JB's Sports Podcast
JB's Sports Podcast
One Mic, Many Takes: From Michigan’s Mess To Must-Watch Matchups in the CFP and NFL
One mic, no safety net, and a weekend stuffed with games that actually matter. I open by mapping the College Football Playoff slate through matchups that decide everything: Alabama–Oklahoma as a turnover story disguised as a rematch, Miami–Texas A&M as discipline vs volatility inside a deafening Kyle Field, and Tulane–Ole Miss as a talent-and-timing problem that coaching news won’t fix overnight. JMU at Oregon? We get honest about trench gaps, depth, and why styles stop mattering when the line of scrimmage isn’t close. Then we zoom out to the bracket and sketch the most likely next round without the wishcasting.
From there, we jump to the NFL and relive Rams–Seahawks, a prime-time shootout that had everything: Stafford manipulating safeties, Puka exploding for chunk gains, Seattle’s gutsy two-point call in overtime. I make the case for Matthew Stafford’s Hall of Fame credentials the way coaches do—by what shows up on tape: eye discipline, timing, and arm talent from unstable platforms. Accolades are nice; repeatable excellence is better.
Finally, I run the full slate of NFL picks with the why behind every call. Philadelphia’s pass game should stabilize against Washington’s busted coverages. Green Bay–Chicago hinges on which young QB avoids the one throw you can’t make. Buffalo’s script vs Cleveland leans on Allen’s legs and tight ends. Houston looks terrifying because the defense is already elite and the offense is catching up. Detroit’s balance should stretch Pittsburgh. We close with division pressure points, how red zone execution travels, and why depth—not headlines—wins December.
If you’re into clear angles, honest evaluations, and picks that come with receipts, you’re in the right place. Tap follow, share with a friend who argues their bets, and drop your boldest upset pick in a review—we’ll read the best ones on the next show.
Welcome back to the JB Sports Podcast. Today is Friday, December 19th, and we are back for another pod. Unfortunately, not unfortfully, unfortunately, depends on how you look at it, but you know, based on what our podcast is at its best, you will not have that today because me and Jace are both stupid and could not get our schedule straight and make sure we got this done. So unfortunately, I say guys, that's the natural thing is to say unfortunately, you'll be having just a solo solo dolo version of the pod today. Because, again, like I said, we couldn't figure it out, but we still have to get a pod out. Have to make sure that happens because we have plenty of games to talk about. We have our picks to make. So here we are. I'm gonna be here talking to the wall, talking to you guys, whoever's listening for a while. So if you are here for it and you're willing to listen on, cool. I appreciate you staying. If not, I totally understand if you want to wait. And I think Jace, me and Jace will both be potting early on next week. Obviously, being the week of Christmas makes it a little bit more difficult, but we will still be getting two podcasts out. Whether both of those podcasts will be both with me and Jason is the question, but we will at least get one out with both me and Jason. So that is a Javante Boozer guarantee. Sorry, it sounded really funny when I said it. So that's all that's all I have. So without further ado, we this I'm recording this right around 7 o'clock. I definitely waited all day to kind of get this started. So I want to make sure to kind of get everything out before any games start because we do have the first college football playoff game happening in about an hour between Alabama and Oklahoma. And then the other three of those college football playoff games are happening tomorrow at I think noon, 3:30 and 7. And then we still we have two NFL games on tomorrow as well. I honestly had no idea until I went to write down all these games that are happening. And I saw, like, oh, these games are happening on Saturday, which is crazy. Which honestly, if you really think about it, it makes sense. College football does not have the full day anymore. There's only three games they have set up that day. So it makes total sense for the NFL to take the opportunity to say, hey, there's a little bit of an opening on Saturday. Let's just go ahead and put a few games there and see if we can get a little bit of the eyeballs that would usually be watching college football and get them on to watching the NFL for a couple games. On top of the fact they get to take their normal Sundays, they get to take Monday, and then they're back on I think Christmas and everything. So they they just want to take as much real estate when it comes to the TV schedules as possible, especially on holidays and everything. So in proponent potential Saturdays, they're more than happy to try to take up all the real estate they possibly can this time of year. So without going too much farther into that, because honestly, who cares? Let's go ahead and get into things. Because, like I said, plenty of games to talk about. Before I get to the Coswell playoff games, I do have to mention the one thing about Sharon Moore, and not necessarily him because the story has come out and all that. I really don't want to go too much deeper into that because as much as I had a few laughs about it in la in previous podcasts, it is a little bit of a sad story. There is a family, there is a woman that's getting like all of this stuff is a big firestorm. But the one thing I can still laugh about is the fact that it is still a shit show over at the University of Michigan. And I say them, I say their name not only because we're not playing this this week, but I am going to I I don't fear them. They don't have that hold over me anymore. So when on the podcast leaks, because I think every and everywhere else in life, I try to stay, I try to say that team up north as much as possible. But on podcasts, it just kind of comes out, and again, not every person that listens to this podcast is an Ohio State fan, so I can't I can't be held to the halfing having to say team up north, even if it comes out more natural just to say their name on the podcast. So but what I I what I getting back to the firestorm going on up there, it is hilarious, is the craziest thing of all time because every day I've looked at social media since this whole thing broke, and I have had to see so many sources say, or who is the best guy, and they're looking at their wish list. Caitlin De Boer's at the top of it, even though Caleb De Boer said it via a news, I think what is it, a a statement him and Alabama both made that he was going to stay at Alabama, he's happy there, but he definitely definitely did not say that he had a new contract with Alabama, so now Michigan fans still have their hopes up that maybe he can be the guy. But if not him, they have two other guys sitting there waiting on in the wings on them, being um why am I forgetting his name now? That's not good. Kenning Dillingham, Kenny Dillingham, the Arizona State head coach. Apparently, the he's just waiting on speed dial, waiting on them to offer him the job and he's gonna take it right away because Michigan fans think that their their school is so high and mighty that anybody would jump at the opportunity to coach at the University of Michigan because obviously he's at Arizona State. There's no way Arizona State would be better than Michigan at all, right? The place he's from, the place that he that's his alma mater. Maybe they don't necessarily have the resources that a place like Michigan has, but oh, of course. It's a no-brainer. Kenny Dillingham would take the job automatically as soon as they're ready for him. And then if not him, they have a third guy on their ladder, which is Jed Fish, the current Washington head coach. And apparently he has been trying to go anywhere he possibly can for a while. Now I think he was trying to get the Florida job and didn't get that, and he's been trying to keep kind of going up the ladders and keep getting these better jobs. Whoever kind of comes calling, as long as they're a step up, he's going to take that step. So, like maybe he is the guy that is truly desperate. If they offer him, he'll probably take it right away, no matter the situation. But apparently, Michigan's too good for him, the guy that will obviously take their job, no questions asked. And they have two guys that have continuously said that they're still happy at the place that they're at, and they're like, hey, as soon as we come calling, they'll take the job. And apparently they're waiting on Calen DeBoer in that game tonight. They're hoping that the game goes terribly, so he can be hated by the Alabama fans, and then he would just automatically pick up his life and go to Michigan because that's a better fit. I don't again, I'm not so against that idea because he is a guy from the Midwest. He is a guy at his best. He honestly he's he's done very well everywhere he has had he has been the head coach at. But apparently things haven't been going well. He's the he's the guy after the guy. He's like the guy coming after Nick Saban. And I made that case well before he even took that job. Is that if you are a guy that wants to really succeed at a place like Alabama, why would you come after the the the GOAT, the guy that gave those fans all of the all the success they could possibly want and more, probably what they don't deserve. Like, why would you want to put yourself up against that? I made that case that you should want to be the guy after that guy because you want to be the you want to be the guy to not have to, you want to be the guy to how do I say this? You want some other schmuck to be the guy to come after Nick Saban so they can kind of do a terrible job by comparison, then you get to be the guy to come and save it after that guy does a terrible job because you again no matter what Calen DeBoer does, he can go and win one or two national championships over the next 10-15 years that'll never amount to Nick Saban, and there will be a little bit of like not malice, but there will be a little bit of a oh, he can't be Nick Saban. And there's like a lot of crazy Alabama fans that have like kind of like Patriot fans for a while. Is that like it almost felt like winning was their birthright? So like there are a lot of delusional Alabama fans out there that just feel like they should be it's like it's their birthright to be at the top of the of college football. So that that it's so I just wanted to kind of talk about it not on top, not only the fact that they haven't hired a head coach yet when the transfer portal is opening up and like on January 2nd or 3rd. So you have like a little over like nine, 10 days to get that figured out. Actually, no more like 11 or 12, because it's like a week, week or two from now. And then you have that going on. They don't know if they're whether they're gonna whether they're gonna keep their uh their eight their athletic director or not, because obviously that guy has been the same athletic director for the Harbaugh era, and then now the Sharon Moore era, and all these guys that have been fired, that have been let's see, arrested, and all these things have gone on under that that athletic director's watch, Ward Manual. So they're deciding whether they want to keep him or not, or whether they're going to make him go too to kind of like try to clean the slate altogether of all of these different what is the word I'm looking for? All of the different salacious stories that have come out about the University of Michigan over the last five, six, seven years. So I just want to make sure to talk about that because that has been just a non-stop everyday storyline. And again, it might come to a head tonight if Alabama doesn't win their game against Oklahoma. And maybe he decides to, he he does what Alabama means what Michigan fans would like him to do and just take his pull like pick up his life and run away from Alabama with his tail tucked between his legs to go coach to go coach at Michigan. But I just Again, I just don't think that is necessarily going to happen. I don't. Because I think the guy realizes that he has been successful wherever he has been, and he's only two years in. Again, last year did not go as planned. This year he has at least got them to a playoff, and they are a step above where they were where they were last year. And like, I I think here's what I'll say. I think I've made, I thought about this in a way that I think the University of Alabama and the people running that place, and the athletic director, I think they all understand that nobody is going to be able to fill the shoes of Nick Saban, right? And I think because of that, I think the at the athletic director in that university is going to be a little bit more patient with Kalen De Boer, unless he totally tanks that fucking university and starts losing, starts losing like five, six, seven games in a season. Then there might be a different different scenario. But if he can just keep them relevant, keep them near the playoff, if not getting into, I think they will be a little bit more patient with him because they don't want to turn their job into if you're not Nick Saban, we're not going to keep you, because nobody's going to be fucking Nick Saban anytime soon. Nick Saban is on a totally different level, and I think he's poisoned a lot of people's brains in the world of college football as to what success looks like. I just don't think it's realistic for many people to be able to hit that height of success in that way as a head coach in college football. It's