1
00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:12,200
Speaker 1: We are a little over forty eight hours away from

2
00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:14,720
Speaker 1: the game of the year. Seventy two hours be counted

3
00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:17,120
Speaker 1: that games on Sunday. Should have thought of that before

4
00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:19,319
Speaker 1: I started talking. Will the road to New Orleans go

5
00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:23,320
Speaker 1: through Minneapolis or Detroit? Stacey Dales and Brian Baldinger will

6
00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:25,960
Speaker 1: be here to tell you the keys to the NFC

7
00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,000
Speaker 1: North title game. Still some other movie and shaky to

8
00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,720
Speaker 1: come this weekend with playoff seating, including for the Commanders

9
00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:36,640
Speaker 1: have a chance to steal the NFC's six slot. Jane

10
00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:40,080
Speaker 1: Slater has the latest ahead of an impactful Week eighteen

11
00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:44,040
Speaker 1: matchup with the Cowboys. These wildcard teams have never felt

12
00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:47,480
Speaker 1: more dangerous, especially with quarterbacks like Jordan Love and maybe

13
00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:50,720
Speaker 1: just maybe Joe Burrow hitting the road in round one.

14
00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:55,520
Speaker 1: Who should you fear and should fear for their playoff lives?

15
00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:58,200
Speaker 1: All I know is I fear a calendar because apparently

16
00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,360
Speaker 1: I don't know what day it is. Well, come inside

17
00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:05,800
Speaker 1: with the insiders alongside Ian Rappaport and Mike Garaffalo.

18
00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:07,680
Speaker 2: I am Tom Telisero.

19
00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:08,640
Speaker 3: I do know this.

20
00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:12,440
Speaker 1: We are thirty eight days away from Super Bowl fifty nine.

21
00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:14,840
Speaker 1: We are two days away from the start of week eighteen.

22
00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:17,720
Speaker 1: This is where I twisted my brain the Saturday games,

23
00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:20,039
Speaker 1: but that game is on Sunday, which is.

24
00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:23,280
Speaker 2: Three days away. Hard reset. We're back.

25
00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,560
Speaker 1: So much action to come, and that includes the fight

26
00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,160
Speaker 1: for the final playoff seed in the AFC.

27
00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:31,600
Speaker 2: Down in Miami.

28
00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,120
Speaker 1: They are still very much in it, but their quarterback

29
00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,680
Speaker 1: once again may be out. That is to a tongue Iiloa,

30
00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,520
Speaker 1: who did not play last week after aggravating the hip

31
00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:42,920
Speaker 1: pointer he suffered.

32
00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:43,640
Speaker 2: Several weeks ago.

33
00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:46,880
Speaker 1: Limited in practice officially on the injury report for the

34
00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:50,840
Speaker 1: second consecutive day. Mike McDaniel has said he is preparing

35
00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:53,560
Speaker 1: for snoop. Huntley was twenty two or twenty six last

36
00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:56,520
Speaker 1: week in Cleveland to start this week against the Jets.

37
00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:00,280
Speaker 1: Here's how it shakes out in the AFC. For it

38
00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:03,560
Speaker 1: for the Broncos beat the Chiefs and they are in.

39
00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:07,440
Speaker 1: If the Broncos lose, then the Dolphins would claim a

40
00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,600
Speaker 1: playoff berth with a win. Meanwhile, the Bengals, who play

41
00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:13,560
Speaker 1: on Saturday night against these Steelers, they would clipse a

42
00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:17,320
Speaker 1: playoff berth with a win plus losses by both.

43
00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:18,280
Speaker 2: Of those teams.

44
00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:21,519
Speaker 1: In and for all the different storylines, all the different factors,

45
00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:23,320
Speaker 1: including the fact that the Chiefs are going to be

46
00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:27,360
Speaker 1: resting all their starters heading into this matchup for the Broncos,

47
00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:30,640
Speaker 1: the fact that Tua, once again a guy whose career

48
00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,200
Speaker 1: has been defined by some really good stretches but also

49
00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,320
Speaker 1: by not being available because a variety of different injuries

50
00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:38,920
Speaker 1: might not be available here in week eighteen.

51
00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:41,440
Speaker 4: Yeah, and you're right, it really does sound like that's

52
00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:44,880
Speaker 4: the way it's trending. Tua Tagovailoa still eliminated practice, and

53
00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:47,920
Speaker 4: generally when you have a starting quarterback who's limited, who's

54
00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:50,040
Speaker 4: trying to come back from an injury, unless they get

55
00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:53,600
Speaker 4: a full participation designation, rarely do you see them on

56
00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:55,680
Speaker 4: the field. And the fact that Mike McDaniel, with the

57
00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:59,119
Speaker 4: head coach, came out the first day of availability, which

58
00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:01,760
Speaker 4: I think was Wednesday, I'm also bad at this time.

