1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,547 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:11,747 Speaker 1: from Newstalks EDB. 3 00:00:12,787 --> 00:00:17,147 Speaker 2: New NFL season is underway. This is American football, of course, 4 00:00:17,307 --> 00:00:19,827 Speaker 2: leading to the Super Bowl in February. A couple of 5 00:00:19,827 --> 00:00:23,227 Speaker 2: games already Eagles twenty four, Cowboys twenty Chargers, too good 6 00:00:23,227 --> 00:00:25,147 Speaker 2: for the Chiefs twenty seven to twenty one. That game 7 00:00:25,227 --> 00:00:28,627 Speaker 2: was played in Brazil. A raft of games tomorrow, New 8 00:00:28,707 --> 00:00:31,587 Speaker 2: Zealand time. The big day four NFL over here is Monday. 9 00:00:31,587 --> 00:00:33,987 Speaker 2: It's Sunday over there, and then there's a Monday night 10 00:00:33,987 --> 00:00:37,187 Speaker 2: game which folds into Tuesday morning over here. Let's bring 11 00:00:37,227 --> 00:00:41,707 Speaker 2: in senior football writer with ESPN, Bill Barnwell. Bill, great 12 00:00:41,747 --> 00:00:43,507 Speaker 2: to have you join us across New Zealand with a 13 00:00:43,507 --> 00:00:45,667 Speaker 2: bit of a preview of the new season. The Eagles 14 00:00:46,067 --> 00:00:48,947 Speaker 2: oft to a winning start their Super Bowl champions of 15 00:00:48,987 --> 00:00:52,027 Speaker 2: course from last season. Are they looking like they could 16 00:00:52,067 --> 00:00:52,827 Speaker 2: go back to back? 17 00:00:54,707 --> 00:00:59,427 Speaker 3: Certainly, although definitely some question marks. This wasn't the sort 18 00:00:59,467 --> 00:01:02,627 Speaker 3: of comprehensive when you would expect in front of your fans. 19 00:01:03,027 --> 00:01:06,907 Speaker 3: Obviously started in very curious fashion with Jilen Carter, defensive 20 00:01:06,907 --> 00:01:10,507 Speaker 3: player getting ejected before the game. It really even started 21 00:01:10,547 --> 00:01:14,187 Speaker 3: for spitting on one of the Cowboys players. Very odd 22 00:01:14,307 --> 00:01:16,907 Speaker 3: starts the game, and it was close throughout. It was 23 00:01:16,947 --> 00:01:19,267 Speaker 3: not a game where they dominated a Cowboys team that's 24 00:01:19,307 --> 00:01:23,187 Speaker 3: not really expected to compete this year. So maybe some questions, 25 00:01:23,187 --> 00:01:25,907 Speaker 3: but certainly any victory is a victory, I suppose. 26 00:01:26,227 --> 00:01:28,427 Speaker 2: What about some of the other conteen is I'll give 27 00:01:28,427 --> 00:01:31,947 Speaker 2: you a few teams, the Bills, the Ravens, the Lions, 28 00:01:32,147 --> 00:01:35,227 Speaker 2: teams that haven't quite got there but have been close. 29 00:01:35,467 --> 00:01:37,627 Speaker 2: Could they take the next step this time? 30 00:01:38,747 --> 00:01:43,387 Speaker 3: Oh? Certainly, And there's a there's no team that feels 31 00:01:43,387 --> 00:01:46,747 Speaker 3: inbeatable right now in the NFL. The Eagles were excellent 32 00:01:46,827 --> 00:01:49,387 Speaker 3: last year, but they lost a lot of firepower on 33 00:01:49,427 --> 00:01:51,827 Speaker 3: the defensive ball censer side of the ball, I should say, 34 00:01:51,867 --> 00:01:53,707 Speaker 3: about forty four percent of the steps they had last 35 00:01:53,747 --> 00:01:57,267 Speaker 3: year from their players. Now they've gone