Fox Sports RadioAlex Curry & Carmen Vitali Talk NFL Xmas Day Slate, Ben Johnson To The Bears, One Seed Clinched, And More!
Alex Curry and Carmen Vitali talk about the NFL’s Christmas Day slate, the Chiefs clinching the one seed in the AFC Playoffs, give out their predictions for the College Football Playoff, Lions team reporter Dannie Rogers joins the show, Do’s & Don’t’s, declaring who won Christmas, whether or not Ben Johnson should take the Bears coaching job, NFL.com’s Nick Shook joins the show, NFL Pick ‘Em, and more!
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Welcome to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitally. Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with us. I hope everyone is having an amazing holiday break and welcome to the in between where time does not exist. Every day feels like a Saturday from Christmas to New Year's except for us because we work in sports.
It's a wild time a year, and we're here to keep you entertained.
Yeah that's it. I'm like, man, I still have a long it goes off.
Don't work everyone else?
Oh, I have like I'm taking I got my computer out taking it. It's on Christmas Day. I'm like, man, yeah, that's what we sign up for.
But the rest of the country is in the in between, the in between. It's such a hilarious wild time.
Still might have my blood from last night, so we'll see.
We love all right.
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We've got a great show for you guys today.
We've got Lions team reporter Danny Rodgers joining us in about thirty minutes. NFL writer Nick Shook an hour two, executive producer Bo Benson with us Today technical producer Chris Perfett, and newly engaged Martin Wise at the new King Rats Martin game of Big High five today. That's a big one.
That's a big one.
We're happy for you.
We're going to keep you update on all the football action today because buckle up, you're in for a fun one. Three NFL games, a lot of bowl games going on today.
But the Chargers absolutely.
Dominating Charger Patriots, and it looks like they're going to be locking up that wildcard spot?
Is it over? Did it finally? Do the game finish?
Sure?
Yeah?
Okay, So Chargers of officially lock up the wildcard spot with the win today. A huge turnaround from their season last year. So congrats to first year head coach Jim Harbaugh who completely turned this team around, created a culture. Justin Herbert passed Peyton Manning today for most passing yards in your first five seasons. Like he has just been unbelievable, incredible. So that means the last AFC wildcard spot is kind of still open. The Broncos are about to start and currently are in that seventh spot.
Yeah, and if they win, I'm.
Gonna have Carmen kind of explain that she's been going through like the possibilities if they win today, because the Chargers won, they can lock up that other wildcard spot.
Yes, thank you.
Well, because they're playing the Cincinnati Bengals, who are also still technically alive.
I believe they have about four percent.
Yes yeah, Colts Dolphins, Bangs.
Colts, Dolphins, Bengals and in Broncos now all yes, buying for that wildcard spot. But because the Chargers won, now it does a winning in scenario because the Broncos are playing the Bengals, so they'll knock them out. And then you've got Miami and Indianapolis, which were out with either a loss or with wins by both the Broncos and the Chargers.
So by doing a process.
Of elimination, that the Broncos are now playing a win and in game against the Bengals. But the Bengals again still alive, and if they win this game, they will their their playoff chances will still be there, as will Indianapolis and Miami. However, yeah, the Colts are likely without I think no, they were ruled out. Anthony Richardson was ruled out there. The Dolphins are likely without too. So both of those teams are currently going to be without their starting quarterbacks. So even if they're not mathematically eliminated, you can't think that that's that's viable for not only getting that wildcard spot, but then being any sort of having any sort of success in the postseason. If if you're starting quarterbacks isn't helping.
So it really feels like it's coming down to this game right now that is about to start. Broncos Bengals. Broncos win and they're in because the Chargers just won kind of beginning that whole shuffle for that wildcard spot. But like three really important games today because then you have Cardinals Rams, and Rams need to win their last two games if they want to win the West, and it's the only way they're really getting into a playoff spot is if they win their division. So all three games with playoff implications today exciting to watch.
I'm excited for this Bengals Broncos game because, like I a lot online.
It's been a so you think they're like I, I have not been able to quit.
You can't Joey be well, because Joey's been good. He's he's pretty great regardless of the actual like.
And and it's been a little bit too little, too late. But the Bengals defense has gotten a lot better. Terry Hendrickson has like came alive the last month or stingless season. I do think that these two teams match up pretty well when you look at all, Right, the Bengals defense allowing a completion rate on attempts of over ten are yards this season hasn't been great, But you look at what bo Nix has done in Denver, and he hasn't He has the sixth lowest downfield at ten percentage completion. Okay, so completion rate, so like, he doesn't throw the ball down the field, and if he does, he's not terribly accurate. So the Bengals shouldn't have to necessarily worry about that from a defensive perspective. If you can get you same as a chance, a really good chance this game. I'm taking the Bengals.
WHOA I know, because there's already happening, so we don't have it in our life. They're at into the show.
Plus they're at home, yeah, and.
Scoring get a rookie quarterback defense finally picking up.
They're capable of scoring a ton of points.
They've been doing that all season long age their defense has been giving up as much like a fraction of a point more on average this season. But you look at what the Broncos have been able to do. They haven't been this like jugg or not of an offense. They've been really good. They've had a dominant defense. So it's going to.
Be Huyton really developing Bonix and he's coming into his own.
He's doing good, like solid necessarily. The reason they're winning games. They're winning game is because of this defense. So everything really rides on the Denver Broncos defense right now to shut down Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase, which no one has really been able to do this year. On top of t Higgins is expected to play if you can get the run game going a little bit more on office a lot. I know that the Bengals have been banged up too on the offensive line. That's that's a concern there too, But this really hinges on the Broncos defense, I think to get this done for them.
So you're saying there's a chance, I've been saying there's a chance.
I don't want to quit, okay so much. They are They really are, and Chase really are.
That connection in general is I think the best in the league.
It's it's like one of those like, oh yeah, that makes sense. Okay, But let's talk about the number one seed in the AFC, because on Christmas, the chief clinched that number one spot in AFC. And at this point, I don't think anybody can stop the Chiefs. They won't play another meaningful game until January eighteenth, nineteenth, that divisional round, which weekends. I see, Okay, here's the thing I think for any other team, like a three week break would be scary, But for Andy Reid and Mahomes and a team that's kind of beat up, this is actually the best.
Thing that could happen to them.
Plus you have Mahomes who is expecting to have his baby in this like kind of window. He said, After they wont, I told my wife, we got.
The one seed.
Now we can go have the baby. Like I They're just they're.
Just mentally in such a good place. They've been here before. And like I said, any of the guys that are banged up will now have three weeks to rest to get back. They have the best player in the league, they have the best coach in the league, and like it's it's hard to find reasons to doubt this team. On top of having, like I said, the best player, quarterback coach, their defense is top tier, number one ranks scoring defense, third ranked rush defense.
And they're going to be rested.
I mean, Chris Jones didn't play this last game.
You need him back, yes, But and regardless I've been saying that on the macro level, I will not bet against the Kansas City Chiefs.
I have him in the super Bowl. That is I still believe in all of that.
Yeah, but we can't deny what the AFC has become at the top right now. And I think the easy answer to saying, all right, who do the Chiefs have to worry about?
Is the Buffalo Bills.
But I think the better question, or the better conversation is right now about the Bills, the Ravens. The Bills, especially what do they have to play for in these last two games? So they don't have they don't have the first the one seed to play for anymore since the Kansas City's locked that up. So now you clinched your division, you there's there's nothing else that you can do if you're the Buffalo Bill, So then do you now consider resting all your starters on your tak off the table? And it's not even really an interesting argument at this point because both of the teams that the Bills are finishing the season with, the Jets the Patriots, are already out. So there's not even any big the AFC like, there's not bearing on seating, there's not any bearing on which teams are going to get in from the AFC. There's nothing that is really interesting about the Bill's last two games. So do you then consider resting Josh Allen. Do you consider resting some of your starters? If you're the Buffalo Bills, I think you would. And then all of a sudden, then you have the exact same setup as the Kansas City Chiefs.
Do okay.
The first round by but you're going to have a significant amount of rest. You're not as banged up as the Chiefs are right now. You've gotten guys black like Matt Milano over the last couple of weeks, and there's been some injuries here and there, but I mean, the Bills are relatively healthy.
Josh Allen is relatively healthy.
He still playing incredible football except for this last week against the New England Patriots, and that's something that I think is something we'll get into when we talk more about the MVP race. But Josh Allen still has things to prove. So yeah, now it becomes do you rest him or do you let him go after the MVP?