59
00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:03,840
Speaker 4: I think that was Wednesday, came out and said that

60
00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:04,760
Speaker 4: Snoop Honley.

61
00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:07,840
Speaker 5: Was likely to be the starter does give you an indication.

62
00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,160
Speaker 4: Of which way it's trending, which you know in almost

63
00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:12,800
Speaker 4: any other situation this would be very very very bad news.

64
00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:15,720
Speaker 4: But Snoop Huntley playing so well last week, probably the

65
00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:18,919
Speaker 4: best game he has ever had, in his career. Frank Smith,

66
00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:21,640
Speaker 4: the offensive coordinator, really got him dialed in and you know,

67
00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:23,440
Speaker 4: looked essentially like a starter.

68
00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,120
Speaker 5: Put them in this position. You know, that makes it

69
00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:26,880
Speaker 5: almost okay.

70
00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:29,400
Speaker 4: But when you have Tua who's dealing with really a

71
00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:32,720
Speaker 4: sore hip. Yes, I know, same hip that was surgically repaired,

72
00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:36,240
Speaker 4: different sort of injury though no surgery's coming. Seems to

73
00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:38,280
Speaker 4: be more of a nagging injury than anything else, but

74
00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:41,920
Speaker 4: still not going to play with season on the line.

75
00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:45,560
Speaker 4: It's a pretty odd situation. Obviously, if Tua felt he

76
00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,200
Speaker 4: could go, he would be out there. But the Dobbins

77
00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:51,720
Speaker 4: having induced without a starting quarterback does at the least

78
00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:53,240
Speaker 4: might make this more challenging.

79
00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:55,120
Speaker 2: Yeah, and not a long term issue.

80
00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,480
Speaker 6: It doesn't seem for Tua, which anything that results in

81
00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:01,040
Speaker 6: a concussion right now or or some kind of head

82
00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:03,640
Speaker 6: issue or a hip issue, it's going to be tied

83
00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:05,640
Speaker 6: to some of the longer term stuff that he's had,

84
00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,640
Speaker 6: but not fair in this case, not an indication that

85
00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:12,560
Speaker 6: this is something that is indicative of something that he's

86
00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:15,800
Speaker 6: had before in that hip. So when you started to

87
00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:17,960
Speaker 6: see again that he wasn't going to be available, it's like, well,

88
00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:19,640
Speaker 6: wait a minute. Hold on we being told the truth

89
00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:22,320
Speaker 6: here on this one. But every expectation is that, no,

90
00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:25,240
Speaker 6: it is a more of a minor, short term deal.

91
00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:27,840
Speaker 6: I don't want to call it minor because he's obviously

92
00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:30,080
Speaker 6: hurting and that is stopping him from being on the

93
00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:33,120
Speaker 6: field for games that absolutely matter for the Miami Dolphins.

94
00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:35,440
Speaker 6: But with regard to twenty twenty five and beyond, don't

95
00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:37,480
Speaker 6: sense any long term concerns on this one.

96
00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,800
Speaker 1: The big picture of this for the Dolphins again, remember

97
00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:42,320
Speaker 1: a couple of years ago they made the playoffs at

98
00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:45,400
Speaker 1: Skyler Thompson starting a playoff game. Stue Poney wasn't even

99
00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:47,720
Speaker 1: on the team in camp. They signed him off the

100
00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:51,120
Speaker 1: Ravens practice squad back in September. Here he is starting

101
00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:53,560
Speaker 1: meaningful games down the stretch a middle him. As you said, Mike,

102
00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:56,120
Speaker 1: not a big concern long term with the hip. But

103
00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,400
Speaker 1: the reality is with the amount of time Tua has missed,

104
00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:01,040
Speaker 1: this is probably one more reminder that going into twenty

105
00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:03,920
Speaker 1: twenty five you might see them expend more resources, whether

106
00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:06,480
Speaker 1: that is free agency or the draft. I'm making sure

107
00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:08,640
Speaker 1: that any event to him missus time, they've got a

108
00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:12,120
Speaker 1: solid plan. B. The Jets are may quite possibly need

109
00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:14,120
Speaker 1: a new plan A at the position once they get

110
00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,120
Speaker 1: through this season finale for them against the Dolphins, it

111
00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:21,120
Speaker 1: has been an extraordinarily disappointing year, marked by the firings

112
00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:25,000
Speaker 1: of their head coach and their general manager, and perhaps

113
00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,080
Speaker 1: is Aaron Rodgers acknowledged this week the end of his

114
00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:31,080
Speaker 1: NFL career at the age of forty one.

