2024 Week 7 Preview with Brian Baldinger

Published Oct 17, 2024, 7:20 AM

Gregg Rosenthal is joined by Patrick Claybon and Brian Baldinger to preview the full slate of Week 7 action from around the NFL. The show starts with Eagles at Giants (01:12), followed by Chiefs at 49ers (07:03), Jets at Steelers (15:02), Seahawks at Falcons (20:55), Lions at Vikings (25:30), Texans at Packers (32:09), Chargers at Cardinals (38:52), Dolphins at Colts (44:00), Ravens at Buccaneers (48:04), Patriots versus Jaguars in London (53:48), Bengals at Browns (58:45), Raiders at Rams (01:02:59), Panthers at Commanders (01:07:07), and Titans at Bills (01:11:28).

Note: time codes approximate. 

Welcome to NFL Daily, presented by Draftking Sportsbook, where we can only hope to be as interesting as the most interesting man in the world. That's Brian Baldinger. Baldi on the show today. Also very lucky to be joined here in the Chris Wesleyan podcast studio. Bye my friend Patrick claybod a little different for this previous show.

I'm excited Patrick.

Yeah, we get Baldi back and we get you back. Yes from London. Glad to have you back in these gustatos anidos.

Yes, it was a fun trip over there.

I'm sad Baldi not to get to watch, you know, my team, the Patriots and Drake May this week. That'll be an interesting one against the Jaguars. But I'm excited to have you aboard.

Thank you, Thank you, Greg. Pat good to be with you, guys man. Chance to talk to some football here. I mean, I think I've got it pretty well digested from week six, so you know, I think I can kind of look at some of these games and some of these matchups that everybody's turning to right now.

Well everybody, everybody's gonna turn to find out what you think about the Birds. So let's start right there, otherwise we'll go smallest the biggest spreads. But we got to start because we got Baldi on Greg. Yeah, let's go ahead and start with the Saquan revenge game. Philadelphia three and a half point favorite on Fox. Chris Myers, Mark Sanchez and k pink on the call. Baldi the Saquon get his revenge against the g Men.

He could, he could? I mean giants, Stephen is playing great. Guys played really well against Seattle two weeks ago, played great against an explosive Cincinnati team last week.

Even with al Cavon, thibadau is, He's o.

Jealari played great, Dexl Lawrence playing as good as any defensive lineman in the league right now. So they're going to have their challenges. They did not run the ball well last week against Cleveland. But I'm sure you know Saquan had this. He's talking in Philadelphia in the locker room right now after practice about you know what this is all about for him him and you know, so there is some of that to it, but he Saque knows that it's all about going up there to win the game first. And you know, Philadelphia is a better team, but you know, the Giants offense. I mean, honestly, guys, Daniel Jones couldn't played worse than he did last week. And that's disappointing because he'd played really well against Seattle without elite neighbors. But he got the ball down the field to Slayton into Wandale and really made some things happen. Last week, he couldn't make a right read.

He couldn't. That was a winnable game.

It's, you know, ten to seven in the fourth quarter, and they just need a drive to win, and they couldn't do it. And now they have to do it with doubt Andrew Thomas, who's their best probably he was the best offensive player, maybe the best player on their team. He's he's a really good player. So I don't know what they're going to do to adjust. But if Daniel Jones played like you did last week at home against a poor Cincinnati defense, and now you take away his blindside protector, I mean, if I was the Eagles, I would be I don't know who's going to be out there, but I'd be lining up to go get to the blindside of Daniel Jones right now.

I'm glad you brought that up. All day.

It sounds like it's gonna be Josh easy to do yeah, at left tackle, so they leave Jermaine Illumin or at right tackle, where he's played well. This has been a good Giants offensive line on balance, been one of the strengths of this team.

It's funny you mentioned Saquon.

He says it's been so long he doesn't care anymore about the Giants.

That's in the past and the weeks.

He also said that the fans, he doesn't think the fans will care anymore. I mean, I think they're gonna caren't. I don't know if they're gonna boo them or not. But the Eagles need to get it going again on the ground, and you mentioned a Giants defense has played pretty well, especially against the run. Now, one thing I haven't mentioned on this show is that Jordan Malatta is also going to be out for a couple of weeks.

The left tackle for the Eagles.

Johnson Now, yeah, and he he had some struggles I believe last week in that game where they just were a little often. This is a big game, Baldy, It's a swing game. I know people think the Giant season is just over, but they don't want to think that they're zero and two in the division.

They're two and four.

They win this game, and it's just a messy, mucky NFC East race and they're kind of back in it at three and four that they can look at this game and think they got a chance. They lose it and they're basically out of it. They need to win this game. And you mentioned how the defense has been playing, well, what do you think they do to maybe mess up the picture for Jalen Hurts, who I don't know what to think about his season right now. Your friend at PHL y fran Duffy, I saw him have some numbers of just about how they do not throw to the middle of the field.

Jalen Hurts does not.

He's last in the league in terms of throwing to the middle of the field by a good amount over the last few years. And it's just it's a constipated offense. As Lane Johnson said over the weekend, well.

I mean it's a whole lot better when Davante and AJ Brown are, you know, in the lineup like they were last week. I mean I talked to Aj before the game last Sunday, and you know he had five catches, all in Brazil and hadn't played since, and a touchdown.

He had more than all of that in one game.

You know, I told him he's a long ways away from you know, the NL leaders in receptions right now, you got to catch up, and he started that process last week. It's the one guy you can talk about throwing over the middle. And I know Fran has those numbers and other people do too, but honestly, when AJ's in the lineup, that's where the ball's going. I mean, he is the offense. He's the spark, he's the big play. He does like he tackled Martin Emerson and tackled his arm and the ball and everything to make that touchdown catch last week. He was excellent at shaking guys after the catch. I mean, he's a beast and he wants the ball badly. And the Giants look Deontay Banks, you know, Dori Jackson. You can look at the Cardell Float, you can look at the guys they have. AJ is better than all those guys. And so one thing that that Jalen feels comfortable with is just throwing jump balls d A. J. Brown And so you're a scramble drill AJ's coming back to the ball. So the offense definitely is better and it has a lot more jumped to it. It's not as constipated as Lange said with as.

In the lineup right.

It's funny because they're actually twelfth in DVOA. That's total efficiency on offense this year, like the way they talked about, and that's with a lot of injuries.

It's really not that bad.

I was interested that Cordell Flatt you mentioned his name traveled with DK metcalf so last week, which was or a couple of weeks ago, rather so I wonder if wonder if he does that with his old teammate AJ Brown, because I don't think that would go well.

Yeah, it'd be an interesting decision. The Eagles offense, of course, you mentioned injuries. They're gonna have to deal with Grant Calcaterra playing tight end. Dallas Goddard left the game. Calcl Tarra played ninety one percent of the snaps. Interested to see if the Dimes home road splits continue to stay because for some reason, Daniel Jones really can't get it done at MetLife this season zero to two. There has not thrown a touchdown pass yet we'll leave that game and go to a Super Bowl rematch. The spread one and a half points in favor of the home team, the San Francisco forty nine Ers. Greg Kevin Burkhart, Tom Brady, congratulations to new Raiders owner Tomson on the call. Are we going to see this Chiefs offense finally get going and in the Super Bowl rematch?

Yeah?

I think they'll be fine.

I don't think this forty nine Ers defense is what it was a year ago. I think Mahomes is coming off of his best game. It seems like so long ago now that Monday night football game really off his best two games of the year.

I thought he played very well against the Chargers.

So those are two pretty difficult matchups and Mahomes handled it. I am curious to see Baldy nick Bosa, if he's lining up against the Chiefs left tackle, what kind of havoc he can have, because he's coming off one of the most dominant performances I've ever seen for a guy that didn't have a sack in the game on that Thursday night football game against Seattle, where he really controlled that game. Because to me, this forty nine Ers front just isn't as good as it once was. But if you could have Nick Bosa just having a special performance that could at least carry the day and make it difficult on Patrick.

Well, you're right, Greg, I mean your eyes aren't deceiving you. They're not as dominant. I mean they lost to Von Hargrave early this season. He was supposed to be there DeForest Buckner, who they never replaced once he left a free agency, and then he's out. So Malie Collins, you know, you know it steps up, and Leonard Floyd's been okay, but they just you know, they have to blitz more, honestly to get more pressure. But you know, if Dick can, you know, he could beat either tackle out there, you know, whether it's Joan or Janie whoever's playing on the left side right now, he's capable beating both of them. But you know, Mahomes knows that too, so you know he's he's excellent at just escaping that and avoiding those kind of those kind of plays, negative plays.

