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Goal Line: Bo Knows
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The Fig God discusses the shocking pre-Christmas elimination of KC and all the rest of the news from the football world
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Transcript
Introduction and Weekend Preview
00:00:11
Speaker
What is up, Goal Line listeners? I am back for another week of the Goal Line podcast, and I can't wait to get into all the football we saw from this past weekend, as well as look forward to the weekend ahead. We've got ah college football playoffs this weekend. and We've got NFL starting on Saturday this weekend. It's going to be a a good weekend of football, and I can't wait to talk about it with you guys.
00:00:35
Speaker
um There's really not much to talk about in college football. We'll go over a couple things. But yeah, let's get into it.
College Football: Penn State Coaching Decision
00:00:52
Speaker
Okay, so since I recorded, i don't remember if I mentioned this in the last one, so I'll start with this. Matt Campbell was hired at Penn State. I think I did mention it, but... um I still don't know what to think of this move. I think they would have been better off keeping James Franklin personally, but whatever. It's done now.
Recap: Navy vs. Army Game
00:01:11
Speaker
um We had two football games this weekend for college. a Navy beat Army. um That game is always so much fun to watch. There's just, there there's so much that surrounds it and it just, it always makes you feel good when you watch that game. um It was a good game. It was fun to watch. They always get ah cool uniforms for that game as well. So those are always cool to see. um But yeah, it it was a, it was a good fun game.
College Football: Washington vs. Boise State
00:01:40
Speaker
And then ah Washington absolutely destroyed Boise state on Saturday night
00:01:46
Speaker
There was nobody at that game either. there That's just playing a game that early is just insane to me. um But either way, College Bowls kind of officially start today. um There's one game tonight. And then, like I said, there's playoffs this weekend. So, yeah, we're ah we're there and we're going to start getting
College Football Playoff Predictions
00:02:06
Speaker
into it. Um, let me go through, i'm i'm going to do my picks for this weekend's, um, college football playoff games, and then we'll just kind of move into NFL. This will probably be a shorter podcast today, just cause there wasn't really anything anything to talk about in college. And yeah, we'll just take it from there.
00:02:25
Speaker
ah Friday night, we have number nine Alabama going to number eight Oklahoma. I like Alabama in this game. I talked about it last week. I do not love what Oklahoma's offense has done this season. I do think Alabama will score enough points to win this game, and they actually are a road favorite, so...
00:02:44
Speaker
Yeah, going to be interesting game. Saturday at 11, we have Miami, number 10 Miami, traveling to number 7, Texas A&M. I like A&M in this game. I think they they have the better team, and i think it'll show on Saturday. um Texas A&M is a three-and-a-half-point favorite.
00:03:02
Speaker
i think that's probably about right, honestly. I think it'll be a close game, but I do think Texas A&M has a better team. We have number 22 Lane going to number 6, Ole Miss.
00:03:14
Speaker
us I just don't see a way that Tulane stays in this game. I know Lane Kiffin left and everything like that, but Ole Miss is just a better team, and I think they're going play inspired football.
00:03:27
Speaker
And then Saturday night, the last one, number 24, James Madison going to number five, Oregon. This is going to be a massacre. ah I wish that I could see a scenario which James Madison stayed in this game, but I do not see one. I think this game gets ugly fast.
00:03:44
Speaker
And, ah yeah, I just – I do not like – I don't like this matchup at all for James Madison. Then next week we kind of get deep into bowl season, which I know a lot has been made about bowls and they're meaningless and stuff. But, I mean, a lot of these guys are – they're still playing for – For something, you know, I mean, a lot of these guys, this is their last football game they'll ever play.
00:04:07
Speaker
So there is still some things to play
NFL Week Recap
00:04:09
Speaker
for. But yeah, we'll get into that next week when we officially get into bowl season. um That's really it for college. Let's get into some NFL talk.
