E.P.I.C. Podcast "Every Play Is Crucial"
Life is full of moments you cannot predict or control only experience and enjoy right? Come join Vernon, Isaac, Justin, and Jared every Wednesday where we lend our opinions about current event going on in sports. Every episode is promising to be entertaining, not necessarily informational.
E.P.I.C. Podcast "Every Play Is Crucial"
Season Five Kickoff
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We kick off season five by debating the NBA’s best player right now and why the league’s next wave of stars feels deeper than ever. Then we flip to NFL mode with team-by-team expectations, hot-seat coaches, and the moves we think could reshape the Super Bowl race.
• debating Shai vs Wembanyama through offense, defense, and playoff matchups
• giving Jalen Brown and other two-way wings their respect
• picking which NBA team improves most and calling early championship favorites
• laying out Bengals expectations with pressure on sacks and linebacker play
• breaking down Colts concerns at quarterback health, receiver depth, and pass rush
• sorting rookie QBs who might actually see the field
• naming coaches under the most pressure and why some franchises move differently
• choosing offseason moves with the biggest league-wide impact
• arguing real Super Bowl contenders and whether teams still fear the Chiefs
• calling out breakout players we want to see pop
• comparing Brock Purdy and Drake May on ceiling, style, and schedule context
Visit me at JBA SportsLocker.com.
Season Five Returns With Chaos
SPEAKER_05Go high touchdown like a head zone Wanna circle on the mice get me out of my zone Go high chapter ship rings on my hands now my hands now my head on top ten squad squad know you're looking man down funny high foes to the friends now drive a race car like a target filling up a new product again. Treat a business like a playground might slide on you.
SPEAKER_04Yo yo yo, welcome back to season five of the Epic Podcast. This is the fifth season of this. Um moving fast, man. Yeah, yeah. Um, me and Jared are in the house again, of course, as usual. Uh Justin may be joining us tonight. Uh, he has some other obligations, but he should be here tonight at some point. Um, next week we will have multiple people with us, so it should be a full house of four next week. Um, yeah, man, I how's your I guess how your summer been, even though we've done seen each other all the time all summer.
SPEAKER_02It's been chill, bro. Um, definitely happy football's back. Been watching the Reds get beat up all summer. Excuse me for that. Apologize in advance for my angle. I phone my computer ain't cooperate with me.
SPEAKER_04And uh yeah, man, we're having some technical difficulties, some audio stuff. As usual, y'all know how episode one always goes. We jump back in here and like nothing wants to work. Audio or the internet wanna lag us out or whatever. I'm having hair products. Or not everywhere. Like, look, look, look at us, man. We we struggling today, man. It's cool though. We're here. Look. That's the third time he ain't got kicked out.
SPEAKER_02Man, I'm I'm still I'm through touching this now, man. It's cool, it's good. Trying to fix it and opt in out. So yeah, I'm good, man. I'm just uh happy football back. Uh been watching the Reds get beat up all summer. Um shit. Really? I ain't been up to nothing. What you been on?
SPEAKER_04Sure, man. Uh probably about the same, man. You know, ripping and running, uh, working, you know. You know, same old stuff we always doing, but as far as sports, man, I mean, I was I was down bad on on my on my Red Sox. And then they went on a crazy streak. Oh, yeah, that was wild. Crazy streak, and then like they kind of backed to being in the Red Sox again.
SPEAKER_02Damn. So they went like 20 straight or something crazy?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, it was it was it was 21. Wow. I think it was 21 straight. Yeah, but again, they didn't do nothing because now we're right back where we was. But 21 game winning streak and baseball and yeah, and we was and that was literally keeping us like a little above 500. So that lets you know how horrible we was to start the season off. So like we wasn't we wasn't like top of the the AL East or nothing. Like it was just we were still just hovering around. Um, so yeah, that's bad. Yeah, no, it's it's it's it's it's the Red Sox. I ain't tripping. Um but yeah, man, we're gonna get back in the swing of things. You know, we got football coming up this week, you know, tomorrow actually. Uh so and we're gonna recap some of the NF NBA stuff from over the summer. Yeah, I know we usually take the summer off, uh, give us a break from like, you know, what eight months of weekly, weekly shows. So we we take the summer off, and uh we're gonna recap a little bit in the NBA. So I guess to kind of start it off, I mean, I guess we can go early. No, let's just we'll do it in order. Um,
Who Is NBA’s Best Player
SPEAKER_04who you think is the best player in the NBA right now?
SPEAKER_02The best player in the NBA right now, individual individual player. Ooh, you came in hot. Um, that's a tough one. Because I really don't think there is no clear-cut favorite, but I'm gonna give you one just for the content. Um I mean, it's hard to not go with Shay. I mean, he can't literally can't be stopped offensively. He's gonna give you more defensively than like the likes of Luca. Uh quiet is kept, man. I don't know why people just look over uh Jalen Brown. Jalen Brown is really good at basketball. We got a comment.
SPEAKER_04When somebody saying LeBron James, uh Miracade? I don't want to mess that up. Uh she said LeBron James question mark.
SPEAKER_02I don't think at the moment, now I mean, obviously he's the best ever to me, like hands down. But at the moment, I don't think we can say LeBron is the single best player in the NBA. Um, all things considered, as far as career goes, as far as legacy goes, absolutely, but I wouldn't say he's the best in the league right now, per se. But this is a lot. Like, here's you got Wendy, you got, I think all those guys are kind of like kind of like tied in together.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, spiritual awakening Scorpio say everybody over LeBron James. Oh man, don't start.
SPEAKER_02That's the thing about like I'm trying to start the season off good. Like, there's no space in America or anywhere for people that make comments like that. Because it's just like you clearly know nothing about basketball. If that's if that's your real life opinion, you know nothing about it. Or you're just trolling.
SPEAKER_04He may be trolling. I don't know.
SPEAKER_02You know, I don't I don't really do the trolling stuff because I don't feel like any grown man or any person that's consuming oxygen should be wasting said oxygen on trolling. But that's just me.
SPEAKER_04That's just well, okay. I wouldn't say anybody. I mean, LeBron James is clearly not the best in the league right now. He did have a huge long stint where he was. Majority of his career, we could say uh he was or has been. Um I think I guess if you're looking at both ends of the floor, I mean, I would probably I'm probably that's a pretty good opinion. I probably would uh I don't think he's trolling, but I think he would just he said that's a pretty good opinion based on what you said. Um I think I would probably have to go Wimby right now, just because I think he can do everything. Um And I think he kind of seeming like Shay. I don't know, I wanna say this playoff. He wasn't at his worst, but you just seen some flaws, and you see some Wimby flaws too. But I think with his size and what he can do, uh it's easier to cover him up. You know what I mean? I think he can get away versus Shay. Like, if he's having a bad night, it's hard to overcome. It's hard for his team to overcome that because he's really that engine. Um, and he go and go and go. So, especially if he's not getting the calls. And I think we've seen in the playoffs a little bit, a couple games that like when he was wasn't getting those uh calls he was getting maybe in the regular season, he kind of struggled a little bit. Um, so yeah, no, definitely um I would go with Wimby. Uh, but then like uh it's hard to not think about Brunson, like you were saying, like, you know what I mean, even Jalen Brown, like there's a lot of guys. Giannis, we haven't had a healthy Giannis in like what two years? So we haven't really seen him out there. I mean, Jokic is kind of taking a step back, but he's still Jokic. Um, I mean, Luca offensively. We haven't seen Dame, we haven't seen Ja in a new area, new headspace. Like, uh, what this what's this uh, you know, Lamello Ball, um shoot, I can't. Anthony Edwards dynamic gonna be. Tyrese Halliburton's coming back, what he's gonna look like. I mean, it's it's so many like good young players. I think the NBA is at a real healthy spot right now as far as like talent. And I was nervous about that when you start thinking about the Curries, the LeBron's fading out the Katie's, you know, some of the older guys are just kind of like getting at that telltale end. It's like, what's that next wave looking like? And I really think it's in a healthy spot right now as far as talent, and that next wave of players is gonna come through and um and excite us probably for the next 10 to 15 years.
SPEAKER_02No, I agree with that. My only thing about Wimby is I just I don't know what about him that I'm just not fully on the train. One, I don't think whatever he's doing is gonna last. I feel like he's gonna break any second. Um offensively, he still he still can be bullied. Now, he's gonna have those games where he just flashes out and he's gonna drop 40 and get you know uh 15 boards and 10 blocks, he's still gonna do that. But I feel like in a series, you can set something up for him. For example, if you put uh a five, if you got five guys on the court, another better example against the Knicks, if you uh you you know you put Kat on there as a five, Wimby has to come out and guard. I feel like that takes his strongest attribute away.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and and and this showed a flaw, like exactly what you're saying. They showed a flaw in the playoffs, like they were trying to hide him in the corner, having him guard the corner shooters and coming off the weak side to help on, you know, in the paint. Right. And and that's like he's not gonna be able to do that. He's gonna have to guard perimeter as so, especially in the playoffs. Because teams are gonna see that now.