That Nick can create.

You know what was encouraging for the forty nine ers defense last week with the two rookies Mustafa you know, and Green, they both had interceptions Yeah, they hadn't had any interceptions in a secondary and so like the two rookie stepped up last week, especially after really a flat game against Arizona, And so you know, I think Diamador Lenore is as good as slot corner deserves and the football, Fred Warner, all he wants, honestly is the ball. He just wants the ball every play, whether he's you know, intercepting it, punching it out, recovering it, like.

He just wants it. Just wants the ball.

Fred knows that this game like it's it is the Super Bowl rematch. It's interesting, you know, Brady's doing a game and Fox is doing it. It's the first time Fox has ever televised a Super Bowl rematch. Huh wow since they started, you know, in nineteen ninety four.

So that's backward. You were, you were one of the crew members. I mean, I remember watching some Baldy games. I don't want to you know, aide you hear Baldi, but I was back in high school watching some Baldi on those Fox broadcasts.

It was fantastic.

Yeah, I wasn't getting the A game, you know, I wasn't getting that game. Me and Kurt Metafie or Kenny Alvit. We were getting somewhere lower down. We were in Carolina, probably.

Right I was going to say, I if I was watching you, it was probably you know, my Patriots, but it like going to I don't know, like the Falcons or something, not a Fox game.

Even a Falcons at the Patriots. You know, it was over in the first quarter or something like that.

But you know, regardless, like this, this is the I don't think there's like, honestly, the super Bowl is a super Bowl. The San Francisco wants to beat Kansas City. They need to, Like they're they're just sort of hovering right now. They're not playing great. We'll see. Honestly, all the rookie stepped up, Grendo stepped up last week. But you know, we're going to talk about the quarterbacks. And there is some similarity between brock Party and my homes just from a standpoint of being able to create offense. Their movement. Brock Purty was excellent last week and extending plays and so you do see both guys they're probably if you put them in a forty yard dash, they probably both run about a forty eight. But on the football field, the way that they stop, start, change directions, you know, head fake, ball fake, all those things. They both have those kinds of things to extend plays and it's a big part of both their offenses right now.

Yeah, plays extended because you think about Patrick Mahomes and not necessarily wanting to blitz him. It's just he and Josh Allen in terms of quarterbacks who see their average time of throw go way up on third down and the forty nine Ers defense gonna have to deal with that. You guys mentioned Malik Mustafa uh just allowing one reception on seven yards and six targets this season. I'll get start, and I think back to the change to go to Nick Sorenson.

As a defensive coordinator.

Steve Wilkes has the unifbi old task of stopping Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl, which has.

Kind of happened one time to keep his job. It doesn't.

And so now here's Nick Sorenson with your chance, Greg to go out there stop the Chiefs and I guess save your job. Yeah, I mean that's the standard.

And Baldy mentioned that the best way to stop it, which is just Fred Warner. The Chiefs, I read has the I right now are throwing more screens than any team since twenty eighteen, and that does any Chiefs team, any team period. They're they're living off of screens, and Fred Warner is just one of the best players in the league to stop it.

You know, Andy Reid's been in this business a long time. He's always been a pass first guy. But because of all of the injuries, you know, whether it's to you know, Hollywood Brown or she Rice, all the injuries and defections from the wide receiving cores. I mean, they're almost a fifty to fifty run pass team right now. One hundred and sixty passes, one hundred and fifty runs. Andy Reid's never been that fifty one to forty nine like this before in his life. But honestly, they're a very good power run football team. And Kareem Hunt, who leads the team in rushing right now, somehow after just two games, you know like they they might lean on that because San Francisco doesn't look like I've seen teams, including Arizona run the ball really well in the second half and that win against him a couple weeks ago in San Francisco, So like, if they have to lean on the run, and that includes home scrambles and design runs like I think they're I think they're kind of willing to do that right now.

Yeah, in capable.

They've shown it and they've gotten better offensively throughout the course of the season. It's kind of an old school matchup because the forty nine ers play so much in twenty one personnel, So that's two running backs.

On the field.

Though running back in a full back usually you know it's it's use check. But they're in that forty one percent of the time. Baldy, before the show, you asked me like, what's the audience for NFL Daily. I said, you know, you could get as deep as you want to, Baldy, not that I can get that deep. But they're averaging over ten yards per attempt out of twenty one personnel.

That's crazy.

So they're in these heavy formations, but they're they're gashing you down the field. You must you must love that because that's nineteen nineties football.

Well it is. You know, it's changed a lot.

Obviously, it's evolved, but I mean every offensive lineman wants to running and play action pass payge pass is the easiest block there is. When you know when the defensive lineman is anticipating another run. I mean, it slows them down tremendously and so uh and both teams are more of the capable of San Francisco has made a great living if they've got a play action pass off every run in Kyle Shanahan's offense.

So I would expect.

Both teams to have kind of new wrinkles, uh, within within the framework of their offense for this particular game, and kind of knowing just the style of defense and the percentage that you know, Spags is going to blitz and nobody's better than Spags at getting free hitters to the quarterback. And nobody seems to be able to block Chris Jones in his business right now. So Kansas City, Uh, you know, all the way up into overtime, when San Francisco had a chance to score there an opening drive, you know, had pressure right in brock Perty's face, and you know they ended up settling for the field goal.

Yeah, ultimately saving the Super Bowl for Kansas City. I think that you could say that they won that on that on that player missed assignment by the offensive line for the forty nine ers. You talked about new wrinkles, Baldy, We've got a couple of new wrinkles in our next game. It is the Jets, a one and a half point favorite at Pittsburgh. The over under thirty eight on Sunday Night Football with Tarrico and Collins Worth, Melissa Stark on the call. Mike Tomlin getting first team reps for Russell Wilson this week the Jets. Oh, they go in and get Davonte Adams. First off, Let's start with the quarterback, Baldy, do you make this change right now at four and two?

I wouldn't.

In fact, I texted somebody in Pittsburgh today. Of course he didn't get back to me about that. He told me about other players, but he didn't tell me about the quarterback. Not that I was fishing.

I was just it was just kind of a the same You're like, Hey, I'm an NFL daily today.

I want the good stuff.

And you know the one thing about Justin, Like, first of all, you know they're in good position, you know, four and two whatever, but Justin has taken care of the football. Now you can say that George Pikett doesn't have a touchdown catch and you know their run. First team and but Justin's taking share of the football and they got to the playoffs last year, guys with their three quarterbacks throwing a total of thirteen touchdown passes. So you know, I mean there's a formula there in Pittsburgh now, and Justin's run for five touchdowns while throwing for five. It gives you an element that Russell really isn't very good at anymore.

And so I wouldn't make the change. I would ride Justin at this point.

Yeah, I'm with you, and we talked about that on our show on Wednesday with Colleen Wolf and Jordan Rodrigue. It just we'll see, We'll see if he fits in this Arthur Smith offense. I'm curious on the other side, you know, they add DeVante Adams. I actually believe that the Steelers were favored in this game. And I don't know if it's just people aren't big on Russell Wilson or they're big on Devanta Adams, but now the Jets are favored in this game. I'm curious if, like Todd Downing, who I think had a good first showing as their play caller, their offense made sense to me, you know, can he make all the different parts work together, you know, on the fly, that seems like it's going to be difficult to do, especially against this good Steelers front.

I agree.

