Mahomes is Inevitable, Baker in San Francisco & Teardown in Buffalo? | Episode 133

(0:00) Introduction (00:17) Bill Belichick Could Be Headed To Atlanta? (12:30) Sporcle (Daniel Larson and Movies) (21:20) Lleyton's Choice: He doesn't tolerate Buccaneers slander (25:01) Immaculate Movie Grid Play it here: https://immaculategrid.io/immaculate-... (33:40) Reviewing The "Spaceman" Trailer Starring Adam Sandler Checkout our website! chaoticallyintolerant.com Blog: https://chaoticallyintolerant.com/blog Catch Summer Smash Here: https://chaoticallyintolerant.com/sum... All Updates on Tecmo Bowl: https://chaoticallyintolerant.com/tec... Meet the personalities of Chaotically Intolerant: https://chaoticallyintolerant.com/per... Meet the Hall of Famers: https://chaoticallyintolerant.com/hal... Follow us on: / chaoticallyintolerant / chaoticallyintolerant https://www.threads.net/@chaoticallyi... / chaoticallyintollerant / ci_podcast_

Alex Boyajian (00:17)

Welcome back, Chaotically and Taller, episode 133, big weekend, massive weekend. I don't even know what to say. Some of them were kind of stinkers. Right? Yeah. I think the... The second half of the Ravens game was kind of a stinker. The second half of the Ravens game was really the only bad football game. You know what I mean? I mean, yesterday you had the Lions. Bucks was pretty balanced for a while. And then of course the Chiefs and Bills were just...

I feel like whoever had the ball last wins and played out that way. I just think it was a lot of mismanagement, I guess. I feel like there was like some like mistake a playoff team shouldn't make, like missing a field goal by Bass. Well, yes, yes. Funny enough, I had a friend today from Baltimore text me that his mom saw Justin Tucker at the store, everyone's going up to Justin Tucker, wishing him good luck. And somebody asked him, apparently about Tyler Bass. He said, well, you know, it happens. And I'm thinking.

Not to him, I hope not. But I mean, in that case, well, the fake punt was absurd and desperate and you could see it coming because they were messing around with the formation. But we'll get into this with that game. The score was not nearly as, I mean, the way the Chiefs dominated the game offensively, almost eight yards of play. Buffalo was doing everything it could to protect its defense, the play calling.

they were just overmatched. They were just undermatched and overmatched in that game. And there's been talk about Kyle Shanahan and how he's not aggressive enough in post-season, because going back to the Atlanta Super Bowl, there'd be a lot of question marks about his play calling in that game and the way that the Patriots come back unfolded. And then in the Super Bowl, a couple years ago against the Chiefs, and even on Saturday with Purdy, the feeling was it just, I don't know.

that it wasn't aggressive enough, they weren't explosive enough. So yeah, the coaching is a big part of it and health. Yeah. My God, like we saw yesterday in the Bills game, especially you saw it with Debo Samuel. You gotta be healthy this time of year. This isn't quite like baseball where you can lose a key guy or two and you can make trades or you can, you know, the other 23 guys on the roster will just pick you up individually. Football, you know, you can't go too deep into the depth chart and expect to win.

Well, I mean, we saw the Lions pick up the back hurts today. That was yes. How I said that was a big. Yeah. And like I was saying before, maybe that's insurance for Laporta. Maybe they think he can make an impact or maybe just because he played in the NFC West for the Cardinals, he knows he has a couple of tips on how to attack the 49ers. Who knows? Yeah. Let's talk Ravens Texans to start. Big win for the Ravens. You had to get that monkey off your back. I feel like. Yes. Just with coming out of the by. You had that collapse in

2019.

Right. And then obviously, I think those thoughts kind of creeped in, especially in the first half. I mean, that game was very close in the first half. Houston really seemed to not be able to move the ball whatsoever, though. I felt like the Ravens defense is violent. Yeah. The the energy at home, the, you know, the aggressiveness, the Ravens even. So they played Houston twice this year. They held them both times to the team's lowest output of the season. They held them out of the end zone, actually, in both games.

So the Ravens only gave up the punt return touchdown. You never want to see your special teams have a breakdown in the postseason or any time. Remember the Ravens won a game on a punt return against the Rams in December. But, you know, cause we'll talk later about kickers and unfortunately for the Packers and the Bills, you know, lamenting late missed field goals. The Ravens are in good shape there. Yeah, it was the first half was, you kind of expected that the Ravens were gonna, it was gonna be a little bit of touch and go.

You know, you had that whole history, you had the cold weather, you know, coming off. The Ravens hadn't played a meaningful game in three weeks since that 49ers, no, excuse me, since the Miami game on New Year's Eve was their last. Was that New Year's Eve? That was New Year's Eve. Wow. Week 17, of course, they had that week 17 is the end of the season. But the second half, they came out right away. And this is how you know what a team's really made of in the postseason. When you need to do something.

when you have no margin for error. And the Ravens probably felt like they didn't. They had to come out and at least get points in that first possession. They go right down the field. Jackson runs it in. And I think that drive just, everybody let out a sigh of relief. Like we have a lead now in the second half. Like let's breathe. We got our offense going. And from there, you could just see everything was, they were relieved. The defense started pinning its ears back. Poor CJ Strath had no chance.

And and then the Ravens did what they did. They pounded the rock. They ran the ball Jackson had a hundred himself, which I mean, I don't my like obviously who's gonna say yeah I'm complaining that my team's quarterback ran for hundreds yards, but you know, you know Ideally you could just pound the running game and you could have your running backs go 25 30 carries for 150 or whatever it was but then the good news was they got to get they were able to get Dalvin cook some touches late in the game

which really worked out well for them. I was a little surprised Jackson was still in there when it was 31 to 10 and then they kicked the late field goal, but they were just handing off at that point. So they got five yards of pop from Justice Hill. Cook had eight carries for 23 yards, not bad considering he hasn't played in a little bit. So this was the Ravens' identity. Like this is what they do. They have to run the ball, I think. I mean, it's not that they couldn't. We've just never seen a game where like Lamar Jackson has to throw like.

50 times. They get into a shootout with the Chiefs. That would be my concern. Not that they couldn't put together one drive when they needed to, but you just worry about that. Are they the kind of team that can come back from 14 points down? I say that, and the last time these teams met was week two of 2021. It was a big deal because the Ravens had lost all

And the Ravens were down 35-24 in the fourth, came back, took the lead, got a late fumble recovery of Everett's a layer, they won the game. So maybe that game right there broke the curse a little bit against the Chiefs. And we'll see though, first AFC road, or AFC championship game on the road coming up. But I think the Ravens have to feel really good and hopefully get back Mark Andrews and maybe Marlon Humphrey. They've been doing just fine without them, but they can get those two guys back.

Boy, does that just make them that much more dangerous? Yeah, I'm looking at the yard. I mean, he has dominated just in almost every single statistic. Like first down, 22 to 10. Total plays, he dominated in play 67 to 47. Total yards, 352 to 213. Right. You guys ran for 129 without Lamar. Like you had no problem running the ball without him. Yeah. I mean, I would assume that Lamar's ability to run.

has impacts on the running game with the other guys as well. But just getting Dalvin Cook touches, just adding another dynamic to your offenses. Big. Yeah, because they lost Keaton Mitchell and he was kind of the Swiss Army Knife. He was a really dynamic young first year player. And so they've kind of had to pick up some slack there. And Cook's not quite going to replace that, but he brings some veteran presence, obviously, and he thinks he's still got a lot in the tank. He's not like he's an old, you know.

an old man, right? So they, yeah, I mean, Justice Hill, Gus Edwards, Alvin Cook, I think, they're in good shape running-wise. And Houston, I mean, I don't think you can come away from anything with this game. But the only thing you say is that, wow, what a run we had. I mean, this was, you don't, you didn't even expect to beat Cleveland, I feel like. Right, right. They didn't expect to be in the playoffs, they didn't expect to beat the Colts,

The fact that they were here is a success. This is the game where they walk away saying, Oh, you know, applaud the team off the field. We had a great year. Yeah. Sucks to lose. But yeah, we're just one week late. That's it. We're one week off. But yeah, the congrats to the Ravens. The first, what is this? The first home AFC title game for them as well. First ever in the city of Baltimore since the 1970 season, which is a pain. I mean, God, it's

over.

half a century ago that was on the way to Super Bowl five against the Cowboys. Which they won in a gross game. Even though it was one basically last second field goal that it was one of the worst Super Bowls ever. I think there was like five turnovers by each team. Yeah, it was something like that. And I'm trying to think was it Jim O'Brien? Was that his

It's yeah, so the Ravens is their fifth AFC championship game, but first one at home Most of them were in New England That's about to our two against the Pats one against the Raiders one against the Steelers So the good thing for the Ravens is even though this Group has not really that they don't have a lot of yeah I mean they have some postseason experience, but not you know Super Bowl deep runs Kyle Benoy Who started on the team with nine sacks is here? He comes with two Super Bowl wins He was part of one of the best

Bill Belichick's one of his masterpieces when he beat, he completely shut down the Rams, well twice ever, but in 2018 when they held him to three points, and Van Noy was a big part of that team. And that's just, those are the savvy type of pickups that the Ravens make, because the Ravens, this was their first playoff win since the 2014 season. And they beat Pittsburgh in the wild around that year. It's been a while, but what I was gonna say was, we'll come back when we preview this game, but.

The Ravens, like Harbaugh at least, and the organization, has experience playing these like Goliaths of the conference, because like you said, right, a lot of those championship games were New England or Pittsburgh. So the Chiefs are kind of the new Patriots, right? Patriots are out of the way, so the Chiefs can be the Patriots. And this is kind of like that type of moment. And the Ravens have always risen to the occasion in those games, even the ones that they lost.

They were very close, very valiant. They did it, you know, one year they had a rookie flacco. Oh yeah. It was a pick six that basically sealed the game. And then the one in New England with Billy Cundiff and Lee Evans, but hey, knock on wood. Cause that ended up, the greatest thing was Billy Cundiff misses that field goal. The Ravens pick up Justin Tucker, some undrafted kid the next year. And it's worked out pretty well. So I think the Ravens have to feel as good as they possibly could coming out of this game. I mean, Well, John Harbaugh was dancing.

