The Around the NFL podcast. Two media insiders and Mark Cessler. From Chris Wesleyan Podcast Studio. It's Around the NFL. And my mania is I'm mad that Greg somehow is claiming to be a media insider. And then hasn't broken anything in his life but some dishes in the kitchen over here.

What's the track record? But I also don't like how it went for me.

Well, it went for you.

The worst. This is like the lock competition. I just win.

Dan, Greg, all the guys. I just win. All right, here we are. Week 14. Can you believe it?

It's juicy. I can. It feels like another life that we were getting ready to go to London, and that was week six.

I got that expense report in just under the deadline.

By the way. I have not filed it yet.

When is the deadline? You're taking the loss.

You're taking it. Hurry up on it. Had I even filed it, I can promise you, I was taking it a massive L to.

Begin with. This is the last buy week, and it's the Cardinals, and it is the- Commandos. -commandos on buy. Which is interesting because those teams, there's very few teams that are out of it because of just the nature of the bottom of the playoff fields here. Everyone seems to be pretty much alive for the most part, but those two teams aren't. We're going to talk about a lot of games that, while not all of them are gorgeous in terms of matchup, intrigue, and allure, they all have meaning for the most part. Does everyone have playoff?

Yes. Every single game, still. I would say looking up and down the roster because my concern is there's no way not to discuss each of these games at length. The film Gandhi, if you've ever seen it, was three hours and eleven minutes long, starring Ben Kingsley. I believe this show might equal that runtime based on the fact that no games include Two Stinkers.

That's a challenge.

It used to be you would use Site Gandhi as a long movie.

But.

Now it's like- But now an Iron Man movie seven hours. It's manageable now. Can we.

Just- Yeah, it's manageable. -rein it in?

Yeah. Hollyweird. We got that one. All right, let's get into it. We have the draft coming up, but let's start with the final time of the game.

Let's start with the best game of the week.

Yes, there are two incredible games on the schedule, and I mean, incredible. I had to give a little pop to the AI schedulemakers. For years, we heard about the sweaty men in the office on Park Avenue, locked in there for months at a time. - Men.

And women.

They still are doing that. Actually, I used to visit that room. There weren't any women. That's a bad job at the NFL.

That's a problem.

For the NFL. I worked right next to it. It was three men.

They just.

Stuck them in there.

It was actually they sealed the door. They opened up a latch. They would slide in food and drink and come out when the schedule makes sense. We don't need to do that. Then Peter King would write a glowing profile and away we go. Now you got the Robits handling it. The Robits have been doing... Have anybody noticing the back end of this regular season schedule? There is a hammer drop of a game or two every single week. Robits. Give the Robit.

The credit. It took that technology to handle this.

Let's start with Sunday Night Football. It is the Philadelphia Eagles at the Dallas Cowboys. It is, yes, certainly one of the most important and impactful games on the schedule this season because it really, and of course, there's a big three here, the San Francisco 49ers, who just did their business trouncing the Eagles, dropping them to ten and two and making this a real foot race now for the number one seed, the all-important number one seed. I'm not going to get ahead of myself, but I think the number one seed that gets the home field advantage, that might be the difference between these three great teams. It's not important to get that number one seed. Now it's the Eagles looking to hold on to first place and then the NFC East and the Cowboys, Greggie, looking to tie them, which a couple of weeks ago didn't seem possible. But the way the schedule set up.

Here we go. It did seem possible. On this podcast, the night the Eagles lost, I actually said, keep an eye out when these two teams play again, it's not in that long, they'll probably be playing for NFC. All right, Barry Harwood. Here we go. I should have had that clip played.

I'm just setting it up for fun.

But yes, you win, Greg. I'm just saying the Cowboys' chances of getting the division, though, are over if they don't win this. This is as big a game as any team has this week. The Cowboys are favored by three and a half in this game. That's pretty spicy. The over-under is 52 and a half. That's spicy. I think the Cowboys are favored, despite their recent history against the Eagles because there's such clear concerns for the Eagles. The secondary and the linebackers, we've talked about that. It's a whole group of players on this Eagles team that's playing below average. All the defensive numbers over the last half of season, basically eight games, are below average. They're a mediocre defense, and it's all because of that back end. That back end having to match up against Jake Ferguson, who had played really well against them and the guys for the Cowboys passing game. Then it's the offensive running game. They're just not a great running team right now. They're not consistent enough actually trying to run. Part of that is Jalen Hertz isn't doing it as much, but a lot of it is just not committing to it and not being as explosive with the Andre Swift as they were early in the year.

Yeah, we had this recent evidence of Philly's defense, which last year was such a dominant strength, being completely shredded by the other Premier team in this conference. Dallas right now is playing at that level where if you had doubts about them before, I don't know. I mean, Doug Prescott and his chase for the MVP has been the most effective downfield thrower over the past month-plus. He's been the best quarterback on third down. I feel like the stars in Dallas, with their top heavy elements of the roster have been shining. If you look at home and road splits don't really matter for chunks of teams, but they do matter for the Cowboys. They have just been simply dominant at home. I guess in another universe, back in the '80s or '90s, I'd be concerned that their head coach, Zadi, Mike McCarthy, has been out with an appendicitis scenario. I don't love that. I don't love it. But the thing is, he's already back. Because now one thing that Weiss told us about appendix operations now, they just stick a little tube into you and suck that appendix out. It's much easier.

He's got how many...

I don't know.

It doesn't sound easy to me. He's already home on Zoom. What's wrong with your insights? Exactly. He's already home on Zoom meetings. It's like, does that.

Really matter anymore? He's also got Dan Quinn, Brian Schottenheimer, Mike Solari, who is around with The Cowboys in the night. He has a very experienced coaching staff, is my point.

This is the biggest game of the year for The Cowboys. The head coach, who is the head of The enterprise, he was doubled over in agony at some point, I'm sure, on Tuesday. Well, they said he's going into.

The hospital. Well, Dan Quinn said he walked by. At one point, they encountered each other because, Carthay, went to the office. Have you ever encountered someone that was about to get a... I have not. I have when I was a child, and it's a ghost, the person becomes a ghost.

I'm saying that doesn't sound, it seems like a bit of a distraction. But there's a reason why Dan Quinn is making like $10 million a year or whatever. They have a nice staff in there to hold it down. I'm not too worried about that. The Eagles, despite their issues on defense, which are considerable, they have allowed over 260 passing yards per game. They've already allowed 27 passing touchdowns to their opponents this year. That's bottom four in the League. Prescott, even in that narrow loss to the Eagles, lit them up for 374 and three touchdowns. It really sets up well here for Prescott not only to have another big game and move his team into first place, but also really, I think, take, with all due respect to your boy, Brock Purdy, I think he becomes the MVP favorite with a big game and a big spot here. The Eagles, though, they hold it in their hands. We've been talking about it for weeks. This killer, killer slate of games for the past month. Home Against Cowboys at Kansas City, Home Buffalo, Home 49ers at Dallas. If they win this game, bye-bye, Dallas, because they will have swept them the head to head.

And then they get they come out of that gauntlet. They have at Seattle, home giants, home cardinals, at giants. They can win out and win the conference. And that is what they're thinking right now. They don't even give San Francisco a chance to already have their third loss.

At Seattle, not an easy game, though. I mean, the.

Cowboys-not as hard as it looks.

I mean, it's the right spot. I hear what you're saying, but we're saying how great the Cowboys are at home and they just gave up 35 points and had to win at the buzzer against the Seahawks. The part of that schedule that worries me most for Philadelphia is just the fatigue. It's not just the fact that the Cowboys are on extra rest. I've been on the extra rest bandwagon all season, and they've got the extra rest in this game, which I think is important. It's more the mental extra rest of the Eagles have been playing these great teams week after week after week after week, and different injuries have been stacking up for them week after week. Maybe Dallas Goddards is back for this game, but I need a little more out of their star pass rushers. That's who's looked fatigued to me. They're playing a Cowboys line that's been piquing. Because for all the attention on the back end, the guys upfront need to be special. Jaylen Carter has been great. It's not a single person that's been bad, but as a group, they've just been good and they need to be amazing. That's how their team is built.

If they're not amazing, Jack's going to have a ton of time. I just have zero concerns right now about this Cowboys offense. I'm not going to bring out the Rainmaker, but the over-under to me, this is going to be a score-fest. I just like both of these teams to score a lot.

Can I ask a dumb question? Because I hate this conversation, but it's like, Jack Prescott, you can look at EPA, you can look at all these stats and all this stuff, and he lines up as an MVP. But go back to the days of Troy Impian. Quarterbacks from the past two would win these awards.

I don't think he ever won.

Well, I would talk about Cowboys quarterbacks in huge moments against division rivals. Doug cannot go on two against the Eagles and make a large argument to win MVP based off of metrics and stats and a bunch of PFF things. Probably true. You got to win this. Also for the story of the Cowboys, and it's not just for the entire team, you cannot go 0-2.

They played the easiest schedule in the NFL according to DVOA so far, the Cowboys. Yeah, they need a big time signature. Well, that's a great point, Mark. To his credit, he had to put up 40 to beat the Seahawks. I'm not.

Even making a point.

-he had.

To score. -cowboy should win this game.

He had to score a touchdown in every drive against the Seahawks, essentially, and he did it. He had to.

Put up 40 and he did it. -well, he's been doing it, but this is where.

It intersects. Can Daron Blaine respond a little bit, too, by the way, after a disastrous game? Because that's where the Eagles can put up 30 pluses. I think they still have big time edges.

He's getting killed this week and it's like, I'm sorry, could he have not done more for this.

Team this season? Hey, that's life with the Dallas Cowboys. Greg, he revealed as an anti-iron sharpens iron guy in a big spot. All these Eagles matchups against big time teams. A little iron sharpens iron? I'm just saying there. You think not.

They're getting fatigued. I could see them losing this game and still making the Super Bowl, but this is the little part of their season where.

They're just a little fatigued. You don't think the giants and their players are fatigued? Who they play twice? The giants players are like, Get me to-.

They're coming off a bar. I'm just saying you play the best teams week after week and all these snaps.

But just in term of physics, would iron sharpen iron?

I think that's out word. I think that's technically true.

Why don't we just leave it there. That's a good way to end the analysis of the game.

Yeah, from a metal angle.

