The Around the NFL podcast. What time does Sunday night football start, Jim? From the Chris Wessling podcast studio, it is New Year's Eve.

Hey.

And, Colonsworth and Tariko are in tuxitos. We don't got that, but we do have Levi in the house. Stan Hans, Greg Rosenthal, Mark Cessler. Oh, week 17, baby. Feels good.

It feels clarifying. Wash away the sins of the old year. Wash away some of these teams eliminated today. Let's go.

I don't know about the sins, but yeah.

My goal is just simply to get through this episode. My body has been-You sound great, by the way. It has been falling apart hour by hour since I got here around 9:00 AM.

Well, way to keep the energy strong there, Mark. We have a big show for you because, yes, it is the penultimate week of the regular season and so much is being decided. We had both buys and first round, excuse me, number one, Seeds clinched in each conference and certain divisions somehow got more muddled, which is wild, but that's the way it goes in this crazy year. We're going to get through it all and hopefully get home by the time a ball drops. Let's do it. All right. Let's get right into it starting with an And that's what we're going to do, by the way. Because the playoffs are what they are, and Greg, you better be ready. Tabulations. This is tabulation season now. Yeah. And there's a lot of pressure on you. That's your thing, I understand. This is your thing. Okay.

You look nervous. Well, I'm a little nervous because it's all in my head, though, so that's a little worrisome.

We'll try.

We'll work with you. All right, so we're going to go by conference here because that just keeps it simple. Ending with, yes, the play in essentially a play in game or a loser goes home match between the Vikings and Packers. Let's start, though, in the AFC. Let's go through it all. With the big match-up, it happened in the early window. It was the Ravens coming off, that stomping of the Niners looking to keep it going, and the Dolphins saying, We have a statement to make. Well, only one team was talking afterwards, and it was not the one from Miami. Zay Floars comes in motion. Lamar with time coming.

Deep, looking for Floars.

He's got them open as the Miami 30 makes the catch. He's throwing 20, cuts back to the 15, slips out of a tackle. Zay, Floars, touchdown, Ravens. That was too fast. That's 75 yards, and the Ravens extend their lead. Oh, man. Hide the women and children, the Ravens are a force of terror, roaming the hillside. Lamar Jackson, now the clear front runner for MVP after five touchdown passes. He had a perfect pass rating, and the Ravens embarrassed the Dolphins 56 to 19. They hung a 50 burger on Miami on New Year's Eve. That is mean. That win secures a first round buy for Baltimore as well as home field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. This was a game where the Dolphins came out hot on offense and you were thinking, Okay, we might have a shootout here, or maybe this is Miami's Day and people like me who've been doubting them were about to eat some humble pie. But as this game unfolded, it very quickly became clear that Baltimore is just too much for everyone right now, and especially that offense. And the defense is really this is a complete team right now. But I thought the offense today really put on an absolute show.

Even the first drive that evened up the score at 7-7, they go right down the field. There's a bad drop by Rashad Bateman. There's a penalty that wipes out a big play. They had 150 yards of offense on their first touchdown drive if you factor in those two things. It just kept on building and building and building. I thought Greg it was an interesting little wrinkle that Zayflowers on that long touchdown we just listened to. He's going in motion and then going jet, and that is the Dolphins' play. You would think the Miami defense would be ready for such a thing, having practiced it all season, but nobody is ready for the Ravens.

Right now. A devastating day for the Dolphins and their defense who coming into this game were number one in the league in scoring defense and yards-per-game defense since week six. To have a game like this where, yes, they give up 56 points, 491 yards, and so many big plays has to feel destabilizing. They lose Zavion Howard to injury during this game. They lose Bradley Chubb at the very end, who's playing during a... What was that? At that point, it was 49-19 or 42-19 when he got hurt.

It's really disappointing. Then the non-contact looks like an ACL.

They're saying. Right, and McDaniel said they wanted to finish strong, but you have to give credit to the coaching in Lamar Jackson and the offensive line, which has really been underrated, I think, for the Ravens this year to give them the protection to hit all these big plays. Justice Hill for 23, flowers for 75, likely for 35 for a touchdown, 33 for Beckham. They are a big play offense.

Their development on offense, and it's the scheme. You're starting with a new play caller, and they were shaky out of the gate this season. But to see what they've done and what they've developed into. Wow. Even a week ago, I was questioning the Lamar Jackson MVP journey. I can't now. I just can't. He's become that guy. But it's also like I'd point to someone like Isiah Lakeley, who you lose Mark Andrews and you think that might be a linchpin scenario that changes Baltimore.

Last year would have been, I think.

I think it would have been. You've got all these guys stepping up. Odell Beckham made an incredible catch. I'm just to see C. Z. Floars operate the way he did. Justice Hill. Justice Hill? It's coming on special teams. It's coming on defense. It's coming through their own offense. If you're Miami, because outside the Dallas game, there's a lot of reasons to doubt about their performance against the better teams in the league. This is totally demoralizing.

Yeah, and the defense, if Xavian Howard is going to miss serious time or any time here, you really wonder what they have in front of them. You don't want to write them off because the Ravens are like... The Niners were earlier in the season before the Ravens, humbled them. It just feels like no one's going to stop them right now. But as this game started to get away from them, you saw that breakdown where the defense isn't getting stops. Then it was like it was time for two in the offense to go shot for shot. Tyree Kill has a terrible end zone drop in this game, the worst drop of his career maybe. That's a four-point play. Then Two a throw is an interception.

Rokan and a great play there.

He has been so good. Every time Miami crack the door open, just like Lamar with Purdy cracking the MVP door open, they just kick it in on the team. Just when you thought it couldn't get worse for Miami or just when maybe you thought at half time, okay, maybe they could get this thing stabilized. They have a 78-yard kickoff return by Hill to open the second half, then a quick touchdown and the game was essentially over. Just a beautiful all-around game for Baltimore. Yes, the only concern I would have now, Greg, is this team that has locked everything up. Now obviously they're going to rest starters at some level, you would think, next week. Then they're going to have the by week. That's what they were talking about. Lamar Jackson has talkedout. Last time they were a juggernaut. Last time he won MVP, they had a long layoff and then get picked off by Tennessee. That's the only concern I have about this team right now, the idea of rust. Is this an episode of Rest Stop? Too much rest. End may some issues with their secondary. I'll get to that in a second.

Yeah, that'll be something to talk about during the week two with the 49ers. I wonder if they'll take that experience, they'll see the stealers on the schedule who are still alive for the playoffs and think, Let's play that game. Anyone that's hurt or on the edge, don't play them. But then you also look at the Dolphins in this game and you get the other side of the coin that, man, your season can change when you lose a couple of big time players. That is risky. The Ghosts of 2019 for the Ravens, I think, loom pretty large in their head because that was a devastating sequence for them to do that.

For the game. It makes you wonder if they will maybe play. That's what I mean, yeah. -yeah. But still, I don't think it's worth the risk. Just like Mike McDaniel, Mark saying, We need to finish strong. That's why my star defensive end is in the game. That's a horrible, horrible setback.

For them. Yeah, the Ravens are healthy right now, and I don't see any connective DNA with that previous Ravens team that fumbled and stumbled in the playoffs. Lamar Jackson having their reputation of not winning playoff games. They feel completely.

Different to me. They are not healthy in their secondary, though. Here's the situation. They played this game without Kyle Hamilton, who's been a breakout star this year. He had the knee. Cornerback, Brandon Stevens missed it with.

The ankle. Got hurt during practice on Thursday.

The worst, always bad. Then today, Marlin Humphrey goes out with a calf, Darrell Whurley goes out with a head injury. They're going to need time to get that secondary right. But otherwise, gorgeous. Dolphins, don't worry, I'm not going to dunk on you here. I'm not going to be that guy. But I think it does.

Once again. You did lock against them.

I did.

As did I.

That's not a dunk.

That's just-I've just -I'm just saying we need to point.

That out. That must be pointed out. Give us another one. There it is, Eric.

Are you back on this Dueling Banjo thing?

No, in Dan's defense, he threw it out there before me. That's true.

That's true. Leader's got to lead, Mark.

I was doing it.

Either way, but yes. It's ever-present.

The Dolphins are good. The Ravens are great. You see it in a game like this, and we'll see.

They're just a team that's better than some of their parts. They're not a star team outside of Lamar. There's something bigger going on here that they play really well together and it's just very solid. Every group is solid. Roquan Smith is a star. You know who else is a star? Jon Harbaut dancing in the locker room afterwards. Let's take a listen.

He's moving pretty good.

He does move well for a 60-year-old.

Not great podcast content, but I like the visual. Check it out on YouTube. It is a reminder because Mike Tomlin has been under fire and now Bill Belichick might be out of town. Few years ago on this podcast. We're saying, I don't know if there's John Harbaugh anymore. Yeah, pair a good experienced coach with a special quarterback. It's funny how it changes everyone's trajectories. All right, so the Dolphins go down. That opens the door for the Bills. If they can take care of business against the Patriots, they have a AFCE Championship game next Sunday. Did they take care of business? Let's go to Orchard Park. Takes the snap, looking.

To his left, fires quickly, and it's picked off. Rasul Douglas at the 40, on his feet to the 30, to the 25, down to the 15, 10, 5, and into the end zone.

For the touchdown. Rasul Douglas, the playmaker, does it again this time for six. How about that trade for the Buffalo Bills? I know. Rasul Douglas returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown that you just heard there from Chris Brown on the call. He also tipped the pass to cause a third turnover. The Patriots had four turnovers before you could blink in this game, and the Bulls inch closer to the playoffs with a 27-21 win over the Pats. And yes, they're not clinched in the playoffs yet. But like I said, they can get in with some help even if they don't win next week against Miami and if they beat the Dolphins next week, I don't even need Greg for this. They do indeed steal the AFC East, which would be quite a turnaround. This is the second straight week, though, Mark, I must point out that Buffalo is pretty meh, but their opponent was a bit worse. The Patriots ran the opening kickoff back for a touchdown, and the Bulls really could not get anything going on offense. Josh Allen had one of his worst games of the year, perhaps his worst game of the year, and he exits the MVP conversation, but he does score twice from in close.

They do what they have to do in this game, but that's two straight weeks where they're not looking great, but they're winning. That was stuff they weren't doing earlier in the year.

It's so important that Rosulle Douglas has worked out the way that he has. It's incredible to me that the Green Bay Packers gave Buffalo a fifth rounder and Rosule Douglas for a third rounder. I mean, it's a pivotal trade for their defense. Guys like Ed Oliver have been playing some of their best football around, too. They're not a shiny object on offense at the moment, but just take care of business and get it done next week.

No chance Josh Allen is winning the MVP after a game where he said afterwards, I just did not throw the ball well. Everything was just off. Two in a row, really. I mean, he got it together enough against the Chargers, but that's two in a row where he struggled.

Yes, and not much to say about the Patriots other than Bailey Zappi had three interceptions by half time.

At one point, guys, Bill's.

Defense had more interceptions than Josh Allen had completion.

