Transcript of 2024 Week 9 Preview

Welcome to NFL Daily where we would never dress our kid as the Rizzler for Halloween. I'm Greg Rosenthal in the Chris Wesselin podcast studio. Steve Weiss is back for a doubleheader week from Weiss and Patrick Claibon is here. It's the week nine preview.

Let's get it. Let's get it.

Week nine as we start in Germany on Sunday. Looking forward to that.

The halfway point. Not this week, Next week.

Not next week.

Yeah, I was going to say. I don't think so. Colleen hasn't left us yet. She's. She's going to actually do a half an episode. That'll be our trade deadline day spectacular with Colleen before.

I don't know who's left to trade.

It's true. I love it. I've been asking for this for years. I'm not saying the NFL did it to appease me, but I've been asking for them to push back the trade deadline that happened. And I've been wanting us as the NFL to be a little more like the NBA. They get such good podcast mileage of talking possible trades all season long. Like why can't we have that? And we have that now.

We have it. We have it now. It's now it's kind of like is, is the NFL going to become the NBA where it's like the haves and have nots by the midway point. Are we going to sack? Are we going to top load the league?

This week will be really interesting. And yes, this is NFL Daily presented by Doordash. Excited for this week. But this, it's a big week for that because there are 10 teams in the league that have two wins or less. So if you get a win this week, maybe you're not as big a seller. But if you're one of those 10 teams and you don't get a win, maybe that'll make our show next week even better.

Yeah, it'll give you some time to make a decision. Perhaps there's a couple of general managers out there who are watching. Maybe some guys that we expect to play on Sunday. Maybe they won't end up playing illness because they'll be shipped out coming up before Tuesday's deadline. The most significant event happening next Tuesday and these Ustados unidos. Let's start guys going smallest to biggest spread this week. And we'll begin with the Chicago Bears. Is there a Hail Mary hangover going on the road to the desert to take on the Arizona Cardinals. The bears favored by one. The wow. The over under 44 and a half points. Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, Evan Washburn on the call. Greg, we're trying to figure out who these Cardinals are. Is this a game that helps us find that out?

Yeah, this is a game I'm really looking forward to. I'm. I'm Snake. I'm taking it as my late game. There's some. The 425 game I want to watch Kyler Murray coming off his best game of the year. This is a guy who you would hope doesn't, you know, his head doesn't get too big after getting put onto quarterback island like we believe in it. That was one of the best performances all year. The last time he had one of the best performances all year against the Rams, he didn't really back it up. But this one came with more good plays in the pocket. The matchup is going to be really tough. We'll see if the Bear secondary gets healthier, but this is a team whose past defense is absolutely excellent. You mentioned the hangover for the Bears. I don't think it's going to be a hangover, but I do think it's going to hurt because if you look at the schedule that they've faced so far, Bill Barnwell pointed this out, easiest in the league According to ESPN's Power Index, the schedule they face from now on. Hardest, yes. In the league. And now the Cardinals are one of those hard teams because they don't have a lot of talent defensively, but they throw some things at you and they're very tough to deal with.

That offense.

Yeah, look, I think the Hail Mary thing is going to tighten things up in Chicago. I mean, the defense is already good, but the Tyreek Stevenson BS that he pulled, that's not going to settle well. Everyone knows, okay, we've got to be about that life this week. I think the Bears defense really gives the Arizona Cardinals and my guy Kyler a tough time. I think Kyler's going to have a pretty good game, but I just think they're going to be a lot more buttoned up because of that, of the way they lost, knowing that, yeah, they didn't play great offensively, but when they had to, they did again. I'm Caleb to me seems to be getting better and better every week in terms of understanding how to play football. I like the Bears in this game and I like the over underline to at 44 and a half.

I got the favorite flipped in this one. It's actually the Cardinals favored by one point at home. I think the Kyler in question could be Kyler Gordon as the Bears have been waiting to get him and Jaquan Brisker back. They both missed a couple of games. I think that that makes the secondary better. Clearly I don't believe that Hail Mary happens. Maybe the Commanders aren't even in that position. But the fun thing looking back at that particular play is if the ball's tipped anywhere to the left, Terry McLaren walks into the end zone. Yes, there were. It was failures, poorly played all over the field. It wasn't just Tyreek Stevenson, but a fun fact for this game. Greg Three times the Arizona Cardinals have needed a field goal in a go ahead or late game situation from Chad Ryland, the discarded kicker from the New England Patriots in the first one.

I can't believe it.

I'm watching football with Greg Rosendahl on a Sunday and he's like, oh, who's this kicker Chad Riley? Oh, there's no way. He's been nails ever since Greg.

He hit a 57 yarder last week. He's one of like he helped retire the greatest coach of all time, Bill Belichick. Although Belichick will probably get another job. But he helped Belichick lose that job giving him a fourth round pick. And yeah, now he's nailing it and they've needed it. They've won three games by two or less. I hate to just be like a vibes guy, but when you come back from 10 in San Francisco and then you come back from 10 in the fourth quarter again last week against Miami, I do think you get a feeling that you can win any sort of game. I thought the Bears came out tight in that game, Caleb. It reminded me of the first month of the season for most of it till they got it going late. And so if this game is close at the end there, there's something about this Cardinals team that I trust and one of it's the pass protection. I'm kind of amazed Kyler hasn't been sacked and three weeks and the Bears are very good. Their secondary is so good when they're healthy that they've made up for not a great pass rush for that team.

So you could probably protect Kyler again.

And the Cardinals getting healthier on that offensive line as well. Some more, some more guys back and.

You'Ve seen that especially in James Connors rushing totals the past couple of weeks in an offense where and again finding out what this Arizona Cardinals team is like, can they be consistent? Is it the schedule or is it the team? I'm excited to see and I'm Fairly confident.

It's going to be a good game. It's going to be a good game.

And maybe Shane Waldron will get our guy, Doug Kramer, some more carriers. Just a fun experience for all of us involved. Watching that game on Sunday, you're still.

Salty about it because he. The Bears, yeah, they didn't deserve to win that game. They were, they were getting the ball. You know, the Washington was moving the ball the whole time. Show up. I just want. I just hope Kyler can handle the responsibility of being on campus, being on the island.

That's a real deal.

It would show real maturity. Three straight. They hadn't won two straight in three years. Let's go win three straight. I like this Cardinals team. They're fun.

Let's do it. A little insight into who Greg's picking coming up tomorrow. Let's go to our next game. It is in the Cardinals division. The Rams a two point favorite on the road at Seattle. The Rams get everybody back. We're all on board with the Rams. Apparently 48 is the over under Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Megan Olivia on the call. We got to see the Thursday night win across the street. Steve, now with Cooper cup and Pukinakua back, it's. It's all coming up Rams.

Talk about vibes you were talking about. You know, it seems like the Rams are that. Are that team at the midway point that can get hot right now. You get those guys back. The offensive line played better. The run game was better. I mean, you get your 1 and your 1A back out wide. Matthew Stafford looks like the best player in the NFL right now. But the thing about the Rams, every time I watch them, Jared Verse and Braden Fisk show up. I mean, these guys are in on every play, whether it's past pressure, whether it's in the run game. I like these two against the Seattle offensive line. I mean, Gino, your boy, you know, he's going to have to get rid of it quick. I just, I love the way those two guys consistently wreak havoc. Byron Young shows up. We know I'm blanking on the rookie defense. The second Jared Verse. Well, the other defensive tackle, Kobe Turner.

NFL Daily guest, Kobe Turner.

I mean, geez, Steve. I mean, I just like the way that this front plays. I think, I think the points are close here. I think the Rams win by more than two, I think more than three in Seattle.

Seattle is one of the hardest teams, I think, to predict right now in the NFL. I don't think Mike McDonald's defense is going to be this bad, this like forever. But they're not sound. It's not just about talent. We're talking about all these good players they have and they make good plays, but there are guys just out of position. They're not setting the edge. They're missing a lot of tackles. The teams that have done really well against them have had a strong running game. We'll see how the Rams are there. They've definitely been better now that their offensive line is healthier. Kyron Williams runs well, but what they've really struggled with more than anything is their linebackers with play action passing. And I know it's a different coach here in Seattle, but this, I just have too many Rams game where Sean McVeigh dices them up with their play action passing. And so I think if your problem is you can't handle any play action and you got the Rams coming to town with a little extra rest. Yeah, I start. I'd start remembering all those Rams Seahawks games where they went up there and McVeigh, you know, put it on Pete.

Carroll, but you're neglecting. Speaking of middle linebackers and speaking of the Rams, the opportunity for revenge.

There it is.

Oh, that's.