115
00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:37,800
Speaker 7: Just a lot of gratitude for the last twenty years

116
00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:43,680
Speaker 7: and the many countless lives I've encountered, and amazing teammates

117
00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:47,640
Speaker 7: and coaches I now call friends, experiences. I've had memories,

118
00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:49,680
Speaker 7: a lot of great memories, a lot of great people

119
00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:52,520
Speaker 7: impacted my life, ones that know it, ones that might

120
00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:55,080
Speaker 7: not even know it, you know, by just side comments

121
00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:57,880
Speaker 7: or putting arm around me at the right time. But

122
00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:00,480
Speaker 7: not just those twenty years. You know, had great college

123
00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:03,520
Speaker 7: coaches at Cal and junior college and high school coaches,

124
00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:05,800
Speaker 7: And you know, this game has given me a lot.

125
00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,960
Speaker 7: I've given a lot back to it, and I'm thankful

126
00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:11,920
Speaker 7: for it. I'm not thinking, you know, we'll be thinking

127
00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:14,360
Speaker 7: about that game day. I'll just be enjoying this. I'm

128
00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:16,440
Speaker 7: trying to stay in a moment. But of course it's

129
00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,040
Speaker 7: been a long career. I'm really proud of what I've

130
00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:20,159
Speaker 7: been able to be a part of what I've been

131
00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:24,440
Speaker 7: able to accomplished, and also looking forward to a nice

132
00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:25,960
Speaker 7: mental and physical rest.

133
00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:30,640
Speaker 1: It's a fairly reflective Aaron Rodgers right there, Mike. Those

134
00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,360
Speaker 1: are the types of comments you normally hear when somebody

135
00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:36,279
Speaker 1: very much can see the picture that this might be

136
00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:37,919
Speaker 1: the end of the line. On the flip side of that,

137
00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:41,880
Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers hasn't closed any doors, including even potentially under

138
00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:43,800
Speaker 1: the right circumstances, staying in New York.

139
00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:44,279
Speaker 2: What do we know.

140
00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:47,159
Speaker 6: I have a hard time seeing Aaron Rodgers back with

141
00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:48,560
Speaker 6: the Jets in twenty twenty five.

142
00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:49,719
Speaker 2: I really do now.

143
00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:51,560
Speaker 6: I don't even know who the GM or coach is

144
00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:54,680
Speaker 6: at this point, so that is a tough projection to

145
00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:57,599
Speaker 6: make with a one hundred percent certainty. But anybody coming

146
00:06:57,640 --> 00:06:59,680
Speaker 6: in is gonna want a full reset. You think that

147
00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:01,520
Speaker 6: are a guy and it.

148
00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:02,279
Speaker 2: Really didn't work out.

149
00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:04,359
Speaker 6: I mean he was healthy this year. I mean he

150
00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:06,360
Speaker 6: wasn't fully healthy. He was banged up. I'm just saying,

151
00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:07,840
Speaker 6: eatan Pop's achilles.

152
00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:10,640
Speaker 2: So what you're looking.

153
00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:14,600
Speaker 6: At is Rogers in the prospect of him heading elsewhere.

154
00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:16,800
Speaker 6: There will be openings, There will be teams that need

155
00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:19,920
Speaker 6: help at the quarterback position. I mean, the Giants are

156
00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:22,600
Speaker 6: tumbling out of that first spot, and potentially if they

157
00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:25,920
Speaker 6: beat an Eagles team that's playing its backups even further.

158
00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:28,560
Speaker 6: So you've got teams like that that are gonna need

159
00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:31,600
Speaker 6: some help at the quarterback position. But do you want

160
00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:34,920
Speaker 6: Aaron Rodgers coming in blind to a new situation and

161
00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:35,640
Speaker 6: being your mentor?

162
00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:35,800
Speaker 8: Now?

163
00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:38,360
Speaker 6: I did indicate that he's willing to play that role

164
00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:41,920
Speaker 6: for somebody, and he's tried to do it before with

165
00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:42,600
Speaker 6: Zach Wilson.

166
00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:44,720
Speaker 2: That didn't work out for a variety of reasons.

167
00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:46,880
Speaker 6: So all these teams are got have to look at

168
00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:48,840
Speaker 6: it and say, do I want Aaron Rodgers as my

169
00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:49,760
Speaker 6: bridge quarterback?

170
00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:51,640
Speaker 2: If the answer is yes, then you know I could

171
00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:52,480
Speaker 2: see him playing again.

172
00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:54,520
Speaker 6: It sounds like he'd be willing to accept that kind

173
00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:54,960
Speaker 6: of a role.

174
00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:57,560
Speaker 5: You're right, who really is going to do that? And

175
00:07:57,640 --> 00:07:58,680
Speaker 5: then for what money?