I think he started 0-4-6, 0-4-7, and they had two interceptions at that point of the game.

Yeah. Here's the thing. As bad as New England was playing on offense early on, they stayed in the mix throughout this game because of Buffalo's struggle.

Had the ball with a chance to go take the lead in the fourth quarter.

Exactly. Not that you had the feeling that that was something that was going to happen, but the fact that they were even there was a chance to do that just gives you the idea that Buffalo was living a little dangerously these last two weeks, and they got away with it. Now they have it all in front of them. After all of this, the ups and downs in this roller coaster, they can win that division, get a home game, and in a wide open year for the AFC outside of Baltimore, who knows what happens after that?

Not just get a home game, but get the two-seed. The Bills will either be the two-seed or the six or seven, or out of the playoffs entirely. The scenarios are crazy for both of these teams, the Dolphins 2. The Bills are in, they get the two seed with a win. The only way they can miss the playoffs is if they lose and between the Jaguars and the Stealers, one of the two of them win, but not both. Both, because either one of the two of them lose. Because if either one of those... If the Jaguars lose, the Bills are in. If the Stealers lose, the Bills are in. But if only one of them wins and one of them loses, the Bills are going to be out. Because if both of them win and it's a three way tie, the Bills are still in. That part you do need some tabulations.

They're probably that they're going to be the Sunday Night game against Miami, you'd think. They'll know what's happening to them by then.

Buffalo is two for five in the red zone as well. They got things to clean up. Miami's bounced back from adversity this season repeatedly. They're obviously coming off a lot of adversity this week. The Bills, they played the last couple of weeks. Miami is going to win that division. Then the Bulls just need to catch some breaks to even play relevant football beyond.

Next week. But you know what's crazy for the Dolphins? If they beat the Bulls, most likely their reward will be playing the Bulls again. If they lose, they're playing in Kansas City, which is like, I don't know which I would want. Of course, you want a home game, but I don't know.

You know how it goes. You want to play an arrowhead in.

The playoff. Okay, you're right. I guess you wouldn't want that. Having to play the Bills twice in a row also.

Does not sound great. I'll give one depressing, Pat Stat, before we move on, that they are minus 10, Greggie, in terms of turnovers. 17 takeaways, 27 giveaways. They were at 17 straight years with a positive turnover differential. That was a calling card of this team. Once again, these things are all gone. Will Bill Belichick be gone? They get the jets next week.

They got a little break with the draft pick this week. Come on, keep it going. Van Miller, healthy scratch in this game. How about that?

Just bent. The jets, the team that Belichick walked out on. That would.

Be poetic. I wish he would walk back in on them. Anyway, let's keep moving on. Let's head to Kansas City, where the aforementioned Chiefs got another crack, taking the division against the Bangles. Backing up. The Bangles got to get to the 35 of Kansas City for a first down. Browning again, stepping up. He's throwing long down the right sideline and the pass is going to be broken up. Tea Higgins, the intended receiver, Shamari Connor, the rookie at a Virginia Tech, dropping the knock it down at 1:07 to go in the game. The Kansas City Chiefs are going to win the AFC West for eight consecutive years. That is second in National Football League history only to the Patriots of 2009 to 2019.

I have an intro that Pat's love there. I like that.

Well, that was history. Factual. Next year they have a chance to erase your lovely from the record book. All right, let's talk about this. Mitch Holtis with the call. They're still not right. The Chiefs still can't really play a functional offense. Can I mention, by the way, on that fourth and forever, they cut up to Taylor, which they haven't really done because Travis, Kelsey is the 14th best tight in the League this year.

Oh, stop it. He's literally a pro bowler for sure. Okay, great. Pro ball. That's cool. You said 14th. He's leads, NFL tights and yards or something.

He's the 11th best tight in this year. He didn't even have a catch in the first half tonight. They cut to the tail. She's going nuts. She knows what the stakes are. She's plugged in. That's good.

But.

Harrison Bunker was the star, not Travis, not the boyfriend, because he won six for six on field goals and the Chiefs hold the Bangles scoreless and their last seven possessions to take care of business. Twenty-five, 17, they clinch that eighth straight AFC West title. Greg, they do take care of business. They will be going to the postseason. They will be playing at Arrowhead in week in the playoffs, but otherwise still a lot of questions around this team. But the defense has been the one constant.

This year. Yeah, and they will be the three seat. No matter what happens next week, they're number three. I thought this was an encouraging game for the Chiefs. I thought this was an old school Chiefs game, at least reformatted for the reality of what this offense is. Thank you for that. I was going to say. Okay, but what I mean by that is they're down 17-7 in a big game. Browning was playing fantastic. He was. Really making good plays. Even when things weren't open, creating, they come back, outscore the Bengals 18-0 the rest of the way. The second half felt like a real experienced championship-type response. They win 12-0. Granted, it's all field goals, but they scored basically every possession. Mohom is taking what the defense is giving them. They outgain them 210-80. It just felt like they really needed at that moment in time to dominate, and they did. The Bengals seemed very up for this game, and it was mostly the defense. You're right, 14 quarterback hits. The who started off this game slow just got after it, especially on the inter, Chris Jones and everyone else just making Browning's life hell. But that formula, Patrick Mahomes, who I thought had a nice game today, playing mistake-free football and a really great defense.

You can't tell me that doesn't have a chance. If they could somehow take this and build on it next week or at least build on it in the playoffs, I think they'd have a chance.

Yeah, on a day where was largely a non-factor, what was different for me about this Chief's offense was explosive plays. Justin Watson had the 41-yard catch and run. Rashee Rice had the 67-yarder, also a 24-yarder. This has been absent from their offense in general. That's hopeful. I mean.

The Bengals-Pacheco, 130 on the.

Ground, too. I think he is running so well.

He kept them alive in the first half.

Yeah, I mean, he really is an anchor for them. The Bengals had the ball for 21-plus minutes in the first half. You're right, I think lost in this defeat is that Browning had some excellent throws. He did some stuff improvisation. Ran well with his feet a couple of times when they needed him to. It just gets swept away. But this was the Browning that gave you hope that if they had made the playoffs, they'd have a chance to compete.

They are eliminated. Yeah, at half time in this game, I was like, wow, the Beckhams got a real chance here to win this game and maybe make the playoffs.

But I think they're up 17-7 at one point. It really did feel like they were going to find a way, but then the offense just totally disappeared. It is obviously the post-mortem on the Cincinnati season begins and ends with Joe Borough's injury and the way he gets injured at camp, the slow to get going. Then he finally does. Then the wrist injury. Although they did fight back and get back into the playoff mix, it's really their defense that you have to keep an eye on in the offseason and what they're going to do. Captain Louis Anarumos, he's going to be back, you imagine, unless he gets a job, a head coaching job. But they have allowed the most 20-plus yard plays of any defense in the league this year. It's not just about Burrow's injury this year. They got to get better. And since that he had six of those plays totally 225 yards.

They really have been dominated upfront on defense, too. I think that that's where the rebuild.

Starts to happen. Kind of on offense, too.

On both sides.

Their offensive line is what killed Browning today. He had no chance in the second half. Higgins was in and out of that game. We'll see if he gets the franchise tag, ends up with one catch. Chase comes back, but ends up with only three catches.

I guess.

Lageria Sneed got the last laugh there after Chase talks.

I do come out of this season, though, thinking a lot differently about Zach Taylor. I think what he did with Jake Browning was important. They came close to winning this game today and it would have been a huge victory.

I feel like some of the shine came off these last two weeks, but I agree with you. I think he's a good coach, but they got to get better. Listen, we got plenty of time to talk about this, but the Chiefs have a lot of potential nobody believes in this juice going into the playoffs. For all the doubting, they are an experienced team with a very good defense with Patrick Mahomes. Can they win a bunch of low scoring games? At least a couple? Yeah, of course they can. They're not dead. It just feels like, because even in this game, even what we're just saying all these positive things, all these 20 plus yard plays, how many times did they not only get bogged down in the red zone? Some of the, okay, third and four at the eight-yard line and a terrible check down. I remember my homes throwing, getting pressured. Time and time again, they were sending out the kicker instead of finishing off drives.

That's been the story there. Yeah, three for 12 on third down. There was a moment in this game where Charles, and Menuhu, and Willy Gay.

Were.

Shouting at each other on the sideline. Mvs had one of the worst drops you're going to see all season. -it's terrible. You got to.

Just insert aI just seen that stuff up. You've got to just like... You've got to clean that stuff up. Then you motion that the homes that it was behind them. That was when I was feeling like it might be falling apart. But through nothing more than just luck, they're going to get the by week that they always get. They're getting the three seed regardless. It's just random that they can't move up, can't move down. They can rest some people. I would think they.

Absolutely-is it an episode of Rest Stop?

I mean, if you want to be, I don't think so. Isn't Rest Stop looking in the reels? I don't know. You're the one that created it.

I'm the executive producer, but you're the host. I say this is a.

Rest stop, but it's a nice little break for them, bonus for them that I think they'll rest up for the plan.

You're a franchise. You can do that.

You started it. You can have spin-offs and it can go in different directions. It's like a universe. It's the rest stop universe. It goes in a lot of different directions. Exciting. All right, let's head next. Let's start talking about the AFC South, which is very, very funky to Jacksonville.

Trips to the.

Left, one receiver right and a shotgun for C. J. Beth, or toss to the right to Travis, ETN. Got a little bit of a block, 40, 45. Hold on the right side, lot 40, 35, 30, 25. Travis ATN still on his feet. Travis and ETN to the goal line.

Touchdown. Travis, ETN, an explosive run in the first touchdown of the game.

For the Jaguars. Jags needed this one. Travis ATN scored twice, including that run, the longest of his NFL career. The Jags end to four-game losing streak, shutting out the morabund, Panthers 26, nothing. A lot of people upset and frustrated after this game. You know the Panthers. Correct.

Clearly me, I picked them to win. Worst pick I've made all year.

What are you doing? You hate the Jaguar so much and it's clouding you. What?

First time I picked the Panthers all season. They were the worst this year.

They won 0.9 on the road this year. I don't know.

They would have been playing better. Cj. Bethard was starting. They got work today.

Anyway, yes, the Jacks, they win for the first time in December. And with Trevor Lawrence on the sidelines.

C. J. Bethard was good, 17 for 24, 178. I mean, he just was the point guard that you would hope he would be, not make any big mistakes, and their defense was dominant. Josh Allen of the Jaguars is up to 16 and a half sacks. Three sacks, four quarterback kids. He's not a crazy DPOI candidate. There's no one really jumping up and saying it has to be me. I think it's going to be Garrett, but I think Allen might be number two on my list. Maybe it's Parsons. I don't know.

I turned off that Thursday Night game midway through the second quarter. Did Garrett have a sack? He did get a sack. He did, okay. Because he had been on a slump in that category, which has opened doors.

Yes. Just an awesome dominant performance by the Jaguars. I know it was against the Panthers, but hey, the Panthers have been playing better the last few weeks. Three hundred and seventy yards to only 124 for the Panthers. There was a six drive stretch where the Panthers had negative yardage over those six drives. It looked like the worst of the worst Panthers game. It's the.

