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Be Around the NFL Podcast

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cheeps their families wanting more.

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Welcome to another edition of the

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Around the NFL Podcast. My name

0:13

is Dan Hansas, joined

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in a virtual room till with

0:17

some heroes, Mark Cecil, Gregg Rosenal,

0:20

what's up police? I wish I was leaving

0:22

wanting more. It's like, hey, my wife says, why don't

0:24

you go work a little more? I'm

0:28

leaving them wanting more. Just to confirm I

0:30

I can. I can tell you that's true. Is

0:33

there more of an about face? And you you

0:35

know you can see it? Right with this podcast.

0:38

Mark used to talk about your young

0:40

son saying is Daddy ever coming

0:42

home? Now it's is Daddy ever leaving

0:45

home? The answer is no. Right, we

0:47

could see less of daddy and be thrilled with that, I think

0:49

would be the answer. So yeah, it's a it's it's

0:51

a tough time. I saw you celebrating the

0:53

Dodgers World Series when with

0:55

the kids outside they're jumping on board

0:57

with some fireworks. That's good. Let your kids pick pick

1:00

a winner for one way to go. That

1:03

was a that was a good, that was a evening. It's

1:07

good. Like if there's one thing to do, teach

1:09

your children early about the fun associated

1:12

with illegal fireworks celebrations during

1:14

a drought in high wind conditions. Um.

1:19

Yeah, this is weird. It's weird. You know, life

1:22

is weird. It's almost like if you took if

1:24

you took your home situation

1:27

as youngish fathers of

1:29

children and then you combine your entire

1:31

work life and then put it in a house

1:34

that's the size of the Potions postage

1:36

stamp, it could lead to maybe

1:38

madness right on the eve of Halloween here.

1:40

So we're just put we're fighting through it, though

1:44

we did it. We're

1:46

halfway through the regular season almost.

1:49

Um. And yes, this is the

1:51

Week eight preview program.

1:54

You could check out. Of course

1:56

the recap of Thursday Night Football Falcons

1:59

and Panther is, but this will give us a full rundown

2:02

of everything to come on Sunday

2:05

and Monday. And as everyone

2:07

knows, we do a draft style and picking

2:10

first. Yes, right,

2:13

I'm excited about this one. I was gonna

2:15

take this game no matter what. It's

2:18

Steelers Ravens. I mean, this

2:20

is the best rivalry in the league unless

2:22

you count the Seahawks forty niners, and we get that

2:24

this week too, So it's a great week for

2:27

rivalries, and it's a great week to kind of find

2:29

out how different this Ravens

2:31

team is. I love watching Lamar every

2:33

week. You guys know that, so I'm happy to have this

2:35

with the first pick. But I have to

2:37

admit they're not the same Ravens this year,

2:40

and I think this is the game we kind of find out,

2:42

like how different are they? Because

2:44

I don't think you can run on the Steeler. I know the

2:46

Ravens will try to run, and they'll run fairly

2:49

well, and Lamar will get his scrambles, but I think

2:51

this is a game Lamar has gotta throw the ball

2:54

over the top because that's how you beat the

2:56

Pittsburgh Steelers. Their secondary

2:58

has had some problems this or their cornerbacks

3:01

not playing nearly as well, and

3:03

their run defense is just so good,

3:05

and the Ravens rushing rushing offense

3:08

hasn't been nearly the same. That it's got to be

3:10

Lamar to the outside. It's gotta be what we heard in

3:12

the off season in terms of speed, in

3:14

terms of uh the outside throws,

3:16

the marks Brown, Miles Boykin, I think has had

3:18

a little juice Devin du Varney. There's been

3:21

flashes they just haven't thrown the

3:23

ball that much, and I think this is

3:25

the week. If you're gonna beat the Steelers, it's

3:27

gonna take a big time effort from

3:29

Lamar as a thrower. You

3:32

know, I'm with you, Greg, because I want

3:34

to be more impressed with Baltimore's

3:36

offense in general general than I have. Um

3:38

may they beat in Cleveland a bad Houston

3:41

team Washington since he and

3:43

Philly and they got handled by the Chiefs. Now, I

3:45

will look at that Eagles game and say, the one thing that is

3:48

not a disappointment on any level is

3:50

Baltimore's defense. I mean, Pittsburgh and Baltimore

3:52

like second and third in dB O A on defense,

3:55

and it looks like it. Baltimore adds Joanna

3:57

Concoquated the mix, thank you will have that player

3:59

too, Why not add him to the rotation here

4:01

alongside clay As Campbell. I mean, Pittsburgh's

4:04

offense has a lot of pick your

4:06

poison scenario weapons to it, but

4:09

Baltimore has thumped teams left

4:11

and right on defense. So to me, this

4:13

is a classic old school

4:15

a f C North matchup. We know these teams,

4:18

but I think this is the best Steelers team

4:20

that we've had in a long time. I really do.

4:22

I think that they are so ultra powerful.

4:25

Mike Tomlin is operating like coach of the

4:27

year right now, So you know, I

4:29

this is this is classic stuff. And

4:32

for me, I'm gonna do something special

4:34

right here. I'm

4:36

gonna do something special right here, and I don't even tell our

4:38

producers about it. I'm locking up the Steelers and

4:40

it's gonna be in Baltimore. I think they're gonna take

4:43

care of business. I'm telling you why this

4:45

Steeler's team is a super Bowl team and waiting

4:47

all right, Well, that's very interesting

4:50

on the road. Is that's

4:52

the gutsy lock. I like it, Mark and the Steelers.

4:55

Geez, I'm trying to make sense of last week's

4:57

game because I want to just put a blanket

5:00

over it and say, listen, they went down to Nashville

5:02

and beat an undefeated team, but they were

5:04

very lucky for that not to

5:06

be an infamous loss for the Steelers.

5:08

They were up twenty points in the third quarter and they

5:10

needed bad Stephen Gaskowski to show

5:13

up to save the day and and push

5:15

that field goal wide right otherwise

5:17

they're playing for overtime most likely and

5:20

you know, we've talked about Ben Roethlisberger on this

5:22

podcast a lot. I think this is a big game for him

5:24

too, because um, I

5:26

was I was against you, Greg on

5:29

your Big Breeze comparisons,

5:31

and I still think that Roethlisberger obviously

5:33

huge upgrade over what they had last year, but

5:36

it's time for him to maybe step up his game.

5:38

He should have been able to put away the Titans last week.

5:41

I didn't like the way their offense played in

5:43

the second half last week. So this is a tough

5:45

assignment for him though. And the in Gokway

5:47

acquisition by the Ravens is a big

5:49

one because now you could bookend him with

5:52

Matthew jude On and now they're gonna be able to

5:54

potentially get to a guy like Roethlisberger

5:56

without having to blitch, which is the Baltimore

5:59

way to get to pass. And we know Big

6:01

Ben goes down for a lot of sacks. Right.

6:03

I want to explain my big Breeze things,

6:06

so I've been calling that it's a stylistic

6:08

thing. I'm saying big breezes like like

6:10

good breeze two thousand, nineteen eighteen

6:12

seventeen breeze. There even earlier. But

6:14

you watch that game last week, Dan, what were

6:17

the drives that were successful? It was

6:19

like fifteen plays sixty three yards,

6:21

eleven plays seventy two yards,

6:23

those sort of short passes where you're counting

6:26

on your receivers to make plays after

6:28

the catch, and they've got the right receivers for

6:30

it, and so I think it's smart. He's

6:32

just not. They're just not the bombs away Steelers

6:35

offense that they were, but they've been

6:37

pretty effective. You're right, though, this is by far

6:39

their toughest test. But I like a quick

6:41

passing offense against this Ravens

6:43

pass rush, like that's how you gotta beat him. And

6:46

Mark mentioned how you know that the

6:48

Ravens haven't played anyone any good defense.

6:50

The Steelers really haven't either, including last week. Titans

6:53

are in a great defense. So this is easily the steelers

6:55

offenses biggest test this year.

6:58

Let's let's pick this game obsolutely, know Mark

7:00

is, what do you got? Greg? I took the

7:02

Steelers too on the old game picks.

7:05

Check them out. Not a lot of respect

7:07

for the Ravens. You know this. I don't

7:09

know. This one feels like maybe it is even

7:11

against the top defense. Maybe

7:13

Lamar Jackson reminds people why he's

7:16

a special player and and gets Hollywood

7:18

Brown involved with some deep strikes. I like the Ravens

7:20

holding court at home and handing the Steelers

7:23

their first loss. It's gonna be fun, all

7:25

right. The draft turns to Mark

7:28

Sessler coming off. Oh, I mean

7:30

that lock. I'm still in a state

7:32

of shock. I'm excited locking up the

7:34

Ravens. Who would have seen it? Okay, here

7:36

we go or the Steelers. I actually locked up

7:38

the Steelers and let's not go

7:43

ahead. You're alright? So

7:45

I love this second pick because I don't see a big

7:47

drop off from the first game. And

7:50

and Greg, you mentioned this rivalry

7:52

weekend here in week eight, and look

7:54

at this San Francisco and the Seattle

7:56

Seahawks. That's where I'm going. You know how

7:58

I do this thing. I'm about two hundred and seven

8:00

pages in to a pamphlet. I'm

8:03

writing about Kyle Shanahan, who I

8:05

think is the best coach in the league in

8:07

coaching around injury.

8:10

Pamphlet, if it's going to be that at

8:12

this point, that's a buck. It's over two.

8:15

Like a pamphlet feels like, you know,

8:18

like Edgy and kind of political and disturbing.

8:20

And that's where I let's what I feel about Kyle Shanahan.

8:22

He is all those things, and I just

8:24

I I love this the way

8:27

that he handles injuries. I mean they have been

8:29

battered. I mean right up there with the Eagles, and

8:31

yet you watched them last week. He's got a

8:34

third string running back Jeff Wilson running

8:37

for a hundred plus yards. Jeff Wilson

8:39

goes out and hey, sorry, New England, We're

8:41

gonna bring undrafted Jim Michael Hasty

8:43

and he's gonna run for six point three yards per

8:45

carry. This offense, and I mean it's

8:47

not a secret they're passing

8:50

game is originates off

8:52

the run game. I think that Kyle Shanahan,

8:54

he's been doing this for years, his father did. It

8:56

makes life as easy as possible

8:58

on the quarterback. I just think that this offense,

9:01

no matter who's in there, he maximizes

9:03

guys. And I mean, what coach in the league

9:06

does a better job of using his

9:08

fullback thanky than Kyle Shanahan

9:10

and Kyle use Check. I don't know if it's because they have the

9:12

same name, there's some affinity there, but

9:15

I love every little part of this

9:17

Niners offense, and I you know, they they have

9:19

a lot Deebo Samuel's out at this point. He's

9:21

not looking, he's not healthy, but they find

9:23

a way. And I think that they are literally the better

9:26

team in Seattle. They just have not been

9:28

healthy. I really do. I think that they're

9:31

there four and three and there in last place in the best

9:33

division in football. But this story, this

9:35

story is not yet over. For some that

9:37

is a bit of an about face because you have

9:39

been leading the Seahawks are unstoppable

9:42

train, and it sounds like now you're saying

9:44

the Niners are a better team. That's pretty

9:47

I just think we'll be seeing the Niners at full power.

9:49

I mean, the Niners have been very banged up. You put

9:51

all their parts in place, and they've got a

9:53

better defense than Seattle, and they can do a lot

9:56

with their offense. I think Mark's right.

9:58

You know, the forty Niners best right

10:00

now is better than the Seahawks is best.

10:03

The forty Niners are one of only two

10:05

teams in the NFL that

10:07

are top eight in d v o A on

10:10

offense and defense. It's the Bucks

10:12

and it's the forty Niners. The fact they've done it with all

10:14

these injuries. Yes, it's a credit to Kyle Shanahan,

10:17

but they're they're also like a really top

10:19

end team, whereas the Seahawks

10:22

every week they have to sweat out that defense,

10:24

and they've they've matched up pretty well with the forty

10:26

Niners in the past. But it's like they're

10:29

letting rest rust Cook and that's great

10:31

and I and I know like the fans love

10:33

it, but I if I was a Seahawks fan, I'd

10:35

be like, Man, I wish they let rust Cook when we

10:38

had a defense because this is the worst Pete

10:40

Carroll defense we've ever seen. And it's

10:42

and I know they bring in Carlos Dunlop, He's not gonna be

10:44

available this week. That is a good risk

10:46

rewards scenario. But with

10:48

Jamal Adams, you know, still up in the

10:50

air and the secondary, it just doesn't

10:53

make sense. They're the worst passing

10:55

rush team in the league in terms of getting pressure

10:58

and if you can't pressure Garoppolo even with Deebo

11:00

Samuel, I'm with you, Mark, I think the forty

11:03

Niners will be able to move the ball well, the forty Niners

11:05

be able to stop Seattle, probably not and that's why

11:07

it should be such a fun game. Yeah.