We nailed it. Buttoned it up. All right, the two Monday Night Football games. Let's start with the one that doesn't look too good in terms of competitive angle. The Tennessee Titans traveling to Miami to face the Dolphins.

Miami.

I think we mentioned, yeah, the Cowboy is getting plenty of love from Vegas. The Dolphins are getting 13 here, and they're getting 13 here because of what they did to the Commanders. Now, Washington is a joke defensively, and we know that. They have a secondary that's as bad as any team in the League. That was the perfect setup for Miami to get right and once again say, Look at us. We're the bad boys. We got Tua, the MVP candidate. We got Tyreke, the MVP candidate, 2,000-yard contender. Can they do it again in prime time? Or does Mr. Vrabel have something up his sleeve, Dark Cessler?

Well, I don't care what's up his sleeve. I think you've got major problems dealing with the Dolphins offense. Sam Monson from PFF, I loved what he said about watching that game. This happens to other teams, too, that it looked as if the commander's defense had never seen Tyreke Hill before. That they went out there to play a football game and had never encountered him on any level. I think he does that to teams.

Interesting strategy. D. C. Cotton.

Well, yeah, they have a cheat code here. I think the Tennessee Titans at home have been tough, but I don't like this situation at all for them. You're talking about, actually, I think with Jalen Phillips out, I still think this Dolphins defense has been competent. It looked good last week. Guys like Andrew Van Ginkgo are stepping up and firing off. I think this is where the Dolphins dig in and say, We're not going to relinquish this spot in the AFC.

Weird spot. Two games at the same time, so different than the other Monday night.

Double header. Is that only annoying to me? I know it annoys you a little bit, Dan.

But like... Yeah, it knocks it out. You got one screen there and you got one screen on the TV and away.

We go. Now you're pro, like double Monday.

Night game. Well, now it's week 14.

It's weird to drop it in suddenly in week 14. I think the ESPN is showing you they value Packers, Giants, Higher because that's where they're sending Buck and Aitken. We got Fowler, Riddick in our and Orlowski, and Ruttledge. I've liked this group too. This Dolphins offense, we know who they are and this is the perfect matchup. The Titans are a great example of Mike Ravel not having anything up his sleeve, by the way. His defense is traditionally in Tennessee. A little disappointing and how useless it is, the Patriots are another one, to have a great run defense because they're the number one run defense in the NFL and their 30th against the pass. Where is that going to get you overall? Like, 25th. It's not like it balances out to being average, it balances out to being terrible. They give up so many big plays. I think the commanders are one of the only teams that give up more big plays. It's a perfect match-up. Being able to stop the run doesn't really matter that much against the Dolphins, who still will run well. I'm with you, the defense has been excellent. The numbers would say the Dolphins are one of the best defenses in the League over the last seven or eight weeks.

That's largely, I believe, because of the matchups. But it just shows that they're a very good defense that they've caught up with their guy, Vick.

That's a trait of fanjo defenses to take a little bit of time to season and then they get rolling. Tyreke Hill leads the NFL with 1,481 yards, 12 TDs already. He is 300 yards clear, 2.99 to be exact, of the next closest receiver, which is C. D. Lamb. You have to have any chance, and it's happened, by the way. Let's not act like, because the Commanders are a joke, let's not like no one has been able to take Tyreke Hill out of the game plan in any way. He's had games where he wasn't completely out of control. If you can do that, you force Tua to look elsewhere. But here's the thing, the fact that you can now bring A-Chan out of the injury mix and he immediately goes over 100 total yards with two more touchdowns with all that speed, he might be the second fastest guy. It's almost unfair. Mike McDaniel has all these weapons and the Titans have to find a way to just hold them down and hope Derek Henry has one of those turn back the clock games. I think that's what it comes down to. Unless you think Will Levis has another big time game in him, but I'm not so.

Sure we're going to see that. I think Will Levis is a very interesting watch and there's some hope there for the future. I just don't think it happens this week. Again, to the Dolphins defense, they've allowed under 21 points five games in a row and under 17 and four of those, they're amping up. You're asking the with a rookie quarterback. Derek Henry, it sounds like he'll play, but he was banged up last week in the protocol and all that business.

I think they said very straight to- He did not have a concussion. They said he was not in.

The protocol. But he played well last week, so they still have that. But in general, you're asking teams against Miami that leads the league with 6.9 yards for play, which is the most by any team in the Super Bowl era outside of the Kurt Warner-Rams in 2000 to keep up in a.

Massive boat race. Housekeeping, they gave Jackson the Dolphins a three or $36 million extension with 20.7 guaranteed, according to our guy, Ian Ratport. A little surprising based on how his career started, but they're splitting the difference of trying to get some good value as his.

Career has improved. That's up there with as improved. But with Dan's salary.

It's in the ballpark, really, my agent and credible work. The Dolphins also have Destiny in their hands, certainly in the AFCE. If they just take care of business and they beat the Titans on Monday night, stomp the jets at home the next week, that gets them to 11 and 3. Then you put it in a situation where the bills basically have to go nuclear, not lose again, and including that week 18. Just take care of your business in the next two weeks and you basically close off Buffalo from making week 18 dramatic. Okay, final game, Greg, you mentioned it. It's Packers, favored by Six and a half over the demon. This one's at the Metallands. We know the Packer side of thing, and this is, yes, as you mentioned, Buck, Aakman, Salters. We know that the Packers are playing at a very high level. They are the team that is arisen in the NFC is a real interesting 500 team. They feel like a team that could just keep winning and all of a sudden, they're the team you don't want to see in the playoffs. The giants are the giants. I'll just mention, Greg, that a little bit of a surprise.

Tommy DeVito, who was almost like the mascot of this Lost Giant season and all those Italians in Jersey, loving it. He's keeping the starting job for another week, even though Tyrod Taylor is healthy. Taylor not thrilled about it. I get it.

Kind of heartbreaking for Tyrod Taylor. He's just had so much bad luck through the years. You could see the disappointment. He breaks his ribs right when he gets a chance to start and then Davito comes in. We might see Tyrod again, but Davido has played well enough that you can't kill them for just keeping it going. He's also going to be on the team next year.

It's like a gift to the giant fans. We know we botch this season. Here's Davido one.

More week. I guess the element. Exactly. He's a potential backup on this team next year. And Tyrodd's probably not on the team this year. They did win two games before they're by, and they do have Saquon Barkley here against what's been a shaky, historically shaky Joe Barry, Packers defense. If you were looking to keep it closer than six and a half, that is your route to do it. The giants have been a little feist here lately.

I think the Packers are the story of the past two or three weeks in the NFL. We talked about the Texans being the AFC version of that. The Packers, I think Matt LaFlor has coached the two best games I've ever really... I've given him more credit over the past two games than I would at any other point in his career in terms of coaching up a young quarterback. He wants to talk about quarterback development. Jordan is becoming this star before our eyes. They've found a way, team building-wise, to surround him with all these young players.

People are ready to run him out of the building, LaFlor, about a month and a half ago. It's just so funny. You need to have patience. That's how it works. Let the coach work with.

The young quarterback. I'm not quite certain what they can accomplish. I guess you worry about a young team like this. Could there be a letdown game on the road on Monday night? I don't know. They keep going left and right and showing who they are over and over.

What do you mean you're not sure what they can accomplish?

Because I think they could go win multiple playoff games in a weird NFC.

You think they're in the neighborhood of the big three?

I think I don't know right now.

I can't go that far. I can't go there with.

You, though. I know, but that's insane.

Winning multiple playoff teams means beating one of those big three.

I think that's possible. Maybe two. I think it's possible. Well, I think you get into a wildcard round game and you knock off one of these Ham and Eggers. Then they could beat the Lions for instance.

That's how the seeding works. They're going to be playing one of those teams.

I.

Think they can do it.

I think they can do it. They just.

Beat the Chiefs. Hey, I didn't...

We're talking about the Chiefs. Not saying you're wrong. But we're talking about the Chiefs as a basketball team and they just beat the Chiefs. This feels like a.

Little recency bias to say that all of.

A sudden they're in that club. That's fine. But it's also not just Jordan Love and the wide receivers. Their defense, the whole team seems to be growing together at once. I think that's the team in a weird NFL, in a bad NFL, in a mediocre NFL. It is. They could go in and steal a playoff game or two. No problem. I don't have a problem with that.

Potential big loss that Christian Watson, that hamstring injury did not look good to end Sunday Night football and he's not practicing. But they could get back Aaron Jones and J. A. R. Alexander. You're losing one of your best players, but you are getting back two of your best players. You're right, Jordan Love, to me, is one of the top five stories of the season right now, his arc. We actually talked about that contract, the way it was locked in a couple of months ago. I was like, no, they're not going to get rid of him probably no matter what, because the contract is splitting the difference enough where it's really not that much. Now that contract looks like a bargain and there's actually talk of like, do we want to extend them right now? Don't even worry about keeping the bargain next year. You'll probably wait till the offseason. But let's just get him signed up long term. It's crazy. You're right how much five weeks change is everything.

Just to make it clear, I am also enjoying this Packer Rise, but I also think the NFC has the top three Super Bowl contenders across the entire league. For them to get to that point would be surprising to me. But if they get a nice matchup in round one and they can they beat the Lions or something in the wildcard round? Wouldn't stun me. That wouldn't stun me.

But they got to get there first. It would be shocking if they knocked off the Cowboys or Niners or Eagles. It would be. But can they win a playoff game? Are they that team? Absolutely. That literally would have surprised me. That's what.

I'm saying. We have five weeks to talk about it, but that Packers, Lions, end of the season matchup, just like last year, could set up... This time it would set up a potential rematch. Again, the Lions might have a chance to knock the Packers out.

I think it matters that they're really well. I think Matt LaFloor, who I always thought, Are you just riding on the co-tales of Aaron Rogers in years past? Two MVP campaigns. I think this is a good coach. I think he's proven this year, the same way that Sean McVeigh to me has, that he's done a lot with what people thought wouldn't be much.

Jordan Love getting hot in Philly in an early round game.

I could see it. The jets beat Philly.

I.

Mean, football-I mean, crazy stuff can occur.

Down the road. Absolutely. One game.

Let's take a break and then we will get to the draft. All right, welcome back to Around the NFL, the week 14 preview. It is time now for the first overall pick presented by DraftKings. I'll tell you what, I have had bad luck. Whenever I'm up first, there never seems to be a banger. Finally, that comes to an end.

