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Speaker 1: Bayfield is not goes Bayfield duck out wait action, I'm

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Speaker 1: the pressure by Freeld falls out, Bayfield kieks and down

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Speaker 1: it goes pressure and Preston Smith gets the Baker Mayfield

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Speaker 1: Another sound that were the five sacks recorded by the

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Speaker 1: Green Bay Packers against the Los Angeles Rams in twelve

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Speaker 1: Monday Night football victory. I'm Greg Rosenthal. I'm joined by

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Speaker 1: Bill Barnwell, and I'm also joined by our producer, Justin Graver,

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Speaker 1: who decided with that highlight reel to just like get creative.

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Speaker 1: That was his artistic rendering of this game, just going

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Speaker 1: with back sax On Baker. Do you not like Baker Mayfield,

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Speaker 1: Justin or something? No? I like Baker Mayfield. I love

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Speaker 1: Baker in Los Angeles. I just felt like I kept

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Speaker 1: looking up at the TV and he was getting sacked

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Speaker 1: in every week. I feel like it's just like a

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Speaker 1: touchdown montage, and I was getting bored of just always

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Speaker 1: doing a basic touchdown montage. So I like it. We

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Speaker 1: are fifteen weeks and we're getting art house, we're getting creative,

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Speaker 1: and uh, we're gonna talk about the most improved players

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Speaker 1: in the league later in the show bill. But I'm

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Speaker 1: so happy to have you here, and I'm so happy

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Speaker 1: that you can break down this game with me. And

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Speaker 1: I'm expecting like unbelievable analysis out of you tonight, But

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Speaker 1: you chose the wrong person, unfortunately. I was thinking, to

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Speaker 1: be honest with you. I know I'm biased, I work

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Speaker 1: for ESPN, but Joe Buck does a really good job

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Speaker 1: of building up the tension on sacks like I can

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Speaker 1: picture I can picture the pass rush closing in on

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Speaker 1: Baker Mayfield as his voice gets more and more excited.

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Speaker 1: He's really good at that. I didn't realize that until

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Speaker 1: I hurt this this clip here, So thank you justin

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Speaker 1: for that. And you're hitting on a point I was

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Speaker 1: thinking about tonight, which is Joe Buck does seem to

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Speaker 1: be leaning into making the game as exciting as possible. Well,

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Speaker 1: maybe it's because Packers Rams isn't the big time game

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Speaker 1: that we thought it was going to be before the season.

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Speaker 1: You know, this is a game network has probably fought over.

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Speaker 1: This was for sure, maybe the number one game on

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Speaker 1: the Monday and at football schedule going into this season.

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Speaker 1: Obviously not as much at stake as we expect and

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Speaker 1: not anywhere close. And so yeah, he's trying to make

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Speaker 1: it feel like a big event, and he did a

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Speaker 1: good job of it. Baker Mayfield's inclusion made it more

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Speaker 1: interesting coming into the game. Did it make it more

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Speaker 1: interesting for you, Bill during the game? No, because weirdly,

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Speaker 1: I think Baker Mayfield gets worse as he learns more

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Speaker 1: about his team and his playbook. You know, I I

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Speaker 1: look at what happened in that game last week, the

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Speaker 1: Thursday night game against the Raiders, which was you know,

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Speaker 1: every week feels like there's either a traumatic thing happening

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Speaker 1: to the Raiders or a a glorious season saving event

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Speaker 1: happening to the Raiders. Um given their losses now are

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Speaker 1: they're there and their loss in back to back weeks

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Speaker 1: in the final moments of the whole season, Bill, someone

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Speaker 1: needs to write a great oral history about this Raiders season.

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Speaker 1: If you go through it one by one, almost every

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Speaker 1: game is completely bananas. But that but that's beside the

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Speaker 1: point tonight. You're right with with the Packers and the Rams, though,

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Speaker 1: it felt like Baker growing more confident in the offense

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Speaker 1: gave him more pause. It felt like he was not

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Speaker 1: as confident ripping the football, and I felt like a

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Speaker 1: lot of this offense was just basically boot and him

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Speaker 1: checking it down to the underneath guy on boot and

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Speaker 1: that's there's nothing wrong at that, but it's gonna be

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Speaker 1: really hard to get the ball down the field for

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Speaker 1: you know, a a eighty or ninety yard touchdown drive,

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Speaker 1: doing that over and over again without a sack or

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Speaker 1: a penalty or a turnover. And we saw that happen

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Speaker 1: over and over again to the Rams in this game. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: they could not protect Baker for long he held onto

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Speaker 1: the ball. They end up with only a hundred and

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Speaker 1: fifty six yards of offense three points x yards for play,

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Speaker 1: and yet I for stretches. I was like, you know what,

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Speaker 1: he's ripping it. Okay, when he actually sets up and

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Speaker 1: has a target to throw to, they hit on two,

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Speaker 1: third and very long is the third and fifteen and

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Speaker 1: a third and thirteen came Makers runs, but the Rams

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Speaker 1: field beside the point. Ultimately, this is a game about

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Speaker 1: the Packers, and I was curious coming into it considering

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Speaker 1: the Packers remaining schedule. It's challenging, it's at Miami next week,

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Speaker 1: it's the Lions, and the Vikings said, let's we'll talk

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Speaker 1: about their playoff potential in a second. But the reason

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Speaker 1: I was curious about this game. Was I kind of

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Speaker 1: have an idea that their offense has mostly solved their

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Speaker 1: issues and it's actually a really good offense right now.

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Speaker 1: And I wanted to see if that UM opinion was confirmed,

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Speaker 1: and it was. They only had nine drive For me,

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Speaker 1: it was confirmed twenty seven first downs. They would have

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Speaker 1: had thirty one points if they got another couple of

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Speaker 1: yards right at the end. Uh. What do you think

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Speaker 1: about the Packers offense right now? I think they're finding

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Speaker 1: solutions that work, you know. I think they have a

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Speaker 1: little more faith in the rookie wide receivers now. And

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Speaker 1: I think they've gotten better, certainly with Christian Watson. And

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Speaker 1: and Doom's not coming back from his he had a

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Speaker 1: high ankle sprain, right, I mean, I'm not mistaken there

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Speaker 1: in terms of injuries. Yeah, and he was five for

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Speaker 1: fifty five tonight. Yeah, and he looked good. And Christian Watson,

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Speaker 1: of course very notably not turned around and what could

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Speaker 1: have been a a game ceiling touchdown in the final

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Speaker 1: couple of minutes. UM. But you know, I felt like

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Speaker 1: they were running the ball effectively. I felt like they were,

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Speaker 1: you know, making generally good decisions with the football. The

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Speaker 1: one exception was the interception on what looked to be

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Speaker 1: a bit of miscommunication between Rogers and Alan Lazard. But

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Speaker 1: this kind of felt like the old Packers, you know.

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Speaker 1: It felt like a game they dominated from start to finish.

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Speaker 1: It felt like a game where they were in control

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Speaker 1: on both sides of the ball, and it felt like, honestly,

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Speaker 1: the only thing missing were the shot plays, because there

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Speaker 1: were plenty of times in this game where they went

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Speaker 1: play action. Aaron Rodgers took a seven step drop and

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Speaker 1: he had all the time in the world to throw

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Speaker 1: and nobody was open. I think that's the one notable

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Speaker 1: difference between like your Packers and even this impressive, frankly

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Speaker 1: version of what we saw from the Packers today. That's

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Speaker 1: a good point. It was twenty degrees out there, which

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Speaker 1: we should mention. I mean, that's exceptionally. Can we talk

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Speaker 1: about the all time reverse jinxing happening during the game

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Speaker 1: when they kept they kept mentioning, that's not about how

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Speaker 1: that there only been two kicks of fifty plus yards

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Speaker 1: and in sub twinty degree with either Macie comes out

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Speaker 1: and is hitting a fifty five yarder, and honestly, it

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Speaker 1: would have been good for from about sixty three or

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Speaker 1: sixty four. Just an incredible kick. It was an amazing

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Speaker 1: kick and gave missed that extra point later. It's first

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Speaker 1: of the year. Yeah. They also jinx that the Rams

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Speaker 1: hadn't had a touchdown to a tight end all season,

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Speaker 1: literally one play before Tyler Higbee wrapped up the scoring

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Speaker 1: with a late third quarter touch down. So yeah, that

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Speaker 1: a lot of jinx is around. But you could see

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Speaker 1: on the kickoffs, especially it's degree so when people are

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Speaker 1: getting on Baker Mayfield for a deep shot to two

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Speaker 1: two out, well late in the game, hanging up there.

