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New Years Football Special: Chelsea Sack Maresca, NFL Week 18 Previews and a Festive Football Round-Up
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Kick off the New Year with a jam-packed football podcast as Shane and James return for a New Year’s Day Football Special, diving deep into the Premier League and the NFL.
The lads open with major Premier League news, breaking down Enzo Maresca’s sacking at Chelsea, asking the big questions: what is Chelsea’s plan right now and who could be next in the dugout? They then analyse the standout performances from the past week, covering Wolves, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Aston Villa, before previewing the blockbuster Manchester City vs Chelsea Sunday clash.
Over in the NFL, the focus shifts to key results and performances, with strong showings from the 49ers, Seahawks, and Falcons, while the Steelers, Bucs, and Panthers struggle to impress. The lads wrap up the NFL chat by previewing the key Saturday and Sunday match-ups that will determine the NFC number one seed and the winners of the AFC North and NFC South.
As always, there’s a fresh update to the Power Rankings and another competitive round of Gan Seans, with James clinging to a one-point lead.
Don’t miss this must-listen football and NFL podcast episode, packed with analysis, debate, and the biggest talking points from the week.
🎧 Listen if you’re into:
- Football (soccer) analysis
- NBA previews & predictions
- Weekly NFL reactions
- Underdog betting tips
- Draft-style sports debates
- Power rankings across multiple sports
- Sports content from an Irish perspective with global takes
🔁 New episodes drop weekly!
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🌍 Based in Ireland | Talking global sports weekly
(0:00) Happy New Year!!
(3:30) Enzo Maresca Sacked by Chelsea
(12:22) Festive Premier League Fixtures Round-Up
(26:47) Man City vs Chelsea Preview
(29:09) Gan Seans: Our Underdog Picks
(33:09) NFC One Seed Battle
(42:10) Panthers or Bucs for the NFC South?
(46:30) Steelers or Ravens for the AFC North?
(50:17) Trevon Diggs Waived by Cowboys & Picked up by Packers
(52:47) Multi-Sport Power Rankings
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Transcript
New Year's Celebrations
00:00:09
Speaker
Alright lads, welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball. and This is our New Year's special. So coming at you on New Year's Day, Happy New Year to everybody. Shane, how you? How was your New Year's Eve?
00:00:20
Speaker
So my New Year's Eve was celebrated the day before, unlike you. So I did my hangover yesterday while you're doing your hangover right now. So I think it's your first hangover episode. I think I've had two or three. So it's taken you over a year to get a hangover episode. So you're very welcome to the club.
00:00:36
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, thanks very much. As you can probably hear from my voice throughout the episode, I'm i'm recovering. We recording, what, like 2 p.m. on New Year's Day, so this is going to come actually later on. We started our recording at 2. Initially, we had planned for 11, and that just slowly kept getting pushed out the further the night went down for me last night. But I went to the Inhaler concert in Dublin Castle for the, like, RT ringing in the New Year
Sports Preview Overview
00:01:02
Speaker
thing. It was really, really good, and then didn't get home till late. So, yeah, hangover episode is... It's not a fun one. There's a few times there I was like trying to find the words. Couldn't even remember Fred Warner's name at one point. So that was great. But ah it was it was it was still good. I think we got a lot covered off in the episodes, regardless of of me just hanging on for dear life.
00:01:24
Speaker
100% yeah, you actually did them better than one of mine. i can't remember which one it was. I think it was when I came back for a month or something and there was no words left in my brain that made any sort of sense. I think it was the one where I dropped in about 22 puns because I couldn't think of anything else to explain what i was trying to get out of myself. So yeah, joe ask you you could have done a lot worse.
00:01:44
Speaker
Yeah, the chalk and cheese episode, I think. Yeah, that that was oh yeah i think i think that was it. yeah Yeah. Well, let's get into what we talked about. This is kind of a football special because we covered a lot of NBA in our extra episode and the week before with Michael. So in this episode, we talked about some of the biggest performances over Christmas in the Premier League.
00:02:03
Speaker
And so we we touched on how well Arsenal looked to have revamped and got back on track. Villa
Chelsea's Challenges
00:02:11
Speaker
having a an up and down run, beating Chelsea, but then losing to Arsenal. And then Chelsea themselves, how they kind of had a couple of poor games and it culminated in Enzo Maresca getting sacked this morning and and heading into a big game against City on the weekend. So we previewed that one and gave our prediction for that. Then we went on to Ganshance and gave our predictions for the weekend for the underdogs and an update on the score there.
00:02:36
Speaker
Then we went on to the NFL. So we talked about the big games from last weekend. So we had the Niners beating the Bears in a massive one. We had the Seahawks beating the Panthers to kind of set up this game for a one seed this weekend with the Niners. and We had the Bucks losing. We had the Panthers obviously losing, as I just mentioned, and how both of those teams now face off for the division um and how the Steelers have really, really kind of fallen apart. right at the most important time and now they're going to play the Ravens for the and NFC AFC North um on Saturday night so we previewed those three big matchups because they're the biggest ones this weekend and they're the ones that everyone will be watching going into the last weekend of NFL action and then lastly we gave our power rankings for the week so last one and I suppose of the performances 2025 so
00:03:25
Speaker
That was it for the episode. Happy New Year to have everybody and let's get straight into it. So we'll start with some shock news that just landed this morning. New Year's Day, not a great start to the year for Chelsea fans or for Enzo Maresca.
00:03:39
Speaker
I think it's put that they had agreed to part ways, but you know, we all really know what that means. He got sacked basically. There was talk about him being the next man City manager if Pep steps away in the summer and um reporting now from David Ornstein that he kind of had an agreement with Chelsea that he could speak with City and he has done twice during the season regarding that.
00:04:02
Speaker
um So obviously that soured relationships and then they lose and to Villa in a game they probably should have won um couple of days ago and then they only grab a point then to to play Bournemouth that's a 2-2 draw so one point over the two games in a short period that was kind of brought everything to a head and uh yeah mareska is gone what do you make of it i think he's happy to be honest um i think he's been angling to get out since like october the way he's been speaking in after games the everything game in particular was came out and said it was his worst week in management or something along those lines so i think this is something he's been pushing for for quite a while
00:04:43
Speaker
So I don't think he'll be too upset. I just, I don't understand Chelsea's side of it. You're sacking him before, massive game against City and at the weekends, to bring in maybe Liam Ressignor, which makes very, very little sense to me. I know he's doing a really good job at Strasbourg, but he was fired by Hull for, they had a differing of philosophies or something is what the official line was when he was sacked by Hull. So kind of like he was doing a good job at Hull, left Hull over to France, doing a good job there.