11:11

Well no, I mean I've been saying this from the start.

11:13

You may remember while everybody was singing praises

11:15

and Osana's about the Seahawks as

11:17

like, but they have the worst defense and the only

11:20

way that's going to continue. They're

11:22

not just gonna go sixteen or all because everyone

11:24

loves the way Russell Wilson is playing for their fantasy

11:26

teams. No, you need to actually play

11:28

balanced football. And what we saw

11:30

on Sunday night, which I thought was interesting,

11:33

was and that loss of the Cardinals when Russell

11:35

Wilson actually did finally get some pressure

11:37

and his play dropped just

11:39

a little bit with the interceptions and unable

11:42

to move the ball at the end of the fourth quarter in overtime,

11:45

you see what happens when Seattle doesn't have

11:47

that safety net of of let Russ

11:49

Cook and they blew a lead

11:52

and then they lost in overtime. So yeah, Seattle

11:54

is major issues that was covered

11:56

up by a five and oh start and the Niners.

11:58

Yeah I I I'm with you, eyes. I think when it

12:00

comes down to it with with Shanahan

12:03

and the scheme is just so

12:05

sound. I like that it doesn't really matter what

12:07

their players situation is with the injuries.

12:09

It's like, we know, for instance, against

12:12

the Patriots, we are going to run the football.

12:14

We're gonna run the football, We're gonna use play

12:16

action. They did it on their snaps,

12:18

which is the most by any team this

12:20

season, and it's still gonna work even if Jeff

12:22

Wilson is running the ball. So yeah,

12:24

uh do I think they win in Seattle?

12:27

Though, I don't know. I don't

12:29

know. That's it's a big test because they are

12:31

despite everything I just said. And you guys

12:33

just said, you know, Nick bos

12:36

is not coming back, you know, Deebo Samuel we said

12:38

is out. This team is banged up, and

12:40

that I think this is a coin flip game. I

12:42

really do it is. And I mean

12:44

I say, I think the a concept of home field advantage

12:47

that this season is it's very different than usual.

12:49

I mean, I don't like the idea of going into a

12:51

hostile environment in a normal year, but

12:53

it's like you're stirring in a bunch of empty seats.

12:55

So this is this is not the same situation

12:58

for San Francisco. It's like, oh yeah, it's hard to take

13:00

an air take an airplane trip north.

13:02

That's the that's the biggest problem there. One

13:06

of the final subplot for you in this game,

13:08

it's it's Fred Warner, my

13:10

guy who I think is the Defensive Player of the Year

13:13

candidate, coming in and taking the middle

13:15

linebacker belt from Bobby Wagoner. Bobby Wagner

13:17

has had it three or four years, He's a future Hall

13:19

of Famer. Warner shows up, he swipes

13:21

it from all right, that's that's fair.

13:23

And since we're loving the Niners

13:26

this week, my favorite SoundBite from

13:28

week eight, let's play it back right now,

13:30

courtesy of the Great George Kittle. Yeah,

13:34

I mean football is a violent sport and if you don't

13:36

kind of go to that dark place to be violent, um

13:39

and be physical, you're you're not gonna

13:41

last very long. And uh, Coachan

13:43

always talks about, you know, find the dark place, so longer I've

13:45

been here, and the more Kyle talks about it, the

13:47

more there's everybody kind of goes to that

13:49

dark place. And like I said, it's a violent game.

13:52

And it's just it's fun to be a part of a team

13:54

with a bunch of psychopaths because I

13:56

fit in really well here. How

14:00

do you. How do you not like George Kittle? And

14:02

how can you not root for the Niners? Let's get a w

14:05

San Francis gona be move on? What

14:07

What are we doing here? What a match

14:10

up? And to do that is going

14:12

a very special guest? What now?

14:15

Why? What is going on here? Who

14:17

is that? What is lost?

14:20

Like? If I get lost? What am I doing in?

14:22

Here? Is the sticks? What is

14:24

this? It's Daniel jeremiahs What

14:27

is this? What has happened? Look?

14:33

I told you guys, Dan, Dan,

14:36

Dan, We talked about this. I said I would agree

14:38

to come on. You guys ask me this every week. I said, I will

14:40

agree to come on, but not with Greg. If Greg's

14:42

gonna be on, I'm not coming on. I'll come on

14:44

with Mark, I'll come on with Wes, I'll come on any other

14:46

cast of characters you have. But I

14:49

hear I get here and here's Greg. So

14:52

let's set the table here if people are not aware and we

14:54

want to get to Chargers Broncos where,

14:57

of course, Move the Sticks does the

14:59

color analysis with Matt Money

15:01

uh every game for Charges

15:04

Radio. But there is an issue here between

15:06

our podcast and the Move the Sticks podcast. There

15:08

always has been but things have really heated up on Twitter

15:11

in recent days. Let's

15:13

check out the tweet. This one was sent out by

15:16

Greg It's awkward that moved the

15:18

sticks will announce every game of Herbert's

15:20

Hall of Fame career, knowing he ranked

15:22

Ross Blacklock, Andrew Thomas,

15:24

and seventeen others ahead of Justin

15:27

and Herbert, the rookie sensation for the Chargers,

15:29

to which move the sticks replies,

15:32

Oh boy, I'm the happiest guy in the world to be wrong

15:34

about this one. Also to celebrate how well he's playing,

15:36

I bought you a little something, Greg. I mean

15:38

that is that's a little lot of bounds.

15:41

So it got personal, Greg, and

15:43

uh, but you know in another way, you

15:45

kind of took a shot at him personally as well. I

15:48

mean, how is what happened? How

15:52

this is what happened? This is what happened, This

15:54

is what this is what happened. Dan, Okay, let's

15:56

let's go to the to the back east where you

15:58

guys will be familiar with this and alogy I

16:00

got Van Gundy. Okay, me and Dan are

16:02

involved in a big fight and then here

16:05

comes Greg grabbing onto my leg and

16:07

tries to Van Gundy me you know, I'm like, I

16:09

wasn't expecting that. I'm thinking this is gonna

16:11

be like a Charles Oakley type fight.

16:13

And now I've got I've got a little pest grabbing onto

16:16

my lady. Second, Greg has way better hair

16:18

than Jeff Van Gundy in fairness, Yeah,

16:21

and I'm like, I'm like an inch taller than Van

16:23

Gundi. DJ I noticed with your

16:25

response and with your little slippers

16:27

thing, It's like, no one tried to argue

16:29

the point um that I made in my

16:32

in my tweet that you are gonna be

16:34

called this guy an all time legend. You're

16:36

like, no, if I would have taken black block, I

16:38

mean that's me. I'm the NFL Draft X. First

16:40

of all, taking black block over Herbert.

16:44

First of all, Greg has become what

16:46

all of us to test. He's a headline

16:49

reader, so he reads the headline. He looks at

16:51

the ring as he doesn't read the reports. Let

16:53

me go back. Let me go back and read you the report

16:56

here. This is a justin Herbert report. Okay,

16:58

Herbert has exceptional size, mobility, and arm

17:00

strength. Quick feeting is set up, bounced on

17:02

his toes. Once he gets the top of his drop is most could be

17:04

a little robotic at times when the ball comes out with tight

17:07

and high RPMs. Has a big arm, but his placement

17:09

is a little inconsistent. His front side will fly open

17:12

at times, impacting his accuracy. That

17:14

can be corrected. He has shown the ability

17:16

touch up the ball underneath and makes some impressive throws

17:18

on the run. He's a good runner, build speed,

17:20

He's effective on the road, reads biggest area, and needs

17:22

to improve his lack of anticipation. He waits

17:24

too long to cut it loose. According to everyone

17:26

Oregan work ethic character off the charts,

17:29

and here it is Greg Overall, Herbert

17:31

has some special physical tools,

17:33

but needs to play with less caution

17:35

and learn to embrace and intacking

17:38

mentality. So that's exactly

17:41

what Justin Herbert has done. That was the correction

17:43

that needed to be made. And hats

17:45

off to Justin, Hats off to the Chargers

17:48

because he's taken what he was in Oregon and

17:50

he's he's improved on it. You're

17:52

just reading headlines. Let me jump in and

17:54

play Devil's advocate. I don't want to get in the

17:56

middle of this. Oh, this is gonna be tough

17:58

for you to play devil's advocate here stretch stretch

18:01

roll, but DJ the fact that you ranked him a little

18:03

further back in the pack, and you know you weren't alone.

18:05

There are a lot of people that had some doubts, minor doubts.

18:08

If you thought those were easily correctable flaws

18:10

are things that could be corrected immediately, he

18:12

would have been near the top of the class. You have to be

18:14

surprised, especially getting the front row view, to

18:16

be how incredible he's been right out of the

18:18

gate. How did this happen? Well,

18:21

first of all, like I I was, I was

18:23

in responding to Greg, I said, it made me the happiest

18:25

person in world, because, trust me, when you're when

18:28

you're assigned to a team and you work for

18:30

a team to call sixteen games a year, you

18:32

want to have somebody to be fun to watch. And this,

18:35

this team with Tyrod Taylor, was going to

18:37

be very conservative, play low scoring games, kind

18:39

of rely on your defense. That's fine,

18:41

but this has turned into one of the more dynamic

18:43

and explosive offenses. Uh, courtesy

18:46

of Justin Herbert and the thing

18:48

the lessons that you learn and this is you know, on

18:50

the scouting side of things, you're gonna make these

18:52

types of mistakes every single year, so you try and

18:54

figure out what can you learn from it. And

18:57

one of the things I thought of was when

18:59

you have a when you're playing for a coach

19:01

that's either a defensive minded college coach or an

19:03

offensive line head coach, which Mario Cristobal was,

19:06

sometimes you can tend to try and rein

19:09

in some of your quarterback play. You don't want turnover is

19:11

you're gonna be able to run the ball, play great

19:13

defense, so you can, for

19:15

lack of a better phrase, you can take a little bit of their stinger

19:17

away, like just be a little bit more cautious, a little more

19:19

conservative. It worked, I mean,

19:22

and that's no shot at Mario Cristo ball. I mean,

19:24

the guy won the pack twelve and won the rose ball.

19:26

It's a formula that works. But I

19:28

made the note to myself next time, when

19:30

you see a guy that's that big athletic,

19:33

uh, smart, tough, competitive,

19:35

While maybe some of the gaps aren't filled in,

19:38

let's you know, just be smart about it and say,

19:40

Okay, I think once he gets the opportunity, he'll

19:42

be able to figure those things out. So that's

19:45

that's the lesson that I learned there on on

19:47

that evaluation, DJ my one concern

19:49

because you know, scouting issues aside

19:52

um, and you know, you're you're talking to three

19:54

bloggers that don't watch a lot of college football. So

19:56

I'm gonna take your word on these things. But you know,

19:59

are you going into now You're sitting on a gold

20:02

mine here with a quarterback who

20:04

looks like maybe the next

20:07

are you gonna are you to turn into like Scott

20:09

Zolak on these broadcasts as as

20:11

this young man's career blossoms into

20:14

total stardom. I'm a little about

20:16

you, please, Oh

20:19

man, I saw I saw Zolak

20:21

when the Chargers lost to the Patriots of the

20:23

playoffs a couple of years ago. Um,

20:26

and it was a freezing game, if you remember, freezing

20:28

in Foxboro, and so me and Money

20:31

like come walking out and normally the radio

20:33

guys. It's kind of a cool little fraternity. I've I've

20:35

learned it over the last couple of years. But everybody's just real

20:37

kind of one another. What we do, appearances

20:39

on each other's pregame shows, and um,

20:42

you get to know a lot of these guys, especially inside the division.

