The Jason Smith Show with Mike HarmonMartin Weiss & Veejay Huskey talk about whether the Vikings should pay for Sam Darnold.
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Martin Wison vi Jowski filling in for Jason Smith and his best friend Mike Carmon. We're broadcasting live from the tire rack dot Com studio. Tirerack dot com. We'll up do you get there with an unmatched selection, fast re shipping through it as a protection, and over ten thousand recommended this dollars tire iraq dot com.
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Mark real fast. I just want to read something. Go for it, all right, missus Twitter? Yes, well it's not from Twitter. It's it's a text message. It's from a new listener. She'd been listening last three weeks. Faithfully she lists all times to show. Big fan of for Miss Shila Reza just text me and said that was hilarious. I'm dying about that Mariah Carey song. I hate it too. It's not just me, It's not just me right right on my phone. Miss Shila Resa a new fan of the show. She has her uncle listened to our show and listening to Martin and VJ new fans. But she just text me, I'm just you know, just letting you guys know, not just me.
Still hat.
I tend to agree, carry on, Martin, tend to agree. I'm glad I got somebody almost.
Thank you, But Shilah and everyone else who's listening. If you're not familiar with our general times, this is we are the host of Saturday from eight to eleven Eastern. I head to right ahead of Jason Martin and Aaron Torres. So tonight we do this every Saturday at ten o'clock Eastern. But today, because we're in on a Friday, no one listening knows what day it is either. Let's be honest, Yesterday I felt like Monday. You know, today is the most Tuesday is Friday we'll ever experience. We have three NFL games tomorrow on a Saturday. So with that being said, we do this every Saturday at ten o'clock. We try to tell you what underdogs are going to win outright, try to pay off some of those bills. Christmas just hit folks. I know, I know we're hurting. Don't worry, Martin and VJ. We'll take carry right here. It's time for the atomic dogs.
All right, Martin VJ. What day is it again?
Oh, that's right, it's the dog days of Winter. And you know what, we're gonna talking about them dogs right now.
I'm so proud of yourself about hit one.
Let's go all right. Well that said, let's get down to the business of it right now. So Martin VJ. Based off of last week's interval of atomic dogs, one of you went three in a roof three and oh and the other went oh and three.
You're three champion, you'll champion.
Everybody is the big Vanilla dough, the big dog himself three and oh husky.
Fourth time this year I've hit three and oh on an underdog Sunday and fourth time.
This folks, we're not talking about against the spread. We're talking about the underdog that wins out right. So generally, if you just hit one of the three, you're looking pretty at all. Three you're paying Christmas off, So go ahead. Ve just says I'm gonna do another cot people money.
You lead the way, all right.
My first one man is a team night right now. And this is a good this is good. This is a good game to pick right here because this could effect where they're gonna be drafting at. Give me the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are gonna take on a division rival and the Tennessee Titans. They both need this game. They're both sitting at three and four right now. I'm pretty sure one or another would like to move up and down in the draft process there. But give me the Jags at home of one point underdog. I think mac Jones makes enough plays. Tennessee ain't really got nothing, man, They don't got a quarterback, they don't got a running back. Don't tell me about Poler their receiver. They're best receivers kid from Arcusos. A few years ago they traded away de Hobbs. They this is coming down the stretch for them to reset and figure out what's going on there and get their quarterback move. But I think Jacksonville gets a home win and starts people start to raise the eyebrows a little more about Trevor Lawrence GA. It's like, Bro, mac Jones is playing better than you right now, which I even hate the man. Give it a jackson my first dog at home, A plus one for my first atomic dog.
I'm pretty sure I have not taken this team as a dog all season, So there's never a better time to do it, like December twenty seventh, when the entire season is lost.
Give me the New Orleans Saints plus one and a half.
They went out right beat the Raiders quite literally. No incentive to win Saintstone either. Let's be clear, but I think the injury report from Christmas Day or the twenty third rather that month of night football game was gargantuan. They'll get some guys back. Special Ratler gets another start. He has not looked great so far. But the Raiders also just as a whole are the Raiders. Give me the Saints to go ahead and win this one.
Well, that was one of mine, so I had to write down another quick one. So if thought, I would have also had to say to me, dog, but another tom of dog, I'm gonna.
Go, you're gonna have this one. I'm a right, I'm probably I'm a ride this. I'm gonna keep.
This is my b Why my man b Why eight point underdogs? Bryce Young?
I'm telling them that, I'm saying Bryce, I stuck by you be. I know what last year was, You're looking better this year. Things were starting to turn a little bit still.