SPEAKER_02That's just a bad. I feel like if you play in Minnesota with uh with Gobert, like that's a good game for Wimby. Wimby's gonna go crazy in those games. Even a uh, even a Joel and B to a certain extent, but if you got like a real true shooting big that he has to he has to come out and guard, it get it gets spooky. And it's just like I can't, it's hard for me to say somebody's the single best player in the league when I feel like your game can be neutralized. And I feel like his game can sort of kind of be neutralized, that's all.
SPEAKER_04And another thing too, I think about, and the reason why I said Wimby too, because then on the offensive end, he's so hard to guard, he's gonna get you in foul trouble. Your bed gotta be able to move, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_02And it can, like Cap can move.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, you know. But see, he also got him in foul trouble a couple times too. Like, you know what I mean? So he was kind of neutralized too. It's like it kind of like which way the game goes initially. So, like the first two quarters of a game with Wimby in it really shows you how that game's gonna go. If he's out there being aggressive, if he's attacking the bucket and he's trying to get your bigs in foul trouble, you know what I mean? And he's you know, being effective offensively, regardless of what you do what he has to do on the defensive end, he's being a uh uh being effective offensively. I think it's it's almost, you know what I mean, it's almost gonna be out of control before your big, your shooting big can affect him. You know what I mean? Because he may have two fouls, you know what I mean, in the first quarter, and he may be on the bench, and then you know, Wimby can still be out there doing his thing. And he's kind of a shooting big too, which he definitely gotta get better at because that definitely killed their season. Um, all those crazy threes and shots they were taking. But uh I digress on that. We got a lot of topics, so we're gonna try to move through these uh pretty quick. Um let's see.
Biggest NBA Offseason Winners
SPEAKER_04What about which team you think uh improved the most this offseason?
SPEAKER_02Obviously the Sixers, by and it's not even close. I mean, whenever you can bring in LeBron, they literally added LeBron and Jalen Brown. I don't think one team in the history of any sport has improved so much in one year. I mean, some some people can argue, you know, uh Tom Brady going to Tampa Bay, that was a hell of an improvement. And Grott can, yeah. Yeah, yeah, that's a hell of an improvement. But I mean, I don't think anything even comes close to adding LeBron and uh Jalen Brown to your team. That's probably the single best offseason in the history of certainly the NBA. Uh maybe, maybe more. I mean, and you can argue uh bringing LeBron to LA, you know, was was huge too.
SPEAKER_04But even like, yeah, or even when he went to Miami with him and Bosch, I mean, that's pretty simple. Yeah, that's the thing.
SPEAKER_02But I feel like I feel like even a duel of LeBron and uh uh LeBron at this age and Jalen Brown is probably even more crucial than that, especially considering what you already have there, and you're adding two champions, like two champions, two final MVPs are coming to your team, like it's a little different.
SPEAKER_04That's a lot different. No, I agree with that. Um we probably already know that, but um championship predictions? You want to go early? 26-27.
SPEAKER_02I mean, it's hard to not go go uh go Sixers, man. What what what in the world could they possibly even need?
SPEAKER_04I don't know what they need outside of the luck of the health guys. Hopefully they can stay healthy. That's that's always been the Sixers of Keyley's Hill. They've they've they've always had they've always had good teams. Hey, hey, hey, hey, Spider. Come here. Come, come here real quick. I know, I know.
unknownCome here.
SPEAKER_02Got a daddy break, y'all. This daddy break is sponsored by JBA Sports Locker. Visit me at JBA SportsLocker.com. You can't get on camera, you're crying.
SPEAKER_04Come on, come say hi to Uncle Jarrett, real quick. Okay.
SPEAKER_02Hey, what's up, man?
SPEAKER_00Uncle Jerry?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, you can't call me.
SPEAKER_00Why do you keep calling me, yo?
SPEAKER_02I ain't call you. He didn't call you. But I'm I'm I'ma remember that. I'ma remember that. I ain't gonna call you again, little dude.
SPEAKER_00Yo, why y'all keep calling me?
SPEAKER_02I ain't calling you no more.
SPEAKER_00Yo, like, why you keep doing this to me? And you just call me when you just give me, yo. You uh you uh you are so not aggressive.
SPEAKER_04He is not aggressive. He's not aggressive. He ain't supposed to be aggressive to you. Alright, man, go in there with mommy, okay? Let me finish, okay? See you little man. Hey, hey, he said he'll see you later. But hey, go be a big boy, go do what you gotta do with mommy. Alright. My bad, eh? He told me off, bro. He's been doing a lot of that lately. He was getting out the tub and she he seen me, and he tried Shavine tried to grab me, but he just flipped out, fell on the floor. I'm like, if he don't come out here, I'll hear his butcheon in the background. But um, but yeah, no, I definitely uh yeah, that's that's a huge step, man. When you bring in two champions, two, like I said, final MVPs, uh, to a team that's been trying to do everything in their power over the probably the last 10 years to get over the hump and at least get to a Eastern Conference Championship, at least make a finals appearance. They they've been bringing in all the talent from Paul George to Harden to like they've been a circulation of guys in and out of Philly, you know, they're getting trying to pair with Embiid to get over that hump.
SPEAKER_02Maybe it's finally their time, man.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I think so. And even now, the probably the most important thing is that even if Embiid is not fully healthy or he gets hurt, I think that that they're still talented enough to make, you know what I mean.
SPEAKER_02Niggas might be better without Embiid. If you think about it, if you put like if you put like a solid big that can block shots and rebound in place, then you don't even gotta worry about you know feeding him, give him his 21 shots. And you can really divide, you can give edge comb a bigger role. You know, because edgecombe is gonna be VJ Edgecombe is gonna be the the the odd man out, you know what I'm saying, for for now. Hopefully he has it in his mind that LeBron ain't gonna be there forever. So just play it cool for it. This might be it.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, two years.
SPEAKER_02I think I think if y'all can win a ring this year, it might be. Yeah, he's done. Yeah, he be done. So LeBron ain't gonna be there forever. So you might be the odd man out for this season, but still just keep doing what you, you know, getting in where you fit in.
SPEAKER_04If not, what what I think will happen, I think if he win a ring this year, he'll probably go like to Cleveland and do a farewell tour.
SPEAKER_02Man, bro, I don't even know if I could take this nigga since Twitch teams again. I mean, at this point, it don't matter, man. It doesn't, like it doesn't, because he's earned the right to be able to do whatever, but it's like, okay, bro. All right. Because guess what? If you go to Cleveland, oh, he he better win a ring. No, no.
SPEAKER_04Like, if he just won, if he's coming off a championship, and I think, and he denounced before the season that, hey, look, this will be my last season. Everybody knows a fair world tour. He's not gonna go hard. He's not, I mean, I ain't gonna say he ain't gonna go hard. I think anytime he's on the court, he's gonna he's gonna compete at the highest level. But it's not ring or bust or nothing like that. There's no pressure there.
SPEAKER_02Um you know what's crazy? This is random, but I feel better about him making it through the season uninjured than Joe Burrow. Oh, oh wow, okay.
SPEAKER_04We'll we'll get up, we'll get to that soon. Um probably last thing is when young stars is ready to take the next step. You think it'd be a like young guy? Say that again. Uh, which uh young stars ready to take the next step?
SPEAKER_02Who you think is like I mean, I guess I gotta pivot away from the Sixers again, but I mean Maxi and V VJ. I mean, is Jalen Brown young? I mean, he don't I don't even know what a next step for him will be. Uh so I'm I'm gonna come off them. Uh let's go. Um next step. Uh man, maybe Ant-Man and and uh Melo, Mobile. Maybe I'm not fully convinced in that team, but I mean they're definitely gonna be exciting. I'm not gonna miss a game.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. I've been thinking about I've been thinking about Portland. I've been thinking about it.
SPEAKER_02Yes, that is. I forgot about Portland, yes. Um I'm still high on John Moran. I'm I'm really hoping that he comes out and shuts everybody up.
SPEAKER_04And I'm not gonna lie, I was at uh JD uh the other day, and I seen I seen these shoes, I was like, oh man, those shoes are nice. I went over to them. I'm like, in my head, I was thinking, I'm like, I bet you these are John Moran's. And I grabbed them and I looked, I was like, they're John Moran's.
SPEAKER_02I was like, Yeah, I got them, I got them bingo color joints. Yeah, that's what that's what it was, yeah. I had to grab those.
SPEAKER_04I seen them and I was like, I I was thinking about getting them. Needed them. Uh, but yeah, yeah, so I see why he's like the number one Nike athlete. Uh so but yeah, I was thinking about Portland. I'm thinking about what Josh still being young. I mean, even though you got Dame as a as a veteran, you know, leader there, which is good, you know what I mean? Uh, and they got a bunch of young talent, you know what I mean? And they made us a splash in the playoffs last year, and I think they're that next young team out of the West, at least, um to kind of push the envelope.
SPEAKER_02It's gonna be a hell of a leap, but I mean they they got the talent, man. That backcourt is, and you know Dame's gonna be on one too. He missed the whole season. Really, two, if you really look at it.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Because that Milwaukee season, he didn't play that whole season either. Yeah. So yeah, he missed about a season and a half. So he's gonna be on. So I don't know. That's gonna be a tough, that's gonna, like you said, it's gonna be a tough backcourt to guard. I mean, and they still got uh they still got guys all around, too. So yeah, that's they're a nice young team. And I think, you know what I mean, if they can get, you know what I mean? I don't know too much about coaching. I don't think their coach is bad.
