This Dan Le Batard Show segment, a Football America edition, covers NFL Week 9 and college football. Guests Mike Ryan Ruiz and Tony Colladoud react to Malachi Toney's ankle injury and what it means for Miami's College Football Playoff hopes.
The hosts quiz Jacoby Brissett's career stops, debate whether a 12-team playoff rewards merit, and count the NFL teams that still have a realistic Super Bowl chance. Listeners also get game predictions for the NFC East, Bears and Buccaneers, and Patriots and Packers, along with betting standings.
The contenders and predictions are the hosts' and guests' own opinions.
In this episode Dave Dameshek, Mike Ryan Ruiz, Tony Colladoud
This transcript of this Dan Le Batard Show episode on Brissett, Toney and NFL contenders was made with the same technology behind HappyScribe's AI meeting assistant.
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If you listen to Football America, it's— they have this video, I believe, on Damn Damage— Dave DamageX's Twitter page.
The world-famous Dan Damashack on YouTube. Hi and hello, my fellow football Americans. Welcome to NFL Week 9 preview, welcome to Elimination Saturday, welcome to Football America! Presented by DraftKings Sports, available in all the states of these United States of Football America. Thanks to all who've dropped us a line over the last several weeks. Speaking of, Nick Costos and I, and also Major Randy Socialmeed, jumped on YouTube earlier in this week to try and make sense of the senseless, uh, first college football rankings.
And we also answered some of your viewer mail, or listener mail, whatever you want to call it. Be a deer and check that episode out. It is a YouTube exclusive there, and drop us a line. In the meantime, oh my goodness, do we have a lot to get to here on episode number 97. Hello to Gino Fuentes behind the glass. Who wore that jersey number best? 97, Gino.
All right, we got Brian Young, Gino Atkins, uh, Simeon Rice, Leroy Glover, Cam Hayward, and then we got some NHL notables here. Buddy, why don't you fill us in?
I mean, the biggest ones—
Wait a minute, you skipped the gold jacket that's going to Cam Hayward, but now you can proceed.
No, I said it right at the end.
The biggest—
I know, but you didn't mention that he's a future Hall of Famer.
Okay, of course.
Speaking of future Hall of Famers, in the NHL, arguably, maybe Dave will go down as the greatest player of all time, though still hopeless, is Connor McDavid.
Overrated player of all time.
Connor McOverrated, as we like to call him in these offices. You know he's on pace for 210 points this year, Dave Damashack.
Good for him. I hope he gets it. I hope he also gets a Stanley Cup if he wants to be a part of the conversation of the best-ever-play the sport, as it is. He's tracking to be Dan Marino of, uh, of Puck. All right, listen. With the trade deadline, uh, coming up on Tuesday, there's going to be all sorts of news in that regard in the coming days. The biggest football news, pro or college, so far this week, is it Jacoby Brissett to the Ravens? No, it's not. And we're going to talk about the actual big story in just a second. But very quickly, there he is, 10-day Tony Colladoud, author of the 10-Day, uh, Tony Substack and from Cane's Inside.
We're going to talk, uh, well, Cane's Inside in just a second here, and also the straw that stirs the drink over there on the Dan Le Batard Show. He's jumping in, Mike Ryan. Let's do it. Mr. Lister! Before we talk about the dire Cane situation—
Whoa. Check that out, Dave. Little guy.
Is that supposed to be you, Dave?
Is that you?
Fancy music and everything.
It's more than you.
Yeah, for the listener, there's a picture of me. Look, well, I think it's Rob Riggle, but close enough. It looks like Rob Riggle more than it looks like Dave. But either way, very good. Hello to you, Mike Ryan. Hello to you, 10-day Tony, and congratulations to you and your family on the victory, um, in the election. But now we are trying to elect who knows more about football, or who can prove they know more about football. Here we go, I just mentioned him. Jacoby Brissett! All the teams he's played for in the NFL. Mike Ryan, you start us off.
New England Patriots.
Correct.
The Arizona Cardinals.
That's correct.
Indianapolis Colts.
Oh, very nice, Mike Ryan.
The Cleveland Browns.
Man, I kind of— that one's kind of murky for me, but that is in fact correct. That's four.
Are you guys saving the layup? The Miami Dolphins.
There you go. There's one that I— I legitimately just plum don't remember happening.
How many do we have left on the board, Dave? Just so we—
Two.
Two left? Okay. Not including Baltimore?
Well, I'm allowing that one.
Oh, what?
Okay, Baltimore.
Oh, damn.
Damn Damashack.
Damn! Damn Damashack!
Uh, all right, hold on.
You're already hurting, man. I don't want to— I don't want to bum you out any further.
I'm going through divisions. I'm going through divisions right now.
Where else would he play?
Hang on.
I mean, I'm going through—
No.
No memory of this happening.
Wow.
Was he—
And Dave just recounted the tale of 1993 Indiana Hoosier team.
Can I guess a division?
Well, I'm better on the 20th century than I am the current one.
Can I guess a division?
Yes.
Was it— was it the AFC South?
It was not. Wrong conference.
Then I'm out.
It was the Washington Commanders.
The Com—
And I don't even know if it was the—
I don't recall.
Commies at that point.
I do not remember that at all.
I don't recall that at all.
I mean—
No recollection.
I don't know if that was before they transitioned into being the Commies, previously the football team, and before that. The name that I still am on the fence about whether or not we're allowed to say it into a microphone anymore. Is it— is it now so, so awful a term that if you say it, you're a bigot? I'm not sure. But I do— I want to say we are not that. We're progressive. In fact, I noticed Danny B behind the glass over there has now— is now a blonde woman? Is that right, Danny B? You— you went ahead and got the mutilization ahead of time?
Just proactively?
Danny's telling me it's Denny with an I now.
Huh.
Huh.
Good for— well, good for her. Congratulations on living her truth. And, uh, like I say, we like to have our fun, but, uh, these are dark times down there in South Beach for a lot of Miami Hurricanes fans, the least of which. The biggest Cane's fan I know, probably will ever know. Malachi Tony, Heisman Hopeful. We talked about him just a number of days ago. Is he the favorite to win the Heisman, or is it Darian Mensing?
Is it over for both of them now? Are the Cane's title hopes also kaput? Malachi Tony needs ankle surgery. Mike Ryan, you have my thoughts. And prayers.
All right.
Thank you.
Thank you for both.
How are you?
Um, terrible. Yeah, this has been awful. I thought that this season was going to be a really special season. I thought that Miami was probably the best of the lot, and now it's going to be tough for Miami to win number six this season. Um, uh, I know that a lot of people— they're still favored to make the CFP. This is going to be tough, and I— I can explain why it's going to be tough. Outside of just Malachi Tony's unbelievable offensive production.