It's the opportunity. Who has seen more Sean McVeigh play action than Earnest up the middle? And so now he's back. He's in Seattle, going to go up against his old team. My main concern for the Seahawks in this one, other than the defense, is the offense just looked like it had both hands tied behind its back without DK Metcalf.

Yeah.

And aside from all the calamities in the red zone early in the game where Geno gets his foot stepped on and then the turnover on downs as well. Just a bad situation against the Bills. That was their worst game to me in terms of execution offensively. But without dk, I don't know. It's ultimately going to come down to if DK is playing for me.

I think there's some optimism that he can return this week. I'm with you. Offensively, they'll get it done. The Rams numbers are pretty good. Our friend JB Long pointed out, you know, since. Since the week four, I believe. And they made a lot of changes in the secondary. They're top 10 in EPA per play. They have a lot of pressures. We saw what Jared Verse can do. Like, I don't think this is a good defense, but I think they're probably good enough to slow down the Seahawks a little more than vice versa.

Rams are winless in three games on the Road, though, so. So this is a big test because we know how tough it is at Lumen Field, where the Seahawks have a losing record at home. How about that? That used to be just like the most intimidating place in the NFL.

Have they. Have they even won a game? Yeah, they won a game. Yeah. I don't. I don't know if I also, like, I want to see Pooker and Puka and Cooper cup back in full flow for another week before. Just like, assuming the Rams are back. Maybe I should just assume.

You didn't see.

I saw it. I was there. I'm just saying, like, I want to see it one more week. Some of the offensive line issues they were worried about coming into the season, in theory, could still be there against talented pass measures. Now, they played very well against Minnesota. That was the thing that stood out to me most live is that their offensive line kind of dominated that game.

Yeah.

After getting. Getting a lot of grief the first month of the year.

And we're watching highlights, a quick game. You know, even though you're seeing this intermediate stuff. And then Puka and Cup are such so good and tough run after the catch. They keep that up. They can do that against this defense and move the ball and then give it to Kyren in the end zone because all he does is score touchdowns.

It's a. It's a huge game here with them both having four losses. I guess every. All these NFC west games that they're. They're so close. I assume the Rams wouldn't become sellers suddenly if they lose this game. It doesn't make sense.

Yeah. That conversation seemed a little forest for trees. For me, the idea that the Rams become sellers with all this talent, I think at the very least, Gino will show us if the secondary issues in the Rams, if they were solved. I think that was a game against the Minnesota Vikings where the Vikings have, of course, the talent to exploit some issues in the secondary, but they really weren't able to take advantage of it.

And, like, are the Rams a team that can just push around opponents physically and. Or Seattle take the challenge of what last week, if you didn't watch the end of that game, I thought it was one of the most embarrassing stretches that a defense had all season. Buffalo is just like, you know, we're going to run, we're going to run. We're in your building. And Keon Coleman and their. Their wide receivers are knocking him over in the running game, and James Cook is running right through them. I was like, dang, man, they are just Getting made to look like kind.

Of a hey man attitude is a dangerous drug.

Keon Coleman's got attitude. Yeah and a lot of I mean that was his best game last week. A lot of in rhythm type of throws not just like the improvised plays that they had a week before. He was really good.

Yeah 195 yards his last two games for Keon Coleman. Let's go to the AFC the Los Angeles Chargers a two point favorite on the road against James Winston the nerve and the Cleveland Browns who got a win last week scored over 20 points for the first time in the 2024 season. The over under sitting at 43 Spiro Deedees, Adam Archuleta and Aditi Kikabala. Our friend on the call Steve are we believers in the Jameis edition of.

The Browns not against the Chargers I mean the Chargers defense it could be getting Joey Bosa back I mean they're locking teams down I don't care who they're playing they're so sound in what they do. Their offense is also an addition to their defense because they do control the ball. We know Justin Herbert island yeah island.

Those are the two new residents I don't know if you've caught up on your programming here Patrick. Rightfully Herbert and Kyler two of the most fun to watch are on well one of your guys Dak had to just been a tough year.

It's understandable.

Yeah but I mean I just the Chargers are team I mean look they'd be in the playoffs right now we're not talking about them because they don't score a lot of points but Cleveland we'll see I mean they looked real functional with James driving down the ball driving the ball down the field it opened up things the defense played better I think the Browns you know J. OK is not in there that guy is such an important part of what they do and be such an important part and trying to slow down this impenetrable three yards in a cloud of dust offense they need to get their.

Running game going Chargers though it's been off more times than not after those first couple weeks where it was mostly JK Dobbins just popping a couple like long runs because the Chargers don't make sense to me if they don't have a good running game they're get they they're getting carried Zedarius Smith some news on Wednesday and maybe this will be updated by the time like the week is out certainly he just wasn't at practice and no one is sure why so you were talking about players not showing up for games. Deontay Johnson, by the way, did not play for the Panthers last week. That kind of registered after the fact. I was like, huh, what if the Browns won this game, though? They actually are high on the list of teams to me that might change their approach if they happen to win this game. Because if he won two in a row with Jameis Winston and then you traded Zedarius Smith two days later, what does that say to your fan? I mean, that that's a pretty big middle finger to your fans and your team for it. For a.

They're kind of used to it.

That's what I'm saying. Who have had.

They've seen them.

I get it. That's what I mean. That's what I mean. So that makes it even a bigger game.

I do think there was a clear before and after in the game against the Ravens when Jeremiah Usu Coromo got hurt. And what he does, especially on the edge and around the ball for the, for the Cleveland Browns, where the Ravens were able to get sustained drives. And I understand, you know, catching the ball helps in that.

But.

But it's the difference. And I think he makes a huge difference in defending this run game and also the others part where I do believe in Cliffhan, I think that was a bad Jameis game. I think Jameis Winston can play a whole lot better than he did against the.

Let's go. Let's get Jamis on the island.

I don't know. We're not necessarily an idiot.

There's some good throws in there. He was going downfield. He was being aggressive. I know he could have been picked off, you know, two or three times. But that's Jamis.

But. But the difference, I think in the typical Jameis interceptions where he's. He's taking shots, he's taking chances. Those were, those were just bad throws. Like Jamis made some bad throws against, against the Baltimore Ravens that if he gets those figured out and this Chargers team isn't necessarily scoring a whole lot of points, I think there's a legitimate concern.

And I thought the Browns defense didn't look right the first month of the season. They've played well since then, so they're kind of back to being the Browns defense we expected. I'm interested to see this Chargers defense. Joey Bosa did return last week, but he didn't really play that that much and was very quiet, unlike his brother after the game. But I did notice that, like, they are getting a lot of good production. This is good coaching you have to give them a lot of credit. Jesse Minter, Jim Harbaugh, what they've done, they've taken a lot of rookies. Last week they had Cam Hart in Tarheed. Still, have you heard of these young gentlemen, middle round rookies playing cornerback for them and playing well, like playing well enough. They, Christian Fulton has got injured during that game. Then they've taken guys from other teams that weren't playing well, Puna Ford, Kristen Fulton, T. And they're all being very productive. That to me is like the number one sign of good coaching. If you can take other guys, other teams, guys that weren't really playing well for them and suddenly you find a good role for them and they're integrating these rookies in like that's, that's a really well coached team.

It's a good rookie class too with Alton McConkey. Like they're really building something.

And you know, to that point you look what they've done in Washington and in Denver, they've got mutts, right. They've taken guys who other teams didn't want and they. And defensively they're leading their team. So that's a really good point. Something to keep an eye on for some future podcasts or discussions.

Ooh, I'm also, by the way, I'm not picking against Herbo right now. The moment I decide I'm not picking against Herbo anytime soon is when Carl Granderson, like a 300 pound man, wrapped him up in the end zone and Herbo just shook him off just like he was. Just like a little kid. I was like, that's my Herbo.

Yeah. Every once in a while he reminds us just how good he can be, especially when he's healthy. And again you mentioned lad McConkey, the second most receiving yards among rookies against man coverage right now. 238. He was a wide receiver two in fantasy last week.

Well, I mean that dude's going to get 27 targets a game.

Load him up.

Why not just keep on?

We've seen enough balls to Josh Palmer. All, all due respect, all due respect, not much respect and how much minimal respect do out to the Dallas Cowboys who are on the road at the Atlanta Falcons who are a two and a half point favorite. Kirk and company been putting up 30, 30, 30 points. They score Greg, Adam Amin, Greg Olson, Pam Oliver, the over under 52 in this one you made a face. You were not a believer.