I mean, the problem with the Jets really has been their offensive line. I mean, Aaron's not great, don't get me wrong, but they haven't played well up front. They've blocked a little bit better last week, but you know, brees Hall has had so many negative runs and runs that have gone for two yards or less this year. And then the protection. I mean, it's just you can see it. It's getting worse. These guys on the edges, Tyron and Morgan, we knew they were old. They had a lot of trade off the tire, and they were poor against Buffalo, and now here comes TJ and Cam, you know. I mean, the problem is Aaron Rodgers is getting hit way too much. He has to get rid of the ball quickly right now. He can't stay in there the way maybe he once could and maybe avoid some pressure. You know, he's taken a lot of hits in the last three games and the last three losses. I don't know if DeVante changed that. They're heavily penalized. I don't know if Davante changes that. I say all that, and yet at the same time they needed one play to beat Denver. They couldn't make the play. Just a really bad timing between Aaron and all the receivers in that game. You know, then Garrett Wilson shakes loose at the end, beats Stefan Gilmour and Aaron overthrows them. It would have been an easy walk in touchdown for Garrett. And they lose that game. And last week they're down the three yard line, they're at the sixteen yard line, they can't score, and so maybe Davante they you know, they dial it back from three years ago when you know, Aaron just gave Davante a lookin next thing, you know, the balls in the end zone and it's back shoulder, it's double move, it's coming back, you know, and it's it's thrown to the pylon and get Vante's exactly where he's supposed to be. And you make back shoulder throws like this against Brandon Stevens, and you know, maybe they have that rhythm right away. But I don't know how Todd Downing's supposed to know that. Maybe Aaron's going to call the plays, but it's a lot to expect when they haven't played together in three years, that it's just gonna click right away.

Yeah what just injury note for the listeners, Alex Heismith I believe is expected to return for this game, so that that's big for them. They still will be without Nick Herbig, But yeah, you mentioned Hayward and Watt. That is the best duo in the league now, so now you add another great pass rusher at alex Hi.

Yeah, it's tough to think because the game and the score gets inflated, right, Aaron throws a hill Mary, It's what Aaron does.

But I'm thinking back to that play.

A Japanessa's for some reason standing on the fifty yard line like he's in the flat baldy Like it's just a weird because the previous drive ended with the Epanessa's sack right and and Aaron is getting hit constantly. Greg Russeaul is also on the forty. I don't know what the Bills were doing there, but everything was sideline.

They were trying too. It was a bad idea.

It didn't work out.

It was it was a bad plan on that particular play, but it just it still seems so hard even with downing. It seemed like a clear attempt to try to get some more layups in right. We had a flea flicker, reverse pas attempt just to try to get something where it's not just Aaron manufacturing things, but if he can do it right, it's with DeVante. But I'm with you, Baldy. I saw Aaron get hit way too much to feel confident against the Steelers team. I think the line movement just reflects probably more Russell Wilson.

Than Devanta Adams.

I don't know, considering the way Ray Davis was plowing over Jets, Baldy, I don't know how good I feel about the Jets defense right now.

Either.

I'm with you.

I mean, you know, Javon Kinlaw is a former first round pick, and you can say he's talented. San Francisco saw enough of them. I mean they lifted him right out of this, out of his chair the other day and just planted him. I mean, he's not holding the point. Lecky Foe two look lost in there. They weren't good upfront. Buffalo pushed him all over the field in that game. Kind of surprised that the game was as close as it was, to be honest with you.

All right, We'll go to another game with a couple of teams who have been in some close games. It's Seattle and Atlanta, also featuring a couple of defenses have allowed the other teams to go up and down the field, leading to those score fests. That's why it's a fifty one over under Atlanta two and a half point home favorite. Greg Kenny Albert, Jonathan Wilba and Megan Olivia on the call. Kirk o Chain's getting another win in Atlanta.

I don't think so. If I have to pick it, maybe that's my Seattle bias. They're on a three game losing streak. The Falcons are on a three game winning streak if I'm correct. Yeah, they were one and two and they're making it work. Every week. I go and check that number. You know, how is Kirk doing and the play action or moving outside the pike and still bad every week? He basically isn't moving. He's just winning from the pocket. It's happening. And Mike McDonald's been under a lot of heat this week in Seattle. The honeymoon's kind of over, just because they look so similar in the ways that they're losing to the ways that they lost the last few years. Bad tackling, a lot of just mistackle. It's boring stuff, it's bad run fits, it's just guys not being in the spot that they are supposed to be. And I'm curious because I know it was against Carolina Baldy last week, but I think if Atlanta can get Tyler Alzier and Bijon Robinson working as a duo like they did in that game and the run came along a little bit too in that Tampa game, then this then this team is real because the defense Raheem Morris can scheme it up, but they need to be a great, great offense, and for that to happen, they need to get their running game cohesive. I don't think they were the first month of the season in terms of their run blocking. You're you're the blocking specialist here. It just wasn't really working. Are you feeling more confident about this running attack going up against Seattle.

Especially because it's against Seattle seas they're giving up thirty five points a game? You know, I mean two weeks ago, Tyrone Tracy Junior, if anybody knew who he was, went up there and ran for one hundred and twenty nine yards against Seattle. You know everybody's been they're giving up five yards of carry. Uh, Atlanta's looking at that going you know, why why don't we become a run first team?

Some days?

I think Tyler Algiers a better back than Bijon. Now, Bijon's is an explosive and he could hit home runs. But Tyler Algier is a quality back and he would play for any team in this league. He breaks so many tackles, he's so hard to attack. But the combination is a very good combination. You can look at David Montgomery and Jamier Gibbs, there's a couple really stand out, you know, duos and running backs. But I think Bijon and Tyler are really good. I think Seattle's going to have problems. I also think that. I mean, if honestly, if I was Kirk Cousins and I did want to throw it, I might just throw it to Drake London every play because his catch radius, his route running, he's just an elite player, and he's an excellent blocker. He's as good a run blocker at receiver as there is in his whole league. He's a big part of that running success and he knows how to do it without getting run over and getting called for holding and all this stuff. He's just very skilled at getting linebackers or slot defenders like out of the way and let Bijeon or Tyler go.

And I'm looking over at that defense because the offense is I don't have as many questions about. My concern is with the Falcons because Andy Dalton they got, They got a lot of hands on Andy Dalton passes last week. A Jdrell eventually came back and gets him. And now here's this kind of Schrodinger's receiver in DK Metcalf who's either going off or doing nothing, and if he is scoring touchdowns, they're getting called back. Kenny will Walker got this this insane illegal formation penalty where he's just bouncing up and down for no reason, and it caused DK to get a touchdown called back.

There's a lot of cutaways because it's DK.

The broadcast might play it up, but I'm looking at this matchup and I do have some concern for the Falcons, even though it has a.

There's similar teams to me right now in a way in that I think Seattle and Atlanta both they need to be elite offensively. That's that's their path, and I think Seattle could could be that team. They're on a little extra rest, They're on my extra rest watch. They got they got the Thursday night game, so they got they got three or four extra nights.

Than the Falcons.

I just don't the Falcons don't seem like a five and two on a four game winning streak type of team to me. So that's why I'm I'm leaning Seattle in this one. We're gonna take a quick break on NFL Daily. We'll be back. Baldy's gonna join us for a couple more games. That's what we got time for. Talk to him. Oh, it's a good one in the NFC. Nointh back on NFL Daily. And when I looked at this schedule, I just I kind of fell in love with this Week seven. We got the Super Bowl rematch, we got Russell Wilson versus Devanta Adams in a Steelers Jets game out of nowhere. And this block just has two beautiful games to start off with, including one in the NFC North, two of the best teams in the NFL.

Yes, that's right, it's time for the Game of the Week presented by DraftKings sports Book.

They didn't want the Super Bowl rematch Waldy.

They was said, I want the best division in football, Sam Darnold in the Minnesota Vikings, a two and a half point favorite with over under a fifty against Jared Golf and the Detroit Lions.

How do you see this going, Balding.

So, if we're gonna go matchups here, Pat, I really like Ben Johnson against Brian Flores, the number one offense against the number one defense. To me, this is the best matchup of the week, and for that reason because Brian Flores has been brilliant this year, just brilliant in what he's done between the takeaways, the sacks, almost positionless football by amongst the different players, and what they're doing to good quarterbacks and good offenses to be undefeated against Detroit that you know, I mean, the best way to counter some of the things Brian Flores does is to run the ball right down your throat with you know, with Penney Sewell and you know Frank Ragnow the whole group up there. They're playing Kevin Zeidler, they're playing great, and so I really want to see how Detroit attacks.

There's always new wrinkles.

There's always tricks, there's always explosive plays in Ben Jonson's system. The Vikings haven't seen an offense this diverse where they can pound you if they want to. They can nickel and dimue with guys like Sam Laporta and Aman Ross Saint Brown, or they can just burn you with you know, a guy like you know Johnson right there on the outside. So like, I just think this thing has all of the elements that an analyst would love to dig into. When you talk about matchups.

