Gregg Rosenthal is joined by Patrick Claybon and Steve Wyche to preview all of the Week 13 action from around the NFL. The show starts off with Eagles at Ravens (02:30), followed by Seahawks at Jets (15:26), Chargers at Falcons (21:42), Rams at Saints (27:00), Colts at Patriots (32:20), Steelers at Bengals (39:09), Cardinals at Vikings (45:51), Texans at Jaguars (51:42), Titans at Commanders (57:50), Browns at Broncos (01:06:05), Buccaneers at Panthers (01:10:54), and 49ers at Bills (01:15:35).
Note: time codes approximate.
Walk up to the NFL Daily presented by DraftKings Sportsbook, where we only feel truly alive after that camera light turns on. I'm Greg Rosenthal here in the Chris Westling podcast studio with my friend Steve Weisch and Patrick Claybond. I'll throw it to you guys. You ever your television professional stop. You know, you ever have days where it's like, oh, you know, you're you're a little worn down a little bit, but then that light turns on and then it just it takes over. You feel it. You have that light ever turned on for you and you didn't feel it? You know what I mean?
I mean, it happens, but you know this is I'll use it. I'll use the gym analogy.
You know. Okay, some days you just don't feel like you have it.
Yeah, but once you're once you're about ten minutes in on that elliptical, that treadmill, then you're rocking and rolling and you're having all these great memories and you're and you're running from people trying to kill you.
You know, you really got it going.
Yeah, you have to write in the gym you got you got you know, for Steve, you got four hundred pounds on you.
Yeah, you got to come back up and go. Patrick. That doesn't always happen for me in the gym. I'm just more like, okay, we're at like twenty five minutes. Is that enough?
But having not been mentally prepared and been on television and embarrassed myself, Yeah, in the past, I used to keep a note my wallet. It's like I wrote it down after a really bad hit where it was a national hit on CNN, some news story that I will not be unprepared on TV ever again.
That go.
And so before the honestly like to kimono open here, before everything starts, I tend to close my eyes, take a deep breath and going to a place.
M That's good that it has crossed my mind because Steve, You've had, you know, far more live television experiences me And sometimes I'll be watching I'll be like, I wonder if Steve ever just you know, man, he's just he's just he's just grinded down and he's not feeling it because you could never tell, you could never tell all the time.
But Okay, as Patrick said, you know, you make that one mistake and it's a right somebody else sitting in this chair baby on Zillow.
You guys have been sitting in this chair every preview show, and this is one of the best slates I think we've had all season. Sneaky fun, a lot of just B plus's a minuses, But we got to start despite it not being the smallest spread of the week with what to me is just my choice, is the game of the year? Love it?
Yeah, I'm right there with you, Greg, because it's the next game for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Baltimore Ravens. Both played in so far last week in prime time. Both got wins, the Ravens playing host of the Eagles, favored by three with an over under of over a half one hundred one and a half points. Full CBS treatment with Jim, Tony and Tracy on the call. Greg at the Ravens defense got pressures thirteen different players, four sacks, pass breakups, all without Rokuan. Was that the improvement that you waited for? And if it is, is it enough against Philly and their MVP candidate in the NFL's leading rusher.
It's the start of it, and hopefully Rocan Smith is back this week. Two games where you give up a combined one touchdown. That's impressive, even if it's not against the most explosive offenses in the league. Where good offenses those Steelers and Chargers, this is a whole different sort of challenge. Can you get any pressure rushing the passer on Jalen Hurts because the Rams really didn't last week and they have a pretty nice passers. There is one or two plays I know you're thinking of that Jared Verse by a lot of play that we were talking about before, but for the most part he was protected and the pressure rate was really low. And then the matchup I guess I'm thinking of even more when the Eagles have the ball. Is okay? These cornerbacks for the Ravens, it's gotten better, Nate Wiggins, and you bring in Tredevius White, But aj Brown to me is the best wide receiver in the NFL right now, like he is playing the best. I know he's missed some games this year, but he is so difficult to stop. So if they get DeVonta Smith back, that is just a whole different sort of challenge and test to see if this Ravens defensive resurgence is real. I'm not ready to go there. Quite yet. I am.
Okay, I am because you know, one thing you've noticed the past couple of games, when the Ravens have kept teams out of the end zone, they put Kyle Hamilton more as a deep float of free safety.
Right.
He's a cleanup man, and I think in part because the tackling up front has not been good from the secondary, so he's a guy kind of like Ridney McLeod back in the day all the other mistakes that can come in and clean up. So I think that's helped good calm and so you know, when you when you look good, ro quand Smith back will help. But the one thing that the Ravens do that the Rams did is they only play four up front. They really will give you rarely give you a five or six man front. Look the Rams did that, Saquon got through and then it was just daylight right because the Rams dbs aren't as fast as Ravens DB's. So I do think that they've they've turned the corner, especially on the red zone defense, and if they stop making some of those penalties in the secondary, that defense is going to be even better.
I think they've hurt themselves.
Patrick and I were talking you know, the other the other day against the charge of Some of those late calls against Marlon Humphrey were a little little touchy right there. But I am in on this, wow, And I also think the Ravens three point favorite. It's not the home field three points, it's the Lamar Jackson three points. All things being equal for both of these teams. What Lamar is able to do and taking care of the ball, passing inside and outside of the numbers, just outside of the numbers people he's doing that, I think he's at three point edge. I like number on.
This and I like the Ravens on this, but they're not equal. If we take out Lamar, the Eagles are a better team. Now Lamar is that reason? I agree with you. If he's gonna win, it's gonna be. Why are the Eagles a better team? Better defensive line, better offensive line? Is it a better defensive line? I don't think so. Okay that I'll meet you there and say, maybe that's that's close, But I think better overall defensive talent, better coached defensive talent, better offensive talent by a lot outside of you know, Derek and Lamar. That's a big except I know we're splitting hairs here. I think I just mean, if you pull Umark Jackson on the Eagles right now, I'm good. I don't care about the NFL rules. I'm going to Vegas right now and I'm putting that ticket down. That team's not losing. Disclaimer, I don't think. I don't think the discrepancies are nearly as big as you're. Okay, good, I'm glad. I hope you're right because I'm leaning Ravens, and yet I don't feel great.
Yeah, clearly bias here, but I feel like the discrepancy is on is in the defensive secondary, especially at the corner position, where the Eagles acknowledge the lapse, they go out and get two really good players really in the draft, versus on the other side. I think Baltimore felt good about the Nate Wiggins pick. Uh some signs to be positive about. The Chargers targeted.
Him nine times.
He was clearly the player that the Chargers wanted to go at, and there's a couple of times where he's seat belt celebrating like a drop correctly where several drops and so like coming into this game. If it's Devonte Smith and Nate Wiggins, no there's no confidence that presumably Baltimore is gonna do everything they can to prevent that matchup. One thing that they did change was actually having Kyle Hamilton play safety. Yeah, against the Chargers, where he lined up forty nine of his sixty snaps playing safety, versus the rest of the.
Season, we're only thirty percent.
He's playing like linebackers, where he's up there around a line of scrimmage, and so putting your best player in a position where you can make plays definitely helps the defense seem more aggressive. They seem more on the same page despite not having the signal caller out there. I think there's reasons to be positive, but there's also the aj Brown factor and I need I need Deontay Johnson to run her out without falling down.
So funny you say that he doesn't even count anymore, man, It's.
So funny you say that. Locker said the same thing when we watched. He's like, I feel like he's always fallen. I was like, that's a good note. It's that's that's kind of a rep that's absolutely true. Remember, like there was like a conversation in some fantasy circles like, well, who's gonna be the number one now Zave Flowers at Deantay Dungeons, which I was never buying, but like he's not even the number three. I'm trusting Aglar certainly well, live Count Andrews and likely.
Yeah, and Bateman has really stepped up as well. Like Shad didn't make that first play in the first half, right, and Lamargo's right back to him at the end of the first half and he comes up and makes it, makes that touchdown catch where we weren't necessarily expecting these types of performances from Rashad Bateman, but plays well.
It's been very solid. Somebody that Ravens were lo I'm a little worried early in that Chargers game, the play action was really working against some of those linebackers. Even Roquon hasn't been amazing in coverage years, this year's been anywhere close to amazing, and so that's that's a concern. I think when you're attacking that part of the field, that's probably more of a Dallas Goddard. Now they don't really have a great uh slot receiver, but certainly a J. Brown is a slot receiver at times and the best one in the league when when he is but now the Wiggans is healthy.
Right now, they're going more of a three corner instead of a three safety nickel. And so because you know Stevens on one side, uh, you've got I'm I'm blanking on our guy forty four Marlin Humphrey and so you know in Wiggins. So now they've got a different they've got a much faster nickel package and they're running more of a two linebacker three corner. Look when they do this. So again I'm telling you, I don't think this is crap.
