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Goal Line: Bills Thrills, Philly Flops
4 Plays1 year ago
The boys discuss the resurgent Buffalo Bills, a Monday Night Football shocker that they see play out live on the air, and all the rest of the news from this week in the NFL!
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Transcript
Introduction and Season Overview
00:00:16
Speaker
What is up goal line listeners? Christmas time is here and we are back for the newest episode of the goal line football show. Jordan, what is going on? Man, I'm not going to lie to you. Every time I do notes for these shows, it breaks my heart a little bit more this week. I had to type week 16 and I almost burst into tears because the season's almost over. It's just, it's went too fast, man. It felt like we just started this dude.
00:00:42
Speaker
I mean, dude, it feels like it was a week and a half ago when we were kind of sketching out the format and, you know, what the show is going to be. And now we're down to, you know, really three full slates of games. I mean, we're still going to keep it going during the playoffs, but those are going to be, you know, abbreviated episodes because there's only so much you can talk about a handful of games each weekend. It's going for the offseason. But yeah, the, you know, the main line, like full fledged goal line, dude. Yeah, we're down to three more weeks.
00:01:08
Speaker
Yeah, it's not fun man. I just I hate like I love this time of year because we're getting into the all the bowl games for college football. Obviously, like you said, it's Christmas time and we're going to get into playoffs for NFL, but it's just depressing man. It's like.
00:01:24
Speaker
Well, it's really depressing when you know, your team's not making the playoffs too. Like you get down to this point and it's just, you got three more weeks to watch your team. And then it's, it's nothing. It's just, you say that. Are you, are you already freaking pulling the plug on the Falcons playoff hopes?
00:01:45
Speaker
They lost to the Panthers yesterday, dude. And like, there's no, there's no coming back from that. Yeah, they definitely, they're not, it does not seem like they're peaking right now. It feels like they peaked maybe, you know, about a month into the season. Um, not looking good for them at all. Uh, we do got a solid game on
Playoff Picture and Team Performances
00:02:01
Speaker
Monday night football here. They just kicked off the second half.
00:02:03
Speaker
Eagles with a you know, he's he's sick, but he's playing you know, Jalen Hurts doing his best Michael Jordan in the 97 finals impersonation beating the Seahawks with drew lock ten to three at At halftime what you read on this one man Seahawks got a chance of coming back and getting the upset Yeah, they do but I honestly thought this game was gonna be high scoring. So this is pretty disappointing for me Drew lock sucks
00:02:27
Speaker
Yeah, he's just he's decent enough backup man. He can keep you know, he can tread water if you need him to but Yeah, he's not he's not gonna win a game especially against a premier team Like the Eagles remind the listeners where they can find us on social media. You can find us on twitter x at goal underscore line underscore pod And then on instagram, you can find us at the goal line football show all one word All right, you ready to talk some football. Let's do it
00:03:01
Speaker
Well, sadly, there was only one coach firing this week, and I feel like we need to lead off with that Thursday night game. Did the Chargers purposely quit on Brandon Staley?
00:03:12
Speaker
I mean, it's a veteran team. I don't, I'm looking forward to seeing some of the stories. You know, typically that stuff comes out, you know, within a couple of days, somebody getting fired for the most part, it was pretty quiet though. I'm looking forward to see some of the stories of what exactly was going on in that locker room this season. Cause it is a little bit of an older team outside of the outside of the young quarterback. It's a, it's a veteran, you know, teams, a lot of star power. It definitely feels like something happened. Cause I mean, hats off to the Raiders. They, they, you know, they strapped it up and came out ready to go.
00:03:41
Speaker
but they are by no means any kind of world beaters and they went out and just absolutely wrecked the Chargers man the Chargers just did not come to play Thursday night and it'd been a long time coming ugly way to see it go man I don't think that's necessarily a reflection of how bad of a coach Staley is but that was you know a lot of times in the NFL when it ends it ends ugly and that was definitely the case Thursday night.
00:04:03
Speaker
here's my thing. The Raiders four days before that scored zero points against the Vikings. And then all of a sudden they score 63 on the Thursday following. Like, I don't know, man, that if there was ever a quit, like that looks like the quit to me. I don't know. I just, I know these guys are getting paid money and stuff, but dude, they did not even look like they were trying on Thursday night.
00:04:29
Speaker
I mean, maybe they wanted him gone that bad. I just, I feel like that dude lost that locker room a month ago, maybe longer than that. And I don't know all these close losses they were having. I just feel like they were at their breaking point and it all came out on Thursday night against a not great Raiders team either is the worst part. Like it ain't like they were playing like a really good team. Like the Raiders aren't right either.
00:04:53
Speaker
Yeah, like you said, they were coming off, getting shut out just a few days earlier. We do got to point out that on last week's show, I said that I felt like the Raiders are going to come out and whoop some ass. And you questioned it. You said, I think you picked the Raiders also, but you thought it was going to, you didn't think it was going to be a straight up bloodletting like we saw, man. To be honest, I didn't either, but I did think it was pretty funny. Because I remember you kind of pumping the brakes on me a little bit, thinking the Raiders were going to just crush him.
00:05:19
Speaker
I don't think anybody saw that one come and miss. Uh, I think it was a, the record for the most points ever scored by the Raiders. Yeah, it was a, that was a massacre of all massacres and they had no choice but to fire Staley. I was a little surprised. They fired the GM too. Honestly, I felt like he's there, man.
00:05:38
Speaker
talent is good. I was going to say like, dude, he didn't make bad signings like that. There's plenty of talent on that team. A lot of those close games was you could, you could point at, as I mean, yeah, it's still ultimately on the players, right? But a lot of those close games, they were losing. You could point to tactical errors that they were making off of head coaching decisions, you know, and it can trace them back to, you know, maybe if they would have, would have zigged where they, where they zagged.
00:06:03
Speaker
They could have had, you know, two or three more wins this season. So yeah, I'm kind of with you, man. I don't know. I, again, like I said, we don't know what all is going on inside the building there. Maybe, you know, it's, it's, maybe they want to fire Staley in the off season and the GM convinced him to keep him. Uh, but yeah, I thought I was a little surprised with that also, man. Cause at least on paper, do you like I'm Madden. That is a bad-ass team that they have there in Los Angeles. It's just not translated on the field this season.
00:06:27
Speaker
It's weird because they do have a good team. Like granted Herbert didn't play on Thursday night. So that definitely affected their offense, but I don't know, man, that defense is not that bad. And they, they just looked like they quit. So Staley obviously had to go. It was a shitty way for him to go out, but he needed to go. Um, yeah, it's just, I cannot believe the Raiders dropped 63 points in an NFL game. Like what year is this?
00:06:55
Speaker
If you would have told me like to place a bet on the Raiders scoring 63 points combined over
Coaching Changes and Implications
00:07:01
Speaker
the last month of the season, I would have to give it some serious thought if I was going to take it or not, you know, prior to Thursday night's game. Yeah, especially after they dropped a zero burger on Sunday against the Vikings and lost three to zero. Like I said that somebody today, I'm like, it ain't like they got blown out and drop zero. Like they were in the game until the last minute of the game and drop zero. Like,
00:07:23
Speaker
The worst part is it was in a fucking dome. It's not like the weather was the problem in that game. Yeah. As we see Kenneth Walker go in for the touchdown, man, to tie this game up, dude, big fan of this guy. I know I mentioned a couple of times on this season, he is a graduate of the same football program that, uh, the Brett man started off in this year, the, uh, the Arlington tiger. So we always root for, uh, for Kenneth Walker, the third to get it done for Seattle. He's a beast.
00:07:52
Speaker
All right, well, one coach, one team did fire their coach. Another team has still not fired their coach. How does Arthur Smith still have a job? I just, dude, you cannot there. There's no way you can convince me. They knew what kind of game that was going to be yesterday. They knew all weekend. It was going to be rainy. It was going to be a shitty game. So what does that tell you? You lean on the run and that's how you win that game, right? Like that's all you should be worried about is, is just running the ball and
00:08:23
Speaker
I just it's just like baffling to me like they come out they run the ball really well granted we're only through the ball 20 times but it's I don't know it's just the plays that they decided to pass on like that last pick that ritter through why are you even giving him that decision like
00:08:44
Speaker
Just run it. Dude, you know, you're going up against which, you know, again, we're sympathetic to the hand that that Bryce Young has been dealt this year. But for all intents and purposes, he's probably the worst starting quarterback, you know, week in and week out, you know, not counting the backups and stuff.
00:09:01
Speaker
he's the worst starting quarterback taking the field each week in the NFL. If you kick the field goal right there, you're forcing this guy to drive down and get a touchdown. And that's a big difference. One, it's just harder than driving down, getting in the field goal range. And it's a tremendous amount, more pressure, you know, like they probably win the game. If they just, if they take a knee on that play and kick a field goal to take a 10, six lead, they probably get the win and are still feeling, you know, obviously you'd like to beat the Panthers by a lot more than that, but
00:09:26
Speaker
you're feeling much better about yourself heading into these closing few weeks to try to win the abysmal NFC South.
