Transcript of Old Guard vs. New Guard: Why the Rams & Jags are LOCKS

Hi and hello, and welcome to the Playoffs, my fellow football Americans. To the analytics enthusiasts out there, with all due respect, please put the abacus down for a second and listen up here. I get it. Some people love math. A lot of us grew up with Goodwill hunting and the beautiful mind guy as Oscar-winning action heroes. But small sample sizes, be damned. Of course, postseason QB wins are a real stat. You remember in fight club when Tyler Darden makes the other Tyler Durdon embrace the pain instead of trying to wash it away? That's the NFL playoffs. The analytics peeps insist the performances of quarterbacks in the most critical moments of their careers don't much matter when it comes to determining who the best QBs in the QB League are. But then what metrics are we using if not QB wins in the big games? Their stats? Well, Kerry Collins has more career passing yards than Joe Montana. Matt Schaub has a better passer rating than Roger Stawback. I don't want to live in a world that says Emmett Smith is better than Walter Payton because Emmett had rushing yards. Now, listen, I know no one thinks Trent Dilfer is better than Dan Marino, but I bet you Marino would rather have had Eli Manning's career.

Likewise, Eli Manning wasn't better than Tom braided, but winning when it matters most does matter. Is it the number one thing? I don't know, but it's way up there. The guy who gets paid 10 or 20 times more than most of his teammates is more important to winning, and if he loses, he'll get most of the blame. Sam Darnold knows what I'm talking about. Silly me, I assume the ultimate point of every NFL season was to win it all, and therefore, winning postseason games is actually a terrific measure of an NFLQB's greatness. In my defense, I've been brainwashed by Vince Lombardi, the trophy guy, who said, Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing. But maybe the math dorks are right. Maybe we should just end the season around the holidays. Why bother with the playoffs and cold weather and heightened competition and the winner takes all standard? Who needs all that drama, am I right? I like when the Matthews insist, You can't count rings as a measure of one's greatness. But here's the thing. Yes, I can. Listen, the inconvenient truth is this. The majority of Lombardis are won by the teams with the best QBs.

Here's the rub. So long as the NFL's brain trust continues its practice of awarding only one Lombardi per year, the math doesn't allow for every good QB to win one. And that's what makes it good. The pressure of singular moments. The guys who do win them are the ones who become enduring Rering legends. Ring your hands all you want, but this is how recorded history works. Of course, there are other factors, but these are footnotes to the main plot. Whatever happens in the playoffs, the great QBs are still going to be great. But when the debate is best ever, rings count. The titles are history's markers. They are everything. I know ignoring reality is all the rage these days, but this isn't about how you feel. It's about who wins, a. K. A. The only thing. Let's start the playoffs. Let's start the show. Yes, hi, and hello. Welcome to the Wild Card Round. Welcome to Football America. We're presented by DraftKings. Draftkings, the Crown is yours for 14 fan bases, at least. These are the good times. Join us through throughout this playoff ride. Subscribe, subscribe, subscribe. Spread the good word, would you? Download, listen, experience wherever you find your podcast and on YouTube, Football America plus Jeff Schwartz.

And Jeff Schwartz is smarter than you. Also available on that YouTube page, Football America. Speaking of Jeff Shwartz, he's jumping in to help us make the wild card round. Picks. He'll be with us in just a second. In the meantime, it's episode 41. Mike McDaniel is now out in Miami. That makes what? Eight available head coaching gigs at the time of this recording. Maybe by the time you're listening to it, one or more of those has been filled by the guy or guys who got rejected from one NFL town and have now landed in another to play hero/savier there. Quickly, Gino and Mike, Mike and Gino Fuentes, how are you? I hope you're ready for the playoffs, both NFL and college, the U getting ready at the time of this recording for their final four game. But first, number 41, I'll just tell them to you real quick. Alvin Kamara wore it well, probably best even among NFL players. Brian Piccolo, star of Brian's song. Eugene Robinson. I think he was NFL Man of the Year. And then he got picked up on the Eve of the Super Bowl for soliciting a prostitute. Tom Siever, wore number 41.

Dirk Nowitzky, Glenn Rice, Wes Uncelled, NBA, probably wore the number best out of everybody. Meantime, like I say, Gino and Mike, Mike and Gino, how are you? And how is everybody down there in Miami with the news about Mike McDaniel? I gather excited is the answer.

Oh, yeah. We all knew this was coming.

I mean, well, maybe we're- Not really. I mean, I felt like On Monday, he's saying he's part of the GM search.

And then the list of candidates were all guys that you thought- That were connected to him, like 49ers guys and guys he worked with, wherever.

It's not really shocking, but I don't know. It's like a weird in between for me.

John Harbaugh thing seems to throw this in a whole new direction.

Threw everything up.

I don't get exactly why all of these teams are falling all over themselves to get John Harbaugh, who had Lamar Jackson. Consider, I did a list a few months ago of the greatest duos in sports history to never win a title together. Mike Trout and Shoia Tanya are way up there. Ben Rothsberger and Antonio Brown and Levy and Beller are way up there. Connor McJeezus and Leon Dreiside. I think you now can And rightly add Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry never getting to a Super Bowl together. What? The first or second best running back in the sport? At worst, the third best quarterback in the sport? They never went to a Super Bowl together or haven't yet. We'll see if the new head coach there makes any sense. It does feel a lot like musical chairs is what's going down with these teams. It does feel like McDaniel is going to land in one of those available spots.

He's going to be an awesome offensive coordinator wherever he goes. He made a lot of players on that offense have the best seasons of their career. Tyreek Waddle, Darren Waddle was way better here than he was in New York. Aaron Brewer became an all-star center.

