Two for the Win
Mike is a U.S. Navy Veteran and Bryan has more than a decade of civil service experience. Together, these blue collar guys dissect the latest sports headlines and events.
Two for the Win
Two For The Win - Episode 09
Unlock the secrets of strategic sports insights and bold predictions with Brian and Mike as we navigate the fast-paced realm of the NBA Cup qualifiers, MLB winter meetings, and NFL’s thrilling matchups. Will the Thunder's completeness outshine the Mavericks' star power, or will the Rockets ignite a fire against the Warriors? Our lively discussion promises predictions that are as unpredictable as March Madness itself. Meanwhile, baseball fans are in for a treat as we dissect the Yankees' surprising roster moves, choosing Max Fried over Juan Soto, and ponder the potential disruption of the proposed "golden batter" rule.
As the NFL season heats up, we're breaking down the thrilling showdowns and unexpected victories that keep fans on the edge of their seats. From the Lions' daring victory over the Packers, thanks to Dan Campbell's gutsy play-calling, to the Chiefs’ impressive win streak fueled by Andy Reid's strategic wizardry, we’ve got it all covered. Our deep dive into quarterback development shines a spotlight on teams like the Vikings and the Jets, raising questions and offering insights into nurturing young talent in the high-stakes world of professional football.
The excitement doesn't stop there as we highlight college football playoff shockers, with Clemson's stunning upset and Georgia’s gritty win over Texas reshaping the playoff landscape. Expect intriguing discussions on the strategic brilliance and tactical missteps across leagues, whether it's the NFL contenders and pretenders, the impact of key injuries, or the evolving dynamics of team rosters. Join us for an exhilarating journey through the sports universe, where we promise a mix of humor, drama, and insider knowledge that only "Two for the Win" can deliver.
December 10th, 2024. Welcome back everybody. I'm Brian with an eye and I'm Mike and we are two for the win, mike. What do we have on tonight's agenda?
Speaker 2:Well, we're going to talk some NBA Cup action. We're going to discuss the MLB winter meetings and talk about the Juan Soto New Deal. We're going to discuss the college football action from previous week and touch on NFL action from this previous week and looking into next week in the NFL.
Speaker 1:And we've got a little contenders and pretenders coming up later on, don't we huh? A little fun thing. Yeah, all right, we are loaded tonight, man, we have quite an agenda for you. Hang on to your seats, everybody, because let's dive on in.
Speaker 2:Agreed, agreed, so we're going to discuss some NBAba I'm glad you agree, mike yes, yes. So, as it shakes out tonight, we start the qualifier rounds of the nba cup. It is done here we go our limited are been cut down and we have the team teams of the East and the teams of the West in the bracket and we're shaking it down For right now. Tonight, on December 10th, we are getting Bucks Magic at 7pm and we're going to get the Mavericks and Thunder at 9.30 pm.
Speaker 1:All right.
Speaker 2:Eastern.
Speaker 1:Standard Time. Two loaded matchups right here tonight as we are jumping into the show.
Speaker 2:And tomorrow night we'll get the Knicks and the Hawks going against each other at 7 pm Eastern Standard Time and then we'll have the Rockets and Warriors at 9.30 tomorrow night.
Speaker 1:You know that might be my favorite matchup the Rockets and Warriors matchup. That might be my favorite of the bunch right here.
Speaker 2:I don't know. I kind of like that OKC and Mavs matchup.
Speaker 1:I do like that matchup, but the Rockets have a special place in my heart and I kind of like the Warriors too. I'm excited for that matchup. Who do you got between the Bucks and Magic? Who do you think is taking that one tonight?
Speaker 2:Well, I did pick Magic getting into this tournament and they're here. They made it Like I said. They're a young team and sometimes being a young team that doesn't know any better is a good thing. They could pull the upset. I mean the Bucs, they're an older team, they're one of the oldest teams in the NBA, but, as we saw last year, the Lakers were an older team and they still pulled it off. So being an older team doesn't necessarily mean anything. So who do you think is going to win that matchup? Do you think it's going to be the Bucs or the Magic?
Speaker 1:You know I got a little bias here. I like the Bucs. You know the Magic. Obviously, like you say, I agree they're not such a bad team. They're young. But you know I'm in partial to the Bucs here they're number one seed. I'm going to stick with the Bucs. Here they're number one seed. I'm going to stick with the Bucs as my pick to roll through this one.
Speaker 2:Okay, since we're talking East, why don't we talk about Knicks-Hawks? Who do you think is going to win between Knicks and Hawks?
Speaker 1:Again, another solid matchup here. The Knicks hold a special place in my heart, but you know I got a lot of friends down south. You know what I'm saying, but I'm going to pick the Hawks on this one.
Speaker 2:You seem to have a lot of space in your heart for some teams.
Speaker 1:I do, but I just picked the other team on this one, so I don't have any space in the heart.
Speaker 2:I'm kind of feeling the Knicks.
Speaker 1:You're feeling the Knicks.
Speaker 2:I'm feeling the Knicks man. I think that they're moving.
Speaker 1:I do like the Knicks, but I'm going to give the Hawks a chance to win this one.
Speaker 2:I'm not counting out the Hawks. I mean the Hawks are a good team. I'm just saying I feel the Knicks, I mean I feel they're the better team in my opinion. But that's just my opinion. You know, sometimes you just have to be the better team on that night.
Speaker 1:No, and I mean I do like the Knicks a little more, but I think we're in for an upset here on this one.
Speaker 2:Well, it's kind of like March Madness, you know, you always have them Cinderella stories where some team just gets hot and they win.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:That can happen. I mean, that's the beauty of this bracket, you know. You just have to be the right team at the right time. You can have all the star power in the world and still not be in it. I mean, we've got plenty of star power that's not in the bracket this year.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know we'll see. So since we did the East, let's move on to the West.
Speaker 1:The Wild Wild.
Speaker 2:West. We got Thunder and Mavs. Who do you think is going to win Thunder-Mavs?
Speaker 1:You know I like Cuban. He's a good business man. I take a lot of tips from him, but I'm taking OKC in this Thunder.
Speaker 2:I agree it's rock and roll. I agree, okc just feels like a more complete team.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:They have. I like their bench depth, I feel like they just they hit on all cylinders.
Speaker 1:And they just have it going on Like I agree with you.
Speaker 2:I mean Mavs just feel like they go as Luka goes. If Luka's doing well, team's doing well, and I don't have the same feeling for them as I do the Thunder. I mean the Thunder just the games I've caught this year of the Thunder, they just they're playing good. Even their bench players come in and play some hard minutes. I just feel more confident in the Thunder than I do the Mavs.
Speaker 1:I agree with you. The Thunder is one of my all-time favorite teams as well, so I'm going to pick Thunder as well.
Speaker 2:I think I can pretty much guess which team you're going to take in the other matchup with the Rockets and the Warriors. You're taking the Rockets, aren't you?
Speaker 1:Why do you think that?
Speaker 2:You already said, they have a spot in your heart.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I said the Knicks did too, but I didn't pick them to win.
Speaker 2:Okay, so you're saying the Warriors, you're taking Warriors.
Speaker 1:No, I'm going to take the.
Speaker 2:Rockets, yeah, see, see, see.
Speaker 1:I think the Warriors might have a little edge on the Rockets, but I really want to pick the Rockets for this one.
Speaker 2:I mean they got an A.
Speaker 1:As you can see, I'm picking on emotions.
Speaker 2:Well, they got the edge on age emotions well, they got, they got the edge on age. You know age and, uh, you know a team that is is hot at times but, yeah, I mean they are.
Speaker 1:They're certainly not the warriors of old no, but I mean they can still pull it out, are old but you know I like the rockets to pick that to win that one.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, so basically, basically Thunder Rockets next round and we're looking at Bucks Knicks next round.
Speaker 1:Now, those are two good matchups right there.
Speaker 2:I mean, that's kind of what I think is going to happen. I think it's going to be Bucks Knicks, even though I think the Hawks.
Speaker 1:I still like the Hawks, but I think the Knicks will probably come out on it with it.
Speaker 2:Well, that's what I like about this tournament, because to me you just have to be the team that gets hot. You know, it kind of almost gives every fan base.
Speaker 1:Everybody loves hot things.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, but it's like every team has a chance to win this bracket because you just have to be the team that gets hot, because we've we've seen teams last year that we, we surefire, thought they were going to make a run and they get bumped early, and it's like yeah oh okay, I mean honestly, not many people were picking the Lakers to win it last year, but they got hot.
Speaker 2:They got hot at the right time and they won. But they're not in it this year. Case in point, the star's not in it, so you've got to be in it to win it. So good luck to the teams that are actually in the bracket.
Speaker 1:And once you get in, hang on, exactly, even if it's by your toes. And once you get in hang on.
Speaker 2:Exactly.
Speaker 1:Even if it's by your toes. So what do we got up next here?
Speaker 2:We need to move on from some NBA action and start talking what I predicted last week, which really was not much of a prediction. I mean, let's be honest, we're just talking that the winter meetings for MLB were going to start getting hot. But I was a little wrong. At the same time, things happened before the meetings, like trades I mean not trades, but signings were happening well before the meeting started this Monday. So one of the big targets was Willie Adamas. He wound up signing with the Giants for a seven-year deal, $182 million contract.
Speaker 2:Now you had teams like the Red Sox, the Yankees, the Blue Jays, the Dodgers, the Braves they had all these teams that were really interested in this guy. But the Giants, who missed out in previous years to getting some key free agents like Aaron Judge. They finally land a big target. They finally land a big target and kudos to them because they really have tried hard but just missed. But they weren't the only ones that did some deals. So the Orioles quietly acquired well, not acquired, they signed Gary Sanchez to be their catcher in dh and, uh, tyler o'neill on a three-year deal to kind of fill that, that void of, uh, the one outfielder they're going to be losing. Uh dang, I forget his name, but anyway two, two pretty good signings there, though.
Speaker 2:Yes, two signings needed Needed positions to fill. Not bad for me on that note, but pitcher Shane Bieber, who's coming off of an injured year, signed back with Cleveland. So that's a good signing for them because he's homegrown talent and he's a good pitcher when he's healthy. Let's hope he can stay healthy. And he's a good pitcher when he's healthy. Let's hope he can stay healthy. But from these winter meetings we finally got some big news.
Speaker 1:We got Juan Soto getting his landmark deal. Yeah, just smashing Shohei Otani's deal.
Speaker 2:Which you know. He had a bunch of people checking in on him and wanting to do deals and a lot of teams were putting offers in yeah but his agent, scott boris, and him finally broke down and signed with the mets and I, I say broke down. It's not a lot, lot of arm twisting when you sign for a 15-year deal worth $765 million.
Speaker 1:Hey, you know what's even better? That deal with some incentives can be inflated to $800 million.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, and that's after a few years where his annual salary can go from $51 million a year to $55 million.