First of all, let me interrupt you. Okay, so he has surgery on the high ankle sprain, which seems weird to me. I guess I don't understand, uh, terminology very well. An ankle sprain. They— they did surgery on it, but the word is optimistically he could be back before the playoff would begin. And after the Irish— let me just set the table for you. A little glass half full, Mike Ryan. After Notre Dame, they go Duke, who's good, Virginia Tech, who's pretty good, and Boston College, who's an atrocity. So I think those are surviv— that's a survivable trio of games.
And before we get to any of that, now up in South Bend, Catholic— Catholics-Convicts, 1v4, all that kind of stuff, all the marbles. Now it's all about the story becomes quickly as the— as the spread goes to seven in favor of the home team. The— the Irish now carry the curse of Spoasta on their shoulders. They're supposed to win this game, and if they don't, I think they are out of the playoff. Legitimately out of the— if you lose to this Miami Hurricanes team without arguably their best player, you guys have been talking this week that— that he is the best player in the U's program's history, which is wild stuff if that's in fact— I mean, for him to even be in the conversation.
So if the Irish lose this game, they're done. That's a lot of pressure on them. How say you?
More so now, but the CFP kind of established that narrative headed in here by— by putting them number 11.
True.
Um, yeah. There— there's no coming back from it, I don't think. If, uh, although November can famously be nutty in college football. I do want to address— you threw a lot of stuff at me. Why the— why the surgery? Why is he having surgery on a high ankle sprain? Because he wants to come back.
Mm-hmm.
Um, yeah, this— he tore ligaments, so he'd be out, uh, for the— for the season. This is the type of ankle sprain that's worse than a fracture, and he's taking this, uh, surgery that Tua took, that Brock Bowers took.
A lot of people in the NFL, yeah.
Yeah, to— to— well, Brock Bowers— I'm saying specifically college football. Brock Bowers did the rush hack.
Oh, yeah, came back, yes.
And he was back inside of a month. I know Tua is more stationary, right? So, but Malachi Tony is trying to be there for his team's CFP run. A run that is going to be more difficult, and I— I— I think that, yeah, the next three games, um, out after this are all at home. They're all against conference opponents. I do think that it'll get a little dicey. I think that they can lose one of those games. In fact, if I— if I had to place a wage runner right now, I think they lose at least one of those conference games. So here's how they miss the CFP altogether.
They lose to Notre Dame, which is something that they're presently favored to do, 7 and a half. They lose one of those conference games. They still get into Charlotte, but they're going up against a good team in Charlotte, and they lose that game. We have seen the college football playoff committee not super consistent with when they choose to hold a conference championship game against a team, and when they do, BYU, they held it against them. Alabama, one of the worst performances we've ever seen. That didn't impact them at all. So if they lose one of those upcoming three ACC Conference Champion— uh, Conference games, and they end up losing in Charlotte, you're looking at a team that might get shut out.
Hmm. Okay, they can't, though. For them to be a viable participant in the 12-best team tournament, I don't think they can lose to Duke and still make that claim. But if they do, after the Notre Dame game, if they win out and they go to the conference title game, and let's say they catch Wake, who— you've been saying this since very early in the season, that the Wake is legit. If the Wake beats the U, and the only loss that the Cane's take is at South Bend, are they still a playoff team then?
Yes, if the only loss that they take during the regular—
To get to Gimbe?
Uh, during the regular season. And keep in mind, they did beat Wake, so that's weird. Like, that's weird, right? They— they lost to a team that they beat, so they can kind of— that's an erasure.
It's a wash, yeah.
Right. But I'm— I'm worried about Virginia Tech. I— I do think that Miami is going to play a style that, while they've had a lot of success in, is going to have these games in really tight margins, one possession type of games. That's how they're going to, I think, stay in this game against Notre Dame, but it's also going to keep a team like Duke in the game. I— I would not be surprised if these spreads are going to be altered in the upcoming weeks, and you're looking at 14 and a half point spreads. And you mentioned, like, losing to, uh, Duke. That would make them non-title worthy. What are we talking about? Like, Georgia lost to a— a 20 and a half point underdog at home in Auburn, which is not a very good team.
Anybody can get got, especially when you're missing, um, an all-time player like Malachi Tony.
I— you're right, and I'm sorry. I have to take it back. When I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong. Like Orbach at the end of Dirty Dancing. I am now feeding into the mentality, apparently, of the committee that is all SEC and every other conference doesn't matter and there aren't good teams outside of the top couple of teams in any of the other conferences, including the Big Ten. Shame the devil if we were to loop the ACC into that based on the way the ACC bias of that committee has revealed things. Here's the thing. If you are losing in the second half in South Bend, one thing that probably you'll be able to lick your wounds with is that, as I said at the top, in a just world at least, and I don't think we live in one based on that initial poll we saw earlier in the week, this should be at least, at minimum, elimination Saturday for the SEC.
Consider Texas, Missouri, LSU, Ole Miss, Bama, and Tennessee all have two losses. So some number of those teams should rightly be out of contention for the playoff. I don't know if they will be, but I'd like to believe that they— that some reality will creep in by Saturday night. How say you?
You're not worried about Alabama being ranked number five with—
I think it's insane. Of course I— I think it's insane. I went my belly ached on and on. I think— I think it's— it's one of the most loco things I've ever seen.
Sick in your balls about it?
I just want you to go back. I am sick in my balls that we have a power four undefeated team in the best conference. How do I know that the Big Ten is the best conference? Because it's won the last three national championships, and they beat in the national title game, not SEC team. So the SEC isn't the best conference. The Big Ten plainly is, and we have an undefeated team in it, and somehow it's ranked behind two loss Alabama. It's— it's senseless. It's senseless, but hopefully some level of reality will creep in should LSU vanquish them on Saturday, right?
I— I would assume. You're talking about UCLA. I— I do find it a little bit bonkers, but they— they kind of established—
Yeah, that's all I'm talking about. UCLA. Who else am I talking about?
Well, they kind of— they kind of established a template that if LSU beats Alabama, Alabama's not going to fall that much. It's a playoff game. It— it's a play-in game for— for LSU potentially. The next three opponents are all ranked opponents for LSU, and this is kind of setting the table for LSU to creep back into the next, you know, top 11.
All right, let's do this. I don't want to hold you up too long, Mike Ryan, and we have, uh, Pro Football to— to, uh, predict for the— uh, for the coming, um, weekend. Um, let's get into the DeLorean real quick. Can we— can we, uh, fire up the DeLorean? Take it up to— now. There we go. Woo! Sunday morning, man. I'm excited for a big day of Pro Football action. Real quick though, Mike Ryan, let's reflect on what we just saw yesterday, Saturday, elimination Saturday in the SEC.
Some, uh, some mixed results there. The big one obviously in South Bend with the U. What do you think of the, uh, the current top four as it stands after what was a, uh, consequential day in college football?
Uh, I think, uh, Indiana is— let's put— I think Ohio State loses.
Hmm?
So, so Ohio—
But Mike, you're in the DeLorean though, so you've already seen it.
Six days?
I've already seen it.
It's six days. They play— they just played yesterday, so.
Yeah, yeah. You're in the— yeah. All right, so Georgia number one.