Yeah, I said it out here earlier. I mean, the Detroit Lions looks like a nice spot for him. Also now, they just ousted the offense coordinator right up the road here in Tampa Bay. Baker might still have it. He has this running game guru thing. Bucky Irving is still a good back. Rashaud White, not a bad receiving back out of the backfield. I don't think the Mike McDaniel chapter is definitely not closed. I just read that he had a postseason meeting with Steven Ross, and just based off that meeting, Steven Ross said, You're done here. So what did he do in that meeting? What did he say in that meeting?

I don't know. Troy Akeman, though, is involved. Maybe Troy Akeman had some sway, and maybe we're not hearing all of those details. Either way, I'm still coming down as a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. I'm still coming down from cloud nine, from the Sunday night game, maybe the most consequential regular season game the NFL has seen, and it makes a nice little circle the opponent that they're about to face on Monday night football, slash playoff game, the Houston Texans. The Ravens and stealers resulted almost literally in because of Tyler Loop missing that kick, John Harbaugh getting fired. And I know people are being a little simple-minded about it. You say, Oh, it just came down to one kick. No, it's the accumulation of all the years running up to it and the season and missing the playoffs and making some decisions within those four quarters. And it all amounted to that one kick, and the kid missed it, and so Harba is out. I don't think Mike Tomlin would have gotten fired had the Steelers lost that game, but I do continue to say, and I mean, if they lose to the Texans, and even if they hate the Texans.

It is still in play that maybe Mike Tomlin doesn't get an extension to his contract. And this is his last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The talk about the broadcast booth probably ain't going to happen, but I could see him bouncing to the Giants or to the Raiders, or I don't know. I mean, shame the devil if he went to the Browns or to the Ravens. That would be funny stuff. But either way, the most consequential game up until this point in the last three or four years was maybe when Davis Mills and the Houston Texans won that game, they rallied to win the game and gave themselves C. J. Stroud instead of Bryce Young. And I think they're happy with that decision. I think ultimately, the Carolina Panthers are happy to have Bryce Young. You guys, obviously, I don't know if you were paying attention, but I was flapping my gums before I said hello to either one of you about the import, the singular moments of these playoffs. Do you, by what I'm attempting to lay down, when I say that I think that Dan Marino would rather have had Eli Manning's career, what do you guys say?

Whose career would you guys rather have had?

I'll take Eli Manning's career. You got the whole football family thing going for you. You beat Tom braided twice.

No, but that's a life thing. That's not a career thing. Having a football family. The Marino thing is- Forget the family crap.

I don't know what Gino is doing.

Super Bowl or no Super Bowl, Dan Marino is still considered one of the greatest to ever do it. He's a first-down Hall of Famer.

Do you know how much he hates hearing the fact that he never won a Super Bowl to beat Tom braided twice. I think he'd rather take that.

Eli Manning. Basically, had two seasons. Just happened to get to Super Bowl in both beating Tom braided twice. Okay, cool. I don't know. I think being known as a Hall of Famer, one of the greatest to ever do it. Is Eli Manning considered a New York Giants icon? Sure. Really? You think so? He should be. I think people think Strahan is more of the one that he won is more of a thing.

I heard what Gino said, if you needed the reminder. He beat Tom braided in the Super Bowl. Twice. He didn't do it one time. No, I get it. He did it. He's 2-0 against the GOAT in the biggest game. He's obviously got to get into the Hall of Fame. This is a ludicrous rolling discussion about whether or not he's a Hall of Famer. But I do think that if you hook them up to a lie detector, Dan Moreno can know deep in his balls, I know I'm better than Eli Manning. I think Payton and Archie and Eli himself knows that Dan Moreno was better than Eli was. I still think that they all, including Dan Moreno, would rather have had Eli's career. He won twice. Maybe if you fluke your way to one, you make a case, I'd still rather have all of my achievements. But he won two Super Bowl's, I think I would certainly rather be Eli.

Lie detector lie detector for you right now. Arthur Smith or Mike McDaniel is your offensive coordinator.

Mike McDaniel. I like Mike McDaniel.

That didn't take long at all.

I have no quibble about that.

I have no problem, Vinnie.

I think I've been nothing but a straight shooter with you about these Pittsburgh Steelers. But in the moment in that fourth quarter, Dave was all the way in. I loved what I saw in the four. I mean, like I say, these are unironically or other. This is what it's all about. These are the good times. We've made it. Enjoy it. Lean into it. Yes, big pressure. Don't be one of these people talking about like, Listen, whatever happens here Did you see his passer rating in October? It's not a conversation that anybody wants to hear. These moments are what it's all about. Let's get Jeff Schwartz in here and cut to the chase and start picking these games, shall we? Hi and hello, my fellow football Americans. I hope and trust your holiday season has been as grand as ours has been at the house. We had visits from two grandmothers. We went to two amusement parks. We unwrapped untold numbers of Christmas presents. We were paid a visit by a fat guy in a red suit, or so I understand, because the cookies that we left out for him were not there in the morning.

The only thing I was thinking about was the here and now, but But also, as we took a picture and we look back on last year and the year before, it makes me ponder the future, and specifically, the future of the kids. The last thing I want to worry about or you want to worry about is how your family is going to pay the bills if something were to happen. Would they be financially prepared? With life insurance from Ethos, your family is going to be protected. Ethos is an online platform that makes getting life insurance fast and easy to protect your family's future in just minutes, not months. You can get a quote in as little as 10 minutes. With no medical exam required, you just need to answer a few health questions. There's no complicated process. It's 100% online, and some policies are as low as $2 a day, billed monthly. Are you still unsure? Well, 3 million families have completed their applications and trusted Ethos to help find the right coverage for them. As of March 2025, business insider named Ethos, the number one no medical exam, instant life insurance provider. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos.

