NFL: The InsidersThe Insiders Podcast: Viking-Lions Preview, Mike Vrabel Interviews with the Jets, and Hall of Fame Finalist Marshal Yanda Joins the Insiders
NFL Network Insiders Tom Pelissero, Mike Garafolo, and Ian Rapoport report on the biggest news from around the league, including Tua Tagovailao’s doubtful status for week eighteen with a playoff spot on the line for the Dolphins; Jerry Jones says the ‘’The Hay is in the Barn’’ regarding the future of coaching staff; and the Jets interviewed Mike Vrabel for their head coach vacancy. Also, Ravens legend and 2025 Hall of Fame Finalist, Marshal Yanda, joins the show, Stacey Dales reports on the Vikings-Lions matchup, Sara Walsh on Saints-Buccaneers, and Omar Ruiz on Chiefs Broncos. Plus, Adam Rank provides his 2025 Fantasy Draft Primer.
It's all down to this Week eighteen, and so much up for grabs in cleaning the last two playoff spots. And you might have heard about it. The NFC's number one seed. We've got everything you need to know, including the clinching scenarios and the latest injury info. We also have some clarity on Mike McCarthy's future with the Cowboys, or at least when it could be decided here from owner Jerry Jones on what will and won't drive the final decision in Dallas. There is no finish line in fantasy. At least that's what I tell myself when I have no lineup to come playoff time.
Because I'm out.
Adam Rank already looking ahead to next season. That is right wasted.
No time.
Your first twenty twenty five Fantasy Draft primer is here, just in time for me to start losing again. Well, come inside with the insiders alongside Ian Rappaport and Mike Garafalo.
I am Tom Pellicero.
It is indeed the eve of Week eighteen in the NFL. We got two games on Saturday, we got fourteen games on Sunday.
We've only got sixty minutes to tell you about all of it. So let's get.
Rolling, starting out in Miami, where once again it appears the Dolphins will not have their starting quarterback to a tongue of Iloa, officially listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Jets because of that ongoing hip injury. Snoop Huntley is in line to start barring a late surprising move here, though Toua says don't.
Count him out yet.
If indeed Miami is able to get into the playoffs, it's.
Up for any competitor to have to sit out when the season is online, and you know you can do more, But that just tells you how much trust and you know, respect that we have for Snoop. The defense has been bawling as well, So you know, looking forward to what our guys can do this Sunday, and you know, we'll see.
How the cards fall and how they play out. If the cards play out.
The way they should and then the way we know and think they can, I'm gonna be available. Actually there's no way fans will butts I'll be playing, that's for sure.
Little known NFL rule, if you're ruled doubtful for a game, you cannot wear a shirt during your interviews in the locker, which I always thought was kind of a strange rule, but it applies right here. Here's what you're looking at. If you're one of the three teams still going for that last wild card spot in the AFC playoffs, Broncos are win and in against Carson Wentz and the rest of the Chiefs backups on Sunday. If they lose, the Dolphins would get in with a win over the Jets, plus that Denver loss. Cincinnati needs both those teams to lose, and then if they can beat these Steelers on Saturday Night ian the Bengals, Yes, the Bengals will have clawed their way all the way back to get into the postseason.
If the Bengals do it, they're gonna have to answer some of the injury questions they have going into this big time game. Everything on the line against the Steelers, and they do have some questions.
Chase Brown, you're seeing him right there.
Their running back really is becoming a household name the more we all watch him play.
He's still dealing with an ankle sprain.
Remember, of course, Free famously slid before the goal line.
He is questionable.
My understanding is he's very sore, needs to improve greatly to be able to play, and of course t Haagen's still dealing with that knee injury ankle injury listed as questionable. Would expect him to be able to be on the field mic for.
The Atlanta Falcons who need a win and a loss by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Darnl Mooney gotta be a game time decision with that shoulder injury. Now, he was limited on Thursday and then downgraded to did not practice on Friday, so this doesn't seem to be trending in the right direction. But yeah, this is Week eighteen where it is win or go home, or actually it can be win and still go home depending on what Tampa Bay because Atlanta lost to Washington, thereby not controlling their playoff fate. So we shall see what the final decision is on Darnell Mooney. We will give you that Sunday morning when we get final word. They're leading up the games.
Some other injuries to watch as we head in two Week eighteen. Running back Hearon Jones the Vikings off the injury report.
Heat is good to go against.
