NFL Wild Card Preview, Belichick's Scuba Suit and Heartbreak in Indy | Episode 129

(0:00) Intro (0:17) NFL Coach Firings As of Tuesday January, 9th, 2024 (11:40) Pittsburgh Steelers vs Buffalo Bills (20:40) Indianapolis Colts Playoff Loss & Houston Texans vs Cleveland Browns (34:20) Jacksonville Jaguars Meltdown vs Tennessee Titans (36:15) Detroit Lions Welcome Back Matt Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams (39:48) Bill Belichick Loses His Farewell Game as the New York Jets Defeated the New England Patriots (42:28) The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Will Play a Rematch Against the Philadelphia Eagles (The Lleyton Bowl pt. 2 (51:12) The Dallas Cowboys Welcome the Green Bay Packers to Jerry World (58:39) The Frozen Tundra of Arrowhead Stadium Hosts the Kansas City Chiefs vs the Miami Dolphins + Every Other Game We Missed Follow us on: / chaoticallyintolerant / chaoticallyintolerant https://www.threads.net/@chaoticallyi... / chaoticallyintollerant / ci_podcast_ 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...

0:01

Alright, welcome back to the Chaotically Intolerant Podcast, episode 129.

0:09

Yeah, you can tell by my voice I'm not in the best shape right now. But whatever, you can complain all you want.

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We did do the best of episode this past week, but we're back.

NFL Coach Firings **As of Tuesday January, 9th, 2024

0:22

So I don't want to hear any grief. Mike is back. It's just me and Mike today. Let's talk a little coach firings first.

0:29

I feel like that's the thing we should open with. Mike Rabel was fired today after a rough season.

0:36

I think it's a mistake, but you know, that's why I'm not a GM.

0:42

Oh, it's a huge mistake. That's a, Tennessee's a quietly been one of the, I think like a, I don't think

0:49

they're a great franchise. I mean, they just haven't won a lot. I don't think their owners have been, you know, the ownership has been very patient.

1:00

Vrabel did a great job. I mean, he got them to a championship game in 2019. They were the number one seed two years ago.

1:08

I don't know. where they're going from here in terms of are they blowing it up or are they still trying to save face, but they have a lot of work to do.

1:18

I'm surprised because I thought variable was really well liked by the players and even by front office and the fans and hear good things about what he's done for the

1:27

community there. Who are they going to find that's better than him?

1:32

You know, and who's going to want to go into that job knowing that They're probably not gonna have Derek Henry, and they've got an unproven young

1:39

quarterback. It's, yeah. offensive weapons like Tajay Spears is probably their best offensive weapon.

1:48

Yeah, yeah. And maybe part of the feeling was that Ravel didn't, you know, left the cupboard

1:54

a little bit bare, but they have a pretty solid defense. And at the end of the year, they showed that they cared enough to put together a

2:03

good effort against their division rival to close out the season.

2:08

And it feels a little delayed, right? Like, I don't know.

2:14

Well, when did the season... It's only been a couple days. I've lost track of time here. It's Black Tuesday.

2:21

It feels like it would happen, you know, because you're so used to it being like Black Monday and then you're like, oh, okay, and then it feels like an eternity

2:27

after that. It's only been two days. Oh, I've lost track of time. somebody who couldn't wait on Black Monday at 1202 a.m.

2:36

Monday morning, the Atlanta Falcons released that they had fired Arthur Smith. John, Jim, John, Jim Harbaugh, national champion.

2:47

They're saying that might be one of his places that he could go. I mean, Belichick could go there.

2:52

There's a lot of possible coaching movement forthcoming this off season.

2:58

I mean, Atlanta had an unsightly end of the season and then Arthur Smith screaming at Dennis Allen and running up the score that didn't help his cause.

3:08

I think more and more every day about the Atlanta Falcons and the fact that team is

3:14

not a perennial contender right now, even with their quarterback situation, who

3:19

Taylor Heinecke I think is objectively the better quarterback anyways. He's not great.

3:24

He's not a great quarterback, but when he's playing well, he'll compete with Tom Brady in a wild card game.

3:32

But it just doesn't make much sense to me how that Falcon team. wasn't able to be much better.

3:38

I mean, you have Bijon Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts on the same roster,

3:46

and you can't do anything with them. I mean, that's, and a great defense. Like how many teams can say, we have a great, we have like a superstar running

3:53

back, superstar tight end, superstar wide receiver, a pretty damn good defense, and

3:59

we went eight and nine. Eight and nine, maybe seven and 10, something like that.

4:05

Yeah. That's baffling to me. I don't know how he hasn't lost his job earlier based on even last year They had

4:11

they had great talent and couldn't do anything Yeah, I just, I don't know, Arthur Smith was a, felt like a random coach to begin

4:18

with and he was like a very. the CEO of FedEx like...

4:25

Yeah. Oh, you didn't know about that? Yeah, he's fine after he gets fired. He's just gonna go back to dad's house.

4:32

Well, Arthur Blank is the CEO of Home Depot, right?

4:41

Let's see. Uh, yeah, the co-founder of Home Depot.

4:50

That's the dream. That's the American dream. Build a company and then buy a football team. Well maybe that's why you like Arthur Smith.

4:58

They had Mike Smith back in the day. He came from being a coordinator on an AFC South team.

5:05

I think that's where Arthur came from Tennessee, didn't he? Maybe that's why Mike variable got fired.

5:12

No Arthur Smith. I think so. Yeah. And then the final firing, Ron Rivera, this one was very expected.

5:22

Um, just riverboat Ron, it was time to go. He was there. Come on.

5:28

He must've been there six, seven years now. Um, it was just time. It's, it's Washington wants, the new owner wants a winner.

5:36

He doesn't want to watch them flounder and maybe win the division every once in a while. He wants. He wants to compete.

5:42

So, not a shocker. I get that one, but I also don't think that all coaching firings are created

5:50

equal. Like you just said, Atlanta wasted a lot of talent, and that falls a lot more on

5:58

coaching. Washington gave Ron Rivera nothing. In fact, he was having to navigate through choppy waters of just a god-awful

6:08

franchise. Now, granted, Josh Harrison only took over the team this past year, but the mess that Dan Snyder left.

6:15

you know, is Prime Bill Belichick going to take that team any further than Ron Rivera

6:21

did? So it's, I understand it, they want a new voice going forward, but also what the

6:27

heck can Ron Rivera do, you know, with the, and defense was terrible and Jack Del

6:33

Rio got fired earlier and when they lose their last nine games, I think they were four and four at one point, actually, after they beat or four and five maybe.

6:42

Yeah, I mean, they beat New England, I remember, in like November, and they were

6:48

record, I want to say four and four, maybe four and five, and then they lost out. So pretty ugly, but not, yeah, not unexpected.

6:59

And Ron Rivera's been through it before. He took Carolina to Super Bowl, they were at 15 and one, and then how long until he

7:06

got fired by Carolina, you know, three, four years, right? It really is what have you done for me lately in the NFL.

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as Mike Raible just found out. They lost eight straight after beating the Patriots.

7:20

They were meh. They started 2-0 and it was big, it was crazy to think that the commanders could

7:30

be 2-0. And then they lost three straight. Then they lost three straight, beat the Falcons, so then you're three and three,

7:39

lose to the Giants, lose to the Eagles. beat the Patriots, but again, that looks like a close game too.

7:45

So just sad season for the commanders. Very sad. Um, and I guess I do want to talk a little bit about Nick Sirianni because.

7:54

The, uh, the Philadelphia Eagles just lost a. Embarrassing game against, against the giants.

8:00

Uh, but Eagles fans are still calling for Sirianni's head. After like a six game tough stretch.

8:06

Obviously the season hasn't been what the Eagles were last year, but you have to expect that with a Superbowl hangover.