Speaker 1:In the last 10 years. Yeah, but that's if they're going to keep him though, but here's the thing.
Speaker 2:Here's the thing. Is he worth it?
Speaker 1:I think the question is do you think he makes it past year four or five, Because that's the void year for both him and the team.
Speaker 2:Well, here's where I have a problem with the deal.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:So if Shohei Otani is worth $700 million, right.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:And the man puts up a 50-50 season. Right, this is he didn't pitch. Now, that's the added thing. With Otani, you get a good pitcher and you get a good hitter.
Speaker 1:You get both. True, nobody's overpaying for pitchers.
Speaker 2:You almost got two players in one and he's great at both. So he puts up a 50-50 season, which has never been done in the history of baseball. Think about that for a second. In the history of baseball, nobody has done this and he did it.
Speaker 1:I love history.
Speaker 2:So you're telling me that Soto, who is just a fielder and a hitter which, mind you, he's not even a great fielder, he's just an average fielder with a good arm and eventually he'll age out of being in the field and have to be a DH. So you're going to then be paying just a hitter $55 million.
Speaker 1:That's.
Speaker 2:I mean 51 to 55, depending. I mean, that's, that's. I think that what happened in this deal was pretty smart by Boris and it honestly, teams in the MLB really need to think about doing deals without Boris, because Boris is getting the price tag just moved up, moved up and moved up, and every deal he makes just seems like the worst deal possible for teams Because you get these players and then your team is handicapped Because you spent all this money on one player and sometimes Well, yeah, you hamstring yourself financially.
Speaker 2:Exactly so, technically, the Yankees missed out on Soto.
Speaker 1:But did they, did they.
Speaker 2:Because what they did actually that just happened tonight they signed an ace pitcher in left-hander, max Fried, and they got him for eight years, $218 million. So you're getting one of the game's top pitchers and you still have if you're going off of Soto money, you still have $500 million to go. Yeah so now you can turn what would have been his one contract into maybe three or four players to round out your team.
Speaker 1:You know what the primary upping point was, from New York's and Mets' deal offers to Soto.
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:He wanted a luxury suite. The Mets gave it to him. New York wouldn't.
Speaker 2:Well, there's a story behind that. So Soto probably was never going to go back to the Yankees because the Yankees, their security staff staff, treated his family poorly.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So they wound up kicking out his dad, making his dad sit outside in the rain waiting for his son to get done. Now I don't have the full story, so I don't know what altercation wound up making him get kicked out, but security did escort his family out the building and made him stand outside and wait for his son. Excuse me, and they didn't do this just once, sorry. They also did it to soto's chef, who he invited to come out to the game, and they kicked him out too why did these things happen, though?
Speaker 2:I don't know. I don't know. I mean, granted, there's two sides to every story. Maybe they were acting wrong, but maybe not. I mean, either way, if you have a talent that you want to keep happy, you're not going to keep him happy by treating his, his family and friends poorly.
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, now was that a miscommunication between him and the team, or do we have any?
Speaker 2:It very well could have been.
Speaker 1:Yeah. But it's Now the fact that it happened, I could see like okay, whether it was an honest mistake or not, you know. Okay, fuck y'all, we're not coming back here.
Speaker 2:There should have been some sort of smoothing over in that process. Either you you sit them down and you say, hey look, we're sorry, here's a luxury suite next time, you know, as a goodwill gesture, or, you know, work something out where everybody kind of saves face, instead of having, like a Charles Oakley incident where the Knicks are booting Charles Oakley out of the garden. You know, you kick out one of your beloved players from years past over some BS, you know. But that's not all the winning meetings produced. Also tonight, blue Jays were able to acquire the three-time Gold Glove winning second baseman, andres Jimenez from the Guardians. From the Guardians, I'm not sure the compensation they sent yet, but they now have a pretty good tandem with him and Bochette doing the double play action in their infield. So they have some good defense now in their infield.
Speaker 1:I just want to interject real quick. Juan Soto's name sounds like Han Solo.
Speaker 2:Continue. I'm sure that was not the intent. Continue. But also something that has kind of been floated out here with baseball is they've been floating out this idea of a golden batter, oh the golden at bat. Proposal um so why don't you break that down? What is, what is the golden batter?
Speaker 1:so, if I'm correct here, essentially A GM or manager can place their best batter at the front of the line anytime they want, but also they still keep their place in the regular batting rotation.
Speaker 2:That's correct. They can choose their best batter to bat whenever they want. Now I don't know how many times.
Speaker 1:That's my next question is is there a limit, like you can't just have your best batter?
Speaker 2:bet every single. This might be a one-time thing, but to me I don't really like it.
Speaker 1:I don't like it either and and it's cheesy, it's a cheesy way to get an advantage.
Speaker 2:Okay, I don't like it because you're missing out on one of the things that makes baseball great. One of the things that makes baseball great is you can go and battle out a game where teams are back and forth One pitcher's throwing lights out, the other pitcher's throwing lights out, the other pitcher's throwing lights out they're barely getting any runs in. You're going down into the bottom of the ninth and the coach is exhausting all efforts and he looks down his bench and he's sitting here thinking who's going to get me that at bat? Which guy am I going to put up there and get me that hit to?
Speaker 1:win the game. I mean Juan Solo.
Speaker 2:Sorry. So you know having moments like this where you look down and you get like a Julio Franco who is like the ageless wonder, still playing in the MLB at like 49 years old, but he can jack home runs and he was just like just one of those guys. He just he didn't seem to ever age, or or you, you get the, the.
Speaker 1:Kurt.
Speaker 2:Gibson, the Kurt Gibson play. Where Kurt comes in and he, he's like. His manager tells him I just need a hit. You know, just just come on you, I know you're hurt. He's going. His manager tells him I just need a hit. You know, just come on, I know you're hurt. He's going up there with two bad legs.
Speaker 1:Aaron Judge and hits a home run.
Speaker 2:Well, aaron Judge is already out there. I'm talking about the guys that are on the bench, the guys that are like the unsung guy, like you know, maybe the guy you just called up, like in years past, like where Andrew Jones was a fresh-faced rookie and he comes in and belts a home run to help him win in the playoffs. You know, you're kind of taking that element away by saying you know what? Where's Aaron Judge? Get him up. We're going to get him to bat again. I know he just batted two bats ago. No, I agree.
Speaker 2:But let's get him back up here.
Speaker 1:And I agree it takes away. To me. It takes away from the team aspect, Okay, Like it's no longer about the team pulling off the win. And again, I think it's just a cheesy way to gain an advantage. And again, what if it doesn't work out? What if you put who you think is your golden at-bat?
Speaker 2:and they strike out. Yeah Well, it's very possible.
Speaker 1:Is it even worth it? Then, Like what if you were wrong? What if Mr Nobody would have got you? You know, three bases run in, plus another home run.
Speaker 2:This is just one of those things I mean. Baseball is trying its best to keep the game fresh. Now, what they did here recently—.
Speaker 1:I do understand that. I do understand that.
Speaker 2:What they have done here recently is adding the pitch clock to kind of speed up games because people's number one complaint an MLB game was too long. Now the average is down. You're getting games that are about as long as watching a movie, which is excellent for a lot of folks because you can go watch a game you know midday on a Saturday and you can still go and have it the rest of your Saturday. It's not like you go and watch a game at one.
Speaker 2:I do remember they seemed a lot longer when I was younger yeah, because they didn't have a pitch clock and a guy could sit there and just get set and set and then step off the mound and get back on the mound yeah and get set, and set and finally throw the ball.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I remember that.
Speaker 2:No more of that. Now it's get in, and even the batters? The batters have a time on them too. They can't just sit there and wait until the last second to get in.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And you know they've been making strides to make the game better.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the game a little bit.
Speaker 2:Make it better, better quality better, better quality and it and actually in. In my opinion, I feel like it's one of only a few sports where you can actually have a little more interaction with the team. Yeah, you know, take hockey, for example. The team comes out, they're on the ice and there's a plexiglass wall all the way around, so you're not really interacting with the players much.
Speaker 2:I mean, yeah, you might be able to get into wave or whatever, but mlb players will be over there, coming over and signing yeah, you know autographs for the kids and their dugouts are right down in front of you, yeah you know and you know you go to nfl game and there's sideline and there's all these people on the bench and equipment and tv cameras and photographers and and there's a bit of a barrier there unless you're in lambo and players leap into your lap well, not only that, but if you factor in field layout with baseball, a lot of these seats, even in the slightly further sections, you're still close enough to yell at the field that the players can hear you oh yeah, you can't do that in an NFL game.
Speaker 1:You can't do that in hockey.
Speaker 2:But you can bang the glass Well yeah you can bang the glass.
Speaker 1:I mean, I can throw a beer at a football player too, but we're not going to do that.
Speaker 2:No, because that's a quick way to get kicked out and never allowed back.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and what if it's my favorite player and now I just injured him and my fantasy team might go down? There's a domino effect here, man.
Speaker 2:Well, and then you're going to be the guy that all of the other fans of your team are hating.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I'll get death threats and I'll have to change my name and go to witness protection.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Just crazy shit, all because I threw up beer.
Speaker 2:But the other teams in your division will love you.
Speaker 1:Unless I switch teams because of witness protection.
Speaker 2:You couldn't do it. I could never, ever, ever see you switch the team you cheer for. Look.
Speaker 1:I might be wearing a Cowboys jersey, but I am wearing Commander's underwear, okay, oh good lord.
Speaker 2:But yeah, kudos to MLB for at least trying to do something.
Speaker 1:I mean, I gotta give them some points for effort. I don't think the golden at-bat rule is it though.
Speaker 2:I don't think so either. I think it needs a little more thought, and I'm sure a lot of people are probably thinking the same thing, like it's kind of hokey. But yeah but moving on, let's let's talk about some college football man. We had some crazy, crazy action happen this past weekend and it shook things up, because we've been talking about the bracket and we're going to get to the bracket, but that bracket has changed. So everybody probably knows the scores by now. But we're going to go ahead and give you a little rundown.
Speaker 2:So, one of the big games was Oregon versus Penn State. Oregon won that 45-37. So, it was a back-and-forth affair. You know, some points being scored, you know not a blowout by any stretch of the means. And then one of the games that really changed the landscape was the fact that number 17 ranked, Clemson, was taking on SMU, who's ranked number eight, and Clemson won. Clemson won 34-31.
Speaker 1:You know hell of a game there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they won that game off of a Hauser kick from 56 yards out A 56-yard field goal in college football.
Speaker 1:In college.
Speaker 2:I mean usually in college football, the kicking is so-so.
Speaker 1:Remember his name because he might be a pro one day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he might be on somebody's team in the pros. He'll be on my fantasy team yeah so another game that kind of shook up some things was georgia. Georgia, number five, georgia was taking on number two texas, and georgia won the game 22-19, with the final play for them being the ETN four-yard run, TD run to put them up. I mean that's just awesome.