00:09:33
Speaker
Yeah, it's just, I don't know, man, it's just deflating. It just week to week, he just does not seem like he knows how to use the players he has. I get it. They're not the most talented team in the NFL, but they have talented players. And I think they do, dude. I know I was healing off on him yesterday because they, you know, full disclosure, they effed up a part. They were one part of my parlay that I thought was just easy money. Like no doubt about it. They could beat the Panthers by three points and I was very frustrated, but
00:10:00
Speaker
I didn't think the team was good. I think Ritter's horrible. I don't know why they're starting him over Heineke. I mean, not that Heineke is the next Tom Brady, but I think the floor is much higher for Heineke, right? I don't think Heineke is ever going to give you those just absolutely horrifying interceptions that Ritter gives you.
00:10:19
Speaker
But yeah, dude, this it's just this team should be walking away with the NFC South, man. I don't think they're a Super Bowl contender, but they're definitely good enough that they shouldn't. They should be, you know, a couple levels up over the the freaking Saints in the Bucks right now. Yeah, it's it's really disheartening to watch them. I don't know, man, like, yeah, Bijon fumbled yesterday. That wasn't the reason they lost that game. They're like, can I believe people are talking about that? Like, that's the reason they lost yesterday.
00:10:49
Speaker
I don't know. I just, I don't know what, what this team is doing or where they're at right now. Like their heads clearly are not in it at all. And the worst thing is, dude, they're a game out of the playoffs right now is the worst part. And I'm talking about them. Like they've lost every game this season. That's, that's how little faith I have in Arthur Smith to write the ship.
00:11:13
Speaker
I love Arthur blank as an owner. I think Arthur blank really helped Atlanta a lot. The problem with Arthur blank is, is he refuses to make a big move in the middle of season. And I think right now is the time to do it. Cause I just don't think Arthur Smith has that team at all, man. I just, there's nothing that they've shown me in the past month that tells me this is the guy to lead these guys.
00:11:39
Speaker
Maybe the team loves it, man. I don't know. It's just doesn't seem like it. You drive the guy strikes me as he's another one of those guys who great, great coordinator, bad head coach, man. Like, I mean, honestly, I'd welcome him to come back and be the Titans offensive coordinator again next season. If, you know, if him and variable are still on good terms, I just, I don't know, man, you, you draft all these playmakers in the top 10 of the draft.
00:12:06
Speaker
And it's like he just like forgets they're on the team. I don't know, man. I know Bijon wasn't great yesterday, but nobody was great on the Falcons yesterday. Everybody was like talking up Tyler Algier. The dude was averaging three yards a carry. Everybody fucking relaxed. Tyler Algier wasn't doing anything groundbreaking yesterday. And there was a couple of plays where Bijon did something special. Granted, his average at the end of the game looked pretty bad. The biggest problem though is
00:12:32
Speaker
Dude, there was a couple of plays where they ran Bijon and everybody knew they were going to run it to the wing. So the Panthers almost shifted to that side of the field. Was there any audible? Nope. Still just tossed it to Bijon and let him get buried five yards behind the line.
00:12:50
Speaker
And it is for some reason people were blaming him. I just, I think that the Falcons fan base is so torn right now on whose fault this is that they're willing to blame anybody. Here's what I will say.
00:13:06
Speaker
Any game that it looks like there's a possibility that Marcus Mariota would have been better off being the quarterback than Ritter is not good for the Falcons. Cause Ritter is God awful. And I thought Marcus Mariota was the worst quarterback in the NFL last year is the problem. So I don't know, man. I just, I don't know where they go from here. I just know this is not the right direction. Like the direction they're going is not a good direction at all. And
00:13:35
Speaker
I hate it because they had the schedule to win it this year and just completely blowing it down the stretch and I hate it. Ridders just got this penchant for throwing some of the worst interceptions you've ever seen, man. I mean, he's not that he's ever great. I feel like he's, but he's like, you know, a C plus at quarterback, right? But then he just, again, some of these red zone picks he's had this year have just been absolutely mind boggling how a
NFL Schedule Preferences
00:14:01
Speaker
professional quarterback makes that play.
00:14:03
Speaker
The worst part is the one he threw yesterday, Drake London is standing wide open on that play too. Like if you go back and watch that play, Drake London is open for a good eight yards and then he just throws it to a defender.
00:14:16
Speaker
He's not good. The only thing that I'll say is if they do lose out, I will be a little bit happy because they'll get a top 10 pick. And I'm all for them drafting that Jaden Daniels kid out of LSU because I think that kid in that offense would be special.
00:14:34
Speaker
God, it's rough times watching the Falcons, man. I know you're all in on the Titans just looking good and losing. It's so hard for me to do that with the Falcons because they're still in the division race. Yeah. No. And it's all about expectation management, dude. We knew this was going to be a rebuilding year for the Titans. So the fact that they've gotten some quality wins and they've looked competitive,
00:14:56
Speaker
they've, you know, not that five and nine is something to, you know, you're going to tell your grandkids about, but they've exceeded expectations. Not even so much with the record, but just the way they've looked for the most part weekend and week out, whereas the Falcons have been a letdown. You know what I mean? Like we thought the Falcons were gonna, you know, I thought a pretty heavy favorite to win that division, you know, they look squirrely enough towards the end of last season. Seemed like they made the right kind of off season moves. We thought Bijong was going to be a real game changer.
00:15:20
Speaker
And it's, again, it's just been a letdown, man. They have disappointed, dude. I thought they were... I had them penciled in for 10 wins, man, this season. With the schedule they had, it should have been easily attainable. But here we are. Speaking of teams that did not let down, Bills with a gigantic statement win yesterday. I don't know... I'm kind of torn on this. Does this say more about the Bills or more about the Cowboys?
00:15:50
Speaker
Jesus, dude, the Cowboys run defense is atrocious. They knew it was coming and they still couldn't stop it.
00:15:57
Speaker
Yeah, I'm you know, I again, going
MVP Race and Player Analysis
00:16:01
Speaker
back to the preseason, I picked the bills to win the Super Bowl. So I like them kind of validating that by getting hot here. Looking at the numbers, though, if you look at the numbers past the final score, I don't know how much we can really take away from this game. I read on it from watching it. I think it was cold as fuck. And I think the Cowboys just did not want to be out there playing football yesterday. I don't think the bills were, you know, they beat up on them.
00:16:23
Speaker
If you look at like Josh Allen's numbers, man, they were nothing impressive at all. Those bills were just pounding the rock, running it. So I don't know, man. I don't think this necessarily means that the bills are on their way to the Super Bowl after that game yesterday. I do think it calls into question the toughness of the Cowboys, which is something we wondered about all season long. Dude, the Cowboys are just such a different team on the road. It's so weird to watch how good they are at home and then watch how mediocre they are on the road.
00:16:53
Speaker
I'd be nervous. The problem is now they, they lost control of their destiny, dude. It's looking, I mean, most like, if you look at, if the Eagles hold on to win this one, I think they got the Cardinals and the Giants twice to close the season. So they're, this is really the last game that Eagles should lose barring something stunning. So the Cowboys are going to have to go on the road and the playoffs. And dude, the Cowboys got one of the hardest schedules in the league left. They got Miami, Detroit, and Washington to close it out. Like granted Washington should be a win, but
00:17:22
Speaker
at Miami and then Detroit. So the Cowboys have four losses on the, on the year, all four are on the road. They have, let me see here. They have two road, three road wins all year. The Giants in week one, the Chargers in week six, and then they beat Carolina a couple of weeks back.
00:17:48
Speaker
So they'll be catching the NFC South champion on the road, most likely, which, you know, it would be the most Cowboys thing ever for them to lose that game. But, you know, let's say they win that one. Hey, congratulations. You're going to San Francisco to face the 49ers the next week. Man, they are not. It's just looking like another letdown for the, you know, the Cowboys, dude. Same thing as always, dude. Solid regular season fold like a freaking lawn chair. Come play off time.
00:18:15
Speaker
Team is so loaded to we talked about the Falcons and I'm just sitting there watching the Cowboys yesterday and then rotate defensive lineman and I'm like God damn, dude. How many like first team all pros does this team have? Also, well, you know what screwed a man. So yeah yesterday's loss hurts dude, but I can forgive losing on the road in freaking Arctic conditions and
00:18:38
Speaker
Against a Buffalo team that's fight first playoff life, dude go back to was it week two or week three losing to the Cardinals man Yeah, lose that's that's the game that's gonna haunt them dude because they'd still be in decent shape If they only had three losses right now because they got the the tiebreaker over the Eagles But yeah, that's that's the game. You got to look at D where they really screwed themselves It's
Playoff Predictions and Team Strategies
00:19:01
Speaker
just so weird, right like You watch this team this Cowboys team and realize how much talent they have
00:19:09
Speaker
They're just throwing it away again. It's I don't know. Maybe it's McCarthy. I don't know, dude. It's just that team looks so unmotivated some weeks and it's just so weird. Um, somebody was talking about Parsons yesterday looking like he quit and they're like, time to have some honest conversations about Michael Parsons. And I'm like,
00:19:32
Speaker
All right, dude. Well then it's time to have some honest conversations about the Bosa brothers too, because those guys quit a lot too. Like if, if they're having a bad game, those guys quit too. So I don't want to hear it, man. Every NFL player goes through that. I think the Cowboys are still fine. Would I be surprised if they ended up losing a heartbreaker in the first week on the road? No.