just not possible. So I do think the school and the athletic director are trying to be a little more patient. It's going to be the fans that are going to make it hard on Kaelin DeBoard and on that university because they are the ones that have to reprogram their minds into understanding that winning a national championship every year or being a part of the game or being like in that mix every single year, year in, year out, is not your birthright. That is not where you need to stay. That is a mountaintop that people get to the top of and sometimes fall, sometimes can stick around for a year or two, and then there's like reset years. Like there, it is not, it is not as easy as what Nick Saban made it look like. So all in all, I I think all of that just goes to show like that it's just a shit show going up there at the University of Michigan. And as an Ohio State fan, the guy that is a fan of the team that beat them this last year and stopped that whole losing streak from happening. And now we're in the playoff to hopefully go on and make a run at winning a second national championship in a row in the 12-team playoff era. I'm very happy to see my rival going through the tumultuous times that they are dealing with right now, as I am feeling pretty good about my team, about my school, and about my head coach. And that's all I got about that. So without further ado, let's get to the games. Because honestly, that's what we're all here for, right? Coswell playoff games. We're going to start with the Alabama-Oklahoma game that is happening in about 48 minutes or so. Because let's be honest, it's probably more than more than that. Because when they give you a starting time for these games, it never starts exactly on time. It's usually 10 or 15 minutes later after that. But I'll go with about 47 minutes from now, starting at 8 o'clock. That game is set to happen tonight. Jace picked Oklahoma for this game. I'm gonna we're gonna make our picks as we go throughout this. I'm not sure if if you've listened to the podcast for a while, you understand I'm a diehard Ohio State fan. So I'm gonna pick Ohio State to finish a job and go all the way and win the national title. But as we go, we're gonna get the games, we're gonna make our picks and do it that way. So we're gonna go through these games. I'm gonna give our picks, both me and Jace. Even without him here, I do have his picks written down. And uh we'll I'll give my thoughts on the games as we go. So back to Alabama, Oklahoma. This is a rematch. This game happened about a month ago, I want to say. I'm not gonna look it up, but it didn't happen that that all that long ago. And these teams played each other, and I think the score of that game was I can look that up. That part I do it would be nice to get this the to know that. So the last time they played each other, um, Alabama was at home, and they made it they lose, lost that game 23 to 21 to Oklahoma. So based on how that game worked out, do I think that Alabama can fix the issues that they had in that game to turn that turn the whole thing around to where Alabama will be on the winning side of this game rather than the losing side? And I don't know. I'm stuck. J S Pick Oklahoma. And let me just give this thought. So if Alabama wins this game, I think they cut down on the turnovers. Because let's let's be honest, the difference was the turnovers in that game, because Alabama doubled up Oklahoma in yardage offensively, both passing, rushing, not really, but but overall in yards, yards achieved, they doubled up Oklahoma. They did what they had to do. They had those few turnovers to Oklahoma, I think it was like two or three turnovers to Oklahoma that really gave Oklahoma short fields and allowed them to get points even without having to go all the way down the field. And Oklahoma's made it made it their job this year to get as many turnovers as they possibly can. It like to a lot of people, to a lot of smart people, they call turnovers like a luck stat to a certain extent. But I think the more it keeps happening, the more it kind of gives you the idea that maybe there is a there is a little bit of like kind of engineering those lucky moments to happen in a certain way. I'm not gonna try to like parse that out and try to explain how I think that may be, but it really does. Like this Oklahoma team like really does manufacture a lot of turnover-worthy plays, and then they take advantage of those plays when they do happen. And do I like do I think Oklahoma can turn on their offense in a way that they haven't in a while? Ever since John Mateer, Oklahoma's quarterback, got hurt and hurt his thumb and then came back from the injury, their offense has not really been all that great. They haven't been able to throw the football a full lot of yards, they run it okay at times, but honestly, it's only Matheer, it's only him running the football that really gets a lot of like what's the word I'm looking for, really successful plays rushing the football is when Mateer uses his legs. And then because he's just so inconsistent when it comes to throwing the football, at least he has been over the last two months of the season, that like can they turn that around? I just don't think that's gonna be able to I don't think they're gonna be able to flip a light switch and just come out and be able to like put on a light show against Alabama. But but they already played one time this year and they showed you that even if Mateer isn't playing at a hundred percent and not tearing Alabama's defense up, is that Oklahoma's defense can really limit Alabama, at least when it comes to keeping them from getting into the end zone. And if they can make some turnovers happen, make Alabama like kind of fall into those turnover-worthy plays, and then have Oklahoma take advantage of them in order to like go ahead and create short fields and be able to get some points that way, not to mention Oklahoma's kicker. Like they have an amazing kicker, which is something I am not making fun of at all because me as an Ohio State fan, I've dealt with too many opportun too many instances where my kicker has been the reason I my team has lost ball games. So that is a huge weapon for that Oklahoma offense, Oklahoma team that not a lot of teams have, and I would I wish I could have a guy of that caliber be able to kick field goals for my team. So my like I said before, like it's off the top. Can Alabama limit the turnovers but keep everything else the same? Because Bama's defense is not terrible. I don't think they're amazing, but I just don't think they're terrible. I don't they don't really create a lot of pressure on you. Their secondary is okay. I'm not okay. They think their secondary is pretty good. And Alabama offensively, I I think they have enough weapons. Like they they can't run the football at all. Like they really can't. And I really think that does uh help Oklahoma's defense a lot, where when it comes to like if you don't have to worry about Bama being able to run down your throat just normally when they get normal numbers in the box, like how are you how are they gonna run the football effectively enough to make you want to put more numbers into the running game and then maybe be able to hit you over top of some of that passing game. So if like they're not able to do anything rushing the football, Oklahoma's able to put all of their resources to stopping the pass, and that'll only be more Oklahoma sooner jerseys in the picture to kind of muddy the water for um why am I forgetting Alabama's quarterback? Oh no. Why am I that's a bad time to forget his name. That's not good. Ty Simpson. So they it's only muddying the picture for Times Ty Simpson to maybe throw those picks because he has been throwing picks as of recently. Like he the offense for Alabama throwing the football has not been as effective as it was like early on in the year, where they were really slinging all over the field. Their um wide receiver unit is good, but it's not amazing like it looked, like it thought, like everybody thought it was going to be when they started the season. And again, on top of the running game, I think it just makes their makes it a lot harder, and they put all the pressure on Ty Simpson's soul shoulders, and I think it just makes it very difficult. So when it comes down to picking the game, I just think Jay's picked Oklahoma, by the way. I'm pretty sure I mentioned it already, but I'm gonna say it again. I think playing against Oklahoma in their house, and with Oklahoma having a few weeks off to be able to try to get healthy, and maybe Mateir could use that extra time and it'll help him out. And not to mention Alabama has been dealing with some injuries as well. They apparently Ty Simpson has some type of back injury to where it's like really hindering his performance, isn't it? I think that might be a reason why he's been having such a hard time over these last few la last few weeks playing, like be able to be as effective as he was earlier on in the year. So I'm gonna take Oklahoma along with Chase. Because I just I just think that Oklahoma's offense can just play a little bit better with John Mateer. Think that Bama with their injuries and with their lack of run game, I think Oklahoma can really drag Alabama into a dog fight. And with if that's the case, Oklahoma's defense is more than ready to do so. And I think Mateo, if they get that dog fight that they're trying to get, I think Mateer can kind of make a few more plays and maybe hold on to the like keep take care of the football just a tad bit more than Ty Simpson can. And I think that'll lead to an Oklahoma win in that game. Alright. Next game. We have number 10 Miami at number 7 Texas AM. How do I feel about this one? This is the game that'll like directly lead to whoever will play Ohio State. So you can believe at noon tomorrow I'll be butt in chair watching this game from start to finish to kind of make sure I know what my fate's gonna be when it comes to Ohio State and who I'm gonna have to root for Ohio State to beat in the next couple weeks. Well, I guess it'll be on New Year's Eve when Ohio State plays in their first game in the playoff. So how do I feel about this game? Jace picked Texas AM to win this game. They're at home. I think that's gonna be a very hard and raucous atmosphere for Miami to have to go through. I don't think Miami has been to a place, been to a stadium like that all year. That's gonna be a very crazy environment. Those Texas AM fans are absolutely insane. They're gonna be loud, they're gonna be making a lot of noise, and it's just a much different environment than what Miami has had to go through this season. And the things I will give Texas AM is that I think they're gonna be a lot better coached. When it comes to their head coach, why am I forgetting that guy's name? And um Mike Elko. Mike Elko has been a very good ex is a nose head coach, he's a defensive guy, but when it comes to how he coaches his program, it's gonna be very hard nose, gonna be very disciplined. He is going to make sure that everybody knows their assignments, both offensively and defensively. And I think that's like that's the blood of the way that he kind of like builds his program. And I think that's like a huge deal in a game like this, where I think both of these teams are in their first playoff game that they have played. And on top of that, with Texan M being at home, like they have that in their in their pocket already. And let me see. I'll keep with Texane and then I'll get to Miami. Texan on top of all of those things with Mike Elko and how he built his program and all of that. I think they have a very dynamic offense. Um Marcel Reid is a very huge weapon to have to deal with. They have uh two very good wide receivers to throw to, and I think they're um I think Mario Craven and there's another guy too. I'm forgetting his name, but they have two very good wide receivers to throw to. Their offense is very dynamic. They really can run the football. And I think between these two teams, AM is probably the more consistent team at running the football. Like from pretty much all season, Tech San M has been a better team at running the ball. And defensively, Tech SM is definitely a weaker team defensively. Their secondary can leave a lot to be desired. You definitely can throw on this Texas AM team, but what's one thing Tech San M's defense does have is they probably have the most disruptive defensive line in the playoff, to be honest with you. Like they have a lot of crazy athletic dudes up there that know what they're doing, they make a lot of big plays, and they get after the quarterback. They make the quarterback feel uncomfortable and then kind of force them into making some decisions faster than they would like to. I feel like it does kind of add a lot of disrup a lot of disruption for the opposing offense. And I think, especially with them being at home as well, I think that's like a compounding effect where it'll make it very hard on Miami. And um why am I I'm forgetting the quarterback's name for Miami? The Sid the Sid the Sloth himself. That sucks. I'm forgetting his name right now. It's freaking um Carson Beck. I keep oh wow, I can't believe I forgot Sid the Sloth's name. That's mean of me. I shouldn't be doing that. I think they're gonna be forcing Carson Beck to be making some decisions, making him want to throw the football a little bit earlier, making him a little nervous back there. Not to mention Carson Beck has always been a turnover machine for the most part in his career. And I think that pressure is only going to compound on that more on top of the fact that they're in a that they're