Transcript of The Wildest Saturday Ever? + Jalen Hurts' Blood Clots Leave Eagles in Turmoil

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I don't believe what I just saw!

You said it, Jack Buck. My fellow football Americans, I abide by a strict no-jive policy that requires me to tell you this: I'm hungover. Not from booze, from football. Okay, and a little bit of booze. What did I just saw though? On Saturday and Sunday, I mean. The double-digit underdog Arizona Cardinals won in SoFi? BYU over the Irish? The left sideline over the Indiana Hoosiers? The SEC's mediocre teams over the SEC's good teams? Spoiler alert, they're all mediocre. The refs over the Seminoles? Matter of fact, refs over our collective gift of sight? ESPN and the SEC forcing a 2014 playoff? J.J. Watt's ball security v. Jim Nantz's peanut punch? And now, Jalen Hurts is out for the rest of the season. Sheesh. Oh, and we've still got a Monday night game featuring commies. We haven't a moment to spare. Let's start the show. Yes. Hi and hello, my fellow football Americans. Welcome to NFL Week 6 Welcome to Football America presented by DraftKings Sports, now in all 50 states. Get in there, make a comment on YouTube or wherever you find your audio podcasts or wherever you choose. We'll find it and we'd love to react to it.

Not nearly enough of you dropping us a line at this point. We have much to get to. Nick Kostos on the way very quickly down in Miami, Florida. They had a week off of having to watch the Miami Dolphins. Congratulations on that. It's episode number 92. Which player in NFL— nay, in all of sports history— wore that number 92 best? Hello, Buddy Badowski and Geno Fuentes.

Hey, what's up, Dave? What's up, Nick? Nick's back there.

Yeah, well, we'll say hello to him in a minute. Yeah, it doesn't matter. Hey, let's go.

We're gonna play the script. Okay, okay. Reggie White, uh, Michael Strahan, James Harrison. I know that's near and dear to your heart, Dave. And Haloti Ngata, who's not near and dear to your heart, Dave.

No, he's not. But James Harrison belongs in the Hall of Fame already. It's a little weird. I know he had some weird behavior that maybe has distracted some of the voters, but okay. Like I say, among the wildest Saturdays, legitimately. I know people like to say that after a big upset or two, but really one of the craziest Saturdays that I can recall. And then Sunday was weird too. So let's jump into it, shall we? And talk about the entire weirdo weekend of football with our guy. You know him from You Better You Bet, Monday through Friday, 9 to noon. He's Nick Kostos. What's happening, fella? How are you?

I'm feeling especially patriotic today, my friend, here as a football American. And I will just add, my personal favorite number 92 scored the series-ending goal back in 2018 against your Pittsburgh Penguins on a pass from Alexander Ovechkin. Of course, Evgeny Kuznetsov would be my personal favorite number 92. It's great to be on with you, my friend.

What an asshole. I mean, that's how you start things off.

It is.

To talk about it.

I could have talked about how terrible your beard looks and how you look hungover. But here I am talking hockey with you.

Again, again with the attacks. They make no sense. All right, listen. Well, I want to talk about Jalen Hurts. That's the late-breaking news. And we want to go through the big games that we circled going into the weekend and how they turned out and how they impact the standings going forward. And speaking of which, let's do it this way. Let's try to look at the big map and then we'll narrow it down as we go along here. So 32 NFL teams. So

macro to micro, you take that one on the house. Right. You keep that on the house from me to you. Yeah, I got you.

You're picking up what I'm laying down. The 132nd of the NFL, 3.125%. That's one team out of the 32. Nick Kostos and the Gathered gang here. Behold the NFL standings. Which team of the 32 in your book, 6 weeks through, is in the most stunning spot? Obviously Chargers are 0 for, the Rams are 2 and 4, the Eagles are 2 and 4. There are undefeated teams that I don't think anybody or a lot of people thought— Vikings or 49ers. You know the lay of the land here. Kostas, how say you?

Yeah, I'd love to give you like a curveball of an opinion here. I just don't know how the answer is not the Los Angeles Rams because like, yes, it's surprising the Chargers are 0-6, but I never, Dave, viewed the Chargers as a legitimate Super Bowl contender or even the best team in their own division. The Rams, while I picked San Francisco to win the Super Bowl before the year, I thought Seattle would be a playoff team also. The fact that the Rams are in last place in the NFC West. Arizona just beat them in their house yesterday. So I, I didn't think the Rams were going to go 15-2 or 14-3. I did think they would make the playoffs. The fact, Dave, that they are in last place— and people can do whatever fuzzy math they want to— in no way, shape, or form are the Rams 50% or better right now to make the playoffs. Like, the math does not work out. There are too many teams in the NFC right now, including every team in the NFC North has a better record than the Rams. The Cardinals currently are ahead of the standings of the LA Rams.

I don't think they're making the playoffs, so we could talk about the 5-0 Vikings. We could do the Cowboys or the Eagles. I don't know how the answer is not— I don't know if we have the Vince Young soundbite here, but dream team nightmare status, LA Rams last place NFC West.

It really is. That's sort of the math is like when you try to build a super team, it never works out. I know the Patriots with Revis had their run, but really it's bizarre how paradoxically that works against you. And by the way, I don't want to be a prisoner of the moment right now, but we spent the whole offseason— what was the biggest story of the offseason. It was Myles Garrett to the Rams, right? Remember that? Myles Garrett is on the LA Rams. It's bizarre. I do think there's a decent chance that we're wringing our hands and they're 6-4 in a month from now. There's a— the schedule—

They just lost to Arizona. So like the idea that they're just going to snap— like we can't play the schedule game because this was the schedule game. Home against Arizona, near 2-touchdown favorite, lose it. I don't think we can play that game and just assume they're going to win these games. And McVay can say whatever he wants in the postgame and make it like, Dave, like, oh, have to stop making these mistakes. I don't know. I watched the game. Look at the box score. It felt like a game played between 2 evenly matched teams, and the Cardinals played better. And I think Matthew Stafford's fallen off a cliff, but that can be another story.

That, that is the uncovered element of the Rams. People are trying to figure out what's going on there. Stafford has not played anywhere close to the MVP form that we saw last year. The other one that people sort of hope that everybody just forgets whatever their bad takes. And I'm kind of sort of in this group. I didn't think the Chiefs were going to be bad this year, but then all of a sudden they're 5-0. It's like, well, yeah, see, yeah, of course, of course. It's Andy Reid. It's Patrick Mahomes. What did you think was going to happen?

