Transcript of A Quick NBA Power Poll, Minny’s QB Mess, Josh vs. Pat, and Week 9 Picks With Joe House and Peter Schrager

The Bill Simmons podcast is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. We are also brought to you by the Ringer podcast Network, where I put up a new rewatchables on Monday. That was super fun. We did Halloween, too, because it's Halloween. This is my favorite week of the year. Me, Van Lent and Chris Ryan. A lot of jokes. Halloween, too. Once scary, now more of a horror comedy, and we had a lot of laughs. So you're going to check that out. Next week, Monday, we're going to have a celebrity guest, and we're also I'll tell you the movie. We're doing Truman Show, which is just an awesome, awesome, awesome movie and had a lot of fun talking about it. So you have the whole weekend to watch the Truman Show. I call it Truman Show, but it is The Truman Show. Anyway, that's all coming up. No Prestige TV anymore for me because task is done. I guess I'm just waiting for the next show. It's not going to be The Morning Show. I'll tell you that much. Wow! I can't I believe The Morning Show. The Morning Show, not a horror, not a comedy. I don't know what it is.

I don't know what's going on with that show, but I watched every episode. I do like the Murdoch show on Hulu. I've been watching that one. That one's pretty solid. Although I do feel like everybody Everybody's worried about AI taking over Hollywood, and yet all these true crime shows start with there's some murder that happened and the person's either covered in blood or you see a body, and then it goes backwards three years. Don't complain about AI, but then start every true crime series the exact same way. I do like that show, though, and I like Jason Clarke. He's in some other show on Apple that seemed pretty interesting, too. But we are back into everything as a B plus or worse. World Series still recovering from game three. I know I talked about that on Tuesday. And apparently, the Dodgers are recovering, too, because they lost game four, game five. And now Toronto has it all in their hands. Could this happen in the Dodgers again? Where they win the 18 the winning game, and then it derails them for the rest of a World Series? Riveting sports week in ahead. We got football, got the World Series, the NBA is in full swing.

I've already run a gamut of emotions with the Celtic season. We were 0-3. I was convinced we were going to win 18 games. Now we're two and three. Josh Minot is stepping up and starting to wonder if we could be a playing team again. Austin Reeves is an MVP favorite. A lot going on. Very fun. We're going to talk basketball at At the very top of the podcast with Joe House, because I'm going to talk about the one team I'm concerned about, and then we're going to do a nine-day powerpull. And then old friend Peter Schrager joined us. We did Ringer 107 Picks, but we used Schraegs to just talk about all the teams as we did the Picks. Then we settled on our favorite ones. That's all coming up first. A break and our friends from Prochain. This is the Bill Simmons podcast presented by FanDuel. If you're betting on the NFL, come on. Fanduel is the place to do They've got everything. Same game parlays, quick bets for when you want to jump in live. Your way, so you can set your own lines on just about anything. The app's fast, it's easy to use, and best of all.

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All right, Thursday afternoon, Joe House is here. We're going to talk some basketball at the top, and then we're going to do football with our old friend, Peter Schrager. We're going to do some pics with them, too. House, we're 500 now in our pics. We're clawed back to respectability. I'm super excited about that. Super excited about this NBA season. I sent you a power poll, but before we go through it, because we did it last week. Got to get time.

Me, too.

There's an Uh-oh team through nine days. And we haven't discussed this. I wanted to see if you had the same team.

There's no question about it. We are in lockstep, Bill Simmons. I'm afraid we both took the over for this team. I'm pretty sure we did. It's a thousand % the New Orleans Pelicans. What the fuck is going on with the New Orleans Pelicans?

You went West Coast. I had an East Coast. Oh, yeah. There's a West Coast.

Oh, I can't believe we're not in lockstep.

No, New Orleans is an O2. But I mean, they're already having the injury stuff and all kinds of things.

They competed in their first two games and then just got completely blown out, rolled. Yeah.

Well, the good news is they have their first round pick. Too soon. Listen, we knew with the West, there was going to be one team that was probably going to be worse than we thought, but we just knew, just by law, there has to be four bad to mediocre teams. You can't have everybody be good. They're over under, I think, was 30 and a half. We went over with that. I wasn't thinking of that team. I was thinking of the Orlando Magic.

Okay, well, sure. I mean, that's everybody's Uh-oh. That's the Uh-Oh de jour is the Orlando Magic.

Watching them give up the 136 to Philly. Talked about it with legs a little bit the other day, but then doing the deep dive, reading some stuff, and there's already some stuff with the coach. What's going on here? The defense piece with them where basically everything goes on thugs. It's like, Oh, you have two scores? Well, we're out of options. We only have one guy to guard everybody. I guess Jonathan Isaac is just not a guy anymore. I finally remember the two years ago when he looked like he was like 1965 Bill Russell.

His whole career will come down to like, he was just 15% of a guy. Never got to 20% of a guy, even. Just 15% of a guy.

But the nerd started turning on Palo this week, including our own Kirk Goldsbury on Zack's pod when he was talking about how he was just concerned with some of the advanced stats. And then all week there's been stuff and there's been stuff- Goldsbury?

Give you permission to call him a nerd?

Well, I mean, he's an O. G. At the Sloan conference, that gives him nerd status. I'd like to consider myself a nerd.

Great.

If you go to Sloan conference and hang with the nerds, you're a nerd. But yeah, there's some concerning Palo stuff. There is some weird defense stuff. And then there's that trade where they gave up all their first-run picks and went all in, a trade that I fully supported. But have you watched them yet?

Oh, yes. In fact, I was live texting during that Sixers game because it was so eye-opening to me on both sides of the ball. On the one hand, I wasn't prepared for the speed that Philadelphia's backcourt plays at and the poise of those two guys. But on the other side of it, I just kept smacking my head. It's like, this can't be just sugs out on the perimeter. It can't be that. And it can't be the case. Our boy, Vernon, you put in the thread this morning, validated this.

We were texting him about the Memphis and a whole bunch of things, and then Orlando.

Validated that it can't be the case that can take I believe it's Conwell Pope was the glue for that defense. He was the guy for that Orlando defense? It doesn't make sense because he wasn't there the year before.

Yeah. Well, it's early. They're trying to incorporate Bane. The bench looks... I mean, yesterday, the bench had better stats just because they were getting blown up by Detroit, but Detroit worked them. The shooting is still... Like yesterday, they were 12 for 31 from three. That's a great day for Orlando. There's also every year in the NBA, there's a team that's a younger team on the rise that gets a lot of smoke and just gets pushed up to the next level without having done anything yet. And I think that might have happened here. I'm not counting them out just because I think the East is just super duper weird. But we're going to go over the basketball, the little power play I did. And one of the things that jumped out to me was there was like Five East teams that are all the same team. When you're watching everybody on the TVs, it's like these guys, they were in a tournament, they would all just go four and four against each other. But I just wasn't expecting Orlando to be in that group. You watch Orlando in Chicago, Orlando in Detroit, or Orlando in Philly, whoever.

It just seems like an even matchup. And they were supposed to be like a fringe contender.

Yeah, because their win total projection was like 51 games. And that had them at the top of the East behind only the Knicks and the Cavs. And we expressed skepticism properly, I think, on the preview show with Mr. Zack Lo. I think we all... Oh, no, we didn't all go under.

One of I think Zack had a...

One of us, Zack.

Zack had a lock over. Did he lock over that? I didn't mean to call that out. He did. You did. You're throwing shots at Zack. He's not even here to defend himself.

That was unintentional.

Zack went over 50 and a half lock. I told you, I texted you, I have cashed in one of my locks already. Even nine days in the season, I'm cashing in Brooklyn under 19 and a half. That is a win. I'm not using pencil. That's a pen. That is one of the worst teams we've had in the league in some time. I asked Liger the other day whether I think the worst team other than the '16 Sixers, which went maybe '10 and '72, '11 and '71, something like that, was this Mavericks team from '92 or '93. I think that Brooklyn team a real chance. But guess who's having a great time? Michael Porter. He's like, This is awesome. Iso.

Also-clear out.

I think Brooklyn suits him. I think he's going to be able to pursue his interests.

The best... What was Cam Thomas' game, 40. 0 Assets. That was my favorite. All right, let's rip through the power poll, and then we'll bring in Schregs. So still have the okay, say he's the favorites. I narrowed it down to three contenders, and I have three possible contenders. And I want to talk this out because I'm happy moving any of the possible contenders up if you want to conciliary it. But I have Denver and the Knicks and Cleveland as the three contenders. Look, whatever. Cleveland lost to the Celtics last night, but Cleveland doesn't have their team yet. I'm not concerned at all. No, I- I'm a little concerned about my 56 and a half over. The lock, if these guys are just not coming back anytime soon. But are you cool? Those three with contenders, obviously. But then the possible contenders Houston, Golden State, and I put San Antonio.

So we have to have San Antonio here until further notice. And I don't have any objection. Totally agree. If we keep getting these games out of Wemby, the impact on the rest of that team, they are very complementary. They are deep. And it is, of course, we're going to hyperbolize because we're only four or five games in to the season. Remember, the Washington Wizards with Spencer Dinwiddie and Montrez Harold five years ago started off the season eight and two, and you were congratulating me on that team. The first 10 games, things will happen. We'll see some. They could be directional. They may not be directional. But this San Antonio team, at this point in time, with what they're revealing to us about the possibilities, about the potential, they belong right where you have- I've been betting on them every game.

I've been betting on Milwaukee and San Antonio every game. Great. So San Antonio, they have an MVP candidate. They're second in defensive rating right now, which is nothing. They don't have Fox or Sohan yet. So when you think about that, where it's like their only problem is going to be, how do they work those guys back and still have minutes for everybody when everybody's playing well? And even guys like Kelvin Johnson are playing well. So I think it's a clear contender. Same for Houston, because Houston still has that ask kick gear. And you saw it, who did they play last night? Toronto. They just put up 139 points on Toronto. But Golden State is the one that I really vacillated on, whether they're an actual contender or a possible contender. And here's why I made them possible contender. I think there's a real chance Adam Silver hates Golden State, because I can't think of another explanation when I look at the schedule. This schedule they have, starting tonight, they're playing at Milwaukee, Saturday at Indiana, home Phoenix on Tuesday, at Sacramento, at Denver on a Wednesday, Friday, home Indiana, at OKC on a Tuesday, at San Antonio, Wednesday, at San Antonio, Friday, at New Orleans, Sunday.

These are all games. 17 days, they have 10 games, and They're basically all in different locations. That's a fuck you from the NBA schedulers.

One of the oldest teams in the league.

Yes. And that's why I want to see where they are in 11: 16 for that New Orleans game. Who's already hurt? Who's been sitting? How fresh are we looking? How impactful is Kamingo? What else am I leaving out?

No, that's it. Can we continue to get the continued high performance of Moody and Pods? This version of Moody and Pods was supposed to be the thing that was propelling them last year that was going to give them. And Kaminga, he's a revelation. Is he going to be satisfied? He's still satisfied right now.

It's a high level- You laughed when I threw the Sean Marion The Sean Marion concept. Concept. Still sounds ridiculous, respectfully.

Still sounds ridiculous.

Guarding the best guys on the other team.

That's a good idea. He He's their best athlete.

Run the floor, guard the other team's best guy. That's the Sean Marion blueprint.

Okay, that's fine. Now we have to wait. You're right, though. It's been good. It's a good version of Golden State. I'm happy to have it. So They can come out of this. We get more chances of high effective stuff. I'm in favor of that.

