Transcript of NFL Week 4 Preview, The 3-1 Cleveland Browns, Playoff Baseball Sadness + Eric Hosmer Talking Playoffs, Alshon Jeffery In Studio + Fyre Fest

Hey, Pardon My Take listeners, you can find every episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Prime members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. Trust no one and accuse everyone in Who's the Bad Guy, the official Barstool Sports social deduction game from the brilliant mind of Nick Terrini. In what's quickly becoming the most popular new party game around, players are secretly assigned unique roles with the good guys trying to expose the bad guys and the bad guys doing everything they can to stay Stay hidden. Each game unfolds under alternating day and night phases with roles like the cool chick, the shy guy, the gambler, El Presidente, the mentalist, the planner, the funny guy, and more. Every round is unpredictable, chaotic, and ridiculously fun. Who's the Bad Guy is great for parties, pre-games, family gatherings, or groups who just love deception-based games. Game night will never be the same.

Shop now on walmart.com.

3, 2, 1. What do I always start with? On today's Part of My Take. On today's Part of My Take presented by DraftKings, we've got a massive, massive show for you. Playoff baseball, uh, the Part of My Take podcast has been eliminated from playoff baseball contention. We're going to talk about that. We have the game of the century, the Cleveland Browns They're not the same Browns. They're the 3-1 Cleveland Browns. NFL Week 4 picks and preview. Then we've got Eric Hosmer, World Series champion, talking some playoff baseball. Alshon Jeffries, Super Bowl champion, in studio. And we're going to finish it with Firefest of the Week. It's all brought to you by our friends at Chevy. Football season is here, and whether you're grinding through the week or gearing up for kickoff, there's one ride that's always game ready. It's the Chevy Silverado. There's a reason Chevy's called the heartbeat of America. And Silverado keeps that heartbeat strong whether you're towing, hauling, or tailgating. Silverado lets you show up strong and tackle any task with best-in-class standard torque, the most functional bed, and the advanced tech that's football guy approved. Check out current offers on the 2026 Silverado at chevy.com. Okay, let's go.

Hey.

Football guy, Patino, AWM.

Part of My Take.

Yeah, Part of My Take. Yeah, Part of My Take. Yay, Part of My Take.

Yeah, Part of My Take. Welcome to Part of My Take presented by DraftKings. The crown is yours. Today is Friday, October 2nd. And the Cleveland Browns are 3-1 after winning the game of the century. Can we get some barks? Oh, I mean, that— not the same old Browns. We, uh, my assistant Tom, who we talked about, who dubbed this the game of the century, that got us all hyped for game of the century as, as Schmidt was, uh, lining up that 56-yard bomb in the wind. He just kept on muttering, if we hit, if we make this, we're not the same Browns. If we make this, we're not the same Browns. Prove that we're not the same Browns. And then guess what? They're 3-1 and Deshaun Watson is playing good football.

It was a kick of the century. It was a kick of the future. As he was saying, things are going to be different, but it's actually more of the same with the Browns on Thursday nights because the Browns are awesome on Thursday night.

Yeah.

Browns since 2020, 6-0 undefeated. Thursday night. Steelers 1-6.

Yeah.

I think it's been like 20 years since the Steelers have won an away game on a Thursday night.

Damn.

So yeah, the trend of that continues. But more importantly, Deshaun Watson was smiling and I don't think I've—

And he was good at football.

He was good. But I don't think I've seen the guy have fun playing football since he was a Houston Texan. They did like a little image rehab interview with him today before the game started.

Okay.

So I guess now we're just going to kind of move on into the future and be like, this is a tremendous redemption story. Yeah. Now that he's good at football again, it's inspiring. Very inspiring. No, but he's— he played really good. He is back to playing serviceable football.

And he was doing it like he looked like the old Deshaun. I mean, there was a— there was a bad sack at the end of the game, but it didn't matter because they kicked the field goal.

Kind of his thing.

Yeah.

And there was also a fumble, but like he— he was moving well, had a couple plays with his feet. Had, had a couple— like, there was zip on the ball. He took some deep shots. The Browns are— they're, they're, dare I say it, good. Are they good? Are they good? They might be a good football team.

They're 3-1.

They're 3-1.

Now it's officially screenshot season. If you're a Browns fan, take a look at this.

Yes, Mason Graham getting hurt sucks. Uh, that definitely kind of spoils the night a little bit, but hopefully he's not that injured. But yeah, their defense is salty. And their offense can actually move. They got some nice young weapons.

Yeah, the wide receivers.

Cannon is the man. I love that he wears 44.

Yeah, Conception. Concepcion.

Yeah.

And Boston.

Yeah.

At receiver, 2 really nice players. Good young players. Defense, they look good again too. Even after, even after Graham went out. Like, yeah, the Browns, I do think, are a good team if they can get, if they can get consistent play from Deshaun. They will be in the race for the division at the end of the year.

Yep.

And the Steelers, they're the same Steelers. I mean, their secondary is not very good. They are injured. They just traded Joey Porter. Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy, the ISO cams of when Mike McCarthy was calling in plays was just the greatest watch ever.

He—

the disdain on Aaron Rodgers' face when he would hear the play and then have to call it in in the huddle. was just so fucking good.

It would be any play. He'd be like, the fuck is this guy talking about? And then it would show Mike McCarthy on the sidelines and he'd just like look at— usually it was Mason Rudolph. So whoever was next to him and just be like, what's this guy's deal?

Yeah.

Like they just— they clearly hate each other. But I guess it worked. I guess it worked for the most part. Like the offense looked better tonight than it had.

Well, yeah.

The past couple of weeks.

I was going to say for the Steelers, like if you're—

that's a—

that's a bad loss because I don't know. I mean, their defense is bad. Their defense is bad. And They also, they also lost a defensive starter, but Jaylen Warren looks like he's got so much pop. Like, he, he, every time he touches the ball is electric. And DK Metcalf had a good game. He did do his dumb deep DK Metcalf penalty.

Yep.

But he caught a couple, a couple like deep shots, and that has to make you a little excited. Oh, and Darnell Washington is just the— he might be my favorite player to watch when he gets the ball. There was a moment in this game when he caught a dump-off that was maybe 3 yards past the line of scrimmage and it took 6 Browns to tackle him. He was like hand-fighting them off of him.

I mean, it's pretty crazy, his career. He's never been the go-to option on any team that he's been on. But now it looked like at the end of regulation, he's going to be their red zone guy when they absolutely—

They were taking shots at him.

Yeah.

They did like 3 in a row to him. None of them worked out on the very last drive. Um, it got them down to the goal line and eventually got to be able to tie the game. But yeah, he's so much fun. When he gets the ball in his hands, he's 6'7. How much does he weigh now? Are we thinking 300?

Are we thinking over 100?

300 more. £370. Yeah, he's 6'7, 370. And I was saying that watching, watching defensive backs tackle him, it's like watching an elephant with a bunch of lionesses just like jumping over him. And, and one, one guy like grabs onto his foot Another guy grabs the waist. One guy like drapes himself on the shoulder pads and they just hope that eventually through fatigue he'll fall down.

It's, it's, it's like a Jason Statham movie when, when just a bunch of the bad guys just jump on him at once and he just kind of, he does like, he like crouches, shrugs them all off and they all go flying. What a fun game, though.

Very—

that was a very fun Thursday Night Football game of the century for a reason.

We're going to forget about it because it ended up working out for him. But really stupid move by the Browns at the very end of the game to kick the ball into the end zone.

Yeah.

That was— we saw it happen.

It was— it couldn't have been more like directly what just happened.

It was the biggest story in terms of like late game mismanagement.

10 seconds.

Yeah.

10 seconds left. The Browns kicked it in the end zone. No time runs off the clock and they get the ball at the 35-yard line.

Yeah.

And then at that point, you're just one medium completion away with a timeout to kicking a field goal.

Which was kind of weird how they did— the Steelers did do the last play because I feel like it was, it was just It was right in between a Hail Mary and not, and it took almost all the time. I know there was 1 second left when they came down with the interception. Yeah, but it was kind of a weird— I don't know if it felt like they were trying to get 50 yards instead of just get 30 yards. Yeah, go for a bomb field goal.

But there was also one play that TJ Watt had, one of the best defensive plays I've seen in a very long time tonight, where TJ Watt, he faked out like he was going to the mesh point, like he was following the running back, and he came back on the handoff. So he intentionally took one step like directly at the running back just to fake out Deshaun, who kept the ball. TJ pushes off, gets to his other foot, and with his wide arm punches the ball out. The TJ punch.

Yeah.

As we'll get to in a second.

Yeah.

But that was, that was one of the best individual heads-up football plays I've seen all year.

Yeah.

Any player at any position. That was awesome.

It was awesome. All right, boys, do we want to talk some baseball? Sure. Who wants to go first?

Why don't you talk about Mike Tomlin's Minecraft?

Mike Tomlin's Minecraft was the— was the video of the year. I'll say that right now. I watched it with my son. His attention to detail was just remarkable.

Yeah.

And his love for exterior design and interior design. He loved building out furniture on all the patios. My, my personal favorite part was he's obsessed with aquariums. He put aquariums in a bunch of his high rises, including one high rise where there's a massive aquarium in the penthouse. And that high rise is right across the street from the actual aquarium in the city.

He's—

he kept on teasing it. He's like, this is the baseball stadium. We'll get to that at a later date. Every time he releases one, I'm in. Yeah, it was— it was so peaceful and calming. And yeah, if you're a Steelers fan, I would understand being really pissed off watching that because that's bullshit. I think it took a lot of hours.

It definitely took a lot of hours. But I mean, guys can have hobbies. Yeah. Some, some coaches go fishing. Some coaches go home and actually some coaches don't go home at all. This is actually a very healthy hobby.

I would say it was funny. His son, his son tweeting out that like sometimes I'd come home from school and my PlayStation would be taken and I wasn't even in trouble.

Yeah.

What were you going to say, Zach?

That had to be like 3,000 to 3,500 hours.

It's crazy that it was—

it was awesome to watch the high-rise apartments, like the attention to like luxury living.

Yeah.

Like he's got sauna rooms and spas downstairs.

The lighting he kept on talking about, I had to get the lighting right.

So we had a lot of glass roofs.

Yeah, a lot of glass.

He had the glass roofs because he said back when he first started, the lighting that they had in the game wasn't adequate.

Yeah, he's a true OG.

Does— do you think he's a big— like he's really into trains?

I don't know. I didn't see any train stations in his—

But the kind of guy that would be super into—

Possibly. I'm excited because, I mean, like I said, I watched with my son. He's like, I want to build that. I was like, great. You don't have a job. You're not the head coach of a football franchise. I also have free time.

I also wonder if he stopped doing it, like, after he got fired. If it was something that stopped immediately upon— like, he's—

no, no, I think this is still It's still going.

He still works on it.

You don't put that much time into something and then just—

yeah, no, he said he's like— he was talking about how he has to like excavate a lot of the terrain to make it so that he can build buildings. It's a whole process. Waterway, saying the lake was— it was all built around the lake. Zach, what do you think? You watched it.

He said the seed that he got from Minecraft, which is like the biome, like the latitude, longitude they drop you at, a little piece of land you get to work with originally, didn't have enough water that he wanted. So he's just trenching rivers for like weeks on end to get the right like waterfront property value almost. Yeah, it's actually very impressive.

It was incredible. It was incredible. Everyone should go watch it. Mike Tomlin, I didn't know. I mean, like, what a, what a, what a, like, 180 in terms of, like, likability and, like, getting to know a guy, you know?

I really liked the part that was the part of the city that was close to the ballpark where he has, like, high rises that can look over and watch the game as it's being played.

Like, yeah, you know, we're going to get to the ballpark. Yeah, he just kept on teasing us.

No, but the high-rise—

no, I know, I know.

He made like a modern ballpark area, like a downtown area. He constructed it around the ballpark in a way that anyone that lived or worked in the area would be able to watch baseball during the day.

Yes. Kept talking about urban density, how important it was to him.

He hinted at like different apartments having different floor plans. Like, yeah, we've got penthouses up top, but there are some like studios and one bedrooms lower down.

Yeah.

And there's— I think there's a— he teased maybe there's some single-family homes, suburban area that he hasn't shown us yet. But yeah, I— this is also why, I mean, we always knew it with Mike Tomlin. Like everyone, he was a players coach and everyone's like, we'd die for him. You get it when he talks, when he just is sitting in a chair talking to you about Minecraft. You're like, yeah, this guy's awesome.

When they first said that he was going to be on NBC Football Night in America, he was going to be an analyst. I was skeptical. I thought Mike Tomlin might not have that much interesting things to say. He might still be in coach mode where he doesn't want to share too much. I was so wrong about that. Never in a million years would I would have thought that, oh, you know what, within one month of him being on TV, he's going to sit us down and guide us through a 12-year Minecraft project he's been working on.

And he's also like, he's criticizing coaches, which is very like rarely done. It's supposed to— it's a taboo thing. If you're a former coach, you don't criticize. He was criticizing the Cowboys last weekend, rightfully so.

He did. He did apologize for his lack of stick control in Minecraft.

Yeah.

So what does that mean, Zach? Why was he What was he— so are some people saying that like he doesn't have the skills?

So he's not super nice with the joystick. So like his sensitivity is also lower. So like he's kind of in the mud a little bit moving around. He's not the most efficient guy as far as like getting it done. So which kind of shows to his point of the project even more impressive because he like stuck through it. He's like, he loves it this much. It's a slow roll, but we'll get it done.

Yeah.

He did it all on controller, which is significantly harder. That's crazy. Significantly more impressive.

How much, how much more time would it take on controller as opposed to using like keyboard mouse?

I think it doubles his time almost.

Oh my God.

Nice on the keyboard.

On controller, you have to do it one at a time. Oh my God. All right, let's talk some baseball, Max.

You know what?

I'll go first and then Hank can go and then you can finish this off. Cubs got— well, no, first we should say We should talk about the winners because we're going to talk about the other series. The White Sox beat the Astros on Wednesday. That team is having the most fun and they just— you could just see like Chase Mycroft, that home run was an electric October moment. I guess it was technically September. We're going to talk to Eric Hosmer more about the teams that are still alive and the White Sox are in that. But they are— You could just— you just see it like they're just They're all unafraid and they're just kind of balls to the wall, uh, just fighting for each other. That's just a team that you can— like, there are certain teams in October that have that young energy that the White Sox have. And first time they've won a series in, uh, 2 decades. And so yeah, they got the Guardians this weekend. It's, it's gonna be— the Raid is gonna be on fire. I know they have day games, which kind of sucks, but it's still gonna be awesome.

Yeah, it was, it was so fun to watch them celebrate afterwards. What was the saying? Was it like drunk yesterday, hungover tomorrow?

Sorry, I don't speak English.

Sorry, I don't speak English. I am Japanese.

Murakami is— he's awesome.

He is the best. He is the absolute best. And then his translator just being like, I am drunk. Yeah, he is drunk. That looked like the best locker room to be in. I am rooting for the White Sox. I would like to see a team from Chicago in the World Series. I think that'd be awesome.

Also, shout out Chris Getz because, you know, the GM for the White Sox who I, you know, he went through a lot of shit. Like, that was a lot of bad— there was, there's some bad years where people were wondering, like, is this guy, is his vision going to come through? And I think I saw the stat. I think it was so the, the Garrett Crochet trade that he made that some people were maybe not in for.

Mm-hmm.

I think 3 out of the 4 guys they got back all played every single inning against the Astros and all came through in different meaningful ways. So he's built, he's built a young, hungry team and they're blessed by the Pope. They're blessed by the Pope. So they have, they have God on their side and it's tough to, tough to beat them right now. I'm very excited for that series against the Guardians. It will be good playoff baseball. All right. Let's talk about losers. You guys ready to talk about losers, Max? Yeah, it was, it was Mydroth, Kyle Thielen, Braden Montgomery all were part of the trade for Crochet and they all Uh, played well in the series. The Cubs lost totally non-competitive, uh, 2 games in San Diego. Failure of a season. I don't know anyone, like anyone who says differently, uh, like PCA aside, who was incredible. And I'll always remember PCA 2026. The actual season was a failure. There was a ton of injuries. You can definitely look at that.

And I—

you can't just like say, oh, they failed and they didn't try. They tried. A ton of injuries, flawed team. The, the bats did not show up in San Diego, uh, got dog walked in the Central by the Brewers yet again. So failure of a season. Gotta look in the mirror and a lot of things got to change. That game, uh, Wednesday night was so, so frustrating because the Cubs played 18 innings and I don't think there was one moment, there was one moment where I thought, oh my God, this could be something. And it was Dansby Swanson with 2 on, no outs, swinging at ball 4 and 5, and with PCA on deck. And that was kind of it. And it was just like, all right, we're out. It was just a feeble, feeble way to go out. We had, we had 1 hit between the top of the order, 1, 2, and 3, and it was actually a pinch hit. So it wasn't even, it wasn't even PCA, Bregman, and Michael Busch. I will say that the The— it's hard to be like, oh, no-show of the play. Like, they did no-show, but I— a 2-game sample size is very small.

Yeah.

But it still sucked. They sucked. They sucked. They absolutely sucked. The pitching was bad. We knew it going in. We knew that was going to be a problem. But when you don't score runs, you can't really blame the pitching. They had one of the best offenses in baseball. You could obviously argue there were some games where we pumped some, some position players and juiced the numbers. But when you score 1 run in a 2-game series, you're not going to win. So that's how the Cubs went out. And it's sad. It's always sad when baseball's over.

Yeah. Just big picture. I hate the format of the wildcard round.

Same.

I hate it. I can't stand it.

Why?

What would you like? I like it better than what we had.

3-game, 3-game series sucks.

The 1 game was, was brutal.

Best of 3 sucks. It's— you shouldn't call it a series. There's no feel for it.

You go back to the 1.

There's no ebbs and flows. I think. Yeah, I think that's probably the best way to do it. I don't think that there's—

May as well be 1.

Yeah. Yeah.

No.

You win game 1, you win. It's 20, I think 22 out of 24 teams.

No, it's one team that— there's one team that has lost game 1 and has come back. It's the Yankees last year against the Red Sox.

I thought that there were 2.

My bad.

All right. Well, I guess it's 23.

Yeah.

So maybe make it 24. But yeah, this format sucks. There's— it's not a series. You get none of the joy that you get out of a series where you kind of have like, you know, what's one countermove at home? Yeah. Yeah. There's no— there's no like countermoves to be made. There's no reacting to those countermoves. It's just pretty much, yeah, whoever wins game 1, congratulations.

I don't know.

Last year there was— it was a 3-game series. Like, we played all 3 games against the Padres, and obviously it was because the Cubs won. I have fond memories of it, but it was— there was some intensity and back and forth. But yeah, I mean, it— well, I'm not opposed to the 1 game. I just think 1 game with the expanded playoff, I wouldn't be opposed. I just always think about 2015 when the NL Central was insane. And I think the Cardinals won 100 games. The Cubs won like 97 or 96. Yeah. And the Pirates— or no, the Pirates won 97 or 96, Cubs won 95. And so the Pirates won 97 games and they were out in one game. Yeah, that's brutal.

But yeah, I realistically, I still, I think I still like it better than the one game.

Yeah.

It's the same how it's worked out that it doesn't even matter.

It's an imperfect 98 games. It was 100 games Cardinals, 98 games Pirates, 97 games Cubs. Yeah, it's an imperfect system. I agree. I do think I prefer it over one game just because one game feels like you could, you could be a really, really good team and then just one bad game.

But yeah, but winning your division has to mean something.

No, it does. No, I'm saying that that year, like, that was a, that was a year like that I always look to and I'm like, the Pirates won 98 games. They only got one game in playoffs.

Yeah, it sucks. Yeah, it sucks. There's no good way to do it. But I don't know, it's, it feels like they're trying to be both like a very quick solution and also a series and you can't be both.

Yeah.

All right, Hank, you're up.

Also, I mean, pretty, pretty similar to what you said. Noncompetitive. They brought Crochet in and I was like, all right, this is, you know, this is the game right here. Strikes the first guy out. Spencer Jones, fastest man alive, somehow, somehow got on first base. And then they had like a not bunt, bunt, basically like broken bat dribbler to third base, got on there, scored. So they had— they scored and then, and then they just opened it up. But they scored in the 6th inning off of basically no hits.

And that's—

that was the momentum. And then they just completely blew the doors off them.

Yeah.

You—

The Red Sox had one good month, basically.

A really good month.

Yeah. One great month. One of the greatest months of all time.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Flawed team. That's like the—

And Roman Anthony, like he was, he was injured. He was out Game 2, and he's probably gonna be out for the rest of the playoffs. Like, they weren't gonna make a run if he's not.

Yeah. Yeah. Future bright, at least.

Eh.

All right.

It was similar. Like, the Cubs and Red Sox went out similar ways in that the game— you had at least a couple of innings. I had no innings.

We went down early in both games, and then like, we kind of— yeah, we were in.

We were in. But it was like a 2-1 game in the 5th.

Yeah.

You hung around last night for a little bit.

The Cubs were—

Yeah, it was a 6th inning, and then it was just—

The Cubs were tied for 1 inning. It was the top of the— it was the first inning last night. Yeah, they, they were, they were trailing in every other inning. So 17 out of 18.

I do think that San Diego has the best environment.

Once it gets—

it was electric. I hope they beat the Brewers.

I do.

I hope they're hot and I hope they beat the Brewers. OK, Max, finish us off. You lost 2 hours ago, an hour ago. You actually got to a Game 3.

Yeah, we didn't even talk about yesterday's game on this program.

Yeah, which sucks because that was actually a very fun game.

One of the greatest baseball games I've ever watched. It was so exciting. It was back and forth. Bryce Harper makes one of the worst plays of all time, then comes back and ties it up with a homer and shows absolute guts, nails, balls, whatever you want to call it. They get, they get to extras and Alec Bohm, who has been crucified by the city of Philadelphia for his entire tenure there, does the unthinkable and hits an extra innings homer. And then today they just, they just, they just didn't show up. It's really sad. Aaron Nola is a guy who had a couple— he had a couple good years with the Phillies, but he's now getting paid $25 million until the 2031 season. And he is so far past his prime that he had a couple good months this year. But I don't think he's going to even going to be a major league pitcher in 2 years. We have Trey Turner who's getting paid $28 million until the year of 2034, who has a career in the 3 seasons that he's been with the Phillies. He has a sub-.150 batting average and he's your starting shortstop and leadoff hitter.

3 postseasons is enough of a sample size that you are just not a big-time player in Philadelphia and you are going to get paid $28 million until the age— until The year 2034. The, the look on the Philadelphia Phillies is so— the future is so bleak right now that I— there's nothing, there's no way to fix it. You have one of the highest payrolls that you could possibly have, and some of the guys you can't even trade that it's going to come down to. There's going to be a real— there's going to be real discussion in the next year of do you unload Kyle Schwarber? Do you unload Bryce Harper? Because you have this team that is getting so old and so bad, and they can't— and they, and they have the 26th best, best, best farm system in the league. Like, it's so sad. It's so, so sad to look at the future of the Phillies. It's been a fun couple years, but like, they needed this run. They needed this run. And to go out like this, so sad and depleted and no fight tonight at all. The, the— it's— they're truly done.

That, like, you guys, you guys have younger cores, you guys have something to look forward to. The Phillies are dead. The Phillies are dead. Like, they're never gonna get back to what they were with this core, and they gotta blow it up. And it's super sad because we're gonna go into a really low point in the Philadelphia Phillies organization, and it just has to be done, and it's super, super sad.

What do you think about the starting pitching decision tonight?

I wish we went with Wheeler, obviously. But it doesn't matter because the bats didn't show up. Yeah, like it was a 3-run deficit. Yeah, it was a 3-run deficit. And other than Schwarber— Schwarber was fucking awesome. He's always fucking awesome. Harper had 2 good at-bats, 2 horrendous at-bats. I get you got to run to— you got to run to first on a dropped third strike. I don't think that really would have affected the game.

The game was over.

The game was over at that point. I get it. He was frustrated.

It's just more like—

You got to run it out, especially yesterday. You go in the postgame conference and everyone asks, what were you thinking going in, going into that last at-bat after you made that error? And his response was, I was just thinking about my son and making it and being a good example. How about being a good example of when you're down and when you're down on the count, you strike out, you run to fucking first base? How about being an example for your kid there too?

Youngsters.

And not just when you do something well. So that's fucking frustrating.

All the youngsters listening to part of my take, you always run that out to first base.

You have to respect 90.

Yep.