Yeah, I looked, you know, at the matchups from last year. I don't know how predictive they are because it was in December. It was Nick Mullen starting for the Vikings. By that point of the season, the Flora's defense was not playing as effectively. That said, they were actually pretty evenly played yardage wise, they were both quite even and and the Lions won, you know, two close games there.

I want to see if Aaron Jones plays in this game. We don't know. They traded for cam Akers again.

Yes, since we last taped the Show's that cam Akers has trade value still after those two achilles.

He's been running hard this year now.

It is like a six to seventh round pick swap and might speak to their not as confident and ty Chandler as the backup for Aaron Jones, but to me, he's really important. He kind of reminds me of Aaron Jones in Green Bay where just nothing worked as well when Aaron Jones wasn't there. And you kind of saw that in the London game once he was out. Probably Seam Darnold's worst performance, and it'll be interesting to see how he looks going up against this Lions defense. Yeah, that they don't have a great pass rush and so he should have time with Aiden Hutchinson not there, but their secondary I think has been getting better every week.

Yeah, better every.

Week, And why not go ahead and give him the toughest test the football can provide in Justin Jefferson, who's faced actually press coverage on thirty seven snaps this season and only has three catches there without a pass rush against the guy who has traditionally torched the Detroit Lions in his games against them all. If you want to go fantasy wise, he averages over twenty three points a game every single time he plays the Detroit Lions at Like, how much are you gonna send Carlton Davis and Terry on Arnold maybe out to play a man press against Justin Jefferson when we've seen, right Sam Darnold's predilection to load up Justin Jefferson with targets, which I mean, we can't criticize, but I still think it's fine. It's fat if you want to do that, But it's just it's such a great matchup, and I think, like with the way that koc is calling plays, Uh, it's it's tough, butall it's tough to look at this and say, well, yeah, Jared's gonna solve Flores and and they're gonna win this game in Minnesota with them playing such a good football.

Well, I mean, you've got Jamison Williams on one side, you got Justin Jefferson on the other side. Uh, you know, Carlton Carlton Davis has been unbelievable pick up for him. He's playing great football a week in week out. I mean, uh, his ability to read routes, to play in sticky coverage. They're putting a lot on him right now and he's delivering like he did in Tampa. He was their best corner of Tampa he's their best corner right now, so he's gonna see a Justin The one thing I love about Justin Jefferson is he has a plan to get open and then he has a plan after the catch.

The guy is he's a remarkable player.

And so, uh, you know, if Aaron Jones can't go, they're gonna have to lean on the creativity of Kevin O'Connell. His creative genius. I don't know if it's genius, but he's He's very creative in the passing game. And they'll they'll create you know, whether Detroit sad man or zone whatever, they'll they'll have the right plays up against the predictable coverage. And that's one of the strengths of what Kevin's done this year.

Yeah, and it'll be interesting if Detroit can get a lead in this game. You know, the Vikings defense hasn't had to play from behind, they haven't had to stop the run as much. And nothing will test your toughness up front. And they have a great rotation of players up front of Minnesota, but nothing will test your toughness. Then this offensive line is running after you over and over. Blake Cashman has turf toe that was the surprise coming out of the buy. So he is week to week, but he's gonna miss this game. Really looking forward to this one, Lions Vikings. We had to wrap up with the game of the week from uh, you know, the one of the goat analysts in this business. He's been doing it back since he was on those Fox broadcasts. He's still going strong and he's got a million different shows. You got to get to one of them. Any any of your podcasts you want to promote before we say goodbye to you, Baldi?

Ah, you know, I mean there was a daily podcast every day on Odyssey and all city podcasts in Chicago and Phoenix and Philly and Dallas and Denver. Yeah, I'll be on that. I'll be on that national radio call. I'll see Tom Brady out there this weekend. Looking forward to getting out there. I'm actually leaving to go out there tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to it.

Yeah, thank you, Baldy. We will see you next time. Thanks love having Brian Baldinger on. And that was our game of the week. Download the DraftKings sportsbook now use the code daily. New customers can bet just five bucks. You get two hundred dollars in bonus bets only at Draftings Sportsbook with Code Daily.

The crown is yours. I love this next matchup too.

Yeah, we just talked about how the North in the NFC the best division of football right now. The Green Bay Packers get another fun one in Lambeau. They are two and a half point favorites greg against the Houston Texans. It is good news for them. They get some of their wide receivers back. We're gonna wait to see what don Tavian Wix's status is for this game. The problem for Houston they're going to be their second straight game without Nico Collins over under forty seven and a half.

We get Nansen, Romo and Tracy on the call. It's the A. It's the A one for CBS and I think it should be.

It's yeah, good game again. This week has a number of bangers. I just wanted to just make a note here.

Oka.

You know how I set you up there and then you said, Okay, it's Texans, it's Packers' it's the points. I happened to have looked at the comments uh recently on YouTube ones you shouldn't do Probably one one of the comments was commenting on your handsomeness, which was that was funny that them.

The heart eye emojis.

Another mentioned like, why is Patrick always like cutting Greg off to set up the games?

Doesn't he know that Greg's the host?

So I just wanted to say, for your sake, Patrick, you're doing me a favor. We're a team here on Wednesdays, and you're taking a little off my plate here on the on the preview show Thursdays rather and that's that's that's how we're doing it.

Obviously it's on purpose. He's not cutting me off.

People. Yeah, I don't like to interrupted.

This is NFL with Greg Ross all the key there being daily Greg's doing a lot. Yeah, So if I if I could jump in here and do the thing where I talk too much as another as I'm looking at the YouTube commenter, uh say that, uh that I am a shield NFL android.

Oh don't don't look. Okay, now we're getting no.

No, it's fine.

It's fine because I get to sit in here in the Chris Wesley podcast studio with you and do this. I'll take whatever any loser man eighty four sixty three wants to slide.

I just wanted to point that out. It was actually weeks ago.

Then I saw that and I thought it was funny, and it just crossed my mind that that is red.

I'm cutting you off right now, Greg.

I don't know.

I don't know where we are in this game. But one, all right, one thing I want to you mentioned the Texans offense. I think they're one of the strangest things going on in football right now. I just I don't think they're playing well, but I just think they have an elite quarterback who's playing like he's having the second year leap that one of the best rookie quarterbacks of all time you would hope that he's had. And it's not totally showing up because I think there's another world where this team is really struggling and everyone is saying, oh, well, the coaching is not smart and the offensive line is not great, like what is going on in Houston.

C J.

Stroud is declining, but he's just such an exceptional player that he's making it all look good. Even against the Patriots, like their success rate on a play to play basis was not good, but they had these short fields and he just is making incredible plays. And I don't know what like, my takeaway from all that is other than I think when you play better defenses, it could show up more. I just am not sure that the Packers are one of those better defenses.

The Packers are.

They're fine, They're gonna get a lot of turnovers, but I don't know if that's replicable. I mean, it's it has been so far, but are you gonna be able to do that all season long? Otherwise you're not a great pass rush. You're working in more rookies, which I think is a positive. Edgerrin Cooper and Evan Williams were two guys last week that really popped a rookie linebacker in a rookie safety, and so I think that's a positive. I think they're making those changes maybe because they're not happy with what's going on on the places where Xavier McKinney isn't just making the best interception you've ever seen. So I don't know what my takeaway is with this Houston team other than just c J. Stroud is freaking amazing, and the running game is way better when you have Joe Mixon back there. Joe Mixon is proof that running backs matter.

Yeah, And I was going to throw those two things in there for you, because the games, because if you look at the season long, right, and we're thinking points per game and what we expect, they score seven against the Minnesota Vikings, right, they get the Bears game out of the way, which they win nineteen to thirteen. Those are two top ten defenses in the NFL right now, and so now they come into this game. They scored forty one on New England. Again, regardless of what we think about the Patriots, that's without Nico Collins.

A lot of defense hoping there.

But yes, I feel confident in this offense that I don't necessarily think they're going to get a win here because again, this defense opportunistic, mainly Xavier McKinney, whose pickstreak did come to an end last week. So we miss out on the fun packers counting to five, six and seven. Maybe they'll keep counting with his next opportunity. But it's the way that Jordan Love is playing with Jayden Reids specifically, because I used to be one of those that was very critical of this idea that this is hey, you get you get cheese debo addition, and I'm like that we keep trying to find Deebo Samuel Clones and it's stopped doing it. But how much does he weigh? He doesn't weigh anything, No, and he's not running through people. But the but the shiftedness, the ability to be involved in the run game, in the past game, in the particular ways in within this tree of offense that that has roots now from sea to Shining Sea. It's it's just it's good and it's tough. It's tough to pick the Texans on the road. U here in two really good teams, which I think it will come down.

