Mark Willard and Ephraim Salaam discuss if the Steelers and Mike Tomlin need to change their approach, especially after George Pickens recent comments after the playoff loss. Mark and Ephraim also talk shop on the Eagles dismantling the Packers and ponder about why AJ Brown was sitting on the sidelines reading a book. Plus, the guys talk more about the Justin Herbert situation, the upcoming MVP bowl between Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, Brock Purdy's contract decisions, and much more!!
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Great radio. Let's go. Let's go the playoff into the playoff night we go, Baker Mayfield, Jadeen Daniels. The watch party is about to begin here on Fox Sports Radio. We cannot wait. We've been talking about these guys all year long, so let's get it on and we start off with this. Ephraim. I'm reminded it was either a week or two ago I was getting the story from you about how you and your lovely met and how you started your relationship. You remember sharing that story, yes, And this was classically one of those things where you told me it was pretty quick to when you just quote knew, you just knew. And how many great relationships do you know where when you ask them, you know, young person's like, how do you know when you're in love? Well, the answer is because there's no other good answer. You just know, just know, you just know. Well, Pittsburgh Steeler fans, now's that time, isn't it. I don't know what the change is. I just know it's time for something, but it's time for something to be different with Pittsburgh Steeler Nation.
Yeah, I you're right. And before we start, let me just say me here being in southern California, Oh, thank you for this my bad shout out to all the man and look at it. And I'm telling you, man, it is it is a sight. Man, it is heartbreaking. It is gut wrenching to see the devastation of these fires. People are losing everything. And when I mean everything, I mean everything, including some loved one. And it is you know, our hearts here at Fox Sports Radio Serious XMI Heart Radio, we our hearts go out to those who are being affected by this. If you can help, donate time, energy, it doesn't have to be money or you know, close whatever it is you can do to help. Because the fires are still going. I'm talking about whole neighborhoods. It's not like in the mountains. I'm talking about their whole city's gone. And shout out to the first responders, to firefighters from all over the country who've come in and out of the country in some cases to lend a helping hand. We packed up when there was a you know, the Hollywood Hills fire. Then there was a fire right down in Sherman Oaks, so we had, you know, packed up and on the ready and ready to go. These fires are still going. Thank god. We've had a break on with the wind, but the win is supposed to pick up again. So keep those who are affected in your prayers and anything you can do that you think you can do to lind a hand, Linda Han, bring food, bring water. These firefighters are going, you know, twenty four to forty eight hours straight without any rest because they're fighting and fighting and fighting. So shout out to all the first responders and those out here trying to save lives and protect property.
Thank you for putting first things first, because it's something that I'm sure people around the country, especially if you don't know the area, you can't really wrap your head around. And you know, I've moved from southern California, but when I live there, it was pretty dang close to a lot of the stuff that is being affected. So there are plenty of friends and loved ones and whatnot who are in this area. I know you are still in the area. We know if you're a faithful listener to the network that Fox Sports Radio is in the neighborhood to the point where we had to shut down operations temporarily this week, and so this has been this has been something and I just i'm almost a from I'm afraid to really dive into what this the after math, which I know we're not there, we're not in aftermath, we're not fully there yet, but like, I'm afraid to see what this looks like because this is not a forest fire. This is not a forest fire for people who you know, don't live in California, and you hear people politicize stuff like this and get into this, that and the other about what's going on. This is not a forest fire. The fire hydrants were full. This is a disaster of epic proportions going through unbelievably beautiful residential neighborhoods. And it's overwhelming. It's overwhelming. I there's there are just no words for what for what everybody's going through there. So I appreciate you putting that off the top, because that that should have been what both of us said first. So so thank you for that.
Absolutely.
And I'm and I'm thinking of you, and I'm and I'm thinking of of all of our co workers, and I'm thinking of everybody who's listening to us on AM five seventy right now in southern California. Just awful.
Yeah, And listen, it's awful, it's anohing. We can we could just you know, with that said, we could try to entertain you and maybe you got your headphones on. You're sitting somewhere in the gym or an evacuation center. You just want to get away from the reality of the horrific reality of what's happening right now. So you know, for those who are seeking solids, just sit back and relaxing and and we're going to carry you, carry you through this thing for at least three hours.
Today, no doubt, no doubt. Yeah, it's uh, it's one way or another. It seems like those tough times are never very far away from everybody right now. But yes, we hope that these NFL playoffs or anything that we have fun with or to say tonight, gives you some sort of distraction that feels good in the moment. So here we are, here, we are getting ready for the football game that they put on Sunday night, because one way or another, I think they feel like these are some characters that people like watching, from a Jayden Daniels to a Baker Mayfield to a Mike Evans. And on another front, I think that we're probably expecting some fireworks tonight, and I kind of said that earlier. I think you're gonna need to score thirty points to win this football game. So here we go, man, buckle up, and this is your squad. You've been talking about him since before the year started, So here's where we get to see how ready they are for this particular year.
Yeah, and look, we saw a little bit earlier. We saw bow Nicks running to a bus. Saw. You know, there's a reason why a rookie starting quarterbacks don't farewell in their first playoff payers. I think three guys have won their first two playoff games out of all the rookie starting quarterbacks. It's tough to do, and the level of maturity that you need to have, it's real. The one thing as a rookie coming out of the preseason and starting the regular season, I was like, Wow, this is different, right, because there's stages and their levels to this. So coming out of college and getting into the preseason, you're like, Wow, this is fast, this is intense, and then that level goes up again. That speed, the intensity of the moment goes up again when you come from preseason into regular season, right because now these count these things matter. And once you get through the regular season and then you go into the playoffs, as if it was possible, this increases again because this is it. It's a it's a winner, go home. There's a lot on the line, and so the attention to detail is greater, the speed is faster, and so as a rookie, a young rookie, and I, you know, I went through all those phases and started, you have to be able to jump in because it's it's intense. And as as a quarterback, as the leader of a team in an offense, that could be a little bit daunting because everybody's looking at you to set the pace, set the tempo, don't make mistakes. And when we saw how difficult it was for for both for both Knicks earlier.
Well, no doubt. I mean, if you really look at a lot of the guys throughout the NFL who we love, winning a playoff game, my god, it's hard.
Oh my goodness.
You're like, think of some of the really great quarterbacks and then think of how many of them where you only need one hand to count how many times they've won a playoff game. And I'm thinking right now, like for example, and I should look this up, but I feel comfortable jumping into this if memory serves correct. A player like Matt Stafford, who's won a Super Bowl, I think you can use one hand and count as playoff wins. We've got this MVP Bowl that's now set for next week. That's what they're calling it. It's gonna be Lamar Jackson versus Josh Allen. Guess what you could look at it from the standpoint of these two dudes are just they are restaurant quality, man like. For my money, these are the two best players in the NFL, right and one of them is going to go to the AFC title game again. But guess what one of them is gonna do it again, which t is to say you're gonna make the playoffs and not really go anywhere of significance. It's so incredibly difficult as a quarterback to a mass playoff victories. I think we could have that conversation on an in depth level about both of these guys that we're gonna watch tonight and what it means for their careers going forward.
And what you realize is things have to go right. Everything has to go right. You cannot make mistakes. We just watched Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers. Just from the beginning of the game, they weren't ready to play opening kickoff, you fumble, you give up points, and then you turn the ball over two more times after that. That means you're not ready to play dropping passes like it's you have to be locked in and buttoned up. It's very difficult to lose the turnover battle and win a game in the regular season, let alone the playoffs. If you give a playoff team that many more possessions, and that's what a turnover is for those who are not quite sure why you're giving the team extra possessions. So I guess, and I don't have the numbers to back this up, but I would say on average, a team in any quarter would get two to maybe three possessions in any quarter. If you can push that up to five possessions a quarter, your chances of winning that quarter and that have in that game grow immensely. That's what it's about. It's about you possessing the ball longer than the other team, and if you can force the turnover that gives you an unscheduled possession, that's what it's all about. And if you're careless with the ball, it's hard to get those possessions back.
Who do you like in this game tonight?
I like Washington. I like Washington in this game because I believe that the Jaden Daniels is is is young enough to not understand just what this is. Right when we when I watched Bo Nicks hit Buffalo in the mouth from the beginning, yeah, first job, it was like, oh, okay, so this this is that that ignorance right like, this is that I'm just going out here and I'm slinging this thing now. Buffalo batten down. I was some yeah, some shaky you know, you know, play calling and stuff like that. But you know, shout out to Buffalo. They are, you know, one of the top teams uh in AFC. But if you can stay on that level of trajectory. The thing I love about Jason Daniels is he can just go when things break down, which they will. We saw Lamar Jackson do it a bunch yesterday. I Mean, they had no answer for his ability to extend plays with his feet, and he came out with the notion of, oh, I'm not You're not gonna catch me sitting in the pocket, right They had a bunch of of of call to quarterback runs just to set the tempo to loosen the defense up, and he literally dismantled them the Steelers after that. So I would think Jayden Daniels would have they would have that sort of approach to him. You have to give the defense something else to worry about. If you can slow down the rush with your ability to scramble, then that means you get time in the pocket to throw the ball down the field.
I can't wait to see this one. We haven't seen a one score game yet. Do you think this is it?
I want to say yes, just in terms of a fan and enjoying the game.
But probably all double digits. Oh really, you like Washington by double digits?
I do? I do. Now, Look, and I don't want to take anything away from Baker, but go ahead, we'll talk about it on the other one.
We'll talk about it. Yeah, because this thing's about to get started. We set the table with the Steelers. We want to talk out out as well. We will. All of it is about to unfold here tonight, so stay with us. We're broadcasting live from the tire rack dot Com Studios. Tire rack dot Com will help you get there, an unmatch selection and fast free shipping, free road hazard protection, and over ten thousand recommended installers Tirec dot com the way tied buying should be. We're wishing you a happy New Year. We're wishing you absolute safety for everybody out there and gratitude for everybody who is fighting it with E from Salam, Mark Willard Fox Sports Radio.