00:04:29
Speaker
Okay. As always, we're going start off with my Falcons. Um, they played last Thursday night against the bucks. This was,
00:04:42
Speaker
I'm happy. They won. I am really happy. They won. I'm happy. Kyle pits had a ah breakout game. It was fun to watch. Dijon obviously looked incredible. Kirk cousins on Thursday night is just unmatched. Um,
00:04:56
Speaker
The Falcons had 19 penalties in this game, and it could have been more, honestly. ah i do not like how sloppy this team is. And a lot of that is on the coaching. So it's just – it's bad. it Again, I'm not going to downplay the win. that They won the game. They they deserve to win. Well, i don't know if they deserve win, but they did win the game. They did enough at the end of the game to win. So – I was happy with the win. I was extremely happy um to beat the Bucs.
00:05:30
Speaker
That team's falling off a cliff. Their defense is horrible. I don't i don't do not see a good outlook at all for the Bucs moving forward. they're just They're not playing good football at all.
00:05:40
Speaker
um They got Mike Evans back. He still looked good, which shocking. Mike Evans looked good. so um That's good news for them. but Outside of that, the Bucs just look like a train wreck right now.
00:05:53
Speaker
But again, Falcons win. Good win for them. Defense did enough at the end. So, yeah, got the W. And um i just this week's not going to be a huge rant for me because they won.
In-Depth NFL Analysis
00:06:05
Speaker
i mean, they're still not a good football team, but they did win. So I can't give them too much grief over that.
00:06:13
Speaker
Uh, Titans lost to the 49ers. mean, I think everybody kind of saw this one coming. Titans are just, there's not there yet. 49ers just kind of kicked the shit out of them. Um,
00:06:26
Speaker
Yeah, it just it kind of just was there. Cam Ward continues to show signs of ah improvement, I think. I still still think he'll be a really good quarterback eventually. They just need to surround him with better weapons and things like that. So, yeah, I mean, kind of expected.
00:06:44
Speaker
ah The Texans keep winning. Yeah. I think this team seriously might end up running the table at this point as far as regular season goes. They're going to be hot going into the playoffs. they They play a lot of bad teams from here on out. So, yeah, it'll be interesting to see if they keep playing well. Their defense is playing really well. Their offense is starting to come along. So, yeah, we'll kind of just keep an eye on it.
00:07:10
Speaker
um The Jags destroyed the Jets. They're just – The Jets are bad. Very bad football team. The Jags are playing really well, though. I'll give them credit. they ah Their defense is flying around. Their offense is starting to get it together. They're going to an exciting team to watch. Now, granted, they'll probably go one and done in the playoffs that don't expect much from this team, but they are playing good football right now.
00:07:31
Speaker
ah Eagles blanked the Raiders. I think anybody could have seen the Eagles getting a get-right game against the Raiders. I think the Raiders are going to be everyone's get-right game. They are a very, very, very, very bad football team. Pete Carroll looks completely confused out there.
00:07:46
Speaker
Looks like he has no idea what he's doing. So, yeah. mean, the Eagles needed a game like that after the last couple weeks. So, it was a good win for them. uh commanders beat the giants this game was actually pretty enjoyable to watch i mean it was sloppy football but there was some scoring in it and yeah i just i was surprised the commanders won honestly i thought the giants would win this game um but again not a huge surprise either way uh the bills beat the patriots after being about down 21-0 um
00:08:21
Speaker
Josh Allen just absolutely throws his team on his back every week. I know I've talked about it before. I've discussed it on this podcast. it just It's incredible to me what he does for this team. like it just he does everything.
00:08:34
Speaker
The receiving core is not good. It's just it's not a good receiving core at all. and He just kind of makes it work, and he throws it together. Bill's defense kind of came alive in the second half. The Patriots' defense just folded. Yeah.
00:08:49
Speaker
it was like That's a great win for the Bills, though, and a win they needed. um ravens blank The blanked the Bengals. I do not know what the hell happened to the Bengals in this game.
00:09:02
Speaker
I seriously thought this was going to be a really close game, and the Bengals were just going to stay in. Joe Burrow played probably his worst game I've ever seen him play in NFL. um I still don't trust the Ravens. i just...
00:09:15
Speaker
I don't. There's a lot of things I don't like about this team, their defense being one of them. Their offense just really doesn't have it going. I just, I mean, yeah, they definitely needed this win, but are we like getting excited over this win? i mean, is anybody changing their thoughts about the Ravens because they beat the Bengals? I'm certainly not. The Bears just handled the Browns. um kind of expected. i did feel like the Bears moved the ball easier than I thought they would on the Browns defense, but I didn't expect the Browns to do much offensively, and that's exactly what happened.
