Week 15 in the rearview.... Playoffs on the way

Join us as we discuss the latest in college football and the NFL. We kick things off with OG Strangsta's weekend adventures in DC and the Army-Navy game. We then dive into some  transfer portal news, including Clemson hitting the portal for wide receiver Tristan Smith and Marshall losing 75% of their roster. We also cover some of the most riveting games of the week, from the Lions vs. Bills barn burner to Aaron Rodgers’ vintage performance against the Jaguars. Finally, we touch on the wild NFL playoff picture across various divisions a

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Chapters

• 0:43 Army-Navy Game and DC Adventures
• 2:09 College Football Transfer Portal Drama
• 11:12 Heisman Trophy
• 16:12 Michael Vick and Coaching Comebacks
• 18:49 NFL Happenings..Fantasy Football Playoffs
• 20:59 Lions vs Bills
• 28:55 Commanders vs Saints
• 34:00 r0dGeRs
• 36:20 Texans vs Dolphins
• 39:40 Playoff Races

Transcript

Jason: 0:00

Welcome, welcome, welcome to another edition of the Pond Pony Podcast. It's me to host the OG along with the fantasy uncle. What's happening?

pershin: 0:14

Howdy. Howdy. Glad to be back. Talk ball another week. Some pretty good games for us to review, kind of go over. I thought so. We'll

Jason: 0:27

get into that.

pershin: 0:29

Disappointed, huh?

Jason: 0:31

Yeah, yeah, let's get on into it. Let's start the show

0:38

The Pied Pony Podcast.

Jason: 0:45

So I was in dc this weekend for a work trip However, the army navy game was there I did not get to go to the game But when I was scooting around The monuments they had an army navy competition All throughout the monuments. So like at Abraham Lincoln, they were doing a pullup competition between people from the army and people from the Navy.

pershin: 1:19

That's cool. So they,

Jason: 1:21

yeah,

pershin: 1:21

it wasn't just that though. They had all kinds of different competitions, I assume.

Jason: 1:26

Well, yeah, that's the only one that I saw happening, but earlier they were at a different monument and they were. Starting because if they were like doing a big announcement and all that stuff and then there was like a couple signs that said You know Where things were? So

pershin: 1:45

cool. Do you have a dog in that fight? Are you pro one side or the other here?

Jason: 1:51

Well, I did put money on army and loss

pershin: 1:57

Yeah, I actually thought army was the better team. I I was like what happened

Jason: 2:03

Yeah I guess I guess you just never know. You really just never know

pershin: 2:07

what these people are.

Jason: 2:09

Yeah, so So that was the only college football game going on this past weekend But I do have some notes Clemson Hell has frozen over They have hit the portal And they have picked up a wide receiver by the name of Tristan Smith From Southeastern Missouri State.

pershin: 2:38

Oh, wow.

Jason: 2:42

He's six, five, 205 pounds. His stats last year were 76 receptions for 934 yards and six touchdowns.

pershin: 2:52

Well, hey, that's a lot of production.

Jason: 2:56

Yeah. So, you know, I mean, Dabo has finally hit the portal.

pershin: 3:04

I, I wonder what he's going to have to say about this, you know what I mean? Like I, cause it hasn't his stance been, Oh, you know, like I'll, I'll do things my way. I'm not, I'm not interested in doing it that way or whatever.

Jason: 3:21

His stance has been that he will hit the portal if he ever felt the need to. In other words, he's going to have his scholarship players. And if he doesn't have enough scholarships filled, then he'll hit the portal.

pershin: 3:37

Oh, okay. But if

Jason: 3:38

his scholarships are filled, he would rather give the spot to a high school or coming up than someone who's moved around three, four times and has no loyalty to any team. This is like kind of mentality. So,

pershin: 3:59

yeah I think this is good though. I hope that he can embrace the portal more so. But you know, I get it. I get it.

Jason: 4:08

Well, speaking of the portal Marshall, after losing their coach to another team in the Sunbelt, they lost their entire roster or like a 75 percent of it. To the portal so much so that they could not field a team for the bowl game and therefore had to back out That is wild

pershin: 4:36

You would have thought that the kids would at least want to play their bowl game

Jason: 4:41

well, that's the problem is so you would think that initially, but it's not the kids fault because The portal window is before the bowl games. So in order for them to hit the portal, Oh, they have to leave before the bowl games.

pershin: 4:57

Oh, I didn't realize that the portal actually, the window actually closed before the bowl games.