elsewhere. So by 36 00:01:57,347 --> 00:01:59,987 Speaker 3: of young talent on the Eagles, but certainly they feel 37 00:02:00,027 --> 00:02:02,267 Speaker 3: more vulnerable. And the Chiefs, who have been the two 38 00:02:02,267 --> 00:02:06,667 Speaker 3: times Super Bowl winners before that, lost the Eagles in 39 00:02:06,707 --> 00:02:09,147 Speaker 3: the Super Bowl last year to get their season off 40 00:02:09,147 --> 00:02:11,907 Speaker 3: to a loss in Brazil, so they're already all in 41 00:02:11,947 --> 00:02:14,387 Speaker 3: one and they played the Eagles next week in the 42 00:02:14,427 --> 00:02:17,707 Speaker 3: marquee matchup of Week two in the NFL. So definitely 43 00:02:17,827 --> 00:02:20,547 Speaker 3: feels like the top of the league is vulnerable. Really 44 00:02:20,547 --> 00:02:22,947 Speaker 3: a lot of teams who could compete the Packers making 45 00:02:22,947 --> 00:02:26,587 Speaker 3: a big move for Micah Parsons the start offensive and 46 00:02:26,747 --> 00:02:29,347 Speaker 3: rusher before the season a couple weeks ago. But it 47 00:02:29,427 --> 00:02:31,507 Speaker 3: does feel like a lot of teams could do it. 48 00:02:31,547 --> 00:02:34,027 Speaker 3: But no team really a clear favorite right now. 49 00:02:34,427 --> 00:02:38,107 Speaker 2: Do you evaluate where the Chiefs are at? Clearly still 50 00:02:38,107 --> 00:02:42,147 Speaker 2: a very very good football team. Will they continue the 51 00:02:42,307 --> 00:02:43,827 Speaker 2: run of consistent excellence. 52 00:02:45,307 --> 00:02:48,307 Speaker 3: I do think they'll be excellent. But I wonder how 53 00:02:48,347 --> 00:02:50,347 Speaker 3: they react to the Super Bowl loss last year, because 54 00:02:50,347 --> 00:02:52,707 Speaker 3: it wasn't one thing to lose in a close game 55 00:02:52,987 --> 00:02:55,147 Speaker 3: and feel like though maybe it wasn't our day, they 56 00:02:55,307 --> 00:02:58,227 Speaker 3: really were overwhelmed. They really were blown out by the 57 00:02:58,307 --> 00:03:00,467 Speaker 3: Eagles from the very start of that game to the 58 00:03:00,587 --> 00:03:05,467 Speaker 3: very end, And so they have I wonder how motivated 59 00:03:05,467 --> 00:03:07,307 Speaker 3: they're going to be, you know, won two super Bowls 60 00:03:07,347 --> 00:03:09,987 Speaker 3: in a row, certainly maybe like, you know, what else 61 00:03:10,067 --> 00:03:12,427 Speaker 3: is there to conquer? Sort of feeling. Now they have 62 00:03:12,707 --> 00:03:15,427 Speaker 3: every reason to be motivated. Now, they have every reason 63 00:03:15,827 --> 00:03:18,987 Speaker 3: to be incentivized to prove, Hey, that was just the fluke. 64 00:03:19,067 --> 00:03:21,867 Speaker 3: We really are the best team in football, but a 65 00:03:21,867 --> 00:03:23,827 Speaker 3: lot of the players, a lot of even the coaches there, 66 00:03:23,867 --> 00:03:28,307 Speaker 3: Andy Reid, Chris Jones, Travis Kelsey and not Patrick Mahomes'. 