they're gonna be in Texas AM. So like all of those things are kind of gonna lead to more mistakes coming from Miami's side of the football when it comes to them keeping the football out of harm's way. And I just think all of that, and on let's go to Miami side. I think Miami's defensive lines can cause a lot of pressure too. I think they're undisciplined in a way because Mario Cristobal is not a very disciplined head coach. You know sort of coaching line of scrimmages, like their offensive and defensive lines are always gonna be very physical and very good, but this the secondary for Miami's defense leaves a lot to be desired as well. They're gonna be able to, they're they're not gonna be as consistent at stopping the pass. And I think Marcel Reed is gonna be able to make a lot of plays against that defense. And offensively, when it comes to Miami, like they run, they can run the football at times, but it's not really consistent. And like I said about Carson Beck, he's a turnover machine, but when he's not turning the football over, he can get up and down the football field and score some points. And their wide receiver, Malachi Tony, is a very, very good wide receiver that knows how to pick, get open, and make some big plays for them. But again, if you can't trust Carson Beck to be able to hold on to the football and make some good decisions, I'm like, that's like the death of you. Especially when they're on the road, especially when they're in a big environment. Like this is a very pressure-packed situation they're gonna be dealing with tomorrow at noon. And I think this kind of all leads its way into Tex AM winning this game. I really do. And I think maybe my I again, I'm not, I wouldn't be totally surprised if Miami got the win in this one, but I just think AM being at home, I just think that they they just have a lot of things going for them in this matchup. I don't think Miami is going to be able to be able to get over. I don't think I don't think they're gonna be able to get over that hump. So I'm gonna take Texas AM along with Jace to win that game. Yeah, that's what I got on that. Next one, we got number 11 Tulane at number 26 Ole Miss. This is also a rematch. These two teams played earlier on this year. And let me get the score. I think they I think Ole Miss won by 21, I think. Let me get the let me get confirmation on that. It was four oh 45 to 10. It was even worse. It was 30. They won by 35 points. They won by 35 the first time, but there is some circumstances that you that can make you think that the game can go differently. First off, Lane Kiffin leaving Ole Miss to go coach at LSU, him leaving his team high and dry to go make that decision and go coach at LSU is a big one, not having because not only is he the head coach, but he's the play caller. They have the old miss did, after Lane Kiffin left, promote the DC to be the head coach. They did bring back the OC that was at Ole Miss that left to LSU with Lane, but Lane Kiffin was gracious enough to let that guy come back to be able to call plays for them. So they will have a film a familiar face calling plays for them, but has he actually called plays for Ole Miss this year at all? I don't think so. I think Lane Kiffin has really held that to himself when it comes to taking on that responsibility. And that's that's a big thing, because Tulane being a group of five team, this this game already happened. They lost by 35 points. So going into this game, they're playing at Ole Miss once again. How does how does this matchup change at all? Again, I as much as I give Ole Miss a negative for not having their head coach, the head coach for Tulane is also going to take the head coaching job at Florida. So he's not going to be there much longer either. But I will give him credit that he was at least able to create the environment where Tulane is willing to let him coach them through the playoff. So at least he'll be there. But he is kind of currently doing two head coaching jobs at the same time. So I do feel like that does take away from what the you may because honestly, because I've always made this case that you can never a person can only give a hundred percent of their time and effort, right? There is no like again, you watch TV shows and all that, you may you can think you can give 110% effort, but that's not necessarily the case. You only can give your time and effort and attention to 100% of things, and then when you split up your your time and like what you want to do, you're splitting up that pie into different things, but that pie doesn't get bigger. So now you're gonna be asking a head coach to split his time and his effort and all of that in between two different jobs and be able to do his best at both. That's not necessarily going to be the case. So as much as I do use that as a negative against LSU, I didn't think you mean sorry, against Ole Miss, I do have to use that also against Tulane. And on top of that fact, the Tulane is the team that has the least the lesser talent in this game. And they already played this game once and lost this game by a lot of points. So Jace picked Tulane in this one because he, of all people, coming into this whole playoff stuff, he was the guy that was a little bit more attached to the idea of letting the little guy have a chance to go in and like cause some trouble in the playoffs and maybe create some upsets and like create the what is it, the magic of a potent like having that potential upset win, just like in college basketball when they have the tournament in March. So but I'm just not there. I think again with all the coaching changes and all of that and everything going, I think at the end of the day, the players that are out there playing have to go out there and make the plays, no matter what the coaching is and all of that. And I just think Ole Miss has a little bit too much going their way. I'm gonna take them to win this game. I I just think that when I when I look at this bracket and then see all these teams and I see two group of five teams in this playoff, it does make me look twice, man, and I'm sitting there like, man, as much as I laugh at Notre Dame, I do understand them being kind of being upset by the fact that two group of five teams got in and they got left out. Or maybe Texas, which I'm uh I'm I'm even more of a fan of Texas getting shit on and not getting into the playoff. But I could see both of those teams kind of looking at like these two group of five teams getting into the playoff. I'm like, oh, they're like Lambs getting sent to the slaughter to these two much better teams that they'll have an easy time in the first round playing rather than giving us a shot that will at least be able to give a better game in a one-game scenario, you know? But yeah, I'll take Ole Miss to win that game. I just again, the players are the players, man. Like that ultimately that matters most. The coaching is one thing, but I just think the players, players are what get the job done. I think Ole Miss has enough. And I think they'll get over the whole fact, I think they'll have the one game boost of like be able to be like, hey, screw that guy who left us to go coach at LSU. We'll show him what he's missing. You know, I I feel like they they can do that again once they get farther on in the playoff. I don't think that'll be a strong enough feeling to kind of get them all the way there. But they'll be able to win this game, though, against Tulane. Last but not least, we have number 12 JMU going to number 5 Oregon to play tomorrow night. Jay's picked Oregon. Again, I don't know why you wouldn't. I'm I'm gonna take Oregon as well, just off the top. There isn't a lot to say about this fucking game, to be totally honest with you. The way I see it, Oregon is I think this is the game where Oregon is they're sitting in the shade, dude. They get to play at home. JMU has to come to their house, a very crazy atmosphere to have to play, and I've watched Ohio State have to do it last year, and it's not a not a fun place to play for a visiting team. Not because they're like mean or anything, but it's just like that's a very tough environment to have to go perform in if you are the road team in that in that stadium. And the way I see it, Oregon is just a at every phase of the game, Oregon's a better team. The coaching, Dan Lanning's awesome, he's a very good head coach. He's not Ryan Day, but he is still a top 10 coach in college football, and I feel like he is a very good guy, a very good coach. And when you give him time to get his team motivated, and like they they know how to get things going. They have better quarterbacks, they have better, even with their hurt wide receivers, who knows if they're gonna be able to play in this game, the guys that have been hurt for a while, like even their backups to their backups are better than what Tulane had mean, sorry, JMU has to deal with on an everyday basis in their schedule. And defensively, I think Oregon's gonna be able to hold on. That had a sneeze. That wasn't good. I still feel the opp the the okay. We're good. We got through the sneeze. Alright, we're good. Defensively, I think Oregon's gonna be able to cause a lot of trouble for that JMU offense. Uh they have very good defensive line that can get after you. Um one of the Tui Mullalaus. No, nope, not Tui Mullalaos. Oh no. Not wrong Hawaiian. It's what is the name? Oh no, it's oh it's the brothers. Why am I f oh why am I forgetting? This is Uyungalale. There we go. Mateo Uyungalale, the younger brother of DJ Uyungalale. So he's the defensive end, he's very talented, very good at getting after the passer, as well as like a lot of their defensive line. They their secondary is very again, their secondary is not locked down, but it's still very good. And they're gonna be able to like limit JMU from being able to get a lot of big explosive plays down the field. And on top, like I didn't mention the running game for Oregon, it's awesome. Like they really can run the football effectively, they can they can really pound it, pound you with a they have multiple running backs that can all play and all get very tough yards and create the big plays that they need to. And then Dante Moore, all in all, man, he's just gonna be able to make a lot of big plays down the field. If he feels if he gets the protection he needs and he can sit there and survey the field and like read the read the defense, I feel like he's gonna be making making the right play more often than not. And then when he does make the decision to go ahead and throw, he throws a beautiful ball as well. So I just doubt that JMU will be able to get the pressure on Dante Moore to be able to get him off his spot. And if that if that's not happening, I just don't see a way that like they don't Oregon doesn't rain hellfire upon JMU. So I think Oregon is a huge favorite. I think they're like 21-point favorite in this game. I feel like that's for a good reason. And uh, I just think Oregon's gonna get the job done. I feel like that's a very easy game. Again, this is another two years in a row now where the 5C gets the easiest fucking game against a group of five team that has no chance. Again, last year, um, why am I forgetting their name? Because it was Texas that had the group the group of five game last year, right? No, because it's Arizona State. Who had the group of five game last year? Hold on, let me see here. Cost well playoff. Um who was the five C last year? They got the group of CFP 2025. No, but was it 2024? So the five C last year was Texas, who got to play Clemson. But it was like not necessarily the five C, but it was the Who got to play the group who played the SMU? It was Boise, but it was the Boise game, because they were the three seed, and they were set up to get destroyed by whoever was Penn State beat, because Penn State beat SMU in the first round. Okay, so sorry. But the group of five, the um the five seed from last year was Texas that beat Clemson in the first round, who Clemson like barely kind of worked their way in, but it was a very close game, but Texas was definitely the better team. But point taken, point taken away from that. Because I tried to make one and didn't really work out. It is what it is, but Oregon this year is a five seed, hasn't made in the shade. They have a very easy game against JMU, and I think in the next round we'll end up playing Texas Tex. I think it's a very easy roadmap that so far for the five seed in this year's match. I think Oregon's gonna have like have a chance to really go far based off what their team is, um, just missing being able to get a top four seed and a bye. I think they have a very easy roadmap as long as they play the way that they're supposed to. So it is what it is on that. So let's go ahead and get out of the cosmic ball stuff because I don't think I really have anything else. Because those are all the games. Those will be, and those will have the four teams waiting on them being obviously Indiana at the one seed. They're waiting for whoever wins against Alabama and Oklahoma. You have the two seed being Ohio State waiting on whoever wins against Miami and Texas AM. You have Georgia as a three-seed waiting on whoever wins between Ole Miss and Tulane, and you have the four seed Texas Tech waiting on Oregon. Let's just be honest here. James Madison has no chance to win that game against Oregon tomorrow. So you have Texas Tech at the four seed waiting on Oregon to play them in a couple weeks. So that's what we got on that. Those are all we'll we'll keep going as we'll keep going, and next week we'll do the reactions to all these games. And then when it comes time, we'll make our predictions