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Goal Line: Cowboy Shit
69 Plays10 days ago
The Fig God wraps up Thanksgiving week in the world of football.
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Transcript
Introduction and Weekly Reflections
00:00:13
Speaker
What is up, Goal Line listeners? I am back for the latest edition of the Goal Line podcast. We had ah another really good week in football last weekend of regular season college football, and can't wait to get into it with you guys. I hope you guys all had a really good Thanksgiving, and ah the start to your Christmas holiday is off to a good start.
00:00:34
Speaker
um Yeah, December already. Time flies. Uh, it's snowed here. so yeah, it it definitely feels like Christmas around here. Um, and it's cold as shit. So, uh, yeah, again, I hope your holiday season's off to a really
Nebraska's Struggles and Coaching Changes
00:00:49
Speaker
good start. And, uh, with that, let's get into some college football action.
00:01:04
Speaker
All right, let's ah let's start with, unfortunately, Nebraska. um i actually went to this game. It was my first time sitting in a suite in Lincoln. And, of course, that's what I get to witness is a 40-16 ass-whooping at the hands of Iowa.
00:01:20
Speaker
um
00:01:23
Speaker
Came out yesterday, Nebraska fired their defensive coordinator. um a kind of seems like a scapegoat thing to me more than anything. I mean, they did run three down linemen all year, which I thought was incredibly stupid in the Big Ten where the majority of teams run the ball first.
00:01:41
Speaker
um And it cost Nebraska. I mean, they just got dominated at the line of scrimmage. They had some of the worst linebacker play I've ever seen in the history of football. So, yeah, it wasn't good.
00:01:51
Speaker
um Game itself, outside Emmitt Johnson, there was no bright spots at all for the Huskers. It just – Horrible game. Game plan seemed off from the start.
00:02:04
Speaker
I don't know how you score 16 points when you're running back because almost 250 all-purpose yards, but somehow Nebraska pulled it off. Um, yeah, it just, everything about this game was bad. Um, it just, there's, there's nothing for me to really, to hang my hat on going into the bowl. Um,
00:02:29
Speaker
It's just, it's bad. i mean, the optics of this whole team are not good. They were seven and three going into the Penn State game and the season seven and five Two blowout losses in a row. It's just, it's all bad. i mean, I hate to be all doom and gloom all the time, and I know you guys are used to it and by now, but there's just really nothing for me to say that's positive about Nebraska
College Football Season Outcomes and Playoff Preview
00:02:55
Speaker
right now. It's just, they're bad. Yeah.
00:02:59
Speaker
yeah We'll see where they go from here. We'll see what they do in the bowl game. um but yeah Just not a whole lot of good. um Seth's Tennessee Vols, also not a whole lot of good there on Saturday. They got smacked by Vanderbilt on their home field.
00:03:16
Speaker
i just Tennessee, did that that's not a good end of the season. they didn't They lost to all the good teams on their schedule, beat the ones that they should. i mean,
00:03:27
Speaker
I don't really know how they can consider this season a success, so we'll see where Tennessee goes from here, but yeah, not good. ah Texas A&M gets beat by Texas.
00:03:39
Speaker
They got beat pretty handily, too. um Texas had been kind of playing with fire our texas a m had been kind of playing with fire the last couple weeks, and they finally got burned. um I mean, Texas A&M safely in the playoffs, so it's not like they lost out on anything. Texas probably gained more than A&M lost out of this. The only thing Texas A&M lost is the first round by.
00:04:03
Speaker
But now they get to prepare for a home game at Kyle Field, so um I think they'll be fine. I mean, just happens every while. It's college football. Ohio State rolls Michigan.
00:04:16
Speaker
This was not even a game. I mean, it started out, Ohio State started out really slow, but they just completely controlled the pace of the game. They controlled everything from the second quarter on. Michigan was never really in this game after that point. ah First time Ohio State beats Michigan in four years. So um that's a good win for Ryan Day, man. I They won the national championship last year, I know, but losing to Michigan, ah it's just it's not acceptable at Ohio State. And he righted the ship. So it it was a good win for Ohio State.