Well, it was because of the two and a half. Sometimes there's a number out there that's so crazy to me that it's like they're just begging you to take Atlanta in this game. Which is who I am taking and will take. But I don't get it because this Cowboys team, it's not like you look under the hood and they're better than you think. Like statistically they're 26th in DVOA. They're. They're just a bad team. I know the Falcons defense isn't great, but the offense is outstanding. Shout out to Darnell Mooney on pace for a thousand yards. He's got more yards this season than Amon Ross, ain Brown, than Stefan Diggs before he got hurt, Marvin Harrison Jr. Like he's killing it. You got Drake Luton producing, you got Kyle Pitt's producing. It's all happening. There was a stat from next gen. Darnell Mooney has run more yards on the field than any receiver in the league this year. So he's out there. He's not just getting cardio. He's working. That's what a two lane man does. He works hard.

Shout out to that two lane conditioning. This is where I think when people look at the Falcons, that's how come the points are like this. Like they eat against the Buccaneers, they eat against a division and then they kind of. And at home they're not.

I get it. But the Cowboys are a bad team and the Falcons are average. If you want to say they're average, that's a difference.

Here's. Here's where, here's where I think the Falcons will do this. And one of least talked about dudes he's balling out is Jesse Bates. Right. And we know he's going to be in that slot. He's doing stuff to help out on CD Lamb and what this guy is doing with the takeaways, he's everywhere. Jesse Bates is in every defensive frame of the shot and so I, I think he's going to be causing problems. Maybe gets one from Dak, you know, Kirk Ochain. So we didn't get on the island. I'm a little, I'm still a little hot about that.

Me too. I agreed with you on that. How did that happen?

I sold out. I sold out.

Everybody's a believer.

Yeah.

No, he was. He made an alliance to help get Kyler on. It was just a whole feel bad about whole problem Stafford. You know I can't fault staff.

Yeah.

I think Kurko's been more.

But I also, I also think this is the type of game too where the Falcons were, where Bajan and Tyler Algier just start to pound the ball and eat up clock, get the scheme with quickly get Jerry, you know, to deuce on his coach a little bit more.

Well, I think one thing that hurts is for Jerry Jones specifically to look over in the division and see a Washington commander's defense that at the start of the season was doing absolutely nothing and now is the defense that we see right in week six, seven and eight.

Who's leading that defense?

Well, that would be the former defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys who also had them number one in the league in quick pressures. And I understand there's been injuries. We've been missing Tank and Micah Parsons, but 24.2% quick pressure last year, 14% quick pressure this year, 21st in the league. We've discussed extensively their inability to or non desire to run the football. I think it's a little bit of column A and a little bit of column B. But the point again that where we're in year 17 talking about this with the Atlanta Falcons is getting pressure on the quarterback and if you can't get pressure on deck, then he can get 17 targets to CD Lamb get you a few points and we'll see if this defense can muster something. But it's tough to imagine that they do.

Right.

It sounds like days of John Abraham still haunt.

It's crazy but that was we always used to talk about that on around the NFL that the jets haven't had a pass rusher since John Abraham. But it's true about the Falcons too. It's just I don't know if he's going to get any hall of Fame consideration but that would just just on that that would be a good he's got the numbers. Yes, this is what the the Dallas offensive line needs. Yes is playing this but the Dallas defense, they've given up the second most points in the league. They are dead last in red zone percentage and they are bottom in turnover margin. It's just a lot of bad things. Their next games after this week if they don't win Philadelphia, Houston and at Washington, it does not get easier for the Cowboys. So this is an important game for Mike McCarthy and yeah, the Falcons could make some distance there in the NFC south with the win. We're just getting started here on the Weekend nine preview. We're going to take a quick break and we're coming back. It's what I'm going to call the game of the week of the year so far back on NFL Daily.

Yeah, this is the week that Greg Olson gets the Cowboys. We got Tom Brady on the game of the week, Green Bay, Detroit.

Yeah, it's time for a hot matchup presented by Wingstop. It is the Detroit Lions on the road at Green Bay. The first time that Jared Goff has played outside in 2024. That's amazing. The over under 48 and a half. Kevin Burkhart, some dude named Tom Brady, Aaron Andrews and Tom Rinaldi on the call.

Greg, don't they play 14 games in Dorsch, by the way? 13 or 14.

It's a lot. My friend Adam Rank always says that Jared Goff is an indoor cat. We'll get a chance to see if he can shake that and get a win in Lambo. Do you see it happening, Greg?

Yes. If Jordan Love doesn't play, you'd feel even better about it. I think that informs the line at this point of the week. It could change. Jordan Love did not practice on Wednesday, but he said it was realistic that he could play on Sunday. Those groin injuries are tricky. Whether he could take like a shot to numb the pain, it's tough because, you know, you would think you kind of, you need, you need to be able to cork it, you know, you need to make it happen to throw the ball. And as good as Malik Willis has been this year, I think I think you need everyone to beat one of the best teams in the league. Now, if Malik Willis is out there or if it's Jordan Love, Josh Jacobs is key. He's now not only been breaking tackles, I think he has the most yards after contact in the entire league. He's starting to make big plays again like he did in his best years with the Raiders. He is in the top 10 of rush yards over expected. This is a really good run scheme. Like lafleur knows how to scheme it up.

I think the offensive line is very cohesive. Jacobs is part of the running backs matter brigade of all these guys who changed teams this off season and really impacting going up against a team that believed in changing their running back so much, they made it, you know, the centerpiece of their off season. Jameer Gibbs and David Montgomery. When Dave Dan Campbell got there and look at all the benefits that it's had. So this is an old school game. I can't wait. I if Jordan loves out there, I might flip my pick there.

Oh, 55 degrees, 89% chance of rain Sunday in Green Bay, Wisconsin. So Jared Goff in those elements. Patrick, that is something to keep an eye on.

Oh, it really is. It really is.

It absolutely Is at this point, his.

Last game for the Rams was in Green Bay in the elements. And that. That. That helped send him home. Right. Am I didn't go well? Am I remembering it right? I just remember. I remember the disgusted looks of Sean McVay on the sideline. I was like, let's have a little more of a poker face here if how much you don't like your quarterback.

A great game for Jared Goff because it got him in this situation.

Okay. Fair. Sorry.

Absolutely.

God bless the broken road.

And he's got Dave Montgomery to back him up throwing the ball. So, you know, you talk about Josh Jacobs. I just. That tandem they have in Detroit in that offensive line, I think elements are not. When I. When I watch tape of the Lions, it is so incredible how Panay Sewell sticks out as the best player on the field. That guy is so dominant. If you look at number 58, a right tackle on some of these plays, look at. He's just wheeling guys, just taking him and wheeling them and open up these run lanes. And that's why the conditions are not. I like the Lions in this game because they're o line. Not. Not the most dominant left side, but center to the right. They. They can do it. So I like Detroit in this. What are the points at? 3 and a half. Whoo. Tight points right there.

That's a. That's a Malik Willis line. So we'll see.

Okay.

But we just don't know.

Yeah.

At this point, we probably seems like one. Maybe they'll take all the way to Sunday.

We saw Jordan Love on the bike on Wednesday at practice. Again, as Greg said, we're just going to have to find out. But I think the place that we do know. Right regard. Like Jared Goff and the elements notwithstanding, Kirby Joseph and Brian Branch at safety for the Lions right now have an entire part of the field on clamps.

Yes, they do.

The tight end scoring like I just did this for Fantasy Live, trying to figure out why are they so successful against tight ends. Two of the top tight ends in the league this year in Kate Otten, as well as Trey McBride, total three catches for 23 yards, both of them combined against the.

That is great stuff, Patrick, like Terry.

On Arnold, is playing better. We saw him get all those penalties, but just up the middle and through. I think it makes a tough situation because Tucker Kraft is a big part of this offense.

Yep.

Whether it's Malik Willis or Jordan Love, I like the line.

Kirby Joseph's a hell of a player, man.

Shout out to Tucker Kraft. Of like stealing Sam Laporte as thunder a little bit in this division as just like the tight end rumbling down the field second year player just they've been both great this year. Jordan loves numbers against man coverage are like bizarre to me. I was surprised when I saw this NFL pro had put this out. 4.3 yards per attempt against man coverage just has been terrible against man coverage this year. That's what the Lions like to do more than any other team. Now the thing I do worry about with the Lions and I don't think it's totally showed up yet in the box scores is their pass rush really is bad. It's not good and so they're going to need to blitz to create pressure and that it leaves the one on ones. And I guess those numbers say Jordan Love hasn't been great against man on coverage but he's got some great receivers. I don't. I think that is not going to last. And so these two quarterbacks just by the numbers are so different against pressure. Jared Goff has been outstanding against pressure and the packers aren't getting a lot of pressure.