20:44

You see him over and over again. We passed

20:47

Zolak and I think it was right before the game, like

20:49

in the hallway, and it was straight game

20:51

face, not gonna acknowledge us, straight

20:53

ahead, we do not exist. And

20:55

it was everything that I imagined it would be ahead

20:58

of time. It was fantastic. No

21:00

one has told Zilac that he's not on the Patriots

21:02

anymore. I want to I wanna

21:05

hit the I wanna you know, actually

21:07

I want to close up this vieud hopefully between

21:10

Rosenthal and Jeremiah. But since we're

21:12

talking this game Chargers Broncos,

21:14

we let's touch touch on the Broncos real

21:16

quick. Here DJ and Drew Lock another

21:19

guy that a lot of high hopes for

21:21

him this season, it hasn't It hasn't

21:23

panned out. Are you worried about him watching his

21:25

tape so far this season? Well,

21:29

I mean you still see some of those glimpses. Um,

21:31

he just hasn't been consistent. Um, So

21:34

I'm still hopeful there. I I kind of I

21:37

like that forty start role. Right. If we can get forty

21:39

starts, that's you know, two and a half years

21:41

worth of starts before we get a feel for a quarterback.

21:44

So I don't think we know enough about Drew Lock yet.

21:46

But I'll tell you guys that the most surprising

21:49

thing that I saw looking at the Broncos this

21:51

week. You know who's actually playing pretty

21:53

good is Garrett Bowls. He

21:56

had been. He's played really

21:58

well. I mean, and for all the heat

22:00

that he's taken um and them not

22:02

picking up his fifth year option, all those things, if

22:04

you look, I'll watch the cut up of all their you know,

22:07

ten plus runs, ten plus yard runs, and

22:09

if they're either running left behind him or they're

22:11

running right and cutting back and getting to him,

22:13

He's he's played really well. Last

22:16

week was an embarrassment for the Broncos, but man,

22:18

they have a lot of juice on that offense. I'm

22:20

still not giving up. I'm fascinated by this

22:22

game because both these teams are better

22:24

than their two and four record, I think, and whoever

22:27

wins, I think is kind of a sneaky

22:29

playoff contender because the Broncos

22:32

have a lot of juice. They're really well coached on defense.

22:34

Last week was an embarrassment, and DJ knows it's

22:37

nothing personal. I'm just saying, you

22:39

know, when it comes to Herbert, what Herbert is thinking

22:42

every time he's in one of those little calls

22:44

with DJ, you know they talked to the radio guys.

22:46

He's thinking, this guy had

22:48

me below Andrew tom. I think Andrew

22:50

Thomas just gave up another sack actually,

22:53

and this guy has been ranked behind

22:55

him. And I do have a little problem of people jumping

22:57

in our mentions, these little DJ fan ways

23:00

at our network, like you got

23:03

in here. They come in here and the

23:05

slippers, the slippers comment and they're

23:08

like, oh, Howitzer score

23:10

one for D. I mean, are you kidding

23:12

me? I came in with a machine gun.

23:14

He's given me free slippers. That those

23:17

things, the comfy I'm fine with that.

23:23

That is you're opening

23:25

up the war. You're saying, bring more of these people

23:28

at me. I enjoy it. Yeah,

23:31

this is this is what I've learned. You know what I've learned. This is

23:33

why my feud with Dan has been a good training

23:35

ground for this Greig, because I made

23:37

a Twitter mistake with Dan, which is I

23:40

replied with my comeback, so

23:42

I replied I didn't retweet. So when

23:44

you look at it, you're like, man, Dan, Dan hits

23:46

me, and look at all the look at all the retweets

23:48

and all the mentions and all the buzz and

23:50

then I reply, and I get no juice because

23:53

if they don't follow me and Dan, they're ain't seen it. So

23:55

now I've tried to use the power of the platform and

23:57

just bring the full force of the army at

23:59

you with a retweet. So I've learned

24:02

to get those sticks

24:04

listeners on your side. You know, that's

24:06

that's your army. Wow,

24:09

I'm just

24:09

bring not always

24:11

nice. I'm

24:13

just glad to see that Sessler jumped in

24:16

here because I was wondering having been on the line

24:18

where you guys are getting ready to go on the air, and

24:20

and watching him trying to figure out something that

24:22

probably all four of my children could have figured

24:24

out in thirty seconds, how to make his microphone work.

24:27

I'm just happy Mark was able to join us for this conversation.

24:29

It was a Yeah, I'm dealing

24:31

with a technical apocalypse in my house

24:33

and and times are tough, and I you know it's there.

24:36

It's the green but the red button turns you off.

24:38

The green button is what turns you on. That's

24:41

how That's how this whole thing works. Right.

24:43

Well, d J, you've you've equitted yourself

24:45

quite well here. Good luck.

24:47

I heard you're starting up a podcast. See we'll

24:50

see how that goes. Uh, and thank you for

24:52

joining the Around the NFL podcast, which

24:54

also is on television. This is great. I

24:58

don't I don't speak German,

25:00

so I just hope all your fans see me there and at

25:05

him. Yes, at his time. Now for

25:08

Road to Victory, presented by the United

25:10

States Marine Corps. I am up,

25:12

and I'll tell you what, Mark. This used to

25:14

be easier when the brown stunk. You know, we

25:16

would just leave the draft. You always

25:19

leave it to you and you go grab him

25:21

in the back of the round. But now when I look at this slate,

25:23

I can't just overlook the best games

25:25

of the week because Cleveland's involved. And I wouldn't

25:27

expect you to do the same thing with the Jets, but we

25:29

certainly don't have to worry about that right

25:31

now. So I am selecting

25:33

Raiders at Browns and we can start

25:35

it out personally, Mark off Air. I

25:39

just like this game a lot. The Raiders are very

25:41

kind of hard team to figure out. This is the week

25:43

where no one cares about them or thinks that

25:45

they have any chance to compete because

25:47

they did not play well in wee

25:50

eate and a lopsided loss. But you

25:52

know what, it was right before the bye that they

25:54

went to Arrowhead and spake

25:57

the Chiefs. So there you go. So you don't

25:59

know which version the Raiders you get the Browns

26:01

man, they're even tougher to figure out. And

26:03

uh no Odell Beckham obviously

26:05

this week or for the rest of the season after he tours

26:08

a c L. But just

26:10

a huge, huge game for Baker

26:12

Mayfield. I mean, it was his

26:14

performance against Cincinnati.

26:16

And yes it is the Bengals and you have to keep that in mind,

26:19

but his ability to you know, when he

26:21

started over five with a pick, it

26:23

was all set up for this to be the week where

26:26

the coach Stefanski is getting tons

26:28

of questions about K's keen um.

26:30

Instead, he completes about four passes

26:32

in a row and throws five touchdowns and nobody's

26:34

talking that way. So the Browns feel like they're

26:36

in a good spot there at home. The Raiders

26:38

are a team that's hot and cold. But both

26:41

these teams are kind of hard to judge

26:43

right now. Who's gonna show up when uh

26:46

kickoff comes? Yeah, I'm

26:48

with you. I mean, it seems like we say

26:50

this every week about Cleveland, but this

26:52

to me reads like a shootout, and

26:55

uh, you know Cleveland's defense. I think they're still

26:57

in search of themselves in many ways, but I will

26:59

say watching every one of their games closely,

27:02

that they're best players on defense

27:04

have impacted them tremendously.

27:07

I don't think that they're anywhere close to

27:09

the record without the combination of Miles Garrett,

27:11

Ronnie Harrison, and Denzel Ward Ronnie

27:14

Harrison, who they traded for earlier

27:16

in the year. You look at the two Bengals games,

27:19

Myles Garrett strip sacks of Joe Burrow

27:21

completely opened the door to those

27:23

wins. Last week, Myles Garrett

27:25

strip sacks Joe Burrow, It's recovered by Ronnie

27:27

Harrison, leads to a Browns field goal. The Browns

27:30

win that game by three. Week two,

27:32

Garrett strip sacks Burrow at the Bengals

27:35

one yard line, it's recovered, the brown score

27:37

a touchdown. They win that game by four points. These

27:39

shootouts do not come out

27:41

positively for Cleveland unless these players

27:44

on defense are creating these turnovers. They

27:46

don't do a lot well as a unit, but they do

27:48

do that. I would point to the Colts game. Also,

27:50

when Ronnie Harrison picked off Philip Rivers

27:52

on a forty seven yard pick six. They won

27:54

that game by nine and the and the Colts

27:56

had the ball at the end. So you know, for

27:59

a unit that his you know, maligned and verbally

28:01

kind of taken apart by critics. Understandably

28:04

these guys and Myles Garrett. You know you mentioned a

28:07

Defensive Player of the Year candidate and Fred

28:09

Warner, Myles Garrett right now is the

28:11

leader in the clubhouse for that award because of these

28:13

game changing plays. M

28:16

I just still go Aaron Donald, but those would be my top

28:18

two. I I love this game because

28:20

there's a lot about this season that

28:22

feels familiar, and these two teams

28:24

are different. I think one of these teams is

28:26

gonna make the playoffs. I think they both have

28:28

a good chance, and so this sets up as a big

28:30

one. You're right, Mark, it sets up as a shootout.

28:33

But can Baker Mayfield keep up in the shootout

28:36

again? A lot of last week's

28:38

throws where his first read well

28:41

called plays he gets to it. I think

28:43

that could be there this week again because he's playing

28:45

a bad Raiders defense. The Browns

28:47

have played a lot of bad defenses, and

28:49

so I think he can keep up in the shootout. But it got

28:51

me thinking, I gotta calmp for you. I don't know if you're gonna

28:54

like it, Mark Sessler, you know who. Baker

28:56

Mayfield reminds me of the more and more I watch

28:58

him. He's a little bit of like uh, Kirk

29:00

Cousins, with a stronger arm,

29:02

like if everything's okay and and set

29:05

up for him, it's there and he

29:07

can run an offense. But it's a little

29:09

bit of a system guy. He's not gonna make too

29:11

many plays off script structure,

29:14

and if the pressure gets there, it can go a little

29:16

like Haywire and there's these little brain like

29:18

just blips. But against a bad defense like

29:21

this week, he puts up a lot of numbers. I

29:23

think. I mean the comp works because

29:25

you know this the same coach operating

29:28

Kirk Cousins last year, and you see a

29:30

lot of the same stuff. I thought you're gonna go like Eric Hippel

29:32

or something. So I am not that disappointed

29:34

by the comp but I think he's got a little bit more to

29:37

offer in the kind of flatir

29:39

and the exciting plays that I don't see

29:41

from Kirk Cousins. But you know last

29:43

week, You're right then, was this was an important

29:45

game for Baker May because had that gone south, the

29:48

questions would have been ceaseless about bringing in case.

29:51

And here's the thing, because yeah, I think like

29:53

a lot of people were all on the fence with Baker

29:55

this maybe this is a shootout, but maybe there's

29:57

another game where Baker doesn't play well and then

30:00

all that criticism and that question

30:02

and comes back. He's just kind of a hard dude

30:04

to figure out. Maybe he's definitely a better actor

30:06

and commercials than Kirk Cousins. That that

30:08

I got. I think he has charm, that's

30:11

for sure. He's got He's got more charisma.

30:13

You know who's getting me more excited watching

30:15

him though, is Derek Carr lately? Like I kind

30:17

of trust the Jeers just as much in

30:19

a shootout. He's playing more aggressive. They threw

30:21

more deep balls over the last two weeks than

30:23

they did in the first four combined.

30:26

Like they are embracing what they are, which

30:28

is an offensive team, and they're getting a lot healthier.

30:30

They should get Trent Brown this back this week.

30:32

They're getting Brian Edwards back. There's a lot of guys on

30:34

injured reserve who might come back for the Raiders.

30:37

And so I think it's gonna be tough for that Brown's

30:39

pass rush to get to Derek

30:41

Carr Myles Garrett needs a little help from

30:43

those other guys who are are making a lot of money

30:45

to Ogan job uh and

30:47

and Olivier Vernon. All right, that

30:50

was road to Victory presented by

30:52

the United States Marine Corps and

30:56

what a fine game that will be. I'm happy about

30:58

the placement in the draft there. Mark, Again, that

31:00

was not personal. You are now up after

31:04

I've taken the Browns off the board, So how do you

31:06

react to that? Yeah, I'm slightly

31:08

annoyed with what you did there, but we can you know, like

31:10

you said, we can sort that out off the air, not

31:12

on NFL network. Um, I'm gonna

31:14

go there. Is that there are a lot of good games this week.

31:16

This is probably one of the better weeks out there. I'm gonna go

31:18

Rams at Dolphins. I mean,

31:21

why not sign up for a chance to

31:23

see two and his first NFL start? And

31:25

I know I know that they love the idea of giving him the

31:27

bye week to prepare. But you've got

31:29

Aaron Donald on the other side. I want to ask you, though,

31:31

I think it's time that we go and do something a little

31:34

different and play one of our favorite games

31:36

from our podcast. All right, and that

31:38

is what's more likely? What

31:41

more? And

31:43

I'm gonna pose a question to you, guys, Okay,

31:45

what's more likely? Alright? For this Dolphins

31:47

team? The three and three Dolphins turn

31:50

ultra frisky behind the Electric TOA

31:52

and snatch the seventh wild card spot,

31:54

making Greg Rosenthal's loins tingle

31:57

as he observes their rise on game pass

31:59

or are A scheduled packed

32:01

with the NFC West, the Chargers,

32:04

the Chiefs, the Raiders, reveals

32:06

that Miami is still basically an average

32:08

outfit in need of another big season

32:11

before they start to think about January. I

32:14

like that you're kind of catching that I'm digging this Dolphins

32:17

team again, something that's differently. I think

32:19

it's more likely that that you gotta wait a year

32:22

and uh, they're closer to eight and eight because

32:24

to me, eight and eight with this roster and two at

32:26

quarterback is a victory. And the a f

32:28

C is so deep that they're gonna need to win

32:30

games like this. But this is our first chance

32:33

to see if toa is an upgrade. I

32:35

don't think enough conversation about

32:37

the change to from Ryan Fitzpatrick recognize

32:39

the possibility that this offense

32:42

is gonna look very different short passes

32:44

using to his athleticism, and that there's

32:47

a chance in the long run without turnovers

32:49

that actually it's better for this Dolphins team.

32:52

I'm not saying that's likely to happen, but

32:54

I think there is absolutely a chance. We've

32:56

seen, uh, justin Herbert and Joe

32:58

Burrow, how ready for the NFL they are. Now

33:00

we get to start seeing if TA is ready as well.

33:02

Yeah, I'm gonna just like

33:05

go optimistic because it would be more fun

33:07

that it puts them in the race more. They're

33:09

looking for the Herbert lift, and that is capital

33:12

H, capital F. And I think it's

33:14

a worthy dice roll for

33:16

Brian Flores and the Dolbins. It's like

33:18

the type of move that lowers

33:20

their floor but raises their ceiling.

33:23

And if and if he struggles, well,

33:25

just stick with him. That's the only mistake you can

33:27

make is if you get in your head too much

33:30

as an organization and say, oh, too

33:32

has lost three starts in a row. He's not

33:34

passing very well. Let's get fits Magic

33:36

back in there to say no, no, no no. Once you make this

33:39

move, you stay with this move and hopefully

33:41

to it hits the ground running, you get the Herbert

33:43

lift. Because if you do, this goes

33:45

from a team that's just like you said on the periphery

33:48

of the playoff race, to genuinely fun

33:50

team to watch. And guess what, listen, the Patriots

33:52

are a mess. The Bills. I know they

33:54

finally got off the losing schnide

33:57

against the Jets, but they didn't play very well in that game.

34:00

There. This division is a little more wide

34:02

open than it's been in many years.

34:05

Yeah, I'm with you. I love that. Brian Floores basically

34:08

said that he told to uh, just be yourself.

34:10

Don't worry about being something else, just

34:13

be who you are. And this is an electric

34:15

player. And you know, Dolphins fans sneaky

34:17

have gone decades post Dan Marino

34:20

with an absolute you know, dearth

34:22

of non talent at quarterback. And I mean,

34:24

you had a nice little run there for a bit with Ryan

34:27

Tannehill, but that was the old average milktoast

34:29

Ryan Tannehill. Touah is someone

34:31

that could completely change this franchise

34:34

for years and years to come and change

34:36

the life of Brian Flores and every assistant

34:39

coach on that team if this thing

34:41

works out. So I cannot wait to see how this goes.

34:43

Except for that outside linebackers coach. I don't

34:45

think he has any business being in the league. I don't

34:47

know who that is. I don't know um.

34:50

All right, I'll throw out of what's more

34:52

likely. I know this. What's more likely

34:55

the Rams offense with Sean

34:57

McVeigh at the controls improves and gets

34:59

back to be ing UH scene as one of the NFC's

35:02

best units in that regard, or this

35:05

is now a defensive team and the Rams win because

35:07

Aaron Donald Uh he leads the way

35:10

and they win a bunch of games twenty

35:12

four to seventeen. It's

35:15

it's more likely that the offense uh

35:17

leads the way because because I think they kind of are

35:19

already. I mean, they're there ranked hire in offense

35:22

and defense in d V O A. I think people are missing

35:24

that there's not a lot of flash on this offense.

35:26

There's a lot of efficiency. Darryl Henderson

35:29

is one of the best young running backs in the league

35:31

right now. They are blowing holes open for him.

35:34

They're a team that plays at a slow play

35:36

pace rather so their yards aren't that

35:38

big. But in terms of yards per rush, in

35:41

terms of yards per pass, Jared Goff

35:43

is near the top, Darryl Henderson's near the top.

35:45

They don't make a ton of mistakes. They're a little

35:47

boring, I'll give you that, Like it's not

35:49

as fun as those old

35:52

Rams team, But to me, they're They're deadly efficient.

35:54

And yeah, they got the superstars on defense. It's

35:56

a nice combo. And I don't know if

35:58

they win this week. I think it's a coin flip game,

36:00

but I'm gonna give the win to the Rams and that the

36:02

offense does play pretty well. That's a great answer,

36:05

Greg, and you backed it up with some data.

36:07

You showed the receipts as they say,

36:09

I guess it is. I'm thinking back remember in

36:12

the good old days where people gathered and people

36:14

went to stadiums and and there were no masks.

36:17

And I believe it was a Rams Vikings

36:19

Thursday night game. It was like Pete Gared

36:21

Goth Sean McVeigh or. I think this might

36:23

have been early in the season, and he's

36:26

just bombing away and Brandon Cooks

36:28

is streaking down for seventy yards for touchdowns.

36:30

I guess I missed that version of

36:32

the Rams offense. But there's yeah. I guess you could

36:35

say they are more efficient and as long as they're winning,

36:37

this is fine. Well,

36:39

and I their identity under Sean McVeigh

36:42

is going to have to stay offense. I loved how they

36:44

played with pace against the Bears and caused

36:46

disruption with quick snaps and you know, caught Chicago

36:48

off guard. I mean, I feel like this is part

36:51

one of this new Rams offense, and maybe part

36:53

two is the second half of this season or

36:55

even next season, where you know, this is a

36:57

different attack than it was in the past. And I

36:59

think that's shows a lot of flexibility by Sean

37:01

McVeigh. Um. I think that's Super Bowl loss

37:04

caused a lot of introspection and it came out with

37:06

a completely different looking attack. I do

37:08

see them go to sleep at times, though in the passing

37:10

game there's been a couple of misconnections

37:12

with golf and cup and when that's not the

37:14

case, when they're on, they're still very dangerous.

37:17

But I don't know if I can really count on them week

37:19

to week on offense yet. All Right, let's

37:22

move on, Greg, You're up next in the draft. Alright.

37:24

I need a late afternoon games, So I'm going Saints

37:27

against the Bears. And

37:29

there's a lot of complaining going on in

37:31

New Orleans right now about this defense.

37:33

There's even more complaining in Chicago

37:36

about their offense. But this looks like

37:38

a get right game for this Saints defense.

37:41

There's misscommunication problems

37:43

in the secondary. You know who's great to play? Uh

37:45

in a week that that happens the Bears, especially

37:48

if Allan Robinson is not in this game. He's in the

37:50

concussion protocol. There's a lot of complaining

37:52

in New Orleans that the past rush isn't

37:54

really that good, that Cameron Jordan's

37:56

not getting it done, and old to first, Marcus

37:58

Davenport has been quiet until that game winning

38:01

sack last week. Don't hear people chirping about

38:03

that. By the way,

38:05

everybody, I'm not really

38:07

a Saint. I'm trying to say that you should get off

38:10

Davenport. But you know what, this is the match if they should

38:12

win because the Bears offensive line has

38:14

been dreadful this season, and every

38:16

defensive line is winning against them.

38:19

And that's why I feel really confident the Saints

38:21

defense balls out and they go they

38:23

gotta win on the road, And that's why I'm

38:25

locking it, waiting around

38:28

and let's see. You know, we're gonna take a look at

38:30

the lock of the week standings later. But

38:33

let's give some respect to Greg. He is seven

38:35

and oh to start the season. So when he's locking

38:37

up, the Rainmaker locks a team up right now,

38:40

it's best you pay attention. Yes,

38:43

you should pay attention. Rain

38:46

fallen from the sky. Can we do that? I

38:48

think I don't know if that's allowed. You

38:50

know, the Bears, there is

38:52

some like Adam Gates light stuff

38:54

going on around this team. Now. It's

38:56

starting to the naggy heat is

38:58

getting turned up, and they

39:01

kind of need a performance here a home game.

39:04

They're coming off the loss, but they're still obviously in

39:06

great shape at five and two. But if

39:08

you if you bomb out against the Saints,

39:11

uh, then people are going to really start to

39:13

ask questions about is this a team that's about

39:15

to kind of go up in flames?

39:18

Uh? So that's that's what I'm looking for. I

39:20

know, Nick Foles is never gonna turn this into an

39:22

explosive offense. They don't have a ton of big

39:24

time players, especially if their number one wide receiver

39:27

isn't involved with the game plan.

39:29

But find a way to get this offense going,

39:31

Matt Maggy, because that's what you were hired for. Well,

39:34

it's I'm with you on the Adam Gates

39:36

light. And it's really just like the issue

39:39

with bad teams, where one side of the ball

39:41

is holding the entire operation hostage.

39:44

I mean, when will the in fighting begin? When will

39:46

the anonymous quotes start to filter in from

39:49

the defense because they're basically

39:51

saying, we don't win games unless

39:53

this defense scores points are sets

39:55

up very easy points for the offense. I

39:57

and it it becomes almost tiresome to disc

40:00

gus Chicago's offense because the narrative

40:02

used to be the Mitch Robisky thing. And they went out and

40:04

they got Nick Foles, And if you really wanted to

40:06

paint an optimistic picture, maybe you could sign

40:09

up for Nick Foles as someone that you could have as a starter.

40:11

But it's still always felt like a patch and

40:13

the patch is ripping off and there's just a big hole

40:15

underneath it, and the hole is basically

40:17

Chicago nice record to start the season. I

40:20

wouldn't be surprised if they're six and eight. At some point,

40:22

I just feel like this thing isn't heading into troubled

40:24

waters, right And when you're when

40:26

you're a great offense and a bad defense, you're

40:29

you're the Seahawks or you're the Packers.

40:31

But like when you're a good defense with a

40:33

with a terrible offense, then you're the Bears.

40:36

Keep an eye on Marcus Callaway. He really impressed

40:38

me for the Saints last week. They could use another

40:40

receiving option. He's a little banged up,

40:42

but if he can become a legitimate threat week

40:44

after week, then they can keep surviving without Michael

40:47

Thomas, because we still don't know if Michael Thomas is

40:49

ever going to return for this and we might not ever see that

40:51

man again. And I see you, I see

40:53

all of you out there, all you people that count

40:55

it out and through dirt. And Drew

40:57

Breeze is grave after two weeks.

41:00

And oh he can't play anymore. He's got

41:02

an arm that basically matches

41:04

as six year old and my son's zoom

41:07

kindergarten class whatever. I

41:09

don't see it so much anymore. I know he's not gonna

41:11

be a deep downfield passer, but

41:14

he never really was in the first place. This

41:16

guy is getting done. He was super efficient

41:18

this past week. That offense looked really good

41:21

with Drew Brees at the control. So everybody

41:23

calmed down. We'll be right back

41:25

after this. Greg, it's snakes

41:28

back to you. Well, earlier

41:30

in this show, you took the Browns from

41:32

Mark. I'm gonna go ahead and take the Jets from

41:35

you. You didn't see that coming

41:38

early. I like having bad

41:41

games as my backup games in the morning.

41:43

If I'm gonna be focused on

41:45

on Ravens Steelers, yeah,

41:47

let's just have a Chief Jets blowout

41:49

as my backup. And you know what, any game with

41:51

Patrick Mahomes is watchable.

41:54

And for such a bad team

41:56

that the Jets are, they do have something to

41:58

watch every week, which is the same Donald

42:01

development and whether he's gonna

42:03

ever show it. And this is a really tough

42:05

matchup for him. I think because Steve

42:07

Spagnolo, if he spelled, specializes

42:09

in anything. It's cooking up these young

42:12

quarterbacks. He did it last week that Drew lock.

42:14

They love showing a lot of things before

42:18

the snap, after the snap. I think the Chiefs

42:20

are more dynamic defensively with

42:22

Bashad brelan back. He's a really underrated

42:25

cornerback. And I think if you're a Sam Donald

42:27

believer, the number one concern

42:30

for him is his processing time.

42:32

It's his decision making, it's his slow

42:35

decision making. And maybe that's all Adam

42:37

Gaine's fault. I don't really know, but to

42:39

me, that's the thing that really hasn't moved

42:41

forward. That you can just see his

42:44

mind not moving quickly holding

42:46

the ball, and that's kind of like a rookie

42:48

quarterback thing, and and we haven't seen a ton

42:50

of that, and this is a really tough matchup, I think for

42:52

him in that regard, I

42:55

do wonder you look

42:57

at the base numbers, you look at the analytics,

43:00

Donald's regressed in year three, and

43:02

so you if you're the Jets, you have to figure

43:04

out, like, is that on him, which

43:06

it obviously partly is because it's him,

43:09

Or is did it was he broken by a

43:11

completely inefficient and um

43:14

out of date and ineffective Adam Gaze

43:16

offense. That's what they have to figure out. He is sometimes

43:18

slow, uh in the processing and he'll

43:21

miss receivers and he threw one

43:23

of the worst interceptions of his career last week.

43:25

As an example, was off his back foot into

43:27

like triple coverage right before the half against

43:30

the Bills that essentially marred what was otherwise

43:32

a fairly strong first half for the

43:34

Jets offense with Dowell, Donald,

43:36

Dowell, Loggins, Dowell

43:40

calling the plays the offensive coordinator for the first

43:42

time. So, yeah, that's what it's all about

43:44

for the Jets, figuring out if if he is the guy,

43:47

although if they go oh and fifteen

43:49

or oh and sixteen or one in fifteen,

43:52

and the decision, even if he plays well is

43:54

almost taken out of his hands and he's

43:56

auditioning really for thirty one other teams.

43:59

I you can feel his career turning

44:02

if that happens, and he'll he'll be somewhere else,

44:04

and that maybe the best thing for Sam

44:06

Donald's in the end, because you know, we don't have

44:08

a really crystal clear answer to this, but what

44:11

is the coaching impact on Sam Donald's

44:13

career under Adam Gates? I mean the

44:15

idea that Adam Gates has been sold to

44:18

us over the years as a as a quarterback

44:20

whisperer. Well, I don't think he's saying

44:22

anything. You're not whispering any words. Uh

44:24

in in Sam Donald's here at this point. I

44:26

don't know what's going on with that team. I

44:29

it's it's a depressing watch. You want to see someone like

44:31

Denzel Mims. Uh, you know develop

44:33

as well. I mean, I've gotta wonder though,

44:35

if you're Andy Reid and you've got Levian

44:37

Bell coming into this situation against

44:39

the Jets, are they cooking something up special

44:42

there? Is it gonna be one of those types of games where they

44:44

really allow him to show

44:46

the Jets who he is. I mean, the only thing is like

44:49

Clyde Edwards Hilaire is tied

44:51

for second in the NFL with ten plus R

44:53

brushes. Yeah, that's saying I want that. I just this is the

44:55

game you bring in Bell be a set up for Levian

44:57

Bill, right the This the game you bring Bell in

45:00

for because you have a big lead and

45:02

you don't want a layer to be too

45:04

banged up. And you know what, Bell is running better

45:06

this year. I thought he was for the Jets um

45:08

than he did a year ago. I'm not saying he's old Levy

45:10

on Bell, but I think he's a good, useful

45:13

running back, and it with being surrounded by the talent

45:16

that he is in Kansas City. He's obviously going to

45:18

have more more production. Now. Yeah,

45:20

I just I would just like calm down with anybody

45:22

that's like, Oh, Levy on bell revenge game.

45:25

The Jets gave him a bigger contract than any

45:27

other team would have given him in free agency last

45:29

year, and it didn't work out because

45:31

the Jets stink. But it's not like it was like

45:34

something where he needs to get his revenge. I

45:36

guess against Adam Gaze, but Adam Case doesn't know how

45:38

to judge anybody. I mean, it's just like you're

45:41

right though, you know what's gonna happen. I mean, he's

45:43

gonna have a huge game because that's the way it works

45:45

for the Jets, and then I'll have to talk about

45:48

it on Sunday night. But that's that's what I'm doing you

45:50

a favor. I will trade with you after

45:52

you know, we get off the air if you want, if you want to

45:54

watch the Jets, I'm not gonna take that away from you. But

45:56

maybe I'm doing you a favor because it does feel

45:58

like the Chief's offense of stats are pretty

46:01

low, like Tyreek Hills, not even on pace for

46:03

a thousand yards. Mahomes it's pretty

46:05

low. It's like, don't they need a game where they just cut up

46:07

a lot of yards?

46:09

Totally not be a fun one. Who feels

46:12

the fifty burger coming on? I certainly do.

46:14

I do want I watch. I always watched the Jets. The only

46:16

time I don't watch the Jets is when Joe Flacco

46:18

is playing in adamses the coach. If one

46:20

of those is not involved, no

46:22

I'll be I'll be watching it on my own TV. But

46:25

yeah, McKay backton, he's back

46:27

and healthy. I hope jameson Crowd has involved

46:29

in. Denzel Mims did look good. I will say

46:31

in the first half before you

46:34

take you take the Browns game away from me, but

46:36

you get you handed me the Flacco

46:39

Jets era to observe

46:41

on Sunday, and it literally affected my mood

46:43

and my overall experience. You know

46:45

this is not that wasn't right. I apologize.

46:48

All right. Let's by the way, the people in the

46:50

desert they are flying with

46:52

this with that, that's that's a three touchdown

46:54

differential plus over there. Crazy

46:56

stuff. Um Mark, you're up. Well,

47:01

I'm gonna go with a game that I

47:03

find quite interesting because this team

47:05

new England. I'm going New England. Buffalo. To

47:08

me, this like Patriots team. No matter

47:11

how ugly things get. For

47:13

some reason, they're still fascinating to me.

47:15

And I mean they are in an altar. These are two

47:17

offenses in a bit of a slump right now.

47:19

I mean Buffalo, you know, came out of the gate

47:21

real hot to start the season. Not

47:24

the case right now. And with the Patriots,

47:26

I mean, the Cam Newton experience that I think peaked

47:28

in Seattle um has been

47:31

horrendous. He just does not look right

47:33

to me. He It's almost like it does

47:36

remind you that when you had someone like Brady

47:38

in that system who was just processing

47:41

before and after the snap with such

47:43

magical abilities, that you put anyone

47:45

else in there and it's not you know, they had they had

47:47

the Hoyer Stidham disaster from a few

47:49

weeks ago, and you thought, you get Cam back, and you're

47:51

gonna get Cam Seahawks Cam and

47:53

that's all gone away. We have Julian Edelman has

47:56

just had surgery today. But Julian edelmen is

47:58

that a huge loss right now? He's not been involved

48:00

in the offense on any level. I think they want

48:02

to run the ball I mean I made a joke about it on

48:05

our other episode from the week about you

48:07

know what could happen to New England. They would just went

48:09

totally into a run mode where they run the

48:11

ball like sixty five times a game.

48:14

But that's not working. And I just to me this

48:16

team, like I I'm ready to sit let this

48:18

let the ship's sail on New England, because

48:20

I think they were badly outcoached, outplayed

48:24

last week against the Niners and it revealed a roster

48:26

that's not been built. Well, well, this is

48:28

the week. I mean, this is their season

48:31

right now. They lose to the Bills

48:34

to go to in five and with their four games

48:36

back and lost column, that's that and they've

48:38

they've shown who they are. They win in Buffalo

48:40

and then it's an ugly a f C East

48:43

where you got to consider them a contender, the

48:45

Dolphins a contender, and the Bills as

48:47

a team that have serious struggles. Because the

48:50

Bill should win this game. Sean McDermott

48:52

has never beaten Bill Belichick, and

48:55

he's got way more talent, he's got

48:57

way more juice on offense. The Patriots

48:59

d defences, uh struggles

49:02

to me are as concerning as Cam Newton's

49:04

because they're they're a little more surprising and you've

49:06

got to play uh Josh Allen team

49:08

who started great, but the last three weeks

49:10

they're averaging seventeen points a week. The

49:12

only teams that are worse than them right now

49:14

over the last three weeks are the Patriots

49:17

a nice matchup, the Jets, no surprise,

49:19

and the Cowboys with their rotating quarterbacks.

49:22

So it's like the Bills off and the Bills haven't

49:24

been playing great defenses either. Uh,

49:26

so they need to get going and some

49:28

teams are really backing off Alan, making them

49:31

work for these long drives and hoping

49:33

Alan makes a mistake and gives them some chances.

49:35

The Jets had chances to intercept him

49:37

a few times. The Patriots need to take advantage

49:39

when he gives them those chances. You know, this

49:41

is kind of bitter sweet for me. I've been waiting

49:44

for years for the death of the Patriots

49:47

as a relevant franchise in

49:49

the NFL, and it's finally here. And

49:51

the Jets are historically awful, so they have

49:54

nothing to do with the Patriots

49:56

coming back down to the buddy,

49:59

yeah, fats, Oh, that would be that

50:01

would be sweet um, But you know

50:03

what it's like, the

50:06

Bills have to be the ones like if the Jetski

50:08

do you, you're the one. You're the one that's got

50:10

to do it. You're the one that lets everyone know that

50:13

this didn't happen for nothing. It's the guy from Rocky

50:15

four, the trainer, uh that

50:17

was telling Rocky after Apollo was killed that

50:19

he needs to step up to draw go. Well, the come on, Bills,

50:22

don't take care of business here. This

50:24

is a wounded Patriots organization

50:27

that are they're they're they're not

50:29

very strong in terms of personnel. They

50:32

know that Tom Brady is lightening it up in Tampa.

50:34

It's like adding more pain and misery

50:36

around that building potentially, which I love. And

50:38

the Bills, despite not playing very well, go

50:41

win a football game in your building

50:43

here and really really put

50:45

the clamps on the Patriots and put

50:47

them in a situation where you can almost stick a

50:49

fork in them. Where are you gonna say, Garette,

50:52

I'm just saying, I was just saying. I I don't have much

50:54

hope. But if there's ever a matchup that

50:57

favors the Patriots, I think this is

50:59

it. Not just that they've won sixth straight. But the styles

51:02

of the way they play that the Bill's defense

51:04

tends to give up these short passes in the running

51:06

game, give up these long drives. You shortened

51:08

the game. And the Patriots defense, if

51:10

they do one thing well, I think they can just slow

51:13

an offense down with their cornerbacks,

51:16

and the Bills haven't shown they can run the ball. I think you

51:18

beat the Patriots by just like beating them

51:20

up. And right now, the Bill's offense and their

51:22

offensive line, they're not really like beating anyone up.

51:25

I would Here is the darkest timeline scenario,

51:27

Sam Donald. You know, as the season progresses,

51:30

here starts to show something and

51:32

he takes out New England and by

51:34

then Bill Belichick has already spoken to

51:36

Cam Newton said, you're gonna do a favor for me. You're gonna

51:39

continue to throw interceptions and not touchdowns.

51:41

I'm gonna set you up financially for life. You're gonna

51:43

have a high rise, um,

51:46

you know, penthouse apartment in Fox Broke for

51:48

the rest of your life. Things are gonna look good. You gotta

51:50

take a bullet here for me, and we're gonna reverse

51:52

engineer this allow the Jets to beat us twice.

51:54

We will go onto into

51:57

the end of the week

52:00

for Sessler, how do we get here again? I'm

52:02

just saying,

52:05

Patriots fan, Remember West used to like the Patriots

52:07

because so that makes sense.

52:10

He likes bad page just think he's it reminds him

52:13

of the Browns if

52:15

they ever, if they ever, you know, tanked for

52:17

Trevor and and they got it four or

52:19

five weeks into this thing and said, we know

52:21

how to win, but we also know how to lose

52:24

better than anyone. Good coaches would know how

52:26

to lose a game better than anyone too, So Belichick

52:29

secret edge d in okay, but

52:31

Stefan gilmar by the way looking at his phone in

52:33

between series seeing if he's been traded

52:35

yet. Maybe Stefan dig sneaks behind him a couple

52:37

of times. I love the Bills here. I

52:39

love it just for the fact that they're a better

52:42

team. I love what it represents it. That's

52:44

why I'm gonna lock up the

52:46

team from Western New York. Uh

52:49

to put the Patriots underground

52:51

for And that brings

52:53

the draft over to the

52:55

old Zeuser. Oh

52:58

that one caught me by surprise. Don't

53:00

you hate when that happens? All

53:02

right? Yeah, you don't pack these brakes and then suddenly

53:04

we're you know, you're you're scampering for Alright,

53:08

let's go with um

53:11

Tennessee at Cincinnati. How about that.

53:14

Let's see how the Titans are looking

53:17

um after a

53:20

tough loss at home, but not a loss

53:23

to hang your head over. I mean it was it

53:25

was what it was a game

53:27

where you fell behind seven

53:29

and then once you figure out a way to get a

53:31

couple of stops, uh and

53:34

get your offense on the field, you damn

53:36

near tied the game. And a big issue

53:38

for the Titans against the Steelers

53:40

was third downs. They could not get off the field.

53:42

I think Pittsburgh was thirteen of eighteen uh

53:45

in that game, and that led to just, um,

53:48

a destruction in the time of possession

53:50

realm and that's ultimately what got the Titans

53:52

beat. So I don't take that as a loss like,

53:54

oh, time to take restock

53:57

and uh, you know where what we think about the Titans,

53:59

I still think is a very good team

54:01

and I think they're gonna take care of business obviously

54:03

in Cincinnati. But you know what, Joe Burrow makes these

54:06

games interesting. This isn't watching uh,

54:09

you know, late period Andy Dalton or

54:12

who are some of the other Hammond Eggers that played when Dalton

54:14

wasn't in Cincinnati? A. J. Mccaren.

54:17

I think there was somebody else. I

54:19

mean, I think their names were ham and Egg. Yeah,

54:21

exactly. So Burrow, if

54:24

nothing else, makes the Bengals fun

54:26

to watch because he keeps it close. They lose

54:28

all these close games, and but that's part of like

54:31

the journey for a team figure out how to win

54:33

close games. The Titans have played a lot

54:35

of close games this year. It's in Cincinnati,

54:37

so it would not surprise me if we have another

54:39

close game. But ultimately I think the Titans

54:42

get back on the winning track uh

54:44

in week I would view

54:46

the Bengals as trap game material for

54:48

every team they play, I mean outside of maybe

54:50

the upper echelon like Pittsburgh

54:53

Ravens type teams because Burrow.

54:55

The one thing I love about Burrow and

54:57

your this is what takes you know, other quarterback

55:00

years too to grow into or maybe

55:02

they never do. But he sees and feels

55:04

pressure pretty well, which you know fits

55:06

well with an offensive line that just is a little

55:08

bit above a total disaster. I mean, but he

55:10

keeps him in these games. And I think it's his

55:12

running ability to There was a play last

55:15

week against the Browns where they were stuck

55:17

in like a third and eleven scenario, and he just

55:19

saw this open prairie land

55:21

to just dart into. And it's like a lot

55:23

of quarterbacks just don't see that, or they do

55:25

that when they shouldn't. Um, he doesn't give

55:27

up, give up on plays. He's a fighter.

55:30

I mean, he is just a magician

55:32

in the pocket. And I mean, you know, he's not been

55:34

perfect, but I think he is growing every

55:36

week. And I wouldn't be surprised if

55:38

he gives Tennessee a little bit of a run for

55:40

their money, because I mean he he basically

55:42

almost beat the Browns twice. It's their

55:44

defense that forces him into these

55:46

shootouts. Well, this is sneaky good

55:48

matchup. You know you mentioned the third down stand.

55:51

The Titans were last place in third downs

55:53

on defense before they played Pittsburgh,

55:56

so now their last by a mile. Like it's it's

55:58

a sneaky bad defense. Had a lot of pass

56:00

rescjuice. My guy, Jadevian Clowney is having

56:03

the worst season I think of his career. He's

56:05

banged up, as he always is, but he's not playing

56:07

well through it. Remember Vick Beasley. Remember the Titans

56:09

signed Pick Beasley, And you know last week

56:12

Vick Beasley made a play and I was like, oh yeah,

56:14

Vick Beasley was the most like

56:16

in terms of doomed acquisitions

56:19

that everyone knew was terrible even before it

56:21

started. That has to be right near

56:23

the top of the list. It never had a chance.

56:26

It's not working. And and for

56:29

UM fans who don't watch the Bengals every week,

56:31

who last saw them on Thursday night, they're a different

56:33

team right now. I think there are a lot better offensively

56:36

even than they were in Week two. Their line is playing

56:38

better. I'm not saying it's great, but it's played better.

56:40

They've had a couple of weeks where they protected

56:43

Burrow pretty well. Tee Higgins is a legit

56:45

starter. I mean, their first two picks looked

56:48

really good. Um and

56:50

and Zach Taylor. I think as the offense looking

56:53

like you would you would want it to look, that you

56:55

feel better about it. I can't tell. I know this is your

56:57

corner, Dan, but I'm with you, and I can't tell

56:59

if Zach's like the worst

57:01

three and nineteen and one coach in NFL history

57:03

or the best you know what I mean, because they're in

57:05

every game, the

57:08

best one coaches probably

57:10

the only one. So I guess he's bold, But

57:12

I mean I can't tell because

57:15

they do look better. To Mark's point, I really

57:17

do think they're improving, but they can never get these

57:19

wins. I mean, Taylor went to

57:21

the Anthony Lynn school of how to manage close

57:23

games, because it's like, you know, they're in these games,

57:25

but they're not winning them, and it's

57:28

hard. I think Zach Taylor flies under the radar

57:30

a little bit, but I mean, where do you if you get to

57:32

the end of the season, how do you assess? I think he'll

57:34

be safe because of because of the Brown's

57:36

history. I mean the Browns. I mean that the

57:39

family, the Browns, the Bengals. Um,

57:41

I think he'll be safe if if Burrows playing

57:44

well. I don't think you mess with that. If we say

57:46

that Zach Taylor is flying under the radar enough

57:49

times on this show, will he ceased to be flying under

57:51

the radar? Because I feel like we preface

57:53

every statement about him that no one really

57:55

pays attention to him. But it's he's

57:57

got to find a way to win. I think some of these games

57:59

in the back half of the season just insure

58:02

management. You know, it's like, okay, we've seen

58:04

it, we've seen it. Joe Burrow, by the way, is

58:06

on pace for forty two pass attempts

58:08

per game, which would be the most ever

58:11

by a rookie UM since nineteen

58:13

seventy, breaking Andrew

58:15

Lux records. So I don't know what that really

58:17

says. It tells us that the Joe Mixon thing

58:19

hasn't worked out this year. It tells us that they

58:22

believe in so much in this kid that they're

58:24

handing him the game script and saying, let's win

58:26

with you. Uh. And it also it

58:28

does leave him in line to get hit a lot, which has

58:30

happened. So I don't know. They're just they're fun

58:33

to watch. But you do that offensive

58:35

line, it scares you. If you're said having

58:37

him drop back that many times, you

58:40

know, God forbid, you know he gets hit and

58:42

falls the wrong way? All right, am

58:44

I up again? It's snaking to me. Look at the old

58:48

on his heels and the biggest of them all spots.

58:51

All right, let's grab we have any

58:53

late games left. No, there's

58:55

gonna be a lot of late trading this week.

58:58

Yeah, let me grab then Colts

59:01

at Lions, um

59:05

cults at lines, you know, Detroit.

59:08

That was the win they needed. That was such

59:10

a big win for the Lions because they've

59:13

they've lost so many close games under Patricia.

59:16

They've it's the same old Lions mentality

59:19

that permeates the place and it sinks seasons.

59:21

But being able to outright steal

59:23

a game they had no business winning against the Falcons

59:26

where Todd Gurley falls into the end zone and

59:28

then Stafford runs them down the field

59:31

seventy four yards in like sixty seconds

59:33

without a time out. And now

59:35

if they can just find a way at

59:37

home to beat the Colts. You take

59:39

a look at their schedule after Indian it softens

59:42

up a little bit and then all of a sudden, the

59:44

Lions left for dead earlier

59:47

this year are right in the mix in

59:49

the NFC, in the wild card

59:51

race. So but let's see if they can do it. Because

59:54

if we've learned one thing, and Kevin patro if

59:56

he's listening, he's nodding his head right now, our

59:59

resident line and fans of NFL media, lyons

1:00:01

fan of NFL media, If we've learned one thing, they

1:00:04

tend to fall on their face when they are presented

1:00:06

with these opportunities. And the Colts,

1:00:08

obviously, greg are not a

1:00:11

layup. This is a very good defense.

1:00:14

I know they've been kind of up and down offensively

1:00:16

this season, but this

1:00:18

will be a test for the Lions if they are

1:00:21

uh, under the radar is a kind of

1:00:23

a halfway decent, potentially good

1:00:25

team. Though you you should be able to

1:00:27

hold servant home. Yeah, I

1:00:29

think the Lions defense has come out of their biplane

1:00:32

pretty well. Uh. And and this is

1:00:34

an offense the Colts that is that you should slow

1:00:36

down. They don't have a running game. You're curious

1:00:38

if the Philip Rivers resurgence which lasted

1:00:41

about two quarters against Cincinnati and he was

1:00:43

he was hot on the mid range game, whether that keeps

1:00:46

up right now? Um, But like,

1:00:48

this is a game I don't have I still were in Week

1:00:50

eight. I don't have a feel of these

1:00:52

teams, which maybe is just who they are there.

1:00:55

This is a game that I know Chris Wesley doesn't

1:00:57

want to watch two Dome teams.

1:01:00

Uh, you know at ten am

1:01:04

in the in the soft middle of the NFL

1:01:07

without you know, really explosive offenses

1:01:10

like That's what this game is to me right now. I'm

1:01:12

gonna defend the Colts uniforms. I do not think they're

1:01:14

bad, and I like the logos class that's fair.

1:01:16

It's more just like when it's at the indoors

1:01:18

and the lighting. I don't know, yeah,

1:01:23

And I think with Philip Rivers, if what

1:01:26

happens if he if he bombs out again,

1:01:28

is there any way Greg

1:01:31

that you see Jacoby Brissette

1:01:33

play without an injury,

1:01:36

Well, it have to be a just a terrible month

1:01:39

by Rivers. You know, I do want

1:01:41

I watch this Colts team. I do wonder like is their offensive

1:01:43

line as good as everyone says it is every time

1:01:45

they mentioned it, because they can't run the ball.

1:01:48

And I don't know if Rivers has been protected

1:01:50

as well as you'd expect. They do get Darius

1:01:52

Leonard back, though, I think that the games

1:01:54

without Darius Leonard for the Colts

1:01:56

defense showed you why he is one

1:01:59

of the more valuable play defensive

1:02:01

players in the league. They kind of just weren't

1:02:03

the same And they're getting healthy and a few spots like Michael

1:02:05

Pittman might be back, Comico Terray,

1:02:08

this speed rusher. I like like the Cults are one

1:02:10

of those teams that have a lot of guys

1:02:12

coming back throughout the season, so that should make them

1:02:14

a little bit better. They they should

1:02:16

win this game. Give the Titans a run. I

1:02:19

like the Lions. I think they're gonna shake

1:02:21

it up. Mark, Where are you on the Lions

1:02:24

bandwagon? By the way, I know you

1:02:26

were on a bureau a donkey

1:02:28

trying to catch up to the bandwagon you abandoned

1:02:30

in week two? We're able to hop back on or

1:02:33

did it pull away? Uh and leave you in the

1:02:35

dust. Well, I mean it's

1:02:37

it's picking up steam. But I mean you're the

1:02:39

one that suggested that I was on like a

1:02:41

slow animal. I I said I was gonna

1:02:44

take a vehicle and follow the bandwagon,

1:02:46

and the vehicle is swift. It's catching

1:02:48

up. Um, I'm about to jump off the

1:02:50

vehicle kind of Indiana Jones style, into the

1:02:52

back of the bandwagon and find a seat

1:02:55

there. I'm firmly involved. What

1:02:57

about the other people in the national media?

1:03:00

Uh, like Amena Times, there are a few

1:03:02

of you that were talking big about the Lions.

1:03:04

Will they welcome you back to the bandwagon

1:03:07

if you do pull off the Indiana Jones

1:03:09

and make it back up. I mean, I

1:03:11

think that we all experienced a pause

1:03:14

in our fandom. Uh. I didn't hear a

1:03:16

lot from Mina Kimes during that first month. But

1:03:18

Mina Kimes is probably sitting up in the

1:03:20

front seat, nice air condition on

1:03:22

or I'm sure you know, getting snacks that drive

1:03:24

throughs. I'm stuck in the back, So I gotta ways

1:03:26

to go here. You wearing a helmet, right,

1:03:30

I don't this jump? I don't. A man

1:03:32

in your forties, I don't. I would be the same

1:03:34

way. Do I trust my athletic ability to make

1:03:36

the Indiana Jones leap? No,

1:03:39

it's fair. It's it's a man in his forties

1:03:41

who's not exercised during corona time once.

1:03:43

So there are there are concerns about

1:03:45

making that, um that move beach body.

1:03:48

All right, Mark, you're up in the draft. Alright,

1:03:51

I'm gonna go up Minnesota at Green Bay

1:03:53

and and uh, you know, I

1:03:55

look back at that Bucks game that that

1:03:57

we're Aaron Rodgers went south. The whole

1:04:00

team did as just an aberration. They would

1:04:02

they ran up. They'll probably meet him again in the playoffs.

1:04:04

They ran up against a great defense. Thankfully,

1:04:06

Um, you know you're up against the Vikings defense.

1:04:09

That's basically said, I don't care what you know. I saw

1:04:12

Matt Lafleurs. You know, this is still a very intriguing

1:04:15

Vikings defense. They're strong. Come on, that's all lip

1:04:17

service. They traded Yonic Negaqua. We

1:04:19

talked about that. Danil Hunter is basically

1:04:21

at a commission, and so you have no like

1:04:24

what you went into the season envisioning, and

1:04:26

you're thinking, if you're the Vikings, are chore

1:04:28

is to deal with Aaron Rodgers twice a year and a bunch

1:04:31

of other good quarterbacks. We better be able to rush

1:04:33

the pastors. They can't do that at all. I

1:04:35

mean, the chore here is for Kirk

1:04:37

Cousins and the Vikings offense to try to

1:04:39

keep up with a green Bay attack that

1:04:41

I think should have a pretty a pretty

1:04:43

easy day here. And I mean, you look at what Davante

1:04:46

Adams did last week. I mean, he is giving

1:04:48

us the DeAndre Hopkins treatment from the

1:04:51

old Houston days. I mean it's just I like

1:04:53

this. I like this situation for green

1:04:55

Bay a ton. I think they are maybe the

1:04:57

second or third best team in the NFC. UM

1:05:00

there for real. The Bucks game was something different

1:05:02

and so keep riding Aaron Rodgers.

1:05:04

Nothing should be slowing you down on Sunday. We

1:05:06

need we need to see the next time the Packers have

1:05:08

a big opponent how they match up,

1:05:10

because if they don't there, then you're starting

1:05:13

to ask questions about whether they

1:05:15

are truly one of the big boys. But for now, just

1:05:17

look at it as a blip on the radar. With

1:05:19

the Vikings, It's like, I don't know. I

1:05:22

like Mike Zimmer a lot, and he just got an extension. He's

1:05:24

not going anywhere, um, But

1:05:27

how do you ask that coach to keep

1:05:29

that team invested when you bring in Yannick

1:05:31

and gock Way to win the Super Bowl, you

1:05:33

trade him out of town. I don't think it's a bad trade.

1:05:35

You're obviously one in five the opportunity

1:05:38

to recoup draft capital on a

1:05:40

veteran on an expiring contract. I get all

1:05:42

that, but it's a tough message that sent to a locker

1:05:44

room with this much football to be played.

1:05:47

I wouldn't be totally stunned if they go in

1:05:49

the tank. It's not like you have fearsome

1:05:51

leader and Kirk Cousins that's gonna hold the locker

1:05:53

room together. This could turn into train

1:05:55

wreck territory for the Vikings. You're

1:05:59

You're right, and I do think it's like it's

1:06:01

personal accountability. It's like you're

1:06:03

playing for your paycheck. That that's what

1:06:05

I think is motivating players

1:06:07

and and a lot of people more than anything

1:06:10

is you're playing for your careers.

1:06:16

I get it. Like I'm just saying, if

1:06:18

everyone takes personal accountability,

1:06:20

I don't think their effort level has been their problem.

1:06:22

It's the fact that they have no pass rush

1:06:25

and their cornerbacks have been young and terrible,

1:06:27

and by the way, they're banged up this week, so it's like

1:06:29

a terrible matchup. But people, you

1:06:31

need to have a group of players that take

1:06:33

accountability and the ones that don't. It's like you

1:06:36

gotta get rid of those players at some point. And so

1:06:38

you do learn a little bit about that, and you're gonna

1:06:41

learn something about Kirk Cousins because remember

1:06:43

I said Baker is morphine

1:06:45

into kirk Cousins. Well that the kirk

1:06:47

Cousins um, you know body

1:06:49

is only available because Kirk Cousins

1:06:51

is now Jamis Winston. I don't know

1:06:53

how it happened, but kirk Cousins

1:06:56

exactly on pace

1:06:58

for thirty three touch stuns and thirty interception

1:07:01

with the Jamos Winston stats

1:07:03

from a year ago, his favorite stat

1:07:05

of the year. Kirk Cousins tells

1:07:08

you who he is with his first throw

1:07:10

of the game. He throws an interception that you

1:07:12

never saw coming and you're like, oh, it's gonna be one

1:07:14

of those Kirk Cousins. That's Jamis

1:07:16

Winston's move. Who throws deeper

1:07:19

on a higher percentage of throws than

1:07:21

anyone in the NFL out of nowhere

1:07:24

this year. That's Kirk Cousins. That's famous

1:07:26

Winston's move. It's been some

1:07:28

sort of freaky Friday

1:07:30

that he's

1:07:32

on pace for thirty thirty. I had no idea

1:07:35

it had gotten to that point. And that was like the

1:07:37

one thing with Cousins, like love him or

1:07:39

hate him, and it's always been like,

1:07:41

yeah, Cousins puts up the numbers,

1:07:43

but then in prime time or in

1:07:45

the playoffs, you know he's gonna lay down this

1:07:47

new version where in addition to you having

1:07:50

all those other concerns about what happens

1:07:52

when the lights are on, uh, that he's just

1:07:54

like a total winston Ian mess.

1:07:57

That is that's the stan to

1:07:59

be fair, I as someone who always defends Winston.

1:08:01

There's the good and the bad. I mean games

1:08:03

like this where your defense isn't gonna show up. It's

1:08:05

like he'll probably put up a

1:08:07

lot of garbage time points, will put some fantasy

1:08:10

points up. It'll be like thirty eight to thirty at

1:08:12

the end. Then you'll have a little bit of fun at least. I

1:08:14

do wonder if Justin Jefferson winds up

1:08:16

being I know, because the quarterback situation,

1:08:19

he probably doesn't have a shot. But this is an offensive

1:08:21

Rookie of the year tight performance

1:08:23

from Justin Jefferson. I mean, he his numbers

1:08:25

have been incredible every week. Take him off the offense,

1:08:28

and what is Kirk Cousins then, I mean, that is one

1:08:30

thing to build on. I would wonder if Kirk Cousins,

1:08:33

you know, I just look at the salary stuff. But I mean, is

1:08:35

he still in their long term plans? I mean, this

1:08:37

feels like a team heading into a pretty

1:08:39

ferociously build at least on one half

1:08:41

of the all I have I have an answer

1:08:44

what I think is going to happen. At least his

1:08:46

new extension gave him one more

1:08:48

year of guaranteed money after this year. That was it.

1:08:50

It was basically a one year attack on so

1:08:52

you draft someone, you have cousins there next

1:08:54

year, and that's either it or

1:08:57

you just evaluate how it goes. But I think next

1:08:59

year is like out there. But it's like that

1:09:02

one year is at high

1:09:04

level starter money, right, It's

1:09:07

like the

1:09:10

extension, I guess is what I'm trying to say. What he gave them

1:09:12

in the first two years. Were they really going

1:09:14

in the right direction with him? I guess you did it

1:09:16

to keep the peace and all that, But

1:09:19

I don't know, Man and Greg, you seem

1:09:21

to your your body language.

1:09:24

My take on the Packers no reason to

1:09:26

worry about them until they lose against

1:09:28

the big team again. Are you either completely

1:09:30

confident in them right now or do you

1:09:33

see them as a bit of a flawed contender.

1:09:36

Well, I haven't been a fan

1:09:38

of their defense, but I'm not going to kill him

1:09:40

for that one game. I think it was a matchup game where

1:09:43

the Bucks defense just won that. And

1:09:45

they're just so good when they can

1:09:47

put up the points they do without Aaron Jones on

1:09:49

the field, or without David Bactieri or without

1:09:51

Davante Adams at points of season, like I trust

1:09:53

them to be in it against the NFC

1:09:56

contenders because their offense will be too good. All

1:09:59

right, good stuff. Let's close up the

1:10:01

draft and hit the primetime games.

1:10:04

Good draft, guys, good stuff. I enjoyed

1:10:07

it. Draft. Um, let's

1:10:09

start with Sunday Night Football Dallas at Philadelphia

1:10:11

Modewn. I mean, we

1:10:13

don't need to dwell on this. We we

1:10:19

were. We were banging on about with

1:10:22

Connie Fox on Tuesday Show, how

1:10:24

we gotta stop it with these primetime

1:10:27

games and nfcas because it feels relentless.

1:10:29

And then I sent a link to you guys story

1:10:32

I read about, you know, television ratings

1:10:34

and like the Arizona

1:10:37

Seattle game from last week did a third

1:10:39

or two thirds of the audience that some random

1:10:41

NFC East game did the year before.

1:10:44

And that's what it ultimately comes down to. People watch

1:10:46

these teams, so we just have to

1:10:48

swallow it and deal. But Benny,

1:10:51

the new team might be playing in primetime.

1:10:54

That's where we're at, Mark, Benny the Lucci

1:10:57

who's taking a lot of snaps this week. I

1:11:01

think part of the reason that the ratings

1:11:03

will still skyrocket is because it's a little

1:11:05

bit of a Patriots factor. I mean, people,

1:11:08

big chunks of the country love watching

1:11:10

a Cowboys team um spinning

1:11:12

into total chaos. And it's pretty amazing

1:11:15

where we are now with this team compared to where we

1:11:17

were three or four weeks ago. Where I mean,

1:11:19

how many people on their fantasy squads have

1:11:21

Zeke Elliott and Ceedee Lamb

1:11:23

and guys like this, thinking you know you're gonna ride

1:11:26

these guys into your championship round. They've all

1:11:28

gone mute. They've all been muted, and the

1:11:30

offense has completely fallen in on itself. The

1:11:32

defense is a total disaster. It's

1:11:34

hard to watch. The chaos

1:11:37

thing has its limits though, Like it's

1:11:39

a good conversation during the week,

1:11:42

but when you actually have to sit and watch the team and

1:11:44

they're getting beat three by the Washington

1:11:46

football team, I don't get much joy out

1:11:48

of that. I don't They would have flex

1:11:50

this game out if if Dalton had

1:11:53

been hurt the week before and

1:11:55

given them time that they knew Ben

1:11:57

Denucci was starting this game, they would not have

1:11:59

put Ben de Nucci in prime time. I

1:12:01

believe that, and I've you never see the Cowboys get

1:12:03

flex that, but I think they would have just for the

1:12:06

good of like the the NFL because

1:12:08

all you gotta do is blitz this line into oblivion.

1:12:11

They were the worst team in the NFL with Andy Dalton,

1:12:14

and it's just opposing defensive coordinates are

1:12:16

just blitz blitz, blitz, blit blitz against this terrible

1:12:18

offensive line. Now you're gonna do that against de Nucci

1:12:20

with a pretty good defense. I think the last

1:12:22

five minutes of that Giants Eagles

1:12:25

game will go down as the most important

1:12:28

um five minutes in the NFC East this year

1:12:30

because the Eagles snuck that game

1:12:32

out and now the reserves are coming Dallas,

1:12:35

God or maybe maybe not this week we'll

1:12:37

see Jalen reagor Miles Sanders,

1:12:39

Jason Peters like they're

1:12:41

coming back. The Eagles snuck out that win. Now they

1:12:43

get you know, de Nucci, and they're they're

1:12:46

gonna be a real team. They're gonna say

1:12:48

there, I think they can get to eight wins something

1:12:50

like that. They'll be a real team, and that will just

1:12:52

be the NFC. You're right, they've got Dallas, they've

1:12:54

got there By, they've got the Giants. Take care

1:12:56

of business. Your four four and one and and then and

1:12:59

some of the jokes about the NFC East will

1:13:01

stop applying to Philadelphia. But if

1:13:03

you look at the rest of their schedule, they're

1:13:05

gonna have to be a legitimately good

1:13:07

team. But they're getting they're

1:13:09

getting a lot of players back. That's that should

1:13:11

matter. I like uh, I like watching

1:13:14

Carson Wentz this year because it's

1:13:16

so frenetic and all over the place.

1:13:18

And post fifty four

1:13:20

Carson Wentz, you know those last six minutes.

1:13:23

I was on a text chain with Giants fans

1:13:26

Thursday night last week, and uh,

1:13:29

I said, watch out, guys, this guy he might

1:13:31

get you in these lass six minutes. And sure

1:13:33

enough, he throws two touchdown passes, throws

1:13:35

for a hundred and thirty seven yards, and

1:13:38

steals that game away. And

1:13:40

he still has stretches

1:13:42

where he's misses open receivers and throws

1:13:44

a bad pick. But then the last couple

1:13:46

of weeks, you see it. You see that guy is

1:13:48

still there and he's making plays, and

1:13:50

like Greg said, got it

1:13:52

returns they start getting some guys back. Jalen

1:13:55

reagor um this

1:13:57

idea that the NFC East

1:13:59

will be one by a team that's gonna go

1:14:01

with six wins or something. I wouldn't

1:14:03

stun me if the Eagles right the shipping. They're

1:14:06

not gonna go crazy, but eight seven and one and

1:14:09

that's like, okay, that won the division.

1:14:11

That's where rat though, this is real bad. If

1:14:14

if the Eagles somehow blow this game, if Benny

1:14:16

Delucci goes off and

1:14:18

they lose this game, this will be the lowest

1:14:21

the NFC East. We might already be there, but like

1:14:23

the darkest moment for the NFC East. If there's

1:14:25

an ugly like twelve ten game, Uh

1:14:28

do Nucci wins?

1:14:30

I mean, if that happens, I would say,

1:14:32

put our podcast on pause and

1:14:34

and dial in Philadelphia talk radio

1:14:37

as soon as possible. Very

1:14:39

true. All right, Finally, Monday Night Football another

1:14:42

NFC Ah.

1:14:48

The New York Giants play host to

1:14:50

the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So at least

1:14:52

you get the national stage here for

1:14:55

the Bucks, who are the last three

1:14:57

weeks or so, maybe even you go big further.

1:15:00

Uh really, since that Thursday night game,

1:15:02

which is a little funky, the one they lost to the Chicago

1:15:05

they've been the best team in football,

1:15:07

and the last three quarters against the

1:15:09

Packers were dominant and then they just

1:15:11

absolutely opened up a can of whip

1:15:14

himy uh in we in week eight

1:15:16

against the Raiders. So uh, there's

1:15:18

no reason to think that Tom Brady, who will

1:15:21

You know, He's played enough primetime

1:15:23

games and enough playoff games to last

1:15:26

several lifetimes for many players. So it's

1:15:28

not like this moment is gonna be any different

1:15:30

from him. He's just gonna continue to thrive, I think.

1:15:32

And I'm looking to see if this Patriots

1:15:34

offense greg keeps on

1:15:37

firing excuse me, Bucks

1:15:39

offense keeps firing on all cylinders

1:15:41

against the Giants team, which doesn't have a terrible

1:15:43

defense but probably will be no match for

1:15:45

Tampa. Yeah, I don't. I

1:15:48

think the Bucks offense matches

1:15:50

up beautifully even without Chris Godwin.

1:15:53

You know what the Giants defense has done pretty well

1:15:55

without great personnel is slow

1:15:57

teams down, make them kick field

1:15:59

goal, make them work down the field,

1:16:01

and you know, see if the exposing quarterback

1:16:04

makes a mistake like that's Tom Brady eats

1:16:06

that for breakfast. Joe Judge,

1:16:08

the former Patriots, maybe he has an

1:16:10

idea how to slow down tom Brady after being

1:16:12

with him all that. I don't think it matters because he doesn't

1:16:14

have the players the Bucks offensive

1:16:17

line. I'm just gonna keep hammering it might be

1:16:19

the best offensive line in the league.

1:16:21

You have Tom Brady with the best offensive

1:16:24

line in the league. He had he got

1:16:26

touched one time in forty nine dropbacks

1:16:28

last week. One QB hit almost a Gholston

1:16:31

on forty nine dropbacks for Tom Brady.

1:16:33

And there's no reason to think the Giants pass rush

1:16:36

is gonna get there. And Gronk moving better

1:16:38

is a real thing. I think I'm putting

1:16:41

this he he's

1:16:43

in the moving better in October than

1:16:45

September. All Star Team. I might have to

1:16:47

do this as a a written segment

1:16:49

or something. Guys who are you know, guys improved during

1:16:51

the season. It happens sometimes they don't start

1:16:53

too well. James Conner is another one that comes

1:16:55

to mind, and they play they look a lot better in October.

1:16:58

They really the Bucks are shy mining and evolving

1:17:01

weekly. And it's it's I you know, you think about

1:17:03

watching football like we have for thirty

1:17:06

years, and it is. It can't be

1:17:08

overstated how fascinating of

1:17:10

a case study it is for Tom Brady to go into

1:17:12

a completely new offense um at

1:17:15

his age and what he's done, and you

1:17:17

know, the first couple of weeks you kind of wondered what you

1:17:19

were dealing with. But this feels like

1:17:21

a legit um raging jugger

1:17:23

not and I don't I'm not sure who's gonna stand in

1:17:25

the way. It's not the Giants. And of course with the Giants,

1:17:27

we've got Will Hernandez, who um

1:17:29

is on the COVID list right now. We'll

1:17:32

see what else happens with that. But that's that's part

1:17:34

of your offensive line, trying to protect Daniel

1:17:36

Jones character who is not

1:17:39

throwing the ball deep. Well, well,

1:17:41

it's just something. I just feel like the shine is off Daniel

1:17:43

Jones. I was so excited about him and

1:17:46

the whole offense going into this season, and

1:17:48

it's just not materialized to the point where if

1:17:50

you're a if you're a Giant Um

1:17:52

front office executive, of any of them are even there

1:17:54

after this season, You've got to take a hard

1:17:56

look at that situation at quarterback, depending

1:17:59

on who else become is available, give

1:18:01

him some time. I mean,

1:18:05

you know, Daniel Jeremiah just on the show,

1:18:07

he talked about how you want to give a quarterback

1:18:10

about two and a half seasons, thirty

1:18:12

starts or so um that

1:18:14

that seems fair, but you have to wonder, and I

1:18:16

crossed my mind, having grown up in New York and

1:18:19

knowing how the media operates

1:18:21

there and just you know, covering this hour

1:18:23

league long enough, if Jones

1:18:25

and like this entire era of

1:18:27

Giants football is going to be remembered for

1:18:30

the would be breakaway touchdown run

1:18:33

that was ruined by that the turf monster,

1:18:35

because it wasn't like the butt bumble or anything

1:18:37

like that, but it was a cut type of low light

1:18:40

that can define a player. And

1:18:42

if he's lucky, he has a long

1:18:44

career and it becomes just something

1:18:47

people remember, but

1:18:49

it's it doesn't stick with him. But if

1:18:51

if this doesn't work and then

1:18:53

they go and they sweep out the Dave Gettleman

1:18:56

regime and totality, we'll all

1:18:58

remember Jones's on and

1:19:00

then how it ended so cruelly as

1:19:02

kind of this was Giants football in this

1:19:04

time. It was that it was that way and oh

1:19:07

not for nothing, And Giants fans who

1:19:09

are listening screaming at the podcast that still believe

1:19:11

Danny Dimes. Evan Ingram catches a football

1:19:13

on third down there falling

1:19:17

and that's just the way sports are. It sucks,

1:19:20

But Evan Ingram has been killing him this year

1:19:23

with drops and not being able to step up his play,

1:19:25

and that was I mean, that was a season ruining

1:19:27

drop. Potentially, well, Danny Dimes

1:19:29

has played better the last two weeks. I thought he played

1:19:31

very well in that game. Um the run.

1:19:34

It's funny. It points out the thing that people

1:19:36

don't notice that Danny Danny Dimes is one

1:19:38

of the fastest quarterbacks in the league. He does not have

1:19:40

the running instincts, so I'm not putting

1:19:42

him anywhere near the top five rushers.

1:19:44

Um, but he's got speed, he's got good

1:19:47

throws. I think he's played pretty well the last couple of

1:19:49

weeks. That Thomas is killing them. I mean,

1:19:51

you take a tackle number four overall,

1:19:54

to me, that's that's a bigger Gettleman

1:19:56

indictment. If that doesn't turn around, then anything,

1:19:59

especially uh, when you

1:20:01

got Jeddrick Wills and and you're you're

1:20:03

in McKay Beckton and justin Worst

1:20:05

they all happen to be hitting like the top

1:20:08

tackles. They're supposed to be four great tackles.

1:20:10

Three of them look amazing. One of them is

1:20:12

getting Danny Dimes killed. Yeah,

1:20:14

and you don't have tackles that like, oh, in year

1:20:17

four, this first round tackle evolves

1:20:19

into a functional tackle. I got one

1:20:22

for you, though, DJ. Just DJ

1:20:24

just brought up Garrett Balls, who we've kind of killed

1:20:26

for two years. He's been incredible

1:20:28

this year for the Bronco. But I would look at like you look

1:20:30

at the Joe thomas is and the McKay Beckton's,

1:20:32

it's like you kind of know right away that they're your

1:20:34

functional starters. I'll tell you one reason you're not

1:20:36

gonna get a Daniel Jones, uh seventy

1:20:39

yards scamper that ends up in dirt. I'll

1:20:42

tell you right now. Devin White. I thought the

1:20:44

game he played last week was amazing, and there's a

1:20:46

couple of things he does athletically closing

1:20:48

speed to blow up guys in the backfield

1:20:50

from like eighteen yards away. There aren't that many players

1:20:52

that can do that. And so there's this

1:20:55

defense is just so functional

1:20:57

in their in their studious and they're kind of remind

1:20:59

me of the offense kind of growing each week. And

1:21:02

think about the butterfly effect. Just circling back

1:21:05

to uh, Tom Brady before we

1:21:07

um close things out, I

1:21:09

think back to about entering Week sixteen

1:21:11

of last year, the Patriots with with Brady,

1:21:14

we're steaming towards another

1:21:16

UM playoff by and obviously

1:21:18

the a f C East title over in Tampa.

1:21:22

Jamis Winston had been up and down as the oases,

1:21:24

but it was up enough where I remember Bruce Arians

1:21:27

clearly remember Arians, or they're being

1:21:29

a report out there entering week sixteen.

1:21:31

I think it was ahead of a Saturday Football UH

1:21:34

week Week sixteen game for the Bucks. You

1:21:36

know, he's not going anywhere. Winston's

1:21:38

still the guy. Then Winston totally

1:21:40

bombs out in that Saturday game, bombs

1:21:43

out again in Week seventeen with the

1:21:45

pick six to end the season, and all of a sudden

1:21:47

they sour on him finally. Meanwhile,

1:21:50

with the Patriots, they lose Week

1:21:52

seventeen to the Dolphins, lose the by,

1:21:55

then go to UH and lose

1:21:57

the game to the Titans, and that sours

1:21:59

the situation in New England and page

1:22:01

the way for the divorce of the Patriots

1:22:03

and Brady. All these things had to conspire

1:22:06

together to get Tom Brady now

1:22:08

in Tampa with the best offensive line of football,

1:22:10

with all these skilled players, with Bruce Arians

1:22:13

butterfly effect. Man. But I've

1:22:15

got I've got it. Addistance for you on this one

1:22:17

too, The Raiders,

1:22:20

John, you know the Bucks did it to you again, John

1:22:22

Gruden. If Jamis Winston hadn't

1:22:25

played that well, tom Brady's leaving New England. No

1:22:27

matter what I'm can, I'm a hundred percent convincing

1:22:29

that he'd be he'd

1:22:31

be a Las Vegas Raider, the Raider. I'd

1:22:34

be lighting it up with Tom Brady. That's what I

1:22:36

That's what I bet. All right, good stuff,

1:22:39

good stuff. We'll we'll

1:22:41

be back on Sunday

1:22:45

night to recap every game we just broke

1:22:47

down. And yes, if you catch this um

1:22:50

during the weekend or a

1:22:53

little later, just know that the Thursday

1:22:55

night recap also where we go to go

1:22:57

over Panthers and the

1:23:01

Falcons. Okay, there we go, got it out? Does

1:23:03

Day have to sign it out? Four? Uh?

1:23:06

The Old Boss, the Quiet Storm,

1:23:10

Daniel Jeremiah, thank you, buddy for stopping

1:23:12

by Still

1:23:14

Sunday