Fewest amount of yards they've had in the game since 2010.

I ended up watching it. I drafted this partly because I picked the... What a stupid.

Don't stop bringing it up, Greg. You're supposed to be our smart football guy. Come at me. We're trying to protect you right.

Now, Greg. I'm still ahead in the game debut standings here that this count towards. I know, but- Still beat in Cynthia's model.

We can't be. We're going to edit this all out of the show. Yes, absolutely. Greg absolutely did not pick the Panthers. Let's set it up, actually. Greg, well, just like you picked the jaguars, they take care of business.

Eat it, Cynthia's model.

Some people were thinking the Panthers could have a chance in this game. No, 112 yards for Bryce Young. He had no hope whatsoever. Just getting steamrolled. It was tough to watch. They clinched the number one pick for the bears, though, so that's even more bad news for the Panthers. Congratulations to the bears. The seventh of the Stowns, the second fewest in the history of the Panthers.

There is no good news around the Panthers. There's nothing to talk about that's good.

First shutout they've had, which this is almost impressive since 2002, so they have not been shut out for 21 years.

There's nothing to say about Brian Stone at this point. It's just like...

Well, he had been trending up, so that's why I was like, Okay, but this was bad. Good job by the Jacks. I really mean it. Backup quarterback, you win 26-nothing in your home field, and if all they got to do now is win next week against the Titans and they win the AFC South. It was a big time game for them on a four-game losing streak. Oh, yeah. I know.

That's why you got to pick.

The Jacks. I know, it was so stupid.

Yes, this is the moment where I'd love to kick into one of my other favorite spin-off shows within this show, but I can't. We can't, but we might be able to a little later in the week.

Let's hope so.

You guys get what I'm saying? All right, let's move on. Let's keep rolling. The AFC South, like I said, it's funky. Let's head to Indianapolis. Two receivers left, including a tight end guard make that, Kyle and Grantz on the left side, play action. Menchu, feeling pressure. Taking a shot down field for Alec pierce. He's got it. Yards after the catch, the 10, angling right for the five, and he's at the play line touchdown. It's a 42-yard strike, a bomb from Gairdner, Menchu to Alec pierce. Touchdown for the Colts, hits 13 to three. I like to keep that garland up at Lucas Oil Stadium. Now, when do you take down the Christmas decorations? Some would say they should already be done. I like to keep them up about a week after New Year's. Like next weekend, Zucer.

Is going to come on the left. I've thought about this, and now, granted, I'm sadly by myself during the holidays at this point, so it maybe changes it. But I think tomorrow is the day.

Tomorrow. New Year's Day. New Year's Day itself. I feel like a day of rest.

And collegiate football. Okay, then maybe the next day.

You have a Christmas.

Tree, Greg? Yeah.

Tomorrow you're just going to shred it and take it down and throw it in the backyard?

Well, it's fake. But yeah, I think I'll take it down. Take it down. It's time.

Very nice.

Maybe.

Tuesday. Very masculine. Taking down that tree.

I mean, it's a plastic tree.

Matt Taylor with the call. Jonathan Taylor rushed for 96 yards. That's the highest total he's had all year. Yikes. Gairner, Minshu hits that 58-yard TD to pierce on third and one. The Colts get it done, putting away the Antonio pierce Raiders 23-20. Here we are, Gregby Indy will enter next week's AFC South showdown against Houston on a three-game, home-winning streak. They are also tied at nine and seven with one to go.

Right, and they are the seven seed in the AFC as we head for the final week. Pretty amazing story that borrowing a tie, they can win and in. Now, whether they're in as the division champ or the wildcard, we'll have to find out. But that's exciting, and that highlight we heard was a freaking awesome throw. I mean, the Blitz worked.

It gets.

Total pressure on Menshu on the third and one a gutsy call and he backpedals as he's about to get hit and lays it out there for a 58-yarder. I think of that play, and then one other play, there was a fourth and two where, again, Max Crosby wins his battle immediately and is right in Minchu's lap. It was a very bold call for Styke to go for it on this fourth and two. It was a three-point game at the time. Minchu hits a dime over the middle to keep the drive going. I think that one was to Pitman, and they end up scoring a touchdown there. There wasn't a ton separating these two teams, but if you get this mistake-free Minchu with a couple really nice throws, I thought it was one of his best performances. As you mentioned, Dan, Jonathan, Taylor, kept the chains moving for the most part.

Taylor has been really good lately. I guess if you get the mistake-free version of Minceau and a play like this from Josh Downs, from Alex pierce, from Michael Pitman, because I don't love their group of whiteouts, but when they're operating well, that's a pretty solid group. Michael Pitman is the first Cults receiver to have 100-plus catches in a season since Reggie Wayne about a million years ago. There's something to work with there. I think Shane Stiken is still a strong Coach of the Year candidate because this is not a star-studded offense, but he's found.

A way to keep them -Or defense.

For them. -right. But they've scored like 20 plus in many, many weeks in a row, and they've.

Been consistent. They were in control of this game. It was 14-3 when that pierce touchdown happened, and they never really let the Raiders have a chance. They got a very late touchdown and failed on it.

Devante, Adams, blew up today.

Good vote. The fantasy championship. If you struggled throughout the season, but somehow on a down Devante year, got to the finals today, and then he played like.

True Devante. Thirteen for 126.

That's nice.

Good for you guys. Thirteen touchdowns. Twenty-one targets. Was he in O'Connor's ear all week?

Didn't he have four yards last week or something?

Maybe he was like, Just throw me the ball, man. Aoc was a little erratic, but look, he ended up with 2.99 and 2. That surprises me.

If I was Antonio pierce, I would have been knocking on Mark Davis's door every day for a week until this game trying to get that intern label ripped off. Now you got to win next week against the Broncos or it don't look so hot anymore.

He's four and four, but the defense wasn't as good today. More importantly for me, because I'm a dork, he was ridiculously conservative with some brutal punting decisions. They punted not once, not twice, not three times, four times in Colt's territory, three in the second half. One of them, he was bailed out because he got a penalty on the punch. People were like, Oh, yeah, well, that worked out that time. You're punting on fourth and two down 10. You need to go to the playoffs in the fourth quarter. What are we doing? They're eliminated now, right? They are eliminated.

There you go. They gone. I think just like with quarterbacks, because it happens every year, we try not to get sucked in by the last few games for quarterbacks. Same thing with an interim coach. But who knows? We'll see. All right, let's take a break. When we get back, we'll finish up this AFC South maze and get nick Shook in the building. How about that? That sounds good. We'll be right back. Welcome back. The New Year's Eve special around the NFL. Big plans, anybody for tonight? Mark, you're going to the hospital? Yeah. How about.

Everybody else? I don't think so.

Greggie? Can I.

Come over? No. We always welcome.

Well, you can't, Mark. We'll put you in a bubble.

Sure, next year.

All right, let's welcome in a man that I know has big plans. Nick Shuck, the Pipe. What's up, bud?

I don't know if I have big plans. I got small plans, but thanks for having me on, guys. Happy New Year.

Yeah, Happy New Year to you. Hours before 2024. Is your fiancé, are you guys back in the same state? I know she's a recent graduate, and she's going to be a major earner for you, allowing you to pursue your sports career even greater.

I mean, she's not a race horse here. I mean, what's going on?

We have a two-year-old philly here that's just going to go win you a million. I could just go screw around, write about football for years.

She's a doctor, right?

Yeah, she has earned her doctorate of physical therapy.

She moved back here in December.

I.

Got a buddy.

That's a money maker.

Shout out, Mike.

Mike. She's prepping for the NPTE now, which is a massive test that she's very stressed about.

You could just take your foot off the gas.

Financially, nick. I was going to say. Mike Evangelist in New Jersey, Jag Physical Therapy, big earners over there. Good job, Chuck.

Well done.

All right, that's it for Around the NFL. All right, nick, let's get into the games. It's time now for Sunday Drive, presented by the first ever Toyota Grand Highlander. Yes, I teased it. Well, stay in the AFC South. It is funky. Here's a pistol set with Henry behind Levis. First down, Titans that they're 25-yard line. Levis fakes the gift to Henry in the pocket. Here comes Jerry Hughes to bury the quarterback. Ball out and here comes a score for the Houston Texans as Rankins run it in. Scoop, score. How about that? Oh, man, there's the call. Mark Van der Mey. Shook, you are the official Madden correspondent for NFL Media. That was like when you come around the edge and you want to hit stick or you want to square and hit them, but instead, you just run into the guy. That's what it looked like as Sheldon Rankin scooped up the fumble after the sack, took it to the house, and CJ Straud made a victorious return in the Texans 26-3 win over the last place, Titans. Three, nine and seven teams and the buried Titans. That is the AFC South one week to play.

Shuki, tell us about it.

Yeah, I had something similar happen to my Madden game a couple of nights ago, except they got the pass off because it's a video game. But yeah, three, nine and seven teams. This is not how we saw the AFC South panning out maybe even as much as a couple months ago. And yet here we are, the Texans get a big win. Tj Strow's return added a massive boost to their offense that was sorely needed. They look like a competent football team again. It's crazy how a quarterback can do that for a team. The story, of course, that defensive touchdown. Look at the timestamp on that. That's 10 minutes to go in the second quarter, and they're already running away with it. They could have stopped playing right there because the Titans were never going to bring anything to the field that was much of a threat. Will Levis got knocked out on that play. Ryan Tanehill came in and played a solid game, but these Titans are just a punchless offense right now. And big day for Will Anderson. Two sacks. He's now set the Texans franchise rookie sack record with seven sacks this season, which is surprisingly low considering this is a team that's been a top pick on J.

J. And Clowney. But here we are, and it's going to be a really interesting final week in the division. I'm very excited to see the Texans get back on track. I was worried we were about to lose them there.

It's so, C. J. Straud and what he's done this season makes them so appealing, like Will Anderson on defense. And it's crazy to see where these two teams are compared to where they were a couple of years ago. Mike Raybell, very good coach, no doubt about it. But they are in their, dating back to last season, five and 18. I don't see a lot of player development. You're probably done with Derek Henry after this season. You've got issues at quarterback and they're getting dominated up on both sides of the line and especially on offense. This Texans team is exciting to me because of the young players that have grown before our eyes.

I was wondering how did Straud look in this game, nick? Because this season just feels like such a win for them. We've almost now gotten so used to it that it's not as shocking that they won nine. They're nine and seven. They won a combined six the last two seasons or whatever, even less the last three seasons. It's insane. Now these rookie is playing well, but did Stoud look like earlier-season Stout? Because that's a big game, Colts, Texans, likely for a playoff spot next week.

Yeah, what it was was the big play was missing, but everything underneath was there. Stoud was the typically accurate quarterback, navigating the pocket well, had a little tiny bit of rust, but shook it off. It was not a big deal with him. He looked comfortable. It looked like the time away. They gave him enough time to come back out of the concussion protocol and be back to form. And they received a huge boost from him being out there. They're night and day different with him on and off the field. And I feel very confident going into the last week of.