176
00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:01,560
Speaker 4: I mean, you know Rodgers is making a lot of

177
00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:04,160
Speaker 4: money now, Bridge quarterbacks make a lot less forty two

178
00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:07,680
Speaker 4: years old. Considering how banged up he has been, it

179
00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:10,960
Speaker 4: really does make you wonder if he sees himself back

180
00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,480
Speaker 4: and I mean, you're right, guys. That was as reflective

181
00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:15,680
Speaker 4: and Aaron Rodgers as we've seen him, and that felt

182
00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:18,440
Speaker 4: like him saying goodbye to everything.

183
00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:20,160
Speaker 5: Now sometimes in the moment you.

184
00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:22,840
Speaker 4: Could feel like that, which is why players, Rogers included,

185
00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:24,920
Speaker 4: take a step back and will make a decision after

186
00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:27,560
Speaker 4: they get full rest and maybe go into the darkness

187
00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:29,960
Speaker 4: and do all sorts of other things to make get

188
00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:33,800
Speaker 4: your mind in the right place or whatever. But Aaron

189
00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:36,920
Speaker 4: Rodgers did selling someone who sees it coming. Meanwhile, the

190
00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,240
Speaker 4: Jets have been focused on their future while also dealing

191
00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:43,720
Speaker 4: with the president. They interviewed Lewis Ridick for their vacant

192
00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:47,720
Speaker 4: general manager job today, also interviewed Ron Rivera, the former

193
00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:51,480
Speaker 4: Commander's head coach, for their vacant head coaching job today.

194
00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:55,000
Speaker 4: That interview has also concluded, so that you know, for

195
00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:57,240
Speaker 4: the Jets, now they're playing out on the field, they're

196
00:08:57,280 --> 00:08:59,760
Speaker 4: dealing with their future off the field, and it does

197
00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:00,640
Speaker 4: give an indication.

198
00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:03,040
Speaker 5: I know it's going to be a thorough search on

199
00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:03,920
Speaker 5: both ends.

200
00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:06,480
Speaker 4: But it does give you an indication how quickly maybe

201
00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:08,840
Speaker 4: they would like to move to make sure they know

202
00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:11,440
Speaker 4: what's coming in the future, to get staffing handled and

203
00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:12,840
Speaker 4: all that going forward.

204
00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:15,599
Speaker 1: Maybe a meaningful game in Aaron Rodgers' mind, and that

205
00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:18,120
Speaker 1: it could be the final game of his NFL career

206
00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,040
Speaker 1: for playoffs, stating not impactful for the Jets, but is

207
00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:23,800
Speaker 1: for the Dolphins, and also is for the Bengals, who,

208
00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:26,840
Speaker 1: as we mentioned, need the Broncos and Dolphins to lose

209
00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:29,920
Speaker 1: in order for them with a win to get in

210
00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,760
Speaker 1: will the Bengals have their starting running back Chase Brown.

211
00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:34,920
Speaker 1: Zach Taylor says he is going to be a game

212
00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:37,840
Speaker 1: time decision after that freak injury he suffered while sliding

213
00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:40,280
Speaker 1: down short of the goal line. He sprained his ankle.

214
00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:43,880
Speaker 1: Been limited this week, but the door remains open. T Higgins,

215
00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:46,720
Speaker 1: by the way, once again listed as questionable, but seems

216
00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:49,880
Speaker 1: like he's going to be able to go in another

217
00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:53,199
Speaker 1: game coming up this weekend. That's say a pretty big

218
00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:56,400
Speaker 1: one in some regards here. Jyra Alexander not going to

219
00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:58,679
Speaker 1: be out there for the Packers. He underwent knee surgery

220
00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:01,840
Speaker 1: this week, likely out for the remainder of the season.

221
00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:03,200
Speaker 2: They've already been playing without him.

222
00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:06,120
Speaker 1: They've been scheming around it with Jeff hafley've actually played

223
00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:08,760
Speaker 1: some pretty good football defensively of late last week's game

224
00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:09,679
Speaker 1: against Minnesota.

225
00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:11,200
Speaker 2: Notwithstanding, they wrap up with.

226
00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:13,960
Speaker 1: The Bears and then head into the playoffs with some

227
00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:17,480
Speaker 1: other Pro bowlers on that defense. That includes Rashaan Garry

228
00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:22,480
Speaker 1: and Xavier McKinney, both Pro Bowl bound, along with running

229
00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:26,720
Speaker 1: back Josh Jacobs as well. Packers not among the leaders

230
00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:29,520
Speaker 1: in the Pro Bowl selections the Ravens. How about that

231
00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:33,800
Speaker 1: Nine Ravens going in, including Zay Flowers, who becomes the

232
00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:38,440
Speaker 1: first receiver in Ravens franchise history to make a Pro Bowl.