Because-you picked a lot of Eric Fisher's.

I got a lot of Eric Fisher's over the past few years. A lot of Luke Jogles. Now it's time to pick the Buffalo Bills traveling to Kansas City to face the Chiefs. The six and six, Bills, who have had two weeks to just sit with an absolutely horrific 37, 34 loss to the Eagles. The game they desperately, desperately needed, and somehow they find a way to lose that game in overtime. It's a real test of Sean McDermott and that coaching staff and their ability to have this team locked in, prepared and ready to win this game. Because if you don't win in Arrowhead, you gone, you got to find a way here, Greg. I know you were saying, don't count out the bills. I'm not counting out the bills, but they can't keep losing every week. Then we're saying, Oh, well, they got to run in. At some point, you're going to have to really show the world who you are. I have to go, when's the last time, Greg? The bills showed the world that they're the bills. You might have to go all the way back to week four against the Dolphins when they had a big time opponent and they said, This is who we are.

They need to do that right here. The good news here, Greg, is that the Chiefs are vulnerable. We don't need to overstate it at this point because, yes, their defense is very good, but Josh Allen is a cheat code. When he's playing at a high level, he can make the Chiefs look mortal on defense. We know if this turns into a shootout, it's crazy saying this, but my home's at home. I don't think he could keep up in a shootout. I'm challenging the Kansas City Chiefs to keep up in a shootout in 2023 because at a certain point you are who you are, and that's what they've shown us all year.

It just makes me feel uncomfortable to.

Hear all these words. As my mother would say, don't spit.

The sky. Yeah, well, I'm not anti-chiefs. It just feels very strange. They're only favored by two and a half in this game. Over and under is 47 and a half, which is very low for these two teams in the past. This is going into the season, maybe the worst version of this game that you would expect. Eight and four, the Chiefs aren't great on offense, six and six, Bills. Yet because of that, it actually puts more real weight on it. Yeah, it's important to get seating and all that, which this game would have been in previous years, but the Bills season is on the line. Their disappointing run, their lackluster defense with a ton of injuries, their erratic offense with Allen for five or six games of this season, I think being the best quarterback in the league, but the other games obviously, that not happening, including Philadelphia, which to me that was a sign of Oh, is he going to do it? Is he just going to start running all the time now? Is he going to put this team on his back and just be the best quarterback in the league? Because about halfway through that Jets game, through that Eagles game, that's what I felt he was.

I'm with you. Even though the Bulls are underdogs, by two and a half in this game, I liked the Bulls in their last stand. Every time I do this against the Chiefs, I get it wrong. Whenever you doubt them in a home, big spot, although they did lose to the Eagles. That was only a few weeks ago in a big spot.

You picked those bills, too. You were dying in that newsroom.

Yeah, and I still, I'm not giving up on them. I'm still thinking that they can get it done. Again, an extra week of rest does not hurt at this time of year.

It is interesting to think that coming out of this weekend of football, either the Chiefs will be eight and five, or the bills will be six and seven. That wasn't something that we saw coming. You're right, the stakes for this game are different than were they vying for that, the buy. The bills are essentially executed if they can't win this. Maybe not mathematically, we can keep talking about them, but it's.

Like-not for real.

Yeah, in a way, in a sense, for real, for me. You can't.

If they can't-But not for real.

Well, no, they would continue to exist in Western New York. They're probably really nice homes.

Speaking of which, I need to offer an apology. I called Square Games. Is that what it's called?

Square Games.

You had the wrong country attached.

To it. I called it Japanese. It is a South Korean product.

But also I'd say... I thought it was a good game. I apologize. And I apologize. And Greg has a lot of... He knows a lot about the Japanese culture, didn't jump into correctly there. That's what people were saying. I'm not saying that because people were saying.

You know what? People. Good call. Greg, come on, bud. Help me out. You've been to Japan many, many times now.

How many TV shows.

Do I watch? Your wife is Japanese. You got to jump in and help me out there and say, Well, I know my Japanese exports, and that's not one of them. But you hung me out to dry, maybe.

On purpose. You're a died American, and we don't doubt that.

I don't know what's going on outside the borders of the continental.

Greg is multicultural and it would have been a nice spot for you to help.

I've last watched a TV show that was not part of what Patrick Lebon would be called the Le Chevers on Netflix about a year ago. You can't ask me.

To-the Lechavers? What do you mean?

I'm not certain what that means.

That's the ultimatum, Queer Love, that's Love is Blind.

The Lechavers. Those are the only shows you watch?

I mean, in terms of TV shows lately, it's been a while.

If you just invite us over your house once, we could have a nice little binge session. It's like sports.

Books and a little reality.

Where were we? I don't know where to go with this. Well, no, I think I was suggesting that the bills to.

Me-oh, should be executed.

Well, because if you can't handle this spot, although they are a different team on the road.

You can't do it anymore.

How many weeks are we going to keep saying, Josh Allen is the best quarter? It's the best team in the AFC no.

Matter what. Even if they win, they have the Cowboys next week. It just stays very difficult. But I'm with you. We should note Van Miller, who Dan mentioned last week on the show after his domestic violence arrest, is expected to play in this game. I'm a little surprised by.

Well, that's the weird thing with the NFL because the case is sitting in a place where they haven't ruled on it, and it's awkward to have them go out there. But from a football angle, purely, Van Miller's not really been a factor.

That precedent, right.

That's the problem. I think you're getting a good version of Josh Allen in some of these games, but not always the one you want. But I will say under Joe braided, I don't know if it's because we have no other choice to do this at this point, but what, nine rushes for Josh Allen in their last performance? They were trying to shy away from that and not have that be an element of their offense, but you don't have a.

Choice now. It's mostly him because it's not like they're caught. There's a design runner, too, and they've worked. But he also, I think, is like, Okay, it's go time. I got to start running. Remember he did that as rookie or suddenly it was like, Oh, wow, Josh Allen is awesome. At the end of every season, Josh Allen's like, Okay, it's go time. I need to just start running. I have concerns. You mentioned the good Chiefs, Stephens, are they a good defense? They started out well. I mean, they're good.

Are they great?

They were presented as great.

They have been great.

They're 25th in the League since they're by, according to EPA. I mean, that's only three games. It's a small sample size, but they haven't been a difference maker. Nick Bolton is expected to return, which I think is really big for them because they lost Drew Trankle, and they've been just injured at that position. But they might not have their left tackle, Donovan Smith. A man named Wanya Morris, who I was not familiar with, played 42 snaps last week or something and graded out very well, so maybe they don't need.

Donovan Smith. If the Chief's defense isn't good, they're going 10 and seven. I think they're good. They're going home in the middle of January.

I think they're good, but are they a huge difference maker? They haven't been against the best offices.

Kansas City Chiefs, what are you?

I think they are just what we're watching.

All right. By the way, this is for Eric, producer Eric. The Bills have never lost after the buy under Sean McDermott. The Bills also have the fifth highest point differential plus 101.

Those.

Are positives. What's your fan confidence? 1-10 right now? Six. Okay, I take that. Feels very fair. On the road in Kansas City?

-yeah. I would take that. Andy Reed, 16 and 1 in December with these chiefs teams. There's likecash in historical stats.

Finally, they're going to have to put Romo, Josh Allen, V, Patrick Mohomes in, Arrowhead. They're going to have to put him on a delay, like a two-second delay just because there's going to be kids watching and this is not silk stockings. Right, this is not erotic. Yeah, this is in channel 99 with the Scrabler box. This is America watching this game and we need to be clean, Tony.

Keep it together. I will come out of this game giving Romo some credit because at this point, he has covered, I think, roughly 75 Patrick Mahom's games. It's like you have to keep coming up with new things to say.

He doesn't, though.

That's the problem. But it's.

Like-he's.

Like, Jim, he's doing it again. I think he's having a nice comeback season.

I know you keep saying that.

But I don't-I think he's actually, you can see, I think he saw everyone was getting on him. You could see going into the game. He has these little Nuggets that showed he did a little bit of a re-play.

Jim, look, he's doing it.

Only my homes.

I know, what.

Else did you say.

About that? I didn't get it.

I.

Mean, oh, Boohoo, Chiefs fans. I had to watch Phil Sims do 75,000 Tom braided games. You've been.

Through the battle.

What a.

Gauntlet for you. You've been through the battle. All right, Mark.

Second overall pick. We got to pick.

Up the picture. I'm going to go to Seattle at San Francisco.

Interesting.

Late game. I feel like we've talked so much about the Niners at this point that it's like, can you just keep it going? You're in a place where you could take Seattle almost completely out of the picture at this point. What's happening to the Seahawks over the last month or so tells me they're just not a playoff team. Can they sneak in in the NFC? Sure. But I just don't trust them on any level. Their defense has fallen completely off a cliff. They lost to Baltimore 37seven to three. They completely fell apart against the Rams when they should have taken that game. The Niners are essentially their cryptonite. They played hard against the Cowboys, but you still give up 41 points. It's like you're a Pete Carroll team, and I don't trust your defense on any level. I think really the situation is that Gino Smith versus the Niners, the Seahawks versus this version of the Niners last couple of seasons, they just haven't shown up. I want to say one quick thing about the whole Brock purdy MVP situation is that there is a lot of talk about that he's just simply riding on a sled down a snow hill with yards after the catch.

His yards after the catch numbers for MVP winners are less than Aaron Rogers, the last two seasons, less than Patrick Mahomes the year before that, and less those three guys. They're less. It's a bit of a phantom argument where it's like, this isn't the only reason he succeeds. I don't want to have this conversation for the 18th time, but it's not just this thing.

Well, then people broke out the screen passes are four times more effective for him than any other.

Quarter of it. I was going to say the irony is that the game that allowed him to move to the top of the Vegas Odds Makers, which is this Eagles's game.

Came off of that.

Yeah, this was a big Yak game for the Niners. But I'm with you. We don't have to make this case when he's now the number one favorite.

I will say Seattle, the one problem they have too, which is not on them in terms of their performance, they're really banged up right now. Right. They're pretty banged up.

By the way, Jamal Adams, bro, come back to us.

No, I know what you mean.

What an absurd thing for a human being to do. You have a Jets Beatwriter that you have beef with. I hated this. Who quote tweets a shot of you failing to cover Jake Ferguson on any level. Then you reply by posting a photo of that reporter's wife.

Him and.

