The volume.

The volume.

Our week seventeen reaction is presented by Uber eats. Get game day deals all season long on uber eats. All Right, here we go. Former NFL scout John Middlecoff, he has a podcast three and Out. It was a very busy weekend Sunday, especially the early window didn't give us much. But let's start with Minnesota twenty seven, Green Bay twenty five. So I had a conversation yesterday with a general manager in the league who said, yeah, you can forget. You can forget Sam Donald at forty million. He said, you're not getting Sam Donald at forty million. Sam's moved into the five five oh five to one. And I watched him today even after his pick five for five fifty five yards touchdown final drive. You know, he got a little bit lucky some play call. You know, let's just be honest here. Kevin O'Connell's development and play calling is substantial. And between Jefferson, Addison and Naylor the Michigan State kid, they have incredible wide receiving group. So I'm not taking anything away. But Sam, here's the thing I take away, John, and you, as a former scout, they're asking him to make big boy throws. Some of this shit is these are hard, even when they were leading late in the fourth. I'm like, guys, screen passes lighting up, They're asking Sam, this is not dink and dunk. These are tough throws.

Our week seventeen reaction is presented by Uber eats. Get game day deals all season long on uber eats. All Right, here we go. Former NFL scout John Middlecoff, he has a podcast three and Out. It was a very busy weekend Sunday, especially the early window didn't give us much. But let's start with Minnesota twenty seven, Green Bay twenty five. So I had a conversation yesterday with a general manager in the league who said, yeah, you can forget. You can forget Sam Donald at forty million. He said, you're not getting Sam Donald at forty million. Sam's moved into the five five oh five to one. And I watched him today even after his pick five for five fifty five yards touchdown final drive. You know, he got a little bit lucky some play call. You know, let's just be honest here. Kevin O'Connell's development and play calling is substantial. And between Jefferson, Addison and Naylor the Michigan State kid, they have incredible wide receiving group. So I'm not taking anything away. But Sam, here's the thing I take away, John, and you, as a former scout, they're asking him to make big boy throws. Some of this shit is these are hard, even when they were leading late in the fourth. I'm like, guys, screen passes lighting up, They're asking Sam, this is not dink and dunk. These are tough throws.

Yeah, I mean, he's treating this guy like Mahomes meets Joe Montana in terms of his play calling. Complete trust. I mean, honestly, you remove two throws, the interception where he got greedy and the throw toward the end of the game that he airmailed Addison that could have been a disaster. Yeah, he was as good as the josh Allen Mahomes lamar. I mean, that's a dominant, dominant, dominant performance. I thought, given the hype in this game and the pressure, and we know Minnesota's got to be one of the better home field advantages, how loud, it is maybe the best. You know, sometimes you can be overjuiced to go seventeen of twenty two in the first half and just slice and dice this team. You know what I had to do immediately, I had to google Jordan Love's contract because I'm thinking and listen, Jordan Love, for whatever reason, for a good player, he is a slow starter in these games. Yeah, but I googled he got a seventy five million dollars signing bonus and one hundred and sixty million dollars guaranteed. And if I'm Sam Donald and we beat Detroit next week and we're the number one seed, I don't see how you could take anything less than that. It's like, because Jordan Love got paid really off eight games. Remember the first half of the season. He was atrocious, and obviously he had been there longer, and they liked him and they know him. But every time I hear Kevin O'Connell talk about Sam Donald, it's like the way I hear Andy talk about my homes. I mean, they love the guy, and listen, they didn't. This is not a clunky Atlanta Falcons situation. This was good business. They paid a guy ten million dollars and they drafted a guy essentially fell into their lap that they liked as well JJ McCarthy. Things changed throughout the course of the year. This is not a thirty five year old strike and oil late in his career, right. This is not a Geno Smith situation. Twenty seven years old. He was one of the younger players to come in the league. Right when he was drafted today was and they've been doing this all season. I was like, this is not It's not like they've peaking. They were blowing out teams immediately. The Giants they destroyed, They destroyed the forty nine ers, they destroyed the Texans, and in their fourth game they were up twenty eight to nothing on this Packer team in Green Bay, and the Green Bay came back, but they've been dominating start to finish with him at quarterback.

Yeah, I mean, he's treating this guy like Mahomes meets Joe Montana in terms of his play calling. Complete trust. I mean, honestly, you remove two throws, the interception where he got greedy and the throw toward the end of the game that he airmailed Addison that could have been a disaster. Yeah, he was as good as the josh Allen Mahomes lamar. I mean, that's a dominant, dominant, dominant performance. I thought, given the hype in this game and the pressure, and we know Minnesota's got to be one of the better home field advantages, how loud, it is maybe the best. You know, sometimes you can be overjuiced to go seventeen of twenty two in the first half and just slice and dice this team. You know what I had to do immediately, I had to google Jordan Love's contract because I'm thinking and listen, Jordan Love, for whatever reason, for a good player, he is a slow starter in these games. Yeah, but I googled he got a seventy five million dollars signing bonus and one hundred and sixty million dollars guaranteed. And if I'm Sam Donald and we beat Detroit next week and we're the number one seed, I don't see how you could take anything less than that. It's like, because Jordan Love got paid really off eight games. Remember the first half of the season. He was atrocious, and obviously he had been there longer, and they liked him and they know him. But every time I hear Kevin O'Connell talk about Sam Donald, it's like the way I hear Andy talk about my homes. I mean, they love the guy, and listen, they didn't. This is not a clunky Atlanta Falcons situation. This was good business. They paid a guy ten million dollars and they drafted a guy essentially fell into their lap that they liked as well JJ McCarthy. Things changed throughout the course of the year. This is not a thirty five year old strike and oil late in his career, right. This is not a Geno Smith situation. Twenty seven years old. He was one of the younger players to come in the league. Right when he was drafted today was and they've been doing this all season. I was like, this is not It's not like they've peaking. They were blowing out teams immediately. The Giants they destroyed, They destroyed the forty nine ers, they destroyed the Texans, and in their fourth game they were up twenty eight to nothing on this Packer team in Green Bay, and the Green Bay came back, but they've been dominating start to finish with him at quarterback.

Look at the twenty eighteen draft class, Baker, Darnold, Josh Allen, Lamar. All happened last year's and it's funny. Like we used to always talk about the Marino and Lway class, We've had two classes now that have been like four star quarterbacks out of it. You know, it is funny, John, because in baseball, we understand even if you're Bryce Harper, you go to the miners and it takes a while to get it going. In the NBA, even if you're Yannis, it takes three to four years to build into something. But in the NFL, we figure, well, you know, you're twenty two, you went to college. But it's very similar. If you don't get a good fit, I mean, Mahomes didn't play his first year. You know, Josh Allen was rough his first year. Like, and if you go to a bad organization, I mean, so it's like you look at Sam. Now you're like, Sam has four to five more minimum peak years. Here's the other thing. I'm never gonna talk about a guy's money, right, Like, but if you could take a little less to stay with Minnesota, even though they have Jay J. McCarthy in the offing, it's weird, Like like, I mean, listen again, if somebody offers you fifty two, and you know I'm Minnesota, I don't let him go. I think you and I agree, I'm not letting him go. But if he goes to the if he goes to the market and somebody offers fifty one, but it's like the Raiders, or you can go to a place that's got better players and better personnel. Because I think what Sam has learned is Wow, coaching and weapons really matter, really matter, because I think, I mean, we can talk about Justin Jefferson, but Hell Naylor today, TJ. Hockinson, the run game, Addison, Kevin O'Connor. You know we haven't talked about this is Kevin O'Connell the coach of the year.

Look at the twenty eighteen draft class, Baker, Darnold, Josh Allen, Lamar. All happened last year's and it's funny. Like we used to always talk about the Marino and Lway class, We've had two classes now that have been like four star quarterbacks out of it. You know, it is funny, John, because in baseball, we understand even if you're Bryce Harper, you go to the miners and it takes a while to get it going. In the NBA, even if you're Yannis, it takes three to four years to build into something. But in the NFL, we figure, well, you know, you're twenty two, you went to college. But it's very similar. If you don't get a good fit, I mean, Mahomes didn't play his first year. You know, Josh Allen was rough his first year. Like, and if you go to a bad organization, I mean, so it's like you look at Sam. Now you're like, Sam has four to five more minimum peak years. Here's the other thing. I'm never gonna talk about a guy's money, right, Like, but if you could take a little less to stay with Minnesota, even though they have Jay J. McCarthy in the offing, it's weird, Like like, I mean, listen again, if somebody offers you fifty two, and you know I'm Minnesota, I don't let him go. I think you and I agree, I'm not letting him go. But if he goes to the if he goes to the market and somebody offers fifty one, but it's like the Raiders, or you can go to a place that's got better players and better personnel. Because I think what Sam has learned is Wow, coaching and weapons really matter, really matter, because I think, I mean, we can talk about Justin Jefferson, but Hell Naylor today, TJ. Hockinson, the run game, Addison, Kevin O'Connor. You know we haven't talked about this is Kevin O'Connell the coach of the year.