Yeah, I think they're similar in that they they're so good, they have such good coaches, and they're just good organizations. Right right now, where the Texans are at in terms of bringing into Migo Ryans and their player acquisition, that they can survive a first six games of the season, I actually don't think either team has been at their total best, and yet they're five to one and four and two. Jordan loves performance last week. I know that it was a favorable matchup, but I just think it's gonna give him confidence and give this offense confidence that they're kind of back to where they expected to be. Now they're going up against a Texans defense that's second in the NFL right now in Dvoa. I mean it has been a really good defense. The defense has been better than their offense. I think it's the bigger him. The defense and CJ. Strat are the reason why they're five and one. They both their starting linebackers were out of practice on Wednesday. Kamari Lassiter and Jimmy Ward are also out of practice on Wednesday. Two guys in the secondary. So that's just interesting, important players to watch as the week goes on in terms of their availability. But yeah, I do think Joe Mixon, the way he's running makes a big difference for this team.

I have I have a hard time picking this game. I have not decided.

Oh game, We've got game deview coming up later on this week on NFL Network. We go to our next game. It is the Arizona Cardinals playing host to the Los Angeles Chargers, who are a three point favorite coming off of their win against the Denver Broncos. The over under is forty three and a half. Ken Kyler and the Birds offense Greg get whatever this slump is figured out?

Yes, cause it's like they're in every other game team so it just feels like they're either terrible or awesome.

And in every other game.

And I worry that Marvin Harrison Junior won't be available for this game. He's coming off a concussion, so we don't know if he's going to be out of the protocol by Sunday. There's no way to know early in the week, and if he's not there, then you start worrying about Okay, we know the defense isn't that talented, but is this offense maybe as talented as we thought coming into the year. The running game has just not been as consistent as you would have liked. Trey McBride had a nice game last week, certainly, but it's a tough matchup. This is charged defense has really improved, and we'll see what they do when they have to play some of the better offenses in the league, but there aren't many of them on their schedule. They've been very I just would say sound when I watch them. They don't make any mistakes. That to me speaks to good coaching from Jesse Minter. Guys who were struggling in other systems, like Christian Fulton at cornerbacker, are playing very well for them. They're linebackers, who I thought were a question mark. I've been again, very solid in the run, in the pass game. It's just just a really good defense that you have to earn your yards against, and I think that's a matchup that could favor the Chargers. I'm kind of falling for this Chargers team, though it doesn't take much for me.

No, it's good to see a healthy yer, justin Hepberg I go out there and play, you wonder about their availability on the outside, because.

There was a point where now I'm blanking on.

The Fojoko No, the rookie wide receiver out of he won two national championship.

I ad McConkey.

Yeah, it'slat mccauckey left the game against the Broncos, and I'm like, what are they gonna do? Like how many targets are going to funnel to Josh Palmer. But then Cammadie the Dell, the all time leading rusher at Troy University, gets out there, runs a wheel route, scores a touchdown. But the one thing that did concern me about that Chargers defense was how many rushing yards bo Knicks was piling up in the second half. And if you're gonna have a low scoring game, and you're gonna be playing against Kyler Murray, who is in a slump right now. That's gonna need to be something that you get figured out. And so we've seen this Arizona Cardinals defense kind of step up in stifled teams in this game. Being in Arizona, I might make one of those inexplicable picks where I picked the home dog and just fail miserably.

I think I can make a pace for it.

Yeah, the Chargers are three and two. They're in the middle of the pack for a reason. If the Cardinals lose this game and fall to two and five, kind of their their excitement level of this season goes down quite a bit, Like this is an important game for them.

JK.

Dobbins looked really good coming off of buy. Sometimes.

I think you can tell with running backs when they they've had a week off that they they just look better. I just the thing I struggled with the most each and every week with the Cardinals is their overall talent on defense.

I think it's the worst, the worst group in the NFL.

Just maybe buy a decent amount, Like in terms of just if you lined up all the players.

Who literally put them on point scale.

Yeah, or just you drafted like all the defensive players in the league, like the Cardinals, like their players would get taken on average the latest and that's why and it's no shot to them, but that's why. It's the ESPN Plus game. We got a doubleheader again on Monday night, a little different though. This is the first it's an eight pm Eastern and nine pm Eastern start, but the ESPN Plus game is the second one.

Just weird.

I just wanted to point that out for people who are planning this. This is never I'm pretty sure this particular setup has never happened before. So this is the Orlovski and Riddick and Laura, Rutledge and Fouler crew, which I like that crew. I kind of like that crew, but that they'll be on ESPN Plus, be on my iPad while you got Bucks and Ravens on the main screens.

As an NFL Android, Greg, I do want to stress that I love every decision that our beloved league mix, but.

That one's probably up to ESPN, I guess. But yeah, in conjunction, it's all.

Time I watch it.

I watch games simultaneously like it's it's what I do bleep blooplourb But the thing I like about Prome time games is we're all watching the same game.

I love that, and I just don't. I don't really, I don't like it. Greg, I don't either. Just play if you're at ninth So they're playing at nine pm. That's got to be the latest start since they moved Monday night football back. Remember when Monday night football used to just be at nine to fifteen. Wasn't that just a thing? Which is crazy to think about when I was like a high school kid just trying to stay awake past midnight to watch these freaking games. So it's been the latest one in a while. If you're going to play a game at nine pm Eastern, just start the first one at six pm.

I promise.

Out here on the West Coast, we'll be watching at three. It's the NFL we'll be watching. Maybe it's not as many.

Because somebody's gonna like, oh, we all are going to be a traffic. You were being traffic anyway, It's fine, yeah, good. I like the doubleheaders. I don't like him at the same.

Leave us alone. I'm with you. We're in our cars.

Let's get to our next matchup Miami at Indianapolis, who is a three point favorite. Ryan Kelly missing practice, We're not necessarily sure who they're going to be starting at running back. Tray Sermon dealing with his shoulder injury. They go and get Savon Ahmed in a potential revenge game against the Dolphins that perhaps tool list Dolphins. I don't know what to think about this game, Greg. The over under is forty three and a half points. Maybe Anthony Richardson's back, Maybe it's not Joe Flacco. A lot of maybes. Kevin Coogli or Daryl Johnson and Laura Oakman on the call.

That's yeah, it is expected that Anthony Richardson will play in this game. He practiced fully on Wednesday, and the coaching staff is not giving away the answer. So I appreciate you leaving some vagueness, but the reporting has said expectations from our insiders. Speaking of N Network insiders, Jonathan Taylor was on with Tom Pelisaro oh this week on The Insiders, and that made me think, like, oh, is he playing this week?

Like why would he be on?

And Pelisara did a Goodjeff asses yeah, and he said, you know, would you put him in back in your Fantasy Libe and he said, I'm definitely feeling better this week, so I would just why is he doing shows if he's not going to play, So I would. I'm hopeful. And this team just doesn't make any sense without Jonathan Taylor to me, and actually Anthony Richards, it makes a lot less sense without Jonathan Taylor. They are they are a combo platter and they're a fun one. And this is a matchup against the Dolphins team which still doesn't have Bradley Chubb back. I think next week might be the week that we see Bradley Chubb on the field again. It's it's probably not going to be this week. This is kind of the the like bad teams with decent record Bowl like, oh okay, seasons can change. That's why we did that segment on Wednesday. Things will change. Both of these teams are candidates to actually be good like in December. It could happen, and they really haven't been good this part of the season. But the Dolphins are two and three, the Culture three and three, So to me, it's kind of a big game for the AFC playoff picture because they can just survive this portion of the schedule and then actually become as good as the record says they are.

Eventually, we need an animation for like the bad teams with decent records.

But I mean, the Dolphins might be the worst team in the NFL so far, but they're two and three. I guess they're better than the Patriots, for sure.

They beat them. They did.

It's Tyler Huntley for another week.

It could have gone either way.