The Lions team that could have Alex Angeloni back in the lineup. Dan Campbell said they're going to be careful. Officially listened as questionable. We'll know on Saturday whether they decide to activate him. Christian Watson really hasn't practiced since banging up that knee. Officially listened is questionable, though it would see me. He's got an uphill battle to make it to Sunday. The Bucks with up two of the key DB's for them and Marshawn Latimore. You've read that one a few times since the trade to Washington ruled out because of his hamstring, targeting a potential playoff return. Washington wraps up the regular season still champs to turn the number six seed against a Dallas Cowboys team that, as Mike McCarthy has said this week, is trying to finish the rates. As for McCarthy, his contract act, as Ian and I reported this morning, officially expires on January fourteenth. That sets up a nine day exclusive negotiating window for the Cowboys if they decide they want McCarthy.
To return to get a deal done.
If nothing is done before that January fourteenth date, then no permission would be required. McCarthy would be able to interview for and take potentially another job. As for what is going to contribute to the final decision, Jerry Jones was asked on local radio whether Sunday's game could have an impact.
He he's in the barn really as far as our staff is concerned, and the qualities of each of the coaches and they have brought to the table where they are in their careers and the circumstances what we dealt with this year on a coach by position basis, and so no, I don't think that's something that would happen out here Sunday would impact where we're going to be as we go forward.
So as we know, Jerry Jones has been rather effusive in his praise of Mike McCarthy and his staff the job they've done with all the injuries, including losing Dak Prescott to stay alive until a couple of weeks ago to be able to stack some wins with Cooper Rush. We also know there have been no substantive contract talks yet between Mike McCarthy's representatives and the Cowboys. Jerry Jones ian has this nine day exclusive negotiating window. They can waive it if another team requests permission. He could allow Mike McCarthy to potentially interview for other jobs here. Knowing Jerry, he quite possibly will want to take as much of that window as possible to make sure that people continue to talk about the Cowboys even at a time that they are out of the playoff picture. But also important to understand her this is not just a linear Mike's backer. Mike's not back. There's conversations about how long a contract would be, what the assistant coach pulled would look like. There's a lot of conversations that really will take place and may take a little.
Of time after the season ends, right, And that's why I wouldn't expect just a decision, Okay, Mike McCarthy is coming back, because, like you said, if Mike McCarthy is coming back, he's going to have to agree to terms to come back with the Cowboys. It's not like they just say here's your contract, cool, sign it and are ready to roll. Like if they offer him a one year deal, would he come back to Dallas and do this all over again. I would never speak to Mike McCarthy, but it does sound like this year has been a lot so that remains to be seen. So yes, Dallas has to make a decision within the next nine days on the status of Mike McCarthy. What they want to do, he has to be in agreement with that if he is going to come back. Otherwise, Yeah, I would expect him to be a head coach candidate elsewhere, and I would expect him to draw interest elsewhere. What's also interesting, Mike is you know, Jerry Jones is pretty clear this result doesn't really matter as it pertains the status of Mike McCarthy. So I would expect them to play some guys. Maybe we have not seen one notable one. I'm told expect Lance, their third string quarterback for most of the season, to get some real reps, to get significant reps in this game. Cooper Rush may still start, Trey Lance is expected to get some reps, and for Cowboys fans and Cowboys in general, there's a lot they can learn from this game, including what is Trey Lance actually.
Like when he plays?
Sounds like we may find out Mike.
I cover their game on Sunday in Philadelphia against the Eagles. Not a great result, but to me, it was more about having conversations with folks throughout the organization. Players, other coaches, front office members as well, and I'm still waiting on the person that's going to tell me, yeah, we need to change the head coach. And Jerry Jones has praised Mike McCarthy publicly. Stephen Jones has praised Mike McCarthy publicly. To hear the players say, we are playing hard for him. We want him at cornerback. Jordan Lewis tell me that he's an inner city guy, just like a lot of us. So he's got that lunch pale mentality that he brings and we appreciate that. With the results that Mike McCarthy had before this season, and a lot of things happened this season out of his control, but the results before this season, plus everything that I'm hearing at all levels of the organization, and I understand that, like you said that, there's some contractual stuff that needs to be figured out as well. It's like I just come away with this going, how is he not the coach of the Cowboys next year? But we'll see save this clip in case he's not.
I remember it's a two way street again.
As part of these conversations and negotiations, the potential will play out. I know this Mike McCarthy's won sixty one percent of his career games, He's gone to the playoffs twelve times in eighteen seasons as a head coach, and he's won a Super Bowl. It's not just a matter of who are you going to fire, it's also a matter of how do you hire someone who's an upgrade? Case in point, the Jets, looking to figure out exactly what their course is going to be here as they move into the future, kicked off their head coaching interviews on Thursday with Ron Rivera and today a very intriguing name, Mike Vrabel, who spent this season with the Browns.
No, that's not something up a photoshop.
He was a coaching consultant, worked a lot with the offensive line, among other things in Cleveland. He interviewed with the Jets earlier today. In what Ian I have to say is a somewhat unusual situation. Remember, the Jets are still practicing, They got a game on Sunday, and they had the coaching candidate for next year's team in the building.