00:04:50
Speaker
Michigan, I don't – Bryce Underwood had a lot of hype coming into this season, and I just never saw it materialize. um We'll kind of see how they what they do in their bowl game and what they do this offseason. They're going to have another good recruiting class. It's not like Michigan's just going to fall off or anything, but – i don't know. I don't love Sharon Moore as their head coach. we'll ah We'll see how it goes. But, yeah, don't love a lot of the optics for Michigan right now. um Georgia beats Georgia Tech in a really sloppy game, 16-9. It didn't feel close, though. like the The time I was watching, it just did didn't feel close. I i understand the score it looks close and everything like that. It just did it didn't feel close to me at all.
00:05:32
Speaker
um It just – I don't know, man. Georgia's a really good team. Georgia Tech's an interesting team. will ah We'll kind of see where they go from here. So um that was really all I had to talk about for college football games this weekend. I know it was kind of short. um I do want to talk playoffs. I just kind of want to go into like what we're looking at as we head into championship Saturday.
00:05:58
Speaker
um Ohio State, obviously a lock no matter what happens this weekend. Indiana also a lock no matter what happens this weekend. Georgia is a lock no matter what happens this weekend.
00:06:10
Speaker
Basically, all we're playing for right now is first-round buys. um Oregon, a lock as well. Ole Miss, even though their bastard coach Lane Kiffin left for LSU, they are a lock to get into the playoffs. I think Oklahoma is a lock to get into the playoffs.
00:06:26
Speaker
And as I said before, A&M also a lock. Texas Tech still playing for a first-round buy this week, so it'll be interesting to see what they do. Um, I think Alabama is probably safely in.
00:06:38
Speaker
Um, I think they should be fine. Notre Dame, I, I think they should be in, but we'll just, we'll kind of see what happens here. Um, yeah.
00:06:52
Speaker
Uh, Virginia yeah assuming they win the ACC title game. They're probably in Here's where it gets interesting. BYU. Um,
00:07:03
Speaker
They obviously need to beat Texas Tech to be guaranteed in, um but we'll we'll see where they go. And then I think the first team out is going to be Miami.
00:07:15
Speaker
Miami beat Notre Dame. i just i don't see how they get in, man. I don't. They have two bad losses. i know they beat Notre Dame, but their losses are not good.
00:07:26
Speaker
So we'll see what happens, but... Yeah, I mean, this going interesting week to see how everybody plays this weekend. um I think really the only teams that can fall out would be...
00:07:40
Speaker
Notre Dame's probably the only team I could see for Notre Dame BYU. We'll
NFL Team Performances and Critiques
00:07:44
Speaker
see what happens this weekend. I don't, I don't want to get too deep on this playoff talk. We'll get to talk about it next week and we'll get to preview the, the games and things like that. So, um, yeah, let's, uh, let's go through the, the championship games this weekend. We'll all go through the big ones. I'll do picks for those.
00:08:02
Speaker
Um, um, I'm going to do the American Athletic Conference Championship on Friday night. North Texas is playing Tulane. I think North Texas wins this game, and I think North Texas gets the the automatic qualifier for the um Power 5 teams or the group of five teams, I mean.
00:08:20
Speaker
um Yeah, I think North Texas wins this game. Saturday, we have BYU and Texas Tech. I think Texas Tech rolls in this game, and I think BYU gets knocked out. BYU has to win this game to get in, so...
00:08:34
Speaker
We have Georgia and Alabama on Saturday as well.
00:08:42
Speaker
i think Bama gets them. I just do. I think Bama needs to win this game, so I'm going go Bama. Indiana, Ohio State. think Ohio State wins. I hope we get a good game, but I'm going to go Ohio State.
