JB's Sports Podcast
JB's Sports Podcast
Beyond the Huddle: Football's Back and We're Pumped
What is it about football that transforms even the closest friendships into battlegrounds of trash talk and rivalry? In this episode, we explore the unique social phenomenon that makes football fandom so intensely personal and divisive.
We kick things off celebrating football's return with training camps underway and the season just 29 days away. Unlike other sports, football commands our complete attention weekly, creating a communal experience that's unmatched in American sports culture. We share a hilarious text exchange that perfectly captures how quickly friendly banter about new uniforms can spiral into full-blown team warfare.
The conversation shifts to emerging NFL storylines, including Ben Johnson pulling Caleb Williams off the practice field for not meeting the Bears' exacting standards. Is this a needed reality check for the talented but raw rookie? We also dissect Terry McLaurin and Trey Hendrickson's holdout situations, questioning the Bengals' strategy in particular. The Raiders' surprising decision to cut Christian Wilkins after concerns about his injury rehab approach rounds out our camp updates.
Our division previews tackle the NFC East and AFC North, with spirited debate about which teams will rise and fall. Can the Eagles maintain their dominance? Will Joe Burrow maintain elite form? The episode culminates with our rankings of the top defensive ends and tight ends in the NFL, featuring passionate arguments about Micah Parsons' true value and whether Brock Bowers deserves to be ranked above George Kittle.
Whether you're a casual fan or a die-hard follower, this episode captures the electric anticipation of football's return and why this sport, more than any other, turns rational people into passionate defenders of their team's honor.
welcome back to the podcast.
Speaker 2:Today is friday, july the 25th we're back in the second week in a row both of us here. That's been a new one as of recently.
Speaker 1:It'll actually be more common, yeah going. I have just now thought about it. I saw I had a tight end list in my phone. That is last year's tight end list.
Speaker 2:Oh boy, that's not good. So before we'll do that last. So I'll give you a little bit. My apologies.
Speaker 1:I saw I had a DN and tight end list. I saw my other list was there and I was like, oh, I must have updated it from last year. I did not. My apologies.
Speaker 2:That's all good, it's fine.
Speaker 1:I truly. I have the list, it's just not updated. I'm so sorry. You've only had multiple weeks to figure this out and I thought I had it done, which is why, when you, I had Joe clean my tanks because his washer's all fucked up and I was looking at my phone when you told me about it, I was like I should have already done it closed.
Speaker 2:It went back playing college football hey, it's all good, it's fine, you'll figure it out. Um, but we're back where football is back officially. Football back is back in 29 days, first game being obviously ohio state and texas. So I'm very excited about that, getting that season started off with a bang again. I'm not gonna go too deep into college ball right now because you know jace is always super negative about his Spartans. Jace, please don't do that. You're going to break the stuff. You just don't need anything else broken.
Speaker 1:It is a washer and a screw. Shut the fuck up.
Speaker 2:I know, but you just again after the whole. That was not my fault. The arm thing Again. It was only happened because you messed with it so much. So, like Coach Wall is back, NFL is for sure back, because not only is the NFL season starting in about 42 days, but we also have preseason football starting not this weekend but next weekend. So we're getting a lot of things started really fast and, to be totally honest, it kind of like snuck up on me. I didn't really expect it to be.
Speaker 2:I was still thinking we had a couple weeks, something like that, and next thing, you know, we're kind of like all the way back into it like a month and a month, exactly a month and a half out. Yeah, I'm very excited and, honestly, with our podcast, what we do most is mostly football. So, like this, this is like, this is our bread and butter.
Speaker 1:So I keep up with baseball a little bit no, we do, but more than a little bit. I watch and do monitor what the Yankees are doing. Yes, I just think we have a love for football that we don't have for other sports.
Speaker 2:And not only is it about love, because I love baseball, I love my Yankees, our Yankees, but when it comes to like at its height, I would die for the Bengals.
Speaker 2:Not just that, but in the playoffs is when we care about it the most. I would die for the best. We're totally in. But the NFL just based on how they kind of do their thing, every single goddamn week we are locked in. We're watching everything, watching our teams, we're watching other teams. All of it matters in a way that just in other sports it doesn't. I guess college football me more than Jace, because I'm just a freakazoid about it. Yeah but I don't have to look forward to.
Speaker 1:I'm hoping we make a ball game most years like that's the type of shit I'm on in college football.
Speaker 2:No, I need a hope for six wins. I think we do better than that this year I really do. I don't know what you see again I I yes, I understand the I'm not saying that saying like, oh, you're stupid to think that way I think totally understand.
Speaker 1:I had to give Nick Marsh a bag to stay.
Speaker 2:Hey, sometimes there was.
Speaker 1:SECs calling his name.
Speaker 2:Again, are you worried about having to give him a bag, in comparison to what Ohio State has to pay Jeremiah to keep him around and Cardinal Tate?
Speaker 1:Again, but when he was the third best freshman wide receiver he was after it was I don't know his name jeremiah smith jeremiah smith, the kid from alabama and then him yes um, so he was not no slouch yeah, for sure, uh, he was the only other like true freshman anybody was taking note to. He had 1100 yards. Awesome year with a shitty quarterback yeah, for sure he was bad uh was good On a team that's not very good.
Speaker 2:The whole team was not good, but I do think they're going to take a step forward. Whether it's going to be a big step forward, I don't know, but I just think with that coach, with what he does.
Speaker 1:That coach is a recruiter.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but he's built up programs before that are much worse. Oregon State would dick the fucking spartans right now where what he got it to. But before that I don't think so. But we'll get to that, we'll get to that. Another point but this is how crazy the nfl is. Okay, I think we've talked about this guy plenty of times our friend slash, kind of family member at this point, jake, he is the father of our cousin slash nephew bank, a browns fan. Okay, we started texting yesterday. He kind of came at me a couple days ago, like early on last week, saying hey, how do you like new steelers unis? Did you see them? The, the throwback uniforms?
Speaker 1:the only uniform I saw was the browns uniform where the cameraman fell off the dock in the lake erie.
Speaker 2:That was staged. By the way that came out, that was staged, then I don't care. But the Steelers? One is ugly. It's bad, it has tan pants.
Speaker 1:It would look.
Speaker 2:Should I look it up, because you got to see it. I don't really want to see it, I got to show it to you now. Steelers to you now. Um, steelers, throwback unis. Okay, would you go to a big time rush concert with me? No, all right, we would literally be pedophiles. Well, I guess we wouldn't, because they'd all be around the same age my nigga big time rush was big when I was a kid that's true, I'm 21.
Speaker 2:okay, this is. This is what the uniform looks like. Tell me why. Tell me if I'm crazy, but it would look a lot better if it had black pants.
Speaker 1:I like the helmet it would look like Iowa if you had black pants.
Speaker 2:True, but the tan pants are awful. They make it look so much worse.
Speaker 1:I prefer the bumblebees.
Speaker 2:Me too, honestly. Honestly, the jersey ain't all that bad.
Speaker 1:I like the yellow helmet, I'm not going to have a shoe. Iowa has a jersey like that. If y'all were to switch to black pants, that is an Iowa uniform.
Speaker 2:Potentially. I wouldn't necessarily be all the way.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Black pants Would help so much.
Speaker 1:I'd actually prefer if the helmet was fully black too, but black happens. Prefer if the helmet was fully black too. But that's the black has happened all the time.
Speaker 2:Ah see, I can't even call it fully tan, it's almost goldish. Yeah, you know you're not wrong, it's bad, it's bad it's bad. The black pants will make so much better. But like you have like all the nfl teams announcing, is it?
Speaker 1:weird to say that alex highsmith looks the worst in this maybe he looks terrible in this, so bad is it? Is it also say if y'all had a black dude in this uniform, I feel like it'd look better probably just because of this high smith is black, he's just light-skinned high smith is malia black probably, and I could believe that is a white man under that unless he's not nice, he's mixed right yes okay, his one of one of his parents is like whichever parent is black is also mixed probably yeah, it's a little bit more washed out because, last I recall, his hair is ginger it's not ginger, but it's not like completely dark, it's ginger it's gender is what you just told me.
Speaker 1:That boy grows a gender beard.
Speaker 2:Dang yeah, maybe, yeah, maybe Okay.
Speaker 1:But so, oh, the helmet's matte too. Yeah, I don't know if the Bengals have one.
Speaker 2:No, because I think I'm not sure if they're coming out with one, because honestly they probably can't afford it, but the Bengals have been using like the wall whites for a while now, like that's been there.
Speaker 1:All the cocaine white yeah, cocaine whites are awesome. Those ones were new, I think two years ago right.
Speaker 2:So like they, they have theirs and apparently, like all these nfl teams are like nike is like going to, like I think they're like eight different teams and saying, hey, we're gonna like check crazy, do a crazy uniform for like one week for the season remember when nfl jerseys were rebok. Yeah, were much worse times, much worse times.
Speaker 1:Sorry, I just thought about it.
Speaker 2:Dang, why'd you do that?
Speaker 1:Because I remember Michael Vick wearing Reebok jerseys on the Eagles.
Speaker 2:Yeah, was it the Eagles or the Falcons? No, it was the Eagles. I feel like it was Nike by the time he got to the Eagles. I feel like I don't remember much of michael book besides when he was on the eagles dang okay. So getting back to it, there's a bunch of nfl teams are switching over to the two crazy uniforms of rivalry week is what they're calling it for? Like a bunch of nfl rivalry games? Okay that's so like. That's kind of fun. They're doing it for one week, cool fine yeah so I talked to.
Speaker 2:So jake talked to me about mine on like monday or tuesday and then I text him back like yesterday saying, hi, how? But what about the browns ones? Because let's be honest, their helmets look like shit, literal shit, like the. They went to a matt brown helmet. It looks like human shit that just came out of somebody's asshole and I was was like, how do you feel about that? And this is where it got to. His first answer was maybe they'll make us play better. My answer to that is not sure about that. When Dylan Gabriel is the quarterback on your roster making noise, Because apparently there was like a thing like oh, Dylan Gabriel had the throw of the day and I'm like that's a problem. And then he answers back your quarterback is one step away from a wheelchair. And then I answer back one can throw a football from a wheelchair.
Speaker 1:I'm not going to get with you. This thing is fighting to lose an argument with you about quarterbacks. That's wild work.
Speaker 2:He said in the mountains of Appalachia, appalachia somewhere, yeah, not on an nfl field. And I'm just like, hey, my quarterback may be old but I can't make a statement yet on your situation because the bad quarterback wheel is still spinning for you. It's one, the old one. Two, the sexual assault king. Three, the very short hawaiian. Four, kenny two gloves.
Speaker 2:Five shador short throw sanders that was unnecessary he said, and then he answers back I mean, you have a six month rental and then your best option is mason rudolph, your defense ain't losing 12 games. Have a fun. Have fun drafting kenny pickett again in the 20s, and I'm like we kept. We've kept it civil for so long. First day of camp and we're chucking grenades. I love football again. We again, him being a browns fan and me being obviously a steelers fan and jace being a bangles fan I guess I shit to me it's.
Speaker 2:But again it's all like we all hate each other by our team, our team alliances, right, but it's like we're cool, we're fine. We stay away from like mess, like we'll. We'll crack jokes every once in a while, but usually it's like we're cool, we're fine, we stay away from like mess, like we'll. We'll crack jokes every once in a while, but usually it's fun hearted. But I have a feeling I really did piss him off when I sent him that quarterback.
Speaker 1:I don't know, I think I say I don't. I don't talk shit a lot about football because my team is not good.