8:12

But if we're going to fire every coach that has a Super Bowl hangover, I mean, fucking fire, fire almost every single coach, fire Sean McVay.

8:19

That was one of the, that was the worst Super Bowl hangover of all time. And he didn't get fired. Look at where they're at now.

8:25

Give, give the guy a chance. Like that's, and I hate Nick Sirianni, but give them a shot. the obsession with firing coaches.

8:34

It's just, it's not like it hasn't been going on for ages, but we live in a world

8:40

now where – think about it with smartphones and the ability to swipe for

8:46

everything and you're always looking for the next best thing. It feels like that with coaches. They say with a new coach, you have to give them three years, three-year plan.

8:57

his first two years were pretty terrible. Now the second year they lost Garoppolo for the season.

9:03

They brought him over in 2017 and he's going into year three with like, I think,

9:08

10 wins in his first two years and the Niners said, hey, all right, well, you know, three-year plan, let's see what you got.

9:14

And sure enough, they go 13-3 and get to the Super Bowl. And I'm not saying that every coach is going to be able to do that, but...

9:21

I think about Dick Vermeel back in the day. The Rams were god awful, 97 and 98. Now, they struck gold with Kurt Warner, but then they went on and won the Super

9:29

Bowl. And then Houston, and then I actually flipped on TV, they got inside the NFL

9:36

here and they're showing Houston. It's just funny that Houston had been one and done with its head coaches the past

9:41

two years, understandably, I guess. But who's to say if they go five and 12 next year that D'Amico Ryan's isn't

9:48

suddenly on the hot seat? It's just crazy. It's embarrassing at these teams.

9:54

You gotta let it go. I mean, if you're gonna hire somebody, really invest in them.

9:59

I mean, don't just... You know, Belichick's first year in New England, awful.

10:04

5-11. Again, luck, they probably didn't know what they were gonna have with Brady, but

10:10

you just have to give it a chance. And obviously in Ron Rivera's case, he got a fair shot and that's why that firing is

10:18

understandable. I guess... you know, Arthur Smith did and obviously Vrabel was there for a while, but Vrabel,

10:24

it was just, you know, two subpar years. Well, let's see if he has a plan. And then what's the next coach going to do?

10:29

They really going to be in any better spot, whoever they hire, unless maybe they get Jim Harbaugh or Belichick?

10:36

I know honestly, I don't think Harbaugh or Belichick could do anything with that Titan scene because of ownership.

10:42

I mean, ownership traded away AJ Brown. Like that's all you have to say is they did that and you can be like, oh, well, no

10:49

one's ever gonna succeed there. Right. Until something happens with that, the Titans will, the most they'll be is they

10:59

may go to a divisional game, like that's, or an AFC title game, like on the back of a really good coach, but I don't see them ever winning an AFC title game.

11:07

Like that just won't happen with the current group that's there. Something needs to change over there.

11:13

And I hate the Titans, but like that's, that's their plan. First thing, change how you're doing things.

11:19

That's it. Um, uh. Let's go to the games.

11:25

I don't want to spend too much time on this. Don't want to be talking about another man's job, you know.

11:31

But Steelers, Ravens, the Steelers, somehow, some way, we felt they were dead.

11:37

I still think they're the grossest team to ever, almost the grossest team ever to make the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Buffalo Bills

11:43

But the Steelers squeaked their way in. They beat the Ravens 17 to 10.

11:49

I mean, this is, nobody wants to see the Steelers. Nobody is unless you're Steelers fan and even Steelers fans say, yeah, whatever.

11:57

I would rather see the Bengals, honestly, with Jake Brown. I would rather see them in this game.

12:05

The Steelers getting in is a travesty. Blame a couple things. Blame 17 games, because if 16, or six playoff teams for that matter, Pittsburgh

12:15

wouldn't be in. But you give this team enough time, they're cockroaches, they just won't die,

12:21

right? Tomlin never has a losing season, but they're not really, they're not good. And to me, they waste the playoff spot more than even, yeah, I mean, Jacksonville

12:29

wasn't going to do anything clearly the way they played. Honestly, your Colts, you never know. You never know if a team that, think about, I know they're NFC, but the Bears,

12:38

for example, played a lot better down the stretch. You almost feel like if you put the Bears in, and granted they won seven games, that

12:45

maybe they could have a shot at least to win one game with Justin Fields or what have you, but it feels like the Steelers are just, that is just, they're getting by

12:55

on reputation. You know what I mean? I know that's not a thing, but it- might as well be like they're winning because they're the Steelers.

13:03

I almost have no other explanation. But now they're going to Buffalo without TJ Watt.

13:10

And the Bills like to see what the problem is, the Bills beat themselves more than

13:15

any team I've ever seen. I mean, that if you I don't know if you had a chance to watch the whole Sunday night game with Buffalo, I mean, that was brutal to watch because Buffalo did so

13:26

many stupid things and they still found a way to win the game, which To their credit, it's like, you know, that's impressive, right?

13:33

Even against the banged up Miami team to go on the road and win, and you know, when your division title is on the line.

13:41

But my God, they cannot get out of their own way. They had the end zone interception that was totally ill-advised.

13:49

Then they had that ridiculous play at the end of the half where they were tackled on the half yard line with no timeouts.

13:56

Then I made a joke I was watching with my dad and it was third and 10 and the bills were down 14 to 7.

14:03

And you know I said if Buffalo gets a field goal here that's a win for Buffalo.

14:09

Normally you say if Buffalo only gets a field goal here that's a win for Miami. I said no if the bills find a way to just get points on this drive given the way the

14:15

Knights gone, next play sack strip fumble. Bills turn it over and if not for a punt return.

14:24

What was the guy's name that ran that back? 96 yards. I can't think of his name. Top of my head.

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But he had a big punt return and then they had one, basically one drive and then they

14:36

couldn't get a fourth down to close out the game when they needed a yard. They got like 12 yards on third and 13, but then when they needed a yard, they

14:44

couldn't get it. So I say all this stuff to point out that as bad as the Steelers are and as much as

14:51

Buffalo should win this game. I have a hard time believing they can make it through an entire postseason playing

15:00

mistake free enough to actually win an AFC championship or win a Super Bowl.

15:07

So they should get by the Steelers because I think they'll be able to get away with a

15:13

few of those mistakes the way they were against the beat up Miami team. But beyond that, I don't know.

15:18

I don't know what the prospects of this Bills team are. It's hard to say.

15:24

First off, the committee would not let the Steelers in. They would not. If if there was a committee, they would not be letting the Steelers in.

15:32

Actually, the Steelers might get in because of the AFC North bias because of that good division.

15:38

You know, we could we could do a whole podcast episode just doing the committee for the NFL and discussing just because the AFC North, they didn't have a losing

15:48

team, which hasn't happened since the 1930s. But the steel I mean this I don't ever want to see the Steelers this Steelers

15:55

team play football again. They're gross. They're disgusting the Bills. There was a play at the end of the half.

16:03

It was actually the third down and 10 it was right before Alan through the ball

16:08

into the middle at the goal line and they didn't get up to it. The Dolphins were playing at the goal line the Dolphins.

16:15

They did not care about the first down even though there was 15 seconds on the clock. They knew.

16:20

Buffalo was gonna fuck up somehow they knew Alan was going to screw up They're like we're not giving you the touchdown because we know you're gonna screw this up

16:28

You're not gonna get the three and what do you think they did? They screwed it up Alan threw it in the middle when he should he took an

16:34

unnecessary risk at that point and even McDermott Like I was ready to I was ready

16:39

to hear McDermott like screaming at Alan saying like what the fuck are you doing? Why would you throw it in the middle that could have been our division right there?

16:48

They I guess Josh Allen is going to be the reason the Bills win a title if they do.