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Speaker 1: I think you have to count the weather here as

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Speaker 1: a factor. I don't know what it all means, but

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Speaker 1: I know those balls are are not the same as

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Speaker 1: they normally would be. It was much colder even than

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Speaker 1: it was in Buffalo the other night, So I think

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Speaker 1: that's that's part of it. And I look at this

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Speaker 1: Packers offense and I think, like the offense could be

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Speaker 1: good enough to win these last three games and see

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Speaker 1: if they can get a tiebreaker. I I don't know

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Speaker 1: if the defense is, but I've thought all season that

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Speaker 1: the Packers should be, let's say right now, like an

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Speaker 1: eight and six team. That's really what they profile more

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Speaker 1: as if you if you look at their d v

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Speaker 1: o A, their offense throughout the season has been close

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Speaker 1: to top ten, if not top ten since weeks seven

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Speaker 1: is a long sample size. I picked that just because

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Speaker 1: that's eight games going to tonight there they were eighth

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Speaker 1: in the league. That will only go up, like they

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Speaker 1: get first downs. Jones and Dylan, they're one of the

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Speaker 1: best combos in the league. And Dylan left with a

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Speaker 1: potential concussion, which which would be a big injury going

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Speaker 1: into this Miami game. But seeing Dobbs, Watson and Lazard

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Speaker 1: on the field all at the same time, it was nice.

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Speaker 1: And I think Rogers is for the most part throwing

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Speaker 1: the ball well, and he's playing great against the Blitz.

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Speaker 1: They tried to blitz him tonight. He went ten for

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Speaker 1: twelve for ninety three yards against it. He's been great

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Speaker 1: against the Blitz all year. Like it's a good offense.

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Speaker 1: Like people have gotten so hard on the Packers because

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Speaker 1: they're not like a top three offense. It's a good offense. Okay,

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Speaker 1: it's a fine offense. I I think it's it's not

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Speaker 1: a problematic offense. But the thing that made this offense

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Speaker 1: work over the past few years is that they never

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Speaker 1: ever turned the football over. They had thirteen giveaways all season.

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Speaker 1: They had a liven all year in twenty all season

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Speaker 1: in one. They had to tonight, if I'm not mistaken, Yeah,

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Speaker 1: they had to tonight. That's nineteen already for this season

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Speaker 1: with three games to go. And I think when you

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Speaker 1: look at what happened with them in the past, Rogers

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Speaker 1: was cooking, he was playing much better. They had Davante Adams,

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Speaker 1: but they also never turned the ball over and at

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Speaker 1: least they were the best red zone offense in the

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Speaker 1: history of the National Football League. And I think they

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Speaker 1: sort of have to adapt because they play a very slow,

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Speaker 1: methodical style. They don't get a lot of possessions per

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Speaker 1: game by design, they don't play very fast, and I

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Speaker 1: think that might be something that they would consider adjusting,

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Speaker 1: um given the style they're playing, given that they do

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Speaker 1: need to get a couple of extra drives per game

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Speaker 1: to score points. But I think at the end of

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Speaker 1: the day, like they're the part of this team I

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Speaker 1: have more faith in relative to the defense. Right, those

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Speaker 1: are all really good points. I like it when Bill

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Speaker 1: just like slaps me down to size like, they're good,

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Speaker 1: They're fine. You're absolutely right if you would to put

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Speaker 1: a number on it, ignored the stats, just in a vacuum.

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Speaker 1: What where do you think they would rank in the NFL?

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Speaker 1: We were ranking in NFL offenses right this very second,

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Speaker 1: with their current personnel, they would make my top ten

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Speaker 1: probably probably right at the end, nine or ten. So

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Speaker 1: i'd have to go through. They're like twelve or thirteen.

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Speaker 1: For me, I don't think we're far off here. Okay,

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Speaker 1: I agree, And part of it is because their offensive

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Speaker 1: line issues for the most parts, have been solved. Zack

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Speaker 1: Thomas come in and played well for them, a rookie player,

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Speaker 1: yosh yosh Nieman has played well, and they've just figured

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Speaker 1: it out and there and they're playing better. And these

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Speaker 1: defenses they're playing down the stretch two aren't great. Miami, Detroit, Minnesota.

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Speaker 1: So I look at those uh that backfield and you

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Speaker 1: could see it tonight. Not that the Rams are an

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Speaker 1: amazing defense, but when Dylan is trucking Taylor rap On

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Speaker 1: on the goal line and just I've always loved Aaron

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Speaker 1: Jones and seeing him in space, it's just there are

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Speaker 1: a lot to deal with, and to me, Christian Watson

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Speaker 1: kind of unlocked this entire uh offense. He yeah, he

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Speaker 1: had that play at the end where if he had

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Speaker 1: turned around, he would have changed a lot of fantasy

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Speaker 1: UH competitions, playoff games tonight. UH. They would have scored

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Speaker 1: over thirty, they would have hit the over, so a

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Speaker 1: lot of money would have changed hands. But for the

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Speaker 1: most part, to me, he's locked, unlocked this offense. I

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Speaker 1: don't have any faith though, that their defense will play enough,

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Speaker 1: or play well enough to hold those three teams down

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Speaker 1: to possibly win three in a row, or more importantly,

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Speaker 1: just win on Sunday. They are one of the three

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Speaker 1: Christmas Games. Bill Barnwell, they are the first one. Do

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Speaker 1: you believe that their defense could could somehow get something

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Speaker 1: going here? I think what has to happen is they

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Speaker 1: have to have a good pass rush. And I know, like, yes,

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Speaker 1: every defense is a good pass rush. This sounds like

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Speaker 1: it sounds like like stupid criticism pretending to be smart criticism,

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Speaker 1: or or fake insight pretending to be insight. But I

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Speaker 1: think they're more dependent on their pass rush than most

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Speaker 1: other teams in the NFL, and that has been inconsistent

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Speaker 1: for them this year. You look at this game. Here

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Speaker 1: they were playing a shall we say, compromised Ram's offensive

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Speaker 1: line where pretty much everybody is injured. They lost Brian Allen,

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Speaker 1: their starting center, on the second step, third step of

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Speaker 1: the game on offense and had to replace him. And

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Speaker 1: Rob Havnstein is having this weird season where he looks

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Speaker 1: like he's never played football before and it's just getting

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Speaker 1: destroyed every single week. He's been terrible. I mean, I

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Speaker 1: don't want to be mean, but he's been one of

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Speaker 1: the worst players in the league over the last half season.

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Speaker 1: And he's the one guy who's supposed to be like

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Speaker 1: the reliable one. He's the one starter they have left.

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Speaker 1: The Packers had doing mathe he I think they had

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Speaker 1: five sacks in this game. To listen to the highlights,

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Speaker 1: was justin like thin red right there, like he's a

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Speaker 1: he's gonna submit that for a podcast award. It's gonna

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Speaker 1: be it's gonna be a con. He did warn me

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Speaker 1: about it, and I was just like, okay, okay, do

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Speaker 1: do your thing. Do your thing. Justin I like you,

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Speaker 1: like he's spread in your wings. Yes, So twenties six

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Speaker 1: dropbacks for Baker Mayfield, five sacks. They have not been

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Speaker 1: that good to a pass rush for most of this season,

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Speaker 1: but I think they have to be that over the

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Speaker 1: final three weeks of the year. And by the way,

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Speaker 1: the Dolphins since Toronto and instead got hurt in the

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Speaker 1: first half of that Texans game. Two has been getting hit.

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Speaker 1: The Bills actually did the worst job of getting pressure

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Speaker 1: onto A of any team over the past years. But

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Speaker 1: the Texans got five sacks on to a in in

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Speaker 1: the the second half of that game where he got benched.