Speaker 2:Now Georgia it's bittersweet because Carson Beck did get hurt in that game yeah so we don't really know if he's going to be good to go, if he's going to play do we know the extent of that injury yet? I believe it was a hand injury his throwing hand. I'm not certain. I'm not certain I'd have. I'd have to look it up and I apologize that I don't have that information handy.
Speaker 1:Strong hand. This is a strong hand.
Speaker 2:Another game that happened over this past football Saturday for college, number 15 ranked Arizona State beat. And when I say beat, they beat number 16, iowa state you'd have thought I would they beat them 45 to 19 so somebody gave, somebody gave up lunch money that day. That's what that was somebody might have might have lost the game and lost his girlfriend, that was somebody getting a wedgie, getting a swirly, then getting pantsed in the hallway on the way out. But that essentially sealed Arizona State's status.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So that's just a few of the games. I'm not going to hit on all of them, because the more important thing is we have the final bracket. We know who is in and who is out. So the number one spot with a bye, obviously Oregon. Oregon gets that bye. They're 13-0 on the season. Know, on the season, they're in obviously. So the number two spot, previously occupied by one Texas, they're not there anymore. With that loss to Georgia, georgia now gets the bye week in that number two spot with 11-2 record.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So in the number two spot with 11-2 record, yeah. So in the number three spot, number nine, ranked Boise State with their 12-1 record.
Speaker 1:Yeah, boise, moving into a bye spot.
Speaker 2:Number four spot is being occupied by number 12, Arizona State, at 11-2. Now, that's like I said they won that game.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Blowout fashion Decided they're in the number four spot, so they get that bye. So that's your top four spots.
Speaker 1:Who did Arizona beat again? I'm sorry my note's not in front of me.
Speaker 2:They beat Iowa.
Speaker 1:Okay, gotcha.
Speaker 2:So in your number 5 spot it is being occupied by number 3, texas at 11-2. So they will be taking on the 12th spot, the 12th spot sneaking into the playoffs. Number 16 ranked the skin of their teeth. Clemson 10-3 record Clemson coming in. They won and made it in. They are the epitome of what everybody was saying going down to this championship weekend If you win, you have a chance to get in, and Clemson did it. They took their opportunities and they made it pay off.
Speaker 1:Hey, give it up to them, man. Good job, Clemson.
Speaker 2:So the winner of that bracket will take on the number four spot in Arizona State. The number four spot in Arizona State. So, moving down to the number six spot, the number six spot is being occupied by the number four-ranked team, Penn State, at an 11-2 record. They will be taking on the 11th spot occupied by the number 10 ranked team, SMU. Smu is still in despite the loss at 11-2 record. So, moving on to the number 7 spot, it is being occupied by the number 5 ranked team, Notre Dame, at 11-1. Ranked team Notre Dame at 11-1.
Speaker 1:They will be taking on the 10 spot, which is occupied by number 8 ranked, Indiana, at 11-1. Gary Indiana.
Speaker 2:Gary, Indiana. So the winner of that matchup will take on the 2 spot of Georgia, and the winner between the SMU and Penn State game I missed over this will take on the 3 spot in Boise State. That's right. So, moving on to the eighth spot, it is occupied by number six, Ohio State, with a 10-2 record. The number nine spot is being filled by the seventh-ranked team, Tennessee, at 10-2 record. The winner of that matchup will take on Oregon.
Speaker 1:Now we've got some fire matchups here. You notice something, mike? These matchups, the ones coming up in the first round, aside from Clemson and Texas, they all share the same record 11-1, 11-1, 11-2, 11-2, 10-2, 10-2. And Clemson and Texas are one game apart.
Speaker 2:Well, the thing that is most interesting to me is the second team out as far as the rankings go is Miami, and the first team out as far as the rankings are concerned is Alabama. Both of those teams respectively Alabama's ranked number 11 in the country and Miami's ranked number 13. But you still have teams that are ranked, like Clemson, who is ranked 16. You know they're still in. You got Arizona State ranked 12, and they're in, but no Bama, no Miami. Now.
Speaker 1:Bama does have three losses. Bama does have three losses.
Speaker 2:Bama does have three losses, and so does Clemson, but you're seeing a clear, clear indication by the committee that they are not going to. Let you just get in on namesake alone.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:You have to show them something in order to get in Now.
Speaker 2:I know people are going to be screaming up and down that who did they play? Who did they play? Well, okay, if you want to be in the SEC and you want to play these big games, then you need to be able to hang Now SEC they have been Bama's been the benefit of being in the SEC for years. They got the top talent, they played in the top games. They made money just hand over hand money, just pouring in Right. So we're finally seeing the days where the competitive balance is shifting. It's being spread out across the board.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's only one team in this playoff that doesn't have a loss. So that, to me, shows that the competitive balance in football is changing. And the fact that Alabama's not in it now granted, they lost Nick Saban, they have a whole new, semi-new. They just elevated a coach that they had.
Speaker 2:But it shows me that they're making decisions now based on. We want to see the matchups that make sense. We want to see teams get in here that really pulled it off and did what they had to do to get in. Now I know Bama came back and they're I want to say they're player director or basically they're GM of Alabama said well, I guess we'll just have to schedule better non-conference games. Well, no, you guys still had plenty of damn cupcake games.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And it's not just based on who you played, who you beat, but it's also how you looked. What kind of points did you score? Did you blow out teams? Did you not blow out teams? Did you let teams come back on you in the second half of games?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:What did you do on you in the second half of games? Yeah, did you. You know what did you do. What did you do to make yourself stand out more than these other teams?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I agree. I agree, was your system fluid?
Speaker 2:I mean nobody. Only Bama fans are going to cry about Bama not being in. And to me, look, bama. You've had years of having all of the recruits, all of the top recruits at your school and now, when you finally can't get every single top recruit, you're crying. So you mean that?
Speaker 1:Oklahoma was a win.
Speaker 2:They're not in it.
Speaker 1:I know, but that's just how much I'm.
Speaker 2:I'm over alabama so yeah, yeah, a lot of people are. People are over it, look, and I'm not, I'm not, I'm not hating on I mean they, they took it, they took advantage of a system that was there that helped them benefit to their max effort. Anybody would do it if they had the chance.
Speaker 1:I mean, they had a really big-name coach for a long time.
Speaker 2:Yes, they did.
Speaker 1:Everybody wanted to play for him, almost everybody.
Speaker 2:Almost everybody. But they had plenty of times where they were in the national championship and won, so I don't really feel any love lost for a team that had that much success.
Speaker 1:There's still a very well-respected program, yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean, it's not like they didn't flirt with being in. They were in up until this week when it counted most. So you're out, but don't feel bad, because obviously you played well enough to even be considered. There's plenty of other teams that didn't get in that played hard too, so it's one of those maybe next year unless you're a senior then there is no next year.
Speaker 1:They're even in the conversation. This team's not even in the conversation.
Speaker 2:But these games are coming up soon with a slate of them starting up on December 21st. So on December 21st you'll get the Texas and Clemson game at 4 o'clock Eastern, then you'll get the Tennessee and Ohio State game at 8 Eastern and Ohio State game at 8 Eastern and let's see Also you will get the SMU-Penn State game at 12 Eastern.
Speaker 1:So this is this weekend.
Speaker 2:No, it's on the 21st, so on the 21st you get these three games.
Speaker 1:I'm sorry, listening comprehension is not a strong suit.
Speaker 2:On December 20th. That's when you'll get the Notre Dame Indiana game at 8 Eastern. So all of the first round will be played the 20th and the 21st. So don't miss out on that action. Definitely want to be a part of it because this is going to be some fun, yeah.
Speaker 2:So, after those games happen, we won't get the qualifying final or the quarterfinals. We won't get those until December 31st. December 31st will be the Boise State game at 7.30 Eastern and whoever wins between SMU and Penn State will take on Boise State. All the rest of the games will happen on New Year's Day With the first game. First game will be starting at 1 Eastern. That will be the Arizona State game and they'll be taking on the winner between Texas and Clemson. Then you will have a 5 o'clock game, 5 Eastern game. The winner from Ohio State and Tennessee will take on the Oregon Ducks.
Speaker 1:Ooh.
Speaker 2:And then the 845 Eastern game will be the Georgia game against whoever wins between Notre Dame and Indiana.
Speaker 1:Another good matchup. They're all really good matchups but that one in particular.
Speaker 2:That'll chalk up the first round of games.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, the first two rounds of games, so hopefully we see some pretty good football action. I feel like we have some really good matchups here. I'm very interested in seeing some of these games.
Speaker 1:Yeah, if we can see them all. I know we won't, but no, we can.
Speaker 2:I mean it's all on most of them. It's either on ESPN, ABC, TNT, you know they'll be on the majority of the channels that it's usually on, so we'll be all right.
Speaker 1:I'm pronouncing ESPN as Espen, so that way I can name my next child after them.
Speaker 2:Why don't you just name them Espen, and just let them spell it that way?
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, I feel like.
Speaker 2:You don't have to pronounce it that way.
Speaker 1:It's Espen and it's ESPN, espen.
Speaker 2:I don't think you need to say it like that.
Speaker 1:We're in 2024, sir, and with the new out with the old, okay, it's like getting an updated logo.
Speaker 2:And speaking of out of talking about college football and move on to some NFL action.
Speaker 1:Speaking of yes, down to our feature content.
Speaker 2:Which I want to say one thing when we start, before we get started, running down some of these games, I love being wrong when it comes to my team, when I say my team has a chance to be upset, and they do the opposite and blow out a team. You know what? I need to start picking my team to be upset and they do the opposite and blow out a team. You know I need to start picking my team to be upset every week. You know what I'm talking about? Is the niners just taking the bears behind the woodshed and beating them. Beating them. You know 30, 30 what was it?
Speaker 2:38 to it was.
Speaker 1:It was up there, oh sorry, yeah, oh yeah, oh, what the hell. Yeah, speaking of going behind woodsheds, I really thought you were going to tell me you love me there.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, they won 38 to 13. I thought the Bears would just. I thought they'd have a better showing Just because why does everybody say that?
Speaker 1:I have not thought that for at least 10 weeks now.
Speaker 2:Because Caleb Williams keeps having these weird scenarios where he starts playing well and then he just looks like garbage after that. I don't know why he has these up and downs and I do realize they fired their coach and then they've their. They've elevated the same coach a few times, like their. Their head coach now was their like offensive line coach, moved up to their offensive coordinator and now he's coaching. In three weeks he's had three promotions. So the front office is like guys, we can't keep up with this crap I hope they're.
Speaker 1:I hope they're paying him for all these promotions, geez.
Speaker 2:I'm saying he's taking his base salary. The front office has to be just like pulling their hair out, like dang it. Now we've got to change stuff again.
Speaker 1:Put that on your resume, bro. Elevated three times in three weeks.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't know if we've seen an elevation that quick, so let's start with the Thursday night game of last week. We had the Packers taking on the Lions.