16:55

He'll also be the reason that they don't. He'll be the reason that they lose in the AFC title game or losing the AFC

17:01

divisional game or lose to the Steelers. He could, he is their Superman and their doomsday.

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And, and which is crazy to say, but that's what a gunslinger is. He can, that was what Andrew Luck was.

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Honestly, like if we're being real, I remember a lot of Colts games sitting there and and watching and saying, if Luck takes care of the ball here, we're going to be

17:21

fine. We're going to win this football game. But if Luck can't take care of the football, our defense is not good enough to stop him.

17:27

We can't give away free downs. Like, obviously, our defense was a bigger issue.

17:32

But your gunslinger quarterback, if he throws a lot of interceptions and Luck did throw a good amount of interceptions, that can that can drown you very quickly.

17:41

And Buffalo, I mean, I don't I don't know what to think about. I don't know how Buffalo fans are feeling about this.

17:47

because on one hand you're on this run, you're going in, you're hot, but this is

17:53

also like one of the hottest teams that I've seen with the most flaws, I guess, if

17:59

you know what I mean. Like they are playing some of the best football in the league right now, but their flaws are glaring still, even though they're playing good.

18:09

Right, exactly. I think that the talent discrepancy is large enough that they will win this game,

18:15

but... Beyond that, I mean, I'd like to think they can beat the Chiefs because they'll

18:21

finally, if they win and Kansas City wins, they'll finally get a chance to play them

18:26

at home in the postseason, which, you know, they've had to go to Arrowhead. The last five meetings have been at Arrowhead, and they haven't played Mahomes

18:38

in front of fans. They've actually, Mahomes has never actually played a game in Buffalo in front of fans.

18:45

So, he's never played a road playoff game either. But you just, I don't know, I wouldn't want to chance that from the Bills that I

18:54

can play this kind of loosey-goosey, untrustworthy brand of football.

19:01

I think last year was a good kind of example of what the Bills were and what we

19:08

fear they still are. They had this kind of back and forth, high scoring game against, what's the guy's

19:14

name that started? Skyler? Thompson, is that his name, from Miami last year? And it was like 34 to 31.

19:22

And Buffalo, I think they fumbled for a touchdown and it was just, they just

19:27

continued to play like a stupid football team. And yet they won the game and then they were home the next week and I drank the

19:34

Kool-Aid and I thought, oh, you know, Damar Hamlin's gonna be in the house and they're gonna play Cincy and they're gonna show that they could beat him even though

19:42

they were losing when he, you know. had his incident and they got pounded.

19:48

You know, they got pounded in that game. And I don't know if it was the emotion or just the fact that they weren't that good,

19:55

but the Bengals just took it to them. And I wonder if the same thing could happen if they, even if they advanced past the Steelers, would the Chiefs just do the same thing to them?

20:03

You know, if it's the Chiefs now, you know, if things break right for Buffalo, maybe they win and then they face like Houston or something.

20:11

But I don't know. I just don't know how far the bills can go. I want to think this year is different for them, but I still haven't seen it.

20:22

Yeah. Speaking of Houston, the Houston Texans defeated the Indianapolis Colts 2319 on

20:31

Saturday night, just I was already sick watching this game. And I actually got worse the very next day.

20:37

I think my body was I had 100 degree fever the next day. I didn't have a fever that night.

Indianapolis Colts Playoff Loss & Houston Texans vs Cleveland Browns

20:43

I think my body literally rejected the fact that the Colts lost that game.

20:48

I Honestly, I was going into that. I was like, you know, we already beat them earlier in the year in Houston.

20:55

This just feels like the Texans are going to win this game because it's a divisional, you know, divisional matchups.

21:01

A lot of times they split, especially teams like this who are like so evenly matched. It's very rare that you see these two evenly matched teams, like one sweeps the

21:10

other and especially, I mean, you have CJ Stroud coming back from injury and then they, they started off with that deep ball.

21:17

I mean, I was cussing out Gus Bradley. And there are some people who defend cover three in that situation.

21:23

Anytime you're dropping, you're dropping your guys back and you're sending four against a rookie quarterback.

21:28

I don't care how good he is. And, and especially you're putting, putting your corner in, in man coverage.

21:34

And I think it was blown coverage by the safety. Cause you see the safety, obviously I can't bring up the all 22 right now, but

21:40

the safety drops, I think it was to Houston sideline. He doesn't even pay attention to Nico Collins streaking down the middle of the

21:48

field. and our safety's getting burnt, of course CJ Stroud's gonna hit him. I mean, you call cover three because it's gonna help the defensive line, right?

21:58

You're only sending four because you're gonna have a guy back there and help with coverage.

22:04

But then you get burnt on the very first play of the game for 75-yard touchdown. I mean, where is the logic here?

22:10

Biggest game of the year. And Gus Bradley also will not be fired this offseason, to my dismay.

22:17

But... What, what can I even say about this game? People want to dance on the grave here.

22:23

Um, Jonathan Taylor looked great. He looked fantastic. Uh, just, I think, I think the overall fight by the Colts was, it was awesome to

22:31

see, um, you know, it, they didn't really let it get ugly. I kind of felt like they might let it get ugly.

22:37

That's, that's kind of what happened has, has happened in the past, but our, we're

22:42

always a second half team and it was actually kind of flipped up until that final drive.

22:48

Um, or the game winning or the go ahead touchdown that Houston scored where Houston was like great in the first half.

22:55

We were anemic in the second half. And then at the end, we were anemic in the first half.

23:01

In the second half, Houston was anemic. We were kind of running.

23:07

But I don't know. I mean, I could, I could talk about, I'll talk about the final drive.

23:14

We got the ball with 620 left in the fourth quarter. We're down six points. which also Houston missing that field goal, frustrating or that extra point was

23:25

very frustrating, especially because we could have won the game just on a touchdown and an extra point.

23:32

You're down six with 620 left in the fourth. Personally, how I would go about it, and this is why I don't like Shane Steichen,

23:39

I'm not gonna assume I'm gonna score a touchdown there. You don't wanna assume you're gonna go down and score a touchdown immediately.

23:46

I wanna go down, I'm gonna run hurry up. I'm going to go as quickly as I possibly can. I'm going to get down there.

23:51

I'm going to try and at least get into field goal range and then try and score a touchdown if necessary, right?

23:57

Because you don't know what's going to happen next. You never know what's going to happen next. You want to give yourself as many opportunities as possible to win the

24:05

football game. You could already tell based on the first or second play he's doing, Steichen's

24:12

going to run the clock out. He's like, this is it. Like, we're going to end the game here.

24:17

I was just screaming at the TV, please going up tempo, please going up tempo.

24:24

As they're going down the field, the Colts were moving the ball pretty well. Lotter just runs up the middle.

24:31

First and 10 run, second and eight run again, third and two, they run it for a

24:36

yard. Don't get it. Three straight runs outside of the red zone, which makes no sense to me.

24:43

You're passing it. OK. You're you're. offensively you're actually in somewhat of a good rhythm right now compared to the

24:51

earlier parts of the game. The Colts call a tie the third and two at the Houston 16 was run with 1 48 in the

25:00

fourth. We let that clock run down all the way to 108. 106 left in the fourth and then we called the time out.

25:10

That makes no sense to me. Now you're at fourth and one. Now you're like okay. There's a there's a realistic possibility that we do not pick this first down up

25:19

like it is it is a very realistic possibility So they you know, they he

25:27

still did the same thing he was trying to do he never made an adjustment Didn't he was decided he was stubborn.

25:32

He was decided. This is what we're doing and And you don't even send Jonathan Taylor out there on the

25:39

final play I mean fourth and one you send out your fourth string back

25:44

I understand if he's hurt, if he was hurt, he was hurt earlier in the game, but he was running pretty damn fine, I would say, earlier in the drive.