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Speaker 1: The Miners beat up to A. The Chargers had plenty

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Speaker 1: of pressure onto A, and I think the Packers can

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Speaker 1: do that, but it's not a given or a guarantee

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Speaker 1: in the way it would have been maybe a couple

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Speaker 1: of years ago. And my whole thing with this Packers

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Speaker 1: team is they've been a little better, I think than

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Speaker 1: the record show their three and five and one score games.

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Speaker 1: They had a streak of them in the middle of

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Speaker 1: the season where they just kept losing Giants, Commanders, Lions,

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Speaker 1: and and maybe they should probably be seven and seven,

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Speaker 1: they should be eight and six. I'm very intrigued by

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Speaker 1: that game. I also wanted to ask you about Christmas

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Speaker 1: games in general. Go ahead, what I want to point out.

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Speaker 1: Is that kind of the the the the cards this

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Speaker 1: house was built on for the Packers over the past

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Speaker 1: three years was winning a lot of those close games.

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Speaker 1: I felt very stupid for the past couple of years

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Speaker 1: because every year I've talked about their their record in

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Speaker 1: games decided by seven points or less and said, well, Okay,

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Speaker 1: this year, finally they're gonna go back and regress towards

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Speaker 1: the mean and they're going to be a normal team.

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Speaker 1: There's no reason why they're good at these games. And

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Speaker 1: they were good at they were good at it. They

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Speaker 1: were good one. They were a combined fourteen and six

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Speaker 1: in those one score games the prior three years. And

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Speaker 1: I bring that up not to to take a victory lap.

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Speaker 1: That's not the point, but what I am saying, that's

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Speaker 1: the point. Let's let's do it. Let's have a parade

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Speaker 1: for Bill Barnwell, right, and it'd be nice. I would.

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Speaker 1: I would take it. I would. I would love love

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Speaker 1: a marching bands. We need more holiday parades. It's like,

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Speaker 1: I guess we got the Rose parade after January one.

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Speaker 1: That's like about roses. They should have Christmas parades. They

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Speaker 1: should have Bill Barnwell. Uh is an excellent writer parades,

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Speaker 1: like we should nominate one person every year to have

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Speaker 1: a parade thrown in their honor, Like whoever has the

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Speaker 1: best preseason predictions, Like if Bill really nails his preseason

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Speaker 1: teams that are going to regress or or improve, It

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Speaker 1: makes total sense that you've been on that corner with

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Speaker 1: the Packers. And and that's a good point that, Uh,

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Speaker 1: this is a franchise that probably could use some bad

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Speaker 1: luck after all the good luck they've had. I'm just

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Speaker 1: saying that I think maybe the bar for what you

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Speaker 1: would expect them to be maybe shouldn't be as high

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Speaker 1: as the record was in prior years. Like I think

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Speaker 1: they've been a a ten and a half eleven win

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Speaker 1: team in the past few years, which is fine. They're

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Speaker 1: still very good, but I don't think they've fallen off

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Speaker 1: quite as much as maybe their record would indicate given

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Speaker 1: their record in prior years. Yeah, and their defense, to

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Speaker 1: me all season has been the biggest problems and some

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Speaker 1: of the traditional stats hasn't haven't said it because they're

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Speaker 1: the type of defense that just never gets off the field,

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Speaker 1: that gives up these long drives, these soul crushing drives,

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Speaker 1: and uh, they haven't shown enough for me to believe

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Speaker 1: that's gonna be any different. Next week against Miami is

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Speaker 1: kind of their their final test. But yeah, the guy's

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Speaker 1: getting sacked tonight. We're like Nabarre. Is that how you

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Speaker 1: say his name? He's the fifth round rookie outside linebacker

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Speaker 1: has been playing better lately. I just noticed Justin Hollins

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Speaker 1: gotta have a sack. He was on the range. Revenge game.

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Speaker 1: It was a revenge game. Greg, I can't believe you

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Speaker 1: did not pay attention to that. Uh. Yeah, they invested

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Speaker 1: so much. And I never like it when teams over

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Speaker 1: invest in the defense in general, and especially not when

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Speaker 1: you have a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers. Uh, just think

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Speaker 1: offense is more consistent. And they put so much into

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Speaker 1: the defense this year that it needed to be a

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Speaker 1: top five to tend defense, and it's been below average.

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Speaker 1: And I don't know. There's something about Aaron Rodgers, I guess.

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Speaker 1: Even though I don't root for any of his rival

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Speaker 1: teams and I've always, you know, more or less been

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Speaker 1: neutral on Aaron Rodgers, are enjoyed the experience. I certainly

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Speaker 1: love watching him throw the ball. Like I'm still just

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Speaker 1: kind of afraid of him that they will win these

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Speaker 1: three games. There's part of me that is a fan

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Speaker 1: of another team that's like, oh, they're gonna win these games.

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Speaker 1: No one thinks they're they're gonna win him great. Could

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Speaker 1: you not see a universe where it's Week eighteen and

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Speaker 1: it's the Packers, the team that everyone's kind of sick of,

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Speaker 1: that we know is not that good with the quarterback

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Speaker 1: who you know has been tiptoeing around retirement for the

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Speaker 1: last three years, Versus the Lions. Yes, uh, the the team. Everybody,

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Speaker 1: including the Around the NFL podcast, all love the team

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Speaker 1: that we've adopted, that we've we've had, We've put our

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Speaker 1: our boots on the ground for for the past year

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Speaker 1: waiting to see them rise up. And now this is

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Speaker 1: their chance to cook it to the postseason. Then Aaron

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Speaker 1: Rodgers is going to get in the way. I love it, Bill,

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Speaker 1: give it to me. I mean, look at Bill barton football,

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Speaker 1: look at Bill Barnwell, loyal to football and loyal to

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Speaker 1: those Lions. I mean even prompting Justin to play our

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Speaker 1: little theme song about the Lions. I love it. Give

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Speaker 1: me that as the Week eighteen game. That's what I need.

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Speaker 1: I want either that and I've already looked at this.

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Speaker 1: I'm always obsessed with the Week eighteen thing. Um A, yeah,

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Speaker 1: there's a lot of options. Practically every game feels like

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Speaker 1: an option. I want that or Jets Dolphins as a

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Speaker 1: winning in type of game. Either one of those to

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Speaker 1: me would be delicious. But Packers Lions feels right. It

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Speaker 1: feels better, and the Packers are gonna need to uh

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Speaker 1: win two straight games to set that up. Yeah, or

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Speaker 1: Titans Jaguars. You can't say Jaguars anymore. We gotta just

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Speaker 1: say it's Jaguars. J I don't know who who tweeted

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Speaker 1: about it. I think it was our friend Ben Solac today.

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Speaker 1: That was just saying that anyone who says Jaguars on

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Speaker 1: a podcast is immediately suspended, and and I thought to myself, yes,

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Speaker 1: I've thought that that too. We need to stop these people. Wars. Well,

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Speaker 1: the British say Jaguars. It is London's team. I'm gonna

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Speaker 1: go with Jags from now on, so I don't mess

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Speaker 1: it up. I don't want Jack Titans, what about Ravens Bengals.

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Speaker 1: This would have been a great top six list. I'm

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Speaker 1: not even joking. Top six potential Week eight teen games

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Speaker 1: and just talk about that. Yeah, Ravens Bengals is awesome too.

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Speaker 1: I don't think we're going to get a bad one

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Speaker 1: this year. The only way it gets bad is basically

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Speaker 1: if the only winning in scenario is one of the

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Speaker 1: Southern divisions and Jaguars Titans would be fine. I'm not

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Speaker 1: gonna hate that, but the NFC South would be horrible.

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Speaker 1: I love Jack's Titans because you have Travor turboR. Lawrence

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Speaker 1: is playing out of his mind right now, and you

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Speaker 1: have Derrick Henry, who has owned the Jaguars for years now,

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Speaker 1: even had like a hundred yards in the first half

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Speaker 1: against them last time out, and then he got shut

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Speaker 1: down in the second half, and I don't know how

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Speaker 1: it happened, Like, I think that could be a real shootout.