Speaker 1:NFC North showdown Probably.
Speaker 2:It delivered.
Speaker 1:Probably one of the most powerful probably the most powerful strongest division in the NFL right now. That game was fun. That was a fun game to watch there fireworks let me tell you what um jordan, love man me a little more well, I mean he put up 31 points for their team he did. He did well. Like he didn't, I mean the team put up 31 points and putting up a hand in putting up 31, points.
Speaker 2:How about the cojones on Campbell At the end of the game? Towards the end of the game you're like well, we could kick the field goal, or we could try to go for the first down and then kick the field goal after we run the clock down and not give them a chance to have the ball you know, I agreed with it.
Speaker 1:They were like what? What was it like one or two yards or something like that? It was really short yeah, it was.
Speaker 2:It was a short and they were they're on their end of the field.
Speaker 1:They're very confident in their defense. They knew they could get it. I agreed with it.
Speaker 2:Go for it, man well, I mean campbell's always been. You know, he's done this consistently where he has his team go, he doesn't blink, he's go do it yeah, and I agree with it.
Speaker 1:I like the aggressive play to win. Okay, now play smart. And he does play smart. There's a time and a place, right, right, but he played that very well. He knew what was. That's a good coach, right there, okay, he just knew what he was looking at. He said you know what? We need to end this right now.
Speaker 2:So many people were scared when he was talking about biting kneecaps in his first interview. But people were like, yeah, give me some of that kneecaps.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you can buy my kneecaps. How much I'll pay you to do it now.
Speaker 2:Big old teeth on that. Yeah, that was like I said, that was a fun game.
Speaker 1:That was a lot of fun to watch. Congratulations to the Lions Again. Stay on top of the division.
Speaker 2:And so, moving on, let's touch on another divisional game the Jets and the Dolphins.
Speaker 1:I think the Jets did much better than. I gave them credit for.
Speaker 2:Okay. So the Jets came out a little hot in this game. They were feeling themselves and things was going their way and they let Miami come right back on them and take them to overtime and let Miami win the game. You know, the Jets are turning into a verb. They're turning into a verb where it's like they're jetting it up.
Speaker 1:I know this one. I was a Redskins fan. I know how this goes.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know what Miami was singing in the fourth quarter I'm hot because I'm fly, you ain't because you not. And they took that all the way back to miami with them, with a w.
Speaker 2:Look, I'm beginning to believe that theS is an acronym. The JETS stands for Just End the Season.
Speaker 1:That's been around for a while now. By the way, how many concussions has Aaron Rodgers had before?
Speaker 2:I don't. That's a good question.
Speaker 1:You just got beat by the handicapped version of Tua.
Speaker 2:No, I mean, he's not handicapped. He hasn't had a concussion in a few weeks now.
Speaker 1:No, but I'm sure there's residual. It was like his 10th concussion.
Speaker 2:All I'm saying is Miami played a good game, the Jets albeit, they did play well, but they just find a way to lose games. I mean, this is twice now that they've looked good in two weeks and they just somehow lose the game. Like if you watch the first quarter you're like, oh man, they might win this one.
Speaker 1:Not only that, and the.
Speaker 2:Jets, jet it up.
Speaker 1:Well, not only that, but Miami is better than people give them credit for. They want to be the Bills of the South. Just look at their team setup. They want to be the Bills of the South. Just look at their team setup.
Speaker 2:They want to be the Bills of the South. They can't play in the cold.
Speaker 1:And the Bills can't play in the warm. Look what just happened in LA We'll get to that.
Speaker 2:We'll get to that. Stop jumping ahead. Stop jumping ahead.
Speaker 1:That's right, dude.
Speaker 2:That was a good one. That was legit. So talk about a homecoming game. Yeah, the Vikings taking on Atlanta in Minnesota and Kirk Cousins stepping back into his former playing grounds.
Speaker 1:And his former playing habits.
Speaker 2:Man. I don't know if this is former playing habits, I don't know what habits these are, but he needs to change it quick. He's becoming pick city man. You know, he If you're playing fantasy and you see he's taking on a team that is available in free agency. You might as well pick him up because he's going to throw a few picks.
Speaker 1:Look, cousins will put up. But there's two things about him okay. One he does throw picks okay.
Speaker 2:Not all the time, but he's recently.
Speaker 1:he has Well, he threw picks. As a Washington fan, he just played so well and he was able to cover his tracks. Look, every quarterback throws picks, it's just how often do you throw picks? Well, yeah, that and then it'd be like james winston having a 30 for 30 30 season well, not only that, but the other thing is he cousins has a knack, and I'm sorry if this is disrespectful, but he has a knack for collapsing in the big moments. This wasn't a primetime, but this was a big moment for him.
Speaker 2:But he did win a primetime game this season, so I mean, it's not so much that as much as I think that when the pressure's on him, he feels like he has to do more and it makes him a different player.
Speaker 2:Kirko Chains, but seeing as how he's the Vikings showed out and they won this game 42-21. So they had double the points, and a lot of that due to Addison and Justin Jefferson having huge receiving days thanks to Sam Darnold throwing five touchdown passes First time Darnold's done that in his career and he's looking like maybe the next guy for them. I mean, I know he's going to be a free agent at the end of the year.
Speaker 1:They got JJ, they just drafted two.
Speaker 2:I know they have JJ, but think about it this way they just drafted two. I know they have JJ, but think about it this way If you have a guy in-house right now and you have a young quarterback, why not say to Darnold, look man, we want you to stay, we want to keep you here and we want you to help bring up our young guy, who eventually will be the next guy maybe because they have him well, they have him yeah for a few years.
Speaker 2:so why not bring donald on a couple years and then turn the reins over to justin later and let them develop a little, just like they? Well, I agree with that. Steal an idea from your division rival. What have the Packers done the last few decades?
Speaker 1:Develop quarterbacks.
Speaker 2:They bring in a quarterback, they make him sit behind the starter. The starter sits there and shows the young guy how to play, how to be a pro, and then, when it comes down to all right, we're not seeing the production or the guy gets hurt.
Speaker 2:And then they bring in the rookie or the bench guy and he showcases and shows something to them In live game action. They go all right, man, we're going to thank you for your service. We're going to respectfully let you go somewhere else or we'll trade you if you want, if they're still on the contract.
Speaker 1:Take your knowledge that you gained with us and make it successful and pass it on somewhere else.
Speaker 2:I feel like the NFL has a developmental problem right now with quarterbacks. Nobody wants to develop a quarterback. They all want the guy to come in and be the guy.
Speaker 1:I agree with you there. Now I have two points to make on this. One of them goes back to the Jets that we just talked about. For so long, they've screamed out quarterbacks. We now have at least two living examples where quarterbacks are not the issues, because Geno Smith is playing his ass off, and now Sam Darnold.
Speaker 2:The other question I have is oh no, the organization is dysfunctional as hell, but that's a thing. You have some organizations that they just have that stink on them.
Speaker 1:But going back to the Vikings now, my question is are the Vikings the new QB whisperer of the league? Because this is two quarterbacks now who were not necessarily elite.
Speaker 2:Darnold definitely was not elite.
Speaker 1:And they are playing on elite levels under Kevin O'Connell's tutelage. Okay, cousins, and then JJ is JJ next.
Speaker 2:I am not saying they're quarterback whisperers, I think what okay?
Speaker 1:I mean Kevin O'Connell has.
Speaker 2:Both of these guys that you know, darnold and Cousins, they both played elsewhere and were in just dysfunctional organizations.
Speaker 1:Real quick.
Speaker 2:And Darnold twice was in two different dysfunctional organizations. Went to the Niners and saw what a functional organization is.
Speaker 1:Real quick. What Cousins QB coach in Washington was? Kevin O'Connell under Mike Shanahan? Okay and Jay.
Speaker 2:Gruden. So the point is they went somewhere where they knew there's a good coach, a coach that can work for them. So we're seeing the result of bad coaching and the effect it can have in Chicago, because look at Caleb Williams. If he had a competent offensive coach which, mind you, this next offseason, when they go looking for a coach, I would be surprised if they don't bring in Cliff Kingsbury for an interview.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Because they had him in there previously. First of all, don't offend me, I don't know how they let him walk out the door, knowing that he worked with Caleb.
Speaker 1:Yeah, first of all, don't offend me, because Kingsbury is here.
Speaker 2:I know you want to keep him in Washington.
Speaker 1:He's staying in Washington for at least one maybe two more years.
Speaker 2:You want him to. But when somebody says we'll make you a head coach and pay you more money, I don't know.
Speaker 1:Does he want another head coach job, though? Maybe, maybe not. It didn't work out in Arizona.
Speaker 2:But sometimes some guys are better coordinators than head coaches.
Speaker 1:And I think Kingsbury's that and he's ours.
Speaker 2:Anyway, you can't have them. You can't have your coaches. Do well and not see them leave. Just look at the Niners how many defensive coordinators we've rotated through and their head coaches elsewhere, and how many fizzled out somewhere else. Sala is a great point of coach. That should have stayed a coordinator and he should have never left the Niners.
Speaker 2:Greg Roman Anyway. No, greg Roman is a sit-in-a-booth guy who is a horrible offensive coordinator, in my opinion, just because he will never get off the run and he will call three run plays for negative rushes all three times and then be like why didn't we get a first down?
Speaker 1:Sounds like Mike Shanahan. Plays for negative rushes all three times and then be like why didn't we get a first time? Sounds like mike shanahan. So. But I agree, the bears did it a little wrong. Everybody thought they were going to be this all-star group. They got receiver, this receiver, that they got this piece, that piece they drafted caleb williams like I mean, but they did it wrong.
Speaker 2:So look, look, to go back to your point of the quarterback being, you know, in a spot where you know, are they a quarterback whisperer? It's a pretty good job to have when you've got Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison to throw to.
Speaker 1:And now Jalen Naylor.
Speaker 2:Who's coming up. Oh, and not to mention TJ Hockinson.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Oh man, life is so rough. You know, Dang, and you had Aaron Jones.
Speaker 1:And you had Aaron Jones to rely on at the beginning of the season.
Speaker 2:Oh, and they went out and got you Cam Akers as well. I mean, oh man, Life is rough being the quarterback of the Vikings.
Speaker 1:You know, dang hey, life is rough being the quarterback of the Vikings. You know, look, hey, there are some. Okay, there's some good examples here, right, other than Caleb Williams.
Speaker 2:Hey, caleb Williams, they okay, they screwed up because they said Sean Watson Williams. They screwed up because they said Deshaun.
Speaker 1:Watson.
Speaker 2:Massage Watson doesn't count. He hasn't been elite since he started getting charges put against him, Anyway. So we're going to go back. Since you want to go down that road, we'll play with this road. Here we go. Hey, you started it.