You know, I'm sure we'll talk about Harball a little bit later, but to me, it's Kevin O'Connell or Jim Harbaugh. I mean, Jim Harbaugh took over a five win team. Kevin O'Connell. They started slow last year, but before Cousins Tours Achilles, they were really coming on. Yeah, and two years ago, if memory serves me correct, I think they were the two seed. Now they lost the Giants in the first round. But this team has been good for a couple of years. Yeah, this is the best version of it. But you know, I always say about play callers. You know certain people in any industry. Obviously you get better at whatever you're doing with reps and experience, but certain people are just much there's like an innate quality to them at what they're doing. Immediately McVeigh, Kyle Shanahan, Lafloor, you could just see it. We see some of these guys become play callers and you're like, yeah, this is just not gonna work. Not because if you got him on a whiteboard they would know any less than Kevin O'Connell, but the flow of a game, maybe they freak out, maybe they get stressed, maybe they lose it. Whatever it is he today was it was like he would call the screen at the perfect time, he would call a perfect zone beating route in the perfect time, and obviously him in the quarterback. I don't see how you could ever pivot off when you're a play caller and you get a quarterback who's young and has these physical skills, and it's working with your weapons who are all under contract. Why you would want to mess with that just because you drafted a quarterback guy who cares.

You know, I'm sure we'll talk about Harball a little bit later, but to me, it's Kevin O'Connell or Jim Harbaugh. I mean, Jim Harbaugh took over a five win team. Kevin O'Connell. They started slow last year, but before Cousins Tours Achilles, they were really coming on. Yeah, and two years ago, if memory serves me correct, I think they were the two seed. Now they lost the Giants in the first round. But this team has been good for a couple of years. Yeah, this is the best version of it. But you know, I always say about play callers. You know certain people in any industry. Obviously you get better at whatever you're doing with reps and experience, but certain people are just much there's like an innate quality to them at what they're doing. Immediately McVeigh, Kyle Shanahan, Lafloor, you could just see it. We see some of these guys become play callers and you're like, yeah, this is just not gonna work. Not because if you got him on a whiteboard they would know any less than Kevin O'Connell, but the flow of a game, maybe they freak out, maybe they get stressed, maybe they lose it. Whatever it is he today was it was like he would call the screen at the perfect time, he would call a perfect zone beating route in the perfect time, and obviously him in the quarterback. I don't see how you could ever pivot off when you're a play caller and you get a quarterback who's young and has these physical skills, and it's working with your weapons who are all under contract. Why you would want to mess with that just because you drafted a quarterback guy who cares.

I thought the play call of the game, it was twenty seven to twenty five, Minnesota needed two first downs to win the game, and the very first play, no defensive coach is calling this. The very first play was a bootleg first down pass. It was like a bootleg screen to the full back. And there's not a defensive coach in the world that's calling that. He packed because you're thinking to yourself, keep it on the ground, eat the clock, get a first down. He goes bootleg for and picks a first down up on the first play, which doesn't eat clock. But what it did at set the tone and by the way, that's the play they used on the other side to get the game clinching first down. And I love Lafleur, but boy, early in this game when they dug a hole, he was really leaning on the run game on early downs. And again I think we both like Lafleur, but I think maybe because he was a quarterback. I think Kevin O'Connell would rather throw and I think Matt Lafleur's DNA he would rather run, and I thought in the first half you saw a little bit about that.

I thought the play call of the game, it was twenty seven to twenty five, Minnesota needed two first downs to win the game, and the very first play, no defensive coach is calling this. The very first play was a bootleg first down pass. It was like a bootleg screen to the full back. And there's not a defensive coach in the world that's calling that. He packed because you're thinking to yourself, keep it on the ground, eat the clock, get a first down. He goes bootleg for and picks a first down up on the first play, which doesn't eat clock. But what it did at set the tone and by the way, that's the play they used on the other side to get the game clinching first down. And I love Lafleur, but boy, early in this game when they dug a hole, he was really leaning on the run game on early downs. And again I think we both like Lafleur, but I think maybe because he was a quarterback. I think Kevin O'Connell would rather throw and I think Matt Lafleur's DNA he would rather run, and I thought in the first half you saw a little bit about that.

Yeah, I think Kevin O'Connell's drawn more to Sean McVeigh. We're at their core that they do like slinging it around, and I think Laflora at his core is more drawn toward Kyle and his dad, where in this game, you know, on the road, we want to come out and establish we're tougher than you. And the one thing is this Vikings team is really, really tough, and I don't know if their personnel is great on defense, but they're fundamentals in terms of you're not getting guys out of gaps running the wrong way. Sure flores Is, I mean what him and Fangio have done to their units this year have just been dominant start to finish. And I think, listen, I appreciate because I've watched Kyle win some big games by leaning on the opponent. Because when you can run the ball, you slow down the game and take the crowd out of it a little bit. So I and listen, it's happened to Laflora before as the Green Bay Packer coach. Kyle kind of did that essentially, you know in Green Bay and that cold game you know in the playoffs a couple of years ago, where it's just like slow the game down, keep it a lower scoring game, Watson's out. We're not looking for a shootout, you know. Josh Jacobs is a tight back where I bet their game plan coming in was, hey, like one hundred and twenty yards on like thirty carries, and we just control the you know, the time of possession because we're not gonna be able to cover these guys. I mean those two, I mean Jordan Justin Jefferson is I mean as talented as of a wide receiver as there's been of my adult life. I mean, obviously the Randy Mosses, and there's some all time great, but his his physical toolbox of deep speed break tackles, he were lower his shoulder on defenders, one handed catches. I mean, he's a total package. And then Jordan Adison was a first run pick to USC once upon a time, gave a million dollars as a transfer, Like that's a big time player. Yeah, so I think that they knew that was a little disadvantage to him. We can't get in a shootout, even though the Packers can against some teams. Yeah, this, so they tried to slow the game and it blew up in their face because I couldn't. You know, they just weren't explosive on the ground. And I mean Sam Darnold looked, I just I can't get over like it's just every single week he answers the bell like there's no more even conversation to have. It's just how are you gonna approach it? Are you gonna franchise him? And then try to get the deal done? Well, that screws you a little bit because you can't. That takes up a lot of your cap space. Now you can't sign other guys. I think by the combine they might have a deal worked out. I don't know what else there is to see at this point in time.

Yeah, I think Kevin O'Connell's drawn more to Sean McVeigh. We're at their core that they do like slinging it around, and I think Laflora at his core is more drawn toward Kyle and his dad, where in this game, you know, on the road, we want to come out and establish we're tougher than you. And the one thing is this Vikings team is really, really tough, and I don't know if their personnel is great on defense, but they're fundamentals in terms of you're not getting guys out of gaps running the wrong way. Sure flores Is, I mean what him and Fangio have done to their units this year have just been dominant start to finish. And I think, listen, I appreciate because I've watched Kyle win some big games by leaning on the opponent. Because when you can run the ball, you slow down the game and take the crowd out of it a little bit. So I and listen, it's happened to Laflora before as the Green Bay Packer coach. Kyle kind of did that essentially, you know in Green Bay and that cold game you know in the playoffs a couple of years ago, where it's just like slow the game down, keep it a lower scoring game, Watson's out. We're not looking for a shootout, you know. Josh Jacobs is a tight back where I bet their game plan coming in was, hey, like one hundred and twenty yards on like thirty carries, and we just control the you know, the time of possession because we're not gonna be able to cover these guys. I mean those two, I mean Jordan Justin Jefferson is I mean as talented as of a wide receiver as there's been of my adult life. I mean, obviously the Randy Mosses, and there's some all time great, but his his physical toolbox of deep speed break tackles, he were lower his shoulder on defenders, one handed catches. I mean, he's a total package. And then Jordan Adison was a first run pick to USC once upon a time, gave a million dollars as a transfer, Like that's a big time player. Yeah, so I think that they knew that was a little disadvantage to him. We can't get in a shootout, even though the Packers can against some teams. Yeah, this, so they tried to slow the game and it blew up in their face because I couldn't. You know, they just weren't explosive on the ground. And I mean Sam Darnold looked, I just I can't get over like it's just every single week he answers the bell like there's no more even conversation to have. It's just how are you gonna approach it? Are you gonna franchise him? And then try to get the deal done? Well, that screws you a little bit because you can't. That takes up a lot of your cap space. Now you can't sign other guys. I think by the combine they might have a deal worked out. I don't know what else there is to see at this point in time.