I mean, it's not even respect 90. It's like that pitch was such a terrible pitch to swing at. It was impossible to catch. So as a hitter, you know, when there's something like that, when you swing at a pitch like that, it's like, holy shit, holy shit. At least I can get to first. But whatever. I don't really think that affects the outcome of the game. I'm more— I'm more just sad because I like— it's the Phillies are the complete opposite organizations from like the Red Sox and the Cubs that like you guys have young guys and young talent that are only going to get better. And the Phillies are like, they're so far past their prime.

Yeah.

Yeah.

No, I see what you're saying. I mean, the Cubs are in a situation where PCA, like, he hit a lot of the flaws of this team for being like having such an exceptional year that it's like you have to figure those things out. But you're right.

Like, and you have a small payroll. Like, I know, like, I know that's a problem. I get that that's a problem, but that is something that you can fit. Like, you can spend more money.

Yeah.

Like, the Phillies can't spend any. They're already spending all of the money and they already have these huge— it's really Nola. It's really Nola and Nola and Trey Turner are the real problems because everyone else has pretty good contracts. Like, Schwarber, you're getting what you're paying for. Harper, you're getting what you're paying for. And then the pitching staff, Wheeler, Lozardo, and Sanchez, you're actually getting steals on. But with it, if you— when you have the 26th, the 26th, I can't say fucking 26th.

You can't say 26th.

When you have that farm system and you have that money already tied up, there's no way to improve.

Yeah.

So you've got to get like, you got to get some value from these guys before Schwarber gets too old and that like They're fucked. They're just so fucked. They're so, so, so, so fucked. And that's— and it's frustrating spot to be in. I will say this, we were debating it. Losing like that, way better than losing Game 1. Way better as a fan.

Because you got to experience Game 2.

Yeah.

No, no, no.

I'm saying I'm not even talking about Game 2. Game 1, like game tonight, I knew I was dead. Yeah, I knew I was dead. And it was like It was so much easier to process and so much less— Game 1 was absolutely heartbreaking. And, and like, this is more sad for the future. Game 1 was like, holy fuck, an emotional roller coaster that ended in like absolute disaster.

Yeah.

Yeah.

But tonight's game was what I went through 2 games ago.

No, I would. Yeah, but I would prefer that than Game 1.

But I never even got to cheer.

I get that.

I never got to cheer in October. I never had a moment where I was. We were in the gambling cave clapping our faces off because we went 1, 2, 3 in the bottom of the first.

I'm more so— I'm thinking about how I feel right now compared to the Orion Kirk ring last year.

Yeah.

And I feel I'm sad now, but last— like, that, like, actually ruined my week. Like, I think I'll—

And also, to your point, if game 1 had happened, if game 3 and game 1 reversed, your week would be—

Oh, you'd be in a way worse spot, right?

I would be like Tonight I was, I was upset. I was sad.

But you had time to process it.

But yes, like right now it is all just processing all of the loss and the future and everything. Like, I— when you lose like, like that in such heartbreaking fashion, like the anger, it's the— there's not as much anger right now.

It's more—

yeah, it's more sadness. And it's not—

Playoff baseball is the fucking— it's the best and the worst.

It really is.

Zach, you were watching these games with Max as like a calming presence, viewing both.

Great job. He did a great job.

A really good job. Can you walk us through first the game yesterday, the win and the ups and downs in that game, and then tell us about what happened today?

So the game yesterday, the game yesterday was hard not to buy in just because it was, it was so, it was really honestly kind of electric and like viewing it from the corner there, I can't help but feed off of Max's energy. So then he catches a little spark. You just got to— we ride that because he's, he's good at getting— it was so fun at gassing up. It was a great time.

It was so much fun.

I had no dog in the fight, but then I still found myself even at that point being like, oh wow, this is, this is actually a great time. Like, what if they just do it? So yesterday was like an all-time— it was pretty fun to watch. Today, not as much fun.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Today it was like a slow suck, you know, because there was like little glimpses like, oh, if they— we got—

Max going from the worst room in America, the Gambling Cave, to here was instant 2 men on No outs. And we're like, holy shit, he's doing it.

Yeah.

We're like, oh my God, this is actually working.

I think it was like before they could even get everything set up, it was like, oh, we're in a way better spot than we were 40 steps ago coming from the gambling cave.

Yeah. Hank, I got a question for you.

Sure.

Did you think about wearing your troll sweater tonight?

No.

Wow. You forgot.

You forgot the troll sweater. Yeah.

No, we had— we had the—

damn it.

We had the cave bet.

Yeah, with the Phillies.

With the Phillies.

That wouldn't— if you thought about it, if you thought about it ahead of time, that would have been all time.

The Hank Troll sweater he wore, also coincidental, when Max lost the World Series. And then like 2 years ago you wore it when they got eliminated in the NLCS.

I wore it last— I wore it last 2 years.

The last 2 times the Phillies have been eliminated.

Yeah.

Yeah, but by coincidence.

Total coincidence. But yeah, it— we had the Phillies in the cave bet and we were all— we all bet it. So I didn't—

I didn't—

I would—

as much as I would have loved to have rooted against the Phillies, I was kind of stuck.

Yeah, but you could have put it on before we started taping.

I guess.

It would have been nice.

But then that would imply that I wanted that to happen. But I didn't.

That's true. And also, you also—

I would have loved for the Phillies to have won and then—

It's harder for you to do that on a show where you also got eliminated from the playoffs, right? Yeah, that's fair.

Yeah.

All right. Let's go to picks and preview. Then we have Eric Cosmore talking more baseball and Alshon Jeffery in person, which he gives us a wrinkle to the, to the Super Bowl Malcolm Butler didn't play in. And then we have Firefest of the week. Okay. Before we get to weekend picks and preview, the football season is heating up and every week feels bigger with DraftKings. DraftKings Sports app is now live in all 50 states. That means from Texas to California to Florida. Every fan is in on the excitement. Follow the teams you love, keep up with the biggest games, and experience the excitement of football all week long. No matter which game you're watching, you're always connected with one app. One app, every sport, all 50 states. New DraftKings customers sign up with code TAKE, spend just $5 and get $150 in rewards within 14 days. Includes all markets. That's code TAKE in partnership with DraftKings. The crown is yours. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER, 1-800-MY-RESET. Connecticut, call 888-789-7777. Visit On behalf of Boot Hill Casino in Kansas, bet tax pass-through may apply in Illinois, 21 and over, void in Canada. Bet with DraftKings Sportsbook to get bonus bets that expire in 7 days, or trade with DraftKings predictions to get predictions dollars that expire in 1 year.

Event contract trading involves risk of loss. Predictions offer void in New York. Non-withdrawable rewards issued as $50 click-to-claims every 7 days for 14 days. Terms at dkng.co/offer. Limited time offer nationwide based on sportsbook predictions and free-to-play sports contest availability varies by state. And weekend preview For week 4 is brought to you by our friends at Reese's. Reese's, the best candy in the world. I actually had a Reese's already this morning. I'm going to say that, you know, listen, I was doing a different show also sponsored by Reese's. The Reese's started flying. You can't turn it down. It is the GOAT of candies. It's the 1-1. It's the odds-on favorite. It's the best candy out there. Is it the Bills or the Chiefs right now? are Reese's. Chiefs in the last decade, Bills maybe currently in their current form.

The flavor du jour.

The number one team.

I would say, I would say that, that the Chiefs.

The Chiefs. The Chiefs. Yeah, they're the Kansas City Chiefs of candy. It is the best combo ever. The Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are the GOAT, and they also have all the variations.

Andy Reid's a Reese's guy, you know, just by looking at him.

I gave Max a Reese's Oreo for a nice pick-me-up yesterday during the Phillies game. As a treat. Worked. Yes. Reese's, the official candy partner of Barstool Sports. Go get Reese's wherever you shop. Go get a Reese's today. We love Reese's. Thank you to Reese's. Okay, boys, week 4 in the NFL. We're almost done with the first quarter of the season.

Yep.

So we're starting to learn more about these teams.

It's so hard to figure out when the first quarter of the season's over now, though. Yeah, Hank's doing the— he's counting on his fingers. Yeah, I'm with you, Hank. 16 games. It was real easy. It was divided up into quarters, 4 games. Now you start to have to like work the bye week in there too. It doesn't make any sense. But yeah, we're pretty much— we're starting to find out who's good and who's not.

Yes. Yes. We're trying to— we're trying to figure this out. We got a lot of games, actually an incredible slate in terms of the games that are out there. Like there's multiple games I was looking at that could easily make the case for being the Sunday Night Football game. And instead they're like, you know what, let's make it the Panthers, which I love. You know what? Panthers deserve it. They haven't played Sunday Night Football. We'll get to it in, I think, since 2017 against the Seahawks. That was a famous game where I'm pretty sure Ron Rivera benched— he benched Cam Newton for wearing— not wearing a suit or something.

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

Well, I mean, first play of the game.

Yeah, he threw a pick.

Yeah.

Pick 6.

Was that— was that Matt? Was that Matt Moore that threw the pick or was that—

it was— I think it was Matt Moore.

All time. All time. Like, what do you think you're doing, Ron Rivera? You're not running a fucking college team.

He learned his lesson.

Yeah. Who was it that threw the pick 6? No, it was—

I remember it bounced off—

Not Matt Moore. It was—

fuck.

Bounced off Tolbert's hands. Yeah, it did.

It wasn't fully on his fault. Hold on. Don't say it.

I got it.

Was it Derek Anderson?

Was.

Yeah.

OK. Yeah.

Yes.

Oh, what a moment. OK, so there's a lot.

I'd like to apologize for Matt Moore.

Yeah.

If he's listening, which he might be like, my bad.

Matt Moore might have thought it was him.

Yeah. Well, Matt Moore, yeah. I mean, Matt Moore is like, it was the guy back in Pittsburgh that we— sorry for a moment there. We tried to overshadow your concussion in Pittsburgh.

more.

We should have done that. My point is, there are a lot of great games on this slate. There's some big-time desperate teams. There's some big-time like, oh, this could— measuring stick games.

Some, uh, revenge games too.

Revenge games.

2 big revenge games. And where, like, we joke about revenge games a lot because you can find a revenge game angle in just about anything. Um, there's 2 games this weekend that I do think the revenge factor will impact the game.

I agree.

And, uh, it all starts In London with the Colts minus 3.5 at the, at the Commanders over-under 47.5. Can I give you a fun fact about this game that made me so, so happy? This is the first time in a London game or overseas game where there's a chance that they're going to sell less than 60,000 tickets, which, Hank. Your little experiment's not working. They slashed the prices from £105, or they slashed them to £79, which is $105 American USD. They're not going to sell out.

That's the economy, though. That's— I mean, you can't really—

you can't really equate that because there's other games that are being played overseas that are going to sell out.

Yeah. This is the moment, PFT, we've been waiting for. This is the moment where England has had too much football. And guess what? I'm happy with that. We'll take it back.

You don't need it anymore.

Yeah, they Brexited their way out of the NFL. Congratulations. Obviously, a lot of that, I think, has to do with the 2 teams that are playing.

Nope.

Neither one has—

disagree.

Neither one has looked very good. Maybe there's just a lot of Alec Pierce fans over in England. You just— they sold all their tickets. They're like, sorry, I'm out.

Hold on. This game is between the team that just beat the Super Bowl, the reigning Super Bowl champs.

So In theory, we are kind of the Super Bowl champions.

Yep.

And the team that just beat the nerds' favorite Super Bowl champ prediction.

And also took the other Super Bowl favorite Chiefs to overtime.

Correct.

So tied.

Correct.

So this could be a Super Bowl preview is what you're saying.

Yes.

Yes. You know what?

I'm going to call it. This is a Super Bowl preview. Commanders and Colts. The real reason why people probably aren't buying tickets is because both teams kind of stink. And they don't know if Jayden Daniels is going to play. And let me—

Is he?

I don't want to— here's what I've been thinking. If Jayden Daniels plays, okay, if his elbow pops out again, okay, they should bury Dan Quinn inside London Tower. This is not— this is not looking back on it. This isn't hindsight being 20/20. This is presight. He should not be playing in this game. Not just because of the elbow, which will pop out because he's obviously saying he wants to keep playing, as he should. He's a, he's a football player. He wants to keep going out there for his team. The elbow might pop out for a 4th time. It's definitely not stable. He's going to be wearing the brace, but it still might pop out. Actually, pretty good chance that it would if he fell on it. Not just that, but anytime that you have an injury that hurts a whole hell of a lot and you're wearing a brace, you're thinking about that injury. You're going to be moving differently than you would if you were fully healthy. something else could get hurt on him because he's playing when he's not fully healthy, in which case Dan Quinn should be— they should put him inside the Iron Maiden inside London Tower.

They should close the door slowly on him and then they should bomb the place as they, as they flee the runway and fly back to the United States.

This is—

it's absurd that we're even thinking about having Jayden play.

Why is it Dan Quinn's fault if Jayden won't get surgery?

So, I mean, he's talking to the doctors, he's talking to Uh, the general manager as well. But they're saying surgery, maybe he'll get it this offseason.

Maybe.

But that's a— that is a—

Jay Daniels gets to make that decision of whether or not he wants to play. But the fact is, like, right, I know he was pushing for it.

I get it. Yeah, Quinn can easily say, hey, no, we're not. But if— yeah, if, if he wants to play, if he's healthy, and obviously get reinjured, but if he's healthy and he's asking to play I don't know if that's fully Dan Quinn's fault.

It's not. So of course the players are going to want to play, right? But every time, like Baker, like when Baker was—

What is—

what changes if he doesn't play for the next 2 weeks? Does he get healthier? I don't understand. If he could play, if he's ready to play, he's not— he wants to play and he— and nothing is going to change until he gets surgery regardless. I don't really understand.

Like, he's— But he's— the premise of that is him being— he's not healthy.

But he's not gonna get healthy until he has surgery. He's gonna have always the, the risk of, of him, yeah, hurting his elbow again is going to continue to happen until he gets surgery.

Yeah.

So if he refuses to get surgery, what alternative does Dan Quinn have to say, we're just gonna sit you?

I think he has to have the surgery.

But that's a Jayden Daniels— like, he— I mean, Daniels is the one who has to—

I don't know, I don't know what conversations are going on, but this is exactly what happened with Baker in Cleveland where, where he rushed back, he was like, I'm not going to get the surgery, right? I want to play. And then the, the quality of his play diminished greatly and he kept banging up other things. Like, if, if maybe—

That to me is like an Adam Peters thing, right? Like, the GM has to say, hey, go get surgery, we're not going to play you.

Probably. I think that they all realize that, like, Marcus Mariota, great backup. Dan Quinn would probably be fired at the end of the season, uh, if Marcus Mariota can't get them to like 9 wins or 8 wins. I think he sees the writing on the wall. Not that he would like— I don't think he's willingly putting Jayden in danger for his own job, but Jayden wants to play. Adam Peters, Dan Quinn, they're very heavily invested in the success of this team, obviously. I don't think they're going to tell him not to play, but as a fan, maybe this is what I dealt with with RG3.

Yeah.

He was injured. He had a sprained MCL and he rushed back from it. put a brace on, said, I'm good to go. First game back, ACL popped. He was never the same. Now that's different because it's a knee. I understand that. But anytime you're injured, if you've got an elbow that you're afraid is going to pop out of the side— we saw that tackle that happened, and it wasn't even a tackle. He got stepped on by his O-lineman, put his arm down to like kind of brace a fall, didn't even fall on it that hard, and it popped out backwards again. That's the kind of thing that's going to keep happening. He's going to keep getting hurt. He came back after 4 weeks last year.

Yeah, I just—

And the second he hit the ground against the Vikings, It popped out again.

I'm just saying, I don't know what you could do if he, if Jayden Daniels refuses to get the surgery until after the season.

Like what?

Yeah.

Like not play. Like he's just like, yeah, I'm going to probably do it again, but I'll just keep playing and I'll just keep getting hurt and I'll keep doing it.

Well, I don't think anybody wants that. I don't think that the coaching staff would want that.

No. Yeah. No one wants it. But Jayden Daniels is taking that risk. I don't know. That's a, that's a hard, I don't know.

Sometimes you got to protect players against themselves.

For sure.

Because he's going to want to keep playing and the team wants him to keep playing.

So, uh, but if he does it again, it's just like another 1-week injury.

Right.

So we're going to have his elbow bent backwards every time he plays a football game.

I don't know.

No, I'm saying like, we need to— this is me saying that if it happens, you know what's going to happen if he gets hurt in this game by rushing back. Everybody in the world is going to be like, what the fuck was Dan Quinn doing playing him. I'm just saying that ahead of time because it's ridiculous that we're having this conversation.

My— yeah, and we would be talking too much about his elbow.

I—

the only thing I don't understand, and this is maybe a doctor question, not a question here, it's like, I don't understand the rushing back part because it feels like if he's not going to get surgery, everything would be rushing back. If he plays in 4 weeks, that's rushing back. If he plays tomorrow, that's rushing back because nothing's going to be fixed till surgery.

You know what I mean?

Yeah.

So that's why it's like I don't really I wouldn't say it's like, oh, he rushed back.

Yeah.

If he's going to play again this season, he's rushed back.

I guess. Yes, I agree with that. And I guess my final word on that is going to be if it's dislocated 3 times, I would say that the possibility of it dislocating again is very high.

I'd agree.

As not— as somebody who has not reviewed any of Jayden Daniels' elbow MRIs, and I'm not a doctor, but that to me seems like a very high likelihood of reinjury if he doesn't injure something else. So I'm just saying that ahead of time.

Yeah.

This is It doesn't seem like a good idea. Now, as for the team that's going to play, we are extremely banged up still. Everybody got hurt over the course of the last 2 weeks. Great game. The defense was very opportunistic against the Seahawks. Offense looked okay. Terry looked pretty good.

Mm-hmm.

Ground game looked not great, but they did take away like a 50-yard touchdown because one of our wide receivers was lined up incorrectly on the opposite side of the field. So that could turn around. I think we should beat the Colts because if we do, then we got a little run where it's Colts and then the Giants. So if we get the Colts and the Giants and we got 3 wins, and then after this, the Colts have the 49ers— or sorry, Washington, we get the Colts and the Giants, and then we'd have the 49ers, Eagles, and Rams. So there's a good chance that we win this, we get to 3-2. And then we'll see where that season goes from there.

For this game, because I know we always talk about unders in the England games, here's a stat for the over. Since 2013, we've seen 13 International Series games where at least one team started a backup quarterback. The over is 10-3 in those games, going over the total by 3.6 points per game. Hank, are you thinking about Commanders as a dog?

Yeah.

Okay. You like Mariota?

I mean, I think Mariota is—

yeah, he played great last week.

One of the best backups.

Yeah.

Yeah. He's really good.

Daniel Jones. I just—

his teammates love him.

They do.

Yeah.

They fight for him.

Yeah.

And the Colts, I mean, they, they have played better in the last 2 weeks. They had a really bad— like, there's a chance if the Colts win this game, we look back and we're like, hey, we kind of overreacted to them getting smushed by the Ravens week 1 because week 2 they played very tough. And then, you know, beat a Tex— a desperate Texans team. Daniel Jones coming, rounding back into shape. Like, it could, it could happen.

Daniel Jones has played very well against the Commanders as well over the course of his career.

Oh, that's true.

Yeah, he forgot about that. Kind of a commie killer.

Yeah. All right.

Next game. That's a, that's an early game. You're going to watch every second, right?

Nope.

Oh, Hank, what?

Huh?

I'll watch probably second half.

I'm gonna be driving. This is your favorite.

It's too early.

It's the London— oh, you son of a bitch.

It is early.

Son of a bitch.

You're right about that. But you know what? You're gonna be— you're gonna be on the Eastern time zone, right?

So it's not that—

Coming, yeah, east to west.

Yeah. So it's gonna be 9. It's gonna be 9:30.

But I'll be commuting during that early. I'll be listening.

Oh, you'll listen on the radio?

Yeah.

Okay. I'll take that. We'll stick with you, Hank. Patriots at the Bills. Patriots are the desperate team right now. Let me get the updated line. I think it was 6.5.

It's 7.

7. It's 7 now. Patriots are 6.5. Oh yeah, it's 6.5 plus 100. So yeah, over-under is 48.5. Henry Lockwood, is this a must-win game?

It's a must-compete. It's a must-cover.

Must-cover.

It's a must-cover.

I agree.

I think, I think asking, expecting any, any, you know, thinking they're going to win this game is a little bit crazy. It's the Bills. They look unstoppable in Buffalo. They got to compete. They got to cover. They got to be in this game with a chance to win, you know, in the 4th quarter. They cannot get blown out. They got to have a positive, you know, turnover ratio.

Mm-hmm.

And the defense, I mean, I'm excited to see how the defense does against Josh Allen. Defenses look good. The Bills are obviously like a juggernaut. So it's like, that will be an exciting test for the defense. If the defense can, can continue to look good, make, make, make Josh, you know, make some turnovers, we could win this game. I don't know. Drake might have the yips. There's some, there's some, there's some slander clips circulating online.

What's going on?

Just him fumbling balls at practice, him not looking good in practice.

Was that this week, you mean?

Yeah.

Oh, so it's like somebody has it out for him. Do you think somebody's bleeding on the balls before they—

I don't know. Maybe. Yeah, maybe our center. Yeah, is going through something.

The, the insult stats are getting—

It's 2, it's 3 weeks in.

Yeah, but I saw one insult stat. Case Keenum. I'm going to list quarterbacks that have more pass touchdowns than Drake Maye.

We did this. We did this.

Yeah, but then, but did you, did you have the Drake Maye has more? He has more interceptions. Did we, do we update it with Case Keenum?

Yeah.

Okay. We updated with Case Keenum. So yeah, the insult stats are bad.

There's some insult stats and there are some like reality stats.

Yeah.

Here's the thing. We're 1-2. If somehow we can win this game, then we just have like—

I'd like your reality stat after Hank's done.

3 free throws coming up after.

Oh, and we do have free throws.

We can, we can—

I don't know that you're free.

Are you a free throw?

We can end Locktober at 4-2.

Who are your free throws? Oh, the Bears are one of your free throws. Okay.

Who are your free throws?

Raiders, the 3-0 Raiders, the Jets, and the Bears. And you think the Patriots are playing at a level right now that they're free throws?

If we can win this game, then yeah, that's where, that's where my head will be at.

Got it. Got it.

Okay.

I have a reality stat.

Okay.

I love a reality stat.

Reality stat. Blind resume. Quarterback A, 7,255 yards passing. Quarterback B, 7,326 yards.

I know this stat.

Hey, will you let me finish my reality stat?

No, I want to hear his reality stat.

Touchdowns. Quarterback A, 47 touchdowns. Quarterback B, 48 touchdowns. Interceptions. Quarterback A, 24 touchdowns— or sorry, 24 interceptions. Quarterback B, 20 interceptions. Record as a starting quarterback. Quarterback A, 18-15. Quarterback B, 23-10. Quarterback A is Drake Maye. Quarterback B with the better stats across the board, Tua.

Tua was great in the regular season to start his career.

It's a compliment stat.

But people, people were thinking it's— Tua was terrible in the playoffs, but he was really good to start his career in the regular season.

Wait.

Yeah. It's a good stat for you to be compared to Tua.

Isn't that Drake Maye?

He's also been good in the regular season and bad in the playoffs.

Drake Maye went to the Super Bowl.

But he was bad.

He won the games. That, that, that's, that's a bullshit stat.

He was bad.

He wasn't bad. He led. Max, you're talking about Jalen Hurts.

Jalen Hurts is good in the playoffs.

He did outplay Patrick Mahomes twice.

Twice. Yeah, 2 times.

2 times.

So now it's—

But Drake Maye, whatever. I'm not, I'm not going to, I'm not going to, I'm not worried about playoff stats other than wins. And Drake Maye, first time in the playoffs, took his team to the Super Bowl.

So you do realize— Wait, wait, wait.

I'm not worried about playoff stats besides wins.

Yeah.

Okay. It's a stat.

Correct. The playoff stat that I'm worried about is wins.

That helps you.

But it's like, that's what we're all here for. We're not here for like— It's true.

Is this— is this—

are we worried about stats or are we worried about winning games and winning a Super Bowl?

I'm a winner.

Yeah, we want to win games.

I'm laser focused on winning.

Have there been stories about a potential rift between Vrabel and Drake Maye?

I don't know. I don't pay too much mind to that.

Yeah, there's an unnamed source. They keep referring to this person. It could be anybody as an unnamed source that says that there might be some issues going on between head coach and quarterback. A lot of people are pointing to the fact that there was an unnamed source last couple years in Philadelphia. Oh, and now there's an unnamed source in New England.

Oh, do you have any— have you asked this unnamed source?

No.

You got any info for us?

Unnamed source. I did see a Photoshop edit where it was the same guy that was the unnamed source in Philadelphia now wearing a Patriots uniform. It was a good Photoshop. I think they put— just put Source as his last name on the back.

I will say unnamed source season happens when whenever a team starts playing bad, it's like, oh yeah, we can just We just say that.

I also think Vrabel's a man's man.

Like, his—

he knows how to deal with players. And like, there might be disagreements, whatever, but he's not a guy that's like holding in drama. Like, there's no drama. Like, they might— no, like, they might— whatever.

Like, they're losing.

So it's like, yeah, they're probably like— neither of them are happy.

Yeah.

I don't think that means there's a rift.

I agree. If they're not happy with each other, it's not that serious. Vrabel would probably yell at him and then Drake Maye would yell at him back and then they'd figure it out.

Yeah. It's like, you got to play better. And then like, yeah, they could.

But they're Drake Maye They're—

Vrabel's the type of guy like you can, you can yell at, get yelled at, and it's like they're not going to take it personally and like, yeah, hold it as like drama.

He said that the hard stretches are a big part of the job. That's it. That's what Vrabel said. So he said in this particular case with Drake, God wanted David to be a king. He didn't hand him a crown. He gave him a fight.

Are we really saying that Mike Vrabel is not drama? Is this a bit that we're doing right now?

Yeah. No, when I said he's—

I know he didn't pick up on it.

Yeah.

In terms of coaching the locker room, no.

But that's not where drama happens. Drama hap— drama happens off the field.

In the offseason.

I'm not worried about that. Yeah, no, I—

You just kept saying he's not Messi and you're— and I was like, he's the messiest. He's the king of messy.

No, no, he's not Messi.

He's Lionel Messi right now.

That was a good one, Max.

I do think that When it comes to football, Hank might be kind of right though, that he is— if there's a problem, Vrabel's going to be like, you can't say that anymore. If there's a football problem, it requires a football solution from a football guy.

But this also is a situation we knew this was going to happen if they came out slow. We knew it.

Yeah.

That's winning cures all and you're not winning. So it's going to happen.

It does seem to me that this is a classic— we would call this a Mike Vrabel game. back in the Titans day.

Okay.

Like if they're going on the road, a team that looks like they're Super Bowl champions at this point, the Patriots couldn't look any worse. 2 years ago, we would have said that's a Mike Vrabel game and bet on Vrabel. So I'm sure he'll have the Patriots ready. We said must compete.

Must cover.

Must cover. Must cover.

Must cover.

I've got some other blind resumes if you want more reality stats.

Yeah.

OK, so Drake May—

Did you opt in?

Hank, you didn't say that you wanted the reality.

I don't have a choice.

We would like to get your consent.

OK.

OK. Drake May in weeks 1 to 3, 1 touchdown.

You gotta turn off the golf while he's doing this.

I'm watching. Yeah.

You're watching golf while he's trying to give you stats.

This is the 5th major. It's the Utah Bank Open, whatever the fuck.

I'm not trying to give you stats. I'm trying to give you reality.

Yeah, he's giving you reality.

That's the important part of this equation that you're not listening to.

It's like a Scared Straight episode.

Yes. So if you look at his stats this year, Drake May's stats, 585 yards, 1 touchdown. I'm right here, Hank. My eyes over here, not at the golf. 1 touchdown, 6 interceptions. If you look at those stats compared to some other blind resume stats over the years. So here's one quarterback the first couple of weeks. This individual was 64 for 97, 786 yards, 2 touchdowns, 5 picks. That quarterback, Mac Jones, to start the season. Another quarterback.

That's his second year?

I believe so.

Pro Bowl.

Another quarterback in similar position, 583 yards, 3 touchdowns, 6 interceptions. That quarterback, Anthony Richardson, 2024.

Yeah.

Your guy.

Still, still book not written.

Not yet. And then the last one, which I think lines up the most perfect.

If he was playing, that stadium would be sold out. That's for sure.

Oh yeah, for sure. 628 yards passing, 2 touchdowns, 7 interceptions. start the season. That was in 2021. And that was Zach Wilson. So that's kind of where we stand right now. That's just reality.

Yeah, it's week, it's week 4. But reality, we're not even a quarter of the way through the year. Your quarterback can't even stay on the field.

Well, no, he wants to get on the field. But thank you for not rooting for injuries. I appreciate that.

I'm not rooting for injuries. I'd rather like, I'd like, we just talked for 45 minutes about like, is, can your quarterback physically make it onto the field? Versus like, at least with Drake Maye, we're talking about his play on the field.

Now physically, he wants to get on the field.

Right. But it's like, yeah, here we go.

One thing that I want to see from Drake Maye, because you're right, people, the knives are out. They see like, oh, he's struggling right now. So they find every bad clip at practice and they find every bad throw that he makes in a game. And they don't talk at all about any of the good throws that he has made during games because he has made good throws during games.

Do we have this year?

Yes. Yes.

This year we have tape to back this up.

I did see some tape on it.

Oh, okay. Let's watch the tape.

Because he does need to kind of remind himself like that dude's still in there.

I don't think he's had great throws.

He's had— there were, there were multiple very good throws that he had this year.

So it looks like—

I don't know. I don't remember who, who did the video breakdown.

Yes, it's Glenn Tape Scout. And he DM'd Max saying, hey, thanks for using my vid last week. This breakdown might— wait, well, Okay, Max, I was reading that. Hey, this breakdown might really be up your alley. It is as much about civil rights and prejudice as it is football. Oh, interesting.

All right.

Well, Max tries to pull it up. A couple Bills notes. Josh Allen does have a knee, 2 of them, but he's got maybe a little knee. He also said afterwards, I associate football with a little pain. You have to be a little sick to love this game. I guess I'm a little sick. Love that. He also— the Bills going into the season, a lot of talk about Hey, their offensive line shifted a little. They are leading the league in pass block win rate right now, 62%. And that feels significant because the Patriots do have a good defense. That is, that is a fact. The Patriots have a good defense, but the Bills are scoring 33.7 points per game and 400 yards per game. Their offense has been on fire.

Yes, they've been, they've been really, really good. It does seem like it's, it's a team at its peak against a team that's at its lowest point. And so I'm going to be betting on the Patriots this weekend.

Yeah. All right. This is from Glenn. Looks like Glenn's here.

It was Glenn Tapewatch. Yeah. At NFL Tapewatch.

Welcome back to another What If Wednesday. It's me, NFL Tape Scout Glenn, and shout out to the Glentlemen out there. Appreciate each and every one of you. We are running our annual sale, 7 months for the price of 6. That will give you access to the Punt for the Hike program where you'll get 24 hours early access to all the teach tape plus unlimited archive downloads. And of course, the Christmas contest. Uh, to those of you, I've had several reach out given concerns over the charity drive, not receiving full access that you were promised. Uh, you'll be receiving full refunds for those contributions. However, if you'd like to stick around, I will give you free access to the Glinder Gardner program, where I break down tape of your children, provided they are applying for an elite or plus level middle school program. That's really nice. Uh, so thanks to all of you who do.

Glinder Gardner.

And without further ado, let's get into the teach tape this week. One word of warning. This is my page. If you use the R-word about Drake Maye, I will block you from my page. I've seen too much of it. He is not R-word. He's not regressed. I'm seeing more so PTSD from Drake, post-traumatic Super Bowl, where he got his clock cleaned in the Super Bowl. And now he is kind of dealing with some shell shock. And the Seahawks defense is great. You don't just beat them. Not just anybody beats the Seahawks. It's natural that Drake Maye would have lingering effects from that loss. What I am seeing from Drake though is maybe a lack of belief in himself, and we need to address that. Let's take a look at some of the throws that got buried in the tape. Drake has made some outstanding football plays. Weeks 1, weeks 2, weeks 3 of the 2026 NFL League year. Look at that elbow discipline. Look at that slot leverage. Watch this throw, and he's still running. He hits his head on the goalpost. One thing that really sticks in my craw as a film analyst is when people Put out facts like Jayden Daniels has as many turnovers in his entire career as Drake Maye has in 3 weeks.

I saw that on the Power My Take podcast. That's why I'm not much of a PFTI. I'm a Max fan through and through. And it's also very unfair to point that out given that Jayden Daniels has played much more difficult opponents than Drake.

Is that true?

Drake, I'm fine with these throws. I'm— look at him just improvising out there. It's like jazz music. That is some good stuff, Drake. Keep this up. I think he needs to watch this. I think, I think he needs to see this because he needs to remember, you're special, man. You're special. If you, if you pay attention to the negativity, all the haters out there in the world saying, oh, he's throwing up the pastrami sandwich. Oh, that's a, that's a, a meatball hero that just got picked off right there. Don't listen to those people. The only type of sandwich you should be worried about, Drake, is the Italian sub. Tommy DeVito, he's right behind him. And all these throws, those are Tommy DeVito throws. You want to talk about pocket presence? You want to talk about standing tall? You want to talk about Making your way through the progressions. Deep thouts. Dig routes. 9 concepts. The concepts Tommy DeVito works with are concepts that your little head would explode if you even tried to understand them and the nature of such concepts. Not to harp on the Colin Kaepernick thing, but if you don't start Tommy DeVito, you're racist.

You're racist against Italians. Colin Kaepernick took a knee. Tommy DeVito stole our hearts. I think it would do Drake a lot of good to see what a real quarterback looks like. So until next week, this is Glenn. Thanks for tuning in. Those refunds are coming.

Okay, what'd you think, Hank?

So we were—

It's really about more than football. What was that?

That was a hell of a twist.

Yeah, I was not expecting that. I was expecting Tommy DeVito the whole time, but— well, I saw Glenn did shout out Quigs. Yeah, so, so he was able to make every Tommy DeVito— he would be able to put Patriots.

My understanding is that—

wow—

some— either Glenn or, or maybe his friend Quigs was able to just edit all the Tommy DeVito's best throws and make it look like Drake Maye was making it, but that was actually really Tommy throws.

What do you think, Hank?

Did it again, man.

You think that was a crazy twist?

What'd you say about Quigs?

He did it again. No, he hasn't done anything.

What do you mean? I, of course I haven't done anything, but Glenn, Glenn does all the editing outside the The switching of uniforms. Yeah.

Yeah.

Does it make you think?

No.

The Italian sub. Not even about Tommy DeVito? Not even a little bit?

No. I mean, if Drake got hurt, then yeah.

Yeah.

Dislocated his elbow or something. But yeah.

Okay.

That's good. That was a shot.

He did knock over the picture of me.

That was, that was not intentional.

Looking up at Jayden Daniels like he's my stepdad.

Yeah.

That was really— felt like a direct shot.

No, it was actually like just innocent but poetic that he did that at that time.

Great job by Glenn.

Hey, Glenn did it again.

Also, we could have him on sometime, although I don't think so. He only follows Max, so he clearly doesn't like the rest of us.

My thought is that it might be Max. Yeah, because Max was talking a lot about watching film.

Did you see the shout out that Glenn gave to Max?

Yeah.

Oh, shit.

He loves Max.

He follows one person. It's Max.

That's weird. He's also working— I guess he's working on a rap country album. I saw a weird tweet from Glenn yesterday about that, about how, like, He ever— no one respects him, like, even though he's super successful. I don't know. Glenn's going through it, so, um, I don't know what's the whole deal with that fraud thing was, but he makes good breakdowns.

Oh man. All right, you're gonna take— you're gonna take Patriots moneyline?

+7.

Okay. Uh, all right, well, we'll, we'll speed it up through some of these next games. Uh, Jets 3.5 at Bears. Hate Week memes, it's on. I told you, I walked up to memes, uh, this morning. I said, now the Cubs are eliminated, all eyes on Hate Week. And then I crumpled up his trash from, from his breakfast. I said, do you want me to throw this out for you? And then I did. Hate Week.

Yeah, Hate Week.

It was very nice gesture. How do you feel about this? I actually think the Jets are pretty live in this game. And I'm not saying that like as a ploy. I think there's a natural comedown from Monday Night Football that the Bears are going to have to get over. They're going to have to fight through that. And I don't know if it's going to be Tyson Bagent or Case Keenum. I don't care. Whoever Ben Johnson decides, that's who we're going to war with.

Yeah, I feel, I feel good about this game.

Don't feel great.

Jets have a lot of guys banged up.

Yeah, you have who? Breece Hall, Mason Taylor, Donnie Mitchell.

And our left guard.

Okay. That was, that's what lost us the game. Left guard didn't pull and then Geno just got absolutely smoked. But I like the Jets in this game. I think they're going to win. I don't know how they're going to win, but I do think they're going to win. Okay, our defense has gotten a little bit better. Uh, I played well in the second half, shutout in the second half against the Eagles. I, I think the Bears are gonna win, but I think it's gonna be tight. I don't think it's gonna be easy. It's gonna be a close game. I also do feel bad for, uh, I know that there's gonna be the narrative of like, if you don't start Case Keenum, what are you doing?

Hot hand.

I kind of feel bad for Tyson Pagent if he doesn't get to play because he is Case Keenum's at the end of his career. Tyson Bagent, if he had had the exact same stat line as Case Keenum on Monday Night Football, he'd be looking at like millions and millions of dollars.

Yeah. Well, the thing about Bagent is he's got enough of a like solid backup resume where I think he does think of himself as potentially getting a starting job. So he's probably pissed off that he, that he's not definitely going to play, right?

Well, yeah. I mean, he's, he's definitely picked— he hasn't, he hasn't had like a enough. I mean, he's done it in the preseason, but in terms of like actual like games, in games. But I guess he's played, he's played a little bit, but it's been a few years he hasn't played for Ben Johnson.

Yeah.

What I'm saying is that he— some backup quarterbacks want to remain a backup with that team.

Oh yeah. No, he's—

he wants the opportunity.

He's in his head. He's like a Matt Flynn.

Yeah.

Like some— like if he, if he balls out, he could definitely get paid.

Right.

Although we did sign him to a multi-year contract. Um, okay. It's also gonna be a nice day, which is good because the Bears— I'm, I'm toying with the idea that as long as it's nice out, the Bears can play, which won't be a problem at all, uh, with Chicago winter.

Memes, you still want to win games, correct?

Oh yeah.

Okay. Right. Because you were talking about having 3 picks in the top 10 the other day. So I didn't know how far with that fantasy we wanted to get.

3 picks in the top 10 is cool.

Yeah.

But I do want to win very much.

Yeah.

Also, we have a young group of guys. You want them— you don't want them to get Accustomed to losing.

Yeah.

Like everybody says, next year's the year.

Yeah.

But like the players on the team don't know that.

Right.

Memes and I were joking that we're also— we're football cousins because this is just Dan Campbell's coaching tree going up against each other. If Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson are brothers, Dan Campbell's our grandfather. Would that be it?

Yeah.

Or yeah, we're cousins.

Yeah.

He's the patriarch of the family.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Ben Johnson did the first thing that I've disagreed with in his entire career with the Bears. He called Jared Goff and to let him know that he was joking about the whole mobile quarterback thing. You didn't have to do that. Jared Goff's a guy's guy. He knew.

I think they understood.

Yeah.

Because I mean, everybody was saying that he doesn't have any history calling plays for a quarterback that wasn't taken first overall.

Yeah.

And then he was the joke exactly that he told about calling plays for a non-mobile quarterback.

I think it was just basically like a, just a wink wink, nod nod that Jared Goff isn't very mobile and that he called him, was like, yeah, I was joking. Jared's like, yeah, I know, dude.

Yeah.

So yeah, you didn't have to do that. That was the only thing. That was the first time you made a mistake. OK, let's go on to the next game. Jaguars at Bengals. Bengals are 2.5-point favorites and the over-under is 51.5, by the way. I should have said this from the start. This is technically Big Cat Week. It's the first time I think all 4 Big Cat teams are playing each other.

Okay.

Jaguars on the same weekend, on the same Sunday. Jaguars are playing Bengals. Panthers are playing Lions.

Yeah.

So kind of fun.

I wonder if we've ever had a Bird Sunday.

Probably.

Yeah, it'd be wild.

I kind of like the Bengals in this game.

So I do too. Trevor Lawrence has not beaten the Bengals. I think he's 0-3 against them. One of those at least was to Jake Browning. One was the Urban Meyer, I'm going to stay in Cincinnati and finger a butthole after the game. And I guess you could say 0-4 if you take into account also the college football championship game.

Yes.

Of Clemson and LSU.

Yes.

So it's been tough. It's been tough for Trevor to beat Joe Burrow at any point. during his career. But, uh, I kind of like— I like the Jaguars offense right now. I think I'm going to take the over, but I think Cincinnati, I'm going to end up betting them come game. I'm trying to talk myself into the, the Jaguars because I feel like it's a little disrespectful that they're, they're underdogs in this game. Yeah. But ultimately, I think I, I don't know that I can bet on them to cover.

You want a stupid stat that might just be noise, but, uh, because you mentioned the over, I'll throw it out there. The Jaguars have Won a game with a pregame total above 49 in 19 seasons.

Hmm.

Yeah, that's pretty insane. And it does really kind of a stat that hides like the Jaguars haven't been very good.

Yeah, it does feel like every week we're breaking another very sad all-time long Jaguar stat record.

The Jaguars have been very good though. They've been quietly and not so quietly. They probably need more love. One of the best teams in the NFL in the last, you know, call it 12 regular season games. I know the playoffs didn't go their way last year, but in the last 11 Jaguars regular season games, do you know that Trevor Lawrence has been pulled for a total of 74 minutes? That's how good the Jaguars have been. 7 of the 11 games he's been pulled in the 4th quarter because they've been up by so much.

Yeah.

So they're real. They're playing really good ball. I think Liam Cohen is a phenomenal, phenomenal coach. And you can see it like how they're, they're just keep kind of rolling and humming along. But I'm going more off of the Bengals off a loss.

Yeah.

A loss that they should have won probably. Joe Burrow looked really good against the Steelers. That's why I'm— and the Bengals are at home. That's why I'm taking the Bengals.

Yeah.

Did you, did you see that? The ball boy in the little standoff that he had in the game?

Yes.

The Patriots-Jaguars game.

Crazy.

Yeah. Kind of crazy. But also on the other hand, I respect the hell out of that ball boy. Yeah. Because he shows up for work every day. Well, training like he's like— like being a ball boy is law enforcement.

I think he got fired.

Oh, with some other team.

He used to show up for work every day.

A team that cares about excellence.

Yes.

And attention to detail at every position across the organization should hire that guy. Yeah. Because he shows up like he is like almost a branch of the military.

Yeah.

No, holding the footballs. He's like, sir, sir, stand back.

He and the Scottie Scheffler cop.

Yeah.

Should Team up. This guy's like, we're just rule followers.

This guy should be allowed to have a gun on the sidelines.

Absolutely.

At least a taser. Yeah, at least. Do you like the Jaguars, Hank? Anyone else have any thoughts on this game? Like Jaguars? No, no Bengals.

All right.

Cardinals-Giants. Giants +2.5, over-under 44.5. Jameis versus Jacoby.

Why are the Cardinals— why are they favorites? They're road favorites.

Okay.

I'll try. I guess I'll try to make an argument.

Okay.

Giants looked absolutely terrible against the Titans. It was rain, but like the Titans could have conceivably won that game. The Cardinals actually looked live against the 49ers. They were able to move the ball. Brian Burns is now out with an ACL. That's kind of all I got because I don't really understand it either.

I don't get it at all. The Cardinals, don't get me wrong, like they've They've looked frisky, competitive, but like going to New York and being a road team, I don't understand why they would be favorites in this game.

Giants haven't scored a touchdown since week 1.

Yep.

But Arizona's defense— their offense hasn't been like incredible either. They were good against the Niners defense, which hasn't been very good. But like, I feel like Jacoby Brissett, he's a first and last drive guy. That's what I've been calling it. Like, he's going to look great on the first drive when it's scripted.

Yeah.

And he's going to look great on the last drive when it's garbage time.

The Cardinals defense is not good.

Yeah, I don't really understand this game at all.

Yeah, there's no way that they should be favorites in this game, which means they're probably going to win and I'm going to look dumb. But just going into it, I see, I see no reason for it unless this is just saying like they don't, they don't think that Jameis is going to be able to move the, move the ball, that the offense isn't going to be able to stay on the field. That's the only thing I could think of.

Yeah. The Cardinals offense is 30th in the NFL through 3 games, just 25 plays over 10 10 yards and dead last, just 2 over 20 yards. So not very explosive. Through 3 games, Arizona Cardinals are dead last in the NFL in sacks and QB pressures. So yeah, do you think Jameis is going to have time?

Well, maybe they're saying like, oh no, Beckham got released and he was worth 7 points in our book.

So they got Braxton Berrios.

They got Berrios now.

They got Braxton. Alex Earl has never read a book, which is shocking to me.

How is that possible?

Yeah, I don't understand that either. How do you go to, like, high school?

Yeah. How do you— yeah, every day.

No, but you read a book. You have to read a book eventually.

There's some—

like 2 books in my life.

No, there you go. But you've read 2 books.

She did say Dr. Seuss. She's probably read some Dr. Seuss.

So even there are some classes that they give you time to read during class.

Yeah, I think I've read— I think I've read 3 books.

What are the 3 books?

The Outsiders. Banger. Of Mice and Men. Easy one. That's like 90 pages.

Are you Lenny?

Of course. I used to— when, when we were doing that in school, that was my nickname during that, during that time period.

Tell me about—

tell me about the Eagles, George.

Yeah.

And then for some reason, I read Girl on the Train a couple of years ago, and that was— oh, actually, that's not true. I read like all the Mike Lupica books.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

I've read all the Michael Lewis books because I know there's a good chance they're going to become movies. Then I can tell everyone the book was better.

So, no. Yeah, I'm a book guy for sure.

Okay, there we go.

Now that I—

now that I—

shocking that she hasn't read a single book, though. Yeah, I would like to send her a copy of part of my book.

Yeah.

What if we snap the streak and sign it? And whoops, Zach's phone number was signed at the beginning of the book.

And that's on autographs.

Yeah.

She might be dating Fernando Mendoza, by the way.

Oh, really?

That's a rumor.

Yeah. The fans are saying stay away on Twitter.

To Alex Earle?

Yes.

No, to Fernando Mendoza.

That would be funny if Alex Earl fits. Like, he's a backup.

What are you doing?

This guy's, this guy's bad news, Alex. Uh, yeah, so the Giants, I, I kind of like the Giants to win this game. Um, Jameis, I think he's got to feel some pressure for having JJ there. It's just a matter of time before they put him in. And the answer to our question is he is wearing number 18.

18.

Which is 9 2.0, which I feel like is, is kind of a rebrand rebirth. I think Darrow's pointing up and to the right.

Mm-hmm. And Jameis Winston talking about JJ McCarthy, it's like Jameis Winston talking about JJ McCarthy or JJ or Jameis Winston talking about a new puppy he just brought home. He said about JJ McCarthy, he's curious and he wants to be great.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I mean, that could be a puppy.

There's no higher compliment.

He's so curious.

Do you think that Cam Scatterboo likes him? Or is this like the start of Step Brothers where they hate each other because he, he knows that he's in town to possibly fill the role of his best friend?

Yeah, the, the best tweet. I can't remember who did it, but it was the— it was the Danny Hurley clip of him going face first with the ref. And it was like Cam Scadaboo when he, when he sees JJ McCarthy and, and thinks that I got to find it.

I got to find it.

I did it. Abort, abort.

Because I do, I do think that it was a really well done—

abort, abort, abort. I do think it's a good tweet.

I do think that Scattered was going to look at him and be like, you're not my real brother. Yes. Like, fuck you.

Yes.

But then he might do something cool. They might just have one good night together in Hoboken. He's like, that's my dog.

J.J. McCarthy needs to do— Jackson Dart needs to do something to make Cam know that it's okay.

Yeah. I think Jackson needs to invite J.J. to come out. Like, hey, come to Texas, Arizona with us.

Yeah.

Aaron, Aaron Cabrera, shout out. You had the tweet of the day. It was the famous Dan Hurley going straight into the ref's face and like kind of sniffing him. And remember, what do you call it? Snuggle?

No, it was nuzzling. Nuzzling.

He said, Cam Scadaboo when JJ McCarthy looks like Jackson Dart but doesn't smell like Jackson Dart. So that is going to be happening in the facility.

Yep.

Yeah, I don't know. I don't understand this game either. I feel like I'm going to take the Giants.

Because the Giants, say what you want about their offense, which, yeah, memes, you're right. They haven't scored a touchdown in 2 weeks. But their defense should be good, right? Their defense should be able to, to fuck Jacoby Brissett up a little bit.

Yeah.

I don't know if—

Brian Burns is definitely a miss.

I don't know if Marvin Harrison is going to be playing football or not.

Yeah.

They tried. They were trying to get him going.

At the start.

Yeah. Yeah. Can't really get going. No, they're trying. This might be a stay-away game. All right. Rams-Eagles. Rams -3, over-under 43.5. This is my sucker play of the week. My theory is that suckers have to win sometimes. So I'm going to bet the Rams. It's the, it's the most sucker bet.

Sucker bet.

It is the most sucker bet you can bet. Suckers have to win sometimes, right? Otherwise they'd never— they'd never come back. A sucker has to win to be able to come back and be like, hey, I'm a sucker. And then— and then the sucker loses.

Yeah, I don't see a world where the Eagles win this game after the way they've been playing.

And that's why it's a sucker bet, because I agree. That's why the Eagles will win.

Yeah, it's a must-compete, must-compete for the season. If they get blown out, season's over.

Okay.

Really?

Yeah. These are 2 kind of— both teams kind of look at it the same way.

No, I think the Rams are going to be fine.

Rams will be fine.

How deep a hole can the Rams get in? I think that's the division.

Maybe the division, but they're going to make the playoffs.

They'll make the playoffs.

Yeah.

And it's also— there is some context to the Rams start. They had a— they did a terrible job going to Australia and thinking they could beat time. They won their second game handily and then they They got a little screwed by the refs in Denver and that, that game fell apart in Mile High in the second half.

But what I'm saying is they're running low on the margin for error. They're a good team, a very good team. But if they, if they lose another one right now, it's going to be hard to get back with the Seahawks and the Niners.

They got to, they got to stretch so they'll rip off some wins.

I'm also saying it in the, in the, the Eagles still could make the playoffs, I think, even if they get smoked in this game. But it's just as like a real competitor in the NFL.

Yeah, as a real guy.

Yeah, they could make the playoffs and get smoked in the first round if, if they get smoked in this game. But if they show some fight, then, you know, they got to show fight. They got to show fight. I don't see— I don't see it happening. I'm gonna root for my guys.

But was that a fart?

No. Okay. We'll see.

Just a vinyl.

We'll see.

You guys, you guys have owned the— owned the Rams. The McVay era has been very good for the Eagles. Is it 6-1?

Yeah, that is true. And Saquon, for some reason, Saquon always dominates the Rams.

Yeah.

So that's one thing that is normally in our favor. But they just have— they've looked so bad.

They look so bad. Is it Puka time? Puka time for the Rams?

He might be back. I don't know. That's why I think the Rams are not like— they're not They're not panicking. They're not rushing him back. And I mean, Miles Garrett will be back eventually. Yeah. You have to build resilience and character within losing.

Okay.

Puka back in practice.

Jalen Hurts or fortune cookie?

Oh, Jalen Hurts.

Yeah, that's Jalen Hurts. That's Jalen Hurts.

I love looking at the clips of him next to the blue concussion tent.

Yeah.

I do kind of take— I take his side in this. Yeah, he was waiting. What was the red hat guy doing?

It was bullshit.

He wasn't there.

The clip that I saw was like taken from the side, and it was Jalen like trying to flag down the red hat man, and then they put him back in the tent. The red hat man comes leisurely strolling. I don't— what else could he have been doing at the time?

I don't know.

But he goes in and looks at him and he's like, okay, you're good. He was in there for like 2 seconds. It was like, you're fine. And then he runs out too late. Touchdown or interception for Andy Dalton already happened.

I just don't know how Nick Sirianni didn't take a timeout. It's that, that part is just like, it's— I agree with everything you just said, PFT. The Eagles have every right to be mad because, like, take it into your own control, Nick Sirianni.

I listen, I love him. We're big fans of him on the show. At some point, Big Dom's got to grab Red Hat Man. Yeah. Be like, hey, I'm up a little. Hey, we're going in for a touchdown here.

Yeah.

I don't know what you're doing that's more important than looking my starting quarterback in the eyes. Yeah. Like, that's where you earn your paycheck, Big Dom. I'm sure he'd probably agree with that.

He might have done it. He probably did.

Do you see the clip of Big Dom protecting Sirianni from the cameraman?

No.

It's like Big Dom was standing behind Sirianni while he was doing an interview. And then the camera, like, panned— like, it basically— like, if it was pointed at Big Cat, it kind of turned and essentially got Big Dom out of the shot. And I think Big Don thought that might have been a threat, so he made sure that he walked back into the camera so he was still directly behind Sirianni.

Because he was assessing a threat is what you're saying?

Yeah, that's what it seemed. I mean, if we can pull up the clip, it was pretty— it was—

it was—

He thought maybe it was more than just a camera.

Are you trolling?

Look, ready?

Yeah.

See?

Yeah.

All right, camera turn. Yeah, let's get this guy out of here. No, no, no, I'm in sight, right? That's what I'm saying.

Yeah.

Oh, he didn't even walk back in.

He walked off.

He walked off.

This is an insane stretch.

That was anti-Italian, Hank.

You're a bad guy.

Oh, there he is.

Yeah.

Make sure you look. He's looking directly to make sure that the camera operator is not a threat.

Yeah.

That's his job, right?

He walked off camera.

Hank, who's the closest person to the camera?

Turned and walked back.

The camera. Look at him.

Right.

Wait, wait, wait.

Yeah.

There's like a millisecond at the end of the clip where he comes. This is a stretch. This is an absolute stretch.

I'm saying that he's doing a good job.

You're a hater.

No, he is complimenting him.

Anti-Italian.

What, what reason did he have to walk 3 feet to his left other than—

What the fuck do you know, dude? You don't know anything.

You literally know nothing about shit. You're a fucking idiot loser.

You know nothing about shit.

I'm trying to give him a compliment.

Sorry.

Won't happen again.

That was a good—

You have been very anti-Italian today.

Yeah.

How?

Extremely.

Yeah.

You hate Tommy DeVito.

Tommy DeVito, better fucking quarterback.

Then who?

You didn't watch Glenn tape. Yeah, you did.

You weren't paying attention to Glenn tape.

I trust the tape. I don't trust you.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Okay. Must compete for the Eagles. Zach. Oh boy.

Yeah. Oh boy. Sounds about right.

Packers -3.5 with the Bucs over-under 38.5.

Oh boy.

Winner will feel a lot better.

That's the thing. The Packers aren't special.

No, no, I'm saying, oh boy, both these teams might stink.

Yeah, it's not gonna be good. It's not gonna be a fun game to watch probably. But I'm looking forward to Jalen Daniels hopping in there.

12 straight games the Bucs haven't covered the spread.

That's crazy. That's the most in the NFL since 1970.

It's so hard.

Like, this is on the streak they're on is unbelievable.

Yeah, I did like the quote from Jalen Daniels. He said, you can't be a thermometer. You have to be the thermostat. I like that. Pump him up a little. Are you expecting anything out of Jaylen Daniels?

Like I said, I enjoy watching him in preseason. He looked like he had a good head on his shoulders. Looked pretty smooth. So hopefully he can do that for the team this week. I'm not expecting anything, no, but I would like to see something. Show me a little something, you know?

The Bucs defense has not been that bad. They have like been quietly kind of decent and kept them in these games. The offense has just been such a train wreck.

Defense is the only thing keeping us remotely close to Competing.

Yeah. So, all right, Zach, overall with Todd Bowles, do you trust him when he is talking?

No.

Okay, I stopped asking the question. It doesn't matter how that question ends. But specifically when it comes to saying what the timeline looks like for guys getting back from injuries?

No, sir.

Yeah, I don't either. He hasn't had a great track. I don't think he— I don't think they tell him the real information.

I don't think he inquires.

No.

You don't think that he's curious? Because my theory was they tell him stuff that might not be accurate because if they tell him the real stuff, He'll share it.

I think he said on like IRL Autopilot.

Yeah. So he says—

Should have brought him back.

Says Baker is out at least 3 weeks right now. Yeah, I'm seeing like 3, 3 to 6, maybe 3 to 7 weeks is another thing that like, that's a big, that's a big gap.

That's a big gap.

He's also like fully casted in practice. Yeah, like he had the most cast possible you could have on the thumb.

So it's not good.

No, not good.

Not good.

A lot of season left though.

Please beat the Packers.

Could, could beat the Packers.

Packers are, by the way, they are just signing every offensive lineman they can find at this point. It's been like something's gotta— they gotta keep adding bodies.

Mekhi Becton.

Yep.

Kevin Zeeler.

Yep. And Laken Tomlinson.

Yep. They're just finding bodies. They're like, yep, that'll work.

When does Micah Parsons get back?

I think he's— I think it's the pop. So I think it's next week. is when he's eligible, but I don't know if he'll be back for that.

Okay. Are you excited about Jalen Daniels? I'm kind of excited to see.

Yeah, I'm looking forward to it.

He played good in the preseason. He was awesome at Kansas.

Yeah, I would like to— I look forward to seeing him this week. Like, Mullen being out 4 weeks, that's tough too. But hey, it's only up from here. So my spirits are kind of high just because like, hey, it can get worse, but it has to eventually get better, right?

I am going to— all right, so Micah Parsons will not start practicing again this week. According to Matt LaFleur, he's not yet been cleared to practice but has not suffered any setbacks.

Don't expect him back until week 6.

or beyond. I'm gonna bet the Bucs.

I'm gonna bet the under.

I'm gonna bet the Bucs and hope I can finally just, you know, hey, 12 in a row, I'm the stopper. Because I'm gonna, I'm gonna root for the Bucs anyway.

Bust the spread. 12, 13 weeks, come on.

Yeah, and this is also a game if the Bucs lose and, and lose poorly, I need to like, I need to have a lot of anger for, for Che and just be like, fuck you, you fucked us. You let the Packers back in this thing, that whole thing. All right. Titans, 2 more early games. Titans +11.5 at the Ravens, over-under 42.5. I don't got a lot for this game except for the fact that the Titans are just terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible. We talked about it on Monday. Cam Ward feels very lost. Robert Saleh is talking—

But he's honest.

Yeah, he is honest. But Robert Saleh is talking about PTSD from getting sacked too many times last week. Or last year. Yeah. What was his quote this week? He said, did he say they're ass again?

I don't know if he said that. The thing just with him is he is, he's honest and he seems like a nice guy, but we would ultimately like him to be honest about not playing like ass all the time.

Yeah.

This is a revenge game.

Big revenge. So this is one of the 2 games where I do think that revenge might come into play. Derrick Henry revenge game did not get the contract that he wanted from the Titans, obviously. And then he's gone on and just continued to be Tractorcito for the Baltimore Ravens. So I do think that they're probably going to give a healthy dose of Derrick Henry.

Yep.

I might, I might bet 2 touchdowns, might bet 3 touchdowns. I feel like this is going to be one where he does actually, he wants to stick it to them because he said, they shipped me out. Like he said it angry, but then he corrected himself. He's like, I don't want to say it like that. It's always love. But no, they didn't offer nothing at all. So yeah, he still feels pretty pissed off about that.

Also Lamar Jackson, if you had week 4 for when he'd randomly show up on an injury report.

Yeah, we're here. Jesse Minter had his first experience dealing with Lamar and mysterious issues.

Yeah, I think the Ravens should kill the Titans. I'm not, I'm probably not going to bet this game, but I feel like the Ravens are one of those teams that's ripe for an upset from time to time. I don't think it's this week.

Yeah. So the stat, I looked this up because I thought the same thing. There are 4 times that I could find in just the last couple of years that the Ravens had, have lost. as favorites of 7 or more, like, and lost outright. So obviously the Saints at home, 3 of those times were at home. The Saints, the Raiders back in 2024, I believe. And then the Bengals at the Ravens. I think that was last year. And the Ravens were 7.5-point favorites.

Okay. So yeah, it happens.

It does happen. But I think that the Titans are a special kind of shitty where, yeah, They probably won't come close.

Their defense is not bad. They're— Cam Warner, I just can't trust them. All right. Last early game, Cowboys-Texans. Texans -3, over-under 48.5. Nico Collins possibly back. I think he's back at practice, which is significant. Also Cowboys going all in with the Joey Porter trade. I think that's just Jerry Jones just wants—

you know what?

Credit to Jerry Jones. Nico Collins returned to practice. Okay.

All right.

Credit to Jerry Jones. No one else in the league does trades.

Yeah.

And he's actually trying.

Yeah. I mean, he said this—

Like in-season trades.

Yeah.

He's trying.

He said last week there's nothing more dangerous than an old man with money.

Yeah.

Like, yeah, he's, he'll spend it. He trade. And you know what specifically? It's like he knows that the Steelers will pick up the phone.

Yeah.

So there's 3 guys that he got from the former Steelers. So there's him, Broderick Jones, and George Pickens.

Yeah. What's your, what's the look, Max?

Eagles, Eagles definitely do trade.

In season?

Yep.

When?

Last year.

What?

Jalen Phillips.

Okay. I like the Jets do trades. Well, no, they did a trade with the Cowboys.

And the Colts.

Charles, we trade.

I don't know why.

But Jerry does trades.

It's because Jerry, in the last 2 years, Jerry Jones has done 3 significant trades. That's what I should have said.

Okay.

The Micah Parsons trade, the Jets Quinnen Williams trade, and then this trade. Those are all, those are all pretty significant.

Yeah. Jerry does do deals.

He's all over the trades. Fuck you, Max.

That's just a fact.

You don't know nothing about shit. What was the quote? You don't know.

You don't know nothing. You don't know shit about dick.

Shit about nothing.

I don't think that's what I said. I don't know what I said, but it wasn't that.

Did you know that Houston's only run 3 offensive plays with a lead this season? The only 2 teams that are behind them are Miami and Tennessee. They both have 0.

Yeah, not good.

Not good. Um, the Cowboys offense obviously is, is great. Their situational awareness, not so much. Schottenheimer had to like go in front of the media and publicly take, take ownership for several missteps at the end of that game against the Ravens.

Yeah, he said, I, I didn't do very good.

No, I didn't do very good.

We agree, bro.

Yeah, he's honest. He's got Cam Ward in him. Uh, Brandon Aubrey doesn't look as dominant of a kicker as he was in the last couple years, so there's that. But the kickoff at the end of that game in Brazil was just like the stupidest judgment and error ever.

Yep.

I haven't seen enough of the dominance that we got out of the Houston Texans defense in the last couple of years. They don't seem like as fearsome to start the season.

Well, Will Anderson, yes.

But Will Anderson, yeah. But like they were just, I don't know.

No, I know what you're saying.

They'll probably round into shape at some point and get to playing like that. But right now I don't see them as being like the same. Like utterly dominant, take over a game type unit.

I do. I kind of, I kind of lean the over here just because Nico Collins changes everything for the Texans and the Cowboys I think are good enough to get points no matter what. Also CJ Stroud, by the way, 143 pass attempts since his last interception. Feel like we have to bet him to throw an interception.

He should.

143.

Take some chances.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Take some chances.

That's bad. That's bad that he hasn't. Throw any picks.

Anyone else got any thoughts on this game? You like Cowboys?

Yeah, I love Cowboys.

You love the Cowboys in this game? You think the Texans start 0-4?

Yeah, I don't think this is their year.

That's— I do a lot of—

everyone keeps talking like, oh, they're 0-3, they're gonna make the playoffs. Yeah, they might just suck.

I'm, I, I'm a dumb person with dumb strategies when it comes to gambling, but this is a big-time week of like, I close my eyes, I'm like, are the Texans 0-4? 4? I can't see it. Fire away. Like, I just— close your eyes, visualize things. Are the Raiders going to be 4-0?

No, probably not. Can't see it. Probably. Do you think, do you think the Cowboys gave up too much for Porter? Because there's no—

or not enough.

There's no contract.

Yeah, true.

So he was upset with Pittsburgh and he had, I think, a back injury because his contract wasn't good. And then he goes to the Cowboys, still doesn't have a contract. Yeah, I'm sure Jerry's going to want to extend him, but he did give up 5th round pick next year and then a 2nd round pick in 2028, which is a lot to give up for a guy if he's not going to get a contract.

True, true.

That's actually a whole lot to give up.

That's a good point.

So I don't know.

Okay, let's—

He also plays man and the Cowboys play a lot of zone.

Yeah.

So I don't know.

He's a man's man.

He's a man's man, man.

All right.

We're going to do our afternoon picks. But first, a word from our friends From Pepsi. Football is back and no game day spread is complete without the great taste of Pepsi Zero Sugar. You spend all week thinking about the wings, nachos, or burgers that you're going to dig into at kickoff. But are you pairing it with the right drink? I'm pairing a slice of pizza with the Pepsi. Nice slice of cheese pizza and a Pepsi. Incredible. Pepsi Zero Sugar has a bold Refreshing taste. It doesn't just complement your favorite tailgate foods. It makes the whole experience and every bite hit a lot better. It's like watching your rival miss a chip shot field goal to lose a big game, watching your defense make a goal line stand to seal victory. Or how about a Hail Mary? Well, I go Hail Mary Pepsi Zero Sugar with a slice of pizza.

Boom.

I'm ready to go. That Hail Mary always is complete. Grab Pepsi Zero Sugar. To elevate your game day. Tailgating deserves Pepsi. Food deserves Pepsi. Go get a Pepsi today.

Okay.

Afternoon games. Dolphins at Vikings. Dolphins +10.5, over-under 38.5. I feel like it's too many points. I'll just say it, boys. I know the Dolphins suck beyond belief, but the Vikings haven't had 250 yards of offense yet this season. They've gone 2 straight games without having— 2 straight games with 1 play in the red zone. I don't know if their offense is broken or, you know, it's going to take some time for Kyler Murray, but it feels like if you're— I like the Vikings defense is going to absolutely dominate this game. But are the Vikings going to score on offense? I don't know.

This is the other game that I think is actual revenge game.

Yes.

Brian Flores revenge game.

That's true.

So Brian, I don't know if you're a Vikings fan.

Yeah, I'm out on the Dolphins.

The lawsuit against the Dolphins, but allegedly trying to pay him per loss to lose football games. And then Brian Flores was like, hey, they're fucking around over here. And the Dolphins are like, sadly, we have to fire you. So they went, they found a coach who is more than capable of losing games. Yep. So I'd say everybody might have worked out like it might have worked out for everyone in the end. But yeah, the, the Vikings defense is going to have a day today.

Yes.

Or on Sunday, they're gonna be blitzing. I think they're blitzing, what, like 70% of the time right now?

Yeah.

Maybe more.

Malik Willis does lead the league in downfield throw rate. So he is used to taking shots. Not that they're good shots, but he's at least to like trying to push the ball downfield, which could be helpful. Probably not against a blitz. But I think, I think this Vikings defense, it doesn't really matter who's going to be playing quarterback. They're just going to say, don't, please don't turn the ball over, sir. Yeah. And that's your entire assignment for today.

Well, Well, the Vikings, so we talked about it with KOC and the trading of JJ McCarthy and their offenses look bad. Do you know that the Vikings in their last 11 games, they only have one quarterback, one quarterback performance that went for over 200 yards? Not 300 yards, 200.

Yeah, I believe it.

Week 15 last year, JJ McCarthy threw for 250 yards.

Yeah.

Everything else is like you go down the list. 119, 143, 133, 182, 51. That was the Max Brosmer game. Like everything, it's just, I don't know. It's, it's, I think it's going to get better. Justin Jefferson getting banged up doesn't help, but it's been a broken offense for a little bit now. It's just their defense is so elite. And like you said, the revenge, the minute you said that, it was like, I'm out. I'm out on the Dolphins.

I think it's a real revenge one.

Yes, absolutely.

And it should be a revenge one for them too. Yeah, you're right. The Vikings offense hasn't looked as good ever since Sam Darnold left.

Yeah, it's looked bad.

It's looked bad. But it doesn't really matter in this, in this case. I think once they get more into the heart of their season, we're going to find out. Like if you were to look at every team that's undefeated right now, if you were to power rank all of them, win streak, what's, what's the going back to last year? Who's on the biggest win streak from last year?

If I were to power ranking the 3-0 teams, would you go Bills?

Yeah.

Niners, Chiefs. Those are the easy ones. I think I'd go Raiders over Vikings right now.

I don't know.

Yeah.

I think that's the only tough one.

No, I think we can, we can get to the Raiders later. I think I would go Vikings over Raiders, but, but just barely.

Okay.

Well, if we're making tiers, those, those 2 teams are both in the Kirk Cousins tier. Can I, can I, can I give you?

Let's go to Chiefs-Raiders. Raiders are +4.5, over-under is 47.5. Can I give you my case for the Raiders being power ranked higher than the Vikings?

Sure.

Clint Kubiak said that every game is a one-game Super Bowl for the Raiders. So the Raiders technically have 3 Super Bowls this year.

Dynasty.

It's week 4 and they've already won 3 Super Bowls.

Just win, baby.

How do you not power rank?

You got to have them.

Have the Vikings won any Super Bowls this year?

I don't know, but I think—

The Raiders have won 3.

Because I think the Giants have that same mentality too. Harbaugh was rocking the 1-0 shirt.

Okay.

Did he say Super Bowl though? I've never—

I haven't heard him say Super Bowl.

I've definitely— that's very much coach speak to be like, we've got to go 1-0 every week.

Yeah.

You know, one game at a time. But to say every game is a one-game Super Bowl.

I think the NFL, if there's still bad blood there between the Davis family and the NFL, they could sue the Raiders for saying that.

Yeah.

Like, you're not allowed to use the term Super Bowl. Every, every game is the big game.

Yeah.

And I know we talked to— we talked at the beginning of the show about the game of the century, but this is the Raiders going for a dynasty.

4, 4, 4 in a row.

4 in a row.

Yeah.

That's unassailable.

I mean, the fact is the Chiefs are probably going to beat them.

Yeah.

Mahomes is— was he 7-1 in Vegas? Yeah.

I, but I am buying a little bit more of what the Raiders are like. They've been blocking well. Max Crosby is just— he's such a game wrecker. It's probably going to be the Chiefs. I'll probably bet the Raiders +4.5.

I was thinking about Kirk Cousins. No, you don't want to, Hank?

No, this just screams Chiefs and Mahomes win by 100.

I think they're going to win, but I, I don't know, 4.5. It's a division rivalry. The Raiders are playing good, and like Big Cat said, it's a Super Bowl for them.

They don't—

so they're gonna get ready too. I was thinking about Kirk Cousins this And I think that we have it in our mind, at least going into this year, I did. I had it in my mind that Kirk Cousins is washed up, couldn't throw the ball downfield.

For sure.

Et cetera, et cetera. That all just happened because he got injured in Atlanta and his arm was hurt. And so he kept playing.

Well, and also his Achilles coming back from his Achilles. He looked like a 36-year-old guy coming back from Achilles. Yeah.

But even after he got back, before he hurt his arm, he was like, he was able to manage the game. game a little bit.

But yeah, remember the Bucs game?

Yeah, he was awesome. But the thing is, like, he had, he had arm injuries and then he wouldn't come out. Then you put Michael Penix in, the spry young Michael Penix, um, that is relatively injury-free compared to Kirk Cousins.

Not.

And then we— our last memory of Kirk Cousins is this guy's washed up and old. When he's healthy, Kirk Cousins is exactly who Kirk Cousins has been. Yep. For his entire career.

Yeah.

He's never been a guy that's going to throw the ball 100 miles an hour into the smallest windows.

But they are taking shots now. Like the week one, I was like, oh, they're not really, they're kind of dinging, dinging. He was taking some shots.

Oh yeah. He can take shots. It's just like, he's not the guy that's going to like fit the ball into the tiniest situations. He'll take shots downfield, but Kirk Cousins, he's just been himself his entire career. And I think what we're seeing in Vegas, that looks just like Kirk Cousins did in Minnesota and looks like a couple of games that he played for the Falcons where he wasn't Hurt.

Yeah, he's won 7 straight starts. So his final last 4 for the Falcons and the first 3 for the Raiders. Yeah, he's 7-0. He's got 7 Super Bowls in a row. It's insane.

Yep. Well, I don't know if they count that. Yeah, that's true.

Travis Kelce, by the way, is averaging 11.1 yards after the catch per reception through week 3. So that, that's something to watch that he's just somehow young Travis Kelce again.