for the next round and then do the reaction, just like we always do. We'll keep that going as we go, and then any stories that come out between now and then, like the Michigan stuff, whenever they get their head coach figured out, and then all the transfer portal shit. And I again I do want to talk about that because there's a lot of quarterbacks going into the portal, but I'm gonna let that sit for right now and wait for some things to settle, and then we'll talk about it next week when we'll just have the reaction and then a little bit less to talk about. So I'll kind of leave it until next week to talk about all the quarterbacks going into the portal and how insane it's gonna be when that portal finally does open up for teams to be able to really get these guys to start moving from where they're at to where they're going to go. So let's go ahead and get out of that and go to col to the NFL. And with that, I do want to talk about do I want to talk about the news first, or I want to go to straight to the Thursday night football game last night. Let me see. Hmm. Is there any stories that I really need to really want to talk about before we get to the game last night? Because it's a really good game that I watched. At least if you watched it, it was an awesome game. No, nothing crazy enough. To have to talk about it. Um, I ain't got nothing. So let's go ahead and get to the games. We'll start with the reaction to the Thursday night football game that uh happened last night again with the Rams and Seahawks. Yeah, the Rams going to Seattle. These were two 11 and 3 football teams, I believe. Yeah, they're both 11-3 going into last night. It was an awesome game. I think me and Jace have both been real proponents of like, hey, these are the two best teams, I think, in the NFL. They have been awesome all year. You have the Rams, like, with Matthew Stafford tearing it up and playing awesome with Pukanaku and Devontae Adams, and that defense is really creating a lot of pressure. And you have the Seahawks with, you know, you have Sam Darnold and throwing a JSN. They have the the tight end Barner, and then they have their two running back monster with um Kenny Walker and uh the other guy. Why am I forgetting his name now? Um it's uh no. Oh no, that sucks. I'm forgetting his name. It's it's it starts with a C C H, isn't it? No. Oh no, I'll get it. Goodness gracious. I was on such Charbonnet, Zach Charbonnet. And I didn't mention the Kyron Williams and Blake Coram running back duo for LA, who is a very good running back duo in their own right. Awesome game last night. I went into it making a lot of bets, lost a few by lost them all, but a couple by one leg, which is insane. It sucked the way that worked out, but you know it is what it is. But it was an awesome game other way, uh either way, so I'm not gonna be too hurt about that. So this is where we'll talk about it. So the the ending of it, we'll just get to that first. Seattle beat the Rams 38-37. This game went to overtime, and it was like a touchdown hit by both teams. Seattle got the ball second. They not only got the touchdown, but then they went for two, converted the two, and they managed to win that game by one in overtime. In this game, Matthew Stafford was awesome. He was awesome in this game. 29 of 49, 457 yards and three touchdowns. He was great. There was they were throwing the football up and down the field. Not only him, but the seat, but Seattle as well. They were both doing a very good job of going up and down the football field and scoring scoring and making big plays. Um Puka uh Kyron Williams, they ran the football well too. Um the Rams did in this game. Uh Williams, 23 carries, 70 yards. Blake Corb, 14 carries, 48 yards, and a touchdown. Uh Puka Nakua was the highlight reel of last night. 12 receptions, along with Stafford, of course. Puka, 12 catches, 225 yards, two touchdowns. Again, this was him coming off of I think the day before it was like a whole big news story about the anti-Semitic thing that dance that he was doing with uh why am I for with um why am I forgetting his name? No, that sucks. It was some very famous streamer, I forget his name, but it caused a little bit of a ruckus. NFL can't suspend him or anything because it really was it's more of like a freedom of speech thing. He didn't do anything that terrible, and Puka Nakua claims he didn't know, which I can totally probably probably agree with because that's just not something you know unless you're in that, unless you're in that, um, obviously in that community or dealing with on an everyday basis. And I don't think Puka Nakua is a guy dealing with a lot of Jewish stuff on his everyday. And he's been making a lot of weird decisions lately, um, talking about refs and going to social media and doing stuff here or there. He's really making himself a target, but when it comes to the came in the situation, they couldn't necessarily they'll probably fine him, but they couldn't necessarily do anything about suspending him or anything because they didn't do anything that terrible by comparison to what other players have done. So so he I think he didn't play the first drive, and then after that, he was able to go out there and play and play. He did. He was awesome in this game. He was making a lot of big plays. He was he was great. Him and Matthew Stafford together have been a perfect pairing when it comes to a quarterback and wide receiver, and this was without Devontae Adams last night. So it wasn't like they had the crazy number two receiver Devontae Adams out there that kind of takes away some uh eyes away from Puka Nakua. It was Puka Nakua and everybody else. It was Xavier Smith, uh Kanada Munfield, you had Davis Allen, you have Terrence Ferguson, these are guys that are catching passes from Matthew Stafford, other than Puka Nakua last night. They were all getting passes, they all were effective. Blake Corm, Kyron Williams, Jordan Whittington, Kobe Parkinson, Terrence Ferguson. There's like four different tight ends getting passes, getting receptions in this game. And Puka Naku was the main guy, and like even with this seat with Seattle knowing that Puka Nakua was going to be the main focus of the Rams offense, they still couldn't stop him, and he was awesome last night. Um I think the big the difference in this game because it like the oh let me get this let me get to the Seattle first, and then I'll talk about how what what I really did think turned this game. Sam Darnold, 22 of 34, 270 yards, two touchdowns, two picks. Those two picks were huge. I think one of them was in the red zone that stopped him from scoring a touchdown, but again, they managed to win at the end, so you can't really doubt bait, like give him too many um bangs on the head for that. But again, it was a couple turnovers that he had. One was a tip pass, and the other was like a straight up. He just threw it right into the defender's hands. I think it was like their the Rams center, I mean they're sorry, their defensive tackle that dropped out and went into coverage, and Sam Darnold didn't see him whatsoever. Threw the football and threw right into the defender's hands. They ran the football effectively last night. Kenneth Walker, 11 carries, 100 yards. He had an awesome game yesterday. Not only running the football, but uh catching the football too. He had 100 yards rushing off 11 carries in a touchdown. Zach Charbonnet had nine carries, 32 yards in a touchdown. Rasheed Shaheed made a big play, 31-yard play, rushing the football. They ran the football for like 171 yards in this game. So like they were really able to keep the game going on the ground as well, as well as the air. JSN, he didn't have any catches in the first half. None. Zero, Zilch Nada. And then the second half, he came alive, um, really made a made an impact on this game. He had eight catches, 96 yards and a touchdown. Kenneth Walker, like I said, had a huge game yesterday. Three catches, 64 yards. AJ Barner, four catches, 49 yards, and a touchdown. Like there was a lot of, like, everybody made plays. Cooper Cup had a big catch, but he had three catches, 39 yards. Charbonnet had four catches and 22 yards. Like the only person that really didn't do anything for them past catching the football was was Rasheed Shahid. But guess what? He had a punt return in this game to get them a touchdown that got it down to where they were only down eight, right? Yeah, he got the touchdown that allowed Seattle, because I think Seattle was down 16 at that point. And then he got sorry, yeah, got they were down 16. Rasheed Shaheed returned the punt for the touchdown that allowed Seattle, and then they went for two. That got Seattle to get it down to eight to be able to only be a one-score game rather than a two. So, like everybody on Seattle was great. So this game came down to because there was a there was a point in this game where let me see here. There was a point in the fourth, literally the start of the fourth quarter, the LA Rams scored a touchdown with 13 minutes left, and they were up by 16 points. They were up 30 to 14. And then from there, and then the when they scored that touchdown, the Seahawks got the ball back, and then they went all the way down the field, all the way down, and then they threw the pick. Sam Darnold threw the pick to that defensive tackle I talked about earlier, and then gave the Rams the ball back in their own red zone, which was obviously very tough. But then they kicked that ball off to Rashid Shaheed, he runs it back for the score, and then they and then Seattle converts a two-point conversion to now only be down eight. And then the Rams get the ball back, can't really run the clock down, can't keep their offense on the field, has to then kick it back to Seattle to where they were able to go down the field and get another touchdown with like six minutes left and the two-point conversion to tie the game up 30 to 30. And then for the next six minutes and 23 seconds, it was both teams kind of like failing. I think my I think uh the Rams got the ball back, was able to go most of like a good portion of the way down the field, get a field goal unit on to try to hit the field goal to go up three with like two minutes left, and their field goal kicker missed wide right too. I feel he had enough and it looked like he was gonna be good, and then just kind of kept drifting off right and he didn't hit it. And then Seattle got the ball back and wasn't able to like convert to be able to get enough done. I think I think Sam Darnold got sacked to then take away a lot of the time they had. So then the game went to overtime. So, like I said, the Rams had a 16-point lead with 13 in the fourth quarter. All they had to do was, again, they weren't necessarily gonna stop Seattle because Seattle was on a freaking run. Like they just could not be stopped in that second half offensively. Sam Darnold figured it out, they're running the football better, and they were just keeping their team on the field, just kind of getting big chunks down the football field. The Rams weren't gonna stop that, but even when they got the ball back, as effective as they as Matthew Stafford and Puka Nakua were, if they could have just taken the air out of the football a little bit more in that second half, maybe they could have won it, but they couldn't. Didn't work out that way, but it ended up going to overtime, both of these teams. LA gets the ball first, they take the ball all the way down the field and they get the touchdowns with Puka Nakua getting the 41-yard touchdown pass and getting the touchdown to go up seven, and then guess what? Seahawks get the ball, they nickel and dime, not nickel and dime, they get big chunks down the field, and then it ends with JSA and getting the touchdown pass from Sam Darnold from like four yards out, and then they go for two and get it get the I think there was a tight end, it was like a third string tight end that hadn't caught a pass all game. It was Eric Salbert got the catch for at the two-point conversion to win the game. Again, amazing thought by Seattle because if you're going and going back and forth in this game and nobody can really figure it out, and then you go to overtime and then you get the coin toss, knowing you're gonna get the ball second when you choose to kick the ball off. And overtime, this is a perfect play. And like, hey, when these two teams are going back and forth and you know this thing's going, and you've been practicing all week, usually there's a two-point play to be practiced. There's one play that, like, hey, we get in a situation, we need a two-point conversion. This is the play we're gonna run when we gotta have it, and you knew you had that play in your pocket, and you're like, hey, it's uh it's overtime, we get the ball second, we score a touchdown, let's just go for it and win the game right away. You're both 11 and 3. This isn't gonna change, like, again, this is for the top of the division, this is for potentially the number one seed in the NFC. So there's a lot you're playing for, but at the end of the day, it doesn't knock you out of the playoffs or anything. So why not be aggressive? Seattle's at home, like they have everything in their favor. Why not go ahead and go for it? And they did. Um, a bold move by their head coach McDonald, and they they made it happen. And to be honest, this is like one of those games where you feel like neither team really lost because both teams played absolutely amazing in this game. Both are awesome. I think they both showed why they're I think they're the two best teams in all of the NFL, both no matter what conference you're talking about. And I