Jenny and Gary break down all the Week 11 Sunday action, from Patrick Mahomes's inevitable game-winner in Vegas, to Taysom Hill's dazzling debut against the Falcons. Plus, fallout from the Tua benching, the Colts' big win over Green Bay, the Eagles can't get out of their own way, the Ravens defense collapses and much more.
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Hello, and welcome to the m m QB Monday Morning NFL podcast. I'm your host Gary Brownling. I enjoined by Jenny Brentis of The week Side Podcast to run through the week eleven Sunday action and Jenny, we had, we had overtime games, we had we had upsets, we had quarterbacks emerging, we had quarterbacks getting benched. It was it was a roller coaster of a Sunday. Roller coaster is a good way to say it. Gary, Like a lot of those Sundays have been this season, it's been very dramatic so far. We'll start with the Sunday night game, which, yes, it was. It was dramatic, but at the same time, it kind of wasn't that dramatic because once Patrick Mahomes got the ball back, with you know, a generous amount of time on the clock, it was just kind of it's it's completely expected at this point that the Chiefs are gonna win those types of games. Yeah, especially the way the game had been to that point. You're right, it wasn't dramatic in the sense that it just seemed like whichever team had the ball was going to score and we were going to be in one of those situations or whoever had at last would probably win. UM. So when the Chiefs get the ball back with a minute and a half, the only thing I was thinking was, well, if the Chiefs score too fast, maybe the Raiders will get it back. I mean, honestly that it just seemed expected that Mahomes would lead them to a go ahead touchdown. It's just like when the Raiders had their last series yearing the goal to go. I was sitting there watching it, and I was thinking, like, man, if they can like draw a third down past interference penalty in the end zone and then they can like run two plays and run like another minute off the clock, and then you know, maybe maybe you milk the clock that way. It just seemed inevitable. By the time they scored their touchdown, it was like, yeah, you just lost the game. You're only winning by three. Now it's over. Yeah. But even with that, even with the expectation that Mahomes would go down and score there, you could really appreciate the design of that winning touchdown. The fact that Kelsey came open, the fact that there was really no way for the Raiders to win on that play. UM And you know, there's four vertical pass routes, and you know there's the threat of Mahomes running. Um, so you just if you're the Raiders, I I don't know how exactly you're supposed to defend against that. I know, and and and one of my I don't want to necessarily call it a favorite thing because it's kind of a bummer for the Raiders, But if you watch either the replay or even like the next Gen Dots and see what happened to the pass rush the Raiders foreman pass rush on that play, and this was an issue most of the night, but I've never seen it to this extent. All four pass rushers basically got corralled by the Chief's offensive line, like this little cluster where they were all just like on top of each other, and Patrick Mahomes had like the entire field to work with. So so it's like, you know, Jonathan Abram, yes, that was technically his his coverage busts in the end, he's the one who who sort of abandoned Kelsey there to come up on Mahomes. But if Abrams stayed back on Kelsey, Mahomes is running for I mean, he just has a free fifteen yards in front of him. So I'm not really sure what you're supposed to do. I guess stay on Kelsey and then live to fight another down. But there's not really a it's not really a right answer at that point, once your pass rush has been neutralized to such an absurd degree. That was absurd that this little cluster of linemen essentially, you know, as you mentioned that was a big issue for the Raiders all night. You know, they were down Cleveland for l so you know, I think that really hurt them, perhaps in the run game a little bit more, but um, but overall, yeah, I was just kind of Mahomes was able to do things like that for most of the game. Yeah, And uh collins Worth did pointed out in the in the telecast how the Chiefs are just Chiefs, just destroying the Raiders on the edges all night, and they definitely picked up on the fact that Max k as We shoots inside on basically every snap and they took took full advantage of that as the as the game went on. But uh, um, we do need to take a quick minute. And you and I both love connor Or, and connor Or I think likes us, but he loves Derek Carr. And it has just really been nice this year because I think as soon as John grun got there, we all sort of said, Okay, well, Derek Carr, he'll he'll find someone else, he'll move on, and and and Gruden did not seem to be in love with Derek Carr. You have to love what Derek Carr is doing this year because you know, for a guy who just was quick strike, quick strike, quick strike for the longest time. Uh, and last year they sort of tried to break him out of it a little bit and didn't quite work. But this year it is. This year he's playing deep into the down. Uh. He is making plays that he just didn't even try to make in the past. And and that's why they can now, Uh, they can do things when they go head to head with the Chiefs, and and and they can be in these games whereas I think in past years, I mean, look, if the Chief's offense is going to do what they did last night, there's probably just like a two touchdown win for the Chiefs. Yeah. My skepticism for cars long term future with the Raiders was less his ability to play like this, although I agree this has been a big step forward, but more so the fact that Gruden just never really seemed all that committed to him. You know, they had that Kyler Murray flirtation before the draft that was kind of a strange thing with the Oakland A's hats and making a joke about that. It was like this whole show that seemed to be making some bigger point. Um. And then you know, Car buys the house in Vegas and you think, like, is that a good decision to buy property in Vegas because your coach doesn't seem that committed to you. But um, whatever Gruden's feelings have been, we have seen the progression that people hoped Car could have under Gruden and that they could develop into this partnership like we're seeing now. Um, and that makes them a dangerous team. I mean, they they have gone. They beat the Chiefs once, they nearly beat them again. So they showed that there are a really talented team, um, beyond perhaps what some of the expectations may have been. The Chiefs have now won eighteen of nineteen. The only team to beat him in the last calendar year here's the Raiders and they're also now thirty and four against the a f C West. Since so Um, you know, it's the NFL and there are no moral victories, and uh, certainly the Raiders have postseason plans, but it's kind of like, you know what this was. This is a really nice performance by the Raiders and uh yeah, kind of a bummer that they uh leave what they lost, but that's the way it goes. Yeah, uh Saints Falcons. Let's go on to I mean, this was the quarterback story of the week. It was the quarterback story of the day. This was this was Taysom Hill and this debut start, and we all, I mean, look, we all had our fun, uh with Taysom Hill and the expectation that he was I don't know, being depicted as like a surefire Hall of Famer in the next franchise quarterback of the Saints all offseason, and we saw it and it worked. It worked as well as it possibly could have worked. And uh, we can get into, uh, you know, some some