You know Kenny Clark how many QB hits and sacks he has this year? Big fat zero on both. And Rashon Gary barely has any production either. It's really surprising how they've manufactured a good defense despite that a lot of turnover.

Still trying to figure out some of the schematics and things like that because those two players are so good.

Edwin Cooper did get that win against the Jags and get the strip sacked ultimately I think or won the game.

Shout out to his parents for sampling Edgerun.

Wait, what?

There's not too many Edgeruns in this world, right?

It's a fair point. You think they were inspired by Ed?

Yes. Just like you know there's a whole lot of Shaquille's and you know today's generation and there weren't many when I was growing up before that guy O'Neal.

Well, you know this. The packers edge is really going to have to step it up if in 20 years we want to keep that thing going.

It's like my son asked me like why are there so many professional athletes named Jalen? And I said well son, like I'm gonna have to tell you about this college basketball team called the Fab Five. I guess that's why I don't Jordan.

That's a lot of Jordans in this world.

That's what he claims.

I like that. Jalen Rose. I love that.

From Jay Lynn to Jaden Daniels as His Washington Commanders 3 1/2 point favorites on the road at the Giants who might not not even like playing in midlife. 43 and a half points is the over under Chris Myers, Mark Sanchez and Christina Pink on the call. The Washington commanders coming off of the big emotional win. They get their quarterback back. Is there a spot, Steve, where you see the Giants making them?

I think they could. When I watched that game the other night against Pittsburgh, I thought they played a pretty damn good game. People are all over Daniel Jones. I thought Brian, Brian Dabal called a really good game with some of the screens using the Steelers aggression against them, just all the dumb penalties, then the late takeaways. I mean this is not the record is what they are because of things like that. But you know they're not a calamity of a, of a football team. Right. But something about this commanders we're seeing. The Giants are Owen Ford home. The commanders are feeling really good and I like the way their defense is tightened up with Joe Witt. I know we talked about Dan Quinn, but Joe Witt is a guy who's scheming up this defense and the fact that he's taken again I talked about some muts, some used parts from other teams and put them together. Showing a light on Frankie Louvo who's actually shining a light on everybody else and gotten the secondary to play pretty well. When they know that that's, I mean their first pick next year is going to be somebody in that defensive backfield.

I like them in this game. I think he keeps going to Washington. I think the defense needs to be talked about almost as much as the quarterback.

Yeah, I have some numbers on that for you. And this is from Next, Greg Stats right here. This is just me putting in the components into the, into the programming at next gen sets. They are second in EPA per play since week four. It's a pretty long sample site. So throughout the first three weeks where they were dead last in just about everything. And I'm thinking, okay, one of the things I believe in defenses is the schedule you've played is probably the most important factor in how you're ranked. It's like when you play good offenses you don't do as well. When you play bad offenses you do better. But they have a couple of good offenses in that stretch. They played Arizona very well. They played Baltimore and they gave up a lot of yards but they did for some turnovers in that game which helps what they're doing 12th in success rate. So on a play to play basis, not as good but Better than average and fourth in points allowed, which is the most important stat of them also. That's a long stretch where they've figured some things out with a new scheme.

This is a great litmus test because remember, this matchup in week two was the most dominant offensive performance in like a 21 to 18 game that you've ever seen from these two teams. There was barely any puns. Both teams just went up and down the field, and yet it finished 21:18.

A little insider information. Talking about the defense. They basically just pared it down. First couple weeks, they were asking the guys, especially in the secondary, to do a whole lot. They're like, you know what? We're just going to let you play football sink or swim. And that's. That's where guys have gained some confidence.

Johnny Newton, a guy I liked a lot in the draft process, everything I heard about him, everything I saw as a potential real difference maker. And he was hurt to start the year, but he started playing very well, which has helped make up for Jonathan Allen being out for the year.

I have to look at this Giants defense, especially in the run game with Brian Robinson coming to town as well as James, where on the edges. Najee Harris had so much space to run to where. And I know that between Burns and Thibodeau that they want to get after the passer, but it's not like the Steelers were going to drop back and throw the ball 40 or 50 times. They just seemed ill prepared. And now they're going to be in conflict with Jaden Daniels at the mesh point. And it's. It's. It's a lot to think about. I think this may be an easy win for the Wild.

I know.

Well, it won't. It won't be. It won't be easy. But to your point, Patrick, watching that game, like in the first half, the Giants defensive ends were just. They're doing that upfield rush like the Rams used to. Russ back when Russ was mobile, like, no, just don't get so far upfield and keep your eyes on the court. They just opened up lanes for Najee and Jalen Warren all night long.

Yeah, they might not have Tyrone Tracy, who had a concussion on Monday night. I think that Andrew Thomas injury was just one that this Giants team in particular couldn't afford. So that it's. To me, it's two different teams in week two. So I'm with. I'm with Patrick. Heck, I almost want to maybe change gears. We talked about potentially doing a survivor pick later on in the Show. Do we want to get a little bolder and go commandos on the road? What do you guys think?

I'm down.

Let's do it.

I'm with it.

Let's be bold.

Let's be a little bolder, man.

They go to. If they win, they go to seven and two.

I love that. Just throw the plan out.

I just was feeling it as we're talking it. Talking it out. We can let you know later in the show. Dq. Dq.

The coach of the year right now.

Oh, yeah, not even close.

I'm with it.

All right.

Congrats to dq. The midway coach of the year.

And Campbell's just like, ah, what do I got to do?

We are in a little roll here with the survivor picks.

Let's go a little bit of a roll.

I like it.

And we're. And we. And we go risky here and I like that. I like that. You want risk. We could have taken this next game. Coming up as a survivor would have been risky either way. The New England Patriots against the Tennessee Titans, a 3 1/2 point favorite at home are the Titans. Coach Callahan said they're going to see what Will Levis is like and how he feels this week. Greg, does that move you one way or the other?

No, I think the Patriots would have a better chance probably if Will Levis starts right. When you said we were talking about which survivor picks, you know, during the break and you were like, well, how about Titans, Patriots? I'm thinking which side are you even on?

Patriots?

Oh, you're on the Patriots as underdogs now. Now that would be cold. I'm not going that far, but I think I'll pick them.

Why wouldn't you?

I don't know.

In a game like this, who's. Who's got the best quarterback? New England. Drake May is the best quarterback in this game.

We don't know for sure he's playing, although it sounded like he was in stage three of the concussion protocol. He was practicing on a limited basis.

Yeah.

Usually a good sign.

That's the phase. And usually on Thursday, if you're in that phase, I, you know, look, I think he's going to play. And with Ramon J. Stevenson run the ball. You know, we thought Tennessee was going to. Was going to buckle up and they just got dragged by the Lions. They might be doing some little Anthony Richardson stuff going on now.

They've played the Bills and the Lions, but they've. Their defense, which was supposed to be tough, kind of tapped out in the last six quarters, but it's Tough when your offense isn't doing anything.

Yeah, well, guess what? What makes you think that?

I mean the offense with, with Mason Rudolph throwing to Calvin Ridley, Greg got some yards in. In a 35 point game. Yeah. No, but in a 1923 point game they can make plays.

They're going to put Christian Gonzalez on him, give some help and dare anybody else on Tennessee to do anything.

A two game winning streak for this Patriots team. And yeah, this is one of the handful of games this week that feel like it's too early in the season for these types of games. Usually you get to like week 15, week 16, we're doing the previews. There aren't a lot of buys. Like we want to save some time, just kind of speed through it two or three minutes. There's like a couple of those games this week. I mean I'm still into it because of Drake May. He makes everything very watchable. He's really played an excellent 9. Why are you laughing?

Well, I just saw a stat. The Titans passing offense has the fewest EPA per drop back in the entire NFL and either Will Levis or Mason Rudolph have yet to complete a single game where they've had a positive EPA in passing the football.

That's very good because that Drake May will be the best quarterback on the field.

No question. Shout out to a couple of just veterans who are out there playing very professionally at a high level. Tony Pollard and Hunter Henry. Yes, Hunter Henry. He's a good player. Harold Landry, Arden Key. Maybe those are two guys that could potentially get traded. And then I wanted to give credit to Chris Long does a great podcast Green Light with Chris Long. He is really the originator of this whole post Lions trend curse that's out there that after you play the Lions you're just too physically beat up and you look at the results the next week. They've all lost the next week. Not only have they lost, if you almost all of them, it's been their worst game of the entire season the next week. So I don't know if the Titans qualify because they're just so bad in general, but they would have the post Lions curse here. Let's go Patriots.

And another and another winless team at home. Those Tennessee Titans and they're playing in Nash Vegas as well.