Four in level.
You guys got some other things. You gotta fix that. That's fine, you will, But you my man You are just fine. You are an NFL quarterback. Eight point underdogs. Give me the Carolina Panthers tomorrow and the division game on the road on it get to Tampa team that I sat right here on Christmas Day and I questioned because of what I saw them do to the Chargers with my own eyes covering the Chargers. And then I turned around and saw what happened to the Dallas Cowboys between them in Dallas, and I'm like, Okay, who is this damn team? Remember they needed overtime in Carolina, a late touchdown and then over time to beat Carolina last time. Carolina gets that end of the season revised and help out the big do Rag Martin's guy in atl maybe they win that division. If I'm a man, b Wind, the Panthers can do this.
Give me be wind the Panthers with a plus eight on the road to get an upset win this weekend. For my second goal, I am packing up, getting in my car with my tire rack dot Com tires, and I'm driving right down with you on the road.
Eight point underdogs. This line is way off.
Give me the Carolina Panthers here. This is a game. This is a game we know they have surprise firings every year.
Todd Bowles is gonna get fired because you're gonna lose this game. Wow, they're gonna lose this game. You know we're gonna lose the division.
Ye after sweeping Atlanta, Atlanta's gonna back in with their disastrous quarterback situation.
Still not burning them.
Top Balls gets fired because Tampa loses this game to the Carolina Panthers.
That's my second home at home by three touchdown passes. This from market down. So my last one man is I Martin. I talked about this team. Mark's not worried about them. Martin's everything is still right there, laid out to them. But they do have to go on the road cross country up to the Bay Bay Bay and take on them San Francisco forty nine and I'm talking about the Detroit lines. It is only three and a half, which means Vegas thinks this thing is gonna be tight. Another reason why I'm going with the nine Ers something that I threw out their money with Aaron Torres filling it. I would probably kick the can if I'm the Niners around kind of restart some of these positions. The first player I would make calls about to see if anybody wanted them, and what I can get for him will be my man who wants some a de bow, And I think he feels it because he's been kind of playing hardcore the last few weeks. You see kind of old d bow dragging guys, running through tablets, running over guys like Deebo knows he might be playing film out there right now for a future offense that does not wear red and gold. And that's why I think the Lions defense will give up some points here and Niners Greenlaw Warner.
They got guys on this defensive side of the ball.
They do still play defense, even though the offense struggles from time to time.
I think it's a close, low game.
I like twenty three to twenty two, twenty one to nineteen something in that area.
But the Niners pull off a big time upset.
And with the Cowboys, em excuse me, with the Eagles with that quarterback situation, that number one.
Seed in the East in the NFC still a forgress.
But give me the Niners here three and a half at home for my third and final dog.
I'll take it.
Just for the record, I'm completely opposite of this game. I think Lions win by ten points or more. After the team that exercised them out of the NFC Championship game last year has nothing to play for.
When the lines are gonna go win, they're fired up. I heard Dan Campbell to they say, we're bringing every day we got. I'll give it. Damn about the standards, all right.
I will go with the Denver Broncos plus three and a half tomorrow.
They went out right against Cincinnati Bengals.
They end this fever dream of Cincinnati making the playoffs with Jervoro being the MVP. All that ends Saturday night and twenty eighth of December, Sean Payton on short rest against Zach Taylor. Let's just think about that for a second. I'll go ahead and take Burrow's gonna stay on fire.
But you know who else has been on fire?
Nick Benito, and that Denver Broncos pass rush, which is going to hear and that second d they are going that defense is gonna hold that Cincinnati offense down. And you know the other thing, we know for a fact that the Cincinnati defense ain't about to do a dog all thing against Denver's offense.
Rookie quarterback be Damn.
I don't know.
I like the Bengals in that game, man, Joe Burt. They still the thing is, they still.
Got a heartbeat. And I think Burrow Burrow comes out. I think Burrow that's and that game is incense. He heartbeat like he's got number one.
He's got number one.
Sew Peyton Benner, come and pull that pluck. It's time for the picks. Let's go ahead, switch it over.
Can I just say dog on, dog on Martin for Tom mcdog's.
Really listen, man, what do you want from me? Be better? Patrick? God, It's called being clever?
You know.
Well, you know what, let me introduce you to it. Yeah, what's the record from last week? You started this? Let's go.
Well, the records from last week is both of you in different games, but same records here, both win two and three. I was not told of what the overall record was with this, but.
Well, I think I'm maybe one game.
So we're still net all right, we're still next.