Georgia!
Um.
Also, Georgia did— did, uh, take care of business down there.
They took care of Ole Miss. They took care of—
So Ole Miss is out of contention for the playoff.
Yeah, and obviously this means that Miami has lost to— to Notre Dame.
They did lose that game. I'm sorry to hear that for you.
Yeah, who do they lose to in the main square?
Uh, Utah.
Utah?
Utah. Oh, yeah. Who wins a Holy War? Utah. I think Utah is legit. So Utah is number—
Indiana's four, Bama's five.
Number two.
Kentucky is six.
Indiana?
This is still crazy to me.
Indiana, um, Indiana moves up in Notre Dame's top four.
Well, Indiana didn't play. They have a big one in six days against USC.
But they move up. You asked me who—
Well, what I—
Who's the top four?
I know. I just want to let you know that the potential spoiler of college football the rest of the way here is the USC Trojans. Not only can they play themselves into the tournament, they can knock out Indiana next Saturday with a victory.
Okay.
In all likelihood, not— or at least put them in some serious jeopardy, the Hoosiers.
Yeah, I— I—
And then they play UCLA. And if UCLA loses to Mine— well, wait, wait, wait. Did UCLA beat Minnesota yesterday? I can't remember. Tell me.
Ooh!
Ooh!
UCLA?
No.
I was on alert, Mike.
PJ Fleck—
PJ Fleck was rowing the boat, but it wasn't enough to beat Bob Chesney and the boys.
It doesn't.
Okay.
Any— any time Lincoln Riley's USC Trojans hop on a bird and switch time zones on the road, it doesn't work out for them. And the last person you want to see after a signature win is PJ Fleck. You should know this.
The other big one, Mike Ryan, is what ha— I— I didn't get to tune in. There was so much going on on Saturday. What, um, what was the result of, uh, the Wildcats paying a visit to Knoxville, the— the Tennessee Vols and the UK Cats?
Vols. Vols.
Vols won that game.
Yeah, Kent— Kentucky is a great story, but no one seems to apply that this team is fortunate to be at the record that they are. I think they had back-to-back one-point victories.
Yep.
In overtime. Um, what is a very heartwarming story could very easily be like, "Oh, that's just— that's a solid first season over there." This is a very tough defense, and I think that there's so much parity inside that conference. To expect Kentucky to handle business. I'd— I'd come away really super impressed with Kentucky if they won this game. I don't expect them to win it at all.
Wait, which game? I don't know who they play next week.
Yeah, they're in the DeLorean.
I don't know if they're going to win the game or not. Yeah.
When are we?
Well, that was my—
Schedule in front of me. Dang!
Sunday. So he's asking did Tennessee or did Kentucky win? Because you saw it already because we were in the DeLorean scene.
They won.
Tennessee won.
Mike Ryan said Tennessee won.
Yeah.
So what's our top— what's our top four? What are the teams getting the buys as it stands right now? Georgia is number one. Utah took care of Bear and Company. They took down in the— in the Morgan v.
They're at two.
Morgan v.
They're at two.
They're number two.
Yeah.
Indiana now moves up to three by not having to play.
Yeah, well, now— now the DeLorean's in the CFP, so I'm projecting Indiana to win the Big Ten.
Wow.
Um, I got them winning the Big Ten, and I think Notre Dame ends up getting a buy.
All right.
I don't think Notre Dame—
You're shotgun. You're riding shotgun at best, friend. I'll— I'll— I'll— I'll— I'll decide when we go up there.
He's right next to Einstein.
By the way, I think your vision is a little murky because I have— if I'm looking at this, right, if I'm reading this, it's the— the Kentucky Wildcats fourth in the nation after their powerhouse victory down in Knoxville.
Wow.
Yesterday.
How about that?
You believe it?
Um, anyway, listen, Mike Ryan, my— my heartfelt condolences, as much as one can, uh, can— can deal with this as a grown-up person. It still somehow is heartbreaking when your favorite football team loses. I remember this in '93. The mighty Indiana Hoosiers were rolling to a Final Four with Bob Knight, and then Allen Henderson hurt his knee, and here's the bad news.
Yeah.
Nobody cares. Nobody remembers. Nobody looks back and considers that.
Yeah.
Nobody cares, Mike.
Yeah, nobody cares about Allen Henderson.
You're right.
This is going to make you feel so much better.
I agree with you.
This '93 Indiana.
I agree with you.
Here's another one. Here's— here's a more recent one.
No one cares about Allen Henderson.
Okay, do they care about Bo Nix? Nobody talks about that already. That happened nine months ago, and people already don't talk about that. They always just— they skim over that. Like, "Yeah, the Patriots, yeah, they're the Super Bowl AFC champs." Nobody talks about the fact that it was so jank that they got there because Bo Nix happened to snap his ankle on the last play, bizarrely. Nobody even talks about that. And it was in this same calendar year.
This is more about Bo Nix's reputation eventually.
Yeah, that's a good point.
Okay, touché. All right, listen. I hope you survive. And remember, that's the glass half full. All the pressure's on the Irish now. They can't lose this game. Do that between now and kickoff. Perpetuate that. Get in their heads. You're a man of influence. You can insinuate that information into northern— uh, into northern Indiana and— and get to see Jay Carr or somebody on the roster there, and they'll start talking about it. They're like, "Yeah, he's right. It would be bad if we lost this game." And then they've already lost once they start considering it. You understand?
Bowl prediction: winning quarterback wins the Heisman in— in this game. And for uniform fans, Miami announced that they're wearing the white over green 2001 throwbacks.
Wow.
In this game. So you know what that means.
Such a good look.
We cannot have the Irish wearing green at home in this game. They need to go traditional look.
Oh, I love it. I love that move. That's gamesmanship. And I'm disappointed to hear it as somebody who loves the history that they're not wearing the orange pantaloons, but of course they don't want to wear those because the iconic image is of the failed two-point conversion.
A fumble. That wasn't a fumble.
You're right.
Wasn't a fumble.
Cleveland Garry didn't fumble that ball, did he? Um, all right, great stuff from Mike Ryan. Is he gone? Was that his voice leaving the studio?
Yeah, I'm gone now.
Ethan, can you send us back in the DeLorean and send us back to the present, please?
Yeah.
Yeah, please.
Yeah, for people that don't know how to play DeLorean, it's tough. Yeah, well, we're in the DeLorean. So we're going to Sunday morning.
Live programming is hard.
Yeah. So that's what you got to think of, like, "Oh, did Tennessee win? Did the Kentucky Wildcats win? What happened?"
Why is Mike Ryan still—
He's too big for Kentucky.
No, he's gone. He's gone. We kicked him out.
Yeah, he's gone.
I was going to say, the studio is only so big. I mean, it took— took him like 11 minutes to clear out of there. But anyway, thanks for, uh, his appearance.