67 00:03:28,627 --> 00:03:30,867 Speaker 3: You know, the first three guys thirty year old? Are 68 00:03:30,867 --> 00:03:33,987 Speaker 3: Patrick mahonmes now getting into you know, the veteran phase 69 00:03:34,027 --> 00:03:36,907 Speaker 3: of his career. You sort of wonder have they gone 70 00:03:36,947 --> 00:03:38,987 Speaker 3: as far as they can with that corn? Do they 71 00:03:39,027 --> 00:03:41,667 Speaker 3: maybe need to you know, replenish it and refresh a bit, 72 00:03:42,427 --> 00:03:44,747 Speaker 3: or do they have one more title in them? It 73 00:03:44,787 --> 00:03:47,107 Speaker 3: feels like, you know, after an on one one start 74 00:03:47,147 --> 00:03:49,147 Speaker 3: playing maybe the best team in football. In League two, 75 00:03:49,387 --> 00:03:52,307 Speaker 3: the Chiefs could really be, you know, playing from behind 76 00:03:52,307 --> 00:03:55,067 Speaker 3: the eight ball very quickly, which is not something they're 77 00:03:55,107 --> 00:03:56,907 Speaker 3: used to. They usually get off to very good starts. 78 00:03:57,347 --> 00:03:59,427 Speaker 2: Bill. When you look across the league, are there any 79 00:03:59,507 --> 00:04:02,507 Speaker 2: rookies new faces that you could see moving the needle 80 00:04:02,707 --> 00:04:04,107 Speaker 2: for their teams this season? 81 00:04:05,347 --> 00:04:05,547 Speaker 1: Oh? 82 00:04:05,627 --> 00:04:08,067 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean and obviously you always look towards the 83 00:04:08,147 --> 00:04:10,747 Speaker 3: quarterbacks as a team who could make the guys who 84 00:04:10,707 --> 00:04:13,347 Speaker 3: could make two, say, big leaps very quickly. You look 85 00:04:13,347 --> 00:04:15,547 Speaker 3: at Cam war the first overall pick who went to 86 00:04:15,547 --> 00:04:19,747 Speaker 3: Tennessee that's a franchise that has been really disappointing for 87 00:04:19,787 --> 00:04:22,427 Speaker 3: several years now, haven't been able to do much. But 88 00:04:22,867 --> 00:04:25,587 Speaker 3: that's a team that invested a lot of male offenses offseason, 89 00:04:25,787 --> 00:04:28,347 Speaker 3: didn't get much out of their quarterbacks last year. In 90 00:04:28,387 --> 00:04:31,107 Speaker 3: New York, Jackson dark who is going to be the 91 00:04:31,147 --> 00:04:34,787 Speaker 3: new quarterback for the New York Giants, eventually a quarterback 92 00:04:34,827 --> 00:04:38,267 Speaker 3: who is very exciting, really impressed during the exhibition periods 93 00:04:38,587 --> 00:04:40,827 Speaker 3: during the preseason. So the question of when he's going 94 00:04:40,867 --> 00:04:42,827 Speaker 3: to get in the lineup because the Giants have a 95 00:04:42,867 --> 00:04:44,507 Speaker 3: very tough schedule to start the year. But I would 96 00:04:44,507 --> 00:04:47,627 Speaker 3: expect Jackson Dart to be a player who really impresses. 97 00:04:47,827 --> 00:04:50,307 Speaker 3: And then Ashton john T, the really wonderful running back 98 00:04:50,467 --> 00:04:52,507 Speaker 3: who went to Las Vegas where they hired a new 99 00:04:52,547 --> 00:04:54,387 Speaker 3: coach and Pete Carroll. They have a new quarterback in 100 00:04:54,427 --> 00:04:57,787 Speaker 3: Gino Smith. That's a team where if they can have 101 00:04:57,827 --> 00:05:00,667 Speaker 3: an exciting year. Obviously Vegas is always a fun place 102 00:05:00,667 --> 00:05:04,547 Speaker 3: to play, so that could be a spot where if 103 00:05:04,587 --> 00:05:06,627 Speaker 3: they get their running game going, he could be one 104 00:05:06,667 --> 00:05:08,507 Speaker 3: of the focal points of the league. In his rookie season. 