Just those 10 games, 10 different locations, but they're also at Milwaukee, at Denver, At OKC and then back to back at San Antonio. Those are five of the hardest road games you're going to have all season. So we'll see. That's the only reason I have them in there. But I like what I'm seeing. I like the chemistry, the Al Hoerfer thing still hurts my feelings. Next category, the Sleeper, which I had at San Antonio, but I think they graduated from Sleeperdom, so we put Milwaukee in there. And it's just Giannis in shooting. It's what we liked before the year. This was one of our locks. I think this was the only one, other than Sacramento's Under, that the three of us agreed on as an over. It was 42 and a half. Giannis has just been best player in the court every game he's played so far. The shooting is there. They have these sneaky dudes, man. I've liked Ryan Rollins. I liked him before the season. I like him more now. Did you have him?

It feels like it.

I think you did. I think you had Ryan Rollins.

I'm pretty sure we did. I feel like there was a Rollins moment.

He passed through the DC Vortex. These guys, yeah. Cole Anthony, Green.

Cole Anthony.

Kuzma was actually playing defense the other night on towns.

He doesn't have a choice. He wants minutes. It took him a whole post-trade. He's like, What is this? This Milwaukee team, it took them that long to acclimate, right? If we want to be Kuzma truthers, I don't know.

If you're being super friendly to Kuzma, you could say it took them a long time to acclimate.

Took It's been a long time to acclimate.

I continue to take this team seriously. I think I had them as a five seed. I thought they could climb as high as three if they got a healthy on a season and some other luck. They've had some guys out already, but I just like the team. I like how it's constructed, and it makes sense to me when I watch it. I have them eighth. Next group, there's four teams. Title is Let's See in March. Minnesota, Dallas, Clippers, Lakers. I I saw Minnesota in person on Friday. Moving the Lakers up, and I'll explain why in a second, moved Minnesota down from the contenders just because of the defense. Now, Edwards, he's missed the last two, but Minnesota is 25th in defensive rating right now?

It's just impossible to take Anthony Edwards off the floor and get any a read. I mean, they use all of their energy.

Should they be 25th in defense ever?

They play Mike Conley significant minutes. And he's still a good contributor. But he- Is he? But he knows how to play. He's got a good basketball IQ. They don't trust Dillingham. They won't play him. They can't get anything out of Terrence Shannon. This was the concern for the downside case when we were sitting and going through them at 49 and a half wins. It's the toughest one. Yeah. The bench needs to get a little bit better. Divincenzo has been fine. He's playing better. I don't think it's the bench, though.

I think it's that guard spot. Well, they don't have- They can't figure out the guard spot. It was supposed to be Dillingham at this point, giving them 20 minutes. Yeah.

And also Anthony Edwards isn't playing. But it's fine to just say, Okay, we're going to let's let Anthony Edwards come back. They came all the way back against the Lakers team that was missing seven guys the other night. They should have won.

I went to the game Friday, which I talked about the other day, and it looked like Minnesota was going to win by 30. And then all of a sudden, their defense went sideways. Marcus Smart started diving for balls. Luca and Reeves just started doing things. And all of a sudden, Minnesota was down 15. And it was one of those where you're watching the game going, Wait, how are they down? What happened here? Why are they this far behind? I've been here the whole time, and it seemed like they were in the game. But the defense, I don't know, it's a red flag. We'll see. That's why I said we'll see in March. Dallas, same with their weird team. Davis is already now... What is it? He had some weird tendinitis. Who knows? They could be way further down next time we do this.

Clippers, I don't know. We might lose some money on Dallas. We might lose some money on them.

Or there could be the Unitary Committee. We would have to be show up in Dallas. Clippers.

Let me ask you a question.

Am I concerned? Yes.

Do you Do you think that any of this indictment stuff, because it is apparent, it's revealing itself, that Tylu is a pretty central figure in quite a bit of this? That Damon Jones, Chauncey Billups, and Tylu- Just because he was friends with them.

Yeah. Yeah, I don't know.

He was in some places at some times.

Well, he was involved in two different things because that happened and then the whole aspiration thing. So two different things that just are pulling your attention away from trying to win basketball games.

It shouldn't matter for the Clippers because that is one of the deepest, smartest teams in the league.

When you have shit like that, it's never good. There's no upside to be like, oh, we have this really weird ongoing story that's just happening outside the basketball court, much less if you have two of them. There's no positive out of that. It's just stuff that's pulling your attention away from what's important. So I moved the Lakers up. And the only reason I moved them up is because Reeves is playing so well. I saw it in person on Friday. He took over the game for a couple of stretches. And this was a game where Luka had 48. And then now that Luka went out, he's been a one-man show. That shot that he won the game with- Awesome. Was just... They knew he was getting the ball. That was like a fucking A plus Lister shot. I don't know what to make of this team now because I I don't really like their 4 through 12 at all. I'm not sure they're going to be able to play defense. But with Luka and with Reeves, and then you're just going to move LeBron back into this and say, Hey, LeBron, just do LeBron stuff and set guys up and get some stats.

It's not nothing. I don't know what to make of it. What do you make of it?

Well, you'll get in trouble if you ask this, so I can ask it.

I mean- Oh, say it. You send in the bio I got checked.

They're already out there. I mean, you already see the trades. We didn't have to wait for the maestro. We didn't have to wait for you to be coming up with LeBron trades. The internet is speaking. The internet has spoken.

What is the Internet saying? I'm not hearing the voices. There's already a trade of- What was your favorite one?

Lebron and Bronnie, back to Cleveland.

Cleveland can't trade for LeBron. I went over this a month ago. They're not allowed to make trades.

I don't know. It doesn't have to be right away. Deandre Hunter was involved. I can't remember. There was Picks involved. There was a couple of other things. So, well, that's interesting.

I can't figure out a trade destination. I tried I'll do it again. I'll do it tonight, late at night, when I can't sleep, I'll give it another test ride. I actually sent you a task. If you spent six hours, could you come up with a conceivable Paul George Trade. Forget about Embiid. He's off the table. Is there a single Paul George trade? Because I have Sixers fans in my life. And once we trade Paul George, it's like, where? He's got three years left on his deal. Where are you trading him?

The teams that make sense are veteran teams that could use a veteran guy that will be able to assimilate him and take where they are in terms of the playoff profile and elevate themselves. That's the logic. That's the thesis. That's why it teams to me like a Golden State, like a Miami.

Those are the teams where Paul George- Miami is the only one. I gave that one to. Rozier is expiring. Wiggins, two years left for Paul George, who says no faster.

I did that on my own as well. I agree with you. That Rozier trade, that contract is a wonderful asset, magically, out of nowhere. Because you have to pay it. Miami gets this incredible asset. I think Paul George could make sense in Miami. I mean, why is Miami saying no? Because of the third year of that contract?

Yeah, because you're thinking, especially if you have Bam and you're paying Hero, could you be in play for the Giannis types two years from now? Do you want to tie up your cap? And is Paul George demonstrably better than Andrew Wiggens? Is he going to be that much of an upside that it's worth tying up your cap for It's a fair question.

It's a fair question. It's why we didn't- It's really just that fix. We didn't have the answer. We didn't reach a conclusion.

I do. I will- There's an affiliate that has to do, an affiliate that has to bring back Paul George and hope he plays well for a month, and then he goes right on the dark web eBay, just like, Yo, Paul George, any interest?

I would say out loud, I don't even know that they need for him to play well for a month. That's just to validate that he has four to limbs that work, 10 digits on his fingers that work.

Would you take them on the Wizards?

No.

If they gave you a pick or any asset to enjoy along with it, an advertiser?

It seems like they're going to be a low 40-win team. So where's that pick? They don't strike me as a lottery team right now.

Well, we're proving our point. They're not going to be able to trade Paul George.

Probably not.

Have you seen the ad for Arby's SteakTips?

It's so funny. I am literally I'm having this conversation in a couple of text threads right now. Shout out to my homeboy.

Why aren't I in the text thread?

How are you in an Arby's thread that I'm not in?

That's our place.

I didn't start it. It came to me.

As you would expect- You being in a Papagino's thread, not being involved.

No, as you would expect, I am a magnet for Arby's threads. The thread found me. I didn't go hunting for the thread.

I understand.

But there was a review in the Washington Post from my homie Tim Carmen. I haven't had a chance to read the review. Somebody pointed I put it in front of me.

Did he review the Arby's steak tips?

He ate them and reviewed them. And I'm not going to spoil it for anybody. But here's the thing. They're called nuggets. They're not tips. So this is part of the thing. I've had a really hard time with this because my affinity for Arby's is so well established, so well known. I thought the branding of this was a tiny bit off because they call them nuggets. Now, nuggets, that's a word that we have an association with. Steak Are they breaded? What does that mean? If you called them tips or you call them... You try to do something like the burnt ends that the Kansas City has made famous. They look like burnt ends. And if what you're doing is conveying to people Here is protein in a cup. Here is some animal-based protein in a fast food vehicle. But it tastes like barbecue.

Protein in a cup. It's the worst porn search in 2025.

This is my problem, though. The cup isn't appetizing. It doesn't convey a barbecue vibe. You don't eat barbecue.

It's not like you get Chick-fil-a nuggets, you get the box, you're like, Oh, you got Chick-fil-A nuggets. Now I want one.

That little envelope-shaped thing where it might look like, yeah, they're all nestled together because we were chopping off the ends and we put them all together and we slapped it on this thing and we put a tiny bit of slaw at the end, little vinegar slaw at the end of it. Okay, all right. Now my mind's working. What they're showing on the commercial and the way they're delivering it in this cup and they're calling it nuggets, just had a hard time getting my head around it. I have to tell you.

It's a great point. If you had veal nuggets or I'm trying to think. Any meat, Branzino nuggets, whatever it is, my head immediately goes with nugget to, you took a fish, a chicken steak, whatever it is, you put it, you air fried it, you grilled it, whatever you did. And it's going to have an outside with a breadcrumb type thing. And that's how I'm going to eat it. It's going to be soft inside. I'm getting hungry talking about it.

I want to try these things now. And I have set aside, I bookmarked Tim Carmen's review of the steak nuggets. And I'm eager to get his because when he likes stuff, I tend to like it, too. So I'm eager to get this.

Well, he's like your palate.

My muse. My palate muse, yes.

Interesting.

Here in the DMV, here in the DC area.

I'm glad we took that detour. Maybe we should do a food detour at everyone. I was watching football with some people on Sunday, and that commercial came up, and I just started laughing. I was like, I just think a house when I see Arby's steak nuggets on a giant TV.

Did anybody say, Oh, my God, that looks advertising. Oh, my God, we have to rush out and try these? No, it was more confusion. It's more confusion. That's what I'm getting at. But there's There's a way to solve this. I mean, I'm going to eat them. I probably maybe I'll do an Instagram on it. I'll get some this weekend watching football.

How about next Thursday? We should just eat them.

That's great.

This is not sponsored content, by the way. We're getting zero from Arby's.

Better than Instagram. You could do it right here on the Bill Simmons podcast.

The funniest was anytime we've driven to Vegas, that one Vegas stop at the two-hour mark, and they've got the 20 different fast food places. And you see the and it's like,.

You train me like a dog. You train me. You train me to understand. I know where it is. I know when it's coming. My body starts responding to it.