00:19:55
Speaker
But I still think it's a good team. I just, I think part of it is they're poorly coached. Dak for whatever reason cannot play on the road. I just, I don't get it. He looked so confused from drive one of that game to the last drive of the game. He never looked comfortable at all. And I will say that's the best the Bill's front seven has looked all year too. They got after him that whole game.
00:20:21
Speaker
Yeah, those look very good, Ben. Like I said, I this is kind of following the script that I thought it was going to be for them this year, man, where they're not quite as good regular season and really get together. But, you know, they still got some a tough road ahead of them just to make it into the playoffs. But I do think that they're going to be a force in the AFC. I think they're the most mentally tough team in the AFC playoffs, but it's going to be a real challenge because they're going to have to be road warriors. Yeah. My last one for this part is your thoughts on NFL Saturdays.
00:20:51
Speaker
I just, dude, I didn't mind it. I was at, you know, I was at my parents' house this weekend with the kids. We dropped them off to have a little time with the family up in Kentucky for the week. If me and Sheena would be able to chill down here.
00:21:05
Speaker
in Tennessee by ourselves. So I didn't mind having it on for background entertainment. I think maybe a game Saturday night would be plenty. I don't know if I necessarily need to triple header on Saturdays, especially the slate of games we had was a little bit underwhelming. That Bengals Vikings game ended up being pretty good. But if I had it my way, I love being loaded down on Sundays, which is as many games going as possible. So I think maybe Perfect World, they give us a game Saturday night and that's it.
00:21:32
Speaker
I don't love it, man. I'll be honest with you. And I'm, I miss her football the time, but I don't know. It just, I don't NFL on Saturday just seems weird when it's not the playoffs. It just, yeah, for sure. It seems like it's so forced that they're doing these games and yeah, outside of that bangles game.
00:21:52
Speaker
What a garbage slate of games. Like it seems like it always works out too, that it's like the most like dog shit games on, regardless of how they actually will play out. Like just looking at them like ahead of time, it's always like the most underwhelming schedule of games. Yeah. Well, this Saturday we got a decent, we got one decent one. We got bangles and Steelers, which is a really big game at this point. And then you got bills chargers that night, which
00:22:17
Speaker
Best of luck. Should be a slaughter. Yeah, not great. Um, I'm kind of thumbs down on NFL Saturday. Honestly, man, I just, I get why they do it. Cause college football is done, um, outside of bowl games, but dude, to me, Saturday's for college football, not for NFL. I'm, I'm, I'm thumbs down on NFL Saturday. I'm not for it. I don't love NFL on Thursday either, dude. I'm all for, like you said, a loaded Sunday and then a Monday night game.
00:22:44
Speaker
I honestly think they should, they'll never do it, but ditch the Thursday and Saturday games, do a double header every Monday night, and then give us a full slate of Sunday every Sunday. I see, dude, I love having the full slate of Sunday games so much, dude. I've been preaching, dude, get rid of the staggered by weeks, dude. Just have one off week in the middle of the season, man, like freaking put it like week, you know, right smack dab in the middle, dude, week 10, every single team's off. We just take a pause from the cause for that week in the NFL.
00:23:13
Speaker
and then pick back up, dude. Yeah, because I love having, I love firing up red zone, man. I agree with you, but that week, if they do that, and I'm in total agreement with you to make it fair all around, because no team should have a week 15 by a week when somebody else has a week four. Yeah. I'm all for what you just said. That's when they should do the Pro Bowl skills competition. That'd be fun, yeah. Just do it like NBA, man, where the middle of the season is when you do that. It's the most meaningless thing ever, but I mean, it gives you something to watch that weekend.
00:23:42
Speaker
and bring back, bring back the quarterback competition, bring back all that stuff. And I don't know. I just, there's gotta be a better way to do this, but
00:23:51
Speaker
Yeah. I'm all for all Sunday and Monday games. I just don't see the reason for Thursday and Saturday games anymore. And you're putting a team at a disadvantage, making them play on a short week. Even if it's just Saturday, it's still one less day than you're used to having, right? So yeah, I think that contributes to it. Dude, Detroit or Denver is not that much worse than Detroit and they, no, they're definitely not. They got torched on Saturday night.
00:24:17
Speaker
My other, I can't remember if I mentioned on this show yet or not, dude, my other revolutionary scheduling thing, get rid of the bye weeks, right? Just play 17 straight weeks. But each player could only play 16 games, man. Like the players are limited to 16 games total. And I think that'd be a nice little wrinkle in the strategy, especially with the quarterbacks, man. If you know, like you gotta have, you're gonna have to start somebody else at least once during the season. Yeah, that'd be cool.
00:24:44
Speaker
All right, let's move into, I feel like we need to hit on this this week after everything that happened. MVP race seems like a two horse race at this point, right? It's either Purdy or Lamar Jackson at this point.
00:25:00
Speaker
I think Purdy is sitting pretty man. I really did not. Yeah, he's sitting Purdy, dude. I think Lamar's been great. He's been consistent, but I think he's rarely been spectacular this season, man. I think honestly, I think that 2019 season is actually working against Lamar because he was so off the charts with
00:25:19
Speaker
the numbers and it just seemed like he was making highlight runs and throws every single week that season that it almost just, you know, this, this seems kind of boring, kind of routine, what he's done this year. He's put together a great season leading, you know, either the number one or number one, a team in the league, depending on how you fall between them and the Niners. But you know,
00:25:38
Speaker
All the critiques on Brock that he's game manager, he's just benefiting from the scheme and the weapons around him. In the day, he's going out there making the plays and putting up the numbers, man. Through four more touchdown passes on Sunday. To me, unless he falls apart, unless Lamar just goes and just totally outshines him next week, I think it's Brock's award to lose, which is really freaking amazing, man. Going from Mr. Irrelevant to the MVP two years later.
00:26:03
Speaker
You know what the craziest thing is too, and I'm glad you brought up 2019 Lamar. I'm going to read you some stats here. So in 15 games in 2019, Lamar was, he threw 401 passes, completed 265 for 3127 yards, 36 touchdowns to six interceptions.
00:26:24
Speaker
this year in 14 games, he's completed 266 passes with 401 attempts. So the exact same amount of attempts, one more completion, 3105 for yards. So 22 less yards, only 17 touchdown passes to seven picks. And then here's the real like,
00:26:45
Speaker
This is mind-blowing to me 2019 he had 176 carries for 1206 for seven touchdowns this year He's got 135 carries for 741 with five touchdowns But here's the kicker in 2019. He had zero fumbles zero fumbles lost this year He's 11 fumbles and six lost like gee, that's insane
00:27:11
Speaker
Yeah, it's that really good show you because I think he's still having a great year this year in the passing touchdowns. I think a lot of that's just kind of I think that's more just the Ravens. I think when they get down the red zone, they just like to run it. This season, the that really tells you because he's having a great season this year that just goes to show you how mind blowing that 2019 season was that was an absolute all timer of individual season he put together that year.
00:27:35
Speaker
Yeah, it's it's wild when I looked at those stats today. I was like, I have to bring that up. Oh, another thing I wanted to bring up. Did you see the Steelers are starting Mason Rudolph moving forward? Nice. For sure. Trubisky has got to be done in the NFL after this. Yeah, it's not good.
00:27:51
Speaker
Hey, man, they're they're turning to Rudolph to give me a Christmas miracle this weekend against the things Well played Tell me dude the Lord works in mysterious ways tell me that tell me that's not freaking good karma to start a guy named Rudolph man the It's pretty good the weekend of Christmas man. I
00:28:15
Speaker
All right. This is usually where we do the race for number one. So we're going to do that again. Panthers one, but still sitting firmly in the number one pick that goes to the bears. All right. I feel like we have to discuss this every week now.
00:28:30
Speaker
Have your feelings changed since two weeks ago when we discussed the fact that the Bears cannot go to consecutive drafts trading the number one pick and not getting the best player in the draft? I'm not saying it has to be a quarterback. They have to use that pick though, don't they? Like even if you're drafting Marvin Harrison Jr. at one, you have to use that pick this year. You, you cannot trade away the number one pick two years in a row and not get the best player in the draft.
00:28:57
Speaker
Dude, I think that's a decision you got to make with ownership, man. So to me, the right answer is if you trust your scouting department, what do the scouts say? Is there a guy that's worth us taking at the number one pick as opposed to whatever hall?
00:29:12
Speaker
we could get if we trade this because you know, you're right, 100% right, dude, the fan sentiment is going to be, yo, we have to use this pic, man. And I think you're opening yourself up to a ton of criticism. So I think if, I don't think it's an absolute lock that you have to use it, but if you're not going to use it, you need to be very, very confident in what you're doing, right? Like if you're trading down, you know, to the four spot, you better make damn sure that there's somebody at that four spot that you know, the
00:29:36
Speaker
the fans are going to be happy with and that you know is going to be a producer because if you trade down and don't have something to show for it, um, it's not going to work out, man. Like you just, you want to end up with the best player in those trades, man. And it's, it's just, it's always tough to sell trading down, especially if you're a team like the bears, it's been so starred for any kind of success the last few years. Here's my thing too, is like everybody keeps talking about how good Justin Fields is and how much better he is now.