Very interesting because I feel like if you rest him, then this is Lamar's chance to hop Allen, which again we're going to get into a deeper MVP conversation a little later. So okay, you think possibly the biggest threat to the Chiefs would be Josh Allen in the Bills.
Yeah.
They already beat him this year. Yeah.
I mean they're the only team that beat him this year.
Every team's gonna have to go through Casey now that they have the number one seed home field advantage. I don't know if you can say there's a quote threat, but if you did have to pick, what's.
The biggest threat to Casey?
I think it's who they're going to face in the Super Bowl, right, Lions, Vikings, Eagles, three teams they did not face this year. He beat Lamar in the Ravens. I think they'll do it again. They lost to the Bills. They're going to learn from their mistakes. Because it's Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. I also know they're getting to the Super.
Bowl Um City Chiefs every year.
What makes them so incredibly dangerous in the playoffs is that Andy Reid's seemingly has an entirely different playbook for the playoffs, Like especially when you have this amount of time in between playing meaningful games and getting the first round by that's where this not only does it affect health and letting your guys rest, but it also gives guys like Andy Reid the opportunity to install drastically different plays and packages, and it is like that, and they know that's the thing is that they do every single year, so that when you're pressing planning for the Kansas City Chiefs and the playoffs, you are now game planning for an unknown and.
That is so hard.
That is why these guys are so dangerous in the postseason and why they have been is because they don't follow the same recipe in the postseason. And you've seen that time and again, especially with I think the single best example of that is Travis kelce And you think about, all right, yeah, he got a slow start to the season. He got a slow start to last season too. He's getting up there in age. He's not exactly the same player he used to be. However, if you look at Travis kelce in the regular season last year versus Travis kelce in the postseason last year, completely different player. Numbers, the amount of times they went to him, how he factored into them, then they all do. And so again, I feel like you're gonna see that this year as well. Although Travis kelcey was a big part of that Christmas Day game, Yeah, I do think that that they're the team to beat in general. Like I said, on a macro level, I will not pretend like last year did not happen. I am riding with the Chiefs making such a ball, winning the Super Bowl, getting the three p for the first time, and I folk they now. But I do think that the Bills are the most formidable that they have been. I think the Ravens can turn it on to if they're playing their best ball. It's hard for me to pick against the Ravens. It's just are you going to get their best ball? That's the question. Because there's been a little bit of a consists.
And there's a difference between Ravens regular season ball and playing Patrick Mahomes in the postseason.
Well, there's been a difference just with every team. I mean, Patrick Mahomes is about the only quarterback that has a really good playoff record. Because you look at playoff, right, I feel like that's a knock against Lamar, that's a knock against Josh Allen. Show me all of these other quarterbacks other than Patrick Mahomes that have a good playoff record.
You don't because he's been winning. Because he's been winning, says he's been.
In the league, but he's the only one, is point, So like all of these guys have the same problem, and it's Patrick Mahomes and it's Kids City Chief.
Yes, which is why I like, I don't. I don't think there's a threat to the super Bowl. They're going to figure it out somehow, some way. They always figure it out, and they can. We just like also dig a moment that they absolutely destroyed the Steelers on Christmas, like that was this is this is very concerning because the Steelers are trending in the wrong direction at the wrong time. Before this three game losing streak, they won seven of their last eight games, and right now because of that, they don't control their own destiny their last three losses or to the three best teams in the league, the Eagles, Ravens and Chiefs. If you want to win in the post reason, you have to learn how to beat those teams.
Well, I think that we knew this was coming all along, because I remember talking about it extensively at the beginning of the season that the way that the Steelers' schedule stacked up at the end of it was a total gauntlet. And you're seeing that to mixed results. And you haven't been able to They haven't scored more than seventeen points in this three game skit that they've been on, which is the biggest difference between what the Steelers were able to do beforehand against lesser competition and now going against the juggernauts of their conference. They're like, yeah, they're they're struggling. And I think more than them losing steam or whatever it is, I think it's just kind of telling of what kind of team they actually are, because again, you didn't have these these this gauntlet of a schedule up and like you had a pretty easy schedule up into the last like eight games or so of the season. And that's not to say they haven't won some games, and I don't think that. I do think that they're a good team, always been a good team. And you look at their offense, it's finally being a lot more productive than it was except for this last three games. Yeah, but this is this is a more viable Steelers team. But at the same time, we hadn't seen them against really good competition.
Now that we have, I'm like, all right, there's been there's been a complete Maybe they're even drop a little bit.
Yeah, A complete team.
And that's the thing that when it is a complete team drop off, Yeah, that to me tells me this is the team you walk.
This is yeah, yeah, it's not just for us because like, yeah, exactly as numbers obviously completely went down these last three games, but also like opposing rush yards per game went from ninety one point eight week six through fourteen to one hundred and forty fifteen through seventeen, like average.
Like it's just like game they ran into the teams that run the ball the best, yes, but and they ran into Yeah. I just I think that this is kind of just indicative of who the Steelers actually are and we were never going to know that until this back half of the backstretch of the season, not quite back half, but backstretch of the season because this is when they had all of the really tough competition backloaded.
Yeah, ass is this is going to be interesting.
One.
Do you think Russ has earned a contract for next year?
We're we don't. We don't need to.
That's that's a that's a conversation for a different time.
Playoffs right now, we'll say that, Okay, what he does in.
The playoffs is going to matter a lot.
All right, So it's coming in the playoffs.
I agree to.
All right, we're gonna take a quick break here when we come back. College football playoffs are in full swing.
Who you got? That's the next? On Fox Sports Radio.
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Welcome back to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitally. We are broadcasting live from the Tar Talk Coom Studios in Los Angeles. Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with Carme and me are.
Done with the Christmas the Christmas mandate, Yes, ye, yes.
On December twenty fifth, all grit, You're all granted a following orders.
All right, you guys, three more days until the college football quarterfinal round.
Three more days New Year's Eve?
Yeah, yeah, right now? Wait Sunday, Monday, Tuesday Outay.
Three more days.
Okay, So we're gonna kind of run through the matchups and have like who you got? So let's start with game one on New Year's Eve, the Fiesta Bowl Penn State against Boise State. Penn State is a heavy favorite at ten and a half.
This this kind of.
Kind of a weird matchup. Like, Boise States had a solid year. They had Ashton Genty, the running back who was like the Heisman Trophy runner up, breaking a bunch of records this season. But the reason they're here is because they won the Mountain West. I don't know if that's going to compare to these other top teams.
It's going to be tough.
We saw Pence absolutely crush SMU in the first round.
Well, if you're going off transitive property here, Boise State lost Oregon by only a field goal in Week two, and Oregon stomped Penn State in the Big Ten championship. So the fact that Boise State played Oregon closer than Penn State did it makes me think that.
Maybe we're not enough credit.
Okay, because that's how this works, guys, the transitive property translates into college football. I won't hear otherwise. No, I mean, I agin Genti is such a special player. He's the one that I am so excited to see. That's who everybody's excited to see. Yeah, and I do think he's I mean, he creates a matchup nightmare. For literally anybody.
He is an absolute bowling ball.
He's huge and fast and defies the laws of physics just every snap he takes. So I think that this might be a better game than people are giving it credit for. I also think that people that are whining that these games aren't you know, the stakes aren't high enough, and these these teams are too lopsided, I'm like, just wait and watch for sure.
Yeah.
Second of all, with an expanded playoff like we've had. You look at the NFL playoffs and when a seventh seed plays the two seed in the first round, that's very rarely is that a close game? So we're not owed any sort of you know, with an expanded playoff field, you're not owed any sort of taking hard whatever. I mean, I'm still gonna take Penn stay same.
However, it's going to be closer than anything.
Yes, my whole thing. It's going to be I would pick if I'm picking against the spread, Yeah, I'm picking Boise.
Okay, let's go to New Year's Day. Got three games Peach Bowl Texas against your Arizona State.
Texas A huge.
Favorite, thirteen and a half point favorite. I mean, this has been an incredible season for ASU. They were projected to finish last in.
The Big Twelve and they won.
Suck it.
It's been a Cinderella season already for ASU. You did it happened. Texas is going to be a heart out, a very hard out. Are you taken?
Are you?
Are you going with the heart obviously? Okay?
I mean I realized this is this is part of being a fan that I don't get to do with the NFL, but I will do in college football. Which is why I still watch it so religiously, is because I don't have to be rational. I have to say, oh, well, you know this is not gonna have a Listen, I get it realistic. The professional side of my brain it's like, yeah, Texas doesn't.
Really have a shot, YadA, YadA, YadA.