Okay, Okay, I want to spend a lot of time in this game, like more than all the other of the game. So I'm just throwing it out there for the producers. But I do want to take a moment. And I know you're where your rooting interest lies in this game, Patrick, but you do have an imposing quarterback who is very much on Patrick's corner and maybe has been earning your affection. Let's listen to Jalen Hurts after last week's game. We just got to keep building. You've got to keep building.
You know, Momentum is is the fakest thing out there because it can end to the beginn at any moment.
This is this is the guy, this is the I was carrying the torch for you. He's now said it twice. He's now bringing it up unprompted on NBC. He is the change. Like he if you're like the political guy behind the scenes trying to make this movement happen. He is your Barack Obama, he's your presidential candidate.
I mean, just just like you know the cause and effect that Jalen is referring to, I think more more people perhaps are considering that, you know, actions lead to results, and it's it's not necessarily vibes.
So I appreciate it now.
I do pass the torch, even though, like I've tried to withdraw myself from the discussion, but I want to let you I keep getting getting pulled back into it and it's like, oh, you're denying all of this that It's like, no, I just think we could look at the game and look at the things that the players do and have that be the reason as opposed to vibes.
Where when I saw that clip and I didn't see it said it, I was like, we have to builing this up on the show wiss Patrick.
So I guess this started arguing, this is the this is Atlanta couldn't make those plays in the Super Bowl, And I'm like, because I was talking about the Malcolm Butler interception.
I'm like, so, not only are you forgetting what games we're talking about, like, you're forgetting the Julio catch, right, you're just erasing one of the best catches in Super Bowl history. Act And the reason you're doing that is because we use hindsight to determine like outcomes, where like that's the reason you believe in this thing in the first place, is because you're just picking who wins and saying that they had anyway, I gotta stop.
It's true that was our halftime break of this game talk. But I did want to get there, and I should I should have finished there because I do have a couple other things taking a step back, Is there any chance that the Ravens are a little tired? They haven't had their buy And I appreciate the Ravens because each and every week they give us one of the games of the week. You're like, oh, wow, Ravens Bengals, that's an awesome game, back and forth. Game of the week. Oh wow, raven Steelers saving this early window. Oh last week, Oh prime time Ravens Chargers two great quarterback. They're always the team in these spots, even earlier in the year, in that Bengals game, in the Bills game and the Eagles. I don't know if they've played great teams repeatedly. You know, they had a nice win against the Commanders and here against the Rams. But it's a step up for them. But is there a chance that the Ravens are just like a little worn down here? I'm a little worried about that going into Thereby get having to get up each and every week, they also have one less they have rest going into this game.
Well, I mean I think this game they may be a little physically worn down, but mentally they'll be up for it.
I mean, they've got to buy after this. They did have a.
Thursday night game two weeks ago, right, so you do you get that mini respite right before. But I mean, they know the stakes, Okay, they know that the Steelers lost last week. They've got an opportunity to make up some ground right there. And they're playing a very good football team. So and I think the Ravens are starting just to play better on defense. Now you know, cale Vano, you went me a couple of weeks ago. We're gonna get there, We're gonna get it figured out, and you know, we'll see. This is the test. I mean, what Saquon can do is absolutely insane, though, because he looked.
MVP candidate matchup off. Yeah, yeah, it's actually a really big game for that. It shouldn't it should be. It shouldn't be on the result. But I have come to the theory having looked at the Vegas odds and just thinking about, like, Lamar has a higher degree of difficulty I think to win this MVP than Josh Allen Will specifically, and maybe Saquon two just because he's won it twice before. I don't think that's fair. But I think he's gonna have to go above and beyond. So if for some reason he plays well in this game, but Saquon and the Eagles win it, it's like people are just gonna start crossing him off because they're sick of giving him the award.
Yeah, as a quarterback, he's always gonna have chances to go out there and do what he does. You know, Sequon's opportunity gets limited versus he can have that mega game a quarterback has. I don't know what the quarterback equivalent of what Sequon did it so far would be, but a quarterback can do that in the last few weeks of the season and it's over.
It's not a discussion.
But Saquon does it in week twelve, and he has to do with that again for some reason, because the process again doesn't necessarily make any.
Last note I have the Eagles have outgained their opponents in the last during their seven game win streak by at least one hundred and ten yards in every single one of those games, and by an average of one hundred and eighty yards. That's twelve hundred and sixty yards. This was Ross Tucker tweeted this out in those seven games. I mean, that is outratous. I'm not sure if I've seen a sustained period of dominance yardage wise where each and every game you were significantly the better team you deserve to win, and you did. And these games haven't really been closed. So they really have been a great, dominant, talented team. And that's why that's why this is the game of the year. I'll shut up now.
Well, I mean the other thing is, you know, you look at them. You look at those numbers and you go to all the analytical metrics. That also means you're probably starting their drives in the twenty five. These are long drives. These aren't like getting a bunch of interceptions like the old chances used to do when they're only going forty five yards to get into the in zones. True, so you put up numbers like that, those are pre dominant. But the explosive plays, I mean, you will watch it. Saquan right here just just didn't say what about that? What about the two LA team to getting marked for three hundred and ninety five rushing yards and back to back game, that's that is a great They played.
Pretty good teams they did.
And to Greg's point about the Ravens being tired, probably with the Eagles too, it's a whole lot less tiring when you're winning. Probably those first couple of weeks of the season were mentally exhausting for the Baltimore Ravens. And speaking of a team that is losing and mentally exhausting, the New York Jets are playing the Seattle Seahawks, who are favored by two points and feature a quarterback who I don't know if you guys know used to play for the New York Jets. Geno Smith starting in MetLife, Adam and Mark Sanchez. Christina Pink on the call that over under is forty one and a half points. The Seahawks with a huge win. They're in first place in the West against the Arizona Cardinals. Now they play a three to eight team that doesn't necessarily warrant that much the discussion. Steve, So, let's just let's start with Gino and his opportunity to get a win in MetLife. Well, I mean, look, and it may not go down to Gino.
I mean what Seattle's done defensively, I know we talked about it, you know before last couple of weeks. Since they've got Ernie Jones, they're they are playing better football and against an offense. I think Breese hall Is is questionable.
Yeah, that hasn't didn't practice Wednesday.
Yeah, So, I mean, look, this is one I think Seattle gets up early. If Gino and these guys get up a couple of points early, the boot Birds are coming out. The Jets will turn into something else. But I think this is tricky for Seattle. I mean, going across the country that early start. If Aaron those guys get going and get and feel themselves a little bit, you know, then this is going to be a tough game.
But I mean the line says it is. They're only two point favor I think this is a tricky game. They've got to get out early. That's not the greatest thing that the Seahawks do. But I think that's where I mean, look, here's one for you, Greg, Who do you trust more in this game?
Gino or well it's obviously Gino. Okay there, you can get that close. I mean again, that's why I think I think that's a swing vote right there. I mean, it's tough of a game. Is just can be it take. And I trust the Seahawks defense certainly over the Jets defense right now, which has just been a bad unit. I think when you took Robert Sala out of the building, you not only lost Sala, but you lost o Brick as the defensive play caller who's not distracted by everything else. And they haven't been a good defense. Like I don't really have a reason to think that it's going to change just because they had the bye week and you mentioned Ernest Jones I was thinking about it. To this point, you could argue he's the best trade deadline pickup in terms of making an impact on a team. Yeah, yes, that's pretty crazy.
He's like fourth and tackles on their team since he's been there, Like over the Seaton.
If I'm starting a team, I'm still taking Amari Cooper over him the rest of the season. But to this point, I think he's probably made the biggest impact of any guy who's That's pretty crazy.
On a trade deadline season where most of the acquisitions were on the offensive side of the ball, on a season where we had to wait to see a defensive player come off the board, it shows that investments, especially at this maligned spot that we were discussing earlier to your linebacker, has such a significant value on a defense. Greg that since the buye has given up eleven and a half points a game.
Wow, Like, that's how.
Good they have been versus as you mentioned, Jeff Oldberg having his you know, attention bifrucated. Now the Jets have give him up more rushing touchdowns than since Week seven than anybody in the entire league, and they have to play against a healthy and spry looking Kenneth Walker and the Seahawks defense able to limit possessions probably lead to a whole bunch of you know, cutaways of number eight looking frustrated after an incomplete pass, looking at people's directions, pointing, drawing plays in the air. It's potential that has me thinking we should take this to a place and survive on it.