SPEAKER_02I can't remember his name, but I think they're head they got they got some nobody that that was cheap.
SPEAKER_04And I think they I think they're heading in the right direction though.
SPEAKER_02Because you remember they didn't even opt to um to keep Tiago Splitter around because the the owner was being super cheap. So I don't even know who their I don't even think they know who their coach is. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, that's cool though. All right, man. We're gonna we're gonna switch gear. I ain't even switched over to the topic. Look at me, man. Um, this is what it's supposed to look like when we're talking topics. Uh uh switch over to NFL a little bit, man. Uh
Bengals Season Expectations And Worries
SPEAKER_04I guess we're gonna start. I'll let you start with the Bengals, and then we'll get into the questions. So, what do you what's your expectation for the Bengals this year? I mean, realistically.
SPEAKER_02Man, I I try to be optimistic, but um, we didn't do anything at linebacker, and that's that's crazy to me. We didn't do anything at corner, which is crazy to me. Um, we did add Dexter Lawrence, so hopefully we can get some sacks. Uh, because we need some. I mean, we're we're literally we're probably 10 sacks in the last three years away from being at least two time Super Bowl champions. Like, if we could just Get some timely third down sacks, we would have been straight. You think a sack or two more in the in the in the super in the Super Bowl against the Rams three years ago. You know what I'm saying? All these close games we lost, you know. Things would be better. We just a stop away. And it's like I was looking at um all of our games last year with one of my coworkers. All the times we've scored 30-something points and lost. I think we scored like over 30 points and lost like five or six times last season. Which is unheard of. So you you throw in a couple sacks, maybe a sack, a sack, a sack or two in each one of those games, we probably win all of those games. Um it's all gonna come down and get some sacks, man. I I am scared to hell at the linebacker position um because those guys suck. Um two rookies we had last year, they showed no promise. Um, they're not tough, they can't tackle. Um, so I'm I'm scared to death at linebacker. Um, but hopefully our you know, our front, you know, our our you know, our front four or front three, right? We're playing at 3-4 this year, so it'll be a little different. Um you know, hopefully just our front, our our defensive line can can get some pressure and get some sacks. Umfely, I mean, we got all the weapons you would need. I really wish we had like a dog line uh tight end, um we insist on having three or four tight ends that each one does a little bit of something instead of just getting a good one that does everything. Um so that's that's not gonna change. And then, like I was telling you the other day, we have money left. We have $18 million left uh you know in the salary cap. And people was harping on, oh, you guys paying chasing T. No. And I used to say, I used to name off all the teams that are paying 40 million guys, 40 million dollars each. Like, so I already knew that it shouldn't have been an issue because we wasn't paying anybody on defense, and we weren't paying anybody else. We were literally paying two receivers uh in a quarterback, nobody else is getting any like substantial money. So, I mean, we could have definitely utilized that a little bit more, but I'm I I'm hoping with Dexter Lawrence being in you know in the middle of our defensive line that that can kind of help the defense, but like I said, I'm I'm I'm out on our linebackers, so I just I don't really know what that looks like. So we'll see. Okay.
SPEAKER_04Um,
Colts Outlook And Key Question Marks
SPEAKER_04and I'll start with I'll start with the coats. Um, Justin may be jumping in here soon. But I'll start with the coats. Um, I'll start offense and then I'll go defense. Um hopefully uh I'll start at quarterback. Um just with our quarterback coming off of a broken, uh fractured uh was it tibia and a ACL. Like most of the times, that first year back is not they're never they're not the same that year. You look at Aaron Rodgers when he came back, you look at a lot of these quarterbacks when they come back off of that injury. Yeah, they may be healthy enough to play, but they don't tend to play the same, right? Um, so hopefully, though, they say he's 100% and he's looking good and everything's fine and no restrictions and all that. They say all the right things until he gets on the field and it's just not the same. Um, so yeah, hopefully uh he's good. Running back, Jonathan Taylor. They, you know, I mean, they haven't said anything, they've been kind of trying to keep it under wraps, but he secretly won't an extension, which I think he deserves after last year. Uh you said Jonathan Taylor? Yeah. Didn't he just get paid? But they it was a small contract. It was the years was short. They gave him more money, but they kept the years short. Oh so he didn't get like one of those five years, you know what I mean? He got like he got like a three-year with a bump, you know, with a pay raise bump, you know what I mean, to put him up to like like third in the league and uh and pay. Oh okay. So um they just announced Alec Pierce yesterday that he'll be ready for week one, even though he hasn't had no mini camp, no offseason workouts, no nothing. He's been rehabbing all offseason. So with him now being available as the new number one, let's see how that goes. Because this is his first year as a number one. You just paid him and he's coming off a foot injury. So um, and we we're very, very slim in the in the uh wide receiver room. Hence too, we just got Keenan Allen. So um that's a worry. Uh everything else I'm good with. Offensive line is is gonna be good. Offensive line is normally, you know, top 10 in NFL most years. And I'm not worried about Tyler Warren. He's he's he was great his rookie year. I think if he keeps building on that lad, you know, how he played last year, I think he'll he'll be fine.
SPEAKER_02Um Yeah, I think he got a chance to be one of the best in the league.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Uh switching over to the defensive side, I'll start a defensive side, I'll start with the D-line. Um heard some rumors about uh about Buckner may still be having some back neck issues. Um they say he helped, he said he could play, but you know, they've been kind of trying to like keep that under wraps, too. So we'll see how that goes. But we signed so many defensive linemen this offseason, so I want to see if they did that as a precaution, or you know what I mean? Is it just a coincidence? Uh Grover Stewart is great. Um, we need we need we we like y'all. We cannot get pressure on the QB. Like Latu Latu has probably been our most consistent, but even him, like in the past two years, he's I think he's only had eight sacks. Um we got rid of Old Boy, we drafted uh drafted and uh drafted from Michigan. Uh Kitty Pay Yeah, let him go. Um, so I think we're I think it's gonna be JT from uh the guy we drafted from Ohio State. I think he's gonna be starting to end, but good luck with that.
SPEAKER_02Buddy had one cra I never forget it. Buddy had a crazy game at Penn State, man. He we talked about this on there before. He had like an interception, he had a fumble recovery for a touchdown. He might have scored on the touchdown and the fumble recovery, had a couple sacks, he went crazy. That's literally the only good game, only good game he's had. Like, and that got him drafted. And it, I don't even believe it was the year that um his his last year though offset. I think it was the year before. Um, so yeah, I I don't know what's up with Buddy, man. But um, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I um so I'm interested to see that because that's been our problem, and I think that's the reason why like our DBs has been struggling, even though we have like one of the best secondaries in in the league, has been struggling, is because we can't get pressure on the QB. Right, yeah, that'll do it every time. Every time, like you, I don't care how good your your your DBs are, they can't five seconds is the longest DBs can cover. I don't care what routes guarding, I don't care about any of that. Like five seconds. Um, I know that just that doesn't sound like a long time, but in football, that's a very long time.
SPEAKER_02That's a very if you can't get to the quarterback in five seconds, you need to Right, but I mean even create credit.
SPEAKER_04I'm talking about I'm talking about I'm talking about guarding, like I'm like talking about like DBs covering.
SPEAKER_02That's what I'm saying, but like, yeah, they shouldn't have to cover more than five seconds because after five seconds, you should be on that quarterback. Your defensive line should be on that quarterback. Like that's that's that's too long to have your DBs trying to cover. So yeah, nah. You can't you can't get to the your D line can't close in on the quarterback uh in five seconds. Like, with all due respect, yeah, go get your uh CDLs, because that's crazy. Everybody involved. Sounds like some bangles stuff.
SPEAKER_04So yeah, that and then we uh linebackers. We got some young guys. Um we may be starting two rookies, um, but we got rid of for some reason we got rid of um Zaire Franklin, leading tackler in the league multiple years. Like, that's crazy. Um, and we're starting two young guys. Uh, I want to say CJ Allen, and I can't think of the other guy's name. Uh CJ Allen has sold some promise though. Uh been hearing a number of good things about him, but again, like this is the NFL. Uh, so like these young guys, like when you gotta start tackling week one, you gotta tackle Derrick Henry. Right. You know what I'm saying? So you gotta try to catch Lamar Jackson. So, like, welcome to the NFL. Like, I wouldn't be surprised if our defense, um our front seven, get destroyed. I but our DBs, I pretty I think are pretty much solid. Like I said, we got sauce, we got Ward.