The season. Sorry about that. By the way, I shouldn't say likely. I just throwing in the possibility of a tie. But as long as one team wins, they're going into the play.

We are a tie-list this year, but yeah. It's an exciting moment for the Texas franchise. Because you talk about D'Amico Ryan and where they are right now, he was a front runner for Coach of the Year, and some other coaches have maybe surpassed him or gotten into the conversation and made it more complicated. But if they finish off a playoff run, all things considered where they were the last couple of years and where they are now, I have a really hard time not picking him for that. I don't have a vote, but if I did, hypothetically, I would.

A lot of good options.

As long as Stroud gets out of, even if things don't work out next week, if he gets out of this season healthy, and this is a huge win for the organization after some down years and all the Watson drama and everything. They are going in the right direction. That was the Sunday Drive presented by Toyota. Let's go places. Learn more at toyota. Com/grand-highlander. Com. There, Ashuki, you were also on the Chargers Broncos tilt. Let's get into that. Stidham's in the gun. Burton to fullback to his right for protection's sake. Six-man rush. Stidham climbs the pocket, throws on the run, pass caught, strike thrown. That is Lil Jordan- Oh, yeah, you spin him. -and tackled. Breaks another tackle. There we go. 20, Lil Jordan, 15. Go, Lil Jordan. 10, 5. To the.

Goal, touch to the goal.

-lil Jordan. -denver. Hell, yeah. 54 yards. That's our dude. Stidham to Lil Jordan- That's our best friend. Who has been Jordan Humphrey on that catch and run? Dave Logan with the call. Jared Stidham, not Russell Wilson, threw for the 224 yards, and that touchdown to, as I said, best friend of the show, Will Jordan-Humphrey. The Broncos take care of the visage of a team known as the Charger, 16-9. Shuck, the biggest storyline here was obviously the QB switch for Denver. How did Stidham look? How many shots to Russell Wilson did we see on the sideline? What was the vibe there?

A lot. For some reason, Russ decided it was appropriate to wear his helmet on the sideline the entire game, which I.

Thought was strange. No way.

Yes, he did. Really? Well, he was active as.

The backup. No, but that doesn't matter. No one wears a helmet when they're active.

He did. I promise you, I'm not trying to. You hide from the world when you've been terminated, essentially, but you're still there.

It's almost like a passive-aggressive or it's just very strange. It's very.

Can someone explain to me, and I don't want to know who cares, but if the whole thing was we don't want to risk the injury, messing with the guaranteed money. How is he active and the backup behind Stidham? Was he going to go on this game of.

Stidham, broke his leg? Yes.

That part of.

It-how does someone make it.

Make sense? That part of it is super illogical.

Well, because I don't think it was.

Go away, Broncos.

Go away. Because I truly believe it was both. That was a big bonus. But I think at this point, they knew they were probably out of the playoffs. They won this game and they are out of the playoffs, so they were right about that. They wanted to see Stidham who they thought might be better or just different and wanted to see it, and the money. But they weren't going to go too crazy and make him the third quarter back.

If you really want to at least be consistent in your messaging and the overall comprehensive plan of the team, he doesn't sniff the field the.

Rest of the game. It was a very Russell Wilson-like stat line. Not special, but good enough, kept them moving. Was that what it looked like?

Pretty much. I think Russ might have turned the ball over one or two times if he'd been on the field, but otherwise, it was pretty much that. Stidham looked like guy who hadn't played since the end of last season but still had the abilities that I would go so far as to say seduce the coach into believing that he should play in the starting lineup and be a starting quarterback for the final two weeks. I don't know what it is. Does he wear a special cologne that just convinced his coach that with two weeks left in the regular season? Farenhite. He's suddenly the guy. I mean, two years in a row. And this time around, I mean, they won the game, unlike last year when he played for the Raiders, but it wasn't super impressive. That highlight that you guys just ran, that was the best play of the game, and it was largely done by Little Jordan Humphrey.

But.

He did enough. He missed some guys. His accuracy was not on point for most of the game. They missed some opportunities as a result. But again, they're playing the Chargers, whose offense is only decent between the 20s, so they had some room for error, and they got the job done. I'm not going to lean on the win as the defining metric here, but for a guy who just came in after not playing all season, it's fine. We'll go with it. Sure.

Yeah, why not?

They.

Only needed the Bengals or the Seahawks to win in those late games, by the way, to stay alive for next week, which you would have thought they would have got one of those. Yeah, I cannot think of a team. They did not. They did not get one of those two results that they needed to stay alive.

I could tell you something. Fahrenheit cologne. I might not have done very well with women in high school, but I smelled great. I wish Fahrenheit was still in vogue in the cologne game because I would have never stopped wearing it. That is the best smelling stuff in the world. What was your go-to cologne? I wore Dracar.

Oh.

Dracar. Oh, yeah. That's very.

It was the only one I even knew about-.

100 %. -back then. -pure sex. How about you, Shuck?

Honestly, I still like to use a little bit from time to time, but back in the day, it was probably Chanel Blue. That was my big go-to. I liked that little bit of YSL. And then I got to tell you guys the story since we started with this. This is how I'm going to get out of here with this. Bridget decides to order some stuff from Nordstrom, and they accidentally throw in a bottle of cologne that's worth $400, and we got it for free.

Wait, they're not that big of a deal. That's what I'm using now. They accidentally throw it in?

It was not in the order. She was not charged for it, and there it was. And it's a big old bottle, and I looked it up and I was like, That is worth a lot. I would not spend that money on a cologne.

Found money.

Found. You smell like money.

It's already earning.

For us. There you go. I'm telling you, you got the doctor, you're all set up, Shuck. Buddy, as 2023 comes to a close, we thank you for all your great work, but you're not going to get rid of us that easy. We'll see you in 2024 as well.

Yeah, hopefully 2024, maybe 2025. No date. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. As Kyle Shaneyhan once said, we can all be dead. But I'm happy to still be alive and here on the pod with you guys.

We'll try to give you a better game next week in 2024 too. Sorry about that. No, not.

Counting on it. All right, Shook, thank you, buddy. All right, let us keep moving. Yeah, let's now get in in earnest. Let's get into the NFT side of things and let us start with an incredible finish. Incredibly frustrating if you're on the Detroit side of things. To Jerold World where the Cowboys and Lions went at it to the very end. The Lions are running out of two-point plays, Braden. They haven't even got into the head zone yet. They're going from the four-yard line. Four-two, snapped the golf, looking, throwing it to the left. It is dropped. Drop by the tight end, Mitchell, and the Cowboys are going to have a one-point lead in the ball. That's one of the craziest settings you will.

Ever.

See. Yeah, Brad, Sham. Oh, yeah. Thank God. Yeah, and I guess the tight end dropped it, but it was not a good pass by Jared Goff either. But in the defense, if everyone connected with the lines offense, they had a two-point conversion and the lead. They were taken from them. But the officials made the ruling that reverberated through pro football that it was an illegal substitution or illegal touching, wiped away the two-point effort, and a third two-point try from the Lions did not go. So the Cowboys hold on 20 to 19, a huge win for the Cowboys after what happens, Mark, 24 hours later with the Eagles losing. We'll get to that. But Cowboys got away with one here. Don't want to put it all on that play, but we should start there because the play involving Taylor Decker that gets waved off is something that is going to stick in the crow of Lions fans.

I mean, to have to be at this point in the season and come out of this game with this is the talking point because the official in general, globally league-wide, has been a problem. This just feels about as unjust of an ending. Frankly, completely changes, obviously, the NFC playoff picture, and it changes everything that the Lions had hoped to accomplish in many ways. It was an inexcusable mistake. The one thing.

That I- Not that the League owned up to it or anything. They stand by their story that there was not properly handled by Detroit, which is refuted broadly by the team that they did check the boxes, but the NFL has not come out and said they made a mistake.

To all of us, though, who watched the game, it's pretty clear. I think the thing that we learned, I don't think an average fan would know this, and sometimes just covering the game, that if you're Dan Campbell, one of the reasons that he was absolutely furious and beside himself was that you spend time before these games with officials, literally in person with a greaseboard, showing them ahead of time so that they understand what you're doing. Like if you're going to run a fake pun like they did, you tell them about that ahead of time and then play like, Here's our alignment. Here's who's going to be doing what. It wasn't like you're catching the officials off guard. They knew this was coming. They knew this was coming, and I think that's the one reason that Dan Campbell, it's not just a regular official mistake. It's like this was specifically laid out to the officials on who was going to be doing what and then this happened and there's no reversal of it. There's no chance to make it right.

Yeah, you saw the same thing last week that led to Jayer, Alexander being suspended, where he made the mistake and he wasn't the captain and he made the wrong call. The only reason that didn't go to Green Bay was because a bearded boy had spoke to the officials ahead of that coin toss. This stuff happens all the time. I watched a clip on The sideline. It was an NFL film clip of Kyle Schanehan telling the sideline official, hey, I think it was Kiddle. Kiddle is going to run this route, and then this linebacker is going to grab him, watch. Then that's exactly how it played out. Then they called defensive holding. There is this conversation that's happening that apparently, if the lines are to be believed, was disregarded and it cost them a game.

I think after hearing everything and it was fascinating and also boring because it's just these procedural rules. It's like a game shouldn't be decided like that. I almost thought like, Wow, I'm almost surprised this doesn't happen more often because it's all happening in the heat of the moment. It seems very clear. After hearing what the lions said afterwards, after watching the videos, after seeing everything that happened, it seems very clear what happened. Ultimately, it was like, there's two guys that are 6'7 and above, white guys, Taylor Decker and Dan Skipper. One of them is not usually in the game, that's Skipper. That's usually the guy who does check in and is the guy on the outside, an extra line man. He just got those two guys confused because Decker pretty clearly, and there's every reason to believe them, went over and tried to tell them, while our buddy, Brad Allen, who's been in the firing circle all season, Adam Schaefer wrote a whole freaking article about how Brad Allen's official crew was under a lot of heat because they keep messing up calls, including some PI calls in a St.'s-Falcons game. He wrote that article.

Weeks ago. Is that on the Kansas City game, too?

It was the Green Bank, Kansas City.

Right, so and he just...

Yikes.

I think he just had a moment where he totally got confused which guy was which, and that cost them that two-point conversion, which really sucks because that's part of the reason why that play was so cool was they were playing with Dallas of like, normally it's going to be Skipper, but now we're going to put Decker over there and it freaking worked.

All right, let's listen to this. Dan Campbell did a very nice job here. Avoiding being fined while also letting everyone in the world know he's royally pissed about the way that game had worked. Two people can't report. I don't.

Want to talk about it.

I explain everything pre-game.

To a T. I did that. Oh, man.

70 reported, 58 didn't, or 68 didn't. We throw.

At 68. That was the explanation.

Would you be frustrated right now? I mean, is it on the call? Is it on the execution?

I don't like.

Losing, Dave. That's what happened.

We lost.

That bothers me.