Still broke even on this last week. But we're gonna go to dawn of a new era. It is now new week here. We're gonna go with this first one. We got the Los Angeles Chargers Gold Chargers at the Patriots. Patriots are home on this one, Martin, wis you get to go first?
Go for it?
I mean the New England Patriots plus four and a half here. I know that the Chargers get JK. Dobbins back. They're just too limited offensively to score a ton of points.
New England's been playing teams close.
They played Buffalo closest fourteen and a half point underdogs last week. Probably honestly, if they were just a little a modicum bit better, they would have won that game.
This was sneaky, it close to upset aler for me.
But I've lost so much money picking the Patriots to go ahead and try to catch the knife of which is one of these two games are gonna win to get their five game total that I'm giving up.
But I'm not scared of that four and a half. Give me four and a half of New England.
I see right now saying that five and Al I'm gonna actually take the charge on us.
I agree with him.
They are limited offensively, but they're gonna run, and they're gonna run some They're gonna run some more. They're gonna run some more, and that's gonna free up. I think they get Disney back. I'm not sure will Disney comes back, but I think using QJ. Moore is it two and then and then and then going to oh guy, I'm sorry rookie receiver Ladd Mcca, I mean lad Lad, I'm sorry from Georgia and Ladd usual Ladd more as a one.
It's gonna be, It's gonna be there, breder butter.
But I also think the defense gets a turnover here because you still playing a rookie quarterback, right, and you're going up against uh Menser and Harball defensive mind of type guys that gets a rookie quarterback. I can see a turnover making this a ten point game. A pick six, a scoop and score something from the defense kind of turns it over. Give me, give me a charge of charges cover this, QJ aded too.
How about QJ at left tackle the only potition somewhere that he doesn't need to catch.
Yeah, we'll talk about a team that needs to catch. Where we have the Cardinals taking on the Rams. Rams are home here and a VJ do who do you like more? In the NFC?
This is easy.
This is easy for me. You can see it and listen. I love Klin Murray me, that's my guy.
I do.
I love the kid, always have all the way back when he's in college. You can see the look on his face last week when when they knew they were eliminated. It's just everything just left his body and it's just like again't like we how can we fix this thing here? And they better get it quick because they're using his prime. He's in his prime and he's already had a torn AZL. So his body doesn't get better. Your body doesn't repair itself get better. Rams are on the roll right now at home game. They still have the division tomorrow.
If the Cardinals don't compete in this game, you're looking at I think you have to be looking at at least evaluating organizational changes.
The way that this season has.
Ended after last year, I think you have to be looking at organza. I want to say you make them all automatically, but you got to be looked for. I also think they finished strong and and cover at least.
In this game. They have to be competitive here tomorrow Saturday, all right, we got.
The next one.
We have the cheese heads, the Green Bay Packers taking on Mine Minnesota Vikings. Vikings are in fact home lazy gentlemen. Mister Martin, wise, how do you feel about them Vikes.
I'm taking the Minnesota Vikings here in this game to both and a half point favorite something like that. I think they win cover outright. I think, look, Minnesota is better. I think they're just better than green Bay. Like we look at.
Green Bay, they may have a more high end talent.
You may think that Jordan Love is more of a blue chip prospect than Sam Donald is, but well, I just look at the roster and the way that they play the games. Minnesota to me is the second best team in the NFC right now, and that's taking everything into account. And this just had the bad luck of being in the Lions Division. They beat the Packers. Week eighteen is winner take off for the one seed and by for the NFC North.
I gotta make up a game here with two weeks to go, on, Martin, I'll choose this one as one of them.
Actually, like the way Green Bays looked recently.
I know what this. I knew what the same thing was the other night.
That's fine.
I was covering the leaguers in business. I didn't even get a chance to see the game on a rye home. I heard twenty seven nine to one point, sayd good. I didn't miss anything in that game. But I do like what the Packers have going. I do like how to come and I remember this defense. Earlier Lyders leading the league in turnover differential. They were called the turnovers and given the offense more opportunities to score running the ball, throwing the ball. Look, Jordan Love is the guy. Guys, he's their guy. He's coming in the form. That defense is still stat They're able to run the football. I like the Packers right here in this one to go on the road. I feel like Minnesota's been kind of winning, winning some games by the skin of their teeth, and it happens in football.
I get it.
Sooner or later though, my favorite analogy flying close to the sun. Sooner or later you got Bran Dan wings off, and I think this is one of those games. Rivalry games mean nothing where they're being played. This is the vision robbery game. Give me the Packers that go in here and get this dumb all right?
Well, speaking of a team that flies high, we have the Atlanta Falcons taking on the Commanders.
Commanders are home VJ. What are we feeling?
Very interesting game here, proud to be seeing two young black quarterbacks playing head to head, first of all, but Pennis looked okay, right, and they look great and they throw a touchdown. But I want to see Morey's got weapons. I've always loved their weapons. And he's got a horse to turn a hand into a Jon Robinson.
Right.
But you look at Washington, they look like they're kind of got their wheels going right now at the right time of the They went through a little slumping into October and November, things kind of look at a little stagnant. Then they started to kind of ran back up. Daniels is that guy.
I know, no hurts last week, but what a comeback win, being down double digits in the fourth quarter and pretty much he put the team on his shoulder and went and got it. You get a home game here. Don't have a letdown, Washington, So I'm gonna have I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go with the home d MV team on this one. Give me this, give me the Commanders, and I think they do cover the three and a half. I think Washington does have a letdown here. They should have lost last week. If for all things being honest, when you really break it down, it's just Jayden Daniels is is stepping into a superstar in this league.
If you can continue on this pace, well, you know, Cee J. Stroud, same thing. We'll see how it goes. We'll talk about him in just a minute.
But Jayden daniels is right on his way if you can continue this path. But five turnovers against the Eagles, Eagles starting quarterback knocked out of the game, and then also just the Eagles, just nixy Rihanni arguing with people, they're not buttoned up nearly as much as they need to be.
Atlanta has to win this game for like organizational that this.
Was a good idea that they are all they have to make Penix work.
I think they do all right.
Final one, we got boys.
We have the New York Jets, the Bomass Jets taken on the Buffalo Bill's Buffy is home, Martin Wise, what are we feeling?
I'm taking the Jets plus ten.
Aaron Rodgers motivated knowing that look when he said the other day on Pat McAfee's show, I've never been released by a teenager, he may as well gave Woody Johnson two middle fingers and said, I dare you, I dare you to bring me back. Right so, right now, what's he doing. He's auditioning for every team in the NFL. Out there, Aaron Rodgers is gonna not only is the Jets gonna cover this game, they're gonna threaten this game late in the fourth quarter, not to where they're really gonna win it, but it's gonna be like, oh, you know, if New England kicks this field goal gets to side kick, they have a shot. It's gonna I'm sorry, if New York kicks this field is gonna be like that.
When you look at the schedule the last four weeks, they gave up for this Bills defense, gave up forty four points to the Rams, gave up forty two points to the lines, and gave up twenty one points to the Pats and we're down fourteen to nothing in that game. I don't think that that happens. I think they learned their lesson. Josh Allen, we talk about things that people can see coming. He hears the MVP talk. He wants to put some more tape out there. Also to these last two weeks, and put a stamp on his very first MVP. I don't like double digit division spreads, but I see nine and a half, so it's.
Not double digit.
So I'm going with the Buffalo Bills to knock off these bum ass Jets and send Aaron Rodgers and the rest of that franchise.
Into total rebuild mode.
I think they pull this off. I like them to cover the nine and a half. I'm not mad at right there. Like I said, another game, I got to make up. It's other two weeks. I got two games to make up. Man, they try to get ahead of Martin here, so give it. Give it a Bills cover.
He's a line adjustments going forward.
But we'll see under stand what's on the screen right now. I know, but I'm going off what he said. A nine and a half change yours, No, But it's just the fact that the matter No. Nine and eight, nine and a half ten is that's.
The winning, a push baby's loss and a reform. That's true.
But just because I wouldn't take it to me, I won't want it, Okay, So I see nine and a half on my screen, I'm going with you know what I'll can find.
I'll go fargum and say I'll go with the ten Buffalo covers.
All right, Speaking of an argument we're about to have, is this seemed really about to make this quarterback decision?
Really? Really? Can they really not? Can they afford not to? We'll get to that in just the moment.
Martin wis Vida Husky feeling inforjation with that is best friend Mike Harmon here on Fox Sports Radio.
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Martin VJA coming to live need tire iraq dot com Studios filling in for Jason Smith and his best friend Mike Harmon Vjay. Okay, we've all waited for the other shoot to drop. Cind the relatives clock to try at midnight. At this point, I'm of the opinion the Vikings would be insane, insane to not use THEIRS to franchise tag at minimum on Sam Darnold this upcoming offseason. I don't mind that a minimal franchise act, but I think the letting Sam Donald walk out the doors a free agent would be organizational malpractice at this point.
Right now, and I don't I won't go there. It won't be organization malpractice.