Who tried to tell you?

This is why.

What? Who tried to tell you that the Chiefs would be fine, that Mahomes would come back and play at a high MVP level like he did before the injury? Who tried to tell you all offseason, don't count out Patrick Mahomes? Don't count out the Chiefs. And guess what happened? The Chiefs are 5-0 and they are as good— look as good as they ever have.

Let's throw a parade for Buddy who circled the Chiefs back in the 21st century. At least I was—

listen, Dave, when you're only right sometimes, you know, you got to take the victories where they come.

All right then, Nick Kostos, next one, 1 of 32. One team that you're most confident is playing on Championship Sunday.

I'd love to take the Niners, who are my Super Bowl pick before the year. I'm just gonna keep saying that because it makes me look really smart as it stands right now. Okay. I actually think the answer though is Buddy's Kansas City Chiefs. And the reason why I'll say the Chiefs, if we look at the balance of power right now in the AFC, and there can be a broader conversation to be had about the Texans-Jaguars game yesterday, which was a fantastic game. And I do think that both of those teams, if they're able to reach their ceiling, could absolutely play on Championship Sunday or represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. But I think both have fatal flaws right now. Texans, a defense with an inability to hold a late lead, and they tried numerous times yesterday to choke the game away before Liam Cohen choked it away himself. And that's what I'd say for Jacksonville. Like, this defense is not any great shakes. I think they need to make a move for a pass rusher to help Hines Allen and Trevon Walker. And like, I don't know what the point of Liam Cohen is, Dave, if he's gonna send out Cam Little for a 60-yard field goal.

Like, they could have kept Doug Marrone and done that. Like, Urban Meyer could have sent out the field goal unit. Gus Bradley would sexually fantasize about sending out Cam Little for a 60-yard field goal. Liam Cohen's supposed to be like this offensive innovator, like 60-yard field goal and give CJ Stroud 100 seconds when he's been shredding you the entire game? I thought that was insane. So there's 2 contenders, cross them off the list when it comes to Kansas City. Baltimore's got their issues right now. And last one here, Dave, would be the Bills, who play the same game every single week. It's just, are they gonna score more points than the opposition? They're 5-1 right now. We get to January, they're gonna lose to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. I'll take Kansas City.

Yeah, I hear you on that. But as it sets up right now, Buffalo's in great shape. And sort of as we dip into our 3 most consequential games of the weekend, we can blend these 2 conversations. Buffalo remains mostly drama-free, which then results in, for all the buzz around Josh Allen having an MVP career—

Except for Chauncey Gardner-Johnson spitting at Brock Bowers. Besides for that.

Well, okay, touché. But also that shuffle pass for a touchdown pass, more loco superhero stuff from, from number 17 and all of that. But the one thing I will say is their secondary stinks. Talk about how you got to tune things up in time for the playoffs. I do think that's the limiting factor on these Bills. But your Super Bowl pick in the preseason, the Niners, are really in better shape, especially— we, we pen tonight's result, but let's assume that they win that game. They're in the best shape of anybody. I mean, they have a 3-game lead. Who could have possibly— talk about stunning— that the Seahawks And the Rams are both where they are. So the Niners are in great shape, especially with a victory. We'll get to our pick there. I do think as we dip into the Bills and Raiders yesterday, the Raiders, I think we can just about stick a fork in them. It was a fun little story for a month. I think they would do well to start the new era with Fernando. And by the way, here's something that I, I, I'm not fully accustomed to yet, Costas, because it's only really been happening for what, the last 8 or 10 years in pro football?

in-season trades. I know Herschel Walker happened and all that, but those were anomalous.

It used to never happen. Even like— and you're probably what, like 20 years older than me? So even when I was growing up, it wasn't happening. This was not happening. And I'm 43 years old. So this is a recent turn of events here in the NFL.

I am 73 years young. You've nailed it. So yeah, wait, 43. So 63.

Yeah, 63.

I'm 63 years young. I can't do math. I'm senile as well. But it is interesting to talk about Kirk Cousins. What do you do with Kirk Cousins? Because you should, I mean, start with Fernando if you're the Raiders. They go Rams, which again is not a gimme given the way the Rams look. Then they go at Jets, at San Francisco, Seattle, and at Denver. So the future short-term is not bright in their next 5 games. But Kirk Cousins, maybe he makes sense to Philly. And let's jump in there with the big news of Monday. Jalen Hurts out for the year. And as a reminder, Michael Robinson on ESPN this weekend sort of tiptoed or didn't even really dip his toe into the conspiracy theory waters. He just flat out said, like, I think he just doesn't want to be out there in a sinking ship. How say you, Nick Kostos, on this mess?

Well, not only— and like, I don't want to like take shots at Mike. I don't know Michael Robinson at all.

I'm not taking a shot. I'm just pointing out what he said. He said, I think he's dogging it so that he doesn't have to play.

Well, it looks like the diametric opposite because not only does it look like Jalen Hurts was trying to avoid playing, it looks like he was willing to play and potentially risk his own life In order to play. I, I think, Dave, and I'm a diehard sports fan and I've been watching sports on an obsessive basis since 1990. I've been in sports media for 25 years. I think this is the single most— can I curse here or no?

Please.

This is the single most batshit story I, I've seen in my 36 years of watching sports, 25 years in the sports media. And the way that it's been framed, like, how badly does Jalen Hurts want to play, is the stupidest fucking thing I've ever seen in my life. Like, the NFL and the Eagles are lucky that this guy didn't die on the field in London. The fact that they told him to stay awake for 36 hours, like, not to play in Philly or Jacksonville or Orlando or wherever the Jaguars play, in London overseas, and then have to take a flight back home against Josh Heinz Allen and Trevon Diggs and the Jaguars. Does no one think this is crazy? Like, there's no adult in the room? Big Dom can't put the cheesesteak down to tell Nick Sirianni or Howie Roseman, like, maybe we shouldn't play the quarterback with the blood clot in London against the Jaguars and then take a flight home? It's like he could— they're lucky he didn't drop dead on the field. It's a total organizational irresponsibility.