00:05:15
Speaker
like If he wasn't at Strasbourg, if he was at any other club in the world, he wouldn't be in any sort of a conversation for getting a job like this. It's just because it's the Blue Core. This is their sister club. I think this is going to sell our relationships more for them as well if they they take the manager out of Strasbourg. Strasbourg fans hate the ownership already. This is only making it a million times worse. The whole Chelsea project is just it's it's just laughable now at this point. it really is They've spent over a billion quid to arguably get worse than they were three years ago.
00:05:45
Speaker
like They haven't gotten any better. Every player they sell, they replace them with someone who's equally the same player or a worse player. like Getting rid of Madu Ekke to bring in Jamie Gittins is just, you're basically just swapping...
00:05:59
Speaker
You're swapping Madueche for Madueche likes. Basically, like, it's just they haven't brought in anyone that has been of a bigger quality than who they've sold. Bringing in Garnaccio, Pedro Neto, and like, I'm only about wingers here because they're always stuck in my head because the amount of wingers they sign. Like, their centre-back situation is a shambles. They've... Axel De Sasse's sitting on the sidelines, not even allowed to play for the 21s, and they have...
00:06:21
Speaker
Josh Acheapong, I know he's a child, but he's like, de Sassi's better player than him. De Sassi's probably a better player than Shalaba. Like, and they just have him sitting there waiting in the wings for someone to come and take him in. Raheem Sterling's sitting there. He makes such a difference to the Chelsea team if they would just let him play as well. So the whole thing is just baffling and...
Match Predictions and Analysis
00:06:41
Speaker
I don't see what they think they're getting out of bringing in a new manager now at this stage of season. I think it was the, saw it on Twitter, someone was like, Maresca's in good company now because they've sacked Tuchel, they've sacked Ancelotti, they've sacked Jose Mourinho all while, just after when they just won something and then they go and sack the manager the next season because of some nonsense reason. I honestly can't get over it. think it's mental. Chelsea aren't a real football club, as you said to me this morning in a text message.
00:07:11
Speaker
they just They find new ways to prove it every single week it seems. Yeah, and just when you thought things were looking okay for him this season, that he was kind of managing a young squad as well as he could, I think. Now people are saying that, oh, he managed it well with the situation he was put in. Chelsea shouldn't have had that many players that he had to...
00:07:30
Speaker
manage that situation and how well he's managing it like that's arguable arguably good or arguably bad because those guys are not happy like not playing it's not like you're not making everyone happy not the situation isn't perfect but I'll put that more down to Chelsea's fault than him and I don't know who else is going to do a better job. Like you said, they're bringing in somebody who's kind of unproven at a high level. and the same thing, like you said, to take place somebody from your sister club who's doing a good job. But sure, it's a whole different level. Like Strasbourg is not like Premier League level or Champions League level where Chelsea want to be. And yeah, you do have to take steps, but it's not a natural progression to go from Hull to Strasbourg to Chelsea. That's not...
00:08:17
Speaker
a proper step by step by step. It's a big jump. So yeah I don't know. I'm i'm fully with you. I don't know who they think is going to do a better job in the bad situation that they're currently in. And right now they're borderline top four by the end of the season, five top six. But that could easily become ninth because the season is so, this season in the Premier League, it's so clustered. And you bring in a guy with no experience pretty much at this level.
00:08:47
Speaker
And things could just completely implode because their team is not good enough for the amount of money they spent. Like you look at the likes of Moosie Alla, who they had in their academy. and he's gone and look how good he is and then they bring in Garnaccio.
00:09:01
Speaker
Chelsea fans already can't stand him after six or seven months. so yeah a Bad situation and they it's a very Chelsea thing to do and it's almost like they're run by Abramovich again because this is something he would have done. yeah so Chelsea have 30 points, they're in fifth.
00:09:17
Speaker
Spurs have 25 points, they're in 13th. Brighton have 25 they're in 14th.
00:09:22
Speaker
Like, it's but I've never seen a table that is this tight from top to bottom. Take out the top three for the moment because there is a seven-point gap between Liverpool and Villa, between third and fourth. If we go from fourth down, there's seven points between between Liverpool and Brighton.
00:09:36
Speaker
Like, that's it's it's a mental table. tellea If Chelsea lose their next two games, for example, they could very easily be looking at sitting in tents. Depends on how the teams below them do, obviously, as well. But...
00:09:46
Speaker
sort These teams all playing each other. Every team can't lose every week because so when they're playing each other, someone is going to get three points or two teams going to get a point. So it's very quick you can see Chelsea start falling down that
Arsenal vs. City
00:09:58
Speaker
table. If Rossellini comes in and tries to rip up the the tactics board and start again with these young fellas and...
00:10:05
Speaker
Like we've seen from their times at other clubs, some of these players have awful attitudes. Garnascio is the key example of someone who has an awful attitude. And if if he doesn't want to listen to Risenior and Risenior's putting him out there to do a job and he doesn't want to do it, he won't do it. We've seen this already couple of times this year where he...
00:10:21
Speaker
like the, i think it was the United game where he let his man go off at the back post to score the equaliser at Old Trafford. Another couple of examples. And then Jamie Gittins just looks like the Bundesliga was his level. Not top Bundesliga, like the Dortmunds of this world was probably his level. Trying to bring him in and think you're going to go and push for a title with him as one of your four main wingers is just mental. And They have two sporting directors who never worked as sporting director before.
00:10:48
Speaker
So is it any wonder they're just going out and signing, this is our model, on under only, blah, blah, blah. It's like, you can't just go out and sign every, like, it's it's not football manager. This is what people do in football manager. They go and sign 40 lads who are under the age of 23 and hope that they can get 10 into their first team in 20 years and sell the other 30 for huge profits. It doesn't work in real life. It's not like it's not a game. And...
00:11:12
Speaker
so what The reason City want Morescu in is because they've been looking at the job he's done at Chelsea this far. this This won't affect Morescu's career at all, getting sacked by Chelsea. It's just it' a rite of passage almost. Yeah, it's ah it's like a Brooklyn Nets situation where they had all their five first-round draft picks and they picked all them this season and look how they're playing. That's not going to help you if you have so many young players. You need some veteran players in there too. like You need some guys who know what they're doing.
00:11:39
Speaker
And in the Premier League, you need tried and tested lads because when things go wrong and it's a team of youngsters, but not a single kind of guy who's going to stand up and be like, right, this is what's going to happen. This is how we're going to manage it. Outside of Rhys James, who like can barely stay on the pitch. I know he has been this season, but over recent years,
00:11:58
Speaker
outside of him like there's no real older person there to say right let's just grab this game and relax here like somebody even like he's not perfect but someone even like a Casemiro would work well in this Chelsea team because at least he could give you 60 minutes and he has a head on his shoulders like so I don't know they're yeah they're not in a good position and I don't think a young manager who's unproven is going to help that but um A lot of other games went on over the festive period. We obviously had those two Chelsea games, which weren't the best performances led to this. Aston Villa did beat them.