Where do we stand.
It's actually the last day a coach could possibly interview with a team and still get a chance to take a look at what the players are like or you know, I don't know if as of right now. Maybe I'll find out eventually if Mike Rabel talked to players or watch practice, But if he was going to, it's a good opportunity to And you know, yes, the Jets interviewed Mike Rabel, just like they interviewed Ron Rivera yesterday, just like they're going to interview more candidates. But this was a situation from my understanding, where it's also like Rabel's interviewing them. This is one of the top coaching candidates. He has been there before, he has won, he is a respected leader. He's going to have options. He would also need to make sure the Jets are good for him, just like Day would need to make sure that he is good for them. Sort of a mutual interview here. It sounded like it lasted a till around mid day. Mike, Now, the Jets are going to continue their process. Rabel's going to continue their process. But this would be another clip I would just put a pin and just considering the interest.
There, well, the Jets are coming off Robert Sala and Joe Douglas, who were first time guys in the head coach and general manager roles and now the guys that they're interviewing now. Now granted there are a lot of guys that are unemployed because they can interview now. So you're seeing that experience come through both from the general manager front and on the head coaching front. But it's pretty clear that where the Jets are going is going to be with some experience in potentially both roles, if not just the head coaching role there as well. And we haven't really seen that before from the Jets in recent history. To bring in a general manager who has previous experience, whether it was Joe Douglas or Mike mccagnan or John Izick or even back to Mike Tannenbaum, he was a first time general manager as so to bring in some experience, a guy that has been in that seat before. And I keep saying this, and I know this is going to be a big part of it. They need folks in both of those roles who they can feel that they can handle the New York market.
I'm sure Mike Rabel would do that just fine.
By the way, Also important to remember, because the rules have changed a bunch in recent years. Here, current NFL assistant coaches can interview for head coaching jobs until the next two weeks, and even in those two weeks, those interviews can only be virtual in the first round. The lone exception to that rule coaches who are not under contract. That applies to Mike Rabel, who the Browns let out of his contract a week early, and come January fourteenth, that also will pertain to Mike McCarthy. Coming up after this, we've got Adam Rank going to be here and talk about your twenty twenty five fantasy draft. What don't worry, Rank has no shame, He's already got some thoughts about who should be on your team come next season. And right after this break, we got a guy who, well, once upon a time was not drafted in fantasy, but ended up being one of the best players the Ravens have brought into their building. Eight time Pro bowler Marshall Giana is a Hall of Fame finalist in his first year of eligibility and also a first time Insiders guest. He joins us talking about the current Ravens a lot more next on the Insiders. He was an eight time Pro bowler playing offensive guard, a Super Bowl champ, so probably no surprise, though still quite an honor to be a Hall of Fame finalist in his first year of eligibility, and now an.
Even bigger honor.
He's here on the Insiders, Marshall Gyanda joining the show with me, Tom Pelsero Marshall, great to see you again. Man.
Where are you at you? What are you keeping you busy these days? Yeah, just back in Iowa. Busy with the kids, you know, helping my dad farming in the fall. And you know, we got three young kids, so like the youth sports craze is is pretty intense nowadays.
So we're just busy with the kids.
We've got a house in some land in Iowa, so I'm busy with things outdoors and and that's that's that's enough for sure.
Are you out there planting stuff? Are you mowing things down? Like when you say you got land, that can be a lot of things, what does it mean?
Yeah, uh, planting, mowing, property maintenance. We got a pond, so we're doing like fish management. I helped my dad in the fall, like I drive the grand cart when they take out like the corn and the beans, so stuff like that.
So all right, So where where did the dreams stack? Up right, you're growing up in Iowa. You know you're a good football player. Was it, you know, the the idea of, hey, I want to be one of the greatest of all time. I want to be a Hall of Famer. Where did that rank versus like, eventually I want to you know, maybe have the money to come back, get the land, get the house, and then do whatever I want for the rest of my life in Iowa.
Yeah.
Yeah, Well my path was definitely you know, I tell people, you know that I was never really a destined for all this, right, you know, I was a junior college transfer, just trying to make it to Division one, you know, just that was the goal, was to get to Iowa and be a be a starter at Iowa. So you know, me sitting in junior college just had no idea that that potential was inside of me.
You know.
But obviously, you you get impacted by a lot of positive and important people in your life and they teach you how to, you know, set goals and and and try to be great every single day and get better. And I tell you what, man, I unlocked a lot of potential inside me.
I had, you know, no idea that I had, you.
Know, the Pro Football Hall of Fame standard to me has always been are you the best in your generation at a point in time and for how long are you the best? And certainly you had that run eight Pro Bowls where you were regarded among the best in the league. Still to get the initial word that you're a finalist in your first year of eligibility, that doesn't happen a ton. What was your reaction And now what are the next couple of months going to be like? Is you wait to find out exactly how this all ends?