SPEAKER_02Uh hey, shout out to Sauce, he got a pick this uh preseason. Like it looked odd. Like, I'm just like, wow, I ain't seen my guy pick. It's literally probably been three years.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, two years, and it's crazy you say that because that's all he's been talking about offseason. Every interview I've seen with him offseason, he'd be talking about hey, look, he like, I know a lot of times I don't get a lot of opportunities, a lot of quarterbacks don't throw my way, you know what I mean? But like, like when they do, I have to take advantage of those opportunities. I have to get picks, you know what I mean? So he's really been talking about getting interceptions. Like, that's when I seen that, I was like, hey, yeah, I was happy to see that. Yeah, so um, and that safety, I mean, we still got Bynam, which I think is good, and then we're starting at uh the rookie uh kid from uh LSU that we drafted. So um, not mad about that either. So uh I think that's a safe spot to put a guy who played corner, I think, in uh in college, but to put him at safety, you know, in NFL to start. Uh okay, hold on, I'm trying to get Justin in here. So if y'all see me looking at my phone. Okay, hold on. J Fox I guess. I might not be sending it to the right email. All right. Um, so yeah, I think I think maybe, like I said, I think we're in that same position as a lot of okay teams are. If we can stay, if we stay healthy, um, because like we said, Ward, you know, he's a couple concussions away from retiring, which that's a huge investment we made on our team. Like if Daniel Jones can, you know, come back halfway decent, you know, uh, that'd be a huge plus. Um, like I said, normally we lose two to three DBs every year. And we let we let uh Kenny Moore go this season for some reason, uh, this offseason for some reason. And he still ain't picked up either. So crazy. So I and I'm starting to think like when teams say such and such requested a trade, I think that's them telling them, hey, look, go find another team, and if they want you, we'll move you. Right. If they don't, then we're gonna release you. I think that's just their cold way of saying it without like basically saying we want to get rid of this person. They make it, they make it sound like that's the player's idea. Because there was no reason to get rid of Kenny Moore. Y'all just gave him some new money, you know what I mean? Yeah, uh a little over a year ago. Like, he's one of the best corner slots. He's not old, he's like 31. But he was like third in the team in tackles last year, like second in picks. Like, what like why why are we moving him? Uh, like I said, I say the same thing about Zaire Franklin. Like, probably one of the most productive linebackers in the NFL. Like, you're moving them for young guys for what? When really the front office jobs are on the line this year. That's how I feel. They should be, and if they're not, they should be. Like, yeah.
SPEAKER_02I don't I don't disagree with that.
SPEAKER_04Balor's trying to be super noble, like, yeah, it's the last year of my deal, and I'm not gonna take a deal. Even if they offer one, I wouldn't take it because we haven't produced, and da da da.
SPEAKER_02That's what he's saying.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Wow, that's deep. Well, I mean, cool. Don't I hope you don't take one because like at some point things need to change.
SPEAKER_02Dang, I don't think I've ever heard that before.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah. He's he's in the final year of his deal, and I mean, you know, happy enough, like the the coats have not offered yet, so I am very happy they haven't. Um, so I will. Bye. Right. I I mean, for real. Um all right, so let's go into some questions.
Rookie QB Impact And Card Talk
SPEAKER_04Uh Rookie QBs, which ones you think are gonna make the biggest impact this season?
SPEAKER_02Rookie QBs from like this season? Yeah. Um, who are they? It may be only one star. Oh, so we we're gonna be. I don't even think any start.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Who else? Uh um Carson Beck. Yeah, Carson Beck. Um, I think he may be the one that has the biggest chance of getting getting some clock early.
SPEAKER_02It's crazy. I should have know these because I'm in the cars, but really, like, it ain't really ain't really popped off real yet. Like, it's really just them are really the only two I can think of off the top of my head that are like, well, Carson Beck ain't gonna ain't gonna play. Fernando might, I feel like Fernando by week four, he'll be in there. Uh, I really don't even know who else. Like, you have some names. I don't. Yeah, like I don't even know.
SPEAKER_03Which normally I'm prepared.
SPEAKER_02Shit, Fernando and Carson Beck. I don't just I don't even know who the hell else is a rookie quarterback this year, honestly. Uh so I don't know if that's a good thing, or I'm just tapped out or what. But like I was I seriously can't because I'm thinking of all the teams. Let's go. We can go division by division. Let's go NFC East. Dallas, no, uh uh Redskins, no, Commanders, whatever, Philly, no, uh Giants no. Okay, so let's go AFC North, Bengals no, Browns no, Ravens no, Steelers no. Y'all division, y'all know, Tennessee, no, Jacksonville, no, Houston, no.
SPEAKER_04All right, and FC. Of course we got we got Mendoza, Ty Simpson, okay. Carson Beck, we mentioned them. Uh Drew Alar, uh he's like fourth on the death chart in this in Philly.
SPEAKER_02I mean in Pittsburgh, so he's not gonna play. Uh K uh Kuben in the Jets. Klubnik. He's uh with uh he's with the Jets. He's with the Jets. Yeah, he might he might actually get on the field. Uh Cole Payton, the Eagles. He's not gonna play. He's like fourth, third or fourth.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, the rest of the guys are like super late rounds. Yeah, that's that's crazy, man.
SPEAKER_02I knew I weren't tripping because I'm thinking, I'm like, damn, what are the rookies? Oh, you're right.
SPEAKER_04You're right. That's not a lot of rookie QBs that you know, even have a chance, really.
SPEAKER_02All right, well, I mean the cards is gonna be super boring this year. I wonder what people are gonna be looking for, because that's the every year's, you know, what's the rookie quarterbacks collect the rookie? It really ain't nothing. Yeah, it ain't none, it ain't none to really chase except for uh Fernando. I mean, unless you just want to stock up, but like Drew Haller, bruh, is like so buried in the I got the same amount of chance of playing as he does, so that ain't that's not that ain't gonna happen.
SPEAKER_04All right, then so what coaches do you think is under the most pressure right now?
Coaches Under The Most Pressure
SPEAKER_02Under the most pressure for sure, Zach Taylor has to be. I mean You've been saying that for a bit, though. He has he has to have pressure, bro. If if we flop this year, like you have to get rid of Buddy. Do I think it's gonna happen? No, because our ownership and our front office, front office, I use that term loosely when it's referring to the Bengals, uh, they show no care and winning for real. So like, that's fair, you know. But I mean, you would he you he would have to be there. Um let me see. Let me give you another one. Uh I feel like y'all coach might be. Yeah, no, I was I was exactly about to say that. I feel like he would probably be out if they don't get it together. Um, uh another one, man. Detroit's coach. Hey. Oh, for real? You think uh his team, the team is team?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, that's true. But they also, bro, it's like, man, I don't know what it is. Bro, they get more, they get hurt. More players hurt than any other team I've ever seen ever in the world. Ever. I think they may got the Niners beat.
SPEAKER_02Man, I don't know about that, bro.
SPEAKER_04The Niners, I think Niners had like key positions, like middle linebacker, like quarterback, like they like in's, like, they get like the super like important. Like, these niggas will lose a whole DB group. They'll lose a whole D line, they'll lose like three offensive linemen. You know what I mean? Like in one season. Like, I've never seen somebody have to go to the practice squad so much, sign so many people during the season, like, and be on a playoff room.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. But they they but they but they uh they got a nice they their quarterback, receivers, uh, running back little group is probably amongst the best in the league. Like, yeah, you you've got it, it's it's time, bro. And it's like it and it's the same, it's crazy because it's the same thing with us. Like, I'm not even if we don't win a Super Bowl this year, it's not a bust. But like, let's just start building our way towards being contenders every year. You know what I'm saying? Kind of like what Baltimore's been the last five years, kind of like what Buffalo's been the last five years. Obviously, we know what you know the Chiefs have been for shit, seemed like the last forever. You know what I'm saying? Like, let's start building towards being a contender every year. Let's just play solid. Let's not lose game five or six games because our defense can't get a stop. You know what I'm saying? Like, I can take a loss, like it is what it is, but let's just be more complete. So it's it's not Super Bowl above for me. I just want to see the team be complete. That's it. If you lose, you lose. But just be complete. Don't have this high-powered offense that can't nobody stop. But then the defense can't stop a middle school team. Like, that's right. I I I don't want that. You know, just compete. You know, you play a good game, your offense plays well, your defense plays well, you guys lose by three points. Whatever, bro. I ain't even tripping. Even if it's the first game of the playoffs, give me to 11 and 6, lose first game of the playoffs, as long as you compete and it's close. I'm cool with that. Um I don't have no qualms with that. So I'm just hoping for a complete football team to compete for a full football season this year. That's all I want from the Bengals. If we can do that, I'm happy. Uh, I'm with you on that.
SPEAKER_04Uh, same thing with we gotta finish games. Like, yeah, that's been us for years. Nobody wants to do that. Yeah, so we we just finish games. If we can finish games, I'm I'm solid. Like, no dumb turnovers, no just that stupid random goofy stuff that just happens. You know what I mean? Like, there's teams out there I feel like it's supposed to happen too. But like, I feel like we're we're we're we're a super deep veteran team. We shouldn't be having the stupid mistakes at the end of games that cost us games. You know what I mean? Stupid fumbles, dancing, you know, on the way to the end, like all that dumb stuff, dropping the ball before you cross the line. All that's gonna say that. You know what I mean? All that dumb stuff, like that cost us two, you know, two games is a lot. Two games we in the playoffs. Like, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_02One tackle in the playoffs.
SPEAKER_04I know all about it. Yeah, right. So it's like those type of things. I just I can't I can't get past. So like, don't do that. Like, you know, play good, play consistent, you know, compete and finish games. Um so yeah. I'm trying to think of any other quarterbacks that may be on like most teams got most of these teams got new coaches. Like, yeah, I mean, and if they're not, they're all you know, I mean, they're in a good spot and competing. So, yeah. I think what Pittsburgh just got a new coach. I mean, the Browns. I mean, I mean Tennessee, the the Ravens, the Bills, the Raiders too, right?