Yeah, I mean he really gives you size arm playmaking. I think the year in San Francisco. Cognitively, I think he's better above the shoulders. He can still be a tad reckless. I don't think he's naturally naturally accurate like Burrow, but he's accurate, and he's actually strangely, I don't know if you've noticed this, he's almost more accurate on like a twenty five yard seam route than a six yard swing pass.

Yeah, I mean he really gives you size arm playmaking. I think the year in San Francisco. Cognitively, I think he's better above the shoulders. He can still be a tad reckless. I don't think he's naturally naturally accurate like Burrow, but he's accurate, and he's actually strangely, I don't know if you've noticed this, he's almost more accurate on like a twenty five yard seam route than a six yard swing pass.

Well throws it behind guys in a zone thirty yards down the field. He just throws a dark dart.

Well throws it behind guys in a zone thirty yards down the field. He just throws a dark dart.

He is better. You know, his fastball is better than his off speed stuff. When you're asking Sam who's hyper aggressive, to throw a little lob out twelve yards like, that's the stuff where it gets it gets a little dicey. But you ask him to throw that ball down the middle of the field, Dude, he has got a rope.

He is better. You know, his fastball is better than his off speed stuff. When you're asking Sam who's hyper aggressive, to throw a little lob out twelve yards like, that's the stuff where it gets it gets a little dicey. But you ask him to throw that ball down the middle of the field, Dude, he has got a rope.

One thing that really jumps out is some guys they'll just play very conservative what the game plan gives you. Like that, they won't try to push the envelope. Even good players, you know, Jared Goff can play like this and it works. Jordan Love operates like this a lot of the time. This guy comes out like early Mahomes or like FARV where it could gets you in trouble too. But he is looking to throw fifty yard bombs. And every time you watch them play, regardless of the opponent, it feels like they take a legit shot minimum wants a quarter. Yeah, sometimes more. And I'm not talking twenty yards. I'm talking he is letting it rip, yes, and that is and clearly him and the coach and obviously their weapons. It all lot of works like like you said, because the coach wants to throw bombs.

One thing that really jumps out is some guys they'll just play very conservative what the game plan gives you. Like that, they won't try to push the envelope. Even good players, you know, Jared Goff can play like this and it works. Jordan Love operates like this a lot of the time. This guy comes out like early Mahomes or like FARV where it could gets you in trouble too. But he is looking to throw fifty yard bombs. And every time you watch them play, regardless of the opponent, it feels like they take a legit shot minimum wants a quarter. Yeah, sometimes more. And I'm not talking twenty yards. I'm talking he is letting it rip, yes, and that is and clearly him and the coach and obviously their weapons. It all lot of works like like you said, because the coach wants to throw bombs.

Yes, Oh, there's a certain symmetry with Kevin O'Connell's DNA and Sam's ability. They you know, you don't And I do hope Brian Flores gets ahead job because I really think he is taking I think it's fairly average personnel and he's making a B plus defense and it's probably C plus personnel. Most of their talents on the offensive side. So we're gonna go in a different order today. We're gonna go back to a Saturday game because we're gonna talk some cam Ward. We'll get to the Jets Bills, We'll get to a lot of games. But it was a pretty light Sunday menu because of all the games on Saturday. Well, it's the most wonderful time of the year for getting in on all the basketball, football, hockey action. At DraftKings Sportsbook. It's the season of givings, so we're being gifted college football and basketball, pro football, basketball, pro hockey to almost twenty four to seven. It's an absolutely great time of the year. So a lot of games every day, so many opportunities to place your first bet. Now, if you're gonna bet for the first time, just make it simple. Pick a team to win an Go to DraftKings Sportsbook. They have an app. Download it ninety seconds. Here's the gift for all new customers. Bet five bucks, just five bucks. If your bet wins, you get one hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app. The code is Colin Coli n New customers, one hundred and fifty bucks in bonus bets if you've got five bucks and it wins, Happy Holidays from DraftKings. Crown is yours.

Yes, Oh, there's a certain symmetry with Kevin O'Connell's DNA and Sam's ability. They you know, you don't And I do hope Brian Flores gets ahead job because I really think he is taking I think it's fairly average personnel and he's making a B plus defense and it's probably C plus personnel. Most of their talents on the offensive side. So we're gonna go in a different order today. We're gonna go back to a Saturday game because we're gonna talk some cam Ward. We'll get to the Jets Bills, We'll get to a lot of games. But it was a pretty light Sunday menu because of all the games on Saturday. Well, it's the most wonderful time of the year for getting in on all the basketball, football, hockey action. At DraftKings Sportsbook. It's the season of givings, so we're being gifted college football and basketball, pro football, basketball, pro hockey to almost twenty four to seven. It's an absolutely great time of the year. So a lot of games every day, so many opportunities to place your first bet. Now, if you're gonna bet for the first time, just make it simple. Pick a team to win an Go to DraftKings Sportsbook. They have an app. Download it ninety seconds. Here's the gift for all new customers. Bet five bucks, just five bucks. If your bet wins, you get one hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app. The code is Colin Coli n New customers, one hundred and fifty bucks in bonus bets if you've got five bucks and it wins, Happy Holidays from DraftKings. Crown is yours.

Gambling problem called one eight hundred Gambler in New York call eight seven seven eight Hope and y or text hope and y four six seven three six nine In Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling called eight eight eight seven eight nine seven seven seven seven or visit CCPG dot org. Please play responsibly on behalf of Boothill Casino in Resorting, Kansas twenty one and over. Agent eligibility varies by jurisdiction void in Ontario. Bet must win to receive reward. Bonus bets expire one hundred and sixty eight hours after issue ins four. Additional terms and responsible gaming resources see DKNG dot co slash bball.

Gambling problem called one eight hundred Gambler in New York call eight seven seven eight Hope and y or text hope and y four six seven three six nine In Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling called eight eight eight seven eight nine seven seven seven seven or visit CCPG dot org. Please play responsibly on behalf of Boothill Casino in Resorting, Kansas twenty one and over. Agent eligibility varies by jurisdiction void in Ontario. Bet must win to receive reward. Bonus bets expire one hundred and sixty eight hours after issue ins four. Additional terms and responsible gaming resources see DKNG dot co slash bball.

So I want to talk New England getting thumped by the Chargers Saturday forty to seven, because we'll get into the Harbaugh stuff. I want to start with New England. So the Boston media is a bit spoiled with a Celtic success years of great Red Sox teams and the Patriots twenty year dynasty. So they want to get rid of girod mail. But Dan Campbell went three and thirteen in one his first year, and then he went one in six to start his second year. This shit's hard, and Elliott Wolf is the VP in terms of personnel. They want him out. Well, he got the quarterback like Drake may him play now. I don't think at this point, Remember we had real reservations about Dan Campbell the Kneecap press conference. He came across as Fred Flintstone. But in the end he found a really sharp connective tissue to the quarterback named Ben Johnson. So it works for him. If he doesn't have Ben Johnson, it may not feel the same. And we still think he takes too many risks and big spots. But my take is New England now has the number one draft pick and they have their quarterback, so they could move down to five or six and get a Travis Hunter level player could get. They could get two first round picks two seconds. And my take is I think we're forgetting. We're not talking Jim Harball. We didn't expect that. But when if you look at a lot of these coaches who turn things around that first year is not Olway's Urban Meyer and Bill Parcells. I don't think Gerrod Mayo is who I would have hired. Could I not argue they got the quarterback, they're number one. Josh Allen's going to own this damn division as long he's as he's in his prime don't run through coaches because you can't beat Josh Allen. You're not going to Brady own the division, Marino, I mean most great quarterbacks Mahomes owns the division or are you a It just doesn't look like it works. Let's go get the right guy.