just think this does show that as much as Seattle, I think, has a very good defense, and they're very like they're just they're an awesome defense. If you have a good enough passing offense, you can get some big plays on Seattle. You can. I think the same thing for the LA. Like LA's defense is very good, they cause a lot of uh disruption with their pass rushers, but their secondary can be had. If you can throw the football, you can you can get some big chunk plays against this LA Rams defense. I think that these are both both defenses that they have that are both still pretty good. That is a big problem for both of them. But and then when it comes to offense, I think both of these teams offensively are awesome. I think that you can't forget that Devontae Adams is not playing this game. I feel like if they had him, maybe they'll be even more effective than they already were. But again, Puka Naku went off and had over 200 yards, so you can't necessarily sit here and say that they were hindered a lot by not having Devontae Adams out there because they were still as effective as they were. But this was just an awesome game, dude. I don't feel bad like either way, you shouldn't feel terrible for losing it, losing this game. Maybe the Rams feel a little bit of buyer's like remorse, not buyer's remorse, just regular remorse for having that 16-point lead and not being able to do a little bit more offensively to take more time off the clock. But again, this is a game against two very good teams. I think you just have to leave it with your head held high and know, like, hey, this is probably a team you're gonna face again in the postseason. Like, this might be the team you're facing that might keep you from getting to a Super Bowl if you let them. So I just feel like these two teams have nothing to be down about coming out of last night. It was an awesome Thursday. This is the best Thursday night football game all year long. I think it really was. It was an awesome game. Oh, and last thing I want to talk about, because I know this is where I wish I would have had Jace, right? Because he has been the proponent more on Matthew Stafford side on this than I have, and I've been a little bit of a negative Nancy when it comes to this idea. But Matthew Stafford, man. Oh, I was thinking about this as I was watching the game last night. And I know I've been pretty negative about him and like his lack of like what he did was able to do in the with the with Detroit, his lack of Pro Bowls, the winning wasn't necessarily all that great until he got to the Rams. And I've been one that was a little bit doubtful when it comes to what his prospects look like of him be potentially being a pro bowler, not pro bowler, but a Hall of Fame guy, and whether he deserves it, or whether he's done enough in the NFL, and his lack of Pro Bowls, and his lack of all pros and all of that. But man, when I watched him last night, man, I'll and there was like this one play where he hit the touchdown to Puka Nakua. It was a it was a touchdown, right? Yeah. He did the no look. It was kind of a look because he was able to kind of peek it out of the corner of his eye. But it really reminded me of the play that he made in the Super Bowl against Cincinnati, which I mentioned to Jace last night when I talked to him about it. And I mentioned that play and it pissed him off because again, that was against his team and all that when he did it to Cooper Cup in the Super Bowl. But he had a play very similar to that. And you know what's funny is that people were talking about, oh, it's less of a no look because he looked solid out the corner of his eye. But I thought that throw was harder because not only was he looking the ro looking the other way, which again he still was able to see Puka Nakua out the corner of his eye, but he had his body open to the outside of the field like he was going to throw to the to the flat or something like that, and he threw across his body to still get that throw over to Puka Nakua. Which I thought was a harder throw because I just felt like that was all arm. He wasn't able to get anything else into that other than his arm, and he threw it on target, on point to Puka Nakua without barely seeing him out the corner of his eye to make that play happen. And I just thought about it and I was just like, man, I know I've talked a lot of shit, and I know I've been a little bit against him when it comes to the to getting to the Hall of Fame and all that, but I'm I seeing him play last night, man, I just couldn't help but feel like that's a Hall of Fame quarterback. Maybe he doesn't have the Hall of Fame achievements, maybe he goes and they make it all the way to the Super Bowl, he gets a Super Bowl MVP, he'll have his second Super Bowl as a as a Ram. And like maybe obviously if he does that, like it'll be sealed, signed, sealed delivery, he'll be in the Hall of Fame. But even without that, man, I saw that I saw him playing last night. I've been thinking about his his time with the Rams, and again, his time with the Detroit Lions were less than what he would have wanted, what the Detroit fans would have wanted, with how talented he was and how good he was. And even without all the the personal accolades, I couldn't help last night but look at him and be like, man, like if you just watch a player play and you've what if you've watched enough football, you can just tell a guy like that is different. And that's a pl that's a feeling I get when when watching a lot of players play. When I've uh as much as I've watched football over my last, let's just say, let's see, I'm almost I'm 29. I really started getting into football at like 10, 11, 12, something like that. Probably not around 10. Around 10. So like night last 19 years of watching football in my life, and I just like like you know when you see it. And I feel like I again I'm not saying you're saying I'm I'm the most keen of football eyes, right? But I feel like even me being rudimentary when it comes to knowing football in comparison to some of these dudes that will forget more football than I'll ever know. It's just I watching Matthew Stafford last night, I just got the feeling that that's a Hall of Fame sort of player. That's a Hall of Fame guy. Like that's a Hall of Fame player. And watching him play, he's what is he, 30 38, 38 years old right now? Um let's see, I think he's 38. Let me make sure he's 37. So at 37 years old, like he's looking like playing the best football he's uh he's ever played. Like, and I'm talking about like he's playing very good football. And I just can't help it. And again, he got hit, he had a big hit um done on him last night, and they he looked like he was like pointing at the middle of his chest, like it was like a bruised sternum, a broken sternum bone or something like that. Bruce, but again, even throughout his NFL career, he's been a guy that has like been very mum when it comes to injuries. He's not telling nobody. He's gonna try to hold it out, hold out from the team if he can. Like he is gonna be very he is the first person to try to hold off on telling anybody about any injuries he's going through. He's gonna try to play through them all. And he got that huge hit on him last night and he played through it, and he was awesome, and he was the field general last night. And I just couldn't help, but like I said, get just talk about the idea that like that looks like a Hall of Famer. So whether he gets the accolades or that'll seal the seal the deal or not, which I think a super getting him getting another Super Bowl win and maybe winning a Super Bowl MVP would probably do that for him. That'll I think that'll lock it, lock, like totally lock up his Hall of Fame career. Even without that, dude, I think I've now switched over to the other side of it because I've I've I've seen him play enough, and I'm like, that's a Hall of Fame player. It is. He doesn't have all the accolades, he probably needs it, that he probably needs, and it's just like, but when I watch him play, dude, I'm like, I can't help the feeling that like that's a Hall of Famer. Like that's a dude that is one of the best to ever do it. I'm not talking about top ten. I'm not talking about like again, I'm just like when you just look at the talent on the field, that's the feeling I have when it comes to Matthew Stafford. So I have to give him credit, man. He's playing awesome football. He's probably going to win the MVP this year. And if everything goes right, they'll go to the Super Bowl and win it or not, or get pretty close because of how great that Rams team is. Again, they'll probably face Seattle again, and they'll be duking it out for a third time this season to try to get to a Super Bowl in the NFC Championship game. So I'm just like all the all in all, it's just it's a very it's Stafford is playing some very good ball, and I have to give him his credit on that. Hall of Famer, I really do. That's the feeling I get. Whether he gets the accolades or not is a totally separate issue that we'll talk about when they happen or if they don't. But when I watch him play on the field, like that, I just can't help that feeling. He is a Hall of Famer. Alright. Without further ado, we talk about the Thursday night game. Let's go ahead and get to the rest of the games, make predictions, do all that. I do have Jace's picks as we go. So I'll make sure to talk about those. And I'll also make my picks, talk about the games, and we'll go from there. So we'll get there's two games that are gonna be on tomorrow in the middle of the day while these Coswell playoff games are also happening. So we'll see how that goes. I'll try to stay stay locked in on those as much as I possibly can, but let's get to it. Philly at Washington. I think it's a little bit easier by the fact that this first one, I think Philly should have this game pretty easily, dude. Uh um Jace picked Philly as well in this game. I'm gonna take Philly. Washington. They I think they locked down Janie Jaden Daniels, so he will not be playing for the rest of the year. It'll be Marcus Mariota leading the charge. You have, let's see if any other injuries that I think could really change anything in this game. Let's see here. Philliam Washington, injury-wise. Lane Johnson's out for the Eagles, Jalen Carter is still out. Yeah, those are two couple a couple big injuries. And then you for Washington. Like I said, Jaden Daniels is out, Lambert Tunsil's out. Newton's out. He's questionable, so maybe he'll be able to play. But like, again, it's just the way I see it in this game. Even with all the troubles that the Eagles have had this year when it comes to their offense and doing all of that, I just feel like this Washington Commanders team, their defense is so awful. I just feel like the Eagles will be able to get their offense together enough to go ahead and go out and beat this Washington team to a bloody pulp. Again, like I said, this Washington defense is absolutely atrocious. Their secondary is insanely bad. Like, so bad. Like it's so bad. It's a travesty that they have a defensive-minded head coach and their defense is this awful. Like, that's how bad it is. And it's it's it's insanely bad. So I think Philly will be able to get their offense together enough to win this game. I don't think this game will be all that close. I think the Eagles will go out there. I'm not necessarily saying they'll blow them out, but I'm saying I think that Philly will have an easy enough time. They'll get the ball to all their playmakers. I think this is one of those games that kind of ease down any type of internal pressure that they might be going on with that offense with AJ Brown, with Devontae Smith, with Jalen Hurts being able to throw or not throw the football. Not to mention the running game, getting the ball to Saquon. I feel like they'll be able to feed all the all of the crazy monsters offensively enough to kind of keep the pressure down. And I think defensively, Philly, I think they'll be able to get enough going all around for Philly to win this game without much of an issue. Next game, you got Green Bay going to Chicago. You have Green Bay now without Micah Parsons because he tore his ACL in the last game that they had. And then you going into I think that's the only big injury I have to think. I think Christian Watson may not play in this game either. Let me check. Because I think he went down hard last game. Let me see here. Um Christian Watson play in this game? Let's see here. Not what I meant to do at all. I gotta make sure I see these. Let's see. Green Bay Packers. Christian Watson is questionable. We're dealing with a chest last shoulder injury listed as questionable. So he may or may not play. As well as Josh Jacobs. Dontavian Wicks is also questionable. So like they do have a few injuries on their offensive side of the ball. Not to mention already mentioned uh Miles, uh, nope, not Miles. Micah Parsons not playing due to his torn ACL. And then they're going to Chicago. Um Romadunze is not playing for Chicago. You have DeAndre Swift's questionable. Luther Burden is out, so that's another pass catcher that's not going to be playing for them in this game. But Chicago is playing at home. Um, how do I see this game going? Jace is picking Chicago. Even without Micah Parsons, man, I do feel like this game will be a back and forth affair. Obviously, the weather is not going to be hurtful to either one of these teams. Both of them have dealt with the cold. Both Chicago and Green Bay are both very cold cities. So I don't think the weather is going to be much of a factor. You do have a lot of a few injuries that's going to be kind of limit both of these