All in the locker room. A lot of Harbaugh dancing in general. Yeah. In 2024, right? And I think Jack was in there too. Jack Harbaugh. Yeah, Peyton Manning was at the game Saturday, and then somehow he made it to... Was it Detroit or Buffalo? I can't remember. I think it was Detroit. Probably Detroit because he did the thing with Jeff Daniels. He did the seance. They did a seance in like, I don't even know, November maybe.

Maybe or October. They did a whole videos for like Omaha Productions or something. Oh, okay. Him and Jeff Daniels, there's a bathtub. They poured something in it. I don't know, some sort of seance and it's worked. I was wondering about Jeff Daniels because he was like the one celebrity I didn't see. But I know he's a big time Lions fan. And by the way, and we'll talk plenty about Taylor Swift, but like I for the Lions to have some celebrities attached to that team. Nobody can accuse them.

being front runners. They have nothing, there's nothing to front run that franchise like the people that have, that are the Detroit based celebrities, Eminem and Jeff Daniels. Tim Allen. Tim Allen, Mike Tirico, I don't know, I know he's not allowed to say it, but he's from Detroit, he loves that, I love that he got to do the game, both games. He's gotten to do both Lions playoff games, which is, he's a Michigan guy and you know.

Those are the people you wanna see. And you wanna see the owners and shots of the GM maybe, the people that were instrumental. I don't wanna see a player's girlfriend or wife or his brother for that matter. Or just, I mean, it's fine. I understand where they'll show like concern shots, you know, like CJ Stroud's mom, that was great. Show her, you know, she's, I understand. Like it's the mother of a player, it's different. But like the Taylor Swift thing, my God, it's getting ridiculous. She's actually...

She I don't know. She's not at fault at all, in my opinion. No, she's just sitting there. She's just there. The NFL. Yeah, she should. It's the it's the media's inability to consume enough of it. Yeah, she has of course, she has every right to be there in the support. And what else would she do? The Jason, the Jason Kelce thing, because he's in the NFL. I understood why they were going all over him. Like it felt like every five minutes they were they were cutting to Jason Kelce doing something crazy.

Well, it's nothing like rooting for the team that beat you in the Super Bowl last year. He knows he's retired. I've actually heard the theory that he's going to, him and Travis are going to retire at the same time on their podcast on New Heights. That's the new working theory because Jason has said, I haven't made a decision yet. I can't make a decision. But they said it on the podcast. They said, I haven't made a decision. And Travis has already been talking about, hey, I might be getting too

Somebody's retiring on that podcast. Will it just be Jason or will it be both of them? But it's gonna come out on New Heights probably before it comes out anywhere else. Absolutely. But yeah, no, and again, I mean, like, not Jason. Of course you're gonna root for your brother, even though they did lose to them in the suit. I get it. It's just, we were talking about, we'll get into the cheese, but they're the new Patriots, right? We're getting tired of it. But it keeps it fun because you have a villain, you have somebody to, you wanna bring down that Goliath, right? And...

The Ravens have that opportunity and to an extent, the Lions have that opportunity. Because the Niners, while they haven't actually won the thing, they've been in what, four out of the last five NFC championships. Now the franchise, they won five. So, you know, and here are the Lions in their second championship. So that, a nice, when we get into that, it's a nice theme for this championship weekend. Yeah. It's just funny to remember, I think back to 2018, when Brady was still on the Patriots. Yeah.

and the worst of my homes, my homes went in, you know, or they welcome Brady to Arrowhead and everyone was like, Oh my God, I hope the chiefs win. I hope the chiefs win. Just the heel turn that has happened where everyone hates my homes now. Like it's crazy. And it's like, I get it, but it's, it's just very interesting to see how quickly that, that narrative can change. Like it's almost like that. Right. When don't let me get on too much of a tangent, but my big problem with that.

the Chiefs as much as anything is, okay, if they're gonna be the new dynasty, fine. The torch was never properly passed. Usually when the torch is passed, you have that game where you beat them, and you say, okay, now it's our time. They didn't beat Brady. Brady went in and beat Mahomes that year. And it's not that Mahomes played a great second half. Terrible in the first half, great in the second half. Patriots, they got it in overtime, they never gave it back. And then the next year, there was a chance that they were gonna meet again.

But Ryan Tannehill and those scrappy Tennessee Titans and Mike Vrabel went back to New England, knocks them off. And instead the Chiefs are hosting a nine and seven Titans team for the AFC championship game instead of maybe, well, maybe having to get past the Patriots and the divisional round. And then 2020 comes and it's like, they dominate that season, the pandemic season. And they beat the Browns, they beat the Bills. And then they go to the Super Bowl and who do they see? Tom Brady. And here's your chance now, okay. Show.

show us that you can take that torch. And they got torched. They lost by 22 points in that Super Bowl. And then they didn't have to see Brady again. They beat him in his last year when the Bucs were kind of a joke last year, honestly. But by default, the Chiefs have kind of become that next team without really, I don't say they haven't earned it. Obviously you get to six AFC Championship games, but there was never that, like when Peyton beat Brady.

That was the moment where it was like, okay, this is a rivalry now. Oh, and then 06. You watch that game many times, and then, oh, guess what? Peyton did it two more times with Denver. It's like, so, oh, well, Brady had seven rings, Peyton had two, but Peyton actually won three out of the five playoff meetings. Peyton went to multiple Super Bowls with two teams. You had that passing of the torch moment. You never have had that with the Chiefs. It's just that these other teams in the AFC are just never consistently good enough.

Yeah, they weren't good enough to do it against New England. They're not good enough to do it now. Although maybe the Ravens can be the team because they've always been good at being that foil, even if it's like a one off. And I'll tell you who could have been that is Andrew Luck and Nicole. They were that 19 season they were going in. You know, Luck was a comeback player of the year in 18. They're coming into 19. I mean, they were I don't even think the Colts were a dark horse to win the AFC. They were.

Probably threes like they were three. Yeah, it was it was New England, Kansas City and Indy And they also had the defensive rookie of the year and Darius Leonard, right who was Darius Jack at the time and then The retirement and then everything kind of goes to shit and then you think oh my god, Jacobi Percett Like this team might be good enough. Yeah, just to throw in Jacobi Percett Maybe make a run we beat the Chiefs in Kansas City and then he hurts his knee against Cleveland

Err against Pittsburgh. He hurt his knee against Pittsburgh. Oh, and then he wasn't the same after that. It was it was over I remember it was like we brought in like three other quarterbacks in that same game Who's the famous backup from New England who was always behind Brady? Hoyer, oh we're Hoyer in that game a few of those. Yeah, yeah Hoyers Funny though. I was thinking about it this because you always said anytime the Colts beat the Chiefs chiefs win the Super Bowl Colts beat the Chiefs in week three last year by three points

They beat the Ravens in week three by three points this year. Well, and the logo theory. And then the logo theory. I don't know about logo. I just missed the old Super Bowl logos that were. Oh, I missed that too. That was just a terrible decision by the NFL. But yes, I've noticed that people are saying it's gotta be Ravens Niners, but. Yeah, the script. The script. It's the script. Yeah. Niners Packers. This one. What

a game.

Oh, I was so close. You were 21 to 17. And all the way down. You should have seen me. You should have seen me watching. I was thinking of you the whole time. My dad, I was like, my dad was like, oh, you're not going to get it. You're not going to get it. And the, and you know, the score was like kind of, I think it was kind of getting a little too high by halftime. And I was like, this thing could stay if the weather comes back, if that rain comes back in and the offense slows down again, this score could stick just enough. And then when San Francisco got the ball.

late in the game, go and make that touchdown drive. You just knew, like you knew they were gonna do it. Well, and Carlson missing the field goal. Obviously they would have made it 24-17, and then maybe it's tie, they go to overtime. You just, you felt like the Packers, like, I don't know, were they just hot or were they actually that good? Cause I still can't get out of my mind that they gave up 30 points to Carolina who then got shut out twice. Like they were such a Jekyll and Hyde team, and this was kind of a Jekyll and Hyde game where like.

came out looking great in that fourth time. My God, like we talked about it. I talked about it with a bunch of my friends just in general. You can't, you cannot leave the game in the hands of the officials, number one. And you can't leave the game in the hands of the kicker, maybe unless that kicker's Justin Tucker. You have to get points when you can get them. I thought that was a forced rush decision to go for it early. And then they kind of just, at times, their defense just gave up these quick, long drives.

And at times, their defense was just pressure the heck out of Purdy's. I don't get it. They were so, they looked amazing at times. And I guess that's what you get when you have the youngest team in football. You have a young, I mean, Loughn is a fourth year quarterback, but he's a first year starter. So- He's young, in my opinion, he's young. And yet he's older than Brock Purdy, who is really only in his first full season as a starter, which is kind of crazy. And Purdy played a kind of the same type of game where it was like-

At times he looked really good on that last drive, and at times he just looked like a wimp. He can't do it in the rain. He really can't. When it comes to rain, he looks like he can't do it. Well, let's assume that it's not gonna rain. I haven't checked the forecast in San Francisco this week. Let's assume it's not raining. Well, at least we know it's not in Detroit, like that reporter with Todd Bowles. I don't know if you saw that. Some reporter was asking Todd Bowles, well, what are you gonna do about the weather in Detroit if it's too cold?

And Bulls looks at him. He was very respectful about it. But he was like, well, I mean, it's good they have a dome. Yeah, yeah. That's really helpful. He's like, oh, did you mean going out to dinner when I had a dinner? I don't know. I'm trying not to eat outside. Maybe you're just driving the car, you're afraid of hydroplaning or something. Bulls is a nice guy. I'm glad he kinda. But anyway, so yeah, so back to 49ers.