Jason: 5:02

Yeah, so there's two windows. There's this window and then there's, there's the off season window, right?

pershin: 5:08

Yeah.

Jason: 5:08

Yeah. So, It's kind of messed up, but

pershin: 5:13

yeah, that's unfortunate. So here's the thing though. Do you know the inside scoop on this? Like, it seems like this is not so much an upgrade. Like, this is more like a lateral move. He's literally going to another school in the same exact conference. Why? He's just getting paid

Jason: 5:33

more.

pershin: 5:34

Oh, they just got more money to offer. Okay.

Jason: 5:37

Yeah, and a higher NIL.

pershin: 5:40

Oh, that certainly helps. Yeah.

Jason: 5:42

Yeah, that's it. Like, and he won the conference with Marshall. Yeah, I know. Like they just want, they just won the conference.

pershin: 5:51

Well, yeah, I know. That's what I was thinking. As I was like, this doesn't make a lot of sense. If he's already won the conference, they're

Jason: 5:57

all, I bet they all go. Are they all go to wherever he's going? All the portal players that are, you got to take in Marshall's team. You got to think

pershin: 6:07

not all of them are going to make the team though. I get, I'm guessing most of them are trying to go with him, but. I doubt that What's the new school again?

Jason: 6:21

I think it's like South of South, Southern Missouri, Southern. Something like that. Yeah. I don't know.

pershin: 6:30

I doubt that the new school is going to have the same sort of exodus that Marshall had. So it's like, some of those kids are going to other schools. Some of those kids are going to other schools. But you know, it's just so different nowadays. The way the college game is, it's like hard to know what I would do if If I was like a coach or if I was one of these kids, it's like

Jason: 6:56

all the decisions are just different. Let me tell you what one kid is deciding to do. You talking about a Marshall kid? Nope, just just another portal player. Micah Hudson's alleged NIL deal. He's asking for 700k minimum wire up front for one year deal to sign immediately. A separate NIL deal for three cars for family members to sign immediately. A personal driver with a Cadillac SUV. Oh my god. For Micah from spring practice through the end of the season. Family hotel and travel arrangements paid each game with up to 10 members to have travel tickets and costs paid for. Medical injury, time off, and playing after injury determined only by Micah and his family.

pershin: 7:49

Wow! So he gets to say, I'm injured, I need time off right now.

Jason: 7:56

Yeah.

pershin: 7:57

I thought it was gonna say, by an independent doctor, but he's like, By me and my family, like, oh my god, damn. Yo, that, that sounds like of

Jason: 8:07

these cats are getting wild.

pershin: 8:08

That shit sounds wild. That sounds like one of those old 1980s, like, hair metal, ACDC would be like, And at the venue, there better be a midget serving us sausages, and the thing With

Jason: 8:22

green M& Ms.

pershin: 8:24

Yeah, yeah, it's like, there has to be a midget serving us sausages, but not the end of sausages. They have to be the specific brand that we like.

Jason: 8:34

Listen, if you are coming with all those demands and you are not good, you can kick rocks, bro. See, that's I don't even want that type of player. See that's the crazy If that's what you

pershin: 8:48

want. That's the crazy thing, though, is like, once you sign the NIO contract And the kid actually doesn't work out and you bench him or whatever. You still gotta pay him all that shit. Right? It's like, it's getting weird, bro. It's getting weird.

Jason: 9:04

Well, I mean, Bill Belichick, along with his 20 million NIL deal, he has now hired like a GM. I mean, he's basically hiring on a front office.

pershin: 9:19

He's going to run it just like an NFL team.

Jason: 9:22

Oh, for sure. For sure. It's going to be great.

pershin: 9:24

And they're probably going to be competitive like the very first season.

Jason: 9:29

Well, they already were competitive. So, I mean, really, were they good? This he's already put it out there that he's wanting to offer Archie Manning and Quinn yours in an IL deal. I mean, I wonder if he gets Arch Manning with

pershin: 9:45

20 million. You got to think you could probably steal somebody's big names. Like,

Jason: 9:50

well, you also got to think with the Manning line, with the Manning line and Bill Belichick being available to coach Arch Manning, UNC currently doesn't have a quarterback.

pershin: 10:02

And Texas got two,

Jason: 10:05

right? Man, Arch Manning needs to hit the portal now before the championship game.

pershin: 10:13

Yeah, and and that way you you know that if they bench viewers and put you in there you you're not you're not gonna get injured

Jason: 10:21

Right. Well, yeah, and Clemson won't have to play against the running quarterback Hey Cuz we struggle with the

pershin: 10:31

so many birds with that stuff

Jason: 10:34

Well speaking of Penn State's backup quarterback has hit the portal Before their playoff game Because the starting quarterback announced that he was returning so Wow, you have that Is

pershin: 10:50

that the starter? Is that the ness market?