The lizard part of my brain that got fried in the sun all four and a half years I was at Arizona State absolutely believes that there's.
A chance here.
The delusional hope Texas.
Listen, Texas, there's it's not as if that they don't have faults, and it's not as if that they haven't had some inconsistencies this year. And again we're talking about Ashton genty being the difference for Boise State.
Uh huh, My guy, Cam Skataboo is like he is.
He finished fifth in high has been voting, which obviously there's a huge drop off from the top four to the fifth. He wasn't even invited to New York that flight. My dude has been building him Baltimore materiation. He has an increb like. He's been so incredibly productive for the ASU offense. He has been the ASU offense. Yeah, and that's that's not a slight to go with our quarterback or any of their receivers. But km's Kataboo is going to give ASU a fighting chance.
And I believe in my guy.
There you go. Okay, I'm going with Texas.
Let's get to these last two real quick, Rose Bull Ohio State versus Oregon, this is who This is the game I am so excited for. This was a fantastic game during the regular season when they met Cox.
So if you didn't see it, you're forgiven.
Yeah, Ohio State is a two and a half point favorite, even though Oregon beat them during the regular season, So I think that's going to give Orgon a little more added motivation permanent between two.
Big Ten teams.
I'm ready to claim conference periority right now with Big Ten. I also went to Northwestern guys. That's why I can claim the Big Ten. This is what happens when they have eighteen teams. You have a major bowl game. Yeah, you playoff game. Yeah between two Big Ten teamss. We've already played each other. But I mean Oregon beat Ohio State by one point last one back in Week five, yep, but they're playing better ball down the stretch. And I mean Ohio State somehow is still just reeling from I mean, Michigan is in their head to an incredible degree, but like they are just reeling from that loss. Still, Oregon beat Penn State forty five thirty seven in the Big Ten Championship, So I'm still gonna take Oregon.
I'm also taking Oregon.
Okay, last one Sugar Bowl Notre Dame against Georgia a little scary for Georgia because they won't have their quarterback Carson Beck. He got hurt in the SEC Championship game, but Gunner Stockton helped them rally from that like six three halftime deficit to beat Texas in the SEC Championship.
Georgia is that they recruit like hell ye, like it's pretty first career start.
You don't have Carson back, but first career start.
Yeah, but like it was gonna happen sooner e he uh yeah, so I'm sugar Bowl like Notre Dames. Defense is really good though, and uh, I really have a safety that I really can they have and and Jeremiah Love They're running back fantastic too, And there's gonna be a close one.
I saw.
I'm still taking Georgia though. Okay, as much as I sorry, Mike gold Junior, one of my best dies went to guy we all know, Mike gold Junior.
Sorry Mike, we all got it all right.
Now, let's check out with Martin Wise and see what's trending.
Well, the Chargers have locked up a playoff spot.
There will be a wildcard team in Jim Hartballs first year team improved to ten and six, five and three on the road today. Today's victim was the new of the Patriots, forty to seven.
The final score John Robert.
Pardon wild Yeah, it was, I mean, well, after you started watching, it was like this Patriot that this team's I can't believe that they kept there, so, I mean especially to your point, Carmon.
Because he did leave the game.
In the first half, went to the blue tent, went to the locker room, came back out, but to no avail, no second half points, so he could have stayed in the locker room at that rate.
Twelve for twenty two.
Drake May finished with one seventeen through the air and a touchdown pass to the Mario Douglas. Lad McConkie had two touchdowns ninety four yards, receiving three touchdowns for Justin Herbert.
Again, most of the starters.
Were out of there by the fourth quarter. The Panthers put Cuba Hubbard on IR with a calf strain. Dolphins downgraded quarterback to tunk about what had a doubtful with a hip injury. Tyler Huntley will get the start against the Browns if Tua cannot play. Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson will not play with foot and back soreness. Joe Flacco going against the Giants. Tony Pollard has the flu. Tennessee running back his status in jeopardy for Sunday's game at Jacksonville, and Jalen Hurst did not clear a concussion protocol enough time to play quarterback for the Eagles against Dallas on Sunday. Ball Hall of Fame first time finalists for the class of twenty twenty five are Eli Manningterrell Suggs, Luke Keighley, Marshall Yonda, and Adam Dennit Terry. In college football, the Yukon Huskies beat North Carolina twenty seven to fourteen, and the Fenway Bowl Nebrass could beat Boston College twenty to fifteen and the Penstripe Bowl.
Right now on the Pop tar Bulls.
Tied between Iowa State and Miami twenty one apiece and the Best Marketing in College Football twelve thirty left in the first half.
I have a box on the way telling me right now and I cannot wait. Pop Terry, Popterars, Bull set me pop Tarts.
Oh wow, I haven't gotten them yet. You know you're a little delayed.
But we need to talk because you get I want to get sent cool stuff too.
I'm about to say, can I meet your friends?
TCU They thirty four to nothing, laid over Louisiana and the New Mexico Bowl six three left in the third quarter. There you just heard the lady say Carson Back declare for the NFL draft Georgia quarterback he had Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm last week, and Bucks point guard dam Lillard. He's set to play today against the Bulls. He's missed the last four games. The Atlanta Hawks having eighty one to seventy two lead over the Miami Heat.
With four thirty four left in the third quarter. Alex back to you guys.
Thank you Martin. You're listening to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitally. We are broadcasting live from the tark dot Com studios in Los Angeles, and it is time for our first guest, Lions team reporter friend of the show, Danny Rogers.
Thanks for joining us.
Hey lady, thanks for having me. I'm glad this one finally worked out.
I know we're making you work on Saturday, despite the fact you don't have college football today and you've got college trouble every other day every other Saturday in this season. My girl is booked and busy.
We appreciate you being here, Danny.
And with just two games left, the Lions have still not locked up the division or the one seed in the NFC. This has been an epic division battle for the top. What's it going to take for Detroit to hold on and claim that top spot and get to buy first off.
To get this dang division once he locked up has been exhausting. If you would have told us coming in even thirteen wins wouldn't do it, I would have already been tired before the season started.
But this is so cliche, but they just have to keep.
Playing Detroit football, and it's really gritty, creative football. It's a next man up mentality as well. God there's been upwards of twenty guys put on IR this season, so the fact that they're still in the hunt for that one seed and that division title is pretty incredible. I know they keep wanting to put Kevin o'connall up for head coach of the Year and all that. That's fine, that's great, but like, come on, we'll get what this roster has had to do with all the injuries, and they're still a high probability Lions get the one seed. So I'm impressed by Dan Campbell and everyone in that building right now.
I mean, I've been saying it's kind of between Kevin O'Connell and mcdc, but I also think as a I don't know if it's consolation prize, but Aaron's Glen deserves Coordinator of the Year, Assistant of the Year. I mean, we talk a lot about this Detroit offense for good reason. We'll get there in a second, but I need to hear what you've seen from age just in the way that he has had to make up for all of these incredible losses, all of these guys going down at all three levels of the defense at different times.
Starting with Aiden Hutchinson all the way back in week six.
What have you seen from Aaron Glenn that has allowed him to make up for and kind of hide all of these deficiencies that they've had due to injury?
A stone cold killer. Yeah, that man like he's out for blood and you can tell every time he stepped to the podium and he talks and the way he coaches. But one thing that that was really interesting a couple of weeks ago when they had to bring in Jamal Adams, Kwan Alexander and a few more guys help bolster the game.
I just like bodies.
Yes, We're like, how are they all gonna go in and and contribute this weekend? How do you get everyone up to speed. And the biggest key is they're like, look, we do not care if they know thee If they know the playbook, like they can, they have a good idea of what scheme is. They don't have to know every play. What they need to know is how to play Detroit football. So how to clamp down upfront, how gritty and physical and tough those guys are up along the defensive line and not literally you see it every play with Brian Branch, that toughness that trickles all the way to the secondary. So if you understand how this defense looks and how they want you to play, you're going to be fine. And I mean Brad Holmes is the GM of the year because he keeps plus me guys off practice squads to come join these Lions and they've been fitting in pretty well.
Yeah, whoever, your pro scouts are cats off to them, break them some cookies for me or something.
YEP, I agree.
So Aiden Hutchinson was hopeful that he might be able to make a return the season if the lines made a deep playoff runt is there an update on his recovery and can he's still make it back? At some point during the postseason.
Oh gosh, you guys know, I'm I'm no doctor. God. I mean, we've seen him go on podcasts. You know that's not Lions or not in the sports world. It's Taylor Latner's podcast. They're really good friends. And he still says he's on track to come back if if Lions making deep run in the playoffs and get to the super Bowl. That's the only update we've gotten. It's not something we suck up or ask about. Everything I'm I have. I don't want to speculate on any of it. I think it was extremely difficult to come back and perform at the level that he would want to though well that they.