00:08:56
Speaker
And then ah Duke and Virginia. um I think Virginia gets them. Good for Duke on getting here, though. 7-5 and made it to the ACC Championship game. That's unheard of, man. Like, good for them.
00:09:12
Speaker
We'll see what they do in this game, but I do like Virginia. I think Virginia is just a better team. So we'll see what happens, though. That's really it for college football. Let's talk some NFL. We'll see.
00:09:36
Speaker
all right um let's start with the falcons as usual um not good again feel like i repeat myself every week but losing to the jets is i don't know how i could feel any lower this season but that game made me feel lower um
00:10:05
Speaker
They won every stat category and lost the game. i lost to Tyrod Taylor, which Tyrod Taylor is a fine player, but I mean, t it is 2025. Like, what are we doing? Aaron Glenn, rookie head coach, outcoached Raheem Morris, which I'm pretty sure a fucking wall could outcoach Raheem Morris at this point, and I wouldn't be surprised.
00:10:26
Speaker
um
00:10:29
Speaker
Yeah, it's not good. The optics of this team, very, very bad. Kirk Cousins has played well in relief of Michael Penix. I can't really hate on him too much.
00:10:42
Speaker
B. John, absolutely incredible. Defense got no stops in this game, man. They just... I shouldn't say defense didn't get any stops. Defense did get a stop at the end of the game, and the Falcons got the ball back with a chance to drive down a win, but ah Kirk Cousins hit three receivers in the hands, and all three of them dropped it, so that's really fun. Just...
00:11:04
Speaker
Real enjoyable experience watching this Falcons team. So, yeah, I just – I love every second of it. i I'm counting down the weeks. They've got five weeks left. They're going to get slaughtered in a couple of these games, which, thank God, just – it doesn't even matter at this point. The Rams are going to get a top ten pick from the Falcons. It's just – Falcons don't have a coach. They don't have a quarterback. They don't have a first-round pick. They have a shitty front office. Like, let's just go down the list of things wrong with the Falcons. It's just – Same old shit, man. Just 2025 is just another year of turd.
00:11:37
Speaker
It's just the same thing, different year. It's just – it's always bad. There's just nothing good about this team. It's just going to continue being bad. So, yeah, I don't – I can't wait for the season to be over, man. I'm just – I love football, but just the fact that I have to digest a Falcons game every week is – It's awful, man. hey it really is. And I know a lot of the listeners, we also all root for some bad teams. And and know there's Browns fans that listen. and i don't need to go into that. But it's just it's absolutely ridiculous watching your favorite football team just go out every week and flounder. i mean, they're just... Again, I just keep beating a dead horse. Raheem Morris is a terrible coach. It's just... They look confused at all times. Like, they never...
00:12:28
Speaker
ever look like they're prepared for a game and it just i don't know man it's it's just awful to watch if
00:12:40
Speaker
like I said it's just ah it's a new way to lose every week Nick Folk had missed a couple field goals in this game barely sneaks that one in which I knew was going to go in at the end it's just ah yeah it's it's not enjoyable at all man um Yeah, countdown is on to the end of the season. Five more games.
00:13:03
Speaker
ah Let's go. Says Titans, very, very bad as well. At least they have the number one pick right now. So they're going to get another top pick. Maybe they can trade it away for some more picks because they need everything. Jags just absolutely put a boot in their ass. It was bad, bad. bad bad Let's go to the Thanksgiving games. Detroit loses to Green Bay.
00:13:27
Speaker
Detroit, just they're just riddled by injuries. Their defense isn't good enough. um Their offense is not playing well enough. It's just it's a lot of bad. They got swept by the Packers for the first time in, want to say, like three years. they just They do not look good. They got another Thursday night game this week. At least they're getting a week's rest between the Thursday night game, but I can't imagine that goes well either. They got a hot Dallas team. Like, it's just – Detroit does not look like the same team this year. So, we'll see what happens with them. I just – don't know, man.