105 00:05:08,867 --> 00:05:11,787 Speaker 2: You mentioned this ninety four stout offensive lineman Michael Posson's 106 00:05:12,147 --> 00:05:14,787 Speaker 2: big tried pride to the season from the Cowboys to 107 00:05:14,867 --> 00:05:17,827 Speaker 2: green By just drilled down a bit into that for us, 108 00:05:17,867 --> 00:05:20,187 Speaker 2: What does that do to both teams? 109 00:05:21,827 --> 00:05:25,027 Speaker 3: Yeah, for the for the Cowboys sort of the you know, 110 00:05:25,427 --> 00:05:28,387 Speaker 3: they called themselves America's team. They're the most popular team 111 00:05:28,387 --> 00:05:31,187 Speaker 3: in America. It's almost like a recognition that they're not 112 00:05:32,387 --> 00:05:34,427 Speaker 3: the team people want to play for anymore. You know 113 00:05:34,547 --> 00:05:37,747 Speaker 3: that Mica Parsons would rather have been traded to sign 114 00:05:37,787 --> 00:05:40,187 Speaker 3: a contract for less money to play with the Cowboys 115 00:05:40,227 --> 00:05:43,347 Speaker 3: and having an owner and Jerry Jalonsers now in his eighties, 116 00:05:43,747 --> 00:05:47,227 Speaker 3: sort of reacting to a player wanting to get paid 117 00:05:47,507 --> 00:05:50,227 Speaker 3: a record salary for his position and to sort of 118 00:05:50,307 --> 00:05:53,627 Speaker 3: just you know, throw his there toys. There is toys 119 00:05:53,627 --> 00:05:56,587 Speaker 3: out of the prem I suppose and say I'm getting 120 00:05:56,627 --> 00:05:59,627 Speaker 3: rid of say, regardless, for the Packers, a team that 121 00:06:00,067 --> 00:06:01,947 Speaker 3: is the youngest team in football over the last couple 122 00:06:01,947 --> 00:06:04,347 Speaker 3: of years, have a lot of talented players. Maybe he 123 00:06:04,387 --> 00:06:06,507 Speaker 3: didn't have that star power, Maybe he didn't have that 124 00:06:06,547 --> 00:06:10,907 Speaker 3: guy who really gave opposing coaches fits and scared them 125 00:06:10,987 --> 00:06:13,587 Speaker 3: during the week. Now they have that player in Michael Parsons, 126 00:06:13,427 --> 00:06:15,867 Speaker 3: and that's a team and maybe they could take a 127 00:06:15,907 --> 00:06:17,627 Speaker 3: leap forward because they are so young, and now they 128 00:06:17,667 --> 00:06:20,067 Speaker 3: added a superstar player, one of the best players in 129 00:06:20,107 --> 00:06:22,827 Speaker 3: football at any position, in the prime of his career. 130 00:06:22,947 --> 00:06:25,507 Speaker 3: So really a big swing for them and the Cowboys 131 00:06:25,547 --> 00:06:27,467 Speaker 3: a sort of surprising step backwards. 132 00:06:27,827 --> 00:06:29,307 Speaker 2: I'm not sure if you had the chance to see 133 00:06:29,547 --> 00:06:33,027 Speaker 2: Louis rees Zamat, Welsh rugby star who gave the NFL 134 00:06:33,067 --> 00:06:36,267 Speaker 2: a go, didn't work out for him. What makes the 135 00:06:36,387 --> 00:06:40,027 Speaker 2: NFL so difficult to break into for athletes who are 136 00:06:40,707 --> 00:06:43,987 Speaker 2: terrifically successful in other similar sports. 