Next category. So let's say in March, it was Minnesota, Dallas, Clippers, Lakers. We're about to do a little drop off here. And this next category is called, Sorry, I can't Tell You Guys Apart, Detroit, Philly, Atlanta, Miami, Chicago. I just think if any of these two teams played each other in the play in tournament, Any result is possible or in the Emirates NBA Cup, whatever you want. The interesting thing to me is that Miami and Chicago played themselves up into this group. Miami, I think, is better than I thought they were going to be. Chicago just seems really comfortable. And a big part of it is Buzellas, obviously, but they've also been playing the same style now for a couple of years. They're well-coached. I think those five teams are right near each other.

Which one of those five do you think is the best? Because I have an answer to this.

I think Detroit is probably the safest bet for best.

Okay.

I think Philly has the highest upside because what's happening with Maxi.

I must be square because obviously, I thought Detroit was the right answer. I can't... I mean...

But the maxi piece, I was talking to Chris Ryan because I saw him after the comeback win against your Wizards. The maxi thing is like, if This is just who he is now, this is like we're now in Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell-like area, territory, which just changes their ceiling.

Absolutely, positively cannot rule out that this is just There he is.

He might just be a 28 points a game scorer now.

He's effing dominant. He is unstable.

He seems like the fastest guy in the league now, other than when Ja decides to dial it up. You know what I mean? Yes. From just Coast to Coast, he's just a blur.

He's got a ton of that SGA movement also.

Yeah, he's been awesome.

The way he can move inside the lane.

Atlanta is the one that I think could fall down from this group if they don't Trey's already banged up. The defense just hasn't been there, even though I like some of their defensive guys. But they have too many players I like. We'll see. The next one is the I Smell Smoke. That's Orlando. We covered them. One of the subpots I didn't want to happen this year is for Palo to become the Trevor Lawrence of the NBA. So let's hope that doesn't happen.

That's very disrespectful.

Water Treaders is our next one, Boston and Memphis. Boston stumbled into something really interesting with this Josh Minot, who didn't really play the first two games. And I think if he had played opening night the way they're using him now, I think they actually would have won because there was this moment where they could have brought him in in crunch time when Kata fouled out and they didn't. But I just think he has it. He's a real rotation guy, and he gives rebounding in defense and a little size. When I say this, don't... Just be careful.

You be careful.

He's doing a reasonable Tate him imitation of the rebounding defense piece. Okay. Not the scoring, but the ability to actually protect you a little on the guard people. He did a really good job on Evermobile last night. I was genuinely excited. Then Memphis, we were texting this morning, this Cedric Howard is a revelation.

There was a good sentiment out there coming in that he was going to be a hidden gem. I think our own Tate Frazier- He's unhidden. Isn't our own Tate Frazier on record with that?

No, he's just a gem. I don't even think it's hidden. All you have to do is watch a grizzly's game. It's like, who's that guy guarding everyone on the other team and making open threes? I'll admit defeat on the Bane trade. I'll do it right now. They trade Bane for all those pics. It's like, why are you guys doing this? And their attitude was, we feel like we can replace Bane. Well, they've already replaced him because Coward is going to get all those Bane minutes, and he's a better defender than Bane was. He's not as good of a shooter yet. So great trade for them. I love watching Cowerd. This draft is a 10 out of 10 so far.

They still, Memphis, I need to see the defense every night. I just don't. They're going to be in 35 They've had some absolute stinkers on defense already.

Water Treaders only because if they can, as Vernon always points out, when John Triple J actually play, they're pretty good.

They need to get their frontcourt back. They're still dramatically undersized.

Can they tread water until those guys come back? Next category is, Wait, where's our coach? That's Portland. Portland's just legitimately frisky. Professional basketball team. Drew has been really involved. It's been good to I see him doing old-school Drew stuff every night. Even though the scoop piece, they've been able to patch it together, he's running offense for them. I was really interested in that game they played last night, actually, with him. I don't know. Portland's not bad. If they were in the East, they'd be maybe in that conversation with some of those other East teams we mentioned.

No, they're talented. It does remain to be seen. I think they've won every game since the indictment was returned? Or did they lose one in there?

I think, well, they are three and two. They've won two in a row. Interesting team. I like Klingon, too. When you think about that draft, I think Klingon went after Dillingham. I think if we redo that draft, he goes higher. Next category, thank God for the World Series. That's Toronto. So we take the last time there, one and oh, and they killed Atlanta, and we were like, Oh, my God, maybe we were wrong about Toronto. Well, they haven't won since. Well, no.

I'm going to lose a bet. I gave them out as a lock at over 38 and a half or 39 and a half. I can't remember what it was. I thought for sure they were going to be in the low 40s. This team still makes no sense. It's amazing. All these years, we've been going on preview shows, talking during the course of the season. Make it make sense. And still, now look, last night, they were missing Pertle, and Houston is huge. So Sanguun came within one assist and two rebounds of a double-double last night. And I only know that because I lost a parlay. I had Houston and Sanguun getting a double-double without Pertle. That was a good bet. That was a good bet. Plus 135, that was a goddamn good bet. But I lost because Sanguun couldn't get one more assist or two more rebounds.

It's not his fault. You did great, Sanguun. Don't listen to house.

Maybe we should stop calling him Sengu.

Where do you think Toronto is in defensive rating after nine days?

Near the very bottom. I can tell you with certainty.

They are 29th.

I watched. They are way down there.

The other issue with them, it's a team that makes sense for 41, 42 minutes. But if we're in a sword fight at the end of the game and it's like, all right, that team has Tyrese Maxi, we're going to run a pick and roll quickly, or we're going to try to do the thing where everyone stands around and watch Brandon Ingram. They have all these options that are okay, but all these other teams they're playing have like, oh, they have Yana. Yes.

And the flip side to just that same point is last four minute defense. If the stop, it's fine to say we're a team that's going to get out in transition. We're going to force turnovers. Okay, that's fine for 42, 43 minutes. Now it's the last five minutes of the game. Nobody's running. You're in the half court. Stop somebody.

I'm not ruling them out, but it doesn't look good early. Next category, League Pass All-Star Charlotte, fourth in scoring, just doing their job. The only criticism I have with Charlotte, Banner Miller is already heard, but my only criticism is, Don't get blown out. Let me enjoy you for more than an hour before you're down 25. I want to see you guys go up and down.

We had a fun thing. Who's going to play center? It's Karp Brenner.

Yeah, he's fine.

He's fine. That's What's the answer?

Oh, and news flash, Conknipple is good right away. Yeah, immediately. He only told people that since June. Next category is shopping for Tanks, Indiana. This is the year from hell already. And then last one is why are we here? Phoenix, Sacramento, Utah, Washington. Let's just tank, oh, wait, we can't, New Orleans, and then dumping for Darren, the horrendous Brooklyn Nets, who we can talk about with Peter Schrager in one second. He's in in the waiting room. Fresh off argument, Dan Orlowski on NFL Live. We're going to take a break. Peter Schrager, Joe House next. The Bill Simmons podcast is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. Fanduel turning up the heat every Sunday with Power Hour, every Sunday from 3: 00 to 5: 00 PM Eastern. Fanduel is giving you a profit boost to use on live bets. They're in the most intense stretch of the NFL slate. This is when games flip, underdogs rally, parlay is hit. That's pretty fun. I think there's going to be a couple down to the wire games this weekend. We jumped on a bunch of them in Ringer 107. I feel like even though we took the bears in Ringer 107, bears, bangles, feels like that's going to be right down on the wire.

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Go with the basics. Go with the safe ones. Right now, you can get 15% off orders of $15 on NFL game days with code Game Day. Order now at littleseasers. Com or in the Little Seasers app. Offer ends February, 2026. Offer good at participating Little Caesar's stores an app and online orders, excluding third-party online sites with non-line purchase, $15 a month. Only available on NFL game days. And a promo code to check out to get 50% off your online order, max discount, $5, limit one per person per day. Cannot be combined with any other offers plus tax were applicable. Prices may vary, delivery available from participating locations With online orders only, copyright 2025 LCE, Incorporated. All right, our friend Peter Schrager is here. He's going to do Ringer 107 Picks with us and talk football and basketball starts. Schrager gets a little antsy that he hasn't gotten an invite. When we get in October, it's like, wait, I'm right here. Then I make the joke about, well, you're McAfee's guy now. Then he gets it, and then he doesn't know if I'm serious or not. We have this whole dance we do. And then it always ends in the right place with you here in the BS podcast.

It's good to see you.

You I never want to be in the Bill Simmons blacklist or on the cold seat. And I just like to throw a couple of sprinkles in here because eight weeks have gone by and not a single invite. We text all the time, but no invite. And then you said Joe House was on, and I got very excited. Let's go.

You've been on during the season, right?

I think I did preseason where I told you that the dolphins were going to win the Super Bowl and the lions were going to be terrible. So I think we have time to redeem ourselves here.

Jesus. My apologies for not having you on another time during the season, but I'm glad you're here. Plus, you get to be here with House. Love it. House has a hard hour, an hour, eight minutes from now. So we're going to zoom through Ringer 107 possibilities in a second. But what What's been the dominant doing these shows on ESPN? What's been the number one go-to story in October?

Cowboys Defense, baby.

Let's break it down. That's what it is?

Break it down. What is going wrong? What is Matt Iberflus doing wrong? Should they have traded Parsons? Now that they have made this bad trade, what do they do? Should they go get Hendrixon? A lot of Cowboys Defense talk. And just this week, we shifted a little bit. A lot of Drake May bill.

A lot of Drake May. Oh, my God. God damn it.

It was as if they beat the bills on that Sunday night. And then Monday morning, we did a lot of Drake May. Then it went away for a little bit. But then this week, it's been a lot of Drake May over at the worldwide leader. And I'm loaded to bear. I'm ready to go. I got so many notes. I'm like, Good, my real house. I only could say so many things about over shown to return for the Dallas Cowboys defense.

Well, House had last year's darling for the show is Jaden Daniels. Just segment after segment about how special he was. And now, Jake May just said, Hey, Jaden, have a seat over there. I'll be taking all of these segments now for the time being. Tough match up this week, though, with Atlanta. It's going to be a nice little test. They have a good secondary. They have a lot of momentum now at the pats Could they be the one seat? It's a lot of trap elements. I know House is studying. We are not putting the pats in Ringer 107. I'm just telling you that.

Really? Not this week.

Well, look- Stay away. I want to ask if I have permission to do this little segment with Shreggs because I think this is the first time we've been on together. Second time at most.

We did one- We did one shared food.

Yeah, we've hung. Oh, yeah. This is the second time. We did one maybe like COVID, like 2020, going through coach hirings.

I was like, I I remember any podcast I did for two years during COVID, so I would believe that.

The segment I want to do is, what the fuck is going on with blank? The question, since we're now on this New England Atlanta thing, what the fuck is going on with the communication issues with the Atlanta offense?

Isn't it weird?

I don't understand it. What's going on with them?

Okay, so I did their Monday night game two weeks ago when they beat the Buffalo Bills, and I was the sideline reporter, and they opened the roof up, and we got a production meeting with the Atlanta Falcons, and I sit with Raheem Morris, who can light up a room, and he's like, Schrags, I coached Cooper Cup, his Triple Crown seat I coached Julio Jones, our Super Bowl year in Atlanta. I was the wide receiver's coach. I can go back and I coached RG3 when he had that rookie season. I was on that staff. He goes, this guy, Béjan, is not only in that conversation, he might be the best of all. And he's like, our entire team runs through him, our entire offense runs through him. He is the heart and soul of our team. The defense respects him. They've scored 10 points since that 250-yard game in two games in a row. And it's so confusing. And Zack Robinson is the offensive coordinator. And he looked like he was dialed in. They moved them down to the sidelines. Everything was right in that Buffalo game. Pennex looked good.