Get your free quote at ethos. Com/fba. That's E-T-H-O-S. Com/fba. Application times may vary, rates may vary. Sample rate is for a 10-year term life policy for 35-year-old healthy nonsmoking males. Hi and hello, my fellow football Americans. I got some old news for you. I hope it's old news to you. The NFL Playoffs are here. Win or go home time. And with Pick 6, DraftKings' newest fantasy pick-em game, every snap is a chance at payouts. Every yard, every countdown, every moment, all of it can turn your playoff picks into huge cash prizes. Players are getting something out of it. You should, too. And it couldn't be easier. Just choose more or less on two or more player stats. The better your picks, the bigger the payout. Compete against your peers and climb the leaderboard. Will that star running back top 100 rush yards? Is the quarterback throwing for more than two and a half touch downs? I don't think Bryce Young is going to do it. The guy he's playing against, Matthew Stafford, might do that. And if he wins a second Super Bowl, he might be in the conversation for one of the three or five best quarterbacks of all time.

Either way, the best part of Pick 6 is DraftKings makes it available in Texas, Georgia, California, and dozens of other states nationwide. And new customers, here's your playoff bonus. Get $50 in Pick 6 credits when you make your first Pick 6 entry for just $5. So download the DraftKings Pick 6 app right now and use code Dameshek. That's code Dameshek, D-A-M-E-S-H-E-K. Just five dollars gets you $50 in pick six credits. Ride the upside in partnership with DraftKings Pick Six. The crown is yours. All right, no more jive. It's time to focus in on the main event here. Six games total. That's it. We usually try to focus in on the most consequential games in the NFL weekend. They're all consequential. These are playoff games after all. In a pinch, he's jumping in. That's why he's our main man here. We had our The guy Kevin Hinch, ready to go, but he's got some stuff going on on the side. We gave him a call last second, even it's later than 11: 59. It's like 11: 59 and 58 seconds, but he's here to jump in. He's the host of Jeff Schwartz smarter than you. And it's Jeff Shwartz.

What's the poop, fella? How are you doing? How are you feeling?

I am good. I'm excited to talk to you. We have your Steelers in the playoffs. We have your Hoosier in the playoffs. I mean, first time ever, right? A double duo of Steelers, Hoosier Causher's playoff weekend?

I think literally, there wouldn't be any historical comp there. All right, listen, let's save the college football talk for the back-end here, because by the time most listeners hear us talking about it, they'll probably already know the results of at least one of those two games, maybe both of them. Let's focus in, like I say, on the wild card round in the NFL playoffs. Start us off, Jeff Shwartz, real quick with who you think is going to be participating in Super Bowl 60. I'm already on the record, by the way. Broncos, eagles, 17 to one at last check.

I think the Rams are winning the NFC. That's the one I feel strong, the position I feel strongest about. They've got to finish games better. It's been a bugaboo there this season. They have not looked terribly good the last couple of weeks, but maybe just end of season fatigue, we'll see. They have the easiest game this weekend, which is important. The AFC, Dave, I've wanted it to be the Broncos for weeks. I've talked about them being the team. That buy is so important. It's so huge. One last game. They win one game, and they're in the AFC Championship game. It's that simple for them. The problem is I just continue to not trust Bonyx. I can't do it. I can't believe I'm saying this team, but I think Jacksonville might be the best team in the AFC. You have to basically go against all history the National Football League to pick the Jacksonville Jaguars. But defensively, they're really good on defense. Trevor Lawrence has turned the ball over one time in the last six weeks, started to run the ball a little bit more now. I think they'd be Buffalo this weekend. They could end up hosting the AFC Championship Game, which is certainly possible the way this breaks out because AFC, to me, is very coin-flippy in every game.

I will go Jacksonville. I'll go the Rams.

Join me, Jeff. Join me. Venga. Let's go. The Jags, venga, venga. Come with me. I hated them of the year. Now I have him in the AC Championship as well.

It's pronounced, Mike. I don't know if you know this, but it's pronounced Benga. The V is like a B.

I was just making that joke to Gino, and I was like, Should I even say this? It condotes Pablo Escobar. I don't know if you want to be saying that around, but thanks for bringing extra light to it. I'm happy you could do that for me.

Well, we've just tipped a couple of our picks here. Obviously, Schwartz is going to take the Jags, and I'm going to take the Eagles and the wild card round. There you go. Let's jump into it and we'll start back to front Monday night football. I don't know how I feel about this, spiritually. I don't like a game of huge consequence being shoved into Monday night football, then a short week for whoever wins it. Then again, as somebody who is rooting for one of the two teams playing on Monday, I think this is ideal from a viewing standpoint. If your team plays the first game of the weekend and loses, now you feel like you got a gut punch. I always think back in 1992, as a Pittsburgh Pirates fan, when Francisco Cabrera and Sid Bream happened to the Bucos and the Braves went to the World Series, I missed almost the entire great 1992 World Series against the Minnesota Twins. I tuned in late to game 6 and watched game 7 because I was too sick in my ball still that the Bucos had lost in such heartbreaking fashion. If your team loses the first game of Wild Card Weekend, you feel like you're so sick, you have to find something else to do with yourself.

Now I can watch all the games in front of it and anticipate, what if my team survives this weekend and makes it to the division around? You hear what I'm saying?