Speaker 2:Right, we're not great.
Speaker 1:I was like don't pass on the trauma and make your son a Browns fan. That made him really mad and I was like let him be a Ravens fan or some shit. I was like or you can go off the wall and make him a Texans fan by the time he's old enough to really enjoy football. Cj Shrouds will be playing.
Speaker 2:In his prime. I was like so you can make him a Texans fan. No for hurt. And I made a joke about us winning that game after it happened and he got super mad.
Speaker 1:Me and him were in grants. It was fucking intense.
Speaker 2:It was off the wall. I can agree.
Speaker 1:I can agree to that.
Speaker 2:It was fuck it was. But for the most part we're cool. But then one little thing happens and we're all kind of at each other's throats again, which is a very fun part about football. Again, I don't think it was that bad, but I just think it was nice verbal jazz back and forth. But that's something you could do amongst people that you know, people that you love, because football is football and everybody knows what it is. Everybody loves other teams, everybody has hate for others and it's just every man fends for themselves. And that's what I love about football. It's like it's the most fun. It's like not as fun. Talking to somebody about like their baseball team it says it gets more, it's more stati based, it's not as quick about it. But like when it comes to football, man, it's just your, your quarterback's fucking old and they're not going to be good this year. And then it's it's spiraling.
Speaker 1:That just can go down into fucking nowhere which I had to fight with one of my friends. He's a michigan fan and it was the year the first year they had beat you guys to which I then said I was like y'all still after michigan state. He's like, doesn't matter. We don't always say it was like, yeah, we were up on y'all by the end of the game, by 21.
Speaker 2:Get the fuck out my face, right, I'm gonna have fist fought this thing in the bathroom but again, think about it as much as our brothership has has lasted through all the ups and downs, one of the things that has annoyed you the most the jokes that I have made about your Spartans the one that gets you the most hot every time I say it. I'm only saying it for record.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't, just don't. I'm not going to lie to you. It came to my brain and I got angry.
Speaker 2:I wouldn't, I won't say it. We've said it plenty, just for everybody's sake here, but no, it's just.
Speaker 1:I'm pissed.
Speaker 2:now I'm hot right now, and the funny thing is he doesn't care about the Spartans as much as his Bengals, but, like he again, just the thought of it made him upset. He had to walk away because the thought of what I would have said got him out of that angry, which is exactly what football does to everybody that you know has the joy and the privilege of following it on a year on year basis. So like again, all of this is to say football is awesome. If you watch football, great. If you don't watch football and you're listening to this podcast, I don't know what you're doing, but thank you for being here anyway. And if you do listen to football, if you do watch and like, care about football, getting somebody else around you that you know and love kim, getting them into it is probably the best thing ever Because, let's be honest, all of us that watch football in the first place, we're going to be doing that shit either way.
Speaker 2:It doesn't matter. We're going to be watching every sunday, monday, thursday, saturdays, when it's the end of the season, slash playoffs, so like. Or heck, college football saturdays as well, so like, when all of this happens, we're going to be watching anyway. You may as well be getting all the people around you that you know and love to get into it too, so like they're not looking at you like you're the weird person because you care about something that is truly worth caring about. Again, you only can say that when you know what you're taught, when you, when you're in it, but it's definitely one of those things that can bring you together, if not tear you apart a little bit while you're doing it. So you good, you're back, jace is back. Folks, we're getting, we're getting written hype here.
Speaker 2:I know, again, I I was. The point is made. The fact that even the thought of what I was gonna say would have gotten you on about in the bad spot again, that's great. It made the point. It literally made the point, even though I didn't even have to say it. Actually I could use some water. Thank you very much. I think that was Braille in the Cup, but it doesn't matter, I'll drink out of it. I don't care. But yeah, so it's just. Football is awesome. It's the best. I think it's all we're talking about today. There's really nothing when it comes to anything else worth talking about. The Yankees made a trade today for a third baseman. It was definitely nice, what we needed. It's a big bat and you know. But again, we still have half the season left, so like there's so many games left to talk about I agree, but I still think yankees making trade mid-season isn't it something they commonly do as often?
Speaker 2:when they feel like they're going for it, they do but last one we made was jazz chisholm last year. No, that was two years ago.
Speaker 1:Two years ago that was ago and that was a mid-season trade.
Speaker 2:Was it? Was it two years ago? Was it just last year? I can't recall. It was last year we did not start the season with Jazz. I'm not sure anymore. I can't think of it.
Speaker 1:Was it early last year.
Speaker 2:It might have been early last year. I don't think it was a trade deadline.
Speaker 1:Because I feel like he was there for a long time. I don't know, I don't know. I like having him on the team, I like.
Speaker 2:Josh Chisholm as a person, but he's great, especially now that he's at second base.
Speaker 1:Awesome Dude, he's fired at second base Much better at second base.
Speaker 2:Now we have a third baseman. That guy's bad they're, because that's not a he can play, isn't he traditionally an? Outfielder no second. I thought he was second the whole time.
Speaker 1:No, I think he was With the Marlins. He was traditionally an outfielder.
Speaker 2:Oh, I thought he played second before that, though, like coming in, like they were like, oh, is he going to play second?
Speaker 1:No, I think he was. Is he going to play?
Speaker 2:Dang, that's news to me. I don't know.
Speaker 1:He was on a team that I did not give a fuck about.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the Marlins suck. So yeah, it's football focus today, so we're going to kind of get into it Plain to talk about. We're going to end the podcast out with doing our last Part of division preview Slash winners, doing both AFC North and AFC East, and then we're gonna totally cap it off with us doing our top tight d-ends and tight ends, as we were supposed to do last pod. But Jason needed a little more time to make sure his was in a good spot. So NFL camp story wise story lines is what I meant to say.
Speaker 2:Justin Fields carted off with a toe injury Again, and this is kind of how the story went. This happened yesterday and it was tweeted out that Justin Fields has been carded off the field with a lower leg injury. I tweet oh my God, I hope this isn't bad because I would love for him. I was like Rudy. Obviously he's a jet now but again he played with the Steelers last year and with him being obviously a former Buckeye, I'm gonna root for him the rest of his career.
Speaker 2:I was really hoping, since this is not with us, I was hoping that he would have the chance to go play with the Jets, go play with Garrett Wilson and go tear up the league because I truly believe in him, because he's been an awesome quarterback throughout his career. And I get that news and I'm like, oh, this sucks, this sucks, this is awful, I hope it's not too bad. And then, like an hour or so later, it starts trickling out that oh, he didn't get carted off the field, he just rode the cart back to the locker room because he had a dislocated toe, and by dislocated toe I don't even mean his big toe, it's one of his smaller toes. So like, this is not even close to like a very serious injury. Like because, let's be honest, if you hear during NFL season or during the offseason, a player has been carted off the field, they're on the back of the cart, they're crying, their whole season is done and they're like freaking out.
Speaker 1:Like that's what carted off is. Like I saw it and I was like damn, like I freaked out for a second. I was like what happened? No, uh, I checked in a couple days later and like oh yeah, he just dislocated a toe and I was like motherfucking.
Speaker 2:They probably popped that shit back in the locker room it literally should be general knowledge that if you say carted off the field it's a bad injury. And then if it, if they're riding the front or I think I somebody say this if they're not riding on the back of the cart and they're in the front seat, then it's not that bad. And I'm like you know what. That probably should be the case and I think, to be honest, anybody that does NFL breaking news, they should all change it to where they're not doing carted off unless it's actually a bad injury. And again, it just made everybody freak out for half like an hour or so thinking about what possibly could be of the Jets season if he's actually going to be out for the whole year, and that's a whole thing. But again, moral of the story, let's change carted off and carted to. I think that's two very separate statements that we should really clearly define. Next one Terry McLaurin and Trey Hendrickson are holdouts, are like the main holdouts for camp, as camp has started pretty much for everybody in the NFL. Terry McLaurin said that, hey, ownership isn't really talking to him about a deal. They haven't really communicated with him as of recent at all and he's very disappointed. He wants us. He's made it very clear he wants to stay with commanders and he said I've done everything I needed to do and I he's feel like he said I feel like we're not getting anywhere and I want to try to get something done. And he's kind of doing the right thing by coming in and mean not coming in and making sure that they know like hey, you only have two more years with your very young, underpaid quarterback, so like this is a time to pay me. And he's trying to strike gold now, which I understand, because Terry McLaurin has been that dude. He was their leading receiver last year and he's been awesome.
Speaker 2:And when it comes to Trey Hendrickson, we've talked about this multiple times before. But heck, on the day that camp started, trey Hendrickson posted a I did send this to you of your text. You never answered again. I didn't really expect you to answer, but it was like he posted that he was back in Florida on the day that camp started. So like he's making it very clear to the Bengals that like hey, I am not stepping on the football field without a contract and I think he's done everything possible.
Speaker 2:I think this the Bengals are just making. They have fuck this up to such a royal degree. If you know you're going to go this far as to not pay this man, why in the hell didn't you trade him before the the draft? I just don't understand. If you're gonna, if you're gonna follow the hard line and not pay the man, why would you keep him for this shit to happen? Because now it's a distraction. They were asking joe burrow about it, like on the first day of camp, and he's like, yeah, it's totally a distraction. This is not something that we want for our team. And he did everything he could to make his point without actually saying what he wanted to say, because you could just tell Joe Burrow was super pissed. He's like I need my guy here and this is such a problem. But it's just with those two guys holding out for what they mean to their teams is definitely a huge issue.
Speaker 1:I don't understand the commanders. With Terry McLaurin I understand. You don't really want to pay a receiver as much as he wants to be paid when he's getting to 30.
Speaker 2:But you're at a point to where he's your best guy.
Speaker 1:By the time his deal's done, you'll only just be paying Jayden Daniels, right? So like you won't really have money hitting in for a while. So with them. I don't understand you want to keep this guy because, hey, he's done a lot for your franchise. He stayed around when your team was trash, right. I think he deserves it. I think he's good enough.
Speaker 2:And he's been a consummate professional.
Speaker 2:He's kept his nose clean His entire career and he's been the face of your franchise because you don't have anybody else Ever since he got drafted to you guys. So I'm just sitting there like I just don't understand Because of his production is still very good. I just don't know how the commanders, and not to mention they, have their quarterback. It'd be one thing if they know like, hey, we're going to have to get a guy and pay him a decent amount of money, but you know you're going to have Jayden daniels for cheap for the next two years at least. Why wouldn't you just pay terry mcclure and as much as you can now and just kind of get that out of the way? But they want to play hardball, which is the craziest part about it, which I just don't totally understand.
Speaker 2:And then hendrickson, it just you know it's just more of the same thing. Man. I just again, like I already said, they just really fucked it up and I just don't know how this thing ends. I just I don't know, because if they pay him at this point, I don't think there's any way hendrickson cuts them a deal. No, he is gonna get every dime he's worth. So if they get him back, they probably are gonna overpay now rather than probably paying him a fair market wage. So I'm just like I just don't know how there's no plan to what they're doing.
Speaker 1:This makes me so angry. Sorry they're. Let's they're top 32 defensive heads edge run. They call them defensive players. Right, uh miles, get michael parsons tj walk tweaking yeah, insane 300, 7 oh no but yeah, so I it doesn't.
Speaker 2:It screams no plan and I'm just like this is what bad organizations do? They just kind of fuck themselves over and everybody around them and I just hope for your sake, jay, so they hopefully figure it out somehow. Um, but a little bit of nice bangles news at least is that the other guy that has not really shown up for them, shamar Stewart, has now signed.