His wife. And mocking her appearance. Then when you have a couple of days to sit with it, and obviously there's a lot of criticism and even your coach says that's not what we do, you don't back down. You want to talk about La Rabil magnifilo.

It is. You said, When they go low, I go lower, which in a different circumstance would be a funny.

Response, but not. The Jamal Adams Seattle experience has been D minus.

Well, that's the problem is.

He is-That might be. The gentleman's F might be.

Too kind. Right. He's emblematic to me of what's wrong with this team, which is you can see him pop and have a splash player too and be like, Oh, yeah, Jamal Adams. He can make a difference. But the sum of their parts are really disappointing. Twenty-fourth in DVOA, Pete Carroll just gets owned by two separate coaches in his own division. He's going to be 0 and 4 against them again unless they win this game, Sean McVeigh and Kyle Cheney. I do wonder, you were talking about Hot butts. I was just thinking that. They're always surprises. But if you're just completely owned by two coaches in your own division and your defense and you're a defensive head coach has been mediocre to bad for six years running, this is not a small sample size, he could be in a little bit of trouble. He needs to somehow cook up something. Really, I think him cooking up something is, I hope Gino, and it'd be very difficult to do, Gino and the offense can just put up 35 again because I just don't think the Seahawks defense is going to be able to hold down the Monstars.

It's not going to happen.

If they put up 35, the Desert has the Niners winning by 10.5 points. That would be the Niners put up.

But that makes sense.

That makes sense. 45 and a half points.

Tough to do it. Because even that Cowboys game didn't feel sustainable. They have great players, but Gino was under so much pressure that night. He actually faced one of the higher pressure rates. He's faced all season. It's not like they suddenly started playing better. They just played out of their minds for three quarters before falling... I don't know. It's just tough to do whatever.

Doesn't it feel like the Chase Young edition has worked where it's added this extra weight on offense?

That's the defense. That's the difference. That's the whole thing with Mio and Purdy is he hasn't really been playing that much different all season. Their defense just stunk for three weeks, and he was on the wrong end of some turnover luck for three weeks. Their defense, which everyone is killing Wilkes for, is number two in EPA since the buy. They're now starting to dial very game-specific stuff. You saw that last week against the Eagles, where they're getting very creative and their linebackers are just outrageously good and lets them do something different every week.

The Seahawks have won one playoff win in the last seven years. They have been competitive, and Carroll is a great face of the franchise in terms of they love him, obviously, up there. But at a certain point, you need to see results again and deep playoff runs. All right, Greg, you are up.

All right, I will take the Ravens, favored by seven at home against the Ravens. Fun game. Big test here for the Ravens defense, especially, which has been playing really out of their heads. But going up against a Ravens run defense, which I think has gotten slept on a little bit that the worry with Greg Roman was like, Oh, well, you might lose something with the running game. They were such a special run attack. Their numbers this year are up there with some running attacks historically, especially compared to what the rest of the league is, how far ahead they are compared to the rest of the league. It's right there or above actually where they were in their running attack in 2018 with Lamar Jackson. It's like, Lamar Jackson reminds... They say in the NBA, sometimes there are certain players like Yanis or Luca or whatever. You step into the season and the baseline is 40 wins. Lamar is a baseline top three running attack. It doesn't matter what he does.

-the ball is completely.

Different than basketball. -it's not always that different, Mark. Right, let the.

Point go and.

Let's just have.

A talk.

From a previous show, but-For the Rams to try to hold up for four quarters to me is a tough ask against a Ravens team that's been a weirdly injured team all year, but they didn't have a ton of season ending injuries. Sure. Actually right now, they are almost completely healthy. Rashad Bateman was the only player out of 53 that mispracticed on Wednesday coming out of the buy.

Well.

That's.

It's nice.

Though, that's big. It's been Lamars for the last two years. You want to see what this team could do at full.

Strength in January. Marcus Williams is a big guy for them. Upfront, they've had guys in and out.

They're healthy now. They do have to work around the Mark Andrews' absence.

That's a good point.

I was totally wrong.

Could he come back?

They said maybe for.

The playoffs. He's on IR. It would be late. But to your point, they're number two an EPA as a running team. They've been great. Lamar Jackson right now is having, I would argue, I know we had the MVP season, but the version of him right now in this offense to me is more balanced. It's what you've been waiting for. He's never had a higher completion percentage or yards per attempt than at this point. You're getting a little more from Edelbeckham. Zay flowers has been an absolute green light as a draft pick. Their defense has been stout. They've only trailed this season 45 minutes plus the entire year. I mean, they're just a solid, good team. The Rams, though, right now are on a hot streak. They've won three straight. They've scored 36 plus in the last two games. Matt Stafford has seven touchdowns in his last two games. I think Kyrin Williams changes everything they can do. This Rams team to me is a beserker down the stretch that can really hang with anyone, it seems like. I love what they did against Cleveland. I mean, to put it on Cleveland's defense that way, even though you're going to Baltimore, I think that there is a chance that the Rams can hang around in.

This game. Mcveigh versus McDonald. Just when the Rams have the ball, McVeigh versus Mike McDonald in this Ravens who to me is the best defense in the league, is one of the most exciting matchups of the week. I don't think the other side of the Rams are going to be able to hold up to keep it close enough, probably. But that is a great matchup, Danny, that revived McVeigh against this defense.

Okay, Greg. Yeah, I think the Ravens are in a lot of trouble here. I think we could sell that and maybe it will turn out that way. But I think the Ravens at home, Ravens coming across the country. I think Lamar, the difference between the MVP year, it felt to me a little more electric then and it was like a little bit of a different type of Lamar.

As a- A little.

Unprecedented, too. Yeah. It was just like, this guy is outrageous what he's doing on the field and he's just making people look stupid. Lamar now is like, I know it's like, cliché, way. But he's like a more mature player, and you can see the way he's able to go through progressions. I think that completion % you mentioned that he's become a better passing. When he needs it with his legs, he can go get it. But it's not like something without it. He is no longer a good quarterback. He's just a really strong, well-rounded quarterback. I think one of the subplots, Greg, when you think about the offseason was, Man, anybody could have had him. They really wanted him. They could have gone and got them probably.

They tried. The Falcons had to announce that they were not interested immediately. No. Who would want Lamar Jackson in Atlanta?

All those teams, how foolish do you feel right now? I hope they feel foolish.

I find the rams interesting from another angle that if you thought that they were going to succeed in a year where most of us had them winning four or five games, that obviously would be Stavford and Cooper Cup. It's like, Cooper Cup hasn't crossed 40.

Eight yards since.

October 15th.

He hasn't been healthy in two years.

They haven't been on the same page sometime. It has been a little bit of a bummer there.

All right, Greg, thanks.

Back to you. Okay, unconventional pic here. I almost took it right away. Wouldn't have mattered. They're both at the same time. Bucks, Falcons, two and a half points spread. The Falcons are favored at home. I have a dirty fascination with this terrible division. This game just feels... I wanted to take it, I wanted to watch it live because now that we're getting later in the season, this Buccaneers team, which is as forgettable, I guess, as almost any team in the league, this does feel like a win-go-home type of game. I know, yeah, the Falcons could fall apart down the stretch, but this would give the Falcons a two-game lead over them with just four to play. Am I crazy? I should know this off the top of my head that the Falcons, didn't beat them already? It would be a two-game-16, 13, week seven.

They beat.

Them at the buzzer. Right. That was the game where Bajon didn't really play. Yeah, he had a headache. Everyone was confused about that. I just look at this matchup and I see these two teams. I mean, he had migraines or something crazy.

I think it was a headache slash migraine.

He wasn't feeling well.

Don't these two.

Teams-it's what they said. -it's the same.

Thing, but yeah. I know Mark wants to cross out teams. Desperately. But I just feel like this team, this division, no one's going to get crossed out. The fate of this division is for them all to be six and seven after this week. That just feels like that's the fate of this division. Saints probably get the win over the panel. For that to happen, the Bucks need to win this game and they're catching the Falcons at a time where they probably don't have AJ Tarrell who had a concussion. Jeff O'Cood is banged up. Caleb McGarryry, their tackle is banged up. They had a bunch of injuries all of a sudden.

I want to see what happens with the Bucks injury report because Vita Veja did not practice Wednesday with a toe injury. We'll see, sometimes that means nothing. But Jamal Dean, Devin White also did not return to practice this week yet so far. I think that's your defense right there. That matters.

A lot. Vivaldi, David return, which that's big.

This game, so yeah, I think it's fair to look back at how it played the first time out because I don't think they're that different than they were back then. Ritter played one of his cleaner games. He was 19 for 25 with 250 yards. He was good on the ground. He also lost three fumbles, though. It's like no matter what, Ritter is going to do something to X out the advantage he's creating. But you do add Bison, Robinson to the mix. I don't know, I think the Bucks to me are just about as milktoast in average as you could possibly imagine. Mayfield, though, has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league on the road in terms of touchdown, interception ratio. All right, sell it. I like it. He's got 12 touchdowns and three picks on the road. Only Jordan Love has a better ratio. That's just from that one angle. But I think Mayfield battles every week. Mike Evans has battled every week and they stay in these games. They were even with the Falcons this first time. That took a last-second kick for them to win. I just don't trust either team to do anything week after week.

Please don't tell me about the Falcons and their top 10 defense. Go watch that game they just played against the jets. They've been playing bad teams all year. They're allowing 20 points a game. That's seventh in the League. They're top 10 in yards per loud a game. They're tied for first and rushing TDs allowed. Their third down percentage is second in the League. Their opposition red zone touch on percentage is first. It's like great data, great data points. But go look who they're playing. If if Baker Mayfield has a good Baker Day, they're going to go to work on this defense and they're not going to look so hot, okay?

That's just laying it in. That's why if people get on me, sometimes I lean on the DVOA. I love the guys at Football Outsiders. I'm not going to do it. That's why I love them, though, because you gave all the basic, bro, numbers that the announcements for this game are going to say they're 25th in defensive DVOA. They're looking at the numbers and the opponents and saying this actually isn't a very good defense.

They shut down Tim Boyle and Trevor Simeon. What a performance on the road. Jonathan Velma, come back to us. Velma's having a bad year. We want to talk about people having a good year. Tony Romo, bounce back here. Velma is drifting in a way.

Just the take.

But you.

Mentioned that-I'm not allowed to because Craig gets uncomfortable.