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Speaker 1: I I would be on board for Tennessee Jacksonville in

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Speaker 1: the week game. Okay, I would too. In a normal year,

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Speaker 1: it's like a seven and a half out of ten.

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Speaker 1: But with these other games that are possible that just

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Speaker 1: seem like the Lions, Packers, or Bengals, Ravens or Jets, Dolphins,

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Speaker 1: those all seem awesome to me. So so that's all.

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Speaker 1: It's just knowing that there's others out there, you won't

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Speaker 1: be watching Texans Colts. I mean I'll be watching whatever

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Speaker 1: it is we got to talk about it. It's the

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Speaker 1: last game of the year that will not be a

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Speaker 1: game because that cannot have an elimination scenario. At this point,

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Speaker 1: I don't think the Colts can get back in this.

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Speaker 1: Thank the Vikings for that quickly on the rams because

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Speaker 1: before we get to the most improved list, I don't

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Speaker 1: know if there's much to say about a cam Akers

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Speaker 1: had a hundred. Had a hundred yards tonight out of

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Speaker 1: one six Yeah, yeah, sixty on the ground and thirty

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Speaker 1: five through the art. Uh yeah, totally yards, but fifteen touches.

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Speaker 1: I mean for a team that had one fifty six

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Speaker 1: to have a hundred is impressive. He has show explosion

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Speaker 1: after a really lost early part of the season. Um,

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Speaker 1: I think he came back from that injury looking much better.

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Speaker 1: So to me, the rest of their season is just

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Speaker 1: seeing who among these players can matter for next year,

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Speaker 1: including Baker as a potential backup, including Acres in where

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Speaker 1: he fits in, Guys like Michael Hoyt, who's really looked

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Speaker 1: great as an edge rusher. So that's a nice find.

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Speaker 1: Some of the guys in their secondary and that's about it.

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Speaker 1: They just need to find some players, guys like Leonard

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Speaker 1: Floyd actually who they'll be making a decision on whether

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Speaker 1: they want to keep him. Like they can say fifteen

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Speaker 1: million dollars against the cap, and they're gonna need money.

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Speaker 1: He's been playing great lately, so he might be auditioning

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Speaker 1: for for another team. That that's sort of all that

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Speaker 1: matters for the Rams season at this point. Yeah, I

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Speaker 1: think sort of cycling through some of their younger players

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Speaker 1: as well. Like you know, like like the guys in

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Speaker 1: the secondary, you're Nick Scotcher, Taylor Raps who are coming

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Speaker 1: up either towards the end of their rookie deals or

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Speaker 1: the ring positions where you know they're not making a

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Speaker 1: lot of money and you can replace them, maybe you

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Speaker 1: draft a guy to replace them, And it's you know,

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Speaker 1: can you trust those guys to be a part of

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Speaker 1: a championship caliber defense? Scott was last year, rap really

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Speaker 1: was not a focal point of that defense. Thinks a

429
00:22:31,119 --> 00:22:33,720
Speaker 1: free agent and uh, I would guess he'll be gone

430
00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:36,000
Speaker 1: just because I would imagine as well. Yeah, and they

431
00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:37,600
Speaker 1: have they have other good players. You're right in the

432
00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:40,240
Speaker 1: in the secondary or at least that they want to see,

433
00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:43,000
Speaker 1: like like Kobe Durant and yeah, but but Acres is

434
00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:46,359
Speaker 1: a good example. I mean, he was almost out of

435
00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:49,480
Speaker 1: the organization. If anybody could offer them a swap of

436
00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:51,359
Speaker 1: late round picks, I think he'd be on a different

437
00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:53,680
Speaker 1: team right now. But he looks the best he's looked

438
00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:56,960
Speaker 1: since his achilles injury. He was terrible in the postseason,

439
00:22:56,960 --> 00:22:59,280
Speaker 1: almost cost the Rams their super Bowl given how bad

440
00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:02,159
Speaker 1: he played, uh and in the final two rounds of

441
00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:05,640
Speaker 1: the playoffs last year. But you know, obviously impressively came

442
00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,520
Speaker 1: back and looks much better now, thankfully. And I think,

443
00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:12,119
Speaker 1: you know, for a offense that could really use a

444
00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:15,240
Speaker 1: relatively cheap running back to be, you know, the focal

445
00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:18,080
Speaker 1: point of their running game, can't makers looks like maybe

446
00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:19,640
Speaker 1: he can be that guy if he plays this way

447
00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:21,800
Speaker 1: over the rest of the season, right Because something tells

448
00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:24,400
Speaker 1: me they're going to be spending money on offensive lineman

449
00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:28,200
Speaker 1: and uh I would hope so, but potentially quarterback and

450
00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:30,880
Speaker 1: defensive tackles. We don't know who's going to be back

451
00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:33,000
Speaker 1: for the Rams. That's for the off season. Let's talk

452
00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:36,720
Speaker 1: about a list that I'm excited about I'm so excited

453
00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:39,439
Speaker 1: about it, Bill, uh that I'm going to give you

454
00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:42,960
Speaker 1: the first draft pick. It's our most improved players. And

455
00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:45,640
Speaker 1: if you're a regular listener of the Monday Night Football

456
00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:50,760
Speaker 1: Pro podcast, you might think to yourself, wait, didn't Greg

457
00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:55,080
Speaker 1: already do most improved Players? Uh? Yeah, I did. I

458
00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:58,080
Speaker 1: I just went third person too, and I didn't really

459
00:23:58,119 --> 00:24:00,680
Speaker 1: realize it till I was writing down Christian Derri saw

460
00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:02,840
Speaker 1: like a few hours before the show is like, this

461
00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:06,080
Speaker 1: seems familiar, but it's the end of the season, and

462
00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:10,080
Speaker 1: I think most Improved Player should be an award that

463
00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:13,240
Speaker 1: is actually given by the NFL because it makes more

464
00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:15,320
Speaker 1: sense to me than come back players. So I think

465
00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:18,399
Speaker 1: it's good to be circling back right now. And at

466
00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:21,159
Speaker 1: least the players I'm throwing out would be legit candidates

467
00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:23,760
Speaker 1: for an actual most improved Player awards. So this is

468
00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:25,960
Speaker 1: more the end of the season. Bill. You go, first,

469
00:24:26,440 --> 00:24:30,119
Speaker 1: how how long ago did you? I don't want to.

470
00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:33,800
Speaker 1: I thought about not bringing this up because how many

471
00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:37,959
Speaker 1: people would really notice? Not that many? Um, But I

472
00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:40,840
Speaker 1: just thought it was funny because I was like, Derris, wait,

473
00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:47,560
Speaker 1: this this feels familiar. This is when you know you've

474
00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:49,920
Speaker 1: done too many shows. I think it was like six

475
00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:52,320
Speaker 1: weeks ago. But I'm doing different players, Bill, I want

476
00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:55,359
Speaker 1: to hear, what do you think I think about in

477
00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:58,639
Speaker 1: the past. Yeah, but this is this is all embarrassing.

478
00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:02,960
Speaker 1: It was Charles McDonald. Okay, I respect Charles's opinion, So

479
00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:05,200
Speaker 1: if it was someone I did not respect, I'd say

480
00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:08,480
Speaker 1: this is totally different. I mean, this is such a

481
00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:11,800
Speaker 1: great award potential. We could do it every week. Let's

482
00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:15,440
Speaker 1: just talk about improved players. What's more human than trying

483
00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,800
Speaker 1: to improve and recognizing that in the holiday season, Bill

484
00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:24,120
Speaker 1: being critical. We do that pretty often too, So that's

485
00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:27,359
Speaker 1: what it's nice to be. Give me pick, give me

486
00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:29,960
Speaker 1: your first pick. Okay, one more thing before I start there. Okay,

487
00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:31,480
Speaker 1: I just want to put it out there. I mentioned

488
00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:34,040
Speaker 1: this before we started taping. Last time I came on

489
00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:36,760
Speaker 1: the show, we had another list where you both came

490
00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:38,680
Speaker 1: up with like two or three of the same things.