So I want to talk New England getting thumped by the Chargers Saturday forty to seven, because we'll get into the Harbaugh stuff. I want to start with New England. So the Boston media is a bit spoiled with a Celtic success years of great Red Sox teams and the Patriots twenty year dynasty. So they want to get rid of girod mail. But Dan Campbell went three and thirteen in one his first year, and then he went one in six to start his second year. This shit's hard, and Elliott Wolf is the VP in terms of personnel. They want him out. Well, he got the quarterback like Drake may him play now. I don't think at this point, Remember we had real reservations about Dan Campbell the Kneecap press conference. He came across as Fred Flintstone. But in the end he found a really sharp connective tissue to the quarterback named Ben Johnson. So it works for him. If he doesn't have Ben Johnson, it may not feel the same. And we still think he takes too many risks and big spots. But my take is New England now has the number one draft pick and they have their quarterback, so they could move down to five or six and get a Travis Hunter level player could get. They could get two first round picks two seconds. And my take is I think we're forgetting. We're not talking Jim Harball. We didn't expect that. But when if you look at a lot of these coaches who turn things around that first year is not Olway's Urban Meyer and Bill Parcells. I don't think Gerrod Mayo is who I would have hired. Could I not argue they got the quarterback, they're number one. Josh Allen's going to own this damn division as long he's as he's in his prime don't run through coaches because you can't beat Josh Allen. You're not going to Brady own the division, Marino, I mean most great quarterbacks Mahomes owns the division or are you a It just doesn't look like it works. Let's go get the right guy.

I think after watching yesterday in the way this is, I mean, they were terrible last year, they had the third overall pick, and they're worse this year. And his unit, the defense, like he was quote unquote the defensive coordinator. They were good last year, they're atrocious this year. Turns out well, Bill's kind of his baby, right, so now it looks like how much with Bill. The other thing is the Dan Campbell comparison. Dan had been an assistant for a long time post player. You know, he had been an interim coach for a brief stint with Miami. Then he became Sean Payton's right hand guy. This guy wasn't an assistant coach long. You know him and Antonio Pierce. I have no issue with former players, you know, jumping people in the ring to you know, to become position coaches, coordinators or whatever, but like that is pretty valuable. You know, this guy hasn't been a coach very long, so you're watching him, you're like, who would you rather have next year, Mike Vrabel or Jerrod Mao. And some of the press conferences. The whole situation has been clunky. You know, the reporting coming out of Boston about the interview process last year when he was interviewing assistants. It's been weird. They showed a graphic yesterday as they're getting their ass kick of the Ladd McConkie trade, how the Chargers came up a couple spots to get Lad McConkie. They took Polk, who all my scouting buddies called the third best receiver on the Washington team, mc millan, who's having a solid rookie season for Tampa. He's got twelve catches, and it's just you watch this team and you go, this is really really bad. Yeah, And it's like last year I was like, Okay, mac Jones is an atrocious player. Now you've got Drake may and who's talented. But the games are just like him and Caleb playing just meaningless games. Even their passes are just in meaningless situations. You know, you watch bo Nicks playing in real games, I'm watching the Patriots. I personally if Mike Vrabel wants it. He got inducted last year into the Hall of Fame. Obviously he's a you know, a major piece of the Patriots story and proven that he could coach. I think I wouldn't even hesitate doing that was interesting, and it's been reported he's interested.

I think after watching yesterday in the way this is, I mean, they were terrible last year, they had the third overall pick, and they're worse this year. And his unit, the defense, like he was quote unquote the defensive coordinator. They were good last year, they're atrocious this year. Turns out well, Bill's kind of his baby, right, so now it looks like how much with Bill. The other thing is the Dan Campbell comparison. Dan had been an assistant for a long time post player. You know, he had been an interim coach for a brief stint with Miami. Then he became Sean Payton's right hand guy. This guy wasn't an assistant coach long. You know him and Antonio Pierce. I have no issue with former players, you know, jumping people in the ring to you know, to become position coaches, coordinators or whatever, but like that is pretty valuable. You know, this guy hasn't been a coach very long, so you're watching him, you're like, who would you rather have next year, Mike Vrabel or Jerrod Mao. And some of the press conferences. The whole situation has been clunky. You know, the reporting coming out of Boston about the interview process last year when he was interviewing assistants. It's been weird. They showed a graphic yesterday as they're getting their ass kick of the Ladd McConkie trade, how the Chargers came up a couple spots to get Lad McConkie. They took Polk, who all my scouting buddies called the third best receiver on the Washington team, mc millan, who's having a solid rookie season for Tampa. He's got twelve catches, and it's just you watch this team and you go, this is really really bad. Yeah, And it's like last year I was like, Okay, mac Jones is an atrocious player. Now you've got Drake may and who's talented. But the games are just like him and Caleb playing just meaningless games. Even their passes are just in meaningless situations. You know, you watch bo Nicks playing in real games, I'm watching the Patriots. I personally if Mike Vrabel wants it. He got inducted last year into the Hall of Fame. Obviously he's a you know, a major piece of the Patriots story and proven that he could coach. I think I wouldn't even hesitate doing that was interesting, and it's been reported he's interested.

By the way, it would be, it's a better job than Chicago or the Jet. If I got Robert Craft and Drake May, that's a better job than the Jets in Chicago if you consider all the politics and another thing, it's familiar. Bob Kraft loves you, Stephen Kraft, So I will argue you probably changed my mind on that. I will say this because it's funny.

By the way, it would be, it's a better job than Chicago or the Jet. If I got Robert Craft and Drake May, that's a better job than the Jets in Chicago if you consider all the politics and another thing, it's familiar. Bob Kraft loves you, Stephen Kraft, So I will argue you probably changed my mind on that. I will say this because it's funny.

I know that was really that was really bad yesterday. But yeah, and it's not like the Chargers. This isn't the seven Patriots coming in. I mean, they're solid and they might compete in a playoff game, but that they shouldn't be beating anyone forty to seven on the road.

I know that was really that was really bad yesterday. But yeah, and it's not like the Chargers. This isn't the seven Patriots coming in. I mean, they're solid and they might compete in a playoff game, but that they shouldn't be beating anyone forty to seven on the road.

You know, I was thinking about this with Brock Bauers and Ladd McConkey and the Chargers coming in and dominating. When you're at Georgia. Every day at practice, the tight end faces first round safeties and Ladd McConkie faced first round NFL corners. It's not a coincidence that Ladd McConkey and Brock Bawers walk into this league. They look like eight year veterans because the last three years, four years they've been at practice at Georgia. It's why I've always had misgivings about drafting guys from smaller schools. An SEC guy, I mean Georgia, Bama, Ohio State, these Ohio State corners, Caleb downs is facing these receivers. They're the best players in the country every day at practice. And you know, like Justin Jefferson, Jamar, Chase Well Stingley's on that team. I mean, these guys are going up against each other day every day in practice. But I think what's amazing about Harbaugh not only did he take the same defense and make it number one in the league and it was atrocious last year, but Quinton Johnson's fascinating because Telesco just thought they needed to move off. Eventually, they would move off Mike Williams. They knew because Mike couldn't stay healthy. They wanted Mike's prototype a big, strong, long and he was a He was a bust last year, I mean, could not get on the field, forget targets, and he's been inconsistent this year. But about every other game this game of Conky had eight catches, he had six. About every other game with Quinton Johnson, who was a bust coming into this year, he's a really valuable player. And I think it's not just wins and losses. John a really good coach squeezes all the juice out of a player. Quentin Johnson probably will never be a first round NFL talent or first round productive, but about every other game now you look up and you're like, boy, he's a different body type. His ability, I mean, Derwin James is good. Regardless of the coach, McConkey would have succeeded. But it's not just winning in toughness. I think the really good coaches, I mean Kevin O'Connell and Darnold, they just get more out of each individual player. There's not a single Charger this year that is not playing better than last year individually.