233
00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:40,800
Speaker 2: Very cool honor for him. Of course. Labar Jackson is

234
00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:41,400
Speaker 2: going as well.

235
00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,720
Speaker 1: NFC side of things, the Lions leading the way with seven,

236
00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:47,560
Speaker 1: the Vikings and the Eagles both finishing with six.

237
00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:48,160
Speaker 2: Chiefs by the.

238
00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:52,360
Speaker 1: Way with five, which doesn't include Patrick Mahomes, a unique

239
00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:57,520
Speaker 1: although arguable snub from that Pro Bowl game's selection.

240
00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:00,200
Speaker 9: There's not a lot of words for that one. Then,

241
00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:03,760
Speaker 9: I mean that took everybody in this locker room fighting

242
00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:07,240
Speaker 9: for five quarters of football to find a way to

243
00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:10,000
Speaker 9: get that win. And that right there, those games this season,

244
00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:13,120
Speaker 9: quite frankly, have slipped away from us. Okay, and here

245
00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:17,280
Speaker 9: you guys are, Week sixteenth, Day sixteenth game of the season.

246
00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:21,320
Speaker 9: Finding a way to stay alive to next week. We're

247
00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:23,400
Speaker 9: gonna get the same type ever. Appreciate you guys, man,

248
00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:25,520
Speaker 9: love you guys. Unbelievable performance for all.

249
00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:27,160
Speaker 2: Yet all we can control.

250
00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:29,280
Speaker 9: All we can control is what we do next week.

251
00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:32,240
Speaker 9: Don't worry about what anybody else is doing. Just control.

252
00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:34,200
Speaker 9: Beating the Pittsburgh Steelers.

253
00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:44,839
Speaker 10: Hesls good news for the AFC North.

254
00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:48,680
Speaker 6: They get a jump on the postseason in preparation, or

255
00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:52,280
Speaker 6: one day jump on the off season, at least in

256
00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:55,119
Speaker 6: the case of the Cleveland Browns. There's your Saturday doubleheader

257
00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:58,280
Speaker 6: right there. The Cleveland Browns, uh gonna be starting, going

258
00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:02,240
Speaker 6: to be playing multiple quarterbacks Ay and likely Dorian Thompson

259
00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:05,240
Speaker 6: Robinson with Bailey's Appy getting the start there. I'll be

260
00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:06,920
Speaker 6: at that game. You know who's going to be at

261
00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:09,480
Speaker 6: the Bengals Steelers game. She is right next to me

262
00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:12,000
Speaker 6: in Gray, just like I am, Just like Mark Ross's

263
00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:15,960
Speaker 6: is Bridget Condon joining us here, Bridget Russell Wilson throwing

264
00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:19,280
Speaker 6: for four hundred yards in the first matchup of these

265
00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:22,520
Speaker 6: of these teams. How did the Bengals defense make sure

266
00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:24,200
Speaker 6: that that doesn't happen again?

267
00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:26,040
Speaker 11: Well, it's simple. I can tell you what they have

268
00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:27,640
Speaker 11: to do. Obviously, we're not the ones that have to

269
00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:29,920
Speaker 11: actually do it, but limit the yards after the catch

270
00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:32,880
Speaker 11: and shut down his playmakers. Some numbers for you, Mark

271
00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:34,880
Speaker 11: on this Thursday afternoon, because what better do we have

272
00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:37,240
Speaker 11: to do than talk about numbers. Russell threw for four

273
00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:39,880
Speaker 11: hundred and fourteen yards in that game, but more than

274
00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:42,400
Speaker 11: a third of those yards went to running backs, and

275
00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:45,560
Speaker 11: more specifically, this number is crazy from our research department.

276
00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:48,680
Speaker 11: One hundred and forty six yards went to running backs.

277
00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:51,839
Speaker 11: One hundred and forty of those were yards after the catch.

278
00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,720
Speaker 11: Defensive coordinator lou An Rumo said this week that they

279
00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:57,960
Speaker 11: were trying to place certain coverages to protect maybe some guys.

280
00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:00,079
Speaker 11: He said, we cannot do that again. We have to

281
00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:03,679
Speaker 11: eliminate the yards after the catch. The Bengals defense, though,

282
00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:05,920
Speaker 11: they're gonna have to find a balance because, as you

283
00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:09,480
Speaker 11: and Mark, no best, Russell Wilson is best, and he's

284
00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:12,280
Speaker 11: known for being able to throw the ball down the field.

285
00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:15,000
Speaker 11: He has the second highest passer rating of any quarterback

286
00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:18,000
Speaker 11: this season on downfield passes. So how do they do it.

287
00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:21,960
Speaker 11: They're gonna have to mix and match certain coverages and

288
00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:26,400
Speaker 11: shut down Najie Harris, shut down George Pickens. But keep

289
00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:28,679
Speaker 11: in mind, you know, they need to take away these

290
00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:30,560
Speaker 11: big plays, but they also can't give up some of

291
00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:34,199
Speaker 11: those checkdowns. Twenty percent of those yards that Russell had

292
00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:39,280
Speaker 11: in that first matchup were checkdown throws. Also, though, Mark,

293
00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:41,960
Speaker 11: as you know, this Bengals defense complete oneint eighty since

294
00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:44,880
Speaker 11: that first time these two teams met December first, they

295
00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,559
Speaker 11: currently are top ten in scoring defense and leave the

296
00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:49,760
Speaker 11: league in turnovers since that matchup.

297
00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:50,920
Speaker 2: And that's a great point.

298
00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:53,240
Speaker 12: The Bengals D has gotten better and the Steelers D,

299
00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:54,920
Speaker 12: at one point, one of the best in the league,

300
00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:58,319
Speaker 12: has gotten worse. They've given up twenty four plus points

301
00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,480
Speaker 12: in the last eight games and then the last three games.

302
00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:05,720
Speaker 12: The three losses that they've given up thirty points per game.

303
00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:07,520
Speaker 12: Of course, has been against some of the better teams

304
00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:09,120
Speaker 12: in the league, or maybe the best teams in the

305
00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:11,679
Speaker 12: league in Philly, Case and Baltimore. But you know, we

306
00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:14,319
Speaker 12: assume the Steelers D is nasty, but they're really just

307
00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:18,000
Speaker 12: leaking right now and just giving up yards and tons

308
00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:21,680
Speaker 12: of points. So if that continues on Saturday, then I

309
00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:25,560
Speaker 12: think the way how explosive Cincinnati's offense is you know,

310
00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:28,360
Speaker 12: they might get forty on that Steelers defense. The way

311
00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:31,520
Speaker 12: Joe Burrow is playing, in T Higgins, Jamar Chase trying

312
00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:35,200
Speaker 12: to go for the triple crown. That Bengals offense playing

313
00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:38,040
Speaker 12: just about is good or better than anybody.

314
00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:38,920
Speaker 5: In the league at this point.

315
00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:41,240
Speaker 12: So this Steelers d really has a lot to prove

316
00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:43,960
Speaker 12: because certainly over the last three games and then of

317
00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:46,440
Speaker 12: course over the last eight, it has not been the

318
00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:49,040
Speaker 12: same Steelers defense as started the season. And at this

319
00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:52,640
Speaker 12: point it's almost a liability of Mike Yeah.

320
00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:54,080
Speaker 6: And that's where I want to go with this next one,

321
00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:57,760
Speaker 6: the Bridget, because this Bengals offense, mark you talked about

322
00:14:57,760 --> 00:14:59,920
Speaker 6: how well they've been playing the quarterback Joe Burrow obviously

323
00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:02,720
Speaker 6: a big part of that being talked about as potential

324
00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:07,160
Speaker 6: MVP candidate here. So Bridget, give me a matchup Bengals offense,

325
00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:08,640
Speaker 6: Steelers defense that you're looking.

326
00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:11,760
Speaker 11: At here, Joey Porter Junior against T Higgins. This one

327
00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:14,320
Speaker 11: is really fascinating to me. The first time that they

328
00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:18,000
Speaker 11: played each other, T Higgins was limited when he was

329
00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:22,200
Speaker 11: matched up against Joey Porter Junior. Zero catches for two targets,

330
00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:24,600
Speaker 11: when he was matched up. But it's really interesting when

331
00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:26,880
Speaker 11: you think about the success of the Bengals offense has

332
00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:29,360
Speaker 11: had of late. A big reason why is because T

333
00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:31,760
Speaker 11: Higgins and we all know he's playing for a contract

334
00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:34,680
Speaker 11: right now. He's had five touchdowns the last three games.

335
00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:37,920
Speaker 11: He had his first three touchdown game last weekend against

336
00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:41,200
Speaker 11: the Broncos, So imagine that that success will carry over

337
00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:44,160
Speaker 11: into the Steelers. I was talking to Joey Porter Junior

338
00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:45,080
Speaker 11: about that matchup.

339
00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:47,000
Speaker 13: He said he loves when he gets to.