00:30:01
Speaker
The dude was 19 of 40 yesterday and it was not a good day in his defense. There's been, you know, a lot of quarterbacks with higher pedigrees than him that have struggled against the Browns this season. OK, but but here's my issue. OK, we're going to run down this real quick.
00:30:17
Speaker
So the last four weeks he's thrown in a passing league no less. You can't just say because he's not a passing quarterback that these stats don't count. They do count. This is a passing league. First and foremost is a passing league. He has 166 yards with one touchdown, two picks.
00:30:39
Speaker
Not great. 223 with one touchdown zero picks. Not terrible. Meh. 217 with zero and zero. Meh. 169 with one touchdown and zero picks.
00:30:51
Speaker
That's not great. You make, you make, you build a compelling case here. 58 yards with zero touchdowns and one pick. Here's the two games that everybody got high off of at Washington. He had two 82, four touchdowns and zero picks. And then a lot of teams have been strafing Washington's defense. They've been, they've been, they've been to pick me up for a lot of bad QBs and then Denver, the first game in October, October 1st, he had three 35 with four touchdowns and one pick.
00:31:18
Speaker
Other than that, he has not had over one passing touchdown in a single game this season.
00:31:24
Speaker
I don't know, man, I just. That's not great. I'm just. I think he's a good football player, man. I just. I'm not saying he's not. The other thing. I'm not saying he's not. I'm a little jaded on, on, on, you know, judging him. I think he's good enough to be the Bears quarterback, but you got to remember, I is really, so I was born in 1984. 1990 was, you know, at six years old, I kind of started paying a little bit of attention to football, really started watching a hardcore, you know, maybe 94 when I was 10 years old. The Chicago Bears have never had a good quarterback, man. Good quarterbacks have gone there.
00:31:54
Speaker
And that's where they go to die, man. Jay Cutler was supposed to be the future of the NFL when he went there in 2009. And he struggled, never really did anything more than a fringe Pro Bowl level. I just think it's one of those places that QBs just can't freaking win, dude, because we've never seen it. I don't know, man. I don't know if you throw any of the highly touted guys out of college this year, if they're going to do any better than what Justin Fields is doing so far.
00:32:22
Speaker
And I'm not saying that they're not going to, that they are going to. I'm just saying you have to look at the body of work and evaluate it the way you have to evaluate it. I mean, dude, this dude's been in the league three years. He's won eight football games. Like granted, the Bears are a trash organization with not a lot to build around. But that's my thing. You had the number one pick two years in a row.
00:32:46
Speaker
You guaranteed passed on CJ shroud, who looks like it can't miss at this point. I mean, I don't, I don't think there's any debating that. Like as much as I want to shit on Ohio state quarterback, that means can't miss.
00:32:57
Speaker
And I, I know everybody hates on him, but dude, I think Caleb Williams is can't miss. I really do. If he goes to the right situation, I think that dude is can't miss. And if you're passing on those two guys, two years in a row, you better make damn sure that fields is your future. 100%. Cause here's the thing. Next year's his fourth year. After that, you have to make a decision. So you've got one more season to make a decision on him. I just, and I,
00:33:25
Speaker
I am of the belief that you need to win when your quarterback is on a rookie deal outside of Brady and Mahomes. Usually nobody wins when their quarterback's not on a rookie deal. Like that's usually your, your winning time is when they're not getting paid a ton of money. So I don't know, man. I just, I feel like the value for fields is still decent where you can probably get either a low first or an early second for him.
00:33:52
Speaker
The other thing to consider also is that typically, if you're the GM or the coach, you usually bind yourself another season or two drafting that rookie quarterback, right? Because you got at least that first year where it's just growing pains and figure out what we got. The head coach usually, unless you're the Carolina Panthers, the head coach usually gets some slack cut on that rookie QB's first season. Yeah. Like I said, I get it. I get the appeal of building around Justin Fields and using those picks wisely.
00:34:22
Speaker
How often in the history of football has it panned out when you're trading down so many times, unless you're the Patriots who are already loaded? Like generally when you're, and nobody's ever traded out of the number one pick twice, like, so they would, they would already be doing something that's so against the grain.
00:34:42
Speaker
One of my best friends is a bears fan. And I told him yesterday, watching that game, I was like, I get your, your love for fields. I do get it. But the way the NFL is now you cannot win with a quarterback like fields. I'm sorry. You can't Lamar Jackson is the outlier, like
00:35:00
Speaker
There is no other quarterback that is doing what Lamar Jackson is doing. He's the outlier. And if anybody's trying to say like, Oh, well fields in a couple of years could be Lamar Jackson.
00:35:12
Speaker
Yeah, maybe he could be, but again, he would be one of the two outliers in the NFL. Everybody else can stand in the pocket and throw the ball. Justin Fields cannot. He just he does not have that part of him himself. He can't read a defense properly enough to to keep you in the game with his arm. So I don't know, man. They got a decision to make and. I don't envy him. I feel like I feel like whatever they do, it's going to be questioned and everything like that, but.
00:35:41
Speaker
I just, I feel like you have to get the best player in one of the two drafts and I'm sorry, trading back for another alignment is not getting your fan base excited. Yeah. That's the number one pick last year to drafting on offensive tackle. Like they have no offensive talent at all is the problem.
00:36:03
Speaker
I don't know. They have to get more of an Harrison Jr. at the very least or one of the quarterbacks. I don't see how you come out of this draft with not one of those guys. But I digress. Let's do playoff race since we didn't do it last week. Why don't you go down the AFC to start and we'll kind of see where we're thinking. Okay. What's your read on this game, man? See how it's got the ball back down seven with a minute to go in the third quarter.
00:36:32
Speaker
I usually feel like the better team wins and I still think the Eagles are the better team in this game. I feel like I see a backbreaking drew lock turnover coming at some point in the near future.
00:36:44
Speaker
Dude, the Eagles are good, man. This is a good football team. They've had their issues the last two weeks, but I feel like everybody is just overshadowing the fact that the Eagles are actually really good. And what the shit is going on with all these sideline dudes talking shit to players. I'm seeing this, this random dude get into it with freaking AJ Brown.
00:37:06
Speaker
The Eagles dude can't even be able to sideline anymore. He's banned for the rest of the season, dude. He must be, he must be freaking big with him. He was escorting Jalen Hurts into the, uh, into the stadium today. He's in the passing Paison camp.
00:37:24
Speaker
All right, let's get off AFC. So right now the Ravens are still holding court is the number one seed getting the bye. So the playoffs started next week. First up, we would have the dolphins and Colts in Miami. I think the dolphins on that one pretty easily. Yeah, I still feel like that team is really good. I think they showed a little bit yesterday that they don't just have to rely on Tyreke, which I think is going to be helpful for them in the long run.
00:37:51
Speaker
God, dude, I hope to holds up, man. I want to see a healthy dolphins team in the playoffs. I just, I feel like they can beat almost anybody in the, in the AFC, but they got to be healthy, man. And to get his brains beat in at any point.
00:38:08
Speaker
Yeah, pretty interesting game right here today the Chiefs and the Bengals in Kansas City That'd be another game wildcard weekend, and I think the Chiefs win But I could see that matchup get a little bit more hairy than you know You would think from a couple weeks ago when we saw Joe burrow out for the season And I've been saying it for weeks Chiefs offense is nowhere near where it should be and
00:38:33
Speaker
They weren't good again yesterday. I just, I do not understand what is wrong with this team. And I, again, I've been saying for weeks about Travis Kelsey, the dude is not in the game at all. He dropped a touchdown yesterday. He's just not in the game at all. His head is so far off the field at this point. And you can tell where his head's at. No, I know. But you can tell like when he's playing the game, you can see it like how frustrated he is with himself because he knows this is not who he should be on the field. But
00:39:04
Speaker
Yeah, not good. But yeah, I would I would still take the Chiefs Jaguars and Browns dude, I think I'm taking the flacko lead Browns man to win that game It'd be down in Jacksonville, but I think the Browns win. I Have a bad feeling the Jags don't win another game. That team is not good That is not a good football team Trevor Lawrence is hobbled
00:39:28
Speaker
Oh, they got Carolina and Tennessee. Nevermind. They're winning two more games. Um, they got Tampa this week. That would be their fourth straight loss. If they lose this week, things are not good in Jacksonville right now. They are the Texans. They're tied. The Texans are tied with them right now. The Jaguars are in the lead.
00:39:47
Speaker
Yeah, the Jaguars are in on the on the tiebreaker right now. So they're hanging on for dear life. But just call it as is you think who you think wins out of Cleveland. Cleveland. I just I don't think Jacksonville is that good at all. Like I think it's starting to show that they were a pretender, not a contender. So that would set us up for a spicy second round matchup. Joe Flacco and the Browns heading into Baltimore to face the Ravens.
