In a room full of heroes – Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, and Marc Sessler preview the Week 16 action across the NFL.
00:00 START
07:06 Ravens at 49ers
17:53 Giants at Eagles
24:24 Raiders at Chiefs
29:25 Patriots at Broncos
35:02 Cowboys at Dolphins
43:09 Lions at Vikings
51:15 Browns at Texans
57:12 Jaguars at Buccaneers
01:00:45 Cardinals at Bears
01:03:49 Colts at Falcons
01:09:08 Packers at Panthers
01:15:05 Commanders at Jets
01:19:18 Seahawks at Titans
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The around the NFL podcast all they want for Christmas is football well if that’s the case we’re getting everything we want this year thanks Santa from the Chris wesling podcast Studio it’s around the NFL Dan hanas with Heroes Greg Rosenthal and Mark cesler can you believe it week 16 preview in
Bulk how are you boys feeling good it it is a lot of football this Christmas this is the most football Christmas there has ever been and forever more will be right cuz next year can’t top it it will be more somehow no cuz it will be more next
Year the football Sunday so naive Greg it will move it will move to Monday and then it’s just it’s it’s tough Point does the NFL have the power to just move days themselves that’s a fair point like affect the calendar in a like a granular way I think that’s coming it’s like NFL
1 birth of Jesus zero being shoved into the background the day is literally just about a sport at this point I feel like it’s it’s less about the assault on Christmas and more of the assault on the NBA they’re like oh you had that that was cute we’re we’re going to try to
Take you out in a big way I feel like that ended football is completely different than basketball NBA schedule they they’ve their Counterattack was I saw their schedule now they have like 40 games on Christmas five games yeah yeah it used to be like a basically it was
Just like Michael Jordan’s playing today right everybody tune in right anyway uh yesterday’s show was um with Connor or by the way but uh I want to address something Greg you you got on me a little bit um uh you said my Common Man ranking came down because we had to take
Another set of photos because Mark’s uh dentist named kenti yes um so I was a little bit sweaty the first round because they didn’t have a fan in there yeah so I took the photos he said she could surgically or whatever uh they didn’t like that I did a service for you
Then I I helped you I you that feels strong you’re still on our list Mark for what you did to us um but uh uh you said my Common Man ranking went down well it must be stated that we did get a uh a photo uh in the prep uh yesterday for
Our photo shoot oh you’re right and this watch this on the fast channels watch this on YouTube let’s check out and this is a normal occurrence what we have here is Greg Rosenthal in the makeup room and it’s always multiple um you know makeup people working on Greg yes what and you
Wonder what about product and containers well it’s the same as you guys you guys get very often I don’t get any uh any hair but she did it today uh but it’s important people should watch this on you can watch it on the fast Channel you
Watch trying to seg to a plug on YouTube U and I got nothing today and just look at what a monster I am today no makeup no hair and it’s just I actually am like 75 years old now so when you see the difference you’ll you’ll appreciate we
Used that have a onsite Barber here that’s what this tracks back and Greg was one of the people or might have been the person cuz he didn’t have enough clout but he still was give me a haircut and then the boss saw Greg getting a haircut this my theory and they shut
Down the whole operation the guy was gone like a like we’ll give CT Warner a haircut but the guy from the podcast no this whole thing is over I mean we needed to save money uh that would I liked uh my guy back then and if you uh
Didn’t check out the holiday special and fearless predictions from Wednesday you missed Conor or so go back and check that out uh Connor reached out to us this morning and he has a um a charity Endeavor that he’s it’s really a really nice thing that everyone should check
Out it is the holiday fund.org uh Greater Newark holiday fund uh they’ve been doing that for over 80 years serving the greater newer Community uh we put the plug out there and multiple donations pouring in from around the NFL listeners including multiple uh like $1,000 donations which is let’s get hip
Hop Santa back here Eric yeah come on thank you listeners whenever you have a chance to get hip hop Santa back in the mix he’s got to show up warm the heart of Connor and and us too it is awesome how much our listeners showed up so donate at holiday fund.org
/d/ Conor with 1 n hyphen or two RS I mean it tells me that among our listener fan base I mean wonderful people you know wire to wire mostly uh but mostly a giving group of people but also many of them wealthy it’s so it’s a nice
Combination well that once again and you know what I thought we learned a lot from the Hallmark conversation yesterday Mark it’s not just because someone gave doesn’t mean they’re wealthy it might just mean they wealthy of heart I mean wealthy of spirit I don’t know where you
Were going with that it’s like I’m saying that inside there’s a lot of abundance an abundance of football to get to uh so let’s get to it uh week 16 we we previewed the Saturday games in tnf and speaking of tnf uh Mark and I will be handling tonight’s recap of ram
Saints Mark Greg you you have your uh Christmas I don’t we don’t want to touch anything about religion with Greg after the na no we celebrate Christmas um but you are going with your family acoss the sidewalk this is our big celebration yes Ellis and emica both Die Hard Rams Fans
At this point and uh we’re going and then yeah they they get on a bird tomorrow night so this is our last night together it’ll be really fun I mean the celebration could go utterly South if the Rams were electroc that would be sad
But it would be fun it’s still fun to go to a lot we haven’t been to a regular season game in 2 years so you know it’s it’s fun to go in honor in honor of your family having a wonderful night before they head to Japan I’m locking them up
I’m locking up in the ramp which might be a curse I I that worries me uh let’s go let’s go Rams whenever you could lock up a Thursday night game involving a 500 team you got to do it get out I considered it very strongly and I only didn’t do it
Because I’m going and just don’t want that because you know what part of my bad season I’m having is you saying that it’s good lock it’s a good lock and then cut to 72 hours later and I’m in a ditch with like seven I do like them a lot
Tonight squarely in last place I believe well squarely is strong I actually I’ve never been what you have done multiple times Mark which is finished last so my new goal is to be you out I will not be finishing last and it starts with the Rams of Los Angeles tonight well you’ve
Given me some let’s go game behind I’m a game out let’s called squarely that’s called squarely Dan at 78 Mark at 8 and seven West Bros 11 and four and 14 and one that I that is historical right now I told you there I was saying this Greg
Two months ago that you had some magic going on admit that there’s magic 14- one is absurd in this season I’m not admitting magic some luck and uh eight weeks to go and CES do you’re e seven so you know pipe down I’ve done I’ve done excellent work eight of those weeks all
Right let’s get to potentially the game of the year and I um uh and I mentioned this on Wednesday this game Ravens at 49ers is so important to both conferences both in what can happen at the top of the conference and determining the number one seed and what
Happens at the bottom of the conferences and how it can affect uh the Niners specifically but really the Ravens as well potentially from whether they they rest their regulars um in week 18 uh because someone is going to be in a very good position uh after this game and uh
It is gorgeous and and we’ll start with this Greg there are members of the Ravens who are unhappy this is a game uh the spread is the Niners are given Five Points wow at home and the Ravens and I I thought about locking up the Niners
Cuz you have a chance to lock the Niners at home like you go and do it and maybe one of you guys are but I don’t like the Ravens getting all this we’re underdogs or disrespected Vibe with John Harbaugh leading the fight call uh so the the the
People in the desert like the ners here but uh don’t the Ravens have been finding a way all year long to win games they have been and I look to the Run game right off the bat for for both these teams but especially thinking about how can Baltimore keep up with San
Francisco there’s only so much you’re going to be able to stop this 49ers offense Lamar is going to have to have a great game they’re both going to they’re going to have to be able to score in this game and I think they look a little
Bit to the Rams game you know and the way the Rams were able to run the ball on San Francisco some of the numbers San Francisco has against the Run overall very mediocre they just gave up 234 yards on the ground to the Arizona Cardinals they’ve missed a lot of
Tackles this year the Ravens are really good at breaking tackles and uh getting yards after contact I think they’ll they will miss Keaton Mitchell cuz you you lose that explosiveness but a downtown running game from the Ravens and certainly from Lamar Jackson gives them a chance to me these two teams Mark
Are like are kind of old school cuz like one of the big analytical precepts is well running backs are somewhat replaceable and off ball linebackers are somewhat replaceable and to me these two teams got there here because they’re so varied running the football and for the
The 49 the Ravens it’s less about the running backs themselves it’s more about Lamar and they’re they’re here cuz their off ball linebackers are fantastic and can actually shut down opposing passing game so they’re kind of old school teams and I I’m really excited about that I
I’m with you that you can puncture the Niners on the ground and to your point we just saw it last week with a a pretty floating away offense in general in Arizona um it for me it’s like Baltimore’s defense which has been it’s been uh the number one scoring defense
And it leads the league in sacks and that that to me if you can disrupt Brock pie which we saw rarely but in that one little down streak he had um pressure was part of that but the offense the way that it’s operating right now in San
Francisco it’s like I used to always try to compare teams to like the 89 ners this team is better than the 89 ners in so many different ways they really are and it’s like that was one of the best teams I’ve ever seen but what we’re seeing right now over their last six
Games they’re winning by 18.8 points per game there there there no there’s no been no way to muzzle the on offense so like we can talk a lot of it is like how do you score and keep up with the ners um how how do you stop the ners like no
One’s been able to do it and like I think Baltimore gets good as good of a chance as anyone um just based on how they’ve kept certainly weird thought that part of the Season that was like a legit weather game to me but Cleveland did do
A nice job that Cleveland defense is a little bit different than what the niners have faced before Ravens have a bit of a different defense um I I think it’s like the ners had or the Ravens have been close in every one of their games even when their three losses
They’ve been close but this is like a historical outlier like you have to go back to the 1970 merger okay to find games like this where it’s the two teams in December with the best record in the NFL the last time this actually happened in December uh and it’s you’d think it