00:09:53
Speaker
um Yeah. There's just not a whole lot to talk about in this game. so ah The Seahawks beat the Colts in... I don't even know. Phillip Rivers came back, obviously, and He looked like a 44-year-old man. um Seahawks offense just did not look good. I mean, they kicked six field goals to win. It's just not a good game from Seahawks offense. But you know what, man? Good teams find a way to win, and they found a way to win this game. So hats off to the Seahawks. They they did find a way to win.
00:10:29
Speaker
ah The Saints beat the Panthers. Panthers just had an absolutely gold-knocked opportunity to take a one-game lead in the NFC South, and of course they squandered it. So now the Bucs are back in first place at 7-7.
00:10:41
Speaker
This division is horrible, just absolutely miserable. um The Saints are showing signs of improvement. I feel like they have been getting gradually better as the season's been going on.
00:10:52
Speaker
This was a bad loss for the Panthers, though, like and a loss they really couldn't afford. ah The Broncos beat the Packers in a game where miles gart or not miles garrett um Michael Parsons goes down for the season with a torn ACL.
00:11:08
Speaker
This really good game. It truly was a good game. um Michael Parsons going down kind of took the wind out of Green Bay sales defensively. And um Bo Nix just they just keep winning. Like I want to keep doubting this team, but man, they just keep winning. They're they're playing good football. Defense is playing well. um Offense does enough. I mean, it's kind of getting hard to doubt this team. Like I know it seems like you should be doubting them and they are winning one score game. So, yeah.
00:11:38
Speaker
Yeah, the the Broncos are a team to beat in the AFC. ah Rams beat the Lions in a fantastic game. like This game was very exciting.
00:11:50
Speaker
Two of the best offenses in the NFL. um The Rams are just... I keep saying it, man. The the Rams are they they look so good. They did lose Devontae Adams in this game. It looks like he's going to miss a couple weeks. Puka got hurt in this game, but he did come back. so That's good news for them. They got a short week, though, against the Seahawks this week. so We'll see what they look like on Thursday night.
00:12:15
Speaker
um But good win for the Rams. That's a devastating loss for the Lions. I know using that against the Rams is kind of wild, but the Lions needed to win that game.
00:12:25
Speaker
um They're on the outside looking in right now, so we'll we'll see how they end up the rest of the season. um The last of the 3 o'clock games, the Chargers beat the Chiefs and ended the Chiefs season.
00:12:38
Speaker
So if you would have told me before the season that the Chiefs would be eliminated from the playoffs before Christmas, would have told you you're crazy. This was just not a good season for them.
00:12:49
Speaker
um I honestly don't know where they go from here.
00:12:56
Speaker
Mahomes tore his ACL in this game. Obviously, I buried the lead there by not saying that. I just, I really don't know where they go from here. Travis Kelsey obviously looks like a shell of himself. He's probably, if I had to guess, I would guess he's going to lean towards retiring. Um, they need to overhaul a lot of this roster.
00:13:14
Speaker
Um,
00:13:17
Speaker
Yeah, the the deep play is just not there at all for this team. I thought Xavier Worthy would step in and be that deep ball threat, but they just they cannot throw the ball downfield. Everything is underneath. Chargers just kind of played a shell defense and kept everything in front of them, and it worked.
00:13:34
Speaker
I mean, truly, it worked. But again, this is nothing to take away from the Chiefs. I mean, they had one of the best seven-year runs you'll probably ever see. Like, it just – Mahomes played in a conference championship game every year since he started.
00:13:49
Speaker
um So, yeah, it's just, it's crazy, man. And the NFL is crazy. you usually don't even get this long being on top. So I, obviously I live in Nebraska, so there's a lot chiefs fans around here and,
00:14:04
Speaker
I just think a lot of them forgot that like the Chiefs haven't always been great. i mean, this has been a great seven-year run, but they haven't always been great. So, yeah, hats off to the Chiefs. Great football team. Just didn't have it this season.
00:14:18
Speaker
ah Sunday night we had the Vikings beating the Cowboys in Dallas. I didn't know what to expect from this game. The Vikings scored a hell of a lot more points than I thought they would. And then the Cowboys ah offense just kind of sputtered at times in this game. I just, I don't know.
00:14:35
Speaker
I don't. Cowboys are that probably kind of ended their season. Um, now they need the, the Eagles to lose out and they need to win out. The Eagles got the commanders twice. So I don't, I don't think the Eagles are going to lose. I think Eagles at least when one of those games, so Eagles probably win that division at this point.
00:14:54
Speaker
Um, last night we had the Steelers beat the dolphins to is still cannot win when it's under 20 degrees. Oh, for whatever, seven, whatever he is now. um kind of an ugly game. Aaron Rodgers had a good game last night. I actually thought he looked really good last night.
00:15:11
Speaker
um He played some good football, threw the ball really well. So, yeah, it'll be interesting to see where the Steelers go from here. But I'm still not sold on that team. I still think they have a lot of flaws, but they needed that win last night, and they got it done. And like I said, it Aaron Rodgers looked good doing it. Yeah.
00:15:31
Speaker
That's a wrap on this week in the NFL. let's ah Let's do some week 16 picks.
NFL Week 16 Predictions
00:15:41
Speaker
Thursday night, as I just mentioned, is the 11-3 Rams visiting the 11-3 Seahawks.
00:15:50
Speaker
Usually i like the home team here on a short week. I just think the Rams are a better team. This is nothing against the Seahawks, but I do not love what the Seahawks ah offenses look like the last three or four games. So I'm going to go Rams here. I do think this is gonna be a really close game, though.
00:16:09
Speaker
ah Saturday afternoon, we have the nine of five Eagles traveling to the 4-10 Commanders. I think the Eagles win this game and wrap up the NFC East. i just They just need to wrap it up at this point.
00:16:23
Speaker
Saturday night, we have the 9-4-1 Packers traveling to the 10-4 Bears. I think the Packers get them. I do not feel great about this Bears team going down the stretch. They have three games left.
00:16:37
Speaker
They have the Packers, the Niners, and the Lions. They're going to need at least one of them. They got to find a way to win one of those games. so The Packers just always have their number. I mean...
00:16:51
Speaker
Not having Micah is a problem for the Packers, but I just feel like they're going get him again. ten and four Bills traveling to the 3-11 Browns. I'll go Bills.
00:17:04
Speaker
The 10-4 Chargers traveling to the 6-7-1 Cowboys.
00:17:11
Speaker
I'll go Chargers here. i just Like I said, I did not like what I saw from Dallas on Sunday night.
00:17:18
Speaker
Uh, the six and eight chiefs traveling to the two and 12 Titans.
00:17:25
Speaker
Maybe we'll get some, uh, some magic out of the old Minshew again. ah I don't think the chiefs are going to lose the Titans even without my homes.
00:17:36
Speaker
i I just don't see it.
00:17:40
Speaker
Uh, four and 10 bangles traveling to the six and eight dolphins.
00:17:45
Speaker
Guess I'll go Bengals here. i mean, it's a game that doesn't matter at all. 3-11 Jets traveling to the 4-10 Saints. I'll go Saints here. 6-8 Vikings traveling to the 2-12 Giants.
00:18:01
Speaker
um I'll go Vikings here.
00:18:05
Speaker
Oh, man, this is going to be a good one. 7-7 Bucks traveling to the Panthers.
00:18:11
Speaker
I'm going to go Bucs here. I just, I do not like what I saw from the Panthers on Sunday at all. It just showed a lot of signs of a young, weak team. And I just, I don't love it. So I'm going to go with the Bucs on the road.
00:18:26
Speaker
ah Five and nine Falcons traveling to the three and 11 Cardinals. mean, I guess I'll pick the Falcons. I i don't love it. And, but I just, the Cardinals are not great.
00:18:39
Speaker
10-4 Jaguars traveling to the 12-2 Broncos. Who would have thought those two records before the season started? I think the Broncos keep it going. I just i think they're a better team overall. 8-6 Steelers traveling to the 8-6 Lions. I'm going to go Lions in this game.
00:18:58
Speaker
Oh, boy. 2-12 Raiders traveling to the 9-5 Texans. This is going to massacre. Houston by a lot.