You had guys out for the bills. The suspended guys weren't back yet. They did a whole bunch of stuff.

You start wondering, what the heck? And then they lost some offensive linemen along the way. And I know people tune out when you start talking offensive line as the reason because you're looking for a bigger... They're like, he more can't get these guys ready to play and that to lose to Miami is a fireable It makes sense all this. Trust me, Falcons are as frustrated as anyone. This game here, for them to be the upset underdog trap game. It's so out of this world if you were there in that building two weeks ago where it looked like this was a Super Bowl contender. So, House, I am with you. Two head-scrashing efforts, 10 points in back-to-back games. I know Cousins looked 100 years old last week. Even so, to lose to the Dolphins that way, where the Dolphins run the ball 37 times down their throats, that does not add up with what I saw and what they did against the Washington Commanders a couple of weeks earlier before that. So Atlanta, one of the great frustrations around the league because everyone thought they made that turn after that Monday night game. And that was a national coming out party for all those players.

And they've been just the pits ever since, no pun intended. He's been actually pretty good.

You know what they did, house? They landed themselves on the DNB list. They sure did. The do not bet list. Do not bet. They're just a fucking stay away. They killed us last week.

They killed us.

The thing with Cousins, it's like if you go to a restaurant and they accidentally bought some bad, I don't know, bad brand Xeno and the whole table got food poisoning. Do you blame the restaurant or the brand I guess is the question. Cousins was so bad, they had no chance really from the get-go. They're a stay away to me. Here's the thing. The Pats run day has been ridiculous.

No running back has had more than 50 yards. What?

But Béjan on wheel routes and screen passes against these Pats linebackers is a nightmare. This is what my Pats fan friends and I are talking about. If they get Béjan in space, Pits in space, the one problem with the Pats. The Pats are 28th of defensive DBOA, and their big issue is when their linebackers are in space, they can stop the run, they can push the line, they have a really good secondary. But that middle of the field, I think it's...

That's what I'm worried about. One of my favorite things you've had on a podcast in the last several weeks was Monday. You're like, everyone's raving about Spillane, 14, visor, badass.

Hentz is texting, you can't stand them in coverage. No. Yeah, Hentz has had a lot of spolane text. It's tough because there's just times when you just see the play and you just see in the TV, there's two people in a lot of grass. You're like, oh, no. Oh, my God. Anyway, I That game is in the no-thank-you-pile house. Yes, we're in agreement. I'll just tell you the four stay aways unless we're doing parlays. Chargers minus nine and a half, Titans. You didn't have that one house, right?

Why not? Titans in a game getting less than 10? What's the thesis for the Titans being competitive? It's more about the Chargers and the Jekyll and Hyde when they're offensive line. We know that Joe Ald is playing this Because am I right about that, Schregs?

That's the word. He's great last week.

Joel is playing football this week. He don't lose when he plays. And Becton. Becton is playing, too, it seems. Supposedly, yeah.

Quintin Johnson.

Quintin had a zero last week. He didn't do much. He sure did. I Was he on your fantasy team?

I got guillotined with Quintin Johnson zero.

And in our guillotine league, I picked him up. I have him now. From my team. I took him right off your zero. Yeah.

My zero. Chop my head off, and now you have him.

By the way, did you happen to see the interview with Kamari Vidal last week after the game? I love this because Justin Herbert is not going to give you much. Let's try Kamari Vidal. Not exactly going to be working on the Ringer anytime either. It's just hilarious. I'm like, Kamari Vidal is getting the interview. Usually, it's like usually it's the Aaron Rodgers or Matthew Stafford. Kamari Vidal had that opportunity, but it wasn't one of many words. I'll say that.

I wouldn't say Herbert as Mr. Dynamo either. No.

Did you sit near him at that Dodgers game? How close were you?

Well, so he was at the... I was at a Laker game that he was at and a Dodger game that he was at. And neither night was he breaking down the Titans defense.

What was he doing this week?

I want to put the chargers in a money line, a far-always situation house.

Okay, fine, fine, fine, fine.

Ram Saints, it's minus 14. 5. It's just stupid. That's a flash sale price. That line should be 11. 5. I don't know, dude.

Ram's coming off a buy where they're feeling really good about themselves. Saint in full-sale, fire-sale mode. All the veterans must go. That might be a 20 point, 30 point game, dude.

I'm fine with selling on... It's Mother Shucker's debut. You're afraid of the Mother Shucker?

How do you get excited that game if you're the Rams. That said, those 14 and a half, so where are they? Who did they play after this?

Every one of those games matters. They need to just go. It matters.

I get it.

The Colts just did that to the Titans.

The next two weeks, they're at San Francisco and then play in Seattle.

Okay.

That's the season.

Let's take a 10-point lead and just start handing the ball off and let's go home. Okay. Let's get ready for San Francisco. I don't know. That one worries me. So I had that one in the pile of the stay away. And then the last one was Panthers. Panthers minus 13 and a half at home against the Panthers. Where do you stay with the Pacers these days right now, Peter Schrager?

I think that second half that they had against the Pittsburgh Steelers is as good as any half a team has had all season. And their defense is so good. And they've had a couple lapses. There's two moments. The Cowboys second half was bizarre, and then they gave up a couple of big plays against the Browns in that weird loss. But other than that, they have been lights out. And that defense coached by Jeff Hathley, who, by the way, is going to be one of these guys that everyone's talking about in head coaching conversations in the next couple of months, is only complimented by an offense that is so dynamic with all of these different receivers and tight ends that you don't really have a way to stop them if they're feeling it. And he completes 20 straight passes, and we do all that. But to who he's throwing to, it could be Matthew Golden, it could be Kraft, it could be, you know. Heath, it could be all these guys. They have so many different players that it's really hard to defend. And whereas the Eagles, it's so much friction and there's so much outside noise.

I'm pretty plugged in with these packers guys and the players and the coaches. It is like Kumbaya up there right now. They're all on the same path. Micah is the lighting up the room, a complete joy. Anything you might have heard about his personality. He is house. He is just pure, pure happiness, and he brings it the best out of everybody. So packers to me, right now, if you're asking me week nine, a team I wouldn't want to face, it's those guys.

It's funny. They're so loaded at receiver. I waved Golden in the guillotine league, not because I don't like him, but because in guillotine, you just have to have guaranteed points. You just got to make sure. I actually ironically waved him for Quentin Johnson. But the packers have so many receivers. I don't even know anybody, even Kraft, who's awesome, who looks Baby Grox sometimes. Even he might have a game where he has one catch for 11 yards. Totally. They have all these different ways they can go.

It's daunting. And they have another tight end, Musclery. They have a lot of different guys. And last week, they got Christian Watson back, and he's a really good deep threat. And Romeo dubs. So it goes on and on. The question is, the Lions game is in week 13. I'm already circling that. Can they keep it where they're a game up or they're tied with the Lions? Then can they sweep the Lion's because home field is going to Interestingly enough, everybody's team that they're picking apart, the Eagles go there next week for a Monday night football game. I think we'll learn a lot about both teams, Philly on the road in Green Bay with Green Bay, probably getting all the hype train going into that.

Well, and how? So you know that the tie is going to matter somehow with these seeds. It's just love averages. Absolutely, yes. Right now, they're the one seed because they're 5, 1, 1, and Philly's 6, 2. But I think if they in this week, but who could figure it out? But you just know it's going to come into play. When a good team has a tie, it's always like, well, that could be one or two before. So you went on that Philly team? Where do you stand on a betting standpoint these days with them?

I've come around a little bit. Now, the Giants were lively against them. And I really feel like that bad whistle that the Giants caught was undeserved. I'd be interested in hearing what the scuttlebutt inside the NFL around that because they all deserve better. That was a tough whistle the Giants got. But this whole thing everybody keeps talking about. I think Peter Schrager, I'm so happy he had time to break away from a full day. He hosted first take this morning for three, six.

Did you host first take this for them?

I did. Steven A.

His voice is messed up a little bit. And then you did NFL Live?

I did NFL Live.

So we're getting a gamey... This is like a 15-inning. You're like Will Smith catching the 16th-inning for the Dodgers.

It's It's a tremendous job. But everybody's talking about this idea.

I'm like Michael Jordan. I don't believe in load management. Just cut up this interview 16 times over the course of the season.

Let's go. He's here. He wants the people to see him. God damn right. Everybody loves this idea of the Eagles's under center as opposed to out of shotgun. The Jalen Hertz under center, it creates this uncertainty. There's no question that the offense has been better. And the ironic thing is that it's because the kid can't snap a shotgun comfortably. Isn't that the explanation for it, Shrex?

They never were playing anything under the center to start the season. They were struggling. Now, the last two weeks against the best pass defense in the league, two weeks ago, Jalen Hertz, three 330 yards. Then last week against the Giants, they ran for 250 yards. That's what scares you if you're an opposing team. Like, oh, okay, wait, they actually can do both of these things and they're both working. Offensive line has been an issue for them, which is such an interesting change changed from years past with Jeff Stoutland in that unit. But let's see if they can get healthy and let's see if they can keep it going. But yes, the shotgun versus non-shotgun, they were exclusively a shotgun team. And now all of a sudden it's like, wait, maybe we're better this way. It's fair to wonder why it took to week eight or week nine to figure that out.

Schrake, do you feel like Hertz has been struggling against the triple umbrella Bernays Robin? You're hilarious. One of my things I'm going to start doing on the pot is I'm just going to make up defenses that It just sound fancy.

I got caught on Get Up last Friday because I tried making an analogy. They give you 15 seconds. And I said with the A. J. Brown stuff, I'm like, All right, so this is the equivalent of that couple that's always fighting. And instead of them getting separated, they decide, screw it, let's get pregnant, right? Let's have a kid. And that's an analogy you know. How do you know that analogy? People talk about it all the time. It could be- I like it.

It could be- It could be- Let's have a kid.

It means let's double down. I mean, we get that. Harry Douglas is next to me. Bart Scott is next to me. The second I said a man getting pregnant, they're like, what? And I'm like, oh, God. There's not going to be a... Okay, I just put it out there. There's no selling going on. We've talked about this, Bill. You got to sell me, guys. You got to laugh. So then I'm like, oh, no, you're right. You're right. Go back to the triple robber, the high safety talk that we just broke down. And that fell flat, too. And then I'm like, okay, screw it. Just someone break down the sluggo because that's what we do. Break down the slug. Greeny to his credit is like, they actually threw a sluggo this week. I'm like, I know. I know. They threw the darn sluggo. Okay, enough. But yes, I'm trying to fit in my little analogies on these shows and my little jokes and my little quips.

It'll get there.

We got it. But in the meantime, we're going to break down the double high robber Sam scissor route, and we're just going to have to talk that way for the crowd of high school coaches that are watching. We got to go there.

House wants food involved in some of these defenses. He wants somebody to have a Bernese blitz or the Arby Steak Nuggets. That's R. B. Ste. That's R.

B. Creamy. Yes.

Yeah, the Savory. Savory should be in there.

Who's the most Savor linebacker? Robert Spalane. Yeah, Spillane. Savory Spillane.

I have three Pats Falcons in the no-thank-us. I have three more games that I don't think should be in the let's actually seriously talk about this for Ringer 107. And either of you hit the button. Wait, Bill, can I interrupt real Yeah.