Jason: 10:54

Wow, I don't know his name. I don't know the name. Okay.

pershin: 10:57

All right, go ahead.

Jason: 10:58

It's penn state It's penn state dog. I'm like bro. You could get injured And then start But now you're not even going to get the chance because you want to hit the portal These kids don't make no sense, man. Speaking of which, Heisman Trophy winner is Travis Hunter. What do you think about that? Do you think that was robbery?

pershin: 11:22

Well, so I'm a little bit torn to be honest with you. I do think I would have voted for Ashton Gentee. I think that he has carried his team and offensively in the few instances where they've had competitive games, he has carried his team offensively. And I just feel like his overall resume of what he's done has been more special than what Travis Hunter has done. But that being said, It's hard for me to knock Travis Hunter because I mean, the guy's just such a gamer. He's really, really good on two sides of the ball. It's not just that he plays two sides of the ball and he's useful. He's really, really good. You know? And so it's like, is that sort of like dynamic skillset necessarily make him the most valuable college kid? I, I doubt it. I think, I think I would have voted Jente myself, but I don't think it's that big of a deal as some people do. I'm hearing a lot of different people vote for Jente. On different platforms saying, Oh, this is horseshit. This is, this is a robbery, yada, yada. I think it's probably closer than that. I don't think it's a huge, big scandal, but at the end of the day, I would have voted Gentee myself. I think he really is special and I think he has carried his team several different games.

Jason: 12:59

Well, I completely disagree. Travis Hunter was my vote.

pershin: 13:04

Oh,

Jason: 13:05

We haven't seen a player like him in a long time played both sides of the ball like that, you know, gentee. Yeah, he's great. He's good. He was going to break a record, but whatever, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, whatever. He's a running back. He's a running back. Hunter scored on offense and on defense. I mean, I'm sorry to deserve it. So now the drama seems to be. On whether Travis Hunter should dump his girlfriend or not because Did she cheat

pershin: 13:39

on him or something? What happened?

Jason: 13:41

No, I guess people are just making a big deal about the fact that Dion had to tell her to stand up to to clap that she's not very happy, you know, and like just I can't remember all the things, man. She

pershin: 14:00

probably, she probably is not really into him. She's just trying to go dig or something. She

Jason: 14:05

knows he said, that's what she said was that she wasn't into him at first. And then he kept. Waiting outside the club while she got drunk to take her home.

pershin: 14:17

Oh, that sounds like a

Jason: 14:19

bad

pershin: 14:20

idea. Yeah.

Jason: 14:21

That

pershin: 14:22

sounds like, I know you don't really like me, but come on, like me anyway. Like you, you know what I

Jason: 14:28

mean? Everyone's like, well, she's got a money symbol tattooed on her ring finger. Like she's golden. Oh,

pershin: 14:36

Yeah, you already know what she's about. She's, she literally tattooed that shit on herself.

Jason: 14:41

Cause it's like, they're like, why, why come out and say that you weren't even that into him? Like why even say that now? Like anyway, I'm

pershin: 14:50

not going to say anything like,

Jason: 14:52

like I'm

pershin: 14:53

a good judge of dudes or anything because I'm not, but I will say to me, he does seem like kind of a goofy looking dude. Yeah. And it would not it would not surprise me if, if he ends up getting gold digged on, you know what I mean?

Jason: 15:12

Well, from what I'm, from my understanding, this guy's personality is this, is that, and I, I don't have any proof to back the sub, I didn't do any research on it, but I just happen to see that he apparently did not take any NIL money and that he gave his money to like other peop other things and like other people Oh wow. Like. So if that's true Homeboy's got to drop this gold digger, man. If

pershin: 15:43

that's true, then he, he made himself an even bigger target,

Jason: 15:48

right? Exactly. He's

pershin: 15:49

like, Oh, this guy's super nice. If I just hit him, he

Jason: 15:52

really loves to give away money.

pershin: 15:54

Yeah, if I just hit him with a little bit of action every now, then gotta be next to

Jason: 15:58

Sean Watson. Man,

pershin: 15:59

I just hit him with a little action every now and then. And I tell him, oh shit man, I'm in so much trouble. I, if there was only someone who could help me Stop it.