I do not think you're being histrionic or hyperbolic or any H-Y word. I think this is, uh, or H-I word too. Um, yeah, it's crazy. And really, who, who, whose responsibility was this? Was this Sirianni? Because then that's the last nail. And not to be grim, but you talk about death, that, that's got to be it for Sirianni. This is outrageous. I know it's It's hysterical that he trolls his own fans in games and he makes faces and all of that. And he's kind of like one of the fans.

But I agree. I agree.

This is an organizational failure. Yeah, this is an organizational failure. It's top down. Like, Howie Roseman has to take some of the fall here. Like everybody, we're going to find out. I imagine Jeffrey Lurie, the owner, should do an internal investigation to figure out just how this fell in line and who was responsible here. But this doesn't happen without a complete organizational failure on the part of the Philadelphia Eagles. I don't understand how he's— he can't go to sleep, but he can play in an NFL football game. It's outrageous to me that that was allowed to happen.

Yeah, you want to do like who's at the top of the pie chart and all that kind of stuff. Without knowing many of those, I hate to recklessly speculate. Well, I don't like to— I don't hate to do that. I like to do that. But this is grim. I mean, it's got to be a medical staff thing. And obviously medical staffs in pro football and in football in general have been in the crosshairs for any number of years, concussions and all of that, what's best for the team versus what's best for the individual. And we thought we had tuned that up and the blue tent and we're watching these guys and we have a spotter objective up on high looking at all this to avoid all that. And so medical staffs that might be incented to jam a guy into the lineup, But what the hell happened here? This is crazy stuff. And to your point, right, dying on the field was a legit possibility. It was. Flying back and forth. Yeah.

And so let's just say that, let's give them the benefit of the doubt here, and they felt like he was good to go and his life was not in danger. Just the fact that we need you to stay up for 36 hours to play a game, no one said maybe this is a bad idea? This is where they lose me here and where I think it becomes ridiculous. And like, someone's got to stop the athlete. Like, Jalen Hurts is going to say he wants to play.

Yes, because people— that will be, I predict, part of the fallback to soften it a little bit. It'll be like, well, Jalen really was insistent on playing. It's not his decision.

It shouldn't be his decision. An adult has to say, like, we can all— we can think it's stupid. It is stupid for him to want to play, but we can respect where he's coming from, right? Like, he wants to be great at his job. He wants to be out there for his team and for his teammates, etc. But at some point, like, someone's got to say to him, hey, buddy, like, let's take the week off and we'll readdress this.

Isn't this—

there's no way he should have played in that game.

Isn't this the whole thing with concussions is there are people on the sideline, independent doctors that are there to get in the player's way and say, no, you're not going back out there. We're not letting you go out to play. Like, I agree completely. Somebody's got to be there. Somebody has to be the last line of defense to tell the player if he really is that insistent about playing, Even with staying up for 36 hours or whatever it may have been, somebody has to be the guy on the team that says—

Right. There will now be league, just as there is with, you know, since what happened in Cincinnati and Buffalo and a guy just about now, you know, emergency people are there with the paddles and all of that ready to go. They will learn from this league-wide. But yes, in the moment, crazy stuff.

Do you think this is something that would have happened if, uh, if they were playing locally in the United States, or is this something that was fed because of the fact that you're on an airplane and no one's— maybe not the normal staff and the normal trainers and the normal oversight is happening because they're flying, you know, generally across the Atlantic Ocean?

I don't know, man. I don't want to speculate about that sort of thing. I can't imagine what flying across the Atlantic, how that would have impacted stuff as something— skeleton medical staff or something like that.

And I would say if it were, Dave, if it were like the Bengals or just a team that's kind of known for being cheap Maybe you could maybe make that argument. I don't think we could say that about Jeffrey Lurie and the Eagles.

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Because it don't make any sense how bad it's been.

What I said earlier today is, you know, I don't claim to be an All-22 guy. To me, like, mesh is the thing that causes me to walk funny when I'm wearing a bathing suit. Like, a drag is something I take of a cigarette, not like a route on a football field. I don't consume football in that way. But I think just watching every Sunday for almost 40 years, they run like this. They have like the Tecmo Bowl playbook. It's like, run up the middle with Javonte, left or right with Javonte, run a slant with CeeDee Lamb or George Pickens, or throw the ball deep to one of those guys. And sometimes Ryan Flournoy or Jake Ferguson gets in the mix. But they do seem very easy to defend right now. I don't think there's any question about it. When Well, you can say accurately Jonathan Gannon coached the pants off Brian Schottenheimer in last night's game. Packers defensive coordinator versus Cowboys offensive play caller. And what I want to know as a result of this, Dave, you know, a lot was made last week of, you know, Cowboys players only meeting on defense, and Christian Parker, who I call Atheist Parker because watching the Cowboys defense will make you lose faith in religion, he's got— he gets banished up to the coach's box.

Should Brian Schottenheimer join him? If this is how the Cowboys offense is going to look, does the greatest offense there is, led by Dak Prescott, which should be offense most likely to get a coaching staff fired there is— should Dak have to have a players-only meeting this week? Because I'll tell you, the defense outperformed the offense last night, and the whole thesis for the Cowboys being good this year was top 5 offense with below-average defense. And if this is what the offense is going to be, stick a fork in the Cowboys, man. Like, they're done. Like, they're finished this season.

Well, the thing I was wrong about, at least through the early portion of the season, but is now rounding into shape— I said that the Cowboys defense wouldn't be among the bottom third in the league, at least. It just had to be middle of the pack. And I thought it had a chance to be about top dozen, actually, given some of the pieces that they throw out there. They're never going to be 100% healthy, but as they get closer to that, and with Joey Porter Jr. out there, you can see that that secondary has a chance of being halfway decent too. And up front, they're pretty good as well. But it's inexplicable what that offense is doing. It's not like the Packers have some gangbusters defense. They don't even have Micah

Parsons. It's crazy. And Drake Cooper's out for the year.

That's what's weird. I can't figure out— I think you're right. It's a rudimentary offense. We talked in the preseason to Nate Tice, who is an All-22 guy, and he said it just is an expectation that CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are better than your guys and they'll be able to vanquish them over the course of 60 minutes. It does seem like they're trying to ride with that philosophy because it is very straightforward what they're— you're right. I mean, there may be a little bit of motion out of Pickens here and there, but right, for the most part, they're just lining them up on either side and expecting those 2 guys to win manned up against the defense, and they're not doing that. Meantime, the Packers, all of a sudden, LaFleur— 2 weeks ago, very different conversation about how it was time for LaFleur to go, and here we are with LaFleur and his staff outcoaching 2 NFL staffs. 2 weeks in a row. Where are you on the Packers?