How about everybody going, oh, the NBA, NBC and Amazon, they're teaching us basketball. This is what we really want. And we don't want inside the NBA being critical. It's similar to what I was talking about. Let's give this a couple of weeks of everyone being coached like they're a high school basketball. Slow down with how bad inside the NBA is. Guess what? When they're on ESPN, when they're on TV, they're pretty damn good. And I can get the basketball history lesson maybe from text winners later on in my life, too. I'm good.

Yeah, I still enjoy inside the NBA.

This is a good moment. Did I text you, Schregs? No. That bucket, that three, when you were... Why were you taking threes on camera?

Mcafee invited me down to do the show down there in Indianapolis for when I was talking about the Nets.

Nice for him. Guess what?

High school basketball player.

The stroke.

Good player.

Love it. Come on. Love shooting threes. Schregs could have played three and three with us house. I already made it. He could have spaced the floor for our pick and roll.

We already made a joke about protein cup, but I'm I'm not going to go for it. I'm going to double down right now. The stroke was velvety. It was velvety.

Made you want to put the protein in the cup.

That's years and years.

It wasn't this year. I was dressed.

That was Drozan Petrovitch. That was Mark Price. That was where my guys, that was where the guys I used to watch.

Yes. 49ers Giants, 49ers, favored by two and a half in Jersey.

Yeah.

The San Francisco defense was on the field for 41 minutes and 18 seconds last week against Houston that can't block. The Giants just lose major guys that their fans love every three weeks. Giants defense is 30th against the Rush and 26th in yards per play. To me, it's a stay away unless you guys feel different.

You've been following the Dexter Lawrence, Karl Banks, controversy in New York this week?

He got a little saucy with him, right?

Karl Banks is the in-house guy, usually pretty positive. Out of nowhere, just takes It takes a very contrarian view on Dexter Lawrence, who has been... No one's been criticizing his play. He's a very highly paid defensive tackle, gets a lot of love reputationally. He's saying this guy isn't playing. He should be dominating. He's playing an eighth string center Last week against the Eagles, and he's getting mauled. Dexter Lawrence fights back. Giants right now with the Skatebu injury, with the neighbor's injury, with all the different issues they've had. And then you take in the Bronco's loss and the way that thing went down. It has been a very deflating few weeks. They've won their last two home games. They did it in heroic fashion. We love the Eagles game. You love the victory against the Chargers. But I don't know if this team can get off the mat again after the last two weeks and what's been going on in that building.

So this is crazy because I think that this is the season, the game of the season for San Francisco. They cannot lose this football game and make the play.

I had it marked for that reason. Yes. The problem is we don't know who's playing for them, and their defense was on the field for 41 minutes last week.

I can't name five of their defensive starters.

I think it's a stay away, but I feel like on Sunday, I'm going to bet on the Niners. I'm going to be like, Oh, he's playing?

That's the best way to do it.

I just want to say I'm mildly afraid of Tyrone Tracy if I have a Niners bet. Good player. I have them on multiple fantasy teams this week. I picked them up. Good player. Lynes-vikings. This was a flash sale price. Lyons minus eight and a half over the Vikings. It feels like It should probably be six because it's a kitchen sink game for the Vikes. Cashman and Van Ginkle are back. They can play the Bernays Robber with those guys. Bernays Robber, we love that. Bernays Robber. They might even be able to play the Savory Steak Nuggets Blitz.

Izea Rodgers can go the Peppercorn Blitz if we need it.

We can do this. And yet McCarthy. Tell us, what do you... House is the most in on this story of any story of that JJ McCarthy may be terrible.

I think it's the most fascinating story in football this week, honestly. I could do I could do a full hour with you both on this because the way it's stacking up as much as Giants fans are like, oh, man, Daniel Jones and Saquon, they're just better when they leave us. Think about what was in the room last year. Sam Darnold is five and two and could be the MVP if the Seahawks keep winning. Daniel Jones is seven and one. He's basically the MVP right now. Both those guys were in the quarterback's room. They let them both walk. They could have franchised Darnold. They didn't. And then Aaron Rodgers had made overtures I'm told, that there was interest in Aaron Rodgers going to Minnesota, and they were like, we're good.

That's a tough one because that's...

That would have been a nice one-year bandaid. Who knows? They bring in your boy, Sam Howell. They get him in a draft. They trade for him in the draft. And then after a couple of months, they're like, we're actually good. We're going to sign Carson Went in August, and he's going to be the guy. All on the thought that we're all good.

House's spaces are great. We're all good because we got JJ.

We're all good and we're all in. Now, they traded up in a draft for them for two years ago. And I'll give you this, not Nugget. The commanders thought they were going to get Sam Darnold last offseason in March, and then Jaden Daniels was going to be the rookie with him. At the last second, Kevin O'Neill offers Sam Darnold more money, $10 million. They go to the Vikings, and he's going to basically play that role for JJ McCarthy. Mccarthy goes down with the injury. Everything happens from there. They traded up to get McCarthy. And I feel like it was like, we drafted this guy We went all in on this guy. We're not going to abandon him now. But a 14 and 2 season before those two losses at the end, that's a tough one to swallow if you're a Vikings fan. And now the weight of the world is on McCarthy because you add that on with both of your quarterbacks being in the same draft class, with Bo Nicks being in that draft class. And it's like there's two separate things on his shoulders. There's, oh, my gosh, I've got to be the savior of this franchise.

And we let all this quarterback talent out the door. And, oh, by the way, all my contemporaries, all my peers are fucking awesome on their teams.

Well, the thing that befuddles me is, what do you go in that locker room and tell all those badass motherfuckers that were on a team that went 14 and three last year? What do you tell Van Ginkle? What do you tell Cashman? What do you tell Justin Jefferson?

What do you tell Justin Jefferson? What do you tell T.

J.

Hawkinson? My first phone call.

People were saying T. J. Hawkinson is having it down here. Oh, is he? Because J. J. Fucking McCarthy and Carson Wentz, the corpse of Carson Wenz. God bless him. He shouldn't be on an NFL football field.

He wasn't until longest.

He's crying. He's crying on the sideline. I have empathy for the man. I don't wish bad things upon him. He shouldn't be playing professional football. That's on the franchise. The franchise did this. What do you tell all those guys that tasted the playoffs last year, that had every reasonable expectation to run this back? How do you keep that room safe? Because I think they're They're going to get waxed this week. I think they're going to get annihilated.

They might. Look, we have a great luxury to look back in hindsight and do this now. Those eight days, that final Sunday night game against the Lions, and then that treacherous Monday night game in Arizona against the Rams, Darnold looked awful. So it was almost like 14 wins was great. And your comeback win in Seattle was huge. Your comeback win in Chicago was huge. And all those amazing throws you made all season. When we needed you most, you weren't there. And I think that's what they put their head on the pillow with. It was like, all right, we drafted this guy. When it mattered most, this guy wasn't able to.

There's a money ball piece, too, though. It would have been at least 30 million a year to keep Darnold.

Unless you franchise him and you eat that 40 million for one year and then say, okay, JJ waits another season. And then we go to McCarthy.

But they use that money to get a couple of defensive linemen. They try to spread that money around. It's more a thing of like, if you're the owner of the Vikings and you moved up to trade for JJ McCarthy and just got hurt. And then a year passes and they were like, Hey, here's what we're thinking of doing. Maybe we'll franchise tag Darnold. If I'm the owner, I'm like, What about JJ McCarthy? We traded up to draft him. Are you telling me he can't play? Like, Jaden Daniels played last year. Bo Nicks played last year. Why wouldn't we play that guy? The part I don't understand is why they let Daniel Jones out of the building, who they obviously liked when they got him.

Yeah.

And he would have been a cheaper version of Darnold. Why didn't they just do that and try to keep him? They had interest. They had like, 15?

Yeah. And they wanted to bring them back. The Colts offered about the same money, if not more, but basically told them, you have a real shot at winning this job. And he went to Indianapolis and he left. But Minnesota was very interested in retaining him. They would have loved to had him in the room, but he took Indianapolis's offer instead. So what? Give him 20. I don't know. To me, it's amazing that they're at this spot where they're elevating John Wolfsard because they might need him. And this is- People like the backup, Bosmer. People love the backup and you've heard all this talk about him.

If he gets announced as a starter, the line might not even move house. It sounds like Schraggs has more McCarthy information than he's letting on. You don't sound optimistic about McCarthy.

Here's the other part of it. He's still 22 years old, so it's like you don't want to bail on it yet. It's just I love the sliding doors aspect of it, of what could have been.

It's another non-denial denial by Schregs. I feel like he's getting a lot of McCarthy stuff. It's a disaster.

I'm that gif of the guy in the sweat.

This isn't a Josh Rosen situation, is it?

How could it possibly be? He hasn't played any professional football games. We don't know. We have no idea. We have no idea. But he sat in the coach's office all season last season. Every Thursday, we have a meeting.

They did a meeting. They ran through the schedule like he wasn't hurt. All right, so it sounds like we're putting the lions in some pile.

The good pile.

And then Cowboys, Cardinals is the other one. Cowboys minus two and a half Cardinals. I don't want any part of this game.

Why not?

Why? Who do you like in this game?

I don't know. I could see Kyler running for about 150 and throwing for 350.

How's the item been on Kyler? We don't been on the Vite, the Falcon's on the road. We don't been on Kyler at all.

He does his dominant in Dallas. And you're supposed to take Dallas this week because they're back home, the offense. There's nothing wrong with that offense.

Shady had taken them again.

Shady was pretty fired.

He had a- I loved it. Sticking up the ass, whatever he said.

I don't care about offensive stats. I mean, first time I've seen him ever talk like that in 25 years. I loved it. But Monday Night Football, I feel like Spotlight game, maybe Kyle. I would get an Arizona or I wouldn't bet at all on this one. That defense is so bad. I spoke to Michael Irvine this week, had a very interesting take. I want to hear both of your thoughts on this. I love this take. It's one I hadn't heard yet. There's a million Micah Parsons takes. Irvine had a different one. He says, even if Parsons goes on and wins Super Bowl and all this stuff, should have never left the Cal Cowboys. I'm like, go on. He's like, the money would have eventually been the same. Jerry was a million dollars off, whatever. You don't pay taxes in Texas. You pay taxes in Wisconsin. And the podcast that Micah had, If You're a Dallas Cowboy, is infinitely more valuable than your Green Bay Packers podcast. Oh, and by the way, Micah lives in Texas. His mom lives in Texas. And the value of being a cowboy for life is so much different than being a cowboy for the first three years of your career and then moving on and doing something else.

I'm like, I have heard a thousand people talk about Micah Parsons. I have not heard this version because to everyone's naked eye, it's like, oh, Parsons got out of Dallas and is riding high and Green Bay was where it was. But like, Irv was like, no, no, I've never paid for a meal in Dallas, and I go everywhere and I'm royalty for the rest of my life. It's the greatest thing in the world. He's like, Parsons can't do that anymore. I'm like, fascinating taker, but love it.

It is fascinating. You're doing a financial modeling because if he wins Defensive Player of the Year, would he have ever won Defensive Player of the Year in Dallas? How do you measure those two traject? How do you put them next to each other? It's very interesting.

Bill, your thoughts.

Michael never had to pay for anything in Dallas. That's a long list of a variety of things.

You'll be the first to tell him.

