JB's Sports Podcast
JB's Sports Podcast
College Football Upsets and NFL Playoff Picture: Boise vs Penn St., Ohio State Insights & NFL Recaps
What if Boise State can pull off the upset against Penn State? Join me, Joe, in this thrilling episode of the JB Sports Podcast as we explore the pivotal college football playoff matchups, with a spotlight on Boise State's Ashton Gentry challenging Penn State's defense. We'll analyze whether Boise State's defense can push Penn State to rely on Drew Aller's passing game and discuss the significance of effective tackling against Penn State's powerhouse running game. Plus, as an Ohio State fan, I can't hide my excitement while breaking down the Ohio State vs. Oregon game, focusing on the impact of injuries and how it could shape the strategies on the field.
Shifting gears, we dive into the NFL's playoff picture. The Bengals' nail-biting win over the Broncos sets the stage for a playoff showdown, while we debate whether Kansas City should fear Cincinnati's explosive offense or Buffalo's balanced team more. We'll also assess the Rams' resurgence as they secure their division title, examining their offensive firepower and how it stacks up against other NFC frontrunners like the Lions and Vikings. Meanwhile, the Eagles emerge victorious over the Cowboys with standout performances from unexpected places, raising questions about Saquon Barkley's chase for the single-season rushing record.
The episode concludes with a comprehensive recap of recent NFL games. Our discussion highlights the Buccaneers' victory over the Panthers and features standout performances by Mike Evans and rookie Jalen McMillan. We'll also cover the Lions' offensive triumph despite their defensive setbacks against the 49ers, and the pivotal performances that shaped the Jaguars' and Dolphins' critical wins. From strategic insights to standout player performances, this episode promises to equip you with all the essential knowledge as the playoffs loom.
welcome back to the jb sports podcast. Today is tuesday, december 31st, and we're back with another podcast. Uh, this is still the one today. Just your boy, joe. I gave Jace the night off because, obviously, if you understood what date it is today, that it is New Year's Eve. So I told Jace like, hey, I'd rather have you on the podcast later on this week, not to mention that we're actually going to be together all day, probably Saturday, because we're going to the Pittsburgh game, pittsburgh and Cincinnati game. So I said, hey, I'd rather have you for the podcast going into all the games where we make our picks. So I said, hey, you can kind of bail out for Tuesday, enjoy the time with your girlfriend. And he obliged. So that's about it. So that's about it on that.
Speaker 1:I don't want to go necessarily too long on this one. We have about an hour until the penn state game starts. Penn state and boise for the first college football playoff game. Hopefully that one does not run into, uh, run into new year's eve, run into like the ball dropping and all that, because that part would have sucked like it did for ohio state a few years ago back in 2021. But I we already kind of talked about all the college football stuff. So I don't necessarily want to go too far into that, but I do want to just give like one matchup that I think would probably that might decide each game, and then from there we'll talk about all the NFL games that happened this past weekend Well, not including, like the Thursday, the Christmas game and the Christmas and Thursday night game that we already talked about and kind of gave our reactions to on the last pod. So, just going to be me today Hopefully I don't go too long on this one. Jace will be back on the next one, so we'll go back, kind of go back to what our normal podcasts are next week I mean not next week, but next pod, and that's about it, guys. So let's go and get into things here.
Speaker 1:So, starting with that Penn State-Boise State game tonight, I kind of want to start with that one. So Penn State-Boise State, this is the matchup that I think could impact this game and who wins, who loses. We already picked I think we both picked Penn State on this one. I think and again, I would be happy to be wrong, I don't think I mentioned this enough on the last pod is that it would be so funny if Boise State won this game against Penn State, because not only, obviously, I'm not a fan of Penn State, I'm an Ohio State fan, but because of that, penn State has always felt like they should be Ohio State and they should be the top tier of college football and should be Ohio State and they should be the top tier of college football. And it seemed like they're always just not sure. And to hear some of their fans sometimes talk about how good they are and have them be disappointed every year is somewhat of a pastime of mine in rooting for college football. So there is something inside of me that would really love to see Boise State win this game. Do I think that is going to be the case? No, but this is the matchup that I think could decide this thing.
Speaker 1:Obviously, if you're willing to go for it, you could say the Boise State-Ashton Gentry versus that Penn State defensive line. Yeah, for sure. That is the main thing. If they totally shut Ashton Gentry down, if Penn State's defense is able to shut down Ashton Gentry, I think this game is going to be a lot harder for Boise State to have any chance of winning. But I think another one that people don't talk about, I think, that Boise State defense against Penn State's offense. I think can Boise State play very good run defense and make Penn State have to throw the football a lot more?
Speaker 1:Drew Allard looked his best against Oregon, but the thing is is that when they played SMU, it wasn't like Drew Allard played well. He didn't play all that well in that game. So it really was those two pick sixes by Penn State's defense that gave them the cushion that got their fans into it. It was obviously very cold and I think to a certain extent, you could say that the cold affected Penn State as much as affected SMU, especially for, at least for the offensive side of that Penn State Nittany Lions team. So can this Boise State defense make Penn State and Drew Aller have to throw, to get up and down the field to go score points? Because if that's the case, I still, even with Drew Aller making some improvements over his time at Penn State, do you believe that Drew Aller can throw them to wins consistently? That is the part that I think that he still needs to prove.
Speaker 1:So I think as a Boise State team, you have to say, hey, we are going to keep this Penn State team from being able to run the football, and I think I saw a stat out there that Boise State isn't necessarily the best tackling of teams. So that potentially could be a big issue for them in this game, because Penn State does have a two-headed monster of a back, like a two-back monster, that they run for their team. I think Nicholas Singleton and K Tron Allen, I believe, are the two running backs' names. They're both very good. I think it's very similar to what Ohio State does with Quinn, sean and Travion and as soon as one guy is ready to go, once you think one guy is kind of running out of steam, they bring in another guy and he's ready to go and run down your throat.
Speaker 1:So I think, with those being the case, can Boise State make Penn State have to throw the football and I think, if Boise State can do that, make Drew Adler have to be a pinpoint passer all night long in that game. I think Boise State can make this game a little bit closer and potentially try to stay closer in this game. Do I think that Boise State can win? I really don't think so, but I think if they can win that matchup I think they can give themselves a much better chance of winning the game. And again I said I didn't want to go too far into it. I'm not going to, so I'm going to go ahead and go on to the next game and give my matchup for potential victory there. So let's go on to the next one. This will be the Texas-Arizona State game tomorrow. So I think the question, the matchup for this game that's going to make the difference, is can Arizona State's defensive line stop the Texas run game?
Speaker 1:Okay, I think that's the biggest question here, because I think anybody that's watched Texas play at all this year, outside of like a couple games, texas's passing offense has not been all that great. Quinn Ewers has not been all that great again. He's made plays like the Michigan game he played very well, but he has no. He's had an oblique injury, he's had an ankle injury you could tell has definitely hampered him and I think to a certain extent like especially throughout these last few weeks, it doesn't seem like like they ever really opened the whole offense up to throw it all over the field. And I can't even tell the last time that I really saw Quinn Ewers really throw a heater of a football to a spot which I don't think he usually lofts it a lot. He's not rifling in like he once did when I remember him playing in high school. I'm not sure if that's confidence thing, I'm not sure if that's an injury thing, but who knows whether who knows what's the case there.
Speaker 1:But I think because Texas really wants to come into this game and they want to run the football like they want to play, how they played against Clemson. In that game Texas ran the ball for 300 yards against Clemson. They destroyed Clemson's defensive line to where, not only time-wise, they didn't really have a shot to win this game. Clemson had a shot to win the game because they were throwing the ball so well. But Texas was able to control that game and run the football effectively to where Quinn Ewers did not have to be the main reason they won that game.
Speaker 1:So can Arizona State's defense play the spoiler and keep Texas from playing the way they want to play football, at least offensively? And I think Arizona State's defense can do that, because I don't think Arizona State really at the skilled positions and all of those do. I think they're as good as Texas? No, I don't think so, but I think it kind of plays in a contrast to what Texas really wants to do? Do I think there's a chance Texas comes out and wants to throw the ball over the field and kind of like, just play in space and all that? I don't think so. I think that's the strength of their team. I think the wide receivers at Texas isn't as strong as you would think with, like the talent that they have there, that you would think they have there, and with the way they're recruiting is so like the in Quinn Ewers, like I said, he's not really played all that well this year. So I'd really do think that they want to run the football and control the game.