You know, I was thinking about this with Brock Bauers and Ladd McConkey and the Chargers coming in and dominating. When you're at Georgia. Every day at practice, the tight end faces first round safeties and Ladd McConkie faced first round NFL corners. It's not a coincidence that Ladd McConkey and Brock Bawers walk into this league. They look like eight year veterans because the last three years, four years they've been at practice at Georgia. It's why I've always had misgivings about drafting guys from smaller schools. An SEC guy, I mean Georgia, Bama, Ohio State, these Ohio State corners, Caleb downs is facing these receivers. They're the best players in the country every day at practice. And you know, like Justin Jefferson, Jamar, Chase Well Stingley's on that team. I mean, these guys are going up against each other day every day in practice. But I think what's amazing about Harbaugh not only did he take the same defense and make it number one in the league and it was atrocious last year, but Quinton Johnson's fascinating because Telesco just thought they needed to move off. Eventually, they would move off Mike Williams. They knew because Mike couldn't stay healthy. They wanted Mike's prototype a big, strong, long and he was a He was a bust last year, I mean, could not get on the field, forget targets, and he's been inconsistent this year. But about every other game this game of Conky had eight catches, he had six. About every other game with Quinton Johnson, who was a bust coming into this year, he's a really valuable player. And I think it's not just wins and losses. John a really good coach squeezes all the juice out of a player. Quentin Johnson probably will never be a first round NFL talent or first round productive, but about every other game now you look up and you're like, boy, he's a different body type. His ability, I mean, Derwin James is good. Regardless of the coach, McConkey would have succeeded. But it's not just winning in toughness. I think the really good coaches, I mean Kevin O'Connell and Darnold, they just get more out of each individual player. There's not a single Charger this year that is not playing better than last year individually.

Yeah, I think you know did a podcast last night and I was thinking about Jim Harbaugh this solidified it. There's just there's no one else in football. I mean, we'll see what Bill looks like in college. Who could just go back and forth and kick everyone's ass. Stanford, they were one and eleven by the end, they're in a BCS game. The forty nine Ers, while he inherited a lot of talent, they were six and ten with Mike Singletary, and I know those guys that cover that team really well, and Matt Mayoko told me even Jim tom Sula, and for as ugly as the Chip Kelly year, nothing will top that Mike Singletary year. I mean he was dropping trout at halftime trying to motivate. It was a disaster. Immediately thirteen and three and they were hosting the NFC Championship game. And if you remember the White Sox GM, Kyle Williams fumbled a punt where they probably beat the New York Giants and Eli Manning and go play the New England Patriots with Alex Smith as a quarterback whoever wanted a written off and then obviously what he did in Michigan. But then comes to the Chargers. I think the Chargers even more than Niners because they got a bunch of good players. People are like, that's not as hard of a job. He won five games last year and was a.

Yeah, I think you know did a podcast last night and I was thinking about Jim Harbaugh this solidified it. There's just there's no one else in football. I mean, we'll see what Bill looks like in college. Who could just go back and forth and kick everyone's ass. Stanford, they were one and eleven by the end, they're in a BCS game. The forty nine Ers, while he inherited a lot of talent, they were six and ten with Mike Singletary, and I know those guys that cover that team really well, and Matt Mayoko told me even Jim tom Sula, and for as ugly as the Chip Kelly year, nothing will top that Mike Singletary year. I mean he was dropping trout at halftime trying to motivate. It was a disaster. Immediately thirteen and three and they were hosting the NFC Championship game. And if you remember the White Sox GM, Kyle Williams fumbled a punt where they probably beat the New York Giants and Eli Manning and go play the New England Patriots with Alex Smith as a quarterback whoever wanted a written off and then obviously what he did in Michigan. But then comes to the Chargers. I think the Chargers even more than Niners because they got a bunch of good players. People are like, that's not as hard of a job. He won five games last year and was a.

Trocious worst team in the league by the end of the year.

Trocious worst team in the league by the end of the year.

And then they get rid of Keenan Allen, who was one of the bright spots. And you know what, and I got talked out of this. I thought, I'm gonna make one of the biggest bets of my life on this team making the playoffs. There are seven spots. You look, the AFC will get weird. Some of these divisions will eat themselves. I think Jim Harbaugh can get to nine or ten wins, and everyone, even people in the league, he's like, they don't have enough offensive talent. They don't have this, they don't have that. He never has great offensive talent. He runs the ball against the quarterback and he plays defense. And he's doing the same thing again, and he's going right into the playoffs. And who's gonna want to play him in the playoffs? Nobody? You know, nobody, because he will ugly up the game. What Lafour tried to do today. He actually can execute that. And he doesn't win them all, but he can make that game look like that.

And then they get rid of Keenan Allen, who was one of the bright spots. And you know what, and I got talked out of this. I thought, I'm gonna make one of the biggest bets of my life on this team making the playoffs. There are seven spots. You look, the AFC will get weird. Some of these divisions will eat themselves. I think Jim Harbaugh can get to nine or ten wins, and everyone, even people in the league, he's like, they don't have enough offensive talent. They don't have this, they don't have that. He never has great offensive talent. He runs the ball against the quarterback and he plays defense. And he's doing the same thing again, and he's going right into the playoffs. And who's gonna want to play him in the playoffs? Nobody? You know, nobody, because he will ugly up the game. What Lafour tried to do today. He actually can execute that. And he doesn't win them all, but he can make that game look like that.

Yeah, Well, I mean at Michigan, the Natty team had one big time receiver. His Niner teams had Crabtree. This team has Mconkey. If you go look at his history, it's He's Stanford was mostly a run game and Andrew luck team and a tight end team. Harbaugh, I hurt the two people I was told good source inside the building the two players that Harball loved in the first round, Brian Thomas and Joe Alt. They're two of the best rookies. Yeah, it wasn't Romadunze. It was he loved LSU's LSU kid, and he loved Joe Walt. And he decided to bookend it with Herbert and say, hey, we got two tackles for the next decade. But people forget about this. The Chargers also got two fifth round corners, one from Maryland, so Jim's gonna have I mean, go look at their draft. I didn't miss on anybody. I mean they just boom boom. But everybody can play, so and he's gonna have this is very Pete Carroll out of USC the next yeah, the next two drafts. He has an advantage over the league. Now by about year four, he's not gonna have the same advantage. But it's very Pete Carroll. When he came out, he was getting Richard Sherman at a Stanford in the fifth round, and everybody's like, how's Pete.

Yeah, Well, I mean at Michigan, the Natty team had one big time receiver. His Niner teams had Crabtree. This team has Mconkey. If you go look at his history, it's He's Stanford was mostly a run game and Andrew luck team and a tight end team. Harbaugh, I hurt the two people I was told good source inside the building the two players that Harball loved in the first round, Brian Thomas and Joe Alt. They're two of the best rookies. Yeah, it wasn't Romadunze. It was he loved LSU's LSU kid, and he loved Joe Walt. And he decided to bookend it with Herbert and say, hey, we got two tackles for the next decade. But people forget about this. The Chargers also got two fifth round corners, one from Maryland, so Jim's gonna have I mean, go look at their draft. I didn't miss on anybody. I mean they just boom boom. But everybody can play, so and he's gonna have this is very Pete Carroll out of USC the next yeah, the next two drafts. He has an advantage over the league. Now by about year four, he's not gonna have the same advantage. But it's very Pete Carroll. When he came out, he was getting Richard Sherman at a Stanford in the fifth round, and everybody's like, how's Pete.

No, He's taken over two NFL jobs coming through college Stanford where he was in a BCS game in Michigan where he won the national championship. The Niners had six wins, the Chargers had five wins. That's a combined eleven wins. If he wins next week, which I imagine if he plays his starters he will beat the Raiders, he will have taken a total of two teams eleven wins to twenty four wins, more than doubled it coming from college twice two different times. He just jumps back and forth. Who could do that?

No, He's taken over two NFL jobs coming through college Stanford where he was in a BCS game in Michigan where he won the national championship. The Niners had six wins, the Chargers had five wins. That's a combined eleven wins. If he wins next week, which I imagine if he plays his starters he will beat the Raiders, he will have taken a total of two teams eleven wins to twenty four wins, more than doubled it coming from college twice two different times. He just jumps back and forth. Who could do that?

No, I think, I mean, it's crazy. There's an argument to be made that if if you know how basketball Hall of Fame takes referees, it takes ambassadors, it takes college pro, it combines everything. If you combine college and pro, Harbaugh and Jimmy Johnson, you know, I mean, now so Read and Belichick because of all their wins are like the top. You could start making arguments that Jimmy Johnson and Harbaugh are like the only two guys ever that were literally elite. Now Pete Carroll won in both, but Pete's also been fired three times the NFL. And I like Pete, but that's the reality of it. He's always been viewed by my front office friends. It's a little quirky and different. Harbaugh is a plus plus college, a plus plus NFL, and Jimmy Johnson's about the only guy I can ever think of that that was both.