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search FSR to listen live.
We're expecting some fireworks and the opening drive did not take me away from that opinion. Bucks will have an interesting call here. Okay, they're going to decline a penalty on a made field goal, so field goals good would have set up fourth. In real short they could have gone for it. But the Bucks probably have been listening to E from Salam on the radio the last few weeks and they're like, no, no, no, he told me that fil goes cool.
Dog.
Let's take that three h three nothing Bucks fifty yard field goal by mcglofflin on the opening drive. As we come to you live tie reck dot Com studios. Any reactions to that opening drive.
No, I thought it was I thought it was good. You know, nerves out there, drop past his you know, stuff like that. But it's this is playoff football, man, It's exciting. It's exciting. What I was, what I was saying before break, Yeah, yep was. You know, Baker has reinvented himself. But with someone like Baker, and this is a you know, this could be a bad or a good thing. Baker is always trying to prove himself. He has a chip on the shoulder. We get it, and so you force a lot when you do that. And I would I would hope he wouldn't put the ball in harm's away trying to do too much. So that's my only hesitation there with Tampa Bay.
I get it. And I got a different question about Baker Mayfield for you, and it's this. You said, he's reinvented himself. There's no arguing whether or not Baker Mayfield is a good player. He threw for forty five hundred yards, forty one touchdown throws, sixteen interceptions. A little hot, that's hot. That's a lot.
And that's that's the thing. And that's I think that's your point. That's your point. But Baker's a good player. He's in that interesting spot.
He sort of sits now where I think Sam Darnold now sits in terms of free agency, depending on what Sam does tomorrow night and where that goes next. He's coming off of a game that probably didn't help his finances or what have you. But they're sort of in that spot where you're like, ugh, I'm not sure what to do with this guy, because it's like this is a starter, he's a starter, but are we going franchise quarterback long term? You hesitate to do something like that, and I guess the way I would ask it to a franchise, and a lot of franchises end up in this spot is like, well, what are you trying to do? Because Baker's reinvented himself. He's good, but he's won a division now two years in a row. That requires you to not win very many football games. It requires you to not beat very many good teams, And so are you just trying to win that and kind of be in the playoffs and then be food for somebody else, or are you are you trying for the ultimate prize? And if you are, trying for the ultimate prize. Is that who you want as your quarterback?
Well, the answer to that is what your options?
Sure?
Right, Like it's you know, Baker and Tampa fits. They play off his energy. He and Mike Evans have tremendous chemistry. You know you're gonna get someone who's going to show up and who's going to play no matter what the circumstances are. I think that's important. I think Baker brings an element of toughness. Like I said, it's hard to be a you know, first round draft pick and have a chip on your shoulder. First pick draft and have a pick on the shoulder, But that's Baker. Anytime you come out of Cleveland and survive, you'll have a chip on your shoulder. So I think, especially in that division, like you were saying, I think Baker fits. I think Baker is that you know, toughness and that grit that you need. Can he win all of it? I don't know. I don't think your roster itself is stacked to win all of it, you know. And that's more, that's not some that's not a Baker issue, that's just you know, any one more edge rusher Holoding Nada is A is a heck of we we already know what that is. I mean, vidave excuse me, vi Vidavea looks like he ate holoding Nada. He is a tremendous, tremendous defensive piece. But you do need another ed rusher. You do need another weapon outside in terms of offensively. So there's some some things that you can do to to build out this team. But Baker at quarterback, I mean that works. That that that does work.
I mean, I'm with you.
Beautiful pass and catch by McLaurin from goodness.
Gracious, it was real good. That was real good because that was also under hot pressure on third down. Jayden Daniels, as you and I have been saying all year, one thing I've always loved about him. He just looks calm. And if that's his first playoff throw, I know he threw one out of bounds on first down whatever, like that's his first real like downfield throw in playoff action of his career.
And oh boy, dude, is that dude is calm?
Brother and so high red zone already for Washington first down and they're at the they're just inside the Tampa Bay thirty and again trailing three to nothing, but we're gonna keep you up to date all over this game. I'm with you, and I actually think we've got to stop doing this to quarterbacks because there are only two, three, maybe four that really even deserved this conversation. And here's what I mean by it. We keep telling quarterbacks that if they don't have all of the pieces that they need around them, well then they just need a cape right here, put your cape on and be amazing and just gather everybody on your shoulders and take them to a super Bowl. That does not work that way. Now, these two guys who are going to play next week in Buffalo, Okay, that's sure, yea, then it works that way. But you don't get one of those. Your team doesn't get one of those. They might like once in your life, you might get, but there's like, yes, you do not need two hands of the guys. Yeah, And people would add those two and Mahomes and Burrow, and even that is possibly pushing it because Joe Burrow didn't even make the playoffs, and and Patrick Mahomes is Patrick Mahomes and he's won all these two but he's also like not even in the top fifteen in QBR this year, he's got all he's got a great defense and blah blah blah. So we can have that conversation, but I'm more talking about all the other dudes where it's like, we've got to find a new way to talk about what counts as good in terms of NFL quarterbacking.
Yeah it, you know, there's good and great, like other shows are good, but the thing that makes us great, especially on Sundays from five to eight, is the man, the myth, the legend, Steve the Great, the Sega.
Hello, gentlemen and boy, this is a good football weekend, isn't it? The third of three games for a playoff Sunday Super Wildcard weekend? Can we still call it that? Tampa Bay is hosting and leading Washington three to nothing mid first quarter, fifty yard field goal for the off the opening drive and just now on a fourth and two incomplete from Jade and Daniels, so a turnover on downs and still three nothing for the Bucks, a team that's won six of seven. Yes, in that stretch, they beat Carolina twice, and the Giants and the Raiders and the Saints. They did beat the Chargers impressively in La with a dominant second half, but the wins a win. They're ten and seven and they're hosting as a division champ, a commander's team that's won five in a row going into this one, and I mentioned a half hour ago, Washington lost its season opener there at Tampa Bay thirty seven to twenty. Baker Mayfield had four touchdown.
Passes in that one.
As for the game on Fox TV at Philadelphia, the Eagles weren't superb, but they certainly were better than Green Bay twenty two to ten is the final. Jalen Hurts, return from the concussion protocol, had two touchdown passes one hundred and thirty one yards through the air. Saquon Barkley twenty five carries one hundred and nineteen yards. Just not a good day for the Packers, starting with fumbling the opening kickoff and Jordan Love eventually through three interceptions. The Pack out eleven and seven the final record, and they started at Buffalo with the early touchdown by Denver, the last team into the postseason in the AFC. The seven Seeds did not score again lost thirty one to seven at Buffalo, so the Bills, still undefeated at home, get to host Baltimore in that quarterback matchup next weekend. Buffalo the two seed in the AFC. They won the AFC East for a fifth straight season. In this game, James Cook one hundred and twenty yards rushing and a touchdown. Among the NBA oh one other note that it's official from the team, the Patriots hired Mike Rabel as head coach to the NBA. Now it is just now a final with the Boston Celtics winning up by point over the Pelicans. Jason Tatum with thirty eight points. Pacers won at Cleveland one o eight ninety three. The Bulls got thirty six points from Zach Lavine, but lost at home to the Sacramento Kings one twenty four to one to nineteen. Nicks over the Bucks won four to one six Jalen Brunson with forty four points. Among the college basketball games, fifteenth ranked Oregon won eighty two eighty one at Penn State. And guys, thanks for mentioning the wildfires in southern California to start the show. It just is amazing to me still to say out loud, there was a wildfire on Sunset Boulevard. For those who are aware at all of Los Angeles. This is, to say the least, a main thoroughfare that goes past UCLA and all the way to the ocean, to the Sunset. You know, I'll bring up the fact that since we have Arnie Spaniard coming on next after us every Sunday night, if we had a dollar for every time he has mentioned his beloved high school over the years, and yet it was Spaniard's alma mater, Palisades High School that he has so often talked about that burned. He went there, Steve Kerr, Janie Busts, many others. That school located off Sunset Boulevard, very near the ocean, so as you know, on the west side of the four or five Freeway, so a few miles west of UCLA. That high school's football field and baseball field are apparently still there, along with some buildings. Even closer to the high school is Riviera Country Club, where the PGA holds a tournament every February, so it's due to be there in a month. As far as total buildings lost, I know as of last night this includes homes in LA at least five thousand structures had been destroyed so far this week, with a minimum of sixteen deaths as.
Well, not quite over. I love the fact that the NFL.
Starting every game is mentioning and of course the Rams are not home to finish up Wildcard weekend tomorrow. The Rams with a quote home game in Arizona tomorrow night against the Vikings.
Back to you, Thank you, Steve. Yeah, appreciate it as always really good stuff live ti rack dot com Studios. There's more to say on that with the Rams and Viking situation, and we will. But just because we want to be top of mind with this game that we're watching between Tampa and Washington, would you like to go ahead and say it or what do you want?
The dumbest thing ever. It's incredible, you're in the dy red zone.
It's incredible.
And a three point game on the road with the rookie quarterback. You go first quarter and two in the first quarter and you and you gotta take the points. Man, Like this whole thing. Man is stressing me out. It's bothering me because this is not how you win football games. Someone ran down and said, well, the analytics say go for it. Why did you type in rookie quarterback, first playoff game on the road on the road against a team that beats you here in this stadium. Did any of that come up? So instead of squaring the game back at three, you just give the ball back to the offense of the opposing team and now they can go up two scores. To me, that that doesn't make sense at all.
I'm with you. I'm with you like I just it's fourth down, Bravado and.
Dan Quinn, you're a defensive coach, Come on, bre It.