00:12:32
Speaker
They thought they were really good in the second half of that game against Chelsea. And they looked dangerous from set pieces. But Chelsea were very, very good in the first half. So Villa kind of got away with another one there, I feel like. And then...
00:12:44
Speaker
ah Looking at Arsenal, they just absolutely bothered ah Villa on, what was the date? It was on 30th, the 30th December. Tuesday. Yeah, Tuesday. That was the 30th. Yeah, it was the Tuesday, I think um So that was in the space of three days. Villa had quite an up beating Chelsea and then quite a swift fall from grace to beat Arsenal. And then you had the handshake gate after the game.
00:13:10
Speaker
I don't know what went on there. Yeah. I think the thing with Villa is that this has been coming. This has been in the post for week. Some team was going to just absolutely annihilate him.
00:13:22
Speaker
I didn't think it would be this game. I knew it was coming, but I didn't i didn't see Arsenal putting for three or four past him at any stage. But... um The chance Watkins missed in the first half is absolutely massive. It's one where he drags it at the near post. If that goes in, it could be a different game because Villa are really good front front runners this season and they get a lead, they seem to hold on and it's kind of why they've gotten to the point where they were. So that's a different game. But that second half of Marcel was just clinical.
00:13:48
Speaker
The Gabriel one, I think, the Martinez really does need to be stronger on us. He's done that a couple of times this season now he's coming out to collect stuff and just let it fall through his hands. It's never a foul, unfortunately, as much as I'd love to say it was. it's it's He always tries to buy Yeah.
00:14:03
Speaker
Instead of just putting his hands on it and going down with it, he'd like he almost flaps at it to try and just knock it down and then... thinking the referees are just going to give him something for free and you're like you're not going to get away with it as often as he thinks he is.
00:14:14
Speaker
and so And once they went 1-0 off, then they were just on fire. The second, Zubmendi goal is lovely football, Trossard's a lovely finish. And then the fourth goal is another great finish from Jesus.
00:14:26
Speaker
Villa just didn't come out in the second half. They were solid in the first half. Sorry? I said it's good for Jesus to grab a goal and actually... Oh, absolutely, yeah. He needs this.
00:14:38
Speaker
Yeah, and Giocares is... he's a wasteed He's a waste of everybody's time. He really is. He's waste of everybody's time. like I'd love to see the scouting report on Giocares because I'd love to know what they saw on him that they thought was going to transfer to Premier League.
00:14:51
Speaker
We were talking about it all summer, that he wasn't the right fit for Arsenal. I don't know how we saw it, and we have no tactful knowledge. other than what we make up on the spot here. like That's the only type of knowledge we have. Arsenal's scout went out and said, oh yeah, this is the guy for us. He does X, Y and dad is like But he actually doesn't do any of those things. and He's a flat-track bully, which is basically what he was doing in Portugal. just Every team around him were just weaker than him. That's where he was able to score all the goals.
00:15:17
Speaker
he's he's he's not He's not the answer here. I think Havertz was back on the bench against Villa, so Giacca could easily be third-choice striker there now very, very quickly with Jesus. coming back and Havertz coming back. Jokkeres mightn't see the pitch very often between now and the end of the season.
00:15:32
Speaker
But Arsenal just keep rolling on, which is quite upsetting, but I just can't see them winning the league now. I can't see them holding on to do it. I think City just look too strong at the moment.
00:15:46
Speaker
City just seem to have all their ducks in a row all of a sudden. their Their team is settled, which is very unlikely. Peps team, you can almost name nine or ten of the eleven are going to start. Rayon Cherky has been absolutely superb, superb again against Forrest as well.
00:15:59
Speaker
Haaland is Haaland. Foden looks like himself. And then their midfielder just so strong. If it's not Rodri, it's Nico. And Nico has come on leaps and bounds last couple of weeks as well. Then Reinders is finding his feet now as well.
00:16:11
Speaker
Nico Reilly is an attacking midfielder playing left-back. And the other side, they have Matthias Nunes and attacking midfielder playing right-back. And it's just working. I don't how Pep keeps managing to pull these things out of the hat, but he's they're just they just look like a really, really good team.
00:16:26
Speaker
Five wins in a row now at least. That's just what you see on... day When you look the table on Gilgul, I think they've won than that in a row. They're just absolutely on fire. thus that That Forest game was really difficult for them and they came out the other side with the three points.
00:16:39
Speaker
They're just they're really strong at the moment. Yeah, I think ah looking at them and Arsenal, it's really the race now because like people, like we did kind of say about Villa that they were going to fall off and these numbers are going to catch up with them, like you said, um and that battering was coming and I think they could ship a few more losses. It's like these one score wins in the NFL that we see, it it does come back to bite when you're not performing to the level of your results and it will, I think, continue to bite them. I think they're more... a fifth or sixth place team than a team that's going to finish in the top three. But um then, as you said, Arsenal and City look like the race. Arsenal do keep rolling on.
00:17:21
Speaker
But I think that Giacomo's issue is a big one. They did look great, but despite him not playing well. But it's a big issue when you still don't have that striker that like you've always wanted and you need to just rely on to score goals when you go into a drought or you're in a game where it's nil-nil, you need the three points at the end of the season.
00:17:41
Speaker
And you only have really Havertz then that you can rely on. And some he has some games where he just misses guilt-edged chance after guilt-edged chance. He's a great player overall, but he's not a striker. And Giacoraz is supposed to be that guy.
00:17:55
Speaker
And like you said, we said in the summer, like he only beats or scores against teams that you're beating well and you're meant to beat well or if you give him a penalty when he's not even your penalty taker like these are that's not the site signature performances of a striker that you paid that amount of money for so I think that versus what you have in Haaland with City is going to be the difference. Because when you need a goal, you just have to give him even half a sniff. He might even have 10 touches in a game and he's scored hat-trick.
00:18:27
Speaker
Like, Giacomo has never in its wildest dreams would ever even come close to doing something like that. So when you have a striker like that, even if you're playing, like attacking midfielders at right and left back, which might not work every week, but somehow seems to be working for City...
00:18:43
Speaker
then you could win a game for four because you have Haaland and he might score all five of them. So that's the thing that think has got make a difference down the stretch. And I i just think Arsenal are destined to to throw this one away once again because they already had a massive lead and they're after squandering it and City are just going from strength to strength.
00:19:02
Speaker
Yeah, so like if you give Haaland three chances, he's more than likely going to score two goals out of us. Whereas yeah at the moment, ofiakas it looks like you need to give seven chances and he might get you one.
00:19:12
Speaker
And that's not really conducive to a team they're looking to kind of... like They want to take leads early, but you'd like you can't keep relying on the likes of Trossard, the likes of Zubimendi to come up and get you goals. He's your defensive midfielder.