Need him to.
Yeah, I mean, yeah, I'm not. I'm not going to learn anything past in Hutchinson.
Yeah.
I saw it with the Buccaneers when Vidavea came back two games before the Super Bowl in the postseason, when they when they won the Super Bowl. The twenty twenty season, Viavea came back in the NFC Championship Game and was it absolute monster, played over half the snaps. None of us thought that he was gonna be able to do it. So stranger things have happened. Danny if you need some optimism here.
Optimism, Yeah, listen, I get it.
I get it.
Rather see nothing and then like be happy and surprise when and if it happens.
Okay.
I do want to get to the offense real quick, though, Danny, because I mean the creativity that we've seen. I keep referring to Ben Johnson as a petty king because he just seems to take what other teams do well and tell them I can do it better than you. Every single game we saw the Lions release the video from the mid the micd up from the fumble mumble stumble whatever? What did you hear from the guys leading up to that game? And then afterwards after it all worked.
Out, It was hilarious. Nothing they obviously they didn't tell us anything lean up to the game. But I got to Mirror Gibbs right after, who was also a decoy.
It was rolled on the ground and he was fantastic.
He's the one that gave it away to everyone because that didn't like he got slow, get up, please get off the ground right now. That was everyone's thought, We're like, what is he doing down there? But it decoyed? What fifty he told me after the game, It was fifty four. I think that was the number decoyed that defender long enough for sam Laforida to be open. So it all worked. It was funny they didn't. I don't know because right when I posted, when I interviewed john I don't know if he caught on to how quickly we all we all caught on right to the fact that it was a fake trip. But he was cracking up hysterically. They're just so glad it worked. Ben Johnson, I haven't seen him since that play in the building. I cannot wait to call him out on his dad moves.
And that the celebration after, Like, oh my god, how I hire the vibes with this team.
It just looks like everyone's having such.
Av that audacity. You can do whatever you want, Ben Johnson.
Yeah, I'm gonna tell him, Yeah, he's a petty dad with those moves, and I will tell him that. I hope he hears this, but yeah, it's it's been fun. It's just no one is being able to just be this creative in an offense at this high of an execution rate in the lines right now, and it's freaking awesome to watch.
I love that are the vibes as high as they look on screen like in real life?
Are they?
What are the vibes as high.
Like in real life as they look like for us watching like them on the sidelines and on screen?
Oh my gosh.
Yeah.
And I feel like I even probably told Carmen this, what three and a half seasons ago, when we had only won three games. I'm like, it's still is. It's fun to come into work every day like that never changed once, and that's when you knew that things were going in the right direction.
I love that.
Danny.
Thank you so much for coming on and giving all that insight and have so much fun this weekend.
I appreciate you, ladies. You're gratching it.
Hope see you soon. Bye, Danny, see you do.
Bye.
All right when we come back, you guys, the dudes and the don'ts in sports. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Welcome back to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Kurr here with Carmen Vitali. We are broadcasting live from the tark dot Com studios in Los Angeles. Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with CARMEI and me. It is time, you guys for the dues and the domes in sports.
Highlight.
So I love that putting the spotlight on the domes the subject brings me no joy.
That's insane.
It's time for the dues and the domes in sports.
Okay, I'm going to start with a do here. Do interact with your fans. Big shout out to Wenby this week, who had two epic fan moments. First, he did the cutest little jersey swap with the kid who looks like maybe like three or four years old, and took a photo of him holding like the little tiny Wenby jersey that he was wearing, and then the little kids holding up.
The giant Wenby jersey.
And then this morning, you guys, at nine thirty am Eastern, he tweeted, who wants to meet me at the southwest corner of Washington Square Park to play chess.
I'm there and he.
Was there playing fans and would ask why he did this, He said, I just felt like it, And he was there playing chess with fans in the rain.
He lost to du pros, but then beat his brother was having a great time.
Feel like we should amend that to being do interact with your fans unless you're Nick Sirianni, this is like he's just remember that from the earlier this year, was.
Yelling back, Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, okay.
All right, do use your opportunities wisely. So we talked about with Danny Rodgers about how Ben Jonson just the audacity of the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator. He called a trick play in which Jared Goff stumbled on purpose, Jamior Gibb hit the deck, Drea Gibbs hit the deck like he had accidentally fumbled the football. Coaches yelling fumble, fumble, fumble on the sidelines, trying to freeze the bare linebackers in place because of something that they had seen against Green Bay where Jordan Love actually did umbuld the ball and then his tight end came wide open.
End.
The play worked out well. Ben Johnson not only called this play against a division opponent, Yeah, he called it against a team that is reportedly interested in hiring him as their next head coach.
This was an extended interview people.
Johnson was showing the exactly what he's capable of and using his opportunities to the fullest. Yes, well done, Ben Johnson, my petty King, I adore you. I hope you really are intrigued by that Chicago job and aren't scared away from it save for various reasons.
Anyway, Also, like keep up those silly dances at the end.
That was so good. That was so good.
Okay, I have another.
Dude, do continue to support women's sports. This might have been the best year ever in women's sports. I'm going to run through a couple couple headlines here. The NTAA Basketball Championship eighteen point nine million viewers, more than the men's championship game first time ever. The twenty twenty four Pairs Olympics the first time that the Olympics featured an equal number of men and women. Then you had Simoone Biles, who solidified herself as the best and most decorated gymnast of all time. WNBA had a historic season, most watched regular season ever, private charters for the team, biggest brand deal's highest total attendance. The new women's soccer USA VERSUS England match set an attendance record over seventy eight thousand people. The NWSL Championship sold out for the first time. Record attendance for the NCAA Volleyball Final. The USA rugby at the Olympics, like it is just it has been.
The year for women. Everyone watches women's sports pretty.
Well, in women's sports, speaking of women involved in sports, yep, do respect royalty. Okay, because on Christmas Day we got to Beyonces. And my favorite part of all of this was something so small during so it was in the Texans game. Halftime of the Texans game, she rivaled any Super Bowl halftime I've ever seen with this performance from her boy Carter album. But post Malone was a special guest came out.
And if you notice it, I've clipped it.
I put it on my social media at one of the times that they were working back and forth to each other. Yeah, you just hear post Malone go yes Sam.
Yeah he calls everyone ma'am.
He does, but like in mid performance.
As he's singing, as soon as he's done singing Beyonce, they started singing to him and he goes yes ma'am and I was just like, yes, hey, homage to this woman who is just changing what we think of genres. As there were so many amazing things in that halftime performance as far as odes to black artists and country music with the women she walked out with you had the Texas Southern Band on the HBCU band on the field, there was a different design. Like all of the designs and the intricacies of the things that they were wearing, the custom Levi's denim that they were wearing, that all paid homage to different things that harken back to, you know, black artists and their impact on country music, which is not something you normally think of.
Just also, her daughter Blue Ivy out there dancing with her. She's been on tour with her all summer.
Twelve years old.
Yes, that's insane, you know, Like that was at like she just absolutely crushed it just there with that's so special. That's so special special. Okay, I'm gonna I'm gonna end this with a don't.
Okay, don't pull a WWE move in a basketball game.
I don't know if you saw this, but Draymond Green did a double arm hook pulled down while playing the Lakers. He was standing side for like free throw was happening, and he hooked onto two Laker offensive players and literally did a leap jump back and pulled them both down with them. Do we know what the WWE name for that is? Is there a name?
No? Anybody ww fans.
Ih.
Yeah, it's not as superlex, but it's I don't know it is. I feel like it's called something anyway.
I mean it was wild, like it was straight wild. It was so like that, like the fact he acted surprise was insane. All right, when do we come back? Who won Christmas? You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Welcome to our two of Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitali. Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with us. I hope everyone's having an amazing holiday break and happy in between where time does not exist and every day feels like a Saturday from Christmas to New Year's unless you work in sports, and then we're just here to entertain you. And that's what we've been doing all day, and we've been having a blast. It's already been a great NFL Saturday. Chargers are going to the playoffs walking in their wildcard spot with the win, and we got Broncos and Bangles right now, both these teams trying to keep their playoff hopes alive. Broncos up three nothing in the first.
Yes, we've got so many bowl games.
There are so many Bowl games going on right now.
The airs on a Snoop Dog.
Are you guys.
Okay, here's my question.
Just look at this, Just look at the field.
Here's my question. In the field, these bowl games used to be. It used to be like, oh, okay, you get all.