The talent is all there. Again, and this is why, I mean, look at the odds. The Niners are the Super Bowl favorite now. Yeah. They, and over the Ravens, which is, I think, a little crazy, but whatever, I get it. The Niners have been close many years. But there's a lot of pressure on the Niners. In that game and this coming game, all the pressure was on them. Packers playing with house money. I thought LaFleur made some poor decision. And I thought, obviously, Carlson just.

having a young kicker who you can't trust has gotta be infuriating when you're in a closed playoff game. You gotta assume there's somebody else out there. If he says, and I know he was joking when he said- Amazing Frosby could have been that guy. I mean, anyone else. I assume he was joking when he said, oh, every time he goes out there, I'm right. But like, it's gotta be, there's always a little bit of truth to that. Like there has to be- Well, any kicker, even Tucker, I mean, you assume, but like, what if it's that one bad snap or that one kick? I mean, had you ever had that-

I remember you had that missed extra point, Tucker. They lost the same. It's like the one bad kick of his career. And then the rookie year, the one where he kicked it right over the goalpost against the hats and Belichick assaulted the official. Anyway, the 49, like the theory is, and I was reading the betting experts are the same thing. The theory and the fear if you're a Lions fan is like, the 49ers just won a game they weren't supposed to. And they played poorly. So the odds of them playing poorly two weeks in a row in the playoffs is very low. And it's like,

Can they, can the Lions overcome that? But I don't know, I mean, to say that also is sort of disrespecting the Packers a little bit. I know the Packers played a pretty darn good game and the rainy conditions. The big thing, I said this before the show, Debo Samuel, like it seems like the 49ers offense is just completely different without it. Not completely, but very much impacted when he's not out there. And when they had their three game losing streak, I think Samuel was out.

least two of those. It was it was may got hurt in one of them. I think he got hurt in one. I think he got hurt against Cleveland. Yeah, that was the first game they lost. And then they lost. They also lost Williams to. So it was Devo and Williams at the same time they were out. And I think CMC was banged up and they lost Minnesota Monday night. And then they got beat up at home by the Bengals and then they didn't lose again until Christmas. So that that's a big and that obviously affected pretty a little bit, too. On Saturday, he.

you know, not having your top receivers always gonna be interesting. They almost seem like it's weird because there's so much like great talent. Like you can name five, like, you can fill your hand with the amount of like all pro talent. But when one goes, it seems like the whole thing kind of. The chain reaction. Yeah, and I think I said that last week when it came to Debo. I think I actually said Debo or Trent Williams. Like if you lose those two, this could really be a game. And.

They lost them and San Francisco didn't look the same. And again, the weather, what are you gonna do? I mean, it's weather, but they both had to play in it too. I had one other point, I can't remember what it was now.

I can't remember.

Yeah, if you have anything else on this, I'll try and remember it while you're talking about it. Let me see. I mean, if you look at the yardage here, Green Bay was pretty even. Like they really hung around there. They actually had more first downs. Mine are two under in plays, like 26 less yards. Same drives, yards per play was pretty good. They didn't throw the ball as well, but they ran the ball pretty well. San Francisco.

does not stop the run. No, I'm looking at the stats. I mean, they got outrushed. Again, I mean, I think that's another thing too, because we'll talk about it. Obviously, it was a glaring thing in the Chiefs-Spills game. The yards per play is probably a better indicator than total yards, honestly, because if you don't have the ball as much, it's for various reasons, ball control. They're pretty even. I mean, the Niners had a slight edge. Five, and 5.6 yards a play is pretty solid.

I just thought it was a pretty evenly played game. I thought these two teams are pretty evenly matched. Now the question is whether, are they evenly matched because Green Bay's a lot better than their record indicates? Are they evenly matched because maybe the Niners aren't as good as everyone thinks? I mean, they've been that prohibitive, heavy betting favorite all year, 49ers. And I get it to an extent, and they are the number one seed in their home in the championship game. But I don't know, it's like.

I just saw something about him doesn't feel as trustworthy as it should like a team that good in the NFL Should feel like yes, like they seem like a sure thing There's never a feeling with the Niners that they are a short thing to win those That's why they haven't won it in 29 years Shannon and did get the monkey office back with being down five or more points That was the first getting into the fourth quarter one and thirty Sure finally got it. Oh, it's a one score game They were down seven points right at the start of it, or maybe they were down for

No, I guess seven, because you said five plus. So they got some luck. Eventually they're gonna win one of those games. But yeah, that's a little interesting. Then maybe that's part of it too. And that's been the talk with Lamar Jackson where like, do you feel like the Niners are the kind of team where if they're down 10 points late, that they can just automatically go right down, score, get a stop, score again. You know what I mean? Like the Niners were on the other side of that in Chief Super Bowl.

They had a 10 point lead late, gave up the touchdown, couldn't put the game away, gave up another touchdown, couldn't get the go ahead touchdown, and then the Chiefs ran and got a score and really put the game away. So I don't know, that's what I feel like with, you know, that's the difference I think between the Chiefs and the Niners, for example, is just that you know if Mahomes, if you need a drive, you are shaking in your boots as a defense or as an opposing fan or whatever. But with the Niners,

You're not. You feel like, yeah, Purdy might lead him down. They got a good offense, but we could also stop him here. Yeah, we've seen you can force a mistake. You put the pressure down. Yeah. Pin your ears back. Hopefully he'll make a mistake. Hopefully he'll panic. Well, and that's always the thing. They say, you know, it's hard for an offense to go all the way down the field, not make a mistake. Mm hmm. As the Bucs found out, let's say yesterday. Yeah. Detroit. Yeah. First time a championship since 91. Second ever. Second ever.

I have a buddy I was watching the game with him and he's a diehard Lions man. He's he says he remembers the playoff when he was like 10 years old when it happened and he was drunk, but he was sitting there. I'll be watching this game. Years old, but no, no. This game, this game, which in the nineties, I mean, I'm sure that's pretty common. He's sitting there and the Lions were up 14 and he goes, there's no way we lose this.

And I go, I look at him, everyone around us, we look at him, we go, shut the fuck up. Shut up. And Tampa goes down and scores a touchdown. And he goes, okay, if we lose this, I'm quitting. I'm quitting being a fan. I was like, shut up. Do not say a word. Like just keep your mouth shut. He just wouldn't keep his mouth shut. And then after they get the pick, he goes, it was Never in Doubt, Never in Doubt. I was like, okay.

But Alliance, man, I mean, you would think they would learn. Well, you just said the narrative, we were talking about the Chiefs and Patriots saying, that narrative just, it's like that. Suddenly you forget that for the entire Super Bowl era, you had a single playoff win, and you've been the probably the worst franchise in terms of on-field success. And now you're just like, yeah, there's no way we lose this game. Yeah, we got this. We won a game last week, we won it. I'll say this, the Lions defense still scares me, and not in a good way.

Not in the way that's like, oh yeah, I'm scared to face them. No, I mean, they came up with the pick when they had to. They have been, and this is so anti-Lions, and this is what's beautiful about this Dan Campbell group is that they are just finding ways to win. We always talk about the Bills finding ways to lose, bad teams find ways to lose. The Lions have just been winning games by the skin of their teeth. And I know that they didn't win that one against Dallas, that they should have and whatever, and I guess they were.

Unfortunately, the call or whatever. But for the most part this year, go back to opening night. And when that be interesting of its lines, Jason, the Super Bowl book ending the season, the opening game and then the final game. But they pulled that one out. You know, the fake pun early in the game. I know Kelsey and Jones in play, but that was still a huge deal. Yeah. They they won at Lambeau Field early in the year, which didn't look like much. But obviously, looking back on it, they had a convincing win. Lambeau, they hung on to beat the Vikings to win the division. That's a team that's always given them trouble.

They beat, let's see, the Rams game was a classic example of that playoff game. And the Rams didn't, by the way, and this just highlights my point from last week, the Rams didn't go for that fourth and 14 last week. Remember I was saying, they punted and the Lions, and they only had one timeout, so the Lions only needed two first downs. The Bucs converted a fourth and 14 yesterday. And that's why they went down the field and got that touchdown to make it.

and eight should have been seven. I hate that whole going for two, whatever that stupid thing. I don't know another ran on that. But they gave up, that shouldn't have even happened because it was fourth and 14. And again, like if when you need that stop in a post-season game, like you should be able to make that. Fourth and 14 should be a very low percentage of conversion rate for the offense, especially Tampa, who's a solid team, but they're not a great team. But lo and behold, when they did really need a play, they got one from Barnes, right? The interception.

It's just, the Lions just feel like they're so darn scrappy, they just might pull this off. It's team of destiny. Like it really does feel like it. And I've talked to friends who, and they keep trying to convince me that this season has the feel of like, this needs to be one of those team of destiny years. This can't be a Chiefs or Niners year, right? I don't know if the Ravens are even a team of destiny, they've just been dominant, and obviously they've won in recent memory. But I feel like the

Lions have.

the Super Bowl somehow. They just have to. I mean, I know that odds are against them. They're seven point underdog. But... Cadela has to work his magic. Like at some point... Somebody does. He has to work his magic. The trainer has to keep Thibaut Samuel out. I'm not rooting for it, but I'm just... He doesn't play. I'm sure the Lions won't be too upset about it. The defense though, again, they can get some pressure, but the cover guys, they just have trouble with... Especially the big play receivers. They kind of...

I'm not saying Evans torched him. Nakua absolutely torched him. I have to look at Evans' final numbers, but you just feel like they have trouble with those. I mean, I would say he torched him. Eight for 147 and a touchdown. Yeah, I mean, again, so now the good news is the Niners don't necessarily have that one big, deep vertical threat. More so it's Kittle. Those guys are dangerous on crossing routes and just general speed. I feel like the Lions have speed on defense. That's not the issue. It's...

It's just the ability to cover and stay on these guys and these big physical receivers have given them a lot of trouble. And then just for Tampa, look, I know you said Todd Bowles probably shouldn't be there. Yeah, I'm rethinking that now just because of this game. Yeah, and I think the whole run, I mean, I think it's so hard to gauge when you're in a bad division. And they were only like, they were nine and eight and they won a bad division. It's like, oh, well, how good can they really be? But then they...

beat up on Philly, of course, everybody was beating up on Philly. And then they hung with, I thought they hung with the lines. Like they, they started losing a lot of players throughout the course of that game and eventually lost Jamil, Jamil Dean. Um, it, yeah, I think Tampa, I think they played admirably. I think they got, I mean, if you had told anyone before the year that Baker Mayfield was going to start every game, win the division and win a playoff game, especially considering Brady had a losing record last year and lost his playoff game.

I think Bucs fans absolutely would have taken it and they were close and they had a chance at the end with the ball, just didn't work out. So I think hats off to Bulls and the Bucs. Cause they got hot at the end of the year, right? They were, I want to say they were like four and seven at one point. Cause they, cause they were three and one and then they lost six and seven. And then going into yesterday, they had won six of seven. So they got hot when they needed to, they turned it on. Two and one. Yeah, they were, they were three and one.