of the things, some of the reasons why it worked, but uh, I mean this was Look, Sean Payton was right, John Payton was right to go with Taysom Hill as as the starter in this game. Yeah, And we talked about it on this podcast last week. Gary, that we both hoped that he would go that direction, that we wanted to see what would happen with Hill in there, and that there had been so much talking him up in the off season, and then they applied the first round tender to him, and so there was this expectation that he could be the successor. So they finally backed that up. They said, Okay, are uses out, We're putting Hell in there. And I think designed a really smart game plan and you know, worked to do things that showcased Hell beyond the running ability. Right. They built a game plan that was more than just built on his running ability. UM. But it was one game, and I think history has taught us that we shouldn't get too far ahead of ourselves. I don't know why this came to mind, but I was thinking a little bit yesterday about the Brock Osweiler Peyton Manning situation. UM. And you know, Osweiler fills in Manning's out for an injury with an injury, Manning comes back when the Super Bowl, and then you think the Broncos are on their way and it just didn't. You know, Osweiler's career, of course, didn't work out for multiple reasons. But um, I just that promise that you saw didn't end up panning out. Yes, and I don't want to. I feel like the meanest thing we can do today is be like, yeah, remember Brock as comparison, and obviously he went to Houston and it's not the same thing. I don't know, and you know, Hale is paired with Sean Payton. But so, like I said, for whatever reason, it just came to mind because you've got this like Hall of Famer that's kind of at the end of his career and it's physically diminished. I think that's why Garriot, yes, yep, and and I well, I want to I want to build off that, and then I will go into the the optimistic part of this. Um. I mean, look, this game flow, it just it fully played into the Saints favor. The play action games stayed alive, and and you know, I think everyone knows at this point that you don't necessarily have to quote unquote established the run to have your play action be effective, but you do have to have a lead. Not getting a third and long. Play action doesn't work on third intent. Play action doesn't work if you're down to touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Uh so the fact that that remained the factor. I I think I saw Football for Focus had it as eleven play action dropbacks for Taysom Hill in this game, and uh, you know, ended up being twenty three pass attempts on the game, so probably or so of his dropbacks were play action and play action is uh it's it's a very quarterback friendly concept. I mean, it helps to be able to use that and it helps to have that available. Uh. The optimistic thing I'll say about this, and you've seen across the league, whether it's uh, you know, whether it's it's Josh Allen, or it's Lamar Jackson, or it's whoever you like among these the sort of athletic uh well will for shorthand will say dual threat type guys. But it is not only the the sort of dual threatness of it. It is effectively melding that you know, expansive multidimensional run game with the passing game. It gives, uh, it gives defenses so much they they have to be uh concerned with they they they are so uh it puts a stress on defense in multifast. It's uh and what you saw in this game was, uh, it just creates these wide open throwing windows. There were not a lot of tight window throws that Taysom Hill had to make in this game. And he made the throws he had. He had one bad miss on a rollout. He had that one. Uh, I don't even know what you'd call it. That that BOLLI through form Manuel standards had he sort of hung up about fifteen yards short and Sanders came back and made the play. And um, I I think he would chalk that up to too bad throw. But other than that, he made the throws and the throws were very much available for him. And if that's the way it's going to go, like absolutely Taysom Hill because he is his throat with his legs and because he's also a downfield thrower, which Drew Brees is not at this point. It just it creates space that wasn't there uh when when Drew Brees was at quarterback there and it's good that I think that space will continue to be there as as we go forward. Yeah, And it's a good stretch for Hill to be playing. It's a softer part of the schedule, and it gives bree time to get healthy. Uh, and it gives them a window into the potential future with Hill. Yep. And and look like you said, soft stretch Atlanta on Sunday, and then they're at Denver, UH at Atlanta and UH and Philly coming up. So although we'll get into Denver a little bit later in the yeah, maybe not as soft as as I will say that the one thing. And look, I think we were right to just spend three hours talk about Taysom Hill. But the Saints pass rush the last three weeks has emerged as absolutely dominant. And I think everyone was very bullish on this defense coming into the year, and then everyone was a little bit deflated after seeing them, uh struggle basically against any non Tampa Bay Bucks opponent for the first half the season. And now the defense is dominating. And that's another reason that you're optimistic that this will work with Hill going forward, because uh, I mean, the the the complementary football, the fact that they're just not going to give up points, that they're not going to fall behind by two touchdowns. I mean, it did take a while for the Saints offense to get going in this one. They trailed for most of the first half, but uh, you know, it was three nothing, and it was six three. They were never uh, they were never just getting uh you know, at risk of having the Falcons just pull away in this one. Yeah, and one thing I thought was notable too, is that rhee More, as the Falcon's in head coach, pointed out that a lot of the coverage came from or a lot of the sacks came from good coverage on the back end. Obviously they worked together, but the Saints did that without having Lattimore in the game. So I think it was a um impressive effort from the defense that bodes well for the future weeks potentially you know, in the playoffs as well. Yeah, this is all this is all kind of setting up nicely here for the Saints stump stretch and for for January. Uh, let's let's go out to Indianapolis where the Colts look. I think the biggest question with the Colts going forward. I do think they're the best team NFC South. The question was can they play from behind mind against a quality opponent. We saw him come back against the Bengals. The Bengals or maybe not uh uh sorry that that they're they're just not that good defensively, but uh and the Packers not world beaters defensively, but you know a lot of times in the NFL now you get put away by an opposing team's offense. A team just scores and scores and scores, and you can't you can't make up deficit. Colts were down two touchdowns at halftime. They didn't have to get away from what their identity was in this game, and they end up they end up coming back. They they scored seventeen unanswered points in the second half, took a lead, Packers finally got points at the end of regulation, the force overtime, and uh, and the Colts end up winning it anyway. But I thought this game was really encouraging for the Colts, not only because you beat a quality opponent and not only because you stay on top of the a FC South at this point, but uh, the way they were able to do it, the way they were able to do it without you know, having to get away from who they are. Yeah, and I've had the same thoughts about the Colts to Gary, and