If I'm Michael Parsons, I'm pretty happy in Green Bay playing an awesome team versus a deranged franchise owned by a really old guy who just does crazy stuff. We can take a break, and then I got to talk about my five favorite games. Bill's Chiefs. Hello, friends. Bill's Chiefs, yet again. Bill's have been a little better in the regular season. Chiefs have obviously dominated the playoffs. There's some Buffalo, some slight injury stuff. They lost at Oliver. They just can't keep that defensive line altogether. Kc played Monday. That has to be factored in. Buffalo's run defense, 31st, but I don't really like any of the Chief's running backs. Rahomes is They're the most dangerous runner. Buffalo first running attack. Kc 11th against that. It just feels like a really tight game. Bills getting one and a half at home house, which Bills as a home dog I think there's some good stats with this. Can I interest you in moving that bills line up a little bit into the four and a half, five and a half range? Would that entice you?

I don't want to bet on this game. I would prefer to just watch it and enjoy it because there are, to me, two very plausible competing game scripts, phenomena, and I can't choose which one I think is going to be the one. In my mind's eye, I can see this Chief's offense scoring 41 points. No problem. I can see them firing on all cylinders. I don't like the Pacheco injury, but it feels like they always have another guy coming in back. That's He's only getting a dozen touches or so a game anyway.

Can I interrupt you for a second?

Please, please, please.

We're putting this game in Ringer 107. This is a playoff game. I like that right away.

It's just.

Put the fucking chest hair in your chest. Have a drink of Mad Men's Scotch.

We're trying to win. You tell me what you think the prevailing outcome is going to be.

It's a playoff game. Schragg's, Josh Allen at home.

Yeah, but Josh Allen at home might not be enough because I watched the Ravens put up 40 points on that team in Buffalo. I watched Drake may go into that building and win in Buffalo. Look, the Ed Oliver thing is huge. He's the best player on their defense. He's been a game wrecker all season. Now you're asking this rookie Walker to step up and play that role, which is asking a lot. They need Dequan Jones to step up when he gets back. And then like, Bosa and Rousseau have to be better than they've even been. The Bills are in a real tough spot here. They lost their best defensive player, and they've got a long Long season ahead of them. And I'll add, they have zero cap space. So whereas your Patriots have the most cap space in the league, the next 48.

5 million dollars house.

The next four days, they can play around. They can do models. They can figure out. They can make phone calls. The Bills, they can't do crap. Last year, they brought in Amari Cooper, and he helped down the stretch. I don't see... The Bills can't make a move. They've got a million dollars of wiggle room. There's nothing they can do. So the injury bug has hit them way too early. But that said, Josh Allen, you've been knocking on the door for all these years. You're right there. You're the MVP. This is your moment. Go and win your fifth game against Mahomes in the regular season and go control that division, which you should not have to worry about the Patriots in 2025. This should have been a 2027 problem that they're dealing with.

Yeah, you forgot about one thing. You forgot about Drake May. Drake. I'm with you for most of that. I think Buffalo can overpower the Chiefs and run the down their throats. And when they're not running the ball down their throats, use Josh Allen to continue to run the ball down their throats. That would be, as a Chiefs fan, that would be my fear that we're just getting pushed backwards and we don't have the ball a lot. And it's just one of those weird games.

Who does this game matter more for? I know it's week nine. I think Buffalo. I do, too. I think this is a must for Buffalo.

Oh, that's surprising. I think this is a must for Buffalo.

You don't think the Chiefs want the one seed? The Chiefs can't lose any more games.

The Chiefs are in a bind with the one seed for sure, and the Broncos and Chargers are going to keep winning. So It's a good question. It's not just a... To me, Buffalo, psychologically, if you lose another one, it's at home and the Chiefs again. It's a lot.

I feel like for Buffalo, this threat of the Patriots is a real threat because the schedule that the Patriots have, combined with the fact they've already won in Buffalo, that if you lose this Chiefs game and you fall back, who knows with the Pats guy? They might finish I don't know what the record is going to be. As you know, I feel like this team has holes. They might go 12 and 5 or 13: 04. You have that, plus you have the Chief's hole, that hole, dynamic Whatever that is, the cloud of the Chiefs. Whereas the Chiefs are always fine. They could lose any game. It's like, We're fine. We'll be back next week. I just don't see the Chiefs being like, We got to get this. They treat every game the same. Every Every game they have is like a Monday Night game or some division Raffle game.

Which is the most underrated thing of this whole run. Whether it's in Brazil or it's on a Black Friday or it's Christmas Day, the Chiefs have the most unorthodox schedule. The NFL just shoves them in these It's primed-time loan windows and they never complain and they just go out there and they play football and it never catches up with them. It seems like they're always ready to go, which is why to me, it's almost like Buffalo needs this one.

And I'm going to side it. You mentioned one thing, Shregs. That Buffalo schedule is weirdly hard.

It got harder because teams got good that we didn't expect. It's supposed to be a cakewalk. Look at their schedule.

Yeah, they have Bucks week 11, back to back at Texans on a Thursday, and then at the Steelers the next week, they're playing at the Pats in week 15, and then at the Browns, week 16, who at least is going to be able to throw defense on them. Then week 17, the Eagles.

Not easy.

They already have two losses. To me, what do you think, House? 12 and 5?

That sounds right to me, 12 and 5.

This probably swings it between 13 and 4, 12 and 5. So I don't know. I feel like they need the game. All right. Well, we'll table that one for a second. House, what's your favorite game in the slate?

I have two. I absolutely adore Detroit. I just think the idea of getting JJ McCarthy into Detroit is phenomenal. Anything less than 10 is attractive to me. And then I also like Houston. I know that people are going to say, I keep trying to fade Denver, and all Denver does is jam it right up my rear end, especially Bo Nicks. Keep doubting Bo Nicks. I got a lot of that in the timeline last week. But I do like the idea of this Houston defense.

You did encourage it. You did say, If Bo'Nicks jams it in my butt, then so did it. You did.

He did it against the Eagles. Eighteen points in the fourth quarter against the Eagles. Went on the road, one. That was an impressive Can I empty the notebook on the Broncos a little bit?

Let's hear it. You like this?

Let's hear it.

So they beat the Giants in this historic fashion, and they're celebrating all this shit. Sean Payton, Monday morning, has it cut up from his as his assistant, the last six biggest comebacks in regular season history, the following week, that team lost. Sean Payton puts together a sizzle reel for Monday morning for these guys. Of those teams being on the other end of the other team, taking a knee in the game afterwards. And he put music behind it. And basically, on Monday morning, when everyone is riding high over this Giants game, it's like, no time for that. History tells us there is a natural let down in this. And they go on, they kick the shit out of the Dallas Cowboys. And That's the pace they're at, where it's... This is a sprint for them. There is no Broncos like, well, that was a good win, two back-to-back wins at home. So to me, I know the Texans are favorite in this game. I don't quite understand. I know Sertan is a huge player, is a defensive player of the year. But to me, you're not going to get a complacent Denver Broncos this week.

My answer might surprise you on this game. This is my favorite game on the board. I love the Houston Texas. Let's go.

As do I.

I heard your whole case, Shreggs.

You didn't like my story of cinematographer Sean Payton.

No, it was good. Payton has done a good job. We've been in on Denver this year. They're six and two. Houston's defense, I think, really might be the best defense in the week. Their top five, basically, rush, pass, yards per play, name it. Denver has played five crap defenses, Tennessee, Cincinnati, the Giants, Dallas, and the Jets, plus Indy, which I wouldn't call the 85 bears. And Sertan being out is massive.

It's huge. But I would say that's the top five most important defensive player to be out. Which receiver are you scared of from the Texans? Are Are you losing sleep over Xavier Hutchinson or Noel? Nico's back. I know, but I don't think... All right, that's fine. Nico, I'll give you. Nico's a top 10 receiver in this league. He's been out.

Here's what I think. I think this game is just ugly both ways because the Texans won't really be able to block. But I don't think Denver is going to move the ball against this Houston defense.

Houston defense is awesome. I was on the sidelines.

That makes me really nervous.

They lost by two scores to Seattle. They also turned Seattle over four times, and their defense was absolutely unblockable. That's right.

You did that game. They just kept getting the ball back.

It was crazy. No one watched because it was two in the morning Eastern time. But Houston's defense dominated the Seahawks that day. You didn't see it in the box score, but they had four turnovers. They sacked Arnold and Will Anderson and Hunter were unblockable. So I'm with you on that defense. It's very good. In the back end, Stingley and Lasseter are as good a combo in the backfield as anyone. However, I just don't know. I don't know if they've got the offense and the offensive line to keep off that amazing Denver defense. They are good. Even with South Sertan, they are good. They get to the quarterback. They lead the NFL in Sacks. They could dominate that offensive line in Houston.

Well, if Houston pulls this off, they would be four and four. And then a little Jaguar's, tight and combo. They'd have a treat after that. But then it gets... They go Bills at Colts at Chiefs three in a row, which is pretty brutal. So they're in must-win zone. Whereas I look at Denver like, all right, if they lose this win, this game. They're playing the Raiders on Thursday, four days later. They'll win by 20, and they'll be fine. But House, it's so funny. We've been aligned on some of these. We don't talk House, I don't talk about the ones. This was the one that jumped out to me.

You both like the Texans.

We do.

I felt like this should be a two and a half or a three because they're defense at home. I still have Bo Nicks questions. I still watch him. I know that he heats up, and I know that there's games where he's finished with stats. I think he misses a lot throws.

He missed a couple last week. He tried throwing a no-look pass, and it got intercepted last week.

The piece that we haven't talked about that I do like. Is C. J. Stroud back? I mean, we get to do it that way. He's back if it's a bad defense.

Can I tell you, I had him in the production meeting, and it was when they were really low. It was before that Seattle game. He had so much, so much swag in this meeting. He hears it all. I think he knows that people are present, and he's like, Don't worry, I'm good. And I came away, I wasn't... Stroud, I don't know. I don't know him that well. I came away walking away like, Okay, not a huge vocal guy, not an in your face guy, but clearly the leader of this team and has a lot of confidence, even though their offensive line is not even close to what it was two years ago when he had that breakout season.

Yeah. Well, they added a sixth guy, and it looked like that might have helped the running game a little bit. So if we just get a little variety in that offense.

Their offensive coordinator is interesting. So they had Bobby Sloak, who was tremendous. And then last year down the stretch, didn't gel as well.

I still have a Bobby Sloak is going to be a head coach T-shirt from 2023. I don't know if you want it. I'll send it to you.

In about 30 interviews, they hired nick Kaylee, who I think you like this guy, Bill, eight years with the Patriots under Belichick. So he comes from that world. And then himself is like, I need to diversify this, goes and works for McVay for two years. So you've got the Belichick influence and the McVay influence.

What a tree.

And they bring him in. And it was a little rocky at first, but super talented young, young offensive coordinator where you get the feeling like it's going to start clicking as the season goes on.

One other thing with the Texans, and I mentioned this a couple of weeks ago, I genuinely like Woody Marks. I think he's good. Good. And he's good out of the backfield, too. And they might have hit on Noel, at least, with those rookie receiver.

Two Iowa State rookie-wide receiver.

Yeah, he's the one that's always open or seems like he can get open. And then Colin's coming back. That's another one. No, Sertan. Maybe he makes a big play. I like the Texans. Three more quickly. Colts, Steelers. Colts minus three in Pittsburgh and Colts outdoors. Stealers as a home dog, and there's just a slew of insane Tomlin home dog stats that we don't need to just read through. They're going to have the field goal edge yet again. You're always minus six when you're playing in Pittsburgh with field goals. But Pittsburgh's defense, 32nd against the pass. And the Colts are just a juggernaut, ripping through everything. We haven't talked about the Colts yet, Schreg. Do you believe Are you in?