I understand that, but I think in this situation, you don't have to wait for a win. So you're in a good situation here for Pittsburgh, where you get to just... As a Steeler's fan, are you excited you won that game? I'm not sure you happy to beat the Ravens, but now Tomlin's there for probably four more years. You get four more years of Mike Tomlin now because you won that game, where the other coach got fired. He might have been fired anyways, but the loser of that game got fired. Now Mike Tomlin's around for a long time. I was looking at that. T. J. Watt has never won a playoff game. That feels shocking to me. It's been so long. I don't know, the Stealers voodoo, it happened against the Ravens. It could happen here, I think. It wouldn't shock me if Pittsburgh won, But I just think Houston, their pass rush and their defense, even with Metcalf back, isn't going to really help Pittsburgh very much in this game.

Well, to answer your question, yes, I'm happy that the Steelers won that game because in the moment, you can't... I always used to say, we had this conversation, I think three or four weeks ago. People used to ask me, what if Indiana and Pitt played each other in the final four in basketball now in football, which way would you go? And I said, Well, that's not something I can tell you intellectually. I'll have to be in the moment feel. My heart and my gut will guide where I come down on this thing.

It will be Indiana, by the way.

You know I think it would have been... I think I'd be rooting for Pit.

No, I'll tell you why. I grew up a UCLA fan, same as you grew up a Pit fan. My parents went to UCLA. Both of them went to UCLA. I thought in basketball, I would root for UCLA instead of Oregon in big games, and you don't. I remember in 2007, UCLA came to Matt Court. They were ranked. Well, maybe even one in that game. Oregon was in town. Oregon was in town. Ucla was in town playing Oregon. My dad came up for the game. I was having back surgery, too. We were both there and went to the game, dude, and it was the most fun. I thought I'd go in there. Maybe I'd root for the... No, you don't. You root for your school. You absolutely do. I think you would root for Indiana.

My particular childhood was spent at Pitt Stadium and Fitzgerald Fieldhouse.

So was mine. I went to every UCLA home game from the time I was five to the time I graduated, went to Oregon.

All I can tell you is I was way more nervous at the end of the first half in the Ravens game, way more nervous with seven and a half left in the game, way more nervous with 55 seconds left and so on than I've ever been during this Indiana Hoosier's run. And yes, I was prisoner of the moment. All my larger concerns, long term concerns were washed away for then. And I think that they will return if the Steelers lose this game. All the talk about Mike Tomlin is now safely back for the next four or five years. I don't necessarily think that's the case. Let's see what happens. If they lose a home playoff game, they're right back. And Mike Tomlin is right back with all the concerns that existed in front of that Ravens game. And so he may well wind up not fired like John Harbaugh, but may take himself out of the mix however you want to couch it. I wouldn't be surprised if that's the way it turns out. Now, matter at hand. Houston Texans Pittsburgh Steelers, home team at the time of this recording, catching three points. Total is 39 and a half.

Whenever I think of the Texans and the Steelers, I'm reminded of the ought to game, the first in Houston history. They're Their quarterback, rookie David Karr, goes three of 10. Oh, this is the whole game, you understand? I'm not talking about one quarter or one drive. David Karr goes three for 10 for 33 yards, whereas his counter counterpart Tommy Maddox in the weirdest Steeler season until this season. Tommy Maddox throws for 326 yards. Pitt runs for 128 yards. The Texans had 37 rushing yards on 26 attempts. The Steelers win the time of possession 2: 1. Final score, Texans, 24 to 6. It's the most impossible box score you've ever seen in your life. Anyway, rear view mirror stuff. Said several times over the last three months. Jags were going to win the division based on how the schedule set up, and they are playing very well. But the Texans were and are shaping up as the AFC's best overall team. Their defense is mighty. Rodgers is night and day based on the pass rush that he is facing. You saw that, Browns into Ravens. Nevertheless, I like the vibe. I like the vibe going there, and I'm a prisoner of the moment, like I already said.

Provincial Dave says, Pittsburgh Steelers, 20 to 18. Take that, Schwartz.

I'll tell you this, though. The Stealers voodoo, man, alive and well. That wa-interception, they were like, There we go. There it is right there. Pushing the kick to the right at the very end for no reason. Steelers voodoo, that stadium, home underdog, man. That's right where Pittsburgh wants to be. I do worry about the Houston offensive line. It's not their strong suit. But Pittsburgh entering. Pittsburgh doesn't pressure the passer a ton. But when they do, they turn into sacks. It's either a feast or famine type situation for them. So can they basically get after Strout, right? I just don't know how you're going to score very much. I think It's a tough time to get in the end zone for Pittsburgh in this game. How many points you need to win? Do you need 17, 20? Do you think you need 20 points to win? You probably need help on defense to get there, give your offense some short fields. But to me, you never count out, you never count out, Pittsburgh is a home underdog in any situation. So last game of the weekend, it's not like Houston has a long track record of this team winning road playoff games either.

Well, the other thing is, too, I feel like even though they're the road team and all the rest of it, C. J. Stroud is the one who comes in with some pressure on his shoulders. He's got the curse of Sposta. I know Aaron Rodgers does and Mike Tomlin does. But man, I've been critical. I've been skeptical all through the season. I don't think I've kept it a secret that the idea that a 42-year-old man is going to be a positive difference maker and carry the load for you. For all the pressure, I mean, his literal career career may well have been on the line. If they lose that game, the Steelers, I don't think Aaron Rodgers comes back to Pittsburgh. Maybe somebody else grabs him for one more year. But I don't think his future would have been in black and gold. And they're down. For him to deliver a nails performance like that was, I thought, pretty impressive stuff. With Adam Thielen and MVS as his targets, keep in mind, too, now he gets D. K. Metcalf. I know it's Some of it is trying to be optimistic. I already said the Texans have the best defense at minimum, maybe the best team in the AFC.