Here's what I'll say about them. Have you ever been— and I'm guessing that most of, most of human beings have— like driving in your car, like in a big storm, and you have this moment, right, where whether it's snow or rain, whatever, and you have this moment where you think like, could be— I could be in a little bit of trouble here. Like can't see through the windshield, it's dark. I don't know. I might have to pull over.

I might have to pull over on the side of the road.

Well, well, in the NFL world, you don't get to pull over unless you have a bye week. You have to keep playing. So eventually, if you keep driving and you keep your head down— not, not tech, not literally, because then you'd crash into something— you know, the storm breaks and maybe you see a ray of sunlight. And it feels like the Green Bay Packers have made it through the storm to start the year. And just because I don't think we can say this enough, Matt LaFleur needs to send Aaron Glenn the fruit basket of all fruit baskets for Christmas. Because if not for Aaron Glenn's comical mismanagement in Week 2, the Packers would have started 0-3, and maybe his seat would not have just been, you know, being kissed by flames, but would have been engulfed in a towering inferno. Because remember where this team was after Thursday night in Week 3. Michael Penix comes off the scrap heap, and immediately the Falcons look like a juggernaut, and they bully the Packers at Lambeau Field. Everyone kind of left the Packers for dead. Since then, you beat Jalen Daniels and the Bucs in his first start.

Okay. But then you, you punch the bully Bears in the face, and then you take care of business last night. And not only are they 4-2, but I would do my Mrs. Doubtfire voice here: help is on the way, dear, because Josh Jacobs is coming back. Not that he's Emmitt Smith, but compared to the likes of Marshawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks and Caleb Johnson and Pierre Strong, he might be Emmitt Smith. And by the way, one of the 5 best players in football, Micah Parsons, is going to be back soon. So I think if you're a Packer fan right now, you almost can't believe your good fortune. that this is where you're at, Dave, after the way Week 3 ended on Thursday night against the Falcons. And honestly, I think the MVP of the Green Bay Packers season might just be Aaron Glenn because they should have started 0-3.

Well, you're— it's funny because the story for the Packers ends when Micah Parsons got hurt. That defense was, I mean, to a, to a weird degree, was really built around one guy. When he got hurt, that was, uh, that was a wrap on their chances of making a run in January. But now if you inject him back in there and he's anything close to what he was or he builds up to that by December, all of a sudden now the Packers are a real factor come January. Before you get to then to there though, I, you know, the Lions, it's not like I have written them off kind of. I didn't in July, but it's not like they're 1-5 or anything or 1-4. I mean, they're still sort of in the mix, but above them are the undefeated Vikings. And Caleb Williams reminded everybody. that the team is better when he's in there versus Case Keenum or Tyson Badgett. So who do you have winning the NFC North, Nick Kostos?

I'm going to stick with my preseason prediction, which was the Minnesota Vikings. And I was really encouraged. And look, everyone that said, myself included, when they were 4-0, this is a bad team. Maybe not a bad team, but certainly not a great team. They had scored, what, 1 offensive touchdown in those 3 wins? And then in the Saints game before the bye, if you look at the final score, it only says Vikings 23, Saints 13. Like, I watched that game. The Vikings beat the piss out of them in that game, had 2 turnovers and plus. That could have been 37-13. And I thought Kyler looked really comfortable. Remember, Addison didn't play in that game. Jefferson did. And Kyler had that awesome touchdown in the end zone where Jefferson is one of like 4 aliens on the planet with like Chase and Smith-Njigba and maybe a couple others that can make that insane catch. Brian Flores, I think, is the best defensive coach alive. Kyler looked like he came to life to me. In that game. So I'll stick with the Minnesota Vikings here to win the NFC North. And I will say, Dave, I, I'm gonna stick with my last-place team also.

I think the Lions will come in last place in this division when it's all said and done.

Yeah, I, I stuck a fork in the Lions before the season even started, and I, like you, parked my car in the Vikings garage. What's crazy is if you talk to Vikings fans, they are thoroughly unimpressed with Kyler Murray. He— they consider him to be the limiting factor of this team. But

he was good in the last game. Like, he looked better against the Saints.

He was 24 of 30 for like 2— I'm pulling it up now. Sorry. 2— oh my God. 229 and a touchdown and a 109 passer rating. So yes, he was a lot better.

I love that the pass rush makes Buddy nervous. No, no, no.

I just had it pulled up and then I exited out because I thought we were moving on. Aaron Jones also ran for 113 yards in that game, which if they can get him going, and have something on the ground to match that.

Well, something to remember about that is that Jordan Mason's coming off IR, and he'll be probably the battering ram running back this week. Jones will probably go into more of a secondary role, and they're playing the Colts on Sunday, whose season is circling the drain here. They just fired Chris Ballard. I would expect the Vikings to win on Sunday and go to 6-0.

By the way, the X-factor identified in August and why the Vikings would win the division is Brian Flores. That defense is legit. The other 3 defenses in the NFC North are not, and that's why the Vikings— I stand by my preseason pick are going to win that division. You mentioned Jaylen Daniels and then you mentioned the Saints. I'm only human. Of course, I now have to talk about the game down in Tampa or St. Pete, whichever one of those 2 towns. I don't understand when people do that. The same thing up in Minnesota. We just talk about the Vikings. Why can't you just come together? Why do you have to be difficult and just be, no, no, you're your own thing. You call us the Twin Cities. Can't you be one city either way? What did you make of the late push?

I mean, let me— I've got to tell you, I've got to tell you, man. Hold on a second. I really enjoyed that. I really enjoyed that. Your thing on twins there, I was like, where's he going with this? The Twin Cities should be one city is a fantastic— we should call it the Siamese City.

Why, why, why, why do we? That's, that's exactly right. That's how they want us to perceive them. Have you ever looked— well, I, I, have you ever looked into the 2 guys when, when you opened the Guinness Book of World Records?

I've never opened it.

It's, it's, well, it's, you never have the, uh, it's an actual book that they used to put out every year. I don't know if it's now digital.

I used to read the NFL Record and Fact Book, buddy, like a real red-blooded football American.