25:51

And I've heard some people justify it by saying that they didn't want Taylor in

25:58

because they didn't want the defense to key in on Taylor. Well, I'm going to tell you something.

26:04

The Ravens wouldn't have Lamar Jackson in the game on fourth and one if they didn't want the defense to key in on Lamar Jackson.

26:11

They wouldn't. The Dolphins wouldn't have Tyreek Hill in the game on fourth and one if they didn't

26:17

want the other team to key in on Tyreek Hill. But guess what? You're paying Jonathan Taylor forty six million dollars.

26:23

The Ravens are paying Lamar two hundred something million dollars. Tyreek Hill is getting probably over 100.

26:29

I don't know how much Tyreek is getting. They're in the game for a reason because they get keyed in on every single play.

26:35

It does not matter. That that is the worst excuse I've ever heard that they'll key in on him.

26:42

You're paying him for that and he is a fantastic pack for that reason that he's always keyed in on He has to be in the game and I think he would tell I think he

26:53

would say the same thing I think he would say the exact same thing. I want to be in the game I don't care that they're keying in on me.

26:59

I want the ball. That's what the best players always say they want the ball shame whoops

27:11

Oh, Shane Steichen, I'm gonna have to cut that up.

27:48

Anyway, sorry I lost you there. Anyways, can you hear me okay?

27:54

Yep. Sorry about that.

27:59

My thing froze up, but are we talking Cleveland Houston?

28:06

Oh, no, I'm still going a little bit. I can't remember where I was at.

28:12

Let me think, because I'll just cut this part out. Yeah, Shane Steichen, I think he was afraid.

28:18

I genuinely think the guy was afraid and I everyone knows I'm not a big fan of him. I'm one of the few that's not a big fan of what he does.

28:27

But I in that situation, you put your best guy on the field. I don't care what it is you put

28:33

You send out your best guys and you say, you come get us, you know, even, even Moss, Moss was there.

28:39

Like why I understand again, they said Goodson was, was repping that play in

28:45

practice all week. Why is it? Why, why are you not putting in Moss or Taylor in that play too?

28:51

Why are they not repping that play all week? Like those are your best guys. You, if that's the play you're going to use on a fourth and one, you want your

28:59

best guys to be out there. And it's, it's very simple to me. I don't understand. why that even happened.

29:05

But for the Colts, I'll say this about the Colts, as much as I've given shit to Stiken, this was a fantastic year.

29:13

I expected us to win max, like best case scenario, seven games. That was like our best case scenario, but we fought for, we were one win away from

29:21

winning the AFC South. So that's a fantastic year. I'd say the future is pretty bright as long as they keep Richardson healthy and

29:29

be smart with them. And Houston, I can't even hate Houston. D'Amico Ryan is like the most handsome guy on the planet.

29:35

CJ Stroud is a monster. He even admitted that Indy is not a weak city, that he said it was the loudest

29:41

stadium he's ever played in, including college, which that, that boats pretty well for the city.

29:47

So I'm really excited for what Houston can do. I really wish they didn't play Cleveland because I want Cleveland to win their

29:54

game. But. I'm probably gonna root for Cleveland just because overall I should root against

30:01

Houston, but I'm really happy for Houston and to see them put together the season that they have.

30:08

Alright, my rant is done. If you have any thoughts on Houston or the Colts, you can give them.

30:16

Well, let's, yeah, I lost you there for a sec, but how about this Houston team?

30:21

Do you see them making any noise in the playoffs? Let's take a look at Cleveland Houston. Yeah, Cleveland, Cleveland's gonna be tough, man.

30:29

Their defense is a monster. I feel like CJ Stroud is never out of it, though.

30:35

Right, and they beat Case Keenum, so we don't really have a good gauge from when they played a few weeks ago.

30:41

But yeah, statistically, Cleveland's at the top in yardage and passing yardage.

30:47

It's just a matter of, do they avoid the mistakes? Can they flacko?

30:54

He's been slinging it and he's been turning it over a lot, but he's also making a ton of big plays. So I think Cleveland is the best.

31:03

is the better pick in this game because they've got the veteran quarterback. Most road wins in the postseason in NFL history, Flacco has seven road wins.

31:12

So he's dangerous on the road. Of course, the Ravens, yeah, well, Ravens just hardly ever played at home in the

31:20

playoffs in the Flacco era. They had a game in 2011 and 2012, they played the Colts.

31:28

They played Houston in the Colts at home. And I think those were... sure those were the only home games Flacco had as a starter in the playoffs.

31:35

So he knows what it's like to have to win on the road. I mean, he's got it and he had a streak where he had five straight years where he

31:42

won at least one game. So I, my only other thing, a point to make on this game is see when Houston won and

31:54

Houston got into the playoffs on Saturday, I was thinking to myself, well, this is Houston's like the classic underdog story.

31:59

And at that moment I was like 10 wins. If they go in as a wild card team, they could make some noise because it's like

32:06

the house money thing. They had three wins last year. But by virtue of playing at home, and now they have CJ Stroud back, and by virtue of

32:16

winning the division and actually being the better seed, they actually lose what I think is their best card, which is the underdog card.

32:24

And now Cleveland gets that. And Cleveland gets to be the darling team.

32:31

on the road and the team that is kind of all of a sudden like they kind of steal

32:37

the thunder of the Texans if you will. And I think that makes Cleveland that much more dangerous in this matchup.

32:43

So I definitely like the Browns. Yeah, I think there's almost like that they got the Jags game to break their way.

32:53

Where it was like, oh, now we can actually win the division. Like they're a little too high. Yeah.

32:59

Also, they play that very typical AFC. Like it's reserved for the AFC South or like the Bengals, that 430 Saturday

33:09

playoff game. That's like reserved for either of those two. And I was like. I was literally when they were when they were showing the schedule on Saturday

33:17

night, I was like, if the Colts win, they're playing there like they're probably going to play Saturday at four, four 30, because that's just what happens.

33:27

But I think, yeah, I mean, I just, I can't really justify the Texans to win this

33:32

game. They got shredded by JT, like all game, they couldn't stop the run, it was almost impossible for them to stay, except on third and two, when we really needed it.

33:44

Cleveland, they're probably gonna lean a little bit more on the run game, I would assume. Even with their, like, you know, they don't have, uh, what the hell is his name?

33:52

Nick Chubb. They don't have Chubb, so it's a big loss, but they've operated for long enough now without him.

33:58

I think, I think it's gonna be a resounding Browns win. I think the Texans are gonna leave this game, like, nobody's really gonna be sad.

34:05

It's gonna be one of those, like, happy, applauding the team off the field, but they lost type of games.

34:12

Yeah, I mean. Browns still get their like playoff win big for the fan base, all that stuff.

34:18

Yeah, I mean, first matchup was 36-22, but it wasn't nearly as close as the score indicated because they were all over Case Keenum and the Texans scored a couple

Jacksonville Jaguars Meltdown vs Tennessee Titans

34:28

garbage touchdowns. I don't know if it'll be a blowout, but I expect Cleveland to look like the better

34:34

team in this game, which they are. Oh, and Houston's line is like, they're so bad.

34:44

Houston's line is horrendous. They they get like bulldozed. It feels like Stroud has no protection.

34:50

Like the poor kid, he's got to get it out as quickly as he possibly can. He took a lot of shots on Saturday night and Miles Garrett being there.

34:57

That's that's an even bigger issue. I mean, he could he destroyed the Colts, who our line has been pretty good this

35:04

year. He. CJ Stroud might die back there, just based on Miles Garrett's existence at that

35:10

point. Great. Let's talk, I guess, relating to the AFC South.

35:19

Jaguars Titans, quick word on this. Anyone could have seen this one coming.