The swag, there's all perks and all these other things to like reward these teams.
That's what like bowl games were.
But now with nil because like I have to imagine, if the Snoop Dog's Arizona BWL, you probably get hooked up with some really fun stuff, like if any bowl is gonna give you like swag it.
Right, But does that even matter anymore? Now with nil?
No, because they're making so much money, they also just don't want to get hurt. And there's probably so many players that aven of the trains for portal by this time. Anyway, Martin, are you jumping in on this?
Like that's my question is like does this even matter? Does does the swag bags? Do the swag bags matter anymore?
Everybody loves free everyone stuff.
That's fair. That's fair.
I just I mean, you know, there's there's a whole lot involved, and I feel like more, more and more teams are like electing not to play bowl games and stuff like that. If you're just barely Bowl eligible, you don't want to.
Like, I think there's a lot on the line for this Pop Tarts Trophy. I mean, given that, I am not question.
At all the pop Tarts Ball that from toaster trophy.
We know it worked because it went off Dura in the in the announcer boots. Did you see the strawberries alive? He is alive strawberries. We have storylines, we have multi year storylines with the Super the.
Pop Tarts Bowl. It's just incredible.
I know.
I'm not questioning if anybody if it's worth playing the Pop Tarts Bowl at all. Trust me, the sprinkles along the sidelines. I'm hoping that there's a Pop Tarts cage match at halftime.
That's that's what I need.
We'll see from that. Also, if he gets any more.
Cagey than Pittsburgh Toledo was in Detroit, that was I've never seen a flagrant unsportsmanlike like that.
Yeah.
Apparently they both came out the same tunnel, so they were like primed up for that.
Yeah.
Yeah, And hey, listen, however, you need motivation in these uh in these these bowl games that aren't part of the college football Playoff.
I salute to all right, guys.
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Okay, let's get started with one of the big questions this week and debate who won Christmas? Was it the NFL? Was it the NBA? No, it was Beyonce. Beyonce One Christmas, you guys. Let's just put that out there. NFL viewership peaked on Christmas Day at twenty seven million during Beyonce's halftime performance.
It was seen in over two hundred countries, which I have to think is the appeal of Beyonce It's why Netflix paid lord no how much worth to Beyonce. I mean they already put up a lot of hundreds of millions for these games, the rights of these games in general, but then to also put on that halftime show, which, again, like I said before, rivaled any super Bowl halftime that wasn't seen that.
Was a super Bowl on to you probably.
Had to pay Beyonce on top of like paying for the performance itself. It was so good it was, I mean, yeah, and if it's gonna get over two hundred countries to tune into your app, it broke all kind of streaming records everything Netflix, I mean they got Honestly, I was really impressed. To aside from all of that because the Jake Paul Mike Tyson fight, there were so many glitches and issues and I think all of us were kind of collectively holding our breath going into these o is do they have the bandwidth? Is it going to freeze? Are there going to be technical issues? There was not a single non frozen frame.
And they joked about it too.
Beyonce put out a video the day before where like mid video, it did the glitch and you were like, oh, oh wait, no, she didn't know I was showing everybody. Okay, it was all right, phenomenal, hang all around, very well done, but like crushed it.
Yeah no, I mean that's the right answer. Is Beyonce winning the game? Yeah, winning Christmas, I mean, as she should. NFL is now the king of Christmas.
I mean the NFL game day reached a record breaking sixty five million US viewers and.
Average audience a twenty four million for Kansas City Pittsburgh, average audience a twenty seven million for Baltimore.
Yeah, that's incredible.
And then you had which is hard because Christmas used to be the NBA's day. Lebron James had some thoughts saying, I love the NFL, but Christmas is the NBA's day. But not anymore, buddy, Like, I don't know what you want. Like, you did have the most watched NBA Christmas in five years. You were up eighty four percent from last year, but you averaged five point two five million viewers per game and Lakers First Warriors peaked at eight point three two millions. That, like, that's still peak. Viewership was only a third of what the NFL got.
Yeah, I mean there's less NFL games, so every NFL game ends up drawing more than NBA games because there's something more. I personally was not happy about the fact that there were games on Christmas because of the way, because of Christmas being on a Wednesday. It wasn't necessarily that I have an issue with there being games on Christmas, but when it's on an unnatural day of the week like Wednesday or a two night NFL game, the amount of logistics it takes. And like, again, if you're gonna you're talking out of both sides of your mouth the NFL about player safety because you're saying you're doing all this stuff, you're changing the kickoff rules, you're doing all these things for playoff, for player safety. And then you turn around and you put two games, good games, games with actual implications where you can't rest starters on a Wednesday. And yes, those four teams played on the Saturday, so it's like a Sunday to a Thursday kind of schedule. And that's how you're rationalizing it to yourself. But then you look at Kansas City Chiefs who.
Are playing three games in eleven days. That's insane. That's not player safety.
No, you can't work.
That's the face of your league, the face of the league not but like even if it's not the face of your league, I mean, these guys, what they put their bodies through on a weekly basis. It's why the NFL only has seventeen games is because your body, physically, if you are even if you're an athlete, cannot take that big of a meeting. I mean, I've so many different players just about what it takes for them to recover and keep their body in shape and what it feels like after they played a game.
They all liken it to me as getting into.
A car getting hit by a car.
Yes, they told me that they wake up the next morning after a game feeling like they got hit by a car. And that's that's a standard, normal game where you came out.
A week healthy quote unquote.
Yeah.
So to have your just to have teams playing three games and eleven days, to have them playing on a Wednesday, I mean, was it really worth it? And the sad part is, yeah, this viewer, this type of viewership, this it's not going.
To stop now. It's no like you have Christmas, they have Christmas.
I mean, luckily we're getting into like a reasonable it's going to be on Thursday next year, right, because it'll just keep me right down, So like, well, we'll have a couple of years of like okay, but yeah, that's yeah, But then what do you do when it's on Tuesday. Tuesday Wednesdays are brutal. Those are brutal. But let's get to that Beyonce Bowl. The Christmas Game, two Ravens crushed the Texans and Lamar Jackson broke Michael Vick's record for career rushing yards by a quarterback and Lamar only he only needed eighty seven rushing yards entering the game to pass pick and he broke his record in one hundred and two career games, forty one fewer than Michael Vick took to get that record. And after the game he just said, you know, I'm grateful. That's a record that's been there forever a long time. Michael Vick one of my favorite players.
It's just out norfolks, stay woo.
Yeah, it's just crazy when you think of how the Ravens season started and there was like a little bit of concern the.
Zero to two losing to the Chiefs.
I mean that was like the toe on the line touchdown the din't count and then lost to the Raiders. But they're getting hot at the right time, like they're on a three game win streak. They've won four of their last five. And Lamar is playing better football than his two MVP seasons. He's got the best better completion percentage, more passing yards, better passing touchdowns to interceptions, better passer rating, and the most rushing yards that he's had. Like he he is making a real push to get that third MVP. Do you think he can steal the MVP from Josh Allen because right now Alan remains a favorite at minus two hundred, and Lamar jumped from plus four hundred to plus one fifty five.
I have an issue with calling it stealing. His stats are better than Josh Allen's. Like I realized that maybe that's what Vegas says that I know Vegas knows things, but listen, it's not stealing. Lamar Jackson has one hundred and twenty point seven passer rating that makes first in the league right now, thirty five thirty five hundred pasing yards, He ranks fifth second in passing touchdowns, his completion rate tenth in the league.
Plus on top.
Of that, he has eight hundred fifty tw rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. So I mean, I don't think he's gonna make the four thousand and one thousand like we thought that he might be able to do this year between four thousand passing yards one thousand rushing yards that ever been done. It doesn't look like he's going to reach that. Yeah, but you compare that to Josh Allen's stats. One hundred and three point five rating for Josh Allen, that's seventh in the league. He's got the ninth most passing yards, twenty five touchdowns was ranked sixth. His completion rate is only twentieth in the league. So sure, Josh Allen and I do think that this kind of comes down to, and I've talked about it multiple times before, of all right, how do you view the team around Josh Allen versus how you view the team around Lamargin.
Jack Bills wouldn't be there without Josh Allen.
But if this is an individual award, which it is, Lamar Jackson is out performing Josh Allen. Yeah, that's bottom line. You look at every single metric, and he is outperforming Josh Allen, and he's doing things that Josh Allen isn't doing now.
Josh Allen is a mobile quarterback.