Okay, I would love to do that, And I would love to just listen to the music because it puts me in a kind of a Maui invitational type of mood here. But they are not available. What Patrick No, he took them to start this unbeaten streak since week three way back then, that they are not available, I would, I would, Woul, I would like to do this. I want Devin Witherspoon to cook this team. He has just been flying around. I heard Michael Sean Dugar, who does a good podcast on the Seahawks Man to Man podcast. Check that out. He made the point of the he thinks the biggest difference with this team is that they're stopping the run. They were missing so many tackles they weren't stopping the run. And when they are stopping the run on early downs and they did it against the Cardinals. That sets up the long distance situations and the players are talking about everyone can see it now. Mike McDonald's kind of cooking and drawing up these designer blitz is knowing how to use these guys and it's really working. So that combination where the players are really being good on early downs, I don't think the Jets will be able to run, and he's cooking on late downs. We could have a frustrated Aaron Rodgers dirting some balls or just throwing the ball away because he doesn't or taking some sacks, and think about the next excuses he's gonna make where he takes shots at national reporters saying they don't have integrity. It's just like, I'm so sick. That was like, I'm so sick of the fake laughter that he had when when McAfee was like talking about the reports that were happening. He's just like, it's just like, what a phony. Well, maybe you should tye Taylor next week. Hey, that's that's commitment to excellent stings. I don't I don't talk, but people in my people in my circle don't talk to those people. I don't know why anyone would be talking to those people. You maybe look inside yourself and think about why they don't like you, because that's that's the answer. The answer is people don't like and respect you enough to keep your business private, and so they're putting it out there. That is the answer.
Or maybe some people have lost their jobs once you because you know now that you're on the scene, and they got some things to get off of their chest.
Which is funny because he went through and it's like, oh, they you know, made Salad the goat, and now then they made Joe Douglas to go and they made my guy hack the goat, and it's like they they made that, like the just the lack of accountability is very consistent.
Eventually they is located in the mirror. Shout out today, whoever they are.
Can't fix stupid.
It's time for the Game of the Week presented by DraftKings Sportsbook. The Los Angeles Chargers two and a half point favorites at the Atlanta Falcons who come off a buye who come off that loss in Denver a couple of weeks ago. Kevin Harlan, Trent Green, Melanie Collins on the call frustrating performance.
Greg from the.
Chargers pass catchers in so far against the Baltimore Ravens. A even more perhaps frustrating performance by Kirk Cousin this and this Falcons offense, who bounces back and gets a win in Atlanta.
I'll take the Chargers a little surprise there the favorites this game. It's a perfect example of why I like this Week thirteen. There's a lot of little games like this. It's just like, Okay, two teams that aren't at the top of the NFL, but show me something here between these two teams coming off disappointing results. I think it's a great test for this Chargers team because I think this harbought Chargers team, I mean for the Falcons rather. I think this Chargers team is almost like the dividing line of whether you're gonna beat yourself or not. They're just a solid team right well said, they're there. I think they're going to make the playoffs, but they're they're right on that border of like playoffs or not, but are you gonna beat yourself? Because the Falcons do seem like a team capable of beating themselves. I think the Chargers are so solid I trust them a little more.
You nail this, and I don't think the one and a half is enough for the Chargers. M I mean, granted they won't have JK. Dobbins, but they'll find a way to run the football. But when I was looking at the Falcons schedule and just watching some of their games, they're not a tough team right when you look when when you look at the teams who they've beaten, they are finesse teams, right. They've beaten teams within their division. They've beaten Dallas, they got Philadelphia, I think in Week two. Everyone else they've lost to brings a fist to the fight, and they have not managed to stand up, especially on defense, all the way from the front through their secondary.
We know they've got some.
Great players, Jesse Bay, j aj Terrell, but just when it comes to physicality, especially on the defensive side of the ball, that's not it.
And if you saw some of the stuff.
Joe Alt was doing early in the game, now later in the game he was getting beat up a little bit. But some of the things that this Chargers offensive line can do to them, I just think the Chargers, unless they're are just out of focus and I don't see them being that team. Greg, I think you nailed it when you said they don't beat themselves. I just think they're the type of team that Atlanta does not want I have to contend with.
And it would be a first opportunity for Atlanta to really just beat somebody right where it's tough, it's hard fought. You know Kirk Cousins, they've they're one in five when he has a sub ninety passer rating. They haven't really been able to ground out a win no where it's they They've won in score fests, they've they've played opponents who made mistakes. If the Falcons can can somehow come together and win this game, but I feel like for this Chargers pass rush, it's going to be like when the the rookies always talk about the game slowing down to go from Chase and Lamar and coming up with air. It's so fine to fly into Atlanta and going at Kirk Cousins, who who's you know, made one person miss?
They know where he'll be. Yeah, that is true. I did like hearing out of Raheem Morris that they want to do some more play action coming out of the buy, that that's been a focus to them. We've been talking about that him at all hasn't been able to so can they Maybe they took the old way they were playing and they took it as far as they could. Actually think they've they've done pretty well considering some limitations on offense, they're big. They're bigger issue is is the defense the toughest. I've never seen a team that struggles so much to get off blocks. I do think Raheem has been an aggressive coach. I think they've done a good job coaching and Jim Harbor I was a little conservative, So maybe that helps. Atlanta's going for some fourth downs. They take some chances in this game. It's a really intriguing game. They will not the Chargers, that is have JK Dobbins, our guy Yeh sprained MCL. When I heard that, I'm not gonna say that's good news, but considering the history of injuries he's had, I was fearing maybe he was out for the year. And they will have him back, and like I said, I think this is gonna be a playoff team. But they have a lot of tough games coming up, not a lot, not a lot of automatic wins on their schedule, so they should have him back.
For the end of the season, and real quick when say they don't beat themselves, Baltimore beat them the other night. But if they hang on to some of those passes, that's a lot more of a toe to toe battle than what we saw.
Yeah, just especially coming down late.
There was of course there were the pass interference calls that who you can have some discussions about, but that qwentn Johnson drop on third down. Actually, the best catch of the night by a Charger was Herbert randomly spun to the sideline and through a ninety five mile an hour ass ball behind Gus Edwards and he reached up in those the best playoffs saw all night. Other than that, and there's some lad catches are really really not a lot of success. To speak, Will Disley played well. We'll give credit to Will Disley.
That will be an off season focus is upgrading the wide receiver position.
They got add speed playing against the Falcons defense plays a lot of his own. Ajterrell career high seventy seven point eight percent of his snaps and zone coverage this season. A lot of that may be related to their inability uh to rush the passer. Where the Ravens had success as a pass rush group, especially late against this team. I don't I don't see the Falcons uh doing that, you know, unless there's some sort of miracle on the buy and shout out to Raheem if they're able to pull that off, I.
Don't think they will. No, that was our game of the week. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app now use the Code daily. New customers can bet just five bucks at two hundred dollars in bonus bets only at DraftKings Sportsbook with Code Daily, the crown is yours.
Let's go to another team in the NFC South that's on a bit of a hot streak as we get to another Los Angeles Sea, the Los Angeles Rams two and a half point favorites on the road at Darren Rizzy's New Orleans Saints Kenny Albert, Jonathan Willema, Megan o'levi on the call. It's a forty nine point over under Steve As we have seen a whole lot of permutations of this Saints team here recently. This recent addition is it enough to come and get a win against a solid Rams team?
So this is one and we were talking about earlier. If Alvin Kamara can get going. He's a terrible matchup for again the Rams linebackers if they can't get him down before he gets ahead of Steam going.
In the past and and running.
Game or Taysom Hill, Taysom Hill has become like put him in the MVP.
I'm joking. But the past couple of games, I mean, what kind of weapon is this? He unlocks their running attack with. I think he helps Kamara, they help out each other.
Yeah, I mean, I think it's been very interesting. But I just think the Rams offense in this one here, they get it going. I mean, they're they're gonna get Cup going, They're gonna get Pooka is sick. I mean, he's no matter how many people you put on him or how you put him, he's gonna catch it and he's gonna break the first tackle. I just think the Rams offense is gonna be a little too much in this game.
I like the number as well. I think it's gonna be right around there.
But I think the Saints you're gonna have too hard of a time stop in Los Angeles.
I don't know how I feel about this game and this this is a candidate for the Survivor Pick. Although we talked a little ahead of time, and I just found one. I think I maybe like a little more. It's the game on our schedule. You think about that for a second, because I don't know what I'm getting out of the Saints team. They have played really hard under Darren Rizzi. They you know, they smoke that the Browns team in the fourth quarter. That was a close game, but they got that win against the Falcons. I think the Rams are a better team. Our friends over at the Saints Block Party podcast had Jordan Rodrieg from NFL Daily and The Athletic on and their host Adam described the Rams as a good bad team and maybe the best of a good bad thing. I think that's about right. They're a five and six team. These two teams are kind of in the stage of the season where it's like, can you give us one more week? For our fans just want one or two more, Like the loser of this game is not going to feel like they're going anywhere. Even Saints fans have convinced themselves like, hey, this is kind of fun. Give us one more week if we beat the Rams. It's like this division, it's at least it's we're having some fun give us one more week. Rams fans, give us one more week. Get to six and six, we might be tied for first place. There will be one big game backwards. If you'll lose this game, you're not feeling great. I don't think the Rams are a cohesive group, and that rushing attack is a lot and matches up well with the Rams. I think the Rams will win, But I talk a lot about teams find their level. Sometimes there's like a records game where oh, they should be better than their record, or they they're worse. And these two teams are exactly the records they should be. The Saints are a four and seventeam. They've now found their level after winning two straight. They are a four and seventeen. They're not the worst teams. And the Rams are about a five and sixteen.