Is overwhelming the NFL right now. You and I sat here and watched the Lions play the Vikings last week and in a game that score got so out of control and a performance by Jamier Gibbs that was so wonderful. What got lost in all of this was how different that game could have been based on two things. A. Could Sam Darnold throw an accurate pass for once? And B what the hell were the Vikings doing? They Dan campbelled the game against Dan Campbell.
Against Dan Campbell, It's hard to help Dan Campbell.
Dan Campbell, well, not anymore because apparently what Dan Campbell has is contagious and the rest of the league done caught it. Because here we are. You're absolutely right, this was not fourth and inches and we got it. Stop with all of the like to me, do you want to know what I actually think drives some of this? People will will call out analytics, but do you know what I think it also? Is it from? I really do? I think it's social media? I really do.
Can't be please don't it had No.
It is because that's where the echo chamber lives.
Brin it down.
And I'm telling you, man, as much as we sit here and say, oh, fans don't have a voice, dude, every fan in the stands with a phone or whatever, you're like this wimpy, little wimpy wimp if you don't go forward on fourth down all the time. I, my friend, am a wimp. Me too.
What I'm going to do is collect these points. That's what I'm gonna do, and then we're gonna see how this thing shakes out at the end.
Are in the fourth Put them in your pocket. Put them in your pocket. That's three. You got three in your pocket right now, which remains how many points they're down in the game the road. I don't get it.
He's a rookie. He threw a wonderful pass where I talked about the psychological effects of this last week. When you drive the ball down the field into scoring position and you don't get points. Psychologically, it affects your offense, especially when you have a young quarterback. Psychologically, it affects you because you've done all this work to get there, you through the perfect pass, you've gained all of these are sixty sixty yards to come away with nothing. It it affects you your mentality and you try to push it off, like, all right, we're gonna get him next time. No, no, no, we had him this time. So you start to lose a little faith. Okay, we're going forward again. Like it plays tricks on you, man, And that's the mental aspect of the game that people don't know. And it puts more pressure on your young quarter feeling like, oh, I gotta make this play right, Like you don't want to see your rookie quarterback throw a pick or fumble the ball on fourth and two in scoring position. Wow, you know, why would you put him in that situation?
No, you just demonetize that beautiful throw that he hit Terry.
McLaurin with might as well have not even done it.
You demonetized it. Beautiful throw, third down, first, lengthy pass, of his playoff NFL career, throws a dot and you turned it into a goose for nothing. Stupid. All right, we'll keep going on this. Glad you're with us tonight. We do want to get back to the Steelers, but in particular one individual Steeler that we need to talk about, and we will do that coming up next with I from Slama, Mark Wallert Fox Sports Radio.
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to listen live.
Tyrog dot com studios. Washington's moving the ball better than Tampa is, but they're losing.
They look good, they look good.
They do, Yeah, they did. Jaden Daniels is you know who he looks like. He looks like Jaden Daniels. That man is going to stick. I think that has been established now. I'm not sure if it's true for one of his NFL brethren, though. You got to listen to this and we're gonna play it for you in just a second, because I've decided that this dude, I can't figure him out. I don't know what I don't know what to do with him, Do you know what to do with him? We're talking about George Pickens of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Take a listen to this exchange when he's asked about the offense during his time in Pittsburgh, where it's been and where it's heading. Where have you done with this offense?
Kind?
For three years?
Have you seen signs of growth?
And how much more rasis can starting to grow?
Offensive? Yeah?
I've seen signs of growth for sure, from from past, you know, the first year I've been here. Just just way more growth for sure.
Which does gonna make you optimistic going forward?
Uh?
Nah?
Okay, First of all, First of all, it's kind of hilarious, and if you didn't catch it, it was have you seen signs of growth since you've been here for the three years? Oh? Absolutely, I've seen all kinds of growth? Absolutely? Okay, So then does that make you more optimistic about the future? No? All right, all right, My dude gets into sideline tantrums every other.
He pouts unsure about his hands.
Unsure about his hands. That's right, Like, he is a very talented role player, but there's a butt in there. I just, dude, I don't know if I want that guy on my favorite team. You know what I mean?
He has to go like Mike Tomlin, like they can make the mistake like they've done with all the other high profile receivers they've had, they have a history of doing this now, or they can just move on. Is he talented? Absolutely? Is that talent consistent enough? Absolutely not. Does it warrant signing him to a lucrative extension? You must be crazy? So look, hey man, you can go find other receivers. You can't. You can't do that. You can't do this again.
Well, now here's the thing. Just not a free agent.
No, no, no, okay, he has two years, ter No, he's got one one.
So what that means is that this makes it a very very key off season. He is heading into the same off season and I'm not trying to put him in this same sentence, but he is heading into the same off season as I'm on Ross Saint Brown was last year, as Justin Jefferson was last year, as Jamar Chase will be this year. So those guys are on a different level and they would be dumb to even consider putting a helmet on their head until an extension had been signed. Almana didn't. Justin didn't. Those teams took care of him. Cincinnati will do the same for Jamar Chase. I have no doubt, but George, I'm with you. Fourth down again in field, goor they are. I mean, at least this time it's only fourth.
And one doesn't matter. Don't do it.
I know, I know.
Oh god, this is awful. This is bad, dan Quinn. Don't they get called time out. They're gonna call timeouts.
They can think about the dumbness and then probably come back with with more Dumbo. We'll see.
If you were gonna if you were gonna go for it, then why would you run a quarterback power? Why wouldn't you just attack the line of scrimmage. The more you run sideways, the less likely you are to gain a yard. Just f yi. So if you were planning on doing this on the last down, then you go up the middle, you hand the ball up the middle. This is this is bad. I okay he's doing coming out of the time. I'm not watching. I got my eyes closed. You tell me what happens. I will I will not do play guys or closed, but I will let you know.
And the play has been completed, how it will go, oh, oh, it's close out. Oh the running back, I think he got it. I think I think he got it. Oh they just handed it off. Yeah he got it.
Are they going to score a touchdown on this drive?
They better? Yeah. They handed it to Austin Eckler up the middle and he got it by a football. He got it. I mean he got hit a yard behind the line of scrimmage and he had enough in it to push forward and fell down just over the yellow line.
First down, Washington, don't Danklin, don't make me regret regret my pig. All right, get down Jayden.
Anyway. Yeah, we'll keep you up to date.
But you see what they're doing. They are doing exactly what I said they would do in terms of running him like Lamar Jackson. Right, they're going to make the other They're going to make Tampa Bay's defense respect what they're doing offensively and respect Jayden Daniels. They're gonna loosen up that defense and and have now you the Russian is gonna loosen up the safeties of linebackers. All of this can play in if they do this the right way, they can play.
Yeahage, you get to the playoffs by the way, And this is if any of you do, like any of that DFS stuff that's out there, if you do you know, prize picks and underdogs and all that, Like, if you do this, this is just from me to you. This is just my opinion. I could be wrong, and it's nothing that works one hundred percent of the time. But the point you're making is that they take the talent that each player does really well and you just take the training wheels off completely, Like you're like, we're not scared of injury anymore. It's the playoffs. So in other words, you saw it with like you're saying you saw Lamar last night, I think you're seeing it with Jayden tonight in the regular season when they try to exercise a little caution with running those guys. It's like, well, Matt anymore, not not come playoff time. Yeah, it's something something that you can something you can you know, do some things.
With Jamie got a nice little gash in his face.
Yes he does. Yeah, time out on the field, So anyway.
Go ahead, Number one, protect him right, protect him his first time out, put him in good situations. Obviously he's talented. You have to protect him as a coach. You have to now be the leader, right, This is not you know, a seasoned Alan or mahomes are Jackson? Yeah, protect him?
Yep, yep. All right, we continue this conversation. We'll continue the pickings conversation coming up next on Fox Sports Radio. All right, your commanders have the lead now seven to three. Is they made good on that fourth down conversion? So maybe one point for both sides so far in this debate. We're broadcasting live from the tireck dot com studios. Tyreck dot com will help you get there an unmatted selection, fast free shipping, free road hazard protection, and over ten thousand recommended installers. Tyrerack dot com the way tire buying should be. Yeah, Like if Dan Quinn were sitting here right now, would he be like, I told you so.
No, No, you can't play that game in the playoffs. There's a dangerous game to play in the playoffs.
Yep, I hear you, I hear you. So. Washington turned down a field goal to go for it on fourth on the first drive, got nothing, turned down the field goal to go forward on the second drive, ended up getting seven. So here we are Bucks with the ball commander's leading seven to three. But that whole sort of interlude was it interrupted a conversation that we were having with regard to George Pickens, who yesterday after the game was asked if he saw growth in the Steelers offense. He said yes. Then he was asked does that make him optimistic for the future. He said, uh, nah, it doesn't. And George does this. George says a lot of stuff in the locker room. He's got a lot going on on the sidelines. He seems to need a lot of pick me up conversations. So this is where I would bet this is going this offseason. I bet that George is going to ask for an extension. If the Steelers are smart, it's my opinion they won't give it to him. And we're going to look at a frustrating holdout and a frustrating off season as the Steelers settle into at another early playoff exit.
Yeah. If if they find themselves contemplating paying this young man the type of money he I guess he would want, this is this is gonna be a disaster. He just hasn't shown the growth and the maturity to warrant that level of money. What do you do when you reward bad behavior with that type of contract. I mean, you have the blueprint, You've seen it happen yep. So to step into it and do that again, then you get what you get. George Picking, Uh, Picking was the thirty second receiver and receiving yards out of the starting receivers at nine hundred yards. And so I just attitude, inconsistency, all those are red flags. We're dating, We're about to get engaged. That's what your second contract is. Your second contract is a marriage, right, your second contract is a matter. We're dating right now in your first contract. Now I'm going to commit to you. In your second contract, we're going to be married. Is that what you want? Do you want that type of marriage? You want to come home to that every day every Sunday after the game, or Monday or Tuesday or sometimes Wednesday, now Thursday, Saturday.