I've never really known where to rank them this season for the reason that you just described. But this really was a tremendous defensive performance against a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers. Of course, Rogers is going to get his throws, like the you know late drive that forts in overtime. I mean that's not on the defense. That's just rogers amazing ability. But the defense this year is, you know, all of the pieces have come together and to make it the best defense in the NFL. They added to Forrest Buckner, they brought Davier Rhodes in from Minnesota, put him in a more zone heavy scheme versus the man coverage he was asked to play in Minnesota. It's worked out. Davier Rhodes has really taken a big step forward um or kind of revived his career a little bit as maybe a better way to say it. Um So, some of the pieces they've added have really worked. And so when you have a defense that can contain Rogers in the second half to allow your offense to come back, like makes the Colts overcome some of the deficits you you might worry they have otherwise. And uh, as far as the Packers are concerned at this point, look, it's been an underwhelming November. I I know Matt la Flora was was none too pleased with the effort against the Jaguars last weekend game they won, but did not win by very much against a not very good opponent in their in their own stadium. But outside of that Thursday night blowout in Santa Clara, I mean they they got upset by the Vikings at home and now they've lost. Uh uh. This game sort of a come from a head loss in Indianapolis, and it was turnovers. It was the issue for them. They turned it over four times. You'd have to go back to sen for Aaron Rodgers offense turning it over four times, although I should say it was one special team's turnover uh involved in there. But uh yeah, I don't know if you necessarily sound the alarms at at this point, They're just not gonna there there. There are gonna be very many games where the Packers give it away four times times. But um, it's just been the sharpness we saw from this offense early in the year isn't quite there, and the defense is kind of ah and not exposed. But they're just kind of leaky at the wrong times, I guess, is how i'd describe it. Yeah, I agree, Gary. I think that's the biggest thing that will determine if the Packers can make noise in the playoffs as if they can close some of those leaks on defense. I think that's been their biggest issue. Alright, Jenny, it is time for you to take a quick break, because now it is time for the SI Fantasy Segment, presented as always by DraftKings and Michael Fabriano is back. FABS. We are we're gonna run through the early waiver wire. But I mean, let's start with controversy and nothing better than that. Let's uh, let's let's talk Taysom Hill. Yes, waiver wire, but uh, tight end Taysom Hill. Yeah, that's that's gonna be an issue. So Fan Duel had him listed as a tight end, but DFS is a different beast because they can take him off any time. ESPN has had Taysom Hill listed as the tight end all year, and I think they might take that away after Taysom Hill played quarterback this week. And to me and I love the guys that ESPN, at least most of them. I got a lot of friends there. It's a mistake. You can't do that. You can't take away a players eligibility in season. You simply can't do it. Um think about the fantasy owners who used the number one waiver priority to get Taysom Hill as the tight end and they wouldn't have used it otherwise because quarterback is deep. Now, he had a great game as a quarterback too, But how many people would have used the waiver claim on Taysom Hill the quarterback as opposed to Taysom Hill the tight end and quarterback. I'll give you a perfect example. ESPN's ownership on Taysom Hill is over eight because he's a tight end on Yahoo, where he's just a quarterback. He's so because people don't need quarterbacks as badly as they need tight ends. I'll give you another example of why ESPN is going to make a huge mistake if they take the eligibility away. Say that, I don't know. I had Damian Harris and my roster last week, and I'm pretty good at running back, but I wouldn't have have wanted to drop him. But holy cow, Taysom Hill's a tight end and my tenant stinks. So I'm dropping Damian Harris to pick up Taysom Hill. And then you take that away from me and I lost Damian Harris who was picked up by somebody else, And now I can't really use Taysom Hill because I already have a good quarterback. I don't need Taysom Hill. What about folks who used a whole bunch of fab budget on Taysom Hill is a tight end. It's gone now for the stretch run. I don't know what's gonna happen. But if they take it away, I can't swear. But it's bull crowd. You can't do that. Not you cannot take away a players eligibility. Uh after he's been he's met your requirements whatever they are, for eleven straight weeks. Just can't do it. So uh, when we get into the waiver wire, he's gone in most leagues where he was tied and eligible and is still tight and eligible at this point. But like a Yahoo and that's it. So he had a great game. We love running quarterbacks. Broncos up next. Then he gets Atlanta again in week thirteen. So like Taysom Hill's a very very nice pick up, even if he's just a quarterback in your league. Yeah, this was correct me. If I'm wrong, I want to say it was two thousand six. Yeah, who with Marcus Colston as a tight end? Which similar, you know, similar, contrary but not to this extent. I mean Marcus Colson was was a receiver and he was a really good receiver. But um, I mean Taysom Hill's tight end numbers will be through the roof and it's look, it's too late to do now. If if you are the commissioner of your league, you could have, you know, conceivably, uh, you know, set a rule saying okay, yes he's tight end and you know, according to the to the system, but you can't do that in this league. You can't play the tight end of this league. But it's too late to do that now. So for me a tight end, I'm I'm with you on that that if someone's already scooped hi up as a tight end, it's too late now exactly. And so and I feel like you know, ESPN sometimes and others they try to get too cute with with position eligibility. Like we get it. Tayson Hill is not a traditional quarterback. What is he listed on the New Orleans Saints step chart. He's a freaking quarterback. He's not a tight end. Does he play something? Yeah, but he guess what? He also plays snaps at wide receiver too. You're gonna make up a wide receiver, tight end, and quarterback. I mean, I don't know what their what their requirements are. I don't know what their requirements are. But he's played a lot of snaps, you know, as a tight end. He's played a bunch of snaps as a wide receiver, and now he had a full game as a quarterback. But you just you can't take it away, like for I know fantasy baseball is different, but I know for a fact that say that because I'm a Yankees fan. Glabor Torres plays an entire season at second base, and the Yankees the following season decide they're gonna move into shortstop once he gets ten games or ten appearances, I should say at shortstop. He's eligible at both, and Taysom Hill obviously met the requirements for ESPN to be a tight end, so he should be both if that's the way they want to go. Like, I'll give you another example. This one is not nearly as as uh as much of an issue like Cordarol Patterson. The Bears have him listed as a wide receiver on their depth chart. That should be the end of it. He's a wide receiver. So if you want to go out and say, well, he's played enough snaps at running back where he's eligible at running back. Okay, that's fine. They'll take away his wide receiver eligibility