Yeah, this is one where you shay yourself. None of these, neither one of these teams. You're gonna go on a four or five game win streak to finish out the season. The Rams have the potential offensively to do it, but again, just so many the cracks they've shown lately on defense, I don't see them stringing something together like this.
I feel like the Rams have a puncher's chance in every game. The things that they do well, that's true. They can execute at a very high level, and they can knock you out if need be. If it's going twelve rounds, the Rams are probably gonna eventually, you know, have some sort of error. But like we saw in that game in Seattle, they stayed in long enough for Matthew Stafford to throw that big right hand and punch the Seahawks out, and the Seahawks that have had to bounce back from that. I'm just looking for if if Darren Rizzy gets a win here, he'll be a third of a way to the best Dennis Allen season in his coaching career.
He would start three and oh, I mean he might be pasted it three And oh, that alone is like more exciting than anything of them winning late in the scenes. Shout out to our fellow NFL media podcaster, by the way, Cam Jordan, who wasn't getting any run under Dennis Allen. And when I watched that Browns Saints game back, eventually he's suddenly playing like forty five to fifty Staffs and he's making a bunch of plays. So nice to see the long time Saint getting it done under the new staff. It's like he's reborn. Quote da, sometimes you gotta pop on the show.
Ultimately, that may be what the season turns into is just how bad was Dennis Allen? Like this, we may have a chance to do some scientific work and determine what the real value or lack thereof Dennis Allen was bringing to the New Orleans Saints. And and a win here against this up and down RAMS team could mean a lot.
I let's put a pin in the survivor talk and fully talk it out after the next game, and then we can we can make our pick. Oh about that? Yeah, because yeah, because we'll have our talk. Then let's take a quick break, actually, and yes we would be back. We're going to talk about an old AFC East rivalry that's no longer an afcast back on NFL Daily. And yeah, maybe the kids don't remember, but back in the day Colts Pats, it was twice a year. And I'm not talking like the later Peyton Manning Tom Brady where it's once in the regular season, once in the playoffs. That was a thing too, and that was a real deal rivalry. But when I was growing up Colts Pats twice a year all the way through. Actually a quarterback by the name of Jim Harbaugh. I remember a game he had against Drew Bledsoe. I'm like a playoff Colts team in the mid nineties that was right at the end before they they realigned. That's absolutely right, Jim Mora was in the mix. Now now we got Anthony Richardson versus Drake May, which for two teams that are under five hundred makes this inextremely watchable game to me. Yeah, very watchable.
And the folks in the Desert determined it's a two and a half point favorite in the Indianapolis Colts on the road in Foxborough forty two and a half on the over under Spirodiitis at of mantre Leta and a dd Kikawala on the call greg where we saw a dominant defensive performance by the Colts because they limited the Detroit Lions to twenty four points, which in my mind qualifies as one of their best defensive performances of the year. Problem is they only were able to score six. Jonathan Taylor really couldn't get things going, and this high variance passing attack saw the low side of the high variants with some bigger completions that were not.
Yeah, and they won't have Josh downs this week most likely. Ian Rapaport, our insider said that he is likely to be weak to week with a shoulder injury, and he's really key for what they do. That's disappointing. But Shane Stike and I think pointed out correctly after he watched the film what I thought watching that game was. I thought Richardson is building and despite the completion percentage in that game, it was a good performance by him, and they're getting more cohesive. They need to be able to run the ball. But this is a coaching mismatch to me overall, I'm just not impressed with what I've seen out of the Patriots coaching staff, making the same sort of mental mistakes over and over on defense, just false starts galore, penalties galore on both sides of the ball. I think they had thirteen last week. Really poor offensive line. So yeah, I'm considering them as the survivor pick them or the Rams. I think are interesting road options. We've taken a lot of the good teams this week. Just something to think about as we talk about this game. I guess I like.
That thought because normally, you know, I mean, I love Drink May. I think he's going to be a star, and just some of the things I've seen out of the Patriots. But they seem almost to the point like they've given almost all they have and they're just out. They're just I mean, I know, I know it's early, but I mean you see that sometimes like, man, I've gotten everything.
I've squeezed all the juice out of this one. Two more teams that haven't had a bye, by the way, so there might be some of that playing now. Both these teams are among the six pack that are finally get there buy in week fourteen.
Yeah, it just seems, you know, maybe they're to that point. I do like the Colts because the physicality that they play with on both sides of the ball. We'll see Anthony Richards and this this is a really good game because the Drake May factor. I mean, he's just so good. We know the Colts, they don't vary up their defense, Potch. They let the guys a front get after it and they let these guys in the zone in the back end try to make play. So I think I think Drake May's gonna make some plays with his arms and his leg But I just think the Colts are a better team. And I don't know if I'm that comfortable. Yeah, I'm probably more comfortable. We go Survivor with.
With Rams or with Colts with Colts. Hmm.
I am also look at this taking the Indianapolis Colts, who on defense have a statistical anomaly. So if we go to the leading tacklers in the NFL right now, Zire Franklin one hundred and twenty three, I can Nick Cross one hundred and sixteen, Roquan has one hundred and ten.
E J.
Speed has one hundred and eight. Yeah, there are three Colts in the top four in the NFL in tackles right now. They see a lot of action.
That's the way you want. That just means they're always at your offense isn't having a lot of plays.
But what I'm saying is despite that, they were able to do what they did against the Lions. I'll be at a David Montgomery less Detroit Lions in the second half. This team faced a lot of adversity on the defensive side of the ball and it's still managed to be successful. And I believe in the offense I do. I think they'll get it together now.
The Patriots have had these really down games, and this tends to happen with a lot of teams, especially immature teams, and I have seen that they have usually bounced back from their worst performances. I don't think they're done for the rest of the year. I just think the coaching staff for the Colts is significantly better and that even though they're not a great team, their defense has played better. I like them better with Richardson playing the way he is now, and I think they're a tier above the Patriots where they are. They're an average NFL team to me, and the Patriots are far far from that. And I hate I hate to keep picking on Mayo, but like sometimes you take on the personality of your coach and these postgame press conferences where he says these little things and people get on him for these little things and you don't want to make too big of a deal, but he's like, I can only do so much after they cross the lines. It's like the sloppiness with which he talks to the press, it's like the sloppiness on the field he keeps he keeps putting his foot in his mouth. He's like me, if I was an NFL head coach, you know how many times I would say the wrong thing? I'd be out by week five.
This is one of those things, like we've heard for years, really good players becoming coaches expect everybody to have their same work ethic. You know, there's some of their values and things like that, and if you don't see it, you lose it, like he does.
Girod Mayo was a grinder of a player. Maybe he's not seeing that all the time. I just don't think they've been particularly well coached s gommatically on defense either, So that's that's more my issue. Mike McDaniel was just it was like easy buttons all day. That thing could have been like a fifty burger that those Dolphins put up. It was bad.
Sometimes a lapse in talent maybe could kind of limit your options as a defensive staff. But I do agree that those things probably matter more than what he says in the in the press conference is Greig which you know, zero points were scored.
I get it. I want to get back.
It's a linebacker thing, though, because typically your leading tackles play on the worst team because they're on the field all the time. But in Gus Bradley's scheme, those are the guys asked to make all the plays. So I mean, think about Bobby Wagner and those guys back in the day when Gus coached him, Alex Anzelooni, when he was playing with the Yags. That's that's just kind of but it is an anomaly.
I see them on the upward trend. I watched that Colt Lions game closely, and that game could have really been been different on both sides. Well, I just think they're getting better. So all right, we're going survivor against my Patriots. A big, big spot for you to crake made a.
I can't we can't wait till Alex van Pelt puts one on you.
Yeah, we've backdoored ourselves in a way for to enjoy this either way, I can't.
Believe we've done this. I love it. I love it.
All right, let's go to another game, another divisional matchup, actually the first divisional matchup that we've been able to discuss here today.
The Pittsburgh Steelers doing.
What they do late this season, playing a division rival late the Cincinnati Bengals hosting the Steelers.
The Bengals three point favorites. How the hell?
When I saw that, I was like, okay, I'm reacting now, like, no, is that right?