Speaker 2:He signed Shamar Stewart bangles Hammer out their language and he has now signed. He will be there. He signed a four-year fully guaranteed contract. Again, it's usually the case for first round picks Yep Worth $18.97 million including a $10.97 million 18.97 million dollars including a 10.4 million dollar signing bonus. So he is now officially there. So the guy that I'm guessing this the bangles think is going to be their long-term answer at that position has now going to be able to show up there for camp. I think that deal just got just happened today. So obviously, as jace didn't know anything about it, I'm glad when I wrote it down. I'm like I obviously, as jace didn't know anything about it, I'm glad when I wrote it down. I'm like I'm hoping jace doesn't read this and like figure it out. I'm glad it was a little bit of a surprise for you, because I'm like this is something jason, I did not know, I just kind of assumed it would never work out.
Speaker 1:I don't want to look at bangles news anymore because it's kind of making me sad, because really I would prefer smart stewart and treyrey Hendrickson, because Shemar Stewart has the athleticism of Myles Garrett and I think Trey Hendrickson can teach him a lot of the stuff. Hey, here's how you get to the quarterback Right, because Trey Hendrickson has no problem doing that in every game. He doesn't go missing like Myles Garrett, right?
Speaker 2:I don't know, I just it's a little bit of good news, even though there's still a big black cloud over the whole organization when it comes to the Trey Hendricks and stuff. But at least you have something coming your way because, let's be honest, you've really needed some good news and I just think that, at least for the Bengals, they at least hammered out the side of the issue that they can actually fix, because they were just being idiots about the whole language and apparently I'm not seeing if it says they compromised. So this is where the compromise came. They still got to have their pay structure the way they wanted it to, that he wasn't a fan of, but they gave him more money in order to make it happen.
Speaker 1:Works every time.
Speaker 2:Again, if you want to give the guy money, they're usually going to bend the knee because money is, honestly, that's what makes it at the end of the day.
Speaker 1:That's when all this is over, he's an injured-ass player.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:At least I'd be able to explain all his non-sacks. I'm sorry, I can't. Four and a half over three. You've started for three years and you have four and a half. He was a true freshman starting, because he is that much of a physical specimen. Yeah, Real quick. Myles Garrett had like 15 sacks coming out of college.
Speaker 2:There's a reason he was the number one overall pick.
Speaker 1:You was not, that you were not a first round pick. We should have picked up that dude from Marshall, mike Green but apparently he had his own off the field troubles.
Speaker 2:That didn't matter to us when Joe Mixon did it. But Joe Mixon did play another year of college first.
Speaker 1:But again we're talking. He was the second-best head rusher in the draft. Yeah, After Abdul Carter, it was him. Everybody had him ranked top two.
Speaker 2:He had the best mix of talent and production.
Speaker 1:Yes, because again he played, I think, in the MAAC.
Speaker 2:He played at Marshall. Yeah, that's the MAAC.
Speaker 1:Is it Marshall, maac, or is it Marshall?
Speaker 2:Sun, no, not Sunbelt.
Speaker 1:Marshall's the MAAC for sure, but again, those are still NFL guys. A lot of those guys do go to the NFL.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for sure, it's just Heck Khalil Mack Buffalo, so like guys get Guys go to the NFL from those schools? No, for sure it's not as common.
Speaker 1:Yeah, not as common, but when they're that dude, they feel it. When they're that dominant in a conference like the tight end from Bowling Green, he got drafted too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that dude was crazy For sure he's just small. Yeah, he is a little small.
Speaker 1:He's like 6'2". I didn't know, he had like 1,300 yards.
Speaker 2:That's just another wide receiver. That's a little slow, pretty much. Nah, he's fast, slower than a wide receiver.
Speaker 1:Nah, he's not. Dang he ran a good 40 times. They just took a big-ass receiver and put him at tight end. Bowling Green plays a weird set. Believe me, I tried to do a rebuild with them too. I thought Akron was hard. No, I tried to make a do a rebuild with them too. I thought Akron was hard. No, their quarterback plays ass. Sorry, I had to tell you about it. Their quarterback plays garbage Cause they only use a field generals. My bad, they're called pocket passers. Now Dang, pocket passers Can't move.
Speaker 2:Not at all. There are statues in the bucket, for sure. Oh, that's definitely tough, for sure.
Speaker 1:But I don't know. I just it gives me more hope for the season. Maybe he is the next coming of Miles Garrett and if he is, we're going to a fucking Super Bowl.
Speaker 2:I'm not going to cap with you, we're going to a fucking Super Bowl.
Speaker 1:If he truly is if he is what every NFL scout says he can be. Every NFL scout said his physicals are crazy. You're talking. He was beating Miles Garrett's combine results. Right, he was freaky. It's just, you have all these physical talents gotta be able to produce, but I don't see it on the field. It popped up four and a half sacks when we drafted him and I was like what the fuck?
Speaker 1:four and a half, four and a half, just for your counterpart, who played on the other side of you, to get drafted Like two picks later than you At 13. Yeah.
Speaker 2:What happened? What were you doing? But he played. He was relatively healthy. He just didn't have a production man, that's what it is.
Speaker 1:While Sonny Watson has highlights, he'd get off the edge real fast. Yeah, it's just he had a problem with because he played A&M, that's not SEC, it is Okay. So he played with a lot of fast quarterbacks he had a problem of not I can't catch him. That's what I noticed a lot. Yeah, because he was really good at. I'm going to strong arm you and go around you. And it would give quarterback room to go right through the gap he just opened.
Speaker 2:Step up, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:That was a big thing. He would do a lot, which is what I think having Hendrickson there would kind of teach him something. Know where to go Force him into Shamar Stewart and heck if he's that dude, fine.
Speaker 2:But imagine if you had him and Hendrickson on the roster at the same time. It would be a much better dynamic duo for you to be able to kind of work with, especially if your back end, your defense, is still going to be kind of garbage based off what it was last year and they didn't really do a lot to help fix that.
Speaker 2:Over the offseason they did draft a lot, yeah, but like, if they aren't drafting that dude in like a first round that you know that can play right away, it's pretty much a crapshoot, true, but I think DBs are pretty viable all the way up until the fourth round.
Speaker 1:Yes, of their A guy. Have the Bengals shown a propensity to be able to build those type? Of players out Sometimes, like Cam Tillebret was really good for one season.
Speaker 2:What round?
Speaker 1:pick was he Cam Tillebret, mm-hmm. Seventh.
Speaker 2:Okay, fine, for what?
Speaker 1:we got in a seventh round pick. He's not that bad.
Speaker 2:Okay, but outside of him, who?
Speaker 1:DJ Ivy with the fourth round pick, who got hurt last year?
Speaker 2:That was not a fourth round pick. I think it was a second.
Speaker 1:No, he was a fourth round pick. Dj Turner was a second round pick.
Speaker 2:Okay, got it yes.
Speaker 1:Ivy, who was a rookie last year, who was starting to show that he was our best guy.
Speaker 2:He got hurt last year. He was a fourth-round pick, though All right fine.
Speaker 1:I'll give you that it's better than what we did with Dax Hill so, who also was looking for a contract this year. Just in case anybody noticed we could have used his fifth-round option. We did not Let him walk Best decision y'all have made.
Speaker 2:Yeah, probably he was not good at all. No, they didn't really know what to do with him either. So it's definitely a two-way streak. He wasn't fast. Two-way streak, that's probably the word I was looking for Again he's not big, he's way too small. Not fast enough Not fast enough.
Speaker 1:Yeah, his, his cover skills ain't that good. He's long. That's pretty much his only plus. That is his only plus, but he's not fast. So we drafted a dude from Michigan the year after we got him who is fast and long, and you no longer have a spot on the roster.
Speaker 2:Yep Got drafted right over. Sometimes that happens in the NFL, for sure that happens a lot, man. Next story Caleb Williams. Did you hear the story about him Him first? Next story caleb williams. Did you hear the story about him him first day with ben johnson?
Speaker 2:apparently ben johnson got so frustrated with him because they couldn't line up properly it was, it was his footwork, it was this, it was like a lot of different little details. He pulled him off the field and this kind of went to like the last podcast when we talked about it. I'm like, hey, can Caleb Williams make his game fit what Ben Johnson does, or can Ben Johnson kind of tailor his offense around Caleb Williams? It's kind of seeming like Ben Johnson is like, hey, I need to teach you some fundamentals for you to play 95% of the time, so you then can add those X other 5%. Then you can be the what is it Creative Caleb Williams that's sending plays and making big plays down the field.
Speaker 1:I've been watching a lot of their coaching staff talk. I watched their defensive coordinator talk and he said it's a privilege to be on my field. It's a privilege to play for the Bears organization. If these players don't feel that way, they can leave. That whole coaching staff has been overhauled and they now have a new confidence. Apparently, adam Schefter was talking about it. It's on Twitter. I start using Twitter for certain things. He was talking about how the Bears practice had a lot of screaming and that Ben Johnson was going off on people because they weren't lining up where they needed to line up.
Speaker 2:Right, he's very detail-oriented from what everybody has said.
Speaker 1:You do the little things right and you're better in the long run, that's not Caleb Williams-style at all, and it'll give you a better football team.
Speaker 2:It'll give you a better quarterback it will If that coaching comes through.
Speaker 1:If that coaching comes through, then, with or without Caleb Williams, you'll have a better team.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1:Because your team's more detail-oriented. I think, that's been a problem with a lot of the coaches you brought in. None your team's more detail oriented. I think that's been a problem with a lot of the coaches you brought in. None of them are really detail oriented. Right, ben Johnson is so detail oriented that it made the lines a better team.
Speaker 2:Offensively at least.
Speaker 1:It did, but defensively they didn't have much. When Hutchinson got hurt they were like fuck it, we just go balls to the wall. Because then when Dan Campbell wants to call a fuck ass play, it works, because all of you guys run so many coordinated plays Right, and I think Ben Johnson's going to do it, because we were talking about, if your quarterback doesn't take to it, no one else will. Ben Johnson's going to make him take to it.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You're going to follow along with my scheme, right? I don't care who you are as a quarterback, they also wanted you, but they wanted me as well. Yeah, you're right.
Speaker 2:It's a two-way street. Yeah, and you're gonna. I'm here to make you better and I think I don't think kayla williams can walk into that locker room and say I wasn't a part of the problem last year.
Speaker 1:No, he, he was, he was a part of the problem. So there's bears did get better with him on the field. Yeah, for sure. But I also think that he needs to hold that.
Speaker 2:He wasn't good enough yeah, he was not, and I think there's things he needs to learn about. You know, being again. Like I said, being a quarterback is I think I heard some type of quarterback trainer or something say somebody say this is that most of the time it's about making the routine plays routinely. I think ryan day says this all the time about the ahasuete quarterback. He's like, hey, I need the quarterbacks to do what they're supposed to do most of the time, and then sometimes then they rise up to the occasion and make the crazy play that makes you a legend, but for the most part, you just need to make again Joe Burrow, he makes the throws that need to be thrown and then next thing, when it's time, turn it on 95-yard touchdown.
Speaker 2:Turn it on and then he makes that spectacular play and I think Caleb Williams, even throughout his time at USC he feasted on the big play so much.
Speaker 1:Him extending. He also feasted on shitty defenses.
Speaker 2:Also true, because it was the Pac-12 at that point and they were ass. Portia bad defenses so like he feasted so much off of him just winging it, that I really do think that he is like came in saying like hey, I'm so good, like there's, like His ego is overinflated, it's overinflated, which made his play worse once he got to the NFL.