I have confidence in Anthony Richardson mainly because he could be scattershot, but he could do that against a good defense. He could do that against a bad defense. Whether Bradley Chubb is there a lot. My main thing is whether it's Anthony Richardson or Joe Flacco. I'm looking every single week at Alec Pierce running down the field by himself, and we're late into the fourth quarter and Alec Pearce isn't seeing any targets in the ones that he does. Again, whether it's Flacco or Anthony Richardson, we don't necessarily know out where they're going, but I think he is such a deep threat in a game that could be low scoring, Alec Pierce can put one in the paint.

Okay, I like that to your point. He has averaged three targets per game over the last four weeks. That's crazy, crazy talk.

It's an error.

And yeah, he burned Lagarious Need a couple times last week, but they just couldn't They couldn't connect on a win on a touchdown in that when Kalays Campbell just shout out to him playing so well, it's crazy. He's been one, weirdly one of the most underpaid players in the league last four years because every year he just signs like a one year contract as this older veteran and he provides like elite production and he's doing it again.

Dolphins, Colts, Dolphins. I don't know.

I don't think the Dolphins are done yet, especially with two a tongue of ilo. If they could just scrape out this win, get to three and three Tua comes back, maybe they start playing better. We are going to take another break here on NFL Daily and we'll get to that other Monday night football game that I mentioned Ravens Bucks after the break. It's a different sort of week in the NFL. Great games. We got the NFL Networks Swan song in London this week, although we'll be back of course in Germany and some December games.

But that's Chris Rose, our friend on a call up.

That's kind of fun.

We'll talk about that game in a sec.

But first, it's the prime Monday night game Ravens Bucks.

It's the one that we've been waiting to see an MVP candidate again against an MVP candidate.

Oh stop Baker.

Mayfield and the Bucks playing host to Lamar Jackson.

Three interceptions last week three and a.

Half boy Favorites on Monday Night Football with Joe, Troy and Lisa on the call. Or you can watch the Mannings, or you can just chill and watch game Center. We love Greg Baltimore. What is game Center for the listeners so that they can understand? Game Center provides you stats, highlights as well as social interactions every single week.

Check it out during the game on NFL Network, during any game, during any prime time game. Really you can check it out.

I think yeah.

At some point the network found out that instead of putting on like old Football Lives, if you just put up like a blank screen with with stats on it, like a lot of people watch it. It must be a second screen for a lot of people. Well, or who knows, they don't have. They don't have ESPN Plus and they want that station.

I don't know.

We love free ad supported television, which is our NFL Fast channel, free ad supported television, which as we used to call television. I have an air Android. So yeah, about this game, it was like get caught off on a tangent Baltimore so hot right now, Greg, One of the big surprises is just how well Rashad Bateman has played in recent weeks. Lamar Jackson gets Mark Andrews back in the fold last week against the Washington Commanders against now a Tampa Bay defense which has seen Baker throw three interceptions, but they still scored fifty one points. Gret a Tampa Bay running up and down the field as well. This one could be high scoring because this Ravens defense hasn't necessarily fixed all of the problems that they had earlier this year.

Now they're a mediocre team against the pass. They're almost impossible to run again still, which happens year after year after year. It used to say that about the Buccaneers too, and they've improved in recent weeks, so maybe they're rounding into form for what you expect a Todd Bowles team. To be, and so then it's more about the passing game, and you certainly favor Lamar Jackson in that scenario, but the Bucks passing game has levels. Liam Cohen has been a really nice fit for Baker in mitigating some of his bad habits, getting the ball out quickly, Chris Godwin playing fantastic, and these these Ravens defensive backs just don't inspire a lot of confidence. There was a lot of hype about it, like a Marlin Humphy Humphrey revenge season.

He's been fine.

He hasn't been their issue, but Nate Wiggins seems like Marcus Williams is often involved in giving up big plays. When they had that lead against Washington last week, I kept saying on Sky Sports we were doing the game there, and I'm just like, they're gonna keep giving up points, Like Jayden Daniels is not gonna make this easy on them. And so I think if the Ravens are playing, it's weird because I don't think they're a great team with the lead, just because I think their weakness on defense is giving up big plays in the secondary. So this is a game where I could see playing out in a similar sort of way. High scoring Ravens offense is the absolute best in the league. The Bucks don't have enough pass rush to really bother Lamar, but that Tampa keeps up and it gives us points and gives us a lot of fun on a Monday night.

Yeah, point, your defense becomes Derrick Henry in the fourth quarter, because, as you pointed out, best offense, it's it's impossible to make the argument against that. The number one passing efficiency offense in the league, the number one rushing efficiency offense in the league, and the King being such a big part of that, where you know, the cliche about getting stronger as the game goes on and wearing defense is down. I really think it's more of Derek Henry can break one at any point, whether it's his first carry against the Buffalo Bills or whether it's late in the game as it was against the Washington Commanders.

And then there's this.

Kind of conflict that they have you in late where I'm watching that game with Rob Rivera, who was spectacular in the preview show with you a few weeks ago.

Greg, Oh, thank you you were watching the game with him.

Yeah, we had Ron in studio for Game Day Live on WOW and he's looking at that last play and says, well, the problem here is Lamar is going to pull this ball and run it for a first down while everybody's chasing Derrick Henry. Well, and behold, it happens for some reason Lamar stops running at the sideline and takes a shot, which I don't necessarily what. I wish you would stop doing that, But but he's got the Bucks defense in conflict there number twenty eight in rushing efficiency defense.

Hmmm, still feel confident there?

Yeah, Now those stats were mostly without Vietavea on the field or Colijah Cansi on the field. They were healthier, and I think you saw that. I know they had a bad quarter against Spencer Rattler there, but they have more playmakers now that Antoine Winfield is back to and I think that's probably the best way to stop Baltimore. You're you're most likely going to give up a lot of yards in a decent amount of points. But can you somehow turn Lamar over like a time or two, Antoine Winfield. It'll be on them to do so. I still like the Ravens. I like the Ravens this week. I like the Ravens every week.

Yeah, if Baker and companies score like they have been, maybe Lamar does the thing where he's holding onto the ball too long trying to score touchdowns and somebody gets a hand on one.

Vita Via knocks one out. Let's get to a game.

I know you're fired up for Greg because you just got back from across the Atlantic Ocean as well as the lower forty eight. Shout out to you for the distance traveled. The New England Patriots a five and a half point underdog against the team that has won one game in the Jacksonville Jaguars, because there are people like me who would insist on believing in them. The over under forty two and a half. Chris Rose, Joe Thomas, Steve Wise on the call, Rise, Shine and Watch on NFL Network, also available on NFL Plus. By the way, does Jacksonville get it figured out against your Pats?

Bread?

I've gotten back and forth on who I want to pick in this game. Five and a half's crazy, Yeah, that's nuts. Jaguars are together such a bad team. You can't give them five and a half points even against the Patriots. But man, the Patriots are poorly coached on offense. I was more excited about Drake me until I went back and watched the entire game plan and it's just not cohesive. I don't know if they're well coached. They're certain he's certainly not well protected. He did some things individual that we're exciting. And you look at the next gen stats for this matchup, and on balance, the Jaguars pass defense is the absolute worst in the league, and you could see it in that matchup on Sunday.

I was there for it.

Just a lot of confusion, a lot of guys looking at each other after the play. So if ever Drake May and this passing attack was gonna get it going consistently, it would be in this matchup. And that's why I think it'll go down to the wire. It May gives us game a little bit more juice. I know Chris Rose was asking about it in the film room a couple of weeks ago. When do you think they're gonna go to May? Greg, I was like, I bet by the time you're doing that game. And then I was in London with Steve Weiss last week and we're talking about and he's like he was excited that Drake May is in this game because you just like watching good quarterback play. And Trevor Lawrence has not been consistent this year. But if there's a slumpbuster out there, it's the Patriots defense. They are one of the worst in the league too.

But you were there, Greg, Was that not the best game Trevor Lawrence had played all season?

Second best.

I think he's played his two best in a row Colts game. He was really sharp this game. Once you're time once or twice, I think he passed up on guys that were there, So maybe that doesn't show up in the box score, but like they were there and I think the progression would have taken them there and then he just doesn't throw it.

But he did.

He played fine in that game. If Lawrence played like he did the last two weeks all season, no one would be complaining about him.

Absolutely.

And the Bears were eventually in a point where they had to decide to stop running up the score. But there was a point in that game in London where it's a one score game. The Jags defense has a third and eight penalty first down, They get another third and fifteen penalty first down, and then it happens again.