Okay, as somebody who needs to catch Greg in the picks, I'm pulling for Mason Rudolph. Get out there. Get out there and show the coaches. Show both Callahan's just what you can do as a quarterback. Let's go to the Miami Dolphins back Against the Buffalo Bills. It did not go well last time, but Tua in that game, back in this game, they had a narrow loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Greg, the Buffalo Bills a six point favorite. Kevin Harlan, Trent Green, Melanie Collins on the call.

Yeah, I think part of that is the matchup. It's been a problem for Mike McDaniel. He's lost five straight to Sean McDermott. You know, last time you lost to a halfway through the game, but they were down three scores at that point at McDermott. Even if you go past the McDaniel era, it really gets crazy. He has the most wins against the Dolphins than any coach has against any opponent since he got hired. So he's won. He's won like almost every single game. He just owns this team. And I don't see why it would change because to me, the Bills are really finding an identity as a tough team. I mentioned how they pushed Seattle around earlier. Shakir, I think is getting benefits from Cooper being there that he, you know, and this is a matchup where David Long's really struggled for Miami in the running game, in the receiving game. I think you could take advantage of him when he's on the field with some of those guys. Kincaid, Shakir catching passes. And then I mentioned Coleman's great. There's just a lot of matchups that you like when the Bills have the ball. I think Miami could keep up in this game.

That it's not like a total blowout. Six seems about right. But it's hard to pick against the Bills.

Miami's defense just hasn't played well all season. I mean, they've had some injuries, but they just haven't shown when they've got a bow up, they haven't done it. And let's not forget this is the Johnny Smith game. Remember earlier in the off season or preseason he said how bad Buffalo as a city sucks?

I don't remember. Now I do. Oh, yeah.

They do not play that noise up there in Buffalo. And that's one of the few fan bases you do not mess with. You do not play with that. And so trust me, this is going to be one.

What are they going to do? Like throw, throw a D at him like they did to Gronk back in the day.

That what? They didn't do it just once either, Craig. Maybe they'll throw two.

It wasn't collectively, it wasn't a vote.

No, I know, but it happened. They still happened. I mean, they still, they still get blamed like the Yankees fans should get blamed for the behavior of Those two fans, I don't care.

Johnny Smith at his hotel door. They did not play around up there in Buffalo.

Somebody's in the crowd with a resolution. Be it resolved, this toy will be launched at approximately 1:15pm Eastern. Launching balls to Keon Coleman this season. Josh Allen, he's got the fifth most receiving yards over expected in the NFL and a lot of the. Because you know, Keon Coleman, the dig can be separation, but I think he's getting separation.

Yeah.

Here recently the idea was it's all going to be jump balls. But as you pointed out, Greg playing much better football. The receipt, the receiving group. Amari Cooper had a wrist injury at practice on Wednesday.

Yeah, he's questionable.

Keep an eye on that one.

That one looks real. That one looks dicey.

That's concerning. The Dolphins offense was much better last week. Now, Tua did not complete many throws over 10 passes. When I reached rewatch that game, it was almost all short stuff. There was one nice throw down the sideline to Tyreek Hill, but there wasn't much. But everything was just more cohesive. The motion, the plays. He got the ball out of his hands. He played well. There was a couple spots where you saw a little bit of rust. You know, he had three fumbles in that game. A couple of them were bad.

Deep, deep territory.

Yeah, it was including the center exchange. Like, it was tough to say who's at fault there, but you figure he would be even tighter this week. So I think the offense is going to be good. They just. I spent so much time in August not to be like, bring up a weird point. Nick Wright, who does a great job over there on Fox, he's great. He's been listening to NFL data. He was a guest, too, and he was like, NFL Daily is the primary source for Odell Beckham information in the country. Because I was just updating every day. Is Odell Beckham going to be healthy? Is he doing anything at practice? Where's Odell Beckham? Thinking like he was, you know, still a relevant guy and he's been active for three weeks. And I probably should not have spent as much time in August on Odo Beckham.

Yeah. But you know, you carry. You carried the show.

Thank you.

Well done.

Thank you.

And there's people who want to know.

I love Patrick dropping the D's formation.

I just. I just thought, like, what couldn't. I kept. I kept believing Odell's going to make a comeback. And now they got who was out there as their third receiver last week is de escridge yeah, it's the Eskridge. Come on, bro. Let's take a break and let's come back. We're gonna. We're gonna talk about the games with bigger point spreads, but it doesn't mean they're not quality games. There's some juicy revenge matchups here. Some fun. Fun. I used to work at NBC. I was. I was not involved in the Sunday Night Football production, but I knew people that were. My good friend Matt Casey's still over there doing Football Night in America. And I want to applaud them because they haven't been using the flex enough lately for my taste. Last couple years, they barely ever flex the game.

They make it good games.

Why would.

I guess? But sometimes it's. It's a little squirrely. But this time they did a service to America. They got Colts, Vikings into Sunday Night Football. You might say, like that's not like the greatest game ever, but it's better than Jags Eagles. And to me, it's very intriguing. Whether it was Anthony Richardson or Joe Flacco, I want to see this game. I'm excited.

Yeah. Get fired up for the battle of the former jets quarterbacks. It's Joe Flacco going up against Sam Darnold. They were all the same. The Minnesota Vikings, a five point favorite. The over under is 46 and a half. Mike Tirico, Chris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark on the call. Oh, Sunday night. Everything leading up to all that we want, except some of us would have liked to see Anthony Richardson in this game. The Colts would not. Steve, does. Does it matter against.

I'm kind of like, speak for yourself. I'd rather see Joe Flacco in this game because Anthony Richardson, I mean, look, besides the tap out, he had not completed more than 50% of passes in any game that he finished all season. He was, he was really hurting his team. I get what they want to do because they're 4 and 4. The Colts are a little bit better than we're giving them credit for. The Vikings have been a little shaky, especially on the defensive side. So if the Colts can run the ball a little bit and get some of that timing offense game, that five points might be a bit much. But I think Minnesota's now had some time to think about things, especially since, you know, Sam Darnold's getting face mask that wasn't called in the Rams game.

Getting kicked off QB island up QB island too.

He's a little hurt by that. I think Minnesota, this extended break that they just had playing on Thursday night, they're going to tighten things up in a game like this. So. You know, I like Darnold. I like their offense. I just think Justin Jefferson, the Colts don't have an answer for him.

Yeah, I agree. The answer would just be pass rush. So they were better last week with DeForest Buckner back. Yeah, I mean, he. I know it was against Houston, who doesn't have the best offensive line, but you saw the vision coming into the season. They didn't have Grover Stewart for a few weeks. DeForest Buckner is healthy now. You got Odengbo, you got lots to. It's like, okay, this division. Gus Bradley's defense makes a little more sense. Can you get after Sam Darnold? He's holding the ball more than almost any quarterback in the league.

Cam Robinson might only have two days of practice at left tackle.

I'm glad you mentioned that. Since we last recorded, there has been a trade. The Minnesota Vikings get Cam Robinson, who's played a lot of football, good player starting for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Good enough that they're putting franchise tags on him. They're paying him a lot of money. They did not have to give up much to do it. So I love that trade for the Vikings. Very little risk. It was for a fourth round conditional pick. So that's outstanding for them. We'll see if Blake Cashman was back. I think that was an important part of that Thursday night loss. Really. The two straight losses is their linebackers were getting a little cooked in coverage so Cashman would help them. And yeah, I love a team like Minnesota recognizing maybe, maybe they're super bowl contenders, maybe they're not. But either way, losing Christian Darris for the season really lowered their ceiling. So getting a quality guy back, like there's nothing more important than now, you know, your fourth round pick, that's. That's the future. Let's have a little fun here and let's go beat the Colts on Sunday.

Yeah, and I think it makes, it makes perfect sense that Darasol loss was huge. Being able to go get a guy who started and won a lot of games and Cam Robinson made perfect sense to me. The price seemed a lot of these trades, especially for contenders. Contenders.

It's easy. He's got an expiring contract.

I know, but they get like compensatory picks in theory if they want to play the game, which, like the Ravens will play that game. You know, it was pointed out like they're going to get a compensatory back just to make up for that pick anyways. Probably. It's crazy.