00:14:02
Speaker
lot of weapons. Amon Ryan got hurt on the second series of that game the other day. So, that definitely did not help them. But their offense just looks – I mean, outside of Gibbs, like, what what are you counting on in this team right now? It just – I don't know. Not good. ah Previously mentioned Cowboys beat the Chiefs. um Cowboys offense obviously has been the story all year and how good they are and what they're doing with Pickens and Lamb and
00:14:34
Speaker
Dak's looking like an MVP candidate a lot of weeks, so their ah offense isn't surprising. The surprising thing to me is how well their defense has played since coming off the bye. I know they got Quinton Williams and Logan Wilson, but they just they've looked better in every aspect on defense, and And they might be getting hot at the right time and peaking where they need to peak. So, yeah, Dallas is going to be dangerous down the stretch. You're definitely not going to want to play this team um these next five games. And if they do get into the playoffs, they're going to be a tough out for anyone who's got to play them. So it's interesting watching this team. They they definitely look like they have a different level of confidence.
00:15:11
Speaker
And, ah yeah, it looks – they look like a good team. ah i'll I'll just say it, man. They they look like a different team now. Uh, Bengals beat the Ravens on the Thursday night game.
00:15:25
Speaker
said a last week, man. The Ravens just do not look interested in playing football a lot of times, and they did not look like they were interested in playing football. Lamar looks like an absolute disaster right now. i I don't know. He does not look good. He's making horrible decisions with the ball. It's just...
00:15:44
Speaker
He does not look good. Um, Burrow the first half, definitely you could tell he was shaking off some rust, but he kind of got it together in the second half and yeah, they just controlled the second half of this game. It it was never in doubt. The Ravens just did not look like a good team and the Bengals just kind of took it to them.
00:16:03
Speaker
It's going be interesting. The Bengals are in the exact same spot they were in last year. They have to win out now. They're currently four and eight. Um,
00:16:13
Speaker
I mean, 9-8 might get you there. It's going to be interesting, but it might get you there. ah The Bears smoked the Eagles on Black Friday.
00:16:24
Speaker
i could have never projected this. like The Eagles ah offense obviously has shown weakness all year. like They've shown um some cracks, but the defense also did not play well in this game, which I did not expect to have happen. Yeah.
00:16:41
Speaker
The Bears just kind of did what they want this entire game, which it's been a long time since you could say that about the Chicago Bears offensively and defensively. They just kind of did what they wanted in this game. I do think the Eagles are going have to dump A.J. Brown in the offseason. I just – I do not see a way you can bring him back at this point. He just – He, it just seems like a cancer for their locker room.
00:17:04
Speaker
I just, I don't think that you can truly bring him back and feel good about it. So we'll see what they do. But yeah, Bears look, Bears looked good on Friday. They continue to win. so uh Panthers beat the Rams the Rams kind of handed this game to him but granted that the Panthers still did win in the end and it's a great win for that team they're building something there man got a young head coach Bryce Young all of a sudden doesn't look like the biggest bust in the world in the world that trade for the the Bears and the Panthers is really starting to pan out for both teams like it's it's looking good for both of those teams so
00:17:42
Speaker
We'll see where they end up. Stafford finally throws a pick after he breaks the record for most touchdowns without throwing a pick. um He threw a pick six as well in this game. he had a fumble. Like...
00:17:53
Speaker
The Rams just they beat themselves in a game, and they don't normally do that under McVay.
NFL Game Highlights and Playoff Standings Overview
00:17:59
Speaker
It was interesting, if nothing else. But yeah, great win for the Panthers. ah The Bucs end their losing streak.
00:18:06
Speaker
ah i don't They didn't look good in this game. like they wanted They ended up beating the panttherert sorry not the panthers the Cardinals by three. But I don't know. I don't know about this team, man. They just they do not look like a They don't look good. That's all I'll say. They do not look like a good team.