How could I not? And the only issue is I haven't seen them play like primetime or a big game or with a lot of pressure on them. They always feel like they're like the Scott Hansen, like constant break in on red zone team. I haven't watched a matchup with them with all the spotlight on them. I feel like even though this isn't that game, there's a lot of attention this week. Like, stealers on the road and a lot of people now doing this. Like, let's poke a hole in it. Let's see. That said, Daniel Jones, the stats are insane. I think he's like, number one rated quarterback, regularly, number one rated quarterback under pressure. And then Jonathan Taylor is doing what he's doing. And then Quitten Nelson is probably the best player on the entire team, just absolutely dominating at the offensive guard spot. The question is, I don't know how they're doing this on defense, and they are. They're stopping everyone and they're getting turnovers with not a lot of names on that team.

We know how they're doing it. They're playing shitty teams.

That's another way to look at it.

They played Tennessee twice.

That helps.

They played Miami week one. They played Las Vegas.

Which way are you leaning on this, BS? Because...

Uh-oh.

I'm nervous for the Colts. I'm nervous about it for them here.

I talked to you into the packers last week.

I was happy. I loved it. I loved it when you did it. It was a great zag. I endorsed it. I was thrilled to have it.

Couple of things on the Steeler's defense, Schrigs. Schrigs is like when he hosted first take, it feels like 38 hours ago now. We've got a hard out, so I got to empty it quick here. House can leave and we can still go. I'm not going to stay. I'm not going to stay.

I have another 25 minutes. I'm good.

I want steak nuggets. Let's go.

I felt this way when the Pats played the Steelers and really dominated them the last three quarters and turned the ball over five times and just left all this offense over and over, moved the ball on them. Green Bay last week, by the time we get to the second half, it was like whatever they wanted, they were just getting. Indianapolis has a better offense than both of those teams. So why wouldn't they just get everything they want in this game? What is the Stewards defense showing us? Fucking Joe Flacko. Not Joe Flacko. Joe Flacko. Yeah.

Joe Flacko. All over the place. I know.

Joe Flacko was lighting them up.

And you know the Can't light up the Stealers?

They're 32nd.

Chase was targeted 23 times in that game, which is the ultimate insult to a defensive backfield. We will tell you exactly what we're going to do, and we know you can't stop it. He had 16 catches. And then to see what Jordan loved it, 20 in a row. It's maybe the most disappointing unit in all of football, this Stealers defense, because you go through the list of names. It's not only T. J. Watt, it's Cameron Hayward, and then you go to Patrick Queen, and then you get to the defensive backfield. And it's like, it's Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay. This is not a young team. This is not a cheap team.

It's a team you would have wanted in 2019 is the problem. Yeah. Or a defense that you would have wanted.

It's a Tomlin coach team, which at the very least, you knew they would at least show up every week. This is tough to pick them in any game with defense being such a sieve.

Well, they traded for Kyle Duger this week from the Patriots, who was just an atrocity in coverage last year. He basically was a linebacker playing safety. And this year, Vrabel, even though he had a pretty big contract, was like, I'm out. I'm going to play this Craig Woodson over you and buried him. The Stewards traded for him this week, and I think he's going to play.

Yeah, because the Sean Elliott is on the IR, another veteran that they brought back that might not have his best football in front of him. So that's I would say, it's home. You got the terrible towels. You got the sticks, renegade. I get all that. I don't know if that can cover up what they have on defense, which as much as we cry about the Cowboys defense, the Steelers defense is way more disappointing because we actually expected them to be a strength of the team.

In-house, packers. What was that? Would that line end up? Two and a half. On Sunday night, two and a half. So Colts are favorite by three. So that means the market is saying the Colts are better than the Steelers, which I mean, then the packers, which I don't think is necessarily true. I just think after that Sunday night game, it's like the big people are like, Oh, the Stewards really are bad on defense. Other than the Metcalf plays, and occasionally, Warren will get like any... I don't really know what the Stealers are good at.

I just don't think they're that good. They don't even try to go deep. The more tape you get on them, the more you're like, Oh, they do these four things.

The only thing you can point to is the Colts defense is super susceptible to tight ends. They're one of the worst defenses against tight ends.

How about giant, tall, big tight ends? How are they against those guys?

The Pittsburgh has five tight ends, it seems like.

Well, they run that tight end Farmajane, Robber Zip.

Robber Zip.

Yeah. Yeah. Biel Farmajane. Farmajane. Robber. Yeah. Carrot. The Colts is going to be one of my picks, only because I think getting it at three, I think, sounds great.

It's your pick. I just want to say. I can't make a case for the Steelers other than just the voodoo that we watch. That's all.

It's the fucking typical Pittsburgh at home bullshit where they do this. That's right. Field goal hits it up, right.

That's the case.

Running backs running down the field. Then his knee hits the ball and it bounces up in the air and the Steelers recover. But we thought that was going to happen last week, and it never happened.

Well, you look at the numbers for the Colts offense, and it's astronomical. The best rushing team, the best passing team, the best... Alex pierce leaves the league in receiving yards per catch.

They're a nightmare. They can do everything. They can throw deep, they can throw short, they got Warren.

They have a rookie who's the best tight-end in football. So it's like, what the hell? And an amazing offensive line with a Hall of Famer.

I honestly think this line is a miracle. I think this line should be minus four. Are you getting a free point?

I think they might win by 20.

Daniel Jones is an RPO savant. This is the best function. I know. I watched it on the ESPN today. You got to watch a lot of it. We're there.

All right, two Just quickly, bears, bangles. It settled up minus two and a half in Cincinnati. Since he's defense, the thing I look at, I don't know if I've ever seen a defense that's bottom three in all the categories. There's not one where they're 28th. It's just there's a three in front of every number. Pass, run, first down efficiency, third day. It's across the board. And then they can't run the ball either. The 31st run.

They don't try to run the ball. They don't even get the ball to chase for them.

Flacko is like Chinese food in the fridge. It's fun for two days, but two weeks, gets a little gamey. I think the bears could be the good, bad team. They win this game. They're four and 3 right now. They win this game. They put the Giants next week. They play at Minnesota, and then Pittsburgh. As crazy as this sounds, they could be eight and three after. I don't even think the bears are that good. Please talk me out of this because I want to bet on Caleb Williams. Well, it's It's hard to roll with the...

Trey Hendriksen, limited in practice. Obviously, he's on the trade block, potentially. Logan Wilson might want out. He's not practicing. And then Joe Flacko shows up on the injury report with a shoulder injury. So you might be going back to Jake Browning if Flacko can't go. Oh, house. That loss of the Jets, I mean, I got emotional. I knew, obviously, what was going into that game with not only the Jets, what was their own needs, but with the mangled stuff was real. That was a wild morning to wake up to that news, and the Jets rallied around that. But that is an inexcusable loss at home of that many points to the Jets with Justin Fields and no Garrett Wilson and no Sauce Gardner. I can't pick you in good faith after that performance. And I'll add this, we always kill the coaches for time management. Aaron Glenn, who has been the joke of New York for his time management, Bill, did you see what he did down eight? I love it. How it's like, Look at David Chang. Perfect. Down eight. Down eight. They go for two to cut it to six. Everyone's freaking out.

What are you doing? We're doing... And then they went in regulation. They did the analytics the right way, which everyone preaches and no coaches ever actually do. He did it when they were down two touch downs and then one touch down. They got the two-point conversion on both of them, and it actually worked out. They went in regulation. And it's like, Aaron Glenn, collapse to you.

It's one of those things when you bet on the other team and the team does it and gets it and they're down six, you just automatically think you're going to lose. He's like, oh, my God. I was at 14. Now I'm going to lose.

I had his Jets on the money line in that game. Did you really? Before the mangled or after the mangled passing news?

Because to me, that totally shifted my entire approach to this game.

I will confess that I didn't factor in the mangled aspect of it.

No, I hadn't. House just loves betting on bad QBs at home. Getting big wins.

It was a tough card last week finding underdogs that I felt like could win outright. But the bangles of Jets was like, okay, these teams are not that far apart. That was really it.

See, bangles were coming off. An all-time win on the Sealers. A long 10-day break. Jets on fire.

How did you even think? Give me some jets. That's an incredible bet. All the guys missing, yes. Nobody's going to know who the hell any of these jets are. Let me have it.

The bangles are bad.

Last game. We're in alignment. We're in alignment.

Seahawks minus three at Washington. So this line, it wasn't going to be on my card. We got it at three? Yeah, it was three when we locked the line. So It went from three after three, which was a game changer. Why? Because of Jaden? I don't know what happened. People... Because Jaden and Jaden might play.

I don't think McCloren was...

Mccloren was out.

Mccloren was out. Why would anyone even think...

Because I guess Jaden... Why wouldn't it go the other direction? Why wouldn't it be Seattle by four or four and a half?

Yes.

Three is charming. Seattle's first in DVOA, which is notable. Third in yards per play offensively. First against the run, second against yards per play with defense. Washington's defense I would describe it much like you, old and slow.

That's not nice.

That's mean.

Much like me, too. We're old.

I can guard my man. I can't really guard him. He goes right by me.

Your bottom 10 in every category. I'm trying to think what the case for Washington is without McLaren, and it comes down to it's a kitchen sink game. It is. And Darnold on the road. And is there any other case?

I have no case. They have a long break here. The last time they played, I was there. It feels like it was a month ago. They beat the Texans on Monday night. I was at Monday night, Kansas City, Washington. They started off okay. But Washington is the oldest roster in football. And last year, they put these pieces in and it worked. All of those guys were perfect for the position group rooms. This year, all of those guys, they look like the oldest team in football. And I got to say, the two best addition, Tunzel and Debo are actually playing well this year. Those guys are really good. And Wild Bill in the backfield is really good.

Incredible.

They've got guys who are playing. It's just they don't have that same juice. They don't have that same mojo. And just watching them last week, I can't in good faith say that just because Jaden's back, they're suddenly going to get that thing back. It feels like last year, they were way ahead of schedule. Everything went their way. And this year, we're starting to see a regression. And it might be, hey, they actually have the oldest roster in football, and it's starting to show.

What are your thoughts, Sam? It's your favorite team.

I've been on this show, every show that anybody put me on, saying that I think this Washington team, the ceiling for them is six wins. They could not lose the Chicago game. That was the season. And we will look back and it's funny, Chicago last year had their season derailed by Washington with that Hale Mary pass. Washington went all the way to the NFC Championship game. This season, Washington hosts Chicago. Chicago comes in and gets the win right at the end off of a turnover by Jaden Daniels with three minutes left.

He can't catch the- Hilmery revenge.

Yeah.

We did the Hindsight House. I got a question. We did it with JJ McCarthy. Would you pay Terry McLaren now? After seeing what we've got this season, would you pay him that huge contract he got? We know a team leader, all that stuff. They had to do it. They had to pay it as if he's one of the best wide receiver in the league. Yeah, they had to.

I never had any issue with it. I mean, it's like we're trying to establish an identity, a new culture. You have to remember, we're fighting 25 years of a devil. We're trying to get Satan. Be gone, Satan. Be gone, Satan. One of the The way you do that is to pay a guy who's a stand-up guy who straddled both of the regimes, right? And he is a team leader for a team that made it to an NFC Championship game. It is a contract that is a reward, not a prospective. That's a great take. This guy is going to deliver on it. That's all.