Yeah, they started three and one and then three and two, three and three, three and four, three and five, four and five. So they were three and five. They were four and seven at one point, I think. Four and six, four and seven. Actually, they lost to the Colts. And then they played a close one against Carolina, which I remember that was in the rain, that was like downpour rain in Tampa. Yes, that was like right after Thanksgiving. So yeah, they lost six and seven, but then they won six and seven before losing yesterday.

So I think Tampa, look, they were worthy of being there. I don't think they were like this, just the worst playoff team that ever got there. I mean, I think they were a solid team. Absolutely not, no. They had a good defense, a good run game. Also though, I guess I'm glad Detroit figured it out in the second half. They were not running it at all, and golf was under 100 yards in the first half. And I was just screaming, even though I'm not, I mean, I've become a Lions fan this year, certainly. But I was like.

run the damn ball. And when they started doing that, they had great results. And they wore down that Tampa defense. As the injuries were piling up, they really just had, that just crushed the buck spirit. Well, what's really gonna worry about me on Sunday is Dan Campbell. Right, right. He, I mean. He's gonna have like an emotional decision that's just gonna backfire. Well, they were up seven at one point and they're driving down the field. This was like, this is gonna win the game. But they could have just ran the clock down. They were running the ball all over Tampa. They were destroying them on the ground.

And he kept throwing, he kept throwing. And the line, I was sitting next to, he was justifying it by saying, he's trying to put the game away. He's trying to put the game away. I was like, you can put the game away by running the ball here. You can run the clock down and they still can't stop you. You're gonna run and score touchdown anyways. Why are you gonna risk stopping the clock? Why are you gonna risk an interception? Which I would say is much more higher risk than a fumble with Jameer Gibbs. There's no reason to throw the ball. And he has repeatedly done that. And in

situations,

where you don't need to. He gets overly aggressive and that could be the bane of their existence on Sunday. Yeah, the Bucs dropped an interception in the end zone early in the game, so Goff got away with one there. I understand maybe being aggressive if you're playing a team like the Chiefs, or an explosive team, maybe the 49ers, we're talking about Sunday, but against the Bucs, there was no need to get cheap there. You just keep running it, their defense is thin, they're worn out.

You just need to run the clock. The Bucs offense, it's unlikely that they're going to be able to go right down. Although they did go right down the field before halftime. And again, that's always a concern that the Lions are capable of just giving up a long touchdown drive quickly. And they just don't have those guys that can consistently make stops. But yes, Dan Campbell is overly aggressive. And most people and Dan Campbell himself would probably tell you like, this is what got us here. Yeah. So we're going back all the way to week one, that fake punt.

in like the second quarter against Kansas City at their own 17, like it worked, right? And you can look at it, because they ended up getting a touchdown on that drive. Look, if you're gonna change the Lions losing culture, I understand that you have to do some drastic. I'm fine, again, yeah, I'm fine if it's, I mean, I'm not fine, but I understand if it's consistent. If he keeps it consistent, that's fine with me. We know what to expect, but we've seen like Todd Bowles.

who is not an aggressive coach whatsoever. Right, very good. Going for two in a situation when you, I would rather know what I need going into the final drive. Right. Rather than possibly. Forced to get. Collinsworth was defending it. I don't know who invented this. I've always had this system for two-point conversions. The coaches always go by the card. They don't think things through. I've had thoughts about when you're down 13 and you score late in the game, you actually might wanna go for two.

to get within five. That way, if you don't get the onside kick, they're in plus territory, you can still give up a field goal to an eight point game. Oh, and you'll be fine. So thinking ahead, something like that, if someone did that, or even if you're down... Well, and then if you're down five, you also, if you go and score a touchdown, you go for two anyways. You go up three. You could go up three in that case. The extra point doesn't matter. Right, exactly. And so the whole, no, you just need to score...

and get down six and then score again and go one, but no, you're trying to think ahead. But this being down 14, I don't understand it at all. Collins was just saying, well, he goes, it's not a guarantee it's only a 95% proposition that you're gonna kick two extra points. Like only a 95% proposition. Boy, if I was going to Vegas and putting down a million bucks, I think I would take those odds of kicking two extra points. And I agree with you. See Phil Sims, oh, I miss Phil Sims. Anyway, I never thought I'd say that.

He is, rule of thumb is you never go for two unless you absolutely have to. I say that all the time, I always believe that. Even, you know, Mike McCarthy is good at that. He, to an extent, I've seen him like be down eight points and like midway through the third and he'll kick an extra point. Just, and not go for the tie, just get within one. That way, if you give up a touchdown, you're still down eight. You don't go for two unless you have to. If you're down 14 and you go for two, what are you accomplishing? Yeah, you could win it on the next drive, but you could be in a position that the Bucks were in.

of having to then get a two-point conversion just to tie the game. Wouldn't you rather kick the extra point, be, you know, 31, 24, then you can decide, hey, do I wanna kick it and tie the game, go to overtime, or just go for the win? And I also feel like that is more of a mental mountain to climb if you're down eight, trying to drive down the field versus down seven. It's like- Because you know what, best case for you is a tie, and worst case for the defense is a tie. And best case.

is a tie with the eight. Worst case, you lose the game on trying to drive down the field. On another two point conversion. Yeah. You drive down the field, you put in all that effort. And just because you had to go for two. Yeah. I mean, one of the most frustrating, I mean, the Super Bowls that I loved watching the most, but it was a painful result, was when Carolina lost to New England. And they were down 21-10 early in the fourth, and they scored, and John Fox went for two.

Could've kicked the extra point, would've been 21-17. Went for two, he missed it, 21-16. They went down, they scored again, had to go for two, missed it, it was 22-21. New England went down, got a touchdown. They went for two, got it, made it 29-22. Carolina went down, then scored a touchdown, a tie of the game. They kick off, the kickoff goes out of bounds, and then Patriots get in field goal range, and Terry kicks a field goal, and they win the game with like four seconds left.

And I always thought about that, because if Fox had just kicked the extra point both times, the military's kick at the end of regulation would have just been the tie. Of course, that was in Houston, the place where 13 years later, the Patriots would win in overtime against an NFC South team in the Super Bowl. But the point being is like, why? And you think about the Panthers franchise, they've been to two Super Bowls, which is awesome, especially for a young franchise like that. They ran into Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Well, most, and when we get to the Chiefs, we'll talk about this.

So the last 22 years, only seven quarterbacks have started for an AFC team in the Super Bowl. And four of those have covered 19 of those 22 Super Bowls, Brady, Manning, Rathaus, Berger, Mahomes. The three one-offs, if you will, Rich Gannon, Joe Flacco, Delaware Bluehens, and Joe Burrow. So, but the Ravens, and we'll get into, we'll talk about this, the Ravens already, or the Ravens have a chance, and they're already the first team this century

first AFC team this century to win multiple Super Bowls with multiple quarterbacks. You know, Patriots always had Brady, the Steelers always had Rathausberger, the Colts and Broncos had Manning, they shared, you know, Manning, and the Chiefs have had Mahomes. But the Ravens, they won it with Dilfer in 2000, they won it with Flacco in 2012. Lamar Jackson is far and away the best quarterback they've had. Oh my God, yeah. So they have a chance to win

it with

Not that Flacco wasn't. I love Flacco and I think he was a little bit. I heard a great interview with him on pardon my take this or on Friday. He did a fantastic interview. He was hilarious. He's like personable. He seems like he was just like another one of the guys. And he was talking about he said he still thinks he can throw it like 75 yards in the air, which is insane that he can do that. And I would believe him, too. And then he was talking about his time with the Jets where his kids were giving him shit because they were like, Dad, you suck. And he was like.

Well, I don't suck. We're just not winning right now. And his kids don't even remember him winning a Super Bowl in those great Ravens teams that, I mean, battled Brady in the playoffs. Those were battles. I think a lot of people don't even remember that, I think. Those were like battles. It wasn't like they just owned them. Oh, you remember. The majority of the public that aren't Ravens fans, they probably remember that as, oh, the patch

just.

kind of beat the Ravens every year, right? And they didn't think anything else of it. But those were, I'll never forget those. Those were fights. Yeah, and Flacco, he has tied with Brady. I was wrong, I think last week I said, or whenever that he had the most road wins ever. He's tied with Brady with seven. Six different post-seasons where he won a road playoff game. And he won two the year they won the Super Bowl. And just like that, you just don't do that.

by accident. There's a certain level of mental toughness. Obviously, you have to have a good team around you. Mark Sanchez did. I mean, Mark Sanchez won what? Four road playoff games in those two years and lots of spectators. They beat Indy and Indy. Pretty sure that was Manning's. Well, that was 2010 because they lost to Indy in the championship game in 09. But they had beaten, I want to say they won two road. They beat the Bengals and the Chargers before that. And then in 2010, they beat Indy and New England. Sanchez's

Manning's Colts and Brady's Patriots. But lost to Benz. Well, that's the big three. That was the big three for 16 years where it was literally always those quarterbacks except the one time Flacco made it. So I hope Flacco comes back, I do. Whether it's with the Browns, or I actually prefer it not to be with the Browns just because I'd like to root for him not in the division, but I hope he can still be out there slinging it next year. Yeah.

Actually, I wanted to go back to the 49ers for a second. Okay. There's a big free agent quarterback and I was just kind of brainstorming this. There's a free agent quarterback this year. Baker Mayfield. Yeah. To the 49ers. I think that's... What, they're gonna dump Rock Purdy? They might. They might throw like six interceptions. Imagine if he plays like shit, he shits the bed on Sunday. That's possible. They say...

we have this fantastic team we can't waste our time with this guy baker mayfield is right out there her cousins looks like he's gonna stay i would assume in minnesota i mean he was he was at their game like week seventeen i want to say shirtless ron reagan ringing the bell or doing something so i have a feeling that may get a lifetime contract that he's gonna retire there but baker i think baker would be especially we saw with shah mcveigh what he was for

What two games I mean he came in and won that game last year The Thursday night against Raiders and Sean McVay and Shanahan are kind of the same You know the NFC West head coaches that are young phenoms and they're great game planners They can make anybody work right I think I think Baker Mayfield could be him and he's a gunslinger He's a gunslinger. You need a gunslinger. Yeah, I mean things just the Niners really like haven't had great quarterbacks I think Garoppolo Trey Lance didn't work out

Alex Smith was like their best. Yeah, and they call him the game manager, whatever. But, you know, that would be interesting. And I'm seeing prop bets already circulating about where Josh Allen will be next year because the bills are about- They have 47 mil. 43, yeah, something like that over the cap. So there's a lot of big decisions there. And you wonder if like, with the 49ers, like it's John Lynch, he'll swing a big trade if he has to. And they, I think they still have a good amount of cap space left.