Jason: 16:07

Stop it. Stop it. Oh gosh. Oh, I and then the final piece of college football news that we got it looks that Michael Vick. Has entered the college coaching ranks as well. He is going to be the next coach at What is this Norfolk State University?

pershin: 16:32

So here's the question is he still canceled?

Jason: 16:38

Will you support him? Will you support? He hasn't NFL So B, yes. Eddie George, you know who else is a coach? Eddie George. He's in, he's in the college football coaching. He never had a scandal, did he? No, but I

pershin: 16:59

mean,

Jason: 16:59

Vic had, Vic has long been exonerated for that scandal.

pershin: 17:04

What

Jason: 17:04

do you mean exonerated? Wasn't he found guilty? Right. But by the people after he served his time and, and, you know, served as punishment, came back a better man.

pershin: 17:16

I'm

Jason: 17:16

not

pershin: 17:16

gonna lie. It still feels weird, man. Those dogs, those dogs are innocent, bro.

Jason: 17:25

Oh my God. I can't, I can't with this guy, man. When

pershin: 17:29

you're mean to humans. Man, because humans be deserving it, but dogs, man, come on. They innocent anyway. Speaking of coaches, also I heard that Teddy Bridgewater had some success as a coach.

Jason: 17:44

That's right. He won his champion state title with his alma mater high school. And that has been so good to him that he has had second thoughts and is think is coming out of retirement to play in the NFL.

pershin: 18:01

Wait, I didn't catch that part. He's he's

Jason: 18:04

yep. He's gonna see he's decided that he's unretiring.

pershin: 18:08

Oh, wow

Jason: 18:10

They're trying to make an nfl team

pershin: 18:13

Well, hey, listen, the raiders are in desperate They're in dire straits right now. Why not kick the tires on Bridgewater? How old is he right now? He might still have something, something in the tank, right?

Jason: 18:25

Man, this is a bad idea. He just needs to go back to coaching, man.

pershin: 18:30

I mean, look, man, if Flacco could

Jason: 18:32

be a

pershin: 18:34

legit backup.

Jason: 18:35

But hasn't, hasn't Teddy Bridgewater already completed the rainbow jerseys, the jersey rainbow, because he's been on so many teams?

pershin: 18:45

Yeah. Yeah. I think that's true. I think that's true.

Jason: 18:49

Well, you know who else could use them? The Kansas City Chiefs, because they got a Mahomes injury problem.

pershin: 18:57

Yeah. Y'all, y'all thought the offense was stagnant with Mahomes. Wait till you see Carson Wentz ask, start throwing it to the other team, start throwing it to the other team.

Jason: 19:10

Man. The thing is, it doesn't even matter. It doesn't even matter.

pershin: 19:15

I think Mike Tomlin gave Andy Reid some of the magic beans.

Jason: 19:20

Man, that game, man. So this is my problem with this weekend. This whole weekend, I just felt like games were a lot like the Chiefs and Browns. Just a stinker.

pershin: 19:30

Well,

Jason: 19:31

you know,

pershin: 19:33

I thought that the, the Bills Lions game was really good.

Jason: 19:40

That was a good one and we'll talk about that. Well, let's get into it.

pershin: 19:44

Let's do it

Jason: 19:46

Go for it. Bill's lines Big time game that actually you know what real quick That game so fantasy football weekend. I come into opening weekend of the playoffs right playoff weekend with round one Round one my town fired up a fired up. I'm like, all right, who am I gonna start Watson or waddle? I started waddle Who am I going to start? Zach Ertz or Trey McBride. Started Zach Ertz. First quarter, Zach Ertz, Jalen Waddle, both go down. I'm like, Oh wow, this is a great start. So I'm just thinking, you know what? I'm going to, I'm going to, it's over, but I'm still watching. I'm like, man, I'm only down by like 20 points. I'm only down by like, I'm like, I still got a shot. Still hanging around. And then. Jared Goff and Jameer Gibbs happened. 51 points out of Jared Goff. I win first round 136 to 117 dominated. Moving on, baby. So.

pershin: 20:55

That's what I

Jason: 20:56

think about that game.