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And I have something I want to talk about because 12-team playoff in college football and how viable are the teams that are going to make it to beat to acclaim. What I always like is I'm a man of merit, except with myself. But I like— I like meritocracy. And, um, I— when I look at a 12-team playoff, my philosophical issue with it is why I used to like the old system so much was that, you know, given the way it was structured, if you weren't in the top three, you didn't have a realistic claim to being the best team in the country.
That hash was kind of settled by the results on the field. Now it's a little murkier. And in the NFL, we do this dance about how many teams get what— you know, one through seven in the two conferences and who gets in. But how many of those teams aren't just in the playoff, but how many of them can get to the Super Bowl? Well, I— I was struck by something I discovered with my glass still running half full. Yes, presented by Jägermeister. Serve it cold or don't serve it at all.
Freezing.
Jägermeister.
So cold over there.
Even that's cold. But I think you're going to be warmed up by this news if you're a fan of, uh, you know, contending adjacent team here. For more, visit jagermeister.com. Drink responsibly. I don't know if you heard, after Monday night football and on Tuesday, if you looked on, uh, on social media, we're destined for a Bills and Bears Super Bowl, everybody. Uh, it can't be wrong because it was online. And I do agree that this does feel like a great year setting up for the Buffalo Bills, but isn't that true every year in each of the last five years, it feels like.
And I do think Josh— Josh Allen versus Caleb Williams would be a grand Valentine's Day, 2027. Um, what a matchup it would be. But my message today is let's slow down because we do have other contenders, and a lot of them, as it turns out. I think— let me count them out for you here. Not again, teams that can get to the playoffs. I'm talking about teams that can win two or three games once those playoffs start. Let's count them. So we got the Bills. We have the Patriots.
Uh, I know they can get to a Super Bowl because they just got to a Super Bowl several months ago, like I mentioned. And of course, the Broncos would have gotten there if Bo Nix hadn't gotten hurt. And the further away we get from that, I re— Mike Ryan can be dismissive of this. We really need to deep dive that, that we have just as a society moved past the fact that the starting quarterback in a quarterback league snapped his ankle. They should have been your Super Bowl rep. I think they can get there again because despite the concerns of Ryan Fitzpatrick, who went to Harvard, I told you Denver would be just fine, and so they are.
And if you still believe, if society still believes, not like the College Football Committee, what you actually have already seen, the evidence provided to us, they're at least on par with the Chiefs, who obviously also have a shot at another Super Bowl run. And by the way, if that were to happen— if the Chiefs are in there and they have to play the Bills, who's everybody betting on? Obviously, Kansas City. By the way, the Jags are also good, so count them. The Steelers, not a Super Bowl contender without either the number one seed, which is in play for them, or a pass catcher who threatens defenses a little bit, especially since the team's current top pass catcher is bad at catching the football, which isn't great.
But you can't run on the Steelers, and they can run on you. So that's good news come January. The Bengals, I don't know, man. They almost just lost to the Titans at home. And I mean the Tennessee Titans. Um, but I do buy that offense, obviously. And if Burrow did find his way in there, he's Mahomes' kryptonite. Steelers' Bungles in week 10 in Queen City is a huge one. Um, and I don't think it's crazy to think that the Texans might make a run. Even I might believe that more than I do with either of the AFC North teams I just mentioned.
So that's at least six from the AFC. And on the AFC side— NFC side, I should say— things are murky. I don't think anyone from the South or the East is making a long playoff run, but there is much hash still to be settled there. The conference still has not one, but two massive additions on the way. If Jeffrey Simmons makes the Bears a contender, and he does, doesn't the same apply to Micah Parsons returning to the Packers and Miles Garrett to the Rams? And also, I'll make the OR back at the end of Dirty Dancing.
When I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong. Lions are right there at five and two. By the way, in the last two divisional games that they've played in the Fortnite, 17 points and 15 points allowed. That's pretty good. The Rams might be back on their way, but the Niners are in front of them. And then let's not throw dirt on the defending champs just yet. So at minimum, Bears, Packers, Lions, Rams, Niners, Seahawks. I'm— I'm skipping right past the Vikes and America's a Legend team, and that's still six. So in total, I've just ticked off 15 teams, roughly half of the NFL with a Super Bowl shot.
I think this is great. And I hate parity. I don't know the last time we've had this many teams halfway through the season. Still a viable consideration to get to the biggest game. How say you, buddy? Am I right about that? Did I— did I overstate things? Is there a team I named that you're like, "No chance"? Or did I forget a team or three?
So yeah, Dave, you've got 14 teams, I believe, that you just mentioned, including the Steelers, who I don't think— I know you said not really a Super Bowl contender, so we can throw them out.
I said they would have to alter the team slightly. They'd have to add a speedy pass catcher.
Texans have probably too much ground to make up. The Packers, when they get Micah Parsons back, maybe. What is going on with the Seahawks? Like, is Darnold going to be hurt? Could this possibly be even a soft benching? Right? Like, could this be a soft benching? Can we get Tony's mic back on, by the way, Geno? Uh, is this a soft benching for Darnold?
I think they saw the Cardinals and Gardner Minch on the schedule. He's like, "You know what? Let's give Sam a week off and wait till we get going."
Get— get right. But what's going on with that offense there? They can't run.
But what happens— but, but Tony, Devil's Damnishek, what if Drew Locke, uh, loses that game? You know? Or, I mean, if it's Darnold or Locke, whoever it's— I mean, it's plausible that the Cardinals, who've pulled a number of big upsets— obviously, Jacoby Brissett isn't there anymore, but Minch is the one who rallied the team a week ago. I— if they lose that— now, buddy is making some— some sense with that. The Seahawks are going to be fairly far back at four and five. I would think at minimum the division's out of play, assuming the Niners win this weekend.
Yeah, but I just— man, Seattle's defense is so good.
So good.
I mean, Gardner— Gardner's great at coming in and being the— the middle reliever for a team.
Yeah.
The problem is, like you say, the best thing or the worst thing for a backup QB is more playing time. And now you get one of the best defenses in the league with a week's worth of tape to be like, "Oh, this is how we beat Gardner Minch. Should be pretty easy."
Dave, I am still—
Well.
Sorry, go ahead, Dave.
Well, I was curious if this is too hot a take for you. I think people will laugh when I say it. I don't think Jacoby Brissett is a bum. And I think that he—
No.
I think he helps the Ravens a lot more than people will concede until the— until the Ravens next play. They're, you know, they're in a weird spot, and they might be kind of out of contention, um, or at least out of contention for the division. I don't— I don't think that the Ravens as an organization— I bet you Eric Dacosta is not sitting there thinking like, "Well, it's a wrap. Let's move some assets for 2027." I— I doubt that that's the case. They look up at who's ahead of them. Are they scared of the Bengals or the Steelers? They still get the Steelers twice, by the way.
And if they were to win both of those games, then you would obviously have to jump on board with Baltimore there. I don't know whether or not that's possible. I— I think it's not crazy to think that Jacoby Brissett.
Should I write them down?