Ocasionally yeah, yeah, right, No, I don't know the answer is no, I don't I want I want no part of it, and I don't want no, I don't want to be a receiverist. But there's too many of these guys who are waving at you around the league, and listen, I'm fine with it. If you really show you for that guy. Like I even thought last offseason was sort of annoying from Jamar Chase because he sat out and then he showed up, and it was almost as if he was like sending a pre message, because dude, it's not even extension time yet. He's not there yet, he's not going into the final year of his deal. But it was like he wanted to send a warning shot. And I know he's all that. There are plenty of dbs who would tell you that's the hardest cover in the whole NFL, and his numbers are through the roof, and he and Joe Burrow are a problem, and this, that and the other. That's all true. What's also true is that he showed out. His quarterback showed out, and where are they this weekend.
Home hanging out?
This is It's my point, it's been your point. We've been saying it all year. If this year did not pop the receiver bubble, I don't know what will, because there's too much evidence that they are not the lynch pinned to winning at the highest of levels number one, and there's too many of them who, quite frankly, don't act like your friendly neighborhood running back.
So let me give you a breakdown out of the top ten receivers.
Let's go, let's go.
Jamar Chase number one, not in the playoffs. Number three.
B.
Thompson, I like him from Jacksonville. Ryan Thomas is fantastic, Yep, love it. Not in the playoffs. Number four Drake London not in the playoffs. Number six Dreed Judy not in the playoffs. Number seven Molikue Neighbors not in the playoffs. Number eight Ceedee Lamb not in the playoffs. Tied for number eight Brock Borrowers tight end, not in the playoffs. I mean, what are we doing here? What's going on? That in the top ten? That's one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, that's it's seven eight. You're right, that's eight of the top ten receivers in the NFL not in the playoffs. If that doesn't speak volumes, then your deaf. That's it. That's it.
The funny thing is is you could have kept going and made it a top fifteen. I could have the next Yeah, Trey McBride, Jackson Smith and Jig But George Kittle, Garrett Wilson not in the playoffs. Not in the playoffs, not in the playoffs, and Jack's notes, not in the playoffs.
Flip side, flip side of that, flip side of that rushing.
Exactly.
Top ten. Let's see how many are not in the playoffs. Number four, number three, b John Robinson not in the playoffs, Number four, Taylor, number eight, Jonathan Taylor, yep, Jonathan Taylor, Chooper Hubbard, number eight.
That's it, that's it, sa Kwon Derrick, Henry Jamir Gibbs, Josh Jacobs, Kyron Williams, Aaron Jones, Bucky I like Bucky Irving Man. I like Bucky is a good player. Yeah, but by the way, like that's a great point. But I'll take it a step further. Of those top ten running backs that you just named, will you go ahead, name the one, any of them, Just pick one. Give me the one who's reading books.
On the sideline, Oh my god.
Give me the one causing causing arguments with the quarterback on the sideline.
Give me the one.
I know we just made the playoffs, but nah, I really don't see how much reason for optimism around here. Give me the one who walked off the field in the middle of a football game. Give me the one who announced after losing in the final week of the season, I think I'm out of here. I don't want to play here anymore. Yes, I know, I'm under contract for thirty mail. I'm gone. Who's the running back that acting like a moron this year? Like go to top, from go to top thirty I can't find one.
You know why, because those guys are the heart and souls of offenses. Offensive linemen love running backs. They love them because they're hard nosed, they're gritted. The thing I love about running backs and Jamal Anderson we used to be in install and they'll be like, Okay, we're gonna face a nine man boxes. Hey man, don't worry about the safeties. Don't worry about them. I take care of them. Right. It was an attitude you had. It's the same type of attitude sain Kwon Barkley had. He could add over twenty yards rush of the day, he could have broken at the end of the game, he could have broke a sixty yard touchdown run.
It might have helped me a little bit about eleven and.
He gets enough, gets them. He's the same guy who didn't go for the rushing record. He's the same guy who didn't go for his single game rushing record, right, Like, he's that guy. It's all about the team, and you flip that coin on the very same team he's on. You got a guy and aj Brown, who I am disgusted by number one. Late in the season, they win a game, they've won nine in a row. He's mad because he's not getting targets.
We're not good at throwing the ball. That's what that was, just nine in a row.
Today, we watched he had one reception. We watched him on the sideline in the third quarter of an NFL game, sitting on the bench reading a book. Can't make this up, couldn't write it. If I wrote it in the script that people would would they would kill me on Twitter on Twitter.
That's realistic, Ephraim the first time because I had some stuff first three quarters of today's game that needed my presence and attention, and so I had to kind of review that game after the fact. When I first saw that video, because when you see things on social media, you're like, is that real?
Right?
And I looked at it and I'm like, there's no way that's real. There's no way that's real. Until I kept scrolling and went, oh my god, that's real. You just won a playoff game by double digits and you decided to make a spectacle of yourself again. I just I can't, I can't. I don't get it. And why is it always the wide receiver?
And I got a little bit of tidbit that I saw at the end of that game that even accentuates this. A lot of people are gonna miss this, but I saw it when Sa Kwon Barkley went down and they kneeled on the back on the ball to end the game.
Yeah.
Yeah, first person that ran over to him and told him he should have scored. You should have went for it, AJ Brown. That's the difference that right there is the difference between those two players. That spoke volumes to me. Spoke volumes. He was he was getting on his case because he went down and didn't score, and didn't worry about him. All you have to do is get the first down. The game's over. You don't have to run another play. So that's all he was thinking about. He wasn't thinking about, oh I need to get let me score. Why that is the difference between AJ Brown and Sa Kwon Barkley. If you pay someone what they're paying AJ Brown and he can are any of these receivers who consistently feel like that the offense should go through them, then you're in trouble because that's not a fact. That's not a fact. The Philadelphia Eagles are the Philadelphia Eagles because of Saquon Barkley. Period. There is no They wouldn't be who they are without Saquon Barkley. Now, if AJ Brown was hurt, I think the Philadelphia Eagles could still be the Philadelphia Eagles without AJ Brown. Now he helps, of course, he's had some games where he's put up some numbers, but that attitude, Nah, I can't do it. Man. This man was reading a book on the sideline.
Read a book.
I can't.
He didn't just read a book. He read a book with that look on his face too, with his eyebrows up like raw. You know, might as well just read a book.
The funny thing is the Wade Davante Smith was looking at him as he was reading that book. Was he was like, are you crazy?
I like Davante? I do I love Davante. Davante is the one that when he signed twenty five million year and they came to him three months later and went Hey, the market went up. Did you bite too soon? Boy? You shouldn't have done that. He was like, y'all, I'm gonna be okay, y'all gonna be fine. I think I think I'm gonna eat next question. I like seeing now, Davante is the kind of receiver that I won on my team.
Bro, you can't win games and have somebody tearing up the locker room emotional not physically because they didn't get theirs. That's crazy to me.
Yeah, I mean, no doubt, no doubt. All right, we kind of went micro on the Steelers. Let's go macro with that situation, and we'll do it next with he from Mark Willard, Fox Sports Radio, Hi Raight dot Com Studios, Mark Willardy from salam and Baker Mayfield just made I mean, you want to talk about a momentum changing play because Washington has been controlling the line of scrimmage in this year playoff game. And on third and long, Baker Mayfield just scrambled straight up the middle of the field and when four defenders met him at the first down marker, he didn't go down, he didn't slide, he didn't go head first. He went shoulder first, knocked a couple dudes down and kept ongoing for about seven more yards, and now the Bucks are sitting here looking at a first down deep in the red zone for Washington. Baker Mayfield's got my attention this year for sure.
How do you not sign up for that guy?
Come on, man, And this is what I was getting at earlier. I'd love to almost bring this back and bring some other names into it. We've got to stop asking quarterbacks to be Superman. They don't win the Super Bowl by themselves. You just said a minute ago about the Eagles. They're not the Eagles without Saquon Barkley. Well, I'm not gonna hold it against Jalen Hurts if Barkley gets hurt and the Eagles don't look as good and all of a sudden we're like, oh, they're supposed to elevate your teammates. You're supposed to put everyone on your back and be Superman and all this stuff. They can't all be Lamar, they can't all be Josh Allen. I give you a list of guys around the league who have kind of gotten whacked upside the head here and there this season, who I think are good enough. Jared Golf you're good enough. Baker Mayfield, you are good enough. CJ. Stroud you're good enough.
And they're not good enough. They're good.
They're good, I mean good. Rock Purty you're good.
You're good.
By the way, quarterbacks, and count me among those who's not gonna victory lap On, Justin Herbert and Jordan Love's heads because of a football one football game which, by the way, at least to of Justin Herbert's picks went right through the hands of his receivers. So I like, I don't know, man, these are we he kills me. Man, you lose a game and all of a sudden it's a full twelve months of that quarterback sucks. I'm just like, no, they don't, man, No, they don't.
Okay, So let's put this in perspective, okay, please. Joe Burrow is great, phenomenal. Jared Goff is good, Baker may feels good. Geno Smith is okay, Okayjam Darnold was good this year, but in general is okay. Lamar Jackson is great, Patrick Mahomes is great, Aaron Rodgers is washed, Justin Herbert is good, Brock Purdy is good, Kyler Murray is okay, Bo Nicks is okay? Interesting because yes, right right, Matthew Stafford is good, Jared Allen is great. C J Soald is good, Jaydon Daniels good, borderline very good.
Looks like he's gonna be great.
Caleb Williams A lot to a lot of growth there questions. Cousins is okay, Jordan Love is good, Jalen Hurts is good, Tua is okay, okay, Russell Wilson is okay. Bryce Young not no, sir, Drake May. We don't know yet, right, Derek Carr is okay? Are yeah? Will Levis look out far.
