1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: What's going on everybody? John Middlecoff Three and Out podcast 2 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: brought to me by the Colin Coward Podcast that one 3 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 1: Monday Night. Just finished watches the Monday night football game. 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 1: What an incredible game. I mean, that's really what we 5 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: signed up for. That's why I do this podcast. That's 6 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:19,440 Speaker 1: why I got into football, That's why I like watching sports. 7 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:23,239 Speaker 1: That game, I mean that that that was fantastic. We'll 8 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 1: get into that. Definitely got to dive into Patrick Mahomes. 9 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: So some thoughts on Earl Thomas. Uh, we've talked a 10 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:32,240 Speaker 1: lot about Levy on Bell. Earl Thomas broke his leg. 11 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: I'll dive into that and flipped off his his sideline, 12 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: Josh Rosen made his starting debut. I watched that game 13 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:41,880 Speaker 1: this morning, and uh, I have some thoughts on Josh 14 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: rose and then and then I'm gonna dive in a 15 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 1: little bit on college football. Also get into Middlecoff mail 16 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 1: Bag like we've been doing now. The Middlecoff mail Bag 17 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: is strictly through Instagram. So if you want to ask 18 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: a question for the Middlecoff mail Bag, hit me up 19 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: in my d M s on Instagram at John Middlecoff 20 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: and I'll answer your questions. 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I know we've last several years 46 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: people bitched and moaned about the Monday and night football games. 47 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 1: Especially ESPN has been mad, the NFL has been giving 48 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: them bad games. To me, Broncos Chiefs, especially at Mile 49 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:35,119 Speaker 1: High that that feels like my youth. I mean that 50 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:38,119 Speaker 1: that was a go to nineties football game. That that 51 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 1: game just feels right that that that was fantastic. There's 52 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 1: nothing like a night game in neither Kansas City or 53 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 1: Denver d a f C West. That matchup is just awesome, 54 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: just absolutely awesome. But the story of the game, and 55 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: let's call it what it is, the story of the 56 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 1: league right now is Patrick Mahomes. And we talked about 57 00:02:57,680 --> 00:02:59,639 Speaker 1: him last week. He was kind of just taken over 58 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: the league, taking it by storm. I thought he was 59 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 1: gonna have a little bit of a regression eventually, Like 60 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 1: and when I say regression, I just mean a bad game. 61 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,679 Speaker 1: Why because eventually, like when you make it to the 62 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 1: big leagues, and once they find out you can hit 63 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 1: the fastball, what do they do. They throw you a 64 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 1: curve ball. It's no different in football. Once they find out, well, 65 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:21,799 Speaker 1: this makes he's comfortable doing this, this, and this, let's 66 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 1: see if he can handle this. Usually what that is 67 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 1: are blitzes. They send people at you. They make you 68 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 1: make a quick decision. Well, what happened and I the 69 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:35,320 Speaker 1: Broncos have a fast defense. They pressured Mahomes. It threw 70 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 1: him off, as it should. You know, he's young. This 71 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 1: is really his first really really tough road game. I 72 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 1: know he played at Pittsburgh, but that was a day game. Uh, 73 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 1: it was really a morning game. I think it was 74 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: kick off at one o'clock their time, ten o'clock my time. 75 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 1: But they got up so fast the crowd never really 76 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 1: got into it. This was a different animal. They were 77 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: behind from the jump. Uh, Mahomes was just off and 78 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 1: they were bringing heat. But what did he do? Just 79 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 1: like what you want to see all young hitters doing 80 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 1: Major league baseball. Can you adjust to the breaking ball 81 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 1: at the plate? What did Patrick Mahomes do? He adjusted? Now, 82 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: he adjusted by getting outside of the pocket, and you 83 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 1: know who then did not adjust to his adjustment, the Broncos. 84 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:22,159 Speaker 1: They kept rushing up field. He is clearly and I 85 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:24,160 Speaker 1: think these far of comparisons a lot of people think 86 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 1: they're crazy. Listen, I get it. I never like comparing 87 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 1: a player to like an all time great player, especially 88 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 1: when he's in his third, fourth start or in his 89 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 1: first season in any sports, just because it's unfair to 90 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 1: the young player, no matter how much promise he has. 91 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: But the man on the moon can see that this 92 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:45,480 Speaker 1: kid's doing things that other guys can't. They just cannot 93 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 1: do this, Like what he's doing is just jumps off 94 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:52,360 Speaker 1: the television screen. And I think, and again I say 95 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 1: this all the time. In a day and age where 96 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:58,159 Speaker 1: we want to quantify everything, it's just black and white. 97 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:00,679 Speaker 1: You're either in You're either in the right or the black. 98 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:03,119 Speaker 1: You know you're either a good player or not based 99 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:06,159 Speaker 1: on your stats. There are things Patrick Mahomes can do 100 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: that you cannot quantify, like that passed that he made 101 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 1: to Tyreek Hill with his left hand. There is an 102 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: I'm a big believer in this, and in any walk 103 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: of life, in any profession, there is an instinct to 104 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: every profession and in sports, it's different probably than some 105 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 1: jobs because you can see there's a tangible instinct. But 106 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:30,599 Speaker 1: there's no different difference than being in like a meeting 107 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 1: room and pitching something and knowing when to talk and 108 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:37,480 Speaker 1: knowing when not to talk, knowing when to interrupt someone, 109 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 1: or knowing when not to interrupt someone. If you're in 110 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: a relationship and you're married, or you know you're you 111 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 1: have kids, there's an instinct of knowing when to say 112 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: something to your child and when to kind of let him, 113 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: you know, go through rough times or get mad at him, 114 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: or say something to your wife or no that like that. 115 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:57,039 Speaker 1: It's probably not a good time to to bugger about 116 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:59,360 Speaker 1: the food is not that good tonight for dinner. You know, 117 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 1: It's no different than like you just watch players, some 118 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:06,160 Speaker 1: players or robots. Some players are just natural that they 119 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:09,720 Speaker 1: have a special feel for whatever sport they play. Like 120 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:12,600 Speaker 1: I I live in the Bay Area, I've watched every 121 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 1: game Steph Curries played for the last six years. There's 122 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:19,480 Speaker 1: a special instinctive element to his game that the box 123 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 1: score cannot quantify. That was to me what really made 124 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 1: Brett Farve so so special as a player. He's arguably 125 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:31,600 Speaker 1: to me, the most instinctive player of all time. And 126 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:35,719 Speaker 1: there is a special instinct to Pat Mahomes that is 127 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 1: just I don't know, you know when you see it. 128 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 1: And there's also something special. Someone tweeted at me tonight 129 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 1: like Kyle Shanahan, Like why didn't Kyle like this guy? 130 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 1: He claimed that C. J. Bethard was the best quarterback 131 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:52,480 Speaker 1: in the draft when when they drafted C. G. Bethard 132 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:54,160 Speaker 1: two years ago in the third round, they obviously took 133 