Speaker 1:Because they're all as big as you, they're as fast as you, there's guys that say who, like, didn't make it in the NFL, or guys who don't make it in college. He was like everybody here is a five-star, or everybody in the NFL is as talented as I am. They all made it here, just like me, exactly. And I think Caleb Williams is coming to that realization, with Ben Johnson at the helm of hey, you are not irreplaceable and I'm going to coach you like that.
Speaker 2:I'm not going to handle you with kid gloves. We will find a different guy if you're not the guy Right.
Speaker 1:And, in all honesty, I like that kind of coaching. It's great, it works. I like that kind of coaching. It's great it works, We'll find somebody else to do it. Kyle Shanahan same shit.
Speaker 2:Especially if you haven't been good enough to deserve such kid gloves If you are Joe Burrow, six years in and has been doing it as long as he has, and you aren't the problem.
Speaker 1:Right, you aren't the problem.
Speaker 2:You get to walk around like that, and I think Caleb Williams has done this for too long. Even if he was at USC as great as he was, he had his issues too, and I think being able to just walk around like he's the man kind of is like rose-colored glasses for you seeing the problems in your own game, and I think Ben Johnson's going to be very thorough about telling him what his weaknesses are. And if Caleb isn't taking to it and he's not able to fix himself, then there is going to be a problem in this organization long term. And again, usually coaches kind of lose over quarterbacks, especially if the Bears think he's the guy. But Caleb Williams hasn't done enough shit to expect him to be the guy.
Speaker 1:No one sold on him yet, so you're not irreplaceable right now. Right exactly as of right now, you are as replaceable as anybody else in this room.
Speaker 2:Right, especially now. Irreplaceable right now. Right, exactly as of right now, you was replaceable anybody else in this room right, especially how the first year went. If you were to go through year two and it gets better, maybe that can change, but as of right now, you have things you need to fix and I think you need to listen to the guy that has made it work and at another spot, like he's done it with jared goff. Jared goff, obviously it was the number one overall pick, but I think even he turned jared Goff into the quarterback we see today, in comparison to what he was when he was with the Rams. So it's time for Caleb Williams to grow up and learn that maybe there's some things he has to learn about that position, as talented as he is, and I think he needs to start focusing on the little things. I think Ben Johnson is going to force that into his head or it's going to be a very bad divorce when it does happen.
Speaker 2:Next story Las Vegas Raiders cut defensive tackle Christian Wilkins based on how he was attacking his rehab with his foot and apparently they were like hey, based on how the rehab was going, we didn't think there was going to be a real chance for him to return this season. They voided the $32 million guarantee that he had left on his contract and then they ended up cutting him yesterday, I think yesterday, the day before. So like this thing was going downhill really fast and now you had like probably Christian Wilkins, when he was with the Miami Dolphins, was looked at as like one of the better defensive tackles in all of the NFL, but apparently, based on how things have been going since he got there, it's hasn't been going all that well and they decided to make the bad decision of sorry, hard decision of getting rid of such a talented player. So now the question is can will Wilkins be able to convince another team to sign him, which I think he probably will because of how talented he is but will he be able to attack the recovery like he needs to in order for a team to be satisfied to bring a guy like that in and pay him at the same time? That's something they have to do because, again, it's not like the Raiders have a bunch of defensive talent to then rely on.
Speaker 2:They don't have a lot of talent on that defense at all outside of Max Crosby. So the fact that they took a guy like Wilkins, who is as talented as he is, and decided to say, hey, let's get him out of here, let's cut him altogether, not just trade him, they cut him. So the fact that all of that is the case really does mean that they really did find something that was unsatisfactory in how he was handling business, and I think that's a crazy deal for sure. So, again, it's a very weird scenario. Again, jace, if you, I think Christian, I think Christian Wilkins would be a very good addition to your defense. You're not funny at all.
Speaker 2:I don't know where he went. No, don't drop it. Let's keep going. This nigga's in my room, as long as he's not messing anything up, what does it matter? I don't want this nigga in my bed. He's not going to get in your bed. I knew that.
Speaker 1:Have you met this little nigga? Yes, he will. That boy is Donald Bollicle.
Speaker 2:But yeah, christian Wilkins, he'd be a very great addition. I agree, as long as he can get healthy. But again, that's the question.
Speaker 1:Again, if you're the Bengals, you can pay him cheap, if he's not healthy.
Speaker 2:True, but then he has to actually get on the Raiders have I agree.
Speaker 1:But again he is very good when he's healthy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no question, all right. So let's go ahead and get into our division preview slash winners, slash over-unders, the two that we have left. We have the AFC North and the. Nfc East are the last two that we have left.
Speaker 1:We haven't done the AFC North.
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:I've kind of held off. We'll do the NFC East first.
Speaker 2:All right. So we've got the Giants, Cowboys, Eagles, Commanders.
Speaker 1:God damn this fucking division.
Speaker 2:It'll be Eagles, obviously, coming off a Super Bowl, it'll be Eagles obviously coming off a Super Bowl.
Speaker 1:It'll be Eagles Commanders. I think the Commanders go 11-6 again Because their schedule is a lot harder, but I think they're that good of a team. I think the Eagles I don't exactly know where I want to rock with them at I feel like 12-5 is a good record for them.
Speaker 2:For the Eagles. They're over under 11.5.
Speaker 1:Okay, damn, I'm on the spot then 12 and 5 feels like a good like they'll probably sit around there.
Speaker 2:I don't know about the Cowboys and I feel like the dark horse of the Giants. I don't think so, but let's start with the Eagles. They're the Super Bowl champs, Well reigning. I'd do 12 and 5. 12 and 5? I believe they can get 12-5. Cowboys.
Speaker 1:Win.
Speaker 2:At Chiefs.
Speaker 1:They probably dog walked the fuck out of the Chiefs.
Speaker 2:It's 2-0. Rams, that's a win At the Buccaneers. Buccaneers, they could start season three now. It's definitely with other possibilities, but the Eagles are known for slow starts.
Speaker 1:That's the only problem, I agree, and the Buccaneers at the Buccaneers. That's a hard team to play, but I think it's a win.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's the 4-0. Right now you got Broncos Win 5-0. At Giants Win 5-0. At Giants Win 6-0. Vikings At Vikings.
Speaker 1:It depends on the.
Speaker 2:Vikings, but it's a win Giants again.
Speaker 1:Win.
Speaker 2:At Packers.
Speaker 1:Win.
Speaker 2:Lions Loss Only one loss so far. That's nice At Cowboys. Cowboys, as I just said that, but figured I'd say it again. Cowboys, I'm guessing that's a win for you as you think it. Yeah, again, it won't go this cleanly. It never does. But you know, bears, it's a win.
Speaker 1:At Chargers. That's one I'm a little more tough on Um I believe it's a window Raiders. That's a win.
Speaker 2:Commanders.
Speaker 1:That's a loss. That's a loss.
Speaker 2:Cowboy at bills Sorry, my Cowboys bills at bills.
Speaker 1:Middle of December and a December play in Philadelphia. Dude, they do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, I'm saying the bills is a hard place to play, like their fans are crazy I agree, but I think the bills is an understaffed team maybe so I don't know, because joey bose is not playing at this point.
Speaker 1:All right, I think that's a little bit of a stretch, but it's december. He was out back in november oh okay, all right.
Speaker 2:Again I would like to refute, but I can't.
Speaker 1:Again. I would like to refute, but I can't. That team is so understaffed. This is a game I see Josh Allen getting past happy in.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but Josh Allen is like one of those. Like he'll have the superhero games, there's nowhere to run.
Speaker 1:Yeah maybe that's the biggest thing is there's nowhere to run. Somebody's coming to run. Yeah, maybe that's the biggest thing is there's nowhere to run.
Speaker 2:Somebody's coming for you. Let's just say that's an L. That's only three losses in the season, based off what Jay says. And then Commanders again.
Speaker 1:They probably split the Commanders.
Speaker 2:Maybe. So the way we're looking at it is like four or five losses, again over-unders, 10.5. 10.5 or 11.5? I think it was 11.5. 11.5.
Speaker 1:I think that's perfectly reasonable. There's games in their schedule that go one way or the other, like that Tampa Bay game.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I can see that going Tampa Bay's way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for sure. So I think, from what their schedule looks like, it's perfectly reasonable to see 11 to 12 games schedule looks like it's perfectly reasonable to see 11 to 12 games I'd say over and you know the you know the side about the nsc used that they haven't had a back-to-back winner since, like before, like 2000s like what do you mean? Back-to-back division winner in this, so literally every year it's been the same, a different a different team winning it not surprising and again.
Speaker 2:Like I can't like the commanders won so many close games last year. I just don't think they're going to be able to yeah, but I think they're got better yeah, offensively, but they didn't add anything to their defense at all, which is the worst part of their team.
Speaker 1:I agree, and people now do have tape on jay daniels right and the why they add to debo samuel.
Speaker 2:But like he's not necessarily healthy all the time, and when he healthy he's not necessarily the same receiver that he was a few years ago. And if you're going to piss off Terry McLaurin and not have him at camp to start the year, that may have an impact as well. So you would think the Commanders are like oh, they can get back to the NFC Championship game, which is where they were at last year. But I think there's going to be a regression coming. So if I had to choose, I think the Cowboys I mean the Giants would probably win. Sorry, the Eagles would probably win the division.
Speaker 1:It won't be the Cowboys. Don't say it. Don't say it. It won't be the Cowboys.
Speaker 2:I don't like the Cowboys either, but I think they'll be three dude.
Speaker 1:I think Commanders will be fine you think Commanders two. Yeah, I think Cowboys three for fucking sure bro.
Speaker 2:And Giants 4?.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I don't think the Dark.
Speaker 1:Horse is a fucking Cowboys? I don't think so either. It's the fucking Giants.
Speaker 2:But I just think it's such a big gap between the Eagles and everybody else that I think even if the Eagles take a little bit of a step back, I think everybody else in that division is taking a step back too.
Speaker 1:I agree, but I still think the Dark Horse is probably the Giants Me and the Commanders. No, the Giants.
Speaker 2:You really do think? That defense is very good.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but the offense is just from league neighbors and nobody else.
Speaker 2:What the?
Speaker 1:fuck does that matter? Defense wins Super Bowls.
Speaker 2:What quarterback on that team do you trust?
Speaker 1:I don't know, jackson's first 11-on-11 throw was an interception, first one Straight pick, because he played at Ole Miss. They don't go through sequences there. Yeah, so he legit just stared down neighbors. Yeah, and the safety just jumped the ball.
Speaker 2:And then you have Russell Wilson and famous Jameis and I'm like I don't trust any of these bros.
Speaker 1:Famous Jameis with Malik Nabors. Malik Nabors is going to win a triple crown, he would but J famous Jameis Malik Nablus.
Speaker 2:Malik Nablus is going to win a triple crown. He would, but Jameis would also throw a hundred picks while doing it.
Speaker 1:I would prefer Jameis Winston in my quarterback room right now over Desmond fucking Ritter yeah, I did see that, so my quarterback room is Joe Burrow, Jake Browning, Peyton Thorne and Desmond Ritter. Holy shit, Jake Browning, Peyton Thorne and Desmond Ritter. Holy shit. If Jake Browning and Joe Burrow ever get hurt, I'm going to kill myself Literally. I'm not watching Peyton Thorne throw a football for my team. I don't blame you.
Speaker 2:So you said the Giants, how they could be the ones, right, yeah, do you want to know what their over-under is?
Speaker 1:Five and a half Yup.