Would be more frequent was the 1981 ners versus the 81 Bengals which wound up being a Super Bowl Christmas night I feel like Monday Night Football has been hitting home runs with these games I don’t want yeah I feel bad because they might be listening those guys that would
Just smoke the cigars and Park Avenue and figure out the schedule but schedule’s been outrageously good these last six weeks or so with these Island games and these big time matchups and yeah I think I’ll point it out again because it can’t be understated like they lost three games in a row the
Niners um and they did it with dbo Samuel injured basically the whole time got hurt in that Browns game Williams franchise left tackle uh out during that time I think Christian mcaffry got banged up uh in that Browns game too so that was such an outlier Debo Samuel has
Seven touchdowns in the last three weeks and so you could you could look at Baltimore and say well they’ve been doing it all year they find ways to stop teams they’re so athletic in the middle of their defense they got they got a lot of uh depth they can they can figure out
Ways I don’t think you could slow down this offense because if Brock p is playing um at this level and he stays healthy I don’t see this team scoring less than 30 points in any week for the rest of the season I think we are looking at something historic here and
If the Ravens Greg who I haven’t liked as much as you have from the start of the season if they go to San Francisco and win like that is incredible I just don’t see it but that would tell you so much about that team I agree and yet I
Don’t think it’s going to happen I’m locking up the 49ers uh in this one I I think there’s a path you know it’s whole it’s it’s doing the whole thing where you limit possessions that’s how you keep it under 30s just these long drives by the Ravens P’s numbers are so good
Against everything me Nick’s going to kill you for this by the way why Nick wesing is going to kill you you’re locking up the Niners at home this is not going to uh I’m over I’m over like legislating what is a good lock he’s I’m
Just saying he’s been hot on you when we when we two great teams right when we started this the idea of locking 11 and three team versus another 11 and3 team would somehow be anything but like that’s what the blck competition is for L keeper is not going to be happy that’s
All I’m saying well we’re not here to have to legislate that I did one thing I did tell Madison behind the glass before the show yes I’m locking the Niners too I I don’t really care what anyone says oh no I’m not coming in last in this
Thing yes that business yes Eric well let’s handle this one first here we go this worries me this yeah this is quite the conundrum guys go ahead oh this annoys me I love this hey Heroes we squeaked out another win somehow now last week we’ve done that a lot this
Year a lot of sweating going on in fourth quarters this week though it’s not going to be so close the 49ers are going to roll over the Ravens if gregy had any marbles at all he’d lock the Ravens for the 10th time this year and go mono
Imano true I doubt he’ll do it because he’s going to say uh I don’t really see that happening Nick I can’t do it but take a chance live a little go with your boys lock up the 49ers and I have news Christmas came a little early for the wesling brothers this year baby
Brother Larry had a little boy oh named him Ezekiel Christopher westling for real yes the middle name is after his uncle mom and baby are super healthy we’re all happy I want to wish you guys all a Merry Christmas I hope to see you soon good day how about that congratulations to Larry
Ezekiel Christopher wesling that is wonderful Larry is if you’re watching on YouTube you can see Larry that’s awesome well Larry and Ezekiel I call Zeke yeah ezeke uh zek West uh yes congratulations and Merry Christmas uh to the whole wesling family and that is you know you’re all locking the ners must good
About great for you though because oh yeah I wonder what’s going to happen here ners by 37 I don’t know I don’t as the Rams flail away on Thursday night the fact we’re all the fact we’re all doing it yeah the the fact we’re all doing it and probably all of America is
Doing it but how about how about what Nick said there what I mean you’ve been riding the Ravens all season and now you’re going to the point of the locks is to is you you’re not as emotional that’s what you say to me and I don’t
Think they’re as good as the 49ers I just Greg can I count it like the point of everything yes is the Show Entertainment yes so it isn’t just simply fr’s been missing the point he’s like this would be great for the show Christmas night wesling vers Rosenthal
Showdown just like the old amazing for the listeners actually this works out well for you my point has been to destroy this competition I I have said for years and I’ve kind of done it i’ right now if I win for the fourth time in five years it’s it’s it’s kind of
Over it’s just like it’s lost it you imagine someone sounding more unlikable I’m going to I’m going to do it for the show I’m locking the Ravens we’ll see what happens man Christmas night that’s a man go let’s I’m going to do it for
Nick and for z i see one man on this side of the table but the best thing here is like now I can enjoy the Ravens pulling off and upset cuz cuz Nick’s with me I didn’t even think of that that was not on purpose you know come on I’m
Disgusted by the whole thing anything else on this game definitely gonna lose this luck I do think Ravens love to disguise coverages Brock pie what if I move to the N I will assassinate you Brock py versus disguise coverages sometimes this year like that’s the way to beat
Him is get a couple not fluky uh turnovers but get some turnovers can you confuse him uh a little bit and can Kyle who kind of makes a living building this whole thing around mcaffrey the the the way defense is just key on mcaffrey in
Every single way as a runner and as a passer and everything in motion and all that like they do if any team had the linebackers to try to slow them down it’ probably be the 49ers but the next team would be the Ravens the Shanahan picks on those linebackers every week maybe r
And uh our guy Patrick Queen who’s really improved maybe he’s the guy that was my way of they Pi up his option they tried to think of his name did they pick up op yeah ran is really more did they not even pick up Queen’s option I don’t
Think they did I think you’re right he’s been a different player since Rog on so anyway uh that game we’ll see if that’s a preview of Super Bowl 58 uh and uh that is a lot of fun all right let’s move uh let’s work backwards through
These other Island games so it is a triple header on Christmas because why the hell not uh NFC East Affair Giants at Eagles let’s give and this is Eagles given 12 points here wow uh to the gmen um so very clear that in the desert the idea of Tommy Cutler Mania distant
Memory I tend to agree with that I also uh tend to agree with anyone out there that agrees that something doesn’t seem right about the Eagles and you had uh Jaylen Herz the quarterback who by the way did you know he he blew off Drew
Lock after the game there a shot of Drew lock looking for Jaylen at Midfield after the game and he goes I guess he’s sick CAU him on the mic I don’t know that doesn’t sound like everything we’ve heard about J and I’m just telling you what happened he wasn’t there um and
After the game he he made a comment about you know people not necessarily being all in he clarified himself or at least did some damage control uh leading up to this matchup with the Giants when you think about holistically about the things we want to accomplish and and
Everything that we’re trying to do um that all runs through me that all starts with me and so when I say we I mean me because I you know I’m I’m the point guard out there I’m the one that makes everything go um and I’m I’m the guy
That everyone trusts in to do and set the pace uh for everything that’s in um how I play that’s in my leadership that’s in every aspect of the game and that comes with um the shoes that I walk and just to be clear her said after the
Loss last week that uh he was questioning the team’s commitment level so we’ve kind of been poking around this like what’s going on with the Eagles you know they they dumped the DC uh move promote Matt Patricia and now they’re on a losing streak uh they this feels
Though Mark like a perfect Get Right game at home against the Giants uh yeah I mean I think the point spread is a little Rich um they they’ve been very successful that the this roster has been very successful against this most of these Giants players in recent history
And I I think that matters um they know each other really well but I think Herz is on point about the Eagles and you’re right we’ve been poking around we’ve been seeing it um it’s it’s been a real skid they’ve had a tough schedule and I
I don’t just chalk it up as just L’s it’s like they’ve been losing to very good teams who are you know viewing Philadelphia as the number one target um in this three-game skid though it’s been a real disaster and I thought that we saw like James Bradbury really melt down
Um in the in the last game and it victimized the team uh they also as a group ranked 31st in defensive EPA bur drop back over this three-game losing streak I mean teams are getting the best of them um they have not been able to
Run the ball since week four and I think early on when they’re trying to figure themselves out although they can run still they can still be like that team from last year they average less than 72 yards per game on the ground since week four Herz has the most interceptions
From the pocket of any quarterback in the league this season too many turn turnovers this year for too many turnovers he’s like it’s it’s I think that there was an assumption and it wasn’t like an incorrect assumption that his rise last season doing QB index
Like he hung it one or two all season long for me after s after you saw what he was um he’s not been that player and it’s a lot of other stuff happening around him too it’s not just him but they’ve just looked a step or two down
Be be you know from who they were and it is part schedule I do I still do trust them but you don’t find teams like this firing leaders and coordinators in December that’s atypical and it tells you something that’s going on more than we would even realize behind the scenes
Yeah I I still think that is a monster red flag and I you know I I listen to some Eagles coverage uh the PHL podcast on the eagles with Bo wolf I I always enjoy and like they that team they don’t think they’re even some Super Bowl contenders anymore in Philadelphia and I
I’m I’m pretty close to that point too you know they’re plus 18 scoring margin for the year so that that is closer maybe to how they’ve played in terms of uh week to week than their record Nick serani said something this week make no mistake about it and when when blame is
Going on you know the offensive coordinator this offense has run the exact same way the offense was run last year and the year before that this offense is my offense it should go on me I I think it goes unfairly on Brian and I thought right there he kind of hit on
It like right you got so close to it right there the offense is running the same way and I think it’s very predictable at this point because they run the same Concepts over and over and I think you’re seeing this a little bit with Arthur Smith too like what worked
Last year and I I even remember when when bever Patriots teams with Brady were coming off their best years if they didn’t change it enough teams would catch up to what they were doing and it’s a boomer bus type of offense where he is hurts attempting very difficult
