WEBVTT - Drive Time: 2024 NFL Predictions 0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:06.040 To on the move, going Deep, Speedless Pass from the 0:00:06.080 --> 0:00:10.400 Baptist Health Studio. This inside the Baptist Health Training Complex. 0:00:10.960 --> 0:00:18.560 This is Drivetime with Travis Wingfield. Heasy my advans in 0:00:18.680 --> 0:00:26.880 the playoffs? What is up, Dolphans And welcome to the 0:00:26.960 --> 0:00:30.040 Draft Time Podcast. I am your host, Travis Wingfield and 0:00:30.080 --> 0:00:33.160 on today's episode, the twenty twenty four NFL s He's 0:00:33.159 --> 0:00:36.440 in Prediction podcast from the Baptist Health Studios inside the 0:00:36.479 --> 0:00:40.280 Baptist Health Training Complex. This is the Draft Time Podcast. 0:00:40.520 --> 0:00:44.040 Ye daffirs, All right, this is going to be an 0:00:44.080 --> 0:00:47.199 absolute fire hose of an episode, and we're going to 0:00:47.200 --> 0:00:50.200 get it done in forty minutes, including this little blurb 0:00:50.240 --> 0:00:53.120 and the intro. Every team in the NFL a blurb 0:00:53.120 --> 0:00:55.360 on all of them. Keep it tight. One minute per club. 0:00:55.720 --> 0:00:57.960 Just tell you how I see each team. Will predict 0:00:58.000 --> 0:01:00.440 the Wreckers, run through the playoffs, pick the end of 0:01:00.560 --> 0:01:03.800 season awards, and a Super Bowl champion. Good, all right, 0:01:03.840 --> 0:01:06.520 here we go NFC West forty nine ers. I love 0:01:06.600 --> 0:01:09.640 everything about how this team is built, and it's a 0:01:09.640 --> 0:01:11.840 lot like looking in a mirror. A quarterback that gets 0:01:11.920 --> 0:01:15.640 the system, who executes it, who gives you enough creativity 0:01:15.680 --> 0:01:18.360 and throws to either the best or the second best 0:01:18.360 --> 0:01:22.000 skill group out of their breaks to maximize their skill set. 0:01:22.040 --> 0:01:24.480 In the National Football League, I think Brandon Ayuk is 0:01:24.520 --> 0:01:27.520 the new alpha receiver on that team, the best separator 0:01:27.760 --> 0:01:30.520 where Deebo kind of struggles in that department a little bit, 0:01:30.560 --> 0:01:32.479 But he's one of the best toys in the NFL 0:01:32.600 --> 0:01:35.880 that Kyle Shanahan knows how to use exactly right. George 0:01:35.920 --> 0:01:38.559 Kittle is the Travis Kelcey of the NFC, and Christian 0:01:38.600 --> 0:01:41.840 McCaffrey is a modern day Marshall fulk. They invest in 0:01:41.880 --> 0:01:45.040 the tackle position Trent Williams, and they find their interior 0:01:45.080 --> 0:01:49.000 offensive line late in the draft or on the bargain 0:01:49.040 --> 0:01:52.320 market of free agency weird. The defense is littered with 0:01:52.360 --> 0:01:55.640 playmakers at every single level, none more important than one 0:01:55.640 --> 0:01:57.760 of the rangiest linebackers to ever play the game in 0:01:57.840 --> 0:02:00.400 Fred Warner. It's one of the best coach teams National 0:02:00.400 --> 0:02:03.040 Football League, one of the best rosters, and a threat 0:02:03.080 --> 0:02:05.720 to go right back to the Super Bowl. Across the 0:02:05.720 --> 0:02:07.840 state from them or below in the state, the Los 0:02:07.880 --> 0:02:10.680 Angeles Rams, Matt Stafford is a top three quarterback for me. 0:02:10.760 --> 0:02:14.040 I've got Mahomes, Allen and Stafford, and they've replenished his 0:02:14.120 --> 0:02:17.080 weapons with an elite number one in Poka Nakua, which 0:02:17.120 --> 0:02:20.239 frees up Cooper Cup to destroy one on one coverage, 0:02:20.320 --> 0:02:22.720 and they've got a premier field stretcher jet sweep guy 0:02:22.760 --> 0:02:24.880 in two to two at will. I love that they 0:02:24.919 --> 0:02:27.960 found a perfect back for their system in Kyrin Williams, 0:02:28.200 --> 0:02:32.000 who also allows them to incorporate more gap in power, 0:02:32.400 --> 0:02:35.640 sort of the reshift their focus offensively with Steve Avila, 0:02:35.760 --> 0:02:39.160 Jonah Jackson and Joe Noteboom. They're massive people movers on 0:02:39.200 --> 0:02:42.200 the inside and the converse of that of the rest 