You know, elevates his offense to some extent.
Should I write them down? Like, can I include the Ravens as a list of team— on the list of teams that could be?
Do we know for sure that— I mean, with—
No, I guess not.
No, yeah, no.
Do we know for sure that Lamar is going to be out for the season? Right? Like, that— that seems to be one thing that we look at to point and say, "Well, if it's a four to six week timeline, but he's back and Jacoby can at least hold the fort down until then, is there some sort of miracle that he comes in and is on fire, fresh legs, and— and the thumb is okay, and everything kind of trends in that direction?" You got Derek Henry in December, and you know the lore of him. So I just feel like I— I'm not— I'm not going to throw dirt on the grave of the Ravens until I see them dead, you know, have— have a stake driven through their heart and a silver bullet through their head, right?
That's an overkill right there.
They'll have—
He's got to kill a vampire. That's how you kill them.
Dave, I just want to highlight one of— one or two more teams on this list that I— I— I really am not sure have a shot. I don't believe in Bo Nix as a Super Bowl winning quarterback. And as much as I—
Buddy, would he have won?
But he— but I mean, he was— he would have gone to the Super Bowl.
The Super Bowl? No. Would he have gotten?
I didn't say win. I said get to.
Probably. No, Tony was asking would he have won.
They would have beat the Patriots.
Yes.
But I'm asking if they would have beat the Seahawks.
No.
You don't think so?
I don't think he gives you more than what Drake Maye gave you in that game. At least with how uncompetitive that game was and how good the defense was in that game.
You're forgetting how good Denver's defense is.
Exactly.
What do you think they would have done to Sam Darnold for?
Exactly right. Maybe, but— and then, listen, Josh Allen can win it all by himself, but is that defense championship good? I don't think so. I— I think it's more likely that a team with a championship defense and a— and a middling quarterback can win than a championship quarterback and a— and a bad defense.
You've changed the standard here, buddy, because it's not who can win the ga— it's who can get to the big game.
Okay.
You're not arguing against the Bills as a— as a— they have no chance of getting to the Super Bowl. They're tracking to be the number one seed, which you'll be— which is asking.
That's fair enough. No, they can absolutely.
Every year.
They can absolutely get.
They have two home games.
Yeah. I— I— I listen, with the— with the Bills, it's like when— when I'll believe it when I see it with the Bills because the same thing— we said the same thing last year.
Sure.
There was no Lamar. There was no Mahomes. There was no Burrow. And look what happened. So— but I just think at the end of it, it'll come down to, obviously, the best are going to shine through. And I think it's going to come down to the quarterbacks. And I just don't trust a team with Bo Nix at it when there's this many good quarterbacks in front of them to go all the way to the AFC— all the way to the Super Bowl to win the AFC Championship. Just don't see it.
Well, listen, I— I love this conversation, and I could, uh, spend another 90 minutes doing that, but we have to tend to what, uh, what's coming up here on the very near horizon, and that is NFL Week Nine. It's time for our three most consequential games of the week. If you can only watch three games on Sunday, these are those. And let's— I— I'm going to cheat it right out of the gate here because I've got an NFC East hodgepodge. The chosen game is Giants, Eagles, Eagles plus three and a half to JJ McCarthy and the Jinx.
Who could have seen this coming? I'm also going to loop in Rams at Comeys. Nick Costa said earlier in the week that he's taking the Comey's to win this game straight up. They're at home, and they're a dog, uh, laying five— I mean, uh, plus five and a half. And the— the Cowboys are at the Colts. The Colts plus six there. Fascinating stuff here. I say elimination Saturday for the SEC. I think some teams can play themselves out of any chance of having— uh, of winning the NFC East here based on the results.
I think it's wild that JJ McCarthy is the X Factor of the whole division now.
That's crazy.
People are jumping all over the Giants. Are skipping right over that. The key number for me, Giants and Eagles, is— or a number I circled is, at this point, the Eagles are putting up 265.3 yards a game. That is 32nd in the league. Nobody could have seen this coming, not with an offense including Saquon Barkley, even if Jalen Hurts is hurt. That being said, it's JJ McCarthy. Give me the Eagles, 1918.
Wow.
Wow. Joe Milton, believer. I'm— that's the most.
I'm going to take the Rams, by the way, to win. I'm not— I— I don't know about the five and a half, but I'll take.
Michael Acostos?
And I'll take— well, no, no, no. I'm not following him with the— with the Comey's there. He— he thinks the Comey's are the best team in the East. They may just be too far back.
I'm intrigued by that.
Yeah, I'm intrigued by that.
I like the Cowboys to win the division, but how say you on this game? On these games and how it.
Yeah.
Lay looks on Monday?
I— I love watching Joe Milton. Any time that he's in in preseason or for mop-up duty, I love watching him sling a 60-yard pass off his back foot to a receiver that just overblows him by like 15 yards. And I'm like, "Wow." His— his chuch is incredible. So I'm going to be enjoying seeing him, uh, do that. I think that— and there were some interesting words by JJ McCarthy. I don't know if it was maybe some shade thrown at KOC, but he said Matt Nagge fits, you know, Matt Nagge of all people. Matt Nagge of all people. He loves the way that he calls the game and how it fits in his style of play.
Felt like an obvious shot across the bow for KOC. Um, I— I'm kind of— a couple of weeks ago— it wasn't this week, it was last week when they played the Cardinals where Acostos came on, you came on, or you— JJ McCarthy, and I was like, "Guys, it's been five quarters. Let's relax a little bit."
Yep.
But now that I've seen what there is out there in the NFC East, I'm like, "You know what? The five quarters could extrapolate a little bit more out of that." I'm starting to turn— come around on JJ McCarthy. Malik Neighbors looks great with JJ McCarthy too. Scatabo I think is still hurt, so we'll be, you know, seeing what they do in the run game. But I think the Giants team has some juice, Dave. I'm going to— I'm going to take them to beat the— uh, to beat the Eagles.
I'm riding with the defense of the Eagles against JJ McCarthy, clearly. I'm not— I'm not enthused about what, uh, Philly has going offensively, even with Saquon. Um.
Yeah, that's how I feel as well, Dave.
Buddy, how say you?
Yeah, that's how I feel as well is— is the Eagles defense. We're forgetting that they're still playing really good ball, in my opinion. Um, they thought they played really well last week.
Yeah, but guys, they got carved up by Antonio Williams and the ghost of Stefan Diggs and Chiggy Ocampo.
So here.
Malik Neighbors is on the other side. Isaiah Likely's on the other side.
Here's where I stand with the NFC East. It's the weirdest division right now because.
Yeah, but maybe Jaden Daniels is good.
Yes.
That— I mean, like, again, I think we have this protracted amnesia about who Jaden Daniels is because of all the injuries.
I— I don't know that we know who Jaden Daniels is because we saw this great rookie year, and then last year was a lost season, and we don't have a deal to do with him.
No, he's— he's hurt. He's either hurt or he's good.