00:40:11
Speaker
As much as I would like to see the upset, I just, I think the Ravens have a good enough team to win the Superbowl this year. And I would take the Ravens. I just, I feel like they're a more complete team.
00:40:23
Speaker
I think Brown's put up a good five. It would fall short dolphins and chiefs in Miami. I still, I think the chiefs would win, man. I just, I don't know, man. My home, my homes has got the MJ vibes to me, dude. It's just really hard for me to pick against him in the playoffs. And we've seen Miami cave too many times against the best of the best this season.
00:40:44
Speaker
I think Miami wins this game, dude. I think this is the type of game where Tyree just comes out and says, dude, I'm going to get 250 yards today. I don't care who they cover me with. And I just, I feel like Miami's a better team. I, I know that they'd be fired up, dude, being in Miami would help. I mean, this would be, this would be, you know, probably one of the biggest games since like the early nineties, dude, like since like the Dan Marino Heyday for the dolphins franchise, if they, they hosted the chiefs in the, the divisional round of the playoffs.
00:41:14
Speaker
My thing with the Chiefs is dude, outside of Mahomes, can you really trust anybody on that team? No, not even that you can't trust them, do their job. You got to trust them up to her. I mean, Kedarius, Tony had another interception yesterday, dude. Pass went right through his hands. Patriots caught him. You saw Mahomes was just dog cussing him on the sidelines, sitting on the bench, man. But yeah, another pick that literally went right through Tony's hands to Patriots defender. How is this dude still on the fucking team? I think he, I think Andy Rito is in money or something.
00:41:42
Speaker
Definitely got like nudes of Andy Reid or something. Oh, God. All right. So you're a man. Sure. So my AFC championship would be Ravens and Chiefs in Baltimore. I know you hate it. I think the Chiefs land, man. I think the only team I'm picking to beat the Chiefs in the playoffs is the bills, man. So as of right now, I got the Chiefs still coming out of the AFC.
00:42:09
Speaker
and you would have Miami and Baltimore in Baltimore. Miami ain't going to Baltimore and winning. I got Baltimore in the Super Bowl. All right, so let's move over to the NFC. Let's just assume for clarity's sake that the Eagles are gonna hang on and win this one as we look at the NFC picture. So number one seed would be the Niners getting the buy. Number two would be the Eagles and they'd be hosting the Rams in Philly.
00:42:37
Speaker
It'd be a huge success for the Rams make the playoffs, but I think the Eagles crush him Yeah, it'd be a massacre. I would have no faith at all that the Rams who could win that game Then you have the Lions and the Vikings in in Detroit, you know The Vikings seem to be fading a little bit after their their hot streak. They had going for a while even after Kirk Cousins got hurt I think the Lions beat up on him and get the win. I agree Yeah, Lions would probably destroy Minnesota at this point. I
00:43:06
Speaker
And then we'd have Tampa Bay and Dallas in Tampa. Go Dallas.
00:43:13
Speaker
Yes. And wouldn't surprise me to see the books pull off the freaking upset. But yeah, we'll say Dallas. So that will leave us with, geez, man, for the third year in a row, Cowboys travel to San Francisco. Best of luck. Yeah. I think the Niners got their number anyways. The Niners roll on them. And then we would have the Eagles and the Lions and Philly. I think the Eagles get that one pretty easily. I agree.
00:43:37
Speaker
And then Niners and the Eagles, man. I think Niners get revenge from last season, assuming everybody stays healthy. Yep. As long as the, or the Niners stay healthy. I am, I was on the Eagles board a couple of weeks ago, but the Niners are just a machine, man. They're, they're way too good. So yeah. So as of now I'm taking, I'm taking Niners over Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Are you taking Niners over Ravens or do you think Ravens get it? Yeah, I'm taking Niners over Ravens.
00:44:03
Speaker
All right, so we're both on the Niners, man. We'll see how it goes. Again, everybody's got to stay healthy, though. That's the thing, dude. They do as good as Brock's band. He needs the full clip, man, to roll into battle, dude. You don't need to leave anybody on the sidelines. Yeah, because if Deebo gets hurt, that team is nowhere near the same team. We saw it. He's the tone-setter, man. I think in addition to just being an awesome player on the field, I think he does a lot just for their swagger heading out there, man. I agree. All right, you ready to get into picks? Let's do it.
00:44:51
Speaker
All right, here we go. How did we do last week, man? Dude, if you just took our picks, if the listeners just took our picks for this week, they would be absolutely murdering it. I went 12 and three, you went 13 and two.
00:45:05
Speaker
It's just, we just, we had to, I had to have one game that we disagreed on. Cause I knew, dude, I can't go for a tie right now. Like I, I had to go with the difference for you. So the difference this week was Cowboys and bills. I took the Cowboys. You took the bills, but we were, I mean, dude, outside of that, we lost two games this week. One of them was the Falcons and the other one was the Titans. So yeah. Far cry for week one where I think we were both like below 500 on our picks. Yeah, it wasn't good. Yeah.
00:45:34
Speaker
All right, let's get into it, man. It's gonna be a fun week of football. We got games spread out across the weekend, kicking off with Thursday night football. It's gonna be the Saints and the Rams in LA. I think the Rams win this one, man. I do as well. The Saints are not a good football team, man. That is just such fool's gold watching them win games. They're just, they're not good. Car is not good. It's just,
00:46:02
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, their defense is good, but dude, the Rams, they seem to be hitting their stride, man. Yeah. This is, yeah, this is the tale of two, two teams with identical records. I feel like the saints are much worse than seven seven where the Rams are like actually better than their record shows, man. Like I felt like the Rams just, I feel like they play really well every week. You know, even the weeks when they, you know, they come up short. Um, I just, I've enjoyed the, the seeing them play this year. So yeah, I think the Rams get it done in prime time and it's in LA. Yeah.
00:46:32
Speaker
Alright we got two games on Saturday we got one kicking off in the afternoon and one at night time afternoon AFC North showdown Steelers you know hoping for a Rudolph led Christmas miracle like we talked about bangles coming into town with the
00:46:45
Speaker
the Jake Browning man, just looking like a freaking superstar, dude. I think the bangles get the win. Yeah. I don't see any way the bangles lose this game, but for some reason they never ever play well against division opponents. I don't get it. Um, but yeah, whether it could be a factor of this game to you, man, freaking late December in Pittsburgh, you know, it could end up just being a junk game. And that's a soft PI call.
00:47:11
Speaker
Yeah, that was pretty weak. I think ESPN got in the headset on the ref said, Hey, we need to keep the drama going in this one. Yeah. Yeah. We're both in agreement bangles. All right. And then Saturday night, the bills 11 point favorites on the road, uh, heading to LA against the Chargers, man. I think, I think the bills wreck them.
00:47:31
Speaker
I don't think I'm going to make a bold statement. I don't think the bills lose again this season. I think they went out. I just, I think this team needed that bye week so bad. Um, and they came out focused this week and just blew the doors off the Cowboys. I think they're going to roll the rest of the season.
00:47:48
Speaker
And the, the bills had really just a brutal schedule, man. It seemed like every single week for the first, uh, you know, first couple months of season, they were playing, you know, they were just playing in a heavyweight fight, man. So yeah, that definitely feels like they kind of got, you know, like the, like the baptized by fire kind of vibe going, you know? Yeah, I agree.
00:48:09
Speaker
All right, moving into Sunday, Christmas Eve, man. We're going to have, you know, some awesome dinner going. Let the kids open up a present or two early. You know, maybe I know Jordan going to be hitting the eggnog. It's going to be a beautiful day, man. Starting off noon, we got the Browns and Texans in Houston. This is a fricking big game, dude. CJ Stroud should be back.
00:48:31
Speaker
I say the Texans get it done, man. They showed a ton of heart, dude. They came back behind Case Keenum. They were down against a really tough Titans team, dude. If not so much tough talent wise, just physically tough team on the road with a fired up crowd coming off that big win Monday night against the Dolphins, dude. And they stared right in the face of the freaking Titans and came back and got the win. I think they keep it rolling and beat the Browns, man. There were some cracks in the Joe Flacco facade on Sunday. I think he tossed three picks. I think the Texans win this one, man.
00:49:00
Speaker
I think the Texans getting Joe Flacco's face and yeah, I like the Texans too. I just, dude, it just amazed me so much how much the Bears defense controlled that game. I never thought that was possible, but yeah, I think the Texans are just a better team, honestly.
00:49:21
Speaker
All right, that's probably the toilet bowl game of the week. The commander's heading up to New York to face the Jets, man. I just did flip a coin, man. The Zach Wilson fucking truther really ran off this week, didn't it? Well, you know, he got a concussion for you to really get it going, dude. Exactly.
00:49:42
Speaker
I'll say, I'll say they get the win man and Zach Wilson that, you know, returns to form this week, dude. So I'll go jets. Uh, just have nothing else than for my, my unabashed fandom was Zach Wilson. Dude, you know, what's crazy too is I didn't realize that the commander's basically bench towel in this game too this week against the Rams. So
00:50:05
Speaker
The commanders are going the complete wrong direction. I still think the Jets defense is good enough to get him a win, so I'd go Jets as well. Howell's looking decent earlier this year. I don't know if it was all the losing or what, man, but for some reason, he's just gotten super turnover happy over the last month, man. I think that has more to do with the team around him, just the way the season's gone than him. I thought he looked okay first couple months, man, but yeah, so Jets. Seahawks and Titans in Nashville.