It happened three times on the drive over d This.

Team will when things are going right, something will go wrong. And I just don't know how I can keep saying that's gonna happen. But also how can I say that that's not going to happen when I pick this team and they keep doing well.

Imagine being a Jaguars fan or AA the owner of the Jaguars shod con watching this. Ollie Connolly, I think, made a good point that I did not notice at the game. I was on the other sideline, so there's no way I could have seen this that He's never seen a more disconsolate, bad vibes not talking to each other's sideline in the NFL or in any level of football than this Jaguars team. So I don't want to overrate vibes, but something's wrong with Jacksonville and which when I when I started thinking about that, I was like, Okay, the Patriots can at least win this game.

But man, there people aren't people aren't happy there.

The defensive players aren't happy, like even they're good, players like Keon White are kind of getting criticized because he's playing out of structure. They just seem extremely undisciplined on defense. So even the things that you expected would be okay, being on their p's and q's, they're not getting it done. And I saw Greg Bard, who I really respect, said people are kind of missing in the Drake May excitement in Boston the forest for the trees that this team is so poorly run right now. And I was like, no, I the forest is that they have a quarterback to that's He's the only thing that matters for this entire season. But I also see what he's saying that if this coaching staff and this structure is not gonna be competent, then they're gonna waste a couple of years of Drake May's career, and so that I'm hoping that that can improve over the course of the season. I know they're not gonna win many games, but if they're gonna win a game, this would be one of them.

Yeah.

If he's a tree in the forest, it's the tree of life. He's like the central figure. When he wasn't pressured, he was twelve of eighteen for three touchdowns. If you're looking for good news, wow, in New England, that's pretty good for it. Yeah, he had a pick, but hey, three touchdowns. That's why we go with the ratio because.

It's very watchable, very exciting young player. So that makes me excited. I'm excited to hear Chris and Joe and Steve on the call.

They're great. And speaking of Joe Thomas and Chris Rose.

By the way, the Cleveland Browns playing host to the Cincinnati Bank who are a six point favorite. The Cleveland Browns get back in a great work in the Player's Tribune. Nick Chubb saying he has unfinished business in Cleveland, feels he owes it to the city.

I think maybe the city might ow link Chubb a little bit. It's a it's a rough spot.

They just trade Amari Cooper, They're still starting Deshaun Watson, Greg Cincinnati's defense lu and Romo Squat looked a lot better against Dimes.

How does how does Cleveland score points here?

That Nick Chubb just does something?

I hope it does. That's just I hope so like the.

Football gods giving us and him and Browns fans something to.

Hold on to, something to cheer about.

I'm glad you pointed out that article, which I read. It was getting a little misty at the breakfast table here at my house. How how cool for in an organ and the fans don't deserve what's happened during this Deshaun Watson era. No, and Nick Chubb certainly doesn't deserve to be playing on an offense this putrid where Deshaun Watson has taken in terms of sacks thirty one sacks this year, the worst EPA on sacks through six weeks since twenty sixteen. So they are just losing. He's just putting them in such a bad spot. And part of that is absolutely the offensive line. More of it, I believe, is Watson and the Bengals coming off their best game of the year where maybe Hubbard is healthy again and they just looked a little more dynamic.

They're certainly healthier again.

You wouldn't think that the Browns offense is going to get anything done, But reading that article just made me root for like a magical Nick Chubb game and him just doing something crazy, and that's unfair to expect, but who knows. The matchup is not a bad one against the Bengals in general that maybe you can return to what made this Browns team great under Kevin Stefanski offensively, which was running the ball.

Yeah, two of the best pass rushers in the game in terms of pressure share, Miles Garrett thirty one point three percent. Hendrickson Trey Hendrickson is actually a thirty one point eight percent as well. And you know between Miles and Nick Chubb. Yeah, Brown Browns offense, please get it figured out.

I will say the Browns have owned this rivalry. Yeah, owned it in the Zach Taylor era. Even last year. I'm pretty sure the Bengals did get them back in the in the rematch if I'm remembering right.

I should not just count of my memory.

But I remember the Monday Night game where the Bengals were rolling coming into that and the Browns just absolutely stomped him a year ago. And there is something to say about that that when you have the same coaches and they're matching up over and over and you keep getting similar results, it is a rare case where past results can indicate, you know, future results. And so I think the Browns probably feel a little more comfortable in this matchup than they should. Six points, you know, for a Bengals team that's two and four is a lot against a pretty good defense that the Browns can throw out there coming off a good game, you know, against the Eagles.

The one spot though, where Jim Jim's defense is it feels a little bit different, is all of these explosive plays they've They've allowed the sixth highest rate of explosives on the ground, the third most yards due to misstackles. And so in comes Jamar Chase, who in the past four weeks is, Oh, yeah, that's that's still Jamar Chase.

It's still Joe Burrow.

And in the Bengals offense, we don't have any problems with It's it's really the defense and looking over did they get things figured out? I I'm looking for a reason, and the only the only thing I can hang my hat on is Nick Chubb has a has a crazy emotional game. Everybody's going nuts at the dog pound there and Miles Garrett blocks a couple of field goals or something.

I don't know. It's it's tough to see anything else.

By the way, my mind is so stuck in jet lag that I was thinking of a Monday and I gave him two years ago. Did that big game exists last year? Although they did split the two matchups, including I remember just an ugly performance by Burrow in Week one a year ago twenty three.

The years, the years combined, but it's it's all within the beautiful mind of one Greg Wild. Now, the Las Vegas Raiders making a trip to their former home to take on the Los Angeles Rams, who are a seven point favorite. Kevin Harlan, Trent Green, and Melanie Collins on the call, The over under is forty three and a half.

Greg, it is basically the.

Entire plane has been constructed out of rock bowers at this point, with AOC throwing passes in the Rams coming off of bye.

The bye is why they're favored by seven.

Right, That is so disheartening if you're a Raiders fan or new owner like Tom Brady, You're a seven point underdog against a Rams team that's won one game, and that that is like, it's not like it was a fun game though, Greg, it was, and they've been competitive in others and they have a top ten quarterback in Matthew Stafford, so it is not a normal team that has only won one game. But that is absolutely brutal. We don't know if Cooper Cup is gonna play in this game. I heard Monday was an important day for him, but I don't know how much he really works, So my guess would be it might be a little longer before we see him, and certainly Pukinakua is not going to be back for this game yet. And it's a big game because the Rams don't have many games on the schedule where they like should win and if they're going to get back into the mix.

They were three and six last year before they made the playoffs.

This is a game year we're going, Yeah, they go on a run here and I'm I'm excited for Jared Verse and this one. I know Colton Miller has been playing well at tackle, but now he's in an absolute impossible spot because a fun aid and O'Connell fact, he has not attempted a single scramble rush on any of his four hundred and forty two dropbacks since entering the NFL.

Greg That is crazy. Not a quick not a quick mover.

He's literally not.

It's like while we critique a forty year old playing in New York for not getting away from se A and O'Connell is not running.

He is not going to leave.

I'm thinking about this Rams defensive line and the way that they've been able to get pressure this season, especially Jared verse. I think it's gonna be tough. I'm I'm going I'm going more than seven. Wow, particular pick, I just don't have the confidence because I think the world of Rock powers and I love the way that they've had him out there essentially playing wide receiver because he can do that wide receiver, tight end.

He's that good of a football player.

But to have a team on his back in this particular situation, I just don't believe.

Yeah, Jackson powers. Johnson is a rookie offensive lineman for them has been struggling. So I think they thought their offensive line was going to be a strength, and it's it's been up and down. They certainly haven't been able to run the ball consistently enough. It was interesting to me Mark Davis tried to squash the Max Crosby rumors. And there have been rumors. I'm just saying, like in the little you know, like the text and whatnot.

Like the GM.

Yeah, no, I don't know about the GM group chat, but I think people have been calling and maybe not you know, been wondering whether Max Crosby would be available or not, and maybe not get getting clear answers about that. Mark Davis seemed to squash that at the owners meeting, and he better because if you're trading Max Crosby, I just think you're gonna lose, Like, who are you? You're gonna lose the fans that you have.

Yeah, what's the point in player acquisition? You want to get something that nobody else has and then you want to keep that thing. The thing that they need to avoid is maybe have nobody ask Max Crosby about this while he's frustrated. You don't want to end up with another trade request. Yeah, just kind of trying to facilitate, make everything as comfortable as possible, but also win games. Yes, I know Max doesn't want to be out there playing every single play, playing through the things that he's had to play through.