In the here and now, though, I'm going to ride with Tomlin and Rodgers for one week, and let's see what happens on the other side of it. Meantime, Chargers, Patriots. For these two teams in the playoff, my mind goes to 2007 title game. The Chargers went up there. Phil Rivers had the torn ACL, Ladanian. I don't I remember what his issue was. I think it was his knee. He gave it one series and couldn't go. Phil Rivers played the whole game. They still almost pulled that game out. Again, rear view mirror stuff. Chargers liability is on the O-line, but the Pats ain't world beaters at rushing the passer. Patriots laying three and a half, total 46 and a half. Schwartz, how say you?

I have the chargers to cover this game. I can't buy the Patriots with their schedule, man. They played three teams with a winning record, at least 500. They were one and two. They scored less points and gave up more points. Chargers definitely have some issues on their offensive line, but they're mostly on the edges, right? And that's not what the Patriots do on defense. Their best stuff is in the middle of that defense. The Chargers defense is number one in the NFL against Passer, like Passer rating against. Actually, they've done a great job this season. They pressure the heck out the quarterback. Herbert, we talk all season, he leads the NFL in pressure. Second is Drake May. He's been in pressure a ton now. The difference is, Drake May is doing incredibly well, off the charts well against pressure, which I don't know if that really transits over to the postseason very well. I look at the charges to control the physicality of this game, the tempo of this game. I didn't make cover this game. Do they win? I wouldn't be surprised, but I do like them plus the three and a half to cover this game.

The Vrabel v. Harba element of it is intriguing stuff as well. No stranger on either side to big-time games. Do you think on a human level, this may sound like a dumb question because maybe it is a dumb question, is Jim Harbaugh, probably as a human being, spent some time with his brother on the phone this week, right? Is he at all distracted? Does that have any impact? Like, I've been trying to help talk my brother through a tough time, and I haven't really been able to focus on film as much. No? I assume the answer is no.

I think he I actually think maybe he just... I think the answer is no. I would say no, they have not talked.

Oh, they haven't even connected. He's like, I'm focused on my own stuff.

I think he probably texted him and was like, Hey, I'm out of here. And maybe they talk like he driving home at night, he called them. But I don't think it took any time away from his preparation.

Okay. I'm an empath. I don't know how other people are wired. I have the Patriots 24, 23, so obviously, I'm trying to have it both ways there. Another quick question for you. I've been riding with these sophomore QBs this year, and as far as that goes, Drake May, Bo Nicks, Caleb, Jaden, plus Pennex and McCarthy. I mean, if one of these guys gets to the Super Bowl and wins it. Are we already at a point where the 2024 QB class is in the conversation for best ever? I mean, that's a pretty loaded half dozen names I just threw at you.

Would have to be, right?

Yeah. I mean, the short answer is yes.

It would be the '83 year, right?

And Jaden Daniels just about went to the Super Bowl a year ago. So add that to the pile as well.

I think you have to think that, yes.

Niners, Eagles, home team, laying four and a half, 44 and a half, as you're told at the time of this recording. Niners couldn't stop Seattle from running and couldn't start running on the Seattle defense last week. I don't really see why either of those things is going to change much against this Eagles team. Jeff Schwartz, how say you?

Yeah, this is strength versus strength and weakness versus weakness, right? Where you have a situation where you have the Niners offense versus the Eagles defense. Those are the two strengths of those teams. The Niners defense against the Eagles's offense. Those are the weaknesses of both teams. But the question is, the Eagles get Lane Johnson back, presumably.

That's right.

What's going to stop... Who's stopping the Who are the Niners are stopping the Eagles? Even though the Eagles's offense has not been great, Dave, I just don't really think that the Niners have the pieces in place. They can't rest the passer, have no linebackers. That's not a recipe for any success in the NFL. And so on I just do not believe that the Niners have enough in this game. They're great stories. Shana's done a great job, but they just don't have enough in this game, in my opinion, to make this a close game, even as bad as we agree, the Eagles's offense has been this season. I'm not sure they can take advantage of it. It's unfortunate because the Niners are a good football team, but it's, to me, just not... There's not enough in this game for them.

Well, I mean, again, the Eagles are my Super Bowl pick, the NFC representative. The big factor here is their Jenga pieces are back. Jalen Carter on the defense, they are a very different defense when he's there in the middle. And on offense, like you say, Lane Johnson appears to be coming back, too. He's their offensive Jenga piece, and the offense is very different. I suspect that Saquon Barkley has a day here against the diminished Niners defense.

I think he has to have a day. Sure. That has to be something he's got to have a good day for the Eagles to be the team they want.

27, 24. Igles advance in my book. There you go. The Buffalo Bills, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the home team, the Jags are catching a point and a half. 45 and a half is the total. This is, I think, from what I'm able to glean seen from social media and conversations with the Fuentes boys and beyond, this is the toughest call of the weekend for most football enthusiasts. How say you?

For me, it's not. I think Jackson will win this game. Buffalo is the most pressure of any team in the postseason, right? Yes. No Mahomes, no Lamar, no Joe Burrow, the three guys that have tortured Buffalo over the years. They've played worse on the road in the playoffs. Their defense in all their losses just combust, completely combust. Having Jacksonville's ability to run the football in this game and commit to running the football is a huge benefit to them. Buffalo has to make more plays to win the game than Jacksonville does. Josh Allen has to have heroic Josh Allen stuff. Trevor Lawrence, I don't think he has to do that in this game. Run the ball, take what's there. Jacksonville Jaguars defense, number one in the NFL against the rush, playing Buffalo's offense. We talk about Josh Allen this year. It's interesting how he's got nobody, Dave. Number one rushing off against the NFL, we mean nobody. I'm a great wide receiver, sure, but he has the number one rushing off against the NFL. It's something. I just think Jacksonville is a better team. I love what Liam Cohen has done this season. Again, the improvement for Trevor Lawrence to just becoming...