Speaker 1:I don't even know where I am right now. The problem with where Caleb Williams is you have receivers.
Speaker 2:You go out and you get all these name receivers right Now granted. Some of them are already there. You already had Moore there.
Speaker 1:You already had. Well yeah, they went out and got DJ Moore. Yeah, then Keenan Allen, then Then Keenan Allen, then they got Keenan Allen.
Speaker 2:You draft Roma Dunze. Roma Dunze you already had Komet there.
Speaker 1:Cole Komet yeah.
Speaker 2:And you go and get a running back who's known for taking the edge too soon and getting tackled for negative yards a lot in Swift. But what did you do for your offensive line? What did you do at all for that?
Speaker 1:Yeah, they didn't do much. Where's your?
Speaker 2:offensive coordinator to help with this. Well, not only that, you fired that guy because he couldn't seem to get things together with Caleb. Well, not only that but and you keep a lame-duck defensive head coach.
Speaker 1:Their timing is off too.
Speaker 2:The body language of that team says it all.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:They're ready for the season to be over. They're ready for the season to be over because they know that they cannot stand with these other teams right now and they're tired of going out there and it just looking like garbage.
Speaker 1:You know who else is ready for this season to be over.
Speaker 2:The Jets.
Speaker 1:Daniel Jones.
Speaker 2:Well, daniel Jones is with the Vikings, so let's see them whisper that into something they could scream at it it's not gonna happen I almost forgot about that I'm glad you brought him up because, we'll see how much whispering they can.
Speaker 1:I thought we're gonna segue into the giants and I forgot he's not even all the giants anymore. Anymore, you got me good there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, I forgot, it's the Danny.
Speaker 1:DeVito show now, not Danny.
Speaker 2:DeVito Tommy.
Speaker 1:Tommy DeVito.
Speaker 2:No, it's not.
Speaker 1:It's the.
Speaker 2:Drew Locke show.
Speaker 1:Drew Locke. He's in, drew Locke.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they're using Drew Locke. They put DeVito in. He looked horrible and so they said put that hitting. But I mean, really, are we really gonna? Are we really gonna talk about this game? I mean, saints, giants, I mean you know I mean, unless you're a saints or a giants fan. I don't think anybody was going.
Speaker 1:Man, I gotta see that game no I mean I'd rather talk about 14 to 11.
Speaker 2:So I mean derrick, real, real, real barn burner there.
Speaker 1:Derek Carr's back on injury. What else is new? He got injured and they still won.
Speaker 2:Yeah, hurt his hand.
Speaker 1:I said it for weeks and weeks the Giants are not stopping anybody, bro. All right, let's go on to somebody who is they're good at stopping themselves, yeah. You know who is stopping.
Speaker 2:You let McKinney leave and he has the most interceptions on the defensive side as a defensive player, and you let Saquon leave and he's got the most rushing yards. Saquon that I think if you want to be a great player, you go to the Giants and then you leave the Giants and you become the best player in the NFL.
Speaker 1:Letting Saquon Barkley go to the Eagles is going to resonate for decades.
Speaker 2:You know what's going to happen. I can see this. I can see the future. All right, I can see how this is going to go. So there's such a thing as Black Monday in the NFL. It's after that last NFL season is done or the last game is done, and then that Monday Not to be confused with Cyber Monday. No, that Monday or Black.
Speaker 1:Friday this is Black.
Speaker 2:Monday. That Monday, all the coaches that we discussed are on the hot seat. Get that, bring your playbook, come down here to the office and talk to the general manager If they ain't been fired yet.
Speaker 1:They get fired on black money.
Speaker 2:Here's the thing For the Giants it ain't going to be the coach who has to go make that walk. It's going to be the owner asking the GM hey, come in here, come in here, shut the door, shut the door.
Speaker 1:Shut the front door to be, exact.
Speaker 2:And here's what's going happen. He's gonna say I gotta talk to you for a minute. He's gonna be like all right, all right, what's what's going on, man, what's going on? Okay, I'm gonna play this clip for you real quick. Remember hard knocks, remember that thing you guys did. Okay, here's your conversation with Saquon, where you tell him go ahead, go out there, look for a deal, come back to us, we'll see if we can match it. What the is that? What were you thinking? You let that man go out, and the one team the one team I didn't want him to go to he went to because of you Was it the one team he will be fired? I guarantee you that GM he is gone.
Speaker 1:He should have been fired the moment that happened.
Speaker 2:Look here's the one thing that happened for that game, and it didn't even happen in the game, it happened pregame. Some fan hired a plane to fly over the stadium with a sign. I remember this, begging the owner please save us from this dumpster fire.
Speaker 1:Do you know how much money or?
Speaker 2:how desperate you've got to be as a fan to want to hire a plane and want to have them towed a sign saying we are a mess, we are a dumpster. Fire, save us.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, fueling a plane is not cheap Flying it, piloting it not cheap?
Speaker 2:No, it's not cheap.
Speaker 1:Getting a sign which is creating a ton of drag on your tail.
Speaker 2:Well, look, this guy probably spent thousands. But yeah, it's an epitome of how Jets fans feel, or not Jets fans? Sorry, back on the Jets. Those New York teams, they all suck. They want relevance again.
Speaker 1:Look, yeah, I mean, look, that was just a huge.
Speaker 2:They're not even in New York. That's the worst part about it. They're in Jersey. The only real New York team is Buffalo. They're actually in the state of New York.
Speaker 1:At least in Washington, we couldn't keep good players. New York is letting them walk away. They're giving them away.
Speaker 2:Which is why the GM is going to be fired.
Speaker 1:I hope not Moving on, because then they might improve.
Speaker 2:I don't want that Next game. Next game, so next game we're going to be talking about the Eagles-Panthers. Look, I know, before this game was going down, you'd think Eagles-Panthers. Honestly, I don't know if I want to watch this I gave the panthers a chance to win this look the panthers.
Speaker 2:If you're not watching these games, the scores are not telling you what you need to know young that that brief, that brief time that young went on the bench, I think, has really done him some good and kind of hit a reset button for him, because he's actually playing some good ball. And albeit the Panthers they didn't win this game, but they were driving and they had a chance. They really had a chance and they just came up short. You want to see this type of play out of your team If your team has not been winning. You want to see this type of play out of your team If your team has not been winning. You want to see hope, and that's what I see with the Panthers right now. They have hope. They have hope that something is going their way and, yeah, they've gotten rid of some players through the trade deadline, but sometimes it's addition by subtraction.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So they got rid of some players like Deontay Johnson, who hasn't done anything with the Ravens and even got suspended so he didn't even play in the game Now, he's not even yeah. He's not going to even play in the next game.
Speaker 1:The Panthers have turned a quarter. Okay, total 180 night and day from the beginning of the season. This is a competent offense right now. The coach, what's his name? Canales.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:He's probably going to keep his job, oh yeah 100% In the midway of the season. I thought it was kind of shifty.
Speaker 2:No, 100%, he's keeping his job.
Speaker 1:I think now, at this point, they definitely have a reason. The offense is looking competent.
Speaker 2:Look for that coach to sit there and tell the owner I'm benching the guy you want to draft in Young.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:That takes some cojones but also shows that he's going to coach this team to win. He's not just going to be a yes man and do what the owner wants. He's going to do what it takes to get his team in the best position to win.
Speaker 1:And Bryce Young is a good quarterback. I would not label him a bust or a bad quarterback. I think he's a good quarterback. I think they just got to get it together.
Speaker 2:They need pieces. They need pieces.
Speaker 1:They need pieces, he needs some practice, but he's showing flashes now. This is his second year, because he was over here last year. Watch year number three Young breaks out.
Speaker 2:Maybe it's possible. They just need to get some better offensive line help to get protection.
Speaker 1:I saw this somewhere else. They need to get him Well.
Speaker 2:unfortunately and I hate that this happened in the game their rookie running back, who's only been back for like two, three weeks in Brooks he came out and he screwed up his knee.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I saw that last week. I feel for him.
Speaker 2:That really sucks, because he he works.
Speaker 1:You work hard and especially as a rookie. Getting injured in your rookie season, especially if you're a high round pick, right like it's hard and you there's a lot of expectations, and then you come out and then you get hurt again, yeah, it just sucks all the way around.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but we wish him well and hope he has a speedy recovery and hopefully he'll be able to come in next year and hit the ground running and you know, if anything, go back and look at other players that have been through this. You know players like on the Browns.
Speaker 1:Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2:You know their running back. He had his knee basically folded backwards. He chubbed yeah last year and he's back and having a great year. So if anything, take that and look at it and be like okay.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean. I got my knee hurt, but I'm good the injuries and ACLs and stuff like that. I mean, we've watched over the last 20, 30 years, I mean back in the 90s ACL, mcl, lcl, any of those. Anything you need, you're done right. Well, I mean medical procedures have gotten a lot better. But yeah, but fast forward to 2012, 2013,. Rg3, Adrian Peterson.
Speaker 2:He came back too soon.
Speaker 1:Well, he did, but Adrian Peterson as well.
Speaker 2:Adrian Peterson, another good example of coming back. He had an MVP year that year.
Speaker 1:Now you have people getting over knee injuries less than a year.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but you don't want to rush it. But alluding to that Browns, Browns and Steelers played this past weekend.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Steelers coming out 27-14.
Speaker 1:Getting it done, doing what they need to do.
Speaker 2:Despite not having Pickens out there. Pickens was a late scratch, still dealing with a hamstring injury that prevented him from having a go.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and honestly, players just stepped up. Yeah, and I think the Browns, you know they can play competitive division matches, but I think the Steelers thought they were going to be okay without Pickens and I think the Browns, you know they can play competitive division matches, but I think the Steelers thought they were going to be okay without Pickens and obviously they were.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean they did run the ball a little more in this game.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And they looked good. They looked like a team that is. I mean, they probably were fired up for that game off of that loss they had in the snow game with them. Oh, I guarantee Tomlin said we better go out were fired up for that game off of that loss they had in the snow game with them.
Speaker 1:Oh, I guarantee tomlin said we better go out there and handle business. Our heads are gonna roll yeah so I mean it was.
Speaker 2:It was a gritty, it was a. It felt like a brown steelers game.
Speaker 1:You know where it was just, it was just gritty game, you know, classic nfc, nor afc, not high scoring.
Speaker 2:But just you know they grinded it out.
Speaker 1:So the slow gring make you want to go make a sandwich because they're just not doing anything.
Speaker 2:But moving past that game and move on to the Bucs and the Raiders, nice. So the Bucs wound up winning that game 28-13. The Bucs like winning that game 28-13. The Bucs Baker Mayfield man, that cat, he just gives you everything he's got he was questionable coming into that game but like so Baker Mayfield is that type of player that he would probably tell you that if he died on a football field he'd be okay with it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's the kind of soldier that wants to die in battle.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, because he gives every ounce of effort.
Speaker 1:He does.