00:19:25
Speaker
Trossard's a good player. He's having a purple spell, but he's not a man that's going to get you 20 league goals. And they they don't seem to have someone able to to get them 20 league goals. Saka, I think he's only scored six goals in 2025 or something like that. It could be off with that, but it it's not that many.
00:19:40
Speaker
And if he's the focal point you're building around outside of him swinging in outrageously good corners, like you just, you don't have someone to score goals. You can count on Gabriel to get you 20 goals from corners. So they they need someone up top that can just kind of, i just say it's a bit like with Chelsea, you need someone to grab the game by the scruff of the neck that is just going to say, okay, put this on my back. I'm going to, I'm going to drag us over the line here. And They won't get it like they did against Villa very often again this season. Villa just kind of collapsed for 20 or 25 minutes and Arsenal were rootless. But they won't get away with that against the City. They mightn't get away with that against Liverpool. If Liverpool are as kind of solid with their five midfield formation they're playing at the moment, like you're not going to get three or four chances to put Liverpool to bed either. So we'll have to wait and see what Arsenal do. But I think they're going to fall off. I do think they'll finish second, but I think City are going to win this league now.
Wolves' Prospects
00:20:28
Speaker
Yeah, I agree with you. And um I think there's a big couple of games coming up for United in a couple of weeks where they play Arsenal and City on back-to-back weeks. And it'll be interesting to see how both teams handle it because United are...
00:20:43
Speaker
arguably a lot better when they're playing a team that wants to attack them and they can play to the best of their abilities with the squad that they have right now against that kind team. So it'll be interesting to see how those two games go in back-to-back weeks and I think City will probably show why they're better in those two weeks. I think Arsenal will probably make hard work of it again like they did earlier in the season.
00:21:07
Speaker
and But from the top to the bottom of the of the table, Wolves did quite well over this couple of game period, over the festive time. They they played Liverpool on the 27th.
00:21:19
Speaker
They gave them a really good run for their money. and o They could have well got a point in that game. And... once they like Liverpool were cruising and then once it went to 2-1 there was a lot of shaky moments there at the end and it seemed like Wolves might grab a point their third of the season it would have been but they waited for that one a few days later they grabbed it against Man United in what was an abysmal game like United missing eight or nine players Amarim for some reason going back to three at the back to combat Wolves of all teams and not sure why that needed to be done Xerxes coming off at half time despite playing well and scoring know it was deflected but he scored and United just looked clueless maybe outside Dorgoo to be honest and that's hilarious that he's performing that well on the wing but yeah I think United are kind of half of a team at this point or even less I'd say 10% of a team with all the players they're missing and no Bruno, but regardless of that, Wolves did fight and they probably could have got a win there and they probably could have got a point against Liverpool. So if we came out of this period where Wolves had got four points from those two games, you'd say, God, will they really turn this around? But they're not going to. But at least they are putting up a fight. And I've been impressed with the fact that they haven't just laid down after the fact of getting two points from your opening 18 games.
00:22:43
Speaker
Yeah, the thing about Wolves is that wolves and Wolves are missing, again, like a lot of other teams, they're missing somebody can put the ball into net for him consistently. Looking back now, they'd have been better off selling Stran Larsen to Newcastle in the summer because he's clearly not playing for him.
00:22:59
Speaker
um I know he was on the bench now, but even when he's on the pitch, he seems to be of the few that has absolutely no interest in trying to put a shift in for this team at the moment. They're not as bad as their three points, say they are. When you watch them, like to the eye test, on the stats everything else, they are absolutely abysmal. And we know they are. And they're not going to get out of this mess now. But since Rob Edwards has gone in there, they have looked like a team who are fighting and they do want to try get something out of this. But it's far too little too late.
00:23:28
Speaker
If United take their chances in the first half, who knows? The Sesco header in particular, he puts it straight at Jose Sa from the the outside of foot cross. um like can They're the kind of chances you need to take. and It's this but the same with Liverpool. The chances Liverpool were missing against Wolves to make it 3-0 or 4-0 instead of it being nervy. They're the kind of things you need to do against a team like this who are fighting for their lives. But like any sort of a confidence knock in their finish, you can absolutely take them to town then.
00:23:55
Speaker
Yeah, I kind of feel for Wolves in a small way, but then it's also like the Roosters are coming to Roosters or whatever that saying is. I'm going try and get it a couple of puns here now because it's the new year. and Whatever that saying is, is that they have two points for a reason because they can't score goals. They can't do anything. They can't defend really well.
00:24:12
Speaker
Two minutes of madness against Liverpool, 2-0 down, game over. should have been game over. It wasn't in the end. But when you're team like that, there's very little you can do other than... Really just try your best. I do think they'll win a game soon.
00:24:26
Speaker
um I think they're a bit of runner they're on. I know they've only gotten a point from the last two, but they've looked quite good in the last couple of games. Someone's going to caught in hop by Wolves. But I still, i kind of, I'd struggle to see them breaking double figures of points at this point.
00:24:41
Speaker
like they don't They need to win two games and get two draws. And when you don't win any in your first 18, how are you going to put on a run of form will get to Europe in the second half the season and to try and get to 11 points? So we'll have to wait and see. I just i feel for Yeah, I think they're in a really dire situation. and Edwards, I know he, i think he's like a Wolves fan or he wanted to manage Wolves. He played for them as well. So it's like, yeah, he wanted to make that jump, but it just looks like a ridiculously where they were so yeah it's just kind of a tricky one for for them and to watch them play but i do think they will get a win soon and i think at least they're they're still trying because like you said in the first time they played united a few weeks ago it was a 1-1 at halftime as well but then united scored one early in the second half and then wolves just capitulated and they lost 4-1 So once you just give them one knock to their confidence, then they're finished. like And then you see other games where, like and against Arsenal, they could have got the draw with a late goal and then a another late goal against them. Just so many small things going against them at this season, but really they're a championship-level team and that's where they'll end up. Quickly, before we move on, just want to get a... The thing about Wolves, sorry, what one more thing on Wolves.
00:26:03
Speaker
So we had a bit of an overlap there. The thing about Wolves is that they've only conceded four goals twice this season. Like you'd think a team who have two points would be getting battered 5-6, 7-0 every single week. It's only United and City who put four goals past them and that was week one and week 17. So they've kind of stayed in games and then just kind of losing it sillyly with...
00:26:26
Speaker
last-minute goals, air late goals, and not being able to take their chances. They beat everything in the cup and what was a really good performance as well. so They are absolutely a championship-level team, but it wouldn't surprise that they went down and came straight back up again.
00:26:39
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, no, I agree. And they have, Edwards is a good championship manager as well, so we could see that him back up again. But at half five on Sunday, we have and a big game. We've got and City versus Chelsea. so quick preview of that one. I think off the back of Maresca leaving, there's absolutely no way that Chelsea come close to City in this one. I just think that and And also the fact of the talk of him possibly going to City is kind of funny. It plays into this whole narrative of the game. And I thought it would have been interesting and if he stayed and and saw how that went and then could be almost his audition there and to to be their manager. But instead, out the door, he's gone, as we've already mentioned. and I just don't see Chelsea laying a glove on City here. I think young players...