Uh.
They drafted JJ for a reason. He's if he's cleared by.
The time all their off season stuff starts and you start getting them prepared and you start getting ready that that's just what you're gonna do. You're gonna move on forward. The one thing that I think is gonna happen if they end up giving Sam darn Old dial is it just comes crashing down and it ends up like Daniel Jones. That's kind of how I feel like this is gonna happen. I think they also probably be personal to say, Okay, well, if you're gonna give Sam Darnald deal, how many teams need a quarterback? And this guy right here was the top. It was the fourth fifth quarterback. Take it off the board in that class that we're gonna talk about for years as all these guys start to fill their careers out. We already see what Jadon Daniels is, and we've got Caleb and now you know, the big du Rag gets his shot. Appanis down in Atlanta, he gets shot. Bo Nicks might get to the playoffs as a rookie. The only guy I saw look at it is JJ that's because he hurt his knee.
So I think they could get you forgot the number one overall picked as well. But that's I said, Caleb, not what you said making the playoffs or getting into playoffs.
Oh no, no, no, yeah no, but Caleb, all the we've seen what all these quarterbacks got, so Drake, may we see what they all got? Only one we don't see is JJ because he's been hurt. I just feel like, if you did franchise tag, I'm not mad at what's that number, forty forty forty one something.
Like that is there's nine quarterbacks that make over fifty million average annuals, So it would have to be at least at least forty five forty five. Okay, so about forty five forty six. Let's just say forty six forty seven million for Donald. I'm sure if you're Sam Donald, I take that at this point in my life, this point of my career.
That's type.
That's financial security. You give an NFL player forty seven million, it'd be over.
Fifty if there's nine players, right, different, nine players that make over a make over fifty million?
Is the average talary of the top five let's say physicial, Yeah, let's say fifty two. Wow. Yeah, that's probably wow. Yeah, fifty eighty fifty two. Wow.
Okay, so yeah, I'm not mad at that at all, Martin. I just don't think you ain't this guy to a guaranteed Baker Mayfield type of third deal. With Baker's third deal with the Bucks were still one hundred million guaranteed type of deal, or even with Sam Darnold got for three years with I mean not Sam, excuse me, with Kirk Cousins got last year with the three years guaranteed.
I just don't think you do that. He's had a good year, guys. I get it.
And I'm not gonna try to pick on the weapons because I'm a guy that says QB's need weapons, So get off of that. But it does help certain guys more and then it would then it would hurt other guys.
The weapons are extended, yea everybody, Yeah, absolutely, absolutely, those weapons are gonna be there. They have to figure out something about the running back because I know that's coming out of pipe. But Jordan Addison, you know, you you got guys, and you got a defense, and I love Flores is the coordinator there. But I am not mad at that opinion at all.
I think that would be a smart move but once again, once again, man, if everybody is so on JJ and you.
Don't need any like that whole backup thing started like, you know, look what Atlanta's going through. We you know we've done this. Yeah, exactly what Minnesota did was lucky. They drafted a quarterback. JJ McCarthy was supposed to be the game, going to be the guy. Yeh right, your bridge quarterback just so happened to be infinitely better than anyone expected. Kirk Cousins was signed to Atlanta to be the guy. Then Michael Pennant's was drafted.
No, I get that.
But even to say what you just said about Sam Donald, that's why you can't give him a deal because this went, This went much better than you expect. You can't tell me this is gonna be duplicated by Sam Donald Again, there's big I can.
Tell you it can We haven't because we've never seen there's been no fall off this this year. And what we're seeing, I think is is especially in the marketing, where quarterbacks are gonna be making there's nine of them making over fifty million dollars annually. You're gonna see a lot of guys likes him doing and be coming in at a thirty five to forty five million dollar range. Who are gonna be serviceable, but you don't have to pay the superstar amount for them. We'll continue this conversation just a minute. Right now, it's kick it over to Steve the Seger for what's trending in sports. Steve I walked to the bathroom and Brandon, are you a resident of USC Alomo went to grad school with them?
He goes, This Miava kid is terrible? What's he doing out there? So it sounds like it's going well for USC.
USC seven Texas A and M seven. They've started the third quarter of the Las Vegas Ball. Are you aware that this Jaden Maava kid, if that was what he was called, a fan of the team, This Mayeva kid, are you aware that he played last year on this field? He was the UNLV quarterback. Oh wow, it's now the USC quarterback in a bowl game in that field.
Why he's the best in the business, ladies and gentlemen.