00:19:07
Speaker
Sunday night, we have the 11-3 Patriots traveling to the 7-7 Ravens. The Ravens season is kind of on the line every week now. I feel like they need to win out. um I'm going to go Patriots, though.
00:19:20
Speaker
And then Monday night, we've got the 10-4 49ers traveling to the 8-6 Colts.
Listener Q&A
00:19:27
Speaker
Oh, boy.
00:19:31
Speaker
I'm going to go Niners. there's I don't think Phillip Rivers is going to get a win. Okay, I do have some Lister mail this week. A couple of friends of mine sent me a couple questions to answer on the air. First one is from my friend Mike. When do you see the Broncos exiting the playoffs and how is Sean Payton cheating this year?
00:19:54
Speaker
he i mean, I'm sure there's some behind the scenes of how Sean Payton's cheating. He's probably got the um semi-truck full Adderall backed up to the facility every day. I'm i'm sure there's a lot to it.
00:20:07
Speaker
um as far as when I see them exiting, don't know, man. I think they're going to get the one seed. I really do. I feel like their schedule is favorable enough for them to get the one seed.
00:20:20
Speaker
Um, I'll say they make the conference championship.
00:20:29
Speaker
Uh, my buddy Alex asked, is the chief's dynasty officially over? And do you think they'll ever win another super bowl? Um, um,
00:20:40
Speaker
I don't think it's over. ah i mean, as long as they have Mahomes, which we'll see how long it takes him to recover from this, but he will play next season. i just think i don't think it's over yet. I think they'll retool, um come back next year. i mean, they got a lot of things they got to correct, but I still feel like with Andy Reid at the helm and having Patrick Mahomes, i feel like you've still got a chance.
00:21:09
Speaker
ah Mike asked right after that, does Andy Reid retire? I don't think he retires yet. i think it's coming sooner than later, but I think he's probably got two, three years left. Alex asks, are the Eagles Super Bowl contenders if their offense continues to disappoint?
00:21:31
Speaker
i don't think... I think they're still Super Bowl contenders, but I do not love the metrics of their offense at all. like Their offense just looks so bad. Yeah, I don't think they are this year.
00:21:46
Speaker
Which of the three teams in the NFC West do you trust the most, and why is the least the Seahawks? I probably trust the Seahawks a little bit more than the forty nine ers but...
00:21:57
Speaker
I trust the Rams more than any of them. I just, I think the Rams are a complete team. Why does it appear that the NFC has so many better teams in the AFC?
00:22:13
Speaker
Yeah. Top half of the NFC is really good. I mean, you have the NFC West that those three teams are all really good. The NFC North has three really good teams as well. Like,
00:22:25
Speaker
yeah I don't know the reasoning behind it. ah The here's what I'll say. Like the AFC with the Broncos and the, the Patriots, they just seem like younger teams to me, like in my mind, like I picture them as younger teams just because they have younger quarterbacks. I feel like the more up and coming teams are in the AFC. NFC has more established teams.
00:22:50
Speaker
ah Who do you trust the most in this quarterback class? Well, Arch already announced he's going back to Texas.
00:23:01
Speaker
I mean, dude, are you really putting your future in Fernando Mendoza? That is going to brutal. yeah I honestly don't know.
00:23:16
Speaker
ah i mean,
00:23:21
Speaker
let me look at this real quick.
00:23:26
Speaker
Everybody kind of thinks it's a foregone conclusion that Mendoza goes one. I like Dante more out of Oregon, I guess. Who else do they have going in the first round for QBs?
00:23:40
Speaker
I don't love any of them, to be completely honest with you. It's this is not a good quarterback class, I would say. um Yeah, I know you're asking that for dynasty purposes, but I guess the I guess I would say Dante Moore would be the one I would trust the most.
00:23:59
Speaker
ah That's a wrap this week, guys. um Thanks, Mike and Alex, for giving me some last-minute questions. I got to get better at posting listener mail. I always forget about it until the last minute. So, um yeah, that's it for this week. Enjoy the football this weekend.
Conclusion and Weekend Reminders
00:24:13
Speaker
And then, ah yeah, next week and so or next week is Christmas. So we are ah we are nearing the end of the year and nearing the end of nfl regular season. So let's just enjoy it while we got it, and I will talk to you guys next week.
00:24:59
Speaker
We'll be right back.