teams. Jay's pick Chicago. I'm going to pick Green Bay. What do I have to lose right now? Because I think I'm I'm already down six or seven games already this season. And then I'm already down one for this week because I picked the Rams to win that game last night, and Jace picked Seattle. So I'll take Green. I think this game could really go either way. I think if I had to choose which quarterback I think can be more like I can if I had to put money down on who I think would be able to put up a better performance, I think I'd probably go Jordan Love. Even though from a game in game out of perspective, I've always been a proponent of not being able to trust Jordan Love, but you can't really trust Caleb Williams either. So I know Caleb had a great game last week against the Browns, but I think the Green Bay defense is definitely better than that. Again, they don't have Micah Parsons. It is a huge piece of their defense not there, but I do think this all in all. I just think they have, I don't think because Cleveland's defense is very good. They have a lot of they can get a lot of pressure on you, but their secondary is a little suspect at times. So I don't know. I'll I'll pick Green Bay. I think this will be a back and forth affair. Again, it came down to the last play last time with Chicago in Green Bay in the last game they played each other earlier this year. So I'll take Green Bay. I'll take Green Bay to win on the road. And not to mention when Chicago, because they they definitely have a soft, a sore spot with when it comes to Green Bay, because Green Bay has beat them so much over the years. With when Aaron Rodgers was the quarterback there, I think he barely ever lost to the Bears. And then I just feel like that pressure comes back a little bit. Even with as a with as much success as the Bears have had this season, if they get to a point where they get down on this game against the against Green Bay, I think their fans can really suck all the air out of the room if they can get a little nervous about how that game goes. And that nervous energy may come back into play to where it kind of is almost a downside for being for playing in your own place. So it could be a down, it could be a little bit of a downtime, down a downturn if the fans kind of like get a little nervous about how this game is going. Next game. New York Jets going to New Orleans. Um Jay Swick, New Orleans. I will match him in that game. Again, do I trust either one of these teams? I definitely do not. I think Brady Cook is starting another game for the Jets in this game. And then you have New Orleans with Tyler Shuck. He's been playing some pretty decent football as of recently. I think last week they got the big win against Carolina. So I think they have been a team that's been playing better football as of recently, especially offensively. And I think all of that leads to, and then not to mention the Jets have been a like they've Jets have been just been going nowhere fast. And again, Brady Cook being their third string quarterback now, having to make starts for them is definitely not a helpful, helpful point when it comes to trying to pick this game. If I'm trying to pick the Jets, so I'm going to take New Orleans to win that game, especially with them being at home. Next game, Buffalo at Cleveland. Jace picked Buffalo, so will I. I think Cleveland with Shador Sanders has been an up and down sort of feel. Shador was awful last week. It was very, very bad play by him. Again, I'm not going to try to make any big sort of assumptions about Shador and what this all means and all that. Because it I tried with Jace last time we potted. Didn't really go all that well. But again, maybe I should just kind of let it breathe a little bit, see what this the rest of the season is, and then we'll have the Shador conversation after. Because again, Shador is not going to be the reason this team either wins or loses these games. Because they're playing, like I made the case that they had a very tough slate to end out the year when they made Shador the starter for the rest of the season. So I'd be like, why should I be down on him if they lose? Because they probably were going to lose these games anyway. So I'm not going to put all the blame on him if they do lose these games because they were probably going to lose. So I'll take Buffalo. I think Josh Allen is even against a very tough Cleveland defense, I think he'll be able to make enough plays for them to win this game. He'll be throwing to tight ends, he'll be throwing a few times to the wide receivers, but not all that much. And I think they'll be able to rely on James Cook to go out there and run the football effectively. So I'll take Buffalo. Not to mention Miles Garrett. He's like two sacks away from the sack record. I think I don't think Josh Allen would want to be the guy that gives Myles Garrett that record. So I think Buffalo will win that game. Next game, Kansas City at Tennessee. This is the first game for Kansas City without Patrick Mahomes, with him tearing his ACL and LCL last week. They're coming to play Tennessee, a team that has been doing very little all year. They've been pretty bad. They're looked at as like probably the worst team in the whole NFL. And the question is, is has Kansas City given up as a team? Because I think that's the only reason they that's the only way they lose this game. Because again, I know Patch Mahomes is not playing. I know that they've been struggling all year, but they still have a lot of big names on that team. They have they have Chris Jones, they still have uh why am I forgetting his name now? They still have Rasheed Rice, they still have Hollywood Brown, they still have freaking um Oh no, why am I forgetting his name? This sucks. Travis Kelsey. They still have some real dudes on that team, and I think they still have some real leadership on that team. So even without Patrick Mahomes out there playing with them, I just don't think Kansas City is going to lay down and take it for these last three games of their season. I get it, their season's over. But do I do I think they can wake up enough to realize, like, hey, we do not want to be the team that loses to Tennessee? I think they can, and I think they'll win that game on Sunday. Next game, you got the Chargers going to Dallas. Uh Jace picked the Chargers. So will I. I think the Chargers still have a lot more to play for. I think Dallas is Dallas's season is effectively over. They have very 1% chance to make the playoffs as of right now. So like their season is effectively over. I think the Chargers still have a lot to play for. They're at the playoffs as of right now. They lose this game. It definitely hurts their chances when it comes to the playoffs and all of that. And I think can Dallas get enough pressure on old boy Justin Herbert to kind of like make them lose this game? Because again, I think Herbert's gonna be able to run the football. I think the Chargers are going to try to run the football. They're gonna try to have Herbert not run the football as much. But again, when it's time to go out there and be gamers, I think Herbert will do what he has to do. And I think they have enough pass catchers, I think they'll be able to make Dallas have a very tough time. Defensively be able to stop their playmaking. So I'm gonna go with the Chargers to win this game. Not to mention the fact that even though I know Dallas is gonna be able to run score the football pretty effectively, I think the Chargers will make it tough. I think, again, I'm not sitting here saying the Chargers defense is awesome, but I think they have enough dudes on that defense to be able to make things tough on that Dallas offense. And I just I just think that, especially with Dallas not necessarily running the football as consistently lately, so I just think Chargers have enough on that team to kind of go out go out there and win that game. Especially if Pickens is really like taking a downturn and not being anywhere close to the player he was three, four, five weeks ago when he was tearing up everybody that he was facing and getting a ton of yards with Dak throwing to him. So I just think with all that being the case, I just think that the Chargers are just a little too much for Dallas in that game, even with Dallas playing at home. Next game, you got Minnesota going to the New York Giants. Um Jace picked Minnesota. I'm gonna take the New York Giants. This is at New York Giants, so they're gonna be dealing with a little bit more of the cold weather in comparison to what Minnesota usually deals with because they have a dome in their home stadium. Also, I think the Giants are a tough out, man. I think Jackson Dart has been playing some pretty decent football as of recently. I think they I think he came back last week or two weeks ago, but they've been playing these teams tough. I think last week they played against the commanders and they lost 29 to 21. But I think they've been a tough out, dude. And as much as Minnesota played very well last week, I think they beat they beat the Cowboys to like pretty effectively. But I think that was in an indoors environment. Don't have to deal with the weather. And I think that everything went right for um for JJ McCarthy, man. Like he played a he played a very good game. But can he come out and play that same game and be as be consistently that level of player? I don't think so. I think the Giants, man, they I think they're just a very tough out. They have a defensive line that'll get after you. I think they will be able to force JJ McCarthy to not feel comfortable in the pocket. I think with that, he'll be able to he'll make some mistakes. Again, he's been making mistakes all year long, even without getting pressured. So I just think that the Giants with the defense that they have, again, their secondary is not all that great. But again, it's just Minnesota has not had a consistent enough passing offense for me to think they'll be able to take advantage of that Giants' secondary because of this the amount of pressure that the Giants will be able to create with their defensive line that they have been able to do this year against that Minnesota offensive line. I think that the Giants can pull off the upset here. I think let me see here. Um Minnesota's only a two and a half point favorite. Again, this is there's a reason for that. I think that I think the Giants are have a real chance to win that game for sure. Next game, you got Tampa Bay going to Carolina. Jace picked Tampa Bay, so will I. Tampa Bay still has playing to play for. They have my uh Mike Evans back, they have a lot of their dudes back. Um Bucky Irving, like they they lost that game last week in insanely bad fashion to the Falcons last week. And I think that Mike Evans freaking out on the sideline as that game was ending was a real moment of like, hey, I did not work to come back from this injury that I've had throughout this season to come back for our team to play like this. Again, offensively, the Buccaneers did everything they had to do to win that game last week, but it was the defense that wasn't able to stop the Falcons at all. And I think that, again, the defense is not going to all of a sudden all of a sudden be a much better team. But I do think that that team this week has been on like trying to say, like, hey, we still have a chance to do everything we need to do, get to the maybe get into the playoffs and maybe do with some of the things we wanted to do when we started the season. And I think that starts by going out there and beating the Carolina Panthers. And again, the Carolina Panthers have been up and down this year, but I think overall have not been all that terrible of a football team. And I just think that if this becomes like an offensive type of game where they're kind of like going back and forth, I I think Tampa Bay with all of their dudes back, I'm gonna give the I'll give the nod to Tampa Bay to win that game. I think Baker Mayfield, throwing to all of his guys out there, Mech, um, Mike Evans, you have why am I forgetting the other guy's name? Why am I forgetting the other wide receiver? This sucks. I'm forgetting his name right now. Chris Goblin Jr. So Chris Goblin also out there. Like, I just think that they have a lot of dudes that they have a lot of real leaders on this team that is going to be able to knock it into all their heads that they still have a lot to play for this season. And I feel like they have to beat the Panthers twice over these next three games to maybe make that happen and win the division to make the playoffs, and I think they'll get the job done and win that game tomorrow on Sunday. Next game, got Cincinnati going to Miami. Jace picks Cincinnati, and so will I. Main culprit is because Miami is bad. They were bad last week when they faced it off against Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh beat them to a bloody pulp. Again, it was in the fourth quarter where Miami woke up a little bit and Tua was able to throw a couple touchdown passes to Darren Waller. But even Miami wasn't happy with what they got out of Tua because they have now benched him, and they're going to be playing Quinn Ewers in that game against Cincinnati. And from what I've seen out of Quinn Ewers, when he has played this season, has not been great. Again, he hasn't played in a while, so maybe he's taken some steps forward. But when you compare that to Cincinnati, when you have Joe Burrow, you have obviously you have uh Jamar Chase. I'm not sure if T. Higgins will be playing in this game. I probably should check that to be totally honest with you. Um let me see here. Cincinnati.
unknown:T.