I did too, but I'm not, I'm not a one-track mind apparently, like Nick Kostos.

That's true.

But yeah, the 2 brothers that were Siamese twins is now politically incorrect, by the way.

Is that true?

Oh yeah. Oh yeah. That's old news. It just is. I don't know. It's, I think it's offensive on some level. What do you call them again now, buddy? What's the appropriate—

What are you coming to me for? I have no idea.

Not connected twins.

Conjoined twins.

That's a great spot to point me in.

Conjoined twins.

I legitimately didn't know that. If that was, I have no idea.

I had no idea either.

I can't think of their names, but they were in the Guinness Book of World Records, and they moved over from— I can't remember, I think China, but somewhere in Asia. They came over and they became plantation owners. This is true, plantation owners in the American South. But they also were conjoined, and they both were married. And I think they had a grand total of— I could be wrong— I think they had 19 total children. And they would live in one house with one wife and all the kids for one week, and then they would go next door. The 2 houses were next door, and then they would live with the other family. But, you know, the baby-making, obviously both prolific lovers given their yield. What was the 3rd guy doing? What was the extra person doing?

Well,

well, yeah,

yeah, I have, I have an answer to that question, but I'm not sure if it's a family-friendly show.

Okay, let's— we'll move on. But it's a fascinating thought experiment. But okay. Rodgers, I mean, let me tell you, as a— have I mentioned before I root for the Pittsburgh Steelers? If I haven't, I do.

Once or a thousand times.

So I was watching that game, focusing in on that.

I bet on them. I was watching it too.

I didn't think that was a good idea going in. I tried to warn people, don't bet on the Steelers in this one. And I was looking smart, if sad, as the game wound down. And then they made a late push and somehow improbably rallied to win that one against a backup QB and a bum team that only has one win on the season. But nevertheless, They did. And I think they kind of— the Steelers, am I crazy? The Buccaneers aren't good, but Todd Bowles is good. I felt like if you were sweating that one out hoping for a victory, then you were probably locked in too. It kind of felt to me like Aaron Rodgers and that offense figured something out with the quick pass. I know he's intent on doing that period in his 40s, but there was something about the distribution of the passes that was hard to manage if you were on the other side of it because I think Jeremy Bernard gave them a legit second option out wide and then mixing in some inside screens to Jaylen Warren and the tight ends. All of a sudden it looked like this offense could be kind of hard to stop if you are getting the ball into DK Metcalf's hands to make plays.

And then from there pivoting to the other pass-catching options. How say you?

Yeah, so I, I agree and I'm very happy that the Steelers won the game. I will say that their possession at the end of regulation after the Jamel Dean interception, was one of the most brain-dead possessions I've ever seen in NFL. They almost— I don't want to say this because I wanted to win my bet. Part of me felt like they deserved cosmically to lose for that horrible possession that resulted in no time coming off the clock and a Chris Posner chippy.

Who do you blame?

Rodgers.

I agree.

There's no question.

Well, and McCarthy gets up at the podium and I would say 80% of the Pittsburgh Steelers fans out there on social media and otherwise while that was going on was like, What's McCarthy doing? Like, do you think Mike McCarthy is insisting on throwing the ball? By the way, dangerous throws, drilling one to Darnell Washington.

Also, like, Rodgers, you think he cares what Mike McCarthy's calling? He's doing whatever he wants when they get up to the line of scrimmage.

It's crazy. I mean, yeah, to me it was pretty obviously, and I think Mike McCarthy was plainly at the podium after the game kind of sort of acting confused to cover because it's embarrassing for him. Yeah, the quarterback doesn't listen to me. He just does what he wants anyway. It's not a great spot if you're McCarthy either. But anyway, a nice victory for the Steelers. And by the way, that division is weird too, because the Bungles didn't play and they're in last place at 3-2. All the others are 4-2. I got to go back because you're a— well, we'll jump in right here. The Giants, we can do— let's talk about your Giants here.

Can I give you an underrated Steelers thing quickly?

You could.

First off, like, Rodgers really trusts Bernard. Um, just as a side note, yeah, whenever anyone says his name, I think about the way Eddie Vedder says the word Jeremy in the classic Pearl Jam song, uh, Jeremy Spoken. And, and had great catch yesterday. We love that. Also, I was kind of thinking maybe they're gonna cut Chris Boswell when he missed that kick early in the game, and then he redeemed himself big time. As a Steelers fan, you have to love that. Please continue. I apologize.

How, how great is that? So he makes a 58-yard field goal You know, he made it twice because the referee's like, yeah, they say, oh no, 2-minute warning.

I, I mean, I mean, obviously I couldn't make it. 2.5 with the Steelers. I was screaming at the TV, please make this.

I couldn't— obviously couldn't make a 58-yard field goal, period. But I really, really couldn't make it. If I made a 58-yard field goal and you're like, yeah, sorry, that one doesn't count, I'd be like, that's all the voodoo. There's no way I can make, make it again, even if I'm a professional kicker. my wiring is like, not again. I mean, come on, now this is inhuman to ask me to do that again. But okay, so we go off of the Cowboys and the Eagles kind of seem cooked, probably, except that when you look at the standings, the Giants are 3-2-1.

Oh, they're cooked. They're gonna— I think they're gonna trade everybody. I think we're there with the Eagles. Yeah.

Okay, so who wins that division?

I wanna— I don't know, man. Like, Dallas kind of sucks. I want to say that— is it possible the Commanders might be the best team with Jayden Daniels healthy?

Well, we're going to get to our pick in just a little bit there with that game. But yes, if the Commies get right and win in San Francisco, which you cannot say is impossible based on the results we just saw this weekend, obviously everything is possible in football at this point. Yeah, I think it's conceivable that the Commanders could do it. I think it's going to be the Cowboys is my answer.

I— they're so bad right now, and the vibes are so bad. And look, like, Dallas is better than the Giants. Like, the Cowboys are better than the Giants. I don't think Brian Schottenheimer's making it to next season. Now, I don't think Jerry will fire him in season. Like, he's only done that once, I think, right, with Wade Phillips, and then promoted Jason Garrett. I don't think he'll fire him in season. But at this point, it's tough to like Schotty to make it to next year. And say what you want about John Harbaugh, and we've said a lot over the years with his tenure in Baltimore, He's at least got the Giants on the right track here. Now, like, yesterday was not great. Charlie Jones' fumble on the kick return changed the whole game at 10-3. Saints tie it at 10, then score coming out of half. They scored 34 unanswered. Um, J.J. McCarthy comes in and almost leads the miraculous rally. I, I feel, I feel like the Giants have the best coach in the division, and in a crappy division, man, you— how do you disagree with that?