SPEAKER_02They uh I don't know. Everybody in our division, except for us, got a new coach.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Like, you look at the AFC, I'm just trying to think like in my head, AFC East, like Miami's coach is newer. Buffalo's coach is newer. Buffalo, yeah, that's what I'm saying. New England's coach is newer, the Jets coach only been there two years. Uh you look at like the NFC South, the Panthers are competing, the the Saints should be better. Uh the Falcons coach ain't that old. He's only there two years. Like Tampa Bay probably has the older senior coach down there, but hell, they've been competing. Beaten. They just announced uh Buddy's contract. They reached an agreement on a three-year extension for uh Baker. Um they didn't announce the money. They didn't announce the money. Yeah, they didn't announce the money yet, but they're saying, you know, they they've agreed on something tentatively before the season. Um yeah, man. Yeah, it seems like the teams that haven't been competing and got new coaches and the teams that have been competing. Like you said, probably our coaches is probably like two of the teams that they ever been making the playoffs. This coach is still hanging around. You know what I mean? So I'm with that. Uh get them out of here, man. I mean, how much of a leash are you gonna give uh Shanahan in in San Francisco? They they've been a roller coaster. I mean, you can blame it on industries.
SPEAKER_02Man, like bro, ain't heck can't get a team.
SPEAKER_04There he is.
Justin Joins And Hot Seat Picks
SPEAKER_04Blurry camera and all. Let's get it. What's good? Yo, what's going on? Nothing much, man.
SPEAKER_02Not much. Talking a little ball. You know, you know how we do. Talking.
SPEAKER_04Call us at the right time, man. We're talking about our teams. And uh well, first off, we we the question was I guess we can we can backtrack a little bit. Coaches on the hot seat this year. What do you think?
SPEAKER_01Man, that's that's always tricky from year to year, to be honest with you. That's true. That's true. Uh, if I had to guess, um just kind of based upon, I would say, Aaron Glenn. Like a lot of them teams like you know, the Jets, they have short leashes.
SPEAKER_02His seat is scorching hot. Yeah, like that motherfucker's on fire.
SPEAKER_01I think um, well, I think Cincinnati.
SPEAKER_04I think that's what we just said our teams, our teams probably got some of the longest senior coaches. Like, like everybody else has pretty much done got new coaches. They ain't been really competing.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, I think those are probably the two that kind of come to mind uh that stick out. I mean, I think there's some other teams that you you may think it, but either they got a newer, newer coach or that, you know, they got a coach that got a good relationship with the franchise. I mean, like, Kyle Shanahan ain't going nowhere unless he wants to.
SPEAKER_04We just we just just talking about it.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_04Uh, but we was talking about uh Dan Campbell in Detroit, too.
SPEAKER_01No, I think he got a long leash. They was they was so bad for so long before him. Um they they ain't great. I don't think they'll they'll make any changes there.
SPEAKER_02And even if he dropped again with that offense.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, but I mean, skill position-wise, they good. But I mean, we can't forget their offensive line ain't been great in the last really year and a half, ever since uh Frank retired as center. They've been trying to plug up the center role, and they guards have been struggling. And then when Decker retired this year, you know, they're trying to replace the left tackle, so now they're trying to move, you know, Sewell over. And I think they drafted uh, I forgot Buddy Name, they drafted to play right tackle, but I mean, offensive line matters. And they Sewell a lot. No, Sewell's left tackle now. Yeah, they yeah, they moved Sewell the left and the left. They moved him. Oh, I didn't know that. I want to say Brad Miller or something like that. They drafted somebody to play right tackle. So yeah, I I think I think there's gonna be some plus, I mean, let's just be real. I don't know that in the last three years that they've had a healthy defense for the full season. So, like, I mean, I that's hard to put.
SPEAKER_04We was just saying all these things, like, bro, you're coming in, like, just echoing his echoes. I was like, it's hard to get rid of him because it's like this man lost a whole defense, he done lost three offensive linemen, he'll lost a whole D line, he lost a linebacker, uh, a linebacker, and like two DBs in like one playoff run. Like they were signing people before they were going into the playoffs.
SPEAKER_01Like, and he's starting the season without arguably the best safety tandem in the league. I mean, both of them out, both of them? Kirby Joseph. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bam. Yeah. And ain't no timetable, I guess, set yet for when either one is gonna return. So yeah, it's tough. I don't think Dan Campbell's there just yet.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. And like I said, I mean, a lot of these other teams got new coaches, or they either been competing, you know, year in and year out. So it's like you can't really get a rid of a coach that's been competing.
SPEAKER_01I mean, you can, but I mean I mean, we see it happen, but it ain't often, I guess I'll say it that way.
SPEAKER_04I guess like the Ravens and like the Bills or the Outliers, you know what I mean? The teams are just like, all right, they've just been there too long. Like, let's just do a re-rack and see what happens. Yeah. Re-rack is crazy.
SPEAKER_02Well, I'm just saying, like, because it's like I ain't never heard that used to be coaching.
SPEAKER_04Like, that's wow. I mean, you shake things up. That's what I mean. That's what I think. I think about like a re-react, like when you play a pool, like, you know, yeah, no, no, use that though.
SPEAKER_02I'm just saying, never that's that's a good one. I'm gonna actually still it for sure, but no, I know exactly what you mean. It's actually too good of an analogy.
SPEAKER_04So, um, okay. Well, with
Offseason Moves That Change Everything
SPEAKER_04that being said, which off-season moves y'all think made the biggest impact this season? Just offseason, I should say.
SPEAKER_01Uh, I think Kenneth Walker did the Chiefs is gonna be big for them. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04People are really sleeping on that. I'm like, the Chiefs, whenever they've had a decent defense and an above-average run game, they've been dangerous. Yep. Um I'm trying to think who else. What else do you think?
SPEAKER_01I think Dexter Lawrence is gonna have a big impact since he helping that defensive line. I think he's gonna, I think he's gonna be big. But I mean, the the low-hanging fruit here is I think Miles Garrett is gonna transform the front of that freaking Rams uh defense. So that might have been the biggest, that might have been the biggest offseason.
SPEAKER_02I mean, they brought in Miles Garrett and essentially brought in Aaron Donald. Come on, bro.
SPEAKER_01Well, I guess I guess if we're gonna say biggest impact, I'm gonna say the Rams because it wasn't just the Miles Garrett and Aaron Donald coming back. McDuffie and Watson, too. So they sure it up the cornerback position, too. So I would say potentially that that definitely would be what I would say. Okay. RIP to the league, bro.
SPEAKER_04Man, I feel sorry for the QBs in the in the NFC West. I'd be like, hey man, hey, I'll be man, I'd be taking my offensive lineman out every day. Like every week. Hey man, what we eat, man, after practice, man. What we do, man. I'll be better in the past.
SPEAKER_02I'm just about to fight, bro. Like, that's the only thing I can think of. It's like, bro, we just got to fight. Like, cause I mean, I don't know what else to do.
SPEAKER_01The one I think that I'm most interested in is probably Jalen Phillips, though, to the Panthers. To see, because when he's healthy, he's good. And the Panthers were already solid on defense. So I'm very curious to see him, even Jonathan Bernard in in Philly, to see what he's able to do in that defense or Rek Woolen in Philly. Like I think Philly added some key pieces to their defense. It's gonna make them a sleeper team in the NFC, uh, where they can be pretty, I mean, they're gonna be pretty. They always do. Yeah. So yeah.
SPEAKER_02I'm curious to see how AJ Brown fits in with uh New England too. And we'll get to see that next tomorrow. I can't wait. Can't wait.
SPEAKER_04And I mean, I mean, I mean, at least he's there with at least a familiar face as far as coach. You know what I mean? They he, you know, he's coaching before. He knows he kind of know how he is, you know what I'm saying? So I guess I think that makes the transition a bit easier and smoother for him. So I wish him the best, man. I mean they know how to use him. You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_01They're gonna know how to use him.
SPEAKER_04So I ain't gonna say no to playbook because they ain't got the same coordinator. But yeah, yeah, it ain't too much, it ain't too much you can put out there, he ain't gonna know what to do. I guess uh shoe, I guess shoot, forget
Real Super Bowl Contenders Debate
SPEAKER_04it. Who's real Super Bowl contenders this year? I guess we can already throw the Rams out there.
SPEAKER_02If I had to pick Chiefs and uh and uh Rams in the Super Bowl, I really can't argue that.
SPEAKER_01I can.
SPEAKER_04Well, of course, let's see her.
SPEAKER_01Only reason why I'm argue against the Chiefs is gonna be this is another one of those years where I think they just got a lot of unknowns. I mean, Mahomes coming back from the injury. A slow start in that division can can doom you because of division stuff. Um but I also would say I'm not a hundred percent sure yet on the offensive line. Simmons is hurt already again. Uh they're talking about he probably won't even play week one. So you're already missing your starting left tackle, which is not a good sign when your quarterback's coming back from a knee injury. Um and then two, I don't know defensively what they're gonna do because they they need some guys to step on the uh step up on their defense because you know, Chris Jones is getting old, man. And even like last year, you know, if you watch a lot of the Chiefs, he's not as dominant against the run as he once was because I mean they still got that man playing so many plays. They really need to find a way to be able to better utilize him. So I think the Chiefs for me is just it's a little bit more of an unknown. I think there's some teams that we've seen now who will push them. Uh so I'm not ready to write them in yet. But I mean, only time and tell. I've also said I don't bet against the Chiefs either when they're healthy and in and uh locked in.