00:50:33
Speaker
I think Titans win, man. I think that, you know, their O-line is absolutely horrible, but I think the Seahawks, you know, if they lose this one, they're not going to have a ton to play for going forward. I think the Titans get the win. I'm going to go Seahawks, dude. I did not like what I saw. I know this is what you want out of the Titans is them to play close games and lose in the end.
00:50:57
Speaker
Dude, that fourth quarter yesterday was atrocious from the Titans. Their offensive line is horrible, man. Their offensive line is absolutely horrid, dude. I mean, Will Nevis couldn't, I mean, it's a surprise he was able to freak in, you know, he didn't end up being injured, dude. Like, he cannot drive back to pass without getting sacked yesterday. It was pitiful. Yeah. I just think the Seahawks are a better team overall. I mean, I'm not saying they're great, but I just, the Titans are not good.
00:51:23
Speaker
I agree. Yeah. I mean, neutral site, dude, line the two teams up. Yeah, I agree, man. I think the Seahawks are definitely the better team right now, but I got a feeling Titans get it done on Sunday. Uh, Colts heading into town, man, our good buddy Hawk from the turnbuckle Tavern crew is begging Jordan to a head to Atlanta for this game with him. Uh, Colts, Colts and Falcons in Atlanta, man, Colts won this game. And if they don't win this game, the Colts should be relegated to some other league.
00:51:50
Speaker
Yeah, Colts are playing pretty good football, man, I agree. I think the Colts win this one. Packers and Panthers in Carolina. Packers had a spark, man, but it seems like it's falling apart, dude, but I still think they get back on track and get the win this week. Dude, I don't know what the hell happened to Jordan Love in the last couple of weeks, but... He was looking good there for a minute, dude. For a minute, it was looking like, oh shit, the Packers actually found three straight starting quarterbacks on the first try, but yeah, the Rose has definitely fallen off the bloom a little bit.
00:52:19
Speaker
Yeah, they're still better than the Panthers though. Dude, the Panthers are miserable. I still don't know how they won on yesterday, but yeah, here's what it is. So you picking Packers? Yeah. Lions and Vikings in Minnesota. Vikings fighting for their playoff life, but I think the Lions are too strong. I think they get it done against their, their NFC North division rival. Vikings fighting for their playoff life. Lions fighting to clinch their first ever division title.
00:52:47
Speaker
How crazy is that, dude? We're not talking about first ever Super Bowl, first ever conference championship, first ever division title, dude. Yeah, they're winning on Sunday. We say that after we talked about them winning on Thanksgiving and everything, giving somebody a beast. And the home opener against the Seahawks, too. This is a team that won't let you down in a big way. Oh, man. They're going to win. And the Vikings are going to be playing.
00:53:16
Speaker
The Vikings got a good team, like they don't have a quarterback at the moment, but they do get a good team. And I like their coach, man. But yeah, they're winning, I think. Yeah. All right. Battle of Florida, man, the Jaguars and the Bucks. I think the Bucks get it done, dude. Yeah, I like I just said a little while ago, I do not have a good feeling about the Jags at all.
00:53:42
Speaker
I don't know what happened to this team, man. Calvin Ridley, good God, dude. He's missing three parlays, bro. Dude, find something else to do with your life. The same game parlays ain't been hitting, and he's been slumping. No, dude, find something else to do with your life. You're not a football player. I don't know what you are being a football player. So you going Tampa? Yeah, I said Bucks already. Oh, OK. Jags are one point favorites on this game right now on the road, but congratulations.
00:54:11
Speaker
All right, we got our stiffest competition for the commies and the jets for the toilet bowl. We got the Cardinals and the Bears in Chicago. I think the Bears get it done despite Jordan's unabashed hate for Justin Fields. I think he shakes it off this week and they get the win against the Cards.
00:54:29
Speaker
Yeah, I think the Bears won as well. And hold on, I at least back up my hate when I have some. Like I give you stats and facts of why. You made a very compelling case, dude. It was very, very difficult to argue that, you know, with just the eyeball test after those numbers that you laid out. Yeah. So, but I think they win this week. All right. Probably the game, you know, this is the number two game of the week, man. It's going to be a really, really interesting one. Cowboys and Dolphins in Miami. Dude.
00:54:59
Speaker
Call me crazy, I think the Cowboys win, man. I think that pass rush gets after two and rattles him. I think they know they got embarrassed on national TV yesterday, man. I think the Cowboys go down in Miami and get the win.
00:55:11
Speaker
Call me crazy. I think the dolphins win this game easily. I think Tyree comes back with a vengeance cause he's going to need some huge games on the stretch to get that 2000 yard mark he's been shooting for all year. So I think it starts here and I think they just throw him short intermediate routes the whole game and he just torches the, I have no faith in the Cowboys to win on the road at this point right now. I just,
00:55:35
Speaker
I don't know if it's in their head or what it is, but also dude, Jalen Ramsey is going to be on CD land that whole game. So I don't know, man, Jalen Ramsey is still the best corner in the NFL. So
00:55:48
Speaker
I do not have good feelings for the Cowboys in this game. It's going to be a fun game, man. I feel like in the, across the NFL multiverses, there's just a ton of different ways this one could go. You know, I can see, I can see either team went in a close one or I can see either team blowing the other one out, just depending on kind of how this one gets rolling.
00:56:05
Speaker
Yeah, definitely something to look forward to on Christmas Eve. And then the night game Sunday night, we got the Patriots heading to Denver to face the Broncos, man. It's kind of just just getting sad, seeing the Belichick swan song. I think this is another bad one, dude. Denver six point favorites. And I think I think Broncos country roles to quote Russell Wilson on this one. And as we continue the Bill Belichick death march there in New England, Broncos country. Let's ride.
00:56:32
Speaker
Oh yeah. It's let's ride, not let's roll. My bad. I bought that one. It's a shame on me for watching such an iconic catchphrase. I'm going Denver as well. All right. And I can never remember this happening before. I know there's been like one game on Christmas before, but we actually got a Christmas triple header, dude. I mean, is this a shot across the bow at the NBA to just like flex on them or what? Dude, I said this last week. I feel bad for the NBA because their ratings are just going to be absolutely in the tank with the NFL going head to head against them.
00:57:02
Speaker
Yeah, it seemed like Christmas has always been the NBA's day. That's kind of like the unofficial real start of the NBA season. They always load us up with the quadruple header of all the most high profile teams. So I thought that was pretty interesting that the NFL just said, screw it, dude. We're doing a triple header. It definitely seems like a flex, man, by the NFL.
00:57:20
Speaker
to do this. Yeah, like even the crappiest NFL game still dwarf every other sport and ratings. Dude, the crazy part is the NBA five games are all really good. You got Bucks next to start us off. Then you got Warriors at Nuggets, Celtics at Lakers, 76ers at Heat, and then close it out with Mavericks at Suns. Yeah, it's all great games. Ton of star power, dude.
00:57:44
Speaker
Yeah, they put together an absolutely incredible slate and I could give two shits about it because there's a really, really good NFL game on Monday night. Yeah. So, uh, we got two little appetizers, you know, these are, these are kind of like your sausage balls. You're like your cranberry sauce where you get to the, you know, the Turkey and ham got the Raiders in chiefs in Kansas city, you know, zero chance Raiders win this, right? Yeah.
00:58:08
Speaker
Same thing. I wouldn't say zero chance. There's definitely a chance because the, Oh God, Jalen. Are you fucking kidding me, dude? Wow. Jalen Ramsey, uh, for those phone along, we don't work the eight minute mark in the fourth quarter. And Jalen Ramsey just went for the knockout blow and it got picked off in the end zone. Jalen hurts, not Jalen Ramsey. Um, my bad. We were just talking to, yeah, you know, you know what I meant. I did.
00:58:34
Speaker
I don't think there's no chance that their Raiders don't win, but they're not, I'm going to pick the chiefs, but there's a chance they win. All right. And then in, uh, across the country in Philly, uh, the, the Eagles were watching right now we'll be playing the giants in Philly. I think Eagles rolling that one. Yeah, I agree. Eagles.
00:58:55
Speaker
All right. And then the main event, uh, you know, pretty much the game of the season so far in the NFL Niners and Ravens in San Francisco did just to let you know how much, you know, how strong the 49ers have looked. They are five and a half point favorites going into this one, man. That's pretty significant, uh, point spread right there.
00:59:14
Speaker
I think they win, man. I think the Niners show out. I think they put them on. I think they're going to be fired up to really, uh, you know, kind of just show something to the rest of the league. And I think they beat up on Baltimore Christmas night. Yeah. I think the Niners win as well. Um, if it was in Baltimore, I'd feel, I would feel a little bit more like it was a coin flip, but I feel like in San Francisco, the Niners got it easy. Yeah, I agree.