Throws and he actually hits on a lot of I think he’s playing very well and by very well I just mean he’s a top eight or nine quarterback he’s a fourth year player who’s a second round pick who’s a top eight or nine quarterback but he’s
Down quite a bit like you say mark from where he was a year ago and I think the biggest thing is like game management like there’s been a lot of talk like oh are you a game manager are you a Difference Maker it’s like Herz has not managed games well he’s made bad
Decisions in the biggest spots over and over that Jets game some games that they won he’s made like in the biggest spots he’s made bad decisions so I think he’s playing well but he’s been a little scattershot late in games but Dan do you think that there’s an element where like
We find out after that we know he’s overtly not been fully healthy in a bunch of games he was literally ill in this last he’s playing he’s playing I think he’s I mean I think he’s playing through some tough 70% of The League is on their backup quarterback the Eagles
Have had him week after week yeah last I don’t mind him skipping the interview though cuz I don’t know if you happened to see him in his postgame press conference on Monday I was like he should not be doing a postgame press conference he looks so disastrous and
Sick I was just like keep them away keep them away from everyone it wasn’t an interview yeah yeah yeah it’s you know it’s you’re in the eternity and lock had a big moment there you go and DB him up cuz that means lock maybe he was thrown
Up I don’t know I don’t care I’m just pointing out that lock was looking for him he couldn’t find him 17 turnovers for Herz so far this year he had eight all last season so it’s that’s been a big part of the offense it’s just not as
Clean nothing’s been as clean with the Eagles the Giants I don’t think we need to say too much about them um let’s move on Raiders at Chiefs this is the first game of uh the Christmas Day coverage this is the Nance Romo wolves and you know they listen they got big paychecks
But you got Nance Romo Buck Aman all working on Christmas day you know this is officially and I look this up um the 78th Patrick Mahomes game that Tony Romo has uh operated as I can’t tell if that’s a joke or not it sounds right 78 I think that’s right that’s
Impossible it is a joke I feel like he’s time traveled and done multiple games repeatedly uh so yes we’re at the same juncture once again the Raiders of course they’re coming is this an episode of a rest stop what is a an episode of restop with Greg Rosenthal Greg the
Raiders feels like they haven’t played in a long time cuz they played Thursday night they got the Chargers organization blown up so now they get extra rest against the Chiefs is it going to matter thank you for that uh sound unrest stop uh four extra days couldn’t hurt I do
Remember thinking couldn’t hurt I need more than that well we we built a whole segment around you’re reporting from the Vince Lombardi rest stop Chiefs are favored Chiefs are favored by 10 and the Raiders first game against the Chiefs they jumped out to a fast start I
Thought aen okono played quite well in that game he also played quite well while helping to drop a a 60 Burger on the Chargers last time around and uh I’m with you Dan I’m sick of waiting for the Chiefs offense to get better uh is he
Gonna no I’m gonna lock up the Raiders uh 10 points here come on now I think the Raiders could keep it closer than 10 and uh the chief’s offense has actually gotten worse since their bye I kind of thought oh maybe they would reset they’re 13th in EPA since the buy 18th
Uh with the pass and how about Antonio Pierce I I know that the schedule is a huge part of it but they were literally 26th in defense when they fired Josh McDaniels EPA since that moment and they’re three and three I believe in terms of win loss they’re second so I I
Don’t know if he’s going to ever keep his job but if you somehow beat the Chiefs in Arrowhead that would be a a way to keep your job I really think that he should be considered I mean like I I think a lot of it this has been kind of
A case study and like The Human Side of coaching matters like Josh McDaniel’s like just lost this team a long time ago and it was like every little nook and cranny you heard reporting wise was like more and more issues between former coach and teammates everyone wanted out
Of there this has been a different experience that said um I mean the Chiefs under Mahomes have dominated uh this matchup they have absolutely dominated but this is a different Chiefs offense you are we are seeing it week after week and the numbers start to become remarkable for a Patrick Mahomes
Le operation they they have the most drops in the NFL 26 um that they’ve had four plus drops in three games and I mean we some of them been on an island performances where it’s like these guys are melting down and it’s like I am over
I’m with you grg with the Sens like I am done expecting them to do anything else he he leads the league by a large margin over the last couple of years of touchdowns to running backs and that’s what half their passing game is in the
Red zone now I want a couple things here and I’m still smarting this one of the great fantasy teams I ever built and it was momes in large part that got me picked off in round one so it should it should be obvious that he’s going to do
What he’s done literally all season long he’s going to throw for 2011 yard two touchdowns maybe a pick uh but or because this is just the way I think now he’s going to become a homes against the Raiders for everyone else it’s still in the playoffs he’ll throw for 406
Touchdowns totally could see that my guy John booy uh Jimmy O’Brien I talked about he’s a great lip reader and he does baseball stuff he’s doing more football stuff apparently like literally just after you suggested it I don’t I I feel like he’s you might have given him
An idea there I don’t know if that’s quite accurate but I like the idea that um he uh read the lips of momes after the latest cadarius Tony meltdown he goes back to the sideline after Tony drops it and it becomes an interception that leads to a Patriots touchdown he
Plops down on the bench Mahomes and he goes an apologies but this is journalism I just don’t get it man referring to Tony like every and you know exactly what he means when he says that and here he is still targeting guys like adarus Tony so the frustration around this team
Is real it makes sense that they’re going to figure it out but they haven’t yet so I don’t think they will and it’s going to be a closer game Than People realize this was the the Jarrett STM game last year where he made it interesting in a weird like holiday
Raiders Chiefs game Jared SDM so annoyed because he was like I’m supposed to be the quarterback of the Broncos that made so much sense that I was the quarterback by Halloween but he is still I don’t think has he taken a snap up there this year I don’t think yeah well it didn’t
Go according to what we predicted that’s yeah um all right let’s go to the um I can’t even keep track oh this is Christmas Eve night Patriots at Broncos Broncos ah nice segue like those accidental Segways mhm bronos is giv six and a half to the the Pats here uh which
Is technically within our lock zone so this is you know this is easy money if if if if one were so inclined um Rich eyes and on the call with CT Warner and and Jamie erall uh of good morning football um Greg yeah the Broncos goes feels like this is reluctantly to weigh
In this is just like a a backpocket w that keeps him in the playoff race or or cuz I know you think Russell Wilson is still bad uh the Patriots have a chance to uh make this game close they have a chance because I don’t think the Broncos are so unbeatable and
They sort of play uh a type of schedule or a type of football that invites close games they are only have a 24% chance to make the playoffs the Broncos Accord according to the the New York Times uh predictor but if they go 3 and 0 over
The next 3 weeks which it which on paper sounds like okay that’s a big ass to go 3 and 0 it goes up to 80% so I’m I’m torn here because they got the Patriots the Broncos have the Patriots at home the Chargers at home and then their
Toughest game left is at Raiders that’s that is that is inviting that is doable and they are I apologize to uh my Uncle Dave Uncle Dave taking a heater here you still listen to the show maybe he still does you still uh Justin uh big Broncos
Fan my cousin you know I don’t want this is the team I don’t want to see in the playoffs cuz it’s just the same thing every week it’s like Russell Wilson hold hold hold check down hold hold hold check down and then you you have the long passes to Sutton and that’s all
Fine but I watched this team and we saw him on on Saturday night against the Lions and to me they’re they’re midling but they’re midling enough where they remind me of old Patriots teams is well they just beat the bad teams on their schedule and the Patriots are one of
They’ve got a good defense the Patriots I mean they’re allowing about 14 points per game since week 10 and that’s been legit and that’s been against a couple scoring 13 points a game the thing I think it’s like their their offense like was I would have described it as dead
Months ago um we have to come up with new terms and new words describe what’s happening now and like the idea that Bailey zappy was going to come in and change the world he was 17 for 19 in the first half last week then they go out he’s definitely been an upgrade he’s
Been better but then as a team the 29th best quarterback like as a team they put up 57 yards in the second half I I don’t love their injury situation either like rre Stevenson um has been out for a while still in with an ankle injury not practicing dayto day they’re saying so
That’s that’s possible but you already have nothing in the passing game Juju Smith Shuster banged up with an ankle injury Hunter Henry didn’t practice blah blah blah doesn’t matter it doesn’t matter all those guys are there yeah one of these don’t I mean the Patriots don’t matter there’s several we’re now at the
Point of the Season where these teams are playing out their string the Patriots and every fan wants them to lose this game well they matter get Shawn Payton to start screaming at Russell Wilson in a manner that when I rewatched it was oh they talked about was almost almost uncomfortable because
Russell just sits there and takes it and to me this was I I’m fine with like coaches yelling at players of course he coming from that parel he’s just being a bully though talk about that’s not uncomfortable that’s this is what everyone’s like everything needs to be
Sanitized now that’s a fired up coach and the player who his job is to listen to the coach or to yell back processing it maybe yell back a little bit but here here’s the reason here’s the reason why I hate it is because Payton’s not mad at Russell he
Is mad at Russell Wilson in that moment but the reason he yells is because he’s mad at the call in the in the situation and he’s mad that he didn’t just call a touchdown that all he had to do is challenge it and he had a touchdown
Shawn pyton had just cost them seven points in that exact moment he had totally blown it and he’s mad about that and he’s yelling at at Russell wi now you’re yelling at him it just was like come on bro do you do do you how do you
Want him to respond to you now you’re yelling uh come at me bro uh it’s it was say Mike mcglinchy on Shawn pton yelling in the direction of Russell Wilson last Saturday I think it’s been completely blown out of proportion all that is is competitive fire and frustration of