00:18:26
Speaker
um We'll see how they played on the stretch, but as of right now, I do not have high hopes for the Bucs. Texans beat the Colts. the The Texans are absolutely on a tear right now. Their defense is just playing elite. like yeah Their defense is elite right now. That's the best way to describe it. They're an elite defense. They do enough on ah offense, and That's a recipe for success in the in the playoffs. Like, play good defense, do enough on offense, don't make mistakes. That's definitely recipe for success.
00:18:57
Speaker
I do not like what I'm seeing out of the Colts the past couple weeks. I think they're in trouble, man. They got the Jags twice down the stretch. They got the Texans again. they They have a very tough schedule this last month, and I could easily see them losing every game.
00:19:12
Speaker
I just... I do not feel good about this team anymore. Sauce was in a walking boot the other day. Like, not good. ah forty nines destroy the Browns. um We can put the hype train on Shador and Park for a week at least.
00:19:29
Speaker
The 49ers just... ah They did whatever they wanted in this game, offensively and defensively. It just... Not a good game at all from the Browns. I just... I don't know, man. Weird team. Very weird team.
00:19:44
Speaker
ah Seahawks defense absolutely destroys the Vikings. I mean, that's the best way to put it. Seahawks defense just controlled this game from start to finish. They didn't let the Vikings get in any rhythm. They got a pick six.
00:19:58
Speaker
Seahawks offense did not do much in this game. um Myers had four field goals. Like... I said, they had a pick six. I mean, it wasn't like an offensive explosion from the Seahawks by any means, but really good team, man. Again, you can play defense in the playoffs. You're going to be in every game.
00:20:18
Speaker
Uh, bills beat the Steelers. I don't even know what to make either one of these teams at this point or are the bills good. i don't think the Steelers are good. Um, I just, I don't know about the bills, man. They just, they look like a weird team. Their offense just can't do anything.
00:20:35
Speaker
it's It's so weird to watch.
00:20:39
Speaker
Chargers win against the Raiders, which who doesn't win against the Raiders, but Herbert breaks his hand in this game. He had surgery already. It's his left hand. They said he's going to play through it. Well, last I read, they was going play through it. We'll see what happens. They play on Monday night this week against the Eagles, so we'll see if he plays or not. They looked good in the win, though. Their defense played well. Again, though, it's the Raiders. Let's not get too carried away.
00:21:04
Speaker
uh broncos beat the commanders on sunday night football in a excellent game that had no business being excellent marcus mariota played his ass off in that game and he kept a minute um we finally had the two touchdowns in overtime and uh the commanders went for two for the win and uh nick bonito batted down the pass at the line from well he was chasing mariota down mariota was backpedaling uh he batted it down to end the game so Broncos win again. It's just iss a wild season, man.
00:21:35
Speaker
ah Monday Night Football, the Patriots beat the Giants. Patriots just—the game was over at halftime. They had 30 points at halftime. it was It was already over at halftime. So that's it for games this week. Let's do a little bit of a playoff picture.
00:21:54
Speaker
In the AFC, your leader is New England at 11-2.
00:22:00
Speaker
New England had two down years and now they're already back again. ah Denver 10 and 2. Jacksonville 8 and 4. Baltimore 6 and 6. Wildcard teams right now are the Chargers at 8 and 4. Colts at 8 and 4. And Bills at 8 and 4.
00:22:16
Speaker
ah Texans are at 7 and 5. um Then you've got the jumble of ah Pittsburgh and Kansas City at 6 and 6. So we'll see. is an interesting week. Over in the NFC, you've got the Bears at 9-3 on top of the NFC.
00:22:30
Speaker
Never thought that would happen this season. You've got the Rams also at in second. Eagles in third 8-4. Tampa Bay at Wildcard teams right now, you have Seattle at Green Bay, San Francisco at 9-4. Then you've got Detroit at 7-5. Dallas at 6-5-1. And Carolina 7-6.