But-no, I just like his spirit. I don't think he's elite, but I like his style that he just has a lot of energy.

I think some of the spirit we've lost, we've lost the Jesus Christ and some of that fun stuff and what we're left with is... I don't know.

The Falcons would be 4-0 in the division if they win this. I do want to give a quick shout out. Kalyza Kantz was a defensive rookie of the month in the NFC last week, and man, he was flashing last week. That looks like a very nice pick there by the box. Good job, Kalyza Kantzie.

All right, keep moving. Let's keep moving. Let's keep moving. Mark, back to you.

All right, I'm going to take an early game. I'm going to go, Browns at Jaguars. Tbd on the Jaguars starting quarterback. I don't think we're going to get him. What do you think? It sounds to me like a real stretch.

It's really difficult for us where we're taping to state it one way or the other, but he's got a high.

Ankle sprain. Yeah, I think that's a lot. On a short week.

I think.

He's under.

50-50 for the next thing. They've talked about it in a weird fashion where they're providing hope. I am totally with you. I don't know how even the human body would do that, although those high ankle sprains are all different. You're going to get C. J. Bethard in Cleveland.

Say Bethard?

Yeah. You're just going.

To say Beathard, remember? I did not use to say that.

No. Yeah.

Did you see Brett Ripien signed with the Jets?

I'll shift to say Brett Ripin now if I must be told how to say things.

Go ahead. Bethhard.

Bethard?

Yes, he did. He was okay when he played. The lineage.

Of an incredible Washington general manager.

He almost fumbled away the first snap of the game and would have lost the game. But he wasn't out.

Of his depth. He wasn't bad. That was a weird game. I mean, it was a weird place to come to the game. I think that Cleveland's defense has floated away. The Denver game was unappealing. Last week was unappealing. I don't believe that Myles Garrett is healthy. Amari Cooper is banged up on offense. Flacko looked probably as good as you could possibly hope for last week outside of the one fatal interception that doomed them. I feel like Cleveland is just trending down out of this playoff race a little bit. This is an incredibly important game and they're fortunate to face potentially a backup quarterback. I don't trust them. I think their defense is veering away from special. They have Den Del Ward back, which matters, but they've been banged up. But it's like they are literally the.

Second- They're going against C.

J. But if you get Bethard-.

No, that matters. -and you're at-I.

Have no excuse.

But they have been.

The worst- That's how they built up a lot of these numbers against bad quarterback.

They've been the second worst passing team in the league. Second or third all year long. It's looked like it. They are about to become the Browns. They were about to become the Browns.

I thought we were saying they were like that. -on offense. -no, on offense.

No, on offense. I was going to say- No, on offense. There's a weird stat. If Laco starts and he will, they will become just the 13th team since 1950, which is 73 years ago, to have four different quarterbacks start multiple games in a season. A lot has to go wrong for that to happen. From that angle, I'd give Kevin Stefanski, the coaching staff, and the team a lot of credit to even be where they are and still in the hunt at the number six.

Is it just me? Has Cleveland gotten a lot of these games where a starter gets hurt and then they all of a sudden are.

Playing a bad game. Yeah, but you know what? If you look at all these playoff teams, they've all gotten those games.

The.

Whole league has gotten those.

They're not an outlet. But them especially, I'd love to see that data point.

Right, they've also been the team that's been without their starting quarterback through 80% of the season.

You can look at it through-I guess what I'm saying is with their defense, I think something similar happened with the Jets last year.

They got a lot of backup and.

They're pumped up. They have been a good defense, though.

Beyond that. When they've had bigger matchups and the defense all of a sudden doesn't look so historic anymore. But take care of business here.

Let's go. Well, what happened to Jacksonville's defense against a backup last week?

That's absurd to me. I've never totally bought in to Jacksonville's defense. I think they're solid, but I would be worried about them. Tyson Campbell, who is supposed to be their number one corner, really good player, but then got hurt and came off that injury and just didn't seem right last week. Joe Flacko threw the ball downfield 10-plus yards more than any Browns quarterback in the last five years. He's out there and he's got to sling it and you need good pass protection to get that. Teams playing against the Jaguars usually get pretty good pass protection because it's Josh Allen and that's about it in terms of their pass rushers. Overall, one of the most disappointing pass rush teams in the league. I really think the Christian Kirk injury and maybe Walker Little, because now they're on their third left tackle, got a little overlooked because of Trevor. It's disappointing. Trevor was playing so well the three weeks before that injury, but losing Kirk and Trevor and potentially your left tackle, that's a cascading. I know, I'm not locking up the Browns, but they are favored by three in this game. I don't know if that makes you feel any better.

I mean, the spread never makes me feel anything.

I'm just saying they're.

Not real life.

And they're not underdogs in this game by any means is what I'm saying.

That's Cesspice, though.

I'll say one thing that we are doing. Is that.

Spice again? I don't know.

I combine with Spice Rack, a long time lifelong friend of Chris Wesleyan and our friend as well. We combine now to make picks on the NFL's website. What we've done has gone totally rogue from what you'd hope people would do. This week, we were the only team that picked the Titans. You get that fan base all on your side. But then last week, Spice Rack, I think he had a... Post Joe Borough, he was anti-Bengals, and he picked them to lose 33 to nothing.

How did that go?

That went poorly, as we all know, the way that game turned out. There are a lot of people tweeting to both of us asking what on earth is happening here?

I reached out to some people behind the scenes here, Greg, to get.

Where they.

Actually rank in the standing?

Because the standing say the top five, and then it's like a participation award. They won't list six through 10 for some reason.

This is actually good and bad for you, Mark. The good thing is we don't know where you actually are in the standing.

Okay, good. That is good.

Because this person that I reached out to didn't feel comfortable giving me the full rundown. The bad news is it must be really bad for him not to do that.

I don't disagree, but I will and I say from the angle that-If you were one game.

Out of fifth, he probably would have told you.

There's two ways to play this, just to be real. When Greg goes and makes picks on his television show, he.

Is- Friday is.

Right there. -his whole entire world is based around that.

That's what you think?

Yeah, Cess and Spice picked four overtime games this week.

I instinctively.

Agreed with them. We picked the biggest underdogs we can to create that moment out online where it's like you're the only team picking the worst team.

Tommy Lee Jones, take us away here. I shouldn't have brought it up.

It's called being a showman. Showmen. There were two of us.

The internet's on fire.

All right, I'm up. I wouldn't say that.

All right, I got a two-pack here. Let's start with the team of around the NFL. Let's get a little dick banks. Let's hear him. Let's go. Let's go. It's time for the Vikings to show us why. You can take that down. I liked that O'Connor stuck with Dobbs.

Yes.

Because yes, it was a wretched Monday night game. And is that within Dobbs' rainbow of outcomes? Yeah, we got the worst Dobbs. But let's not forget that Josh Dobbs has done a lot of good things for the Vikings before that. And before you go and get so caught up in your feelings about how poorly he played in that Bear's game, let's give him a chance with Justin Jefferson. And if things don't work against a Raiders team that is middling at best, go ahead. If you're so excited about the rest of your depth chart that you've been developing, I understand it that these coaches are excited about the guys on the depth chart typically, so go ahead. But give Dobbs this chance. The Vikings who seem to be in the driver's seat, Mark, for a wildcard spot, now you need this win because I could see this spinning out for them if they don't find a way to win on the road here against.

The Raiders. I think it's like we celebrated Josh Dobbs in multiple spots over the past calendar year, rolling into town and winning games three hours after showing up and putting the uniform on. Then it's unacceptable that he has a meltdown. It seems very probable that a meltdown would occur. It didn't look good, but I still think the things that we know about Josh Dobbs remain true. An incredibly smart quarterback, a guy who probably over the course of the by week that came at the perfect time, has learned a lot more than other quarterbacks might over that course of that time, that the coach, something happened where if O'Connor lost faith in them in that moment, and that was that, you're right, Greg, you mentioned it on Wednesday show, a terrible fourth pick. But this is a quarterback you can still believe in. It's better than other options. Justin Jefferson is practicing in full for the first time in eight weeks. It's arrow up. I don't know how you could possibly argue to go to a different quarterback. You should beat this Raiders team. I don't really care that it's on the road that much. It's like the Vikings to me, our spice here on defense.

Let's just get back to who we were.

Right. Here's what we know about the Vikings. With Jefferson back, him and Addison are up there with the best one, two combinations in the League.

Addison is a big.

Time player. I love Addison. Hawkinson's having a really nice season. Hell of a tight end. Josh Dobbs adds a little bit to their running game, which has struggled, but his running ability is going to add a little spice to this whole mix. Kevin O'Connor is a good head coach. We know he's a good head coach and he's had a week to get ready. By the way, on the other side of the ball, you got safety's coming out of your pockets. How many safety's can you put on the field? 17? Brian Floris will do it. You know who's been buying tickets this week? To Las Vegas? Minnesota Vikings fans who are sick of being in that cold weather up there and they're going down to Vegas and they're going to watch the Vikings lock.

It up. Samesy. Double it.

Up, baby. Are you.

Doing this again?

Double it up and another one. And another one.

You cannot be doing this again.

With Gregie, let's check out the standings, by the way, while we're here. All right, so we got Greg and Dan, 12 and 1, the West Berligs, 10 and 3, Cessler, 7 and 6, and then Dan hands us 6 and 7. We know there's all.

Sorts of stuff. In quotes. In quotes. Yeah, you got to watch for the... Well, I thought the season, you're inconsistent here because you only joined me a week ago?

It says Greg and Dan 12 and 1.

Greg and Dan are.

1 and 1. I'm not responsible for the graphics, okay? Yes, you are. We are having a very nice season and let's just close it out, I guess, is all I.

Can say for this one. There's a lot of weeks to go. I'm fine with you on board. I have to admit you've already won in some ways because I thought about you this morning as I debated. You're going to lock against the jets. I thought about that. I thought you're going to do that. I thought about locking against the jets. It's only three and a half. Then I was like, That'll make you annoyed. But then I thought, What if the jets win? Actually, you'll be happy. But you know what? I ultimately am a cold, calculating son of a gun. I love that about you. In my heart, I believe in the Vikings winning that game more than I do in the Texans, actually. In my heart, I do believe the Vikings are the best pick on the board. That's what I always do. I'm not a showman, as you point out. I happen to work out that I'm believing in a team of ATL. But I believe they're a much better team than the Raiders who might be. Max Crosby is not practicing.