SPEAKER_04So that's exactly what I was gonna say. I was like, health. If they can say healthy, they're they're always right there. It's like you said, it's hard to bet against them when they're healthy.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, but they've struggled to, you know, their defense has struggled to get to the pass or like a few of the teams, you know. Um so I just I don't know. For me, there's just a few unknowns that I gotta see first to see if like some of these rookies and uh or the young guys have are ready to take, I think, another step and um and help, you know, to do that.
SPEAKER_04So we'll see. So who if you had to replace them, who would you replace them with in the AFC, I guess?
SPEAKER_01Um that's tough because it's a lot of question marks in the AFC. It really is. Um I mean you're you're normal the Texans.
SPEAKER_04Okay, I'm about to say, because your normal contenders, your Bills, they got a new coach, you don't really know what they're gonna look like. You know, I ain't never been a big believer on them either. I'm just saying, I'm just thinking about just our normal our usual suspects over the past years. The Bills, the Ravens, um and ALC. I mean, you said the Texans. Like, I mean, because the city, I guess you can throw Denver out there. That's why I said Denver.
SPEAKER_01Um is with them, with their edge rusher being out for who knows how long until this case gets settled. If they don't have him, I don't think their defense is the same. Who? I think what made their defense so unique and what they were able to do is because you had two elite edge rushers, kind of like the Texans, you know, coming off that edge, and that changes everything when you ain't when you don't have one. So, I mean, Nick Benino's still gonna be good, but we're gonna have to see who they got on the other side to step up, you know, and and and and and step into that role.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, but I think also, too, I think nobody's really been talking about the addition of Waddle on the offensive end, too. Uh so playing with a lead, uh again, pass rushers come into play too. So it's like, I think now with another weapon, I mean, you give O'Nex another weapon on the other side of a sudden. Like, I think I think that like you said, I think that division too is really gonna push. I mean, the Chargers ain't no slouch. I mean, Mike McDaniels and Jim Harbaugh, imagine that fucking coaching room. Like weird, like weird, but could be possibly great. You know what I mean? Like pretty sure. Like, you know what I'm saying? Probably awkward, you know what I mean? Oh, we know that but could be possibly like just come out and like you know, do some some some remarkable things. Uh so I mean, you look at that, I mean, yeah, yeah, it's it's it's a lot of question marks in the AFC. I think that's why I think kind of the safe bed, it's easy to go Chiefs, because even with their questions, I mean, the most most teams that you worry, the areas you worry about when you think of Patrick Mahomes, you think of, you know, coach that Airbnb me back, you know what I mean? Like you just think about just the comfort, like the Chiefs just make you comfortable and what you're gonna get from them. You know, Kelsey's still there, like all those guys are still there, even if you may not know how they may be healthy or effective-wise, it's like, all right, like again, you don't want to bet against them. It's hard to not see uh uh Andy Reed, Patrick Mahone team not really competing.
SPEAKER_01Um I think they're gonna compete, but I don't know. Now this is just me, but I think the last two years, to me, the Chiefs haven't looked good. Like they really haven't. No, for sure. Uh so I'm not saying, again, I'm not saying they they won't make a run and get it together because to your point, Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes has been fantastic since they've been together.
SPEAKER_02But and then be enemies back too.
SPEAKER_01That's what I was like. With B enemy back, is like, okay. But I I sometimes I say, how locked in is he? You know, his wife got shot.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it's a lie.
SPEAKER_01He didn't like dealing with that.
SPEAKER_04The the the Chiefs going into a season, it's always something going on. Like either Patrick Mahomes dead, it's Travis Kelsey or something, you know what I mean? It's like it's always something going on. The the uh Rasheed Rice, and you know what I mean? Like, it's always something with that team, but it a lot of times it doesn't affect the field, though. It doesn't like you know what I mean. So, yes, yeah, because that's right.
SPEAKER_02Uh Andy Reid had a lot going on in his personal, personal life, shit, right before the Super Bowl, his son like would kill somebody or something or injured somebody's surreal. So, nah, that's that's a good point.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, so again, but it's like you think about the Chiefs and you just feel so comfortable with just how they've been over the past 10 years, you could say. You know what I mean? It's just like okay, if nobody else in the LC will figure it out, we believe we believe we'll figure it out early on, they're the safe bet to figure it out with all the question marks.
SPEAKER_01So I I'll say this, the last thing I would say about that. I've also I also think personally that the Chiefs have kind of lost that um invincibility shield they had up for years. I don't think teams fear them the way they once did. And I think that once teams no longer fear you, it also gives them uh more confidence when they go in to play the Chiefs in some of those big games. So I I just don't I think really just because of how they played the last two years, I don't think anybody fears them the way they once did. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04So and you also don't go in there and you don't make those mental mistakes because a lot of teams used to make a bunch of mental mistakes against the Chiefs, which will cost them the game.
SPEAKER_02So like something something kind of similar to like fourth and 17 with the game on a line. Somewhere around that. If anybody knows, I do.
SPEAKER_01Like, yeah. Hey Jared, I'd be curious to see. Are we gonna see Travis Kelsey getting wide open again this year?
SPEAKER_02If we start seeing that again, probably so we know some running and we know what's getting the R down the screen and then just stopping and turning around. Nobody's nowhere near him. Yeah, probably so. Probably so.
SPEAKER_04How the season is gonna go.
SPEAKER_02I'm sure we'll share some some dialogue at some point in the season about how he's just miraculously just wide open.
SPEAKER_01For the audience, there are many text messages between me and Jared of like not understanding how tragic Kelsey gets outright nonsense.
SPEAKER_02Like, what what like he ain't fast, he's not quick, he's not agile. Guard him, somebody, please. You know, but hey.
SPEAKER_04No, I agree. I mean, he just he I he's just one of those tight ends, like that just don't need a lot of space. He knows what he's doing, he knows how to create leverage. He doesn't have to have this huge catch radius. The ball is usually right in his elbow. You know what I mean? No matter who's guarding, even if there is somebody there, like he just finds a holes in the zone. Like you say, he's not fast, he's not slow, he's just shifty, he just creates enough separation that Patrick Mahomes just knows where to put the ball. You know what I mean? Yeah. It's fresh if if if I was a linebacker, I would be frustrated on defense because it's like I'm right here. And it just sometimes it just doesn't matter, even if you are right there. It's just like nobody around him.
SPEAKER_01But that's true too.
SPEAKER_04That's true too. It's just like he just he knows he knows what y'all doing, he he knows what kind of zone you're running, and he just sits there. They very seldom run man against him, like, but yeah, so I'm with you. I'm with ya. Uh I don't know.
Breakout Players To Watch
SPEAKER_04Um any breakout players nobody's talking about. Y'all think you'll have that had that season this year? That maybe y'all seen like a flash last year that hopefully sure.
SPEAKER_02I would love to see Odell go crazy this year. I don't think it's gonna happen though.
SPEAKER_04They say he had a good offseason, though.
SPEAKER_02Like he's Odell Beckham Jr. I don't know what everybody's like, you know what I'm saying? Like his kind of talent doesn't just I I don't think his time, his type of talent just fades. Like, I think he can still make plays. Because even when he was with the Ravens, me and Justin talked about that. Like, when they would actually let him play football, like he was making plays. But it's just like teams are just like content with not letting him play football, and it's just like, all right. I agree with that.
SPEAKER_01You know, there's a couple, there's a couple guys I'm curious. Like, I think I think Omarion Hampton, because I do believe in uh Mike McDannon's ability to call an offense. I think he could have a monster year for the Chargers. Um I think this is a make or break year, but I think this offense is gonna be good for Marvin Harrison Jr. to finally have the type of impact that we thought he could have coming out of Ohio State. I'm hoping so. Um well, one that hits home uh for you, Vern. Uh now this is more of a long shot, but I actually think uh A.D. Mitchell, I think he could find some success in uh with New York this year. He had some moments last year, but I think Gino is gonna be uh competent enough quarterback uh to give him opportunities to make plays doing the things he does well.
SPEAKER_04So um I'm trying to think. I had to think of somebody I don't know who's I can't think of nobody really on the cuff, man. I'd be so locked in on damn coats. I mean, I want to say, hopefully, you know, Tyler Warren take another leap. I mean, we kind of we we kind of spoke about that earlier, like just make that next leap as that, you know, number one tight end as becoming one of those elite tight ends. And I know it's only been would be two years, but I mean, usually tight ends you could tell early on. Uh, and I think he might be one of those guys, hopefully. Um, we haven't had a good tight end in a long time. Like, um, I should say an elite tight end in a long time. So, what about you, Jared? Anybody you can think of to need that could possibly take that next leap and have a breakout season?