35:24

This was a typical Mike Vrabel game, especially after they got their ass kicked last week against Houston.

35:31

This was the very typical Mike Vrabel, like, just go out there, kick ass.

35:37

This is our last game, last game with Tannahill, last game with Henry, possibly last game with me.

35:42

Let's go out there and show everyone we're not bombs. Like we're gonna embarrass the Jags.

35:47

And the Jags, I mean, I said it all year. I said at the beginning of the year, I didn't believe in them.

35:53

Even when they were on their run, when they kicked the shit out of the Colts in week six, I said, they're not real. They're not a real team.

35:59

And they actually finished worse than I thought they would. I thought they would be 10 and seven and win the division by default.

36:04

But the Houston Texans are 10 and seven and won the division, but not by default.

36:10

Yeah, I don't know much to say. I think we can't talk about variable. It's just sometimes when a team gets embarrassed, they you realize they can't

Detroit Lions Welcome Back Matt Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams

36:17

play any worse. So they have to play better. And you're right. Jacksonville was a fraudulent team. They went forward on fourth down more than any team in the league this year.

36:23

Little reckless play. It just I watched that game. I didn't like the way that Peterson called the game.

36:29

Lawrence clearly wasn't right. You got to give them a little bit of a break because he was battling a lot of issues this year.

36:36

But, yeah, frustrating for a Jags fan, for sure. They called the almost the exact same play twice in a row on that third and fourth

36:44

down at the end of the game The the same pass to the outside they did that twice in a row. They're like, oh it didn't work.

36:49

Let's try it again And that's a that's a horrible play design Anyways, that thing is that play I hate that play because it's just itching for a pick six Like if

36:58

somebody jumps in front of that ball, it's a house call no matter what so just bad

37:04

Just really disappointing for Jags fans, honestly

37:09

Let's see here. What about Vikings-Lyons? Vikings put up a good effort, and the Lions kind of stomp on the throats.

37:16

That was important for them. I really think so. It was good for them to kind of go in with confidence this end of the playoffs,

37:24

because they haven't been the most confident team, I think, throughout the season.

37:30

Yeah, the Lions, they played for the two seed, which I like. I commend them for.

37:36

I mean, it stinks that Laporta might be hurt, but they... I'm just worried about how they're going to, you know, stop some of these big

37:44

receivers they face in the playoffs. So when we preview that game, I think that's worth noting.

37:51

Well, yeah, we can talk Lions Rams. Obviously, the biggest storyline is the return of Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff

37:59

playing against his former team and head coach. I saw somebody put out from Detroit, it was like a fake public service

38:08

announcement from like fake city of Detroit saying like, we will not let you

38:14

in if you wear a Detroit Lions Matt Stafford jersey. You're not allowed to come in. He's not on the team anymore.

38:19

Don't pull that shit, which I agree with that. Don't don't show up to the game in a Stafford jersey.

38:25

At that point, he's the enemy. You guys want to win him. You want to be a real team, win a playoff game.

38:30

You don't want to be supporting Matt Stafford. Yeah, it's sort of awkward. I mean, he's their franchise quarterback, so beloved.

38:37

And he was part of the team when they broke a 12-year playoff drought in 2011.

38:44

You know, that was a big deal. No, they lost to New Orleans that year. They lost to Dallas in 2014, and they lost to Seattle in 2016.

38:51

I was saying they didn't win a postseason game, and I believe they only went three

38:57

times in the Stafford era. But, you know, remember when Stafford was drafted? they had been 0-16 and they only went two games his first year, six games his second

39:06

year and then they were, again, there was that three-year plan, right? Jim Schwartz comes in, takes over a winless team and then by the third year

39:12

has him in the playoffs and then a few years later he's fired, of course, right? And then Jim Caldwell gets him to the playoffs a couple times and a few years

39:19

later he's fired and Matt Patricia takes over and well, a few years later he's fired and let's see how long Dan Campbell gets, you know, if they have one or two

39:26

bad years, right, or he takes a job somewhere else. But... I just worry about the Lions ability to slow down big play receivers and the Rams

39:35

have a couple of them and the Rams are hot and they have Super Bowl experience and they have a coach that has won and has taken his team deep into January and

39:45

February. And I also wonder too if it's going to be a charged environment, first playoff game

Bill Belichick Loses His Farewell Game as the New York Jets Defeated the New England Patriots

39:51

ever at Ford Field, first playoff game in Detroit in three decades, but is that going to be too much?

39:57

And is it going to? potentially backfire at all on Detroit.

40:02

And if it, you know, is it gonna be more palpable tension if they get behind? I don't know, I mean, there's a part of me that thinks I could see like Detroit just

40:12

being all over Stafford. There's that on one hand, and then there's the other part of me that's like, I don't know, the Rams just quietly are ascending.

40:20

And they, I don't know, I'm kind of torn on this game, you know, but I'm still leaning towards the Rams because of their experience and because there's.

40:28

It suddenly feels like there is pressure on Detroit. You know, if Detroit was this like plucky road team in this matchup, same thing like

40:34

with that Houston situation. It might actually work against them at their home.

40:40

Yeah, yeah. Um, alright, let's move on from this one. Uh, Jets Pats, just a quick, quick note on this.

40:48

This game mattered to nobody, but, uh, snow game, so that was fun.

40:53

And Bill Belichick just, he looked really sad in his, in his scuba gear that he had.

40:59

Only could see his eyes. And I also found out he loves Harry Potter, which is hilarious.

41:05

I can, I can't imagine Bill Belichick curling up with, with that big ass Harry Potter book. one night.

41:10

That just makes me laugh. didn't know that uh... know that the pats lost to the just the first time since twenty fifteen that

41:21

overtime game where the mass later didn't know if they were supposed to for take the ball that's kind of a i thought if anything maybe be fitting if bell check

41:30

the jets one more time for he left in the former h c n y j that old the card that he

41:37

wrote when he resigned uh... Yeah, I don't know. There's not much to say. It was an ugly game in ugly conditions.

41:44

And now really the only thing that, you know, that game will be a footnote potentially is Belichick's last game as Patriots head coach.

41:53

So we'll wait and see. hilarious to me that it's the most Jets thing in the world that they finally beat

42:00

the Patriots, especially in Foxborough, but it actually hurts their draft position

42:05

and it helps the Patriots draft position a little bit more. So that's, that just makes me laugh. It makes me smile a little bit.

42:12

I'll say this, keep Robert Salah. He said two, right? This is the second year, he's won seven games, both years with just literally no

42:21

quarterback, almost no offensive line. But they beat a few good teams this year.

42:26

They beat the Bills on opening night, they beat the Eagles, they pounded the Texans.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Will Play a Rematch Against the Philadelphia Eagles (The Lleyton Bowl pt. 2

42:32

You know, the Jets. beat Kansas City. They were hanging in there. right they chipped away in that game i mean they got hammered by the dolphins a

42:39

couple times and you expect you know if you're seven and ten there's going to be some down moments but you know they had yeah they had a few solid wins and they

42:49

generally looked confident they just looked over matched and again that's it's the same thing i was saying before where it doesn't feel like it's a coaching

42:57

problem it's a it's a quarterback problem and obviously they never got to see what life would have been like with erin rogers and he's in a contract one more year um

43:05

So if he comes back, you know, I think that's giving Salah a fair shake, giving him three years and at least one year with a, you know, legit quarterback.

43:13

But yeah, I like the job he's done. I like the attitude the Jets have. They're just not good, but they play hard.

43:20

I'll give them that. Bucks Panthers and then Falcons Saints the Bucks clinched the vision with a They they

43:29

want the Panthers 9 to nothing in this game. No extra innings the The Rays defeat.