It bothers me. I don't like having an L, so that's the frustration. You know what? The thing about Campbell and why you love him so much is he was going for two no matter what. Now you could say he's already clenched to vision. He's got the home game. There wasn't really a clear path to getting the number one seed. But still, it's just so in his DNA, and it's the whole team that they were going for two. Even when it was backed up to the seven-yard line briefly, they were going for two, and the fact to be able then have the onions that you carry in a wheelbarrow to then get it done and have it taken away on a technicality that was wrong, that's a bummer. But the other side of this is the Cowboys 1. I wanted to say, and it should be said, for the second straight week in big time money pressure situations, Daq Prescott led his offense to a big score. This time it was a touchdown drive to put them ahead in the final minutes. Now Greg, you could say, Jeez, that's two straight weeks. The Dallas defense had a chance to close out a game and failed, and that's very true as well.

But at the end of the day, Dallas is set up here to get a home game and get that two-seed.

Right. I wish Goff had hit that throw. That was a bad throw by Goff. That was their fourth two-point conversion attempt, essentially, because the Cowboys had taken the time out right as they were about to run the first one. I was so impressed that that's when they threw the trick play out. That wasn't even going to be their play, but they switched it up. I wish Goff had hit that throw to the tight end so he wouldn't have this whole conversation. But that doesn't take away what happened in the first 58 minutes in that drive that you're talking about. You're absolutely right. I think the Cowboys, for the most part, offensively, did a lot of things in this game. I thought Doug played as well as you could have humanly played for a guy who did throw an interception, which was his fault, and they only scored 20 against the Lions. Otherwise, he had money throw after money throw against pressure. The 92-yarder to Lamb was just magical. A bunch of other really good decisions when guys were getting after him, and you mentioned it, yes, getting that touchdown drive or getting the lead with that touchdown drive to Cooke's.

That said, that game never should have even been in that position because Mike McCarthy went crazy. I don't.

Know what was going on with Mike. Zadi was on another planet.

That's the last discussion. Right, Jared Goff, it was a fascinating game, and we'll spend 30 minutes talking about it on NFL Plus, when he checked us out on Tuesday. But Goff had a good game until he threw an interception with just over two minutes to go. That felt like it ended the game, but Zadi throws three straight passes, including one where Zach throws a deep and out of bounds. They hit two of them to get a shorter field goal. I should mention that. But it's crazy because the Lions would have had less than a minute to go and no timeouts, needing a touchdown. If Zadi just calls a run there, but instead they have 140 and they get all the way back in that position to set up the madness. Yeah, I mean- Zadi.

Stop it. I'm so serious.

Please stop it. It was a.

Little much. Mike, come back to us.

Mccarthy has been known for this for years and years.

He's so unpredictable.

You're right. I mean, he's got to like, at some point, you've got to take a... He took that sojourney in a year and he could have spent some time on the time management thing. He's done a great job this season. But that's what worries me about Dallas. When they get into the playoffs, it's like they've had meltdowns two years in a row in the playoffs where they couldn't have looked more disorganized. I get it, like CD-LAM had the game of his life last night, and there's a lot to.

Like, and they're top heavy. Thirteen for 227.

I mean, that is insane. But it's like, they shouldn't have won this game. I came away very.

I'm pretty fired.

Up about the way that there's no accountability with the official game.

They did, though. They did win the game, and I thought they played well. It wasn't like they played poorly, they did catch a big break, but it should also be said that even if that play stands, Dallas does go back on the field and Dan goes back on the field with an opportunity to kick a field goal and you have the best kicker in the world this year on your team.

Twenty-three seconds they had a time-out. You're right.

We'll never know. I just feel that I share.

But I get the frustration. -campbell's spirit. I really do. I get the frustration of it all. Actually, the Zadi throwing the ball over and over again basically shocked Troy and Joe into silence. It also it made me think it was like, did he know the score? It made me think like, does Mike know what's going on right now? I don't know. Listen, I'm a Zadi fan. I like an unpredictable Zadi. You throw him and he's a wildcard. But the Cowboys might not be a wildcard.

They might be a champion. I'm with you, Dan, I mean, Mark, that I don't trust him in the end in a close, crazy game like this. But he did a lot of good things. I swear, even going into the final two minutes, like before Goff, through that interception that really set up how it ended, I was thinking, Man, this is one of the best games of the year. It's two good teams. They're going back and forth. The Dallas defense actually had a lot of good moments on the run defense where they got a ton of tackles for loss. Goff fought back with that beautiful throw to James and Williams. It was one of the best throws I saw all year. It was back and forth, and I thought both teams look good before that moment, and that the Cowboys would have been a deserving winner. Then just everything hit the fan.

It should be said that yes, Goff threw the big interception, and McCarthy bailed him out a little bit. If he does hit his tight end and stride there, James Mitchell, that's a two-point conversion. He throws the ball low, it's not caught. But if he hits him in stride, the way he 90, if he throws that ball 100 times, 98 times, I think it's right on the money. It was a little low in a big spot, and that was the difference.

He took ownership. I'm always impressed by Goff, how he talks to the media, but.

He.

Set the perfect tone, I thought, where he mentioned everything they did wrong, but also very pointedly pointed out how much the refs did wrong, too.

All right, one last thing on this game. I don't know, speaking of what's going on? Jimmy Johnson only got into the ring of honor for the Dallas Cowboys yesterday, December 30th, 2023, a quarter century after he was the most successful head coach of his era. Here he is, his final words during the half-time ceremony. The guy still got the juice. Because all of you is what makes this game so great. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I just got one more thing to say. Do it. Do it. How about to that cowboy With Irvin fainting in the background with excitement.

I love him. It was awesome.

I love him.

I love that moment. That's what it's all about. It almost made it. I'm sure he wouldn't have wanted to wait it, but you could tell he savor the hell out of that moment.

Yeah, and they now have a chance to win the division because of what happened in Philadelphia. Seven seconds left, ball at the Philly 49, Cardinals up 35-31, maybe the final play. Hertz backing up to throw. Four seconds left. Two. This will be the final play. Hertz takes a shot deep middle of the end zone, and it is intercepted in the back of the end zone.

It's picked by Blunt.

And the Arizona Cardinals give Jonathan Gennon a signature victory in his first season with the Red Bulls.

Happy New Year, Arizona.

Dave Pash and Ron Wolfley. My God, you could hear a pin drop at the link after that hell, Mary, heave fails. You could say Jonathan Gannon deserves bongos because that former Eagles intensive coordinator stunned his old team and may have terminally fouled up the Eagle's Super Bowl. Hopes James Conneran for a two-yard touchdown with 32 seconds to play and then the Arizona defense holds. Coming back from 15 down, the Cardinals do to stun the Eagles 35-31, mark. The Eagles entered December at 9 and 1. Been a long December. Boat Durants. They exited. They used a Cesslerism. Loading trash bag.

Man, they looked like it today on defense, too. They gave up 29 points in the second half. I mean, come on, guys. The most points that the Eagles have allowed in the second half in a decade.

Since.

They made this chaotic, bizarre switch to Matt Patricia, they have allowed 17-plus in the second half in three straight games.

This a year ago was-Wait, so Matt Patricia didn't fix their defense?

She did not fix that. What? They-what? You know what? What? We've seen the Arizona Cardinals on the ground, especially do this. They ran well against the Niners. They beat up Philly today. They had elongated, stretched out drives, a flood of scoring drives of 10-plus plays. Kyle Murray looked fantastic. James Connor ran the ball so well, and it was just impressive to see. I think that part of me was wondering, Jonathan Gannon knows a lot of these players. He knows this defense. Did that help? It's like, I don't know. In this case, it was just Arizona beating them down and mistakes on offense for Philadelphia. It's the most rushing yards they've given up all year. It looked like it. It was just an impressive performance. Early on in the game, Philly looked like they could catch fire a little bit. Sidney Brown had an incredible 98-yard pick six. Sidney Brown is the player that they ended up drafting because of the draft pick they got because Arizona tampered with Jonathan Gannon.

I was like, That's pretty spicy.

That feels pretty poetic. But then Arizona just took control. I think it, for me, sealed that Kyla Murray is going to stick around. There's a plan here, and I think they're well coached. The record doesn't reflect it, but they're a well coached team.

It is outrageous, the numbers and just... I'm looking forward to watching this one later in the week. But they scored Arizona on six. They only had seven real possessions in this game. That's as low as it gets. They got 32 first downs. That's outrageous. 449 yards and six scores. They scored six times on seven possessions, including those four touchdowns in the second half. The only time they were stopped the whole game was that interception. Even that play, the receiver... The receiver was open and it was like a miscommunication where Kyler thinks he's going one way and the receiver is a young receiver who knows who messed up on it, goes the other way. It's like, yeah, he caught it and he runs down the field, but they truly didn't make a stop all game. As much as Hertz has struggled relatively to where he was last year, and they're not an amazing ovens, the story for them is, how do they have the worst defense in the league right now?

What happened to the front seven?

They were like, talking about? With the money they have invested, it makes no sense.

One other note, Devont Smith left the stadium on crutches. The game ended with AJ Brown looking super frustrated again. Devont to Smith limping off. Me wondering what the future of the Eagles is.

Right now. When they took the lead, because they had the Jake, Elliot, kicked the field goal 31, 28. They had given up a 21-6 lead, but they had taken the lead again. Two minutes ago, you figure, okay, now the Eagles are going to win. I was just thinking, has there ever been a less happy 12 and four team? But now has there ever been a less happy 11 and five team? They're the first team in 35 years. I talked about that last week. Right, to start 10 and 1 and lose five games. It's basically unprecedented to start 10 and 1 and end up with five losses.

You hate to see it, nick Ciriani, such a humble guy. Oh, stop. To be going through these struggles and perhaps being exposed without a better coaching staff. You hate to see it. Also, is there a little curse of Dom in play here?

A.

Little curse of Dom?

It's been a disaster since that happened, since they put him into exodus.

That's a great point.

Bring back Dom?

I don't know if...

No, he's not allowed. I mean, he's there. He's still working. Steak him in. He's a VP.

Put him as a mask. Make him a mask. You got to get him back on the sidelines.

It's not a bad deal for him. He's up in the owner's box. He doesn't have to.

Work on something like that. He's an assistant to the GM. He does a lot of.

Different stuff for them. They're 11 and 5. Cowboys are 11 and 5. If the Cowboys win next week, they win the NFC East. The Eagles would need a loss from the Cowboys against Washington to try to get the NFC East back.

You mentioned-Even the.

Cowboys can't blow this. No, I don't think so. It'll probably be the Eagles as the five seed at the NFC South winner. You mentioned how that result really changed the Lion's season. I think it really changed the Cowboy season. The Lions now have a bit of a rallying cry. They're going to be the three-seed, most likely instead of the two-seed, which is a difference. They could be traveling in the divisional round instead of being at home. They could have a tougher opponent like the Rams, the first round. It changes their season.

They love another crack of the Cowboys.

Right. It sets up that they could be on the road back in Dallas, but who knows? Lots to get to before then.