00:27:27
Speaker
They're not going to react well to having no manager, no guidance. Their manager has gone out the window. So I'm going City. Handy win here, maybe 3-0.
00:27:37
Speaker
Yeah, I have the exact same. 3-0 City. um i think they're just going to roll over Chelsea. The points you made there are brilliant. It's a group of young lads who are like, it's going to be like when you get a substitute teacher in school and no one does anything for the class the substitute teacher is in. This is going to be one of those where they're all going to go out and it's going to be Man City team against 11 individuals for Chelsea who are all just doing flicks and tricks and trying to show good they are for the next fellow comes in. It's not going to be a pretty sight for Chelsea. And...
00:28:05
Speaker
Even if Vrsenia is in there at that stage and this his first match, i if I was him, I wouldn't want to go in there and make this be your first match. I'd be pushing the starts Monday week or whenever i whenever this game is over do and done with him, going with a fresh set of eyes then.
00:28:17
Speaker
Kind like what Celtic should have done with when they brought in Nancy. they shouldn't have brought him in for...
City vs. Chelsea Preview
00:28:22
Speaker
the three games they did for the Cup Final, the Hearts game and the Europa League, like give him the week off because it was three games that were tough, like playing the top the league, Rome and the Europa League and then St. Maryam in the Cup. If they brought him in the week after, he wouldn't be under half as much pressure as he is now.
00:28:37
Speaker
If they bring Ressina in for this and they lose three or four in the city, he's already on the back foot from day one. So it should just be, OK, lads, this is your free class. Enjoy this one. But after this, it gets serious again.
00:28:48
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, no, I agree 100%. Couldn't can't argue with any of those points. That's a perfect analogy as well, like that they're just going to be like, oh, look what i'm look what I'm able to do. Like with no manager, I'm going to do some skills here on on Super Sunday and everyone's going to be watching me and it's just going to,
00:29:05
Speaker
Yeah, it's just going to be an absolute dumpster fire, I think. But let's let let's get on to Ganshans. So we're still going to cover that off this week and and go over last week's results. so I had two wins last week and Shane had one. So I'm back into a one point lead. and I had the Mavericks to beat the Warriors on Christmas Day. That did not come up.
00:29:27
Speaker
Anthony Davis got injured early, so that was a write-off. Browns beat the Steelers. I was happy with that one. ah I just saw that coming from the Steelers after getting their nine wins. Just going to fall into oblivion now at this point.
00:29:40
Speaker
Then Villa to beat Chelsea away had that one, so that was my two wins. And then Shane had Forrest to beat City. That one didn't come off as we already covered. Panthers to beat the Seahawks, which we're going to talk about now in a minute. The Seahawks got the win there.
00:29:55
Speaker
And then the Spurs to be OKC, which they did so very well on Christmas Day. So those were last week's results. Do you want to give us your picks for this week? Yeah, so um if that Christmas Day game hadn't gone like it did, I'd have been arguing to take the one from the night before where they beat him anyway. So i was I was getting a point there this no matter what no matter what game. and This week is, actually found it a bit easier than usual. usual and So I went with Sundland to beat Spurs.
00:30:22
Speaker
Spurs are absolutely horrific at home. They have their top of the away table for points and their third bottom in the home table for points. So Sundland are So I was like, that's a bit of a no-brainer for me to be perfectly honest with you. I've gone with the 49ers at Evens to beat the Seahawks who are forty to five and I'm surprised San Fran are underdogs in this. I know the Seahawks have been an excellent but Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey are just lights out at the moment. The two them have been out on fire last couple of weeks. So i think this is a very, very close match and it could go either way. Hopefully it goes my way.
00:30:54
Speaker
And then I've gone for the Hawks to beat the Knicks. i I think I've gotten my NBA pick right every week so far since it came back. Or definitely, maybe dropped one. So this one just jumped out of me again. I don't think the Hawks are as bad as their 16-9 record shows.
00:31:10
Speaker
and The Knicks are very good, but joe what they're not going to win every single week. So this is the one where they drop points this time. Drop points. This is where they drop a game. There's no points in the NBA. Yeah, i I've gone not the exact same, but I've gone a similar vein for the NBA one. I've also gone for the Knicks to lose, but it's the following night. So you've gone for their Friday night game. I've gone the Saturday night game to play the Sixers on Saturday night. It's just because it's a back-to-back is mostly my reasoning here. Not yeah anything to do with it being the Sixers. Obviously, that's my team, but I just think that...
00:31:43
Speaker
When teams are on a back-to-back, it's kind of an ideal time to get them. And Sixers literally just beat the Knicks on the back of a back-to-back like 10 days ago. So I think it's just rinse and repeat there for that. Fulham then to beat Liverpool is my next pick. Fulham are absolutely brilliant at home.
00:32:00
Speaker
that They do... do absolutely fall off a cliff away from home they're one of the worst teams in the league so it's actually the opposite to spurs um but they're actually very very good i think they've only lost twice all year uh all season at home so they're 29 to 10 liverpool or 9 to 10. i feel more comfortable in predicting a draw here but i'll take the risk and go for a a win because i didn't really like um any of the other picks i didn't i couldn't really select one of the others. I was tempted on Sunderland too, but i the Fulham one caught my eye because they their home form. And then lastly, I'm going with the Panthers to beat the Bucs.
00:32:37
Speaker
um I think the Bucs being favourites here is a bit ridiculous. I think the Panthers are going to get the win. They beat them a few weeks ago and the Bucs were just horrendous against Miami. They just didn't even look like they wanted to play.
00:32:50
Speaker
So that's at half night on Saturday night. Panthers win the division and clinch playoffs with win. knocking the books out so I think i'm I'm gonna go with that one to come off but it's again kind of like yours it's a bit of a toss up a lot on the line and it's it's a big game it could go either way so I'm going with the these underdogs so let's keep on the subject of the NFL after our after our gun chance predictions we're gonna talk quickly about some of the games that went on last week before talking about the major matchups and coming into this weekend
00:33:23
Speaker
So last weekend, I think the standouts really are, I think the Seahawks beating the Panthers and the Niners beating the Bears are really important because it put both of those teams right up for the opportunity to get the one seed, which is now going to be the Sunday night football game and on week 18. So those are big wins. I think the Panthers...