Yeah. He's looked good.

A lot of it did come after that big play to start the Dolphins game. But still, I mean, he looks, he looks a lot different than he did last year where it was like, oh boy, this is, this is getting, this is getting to a point where it's like we, we all assumed he was going to retire. Yeah, he's back and he feels, it feels like he's fresher than ever. And the Chiefs had their mojo back.

You remember a couple of years ago when the Chiefs kept winning and we kept saying like the luck's going to run out. They're getting outplayed every game.

Yep.

So this year the Chiefs are +415 in net yards through 3 games.

Yeah.

No, they dominated.

So that's the 2nd best they've ever been at this point in franchise history.

Yeah.

So it's, it's, it's completely switched back now.

It's Kenneth. Kenneth Walker has changed this offense where it just looks so balanced and he's so good.

His old coach, Kubiak.

Yeah, true. Did you see Kenneth Walker? There was just a sick slow-mo video I watched where he he was able to like guard against the peanut punch.

Yeah, perfectly.

Like the guy came in flying with a punch and he just got 2 hands on the ball at the right time.

I don't know.

It was just sick.

I've been—

I don't really have anything else to say other than sick slow motion videos in, in like by social media teams the week after are just always— I'm going to watch that.

They're always great. I've been slowly trying to incept Jerry into thinking that TJ Watt invented the punch.

Oh, The TJ Watt punch.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So like once every 2 weeks, I don't want to overload Watt shot.

Yeah. Yeah.

Oh, that's good. Once every 2 weeks, I'll, I'll see like even a clip. If they show a clip of Peanut punching the ball, be like, that guy's doing the TJ punch.

Yeah.

He's like, I know I can see it. So yeah, just nobody, nobody blow that for me.

Yeah.

No, we got to— I like that. Just keep slowly, slowly getting it because he does do it.

Yeah. All right.

Broncos-49ers is the game of the afternoon. 49ers -3, over-under is 47.5. Last time they played was the famous 11-10 game where Jimmy G took a safety by accidentally going out of the back of the end zone. I, I am at the point now with the Broncos, I'm just going to bet them and I know I'm going to, for half a football, I'm going to be like, that was the dumbest bet ever. And then Bo Nix is going to happen and I'm like, wow, I'm so smart.

I don't know if they're good. But he's really—

doesn't matter.

But they're really, really clutch.

Doesn't matter.

And I just get better as the game goes on. It's not just this year. It was last year too.

And listen, the Niners offense is basically playing perfect offense, but their defense is not great. And I think that Bo Nix will, will have an easier day. It's can the Broncos get a couple stops? Riley Moss feels like he's going to get abused in this game. I wish there was a prop for that. Yards given up by a cornerback.

Yeah.

That feels like that would hit.

Yeah. I mean, there's some, you've heard me complain about a few of those guys. Oh, speaking of which, Max, I forgot to bring this up during the Eagles thing. How are we feeling about our white cornerback?

He's—

Cooper DeJean.

Not the best start to the year, but I believe in him to fight back because I've seen, I'm seeing some, some discourse online.

It seems like some Eagles fans might be turning on him.

Not yet.

Has he gotten too swaggy for an Iowa guy?

No.

Okay.

He's still, he's still a bring your lunch pail guy.

Okay.

Okay.

People are, people think that they've seen him out at the bar.

That's too much. That's what I'm saying. Yeah.

I think he's a, he's a young kid having a good time.

Yep.

I have something I wanted to throw out there to you guys as potential wager. If you guys would be interested in something like that. So right now, well, actually, he's, he's, he's +425. So not even great odds. He's second in the MVP race. But Brock Purdy. So the 49ers have scored a touchdown on 13 of 27 drives this season. That's 48.1%. It's the highest TD rate of drives through 3 games since 2000. 5 of the next 7 teams on the list featured that year's MVP quarterback.

Yep.

So it's— if you're looking at early trends, the quarterback of these teams that have been scoring at plus, you know, 40% more, uh, of their drives have ended in touchdowns, have won the MVP. Brock Purdy plus 425. I don't know, something to think about.

I don't hate it because I think Brock Purdy right now is playing— like, the 49ers, in my opinion, are the best team in football.

Yeah, he's playing.

I would put them above the Bills right now, which means—

I just think they're— yeah, I guess their Bills defense is not great, right?

I, I think the 49ers Me saying that out loud tells me they're probably going to lose this week to the Broncos in some weird way in the 4th quarter. But I do think the 49ers, they're—

I—

they've played the most complete football. And some of the stats that they have with their offensive line, just absolutely unreal. The fact that they have, uh, they played 3 games, they have 4 negative plays.

Yeah.

Over the course of those 3 games. And their offensive line has more receptions than sacks allowed.

Yeah, it's pretty crazy. Now, this is the game that we'll find out because you can make the argument for the 49ers as good as they've looked. We talked about the Rams game in Australia where Sean McVay was a total dumb, dumb face. Dolphins and Cardinals.

Mm-hmm.

Not exactly good teams.

Yep, that's true.

That's not exactly the murderer's row of teams.

It wasn't just that they beat the Dolphins. It was how they beat the Dolphins and how they beat—

for sure.

Sure.

Coming back from being in Australia.

For sure.

And for sure, with the Australia thing, uh, Fred Warner is the guy that goes over and spends like 3 months in the study abroad program and then comes back signing his emails, cheers. He was talking about, uh, Hufanga, who used to be on the 49ers, and he called him a Tasmanian devil. Oh, because he's one of the most instinctive players. So he's pissed off that he got away. Hufanga is a beast. Yeah. Uh, and I do think that If the Broncos defense can get to the quarterback, good luck doing that against this 49ers team. But if they can put that into what they already have going, they could be an amazing team. They just can't do shit in the first half of games.

Yeah.

No, they don't stop the run either.

But just believe in Bo Nix.

That's the thing is like, close your eyes and just believe in Bo Nix. They cannot stop the run and the 49ers are, are going to run the ball down their throat.

That is a little bit— the Broncos The stats, like trying to figure out stats and how much they mean, that, that is a lot of week 1 against the Chiefs too.

Yep.

Like they did clean it up. You know, they couldn't have been worse with the missed tackles week 1. That was one of the worst defensive performances ever. Last game in the afternoon, Chargers-Seahawks. Seahawks -7, over-under 42.5.

This is the week.

Oh no, Hank. You think so?

Oh yeah.

You think the Chargers are going to win this football game? I love the— I love the bold take.

Why?

Because they're 0-3. They need a win.

But the Seahawks—

The Seahawks lost to the backup quarterback.

I would agree with you if the Seahawks had won that game.

I guess.

I mean, yeah, that's what scares me.

I feel like the Chargers were, should have beaten the Bills. They made a couple of mistakes, but they played pretty well. And I think this is the week, you know, they, their backs are against the wall. If they're ever going to put anything together, they have to start this week.

Yeah. So, Big Kid, I would agree with you that if they'd lost last, if they'd won against the Commanders, right, that would be the perfect time for the Chargers. Counterpoint, did Marcus Mariota and David Blough give them the blueprint?

They figured it out.

For how to beat the Seahawks. And so I think that if the Chargers had won last week at the Bills, then Seahawks all day.

Yeah.

In that bounce back, I don't think things can get any lower for the Chargers. I was driving into work this morning about 6:15 on my way in for Wake Up Barstool, and there was some conversation on the radio that I thought to myself, it cannot get any worse for the Chargers. They were debating which team has it worse right now. now for the future of the franchise, the Chargers or the Tennessee Titans. And they were having an actual conversation about that. That cannot— we can't do that. That's— it's gone far enough. I think this is the week where the Chargers bounce back.

I think I'm going to bet the Chargers first half. Chargers have scored in the 4th quarter this season through 3 games, 3 points. And All of those have been in must-score situations. They've been down. It's not like they were up 35 to 10 and they just sat on the ball. They've been needing points and not been able to get points.

We like Coach Harbaugh around here.

I love Coach Harbaugh.

We love Coach Harbaugh around here. Coach Harbaugh is familiar with Seattle, with that stadium. Coach Harbaugh in his past has been willing to do anything and everything that it takes to win football games. I think Coach Harbaugh is at the point right now where he, he is willing, like he's that Bugs Bunny meme praying like, Lord help me, I'm about to go back to the old me.

Yep.

Jim Harbaugh is going to do everything that he can to win this football game and rules don't really matter. This is going to be one where he's like, no bad ideas about how we can win this. This is the no bad ideas game.

All right, fine. You guys talked me into it. Chargers.

Chargers. Chargers.

Chargers. Also, the, the idea that— I know that Seahawks lost that game last week. We, we talked about it on Monday, but there was, what, 21 points off turnovers directly, a pick 6, and then 2 short fields? Because the Seahawks had 86th percentile offensive success rate, 89th percentile defensive success rate. That's the only game a team lost when clearing the 85th percentile in success rate on both sides of the ball since 2022. That's a lot of games. That's the entire NFL.

Yeah.

So it's kind of one of those, yes, they lost the game, but are they playing bad? No, they just had one of those games.

But remember, there was a 50-yard touchdown run that was taken off.

That's true. That's true. Lions and Panthers, the other big cat game. I can't believe this is Sunday Night Football, but we got it. Panthers +3.5, over-under 51.5. I think it's the—

yeah.

The longest drought, I think, now for Sunday night or Monday night is the Browns, I believe. I'm just going to bet the over in this game.

I'll be betting Jared Goff's rushing prop, whatever it is.

Yeah.

Hammer it. He's got something to prove.

I'm just going to—

it's a good point. It's a good point.

Lions defense is bad. Panthers defense just had some injuries, I believe, as well.

Yeah.

I think JC Horn and someone else are out. I'm just going to— I think my new strategy every, every week is going to be to take the Lions over and also ladder the opposing quarterback. Bryce Young yards.

I'm seeing that JC Horn might be out. Mike Jackson out on injured reserve. And then Damien Lewis might be out. Jalen Coker might be out.

The offense—

That would hurt.

The offense is different with Coker in there.

Absolutely.

It's going to be a blackout.

JC Horn officially on IR.

Yeah.

Got it. But yeah, they're blacking it out.

Black shirts.

Oh, they're blacking out the game.

I didn't know that Carolina—

We're not gonna be able to watch?

No, they're black. It's blackout.

That's pretty cool.

Yeah, I've never said— I don't know that I've seen Panthers fans black it out. I didn't know that that was, that was a thing that they were doing.

That's actually going to be a sick crowd.

Yeah.

Like they're— and both these teams, the Lions don't need it as much. But man, the Lions defense has been really, really bad. Their Lions defense is 32nd in points, 31st in yards, 32nd in air yards by a wide margin. They also ranked 31st in both 3rd down and red zone defense. That's crazy. That is crazy. They're, they're also averaging 31 points per game on the dot because they've scored 31 every single game. Okay, boys, should we do our TD parlay? We got to hit one. We got to hit one. We went 2 for 3 last week.

We did.

Who missed?

You did.

Olave.

Olave went down at the 1.

You took Kittle. I took Javonte.

All right. DraftKings.

I took—

I feel like you—

oh, wait. Oh, Hank took—

I took Olave.

Oh, okay.

So yeah, I don't think I was in.

No, I took Kittle. I took Kittle.

You took Kittle?

Yeah.

I took Javonte.

And Olave went down.

So Hank— so PFT's in. Hank's out. DraftKings. The football season is heating up and every week feels bigger with DraftKings. DraftKings DraftKings Sports app is now live in all 50 states. That means from Texas to California to Florida, every fan is in on the excitement. Follow the teams you love, keep up with the biggest games, and experience the excitement of football all week long. No matter which game you're watching, you're always connected with one app. One app, every sport, all 50 states. New DraftKings customers sign up with code TAKE, spend just $5 and get $150 in rewards within 14 days. Includes all markets. That's code TAKE in partnership with DraftKings. The crown is yours.

Gambling problem?

Call 1-800-GAMBLER. 1-800-MY-RESET. Connecticut, call 888-789-7777. Visit ccpg.org. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino in Kansas, bet tax pass-through may apply in Illinois.

21 and over.

Void in Canada.

Bet with DraftKings Sportsbook to get bonus bets that expire in 7 days, or trade with DraftKings Predictions to get predictions dollars that expire in 1 year. Event contract trading involves risk of loss. Predictions offer void in New York. Non-withdrawable rewards issued as $50. Click to claim every 7 days for free.

14 days.

Terms at dkng.co/offer. Limited time offer nationwide based on sportsbook predictions and free-to-play sports contest availability varies by state. Should I just do Kittle again? He's gone back to back.

I know, with 3, a little greedy.

Back to back. All right, fine, fine, fine, fine.

Did Kittle have 2 last week?

He had 2 last week. He had 1 the week before.

Yeah, I don't know.

He's—

I mean, I mean, on one hand, feeling it, we're kind of testing it.

On the other, we're gonna feel bad, but we're also gonna feel We won't.

We won't.

We will not do Kittle.

Who are we doing?

I'm doing Bowers.

I was about to say Bowers.

Good pick.

Good pick.

I'm gonna take, uh, take Christian McCaffrey.

Good pick. Good pick.

Pretty sharp.

Okay.

Real sharp pick.

Real sharp.

Real sharp pick. Amon-Ra.

Okay.

Okay.

Sunday night.

Even though he's been fined by the NFL for For smoking. Oh, the smoking celebrations.

Oh, can't do that.

Son of a bitch.

Amon-Ra. So we try to get 2 and then we just get Amon-Ra at the end.

Yeah.

I was gonna maybe say Jameson, but I feel like we've just—

he's—

yeah, I'm not— I don't want to do that. I kind of want to say Jameson now.

I kind of want to say Jameson.

He is gonna be wearing the shiesty on Sunday night.

You know that.

He's— I kind of want to say Jameson.

He's gonna to score.

He's going to score.

All right.

Should we do— what do you got there, Max? You putting it in?

Yes.

Find us. Find us.

Amon-Ra. Why did that not show up?

Just do. There you go. All right. I got— we got to get better at picks. I've been bad at picks.

Same.

Max is crushing it.

Yeah.

What are you talking about?

Yeah. Memes are both 5-1.

I said I've got to get better.

You said we—

you said—

and then I said we've got to get better picks. That's, that's talking about we as in that room. Me and my team in my head have to get better picks. It's the royal we memes. Fuck you.

A week.

Doesn't matter.

You don't know shit about nothing.

It doesn't matter. I finished second.

Look at this.

Thank you.

Every single year, what, finishing second in this competition?

That's so unlike you.

PFT.

I'm up first.

No, Zach. No, no.

PFT.

PFT.

PFT. OK, PFT. Packers-Bucs under.

Oof.

Gross.

Yeah, gross. Yeah. Good pick.

Hey, Jay Daniels.

Good pick.

That's gross.

Good pick.

So big heads up.

I'll take—

what's the number on that? Anybody have it?

That is 38.5.

OK, nailed it.

Yeah, I will take the Denver Broncos +3.

Okay, give me the London, bruv. 47.5.

Okay, I'll take over 51.5 Jacksonville-Cincinnati.

I will take over 47.5 Monday Night Football Saints-Falcons.

Mm, I forgot about that game.

I'm gonna take Cowboys +3. And, and then I'm also gonna take—

I hate my pick—

the over in the Titans-Ravens game, 42.5.

I hate my pick.

I'm gonna take the Texans -3.

I will be taking the Minnesota Vikings -10.5.

Dolphins are gonna get skull fucked.

Chiefs -4.5. The Raiders are gonna get skull fucked.

I'll go Hate Week. I'll take the over in the Jets-Bears, over 43.

Love that. Mims, turn your mic on when you're talking shit about Hank. Raiders aren't at school.

It's over 42.5, plus money. Over 42.5.

What do you mean? Their logo is literally a skull.

No, skull, skull.

He said skull.

Skull.

I said skull.

Skull.

Fuck skull.

The Raiders logo is literally a head.

Skull.

I said skull.

PFT, I'm going to take Mike Vrabel game, New England Patriots +7.

Fuck yeah.

That's that right there. PFT making that pick just proved that he's not Glenn.

I didn't know that that was even a question.

No, but I— there was a couple of people who were saying, have you heard my takes?

Does anyone think I actually watch tape? No, no.

Yeah, there is one person who said they're going to watch more tape.

I watched— I've watched zero tape.

Oh, but you, you are watching more tape, right, this year?

Yeah, I watched the Titans tape.

Interesting.

I watched—

so you only watch wins? That's not how you get better.

Well, baseball.

Mm-hmm.

Okay.

They've been playing baseball every hour for the entire week.

I'm—

I got to lock in on—

You're no different than Vic Fangio at all.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Jeez, man.

That's fine.

All right.

Speaking of baseball, we got Eric Hosmer, World Series champion, and then we have Alshon Jeffery in studio. Before we do that, couple ads.

Before we get to the interview with Eric Hosmer, he's brought to you by TickPick. Some people get 4 seasons a year. Football fans get one, and it officially kicked off. Don't waste a single week of it and don't waste a dollar on service fees on tickets either. TickPick has never charged fans any service fees and they never will. Which means the same seat you'll find on competing ticketing sites costs less every game all season. Your tickets are backed by the Buyer Trust Guarantee, 100% authentic and on time every order. And fans genuinely love this app. So read the reviews, see for yourself. We've got some hot tickets going this weekend. Max, you're going to a game.

I am. Northwestern-Penn State tonight. First game at Northwestern's new stadium. And I'm going with Tick Thanks, TickPick.

We are—

are you doing a video for the Jumbotron?

No, no video for the Jumbotron. This is actually— this will be at Northwestern Stadium, so it would make no sense to do a We Are for their Jumbotron.

I just didn't know because it worked so well for the opponent last night. Okay, so maybe Hank will have—

yes. Yeah, maybe.

Yep.

You'll probably have good seats though, because TickPick.

Great seats. Thanks to TickPick.

So shout out TickPick. Don't overpay for the same seat that you're going to find on other ticket marketplaces. You can download the TickPick app and never pay another service fee again. That's the difference with TickPick. They do not do fees. They never have, never will. New TickPick customers, take $20 off your first order. Promo code PMT20 in the TickPick app. Orders must be $200 or more to apply. That's PMT20 at checkout for $20 off your first order. Shout out TickPick. They're great partners. We love working with them and they deliver the best prices for you guys. And that is the best part. part of all. And now here's Eric Hosmer.

Okay, we now welcome on a very, very special guest. He's a friend of mine. It is World Series champion Eric Hosmer, who is working for NBC doing, uh, baseball postgame, pregame. It's baseball playoffs. Has, it's great to have you on. Uh, let's start with this. We're taping this at 10 AM. on Thursday morning. So we have 3 of the 4 series set. The Phillies and the Braves have to play tonight. I know I don't want to say like, hey, Haas, give us a prediction and then have it be wrong, but just tell me what it's like from a player's perspective to go into one of these elimination games and like the vibe going into it and how they're feeling.

Yeah, so right now Philly, man, they're— especially after that Game 2, that crazy comeback that they had That's a veteran group in Philly. I feel like they're riding high. They're pretty confident. If I was Atlanta, I'd be a little worried right now. This is one of those situations where like you're at home field and it's, could be a more of a pressure situation cuz Atlanta, man, they had Philly right where they wanted 'em. 6 outs to go. I mean, you could see that shot of Bryce Harper during that pitching change. He was devastated, man. You could tell he was like, man, I feel like I let this one go. And the way his teammates in Philly picked him up. It's almost like destiny at this point. I don't think Philly's gonna lose.

Yeah, I love that. I love that take. Max just took his headphones off. The earmuffs are off.

Oh, the kiss of death, man.

Uh, we can talk about some series that have ended. Uh, I mean, I hope you're right. Selfishly, I hope the Phillies win. I want to see more of Max and, and the way that he handles his team and watching his games in the playoffs. It's fun to watch. Um, but with the series that have ended already, who would you say if I said, um, We'll say the Cubs or the Red Sox. Which one of those 2 teams do you think should be the most disappointed in their season?

Big Cat, I'm sorry, buddy. Yeah, Big Cat, the Cubs, man. That was a tough, that was a tough series. I think the big thing where the Cubs, where they lost, man, the end of the season, the last couple of weeks when they lost home field advantage.

Yep.

And those games went from being at Wrigley Field to now Petco Park. Petco Park, man, that was one of the best environments, if not the best. best atmosphere I've seen all postseason. I mean, I haven't seen Petco Park that loud since I was getting booed out of there a couple years ago, boys. And let me tell you, that place, that was an atmosphere, that was an environment. And I, I will say this, Max, you, that club Philadelphia, you should be all in on that team, man. The way those guys went and picked up Bryce Harper, I mean, that was some good stuff, dude. Max, you're a baseball guy, you know Sanchez comes out of that inning, they get one out, and he's waiting for Bryce at the end of the dugout. out, top step saying, hey man, it's okay, pick us up. And then Schwarber, I mean, he just hits the most baller home runs in the best situations. 0-2 count goes, Bryce follows. That was a crazy game.

Yeah.

Yeah. All right. So you, you're not wrong. The Cubs was very disappointing, especially when at various points in the season, uh, it felt like this team could really contend and whether it be through injuries or bad hitting, uh, it just kind of all fell apart. They were just not competitive whatsoever. in like even the Red Sox were—

what were they?

They were down. It was like a 2-0 game for like 5 or 6 innings on Tuesday night. The Cubs were essentially out of it right away both nights. Like the only inning that we were tied was the first inning of game 2. So yeah, but here's my question because the Padres are really hot and looking ahead, Padres-Brewers. The Padres bullpen kind of reminds me of your Kansas City Royals bullpen when you guys won the World Series where it's like, get us to the 6th, get us to the 7th, and it just lights out. On the opposing team, how much pressure is on those guys knowing that they are going up like, hey, if this game is tied or we're losing in the 7th inning, we basically got no shot? Are they pressing a little more? Like, do you think that's going to happen to the Brewers?

Yeah, you're pressing for sure because you're, you're shrinking the game is what you're doing now. When you know Mason Miller is on the back end of that bullpen, it's like once that 5th or 6th inning comes It's like, shit, man, we gotta get it going because it's the 7th, 8th inning. And when Mason comes in, no one's scoring off this dude. So that's a real thought. And even Big Cat, if they're tied late in the game, I mean, offensively, when we had Wade Davis and Greg Holland, we're like, dude, we're fine. If we could just scratch one run across, these guys are gonna hold it right there. So that gives you a lot of confidence on the back end of these games, especially these postseason games. You're always seeing comes down to the wire. It comes down to that big situation late. So you gotta have some power arms back there in the bullpen. Chicago didn't have that, man. And Big Cat, you're right. It seemed like the Cubs really just never had a shot this series. It was, you know, kind of lifeless. And yeah, it wasn't to them, it wasn't their fault, but that atmosphere in Petco got them.

And then Padres did a good job holding PCA down.

Yeah. Well, what is it about Mason Miller in particular that makes him so hard? Because I don't think since he plays in San Diego, we don't talk about him that much like we would if he played in, in one of the traditional traditional major markets in baseball. But the, the season that he's had in the last couple years especially, like, he's historically good as a closer, right?

Yes, PMT, that's spot on. That's a great point because he throws 105 miles an hour and that's what everybody sees, and it is gas, it's fuel. But his slider, Mason Miller's slider, is one of the best pitches in baseball. So, you know, not only are you trying to gear up and get it going for 105 miles an hour, if he sees you kind of cheating as a hitter and trying to get your bat going early, he's just going to drop that slider on you. And that's the perfect combination. I mean, you've got 105 with a wipeout slider. So there's really nothing you can do if you're a right-handed hitter. There's just absolutely no chance against Mason Miller.

Okay. So you actually— we had you on WUB on Tuesday and you said the White Sox are just so much better than the Astros.

This is—

this makes no sense. They were underdogs in the series. Tell me who's going to win the Guardians-White Sox series. The White Sox have one of those teams, in my opinion, where it's Like every— they have that young, we don't know what we don't know kind of situation where guys are, are playing free. And that's a dangerous, dangerous ball club when it comes to October.

It's dangerous, man. They're young and dumb, dude. I want to party with that White Sox team so bad. That Mike Vassell, the Wizard, I mean, that looks like a fun clubhouse. And they're getting to the situation, they're at the point now where those dudes just believe in each other, man. They have so much energy and so much juice in that dugout. out when it's late in the game. I mean, these guys want that big moment. You saw last night, Game 2, they go chase Mycroft, first and second, does a fake bunt, they steal second and third, and then he goes deep. I mean, that team is all in. They're not scared. They want that big moment. I think Chicago, man, I love this team, the way that they're rolling into Cleveland right now. Kind of my thing, Big Cat, was these wildcard teams that win the series and go and face these teams that have had off and had the guys. I mean, this is a dangerous situation for Cleveland. You're going 5 days as a hitter without seeing pitching. So that's tough. Cleveland already can't hit. Now you're going against the White Sox. They're coming in a young, energetic group.