Well, that's a big difference. Yeah.

All right, let's keep moving. The 49ers, they had to beat the commanders on Sunday and get a little bit of help to lock up the one seed. Everything once San Francisco goes away. Here's third down. Purdy looks right. Purdy now chased out of the pocket, now going back the other way. A 360 spin. Trying to send throws for the end zone. Ayouk is open. Touchdown. That Washington secondary.

San.

Fran, Ciccano. Do they even have 11 guys on the field? Ayouk, Ayouk, Ayouk is on fire. Greg, Papa, and Tim Ryan have a good old time on New Year's Eve. They brought back Anderson Cooper. I love Cooper. And the other guy. Who's the other guy?

The Bravo guy.

Don, Andy Cohen. Cohen.

Oh, Cohen. Okay.

John Lemon's history.

He's done. Wait, Andy Cohen's back?

Cohen and-Cohen Cooper.

Are.

They ever gone? No, but they they took away booze from them the last couple of years.

Well, it got a little boozy.

Some stuffy CEO said, No more drinking. Cronkins back. Guess what? Zucer is tuning in to CNN's coverage tonight.

You do remember that Greg and I jogged by Anderson Cooper. I don't know where he's from. What a story. He said, I love that story. He said, I love that story. It could have been nicer.

Very nice. You watch Cooper and you watch his buddy. I forgot his name again. Cohen. Cohen.

Cooper and Cohen. Bravo is hot right now. Then-the last 15 years.

-you hit midnight and you switch over and you watch Miley Cyrus, I always think she does a nice job. This year she's got a hit. Is it the last few years, she's doing a nice job on New Year's Eve. But she hasn't had a hit in seven years. She had flowers this year, so she's hot. We got a nice lineup for New Year's.

You've got a huge night ahead of you.

It's going to.

Be wild. What's her hit?

She had the biggest hit of the.

Year.

Flowers.

Okay. Check it out. I will.

Eric, can you sing just a little bit of flowers as the resident young man?

No, I have no clue. I have no idea. That last time I heard Mali Cyrus's voice.

I can buy myself flowers. Actually, now I.

Do know that song. Now I recognize.

That song. Something, something, something. All right, let's get to it.

That was the biggest hit of the year?

Monster hit. I can take myself dancing.

I don't know about that. The biggest is a big statement.

Very Rosenthal moment. You don't even know the song. I'm telling you, it's the.

Biggest hit of the year. Just look it up. I'm just saying, even if it's not tie, it could be top five, but it wouldn't be the biggest. How do you measure that?

They have streaming numbers. They have all sorts of things.

There are measurables.

For that -Rock, Purdy through two touchdown passes, moving past the worst game of his young career. The Niners crews through a 27-10 win over the Commanders in land over minutes after the win. Those Eagles we just talked about were stunned by the Cardinals, and that allowed San Francisco to clinch the number one seed and the by and home field throughout the NFC playoffs. Mark, the Niners got the dub, they got the by, and they moved past their Christmas nightmare.

They're back. Well, I drafted this game because I wanted to see how Brock-Purdy specifically... I would, well, sure. But I really was like the whole Brock pretty narrative got on my nerves.

Did it?

Yes, it did. I can barely talk on it. He was absolutely flawless today. I thought he, when you go watch this, an added element to his game, and he became the leading single-season Yardage record passing for the Niners in their history, and there's some competition there. He started to do some things today, throwing the ball improvisationally on that throw to Ayuk and just seeing the field in a way that reminded me like I'm so tired of people just acting like he's a vanilla stand-in. He looked great. Everyone was back. There is one concern, though. Christian McAfrey left the game with a calf injury, was questionable, never returned. They did have a good game from Eli Mitchell, but that's obviously a key thing to monitor. One thing about Washington, because it was assumed that Jacobi Preset was going to start this, but did a hamstring issue before the game. Sam Howell, who had been benched, gets thrown back in there. He did all right early on, but then it turns to complete chaos. The look on Howell's face was like, What am I doing in here? Unpleasant situation for the Commanders.

This meant a lot for the 49ers, and I think McAfrey is a great example why. Just guys playing through injuries, they want to rest. At that point in the game, I think they had a two-score lead, and it appeared he was trying to get back in the game. I think it was just, unfortunately for his fantasy owners after dominating all year, he has a rare game without a touchdown, 91 total yards.

That could cost him the MVP.

As well. That was quite... Right. He's going to sit out week 18, you would assume they have nothing to play for. It meant a lot to them. You could really tell. Trent Williams talked after the game that he's never had that happen before. They really celebrated this number one seed in a way that you could tell it compared to previous 49ers teams like they've never had this and it meant a lot. This was their goal of the whole season.

Very nice.

You know what else was very nice? What? The old Zucer with his accurate pop culture knowledge. The number one stream song of 2023, according to Spotify, Flowers.

That's why they call me a geriatric millennial.

You nailed it. That's- Global.

-over 1 billion streams.

-global. You're right, Purdy is a great second reaction player here. Nice job.

I thought some of his best bros came today.

I think the way things have gone out. How much did.

He get paid by the Brock Purdy camp, by the way? What is the...

Are you a retainer? It's not a spin.

I think he's going to get MVP votes. We'll see if Lamar... The thing is, it's probably over now in terms of those two guys playing. I think the vote is going to be more split than people think. I think Lamar will win. You want to do a sandwich prop on that? I think Purdy, McAfrey. I think people are going to do other votes.

I think Lamar is going to win and it's not going to be close now. Because of the stage on Christmas, and then like I was saying before the Christmas game, Greg, I thought he needed that massive statistical game to clean up some of the counting numbers, and he got that today with the five touchdowns and the perfect pass rating. I just think he now has a pretty spark.

You're probably right. It's pretty unbeatable right now. He's a former actor of the Bays.

It could be like 30s.

Maybe it's like 32 to 11 to four, something like that. That's all I'm saying.

Cmc, I thought if he could have.

Closed out. I think there will be pretty believers.

I feel like voters don't even remember four weeks ago. They'll remember today.

Let's take one more break and then we will get you caught up in full. All right, we are back. Let's keep rolling. Let's head to Seattle. A game with huge playoff implications between the and Seahawks. Nadee is the lone setback. Rudolf under center, reverse motion by Robinson back to the right. To give to Nadee, sidesteps a man, finds his way inside the five, throws off.

To the one-yard line.

He didn't get in, I don't think. Yes, a ruling touchdown. Nadee, Harris, an unbelievable. Never say die. I want the end zone. And he got in from nine yards up.

How did he do it?

He said a little bit like Barney from the Simpsons there.

How did he do it?

Could have been. Could have been. Could have been.

Bill Hillgrove and Craig Wolfley with the goal. We all have all the Wolfies here. Wdv, Nagey Harris, they did record that from Mose, actually, so it is possible. Nagey Harris rushed for a season high of 122 yards, and he had that mean physical run. One of two touchdowns, the Steelers keep their playoff hopes alive with a 30 to 23 win over the Seahawks. Tough one here, Greggie, for Seattle, we're going to get to them. But you got to give out, just like Miley Cyrus, flowers to Pittsburgh, who they looked dead and gone going into week 16. Then they stomp, who was it? Cincinnati? Then they go to Seattle and their offense, which let's face it, has never been overly impressive this year, but it has showed signs of life at times since Matt Canada exit the building. They were legitimately hard to handle in this game. It wasn't just Najae Harris, it was also Jailen Warren, who really had a nice year for them. Mason Rudolph is not a game changer, but he is making plays for this team. All of a sudden, the Steelers who once again have a winning record, Mike Tomlin, apologies to you, sir, they look.

Pretty dangerous. Nine and seven, very much alive. Maybe Mason Rudolf is a game-changer? I mean, he's a season-changer. He's an offense-changer. Two hundred and seventy and 24 attempts. The Next Gen stats had him plus 17, completion percentage over expected, which is an extraordinary high number. He's had the two highest numbers for them this season by any stealer, score-to-back and back-to-back weeks. When you look at the spray chart, the target chart, or where he's throwing, it looks like a different offense. The ball is just going deep down the field and that's not what they were before.

They had a 100-yard rusher and receiver in the same game for the first time since 2021, which tells you how anemic they've been. But I'm with you on... Mason Rudolf, who I had written off as a non-factor, has had absolute chemistry with their playmakers. Pickens is a completely different wide receiver with him at.

The quarterback. Seven for 131, 460 yards, again, only about eight possessions, which is crazy. The five first times. It was the most yards they've had since, I think, four years, something like that for the Steeler. It's a long time.

It wasn't just because Big Ben stunk the last two years. There was those Big Ben stinks years and then this uneven transition to Picket and beyond. Yeah, so any signs of life from Pittsburgh, I think I said going into this week, I don't like drafting them because they're so boring to watch and have been for a couple of years. I was watching this game. I was like, okay, because Seattle, at least early on as well, they're moving the ball as well. You really actually saw, considering it's a game of all due respect, Greg, Gino, Smith, and Mason, Rudolph, you were seeing some big time pocket throws. Rudolph had a throw where the pass rush is coming in on him. He hangs in the pocket, hangs a perfect ball down the sideline, and Pickens makes a beautiful diving catch. It was one of the best plays, QB to wide receiver, you'll see.

The Seahawks give up those plays. It was great throws, I thought, but they also gave up 202 yards on the ground. This is why the NFL season is very confusing when it comes to numbers. Things can just change. First five weeks of the season, Seahawks number one in the NFL in yards per carry allowed. Since then, the absolute worst run defense in the NFL, this defense has completely collapsed down the stretch. They're a bottom five defense in basically every metric over the last eight or nine weeks. It's just a really disappointing loss. They are not out of it now. They're 8 and eight, but they are going to need help. They are no longer in position to make the playoffs. They're going to need the NFC North Sunday Night winner to lose the game. They also lost two offensive line men in this game, which is maybe part of why Gino lost a fumble there. He played really well, I thought, but did lose a fumble on strip sack in the fourth quarter that.

Was big. I do not want to hear it. Tomlin is a sensible man. Will it be Kenny Pickett or Mason Rudolf? I do not want to hear it.

Not.

Like Will it be Mason Rudolf playing well the last two weeks, and it's 2014, Ben Ralphosberger, ready to return after his tightrope ankle surgery. Nah, bro. Let's ride the hot hand and see where things can go.

Here's where they can go for the Steeler. Much more alive than I expected. They need to win but they're playing the Ravens.

He'd be tabulating.

I'm tabulating. The way it worked out for them, pretty nice. Ravens 13 and 3, heavy favorites, you would think, but Ravens may be sitting next week. The Steelers, they got to get that win. There's no scenario where they lose and get in. Got to get their win. Then they need either the Jaguars against the Titans or the Bills against the Dolphins.

To lose. Okay.

It's a pass. It's reasonable. It's pretty reasonable. It's probably the Bills. They're probably hoping for Miami and they're hoping for Tyler Huttley.

That's what they're- Based on everything that we're hearing around Baltimore, it totally feels like Lamar and company plays the first half. Stay in striking distance in that first half and then try to win the game in the final two quarters. Oh, nick Wesley. Locked it up on Thursday night, as I understand.