00:22:44
Speaker
san francisco at nine and four then you've got detroit at seven and five dallas at six five and one in carolina at seven and six going to be tough to catch those teams in front of them.
00:22:57
Speaker
just
Upcoming NFL Predictions and Conclusion
00:22:59
Speaker
San Francisco is the seventh seed in their 9-4. It's just insane. But, yeah, that's your playoff picture. let's ah Let's do some picks, and I'll get out of here. It's going short episode, guys.
00:23:11
Speaker
All right, let's start with Thursday night. We have the Cowboys 6-5-1, traveling to Detroit play 7-5 Lions. traveling to detroit to play the seven and five lions I'm going to take the Cowboys. i just They're playing better football right now. I just i struggle to take the Lions right now. i just The Lions are not playing good football at all.
00:23:31
Speaker
Sunday, we've got the 9-3 Seahawks traveling to the 4-8 Atlanta Falcons. I'm going to go Seahawks by a lot in this game. ah this This is an interesting one. We've the 4-8 Bengals traveling to the eightden four Bills.
00:23:46
Speaker
I think the Bills do win this game, but I'm not going to put anything back past the Bengals right now. They can get hot and get it going in a hurry. 1-11 Titans traveling to the three and nine Browns.
00:23:58
Speaker
I will go Browns just because I don't think the Titans win another game this season. 3-9 Commanders traveling to the 4-8 Vikings. I think Jaden Daniels is going to play. Sounds like J.J.
00:24:12
Speaker
McCarthy is also going to play, so that's probably not good for the Vikings. I'll go Commanders. Five and seven Dolphins traveling to the three and nine Jets.
00:24:25
Speaker
The Dolphins are playing decent football bull right now. I'll say they get a win. ah Two and ten Saints traveling to the seven and five Bucs. Bucs are going to roll them. oh Eight and four Colts traveling to the eight and four Jags.
00:24:40
Speaker
I'm going to go the Jaguars just because they're the home team. Again, I don't like what the Colts are doing right now. I just i don't feel good about them down the stretch. 6-6 Steelers traveling to the 6-6 Ravens.
00:24:53
Speaker
I'll go Ravens, but I don't feel great about it. I do not love the way either one of these teams are playing right now. 10-2 Broncos traveling to the 2-10 Raiders. Broncos by a lot. 9-3 Bears traveling to the 8-3-1 Packers.
00:25:14
Speaker
I'll go Bears. I just, I like the way they're playing. I mean, they're playing close games, but they're winning. So I'm to go Bears. I think they keep it rolling. 9-3 Rams going to the 3-9 Cardinals. I'll go Rams.
00:25:30
Speaker
Sunday night, 7-5 Texans traveling to Kansas City to play the six-and-s sixx Chiefs. I'm going to take the Chiefs. They have to win this game. like Their season is basically on the line in this game. They have to win.
00:25:43
Speaker
And when you back the Chiefs into a corner, I just i feel like they're going to play their best ball. Monday night, we have the eight and four Eagles traveling to the 8-4 Chargers. um God, this Chargers whole line is so bad.
00:25:59
Speaker
But I do not like anything coming out of Philadelphia right now. i just They don't look good.
00:26:06
Speaker
I'm going to reluctantly take the Eagles just because of Herbert's hand. I god i just struggle feeling like he's going to play on Monday night. If you Herbert plays in, no, I'm going to Eagles. i I think their defense is just going to cause problems all day for them. So yeah, I'm going to go Eagles.
00:26:25
Speaker
um That is it guys. This was kind of a shorter episode. i mean, not really. I usually go about 30 minutes. So it's about four minutes short of normal. Um, Yeah, I hope you guys have a great week. Enjoy championship weekend of college football and ah week 14 of the NFL, and I'll talk to you next week.
00:27:17
Speaker
I used to flip money and stack it, but now that we having our way, time to show them.