But I really do think that, and this is why we were talking about it earlier. Where what do you do if you're the Buffalo Bills at this point because the Kansas City Chiefs have locked up the number one seed? Do you rest Josh Allen down the stretch now that you have nothing left to play for as far as seating goes, or you've locked up your division already Because if you do yes, you're going to rest Josh Allen and you're gonna rest some of your stars and that's gonna be good going to the postseason. But I really think that Josh needs to play a great last two games in order to win the MVP.
Yeah.
I think the MVP race is going to come down to the last game.
So you look at how Josh Allen played last week against the New England Patriots. That game was much closer than I think people thought it was going to be. Josh Allen was only sixteen to twenty nine for one hundred and fifty four yards and a touchdown and an interception.
He had six rushes for thirty yards. Did not play well.
Contrast that to what Lamar did on Christmas Day, putting on a show one and sixteen everyone for one hundred and sixty yards, two passing touchdowns, plus he rushed four times eighty seven yards and a rushing touchdown for Lamar Jackson like put on a show in you know, with his entire team because the Ravens absolutely dominated that game. But now you're looking at it like, Okay, if you want Josh Allen to get MVP, he has things to prove.
Right, he has to, But then it had I think it kind of comes down to, like you have to ask Josh Allen, what do you want to do? Are you going to try to go for this individual award or do you need rest? Because it has to come down to his decision at this point obviously these last two games.
Or Sean McDermott can can ben he's the head coach. Yeah, he can absolutely make that decision. It's not necessarily then, like if you're Sean McDermott, do you want to save Josh Allen for from himself? That's that's the big question. I think with the Buffalo Bills again, with the Kansas City Chiefs locking up the number one seed, you don't have anything left to play for. You've already locked up your division, so right now it is it is just chasing after an Indie visual award. Yes, And is that responsible or is that reckless? You have to have Josh Allen for the playoffs to have a chance at beating he is.
He is the team, he is the Bills.
Josh Allen elevated this team beyond what their roster looks like on paper. He has elevated the like the expectations for this team were not as high as what Josh Allen had for this team, and he has elevated them to surpass any and all expectations we had at the Buffalo Bills, given the departures they had and the injuries they had, all that kind of stuff across the board. Josh Allen is the reason that this team is winning. So what do you do with him? Is the main question to me?
Yeah, no, it is.
And then you got Saquon Barkley a distant third in this MVP race, and he's getting close to beating Eric Dickerson sees single season rushing record. It's currently two one and five yards, has eight hundred and thirty eight, so in two more games he needs two hundred and sixty eight yards to pass Edie. It's possible. He's had a two hundred and fifty yard game this season again the Rams, and he's had ten games over one hundred yards. So if if he reaches at and if he breaks the record, maybe he's in the convo. I mean, I mean the race is really between Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, and these last two games of the season, Saquon thrown his name in the hat.
Now Jalen hurts out.
I mean, we've been talking about this for a while now about Josh Allen having the MVP favorite odds given the fact that Lamar Jackson has now won it twice already and people are just don't want to give him the award, but his.
Numbers are better. And then he had his other two mvtas and.
It's resulted in uh in wins for the Ravens and productivity for the Ravens. Like it's it's resulted in team's success too. But you have that argument for Josh Allen as well. And then I think after that, when you look at Listen, Saquon Barkley season is incredible and it has mattered so much the Philadelphia Eagles because Jalen Or is not the guy that I mean, he makes that whole offense work, and we've seen what it looks like. Yeah, you know, but Saquon Barkley has been insulation for this Philadelphia Eagles offense on top of the fact that they have one of the best offensive lines in football.
So yeah, that's.
Kind of to me, one of the biggest I don't want to say a knock because I don't want to knock Seguon. What he's done is special and it's very very valuable. But when you look at the line he has in front of him, the Philadelpia Eagles have the best offensive line in football. Yeah, that helps a running back tremendously to where I feel like it takes away some of the like it takes away what the what running backs had to do in order to be successful. Like I could run through some of those holes that the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line and you know, no one else, We've never seen anybody else reverse Hurtle anybody. And like I said, everything that Sequon Barkley has done is been very very special this season. But you can't talk about Saquon barkley success without attributing some of it to Eagles offensive line, Whereas when you look at Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, they are elevating the team around them, They're not being elevated, if that makes sense.
Yeah, I mean you also like it. It's the guys around them.
Yeah, I been able to do. Josh Allen is the Bills, like he literally put the bills on his back. And it's a.
Team game regardless. But you have you're winning games because of Josh Allen. You're winning games because of Lamar Jackson. Yeah, you're winning games.
To some extent to what I was.
But when you've seen Saquon be limited, it's not just what the defense is doing against Saquon, it's do they have Jordan Malatta who was out for you know, a couple of years, Like do they have Lane Johnson who missed a game?
Like it matters.
The offensive line dictates so much of Saquon Barkley's success is my argument, and it's again, I don't want to I don't want this to come up like I'm taking anything away from Saquon.
Yeah, no, that's fair. We're gonna take a quicker here when we come back. Who's going to be the next head coach of the Bears and Caleb Williams. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Welcome back to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitali, coming to you live from the Tire dot Com studios in Los Angeles, and thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with us in the in between, in the in between, it's.
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So we're starting to get some reports, you guys about the Bears head coaching job we talked about this last week. This is a franchise defining hire that they have to get right, not just for the team, but for Caleb Williams if they want to see the full potential of the NFL quarterback that he can be. And there have been two names that made headlines this week. Pete Carroll was one of them. Former Seahawks head coach said he's interested in in the Bear's job. And then the hottest name on the market, Ben Johnson, the line's offensive coordinator, is intrigued by the Bear's job. But let's start with Pete because he's seventy three years old, he's a defensive coach.
He did have massive success at the college level, so he could.
I guess, kind of help with that transition to the NFL game and build.
But if you.
Go with Pete Carroll, you have to have a top tier offensive coordinator who's going to help develop Caleb Williams. How realistic do you think this candidate is.
I don't know why p Carroll wants to problems.
I listen, there's so much dysfunction in the Bears organization, as evidenced by the fact that this is the third time in a row, fourth time in my lifetime that they're even in this scenario where they've taken a quarterback in the first round and then fired his head coach less than a year later. That is tough.
The organization does.
Not have a good reputation within NFL circles of people I've talked to everything like that. They know it's a tough place to get anything done to and there's so much red tape that you So I don't know why Pete Carroll would want this gig first and foremost, But what is intriguing about a guy like Pete Carroll and why it matters is getting an actually experienced coach to come in. And it's not necessarily that he has the experience himself. It's because of the staff he could bring in. You have the network. If you're Pete Carroll, you do you know all of the best kind of brightest minds in the NFL. You know who you could bring in that would that that would get the most out of Caleb Williams as an offensive coordinator. You know, you could be the CEO head coach and not even call the defense if you're Pete Carroll.
If bringing in somebody else.
Could create a watch too.
That's why I've advocated for like think like I think I would like a guy like Mike Rabel, who is a culture guy, but also as a proven track record of bringing in his first coordinator.
When he got the head job in Tennessee.
Yeah, Matt Lafloor, Yeah, after that Arthur Smith Yeah, both had coaches.
Yeah, and say what you want about Arthur Smiths as a head coach, but as an offensive coordinator, he's clearly very good. And Mattletfloor again, thirteen win seasons abound in Green Bay, so he knows how to identify talent. And that's the most important thing to me about whoever the Bears higher is. I want it to be a guy that is a culture builder, because it's something that the Bears have struggled with basically my entire lifetime. Outside of I think Olivia Smith, Ears were pretty good. Yeah, but you need to get an experienced guy that can then have a network or bring in his network. And that's why a guy like Pete Carroll would be appealing again at this stage of his life at somebody I got he's a young seventy.
Three because he is he he is.
But like, why you want the problems of overhauling an organization like this, it's it's not going to be easy. And this is what I've been talking about this entire like so far since the Bears fired Matti Reflus of your coaching candidate. Pool is going to be affected by the reputation your organization has. Of course they are, and I'm very interested to see what ends up happening with Ryan Poles. I don't think he's deserved to get fired, but I do think that there is some friction at the top because when Ryan Poles was hired, Kevin Warren was not there. Their team president, Kevin Warren got hired and then put over top of Ryan Poles, which is not something Ryan Poles initially agreed to. So and then again, that gives you if you're a head coach coming into this, that means you're below the general manager, who's below the team president, who's below ownership. So you now have to get through all four of those levels before you even get to talk to ownership about making decisions or what you need for this football team or anything like that. I do think that Pete Carroll could cut through some of that, given his track record and experience.
He could. I just don't know why he wants these problems.