Speaker 1:And I'm not saying sit there and only score 21 points, but I think there's their offensive line and their running backs and the way they play together is so dynamic they can just they can beat you just by running the football and still score 30 points. Can Arizona State's defense stop that from happening? And again, does Arizona State have the beef on the defensive line If Texas really makes it a well-known case that they just want to keep running it down your throat over and over and over again with those offensive linemen that are all over 300 pounds? Arizona State doesn't have those beefy dudes up front to keep up with Texas. If they let Texas believe that they can run the football on them, I think Arizona State has to play tough at first and hope that Texas kind of gets off that plan and tries to throw the football with Quinn Ewers, I think.
Speaker 1:If they do that, I think they can make this game close against Texas, because I do think Arizona State can run the football and obviously it'll be harder against a very good Texas defensive line, but they have guys that can make this game closer. It's just, can they not only get stops defensively against that Texas offense, but can they keep Texas from controlling this game with the running game, which is what I really truly think they want to do? That's the question. Do I think they win the game? Probably not. If I'm betting the game, I'm going to bet that Arizona State keeps the game within. I think the spread's like 12.5 to 13.5 points right now. So I think I'd probably bet that Arizona State keeps the game closer than that. But I would take Texas to win and again, I would love Texas to lose. That would just be hilarious. And whoever beats Ohio State and Oregon and play each other tomorrow, whoever wins that game, I think they would potentially deserve an opportunity to play a team that isn't on their level for once and at least have a little bit of an easier path to getting to the championship game. That may resemble a little bit, on the other side of the bracket, what they may be going through. So at least for one game. So do I think that really happened? No, but that is the battle that I think that has to be won for Arizona State if they want to try to pull off the upset against Texas.
Speaker 1:Next game, the 5 o'clock game Ohio State I said Oregon State. It's crazy Ohio State, oregon. 5 pm tomorrow, rose Bowl. And obviously you know that if you've listened to the podcast, you know I'm an Ohio State fan, so I'm definitely rooting for them from start to finish. But here's the matchup that I think decides this game.
Speaker 1:Can Ohio State's offensive line hold up against this Oregon defensive line? And I'm not necessarily saying just for the run game or the pass game, but obviously Ohio State's offensive line is very different now than what it was to start the season. They've lost three different guys. They've lost Josh Simmons, the left tackle, to a season-ending injury. They've lost their center, seth McLaughlin their fifth year their fifth year transfer from Alabama, who was playing very, very well for them until he ended up getting injured in practice in about the middle part of the season after the Penn State game. Those are the two of us off Heck. Josh Simmons, like I mentioned, he got hurt in the last time they faced Ohio State, face Oregon. He got hurt in that game. So Ohio State's offensive line is definitely a makeshift. They have three guys kind of rotating in at the guard spot. They had to kick out Jackson to play left tackle and he was usually the left guard. So the question is is that, can this offensive line hold up? And they held up against Tennessee just fine.
Speaker 1:I think Tennessee potentially was affected by the weather a little bit in that game because obviously that game was in Ohio, at Ohio State. But I think to like everybody, was worried that Tennessee was going to be, with their defensive ends um, very, very athletic, long defensive ends we're going to be able to get after Ohio State's offensive line a lot and that that did not happen at all. I think Ohio State's offensive line really controlled that game. Obviously they were helped by the game plan that was going to help them make sure that they didn't have to sit there and keep running their head into a brick wall. But I do think the offensive line for Ohio State really controlled that game.
Speaker 1:Again, I've already said that plenty of times in other podcasts, especially the last one, that this is a different animal going into Oregon. I think Oregon, a lot like Tennessee, is just as long, just as athletic and just as deep on the defensive line. I think their defensive ends, again, are probably the strength of that defensive line, but the middle of their defensive line is a little bit weaker in comparison to a team like Michigan where obviously Ohio State truly just ran their head into a brick wall over and over again and that game didn't go all that well. Obviously, as anybody that watches college football knows, ohio State lost to Michigan, haha. So did Alabama today. So I don't know, that doesn't make me. Does that make me feel better? Maybe a little bit, but it also makes me feel sad. I don't know, it's a whole thing. Maybe a little bit, but it also makes me feel sad. I don't know, it's a whole thing. It's a mental thing with Michigan.
Speaker 1:But can Ohio State's offensive line hold up against Oregon's defensive line? If they can, not only in the pass game. Can they hold up and keep Will Howard upright is a big question, because I think Will Howard is going to be able to make some things right. He's going to be able to get away from some pressure and be able to get inside the pocket and make some throws Hopefully not make too many mistakes and make throw picks or fumble. The football is definitely a huge deal, heck.
Speaker 1:In the first game against Oregon Will Howard played a very clean game. But again we had our offensive line was much different than Will Howard play a clean game. But one of the biggest plays of the game was Quinn Sean judkins getting blown up the middle by um derrick derrick harman, I believe the defensive tackle for oregon. He kind of came through and stripped the ball from quinshawn and that was like one of the only turnovers over the game that really changed it. Because I think if ohio didn't have that turnover, ohio state really had just sliced through the oregon defense and they could have gone up by another score. That was a big deal that really changed that game over.
Speaker 1:So can Ohio State's offensive line stop that? I think the way they played Tennessee makes me feel a lot more confident in that do I think they can just run over Oregon. No, I don't think so. But again, I think you have to kind of look at the idea that Penn State was able to push around Oregon and run the football effectively. And again, I'm not sitting here trying to say that Ohio State should try to go into this game and run the football 30 times and try to run the football and deflate the air out of the ball. I don't think that's the case. I think Ohio State needs to not be predictable, be able to be in good goal, like like third down situations, not have to have to throw every time. I think they need to be able to run the football and have balance on offense and I think if Ohio State's offensive line can manage that and keep that going to where they have good balance and they can run the football effectively and probably run it for four or five yards to carry, and if they can block for Will Howard and keep him upright for him to make some plays down the field, I think Ohio State can win this football game. Because Oregon's defensive backs cannot guard against Ohio State's wide receivers. I think Oregon's linebackers are not necessarily all that crazy special in being able to plug up holes and all that. So I think that's the case.
Speaker 1:I think Ohio State will be able to control this game with their offense and I think Ohio State's obviously the Ohio State's defense has to stop the big plays. But if you go back to that Ohio State game against Oregon last time, all those big plays that happened all happened in like a six minute span in the second quarter and then in the second half both teams only scored 10 points. So Ohio State was able to adjust and stop the big plays that happened in that first game. So I do think that this game is not going to come down to as many big plays as what happened in the first game. And I think this game will come down to which team can do what they do the best most consistently and not make the huge mistakes most consistently and not make the huge mistakes. And I think that offensive line for Ohio State against that defensive line to Oregon is probably going to be the biggest key factor on whether Ohio State can win this game the way they need to. And again, even if the offensive line can't be destroyed, if the offensive line can just hold up and play good football and just play Because that offensive line for Ohio State when we lost Josh Simmons in that game it ruined the way that team was going, because in the first quarter Ohio State was destroying Oregon on the ground and then once we lost Josh Simmons in that game it kind of messed up everything and we also lost Kaz Merrick, our tight end. So that was another blocker that we lost in that game and I think it kind of rendered the Ohio State offense to not being as creative as it was in that first quarter where they were running the football effectively, and it kept them from being able to do a lot more of the exotic stuff in the run game, in the pass game that they needed to, because they didn't believe the offensive line can hold up. So can the offensive line hold up a lot better against Oregon is probably the biggest question.
Speaker 1:Next one you got, that was the second one. So the last game of tomorrow night, this tomorrow night, notre Dame-Georgia. I think I've been mentioned this. The question is which Georgia defense shows up in this game. But I'll get away from that and I'll say can Notre Dame's front seven defensively Stop Georgia's offensive line in their run game? And I say this because Georgia is not going to come into this game with their backup quarterback and want to throw the football over the yard. That's not what happened when they had their backup. I forget I think his name is. Let me get his name. I keep mentioning him. No, not Carson Beck. He's going to be out for this game because obviously, if anybody didn't know, carson Beck isn't going to play in this game. Gunnar Stockton, he's the backup quarterback and he came in and played against Texas. He had one nice drive where he was able to throw the football around, and not necessarily effectively, but it was just he was getting the ball out, doing where he needed to be, but after the kind of the jitters wore off and the not jitters but like the adrenaline kind of wore off, the throwing game kind of went down the hill, right. So I think Georgia's going to want to come into this game and make this game be played in a phone booth against Notre Dame and they're going to believe that they have a bigger offensive line and they can control the line of scrimmage both offensively and defensively.
Speaker 1:So can Notre Dame's defensive line, their front seven, stop that Georgia offense from running the football, because I don't think they want to come in and throw the football around. They don't. Their wide receivers lead all of college football in drops, so their skill position guys were not that good when they had Carson Beck in there. That's definitely a lot more depth at pass the ball around the field. So when that was happening it definitely was a struggle for them, let alone when they lose Carson Beck and now they're with a backup quarterback that is not necessarily as threatening of a passer. So can Notre Dame's front seven stop that Georgia offense I mean that Georgia offense from running the football? Because if that's the case, that for the football a lot more and I think that will put Georgia in definite spots where they won't be as successful as they probably want to be. Because I think Notre Dame's offense is going to be able to run the football. I don't think Georgia. If Georgia's defense comes out and plays like it did against Texas both of those times, I think it's going to make it very different.