I think so. San Francisco and I'm like, New Orleans needs John Lynch because New Orleans is always in Cap Hell. Right. That's the big storyline going into the off season every year. And I feel like this is going back to like the breeze date, like the early 2010s when New Orleans was still in Cap Hell and you're like, all right, well, they'll figure it out eventually, right? You would think. And they just can't get out. They're always deep, deep in the negatives.

in the cap and I'm like why don't you just hire a guy like John Lynch just to get you out of that and completely reset because somehow the Niners don't go over. I don't know how. I really don't know how. They're deferring their contracts. Yeah. Well, it's Joe Hey. Yeah. Right. Everything's back loaded to 2048. Yeah. Niners will be paying for it then. Let's see. All right. Kansas City

Buffalo.

best game of the weekend. Yes. This could have been an all time classic if Tyler Bass makes that field goal, I think. Yeah. Because it could have sent to overtime and we could have had a legend, I would say possibly legendary overtime. Well, we would have, we haven't, have we seen the new overtime rules in effect since they changed them based on that previous Bill's Chiefs Playoff game? Well, the new one, that's only for the playoffs, right? It's only for the playoffs. I don't think last year or this year we've had an overtime.

postseason game. Something tells me though, even if Bassett made that field goal, I think Mahomes, the way they were moving the ball, they still had plenty of time to go down and win the game. So I told you this before, I think it was a good game. I think before people start immediately assuming that this is McDermott's fault, although the fake punt, well, I don't know what the hell that was. He got out of that. Yeah, well, that was almost as bad as the Chuck Pagano punt, right? The one where there was like the one guy behind. I'll never forget watching it. Well, every time

now.

Cause I'll see like Stike and we'll line up in some weird formation to try and draw the guys offside. You just have PTSD back to that. I see it and I'm like, oh my God, no, no. Half fake pot, yeah. Like it's like an interstellar. Have you ever seen an interstellar? No, but I think there's a scene where he's looking, he's watching himself in the past do something and he's banging on the wall. No, no, no. And that's exactly what I do every single time. I'm like, oh my God.

oh my god don't do it please don't snap this ball we all need to have those interstellar moments would be a better society but I agree with you that was almost as bad as what was the one that Dallas did against San Francisco on the last play where like Elliot was like an ineligible team he snapped the ball Dallas they had two in a row they had the DAC slide with like 13 seconds to go and then they had the other one where they

I think the game was over. I mean the game was really over. It was just like a what you know just bad offense. Yeah. But before I was saying before we get you know before we run off with McDermott's head and Allen I actually thought the game plan was about as effective as it could be because Buffalo was severely under man on defense. They had a lot of injuries, key injuries that had accumulated and guys that had been hurt.

over the last couple of weeks, and then guys who got hurt during the game yesterday, they were very under manned, they knew that. There's no excuse for Travis Kelce being left alone wide open in the end. That was a failure. I think McDermott has to look at himself more so for the defense, because I think the defense was still more at ball. The Chiefs had 7.7 yards per play yesterday. They just ran like 30 something fewer plays. They were dominating. And the game plan of Joe Brady and the Bills was protect.

the ball as much as you could. Buffalo didn't turn it over. I mean, they had the fake punt, so they turned it over on downs. But there were no fumbles or interceptions. So they didn't do anything stupid in that regard. They ran the ball really, really well, and they kept running it. But when Kansas City started to adjust, which inevitably good teams are going to do that, I just, I think it's just gotta be tough for the Bills on so many levels. But for one thing, if I told you that Josh Allen would not be sacked.

and the Bills would not turn the ball over the entire game against Mahomes and the Chiefs. You just said, boy, I'll take my chances. Yeah. And they still couldn't get it done. And honestly, for everybody that's talking about Tyler Bass, if McColl-Harmon doesn't fumble at the half yard line, if either one of those two Buffalo fumbles get recovered by the Chiefs, now I know the Chiefs also fumbled, recovered one of their own. The Bills got some lucky bounces in that game. Absolutely. I also got bailed out from that fake punt. I thought my point I was trying to make initially was the Bills,

made this game a lot more competitive than it should have been. They were, so I don't know exactly how much we can say is coaching, how much of it was just Josh Allen putting the team on his back. And, but that Buffalo receiving core, I don't want to be, rip on Stefan Diggs too bad, but you look at his numbers in Bill's elimination games, they have not been good. And let that one clank off his hands, like you have to make, if you're going to be a big time player, they always say big players make big plays in big games and Diggs has not done that. And when you think about the last time

the Bills,

went toe to toe with the Chiefs in the playoffs. They're getting closer by the way. They lost by 14, six, and now only three. Gabe Davis had four touchdowns. Gabe Davis was out yesterday. So they're thin at receiver, they're very thin at linebacker, in the secondary. The two guys that did play that were last minute decisions were clearly not 100%, Rasul Douglas and Taryn Johnson. So I just felt like there was no way Mahomes wasn't gonna win that first road playoff game. I mean, just so much talk, like everything.

It was just like Brady, every time there was a number that, or something that no one had done before that he hadn't done, it was like a personal mission to put that to bed. And yeah, I'm sick of the Taylor Swift and the Jason Kelsey thing, whatever, we talked about it. And I hope to God the Ravens can put them away. But the Chiefs are here for a reason. They have a really good defense. They run the plan. Pacheco, he didn't play in that first meeting. He gives them a different element. He really does. Well, I mean, when they were trying to close out the game at the end.

Yeah.

They are some yeah, it was like immediate right and I was like Oh some chiefs fans were like cheering because I was at a chiefs bar, right? And I was like, well calm down you guys got that a little too quick It was like you I mean it's important to pick up the first down because it was two first downs that I think they needed to close it out and Pacheco gets the nine yards and I was like you almost Kind of don't want that because he did it so quick. I think they needed what you talking about after the field goal I think they only needed one at that point but

Here's the thing, if you're a defense, and not that I'm qualified to coach defenses, but my feeling is, well, if you're the chiefs, you wanna give Pacheco a head of steam. So I expect to see more tosses and plays where you can stretch him out a little. And then if you're the defense, you have to find a way to shoot those gaps a little quicker if you can. Here's the thing with the upcoming. So we talked about the Bills being decimated by injuries, right, and that's a big part of the playoffs. Like you have to be healthy because you don't have that.

It's not like baseball where you can just make trades. It's not so much a one star, two star. There's no skill position. Well, also, I think that's because of the playbook. I think the playbook is a massive thing with that because these guys study the playbook all off season. They work on the playbook and work on understanding the playbook all through the preseason. You can still see the guys working on it through the first few weeks of the regular season. If you go and trade for a guy...

a lot of times he's kind of limited in what he can do. You almost want him to be like Travis Kelce who just, hey, go find the open space. You don't have any routes. Who never watched film. Yeah, Grant didn't care. He was just a monster. You couldn't guard him even if you knew where he was going. I agree, right. And so there's that whole chemistry where it's like baseball, yeah, maybe you're a pitcher, you gotta work with the catcher a little bit. For the most part, you're a hitter, just go in, you're facing the same guys you face. So it's not the same.

And fortunately for the Ravens, there's a good chance to get Mark Andrews back, maybe Marlon Humphrey. And the Chiefs, I gotta say this, we can talk a lot about Chiefs players and Chiefs coaches. The Chiefs training staff, first of all, getting the Holmes to be able to play three playoff games last year with a high ankle sprain, which knocked Tom Brady out of his first championship game because Bloodsoe had to come in back in 01. The fact that they have been very fortunate with players missing,

you know, significant players missing any significant amount of time. Kelsey has been on the field almost his whole career. Chris Jones hasn't had any major injuries. You know, I said Pacheco was out a couple of games. Um, he was out for that first Buffalo meeting, which was big. They, they only have a couple of guys on IR, a couple of notable guy, me, Jerrick McKinnon, um, Cook, I think one of their safeties, but Willie Gay got hurt. He's expected to play, um, Mcduffy tweaking ankle Joe Tooney, but they're very, they're healthy.

The Bills were not. And that's another thing that the Chiefs, I don't know what it is, I don't know why some teams, the Bills always seem to have injuries. Miami always seems to have injuries, so you can't say it's better. Miami's chicken shit. Well, they are. They are. Yeah, they're candy ass chicken shit, whatever. And I always wonder, is it technique? Is it just players who, you know, like I'll tell you, just watching Lamar Jackson, I hold my breath every time.

He's actually violent runner. He's so fast and explosive. He's the one guy where because I and I didn't I understood why the Running quarterback hasn't worked I guess because I don't think offensive play callers know how to Properly use them and I don't think they give them enough time as well to develop and kind of settle into the system because They're gonna suck for a while. It seems like

Lamar is a different style of runner where he is so elusive. I'm actually confident that he won't get hurt. Well, and he's very aware. Yeah. And I think when he got hurt last year, I think it was on a sack. It was on just a traditional pass. I can't remember with his knee. And I know we had his diarrhea issue too a few years ago. Right. In Cleveland, yeah. He had to leave the game. Part of that doesn't happen anymore. But I think, yeah, when I think also play callers are hesitant to run their quarterback too much because they just don't want them taking too many hits. But you're right. Lamar is unique in that way.

Look, my home's had a couple of massive runs. First of all, and it's easy for me to say, because when you're in that moment, you don't know how you're gonna react, but why are guys going for the throw fake when they're five yards past the line? You go like this and the guy's jumping, like just go to hit him at that point. You're not gonna walk the throw. Now the only reason they'll fall for it is the Allen lateral. You're in the game, remember that? Don't get those fans started on laterals. Maybe the gods were just being nice because of the Music City miracle, right? And...