Colton Miller. I believe they're better. We don't want to do a Rainmaker on the Texas this week. I think you and I can.

Get behind that as a Rainmaker, too. This is absurd. The thing that's terrible for Greg is that no matter what... Let's say Greg wins the title, no matter what, it will go down his history as a co-win. That way it.

Will not go.

Down in any history. Within a month, you will have spun the message that you lifted Greg up down the stretch.

I know. I know I'm an asshole. I just want everyone to, when I'm gone one day, remember me as a lovable asshole. That's all I ask. That's fair. Not the bad kind.

That works out.

Okay.

One Raiders note, just to give them their fans just one second about their team. I'm intrigued by A. N. O. Kama coming off that last Chief's game. I played very well in that game.

He has.

Been.

In general, the Raiders have been a professional unit.

This is a tough spot under against Flores to, again, Patriots. Oh, the coaching tree is so bad. How about a little Patriots assistant off here, Patrick Graham of the Raiders, the defensive coordinator versus Brian Flores.

Now that's a cell. That is.

A cell. Long time assistants together.

Anything else on this game? What are the chances we get Jefferson?

I think 100%. Thank God.

I think they wouldn't be doing this.

Unless they were- He's practicing fully. He's officially active.

This was, for me, when I felt good about team of ATN, Jefferson returning was like pushed it over the finish line because there's not a more fun wide receiver to watch in the sport.

Double J. The team of ATN brand needs this win.

Big time. They're a pretty good narrative if they lose, too, because we get to go down the... See, you spiraled once upon a time with the Vikings. I could see entertainment value out of this team spiraling as well.

Yeah, but it's not on me this time. I was getting blamed left and right like, Oh, we.

Voted- You.

Pushed that through legislation. No, we voted unanimously, but it's, well, Mark made a.

Bad decision. I'm getting text.

Left and right about a team that I have nothing to do with this failing. I'm not that vicariously attached to anything.

Are you attached to the Vikings?

This time? Yes, I really like the Josh Dobbs element the most. That's what pulled me in.

That's all we need to hear because we're in this together.

I've not said a single word otherwise. I just say they need to create a little more juice.

You know what? It was probably a really rough two weeks for Floris and for O'Connor, who blew that game together as much as anyone on the field. Hand in hand. You had to sit with that and stew over that for all that time. I know that they're not going to coach harder on Sunday. But if you've ever been motivated to.

Clean up your own mess. They're more talented, they're better.

They should be. I feel good about this one, Greg. I think we're going to keep on rolling. I will keep on rolling. Did we say the spread on that one, by the way?

Yeah, Vikings by three. Okay.

Let's keep on rolling. Let's talk about that Texans-Jets game. It is Texans. The spread, the line actually moved down with the announcement from Robert saw that Zach Wilson is playing.

That was interesting. I think it's fair.

It's fascinating because Wilson was amongst the very worst starters in the League before he got benched. But that tells you how badly the Jets managed their backup quarterbacks underneath him to the point where they cut Tim Boyle this week. Tim Boyle was their starter on Sunday. They just said, Oh, this guy that we brought in and developed all through the offseason, Aaron Rogers's guy has such little value after we got to look at him, he gone. Now they got Brett Ripon, who, by the way, was talking with our friend, Jordan Rodrigue, of the athletic. Ripon is a class act and a really good dude and a hard worker. But the hope for Salah is that Wilson takes them to the finish line and they could get a couple of wins here and keep their dignity. The Texans, they're the story here. Nice setup here for them, Greg, to keep rolling. Now it is interesting. We are now in the post-Tankdale era. How does that change their offense moving forward?

Yeah, I want to see John Metchie or Robert Woods step up. I don't think they'll be the same. When you take away Dell, you're stacking parts of this team offensively that you do worry about a little bit. You don't have a running game and then you don't really have great receiver depth if Dalton Schultz isn't back this week behind Nico Collins. Because I'm thinking of that play at the end of the first half, I believe it was, where Stout overthrew Metjie for the touchdown wide open. Everyone was like, Oh, that Stout making a mistake for once. I did wonder if that's Tankell, it was like an improvised play with just the feel have been better. He was like, he points to go deep. I don't know. There's no way to know that. The good thing is that their defense and their pass rush, Willy Anderson, Jonathan Gwinnard, I think they are getting better. I think the defense is getting better and they're playing obviously one of the worst offense in League. Go win by two scores. I like the Texans. I think they're a better than average team. But John McLean pointed out of the Chronicle, or it used to be the Chronicle, that I think it's seven straight games has come down to 30 seconds or less for the Texans.

It's not like they're a dominant team, they're a fun team. That's why I didn't want to lock this game. It wouldn't surprise me if the Jets D balls out. I would expect the Texans to win that last minute, but it wouldn't surprise me if it comes down to that last minute.

Can they score 14 points? Because I just don't see the Jets.

Getting to that number. Right. I expect it's going to be Zach Wilson needing to get a touchdown down four and they're driving and it doesn't work out. But a game like that. Yeah.

I feel like every Sunday in the witching hour, we're watching either CJ Strowd or the opponent of CJ Strowd go up and down the field trying to do one last thing. Each of these games have done that. I think, though, from another angle, coaching and a lot of young players, they've also gone three and two in those games. A nailbiter lost to the Jaguars. They were nipped by the Panthers. I know they want that game back. But it's like they're in these games and they're learning to win in weird ways. I like that about them. I think that overall, the development of this roster is one of the better stories around because they're drafting well. Will Anderson is a genuine star in the making. He's got that dog in him. Absolutely. Straud, we know about him. But it's not just that. It's like, Derek Stingley, two picks last week, a total game changer. Or in the last three weeks. -yeah. It feels like a team. I know I've talked about them a lot. I think they're going to win.

A playoff game. Win the playoff game, yeah.

Maybe multiple ones. Maybe multiple. I really think they're going to get Coach of the year. They're going to get assistant coach of the year. They're going to get Offensive R rookie of the year if Straud doesn't do something more than that, offensive player of the Year. Is he going to? Well, why not? There's no reason that Straud.

Could be- Oh, lock it up. Money in the bank.

I think Straud is... There are not a lot of good... Oh, Straud. Straud. This is not a lot of good stories out there. Straud's actually, it's not just a story, he's legitimately one of the future quarterbacks of the league.

I can see he's minus 9,000 to win rookie of the year. That one, you can lock that in.

How about Nico Collins?

Can I-You've just been awesome too. -let's talk about Nico Collins here because they lose tank, Del, their leading receiver. No, he's not their leading receiver. Tankell has been tremendous, 47 for 709 and seven touchdowns. Nico Collins is nine yards away from 1,000. He's got six touchdowns himself. He's averaging nearly 17 yards per catch. That is an All-Pro type season. Nico Collins, it's like him and Jordan Addison are like, Hey, look at us.

Give us more love. Yeah. Hey, we did a Nico Collins bit on NFL Plus in week three or four after the catch. You can't remember guys that tall that break that many tackles. You know what I mean? Yeah. He's tall. These guys bounce off him.

Nico Collins could have 1,500 yards receiving. That's crazy.

He's.

Really under their... I thought you were going to lock it up.

That was what we were waiting for.

Somebody's going to lock it up. Well, I feel like locking against... Again, I don't take it personally in any way. I'm so out of the race. I'm so out of the race. It's like I want to do things that are exciting. Locking against the jets feels gutless.

That's.

Your choice? I have seen today's video, so I don't take it personally mantra in your head because it is a dozy.

Okay, go ahead.

Hey, heroes. Damn, this.

Week you guessed it.

I'm picking against the jets. I jokingly said earlier in the week that Dan should get into shape and try out to be the jets backup quarterback. Well, I'm guessing they almost gave him a call.

This week since Zach Wilson didn't even want to play this week.

But somehow he's going to be.

The starter. I mean, are you kidding me?

This team's an absolute.

Shit show. How can they even be considered an NFL franchise.

Right now? This is a joke.

How there are only three.

And a half point favorites is beyond me.

The Texans are going to roll by 30.

This.

Isn't even funny. I don't even know why I'm laughing. It's a disgrace. Good luck, jets. Better luck.

Next.

Year. Bye.

How much did he seem like Chris West had.

It there? I was thinking the same thing. That was so Chris West. It sounds exactly like.

A laugh. They're the two brothers that resembled each other the most from that.

Oh, for sure. I'm annoyed at nick because he just made me have to root for the jets on.

The plane.

I mean, nick.

Locked up the jets not too long ago.

Yeah.

Listen, as I said to MJD, who tried to get on me in the film room on Sunday night with some jets pop, I was like, You can't kill someone who's already dead. There's nothing you could do to me that is anything worse than what that team has done to me for 40 years. That's a smart lock by nick Westling. You are going to be probably close to correct because that could get gnarly. It could get gnarly. All right, let's take a break and then we'll finish up. All right, welcome back. Let's close out this draft. Mark, you're up.

Well, I'm going. I can't believe this game is still sitting out there. I'm going to go on Cults at Bengals. I mean, what?

Nothing.

No, nothing. We knew nick was covered it, so just going to stay away.

Although, this is for post-show, because now I realize I'm going to have four.

Early games. I think behind the glass, they know I picked this game 25 minutes ago, but that's okay.

No, it makes you look really like a trench a decision by you. That's good, though.

I think it makes me look like a strategy man, like a star.

I know, but we're going to have to flip around games now, I realize, actually.

All right, well, that has nothing to do with that. All right, so say you're out. Let's go, people driving around with you. This is not.

The next pick, Mark.

This game, suddenly, it's like backup in December, typically back up versus back up is like, check you later. But Gairner Minchou has, I know he's a little bit all over the map, but he's been really great for the Colts, considering that he's been a backup quarterback all year long. Jake Browning, I guess the huge interest level for me is like, whatever we just saw happen on Monday night, which is pretty on... He threw for more yards than Burrow did this entire season in the game. It's like you find out later that the words about the fact that the team, Zach Taylor and everyone else, really believed in him, wasn't just nonsense, that this guy is built neck up confidence-wise a little bit differently than he spent all off-season. Then with Burrow, with Jordan Palmer, who's a pretty good quarterback coach, and that they said, Jordan Palmer was telling people before Monday night on air, don't just discount this guy. You could see it a little bit against the Steelers, but it's your first time out there. It's a tough defense. It was in little flashes. He looked like a B-minus quarterback. But then what happened against a pretty good Jaguars defense is remarkable because I think they're running the same offense.