While they're consistently bad.

It's a winnable game for them, even though the Rams are seven point favorites. Maybe this is the game I should have tried to take my family too, But it's on a Sunday. It's kind of tricky with taping NFL daily, So we are making it to the Thursday night Vikings Rams game. We're gonna take one quick break and then we're gonna wrap up with the last few games.

Here on our Week seven.

Back on NFL Daily, and yeah, we haven't made a survivor pick this week, so we've only got a couple games left with which they choose.

I guess when we finish one of the Presco everybody listening, we'll know the results and how that turns out. Let's find out Carolina at Washington, who is an eight point home favorite where the folks believe and they should the over under fifty one and a half. You should also believe in that grit because Jayden Daniels in this offense is roaring the defense. We'll see, we'll probably get a good litmus test with just Andy Dalton, who is the litmus test again fifty one and a half Ian Eagle, Charles Davis Evan Washburn on the call. The Carolina Panthers were in that game against the Atlanta Falcons. Both of these teams had losses last week, but the vibe advantage obviously going by way of our nations CAUP.

Yeah, I mean, when you're the Commanders and you're playing a dead on arrival Panthers team and you're still getting Charles Davis in the building, that shows that Jayde and Daniels has some.

Star power here.

It's true, like that's the number two CBS crew and basically everyone's in on watching jayde Daniels every week.

It's the best show in the league.

He somehow I got played better against the Ravens than in some of his big splash games because they really forced him to win by going to his second read, by having to stay in the pocket, and wasn't a huge factor on the ground, wasn't necessarily hitting those big plays down the field, and yet he was extremely efficient and effective. And the Panthers are that defense week after week that you're like, is this running game actually good or did they just play the Panthers? And so, yeah, you figure they could put up forty spot here in this one.

Yeah, confident there j C. Horn playing good football.

I not enough to make me confident in the one in five Carolina Panthers. I do start to wonder, at what point does it become pointless and we don't just get Bryce back in to see how things are gonna look.

But I guess it's it's one of those things.

And also an eye on Brian Robertson Junior, specifically for fantasy purposes, because as you mentioned, this Carolina Panthers defense has been amenable to opposing running backs and so if there's no Brian Robertson Jr. Could get maximum Austin Eckler, who I think gives this offense a different dimension and it makes it it makes it kind of fun, especially with the way Jaden is playing kind of interesting. He essentially becomes like a receiver to type volume there when he's when he's in the game. So, yeah, this one, this, I mean, this is just all the rookie quarterback. It's tough to talk about anything.

Well, and you can talk about Terry McLaurin, who is just has a different profile. Next ten Stats noted that you know he's run a post, a corner, go or a wheel, which are the routes down the field of vertical routes on forty two percent of its route. So it's like he's going deep down the field more often than he has since he was a rookie, when it was just kind of bombs away to Terry. Do you wouldn't think the Panthers are really going to have many answers, And yeah, they're this weird spot where Andy Dalton made them significantly better and he continues to play at a fairly high level week after week. But it's also like, what is the point of this entire franchise right now?

He's gotten them so much better that they've climbed all the way up to dead last and point differentially where they are negative one hundred.

Well, this was by design. They spent all their money on offense this offseason. They got rid of all their good defensive players. They also had a couple injuries on defense, but they basically decided we're going to be bad on defense to try to help evaluate Bryce Young. But then he only lasted two games before they made their evaluation. And now they're just with this like twenty second in the league offense and one of the worst defenses. It's just it's tough, But these are the types of games Washington. Everything is first for them. They have to prove as they get through the season like that they can keep passing these sort of tests, and if they do, they're the favorites to win the division, which is wild.

And they'll get to that Cliff Kingsbury week seven to eight to nine type fall off where people are going to be charting that and I'm people in that leading us to our final game, the Tennessee Titans at the Buffalo Bills, who are a nine point favorite. Nine also coincidentally the jersey number of one Amari Cooper when he played his college football at the University of Alabama. He is now a Buffalo Bill. The over under forty one. Andrew Catalan, Tiki Barber, and Jason mccordy on the call the Tennessee Titans shout off to Tony.

Pollard, He's been good.

Yeah, we're looking for good stuff anywhere else and it's hard to find it.

Great.

Yeah, it's not there.

In the passing game, Brian Callahan just seems so frustrated with Will Levis. You do wonder when Mason Rudolph is gonna come into the mix. I think it's gonna happen at some point. Calvin Ridley's upset DeAndre Hopkins would be an interesting trade candidate potentially for the team. The defense has been disappointing that at least in terms of their pass defense the last couple of weeks, like just not bigger than the summer of their parts the Titans defense. And so you play a Bill's offense that Daddy and Murray Cooper kind of solves their one issue that they have, but it was a dynamic Bill's offense to begin with. I think they're one of the few teams that can actually line up against Tennessee just kind of man for man, add that sixth offensive lineman like they do, and still be able to do what they do, not get pushed around by Jeffrey Simmons in that front where the Titans are so good and still be able to run the ball when they need to. We'll see if James Cook is back for this game for the Bills.

Yeah, and I think Ray Davis added a dynamic type level to this Bill's offense. My question for Joe Brady was where did Ray Davis go Like in the middle of that game, they kind of went away from the run game after it was so dominant in the start. Eventually he gets back as a huge eight yard run in the third quarter to convert a crucial first down. But I'm watching just how well Greg Russo and aj Epanessa played against the Jets. And I know the Jets offensive line is nothing compared to the Tennessee Titans offensive line, but we're still seeing Will Levis where Calvin Ridley is being used like as a deep threat, but then like it's kind of late garbage time situation.

He's getting mad about it.

Yeah, it's understandable, Like I'm glad that he cares, but it's just a very frustrating thing. It's hard for me to consider a way that the Titans win this game, which is why I'm going into the jungle Gret.

Oh wow, okay, fishing for you.

Yes that after a week off we make the Buffalo Bills are survival.

It's the sloppiest segment known to man. At first we lost, initially, we came back. Yeah, I don't know. I was in the UK and it just slipped my mind. But yes, I'm all in on the Bills in this game. It's a week where yeah, they're missing von Miller while he's on suspension, and they've had some injuries there see about Ed Oliver. But they can get it done against this offensive winning My.

Only kids at my guard.

My big season long concern for the Bills is athleticism in the secondary. I feel like that there was kind of an opportunity for them to get exposed, like especially with Garrett Wilson, Like their their ability to deal with wide receiver ones when the quarterback is protected. I'm concerned about that, but I do like Amari helps the offense because like when you're relying on you know, shout out to all of mccollins production, right, but mc collins the win at the lone of scrimmage, adding adding Amory really helps.

Well.

How about Tarron Johnson coming back and that matters a lot. And then one thing I thought was interesting was Taylor Rapp had a couple of big time hits in that game coming back from a concussion, and he was wearing the Guardian cap because he came back very soon after the concussion. And one of those hits which has potentially won the game for them, Yeah, the one I couldn't help but think like he could have had a concussion on that play, but he was wearing the Guardian cap, and it does.

It's all just making me wonder like.

If we're if we're if we actually care, we don't really care that much about concussions, because then you just everyone would just wear the guarding cap.

It's a weird way to end the show, but it's.

Just like Taylor rap Is like, now I actually do want to protect my head, so I'm gonna wear it, and and it does because I'm coming off of a concussion. So it's just it's just something to think long term that I think eventually everyone's going to be wearing these things and we're in this weird in between that I'm very conscious of that it's in the in between.

Yeah, and that's all.

Hopefully we'll get data back and says that you know that this does and help. But I don't think it's a weird way to end the show because like these these guys, it.

Really struck me with It really struck me with Taylor Rapp last week, and it's on my mind too. A two A tongue bye was going to be coming back. I'm curious he'll be wearing it. I wouldn't be surprised if he was. And yes, Amari Cooper's debut with the Bills. Patrick doesn't like this kind of analysis, but I actually think maybe Amari Cooper will be trying just like a little bit harder this week now that he's on a good team where a quarterback can actually feed him the ball in the right spot.

The second party, second part, we agree.

Okay, thank you for watching NFL daily. Love doing this show with all my friends, each.

And every week like Patrick Claybond and Brian Baldinger.

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