And then the hottest name on the market, Ben Johnson, is intrigued by the Bears job.
I mean I would be too if I was.
If I hung audacious Johnson.
Is he's gonna have a lot of options. He's gonna have literally his choice able to write check. It's going to be what what quarterback does he believe in that he can work with and that franchise that will allow him to help grow a quarterback is that's probably going to be his best better.
I mean, he's seen an organizational turnaround. Yeah, he didn't do it because it was Dan Campbell who was the CEO, he coach. It was the culture guy that kind of really turned around the belief and Ben Johnson is the ex's and o's guy. So honestly, when you look at the roster Chicago, I have to imagine he's salivating at that because usually a head coaching job doesn't come with this much talent. So I get that he's intrigued and that he has this fire to be a head coach, which he also talked about just in a generic sense. But I am still not convinced that he leaves his gig in Detroit, especially if they don't win a Super Bowl.
Yeah, if they don't.
Win a Super Bowl, I don't necessarily.
Know the job's not den throwing anywhere.
Yeah, job's not done.
And He's got a really cushy gig in Detroit. All he has to do is tinker with the offense. He at this. I know he got a raise before this season that the numbers aren't public as to how much he makes. Okay, but he has to be at this point one of the highest paid offensive coordinators in the league.
You would imagine they paid everyone Affice.
They paid They paid it like players, they paid staff, everybody. So and he's warranted that. So it's like, all right, is the extra few.
Million worth it?
Is it worth it to be one of the thirty two And for a lot of guys it is. Yeah, but this is not for the faint of heart in Chicago. This is something that they have not been able to do for decades. Yeah, my entire lifetime.
Yeah, it's gonna be rough. Let's check it with Martin Wise and see what's trending.
Well, just under five minutes left in the first half, the Broncos have a three to nothing.
Lead on the Bengals. Well, I mean the Bengals have been They're.
Begging the Broncos to put a drive together here they failed a fourth and one in the first quarter. Jamar Chase dropped the potential goal ahead touchdown pass in the second quarter. Joe Burrow leading all players with eighty one yards passing twenty eight yards for Chase Brown on the ground, my Koseki leading the Bengals with forty yards receiving. They have the ball on their own thirty eight yard line. This, Yeah, you're absolutely right, barn Burner shades of Thursday Night Football six to three Bear, Seahawks over the Bears.
Session turnover on down for the Bengals. Come on, look, I did the math earlier.
Today is the winning teams have had one hundred and three points I guess now one hundred and six points to twenty two points for losing teams since Wednesday from through to week sev Yeah, bad ball.
Speaking of bad ball in the NBA, Now I was fine.
The Hawks beat the Heat one twenty one ten Tyler Hero twenty eight points, seven rebounds and ten assists. In college football right now at Iowa State and Miami ran A playing a halftimeber the pop Tars Bowl.
Thirty one to twenty eight. Cam wore Miami in the lead.
Cam Ward with three touchdown passes one hundred and ninety through the air. The snoop dogg Arizona Bowl. That's Miami of Ohio and Colorado State. The RedHawks have a six to three lead over Colorado State in oft SE. NFL some got some injury news to Chungue by Loa downgraded to doubtful with the hip injury. Tyler Huntley will start if TUA can't play Dolphins one and three without two of this year. Quarterback Anthony Richardson ruled out for Indianapolis with footing back soreness. Joe Flacco gets the start against the Giants. Tony Pollard has the flu and did not travel with Tennessee. The running backs status is in jeopardy for Sunday's game at Jacksonville, and Jalen Hurts did not clear from cunsion protocol and enough time to play against Dallas on Sunday.
Because of the Pro Football.
Hall of Fame first time finals for Class of twenty twenty five, Eli Manning, Toro Suggs, Luke Keigley, Marshall, Jonda and Adam vinnet Terry, Georgia quarterback Carson Beck declared for the NFL Draft. He also had Tommy John surgery in his throwing arm last week. And Bucks point guard Damian Lillard set to play today against the Bulls.
He's missed the last four games due to soreness. Carmen, Now it's back to you guys.
Thank you Martin listening to Fox Football Saturday and Alex Courie with Carmen Vitally. We are broadcasting live from the Tart dot Com Studios in Los Angeles and it is time for our next guest, NFL dot Com Rider and friend of the show, nixt Ship.
Thanks for joining us.
It's my favorite two women in the Yeah.
Flattery will get you everywhere.
How are you?
I'm fantastic. Thanks for having me on.
We love it.
Let's start in the AFC North and Lamar Jackson and the Ravens have been rolling, controlling their destiny right now.
How impressive has this team been down the stretch?
No, I mean they've been fantastic. You know, we've seen their potential in spurts earlier in the season. You think about that game against the Cowboys and they ran out to a big lead and the Cowboys made it interesting, but they held on. We've seen other games they just dominated with the ground attack. But what's really impressive about them? What was impressive about them? In their most recent win was the fact that they could beat you in any way. They ran the ball like crazy. They're running traps and influenced traps and all kinds of stuff and just getting whatever they wanted on the ground. And then you have Lamar back in the pocket, one of the better pocket passers in the NFL. When he's got time to survey, he's throwing the wide open guys more often than any of the quarterback in the NFL. And he did whatever he wanted in that game. He took off on a read option for a touchdown run. Like you know, people who like to hate on him and say he's not a good passers simply aren't watching ball. They're not watching the tape with how he's playing right now. So they're on fire. They're sitting at the right time, and especially at a perfect time when the Steelers are kind of figuring out the new because they thought they were. So I think they're gonna win the division and they're gonna make some noise in the playoffs. It's gonna get real interesting something.
I don't know if it was you that said this earlier in the season or before the season even started, but when the Ravens acquired Derrick Henry.
It was seen as they move not just obviously.
For the immediate and for this season, but it was to help them sustain playoff success. And so how much do you think that Derrick Henry being added to this roster will now matter in the postseason? How much more sustainable does that make their offense so that they aren't one hundred percent reliant on Lamar to score points.
I mean, it depends. It's not not going to decide to hand the ball to running back more than eight times in the affair because what he said.
Last year and it didn't matter.
Who you had run in the football. I think Derrick Henry's presence will remind him that they can lean on him. That's what's really been most impressive about them. And they haven't been a perfect team by any stretch of the imagination. I mean the game they lost.
To the Browns and he's look at the record overall, like you've watched them play football and you're like, how do they have this many losses? And that they wouldn't just good And I think they've kind of worked through some of the growing pains.
Some teams have done well at bottling up Henry, but the da alone that you have him available in those situations makes you that much more dangerous as an offense. And I think that's really the element they lacked last year. You know, they knock on Dobbins before he got hurt. No knock on Guss Edwards and Keithon Mitchell and Justice Hill and everybody else that they've had back there. But none of them are Dereck Henry, and none of them strikes fear in the hearts of opposing defenses like Derrick Henry, nor do they stiff arm guys into oblivion what Henry does. So you know, it's funny because like we think about the Ravens and they had Greg Roman az Oci and they were this dominant rushing attack. I'd take them now over then. And that's really what's scary about them, because they've upgraded offensively. At receiver, Tod Munkin knows how to open up this pass the game. Lamar has more control of the line three snap and you're seeing you know, I wouldn't say it's the peak, but it's probably the best of the Ravens offense has looked since Lamar joined the team. And that's a scary thought for other teams.
Well, yeah, I mean Lamar's putting up better numbers this season, that is two MVP seasons, but he's still behind Josh Allen as the MVP fave.
Who has your MVP vote right now?
Because you know, I understand voter fatigue with Lamar. I get it. I think last year was kind of a weird situation where there was no clear favorite, and if Dak Prescott hadn't blown a complete tire in Orchard Park late in the season against the Bills, I think he would have made it really interesting. You could admit a case for chrisim mccaffre as well. It's way end up the offensive player of the year.
It's funny though, because two years in a round now we've had a team go play an Orchard Park and have a plunker. Last year it was the Cowboys and Dak Prescott with an MVP candidate. This year was jossh Allen having a bit of a clunker against the Patriots. So I think it's brought it back to Evan or close to Evan. Lamar has had a phenomenal last.
Two games and it's going to be really interesting. And this was last week week and a half to see what happens. I would probably put Alan ahead just because of who the Bills have become with Joe Brady as the offensive coordinator and the way he's just been so valuable to that team. But it's really hard to ignore what Lamar has done and if he's trying to make a case for that MVP, he's doing a hell of a job right now.
Yeah, And I think there's there's something to be said about elevating a team and how Josh Allen has been able to kind of eleve a roster that isn't as stacked as perhaps the Ravens are.