The White Sox, the only thing there is they gotta find ways to hold leads late. Grant Taylor's good, but they need more help in that bullpen.

So wait, so how, how many days without seeing live pitching do you like kind of feel the rust?

We, you would go home in the All-Star break for 3 days, come back second half of the season and you're like, man, I still need a bat or 2 to get my eyes back to up speed. So if you're a hitter and you go 2 days, I'd say that's like kind of finding your timing back all over again.

Interesting.

Yeah, and they seem to be having so much fun too. I, I love the postgame celebration, like genuinely friends with each other, genuinely having a great time. Where do you stand on celebrations after, uh, a wildcard round victory? Is this something that doesn't matter? You can be a team like the Dodgers, go ahead and celebrate if you, if you win a wildcard series. Not that they would be in it, but Like, or is it just, you know, if you're young, enjoy every step along the way?

I'm good with the celebrations, man. I think especially with the White Sox situation, I mean, you're talking about 2 years ago, this was historically one of the worst teams of all time.

Yeah.

So this young group comes and they change that narrative. They clinch a postseason berth. So I'm all about it, man. I just think the level of how we're partying, obviously we go wildcard round, we win that series, we can pop some bottles and party, but we just can't blow it out like we won the World Series. You gotta understand. And we got to bounce back in a couple days. And that's kind of the life of a baseball player, man. You mentally, you're playing 162 games. There's days where you just got to go out there and take the mental part out of it. And I'm not gonna lie, PFT, there's some times where I'm going through a rough time in the season and I'm just saying, all right, I'm gonna go out and have a rough night. The next day I'm just gonna fight for survival and hopefully I wake up with a couple hits.

All right, that's a good strategy. I do that in golf sometimes too. Yeah, let's just drink our way out of this. Yeah, it works.

That's it.

That's it.

All right, so, so speaking of hitters and like getting your timing too as well, uh, Aaron Judge, is he gonna come back and is he gonna be effective at all? Because it feels like the Yankees, with the way Ben Rice is hitting and the fact that they have like 3 really good starting pitchers, like this does feel a little different for the Yankees than they have in the, in the past few years where they've fallen short.

Yeah, it does feel different. And especially this past series with Boston, that was a statement series from the Yankees, man. They protected at home field. Aaron Judge, I think either way, if he's in that, on that roster, in that lineup, I mean, that is valuable just because his presence alone. If he's on deck, you're going to give the guy in front of him pitches to hit. And he just, that's what you do when he game plan, you're game planning in a lineup with Aaron Judge in there. I think he's going to play, man. I really do. Whether that's in that bat off the bench or just DHing, I think he's valuable enough that if he can only hit once or twice throughout the whole series, you got to have him on that roster. roster. Giancarlo Stanton was the big one that I was wondering why he didn't get in that bat against the Red Sox. They had both leads, they were up 7 or 8 runs, and you want to get him alive at bat in that situation because if you need him in a potential big spot later on in the playoffs, you want him already having an at-bat.

So I was wondering why they didn't give him an at-bat to get him going. But if they have him and Aaron Judge off the bench or even just on the roster, that can help a Yankees team that's feeling pretty good about themselves. And then last thing, Big Cat. Sorry, Ben Rice, he's a dude, man. He has solidified himself as a guy. Juan Soto was just in that lineup a couple years ago, and Ben Rice, the season that he's had— I'm not saying he's the same hitter as Juan Soto, but if you look at the season he had this year, those numbers are pretty sweet. They're pretty good.

Who are you picking in that series, man?

I tell you what, I'm gonna pick the Yankees, man. Especially, I gotta go sit next to CeCe Sabathia again tonight, so I'm definitely picking the Yankees. And I think they're rolling, man. I I think after that statement series against Boston, I mean, that was 2 blowouts. That was an ass whooping. I think the Yankees are in a good spot.

Should we say something nice about the Rays though? Because I mean, they are— they did get a bye. The Rays are a good team. They do everything right. I feel like the Rays are a team that nobody ever talks about. But ideally, if you, if you don't have a team that's in a major market, you want them to be run how the Rays have run their organization. They do a great job.

This is the time. This is going to be the time too We're going to watch this series between the Rays and the Yankees. And it's like, okay, now the world's going to find out why the Rays are so good. And it's one of those situations where I feel like people are like, yeah, I haven't seen many games of Tampa. And then you go and watch them and you understand why they're so good. They play baseball. They understand like the league trends as the last 2 years, teams aren't really valuing defense. And now Tampa goes and they build their offense with speed guys. They play small ball. They make the other team play defense. And that was kind of the knock on the Yankees when they played the Dodgers in the World Series. Other than a home run, offensively, they're just one-dimensional. They can't really play small ball. They can't defend the field. They're just not athletic. The Yankees proved that, that they were athletic last series against Boston. And, you know, I think Tampa, that's kind of their style. So the Yankees definitely, you know, they fit that style. They're not just one-dimensional. It's going to be a good series.

I think the Yankees finally pulled through.

All right.

What about the Brewers-Padres, which we kind of touched on? The Brewers are really, really good. They piss me off. I don't know what else to say. Like, they're really, really good. They, they, they, they're one of those teams that gets the big hits when it matters and they have the starting pitching. So who do you have in that series? Because the Padres, as good as they looked against the Cubs, they looked incredible. The one thing that might be a weakness when it comes to a 5-game series, they don't have the starting pitching depth, right?

That's right. That's right. The later and later you go on into the playoffs, you know, you go into these 5-game series, then best of 7, you need pitching depth. And that's where the Yankees especially, you got to have more starters, more bullpen. So that's going to hurt them. But you're right. The Milwaukee Brewers, man, they've got the depth. San Diego, you're going in Milwaukee. You got the Miz game 1. You got to figure out how to beat him, man. And Milwaukee, what they do so good, if you look at their lineup, up on-base percentage. I mean, they got 7, 8 guys over .340 on-base. So that is getting on-base at a high level. And when they get on-base, they steal, they're athletic. They got 2 guys that can hit homers. They got superstars. They're really a complete team. Pat Murphy, he's a great manager too. This is gonna be a tough assignment for the Padres. They definitely have a chance, but Milwaukee can play, man. It's gonna be a good series.

And then I'm looking at the Dodgers against the Phillies. You have the Phillies moving on to the next round. You think the Phillies are capable of— Max took his headset off again.

Oh no, man.

Threw it down. I feel like the Phillies, like, hey, this is a team with a lot of playoff experience. Um, this might be the end of their window. They're playing for something more than themselves. It's like the last hurrah as a unit with these guys. You think the Phillies could take down the Dodgers?

I think that's all true. And yes, I think they can, man, because the deeper, again, this postseason run gets, the Phillies Yeah. And the Phillies, they have starting pitching, man. If you go Sanchez, Wheeler, Luzardo, I mean, they have the depth at starting pitching. And if you remember Sanchez, Christopher Sanchez, he messed up Shohei Ohtani, man. He was throwing him those left-on-left splitter changeups, whatever that was, in the postseason a couple years ago. So I really, really think the Phillies can match up well against the Dodgers. The Dodgers historically, if anybody's ever gotten to them, it's been left-handed pitching. The Phillies have some really good lefties, man. And again, that's a veteran group. Bryce, Schwarber, and those guys, they don't get overmatched. They're not gonna get, you know, overwhelmed by an atmosphere. So I really do think if Philly holds on and beats Atlanta, especially with this momentum and a crazy comeback, they got a real chance to beat the Dodgers.

There you go, Max.

How much, yeah, Max, you got this. He took off his headphones.

Can't hear you. You gotta believe Max.

How much in the playoffs, like, is there a moment where you have to take a step back and be like, I'm I'm overanalyzing every situation because the— all the information that players have now. I mean, you even look at like your— the famous, uh, moment in the World Series when you— or yeah, it was a World Series when you ran on Lucas Duda knowing like, hey, his arm is not very accurate. I'm gonna— like a ground out, he's— they're gonna throw it to first, I'm gonna be able to get home. But is there a moment where you're like, I, I've actually taken in too much information, I just have to go play baseball? Or what's that balance like?

Yeah, that's, and that's kind of why I joke around with the White Sox saying they just need to stay young and dumb.

Right.

Because think about it, if you're the Chicago White Sox and you're like, man, like we just had a historically bad season 2 years ago, we lost 20 games in a row, 2 different times. Like, how are we going to possibly turn this around? And that group's just young. They're in the moment. They have no idea what's happening. So that's where you really just try and keep it internal, man. You try and keep it internal. and keep the information in your clubhouse. You try and simplify it all. Like, again, the White Sox yesterday, when you saw that first and second situation, Chase Mydroth was up. There was a pitching change before that. So usually all the offense, you huddle up at the dugout. Mydroth drops a fake bunt, early hold, pulls back, first and second, they steal. So that tells me that team offense, like, Will Venable, the manager, was like, dude, just fuck it.

Go.

Trust me. Trust that this is my read. They got a bunch of young guys that aren't scared. They're saying, all right, you're telling me to go, I'm doing it. So that's perfect. That's the perfect time this time of year to be young and dumb, so to speak. You don't want old veteran guys. You know, if you're the Cubbies, you're going into Petco and you're like, man, this team is rolling, this atmosphere. You're kind of more aware of the situation.

Yeah.

So stay young and dumb.

Yeah.

What about like, uh, adjustments that you make in the middle of series in, in the playoffs? How do— is that different from like a regular season series? If you're going, you're playing 3 games in a row against the same team, is it more minute? Are you getting more down to details? Are there, uh, like any extra meetings or notes that you have to go through between games?

Yes. And this is where at the big league level, especially a lot of baseball players or baseball fans get this confused. If you're a hitting coach or a pitching coach at the big league level, it's not so much like, hey, I'm Bregman, I need you to fix my swing, like something doesn't feel right. Alex Bregman went into that series He was 7 for 8 career lifetime against Michael King. Alex Bregman goes, he faces King the first 2 times and he sees nothing but sweepers. I mean, like 8 out of 9 sweepers. So if I'm the hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs, that's the time where I'm going to pull Bregman aside and say, hey man, they're throwing you a lot of spin here. It's a lot of sweepers. Maybe we sit on a breaking ball, big situation. Maybe we look up and in close to us because that breaking ball is going to break over the middle. So that's the stuff mid-game, mid-series that you really count on your coaches to pick up on and relay that information to the players.

Uh, we were talking, uh, on Wednesday's show, Cam Schlittler, he's a hoss. How many hosses are left in, in, in baseball, in the baseball playoffs right now?

Not many, man. I, it's Chris Sale, Cam Schlittler. I tell you what, Max, Zack Wheeler, if I am his teammate, I need him him running into that office, that manager's office, and telling Donnie Baseball, I need the ball. Obviously we're filming this, it's Thursday morning. We don't know who's pitching for Philly, but it's either Wheeler or Nola.

It's Nola.

Okay.

Nola's getting the ball. I know, I know, I know, I know.

He's never pitched.

Wheeler's never pitched on 3 days rest before in his career. It's Nola.

I need you pitching on 3 days rest.

I know, I know. I would prefer, I would prefer Wheeler as well, but that's, that's what, that's what we're going with.

Oh no.

He'll be spikes hot. He'll be spikes on in the bullpen.

No panic, Max.

We're all right.

But I would've loved see Wheeler start this game, man. That's, that's where, again, like, if I'm Chris Sale, if I'm a CeCe Sabathia, there is no doubt in my mind those guys are walking into that manager's office and saying, hey, let's not be dumb about this. Give me the ball.

Yeah. If I need— yeah, if I need— if you need an inning out of me, Schuble obviously is a horse. Last question before we get to Zach. The Dodgers, I feel like we're not talking about them, but they're just gonna win it all again.

Man, it would I was saying like a week up until the season ended, I was like, all right, the Dodgers, man, like I think they're vulnerable this year. I can see somebody beating them. And then once Mookie got hot, it's like, man, that team, there's no turning back. And again, like you never see the real thing of the Dodgers in the regular season, right? The last month they're just gearing up for the postseason. So they're gonna be dangerous.

And the thing that sucks about the Dodgers, like, I mean, we were talking about last night when we were getting depressed on the Cubs streak, but like Kyle Tucker's getting hot. Kyle Tucker has no pressure on him. him in these playoffs because he's like the 8th best player on that team. They're gonna, they're gonna throw some of their starters into the bullpen where they have— I, I know their bullpen is like not, you know, elite elite, but they'll make it elite because they have all these guys that they can just move around.

And it like—

I, I don't know who's gonna come out of their bullpen, but like going back to last year where it's like, oh, Glasnow's coming out of their bullpen. Fuck, that guy's unbelievable. I mean, it's just—

It's a ridiculous— it's a rags to riches over there, man. It really is. got, uh, Skubal, Snell. Those are 2 of the best lefties in the game. It's, it's pretty ridiculous what they got going on over there.

Yeah, yeah, I, I agree with Big Cat. It does feel like we're getting, we're getting excited, we're getting romantic about a lot of these teams. We're talking about the Rays playing small ball, how cool that is.

The White Sox are fun.

And then it's like the Dodgers are going to roll in with 7 Hall of Famers and win every game 11-2.

Mhm. Yeah, that was a good take, Big Cat. Kyle Tucker, man, he— bad season, he can wipe that all away one swing, one good game in the He's been playing well.

He's starting to see it a little bit. And I just was thinking about it. It's like, you know, last year I was— it drove me insane. He also had a lot of pressure, like he had to do it. And I do think that matters. Like you saw it with PCA and like Bregman, like those guys knew if they don't hit, like the Cubs don't win. I think that pressure does matter a little bit where if you can be the 7th, 8th guy in a lineup, you're probably swinging a lot freer knowing like no one's really expecting you to do it. to, to come through.

Oh, no question. No question. I mean, PCA, like, you're the Cubs. If you lose, you know, you're going to be the subject, the reason why people are talking. Kyle Tucker, there's like 8 people in front of me. If you lose, that's going to be the reason. So that's spot on.

It's good. I'm looking behind you right now. You've got a Gold Glove, sick flex. Are those 2 Silver Sluggers you got behind you?

2 glass dildos.

Yeah. 2 giant glass. Yeah. One's vibrating. Um, what is it? What's the, what's the bottle of liquor that you have there?

Yeah. So that was last game with the Kansas City Royals in 2017. Uh, a lot of us were free agents and we had all come up the same time in the minor leagues and all that. So that was our last game together. Danny Duffy bought me that bottle. We all got pulled out in like the 4th or 5th inning at Kauffman Stadium. We went up into the clubhouse, man, and we ended up just kind of hanging there for about 4 or 5 hours after the game. It was fun, man. Catching up on the good old days.

All right, so are you ever gonna open that bottle?

If I win our fantasy football league this year after starting 0-3, I'm, I'm slugging that thing big cap.

Why won't you trade us Puka? You haven't even replied, buddy.

I'm balls deep into baseball right now.

Oh yeah, but you have time right now to reply. Reply. We're, we're giving you some good offers. Just look at the offer.

I need to be better. I need to be better at, at replying in that fantasy league. I apologize to every member of that league right now.

I appreciate it. All right, Zach, Zach's last question. Roback question. R-H-O-B-A-C-K. How you doing, sir?

I do have a quick question. You do have 13 seasons under your belt, and I know they moved this mark a couple— they've moved it a couple different times. Did you acquire the elusive gold card? And if so, is that something that you use typically or you keep it in the safe?

Zach, I'm a big fan of your program, buddy. First and foremost, dude, I love everything you do. I know it's an early morning for you. I'm rooting for you right now, bro. You have no idea who I am, but I, I love you, Zach. Just know that I love you, buddy.

I love you too, man.

Zach, I've never used that gold card in my life, man. I'm not gonna lie to you, dude. I definitely have it. And this is, this is not a flex, Zach, again, 'cause I love you and I'm not doing that to you, but I got that World Series ring, man. And I just go up and show it to 'em, especially when I'm out there in Citi Field.

Yeah.

I know there's someone right there next to Mac that doesn't love what I'm saying right now.

That's all that means. Yeah.

Can you, can you Zach, that gold card's yours, buddy. Oh, hey, I got a Cream Team shirt. I'm pissed at myself I didn't wear it, but that gold card's yours, Zach. I got you.

I love it.

Anytime you need any ice cream, let me know. I got you.

It's a fair trade.

Wait, I got, I got one last question for you because I want to give something to Royals fans who, who forever love you. When you close your eyes at night, what's the one— or like daydream— what's the one thing that, that comes back to you? What's the one moment that you think about?

about?

Oh man, that 2014, that wildcard game, man, we were down 7-3 against Jon Lester and the Oakland A's. We won that game. We took a flight all the way to LA, Anaheim. We got in at 6 in the morning, went right to the field. And it honestly, it just seemed like those 2 years after that I blacked out. So I'm hoping to keep my eyes closed and just black out at Kansas City Royal for life, baby.

So that was the beginning of it. That was the moment where you're like, hey, this is the start of something that could end up being a World Series, and it ended up doing it.

Oh, there was no turning back from there, man. '14 and then '15 we won, and then Kansas City Chiefs after that took over, and it's been no turning back, man. Kansas City turned into Titletown after that.

That—

you better believe it, big guy.

Yeah, that was the start of, of the entire city's championship DVD.

That's right, baby.

Yeah, they weren't throwing touchdowns to wide receivers until you guys won a, won a World Series.

I, I, I'll forever disagree with you on this. I still think you should have sent Alex No, no, no, no, no, no.

Yeah.

Gotta make him make a play.

No, don't do this to me. Don't do this to me.

No way.

No way. Bumgarner's so good. You gotta make him make a play.

Bumgarner is so good, man. That dude was just, just snot rockets all over our field. He's completely disrespecting us. What a savage that guy is.

He is. Oh man. Uh, all right, Hodge, you're the best, man.

Appreciate it.

Everyone tune in. Like I said, he's, he's gonna be on NBC. in the playoffs and have fun. Give, give John Fanta a little shit for us, okay? He's, he's taken too many sports. He's taken too— he can't be every sport. All right. He's taken too many.

Hey, Fanta is the man. He's been taking care of me over there at NBC. And Max, let's go. I need you. I need energy out of you tonight, buddy.

Oh, there's going to be energy. I don't know if it's going to be positive or negative, but there will be energy.

He's ready.

That's all we can ask for. It's all we can ask for.

All right.

Thanks, Hans. Appreciate it, man.

See you.

Appreciate you, fellas.

Eric Cosmer was brought to you by our great friends at Kraken, the official crypto and trading platform with Barstool Sports. Kraken put AI inside the Kraken app. You open the Kraken app, you hit the chat in the top right, you ask it an actual question about your money. Got cash sitting there doing absolutely nothing? Ask what else you could be doing with it. Trying to understand an asset before you touch it?

Ask.

Kraken AI actually does research first. It's grounded in assets that you can actually access on Kraken, and it explains everything back to you in normal language. Here's the most important part. It does not do anything without you. It researches, it lays out the action, and you decide. Kraken AI is live in the US now. It's not available everywhere yet, so geographic restrictions apply. Open the Kraken app, hit the chat, ask it something. Kraken's AI proposes plans and actions only. Nothing is bought, sold, or moved without your approval. Available in the US only, not available in New York or Maine. Geographic restrictions apply. See terms of service. For full details. And before we get to our good new friend, Alshon Jeffery, he's brought to you by Twisted Tea, the best iced tea, hard iced tea in America, the best day drinking drink, the best fall drink, the best football drink. Football season's here and we're not— we've never been more ready for game day. We're bringing Twisted Tea along for the ride all season long. It's refreshing hard iced tea. with real brewed tea and a 5% alcohol. The party pack has something for everyone. It's got original, half and half, raspberry, and peach.

Half and half is my personal favorite. And if you live in Harrisonburg, Virginia, I'm going to be calling up Finnegan's Cove with my money, paying for free Twisted Teas on the house, on me. I am the house if JMU beats Marshall. We should beat Marshall this weekend. But when we do, after the game, I'm gonna put some money down and enjoy some Twisted Teas on me. It's perfect for college football season. Whether you're tailgating at the stadium, crushing teas in your man cave, or grilling out with friends, Twisted Tea is there to turn your day up a notch and make a good time a great time. So grab a refreshing Twisted Tea today and keep it twisted. And now here's Alshon Jeffery.

Okay, we now welcome on a very, very special guest. It is Super Bowl champion Alshon Jeffery. He's in studio. We're taping this on Monday. We might run this Friday ahead of the Alshon Bowl, Bears-Eagles. Listen, we got to just cut through it. Like you said some things on your way out of Chicago. Are you, are you rooting for a tie tonight? What are you rooting for?

What'd I say?

I mean, you had, you had some quotes, if I remember correctly, about, about, about the Bears in Chicago when you left.

When I—

I'm going to find them. I'm going to pull them up. I'm pretty sure you said some things.

If you could make a brand new quote.

Yeah, make a brand new quote. What would your brand new quote be? Do a brand new quote.

Oh, I was probably saying that quote probably came from game week to fire myself.

Okay. All right. That's fair. Inside.

Yeah.

Because I think it was right before the Double Doink game.

Yeah.

That's what it was. Yeah.

What was the, what was the exact quote? Pull it up, Max, if you can find it. You remember the quote.

I'm not familiar with these quotes, so I'm trying.

I'm just leading that way. What?

Oh yeah. Chicago is just where I was for work. Terrible Soldier Field turf. That's fair. Yeah, 100% have your back on that. But Chicago was just where you were for work.

I was firing myself up.

Okay, that's totally fair.

That's totally fair.

That's totally fair.

But I love Chicago, though. I met some great teammates, great people, great fan base, great organization. And part of that I would say came from, 'cause I wanted to be in Chicago forever, but at the time, well, the guy who's running the team felt different.

Was it Pace at the time? Felt different at the time. Ryan Pace, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I mean, that's fair. That's actually a completely fair response. If they don't want you, then why would you be like, all right, fine, I don't have any love for it.

And you know, like I said, to me, I kinda semi took it personal on that. So that's where that probably came from.

I, I, so I think it's, yeah, that's totally natural if you feel like you're not wanted. If there were, you know, you have to make hard decisions if you're running a football team, but if you feel like you're not wanted there, it's like, well then fuck you. I'm not gonna like, you know, that's kind of how it is. But then, and then also you go to Philly and you have some, some big moments and some, you know, some of the biggest moments in your career for the Eagles. So I could see, I could see why you might say something like that.

Yeah. Philly and Chicago, I feel like definitely great football Like, uh, passionate, passionate fan base. Like I said, like, I definitely didn't want to leave here. Like, best city in the world to me. Like, I always tell people, even though I live in San Diego, to me, if I could take San Diego weather and bring it here, I will live here.

Yeah.

And you guys, I mean, you, when you, when you got drafted, like, your, your first few seasons with the Bears was like, holy shit, we have a real wide receiver that we drafted. You and Brandon Marshall together was awesome.

And we had Marty B.

Yep. Marty B. Marty B is still like one of the largest humans I've ever seen on a football field. a football field. I remember I went to a game, it was on the sidelines in maybe like 2015 or '16, and I was just like, holy fuck, how does anyone tackle this guy?

Yeah.

Because he was that big of a guy. You see the speed and the difference of a guy like that. When you, when you were here, uh, not to bring up bad memories, but just how, how ridiculous was the Trestman, uh, the ending of the Trestman days? Because that was a true clown show season for the Bears. Like, through it, you had the leaks, You had Brandon Marshall fighting with Robbie Gould in the locker room. It was like everything that could have gone wrong went wrong.

Honestly, I'm gonna be— I really wasn't paying attention to whatever the noise was.

That was smart because there was a lot of noise.

Because I, I, uh, Coach Trust, man, like, I had loved this offense. Like, I mean, we didn't get the wins that we wanted or make the playoffs and stuff like that, but I feel like the first year we definitely had it rolling.

Yeah, yeah.

Like, we had it rolling.

Absolutely. So who do you think would've won in a fight, Brandon Marshall or Robbie Gold?

Hmm.

And how close were you to that argument?

I wasn't, I wasn't even there. I didn't know nothing about it.

Yeah, my money's on Robbie Gold. Dolphins game.

I think he could kick him really hard.