And sadly, we just lost Frank Wychak a short while ago who threw that lateral. But yeah, I mean, I understand. And the Chiefs did it to the Bills, but it didn't count. I actually thought with all the crazy bounces that were going the Bills way yesterday, like that was finally the day that Karma should, because that first meeting, when that happened and the Bills got away with that, I was like, maybe this is the break that gets Buffalo going. Like maybe this is the moment where.

all those past demons go out and they went on this winning streak. And then yesterday you have these fumbles bouncing their way and you know, you had the Allen lateral and you had the McCall Hardman fumble at the half yard. Like it was like, it just felt like Buffalo was living a charm life and they weren't supposed to win. And then they just, the gods just couldn't let it be. They had to bring wide right, uh, Jim Nance with the call. So it was a great game. And, and I, again, I think my takeaway is you actually have to give Buffalo credit for keeping it as close as they did.

because they were out man. They were. Yeah. The fake punt was. And I get it, it was Damar Hamlin. It would have been nice to have him to play. Oh my God. I actually, when I saw I was Hamlin, I started pointing and telling everyone, that was Hamlin, that was Hamlin. Yeah, why him? I guess it's because it's not as obvious if you put Cook back there. They're trying to get him to come back player of the year. So he's played in five snaps all year. They're like, we need to get him. I mean, if he wins comeback player of the year, I think it's a

travesty.

because Baker Mayfield or Flacco. But Baker played the whole season. I think Baker could be the one that takes over Flacco, but it has to be Baker to me, which we can talk about that after the Super Bowl. But Hamlin, the only legacy that he left is the ambulance. You know what the ambulance is? I don't. It's the ambulance in the Bill Stadium that is decorated

with.

Demar Hamlin all over it. Well, it just occurred to me that Travis Kelsey did this. He did to Taylor. To Taylor. And I didn't think of it at the time, but that was like somebody on the bangles, I think it was last year, that they said that he was mocking it or somebody did it on social media or something and someone was upset because they thought they were kind of poking fun at Demar Hamlin or something. And obviously Kelsey wasn't in no way. No. It was just interesting because I remember somebody did it last.

There's something to do with that. I don't remember what it was. I think it was the Bengals. Yeah, or maybe it was no Maybe it was the Steelers. That's what it was a guy made a play and he did or he did a cardiac arrest I don't remember there. So there is a bag that there is a Madden celebration, too If you're playing Madden and you score a touchdown, sometimes they'll do the they'll do like a CPR revival I see and they did it like somebody caught it like it was like the night that happened They were playing Madden and they did the celebration. They caught it on video. They're like really Madden. I was like

You can blame the AI, you can blame the CPU for that. No, it was a celebration. I think the Steelers actually did, but they had the... Anyway, yeah, too bad it didn't work out for them. I just, it's a uni, I also was texting somebody, I know, I was Bill's fan, and they just said, it's a unique experience being at Bill's, it's a unique level of disappointment, because they're close, like the Lions... Well, I mean, wide right.

Like that's the second wide for Super Bowls, the game against the chiefs a few years ago. That's the second wide right in their franchise history. And I just referenced the Music City Miracle. Yeah. You know, why is it always the Bills? And they're that close. Like the Lions haven't been that close. So their disappointment is just like, we don't even expect to be here, but the Bills are getting these opportunities to go to four straight Super Bowls. Just the city and the city needs it so bad. Like that place would just kill to have.

And their hockey team is like horrible. Oh, Brennan was in the crease in 99. I mean, that was the Sabres one chance. So poor Buffalo. That's all I got to say. But again, but also, I don't know, they were throwing snowballs and stuff after the game. There's no excuse for that. Somebody said they cut off the hot water. Yeah, that's what I heard as well. But that well, I think they're trying to heat up Sean McDermott's seat. Yeah, yeah, could be that. I know the heat in the Bills locker room. I think I think he's got to be gone. I mean, it's not even because of his.

It's hard for me to say that he should be gone because of like, oh, he made a stupid decision, right? But I think it's more, it's just this thing has been continuously going. They've been trying and they fail every year. There has to be a time where you say, enough is enough. We need to do basically a soft reset. Now you said Alan could be gone. I don't know if they'll get rid of them. Hard reset if you do that. Yeah, that's a hard reset. I feel like you keep some key guys. You probably get rid of digs. I'd say you kind of invest in Shakir.

to be your number two guy. And you go out and draft another, a number one, because Shakir, I mean, besides he went out with an injury, but he came right back, he was having a great game. Oh, that throw to him in the corner of the end zone was a dime. I thought Alan played great. I think he played almost perfect, except for the final drive. They needed a play to be made. Well, and he didn't make right the throw. And again, like you talking about the bass kick, Diggs was open on a crossing round underneath. He also under threw the guy in the end zone. I don't remember if that was the same play where he- That was the same play, Romo.

Romo, I can already hear it in my head. Well, you know, Allen was hit. He was hit. Can you believe that? That's why he was short. He was an open guy. Yeah. And like, Diggs just didn't, Diggs fumbled on the first play of the game. Yeah. Let's not forget that. And Buffalo was in a second and 17 because I think it was Kincaid knocked the ball out of bounds. They threw the flag for that. Yeah. 13, it was second and 13. No, well, that's what the telecast had originally. And then they got it. Oh, did they? It was like a three yard play and then it's 10 yards from the spot. Okay. The point being is that

Buffalo didn't make any, Buffalo I think had one stop the whole game, forced one punt, right? And that was on the last drive before they went down and missed the field goal I think. I'm not including the play before the half where they had like one play. But my feeling is that, you know, you're right. I bowed Sean McDermott. The only reason you would fire him is I think is if you could get a Bill Belichick or a Jim Harbaugh.

I think I think that's the guy they need. I've said something like I think he needs to stay in the AFC East and Everyone nobody will agree with me on this. I think he needs to go to Miami more than anything. They need well They need a great they're not gonna fire. They're not gonna fire McDaniel But I remember when you said I think maybe we talked about this earlier But I mean Belichick in Miami is he's the guy that's gonna turn the AC down to 30 and in the dome and say alright now you play let's fucking do it like

Or, you know, the 72 Dolphins used to talk about in the old days, man, in practice, they wouldn't give them any water. They'd be practicing in the summer. And you know Belichick is studying everything from that 72. Yeah, of course. Constantly. Of course. Remember, I can still picture Belichick going like this with his rings when the Super Bowl was in Miami with the Kansas City San Francisco game and they were booing the hell out of it.

Yes, he would fit there, he would fit in Buffalo. He could be HC, B-U-F, right? He was HC, NYJ for a day or something with that whole thing. Yeah. But yeah, just, but for Buffalo, man, you're right. It's like, what can you do to get out of this rut? I don't know, but this is, they need more depth on defense. I think they need to keep investing in defense, but they need receivers too, but they just say, how do they keep losing so many bodies? Is it just the cold weather? I don't know what it is, but.

All right. Well, the great divisional games. Good, good commentary. Let's talk conference championship and then we'll get out of here. Yeah. Chiefs Ravens at three o'clock. Baltimore opens at three and a half point favorites right now. I know they're at home, but I mean, it's the Chiefs. I know it's in Vegas doesn't account for stuff like that, but I almost feel like they should. Like, I feel like you kind of have to like the Brady effect is always.

You know, it doesn't matter where he's who he's playing against. Like I would have if they beat Dallas last year in the wild card with Brady, I wouldn't have been shocked whatsoever. I would have been like, well, it's Tom Brady. Yeah. What are we talking about here? Right. I yeah, I'll let I'll let you talk more about this one. Well, I think and I was talking to my friend about this yesterday who, you know, we know our betting stuff. We've seen a lot of this over the years, but I think the way the line was trending was telling you to take

I mean you had you hadn't had a road team win yet. It's pretty rare that all four home teams are gonna win too And you just had this feeling like again, you're right them a Holmes factor the Brady factor It's I mean three and a half is always such a dangerous line that to lay those points, right? You know, you want to just buy it to three or two and a half the Ravens See, I'm trying to think if are they so like I was saying the theme of this weekend is kind of like that

the contender against the, or the, not David versus Glock, what are you saying like boxing? Like the, you know, like the undercar, the sort of the name writer against the heavyweight. Rocky versus Apollo. Yeah, kind of like that. Like the challenger and the contender, I think is what I'm trying to say. And the Ravens are not your traditional challenger, if you will, because the franchise is used to this, but this team is not. And the Chiefs have been here six years in a row, and it's just, you just feel like they,

What's dangerous with the Chiefs is you know there's no way in hell, unless Mahomes gets hurt, that they're getting blown out. If the Ravens are going to win, it has to be probably a one score game. Because I don't think the Chiefs, I think they lost one game in the last two years by more than one score. That was when Mahomes was under the weather in Denver and they lost 24 to 9. Regular season? I've vaguely forgotten that a couple of weeks ago on the show. Regular season and playoffs. Well, no, I mean since 2021.

I had a blowout loss to the Titans and my homes got yeah, like mildly concussed in that game I know they had the Super Bowl loss in 2020. It was what 31 to 9 but all the five other chiefs losses this year of all bit by eight points or less and The three losses last year were all one score losses so like if you're the Ravens you have to be mentally ready for that and you have to think of those situations and they were able to win a game against the chiefs for those two years ago, but

They pulled that rabbit out of their hat. I but if I'm if I'm betting on this game, I'm probably buying a point or two on the Chiefs and thinking that that's it's just the safest bet. And hey, you're happy if the Chiefs end up losing. You're all happy if the Chiefs end up losing unless you're from Kansas City. And I just it's going to be a close game. It just is like I think because the Ravens had a blowout last week. It almost has to be. Yeah. And then there's that theory I was saying for the Niners where it's like they won a game they shouldn't have. They're probably going to play a

lot.