SPEAKER_00:Higgins is questionable, but they're saying he might have a chance to return. But if I just look at this game, I'm just sitting there like it'll be decent weather. It's in Miami. Maybe it'll be a little rainy, but other than that, I think it should be fine. And I think as bad as Joe Burrow has been over the last couple of games, I think he will be able to have a little bit more of like a um he's been down, he hasn't been playing well, and he's been like you can tell emotionally he hasn't all all the way been there. But I think going out there, having a good game against this Miami Dolphins team could be a little bit of a a nice little change of pace for the Cincinnati team. And I think he'll go out there, he'll play some better football. Again, it's not like Miami's defense is gonna be able to take advantage of any real like, unless Joe Burrow hands a mistake on a silver platter to. That Miami defense. I just don't think they're going to be able to take advantage. So I think Cincinnati, led by Joe Burrow, I think we'll go out there and at least try to have a good game offensively and kind of get things going the right direction. Even with even though they don't really have much of anything to play for throughout the rest of the season, I think they're going to want to just go out there and play some decent football and have some fun doing it, which is what Joe Burrow always wants. And I just think that they're going to win that game. Again, Quinn Ewers is playing for Miami in this game. It's awful. By the way, Zach Wilson, the supposed to be the second string quarterback, he has to feel so slighted that they're benching Tua and then jumping over you to then play the third string quarterback in Quinn Ewers. Zach Wilson has to be pissed about that. There's no way. I'm sitting here as a number two. If Tua got hurt in a pinch, it'd be me going out there. But now that you have some time to kind of let a quarterback get all the first team snaps to get ready for a game, and you're to give it to the third string guy over me, he has to be pissed. Next game, Jacksonville going to Denver. Jace picked Denver in this game. I think I will pick Denver as well. I think the difference is Denver is going to be at home in this game. They're used to playing, obviously, in the out in the cold weather. You have Jacksonville, I think they're playing very good football. They're running the foot, running the football well with Travis Etienne. I think that Trevor Lawrence is coming off his best game, I think, as a pro. I think he had like five touchdown passes and one touchdown run. But I just think that them playing as well as they have offensively is going to be a lot harder against this Denver Broncos defense. They're going to be able to get a lot of pressure on him. I think their secondary is awesome. I don't think the passing plays will come nearly as easy. I don't think running the football will come nearly as easy against this Denver Broncos defense. I think of all the defenses, not named Houston, I think this Denver defense is the best. I think, again, I think Houston's defense is far and away the best defense that I've seen all year this year in the NFL. But I think Denver's is Denver, Denver's defense is number two. And I think that with that, I think they'll be able to get enough pressure on Trevor Lawrence. I think they'll be able to get enough. I think they'll be able to not only pressure, but I think they'll be able to stop anything Trevor Lawrence and that Jacksonville offense wants to do. And I think as much as I hate to say it when it comes to Bo Nicks, man, I don't I hate having to believe in him, but I feel like at this time of year, I think that defense is on like such a good run right now. I think that it would take Bo Knicks like totally getting out of his element and throwing the football to Jacksonville a lot and giving them short fields in order for them to win this game. So I'm taking Denver along with Jace to win that game. Next game we got Atlanta playing at Arizona. This is a gross game. I'm not gonna lie to you. This is a gross, this is gross. Um obviously, obviously, it's still Kirko, Kirko Chains going out there and playing Kirk Cousins. You have Drake London coming back for Atlanta in this game. You have a couple of questionable guys, maybe James Pierce, one of their young defensive ends. He might be able to play, come back and play in this game, coming off an injury. You have Arizona, Marvin Harrison's questionable. Cody Simon, their linebackers, maybe be able to come back in this game. I don't know. This game is in Arizona. I as much as I think this game is gross when it comes to playing great football, I do think that I I don't know, man. Like if you look at the talent on the field, I think Atlanta should be able to win this football game. But I just think that the way that I've seen these two teams play as of recently, they're like the spread's only three points for a reason. You have Atlanta being a three-point favorite. It's a close game. I think Jace picked Atlanta. Do I take a chance here? And take Arizona? Nope, I can't do it. I can't do it. I know I'm desperate to try to get some wins, to try to catch back up, but I can't go against what my football is my football mind is telling me. I'm not saying it's a great football mind. I c I could be totally wrong in Atlanta and Arizona wins this game. I just think Atlanta's healthier. I think their defense is not playing great, but I think they're playing, at least they have more of their guys on that squad. And Arizona has been outside of Trey McBride. Their offense has been a stick in the mud for the most part. They like they lost one of their running backs they've been playing with this bam night, and like they haven't really been running the football all that well. Brissett started off really hot, but it's kind of been other than him throwing to Trey McBride, he's kind of been struggling for the most part. And I just think that Kirk O'Chains, as much as I don't believe in him as a quarterback, I think he's throwing to B. John Robinson. He'll probably have Drake London back in this game. He just has so many talented options to throw the ball to. On top of that, again, um why am I forgetting the guy's name for Atlanta? It's Kyle Pitts. They have a very Kyle Pitts had his best game that he had last week, and he was awesome in that game. So I just feel like he has so many guys to throw to. I think Atlanta wins that game against Arizona. Next game, you have uh Raiders going to Houston. Let's be honest. Houston's a much better football team. Jace picked Houston, I'm picking Houston. I think that defense will have a field day with that Vegas team. I'm not sure if Kenny Pickett's gonna be the starter in this game or if it's gonna be back to Gino. Let me check. Um Gino doesn't have an entry designation, so he is back. He'll be able to play in this game. So again, it's not like it's gonna be a big difference because I think Gino has been awful this year just as much as Kenny Pickett has. But I just think that, again, when Vegas is not throwing the football to Brock Bowers, they really have nothing else going on in their offense. Nothing. Genty hasn't really ran the football that well. Again, not all his fault. The offensive line is terrible as well. Can't run block, can't pass block, they really can't do anything. Brock Bowers is their only real pass catcher that you really have to be scared of if you're a Houston defense, but it doesn't fucking matter because Houston has been suffocating everybody that they have played this year defensively. Like they their defense has been absolutely awesome. And I just don't think that the Raiders are gonna be able to pull any type of rabbit out of a hat to be able to do anything against that Houston defense. And not to mention, outside of Max Crosby getting after the quarterback, their defense has nothing to be proud about either. And I think with that, I think CJ Stroud and the offense for Houston is really starting to figure some things out. They had a very explosive game last week, and I think they're gonna do the exact same thing this week. And again, I was last pod, I was talking about how I think Houston might be the most dangerous team in the AFC because their defense has already been the best in the NFL, and if their offense really starts to figure it out, and if CJ starts playing good football at the right time and really starting to elevate what that offense is, throwing in Nico Collins and all those other white, all those receivers that they have on their squad, and Woody Marks, their running back, has been playing very good football as of recently. I feel like Houston is like really on like they're really on the right trajectory right now of getting the playoffs, getting to the playoffs, playing their best football, and like really can really make a run here. Because there is more there is no Mahomes, there is no Burrow, there is no, there might be no Lamar Jackson based on how the rest of the season goes. So like if all you have to deal with is Josh Allen, and again, the Houston defense has been able to get after Josh Allen and really they've really given him trouble over the last couple years with that defense playing as well as they have. So like if that's the only guy you have to worry about in this playoffs, I think Houston can really make some noise once they get there. So that's all I got. I think Houston wins that game without much of an issue. Vegas is terrible. Next game, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh going to Detroit to play that game. Pittsburgh's coming off the big the win. Not I can't say big because it was against Miami. Coming off of a good win against Miami. I can't even say good. It was just a win. It was a win they should have won, but again, you know, it is what it is. Now they have to go to Detroit to go play them, and Detroit's coming off of a bad loss against why am I forgetting they just lost to the Rams. Uh really tough loss they had to the Rams. Their offense was awesome, but their defense leaves a little bit to be desired. And Jace picked Detroit. I'm also gonna pick Detroit. Here's my problem as a Steelers fan. One, we're not as good as the Detroit Lions. The Detroit Lions are going, they're 8-6 right now, and I think Steelers are currently 8-6 as well. So they're both 8-6. As much as I think, I think both these teams have very flawed teams, obviously. But I think if both of these teams come out and they play their best football on the field, if they just put whatever they can at their best on the football field at the same time, I think Detroit's just a better football team. Jared Goff's a better quarterback than what Aaron Rodgers is right now. Amra St. Brown and J.M. Williams is a better wide receiver deal than what we have right now. Better wide receivers than what we have right now. They have tight ends, probably, I would still I probably give Pittsburgh the edge on tight ends. Obviously, when it comes to running backs, Detroit is by far better than what Pittsburgh has. Pittsburgh hasn't been able to run the football whatsoever for the last three, four weeks now. So they've just been giving up on the run altogether. And then defensively, I th I'd give Pittsburgh probably the nod defensively, but it's not by much. And I think it's only because Detroit has like all of their dudes are hurt other than um Aiden Hutchinson. Other than him, like everybody on the Detroit defense is hurt. But the problem is, is that as much as I think Pittsburgh, I think Pittsburgh will be able to get something done offensively, but it's just I think Detroit's offense will just shit down the Steelers' throats defensively, dude. I think St. Brown's gonna get a ton of catches and be able to get like whatever he wants because the Steelers' defense is gonna be so scared of getting beat deep. And it's not gonna fucking matter. So either they're going to let Imam or St. Brown have everything that they want in the short game, and they're just gonna nickel and dime us all the way down the football field. They're gonna run the football more effectively than what we can do stopping the football. Our defensive line has been up and down. They they stopped Miami from running the football last week, but again, stopping Detroit from running the football is a very different task. And I also think that it's just Jared Goff is playing a lot better football than Aaron Rodgers right now. He just is. And I think Pittsburgh's gonna be able to score some points. I really do. I just think Detroit's gonna score so many more. And that's the reason why Detroit's a seven-point favorite, and not to mention our offensive line. I think our offensive line has been better this year. They really have. But I think that's more like it's been being