You got it. You haven't yet said sucks.
No. Now we're getting into it right now, We're now we're getting out to it. Daniel Jones right, trash no good?
Right?
Will Levis? No, not my cup of tea?
Would you stop right there for a second, though, because do you realize and I know what you're doing, you're rolling right down right. It's in order of passing yards this year, right, And I know I know he missed some games, but you have not yet mentioned a quarterback who is making fifty five million dollars a year. And you have named over twenty five quarterbacks and you haven't gotten to one of them yet. Actually, I'm sorry you haven't gotten to two of them yet. And again part of that is because of games played. But you have not yet mentioned Trevor Lawrence. What word would you use for.
Trevor Trevor Lawrence is okay?
Okay? And what word would you use? By the way, touchdown Tampa, they're an extra point away from tying. You go, I'm that in a second. But what word would you use for for Dak Prescott?
I would use okay for Dak Prescott, not good, just okay. In a normal situation, Listen, listen, this is real. This is what you get when you're at the Dallas Cowboys. In a normal situation, Dak Prescott will be good on any other team, But because he's in Dallas and the expectations are always are always unrealistic, and the scrutiny of that drops him down to okay. Now, if you look at his numbers, he's good. If Dak Prescott is Dak Prescott in Tampa, he's good. If he's Dak Prescott in Jacksonville, he's good. Yeah, But because he's in Dallas, there's no middle ground, right, like and and and that's the problem. But you know, you know Gardner minshew, No, yeah, right, I mean put it. Put it this way, Anthony Richardson.
No, And I'm not gonna like pin you down to an exact number, but approximately of all those names you just rolled through, who's capable at least once one time. I'm not talking about dynasty in this crap. Who's capable of winning a Super Bowl? How many?
I'm gonna tell you right now. I'm tell you right now. One, three, four mm hmmm, five, six, seven.
Mm hmm.
You're not stopping there?
Hold one man, hold on, give me a okay, okay, okay, eight, I got eight.
Okay, don't don't, don't mention it. Don't mention it.
Yeah, one more. One more on that list, one more one? You got way one more on that list?
Okay, yeah, for sure.
I'm sorry.
It's busy reading a book. I wasn't come to me once.
It's amazing.
I tell you what.
Died With the first half touchdown, they're at the break, Tampa Tide ten ten against the Washington Commanders. By the way, Philadelphia wide receiver AJ Brown, as you might guess, was asked, why were you reading a book on the bench during Philadelphia's playoff game today, he says that particular book gives me a sense of piece.
That's a book that I bring every single game.
Every single game, he says, he brings.
That book, but we've never noticed it before.
No, just the game where he had one catch, got it yip.
But why, though, does somebody say, why do you bring a book to a football game?
Yeah, you can't have ten perceptions unless you well, you had.
One with the book.
So, come to think of it, I'm not sure that's the good luck charm that you're really looking for here. The Eagles, on the other hand, they are fifteen and three, they're nine and one at home, and as a two seed, they're getting another home game next weekend. Philadelphia eliminated Green Bay twenty two to ten. Saquon Barkley one hundred and nineteen yards rushing, short field goals for Philly. Jalen Hurts two touchdown passes. Buffalo eliminated Denver thirty one seven. Broncos had a long touchdown pass in the opening minutes, never scored again. They were down ten to seven at the half thirty one seven the final. The Bills are still undefeated at home, nine to zero, fourteen and four overall. Denver finished four and six on the road ten and eight overall. They were the last team to get into the playoffs in the AFC. The update on Tampa Bay tying the game ten ten at half at home at gats Washington. Mike Evans late first half drew a pass interference in the end zone. Next play he gets a one yard TD reception. So Evans was targeted five times first half, had five catches sixty six yards and the touchdown from Baker Mayfield. There was a fifty two yard field goal from the Washington side early. There was a fifty yard field goal made on the Tampa Bay side in between Jade and Daniels with a ten yard touchdown pass early second quarter that finished a seventeen played for Washington ninety two yards. That was a nine minute plus drive. The game is tied ten to ten at the half. In the NBA, it's the Jazz ahead of the net sixty two to sixty mid third quarter. Among the earlier games, Nuggets won at Dallas. Nicks won forty to one oh six over Milwaukee. Jalen Brunson with forty four points, I should say, and the Lakers you may have heard, had a home game again postponed last night. The Clippers home game last night was postponed as well due to the La fires. Now the Lakers will have a home game tomorrow night against the Spurs, and the Clippers will play at home tomorrow against Miami. Yes, they are in separate arenas. Now, in case you were to wear the Clippers built their own place across the street from the Rams Stadium.
No one goes not true.
I hear, I hear. It's a great place.
Here, It's a great place.
The NBA previously had postponed the Lakers home game on Thursday, Lakers fan co hosting following the Monday home game for those two. The Lakers will be home to the Heat on Wednesday and the Clippers will be home to Brooklyn.
So updating, they're back to you, Steve. You got to tell the man that if you really, if you really really want to be a Laker fan and do that right, don't get triggered by the Clippers. You have to just act like they're not even there.
They're not there, and when have they been?
But but you saying that means that you're like, oh, hal on the back of the neck is to dance around.
Do the Magata bring a chip home to LA, then we have something to talk about. Haven't been in the finals yet. Other than that, it is what it is. It's your ten year old brother who's annoying the head guy of you, and you're in high school.
Lakers and Clippers right now battling for that sixth seed to avoid the play in.
We're good.
Yes, there are standings in the NBA that we can actually mention on January twelfth for cred out loud.
Yeah, yeah, the NBA is in a crisis of the major market by the way, free fall, I mean, well, like, yeah, the two LA teams are battling for the sixth seed. Golden State's battling to even be in this thing. Meanwhile, Oklahoma City, Houston, Memphis, and Denver, Cleveland. I mean, there's Boston, what's Philadelphia? Philadelphia is the eleven seed. Yeah, man, some of these brands need a little bit of a branding problem right now.
Yeah, what we're seeing is the teams that draft well are now aging well. How about that? Look at Houston, right, Look Cleveland, Cleveland, the teams that draft well are aging well.
Cleveland is nice? Man? Did you watch that Cavs Thunder game this week. Yeah, oh that. I was like, oh, there's basketball. I remember you. I mean they used the paint and everything they did the whole thing. They played basketball. It was crazy. The big guys scored, the small guys scored, teams played, stars, didn't play well, yet the team picked him up. I was like, I remember you. It's beautiful, man.
Basketball is a beautiful thing if it's done right.
I mean, I have no reason to think right now that that won't be the NBA Finals.
Oh, I hope not.
I know you don't. But these teams are both five six games clear of the two seed right now. They are going to be the one seeds, and they are very deep, and they are very good, and I just don't see someone beating them on their home floor. I know we got a long way to go, but those are the two squads. Yeah, sorry, sorry, Boston. I know I know you're good, You're very very good. But yaikes, dude, Cleveland is a squab. That youth, boy, exactly, that youth all right, back to the support. Everybody cares about it, Yeah, exactly. Okay, we haven't even talked. Dude. Do you think that the Steelers are supposed to move on from Mike Tomlin. Is that where you're at?
No?
What are you crazy?
Thank you?
Whoever thinking that they got They tripped everybody.
It's everywhere. And I don't just mean Twitter.
You want to talk about the fastest higher in NFL history.
They're right.
The day at the press conference when they announced that he's they're moving, They're walking away from Mike Tomlin. He's going to step down and then step back up on the stage to announce.
His new it's owners of other teams waiting outside.
The pay They have set their own press conference up outside.
Here's what I'd say. And Mark Withaerty from salam tyrock dot com Studios, Here's what I would say. But I believe that Mike Tomlin can do this. I'm with you. He's a good coach. And I don't know why we we just get so tired of everybody. Now, like you have one off season and it's like, oh, we gotta get him out of here. It's like, what are you doing? Like?
First of all, the expectations for the Steelers in that division was zero zero, correct, it was zero with no they were with no quarterback. Now they were.
Supposed to be right. They were supposed to be third, and they almost came and said in first.
Well they were first for the great majority.
Of the year. Yeah, and I know they haven't won a football game in a month and all that good stuff. But but but here's what I would say. I do wonder about the mentality of the organization this whole like, and I know it matches Pittsburgh perfectly, but this three yards and a cloud of dust, and we'd Pittsburgh and won't mean and we're tough and we're physical and I'm not trying to take your physicality away from you, but you need to be more dynamic.
You You know what I saw in that game at Pittsburgh Baltimore game. If they would have come out and allowed Russ and call plays to throw the ball down the field from the beginning, and then they able to said, well, whatever happens happens, that would have that would have gave them an opportunity shot.
Yes, a shot, yes, period a shot.
But that what they were doing. No, no, no, no, no, that's not it. You gotta spread the you gotta spread the field, you gotta open it up, you gotta throw the ball down the field immediately I'm.
Telling you, man, I think there's like we could have this conversation about the Niners too. There's something to be said in this NFL that if you can't come from behind, I don't know, man, I like, you have to be down ten points and still be able to play your game. And and and there's there's a few teams that have been very successful and they're very well coached. But I think just a little, a little reinvention might might be in the cards. But I'm not calling for firing good coaches.
Not at all. No. I I think I think they got a little complacent. I think they were trying to figure out I'm almost positive they wanted to come out in that second half with with with Justin Fields, and I'm sure it was and they may not have told us this, but I'm sure the sentiment was, we'll give them a series and then you're you're in. But then they went down and scored right right, So then it was because remember there was a little just the Fields that came out on the field and then right play his stopped because of a drone and came back and he wasn't there anymore like it was. I'm sure there was that type of energy going going around. So you know, but they came out the second half and open up open let him throw, just throw the ball, Let him throw the ball. Let Russ Cook.