Suddenly, Jamar Chase is back totally lit up. T. Heegans is there. They're not getting a lot from the ground game, but he's doing it through the air. It's like the Bengals to me are back in the race. They matter a lot. This is two playoff contenders, and this is a spicy game. I'm not saying that either one of them you can project as like, A. Of C. Powers, but they do matter if you care about the fact that seven teams make the playoffs.

Yeah, Cincinnati, they are still in a lot of trouble because they're six and six, but they have a really bad conference record. They have a lot of tie-breaker issues. It's still an uphill climb.

However.

The Browning makes them a team that's watchable and interesting. You don't want to get too caught up with one good game for a quarterback because that happens all the time also. Then all of a sudden, he's back to looking average. We'll see. That's part of the intrigue of this game. Is he come down to Earth or what? But Greg, he's at home. The Indy defense is not a group to be terrified of. I think it does set up well. If he plays really well, then wow, we got.

Something to look in here. I'm really excited about this game. I think this was a great late pick by you, Mark. Awesome, Mark. How did you see it?

For multiple reasons.

Four hundred and 91 yards they had on offense. 27 first downs. Everyone stepped up around him. The offensive line had one of their best games of the season. I think we're second in the league and passed Rush win rate last week.

Thai boy did not step up.

Okay, you're right. Jamar Chase, though, was incredible. We almost gave him a little short shrift in that recap because a lot of those catches were difficult. He was making plays after the catch. He obviously had the bomb. I mean, that was a star-wide receiver can make everyone around him look better. The running game adding Chase Brown, they would make the season a lot more fun if they have a little staying power and I know Colts fans feel like we haven't given them enough credit. There is something to them that-We.

Talked about.

Them a ton. We talked about them a lot, but it's just like there's something to them that it's like, How are they doing this? I don't understand. I want the Bengals to win this game for these teams to both be seven and six and to both be in the mix, but not... I want Cincinnati part of our life.

You want more mundane, average play? You want-.

No, I don't want the Colts to put the Bengals away here. I want the Bengals to be a fun story.

I like the research guy getting going off here. Gairner, Minchou, and Jake Browning, who both started the season as backup QBs, will face off against each other for the first time since the 2018 Apple Cup.

It's crazy. Jake Browning was a senior at that point.

Yeah, Browning, who finished sixth and Heisman voting as well, by the way, with Washington once with a.

Bunch of stars. We watched that Apple Cup together.

You and I. Oh, yeah, every second. Then we, the artist.

Watched it again. Well, yeah, well, you got to break it down.

Yeah, Minchou was Washington State. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I love Styke and though, because maybe more than any coach in the league, when the plays happen, you can see, Oh, that's exactly how they were hoping it would happen when they did it in walkthroughs. It's just these cool plays that usually end up with Kylin Grayson getting 40 yards and you're like, Oh, wow, that was beautiful. That was cool how they did that. It's him a lot. I think they're running a lot of creative stuff, even with Gairner, Minchou. That's a credit to the coaching.

The Colts to their credit, and again, why Browning falling out here would be a real eye-opener to do it two times in a row. They've been very good on defense during this run. They're averaging less than five yards per play in the last four weeks. So all wins. They're coming together like you said, I think, Mark, Styken is definitely in that conversation for Coach of the Year.

I think I've built seven or eight coaches as Coach of the Year at this point.

You mean you can't be wrong? Well, you can be, but you.

Probably still could be, but yeah.

I think.

D'amico, Ryan.

Is the favorite. I got to.

Pick one. I'm going to D'Amico as.

My-why do you hate Shane Styken?

It's a fair question.

Okay, let's go. The Bengos, by the way, are favored in this game. No, they're not. They're underdogs at home. Colts getting one point. I don't like that. I'm taking-Did he bring some rain? No, but I'm taking the Bengal straight up for sure.

That's the usual. That's the way they went.

I guess they've been winning. All right, let's go on. I need a late game, so I will take.

Some teams.

Just know how to win ball games. Broncos at Chargers. Chargers getting two and a half points.

I can't imagine watching the Chargers. I couldn't even imagine it.

I know. This goes against what I was saying that I like these late-season games where it's like the season's a bit on the line here. The Chargers feel just about done, though, if they get to five and eight. That would be their record, right? If they lose this game in the division. Yet, this game still does not really excite me too much, I have to admit as well. The offensive line has been a disappointment for the Chargers in terms of their pass protection, certainly in terms of their run blocking. Staley said this week he might consider playing Josh Kelly a little more over Austin Echler. That is a bad sign, which I get. Because if you look at the numbers, Kelly... I was trying to find a good Derrick Henry stat. He's very high in yards after contact. I think he's second or third in League. Derrick Henry is still great. I saw in that list, I was like, Josh Kelly was sixth per catch. I was like, Oh, maybe we should get a little more Josh Kelly. Maybe Brandon Staley was just reading my mind. I was just at home alone.

I don't know if he could have done that. He's been watching tape of Austin Eccles this year, going in slow motion, dropping the ball, fumbling.

Okay, let's calm down. It's been nice. It's been rough, dude. It's been rough. You've got to be nice. What does that mean? Their offense is bad. Their offense is bad.

He's a part of it. Yeah. I'm not killing him. He seems like a nice guy.

We've talked to him. He's a big part of it.

He's having a surprising down year because it's a typical form. It's a contract year. It's tough for him.

It's a.

Contract year. It's not that surprising because of his size and the workload that he's had the last couple of years. They were always careful with him, and then they finally juiced him up to full-time status. That's what happened.

I just mean from his overall body of work, he's been very consistent. I think there's so much disappointment around this Chargers team, Quentin Johnson, I feel like it's like I can't wait for the season to end for him. Every week, there's a.

Killer drop. He needs to turn the page off-season and.

Try to try this again. I guess you wonder if he can actually do it. I know in that Patriots game, which was an eyesore.

Physically, he looks okay. He just drops every pass.

Yeah, but that's a problem. That's a problem. I'm not surprised.

That he looks okay. At least he's not like the Keel Harry, which just was.

Like, he didn't belong. He's getting separation. It's actually making it even worse because these drops are coming with some space and it's just like.

Come on, bro. Yeah, I think, I mean, Brandon Staley, he's gone. We get it. But I would say if you look at this defense since week 11, they're the fifth best point scoring defense in the League. The Patriots game, again, was very weatherbound, but it's just that I know the overall thing does not add up what it is.

It's typical, though, because this team, the whole season and really the whole brand's daily era, their two sides never play well at the same time. It's like if one plays great, the other one stinks. It's like 41-38 Lions. If one plays great, the other one stinks. It's 6-0 Chargers last week. I don't think he's gone, though. They are the team that I'm like, Just see. You never know. They could win this game and.

You never know. They have a really tough remaining schedule as well. They've been very bad against teams that have been over 500 so far. This will be of note, at least in this room, we'll see how Dangerrust bounces back from a turnover-marred game last week. Can he turn the page? Which he's good at turning the page, but get back to a more smart brand of football, protecting the ball succeeding in the Red Zone, and beating a chargers team that, quite frankly, this should be something you can do. It's going to be a lot of Denver fans in that building as well.

Of course, across the city. I was driving around and I listened to the AM radio, sports radio. There is this... They were doing an old school trivia contest with a guy calling in. The guy did very well and he won all these. It was a bunch of Lakers and.

Football questions. It must have been incredibly exciting for you.

Great drive time. That's great radio. He won the contest, but the prize was tickets, like nosebleed tickets to Bronco's charges. I was thinking, does he want those? Do I want those?

Does anyone want those? Did they announce that they were nosebleeds?

I just assume they're not great tickets.

You got to put them in the 200 section if.

You're going to get.

Them tickets. They're probably okay. You can go online and.

Find.

Tickets for like $25.

They're probably at the front of the 300.

If you're a Broncos fan, you're in the playoff mix, you're in beautiful Southern California, there's going to be a lot of people excited.

To be in the game. This guy was from Southern. He was not a Broncos fan. How excited is he about... I don't know what he is.

That's the secondary market. Maybe you find some people coming in.

From Colorado. Yeah, if you're from Denver, fly in, spend the weekend in L. A. And-of course. -go see a low-level.

Football game. With an NFL sanctioned second vendor.

Yes, Eric? Yes, of course. Right now on a third party site, $33 will get you into.

Chargers Broncos on the game. What section?

Five.

Hundred. Yeah, no, I've been up in the five hundreds. Me and Zemwalt watched the Cardinals-Rams game, a playoff game a few years back. We got to get down.

I walked up to where you guys were. You were far away. 2:35, a.

Buck 30.

This actually isn't funny, but my neighbor, who's an elderly woman, very nice woman.

That isn't funny.

She took—her and her and her daughter, went to SoFi for a Rams game last year. Didn't realize they're in the 500 section. I had a heart attack.

Wait, what?

I mean, why are you telling the story right now? She was okay. We still have another game to go.

Greg, there are bad things in the world and there are bad players and bad announcements, and it's okay to talk about them.

She's okay. Are you saying-She's.

Perfectly fine.

That's the follow-up. You're saying that Austin Echeler is the old lady heart attack of running back.

I'm just saying the world is a scary place and just hold the.

Ones you love tightly. I was surprised where that story went.

I was surprised too.

But that's why it's a good story.

Yeah.

I think it was an incredible story. All right, let's finish up here.

We still got two games left. The Lions, we haven't taken that game, right? No. This is probably going to be Dan's game. Just letting you know, I'm drafting for you. Lions minus three at the bears.

Why wouldn't you ask me what I would like?

Because I know you, buddy. You said on this very program, I don't want to watch the Panthers anymore and The Panthers are the other option. I can't watch The Panthers. Nobody wants the Panthers. I'm sticking them with Mark and you can have Lions. Fun game. I had this game just.

-this is an early game?

Just four weeks ago. It is an early game. That works for me. Okay, good. I had this game just four weeks ago. I found it incredibly entertaining because you got Justin Fields against a defense that's just not giving up a lot of resistance right now. I don't have a problem with this game. He was the best player on the field that day. Love it. They should have won it. Then their defense collapsed and gave up two touchdowns at the end. I hope the Lions don't make it that difficult again. Absolutely love it. But I don't know. I'm just worried about this team. This defense has been too leaky for too long. They put a Leem McNeal on injured reserve this week. That is a reminder. This defensive line outside of Hutchinson just ain't getting it done.

