's actually I think that's way more reasonable. I really thought you were going to have them as a playoff because you're on the bandwagon. But i do think I do think fringe makes more sense because if they stay healthy and everything comes together.
Cody Atkinson: they can make a run but there's also a chance that they end up without neighbors or dart Or Scataboo on the field, same as...
Justin Daulton: Or all three.
Cody Atkinson: As of last year, it's just the way they play the way they play the game. Those guys are guys that that get dinged up, and you never know what you're going to get from them.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, I will own a Jackson Dart jersey at some point in time.
Cody Atkinson: Let's go with the... Yeah. Yeah, I have no doubt in my mind that you all do that. Let's go with the Eagles. Where do you have the Eagles?
Justin Daulton: I got them as Super Bowl contenders, man. That that team is stacked. here on He's a hell of a coach. I got them as Super Bowl contenders.
Cody Atkinson: It's hard not to. when the like i The core of what has won a Super Bowl is still there. And you can you can choose not to believe in them, right? You can choose not to believe in Jalen Hurts and just be like it was the team around him.
Cody Atkinson: and he's not that good of a quarterback at the same time like they've they've done it And and the the big piece missing is A .J. Brown, who ah may have been more of a detraction than anything else last year.
Justin Daulton: Right.
Cody Atkinson: so
Justin Daulton: Yeah, you get rid of the locker room cancer
Cody Atkinson: hard Hard not to believe in them. Yeah.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: what about the What about the Cowboys here?
Justin Daulton: Ah. We got to eliminate the bias here, I guess, to be to be as impartial as we can be. um he Right where you got your cursor, man. Playoff team, I think, makes the most sense for the Cowboys.
Justin Daulton: um this is a team that i think can also fall out of the playoffs because it's Yeah, listen, I know. You're a much more believer in Dak Prescott than I am, but I just don't think Dak is a... is a Super Bowl winning quarterback, so I will never have Dak Prescott as a Super Bowl contender.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, I mean, I don't think he's a Super Bowl winning quarterback, but I think he's a better quarterback than what he gets credit for a lot of times. And I do think he's a playoff caliber quarterback. like he He can run a really electric offense, but can the Cowboys?
Cody Atkinson: put the defense together. behind them i mean i know they drafted was it caleb downs
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: which I thought was an incredible pick. but is Is that one player enough to flip the culture of your defense? Probably not. It's still... probably a soft celebrity type team.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: And then I'll catch up to him. A lot of talent. I assume it won't. It'll come together enough for them to be able to make the playoffs. I don't think they'll get much more than that.
Justin Daulton: Great wide receiver room too as we get ready for fantasy football ball here next week.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, yeah, I see you lamb George Pickens. You talk about, well, we were talking about Texan's one -two punch. You know, that's... One of the best one -two punches in the league right there, Atlanta Pickens.
Justin Daulton: Yep.
Cody Atkinson: Oh. what What about the commanders, man?
Justin Daulton: Ah, fringe. um I think that...
Cody Atkinson: That makes sense.
Justin Daulton: I think you got to see where Jaden Daniels is after a big injury last year. Stephon Diggs is a big improvement for the wide receiver.
Cody Atkinson: And a big... injury to his ego.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, its especially.
Cody Atkinson: a couple weeks ago.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, with the LSU stuff. um we will only keep this to four seconds out of respect to jayden daniels but uh
Cody Atkinson: Respect.
Justin Daulton: yeah i just i just don't see them having enough talent on the roster to make the playoffs but i I do think that. A, the coaching staff is really good. and I think Jaden, once he's healthy. music. Playoff. you know, caliber quarterback in.
Justin Daulton: i really difficult division to play in and it's on see them out lapsing the cowboys or the eagles
Cody Atkinson: Yep. umm I'm right there with you. i I think he when he's at his best, absolutely. Playoff caliber quarterback we saw at rookie season, but there's the health question, and I think there's a legitimate. um the focus and tenacity question when you're You're getting ready for a bounce back from an injury season, of an incredibly important season to your career. and your spouting off at your former college for giving your number away like dude just Play football.
Justin Daulton: Just play football.
Cody Atkinson: like so just Just lock in. and play and... I legitimately find it concerning that that that he can't do that. so
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: Kick it over to the NFC North here. We've got the Chicago Bears.
Justin Daulton: This is a solid... playoff team I think there's still...