Yeah, just you know, just unbelievably grateful, you know, just to uh to have the support you know from you know, the players, the coaches, you know, my teammates. Uh, just to be recognized, right just because I understand that, you know, it takes a it takes an entire team and an organization, you know, us being playing good football.
To be a part of something like that.
So I was just blown away, you know, I'm, like I said, I'm just very grateful, and uh, it's just amazing.
You know.
Obviously, you try to, you know, every day to be as as the best of players you can be, best teammate you can be. And I tried to do that. You know every single day, you know that I played the game.
So one of your former teammates, Darrell Suggs, also on that that finalist list. I have to imagine, I know you're playing guard, he's coming off the edge left.
There had to have been a point in.
Time we were going ones versus ones and you meet that guy in the hole, right. Can you remember a time that you had that opportunity to up against Sizzle.
One under my rookie year. He put me on my back my rookie year in training camp. Okay, so I got humbled very very very often by Terrell, that's for sure. Because you know, obviously we had a lot of really good defensive players on our team, so we got our butts kicked and practice a lot, and Terrell was definitely one.
Of them that that got me and made me a.
Better player by getting after me, that's for sure. So yeah, he's a great, great teammate. You know, appreciate all his everything he did for the Ravens. But yeah, I was on the wrong end of that numerous times in.
Practice, for sure. So the NFL moves quickly. That locker room has turned over a lot in Baltimore, since you were playing. But the quarterback came in your last year and won an MVP right out of the gate, Lamar Jackson. He's still doing things at a level that we haven't seen a whole lot in the NFL. What strikes you about when you watch Lamar?
Now?
What you see?
And it was there any doubt that Okay, you do it once, but then it would be this sustainable type of thing for him in his career.
Yeah.
I mean, you know, every player's fighting consistency, right, you know, the more you can do it, the more often and the more consistent that you can do it. But it's awesome to watch him mature obviously, you know we all mature as players in the NFL, and you're trying to not make the same mistakes twice. And you know, he's just a special, special player, right, you know. I you know, when I played with him, it was great to just see the passion that he had for the game and also like he really cared about his teammates and he was just a great teammates. So I'm so happy for him to be able to continue to grow as a player. And you can tell he's he's working at it. He's getting better, right, he cares. You know, some guys, you know, take their foot off the gas, and some guys don't ever leave it off the floor, you know what I mean. We're trying to get better every single day. We're trying to be a better player, and obviously he is doing that and he is you know, the results speak for themselves. The guy's a special talent and I'm so happy for him and the Ravens.
So you'll be rooting as you're watching him in the playoffs. Do you still do you get some fandom into you when you're watching it, you know, at home on the couch like the rest of us.
Yeah, I mean, you know, I got a wife and three kids, and we're all, you know, diehard Ravens fans. Now, you know, we got to uh my kids got to be a part of it, you know, when they were younger, and they remember obviously so so and I mean, I'm a you know, I'm I'm transitioned to just being a you know, a fan now, you know so, But we uh, you know, we're born and raised Ravens fans ever since you know, in two thousand and seven. Uh, you know, They'll always have a special place in our heart. That's like family out there. So we are we are. We are bleeding purple in this house, that's for sure.
So last thing for you, Marshall, appreciate you being here. You know your five years removed from the league. It looks if I'm not mistaken, like maybe maybe you're not quite as jacked and big as you were back in your playing days there. John Harbaugh calls tomorrow all the guards have gotten illness.
They can't go. How many snaps.
Could you get you had a role out there, You get three days to practice.
How many snaps could you give them? Oh?
Not many?
And there ain't no chance I would get forklifted. There ain't no way, like you said, being off the it's aligneman. You gotta be heavy and I'm only like two fifty right now, so it would be a liability out there. Give me, uh you know what, give me five? Okay, give me five, that's it. Five plays.
You're like pat Patricard size at this point. Maybe maybe a little different role if you need it out there.
Marshall.
Congratulations again, best luck with the final vote for for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Hope to see you down there in New Orleans. Put on that gold jacket. Dond's great.
Thanks Tom, I really appreciate it.
Sunday night, Lions Vikings. Everything in the NFC is on the line. Who's got the edge and how important is this matchup for both the quarterbacks? Our Stacey Dams will be at that game, shall be here next on the insiders.
Hey mommy, we cast the line. Really get violent half they don't get along on you. We come out here and put that on the line.
Where is it ever one of them you guys want to do all about to come out here and shone.
Him like a last week. Everybody want to pay them well going get it. The Lions make an early statement on the opening drive.
Right sixty minutes.
All abort them. I don't know if there's an offensive lineman in the league that runs more than sewell Man. He's got a lot of mile to Joe's legs.