SPEAKER_02Hopefully, the entire Bengals defense. Okay. Somebody, anybody. Give me something. I'm begging. Give me something. So um, other than I always like to give if if I'm gonna give somebody from that hasn't like I have affiliation with her that I like, I try to give somebody that's not that. Um man, I it's kind of a tricky question because I got a lot of guys that I want to see. Like, I want to see Travis Hunter just go crazy. It it nothing would make me happier than see Travis Hunter be all pro this year. Um so Travis Hunter would be one. Uh Marvin Harrison Jr. is totally one. I think he's full of talent that he's just it's just something's not really clicking. Um Malik Neighbors is another one. If he was up here this year, that's another one that I want to see you know do well. It's just some of my favorite youngsters.
SPEAKER_04Um, I want I want the sprinkler in there too. I was uh Malik Willis. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah I want to see I want to see him succeed in Miami.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's gonna look different, I think, though, because they don't have a lot of talent around. Yeah, they don't have anything. Yeah, so I think people, but I so I think people gotta Malik Willis for him having a like to your point, Vernon, having a great year, it could be three thousand passing yards with twenty five TDs and five interceptions. Like that can be fantastic. Oh yeah, yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like given what he's working with, but sometimes, you know, people MVP. Yeah, well, you know, sometimes people you say that and they're like, Oh, well, that means five thousand yards or something like nah.
SPEAKER_04No, no, no, not for him. Nah, nah. Not from coming from a you know what I mean? You know what I mean? A high draft pick to a backup role to now a starter again.
SPEAKER_02You can be a starting quarterback and play the whole season with five picks. I'm taking that nine times out of ten, regardless of what else. Because that's huge. That's a stat in itself. If you play every play the whole season and you only throw five picks, your team should pretty much be in position to win. Yeah, a lot of those games, bro, for sure. Well, I think that that's a start there.
SPEAKER_01Well, depending, I don't know if I go that far because I don't know how many Miami are gonna win. Uh that's not even a normal team.
SPEAKER_02In a normal situation, yeah, but I have a co-worker that's a dumpster. I I looked at him today and I was just like, bro, who do y'all have? Like, who? I mean, I know they got it chained but I was like, who's playing football on y'all too? Who's the number one receiver? And I think he said he thinks it's Malik Washington.
SPEAKER_01I'm like, I think it's Bale. What's his name?
SPEAKER_02That's another guy he mentioned. He was like, it's probably either one of those two. I was like, dang, bro, that's tough.
SPEAKER_04Y'all went from like one of the most talented teams offensively.
SPEAKER_02Bro, had a whip on offense, and now it's just like it's it's slim pickings.
unknownI'm trying to.
SPEAKER_01I will say this though. Speaking from a Baltimore standpoint, I would I would love to see Trenton Simpson and Mike Green have breakout years for their defense. I think if both of them play well, that's gonna bowl very well for this defense and what what they could be. Um offensively, it's it's I mean, it's not a whole lot to do because you ain't got a lot of like quote unquote breakout stars. Although I would argue they still don't have a number one receiver, but I would love to see like Zay Flowers take another leap forward in terms of that. And a lot of that for him is gonna be he got to get in the end zone more.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. And it'd be so many times he'd be close. Even within like five yards of scoring.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Plus, I don't think people realize, like, and I hated it at times. Monkin throws so many daggone screens. Some of what Zay was doing, I don't know how transferable that's gonna be from year to year. Um, you know, because if a coach isn't great with scheming up that kind of stuff that ain't part of the offense, and let's just say that was 20% of his offense, what does he look like now with 20% of no screens coming his way? You know what I mean? Stuff like that. So I I want to see what Zay Flowers ends up doing on the offense because I think he's gonna obviously be critical uh for their success.
SPEAKER_04So
Ravens Strengths And Open Questions
SPEAKER_04and I'm glad you're speaking about the Ravens because we kind of started off the segment talking about our teams individually, just what we thought. So I mean, by all means, continue to speak on the Ravens. Uh I mean, just your thoughts on what their season may look like to you or where they need to improve, or you know, just thoughts of position groups.
SPEAKER_01I think that if we're saying everybody's healthy, like, because I think having Matabike back changes everything for them. So, I mean, he's top three, top five defensive tackle in the NFL when he's healthy. I mean, he's a monster. Um, and somehow the Ageless Wonder Calais Campbell is still playing at a high level, and I think that's huge for them too. So um, I would say if all things are right and playing good, I think, I mean, they could potentially have a top five offense and defense. Now, can I see that? I mean, they would need a lot of things to go right. You know, they would need Jacob Lane, you know, Zay Flowers, um, uh Elijah Surratt, uh Washington, I forgot it's Walker. I mean, I think it's Darius Walker, whatever the other receiver, but they need Mark Andrews to get back healthy. So I think I just think like question marks, I think is our tight ends, honestly. I think that's probably the biggest uh question mark on offense is the tight end group. Um and then I think the receivers because you got so many unproven, and the offensive line, I think, is gonna be okay, but that's still unproven. Um but defensively, I actually have a lot of confidence in what Jesse Mentor uh can do. So I think schematically they're gonna be better. I think defensively they're gonna be better because I think schematically they're gonna be better and be in better positions.
SPEAKER_04That's that's that's rare coming from you. Because normally that's one of the sides of the ball you're most critical on with them.
SPEAKER_01You'd be like, Yeah, but see, I don't think he's gonna put Mar Marlon Humphrey out wild. You know how much I hated seeing him out wild. Like, I don't I don't I don't think I think he's gonna play players based upon their strengths and really lean into the strengths versus putting them in positions where I think last year they were put in positions where guys aren't strong. Like Marlon Humphrey's not he's not a great nickel. Like he's just not like you know what I mean. Like, so stop putting him at nickel as much as you do stuff like that. So um I mean, but we'll see. We'll see. Only time tells. But if healthy, the defensive line should be, I mean, pretty solid with Travis Jones, with Calais Campbell, with uh Matabike, uh, and then the edge is the biggest question mark because I know uh Jared obviously is familiar with Trey Anderson uh and seeing what he he does. But I mean, at the height, if you're allowing for him to just come in and just truly be a pass rusher, he can play really good for for the Ravens.
SPEAKER_02No, that's all he's gonna do.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, because he ain't gonna stop the run. He's not gonna stop the run at all. Yeah, so that's and that's my concern though, Jared. It's like, so what are they are is he coming in on third downs only? Because that's a lot of money to pay for a guy to play, you know, one down for you. So that's that's some of the questions that I have about him. I mean, could they be really good? Yes. Um, but there's a there's a lot left to to be desired. I think they got to answer your question too, Vern, I think they got questions all over the board outside of your starting running back and your quarterback. So I think they're other than that, every other position group has questions uh going along with it. Although I will say I think their safeties are um let me take that back. Safety's probably the deepest and the best group they got on the team.
SPEAKER_04Okay. Cool, cool, man.
Week One Setup And QB Talk
SPEAKER_07Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Well, uh do we want to do predictions for week one? Or we just wanna just comment on the games after. I don't I don't want to do predictions. Let's just talk about these week one games. We'll just do that.
SPEAKER_01I guess the good ones. Did you guys already talk about the division? Like the divisions?
SPEAKER_04Uh no, we we kinda a little bit. We were just kind of like touching on like um just we were talking about like uh coaches on the hot seat and things like that.
SPEAKER_01So we just kind of they can't see yes, we can.
unknownNah.
SPEAKER_04Um, so let's talk about tomorrow game. Okay, we got the Super Bowl rematch. Uh oh, hold on, Vern. Yes, I didn't. Did you put something in there? Did y'all not talk about who you thought was overrated? No, we did not talk about overrated.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_04I just I didn't I didn't go through all the questions. I just was like picking ones out. Uh that's cool. That's cool. I was just it was cute. We were talking about QB. It says QB rakings uh overrated, underrated.
SPEAKER_01Okay, gotcha.
SPEAKER_04I mean, there's no real surprises at QBs this year. I mean, I mean, I mean, unless you're looking at Minnesota, Atlanta.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, like you said, it's a lot of obvious stuff out there.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Like, everybody else is pretty, you know, the same quarterback from last year. So uh I didn't feel like that was a viable question.
SPEAKER_01I mean, I got two questions though for y'all.
Brock Purdy Vs Drake May
SPEAKER_01Go ahead. Like it's one question, but two players. What are y'all thoughts? Like, what are y'all thoughts on Brock Purdy and Drake May?
SPEAKER_02Man, I don't think either either of them are game changers. Okay. Um, I feel like, yeah, I don't, I've just got to see more from Drake May. I feel like he had the weakest, just I mean, not weakest in terms of numbers. I think he threw like 40-something touchdowns last year, but the competition just wasn't, he had an easy schedule. I just gotta see more. I don't think either one of them are gonna be the deciding factor in whether a team wins, but on the flip side of that, I don't really think any of them are big components in whether a team lose. So I think they're competent enough to not lose a game. But do I see them just like, you know, just taking over and just being the deciding force on whether their teams win or lose? Nah. He threw for 30, he threw 31 last year. Oh, okay. I don't know where I got 40 from when I'm tripping.