But another player that I mean is.
Going completely overlood and I understand why because the team isn't doing super well, but it's a guy like Joe Burrow who has elevated within every limit that he possibly can.
And it's just I can't quit the Bengals this year, Nick.
She can't.
I can't do it, do it. And I'm watching this game against the Broncos and I'm like, oh my god, you guys don't even deserve to be in the playoffs right now if you can't handle the Broncos right now, And like what what what do I what?
What do the.
Bengals need to to shock the world at this point?
Well, I mean they need to win out, they need some help, and it's pretty sample. They need to look in the mirror and acknowledge the fact that they put themselves in this position. It's the leaky defense that couldn't stop a nose bleeders in the beating. It's funny though, because they're not the commanders at the time that lost the commanders as shocking and then we've seen what the commanders are this year. But okay, that kind of makes sense. But I give them no excuse, no break at all, because their defense has not lived up to expectation. Joe Burrow, on the other hand, I can't quit him either. I can't quit the Bengals, but I can't quit Joe Burrow. He's having one of the best.
Seasons quarterbacks for a team that may not make the playoffs that I could ever remember. And people, you know, I do QB Index every week.
And they're like Burrows two highs.
Team's got a losing record.
First off, QB or wins are not a.
QB stat Yeah, thank you, Nick. And secondly, he's playing out of his freaking mind. He just set a record for most games with three passing touchdowns at three hundred plus passing yard in the history of the NFL. He's on fire. He's been phenomenal. He's coming off of a wrist injury that made people pay attention. Now he was holding the water bottle in a football. So if you consider all of that, yeah, you have to think he's got a case.
But I hate so much how it's based on team performances and.
Out of it.
I think if they were one of the top two or three teams in the AFC, he'd maybe be in the front or right there with Josh Allen for the award.
Nick, real quick before we let you go.
Chiefs obviously clinching the one seed and the AFC can now rest for three weeks until the visional round.
Are you picking Kansas City to pull off a threepeat?
Oh? You know what's going to put me on the.
Spoting I know, real question.
Here's the thing, I'm gonna say, no, Okay, And then we're going to be in New Orleans and you and Carmen are all going to be fitting there, and we're going to be four days away from the Jesus the Super Bowl again. Okay, yes, that's the way it goes. You know what, I'll say this, until they're not there, I will expect them to be there.
And I think a.
Lot of that has to do with how Andy Reid has done a masterful job.
You know we did. We did Coach of the Year ladders on NFL Daily recently and I didn't put Andy Reid in my top five because he just is who I expected to be as the greatest currently active coach. The we have the Goats all the time, and we'll do the currently active coach with the GKAC whatever that acronym. But like, he's done a phenomenal job with a team that has lost weapons, that had does not have a good offensive line.
Joe Toney's playing tackle for them right now. I know Mahomes is having a great year, even if it's not spectactular, and it all starts at their coach. So yes, until they're knocked out, I am not going to get.
Them over one Coach of the Year I remember as the Kansas City Chiefs head coach.
That's insane.
I'm going to this year.
It's not going to that insane. Nick we appreciate you so much. Thank you so much for coming on and giving all your insight.
No, thanks you ha me on love you yet.
Thanks ive you.
All Right, We're gonna take one more break here, but when we come back, we're making our Week seventeen NFL picks.
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Welcome back to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitali. We are broadcasting live from the Tark Talk Coom Studios in Los Angeles. Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon the in between.
With Carme and me.
We hope you had a good time with us, because we did. And we're gonna wrap things up with our Week seventeen NFL pick. So Producer Bo lead us through here.
Okay, so real quick, here your trusted producer Patrick. He says that Carmen went four and one last week and Alex went three and two. Yes, she did bring your current records to forty nine in thirty for Alex and forty seven.
So yeah, come back, come back.
Every time I wish I got subscribed. That's all the comeback is on.
We're going to start with the Cardinals at the Rams tonight in Los Angeles. The Rams a six and a half point favorite.
Rams are fighting for the NFC WES. They are playing for their playoff hopes Seattle one this week already, so they need to win. I'm taking the Rams here. It's it's always scary though.
When it's a divisional game and one team has nothing to lose.
Cards are out, so it's like you just want to do whatever you can to knock them out and not see them get it.
But they need to.
Win, and then Week eighteen is going to be a win and you're in and that's going to be such an exciting game.
Yeah.
I have the Rams to eighty one point two percent playoff chance right now, which is the same as winning the division, because they need to win the division or.
Get in the NFC wildcard race.
Is yeah, yeah, basically because the NXE NORD.
So I'm gonna take the Rams.
I don't know that the Cardinals have the culture quite yet to be the ones to kind.
Of like play out of spite.
Yeah, I just don't see that.
I don't see that fire from the Cardinals quite And feel great to put me wrong, because you're right, division games.
It's always weird, always weird.
All right.
Next up, the Dallas Cowboys what's left of them, head to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles wearing their Kelly Green jerseys tomorrow. Eagle's a seven point home favorite in this one.
Yeah, well, the Eagles are gonna be without Jaalen Hurts, so that's and like the Cowboys have actually been playing some good football, leave it to the Dallas Cowboys to start trying when it doesn't matter anymore, like December Kings when it doesn't matter. I actually am taking the Cowboys in there. It's really interesting. I know it's in Philadelphia, so that's that's. I don't know, I'm just something just tells me to take the Cowboys because you know what they will play out of spite they hate.
They will know they will. I mean, yeah, without.
Jalen Hurts like a Saquon AND's gonna do things. But I don't know if it's gonna be enough.
This is tough because they did not look good without Jalen Hurts last week.
I am gonna take.
The Eagles just because they have so much to play for and can clinch the NFC East with a win. Small chance, not looking great to get that one seed, but I just I think it'll help that Ceedee Lamb is officially out for the Cowboys. But yeah, I'm gonna take the Eagles here. I'm just hoping the home field advantage helps.
The funniest thing possible is the Eagles losing and then forcing a game, a game in New York against New York.
But they have to win to win the Pagant.
Yes.
Yeah, and they all hate each other already, so it'll be really good. Next up, the Packers a one point favorite, although I think this has moved towards the Vikings.
I believe the change.
The Vikings are one and.
A half point favor right now. Oh okay, I will double check while you guys are talking, But yes, the Packers at the Vikings. Close game either way.
Yeah, I mean again, a divisional matchup with a lot on the line here. Vikings are on an eight game win streak. They're a lottest team, like one of those teams in the NFL right now, they're flying under the radar. They're playing for that one seed in the NFC and win the NFC North. It's going to be a great game either way. But I'm going to give the home field advantage and playing for Tad Mooren to the Vikings here.
Yeah, this is a total toss of.
The Packers are playing some phenomenal football Toyota than Jordan Love and the total Backs right now. But on top of that, their defense has figured out how to get pressure after that bye week, and they are They're a complete team.
They're very, very scary.
Yeah, the Vikings, though, I just I want this all to come.
Down a Week eight team.
I know, I want the Vikings Lions to mean as much as possible, So this is just wishful thinking, but I want I'm picking the Vikings, okay.
Yeah, And the Vikings have became a one and a half become a one.
And a half way what is one and a half point?
Yeah?
The Atlanta Falcons head to Washington hig on the Commanders, two rookies facing off against each other and Michael Pennix and Jane Daniels. The Commander is a four point favorite at home here.
Yeah, I'm going Commanders at home. They're playing good football again. They're still trying to keep pace with the Eagles. There's still a chance, especially if the Eagles, you know, end up losing like this is.
This is a toss up in this division. They hate each other.
So I'm going with the Commanders at this point, despite the fact the Falcons of everything to play for you. Yeah, Nancy sound is a real toss up, but I want it to go.
I love I love these games, like there is so much on the line down the stretch, Like this is what you want to see at the end of the season.
The NFL backloaded divisions. Guy, I know, I know, I schedules.
I'm going to take the Commanders. Jane Daniels has just had himself a rookie season. I think he finishes it strong, gets the win, it clinches a playoff spot.
All right, real quick?
Last one Lions three and a half points on the road in San Francisco against the Niners.
It's going to be the Lions. They're playing for the one seed and the division. They need this. We heard Dan Campbell say no matter what, he's not rusting anybody. They're they're going They're going to win. They're gonna win, and he never would.
They're playing great football despite all of their injuries, very complete football. And the forty nine ers are decimated by injury. They have no more motivation. They have nothing to to play for.
Lions Lions.
Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon in between with us. We'll see you next week, same time, same place,