Right. But— but also, you watch the beginning of that Eagles game, and he's missing wide open throws. And you're like, "Buddy, like, these are the throws that rookie year— in your rookie year, you were all over that you were hitting and ended up playing a pretty nice game." I'm going to take the Eagles against the Giants, but if you want to jump into the DeLorean and— and go forward and say who comes out of this weekend on top of the end of the NFC East, it's still going to be the Giants because the Giants are going to be sitting at four, three, and one. The Cowboys, I think, will take care of business against the Colts. They'll be at four and five.
And then you've got the Comey's sitting at— I think they're going to take a loss to the, uh, Seahawks.
Two-five and one.
Two-five and one. And the Eagles will be three and six. What a mess this division is. And now you've got Joe Milton and JJ McCarthy as two of the quarterbacks in it, with Jaden Daniels, who, again, we aren't really sure what he is yet. And then, uh, Dak Prescott, who I think is a top five, seven to ten quarterback in this league. So it's fascinating.
Top five, Dave, you heard that? Top five to seven to ten quarterback in the league.
Yeah, I know.
What are we doing here?
I almost went to easy to do.
I was like, "No, top seven to ten."
Top 12, 15, 20. He's— he's a top 32 guy.
Tony, buddy's unserious. He just throws out in a vacuum. Like, "Top five. Who— who are the other four then?"
Yeah.
If you have this list, then— then fill it in for us. Everybody's— everybody— he's like— he's like, uh, your favorite color analyst on whatever game you're— you're watching. He's like, "We're looking at the best running back in the biz right now." Like, until next week, when you call that running back, you're watching the best running back. That— that's how buddy plays it fast in the league.
That is top 17.
Gino.
Let's be clear.
Maybe it's the Cowboys at nine and eight. Maybe it's them at ten and seven, but they're winning this division. How do you see this game turning out?
Oh.
Not the Cowboys. I'm sorry. I'm all over the place. I just want to assert that I do think the Cowboys ultimately are going to take this bum division.
Okay. Well, I'm going to be quick here. Um, left comes at you fast, huh? We're, uh, down to our third-string quarterback in both these teams. Uh, two season-ending injuries, and, uh, then we've already discarded two quarterbacks, and now we're down to JJ McCarthy and Joe Milton. But in the end, I think both of these guys— both these teams— are going to end up playing like ball control style stuff here just because the quarterbacks— how can you really trust these guys, like, on a serious level? So I'm— I'm thinking more along the lines of like a 14-13, 17-14. But I am going to give it to the Giants here, and I think they're going to come out on top because the Eagles, we're forgetting there's multiple levels of this team that are out.
We're down to like our fourth and third wide receivers. Uh, Saquon keeps going in and out of games. Behind him, it's a mess at running back. Lane Johnson retired halfway through the season because he saw this shit show coming. I mean— I mean, what are we going to do here? So— and as for the— the other two, Cowboys win because the Colts have mailed it in already.
Yep.
And the Comey's are probably going to lose that one.
All right. I— yeah, I— I do— I do like the Rams as they get closer to right here. All right. Bucks and Bears for old people. It makes us think of the NFC Central when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the white— all white cream Sickles would go on the road in the NFC Central. They would never win because it would be cold outside, and they were from Tampa Bay, so why the hell they were in the NFC Central, I have no idea to begin with. But that was their history. As it is now, Baker Mayfield winning games without completing passes, and the Bears are everybody's Super Bowl pick. All of a sudden, I am going to take the Bears here.
The Bears' defense— this is the part that nobody saw coming, and this predates Jeffrey Simmons' arrival. 23.8%. This is historically— this would set a record if they could maintain this number. The Bears' defense allowing third-down conversions against them. Baker Mayfield can't complete passes. So that probably adds up to a Bears' victory at home. 28-21. Tony, how say you?
This line is interesting to me because you have Chicago going on the road and beating Seattle the way that they did.
Why did he say lay in six and 46 and a half is the total? I'm sorry.
Yeah. So they're laying six, and I'm— and I'm looking at this, I'm like, "What does Vegas know?" Right? And you look across, they beat the Super Bowl champs by 17 at home in a game that I think since 2024, Seahawks have only played games of five or less points that they've lost, right? And then you look at the other side, and you've got the— the Bucks who just beat a ter— you know, terrible Atlanta team in a rainstorm and a hurricane. Baker doesn't complete a pass. I'm looking at the trenches here, and I see Jeffrey Simmons on one side, but I think one of the little spoken-about facts in this league is how well Tampa Bay's offensive line is playing right now.
If you look at all the rushing metrics and what they're able to do from run blocking, it's insane. They're breaking the metrics on X and Y axis on how good their run, uh, run blocking. Bucky's been great. Kenny Gainwell's starting to see— uh, pick up steam. I could see a— a ball control style game plan for the Bucks in which, yeah, maybe Baker only, you know, attempts 22 to 26 passes, but they run the hell out of the ball and keep Caleb on the sidelines. Bucky goes for a buck 10 and a score. Kenny Gainwell gets his, and they just play it slow and— and— and— and keep the scoring low.
I don't want to call for a Bucks win, but I'm going to call for a Bucks cover. Give me— give me Bears 24-21.
Way too big a— a— a wind-up to— to just, uh, take them plus the six. I thought you were going to pick them— uh, pick them out right there, but those numbers are true. And the defense is very good too and could give.
Yeah.
Caleb Williams or at least slow them down a little bit. Buddy, how say you?
Yeah, I know the Bucks' defense has been playing really, really well recently. Um, but the Bears just went to Seattle and put up 34 on the defending champs, who we all think are an all-time great defense, I think, in this room right here. Uh, the Bucks can't do anything on offense, and we saw what the Bears' defense can do now with the addition of Jeffrey Simmons. I'm all over the Bears in this one. Give me them 31-17.
Gino.
Jeffrey Simmons gives me Aaron Donald, Chris Jones vibes. Like, remember how— like, when you're in the Super Bowl and you're watching the Chiefs and you're watching the— the Rams from a few years ago, you always see those guys making the play. That's what Jeffrey Simmons feels like to me. That's the impact I feel like he's going to have on this team. Uh, I think they're going to win this game, 27-20. I do think it's interesting, though, how— uh, Tony mentioned it already. The Bucks have adapted. They realize there's no Mike Evans on that team anymore. Uh, Eckbuka is good, but he's not going to be that good. Uh, I think they're— they're— they've reverted. They're— they're going to change into like an old-school team that's probably going to do a lot of running the ball and some play action in there.
And you're probably right. You're probably not going to see Baker throw more than 20 times in a game.
Heard of the Millennium Cut. Yeah, what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers used to play when they had Sean King under center in the shotgun. All right. Our number one game, most consequential of the weekend. It's the one that we pine for. It's sort of like I always say, it's weird that the whole era with the— with the super teams of the Cowboys and Steelers and Vikings and Raiders and all those teams in the '70s, that somehow we never got Starbacks Cowboys against Snake Stablers Raiders. It's a sadness in my heart. And, uh, so too is that we never got Rogers Pack against Brady's Patriots in a Super Bowl.