That's what it is. That's what it is.

It's a reward. So thank you. I mean, I personally say thank you to Terry McLaren. Okay.

Schrigs, has a holdout ever worked where the guy came back and was awesome? No. Does it ever happen in the history of football?

No. I don't have any.

Or basketball or any sport? Emmet Smith. Legler brought this up on Tuesday. I was like, that's such a good point. It feels like we're over a million.

Emmet was... They were 0 and 2. Emmet took him to the brink, and then he came back and was the best running back in football. And I guess 93 when he did that. That's the last time I remember. But for all the millions of August Good Morning football shows where we're detailing Jaden Clowny's holdout. What's the latest? I don't remember any of these guys ever coming out and being what they were supposed to be before they got the money.

We have a. All right.

So we're going to figure out Rigger 107 here. It's the whole season, Levy on.

That's crazy.

Yeah, that was tough. We're putting the bills in a parlay, and I'm going to give you three options. Bills plus four and a half with the chargers money line against Tennessee, that's minus 118. Chargers pack money line, both have to win with the bills plus six and a half. That's minus 119. Packers would have to beat Carolina at home. Chargers would have to beat Tennessee. That's option two. Option number three, Chargers money line, Lyons money line, bills plus seven and a half against I knew house would make that one.

Finally, we got to a number of- With some R.

B. Steak tips on top of it.

Big nuggets. If they call them tips, I think they'd be flying off the shelf.

Here's one of the many things I like. So we get to bet against JJ McCarthy or whoever's for Minnesota. We get that chart. We get to bet against Tennessee again. And then bills plus seven and a half, Schregs, gives us cheap countdown potential, gives us the chiefs can't run the clock out because their running backs are Kareem Hunt and that other guy and Mahomes trying to run up. So it just keeps the bills hanging around, which I think would be fun to refer. House is so happy. You're going to do this bet. I can feel it.

You're getting me a heart attack. You finally got to a number with the bills where I'm comfortable because to me, it's a seven-point swing on either side. I can count them seven either way. So give me the seven and a half. Four and a half doesn't do anything for me. Six and a half doesn't get you there. Seven and a half, now we're there.

You like that?

Chargers, lines, money lines, bills, plus seven and a half. Good to go. Great. Texans minus one and a half against Denver. Schrags didn't love this one, but House and I, this is our favorite bet.

Schregs is a Payton guy.

I am.

It's fine. Yeah, I don't totally trust.

You spent too many millions with Sean Payton. They might be undefeated this year, both of them. Broncos and Rams, just I have my love for my Sean's.

Colts minus three against the Steelers in Pittsburgh. We're grabbing this. I like that. This is going to be my pick.

I've earned my cautions, that's all.

Yeah, that's all right. I'll take it for mine. Seahawks, they are minus three against Washington, and we're going to grab that. And then last but not least, bears minus two and a half against the Bengals. We got two and a half. That's a great number.

That's a great number.

We have three road favorites, unfortunately. Okay. But there's nine home underdogs on the slate, so what are we going to do?

It's a funky week.

Ringer 107 brought to you by Fandil Sports Book. Final picks: Chargers, Money Line, Lyons, Money Line with Bills plus seven and a half. Texans minus one and a half at home against the Broncos. Schrake is nervous, but you did get to see that defense in person. They were awesome. Hats on the ball.

A great line from Dabiko Ryan, what he said. He goes, We're going to hit you. We're going to play this way. We're very aggressive. And he goes, And I tell the guys, If they don't like playing this way, that's cool with me. You just won't be a Houston Texan. And I was like, Oh, my God. I almost got out of the room. Let's go.

Nice. So we got Texans. House is excited that we're get to bed against the Titans and JJ McCarthy with the Bills. That's two. Colts minus three against the Steelers. This might be our last chance to ride the best offense in the league before people realize Holy shit.

Do you remember '99 with the Rams? ' Where they came out of nowhere.

I remember betting on it. It was great.

I remember I was in college and we had a fantasy football and I had all those guys, Warner, Holt, Bruce. I remember it being like, not until they beat the Niners in week three or four. And then they kept doing it week after week after week. Is that what we're dealing with here? Is this the '99 greatest show on Earth?

I remember it's such a good analogy because Warner, I remember all of us didn't trust it until It was about week seven and you're like, All right, every pass the guy throws is dead on to a guy in stride. At some point, this is an accident.

That's what this feels like. It came from literally out of nowhere, this Colts offense. No one in a million years in all the predictions. They were so fast.

There's some good parallels with that because Faulk and Jonathan Taylor just being like these all-world runningbacks. But the Rams were slightly better. Receivers, they were on turf. Seahawks minus three. Over Washington is our fourth pick. We're riding Texan Seahawks. Those are your two best defenses. Anybody else you would have in there?

Defensively? The Colts are really good turnover and all that stuff, but they're not in that conversation.

They're not at it. Yeah. It's Denver. Texan Seahawks best in it.

It would have been the Broncos, but not with Sertan out.

Denver, Houston, Seattle are my defenses. And gosh, Seattle was good on that Monday night game that I saw them.

And then the fifth pick, bears minus two and a half at Cincinnati. If Caleb lets down here. I'm going to be upset.

Kyler Murray zoned.

He's not going to do it. Yeah, I'm going to be upset. He will be Kyler Murray for us after that. He's not going to do it. He'll be on the DMB list. He's like this. Shreeks, did you have any thoughts on my crazy prediction that Tyson Bajian will be the bear starter by week 13? I heard it. Is it even conceivable?

Well, you did lay it out that they paid him a lot of money to come back as the backup. Everyone loves him. His dad is a professional arm wrestler. There's this great story there, but I don't think they would bench Caleb. It would have to be like, Caleb got hurt. This guy did great. And it's, oh, we had to make a decision. That's how I look at it.

Okay. That was the Ringer 107. It was brought to by FanDuel. It's subject to change. We have house for five more minutes. Shreegz, any last topic for you? Is there a new Barclays Pizza?

We need a Let's go on the 107. Is there a pizza? He didn't give us a Let's go. We needed that.

He gives us the Let's go to McAfee now. Have you had Lucale? No, I saw it. Have you had Lucale?

Lucale, yeah, of course. I've had Lucale. Is that a question for me? No, I bet he hasn't. I bet he hasn't. Have you had Lucale in Brooklyn? What is it? In Brooklyn? In Brooklyn?

Oh, your next trip. We got you on this one. So Mark Iacono is the... No relation to Sal, I don't think, is the proprietor. It's his little shop in Cobble Hill or Carroll Gardens. The line is out the door. Only about eight tables. Very hard to get a seat. My son's eighth birthday or ninth birthday last week. Took them to Lucali. We got in there. Calzone, pizza, no alcohol. You bring your own. And It's only cash. And it's a sit down. And Bill, I will tell you- I love the only cash. Only cash. We're not going to have any accounting for any of this stuff. Bill, I think it's one of the greatest meals I've ever had. And I'm not looking for a table or anything from those guys. Trust me, they're not worried about me. We got to go next time you come in town.

House, what's your ideal calzone? Is there anything special that needs to happen with the calzone?

It's got to have a spicy meat inside of it because you're dealing with a mass, with the dough and the way the cheese is. It's It's a big carbo-boat thing. So give me something that's going to get a little bite to it. And that's like a nice sausage sauce.

The sauce. And I am such a calzone fan. I love the regote. I love it all. I think it's so good. And I think it's the most underrated food. Everyone loves their chicken parm. Everyone loves their pizza. A good calzone. I usually put pepperoni in there. I don't know.

Is that- That's exactly right. Right down there.

And I just drowned it in that marinara sauce. And I'll tell you, this This is not a commercial for that place or any. But even just talking to you two, talking about a good calzone has me ready to run through a wall. Let's go.

I feel like in general, especially with the Uber Eats orders or whatever you're using, I always feel like they're light on the extra, the side of the tomato sauce. If I'm getting the chicken parm, I want a big ass thing of tomato sauce next to it that I can pour all over the chicken parm.

Sometimes on these DoorDash and the Uber Eats, you've got to go to that extra thing where it's like sides and they'll have a 50 cent extra sauce. I'll put seven of those in there. Just give me seven of them. It's worth the $7, whatever it is I'm in.

With the Chinese food, why don't they just put the mustard in? I know you have the hot mustard. Put it in the fucking order. Just throw it in the bag. They never do.

They act like it's- They never do. It's the rarest commodity. It's like it's gold. It's liquid gold to them, the Chinese- It's the best.

I was the kid, 12-year-old kid with the noodles before the meal. I would be dipping it in the hot mustard. Everyone else is going duck sauce. I was a hot mustard guy.

The flavor of the mustard, what it does for your palate. It sets you up for the rest of the meal. Let's go. All the vinegar in that.

People don't realize it would get rid of COVID.

Hot mustard did.

It could have.

Probably did. If you ate enough hot mustard at certain Chinese restaurants, your COVID just disappeared. It just killed it. It was better than the vaccine. I can't talk about it. No, I love that. The mustard is my favorite, and they always skimp on it. It's weird because then other things- Sometimes you don't even get it. Yeah, it's true.

I had a great dining experience last spring. Again, we're naming restaurants. These are not to get hookups or anything. Trust me. Have you been to Charleston House? Have you been to Hall's Chophouse in Charleston?

I've been to Charleston. I haven't been to Hall's. I don't know it.

I'm going to say this is my favorite dining experience, maybe in the last 10 years. I felt like a gentleman. The service was incredible. The food was incredible. The steaks were incredible. I came away from that meal saying, okay, when you have that truly epic meal, I have nothing to gain from this. I'm not going to Charlson anytime soon. Not doing a commercial for them. Hall's Chophouse, Charlson. Bill, you got to get you down there.

House, when's the latest you can eat steak where it becomes dangerous for you as an old guy in your 50s?

You mean at night? Yeah. It doesn't matter. I'm fine. It I can eat. You're just going regardless. I have a midnight filet.

I finally read meat past 8: 30 gets potentially a little...

I get it.

I wish we had taken advantage of our 20s more. I know. I feel like we did. I guess I did with all the cigarettes and Jack and Cokes.

I feel like we Did okay.

All right, House, go drive your kid to basketball practice.

Can't wait.

Good luck to him. Schregs, a true pleasure. Give us a let's go just for a time's sake. Let's go. Let's go. Good to see you. You're the best, dude.

Keep in touch.

Thank you for having me. Thank you, Phyllis. Love you, Schregs.

Appreciate How nice you're the man.

All right, that's it for the podcast. Thanks to How nice you're the man. All right, that's it for the podcast. Thanks to How and Schregs. Thanks to Gaha and Eduardo as well. Rewatchable is coming on Monday. We're doing the Truman Show, so don't forget to watch that over the weekend. If you haven't seen that already. And thanks to the LA Times for an awesome story today about the negligence and all the bad leadership and all the dumb stuff that happened that led to the Palestine's fire. And I would encourage people to go online and read the piece. This is still a massive story, obviously, in Southern California, and I don't think the ineptitude has been properly covered. So I urge you to go read that, and I hope people keep reporting it and writing about what exactly happened here and how preventable all of this was. I'm going to leave you with that for the weekend. Enjoy the weekend. I will see you on Sunday. Must be 21 plus in President Select States for a Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino or 18 plus in President DC, Kentucky, or Wyoming. Gambling problem, call 1-800 Gamble or visit rg-help.

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