491
00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:42,440
Speaker 1: The over under for the number of players we're going

492
00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:45,000
Speaker 1: to name that are identical to me is two and

493
00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:47,280
Speaker 1: a half. WHOA. I thought we said it at one

494
00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:49,160
Speaker 1: and a half and you were taking it over before

495
00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:53,000
Speaker 1: the show, but you just gave away a free number. Okay,

496
00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:57,360
Speaker 1: a little different, like I just gave away Derris saw

497
00:25:57,600 --> 00:25:59,199
Speaker 1: is not can't be on my list because it was

498
00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:02,359
Speaker 1: on it last time. Though it's a slightly different list,

499
00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:04,960
Speaker 1: but sure, I'll go with that. We're getting the most

500
00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:08,840
Speaker 1: improved by team here. Okay. Number one for me a

501
00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:12,560
Speaker 1: guy who was a question to even be starting this

502
00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:16,439
Speaker 1: year and a player on America's team, the Detroit Lions,

503
00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:20,640
Speaker 1: is jeff A Kuda, a player who was kind of

504
00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:23,280
Speaker 1: lost under Matt Patricia, was a mess as a rookie.

505
00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:27,400
Speaker 1: Tori's achilles was a question whether he was going to start.

506
00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:30,719
Speaker 1: I think, uh a Moni over Warrier was looking really

507
00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:32,159
Speaker 1: good like this year, like he was maybe going to

508
00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:34,520
Speaker 1: play ahead of a Kuda. A Kuda wins the job

509
00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:36,080
Speaker 1: in camp, and he's been really good, you know. I

510
00:26:36,119 --> 00:26:40,840
Speaker 1: think the Lions defense admittedly has been pretty iffy. I

511
00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:43,040
Speaker 1: don't think Ada has been a super star necessarily, but

512
00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:45,400
Speaker 1: he's had a lot of tough assignments and I think

513
00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:47,880
Speaker 1: he's battles really well. Had did a really good job

514
00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:50,199
Speaker 1: that one week against Justin Jefferson. Not so much in

515
00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:52,520
Speaker 1: the rematch, I guess, but you know, when he's been healthy,

516
00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:54,399
Speaker 1: he's missed a couple of weeks, but when he's been healthy,

517
00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:58,040
Speaker 1: I think he's been an above average starting cornerback, and

518
00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:01,560
Speaker 1: I think that's the perfect timing for that for the Lions,

519
00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:03,800
Speaker 1: given how little they got from him over his first

520
00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:06,520
Speaker 1: couple of seasons in the league. So Accuda number one

521
00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:08,480
Speaker 1: on my list. I love that, and I love that

522
00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:10,359
Speaker 1: we're doing this list again because it just gives us

523
00:27:10,359 --> 00:27:13,120
Speaker 1: a chance to talk about players I never do at

524
00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:15,359
Speaker 1: length on this podcast. I think he's a perfect pick

525
00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:17,919
Speaker 1: because of where he was in his career, and also

526
00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:20,680
Speaker 1: as a representative of the Lions defense, which is the

527
00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:23,920
Speaker 1: most improved defense throughout the course of the season since

528
00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:27,320
Speaker 1: they're bye week there in d v O A. I

529
00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:30,280
Speaker 1: mean that's average. I mean that's better than average. And

530
00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:34,080
Speaker 1: I hate to be cliche, but Akuda is the perfect,

531
00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:37,600
Speaker 1: uh example of why I like watching the Lions defense.

532
00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:40,280
Speaker 1: They just fly around the field, and that's the cliche,

533
00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:44,440
Speaker 1: but they play with such great energy and Accuda's physical.

534
00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:47,560
Speaker 1: They give him the toughest assignments. Some weeks it goes okay,

535
00:27:47,800 --> 00:27:50,840
Speaker 1: you're well and coverage some weeks it doesn't. But he's

536
00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:54,600
Speaker 1: a great tackler and he's great and run defense and

537
00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:57,680
Speaker 1: he makes plays outside of just being uncoverage and I

538
00:27:57,760 --> 00:28:00,800
Speaker 1: think that's typical of this team, uh, of Rodrigo and

539
00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:03,160
Speaker 1: the rest of him. So I love okudas the first

540
00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:06,720
Speaker 1: pick five point six pass and reading a loud Perfootball

541
00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:09,280
Speaker 1: Reference which checks out to me. A cornerback reference stats

542
00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:11,960
Speaker 1: are always a little iffy, but I think, you know, again,

543
00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:14,159
Speaker 1: not a superstar. There are guys with better numbers, but

544
00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:17,879
Speaker 1: I think a solid corner on a team that needs

545
00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:19,760
Speaker 1: solid players on the defensive side of the well. And

546
00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:22,480
Speaker 1: I hate you never want to see top five picks

547
00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:25,240
Speaker 1: wash out, and uh it's always a good reminder to

548
00:28:25,520 --> 00:28:28,240
Speaker 1: give them time and see what happens. But that's especially

549
00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:31,800
Speaker 1: to you at cornerback. Cornerback is so unpredictable that sometimes

550
00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:33,879
Speaker 1: guys who don't seem like they're gonna make it on

551
00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:35,960
Speaker 1: their first contract have great careers. I'm going with the

552
00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:38,640
Speaker 1: guy that was at a totally different position. There's no

553
00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:41,640
Speaker 1: way you wrote them down, Bill barn Well. I'm taking

554
00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:47,320
Speaker 1: Juwan Johnson with my pick. Joan Johnson was a wide receiver.

555
00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:50,560
Speaker 1: He was I know. I I was taking John Johnson

556
00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:52,400
Speaker 1: in Best Ball drafts last year. Think he might be

557
00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:55,880
Speaker 1: the new Marques Colston. Okay, so no I picked them

558
00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:59,200
Speaker 1: because none of these wide receivers to tight ends. I

559
00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:01,880
Speaker 1: shouldn't say nothing. It's pretty rare that it works out.

560
00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:05,040
Speaker 1: And so Sean Payton moved him to tight end, and

561
00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:08,000
Speaker 1: I didn't see it. He still looked like like a

562
00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:11,720
Speaker 1: like a like he was too slow to even play

563
00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:13,719
Speaker 1: tight end when he was playing wide receiver. But he

564
00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:16,320
Speaker 1: really has improved. I watched enough of the Saints in

565
00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:18,200
Speaker 1: the preseason and the regular season when he was on

566
00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:20,960
Speaker 1: the field the last couple of years, UH to see

567
00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:22,920
Speaker 1: what he's doing this year that he's worked on his

568
00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:25,920
Speaker 1: game and he's explosive, he has great hands, he's obviously

569
00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,440
Speaker 1: good in the red zone. And it's a little crazy

570
00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:30,880
Speaker 1: that he scored seven touchdowns, but he has thirty five

571
00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:34,760
Speaker 1: catches for four hundred and sixteen yards. UH. And he's reliable.

572
00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:38,320
Speaker 1: Like they've found something in him and Rashid Shahi. The

573
00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:41,320
Speaker 1: Saints have had the most bizarre season ever. But Juwan

574
00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:43,160
Speaker 1: Johnson is a real player. Jowan Johnson is going to

575
00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:45,920
Speaker 1: get a nice second contract as a tight end and

576
00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:47,960
Speaker 1: he's not even getting to the second contract yet, only

577
00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:50,360
Speaker 1: a third year player. And so I love seeing guys

578
00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:52,920
Speaker 1: like that who just you had no thought would be

579
00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:57,400
Speaker 1: a quality starter become one absolutely. And I think, you know,

580
00:29:57,480 --> 00:29:59,880
Speaker 1: the numbers don't sound like they're blowing you away with

581
00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:02,600
Speaker 1: you know, thirty five or four, sixteen and seven, But

582
00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:06,920
Speaker 1: that's the seventh best fantasy performance from any tight end

583
00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:11,800
Speaker 1: in football this year, and it's getting he's five or

584
00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:14,600
Speaker 1: six weeks. It's just like the difficulty of the catches

585
00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:16,920
Speaker 1: that he makes, Like that's a skill set that should travel.