43:37

What is there? Is there Carolina? There's no Carolina Major League Baseball team. I'm sure there's a Carolina

43:43

Charlotte is the minor league home, I think, or Durham or whatever. It's the Rays.

43:48

Funny enough, the Rays minor league. oh well the Rays played an exhibition against their own minor league team the

43:53

Durham Bulls and they defeated them nine to nothing. Well, the Panthers got shut out their last two games and then, but the game before

44:02

that, they put up 30 on Green Bay, which is why people probably think Green Bay has no chance against Dallas.

44:07

But the, yeah, the Panthers just, what a horrible season. I mean, all the way from their owner to the coach being fired to rookie

44:16

quarterback just running for his life. The Bucks, I mean, we could...

44:22

segue in a second to Eagles bucks. I mean, last two weeks, they have not looked good. They looked great for four weeks.

44:29

Baker Mayfield was setting the world on fire and then they had that let down against the Saints and then they did what they had to do there.

44:35

I like their defense. Defense is pretty good. If they need to run the ball and play defense, their best path forward as far

44:43

as, you know, playoff success is old school football.

44:49

You know, pound it and run it and play. well on defense and be opportunistic with your passing plays.

44:56

So look, the market for a good team is winning when you have to win. And they had to win.

45:01

There was no margin for error. The Bucs weren't going to get in if they lost. And they did what they had to do.

45:07

It was ugly. I mean, they got a break. Carolina, Antoine Winfield forced a fumble right at the goal line.

45:12

And that ended up being basically the difference in the game. And it summed up Carolina's seasons.

45:18

The second... time, by the way, in the Panthers history that they've lost 15 in a season. They had that 1-15 season where they won opening day in 0-1 and then lost 15

45:27

straight and now this debacle. Yeah, not much to say on that.

45:34

I'll say in the other NFC South game, though, one team really came to play, New Orleans and Atlanta did not.

45:42

You say what you want about

45:48

putting that extra touchdown on at the end. But the Saints, you know, if there's one team I might've looked at and said, you

45:55

wonder if they might've been able to win a game in the playoffs, would've probably been New Orleans.

46:03

I don't know. I think Tampa still has it. Maybe I'm just biased because Tampa's more of a fun team.

46:10

But I just feel like Tampa has a more, a better shot right now. Even though New Orleans looked better on Sunday.

46:19

Well, yeah, both teams have quarterbacks that have at least played in the playoffs

46:25

before. Mayfield won with Cleveland three years ago. And Karr, I try to remember, because he didn't play in 2016, but he lost to the

46:38

Borough. Yeah, that's right. And they actually had a chance. They were down at the 10-yard line at the end of that game.

46:44

So yeah, I don't know. I mean, the Falcons suck. basically and the Panthers Redefine the word sucks other there's not much to say

46:53

but I think we should talk Playoff game here with the Bucks because they were in this same spot last year Monday night at home in the four or five game and Just got

47:04

the brakes beat off of them and You know that was Tom Brady's last game This is

47:12

first ever lost to the Dallas Cowboys. I mean just stuck around a year too long or two years too long

47:18

But the box? thinking about it again. I wouldn't be surprised if we see him in

47:24

it was fake, but he was thinking about it again and I was like, fuck no, dude You know what you looked like last time.

47:30

I don't care about your offensive line. Go date models, man

47:35

2020, I wrote a whole piece on all the perfect numbers that would have just been,

47:41

it could have gone out on top the way only Tom Brady could and he just had to stick around for a couple extra years.

47:46

But anyway, it's a discussion for another day. But the difference is last year, you felt like Dallas, you had all the reason to

47:53

pick Dallas because they hadn't won a road playoff game and the Bucs looked horrible last year. Baker Mayfield improved the win total that Tom Brady said.

48:02

You would never thought you'd be saying those words. that Baker Mayfield a year later would have a better season, at least wins-wise,

48:10

than Tom Brady. But the Eagles, it's not just that they're struggling, because sometimes that doesn't

48:16

tell the whole story. I mean, I think about the 2012 Ravens. They finished the season one and four after they started nine and two.

48:23

But they won the one game they had to win their division. And it was kind of like, oh, you know, the Ravens are still...

48:30

But the Eagles, not only are they one and five in their last six. they are getting physically manhandled by bad teams.

48:38

That's the difference is that if you watch, because we saw it, we watched that Cardinals game, the yardage and just the physicality was stunning how much the

48:49

Eagles got pushed around, exactly. And that pick six was the only reason the Eagles had the lead as long as they did.

48:56

And then to go out on Sunday at the same time that the Cowboys, but I know that the

49:01

Cowboys. we're almost certainly not going to lose to the commanders. I get that.

49:06

So maybe in a sense, the Eagles treated it like a meaningless game. But to theoretically go out, because the commanders did have a lead for a minute in

49:13

that game. It was 10 to 7. But the Eagles were never in that game for a second.

49:19

And it was just. 724 nothing I think like to start have been worse. I think Tyrod Taylor threw a pick in the end zone.

49:26

A few seconds left before halftime, it would have been at least 27-0, if not 31-0. And then by then it was like, get Jalen Hurts out of here.

49:34

Get, you know, AJ Brown's already out. nothing, 24 nothing at, let's see, 147 left in the second.

49:44

Right, right. And they need a lot of things. They need their defense to not be just leaking so much oil, but they need a

49:53

healthy Jalen Hertz, Devontae Smith, and A.J. Brown. They need to establish some kind of physicality running the ball.

50:00

The only guarantee with the Eagles is that if it's fourth and short, they'll get it. But other than that, playing standard football, they look horrible.

50:09

And I... I mean, yeah, maybe I'll regret picking against them and they'll turn it on and

50:15

they'll look like the NFC champions of a year ago, but what evidence is there based

50:21

on... Because personally, I didn't even think they were... When they were 10 and 1, they were winning, that win over the Chiefs on

50:28

Monday night and they got lucky, they hung on against Dallas. I don't know.

50:33

I mean, at times they looked good, but there were other times where it was like, are they really this good? Because it just, to be 10 in one felt like a stretch.

50:42

I thought I was justifying it by saying they're playing close games, which is important.

50:48

You know, you got to get playoff ready. I was like, if you're 10 and one in close games, I feel like that's not luck

50:53

anymore. Like that's just good. But then I was thinking back on the Vikings and I was like, well, they were,

50:58

they had a whole season of luck. So it's possible, you know, and then they came out flat against New York.

51:04

But I think I what is there to make of the Eagles?

51:10

It's not firing time yet. Anyone that's saying it's firing time is crazy to me.

The Dallas Cowboys Welcome the Green Bay Packers to Jerry World

51:17

games if you include playoffs the last two years. I mean, geez. I would understand firing maybe the defensive coordinator, because it's a new

51:25

guy as well. It's not it's not Jonathan Cannon or and the offensive coordinator.

51:31

I mean, their play calling has been on almost like uninspired, you know, and that is from what I assume Nick Sirianni is the offensive play caller, but it is just very

51:39

uninspired to me. I would understand firing both coordinators and restarting, but firing

51:45

the head coach. Absolutely not. I will say ever since that moment after the Kansas City game, when Sirianni is

51:52

walking in the tunnel and screaming at the Chiefs fans gloating, I think they're two

51:57

and five since that moment. So he might want to dial back a little bit on his cockiness.

52:05

Just a little bit. Bears Packers, this was like the most Bears game ever.

52:11

They were trying to be the Lions of last year. They were, you know, they're going to come in, beat the rival.

52:16

They've had like a really good stretch, you know They they had an outside chance at the playoffs and they could have knocked Packers out But the Bears are the

52:23

Bears and they didn't do it Packers are going to playoffs are gonna pay the

52:28

Cowboys which every Cowboys fan is having PTSD from the Descottic game When they saw

52:34

the schedule come out, so you know, Dallas had the one seed in Green Bay, went in there and that third and 20

52:42

pass down the sideline to Cook, I think, you know, and then that set up the game winner.