He's not completing a ton of passes, certainly a problem. But he's turned the ball over less. All those players were like, What are you doing, dude? He hasn't had those in six weeks. I feel like if you can avoid that in a playoff game, they're going to win this game.

When you see what Liam Cohn has done in one season with Trevor Lawrence and Ben Johnson has done in one season with Caleb Williams and so on and so forth, it's remarkable to me that the first thing you hear as soon as John Harbaugh gets fired, literally 28 seconds later, like, Oh, a half dozen other teams want him desperately. Why do you want the retread? What would the stealers do if they fired Mike Tomlin? Go and get one of those clever OCs out there. They're obviously the straws that stir the drink at this point. Clearly.

Well, I think here's the issue, Dave, is that this year there's not a great group of those coaches. And so you're looking at teams hiring retreads. But also a lot of the teams that are hiring have signaled, the Giants have signaled they want a former head coach. It's that they've signaled, they made those signals. They put those out there. We want a former head coach. So I think that is why people have connected Harbaugh to that job. Now, I wonder if that's connected to the Dolphins as well. There's a familiarity with John Harbaugh that ownership will like instead of chasing the young guy like we know we get with Harbaugh. I'm very fascinated to see where this goes because Lamar is incredible, but he has not had the playoff success that you wanted. It's another coach to bring that out of Lamar. So eight jobs open. There's not eight great coaches this year. Last year was a good coaching pool. This one right now really isn't.

I hear you. But the thing that's funny about this particular retread head coach, John Harbaugh, I don't understand the comps to Andy Reid. I get the notion of like, Maybe things run their course. Andy Reid ran one of the five NFC Championship games. Andy Reid is also an X and O guy, by definition. He's a QB whisper. John Harbaugh is like a foreman on the work site. He does a good job of managing all the different elements of the game, but I don't think he's a difference maker, and I think he's going to find a very different reality from the stable Baltimore organization if he goes to a place like, say, Cleveland. I don't think that's going to work out for either side of things if that winds up happening. Either way, Kirstis Post is on the road team, as you say, for this game in Duval County. The Bills have to win it. I think McDermott is coaching for his future. I wouldn't be surprised. Talk about experienced head coach. Maybe he winds up with the Giants by autumn of 2026 if they don't win this one. I don't think Allen is going to drag him to the Super Bowl.

Jags have the better team. And in fact, their quarterback is playing better than the reigning MVP. All that being said, I'm taking the Bills on the road here. I just got a hunch about the history of Josh Allen. I think he gets to the divisional round. We'll see what happens after that. And logic or illogic, we move on to the packers and the bears. We've talked about trying to beat the same team three times in a season. The bears are the home team. They're plus one and a half. 45 and a half is the total.

Jeff Schwartz, choose. Well, they split the season series, right? The packers won the first game. Remember, Kael Wunfeley in the reception? Oh, that's right.

That's right.

That's right. I also look, so on the rematch thing quickly, people love to throw like, The losing team, it's easier for them. No? If a team wins twice in regular season, they're probably better. That's I look at it. I've never understood this. A team wins twice. It doesn't apply here, of course. But give me the packers, dude. It's a full fate of the bears. 33 takeaways this season, when they have two or more takeaways, they're 9-0. When they have one or fewer, they're 2-6. For the top six teams who led the league in turnovers, or take away, essentially, and allowed the most points. Those two things, right? Five of the six never made the playoffs. The bears are in that six. The divas is not good. I don't really expect it to turn up a notch in the postseason. Now, the packers, no pass rush, which has been alarming. The quarterbacks are a little beat up. I know he'll be back this week. I just like the Packers in this game. I'm just fed in the bears.

I'm not applying any specific logic beyond Jordan Love has been He's got something to prove here. He's coming back. What I don't get is, I'm taking the pack 30 to 28 here. I don't understand about the Lafleur is going to get fired talk. I mean, do you see what he did with Jordan Love? Did you see what he's done with Malik Willis? What are we talking about, everybody?

I don't buy it either.

Very weird. I don't get that one. Okay. Rams, Carolina. We know Schwartz has taken the Rams because he has them going all the way to the Super Bowl. Ten and a half, if memory serves, that was the exact number that the Panthers caught at home the last time these two teams played. This time, the total is 46 and a half. How say you on this one, Schwartz, in terms of against the spread?

Oh, I mean, 10 and a half points a lot, Dave.

Yes, it is.

A lot of points in the NFL in the postseason. I mean, I'm staying away from this one because I think it's one of those things where if a good Panthers show up, it's a game. The bad Panthers show up, they'll lose by 17. I just don't know which version is showing up. I know what I'm getting from the Rams. I think this is closer to a Rams cover than not. I would just stay away from it.

No team that survived the regular season has to be sicker than the Rams. They could have, maybe should have in the one seat, if not for the last eight minutes or whatever up in Seattle.

Or in Philly. They have 26-7 in Philly in loss, remember?

That's week three. I mean, that's ancient history. But yes, you're absolutely right. It still counts, though. No, you're absolutely right. It is wild. Ten and a half against the team they lost to in that exact same stadium about six or eight weeks or so ago. It's loco, but I'm going with the Rams to win outright. 26-18. That's just too big a number for a playoff game. I mean, I don't like a double Digit favorite in the regular season. I definitely don't like it in the postseason, but I think you're ultimately right. It's a stay away game. And last thing before we let you go, we appreciate you jumping in to help us out last second. And like I say, a lot of people listening will already know the results of the two college football final four games. But let's hear your pics here and see how close we can get. In fact, if you'd like, let's pretend like we've already seen them, too. Let's do it as though it's already settled. And we'll start with Oregon, I-U, the Hoosiers, minus three and a half, 47 and a half is the total. Jeff Swartz wearing Ducks gear.