Which I do notice by the way they are using the astrotur field that UNLB uses and not the might be good grass, might be bad grass this week that the Raiders in the same building use. Interesting difference. There were other college football games tonight, including the one with Syracuse on Fox TV.
Tonight.
Holiday Bowl winner the Orange ranked twenty first. They beat Washington State fifty two to thirty five. Kyle McCord five touchdown passes over four hundred and fifty yards through the air. Arkansas won the Liberty Bowl thirty nine twenty six over Texas Tech. Navy beat Oklahoma twenty one to twenty today as the Sooners were sacked on a late two point try. Vanderbilt over Georgia Tech. It was at a weather delay in the fourth quarter thirty five to thirteen, thirty five twenty seven over Georgia Tech.
The final.
Philadelphi Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is still in concussion protocol. The Chargers activated running back JK.
Dobbins.
Longtime announcer Greg Gumbele passed away of cancer. He was seventy eight years old. The Dodgers resigned outfielder Tasker Hernandez three years plus an option. He hit thirty three homers last season. The Tigers signed former Yankee second base when Lebar Torres one year, fifteen million dollars. The Sacramento Kings fired coach Mike Brown. Assistant Doug Christie is due to be the interim coach. The Kings just gave Brown a contract extension last summer. The late game is in the books. Everything final. In the NBA in LA, the Clippers beat Golden State one oh two ninety two. Cleveland's record twenty seven and four. They won at Denver one forty nine to one thirty five despite a triple double from Nikola Jokic. Road wins for Memphis and Dallas for Minnesota as well. Timberwolves at Houston had a twenty to four run to end the game. Minnesota took it one thirteen, one twelve, Anthony Edwards the game winning three pointer. Boston won again. New York won at six straight San Antonio with a victory and in the NHL among the eight games, we got one still going just starting the third period, Sharks up three to two on Vegas. Earlier wins for Toronto and New Jersey.
Back to you, thanks Steve Martin and Vida coming to you live from the tire IRAQ dot com studios, filling in for Jay Smith and Mike Harmon.
So you know, we talked about this a little bit, but the's Houston Texans. I think that we have.
I've said this a few times. I'm not sure how good they are right going into this season. I wasn't sure how good they were going to be. They surprised everybody last season. And I remember I told you I said this the sneaky super Bowl pick that everybody's gonna have, and say, this is the sneaky super Bowl pick is going to be.
The Packers and the Texans.
Right, that's what everybody who was like, oh I got a contrarian super Bowl people, we're saying it, and as I that's what everybody's gonna have. And I just was like a little bit of hey, let's pump the brakes. I'm not sure about Houston yet. We're in year two for everybody's only been seventeen games total regular season played and was not that impressive in the postseason game. Right, and this we know that this is not a linear progression, Like it's not like Madden our college football when your player gets plus two on certain attributes every week because they played the game and you advanced the week.
I say all that to say, when you.
Were in this environment and we talked about it earlier, is like the best way for a rookie quarterback to succeed is have a strong linear message, right and some of that linear messice can come in first year coaches, you know, saying everybody being hired at the same time. I think what the Texans are having right now is the injuries that they've had to their wide receiver corps.
Think about it.
They went out and spent a ton of money to get Stefan Diggs to upgrade their receiver corps. He went out on contact, Nicole Collins was playing like an All Pro, He got a hamstring, ended up missing like five weeks with the hammy, and hasn't been the same guy since he came back. You combine that Tank Dell rehabbing for those injuries at the end of last year, and he saw the Texans offense. I think last year when he got hurt, took a step back. This year, when he got hurt, took a severe step back. Combine that with a poor offensive line plan. I think what we're finding is is that maybe, just maybe.
C J.
Stroud is not an MVP candidate like people were making him out to be in the regular season. I'm sorry this off season trying to project he's not Joe Burrow. Orm Sorry I didn't say Joe Burrow. He's not Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson. But to me, when you factor in all of the things that we are seeing out of this Texas team and then their record, I don't see how people are knocking c J. Stroud in terms of him being a Like, if you're gonna say he's not Tier one, then I can have that conversation. But if you're saying like the Texans would be better without him, I'm not understanding. But I'm just saying the national conversation is one of like, how concerned are you about c J Stroud?
Do you think c J Stroud was a one hit wonder? Like to me, all of those seem to be misplaced.
It is misplaced, and that's for TV and ratings and just stuff to talk about, like we know happens in this business. I don't like to get down like that. I want to really talk about real things. I don't think there's anything wrong with TJ.
Stroud.
I know you were high on him last year, but we've had some debates about CJ.