340
00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:49,800
Speaker 11: Go against top receivers, like it brings an extra level

341
00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:52,680
Speaker 11: of intensity. But he also said there's a balance. He

342
00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:55,480
Speaker 11: wants to be as aggressive as T Higgs. As T

343
00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:58,880
Speaker 11: Higgins is, but remember that first matchup, he got called

344
00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:02,560
Speaker 11: for a defensive passer interference three times, two of those

345
00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:04,560
Speaker 11: times when he was matched up with Tea. So he's like,

346
00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:06,600
Speaker 11: it's a balance of trying to be aggressive and get

347
00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:08,920
Speaker 11: in there, but also limiting because you don't want to

348
00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:11,400
Speaker 11: get the penalty. But one thing that he said that

349
00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:13,560
Speaker 11: I found really interesting when I was talking to him,

350
00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:16,520
Speaker 11: he's happy that T is playing as well as he

351
00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:19,520
Speaker 11: is because, in his words, he says, when I get

352
00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:21,840
Speaker 11: to put that fire out people now can put my

353
00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:24,280
Speaker 11: name in that conversation as well. So always a little

354
00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:25,480
Speaker 11: spicy in the AFC North.

355
00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:25,920
Speaker 13: I love it.

356
00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:30,600
Speaker 6: Cincinnati been trying to get themselves back into the playoff picture,

357
00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:33,760
Speaker 6: having no room for er a little bit of uncertainty.

358
00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:38,360
Speaker 6: But after this weekend there will be no shades of gray.

359
00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:40,040
Speaker 3: See we're all weird. I love it.

360
00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:42,760
Speaker 6: Good one, we shall see Bridget Looking forward to your

361
00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:46,520
Speaker 6: reporting from the scene, Mark, I appreciate you, you know,

362
00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:49,440
Speaker 6: pretending that that was funny right there. Looking ahead, there

363
00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:50,960
Speaker 6: will be no gray area when it comes to the

364
00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:54,280
Speaker 6: NFC number one scene. It's going to be the Lions

365
00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:55,760
Speaker 6: or it's going to be the Vikings.

366
00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:57,120
Speaker 2: After that's the side of this weekend.

367
00:16:57,120 --> 00:16:59,080
Speaker 6: We're talking about that one coming up with our Stacey

368
00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:00,720
Speaker 6: Deals and Brian Bolding.

369
00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:14,359
Speaker 3: We're coming to take thou be wrought Detroit.

370
00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:17,120
Speaker 12: It's time to think the moment the truth and showed

371
00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:18,040
Speaker 12: him who are we about?

372
00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:19,080
Speaker 3: Who tell me about?

373
00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:29,919
Speaker 2: He tuck down Detroit Lions, throwing a long for total taking.

374
00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:34,480
Speaker 13: A shot.

375
00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:40,480
Speaker 1: That who doth takes back looking stuff?

376
00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:42,800
Speaker 3: It was like those videos, but downfield.

377
00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:46,080
Speaker 2: It is caught and so touched down Detroit Lions.

378
00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:47,000
Speaker 3: The Trump broke.

379
00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:52,840
Speaker 2: It's not Ros. It's time Montgomery and Vine.

380
00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:54,720
Speaker 3: Picked up that.

381
00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:57,560
Speaker 5: Pace to the south line.

382
00:17:57,880 --> 00:17:58,800
Speaker 4: There is a flag.

383
00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:00,800
Speaker 14: He's in Minnesota.

384
00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:03,080
Speaker 2: Les Brady, kick of his life.

385
00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:09,119
Speaker 6: Bates has delivered the Lions overtake the Micings to the

386
00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:09,800
Speaker 6: top spot.

387
00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:15,320
Speaker 9: Remarks not healthy, patience, patience, My god, man, you guys

388
00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:17,720
Speaker 9: didn't bat an nine. I love this freaking team. I

389
00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:20,399
Speaker 9: love the coaches, I love the players, I love everything

390
00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:22,520
Speaker 9: about it. Man, we are so freaking hardened.

391
00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:28,320
Speaker 1: As soon as that game happened in week seven, everybody

392
00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:30,160
Speaker 1: was looking forward to the rematch.

393
00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:31,040
Speaker 2: In week eighteen.

394
00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:33,800
Speaker 1: Well we couldn't know them as both these teams would

395
00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:36,040
Speaker 1: be fourteen and two and it would be not just

396
00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:38,960
Speaker 1: the NFC North title, but the number one seed on

397
00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:43,320
Speaker 1: the line. In his Vikings Lions Sunday Night Game two

398
00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:47,680
Speaker 1: seventy two, with all sorts of things at stake, Welcome

399
00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:51,360
Speaker 1: back to the Insiders, Tom Pilisaro, joined by Brian Baldinger

400
00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:55,720
Speaker 1: and Stacey Dales. Who is going to be covering that one? Stacy,

401
00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:58,320
Speaker 1: I hope you were going to be thoroughly caffeinated and

402
00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:00,560
Speaker 1: ready to roll throughout that day. You know that Dan

403
00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:04,600
Speaker 1: Campbell is going to be. This Vikings defense has played

404
00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:07,359
Speaker 1: really well. They haven't allowed a thirty point game in

405
00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:10,280
Speaker 1: a couple of months. Brian Flores does a remarkable job

406
00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:12,399
Speaker 1: at the parts. But we've all seen this Lions offense

407
00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:13,960
Speaker 1: when everyone's darien them, Hey, you might have to win

408
00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:14,560
Speaker 1: a shootout.