This I mean, if we're talking like it's already done, I'll see the crew in Miami in a couple of weeks to watch Oregon play Miami in a national championship game while I watch Mario Cristobal, Dan Lanning. That would be a very toxic internet game, by the way between Miami fans, Oregon fans. Look, I think Miami wins, by the way, so we're not going to spend time on that. Let's talk about our game here.

What a stupid... I mean, this tournament is undermined. I know I said this earlier in the week, but I didn't say it to you, It's like, Well, we texted about it on the side. They're like, This is the greatest. The turn of this tournament is so great, so intense. The Ole Miss coaches may not show up for it. What are we talking about? It ain't that intense. And also, You better win the U. You know you're playing the other team doesn't even have coaches.

The funny part, too, Indiana has already secured their roster for next season in the same week as they're playing a semifinal game, and Oregon lost their entire secondary and running to the portal, so that's awesome. Look, I think in this game, I feel like I know a game from Indiana. I feel like I know what that team is right now. Oregon's got to play better in offense, and it's a lot of self-inflicted mistakes. I went back and watched the first Oregon- Indiana game. It's like we dropped a pass on second and seven that would have got us inside the 10-yard line. We go 14-10. That's a big difference in the game. Instead, I think we kicked the field goal on that drive. Dante Moore just not throwing the ball when he's supposed to. There was just a lot of stuff in that game that frustrated me. You make the case Indiana didn't play their best game offensively. That's certainly fair. They threw a pick six and whatnot. They only 340 yards. If we go up 340 yards again, I'll take it, Dave. I'm like, Sweet. That's awesome. So that's my biggest question. What do we get from Oregon offense?

Do we get a sloppy, consistent performance we've had against better teams? Or if they play their best game of the season, We'd probably win. But they haven't done that against better teams. They haven't done it against Iowa, didn't do it against Penn State, didn't do it against Indiana the first time, and didn't do it against Texas Tech. So for the fifth time, we need to have the best offense we've had all season. Can we do it? Absolutely. The sim pressure stuff I mean, Indiana ate us alive on sim pressures. The case against Indiana is not even almost like a football thing, per se. It's like, is Indiana going 16: 00? Because a team going 16: 00 this season, is that really going to happen? Are Are they going to win every single high leverage moment the entire season? Those are non-football things, per se, that have to go Oregon's way, I think, for them to win this game. Indiana is so efficient in what they do, and It's just hard to beat a team like that. They make no mistakes. They don't turn the ball over, don't have penalties, don't do dumb stuff, don't blow coverages, don't have offensive line issues.

It's a very tough team to play, Dave. I mean, everything goes the way I said. It can go for Oregon. Yeah, Oregon can win the game. If they don't play on clean offense, we're not going to win.

Well, a lot of good defenses are showing up, or at least three good defenses are showing up for this final four. I'll ride with the Hoosiers. I'm rooting for you, except I have many dozens of people I'm rooting for on the I. U side of things.

You're not going to root for me. I don't root for you.

I'd like you to be happy. I'd like you to be happy. That's all.

I hope you lose.

All right, screw. I hope you lose, too.

I could. You should hope I lose.

Last thing is before you go. This is That's not something a stable, sober NFL franchise would do. The Ravens are not going to hire Kurt Signetti. But if you're the Raiders- The Raiders, yes. This would be, I think to me, this is crazy thinking and all of that. But in this case, this is a perfect Mark Davis thing to do. But I think this one would actually have a chance of working out. Sig isn't going to be afraid. It's like, Wow, they're a dumpster fire, the Raiders. Like, do you see what he did in Indiana? They have no history. He them around right quick. And Fernando, to me, does present, as in the right situation, a legit NFL star QB, a high-end quarterback, top 10, top dozen quarterback. With his college coach, I think, again, I know it's not something that teams that have an eye towards the long term, and we hope this guy's going to be around a dozen years from now, thing in what you're looking for in a head coach. I don't think that's the Raiders approach to things, and I think it would work if they did it. I just don't know if they'll actually follow through.

How's that?

I think that's the report that Sigmetti is getting like 12. 5 now, the reduced contractor. He's up for a bonus of some sort. I mean, the rate also pay him like 20. I think at this point, Sigmetti doesn't feel like he wants the NFL as an end game. There are younger college coaches that have always looked toward the NFL as an end game. I mean, Dan Lanings talked about it. At some point in his career, he wants to go to the NFL. Chip Kelly went to the NFL. We got younger coaches make that jump. I don't think Sigmetti at his age I want to go be NFL coach. It didn't feel that way to me. Why leave now? You get the support from Mark Cuban. You get the support from the administration. They're all in. You're getting the players you want out of the portal. This is not the time to leave, in my opinion. I got a circle iron is hot. I get it.

That's what that's my thinking is. You could convince yourself, We ain't ever repeating what we've just done this magic season. We may as well leave while the getting is good.

It's probably unlikely Indiana is back here next season. It's unlikely, Ole Miss is back here. Miami loses a ton. That's the only thing about Oregon. Oregon, we're not going to lose a lot. We're going to have a lot of guys come back. I feel a little comfortable in saying, I think we're back next season in the same spot. But you still want to win, of course. I'd rather win now than never win. But I think Indiana, Signete, you look at it as, This is our year to do this. Now, next year, you bring in Hoover, all that stuff, but it might not work out quite as well, actually. Sure. Last thing here. We have seen 2023, Michigan, 2024, Ohio State, and now 2025, Indiana. They're old as shit, man. They are super old. Indiana has, out of 11, as far as an offense, one is younger than four years in college football. I think defense is three guys that are three years, and the rest are all four, five, six-year guys. Michigan was old. Ohio State was old. Oregon is trying this next year. We might have four-year defensive linemen. We're trying to do that.