And something that you know, in defense of Anthony Richardson, which is something that our friend of the show Nate Tice pointed out as well. This offense is designed to go down the field, especially when Anthony Richardson's plan and if you look at the next gen stats, his expected completion percentage is just based on the location of the receivers and the target of where things are going. He's got one of the lowest among starters in the league, the starting quarterbacks, the absolute lowest. His average depth of target is one of the highest. Like they take shots and so the offense doesn't really expect Anthony Richardson to complete passes at a very high clip. And you know, the toughness, whatever about tapping out, I just, it's one play. He shakes off a dude who's 300 pounds, he goes running like he taps out of the play. Yeah. You don't want to say that. Perhaps he's covering up something else. He's missed games. People have questioned his toughness before because he's human being who dares to have human body parts. I just, I don't see it as big enough deal. But hey, we get, we get Joe.

Flacco, the throwing the 300 pounder off and being tired after that. I mean running backs do that all the time and no one goes crazy about that that you take a playoff. Shane Steichen, for what it's worth, said that had no impact on his decision. Now he also said Joe Flacco is the starting quarterback moving forward. It's not just like a one week. Now you have to say that I took nothing out of that statement and I talked about the four week stretch they have coming up. Three of the games are against three of the best teams in the league. This one, the Bills and the Lions are coming up and if Flacco can get them a win against one of those teams, he'll keep that job. And if he can't, he probably won't and they'll go back to him. But the whole idea of like whether he was tough or not, I don't think that had a. I just think he didn't look like a confident player. So it makes sense. Joe Flacco also is not a normal backup. I don't even think he's Andy Dalton or Jameis Winston. I think he's better the way he's played the last few years.

He's played at a very high level. So I want to see that Joe Flacco against this defense.

Yeah. And you talk about the offense design, drive the ball down the field what does Joe Flacco do? He drives the ball down the field. It'll be on schedule. I don't think the toughness thing came into the decision. Even though if you're an offensive lineman or whatever and you're just eating fist and everything all game to protect this guy and he taps out, that can't sit well. But I just think these guys know Anthony Richardson better than anyone. Shane Steichen I think is a hell of a coach. I think he recognizes he was that Anthony Rich started to swim upstream mentally a little bit. He had to calm him down to save him. So I think that's more of anything in this decision.

A couple other things in this game. TJ Hawkinson expected to return.

Welcome back.

First time in almost a year, about 10 months or so. So that'll be great. If they lose this game, they'll be the first 5 and O team since the 2016 cursed Minnesota Vikings team that went from 50 to like well out of the playoffs. The was a very controversial team of around the NFL pick that we picked the moment they got to five zero and then they absolutely nosedive with with Sam Bradford as their quarterback. And so you got you want to win this game. And you know as someone who does have Josh Downs in a fantasy league, I don't hate this move to Joe Flacco.

I'm just saying Josh Downs was eating with Anthony Richardson.

That's true. Josh Downs is so good. He's a really good player.

Drake Mace, college receiver guy.

That's true.

Moving on. And also yeah, this, this one, this one's exciting. You know why? Because Derek Carr is back, baby. The New Orleans Saints a 7 point favorite on the road in Charlotte where we found out this week from Dave Canales that Bryce Young is going to start the over under 43 and a half. Tom McCarthy, Jay Feely and Amanda Balonis on the call. Greg Bryce is back. He did it. He got his job.

I thought he played better against the Broncos in some tough situation. Now he had one really bad interception in the fourth quarter that made reminded you of the old Bryce that we saw the first couple of weeks of the season when he was struggling last year. But for the most part he pushed the ball down the field. He was much more aggressive, he trusted his arm and he delivered a number of really nice throws. The turnovers you can't have. But I was worried that the turnovers were going to get him back on the bench when actually I thought the performance deserved another look against a defense that's not really playing Very well. We don't know if Marshall and Lattimore is going to be there. They don't have much of a pass rush. When you think about Panthers O line versus Saints D line, I actually think that's a win for the Panthers.

Yeah, look, I mean, to get back to Bryce, you know, I spoke to someone who, you know, was on the. One of the Broncos coaches who said that Bryce made all the right decisions. Like he played well. It's just a matter of there's just not much around him. Like he could basically play his tail off and they can still just not generate points because there's just not great protection. Just some of the things you're doing just aren't. Aren't that fantastic. Which is why I don't have a seven for the Saints.

Is that a slight to the coaching or the talent or both?

I think it probably again was to both because they're just trying to figure.

Out, I give you the hard questions.

Just, I'm just saying, like they're trying to figure out what to do. Like, we have him back here. We've got all kind of guys who probably should be on practice squad playing, you know, how do we figure this one out? So it's not necessarily bad coaching, but it's like, okay, how do we put the pieces of the puzzle together to be competitive? But in this game, right here with the seven is a big number. I mean, the Saints absolutely boat raced them early in the season, but Carolina's diminished. They just, you know, they just lost a receiver. I think that they were actually pretty happy to get rid of. There wasn't a lot of. There wasn't a lot of people biting at that apple at the trade deadline.

Clearly based on the compensation. Lack of compensation. Yeah.

So, you know, what did he do that we don't know?

That.

We don't know. I mean, he could play, but there weren't a lot of people, like I said, biting at that apple.

He better not lose this game, though.

No, no.

I'm just saying.

No, you think. I mean, that's what did it.

I would put it past them.

It's what did it for.

No, I know, but yeah, I just think if you lost this game, they've been pretty patient. They have a very easy schedule coming up, so they're still trying to convince themselves they could be relevant. But you lose this game to the Panthers, I think that'd be. Yeah, that's troubling. It is a bad, bad, bad Panthers defense. When you talk about the lack of talent, Clowney's out there actually making some plays the last couple of weeks and maybe he'll get traded, but other than that and J.C. horn, it's rough.

Yeah. I remember last year when the Falcons went up to Carolina and lost. That was it for Arthur Smith. I mean, there's one thing owners can the owner. Owners can tolerate losing. They can't tolerate being embarrassed.

The Saints have a 10.6 explosive pass rate since week three. Derek Carr, we're glad to have him back. He comes back. There's no Rasheed Shaheed. I think that number continues to not necessarily be that great for the New Orleans Saints.

I bet it's a lot higher on defense. I saw a stat that they have given up seven plays over 45 yards this year and 24 plays over 30 yards. That's crazy.

And you talk about generating pass rush.

That's DA's defense right now.

That's, you know.

All right, Bryce, let's go.

Yeah, let's do it, Bryce. I'm not going to pick it, but.

Yeah, I don't like that seven. I don't like that seven.

Let's do it. Let's go to a guy who played a pretty good game against a pretty good defense last week. Gardner Minshew and the Las Vegas Raiders on the road against Burrow and chase, who are seven point home favorites 46 and a half. Kevin Coogler, Daryl Johnston and Laura Oakman on the call. We've been trying to figure out this Bengals defense. It turns out that they're struggling. Greg, do they struggle against the Raiders?

No, I don't think so. Their offensive line struggled last week, which was the most concerning part of that game against Philadelphia because I thought they'd been playing well this year. But you lose Orlando Brown and if their offensive line becomes an issue consistently, then this team just doesn't have enough. And we thought we saw last week like even without T. Higgins, they might not have enough. They are very star driven. Orlando Brown and T. Higgins were both not at practice on Wednesday, but it is the Raiders who are Max Crosby and not a lot of depth there on their defensive line. So I would think they can still get it done. But they're really, they're a star driven team. And you mentioned Jesse Bates earlier and I just kept thinking like what a mis evaluation not to pay your own guy.

Oh gee, Cincinnati Bengals not paying their.

Own guy and then you kind of flourish and now you're maybe seeing it with T. Higgins too. So that's, that's it. Like if they had Jesse Bates, that would have solved a lot of their issues, I think the last two years.

Thousand percent. Look, we don't know what the Bengals are. The Raiders are going to go in there and they're going to compete because they're there. I mean, look, they're teetering right now, right. And Antonio Pierce, it's like, you know, we want to see who's, who's a growing man, who's going to, who's going to come up and play football. I think they're going to give the Bengals hell this game, but I just don't know if they can consistently stop, you know, the Bengals from putting points on the board. And speaking about not paying guys, you think Cincinnati misses Joe Mixon.

That one I get. He kept. He kept getting hurt midseason, which you can't blame a guy for getting hurt. But it was consistent year after year where he start. I can't blame him for Joe Mixon. I feel like Chase Brown and Zach Moss as a tandem is low on their list of issues. That's all.

But it is interesting that it was loaded up with volume for Joe Mixon.

Yes.

And now there's. And now there's guys to share. I wonder if Joe's like, hey, we could have kept a little more tread on the tires. That'll help for Joe if we presented things that way. But you mentioned Max Crosby, Steve. His pressure rate this season is the lowest for him since 2020. And I think a lot of that is the defense being under, man.

Yes.

And they are here in this one. I understand that the Bengals have issues up front, but this Raiders defense, despite having some opportunity and be very, very close against Patrick Mahomes last week, there were plays on the field to be made.