Certain things that go wrong like all that’s I’m more to go down here as players saying that this doesn’t matter I agree with that but it just was unique in that moment that and even pton tried to say I was mad about the call well then why what are you talking about what
Are you why you here’s Good News by the way the holiday classic that see we have this branded now the holiday classic is back on NFL Network Christmas Eve watch a special night of prime time football as the Patriots take on the Broncos the NFL holiday classic it’s Sunday 8:00 pm
Eastern only on NFL Network and streaming on NFL plus what Mark what could you possibly say here I’m just going to say we’ve got we’ve scattered like 14 games on little little holidays I’m reading a promo for our Network they’re doing a great job I’m excited about them have a nice time what
Do you want what kind of discourse are we having literally games on Christmas are not part of a holiday Classic this is our special holiday class it’s on net there’s like 42 games happening days Mark it’s NFL Networks game the other those other games I technically get it
So it’s their holiday classic it’s an annual tradition maybe well I I I think it’s more fitting than either of you do I couldn’t be more in favor of it let’s take a break and we’ll get to the draft all right welcome back it is time
Now for the first overall pick in the ATN draft presented by Draft Kings uh gregy you are on the clock I will take the game of the day MH that day this is December 24th this will be Christmas Eve it will be Sunday it is the Cowboys at
The Dolphins the Dolphins favored by a scant one point uh they’re they’re minus 108 over under is uh 50 look I think this is going to be a score Fest let me ask you a question kind of like that more if the Cowboys comport themselves in a more competitive manner against the
Bills this is probably this is Cowboys by three right I think people are freaking out about them on the road now which is not they’re three and four on the road and undefeated at home I think I’ll just say this where nobody’s under do that last week’s results had a direct
Impact not just the Cowboys losing that game but mostly that and also the Dolphins winning 30 to nothing in such a convincing fashion CU you start worrying about this Cowboys defense specifically last in the league in success rate allowed so I mean there’s one thing to like okay we’re kind of bad
Or there’s this or you can find some weird stat success rate is a very downto down stat of like do we give up four yards very regular when the other team runs it did you know on Third and two do we ever get stops when they run against
Us and they were 31st in the league going into the Buffalo game Buffalo took advantage of it in a way that other teams haven’t you have to stay close you have to get the lead and the Dolphins are a very different running attack in terms of how they run it they also might
Be missing their entire right side of the offensive line which really is a bummer Austin Jackson and Robert hunt they might be down to one starter left on their offensive line which is teron Armstead and even he’s banged up but I I think he going to play but their running
Game Miami has been really good this year and as great as Wadd and Hill are and they’ll make some plays here I I actually do think the way that Miami can win this game is to stay patient with that running game and attack like the bills did Maris Bell and Deone Clark two
Names I don’t know if we’ve said once all year on this show and they are the weaknesses of the Cowboys they are the Cowboys offb linebackers and you get that outside Zone work with moster hn was back at practice Thursday like I can see them having a lot of success on the
Ground against the Cowboys in a way that I don’t really see the Cowboys doing it on the other side what happened against Buffalo it’s like I think sometimes you get games where it’s a fair question to say like did Buffalo put like a blueprint out there for other teams that
Can run the ball well to try to mimic and and the Dolphins are one of those teams they they lead the league in yards per Rush um 3.5 yards after contact so they’re they’re like automatically effective on the ground but a lot of it is like some of the runs we’ve seen from
Aan from moster all year long when it’s working it’s working and I think like what it allows you to do if you’re if you’re Miami and especially with all these like offensive line injuries I’d rather try to like engage our run blocking than our pass protection if we
Can um to offset you know Micah Parsons like two is good at getting the ball out but if you can run like they did last week with Buffalo and James Cook um it kind of takes Micah Parsons out of the picture it takes that whole side of
Their defense out of the picture uh they are really banged up but I I really think this is one way where Miami can do it I I I don’t have a problem with the being favored by three I mean if the if the favored by one by one or three but
One’s even nicer if the Cowboys lay another egg on the road here they’ll they’ll have done it again they’ll have snookered everybody because they’ll prove to me that oh okay I know what going to happen and whether it’s the Wild Card round or the divisional round
You really are a team that you’re kind of a front run running type team that can bully teams in your building But You’re vulnerable on the road I I don’t I still don’t think that’s who this team is I think this is a different team I I
I like them I already said on Wednesday I think the bills can steal this division that’s a Fearless prediction is he going to do it however however um let’s also keep in mind the Dolphins still have a two game cushion here in the East and they could put a choke hold
The whole goal for the Dolphins and I know every Dolphin fan even though we don’t always see I ey I’d be the same way as you we do we want to do everything in our power to not have it come down to week 18 cuz I hate that
Situation if the bills keep winning here uh and what a bummer it would be to let this division get away after you’ve had such a great year you can beat the Cowboys at home and then hell the bills could slip up one of the next two weeks
Or he can go beat Baltimore next week and then the division’s done but I’m just saying you it for a team that’s 10 and three we should give it or 10 and four we should give them the credit that they could pull that off uh and we shall
See so the Dolphins here think the goal here is make week 18 not matter because if it does I don’t feel good I like Greg you mentioned this to some degree but it’s like I I a lot of teams it’s December going through this they have 17
Players on the on their injury report Miami and like a bunch of those guys will play right Tyreek was as of Thursday is not practice right and I guess it’s like Tyreek Hill also feel like feel like there’s been four games where I thought he broke his ankle but
Like 10 minutes later he’s running faster than ever so he’s a quick healer and like maybe you get the version of him you expect but maybe not and like they’re offensive line is about as banged up um outside of maybe Cleveland and a few others as any team in the
League and so it’s like that does affect Tua like Tua missing offensive lineman last year was there were big sample sizes that showed the difference um that’s why I think this ground game with a minus Jonathan henkins for Dallas is the way to go he missed a throw or two
In that Tennessee game that McDaniel in a clip that’s been circulated pretty widely from Hard Knock called out and I love that clip cuz McDaniel starts by pointing the finger at himself showing the team like I have accountability look how much I messed up I should have had
Better play calls here and the other two players he called out very interesting to me was Tua and Jaylen Ramsey um for specific plays and he did it in a very like constructive positive way but that was almost bichi and kind of calling out the best player saying that’s what you
Do that’s what a good coach does and and Jaylen Ramsey has really been incredible this year uh way better than he was last year even though he’s a year older coming off surgery uh he’s a better player he he kind of erased Garrett Wilson last week he’s you look at all
His data points uh he’s been one of the best quarterbacks in the league so that was a major acquisition by Miami that is fortified there back in AIO defense requires a quarterback like that in a lot of cases and since he’s returned and I think we saw it right away they’ve
Allowed they’ve allowed seven touchdowns and had nine interceptions like he really changed their pass te so his matchup against CD lamb and he could travel with them a decent amount uh is as good as it gets and the other thing I’m just watching is was it just a bad week for Dallas offensively
Because this is a very tough Dolphins defense over the last two months they’ve really come into their own their defensive Line’s playing great Wilkins Zack sealer Bradley chub is you know that that game against the Jets I know it was the Jets but it was the most dominant defensive performance I saw
From many Team all year I I know it was against the Jets but I just mean the level of ferocity and dominance was kind of Next Level so now it’s against an offensive line which has been great until last week that’s a really good match up when when the Cowboys there
Wasn’t a better more impactful pass rusher than Bradley chub last week either so like if he’s going off uh that’s major problems for Dak but I’m picking the C the Dolphins in this game what do you guys got you know what I want the Cowboys to show us that they’re
Different you know like so I have my I have some doubt that crept in after last week but that was also a tough spot in Buffalo I like the Cowboys I take Miami by a field goal Miami meaning they’re going to win three nothing a Miami I’m not moving on till I get a Miami Miami thank you all right let’s move uh to the second pick it’s mine here’s a here’s a tricky situation oh tricky Dicky situation because I want in I like watching the games live okay it matters to me I want I want to in on
This Browns magic but then I think to myself well that Mark doesn’t does Mark car he said he’s historically a Browns fan but I don’t want to take that game I want in on the magic but I don’t want to take that from you so I’m
Going to say to you mark do you want the Browns game yeah I do okay so then I will go in a different direction Merry Christmas thank you uh let’s then go to the team of around the NFL um and this is a I think this is telling that when I’m
Looking at the games I feel most comfortable with with picks it’s the last two weeks I’m looking at the Vikings and I’m thinking oh they’re a team that’s going down um and and yet they really did they were up 173 uh late uh last week and they looked
Like they had kind of figured some things out and gotten some Swagger back and then they let that game of course uh get away lose to Jake Browning late so now their backs are against the wall and I like that on one hand uh Minnesota at
Home desperate for the win but I also wonder if the lions are have shaken out of their Funk and the Vikings are now getting the lons when they are in a good spot and you got Jared gof playing indoors coming off a five touchdown game and and this does feel potentially to me
Uh Greg like the kill shot of the team around the NFL I don’t want it to be that I’m I’m pulling hard for for the team of ATL but uh I don’t like this match up for them I just don’t like it well they have them twice in the last
Three weeks and the Lions I mean the Vikings can probably make the playoffs if they split those uh if if they lose this game uh their chances to make the playoffs go down to still 35% which isn’t bad so they basically I I ran it a