Mm-hmm. I did predict Detroit, San Francisco before the year, three seed versus one seed. But then I said Jets, Chief, so I lost them. No, I mean, obviously Rodgers getting hurt didn't help. So I'd like to think, and in the game, I even did a score, I said the Niners were gonna win on an overtime touchdown. Overtime touchdown. Overtime touchdown. We may get to see that overtime play out, we'll see. But yeah, Chiefs-Ravins, if Mark Andrews comes back. Are you afraid Lamar will?

rely a little bit too much on him? Yeah. That's been their issue in the past, when he's in there, because he's such a great talent, but it's like, okay, you need to realize you have Zay Flowers out there. Well, I also worry about the Ravens offensive line because they had a couple sacks before halftime. Lamar was under a lot of pressure in the first half. I don't know, and the Chiefs have a good pass rush, which was neutralized yesterday because Buffalo ran it well. If the Ravens can run it well, obviously that takes.

the effectiveness away of guys like Chris Jones. But if they're not, and if the Ravens get behind and they have to start throwing, can the line hold up against a Chiefs defense that's gonna pin its ears back? And you know Spagnolo loves to send crazy pressure. I mean, this would be a matchup of two defenses that are just gonna throw the kitchen sink at the opposing quarterback. And to me, it's gonna come down to, again, limiting mistakes. I mean,

It stinks for Buffalo that they won the turnover battle yesterday and lost the game. Usually that's the formula You need to beat the Chiefs But my hunch is if the my hunch is in this game The winner of the turnover battle is the winner of the game and it's gonna be close I don't want to pick it because it's just I'm too nervous I just my prediction is that it's close and if you're betting I think the best advice would be to Buy a few points with the Chiefs. Yeah and play that I'm just looking at the

Chiefs history this year. Yeah, the Buffalo game was the most points they've given up to an AFC team all year, 24. They gave up 27 to Green Bay, which they lost in the regular season. But besides that, they have not given up anymore. So I feel like their defense is gonna rebound. Because, yeah, the Chiefs. Yeah, well, the Chiefs were the only team in the NFL not to give up more than 27 in the game this year. Oh, wow. Yeah, Buffalo only gave up 30 once, and they were the other team, I think, that only gave up.

30 at least once. So you're talking about 19 games with the Chiefs of not giving up more than 27 points. So if you're the Ravens defense, you gotta figure you've gotta hold the Chiefs to low 20s or teens to win this game. I mean, not to say that the Ravens couldn't be that first team, but again, and that was such a staple of New England. We talked about Kansas City being so similar to New England. Belichick's defense, there would be years where they were, like 2011, they were like 31st.

against the pass or something, but they just don't give up points. They figure out ways to make the offense make a mistake, and that's what I worry about. After that Packers game with the 27, they gave up 20, 17, 20, 17, and 12, which, I mean, I was against Chargers, so. Yeah, the offense they played where in Grammy and Buffalo, they gave up the 20 against, and the Raiders, they gave up the 20. But.

Right, the Packers was the highest scoring output against them this year. I feel like they're due for a rebound. The defenses. Well, yeah. Yeah. And I mean, look, they also, I mean, sacks and they had no turnovers and they got torched on the ground. And I feel like that even the score wasn't reflective of how offensive of a game it was. There was three points all game, right? All game. And because they were running the ball so much, you know, the game was just.

moving. It was going quick. I remember sitting there. I was like, the first quarter felt like it lasted five minutes. Yeah, like it was just constantly going. And I remember sitting there at halftime. I was like, if I told you that the Chiefs and Bills were in a game, where there was one punt in the first half, you would think the score was like 2828. You know, heading into halftime. And it was like, I don't know, 1710 1714. 1713. I mean, it, it wasn't

They found a way. It seemed like they found a way. What's interesting is in a game where the Chiefs almost averaged eight yards of play and only had that one turnover, but also that was off the fake punt that they shouldn't have gotten. And they were moving the ball up and down the field. Like in the past, I feel like that's a guaranteed 40-burger for the Chiefs. But this year it's only 27. And against Miami, they were kind of doing the same thing, moving the ball up and down the field. They ended up with 26. Not to say that they couldn't have scored more maybe.

And Miami's offense was a part of that because she's not moving the ball really. But my feeling is the opportunities to limit the Chiefs points are there. And the Ravens are good at forcing turnovers. They had a couple of drives with Houston where Houston got close to field goal range, the Ravens bent, but they didn't break. And they've been good at that. And that's why the Ravens are the top scoring defense in the league this year. But to me, like,

Yeah, it's going to be whether the Ravens can just can just capitalize and score enough points. Yeah, I'm gonna go Ravens 30 24 And I was thinking that would probably be how the game would play out one way or the other. I mean, I Feel like it's gonna be kind of a late score from the Ravens and you're gonna have like I'm a homes But it's gonna be a failed come back. I feel like it's finally taught like because I always say

if you're not in the AFC title game for the Chiefs, it's a waste of Patrick Mahomes. Like you're wasting a year of his, especially his prime. And this, you can't consider this a waste anymore. I think they're gonna go down fighting, especially because they won the Super Bowl. And historically, they don't win two Super Bowls in a row. Well teams- In the past, at least. We haven't, yeah. Brady's out of the league now. My theory was like, oh, the first year he's out of the league. Now that Mahomes is the new Brady, now he can do it. Cause Brady prevented it twice.

Preventing Russell Wilson from going back to back. They prevented Mahomes from going back to back. And now it's up to Lamar or maybe Brock Prudy or Jared Goff to prevent him from going back to back. But yeah, again, I stick to my gut. There's no way this game isn't a one score game either way. I mean, could the Ravens get blown out? Probably not, but maybe. They don't get blown out, though. Like the Ravens three losses, well, the three that Lamar played.

They had the Colts, but they just. That was a wacky, weird weather game. Yeah, that was safety, but then they gave it the. And Gaye hit 450 plus yarders. Yeah, oh, he was the MVP. Yeah, he won them that game. And then the Steeler game, they had a 10-3 lead and there was some weird, there was a play where the Ravens weren't supposed to snap it, but Linderbaum snapped it because he thought the guy was in the neutral zone, they turned it over. And then the game against Cleveland, they had a 24 to nine lead, but Lamar threw a pick six.

And they let that one slip. The Ravens also don't lose by a lot. So I mean, again, that's why I said that the only, like, the safest bet here is to just buy up some points with the Chiefs. I just cannot imagine a scenario where it's not a one score game. I mean, it could, right? The crazy things, or maybe there's a late field goal to put it away or something. You know, it's a 10 point game. But.

You know, people, because people always say, you know, oh, this is going to be two great teams, always going to make a great game. Doesn't always work that way. Sometimes they just don't match. That's why, right. So that's why some Super Bowls have ended 55 to 10 maybe. But this one, like again, it's just the way, the style of these teams, the mental toughness and the experience. I mean, Harbaugh too, like he's been there. Yes, well people.

Raven Ravens fans probably couldn't tell you where was John Harbaugh's previous job. He was Andy Reid's special teams coach. Oh, really? The Eagles, yeah. I don't know if he got moved up to an offensive or defensive system. For many years, he was the Eagles special teams coach. So he worked with Andy Reid. Harbaugh's been the Ravens head coach. This is year 16. So for all the experience that maybe a lot of the players lack, the coach has it. Yeah. And-

Now Lamar has a playoff win, but now you got to go in back to back. Yeah. He's never done that. Everyone multiple games in a postseason. So, um, yeah, you know, it's, it's going to be a great game. I mean, I, I hope it's 34, nothing Ravens and I can just breathe easy from the start, but I'm not stupid enough. Yeah. I'll bring my hand, buying them a homes injury or something. And let's blame Gabberts in there. Uh, I don't think that's going to happen. Yeah. All right. My ends 49ers.

630 on Sunday. Weirdly, I think the Lions are seven point dogs here, which is a lot to me. I don't care how good they think San Francisco is, Lions are a good football team. I don't understand how they're seven points right now. I would take Lions plus seven in a heartbeat if I'm a betting man, which I am. I said before the season, I predicted it's gonna be an overtime touchdown. So in that case, the Lions would still cover.

Yeah, I think again, the Lions, it just has one of those fields where it's like, even if they don't win, they have come too damn far. And they have played too damn hard. And now I'm just sounding like Dan Campbell. Damn hard. They are too gritty. This means too much to their city. Doesn't mean they're gonna win. Certainly doesn't. 49ers, absolutely on paper, pound for pound, are the better team. Better team doesn't always win. Again, I said this before, they just...

their defense has to find ways to generate pressure and generate some turnovers. It just never feels like they get enough turn, they're not like a turnover producing machine. I think the Lions were even, they had an even turnover differential for the season, whereas the Ravens were tied with, of all teams, the New York Giants. I think it was plus 12 or plus 11 in turnover margin, which is always gonna help you win games. The Lions were kinda even. I think they were dead even. And...

So my concern is, can they, and the 49ers I assume are towards the top, probably one of the top turnover teams. 49ers, let me see. Where are they? I really can't find them. Oh, here they are. They were plus 10. They had 28 total, which is actually with the likes of the Chicago Bears.

Believe it or not, 28 takeaways. Yeah, I know the Bears, well, the Bears were also like the second best-rushing team. New Orleans was 29. They had 29 takeovers. They were fourth in the league. The Giants had 31. Yeah, the Giants, because At two. Didn't the Giants, I was telling my friend as a Giants fan this, I think they had like the most, like they had, they won, they had the most, the best turnover differential, but they also gave up like by far the most sacks ever.

So it's like all those turnovers were not doing much because then they were just losing yardage. Yeah. But yeah, the Lions, they have to, like we say, you know, the turnover battle usually wins. They really have to win that turnover battle to win this game. Now, Jared Goff, he knows the Niners. He's played a bunch of games against them from his time with the Rams. So he knows what to expect from this defense. I love Amonra St. Brown. I don't know if I've ever seen a player more aware of where he is on the field, or at least a receiver than St. Brown. Well, I think also,

about the city and how aware he is of just how much the city cares. And that's what I mean, yeah. That's why his hair is blue, right? Yeah. So, yeah, no, I'm wearing blue, but, you know, I do think the Lions have a balanced offensive attack. I do, and the Zakkert signing is interesting. Who knows if he's gonna actually get elevated to the roster. Well, they're saying that he's at least expected to. That's what they're expecting to elevate him. That would be amazing. Yeah.

because it was only six years ago that he scored the winning touchdown for Philadelphia in the Super Bowl. Yes, not that play, but that same Super Bowl. But he was, did he throw that? No, it was Trey Burton. That's who it was. Well, actually he ended up playing for the Colts too. Trey Burton. Trey Burton, or last year actually. And of course, Foles. Because of Frank Reich. Yeah, and Foles played for the Colts. But the Devo Samuel injury is big, and we've been saying it a lot. I think his...

his presence makes them a different dynamic of offense. But like I said, the Lions have struggled a lot with these big play receivers. The Niners don't have that one big deep vertical threat. So it'll be interesting to see how they match up and how the Niners sort of use their weapons against that Detroit defense. But hey, you gotta be able to stop Christian McCaffrey. It's easier said than done. Because that's another guy, when he gets ahead of steam, my God, he's like a...

He's like a bowling ball meets a road runner. It's incredible, like the guy's leg. I just love that Ed McCaffrey played for Mike Shanahan and now Christian McCaffrey plays for Kyle Shanahan. I just think you're gonna get two great championship games. Last year you would have, but Purdy got hurt and it just turned into an Eagles route. We got a great AFC championship game. We did. I was pulling hard.

for Cincinnati last year. Oh, I think everybody was, yeah. We interviewed a Cincinnati player too. Yeah, David Cather, right? I was like, oh my God, we have to have this guy make another Super Bowl. I made a shirt up with him on it, and I'm at my buddy's house, there's a diehard Chiefs fan, everyone around me is screaming at me because I'm the only Bengals fan. They're like, you're not even a Bengals fan. I'm like, this is good for business. This is great for business. Yeah, I mean, the Chiefs, most of their championship games have been actually

pretty good, right? Like the one before was the one where they had the 18 point lead on Cincinnati, the one against New England. Tennessee game was okay, and then the Buffalo game was kind of a runaway. But here's the numbers always, it's all about trends and cycles and sports. So home teams and championship games the last 10 years are 16 and four. We did have one year in there where both road teams won, which was 2018, was the Rams won early. Rams Patriots.

In 2012 it happened, the Ravens and the Niners, funny enough, when they met the Super Bowl. Prior to that, 97, I think it happened once prior to that, I wanna say maybe 92, so it's very rare that both road teams win. We had about a 10-year stretch between 97 and no, nine-year stretch, in 05, I was looking this up, but at least one road team won, each of those. My feeling is we may well get one road team, but which road team's gonna be? Are we gonna be stuck with, oh my God, we gotta watch the Chiefs and the 49ers again?

or are we gonna get that dream Rave Oh my God. Well, we may, look, we may get Chiefs-Lions, crazy, or we may get the Ravens and the Niners. There's four possible matchups. Vegas has Ravens, obviously Ravens-Niners is the favorite because they're the two favorites. My hunch is I do feel like we're gonna get one road team, and I just pray it's not the Chiefs. I hope it's Detroit, too. It's Detroit. I'm actually looking at how they stopped the run. They really didn't, I mean.

No, Detroit. Tampa Bay. Oh, you're talking about it. But in the regular season, the regular season, they were great, but they didn't. They were given a five point nine yard to carry. They were getting hurt. Except Tampa Bay just didn't run the ball at all. They ran it 15 times. Right. And Baker had two of them for 15 yards. Like, yeah, I don't understand. I still understand Todd Ball. But just looking at that, looking at Rashad White, like he's such a monster. He's back. Yeah. But I think I mean, Detroit.

can just, if they do what they do normally, I feel like they can very reasonably win this game. Where you just feel like, oh, just don't do anything too stupid here, you know? Just stay within yourself, don't get too emotional. Don't call a flea flicker in the fourth quarter when you're up like three in San Francisco territory. Don't call the flea flicker. In the driving rain, presumably. Yeah, I mean, good Lord. I can just see something like that happening to Detroit too and I would feel so bad. Oh yeah, you just want.

If they're gonna lose, you want them to fight hard and you don't want there to be any controversy. You don't want like in the playoffs, when they lost to Dallas a few years back with a non-PI call or whatever. Well, even this year's past Dallas game with a non-reporting, reporting, whatever. Yeah, like you don't want, or just a wide right, or a promo fumbled snap. You know, if they're gonna lose, you want it to be just a good football game.

I'm gonna, I'm checking on Frank Rag now right now because he got rolled up on like three times. And Jonah Jackson was out for the rest of the game yesterday. So, you know, again, we've said this many times just tonight alone, injuries, like just, it's hard to really be able to have that kind of depth to sustain it in this level, at this level in the playoffs. Here's something ironic. The first article I clicked on was from the Detroit Free Press.

and you have to have a subscription to read the Detroit Free Press. You would think, right? I mean, it's the free press. I don't know if they have any sort of Detroit News subscription. Let's check Fox. I don't know if this is gonna tell me what I want. Yeah, sprained knee and sprained ankle during the game. You know, Detroit is such a tough, hard-nosed city. And you just feel like, I'm not saying that other teams wouldn't like.

I'm not insinuating that someone on the Dolphins is less likely to play than someone on Detroit, but like, you just have to, but there is something to be said about when a city feels so connected to its team. And this is always my big problem with the Dodgers, for example, like as if we're not gonna hate them enough for what they've done, like the fans in LA, I mean, there are, of course, there's plenty of Dodger fans, but you just don't feel like, and- It's that LA mentality, it's that West Coast mentality. Right, well that, or even Miami, you know, just that. Yeah.

the weather, it's all transplants. Like when a city, and people just, the negative people will say, well, it's because there's nothing to do in Boston or it's cold, there's nothing to do in Detroit. So they have to care more. But it's like, it doesn't matter what the reason is. They do care. They have a connection to the city and the fans. And Detroit is absolutely one of those cities where those fans are so passionate and they're so knowledgeable and they're so invested in it. And yes, the Niners have great history and I'm sure they have a-

a legion of fans, of course. But San Francisco's been here so many times. They've won five Super Bowls. And the Chiefs have been to six straight AFC Championship games. Obviously the Ravens have won a couple too. But Detroit, oh my God, they're just happy to be here. Chiefs have been there six years in a row and the Arrowhead Invitational has taken a show on the road this year, these entitled Chiefs fans. And you have the Lions fans who are just, hey, whatever happens. They were happy to just go to the wild card. They were happy to win a play, yeah.

Yeah, they were happy just to get there when a division I mean have some perspective course fast forward three years in the Lions have been three straight years in the Lions fans are like This is our birthright me do this every hopefully that doesn't well. I I'm I was afraid of that Yeah, yeah like that and I bet in like four years if this trend continues people are gonna be like Oh, I'm so sick of the lion. I'm like

What are you talking about? Yeah, I know. We haven't seen the Lions. I know. I'm here, this good. Well, it's like the Yankees are a great example of it. Like their fans are so like disgusted that they only had an 82 and 80 season this year. They haven't had a losing season since 90. Your whole perspective changes. They're like calling for Cashman's head. They're calling for Boone's head because they haven't won a World Series in 10 years. Yeah, 15. But it's counting. 15, 10, well, everyone is. Yeah, but I get your point. But they've had a winning season. They've been to the.

five AL championship series. Like it's, I mean, it's amazing how wrapped up in recency bias people get. And I get it, like there's a part of me that should say, well, do you, should we really hate the Chiefs? Cause they went 50 years without winning, but like, I think it's that whole, just the fan mentality. I think if the fans, like, weren't such a big part of sports somehow, we would make our own opinions. We wouldn't watch, you know, like the Steven Aisman, I like Steven Aisman actually, but like the, the Skip Baylis's and a lot of the talking heads, we formulate our own opinions and.

You know, we would watch the game in kind of a different light. But all I know is that the here and now, this is Detroit's time. Yeah. And I pray they could take advantage. I think I just think both games you're safe taking the points. I just that's just my hunch. Well, especially that's I mean, I think seven and almost any conference title game. I mean, look, last year, like you I don't think you can't predict that. You can't predict the injury. Exactly. And the year before we had two three point championship games with the Bengals and the Rams winning those.

And I think the year before the Bucks, that was somewhat close. It was like a five point game. Look, sometimes you get blowouts in this round. Oh yeah, Tampa was, that was Green Bay. Yeah, and they, Tampa like through three second half interceptions, they let them back in the game or something. And then Kansas City, was that Houston? No, Kansas City won by two touchdowns. No, that was Buffalo, that was 22. Oh yeah, that was Buffalo. And you know, but like some years you do get blowouts. It happens, but.

It's just, I don't know if the Lions are that, like they, again, it just because this is such a unique opportunity for them. Yeah. I just, I can't see any of these four teams getting hammered. I just can't, like, doesn't mean they'll necessarily even be great games per se, but they will be close. And I think the outcome won't be decided until late. And that's really as a fan. That's all you want. At least as a fan of the teams you're not invested in, right, when you want the blowout, that's all you can ask. Yeah, that's all

I want.

I mean, my team isn't there. They're never there. Your team might be the reason that my team wins because every year they beat the team that wins the Super Bowl, right? Week three, they did it last year, the Chiefs. I even watched it with my friend who's the Chiefs fan and I was telling him and his wife sitting there and I was like, you know, I'm telling you, if you guys beat us this year, you're gonna win the Super Bowl. Yeah. Because we're not. And he was like, oh, okay, whatever. And then I was, and throughout the game, I was like, just remember what I said, remember what I said. And you know, and I actually, I was telling him,

will win this game. I'm like, don't count us out here. We're bad, but we will win the game. We won. And then I just kept telling him work you guys are gonna win the Super Bowl. Now you're going to win the Super Bowl. I can just feel it. And now his wife listens to anything I say. And I've been wrong all year. Yeah, I have been so wrong all year. I was

But then I was almost right with like one or two games this weekend and she was like, so what do you think about this one? I'm like, I don't know. Shit. We both don't ask me so close with a couple of score. I had 2824 chiefs. I was off by a point. You had 2117 Packers, which it was till a minute left. The only one the only game I didn't actually get the spread pick right was the Ravens. I was just nervous and kind of picking against it, you know. So I don't you didn't even pick for the Ravens. I

And it was for the half. The first half. But yes, I took the four games in drafts America went three and one against the spread. But I think this week I almost feel like both road teams are gonna cover. Just don't know how that's gonna play out in the wins and losses. Yeah. Yeah, well, we'll see. It's gonna be a fun game. Yeah. It's gonna be a fun weekend, I should

say.

Everybody have a good weekend. Enjoy the football games. This is the last weekend with multiple games. And then we have to take that stupid pro bowl. The dark week. The fake pro bowls. Pro bowl games, whatever they're doing. But make sure to like, subscribe, comment, share, whatever. Go to draft America. Are you doing any picks?

on draft America this week. I'm gonna do them for the championship game. So check out draft America for that. We have a big major announcement regarding the Chaotically Intolerant Table Tennis League coming out probably next week or within the couple weeks. A lot of, yeah, a lot of big changes coming to that. So I'm really excited for that. And we will see you next week.