helped a lot by the fact that Aaron Rodgers is getting rid of the ball so quickly. And I think Aiden Hutchison's gonna be able to get a couple of sacks on Rodgers in this game. And I think they're gonna he's gonna get them off his spot, and I feel like I think Detroit's gonna destroy us on Sunday. Again, I don't I just Detroit has a lack of creativity offensively, but it won't effing matter because I just don't think the Steelers defense is gonna be able to do anything to stop all of those weapons that Detroit has at their disposal. I think Detroit's gonna run down, run the football down our throats. I think St. Brown's gonna be able to get all the catches that he wants. I think Jamison Williams is gonna get a big catch or two to get them some chunk plays. And I think all that's gonna happen and more, and I think Detroit's gonna be able to is gonna beat us to a bloody pulp on Sunday. That's just what I see happening. And Jace agrees. Sunday night football game. You have New England going to Baltimore. This game means a lot. If New England loses this game, and then Buffalo wins their game against Cleveland, I think, because Buffalo's 10-4 right now, and I think New England's nine and three, I think. Nope. Mm-mm. 11-3. Sorry, I just can't add. So they're a game apart right now when it comes to the um NFC East. Sorry, AFC East. They're a game apart. So now if both of these teams, if Buffalo wins their game, like I think they're going to, if New England loses their game against uh Cleveland to um sorry, against Baltimore in Baltimore, it'll make that that division very tough. I'm not gonna lie to you. So it's gonna be a very big game, and not to mention Baltimore is playing for their playoff lives. They got the win last week, I believe, against the Bengals. A big win that they needed, their defense absolutely destroyed uh Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense. But it's just can Baltimore do that same thing against New England? I just don't think so. I think this is a tough game. I think New England. Let me think. The question for me is is that can Baltimore offensively because they've been playing badly for a while now. Their offense has not been great. They played a little bit better last week against Cincinnati, but again, is that really anything to keep keep your like to be proud of because of how bad Cincinnati's defense has been? And on top of that, it's just Baltimore defensively has not been anything to like be proud of either. And I think New England with Drake May at the quarterback position, like he had his worst game that he had last week in that second. I think he was good in the first half, but the second half against Buffalo wasn't all that great. And New England's really starting to run the football effectively too, and I just feel like all in all, I think New England's just a better football team. Again, I think they're young, I think they still have a lot to figure out. I think Drake May has a lot to figure out as a young quarterback still, but I feel like New England's just playing playing better football as of recently. And again, I know this game is in Baltimore. I know everything is gonna like, but again, I didn't I know that Baltimore needs this game probably more than New England does. But I think New England like knows that Buffalo is breathing down their neck, and I feel like they're gonna want to come into this game and they're really gonna want to impose their will. And I think they're gonna run the football with like very effectively as well, because I think they kind of got away from running the football like they wanted to in that second half last week, and I feel like they're gonna learn their lesson a little bit, and I feel like they're gonna run the football a lot with uh with all the running backs with Trevion Henderson hitting some big plays, and I think I feel like they're gonna let Drake May get in play action, get the football down the throw the football downfield, and I think Baltimore's defense is not gonna be able to stop them. And as much as I think Baltimore offensively can get some work done against this New England defense, the defense is not great for New England. They're really not. It's not like the New England defense is all that amazing. So I think Baltimore will be able to get something done, but it's just can I can like this could turn into a track meet? And if if the Ravens don't run the football for 250 yards with um, why am I forgetting his name? That's not good on me, is it? With Derek Henry, if they're not running the football for 200 yards with Derrick Henry, like I just feel like you can you rely on Lamar Jackson to go out there and throw you it, throw you a game for a win. I just don't think that's gonna be something you can reliably um count on. So I'll take the wing and win that game. Last but not least, you have the Monday Night Football game, you have San Francisco going to Indianapolis to play against old man Rivers. That's insane. That Philip fucking Rivers at 44 years old. Again, it's not crazy when Tom Brady did it because he's Tom Brady. But when it comes to everybody else, I think Philip Rivers coming back after five years of not playing any football, being a Hall of Fame high um semifinalist coming back and playing last week was an insane thing to watch altogether. But and they got they lost last week, but he I think he played better than what I thought he was definitely going to. But then now you have Sanfran going to Indianapolis. Again, when you think about it, San Fran is a worse defense than what uh old man Rivers had to face last week against San Fran. And he was looking okay then, so maybe he can be better now. But I just think that San Fran's coming in. I don't think they're going to sit back on their heels and let Phillip Rivers just sit back there and feel comfortable. I think San Fran's gonna have to is gonna want to get after him. They're gonna make him feel pressure, and they're gonna make him get the ball out quick and make good decisions and be able to try to maybe get away from some pressure, and I feel like that's gonna be hard on him, obviously, because he hasn't played football in five years. And I think San Fran's playing their best football right now. I feel like like quietly, San Fran has like, let's see here. Quietly, because I know I was talking about how hurt I've been talking about how hurt San Fran has been all this year, but and how they've been they're missing so much defensively, and like how they're like kind of like they're pulled together by duct tape and and glue. It's just like their defense has kind of been put together in that way. But the problem is, is that like not the problem, but like they're 10 and 4. They're 10 and 4. Even with all their issues defensively, and like like I just think that I don't know, man. I don't know. I no, I do know. I'm not gonna I'm not gonna say you're an act. Like San Fran is playing good football right now, Christian McCaffrey is playing good football, George Kittle is out there being the big play for them. You have why am I forgetting? Um Juwan Jennings is playing good ball. They do have Ricky Pearsall. He is a questionable with an ankle injury, but they're saying he might be able to come back and play in this game. And I just think that, all in all, I just think San Fran's a better football team right now. And I think that with um why am I forgetting their quarterback's name? Why? Oh no, I suck. It's man, I'm awful at this. Brock Purdy. Yeah, I was I was having a brain fart for his name. But yeah, Brock Purdy's coming back. He's been playing his better football, playing really good football as of recently. And I think as good as I think the the Colts defense is actually pretty decent, they're not gonna be able to get a bunch of pressure on him. And I feel like they're gonna be able to run the football against that Colts defense. So I I'm gonna go with San Fran along with Jace to win that game. I think they're just playing good football. I think they're gonna get after they're gonna get after um Oh no. Why is this a time that I'm having brain farts right now? They're gonna get after Phillip Rivers and make him feel a lot of pressure. And I feel like they're going to really make him feel it. So I think with that, I think he's not going to be able to play as well. I think he's not going to be able to get the ball out as as well as he needs to. And I think all in that, I think San Francisco playing a lot better football. I think they're going to be able to run the football. Brock Purdy's going to be able to get the ball out to his receivers when necessary. And I think San Francisco win this game. Again, it's not going to be them blowing him out because the Niners do not know how to blow out really anybody. But they are going to be efficient. They are going to get the ball down the field. And I feel like they're going to win the football game. And that's all that's all I got on that. I think San Francisco is going to win that game against Indianapolis. And that's about it. That's all the games. We made all of our picks. And when it comes to that, we have one split. Is that only one more split? Yeah, that's it. I was a little bit of a bitch. I'm not going to lie to you when it comes to picking games. Because I I know I need to come back. I know I'm down one game for this week already, but it's just a lot of those games I wasn't trying to take a chance. But you know, it is what it is. Again, I feel like if this would be so much harder if we had to do point spreads. And I know I'm going to have to get Jace to do this at some point. Because again, he's getting more into betting and all of that. But as of right now, we're still picking the game straight up, so I have to be a little bit smarter about it. So it is what it is. I have to kind of take out that six-game lead that he has on me little by little. But I'm having a I have a lot less time to do so now with only being like three weeks left on the season. So, you know, I have to be smart. I can't let the lead get any bigger. So I have to play a little bit safer now already being down one and oh uh based off of the game last night. So that's it. We uh about hour 41, so not too bad. No, I've gone longer by my sitting here by myself. As of right now, I have not been keeping track of that game as of the Bama game going on right now. It's about three three minutes and forty-five seconds left in the first quarter. Oklahoma's currently up seven and nothing. So I'm gonna get off of this pod and go watch that football game and then also watch the rest of the games that are gonna happen this weekend. We will be back on Tuesday to do the recap of all these games in college football and the NFL. Talk about all that as we go, and hopefully it'll be both me and Jace um coming on on the podcast on Tuesday. And we'll I think there'll be two podcasts next week. Whether it'll be both of us here for both podcasts is gonna be a question, but we definitely will be doing this podcast for but two times next week without question. So that so I'll be able to guarantee you that, and that's about it here. So I have nothing else to really go on about. So I want to go watch some football now. So without further ado, let's end the podcast here. If you've been listening for a while, we appreciate you. If you're just now joining on, hopefully you like us and enjoy us enough to join us on this ride of talking about sports in the dumbest way possible. And if this is your first pod you've listened to, hopefully you go and listen to a different podcast with both me and Jace on there to get a better idea of what this podcast is when it's at its best. We know with two brothers sitting here talking to each other, talking shit, talking about each other's teams, and like, you know, getting into it, making jokes and all of that. And then if you do decide you like us and you want to join us on this journey, if you could do a couple things for us, we'd appreciate if you could like our 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, so there's no need to go looking too hard for us. We're out there. And then share us with friends, family, enemies, anybody you feel like could enjoy the podcast we put out on a weekly basis, um, also being two times a week during the football season. We would love if you could do that. And then last but not least, if you could follow us on Twitter and or X, whatever you'd like to call it, at JB Sports Pod is the podcast handle, at Jovante Boozer is my handle, and at Jace Boozer1 is Jace's handle. So without further ado, I'll end the podcast. So I usually hand over the podcast to Jace to do the outro, but this is it. So have a great day, have a great night. Thank you guys for always listening. We appreciate you, and we will see you guys next week. Goodbye, y'all.