They always play the Raiders close. I mean, they always play the Chiefs close.

Just did not make them. And Jamar Chase right now, again, going to the fantasy world, he's averaging 2.6 points per target right now.

Greg, that's a lot. In other words, giving him targets.

He's eating load him up against. Against this Raiders secondary.

What about Mike Kosicki? He's going to do some things as well too.

He could playing well. I would have never. You know, I apologize to Mike Kosicki for what the New England Patriots did to your career because I thought you were beyond done. I thought all the Bengals fans talking about oh yeah, Gasicki is. And I was like, are you crazy? But he actually looks pretty good. Him and Eric all are a good, good tight end tandem.

Let's go to Jacksonville where they will Go to Philadelphia, a seven and a half point favorite coming off the win against the Cincinnati Bengals. The over under 45 and a half. Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Jason McCourty and AJ Ross on the call. Steve, we are going to see this Jags passing attack. They lost Christian Kirk for the season. Tough one Trev coming in missing a man. Can they do enough to clear that seven and a half?

I guess I don't like the seven and a half. I think it's going to be a, I think it's going to be a tighter game than that. I know Philadelphia has been running the ball well, Jalen's been playing well. But you know I think for Jacksonville getting Fourier Alukan back admitted linebacker. You know I was with them for a couple of weeks over in London and they're like they missed the fact he's a guy who gets everybody aligned, making sure if a guy's out of a gap he gets in the right gap. I think they're up there and going to play Philadelphia tough. I, you know Evan England is probably going to going to eat. You know he's going to have 10, 12 targets. He's going to do his thing. Brian Thomas is a special player. I don't know. I'm not saying they're going to beat Philadelphia, but that seven and a half as a big, big number for me.

You know they got some players back from injury like Alua Khan and Tyson Campbell's an important player for them who came back. But then they had all these new injuries pop up. Christian Kirk, Brian Thomas had the chest injury although he was at practice Wednesday. So it sounds like he'll be able to play this week. But Brandon Sheriff, who's a starter for them on the offensive line, another offensive line starter, Ezra Cleveland. So this is a team that can't afford injuries and I am really curious if the Eagles have really embraced this identity as a run first type of team because it's working. Jalen hurts. Maybe he's a quarterback. It's more with less. Let's, let's recognize that our offensive line, really good run blocking, that Jalen hurts is a really good runner and that he opens up things for Saquon Barkley. It can be mutually beneficial and that maybe it's not great to just drop back and pass because early in games they've been dropping back at a really high volume and they still have yet to score in the first quarter of a game this year. Isn't that crazy? Now that's it's such a crazy Stat and it feels like it should have an asterisk after last week.

They didn't have the. They scored on their first possession last week for the first time, but the Bengals had the ball for 11 minutes. So their first possession didn't even end until, until the second quarter started. So. And that included a lot of running. So I just was thinking this team's looked more physical. Their defensive line has played quite well the last handful of weeks now. I think it's really a trend and I think they'll be able to continue that against the Jaguars. I'm taking, I'm taking the Eagles even with the seven and a half. I think they roll in this game. This was the game that we had talked about making our survivor before we decided to be a little bolder. But this would be another fine option in my mind. Yeah.

And I'm glad in hindsight looking back and saying, yeah, I'm glad that we went with our bold pick instead of this one because it's again, it's a hurt Jags team, even hurt on the offensive line where they just traded a left tackle who started 70 plus games in the NFL. So it's especially I do think right. Looking at a fully healthy Devonte Smith and A.J. brown that, that, that's the identity. A.J.

Brown changes things.

The run game and then deep shots to both of those guys waiting to see when they can get Dallas Goddard back. Although Grant Calciters played Wolf fine.

Sounds like it won't be this week.

So far but I think that full contingent that that helps the passing game probably more than anything. I mean everybody deals with injuries, but I think Jalen's numbers look a lot better in that instance. And this, this Jags defense, I think like when you sort the statistics because I try to find like where, where's everything going wrong. They're, they're not like overall bad. They're not giving up a huge bunch of chunk runs. But it's just situational runs like when.

Make so many mistakes they need a stop.

Was third down, third and six. Like they gave up a third and five draw last week they had all those penalties against the Chicago Bears. Like when they need to get off the field, they just can't do it.

And it is, it is simple, basic stuff. Again spending time with them over two weeks in London, it is guys not lining up properly, playing the wrong gaps. Just simple, simple things. Just getting, you know, they had a drive against the Bears, they had three defensive holdings allowed the Bears to get to the end zone on one drive on Third down. All three on third down.

See, I think that's great because it's a week that the Eagles, I think they can outsmart themselves sometimes. You know, Nick Sirianni's enjoying this week. No longer the main character. Like this is a team. They can just run some basic play.

There's a trap run right at him. It's at the trap door.

It's against, it's against Doug Peterson. That's the revenge. There is some revenge going on here because Doug Peterson I don't think was thrilled with how his time in Philadelphia ended. That's why this was originally the Sunday night game. They moved. They moved out of it. So I've had this thing in my head that until these last couple weeks they really were on this timeline that they were repeating their previous time they made the super bowl, you know, that time they won it. This time they didn't. But like the next season was very similar to Doug Peterson's follow up season. And then. And that they gave the contract to the quarterback and then the production goes down almost immediately. And I was like, I do not want to see Nick Sirianni and Jalen hurts go the way of Peterson and Carson Wentz. And I think they've righted the ship. So this, this is a time for the Eagles to show we're. We're not Doug Peterson's. They better Eagles and Carson. Wednesday, Jacksonville Eagles.

I'm pissed off, Angelo.

I don't know, man. Trap door. Trap door.

Speaking of teams going on the road from Florida who have injuries at receiver, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road at Kansas City, eight and a half point favorites. It's Monday Night Football. Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters. There's an alternate broadcast where you can listen to Bill Belichick say mean things about the Patriots or the jets as well. And Greg Baker Mayfield with a chance to go out there and shock the world and all the doubters, yourself included, what happened?

You know what? I'd like to issue a small apology for my snide Baker comment on Sunday night. Watching, rewatching that game, a little closer. I thought he played well in that game. He had the couple picks, but that game he was not a problem for the team. Now, I do think it's interesting that Dave Canales got the head coaching job in Carolina based on what a good job he did with Baker Mayfield and this Bucks offense. And I don't think it's even subjective. This Buccaneers offense is coached better this year. Oh yeah, and Baker Mayfield is better this year. So I don't know what that says about Dave Canales or not, but I'm just.

That's not why Dave Canales got that job.

It's not?

No. There's about seven other dudes who said no.

Okay. Okay. That's part of it. That's. That's fair.

Let's.

I guess that's my roundabout way of giving a backhanded dig to Canales, but also complimenting Liam Cohen because I actually do think they have enough pieces. When I watched that game, I did not think that the lack of Goodwin and Evans were the reason they lost. They got enough good production out of Jarrett and Trey Palmer and my guy Kate Otten, like, it was really their defense. Their defense has been as big or a bigger issue this year under Todd Bowles. It's just not very sound. So if you're looking for the Chiefs to finally hit some big plays, this is a defense to do it against.

Yeah, that's the thing that's disappointing for me. You know, I think Baker and that offense is fine. They've got a good offensive line. They can mix it up. They got running backs who can catch it. But here's the question. When does Kansas City lose? I mean, they're not going to. They're not going to go unbeaten. Is it Monday night? Tampa? Is it next week against a Broncos team? That's pretty good. Is it at Buffalo? And then they got Carolina, Las Vegas, the Chargers, Cleveland, Houston. I mean, at some point they are going to lose. Is this the game that's kind of the law of averages here at Buffalo.

Is their hardest game left on the schedule.

Yeah. And at Pittsburgh at the end of.

The season, you know, you got Nat Pittsburgh, you got a home for Christmas Day again, Houston, you know, a lot of them aren't layups. They'll find a way to lose. I would, I guess I would go at Buffalo would be the first one. But you in a one game sample, you never feel good picking against the Chiefs at this point with the way this defense is playing situationally, they're so good in the red zone. They're just, they're good at everything.

And these, when added pieces, you know, getting D hop offensively, I mean, they just didn't. They just, they just got other pieces on both day.

They get Josh Ushe.

Yeah, they got uche.

And it's like you, you hope for. If you're a fan of an AFC contender and you're watching the super bowl champs who are undefeated go and add pieces, you start to wonder, hey, where's Everybody else, why aren't we making some moves?