52:47

So the first of all, I mean, I think this was more not so much indicative of, you

52:54

know, maybe the Bears were fraudulent. I mean, look, they were hot and they kind of probably were due for a, you know, a

53:00

let down game. They played well in the second half, but they just. cannot beat the Packers. It's like mental. It's almost as bad.

53:06

Now I'm guessing, I don't have it in front of me, but I'm guessing that's the first

53:11

or maybe second longest winning streak of one division rival over another now that Jets Patriots is over.

53:18

So I think that's just part of that, that whole Aaron Rodgers owning the Bears

53:24

thing, right? People got on him for that.

53:31

People you know they've had a couple of good wins this year, but they've also had some bad losses I'm not you're not really sure what you're gonna get they went on

53:37

the road. They beat Detroit They beat Kansas City in front of a national audience And then they go on the road and lose to Tommy Devito so and then they you know get picked apart at

53:46

home by Baker Mayfield But I don't know all the pressures on Dallas in that playoff game right Green Bay Dallas I mean Dallas should win that they're great at

53:56

home, and I don't know

54:05

I think they're going to win. I really do think, I think this is, this one feels a little different to me.

54:11

You know, they, they came behind from Philly. I mean, Philly was the favorite to win that division all year.

54:16

There, it wasn't even a question, honestly. And especially when they were 10 and one, it was like, Oh, Philly's just going to

54:22

win the division. Dallas is going to have the five seed and they're going to play the NFC South. But they came, they like rallied, they came from behind, they beat Philly when

54:30

they needed to beat them. And It just feels a little different to me. It really does.

54:35

I think this team, I don't think they're gonna win the Super Bowl, but NFC Championship, maybe?

54:42

I mean, DAC is having an insane season right now. Yeah, I mean, that's their big mountain of climb is they haven't been to the NFC

54:51

championship since 95 and they finally won a road playoff game last year. But I mean, it was against the eight and nine 45 year old Tom Brady led Bucks.

55:00

So, you know, and not only is anyone going to be like, oh my God, when they beat, if

55:05

they beat Green Bay, but now they have two home games.

55:12

You know, if they're going to get to the NFC Championship game, they'll be able to do it with two home games. They won't have to play on the road until then.

55:18

And there's no reason that maybe the Rams or probably just the Rams, but maybe the

55:25

Rams could beat the 49ers. that whole and alice's road to the super bowl could all go through jerry world it's

55:33

not out of the question i mean uh... They I almost I hate saying this but they feel like they're not supposed to be here

55:42

if you know What I mean like it they don't fit Yeah And they've never they've never

55:49

been like this. I feel like they've never actually had this Well, it's just been so many years of disappointment and abuse of the fans

55:58

against them that they're not that good that maybe now they're taking that look. The Ravens have been playing that up all year as the underdog.

56:05

I mean, put up 56 on Miami and win 13 games. You know, but look, it's all about the mentality.

56:12

It's in maybe, you know, a great team can win if it just tells itself it's an

56:19

underdog, I guess. Yeah. Dallas should win this game. I wouldn't be totally shocked if they lost just because it's Dallas and because the

56:27

Packers are playing well, but I don't know. The Packers, to me, they won their last three games, but who'd they beat?

56:36

They beat Bryce Young and the Panthers. They beat Jaren Hall and the Vikings, and then they beat the Bears who they own.

56:44

So it's not like they won their last three. But like I said, they have beat... Detroit, they have beat Kansas City.

56:50

So they do have it in them. They are the youngest team in the league. They have a quarterback that's playing really well.

56:55

We shouldn't lose sight of the fact that Jordan Love looks like, I mean, it's one year, so you don't know, but he looks like he's got a chance to be there, be a good

57:04

quarterback in Green Bay for a while, which they've been spoiled because Rodgers and Favre are going back all the way to the early 90s.

57:10

So it's been a success either way for the Packers. And they have, I don't want to say they have nothing to lose.

57:15

They have a playoff game to lose. But- In terms of expectations, they've far exceeded them, I think, this year.

57:20

And still think all the pressures on Dallas, and I still think Dallas will win. But I don't know if it'll be that easy.

57:28

And maybe I'll be wrong because Dallas has had some total blowouts at home. But you're right. Dallas did, you know, they've earned it.

57:34

They, they did have to overcome Philly and they've, you know, I don't know.

57:39

It's just the, the road thing concerns me for Dallas, but they don't, they're not going to have to do that until at least the championship game.

57:45

So. Maybe they'll be okay and then the Super Bowl is indoors too, so who knows.

57:51

I'll end that one on this. Aaron Rodgers went 5-11 in his first year as the Packers starter.

57:58

Or 6-10, sorry. 6-10. So this is already better.

58:04

He's already better than what Rodgers was. We're not going to talk Broncos, Raiders.

58:10

We already talked Eagles, Giants. Not going to talk Seahawks. I'll say one thing about the Seahawks.

58:16

They're just mid. Um, and the Cardinals are frisky, but that there's, we don't even need to talk about

58:23

that one. Um, Rams Niners could have been just the second team joining the 2013-14

58:31

Indianapolis Colts to go 6-0 in the division back-to-back years, but your Colts are still the only team to do that.

58:38

I looked it up. But again, the Niners didn't lose a meaningful division game this year, so

The Frozen Tundra of Arrowhead Stadium Hosts the Kansas City Chiefs vs the Miami Dolphins + Every Other Game We Missed

58:43

they dominated their division as they're supposed to. But Carson Wentz, by the way, ran it a lot, and he was scrappy.

58:50

And who knows? I mean, I don't... The Rams hope they don't have to see him unless it's just that, you know, he's

58:55

taking kneel downs when they're up 40 points. But very nice to know that. And I got to say, I'm not a big Sam Darnold fan, so I think Brock Purdy better

59:04

stay healthy. I don't know if the Niners could. I mean, they have a really good team and Darnold's not, you know, he's not awful,

59:10

but it would be a big step back and a lot of pressure, obviously, on Purdy and the

59:16

Niners this year because every year they've been good and they've fallen.

59:22

these great yeah that's what I'm hoping happens to the Dodgers now but the so yeah

59:30

we'll see we'll see how the Niners and Ravens come out of the by but have we missed any games Chiefs Dolphins a good one to end on because I got hard knocks on

59:42

TV playing in the background here and watching the Ravens the replay the Ravens

59:47

wonderful 56 to 19 win over so Here's the problem for Miami. They've got so many injuries now.

59:53

I mean, Chubb is out, Van Ginkle, the two guys, you know, they're down a bunch of

1:00:00

edge rushers too, right? I mean, how many guys? Yes. know they signed Justin Houston today.

1:00:09

Well, Justin Houston's played with the Ravens, been in the league a long time. Can he make a sudden impact?

1:00:14

Ex-chief, Bruce Irvin. Okay, so they're hoping that the fountain of youth comes up.

1:00:20

Well, my question is, what about their offensive guys? Are they gonna get back waddle and most dirt?

1:00:27

Because... I'm not sure that's gonna matter because the weather is going to be horrendous.

1:00:35

Every... I've seen four posts on social media over the last two days about the weather. First time it said 20 degrees.

1:00:41

Next time it said 10. Or 10 was earlier today. Later today it said 8.

1:00:47

And now I saw one that says 0 with a windchill of minus 9. So maybe the NFL is paying off the weather guys so they can keep dropping it.

1:00:58

so people will want to pay for Peacock to watch this game because this is the Peacock exclusive game.

1:01:04

Okay. awful 17 games and enough to squeeze, you know, every penny out of this league.

1:01:12

Go pay charge people to watch. Yeah, playoff game now. So the Dolphins.

1:01:20

Yeah, look, yeah, the knock on the Dolphins for a long time has always been you got this Florida team and then they would always have these December Swoons

1:01:27

because yeah, inevitably they couldn't go on the road and playing cold weather. and now this is taking it to the extreme.

1:01:34

I mean, my home is, once again, at home in the playoffs. Maybe it's not a comfortable environment.

1:01:40

It's not gonna be in the 50s and clear. It's gonna be single digits.

1:01:48

Being a fan of a team in the AFC, I'm nervous about the Chiefs because everybody

1:01:54

is counting them out and they're like, to me, it's like the Astros. It's just like... they feed off of you counting them out.

1:02:01

They do, and Kansas City has the second best scoring defense in the league. I think they were second in sacks.

1:02:07

Now, Miami, I think, was third, but obviously, we just talked about all their issues with the pass rush.

1:02:12

Kansas City has, in my opinion, the best defense they've had in the Mahomes era, maybe in a long time, because back in the day when I actually liked the Chiefs in

1:02:21

the Dick for Meal days, and they had Trent Green, Priest Holmes, Tony Gonzalez, they never had the defense to win. They just, they never did.

1:02:27

This... is a. Well, even in Mahomes early years and the Alex Smith years, they never had that.

1:02:33

I mean, look at the championship game against New England. I mean, New England just had outscored them. The win. Kansas City got 31 second half points in that 2018 game, and it wasn't enough

1:02:42

because they never got the ball in overtime. You know, it's a it's a weekend of really juicy storylines, reunions.

1:02:50

You got Tyree Kill going back to KC, you got McCarthy against the Packers, you got the Stafford, Goff, the whole McVeigh, that whole thing.

1:02:57

You've got If Deshaun Watson were playing, you'd have Deshaun Watson back in Houston. He's not.

1:03:03

He can probably tell his teammates good places to go get massages around town, I guess. I'm sorry. I should be better than that.

1:03:09

But, and you could have Joe Flacco playing the Ravens if the Browns advance.

1:03:14

It just keeps getting better. To me, the key, if the Dolphins are going to win, they have to find some explosive

1:03:21

plays on offense. I just, I don't know. I mean, the whole talk has been about how.

1:03:26

Kansas City hasn't scored as many points. But man, if they just pound the ball with Pacheco, this is the perfect night to do

1:03:32

it, the weather. I actually could see Kansas City just steamrolling Miami. And then all of a sudden everyone's like, oh, you know, we shouldn't count it out

1:03:40

the Chiefs. Here we go again. And who knows, if Buffalo loses, you blink, Kansas City could be hosting in the

1:03:46

divisional round. And then if Baltimore loses, could Kansas City be hosting? I mean, I'm giving all the worst case scenarios, but could they be hosting a

1:03:54

sixth straight? AFC Championship game. I guess what my point is I just won't believe it and I won't pick against them

1:04:01

At all until they lose and just hope that I'll be proven wrong exactly Yeah, and I think it's just the injuries piling up for Miami, but we also shouldn't totally sleep

1:04:10

on Miami They for a lot of the year look like potentially the best team. They just it's just been the same problem with them They just never seem to show up

1:04:17

to the party in the big games, right? Exactly exactly and now you've got now

1:04:24

You got to go on the road. Well, I always thought the teal uniforms, you know, Carolina went to a couple of

1:04:32

Super Bowls with them, but Jacksonville and Miami. And it's also like, you said the West Coast thing, then you got the Florida

1:04:37

thing. I'm thinking just now, I mean, this is adversity, right? You've got tons of injuries.

1:04:43

You got to go on the road and play in miserable weather to try to make something

1:04:48

of a season that looked really promising. Because there were times when Miami... Just a couple weeks ago, we were talking about the Dolphins maybe having the number

1:04:56

one seat. Had they won that game against the Ravens, I mean, they went into it with a chance they were controlling their own destiny.

1:05:03

And they got completely embarrassed, and they played pretty well Sunday, all things

1:05:08

considered, but couldn't seal the deal. Now they've got to go on the road to Kansas City. It almost feels like this great season that the Dolphins had will feel so much

1:05:18

the same as all these other seasons. if they lose, but if they win, it will feel like one of the best seasons the

1:05:25

dolphins have had since the Merino era. The equation that I've come up for this is Kansas City, they don't have anybody they

1:05:37

can catch right now. So they're going to have to run the ball and you can't, you don't throw the ball as

1:05:43

effectively as you do in the cold versus in the warmth. And Miami's defense has been shaky.

1:05:50

They're, they stopped the run. Okay. They, they really do everything. Okay. Like their scoring defense has been good, but I feel like that's also kinda helped

1:05:58

by a weaker schedule. I would say I mean they're you know, they've they play the... AFC East besides the Bills like those two teams are...

1:06:06

horrendous offensively. So this the equation is really not on the dolphin side...

1:06:13

whatsoever Kansas City is going to run the ball down... their throat and the Dolphins are going to try and run... the ball down their throat but speed is really hard to get...

1:06:21

in the cold and in the snow you cannot pick up a lot of... speed in the cold and snow.

1:06:26

You have to be fucking strong like you just have to be able... to run guys over. to win in the snow like the Lashon McCoy touchdown run against the Colts when he

1:06:37

was playing for Buffalo Do you remember that game the snow game where the snow was up to their thighs? Was that always like eight to seven at one point or something?

1:06:44

I think the game finished at like 9-6 or something like that. I remember Vinatieri made a field goal that sent it to overtime in the snow.

1:06:55

Yeah. for two and it got called back and then he had to kick kind of like his famous kick but it was an extra point but he still made it.

1:07:02

Yeah, it was a 10-7, right? Yeah, they're doing everything. 10, 6, but that game is like seared into my brain.

1:07:09

Whenever I think of the cold, I think of that game and I'm like, well, you can't throw the ball. You can't, you can't run the ball or you can't like use speed.

1:07:16

You're going to have to just run over, run over guys and, and hope your blockers can clear a hole for you.

1:07:22

I mean, it's pure rugby. yeah, that's where Isaiah Pacheco can be really a big time player this postseason

1:07:30

for the Chiefs because think of it, they're home in this game is going to be cold and then they win. The likelihood is they go to Buffalo and the weather is not going to be much better

1:07:37

there. And you know, they could then go to Baltimore. They're going to need, especially with the plight of their receivers, they're going

1:07:44

to need a ground and pound. And then the Dolphins are going to need Raheem Mostert back. You know, they need that element that he brings them.

1:07:52

to have a chance to take some pressure off to it, because they're going to get after it to a man. The Dolphins got shut out in the first half when these teams played in Germany

1:07:58

before. So that was, I don't know, I mean, the Chiefs had a defensive touchdown, if I

1:08:04

recall. Hill fumbled the knee and got run back. So I don't know.

1:08:10

Miami's really going to need to play like a, I feel like close to a flawless game to win this one.

1:08:17

Yeah, yeah, it's gonna be real. I think even if they played Miami, it'd be difficult for them to win this game.

1:08:24

Just based off their vibes. I mean, just their vibe of, and their history in the playoffs.

1:08:30

It's been a struggle. So I'm excited for all these games.

1:08:35

Thank you all for watching through the regular season. Anyone, if you wanna just like take a trip back to earlier in the season, go listen

1:08:43

to our best of. It's more of just a random compilation of clips. that I made when I was sick.

1:08:49

That was our last episode. So it's a good little time capsule. Just reminds you of like September and October and November in the season.

1:08:59

But I'm excited. Thank you all for watching. Make sure to like, subscribe, comment, the whole damn thing.

1:09:05

And we'll see you Monday. See you guys.

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