Okay, how about this then? And Lions fans plug your ears because you want this to be a special season. You're nine and three for the first time since what?

You've got to go- A million years ago? Yeah, deep old America.

I define the way this is shaking out. You never know what could happen with injuries and everything. I think success for the Lions this year is win this division, win a playoff game.

Yeah, but you got to win games like this.

Yes.

Which I don't feel.

Incredibly confident. Because I just don't think they're quite there yet. Certainly not with the big boys in the NFC. But that doesn't mean the season is a failure if you don't go deep in the playoffs. Just close out the division, which you should be able to do, and then win a game of playoffs. We're moving forward another step forward for the.

Campbell-ribbon game. They won't be the fore seed because the NFC South will be. That means you will avoid the Eagles or Cowboys, which is nice.

We're in a weird place with the Lions because it's almost like they were elevated a little bit beyond where they are, where it's like we just wanted them to be the number one seed or two seed.

It's like-Well, they're nine and three. They could be the one seed.

They could be. But then also there's all this fatalism around them because of their defense. We'll see what happens. I will say no team other than the Commanders, is giving up more points for games since week seven. It's real. At the same time, I look at a team that is drafted well. Sam Laporte is becoming a huge factor down the stretch. I believe that they're going to handle their business. I think they're really well coached. There's something I haven't done on this show yet, so I'm going to do it right now. I'm locking that Lions team up.

I like that.

What do we got for the spread?

Three.

Points. There's some good there, some.

Lockable games here. And it's on the road, that Lion's on the road.

I'll point it out and the data backs this up. Jared Goff is not a good quarterback outdoors. He's not a good quarterback.

Well, maybe.

I shouldn't lock it then. In December and January, he has a lot of trouble with that. In fact, I'll give you some data points, 8 and 13 outdoors in December and January, completion percentage south of 60, QB rating of 80. When the weather drops and he is playing outside a dome, that production has historically dropped. Let's see, is scoff a different player than he was with the Rams? I don't know. We're going to see now that we're getting to some crucible games for the Lions. Let's see if he can play the guitar.

It's one of those draft stories that feels so stupid, but then you hear this data. Do you have tiny hands? He's got the.

Small hands.

The old-Tiny hands, Goffey. -he's in the bottom.

I just found he's in the bottom 10th percentile. The eighth percentile.

The T. H. D. Tiny Hands Goffy, Mark.

Yeah, I feel for him on that front.

They need to get J. Mo. Going. I feel like they're one weapon short on offense. Is it Waymo? Oh, yeah, Waymo. Waymo, bro. They're great on offense, but it's just, man, it's a lot to count on... I guess you got the running game.

They're interesting. Leporter. Do you have that Waymo clip from last week? That was fun. I don't know. Waymo after that incredible end around where he went 67 miles per hour.

That was fun. I feel like this Bear's team is better. They're 4 and eight, but they're a pretty good 4 and 8. They're a little dangerous.

They're a little dangerous.

Like I said, Fields is another subject of intrigue. I think he really needs a ball.

Out.

If he wants to stay with the Bear's. I don't know if he wants to.

Stay with the Bear's. I almost.

Presume he's gone. But if he really does have some big games down the stretch. Remember what an awesome stretch he had last.

November, for instance. Yeah, but that's not even been... He's had a couple of moments like that or haves, but what he did, had he picked it up from there, even just the running part of him. You'd see a lot, but it's like, I just presume he's not going to be on the team next year.

We will see. A lot of questions there.

You mentioned Hutchinson, one sack in the last seven games. Is that brilliant, Mark?

I think he's a good player.

Suddenly a score from last week.

Didn't I spend 12 minutes saying I shouldn't have used that word? We already went through all.

That business. Greg, you always underestimate our audience. A lot of people know exactly what we're.

Talking about. Can I promise you our audience remembers and talks about a lot of things? I can tell you.

That from multiple angles. I wasn't.

Talking about the audience.

All right, close it out, Mark.

All right, well, what a... I can't believe this is still hanging around. Panthers at Saints. It's like two faulty helicopters colliding in the middle of the sky. I don't know why. Last week I got Chargers, Patriots.

The helicopters were distressed before colliding.

They were faulty and that's probably why the pilots were faulty and.

That's why they climbed it. You could have picked the game you wanted, but instead you tried to be cute and take the shook game and it came back.

To bite you. No, it was actually a very smart move. Got your A's. I can pair this next to Brown's Jaguars.

There you go.

I don't know, I guess how about this? Saints, show up and do something and stop being totally bored. They're an eyesore. They're impossible to watch. They're one of the worst Red Zone offenses in League. All I need is when their fan base is that annoyed with their own team and you lose the pocket of the fan base, it's even like, illogically telling you they're great when they're not. Those fans don't even exist for this team.

You know what? I don't like hearing? We have to check in on the practice report for Thursdays, but Tasom Hill is not practicing.

I feel.

A lot better about James Winston being in the mix as the starter if you have Tasom to playoff, who's had a really good year.

But Tasom Hill, he is 346 yards on the ground, four touchdowns, 220-plus and a touchdown through the air. He's not really even playing quarterback that much. There's been previous seasons where we talked about Tasom Hill all the time. I had that one sandwich bet on how many touchdowns he'd have. Sean Payton, Fondo, and it's like, This might be his best season in a way. I don't know. A pretty lost offense, I think he's been really reliable.

If he finishes this regular season strong, there will be generations of fantasy players that will talk about Tasim Hill's cheat code tight-end season of 2023.

In a.

Otherwise bad group of producers in that game, Tasom just does all these different things.

Derek Carr might play in this game because I think he was a partial participant.

Somebody saved Derek Carr from himself.

He's got a shoulder injury, a back injury, he's coming off of a concussion. I don't know if we need to rush him back into this maelstrom.

No. You mentioned the tickets you thought would be cheap here. You can get into the Superdome for $15.

I'd do that.

You pair that with a beer and a hot dog.

Have a nice weekend.

In New Orleans. Yeah, we've done that.

The French Quarter? I'd be looking toIf there's one thing that could get Gayle Benson's attention- Sure.

Any owner.

-in terms of the GM, too, not just the head coach, but Mickey Lumis has as much power as any GM in the league, that could get their attention if it starts getting real empty. The booze there were very rare. Alvin Camara mentioned he had never heard anything like that. He said, Look, I understand it. We're just not performing, but I've never heard anything like that.

It doesn't help when you have people on the team like joining in with the fans saying how much the team sucks.

Yeah, things have gone. They're only giving the Panthers who are a disaster, five points in this. I guess it would be really nice.

The spot for the Panthers to get a win.

Yeah, but how about Bryce Young? If he could just string together a couple of games that were different, I just don't see how it's going to happen.

The Saints are still in the mix if they win this game.

Right. They very much are. They very.

Much are. But doesn't it feel like they are just a team that needs to hit the reset? And yet they're.

Intending for the division. Right, no false results. I think it'd be better for the team to probably flush a lot of this down the drain and start over. But they.

Don't seem willing to do that. Dennis Allen wins the division at 8-9 and comes back for another year.

Everyone.

Wins. Send our thoughts to Hayden Hurst. Oh, yeah. This is the best. Very sad that his father said he was diagnosed with post-traumatic amnesia as a result of a hit to the head. I remember.

That hit was.

Brutal three or four weeks ago that caused a concussion, and these are some of the symptoms. He's been through a lot. If you know his story, battling back from depression, too, in college, I think suicide attempt, I believe he had talked about. This is just as terrible. It's a reminder what they're risking going out there.

Yes. Okay. Good luck to Mr. Hurst. That is the full week 14 rundown. This is the Thursday triple header for ATN. We're going to have an NFL-plus Streamitorium app, which you can get on NFL Plus. Also, if you're outside the United States, you can get it on DAZN. We also will have a Thursday night recap of Patriot Stealers with special guests. We're going to cook something up. We told you people, Cestog and I are going to cook something up. We got something.

We'll surprise them with the guests, though.

I like that. Finally, what a great day this is or a week this is because we learned that our hardworking, intrepid, young producer, sneaky, handsome.

I wouldn't say sneaky. I think.

The most- I wouldn't say back door, like side door handsome. Maybe coming through the front door. Good looking guy. Kicked the front door in. It doesn't surprise me that he landed a wife, a wonderful, beautiful woman.

It's not surprising.

I guess it shouldn't surprise me that such a virile young man.

They're expecting. Okay, now you're getting weird.

They're expecting. Eric, congratulations, buddy. Look at that. Beautiful. You, your wife, and the sonogram.

Great job, buddy. Thank you, man. Appreciate all those.

What is your.

Wife's name, by the way? My wife is LeAnne. Leanne. Yeah, the YouTube show you could see we were holding our ultrasound of my baby boy, Austin James.

Oh, the name is allOh, he's ready.

To roll. We're not young pups anymore, so we waited it out. She's a doctor, so she went to school. I went through the morning radio life. We've been a... Found yourself a doctor? Yeah, dude. You just went up in Dan's eyes for sure. I'm not the breadwinner in the family, and I'm okay.

With that. Every listener is like, Oh, you got.

A doctor, too. What doctor? What is her.

Special thing? She's a clinical psychologist. She works with the courts and at-risk youth and way smarter than me, kept going back to school for some reason. Nice job. You can find.

A good woman that's a doctor, you are doing all right.

I don't know if you want to alert listeners on your Instagram, but you should. You have your own podcast. It's called the What's New Podcast. I saw that this is how I learned on your page, you put up a clip of you letting your co-host who you've done the show with for a long time, including Randy Chavez, know. It was a great reaction. Everyone should check that out. I've seen your friends. I had a bunch of my old buddies from my radio days.

Wherever you get your podcast, check out the What's New Podcast with Funk and Buds from the old radio station. Again, congratulations, Eric, to you. Thank you, guys.

Appreciate it.

There is nothing better.

No, and Eric, I cannot suggest more highly to have the followers of the show on your Instagram.

That's a way to get out of here, guys.

Let's go. See, the internet just breaks down the walls, Mark.

It does. Don't need a wall.

We're all the same stew together now. All right, till later. Head the call.