Well, I would love to ask you what what what should they do at quarterback next year? Let's get into that coming up next on Fox Sports Radio. All Right, our second half is underway, and so are we here in the ty rack dot Com studios. That'sy from Salam I'm Mark Willard, and Washington is on the move again opening drive second half and they've moved well in to Tampa territory. We didn't get to talk out very much the fact that the Bucks went right down the field just before halftime and it up. So what's your what's your takeaway right now as we go to the second half.
Look, this is a this is the type of playoff game we want, right no matter who you're rooting for, you want this type of level. These are two playoff teams, fighting double digit win teams, fighting for a chance to fight again next week. And I love it.
First and goal Washington by the way, Oh yes.
They you know they're coming out. They've had no problem moving the ball, They've had no problem moving the ball, and I like that. I love that this game hasn't gotten too big so far for Jaydon Daniels. And and look that miraculous run at the end of the second quarter for Baker Mayfield. He is going to put the team on his shoulders.
Now.
The thing that I talked about at the beginning of this program is normal when he does that, he pushes a little bit, and that could put the ball in horms away. As long as he can keep it contained and keep that same level of energy and ferocity, I think we're in for a heck of a game.
Now. I want to get into the Pittsburgh situation. But with h with all of the hanging out that we did with Steve de Seger here earlier this hour, I never got your list. I want I want your list. You said you had nine, eight, eight or nine. Oh, that's like Steve was nine. Okay, so you've got eight quarterbacks super Bowl. Who you currently think in the NFL are capable of winning the Super Bowl? Fire away?
Brother, Joe Burrow, Sure, Jared Goff Okay, Lamar Jackson Okay.
Patrick Mahomes noted, thanks for that one, buddy, Yeah, justin Herbert okay, five, yep, brock Party, okay.
Six, Matthew Stafford seven.
Sure, gosh, okay, eight and you stopped there.
And a possible I'm for sure those eight can and maybe a possible maybe a possible nine, But those eight I would feel confident that they could do it.
Who's your maybe that you're thinking about right.
Now, maybe would be it's is it?
Is it a person? Or you're like, you mean this sort.
Of in a more No, it's c J.
Stroud, c J Strout. Okay. So, like, first of all, I'm gonna co sign with your field goal for Washington by the way, thirteen ten, I'm gonna co sign with your list with the request that we have the Justin Herbert conversation at the top of the hour based on what happened yesterday. But then, like I would bet people listening to that list, the immediate questions that would come up are, where's Jalen Hurts because he already ome, I mean, he already damned damn. I mean's guy scored thirty five points in a Super Bowl already? Where's Jordan Love? And again these are just I want to ask you your thoughts. I'm not saying I agree or disagree, and then how long until Jayden Daniels makes your list?
Well, we go see at the end it is the list might update here in an hour. It is a fluid list, I can tell you that. And the reason for those who would say Jalen hurts is I'm not quite sure own Jalen hurts. Like I said, the reason they are who they are and where they are is because of Sakuon Barkley. Now, Jalen hurts when it's all put on his shoulders and he's had he has some games. There are some games that are phenomenal. There are some games that are are great, but then there's some some games where you look at me like I don't know, you know, and and and look out of everybody. He's got two dynamic weapons period plus three with Goddard. Right, I'm just talking about it strictly passing in the passing game. So it it should feel different, it should feel different with Jalen Hurts. It should be like man he is, it's all he's on fire, right given what you know, what he has to to deal with. And so that's why I don't necessarily think, even though he's been there that in my opinion he can win a Super Bowl right now. Now, Like I said, it could be fluid. He could prove me completely wrong. He could prove me completely wrong. He's gonna have an opportunity to sure. Sure, But why know Jordan Love? You know what, Jordan Love outside of the second half of last season into the playoffs and this year, there is talent there, Jordan Love is good. But the decision making we saw it today, to me, there's growth. This still needs to happen there. And so the bigger the game, I think, the smaller his chances are.
Okay, I love this conversation. Let's keep it going. Let's weave Justin Herbert into it as well. We do that next on Fox Sports Radio. Man, this is the second half. We've been with eight and four. This is it? Okay, five and a half to go, third quarter, washing it up by three. Bucks are knocking on the door. We finally have a close football game here in these playoffs, because it has been nothing but double digit games so far, but this one has that. Look, let's watch it together. We're broadcasting a lot Tirack dot com Studios, ti rack dot Com. We'll help you get there. An Unmatt selection fast free shipping free, road hazard protection, and over ten thousand recommended installers ti rack dot com The way tire buying should be? Can I ask you a stupid, selfish question?
No, I have questions.
Okay, great. So I have a one of the fantasy leagues in which I play has this rule that anybody you draft sixth round or later, you can pick one of them to keep them the following year. And I think I've got Brian Thomas in the ninth and Bucky Irving in the thirteenth. My man, what would you what would you do? What would you do?
Bucky Irving?
You would Yeah, that's because you love running backs and him.
I don't know, because you don't know what the state, You don't know what the state of the passing game is going to be in Jacksonville next year.
That's fair, that's fair. But I mean he went crazy this year with awfulness unfolding at the quarterback with.
Yeah, but there's gonna be a lot of turnover. Things aren't going to be the same in Jacksonville that they were this year. But you know they're gonna handing the ball off to Bucky Bucky Irving.
The reason I bring it up, by the way. This is his drive, This is this has been he looks. I mean, he is so good in between the tackles, outside the tackles in the passing game. Yeah he is.
Uh, ask me that again.
Okay, yeah, Brian Thomas or never mind, never mind, what's.
That one's playing today and one's than can kon?
That's fair enough, although Ken Coon sounds nice. But anyway, the Bucks are up by three with an extra point on the way, and we've got ourselves a foot ball game. This is a good game, man.
It's exciting. This is this is what you would expect playoff, wild card playoff to be. This is this is it all right, no matter how you no matter how you got into the dance, it's time to bust a move.
Here we are, man, here, we are so okay, uh this has been a point counterpoint and the Bucks take the four point lead. We are going to be all over this thing as the second half develops. Stay with us right here on Fox Sports Radio. However, we're also having this quarterback conversation. And if you flip open a laptop or open up your phone, it's been a tough twenty four hours for Justin Herbert. Four interceptions I know you have all kinds of knowledge and love for the Houston Texans organization, so I don't want to diminish their phenomenal performance.
Sounds like you're about to go ahead.
No, not at all, Not at all. Yeah, No, Jamika Ryans. I love him as a coach. I thought I picked him yesterday. Man. I thought they were going to win that game, and they did. I didn't think it would look like that. I didn't think they'd win by three touchdowns and have Herbert, who basically was defined by taking care of the ball all year. Have this happened, Yes, some of it was off of receivers hands, But what is the discourse today in your mind for Justin Herbert, who now remains without any playoff victories in his career.
Look, I still think his talent is remarkable. I think the disservice of his first three years in the league you can't overlook that. And I think Harball and him are going to be a formidable duo for years to come. That's God's understruth, I really do. And just imagine them having the level of receivers and running back that they had the previous two seasons, Say Mike Williams and Keenan Allen is there with Austin Eckler and John Harball. What conversation are we having.
Well, that's an interesting one. I mean I would argue maybe we separate that conversation the running back and receiver deal because the receiver deal I feel like was by choice.
Yeah, what they had to they were so far leveraged over the cap. They had to make some decisions.
And they found one. They went and found another one in the draft.
Yeah.
Now McConkey, that guy can play.
Now, just imagine having another one? Sure someone else? All Right. So that's that's one of those situations where we talked about this at the beginning of the season. What does success look for look like or for Jim Harball in his first seasons as a Chargers coach. This this is success, yes, And I think some people even were like, well, you win nine games, when eight game whatever that is. But the fact that you made it to the playoffs, you had a successful year, You won double digit games in your first year. That is a huge success. Now what can you do to build off of that? What can you do to your team to give you to be able to maximize the level of talent that Justin Herbert has. That's the interesting thing, and I'm excited to see that for them because I think obviously he can make all the throws he has been for the last since he's been in the league at more passing yards than anybody so far since he's been in the league at this age.
Did that sneak up on you too?
I know it didn't. It didn't, you know what it because I had been tracking that because look, I fell in love with Justin Herbert the first time he started. When the doctor had punctured Tyrod Taylor's lunge and he had to go out there against Patrick Mahomes and outplay Patrick Mahomes and beat Patrick Mahomes, I was like, Oh, wait a minute, this kid is who is this right?
Yeah? He was ready, He was already ready and.
Not having you gotta remember not having any of the snaps with the first team, not having any of the snaps with the first team, and coming out and being able to do what he did. I was like, Oh, this kid is special. He's special. And so for me, that was that. That showed me what I needed to see from him. I knew that he was going to be special from.
That twenty three touchdowns this year and are you ready for this? I don't know. Do people know this little factoid? He had more interceptions yesterday than.
He had the whole year. Yep, the whole year. How about that all year?
So I don't know. Man Like, look, it's it was not a good performs It was not a good performance by any stretch. The chargers got overwhelmed. They turned the ball over a ton. But at the same time, I get uncomfortable when it feels like the world is looking to discredit. So in other words, if and I don't know whoever's listening, if you like golf or not, but like, let's say you're playing golf. Okay, you play eighteen holes. There's some part three's in there or whatever. But you put the driver in your hand about twelve times in a round of golf, and the first eleven times you stripe that thing down the middle of the fairway, and then you get to the eighteenth and you slice one into the woods. What's your buddy gonna look at you and say, dude, you suck with that club. Wait what I do? And I get it. I understand that that you're going to be judged by your biggest moments. And and justin Herbert has now been to the playoffs twice. He's lost both games. The first one was an epic collapse. You can put that on his defense. You can put it on him too. And and and this obviously, when you throw more interceptions in your one playoff game than you did an entire regular season, I get it, that's embarrassing. But this parade that took place of like see told you, Herbert's not it. Wait a minute, man, he played this guy that was his That was his eighteenth football game this year. No, he has That's the what we were just gonna We're gonna define him by yesterday. No, I can't.