SPEAKER_04I think I think um just to kind of piggyback off what you're saying, but to disagree slightly, I think what you said holds true for Purgy, just because we've seen enough of him to kind of have a uh, you know what I mean? We kind of know what we're gonna get. You know, he knows how to work that Shanahan system, you know what I mean, especially with the weapons he has. He just he knows how, you know, to to run that West Coast offense. But I think with Drake May, I think he has more potential to be better, you know what I mean? To to evolve more than Purdy. I think Purdy is kind of what he's gonna be. I don't think we're gonna get any more out of Purdy than we've already seen over the past few years. But I think Drake May, I can see him being better and evolving if you give him more weapons. You know, I don't think the schedule really will dictate how he plays. I think he just has that gunslinger. I think he just has that grit. I think he will go out and try to and try to wing you again. He may not be the reason why you win it, but I think he will take the risk and try more than Purdy will. I think Purdy a player safe, and I think he's shown that um he'll dump the ball down to Christian McCaffrey. And you know what I mean? Like he'll he'll leave it to his to his uh to his weapons versus I think Drake May will try to push it a little more as he gets more experience in the NFL. And like you say, play tougher teams and learn more. Because I think Drabel's that type of coach that that'll push him. He's not gonna let him be comfortable as that type of quarterback. I think just being in in New England, I don't think they're gonna allow him just to just be chill. You're gonna have to go for it. And I think he's the type of player, I think he has that time for persona that he will. So, but early on, like you said, I don't think we've seen enough of Drake, man. I think we've seen enough of Purdy that we can be like, all right, Purdy is who he is, he's gonna manage the game. You know, like you say, he's not gonna be the one to go out there and just win it, you know what I mean? But he ain't gonna be the one that that's necessarily gonna lose it either. But I think I think Drake may shows the potential that he he will go out there and try to win you a game if he has to. Okay. So fair enough. But I'm I'm intrigued, I'm not a New England fan, but I'm intrigued to see more of uh Drake.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah, I I mentioned that as well. I can't wait to see what uh AJ Brown does with him. They might turn him up even more, but right.
SPEAKER_04See, you got two, he got two real good running backs, they got a you know, uh a decent offensive line. Like you say, you give him some weapons at receiver, the defense is gonna be always gonna be good. I don't care who you put over there, they're just gonna be well coached. And you know what I mean? They're gonna they're gonna compete on the defensive end. So I think, I mean, he's most of the time probably the deciding factor how he plays is probably gonna determine the outcome of the game because I mean when you can turn around and hand it off 30 times to those running backs, you know what I mean? And they're down here runners, they're gonna get you, you know, they're gonna get you what you need to keep you in good situations where you're not playing behind the sticks. And as a quarterback, I mean, if you can't execute that, you know, week in and week out, then like you said earlier, you probably need to go get your CDLs. What you was about to say, Justin?
SPEAKER_01No, I was gonna say, I think, which is probably the reason why I asked that, because like I think that like I I don't, I'm not a Drake made believer. Like I don't think he is the hype that you know they try to make him out to be. But I also think it's gonna be a very deceptive season this year as well. Like I looked at their schedule, it's quote unquote harder. But if you look at the who they play and the defenses, I'm like, it's still not a whole lot of like elite defenses that they play. So I still think he's gonna be able to he's he's gonna be able to put up good numbers until he has to go into the playoffs again, and then he's gonna you're gonna have to really see what he's made of. Because like I put and I put it up, right? So they play the Seahawks, the defense, right? Then you got Steelers, Jaguars, Bills, and their division is so bad, but then you got Raiders, Jets, Bears, Dolphins, Packers with no Micah, of course. I don't, I don't, I doubt he's back by then. Lions, which we just talked about how jacked up their defense is, the Chargers, which is not gonna be as good without Jesse Metzer. Then the Bills again, Vikings, which will be a test, Chiefs, which will be a test, potentially, Jets, which we all know how bad they are. Uh then you got the Broncos, and then you ended with the Dolphins. So he you have only a few matchups where I really think you're gonna be able to tell whether or not what kind of quarterback you had.
SPEAKER_04Uh I I mean, now that you said that. I don't know, man. That's I mean, Steelers, I mean, Seattle good defense, Seattle uh Steelers good defense, Jaguars, not no slouch on defense.
SPEAKER_01Like here's the thing you can't go based upon last year. Like I give you you gotta you gotta look at what they've done. So Seahawks, yes. Steelers, I mean, we'll see. We'll see. Steelers weren't as great as people think. It's the Steelers' name. But if you go back and actually look at what some of those guys were doing, it wasn't like what they used to be doing. Okay. With the with from a number standpoint. The Jaguars, that's one team I say you better wait and see. I mean, they even I mean when you lose your your your middle linebacker and Devin Lloyd, who really was a huge centerpiece around helping that pass protection, being able to do pass coverage and stuff like that. We'll see. We'll see, because they don't have elite. I don't I don't I I mean Trayvon Walker and Hines, you know, Josh Hines coming off the off the edges, that's great, but they still got some holes on their defense. So I wouldn't say I don't think Jaguars defense is terrible, don't get me wrong, but I'm talking about truly defenses that are going to challenge them. Because the Patriots off offense on paper, they have guys. Drake Wade may got plenty of weapons. So it's about what defenses really are gonna challenge him. Like, I would even argue the Broncos may not challenge him if uh freaking Jonathan Cooper ain't back. Because they're gonna be very and they because they need him. So that's why I say, like, if you so if if you look at it, I mean you got a handful of games where I think they got solid defenses they play, but I don't think it's a I don't outside of the Seahawks, is there an elite defense if the Broncos don't have Cooper?
SPEAKER_04I mean, if you're saying it like that, then I mean there's not many elite defenses in the league this year, then. I guess the Seahawks is the only ones that you could probably hang your hat on and saying elite, then because they I mean on their schedule? Yeah, yeah. Who else is elite? Yeah, yeah, that's what I'm saying.
SPEAKER_01I mean on their schedule, yeah, and that's that's my point.
SPEAKER_04Like they're only I mean, outside of the Texans, who else in the rounds?
SPEAKER_01Two two defenses. I said uh the Vikings defense. I think uh Flores is probably the best defensive coordinator in the NFL. That dude, he he does a fantastic job with that defense. I would say the Vikings and the Seahawks are probably gonna be the two challenges. And I told you the Chiefs, we just don't know. That's what I said. I'm not saying the Chiefs won't be, but we just don't know yet because they got a lot of young pieces that gotta we gotta see what they look like. Now that's later in the year, so the Chiefs by then, they might have their rhythm. You know what I mean? So we'll see.
SPEAKER_04But I think I think they're gonna be, I think our eyes are gonna be on Drake May, too, especially coming in second in MVP voting last year. I think he gonna he gonna have that microscope on him this year, too.
SPEAKER_01So oh he will, but I'm saying it's I think it's just going to it can paint a a picture that may not be the most accurate picture because he's still not he's still not facing what I would say like a ton of top-tier defenses.
SPEAKER_07Yeah.
SPEAKER_01So that's it.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
Final Thoughts Football And Fights
SPEAKER_04Well, um I mean, final thoughts. I guess we can just jump into final thoughts.
SPEAKER_02I guess I'll start, man. Um, looking forward to seeing what my buckeyes do against uh Texas on Saturdays. That's the sucky thing about college, is it's like you just don't know. Like it could be a blowout either way, it could be a close game either way. You just don't, I have no idea. I don't know. Like there's literally nothing to go on. That's true. So it's just like you really just pulling something out of a hat, you're pulling the outcome out of a hat. You know, I can't say, oh well, this person's gonna do this, and they can't do this to this person, or this. I have no idea. So I'm gonna just be watching it, feeling like that's my first football game ever.
SPEAKER_04So that's cool, that's cool. Um, me, man, I'm just thinking, man. Season five, man. We starting another year. Uh looking forward to this year, man. Talking sports, man, just everything, man. Doing this. So appreciate y'all being back with back with me again, man.
SPEAKER_02Yes, sir. Yes, early.
SPEAKER_04So I'm I'm I'm super excited about that. But yeah, man. Just looking forward to just football in general, college, NFL. I'm just looking forward. So, yes, sir.
SPEAKER_01You know, your final thoughts, Justin? Anything? Uh, I'll just say, uh, I mean, football's back in swing, you know, NFL back tomorrow. So, I mean, got some finally got some some sports that uh uh uh you know that I that I tap in with, I say. Uh and then uh uh oh fights, fights, fights, fights this weekend. You can tune in and tap in uh Connor Ben and Ryan Garcia fight. And then who I would say the best cruiserweight in the world right now is Jao Bataye. He fights this weekend as well.
SPEAKER_04Okay, all right, we've got to find time to fit this fight in with all this football going on.
SPEAKER_02Might be right after right after the I mean, you know what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_04Ryan, oh yeah. Oh yeah, we're gonna be at your house. Yeah, we can uh shit, just watch that right after.
SPEAKER_01You coming through, Justin? Uh yeah. I I'm planning to stop on by. All right, cool, cool, cool.
SPEAKER_02All right, well, yeah. Just let me bring some. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Probably good, bro. But I I I'll reach out uh in the group chat later on this week. But as of now, I think we I think we're good.
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_02I think I'm good. All right, cool, cool.
SPEAKER_04Well, thank y'all again, man. Uh, this has been another episode of the Epic Podcast. We will see y'all next week. Peace out. See y'all.