I mean I saw that on here is like, there's no way? Why not? Okay, it's great? Why not? Steve?
First Off, Cincinnati's not a very good football team. Okay, okay, we know the Steelers have had what two touchdowns in their past two games. They're kicking a lot of field goals. Yeah, a lot of people are scoring points on the Bengals, and this is one. Now, I will say this. I was at the game in Cleveland when the Steelers I thought, I know, some people were really encouraged by the Justin Fields rotation. I thought it broke up some of the flow of the Steelers offense. I think this is a game will actually will work in their favor. I think kind of confusing some of the key pieces and scheming some of the key pieces against a familiar opponent could work against a team that's leaky in some areas. I do think the Steelers need to get Naji Harris a little bit more involved. We saw last week they went really with Jalen Warren. I think this is a game where they can bully the Bengals. I just think after the loss to Cleveland, there's some things they can clean up, like blocking Miles Garrett. They've got Trey hendrickson this week. That's something they've got to figure out. But I just think overall, their defense is not going to get scorched by Joey b and Jamar and I distinct the offensively.
They'll fix some things. It's a tough spot.
The Bengals have found and located ways to lose football games late, even even spots that you don't necessarily expect, like they're you know, former All World kicker as a rookie going into so far and missing two key field goals, late turnovers, late, scoring every drive, but then mysteriously malfunctioning towards the end of games.
Uh.
The three points, Greg kind of feel like, you know, America's familiarity with the Cincinnati Bengals leaning to where the odds makers perhaps care and I say this because I say this all the time, perhaps care more about what the public is going to do than what's gonna happen in the actual game, because that's what influences money going in their particular direction, because I would not favor the Cincinnati Bengals, especially over a team that's had the success. I'm pretty I'm fairly confident I picked the Steelers, unless unless I did to try to play.
Cary think about it, because you're right, like, week after week, we just keep slightly overrating the Bengals. I picked against them a lot, but just thinking it's gonna come back and underrating the Steelers. The Steelers have found a way to win these sort of games. This is really, this is finally it. I feel like every game the Bengals play lately is like, all right, well, they gotta get this one, and then it's the next week after losing another heartbreaker, all right, well, now they gotta get this one. This is kind of the end of the road. I know the schedule eases up after this game, although they have the Steelers again, but at some point you're four and eight, like you're done. You're done in a good conference. If you're four and eight, this really is the end of the road for their hopes beat a good team. They just can't beat. They keep being close against good teams. I think they're one and six in one score games. This season. You gotta do it. I picked them to win. I guess I don't know why, other than I think the Steelers defense in the back end maybe does have some vulnerabilities. T Higgins was awesome in that Chargers game, and now they're coming off of by everyone's healthy and just ken you outscore or the Steelers. You're making a face of me. No, this is all. I picked the home team type of game. If it was in Pittsburgh, pick Pits. Well, I'm gonna be at this game.
It's gonna be a high of twenty nine degrees, Okay, Okay, So when you got weather like that, are you going deep shot ball?
Are you going run the football and pound it? Okay?
And that's one thing that the Bengals cannot do. Steelers getting Alex Heismith back. Bengal's coming off of by Steelers a Thursday night game, so they've had a couple extra days to prepare with some salt in their mouth. I think Pittsburgh comes out and it plays a good game.
Here some stats for you. During the seven quarters where the Steelers didn't score a touchdown. This is from the Athletic, almost forty percent of their plays went for zero or negative yards. They didn't have a target for Mike Williams in those seven quarters, so it might be a combination of things that Mike Williams isn't the guy coming off the acl right now you're making.
I mean, I'm just saying, I mean, I mean, is that really a swing vote? Is that really a difference maker? It?
Well, but they would hope that he would be a difference maker because maybe they're a little thin, maybe not a team that's taking advantage of weak secondaries, bad safety positions like the Bengals, like like you should because they're wide receivers just aren't that great and they're not. They're and they're number one wide receiver who is great is an insane person. I mean, our friend Andrew Siciliano pointed this out to be how on the hail Mary. I mean, he wasn't even trying to get the ball, He's just tackling. What is this? He's just crazy, man. He's awesome though, but he is crazy. Russ. Another stat from those seven quarters, four for eleven in the red zone. And they haven't really run the ball very well. So I haven't, but I know it's a better matchup.
But the Bengals are giving up thirty points a game to plus five hundred teams height.
Them got in my ear and reminded me I actually did pick the Bengals on game debut.
Switch it.
I might switch, you know, we've we've got a couple hours to make that decision. But the Bengals not mathematically eliminated. They're currently at twenty three percent with a win. If they lose, it'll be down to five.
Percon twenty three relatively high. And they do get the Cowboys, Titans, and Browns. I know the Browns have been a little feisty after this before finishing with the Broncos and SiO. So if if you can get this one, I am buying that they're in the mix. I would agree. But that's what I'm saying. This is the end of the road type of game. Should be a proud team. This is a team that was a couple of plays away from winning the Super Bowl. It could get blown up if they do not win this game and they do not make a player.
Jamar Ches and Joey b are gonna be happy if they lose this game. Yeah, they haven't be happy. Yeah, I mean, they've got to win this game.
So after Dan Moore had his issues with Miles Garrett, he goes up against Trey Hendrickson, who's got thirty three pressures in five sacks in one hundred and thirty snaps one on one against more So.
I think was a healthy I think was he a lot of two tighten Darnel Washington's gonna be playing that third tackle for the stuff that dude.
All right, let's leave that one and go to the Arizona Cardinals at the Minnesota pickings three and a half point favorites over under his forty five Joe Davis, g reg and Pam Oliver on the call. Greg, we saw a Cardinals offense that was so hot really get stifled by Mike Max defense in Seattle, going up against the Brian Flora's defense that just saw Caleb throw for three hundred and fifty yards.
Who are these interesting point there that the Flora's defense is taking on a little bit of water. They're not blitzing as much. Kyler's really struggled against the blitz. Looked at the numbers this week twenty fifth according to PFF against the blitz fifth when he's not pressured. All the actual numbers success rate, all that stuff really goes down. So maybe this is a week Flores dials it up against and for the Cardinals. I think it's a real test of toughness. Young team, new head coaching staff, who's done a really good job overall. You really just got handed to you in a big spot on the road. Now you have to go on the road again against a very challenging team, a type of game that can make or break if you're really a team that's gonna be in it here for the long haul. I don't even need them to win this game, just just have it come down to the end and be representative of the Cardinals because I still don't feel like I totally know who this team is. It's a bit of like a mental and physical toughness test, I think for this team that I think has just been playing over their heads slightly all year, and maybe they can keep it going.
You know, they're a physically tough team on both sides of the ball. I will give them that, But you know, you talk about the blitz, Let's not talk about pass pressure blitzer. They're gonna Brian Floyd's gonna run blitz. They're gonna gap this thing up across the board. They've got edge setter to not let Kyler get up there, and they may not get that upfield blitz rushed.
They may do the kind of picket fence thing just to not let them leak.
And then they've got some guys who can get in there and make plays because they wrote the secondary rotation can get those quarterbacks when they try. You know, Josh mun tellis, you know Harrison, guys like that. You know, I'm interesting if Minnesota's offense can get it going. I mean, I know Jj and add we give them props every week, Donald props every week. I think I liked the three and a half number for Arizona to beat it.
I like the Vikings to win.
But I think this is going to be a real tough game because I don't think Arizona gets the credit of physicality. But I think the question of consistent physicality is one that they do need.
To ask Vikings fans actually this week, this is the week they decided to say we're not getting enough credit. They are nine and two, they're fifth in the NFL in point differential. They've been extremely consistent as a team, even the two losses they had in a row. It's not like they just weren't there and it was against good team. It was understandable. Like they've been very consistent.
And they've been able to execute when the things that have been good for them aren't necessarily That's a great point. Like the game in Jacksonville where the offense and Sam Donald did not have things go on, the defense able to pick them up. There the game last week where the defense gives up back to back scoring drives by the Bears, late teams gives up on an onside kick, they getting overtime. Donald them go out there and execute. Where Sam Donald in terms of passer rating games over one hundred, it's him and Lamar right now, and then everybody else like Sam Donald playing well in spots in Jordan Addison. I think Sam Donald threw the ball twenty two times last week. Nine of those completions went to Jordan Addison. Yeah, I mean, I mean twenty two completions last week, Nine of them went to Jordan. I mean, how many did JJ have? He didn't have hardly any, not very many. He did draw a deep pass interference that was able to set them up on the one yard line.
Also, they did a great job pointing out on the broadcast on the first Addison touchdown, just how Jalen Johnson is just drifting and drifting backwards because he's worried about j J. Jefferson, and that opens it up. It's amazing because Hockinson had a great game too many You really have a lot of depth of weapon.