Speaker 1:But I think Notre Dame, their offensive line is very good. Their offensive line is very beefy and they have, if they just want to, kind of lean on you and just keep running the football and they can wait for that one big play to come out of it and just try to play with Ryland at the quarterback position if they have to throw the football. Hope that he can just extend some plays and just make some plays when necessary, because Notre Dame won that game against Indiana. They didn't really run the football all that effectively other than the 98-yard touchdown carry, 98-yard touchdown, run from Love their running back. That's what Notre Dame's looking for. Is that one play where they can bust the whole game open with their running back being able to make a big play.
Speaker 1:And I think Georgia as much as I believe their defense is very good. I think Notre Dame can still be big game hunting that way because of their kind of identity offensively. If they can stay on the field and they can extend drive and just keep running the football, they'll break one at some point because their offensive line is very good. Running back for them is very good. Can there Bradley Leonard? Can he just keep that offense going and keep them on the field and have long sustaining drives, because at some point the dam's going to break and they're going to be able to pop the big one? That one could be the backbreaker for the Georgia team. I just don't think Georgia's gonna come into this game and throw the football around and get a lot of big plays, and I just don't think they're really a big play offense in general. So I think Notre Dame, as long as they can stop Georgia from being able to run the football and controlling the game, I think Notre Dame has a bit very good shot to win this game.
Speaker 1:Um, but yeah it's, this game is probably the closest one. I think georgia's only like a one point favorite in this game. So, um, I think I picked notre dame to win. Um, no, I didn't, I picked georgia to win. That's a lie. I picked georgia win this game because I just think georgia has the better chance to come in and play their best ball. Um, but again, this game is very close. I wouldn't be surprised either way of how that game goes tomorrow, but that's better than all those games.
Speaker 1:We've already picked our winners, so you can go back to the last pod where me and jay's both podcasts. We kind of gave their winners for those. But I just want to kind of want to give a? Um idea of what matchups I think could be very dead, like very critical in the deciding who wins these football games, and I only have about half an hour left before the game starts. I'm not sure I don't really care about going into the game if need to be, but I just want to make sure to talk about all those. Let's go ahead and talk about the NFL stuff, do the recap of all the Week 17 games that we didn't talk about in the last pod. So give a recap, give some thoughts and, yeah, that'll be about it for the rest of the pod here. So let's go ahead and talk about it. Let's see, you got to start those Saturday games. I think there was three of those, so let's get into it.
Speaker 1:Chargers, patriots that was the first one. On Saturday, chargers beat the Patriots 40-7. This game wasn't close whatsoever. Justin Herbert he went 26-38, 281 yards, three touchdowns. Jk Dobbins 19 carries, 76 yards and a touchdown. Lab McConkie had his probably most prolific day as a Charger in his NFL career, at least so far. Obviously, he's in his rookie year Eight receptions, 94 yards and two tutties.
Speaker 1:I think this Chargers team came into this game against New England. This New England Patriots were overmatched both offensively and defensively. Drake may have had to leave this game because he ended up getting a head injury during the game and I just think the new england patriots defense just did not. I think, heck, they didn't. Um, why am I forgetting his name now? That sucks the oh no, the corner for them. Oh no, christian gonzalez. Sorry, I was thinking about his name. He ended up leaving this game too.
Speaker 1:This Patriots team is not a very talented team from top to bottom. They're not Drake May and, and in, christian Gonzalez, probably the two best players they have on this team, and if those two players aren't playing lockdown I think especially Drake May they have no shot because offensively it's not like they have a wealth of weapons to throw to. So they really do allow Drake May to extend plays and get the play to the right guy, and he has his moments. He's been flashing all year, kind of doing that. So I do think that he has proven even if the season hasn't gone as well as they would have liked, I do think he's proven that he can be a guy. And now that the Patriots now have the number one overall pick as of right now, tennessee, titans and the Giants all still have a shot at the number one overall pick the Patriots can use that pick and trade it for a King's ransom, because obviously they already have their quarterback or, worst case scenario, they can draft Travis Hunter or an offensive lineman to kind of be their just pieces to help out Drake May for future seasons to come. But they'll have all those options afforded to them as long as they keep that number one overall pick, I think, going into the next game. I think they'll keep Drake May out because of the head injuries that he just had this last game and Christian Gonzalez was out in this game. I think you protect those two and try to secure that number one overall pick because it gives you all the options in the world for you to be able to go through.
Speaker 1:I think there were some people talking about whether, like they should try to look at and see if they like Shador Sanders or Cam Ward coming out of the in the NFL draft and if they like one of them, maybe trade away Drake May and potentially pick up their next quarterback. But I just think, to a certain extent I think both of those guys I think Cam Ward is probably the more dynamic of those two. But the problem is I just think you as a Patriots team, you have seen it with Drake May this year. He's been in house. You've been working with him. He's shown flashes all year. I think this is this time where you can take advantage of whatever team wants to trade up to get their quarterback and build around Drake May and give him pieces, because I do think he's shown very good flashes of being that guy and, I think, in a bad situation with not a lot of weapons, I think he's managed to show some things and I think you need to cultivate that and keep that going and they have the opportunity to. And obviously we'll have a lot more time to talk about all the draft stuff, but I kind of really wanted to talk about that just because it's something that's really been taken over the sports world ever since they got it because, heck, the Giants couldn't do what they needed to do and, um, because they they actually want to draft a quarterback, but they managed to win the last game, which lost them that number one overall pick for right now, depending on how this last week goes. Like if they would have lost that last game, they would have. I think they were guaranteed the number one overall pick, but they managed to win that game in crazy fashion and I think now the Patriots have this opportunity and I think they don't. They shouldn't want to let it go to give themselves as many avenues to make their team better as possible.
Speaker 1:Back to the Chargers. Herbert did great, jk Dobbins did well, ladd McConkie had a great game. I think this Chargers team, if they play like this, is going to be a very, very tough out in the playoffs. Chargers definitely getting in the playoffs. They're locked in so as it's probably the sixth seed, so they're going to be playing whoever is the third seed in the. Is it third seed? Is it four, five, six, seven, sorry, no, make that because two plays seven, three plays six and four plays five. So they're going to be playing probably the third seed. So you're looking at um, no, you're playing the set. No, because two plays seven, three plays six. Okay, so three plays six. You're probably looking at houston, potentially, or whoever, because bills definitely have the second overall seed. So you're looking at houston, you're looking at the afc north champ and that in playing the chargers. So they're gonna be a very hard, hard out. They're gonna be playing on the road so they're not gonna have their home fans behind them, but they play like this and they they run the football decently and they let justin herbert throw the football around again. It's gonna be very hard for them to do this against teams that have a lot more robust defenses to be able to solve more problems. That's definitely going to be a problem for them. But you know, if they play like this they're a very hard team to beat. And again they played an overmatched Chargers team and played an overmatched Patriots team and made them look silly. But again, you have to play like that in the best moments and if they can do that against some of the teams out to play in the playoffs, they'll be a much harder team to beat for sure.
Speaker 1:Bengals-broncos Bengals beat the Broncos 30-24. My brother, jace, was going insane in this. Obviously he's listened to podcasts for a while. He's a big Bengals fan, so he was watching this game on bated breath. Joe Burr was great. Tee Higgins was an absolute monster in this game. He was the leading man 11 receptions, 131 yards and three touchdowns. Jamar Chase still got his Nine receptions 102 yards. Mike Gusecki 10 receptions, 86 yards. Andre Josivas had 59 yards off three catches. Chase Brown ended up having to leave this game because he had an ankle injury. I believe they're not sure if he's going to be able to play in this last week's game against the Steelers, but that is definitely an injury that might mess with how they end this season Out in the Week 18 game against Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1:But this game was a back-and-forth affair. The Bengals' defense still absolute cheeks. They cannot get any stops whatsoever. I think the only the difference was in this game was that Joe Burrow could not miss and Bo Nix missed a few too many. I think this Denver offense was getting up and down the field quite easily 24. Bo Nix went 24, 31, 219 yards, three touchdowns and a pick. They ran the football for over 120 yards. They ran the football decently and they made some big plays on the field. Marvin Mims eight receptions, 103 yards, two touchdowns. Cortland Sutton had 55 yards off, five receptions and a touchdown. So like they were able to do it, they were able to do a lot.