586
00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:19,960
Speaker 1: All right, what's your next pick? My next pick is

587
00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:22,840
Speaker 1: I'll give you one that I think was probably on

588
00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:27,280
Speaker 1: most people's list, and that's Talnoah Funka, the Niners safety

589
00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:30,680
Speaker 1: where I just think not perfect, there's still weeks where

590
00:30:30,680 --> 00:30:33,480
Speaker 1: people take advantage of him here and there, but such

591
00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:37,120
Speaker 1: a playmaker. He's made them so much better. Um, you know,

592
00:30:37,360 --> 00:30:41,760
Speaker 1: he can play different spots on the defense, and I

593
00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:45,200
Speaker 1: think play them at a high level. I think he's physical.

594
00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:47,840
Speaker 1: I think he is you know it kind of has

595
00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:49,760
Speaker 1: that knack of being in the right place at the

596
00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:51,640
Speaker 1: right time. That's the skill, even if it might not

597
00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:55,040
Speaker 1: necessarily look like a skill, um, you know, on a

598
00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:59,080
Speaker 1: given play. But I think that Niners defense the secondary

599
00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:01,120
Speaker 1: was the big question mark for them heading into the year,

600
00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:03,640
Speaker 1: even after adding to various ward and I think fans

601
00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:07,800
Speaker 1: year to your growth was significant enough that he's the

602
00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:10,920
Speaker 1: reason to me why they're the best defensive football and

603
00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:12,960
Speaker 1: not the fifth or sixth or seventh or eighth best

604
00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:18,640
Speaker 1: defensive football. That's that's type praise and and I agree

605
00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:21,440
Speaker 1: certainly that he deserves to be on this list. I

606
00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:24,080
Speaker 1: don't know if he's the difference, but he is a

607
00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:27,280
Speaker 1: great example of a coach and a coaching staff using

608
00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:30,560
Speaker 1: a guy's instinctive skill set to their full advantage. And

609
00:31:30,560 --> 00:31:32,840
Speaker 1: he's a guy that when he was popping in the preseason,

610
00:31:33,160 --> 00:31:35,600
Speaker 1: most people probably looked him up and thought like, oh,

611
00:31:35,680 --> 00:31:38,240
Speaker 1: is he a rookie? And no, he's not a rookie.

612
00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:40,400
Speaker 1: He just really came out of Noor. I love that.

613
00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:44,720
Speaker 1: I'm gonna um pick a player not on your list,

614
00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:46,960
Speaker 1: though not on my list. You're not getting your over

615
00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:50,680
Speaker 1: over one and half unless you have this man. And

616
00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:55,320
Speaker 1: I I could choose between two big name quarterbacks, okay,

617
00:31:55,640 --> 00:31:58,280
Speaker 1: and I'm gonna take two a tongue of Violoa and

618
00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:03,280
Speaker 1: most improved and instead of Trevor Lawrence, because you know

619
00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:06,360
Speaker 1: Trevor it was a rookie quarterback. We we know the

620
00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:09,000
Speaker 1: situation there, and he's improved unbelievably during the season. We

621
00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:10,880
Speaker 1: talked enough about chart to me, two is a better

622
00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:13,800
Speaker 1: choice because he had already played so much in the

623
00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:16,400
Speaker 1: NFL and we'd seen him over the last two years,

624
00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:20,600
Speaker 1: and before Dolphins fans get in their feelings, I was

625
00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:23,720
Speaker 1: higher on two A in general the last two years

626
00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:27,800
Speaker 1: then consensus, I would say, because I thought what he

627
00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:31,360
Speaker 1: showed in those two years was a skill set that

628
00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:37,120
Speaker 1: was better or almost elite in some areas than NFL starters.

629
00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:42,040
Speaker 1: And that was in quick game and that was in um,

630
00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:44,040
Speaker 1: you know, the way he handles the ball, but also

631
00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:48,080
Speaker 1: quick accuracy, and like, that's a skill set that travels.

632
00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:51,720
Speaker 1: We've seen enough quarterbacks that never have that, and that

633
00:32:51,840 --> 00:32:54,480
Speaker 1: he was almost at an elite level of that right

634
00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:56,760
Speaker 1: off the bat. So like, Okay, you can work with

635
00:32:56,800 --> 00:32:59,320
Speaker 1: this hopeful, you can build out different parts of his

636
00:32:59,400 --> 00:33:03,080
Speaker 1: game and you can build around him, uh, and then

637
00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:05,840
Speaker 1: he'll improve more. So I already sort of saw him

638
00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:09,400
Speaker 1: that he was gonna be an Alex Smith type UM,

639
00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:12,000
Speaker 1: and I don't think that's a derogatory And I thought

640
00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:14,360
Speaker 1: that was like the middle point of how his career

641
00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:17,280
Speaker 1: would go. And I think you look at this season

642
00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:18,760
Speaker 1: and you want to just give all the credit to

643
00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:23,080
Speaker 1: Tyree Hill and Jalen Waddle and Mike McDaniel, and I

644
00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:26,320
Speaker 1: think that's unfair because I think the timing that he

645
00:33:26,440 --> 00:33:30,200
Speaker 1: shows on the deep throws and the confidence that he

646
00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:32,320
Speaker 1: plays with a lot of it is just confidence. And

647
00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:35,280
Speaker 1: maybe that comes from coaching and how he's been talked

648
00:33:35,360 --> 00:33:38,360
Speaker 1: up and and everything that he's worked on, But he

649
00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:41,360
Speaker 1: didn't show those things necessarily in this first two years.

650
00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:44,400
Speaker 1: And so yeah, it's the situation improving for him. But

651
00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:48,880
Speaker 1: I think he's legitimately improved. And even if his arm

652
00:33:48,960 --> 00:33:52,440
Speaker 1: isn't big, can it be big enough to be extremely

653
00:33:52,480 --> 00:33:55,480
Speaker 1: efficient throwing deep like Drew Brees was throughout his career.

654
00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:56,800
Speaker 1: I think he has a chance to do that. I

655
00:33:56,800 --> 00:33:58,840
Speaker 1: don't think he's all the way there yet. I don't

656
00:33:58,840 --> 00:34:00,720
Speaker 1: think he's an m v P You candidate, and I

657
00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:03,320
Speaker 1: never quite saw you was there. But I think there's

658
00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:05,880
Speaker 1: a middle ground here where, like you can recognize he

659
00:34:05,920 --> 00:34:08,520
Speaker 1: has improved quite a great deal, and you've got to

660
00:34:08,520 --> 00:34:10,359
Speaker 1: be excited if you're a Dolphins fans that he can

661
00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:14,719
Speaker 1: improve more for sure, and I think the infrastructure of

662
00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:17,120
Speaker 1: that offense has opened up to the point where he

663
00:34:17,160 --> 00:34:19,040
Speaker 1: can kind of show what he can do in a

664
00:34:19,080 --> 00:34:22,200
Speaker 1: way that he was not able to the first two

665
00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:25,440
Speaker 1: years in Miami. I mean that offense. Yes, he is

666
00:34:25,480 --> 00:34:28,839
Speaker 1: a very accurate pastor in the short and intermediate range.

667
00:34:28,840 --> 00:34:30,600
Speaker 1: He's good during over the middle of the field. He's

668
00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:33,680
Speaker 1: good on our pos with making smart decisions and getting

669
00:34:33,680 --> 00:34:36,160
Speaker 1: the ball out fast and and not just one hopping

670
00:34:36,160 --> 00:34:37,840
Speaker 1: the ball or putting it two lower, two high, and

671
00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:39,719
Speaker 1: we're putting in the right spot for a guy to

672
00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:42,960
Speaker 1: create yards after the catch because he's hitting them in stride.

673
00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:45,319
Speaker 1: And we've seen more of that this year. But we

674
00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:48,239
Speaker 1: know from his days of Alabamma he can throw deep.