Speaker 2:Five and a half. Five and a half for the Giants and for the. I don't really want to go through the Giants' schedule. They're obviously going to be worse and, based off like you said, their defense is going to be very good. But they just have to get you in the third down first off for their pass rush to really matter. And I think offensively they're just going to be so up and down. Malik Nabors is going to be very good and who knows what's going to get out of the quarterback position. And the Cowboys their over-under is, let me see here, 8.5, which I think is kind of reasonable for what they do. They're sitting there right there, around 500. They may go terribly. They may come up and win 11 games, but again, do you really believe them at?
Speaker 1:the end of the season. What's it matter? What's it?
Speaker 2:matter Again. It's just the Cowboys man. It is what it is, and I think I'm really starting to come around to the idea that they're obviously their owner. Mr Jones is just does he really care about winning or does he just want to make his money?
Speaker 1:I think he's seen her at this point. Why aren't you paying Michael Parson? Why'd you wait so long to pay Michael Parson?
Speaker 2:Michael Parson still showed up to camp and everything which I'm like.
Speaker 1:I don't know why you did, would you watch Miles Garrett get paid? Try to give him the same deal as Miles Garrett and he's like no, the price went up Right. And then I'll try to pay him again right after TJ Watt got paid. He's made it very known I want to be the highest paid DN, not highest paid DN.
Speaker 2:He wants to be the highest paid non-quarterback in the NFL.
Speaker 1:That's crazy.
Speaker 2:No, not worth that, that's what TJ Watt is right now. He's the highest paid non-quarterback paid in the NFL.
Speaker 1:I wouldn't pay him either.
Speaker 2:It is what it is, hater. We'll get to that in a minute.
Speaker 1:I'm just saying I wouldn't pay him either if that's what he's asking for.
Speaker 2:Look, it is what it is. And again, am I the biggest Michael Parsons guy? No, but I think if they're going to pay him anyway, then why in the hell are you doing this whole song and dance? Should have paid him earlier, so this wouldn't be an issue. But again, you've waited so long. You've waited so long that now you're going to have to pay him all the money he's going to be asking for and you have no choice. Honestly, I think you should have just pulled a Zeke and just went to Mexico and just said hey, I'm not going to show up until you pay me. But he's trying to do it a different way.
Speaker 1:But I just think that they're going to screw him was good he was until he wasn't, just kind of unfortunately, it's how it works sometimes, yeah, unless you didn't run the shit out of him either they had one year.
Speaker 2:They really like two years, but again, it's not like he showed up freshman year and he was balling out. He waited a year before he really had his breakouts. He's only had two years worth of really like getting ran, ran through. What that's a crazy.
Speaker 1:I understand, but that I understand. But no, the word is fine, it was the proper word to use.
Speaker 2:I didn't mean to say it that way, I know, but it was the correct word. But yeah. So again, it's not even worth going through the rest of that division because I think it's so ass. But it is what it is. Eagles, I think they should win that division pretty easily.
Speaker 1:I agree.
Speaker 2:And if they don't, it's total chaos.
Speaker 1:AFC North, last but not least, since the Bengals are going 17-0.
Speaker 2:No, they're not. We both know this. Their defense is not good. They're going to have Shemar Stewart, no, trey Hendrickson, most likely Again. Do you think they'll I?
Speaker 1:don't know.
Speaker 2:I don't think they he's willing to eat the 50k a day that you get him fines for not showing up to camp. If he's that willing, he's in florida. He's not even like oh, I'm gonna take a go over to indiana for a bit, where he's a quick drive away he's in florida.
Speaker 2:He's a flight away. So I'm like, if he's that dug in on what he's doing, I just don't know what they're going to tell him. He'll be like, oh, I'm going to come back without getting paid. I think he's very dug into what he's doing, but it's just over-under for the Bengals. What do you think it is?
Speaker 1:Nine and a half.
Speaker 2:Nine and a half. Look at you, you're getting very good at this.
Speaker 1:I know my team.
Speaker 2:You think over-under.
Speaker 1:I think we need at least 10 to get to the playoffs.
Speaker 2:Probably.
Speaker 1:Let me see your schedule.
Speaker 2:Let's go through it. Why not At Browns To win, jags To win. At Vikings To win At Broncos.
Speaker 1:Being at the Broncos, where I think it's a loss.
Speaker 2:I think that's a loss. I think that at Vikings is a hard one too, because their defense is so good.
Speaker 1:I agree, but it very much depends on their offense.
Speaker 2:But I know, is JJ McCarthy going to be able to take advantage of that Bengals defense and that's what I think they're not going to be able to do. Yeah, lions.
Speaker 1:At or home.
Speaker 2:They're at home.
Speaker 1:First 50. I think the Bengals Will get there first.
Speaker 2:The thing is, the Lions will be able To run the football A little bit more.
Speaker 1:Well, I don't know, I think they play A little bit more control the running back that we drafted. He's looked very, very good in camp. He's looked very good in camp. And then Chase Brown Was also looking pretty good.
Speaker 2:You're not wrong.
Speaker 1:So I think we have A twoback system and we're going to be better off at running the football going forward. So I think it's a little closer than it seems. I think the I think we have a better defense.
Speaker 2:They have their top pass rusher.
Speaker 1:That nigga's leg was in two.
Speaker 2:We don't know what he's going to do. He claims he's ready to go Again.
Speaker 1:We don't know what he's going to be. I saw his leg like a limp penis.
Speaker 1:I'm just saying he is coming back from a major injury, so I don't know yet. I want to say he'll be good. But again, our O-line is nowhere near as bad as it used to be. Orlando Brown is still producing at a pretty high level and Mims is still producing and is getting shown to be getting better. He doesn't seem as slow as he was. Now he is going to be hopefully going forward. Be taking reps against Tamar Stewart, because that's who I want him taking reps against, because you want to face a fast offensive end. He is that guy.
Speaker 1:Tamar Stewart is fast and big.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1:So I don't think the Bengals are as bad as they were about running the football. I think they're going to get a lot better, which is why I think this is going to be a knockdown, drag out game of we are going to be slinging touchdowns, but being at home, I want to give it to the Bengals.
Speaker 2:Okay, Only one loss so far. Let me make sure I have that right Um at Packers.
Speaker 1:I don't know.
Speaker 2:W or L, I don't know. Let's just say L. Why do you think it's an L? Because I think I don't think the Bengals will be able to produce the pressure To make Jordan Love make mistakes. I don't think we have to produce the pressure.
Speaker 1:For him to make the mistakes.
Speaker 2:But I just think, even though he has a bunch of number two wide receivers, I think that is enough against the back end of your defense.
Speaker 1:But the back end of the Packers defense is not that good, especially without Alexander back there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they're going to be a little bit worse, but I think their front end is at the front end of the defense. No, this is at Packers.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's probably a loss, Steelers.
Speaker 2:It's a win, jets.
Speaker 1:That's a win.
Speaker 2:Bears, that's a win. At Steelers, it's a win. You really think you're going to blank us Seriously.
Speaker 1:I can't, dude, I can't. Your offense is so bad, I can't, your offense is so bad, so so bad.
Speaker 2:After the first game of the season, I think you'll be able to sing a different tune. Okay, patriots, that's a win At, ravens, that's a loss At.
Speaker 1:Bills. That's a win. Real quick, fuck the Bills. Fuck the Bills, that's a win.
Speaker 2:Ravens again. Oh, that sucks. How do you get the Ravens Bills, ravens.
Speaker 1:I know Wild, that's shitty Wild. We'll split with the Ravens so that one's a loss.
Speaker 2:You mean that one's a win? Oh yeah, at Dolphins.
Speaker 1:What week is this?
Speaker 2:This is December 21st.
Speaker 1:So it's not playing. That's a win. Then you got the Cardinals Dog walked.
Speaker 2:This is December 21st. Two is not playing. That's a win. Then you got the Cardinals Dog walked and the Browns Another dog walked. You think you're going to blank the Browns. You never do that. Who's their quarterback currently?
Speaker 1:We don't know who's their running back. Is it Nick Chubb?
Speaker 2:No, because that's the nigga that's been scoring all the points. He's in Houston now.
Speaker 1:Oh, against the Bengals. Nick Chubb is scoring all the points. Two years ago that nigga had five touchdowns, 400 and something yards.
Speaker 2:He ain't there no more. So you really say you're about to win three or four, like only lose three or four games this season? Yes, when has it ever ever been that easy for your team?
Speaker 1:uh, second, year, which the Super Bowl? Yes, but you also had a better defense at that point. That might be true, but we got a happy offense. So who gives a fuck?
Speaker 2:if I am being. If I had to do that, I would say you'd probably lose around seven games 10 and 7, I think. If if everything goes great offensively, because there's a lot of guys in there that I think can swing, depending on the team, right like the Vikings games, I think if everything goes great offensively, because there's a lot of games in there that I think can swing depending on the team.
Speaker 1:Right Like the Vikings game is one I think, hey, that could swing and then. But there's other games I think that could swing for us, like the Packers game. I don't know what Jordan Love's going to do that game. He could have a fucking sticker to stow up touchdowns. So there's a lot of games that I think can go one way or the other. I think we beat the fuck out of the Bills. That is one thing I hold true. We have not lost to the Bills in the regular season. I think we stomped the fuck out of the Bills. Now, Ravens-Bills-Ravens is some bullshit.
Speaker 1:That is a fucked up schedule Crazy work, because I'm worried that we're going to have to put everything we have into beating. Ravens and then go lose the Bills the week after and then lose the Ravens again Again. I don't know, I haven't played them yet. I haven't seen them.
Speaker 2:Your first instinct is always Josh Allen's trash.
Speaker 1:Fuck Josh Allen. Yes.
Speaker 2:The other teams in the division Steelers. We've been through this multiple times Steelers over under, I think.
Speaker 1:It's weird to say this division don't have a dark side.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, this division is exactly what I think. The Bengals, yeah, but again, it's all based off of Joe Burrow having a very hot. But again, okay, just a question theory Does it make you worry that Joe Burrow may have wasted his hottest hand on the end of last year, where he was absolutely lights out? He could not make a mistake, he was perfect. Does it make you worry that he wasted such a hot moment like? That is a moment like for like Joe Flucco that ended with the championship, or Eli Manning going on that hot streak twice and going to win a championship you're talking.
Speaker 1:We had one more win or the steelers lost one more game and we're in the playoffs. And I think we were a team. No one wanted to meet in the playoffs right um, I like, does it make you worry that maybe? You wasted his very hot hand again that he may not ever get to his best season again, I'm not saying he won't, but I'm like it's very's very. That was his best season so far.
Speaker 2:He was dialed.
Speaker 1:He was dialed Because he there was a chance to make the playoffs.
Speaker 2:And the only problem is that he has to stay that dialed if this team is going to get past their defensive issues.
Speaker 1:I'm not going to lie to you. I think Joe Burrow's the kind of guy that can do that 5,000 yards 40 touchdowns and less than fucking 10 interceptions.
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:Probably not that good. That was abnormal. You're talking those are MVP numbers Because, let's be honest, he was the best quarterback last year.
Speaker 2:The only like I told. Like Braylon kind of had the conversation the other day. He's like, hey, like the MVP last year to Josh Allen. I'm like, yeah, the thing is is was that if Joe Burrow had a team, that was just even kind of good. If they were in the playoffs, I think he would probably win the MVP because of how much better he was than everybody Dude he had 1,000 yards than the next guy. He had 15 more touchdowns than the next guy he had more touchdowns than the next guy with less interceptions.