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 1: Solomon Thomas number three overall, and Patrick Mahomes, you know, 134 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:01,280 Speaker 1: fell to I think what picked twelve? And I would 135 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 1: imagine most quarterback coaches in the NFL and a lot 136 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: of coordinators weren't that high on Patrick Mahomes because there 137 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 1: was an element to his game that he plays outside 138 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 1: of the uh you know, of the parameters of what 139 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 1: a coach wants, Well, what does Andy Reid have experience 140 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 1: on that? A handful of guys in the NFL do. 141 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:26,880 Speaker 1: He coached Brett Farve in his prime. He did that. 142 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: He saw that, so when he saw Patrick Mahomes coming out, 143 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 1: he could lean back on an evaluation being around a 144 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 1: player that of coaches in the league couldn't remember because 145 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 1: it was so long ago, Slash. They never were around 146 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 1: far So if you didn't coach far it'd be hard 147 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 1: to really quite understand how good he was and how impactful, 148 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 1: you know, playing outside the elements of a play call is. 149 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 1: And I think Andy appreciates that now. And he also 150 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 1: appreciated Alex Smith. He loved Alex Smith. I think he 151 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 1: learned he had gone from Brett Farve to Donovan McNabb. 152 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 1: There were much more just pure athletes make plays than 153 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 1: what Alex Smith became. Even Mike Vick remember like he 154 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 1: was more of a freewheeler, play outside the the actual 155 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 1: what the offense is asking you to do. And he 156 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:23,680 Speaker 1: doesn't mind. He's very open minded of that stuff. A 157 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: lot of coaches don't like that. They want you to 158 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 1: play within the confines of the offense, and that's how 159 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 1: they look when they evaluate players, like look at the 160 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 1: guys Kyle Shanahan likes. He had a lot of success 161 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: with Matt shob when he was the O C and 162 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 1: quarterback coach with the Texans in the late to you know, 163 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:43,319 Speaker 1: in the like two thousand and eight, two two thousand 164 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 1: and eleven, when they were making all those records, running 165 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 1: the ball in that shop, was playing really well. Then 166 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:51,680 Speaker 1: he went to then he went to Washington and who 167 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:53,680 Speaker 1: did they have trouble? And they button heads with r 168 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 1: G three because r G three, you know, and he 169 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,120 Speaker 1: turned out to not be very good. But his best 170 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:01,679 Speaker 1: attributes are not within an offense. They're just kind of 171 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 1: letting him freewheel it and make plays. And then who 172 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:07,440 Speaker 1: did he fall in love with moving forward? Kirk Cousins? Why, 173 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 1: Because Kirk Cousins is colors within lines. Obviously, so does 174 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 1: Matt Ryan, so does. I think that's why Jimmy Garoppolo 175 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 1: was driving Kyle little nuts. Like Andy doesn't mind, he 176 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 1: likes it, and he's letting him flourish in that environment. 177 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:26,560 Speaker 1: And it's just sometimes there's also an element that we 178 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 1: talked so much about when players bust or they don't 179 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:32,840 Speaker 1: live up to potential. When you go into a draft, 180 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 1: like when you leave college, for the most part, you 181 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 1: start applying to jobs and you interview the jobs, and 182 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:40,960 Speaker 1: then if you do have a couple of options, you 183 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 1: end up picking a job. But in sports, especially pro sports, 184 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 1: the job picks you. You are drafted. It's not in 185 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 1: your control. So think how many quarterbacks in the history 186 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 1: of the NFL went to places they didn't want to 187 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:58,440 Speaker 1: go to, maybe a coach that they didn't like, or 188 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:02,319 Speaker 1: maybe a coach that didn't quite understand their talents. This 189 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 1: is the ultimate combination. So while Mahomes is special and 190 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: there's an instinctive element, there's also a huge It's not 191 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 1: an element of luck because Andy wanted this guy, but 192 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 1: for Mahomes, there's an element of luck that that's the 193 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:17,960 Speaker 1: guy that wanted him. I think how lucky is that 194 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 1: he ended up with Andy Reid and not with the 195 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 1: defensive head coach, not in an offense that doesn't want 196 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 1: him to play like this. It's just the perfect match. 197 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: And I can't white wait to watch the Kansasy Chiefs 198 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 1: every week they play. But let's get into Earl Thomas 199 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:36,560 Speaker 1: because it's been a talking point all season long. He 200 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 1: held out all training camp. Once the season got here, 201 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:42,679 Speaker 1: he showed up the week of the season. Uh recently, 202 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: the last couple of weeks he has misspractice because he 203 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 1: just refuses to practice. They called it a sit in. 204 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 1: I don't know what he does, stays in the locker 205 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 1: room whatever, he does not practice, but he plays in 206 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:59,679 Speaker 1: the game, and why does he play in the game 207 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:04,119 Speaker 1: Because he's under contract, and he's not just under any contract, 208 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 1: he's under a contract that pays him about nine million dollars. 209 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 1: So every game he's getting, you do the mass sixteen divide. 210 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:14,359 Speaker 1: I think the way it played out, you you can 211 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 1: amortize the signing bonus over the life of the deal, 212 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:22,439 Speaker 1: which he's in year four of. But you know it, 213 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:26,040 Speaker 1: according to spot track, the the website that kind of 214 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: does the best job of breaking down all the contracts, 215 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:31,559 Speaker 1: you know, his true cash is eight point five million 216 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 1: dollars this year. Well, he's not the highest paid safety 217 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:36,880 Speaker 1: in the league. He's still making a lot, you know, 218 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:39,680 Speaker 1: you know, seven eight grand game or whatever. He ain't 219 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:43,680 Speaker 1: passing up the check. So yesterday as he breaks his 220 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 1: leg in the game against Arizona, which sucks, which is terrible, 221 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:51,600 Speaker 1: and the Twitter freaks out and goes, this is exactly 222 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 1: why Levian Bell holds out, and I started thinking, first off, 223 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:02,120 Speaker 1: they're very very separate. Levian Bell is technically fighting for 224 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: or you know, attempting to hold out and create leverage 225 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:10,120 Speaker 1: or however you want to you know, verbalize it. He's 226 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 1: officially holding out, but he's really trying to take a 227 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:15,960 Speaker 1: stand against the man because he wants a long term contract. 228 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:18,360 Speaker 1: He's never got one. He's played on his rookie contract. 229 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 1: Earl Thomas is on a long term contract. He was 230 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:25,320 Speaker 1: a first round pick and then they broke him off 231 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:28,440 Speaker 1: once he became an all timer and paid him a 232 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:33,079 Speaker 1: boltload of money. What I struggle with in the NFL 233 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:37,120 Speaker 1: is a sport, unlike basketball and baseball, that are saddled 234 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:40,200 Speaker 1: with contracts of guys over thirty that note that the 235 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:43,080 Speaker 1: team would get rid of in a heartbeat. The fan 236 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:47,000 Speaker 1: base can't stand and is stuck with him. The NFL 237 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 1: never is because even a guy like Earl Thomas, his 238 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:54,679 Speaker 1: contract eventually runs out or the way the cap set up, 239 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:57,319 Speaker 1: you can get out of it and you don't have 240 00:12:57,320 --> 00:12:59,680 Speaker 1: to pay him any money. At the end of the season, 241 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 1: he was to be a free agent, and he was 242 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 1: really mad. He wanted a contract extension, which I get 243 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 1: you know he's earned it, But how many defensive players 244 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:13,239 Speaker 1: in the last twenty years does any team feel comfortable 245 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: with giving a third contract to the Seattle Seahawks. We're 246 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:21,280 Speaker 1: not getting free label labor out of Earl Thomas. They 247 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 1: were not screwing Earl Thomas. They were paying a premium 248 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 1: for his services. I would get him being really mad 249 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:32,880 Speaker 1: if he was making two million dollars. He was making 250 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 1: eight and a half million dollars. They were paying him 251 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 1: a lot of money for his for him to play 252 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,400 Speaker 1: on Sundays. And guess what he realized that Why because 253 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:44,840 Speaker 1: he played on Sundays, he didn't miss a game. Now 254 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 1: he broke his leg. That sucks and it's terrible, but 255 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:52,440 Speaker 1: you know it's football. Guys get hurt. So when he 256 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 1: was smiling ear to ear four years ago when he 257 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:57,440 Speaker 1: signed the massive deal and Pete Carroll and John Schneider 258 00:13:57,480 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: are next to him and he's getting this million dollar 259 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 1: signing bonus, happy as hell? Should that what I don't 260 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 1: understand about social media and the people that think the 261 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:09,679 Speaker 1: players are always getting screwed because I think we've jumped 262 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 1: the shark on the players getting screwed. Weren't the Seattle 263 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:16,840 Speaker 1: Seahawks just validated that they did the right thing. Imagine 264 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:18,200 Speaker 1: if they would have paid him at the beginning of 265 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:20,920 Speaker 1: the season and he's would have broke his leg, would 266 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 1: you feel would they feel good about that? They'd be like, God, 267 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 1: we knew he shouldn't have third contract. He's already broken 268 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:29,440 Speaker 1: his leg before. We shouldn't have done it. If anything, 269 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 1: were they kind of validated that they were correct in 270 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 1: not extending him. Now I would say this, and I've 271 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 1: crushed them before on this show, very very very poor 272 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 1: job of mismanagement of the player. Bill Belichick never would 273 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 1: have found himself in this situation. He would have traded 274 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:48,560 Speaker 1: him this offseason. Now, if you gotta bite the bullet 275 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:51,280 Speaker 1: and take a quote unquote sunken costs and not get 276 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: as much you think back, sometimes you gotta do it, 277 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 1: but you gotta get an asset for him. Now they're 278 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 1: gonna gonna get nothing. But to think that Earl Thomas 279 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 1: got completely screwed in this whole deal's just false. It's 280 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 1: just wrong. He was being paid a lot of money 281 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 1: to play, and he knew it, and he played. The 282 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 1: Seattle Seahawks were not getting over on him. They were 283 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 1: paying him a lot of money. Why because they once 284 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:20,360 Speaker 1: upon a you know a time, extended him and he 285 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:23,880 Speaker 1: couldn't assigned that contract any faster. So once you do that, 286 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 1: and I hear this all the time, well they can 287 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 1: cut them no ramifications. But they didn't but they did not. 288 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:33,880 Speaker 1: They kept him and they paid him. I think we 289 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:35,480 Speaker 1: get that a lot, but they can cut him whatever. 290 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 1: But did they How we say that about players all 291 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: the time. They do not get caught that are being 292 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 1: paid to play, Like Levian's like, oh you don't care 293 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 1: about me, Well we care about you enough to give 294 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:51,200 Speaker 1: you fourteen and a half million dollars. Earl Thomas has 295 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 1: made I think I checked it yesterday, like over fifty 296 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 1: five million dollars in his career. So yeah, he lost 297 00:15:57,680 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 1: a little money, and it listened to broken legs a 298 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 1: lot better than a torn a cl or something. He 299 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 1: should be able to come back and still get paid. 300 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 1: But he made his you know, his next generation of 301 00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 1: kids are taken care of. Like that contract has ben signed? 302 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 1: Should should just the last year of any contract when 303 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 1: a guy is good just not count and we always 304 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 1: have to renegotiate. Now as part of the deal, man, 305 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 1: it's the league. You it's part of the reason this 306 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 1: league pay so much. You know what you signed up for. 307 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:27,040 Speaker 1: You signed the contract I would have get if it 308 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:29,720 Speaker 1: would have been a poison pill contract. The first several 309 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 1: years were paying him, you know, ten eleven million dollars 310 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 1: and the last year was like one million dollars and 311 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:38,920 Speaker 1: been like, yeah, I Earl's getting screwed, but he was 312 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 1: getting eight and a half million dollars this year. I'm 313 00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 1: sorry he was not getting screwed. Was a less than 314 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 1: ideal situation, sure, but Seattle was paying him to play, 315 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 1: and playing he did. Because he didn't practice, he didn't 316 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: show up for O T A s. He was borderline 317 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:58,880 Speaker 1: and subordinate. And listen a full disclosure here. I've been 318 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 1: at a job. I was place that used to be 319 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:02,960 Speaker 1: at a radio station that was just a train wreck, 320 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:06,159 Speaker 1: and I was borderline and subordinate. I mean I couldn't 321 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:08,560 Speaker 1: take the people I was working for. Seriously, I get it. 322 00:17:08,600 --> 00:17:11,320 Speaker 1: I've been there, and I had less leverage than Earl 323 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 1: Thomas and made trust me way less money. So I 324 00:17:14,640 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 1: understand like taking a stand for what you believe in, 325 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 1: but if someone was paying me eight and a half 326 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:22,240 Speaker 1: million dollars, you know I'd probably shut up and be 327 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:27,080 Speaker 1: quiet and just do it. And ultimately he didn't really, 328 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 1: I mean, he didn't go out to practice, but he 329 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 1: showed up on game day for a reason. He's no dummy. 330 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:34,919 Speaker 1: He knew what he was doing. So I think at 331 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:37,520 Speaker 1: the end of the day, we gotta start throwing stop 332 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:40,680 Speaker 1: throwing pity parties for all these players, because deep down, fans, 333 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: you don't want your team to sign these dumb contracts. 334 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 1: You don't want your team to extend Earl Thomas And 335 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:48,359 Speaker 1: now he's hurting. Now you're just you know, it was 336 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:50,280 Speaker 1: up to Earl Thomas a w a game fifty million 337 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:53,440 Speaker 1: dollars six months ago guaranteed. Think how terrible that would 338 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:56,480 Speaker 1: look now it would be more. It's terrible business. This 339 00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:59,480 Speaker 1: is salary cap League, the Sea how Seahawks on the 340 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:02,320 Speaker 1: New York Gang Piece. They don't just have an unlimited budget. 341 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:05,800 Speaker 1: It wouldn't be good business to do that. Now would 342 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 1: it have been good business to trade them? Yes? Did 343 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: they screw up there one, But they didn't make a 344 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:18,160 Speaker 1: terrible financial investment because ultimately send extending a a defensive 345 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:23,160 Speaker 1: player to a third contract is just not smart. Can 346 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 1: I tell you about my friends at LinkedIn? Sure, a 347 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 1: lot of you guys business owners even may work for 348 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:32,639 Speaker 1: a business and you're in charge of hiring, and obviously 349 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:35,240 Speaker 1: it's a huge part of any company. And the hardest 350 00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:37,879 Speaker 1: thing to do in probably life is find the right 351 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:41,520 Speaker 1: person for a specific job. That's why we got linked 352 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:45,359 Speaker 1: in baby as the world's largest professional network. People go 353 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 1: to LinkedIn every day to grow professionally and discover job opportunities. 354 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:52,919 Speaker 1: Seventy percent of the U S workforce is already on LinkedIn. 355 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:56,960 Speaker 1: LinkedIn jobs matches people to your role based on more 356 00:18:57,000 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 1: of who they really are, their skills, interests, and even 357 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:02,680 Speaker 1: how open they are the new opportunities. This way, your 358 00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 1: job gets seen by more of the right people. Most 359 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:10,880 Speaker 1: LinkedIn members haven't recently visited job boards, but nine out 360 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:14,119 Speaker 1: of ten members are open to new opportunities, so you 361 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:17,480 Speaker 1: can easily reach them on LinkedIn. That's why a new 362 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 1: hire is made every ten seconds using LinkedIn. Businesses rate 363 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:27,399 Speaker 1: LinkedIn higher than job boards at delivering quality. Candidates. Hurry 364 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 1: up to LinkedIn dot com slash john and get fifty 365 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 1: dollars off your first job post that's LinkedIn dot com 366 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:40,880 Speaker 1: slash john. To get fifty dollars off your first job 367 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:46,240 Speaker 1: post LinkedIn dot com slash john, terms and conditions apply. 368 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 1: Let's dive in really quick. I watched Josh Rosen. I 369 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:54,080 Speaker 1: wanted to spend some time because Josh was one of 370 00:19:54,119 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 1: my favorite college prospects in recent memory, and I just 371 00:19:57,080 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 1: dove into his game. He played the Seattle Seahawks that, 372 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:01,719 Speaker 1: let's say so are not very good nowhere near what 373 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:04,520 Speaker 1: they were several years ago. But it was his first 374 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 1: career start. And if you just look at the box 375 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:09,880 Speaker 1: score again, you know, the box score scouts will be like, yeah, 376 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:15,160 Speaker 1: he was very good. Fifteen seven eight yards and a touchdown. 377 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 1: But watching the game, a little humble brag, you know, 378 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:20,679 Speaker 1: at the gym, throw it on my iPad and you know, 379 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:23,919 Speaker 1: on the elliptical actually with a treadmill, and I'm you know, 380 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:27,160 Speaker 1: jogging along, you know, taking doing some sprints, just watching them, 381 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:30,239 Speaker 1: and he looks exactly like he did in college, the 382 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:34,200 Speaker 1: most pro ready college quarterback to come out in recent memory. 383 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:38,160 Speaker 1: He throws an absolutely gorgeous ball. When you watch Josh 384 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: Rosen play football, the first thing you think is that 385 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:44,680 Speaker 1: guy was just born to do this, Like that is 386 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:47,199 Speaker 1: how it's supposed to look. Now, I'm not saying he 387 00:20:47,359 --> 00:20:50,679 Speaker 1: was like Joe Montana or John Elway or anything, or 388 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:52,879 Speaker 1: he's gonna be that, but just when you watch a 389 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:55,440 Speaker 1: couple of plays Josh Rosen and you watch him throw 390 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:57,639 Speaker 1: a deep ball, you watch him throw a deep post, 391 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,960 Speaker 1: you watch him just let the ball rip. You go. Damn, 392 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 1: that's what it's supposed to look for. That that is 393 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:08,880 Speaker 1: what I want it to look like. You know, sometimes 394 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:11,200 Speaker 1: you just you go to a party. You meet a 395 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 1: dude that just will never not shut up, life of 396 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 1: the party, whatever. You're like, I bet that guy's in sales. 397 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:20,160 Speaker 1: You know, that guy's a sales guy. We all know it. 398 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:22,919 Speaker 1: You know, you go to different events or whatever and 399 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:25,120 Speaker 1: you meet a person, it's you can I meet that 400 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:28,359 Speaker 1: that guy's a salesman, Like, that guy's in sales. Like 401 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:32,280 Speaker 1: sometimes you watch quarterbacking. I'm watching the Buffalo Bills play, 402 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 1: and I'm going, I don't know if I see the 403 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 1: instincts and the innate qualities to play quarterback in Josh Allen. 404 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:42,000 Speaker 1: And I know this. The Buffalo Bills at number seven 405 00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:44,720 Speaker 1: picked Josh Allen, who I didn't like coming out of college. 406 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:47,280 Speaker 1: I think. On an earlier podcast this year here on 407 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 1: three and Out, I said, you know, actually he's looked 408 00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:51,440 Speaker 1: pretty good in the preseason. Well the regular season is 409 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:53,320 Speaker 1: a different animal. And now his teams not very good. 410 00:21:53,320 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 1: And I'm gonna give him sometime. He's a major project, 411 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:59,680 Speaker 1: but he's just that a major project. Most major projects 412 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 1: at Core are back and never sniff living up to 413 00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:06,480 Speaker 1: the hype. And Josh Allen's biggest problem is he's not 414 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 1: just a natural accurate pastor. That is not his thing. 415 00:22:12,320 --> 00:22:17,000 Speaker 1: Josh Rosen is extremely accurate. Now he can't move like 416 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:21,040 Speaker 1: Josh Allen. He's pocket. He's stuck in the pocket. But 417 00:22:21,119 --> 00:22:24,360 Speaker 1: guess what, I'm watching games all Sunday. I didn't move 418 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:27,600 Speaker 1: off my couch for seven hours. Best quarterbacks in the 419 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:30,640 Speaker 1: league can't really move, Like what Patrick Mahomes is doing 420 00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:34,040 Speaker 1: is not normal. Most it's Philip Rivers, it's Tom Brady, 421 00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:36,879 Speaker 1: Drew Brees doesn't move, Matt Ryan doesn't move. Andy Dalton 422 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 1: doesn't really move like. We pay you a lot of 423 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:42,760 Speaker 1: money if you're in management in the league to sit 424 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:46,639 Speaker 1: in the pocket and throw dimes, throw darts, complete balls, 425 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:51,440 Speaker 1: move the sticks, as Daniel Jeremiah's Twitter account would say, 426 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:55,439 Speaker 1: move the sticks. That's what you're supposed to do. And 427 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:58,399 Speaker 1: I'm watching Josh Rosen and they must have dropped. I 428 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:00,119 Speaker 1: don't know the official drop number in front of me, 429 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:02,360 Speaker 1: but it's got to be like six or seven. I mean, 430 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:04,399 Speaker 1: balls are hitting the ground. He's hitting dudes in the 431 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:08,160 Speaker 1: hand went Damn, that's exactly what it's supposed to look like. 432 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:12,360 Speaker 1: That's what several years ago, like when they got Carson Palmer, 433 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:16,560 Speaker 1: a pocket quarterback who can just absolutely sling it. The 434 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:19,400 Speaker 1: Cardinals are not good. They're probably gonna be a three 435 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 1: and thirteen team, maybe maybe worse. I mean, they stink, 436 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:27,120 Speaker 1: But I'll say this, there is no better feeling than 437 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 1: being a bad team. When you have a young quarterback 438 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:33,439 Speaker 1: with the upside that is extremely high, and when you 439 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:35,360 Speaker 1: can throw the ball like Josh Rosen, and when you're 440 00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:38,160 Speaker 1: accurate like Josh Rosen, he is going to be really 441 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:40,440 Speaker 1: good in this league. I bet on him coming out. 442 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:42,720 Speaker 1: I bet on him even more now. He does have 443 00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:45,480 Speaker 1: an injury history that there are things like if he 444 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:50,560 Speaker 1: gets hurt, obviously that would scrub his growth. But if 445 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:52,359 Speaker 1: he stays healthy, he's gonna be a good player in 446 00:23:52,359 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 1: this league. If he stays healthy, he's gonna be a 447 00:23:54,119 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 1: better player in Josh Allen. I feel pretty confident on 448 00:23:57,119 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 1: that because unlike Josh Allen, who's head coach, is not 449 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 1: an offensive guy, so there's gonna be turnover, right, the 450 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:06,399 Speaker 1: offensive coordinator will leave or get fired if it's not 451 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:10,399 Speaker 1: working out. Josh Rosen doesn't necessarily need to be coached 452 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:13,440 Speaker 1: up on the mechanics of the drop back and how 453 00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:16,440 Speaker 1: to become accurate, like he already has those skills. Now 454 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:18,600 Speaker 1: he needs stability and needs good play calling. I'm not 455 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:22,440 Speaker 1: saying he can operate devoid coaching, but he doesn't need 456 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:26,760 Speaker 1: the most fundamental attributes and you know, teaching processes of 457 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:30,040 Speaker 1: this he already has that. That's that's the package he 458 00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 1: came with. Now, if you can surround him with talent 459 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 1: build a good team, you were gonna win with this guy. 460 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 1: He is a good player and he was. I mean, 461 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,600 Speaker 1: he's one of my favorite college prospects in recent memory, 462 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 1: and I look forward to watching him more because I 463 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:49,440 Speaker 1: think the Arizona Cardinals got something pretty special in their hands. 464 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:52,040 Speaker 1: Got a couple of quick thoughts. You know, I spent 465 00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:54,760 Speaker 1: all this time watching college football, I may as well 466 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:58,280 Speaker 1: touch on some some of my thoughts on in terms 467 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:01,200 Speaker 1: of the playoffs, what what I saw last weekend. My 468 00:25:01,359 --> 00:25:05,000 Speaker 1: my big takeaway from Saturday was I think Stanford is 469 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:07,560 Speaker 1: really good and Notre Dame really kind of put a 470 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:10,160 Speaker 1: stranglehold on them and kick their ass in the second half. 471 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 1: And to me, there's not really a take to be 472 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:15,639 Speaker 1: had about Notre Dame beside that they're really good, that 473 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:18,360 Speaker 1: if they don't draw Bama, if they're able to run 474 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:20,199 Speaker 1: the table and they get to the playoffs in the 475 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:22,719 Speaker 1: first round, that they can win a playoff game. Like 476 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:25,520 Speaker 1: to me, they could hang with Clemson, they could hang 477 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 1: with Ohio State, you know, they could hang with the Georgia, 478 00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:32,439 Speaker 1: they can hang with an Oklahoma. Uh. Clearly, Bama's you know, 479 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:35,920 Speaker 1: on a different level. But this Notre Dame team, they 480 00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 1: really play defense, and they can really run the ball. 481 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 1: And this new quarterback that Brian Kelly putt in the 482 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:44,879 Speaker 1: game all right, you know, I guess inserted as a starter. 483 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:47,720 Speaker 1: I guess it was two weeks ago. He's pretty good. 484 00:25:48,320 --> 00:25:51,440 Speaker 1: That this team looks just physically on a different level 485 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:54,040 Speaker 1: for the first time in a long time. Uh, and 486 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:57,199 Speaker 1: they look legit. I mean, you don't beat the crap 487 00:25:57,240 --> 00:26:00,000 Speaker 1: out of Stanford like that. And let's face it, like Michigan, 488 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:04,080 Speaker 1: it turns out Michigan's Okay, Michigan's defense is dominant. Shaye 489 00:26:04,119 --> 00:26:07,400 Speaker 1: Patterson tad been overrated. I'm not the biggest Shaye Patterson guy. 490 00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:09,240 Speaker 1: But Michigan is a good team. I mean, at the 491 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:12,480 Speaker 1: end of the year, they're probably attendant two team and 492 00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:16,320 Speaker 1: Notre Dame kick their ass. I know that the scoreboard 493 00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:18,800 Speaker 1: sent it was a one possession game. Anyone that watched 494 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:21,080 Speaker 1: that game knows it wasn't. And clearly Stanford they were 495 00:26:21,119 --> 00:26:23,280 Speaker 1: on a completely different level. To me, Notre Dame is 496 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:26,000 Speaker 1: a playoff team. Uh, just just from the eye tests, 497 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:29,320 Speaker 1: the stat tests, just watching them play, they are really 498 00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:32,920 Speaker 1: really good. You gotta give credit to Wisle State. Uh, 499 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:35,680 Speaker 1: going to independ State in that environment, a white out 500 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:37,560 Speaker 1: at night has got to be one of the hardest 501 00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:40,199 Speaker 1: places to play in the country. They were down big 502 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:42,560 Speaker 1: in the second half, and when I say big, I 503 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:44,480 Speaker 1: mean a couple of scores. For them to come back 504 00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:48,080 Speaker 1: and win that game without their best player, Joey Bose's 505 00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:51,960 Speaker 1: brother Nick at home is really impressive. I don't care 506 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:54,879 Speaker 1: if James Franklin had a shitty play called you know 507 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:57,360 Speaker 1: at the end of the game. Whatever, you win that 508 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:00,960 Speaker 1: game in that environment, uh, you're the real deal. To me, 509 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:03,119 Speaker 1: they're the second best team in the country even on 510 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:05,560 Speaker 1: like you win a game on your bad night. What 511 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:07,879 Speaker 1: do they always say, Like the thing about like a 512 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 1: starting pitchers is of course like Kershaw and Bumgarner and 513 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:14,320 Speaker 1: those type guys. Sure as you're When they're on, they're unhittable. 514 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:16,439 Speaker 1: But what makes them great is when they don't have 515 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:18,719 Speaker 1: their A stuff, they could still go seven and they 516 00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:21,600 Speaker 1: still give up one run. That's the reason they're million 517 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:24,359 Speaker 1: thirty million dollar guys. It's not because when they have 518 00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:27,080 Speaker 1: their A stuff going a lot most guys do. What 519 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 1: about when you have your be stuff going, your see 520 00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:31,720 Speaker 1: stuff going? Can you still get guys out when you 521 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: aren't playing your best game? Can you still win? An 522 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:36,119 Speaker 1: Ohio State can because they didn't play very well and 523 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:38,440 Speaker 1: they beat a team on the road that I mean, 524 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:41,040 Speaker 1: it's so hard to win. Their hat tip toed Ohouse State. 525 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:43,440 Speaker 1: They're really good. I'm not a bigger Abandmyer guy. I 526 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:46,040 Speaker 1: think he's a massive fraud, you know. I thought he 527 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:48,080 Speaker 1: was a fraud since he faked the heart attack in Florida. 528 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:51,360 Speaker 1: But he can really coach and his team is stacked, 529 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:53,480 Speaker 1: and I would not want to play Ohio State. I 530 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:55,879 Speaker 1: think Ohio State if boasts is healthy, and that's clearly 531 00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:58,720 Speaker 1: a big if right now. Joey's not, Nick's not, None 532 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:01,800 Speaker 1: of the boasts of families healthy. But if he's healthy, 533 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 1: they have they can win the Natty Clemsons in trouble. 534 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 1: You know their quarterback. They're depending on this freshman quarterback 535 00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:11,960 Speaker 1: and I don't I haven't read anything since he got 536 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:14,080 Speaker 1: knocked out of the game. Who knows if he's coming back. 537 00:28:14,119 --> 00:28:17,639 Speaker 1: He'll be ready this week. But you do see and 538 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:22,320 Speaker 1: that injuries happen. Quarterbacks go down, And that's the one 539 00:28:22,320 --> 00:28:24,639 Speaker 1: thing that's scary about Alabama is like they're completely on 540 00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:27,080 Speaker 1: a different level with TWA, but they've proven they can 541 00:28:27,119 --> 00:28:30,080 Speaker 1: get to the national championship with Jalen Hurston. So it's 542 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:33,840 Speaker 1: like they got they got two dudes. Clemson now where 543 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:35,600 Speaker 1: they used to have two dudes, Like Kelly Bryant got 544 00:28:35,640 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 1: him the playoffs last year. Well he's gone, he transferred, 545 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:41,440 Speaker 1: he bounced, he's out. And the moment that dude went 546 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 1: down in that game against Syracuse, people are like, oh 547 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:47,680 Speaker 1: my god, Clemson screwed they. Now they ended up overcoming it. 548 00:28:47,760 --> 00:28:50,680 Speaker 1: A great game in the second half, just great comeback. 549 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:52,959 Speaker 1: Their defensive line took over as they should. They got 550 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:55,800 Speaker 1: a ton of defensive you know, future pros that they 551 00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 1: should dominate. But they are very dependent on this fresh 552 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:03,200 Speaker 1: and quarterback like they cannot even compete in the playoffs. 553 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:06,400 Speaker 1: They could get there because the a c C stinks, 554 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:09,240 Speaker 1: But with with this at the backup had to play 555 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:10,360 Speaker 1: the rest of the season. They could win all the 556 00:29:10,360 --> 00:29:13,120 Speaker 1: games because their roster is good enough. But you could 557 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:16,480 Speaker 1: argue if there are like five undefeated teams that you 558 00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:19,880 Speaker 1: could leave them out because if Kelly, if Trevor Lawrence 559 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:22,239 Speaker 1: is not playing the freshman quarterback, that they have no 560 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:25,240 Speaker 1: business competing with. The Ohio States held, the Notre Dames, 561 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:29,080 Speaker 1: the definitely, the Alabama's, the Georgia's like they need Trevor Lawrence. 562 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 1: Now they got Trevor Lawrence that they can hang with 563 00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:33,680 Speaker 1: anyone because they are stacked to to meet them with 564 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:38,240 Speaker 1: Trevor Lawrence. Ohio State and Alabama are just are the 565 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:40,360 Speaker 1: cream of the crop. Now Alabama's the cream of the crop, 566 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:43,680 Speaker 1: like the top dog. But those other two when they're playing, well, 567 00:29:44,440 --> 00:29:48,200 Speaker 1: watch out just because the athletes. George is clearly really good. 568 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:53,120 Speaker 1: L s Us really good. Uh Michigan, it's gonna I 569 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:54,600 Speaker 1: I think at the end of the day, even if 570 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:57,080 Speaker 1: they do run the table up until that Ohio State game, 571 00:29:57,160 --> 00:29:59,360 Speaker 1: I I don't know if they're gonna have enough offense 572 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:01,520 Speaker 1: jape had is good enough to beat Ohio State. So 573 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:04,000 Speaker 1: it'll probably be the fourth straight year that Harball loses 574 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:08,720 Speaker 1: to Michigan. But right now it's clear Obama Clemson as 575 00:30:08,760 --> 00:30:11,000 Speaker 1: long as Trevor Lawrence to come back. If not, they're screwed. 576 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:15,560 Speaker 1: Notre Dame, oh I forgot. Oklahoma's really good. I mean, 577 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:18,040 Speaker 1: it's college football year is fantastic. We have a ton 578 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 1: of really good quarterbacks. I mean, look, Alabama star quarterback, 579 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:25,360 Speaker 1: Oklahoma star quarterback, Clemson injured, but he's a star quarterback. 580 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:29,800 Speaker 1: Ohio State asking star quarterback, Notre Dame just star program 581 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:32,560 Speaker 1: like this, this, this is great. Man, she signed me 582 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:34,880 Speaker 1: up for these games. You know, you get prime time 583 00:30:34,920 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 1: Notre Dame Stanford, you know whenever l s U plays Alabama, 584 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:42,719 Speaker 1: you know, the Oklahoma Texas this weekend. I'm getting just 585 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:45,960 Speaker 1: chills even talking about it, Like I love that. There 586 00:30:46,040 --> 00:30:48,560 Speaker 1: is nothing like a good college football game, especially a 587 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:50,920 Speaker 1: good college football game at night, when the quarterback plays 588 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 1: good and athletes are everywhere. This has been a fantastic 589 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:57,280 Speaker 1: college football season. Okay, let's get to my favorite part 590 00:30:57,280 --> 00:31:00,280 Speaker 1: of the week, Middlecoff mail bag. You want to ask actions. 591 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:02,320 Speaker 1: I still got a bunch. I got like ten. I'll 592 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:04,480 Speaker 1: bang out like four or five right now. I'll get 593 00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:07,160 Speaker 1: to more on Friday. We're doing the podcast now, Tuesday's 594 00:31:07,400 --> 00:31:11,080 Speaker 1: Friday's so slide up in my d M on Instagram 595 00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:14,160 Speaker 1: at John Middlecoff, same thing as my Twitter handle and 596 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:17,000 Speaker 1: just put Middlecoff mail bag and I'll answer the question 597 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:19,920 Speaker 1: and if I if I haven't got to yet, I'm 598 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:24,240 Speaker 1: working through him. I'll get to it, okay. Alex in 599 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:27,720 Speaker 1: New Orleans love the podcast. What's your assessment of Luck 600 00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:30,720 Speaker 1: Shoulder through the first few weeks of the season. Do 601 00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:33,520 Speaker 1: you expect him to return to all pro form? Are 602 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:36,080 Speaker 1: we reading too much into Jacoby Prosette having to throw 603 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:39,440 Speaker 1: the hail Mary? Full disclosure, I have not watched all 604 00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:42,240 Speaker 1: of that overtime game. We're Luck's stats were just stupid. 605 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:44,760 Speaker 1: I saw bits of pieces of it through the red 606 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:47,960 Speaker 1: Zone channel. I do know this in the first couple 607 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:49,880 Speaker 1: of weeks watching him play, and I watched him a 608 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:51,600 Speaker 1: decent amount in the first couple of weeks, and I 609 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:54,400 Speaker 1: watched bits and pieces of that game too. He does 610 00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:56,920 Speaker 1: not have the same zip on the ball now. He's 611 00:31:57,000 --> 00:32:00,960 Speaker 1: never been like a Mahomes. Derek Carr, you know type 612 00:32:00,960 --> 00:32:03,280 Speaker 1: guy just to let it rip like that that it's 613 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:08,440 Speaker 1: not really his game. He's more of like a you know, 614 00:32:08,520 --> 00:32:12,239 Speaker 1: a better version of like Philip Rivers. He's stronger arm, 615 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 1: but that that's kind of his game. Now he's more 616 00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:16,000 Speaker 1: mobile when I when I just mean by the way 617 00:32:16,040 --> 00:32:19,520 Speaker 1: he passes the ball very accurate. Uh you know he 618 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:23,720 Speaker 1: just he just picked you apart. Now his the huge 619 00:32:23,840 --> 00:32:26,880 Speaker 1: separating factor like where he's not like that's cops terrible 620 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:30,120 Speaker 1: actually because he can move way better. But you get 621 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:33,720 Speaker 1: what I'm saying, Like he won throwing throwing darts lasers 622 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:37,120 Speaker 1: for completions, but they weren't like he wasn't Andy Dalton, 623 00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:40,240 Speaker 1: but he might know means was like Joe Flacco this year. 624 00:32:40,280 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 1: You can tell. It's just he doesn't have the same 625 00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:44,800 Speaker 1: zip on the ball, which can be expected. I mean 626 00:32:44,840 --> 00:32:47,600 Speaker 1: he he missed what like six hundred plus days of 627 00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:51,040 Speaker 1: not throwing a football. Uh. He had the crazy snowboard 628 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 1: accident where who knows what, he fall down a black 629 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:56,680 Speaker 1: diamond and he heard his shoulder. Will he get back? 630 00:32:56,920 --> 00:32:59,000 Speaker 1: I saw a couple of weeks ago Steve Young talk 631 00:32:59,080 --> 00:33:01,920 Speaker 1: about I sure you know Steve kind of saying like 632 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:04,160 Speaker 1: he was seeing the same thing and you hope he 633 00:33:04,160 --> 00:33:06,120 Speaker 1: gets back, but you never truly know, and it's just 634 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:08,680 Speaker 1: one of those things that you never truly know. But 635 00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:12,080 Speaker 1: I do know this that you can function and this 636 00:33:12,160 --> 00:33:14,040 Speaker 1: is probably where you get to the Rivers, Like you 637 00:33:14,040 --> 00:33:17,080 Speaker 1: can function at a really really high level when you're 638 00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:19,480 Speaker 1: really smart, you're really big like that, and you can 639 00:33:19,520 --> 00:33:22,600 Speaker 1: play accurately and throw the ball accurately, like if he 640 00:33:22,640 --> 00:33:26,400 Speaker 1: has to turn into Philip Rivers with some mobility where 641 00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:28,480 Speaker 1: he just doesn't have a great arm, you can kick 642 00:33:28,520 --> 00:33:31,520 Speaker 1: ass that way. So I don't think he'll probably ever 643 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:33,280 Speaker 1: get his arm strength back because he had like his 644 00:33:33,360 --> 00:33:36,720 Speaker 1: first couple of years, uh, just just betting against you know, 645 00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:40,160 Speaker 1: the human body and the surgeries that he had. But 646 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:43,480 Speaker 1: but I do think that you know, to me, the 647 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:46,040 Speaker 1: Jacobe Brissette throwing the Hail Mary a couple of weeks 648 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:48,320 Speaker 1: ago as more just that that's a play where you 649 00:33:48,360 --> 00:33:51,360 Speaker 1: have to go all out, you know, and what why 650 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:54,160 Speaker 1: Risks ripping his shoulder? Like to me, that's just a 651 00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:56,880 Speaker 1: smart play. I don't read that much into it. To me, 652 00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:59,200 Speaker 1: I read more into just watching him throw the ball, 653 00:33:59,280 --> 00:34:01,560 Speaker 1: and it's not quite the same. But I love luck 654 00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:05,720 Speaker 1: and uh I think he'll get it back eventually, maybe 655 00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:09,200 Speaker 1: not all the arm strength, but just his ability. Okay, 656 00:34:09,280 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 1: question for the mail bag, how would you rate the 657 00:34:11,680 --> 00:34:14,960 Speaker 1: top five young quarterbacks in the league. I think we've 658 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:18,680 Speaker 1: talked about it before. Uh, it's just such a fluid situation. 659 00:34:18,719 --> 00:34:21,040 Speaker 1: I mean, a couple of years ago, Derek Carr was 660 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:23,160 Speaker 1: gonna be the m v P. Last year, Carson Wentz 661 00:34:23,200 --> 00:34:25,120 Speaker 1: was gonna be the m v P. One had a 662 00:34:25,120 --> 00:34:27,239 Speaker 1: broken leg, one had a torny a c L. Now 663 00:34:27,239 --> 00:34:30,359 Speaker 1: Patrick Mahomes the greatest thing since sliced bread last year 664 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:32,600 Speaker 1: to Shaun Watson was tearing up the league. Now he sucks. 665 00:34:33,800 --> 00:34:36,640 Speaker 1: You know, it's so hard with young players. They fluctuate 666 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:39,279 Speaker 1: so much like every game. Drew Brees looks the same 667 00:34:39,719 --> 00:34:42,400 Speaker 1: for the most part every game, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, 668 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:46,120 Speaker 1: you know, they played the same game. The hard part 669 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:48,759 Speaker 1: with young players, they're like the stock market. They're up 670 00:34:48,760 --> 00:34:50,600 Speaker 1: and they're down, they're down. They're up there, up there, 671 00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:53,200 Speaker 1: up there, up there, down down, up up up. You know, 672 00:34:53,280 --> 00:34:55,719 Speaker 1: Derek Carr was terrible in the game for the first half. 673 00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:58,400 Speaker 1: Good in the second half. Jimmy Garoppolo came into the 674 00:34:58,440 --> 00:35:00,600 Speaker 1: year kind of up and down. I think there's just 675 00:35:00,680 --> 00:35:04,840 Speaker 1: a group of guys mahomes physical talent. Obviously, Carson Wentz 676 00:35:04,960 --> 00:35:08,200 Speaker 1: right there. I am still not giving up on Derek Carr. 677 00:35:08,280 --> 00:35:11,680 Speaker 1: Jared Goff right now is playing incredibly. Carson Wentz is 678 00:35:11,719 --> 00:35:14,319 Speaker 1: still just a special, special talent. They got a bunch 679 00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:17,359 Speaker 1: of you know, guys banged up a little down on 680 00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:20,840 Speaker 1: Mariota at least coming into this year, but he's just 681 00:35:20,920 --> 00:35:23,680 Speaker 1: kind of finding a way. He is really mentally tough, 682 00:35:23,719 --> 00:35:25,960 Speaker 1: but his physical attributes aren't great. He's got to find 683 00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:27,960 Speaker 1: a way to stay healthy. I think there's just an 684 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:30,799 Speaker 1: incredible crop of young players. And then I'm not even 685 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:34,680 Speaker 1: counting the Baker Donald and Rosen looks pretty awesome. And 686 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:38,000 Speaker 1: I'm not the biggest Josh Allen guy, but he's definitely 687 00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:41,040 Speaker 1: a talented player. And yeah, I don't want to forget 688 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:42,480 Speaker 1: this guy. I mean, there are so many young players. 689 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:45,520 Speaker 1: Dak Prescott. I hate watching the Cowboys. I find them 690 00:35:45,560 --> 00:35:48,200 Speaker 1: extremely boring. And don't get me wrong, I'm not like 691 00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:50,600 Speaker 1: anti Cowboys. I love the brand. I know how good 692 00:35:50,600 --> 00:35:52,200 Speaker 1: they are for the NFL and what I do for 693 00:35:52,239 --> 00:35:54,319 Speaker 1: a business. You know, I talked about football. So I 694 00:35:54,360 --> 00:35:56,719 Speaker 1: like the Cowboys being good, but I gotta give Dak 695 00:35:56,719 --> 00:35:59,080 Speaker 1: Prescott credit that final drive. And I know it wasn't 696 00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:01,720 Speaker 1: the Lions. It wasn't the eight five Bears on Sunday 697 00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:03,600 Speaker 1: was really impressive. I was watching it, came up on 698 00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:06,080 Speaker 1: the red zone, he went bang, bang boom, game winner. 699 00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:08,840 Speaker 1: It was like, damn, that was an impressive drive. I 700 00:36:09,040 --> 00:36:12,120 Speaker 1: can see why the Cowboys like Dak Prescott because I 701 00:36:12,560 --> 00:36:16,799 Speaker 1: was impressed with Jimmy g getting hurt. Do you think 702 00:36:16,840 --> 00:36:20,239 Speaker 1: the forty Niners trade for a backup quarterback with Tyrod 703 00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:22,840 Speaker 1: Bradford and Foles being moved as the backup? Saying with 704 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:27,160 Speaker 1: Ryan Fitzpatrick, could you give a list of the best 705 00:36:27,239 --> 00:36:30,800 Speaker 1: backup quarterbacks top five? I would say there's zero chance, 706 00:36:31,200 --> 00:36:34,480 Speaker 1: one zero chance unless c. J. Beathur in the next 707 00:36:34,520 --> 00:36:37,120 Speaker 1: couple of years has a bad injury that they trade 708 00:36:37,160 --> 00:36:39,799 Speaker 1: for a backup quarterback because now it's clear they can 709 00:36:39,880 --> 00:36:42,279 Speaker 1: keep developing young guys, get a top pick, and then 710 00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:44,920 Speaker 1: just come back next year with Jimmy. Uh. If you 711 00:36:44,960 --> 00:36:47,239 Speaker 1: had to go best backup quarterbacks, you you'd have to 712 00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:49,320 Speaker 1: put to me the way I view a backup quarterback. 713 00:36:49,640 --> 00:36:51,239 Speaker 1: It's not how they play if they have to start 714 00:36:51,239 --> 00:36:53,600 Speaker 1: four or five games, because that's the reason they're the backup, 715 00:36:53,960 --> 00:36:56,640 Speaker 1: Like Ryan Fitzpatrick cannot sustain it. But if he has 716 00:36:56,719 --> 00:36:59,760 Speaker 1: to start a game or two, Like if your quarterback 717 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:01,919 Speaker 1: it's his ankle really bad and can't play a game, 718 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:04,680 Speaker 1: can you win that game with the backup? You can 719 00:37:04,760 --> 00:37:08,719 Speaker 1: with Foles, you can with Fitzpatrick. Bradford has just thrown 720 00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:11,080 Speaker 1: up the white flag. So I would say no on that. 721 00:37:12,440 --> 00:37:15,040 Speaker 1: I think you saw with c. J. Beathard playing against 722 00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:17,880 Speaker 1: the Chargers. He's not a bad backup. He's definitely not 723 00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:21,920 Speaker 1: a starter, but he is by no means a bad backup. Uh. 724 00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:25,160 Speaker 1: There just aren't many good backups in the NFL. You know, 725 00:37:25,200 --> 00:37:27,600 Speaker 1: in a perfect world like case keenom is your backup, 726 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:29,799 Speaker 1: then when case Keenum has to start a lot, he 727 00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:32,839 Speaker 1: eventually gets exposed. Uh. And I know he played well 728 00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:34,520 Speaker 1: last year, but just watch him on the Monday night 729 00:37:34,560 --> 00:37:38,080 Speaker 1: game like he's just a limited player. Uh. So I'd 730 00:37:38,120 --> 00:37:42,720 Speaker 1: go Fitzpatrick Foles definitely. I probably one and two because 731 00:37:42,760 --> 00:37:46,000 Speaker 1: if you have to win a game, regular season or playoff, 732 00:37:46,080 --> 00:37:48,120 Speaker 1: do you even have a chance. Chad Haney a couple 733 00:37:48,160 --> 00:37:50,040 Speaker 1: of years ago, what was playing. I guess it was 734 00:37:50,080 --> 00:37:53,719 Speaker 1: Matt Moore was the backup for the Miami Dolphins. Back 735 00:37:53,760 --> 00:37:56,600 Speaker 1: backups are hard because if they do have to play 736 00:37:56,640 --> 00:37:59,680 Speaker 1: for a an extended period of time, they're always gonna 737 00:37:59,680 --> 00:38:02,960 Speaker 1: look like eventually, Fitzpatrick was bound to look bad if 738 00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:05,440 Speaker 1: he kept playing, because he's not as good as Jamis, 739 00:38:05,480 --> 00:38:07,319 Speaker 1: But he can have a game or two where he 740 00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:10,520 Speaker 1: outplays Jamis by a mile. He can outplay all pro 741 00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:14,719 Speaker 1: players you know on a given game. But that's just 742 00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:17,239 Speaker 1: they're just not easy to find and sometimes you don't 743 00:38:17,239 --> 00:38:21,560 Speaker 1: really know it until you see a guy play. Uh So, yeah, 744 00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:24,040 Speaker 1: I mean, I'd say there's probably not five good backups 745 00:38:24,040 --> 00:38:27,799 Speaker 1: in the league. Hey, John, when the season started, as 746 00:38:27,840 --> 00:38:29,840 Speaker 1: you pick the Saints as your dark horse team to 747 00:38:29,840 --> 00:38:32,440 Speaker 1: win the Super Bowl, why is their defense giving up 748 00:38:32,480 --> 00:38:35,480 Speaker 1: so many points even though they added obviously that import 749 00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:38,440 Speaker 1: in the first round. Is their defensive coordinator? Uh? Or 750 00:38:38,560 --> 00:38:41,239 Speaker 1: they just not jelling. You think after the successive last 751 00:38:41,239 --> 00:38:44,680 Speaker 1: season they would be performing at the same level. I 752 00:38:44,719 --> 00:38:46,879 Speaker 1: think they overachieved a little bit last year. I've never 753 00:38:46,880 --> 00:38:49,560 Speaker 1: been the biggest Dennis Allen guy. I also think just 754 00:38:49,640 --> 00:38:53,040 Speaker 1: in general, even when you do have good players on defense, 755 00:38:53,239 --> 00:38:56,600 Speaker 1: the rules and the officiating are no longer on your side. 756 00:38:57,160 --> 00:39:00,239 Speaker 1: You have to adapt. And I think as we trans asition, 757 00:39:00,320 --> 00:39:02,040 Speaker 1: like as the season ends, we want to far a 758 00:39:02,080 --> 00:39:04,759 Speaker 1: long way from transitioning. But we talk college football in here, 759 00:39:04,800 --> 00:39:07,040 Speaker 1: we talked the draft. I think you have to look 760 00:39:07,040 --> 00:39:09,759 Speaker 1: at the draft a little bit differently, Like what I 761 00:39:09,840 --> 00:39:13,279 Speaker 1: take a corner in the top ten. Probably not. I'd 762 00:39:13,360 --> 00:39:15,720 Speaker 1: be more likely if a corner and a wide receiver 763 00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:18,640 Speaker 1: were even to take the wide receiver because the league 764 00:39:18,680 --> 00:39:21,359 Speaker 1: is becoming so offensive. It's like the Saints. Yeah, their 765 00:39:21,360 --> 00:39:24,680 Speaker 1: defense is struggling, but their offense isn't. Their offense is dominating. 766 00:39:25,080 --> 00:39:28,440 Speaker 1: Why because their offense is dominant Because there's nothing you 767 00:39:28,440 --> 00:39:30,800 Speaker 1: can do to stop it. You can't hit the quarterback, 768 00:39:31,160 --> 00:39:34,200 Speaker 1: you can't press the wide receivers, you can't hit the 769 00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:37,640 Speaker 1: wide receivers across the middle. Drew has they don't have 770 00:39:37,680 --> 00:39:40,200 Speaker 1: to worry about running across the middle. Drew doesn't really 771 00:39:40,239 --> 00:39:43,239 Speaker 1: have to worry about getting hit. That the rules have 772 00:39:43,400 --> 00:39:46,760 Speaker 1: changed so dramatically that if your defense isn't the cream 773 00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:50,360 Speaker 1: of the crop, like a Jacksonville or Chicago, any given 774 00:39:50,360 --> 00:39:53,239 Speaker 1: defense on any given we could just look terrible. Uh, 775 00:39:53,520 --> 00:39:56,160 Speaker 1: the rules are just against you. That they are, You're 776 00:39:56,200 --> 00:39:58,360 Speaker 1: behind the eight ball. So I think at the end 777 00:39:58,360 --> 00:40:00,439 Speaker 1: of the day, the Saints offense, what they do well 778 00:40:00,640 --> 00:40:02,759 Speaker 1: is so good they're gonna be right in the mix 779 00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:04,799 Speaker 1: till the end. I would not give up on them 780 00:40:04,800 --> 00:40:07,000 Speaker 1: by any means. If Drew Brees stays healthy this year, 781 00:40:07,719 --> 00:40:12,239 Speaker 1: I think they one hundred percent can still compete in 782 00:40:12,280 --> 00:40:14,279 Speaker 1: the NFC. Like if you told me, like, could the 783 00:40:14,280 --> 00:40:16,840 Speaker 1: Saints go into l A, Let's just say the l A. 784 00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:20,480 Speaker 1: It feels pretty likely that they're gonna have a strong, 785 00:40:20,640 --> 00:40:24,360 Speaker 1: strong edge on the number one overall seed. I I 786 00:40:24,440 --> 00:40:27,399 Speaker 1: would if that line was big, like the Saints were 787 00:40:27,440 --> 00:40:29,720 Speaker 1: begetting like six or seven points on the road against 788 00:40:29,719 --> 00:40:32,040 Speaker 1: the l A Rams, you know, in the second round 789 00:40:32,040 --> 00:40:33,719 Speaker 1: of the playoffs, after the Saints has just won a 790 00:40:33,719 --> 00:40:36,560 Speaker 1: wild card game. I bet your ask John Middlecoff put 791 00:40:36,560 --> 00:40:40,160 Speaker 1: a little cash on the Saints. Okay, last one and 792 00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:42,879 Speaker 1: then again slide into my d MS Middlecoff mail bag 793 00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:46,320 Speaker 1: at John Middlecoff Instagram, and I still got a bunch. 794 00:40:46,480 --> 00:40:48,600 Speaker 1: I'll get to them later this week. I've been a 795 00:40:48,600 --> 00:40:51,160 Speaker 1: Titans fans since they lost the Super Bowl to the Rams. 796 00:40:51,239 --> 00:40:53,719 Speaker 1: That was a really fun game. I was the kid. 797 00:40:54,120 --> 00:40:56,919 Speaker 1: Then I'm almost thirty years old now. For a long 798 00:40:57,000 --> 00:40:59,680 Speaker 1: time I told myself it was because Peyton Manning ruled 799 00:40:59,719 --> 00:41:02,839 Speaker 1: the But with Peyton removed for a few years now, 800 00:41:02,840 --> 00:41:05,080 Speaker 1: it seems like the entire division has been exposed for 801 00:41:05,080 --> 00:41:07,560 Speaker 1: how bad it really is. Well, the Titans ever become 802 00:41:07,640 --> 00:41:10,400 Speaker 1: relevant in the NFL again in my lifetime, Well, one 803 00:41:10,440 --> 00:41:12,960 Speaker 1: of the things to become relevant in the NFL usually 804 00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:16,320 Speaker 1: need a star quarterback. And I'm with you, I'm thirty 805 00:41:16,520 --> 00:41:18,720 Speaker 1: about to be three or four years old this Saturday. 806 00:41:18,760 --> 00:41:21,600 Speaker 1: Actually that when I think of the Titans, like in 807 00:41:21,640 --> 00:41:24,080 Speaker 1: their heyday with Jeff Fisher, you think Stephen Naira, you know, 808 00:41:24,080 --> 00:41:27,919 Speaker 1: Stephen nare Andatie George, and you thought Mariotta was gonna 809 00:41:27,960 --> 00:41:30,400 Speaker 1: become that guy, and he just kind of hasn't grasped 810 00:41:30,400 --> 00:41:32,680 Speaker 1: it now right now. They got that huge win this 811 00:41:32,719 --> 00:41:35,440 Speaker 1: weekend there three and one. I went to their training camp. 812 00:41:35,480 --> 00:41:37,320 Speaker 1: People that have been listening to podcast for a while. 813 00:41:37,640 --> 00:41:40,200 Speaker 1: In the spring, I thought the roster was really solid, 814 00:41:40,800 --> 00:41:44,120 Speaker 1: but Mariota had like, your quarterback has to play really 815 00:41:44,120 --> 00:41:46,120 Speaker 1: well for you to win in two thousand and eighteen, 816 00:41:46,640 --> 00:41:48,399 Speaker 1: and he's been very hit or missed. Now. The one 817 00:41:48,440 --> 00:41:50,960 Speaker 1: thing that he clearly showed on Sunday, and Brabel gave 818 00:41:51,040 --> 00:41:53,319 Speaker 1: him a ton of credit in the postgame locker room 819 00:41:53,360 --> 00:41:55,400 Speaker 1: was just like grittiness and toughness and the ability to 820 00:41:55,440 --> 00:41:57,839 Speaker 1: make a play. He is a mentally tough s ob. 821 00:41:58,239 --> 00:42:00,960 Speaker 1: He really is. And Harold Landry, the guy they draft 822 00:42:01,000 --> 00:42:03,600 Speaker 1: in the second round, has shown flashes of being having 823 00:42:03,640 --> 00:42:07,000 Speaker 1: potential to be a big time speed rusher. Rashaan Evans 824 00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:09,000 Speaker 1: gonna be a good player. Their their defense is just 825 00:42:09,200 --> 00:42:12,239 Speaker 1: tough minded team. Derrick Henry does not look very good 826 00:42:12,280 --> 00:42:14,719 Speaker 1: to me. But if Corey Davis can make plays, the 827 00:42:14,719 --> 00:42:17,239 Speaker 1: other wide receivers can make plays, if their offensive line 828 00:42:17,239 --> 00:42:20,439 Speaker 1: can protect Mariota and their their team just can find 829 00:42:20,480 --> 00:42:22,480 Speaker 1: a way to win. Because right now they're just finding 830 00:42:22,480 --> 00:42:25,120 Speaker 1: a way to win. And you beat the Eagles at 831 00:42:25,160 --> 00:42:27,759 Speaker 1: home in overtime, I don't care how it looks that 832 00:42:27,840 --> 00:42:30,359 Speaker 1: that is a good win. You go three and one 833 00:42:30,400 --> 00:42:33,800 Speaker 1: in a month, you're in really really good shape. Uh. 834 00:42:33,840 --> 00:42:35,800 Speaker 1: You know, if you look at the NFL the season, 835 00:42:35,840 --> 00:42:39,600 Speaker 1: like four quarters, four four game quarters, if you have 836 00:42:39,800 --> 00:42:43,279 Speaker 1: to three and one months and to two and two months, 837 00:42:43,360 --> 00:42:45,399 Speaker 1: you're in the playoffs because you'll be ten and six 838 00:42:46,080 --> 00:42:48,160 Speaker 1: and they just had a three in one month, so 839 00:42:48,200 --> 00:42:50,160 Speaker 1: they can have their next month can be two and two. Well, 840 00:42:50,200 --> 00:42:52,359 Speaker 1: you're five and three. You're in great shape. You're headed 841 00:42:52,360 --> 00:42:55,680 Speaker 1: towards the playoffs. Clearly division is down. The Colts are. 842 00:42:56,480 --> 00:42:59,160 Speaker 1: They just don't have the talent uh and and Lucks 843 00:43:00,360 --> 00:43:02,560 Speaker 1: he's not as dominant as he was when he was 844 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:05,040 Speaker 1: younger coming off the injury, so that they're gonna be 845 00:43:05,080 --> 00:43:07,960 Speaker 1: a year away. The Texans, I mean, you start owing three, 846 00:43:08,000 --> 00:43:09,839 Speaker 1: you're just way behind the eight ball. Now. They still 847 00:43:09,880 --> 00:43:12,320 Speaker 1: have a ton of talent that they can rattle off wins, 848 00:43:12,760 --> 00:43:15,120 Speaker 1: and the Jaguars are tough. But the Titans beat him, 849 00:43:15,160 --> 00:43:17,960 Speaker 1: you know, I mean the Titans beat them. So you 850 00:43:18,040 --> 00:43:21,120 Speaker 1: keep handling business inside your division. You get wins like 851 00:43:21,200 --> 00:43:23,480 Speaker 1: taking care of the Eagles and defending champs at home. 852 00:43:24,160 --> 00:43:26,239 Speaker 1: I think I think this would be a season. But 853 00:43:26,320 --> 00:43:29,000 Speaker 1: when you say relevant, like be a power that the 854 00:43:29,080 --> 00:43:31,680 Speaker 1: NFL network talks about that I consistently talk about, you 855 00:43:31,719 --> 00:43:34,600 Speaker 1: need Mariota to be better. You need him to be 856 00:43:34,680 --> 00:43:37,239 Speaker 1: just special like you thought he was gonna be when 857 00:43:37,239 --> 00:43:40,000 Speaker 1: you drafted him number two overall. And I love the guy. 858 00:43:40,080 --> 00:43:41,520 Speaker 1: I talked to him when I was at the training camp, 859 00:43:41,520 --> 00:43:43,960 Speaker 1: and he's a nice guy. In the NFL. You won't 860 00:43:44,000 --> 00:43:46,799 Speaker 1: meet anyone that I've ever come in contact with it 861 00:43:46,840 --> 00:43:48,640 Speaker 1: have been around him that has a negative thing to 862 00:43:48,640 --> 00:43:51,439 Speaker 1: say about the guy. He's the type person you root 863 00:43:51,520 --> 00:43:54,879 Speaker 1: for in the NFL. But from a players standpoint, he's 864 00:43:54,880 --> 00:43:57,680 Speaker 1: just gotta play better. He's got to be just more 865 00:43:57,840 --> 00:44:01,040 Speaker 1: of a playmaker. Now. He doesn't have the physical attributes 866 00:44:01,080 --> 00:44:03,920 Speaker 1: of my Homes or Winz, but as you saw in 867 00:44:03,920 --> 00:44:05,960 Speaker 1: that game Sunday, he can still do ship that other 868 00:44:06,000 --> 00:44:09,000 Speaker 1: guys just can't with his legs keeping plays alive. He 869 00:44:09,080 --> 00:44:11,319 Speaker 1: just has an instinct for playing the position. So if 870 00:44:11,440 --> 00:44:13,239 Speaker 1: if he can be really good and this team can 871 00:44:13,280 --> 00:44:15,759 Speaker 1: somehow get to like ten and six in the playoffs again, 872 00:44:15,760 --> 00:44:18,120 Speaker 1: that'd be back to back playoff years, Like yeah, then 873 00:44:18,160 --> 00:44:21,720 Speaker 1: then you become relevant. I look forward to watching Vabel 874 00:44:21,880 --> 00:44:24,759 Speaker 1: just a just a football guy. This is and I 875 00:44:24,760 --> 00:44:28,080 Speaker 1: think what's he's saying this is for the boys. He's exciting. 876 00:44:28,160 --> 00:44:31,279 Speaker 1: I personally like watching the Titans, but for them to 877 00:44:31,320 --> 00:44:33,960 Speaker 1: be relevant, it's gonna be fall on Mario too. Uh 878 00:44:34,120 --> 00:44:37,719 Speaker 1: shoes for sure. Appreciate everyone listening. Again, We're going two 879 00:44:37,800 --> 00:44:41,400 Speaker 1: times a week Tuesday Friday, moving forward all football season. 880 00:44:41,440 --> 00:44:43,359 Speaker 1: We just got way too much going on. I got 881 00:44:43,360 --> 00:44:45,680 Speaker 1: way too many, way too many takes on football to 882 00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:48,360 Speaker 1: not get him out there. So thanks again everyone listening, 883 00:44:48,440 --> 00:44:51,040 Speaker 1: sharing this with your friends. Uh, you guys want to 884 00:44:51,040 --> 00:44:52,719 Speaker 1: get in the Middlecoff mail bag, slide up in the 885 00:44:52,760 --> 00:44:56,400 Speaker 1: d ms at John middlecoff on on Instagram, and uh, 886 00:44:56,640 --> 00:44:58,560 Speaker 1: keep on pounding the pavement and listening to the podcast 887 00:44:58,560 --> 00:45:02,319 Speaker 1: three and out John Middlecoff That Alan Coward podcast Network