I've never been wowed by John Harbaugh. He is a— he's—

Who's better in the division?

He's a PE teacher. He's an old person.

Who's better in the division? I don't know.

I'm not, I'm not wowed by overseers.

Who's better? But my question is, I'm saying— I'm not saying he's the best coach in the league. I'm saying he's the best coach in the NFC East.

Okay, I'll buy that. I'm not gonna give you any—

So you agree with me?

Yeah, but I think the Cowboys are vastly superior in terms of talent, and so that will end up winning the day. I mean, obviously—

Harbaugh's better than Shotty, right?

Yeah, but Dak Prescott is way, way better than whatever the Giants—

I mean, have you watched Dak the last 2 games? Like, I agree with you, Dak is Is Dak hurt? I don't know what's going on, but I, I'll take Dallas also. But I would not be shocked at this point if the Giants won solely because the division's terrible. I don't see the Giants— I don't think they're good.

If CeeDee Lamb doesn't fall down on the 2nd pick of the first half, the Cowboys score there, and I think that game probably goes a little bit differently.

Fell down? That was a horrible decision by Dak. The one that Javon Holland picked off in Week 1?

No, the last night he threw.

Oh, last night, got it. Yeah. Well, I don't know. We can play this game all you want. The Cowboys are 2-4. The Giants are 3-2-1.

I know. Well, we make fun of the South all the time, but the NFC East, sneaky bad, supported or boosted up by the Philadelphia Eagles the last decade.

Oh, it's not sneaky bad. It's bad.

Well, I mean, it does have a—

Take the sneaky out.

It does have a— has had a really good team that probably is not real good this season. Who told you about that? Your old pal Dave Damaschick told you about them Philadelphia Eagles. Be on the lookout for them on their way down this season. Hey, you're a sparkling conversationalist, Nick Kostos, and I do wanna get your thoughts on college football, and we gotta talk about that. But quickly, I do wanna do a couple of things here. Labatt Beer, I wanna mention Labatt. Brewed for the chirps, the salty jabs in your group chat hall of fame, and for that one friend who hasn't changed his fantasy football team name since 2019. That guy is Kevin, probably. Time for Labatt Roast and Toast. We all at Labatt Know a thing or two about friendly rivalries born in Canada, brewed in the US, united by the sacred art of trash talk. Because the best kinds of friendships come with nicknames you didn't approve, stories you can't escape, and just enough roasting to keep things honest. So when your team is staring down 3rd and long, crack a cold one, roast responsibly, and give a toast to the people who give you the hardest time.

Labatt, brewed for the roast. And while we're not properly roasting or toasting anybody, This week, I do want to say Football Americans of the Week, everyone associated with the now 7-0 James Madison football program. What is in the water at JMU there in Harrisonburg, Virginia? Head coach Billy Napier has them rolling just like the last JMU coach Bob Chesney did. He's now got UCLA undefeated. Both those guys and the program they ran or are running at JMU, great at the game of football, better at the game of life. Those guys made the life of 10-year-old John Paul Macri a little better these last many months, really made him a part of the team. His family too, his parents, Nick, my old pal from college, his mom, Katie, and his brother, Luke. Listen to Billy Napier on Saturday after the victory and what John Paul Macri meant to the program.

I can't help but think that we played with 12 today. You know, John Paul Macri, all the things that happened this week and the many people that that impacted. I know it affected our entire organization from top to bottom. But just in general, I can't help but think there— we start, we kick that thing off and the clouds go away. It's blue skies. And it was a great day for the Dukes to play football. And I know my man was up there. They're having the best of times.

Boy, they really did make him a part of the team. They let him run the ball into the end zone and boosting him on the shoulders. I've heard John Paul talk about it and he really was a part of that team. His dad texted me the other day to say that they were convinced that their boy saved the game against Georgia Southern with a tying field goal that fell short. They were sure that it was John Paul doing a little bit of blocking from the sky. Beautiful boy, John Paul Macri. We're thinking of his family today. Nice to know big-time football guys who are not required to do that are doing it too. Great stuff there. Now let's talk about the more mundane stuff. Top 25 college football and maybe a 2014 playoff. Nick Kostos, how say you after just really one of the all-time insane Saturdays we've seen?

So what do you want, a couple takes on Saturday or you want a thought on the 2014 playoff?

I mean, I don't even know what to say about Saturday because it's just now put them in a hat and shake it all up. And I mean, how, how can you properly even divine who's number 1? The team— well, I will say this, the team that's number 1 in the country— I'm not a conspiracy theorist, so I don't think there was any chicanery on behalf of the U, but man, a couple of real bad calls in OT to hand that one.

Yeah, I don't know if you've noticed this though, Dave. I don't know if you've noticed, but officiating is just really, really bad in general. So I'm going to give you 2 big picture thoughts on college football from Saturday and then a take on the 2014 playoffs. Is that all right?

Please.

I was gonna do it anyway. First would be, so question for you, do you believe you yourself, and just like the football Americans, that Notre Dame is a team that A, gets a beneficial whistle, and B, is a team that college football looks at and tries to prop up? Fair or unfair to say that generally that's what people believe about Notre Dame, that college football will give Notre Dame the benefit of the doubt and put Notre Dame in a spot that Notre Dame might not deserve to be in, yes or no?

Yeah, but I always talk about stale opinions that get outmoded by empirical evidence. And clearly the last couple of years, at least, the people have it in. Kirk Herbstreit on down have it in for the Irish, just spouting off about them. And as a reminder, they didn't make the playoff last year, which was crazy that Alabama— the one that people kept arguing was about the U or Notre Dame— the team that didn't belong was Alabama last year.

But you were not going to take them out. Like, like, like, like, you're right about that. that, like, Notre Dame was better than Alabama, but you— they were never gonna dock Bama for losing in a conference championship game because then why would you ever want to play in a conference championship game again, right? Right. So like, you're right, like, Notre Dame was probably like the 2nd best team in the country by the time, you know, we got to the college football playoff. But you know what, like, just, just to say this, right, to everyone that wants to say Notre Dame gets a good whistle, etc., they got— and it's their own fault also— got jobbed last year against Texas A&M in Week 2, and then on Saturday night This is back-to-back games, college football Saturday night, Bama-Georgia, where an egregious— this is like Rams-Saints in the 2018 NFC title game.