Speaker 2:He had some shaky moments in the game throwing a pick, but he had three touchdown passes that game.
Speaker 1:I mean, he played behind Tom Brady for a year or two. I mean, I think he learned something.
Speaker 2:No, I don't think he played with Brady.
Speaker 1:I thought Brady was ahead of him.
Speaker 2:No, Brady was gone.
Speaker 1:He was already gone.
Speaker 2:He was already gone because Baker Mayfield went to the Panthers. I need better news and then the Panthers moved him over to the Rams. That's right, no, he got cut and was on waivers and the Rams picked him up.
Speaker 2:He came over and was going over to the playbook and won them a Thursday night game off of reading the playbook while on the plane. That's right. And then the next year he was a free agent and the Bucs needed a quarterback and people were going are we going to go with Trask? Are we going to draft a guy? Then Baker Mayfield signed there and they're like oh, we have a quarterback.
Speaker 1:I like them going with Mayfield. He's balling out man, he has them rolling.
Speaker 2:He's the fit they needed, and vice versa. So it's just one of those right place, right time for both factors, because I mean they have receivers you know, yeah, and they overcame.
Speaker 1:Like Evans and Godwin, both went down early in the season. They're starting running back.
Speaker 2:He's done for the year and he's going to free agency off a bum year, so that sucks for him.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and they're rolling with Bucky the running back and White. Yeah, and White.
Speaker 2:Rashad White, but Bucky's been having a bit more of a show in the past few weeks.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I'm trying to remember his last name I've not got my notes together tonight Bucky Irving, because I always called him Bruce Irving and then I forgot his name altogether.
Speaker 2:No, Bruce Irving was a defensive player for the Seahawks.
Speaker 1:Yes, thank you. Thank you for that smack in the face.
Speaker 2:One that was suspended a few times for PEDs, but you know whatever.
Speaker 1:What else? Tomato, tomato, yeah, but anyway, how about this Jacksonville tennessee game, another game we really probably don't need to talk about, but we will because it's there and in front of us.
Speaker 2:Well, it's a divisional matchup and you know you got tennessee that had a pretty rough go of it. I mean they, houston has that that well, well, tennessee, in that game, levis did get hit hard at one point before half and it looked like he might have been really hurt, but he came back out, so he gutted it out and he was okay.
Speaker 1:But they didn't get the win. They didn't get the win. And another disappointing fact Westbrook and Kine coming back down to earth for the first time since week seven coming back down to earth for the first time since week seven.
Speaker 2:Well, jacksonville, kudos to them for getting the win, you know 10-6.
Speaker 1:So again, not a lot of high scoring going on there. It's not a major win, but they needed a W and I think they got it. Well, obviously they did get it, but you know, I really thought Jacksonville was going to turn a corner this year.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Especially Sunshine under center there.
Speaker 2:That's definitely a coach who will be fired at the end of the year.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's out. Hopefully they keep Trevor Lawrence in some of their key pieces.
Speaker 2:Oh, they will, they will. They paid him. They're not getting rid of him.
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, I mean, he is a good quarterback. They're just not doing right by that system down there.
Speaker 2:So, moving on to the next game, we got Seahawks and Cardinals, so Seahawks pulling off the win 30-18. You know, our buddy Micah was there. Shout out to Micah.
Speaker 1:Good job, Congratulations and I hope you had fun, buddy the.
Speaker 2:Seahawks are owning the Cardinals.
Speaker 1:You realize the Cardinals have not won a game against them in a few years now the cardinals have been slipping, not just in the last few years but the last couple weeks here recently I, you know it's kind of like if they don't come out hot.
Speaker 2:It's like you can see it with kyler murray, where he just kind of gets in a you know pouting toddler mode, where he's just like we're not winning.
Speaker 1:Why are these?
Speaker 2:guys not running the routes I want them to.
Speaker 1:Maybe if they let him play in bell-bottom pants he might perform better.
Speaker 2:He already looks funny enough when he runs, we don't need to add flair to it. He looks funny enough when he runs, so we don't need to add flair to it. But I mean, the Cardinals are the team that, like you know, they kind of were surprising everybody early on winning games and everybody was like, oh my God, are the Cardinals getting it figured out?
Speaker 1:Yeah, marvin Harrison Jr was on site.
Speaker 2:Well, marvin Harrison Jr, we thought he was going to be more Like. He was touted as can't miss best receiver prospect you could possibly have Now, mind you, sometimes Is it him? Or is it the system?
Speaker 1:I think that his talent is translating. He is a rookie and he's had a couple big games okay.
Speaker 2:Yes, he's had a couple big games. Okay, yes, he's had a couple big games. But when you draft a guy that high, you're expecting him to be like Julio Jones was when he came out. Julio Jones, when he came out, was a great receiver.
Speaker 1:They had a system though. They had Roddy White, they had Tony Gonzalez, they had Matt Ryan. They had some pieces that the Cardinals really don't necessarily have right now.
Speaker 2:Correct. They don't have those pieces and they still need to build up their offensive line a little more because it's not playing as great as they need it to be, with having a shorter quarterback and having a quarterback who needs the time in the pocket. But, yes, it's almost like okay, you have the talent, but why is it not producing the wins? And I don't want to blame it on the coach. I want to say that it has everything to do with sometimes you don't have the right fit, meaning maybe you have talented players, but they're not the right player for your system. So like, okay, if you have a who's out there?
Speaker 1:Dan Campbell? Who a? Who's out there, Dan Campbell? Who's the head coach out there? Dave? Huh, who is the Cardinals head coach?
Speaker 2:He was one of the assistant or one of the other coaches that used to be on the. He was on the Eagles. He was the defensive coordinator for the Eagles when they made their run.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I said the wrong name. I know who you're talking about Gannon.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he's out there now, but he's got to figure something out, because it's not a good look to keep losing to the seahawks like that no, no, it's not now.
Speaker 1:Let's move this, in my opinion, the game of the week here. Okay, the rams holding off the bills for a late win 44, 42 man the bill is scoring game in the season. The Bills got to be stunned right now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's the highest scoring game in the season.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I did not see the Rams of all teams serving the Bills.
Speaker 2:a loss like that, especially of that scoring nature, I think the Bills came out there thinking we got this. We're getting this win. Hold on not so fast. Yeah, this, we're getting this win. Hold on not so fast. Yeah, uh, we got a player. Puka nikua, you need to meet.
Speaker 1:You know, we have a cooper cup oh, it seemed like they were only matthew stafford I mean, cup got a touchdown, you know, and, but in some other players, but it seemed like puka nikua. It seemed like he was the only person they were throwing to. Puka was all over the field for them. It seemed like they just could not stop him.
Speaker 2:And from the Bills' side y'all can't rotate coverage. What the hell this guy is torching you and you're not rotating defenders over in his windows. You're not doing anything to adjust your scheme when this guy is torching you like that?
Speaker 1:yeah, he was just all over the hell are you guys doing? He was just their go-to. It was not even funny. The bills had a serious problem.
Speaker 2:They can't play defense like that in the playoffs if they want to get anywhere. They're not going to win games in the playoffs if they can't hold teams down.
Speaker 1:I mean they better. They need to fix that because other teams are going to see that.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Well, I mean the Rams are one of those teams that you don't really want to go against. In a situation Like if they get into the playoffs and they're a wild card team, you don't want to play them because they're that team that, whatever happens some magic they just somehow pull it off and score 44 points against your team. That's supposedly good. That's how you get knocked out of the playoffs. You don't want to face teams like that in the playoffs.
Speaker 1:Again the Rams, another team that has dealt with a serious amount of injuries, especially early on in the season. I mean to go out there and serve it up to the Bills the way they did. I think the Bills were sleeping a little bit, like you said, but congrats to them. Yeah, you know. Obviously the Bills can't play in warm weather or on the West Coast, and Miami can't play in cold weather or in the North.
Speaker 2:Weird division.
Speaker 1:I think they're trying to be equivalents of each other, but opposites, equivalent opposites.
Speaker 2:So moving on to the late game on Sunday oh, I know you're excited. Chiefs and Chargers.
Speaker 1:Yeah, this one hurt me a little bit fantasy-wise.
Speaker 2:Man, okay, so the Chargers, they were playing a pretty good game. They were keeping up with the Chiefs and they were kind of looking. In the beginning they were kind of looking like okay are they going to pull this off? Are they going to win this game?
Speaker 1:They were my pick last week to win. They were my upset pick.
Speaker 2:Well, my upset pick didn't work either, but it kind of worked in my favor though, because I wanted the Niners to win, and they did.
Speaker 2:So, maybe I'll just pick against my team every week, against my team every week. But no, I mean, if you saw this game for the Chargers and Chiefs a tale of two halves you know Like you had a Chargers team that seemed like they had it going and they were keeping up with the Chiefs and they were going to somehow possibly pull this win off. But the Chiefs, all year long, have somehow been finding a way, finding a way to pull off these close wins and I don't know how man I mean Casey finding a way to stay on top.
Speaker 2:I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, because are you getting high leverage pressure situations over and over again? Yes, is that what you're going to have in the playoffs? Yes, you're going to have high leverage pressure situations where you win or go home. That's what the playoffs are. So I don't know if it's a good thing that you have the Chiefs having all these games they're close games and having to win them in different ways. I mean, you're blocking kicks, you're getting last-minute field goals, you're getting last-minute touchdowns.
Speaker 1:They're just making the crucial plays.
Speaker 2:To me it's not. I know everybody wants to go. It's Mahomes. It's Mahomes. It's Mahomes. I don't think it's Mahomes. I don't think it's Mahomes. I think it's Andy Reid. I think it's the coaching scheme that Mahomes is executing based on what is being called I agree with you. I think Andy Reid waits until the fourth quarter to pull out looks and plays that they have not been using to try to engineer themselves down the field.
Speaker 1:No, I agree, Andy Reid's a game-planning mastermind okay.
Speaker 2:As a coach, you want to build your plays towards, yeah, something you're going to give looks early in the games that are going to be different looks by the end of the game every you might have a play that you run three times in the first half and maybe it's a run you hand it off three times. You pitch it to the back or you hand it off to the back. But that fourth quarter when the defense thinks oh, I got him, I got him, I'm gonna, I'm gonna jump this play.
Speaker 1:They show you the same over your head for a 50 yard bomb yep, they'll show you the same look and then they'll switch it up on you. It used to be a run, but now it's a pass yeah, and mandy reed does that.
Speaker 2:He has a master at changing looks and getting your team to look at elsewhere, so kudos to them for getting another win.
Speaker 1:Um, they're certainly in the playoffs just getting it done in crucial moments. They're not even, it's not even big plays.
Speaker 2:you know know what happened they won their division with that game.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So, they're locked in. They're locked in, yeah. Yeah, and nobody's going to catch them at this point and again?
Speaker 2:Well, not with Buffalo fumbling wins away to teams they shouldn't be.