pershin: 20:57

Nice. And arrow up for Gibbs. Unfortunately, Montgomery is going to miss the remainder of the season. Torn MCL. Unfortunate. This, this, this guy. David Montgomery finishes the season with 775 yards rushing, right? What's really crazy is I had the over on his season long rushing yards. 775. 5. Yes. Everyone that had the over barely lost. Just like me. I'm not the only one complaining about this, but isn't that a bad couldn't have got one more yard. He couldn't have gotten 0. 6 yards. Yeah. So that was wild. I thought that was unbelievable that he literally finishes the season. 775. Wow. I mean, sports books on the nose. They know, they know they're, they are efficient these days, bro. Yeah, so this game was. Was pretty fun in the way that I kind of knew that the, that the lions would struggle here defensively with so many guys being out, they lost another four starters, three of them on defense. And it's just like, Ooh, that entire defense right now is,

Jason: 22:17

is like replacements. It sucks to see that because they had Superbowl aspirations and that defense is not a Superbowl defense.

pershin: 22:25

Yeah. I mean, they had a top, I think. Top six. I think it was defense all the way up until like three weeks ago. And unfortunately they have been so decimated that You know, they, they, they probably can't get enough dudes back for the playoffs. You know what I mean? Like it's just, it's pretty bad. I will say this though. We finally got to see what it would look like if they didn't run the ball, the majority of the time, and they actually had to pass the majority of the time. Fireworks, man. I loved it. It was, it was really good stuff from this Lions offense. The offensive line did as well as they could. They kept sending so many blitzes and I'll say that Jared Goff had a couple passes where you could see. You know, the pressure got to him. He didn't really step up and have a good base and really like put as much as, as he needed to into it. But aside from like a couple of passes, he looked really good. He dealt with the constant blitz really well. That's been a big problem for him in years past. He's really come around on that this year and that entire offense. Is really fun to watch when they, when they do throw it as much as they had to, they're playing from behind basically the entire game. And this was one of those just sort of barn burner games where it, it was like, all right, your turn to score my turn to score, all right, your turn to score my turn to score and just players just showing up big. Josh Allen is, is just a freak, man. The past two weeks, over 90 fantasy points combined the past two weeks. That's wild, dude. That's never been done before. He not last last week. He was the only player to ever get the three rushing and three passing touchdowns, right? Basically he's just doing historic shit week after week at this point. And it's, it's pretty, it's pretty awesome to watch him as a player. He is one of the most fun players to watch. He is basically like what Tim Tebow wanted to be. If Tim Tebow was actually good at passing. You know what I mean? Like, he just,

Jason: 24:51

he's such a fucking gamer. This man dude, Tim Tebow didn't do anything to you. In fact, he took your Broncos to a playoff victory and all you're doing is trashing this man. We beat the Steelers! We beat the Steelers. I can't even believe you're trashing this man. Yeah,

pershin: 25:08

you're right. You're right. I'm sorry, Tim. You didn't deserve that, man. You didn't deserve that. You, you did what you could. You tried, you tried. But you know, he's just a gamer. He's, he's just such a gamer. He makes so many fucking extending the play, extending the play, pulling something out of his ass. And kudos to Josh Allen. I think that he should be in front of Lamar Jackson and Saquon for that MVP race. And yeah, and I, you know, it's not that Lamar hasn't played really well. He has, he absolutely has, but I mean, the sort of shit that Josh Allen is doing is just, like I said, it's just basically historic shit week in and week out at this point. That being said I do think that the, this Buffalo defense has, has Is really getting exposed the past few weeks and it's not even about like injuries the way it is for some of these teams. It's about. Teams are really started to figure out that they're leaving that middle of the field, really soft in those zone coverages. They're doing the too high safety thing, and they're guarding the boundaries really well. And you saw almond Ross St. Brown, and you saw Sam LaPorta just eat up the middle of the field. And it'll be interesting to see if they change it up now that basically they're getting exploited, like the NFL has caught on to what they're doing here. Yeah. I thought that aspect was kind of interesting. The you know, Ben Johnson and the lions just basically started the game out all the way through the game. We're like, we're attacking the middle of the field. Like we know these zones are soft over the middle and they got mismatch after mismatch. They didn't get the, the dub here, but. You know this is one of the best performances I've ever seen out of Jared Goff.