Right, even the greats have stinkers. But look, I love him and hardball together, I love I'm so interested to see what this offseason is going for them in terms of building out a team that can compete and a team that can maximize. Look, his attempts per per game went down because we know what Jim wants to do. He wants to run the ball, und the ball. He wants to run the ball. That actually helped, That's why his turnovers were down. When you don't have to throw the ball forty times a game. You'd be surprised on how well you could take care of it. Right, he was right around you know, twenty eight twenty nine pass attempts a game that's perfect. He got them all the way to the playoffs and eleven wins. So the formula is there. How can they tweak the formula, make a little bit better and and you know, attack the season off of a success opposed to a disappointment.
What if I asked you in the next three years, well that pairing Harbaugh and Herbert win an AFC West. Yes, I agree with you. I would take that bet too. I would take that bet too. And that's that's you know, presumably with a with a healthy Patrick Mahomes.
Of course, of course. Look, look, you know the Chiefs have their own things that they need to work on and deal with. Sure, so you know, as as teams around you get better, you can't stand pat You have to be vigilant as well. For Kansas City, we know what the charge or how the chargers are trending. So that's where you know, we'll see what Kansas City looks like next week in the playoffs. Will Yeah, we've definitely had some questions as their on to the ten yard line. Just that fast, Washington. Yep, we got a penalty on the play. I don't know if it's coming back. We'll see.
Yeah, we'll take a look at this one. I guess some offensive linemen got their hands on their hips. They're not yeah, uh yeah. All right. So, speaking of those Houston Texans and where they go next week, I really really want to talk to you about not just the matchup, but the emotions of this for a reason that some people might not be thinking about. We'll talk about that coming up next to the MVP Bowl, also that they're calling it in the AFC. With me from Salama, Mark Willard, this is Fox Sports Radio. All right, we're live in the tyrag dot com studios. My dog. Can I ask you questions? Since you've been around football for a long time? Yeah, do you remember back in the day when it came to pass interference? Because by the way, Washington commanders a first and goal at the one yard line, they're down seventeen to thirteen. No, that'll be second and goal. Do you ever remember when pass interference wasn't called because the officials would say the pass was not catchable. Yes, they would do what happened that?
Over your head? You know?
Yes, what what happened to that? Anyone? Is that still a rule? I haven't heard it in twenty years, and I'll watch and this one was like a light version of it. But that ball, like Shack couldn't have caught it, and it was Pi in the end zone. There was definitely contact. I don't argue that. But you could have stilts. You could be that halftime performer at the Lakers game with all the plates on the gut right, you could be her. You're not really why is that interference? That's not a catchable pass?
I know, but you in the obstruction of a receiver. It's now become the thing opposed to the ball being able to be caught.
Come on, man, pass interference? What pass?
Well, they're losing yards now, it's now yeah.
Now it's third and goal at the three and you're about to lose their mind if they don't get it because they're going to go for it on four.
It's almost picked. Yeah, I'm just kicked it.
Okay, what would you do from.
Phild goal and the fourth and at the fourteen oh five minute mark in the fourth quarter, as they're not they're going to go.
Of course they're going to go for it. It makes this makes you get to the If you get to the one yard line, that's it. That's the deal. You go like, you just go for it until until something different happens.
You know, you would have the lead right if you it would just kick, it will be sixteen seventeen. Yes, and then you get kicking to make it nineteen seventeen.
All right, yeah, yeah, So fourth and goal from from the three and you got nothing and the Bucks have the ball. Damn got six, Quinn. Remember you said six point you wanted to put him in your pocket. Six You have six in your pocket in a four point game.
Look, I'm not just saying this stuff. And that was two hours ago when I was mentioning this this. I know, I really know what I'm talking about here.
I believe you.
So now you've deflated your offense again as the coach. You've now taken something from them again.
He went all the way to the one yard line, bright you and they got nothing.
Do you know how hard at what most people don't know, but I put it in there. This is a rhetorical question. Do you know how hard it is to drive down the field in the NFL, get to the one yard line and get no points.
It seems hard.
It's without without even taking the points into account, Just to drive down into the red zone is extremely difficult. So many things have to go right along the way, and to not get anything for it a couple of times it is it's nerve wracking. And so I I know what that feels like. I'm look, I'm this is a real this is These are my my own accounts of when I was in games, especially on the road, When we got to the forty yard line going in, I would breathe a little bit of sigh of relief because I knew we were on the cusp of getting points no matter what happened. Did we want this touchdown? We want the six, of course, But as long as we got points, I could be like, man, we did that. Once we got to the thirty, that filling grew exponentiously, exponentially twenty ten five. The filling grows. If I don't get any points in any of those drives past the thirty, it has the adverse effect. What are we doing out here? There was no one open because there was less room to guard. Now that is a penalty where the linebacker just bear hugs the tied end. It sure is, but they're not You're you're you're not calling the play for a penalty.
Yeah, but that's like, that's the that's to me, that's baked into the risk that.
You're you're opening yourself up for a subjective view of what happened.
Sure, sure, Like I mean I could argue, as I just did that you got down to the one yard line with a pass interference penalty that is questionable because the ball was eleven feet over your head. So that worked for you and then it worked against you. That's life.
This is if you if they let them get out of here and go down the score.
Well that's the thing. Like I love the way you look at it, which is to think about this in in in the reverse view or the what could happen next card, which is to say, if the Bucks go get a touchdown here, well, now you're down by two scores in the fourth quarter and your host, yes, you're in trouble. You are in trouble if the Bucks and so that's.
What if you take the goal and it's sixteen to seventeen and they go down and score, you're still only down by one score. Correct, that's what. I don't know what analytical software they're using, but the fact that it's not telling them that is burn the whole thing down. Mike, Mike Evans.
Yeah, analytics software is hilarious because and it was Mike Evans. He got a first thame.
He didn't even look anywhere else.
No, by the way, the analytics software I've decided is hilarious because I've never not once when they go for it, does that little thing pop on the screen and have it say next Gen SAT say, dude, coach, you should punt. It never says that. It says you're supposed to go for it every single time. I think the next Gen Stats is just some dude with a fantasy.
Squad has it.
Wow, Oh that was yeah, Washington does have it at the twelve yard line.
Doesn't matter. They can have it at twelve yard line and get no points. It right, we've seen this. We wow, we've seen this.
Yeah, this is I mean, this game is exactly what I thought it was.
We needed a little game tonight.
It's a little lower scoring that I thought it would.
Be, and lieu of the fires in the tragedy, we needed this level of entertainment.
No joke, no joke, this thing, but the the emotional roller coaster that you're talking about is right here on display. And if I'm Washington and I get this fumble at the twelve and we take this seven yards and we kick a field goal and we're still losing, oh my god, I'm mad. Yeah you should be.
It's as if we get to the thirty minute mark of our show and Steve p. Seger is like, I'm done, I'm not coming on, I'd be pissed. Luckily he's a professional.
No, No, I'm not Tyreek Hill. I'm just aj Brown. I've got a book by just standing by.
By the way.
Two things for you. The uncatchable is still actually in the NFL le okay, I felt the actual term uncatchable is in Article three. It's talking about pass interference except when contact that would normally be considered past interference. However, the pass is clearly uncatchable by the players involved.
End quote.
Second, I agree with you on the why in the world, especially that first drive for Washington. Why are they going Ford on fourth down?
I will say, at.
Least on two points, I get it, because Washington this year going forward on fourth down was twenty for twenty three, which was one of the best fourth down conversion rates of the last thirty years. Kind of like Brandon Staley's first year with the Chargers he started, I think it was eight for nine converting fourth downs. I see why these people fall in love with it. I don't agree with said call, but I at least get it. Tampa Bay Bucks defensive back Jammel Dean, with a knee injury, has been downgraded to out for the rest of the night. Can I add that Washington defensive back Marshawn Lattimore has just been schooled by Mike Evans tonight. Tampa Bay's star wide receiver's been targeted seven times overall, has seven catches for ninety two yards, including a pass interference in the end zone, and then he got a one yard TV catch on the very next play. For the moment, the Bucks leads seven teen thirteen over Washington in this wild card weekend playoff, eleven and a half minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Yes, Baker Mayfield and company just turned it over. So Washington has the ball inside the fifteen of Tampa Bay, but they've been stopped on fourth down a couple times, so Washington is trailing seventeen to thirteen. The details on that very first drive of the night for the Washington offense, They drove down to the Tampa Bay twenty, went for it on fourth and two and threw incomplete. And then they turned it over on Down's early fourth quarter on a fourth and goal from the three, when they went for it and through incomplete to a tight end. So Tampa Bay at home is still in the lead. Bucks have won six of their last seven games. Commanders come in with a five game winning streak. There's another game tomorrow night, the Rams quote home game against the Vikings being played in Arizona tomorrow. Today started with Buffalo's home win against Denver thirty one to seven. The Bills nine to zero at home this year, Eagles nine and one at home after a victory against Green Bay twenty two to ten. The Packers fumbled the opening kickoff and Jordan Love threw three interceptions. The Patriots hired Mike Rabel as their new head coach. In the NBA, New York got forty four points from Jalen Brunson and beat Milwaukee won forty to one. ZHO six Sacramento won its seventh game in a row, one twenty four to one to nineteen at Chicago despite thirty six from Zach Lavine. Nuggets came from nineteen down to win at Dallas. Oklahoma City won again winning at Washington, or should I say Washington lost again? They lost six in a row. They're six and thirty one this year. Indiana won at six straight one at Cleveland, Boston, and Orlando. With victories, the Clippers and Lakers will each resume their home schedules on Monday. Coco Goff has won our first round match at the Australian Open. And hey guys, we might have a fourth down coming up for the Washington Collanders in the rest.