Few different ways they got to go two and one in the final three weeks when you say I ran it a few different what does that mean I mean I just on the little play no I don’t do anything New York in this case it’s New York Times but there’s a
Few different ones ESPN has one too where you like do the combo of okay they lose this game and not that game you do a three and0 you do one and two does it matter in this case it doesn’t matter much because they have all division
Games left they got to win two out of three is basically the end of the story to have a chance they’ll have a good chance uh so they could afford one more loss but at some point you got to stop the bleeding this is that point I’m just
Fascinated to see Flores versus Jared Goff in this matchup and that blit um going after him the offensive line played really well last week Detroit’s with Frank ragau back at Center they’re healthy as they’ve been all season long and they really handled what Denver tried to do I think Minnesota is a more
Aggressive better version of that defense but if they can block it up forget it I think they’ll start going up and down the field like brownie did at the end of last week I think that’s the matchup because there the numbers that are out there show that obviously on a
Flores we know that they’re Blitz happy um they Rush six plus guys more than any team in the league um they rush you know four to five in other variations pretty much more than any team in the league and Goff has actually been successful in that situation when that when he’s dealt
With a four or five man Rush this season he’s got 23 touchdowns which leads any other quarterback in that situation in the entire league and like I I like I I like a couple things for the Lions like I thought they got out of their Funk
Last week big time we got the pristine version of Goff they’re running the ball really well um they to me essentially they don’t play outside again for the rest of the year that matters I think they’re the kind of team that you don’t want to stick them in the elements and
This game in general it’s like this division in general if you look at the Packers too are just littered with young like the future of the division is happening right before our eyes because like jir Gibbs has been statistically one of the best running backs um and versatile running backs in the league
Since he came back from his injury Sam La pora is a star Jordan Addison for the Vikings is a future star I mean it’s like there’s a lot of young Talent Jameson Williams is kind of finally showing it had came off at one of his best games you want to see more but
That’s the start like denil Hunter who they finally kept in this like cost cutting off season like leads the league in sacks right now I mean there’s a lot to like here from a two team building perspective and also I like I was thinking about this Brian Flores
Basically runs the type of defense that I play in Madden I thought I played Madden for a few years now but like he either blitzes the house or he has this drop eight concept where it’s like one of the other they say he’s like one of
The more Extreme Ways to run a defense in the league it’s a it’s like like a popular College concept and uh I’m just curious to see how that affects or how they can get burned there is there is a crazy stat out there that the Lions have
A chance uh to be the first team in uh a long time I’m trying to think who would have been uh to have two 1,000 yard receivers and two 10,000 yard rushers wow so they don’t get talked up as enough as much as the ners for instance for having infinite weapons and maybe
The Stars aren’t quite as bright um uh but but they have so many ways to beat you and I think that makes Minnesota vulnerable too to get beaten by their aggressive blitzing gof is not Joe Montana G’s not going to the Hall of Fame but he can read a defense and get
The ball out quickly I just hate this matchup I hate this match up for team of ATN I’m worried too I did I did pick the lions in this game oh by the way the Lions how about this Detroit fans that have been listening to the podcast from
The very beginning and you already know it but for those that don’t know it’s been 30 years since the Detroit line Lions won a division title only your brownies Mark there this is fun they sandwich between the Browns and the Jets 89 for the Browns as you know 2002 for
The Jets and Raiders as well 1993 the last time the Lions won their division which means they actually never won the NFC North which was reconfigured in 2002 so here is uh their chance to do it all they got to do is win and they
Win the NFC North and that will be a welld deserved division title and is a former team around the NFL uh feel proud cuz the idea that we would have got them the year before they became mainstream I wanted to do them again you guys were
Were against I’d be having fun with them right up the Avenue of flasho focus we were on you know it’s not as fun though Greg cuz we set them off and they were a good team from the jump this year we like to find a team get behind they’ve
Still exceeded expectations they’re way over the uh wen’t they favored at win the division sure but like they’re over under for wins was like 9 and a half I believe believe and they’re they’re already at 10 uh they’re by the way minus three in this game minus 170 so
They are favored to to win their division and I think your points about all the stars in this game are right I we keep we’ve said like Gibbs and leapa what a great combination but I’m I’m not sure we’ve quite circled like how good they are right now I’m with you jir
Gibbs other than Kristen mcaffrey I’d like to I I’m trying to think of which running back I would rather have this week yeah like jir Gibbs the explosiveness is just crazy just the combination of skills is just crazy and leaport is doing things in terms of his numbers that haven’t been done since
Mike dicka it’s one of the great rookie Seasons by a tight end in history that’s like these two are among the very best I was thinking about all pro tight end okay it’s it’s probably KD one who would be number two like it’s very possibly Sam leaport I’d have no problem with
That it’s pretty pretty amazing pretty amazing and across the way like people were killing them for trading away TJ hackinson it’s like well you just went and got a better player well he’s excellent I like hackinson too but it’s like it was it wasn’t like I think they
Both kind of won that trade nice win- win I agree uh all right let’s uh let’s move um up next Mark and I think we know where you’re going yeah I will go Cleveland at Houston uh I think this is a classic case where I had if Houston
Were healthy this would feel like not even Trap game cuz they’re tied to top their be a great game ofur division right it would be like it would be a very intriguing match up the problem is it just does not sound like we’re getting CJ St I hate that by the way
When you have a head injury you miss a game and playing it smart when it’s still hanging around now into week two you start to worry about when we see this guy get yeah cuz I I thought like like watching that when it happened because you’re waiting to find out how
Serious some of these concussions are if you’re going to come back next week it looked bad I mean he looked completely out of having sensitivity to light still like a week later yeah so he’s like that’s not great um Nico Collins did come back to practice uh Jimmy Ward for
The Texans came back to practice will Anderson does not that he did not so I don’t know what’s going to happen with that one and that’s a big deal against the browns offensive line that is completely battered right now like Will Anderson and this defense in general for
Houston like with or without Will Anderson um I think kind of what we saw last week when you got guys like Jonathan grenard and Derek Barnett Jerry Hughes Derrik Stingley like they were really well coached interest defense and because Cleveland is so banged up along the offensive line that I that’s the
Version of what Joe flacko could be put into that I don’t love because you know that was it’s been a great story and last week was a heroic performance to kind of come back through the mistakes that he made but there were a lot of turnover worthy plays from Flaco last
Week like they aren’t they’re one of the worst like he’s made them better but statistically over the course of the year they’ve been one of the worst passing attacks in in the league but I think his connection with nooku uh with deari Cooper has been legit and
Like immediate and so this is a game where if you’re the Browns I I don’t think you can you it couldn’t you couldn’t get the Texans at a better time and if you can just have your defense do what it normally does against Case Keenum and friends um you then would
Move to 10 and five yeah and at that point like you’re pretty locked in for the playoffs sparring an absolute disaster you’re only one back uh in the division right um I am not going to say it again I said it last week it everything kind of makes sense that the
Flacka thing comes down to earth and sure enough he made those big throws at the end he had a mistake fi filled game and why did he have a mistake field game in large part because the offensive line wasn’t as good and he was hurried and he
Forced throws so is there a reality here where Flaco now he had his little run and it runs out perhaps but the matchup is good like you said they they they’re getting a Houston team that’s in a bad way physically and maybe this just is a
Special run here uh with with Flaco and he keeps it up don’t like the that he shaved his beard I on that I don’t get why you do that I don’t think you change anything when you’re having a little Magic Carpet Ride moment um and I just
Want to also say and I I don’t think I formally have done this Mark um so the uh a buddy of mine uh in my fantasy league uh texted this morning he can’t believe he’s in a place where he’s in a semi-final matchup and he’s trying to
Figure out whether to start Travis Kelce with Patrick Mahomes or David and joku with Flo but that has been the connection of connections these last couple of weeks um I do formally have to make David and Joo and joku you’re my guy oh wow he is officially uh your guy
I you know I think that just had to put that on the rec yeah but the getting your guy thing is typically kind of like ahead of the trying to get ahead of the curve on that but you’ve been talking about njoku who’s been more ahead of the
Curb for you da for a long time and I and I have like I was caught in a place where I found him to be very frustrating for a long click you see the potential but it’s all there it’s happening right now he’s been awesome um his story in
General this season is like one of the better stories for a player around so enjoy your guy I mean I thank you I think uh and Merry Christmas Mark for this game again that was thank you can watch it too we’ll be at our homes you
Know you can can watch it I can’t I don’t want I don’t want to take this from you in any way this is your world and I’ll need to do a very clean reporting job if I’m going to come in you like you like you’ve said you like
To have the game on an aisle where no one else is watching it I don’t want to watch it take that away I don’t require it I don’t require it but I do like to have my own beat I guess yeah uh anything else sorry Greg no nothing I’ve
Been enjoying this and I like the return of my guy Dan’s got just like he’s got all these uh segments in his pocket you never know he’s going to bring one out from like four years ago by the way this is a rematch it’s the long I know it