I didn't know nothing about that, honestly. Like, I think, uh, I heard about it afterwards. I wasn't there to really see what was going on between those two.

Yeah. And I think it's a rule like that, that can go across all NFL, even college football. And we like Robbie a lot. Uh, he actually did a stream with us a couple weeks ago. Anytime your kicker is fighting with anyone, a position player, it's probably a bad sign. It's like, hey, we got some issues here. Something has gone horribly wrong where the kicker feels like they can, they can stand up and be like, you're being a bad—

hey guys, coach is right, you're in a bad spot.

Uh, Robbie's my guy and B. Mark's my guy. They both was great teammates.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I like both of them.

But I'm sure, um, They probably— B. Marshall probably was hot that— I think we lost that game to the Dolphins.

Yeah, yeah.

And that was his former team. They traded him, so I'm sure he probably was firing himself up within thinking about that.

Yeah.

And I don't know, you know, whatever was said, I, I don't know.

Yeah.

As a guy from South Carolina, did you, uh, did you learn to love bear weather?

Oh, definitely.

You liked it?

I had— no, I had to grow to love it.

Okay. What was it? What was like the first time you that winter in Chicago?

Man, I looked at my phone, it said -5 degrees. I'm like, do I love football? I'm from the South. Like, but then I'm— then once you get used to it, like, and you couldn't wear no sleeves in practice. It was a rule. Like, it was mandatory that your first couple years you couldn't wear no sleeves because we play outside. So you got to get used to it. But once you used to it, I feel like that's my advantage though.

Yeah.

I could play in the cold and we can play in warm. A team that's not from warm weather can't play in the cold. Yeah.

Yeah. What was the coldest weather you'd been in prior to joining the Bears?

South Carolina. We lost to, we played in a bowl game against Connecticut in Birmingham and it was freezing. That was the coldest game I ever played in that place.

That's a tough one to get up for. And that's a tough one to get up for.

These 2 teams don't like each other. No love lost between them. when UConn and South Carolina get together.

The crazy part about the weather, the sun was on their side, the shade was on our side. Everybody on our team, I think it probably was like 35 or 40 degrees. Everybody on their sideline, no sleeves, no nothing. It was like summertime. Yeah.

And you're playing in like a December before Christmas bowl game. Oh, no one in the stands.

Spurrier.

Yeah.

I'm sure Spurrier was locked in on that game.

And we lost the game too. Coach Spurrier was pissed. He was pissed.

Yeah.

But I kind of, I feel like that That year, that game changed our trajectory at South Carolina. That season, that was my freshman season.

What was he like recruiting you? I've heard all the Spurrier stories. He seems like just an all-time hilarious football guy.

I would say Coach Beamer actually recruited me. Shane Beamer, he recruited me. Always kept it real with me and was an honest guy. Like with my parents, he stayed in touch with everybody. So I'm gonna say Coach Beamer recruited me. And I was from South Carolina. So I think it was like, it's kind of like an easy layup for Coach Spurrier. It's a layup because I'm 25 minutes from down the road.

Okay.

Yeah.

That, that feels like that, that, that's an easy sell. Now you do have like one of the most famous recruiting stories. And I actually like, it's awesome because I would imagine at this point you're like, haha, I got all the last— you won a Super Bowl. You had an incredible NFL career. But the story goes that Lane Kiffin told you that if you, if you go to South Carolina, you'll be pumping gas for the rest of your life. What, what would— what, first of all, was that true that he said that? And we know Lane Kiffin.

All right, I'm gonna say, I'm gonna say this. Um, we was all on the phone. I'm not thinking nothing of it because he's still recruiting, trying to get me to go to Tennessee. It's a lot of people, so he let me talk to a few players that played from SC. that was in his system. That was his selling point. Like, we run the same system as— 'cause I was committed to the other, Pete Carroll. Pete was the coach at SC at the time. So Lane was coming from Oakland running that system that he ran at SC. And I don't know, the conversation, everything was going smooth. Then someone get on there and was like, people who go to South Carolina end up pumping gas for a living.

Oh.

Okay.

Now, Uh, someone else said it.

Oh, not Lean. Okay.

But he didn't check or correct that person, so it's like you said it.

Right, right, right.

So he did say it, if that makes sense.

Yeah.

So he endorsed it.

Yeah.

Anything to get you there.

And then, I mean, I would imagine that was fuel for you. Not— no pun with the gas station thing, but that was fuel for you for the rest of your career, being like, people doubted me and thought that I was going to be nothing, and then I did everything.

I thought he had a That whatever he was, whoever was trying to say that, it landed wrong. But I just took it personal. It wasn't even about sports. It was like people from South Carolina. I just took that like I'm representing the whole state of South Carolina.

Yeah.

Like, that's just like where somebody said that about Illinois or being from Chicago.

Yeah.

Like, you gonna wear that with pride wherever you go.

It's crazy they said that being like they thought it was gonna work. I like, how would that have worked where you're like, that's like a total misread of the room. room to be like, yeah, you're— if you stay in the state that you're from, you're just gonna amount to nothing.

That's a crazy thing to say to a kid that's 17 years old.

Yeah, yeah. And there's a lot of— yeah, it's crazy— really good players that stayed in state there that ended up probably not pumping gas. Not to diminish anybody that pumps gas, all right?

It's a lot of great players that came from the state of South Carolina before me. I'm just saying, long before me. Yeah, yeah, that comment could Yeah, to all them too.

Yeah.

So you get to, you get to South Carolina and then I'm, I'm always curious about Spurrier because he's a guy that I feel like we should have on the show at some point.

For sure.

He was so, he was so funny in his press conferences, the way he would just like take little digs at other teams and not even acknowledge that he was making fun of them. But then it hits you like a second later and it's like, that was, that was really, really funny. And then the amount of golf that he played, I wonder if he played more golf than Hank does. I think he might. Yeah.

How many I don't think nobody played more golf than Coach Spurrier.

You don't think so? Yeah, I mean, we've heard the rumor that he would— he sometimes, you guys were practicing, he'd be hitting shots on the field next to you.

And when the Masters— we love when the Masters came around. That means that practice would get lighter. Yeah, practice was lighter. Coach ain't complaining, he's not tripping as much. We in and out.

So it'd be like Chip, like working on his short game during practice or what?

He'll be putting Um, he was everything. Like, you'll see him even without the golf ball. Like, he'll be on the sideline no matter where he's at working on that swing. It was crazy. But I'm like, he's like— I think one time I ran into him, he's like, you should try. You ever been golfing? Gotta try it.

You know how he teach?

Like, you gotta try it one day. I'm like, because I had asked him, like, why coach always be swinging? And he was like, oh, he a big golfer. He loves to golf. We'll be in the meeting rooms Swinging, get a break, swinging.

You like that offense that he ran? Because it is like a very friendly offense, especially at the college level.

I love the offense. I think Coach Spurrier, probably one of the greatest play callers of all time.

Like, like, he—

if he called up a play and dialed it up, like, it always— most times it was like a 90% chance it worked. Yeah, like, he was detailed with little things, but great. A genius coach. Like, if we, if we get you in a perfect cover Oh, it was a touchdown. And then every once in a while, if we— he'll put up the play, the same play we just ran. He'll pull up the tape from Florida. That's why Danny Wofford my favorite player. Shit, I need more Dannys. That's what he used to say.

Like, it'd be the same exact play.

He'd be like, see, ball thrown, caught. I told you. Like, that's how he was.

That's how it works. Yeah. Uh, I want to talk about Let's talk about your Eagles run because it was, I mean, your Super Bowl, like your playoffs in the 2017 season, you were on fire. Were you like, did you, were you locked into a point where, because I think you had what, 3 touchdowns in that playoff run, feel like you caught everything. Did you, do you have that confidence of like, I'm just playing my best football right now?

I definitely did.

Because it's like, it's, it's always great when a guy's playing his best football at the best time and it's like it all comes together.

I felt like we had, that season was going so well, we was rolling. And I feel like just that was probably one of my best seasons, like just really locking in. Like we really locked in, like everybody on the team was locking in, but definitely for us on the offense, like it was a perfect match.

Yeah.

Like we had so many mismatches. Like, so if you look at our team, everybody, like you could, who was you gonna double?

Right. And you also had, I mean, obviously the Carson Wentz injury, what happens in the locker room and like, Any— most teams, if you go to your backup, you're kind of screwed. That's just how it is in the NFL. There's only— I mean, there's 32 starting jobs, and what, half of them probably aren't even good. So to have a good backup, were you guys like, don't miss a beat? Or was there a moment where like, all right, fuck, Carson Wentz is having an MVP-type season, and now we're going to Nick Foles, this could be a problem?

Nah, I never— we never wavered from that. I thought about that. It was just It was like, you gotta pick your brother up. It was all season. If you go look at the stats that whole year, we had the most injuries in the league.

That's crazy.

We had the most injuries in the league, but it was always next man up. So when Nick got in there, I feel like he probably definitely had some jitters and we probably like, all right, let's see what Nick gonna do or how the play calls is gonna go.

Yeah.

And I feel like throughout the game we stuck with it and Nick made a few throws. Him and Nelson was working on the RPOs 'cause that was big. We was doing a lot of RPO and him and Nelson was having that chemistry back and forth. And then the more Nick got comfortable, it was the next game we played the Giants. That's when I knew, like, the first play of the game, whatever the first— the call was, he scratched it and caught— changed it to something that wasn't— I don't even think it was on a call sheet. But I'm like, oh shit, like, all right.

Yeah.

Like this, like, we don't— we about to get it going.

Yeah.

And I feel like it was just all about, like, we all was together though. That was the That team is the most I ever seen grown men hang out together. It was like as we was in college. I feel like 30 or 40 of us, we all did everything together.

That's awesome. Chris Long on that team? Yeah.

Shout out to C-Long. Shout out to him.

Yeah, he probably tried to get everybody to smoke marijuana in the locker room. Probably brought in an ounce of that stuff, passing around like it was Christmas.

Chris Long actually had your back because there was that controversy on like the anonymous source stuff about Carson Wentz. And we had Chris Long on during that run. And he was like, Alshon, because people were pointing fingers at you. And Chris Long was like, Alshon wouldn't say that, like that. He's not that type of guy. So that's got to be weird to have. Like, I know Philly's a crazy sports town. It is to have anonymous sources and then people pinning it on you to be like, it was Alshon who said that.

I mean, it is what it is, bro.

Yeah.

Like, Unfortunately, like, we didn't get the results that we wanted that year.

Yeah.

So, you know, like, I feel like, uh, like, as you see in the media from the past couple years, yeah, you know, everything that's going on, what they saying about what this person don't like each other, this and that, like, we winning games, right?

Yeah.

What are we talking about, right?

Right.

We talking about this and that, but we winning games.

But that is also very distinctly Philadelphia. Max is from Philadelphia, diehard Eagles fan. I feel like Eagles fans, like when they don't have anything, when you're winning games, they don't have anything to complain about. They're like, what the fuck? Like, we got to, we have to have something to be angry about. They get to get— they need like the passion, the fire somewhere. Is that not wrong, Max? You need something.

Yeah, Philly's an interesting spot.

Oh, you want to put on your headphones? Oh, Max, do you have a question for Alshon? He's putting on his headphones.

Yeah, I do. You've been doing a little bit of media today. People are picking up that you said that Jalen Hurts is the best quarterback in the NFL.

Oh!

I want— obviously you have high praise for Jalen Hurts. You only played with him for one year. It was just that short overlap there. Could you tell that there was something different about Jalen Hurts even as a rookie in the locker room?

Man, Jalen's special. Like, as a human being, like, he's special. Like, he listens. He wanna soak up as much game as he can learn from veterans or whoever. Like, obviously his history of coming from being well coached and going to a lot of, I mean, going from Oklahoma, I mean, from Bama to Oklahoma, those 2 great programs, great coaches that coached him. Coming into the NFL, like his rookie year, like in OTAs, he was turning a lot of heads.

Yeah.

He was spinning that ball. He was spinning it and he was turning a lot of heads. Like, so this year I feel like, yeah, to me, yeah, Jalen is the best quarterback in the NFL. I may be biased, but I'm gonna stamp that. I'm gonna ride on that because look at the statistics against any quarterback, and I'm sure besides Mahomes, but other than that, look at the statistics. And even I would say playing against each other, he's outplayed. I'm not knocking, I'm not comparing the two, but he's outplayed.

Yeah, in the two Super Bowls he did, yeah.

He's outplayed him.

Yeah, that's a fact.

What about Josh Allen?

I'm still taking Jalen Hurts.

Okay. All right, Max, who would you take, Josh Allen or Jalen Hurts?

Jalen Hurts. That's my guy.

Okay.

Gotta take him.

Come on. Come on, man. Fresh Prince of Philly now. Come on, man.

Yeah, that's true. That's true. What was your weirdest interaction with Philadelphia sports fans when you figured out like, okay, these people are— they care a lot?

No, I think they kind of remind me of back home, like South Carolina. Like they passionate about about their sports and stuff like that. So I don't really think it was nothing weird about that. Like, I just like that if you passionate about it, keep it real and just tell me how it is. I'm okay with that.

Yeah.

Yeah. Just don't get— Philly fans, don't get physical tonight.

No.

In the future.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

In the future. I'm not condoning that because they— that's the only thing I feel like they fans get a little bit more rowdy.

Yeah, a little physical.

And I do think that that team was— they were special. There were so many different memorable moments and storylines and players on that team that it is one of those Super Bowl-winning teams that like it will always stand out in like football history. You can look back and think about that team and their coach. How, how much ice cream did he give you guys the night before the game? He loved his ice cream, right?

I ain't get no ice cream. But yeah, Coach loved his ice cream.

That was like the number one thing. He's like, we finally made it to the end of the week. Ice cream.

Ice cream forever.

Let's go, boys.

Get you some Couple scoops of ice cream.

Yeah.

Yeah. It's a good treat.

Were you confident going into that Super Bowl?

Yeah, I was very confident. True story is the only reason I was so confident because on the Bears the year before, the 28-3 team, I mean, I'm not, y'all catching strays, I'm sorry Atlanta. But that team, we dominated 'em on the Bears that year.

Yeah.

In training camp, we dominated 'em like every week, every game. I mean, every day of practice I feel like we won the game.

Yeah.

So I'm like, all right. When I got to Philly and they, is there the matchup? I'm like, I was thinking about from when we played them in the OT. I know teams change, but I'm like, oh no, this team here, we got a lot more weapons, but also nobody giving us a chance.

Yeah.

Ain't nobody giving us a chance. Like, what we got to lose?

Yeah. Were you shocked when Malcolm Butler wasn't playing? 'Cause I assume the whole week you planned on playing a lot, you know, Malcolm Butler would line up, you know, against you or against another wide receiver throughout the game, and then you show up and he's not on the field. Um, like, what was that? Was there a conversation like in the huddle or on the sideline after the first series being like, hey, Malcolm Butler's just not on the field?

I think Bill was a smart coach that, uh, he seen that year before that, uh, we practiced against them, and I definitely, uh, it wasn't— oh, it wasn't a good, um Matchup for him. It was a good matchup.

Oh, that would be interesting because everyone keeps looking for an answer. What if the answer was just simply Alshon Jeffery would have eaten Malcolm Butler's lunch? That could have been the answer.

Bill being a great coach.

He's a great coach.

Yeah, I'm not saying that, but something else could have stemmed from— yeah, they could have had some friction over there. I don't know.

Do you remember?

But also, you would have— you dominated him in practice.

You remember what that stat line was like out of that practice?

Oh shit, I ain't dropped the pass.

Yeah.

Um, I'm not—

I like this theory.

Yes, this is a new theory no one's ever thought about. Everyone's been digging for this forever.

I'd like to apologize to you for not having come up with this idea. Like, that's, that's us thinking less of you as a writer, which we shouldn't have done, right? We've all been wondering, oh, what happened behind the scenes? No, it's just because that's a matchup nightmare for Malcolm Butler.

Go— if they got the tape in the film But I feel like, yeah, all our receivers, we dominated that whole week too. Not only we all dominated like that week, like we took it as like we playing against Super Bowl champs, we gotta see what they got.

Yeah.

True story, the first play we going one-on-ones, me and Logan Ryan going against each other. I'm like, cool. But you know, it's so many receivers, you know how training camp, you got like 15 receivers. So we split up lines, half cornerbacks go over here, First day, I run a route, run a route, whatever. He came, he ran from over from the other side. He's like, Jeffrey, you up next? I felt like he challenged me.

Mm-hmm.

So I'm like, did he say Jeffrey up next like he trying to tell me? Yeah, I'm like, oh, Jay, I'm up next. I got a go ball. I'm letting you know what my route was. I felt like he probably didn't, but I felt like he was trying me. Oh, look, say it, Moss.

Yeah.

Every one-on-one route, never lost. Every receiver, I don't think we dropped the ball. They went from press coverage, everybody back. Yeah.

That's crazy.

Was there, was there one cornerback that you, I don't wanna say struggled against, but you look at back and you're like, that, those were good matchups, equally matched talents going at each other?

I feel like I played against a lot of I think Darius Slay was one of the great ones. Jason Ferrette. Obviously, Stephon. It was somebody I was talking about the other day. Aqib Talib. Me and him used to have some battles.

Yeah.

He was pretty tough, but me and him used to have some battles. I feel like it's a lot of cornerbacks in the league that was pretty good that I had some battles with that we can go back and forth. I mean, they got the best of me. I got the best of them. I'm cool with that.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Did you, did you like playing with Jay? Because I mean, like I said, the, the, you, I think you have the record for most receiving yards in a game for the Bears. Not exactly illustrious history for Bears wide receivers, but having you and Brandon Marshall that those years is like this offense, like this is crazy. We actually can throw the ball. And Jay, I would imagine like he would tell you like, hey, just get open. Like, get down there and I'll throw it up to you. 'Cause he'd take risks all the time.

I mean, me and Jay had the chemistry. Like, once we figured out, like, just throw it up or like the communication was, it was slight, like a little signal, thumbs up. That means we about to run the, it could be slant and go.

Yeah.

He playing inside. I'm looking at Jay. Yeah, that ain't gonna work.

Yeah.

So it was like we had that type of chemistry and Jay, this is what Jay would say. He was like, I play quarterback, I can't see it from your point of view. 'Cause out here, this is in air conditioning, I could tell you what I want you to do. But you do your thing first. Whatever you gonna run your route, however you run it, I'ma find you. And you just get open, get in this window and space like that. Like he was communicating like that. And if it didn't work out your way, then let's do it my way.

Yeah.

That's how it was.

Yeah.

And that was easy.

Yeah. And his arm, I mean, he could make every throw.

I feel like, uh, Jay could be on the baseball field right now. He could be somebody closer still today, I feel like.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Insane arm.

Was there, um, was there an art that you had to, uh, drawing pass interference penalties? Um, I think the great ones, they, they figure out a way sometimes when they know they're not going to catch it, still try to get that flag.

Yeah, I'll definitely pull you closer to me. It's little techniques that if I grab you— see, my thing was if I can grab your wrist, I got control of you so I can pull you to Yeah. So most times DB's gonna panic.

Yeah.

They ain't— they can't see the ball, they don't know where it's at. But, and, uh, I feel like 9 times 10, you know, you— I'm— I got a better chance of catching the ball, but I don't know why they always just panic. But when I just can't catch the ball, I'm like, yo, what's the angle the referee can see? It's all different angles. He may not can see that, but the one over here can see this. So whoever can give me the call, because, you know, you got the back and the side judge— I mean, over here on this side. So I used to always look at where the referee's at too when the ball's in the air.

Yeah, I think a lot of times, like, refs don't look at the wrist. You're right. They don't look at where the wide receiver's like grabbing beforehand.

As you see a lot of calls this weekend.

Right.

It could have been a lot of OPIs.

It could have been a lot of OPIs.

It could have been.

But how did you learn what the line was? 'Cause you had, they called you for a few OPIs, right? Like at the start of your career?

Oh no, some of 'em I knew for sure. I'm like, I can't let you get an interception.

Yeah. Yeah.

Some of those like, nah, no interception.

Yeah. I forgot. So I started it with you when you said you were just in Chicago for work, but you also had an incredible quote that I don't think has ever been done. When you were after the season in 2016, when you were still technically a Bear, you said, I guarantee you we're going to win the Super Bowl next year. Then you went to the Eagles and you won a Super Bowl that next year. I don't— has that ever been done?

Come on, Vegas.

To say—

Vegas, I told you.

Oh yeah, yeah. One time in sports history that I can remember, it's when Bryce Harper left the Nationals, and when he signed with the Phillies, he said, I came here because I want to bring a World Series title to Washington, D.C. And he's like, oops, no, I meant Philly.

That's true.

And then the Nationals win the World Series next year.

But it's pretty incredible that you, you called your shot. It wasn't with the Bears, but I mean, you did say you guarantee you're going to win the Super Bowl next year, and then you did.

You did. That's how passionate I was and that's how much I wanted to stay. I was talking about the Bears because I was confident I was coming back.

Then you got traded to the Eagles, you're like, all right, still stands, gonna win a Super Bowl. That's pretty fucking cool.

That is cool.

That's pretty fucking cool. The double doink was, I mean, that sucked.

Did you feel bad when that happened?

You had to feel a little bad.

Like, oh man, I wish it was another team.

Yeah, that was, I mean, Yeah, at the same time, because I feel like you knew everyone on the Bears team.

Yeah, on the flip side, if the Bears don't play us, historically they probably go to the Super Bowl.

Are that defense—

because we was coming, we came in hot because we had, we won like 6 games in a row, so we came in hot. But if they didn't, if they didn't play us, I think historically they would have won this. I think they would have won the Super Bowl that year.

Yeah, we, we had, uh, I had one of the best defense ever. Yeah, yeah, incredible defense. Um, I have a question real quick about your, uh, other sport, basketball.

Yes, sir.

So I don't know if this is correct. Uh, there's conflicting reports. You did win 4 state titles. It says that you were 126-1 in high school basketball.

That's correct.

What happened with that one game?

This is my freshman year.

Okay.

We lost in a Christmas tournament. Uh, the team that won the championship, we lost that game. Uh, It's just unfortunate. I feel like that kind of took us on a run and like, oh, we can't lose no more.

Wait, so you— so it was your freshman year, so you— I don't know how many games in a season, but you like, if you did like quick math, you went like 115-0 after you lost that game? Something somewhere around there?

That's insane.

Didn't lose again?

Did you—

We was like on an 80-game winning streak. I played in the All-Star Game or 88 games, either 80 or 88 game winning streak. I played in the All-Star Football Game and we lost. Our streak had ended. I'm not saying I was the fat— it was meant to happen that streaks is gonna end. Yeah.

Right?

But yes, 126 and 1 when you were on the court. Was it just like, did you just dominate everyone? That must have been the most fun ever.

I think my high school, shout out to Coach Frederick and Coach Zam and Coach Dooley, which they brothers, they do a good job in our program since I feel like 5 years old. So imagine me and you at 5 years old, we doing drills, we all do the same drills. 'Cause where I'm from, every kid, it was like a summer camp, but everybody used to like to go to the gym and play against each other. But we had fun games, but it was somewhere we all looked forward to going to. So imagine from 5 to all the way to high school, we go do—

They're coaching.

We running the same plays as the high school from 5 years old.

Yeah.

Oh, that's awesome.

So I know your strengths, so it's your night. You can have 40.

Yeah.

So it's like, and we know, and we press, we play defense. So it was like, it was easy for us. I feel like we all had the chemistry.

101 straight wins. What was the most you scored in a game?

In high school? I don't know, honestly. The most I ever scored in a real, in a game was AAU. I scored 40.

Okay.

But on my high school team, we always was winning by 40.

Yeah. Yeah. So they, they take you out? Yeah.

So would you even like, when you were getting, like you'd show up to a game and you'd be like, all right, here's another game that we're gonna win by 40. Did it get boring at any point?

Nah, it was competitive because our first team and third string, we like in practice, you didn't play. So he, he would mix the teams up. So first string don't play together on the same team.

Right, right. So the practices were harder than the games?

The practice is real.

That's so awesome.

So yeah, the games were fun. The games were just— we get to go out here.

Like, we looking at— one time I couldn't believe we beat this school that bad, but I had to ask my coach. I'm like, coach, yo, why we, um, we kind of like be embarrassing people? Like, and I ain't saying it like that, but I had to ask him. He was like, when I first started coaching, they used to beat the hell out of me and they ain't had no sympathy. And then I'm like, oh, you right. You gotta get into it. You gotta learn from it. 'Cause we played this one school, the score, I remember it was 144 to 21.