675
00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:50,640
Speaker 1: It's not like he's Chad Pennington, you know, where he

676
00:34:50,719 --> 00:34:53,520
Speaker 1: just can't deliver a deep pass. I mean even Chad Pennington,

677
00:34:53,640 --> 00:34:56,160
Speaker 1: by the way, like we remember the last few years

678
00:34:56,200 --> 00:34:58,799
Speaker 1: of his career, but there was a period early in

679
00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:00,840
Speaker 1: his career where he was like a top five quarterback.

680
00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:04,440
Speaker 1: Oh sure, And I think with to a you know, like,

681
00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:07,120
Speaker 1: it wasn't that he was not physically able to do

682
00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:09,400
Speaker 1: it last year, it was that he was physically not

683
00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:12,040
Speaker 1: able to do it while staying upright because he did

684
00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:14,359
Speaker 1: not have the past protection to pull that off. And

685
00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:17,279
Speaker 1: I think that is the difference for me this year

686
00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:19,480
Speaker 1: is that the past protection has been better, and that

687
00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:21,520
Speaker 1: means his confidence is growing. It means he has more

688
00:35:21,520 --> 00:35:24,560
Speaker 1: faith in his offensive line, especially before this recent stretch

689
00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:27,000
Speaker 1: where he struggled and line has been not doing as

690
00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:30,799
Speaker 1: good of a job. But I think we've been able

691
00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:32,880
Speaker 1: to see what he can do because of the context

692
00:35:32,920 --> 00:35:35,319
Speaker 1: around him. It's not as if he was not able

693
00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:37,080
Speaker 1: to do that in years past. It was just that

694
00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:39,840
Speaker 1: he did not have the context around him to be

695
00:35:39,880 --> 00:35:42,279
Speaker 1: able to show that off. So and a little more

696
00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:45,200
Speaker 1: like the past protection also allows him to do a

697
00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:49,279
Speaker 1: little more playmaking, which I'm not saying he's Alita or

698
00:35:49,320 --> 00:35:51,600
Speaker 1: even above average, but he's shown it and that's the

699
00:35:51,640 --> 00:35:54,560
Speaker 1: next step for him, that when he does have extra

700
00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:56,239
Speaker 1: time and he's getting to his third or fourth three

701
00:35:56,280 --> 00:35:57,759
Speaker 1: and he just has to go make a play. He's

702
00:35:57,800 --> 00:36:01,279
Speaker 1: done that a bit this year. He's done He's done that,

703
00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:04,160
Speaker 1: and UM, it's encouraging to see that because you didn't

704
00:36:04,160 --> 00:36:05,920
Speaker 1: see that in the first couple of years. So if

705
00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:07,840
Speaker 1: there was an actual award he would be a pretty

706
00:36:08,239 --> 00:36:10,319
Speaker 1: strong candidate to win it because he would get a

707
00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:12,799
Speaker 1: lot of love. All right, we each have one more pick.

708
00:36:12,880 --> 00:36:16,479
Speaker 1: You're not getting your over, You're not. You're not. Would

709
00:36:16,520 --> 00:36:20,040
Speaker 1: you say Jalen Hurts has improved more than when you

710
00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:27,240
Speaker 1: when you said to quarterbacks, that's oh, you're right, shoot Hurts.

711
00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:29,680
Speaker 1: I don't know why. I just guess I'm thinking about

712
00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:32,680
Speaker 1: him as an m v P and and that I

713
00:36:32,760 --> 00:36:35,920
Speaker 1: like had the Eagles in the super Bowl before the season.

714
00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:40,440
Speaker 1: But yeah, of course he's improved incredible more. Yeah, that's right.

715
00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:45,960
Speaker 1: Given it to myself. No, it's not hurt. Do you

716
00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:49,640
Speaker 1: want do you want offensive lineman or a skill position player.

717
00:36:50,560 --> 00:36:52,319
Speaker 1: Let's just give me both and we'll make it the

718
00:36:52,360 --> 00:36:56,359
Speaker 1: next year. Just talk about one. We'll talk about one. Uh,

719
00:36:56,480 --> 00:37:01,839
Speaker 1: Mike the offensive. Now let's go through. They moved him

720
00:37:01,840 --> 00:37:03,879
Speaker 1: around and now he said it one spot playing very well.

721
00:37:03,960 --> 00:37:08,719
Speaker 1: I'll go Donovan People's Jones, my receiver who I did

722
00:37:08,719 --> 00:37:10,560
Speaker 1: not have high hopes. Work kind of figured, Okay, he's

723
00:37:10,560 --> 00:37:12,440
Speaker 1: going to be the second or third guy. Maybe Anthony

724
00:37:12,520 --> 00:37:16,919
Speaker 1: Schwartz moves past it in Cleveland. Since Week four, he's

725
00:37:16,960 --> 00:37:19,839
Speaker 1: averaging just under two yards per route. Run. He's ahead

726
00:37:19,840 --> 00:37:21,840
Speaker 1: of d J. Moore, ahead of Davante Smith, ahead of

727
00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:25,640
Speaker 1: Keenan Allen, Deepo, Samuel Brandon. I. I mean, all of

728
00:37:25,680 --> 00:37:28,319
Speaker 1: these guys who you think of as superstars, and I

729
00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:31,759
Speaker 1: think Jacoby Brissette has played well, certainly, but it's not

730
00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:36,000
Speaker 1: like Jacoby Rossette is a superstar quarterback. He was on

731
00:37:36,080 --> 00:37:38,719
Speaker 1: my long list. It was good. I didn't know there

732
00:37:38,719 --> 00:37:40,239
Speaker 1: was a long list. I mean kind sent me the

733
00:37:40,239 --> 00:37:44,520
Speaker 1: long list. Briv. He's but not way people's choage is

734
00:37:44,560 --> 00:37:47,879
Speaker 1: a legit number two NFL white out and I did

735
00:37:47,880 --> 00:37:49,640
Speaker 1: not see him at that level before this year, and

736
00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:51,759
Speaker 1: I think he's still pretty young. Of course, they're getting

737
00:37:51,760 --> 00:37:54,960
Speaker 1: an upgraded quarterback with Deshaun Watson. Granted he has not

738
00:37:54,960 --> 00:37:57,560
Speaker 1: looked very good to start this year, but hopefully next

739
00:37:57,640 --> 00:38:00,520
Speaker 1: year he'll be better. And I think he can be

740
00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:04,440
Speaker 1: like a legit starting NFL wide receiver that's pretty valuable

741
00:38:04,520 --> 00:38:08,520
Speaker 1: for a midground pick. Yeah, I did not see that coming, um,

742
00:38:08,600 --> 00:38:13,520
Speaker 1: but he has a good feel for spacing and making

743
00:38:13,560 --> 00:38:15,480
Speaker 1: big plays. And you've seen it in the return game

744
00:38:15,520 --> 00:38:18,560
Speaker 1: a little bit too with that touchdown. Uh, they found

745
00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:23,759
Speaker 1: something there. Receivers are so valuable these days. Um, I

746
00:38:23,760 --> 00:38:26,040
Speaker 1: almost feel like you just gotta take as many as

747
00:38:26,080 --> 00:38:27,719
Speaker 1: you can in the draft. It's kind of like the

748
00:38:27,719 --> 00:38:29,680
Speaker 1: old quarterback thing that I used to think take one

749
00:38:29,719 --> 00:38:32,120
Speaker 1: every year. Receivers, Now you should take one or two

750
00:38:32,480 --> 00:38:34,720
Speaker 1: every year. I think the Packers are are very happy

751
00:38:34,760 --> 00:38:38,120
Speaker 1: with their second and fourth round pick. Um. I'll wrap

752
00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:41,000
Speaker 1: it up with Jalen Phillips. I'm going double on the Daltons.

753
00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:43,680
Speaker 1: Gregg he was on the list. He was he was

754
00:38:43,760 --> 00:38:46,960
Speaker 1: number six on my list. I mean, how do I

755
00:38:47,120 --> 00:38:49,799
Speaker 1: you didn't say him though, you didn't say his name. Well,

756
00:38:50,480 --> 00:38:55,080
Speaker 1: I got one that's under one, and that's true. Jalen

757
00:38:55,120 --> 00:38:59,000
Speaker 1: Phillips and and Joshneiman were my two other guys earlier

758
00:38:59,040 --> 00:39:03,600
Speaker 1: in the show. That doesn't count. Um, the parade is mine.