We got close, but we never got it. To the here and now, though, the Patriots at home laying two and a half, total is 46 and a half miles. They're so bad. I can't tell if I— I'm reading that correctly, but either way.
Yes, you're right about that.
The number that stands out, I think— I've seen a couple of people float this— is that, um, that the Patriots have a minus seven in, uh, in turnover differential so far. But if you dig in just a little bit further, that's really ticked down to a turnover. A game is about what they're pacing to do in the last three or four weeks, which isn't— uh, which isn't awful. What is awful is the Packers' inability to run the ball. It's a disgrace that they have Josh Jacobs still on the team. Given all the allegations out there, why they don't set him down for a little bit longer, I don't understand.
Um, and now you're basically saying Jordan Love, who's been great, win this game because we're not going to be able to run on the Patriots, except that the Patriots have a great secondary. I think it adds up to a New England victory. I'm going to take them to cover that two and a half and win the game 30-27. Tony, how say you?
I love the Packers this week. I don't know why. There's something calling, uh, my name for the Packers. They've had a couple of weeks where the offense has been great and the defense has been, eh, a little bit shaky. Um, I just think this is a blow-up spot for Jordan Love. I know Christian Gonzalez is on the other side, and I know that what that means for guys like Christian Watson, who's got a couple broken ribs, for Matthew Golden, who's got the yips and drops. He— Dave, is there somebody who is as good as getting open and drops the ball as much?
Yeah. Has he dropped like three touchdowns in the last two weeks or something?
He had three— he had three drop touchdowns last week against the Panthers.
That's crazy.
And then they threw it back to him, and then he caught one.
Same drive.
Same drive. Yeah, exactly right. So I know that's going to spell a little bit of— uh, a little bit of trouble for what the Packers do really well, which is the long ball. And I hope their offensive line can hold up as it's been the last couple of weeks because that was one of the things early on in the season where they would just have a— a— a just a— a the Red Sea parting between, you know, the center and the— and the guards. But I— something about this game screams Patriots blow it, and I'm going to take the Packers, uh, 28-27.
Okay. Buddy, how say you?
Yeah, you mentioned the Patriots' turnover problems, and most of that seems to have come early in the season because we all know Drake May got off to that terrible start through seven picks in his first four games. He's only got one in his last four, so he's definitely cleaned it up on that side of the ball. But I just still think I love the way the Packers are playing right now, especially that defense is really starting to lock in, and I think they keep building towards the return of Micah Parsons in a few weeks from now. I'm going to take the Packers here, 28-24. I love the way as well that Jordan Love is playing football.
It's so much fun to watch. All he does is sling it down the field, and it's exciting, and it's fun, and that offense is moving. So give me the Pack here, 28-24.
Gino Fuentes.
Well, the Pa— Packers are fun to watch because they have two burners. And yes, they have Christian Gonzalez on the other side, but there's only one Christian Gonzalez, and he can only cover one of those guys at a time. And then the other one's going to be running wide open down the field. And so I think you're going to see a lot of Jordan Love slinging it today. Um, I— I feel like Josh Jacobs' line is like.
He's respect.
Wow.
He's got a— a lot of Josh Jacobs is just like 50 yards and maybe three touchdowns because that's just how they play. Maybe they'll just give it to him on the goal line. Uh, but you're going to see a lot of passing yards in this one. I think the Packers win 24-20.
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All right. Uh, I want to get to, uh, Stress Free Sunday, but very quickly, I can't help myself. Buddy, play that sound of Jerry Jones, whatever you have of him in his press conference announcing to the world that it doesn't matter how much you pay your head coach or your coaching staff in general. Mind you, this is a man who employed for multiple seasons, Jason Garrett. And I don't remember even how long he was there, but America's alleged team should not have as its— as the face of the team the head coach. Dave Campo! Remember Dave Campo, everybody?
This is the math. This is Jerry Jones saying it doesn't matter who the coach is and how much you pay him. Meantime, he did pay Jimmy Johnson to leave the U and then won three Super Bowls, doing a one-two, and then Jimmy Johnson fell out. Maybe the start of the rift was money. Um, but anyway, play a little Jerry Jones here quickly.
There is zero correlation between how much you pay a coach or how many coaches you have as to winning. There is no correlation. And that's a— a random sample of years and all 32 teams involved. So put that in your hopper and smoke it.
Now, Buddy, you're— you're, uh, you're one of them, uh, you're one of them druggies. What do you— what is it? What is that hamper? What is that, uh, term for?
I have no idea what Jerry Jones is saying there. Usually, it's put that in your pipe and smoke it, right? What is that word that he says there? Put that in your hamper. Put that in your hopper. What's a hamper?
Hmm. Isn't that like where you put your clothes, your dirty clothes in the hamper?
Yeah, but how do you smoke out of a hamper?
I don't know. I thought you would have the answer for us.
I— I don't have the answer to that one.
Ask Danny with an I. Does she know? She doesn't?
Waving her head no.
Tony, I don't know if we— if we can figure out what's going on.
No, no, no.
People smoking out of hampers. Is that what goes on in the owner's box?
Above my pay grade there, Dave.
Like, yeah, yeah, see, like the— the— the billionaires out there playing by their own rules, smoking stuff out of hampers and everything. I don't know. All right, let's do it then. Time for Stress Free Sunday, delivered by Little Caesars, the official pizza sponsor of the NFL right now. Mix and match, two or more large faves for just $5.99 each. Little Caesars officially delicious. We're looking for the easy-breezy win of the week. Who's going to have the— have to put out the least effort to gain victory? San Francisco 49ers are laying 10 to the Raiders in Santa Clara.
Shani's 6-1 in his last seven coming off a buy. I keep saying it. I know the Raiders have had a few moments in the last fortnight or thereabouts. I think it's— it— it has the— the feel of pregnancy. Let's get through this Kirk Cousins experience and get to Fernando already. I wonder if they will move Kirk Cousins. I'm starting to get the vibe that they won't, but man, what a— what a piece he could be at the trade deadline. Either way, I'll take the Niners to have a breezy one. Tony, you want to throw one in here?
Uh, I love tonight the Jags. I just feel like Jo— Joey Fagnano, like, there's only so much that he could do. He's wearing a boot all week during practice. He's also hurt. I just don't know how much Declan Doyle can download into his psyche to be able to go against a very good Jags defense. I know they're missing, uh, some important pieces on the defensive side of the ball, but at the end of the day, 10 is just not enough for this Jag team that seems to roll everybody. Uh, Trevor hasn't played in a ton of different games, uh, in the last 15. I think he's— he's been taken out of fourth quarters in eight of the last 15 games, and I feel like that's another one that's going to happen tonight.
So 10 is not enough for the Jags.