Oh my God. Do you still hoop at all?

Sometimes.

Yeah.

Did you think about playing in college?

I thought about it.

Did you get recruited anywhere?

I did. Where?

By who?

The crazy story, University of Florida was my first scholarship in 8th grade. Joe Cannone and that team that year when they won the back-to-back championships, I went to camp that year, to they camp and got a scholarship. Billy Donovan gave me a scholarship.

No way.

Why'd you decide on football? Like, that's— that was a great team.

I mean, my high school coach, shout out to Coach Walt Wilson, he recruited me every day. He was my history coach. He was like, everybody in the NBA like 6'5, 6'7, you know, you probably gonna be a point guard. But he's like, you 6'3, 6'4, the average height of a defensive back and wide receiver is like 5'11. I'm like, all right, yeah, let me think about that.

Yeah, good point. Yeah, that is a very good point.

I think it worked out for you. That would change my perspective about it.

You probably— if you'd gone to Florida, maybe we wouldn't know Matty Walsh's name. Yeah, right.

True. Although he was before—

oh, was he?

Yeah, he was before Joakim and those guys paved the way.

Yeah.

Yeah. That's—

I mean, that's crazy. 8th grade to get a scholarship to the national champion Florida Gators. That's got to feel good.

Yeah.

I mean, because I didn't really play football, I was like until 11th grade or junior year in high school. Yeah.

Yeah.

That's awesome.

What was that like? You obviously knew Did you know that— I'm sure that you had coaches that asked you all the time, hey, when are you gonna start playing football? When are you gonna start playing football? Did you know that you were gonna wait till your junior year, like minimize the amount of hits that you were taking out there or what? Was it just like time?

I actually went out there one game in my sophomore year and they lost the game, but I scored a touchdown. I'm like, oh nah, I don't lose.

Yeah, I can't lose.

Our team wasn't together. It wasn't together like, like basketball. Our basketball team was more together. And then the next year, I feel like, I'm like, let me give this another try. Let me give it a try. And I feel like with anything, the more you get better at it in practice, the sky's the limit. So that's how that went. And I just stuck with it. I stopped playing basketball full-time. I'm going football. I'm going to football camps now. I don't want to do more, no more AAU. I'm just all football.

Yeah.

Good choice. All right. Well, this has been awesome, Alshon. We appreciate you coming by. Zach, do you have a last question? Rowback question, R-H-O-B. Rowback.com, promo code TAKE, 20% off your first purchase. Q-zips, polos, hoodies, joggers, shorts. Rowback.com, promo code TAKE. Hit them with it, Zach.

I did have a quick question. I know going into that 2017 season and training camp, you do tear rotator cuff. Was the decision to always play through that, or was it like you saw this, the season kind of heating up and you knew where you guys could go, so it's like, now I gotta play the whole time? Or what was like— could you maybe walk us through like week to week, were there ever any doubts you were going to come out, or was always play the season through and go get Well, I called my physical therapist.

Shout out to Dave Reavy. Matt Forte hooked— shout out to Matt. Matt hooked me up with him. I was working on the whole— he's actually here from Chicago.

Yeah, yeah, he lives down the street. Yeah, he's come by the office.

Great physical therapist.

Yeah.

He— I called him. He was the first person I called. I'm like, I did XYZ. I'm like, you think I could be able to play with this? You think you could help me? And he's like, yeah, we can make it work. And I'll shout out to— I will say the Eagles did a great job, they staff too, and all us like working behind the scenes. Like, we put it together and like it was a great, uh, it's great. Yeah, it all worked out. When it first happened, I was like, it was a lot of pain, but once I got used to it, I'm like, if I can lift up my arm and do certain things, I'm gonna be all right.

Yeah.

So did you ever have the surgery?

Yeah, I did.

Yeah, well, that— the recovery from that is such a pain in the ass, isn't it?

My shoulder still hurt today.

It's like the first damn 6 months you You can't move your arm at all.

Yeah, that's—

it's—

I don't wish that on no one.

Yeah.

I feel like, I don't know if I should just not had this. I feel like once I got used to the pain, I feel like it was— I should have got the surgery.

Yeah.

That's how I feel now, 'cause I feel like it's hurt. It bothers me more now than—

Yeah.

So.

At least you got the ring.

Yep.

You got the ring.

Oh yeah, for sure.

Now flags fly forever, right?

Nah, and I was gonna say on the flip side, yeah. I was on a 1-year deal, so I'm like, oh no, this can't happen. I can't end my season like that. Yeah, I know. I can't end it like that.

All right, well, Alshon, this has been awesome, man. Really appreciate you stopping by. And wait, who are you rooting for tonight? I know we're gonna run this later, but—

Tonight I got—

You're rooting for the Eagles, it's okay.

I'm gonna say this. The Bears established the run game. I think it's maybe a long night for the Eagles.

Okay.

Eagles can stop the run. It's gonna be an interesting game because we got the crowd effect. It's gonna be— it's when I say we, it's everybody.

All right, so, so when you say Jalen Hurts is your number 1 quarterback in the NFL, where do you rank Case Keenum?

Case is a seasoned veteran.

Yeah, very seasoned.

Oh yeah, here we go.

Seasoned veteran.

But, uh, can't discount experience.

Yeah, he got experience.

This is gonna be fun running this.

A lot of experience.

Case Keenum Case Keenum shocks the world.

This would be fun running this. He's got a ton of experience.

He got experience now.

Lots of experience.

I don't think Case Keenum's gonna shock the world.

Like decade of experience.

So, but the run game, I would say the Bears gonna rely heavy on the run game. 3rd down is gonna be big. Eagles, they go down and score a few drives, things could get out of hand.

Mm-hmm.

So.

So non-pick, I like that.

That was smart.

You can't, it's your 2 teams.

But playing, I would say giving it to a 3rd string quarterback. quarterback, I'm going with, uh, the Eagles.

Okay.

So I'm going with the Eagles.

If you were to look at, um, all the quarterbacks from that draft a couple years ago, you got, uh, Caleb, you got Jaden, you got Drake, you got, uh, JJ McCarthy, Michael Penix, Bo Nix. Out of those guys, how would you put them right now in terms of guys that you would want to play with?

Okay.

I think they, I think they all super talented. They all got the opportunity to— if you get some more experience, some experience or culture is different and being coached is different. But obviously I would say, uh, I'm going with the Iceman first.

There we go.

I'm going with the Iceman first, man.

Okay, there you go.

Um, who's number 2?

Number 2, I will say Boakye Spinney.

Okay, on the fourth quarter.

Boakye Spinney.

Yeah. All right, number 3?

3, I'm gonna have to go, uh, I'm gonna go with Jaden. Yeah.

Okay.

All right.

Good. Yeah.

What about 4? Uh, you said Michael Penix, uh, Drake Maye, and JJ McCarthy are still on the board.

I'm gonna have to go with my Carolina boy. I'm gonna have to go with Drake.

Okay.

Okay.

I'm gonna have to go with Drake.

And then Michael Penix and JJ McCarthy to finish it out.

Yeah.

That's the ranking.

Yeah.

Okay.

All right.

That's interesting you said my Carolina guy, like, but there's no beef between North and South Carolina?

Oh no, no, no, no, no.

It's all one Carolina?

Ain't no beef. Now we got family from both sides, so ain't no beef.

Okay.

Everybody identifies as the Carolinas. Yeah, that's true. I mean, South, we a little bit more South. I mean, both Southern states, but I feel like we Carolinas. Like, you know somebody from North or South Carolina, like, it's all love.

Yeah. So, all right, like that.

Carolina versus the world. Well, Alshon, thanks so much for stopping by, man.

You're, you're the best.

And thank y'all for having me.

All right.

Alshon Jeffery is brought to you by Bluechew. Football season's here, guys. If you want your Saturdays and Sundays free, you're going to need to show your girl a good time on Friday. Bluechew Gold will help you cover that spread. It's got 2 ingredients for arousal and 2 for harder, longer-lasting erections. Bluechew Gold will make sure that you're performing well into the 4th quarter, even overtime. Gold is up to 3 times stronger, 5 times faster, And 8 times longer lasting than the other options. That's not a 2-minute drill, that's defense with a capital D. There's a reason Bluechew is number one brand for better sex. Experience it yourself at bluechew.com. We've got a special deal for our listeners right now. You can buy 2 months of Bluechew Gold and get the free third free with promo code PMT. It's promo code PMT. You will also receive an additional 10% off and free overnight shipping on your first order.

order.

Visit bluechew.com for more details and important safety information. We thank Bluechew for sponsoring the pod and the bedroom.

Okay, fire fest of the week. Let's go, Hank. What's your fire fest? Is it that you missed the ball playing golf?

I was gonna say I had a pretty good week. Yeah, I had really nothing, nothing of note. No bad tape.

Did Whitney text you?

No. Did he text you?

Yeah.

What'd he say?

He said, was this filmed before or after the grudge match? This is getting out of hand.

Well, let's— yeah, I mean, let's, let's, let's listen. I understand, I understand this company. It's, it's— I've worked here for 15 years. It's page views over everything. That's turned, you know, as, as we've pivoted to video into just views, clips. I know how it is. We were playing— and go watch the video, uh, Foreplay, Foreplay YouTube channel. We did a 3v3 scramble. Scramble being the keyword there. Me, Big Cat, and Trent were on a team. I played a lot of golf with Big Cat. He's a big boy. When he— Whoa, you are?

Okay, that seemed— that seemed like a weight joke.

No, it's, it's, it's a, it's a preamble. It's a, it's setting up a compliment that when you, when you hit a good drive— like, I've played enough golf with you to know, like, when you hit a good drive, it's farther than me hitting a good drive, no matter how, how good I hit hit it.

True.

And in this scramble, Big Cat hit, you know, a perfect drive, dead center, probably 350 yards in the middle of the fairway.

Maybe nailed it.

So I'm going up and I'm like, I'm like, fuck it. Like, I'm— there's— if I, if I hit this perfectly, it's— we're not using it. So I'm gonna try and hit this as hard as I can. I've seen the videos of like the long drivers, they, they pick up their front foot. I was like, I'm just gonna, I'm just gonna try and hit this as hard as I could, which in golf is usually not the correct strategy. And I missed the ball. And the clip then just gets posted with just that, which again, like, I know how it goes. Memes posted it maybe seconds after the video dropped. All fair game. And then I get, I get, I get roasted online, which I don't— it is what it is. I know how it goes. This is the, this is the clip economy. This is, this is how we, how we get paid.

Gotcha culture.

Yeah. It's like, I'm trying to make— we're trying to make a good video. We're trying to get good clips.

Yeah. If you hit a sweet drive down the middle, middle. Guess what? They're not gonna post that.

No, I haven't seen any of my sweet chops.

I got a lot of them. Yeah. So again, I'm just trying to, you know, do my part for the team. We already had a good one. Let me just try and crank it. I missed it. Yeah, it was bad, but it is what it is.

I had your back because there was some guy from Sports Illustrated was like, vanity handicappers are worse than sandbaggers.

I replied to that guy.

And this guy says he's at 12. That guy doesn't understand what you just said, that you were trying to miss the ball because you were swinging really hard.

Also, he's a 12 righty. I replied right away. I was like, dude, 12 righty, dude. He never said he was a 12 lefty.

I also like the thing.

It is like I play a lot of golf and like I play like, you know, matches for money. Like there is no reason to, for, to make up a handicap, like to do the reverse sandbag of what people are saying. Like I understand. And the, you know, the tape when it's out there is not the best, but I think people don't understand handicaps. And I think people that say that like don't don't play golf, like, you know, play golf matches with their friends where they're like playing for money or whatever, where it's like it, it helps no one to do that.

I agree with you that people just don't— I, I'm a 24. I keep a real handicap and people are like, no way you're a 24. I'm like, 24 is a bad golfer.

Yeah, it's—

what are you, what are you talking about? That's, that's—

24 is like you break 100 half the time. I mean, no, that's enough to have fun.

Yeah. But yeah, I don't know what— why would I— I only started keeping handicaps so I could gamble when I, when I golf. What would be the point of screwing myself and making my handicap lower so that I could then lose money?

Right.

I think— I don't understand that.

I think Hank should try to— you should have 3 handicaps. Lefty, Righty, and then on camera.

Yeah.

Yeah. I mean, I can't— I wasn't able to archive my— I just have one handicap.

Yeah.

Golf.

My brain is not good at golf. ADHD, golf, maybe not the best combination.

I like that. We're blaming— we're blaming that swing. That was my ADHD.

Well, no, it's just like in general, it's like, yeah, I'm like, you know, people are like, you play a lot of golf. You suck.

All that.

We've had this conversation, but it's like, why do I play? It's like, yeah, maybe, maybe, uh, like, uh, having ADHD and then playing a sport that requires like 100% focus, like 100% of the time, maybe not the best combination, but I still have fun.

Hank played really good last weekend too.

Yeah, we played on Friday and in Pebble Beach. And at Pebble Beach. Yeah, all off camera. I'm gonna, I'm gonna try— we're trying, trying, trying to get some rounds on camera before the fall ends. I got some callouts to make.

Oh, you're one of them.

Oh, I just need to get some reps. I need some reps.

Okay, Jersey Jerry.

Mike Grinnell's number one.

Yeah.

Okay, Chef Donnie, call him out. I'm gonna call him out.

Okay, I consider them called.

Yeah.

Is that the callout?

I'll make— I'll make an official call. This is a pre—

this is who's getting called out first.

The—

probably Chef Donnie or Jerry.

It's like video gameplay all the time.

I know. That's why it's like, that'll be the easiest one to call out, to make.

It's like a video game where, like, you have to beat all the guys, like Punch-Out!!, until you get to the big bad wolf.

I beat him straight up or handicap?

Straight up.

Oh, Big Cat and I had the best rounds of our life last week.

Yeah, that's true. We're just good at golf.

Grinnell might be a retirement match. If I lose, I might just quit lefty golf.

No, you say lefty golf, so that's not retirement. Lefty retirement. Yeah, I'm all right with that.

The leftirement match. Retirement. It is locked.

Leftirement sounds happy.

October. Happy October to all who celebrate.

I didn't realize it was October 1st till like 1:30. I was like eating a burrito. I was like, fuck it.

Wait, what are you locking in on?

Just life.

Oh, I know. I knew what he was locking in on.

Okay, that's great.

All right, I'll be waiting by my phone to get called out. I don't think I've been called out before.

No. Yeah. Get ready.

I don't— what do I say when I get called out?

How long do I have to accept?

Not long. So I don't think we got like a month. We got probably till November.

Okay. Is that— do you have a month going on for November?

We'll see. We'll see if I'm retired or not. Hankvember. It might be Rightvember.

Oh, right.

I hope it's not. But Okay.

The retirement match.

No, Whitey sounds big.

Is there such a thing as the, as the retirement match? Oh, no.

Death. Okay.

The big one.

Yeah. All right. PFT, your Fyre Fest.

Yeah, I've had a pretty good week, I'd say, overall. The El Camino made it all the way out to Michigan, drove it for like 2 hours. That was pretty sweet. I was just hoping it wasn't going to rain. So I was, I was wondering the entire way way because, um, we had to stop and fill up on gas a couple times. That's fine. That's the way she goes with that car. But, uh, I was very relieved that it made it all the way out there. So this week has been pretty stress-free with the exception of I'm finally starting to realize how inconvenient having the Wizards season ticket is because—

No way.

Because I live in Chicago.

No way.

It was all theoretical and something in the future over the summer when I got them. And now I'm looking at the schedule that's up and thinking to myself, how much money am I going to spend flying back to Washington, D.C. for basketball games? And then how am I going to figure out ways to get the tickets to give them away? So I'm trying to figure out the best way to give the tickets away, which is proving to be— yeah, what?

No, it's Zach. You're up, buddy. You're gonna have to run this for me. Zach, you remember when he bought the tickets? I was like, you're on the hot seat.

We've got the calendars.

We got the calendar. That's half the the battle. So right now I've got just a few matches. Yeah. PMT Bachelor Party at gmail.com. I haven't checked. I'm also— I'm going to try to give away some of them on my buddy JP Finley's show in D.C., his sports show, to like— so we can ensure that that's like a really local audience there. But I'm happy to give some away here.

I don't— I don't think you have to worry about that.

Yeah, I just— I don't want them to go unused.

I don't think you have to worry about like non-Wizards fans Being like, I'll fly in to take PFTs.

I think they might. I think they might. You're underestimating. I guess maybe you're not thinking about the Young Corps. Yeah, that's true. The Young Corps is gonna be a draw this year. Yeah. I did invite Senator Eric Schmidt to go to the Hawks game with me there. So I'm waiting to hear back from him on that one.

He's a senator from—

He's a senator from Missouri. Got it. Yeah, got it. He got confused about the Hawkeyes and the Hawks the other day. But he's welcome to sit next me courtside at the Hawks game.

Nice, nice. All right. My Firefest, simple one. Obviously, we talked about at the beginning, baseball season's over. You know what's not fun is having to explain to your kids that baseball season's over because MLB, the game's 9 o'clock. My kids didn't get to see any. They wake up like, do the Cubs win? No, dog walked. The Cubs win? No, season's over. And then I got the, the great question, what do you mean the season's over? season's over. I was like, we're not playing any more games. They're like, so my son's like, so we just have to wait a month and then we can play more games? And I was like, nope, we're not playing more games for— I didn't even get into the lockout talk. Yeah, we could be just never playing games again.

You don't want to go down that road.

Yeah, that, that's like a nice rite of passage of like having to tell your kids and having watching them be disappointed at breakfast, being like, oh, Shit. Season's over.

We're going to start talking more about the Blackhawks, though.

Yeah. Yeah. Bears are good. They did ask right away. They're like, the Bears are still good, right? And I was like, yeah, they're still playing.

Yeah.

They thought for a second there, I think they thought that like when one season ends, all the teams end.

Yeah.

And it was like, oh no. Like, oh wait, wait, the Bears made it.

Then you got to start explaining COVID.

Yeah. Yeah. Get ready to learn Bulls, buddy. Yeah. The Bears made it through this tragic accident, right?

Yep, they did. They survived. They survived the Cubs going out like feeble losers. I was like Frank the Tank. Feeble, feeble. All right, Zach, finish this off.

I had an OK week and then I did make a mistake.

Max almost killed you, Max, multiple times.

No, that was— that was a crime of passion. I don't put that— I don't hold that against Max.

How did Max almost kill him?

I headbutted him a couple of times.

Oh yeah, just a couple of headbutts, a couple of swings. OK, it was just like a couple—

like I was worried about like he was like strangling you kind of.

No, there's only one punch. It wasn't— I got— I saw the other side.

It was a punch. It was a punch of joy though.

Yeah, it was a passion punch. And like, that's a small— the corner there, it's a lot of energy per square footage. So you can't— you can't like hold that against somebody.

Yeah, I love the corner. Zach, you've got really good bedside manner when bad stuff happens. I feel like you're, you're kind of a calming presence a little bit for Max.

Very much so. He— like, I really liked having him next to me because I knew he wasn't gonna say anything when I didn't need to hear anything. And that's— and that was perfect. I just needed him to just sit there and let— and let me go through what I needed to go through. And then after we're done with that, we can— we can go on to the next.

How bad are you gonna want to go to the corner tonight, Max?

So bad. But I'm not— I'm not—

Can't.

I can't.

We're losing.

Nice. Banned. You can bring out the iPad now.

The iPad lost. Yeah. You could bring The overalls. That, that works every time.

Oh, the pigtails.

Overall is not a bad idea.

Ridiculous idea. Never. It's never worked once. It's been tried a lot. What about the pants?

What about the pants?

The green pants? Yeah.

Talk about the green pants.

Those could be a play. I'll bring those. I'll bring the green.

I can bring the green pants.

I think you need to— it's— I mean, it's elimination game.

Gotta have everything ready.

All right.

The green pants. I didn't think about the green pants. Those are— those are— those are powerful pants.

Titus last night came to the Cub stream with his lucky eyeliner on.

I didn't know that was a thing.

No, he— we were taping Yaks Wild, so he had to get some makeup done.

And then Zach's been there.

The chat was just like, what the fuck is up with Titus? And then when he got up to go to the bathroom in the first inning, I was like, hey, chat, just so everyone knows, like, Titus has lucky eyeliner he wears. Please don't be like weird about it. It's like he's been doing it ever since he was a kid. Every big Cubs game he puts on his eyeliner.

That would be very funny if that was true.

Yeah. Well, and then we realized like halfway through that if the Cubs came back and won, he would actually have to start doing it, which would be a very funny way to watch playoff baseball.

You got to do the paint job.

PFT, this guy wants Wizards tickets on January 7th.

Who's playing?

The Thunder.

Done.

That's a Joe Manning. Done.

That's a young core versus young core.

Let's see. Let's see the—

let's see the— what day of the week.

That sounds like the weekend playoff football or week 17.

Thursday.

Oh, Thursday. That actually might be the end of playoff or Thursday Night Football. Stand by, Zach. You said you made a mistake.

Oh, I did make a mistake earlier. I thought I've been working on turning a new leaf for the team. I didn't turn a new leaf for the team. What happened? I— what happened is sometimes we do like late sports and my TV is in bed. And then I— so I watched the— I turned the TV on in the bed. And then you guys are professionals. And I missed our appointment.

You went to sleep at what time?

I probably— probably like—

probably 7 PM.

7 PM.

You fell asleep?

I think I did.

And you stayed asleep? What about dinner?

I think that's what did it.

He ate dinner and he gets sleepy.

And then I was like, then we're gonna do the work. So I've got to watch this. We got to play baseball, boys. But the TV's in bed and I shouldn't have done that. So now I'm going to put the TV outside.

I like how he referred to us as professionals in terms of being awake.

Memes, how many times did you call?

I FaceTimed him 15 times.

This is also partially my fault.

I did tell him he could take a nap.

Is that something you usually do?

Oh, Memes totally set you up, dude. This is bullshit. That's a crazy thing.

But my response to that was, I know better. And then I—

yeah, he said, I know better. Like, I'm gonna stay up.

I was like, dude, we all take naps and then we work late.

I was mad at you for a minute, Memes. What'd I do? When we were texting on Tuesday night and I asked the question I asked, I texted Memes at like maybe 6 o'clock and I was like, hey, is there a way for me to stream from my computer in my basement if the Cubs game gets close, which it was never close. And he— I was like, like that when I text memes out, I'm asking like, can you tell me how? And he just wrote back, I think there's a way, and then just didn't reply. Well, I was driving for hours. I was driving on the way back. I was so close to being like, dude, I'm asking if you could help me. But then, then you're like, I'm— I've, I've texted Zach and he has not picked up.

So we did figure it out for the future, though.

Okay.

OK, well, there's no more perfect. So yeah. Yeah. Next Cubs game. Yeah. Next month when the Cubs play. All right. Good show, boys. Let's have a good football weekend.

Numbers 3. Phillies game went right. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. 10. We did. No, we did the Dodgers-Phillies preview already. Of course it went well. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Probably.

Pick a number for a Philly.

60.

I think you guys beat the Dodgers.

We got to stop that.

This show— no, this is time appropriate. Max, as people are listening to this, this is appropriate timing.

Max texted me as we were recording the show earlier and just said you were a bad guy.

Well, you were being a bad guy asking about Dodgers.

I wanted to pull— we had a guest that alluded to it, so I want to pull on that thread a little bit. It's called good interviewing.

Hurry up, Shane. I want to pull on my '86.

69. 27.

I'll do 2. 13. Jacob was what? 13. We're on a cold streak.

71. 71.

We're on a cold streak.

Yeah, we are.

71.

Suck at this.

Beams has never gotten it.

27.

What did you say?

You all suck ass at this too.

I think I've gotten it twice on the new machine.

27.

Colton's gonna get it.

He's got it. It'll be— it'll get real fun.

Oh.

61. Oh no.

Do you want more?

One off? No. Happy birthday to TJ Yeldon. Happy birthday to Sting and Gandhi and Zach Galifianakis. Happy birthday Saturday, Mike Sandrostill. Happy birthday CJ Stroud. Happy birthday to Freddie Couples. Happy birthday to Zlatan. Happy birthday to Abdulkarim And Saturday, October 3rd. Anybody else, Hank? Happy birthday to Billy Strings.

Fuck yeah.

Oh yeah.

You gotta know, you gotta know your boy's birthday. William Apostol. Love you guys. Memes, did I miss anybody?

I'm not a child. I'm not worried about people's celebrities' birthdays.