They are going and then got bulls down.
But like Devery is he gonna pick up the first down and they should shield it.
They'll run the top down.
This is the game. Change and play. Nice job by that offensive line.
What ye like?
He said? Just don't just happen. Boys, We're different again.
I'll say it again, this group'sing different.
Dna Sewell is a scary man, and we've got a fun matchup on Sunday night, Vikings and Lions playing for the NFC North title, a first round play by and home field throughout the NFC playoffs. What don you think about that, Dan Campbell?
I think we embraced the challenge of it. We embrace the bright lights of it.
You know.
We respect the opponent that's coming in here, and we love competition. We love and this is gonna be one of these all out come to the end of the line type games. And so we know what we're getting ready to play and getting what we're getting ready to face, you know, and so we're looking forward to this competition. Guys are locked in and we're gonna be ready to go. So exciting, man, exciting, you know, and already talked about it earlier. This is this is why you're in this business. Players love it, coaches love it. Great for their organization and it's great for football.
Welcome back to the Insiders, Tom Pellacero, joined now by our Stacey Dales, who will have that game two seventy two on Sunday night. Stacy, tell me about the significance of these games matchup with this much on the line.
Yeah, oh my goodness. I mean, I'm so fired up. It's Friday night. Tom by the way, Pinay Sewell, and you know this, Ask anybody in that building at Allan Park, they'll tell you he's the most athletic player on that roster. Like that guy is unbelievable, for sure, one hundred percent. This is a magnificent game. We've never seen this, This is historic. Dan Campbell, whom we just heard from earlier in the week, said it was fairytale kind of stuff. I spoke with left tackle Taylor Decker this week and he said, to me, it's almost poetic because you have this incredible franchise record setting season with fourteen victories. They've never done that in Detroit, and you still have to play the Minnesota Vikings for the number one seed. I also spoke on their side of the football to TJ. Hawkinson, former Detroit line obviously drafted by them and has now been in Minnesota for a couple of years, and he said, it is history.
Literally. You don't think at the starting the beginning of the season you're going to be in a position quite like this.
It is monumental when you think about two fourteen win teams playing.
Each other in the regular season for the first time ever. That has never happened.
The Vikings and Lions twenty eight combined wins in the regular season tom are the most by any opponents in regular season history in NFL history. And then, just to take it a step further, this game is not going to only be the first regular season game with opponents who both had fourteen or more wins. It's also the first regular season game with two teams with fourteen or more wins ahead of the Super Bowl or ahead of the conference championships. And what's on the line, As you see on our lower third, the winner clinches the number one seed, they have home field advantage, they obviously get a bye. And what does the other side get. They got to play the number four seed, which right now is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So if you're the five seed, you've got to go to Tampa who have won now five of their last six games, and Baker is on fire.
So it is a pivotal game for both teams.
There also are some parallels here between the quarterbacks Donald Jared Goff, both high draft picks cast off and Golf's case by the Rams and Donald's case by multiple different teams. Here, what does it mean for these two guys being on this stage Sunday night?
Why did you doubt me four years ago? Why did you doubt me three years ago?
These guys are playing with chips on their shoulders and they both deserve it, Tom, I mean, you ask anybody in either locker room.
Let's start with Jared Goff.
He's got a career high thirty six touchdowns and when you talked to his teammates as you and I both have this season, I mean his timing and his precision, but his trust and its ability to be so accurate to unload and unleash but also be willing to take the checkdowns. I mean, he does everything they've tailored this offense for now a few years with Ben Johnson to Jared Goff, and he gives them supreme confidence in terms of his leadership. And that's exactly what I would follow up with Sam Darnold, who's got a career high thirty five.
Touchdowns for the Vikings this season.
Kevin O'Connell under his tutelage, has really done a masterful job and eyes and feet.
They'll constantly talk to you about that. But TJ.
Hawkinson told me that Sam has a one snap, one day, one play mentality that is huge for this team. He never waivers. His routine is his routine, and he said to me, Hawkins said, he just gives us the utmost confidence. But he also told me we've got the playmakers, We've got the guys, we've got the plays, we've got the coach that calls the plays. I don't think there's any more confidence you can have and any more pieces you could want than what we bring to the table. So, as you know, Tom, playmakers galore.
We'll just see if this is.
Going to be an offensive fireworks or shootout between both sides, or if the defenses are going to come to play and get.
A few turnovers to help those offenses.
On Sunday night, Stacey, have fun in Detroit. Bring your plugs. I would also recommend that thank you very much for.
Joining us on this show.