Stroud. I think CJ. Stroud's fine. My only question is.
When I watch him play, it's like, okay, breaking down this tape, what else can he get better at? Like what type of CJ. Stroud am I gonna see two or three years around? Because I've seen you as a rookie with weapons and go to the playoffs. I seen you with your second year with rookies. But you have some injuries. But guess what, Welcome to pro football, young man. Sometimes you got the studs out there and sometimes you got duds out there with you.
It just depends on what Sunday it is and who sam.
String feels better or calf or growing or shoulder or hand or try seth us.
That's pro football all the way around. I don't think anything's wrong with him.
I just think that we kind of overlooked last year and overrated last year. As I said, all summer long, they playing a crap division, okay, and then they went a home playoff game with jove on my man and I love Uncle Flacco and his magic get run out at that point. He had a nice little run with the Browns last year's coming off the couch and it ran out. And then they get that game at home, and then when they have to go on the road and have to play some of the you know, real dogs. You know, we kind of see what they are cut on this Christmas Day game. Guys, they score two points, and the Ravens defense at one point was ranked twenty seventh in the Elite. I think they've climbed to like twenty two to twenty one something like that this point of year. But we're used to the Ravens being a top ten defense.
That is not with Derek Henry and Lamar Jackson and John Harball and Monkin are working with this year. They've got to score points because that defense was given up everything to everybody. Okay, So I don't think there's anything wrong with them. I'm just wondering, how much better have I seen the best?
CJ. Stroud.
I understand loving a teammate, and I'm not knocking on them, and I'm not knocking them when the tank Dell emotion, I get, but there does have to be a sense of emotional leadership within yourself. As I'm the quarterback of this franchise, I'm hurt, my heart's broken. They gotta stabilize this leg, this man's leg. We just got this guy back. But at some point you gotta okay, you know, like suck it up.
They suck it up.
I get emotion, and I don't want it to come off as I'm trying to pick on them like people were doing Caleb wins because I didn't even like that people picking I was like, bro, like, you know, we're human, we're emotional.
But I question, okay, this is this guy.
Is he mentally tough enough to be my leader and lead me to the promis land where we're trying to go.
He's got all the tools. Like I said, I don't think nothing's wrong with I think.
I just I just we've seen him at every step of the way in college, not only struggle, but like I shouldn't say struggle, be successful through struggle, never beat Michigan and then still went out against Georgia.
Head almost and almost one kick or kick.
So yes, like I think, yes, there's ample evidence even this season in which he's been sacked more than anybody else this year, and are just about anybody else this year besides Caleb Williams, because he's got the offensive line from hell, and he's lost all three of his top receivers at any at one point throughout the year, and his top running back and you talking about the mentality and the ability to overcome. With all of that, They're still gonna host the home playoff game.
I get it.
They're gonna host the whole playoff game because they played. Look at the division they playing a really you can.
Only get it.
I can't only beat who's in front of you. And but it's the facts are still the facts. They're playing the worst division in football. You're right, I can only be who's on my schedule. But it helps that I playing the worst division in football and they do. That division is future. Three of those teams are gonna pick in the top excuse me, two are gonna pick it the top five, possibly, and then we don't know what the Colts are gonna finish with. They can finish that an eight and nine team, I don't think they will. I think the coach are kind of right there with them, and probably in the year two Babe, even next year could surpassed them. I don't think anything's wrong with him, But I just I thought we overrated last year's playoff run, and that poured into the offseason and poured into them being so highly thought of and it could be a Super Bowl and he cal be an MVP and they'll.
Be right back there to do it again this year.
Injuries, injuries happen, and that's something they gotta do. I tell you this though, all right, So just crystal ball in thirty seconds? Home playoff game?
Do you do you?
Do you trust them to be a Chargers team coming in there? Do you trust them to be a Champagne?
Your guy? Do you trust?
Who are you taking on the coaching matchup? Taking Sean Payne? Know you taking to Mcryans?
I think this year I would look at I think the Chargers would be a straw, would be home fan, would be road favorites in a playoff game.
I think the Broncos wild be roaded for as well. So that home playoff game mean nothing. And if you lose it, well, it doesn't mean nothing.
It means you got a home playoff game because you won your division, like you means like that's the way that there's only certain you can't win your division better than winning it, right, like the Lions are going.
To be fit. The Lions have a changed to me fifteen to two and.
Win the division and it doesn't mean anything more or less, no, right, And the Vikings could the Lions could go fifteen to three, lose the division at to go on the road. And I'm telling you something right here, right now, as a fan of the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints, who were a thirteen and three record of a goal up to seven and nine Seattle and playing a home play a road playoff game, I.