if you want to, you want to add to it, you don't take away. So it's gonna be a mess. I don't know if it's gonna happen, but some of the guys there have have have put up some tweets that I feel like he's he's gonna get his tight end eligibility taken away. I will tell you this. I'm in two ESPN leagues. I'm the commissioner in one, and I'm not a commissioner any other in the league. Around the commissioner, I'm gonna let the team that picked up Taysom Hill, Tommy Dreamer, the upperar wrestler, I'm gonna let him keep playing Taysom Hill at tight end and I'm not gonna play on ESPN next season because that's that's a disaster. And for me in my other ESPN league, that's the league with Alison Chains, I'm gonna be going to you know, j C and and the commissioner and be like, I should be able to play him at tight end. This is it's it's crap. I dropped a guy that I might not have otherwise dropped to pick up Taysom Hill to be my tight end, and now it's being taken away from me. So the good thing is that you can go back and change the scoring. So if you, if your commissioner holds a league, vote your commissioner to just decides, hey, he could stay at tight end because it's not fair. Then but there, but I mean there's also other people who would be like, wait a minute, this is crap. It's not fair that a quarterback can be started at a tight end position. Go go hit up. Yespn, it's it's on that. It's it was so easily avoidable. I mean, all you have to do is imagine this scenario where Drew brees Hills is a quarter right, no good, no good. Well let's uh let's get to the good stuff. Let's get to the early waiver wire and uh let's start with the quarterbacks. I I assume Tastam Hill quarterback would be the top pick up among the quarterbacks in those in those non taste Mill tight end leagues. Yeah, no doubt, no doubt. So he was very good. Go get him, Derek Carr. I mean he's a stud against Kansas City that, I mean, just another huge game. And he's got Atlanta coming up this week, so he's worth it. And I'll tell you this, folks, there's not allowed on the waiver wire. There's not you know, Philip Rivers is out there. He had a good game against Green Bay, but the last time you played Tennessee a decent game, not great. Uh. Kirk Cousins is out there, but he's got the Panthers. That's not a great matchup. You know too, of got benched. He's gonna start again for Miami. They got the Jets, so you can go there if you want. Daniel Jones has got the Bengals this week. That's a really good match Alan Smith has got the Cowboys. That's a good matchup. I mean, I look at Baker Mayfield and he's got the Jags and I'm like, okay, the good the matchups good, But Baker sucks. He's had one good game all year long. I don't trust Baker Mayfield. They're gonna run the football. So if you want to go Baker, I guess you can because the matchup is good on paper. But I don't know that Baker Mayfield scares me. Man. I don't want anything to do with him in fantasy. How about how about the running backs here? J K. Dobbins, Please, we've had such an awful year. Can we have one nice thing and he'd get the future role. Please be such a good player. He had forty snap seventeen touches against Tennessee and I'm hoping it's the passing of the torch. But they do have the Steelers on Thanksgiving. That's a bad matchup. But Dobbins needs to be out and across the board. And Wayne Golman too, coming off of bye. He had a touchdown in four straight games before the bye. Again, Bengals right, so pick him up. James White got dropped in a tone of lead because he had really done nothing, but Rex Burkehead got hurt against Houston, and now White is back into that prominent role because think about it, who is their past catching back? Damon Harris doesn't catch passes, so then Michelle doesn't catch passes and they got They got Arizona this week, that's gonna be a shootout. So James White's gonna be a pretty nice flex this week. Uh savan Akhmed my favorite name to say again lead the Dolphins backs in touches, but Miles Gaskin can come back at any time, so they keep tabs on that. The good news with Acmed is that he was obviously their top guy, even with Matt breta back and then like Carlos Hyde, and I'll say this, it's not just limited to Carlos side, because I think Chris Carson's coming back this week. But like handcuffed those top backs, man. I mean, even if you got Brian Hill to handcuff, you know, with Todd Gurley, like do it. Tony Pollard, she's that guy is so good. Like you've got to make sure that your top running backs. And Zeke looked back to normal. It was actually don't watch him, um, but Pollard was. He had that long touchdown run two. He's great. So just anywhere you can handcuff stud running back, folks, you need to do it, all right. How about the receivers here, Uh, Michael Pittman had sixty six yards and a touchdown against Green Bay. Didn't get targeted a lot, but his numbers have been there. He's got the Titans this week. He scored I believe, just over nineteen against them. A couple of weeks ago, Colt Beasley, like John Brown, got hurt for the Bills. The Bills are coming off of by uh they got the charges this week. Beasley had a huge game. I believe it was against Arizona before the bye, and he's giving it twelve or more fantasy points and six of his last nine games. Jalen Reagor has got a good match up against Seattle. He's getting enough snaps where where he's he's a sleeper. Al Lazzard didn't do anything against Indianapolis, but their defense is typically pretty tough. But I mean, you'd like to have a share of Aaron Rodgers throwing you the ball, right Solizard's out there for Shod Perriman. I mean, laugh if you will, laugh it up fuzzball, but I mean he's had a touchdown at least the touchdown in two straight games, and Joe Flacco was looking for him and I don't know if Flac was gonna start next week. But Perriman is actually uh making some plays there for the Jets. Who I mean, they're going Ohen sixteen. They imagine if they go Ohen sixteen. And Charvor Lawrence's stayed in school. Yeah, and Andrew Luckham'll be bad and the how at the tight end class here. Yeah, Dalton Schultz, if you remember correctly, he was my he was my guy to look out for last week, even though the Cowboys were, you know, coming off of bye duty. Six targets again, he said, twenty one targets in his last three games. Like Andy, Dalton's looking for him, and Denucci you know Denucci, Uh, you know he looked for him, and and and Garrett Gilbert looked. He's a good player, man. I mean, like every we love Blake Darwin, but Schultz has been really good. Jordan Reidsworth an ad he had six targets before the bye, got the Rams not a great matchup, and then the Eagles tight ends right. So like Dallas Scottarts should be owned across the board. If he's not, you can pick him up. But Richard Rodgers has had a couple of good games here in the last three weeks. But if zach Ertz is able to come back from the Seattle game on Monday night, well then Richard Rodgers is not going to be very valuable. But Urtz has actually been dropped in a lot of leagues, so you can look into picking him up deeper leagues. You can look at Jorgan Aikin's for the Texans. They've got the Lions on Turkey Day. But that's deeper league. And I'm I told you I'm gonna do it. Give me some Tyler freaking bass Man, Buffalo Bill's kicker coming off of by last time, he played eighteen Fantasy points, fourteen plus points in three of his last four games. I mean he's been more reliable Lamar Jackson. I am old enough to know, and so are you. A time when Lamar Jackson was actually fun to start in fantasy. They share his stinks. It sucks, you know what. Everybody's got to keep this in mind when you when you and Lamar Jackson was a great player last year. Don't get me wrong, Justin Herbert is gonna be drafted ahead of in one in fantasy unless he turns it around. He absolutely is. He absolutely is a rookie freaking quarterback out of Oregon, out of all places who hadn't produced a good quarterback since Dan Fouts in the seventies. Yeah, he's given you a twenty plus every single week, every single week. Like they're gonna be leagues where Justin Herbert, who who I didn't. I didn't like him as a as a as a rookie quarterback. I mean at all. I didn't. I didn't know what he was gonna do in the NFL. I thought he was missing something. It was me who was missing something. He's gonna get picked ahead Lamar Jackson and drafts next your watch. Maybe maybe not all of them, but it's gonna happen. And if Lamar keeps sucking, it's definitely gonna happen. So just keep that in mind, folks, Like the Magical season is really really, really really hard to duplicates. And you know, folks are drafted Lamar and the first couple of rounds are paying for it right now because you're not making the playoffs. So unless you picked up Justin Herbert and now you're bentioning Lamar, you're not gonna make the playoffs with Lamar the way he's playing right now, he's been brutal, man like. He's had a couple of good games, but other than that, I mean, he's giving you, you know, fifteen of games that's terrible at quarterback. Every time the Rabian's line up for a field goal, just devastating. They didn't do it last year. They didn't have to. They were dominating competition and that's not happening this year. Alright, FABS have a have a great Thanks him and we'll see you next Monday. And uh, you know want if you want more of Michael Fabiano SI dot com slash Fantasy s I Fantasy Podcast, he's They're all week. FABS A pleasure as always, Happy Thanksgiving, my brother. I'll talk to you soon. All right, welcome back to Jenny Brentiss and Jenny, we have a very important topic to talk about here, and that is uh to a Tungo Violoa. This was uh a red hot dolphin team. They had won five straight. They were sort of uh gatting a lot of seam here as sort of the the the the darling dark horse, uh competitor in the a f C. And uh they went out to Denver and and look, Denver's a tough place to to play and this was kind of a worst case scenario here for them and to ends up getting mentioned this one, they turned to Ryan Fitzpatrick try and spark the offense late and it it kind of worked. But uh, I guess the first question is what do you make of Tua at this point, and you know, we don't need to talk about maybe his career trajectory. It this is a team with playoff aspirations. I mean, this is a team that can still win the a f C East. They're not turning back to Fitzpatrick. But is there an answer to be found here with with Tua and this offense. Yeah, And I think this kind of game was what we were probably waiting for it to happen. I mean a lot of the early starts that to have had, the defense was really dominant and he wasn't asked to do too much. And here he is facing a strong pass rush and he kind of had that rookie moment where he just didn't know what to do. And I think when Flora's made the decision to go to Fitzpatrick, he figured we're in a two minute situation. There's going to be a lot of pressure. He hasn't handled the pressure well to this point. We've got to put a veteran in there to try to operate the offense. But Fitzpatrick. The interception in the end zone is sort of a reminder that the Fitzpatrick fits magic always runs out and that's why they turned to two. I think, you know, they kind of did that before the fitz magic had reached its uh struck midnight and essentially right, it was a very nice metaphorical interception that Ryan Fitzpatrick provided us with him like he needed a force Throwly, it's third down and you need a touchdown and and that's the way it goes. But it was just kind of reminder of like, oh, yeah, you're probably not going to um get the first ever sustained uh successful season from Ryan Fitzpatrick here, but um yeah, look I think when he stepped back and look at what happened in this game for the Dolphins. This is kind of the Broncos are not world beaters, but the Broncos match up really well this Dolphins team. And and you mentioned that, you know, the pass rush. I mean, the Broncos pass rush just outright won this game against the Dolphins offensive line. But on top of that, I mean, like Vic Fangio gives you all these glory looks in the secondary, it's very difficult on a young quarterback. Frankly, it's I don't know, maybe maybe the doll often deserve this for what they've been doing to opposing quarterbacks all season. Maybe they get a little taste of their own medicine in this one. And uh, it's just the way it matched up that you know, this Dolphins defense they've been so good, was sort of the zero blitz looks and all the creative stuff they've done that way, but frankly they haven't stopped the run well this year. And the Broncos what do they want to do. They want to go out and they want to win with defense and a run game, and they ended up you know what was five yards on the ground about five yards per carries. So uh, this sort of just played out the way that the Broncos want to win games, and just stylistically, it's just it's it's a tough matchup for the Dolphins, and especially once you factor in going on the road with the young quarterback. Yeah, you're right, it was a tough matchup and that you know, as I said, it was this kind of inevitable let down that we were expecting from Tua and everything kind of aligned to create this situation. Um, but you know, a good day for Buffalo because they're watching at home and they see you know, the division race, which is suddenly interesting, and then um, they get a little breathing room. With the Dolphins loss, it's always a good day in uh in Western New York. So the uh, yeah, the Bills hang out of that one game lead, and the the Dolphins are I mean, look, it's it's gonna be a great race. I for a number of reasons. I hope they were able to play the full two fifty six game season. But right now the Dolphs are sitting there. They're tied for the seventh seed with the Ravens and the Raiders. Uh, if the season ended right now, you have the Titans and Browns are the seven and three teams that would make the post season in wild cards. So it's just just a lot of a lot of intrigue in this race coming down the stretch in the a f C. And uh, part of that intrigue was built by this Titans team that went to Baltimore for a second stary time and they win in overtime in this one a much different game than what we saw last January, where the Titans sort of got out to a lead and just sort of, uh, you know, it just sort of grinded the Ravens down, and the Ravens eventually one ran out of time in this one. Uh, this one was the Ravens got out to a lead and we we can talk about the offense in just a little bit, but uh, in this one, the defense kind of fell apart. It was look disappointing day for the Ravens defense, but also just a really dominating performance by this Titans offense in the second half of this game. They they fell back with the four to go in the third quarter and they had four drives after that seven yards, eight point three yards. We played twenty points, uh, including that Derrick Henry twenty nine yard run in overtime to win it. But uh, similar with the Colts, the Titans didn't really get away from what they want to do, which is Derrick Henry and then play action off of that wide zone run game and and that's what carried them to this win. Yeah, And there were a lot of emotions flying before the game, and it just felt like the Titans were really in the Ravens head. I mean by Harbag going out to midfield when the Titans players were are evidently dancing on the logo at midfield and then Harbaugh goes out alone to talk to Malcolm Butler um that was an interesting move because the Titans like are coming into the stadium where they knocked you out as the number one seed, uh in last year's playoffs, and so I just felt like it felt like an emotional decision for Harbaugh to go to midfield. And I don't know if that kind of you know, gave the Titans some kind of like emotional leverage on the Ravens. It's it's an emotional move, but it just it backfires so badly when you blow a lead and you lose in overtime and there's there's really nothing good can come out of it. Because if you don't go out and you win the game, then it's like, oh, well we showed him on the field and then then you can talk your smack afterwards. But uh, if you if you don't go out and you lose the game, then nobody, nobody remembers that there was something at midfield where they were dance on your logo, which I don't know. It's just sort of silly, juvenile thing anyway, But what do I know. I don't have to I don't have to get emotionally charged for these football games. So um, but yeah, it was it was. It was a scene. Yeah, and you know, watching Henry run into the end zone for the winning score and the defenders who missed him in their path was just reminiscent in that way. As you mentioned, Gary was definitely a very different game from last January, but the idea that this team had kind of you know, it was just out of their grasp, you know, and they were missed opportunities, and that that ending to the game I'm sure brought back a lot of the feelings from January as well. Yeah, and it was I mean, look, it was that play. There was the A J. Brown go ahead touchdown, um physically willing themselves over the Ravens. Yeah, it's just and and that has to be so uh, I mean too great. I mean to have four guys with a clean shot at them and none of them can make the tackle. And then you know your rookie linebacker Patrick Queen, who uh big time talent but maybe a little up and down this year. But I mean that play ends with A J. Brown just steamrolling your your linebacker, you know, five yards deep into the end zone. And I mean that's a third and tent play that they throw short of the sticks and you just need to I'm not saying anything particularly insightful, but somebody has to tackle a J. Brown there and four so fourth down play. I mean, that's that's that's that's the way it goes. But yeah, yeah, that's the kind of play that just kind of takes the will out of players, you know it does. And look, they go to Pittsburgh Thursday night, so short week after a physical game. Look, they have outplayed the Steelers badly the last two times they face them. I'm gonna throw out the week seventeen game where where r G three started, But uh, I mean they should have won that game in Baltimore against the se it was earlier this year. A bunch of sloppy turnovers costs it for them. Uh. Now they go there a short week rivalry game. But how beat up are they coming off of this one? I thought the offense was I mean it's it's nowhere near where it was a year ago, but they were better. The the issue was was red zone again. I mean, they end up taking a much of short field goals in this one and losing overtime. And uh, I I don't know, I I don't know if you can really get over the fact that the offense is just not going to be what it was a year ago. But I still I continue to insist, and I suppose I'll continue to insist until they finished seven and nine and miss the playoffs. But I think this is this ultimately ends up in a leven win team with with a very very good defense and a good offense. And I don't think they necessarily can go into like let's say, Kansas City and win a playoff game, but uh, they're there. I I really think they're They're the number two team the a f C when it all comes down to it. Uh, and they just uh, I don't know. I think it's close to clicking. But can every time I say that, they they just they have a performance like this. Yeah. Yeah, And now they're on the fringes. I mean, they are at risk of not making the playoffs. It's a pretty crowded a FC picture. And as you mentioned, they have a game against Pittsburgh this week, and you know they're going to need some kind of like turning point. They're going to need everything to click into place and to kind of gain some momentum because right now they're trending the wrong way. And I hate I hate schedule gazing, But I also love schedule gazing. After that. Look, after the Steelers game home against the Cowboys, they still get the Jaguars and Giants at home. They'll play in Cincinnati against the Joe Burrow Liss Bengals. Uh. And you know, the one winning record team they have left on the schedule after this Thanksgiving game is Cleveland, and they've they've destroyed Cleveland in two straight games. So um, different different year, different teams. But uh, the nice thing is all these games are are our primetime games. They play Thursday night Thanksgiving, Thursday night the next week, and then Monday night against Cleveland, and we'll we'll kind of have a pretty good sense of how this is gonna go for Baltimore by the time that uh uh this three game swing uh winds up here. But but yeah, you're right, that does set up pretty well for them. And if you compare them to Cleveland, I definitely agree they're better than Cleveland. So I see your point, Gary, but I do think there's been some you know, it's just been a disheartening trend the last few weeks. It has, it really really has. Uh. Let's let's go out to Cleveland and and look, the Browns have played three November games, and it's like, I, I don't know, I I don't live out in the northeast Ohio, but it seems like it's just the same weather there every time they're on TV. It's just windy and rainy and sort of miserable. And it's these ugly games. And and the Browns have pulled out the last two of them. Now they beat the Texans last week, and uh, and now they beat the Eagles in this one in just an they're sort of, um, I mean, it's it's it's ugly football. It's uh kind of what they're built for now though. Uh. And obviously Baker Mayfield's kind of the face of this franchise, but when it comes out to it, it's it's been Nick Chubb. It's been the run game. It's been the defense that's sort of carrying this team right now. Yeah. And I was thinking the same thing that you were, Gary, just watching another icky, gray, wet, sloppy day in Cleveland. Uh. And the only one of those they lost was the Raiders, who are also well suited for that with their strong run game with Jacobs. So um, it's it's uh they've built a team that well suits the conditions that they often play in. Um, but it was still, you know, against the bad Eagles team. It was still you know, it took them a while to close it out. It did, it did. And by the way, that the Browns get to go to Jacksonville next week, so hopefully that Florida weather is a little bit better at this point. But um, you said a bad Eagles team, and I have been I've been sitting here waiting for the Eagles to turn around, and and maybe I'm maybe I have the same blind spot with the Eagles I do with the Ravens at this point, But uh, the Eagles are on a different level here because uh, I mean, look, they had the bye week and it was kind of like, Okay, they'll come out of this bye week. They'll they'll smooth some things out and things will be better. Things have been significantly worse since they came out of the bye week. I mean, back to back games they have just Carson Wentz is struggling. And we can almost set Carson Wentz aside for a second, because it's not just Carson Wentz at this point, it's the the entire offense is just completely disjointed. Uh. The if you just watch the spacing on on on some of these some of these passing plays, there's no it's like, no matter what happens, there are two receivers ending up in the same spot at the same time. On top of that, they you know, they have protection issues now. Uh. And and frankly, I mean Carson Wentz, who's having just a nightmare season anyway. Uh, even when things do go well, he's just not making the plays that he has to play like this, the simple place the pick six he threw was and I will I will stand by this. I think it was the worst quarterbacking play I've seen in because he is the play worked that they had. They had a play action and they had a little uh sort of in and out route by uh by Jalen Reagor who who ran it perfectly. Maybe he's wide open, Carson Wentz is staring at him, and he just doesn't throw the ball. So he ends up holding onto it and he ends up trying to check it down, but it's too late, and then he gets hit while he's checking it down, and then the ball flies up and it turns Toto a pick six and it's just, uh, it is terrible football. It's just terrible, terrible football. I don't know how almost to explain it at this point. Yeah, And I think that's a great example Gary of how it's there's always just one thing wrong. So even if the play design is good, then maybe Wentz doesn't make the throw, or maybe the a design is bad, or there's a bad snap, or ball bounces off the receiver's hands, or it's just always one thing. They can never get everything on the same page. And I agree with you in the sense that I also has taken me a while to say the Eagles are a bad team because I think if you look at the NFC East with Dak Prescott out, you say, okay, you've got once this should be their division. I mean Andy, Dalton and Dallas. Although the Cowboys had a good performance against the Vikings, but Alex Smith, who has playing with drop foot in Washington, Um, you know, Daniel Jones, who is on a better trajectory now, but it continues to struggle, or had early in the season, continued his turnover struggles. It seems like he's gotten them under control a little bit more now, but it just seems like this should be wide open for the Eagles. Uh, and it's not. They are two for twenty one on third down the last of the last two weeks. That that us sticks out to me the most. But it's uh. And that's thing. There's there's a lot to be said about Carson Wentz and and their commitment to Carson Wentz. And if we're just talking strictly contractually, they are committed to Carson Wentz at least through next season. At the same time, I understand why they're reluctant to move on from Once for two reasons. Number one is, you've seen him play at an MVP level. Uh, there's no real physical drop off with him, and on time, I mean, you saw him play at a really high level late last see less than a year ago, last December, when he was sort of carrying this this really uh you know, sort of sort of shell of a roster into the playoffs. And the other reason is, I mean, yes, Jalen Hurts the second round pick, you have a young quarterback behind them, you know, And and there's this line of argument that, Okay, why did you take Jalen Hurts the second round if you're not willing to put him in right now. But by the same token, would you drop a young quarterback into this offense with what's going on there right now? You you would. I feel like you would ruin a young quarterback if you if you threw them into this just complete mess of uh of a of a of a unit right now. I I think it's not feasible right that that's a move you make if the quarterback is the only problem. And as we detailed before once it's not the only problem. He seems to have lost confidence. He's not playing well, but nothing is going right around him as well. Uh well, let's uh, let's let's fire up the lightning ish round right now, and let's start it with a team where things are going. Well, that's the Steelers. They're they're they're tenan o now And uh, I feel bad just sort of ignoring the Steelers last two weeks. But it was like, you know, they smashed the Bengals, which we expected, and then they went down to Jacksonville and they smashed the Jaguars in this one. And uh, it did take the offense a little bit to get going in this one, but uh, the defense did more that. The defense gets four interceptions of Jake Luton and they hold the Jaguars to two six yards and they score twenty seven unanswered points, and um, I know it was it was just an overwhelming performance by a really good team against a team that is not really good. I liked Mike Tommins quote after and I'm paraphrasing, but it was along the lines of the only thing perfect about us right now is our record. And I think that's the right mentality. You know, they haven't seemed at times, it hasn't looked like a dominant team, and Jaguars and Bengals games aren't good benchmarks of that, but they're kind of know, a lot of things are going right, they're finding different ways to win, and so, um, that's why they're perfect right now. And if you're the seventy two Dolphins, you have you have Ravens Thanksgiving Night Circle, you probably have the UH games at Buffalo and Cleveland, and uh the Colts come to Pittsburgh. So some some good tests here down this down the stretch for the Steelers, who again they have room to improve, and by the time we get to the end of December, you might be saying this team is is on part of the Chiefs. I don't think we're quite there at this point. Even if they do end up with the number one seed in ah in the conference um out in Washington. The football team gets a win here and they are now in that three and seven mess of a three way tie in the NFC East. But the story this when Joe Burrow for the Bengals left knee injury major injury here. Uh, he will miss the rest of the year. And I don't know. The Bengals, I guess have a have a chance to I don't really know what they have a chance. They have a chance to finish in the bottom three and get a high draft pick and and get a get a blindside protector in a pen a sewell the Oregon tackle at this point, I guess that's what they're looking forward to. Yeah, And the way Burrow was hurt was just the thing that you fear when you have a talented young quarterback behind a porous offensive line. Right he's planted, he's throwing down to field, and you see defenders crashing into his leg and it's no one's all except for the fact that there's been really bad protection and he's been exposed to a lot of hits Um and so the thing that we all feared would happen happened. Yeah. And and like the image of Joe Burrows rookie year, which was I mean like he was he was great. Uh, it was him running for his life and so many plays he made this year was was him, you know, running around and creating late in the down. And this was one of the few times where he was actually just you know, it was a fairly traditional throw from the pocket, and uh, this is this is how it ended up. So, Uh, the Cowboys look like a just I mean, this was their best game in twenty They look like an absolutely competent team in Minnesota, and they upset the Vikings here. Uh the run game got going. Uh, they they end up coming back from a deficit twice in the fourth quarter. I mean, I don't know, is this the best team in the NFC East. It's like that children's book Are You My Mommy? Right? Where the I forget exactly the animal tries to go to all the different animals and my mom and you try all of these things because you just don't know who's going to win the NFC East. But I agree, I mean, the Cowboys looks good this week, Gary, So maybe um it was it was something. I mean, they showed some potential and I was just really surprised at the Vikings mistakes on defense that allowed the