Speaker 1:I feel like, especially at the end of the game in an overtime, bone nicks just missed a few too many throws and joe burrow just could not miss. And this doesn't change the fact that the bangles missed. At the end of the, at the end of regulation, the bangles had a chance to go up three to uh, break the tie and win the game and their their kicker missed. Obviously they have a I think it's a replacement kicker. They have kicker for them right now because their main guy has an injury. So the way I look at it is that this Bengals team needs a lot of help still. I think they need to win this last game against Pittsburgh and then they need both the Broncos and the Miami Dolphins to lose still. I think that's how I understand it, but the thing is that they will be a scary team wherever they have to face, because if they get in as a seventh seed, they'll definitely be facing Buffalo week one, and I think I heard Nick Wright or something like that talking about it.
Speaker 1:Who should the Kansas City Chiefs be more scared to face? Is it the Bengals or is it potentially Buffalo, the only team that has beat them this year? I think both teams have their flaws and all that, but I think, as much as I love the way Cincinnati has played, buffalo is probably a better overall team and they're the only team to beat Kansas City this year. So if I had to choose, who I think Kansas City would be more scared to face. I think they'd be more scared to face Buffalo, because I do think the Bengals defense is that decrepit and I think even in a game where the Kansas City Chiefs would have to potentially worry about Joe Burrow and that offense playing well, you're playing against Swiss cheese on defense for that Bengals team. So I do think Patrick Mahomes and that offense will be able to slice through that Bengals defense.
Speaker 1:So even with like, I think that game would come down if they ended up having to play the Chiefs in the second round, sorry the third round of the playoffs. I think that would come down to sorry the second round, because the first round Kansas City is not playing. So be the second round of the playoffs. If they end up having to face the Cincinnati Bengals. I feel like that game would come down to who has the ball last, because I do think that I do think the Bengals offense will be able to score and I don't think Kansas city's defense really is going to be able to lock that down. But I just think they have a better shot to play the and the chiefs have a better shot to play the way they want to play against the Bengals and win.
Speaker 1:And in comparison to Buffalo, I think they both play very similarly. I think Buffalo definitely has a lot more options to win the football game in a way that the Bengals don't. So I think, if, and not to mention, I think the bigger question is, does Buffalo want to see Cincinnati? Because if Cincinnati gets in, they're definitely going to see them, and I think the last time that Buffalo saw Cincinnati in the playoffs, cincinnati made them look stupid on their home field and I think obviously the issues with Cincinnati still apply when they were to play Buffalo in the first round, being that that Cincinnati Bengals defense has switched tees in the back end and I think Buffalo would be able to take advantage of that, but I just don't think they're as lethal throwing the football, at least consistently. Josh Allen can make big plays, he can do what he does and still throw the football pretty effectively, but it's just not as deadly, not as systematic as what Kansas City can do to you if they're on and have all their guys and doing the right things. City can do to you if they're on and have all their guys and doing the right things, but I think that might be a mess up for Buffalo to have to see that Cincinnati Bengals offense, because Joe Burrows can't miss right now as much as his defense and his special teams is not playing well Joe Burrow, jamar Chase, tee Higgins Gusecki and Chase Brown if they can manage to keep him healthy and in the game they can't miss right now and they're playing very effectively and Joe Burrow's lighting up the league right now. So I do think it would be a definite huge deal for Buffalo if they were to have to see Cincinnati in the first round of the playoffs, because that definitely would put a wrench into their whole plan.
Speaker 1:But Bengals still have their issues, though. There's a reason why they need so much help to get into the playoffs, and that defense is why it's not Joe Burrow's fault, it's not that offense's fault, it's that defense, and I think the defense would be the reason that this Bengals team, their season, could be over. That would be the reason. Or, if they're given a shot, I feel like they can go out there and shoot the best shot of anybody, at least offensively, defensively told another story, denver still can get into the playoffs. They played very well in this game. It's just they just faced a team that was Joe Burrows a little more lights out than Bo Nix.
Speaker 1:I don't think there's really much you can. I don't think you can hang your hat, hang your head, um, for being the team that loses to how hot Joe Burrow is in this game. At least this season Joe Burrow has been awesome, and when they needed it, especially in that overtime cause this game goes to overtime um, bengals get the ball first. No, sorry, they managed to have to kick the ball back to the Broncos and then the Broncos have a chance to go. Go and win the game. All they need is a field goal, and Bo Nix missed. If he misses a few too many throws, he just overthrows him a few times. He had a few throws where, if he can, he completes them. It's a lot different of a field. They have a chance to go hit a field goal to win the game. But they managed to kick the ball back to the Bengals in overtime and Joe Burrow was like I'm done with this, and they made the plays to go down the field. They won the game and that was it on that one. But the Broncos should not feel any sadness for this. They still have a shot to get into the playoffs as long as they take care of their business week 18. Bengals still need a little help though, so we'll see Cardinals-Rams last game on Saturday. Rams win the game 13-19.
Speaker 1:This game was kind of more of a snooze. In the first half Seemed like the Rams were able to do a little bit more and Rams scored 10 unanswered points in the second quarter. And then in the second half Arizona came to life a little bit, scored nine points. The Rams did need a late interception to kind of seal the win for them, as the Cardinals are trying to get down the field to score the leading score, the touchdown, to manage to go up in this game. This Rams team. They're going to make the playoffs. They won the division.
Speaker 1:Now Everything that's happened as bad as the Rams have looked at some one point this season, they've gotten everybody healthy Matthew Stafford, kyron Williams, bukunukuwa, cooper Cup. As long as they have those guys, tyler Higby, their wife, their tight end, is also a very good player. As long as they have those guys, they have a chance. And I think the Rams defense has made plays throughout the year. Do I think they can be a lockdown defense that can stop the best in the NFC? I don't think so. So If the Rams have to face the Lions, if the Rams have to face the, what is it the Vikings. If they face those type of teams with those crazy offenses, I think it's just potentially going to be a shootout. But their defense can make plays at times and like, make the. If they're going to make, if the team's going to make a mistake, I think they do have a chance to go and make the play. That potentially helps out the offense. But this team is definitely more ran by their offense. They can run the football. Matthew Safford can be on fire and throw the ball over the field to Pukunuku and Cooper Cup. They have plenty of options to win. Can they put it all together for a playoff run? I think they're a little bit weaker of a team than they were in years past. That is going to be the bigger question. But his care isn't a Cardinals team. It really didn't matter.
Speaker 1:Um Kyler Murray, he played effectively, but it's just he had two bad interceptions, especially that one at the end of the game to kind of seal it. Definitely not, definitely not great. 30. He went 33 of 48, 321 yards, one touchdown, two picks. Um, they didn't run the football as effectively as they probably needed to, um. But you know, trey McBride finally got his first touchdown this season as their tight end awesome player 12 receptions, 123 yards and a touchdown. Marvin Harrison Jr. They finally used him. Six receptions, 96 yards. It's just they weren't able to get into the end zone, score enough points to win this game and that's exactly how that went, especially with a few uh interceptions that Kyler threw. So, um again, they were already out of the playoffs anyway. They really didn't have much to play for. So the rams did. They won the game. They were at home, everything kind of went their way, and they're gonna make in the playoffs for it. Um, but yeah, tough game, rams won.
Speaker 1:Now on to the sunday games. Um, bills, jets. This game was an absolute like dismantling, destroying, I don't. I don't know what word to use to accurately um, put into context how bad this game truly was for the jets. Bills went into 40 to bills win the game 40-14. Josh Allen went 16-27 for 182 yards and two touchdowns. He didn't need to do a lot in this game. He had two passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown. Josh Allen had to run the ball. Five carries, 17 yards and a touchdown were his rushing stats for this game. James Cook had a rushing touchdown. He played well.
Speaker 1:Aaron Rodgers went 12 of 18 for 112 yards, zero touchdowns and two picks. They didn't run the football necessarily all that effectively. They ran the football for like 112 yards. The average was five yards a carry. But they went down so quick. In this game especially it felt like it was an insurmountable lead once Buffalo Bills got up because the Jets were so inept offensively. Garrett Wilson had a decent game seven receptions, 66 yards and a touchdown. Tyler Conklin, the tight end for them, played well eight receptions, 57 yards and touchdown. Devontae Adams 47 yards off, five receptions Didn't really do all that great. Um, it was just this new.
Speaker 1:New New York Jets team is just another feather in the. The shit cap um cap year that they've had this year. That's been bad from start to finish. Aaron Rodgers has been bad from start to finish. This organization's ran terribly. This team is terrible. Players are all over the place. Their defense was getting utterly destroyed in this game. Let's see here. Let's see the Heck in the third quarter said there's a safety in this game. Field goal it was. This game was dominated by the Bills and the Jets really couldn't do anything about it. Is what it is the Jets, a terrible team.
Speaker 1:I feel bad for Garrett Wilson, obviously a Buckeye receiver. I would love for him to get out of the situation and go to a team that would be able to not only use him but show him winning ways, because he was a winner for most of his career, both in high school football then getting to Ohio State. He won a lot of games, but ever since he got to the Jets he's just been on losing teams. And you know it's crazy. They won more games last year without Aaron Rodgers than they are this year with him, and Garrett Wilson had better stats last year without Aaron Rodgers than he does this year with him. Aaron Rodgers has been a loss in every facet of the game and of life with the Jets and it's been a sinking ship for it. It just kind of sucks. It culminates in this crazy game where the Bills just don't even have to do a lot and they win this game, going away and this Jets team just could not fight it off. It was crazy how bad this game was Raiders-Saints. I picked the Raiders in this game, but me and Jayce picked this game and Jahe picked the Saints. I picked the Raiders and I'm like Aiden O'Connell is just a more. He's done this for a while. I said Brock Bowers is going to be able to win this game. Pretty effect Like Brock Bowers is going to make a huge impact on this game. I'm like they run the football effectively, like this Raiders team. They're four and 12, but they're very feisty. 're not a very talented team, but they know the guys they need to feed the ball to and they do that. And ade o'connell, as he's not a terrible quarterback, he's not awful. He knows how to run on offense, especially, he's been with the raiders here for a bit so, like they, I knew that I think the raiders are going to be able to be more effective offensively and that's exactly what happened in this game. Ade o''Connell 20 of 35, 242 yards, two touchdowns, zero picks. Compare that to Spencer Rattler for the Saints, who went 20 of 36, 218 yards, one touchdown, two picks. Spencer Rattler made the mistakes that lost in the game rather than Aiden O'Connell making the plays, keeping the offense on schedule, and managed to win. Running the football, vegas was able to run the football effectively. Amir Abdullah 20 carries, 115 yards. Average over five yards a carry. They ran the football for over 156 yards, like 150 yards total in this game. So they were able to run the football effectively. Brock Bowers, like I said, made a huge impact on the game seven receptions, 77 yards. Jacoby Myers, wide receiver for them. He made a good game. Five receptions, 77 yards. Um jacoby myers, wide receiver. For them, he made a good game. Five receptions, 61 yards and a touchdown. Um trey tucker, another wide receiver, them had a had a touchdown in this game. So, like this raiders team is just, even though these two teams are both awful, they're both bad. They're terrible. Their cheeks, the saints have so many guys that are out. Um, their defense is still decently good, but it's just offensively. The Raiders just have a little bit more going for them, and I said this before this game when we were at POD last time. I think the Raiders have a little bit more to them, especially offensively, and that's exactly how this game went. Both these teams are bad. There's no ifs, ands or buts about it, but I felt like there was one team that was probably going to be a little more consistent and that's exactly what happened. And Brock Bowers is a monster. Oh, let me get a drink real quick. I think I saw that he broke the record for most catches for a rookie tight end in his rookie year. I think that record was held with Mike Ditka. It was a 40-year-old record and Brock Bowers broke it. I think already Brock Bowers might be the best tight end in the NFL. I've been saying this for weeks now, but I think that really is the case. He played very well. They use him that way and he is their number one weapon. I feel like, obviously, you can't run a team like this. They're going to have to get more weapons offensively, but they use him as their motor weapon and he provides that for them. He's been very good and he shows out every game and he's playing very well and if you get him a real quarterback that they can believe in long term and that will be a match made in heaven for this team and I think they can be a lot more effective for years to come. I just have to get that quarterback first. Ian O'Connell's good, he's just not a franchise quarterback. Once they get themselves one, I feel like they can be a lot better. Obviously, get a few more weapons too at the wide receiver position. I feel like they can be a lot better. Football team Next game. Speaking of the Giants earlier, um, giants, colts, colts still had a chance to make the playoffs guys and they come into this game. I think all they had to do was win, I think, the next game, I think the next two games and they can still make the playoffs, they still have a shot and they come to this game and they are in a freaking shootout. I don't think the Colts in their wildest imagination thought when they were coming into this game that they would be in a shootout with the New York football giants. Not to mention the fact the Colts they had Joe Flacco, probably the better quarterback between him and Richardson. Between Flacco and Richardson, flacco is probably the better quarterback. Just getting it to everybody that can kind of run the offense a little bit better like I feel like the Colts had to have been coming into this game pretty confident, especially with Jonathan Taylor running the football so effectively in the game before. I feel like they had to have thought they had this game in the bag and that's not what happened in this game whatsoever. This Colts defense could not stop a nosebleed dude. And Drew Locke, the quarterback for the New York Giants 17 of 23, 309 yards, four touchdowns, zero picks Insane. Drew Locke also had a rushing touchdown, a five-yard rushing touchdown in this game Also insane. The Giants only ran the football for like 80 total yards in this game. So this really was all on Drew Locke's shoulders and that's exactly what he did. Do you know the one weapon coming into this game? If you were the Colts defense, you had to stop and you could not let go crazy. Oh, malik Nabors, the rookie wide receiver that they drafted has been very effective for them this year. They couldn't do that whatsoever. He had seven receptions, 171 yards. Couldn't do that whatsoever. He had seven receptions, 171 yards and two touchdowns. Averaged 24 yards, a catch with a long of 59. That's the guy you had to stop if you were the Colts defense, and that's exactly what they didn't do. This Colts team still had a chance to make the playoffs. The season was not over for them. They still had a shot. Wanda Robinson, for the Giants, had 71 yards, five receptions and a touchdown. Darius Slayton one reception, 32 yards and a touchdown. This New York Giants team went back to when they had Eli on their team and they absolutely nuked this Indianapolis Colts defense and I'm not saying you're saying that the offense for the Colts played terribly. They scored 33 points. If you were the Colts team this year, if you won. If you won, score 33 points, you think you should be able to win a football game. But their defense was nuked by this New York Giants team and that's not what happened. Joe Flacco 26 to 38, two touchdowns, two interceptions. The two interceptions weren't great like when you compare that to jude lockley through no interceptions. Those two picks were definitely a huge deal. But joe flacco threw for over 300 yards in this game. Jonathan taylor 32 carries, 125 yards and two touchdowns. Like he played well in this game. Only averaged about 3.9 yards a carry, but but definitely he was effective enough got a couple touchdowns. Definitely a big deal. Alec Pierce came alive in the same Six receptions, 122 yards and a touchdown. Michael Pittman Jr nine receptions, 109 yards and a touchdown. The Colts offensively did enough in this game. As much as I don't believe in Joe Flacco, joe Flacco didn't have to win this football game. But this Colts team just crumbled under the pressure of potentially having a chance to make the playoffs and they let this New York Giants team come in there and punk them. That's what happened. This Giants team, their front office, no way wanted to come into this game and win. They had the number one pick coming into this game. All they had to do was lose and they had it locked down. And you, this Colts team, let that team win against them. I'm not sitting here saying that they made any moves like the Giants made any moves to really try to lose the game. Those players are out there playing their butts off Like they were trying to win this football game. But this Colts team that still had a chance to make the playoffs win against the team that they're most of their team, probably just like their front office, would prefer. They lose and you lost to that team. That's how bad this has been. This is like the cherry on top of the crap, sand of the crap sunday that this Colts team has had for 10 years, ever since Peyton left like ever since actually, not Peyton since Andrew Luck left, like he's been gone for a long time and they've been bad ever since. Their culture is bad. You have Pat McAfee, one of the more famous Colts too, that is still out there in media now like he had. He came out and talked about how he's so disappointed in the way this Colts team has played and how like they have made him a pariah, and but he's just trying to tell the truth about how he felt feels like this team is being ran and how their culture isn't great and the quarterback for richardson isn't playing. Is it like at one point wasn't playing well and there's it's like a bad culture. Because if that's the case and you want to be great, why would you have things like this happening, where your quarterback isn't doing enough and preparing enough, or you have players like doing this and that, like this team is badly ran from top to bottom and this team is running like it. They have the talent to go out there and win football games. That's exactly what's not happening for them. And you're playing like I kept seeing, keep saying like you're going against a team that wants to lose this football game. They lost that football game. It's just a dismantling from top to bottom and, uh, they should feel some real heat, for I think the players that are going to be staying on that team long term should want to change that for the better. Um, because that is not a way to run a football team and I think they have too many good players to play like this and be in this situation. Uh, and they lost the football game. Just sucks for them. Next game Eagles-Cowboys. Eagles destroyed the Cowboys 41-7. Saquon Barkley was an absolute like. Obviously the Eagles did not have. Oh, I'm forgetting his name. Nope, nope, nope, nope, I'm not going to forget his name, I'm going to remember it. Right, jalen Hurts. Ha ha got it, jalen Hurts, ha ha Got it. Jalen Hurts does not start for the Philadelphia Eagles in this game. He was still recovering from a head injury that he got in the game before. So Kenny Pickett was the starter for them coming into this game. Kenny Pickett didn't play all that bad 10 for 15, 143 yards and a touchdown. He ended up leaving this game with a rib injury, I believe, and they had Tanner McKee have to come in their third-string quarterback. He went three of four 54 yards and two touchdowns. Saquon Barkley was the hero for this Philadelphia Eagles team in this game 31 carries, 167 yards, zero touchdowns. But again he ran the football so effectively it didn't matter. Kenny Pickett did have a touch push. So even the backup quarterback can touchdown. Vulture Saquon Barkley this year insane. He's had like 10, 12, 13 touchdowns stolen from him by that stupid tush push. If I'm Saquon, why in the hell can't I just take a snap and get? Be the guy to get pushed into the end zone, like if I'm Saquon. I have to ask that question at some point. Right, anybody can get a snap and just get pushed into the end zone, like it's happened so many times. I don't know how Saquon hasn't made a bigger fuss about that, but again, that's for another day. Devontae Smith had a great game Six receptions, 120 yards and two touchdowns. Aj Brown very quiet game Three receptions, 36 yards and a yards in touch. He did get that touchdown later on in that game. Again, this game was over from the moment it started. Practically In that second quarter Philly scored 17 unanswered points and after that it felt like this game was over and the second half was pretty much a done deal. This Cowboys team couldn't do anything. Cooper Rush 15 of 28, 147 yards, one touchdown, two picks. He did not play well. Again, they didn't have cd lamb in this game. Cd lamb is going to be missing the last two games of this year with a shoulder injury, I believe. Um, so that's like their big play receivers that they don't have on their team anymore, at least for the rest of this year. Um, they ran the football effectively. Rico doddle, they're running back. I feel like it's been a revelation for them. This year has ran the football very well. All the credit to them, but to them, but they just didn't have enough of that in this game. Brandon Cooks four receptions, 52 yards. They're the leading receiver in this game. Tolbert had a touchdown, but outside of that this Cowboys team couldn't do anything against this Philadelphia Eagles defense and it showed they dominated from start to finish. Saquon is, I think, a little over 105 yards away from breaking the record for most rushing yards in a season. The big question is are they going to let him try to go for it next game? Again, they already have the number two seed locked up so they can just rest all their guys and just kind of go into the playoffs, try to be fresh Again. Who knows whether they're going gonna let him go for it or not? If I had to choose, I think I'd probably let him go for it, because this is history and somebody mentioned this is that the running backs that are looked at as the best running backs of all time. They aren't like. A lot of them aren't really talked about because they're Super Bowls. The best running backs of all time have milestone careers because of these stats, like these. Eric Dickerson has had this record for most yards in a season for like 40 years and I think Saquon is too close to having this. It's over 100 yards. It's not necessarily a guarantee he gets it, not to mention he can get it against the team that he was once on being the Giants, because they play the Giants next week. So like this could be like a double, like a double dip of absolute revenge. But again, it's not. It's probably going too far into saying that it's just going to happen. Right, this Giants team coming to this game and just literally say, right, this Giants team coming to this game and just literally say, hey, we'll let you throw the football all day on us, we're gonna load this box and make sure that Saquon does not get this record against us. And again, it wouldn't like as bad as this Giants team is, it wouldn't. I wouldn't be surprised if some of those players that played with Saquon last year probably look at this game was like, hey, we'll let him have it, he deserves it. Like they probably still mad that they chose freaking Daniel Jones over Saquon and let Saquon walk and go to the Eagles. But again, you can't guarantee that and I think in a football game you can't necessarily guarantee you get 100 yards in a game. So you are taking a risk an injury risk or a confidence risk by potentially going for it and not getting it, for whatever reason for it and not getting it for whatever reason, either by injury, and Saquon gets hurt and it'll mess up their playoff run, or they don't get it at all and they have to go into the playoffs with like a oh, we risked all that and we didn't get Saquon what he, we wanted to get for him. Like that is. There is a lot of things going into this, but I just think they're too close. Moments like this in history are not close to being broken like this. Very often, there's a reason why this record has stood, stood for 40 years and if, uh, I think saquon's probably gonna be a good, probably be a good person about this, a good teammate about this, and he'll leave it up to nick sirianni, the head coach for them, and be like, hey, I'll let you decide. If you want to go for it, we'll go for it, if not, I'll sit on the bench happily, and I think that you've taken so much from him. I think he, if he, managed to even have half the touchdowns. I was just talking about getting vultured from him by Jalen Hurts and now Kenny Pickett. This year I think he'd have the MVP locked up. But I think he's given up a lot and he's been a good teammate. I feel like they should be able to do this for him and give him this one little piece of history that, again, this one might last another 40 years before it's broken. There piece of history that, again, this one might last another 40 years before it's broken. There's a reason why this is such a hard record to have and I feel like they have a shot at it and they should let him go for it. Even just give him a half to have an opportunity. We'll see, but again, it's very hard. It's a game of football. It's very hard to assume you're going to get 100 yards in a football game, even for a guy of Saquon Barkley's stature. But yeah, eagles are great. They have the number two seed locked up. They beat the Cowboys to a bloody pulp. I feel like they should be very happy coming out of Sunday. Next game Panthers-Buccaneers. Buccaneers destroy the Panthers 48-14. This game was not close. Baker Mayfield was awesome 27-32, 359 yards, five touchdowns, zero picks. He was absolutely awesome in this game. Bucky Irving was very good. I've been talking about how good Bucky Irving has been all year long. Practically he had 20 carries, 113 yards and he ran the football. So in fact I think they ran the football as a team for over 200 yards in this game. This was a stat-padding type of day for this Tampa Bay Buccaneers team against Carolina. Mike Evans eight receptions, 97 yards, two touchdowns. Bucky Irving four receptions, 47 yards. I mean four receptions 77 yards. Devin Culp, the tight end for them 52 yards. Receiving. Jalen McMillan, wide receiver, for them, the rookie. Five receptions, 51 yards and two touchdowns. They had so many guys get involved in this passing game that they didn't know what to do with it and they absolutely destroyed Carolina. Bryce Young 15-28, 203 yards, two touchdowns, zero picks. It's just, they just got, they got blitzed in that first half. Carolina scored 14 points. In the first half. You think like, oh, we can be pretty good in this game, but it's just Carolina scored 28,. Like, sorry, 27. And it's just. In that second half they just kept it going and there's nothing Carolina could do. Carolina's not a very talented team. Bryce Young's still playing very well. He has his swagger back and he's making good choices and he's out there playing good football, but it's just they don't have enough. Adam Thielen was the best wide receiver for them in this game Five receptions, 110 yards, two touchdowns but outside of him they don't have a lot. I don't think they have their running back either. They didn't have Chuba Hubbard in this game, so that was definitely the running back they needed in this game. He didn't really do all that much. So it was just the Stan Bay Buccaneers team a much better football team and they treated the Carolina Panthers like that. They went in there and dominated, did what they had to do. Baker Mayfield when he's on man he can be as hot as anybody in the NFL. And this is a big difference for me because I was not always a big Baker Mayfield believer, because I was not always a big Baker Mayfield believer. I really have not been, especially when he was in Cleveland and obviously him coming out of Oklahoma and he faced Ohio State a couple times. I definitely was not the biggest believer at all times in him. But I think with this Tampa Bay team they just kind of all know what they're doing and he plays very well for them and they kind of have something going there. They're a very feisty team to have to play against Jags-Titans. Jags win the game 20-13. This game was two bad teams having to play each other. I don't want to go necessarily too far into this, but I do have to say one bright spot, no, a couple bright spots. Mason Rudolph, much better. Mason Rudolph is not a starting quarterback in the NFL. He's not. He's a good backup, very good to have on a limited basis, but he is not a starting guy. He is forced to be in this role because freaking. Will Leffs is awful, that's one thing. He didn't play all that great. Mason Rudolph didn't. 19 of 31, 193 yards, one touchdown, one pick. Tajay Spears got practically all the run at running back one. He's not necessarily a great like awesome running back, but he played very well. 20 carries, 95 yards average, almost five yards a carry. Definitely good for them. Calvin Ridley still a very good wide receiver. Five receptions for 84 yards. Okonkwo, the tight end very underrated, he's very good, very big deep threat receiver, he played well. Nick Westbrook and Kene he's still getting catches and all that. But the biggest bright spot of this game was Brian Thomas Jr and he has been for weeks and he came out of the. He's another rookie wide receiver. He was kind of looked at as like the third guy on the totem pole of being like the most talented guys last year in the draft and he's been playing very well this year. They've been making him the number one. They're giving him those number one type of targets. He went seven receptions, 91 yards and a touchdown. I think he had over 150 last week. He's played very well and he played very well in this game. I think he was the big play receiver that allowed this jacksville jaguars team to win this football game, because they, the jacks, don't have a lot of other guys that you can like really rely on to get your big plays, and that's exactly what this guy brings them and he's very good, he's very effective, he is very explosive and this jacks team would not be they wouldn't even have four wins without a guy of his stature. Because this Jags team is bad, their defense is bad, but it's just in this game with another team that's just as bad as they are, brian Thomas Jr was the difference and they played like it and they ended up winning the game. For again, these two bad teams in the end does it really matter? No, but uh, brian Thomas Jr definitely made a big splash. I mean, he's definitely been very good for weeks now but he just keeps producing for them in a way that I don't think they really maybe I guess they dreamed of. But he's played very well this year. Dolphins Browns Dolphins won the game 20-3. Tyler Snoop Huntley had to be the starter for them this year, starter for them in this game for an injured Tua. He came in and played well 22 of 26, 225 yards and touchdown. He also was their leading rusher in this game. He had seven receptions, 52 yards. Um, they, this Dolphins team, did not do a lot in this game. They didn't have to because this Browns defense is very good, because obviously it's going to be very hard to get a lot of points against this defense. But I think the difference is is that this Cleveland Browns offense is absolutely god-awful and all the Miami Dolphins had to do was keep going, keep playing this game. They only got six points in the first half. Second half they got two touchdowns to manage to win this game. Tyler Hunt only got a 13-yard rush for a touchdown and then they managed to get a touchdown pass to Johnnie Smith. These 20 points, it was heck. When they were up 6-3 at halftime it almost felt like it was insurmountable because of how bad this Cleveland Browns defense was. So all the Miami Dolphins had to do was keep their offense rolling, score some more points, and they didn't really have a lot of pressure on them at all. But this Browns offense has been so bad this year and DTR. I got moments he looks good, but year and uh, dtr like at moments he looks good. But ever since they had him come in and kind of be the guy for them these last couple of games they have been absolutely putrid offensively and it's not like this Miami offense. Defense is great. It's just this Browns offense is just so bad. They just have no shot to really win this game and uh, the Dolphins took advantage of it and won the game. So again, they, the Dolphins still have a shot to make the playoffs. I think they have to win the next game and they're automatically in. But if they lose, they're definitely opening the door for the Bengals to jump in over them. So this is definitely a game they needed. They won it. Browns are awful and that's about it on that. One, a few more games and then we'll be getting out of here. We're past the 730 mark so I want to go and watch that Penn State game at some point. So last two games here. We've got three games left. Packers-vikings. This was an absolutely awesome game on Sunday. Vikings won the game 27-25. This was an absolute barn burner man. Barn burner means good thing, right? I don't know. It was a back and forth affair. This game could have gone either way. It felt like for the first three quarters that this game was really dominated by the Minnesota and there's really nothing the Green Bay Packers could do. In the fourth quarter Green Bay did wake up a little bit. Jordan Love started playing a little bit better. In that fourth quarter Green Bay scored 15 unanswered points to make the game pretty close, 25-27. Vikings managed to hold it down a little bit, make a few plays there at the end to win the game. But Sam Darnold was great 33-43, 377 yards, three touchdowns and a pick. They didn't run the football that effectively. Aaron Jones, leading rusher at 47 yards. But Justin Jefferson came up and played big Eight receptions, 92 yards, no touchdowns, though Jalen Naylor, a wide receiver. That doesn't really get a lot of run for this team. He had a great game Five receptions at 81 yards and a touchdown. Jordan Addison had another good game Six receptions, 69 yards and a touchdown. Cam Akers had a touchdown reception in this game. Minnesota, when we're playing like this, offensively they're a very hard team to beat and especially with Green Bay playing absolutely terrible in those first three quarters, could not do anything in this game. Jordan Love almost looked shell-shocked like he'd never been on a football field before and again he made it look a little bit better in that fourth quarter when he played a tad bit better, made it look a little bit better in that fourth quarter when he played a tad bit better. But Jordan Love 19 of 30, 185 yards and one touchdown, With as dynamic as this offense is and as dynamic as Jordan Love has proven to be throughout his young career, it's just like this is not a game that you would expect from him, but it was like a shell shot game for him and he was not ready for the moment and he definitely looked like it on the field. Josh Jacobs was like the leading rusher for them this game. They only ran the football for a little over 100 yards. Josh Jacobs at 69 yards off 17 carries and a touchdown. And it's just the pass catchers really didn't do a lot in this game. Romeo Dobbs was leading receiver seven receptions, 58 yards. Tucker Kraft was one of the more consistent tight ends in this game. Not a lot of people talk about him and how dynamic he is, but he also had 50 yards uh receiving. But again, this, this Green Bay Packers team just could not get anything done in this guy. I get it. The Vikings defense is probably one of the better defenses in the NFL and I feel like they did. They do deserve some credit for holding down this Green Bay Packers offense. But I feel like like this is just as much about how bad the Packers offense was and made it easier on the Vikings defense, because when the Packers are on and they're playing well, there's not a lot of defense out there that can stop them from doing what they want to do. And the Packers offense just did not show up for this game and at least until the fourth quarter, made it a little bit closer. But I feel like this game for the most part was dominated by the Vikings. They won the game again, setting up the huge matchup in week 18 when the Vikings play the Lions and the diff. Like whatever team wins that game is going to have the number one overall seed and then whoever loses is going to be stuck in the five seed, having to play pretty much uh, road playoff games for however long they stay in it. So that is definitely gonna be a huge, a huge game they're going to have to play in Week 18. And definitely a big one that the Vikings were managed Definitely a big deal that the Vikings were able to win this game against the Packers and kind of keep that going to where they're going to have a huge matchup Week 18 against that Lions team Commanders. Falcons Commanders win the game 30-24. This was also a very good game. This a very good game. This game did go into overtime. Let's start with the Falcons real quick. Michael Penix still throws a very beautiful ball. Michael Penix 19-35, 223 yards, one touchdown, one pick. That touchdown he threw at the end of the game to tie it up to go into overtime was definitely a huge deal. It showed that he has a spark there and that offense is really kind of molded around him to kind of make some plays. And when they let him sit back there and throw the ball down all over the field, they made a lot of plays B John Robinson 17 carries, 90 yards, two touchdowns. I think they ran the football very effectively in the first half and I feel like it kind of worked their detriment in the second half. They didn't run the football more but Bijan, when they called on him, played very well. I wish they would have done that a little bit more in the second half. That potentially could have shortened the game a little bit in the second half and kind of kept Washington from being able to score as many points they did. I think in the second half Washington scored 17 points to Atlanta's 7. So maybe if Atlanta could have ran the football a little more effectively, I think it would have kept Washington off the field a little bit more and maybe a lot of Atlanta would win this game in regulation rather than having to go to overtime where Washington made enough plays to go out there and win it. Drake London had a great game 7 receptions, 160 yards, 0 touchdowns. Kyle Pitts finally shows up for this team 4 receptions, 44 yards and a touchdown. That touchdown was the game-tying touchdown at the end of the game, at the end of the fourth quarter that sent this game into overtime. Definitely a big deal for them. But yeah, but this Falcons team. They had a chance to make the playoffs. They still have a chance to make the playoffs, but because they lost this game, they're definitely in a spot where they need some things that happen to help them out. I think they have to win next week. Against who do they play? The Panthers next week? They have to win. I think they need the Tampa Bay to lose in order to win this, in order to win the division and get into the playoffs. But no, the Falcons are very good. The Falcons can be good. Michael Penix is getting better and better with every start they're giving him and I can see why. Like he still throws a beautiful ball. I knew, obviously watched him at Washington heck, I watched him at Indiana. I knew he could throw a good deep ball, but when they let him go go back there and make plays that he absolutely made them they definitely. Falcons definitely weren't helped by a few missed field goals that they had by their kicker in this game. Youngway Koo is their normal kicker Missed the game with an injury, so that's definitely something they definitely could have used. I think they missed a touchdown, sorry, a field goal they could have made to win the game in general and they missed that because they were a little bit short. So, like they, you know know there are a few missed uh touch, uh timeouts and stuff that the falcons could have called to kind of help themselves throughout the game. They didn't get them. But again, I don't really go as deep in on that. I'm trying to kind of more um a little bit too my uh micro for me, especially when I'm by myself. Uh, don't go too much longer on these games. So um, washed inside real quick. Jayden Daniels Awesome 2436, 227 yards, three touchdowns and a pick. Jaden Daniels is also the leading rusher for this team in this game 16 carries, 127 yards. When he is running the football like this and throwing football like this, he is one of the more unstoppable players in the NFL and I think he's been that pretty much all year this year, other than like the little lull that he had in the NFL. And I think he's been that pretty much all year this year, other than like the little lull that he had in the middle of the year where it looked like he had a rim injury and like he wasn't running the football as much as he probably wanted to. But when Daniels is playing like this, like they are an absolutely crazy team to have to beat Because of him. They threw the ball effectively. They ran the football for over 200 yards in this game. Brian Robinson Jr also ran for 60 yards, but again, that doesn't compare to Jane Daniels who ran for 127. But in the big moments, when they needed it, he made the plays. Olamide Zaccheaus eight receptions, 85 yards and a touchdown. Zach Ertz had a great game six receptions, 72 yards and a touchdown. Zach Ertz had a great game Six receptions, 72 yards and two touchdowns. They needed other guys to be able to produce because Terry McLaurin, their best wide receiver, was covered by the best cover corner from the Falcons, and that is why am I forgetting it? Nope, why am I forgetting his name? Oh, come on, I'm forgetting his name. Oh, come on, I'm forgetting his name. Now that sucks. Leonard defense. You're looking at AJ Terrell, very good cornerback for the Falcons. He was pretty much stuck on Terry McLaurin all game. He did a very good job at it. Kept Terry McLaurin out of the game. Other guys had to produce because of it and that's exactly what happened and they got it and they had enough to win the football game um washington's going to be. I think they're gonna be in the playoffs, so they're gonna be be very good. Um, they're gonna be a hard team to face when they're playing like this. Jayden daniels is very hard, very hard uh player to have to try to stop, especially at the quarterback position. Um, but definitely a great game to watch. It was awesome. It was awesome game to watch um monday night game. Last but not least, lions diners. This game was a back and forth affair. Lions win the game 40 to 34. Um, let me get this out of the way. This. This Lions defense cannot stop a nosebleed. I get it. They have a bunch of injuries. They have a lot of guys missing on their defense. Again, that's something you have to deal with and I think their defense has been ravaged by injuries more than most, especially in the secondary. But they cannot stop a nosebleed defensively and that shows in this game against San Fran, where the Lions played all their guys. They were pretty much locked in, no matter what happened on Monday night. Last night they were going to have to face Minnesota for that number one overall seed next week and they could have rested their guys and they didn't. They played all their guys and it was an absolutely awesome game. I have to give them the credit for that. But it definitely was a little bit more risky of a move because if they lost any more players on their team definitely could be a killer for them. But all the credit to them. They came out there, played their guys and they played very well, at least offensively. Jared Goff 26-34, 300 yards, passing, three touchdowns, zero picks. Jameer Gibbs had a great game 18 carries, 117 yards and a touchdown. They ran the football for over 152 yards as a team Played very well there. Jameson Williams five receptions, 77 yards and a touchdown. They ran the football for over 152 yards as a team Played very well there. Jameson Williams five receptions, 77 yards and a touchdown. Sam Laporta six receptions, 64 yards and a touchdown. Amon Rossi-Brown eight receptions, 60 yards and a touchdown. Jameer Gibbs also was effective in the passing game as well. He had 46 yards, receiving off four catches. This team, offensively, is one of the most unstoppable forces. When they're playing well, I think their Achilles heel might be their defense and maybe they can just outscore everybody on the run to the championship. But it's very hard to do that, this Lions defense, when they're not gifted interceptions by San Francisco, which that definitely happened in this game with Brock Purdy. He threw two pretty bad interceptions in this game. If they don't get those, they probably don't win this football game against a 6-10 San Fran team. And this is the same San Fran team that doesn't have Christian McCaffrey, they don't have Brandon Aiyuk, they have guys missing on this football team that don't make them nearly as explosive as you probably think they should be. And this Niners team had a shot to win this football game. Brock Purdy 27-35, 377 yards, three touchdowns, two picks. Those two picks were bad, I definitely have to say that. And Brock Purdy managed to have to leave this game there at the end of the game because he had an elbow injury. I think it's like a bruised elbow. I think they called it here in the last couple hours or so. He ended up having to leave this game because he couldn't grip the football or anything. So he had to leave this game. But like he played well, like he was able to throw the football all over the field, he had some really bad misses here, but I'm not going to, I'm not going to. No, no, no mistake about that. He had some misses, he had some bad interceptions, but they, the Niners, were able to score the football. Like Isaac Arendo, he only had 34 yards. They only ran the football for like 75 yards total for this Niners team in this game. So it wasn't like they ran the football all that effectively, like what they usually do. They threw all over the place. Ricky Pearsall was leading receiver in this game eight receptions, 141 yards and a touchdown. George Kittle had another great day as well, at tight end eight receptions, 112 yards. Uh, juwan Jennings had almost 70 yards receiving. Isaac Garendo had 65 yards receiving in this game. He didn't do as much rushing but he had those four, four catches 65 yards. Like they threw the. He didn't do as much rushing, but he had those four catches 65 yards Like they threw the football over the field against the Detroit Lions defense. That is their weakness, is that secondary? And the Niners almost beat them for it. Again, I don't know, this Niners team isn't great, but they're a decent offense that can put things together and even with backup guys that you don't think they're not the avengers like they usually are, but like with the guys they do have, they were able to do a lot of damage against the detroit lions defense and if I'm the detroit lions, I am scared about that because you're only going to face better offenses. Heck, next week, when you play face minnesota, what are they going to do against justin jefferson and jordan addison like what are they gonna do against that and Sam Darnold playing probably his best football right now? What are you gonna do against that offense? And that's to potentially get the number one overall seed and have home throughout the playoffs, let alone when you have to face, potentially, the Eagles and you have to face the Packers or like some of those better, some of those teams that have a little better offenses, and that's like this secondary is not going to get any better from now and then between now and then. So, as bad as, as great as Detroit Lions offense is, that defense might be the thing that ends their whole playoff run and, potential, their chance at going to win a championship Again. Crazy things have happened. Maybe they can just offensively, just blow everybody out going in or just keep winning shootouts all the way to a championship, but it's just. Your defense needs to be able to make them stop, make some stops when it matters most, and this Lions team just doesn't seem to have that right now and that's a shame, because this off this offense is insane. And Jared Goff is playing awesome. Jameer Gibbs is awesome. They're like he's getting number one running back carries right now and he's showing why. If you were to get these type of carries all the time, he he probably looked as one of the best backs in the NFL. But yeah, jameson Williams is also awesome. They've been giving him a lot more chances to make some big plays down the field and he's taking advantage of that and he's playing very well too. Laporta's doing great. Amar St Brown is still doing his thing. They just have so many options offensively to score points. It's ridiculous. Defensively, to kind of to score points, it's ridiculous. But again, their defense is so bad. They need that like they. Just they can't win the football game any other way and that's the part that sucks about it. But, um, definitely a great games last night, um, very good one. Uh, this like again, this leads into a huge matchup next week against Minnesota. Um for the number one, number one seed overall. So that's definitely gonna be a huge one. And it's almost eight o'clock now, so I've missed enough of this, the Penn state game, so I want to go ahead and go watch that. So let's go ahead and the podcast here. Uh we've. I don't think I've taken too long. I think it's about an hour hour 19. It's not too bad of just listening. Listen to me talk. I've gone much longer. So I think I've done a pretty decent job of staying on, staying on, staying on time, staying on target, not going into too many soliloquies or going off the rails too much. So if you've been, if you let men is listen to this whole podcast, I definitely appreciate you. If you've been listening to this podcast for a while. I doubt I for sure appreciate you If you're just now joining on. Hopefully you like just hearing me talk for this podcast. Hopefully you didn't get too annoyed, but if you did and if you made it to this, please go go listen to other episodes when you have both me and Jason. That's going to give that will definitely give you a better idea of what we are on a week in, week out basis, when we're both together at our best talk about sports a little bit different of a vibe when both of us are here. So if you could do that, I would definitely appreciate if you give us that opportunity, if you like us and enjoy what we do. If you could do a couple things for us, we'd appreciate it. If you could like the podcast, subscribe to the podcast, rate the podcast five stars wherever you listen to us. Share the podcast. Friends, family, enemies, anybody you feel like can enjoy the podcast we put out on a weekly basis, a couple times a week. We would appreciate if you could do that, um. And then, last but not least, if you could, um, follow us on twitter and or x? Um at jb sports pod is the podcast handle. At giovanni boozer is my handle at jace boozer. One is jace's handle. Um. And if you could do all those things, we would definitely appreciate. Um, if you can do any, any and all of those things, it would be great if you could do that. There's no way to hand over the podcast off to you because he usually does the outros, so I'll be doing it here. So I'll go ahead and end it by saying hey, thank you for listening, thank you for always listening, and we will see you on the next podcast. Y'all Bye.