00:59:42
Speaker
All right, that's it for our picks. What are you sipping on tonight, man, as we record? Still doing Advent Calendar beer, so still drinking Brewdog. I started off with a Snowdrift Creme Ale. It was really good. And then right now I am doing a Clockwork Tangerine Infused IPA, both really good beers. I've been really impressed with this Advent Calendar. There has not been one beer that I have not enjoyed, so that's pretty good.
01:00:09
Speaker
Nice dude, I'm doing just some classic Miller High Life tonight. It's a winner. Alright, let's make our million dollar bets. Alright Jordan, how did we do last week?
01:00:32
Speaker
Well, we both got something riding on tonight, but neither one is looking overly fantastic right now. So I had Kansas City minus nine and a half for 50K, obviously that covered, and you had Colts minus two and a half for 75K that covered. So on the season that puts me at 16 and 13 plus 300K.
01:00:52
Speaker
that puts you at 18 and 11 plus 350 K. Um, you have Eagles minus three and a half for 50 K tonight. And mine's basically dead. I had Eagle Seahawks over 48 for a hundred K. So
01:01:04
Speaker
Now, what's our season? What's our season totals again? Who's winning for the season? You have plus 350. I have plus 300. OK, so 50K lead with three weeks to go. All right. So I need I need to play safe. So with that in mind, I'm going to open up with throwing 25K on the Bucks plus one against the Jaguars. 50K Bucks plus one. Got it. Yes. All right.
01:01:31
Speaker
I am going to open. I'm going big this week, dude. I cannot dick around anymore with this. I'm going Lions minus three for 100K. Okay. My second bet, I'm going to go Bengals minus two and a half for 50K. Oh God, dude, that was my second bet.
01:01:51
Speaker
Well, hey, he hesitates masturbates. Hold on. Now I got to pick a different second bet. I already had already penciled it in and everything. Minus two and a half for 50K. All right. Give me a second here. I got to find a different bet. Now I can't do the same thing as you. I'll go. I'll go cold to minus two and a half for 100K.
01:02:17
Speaker
All right, I'm closing it already got the picks league championship or the picks championship in the bag closing it on million dollar bets Also, I'm trying to make it a clean sweep for season one of the goal line All right, you ready gonna do some listener mail. Let's do it
01:02:32
Speaker
All right, so we got a few questions here. So our buddy Sam Rosenthal says, everyone talks about dismal QB play, but why do you think offensive lines are so awful nowadays? Are they just not as good or not coached properly in college? To me, I think it's cyclical, man. I think, you know, the last couple of years in the NFL, it's been all about the quick passing game, right? Like literally like one step and get the ball out of your hands. And I think in response to that, you know, colleges have been really working on just absolutely putting the best of the best athletes at the D line, you know, rushing the passer.
01:03:01
Speaker
And I think we're seeing that spill over to the NFL. So I think in time, it'll cycle back, man, you know, the lineman will adjust. But for now, I think because of the quick passing game, that's why we're seeing so many just elite pass rushers coming into the league. I was going to say the exact same thing. Dude, the athletes that are on the defensive line now, they run like wide receiver forties. It's it's unreal. Like Michael Parsons runs like a four or five.
01:03:26
Speaker
Yeah, 10 years, you know, even 10 years ago, he would have been a wide receiver, right? Like he wouldn't have even probably been on the D line, you know, maybe, maybe a, a vertical threat tied in at worst, dude. But yeah, now they're moving those guys to pass rusher. Yeah. It's crazy watching some of these guys, how fast they are off the ball.
01:03:43
Speaker
All right. He also, uh, Sam also said predictions for a playoff spot. So we can run through that real quick. So as NFC East, man. Um, I think the Eagles ended up winning that division. Yeah, I agree. And the Eagles still got a one game lead on the Cowboys. That's the thing. Everybody's not putting into perspective. Even if they lose this game, as long as they went out, they still win that division. So yeah, the NFC North, uh, lines.
01:04:10
Speaker
Yeah. They're clenching this week, so obviously yes. Down south, I think the Bucks get it, man. I think they got the most juice, dude. The Saints defense is probably the best unit out of that division, but I just don't think it's going to be enough. I think, gun to my head, I say the Bucks end up winning the NFC South this year. I agree. As much as I don't think they're that good, I think they win the NFC South. They're not horrible, but they're bad, man. They're definitely not a
01:04:37
Speaker
a division championship caliber team, but hey, somebody's got to win that thing. And then out West, obviously the Niners role. So who do you got for your wild cards, man? Um, NFC wild cards, boys already clean. So that's one. So we really just need to, I'm going to go, I think it stays as is dude. I'm going to go Minnesota in the Rams.
01:04:59
Speaker
I just don't think anybody else is going to come up. I would have picked Green Bay like two weeks ago, but they look God awful right now. Yeah, they were looking tough after the, you know, that they got the big win against the Chiefs, but it seems like that kind of just like that was their Super Bowl or something, man. Yeah. So I'm right there with you, man. Yeah. I think the Rams and the Vikings end up getting a really underwhelming field for the NFC. It's top heavy, man. The NFC wildcards are weak, whereas like the AFC, I feel like the division winners are a little bit weaker, but the
01:05:26
Speaker
their wildcards are going to be stronger. Um, so let's go over to the AFC. So AFC East, uh, we can agree dolphins, right? No, I think the, the dolphins that have losing two games on this direction. I think the bills won that division. Wow. That is a bold prediction date. I'm, I think the bills are going wildcard route. I think the dolphins win the division. Uh, AFC North Ravens. Did the Ravens already clench the division? No, no, they have not. They have not clinched. Okay.
01:05:56
Speaker
Yeah, they're close, closing in on though. Yeah. I think the Ravens end up getting the, uh, the, uh, hold on. I just want to say something about that Bill's prediction. Okay. So if you already picked Dallas to beat Miami this week, right? They got at Baltimore and then Buffalo to close it out. I seriously didn't know they might go own three, dude.
01:06:18
Speaker
Yeah, you're right, dude. They might, they might end up losing. I was just going off gut feeling. I didn't, Jordan was breaking out the true analysis on it, which he always does, man. So looking at the schedule, yeah, you're right. The Bills got Chargers, New England, and Miami to close it out. I think they win that division. So we could very well be looking at a division championship game for week 18, that last game of the season. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Well, screw it. I will, I will respectfully flip my pick and say that the Bills win the division then. All right.
01:06:47
Speaker
All right. So that, uh, okay. So up North, uh, Ravens, right? Yeah. I still think the Ravens are the best team in the FC. Honestly. Yeah. And down South going Texans, baby. They're, they're gonna do it, dude. I, I, me and you called this after week two and people called me and you idiots. I'm telling you the Texans are winning that division. Jacksonville might win one more game, but that's it. Like I'm telling you the Texans are weighing that division.
01:07:16
Speaker
I'll say Jags, just so we got something to argue about, man, going down the stretch. I think the Jags find a way to get done. Texans could always end up fading. Their defense is super, super sketchy. But yeah, so I'll say Jags, man. Then Out West. Oh yeah, we're not even going to talk about that. Yeah, Chief's got that. So for our wildcards, man, who do you got for AFC wildcards? Obviously, whoever doesn't get another Dolphins or Bills, that's going to be one.
01:07:42
Speaker
I don't think so, dude. I think there's a chance that Miami will probably still make the playoffs. Cleveland is making the playoffs as well. Cleveland is going to be in Miami's and then I think the Bengals do. I'm thinking I think it's going to be the Bengals and both the Ohio teams.
Challenges and Speculations for Teams
01:07:59
Speaker
I think it's going to be the Bengals and Browns and then whoever doesn't win the East of the Dolphins and Bills. I think that's your wildcards. I don't think the Bengals make it because they got two divisional games and their own for the division this year.
01:08:10
Speaker
I just, I don't think they can beat Mason Rudolph, the red news, right? They're beating them this week, but dude, they never play well against Cleveland and that'll be their last game of the season. And I just, they got Kansas city and Cleveland to close it out. I just don't feel good about either one of those games for them. So, I mean, at best, I think the bangles are nine and seven or nine and eight to close out the season. I don't think that gets you in. You think nine and eight gets you into the playoffs. That's really what it comes down to.
01:08:40
Speaker
Not in the AFC. No, we know. So I don't think they make it. The Dolphins already got 10 wins, so they would already be ahead of them. So, yeah, I think the Bengals get left out. All right. And last question, our good friend, Johnny JB, says with reports that Belichick is done in New England at the end of the season, who do you see taking a head coaching job in New England? I'm going to be a real wanted job, man. That roster is fucking bad. If I'm the... What is Jalen Hurts doing, dude?
01:09:12
Speaker
If I am the pick Oh, okay. I was like, did he really find the if I'm the Patriots man so wild card on this is their owner, you know, their owner is an old guy to Robert Kraft.
01:09:24
Speaker
He's getting up there. I think he wants to win now. So they might go for like, you know, the super high profile hire, which I don't, you know, I don't really know who that's going to end up being. If it's going to be somebody from college or a hot coordinator that, you know, becomes the, you know, the big name for this, this, the coaching carousel, this off season, honestly, dude.