Speaker 1:And going down to here, Monday night's game. Last night's game, it was a fun game.
Speaker 2:It was a fun game, not necessarily a disappointing game.
Speaker 1:They did put up points. We saw the Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase show a little bit.
Speaker 2:Bengals-Cowboys being that game.
Speaker 1:And the.
Speaker 2:Bengals coming out with the win 27-20. And they also broadcasted it in the simpsons universe yeah, if you had uh espn plus or hulu plus or not hulu plus, uh disney plus disney plus I watched it on disney yeah so if you watched that, you saw a simulcast game where it was incorporated with a bunch of simpsons, outtakes and funny little quips and lines and animations throughout the game.
Speaker 1:And they would sub out players, Like on Jamar Chase's first touchdown pass. It was Bart Simpson.
Speaker 2:Throwing to Ralph. Yeah, so it was a fun little thing to watch for a little bit. It was a fun little gimmick.
Speaker 1:I think they got some work to do, but I think it's a step in the right direction, especially for attracting other audiences.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was funny.
Speaker 1:But Cincinnati getting the win over Dallas. Is this Cincinnati actually winning, or is this just Dallas messing up? What is going on here? Well speaking of you said messing up. I really want to laugh.
Speaker 2:Unfortunately, in that game, Dallas did have their star defender overshown. He went down to a leg injury and the release I saw earlier today was like they don't know what the timeline will be, if he'll be back in 2025 or 2026.
Speaker 1:Oh, he'll be back fully healthy and probably on a different team and happier.
Speaker 2:No, he's under contract, he's not going anywhere. It just sucks because he had a knee injury his first year. He missed his first year because of a knee injury. He came back, he was starting to show up and looking really good on the field and then this happens.
Speaker 2:I feel for the guy like wish him well, hope he has a speedy recovery and that he gets back to form Because, like I don't even if it's a team that my team is going against I do not like seeing players because they work so hard. I mean, if you don't see what these players go through, you don't really have a full understanding of how much work and time and effort and everything that they do to be ready to play on Sunday. The preparation.
Speaker 2:When these things happen, just it's heartbreaking because they work so hard and then just one thing could just take it away like that. So, yeah, you know, it's kind of kind of a down note and and, unfortunately, another down note uh, off the field, uh, joe burrow, while he was playing in this game somebody broke into his house yeah, his house. Starting a theme of players having their houses broken into.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was just about to say seems to be a theme here. What was it? Patrick Mahomes, travis Kelsey, there was an NBA player. I forgot his name.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean they've all linked it to the. It's some South American crime syndicate that's up here probably illegally breaking into homes. I mean it's pretty crappy. But I mean, yeah, you know, when players are not going to be at their house, yeah, and if nobody's at the house, I mean yeah, it's pretty crummy. I hate that this is happening to these people, because nobody deserves to have their house broken into or have anything bad like that happen.
Speaker 2:But on a lighter note I don't know if you saw this After the game they brought out a box of donuts because, you know, homer Simpson's favorite food is donuts. Yeah, and so they were giving donuts to the winners and Jamar Chase and Burrow. And so they were giving donuts to the winners in Jamar Chase and Burrow and Jamar Chase takes one of the donuts and smashes it into Burrow's face, and then Burrow returns the favor smashing a donut in his face. So it was really funny to see them do that that's funny.
Speaker 2:And then eat some donuts afterwards.
Speaker 1:That's good times yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean, you like to see stuff like that, you know, have fun with it.
Speaker 1:What we got coming up week 15? Hard to believe we're already in week 15, man Looking at playoffs. The season's kind of on its last leg.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're kicking off.
Speaker 1:It's winding down but heating up at the same time.
Speaker 2:We're kicking off the week with Thursday night football between the Rams and 49ers.
Speaker 1:That's right. Two teams that just got done, putting up an average of 40 points last week.
Speaker 2:Well, Niners were two points short of 40, but they put up 38 points.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but the Rams did 44, so we averaged that for you. The average really might be 41 or 42. I don't care, both these teams putting up around 40 points. Now there's two start differences here. San Fran beat the pants off. Chicago LA held in with Buffalo. I know you're a 49ers fan, mike. Do you think the 49ers can pull this one out, given what we just saw from the Rams?
Speaker 2:depends on who's playing yeah all year long we've had players out taking turns good point.
Speaker 1:Everybody's had a turn on the injury list can we give a nod real quick to the coaching staff and getting these players ready um to play and win?
Speaker 2:all right, what you mean being shorthanded being shorthanded.
Speaker 1:Yeah, uh, just next man up. Okay, we need you to get done and coaching them enough to get. Every time a running back goes down on your team, you seem to have an answer for the next guy. You've been through like three or four running backs and they all seem to be rb1s that's shanahan, him and his dad.
Speaker 1:They know how to find running backs that is true, that is the shanahan way. And then so you guys again, I, the rams and y'all both dealing with injuries and other issues. I like this matchup a lot. This is a very good divisional matchup. Have they played already? Yeah, okay, so who won the first one?
Speaker 2:they played, they're playing, they're playing in san francisco okay last time they played in the Rams stadium and the Rams won that game.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:It was a close game, though it was a close game, the first one Okay, so I'm expecting it to be well. Also, again, it depends on who's playing, because I don't know if Guarindo's going to play, because he did have a foot injury.
Speaker 1:I heard he might be out.
Speaker 2:If he plays again, like you said, next man up. If he doesn't, yeah. But if he plays we'll have a stronger chance against the Rams defense if we can show a good running game to balance our offense, because if we have to drop back and pass every single play it's probably not going to go too well.
Speaker 1:Might not be no.
Speaker 2:But it's a divisional matchup. Divisional matchups are always fun to watch, especially in divisions that are good divisions. Yeah, so a good way to kick off the week this next week.
Speaker 1:Honestly, it's a hard pick, but I really like the 49ers. I know the Rams just had a tough matchup against the Bills. They showed out so you know.
Speaker 2:So that's going to be your upset pick no, but I do like the 49ers in this matchup because, to me, my upset pick for this next Sunday, I'm going to take the Panthers beating the Cowboys.
Speaker 1:That's not even a matchup to bet on, oh man. Hey come on. Come on, both of these teams are upsetting. We can't pick an upset pick for two upsetting teams. I'll let you have it, though, I'll let you have it.
Speaker 2:Alright, well then you make your pick. Who are you going to pick?
Speaker 1:The Giants over the Ravens. No, I'm just kidding.
Speaker 2:I was about to say don't you even be for real about that. I'm just kidding. That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
Speaker 1:You might as well call me on drugs if I go with that shit. Excuse my language. Let's see here, you know.
Speaker 2:Ooh, that's going to be a good game. How is that a 4 o'clock game and not like a premier game?
Speaker 1:No, I don't know, because I like some of these matchups. I like Buffalo-Detroit, I like Tampa Bay-Chargers, I like Pittsburgh-Philly.
Speaker 2:You got. Packers-seahawks down there too.
Speaker 1:The Packers and the Seahawks as well. I like that matchup. My upset pick, I'm taking Pittsburgh to beat.
Speaker 2:Okay, all right.
Speaker 1:I'll go with it. Philly's the favorite I'll buy that. But I'm taking the Steelers to beat Philly. Knock Philly back, give the Commanders a chance to catch up. I like the Steelers' defense. I think they're playing lights out. They're ready to rock and roll.
Speaker 2:So we have two teams that are going to be more than likely in the playoffs. Yes, so if we're because we haven't gotten to this, Okay. Who do you think are contenders and who are pretenders?
Speaker 1:Oh, Contenders and pretenders. Well, we might have to. Let's see who's in contention here, okay.
Speaker 2:We'll just pull up the standings.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we can do that.
Speaker 2:Pull up the standings and we'll run down the standings real quick and see who would be the contenders and pretenders.
Speaker 1:So who's on the outside looking in? Right, Okay, this is the AFC.
Speaker 2:Obviously, Casey and Buffalo will be the contenders they're in. They're definitely teams you can be serious about.
Speaker 1:I think the Texans could be pretenders in this one. I'm not saying not to knock them any, but I think they could.
Speaker 2:I think they just have too many injuries catching up with them.
Speaker 1:I think the Broncos are contenders. I'm just going to come out and say it. I think the Broncos are contenders.
Speaker 2:I feel like they're playing some good ball and I agree with you. I agree that the Broncos are another team that like, even if they don't go far in the playoffs, you can still be happy with your season because you see them building, you see them going somewhere.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So going back down another team in this, that I feel that they're pretenders, the Chargers, yeah, and that's not a knock on hardball, that's not a knock on the team. I just don't think they have enough. You know they don't have JK Dobbins, who was their bell cow at running back.
Speaker 1:They've only been without him a week.
Speaker 2:And they don't look the same.
Speaker 1:Well, I mean Gus Edwards.
Speaker 2:Well, they also didn't have Ladd McConkie either, and Ladd McConkie is on his way to having a 1,000-yard rookie season. He's been a pretty big part in the receiving core and you know, will Disley went down as well. So don't know how long they're going to be out, don't know if they're going to be back, and I just I don't know if they have enough to really push at some of these teams in the playoffs. Now, granted, might they win in the first round Very likely but then I don't see them being a team that can compete against the Buffaloes and the Kansas Cities. I mean, yeah, they put a good showing against Kansas City, but they're again going to have to go into KC, but then go into KC in colder weather.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:It might be a little tougher.
Speaker 1:Three of these teams are in the same division. Well, yeah, it's almost similar to the NFC West to me a little bit and the NFC North. Let's switch over to the NFC side of the playoff picture here. Who over here do you think are pretenders and contenders?
Speaker 2:Well, obviously the Lions and Eagles are the contenders of the bunch, because they're already at the top of everything.
Speaker 1:Yeah, To me.
Speaker 2:Seahawks sorry Micah are big pretenders.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I agree, but Seahawks sorry.
Speaker 2:Micah are big pretenders. Yeah, I agree, Because you can't have almost a. You know, right now they're at what? 8-5?. They have some serious matchups coming up. Like they got the Packers, they got to play I think they've got to play Buffalo, yeah, so they lose those two games. Now they're 8-7, which the rest of the division. They're going against each other. So the Niners are going to play the Rams, the Niners are going to play the Cardinals. So, depending on how those games go, their division could easily be catching up to them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so if they can't win some really tough games down the stretch, they're going to be bounced out by their division, not alone going into the playoffs.
Speaker 1:And the Seahawks. You know the 8-5 record is kind of misleading. They have lost crucial games. Okay, they've won the easy games, but they haven't won a lot of the hard to win games okay. Um, I think in the end of the the last couple weeks here, we're going to find out exactly who they are. But I agree with you, I think they're pretenders. Um, let's see here who else we got going.
Speaker 2:I think that the Buccaneers are pretenders.
Speaker 1:The Buccaneers yes, yeah, yeah, I see.