00:33:45
Speaker
They had a couple of chances where they made mistakes and a couple of calls went against them. But I just think they were not at the Seahawks level. And then the Niners and Bears game was... couldn another I don't know how many times we say this this season but it could be the game of the year just absolutely unbelievable game like to be tying that many times I think they the teams were tied like seven different times at various different scores and it was a matter of inches at the end where I think if the Bears had one more play if they had time for one more play they would have got the win at the end but they just ran out of time and the 49ers win an absolute thriller
00:34:25
Speaker
Yeah, um I don't know which one to talk about first. I'm just going to go for the Niners first because they've been quietly impressive for the last two or three weeks. And Brock Purdy in particular is just... come back to level he was when he was thrown in as Mr. Irrelevant and just started of firing things around like he didn't care.
00:34:41
Speaker
He's 11 touchdown passes in the last three weeks. that's That's out of this world. 24 for 33 here, 303 yards and three touchdowns. Last week he was 25 with 34 for 295 yards and five touchdowns and three touchdowns a week before as well.
00:34:56
Speaker
Himself McCaffrey, his relationship seems to be completely back on form. And The last one where he's dancing around and kind of just doesn't know what to do and then throws the ball to Kyle Juszczyk is just, it's mental. Like it's the kind of stuff that the commentator says, if Patrick Mahomes does that, they're talking about it for months. There's compilations made of it all over the place.
00:35:14
Speaker
Because it's Brock Purdy, people kind of just... Just kind of just, oh, laugh it off, like, oh, Joe, he's he's lucky, he won't do this very often. But he's he's shown in the last three weeks that he's he is a really, really good quarterback.
00:35:25
Speaker
This Niners team are really good. their Their defense is quite good as well. They didn't show it against the Bears here, but in general, they have some reader really, really solid pieces of defense as well. And they'll be a match to anyone when it comes to playoff time. I don't think anyone is going to want to play them at the form they're in.
00:35:39
Speaker
No, not at all. I think and'm Robert Sala, gone from the Jets over there, and I was their defensive coordinator, doing a superb job getting the guys right, especially with a lot of the players they're missing. and Most importantly, like their beating heart on defense is injured this season with... them God, heads heads just completely gone. Fred Warner being out. So yes that's just like a situation where you basically rip the heart out. You rip the quarterback out of the offense and they're still performing as well as they are. So props to Salah for that. And then, like you said, with Purdy, I actually think if he was not injured at all this season, he would be up there on that MVP race because the way he has played with this team when he has been out there,
00:36:29
Speaker
It's night and day. And for people to be suggesting that like Matt Jones could have been the starter for a few good games is just absolutely ridiculous because what Purdy can do for this team is huge. he He's one of the best like quarterbacks in the league. You're talking about passers just sitting in the pocket and and breaking things down and doing exactly what needs to be done. There's obviously guys who have better mobility and then can make plays out of the pocket like your Mahomes is like your Josh Allens. But...
00:36:57
Speaker
What he does is exceptional. And then he showed his movement, like you said, on that. Like he made like three people miss. And even then the linebacker had a chance to stay with Juszczyk, but he didn't because he was worried Perdy was going to run in because he had ran in earlier in the game. So it's like these things are clear progression from him and it's going to make for a massive matchup with the Seahawks on Sunday. But what about their win against the Panthers?
00:37:23
Speaker
der Their defense is just outrageous. it's They're just so good in defense. No one can do anything against them really. And if if they are going to go far, which I think they might, it's going to be on the defense. Jackson Smith Jigba is obviously a monster as well. And Sam Darnold having someone like him is really helpful. It's like you had Justin Jefferson last year. Jackson Smith and Jigba is just, he's his man. And...
00:37:46
Speaker
like If you're only going to score 13 points, but you're not going to look like you're in trouble of losing the game, then that's a really good sign. If you're you're having an off day and you still look like you're not going to be beaten, it's another team that no one's going to want to play in these playoffs. and like Walker wasn't on it, so Charbonnet was their running back. like so and he he's He's really, really good as well. He's an ah he's a unit of a man. and When he gets running, he's like Derrick Henry-Lyfe.
00:38:11
Speaker
just can run through people if you want. I just think they're a really, really good team. Ernest Jones is having some season. He's their most tackles and most interceptions for him. And just, he's not the only one. He's just a standout under the defence. Their defence is full of people who are just making plays over and over again. 13 points, like, shouldn't be enough to beat the Panthers team with the way they've been playing in the last couple of weeks, but the Panthers just could not get going at all against them.
NFL Game Insights
00:38:35
Speaker
Yeah, I think having holding Bryce Young to 54 yards and one interception after how well he's been playing in recent weeks just shows how good that Seahawks defense is and how well they drafted as well. Like Nick Imanwari is unbelievably good and he's just absolutely everywhere. Like I think he's one of only three players to have, and i think, a blocked field goal, a forced fumble and sack and an interception in one game. And the others are like all time greats. So he he's been just an excellent pickup and it shows that they did their homework. And I think having McDonald in there, he obviously highlighted the guys he wanted in the draft and who he wanted the team to pick up. And they've just absolutely been putting in the work with like Lawrence as well, picking him up in free agency.
00:39:23
Speaker
Just everything they've done is just makes perfect sense. It clicks together. And then Darnold on the other side of the ball, he makes a lot of mistakes. But when your defense is that good and you have a really big playability in you, then you could throw two interceptions, but then you might throw three big passes down the field and you win 21-14 because your defense has just been holding on all game, which is exactly what what they did when they came back against the Rams a few weeks ago. And Darren will just put it together at the key moments. And we haven't seen that much from him. I'd really like to see it on Sunday against the Niners and where he gets a chance to kind of
00:39:59
Speaker
avenge last season because last season it was the exact same situation they had the ability to win against the lions and get the one seed for the vikings and they lost and they went out in the wild card round and they lost so this time around he's in the same situation but it's with the seahawks if they get the win they clinch the one seed and bye week so if he can go out and correct the mistakes he made last season i think it it could really really really put him in a way better frame of mind for when they get into the playoffs.
00:40:31
Speaker
Yeah, I said after he lost to the Vikings last year that you can take the man out of the Jets, but you can't take the Jets out of the man. yeah I'm wondering if this is the year where he finally takes the Jets out of the man and just puts it on when he needs on the last game. And yeah, it it would be really important for him in particular, not just the team. The team would be fine anyway, but I just think for his state of of mind, if he could get this one over the line, it would make such a difference to him and for his confidence.
00:40:55
Speaker
yeah Yeah, I agree. that I actually like the Seahawks in this one. I just think and how good their defense is. that We did say how good Pardy is, but he can have games where he throws errant interceptions and trying to tries to force things. And the Seahawks are the perfect team to make him do that. And we saw how many points the Bears put up on the Niners. So if they can't sort that out, I think if the Seahawks managed to even put up 70% of what the Bears did, they're not going to score that many against this Seahawks defense, the Niners aren't. So and if we if I'm to pick it, i'm I'm going with the Seahawks here. Obviously, you picked the Niners in gun chance, but it is really quite a toss-up, I think.