Jason: 27:03

Yeah, yeah, unfortunately his stats were padded because they were playing from behind. You know, when I said That I wanted Dan Campbell's decision making to bite them in the butt. I didn't mean for it to literally be the next, the next game. I meant for it to be in the playoffs a little bit more. But, yeah terrible play call. Terrible, oh, and press conference. Well, in retrospect, had I known that he was going to get down to the three, I wouldn't have called that play. It's like, I But you were only down by 10. I mean, I get it. It's either the 50 or the 30 is typically where that would have started.

pershin: 27:43

You talk, you talk about when they hit the onside.

Jason: 27:46

Yes.

pershin: 27:46

Yeah.

Jason: 27:47

And in this league, you have to tell them you're doing an onside kick. So it's like, It kind of takes the surprise out of it. I mean, the

pershin: 27:55

percentage that you're actually going to recover an onside kick these days is got to be like, what, 5 percent or something? It's got to be so low. Yeah. So. You got to think they had a better than 5 percent chance if they just fucking kick

Jason: 28:09

it off. I mean, that was a one score swing right there. That's the game right there, that play. So.

pershin: 28:16

Yeah.

Jason: 28:17

It will be, I am ready for Jordan love in the Packers. To play this team again. But, you know, the lions could very well see themselves sitting at the fifth seed by the end of this whole thing, instead of.

pershin: 28:35

Yeah, you know where

Jason: 28:36

they're at now, that

pershin: 28:37

defense is definitely just not the same defense. So it'll be interesting to see

Jason: 28:42

if

pershin: 28:42

they could get some dudes back, if they could play better on the defensive side of the ball. But it's too bad because they were such a dominant team and they just cannot stay healthy.

Jason: 28:55

Well, moving on to the next game, looking at the commander's saints Commanders come away, get out of New Orleans with a lucky, lucky win. As new Orleans went for two on the final to go for the win. I mean, he had, I don't blame them. I don't blame them. They had the momentum, the momentum, the momentum, the momentum meter was going up, Derek Carr said today that he does not see himself returning next year. I don't know whether that meant to the saints or just to football in general. I think we all agree, I think we all agree that he should just not return to football in general.

pershin: 29:40

No, I don't agree. He's not that old, right? He's like 33 or 34? Right,

Jason: 29:46

but I mean, do we really need to retread the tires on this guy? We've reached the ceiling on multiple teams. It's, it's, he's a backup at best at this point.

pershin: 30:02

I kind of feel like he's trying to do the Aaron Rodgers thing where he makes a vague comment, purposely vague, where people are going to discuss it, you know, where people are going to be like, Oh, is he, is he not coming back to the saints or is he just retiring or whatever? I think it could be entirely possible that his injury was just worse than they initially expected. I mean, they, they expected he was going to miss the season anyway, but it could be the sort of thing where it's like. This wrist injury is going to have long term ramifications where maybe he's just

Jason: 30:41

Or let me throw a monkey wrench into it. He could just be talking about just this season Oh, which I felt like we already knew that And either way my discourse is still the same He should think about that retirement.

pershin: 30:58

No, he's not that bad. Come on.

Jason: 31:02

I don't just, he just, you just hate him. Listen, man. I don't know. I'm just so over like quarterbacks that are. middle of the road, not going to get anywhere, not going to do anything. And then these teams just end up in this purgatory of eight and eight, where they can't get a good quarterback because they can't get a good draft pick. And then they finally build this team and the quarterback still sucks. And it's just like I, I just. I see it happening and it's just like Derek Carr is one of those quarterbacks that just somehow finds his way on a team And then it's just mediocre from there on Yeah,

pershin: 31:44

I know what you mean. It's just like not only is it like You are good enough to where maybe your team wins six seven eight games And they don't get to pick in the top five and get a QB right, but also You're probably not good enough to where even with a good team around you, you actually make a Superbowl run.

Jason: 32:06

So it's like, Derek Carr just doesn't bring pizzazz to the position for me.

pershin: 32:10

And he doesn't run. So it's like for guys like us that play fantasy and betting and stuff, it's, it's not very exciting. It's boring for us even, you know what I mean? So it's like,

Jason: 32:20

yeah, he's like, he's like, he's like the team new version of Tom Brady. Like just sit in the pocket, but it's just not good.

pershin: 32:30

Right. At least Tom Brady, like, would put up stats sometimes, like, big games every now and then.

Jason: 32:35

Right. Yeah, nonetheless Jaden Daniels, he had a decent, he had a so so game in, in this I mean, The Saints, just a classic Saints game, just somehow just hanging in there when they shouldn't be with fucking, I mean, What's his name, Rattler? Rattler had a, he did his thing in the, what, the second half? I don't know. He did,

pershin: 32:58

honestly. I, I thought he clearly looked better than Jake Hayner, in my opinion.

Jason: 33:03

I think that the God, Jake Hayner, sit down. Sit down, son.

pershin: 33:09

The play at the end of the game where they go for two, he actually played it just fine. He just fucking threw it so hard that I don't think his player was ready for it. I mean, he threw a fucking fireball. I mean, it hit him in the hands. It's just that, I think it was Jawan Johnson. It was just like, I don't think he was expecting it. He, he really did not need to throw it that fucking hard like that. But that being said, like it was on target and it was the right read. It was the right play. I mean, it was for the most part, I felt like he was doing all right. He he's definitely had some shaky moments in the games that he has played this year. But I mean, What do the states have to play for just put Rattler in for these last three or four games and let's see what he's got You know, I mean,

Jason: 34:01

right Absolutely. Absolutely Next game. I want to touch on Aaron Rodgers had his best game His best game this this year 32 25 against the Jaguars Devontae Adams. Everybody was raving about vintage Devontae Adams. It was the old, it was the old getting

pershin: 34:27

back together. Yeah, it really looked just like, it looked just like it looked in green Bay for a lot of those, those plays. I mean, they were definitely in sync and Hey, why wouldn't they be? They played together for 18 years or whatever. They were in sync and, and honestly, Devontae Adams looked Like better this week than he had in previous loop in previous weeks. I you know, I started to think I think maybe he's lost the step at least like a half step but then he looked he looked like he was in prime shape for this game, so hopefully you know, he was he was just banged up earlier in the season I know certainly when he was with the raiders he was questionable every fucking week and So maybe he really is just literally getting healthier and we could expect You know, there's only three or four games left, but we could expect some, some big games maybe at the end here. It was, it was kind of nice to see. It's a guy who obviously is in the last two, three years

Jason: 35:28

of his career. Also the Jaguars.

pershin: 35:31

Yeah. I mean, it, it is the easiest matchup, you know, either way, it was kind of fun to see. It's like, yeah, you know, the team has definitely collapsed, but it's almost like, I don't hate. Devontae like I hate Roger Stowe.

Jason: 35:50

You know what I mean? It's like no, you know what I we do hate Devontae because Taco bell out your house, man. We I'm so done with that commercial. I'm so done with it So it's just not even funny anymore. Anyway Like who pays for the guy behind the cash register and then who's making the food It's just it's it's a complete waste of time and money You Nonetheless next game we're going to hit on Texans. They clenched the division with the win over the Dolphins this weekend. Yeah, this game, Tua and Tyreek look like poo poo. I mean, Yeah, the dolphins are struggling bro. I think their window is closed on this bunch

pershin: 36:39

Yeah, it's really weird because honestly ever since to it came back from his concussion. He's actually looked pretty good But man, right he just he looked bad in this game like just some really bad balls Not just bad decisions, but also just some really off just bad decisions Airmail and some of this shit. It's like bad day for two and when your quarterback is having a day like that. It's like You're not gonna be able to get anything done. You know, I mean, it's like

Jason: 37:12

oh bro. They have four turnovers You can't win with four turnovers

pershin: 37:17

Yeah, no, I mean, they couldn't move the ball aside from the fact that they were turned. I mean, I think the more surprising thing and perhaps in some ways, even more disappointing thing is like they were gifted so much free sort of real estate, the Texans, and yet it was still closer than it should have been. It's like, what's going on with that Texans offense, man? Like they all year long. It's like, You keep expecting something good to happen and they just keep disappointing. I mean I'm, not sure it didn't necessarily look like stroud was throwing bad balls out there but it's like I I feel like maybe the problem is actually sloic like I think maybe the The league has figured out what he's done and they've kind of countered it and Maybe he's not able to adapt anymore. I don't know. I'm not sure what's going on. But like They're, they're, they're offense, I understand they're gonna make the playoffs and everything, but I would be shocked if they actually win a playoff game at this point.

Jason: 38:24

Like, they just Hey man, Niku Collins did his thing.

pershin: 38:27

Yeah, he's the only thing that's working right. I mean, even mixing can't get anything going anymore. You know what I mean? Right, right. I, that offense just looks constipated, bro.

Jason: 38:40

Well, you know, speaking of constipated offenses, Steelers. That offense is stagnant the last two games with kicking the tires around and pickings out. I mean, to be honest with you, man, I think, I think Tomlin's got a, I think he's got to put fields back in and just. I mean, they're not scoring at this point. There's nobody to catch those moon balls. Run the wildcat,

pershin: 39:07

bro. Run the wildcat with fields, man.

Jason: 39:10

I just, I just think they got to get some sort of, some sort of exciting behind the line of scrimmage.

pershin: 39:15

Man, I, I think that they're getting exposed. Pose for their lack of depth at wide receiver. I mean, if Pickens ain't out there, they don't have anyone to threaten that, like these defenses are absolutely not afraid of Calvin Austin van

Jason: 39:29

Jefferson. Especially if Najee Harris is going to turn the ball over on the ground. I mean that they were, they were on their way to score. I feel like on that drive and then Najee Harris turns it over. The last thing that I kind of wanted to check out was the, the playoff picture, the bears were newly eliminated. All the AFC divisions were are pretty much wrapped up except for the AFC North. We got the Ravens Steelers Still fighting it out. Yeah Yeah, and then on the NFC side Every almost everybody's fighting it out still The NFC North division is up for grabs I mean the entire NFC North

pershin: 40:16

is in the, the super bowl conversation right now. I mean, other than the Bears, you basically got the Eagles plus the NFC North as the favorites. All four of those teams are. Are in the mix to to be super bowl winners I I think it's it's pretty wild the difference between the nfc north and basically the rest of the football league like it's just Extremely competitive right now and you know with With the way that lion's defense has gotten decimated. I mean, it's anyone's game right now. It's pretty Pretty interesting stuff had heading down the stretch here

Jason: 40:58

Yeah, the last three games, it'll be interesting to see those races between the Packers, the Vikings, and the Lions, to see where they all end up. Tampa Bay is fighting with the Falcons. The Rams are fighting with the Seahawks and the Cardinals. I mean, San Francisco could still sneak their way in there. Somehow Dallas is in the mix. The Saints are still in the mix.

pershin: 41:21

Wow, the Saints are still in there? Jesus. Five and nine,

Jason: 41:25

they can still win the division. Oh

pershin: 41:27

my goodness.

Jason: 41:28

I have a feeling they'll be knocked out this week along with the Cowboys and the 49ers.

pershin: 41:33

It's almost poetic how it's like the NFC North It really is the polar opposite of the NFC South.

Jason: 41:42

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It

pershin: 41:43

was like, nobody seems to do anything. I guess the Buccaneers have, like, have a chance to be a winning team, I guess. But

Jason: 41:53

yeah, they're eight and six.

pershin: 41:54

Pretty rough. I mean, to

Jason: 41:55

all those college football fans out there that are mad about low risk record teams. Well, here you go. We got two eight and six teams.

pershin: 42:04

Yeah.

Jason: 42:05

About to make the playoffs. Yeah. Yeah.

pershin: 42:07

Yeah,

Jason: 42:08

I think which, which last thing I'm going to bring up real quick is somebody was mentioning that would they have a conversation after this season that if like, because of the teams that are so good, like all like 12 and two Packers, I mean, Minnesota lions and the Packers at 10 to four, like the fact that even like two of those teams are going to have better records than two of the other teams in the top four. Like people are going to say, Oh, well, maybe we should just leave seeding up to records and not if you win your division.

pershin: 42:43

Yeah, I could see them making that change. Like if you win your division, you still get in, but you don't necessarily get a high seat automatically. Like,

Jason: 42:52

right.

pershin: 42:53

You could use it more, more so for like breaking ties if, if teams have the same record or something, you know?

Jason: 43:00

Sure. Yeah. Yeah. That makes sense. Yeah. That makes sense. Well, that's that's all I got man. Anything else you wanted to add on this week?

pershin: 43:09

Nope. I got a jet so That was enough enough for me there's so cool. Glad we got to To do a little recap week 15. I look forward already to next week. Love the populace. Thank you for tuning in

Jason: 43:27

Absolutely. All right, man. Well, we'll catch you guys later next week. We got, we'll talk about the college football playoff. Let's go. So with that being said, you can always hit us up at pod pony podcast, com or on threads and Instagram at pod pony podcasts, and we're out.