That could be a devastating blow there. For sure. Nick Wesley.

Well, he has to now go into heroball mode and basically lock against you pretty much the rest of the way.

What is he? Three back or four back? He's a lot back. He gone. Now a lot of weeks, but did a fantastic job. It was great having nick.

Beautiful. Always good to have a Wessling. Thank you, nick, for your help on Thursday and all season. All right, let's go. Happy New Year to the Wesslings on the west side of Cincinnati and beyond. Let's head to the Metalands, where the Rams are trying to keep their fit playoff hopes, flickering, and it got pretty scary. Middle of the field, officially, 54. What number is he? To give the giants.

Their first lead in.

The final minute of regulation. Who is that? Is that Mason, Rosman? It clears the... It's running out of state. Is that Mason Crosby wearing number 21? It's kept to the left. It's no good. Get off my field. And the Rams will win. Get off the field, Mason Crosby. Number 21, Mark.

You do not abide by that.

I thought J. B. Long really deserved a little more spotlight.

J. B. Understands. You love, as much as anyone I know to jump into these booths during these calls and go with your own thread of commentary.

It would be weird if you knew anyone else that did that because.

You J. B. And I will see him at Jack's Barbershop, and we're going to work through what just happened there. Because Mason Crosby wearing number 21 was wide left, that came after Tyrod Taylor had a hideous two-point conversion miss that allowed the Rams to stay ahead and they end up escaping with a 26-25 win over the Gman. Los Angeles has clinched... Wait, Los Angeles clinched the playoffer.

They're in. They're in. At that moment, they had. But with the Seahawks lost, helping them out.

My apologies. It is complicated, as Greg said. When the Seahawks fell, the Rams make the playoffs quite a rise for the team across the sidewalk, Greg.

Yeah, sometimes you need some luck. I know of the Rams played a good game, a good enough game to win for most of the game and then started falling apart late. Special Teams gives up a big return to Gunneral, Shefsky with 327 to go there. Special Teams has been a disaster also. That was wild. I mean, they missed two extra points in this game. One of them was totally on Sean McVeigh after you had already missed an extra point and you're up seven late in the game, it was fourth quarter, you go for two to get it to nine to make it a two score game. Plus, Haverstik, he doesn't Haverstik. He doesn't have anything. Haver it. They go for the other extra point, he missed another one. I got to assume that's the last time we see Haverstik in a Rams uniform. Mcveigh, I could even go through it more. It just drive me crazy with the game management. But then, yeah, a little bit of luck. Tyra Taylor, you mentioned it, missed a missed two-point conversion, which again, only happened because of a mess up on special teams by the Rams. They had a penalty on an extra point, and Dave, I don't blame him, took the point off.

It would have been a Thai game, went for the two because they was then at the one yard line, had a perfect play dialed up, and Tyradd just misses a total gimmmy. Dave then also assists the Rams there because the rams at the end, after being too conservative on offense, gives the ball back to the giants 1-0-8 to go. Tyrodd has a big run to put them in position to go win that game. But then Dable gets crazy conservative. They spike it with 38 seconds left. Don't love wasting the time down there, but okay. But then you call the run the next play, mystifying to me. When you got Mason Crosby, you're setting up a.

50- Number 21.

-50-yarder, and then McVeigh calls a time-out. That was even more mystifying to me. But then the giants, they couldn't get it. Give the Rams defense some credit. The Rams defense played well in this game. I know it doesn't seem like it. They put up 25 points, but the Rams defense only gave up 13 points, really, in this game. It was turnovers by the Rams offense and special teams.

What was going on?

Sorry, this game was crazy.

What was going on with the moment where McVeigh and Stafford seemed to be going at each other?

That was on the third downplay before the giants got the ball at the end. They run, run past there. I thought, again, McVeigh was too conservative, not throwing on the first two downs because he just wanted to kill the clock, was hoping to get out of there. Then which was eating Stafford's lunch in the second half in a way that I haven't seen against this Ram's offense, just caused a blitz and there was total confusion. Everyone runs free. I think McVeigh and Stafford were confused about that play call or why Stafford didn't fix the protection or why McVeigh messed up. But it was a meltdown by the Rams in the fourth quarter after a good first three quarters, but they survived anyway. That's how.

It works sometimes. There's an exciting element to knowing that the on the first weekend of the playoffs will lose in horrific fashion from the special teams. There's something exciting about just wondering what will it be? How will it happen? Will it be a misfield goal? Will it be a block pun? Will it be a hideous tripping penalty? Will the holder drop a snap? I mean, the mind, it just wanders all these different ways.

It's like a multiple choice test.

That the Rams will foul up their season on special teams.

Kairen Williams, three more touchdowns. Up to 15, another 100-yard touchdown. League winner. -and then Puca Nakua, five for 118. He made a big 80-yard plate. He is their number one. Cup looks a little injured, and Puca now... And granted, he's getting the extra game. He felt just short of the 16-game records, but he's four catches and 30 yards away from setting the rookie records for catches and receiving, and he's getting that extra. He will do it.

To soldier field. First and goal. Fields with Taylor motioning left and back to the right takes the snap up the middle on the delay. Fields twisting left to the five to the pylon, puts the ball on the orange and into the paint. Touchdown, off. Justin Fields, fourth of the year, a nine-yard touchdown caps off the drive at a 13-nothing, bears lead. I wanted to say something, but now you may be self-conscious. I just zipped it up.

I didn't say I didn't like it. I just thought it seemed to be a craving of yours. Zip.

Locked.

Throw away the key.

I feel like not liking it is just like a little implied and pointing that. I mean, just a little.

Needle by me.

A little needle.

Jeff Johniac with the call. I feel like a little. Justin Fields throws for 268 yards and a touchdown pass. He rushes for that score too. Who knows? That could be it for him. In Chicago is a home player. The Bear is stick it to the Falcons who stink. Thirty-seven to 17 in a game that started with the snow coming down to the soldier field. I love it. I tweeted this and I know I think I'm not in the majority here, but I'm watching Fields and I'm watching the connection he has with DJ Moore. Nine for 159 and a touch. That scramble for the touchdown. There was a, the Barrett fans know exactly when I'm talking about another play where Fields gets out of a certain sack then, Piruets away. And most quarterbacks would be happy to get back to the line of Scrimage. But no, he ends up running for 15 yards at a first. I'm thinking all this stuff and I'm like, Do you really want to just raid that guy for a lotto ticket. That's what I'm thinking as I'm watching this game. I know that you can make the case for it, and we will talk about it.

There's plenty of time to talk about that. But this is a game where you see the type of play from fields like, are they building something here? If they are, and I feel like they are, that there's been incremental progress here as the season's gone along and the team's getting better and they're going to have the ability to spend money and bring in better players, you really want to blow it up for a lot of ticket. That was my takeaway from this game.

You've got the stadium chanting his name.

Yeah. And that matters. It does. The public opinion on the quarterback, I'm not saying that front offices should use that as the reason, but I think there is an energy around the team with fields there and God, just throwing it the other way. If they traded them to the giants this offseason and he becomes a superstar for the New York team and the NFC, that would be an all-time shot to the lower section of the fan base unless they draft to Hall of Fame or something, but still.

They've won four out of five. I think they're better than right now some teams that are going to make the play.

The lower section.

Put them against the NFC Southwinner, I'm taking the bears. The only time the bears have lost in the last five games was that Heartbreaker versus the Browns or else they could very well be in this playoff mix.

How about any of the A-teams in the south? The A-C or NFC?

Right, exactly.

Give me the bears. Maybe not Texans.

Yeah, but they would be right there because they have put together something. It's a really good defense and enough playmaking on offense. Our guy in Ratport said, Ibriflus, He put some caveats in it that needs to finish well, but this result obviously is a great start to that, that he's going to end up keeping that Bear's.

Job, Ibraflus. Ibraflus had no public identities to the vast majority of football watchers, and I think that's changed now. His defense has been among the best.

It's been really good. They were eliminated on Sunday despite the win. But I think they're threading the needle. They got the number one pick from the Panthers. They've looked good. Fields is helping his trade value if they do want to trade him. It's actually a pretty good time to be a Bear train. Unlike the Falcons, who don't have a quarterback, who aren't probably going to make the playoffs in this terrible division, and who knows what they're going to do in terms of their head coach?

There is some reporting that he's going to stick around Arthur Smith, but I can't think of a team that I felt more differently about back in August.

I hear you, but that reporting was also before they lost by 20 to the bears and then they paid the Saints next week. If you lose by 20 to the Saints and you're 7 and 10 and third place, we'll see. They are still alive, though, for the division. The ESPN incorrectly sent a tweet out that said they were eliminated and left it up for 30 minutes. But no, they actually can win the division if the Bucks lose next week and they beat the Saints.

Yeah, the play calling from Smith was bad in this game, and somehow they're still alive because of what happened in the last game we're going to talk about before Sunday Night Football. Tampa Bay had a chance to hunch their ticket and they failed. There's the snap. Here comes pressure. Kahl throws it towards the end. They're looking for Tasom Hill. Tasom Hill makes the catch on the near side. That is a touchdown for Tasom Hill. His second reception of the day, he's thrown a pass, caught a pass. Throwing a pass, caught a pass. Mike Hoss with the call, www. Nfl. The NFC south is freaking hilarious. Deric Carr threw two touchdown passes. The Saints beat the Bucks 23-13. They climb back into a tie with Tampa Bay for first place in the NFL's only division without a winning record. Mark, why?

What a disappointing performance considering what the Bucks have been for the past month. What big or Mayfield's been? You had about 40 yards in the first half. On Tampa's first eight drives, you had four three and outs, two interceptions, and a fumble. They melted. They showed up also looking incredibly flat, where the Saints who have been a chaotic mess in certain ways and driving their fans crazy. I started to see Saint's fans saying, Wait a minute, this is the version of Derrickar that we've waited for. He was 10 for 13 on third downs. They were a little banged up and he made great use of Joan Johnson in his tight ends, 133 of his yards and both touchdowns went to tight ends, and they looked really functional. They lost Alvin Camara in the middle of this game, but they were the team that came out and stomped to Tampa Bay from wire to wire. The score is not indicative of what this game looked like for three plus quarters. I mean, Baker and the Bucks did the thing where they climbed back into it, but this was not the Bucks team that I expected to see, and this was not the Baker Mayfield I expected to see.

The Saints who maybe have a new coach a couple of weeks from now. They've played very hard for Dennis Allen today.

We keep saying that. We had a belly aching around the Saints this year. They could watch them hosting a playoff game in two weeks. Certainly, there's a chance of it now, and that's crazy. But I think maybe the lesson here for all of us, and Mark, I know you got behind the buccaneers on a locular level. None of these teams are worthy of trust. Even the ones that will string a couple of wins together, like that come back to Earth is always just around the corner. For Tampa, that was today.

Right. You know what, Mark? Unfortunately, and I was with you. This was the game I was really thinking of locking. One thing you didn't do, though, I did is I took a rest stop. Oh, we're going to the rest stop. Yeah, I went to a rest stop. I should have to make up.

For the rest stop.

Saints come back from that Thursday night game. Look at their wounds. A nice long weekend while the Bucks are working hard and that little extra rest. I love.

Rest stop. It's such a good show because it's formative. It's just stupid. It just takes you inside the game.

Bucks is a treat. It's a real good app. Maybe the Bucks knew that all they have to do is beat the Panthers next week to win the division because that is still true. All they have to do is beat the Panthers next week and they win the division. The Saints are probably still alive for the wildcard, but barely at A-N-A. This is a nightmare scenario for Saints fans because you're right, I think and keep Dennis Allen. If they go 9 and 8 and they beat the Falcons and then move, they'll keep Dennis Allen, but they'll miss the playoffs. That's a bad combo. They could get the wildcard, though, but they would need to win. They would need the Cardinals to beat the Seahawks. That is possible. They would need the Bearers to beat Packers. It's also a.

Nightmare for Saython. They're alive for the division and the wildcard. That's three- Going into week 18.

Three things.

Please, stick that in your pipe and smoke it. I'm going to feel bad for anybody whose team is alive going into the last week.

And Kerr is not going anywhere. They're alive, Martin. He's played two of his best games.

He's played two of his best games. Increasingly on Dan's radar. Kerr has been very good. I think he has multiple touchdown passes, like four games in a row or something.

He's played his best down the stretch. You're not allowed to say that. I'm just stretched. Strike it. I mean, he has a great, but fine.

I'm just saying they could be.

A division champ. This is funny.

All right, let's head to Sunday Night Football. Two receiver stack on the left off that stack. Reed in motion to the right. It is second down in 10 for the Green Bay Packers at the 25 in Minnesota snap to love. He looks, he throws the middle. He's got Reed cutting left, took to defender 20, turns corner 15, 10-5. He has it. He has it. He has it. He has it. Touchdown. Touchdown, Jaden Reed. He is dominant here tonight. Twenty-five yard touchdown pass. It's 23-3. Jaden Reed dominant. How about that? We're back at our home studios now to close things out. It was Jaden Reed going for two scores, including that game, Icer, really, in the final seconds of the first half. The Packers crews from there, 33-10 over the Wobegon team of around the NFL. Minnesota Vikings, the Vikings 7 and 9 and pretty much out of it now, but mathematically still alive. The Packers 8 and 8 and they have a lot on the line heading into week 18. This game, Greg, was not competitive. These are two teams in very different places.

Two quarterback situations that couldn't be more different. Jared Hall starts, gets benched at half time. Wasn't the worst quarterback you've ever seen, but there was no way he was going to lead a three-touchdown comeback. Nick Mullins wasn't either because Jordan Love just kept pouring it on. I just think you got to look at Jordan Love's first start against the Vikings, where he was a hot mess. The team around him was a hot mess. They're dropping eight into coverage. He doesn't know what to do, blah, blah, blah. Andthen tonight, 2:56, three touchdowns, so many good throws. One where he's jumping up in the air and throwing it up, but a couple that are across his body, but more than anything, just reacting to all the blitzes that were his way and just looking like a very composed veteran quarterback. Despite not having Don Tavion Wicks, Luke Musgrave, that play we heard from Reed was the last one of the night. He left with a chest injury from that play. And Christian Watson, and it doesn't matter, the Packers were freaking rolling even in the second half when they had the big lead, he's just so impressive.

And they are one win away against the bears. That is a spicy game next week. The Packers are one win away from making the playoffs in a very fun playoff team.

And I love has had some reps and practice dealing with banged up wide receivers. It seems like that's been a theme for them for a while now. It's him and it's what he's done and what he's become. But also to have Aaron Jones go off for 120 yards, like they were missing him for so long. I think the surprise in this game for me is really just the Vikings defense collapsing. They've been a good defense and they were just victimized from the start tonight. I'm with you that Hall wasn't a complete disaster. Here. But I think even on the Thursday preview show, I just... Nick Mullins is nick Mullins, and I get that. You were right. I don't like this decision. There was risk attached to it. More risk to me than having nick Mullins in there who at least through his mistakes, seems productive and a bit more like a gunslinger. When he came in, he got Justin Jefferson going a little bit, and I thought that they responded to him. If you're Kevin O'Connor, you're in a tough spot. You have been all year at quarterback, but a bit of miscalculation in my book.

Yeah, I mean, Mullen's average, he was in the Gabbert zone as well. They didn't light it up in the second half, but I think with-.

They never got the ball back because the defense just couldn't get off the field.

No, it was the disastrous game, and they were missing a couple of guys, DJ Wannum, Byron Murphy Jr, But that doesn't explain a no-show like this. I think, and the reason why, even though I didn't necessarily agree with Gona Hall, you knew the way O'Connor seems to be wired, like he couldn't wait, he could not wait to get Dobbs out of the lineup after those turnover-marred games. And Mullins was playing so careless with the football that I guess that's part of his checklist of a quarterback. You can't be someone who turns the ball over. And if they bring back Kirk Cousins next year, which I fully expect, I believe that they will, he was playing so well, and he's really now established himself in that city in a lot of ways, they'll get the quarterback position calmed down. But yeah, Greg, I think you put it well that when we were back at the office that O'Connor was in his head a little bit by then because everyone, including us, the team of ATN, got sucked into the idea of what this defense that was on the rise and the skill players at Jefferson coming back, and then Dobbs, what he brought to the picture that maybe in a wide-open NFC, you can make something happen.

But once Dobbs fell off and then you turn into Mullins and then you just get into that really dark place that teams do when you're just churning through quarterbacks, looking for an answer. The Vikings, it's sad, but at least we'll always have the memories of two-time failures team of ATN. Fool us once.

Shame on you. Sorry, Vikings fans.

Fool us twice. Shame on us. It will not happen a third time. Yeah, that's it.

Sorry. The Vikings- We promise you, your time as team of ATN is over.

They're one and five in their last six. I think they're two and five since we chose them. I could be wrong on the date, but I'm pretty sure they're two and five.

I think you're right. They won the first game and then things started getting weird.

Yeah, Mark, I know it's a tough flow for you, especially.

But luckily, it's not... No, I know it's not. It's been disappointing. But Greg, there is a pathway for them to still make the playoffs. There is a pathway, yes.

They will not make the playoffs. I'm just going to say right here because I think there's many reasons why. But they need to beat the lions. Lions could be resting players.

They.

Need the bears to beat the Packers because the Packers are now winning in.

Are we really doing this?

Yeah, love it. They need the Cardinals to beat the Seahawks. That's going to be tough. Then they need either the Panthers to beat the Bucks or the Falcons to beat the Saints. Tarico has tried to talk it up as like, Hey, you've seen crazy. This actually isn't that difficult to path. I'm like, What? I don't expect any of these things to happen. Stop it.

How about Tariko and Collinsworth and the tuxes tonight? I liked it. Cessna didn't like it. I thought it was.

A nice little touch. I don't know why you tagged me as anti-tux. I thought they looked... It was memorable.

As Keith Hansis would say, Oh, yeah, they were a good shop.

By the way, the Vikings defense started collapsing two weeks ago. This is their third straight pretty bad game. They've had injuries and stuff, but they've also been a little bit of a gimmicky defense in terms of just always setting pressure in the zone behind it. The matter of defense. Maybe good quarterbacks have maybe figured out. It just feels like everything just ended at the same time. Jake Brown and ended their season. I really feel that game was the turning point for them. Jake Browning. Well, yeah.

They're up 17-3 in the fourth quarter, I think. But I think we should give a little credit if we're going to be killing Joe Barry most weeks and it's deserved. The Packers defense has been Swiss cheese. You give him a little credit today. He shook up the rookie. The Packers, here's the.

Thing- Without a couple of cornerbacks, too, without Alexander and without another one of their starters.

Right. I put the Packers, the standard is higher because it's Green Bay, but I put the Packers in a similar bucket to Houston where you got your quarterback. Love has established himself this year as certainly a guy who they bet on and they stuck with, and he is now their established starter, and he could be a star in the League.

He's playing.

Like a star. That's what I mean. All right, he could be a superstar. I mean, he's put enough on tape where you could see a ceiling for him that is pro-ball level or perhaps even all-pro if something really clicks in. Regardless of how this season ends, I would say this first post Aaron Rodger's season is successful for that reason alone.

Yeah. I think we learned a lot about Matt Lifloor because it was easy just to tag his success or attach his success to Aaron Rodgers. It was your job, and it's essentially the reason that he was hired was to develop a young quarterback like this. You're also saddled with Joe Barry's defense. He's coached some really great games amid all that.

I don't know. Guys are open tonight.

Yeah.

They've done a great job. He has more yards and touchdowns that this season, Love does than any bears quarterback has ever had in the season, which is just a little stick. But now he has to play the Bear's divots. It's a perfect week 18 game. It reminds me exactly of Lions, Packers, a year ago with the Lions having the chance to knock out the Packers. Now it's the rising bears with the chance to knock out the Packers. That is what? Is that an early game next week? No, that's a 4:25 game. That's going to be the game people watch the most.

Anything else, boys? It's New Year's Eve. It's a quarter to midnight on the East Coast. Almost nine o'clock here. We don't need to continue to talk into microphones. Anything to put a bow on things tabulations-wise, Greg, or Mark and you.

Want to add? No, but we got to talk the Sunday Night announcement. It is Bill's Dolphins. We're wrapping up week 18. Very nice. It always made sense. Bill's Dolphins on Sunday Night. Then I think what was probably the number two choice for this game is going to be Saturday Night, an early playoff game. Texans, Colts, loser goes home, winner makes the playoff. That's a spicy little Saturday Night game, too. Yeah, we'll take it.

We'll take it.

Very good. Dj Strauss, go make a playoff. R rookie season, get in prime time for the first time and go win a playoff game in that game. That's a.

Nice little spot. Got Steeler's Ravens on Saturday, too.

That's right. Less exciting.

To our listeners, it is the end of another year of around the NFL. We thank you for hanging around. You've given us a great life. We appreciate... You know what? We got it. We had hip hop, Santa. Eric, we got something else with a little more bizarre, a little more heat, a little more contemporary.

Do we have the rights to that song?

I think it's like 700 years old.

Okay.

I thought you were going to play Flowers by Miley Cyrus.

Now that we do not have the rights. But I'll be having a nice night with Miley Cyrus and friends and family. I hope everyone else has a great night and a great tomorrow in 2024. It's going to be a good one. Maybe this year will be better than the last. Another Durance.

I like that. I love our listeners.

All right, I guess I.

Said it all. They don't say it all for me. I love you. I love you the most.

Very weird. That's basically what my two young sons do to each other. But I do it the most. All right, guys. All right, thank you to everybody again and have a great beginning of 2024. We'll be back on Tuesday, another funky week because of the holidays. But the playoffs in week 18 right around the corner and we'll be there. Until then, heed the call. Happy New Year.