00:41:35
Speaker
Yeah, that's what i said when were talking about gun chances, earlier that this can really go either way, but so I just didn't really like too many of the other matchups going on this weekend, so I went with that one because I think it's It's as close to a 50-50 as we'll get and the odds really kind of say that as well. It might be 51-49 in Seahawks' favour, but you never know on the day. depends on which quarterback shows up, which running back is able to do the most between McCaffrey and Walker and that's what it's going to come down to.
00:42:00
Speaker
Can the defences stop the big lads from running through? And we'll just have to wait and see. Yeah, yeah. So let's look at then That's kind of one picture covered off for the NFC one seed. Another storyline then is who's going to win the NFC South. We've got the Panthers and we've got the Bucks. Both have I inferred. can't believe one of these teams is going to get into the playoffs with some of the some of the performances they put on this season. It's just horrendous. Obviously, we just talked about how the Panthers lost to the Seahawks. The Bucs just looked like they did not want to play at all against the Dolphins. Even some of their players afterwards said, like, we weren't ready. We didn't deserve it.
00:42:39
Speaker
Like, how can you not be ready when you know you need to win to try and get yourself into the playoffs? It's just inexcusable, to be honest. And now they're in a situation where the Falcons... just somehow managed to beat the Rams i' on Monday Night Football. Kirk Cousins putting on quite a show.
00:42:56
Speaker
And now it could be a situation where even the Bucs go and beat the Panthers on Saturday, then if the Falcons beat the Saints on Sunday, the three teams will all have eight and nine records and it'll still go to the Panthers because the tiebreaker between the three teams will favor the Panthers. So now the books are in a situation where they lost to the Dolphins. It might not even be in their own hands. They can go out and win the final game of the season and they don't even get to the playoffs. So I think for that reason alone, they just don't deserve to be there. And I think the Panthers will beat them. But even if they don't, I just don't think it's going to work out for them. They don't they don't deserve to get there.
00:43:33
Speaker
Yeah, I think they like they went on a really good run kind of mid-season where Baker Mayfield looked like he could do no wrong. Everything he was doing was turning to gold. He was getting away with murder. He was trucking people.
00:43:45
Speaker
he just looked like he was a man on top form. And then... It's like they just just forgot what they were doing. they've just like Everything just gone out the window all of a sudden and nothing is working anymore. As you said, the weekend they were and they were just a shambles of a team. and They looked like a Jets team who had like two wins. They didn't look like a team with any sort of confidence, which is really strange. As you said, the position they put themselves in now is absolutely shambolic.
00:44:11
Speaker
I'm the same as you. like I hope the Panthers win this and the Bucs get a landing down on their arse because they deserve it from the way they've shown up over the last couple of weeks. They don't deserve anything from from this season at all.
00:44:22
Speaker
Yeah, 100%. And when we and talked about earlier in the season, I had that episode where we talked about early MVP chats with Cunnan, and both of us were saying that like Mayfield was doing well. But I said in that episode that some of the throws that he has been making, he was absolutely getting away with not having it more interceptions that early. and and yeah And that just kind of completely came back to Biden. He's after...
00:44:48
Speaker
kind of falling to the level that we saw at times when he was with the Browns before they got rid of him. He's still a super quarterback, but I don't think he's the guy that is going to get you like to the NFC championship game because he yes, he can have great games and he can randomly perform brilliantly. But when the team doesn't perform in a key game where you need them to, and they completely fall off at the money end of the season, even when all their talent and all their offensive pieces come back,
00:45:17
Speaker
It's not good enough if you can't perform at at those key moments. So, yeah, I really like the the Panthers to go out and get this done, and despite losing to the Seahawks, that they're a very tough team to lose to. But it either way, I think it's completely irrelevant because whichever team gets in here, it's essentially like a bye week for whoever has to play them. Like, it's just going to be an absolute annihilation. The Rams, Seahawks or Niners is going to be who they face in the first round of the playoffs.
00:45:43
Speaker
ah So those are probably the three best teams in the league. So yeah, it's kind of it's kind of over for them, even if they do manage to get through, in my opinion. Yeah, i agree with you. and Especially with the Rams. The Rams are just going to put up 40, 45 points on this team as that rest in their starters in the fourth quarter will literally be a bye week from. So yeah, just's just it's one of those games where if you could just erase it from memory once it's over and done with, you really wouldn't be missing out on anything. So yeah, it's time to move on really from yeah this...
00:46:13
Speaker
There's a reason why it's the Saturday 9.30 game. yeah They put it in its own window, but they've put it at the worst own window that they could possibly have because they know that even if the Bucs do win it, like they can't go and celebrate and get the T-shirts and the hats out because they to wait for Falcon. The last and key matchup, I think, is going to be the Steelers and Ravens. so that's Saturday night football. and They're putting in the late window on Saturday. It's at 1 a.m. m Irish time. So this is also for a division. So this is for the AFC North. We've got the Steelers in a position where they beat the Lions a couple of weeks ago and you thought, right, that's it. They just need to get the win against the Browns. But they absolutely dropped a stinker.
00:46:55
Speaker
Really, really bad. Aaron Rodgers is more concerned about not being the person that Myles Garrett broke the sack record against than actually winning the football game, which is exactly what Myles Garrett said as well after the game. So, you know, it's bad when even he's like saying you're just basically constantly looking at where I was rather than actually playing the game. and Forcing the ball three times to MVS to try and win it at the end is just embarrassing when they could have done literally anything else. So I don't know how they fell in the way they did to the Browns. It shouldn't have come down to that. They should have got the job done. The Browns only scored 13 points. And now the Ravens absolutely put the beatings on the Packers. Despite Malik Willis having a very good game and in that one, Tyler Huntley ran it and Derek Henry, four touchdowns in one game over 200 yards.
00:47:42
Speaker
Just in insane. I think the Ravens are going to come out and just rinse and repeat that same plan and just run it all all over the Steelers' aging defense. Yeah, like if the reason the Steelers did lose that Browns game is because they didn't want Mides Garrett to sack Aaron Rodgers.
00:47:58
Speaker
he was like He's a man that it's time for him to pack it in at the end of season. and If they somehow go and win a Super Bowl here, which they're obviously not going to do, but if they somehow fluked away to a Super Bowl, he still needs to pack it in because he's he's absolutely over and done with. He's far, far over the hill now. just The fact he's even playing this year is bad enough.
00:48:15
Speaker
Is Lamar back? I don't know. I don't know if he's going to be. They haven't said yet. i don't do but I don't actually think it's going to make any honeyco kind of a difference really because as you said, just give the ball to Henry after what he did last week and heal he mightn't get 200 yards and four touchdowns but he could very well get 150 yards and two touchdowns and that would be the killing of this game. The Seeders don't have it in him to put Anton up to this Ravens team who...