All right, that's a little— I, I've heard— no, the first person I've heard say that.

But no, is it not true? Yeah, like the stakes aren't as high.

Not true. No, it's not true. It wasn't the same level of terrible call against—

It absolutely is. They're both egregious pass interference calls that are not called. And you know, it's not—

I'm just talking about the NFC title game.

I understand.

I'm not talking about the stakes. I'm talking about that was the worst call I've ever seen in my life.

These are really bad. These were bad also. So Notre Dame got jobbed twice, and I don't know if they even score from the 1-yard line, but they should have had the chance to score. That would be number 1. And number 2, you know, for all Steve Sarkisian wants to say— and he's wrong about this, but I respect where he's coming from— where he goes last week, he's defending his quarterback. If Arch is— he didn't say it like this, but if Arch Manning's last name were Smith, he wouldn't be under this level of criticism. Well, we know that's bullshit because we remember Quinn Ewers and we remember Sam Ehlinger and we remember Major Applewhite and we even remember Chris Simms. And Simms might not be a name in football royalty the way Manning is, but Simms is still a name in football royalty. So Sark can say that Arch gets unfairly criticized and he can evoke the name Manning. He should be on his hands and knees today thanking the college football gods that his quarterback's last name is Manning because it's preventing him from getting the brunt of the criticism. And if Arch's last name were Smith, He would've been benched already.

Lacey would be playing and all the slings and arrows would be out for Steve Sarkisian. So he should be thankful today that his quarterback's last name, Dave, is Manning.

Yeah, but what happens when the generation ahead of Arch collectively gets in Arch's ear and says like, we gotta get you away from Sark. You should transfer for 2027 because you aren't doing yourself or Sark's not doing your draft stock any favor. We need a fresh look to get you that top spot in time for '27. But that's one thing. And Buddy Badowski's Gators. Oh yeah. I mean, wouldn't it be— I mean, but you can't— I know you're chomping at the bit, Buddy, to weigh in here. But the result to me is that the middle class is about as good as the upper class of the SEC, which is to say none of them are all that great.

Well, I don't think that's the— I think the argument here is what SEC fans have been saying forever is that it's the best and deepest conference. Right. Any team can beat anybody. And that is what you saw this weekend. Florida, who lost to South Carolina and Missouri in embarrassing fashion. Those losses cannot be shaken. It's why we didn't jump Texas in the rankings. They go out, they go on the road with a backup quarterback and beat Texas, who the week before lost to an unranked Oklahoma. Auburn, who lost to Florida earlier this year, goes into Georgia between the hedges and beats Georgia, the number 1 team in the country. This is the argument we've been making all along, is that you cannot take a week off in the SEC because it is the deepest conference. Sure, there's not the team—

No one— who believes this right now? Me. They're the best conference. That's what it is.

It is the best conference. It's the deepest conference. Just because the teams at the top are not impenetrable monsters anymore like Alabama and Georgia were 5 to 10 years ago doesn't mean that it's not still the most talented conference from top to bottom.

You cannot rule those out. Which bracket has the most talented conference from top to bottom or the team that wins the national championship?

Sure. The Big Ten the last few years has taken over the mantle.

But you're not answering the question.

Of the high-end conference. You're not answering the question.

I don't really care. Would you say that the best conference has the national champion or has like the 7th best? The 7th best team in the SEC is better than the 4th best team in the Big Ten. Well, right now. That's more important.

Right now, the best team in the country is Miami and they're in the ACC, who is by far the worst of the Power 4 conferences. They're ranked number 1, right? I don't know that they're necessarily the best team, but they're ranked number 1. But my point is just that it's— when you look down the levels, it's the deepest conference. Oh, there are no rolling over Illinois and Purdue and Pittsburghs and Virginia Techs. Like, how dare you say Pittsburgh in that? Okay, fine, then go Clemson and Duke and whoever else.

We're not talking about the ACC. We're talking about the Big Ten.

Okay, Maryland.

Do you think I am Hold on, buddy. Do you think— I mean, this is the pap that you sell to yourselves and then attempt to sell to the rest of us, and the rest of us ain't buying because you're the second best conference. You're not the— you're not— No, it's the jive about that. Like, Ted, do you think that, uh, that Iowa and, uh, I mean, some combination of, of Iowa and Michigan and USC and UCLA These are not worthy teams.

No, I'm not talking about those teams.

But Tennessee is?

I mean, obviously they all— I'm not talking about those teams. That's not what I'm talking about. And also, I'm—

Then how deep are you running?

How deep are you going? I don't want to be the SEC, SEC guy. I just want to push back against the notion that this SEC is a bad conference or an overrated conference. No, the argument all along has been the deepest conference. These teams, you cannot take a week off in the SEC. Ohio State gets to roll over Maryland and Rutgers and Purdue and Northwestern and whoever else they play on their schedule. Sure, they have to play Indiana, which is obviously— that game was incredible. That was a heavyweight bout. They have to play USC.

Indiana, by the way, I should make— hold on. I do have to say, first of all, Coach Zig deserves a little credit. I know he gets a lot of credit, but it was like, ah, Josh Hoover, not as good as Fernando. Coming in, the story on Hoover was, man, he throws a lot of dangerous passes. He gets intercepted a lot in big spots. Man, he was clean going into that game against Ohio State, and then he got hurt. And I don't know how much you can divine from that when both quarterbacks get hurt late in the game, but still, they're a throwaway. And yeah, Hoover should have let him inbounds a little bit.

No, he's got to mark Justin Fields' catch. He knew it. He knew it.

I kind of agree that maybe he should have a better sense of where he is on the field. Then again, Hoover, you know, had all the room in the world to drop that inbounds.

Come on. It's just college. You have to get one foot down. It's not even the NFL. You gotta get one foot down.

Well, neither one made a great play there. But the point is, I think, correct me if I'm wrong, 12-team playoff, the Hoosiers can afford one more loss now because they played Ohio State close enough that you say that's okay. Definitely.

100%.