759
00:39:04,200 --> 00:39:07,759
Speaker 1: Jalen Phillips was a guy last year who got all

760
00:39:07,800 --> 00:39:10,920
Speaker 1: these sacks and all the you know, supposedly smart people

761
00:39:11,719 --> 00:39:14,239
Speaker 1: would just noted like, well, he didn't actually have that

762
00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:17,560
Speaker 1: many pressures. I mean, me, I'm putting myself in the game.

763
00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:19,279
Speaker 1: It's like he didn't really have that many pressures and

764
00:39:19,280 --> 00:39:21,160
Speaker 1: he would get washed away in the running game. It's

765
00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:23,839
Speaker 1: like that's all fine now you look back at it.

766
00:39:24,200 --> 00:39:27,880
Speaker 1: That he has sixty pressures on this season, is playing

767
00:39:28,040 --> 00:39:30,520
Speaker 1: way more because they trust him and run defense and

768
00:39:30,520 --> 00:39:34,560
Speaker 1: has been playing good run defense. Uh, and just has instincts.

769
00:39:34,560 --> 00:39:36,560
Speaker 1: And then you look back at last year and you think, like,

770
00:39:38,120 --> 00:39:41,960
Speaker 1: maybe he just has good instincts for finishing plays, which

771
00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:46,080
Speaker 1: is valuable now that maybe that doesn't always translate. But

772
00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:48,520
Speaker 1: the fact that he went from year one, Okay, he

773
00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:50,920
Speaker 1: just got the sacks to year two he's doing it

774
00:39:50,960 --> 00:39:53,840
Speaker 1: all and he's getting the sacks is a great sign

775
00:39:53,880 --> 00:39:56,719
Speaker 1: because this year it's not it's not luck, but he's

776
00:39:56,800 --> 00:40:01,279
Speaker 1: certainly has a great nose forgetting and around tackles. He's

777
00:40:01,280 --> 00:40:03,920
Speaker 1: one of those guys and I love pastors rushers like

778
00:40:03,960 --> 00:40:06,680
Speaker 1: this that just don't get touched by the offensive lineman

779
00:40:06,719 --> 00:40:10,520
Speaker 1: barely sometimes, And those are the types of guys I want. Yeah,

780
00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:12,560
Speaker 1: And I mean, like Jollen Phillips had such a weird,

781
00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:16,200
Speaker 1: you know, disrupted career in college. He had to retire

782
00:40:16,280 --> 00:40:18,799
Speaker 1: he got hit by a car. I mean, he really

783
00:40:18,840 --> 00:40:21,719
Speaker 1: came back and and sort of just uh, you know,

784
00:40:21,840 --> 00:40:24,160
Speaker 1: kind of came out of that one year in Miami

785
00:40:24,280 --> 00:40:27,040
Speaker 1: to play at a high level and U and get

786
00:40:27,080 --> 00:40:29,680
Speaker 1: to the Dolphins. So it would make sense that he

787
00:40:29,680 --> 00:40:32,520
Speaker 1: would improve more than the typical player from year one

788
00:40:32,520 --> 00:40:34,400
Speaker 1: to year two. It would make sense that he's a

789
00:40:34,400 --> 00:40:37,560
Speaker 1: work in progress. So I'm not surprised he's made that growth.

790
00:40:37,600 --> 00:40:40,399
Speaker 1: I think he has that kind of upside and we're

791
00:40:40,440 --> 00:40:42,520
Speaker 1: seeing him deliver that more and more. And I mean

792
00:40:42,600 --> 00:40:44,640
Speaker 1: there are plays in games when you watch the Dolphins

793
00:40:44,680 --> 00:40:47,960
Speaker 1: where he is totally unblockable and he looks like the

794
00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:49,920
Speaker 1: best player on the field the last two weeks time,

795
00:40:50,000 --> 00:40:52,719
Speaker 1: I mean, I'm I'm definitely being a little recency by

796
00:40:52,800 --> 00:40:54,720
Speaker 1: and by us here. He has had a great season overall,

797
00:40:54,719 --> 00:40:57,160
Speaker 1: but the last two weeks he's taking it to another level.

798
00:40:57,200 --> 00:40:59,160
Speaker 1: And you're right, but the pre draft thing was like

799
00:40:59,600 --> 00:41:01,120
Speaker 1: he could be a little bit of a project, but

800
00:41:01,160 --> 00:41:04,399
Speaker 1: the highest upside and that it's proven. Right, You've got

801
00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:08,640
Speaker 1: the highest upside. Bill, you deserve all the parades. Uh

802
00:41:08,680 --> 00:41:12,960
Speaker 1: you wrote a great article on ESPN dot com today

803
00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:18,120
Speaker 1: about the quarterback situations. I'm jealous all the different potential

804
00:41:18,280 --> 00:41:22,080
Speaker 1: teams that could be changing quarterbacks. No, it is really

805
00:41:22,120 --> 00:41:25,800
Speaker 1: good analysis. Everyone should check it out on ESPN Plus.

806
00:41:25,880 --> 00:41:28,479
Speaker 1: And uh No, I'm just jealous because that's the type

807
00:41:28,480 --> 00:41:31,400
Speaker 1: of thing, you know, I wish I had written, but

808
00:41:31,480 --> 00:41:34,760
Speaker 1: Bill barn More, nothing stopping you. I'm not gonna assue

809
00:41:34,760 --> 00:41:36,880
Speaker 1: you if you write about quarterbacks and where they might go.

810
00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:41,319
Speaker 1: It's not my idea, that's true. I'm I'll save it

811
00:41:41,360 --> 00:41:44,200
Speaker 1: for January. Uh, and then it will be like slightly

812
00:41:44,280 --> 00:41:48,520
Speaker 1: different form, but it's probably coming maybe fas even just

813
00:41:48,520 --> 00:41:55,239
Speaker 1: just like underrated, just like that the most improved players.

814
00:41:55,480 --> 00:41:59,800
Speaker 1: That's the real answer, Bill. And it sounds like I'm

815
00:41:59,840 --> 00:42:01,879
Speaker 1: a blow hard, but that's what's getting in the way

816
00:42:02,320 --> 00:42:05,480
Speaker 1: all these podcasts that I'm doing so many. I didn't

817
00:42:05,520 --> 00:42:09,200
Speaker 1: even know that we already did most Improved. It's too many.

818
00:42:09,239 --> 00:42:12,440
Speaker 1: That's when you know you've done too many. It's a problem.

819
00:42:12,480 --> 00:42:15,400
Speaker 1: I think this was like a moment here, you know,

820
00:42:15,440 --> 00:42:18,680
Speaker 1: where we realize we have a problem. Oh you know what, Greg,

821
00:42:18,960 --> 00:42:21,600
Speaker 1: you have made a career out of your addiction and

822
00:42:21,640 --> 00:42:27,279
Speaker 1: that's what matters. That's that's a goal for ever. That

823
00:42:27,360 --> 00:42:29,839
Speaker 1: was a sound drop. Thank you Bill Barnwell for coming

824
00:42:29,880 --> 00:42:32,880
Speaker 1: on late night on the East Coast for rams Packers

825
00:42:32,960 --> 00:42:37,480
Speaker 1: and all the most improved and Uh, have a great Christmas, Bill,

826
00:42:37,600 --> 00:42:40,240
Speaker 1: thanks for joining me. Thank you, sir. Have great holidays

827
00:42:40,280 --> 00:42:44,400
Speaker 1: all right? For Bill Barnwell for Justin Graver. We'll be

828
00:42:44,440 --> 00:42:48,120
Speaker 1: back on Tuesday. We have Kyle lean Wolf in the studio.

829
00:42:49,400 --> 00:42:52,320
Speaker 1: Connor Or is going to join the show talk favorite

830
00:42:52,320 --> 00:42:54,600
Speaker 1: Hallmark Christmas movie is gonna be good. He had the

831
00:42:54,680 --> 00:43:01,680
Speaker 1: call se