Y Jones, and I think the tendency breaker was the Cardinals not having success in the red zone against Seattle, where some of you know, they're playing on the road against a good team, against an improving defense. They get down there, they actually had a touchdown call back for penalty, and then they had to kick a field goal that wound up being who the Margins I think slim in that game. I think they're also a slim in this one. I would agree, so slimming that. Once again, I can't remember who I picked.
This is a tough one I pick. I picked the Cardinals, and I do worry that that's an early week pick of what I want to see happen versus really thinking they're a better team pound for pound than the Dolphins. But I mean, then the Vikings, there is something about this search bar defense you're talking about. They're up to twelfth and DVOA and maybe we'll make this a weekly segment because you're absolutely right. I looked at the players getting snaps for them. Last week, a man named Dadrian Taylor Demerson had sixty four snaps for them, and maybe the weekly segment can do we can tell you a little bit more about some of these players. A man named Nakwon Jones played a significant amount of snaps at nose tackle. He's a twenty six year old who came out of Michigan State un drafted, spent three years with the Titans bounce around and practice squads. Was on the Dolphins actually at one point this year practice squad, and then the Cardinals brought him back and now here he is playing significant snaps from the great town of Evanston, Illinois, where my girlfriend was from. So yeah, great, here you play, baby.
Yeah, one search at a time, we will, we will do our jobs and find out more about this.
Didn't even join the Cardinals actually until September twenty fifth, and here he is playing big time snaps for them.
Yeah, we love it, just getting getting a squad together. It's it's one day when they make the movie. And Jonathan Gannon is doing that scene like a heist movie where you get everybody together. They're gonna make a movie about this Cardinals team, and I love it. Maybe this quote will be in it. Let's go to the Houston Texans, the up and down, very up and down Houston Texans as of late four point favorites at the Jacksonville Jaguars and all of their issues coming off of the bye. Kevin Coogler, Moose Johnston and Laura Oakman on the call. Steve back here in the division where we thought the Texans would experienced all that success with Nico Collins coming back. He played a great game, but they lose in the division to the Tennessee Titans. What if it happens again here in.
Duval and Trevor's back, right, Trevor Lawrence is coming back off that shoulder injury for Jacksonville.
He's gonna be fresh.
They're getting both their running backs back, Etn and Biggsby are coming back, so they're gonna they're gonna feel fresh, and they know this Houston team might be questioning themselves. This is one and Greg, I think you alluded to this very early in the season, like nobody saw Houston coming they've tasted success or they smelling themselves a little bit, even getting some of the additions that they made. Stefan Diggs of courses off for the rest of the season. But they're just not They don't seem to have a good vibe.
Now.
This is the part of the season where we see teams do this year after year, kicking into gear and they get rolling. This is the game they have to do this. This five number, Houston favorite is way too big for me.
Agree it was. It was too big. It was six initially. I think it's down to four now in some spots. Four. And the Texans are another one of those teams that could really use their by They're going to get it next week because they just they feel like they need a major reset. They got to unplug the they got to unplug the console or something. And because they can't find solutions, they're not doing a good job coaching. To me, because they have the same issues every week. Run blocking. I asked Seth Payne, who does a great job on the radio there in Houston, just what is up? And he pointed to the tackles who are really highly paid. Tunsl and Titus Howard in the running game that it really has not been cohesive because they are one of the worst running teams in the NFL despite having a great running back playing well, Like they're only i think four games all year in terms of a success rate being at a certain terrible level, and the Texans are two of them where they've just been in. Some of it is their tackles. Sorry, if you're not getting a lot out of your high investments in the running game. There was a two play sequence at the end of that game last week that really stuck with me. Second and nine in the on the goal line I think was second and goal on the nine late in the game where they're trying to win the game, and that was before fair Baron missed the field goal that would have tied it and just like five guys in the backfield wasting it down on Joe Mixon on second down, third down? The who are they playing last week Tennessee, they sent some extra rushers. Everyone's running through back to back plays where the offensive skill players had zero chance, negative chance of doing anything in the biggest moments of the game, zero chance, and then they missed the field goal. Like that's what's happening with this Texans.
Team, and you really see the offense slow up when because Joe Mixon right now top five in the league and yards over expected. He's awesome on outside runs because looking at the way that Howard is blocking on some of these outside runs, especially in that direction, those a yards aren't expected because there's nothing there for Joe Leakson. And now you have to do it against Trevon Walker and Josh Hans Allen, two hammers where you're not.
Moving those guys on the outside.
In fact, that the Jags allowing the second fewest rushing yards over expected on runs to the outside, specifically because of the work that those guys were able to do against tackles that are better in the run game, right yeah, than Tunsel and Howard.
I'm just man, Patrick that that that such good stuff because you know a lary Me Tunsel, this is one of the best athletes in the NFL. I mean, he's been banged up a little bit, but you can power, you can athlete them, you can pull him, and it's just not working. I mean, I don't know if this is something where that you remember Bobby Slowak, the OC was a guy who got head coaching opportunities after last year's first year's in oc why this run game isn't working because actually has been two years in a row where they have not run the ball. And now you're hearing people saying CJ. Shroud is starting to look at the at the pressure. You know, that's not him. He's somebody who felt very comfortable in the pocket last year doing what he does, and now if he's kind of anticipating he's gonna get hit.
It's a seeing him regress some Now, he did have a lot of really special throws in that game, along with some really negative plays where he did seem to see the pass rush and you can see with his expressions and body language how frustrated he is getting. One note which we haven't mentioned on the game, were you guys aware Doug Peterson is the coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Still, we sort of left that two weeks ago and we assumed he wasn't going to be Remember when we got to the Bible, he is the coach. It's it's been it's been a game of survivor. I think that's good. Actually, why bother you don't have a better coach in the building at the at the end of the year, it's gonna happen and stuff. But if if it doesn't make sense, don't just do it, just to do it.
My first time in Jacksonville for this regime, I was watching closely as Trent Balk and Doug Peterson were out there and practice at camp, and the was walking towards the coach, and the coach would continue to find a reason to walk, to walk around the other god just doing circles around the field. And it's a very interesting economy and it's a fun game of survivor to watch both of them.
Respect respect to Doug Peterson, no shout out to coach, respect to Doug. They need to they need to have just a like a Doug Peterson appreciation Day during the Eagles playoff run, Like have him outside at the statue, just like remember remember when you were you were a legend. He still is a legend, still the coach. We're still doing this show. We got four more games to get to. We're going to take a break and we'll come back with the rest of the slate, including some primetime games that aren't what we expected coming into this. Back at NFL Daily, shout out to our broadcast career on this next game, I think Catalan Tiaki, Jason mccordy, a j Ross been doing a good job this year. J Joy is so good. He sees the game a certain way. He describes he is so good.
And they get an opportunity to watch a young, hot quarterback with an offense that just put up a ton of points. I'm talking about Will Levis Washington Commanders, who are five and a half point favorites the over under forty five. We already discussed the broadcast crew as we didn't know what to expect from this Tennessee Titans team. But now Steve, with Tony Pollard playing well, with Calvin Ridley and Will Levis playing well. Aside from a pick sick, sometimes you get got right. He got got against the Houston Texans, but he came back. They won the game, and the Tennessee Titans are fun. Steve, there, They're fine. I mean, we know they're tough team.
Their defense, starred as one of the best in the NFL, kind of faded a little bit. But now Will Levis is playing well and he's got an opportunity to go against a secondary in Washington. It's a question mark. It's been their question mark all season long. They've been able to manage some things defensively because their front seven is so good and Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner. That's a Frankie louver reth. There you go, if there had to get that in. But you know this is one where Washington one. Are they gonna have any running backs for this game? All right, that's one thing.
You know.
Brian Robinson comes out, we don't. Austin Eckler, we don't know if he's gonna be in. Doesn't look like it. It's intrigue gaming their kicker. Oh man, last game killer, he's hurt now they just put him on ir right, So this is trick of the five and a half.
It's probably should have done that before last game.
If he doesn't he was hurt anyway. If he doesn't, if he doesn't play last week, they win. Yeah, because because nobody on the defense tackle Cavante Turpin. But Austin Cybert's effort was one of the worst that we'll see by a kicker on a kick return in a very very long time.
Yeah, this is one where we're gonna have to see Jadon and Daniels come out and really ball out regats, but.
They didn't deserve to win that game. Anyways. When you watch that game, the Commanders not like they played well, No they didn't. They made big plays and that was it.
But they got dominated and pretty much every aspect of the game. But I think this is one where Jayden and Daniels can get it going. I mean him, it's Gary Terry and some plays. If they hit enough big plays, that's all they need. And defensively, I don't know. I mean, they're still trying to make Patrick. But they might get Marshall Latimore back this week. I was told they weren't expecting him back into the following game, but he has practiced this week that if they get him on the field, they can move Mikey Sammers still back into the slot where he's like that little dude's a stud anyway, but a slot is where he really shines.
That'll really help him in the game like that. That would be huge, especially in this game where the team they're facing has one clear number one receiver, where in the past that's that's a lot of more assignment. Now Calvin Ridley is it's quick that that's a tough assignment coming off of an injury, and maybe it's something where Latimore can single up Noah Brown has I mean not Noah Brown. Rather Ladim can single up you know, Westbrook a Keena on the other side and you can double double Ridley. However it is that you want to run. That would be massive for them because that's been a problem. And Brian Robinson was at practice. That's a surprise that everyone who went crazy on the fantasy waiver wire for Jeremy McNichols, so we'll see it. Sounds like Brian Robinson might be able to play. It'd be huge for that. Injuries is big. I don't think Jayden is getting bothered by the Ribs at all whatsoever because them calling speed option and him running up the middle on one of their first snaps of the game and him not playing with any fear at all two point conversion in a big spot. Thought he showed enough in that fourth quarter of that game to really make you feel good. I don't rus he played. I actually thought he played a pretty solid game overall. That their shortcomings were more his guys weren't open, a couple of drops, a couple penalties, a little bit everything, and not getting helped from the running game. So I feel good about where he is at, but not good enough to give them five and a half points. I just just preview the Against the Spread picks pod that's coming up on Friday. It's gonna drop on Friday this week with Cynthia. Tennessee was my number one pick last year. Last week I was loving that eight and a half. They went and won out right. Wouldn't surprise me if they won out right this week either, Like I'd give a little edge to Washington, But to me, the Titans are better than their record indicates at this point in the season. In Washington, maybe it is a little worse.
Yeah, I agree, especially the way the Callahan has schemed up Calvin Ridley as of late Tony Pollard, kind of eliminating teams playing two high safeties and giving Calvin Ridley a whole bunch of space to work for where it's not like Will Levis mak it some tight window throw. He's able to put the ball out in space and let Calvin Ridley use that adjustment ability to go get it. I have wondered and thought about this, Steve, because you were one of the very first people I remember several years ago to put this idea in my head of late season Cliff, and there it is. And for years I have wrote it off as some sort of statistical anomaly, just like a ghost in the numbers that sometimes shows up. And then we look at it and we use hindsight to say that this is always this is always what happens, and I'm starting to believe. And then and then I'm looking at Terry mclaughin running down the field on the right side to potentially win the game for the Washington Commanders late where he has been lined up five percent of the time this year, just thirty one snaps out wide adjustments like those, Do those make you believe that there's been a change or are you still a late season Cliff believer?
Yeah?
I mean look, and again this is where I mentioned before. They have Anthony Lynn on that coaching staff or he may have to say it's getting cold.
I know we can to give Brian Robinson.
We have to pound the football, we have to protect our quarterback a little bit more, and the best way to do that is to run. Now that would not be easy to do con Tennessee, right, but they've got to, Like you said, that adjustment that's something they have to do. But Cliff, the numbers bear it out, talking to opposing coaches bear it out. So but you know, this quarterback is what he showed. That was a great point made when he showed late in that game against the Cowboys, he's he's got a little stuff to.
Him that that was encouraging. Another point against Cliff in that game, for instance, the Cowboys kept running the same blitz with Parsons on the inside. The catame kept working. So that's that's coaching in game adjustments, that sort of thing of like we do one thing, do we do it well enough? And are we talented enough to really pull that off? Because to give Cliff credit, his scheme, I believe made the level of talent on the roster outside of Daniels and McLaurin look better than it really is. And that includes the offensive line talent, you know, and it concludes the skill position talent. You're throwing throw after throw to Noah Brown and on the biggest play of the game, they're thrown it to Baits what's his name, Jeremy Bates, John Bates, one of their tight ends, John Bates. And it's just not an overly talented roster. So it's it's a couple of things competing, and yeah, you're going up against a Titans team where Levis, I'm not he hasn't taken as big a leap as Bryce, but they're kind of on a similar trajectory of second year players who got sat down for a little bit and it's come back and it's at least closer to the best version of I think that we're going to get out of Will Lewis taking away too many sacks still a big time mistake last week, but you also saw the big time throws last week. He made some great throws in that game. And so I think if you're a Will Levis family member or fan or fantasy owner, like I think this is very encouraging. This is kind of the Levis you want to see. I think his ceiling isn't like incredibly high, but this is you're making progress, all.
Right, not not a full segment, but Gregor are ready to lock it in Will Levis quarterback, Tennessee Titans, twenty twenty five.
I don't think he will. Oh Okay, personally, I think Callahan is gonna want to his guy unless he takes another step like the step. We'll get to it. That that Price show. I mean they were last week, they won. They might win too many games to get his guys right, so maybe it'll be too difficult, but it's a good problem to help. I think he needs to keep it going and take another step even all right, the shoot or conversation charted Patrick.
Another team, well, a team that feels like it is locked in. It's a young quarterback playing host on Monday Night Football to Miles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns the Denver Broncos five and a half point favorites.
It's m n F.
So of course Joe Troy, Lisa on the call, or you could watch a couple of brothers do a do a game broadcast as well. Where So, Greg, we saw what Miles Garrett did against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Quinn Minors, Ben Powers, Garrett Bowles, Mike McGlinchey played well well enough to keep bow Knicks looking good against this Jim.
Schwartz Stefens, probably because Sean Payton will get quick enough throws that that beats the pass rush, and he's been great at scheming up quick throws, and bow Knicks deserves credit when he is holding onto the ball and he's getting protected, he's pushing the ball down the field better. They pick out the matchups for Garrett sometimes. So look, if he wants to get over there on McGlinchey, I don't think that's gonna be pretty. And it's on national TV. He'll be over there against with Lynch. I know, my I know Miles Garrett always tries all that Patrick yeahoe on the Broncos to make him mad. I know he always tries, but he was pretty quiet and that that one game against Talis Fuaga and the Saints. But man, he showed out on that prime type game. I just think he's got to show up and have a nice, nice game here, and it's it's a tricky one. I think their defense has enough just raw talent, with with Ward and and everything they have going on that it's certainly no gimme. The Browns are not. I think the Patriots are kind of a gimme for good teams for the most part. I do not think the Browns are a gimme.
Absolutely not. And the five and a half number to me is insane. Unless they is sane. I think I think they must think Jamis you can get up there and get winded.
No James. They've had some bad games with James too, to be fair, they've had two great ones, two bad ones.
Yeah, I just think you know, look, the offensive line, even as banged up as it is, they played a pretty dark good game against a really good Steelers front right T. J. Watt wasn't able to really get going. They they called the game, well, Nick chops starting to get his legs back. Guys, they're they're they're gonna be able. They did some good ball control of stuff. Oh and let's not forget Greg and Patrick. This is the Jerry Judy game. Okay, I like that.
That is a game.
Jerry Judy has shown up in some big spots for the Browns.
Well, he is playing very well. I was gonna say, playing well, maybe he's gonna get that new contract, and I kind of forgot. They got him on a very reasonable contract. I think they're feeling good about no abs exceedingly reasonable.
And you know, playing against an NFL legacy, the son of a very good cornerback.
In best cornerback in the NFL.
Well, I'll talking about last week against Joey Porter Junior.
I thought you were going past her ten senior.
The circumstances are different, and if if if Vance wants to put P two on Jerry Judy, then perhaps the revenge aspect to get ratcheted up, but the difficulty also gets ratcheted up. I think I think that makes for the Elijah More game because I feel like Riley Mawson is dealing with an injury as well, in that number two in Denver might be in question because I feel like he was on the report this week.
Yes, I don't think he's necessarily expected to play in this game. They're pretty healthy up front in terms of their their pass rush, and so that's a matchup. I like that the Broncos have really surprised us and they're gonna be I don't know about a main character, but a really big part of this closing stretch. You got him in primetime in this game. You got him against the Chargers in a couple of weeks. Uh. That was the game that was moved to Thursday night Football? Am I right? Or was at the They also have a at Bengals and a Chiefs in there. So Broncos fans kind of been looking for credit. I see them, they're they're they're a noisy fan base on Blue Sky and on Twitter, and all I have to say is like, here you go. This is great. I think it's actually cool. They're a surprising character of this season and they're gonna be in the mix and a lot of these big games down the stretcher. We'll see. This is the first test of a game you should win in primetime, So go ahead and go ahead and win it. They should win. The five and a half is big.
But fans Joseph and this defense too, has been really really consistent this season.