They are the team. When I talk about teams that could get to the Super Bowl, that everybody leaves off the list, I always say it. I think it is because I know I make fun of the SEC and football in the Southeast region of football America, but I just don't get the vibe. I know there are a lot of Jags fans, but you— it doesn't permeate its way across the country the way fandom does for a lot of other fan bases. And so we tend to forget them. Plus, their history and Trevor Lawrence specifically coming up lame in some big spots there. But the Jags are for real, and I absolutely could see them getting to the Super Bowl.
I'm going to cut you off here, Buddy and Gino, uh, from your, uh, easy-breezy game so we can get to picks, picks, picks. Presented by DraftKings Sports. We do it every week. We keep track of who's in the lead.
Pretty sure I'm in the lead, yeah.
One favorite, one over under.
I'm all about that.
One underdog. Let's get to it here. Buddy, just give us the standings real quick, would you?
Yeah. So you guys did not take advantage of my absence last week because I put up a zero spot, and so did you, Dave, and then only you—
No, I didn't. I— I did not. I— I had the— the total on the Rams and Chargers, and it went under.
Okay. Yes, you did.
Well, I mean, what do you say? Oh, yeah, you're right.
None of you really took advantage.
He's cooking the books back here.
You all scored—
What are you— what are you doing? How can we trust you if you say like, "Oh, you win— you didn't win anything," when I just said, "Well, I did win one." And you're like, "Oh, yeah, you did."
I'm— I'm— okay. Enough. Anyway, I— I— I screwed that up. Totally. Sorry. So, Dave, 12. You scored one point last week. All of you scored one point last week. Dave's got 12. I'm still in second at 11. Gino and Tony are tied in third with 10.
I have 1.5, though, so I'm in the middle.
I also apparently am supposed to have 1.5 because I missed a week. Maybe we'll introduce the concept of bye weeks. I don't know. We'll figure this all out at the end of the— we'll— we'll talk it out.
I don't know why you get any points for not showing up. I mean, I— you get some credit for that. All right, I'm going to do this to pace things up here. My favorite, I could go Cincinnati laying three at Atlanta or not at Atlanta, playing Atlanta in Madrid. I don't think the Falcons are— are a bad team, but that was such a Falconzy loss in the rain against the Buccaneers. That's why they don't rise. Um, I could go with Detroit laying seven in Miami, but I will go Houston at the Chargers. The Chargers are finished. The Texans are laying four and a half.
I like that one. Tony, go.
I'm going to take the Jags. I said it. 10 is not enough for this team. I'm going to take the Jags.
Buddy.
I am going to take the Bengals, Dave. You talked about it. Two teams going on opposite directions right now. Give me the Bengals minus three in Madrid.
Why do people talk like that, Tony? Like, "I'm going to take the Bengals."
Because he had to look at his notes. He doesn't have it top of mind. That's the issue. He doesn't have it top of mind.
I'm— I'm— I'm— I'm—
Buddy comes in with a full— Buddy comes in. Hold— hold up your notebook, Buddy. He's got 57 pages on notes and different things.
You should see.
You know what I come in here with, Dave? A cup of water.
You should see.
That's what I do.
You should see what I wrote.
I don't know which I respect more.
The notes I take on Sundays. The notes I take on Sundays.
You can tell the different students that me and him were at school where he's got copious amounts of notes, and I show him, "What's the test like? How many questions have you got?"
Maybe that's—
Let's do it.
Maybe that's why I appreciate Tony because— because we park our cars in the same garage. We— we thumbed our nose at the man. Here's what you need to know: algebra. I don't need to know no algebra.
We've got letters and numbers.
I might be 13.
I might only be 13 years old, but I know better than you, teacher, that there will be no algebra in my— in my grown-up life. I will see—
I'm going to do the algebra with geometry. What am I? An architect? I don't care about this.
The— the— the chemistry. Who do you think?
Who do I think?
No doctor damaging my own.
Hey, please.
No, thank you.
No, no, no, no. Anyway, Gino, go ahead. Quickly.
Well, I think the— the Cowboys who are scared of their owner are going to destroy the team who's already had their owner kneecap them. Uh, I think it's five and a half is the spread.
Yep.
Uh, but that's not enough. Dallas is going to roll over the Colts.
Oh, is it down to five and a half? I'm sorry. I said six earlier. All right, my total for the week. Um, I thought about the Jets and Chiefs under 46 and a half, but Arizona and Seattle I am going to take. Under 42 and a half, Tony, how say you?
I'm going to take the Cowboys and Colts under. 51 and a half is a little too high. Cowboys, I think, roll them 34-3, and we're not going to see over 51.
Buddy.
I'm going to take the opposite of you, Dave. I'm going to go over on that Cardinal Seahawks game. I know it's Gardner Minshru and Drew Locke, but those offenses, you could argue, have functioned better with those two guys under center. So give me 21-20. Gets you over, Dave. I like these low totals. Give me the Cardinals and Seahawks over 41.
What is it down to now? I'm sorry. I didn't check it.
It's 40 and a half at the moment.
Wow. Oh, it's— oh, wow. It's already— okay, lost a couple of points already. Gino, how say you?
Well, you did the work for me, Dave. I'm going to go ahead and take Jets and KC under 47 and a half.
I like that. Um, all right, and let's round it out with our dog of the week. I thought about the Jets plus nine and a half at KC.
Crazy.
Well, listen, they're two and six, but only one loss by more than one score so far for that collective. Devil's damage hic, though. I'm not going to bet on Aaron Glenn. I am going to take Cleveland plus two and a half. Tony, how say you?
I'm going to take the Packers over the Patriots plus three.
Buddy.
Give me the Commies at home against the Rams. I don't think they win, but I do think they keep it closer than five and a half.
Gino, bring it us on home here.
I think Gardner Minshru can definitely stay within eight and a half points of Drew Locke, and that is what I'm going to pick.
Wow.
Like that?
I am going to wrap the show up now and say thank you to my fellow football Americans. Great thanks to Mike Ryan for swinging by. 10-day Tony again. The 10-day Tony Substack, a must-read for football fans. Buddy, great work as always. Gino and Danny with an eye behind the glass, thanks for your efforts. And thank you, my fellow football Americans. We'll be back ready to roll right after the Le Batard Show ends on Monday. Until then, thanks so much, my fellow football Americans. It's been a thin slice of heaven.
It’s the best of times. It’s the worst of times. Best: it’s elimination Saturday in the SEC. Worst: it’s sad times in Miami for Malachi Toney. Mike Ryan Ruiz gets into his feelings to explain what Toney’s injury did to his beloved team. Then we hop in the DeLorean for some time travel. (Our flux capacitor is on the fritz, so apologies ahead of time.) Just know Ten Day Tony is here to chat the classic NFC East matchup between the Cowboys and whoever is playing for the Eagles these days. And that Baker Mayfield will need more than game management against the Bears. But please pump your brakes on all the Chicago Super Bowl chat. There are like 14 teams left with a legit shot to win it all this year. Even the NFC North’s last-place team, the Green Bay Packers.
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