Cowboys to win this game. Yeah, it's uh boy, what a bummer here for the Vikings. It looked like they might be able to make a run to that seven seed in the NFC, but the defense just couldn't get off the field when they needed to at the end of this one. So man, it's it's a tough way to go out. It's you know, where we all rode off the Vikings a couple of weeks ago, and then it was kind of like, you know, it's time for optimism about him, and now it's time to write him off again. I guess we'll go Uh oh boy. Panthers and Lions talk about writing teams off. Uh So the Panthers end up going p J Walker, the the XFL star ends up filling in for an injured Teddy Bridgewater. And if you're the Lions and you're looking at this and it's like, you know, despite this really uneven season, uh there they have the playoff mandate from ownership and they're just kind of looking at it as Okay, we're still in this and now we get this XFL quarterback against the team that's uh, you know, not not very good. The Panthers are not a terribly talented roster, and just sort of felt like, Okay, Detroit's gonna Detroit. It's gonna live another week. They're gonna hang around in this playoff race and and maybe if they catch a couple of breaks down the stretch, but instead they just go out and they get blown out by a p J. Walker lead Panthers team, And I can't I can't really think of a worse way to uh to to to just sort of I don't die to just it all go down the drain in a game like this where you get shut out in Carolina a defense I couldn't stop anyone. Last week, Yeah, when Bridgewater was ruled out for the game, I noticed in the MMQB staff picks that you were the only one who had picked the Lions and everyone else has picked the Panthers, thinking that bridge Water would probably play, And I was like, Gary's Gary is gonna get one game up on the rest of us, because it just seemed like this is the kind of game you can't lose, and the fact that they did lose it you just wonder, like, what else does ownership needs to see. I mean, there is a convincing resume that Matt Patricia has taken this organization backwards, despite all of his public proclamations about there being so much work to do. Um, and there's there's a definitive case. I I can't imagine what they're waiting for at this point. Yeah, and again, look, it's it's been the defense all year for the lines has been the issue. Matthew Safford just this was the worst game I can remember Matthew Safford playing. He just he's carried this team for so many weeks and uh, this was his dud and it came at like the worst possible time for them. But Uh, I'm with you. It's just it's year three for Patricia. He's got his guys there, it's his system, and uh, it's just it's not working. Uh let's go out to uh Texans Patriots. Here plenty of the former Patriots part of the show. I guess, Uh the Texans first second or a year they beat the Patriots in Houston. I Mean, this game was all about Deshaun Watson. Deshaun Watson completely took over, and uh, I will say it's it's I always get a little bit nervous from Deshaun Watson, like drops his throwing shoulder around the goal line, and I kind of wish he would stop that because I do feel like it's going to cost him an injury at some point. But at the same time, it's just kind of cool to see him do that in a lost season where it's like that, you know, coming into this week, the Jaguars the only team the Texans had beaten this year. Uh, it's obviously you just on as poorly as possible in de Shaun Watson just out there making plays and just sort of reminding everyone though. Yeah, it's it's it is fun to win football games. Yeah, And I think it's really nice to see him having that joy because he's such a special talent. He's shown that repeatedly in Houston while in a really tough situation. And you know, there was a general manager fired not long after he got there, and then a year and a half later, the head coach is fired in the middle of the season, and uh, we saw the pr director fired, indicating that there's just a lot of stuff going on in Houston, and I think, um, it's you just look at a player like Watson and you want him to be able to thrive because he has these special gifts and when you see them, it's pretty beautiful to watch. So this was a nice reminder of that. And on the flip side, it was a reminder of just how much is wrong with the Patriots. Yeah it's uh, you know, it's funny. We've all been focused on on sort of how Cam turns every week and you know Cam is good and no, okay, now Cam is bad and what do they do about Cam? This was kind of reminded there was no Larreamy Tonsil in this game, who was out with the with an illness, and you would think the Patriots would be able to get some heat. I'll watch. They didn't touch watch in this game. I mean, this was this was a complete uh uh just non factor with the past for us. So uh, it was just kind of reminder the Patriots they have to address this front seven. Uh, they might not have to address the second. I mean, Devin mccordy is is getting up there, Stephan Gilmore will he be here next year? And Uh, and obviously on the offense side of the ball, they still have to figure out what they're gonna do a wide receiver going forward if they do go with another quarterbacks you brought in. I mean, look, if Tom Brady was still there and he's playing with the Tamari Bird as his top receiver, this is gonna be going just as poorly, possibly even even worse than it is this season. Yeah, the fact that it was this week when Cam threw his first touchdown to a new England wide receiver, this is all you need to know about the position. And uh, let's wrap it up with the Jets. They they maintain their lead and the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes here, but I mean, look, give him some credit. This was the second straight week they were competitive with a Joe flaccownder center. This was uh, you know, they sort of went back and forth with the Patriots and that Monday night game two weeks ago. This one was more of a you know, they Chargers got out to a lead and they just scrape and claw their way back into it. But they did. They lose thirty eight, and that's that's somebody said for that. Yeah, I agree, they kept it a little bit more interesting than maybe you expected going in. Um, and you know, there were there was a point in the game when you wondered if it was shaping up for another heartbreaking Chargers loss. But they get the win, Herbert gets the second win of his career, and um, you know, reminded that even in a Charger's season that has been frustrating at times, Herbert is it's really fun to watch. Yeah, yeah, I know, it's it's they certainly have the quarterback figured out there. Uh, they have to smooth some other things out with that roster. But it was just kind of like, I don't know, I I don't know what we'd be saying about the Charges this morning had they let this one slip away. But they didn't. They close it out when it was all said and done, and that's what counts, all right, Jenny, it was a pleasure to have you back here. You will be out with a new week Side podcast coming out Tuesday, and all you folks out there, if you aren't already subscribed to the week Side podcast, you don't get it on this feed anymore. It's its own feed, so go subscribe to it, rate review all that stuff. It's uh it's my favorite podcast. Thanks Gary. Alright. The mm QB Monday Morning NFL podcast is Jenny Brentis and me Gary Gramling. We are produced by Shelby Royson Sis. Executive producer of podcasts is Scott Brody. Ben Eagle is director of Editorial Projects and product Mark Rabick is Emeritus editor of the MMQB. Andy Benoit is the founder of the MMQB NFL podcast. 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