137 00:06:44,827 --> 00:06:47,387 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean with that, you know, obviously an incredible 138 00:06:47,467 --> 00:06:51,187 Speaker 3: rugby career through his early twenties. Listn't make this as 139 00:06:51,187 --> 00:06:52,827 Speaker 3: a player in the talent of his career. I mean, 140 00:06:52,867 --> 00:06:55,307 Speaker 3: obviously someone who was in the prime of his career 141 00:06:55,307 --> 00:06:57,307 Speaker 3: when he decided to make the switch to the NFL. 142 00:06:58,547 --> 00:07:01,227 Speaker 3: It really is tough, just because there are some specialized 143 00:07:01,227 --> 00:07:06,827 Speaker 3: skills that come into it. You're not just not's a catching, 144 00:07:06,827 --> 00:07:09,947 Speaker 3: you're not just running, you're blocking. You have to stay healthy, 145 00:07:09,947 --> 00:07:12,347 Speaker 3: you have to convince people that you're you know that 146 00:07:12,507 --> 00:07:16,947 Speaker 3: you know the playbook. It is such a specialized sort 147 00:07:16,987 --> 00:07:19,587 Speaker 3: of sport. And when you see great athletes here in 148 00:07:19,667 --> 00:07:22,547 Speaker 3: America who played other sports who've tried to runto football, 149 00:07:22,547 --> 00:07:25,467 Speaker 3: it's been a very difficult thing. The one exception, of course, 150 00:07:25,627 --> 00:07:28,707 Speaker 3: has been ausolos football players who've been able to punt, 151 00:07:28,707 --> 00:07:31,467 Speaker 3: but that's really a specialized skill which you're only doing 152 00:07:31,467 --> 00:07:34,747 Speaker 3: one thing. You're really only just punting, and so you know, 153 00:07:34,827 --> 00:07:36,947 Speaker 3: that has been maybe a way for people to break 154 00:07:36,947 --> 00:07:39,867 Speaker 3: through it, kicking and punting. But I just think the 155 00:07:40,027 --> 00:07:43,147 Speaker 3: range of things you have to do and the sort 156 00:07:43,187 --> 00:07:44,827 Speaker 3: of time frame you have to prove it, and it 157 00:07:44,907 --> 00:07:47,947 Speaker 3: is so small that it really is difficult. So I 158 00:07:47,987 --> 00:07:51,027 Speaker 3: certainly appreciate resent on It's effort into try and do it. 159 00:07:51,107 --> 00:07:54,027 Speaker 3: Maybe you know, if he had been willing to stick 160 00:07:54,067 --> 00:07:55,387 Speaker 3: with it for a few more years, maybe would have 161 00:07:55,427 --> 00:07:58,427 Speaker 3: got an opportunity. Obviously an incredible athlete, but it is 162 00:07:58,507 --> 00:08:00,027 Speaker 3: just such a tough sport to break through. 163 00:08:00,067 --> 00:08:02,467 Speaker 2: And then the college ranks. A lot of hype around 164 00:08:02,787 --> 00:08:05,667 Speaker 2: takes this quarterback at Manning Philly finm a soon, time 165 00:08:05,667 --> 00:08:08,187 Speaker 2: of goals, mayfew, a python an a life. What do 166 00:08:08,227 --> 00:08:11,067 Speaker 2: you predict for him? Bill way of mott Hey end up. 167 00:08:13,067 --> 00:08:15,227 Speaker 3: I do think he could end up in the same 168 00:08:15,267 --> 00:08:18,667 Speaker 3: place his grandfather played many years ago, which is New Orleans. 169 00:08:18,707 --> 00:08:21,227 Speaker 3: These Saints really don't look very good this year, not 170 00:08:21,307 --> 00:08:23,907 Speaker 3: much at the quarterback spot. The favorites to have the 171 00:08:23,947 --> 00:08:26,147 Speaker 3: worst record in football, which would get them the first 172 00:08:26,147 --> 00:08:28,747 Speaker 3: overall pick next year. In arch banding, I mean it 173 00:08:28,867 --> 00:08:31,827 Speaker 3: has to be impossible, right, I mean, when your grandfather 174 00:08:31,907 --> 00:08:35,747 Speaker 3: was an NFL quarterback, when your two uncles were Hall 175 00:08:35,787 --> 00:08:39,427 Speaker 3: of Fame caliber quarterbacks. Really, since