Feels four years ago but I think it was last year oh okay but we’ve been doing this a long time it’s the longest just dating um Revenge game in history it’s not even a Revenge game it’s just a rematch uh Joe flacko starting for the Ravens uh lost the game
25-13 to Case Keenum and the Houston Texans uh that was back on December 21st day we’re taping here 2014 back when our friend Chris Wesley was letting his Case Keenum flag fly flag and here we are you N9 years later and the two guys are starting against
Often utter Let Your Case Keenum freak flag fly he was a fan I think he loved Keenan came out of the gate hot like he liked to to throw the ball deep downfield it wasn’t always perfect but there was something Al likee about him I did not think Keenan played played great
Last week and I do think the Browns defense has now separated and this is obviously a great matchup for them with anyone else as the very best defense in the league and they’ve gotten a little healthier on the back end the last few weeks and just like they’re so so good I
Just especially against the pass I just trust them to win any game uh is he gonna no but uh I will point out they’re uh favorite here by three the money line 148 I am picking the Browns though okay good good Mark it stays with me um I’m gonna take
Jaguars at bucks as my late game uh the Bucks are given a point there with a money line of minus 118 uh Jacksonville I’m kind of like I I was I was like do I want to watch this game like am I not tired and slightly fed up with the Jacksonville Jaguars at
This point but uh we will press on um we will press on Trevor Lawrence like progressing well according to Doug Peterson from the concussion protocol that he’s nested in at the moment uh no Christian Kirk Z Jones hurt I think they’ve been really affected by the loss
Of Christian Kirk last week there such a frustrating watch because first of all don’t get in your own way they had that drive against the Ravens that melted down inside the five um no points they missed two field goals no points no points it’s like that’s the
Difference in this game was just simply kind of go do what we’d be asking you to do and you’re in a different place and we’re thinking about them differently they can’t rush the passer uh they they’re going up against the Bucks team and I know that you know we want to talk
About case Keenan versus Joe flacko like CJ bethard if that’s what we get versus um Baker Mayfield is not the matchup you’d think in December would be a stirring showdown between two potential playoff teams but maker Mayfield has been still still isn’t it isn’t but Baker Mayfield has has been really very
Very good in we saw what he did against Green Bay he had um a career-high nine completions of 20 plus yards last week against the Packers a bad Packers defense but no other player this year has done that he’s the only one that has so it’s like his highs um are high like
Their own sex against winning teams the bucks but they are ninth in pass EPA so I if they were sitting there at 27th or 28th and you have one one Baker Mayfield game kind of like last year but they have been productive through the air and Chris Godwin is coming off an awesome
Game Mike Evans as well the Jaguars defense has been falling apart before our eyes so if this game is in Tampa um I wonder if this is sort of a fatal blow to the Jaguars who suddenly sit tied in the AFC South with two other teams why why is it only a
Onepoint I think people don’t believe maybe they well they want to see what’s happen with for Lawrence but we’re taping Thursday Lawrence hasn’t practiced yet so that that’s a bad and you mentioned yeah Z Jones is definitely going to miss this game too and yeah defensively like the Jaguars don’t have
A great pass rush which is how you bother Baker some of the numbers behind Baker is really interesting I mean he throws the ball downfield in terms of his average depth of Target deeper than anyone in the league except CJ strad so this is a vertical offense they found
Ways to get Godwin open I like that bus finally kind of stood up for himself and and benched Deon white last week it sound rounded to me and to people there like Devon white felt a certain way about it and essentially benched himself and decided not to be a backup I don’t
Know what’s going to happen this week but people that I trust uh John leard who covers the Bucs was saying his replacement KJ Brit the last couple weeks has really been a stabilizing force in terms of not making the types of mistakes that that Deon white because
Their defense isn’t great in Tampa but the offense has been good enough to beat bad teams and I think the Jaguars right now are a bad team they’re playing poorly and if they don’t have laen their borderline unwatchable I think I like the Bucks uh to keep rolling here I will
Say the Jags fan knows Jacksonville’s been much better on the road this year they’re five- one on the road this year so yeah they’re not going to go into Tampa and blink so just hope Lawrence plays come on let’s make that a good game um let’s move on I have the next
Pick it’s getting dicey H It Ain’t So spicy I’ll grab a late game uh Cardinals at bears uh Bears given Merry Christmas to you four and a half on this one yeah this is going to be uh I see like to have a nice uh good
Focus on one of the games of the season um what is the game Cowboys Dolphins Cowboys Dolphins so you want to this will be just an eyeball on this game watching it there’s some things going on that you need I’m just being real eyeball one eyeball on the game uh the
Bears and the Cardinals so uh Justin Fields is to me the biggest storyline here he finishes this season for the Bears uh really matters cuz it’s going to affect a lot of things it could have like a a butterfly effect obviously on the draft I think at the end of the day
When the Bears inevitably pick first um you know there’s a good chance they move on from him but home Arizona Home Atlanta at Green Bay if he balls out it gets very interesting uh and you can look at it the same way on the other side and and Greg I know you’ve said
That you’ve been very confident ID or you you’re more in the camp of the Cardinals are going to stay right where they are uh at quarterback and build around Kyler I’m still not convinced I think there’s still a lot of you know I know they’ve changed leadership there
But I there’s a lot of bad blood with Kyler and some things that have happened in the past and I just wonder if they want a fresh start and think they could gather good uh good resources in return but either way Kyler finishing strong puts them in a good spot in either
Situation right and it this affects the draft so much when I you know I was a Patriots fan kind of watching their draft position this is probably the Cardinals best chance to get a win the rest of the way that’s true also of the commanders this week who play your jets
Maybe the Jets could help out the Patriots uh because otherwise there could be ties and and who knows the the Bears could have a very high second pick if they don’t win out ebra flu needs to show a proof of concept I think we’ve seen it defensively they couldn’t finish
Out that game against the Browns uh but the combination of their linebackers and what they’ve been doing up front with montis what you would think their defense would be enough but I thought Kyler played pretty well well enough against the 49ers too like I I’ve liked
What I’ve seen uh out of him and the idea of maybe adding let’s say they have the three pick a Marvin Harrison Jr a BigTime weapon to me is more attractive considering his contract and just the uncertainty a quarterback yeah I thought the like the like the interesting thing
With Kyler Murray is like very few quarterbacks when they’re drafted are drafted specifically to be paired with their coach and their coach system in Cliff Kingsbury and so he always like what’s he going to look like in a in a new offense um he’s been doubly accurate on deep throws this season they’re
Averaging five more points per game with them they’ve been a great run team though and I think that’s the matchup for me they put up 2334 last week we mentioned against the ners um and the Bears have the number two run defense EPA wise League wide so that’s kind of
Like the inflection point all right next game Mark Greg you got two in a row here oh you didn’t want to go longer on that one pinch me covered it’s the like yeah it try to save our jobs Bowl Cardinals bears for the quarterbacks that is I
Like the Bears I like the Bears to play well enough down the stretch there a lot of people trying to save their jobs to uh maybe save some jobs uh I am going to take the Indianapolis Colts at the Atlanta Falcons meaningful game here for both teams Falcons still very much alive
Uh only one back in the NFC South as as as much as it feels they’re dead all they need to do is probably win this week and and they could be tied for first again or or or stay one back of the Bucks they’re not they’re not out of
It it’s uh oh just let them SLI away I want them to in fact I uh I noted this week float away fly away Falcons there’s only been six teams okay eliminated from playoff contingent so far six teams this entire season that’s it 26 Still Alive
For the Super Bowl that’s a lot the Falcons have lost to four of those six teams oh no Panthers Jets Titans Washington I mean give me a break Falcons that is they beat the Jets maybe it’s not the jetsets I knew it was four everybody beats the Jets it’s four of
The six now I just ruined my nice little no it was nice otherwise they stink you had it though you had the general vibe that they’re not when you these verion it’s good not to dig too deep cuz everyone’s like that must be true cuz
Greg said it so just don’t dig I mean it is true they’ve lost four it but it was to the commanders the Cardinals uh the Panthers it’s pretty rough and who am I you can just stop there I mean that’s that’s Arthur Smith’s resume right now
That’s and the Titans are the fourth one there I did not get it wrong I wonder if uh the owner was on uh PBS or anything uh last night because we got that that developing news uh out of Georgia public television I believe it was public broadcasting broadcasting he’s just
Doing the rounds it’s a it’s a tailor off right here I mean he’s going with Taylor High to save his job Arthur Smith we talked about it on Wednesday Jonathan Taylor also might me back uh for the Colts I think it makes sense this trust hinaki
In the biggest of spots which is trying to save uh your job but there there’s more to like with Indianapolis right now there they remind me of uh of poor man’s Philly in that well they’ve got stti in obviously but that the lines are really playing well and if your lines are
Playing well your ceiling is a little higher than than you realize and their defensive line is really playing well they protect pretty well they run block pretty well and and that might be enough to win this division it’s getting serious I think like speaking of the two
Resumes for the coaches like if you’re Arthur Smith you have to explain why like Janu Smith is a bigger deal than Kyle pittz you have to explain why bejan Robinson every feels like every third week like is not doing what you’re asking at 11 yards rushing last week
They’re 26 on the ground in EPA um so the whole Vision doesn’t make sense you’re switching your quarterback well you’re still in a playoff race um and on the other side like the Colts have 12 20 plus point games which is tied with Miami Baltimore and Detroit they’ve been
Really consistent and productive with the backup quarterback and Gardner M where even in some games where he’s you know been a turnover robot they’re still finding a way to produce and I think if you get Jonathan Taylor back the vision becomes more into Focus I I would rather
See this Colts team in the playoffs I know they don’t do something for you Dan Cil but like they’re going to give they’re going to be the same team in the playoffs I think too I just could trust them to go and I thought last week they
Like dropped an a bomb yeah but they’re they’re they’re kind of the ultimate we know they’re just there for round playoff team but that’s half the playoff field right now that’s probably any team in the AFC South but there is a world where Lawrence gets healthy and they
Just I don’t I don’t agree with your playoff take Mark about there be less playoff teams well but you can’t really go deep on that take and and then be like oh the CTS we need the Cults I think the CTS offer hope for the future
I really do I think say that that’s not the case but I but I also think they i’ I don’t know I feel like I’ve picked them a number of these weeks and they’re watchable and like I I don’t I think kind of think Gardner mchi when he’s on
And it’s their defense too I kind of just think they’re a balanced interesting roster I would take the Colts in this game but the way the NFL works and that the money line is actually minus 102 for the Falcons so the the Colts are slight underdogs like
The way the NFL goes this year the Falcons will actually win just to like muck it up and keep it all Mucky super super mcky and I think you had it right Greg with um Arthur Smith he kind of showed his hand by going back again uh
To hinei he’s basically throwing up his hands like I got it wrong Y and now I’m just trying to save my job like I put my entire head coaching career potentially on this Ritter kid and I bet big and lost and now I need a hell Mary from a career backup in
Hinei yeah could have signed Lamar to that offer sheet last year but no desm rder was really good those last three weeks he threw for 2011 yards was so insistent on not doing that a an excellent running quarterback we have Desmond Ritter all right let’s take a break and uh finish this
Out all right welcome back thanks back to you Greg well there’s only two games unless I’m mistaken and one of them involves the Jets which means I’m taking the Packers and I don’t want to watch the Jets anyways I’d rather watch this game Packers minus 5 Christmas gifts all over
Games by the way I’m surprised to see your skipping over your precious little Seahawks I missed that my bad um you turned in your card already I’m sorry yeah I’ll just stick with Packers minus five at Panthers money lines minus 230 I don’t know I’m at the point with this Packers
Defense where I Feel Like Anything is Possible in a bad way like that even this game which where I’ll you know definitely pick the Packers to win but I don’t even know anymore they’re 29th in defensive dvoa just feels like they they know uh they don’t have answers and
They’re not able to adjust now you know you shouldn’t need to adjust much when you’re playing the Carolina Panthers but the Packers also now have no margin for error they’re really not dead here at uh six and8 they have to win out animal they almost have to you know go you know
Going through the the systems it’s uh they’re 20% to make the playoffs but if they won out they’re more likely than not uh to make the playoffs they’re at Carolina at Minnesota that’s a big one and then home for Bears I think it’d be tough for this team to win three
Straight right now but they’re capable enough to me Jordan love is symbolic of the team in general which is man there’s a lot of good stuff to like you saw that last week a lot of really special throws but he also was a little erratic last
Week a lot of Miss throws too just five or six where you’re just like wow that you know I don’t know if he’s ever going to be Mr accurate and with a defense this bad you kind of need him to just be next level yeah like I said that was one
Of the worst defensive efforts you’ll see by a team all year uh last week in that loss for Green Bay and you know this is the other game I was looking at as a lock you can lock against the Panthers who already got now that little
You know gift of a second win last week win last week against Atlanta they’re probably ready to pack things up at this point but they’re also not playing for a draft pick so there’s nothing there’s no tanking going on here they are trying to win this game um yeah this is I think
The Packers are the more than any other team are are the epitome of why this season’s been very difficult to figure out in a lot of ways a a young team right that struggles early on figures it out and and they’re playing inspired confident football and then that just
Dissolves and now two eggs in a row two eggs in a row at the most critical juncture of the Season here in December and now you just don’t know what to make of him so while I wanted Mark to lock up the pack here it’s like how can I trust
Anything about them after their last two weeks yeah I think that’s it like if you’re going to if you if you want to win a lock like don’t take a team where like I think there’s a lot of a lot to like on offense but they’ve been one of
The worst defenses around over the last five games giving up 400 yards per contest that’s the most in the NFL um they’ve been beaten up on the ground and I kind of like have a request for the the Panthers because it’s like what we’re not going to learn a whole lot
More about Bryce Young between now and the end of the season he is who he is um maybe next year we’ll be better that’s what you’d hope but why not like run the ball like 44 times and just keep Green Bay off the field like can they have
Like chuba H’s been pretty good on the ground and they’ve had a couple moments where it was like even back when Frank Ra was there is like there was these drives where they did they look like last year’s Panthers on the ground like just as an experiment just go run the
Ball 44 times and see what happens it can’t be any worse I mean yeah go get a win Carolina and put the Patriots in the mix for number one right now their strength of schedule which is the tiebreaker is exactly tied which means it’s going to change but if for some way
Reason that happened by the end of the season they would actually flip a coin to decide who gets the number one pick that would be an exciting coin flip I mean the Packers don’t want to help it won’t happen uh that’s that’s true uh that interesting Packers could be
Setting the Bears up with the number one draft pick helping by the way this is that’s Saucy but and hey Bryce young had this highest PFF grade of the season last week was only 77 made some throws on that last drive that last Drive was
Pretty crazy which is a good game a nice 77 grade from them is actually you quite good uh who knows maybe he’ll play his best down the stretch I think you’re referring to the and you got to be careful about following this person’s offensive game planning but there was a
Uh a Gino Smith Rex Ryan era Monday night football game against the Dolphins I want to say about eight or nine years ago where the Jets ran the ball 50 times in the game you know had eight pass attempts uh with like two minutes to
Play play they lost that game by the way but I would think you don’t want to if you’re taking the ball out of the hands of the number one overall pick that often that is quite an indictment I say let the kid throw it against this screen
Bay defense let’s go give him he needs something going into this off season but see that’s what they that’s what they’d probably thinking of course the Panthers want to showcase their quarterback who will look good and make them look good going into the off season but it’s like
We want to win the game flip it around and run it 44 times and use a bunch of wild cat and like you know old school 1920s an interim head coach so maybe he’s yeah he’s a special teams guy Chris tab have a dog in the race here Packers
Would hurt the Bears so I guess a loss you know wouldn’t be the worst thing I mean he has a dog in the race it’s the Panthers right he’s not going to be named head coach I I can I will I never know I will wager my entire physical
Body on that life is short he he might only have this one chance let’s have some fun we if you think he’s in the race who would take your body by the way if you were to lose this T got the interm ripped up like where where would
We send it the NFL would just take it they secret it away right they already basically own it they got you bro you’re in the machine bro all right I will grab uh Washington at New York Jets uh this is a uh a dead butt game uh nothing
Really on either side I I will point out that some of the rhetoric around Rogers this week has gotten on my nerves because it’s already been such a lost frustrating year he’s catching a lot of Strays and there’s he’s like kind of and I’m not defending Rogers CU he is
Annoying and how he he’s keeps going on McAfee which is a paid engagement and just talking all the time and then that gets aggregated and he he becomes a story even what he should be so far out the rear viw mirror and of course he’s
Not going to play he’s not cleared uh so we’re not seeing that I saw some kind of pieces out there that this is one of the most selfish things I’ve ever seen that Aaron roders gave hope and and led to the Jets on some level failing to get a
Backup quarterback cuz he promised he would be back let me tell you something about Aron Rogers or about the Jets really if you think the Jets messed up because of Aaron Rogers saying he thought he would be back no you’re giving the Jets too much credit the Jets
Messed up because the Jets have no idea how to evaluate the quarterback pos position or their roster and they thought Zack Wilson was going to be okay that’s why that happened it’s not because they thought Oh Aaron will be back that’s why we’re not going to go
Get I don’t know insert QB Joshua dobs here had nothing to do with that and and the and and and the other thing is he was getting killed for because they moved him to the active or they moved him off ir and it led to a fullback
Getting taken off the roster and like how selfish someone called him a pig for that it’s like no everybody relax I get it that fullback was moved to the practice squad he’s fully he’s gets vested he gets his salary and nothing changes for him he wasn’t going to play
Anyway I just think mean he doesn’t get the game checks though he is there is it doesn’t change how much money he makes I saw that reported this morning okay um I just think it’s been a a rough season and and he’s a big Target and and I’ve
Gotten on Rogers a ton but to paint these two things as signs of him being a bad dude I I’m not really about it that’s whatever they say about Aon Rogers on TV is a lie you know like with I would go that far but like the Hard Knocks experiment like experience kind
Of changed how I felt about Rogers and I I think you’re stuck in a situation where you’re you’re in a very frustrating campaign there’s a lot being said about you other players would just kind of go away but when you’re doing these paid media things week after week
It’s like in it’s inevitable that you’re going to get caught in the crosshairs of some of this and like I don’t know the I think the biggest thing is he’s sort of saying next year won’t be my last year yes that that I’m going to come back and
Play and I want to give the at least the Jets the two years I told them I give them that was the news for me yeah but I think the they’re just in terms of reporting throughout we didn’t at the media also didn’t need to make it out to be as
Probable as they made it seem and as like heroic like I can’t believe he’s doing this I can’t like whereas I’ve been saying on the show all all along I never believed that it would happen cuz it just why why would you never happened right it’s never happened not and and