Might we might have a first down for Tampa though. This one's gonna go to review. And I'm not sure who actually he.
Has the ball down he had you show my god, they're going for I can't do this.
They are from the five yard line of Tampa Bay. They're gonna get this one just because of all the time.
Touchdown there we go.
Terry McLaurin and the Washington Commanders have just taken the lead with under ten minutes to go. An extra point we'll make it twenty to seventeen at Tampa Bay. That's two TD passes for Jade and Daniel.
Speak to you.
If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times more. Teams should go for it on fourth thousand. Are you alive? Are you still on this show?
May or may not be?
Gosh, that's funny. I'm still not convinced by the way that Washington shouldn't even still have the ball that Austin Eckler catch on third down certainly look like the ball kind of bouncing around on his chest and then grabbed by the Tampa defender.
But anyway, I got to get out of here.
Man. Alright, man, you want to like at least go to.
I can't take it well killing me.
I mean. The funny thing is is if they would just they've gotten two touchdowns, but they've also left three field goals on the board. So if they would have just kicked all of the field goals, that would equal fifteen points, and instead they've got fourteen. I don't know if that matters, but it kind of evens out sort of. Maybe. Oh no, I don't know, but it's pretty funny. It's pretty funny.
Man, if you pay funny, nine are six more points to their total? Does it even out?
Yeah, but they like twice they did it and they got touchdowns, so that's four plus four where they right where they gained that, so they breath. Then they lost a point, which is not an insignificant point. They're only up three instead of four.
But you can't just I mean, you can't eat. You have gorge yourself.
If they had kicked the field goal on the previous drive, then they'd be kicking off and there wouldn't have been this fumbled.
That's well, you don't know. You don't know because they would listen, they would have been in the same area field.
Tampa would have been out at the thirty yard line.
We don't know that.
Twenty what if they returned it for a touchdown? I mean, anything could have happened.
But guess I'm just saying, guess what points are points? There's no speculatory nation a notion about points either you put them up on the board. Are you doing?
But my point is that they just got seven that we can't assume that they would have gotten in that same spot had they kicked the field goal.
No, they would have just been up. Yes, they would have just been up in the in the in the football game.
Well, no, they were going to get No.
No, I'm talking about if you take all of the points that they handed out, they would have been up in the football game. Listen, listen, Mark, let me take you. Let me tell you that the football game. Now, let me tell you this. Okay, listen to me. Man, I'm listening. You're not listening. Listen to me.
I'm listening like I'm talking.
You still do not listening. I noticed you're not listening. You're still talking.
Go ahead, listen to me.
When I say, when you're up in a game by one point or you're within one point, it changes what the posing offense does opposed to when they're up. So not only do you affect your team's momentum, you affect theirs. You're on the road, every time a team stops you, the crowd gets energized. Every time you score, you take the crowd out and deflate the team. That's all part of the game. When you throw that out the window and listen to analytics, you find yourself climbing a hill constantly. But there's no plateaus on the road. So this whole feast or famine, notion on the road and a winner, go home game is reckless and it's dangerous because the last thing you want in the fourth quarter coming down the stretch on the road is you haven't taken that team out of the game at all. You haven't taken the crowd out of the game. So you it took them to mess up. They fumbled, Bucky Irvin boof. It took them to mess up, not you eat them. There was a botched handoff between a quarterback and a receiver and you still couldn't move it. It took four downs to go what seven yards twelve or whatever? Yeah, yeah, so that's the I'm with you.
Yeah, I'm with you.
It doesn't sound like you are. Well, no, I'm with you.
I'm just trying to like throw out what Dan Quinn would say if he were sitting here as your co host tonight, he'd be like, twice we didn't go for the field goal and we got the touchdown, and then twice we gave the ball to the other team. Ooh, surprised there wasn't a penalty on that play. That's the first time I've seen a quarterback get thrown by the head out of bounds and there's not a penalty. No, I know, it just looked like that. No, it was legal. I'm glad they didn't call anything. All right. Hey, the AFC playoffs are all set, and there's two big things, one in each game that we need to talk about, and we'll do that coming up next with e from Salam Mark Willard and it's Fox Sports Radio. My goodness, this thing just keeps getting better. First of all, tie rack dot com studios, and right after the show, the podcast goes up. If you missed any of it today, tons of fun. Check it out on podcasts. Just search Fox Sports Radio wherever you get your podcast, follow, rate and review again. Just search Fox Sports Radio wherever you get your podcast. You'll see the show posted right after we get off the air, which is coming up in just about ten minutes or so. I bet Washington would have gone forward on fourth down, mayor I mean they had second in inches, third.
And inches like doll.
Who they botched that thing sideways. But then they took their medicine and kicked the field goal and we got a tie game again, twenty to twenty. So here we go, Jayden, four minutes to go.
This is how you operate yourself.
Let's see it. This is what this is.
And look, very few rookies get an opportunity to do this their very first year. Sure to jump up levels in terms of lure. Right, C. J. Stroud did it last year? Right, you win a playoff? It wasn't this exact scenario. This is on the road, hostile environment, the balls in your court. Whatever you do or don't do will determine the outcome of this game.
Here we go.
The great ones love it. They want these the sooner the better, sooner the better. And so this is what it's all about. This is how you make everybody in the building look smart by drafting you. This is how you make everybody in Chicago scratch their head. This is what it's about.
Yeah, man, yeah yeah. This is a difficult one to watch for them for sure. So here we go. Keep you updated for the portion of it that we've got right here. I do want to ask you one question each on the two AFC games that are already in place. We don't know what day they'll be played next weekend, just know that they'll be played. You've talked a lot about the emotional side of the game. The Houston Texans. The last time they went to Kansas City, CJ. Stroud spent about ten minutes crying in the end zone because it was the spot where Tank Dell suffered yet another horrific injury. How does that weigh on this game that's coming up next weekend?
Now that's turned to momentum, that's turned to fuel. It's hard to emotionally at the time come back from that. But now that's come that, that's turned into oh, we're doing this one for Tank. Oh now you can feed all day. You can use that, you can use that? Is that is the right level of fuel unique going into this this divisional round of the playoffs.
It's also a very very similar situation for the Houston Texans who were able to pull off a home playoff first round win last year and then had to head on the road to the one seed. At the time, it was the Baltimore Ravens. They held up for about a half and then they were overwhelmed. So now it's the same thing. It just happens to be the Chiefs instead of the Ravens. I don't know, man, what kind of a chance do you give them?
I give him a chance, I give them a chance because although the Kansas City Chiefs are the Kansas City Chiefs and they'll always be in every game, they haven't blown us away this year offensively, No.
They haven't.
And they've been in some very precarious games in the fourth quarter where the ball literally quite literally had to bounce their way. So anything can happen, and that's got to be the mindset going into this.
Now.
I tell you what Washington can't do is they can't not get a first down, right.
You have to.
You need about three first downs, right, because if you're not going to score any points, you can't give the ball back to Baker Mayfield.
Three first downs. It probably put them in a pretty darn close to field goal range. But I hear what you're saying it anyway, So it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter they go for it on fifth down. If they've given to them, who's the Who's the MVP of the league in your mind?
Man? I really like it's a it's a very long long pause because there's a there's a lot of things. Whoever wins the game next week.
Well, it'd be fun if they made it that way.
Right, Yeah, But that's that's where I am at it. That's where that's where I am.
Yeah.
So whoever comes out of that and goes into the AFC Championship game, that that'll be my MVP.
Did they vote though they already vote.
I'm sure the voters already vote. I'm sure they have.
Yeah, they can't take that into.
No I'm talking. You'd ask me. I'm not them, I know.
But just what if you had to vote that you had to do and it was due today.
If the vote was due today, I would have probably given it to Josh Allen. He he's done more with less, more with less. Okay, he's done more with less. So I mean he doesn't have a Derrick Henry to hand the ball off. He didn't have to say flowers. He didn't have Mark Andrews like he you know.
I mean he's got a James Cook and a Dalton Concaide and uh yeah, you.
Know, Okay here those names didn't even sound right because it didn't talk about Dirrick Henry Man.
I know, James Cook, I mean he got a hell of a year.
Yeah, one I'm going to the Hall of Fame. The other one may or may not even right. That's what I'm talking about. The other ones and like it said, mark and go into the Hall of Fame. Okay, right, okay there, so there's three offensive Hall of Famers on that team.
But is it overwhelmed by the fact that, like if you do if if you want to go by the numbers, Lamar's got.
It by far. Yeah, but he didn't have the best last year and he won the m v P. Yeah, I guess that that argument. You can't use that argument.
If well, you had better numbers than him last year, I mean quarter better numbers, quarterback numbers. Oh yeah, yeah yeah, who was like head and shoulders ahead of Lamar last year? Hold on, hold please, that's all I'm saying. Hold please, if I'm looking at I mean, unless you want to say Dak Prescott. Dak Prescott had a better rating than Lamar, a lot more touchdowns than Lamar, He had more interceptions than Lamar, had a lot more yards than Lamar.
Who else had more yards than Lamar?
Well, a lot of people had a lot more yards than Tua and Rock Party, c J. Stroud, They all had more.
So you know, the right of numbers, you know, outside of that one game, which Brock Party was going to be the MVP except that one game did it right.
That's also just passing yards.
But what I'm saying is that one game did it. If brock Party comes out there, that game, brock Party's the MVP. That's all I'm saying.
Very very possible, all right, that game maywell be in the middle of our show next week, so I can't wait for he from Salama, Mark Willard. Everybody, have a good night.