he was a child, 176 00:08:39,547 --> 00:08:43,187 Speaker 3: he has been destined to be the next great NFL quarterback, 177 00:08:43,227 --> 00:08:46,507 Speaker 3: and so he's getting his opportunities. He's gone an incredible 178 00:08:46,547 --> 00:08:48,587 Speaker 3: amount of hyphenning into the year. Didn't get off to 179 00:08:48,627 --> 00:08:50,587 Speaker 3: a great start. They lost to Ohio State a very 180 00:08:50,627 --> 00:08:54,067 Speaker 3: good defense in the opening to the college football season here, 181 00:08:54,147 --> 00:08:58,067 Speaker 3: but certainly feels like if he shows what everyone expects, 182 00:08:58,267 --> 00:08:59,987 Speaker 3: he'll ended up being in the first overall pick and 183 00:09:00,227 --> 00:09:02,987 Speaker 3: grand up sort of following in his grandfather's footsteps and 184 00:09:02,987 --> 00:09:05,907 Speaker 3: rebuilding a team in New Orleans to finish. 185 00:09:05,947 --> 00:09:09,707 Speaker 2: Bill my Son is a Minnesota Vikings fan. Can you 186 00:09:09,747 --> 00:09:13,987 Speaker 2: offer him any strait of optimism for the season? Oh? 187 00:09:14,067 --> 00:09:15,307 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, now, I was a team that won 188 00:09:15,347 --> 00:09:18,867 Speaker 3: fourteen games last year when fourteen wins, three losses, a 189 00:09:19,107 --> 00:09:22,747 Speaker 3: very imposing defense, very fun defense that is very aggressive. 190 00:09:22,787 --> 00:09:24,947 Speaker 3: They really love to rush the quarterback. And there's a 191 00:09:24,947 --> 00:09:27,707 Speaker 3: great unknown there in JJ McCarthy won a national title 192 00:09:27,707 --> 00:09:30,227 Speaker 3: at Michigan, a top ten pick, missed all of his 193 00:09:30,307 --> 00:09:33,267 Speaker 3: rookie season with a manuscus injury in his need. But 194 00:09:33,667 --> 00:09:35,547 Speaker 3: so it's one of those things where you don't really 195 00:09:35,547 --> 00:09:37,427 Speaker 3: know what you have with quarterbacks when they come out 196 00:09:37,427 --> 00:09:39,587 Speaker 3: of college football. It is a great mystery box. And 197 00:09:40,267 --> 00:09:42,587 Speaker 3: they if the organization is right and they landed a 198 00:09:42,987 --> 00:09:45,587 Speaker 3: superstar quarterback, the Vikings could be one of the teams 199 00:09:45,627 --> 00:09:48,147 Speaker 3: who compete for a Super Bowl. Hardly autogram of possibility. 200 00:09:48,867 --> 00:09:51,987 Speaker 3: Just maybe don't head to Minnesota in December or January 201 00:09:52,027 --> 00:09:54,547 Speaker 3: if you want to, you know, if you value your 202 00:09:54,587 --> 00:09:56,787 Speaker 3: time outside wonderful. 203 00:09:56,987 --> 00:09:58,507 Speaker 2: He'll be pleased to hear it. It's been great to 204 00:09:58,547 --> 00:10:00,627 Speaker 2: hear from you, Bill. Thanks for sharing your expertise with 205 00:10:00,747 --> 00:10:01,107 Speaker 2: us today. 206 00:10:02,387 --> 00:10:03,587 Speaker 3: Sure that is Bill. 207 00:10:03,627 --> 00:10:07,347 Speaker 2: Bonwell, Senior Football Rata with ESPNNG. 208 00:10:07,907 --> 00:10:11,107 Speaker 1: For more from Weekends Sport with Jason Fine, listen live 209 00:10:11,187 --> 00:10:14,467 Speaker 1: to News Talk Set B weekends from midday, or follow 210 00:10:14,547 --> 00:10:16,107 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio