Speaker 1: NFL Power Rankings is a production of the NFL in
Speaker 1: partnership with I Heart Radio. Hello and welcome to the
Speaker 1: Power Rankings podcast, presented by Energizer. I am Dan Hansas,
Speaker 1: joined by my lovely co host Colleen Wolf As we
Speaker 1: take you through everything that is going on in our
Speaker 1: league in terms of the Power Rankings. That's what the
Speaker 1: show is. Connie, how are you? Hello, Dan, I'm back
Speaker 1: from Germany. I've taken multiple bye weeks this year. I
Speaker 1: wouldn't say that I'm feeling refreshed exactly, but feeling good
Speaker 1: about doing the show, that's for sure. Are you though?
Speaker 1: Can we expect Connie for the rest of the season.
Speaker 1: Where are we at? Well, I'm going to try to
Speaker 1: avoid you know. I think at this point I've gotten
Speaker 1: every sickness that is out there, so I should have
Speaker 1: pretty good immunity, if that's how it even works anymore.
Speaker 1: So I think we're gonna be good. I think we'll
Speaker 1: be okay at least until Super Bowl, all right, I hope.
Speaker 1: So Connie, it's great to have you act, and you know,
Speaker 1: we're going to go through all the Power rankings one
Speaker 1: through thirty two. You could see my full rankings the
Speaker 1: column on nfl dot com slash Power Rankings, and you
Speaker 1: know what, kind of before we get into quad one,
Speaker 1: I just want to say that this is the strongest
Speaker 1: and most confident I've felt about both the order in
Speaker 1: the top five of the league and the teams themselves
Speaker 1: all season, which to that I also follow up and
Speaker 1: say what could go wrong? Statement in this season in particular,
Speaker 1: that's kind of surprising to me, considering that Sunday you
Speaker 1: even said it on the Around the NFL podcast that
Speaker 1: like teams kind of woke up and we're like, I
Speaker 1: just don't know about today, Like there were a lot
Speaker 1: of stinkers. Um, I don't really know what to do
Speaker 1: with the Ravens. There's a couple of teams that at
Speaker 1: this point we're going into week twelve and every other
Speaker 1: year I think we would have a good idea what
Speaker 1: like the most of the top teams are in the
Speaker 1: middle and the back end, but there's still just so
Speaker 1: many teams that are in the gray area, hovering in
Speaker 1: and out of it. It's just kind of like a
Speaker 1: mysterious year. It is. And just to clarify my stupid
Speaker 1: theme from the Sunday Around the NFL podcast, Flagship program.
Speaker 1: It wasn't the teams that woke up on the wrong
Speaker 1: side of the bed and in a nasty little mood.
Speaker 1: It was like football itself. The NFL the embodiment of
Speaker 1: Week eleven, and professional football was a nasty little thing
Speaker 1: in week eleven. And we're gonna see what happens in
Speaker 1: week twelve. Let's check out what we call the first
Speaker 1: quadrant and those top five teams. The Kansas City Chiefs
Speaker 1: for the first time all season, the first time since
Speaker 1: the division playoffs last year, on these rankings, they are
Speaker 1: number one. They jump ahead of your Eagles, Connie Um.
Speaker 1: Sorry to say there. They fall one spot to number two,
Speaker 1: but still they're in a good position. The Cowboys jump
Speaker 1: up five spots after dropping an a bomb on the Vikings.
Speaker 1: The bill is up one spot. They get right in
Speaker 1: Detroit against the Browns. The Niners. Man, I was tempted
Speaker 1: to put them up even higher after that dominating showing
Speaker 1: against the Cardinals in Mexico City. And then you have
Speaker 1: the Titans up three spots off their win against the
Speaker 1: Packers on Thursday night. The Dolphins, a victim of a
Speaker 1: bye week but still uh coming at number seven, drop
Speaker 1: three spots and the Ravens, even with the win over
Speaker 1: the Panthers. Down two spots, let's start with number one,
Speaker 1: and yes, the Chiefs for the first time this year.
Speaker 1: Connie and I think it's not that they played a
Speaker 1: perfect game against the Chargers because they didn't. And the
Speaker 1: Chargers are not a superpower. They're so beat up that
Speaker 1: this isn't necessarily a win. That's like, WHOA, I can't
Speaker 1: believe what they did to this opponent. It was more
Speaker 1: I couldn't look away anymore when you say who's got
Speaker 1: the best quarterback and who's the team you trust most?
Speaker 1: Right now? Uh to go go the wet, go the
Speaker 1: whole way. And I think right now, with Patrick Mahomes
Speaker 1: and Travis kell See by his side, I just think
Speaker 1: the Chiefs are the best team in football, and that's
Speaker 1: why they have the spot they are, especially with the
Speaker 1: way that the Bills and Josh Allen have looked lately,
Speaker 1: just with the little mistakes and Josh Allen making some
Speaker 1: of those twenty eighteen type mistakes. But you know what
Speaker 1: I texted you after Sunday Night football, you war Sussler,
Speaker 1: Greg Rosenthal finishing, I was you know what, I was sick,
Speaker 1: all right? I'm sick for a lot of different ways.
Speaker 1: But I was watching this game and towards the end,
Speaker 1: you know, justin Herbert he throws a touchdown. It looks
Speaker 1: like everyone's so excited for the Chargers. And I'm on
Speaker 1: the couch watching the game with my husband and I
Speaker 1: just looked at John and I was like, I already
Speaker 1: know what's going to happen, like this is this is
Speaker 1: boring at this point, and it shouldn't be boring. And
Speaker 1: I'm so spoiled at the Like I'm watching the Chiefs,
Speaker 1: I know exactly what's going to happen. Patrick ma Holmes
Speaker 1: had too much time, and of course he's going to
Speaker 1: march right down the field and throw a touchdown past
Speaker 1: to Travis Kelsey and they're gonna win again and beat
Speaker 1: the Chargers, because that's what they do in this division
Speaker 1: every single time these teams play. I feel like I've
Speaker 1: seen the story so many I've read the story, I've
Speaker 1: seen the movie. I've read the story, and I just
Speaker 1: should not be upset about it. But I was because
Speaker 1: I shouldn't. At once, I just with the Chargers for
Speaker 1: once to like be good and to pull out a win.
Speaker 1: At the end, I get that the Chargers are kind
Speaker 1: of a lovable team. They're an underdog here in the
Speaker 1: market where we live, and you kind of want to
Speaker 1: see them finally kick the football. But you're right, they
Speaker 1: left too much time on the clock. And you know,
Speaker 1: I talked about it on a t N so I'm
Speaker 1: not gonna dwell on it here. But when NBC flashes
Speaker 1: up that graphic that the Chiefs had a chance of
Speaker 1: winning the game as Mahomes takes the field with play,
Speaker 1: it was like laughable because you should know better, like
Speaker 1: the analytics somehow need to know better that this is
Speaker 1: no ordinary quarterback. And um, you know, I was talking
Speaker 1: with our texting with Greg Rosenthal on Monday. We had
Speaker 1: a little bit of a back and forth about Kelsey v.
Speaker 1: Gronk and the best tight end of our generation, and
Speaker 1: there was a stat from our research team that Kelsey, uh,
Speaker 1: it was his thirty fourth game with at least a
Speaker 1: hundred yards receiving, which surpasses Gronk for the most by
Speaker 1: a tight end in NFL history eight of his eleven touchdowns.
Speaker 1: This also from the research group, which is great have
Speaker 1: come in primetime games. And Greg like responded because he's
Speaker 1: a grunk guy's a Patriots guy, big time players, big
Speaker 1: time games, and it is wild that to me, the Chiefs,
Speaker 1: it looks like they're gonna host the a f C
Speaker 1: title game for the fifth straight year, and I know
Speaker 1: it could be boring, but this is greatness and uh
Speaker 1: and part of me is like we should appreciate it
Speaker 1: because it won't last forever. And they're just, to me,
Speaker 1: the Chiefs more likable than the Patriots before them. Uh
Speaker 1: so I'm kind of in on this well, I mean, honestly,
Speaker 1: don't get me wrong, because I really like the Chiefs.
Speaker 1: That was just like my my thing with Chiefs Chargers games.
Speaker 1: I feel like I already know what's going to happen
Speaker 1: before the game is even played. But the Chiefs have
Speaker 1: been so much fun to watch. Isaiah Pacheco, he looks great.
Speaker 1: His blocking not to watch, but he's a really explosive runner,
Speaker 1: and I feel like he kind of brings that run
Speaker 1: game to life, which is something that they've needed for
Speaker 1: so long. So the Chiefs at this point, with a
Speaker 1: three game lead on the Chargers, when all we did
Speaker 1: in the offseason, let's talk about this a f C West.
Speaker 1: I mean, come on, like that's it's done. We should
Speaker 1: have we should have known better, all of us in
Speaker 1: the football gagness anthy, let's talk about your Eagles. They
Speaker 1: dropped to number two after two weeks at number one
Speaker 1: in the power rankings. Uh you know they won and
Speaker 1: uh so, I'm not gonna kill him, even though it
Speaker 1: was against UM, an opponent that they probably should have
Speaker 1: handled in the Cults with a little more ease. It's
Speaker 1: not easy to go through a whole season. There's a
Speaker 1: grind aspect to it. But they do drop out of
Speaker 1: the number one because that is back to back weeks
Speaker 1: where they've looked pretty vulnerable. Connie, and you know, it's
Speaker 1: something to keep in mind as you look down the stretch.
Speaker 1: Have the Eagles? Are the Eagles in a bit of
Speaker 1: a funk? Now? What do you think? Well? I think
Speaker 1: that the offense does not look anything like it did
Speaker 1: before without Dallas Goddard, and that has been sort of
Speaker 1: the key. It's why they looked so sluggish this week.
Speaker 1: I think it's a big part of the reason why
Speaker 1: they lost to the Commanders last week. But there are
Speaker 1: other tight ends. They just aren't doing the things that
Speaker 1: Dallas Goddard can do. So the offense is just slower.
Speaker 1: It's just everything looks more laborious at this point. I
Speaker 1: was happy with the way that the run defense kind
Speaker 1: of adjusted because that first possession with Jonathan Taylor, I
Speaker 1: mean I was a little worried, really was sweating that
Speaker 1: Jonathan Taylor just ripped off some beautiful runs and then
Speaker 1: the eventual will touchdown. But it wasn't until that fourth
Speaker 1: quarter play where Jalen Hurts was running around kind of
Speaker 1: course corrected, pulled a U turn and then finds the opening,
Speaker 1: gets the first down and more and ultimately like he
Speaker 1: throws that touchdown to Quas Watkins. So it just looked
Speaker 1: like it was so much harder and way way I
Speaker 1: mean against the team that they should have beat. I mean,
Speaker 1: you have Jeff Saturday doing push ups on the field
Speaker 1: before the game, like, I mean, you have to come
Speaker 1: in and dismantle this team. I don't I don't know
Speaker 1: what that was about that. We love when Dan Campbell
Speaker 1: does up downs. We have an issue though, with Jeff
Speaker 1: Saturday doing push ups. Yeah, I mean, I guess that's
Speaker 1: something I have to unpack with him myself. You know,
Speaker 1: you're talking Dallas Goddard. I want to talk Dallas Cowboys,
Speaker 1: because if I'm an eaglesman, I'm very nervous about the division.
Speaker 1: The Cowboys, what they did to the Vikings, and you
Speaker 1: gotta look at the whole picture. A week earlier, they
Speaker 1: blew a two touchdown lead to the Packers, desperate Packers team.
Speaker 1: So it's not like the Cowboys are unstoppable, but they
Speaker 1: are one of the teams. And we're gonna get to
Speaker 1: the Niners as another that when they get into their
Speaker 1: top gear, they're pretty frightening and a lot to deal with.
Speaker 1: So they have one game, um lead, the Eagles doing
Speaker 1: the Cowboys, but this feels like a team that could
Speaker 1: really dominate down the stretch. Look at the way that
Speaker 1: they are playing on both sides of the ball. Michael
Speaker 1: Parsons is just destroyed. He destroyed Kirk Cousins. I mean,
Speaker 1: Tony Pollard is that guy. He was so explosive, just
Speaker 1: fighting for yards with dudes hanging off his ankles like
Speaker 1: he is so good to catch after Oh my goodness,
Speaker 1: and then the seedee lamb catch, Are you kidding me?
Speaker 1: He was just like all of a sudden, he turned
Speaker 1: to stone like a statue and like fell over with
Speaker 1: his feet and bounds. It was a thing of beauty
Speaker 1: and I hated to watch it. But I'm really nervous
Speaker 1: about the Cowboys, especially the way that they're playing right now.
Speaker 1: I can't believe that the Vikings did what they did.
Speaker 1: I mean, they needn't put up a fight in this
Speaker 1: game at all. So Dak had a season high completion percentage.
Speaker 1: Everything is looking good for them. I'm a little concerned,
Speaker 1: but they do have the another division game on Thanksgiving
Speaker 1: with the Giants, so we'll see if they can. I know,
Speaker 1: I don't know, it's I'm nervous. I'm nervous, don't sweat.
Speaker 1: I'm a little annoyed. I have to be honest with
Speaker 1: the Cowboys opponent in a week eleven, the Vikings, because
Speaker 1: you know, Connie, that they are a team that, despite
Speaker 1: their UM really stellar win loss record on this particular
Speaker 1: Power Rings, I had been reticent to put them up
Speaker 1: in the top three UM until they beat the Bills
Speaker 1: last week, and then I kind of begrudgingly said, well,
Speaker 1: there it is. Let's give them their flowers, and then
Speaker 1: what do they do. They get absolutely housed in their
Speaker 1: building by the Cowboys. So I dropped them, you know,
Speaker 1: down to number nine six spots. It doesn't mean I'm
Speaker 1: out on the Vikings, but it does in some level
Speaker 1: um to me, like it's where they belong. I think
Speaker 1: the Vikings are a team their records deceiving. They have
Speaker 1: a negative point differential now and you could say, well, yeah,
Speaker 1: because they were minus thirty seven in one game, but
Speaker 1: it just this speaks to how many close games they've
Speaker 1: won this year and the possibility of regression. So I
Speaker 1: think the Vikings are a top ten team, but they
Speaker 1: really do feel like this is there where they should be.
Speaker 1: This is where they belong in this eight to twelve stretch,
Speaker 1: rather where they were last week at one to three.
Speaker 1: So the Vikings overall are kind of making you feel
Speaker 1: good about your rankings. Like you said in the beginning
Speaker 1: of the show, that you feel the most comfortable at
Speaker 1: this point in power rankings, Like are the Vikings a
Speaker 1: key part of that? Yes, yes, absolutely, And you could say,
Speaker 1: and maybe this is like a little deeper dive into
Speaker 1: how the saucage gets made. Should I have stood my
Speaker 1: ground even after the Bills game and not move them up?
Speaker 1: But then you're kind of just being stubborn for stubborn sake.
Speaker 1: It's not the power standings. But at the same time,
Speaker 1: that was a really impressive win that got them to
Speaker 1: whatever eight and one at the time, So I don't
Speaker 1: regret it, but this does feel right. Also feels right, Connie.
Speaker 1: You know I had the Bills back at four, but
Speaker 1: the Niners at five. Let's talk about the Niners, Like,
Speaker 1: do you think that the Niners are a team that
Speaker 1: should be higher in these rankings? You know, the Niners
Speaker 1: have been that team for you all year from the
Speaker 1: very beginning, and you got so much heat for that.
Speaker 1: That was the opening of power rankings, and ever since
Speaker 1: then they have kind of meandered around. And the fact
Speaker 1: that they are playing right now with Jimmy Garoppolo and
Speaker 1: it's they're looking really good, Like the Yacht Bros Are back.
Speaker 1: George Kittle was like cruising around. This team I think
Speaker 1: is kind of set right now for another postseason run.
Speaker 1: They're scary, they're healthy, they look really really good. And
Speaker 1: also the Cardinals, Uh, it's it's tough to really put
Speaker 1: a ton of stock into the game against the Cardinals,
Speaker 1: but I did pretty much dismantle them, So that does
Speaker 1: help me. Um with this ranking so high, Like I
Speaker 1: do I like the Niners a lot. You know, as
Speaker 1: a Hard Knocks aficionado, Connie, as we both are, Um,
Speaker 1: I think it's I don't think the Cardinals deserve to
Speaker 1: be on Hard Knocks uh this season. UM, I am
Speaker 1: not watching that miss Me with the Hard Knocks Cardinals
Speaker 1: show because this team isn't invested in the season. Why
Speaker 1: should I be invested in a show about their season.
Speaker 1: That was a hard watch, especially in the second half.
Speaker 1: And I know Kyler Murra obviously was out. But you
Speaker 1: gotta give credit to the Niners. They their ability to
Speaker 1: you know, at this point, now that they're finally healthy,
Speaker 1: get all their skillmakers, skill players involved. Um. Christian McCaffrey said, um,
Speaker 1: after he came over that when he's in the huddle,
Speaker 1: he feels like he's in a Pro Bowl huddle. Huddle
Speaker 1: And you, just as a Niners fan, you hope they
Speaker 1: they stay stay healthy. But if they do, look out
Speaker 1: because it's not just the offense, it's a very physical, cool,
Speaker 1: good defense. I think this team is built for a
Speaker 1: January run. They always seem to figure things out in
Speaker 1: time for the playoffs, and I think they are very
Speaker 1: hard out. Obviously have the Cowboys and Eagles ahead of
Speaker 1: them in the conference, but man, it is close and
Speaker 1: that could flip as soon as next week. Let's finish
Speaker 1: out some top ten talk. Connie with the Titans. Um,
Speaker 1: I want to get the Titans a little flower. Some
Speaker 1: flowers here. Let's give the Titans some flowers. I thought
Speaker 1: the flowers was over. I thought we were done with that.
Speaker 1: I thought that was on. I like flowers. I thought
Speaker 1: we canceled giving flowers. I thought that was over. I
Speaker 1: think there was like a surly Sessler Sunday and he
Speaker 1: got meantic. Greg. I didn't have anything to do with it.
Speaker 1: So I will hand out flowers. Flowers to the Titans
Speaker 1: up three spots to number six, and uh, I'm higher.
Speaker 1: I understand this. I'm a little higher on Green Bay
Speaker 1: than everyone else who sees them as dog poop. But
Speaker 1: I was still impressed by Tennessee going to Lambeau and
Speaker 1: really taking it to a Packers team that needed that
Speaker 1: game in the worst way. I like the Titans right now.
Speaker 1: I think they're They're passing game has really good momentum,
Speaker 1: which it's nice to see them find some balance on offense.
Speaker 1: Ryan Tannehill he had his best game, I mean, and
Speaker 1: it was an Island game too, so that helps him
Speaker 1: as well. It was a career night for Traylan Burke's
Speaker 1: He had that fifty one yard catch that kind of
Speaker 1: sealed the game up, but he was targeted a bunch
Speaker 1: of times, caught seven passes for over a hundred yards.
Speaker 1: I mean, I think that you have Robert Woods's chemistry
Speaker 1: getting better and better with Ryan Tannehill. There are a
Speaker 1: lot of things that are looking up for this team.
Speaker 1: A lot of positives they're tight ends look good as well.
Speaker 1: So I'm really interested in their next game against the
Speaker 1: Bengals on Sunday. Yeah, that was huge, the passing games
Speaker 1: showing up. Uh, and the Packers are probably pulling their
Speaker 1: hair out watching the game tape because they're thinking of themselves,
Speaker 1: if we stopped Derrick Henry, we're winning this game. And
Speaker 1: they stopped Derrick Henry and then they can't stop Ryan Tannehill,
Speaker 1: who they thought was limping into their building on a
Speaker 1: bad ankle, and then Steady shreds him. I thought the
Speaker 1: Mike rabel A is so underrated. I know he gets
Speaker 1: Coach of the Year and this stuff, but we don't
Speaker 1: talk about him because a football um public enough is
Speaker 1: one of the great coaches in the league. I just loved,
Speaker 1: you know, the heat check, the swagger check of that
Speaker 1: fifty yard bomb from Tannehill to Burke's that ice the
Speaker 1: game inside two minutes. They didn't have to do that.
Speaker 1: They could the the maybe the analytical strategy there was
Speaker 1: just run the ball three times and then punt it
Speaker 1: and get one more stop. But to do that shows
Speaker 1: that were we were feeling good about our passing game,
Speaker 1: which hadn't been the case all year. So yeah, can
Speaker 1: they Can they do this in January? Well we've seen it.
Speaker 1: They haven't gotten over the hump and gotten out of
Speaker 1: the A A f C, but they profile as an
Speaker 1: interesting team for sure. Do you want to check out
Speaker 1: the second quadran? Why don't you take us through the
Speaker 1: second quadrant, Connie, I would love to do that. Here
Speaker 1: we go. So we got the Vikings, who we already
Speaker 1: talked about, down six, the Bengals up one, along with
Speaker 1: the Bucks as well. We got the Seahawks up to
Speaker 1: Patriots at thirteen, up to uh, your Jets, buddy, I'm sorry,
Speaker 1: at fourteen, down four spots. Um, We're gonna leave them
Speaker 1: alone for a second. They could use a little time
Speaker 1: out at fifteen. You got the Giants back to back
Speaker 1: New York teams down two spots and then the Commanders
Speaker 1: of one spot sixteen. How about it? So, um, where
Speaker 1: do you want to start here? You want to start
Speaker 1: with let's be let's talk with champions. I like that.
Speaker 1: I had the Steelers and I was like lone wolfing it,
Speaker 1: and I was really hoping that the Steelers. I just
Speaker 1: kind of, you know, on a prayer, was like, you
Speaker 1: know what, I think the Steelers couldn't maybe frisky here
Speaker 1: didn't really work out for me at all, but they
Speaker 1: look good. I know that game day morning they have
Speaker 1: that lone wolf bit um on NFL Network, but I
Speaker 1: feel like that should be your I P with the
Speaker 1: last name and the E on the end. Do you
Speaker 1: have any not wrong? How about a little artwork? How
Speaker 1: about maybe we build it out a little bit and
Speaker 1: we make it a thing. I think that's I mean,
Speaker 1: they can't be mad at me for using my last name.
Speaker 1: So no, Cincinnati is another team kind of you know,
Speaker 1: I haven't been right on all the teams in the
Speaker 1: Power rankings this year, but we're talking about a few
Speaker 1: teams in this segment, which is why I like this
Speaker 1: segment a lot right now that I was right about
Speaker 1: I've I've kept Cincinnati uh in and around the top
Speaker 1: ten pretty much all season, even when their record would
Speaker 1: dictate that they should be lower because I just see
Speaker 1: so much potential on the team and you're seeing that now.
Speaker 1: They didn't play a perfect game against Pittsburgh. Um. You know,
Speaker 1: Joe Burrow took some abuse from t J. Watton company.
Speaker 1: He threw two interceptions, but man, he is so he
Speaker 1: is nails and playing in cold conditions, he was just
Speaker 1: spinning that ball. He is my favorite quarterback to watch
Speaker 1: on a weekly basis. Um, Also, can we talk about
Speaker 1: somag perin what I loved it? Like you have whatever
Speaker 1: is going on with Joe Mixon and his concussion. Like
Speaker 1: they have the horses on this roster to make the
Speaker 1: plays that they need. I mean, the Bengals are getting
Speaker 1: a lot out of their running backs right now, because
Speaker 1: even Mixon had that big day before the bye. So
Speaker 1: you had that screen pass to Soma J. P. Ryan
Speaker 1: for the touchdown, you had the receiving touchdown to put
Speaker 1: them up seven, and then the last one as well.
Speaker 1: Plus Tee Higgins I think is stepping up huge without
Speaker 1: Lamar Chase Trenton Irwin too. I mean, what who are you? High?
Speaker 1: Nice to meet you on the for this guy first,
Speaker 1: he actually looks like the great late Steve Irwin a
Speaker 1: little bit. Oh, I didn't really think about that and everything.
Speaker 1: You're right, Oh my god, yeah it look blondie. Okay.
Speaker 1: So I don't like is the alternate uniforms of these
Speaker 1: You don't like that? It's just a mess. Come on,
Speaker 1: I love them all right, sure, I think they're great.
Speaker 1: They're clean until they don't get clean. Um, just like
Speaker 1: I like the black and white. It feels like a classic. Look,
Speaker 1: the Patriots are thirteen. Can we talk the Patriots a
Speaker 1: little bit? Because everything let's go to the twilight zone
Speaker 1: of the power rings. Of course, the number thirteen spot
Speaker 1: when I don't know what to do with the team. Uh,
Speaker 1: I just stick him at thirteen and think about something else.
Speaker 1: And that's what the Patriots are. And maybe partly because
Speaker 1: I don't want to dwell anymore as a Jets fan
Speaker 1: on what happened in Foxboro. But beyond that, I think
Speaker 1: after this game, uh NFL Twitter had an absolute meltdown
Speaker 1: about Zach Wilson and how he's the worst human being
Speaker 1: on the planet. After his game, which was terrible. Um.
Speaker 1: But then I'm looking at from New England side, they
Speaker 1: didn't get him really much. Um analysis, I feel like
Speaker 1: and they deserve it because that defense is not as
Speaker 1: good as the glory days, the best defenses of the
Speaker 1: good old days. But there we're seeing just like the
Speaker 1: good old days this time a year. When a quarterback
Speaker 1: goes into that building and it's vulnerable, they get embarrassed,
Speaker 1: and so the defense is gonna win games. My question, Connie,
Speaker 1: is what about that offense. And they scored three points
Speaker 1: in four quarters against the Jets. They want on a
Speaker 1: punt return, and I just don't trust it. In a
Speaker 1: big spot against good competition, you shouldn't trust it. And
Speaker 1: it almost feels like thirteen is too high for them.
Speaker 1: But then I look at the teams behind them, and
Speaker 1: that feels like the right spot. But this was such
Speaker 1: a tough watch this game. It was so tedious to
Speaker 1: kind of go through because I thought it was going
Speaker 1: to end in a three three tie, like they go
Speaker 1: to overtime, and then it just state taken that. Honestly,
Speaker 1: I think that they deserved that. But Marcus Jones came
Speaker 1: up with the huge play at the end and the
Speaker 1: block in the back also kind of you know, um,
Speaker 1: don't just can we just move forward? I just listen.
Speaker 1: You brought up the Patriots game, and the Jets are
Speaker 1: part of it. Because if we're going to talk about
Speaker 1: defenses that did better defense, I thought was the Jets.
Speaker 1: Like they all right, Condy, you got me. I think
Speaker 1: the Jets are the better team. They just have a quarterback.
Speaker 1: He's totally Patriots because they got a quarterback that's totally adrift.
Speaker 1: And the Patriots swept the Jets and back to back
Speaker 1: meetings over three weeks, so to put the Patriots behind
Speaker 1: the Jets would be ludicrous. But at the same time,
Speaker 1: you know it's Jet Listen, I don't want to talk
Speaker 1: about it anymore. I just I can't. I can't do it.
Speaker 1: I know it's my job. But New England Patriots. I'm
Speaker 1: watching that game and I'm like, really, this team swept us.
Speaker 1: But that back to my point, give credit, and a
Speaker 1: lot of that obviously goes back to the coach and
Speaker 1: Belichick who knows how to take the lunch money of
Speaker 1: quarterbacks that aren't ready for it. Um, there were booze
Speaker 1: though in Foxboro and a lot of them were directed
Speaker 1: and Matt Patricia, offensive coordinator, that many things overmatched and
Speaker 1: not qualified for the job. Very conservative game plan. So
Speaker 1: I'm curious if the Patriots open things up a little bit.
Speaker 1: They have a big Thanksgiving game as well. Yeah, and
Speaker 1: they tried so many times to use Ramandre Stevenson to
Speaker 1: get the short yardage for the first downs multiple times.
Speaker 1: Again the Jets defense stood tall, stuffed them, didn't get it.
Speaker 1: I mean, they really can't move the ball at all,
Speaker 1: and Ma Patricia needs to figure out a way to
Speaker 1: scheme things up make things easier for Mac Jones. I
Speaker 1: don't know how they do it, but nothing is. It's
Speaker 1: the passing game. And you could look at Jones's completion percentage,
Speaker 1: which is very good, and they moved the ball into
Speaker 1: Jets territory several times, but it just it's hard work
Speaker 1: of the passing game. Let's end with a team that
Speaker 1: I think qualifies as one of the biggest surprises of November. Um,
Speaker 1: if not the biggest surprise. It's the Commanders, the Commandos,
Speaker 1: they've won four or five how about that NFC East
Speaker 1: Connie where you even have the Commanders now above five
Speaker 1: hundred for the first time since week one, and looking,
Speaker 1: I'm not saying they're spicy, uh, but they are frisky.
Speaker 1: I listen, this team is. It's fun and I know
Speaker 1: that I shouldn't really like them at all, and normally
Speaker 1: they're a boring team that's completely vanilla, and I'm just
Speaker 1: not into anything that's going on in Washington. But all
Speaker 1: of a sudden, they're doing things that have my attention,
Speaker 1: like even Taylor Heineke that it's so petty and I
Speaker 1: absolutely love it. But he gets a new pair of
Speaker 1: Jay's and opponent's colors after every single win, so that
Speaker 1: panders to me. I love it. It's perfect and of course,
Speaker 1: like I'm a turncoat because the pair he got for
Speaker 1: beating the Eagles was absolutely beautiful, this pair of white
Speaker 1: fours with green accents, just like gorgeous, and now I
Speaker 1: can't get them because I know that Taylor Heineke has them.
Speaker 1: So it's just like a whole psychological thing. What a
Speaker 1: nightmare for a true sneaker head. Collie and Wolf I
Speaker 1: saw it, and I was appalled, But also I couldn't
Speaker 1: stop like scrolling through which ones he got. You know
Speaker 1: what's funny, like a picture because I know your husband
Speaker 1: well too, and love John Gonzalez. I could picture Connie
Speaker 1: and John with the dogs laying at their feet in
Speaker 1: the living room having a conversation about this for like
Speaker 1: straight minutes. These shoes are beautiful, and of course they
Speaker 1: were fours to which are my favorite. But I do
Speaker 1: like to that, Ron Rivera, I'll be enough about that,
Speaker 1: um speaking, I want that to be what this podcast
Speaker 1: is now, Like Connie just talking about sneakers, she wants
Speaker 1: I would love that. You have no idea how many
Speaker 1: tabs on goat I have clicked wanted like I have.
Speaker 1: I have a list that I'd spend way too much
Speaker 1: time on there. And it sounds like a podcast that
Speaker 1: I would never listen to unless you were involved. Oh
Speaker 1: my god, well let's do it. Let's do the sneaker pod.
Speaker 1: Let me show you come over to the dark side.
Speaker 1: Um but I do like that. Ron Rivera is like, okay, um,
Speaker 1: we're gonna go with Taylor Heineke, even when Carson Wentz
Speaker 1: is better. Yeah, he had to do that. Come on now, well,
Speaker 1: Ron Rivera, after the game, was asked about his whole
Speaker 1: thought process in choosing Heineke over Wentz, not just now,
Speaker 1: but obviously when Wentz is healthy and I thought that
Speaker 1: you would appreciate this whole exchange. What was it Taylor
Speaker 1: has shown you to lead you to this decision? Um winning? Yes? Yes?
Speaker 1: Do you think oh wouldn't have been amazing if he
Speaker 1: went full chat though? Winning, winning, winning? Because I heard it,
Speaker 1: I was like, oh, my god, does Dan know about this?
Speaker 1: Obviously I'm a warlock and it's about winning. Yeah, people
Speaker 1: aren't aware. I don't know that people aren't aware. I
Speaker 1: am very serious about bringing back Charlie Sheen catch phrases
Speaker 1: from two thousand ten. In two thousand twenty three, it's
Speaker 1: a passion of mine. Colleen talks about wanting the fours
Speaker 1: or whatever I want Charlie Machen's lexicon back in duh
Speaker 1: tigger blood. How how many years have has this been
Speaker 1: a crusade for you? Well, it's been building college. It's
Speaker 1: funny you should ask, and thank you for asking. I've
Speaker 1: been annoying my around the NFL colleagues by saying it
Speaker 1: before we go on air for about ten to eleven years.
Speaker 1: But only now am I ready to truly take this
Speaker 1: to the mainstream and try to make it a thing.
Speaker 1: In terms of bringing it back to the general population.
Speaker 1: So Jen Pop, well it sounds like a collab with
Speaker 1: Ron Rivera. Hmm. I like it all right, good stuff.
Speaker 1: But the commanders, I don't know if I'm buying in.
Speaker 1: But listen, there's a lot of things not to like
Speaker 1: about the commanders, about the way the operation is run,
Speaker 1: the stories that have come out about the team and
Speaker 1: the idea, and the reality that they most likely will
Speaker 1: be sold, and that will change a lot about the
Speaker 1: team um net year potentially. But for the fans who
Speaker 1: just like rooting for their local football team or the
Speaker 1: team that they follow wherever they are, this is nice
Speaker 1: to have a team with some juice and Chase Young
Speaker 1: on his way back to reform. My favorite pass rushing
Speaker 1: duo in the league, Young and Sweaty. No, Young and Sweaty.
Speaker 1: I forgot about Young and Sweaty. I mean, even without
Speaker 1: Young in there, they're still generating so much pressure. They're
Speaker 1: still sweating. Are still sweating quarterback? Like I mean, they
Speaker 1: are playing the Falcons next week. They could get to
Speaker 1: seven wins. You look at the teams that are ahead
Speaker 1: of them in the rankings, like they are not far
Speaker 1: off a little run. All right, let's let's take a break,
Speaker 1: and then we'll check in with the back half of
Speaker 1: the Power Ranking. Some interesting teams, some teams who January
Speaker 1: can't get here fast enough. We'll be right back. Welcome
Speaker 1: back to Power Rankings the podcast presented by Energizer. Uh.
Speaker 1: I just ended up Colleen on a list of famous
Speaker 1: Charlie Queen. Charlie Sheen quotes number three on the list,
Speaker 1: I'm tired of pretending I'm not a total bitch and
Speaker 1: rock star from Mars winning. I feel the same way
Speaker 1: at times, Charlie. Here's the third quadron. With that said,
Speaker 1: I'm tired of it. Chargers they lose to the Chiefs,
Speaker 1: but I'd give them a little courtesy bump up to seventeen.
Speaker 1: Uh fair play the Lions. Oh yes, the lines up
Speaker 1: three to eighteen, Packers down three to nineteen, Falcons up
Speaker 1: to to twenty, but they lose Kyle Pitts potentially for
Speaker 1: the year with knee surgery. Unfortunate. They're tough year for Pits.
Speaker 1: Saints up to I'm not buying, but there it's twenty one.
Speaker 1: Cards down three after no showing in Mexico City. I
Speaker 1: know Colt McCoy was playing and not Kyler Murray. But
Speaker 1: that team has some very very deep issues that I
Speaker 1: think goes back of a coach. Bears down three to
Speaker 1: twenty three with Justin Fields is health all set it
Speaker 1: up in the air, and the Browns are who the
Speaker 1: Browns are exactly best team in football. Um, let's start
Speaker 1: with those charges. Kind of we talked about it in
Speaker 1: a little bit. You were you're a bumming that they
Speaker 1: couldn't have a moment there on Sunday Night football, But
Speaker 1: you saw some good things too about you know what
Speaker 1: this team looks like when they have some of their
Speaker 1: guys on the field. I did. It's like I just
Speaker 1: want them to have one one moment because they're not
Speaker 1: going to win this division, like this is the Chiefs
Speaker 1: at this point, they've been swept by the Chiefs. They
Speaker 1: have two straight primetime losses on Sunday Night. They kind
Speaker 1: of railroaded their place in the division race anyway. But
Speaker 1: Justin Herbert looked as good as he has in a while,
Speaker 1: and it really helps having Josh Palmer out there and
Speaker 1: then the return of Keenan Allen. But Josh Palmer has
Speaker 1: been legit. I mean he had a career day eight
Speaker 1: for one oh six and the two touchdowns. It's just
Speaker 1: such a shame that they can never catch a break
Speaker 1: with these injured injured. Mike Williams he had just come
Speaker 1: back from the ankle sprain and then he heard it
Speaker 1: again on his first catch in the first quarter. So
Speaker 1: it's just it's tough for them. Can I just say
Speaker 1: about that? And you can't control these things in a
Speaker 1: lot of cases, but this is not the first Chargers
Speaker 1: star who's either as it turns out, come back too
Speaker 1: soon or have been left in a game they shouldn't
Speaker 1: have been playing. And maybe Mike Williams could arrested another
Speaker 1: month and come back and done the same thing. But
Speaker 1: it's just you've seen it too many times this year. Now.
Speaker 1: I like the Cardinals. I do have questions about how
Speaker 1: this team is run. But yeah, I think the Keenan
Speaker 1: Allen of it all, the fact that he was able
Speaker 1: to come back and be Keenan Allen is really going
Speaker 1: to help um. Justin Herbert, and I think the bye
Speaker 1: week and getting further away from that rib injury, you're
Speaker 1: gonna see Herbert looking like Herbert? Do they Are they
Speaker 1: able to win enough games here? I think they're five
Speaker 1: team now and not stub their till and get to
Speaker 1: nine or even ten win is to get the playoff birth.
Speaker 1: I don't know, Connie, Like their history tells us they're
Speaker 1: gonna blow it like they always do. But that's also
Speaker 1: not how you analyze this. We'll see what happens. Yeah,
Speaker 1: they have the Cardinals next week, so they could they
Speaker 1: could get to six and five obviously, but Keenan Allen
Speaker 1: having him with that kind of vintage Keenan Allen performance
Speaker 1: like that is promising for them. He had great forty
Speaker 1: six yard grab set up Palmer's second touchdown, Like he
Speaker 1: really helps this offense move and provides that spark that
Speaker 1: they need. So maybe just having him back can kind
Speaker 1: of help them out because it was a competitive game
Speaker 1: against the Chiefs, like they were right there and then
Speaker 1: it just didn't happen. Do you know what's the biggest
Speaker 1: thing standing in my way obstacle wise in terms of
Speaker 1: the China s A charger's helmet here, I am a
Speaker 1: closet chargers. Go ahead, yes, yeah, let's be serious. Um,
Speaker 1: the biggest issue with the Sina sance is that nobody
Speaker 1: else wants it. I've never gotten any so media feedback
Speaker 1: like hey, we're talking about Charlie Sheen again. Good idea, Dan.
Speaker 1: I've never heard any of my work friends and colleagues
Speaker 1: be like, man, yeah, yeah, I keep pushing this, um
Speaker 1: and that that to me. Should that give me pause? Perhaps? Um?
Speaker 1: And yet it won't. I will continue to for John
Speaker 1: with the she assance in twenty three. You gotta be
Speaker 1: your own man in this world. Thank you very much,
Speaker 1: Colleen Quadrant for it gets dark. Okay, so listen to this.
Speaker 1: This sounds like someone finally watched The Godfather. I did
Speaker 1: not realize that I've never seen The Godfather. In my head.
Speaker 1: I kept mixing it up with Scarface. I know, I know,
Speaker 1: And I'm just now dialing into the greatest movie ever made.
Speaker 1: And all I want to do now is talk about
Speaker 1: The Godfather. So, Colleen, did you know if there's a sequel? Also,
Speaker 1: there's a sequel, I mean there's a third one too,
Speaker 1: But don't worry about the third one. I would say
Speaker 1: the second one might be better than the first one.
Speaker 1: Just no spoilers. I went out. We have some Francis
Speaker 1: Coppela wine that I drank while watching it. So anyway,
Speaker 1: the reason why we're playing the mandolin right now and
Speaker 1: this like Godfather esque theme is because Teams thirty two
Speaker 1: are sleeping with the fishinges. She got there, I got there.
Speaker 1: I did it. Steelers, twenty five, Raiders, six Colts, seven Rams.
Speaker 1: I mean the Jags down one at twenty nine. You
Speaker 1: got the Broncos, Panthers and Texans right there at the end.
Speaker 1: But I mean, Dan the Godfather. Have you seen this
Speaker 1: amazing film? Do you know about it? I have seen
Speaker 1: The Godfather many times. I do enjoy it. Um, I
Speaker 1: really was hoping you weren't going to do the thing
Speaker 1: like I've seen Scarface. I wasn't sure if I've seen Godfather,
Speaker 1: but you did it. So I'm so not dialed in
Speaker 1: on this that i didn't even know that that was
Speaker 1: a thing. So it's like you can't. I'm sorry, like
Speaker 1: here to apologize for my sins. No, I don't think.
Speaker 1: I don't know if I've seen any of them, to
Speaker 1: be honest, now, I'm not sure, but I'll tell you what.
Speaker 1: I have a flight coming up, so I'm going to
Speaker 1: download all three of them. I'm gonna rewatch The Godfather
Speaker 1: because I just love it so much. It's amazing. Have
Speaker 1: you seen the Ram They are quite okay? Disappointing, aren't they.
Speaker 1: It's a rap for them. I mean, especially if Stafford
Speaker 1: is out now for any like of time with the concussions.
Speaker 1: Do you think there's any chance, Colleen, that they could
Speaker 1: end the season number thirty two, which would be kind
Speaker 1: of cool. Actually, in a perverse way, the family would
Speaker 1: not like this. They would not so good. I'm gonna
Speaker 1: be making sauce the next time you cut to me like,
Speaker 1: I'm gonna get like I'm gonna get a phone call
Speaker 1: from Kevin dem Off of the Rams and we share
Speaker 1: the same facility, You're right across the sidewalk, and yet
Speaker 1: you betray me. It's not personal. The Rams will be back,
Speaker 1: but this is not their year. I don't even know.
Speaker 1: They don't even know who their quarterback is going to
Speaker 1: be this week right now because Matthew Stafford unfortunately back
Speaker 1: in concussion protocol. John Wolford the backup, he's hurt as Perkins,
Speaker 1: Bryce Perkins unbelievable. Um, let's do a little power moves.
Speaker 1: How about that much team in the bottom and a
Speaker 1: half of the rankings? Do we feel best or most
Speaker 1: confident in moving up the board? And Connie, you know,
Speaker 1: speaking of sad music, the season for the Detroit Lions.
Speaker 1: It was sad. There was Hard Knocks, there was excitement,
Speaker 1: but then there were losses. There was there was a
Speaker 1: loss in the opener, there were without defense that just
Speaker 1: continued hemorrhage yards and points, and all of a sudden
Speaker 1: they were one and six and dark times. Dan Campbell
Speaker 1: giving sad press conference after sad press conference, and you
Speaker 1: started to wonder, Connie, if this was what it was,
Speaker 1: and we'd be hearing sad Ian Rappaport updates in January
Speaker 1: about Dan Campbell and whether he was going to survive
Speaker 1: for a third season. A nightmare, really truly. And then
Speaker 1: but then then the light and then a light peeks
Speaker 1: through the clouds and the Lions win a game, and
Speaker 1: then they go on the road and they win another game,
Speaker 1: and then they go on the road again, and they
Speaker 1: went another game against the Giants, and our Detroit Lions,
Speaker 1: the team we covered on the Hard Knocks podcast. Check
Speaker 1: it out if you haven't, it's Evergreen. They are on
Speaker 1: a roll, second place the NFC North County and in
Speaker 1: the mix for the NFC Wild Card. Three straight wins
Speaker 1: for the first time since I mean look, and the
Speaker 1: Lions go this was so fun to watcheen. You had
Speaker 1: Aidan Hutchinson a pick machine. Now he didn't have any
Speaker 1: picks when he was in Michigan. He's got to now
Speaker 1: to seeze in. Jamal Williams come on a huge day
Speaker 1: for him. But this is three touchdowns he had now
Speaker 1: twelve this season he leaves the league. They're moving the ball,
Speaker 1: they're taking the ball away on defense, they're getting it done.
Speaker 1: And they got the Bills on Thanksgiving. Yes, that's great.
Speaker 1: And that was a game that had zero juice um
Speaker 1: three weeks ago. But then the Bill started struggling and
Speaker 1: they came down a little bit and the Lions are
Speaker 1: on the come up, and all of a sudden, that's
Speaker 1: gonna be a game. I think everyone's excited to see,
Speaker 1: and it is. The offense has been pretty consistent all year.
Speaker 1: It's been good. It's been a good offense. Lad surprisingly
Speaker 1: by leading touchdown score Jamal Williams our favorite dancer from
Speaker 1: the Hard Knocks season. But it was it's the defense
Speaker 1: in the last couple of weeks that's kind of finding
Speaker 1: its identity under our buddy Aaron Glenn, the defensive coordinator.
Speaker 1: Um I feel bad for I think it was Anthony
Speaker 1: Pleasant who got let go from the staff right just everything,
Speaker 1: Aubrey Pleasant who got let go right as everything took off.
Speaker 1: But that's what's been here three straight weeks. Their defense
Speaker 1: has been very consistent. They're making plays and um, they're
Speaker 1: gonna be fun to watch. They are developing now and
Speaker 1: it's not going to be another talk of well they're
Speaker 1: fun and their lovable loser, but you know they still stink.
Speaker 1: Maybe they're actually getting better. Yeah, I should stop like
Speaker 1: talking about the Chargers and just like get more on
Speaker 1: the Lion side of things, Like that's what I'm gonna do.
Speaker 1: I need to wash my hands of the Chargers. I'm done,
Speaker 1: and now I'm going all in on the Lions. But
Speaker 1: you're already in on the Lions, weren't you. The Chargers
Speaker 1: could use help, they I mean they night. Wow, what
Speaker 1: what betrayal? You've betrayed me too many times? Were trying
Speaker 1: to remember my godfather quotes. My dad would be disappointed. Uh,
Speaker 1: you got to rewatch. It's time for a rewatch, all right, Connie,
Speaker 1: you said it. All. That's it for the Power Rankings
Speaker 1: as we approach week twelve, So make sure you're back
Speaker 1: here next week. Same time, same place, while we recap
Speaker 1: everything that happened until then, feed me a god by
Speaker 1: the quote I know what I think I'm trying to
Speaker 1: think of. All right, I'm gonna look it up right
Speaker 1: now famous. Until next time, enjoy your Thanksgiving everybody, Um,
Speaker 1: don't get in too many fights with your family. That's right.
Speaker 1: Happy Thanksgiving? And uh if for you you families that
Speaker 1: are expecting children, I hope that their first child be
Speaker 1: a masculine child. Until next week, Good one Fine. NFL
Speaker 1: Power Rankings as a production of the NFL in partnership
Speaker 1: with I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio,
Speaker 1: visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever
Speaker 1: you get your podcasts