Speaker 2:You can say that was the case because he was down so often. Slash. His defense was so bad they had to keep throwing.
Speaker 1:You say that, but you can say that, but again he had to keep throwing and didn't make the mistakes.
Speaker 2:He was so efficient. Yeah for sure, I totally agree. Yes.
Speaker 1:I've heard that argument before, which is the same thing I've said. He's been down and out and start making mistakes. I've seen Mahomes down and out and start making mistakes. Joe Burrow was down and out in almost every game he played and never once made the mistakes. Nine interceptions, most of which were thrown in the first seven to eight weeks. He had one more against the Steelers which was tipped out of T Higgins' hands. That was his last interception. That was number nine. That boy had almost 40-something touchdowns. He was wheeling and dealing.
Speaker 1:He was no doubt so like, from what I've learned of watching Joe Burrow, he can produce that again. Okay, he can be that again. I just hope we can get to a point where he doesn't have to be that every year Like Mahomes. People are talking about how, like he's not a guy, you can draft in fantasy because he's going to do what his team has to win.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Joe Burrow is a great quarterback to draft in fantasy because, hey, I'm going to have to throw this ball upwards towards 50 times a game.
Speaker 2:Mahomes can be like hey, I only have to throw it for 150 yards, but I can just manage the football game and win because of how good my defense is playing today. Joe Burrow doesn't do that.
Speaker 1:I have to win this game. I have to go out there and win this game. Yeah, exactly, which is why, like he's going to be, I'm taking him in fantasy. Easy, he's coming up the board quick yeah. Same with Josh Allen plays very good football.
Speaker 2:I think the Bills have more defensive pieces than what the Bengals do, which I agree, but I think those defensive pieces are never healthy, but I think the Bills are lacking offensively in a way that the Bengals are not yeah. The Bills' offensive line is better, but when it comes to their weapons, not even close. Like when it comes to wide receivers.
Speaker 1:And James Cook hasn't been paid yet.
Speaker 2:James Cook hasn't been paid, so that's definitely an issue, but tight ends probably a wash, even though I think Dahl Kincaid Dahl Kincaid, very good I think. But I think he still needs to take that next step to really be that dude we brought in a Seahawks tight end from last year. Noah, noah Fant. He's always hurt, though that's the only problem with him true, but we have four other tight ends you have many other guys and Eric All who is mostly a blocker, but he's.
Speaker 1:He was still very good at Iowa, but he can't. But again, he's not Mike Gusecki. Gusecki's just kind of that's he has that connection? Downfield threat and that's what Noah Fant is just a downfield threat.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for sure we have.
Speaker 1:Eric Awe and.
Speaker 2:Drew Sample back in block. Drew Sample's definitely a blocker as well.
Speaker 1:But Drew Sample's very good.
Speaker 2:Buckeye. I have to mention that.
Speaker 1:He is, but in all honesty, there's a reason why Drew Sample's been on our team for nine years now.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, for sure they keep.
Speaker 1:He takes reasonable-ass contracts of yeah, I know what I am.
Speaker 2:I'm coming in do my job and go home. He played with Burrow, exactly. Yeah, fun fact, he played with Joe Burrow.
Speaker 1:Exactly, I like Drew Sample. Sorry, it's just something. I like him. He can't catch with a damn, but he's kind of just a nice guy.
Speaker 2:He does his job. He is what he is. Bengals well, we already talked about the Bengals Steelers. I think they're sitting right around nine wins. It is what it is. Could go much worse, could go better, who knows?
Speaker 1:I think you guys, being bad will help us get to the playoffs.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but it just won't be bad enough. That's the problem, because if they're bad, we then have an opportunity to pick a very good player in the draft, which is just not going to happen. Because, you know what's funny, don't get a quarterback because either we believe in the guy we have or we don't believe in whatever is coming out next year. I would love an opportunity to draft caleb downs when he comes out caleb down's coming out after this year because he's just you know that dude. I would love for him to be the safety of my defense for the next 10 years he is.
Speaker 2:But again, the steelers love being at 15. Just be a couple games worse, and you're right there if you're gonna be that bad, if you guys are one game worse. I'm telling you. I'm telling you, if it starts going bad early, I'll be rooting for them to lose every single goddamn game so I can get Caleb down.
Speaker 1:If you guys are going that bad, that early, I'd be okay if y'all just like, hey, fuck it, let's trade TJ, walk for a higher pick bottom out they're not going to, because they just paid him all that money Exactly. It's a great time to trade him.
Speaker 2:He's paying. But Caleb Downs, I'm just you know. Again, he's the next. Troy Palomaro. I like how you think Bottom out. If you're going to be bad, bottom out.
Speaker 1:If we may not make a playoffs, ben's Joe Burrow. I don't think he'd let that happen, probably no, he wouldn't.
Speaker 2:There's nobody in that organization that can tell him to sit down.
Speaker 1:No, not from what I've seen, not even the owner, not from what I've seen, of the quarterback shows Zach. Taylor will have control of that man at all.
Speaker 2:No, the owner wouldn't want to tell him to sit down, but Zach Taylor sure ain't going to tell him to, but let's just go to the Browns over-under. Four and a half. They have the worst over-under in the NFL at four and a half.
Speaker 1:I'm on that. You're locked, you're dialed right now when it comes to over-unders. Very good, I think I'm four for four right now, man Very good Browns are just bad man.
Speaker 2:You don't know what they are. The quarterback's carousel we don't know. Whatever that's going to be.
Speaker 1:Don't even want to care about going through a schedule Apparently starting this season. They're going to go with.
Speaker 2:Flucco. They haven't announced anything so who knows.
Speaker 1:Who do you? Because I've also seen that they plan on keeping all of them.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I've seen that.
Speaker 2:Which makes no goddamn sense. Zero, I'm starting to take the fright out of you.
Speaker 1:I don't know. Am I good enough to do it? Am I not good enough to do it? Where am I at?
Speaker 2:Five years? I don't know, I just don't get it. It makes zero sense at all, zero. How do you even get enough quarterback reps for everybody? I just don't understand how you can't.
Speaker 1:You're talking they. How do you even get enough quarterback reps for everybody? I just don't understand how you can't. You're talking. They're alternating. Every pass, Every pass, they're alternating.
Speaker 2:Nobody can get into a groove because there's so many guys that have to feed. I just don't get it. You have to cut one of them at least. Hey, let's be honest, if they were smart, they'd cut Kenny Pickett, because nobody should want him.
Speaker 1:That's who I thought was going to get practice squad, he'll be cool.
Speaker 2:He got first round pick money, he'll be fine. First round pick money, he'll be fine. I don't know, I just I don't get it. It doesn't make. It makes zero sense to me. But again, not gonna keep digging on the browns because they're already so bad by themselves. Bad quarterback draft it was a bad quarterback draft, but again the next one is gonna be better, which is why the browns opted to trade out of their pick and you know, get an, get an extra first-round pick for this upcoming season, which just makes a lot of sense when there's going to be potentially a quarterback to go. Get a la Arch Manning. Imagine if Arch had to go to the Browns.
Speaker 1:Not only would our buddy Jake be, you fuck around and do what Eli did and not go to the Chargers.
Speaker 2:Our buddy Jake would be pissed because he's not necessarily a believer in Arch Manning either. I can't tell yet. We only played like two games and he played against a very bad Mississippi State team and then some Mac team. So can you really say he's all that great? But who knows? Let's just go over to the Ravens, because that's the one, that's the record. That's probably a little bit more intriguing to kind of go through At Bills. First game of the season. Oh Tough, first game of the season, not gonna lie.
Speaker 1:Damn For the Ravens.
Speaker 2:That's what they call a banger. That's the game I want to watch Sunday Night Football.
Speaker 1:Ah, my lord Oof.
Speaker 2:If I had to choose, it would probably be an L.
Speaker 1:I agree.
Speaker 2:Brown, second game of the season. Win, huh, that's a win. Yeah, lions At Nope. Lions coming to them, that's probably a win, probably a win. Yeah, at Chiefs, that's a game they'll lose. Let's be honest, it's the Chiefs. Houston Lost, I think so too. Rams At no. Rams coming to Baltimore, it's a win. Bears that's a win.
Speaker 1:At Dolphins?
Speaker 2:I don't know what the Dolphins are right now. But that's probably a win End of October, so it's still nice enough.
Speaker 1:But again, I don't know what the Dolphins are.
Speaker 2:True. I don't know what they are. Heck, who knows if Tua's going to be hurt and not even be there by then?
Speaker 1:But their offense is mediocre. Did you see Tua?
Speaker 2:call out Tyreek Hill. Yes, they asked everybody. He's like, hey, he needs to be a better leader and I'm like, oh, that's crazy. Usually you want to handle that one in-house and not because, again, Tyreek Hill is a crazy person. He's not necessarily Antonio Brown crazy, but he's pretty damn close. So the idea of him kind of doing that in public, a little bit of a you don't know what's going to happen. How is that he's going to react to that At Vikings.
Speaker 1:It's a win. Who knows what the Vikings are by that? But I will see. Until I know what the Vikings are, it's a win.
Speaker 2:At Browns Win Jets, win Bengals again, loss. Okay, that's the first time they've played. You don't think the Bengals are. It's going to be cut.
Speaker 1:They'll split Okay.
Speaker 2:So you don't think they win that game Because they'd be at home, oh, you didn't, so you don't think they'd win that game because they'd be at home. Oh, that's an L. Sorry my bad Less information. They get really bad three-game stretch too.
Speaker 1:Steelers At or away.
Speaker 2:Away.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Steelers always split them. Okay, that's an L. That's five losses so far. Then at Bengals.
Speaker 1:They lose to the Bengals.
Speaker 2:So you think the Bengals win that game? Yeah, and then you got Patriots.
Speaker 1:They'll beat the Patriots.
Speaker 2:And then you got Packers They'll beat the Packers, and at Steelers, again They'll beat the Steelers. So they have about six losses.
Speaker 1:That's more than the Bengals, according to you. You said four or five losses for the Bengals.
Speaker 2:No, I said seven. Fuck you Sorry. My job is to be a little more reasonable on this podcast, since Jace is a little bit. Bengals slash Joe Burrow crazy.
Speaker 1:Go fuck yourself.
Speaker 2:And again, I like Joe Burrow. He's a Buckeye. Sorry, I had to throw that in there. I couldn't help myself. I felt like that pisses me off.
Speaker 1:What did you say?
Speaker 2:That pisses me off. All right, so if you had to say about who won the division, I would say the Ravens first.
Speaker 1:Ravens, bengals.
Speaker 2:Steelers Browns, Even though I think the Steelers can make a move.
Speaker 1:I can foresee the Steelers and the Bengals record being the same.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can see that, as well, I think the Dark Horse is the Steelers.
Speaker 1:I again think they would end up with the same record and end up playing each other in the wild card.
Speaker 2:I just think the Steelers, like they, have all the pieces. If it all comes together, I think it would be very dangerous, even though we all know what the Bengals are.
Speaker 1:Okay. I foresee the Steelers being in the playoffs, which is why I think the Bengals are the dark horse. I can see the Steelers getting 10 wins more than I can see the Bengals getting 10 wins, okay, which is why I would have the Bengals as the dark horse, because I foresee them it being a harder road for them to get there.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's fine. I just think Joe Burrow needs to be locked in. That's the only problem. I think he will be, because I Over-reliance on it.
Speaker 1:They've made a lot he's talked a lot about. Hey, I'm done with the 0-2 starts.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, I hope so. I hope for his case that he is, because again, I think he's this stuff keeps going.
Speaker 1:He's gonna have a blow-up moment, no questions asked, like he's.
Speaker 2:He's a guy that does not like losing and you know it's only gonna go. But so far before he finally has two national championships.
Speaker 1:He has a national. I think he does.
Speaker 2:He was not on that team 2014. He won with the.
Speaker 1:LSU in 2019. Yeah, his freshman year would have been 2014. That nigga's a national champion. He is too.
Speaker 2:Maybe he was on that team. Maybe he enrolled early and got on that team.
Speaker 1:He would have had to have been on that team. Maybe he was on that team. Maybe he enrolled early and got on that team. He would have had to have been on that team 2014, 2015, 2015, 2016, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2019, 2020. Yeah, he was. He was in college for five years. Yeah, he was. He took that extra year, so he would have been on that team. That boy has two national championships.
Speaker 2:All right Dang.
Speaker 1:That's crazy, that's crazy, that's crazy to think about, alright.
Speaker 2:Well, that is it with that. That's it with our division preview slash winner, slash over-unders. We have that all done. That's pretty much all the divisions we've gone through so far. And now to go on to our position rankings, where today we will do the top DN-ends and top tight ends. Jace, you have your list ready or have you still have to fix your tight end thing that you were talking about?
Speaker 1:earlier. No, my list is ready.
Speaker 2:Okay, would you like to go first, or you want me to? You want me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, let's hear your bullshit first.
Speaker 2:Okay, you want to do, pass rushers or tight ends first.
Speaker 1:We'll do pass rushers.
Speaker 2:Okay, so you want to go for like 10 through 1 or 1 through 10? We'll do 10 through 1. Alright, number 10. I got Jared Verse from the LA Rams. It was his rookie season, but he actually had a really good season.
Speaker 1:Von Bell was also on that team.
Speaker 2:Funny enough. Oh yeah, von Bell, he was like a main contributor on that team.
Speaker 1:He had six interceptions.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so, like Jared, verse had a very good rookie season for the Rams.
Speaker 1:Joe Burrow was on that team.
Speaker 2:He wasn't.
Speaker 1:He was. I put up a roster.
Speaker 2:Cool, sick, but he had a very good rookie year, got after the quarterback a lot, made a lot of splash plays Even though he was a rookie. I think it was a very good rookie campaign for him To where I think he deserves to be in the top ten. Number nine Josh Hines-Allen for Jacksonville Very good press rush he's been doing it for a while. Very good pass rushers been doing it for a while. Um, he had his best season two years ago but even last year he still made a pretty good splash. Probably the best defensive player on that team.
Speaker 2:Number eight will anderson jr houston absolute monster a little bit. He had a little bit of injury thing last year where he kind of missed a few games, but other than that he's an absolute unstoppable madman. But I just think the people ahead of him just put a little bit more time in to where I think they deserve to be a little higher than him. But again, I think this season goes well. We'll understand. We'll probably be probably close to the top five, if not in it. Um, number seven I will say aiden hutchinson maybe not based off what happened last year, obviously with you know his, his in two, but I think that with what he was before the injury and I think he will probably close Because, again, bone injuries are a lot easier to heal than nerve injuries. When it comes to tearing ACL or something like that, I agree the fact that he just snapped his leg in half. That's something that can be very much easier to come back from, as long as it's healthy, so that's why I had him I agree, but that's seven.
Speaker 1:That's something that's a lot easier to re-injure.
Speaker 2:Bone gets weaker yeah, but I feel like with medical technologies now is like it's.
Speaker 1:It doesn't change the fact that bone does get weaker, like if you break like um rotator cuff injuries. That's why, like people hurt rotator cuffs over and over again, because that bone gets weaker the more you use it. He uses leg muscles basically every time he plays. I think he'll be fine.
Speaker 2:Number six Micah Parsons. Obviously, I've made it very clear I'm not a big fan of Micah Parsons. Every time I hear somebody say something about a pass rush win rate, I want to tear my eyes out and I want to stab my eardrums with a pencil.
Speaker 1:I think that was the first time you started tweaking out on podcasts.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the fuck is a pass rush win rate? It doesn't make any sense to me. But when Michael Parsons is on he is a very hard guy to stop. But my only problem with him is is that if you run the football at him over and over and over again, he gets tired very quickly and I think he he kind of wears down and I think that's due to the fact that he's a undersized guy. He can't really change that and that's just the kind of player he is. I think he can be schemed around in a way that the guys ahead of him cannot and that's the why I have him so low, even though everybody wants to suck his schlong and tell him how amazing he is. I just don't think so. I think Chase definitely agrees with that Number five.
Speaker 2:Nick Bosa A little bit of an injury-riddled season last year, but he did end the season off healthy. But they just told him to sit down because their team was kind of garbage. They're like, hey, go ahead and just don't waste the tread on your tires for the rest of the season. That doesn't mean anything. We all know what he is. He's still very young for what he is and I think when healthy he is, and I think when I say when healthy, even though he's a lot more healthy than a lot of other guys, he's quite healthy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but.
Speaker 1:I think he sat out the rest of the year because they're like hey we're done, yeah, no question. He's actually quite healthy.
Speaker 2:He's that dude. He's that dude. And then when he's playing, he attacks the getting after the passers is what he does best, but he's also very good in rush defense.
Speaker 1:He does his thing. Who are these guys?
Speaker 2:But no, he's a very good pass rusher and I just think that he's just one of those top five guys. Number four, max Crosby. He's just unstoppable. I think him and TJ Watt are kind of the same elk, where they are just relentless guys that just get after you and they just do everything that you need to. I agree, and Hendrickson as well is also kind of that same, even though I think Max Crosby and TJ are probably a little bit more talented, just with what they can do.
Speaker 1:But I just, max Crosby, stop playing.
Speaker 2:No, no, no, I'm saying talented when it comes to just talented when it comes to just stats, are still better. Stop playing, no for sure again.
Speaker 1:You know I am a stats matter guy. You know I am. You know that's a lot better unless you're miles garrett.
Speaker 2:Fuck that nigga but yeah, max crosby definitely worth being at number four, number three, miles. Garrett, we've talked. He's very good. He's overhyped to a certain degree. Um, everybody says he's the best thing since sliced bread. He's not. There's guys that are better than him, guys that produce more than him and especially guys that aren't just feasting on potentially going against centers.
Speaker 1:Bad defenses that can't do anything against them. He feasts on bad O-lines. This dude does nothing for four straight games, faces a really bad O-line, does great. Does nothing again for a while.
Speaker 2:Right, and I think he does that a lot. He again for a while right, and I think he does that a lot. He disappears in big games and I think that's something that has to go against him, which is why I have him out in the top three. He's firmly in there I agree, I don't have him drop into six like like my uh michael parsons, I like your list.
Speaker 1:It's not bad. Our list is very similar number two hendrickson.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he had his best year last year. He was a sack leader. Have to give him that credit. I can't put him at number one because my guy, tj, is there.
Speaker 1:I agree.
Speaker 2:But I just think that he had a great season. He deserves it and I think the Bengals need to recognize that and pay him.
Speaker 1:I completely agree, I think, for what he is right now, he's not far from TJ Watt. For sure, but TJ Watt's younger.
Speaker 2:So I haven TJ. Watts number one. That's cool. He has the most money for a non-quarterback in the NFL.
Speaker 1:He deserves it.
Speaker 2:He's that dude. He'll be a stealer for life and, honestly, as long as he's on the field, he has the most sacks of ever since he started playing of any defensive end. He has $108 million guaranteed in his contract. Exactly how many sacks he has so far in his career which is great, he deserves it. He's number one guy. I don't need to go too far about you.
Speaker 1:Know why he's that dude our list is very, very similar. We may have a couple guys, you know, mixing match go ahead I have nick bosa a little higher um. I have jared verse number 10. Uh, aiden hutchston at nine I'm lower.
Speaker 2:Did you think jared verse would be one that I would be? I would be surprised about, because I wouldn't have him in mind uh yeah, I was like maybe jace won't have a guy in had him because he was coming off his rookie campaign I'm like man, he was so good, it was very good um jared verse.
Speaker 1:I've aiden hudson guys come back from injury. I always like to rank a little lower. He deserves respect. He's telling us why he's on the list. I've won anderson jr at uh seven dang pretty close so far I have josh allen at six.
Speaker 1:Okay, I like, like what he produces a lot more. I think he's more consistent than the guys below him right now, again, versus a sophomore Hutchinson's come back from injury and Anderson Jr is still a younger guy. I have Micah Parsons, I think, at six. Okay, I have personal fun. I have Max Crosby at five Okay. I have Nick Bosa at four. Miles Garrett at three. Trent Erickson at two.
Speaker 2:TJ Watt at one Our lists are fairly similar.
Speaker 1:I think Micah Parsons and Josh Allen are the only thing that's different on my list.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You have Josh Allen at nine, I have him at six. Yeah, but again I think that's fine. We have all the same guys.
Speaker 2:Very good. I honestly didn't think it was going to be this kind of clean cut.
Speaker 1:Michael, why do you? I kind of did I think on edge rushers, hey, stats are all that matters. Yeah, no doubt, and what you can really produce for your team. Now this is where I think I'm gonna punch you in the face.
Speaker 2:It's tight ends okay, you want to go first?
Speaker 1:I will go first. I have you want to do 10 oh, just little bell on defensive ends.
Speaker 2:Very good defensive ends are a lot easier to kind of rank from top to bottom it's very easy, because stats matter a lot, and cut, yeah.
Speaker 1:I see what you produce for your team, so it's very yeah. It's cut and dry, yeah, and it's see what you produce for your team.
Speaker 2:so it's very yeah, it's cut and dry, yeah, and it's just very and I think the cutoff line from very good to not to like just being okay, is very clean, it's very clean, very clean. So yeah, that's it for that. But tight ends, go ahead 10,.
Speaker 1:I have Tucker Craft. 9, I have Evan Ingram you still have Evan Ingram up there.
Speaker 2:He barely played at all last year.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I still think he's one of the better touchdowns I've ever felt when he's playing.
Speaker 2:Okay. I actually think for Jacksonville. No, he is. Oh, who does he play for now? He got traded.
Speaker 1:I don't know. I still think he's very, very good. I think he can produce very, very well. What's? His name again Evan Ingram. At eight I have Mark Andrews. At seven I have David Njoku Denver. Oh see, I think he's going to be super helpful there.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, That'd be good.
Speaker 1:I have David Njoku at seven, pat Fryermuth at, I have David Njoku at 7., pat Frymuth at 6., tj Hawkinson at 5., sam Laporta at 4. I have George Kittle at 3. I have Trey McBride at 2. And I have Brock Bowers at 1. Brock Bowers and Trey McBride, both 1,000-yard guys. George Kittle, I, I think, does everything well. But in the same vein, I know everybody's like oh, trey McBride didn't have any touchdowns. I'm like, yeah, that's great, he still had a thousand yards and his team was assed in the red zone, but as a vertical tight end he is amazing.
Speaker 2:Brock Bowers hit 1,100 yards.
Speaker 1:He was amazing. Brock Bowers hit 1,100 yards. He was elite. Yes, he was. I know he's not at number one on your list. I don't agree with you. I do agree George Kittle is that good and I understand why he's at number one on your list.
Speaker 2:Okay, let me go with mine. Hawkins Sox is the one I just outside looking in. I totally forgot about him altogether. That's fine, he was very hurt.
Speaker 1:Everyone always does. But again, he still produces in a very good offense and I think he deserves his credit, which is why I'm at five, Because he can still do. He does everything else well too. He blocks pretty well, yeah.
Speaker 2:So I think five is just a good place for him to be All right, I'll start with 10. 10, I have Pat Frymouth. Oh, he's too low. I have him lower just because I just think that again, it's part of him not having a great offense. But I just feel like if he's given the type of attention he deserves, offensively, like I think he'd easily be much higher.
Speaker 1:I agree, but I think because I had him at six. I think he just produces the offenses he's been in. He produces so well.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And I think he just produces the offenses he's been in. He produces so well and he's always getting like 500, 600 yards. I think last year he had like 600 something. Yeah, so he produces really well, which is why I have him higher, Because I know if he was in a San Fran type offense he'd be a 1,000-yard guy. But I'm glad he's on the list.
Speaker 2:Number nine, david Njoku. Okay, he's very hurt all the time.
Speaker 1:He's not as he was good last year.
Speaker 2:If you give him the ball, he is one of the most electric tight ends in the NFL.
Speaker 1:It's just in the offense he is.
Speaker 2:It's just injuries in the offense. He's in Not necessarily as consistent as he probably is. I had him higher for his top. You didn't have him on your list. I don't think, mike Gusecki. I have number eight.
Speaker 1:I think again he is that was an oversight, I'd kick Evan Ingram's ass out right now for Mike Gusecki.
Speaker 2:He doesn't do a lot of blocking. But he is an absolute monster when it comes to getting yak yards after catch.
Speaker 1:He was great for that last year, and him and Joe Burrow together, he is an absolute weapon. You after catch. He was great for that last year, and him and Joe Burrow together, he is an absolute weapon. You know what? That's my fault. I would swap Evan Ingram for him right now. I was surprised you didn't have one of those. That was my fault. I didn't even think about him, didn't even think about him, but he is a very good tight end.
Speaker 2:I think he deserved to be in the top 10. Number seven Tucker Kraft, having a bunch of number two wide receivers.
Speaker 1:That's why I didn't have him as high he is an amazing tight end weapon. I agree, but. I think his stats don't look as well because their offense is so murky, which is why I had him at 10. But he is still explosive.
Speaker 2:That's the part where.
Speaker 1:I think he definitely deserves it. His yak is crazy too.
Speaker 2:Number six, Johnnie Smith. He was a pro boy. Last year he had over 1,000 yards yards receiving a thousand so, like he definitely and I think he had like close to 10 touchdowns, it's not over that absolutely had an absolute monster season again. That was my cheek. We have having saying that the steelers have two top 10 tight ends and I think, with them together, I think, come on, I think they could really do something with with aaron roger at the helm I'm just saying, I just want to make sure I make my case two top ten tight ends.
Speaker 2:Come on bruh. But yeah, he had an awesome season last year. He was a pro bowler. He definitely deserves it. I have Kelsey at five again.
Speaker 1:I'm not an oversight, I purposely did. He's not going on my list.
Speaker 2:I just think that, even though I think he'll come into this season without all of the Taylor drama, I think he's really kind of kept it low key.
Speaker 1:I think white women's made him soft.
Speaker 2:Maybe a little bit, but I just think that the hurt of last year will have him coming back with his hair on fire, and I think he's still talented enough to do it. I don't think he'll necessarily be able to hit the highest highs, but I think when him and Patrick Holmes are kind of at sync there's not many duos out there that are better. I just don't think he's. I have to give him that respect.
Speaker 1:I just have to give him a little bit of that respect, even though he's older legit every other titan in the nfl so much every minute is fire moves only what going into his fifth year? Yeah, so, like dude, a lot of these guys are way younger than you mark andrews, the one I have on my list that is so older, but he produces in that kind of offense. But that offense is not very good.
Speaker 1:Right, he is the guy. He's the best pass catcher on that team and that's why I had him on the list instead of some of the other guys you had, because he's an oversight. But again, I don't think Jonathan Smith is going to be that good again.
Speaker 2:I think he will be Travis Kelsey at five. Number four Sam Laporta. Number four Sam Laporta that's where I had mine. Very good young tight end can do everything. He can block, he can catch. He's an absolute bruiser when he has the ball in his hands, he will run you over. He will run you over. Yeah, no question, I look at him and George Kittle. He's thicker than George Kittle oh yeah, for sure, for sure so.
Speaker 1:I would more want to get the fuck out. George Kittle's about to do a fucking Swanton bomb on me out there. Yeah, no question he's pulling off wrestling moves.
Speaker 2:But no. San Leforto awesome tight end. Number three Trammick Bride Awesome. But I just think in comparison to the guys ahead of him, I think the guys ahead of him have potentially a little bit more big play tight end potential.
Speaker 1:I don't know. That's a lot of what he did last year.
Speaker 2:No for sure, but I potential that's a lot of what he did last year. No for sure, but I think they have a nose for the end zone in a way that he doesn't, because they just have a little bit of extra gear.
Speaker 1:But again, did he not have have nose for the end zone, or did his team not have the nose for the end zone?
Speaker 2:no for sure, but I think those two guys that are ahead of him, if they had that same opportunity, that offense, they would have found the end zone anyway because of how talented they are I suppose only a second season true, but I think he's still very good top three for sure.
Speaker 2:But I think the guys ahead of him just have a little bit little inch about just a little bit more brock bowers. Number two awesome rookie campaign. I need to see another year of it. But again, and I think he is allergic to blocking. Blocking is not what he does, at all awful, and I listened to him on the podcast with the boys the other day. His His lisp is so bad. It's really bad. I'm not saying like it just makes it, just irks me a little bit to hear him talk.
Speaker 1:But he's a very talented guy. You can afford to fix that now.
Speaker 2:We can. But again, he's from. He's from some, like some like middle of nowhere, california. You wouldn't think he's from California based on how, how he talks, but like he's just like a farm boy, if that's even possible for california the way he talks, but no very good has a. He's absolute stud and when it comes to receiving the footballs and he goes from like a dakota, california. Dude, he said his last two options for college was washington because it was closer to home in georgia how close to home was what he wanted, right?
Speaker 1:washington was potentially a little closer to home, but Georgia how?
Speaker 2:close to home was what he wanted. Right, Washington was potentially a little closer to home, but Georgia, he was like man, if you know what, I'm going to take the chance. Why not? Because if not I'll just transfer. But he's like, let me just go to a place where I can potentially be made to be the best. I mean, that's exactly what he did, and I think his first quick two more picks that nigga would have fell to the Bengals. You're not wrong, the Bengals would have picked him too, Dude.
Speaker 1:They would have no questions asked. We are lighting everybody up.
Speaker 2:They would have done it no questions asked. They would have Heck. If they were smart, they would have just traded up, because that's how insane he would have made your offense. You're talking. We'd have two receivers like that, we would never need a defense. But let's be honest If you would have traded up for him, you would not have T Higgins. T Higgins would be gone.
Speaker 1:You're right, but we would have won a Super Bowl last year.
Speaker 2:You would have no chance. We would have won a Super Bowl. Yeah, you would have.
Speaker 1:But you were right, t Gone.
Speaker 2:No reason to keep him, but I'm not going to cap with you.
Speaker 1:I'll take that trade.
Speaker 2:I would have taken that trade, yeah, knowing what that boy is A top flight tight end Is a lot less paid Than a top flight wide receiver. Keep him. And then George Kittle, number one. I just say I had to give George Kittle the dub there.
Speaker 2:Because, he does everything. He blocks, he's an absolute weapon when it comes to receiving the ball. He had an awesome year. He gets touchdowns. He just does absolutely everything necessary. He's very healthy, he's very durable. He just does everything, man, and I just think that he so deserves to be that guy, and that's just. It is what it is. And again, I understand why you'd have him a little bit lower, because I think Brock Bauer is just that big of a weapon, but I just think that George Kittle just does everything.
Speaker 2:Again, I'm okay with it Everything at an elite level.
Speaker 1:I was upset last week about it, but I'm okay with it Now. The more I thought about it, the more I saw what George Kittle is especially going into this year, where he's probably going to be the number one option. I'm okay with it.
Speaker 2:Exactly.
Speaker 1:I just think Brock Bowers is that good. I understand I want to see another year of it allergic to blocking.
Speaker 2:He's not even close to blocking Again. He's that good, I will say. Brock Bowers would have such an easier time because even though they're going to try to bracket him as much as possible, but now they have Ashton Gentry. That's another offensive weapon you have to worry about.
Speaker 1:Yeah, now you can't. It'll make his job that much easier. You're going to have to dedicate a linebacker to him, so you're going to get bean topped.
Speaker 2:Yeah, again, he's just too small to be like you're a very good blocking tight end, but he's big enough.
Speaker 1:He's too fast, too quick to throw a linebacker. Exactly, you have to throw a corner.
Speaker 2:He's going to be very hard to face that way and I think he's going to have a very good NFL career. The problem is he's with the Raiders, so after Geno's gone, who knows their plans after that is to get him a guy to be able to pass the ball to him and keep him going.
Speaker 1:Has the Titan ever been a triple crown runner no.
Speaker 2:They just don't have the amount of catches. Dude, the amount of catches is usually the issue, am.
Speaker 1:I tied in the acronym.
Speaker 2:Yes, but this is not a video game. Unfortunately, this is real life.
Speaker 1:My boy's elite. He has a little glue where he catches everything. It's the best trait in the world, oh yeah for sure. Because it's platinum, that boy don't drop it, meaning I can throw that bitch whatever.
Speaker 2:Playing, getting on fourth down when I need the tight end to pull it, and then he drops something.
Speaker 1:Nah, bro, it's the biggest heart drop moment. You can look at the stat. He has zero drops Because he has the platinum I think it's called sticky fingers. That ball's coming to him. You're talking going up, getting hit in the back. He's coming down with it.
Speaker 2:Awesome Elite Elite trait Sorry.
Speaker 1:I had to boast about him a little bit. He's my favorite player on my team.
Speaker 2:Alright, so that's about it. We do have to get out of here because we're going to see Fantastic Four tonight, because that's going to be a very good movie to watch.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we got to bring two lazy ass motherfuckers with us.
Speaker 2:One is definitely asleep. So you know at least he's getting a little nap in before.
Speaker 1:The other one's not far.
Speaker 2:So we got to go and get out of here. It's been a very good podcast, very fun doing our thing two weeks in a row. Season is here. We're very excited and I'm very excited to get into this doing this week by week basis. So, um and again, as we get closer to NFL season we'll get to the point where we're doing two a week, but we're not quite there as of yet. We're going to keep enjoying the fact that you know we have a little bit less NFL stuff coming out. So we will see you guys next week. So I will end for a while. We appreciate you If you're just now joining in.
Speaker 2:Hopefully you like us and enjoy us enough to enjoy this podcast. Join us on the ride of being listening to us talk about sports in the dumbest way possible. If you like us and enjoy us enough, we would definitely appreciate if you could like the podcast, subscribe to the podcast, rate the podcast five stars wherever you listen to us we're pretty much available on all audio platforms out there. If you could also share the podcast, friends, family, enemies, anybody you feel like could enjoy the podcast. We put it on a weekly basis. We would definitely appreciate if you could do that, and then also, last but not least, if you could follow us on Twitter and or X. At JBSportsPod is the podcast handle. At JavonteBoozer is my handle. At JaceBoozer1 is Jace's handle and I will hand it over to Jace so he can finish off the pod.
Speaker 1:This has been JaceBoozer1's podcast. Thank you guys for listening. Thank you guys for always listening. It's been a nice day, a nice night. Goodbye, y'all.
Speaker 2:Bye y'all. See y' you next time. Bye.