00:48:40
Speaker
The fact they're in this position is really impressive. that The fact they still of have a hope of getting the playoffs and with with the way their season went and all their injuries is is a really impressive thing. But neither of these teams have a Super Bowl challenge in them, whoever gets through.
00:48:51
Speaker
Anyway, so it's another one of these games that sit back, and enjoy it and then just forget it ever happened because it's not going to matter after this week anyway. I think the Ravens will win it and I think they could win it handsomely here as well.
00:49:04
Speaker
Yeah, I think they'll get the win. I think they'll get ahead early and the Steelers won't be able to catch them even though they are at home. I just think as well that and Tyler Huntley might even be a better option to play because Lamar has looked so not himself this season. He just doesn't look like he's...
00:49:22
Speaker
really able to to run this offense the way that they want to and Huntley is has the same kind of makeup and how he plays using his legs um and things like that like Lamar does obviously he's nowhere near his level but he's basically plugging in someone who knows the offense and can do the same thing and so I think they might actually be better continuing to run with him until Lamar is 100% you don't want to be putting him and putting them back out there at 70% again and seeing how he's performed this season that hasn't worked so I would definitely go up frontally if there's even any question marks about Lamar at this point yeah I do kind of agree with you I think you made some really good points especially if Lamar is kind of anchoring to get out as well then what's the point in playing them to the point where he's just kind of
00:50:10
Speaker
not bothered really by the looks
Eagles and Cowboys Controversies
00:50:11
Speaker
of things. So you might as well leave Huntley in there if he's the one that actually cares more than LeMaire does at this moment in time. And just before we move on from the NFL, I want to talk about two things.
00:50:21
Speaker
Really quickly, I want to touch on the Eagles not having any passes in the second half. against the Bills. I know they still won the game, but that's absolutely criminal. I want to talk about Dallas shooting themselves in the foot again by releasing Trayvon Dees because he wanted to stay in Washington for Christmas.
00:50:36
Speaker
Yeah. i that been Firstly, anyway, on the Eagles thing, just to add to that, there's been 10 instances of teams that threw for less than five passing yards in a half this season. The Eagles have three of them and they've won all three of those games.
00:50:53
Speaker
It's just absolutely ridiculous like what their defence is able to do for them, and that's not going to hold up in the playoffs. Then on the Cowboys, no what on earth are are they doing? like If that reporting is 100% true that Schottenheimer was like, no, you have to come back with us, and Diggs is like, well, I have time off for Christmas anyway.
00:51:13
Speaker
My family lives in Washington. I'm going to fly straight back. And they're like, no, no, you're not. You have to come back with us then. And that's the reason why they cut him, because he didn't agree with that. That is just ridiculous. And you see a playoff team in the Packers have looked like they're going to pick him up now. And he's... Yeah, they picked him up straight away. So what are the Cowboys thinking?
00:51:34
Speaker
I think it's one of the more mental things Gerry has done this year and he's done quite a lot of mad things over this year but he might be the one that made this decision but he's the one that would have to sign off on releasing him or waiving him as as the saying goes like the Packers I'd say were licking lips when they saw it and they're like oh get himself and Micah Parsons back together yes please yeah and I think it's absolutely mad and it's it's gonna be it's so helpful to the Packers that they've picked him up now going into the playoffs because he's's he's a really, really solid piece to have on any defense and for the Cowboys to not get anything for him, just to wave him and kind of give up on any sort of trade value I think is absolutely mental. I don't get it at all.
00:52:15
Speaker
And it's joy it's just so Cowboys, it's so Jerry and it's just, it's the maddest thing. of It's one of the maddest stories of this year if the reporting around it is true. Just a pure throwing your toys out of the pram situation at the end of the season when yeah you're just trying to be make it even worse for yourself. Like you said, just letting him team back up with Parsons and someone who he's friends with. And the Packers are just like, what are the Cowboys doing this season? They're basically making our defense for us over here. Like,
00:52:46
Speaker
But let's move on then to our final piece, which is our power rankings going into the weekend. So ill I'll give mine first. Last week I had OKC, Rams, Seahawks, City, Arsenal and Knicks.
00:53:00
Speaker
I've got two new entries here and I've got a new number one. So number one for me right now is the Seahawks. They went out and they beat the Panthers. The Rams...
00:53:10
Speaker
Yeah, for me, they're probably the most talented team in football and they've played one of the hardest schedules we've seen in recent memory. But if you lose in in um the fashion they did against the Falcons, you're you're sorry, you're going to have to give up the top NFL spot in this. And OKC are on a bit of a slide, so they're gone down. and Next up, I have the San Antonio Spurs.
00:53:31
Speaker
They've just been brilliant lately, taken down the OKC three times in a few weeks, and they're very close to them now and as the second seed in the West. Third, I've got the 49ers as a new entry. The way they've closed the season is massive, giving themselves a chance to get the number one seed. I think they deserve to be in this position. and i still do think the Rams are probably the the best, as I said. They're better than these two, but right now, in terms of power, in terms of what the teams are doing, they've got to be three for me.
00:53:59
Speaker
Four then is OKC. They just slide down. Fifth then is City, they moved down a spot. And sixth is Arsenal, they also moved down a spot. So they're all moving down to accommodate for the other teams. Fair enough. Last week I had OKC, Villa, Rams, Patriots, Knicks and City. So I think I have two new entries as well.
00:54:20
Speaker
OKC do hold top spot for me for the moment. But I'd like you know if they continue with the slide run at the moment, they won't be there next week. San Antonio Spurs are in it too for me as well. They're actually playing like the best team in basketball at the moment because of OKC's slide. So I can't just bring in a new entry and throw them into top spots unless they're Liverpool. So they come in at second. Man City are up to third for me.
00:54:42
Speaker
Five wins in a row now and they're just ticking along really nicely. So they were sixth last week and they had seven wins in a row actually. So they're on eight or nine wins in a row now. So they're up to third for me. Rams drop 1-4, Patriots drop 1-5 Arsenal rejoin after beating Villa. So it's OKC, Spurs City, Rams, Patriots, Arsenal.
00:55:03
Speaker
I know the Patriots only beat the Jets, but they made it look very, very easy. but The Jets made it look easy for them, but they've won their division and they're just, they're really, really good. So they're i use as much as I would like to bring in the Seahawks or the 49ers, the Patriots haven't done anything to get dropped out just yet.
00:55:19
Speaker
Yeah, no good list. We've got some overlap there and getting the Spurs in pretty high for both of us, I think, as well as Art, because what they've done lately is is absolutely immense. But yes, I've heard.
00:55:32
Speaker
So kicking off the new year with another episode. Hope you enjoyed the new year special. and We're going to be back to the usual scheduling from next week coming out every Friday. So back to normal um for episode 56 and onwards. And yeah, let's let's get it going again for another great year.
00:55:51
Speaker
Welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball with Shane and James.