Shout out to our friend Andrews Sicilli. I know twice he's getting mentioned in this show. He's got this great Browns podcast slash Right YouTube show, and he got a great clip from Jameis Winston saying saying Nick Chubb said, I love you, man, And it's like, if you can get Nick Chubb to say that, you know, there's a lot a lot of love in this building for this man, Jamis Winston. Let's go. Jameis Winston certainly making himself a main character down the stretch.
Yeah, the the quintessential vibes quarterback where the vibes were decidedly not good in Cleveland A few weeks boring up a dub. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are six point favorite script at the Carolina Panthers, who just took the Chiefs all the way to the wire. Forty six and a half points is the over under Chris Meyers, Mark schli and Jen Hale on the call. We saw Bryce very very good in pressure Jatavian Sanders back at practice, looked healthy after a scary moment kind of landed on his head towards the end of the first half. But they were going up against a buzz saw Bucks team that you think is making a push to the playoffs.
I do, and this is a great game to see Bryce whether he can continue that run. I like the Bucks to win, and they might even cover because their offense is just that good against one of the worst defenses in the league. But the story here is Bryce. Last week we talked about can you be consistent stacking these weeks after weeks, Well, that wasn't consistent. This was a whole nother level up. This was a different Bryce Young than we've ever seen at the NFL level. That throw that he had to Sanders down the sideline, that's just crazy. Third and eight. He had to to more as he was getting trashed. I mean, he was outstanding. Last week. Nick Wesseling texted me he went back and watched Nick Westling out here grinding the tape, and it was pretty cool that he did that because I had already thought Bryce would be the type of quarterback Chris Westling would love. I knew his type. He loved guys who could throw with anticipation and be accurate. And Bryce's accuracy and his anticipation and his timing in that game, and as it's gotten better each and every week has been fantastic. So the Westlings are on board, and I'm looking forward to watching if Bryce can keep this thing going. Because that was that was like hey, hey, now, like all right, like we're right on track. If we see the rest of the season he's playing like that, That's what you want to see out of your second year quarterback. That was special.
I love this game plus six again for Tampa too much for me. Bryce's talking to Vance Joseph after they played the I think was Bryce's first game back. He was like that kid made every throw he's supposed to make, in every right decision he's supposed to make. And we've seen him build on that right, so therefore everyone else now has faith they're playing better football defensively, that's the issue on that side of the ball. Can Baker and those guys get off the explosive plays and and you know that's that's parting the passing game that they're able to do.
By the way, there do they even need to though? They're actually one of the teams where teams this is how the Giants played them. A lot of teams play these days are just like, can you work down the field when twelve plays thirteam plays without making a mistake, and the Bucks are always like, yeah we can, Yeah, all pett We'll do it every time. They're awesome and a lot of that.
Well, the Panthers defense has improved because this is one of statistically one of the worst rushing defenses we've ever seen. Now they're the second worst in the league this year forty six point seven percent success rate on runs twenty six explosive runs. The defense, especially in the secondary, it was a laughable performance tackling against the Chiefs, even against Patrick Mahomes late where now the issue is Bucky Irving, who sometimes is untackleable that dude and I'm imagining this Panthers secondary where jac Horn has been solid in some sorts of pass covers. In the run game, it has really been hopeless in the secondary for Carolina, where I'm comfortable.
With the points. I kind of am too, because they're a good team with the lead. I think they're built to win. Now they just they keep piling it on. There's no mercy Baker Mayfield in this offense. They're good at these long drive they can shorten games, and their running game has really improved a ton. They're good throwing to their running back. So I think Bryce could play well. But it could be thirty five, twenty four, twenty seven and it happens. Now. This is not a revenge game, but I did want to point this out. I don't Maybe you guys can help me ook your words Smiths of what type of game this is. Liam Cohen replaced Dave Canalis, who moved on for a better position. But I'm sure when you're replacing someone who's kind of a hot shot coordinator, you want to do even better than that guy, and frankly, I think he has. He's done an even better job than Baker with Baker Mayfield than Liam than canalsis then, So I don't know what type of game that is, but it's something I'll tell you. I'll tell you what.
They have the same agency, they have the same represent Okay. So that's like the big smile game.
Okay. So if Liam Coen gets there, gets this one, he might be he's gonna be interviewed for some head coach. Okay, the big paycheck type of game. Okay. Yeah, and he's like, I'm even better than this guy who got a head.
Coaching Jack, even though his defense the canalass defenses. So you know this is one where he Liam better go ahead and show out.
Okay, the rising tide lifting all both there you go, There you go game. Bringing us to our final doc of the evening on Sunday Night Football, Steve the San Francisco forty nine ers, dealing with a ton of injuries, one more marquee than others, going up against the red hot Buffalo Bills, who had a chance to work rests. They are seven point favorites at home the over under forty four and a half and Sunday Night Football. So Mike, Chris and Melissa there on the call. Is there any whole in Santa Clair.
I don't. I don't think so.
I mean, this is look, even the defense we're so used to, they mean they'd get hit too much. And we know Buffalo with Josh running the way they're running, they they're just they don't tackle well, gosh, they get they missed so many tackles once it gets beyond the first level. That's something we just don't see out of the forty nine ers. It's gonna be cold, you know. We still brock Purty is still a question mark. I believe if he's gonna be able to play. I just think this is a Bills in a landslide game.
This is now.
Josh Allen tried to compete for Lamar in Saquan for the three quarters of the season lead for the MVP.
The injuries are so massive to even talk about this game. If you have Purdy and Trent Williams out there, I'm not even talking about Bosa, although he would be a big deal to you got a chance, you got a chance to compete in any game offensively, and they can be tougher. Now in the end, I think the Bills would outlast them because the Bills can't be pushed around as well as as they used to be. They're playing pretty well up front, certainly tough on offense, and they're they're they're gonna be healthier too. They're coming off a buy and Cooper finally had a week to rest and maybe they get Kean Coleman back. And it's tricky. We're taping this Wednesday to get it out for you before the Thanksgiving holiday and everything, and we don't know if Purdy is gonna play or not. If they don't have Purdy. Yeah, it's a I don't you couldn't make this number high enough. I'm sure it would go from six and a half to they're probably trying to balance out of like maybe he's playing. He did throw some on Monday, which is a good sign, but he did that a little last week too, So we just don't know.
Here's something baffling to me. Have you guys been watching Deebo Samuel. He is not playing well. He had a couple drops, I mean things that were sure handed last week. It just doesn't seem like he's that guy in terms of early in the season.
He's playing okay, but he is not.
He's really got to relock back in because the mistakes he's making seem more in his head than the physical mistakes just dropping the balls. He just does it seem like right now, like the gangster type of dude that we've seen the past couple of years.
And even when Debo did make the play last week, they gets called back for penalty. Christian McCaffrey's best run last week. He winds up getting the ball punched out right and the Packers recover and and over on the defensive side of the ball. They they haven't gotten the stops we expect them to get, kind of carried at the start of the season by one of the best players in the NFL and Fred Warner where that damn has felt like it started to burst and it's caused me to use hansit and look back, it's like, well they're playing with al Dre Greenlaw in the Super.
Bowl that they almost win that game.
They have to finish the season without Talao Hufunga, who also hasn't played this season.
After missing most of the last season since since Week.
Five, where maybe things weren't so bad with Steve Wilkes, maybe maybe that was the best that this forty nine Ers defense.
It's also a different team at one point last year that showed the four defensive line starters against the pack. We're not there last year. So they're guys they signed like Malik Collins and Leonard Floyd, who are solid players if you're adding them to the mix to be your fifth sixth lineman. But now they're your lead guys with He's legit, but he was more legit when he wasn't thirty three years years old. He's a role player and there needed him to be like their top edge rusher when boss out. And that's yeah, that's too much. It's tough, this Bills team. It's a wagon, little little dangerous. But I like your your squad Eric behind the glass year and uh, I like the matchup. The San Francisco offensive line not playing well really at all either out, especially when Williams isn't there and the Bills can get after it. So I don't think that's gonna be a good sunny night game. It's just some years, it's not your year.
Well, we got so much on the plate beforehand. These are just like the little crumbs left after that.
Things.
It would just it would take the Bills. It feels like it would take the Bills making a ton of mistakes. Yeah, just a ton of mistakes. And I don't I don't see them do that the way they're playing right now that they're the safety Bills.
This is safe.
Josh gosh, we're talking about this game of Bill's Niners game like it's just.
We'll see, maybe they'll maybe they'll provost wrong. I don't think so. You guys always prove me right each and every week, and those seats making it the best previews show in the business. That is it for our week thirteen preview? What week are we in? Thirteen? We're here. I love it, one of us. I love it. Thank you for watching NFL daily. We'll be back to recap the Thanksgiving games, and like I said, the Picks show is coming up later in the week. But I hope you guys have a great Thanksgiving. I will in the meantime. Yeah, when we're talking about this forty nine Ers team being done by week thirteen, you know football is back.