Stacey Dale's mentioned the box. Let's get into the box. Let's get into the NFC South clinching scenarios for the bus. I'm not that smart, but it seems pretty simple. Win and in of course, the Falcons could also lose. That would knock them in as well. The Falcons have a much more complicated situation. They have to win and get the Bucks to lose. Of course, Tampa plays the Saints, Falcons played the Panthers. Someone who is going to be at well only one of those games because she's only one person and can only be in one place at once. Sarah Walsh, what's going on? Thank you for joining us on the Insiders. As always, Sarah, Let's get into the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I think everybody probably knows the ball is going to go to Mike Evans.
Just a little bit.
Take me inside that Bucks offense about Evans and then who else can burn you?
We know they're going to go to Mike.
We know everyone here wants Mike to reach that one thousand yard milestone. However, when Chris Godwin was lost for the season and Mike Evans was lost for a couple of games with that hamstring injury, the Bucks knew if they were going to succeed, they were going to have to have guys step up, unknown names, and they really have. If you look at the game just Sunday, a rookie Devin Culp had fifty two yards. Payne Durham caught his first touchdown. Another rookie in Culp's a former collegiate teammate at Washington, Jalen McMillan, had two touchdowns. Everyone has stepped up, and McMillan is someone a third round pick that the Bucks expected to do big things, but he has really opened eyes around the league in the last couple of week. Six touchdowns in his last four games. If he catches one this week, that would make it five straight.
There is only one.
Rookie who's got a consecutive game streak of touchdowns longer than that.
His name was Randy Moss. So McMillan coming on strong.
And when I talked to him this week, I said, what's been the biggest difference for you? He said, earlier in the year he felt a lot of pressure. He said he couldn't leave stuff at the field. He'd go home and just think and think. And he said he's not thinking as much and that's allowed him to play in a more free manner. Of course, so many receivers running backs having success in Tampa definitely helps when your quarterback at Stacy Dale's just mentioned obviously an ou shot out there is having a career year in almost every category. Only Joe Burrow has more touchdowns than Baker Mayfield right now, ann.
Jalen mcfilan so frustrating for me, picked him up in fantasy, ended up dropping him a week later, missed down all I should you should have been more patient that these are things that stick with me. Anyway, let's get to the other side of the ball. I know Levonte David's still the face of that defense. Gonna get one of his buddies back this week in what is a really cool, heartwarming story.
Yeah, it's a great story.
Levonte David, by the way, a thirteenth NFL season, thirty four years old, and he's seen a lot. One thing. He told me this week that he loved seeing his former buddy Shaq Barrett, who is the single season sack record holder for the Buccaneers, rejoining the Bucks after he announced his retirement last year. Hasn't played a game this year, but he's not going to get a lot of snaps this weekend. But we do expect that we could see Shaq Beart back on the field in a Buccaneers Uniformante said, just seen him in the locker room has been a breath of fresh air because there's a lot of young guys there and Lavante and Shaq Barrett have long been a part of a vaunted Bucks defense that for years carried this Tampa Bay team. So I asked Levante, what's it like this year watching your offense because they have done so much, and he said it's incredible. But he did say selfishly, do we want to be the unit that wins the ballgame? Of course we do, but he said it's been a collective effort. Now here's something really cool, really unselfish that Levante and the whole room of linebackers did today. Ian Lavante and his group of guys got together, partnered with some local nonprofits, and they gave away two vehicles to single moms who were in need of transportation to sustaining jobs. Levante said something like this, a moment like this can really do wonders for a family. You see the expression on their faces now, the way that they raised the money. The linebackers at least self policing finds. I said, Levante, you're like one of the nicest guys on the planet. I guarantee you never got fined for anything. What kind of money did you raise? And he goes, well, I'm held to a higher standard, so they would get me for little things. I said, okay, Well, then tell me who is the biggest contributor, right, who got in trouble the most so that they had to contribute the most? He said, kJ Britt, I go what he do? He said, well, his mouth, Well he ran his mouth for a good cause. So I think at this time of year everyone could use a good story like that, a heartwarming story. So good job to the Bucks linebackers and making dreams come true today.
Love hearing that tis the season and that is that is very very cool. Sarah Walsh, thank you very much for joining us as always enjoy the game and everything that comes with it. This coming Sunday, another person, another player, another quarterback who's got a.
Lot riding on it.
This week Bo Nicks the Denver Broncos win and in against the Chiefs backups. Omar Ruiz is going to talk to us on the Insiders coming up about everything you want to know about b Nix.
All right, here are the clinching scenarios. If you don't know him by now, you haven't been paying attention all week. We've been showing them all week long. So take a screenshot of that, put it to the side, reference it later, because right now I got to bring in Omar Ruiz, who is going to be at the Broncos Chiefs game. Wait, hold on, what was the scenario with the Bronco Broncos win they're in Basically is what happens. The other teams need the Broncos to lose. So with the Broncos needing that win to make the playoffs, how are they handling the pressure of the moment?
Omar Well Bonick said, pressure is a privilege. This is something that they've had the opportunity for two games in a row now and they've not been able to get it done. But they've come into this one against the Chiefs with a lot of confidence, knowing that they put themselves in position to win. They're up eleven in the second half against the Chargers on Thursday Night Football a couple weeks ago, and then of course they forced overtime against the Bengals last week without getting it done. You throw in the first time they played the Chiefs where they had that field goal blocked.
To lose the game.
Bonick saying one of these times, we're going to end up pulling it out. They're hoping to do that Week eighteen, but he said that without this pressure means that they do have the opportunity, and that is to clinch the playoffs. I spoke with outside linebacker Nick Benito, the Pro Bowler, yesterday, who said that every offseason they've had to hear about this being another year of missing the postseason. So they're very aware of the playoff drought. They haven't been to the playoffs since Peyton Manning and Company won the Super Bowl after the twenty fifteen season. Benito telling me they want to do it for guys like Garrett Bowles and Courtland's Sutton, the veterans in that locker room. They're looking to take care of business, knowing they have an opportunity to do it against Kansas City and many of their backups on Sunday.
Many of their backups, including Carson Wentz. Now, don't think that Carson Wentz doesn't have the chance to play well in Week eighteen, because he did it last year as a member of the Los Angeles Rams, leading a victory against the forty nine ers. He had like fifty six yards rushing in that game seventeen for twenty four if I remember that stat line correctly. So what are we expecting from Wentz in this system with the Chiefs.
Yeah, a couple of touchdowns in that game, reprising his role as Week eighteen starter, like you mentioned, filling in for Matthew Stafford last year, Obviously getting an opportunity now with the Chiefs. Andy Reid's excited to see him play. Obviously, Wentz came in with familiarity with this system given his days with Doug Peterson in Philadelphia, and obviously it's been tweaked over the year and over the years, and Carson Wentz has kind of adjusted throughout this year, has seen Patrick Mahomes and how he communicates with Reed and offensive coordinator Matt Naggy throughout the week, So looking to replicate that, and Wentz saying that he's excited to have Andy Reid as his play caller. And they know they're not going to have Isaiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt and Travis Kelcey, Jwan Taylor a few of the other guys not sitting, but they do have an opportunity to win the game like they did last year. When they rested many of the starters against the Chargers Week eighteen, they pulled out that win thirteen to twelve. You saw the experience with Carson went from the Broncos perspective, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph saying, they're expecting to see Carson Wentz at his best. He said, he's I'm sure he's seen Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield and Gino Smith. All those guys have career renaissances, hoping that maybe a Week eighteen strong performance from Carson Wentz can spark that. So they're looking to see Carson Wentz with his legs and his arm sort of carry the day for them. They're looking to shut that down on Sunday and get themselves into the playoffs.
There's quarterback intrigue in the NFL this weekend. Guys like Trey Lance, Carson Wentz is gonna play, Jimmy Garoppolo is gonna play again, Tanner McKee in Philadelphia can he continue? Like we're gonna see some guys in action that are going to try to make a statement for future jobs in twenty.
Five and beyond.
Omar Owiz, you have a job in twenty five and beyond because of that kind of analysis and information that you bring us right there. I joke the other day after losing my Fantasy Championship that Michael left Florio twenty twenty five personnel meetings were starting immediately. Adam Braank believes in that he's gonna be back after the break here to talk about twenty twenty five fantasy potential.
Time now to go in with NFL Fantasy Live, and our buddy Adam Rank joined us as he does every single Friday.
It's over Rank unless you're one of those freaks who.
Plays Week eighteen as your championship week in your fantasy league. But no time is too soon to turn the page to twenty twenty five. Jamar Chase monster season, huge asset. Should he be the number one pick in next year's fantasy draft.
Well, I understand why a lot of people would want to continue to make Jamar Chase the number one overall selection, given the fact that so many Fantasy Championship rosters had him. He had one of the best seasons of a wide receiver over the last couple of years, and I understand like people grow attached to players, but too often in the terms of fantasy football, we look behind us instead of forward. A lot of people went into this season thinking like, well, Ceedee Lamb was the wide receiver one in twenty twenty three. I'm just going to go ahead and draft him. Missed out on the opportunity of taking Jamar Chase, So I would say to spend some time the look out there see if T Higgins is going to return, is the coaching staff gonna change. There's a lot of variables, So I don't I don't mind if you take him number one. Overall, that's not the way that I'm going. Okay, Well, if not him, then who Well I'm gonna go with Bajon Robinson, who finished this season as the running back three with the Atlanta Falcons, and he did it with a quarterback who had a fastball that rivaled Jamie Moyers back in the day. I think that once you add Michael Pennick to the starting lineup, this is gonna be an offense. It's going to take off next season. And I've started upgrade not only b John Robinson, but also Drake London. Perhaps Darnell Mooney can continue what he did. Kyle Pitt Knockt not Kyle Pitts, but Bajhon Robinson again trying to look forward, trying to be ahead of everybody. He is going to be my number one running back.