0:02:42.240 --> 0:02:44.920 of the teams from this tree with less investment in 0:02:44.919 --> 0:02:48.680 the tackle position. Last year, they had like forty rookies 0:02:48.720 --> 0:02:51.600 trying to find some young, cheap hits, and they got 0:02:51.680 --> 0:02:54.080 it within the rebuild and they put themselves back in 0:02:54.120 --> 0:02:57.680 the postseason. Pooka obviously was great, but Kobe Turner was 0:02:57.720 --> 0:02:59.880 actually the runner up for the Defensive Rookie of the Year. 0:03:00.160 --> 0:03:02.440 And then I love pairing Jared Vers with Braden Fisk 0:03:02.480 --> 0:03:05.400 from FSU. I love the Cameron Curl addition and getting 0:03:05.440 --> 0:03:08.120 Darius glins back after a couple of years outside of 0:03:08.120 --> 0:03:10.880 Los Angeles, Like San Francisco one of the best coach 0:03:10.919 --> 0:03:13.600 teams in the league. With an elite quarterback and balance 0:03:13.639 --> 0:03:16.360 on offense, that alone will make you a threat. It 0:03:16.400 --> 0:03:19.160 would not at all surprise me if the Rams came 0:03:19.200 --> 0:03:21.640 out of the NFC West. We have to accelerate this 0:03:21.720 --> 0:03:25.040 pace the Seahawks. Ben Grubb is a fun change for 0:03:25.080 --> 0:03:27.520 an offense that had been stuck in the ancient era 0:03:27.960 --> 0:03:31.520 of football, and they have real weapons to maximize that 0:03:31.680 --> 0:03:35.400 system and a very good quarterback. Gino Smith has so 0:03:35.560 --> 0:03:38.200 much trust and faith in his own ability that he 0:03:38.280 --> 0:03:40.720 makes some true psychopath throws, and I think that Ben 0:03:40.760 --> 0:03:44.320 Grubb will absolutely maximize that skill set. It's a total 0:03:44.360 --> 0:03:48.240 shift from their ground and pound. You slow it down, 0:03:48.280 --> 0:03:50.800 play defense offense, No, it's going to be hurry up 0:03:50.840 --> 0:03:55.040 for verts, stretch strets, stretch the field. Think Jackson Smith 0:03:55.040 --> 0:03:58.240 in JIGBA breaks out behind DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. 0:03:58.400 --> 0:04:00.880 They need their line to retur turned to twenty twenty 0:04:00.920 --> 0:04:03.920 two form when rookies Charles Cross and Abe Lucas go 0:04:04.080 --> 0:04:07.720 Koog's were flat out awesome and just like their receivers 0:04:07.760 --> 0:04:10.680 are awesome one through three. They have a dynamic trio 0:04:10.800 --> 0:04:14.880 of cornerbacks in Devon Witherspoonreek Woollen and Shrey Brown, which 0:04:14.920 --> 0:04:17.640 pairs really well with two gap linemen that can help 0:04:17.680 --> 0:04:20.240 play that play the run from those two high structures 0:04:20.240 --> 0:04:24.440 with Jonathan Hankins, Leonard Williams, Jaron Reed, Dray Jones, and 0:04:24.480 --> 0:04:26.800 Byron Murphy, who looks like an absolute hit there in 0:04:26.839 --> 0:04:30.240 the first round. Second level edge rushers and offensive line 0:04:30.279 --> 0:04:33.200 depth probably some areas of concern there. Spoiler alert, I 0:04:33.240 --> 0:04:36.159 have three playoff teams coming from this division. It's not 0:04:36.240 --> 0:04:39.000 the Cardinals. Cardinals fans although have been waiting for a 0:04:39.040 --> 0:04:42.240 long time for this, since basically twenty twenty two when 0:04:42.320 --> 0:04:45.600 Kyler Murray got hurt. He's finally free of encumberments from 0:04:45.640 --> 0:04:47.680 that injury, and I thought he played well down the 0:04:47.720 --> 0:04:50.440 stretch last year. I think Marvin Harrison Junior is an 0:04:50.520 --> 0:04:53.279 instant number one alpha receiver and they have good role 0:04:53.279 --> 0:04:56.279 guys in Michael Wilson and Greg Dortsch. They've invested in 0:04:56.480 --> 0:04:59.320 large offensive linemen in front of their not so large 0:04:59.400 --> 0:05:02.080 quarterback and spend a lot on some players that have 0:05:02.120 --> 0:05:05.000 been a bit up and down, like Jonah Williams, Will Hernandez. 0:05:05.440 --> 0:05:07.159 They really need Paris Johnson to be a hit at 0:05:07.200 --> 0:05:10.599 left tackle. And this shows you why going crazy infree 0:05:10.600 --> 0:05:13.440 agency on the offensive line typically is bad money. It's 0:05:13.480 --> 0:05:15.839 bad investment. You don't get the return on those guys 0:05:16.120 --> 0:05:18.239 because what do we know about the league. The league 0:05:18.240 --> 0:05:21.320 does not let good offensive linemen go unless they demand 0:05:21.320 --> 0:05:23.680 twenty million dollars in neil market and can go get 0:05:23.680 --> 0:05:25.400 it from the worst team of the National Football League. 0:05:25.480 --> 0:05:27.840 Right The defense was a total tear down last year 0:05:27.839 --> 0:05:30.120 and has a ways to go, but I do love 0:05:30.160 --> 0:05:33.159 that safety tandem of Buddha Baker and Jalen Thompson go Koog's. 0:05:33.360 --> 0:05:35.400 The concerns are, well, they're all over the place. The 0:05:35.400 --> 0:05:37.400 front seven might be the worst in the league. They 0:05:37.400 --> 0:05:39.240 have a bunch of bad money on that offensive line, 0:05:39.279 --> 0:05:42.160 like I mentioned, like I talked about there, their skill 0:05:42.200 --> 0:05:45.480 position depth is not great, and that offensive line again 0:05:45.560 --> 0:05:46.880 just a couple of holes that I think are going 0:05:46.880 --> 0:05:49.960 to tear that group apart. Rough rough division for the 0:05:49.960 --> 0:05:51.520 Cardinals to be in. But they're still a good team, 0:05:51.560 --> 0:05:54.880 I think on balance because that quarterback in the NFC South, 0:05:54.920 --> 0:05:57.680 the Falcons felt last year they were a quarterback away 0:05:57.720 --> 0:06:00.279 from winning the division. They still almost did because nine 0:06:00.279 --> 0:06:02.560 Wins did the trick there. I love Kirk Cousins. I 0:06:02.600 --> 0:06:04.640 think Pennix is a long term solution, so we're all 0:06:04.640 --> 0:06:07.800 good at quarterback. I love Bajon Robinson Kyle Pitts, and 0:06:08.000 --> 0:06:10.279 he gives them amo to run or those two players 0:06:10.279 --> 0:06:12.800 give them more ammo to run. Unique personnel groupings. I 0:06:12.920 --> 0:06:15.400 really like Kirk Cousins when he has two backs or 0:06:15.400 --> 0:06:17.280 two tight end sets where he can run play action 0:06:17.400 --> 0:06:21.599 game and just carve teams up from comfortable positions back 0:06:21.600 --> 0:06:23.719 in the pocket. Because of that run game, I think 0:06:23.760 --> 0:06:28.640 this defense is underrated. David Anyamada, Grady Jarrett, and Lorenzo 0:06:28.720 --> 0:06:31.120 Carter and now with Matt Judon is a nice addition there. 0:06:31.400 --> 0:06:33.559 Depth might be a concern, but I love the middle 0:06:33.600 --> 0:06:36.760 of this defense. Those defensive tackles I mentioned Cayden Ellis. 0:06:36.800 --> 0:06:39.400 The linebackers are very good player Jesse Bates and Justin 0:06:39.400 --> 0:06:43.280 Simmons's pretty fantastic, and their corner depth beyond aj Terrell, 0:06:43.680 --> 0:06:46.320 their depth at wide receiver, a couple of interior offensive 0:06:46.360 --> 0:06:48.599 line spots that I think had rough years last year. 0:06:48.640 --> 0:06:51.320 Are some concerns there, and I might be a hater 0:06:51.400 --> 0:06:53.240 for saying this, but I don't think Drake London is 0:06:53.279 --> 0:06:56.520 a true number one receiver in this league. The Tampa 0:06:56.560 --> 0:06:59.640 Bay Buccaneers. I think Baker Mayfield has really settled into 0:06:59.680 --> 0:07:03.080 a very good quarterback in this league, like fifteen sixteen, 0:07:03.160 --> 0:07:05.760 seventeen range, which tells you how many good quarterbacks there 0:07:05.760 --> 0:07:07.640 are in this league. And if you don't have one 0:07:07.640 --> 0:07:09.320 of those guys, you don't have much of a chance. 0:07:09.600 --> 0:07:12.040 But Mike Evans helps that a lot. He just never 0:07:12.080 --> 0:07:14.960 stops making plays. I also love the addition of Jalen 0:07:15.040 --> 0:07:18.360 McMillan as the third behind Chris Godwin, and that offensive 0:07:18.400 --> 0:07:22.960 line is so impressive. Tristan Wurse, Graham Barton, Cody Mock 0:07:23.040 --> 0:07:26.160 and Lukeka Dicky are all very very good players. I'd 0:07:26.240 --> 0:07:29.440 like more explosiveness in the backfield, and that receiver group 0:07:29.480 --> 0:07:32.440 is super thin. So you're gonna see the theme throughout 0:07:32.480 --> 0:07:34.960 this predictions here that skill players, to me are what 0:07:35.040 --> 0:07:37.800 wins games with good quarterback play, and I'm gonna dock 0:07:37.840 --> 0:07:39.400 you if you don't have that in the Bucks. If 0:07:39.400 --> 0:07:41.200 you get an injury or two, it gets really ugly, 0:07:41.240 --> 0:07:43.840 really quickly. On the other side, Vitevea is a Hall 0:07:43.880 --> 0:07:47.240 of Fame player and Elijah Cantsey is such a perfect 0:07:47.320 --> 0:07:50.480 compliment to his skill set. Those guys, along with Greg 0:07:50.520 --> 0:07:52.960 Gaines playing in front of Levonte David, that's as good 0:07:52.960 --> 0:07:54.560 as it gets down the middle. And then you also 0:07:54.600 --> 0:07:56.400 have Antwoine Winfield down the middle, who might be the 0:07:56.400 --> 0:07:59.360 best safety in the National Football League. My concerns for them, 0:07:59.360 --> 0:08:02.080 I think would be on the perimeter of the defense, 0:08:02.280 --> 0:08:05.640 edge rushers, cornerbacks, outside backers. Not a ton to go 0:08:05.680 --> 0:08:08.080 off of there. The Saints, It's a huge year for 0:08:08.280 --> 0:08:13.040 Derek Carr, right, Derek Carr and Dennis Allen. I almost 0:08:13.040 --> 0:08:16.119 said David Carr, and I just think that desperation mode 0:08:16.120 --> 0:08:17.800 there with those two will lead to maybe a bit 0:08:17.840 --> 0:08:20.360 of a tire fire. But all these teams that have 0:08:20.480 --> 0:08:23.920 like horrendous situations are in bad divisions, and I think 0:08:23.920 --> 0:08:26.360 that's what gets them like enough wins to like not 0:08:26.440 --> 0:08:29.440 pick first, but eventually cost people jobs. It was so 0:08:29.640 --> 0:08:32.080 ugly last year, so hard to watch this offense. I 0:08:32.120 --> 0:08:34.600 love Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. I think Shaheed's one 0:08:34.600 --> 0:08:36.880 of the most underrated players in the National Football League, 0:08:36.920 --> 0:08:39.480 But the depth beyond those guys is really tough. The 0:08:39.520 --> 0:08:42.040 tackle position took a massive blow, and Ryan Ramchick was 0:08:42.080 --> 0:08:44.640 announced done for the year, and they literally had to 0:08:44.679 --> 0:08:46.240 draft the tackle in the first round because they didn't 0:08:46.320 --> 0:08:48.440 enough guys to play tackle. And now they're gonna have 0:08:48.480 --> 0:08:50.480 to put Trevor Penning in the lineup and they didn't 0:08:50.480 --> 0:08:52.720 want to play him last year over practice squad guys, 0:08:52.720 --> 0:08:55.440 So between him and Talisi Fuaga, who I like, but 0:08:55.480 --> 0:08:57.480 playing a new spot at left tackle, I don't love 0:08:57.480 --> 0:08:59.720 that so much. I do love Eric McCoy and Caesar 0:08:59.800 --> 0:09:02.360 Rowe and Alvin Kameric can still flat out do it, 0:09:02.400 --> 0:09:04.240 but that offense is going to be terrible again. I think. 0:09:04.480 --> 0:09:08.280 I do love Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson off the edge, 0:09:08.280 --> 0:09:11.000 pairing with Colin Saunders inside to Mario Davis one of 0:09:11.040 --> 0:09:12.880 the top linebackers in the league and he has good 0:09:12.880 --> 0:09:15.400 players around him, and Pete Warner and Willie Gay from 0:09:15.480 --> 0:09:18.280 Kansas City. I love that cornerback room. I'm not so 0:09:18.320 --> 0:09:20.920 sure who the next safety is beyond Tyron Matthew, but 0:09:21.000 --> 0:09:24.000 those cornerbacks Alonte Taylor, Marshawn ladim Or paulse and the 0:09:24.040 --> 0:09:26.880 Deebo kool Aid McKinstry. It's an awesome group of corners. 0:09:27.200 --> 0:09:29.600 This will be one of the NFL's most boring teams 0:09:30.000 --> 0:09:33.040 because they have a good not great defense, horrible quarterback play, 0:09:33.080 --> 0:09:35.360 bad offense. It's gonna be a six or seven win 0:09:35.440 --> 0:09:37.960 team in a bad division all day long. And rounding 0:09:37.960 --> 0:09:39.720 out a bad division that's gonna get some wins because 0:09:39.720 --> 0:09:42.520 of that is the Carolina Panthers, who I think are 0:09:42.800 --> 0:09:46.000 gonna be really bad again. I think the head coach 0:09:46.160 --> 0:09:50.000 decision was it's gonna be one they regret, but they 0:09:50.040 --> 0:09:52.559 went to work trying to help the situation around Bryce 0:09:52.559 --> 0:09:55.079 Young two massive guards in front of him with Robert 0:09:55.160 --> 0:09:58.800 Hunt and Damian Lewis. But like, yo, that's not where 0:09:58.800 --> 0:10:01.199 you should be spending twenty million bus some players. It's crazy. 0:10:01.400 --> 0:10:03.960 They did get Deontae Johnson and Xavier Lagette as the 0:10:04.000 --> 0:10:07.840 starters to go with Adam Thielen. Like it sounds good 0:10:07.880 --> 0:10:09.320 with those three guys, but when you look at the 0:10:09.320 --> 0:10:11.720 rest of the NFL, it's like a bottom five receiving corps. 0:10:11.800 --> 0:10:13.960 They have some nice pieces on the defense, but they 0:10:13.960 --> 0:10:16.200 did lose Brian Burns and they don't have nearly the 0:10:16.280 --> 0:10:19.120 edge presence. Now. I like Derek Brown, I like Shaq Thompson, 0:10:19.160 --> 0:10:21.360 and hopefully we see j C. Horn finally healthy for 0:10:21.400 --> 0:10:24.199 a season. Probably still always away, but no reason I 0:10:24.240 --> 0:10:26.520 think they can't progress off last year's two wins and 0:10:26.600 --> 0:10:29.440 go win four five ball games in the NFC North. 0:10:29.480 --> 0:10:32.400 The Packers are a team that I am extremely bullis Shawn. 0:10:32.480 --> 0:10:35.560 I feel pretty vindicated in my pre draft love for 0:10:35.800 --> 0:10:38.839 Jordan Love and I love, love, love that receiving corps. 0:10:39.000 --> 0:10:40.679 They don't really have a number one receiver, but they 0:10:40.679 --> 0:10:43.160 have four dues that can be that guy in any 0:10:43.200 --> 0:10:47.200 given week between Wix, Watson, Reed, and Dubbs or sorry Dobbs. 0:10:47.760 --> 0:10:50.480 They have an awesome twelve personnel package with Luke Musgrave 0:10:50.480 --> 0:10:52.920 and Tucker Kraft and then Josh Jacobs behind that. And 0:10:52.920 --> 0:10:55.680 they've patchworked this offensive line with mid round picks for 0:10:55.720 --> 0:10:58.000 the most part and turned into a really good one, 0:10:58.040 --> 0:11:00.520 but injuries have robbed them the last couple of years. 0:11:00.720 --> 0:11:02.640 If they're healthy, they'll be good, but that never really 0:11:02.640 --> 0:11:04.440 happens on the offensive line, so we'll see how their 0:11:04.440 --> 0:11:06.800 depth can hold up there. They're three deep off the 0:11:06.920 --> 0:11:10.320 edge with Rashaan Gary, with Lucas van Ness and Preston Smith. 0:11:10.400 --> 0:11:13.199 They have good defensive tackles and good linebackers. I love 0:11:13.240 --> 0:11:15.720 the import of Xavier McKinney. I think depth in the 0:11:15.720 --> 0:11:18.760 back seven is a potential concern, especially if Jyr Alexander 0:11:18.800 --> 0:11:21.120 does JayR Alexander things. I think they're going to be 0:11:21.160 --> 0:11:24.000 a problem this Packers team. The Lions are pretty good too. 0:11:24.280 --> 0:11:26.959 This division has me really all twisted up. I think 0:11:27.000 --> 0:11:29.240 the Lions are right there. I think they can win, 0:11:29.960 --> 0:11:32.160 or can they win I should say as the hunted team. 0:11:32.480 --> 0:11:35.160 I don't know. And green Bay turned around when they 0:11:35.160 --> 0:11:37.000 beat them last year in that Thanksgiving Day game. They 0:11:37.040 --> 0:11:39.000 kind of went off after that. I think Goff is 0:11:39.000 --> 0:11:41.480 a great example of what talent and a sharp quarterback 0:11:41.520 --> 0:11:43.679 mind can become into their thirties, which is a damn 0:11:43.720 --> 0:11:46.720 good quarterback. And I love that skill group with Gibbs, Laporta, 0:11:46.800 --> 0:11:49.960 Saint Brown, and Jamison Williams. But there's almost no depth 0:11:50.000 --> 0:11:52.760 beyond that. Khalif Raymond as the number three. I think 0:11:52.800 --> 0:11:55.840 that that loss of Josh Reynolds will be felt in 0:11:55.880 --> 0:11:58.280 that receiving corps. They also have probably the best offensive 0:11:58.280 --> 0:12:00.439 line in football, and they play to it. Man alight, right, 0:12:00.520 --> 0:12:03.240 Dan Campbell, speaking of grit, they spent a ton of 0:12:03.280 --> 0:12:07.560 resources remaking that defense from that same identity, but I 0:12:07.600 --> 0:12:09.440 don't think it's quite there yet. I do think that 0:12:09.559 --> 0:12:12.960 Jack Campbell is going to become the next dude at linebacker. 0:12:13.280 --> 0:12:16.120 I loved the DJ Reader addition inside. He fits them 0:12:16.120 --> 0:12:18.440 to a tee. He goes along with Levi on Woozerrique 0:12:18.559 --> 0:12:22.040 really well. And if Marcus Davenport can harness his talents 0:12:22.040 --> 0:12:24.280 and have a breakout season, that rush becomes kind of 0:12:24.320 --> 0:12:27.840 crazy with him, Aiden Hutchinson, John Comiski, and John Pascal. 0:12:28.679 --> 0:12:31.240 I love the addition of Carlton Davis. He again fits 0:12:31.280 --> 0:12:34.160 that brand really well. And Brian Branch is the next 0:12:34.320 --> 0:12:37.439 superstar slot in this league. He is fantastic. I also 0:12:37.520 --> 0:12:40.360 love Kirby Joseph. I think Detroit and Green Bay are 0:12:40.520 --> 0:12:43.960 probably the biggest challengers in the NFC to the forty 0:12:44.040 --> 0:12:46.160 nine ers the Chicago Bears. Part of me wants to 0:12:46.200 --> 0:12:48.079 go all in and put him in the playoffs. Part 0:12:48.080 --> 0:12:49.880 of me wants to say they're going to win four 0:12:49.960 --> 0:12:52.319 or five games. I'll probably wind up in the middle 0:12:52.400 --> 0:12:55.079 and I'll do that. I'll do the latter. While Kylee 0:12:55.080 --> 0:12:57.959 Williams kind of develops his game, I think his creativity 0:12:58.000 --> 0:13:00.640 will keep his head afloat while he does that, because 0:13:00.640 --> 0:13:03.319 I don't think he's already made product. This receiving corps 0:13:03.440 --> 0:13:06.959 is kind of absurd though and masterfully constructed. I mean, 0:13:07.000 --> 0:13:10.240 between DJ Moore, Roma Dunze, and Keenan Allen, they're all 0:13:10.320 --> 0:13:12.960 great at different things, and I really like a few 0:13:13.120 --> 0:13:14.920 of the line between two guys that I was a 0:13:14.920 --> 0:13:17.760 big draft fan of, with Darnell Wright and Tevin Jenkins. 0:13:17.960 --> 0:13:19.880 They both are hits, but they have some questions and 0:13:19.920 --> 0:13:22.560 other spots. That's gonna be a theme throughout this episode. 0:13:22.720 --> 0:13:24.840 The defense is a question on this team. They have 0:13:24.920 --> 0:13:28.360 a good core with sweat Walker, Edmunds, Brisker, Kyler Gordon, 0:13:28.520 --> 0:13:30.480 and a top three cornerback in the NFL on Jalen 0:13:30.520 --> 0:13:32.840 Johnson who they kept around. But I think there's still 0:13:32.880 --> 0:13:36.200 another good draft and some quality vet additions from being 0:13:36.240 --> 0:13:38.240 fifteen to eighteen deep, which you kind of have to 0:13:38.240 --> 0:13:41.920 be in the National Football League. We finish up the 0:13:42.040 --> 0:13:46.360 NFC North Norris with the Minnesota Vikings, the fourth different 0:13:46.400 --> 0:13:48.840 team in the division. That gives me conflict because I 0:13:48.960 --> 0:13:53.280 think that Sam Donald Sam Donald will play well in 0:13:53.280 --> 0:13:56.360 the Kevin O'Connell system. I really do, especially with Justin 0:13:56.400 --> 0:14:00.200 Jefferson and Jordan Addison if is he still healthy, didn't 0:14:00.200 --> 0:14:02.280 even get carted off through the day, and he's driving 0:14:02.280 --> 0:14:04.760 like a maniac deal and then TJ. Howkinson. They have 0:14:04.840 --> 0:14:08.360 weapons out there again injuries notwithstanding. This line is a 0:14:08.360 --> 0:14:11.200 lot like ours in San Francisco. Tons of investment at 0:14:11.240 --> 0:14:13.040 tackle and center, and then they've done a good job 0:14:13.080 --> 0:14:17.160 of developing some guard play weird. The defense blitzes every 0:14:17.200 --> 0:14:19.640 snap or so. It seems they rely on that pressure 0:14:19.640 --> 0:14:22.240 with guys like Josh Mattelis, Cam bind them and Ivan Pace, 0:14:22.280 --> 0:14:24.160 which have all been hits for them so far, and 0:14:24.200 --> 0:14:27.040 then the cornerback or those guys are all cornerbacks and 0:14:27.040 --> 0:14:29.280 linebackers and they just try to bring different guys. You 0:14:29.320 --> 0:14:31.920 guys know how Brian Flores operates as defenses. I think 0:14:31.960 --> 0:14:35.320 this works against inexperienced quarterbacks or quarterbacks that are not 0:14:35.400 --> 0:14:38.280 any good evidence of the December record that we all 0:14:38.520 --> 0:14:40.560 boasted about when he was beating guys like Ian Book. 0:14:40.800 --> 0:14:43.040 But you can't do it against the best quarterbacks, hence 0:14:43.120 --> 0:14:46.040 losing by the fifty points of the Bills every damn 0:14:46.080 --> 0:14:48.280 time we saw them with that defense, And I think 0:14:48.280 --> 0:14:50.160 they're a bit thin on the back end to where 0:14:50.480 --> 0:14:52.760 that can really cause issues if you go to that 0:14:52.800 --> 0:14:55.200 well one too many times. I think all four of 0:14:55.240 --> 0:14:58.280 these teams could be playoff teams, and two of them 0:14:58.400 --> 0:15:02.480 are championship contenders. In the NFC East, I think we've 0:15:02.520 --> 0:15:04.200 gone back to the days of the NFC East being 0:15:04.320 --> 0:15:06.560 like the worst division in the league because the Eagles. 0:15:06.600 --> 0:15:08.680 It didn't count as a collapse because they made the playoffs, 0:15:08.680 --> 0:15:10.760 but from ten to one to eleven and six and 0:15:10.800 --> 0:15:13.280 then the playoff loss to a nine win also ran 0:15:13.360 --> 0:15:15.560 Tampa team. I mean, at ten and one with a 0:15:15.600 --> 0:15:17.480 win over Kansas City, we all thought they were going 0:15:17.560 --> 0:15:19.640 right back to the Super Bowl, and then it fell 0:15:19.640 --> 0:15:22.240 apart and Jalen Hurts looked really bad down the stretch. 0:15:22.520 --> 0:15:25.920 They swapped their coordinators, Kellen Moore and Vic Fangio. Moore 0:15:25.920 --> 0:15:27.760 has been on three teams in three years, and Vic 0:15:27.840 --> 0:15:30.080 is Vic. They got to get Hurts back to that 0:15:30.120 --> 0:15:32.520 twenty twenty two style of play. Last year it was 0:15:32.560 --> 0:15:35.120 like throw verticals and the cover receivers and just hope 0:15:35.120 --> 0:15:37.800 and that led to very poor efficiency. But I think 0:15:37.840 --> 0:15:39.440 they can get back to their ground and pound with 0:15:39.480 --> 0:15:42.960 Sakuon Barkley as they finally have a true game changing back. 0:15:43.000 --> 0:15:44.800 Now that should really help that if he can stay 0:15:44.840 --> 0:15:47.400 healthy and don't sleep on the Jason Kelsey lost because 0:15:47.440 --> 0:15:48.880 I think that he did a lot more for Hurts 0:15:48.880 --> 0:15:51.440 in terms of protections and getting things lined up than 0:15:51.480 --> 0:15:53.920 your average center, which he's a Hall of Famer, so duh. 0:15:54.080 --> 0:15:56.120 I love the skill group. The line is still really 0:15:56.160 --> 0:15:58.320 dang good on defense. It feels like they're waiting on 0:15:58.320 --> 0:15:59.800 a bunch of guys to kind of take that next, 0:16:00.360 --> 0:16:03.680 you know, Davis Carter, Dean, Nolan Smith. They do get 0:16:03.720 --> 0:16:07.040 Chauncey Gardner Johnson back from Detroit, and I love Bryce Huff. 0:16:07.480 --> 0:16:09.640 Not sure why the Jets let him go, Well they did. 0:16:09.640 --> 0:16:11.120 They let him go, like let someone else come in 0:16:11.160 --> 0:16:13.080 there and not play for him. But they also added 0:16:13.160 --> 0:16:14.760 Quiny and Mitchell, who I love as well. This is 0:16:14.760 --> 0:16:16.520 one of the harder teams for me to peg this year. 0:16:16.760 --> 0:16:19.040 We'll talk more about them in the playoff section. Playoffs. 0:16:19.280 --> 0:16:21.720 The Commanders. I'm not sure a quarterback has ever changed 0:16:21.720 --> 0:16:24.960 my mind, how as much as Jayden Daniels did. With 0:16:25.080 --> 0:16:27.600 one practice I saw live and then two preseason games 0:16:27.640 --> 0:16:30.400 I saw on or One was live, one was a 0:16:30.440 --> 0:16:32.760 television copy. I think he'll come out of this draft 0:16:32.800 --> 0:16:35.200 as the best quarterback. I like him better than Caleb Williams. 0:16:35.280 --> 0:16:36.920 He does not look like a rookie to me, and 0:16:36.920 --> 0:16:39.040 some of you might remember, I was very bullish on 0:16:39.080 --> 0:16:41.280 this team last year outside of the quarterback position, and 0:16:41.280 --> 0:16:43.680 that kind of blew up down the stretch when Sam 0:16:43.720 --> 0:16:45.640 Howell just became a shadow of himself. But to me, 0:16:45.720 --> 0:16:47.840 that's been fixed because I think Jayden Daniels can play 0:16:47.880 --> 0:16:49.880 from the pocket, and I think he can create as well, 0:16:50.080 --> 0:16:53.080 and I think Brian Robinson Jr. Gives him a really 0:16:53.160 --> 0:16:56.200 fun different dynamic in the backfield. In terms of their combo, 0:16:56.320 --> 0:16:58.280 I think the line is good enough. It's like most 0:16:58.320 --> 0:17:02.120 lines in league. Sixty percent is pretty good. Scary Terry 0:17:02.160 --> 0:17:05.000 is still elite, and Diami Brown has arrived. On defense, 0:17:05.080 --> 0:17:07.879 Darrin's Armstrong was a great addition alongside Deron Payne and 0:17:07.920 --> 0:17:10.680 Jonathan Allen. I love the pairings of Frankie Luvu, Go 0:17:10.880 --> 0:17:13.840 Koogs and Bobby Wagner inside, and then Jeremy Chin and 0:17:13.880 --> 0:17:16.639 Mike Sandra Still. They got really strong up the middle. 0:17:16.680 --> 0:17:19.000 That's a strong safety and a slot cornerback that I 0:17:19.000 --> 0:17:21.040 think are gonna be very good players. And I'm riding 0:17:21.040 --> 0:17:23.719 these were fired to the record predictions. I think the 0:17:23.760 --> 0:17:27.639 Commanders might be in contention for that seven seed, but 0:17:27.680 --> 0:17:30.879 I'm not yet committed. More in a moment, my biggest 0:17:30.960 --> 0:17:33.960 concern for the Dallas Cowboys is guys headspace down there, 0:17:34.240 --> 0:17:36.960 because as of this taping, there's no deal for Dak Prescott. 0:17:37.160 --> 0:17:39.240 And as I'm writing this podcast, they actually got a 0:17:39.240 --> 0:17:42.119 deal done with Ceedee Lamb. But it sounds like Dak's 0:17:42.160 --> 0:17:44.960 like ready to test for agency, which is that's horrible, 0:17:45.040 --> 0:17:47.439 Like they were gonna offer him, like his contract they 0:17:47.520 --> 0:17:49.600 was offered to him was a bunch of money, and 0:17:49.640 --> 0:17:52.480 he's like turning you down. That's that's tough. They lost 0:17:52.520 --> 0:17:55.679 Tyron Smith, Dorrens Armstrong, Tony Pollard, they were not active 0:17:55.680 --> 0:17:58.800 in freegency whatsoever. They draft Tyler Geidton to kind of 0:17:59.200 --> 0:18:00.879 fill in a hole that they created themselves by not 0:18:00.960 --> 0:18:03.359 bringing back Tyron Smith. And he's gonna play left tackle. 0:18:03.640 --> 0:18:05.640 He was a right tackle in college. Like I don't know. 0:18:05.920 --> 0:18:08.879 They lost Tyler Biattish and his replacement has like no experience. 0:18:09.240 --> 0:18:11.959 Zeke is running back one and again, Deck has been 0:18:12.000 --> 0:18:13.920 pretty open about not being in a rush to sign 0:18:13.960 --> 0:18:16.159 just so many questions here about this Cowboys team, and 0:18:16.200 --> 0:18:18.639 on defense, Micah Parsons is the best player on the 0:18:18.640 --> 0:18:21.520 planet for my money. Trayvon Diggs comes back, which is nice. 0:18:21.560 --> 0:18:23.480 I love George Lewis, but they also lost to Ron 0:18:23.480 --> 0:18:25.439 Bland for the first half of the season and they 0:18:25.440 --> 0:18:27.800 go get Eric Kendricks I don't think can play anymore. 0:18:27.920 --> 0:18:30.600 They have no depth in the defensive backfield. I don't 0:18:30.640 --> 0:18:33.000 know man lame duck coach. A quarterback doesn't want to 0:18:33.000 --> 0:18:34.639 be there. This kind of feels like a blow up 0:18:34.680 --> 0:18:36.960