Roger said as much this week he said like I’m like it’s not going to happen and he tried like he tried great I don’t think that was untrue I think he wanted to do it yeah and he’s a man who thinks very highly of himself and sees himself
As different than others and he couldn’t because people just like this is so amazing that he even got that close how do you know how close it got maybe it got exactly the same amount of close as like it always gets and that my my point
Is I don’t think that affected jet Jets strategy at the quarterback position I just don’t I think they just were lost in the woods in general quickly uh the Jets are favored in this game what I mean how that’s how bad Washington Washington has been terrible last I get
It they are below them in D too Simeon is the two worst quarterbacks that we’ve seen in the League this year tell me I’m wrong Tim Bole and Trevor Simeon Simeon has been absolutely lost I know that Washington commanders have a horrific defense the Jets will not score more
Than 10 points this week they just won’t they are minus 162 I think I’m going to have to take the commanders in an upset there Seasons that need to end yes uh all right last pick Mark all right um by default I will take the Seahawks at
Titans Seahawks giving up 2 and A2 points minus 135 money line for Seattle um Gino Smith just about an hour ago um announced that he could have actually played Monday night he believes he could have and it was was rather non-plus when Pete Carroll let him know that wasn’t
Going to happen so he’s practicing he’s fullo practice so I think like no controversy there Drew lock one of the better in-game stories we’ve seen all year I think that was a pretty great victory for Seattle to go do what they did um but no question Gino comes back
We don’t know about right now like as of today um Ryan tanah Hill took first team rep practices that also was just a couple hours ago um for Tennessee so I kind of think that’s trending towards a Gino tanah Hill matchup we’ll see um there’s a lot of injuries in this for
Both of these teams here uh I I think it was an old AFC East Clash back in the oh you’re right well wait eight or nine years later little Tanana Hill Gina sure maybe yeah I mean no classic days of football I think is what you’d want to
Call that um you can run on Seattle that’s the one thing I’d say I the Tennessee you know it’s not been the greatest Derk Henry season of all times but that’s your opportunity in this game Titans have been a much different team at home uh there’s a chance here but I
The one thing that I find with Seattle that’s been that’s been like hopeful is that a couple months ago I was wondering what was happening with Jackson Smith and jigo who I thought kind of was like the most Shire guy to come in and produce and he was having an up and down
Year he’s now only three catches less than DK metf which says something about the DK metf experience as well but they’re the only team in the league with three guys with 50 50 plus catches so I like that for them you know this the first time these two teams these two
Quarterbacks faced each other was in a game that Gino Sims split reps with Matt Sims someone I forgot ever took snaps at quarterback Matt Sims in the NFL yes another of the uh oh it’s UT guy right The Sims Dynasty that was Chris Sims know where Matt came from I assume he
Was related who knows uh Pete Carroll did make it clear you know Gino is the starter if healthy and I think it was one of those where it was like gin would have been playing through an injury what this like the Azie cono of the uh Sims
Family I guess so I kind of forgot looks a lot like Chris lot like no they are oh yeah they’re related one he quarterback for a number of years they I believe Gino was benched in that game uh for format Sims tough uh 10 years ago now he’s back he is going
To be the starter I like Pete Carroll making some bold decisions I think he basically benched Jamal Adams Jamal Adams wasn’t even there at the game it’s we found out I think because even though Adams was on the injury report I think they were doing that to like spare his
Feelings a little bit a um they also benched reek woen which was interesting uh and uh I thought the Gino lock thing how the two of them have handled it together is uh enviable that’s what you want out of your quarterbacks we we have drew lock actually after the game giving
Gino some love um I appreciate him more than words can describe um talking to me before that two minute you know you’re the best player on this field you’re going to lead us down this field right now go get it done you know just things like that man it’s just it’s really
Cool definitely cool this’s like a a minute and 40 second clip there but it is fun More Than Words than can describe then I will go to use words to describe it Dr Drew have said it all I can’t say the little symbols the little you know back
And forth Gino was like I thought the one thing about Gino in that game was like absolutely on fire pumping him up so that the way they talk about each other it’s it’s not uh I saw him I saw him looking for the camera and then when
He saw the camera he like you could do it man you got this right here I was like okay I see what happens that’s actually not true would it be people are killing like this is a great situation for Greg like especially that that Island game I I I don’t I don’t even
Check the stuff anymore for the most part but people are killing Dan and I for not being like sunshiny enough about the Seahawks win that like I all I remember was you got stop worrying about these people always talk incredible like we couldn’t have been more POS you
Talking about the subreddit again no no no no don’t don’t attribute to that specifically Twitter that place specifically Twitter specifically Twitter and it I didn’t get anything on Twitter I did and I was like I think it’s cuz I said I don’t like the it went down that seventh playoff thing where
It’s like I don’t stop trying to tell me that you know this or that’s like if they make the playoffs good for them who cares on offense and this is good match up for it and I know we can get out of here I I do like them to win this game
Although it’s a little I tanah Hill worries me that like he might be an upgrade there from will Levis the CX are favored by two and a half money lines minus 135 mention the oh my bad the uh you can hammered home if you want the uh the offensive pieces are pretty exciting
For whoever is playing quarterback at Seattle because Ken Walker I feel like is going to another level when and he is really like if you need a running back to just make something out of nothing which is often the case he can do it and this is a tough defense to run against
But he he was special on Monday night and really to me was the number one reason they they won that game he he’s a great backup it’s a great tandem all right that is week 16 like we said this is the it’s Thursday it’s the around the
NFL triple header so you got this episode you got an NFL plus the dreamatorium is open for business um Mark and I this week a two-hander yeah what you got in store on the the old dreamatorium am I supposed to say or meant to be a surprise actually tease it
Tease it out uh we’ve got a little bit of Detroit Lions um storytelling and something on Baker Mayfield I like it what about you going talk little Drew lock yeah and we’re going to talk little rosance in the booth I like this teas um also yeah hip-hop Santa and also we will
Uh have the Thursday night football recap so check that out all right till then uh you know what you got to do he the Call
26 Comments
Lamar Jackson is 19-1 vs the NFC and 15-4 in Primetime, one game from best win pct in NFL history surpassing ironically 49er Steve Young. He’s going to shock the world and not only beat the 49ers but the Ravens are going to win handedly as Lamar clinches MVP.
Jomboy has always done NFL breakdowns in Baseballs offseason. He also does NHL and cricket
Good report. What’s important is what are the Washington commanders going to do? The Washington ownership group needs to make a move, a splash. The new owners need to change the name back to the Washington Redskins. Just do it. Second hire coach Jim Harbaugh Michigan, four years $100 million. Third draft JJ McCarthy. Waiting for the game with Michigan should be National champions. Bring these winners to Washington area. We are the Washington Redskins five time Super Bowl appearance three times Super Bowl winner. Higher coach Jim Harbaugh draft JJ McCarthy and change your name back to the Redskins. The Daniel Snyder error disaster is over thank God. Bring the championship seasons back bring the trophy back to the Washington Redskins. We are hail to the Redskins hail victory.
Dick Siriano. Courtesy of @hbtCHIEFS
A Raiders victory in KC on Christmas would be the greatest Christmas of my life… imagine the bitchfit Maholmes would throw after that?!? 😂😂
Can someone write a blank check to get gravedigger back please. New guy 😬
49ers are by 🔐 I always pick the most difficult match up as my lock of the week
49ers – Ravens feels like a trap game.. wondering how the narrative changes when Marc somehow comes out on top of this lock off
Another episode of three dudes who have never played football
Marc! This is the second time uve done this! Tj watt leads the league in sack not hunter! 🤦♂️
Is this the first time the heroes are talking about the money line and spread for each game? Also, am I the only member of the audience who thinks Sean Payton is a bully for screaming at his starting quarterback in the middle of a game? How is that going to help? These old-school coaches have to go. Guys like Mike McDaniel are the future. Thank goodness. Happy Holidays!
where is the steelers bengals preview?
Jalen Hurts is "playing well" despite having a high turnover rate and making bad decisions. So what does playing well even mean? He hasn't thrown a TD pass in weeks lol.
Just to confirm, I'm a long standing purveyor of your podcastery and I'm skint. Broke. Bust.
Niners are going to stomp the Ravens. Don't care about their record. Niners are clearly the vastly superior team.
I'm outraged that my close namesake Damone Clark has played so poorly. Clearly if his name was spelled correctly the Cowboys would be better.
Dan i REALLLY need you to stop pushing this "oh ATL didn't want Lamar"narrative… HE WAS NEVER GOING TO BE AVAILABLE. Why would the falcons (who just tried to get Watson and failed) try again to pull Lamar to ATL when Baltimore had ALL THE LEVERAGE?? Stop this nonsense.
As a fellow 75 year old, I think Greg is looking good.
Y'all picking the Vikings over the Texans for the team of ATN was such a gigantic L
I get it. Yall are almost 60, but come on Gregg and Marc… you literally get paid to talk and you still mess up names. “Maker Mayfield” WHO TF IS THAT? And “Geno Simms” look, again I know yall are approaching 60 but please retire or get the names right. You’re paid for this!
dang as a Cowboys fan in the beginning of the year i really like Bell he made some good plays for us and Clark i liked because we so thin at LB. Also what MArk said concerns me. Did the Bills give the blueprint to beat the Cowboys. Honestly my COwboys i get a finesse vibe from them like they not nasty n physical like Bills or 49ers. but GO COWBOYS!!!! and go Giants!
sorry for double comment but regardless of the Cowboys vs Dolphins result i think the Bills will win the division and make the superbowl and win the AFC Championship game !
gonna tune in Tuesday to hear you say 'Kyle Hamilton just shut down Deebo'
With Dan getting Ndjoku as his guy, now Marc gotta go get a Jets player. Marc! Zachary Eleanor Wilson is your guy!
Dan nice hair we’re you expecting Colleen to be on the show 😂
Why is Dan so prickly today 😂