It reminds me when Ladani.
And Thomlinson years ago made the leap of being like a top five running back to being the number one guy. Twenty twenty five is going to be the season that Bejon Robinson ends up as the RB one.
Jamie Moyer came down the stretch of his career against the Phillies man when it went bad on a given day, it was like batting practice out there. I know exactly what you're talking about. Sakwon Barkley. Does he go in the first round again in twenty twenty five?
I would certainly think so, especially at the end of the first round coming into this year, we're pretty bullish on Sakuon Barkley. As a matter of fact, I had an Instagram post where I posted that, and nobody goes back and finds that they can find my Bears prediction very easily. They can't find the one where I'm like, please draft Saquon Barkley. But I don't see an awful lot of aggression. Obviously he's not going to run for two thousand yards next season, but still he should be in the mix for fifteen hundred rushing yards. He's going to be a huge part of an offense that's got a great offensive line, a great quarterback, great opportunities. I think that he should be a first round pick. And I also like the fact that the Eagles are not using him this weekend, trying to rest him for the playoffs. Now, I was on the radio with the BBC. They're outraged in London. They do not agree with that decision. They want to see him go out there and get the record. But I think Kuon Barkley at the Eagles, well they made this, say yeah, they're upset about it.
Ian, I don't know how to tell you. I think it's the right move to make.
Last thing for your rank. Let's get a little more controversial. How about this.
Give me a second year receiver who will go in next year's first round for fantasy.
Well, I'm gonna start with Brian Thomas Junior, who had a tremendous rookie season. I've seen a lot of comparisons to Justin Jefferson and what he did in his rookie season, and saw what he was able to do in his second year. But one of the things that I also love about Brian Thomas Junior is what could possibly be now There could be a change at the head coach position for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Ben Johnson could be that guy who comes in to be their coach. I don't know, I'm speculating, but still, given the opportunity to go out there and build on what he was able to do, I'm gonna go with Brian Thomas Junior.
And I'm also gonna.
Go with Malik Nighbors, who this season was able to be the wide receiver six on the year with a cavalcade of quarterbacks that a lot of random people couldn't be able to name if you put him out there on a list like whose line is it anyways or anything like that. But at the same time, I would like to see a little bit more consistency out of the leak Neighbors. He had three had six games excuse me, where he had like close to thirty points or right around there. He had a number of games where he did not even approach twenty. So for me, with a good quarterback, he should be able to get some consistency and should be a first round draft pick rank.
Thank you very much. Keep coming back end of the fantasy season, but keep coming back on back. Yeah, talk about throughout the course of the offseason and Clinton, if I hang around for the f block, we talk about do you look like Jim Harbaugh? Because some people think they look like Jim Harbaugh, and there's no reason for us to talk about who does and does not look like Jim Harbaugh.
Trust me, it's worth the explanation.
Next on the Insiders, Jared Vers is quite possibly going to be your defensive rookie of the year. We do know he is already headed to the Pro Bowl Games in his first season, but when he first got the call from Sean mcvaywell, you had our thoughts on what in my be about.
That was getting fired.
I took a nap after like practice, and I got like three calls because we made I'm like, oh my.
God, I'm like, oh the one I did after I was pretty good.
I called.
He's like, uh, yeah, you made football, Mike. It was really so real though. It felt like amazing Like Releaf was Fice though.
But elsewhere in La Jim Harbaugh, who apparently is on a wanted poster around the city also has inspired a lookalike competition. According to the Chargers, they've already got some submission this contest contest here, Let's take a look at some of the folks who think they might be able to pull it off.
Ian is that you?
There's a slight just a very slight er is yet there?
Handsome man right there, that's a good looking one.
Be'st hardbus. Everyone else we got as much there.
I don't. I don't think I can pull it off. We all look like we're wearing like the hat that doesn't have the brim.
You know.
That's which I think it's slightly off because we know Jim Harby likes to break in that brim.
We've seen that from him. Oh, garrifola, what do you think? What is I don't know what is happening there? That's your hot glass. You have hair, only have my sunglasses. That's Harball. But that's not Harball hair. I think that's my hair. That's not his hair. No, that's my hair.
Looks like as a right end's coach Andy Bisher than the hair like that, my buddy, you.
Got the uh you got kind of some highlights in there, which I don't do. But that's kind of that's kind of what looks like anyway. I enjoy the games. Time to get to this weekend. We are on live all day on Monday, fourteen hours straight, two hour edition to the Insiders at night.
Be there, see it,