That's now, I think, the model in the sport sport is to be old, experienced, and have a lot of football wisdom and grown men, like grown bodies, to play this game. Because now you have a longer season, too. So the more mature body can probably handle the long season than can younger guys. So So it's interesting to see Indiana follow that model. I'm not sure they did on purpose, Dave, but they're in line with the last two champions as far as the youth, or lack thereof, of their program.

I hear you. And they did. Bottom line is load up real good. So the bridge in the next season is strong enough that I think that would be a deterrent for Coach Sig to walk away from that because it's not just a QB. They did really add some nice pieces there for next season. Anyway, listen, in the here and now, bad luck to your team. I hope they lose. Good. Hope you lose, too. I wish them nothing but the worst out there on the field. Same. And really appreciate you jumping in. And hopefully, we'll talk on the other side of it in the next few days. Jeff Schwartz is smarter than you. Make sure you're checking it out, everybody. There he goes, Jeff Schwartz. I was just trying to be a gentleman. I'm not actually wishing the Ducks any luck whatsoever. And you shouldn't. I'm wishing them bad luck. That's all. Yes.

You wish your opponent bad luck.

That's right. And I wish the U Good luck, bad luck? I don't know. I hope to see you in Miami a week from Monday for Fernando invading or returning the prodigal son to play the U and having all of his hometown pals root against him. The I guess. I don't know.

As a Hoosier fan, you prefer Ole Miss in the Championship?

I guess. But as a college football fan, I think it's lousy if Ole Miss with its assisting coaches on the fence about whether even they should show up or follow Lane to LSU sooner rather than later is a bad look for the sport. So I think the U versus, like I say, Fernando, the local Cuban hero, that's great story lines. I think that would be good. So I as objective as I can be about it, that's what I'm rooting for. The all Columbus final? It's all a dream. It's all a dream. It's all a dream what's going on. Very quickly, you heard our pics there. Mike Fuentes, which game are you most confident in who's going to win it? Most Can they assume Rams?

Excluding Rams, Panthers. I think that's the easy one for all of us.

Okay, great. Good place to start. Let's get them out of the way. Get that out of here. That's a child's play.

The game that I hate to say because I really like the 49ers, but I just don't see them. That's the one I'm looking at, too. I just don't see them overcoming that. In Philly, I know the Eagles's offense has been... But the way that the 49ers looked against the Seahawks, the way they're able to shut down, not be able to stop Kenneth Walker or Charbonneau, and the way the defense looked at it, I don't see them advancing. I think the Eagles are going to run all over the 49ers. That's tough. If I had to pick an absolute lock, I'm with Jeff, too, on the Stealers voodoo. They just find a way to keep every game close, and I don't trust C. J. Stroud. So out of all those, I'm going to say the one that would be the most confident putting my money on is Eagles to take care of the 49ers.

How about least confident, Gino?

The The least confident on all these? I mean, this Bill's Jacksonville game is going to be so fun to watch. I think the Jaguars are going to win, but it could easily be Josh Allen.

All right. Part of the fun this weekend and going forward is playing the Pick 6 presented by DraftKings. Draftkings, the Crown is yours. Here are half dozen names, if you are new to the way we approach this. I'm a simple-minded person. I just try to pick countdown scores. I don't try to focus on the yards, but those are available to you as well. At DraftKings, I'm going to start with players who are going to score more than half a countdown. I bring this up because it's impossible to score half a countdown, so they'll score at least a full countdown. I'm going with Kyren Williams, Puka Nakuwa. You can tell him on the Rams based on that. Saquon, like I say, should have a day against the Niners. You saw how they handled or didn't handle the Seahawks running backs. Saquon is superior. I think he finds the end zone. James Cooke has been a countdown maker all season long. That will continue. And then in the throwing department, two countdown passes or more. Matthew Stafford, Drake May, How Say You, Mike Fuentes, or Gino Fuentes. Any swapouts?

I love Puka as a receiver. I just don't feel like he catches a lot of touch downs. He'll probably catch even less with Devante Evans back. That's probably the one I'm looking at. I also really don't love Drake May for two touch downs because the charger is secondary Pretty good. Here's the thing about who I pick. I take Josh Allen to score any time, that means he's going to rush one in. Josh Allen's best statistical games, he's throwing a countdown and rushing a countdown, and those are usually the games that he really has to battle in. He's going to have to battle in this Jags game. So I'm going to say that Josh Allen gets a rushing shutdown against the Jags.

And you're taking the Jags to win the game. I am. All right. You're a man of many flavors, Mike Fuentes. Gino, any swapouts for you?

Yeah, I think it's going to be... You got Stafford here for two touch downs. To get to two touch downs, he's going to need Devante Adams. So I'm going to put Devante Adams in, and that's probably going to cost Kyron Williams his touch down.

All right, there you go. Follow us or come up with your own half dozen names. The important thing is to play the pick six with DraftKings. Draftkings, the Crown is yours. And now we've told you what we think is going to happen in the wild card rounds. Now it's on you to enjoy the wild card rounds. Unless your team is in it, you're going to be nervous as balls all weekend long. I know I'm going to be trying to enjoy a little bit. These are the good times, everybody. We'll be back on the other side of most of the wild card round and round two of the college football playoff to get you right for Monday night and beyond the divisional round and the rest of it. Until then, for everybody on Football America. Thanks so much, my fellow football Americans. It's been a thin slice of heaven.