Whereas, here's the other one. Here's the one more college football thing for you, Nick. If Notre Dame, the bad call in the end zone to end the game maybe gives them a little more grace. But if they lose to Miami,

they're

in. They would have put— I listen, if they lose to the only 2 good teams they played all season, what is the case for Notre Dame being in the playoffs?

The case is they didn't make it last year and the NCAA basically like wrote like a handwritten note. They changed the rules.

They changed the rules.

Like Notre Dame's going into the playoff like they're making it with 2 wins.

That's right. But there would not be— it would be illogical to put them in though.

Yeah. And

Dave, I'm just telling you, 2014 playoffs so that this would never happen to Notre Dame again. Like,

I get it. I'm just telling you that reality should suggest— it won't. There's rationalizing over living in reality. But if Notre Dame played 2 good teams all year and they lost to both of them, participating in those games is not— should not get you into one of the 12 spots available to play for the national championship. All right, we're running out of time again. You're too delightful a conversationalist, Nick Kostos. I really wanted to talk to you about the worst team names in sports because we have on Monday—

I have a couple written down, which, like, rapid-fire fashion. Go ahead, rapid-fire. The Nets, terrible. Should an NFL team be named the Goalposts? Absolutely brutal.

You and I agree on this. It should be about, it should be about like the basketballs. Like, well, we can't be the Balls. Okay, then like the Rims? No, not any better. The Woods? We're still not in the right place. Let's just go with Nets. It's the lamest in the NBA. You're absolutely right.

Uh, the Cleveland Guardians. I don't know what they're guarding. I absolutely hate it. The Washington Commanders.

They're the Guardians of Traffic.

It's the worst name. It's the dumbest name.

They should have been the Fighters. I think this is the— well, Pelicans is stupid. What is it? It's, it's, it's a bird that eats fish. Wow, how fearsome. The worst name in sports is the Houston Texans. Like, what, the Miami Floridians? The New York New Yorkers? Like, I, I don't know how that one passed the smell test. So I would actually say Texans, worst name in sports, Dave.

Who should be offended by that are the Dallas Cowboys and the San Antonio Spurs. Are they not Texans? And every other thing like, oh yeah, you're claiming all the state? You, you knew, you now are basically insinuating it belongs to you because we are the state.

The Los Angeles Californians, like, what the hell? It's hard. Texans is horrible.

The Philadelphia Phillies.

Yeah, but Phillies is cool. I don't mind that. I like the Phillies.

I don't know if Kostos and Buddy are ever gonna get along. I— that's something.

I like Nick a lot because we get— because he, he calls you out on your bullshit. So I like Nick a lot for him coming on here.

All right, turn— now Buddy's mic has to be turned off. Okay, Nick Kostos, um, give us your pick on your way out the door. Monday Night Football, Niners laying 7.5, 51.5 is the total.

I tease the 49ers. If I had to bet the game, small lean to Washington to cover. George Kittle over receiving yards. Tight ends kill the Commanders. Christian Kirk, Treylon Burks, anytime touchdowns.

Excellent stuff as always. There he goes, everybody. You Better You Bet, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to noon Eastern. The great Nick Kostos, everybody. Look forward to kibitzing with you next week. I didn't think I mentioned it at the top. I think we're gonna do this on the regular. You're our regular Monday morning.

How about that? I'm looking forward to it. Absolutely. Let's do it, my friend.

Excellent stuff from the great Kostos there. And let's wrap it up here with Monday Night Football. Costas said he's leaning to the Commies. Interesting there. I think I take them— I don't know. Hard to make sense of anything in Week 6 after the last 48 hours worth of stuff. So let's just move on here as the chill washes over me here. Why is it so cold? Yes, we're presented by Jägermeister. Serve it cold or don't serve it at all. Jägermeister. Damn, that's cold. For more, visit jagermeister.com. Drink responsibly. Now, it's old news. Today's athletes are bigger, faster, stronger than their predecessors. So it's vexing to me that the team names may have never been worse. And I don't just mean the loath— the loathsome self-imposed grammatical scourge of our times. Teams with singular names: Heat, Magic, Thunder. There are 12 guys on the team, so the Heat isn't good, the Heat are good. And yet people continue to screw that up. And I've been complaining about this for a while, and I gotta tell you, I'm starting to think all my complaining is falling on deaf ears. And I'm definitely not interested in jumping into the very important, if nonexistent concerns renowned ball lover Enes Kanter has with the WNBA.

But of the league's 15 teams, 10 have singular names or singular name. I don't even know how to say that now. Caitlin Clark is the most famous person in the league and she's on the Indiana Fever. The Fever. We're honoring sickness. But okay, this is a football show. So focusing there, I've previously shared my concerns. About the enduring self-own by the city of Buffalo, named for the majestic beasts that once roamed the plains up there, deciding then on purpose to call its football team the Bills in honor of Buffalo Bill Cody, who killed all the buffalo. Okay, but that's old news. They have cursed themselves. To the matter at hand, the Washington, D.C. team is the Commanders, AKA the commies in our nation's capital. And apparently We're just sticking with that, huh? Why didn't you just go with Red Hogs? Pay homage to the all-time most iconic, iconic era for any DC-based team ever. You still have heavyset fans in the stands dressing up like swine. At least I assume you do. I don't know anymore, which is part of my point. Red Hogs reminds the world and your own fan base of what every new franchise and any longtime embarrassing franchise Most desires.

A tradition of success! So here's more good news for you. You can honor Riggins and Theismann and those Hogs by changing your name to Red Hogs. And you better do it soon because you're up against a rugged force of very tough guys who've already shot cans of beer because a commercial hurt their feelings, and they destroyed a movie because of who was in it. Okay, it's a movie that made a billion dollars and is, is going to win the Oscar this year, but still. And these same tough They canceled football, NFL, a decade ago because a guy took a knee during a song. Well, I mean, I guess they attempted to cancel football because the NFL seems to have survived just fine. So maybe these tough guys are just ineffectual crybabies, but you can't be too safe. So name the team Red Hogs, and quick, before somebody in diapers signs an executive order to name the team after himself. Think about it. All right, and while you think about that, consider the fact that we'll be back on Friday to get you right in time for NFL Week 7. Until then, for Nick Kostos, Buddy Badowski, Gino Fuentes, and everybody on Football America.

Thanks so much, my fellow football Americans. It's been a thin slice of heaven.

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