Cody Atkinson: car
Justin Daulton: I still think they're a couple pieces away from... a Super Bowl contender. Caleb Williams had a big improvement in year two. They put a lot of pieces around him. You know, we talked about the the additions that they made in the offseason.
Justin Daulton: um I still think they're they're lacking on the defense, but man, this is a team that... is getting better year over year and i think both of us really like ben johnson Ben Johnson will be the answer in Chicago. Will Caleb Williams be enough to win a Super Bowl is the question mark.
Cody Atkinson: I think that is the question. The Bears are a team I think you could go in any direction with, right? Like, do do they continue to just take a step forward or do they have one of those sophomore slump type seasons?
Cody Atkinson: I could definitely see it both ways. i think either playoff team or fringe. is where I would put them and it really just depends on the day. uh where i would where i would land on that but a team that might be more volatile than that is the Lions you know the Lions peaked two years ago what looked like they should have won the Super Bowl um And then last year they they missed the playoffs. So where do we think the Lions land this year?
Justin Daulton: I think they're still in that fringe category. I don't think they're quite ready to commit to a rebuild. quite yet you know. Golf is getting older. You know, you got great people around with Amon Raw and Jameer Gibbs, but you lose David Montgomery.
Justin Daulton: Yeah. He has Aiden Hutchinson's healthy on the defensive side of the ball, but you're losing pieces. You haven't really been able to recapture the spark of a Ben Johnson on the off offensive side, the defensive coordinator. uh a new grad that i can't think of the name right now that would North.
Cody Atkinson: Oh, Aaron Glenn.
Justin Daulton: to... the The Jets. Yes, Aaron Lynn.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, he's getting clowned in New York now.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, yeah.
Cody Atkinson: unfortunate
Justin Daulton: um But I mean you you're you're losing pieces and you're not replacing them. and eventually you're going to have to commit to a different quarterback with Jared Goff getting older.
Justin Daulton: He doesn't seem to have the longevity that a Matt Stafford or a Tom Brady had. So. and the inevitable is coming and i just don't see them committing to it quite yet so french
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, I would disappointingly put them there as well. I think two things might be the death of the the lion spark that we saw a couple years ago, and that's losing. Ben Johnson to the Bears. I think you way bigger part of their success than than they were. then they realize, and I think the other might be.
Cody Atkinson: let it convincing yourself. Because they traded... Stafford for golf. to eat a contract right golf you eat his contract and you get better picks because you did so and they And then he played to a level where they convinced themselves that he actually was the future.
Cody Atkinson: And I think that was ah a mistake because I do think he has a... Kirk Cousins light cap too.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: to what he can do and i think that's a lot of what you're seeing especially when the oc goes away And you see a little bit of the fall off of Jared Goff when he's not being schemed into success. so Disappointing. I hope I'm wrong. I do enjoy watching the Lions. um But...
Cody Atkinson: I just don't. don't personally see it this year. What about the the Packers?
Justin Daulton: I got him as a playoff team, man. um I think Jordan Love is a good is a really good quarterback. I don't think he's a great quarterback, but I think he's a really good quarterback. um I like that i like that that head coach up there.
Justin Daulton: Name is escaping me right now.
Cody Atkinson: That's the other little flirt, right?
Justin Daulton: It's the other Leflore, yeah. Um, you know I think he's he's got an excellent mind for for being an offensive -minded coach. um great defense they obviously made the big trade last year with dallas um to bring in as I'm also running on fumes now name.
Justin Daulton: Give me name. What's the
Cody Atkinson: That's it. Oh, were you talking about Parsons?
Justin Daulton: Parsons, Micah Parsons, like the upgrading your defense. um but man the same question has presented itself for the last i feel like 10 years with the with the Packers. Who the hell is playing wide receiver? So once you figure out who's playing wide receiver there and whatever consistency you can get.
Justin Daulton: in the wide receiver room then they'll be an actual super bowl contender but I think they're good enough to to sneak into the playoffs.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, no, I could definitely see that there One of those well, they won't they type of teams would Whatever you think of of Jordan Love is is what you eventually... what is there's like a bang coming from behind me right now it's like really creeping me out. um Whatever you think of Jordan Love is what you think of the Packers. And I've i've typically been a Jordan Love.
Cody Atkinson: Believe it or not, I might have them more towards fringe, but I think playoff is a perfectly fine place to put them. What about the Minnesota Vikings?
Justin Daulton: Garbage pile. like I just
Cody Atkinson: Garbage pile baby.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, they have a great defense, but man, you're starting Connor Murray.
Cody Atkinson: Okay.
Justin Daulton: It may be a JJ McCarthy. appearance at some point. Justin Jefferson's talent only takes you so far. I know Jordan Addison is a great handcuff with him being the number two guy there.
Justin Daulton: Um... I just don't know what you're going to get with that team with Kyler Murray as your starting quarterback.
Cody Atkinson: I don't know what you're going to get. I do think you get better than what you got from JJ McCarthy. I think there's a chance that this is the surprise team of the NFC. But it's not something I would necessarily bet on. There's a very good chance they're in the garbage pile. but There's still a little bit of that.
Cody Atkinson: Put somebody in front of Kevin McConnell, a second contract quarterback in front of Kevin McConnell or Kevin O 'Connell.
Justin Daulton: Yep.
Cody Atkinson: and and see what happens. so I'm fine putting them on the garbage pile. I think that's the most likely outcome, but I do think there's a real chance that they put something magical together this year.
Justin Daulton: But imagine they tank and then they can go get an Arch Manning, Dante Moore. like that they
Cody Atkinson: I mean that would be crazy
Justin Daulton: They could go get their guy.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: So.
Cody Atkinson: I mean, they'd be be be pretty sick if they could do that, but... Kyler Murray was the number one overall pick at one point. He was the best high school football player. and Texas history.
Justin Daulton: in the world
Cody Atkinson: like
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: There's there's stuff there if he wakes up and treats this like a career, you know
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: and And maybe this was the way I probably needed or maybe not. And and that'll depend on. on where they land let's kick it over to the nfc south we've got the falcons i don't think we need to spend a lot of time here
Justin Daulton: garbage one
Cody Atkinson: garbage pile. Um, And that's because they have Tua as their quarterback and they're... Backup is Michael panics jr. And there's not a lot to be excited for there Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Justin Daulton: Garbage pile. Too many pieces lost.
Cody Atkinson: Really?
Justin Daulton: I think you need to rebuild. The vibe around Tampa is the coaching needs to go. He should have been fired two years ago. But the the owner loves him, but and you let Mike Evans walk, and you're going to let Baker Mayfield walk at the end of the season.
Justin Daulton: This season is already not looking good. And I would not buy any. Tampa Bay bucking your players when it comes to fantasy football this year.
Cody Atkinson: Interesting. That's definitely a shock, but I do get it in the sense that like. The Baker Mayfield drama. Because if you're going to believe in this team, I feel like you're going to believe in like the the spunk of Baker Mayfield.
Cody Atkinson: then
Justin Daulton: Mm hmm.
Cody Atkinson: But the drama surrounding that. What is he really going to put together this year? He doesn't want to be there. So. I could see that.
Justin Daulton: I mean, just look at just look at what happened with the Vita Vea. how long it took them to get him under contract for him to come play like That's the same thing that you're seeing with Baker going forward. like
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: Yes, you have Mecca Obuga. You have McMillan coming in to be the number two guy. by moving on from my kevins and you know and all this but like who's playing running back, the offensive line is...
Justin Daulton: paper thin, like I... they're not doing the smart things when they really should be doing the smart things.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah. This also feels like one of those where... You probably didn't know that. a coordinator was the magic behind the success and not the head coach so you watched the the coordinator Exit the building and now you probably wish that you had kept him and not the head coach kind of situation and as the Liam Cohen now with the Jacksonville Jaguars ah Carolina Panthers.
Justin Daulton: playoff team that this is a team that's gotten better every single year
Cody Atkinson: Playoff team. There you go. Playoffs?
Justin Daulton: Um... and This is... Bryce Young is only getting better every single season. You find ways to keep upgrading. you know you get Chubba Howard or Chubba Hubbard. um last season itll play running back like the wide receiver room is getting better Defense seems to be getting better, too. like Egg.
Justin Daulton: I'm not saying that this is a Super Bowl caliber team by any stretch of the imagination, but this is a team that... is in the playoffs. and How's the chance to maybe win a game in the playoffs?
Cody Atkinson: And technically speaking, one team from every. Division does have to be a playoff team. so
Justin Daulton: That's true.
Cody Atkinson: this if you're good it's was One of them's got to be. If you don't believe in the other three, you've got to pick the Panthers. so
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: By default, even if you don't believe in them, they are a playoff team.
Justin Daulton: Yep.
Cody Atkinson: Saints New Orleans Saints Tyler shucking the boys
Justin Daulton: Yeah, it is. This is my NFC team. It's been my NFC team since I was a kid. I love Drew Brees. I had a Drew Brees jersey in my closet when they won the Super Bowl. But this is a garbage pile you need to rebuild Tyler Shuck has been in ah an awful experiment. This is...
Justin Daulton: screams Davis Mills. type of experiment in New Orleans type of situation. Tank, go ahead and get Archmanning. Everyone wants Archmanning to play in New Orleans. play and Go back home type of situation.
Justin Daulton: um it just makes sense And I think you can build around an Archman type of situation in New Orleans.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, it's hard to say and until proven otherwise. It's hard to refer to the Saints as anything else, right? like You can believe in whoever you want on that team, but until they actually put winning football together...
Cody Atkinson: They're the garbage pile even if you believe in Chuck like What about the running game? What about the receivers? What about the defense? What about the coaching staff? there's there's there's question marks everywhere you've gotta you gotta to put them where you gotta put them um the the I guess you would call this the controversial team.
Cody Atkinson: Given the...
Justin Daulton: are
Cody Atkinson: ah their contro controversy around the electric substation causing them to fall apart every year. Where do the 49ers sit?
Justin Daulton: are Are they healthy? All right.
Cody Atkinson: yeah Apparently it's physically impossible for them to be because they play too close to an electric substation. if you If you hang out on the internet at all.
Justin Daulton: I'm going to say. I'm going to say fringe just because they can't stay healthy. If this team stays healthy, they're a playoff team. But if they're not and they lose pieces, they're they're out of the playoffs.
Cody Atkinson: um I got to override you here. I think this is a playoff team.
Justin Daulton: And that's fair. like
Cody Atkinson: and And the reason I listen to a podcast that said the electric substation, that that that ah disputed it. They used factual evidence to say. that the substation was not causing the injuries. So it's time.
Cody Atkinson: For the luck to turn around, I think the 49ers can stay healthy, so I'm upping them to playoff team.
Justin Daulton: out loud.
Cody Atkinson: Hey. The Rams.
Justin Daulton: Super Bowl contender man.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, we've we've touched on the Rams plenty Super Bowl contender Seahawks.
Justin Daulton: Super Bowl contender.
Cody Atkinson: I mean, defending, right? It's hard to... ah hard to put them anywhere else they're defending super bowl champions and they're
Justin Daulton: They're only their only major loss is Kenneth Walker. like
Cody Atkinson: and And they used a first -round pick on a running back to replace him. so like
Justin Daulton: yeah
Cody Atkinson: Hard to get to. Cardinals, this feels like the easiest division to decide, right?
Justin Daulton: Yeah, it's garbage pile, but I can see them flirting with fringe. They're getting pieces in there. That makes sense, but they're still a little ways off.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, they still need they still need pieces to hit. They still need Marvin Harrison Jr. to do something. um I think I saw that Jeremiah Love got like 20 carries in his first preseason game and then people were like pissed.
Justin Daulton: Thank you, Jeremiah.
Justin Daulton: yeah
Cody Atkinson: So you got to be better than that than to give your rookie running back a starter's workload in the friggin'. uh week one of the preseason let's wear them down before the season even starts it's a great idea
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: So they they need pieces hit but they do have guys they have Trey McBride they you know if Marvin Harrison jr. Hits if Jeremiah Love hits. And Brissette, you can do a lot worse than that at quarterback. so there's There's definitely some pieces I could see, but yeah, we got them.
Cody Atkinson: We got to keep them on the garbage pile until they until they prove the ability to put it together.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, they're not rebuilding they're in the middle of a rebuild so they they're still in the RS file, but this is
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: This is one that you could walk by and give them as a nice little gust of wind and they blow off the garbage pile by the end of the season.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the nice wind hits and they roll off the top of the garbage pile and onto the street.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: So that gives us Super Bowl contenders Eagles, Rams, Seahawks. Playoff teams, Cowboys, Bears, Packers, Panthers, 49ers. Um...
Cody Atkinson: That is... Eight. i think technically that's impossible but those are who's in the running
Justin Daulton: Heh heh.
Cody Atkinson: French teams, Giants, Commanders, Lions.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: And then on the garbage pile, we have the Vikings, Falcons, Bucks, Saints, and... cardinals This is where we got to turn up the heat a little bit here Justin where We might lightning around this a little bit, but this is where we have to put put our feet to the fire.
Justin Daulton: That feels pretty good.
Cody Atkinson: This is where we we get roasted if we're wrong. It's prediction time. Uh, I think these are harder predictions to make than than the way we structure our college ones. We've got NFC champion. prediction to start it off.
Justin Daulton: Yeah. Um, This is a team that was... basically one play away from. from going to the super bowl last year i got the rams winning this the this fantasy man this is a It's a complete team. Aaron Donald only makes them better regardless of what production you get out of them. but Matt Seifert, obviously former MVP.
Justin Daulton: you have probably the best wide receiver room in puka leading the charge if he can stay healthy and not be a weirdo and say concussions aren't real. But, man.
Cody Atkinson: Stay away from streamers.
Justin Daulton: Stay away from streamers, but like it's a complete team and like I it's hard to find a flaw with this with this l la ramsey
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, I mean, in our very first episode, I came on here and I said the Rams will win the Super Bowl next year. That was my bold prediction. And so I'm not going to steer away from this now after they've had the best offseason they could possibly have. so
Justin Daulton: ye
Cody Atkinson: Definitely an NFC champion. We are both on the side of the Rams. uh let's look around the rest of the nfc though we got it's important who wins it all but it's also important who wins their division so we've got NFC East winner what was I'll let you go four and then I'll go four, but.
Cody Atkinson: we can start with the east and then go north southwest for your division winners
Justin Daulton: Yeah, I'm gonna go Eagles win the East. North, I'm gonna go. Packers. South Amarillo Panthers. West's will be the Rams.
Cody Atkinson: All right, let's see. Let's see what I got here. um I... I will also go Eagles for the North. I think they are.
Cody Atkinson: the the most complete team in the North, it's hard for me to believe in the Cowboys.
Justin Daulton: The yeast.
Cody Atkinson: ah Sorry, in the East. It's hard for me to believe in the Cowboys. i ah we We've said what we said about the Giants. in the and the commanders the eagles is the only team from that division that we have as a super bowl contender so That definitely tracks. From the NFC North, this is a much...
Cody Atkinson: more level. division you went with the packers we do need some variety here uh it's very important we variety i will actually against my better judgment i will say that the bears do continue their upward trend and take the NFC North.
Cody Atkinson: I will go Panthers as well. For the south and then despite My championship pick, I think the Seahawks win the division. and then the the Rams make it win when it matters most in the playoffs i do think Seattle, complete because is the Rams, i did they're they're they're giving me a little bit of Dodgers vibes where they might not. take it seriously for all 18 or... Whatever.
Cody Atkinson: 17, whatever they play these days.
Justin Daulton: 17.
Cody Atkinson: Who knows anymore, you know? they they They got some Dodgers vibes. They might take some some pressure off where the where the Seahawks might. be out trying to prove that. you know they so They matter more that last year wasn't a fluke.
Cody Atkinson: Um, So I can see the Seahawks taking the regular season a little more seriously. We've got this list is biggest surprises. I'm feeling this is is this like a sleeper category.
Cody Atkinson: is This is what probably what we're doing here
Justin Daulton: Yeah, this will be your sleeper. It can be a team. It can be a player
Cody Atkinson: Oh, team ore player.
Justin Daulton: type of situation. Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: If you want me to go first, I will. i will say I'll go out on a limb here and I will say. that Kevin O 'Connell brings Kyler Murray to life in The Vikings.
Cody Atkinson: surprise people by being a playoff caliber team. I don't know if they'll make it. But i think they have i think I think they make a jump. You've got them in the garbage pile. there's some magic brewing And I think the the Vikings free of J .J. McCarthy can return to the form that we saw.
Cody Atkinson: uh the years leading up to that so i'll but give me the vikings to surprise with a lot of people this year
Justin Daulton: I like it. I like it. um My big surprise would be... Caleb Williams and the Bears as you just said continue the trajectory But I think Caleb gets MVP votes by the end of the season.
Cody Atkinson: o Okay. and That would be pretty big time. i I would feel really good about my division pick if Caleb Williams is getting MVP votes, that's for sure.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: biggest disappointment. So I'm assuming this is a team or player here as well.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, teamwork player.
Cody Atkinson: All right, what do you got? Biggest disappointment.
Justin Daulton: um I'm gonna say This one I've gone back and forth on I think Hush. I'm trying to commit to one. Uh...
Justin Daulton: I'm gonna say the Giants take a step back. unfortunately like i know that's weird to say But I think the Giants take a step back. Everyone, and myself included, think that they're a team that can become that fringe team, playoff team, you know, caliber with Dart and Scott.
Justin Daulton: But I think they're still missing so much. They're still missing so much consistency throughout that team. So I don't think they take the step forward that everyone in the media is projecting them to do. um there's there's missing so much on the team side i think i do think they they lose more games than they than they lost last season.
Cody Atkinson: All right, I mean I'm kind of stuck here I think... If this technically counts, because ah by the way we ranked them, we were in... agreement on this And so I don't know if this is.
Cody Atkinson: ah far enough off from expectation to be a disappointment, but I do think... that the Lions continue their downward trajectory from... From where they peaked, and I think the Lions missed the playoffs again.
Cody Atkinson: Unfortunately, and I think we all I think we start to look at two years ago is like I remember that flash in the pan and not Remember this.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: this this era right there's a chance that this was going to be an era of Lions football it looked like they were Not. how not if they would win a super bowl there was a question of just like when or how many like they were looking strong and Um, I do think that the Lions continue to to fall back. and they realized that if Ben Johnson was the one you couldn't let leave the building, not Dan Campbell.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: Unfortunately, huge fan of Dan Campbell. but i think the lions continue their their downward trend and and regret uh I regret letting him walk out the door.
Justin Daulton: if If they miss the playoffs, does Dan Campbell go in the hot seat?
Cody Atkinson: I think he goes on next year's hot seat, yeah. I don't think he's gone.
Justin Daulton: okay
Cody Atkinson: But I think it puts him on next year's hot seat.
Justin Daulton: Okay.
Cody Atkinson: Because the questions are going to start, especially if the Bears do well.
Justin Daulton: Let's hear it.
Cody Atkinson: the questions will circulate of whether Ben Johnson was the magic and Dan Campbell was just riding the coattails.
Justin Daulton: Bye.
Cody Atkinson: This is a team that misses the playoff that shouldn't. do you have anything to add here because i feel like this might be too close to what we just did
Justin Daulton: Kind of is similar, but I think the only team that falls in that account is the 49ers. in my opinion.
Cody Atkinson: Okay. Let me up.
Justin Daulton: And once again, that's all dependent on can they stay healthy.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, it's all dependent on the electric substation.
Justin Daulton: Yes.
Cody Atkinson: Dude, if you're watching me try to type this, this is an insane amount of not pressing the right button. My hands are not in the right bottom of the keyboard. 49ers. There we go. 49ers I would say so I just said the Lions I might Um.
Cody Atkinson: nice there's ah cause There's not really any of these other teams that I believe could miss it. I mean, obviously they all could there's not anyone I'm i'm like buying into Missing it. I'll say if if you give me If I got to pick one of these teams that we put in the playoff. tier i'd probably say packers And a little bit of that is.
Cody Atkinson: um
Justin Daulton: Tough division.
Cody Atkinson: It's tough division. It is also... ah Josh Jacobs, not with the team.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: Josh Jacobs out of the league technically temporarily, technically, however it goes.
Justin Daulton: On the commissioner's exempt list, yeah.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, he's on the Commissioner's Exemplist for domestic violence related charges. I do like the subsequent move they made, picking Caleb Johnson up from the Steelers. He was a guy that was great at Iowa. uh didn't just didn't have their rookie season you were looking for last year couldn't put it together but he he also could not and and they could it could prove that um that If they're missing anything to the run game, it could really bring out any holes in Jordan Love's game as well. so that That could be a huge...
Cody Atkinson: Huge loss for them. um And I'll kind of leave it at that. Obviously, he deserves to be out of the league if he did what is claimed that he did. andt and and And we can leave it at that, but definitely. a ah a loss to the Packers that I think could put could put them out of the playoffs.
Justin Daulton: No.
Cody Atkinson: All right, we got Breakout Player.
Justin Daulton: Bryce Young. I think this is a guy that keeps taking steps forward.
Cody Atkinson: Bryce Young, here we go.
Justin Daulton: I like this Panthers team, man. Um... I think... So many people counted Bryce Young out so early on in that in his rookie season. because CJ had such an amazing season in Houston and you expected Bryce to have it, but Bryce went to.
Justin Daulton: a much more worse situation than what what CJ stepped into. But I think Bryce Young... is someone who can start to garner a lot of media attention i think you can start being ah a desirable attraction for for free agent sim you know some some ocs that may be better off for them dc's that'll come in make the defense better but probably someone who takes a big step forward in my opinion this year
Cody Atkinson: mm -hmm I'm tempted to say to double down and say Kyler Murray here, but I want to. I want to spread my my picks out. And so I'm going to go a little off the reservation here. I'm going to say Marvin Harrison Jr. finally puts it together after two.
Cody Atkinson: Rough years. in arizona i don't know why i think that because if anything the thank you the temperature around him is worse than it's ever been right this is This is still Jacoby Brissett. This is still a team.
Cody Atkinson: That's not expected to make the playoffs. It's still a team that's trying to build towards something else. So why would it bring anything new out of him? But this is year three and that he's just too talented.
Cody Atkinson: to not finally put it together. and so i'm looking for marvin harrison jr to have a breakout and that could be the win that blows the cardinals off of the trash can as we referred to it earlier um So we'll see.
Justin Daulton: so Okay.
Cody Atkinson: Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride would definitely be an electric one -two punch if they could put it together. for for a full season. And then we're going to finish off with bold prediction, which I...
Cody Atkinson: I feel like I may have fired that bullet just now, dang it.
Justin Daulton: Hehehehe this maybe Maybe that's where you can get your Kyler Murray to go in tandem with your Vikings pick if you really wanted to. Um...
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, maybe
Justin Daulton: My bold prediction is that Aaron Donald comes out and has a double digit sack season.
Cody Atkinson: There you go.
Cody Atkinson: That would be crazy because you have You have the sack leader. in a season of of Miles Garrett right alongside a guy that... could get double digit sacks from the defensive tackle position that would be Absolutely. Insane.
Cody Atkinson: if they could pull that off. um I... Here's my bold prediction. I'm going to finish this episode off with a little bit of haterade. in the way that only we know how to do.
Justin Daulton: oh
Cody Atkinson: I think Jaden Daniels is benched. by the end of the season.
Justin Daulton: Oh my goodness.
Cody Atkinson: Because... Yeah. yeah
Justin Daulton: um Is that Marcus Mariota?
Cody Atkinson: I think Jane Dano's good. I have no idea who the backup is. It does not impact my decision making at all. I think Jaden Daniels.
Justin Daulton: oof
Cody Atkinson: I am doubling, I will triple, I will quadruple down on the Jaden Daniels. I won't. I want five times down though, just quadruple down. Out of respect.
Justin Daulton: Out of respect.
Cody Atkinson: But jane I think Jaden Daniels is is primed to have an awful season. technically and And this is not an injury benching. I think he gets benched. for poor performance because i just he does not seem like a dude.
Cody Atkinson: that is going to do well with his left tackle on the ir he doesn't seem like a dude that's gonna lift
Justin Daulton: oh yeah
Cody Atkinson: people out of the gutter he He's in the trenches and I just don't. I don't see him having the focus necessary. to to go up against a league.
Cody Atkinson: that has tape on it. We haven't seen him perform. against a league that has tape on them. Only year one. And so what can he put together in year three coming off of injury? I just don't like where his head appears to be at.
Cody Atkinson: And I think he gets benched by season end.
Justin Daulton: Dang, that'd be crazy.
Cody Atkinson: That would be. It's said to be bold, right?
Justin Daulton: Yeah. He said it'd be bold.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, what is a bold prediction if it doesn't get a few wows?
Justin Daulton: There it is.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, and that would be that's definitely a wow moment if it happens for sure
Cody Atkinson: Yeah. And that's that, man. That's all we had planned for for the NFC preview. I think that's a pretty, if you ask me, that's a pretty extensive preview. all things considered that do we unlike college football we touched on all 16 teams.
Cody Atkinson: And we... touched on most of them at least a couple times because we we really varied these categories here so Um,
Justin Daulton: it'll be It'll be fun to to update the NFL. I'll probably say NFL will do a mid -season check -in. Not a monthly check -in like we did with baseball.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: But they may be a mid -season.
Cody Atkinson: they don't play enough games to
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: Get enough movement to check on it.
Justin Daulton: End. Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: and Well, I mean technically this show will be checking in on the NFL and college football basically every week For the next.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, with with Texans and and A &M, yes.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah. Yeah. That's all there is to talk about in the fall and winter.
Justin Daulton: Um...
Cody Atkinson: basically be checking in weekly but Yeah.
Justin Daulton: Yeah. not and we We'll check on our predictions at the halfway point of the season.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah. Yeah.
Justin Daulton: Um, But a preview, if you will, next week we will obviously do the ASC preview. um but we will also be doing a deep dive into the texans which we've been keeping a very a close eye on the Texans.
Justin Daulton: all offseason, so we'll deep dive the Texans. who put out their 53 -man roster today. as well as the practice squad. So we'll definitely talk about that next week. But Cody, we have real football to talk about. next Monday.
Justin Daulton: The Texas A &M Aggies play real football this weekend.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, we really do. Yeah, we have a full slate. of real football this weekend. we didn't even We didn't touch on week zero. I actually meant to touch on it just a bit.
Cody Atkinson: So before we sign out, I will say. Shout out to you. for picking Stanford. i don't remember the category But in the ACC preview, you picked Stanford for something positive, and you might be the only person in the free world that picked Stanford for something positive. Stanford comes out.
Cody Atkinson: Beats Hawaii week one. Big, big deal. um And then shout out to me. We didn't get to do our playoff predictions, but I have at least dropped...
Cody Atkinson: in passing on here a couple times that i think despite losing their head coach to Arkansas, that Memphis actually upgraded at head coach. and that they were a real G6 sleeper to watch. They come out and take down UNLV week one.
Cody Atkinson: uh you you with some with some late game magic so i think i think we both had some moments that shine in week zero, and and next week we have an absolute full slate.
Cody Atkinson: of college football to discuss, which is a beautiful thing.
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: who does Who does A &M have this week? I forgot to look.
Cody Atkinson: Missouri State.
Justin Daulton: It's very sick. So I mean we won't have a full game to talk about because if Marcel's playing that
Cody Atkinson: It's in a full slate.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, a full slate. If Marcelo's playing come the fourth quarter, we we've messed up.
Cody Atkinson: of other teams' games.
Justin Daulton: Yes.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah. and we have a full slate of other games worth talking about. just not really ours yet, but But unlike most seasons, now that we have a nine -game SEC schedule, it picks up week two.
Cody Atkinson: It picks up, and it doesn't take a break again until we we have a game against Citadel halfway through the season.
Justin Daulton: yeah
Cody Atkinson: but it's it's missouri state that's arizona state and then you are into sec play with the citadel looming at like halfway
Justin Daulton: Yeah, I think it was like week nine. I think it's what we saw.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: I think it's what it was
Cody Atkinson: So him. it picks up immediately there's no utsa and then utah state and then so and so it's you're you're It's a warm -up game, and then you're in the fire for the rest of the season.
Justin Daulton: Yeah, now I'm stoked. um I can't wait to to watch Aiden play this weekend.
Cody Atkinson: it That's right, and I cannot wait to watch the former NFL team try to take on the SEC out of Baton Rouge.
Justin Daulton: Oh, that was what we were going to do. the The last thing that I'll say before we sign off, we did not talk about the ongoing saga of NFL players coming back to college, all that stuff. um we are holding it until next week where we are hoping that there is some sort of resolution for this season of football cody before we talk about it again um as lane kiffin um is under investigation all all and over the stuff lsu under investigation sec threatening death penalty whatever you want to call it
Justin Daulton: to the teams that will do this. So we will touch on this again next week. um
Cody Atkinson: Yeah.
Justin Daulton: with hopeful of ah of some sort of resolution. so we can talk about it. in its totality before we can finally... close on it until the offseason comes back around.
Cody Atkinson: Yeah, think I mean, just dating back to the Brendan Sorsby saga, we are just tired of talking about a story thinking it's over and then... The next day it changes course entirely. And so we will we will touch on this when the next time we believe it to be done, whether we are right or wrong.
Justin Daulton: I hope it's soon.
Cody Atkinson: I don't know.
Justin Daulton: Please.
Cody Atkinson: I mean, they do. season like I mean, week zero already started, so I guess the season starting doesn't matter, but the season really kicks off on like Thursday. and you would really hope that they would have something wrapped up by then so that week one We're not watching guys play on a TRO and then they're off the team by week two like nobody wants to see that
Justin Daulton: Yeah.
Cody Atkinson: You know, either either get him off the team before week one kicks off. or i mean Preferably just do that. But if not, like I'm not trying to watch six games of a guy play before he gets told he can't after all.
Justin Daulton: Yeah. We'll see how it goes. Hopefully we can talk about a final version of this next week.
Cody Atkinson: Yep. yep Whatever happens, you'll hear from us next week about week one of the college football season. And the AFC. Texans preview. So we'll catch you next time.
Cody Atkinson: Peace.
Justin Daulton: Peace.