Know, I'll tell you something right now. Winning the division? Where was the record matter? What was they working at you?
Thirteen and three at Lanta with fourteen and two? Wow, that's right, and had to go up there, but went up there and let be smoke. So don't tell me a stark run. So do not tell me that a whole playoff game do not matter, because I will tell you the matter.
It doesn't matter if you lose it, it matters regardless. And I'll tell you what.
The worst contract in sports just got worse. We'll break that down coming up in just a moment. Martin wis Vida Husky filling it for Jason Smith and his best friend Mike harmon Fox Sports Radio.
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation yet. Catch all of our shows at Fox sportsradio dot Com and within the iHeartRadio app search FSR to listen live.
Martin wise Videre Husky filling in for Jason Smith and his best friend Mike Harmon here on Fox Sports Radio the Friday or Saturday after Christmas, depending on.
Where you are in the country.
So yeah, at this point, right Deshaun Watson, He's in his third season with the Cleveland Browns and they have now restructured his contract for a third time. It will not affect the ninety two million dollars in fully guaranteed money he is owed next season and the season after, nor does it affect the seventy two point nine million dollar salary Kip'll have for each season, but it allows Cleveland to spread his dead money over multiple seasons if he stays with the team through twenty twenty six.
The alternative was a size cap hit in twenty twenty seven, when Watson will no longer be under contract. Question.
Yes, if you were the brass right now, I'm gifting you magic wand tat boom. You are now the final decision maker of the Cleveland Browns.
This is an easy decision.
You're sitting at number six right now. As far as draft picks. If the draft were today, you'd be the sixteen drafting and you're probably with Miles Garrett could probably trade up to number one. Do you just cut this man a check, shake his hand man the man, look him in the eye and say, look it's not it didn't work, it's not gonna work. Here's your money and good luck.
I would have done it last year. They wasted this year doing not doing it.
Yeah, just cut him at this point and whatever it colls it costs to be the bass, you're the balls, you're the.
NFL owner, you're the billionaire. I don't want to hear.
About you made a mistake. Yep, exactly own it. Accountability that's really really big for me. Accountability. Just say you made a mistake.
It's okay. You learn from your mistakes. Now, it's not a mistake if you continue to do if you continue to do.
It, my mom used to say, that's your character. A mistake is something you do and you correct a few times, all right, cool, But if you just keep doing it for a long period of time, that's just your character. The Cleveland Browns, they have to change this narrative and character of what their franchise is. They're never I'm forty seven. I just don't know when they've ever been good. The one year with Brayln Edwards or the one year with jah Josh who got got kept getting suspended, getting kicked out the league. Gordon right, I mean they Okay, they've had a year Baker took him to a playoff, but it's not consistent.
People.
Last year Uncle Flox comes in and saves the day. It takes them to a playoffs. But they're they're like, they're the Kansas City Royals of baseball. They're the They're the Winnipeg They're the Buffalo Sabers of the NHLs. Like, seriously, they're the Raiders.
Of the NFL.
You you've got to admit it was wrong, it was stupid. You reached out there. I would I would mar all right.
I would go to Deshaun and say, look, here is your money whatever legally you owe him, without any repercussions or any type of lawsuits and stuff. Cut the check and reset this state, get miles out of there. Call and see if you could trade for a number one pick and try to grab your door or may sit tight. Maybe next year is a better class and move on from there. But restructuring his deal.
That does what It just kicks the can down the road, and it makes a bad decision worse because I've.
Been trying to see it. It just sweet.
It sweeps the crumbs in the kitchen, under the mat by the sink, and when you pull up that Matt, guess what's still there two weeks later, Ladies and gentlemen, the crumbs that you swept under there, they don't go anywhere.
It's just, man, this thing is ultimate failure.
And it was so evident last year, and they just kept going like it was so evident last year, and they kept going. It was the worst trade NFL history last offseason. It continues to be the worst trade NFL history this offseason. And now extending the money to when he's not gonna be on the team just makes it that much worse. Why do you mean, Martin, you don't want to that dead cap money? Will You know who's got the biggest dead cap hit in the NFL? The Denver Broncos who are going to the playoffs. You know who's got another huge cap hold right down their roster. The Los Angeles Chargers who are going to the playoffs. You can have a dead cap hit if you manage it for one or two years. The Browns doing this just made them that much worse, so obvious they're they're done for a while. Coming up next is the most immature coaching NFL in trouble we'll see