I've seen enough of these Bucks games now that this is the game that Mahomes really gets it rolling, that Hopkins goes for 87 yards and two touchdowns. The running game gets going. I have no faith in these Bucks linebackers. I hate to throw Levante David in that mix, but just they're, they're making plays over the middle of the fifth and, and it's the game where afterwards everyone's just like, no one's going to beat the Chiefs. We were all wrong in September because they're going to put up a 40 spot and it'll feel like the old Chiefs are back. And they pretty much are. I mean in dvoa, they're, they're fourth on in the year now, even including that September where the team didn't look as great. They're playing like a, one of the best teams. Obviously in the, in the end he's.

Got Mahomes Patrick saying like he's going to be Kirko change because you know how Kirko tears up the buck.

That's what I mean. They'll watch that tape. They'll figure it out. Andy Reed will. Yeah, he'll throw in something. He'll. He'll actually tell Mahomes, you can't move, you can't leave the pocket like Kirk cochainz. You got to just copy him. Just be a total statue.

Stay back there. Do, do everything like Kirk, including cringe pre and post game hype. Comments.

You know what, the trap, the trap stuff.

Oh my gosh. Secondhand embarrassment. I don't know if it's clinically diagnosed, but I literally cannot. I run away from the TV because it's a bit much for me. The weird thing about this Bulls defense, pressure wise in terms of numbers of pressure, one of the best teams in the league per next gen stats.

You better be when you blitz every other day.

The pressure percentage right there next to the Steelers at 33 and a half percent. They just, you know, Antoine Winfield Jr. One of the best players in the secondary as well, just, just not getting it done.

I just, I just can't get Kirk Cousins going down to Bankhead, going to a trap house out of my head right now.

Although I know we've talked a lot about the Falcons and the Bucks during this. But you see those Outcast Falcons?

Those are spectacular.

Pretty sweet.

No, spectacular.

I'm thinking of getting one but I'm like, do I really want to wear a Falcon sweatshirt?

But maybe there's one that says Outcast on it.

I can't believe as cool as you. I mean it says outcast but it also says Falcons or my baldies breakdown.

Now that's the sweatshirt. That's what we have that you got to get.

That's shout out to baldy.

All right. And the game with the highest spread of the week, I don't know if it should. I think the game that we just discussed should probably have the highest spread of the week. But the one of the number one total passing defenses in the NFL, the Denver Broncos going on the road at the Baltimore Ravens, who are a nine point favorite. The over under 45 and a half points. Nance Romo and Tracy on the call for cbs. Steve, not nine points.

Steve White should be there. Pregame for NFL Network by.

Oh, there we go.

Well, I'm headed to Baltimore. I don't get this nine point blast. I checked Baltimore's defense still giving up passing touchdowns and Denver's defense is really good. Okay, now granted they got fat off of some teams that are not good offensively. But those three guys up front, right, they're DN. They play that 30, that 34 kind of 35 front. Those three guys up front are doing work okay now they're going up a good offense against a good offensive line. But the one thing they do, they blitz like we talked about. Todd Bowles blitz and they blitz like crazy. They can't do that this game. They cannot. They've got to break character because if they blitz, Derrick Henry gets by you, Lamar gets by you. The math is bad. They're gone. Now Patrick certain best corner in the NFL. Best corner in the NFL. Like, okay, there's nobody who's going to go out there. Deontay Johnson's a flowers and tear him up. Okay, so this is 10 on 10, but it is a legit 10 on 10 because Lamar, you know, you have to count him into the faction here. I think this is going to be.

I think it's going to be under the 45.5 and that nine point by Baltimore, I don't, I don't see it. I don't think this is a game where Bo Nicks goes in there and carves them up. But I think points are going to be much harder to come by than that for 45 and a half number.

So this is the Ravens defense panic week because of all the numbers of the plus 20 plays that they've given up most in the NFL and it's almost. It's 40 plus 20 plays. 39 of them are their past Defense. So it's not their run defense and.

It'S in the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter they could get.

Now you're going up against Bo Nicks who last week for the first time really pushed the ball down the field consistently 8 for 16 on plus 10 throws over 10 air yards for 180 yards. Now he had all day back there again and he was playing against the Panthers but he had some really nice throws and he's going to have to be even better because you're just not going to be able to run this the ball against this Ravens team. I still think the, I think the Ravens are a great team and I know they're incomplete right now, but I think great teams respond with from embarrassing performances and I think Bo Nicks in this spot is not going to be good enough to keep up in a shootout. So yeah, he might hit you for some big plays, but I don't believe in the Broncos defense enough to shut him down. I think it's more like 30 to 16, something like that.

Yeah. The spot where the Ravens do excel is preventing the quarterback run and Bo Nicks was one of the top scramblers. Like we talk about Lamar scrambling and Josh Allen. Bo Nicks far and away the leader in the league and scrambles from the quarterback position. And I think that the Ravens specifically right with this pre game last week practice situation with Marcus Williams where he ultimately winds up essentially not playing in the game. Eddie Jackson comes in, has a dropped interception, blows the coverage on the game winning touchdown to Cedric Tillman. I think it's an opportunity for both Marcus and the coaching staff to realize where things went wrong because the team is better when Marcus Williams is on the field.

Yeah, but man they, I mean when's the last time we talked about Kyle Hamilton a great player like you know, just, just talking to people, they're like these guys are not nearly as aggressive defensively as they have been in years. Up up front there a defensive line. You know, Van Oy and Matt AP.

And these guys even, even Madam Week hasn't had great production.

No.

Roquan Smith has not been as big a difference figure.

I think him and Trenton Simpson have not been what we thought they were going to be.

I think you have to point towards the change in the coaching staff. The fact that they brought in Dean Pease, their old friend five weeks in, that was probably a red flag that like the communication issues that you can see just as a fan, something's not right and you're going up against a good coach offensively and Sean Payton and Bo Nick's who's getting better. So I'm not, I'm not ruling this out from being close like mid third quarter and making, making the people sweat over those nine points. But ultimately we're talking about Lamar Jackson versus Bo Nick, everybody.

Avery Raven, you can see that every game, every one of their games is like a two point game one way or the other. It's like a two point game. Last year when they won, they won by like 15 points, like they were stomping people.

So the Broncos, you mentioned the defense, the easy schedule. They've played the 27th schedule in terms of the hardest offenses that they face. They face the jets, they faced Minshew, they faced Rattler, they faced Bryce Young last week. So this is, I think, an interesting test for him. I'm not saying they can't. Like you're giving me this. Like, I'm not saying they can't pass it and that they can't get some pressure on Lamar because last week, frankly, the Browns got a lot of pressure on Lamar. So maybe they can double it up and do even better. But show me something. They got to kind of prove it in a game like this for me to really believe it.

Are you putting the 2024 Denver Broncos defense on fraud? Watch Greg.

No, but I just think they're a function of their schedule. I think they're going to be good. But to be a great defense in today's NFL, you got to be able to slow down great offenses. So they do it this week. I'll give them some.

They got two good corners. They got two good corners too. The guy opposite of Sir Tan is really good.

Lethal Weapon. Riley Moss.

Riley Moss.

Patrick Sutan.

Riley Moss kind of silently got done up last week by Jalen Coker, though. And it's been, it's been a great run playing on the other side of Pats or Tan. But Coker and the Panthers were conceiving corps made some plays against Riley last week.

Why are you trying to rain on rain on our parade here? This is the first white cornerback that's been starting week after week. Jason Seahorn. He's representing, he's inspiring coaches out there to finally start giving the white guys a chance on the outside.

I love it. I want more because I think it's dumb.

It is.

If you could play corner, you can play corner. Don't get run.

You can run, man.

He's breaking boundaries, but I saw that too. Jalen Coker. Nice little player, man.

Deontay Johnson. Fantasy holders team up. Get him ready.

Yeah, that's a good call. But this actually would be a week. I would think he would be a huge factor. But he just got there and he's taken a physical. He did miss last week's game. I don't know if he's really hurt. Can he really get up to speed that quick? Because you mentioned that certain can shut down your best player that say flowers that this would be a week. It'd be great to have another guy on the outside that can get it done.

If he gets open. Like if he gets open, he gets in the ball. So that's all.

That's what he's doing.

So that is it for our week nine preview. Enjoyed it as always. We're going to be back on Thursday night. Halloween. We're not going away on Halloween. We're working. I'm throwing a little party for the kids at the house. We're meeting before they all go trick or treating. And I'm saying so long. And my wife is taking Walker out. I'm watching Texans jets. Seth Payne, great radio guy, great former Texan, will be joining me for Steve Weiss, Patrick Claibon, everyone behind the glass. Yeah. When the Broncos are on fraud watch. You know, football is back.