01:09:42
Speaker
If I'm the Patriots man, I think I could try to just hire within or just take a chance on some like, you know, mid-level candidates, some, some, you know, coordinator somewhere, maybe not the most hype name for the off season. Cause dude, even though it's been ugly this year, whoever takes that job, that's some tremendous pressure, right? Following Belichick. I don't think you want to be the guy who is the immediate successor to Belichick. I think you want to be the guy after that, dude. So if I'm the Patriots, I think I maybe just go with
01:10:09
Speaker
Like I said, some lower profile guy, and if they end up being a home run, awesome. But if not, then, you know, you can take another stab at it in two or three years and go for, you know, another one of the big fish out there in the coaching world. I agree with you. That's what, that's what I was saying. I don't know who'd want to take that job after Bella check.
01:10:26
Speaker
That's a no win job. I mean, there's no way you're gonna live up to the guy that was there before you're just not. And their roster is so bad. And it ain't like they have anything to build off of either. Like, what are you building off on that team? That team is horrible.
01:10:43
Speaker
Bailey's happy, man. That's it. How have they built such a shitty roster? That roster is fucking horrible. They have no receivers. Dude, Belichick's the greatest head coach of all time, and disputedly, he's one of the most mid-ass general managers of all time, though. I mean, they let Brady walk, dude. Like, how do you not do... If Brady's still got gas in the tank, how do you not do everything you can to keep him on the team, man? Here's my thing, though. Like, how do you not have anything to build around on that roster? You have no receivers. Just piss poor drafts, man. Stevenson's fine.
01:11:14
Speaker
I mean, he's fine, but like, he's not, I feel like I could go, I don't, I feel like if I'm an NFL GM, I could do an open tryout and get somebody that can give me what Raimondre Stevenson gives me. You know, like he's, I don't think he's, he's like, he said he's fine, dude. I don't think he's any, he's not like a, a building block for the future or anything. I don't think though he's just a guy. They have nobody to build off of like, except Bailey's happy. I just, I don't know who's going to want that job. Belichick coaches next year though, right?
01:11:45
Speaker
I don't know, dude, the older reports are, Oh, you're saying somewhere in the NFL. Yeah. I think that, I think the reason they didn't fire in mid season is because I think they think they could trade into the chargers, dude. That's the charter side coach next year. A hundred percent. Yeah. And which would be really, really cool to see, man. I mean, like I said, they definitely out of the teams that are open up so far, dude, they seem like they got the Ross ready to go. You got the quarterback, at least in theory, you got the quarterback to go do it. Um, and they've lost a lot. Like we said, they've lost a lot of games because of bad coaching, man. Um, you know what? It's all starting to add up too.
01:12:15
Speaker
That's why they fired their GM, because they need Belichick to be both. Yeah, you're right, dude. You may be onto something, man. Now it's adding up. Now I get why they fired the GM.
01:12:27
Speaker
Yeah, I could see, I could totally see Belichick there, dude, which, you know, I'm a Belichick fan, dude. I'd love to see him, even if he's not necessarily won a Super Bowl, you know, take them to the second round of the playoffs, take them to the conference championship, just end with something on high note, dude. I don't want to end where, how it is now where it's just, you know, Brady was fucking awesome and Belichick was just dog shit, you know? Yeah.
01:12:49
Speaker
Yeah, I think, but I just, I don't know who's going to want that new one job.
Live Game Commentary and Analysis
01:12:54
Speaker
Like obviously someone will take it, but I don't think they're getting like a high profile coordinator. Like Ben Johnson from the lions ain't taking that job. Yeah.
01:13:03
Speaker
Alright man, well that puts a bow on this. We got a minute 47 with the Seahawks driving down, touchdown or bust, dude. Do you want to stick with this? Yeah, let's just stick with it. Let's see what kind of delay we're on, man. Next time they snap the ball, you say snap. Okay, let's make sure we're not. I think we're pretty well in sync for how it's gone so far, but you never know. I'm streaming on Hollernet right now, so I may be seriously behind you. So let's see. Omaha's finest Noah font with a drop. Uh,
01:13:34
Speaker
Snap. I'm actually a cunt here ahead of you, dude. All right, Seahawks are in business, man. We got about a 17-yard completion of DK Metcalf. What a huge loss this will be for the Eagles, dude, if they lose to Drew Lock. Even with a sig, Jalen Hurts, man. This will be unforgivable. The only good thing for them is the Seahawks need a touchdown, and the Seahawks have Drew Lock as their quarterback.
01:14:05
Speaker
Yeah. Also that means they can just go balls out though, dude. There's no settling for a fail goal. You know what I mean? Sometimes that takes some of the, that makes a little bit easier on offense to strategize. But yeah, drew lock is, Oh, that was a completion. No way. They're calling it a catch. Let's see.
01:14:28
Speaker
I feel like this ends in a drew lock turnover. That's my prediction. What are you predicting at a touchdown? Ooh. Yeah, that's a catch. Yeah, he caught it. So at a touchdown, a fumble interception, turnover on downs or run out of time. What do you say? And I say we get a drew lock interception. Yeah. I mean, that's the safest bet, isn't it?
01:14:51
Speaker
I think he's, I think he's cruising down the field, you know, but the tight, the Eagles are happy to play zone. I'll let them get these little, you know, 10, 12 yard completions. I think those zones are going to get tighter and tighter and he's going to end up pressing. Yeah. That's a great catch by DK Metcalf. That dude's a beast man. Imagine being a DB and having to cover him. Imagine being a DB and having to cover him and AJ Brown at the same time.
01:15:21
Speaker
Yeah. Oh wait, it already happened. I love that picture of DK Metcalf with his shirt off and Matt Jones with his shirt off. And it was like the great thing about the NFL is like both these players play the same sport. Okay. I don't know what he was doing there, but where did he think that was 60 seconds left? That was going to burn like 20 seconds if he caught that. Yeah.
01:15:51
Speaker
So we're at a minute left, second and 10. Where are they at on the field right now? Like 35 yard line? Somewhere around there, yeah. Yeah, 35 yard line. I don't know if that was like an intentional and complete pass or what, dude. If he was really trying to throw it to him, that was absolutely horrible. I fucking hate yards out in front of him. Oh, I thought that was fake. There it was.
01:16:20
Speaker
Maybe that was the close call, dude. Maybe that was the, you know, the devil winking at him, dude. Now they're going to go down and get a freaking touchdown. It's not looking good though, dude. Third and 10. He looks tense. Like Drew Lockwood just looks tense as hell right now. I mean, I would be too. Did you end up winning your fantasy game in our league? Uh, I should have. I mean, I believe so. I think, uh, yeah, he didn't do. I went one for four.
01:16:49
Speaker
What's the only one that matters, man? And you knocked out the defending champ, dude. So the streak continues. We've been in this, me and Jordan have been in the same fantasy league for 18 years now. Nobody's ever won back to back championships. Oh, DK Metcalf have a day, dude. What a freaking catch, man. How did they call him out there?
01:17:15
Speaker
I don't know. Oh no, they didn't. They're running the clock now. I was like, what? They still saved like five seconds. So that was like college rules, dude. They stopped the clock while they're moving the chains. Don't fuck this up. Now I drew lock. Oh my God, bro. DK Metcalf, dude, putting the city on his back right now. Let's watch this replay of this catch here. This one, the better games we've had on Monday night so far.
01:17:43
Speaker
Man, double coverage. That was a great throw, too, though. Yeah, it was. He put the biscuit in the basket right there. The safety fucked up. I wonder if that safety was worried about getting a penalty, dude, that the safety really could have put the kill shot on DK Metcap. It looked like he either took a bad angle or he deliberately did not want to hit him as hard as he could.
01:18:08
Speaker
Drew Lock is horrible, dude. What is Lockett looking for, dude? Their feet got tangled. Dude, you're telling me they couldn't just trot Geno Smith out for this one last drive and let him go out there and do it? God, what a fucking catch, dude. That was awesome. Oh, now we're back 13-10 again. That would have to decay Metcalf twice, man. Only they could stop him twice without getting a penalty.
01:18:37
Speaker
Dude, it is incredible that the Eagles are even 10 and through with losing both coordinators.
Conclusion and Holiday Wishes
01:18:42
Speaker
And as much as they lost on defense, like I just loaded. I don't think that's so much noted. Oh my goodness, dude. Drew lock. I got to apologize, man. We have been slandering his name, dude. He dropped some straight up. He had some absolute horrible passes, but he also dropped some freaking dimes, man. This drive, dude. Wow.
01:19:08
Speaker
Holy shit, 92 yards and 124. What a pass and what a freaking catch, man. All right, well, that's 30 seconds left, man. We will go ahead and wrap it up at that point. We're approaching the 80 minute mark, which is about the max. I think we've ever gone on an episode goal line. Thank you guys for listening. Jordan, hit us with some closing thoughts, man. We'll talk to you guys on Christmas next week, but I hope you guys have a great weekend and enjoy your football, enjoy your family.
01:20:06
Speaker
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!
01:20:17
Speaker
Waiting for Santa to arrive And all the love will show Cause everybody knows It's Christmas time And all the kids will see The kids under the tree It's the best time of year for the family It's a wonderful feeling It's that time of year
01:20:50
Speaker
Happy Holidays