No, I think, I mean, it's crazy. There's an argument to be made that if if you know how basketball Hall of Fame takes referees, it takes ambassadors, it takes college pro, it combines everything. If you combine college and pro, Harbaugh and Jimmy Johnson, you know, I mean, now so Read and Belichick because of all their wins are like the top. You could start making arguments that Jimmy Johnson and Harbaugh are like the only two guys ever that were literally elite. Now Pete Carroll won in both, but Pete's also been fired three times the NFL. And I like Pete, but that's the reality of it. He's always been viewed by my front office friends. It's a little quirky and different. Harbaugh is a plus plus college, a plus plus NFL, and Jimmy Johnson's about the only guy I can ever think of that that was both.

And I.

And I.

You know, it's for years and years. I had people in I know Jim pretty well and I know people that have been really close with him. Eric Mangini talks about this so much of what we do for a living, what people do for a living. And I've told my kids this before, how badly do you want it? And Eric Mangini has always told me, I've never met a coach who loves football more than Harball. In his vacation, he'll be looking up old NFL rules that literally we saw it this year right before halftime when they kicked that field goal against Denver. Is that he loves football. He's not going to golf or go to a water I mean, I'm sure he's a great dad and a husband, but he has such a zeal for it and it's really and that's the difference. He just he is one of those guys. There's everything. He likes, the aura, the essence, the power, the physicality, the schemes, and he'll sit in meeting rooms for hours and try to make his assistance and coordinators figure out the Rubik's c But he loves sitting in there. And he's just an advertisement. In any business, if you want it bad enough and if you love it enough, you will just succeed. It doesn't matter when you went to college, it doesn't matter the criticism, willful passion. And everybody I know that's ever worked with him is like this, dude, it's not even it's just there. The hobbies, they don't know what they are. It's football.

You know, it's for years and years. I had people in I know Jim pretty well and I know people that have been really close with him. Eric Mangini talks about this so much of what we do for a living, what people do for a living. And I've told my kids this before, how badly do you want it? And Eric Mangini has always told me, I've never met a coach who loves football more than Harball. In his vacation, he'll be looking up old NFL rules that literally we saw it this year right before halftime when they kicked that field goal against Denver. Is that he loves football. He's not going to golf or go to a water I mean, I'm sure he's a great dad and a husband, but he has such a zeal for it and it's really and that's the difference. He just he is one of those guys. There's everything. He likes, the aura, the essence, the power, the physicality, the schemes, and he'll sit in meeting rooms for hours and try to make his assistance and coordinators figure out the Rubik's c But he loves sitting in there. And he's just an advertisement. In any business, if you want it bad enough and if you love it enough, you will just succeed. It doesn't matter when you went to college, it doesn't matter the criticism, willful passion. And everybody I know that's ever worked with him is like this, dude, it's not even it's just there. The hobbies, they don't know what they are. It's football.

Well the other thing is and I get asked a lot of you know, just get dms on Instagram, people asking questions. And someone said, I'm a big Charger fan. And there's always been this narrative around Jim that he rubs people the wrong way and he has a shelf life. And I think at Stanford, you know, I think that mentality was a lot for people with the forty nine ers. It definitely was, and he butted heads with the owner. Yeah, I think the guy and you and I have been talking about is a different human being than that guy, much lighter, with still the same drive. Like Andy is a very light He's not like just what Jim was that but he's very football intense. When you talk about the way you describe I'd never worked with Jim, I would describe Andy Reid that way. His love and passion and unwillingness to just slow down when it comes to football vacation off season, and I've heard since he's been winning Super Bowls, you wouldn't notice any difference. He'll drive by his cars in the office on Saturday, just doing some miscellaneous shit on an April day, three weeks before the draft, when they're not they have three picks. You know, it's just his pure passion. And I'm sure you give this advice. Anytime that passion you can turn it into something you can monetize as a profession, you are much more inclined to be successful. But I do think Jim had to learn to relax a little bit as the head honcho at the guy top of the ORG chart, and I think he clearly has Yeah, I think it shows and this is the worst his team's gonna be, right, And I say the same thing for Sean Payton and Denver, Like both those two teams are going to get better like the version of the Chiefs, and they're gonna maintain being good because they really know what they're doing. But it's hard. I mean, they got to fit around some money. Like this is the worst those two teams are gonna be. Now. Herbert is a much better player than bo Nix right now. Yeah, So I would just say, like I think the Chargers are going to be better next year, and like you said, he knows the draft really well. There'll be players Nico Collins. I remember last year it's like who is this guy is? They played at Michigan and I'm like, I watched it. You don't even realize he has wide receivers in college that will play for him. Like I didn't quite realize that guy was there because it doesn't even use them. I mean that's how it's always been.

Well the other thing is and I get asked a lot of you know, just get dms on Instagram, people asking questions. And someone said, I'm a big Charger fan. And there's always been this narrative around Jim that he rubs people the wrong way and he has a shelf life. And I think at Stanford, you know, I think that mentality was a lot for people with the forty nine ers. It definitely was, and he butted heads with the owner. Yeah, I think the guy and you and I have been talking about is a different human being than that guy, much lighter, with still the same drive. Like Andy is a very light He's not like just what Jim was that but he's very football intense. When you talk about the way you describe I'd never worked with Jim, I would describe Andy Reid that way. His love and passion and unwillingness to just slow down when it comes to football vacation off season, and I've heard since he's been winning Super Bowls, you wouldn't notice any difference. He'll drive by his cars in the office on Saturday, just doing some miscellaneous shit on an April day, three weeks before the draft, when they're not they have three picks. You know, it's just his pure passion. And I'm sure you give this advice. Anytime that passion you can turn it into something you can monetize as a profession, you are much more inclined to be successful. But I do think Jim had to learn to relax a little bit as the head honcho at the guy top of the ORG chart, and I think he clearly has Yeah, I think it shows and this is the worst his team's gonna be, right, And I say the same thing for Sean Payton and Denver, Like both those two teams are going to get better like the version of the Chiefs, and they're gonna maintain being good because they really know what they're doing. But it's hard. I mean, they got to fit around some money. Like this is the worst those two teams are gonna be. Now. Herbert is a much better player than bo Nix right now. Yeah, So I would just say, like I think the Chargers are going to be better next year, and like you said, he knows the draft really well. There'll be players Nico Collins. I remember last year it's like who is this guy is? They played at Michigan and I'm like, I watched it. You don't even realize he has wide receivers in college that will play for him. Like I didn't quite realize that guy was there because it doesn't even use them. I mean that's how it's always been.

Yeah, So forty to seven A Chargers Ham, New England. It's time to look at this weekend's tastiest matchup in this week's Sunday Night food Ball, brought to you by Uber Eats. Okay Bill's forty Jets. Fourteen Jets had sixteen penalties. It's over. So I will say this about Buffalo. I think these are the Sean McDermott playoffs. So Josh Allen, I looked it up today, in ten playoff games, has a passer rating of one hundred, twenty one touchdowns, four picks. This is not a Lamar Jackson situation. He has been a B plus to a quarterback in the playoffs. And again, I don't expect you to be as good as you are in the regular season because you're not playing Carolina and you're not playing shitty teams. So if you're one hundred passer rating quarterback in the playoffs, that's exceptional. And Lamar has gotten tight, like you can see it. He's tight. That's not Josh. Josh has been excellent. If they get bound sturly in the playoffs, and I know this sounds crazy, and I like Sean McDermott, john if they lost, they if they got if Cincinnati got in and played Buffalo in the first round and Cincinnati won, I'm telling you I think with Dermott's in trouble because when I watch this team, I don't want to hear about Josh Allen. Okay that this is not a Josh Allen referendum. He lost a game because he scored a touchdown with thirteen seconds left to Mahomes. He's been fine in the playoffs. This team, this coaching staff has real pressure on. I mean, think about this. Hardball's not gonna get fired if they lose in the playoffs, and he's not. I mean, think of a coach that you know, I mean, Sirianni real pressure. Sean McDermott, real pressure. I am fascinated to watch Buffalo. They have to at minimum get to the conference championship. At minimum, in my opinion, yeah, I mean.

Yeah, So forty to seven A Chargers Ham, New England. It's time to look at this weekend's tastiest matchup in this week's Sunday Night food Ball, brought to you by Uber Eats. Okay Bill's forty Jets. Fourteen Jets had sixteen penalties. It's over. So I will say this about Buffalo. I think these are the Sean McDermott playoffs. So Josh Allen, I looked it up today, in ten playoff games, has a passer rating of one hundred, twenty one touchdowns, four picks. This is not a Lamar Jackson situation. He has been a B plus to a quarterback in the playoffs. And again, I don't expect you to be as good as you are in the regular season because you're not playing Carolina and you're not playing shitty teams. So if you're one hundred passer rating quarterback in the playoffs, that's exceptional. And Lamar has gotten tight, like you can see it. He's tight. That's not Josh. Josh has been excellent. If they get bound sturly in the playoffs, and I know this sounds crazy, and I like Sean McDermott, john if they lost, they if they got if Cincinnati got in and played Buffalo in the first round and Cincinnati won, I'm telling you I think with Dermott's in trouble because when I watch this team, I don't want to hear about Josh Allen. Okay that this is not a Josh Allen referendum. He lost a game because he scored a touchdown with thirteen seconds left to Mahomes. He's been fine in the playoffs. This team, this coaching staff has real pressure on. I mean, think about this. Hardball's not gonna get fired if they lose in the playoffs, and he's not. I mean, think of a coach that you know, I mean, Sirianni real pressure. Sean McDermott, real pressure. I am fascinated to watch Buffalo. They have to at minimum get to the conference championship. At minimum, in my opinion, yeah, I mean.

What they're gonna be a more than likely. I think Denver is gonna win next week. If Andy rest everybody and it's a kitchen sink game for them, they would be a huge favorite in that game. I mean we're talking touchdown plus maybe eight nine points. I'm pretty confident Buffalo wins that game. Game the next game, though, it gets real. I mean you're playing Baltimore, who feels like they're really coming on, right. I don't know what Baltimore did. Their defense looks better. That would be a make or breaker because then if you win that game all of a sudden, you'd have a lot of momentum going into Kansas City, right, and you've beat them already this year. So I think it go one of two ways. I think they're winning Week one or you know that that first in Buffalo, no matter what. I have a hard time but that Week two game against Baltimore is a massive, massive game because because I would say this, if they go to Kansas City and they have another one of those and I listen, he's had some weird moments with clock management. If it feels like he blows the game, maybe, but if you get beats like some people just couldn't be Michael Jordan, some people just couldn't beat Tiger Woods, I don't think it. I think losing to Baltimore, you already lost to him this season. You get them at home in the second round, I think you've got to be in the conference championship game. I think you can lose to the Chiefs. Keep your head high. Yeah, even though it would start to feel like are we just always going to be second fiddle, or US in Baltimore is always gonna be second. And the fact is, yeah, you might. You know, that was kind of like Pittsburgh and some of these other teams to Bill Bealijack and Tom Brady, you just played for second in your conference. But I think they'd have to win that game or else it could be weird because and listen, I think it's hard. I mean, what do you even make of the Jets? The Jets are joke. I mean, and I give the Bills credit. It was a little weird early and then it was forty to nothing and it's like, Okay, you guys are just toying with him.

What they're gonna be a more than likely. I think Denver is gonna win next week. If Andy rest everybody and it's a kitchen sink game for them, they would be a huge favorite in that game. I mean we're talking touchdown plus maybe eight nine points. I'm pretty confident Buffalo wins that game. Game the next game, though, it gets real. I mean you're playing Baltimore, who feels like they're really coming on, right. I don't know what Baltimore did. Their defense looks better. That would be a make or breaker because then if you win that game all of a sudden, you'd have a lot of momentum going into Kansas City, right, and you've beat them already this year. So I think it go one of two ways. I think they're winning Week one or you know that that first in Buffalo, no matter what. I have a hard time but that Week two game against Baltimore is a massive, massive game because because I would say this, if they go to Kansas City and they have another one of those and I listen, he's had some weird moments with clock management. If it feels like he blows the game, maybe, but if you get beats like some people just couldn't be Michael Jordan, some people just couldn't beat Tiger Woods, I don't think it. I think losing to Baltimore, you already lost to him this season. You get them at home in the second round, I think you've got to be in the conference championship game. I think you can lose to the Chiefs. Keep your head high. Yeah, even though it would start to feel like are we just always going to be second fiddle, or US in Baltimore is always gonna be second. And the fact is, yeah, you might. You know, that was kind of like Pittsburgh and some of these other teams to Bill Bealijack and Tom Brady, you just played for second in your conference. But I think they'd have to win that game or else it could be weird because and listen, I think it's hard. I mean, what do you even make of the Jets? The Jets are joke. I mean, and I give the Bills credit. It was a little weird early and then it was forty to nothing and it's like, Okay, you guys are just toying with him.

Well we learned this. Maddy Eberflus and Robert sla got fired and their teams got worse. So I always believe be very careful about firing a coach in season because if the interim coach wins, you get fan and player pressure to higher in him coach, and if he loses, then you lose the locker room. So they're two and nine since Robert Sala left. But I have always felt that Solo wasn't the problem. There's an argument he was the solution. But I never thought he was the problem.

Well we learned this. Maddy Eberflus and Robert sla got fired and their teams got worse. So I always believe be very careful about firing a coach in season because if the interim coach wins, you get fan and player pressure to higher in him coach, and if he loses, then you lose the locker room. So they're two and nine since Robert Sala left. But I have always felt that Solo wasn't the problem. There's an argument he was the solution. But I never thought he was the problem.

But really quick, before the Jets on the bills, if you and I own the team and we're sitting down, like going to the playoffs, like, what are our different options if things go south? Our division is a disaster. The Jets couldn't be any more of a laughingstock. The Patriots are not even a year away from being a year away from winning nine games, and the Dolphins, I mean, I just don't really take the franchise safely, and we own them. So it's like, now, you know, trying to go from really good to great. Totally admire anyone who's willing to do that, but it is a pretty risky proposition. Now, if that job became open, everyone and their mother would be calling them. But I just think that, like, you do have a pretty good thing going, yes, And to me, especially if you lose the Chiefs, you're gonna keep winning twelve thirteen games every year in this division and you and you know you have a capable guy. I'm just saying it's pretty risky. Yes, I do you just say, do you ride the course a little bit? Because the Jets could go backwards from here and the Patriots could be stick here for a couple of years. Yeah, No, I think I think it's I think it's something you got to take into account. Yeah, I'm not saying i'd fire Sean McDermott, but I do believe the pressure is on Sean McDermott, Whereas in Baltimore the pressure's on Lamar. John Harbaugh's got a ring the pressure with Joe Flacco. Lamar needs to play better. That's that's indisputable. He's got to play better. Josh has played very well in most spots. I would agree, but that organization, I think most people would choose the Ravens roster over the Bills roster. I think that there's gonna be a tough that game. I mean, we have to play it out to look at all the different games. That's got to be one of the better playoff games of the entire tournament. Right, if I tell you Ravens that Bill's, Oh, what's on the line for those two guys, it doesn't. I mean, that's Saturday or Sunday night the week two, Right, that's as good as it gets. Yep.

But really quick, before the Jets on the bills, if you and I own the team and we're sitting down, like going to the playoffs, like, what are our different options if things go south? Our division is a disaster. The Jets couldn't be any more of a laughingstock. The Patriots are not even a year away from being a year away from winning nine games, and the Dolphins, I mean, I just don't really take the franchise safely, and we own them. So it's like, now, you know, trying to go from really good to great. Totally admire anyone who's willing to do that, but it is a pretty risky proposition. Now, if that job became open, everyone and their mother would be calling them. But I just think that, like, you do have a pretty good thing going, yes, And to me, especially if you lose the Chiefs, you're gonna keep winning twelve thirteen games every year in this division and you and you know you have a capable guy. I'm just saying it's pretty risky. Yes, I do you just say, do you ride the course a little bit? Because the Jets could go backwards from here and the Patriots could be stick here for a couple of years. Yeah, No, I think I think it's I think it's something you got to take into account. Yeah, I'm not saying i'd fire Sean McDermott, but I do believe the pressure is on Sean McDermott, Whereas in Baltimore the pressure's on Lamar. John Harbaugh's got a ring the pressure with Joe Flacco. Lamar needs to play better. That's that's indisputable. He's got to play better. Josh has played very well in most spots. I would agree, but that organization, I think most people would choose the Ravens roster over the Bills roster. I think that there's gonna be a tough that game. I mean, we have to play it out to look at all the different games. That's got to be one of the better playoff games of the entire tournament. Right, if I tell you Ravens that Bill's, Oh, what's on the line for those two guys, it doesn't. I mean, that's Saturday or Sunday night the week two, Right, that's as good as it gets. Yep.