Speaker 2:Because they play in a mediocre division and right now they're kind of back and forth. They've been dealing with some injuries, yeah, and I feel like this was the team that you know. They weren't really first out the gate as far as everybody's choices. Everybody was like Atlanta, atlanta, they finally have a quarterback, they have all these weapons, they're going to play great, and Atlanta just has been falling off a map and the buccaneers are, are now up in there and they have moments where they're they're not quite playing, where they look like a team that you're going to be scared of them come playoff time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean I don't disagree with you. They are in a weaker division and similar to the Seahawks. Right, like they lose the hard matchups but they win their easy matchups. Right. We need teams that are contenders, are teams that are winning the hard matchups, like the Vikings. Like the Vikings.
Speaker 2:The Vikings only have two losses on the season and are leading a very you know or not.
Speaker 1:They're not leading. It's hard to say that.
Speaker 2:They're not leading their division. The Lions are.
Speaker 1:The Lions are.
Speaker 2:They're keeping pace with the Lions, kind of putting pressure on them.
Speaker 1:I was going to say that's a team.
Speaker 2:when it comes down to the crucial moments in the playoffs. They've been under pressure all year long because their team has to keep step pace with the Lions who are playing excellent football. So if your team is having to fight and claw their way through the season, they're kind of going through the same motions. You know they're having to fight and claw and stay in it themselves yeah where we at over here.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I like that. I I agree with you there on that. Uh, seahawks and buccaneers definitely pretenders, vikings definitely a contender Along with the Lions. I mean, I would even put the Packers as a contender, to be honest with you.
Speaker 2:So so what about? I mean Packers. I want to feel good about them, but at the same time they've been looking pretty shaky at times.
Speaker 1:Well, so have the Vikings at times.
Speaker 2:Well, not like the Packers. I mean, you've had games where Jordan Love has thrown multiple picks.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and Jordan Love's been injured a little, while Darnold was injured too. I don't know, man. I mean, so the packers? The packers have nine wins and only four losses, and they, they do play pretty good football. Yes, they play in a very tough division, but they're keeping pace, uh, with the other two.
Speaker 1:They're within striking distance of a couple games and they are in the playoffs right now as it sits um being third being third in the division with nine wins and still being in the playoffs, I'm calling you a contender yeah, I don't have the same feeling that's okay, though that's no we're allowed to disagree, but what about?
Speaker 2:uh, what about your team? The?
Speaker 1:commanders.
Speaker 2:Commanders. They're in the conversation of the playoff hunt. They're right in the back end with that 7 spot right now.
Speaker 1:At 8-5,.
Speaker 2:Do you feel your team? Are they contenders or are they pretenders?
Speaker 1:I'm going to be real with all my Washington brethren, all my brothers and sisters, right now. The Commanders will one day. I'm going to be real with all my Washington brethren, okay, all my brothers and sisters, right now. Okay, the Commanders will one day be a contender, but they are not right now, not in the playoffs.
Speaker 2:I am shocked you took that stance. That defense I was interested to see if you were going to actually be honest and say they're pretenders.
Speaker 1:No, they need some work. They have had an incredible season to start the dan quinn era and the you know uh, but they have some work to do. They need some pieces and that's so.
Speaker 2:What you're saying is your team is building towards something, like we've been saying all all this entire show. If your team is building towards something and you see improvement, you should feel good.
Speaker 1:Well, the difference between the Commanders and the Broncos right, these teams are very similar to me. Okay. The reason why I believe the Broncos are contenders is because of the level of well, they're doing things that people really just did not expect them to do, and I mean, nobody expected the commanders to do what they're doing right now.
Speaker 2:I think what you're seeing is you're seeing a combination of you're getting the guy that fits what your system is about and you're getting good coaching, because on both occasions, for both teams, their quarterbacks have had games where they look a little shaky and then the next week they come out and they look a lot better and not necessarily that they're playing a lesser team the next week, but they're playing a better level of football. They're making better reads, they're making better passes.
Speaker 1:Well, not only that, but Denver has a pretty solid defense. Okay, Washington's defense has been pretty loose. They step up. They step up in the easy matches.
Speaker 2:They need pieces.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they step up in the easy matches, but they miss it in the hard matches. There were games where we should have definitely not given up the points that we did, but we did. I don't even care about people that are on the bubble If you're not in, you're not in.
Speaker 2:Well, I wouldn't be so blasé about it. I mean, you have a Rams team at 7-6. They're right on the edge out and they just beat down a contender.
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, the Rams could be considered contenders. I think as well the NFC West.
Speaker 2:If there was a team you had to pick that's on the outside looking in, that has a possibility of being in. I think the Rams is a good one to be there. As much as it pains me to say that I don't think my Niners are going to get there.
Speaker 1:No, I agree with you there. I think the Rams can be considered contenders, even though they're on the outside looking in. We thought the Falcons would be, we thought Cardinals would be, but they just.
Speaker 2:I didn't think the Cardinals would be.
Speaker 1:I'm so glad nobody's talking about the Cowboys. Let's jump back over here to what's coming up this weekend we already know. Is anybody surprised by this matchup KC and Cleveland, unless Jameis Winston comes out and gets delivered from pick sixes, lord, please deliver me from these pick sixes. Miami-houston. That's an interesting matchup. What are you thinking there? Niko Collins is healthy now CJ Stroud might be hitting a stride. Cj Stroud might be hitting a stride.
Speaker 2:I don't know. I don't know if Nico Collins is going to be in he's healthy. Well then, I think Texans will win that. You think so? Yeah I, texans will win that.
Speaker 1:You think so?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think they'll win that.
Speaker 1:You think they've got a better defense than Miami does?
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, I think so Because D'Amico Ryan is their coach. That's why I think they have a better defense. Yeah, because when he was with us, every game I watched with him, I was like crap, he's not going to be with us next year, because every time we got a good defensive coordinator the next year he's gone.
Speaker 1:Gone.
Speaker 2:Because somebody came and snatched him up and D'Amico Ryan, like even Shanahan said, I knew it from the moment that he was in our coaching room coaching our defense. As the guy he was gone. He's like I'm'm just gonna enjoy it while he's here, but he's gone next year and this one here.
Speaker 1:This is the toilet bowl matchup of the season. To me. The jets and the jaguars, I don't care, they can both wear green if they want.
Speaker 2:I'm not gonna pay attention okay, they can both they can both wear green uniforms well, for for a moment there, I thought.
Speaker 1:I thought you were about about to say washington saints, no, no, I'm definitely picking washington to be the saints, especially derrick car being out for this, yeah, yeah, that's an easy that.
Speaker 2:Just like this Ravens-Giants game. That's an easy pick.
Speaker 1:If the Ravens lose this, I will eat my shoe while it's attached to my foot. Okay, the Bengals.
Speaker 2:Careful saying stuff like that.
Speaker 1:The Bengals and the Titans. Another matchup that's not particularly enticing. The Bengals will win that.
Speaker 2:I matchup that's not particularly enticing the Bengals will win that.
Speaker 1:I think the Bengals got this one too. I'm picking honestly. This might be an upset pick here. Who are you taking? Arizona or New England?
Speaker 2:New England, because New England would be dumb enough to win a game towards the end of the year, when they're trying to get up there for draft picks and it's like no, don't win at the end of the year, get your draft set up, and right now they already have a quarterback, they like? Excuse me, so get up towards the top of the the the board and get you travis hunter. Let the cardinals win a game I like new england to win.
Speaker 1:I think you're right. I think they're going to be dumb enough to win, but I hope now, that's that.
Speaker 2:Okay, let me clarify. I mean, it's never. Let me, let me. Let me clarify that I'm not saying that the Patriots are dumb and that the. Patriots are in some way screwing themselves. No player wants to lose.
Speaker 1:Every player wants to win.
Speaker 2:Nobody is going out there trying to lose At least the players aren't, because I don't care. There is no player out there that goes I want to lose so we can get this next, this top draft pick, because all these guys are playing for something yeah because it's next man up, and every year there's people buying to take your job.
Speaker 2:So if you're not putting good film out there, if you're not playing well, no, I agree, you're going to be jettisoned out and they're going to take the next guy, so I don't think that it's a matter of they're going to be dumb enough to win yeah is it as much as it is? They're going to play to win yeah and they're going to win and be set back in the draft order yeah. Yeah, which right now.
Speaker 2:I agree with you, jacksonville is about to be at the top, which, by the way, if Jacksonville is dumb enough to keep and I'm going to use that If they're dumb enough to keep Trent Bulkey after they're going to be having a top draft pick three times under his reign, that means your team is not winning.
Speaker 2:If you have a top draft pick three times under his reign, that means your team is not winning. If you have a top draft pick three times under a general manager's run like that and you're not seeing your draft picks moving further back in the first round because you're actually producing something, get rid of him. Look, this is the same guy who took issue with Harbaugh and got in such a chest out argument with him that he basically engineered it to get Harbaugh fired and keep him at San Francisco. And then what happened? Harbaugh left Niners, went down the tank and started losing all kinds of games next year and a bunch of players decided to either retire or move on to somewhere else in free agency the year after that, all because of Trent Bulkey. So yeah, I'm a little sore as a Niners fan that Trent Bulkey caused all that mess, but you know the fans aren't stupid. I went to a game out there and there are signs all over the parking lot and even one guy who had a huge banner just said please fire Trent Bulkey.
Speaker 1:At least he asked nicely. At least he asked nicely. At least he asked nicely.
Speaker 2:And finally they did. They got smart about it. Finally the Yorks said we're out of the Bulkey business.
Speaker 1:We got some interesting matches coming up. Monday night we got a doubleheader.
Speaker 2:I don't know about that. It's a divisional matchupup, but Bears-Vikings doesn't really scream a great game to me.
Speaker 1:I think the Vikings got that, and then we got at 830, atlanta and the Raiders that doesn't really scream a great matchup to me either.
Speaker 2:No, the Raiders O'Connell. He went out hurt in their last game, so I don't even know who's going to play quarterback for him, because I think Gardner Minshew is still hurt.
Speaker 1:It doesn't matter. The Falcons can't sack anybody. They have no pass rush, so I'm sure whoever's back there will have plenty of time to throw it.
Speaker 2:Probably.
Speaker 1:But yeah, my friend, it seems we've got some hot matchups coming this week. We just come out of a hot week, hot week 14, and uh, you know we had a lot to cover tonight. Man, we really did, got, did a lot. Uh, we got a lot to dive into. I think it's gonna be a busy next few weeks because other sports are picking up college is picking up the playoffs, nfl players picking up and coming this spring we have the ufl. So we're not done with when you think we're done yet. So I'd like to thank everybody for hanging there and with with hanging in there with us, and I hope you enjoy our show as much as we enjoy putting it on. Uh, once again, I'm brian with an eye and I'm mike and we are two for the win.
Speaker 1:Thank you everybody for joining us. You have a good night thanks everyone.