One thing on the Jets, Aaron, you know, twelve completions, two picks. He's about the fifteenth or sixteenth best quarterback probably in the league now, you know, maybe thirteenth, twelfth. It's interesting this week though, and Eric Mangini pointed this out to me on television that when Aaron referenced Woody Johnson's kids, I've never been fired by a teenager. It was almost as if Aaron was saying, I want out of here. And I do think I'll say this. Russell may leave Pittsburgh, don't know if he will. Kirk Cousins could be on the market, probably will. I think Aaron's got about a two team market. I could see the Raiders because they won again today. I could see the Raiders. If they're like, we're not going to move up for camera Shaedder, We're just not going to move up. I could see them going with like a Kirk Cousins or an Aaron Rodgers for a year. I really could for one year.

One thing on the Jets, Aaron, you know, twelve completions, two picks. He's about the fifteenth or sixteenth best quarterback probably in the league now, you know, maybe thirteenth, twelfth. It's interesting this week though, and Eric Mangini pointed this out to me on television that when Aaron referenced Woody Johnson's kids, I've never been fired by a teenager. It was almost as if Aaron was saying, I want out of here. And I do think I'll say this. Russell may leave Pittsburgh, don't know if he will. Kirk Cousins could be on the market, probably will. I think Aaron's got about a two team market. I could see the Raiders because they won again today. I could see the Raiders. If they're like, we're not going to move up for camera Shaedder, We're just not going to move up. I could see them going with like a Kirk Cousins or an Aaron Rodgers for a year. I really could for one year.

Yeah. When I saw the story today, that rap sheet said that Garrett Wilson has basically let it be known if this guy comes back, I'm gonna want out. Yeah. I was dominating and then you begged for your friend to come here, and then I just became kind of irrelevant. Yeah, and we know how wide receivers can kind of turn into divas that way, So that's gotten weird. And I would choose a young Garrett Wilson over a forty one year old Netflix star at this point in time, So I think this Roger. This thing's though, who would you hire as a coach? I mean, to me, you just Ben Johnson would be obviously a guy you'd interview just because and I'm always hesitant with these coordinators, but there have been enough coordinators excel on the offensive side of the ball, and he's been so good that he's to me. Him and Vrabel. I mean now that Bill Belichick would have been a guy I would hire it if I were all these teams. But I think those are the two guys. Who else are you really option?

Yeah. When I saw the story today, that rap sheet said that Garrett Wilson has basically let it be known if this guy comes back, I'm gonna want out. Yeah. I was dominating and then you begged for your friend to come here, and then I just became kind of irrelevant. Yeah, and we know how wide receivers can kind of turn into divas that way, So that's gotten weird. And I would choose a young Garrett Wilson over a forty one year old Netflix star at this point in time, So I think this Roger. This thing's though, who would you hire as a coach? I mean, to me, you just Ben Johnson would be obviously a guy you'd interview just because and I'm always hesitant with these coordinators, but there have been enough coordinators excel on the offensive side of the ball, and he's been so good that he's to me. Him and Vrabel. I mean now that Bill Belichick would have been a guy I would hire it if I were all these teams. But I think those are the two guys. Who else are you really option?

Now?

Now?

One we got a curveball here because and I know he got his ass kick today, but you know, Ceedee Lamb was out McCarthy. These teams are gonna want to talk to Mike McCarthy. So Jerry has played this out like, yeah, we'll just date a little bit more before we really get married, and turns out like Mike's actually helped himself out. So like if Mike McCarthy's available. I know this. The Jets could do way worse then just to get a grown up, a guy that knows what he's doing, yeah, and would be guaranteed to just get the train back on the tracks. So, like to me, McCarthy is an intriguing option. If he goes yeah, Jerry goes yeah, I want to bring you back. And if Mike goes yeah, you know, I want to talk to some other people as well as you kind of played me out and I worked my ass off and worked with these quarterbacks. See, you have to wonder if Mike, you know, by week one of the Black Friday setup, like, is it Mike McCarthy's meeting with two teams? Like is that possible while he's still dealing with the Cowboys. Oh, I keep an eye on that. I think that's happening.

One we got a curveball here because and I know he got his ass kick today, but you know, Ceedee Lamb was out McCarthy. These teams are gonna want to talk to Mike McCarthy. So Jerry has played this out like, yeah, we'll just date a little bit more before we really get married, and turns out like Mike's actually helped himself out. So like if Mike McCarthy's available. I know this. The Jets could do way worse then just to get a grown up, a guy that knows what he's doing, yeah, and would be guaranteed to just get the train back on the tracks. So, like to me, McCarthy is an intriguing option. If he goes yeah, Jerry goes yeah, I want to bring you back. And if Mike goes yeah, you know, I want to talk to some other people as well as you kind of played me out and I worked my ass off and worked with these quarterbacks. See, you have to wonder if Mike, you know, by week one of the Black Friday setup, like, is it Mike McCarthy's meeting with two teams? Like is that possible while he's still dealing with the Cowboys. Oh, I keep an eye on that. I think that's happening.

Listen, I said this last week. If you flip the telescope on Mike McCarthy, he gets older, stubborn, rigid Brett Farv two years, goes thirteen and three NFC championship. When's a Super Bowl with Aaron? We now discover that Aaron's difficult to coach. Both Lafleur and Robert Sala discovered that and Mike McCarthy three for three. He then goes not only wins twelve games a year with the best B player quarterback in the league in an O line rebuild, Dack, he's winning with Cooper Rush. And so it's like at some point he won with Farv. He won with the southern guy, he won with the prickly passive, aggressive Cali guy. He won with a guy that kind of is kind of an overpaid bat plus guy, Dack. He's not winning with a backup. He say what you want about Mike McCarthy. He's won with everybody, and all his quarterbacks put up their best records and their best numbers with him. So sometimes I know I always said this, Aaron was this good looking, cool guy in Green Bay, and Mike looked like a Milwaukee cop, and just the aesthetic of it. Sometimes Mike came across as sort of, you know, unsophisticated, a little heavy, and Aaron was the hip coolster on TV, and I think that played into it that Mike was sort of marginalized. But we have to be fair about this. Every quarterback that plays with Mike McCarthy flourishes, all of them. Cooper Rush, Dak, Aaron, all of them flourish, and so to your point, I think he'll have options.

Listen, I said this last week. If you flip the telescope on Mike McCarthy, he gets older, stubborn, rigid Brett Farv two years, goes thirteen and three NFC championship. When's a Super Bowl with Aaron? We now discover that Aaron's difficult to coach. Both Lafleur and Robert Sala discovered that and Mike McCarthy three for three. He then goes not only wins twelve games a year with the best B player quarterback in the league in an O line rebuild, Dack, he's winning with Cooper Rush. And so it's like at some point he won with Farv. He won with the southern guy, he won with the prickly passive, aggressive Cali guy. He won with a guy that kind of is kind of an overpaid bat plus guy, Dack. He's not winning with a backup. He say what you want about Mike McCarthy. He's won with everybody, and all his quarterbacks put up their best records and their best numbers with him. So sometimes I know I always said this, Aaron was this good looking, cool guy in Green Bay, and Mike looked like a Milwaukee cop, and just the aesthetic of it. Sometimes Mike came across as sort of, you know, unsophisticated, a little heavy, and Aaron was the hip coolster on TV, and I think that played into it that Mike was sort of marginalized. But we have to be fair about this. Every quarterback that plays with Mike McCarthy flourishes, all of them. Cooper Rush, Dak, Aaron, all of them flourish, and so to your point, I think he'll have options.

And he's calling the place, so it's not like, well, he's like Tomlin or Dan Campbell or Sirianni. You know, he's he's rallying the troops. No, like he's the guy in the meeting with the quarterback calling the plays from the sideline. So he brings the value. So it's like, wait, he can lead the organization. He can handle crazy shit because like the end of Aaron, but the last couple of years of Jerry could not. I mean, he's dealing with Jerry Jones in his eighties nuts. And then once he got rid of Kellen Moore, I think people thought, did he lose his touch at the end of Green Bay. You watched last year Dak had the best year of his career. Yeah, and then this fight. I mean, if if the guy doesn't screw up against the Bengals on Monday Night Football touching that ball, he would have won five straight games with Cooper Rush. So I think Mike McCarthy, if you remove the day, which I think it's fair to say, if you just took every team in the NFL, and they just nobody had a quarterback and everyone got the same quarterback. You might choose the Eagles team. Right, If every quarterback was the same, the Eagles probably have the best team. Like it was bound to happen to him that they were missing a couple of players and they got run. But I think, what else is Jerry gonna do? Like Jerry gonna hire someone else. I think he's gonna want McCarthy back. But I do wonder if Mike someone plays you a little bit in business and you got some leverage, I could see Mike screwing with him.