409
00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:17,520
Speaker 2: They're winning in shootouts. How does Minnesota sloan them down?

410
00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:20,080
Speaker 8: They're winning in shootouts and especially well their only two

411
00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:23,760
Speaker 8: losses are actually at home Tom Hello Baldy. But they

412
00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:26,280
Speaker 8: score thirty six points a game at home. So if

413
00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:29,919
Speaker 8: you're walking into that environment as the Minnesota Vikings and

414
00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:32,399
Speaker 8: understanding that they score points, you think you've got to

415
00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:33,440
Speaker 8: match those points, right.

416
00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:36,440
Speaker 13: Sam Donald has played extraordinarily well. In fact, both of.

417
00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:40,040
Speaker 8: These quarterbacks have been surgical when it comes to offense.

418
00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:44,240
Speaker 8: They're both playing with career highs and touchdowns Donald thirty five,

419
00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:48,320
Speaker 8: Jared Goff thirty six. But if you're going into that environment,

420
00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:50,200
Speaker 8: you need some help from your defense. And that's why

421
00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:52,800
Speaker 8: this defense needs to have its best game of the

422
00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:54,680
Speaker 8: season with Brian Flora as his group.

423
00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:58,119
Speaker 13: And remember this, Kevin O'Connell has talked about it.

424
00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:00,800
Speaker 8: He has cited it over and over this and really

425
00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:04,120
Speaker 8: all throughout the season that turnovers have.

426
00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:06,800
Speaker 13: Been the difference for their defense. The team.

427
00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:09,160
Speaker 8: Of course, the players in the personnel have taken ownership.

428
00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:12,840
Speaker 8: Brian Flores so adequately does that. He gives his players

429
00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:17,000
Speaker 8: ownership and lets it be theirs. But their ability to

430
00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:19,800
Speaker 8: take the football away. They've got thirty one total takeaways

431
00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:22,120
Speaker 8: this season. We saw Ivan Pace have that one there

432
00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:24,240
Speaker 8: in Week seven where he ran it back thirty six

433
00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:27,080
Speaker 8: yards for the touchdown in a very critical moment in

434
00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:30,280
Speaker 8: the fourth quarter. They're also number one interceptions. They've got

435
00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:33,280
Speaker 8: twenty two on the season. They have to have momentum

436
00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:37,320
Speaker 8: plays in going into Detroit Baldy on the road in

437
00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:40,959
Speaker 8: such a magnificent game. Taylor Decker, I talked to him

438
00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:42,480
Speaker 8: today from the Lions offensive line.

439
00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:44,199
Speaker 13: He told me it was poetic in nature.

440
00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:48,159
Speaker 8: Two fourteen and two football teams, great quarterback play, and

441
00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:50,399
Speaker 8: both teams take the ball away. That'll be huge for

442
00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,560
Speaker 8: buying flor Flora as this group see.

443
00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:54,680
Speaker 3: C Stacy or football person.

444
00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:56,480
Speaker 14: I mean you go right to the left tackle, right

445
00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:59,960
Speaker 14: to the left tackle for the really important information right there,

446
00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:01,440
Speaker 14: Taylor Decker, That's what you used to do.

447
00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:02,439
Speaker 3: You know.

448
00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:04,560
Speaker 14: Look, here's the thing is you know, Brian Floor has

449
00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:05,560
Speaker 14: done a masterful job.

450
00:21:05,760 --> 00:21:07,000
Speaker 3: We have chronicled it all.

451
00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:11,159
Speaker 14: Year with the takeaways and the sacks and rebuilding the

452
00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:14,399
Speaker 14: defensive line. But Detroit, let's go back to where we

453
00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:18,040
Speaker 14: started this thing with the shootout, because when I watched Detroit,

454
00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:21,159
Speaker 14: their abilliing to score from anywhere on the field. We

455
00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:23,520
Speaker 14: saw it Monday night against San Francisco. It could be

456
00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:27,200
Speaker 14: Jamison Williams on a hook and lateral forty two yards.

457
00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:29,720
Speaker 14: He's gone eighty two yards this year on a catch

458
00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:32,399
Speaker 14: and run. It could be Jamiir Gibbs from anywhere on

459
00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:35,840
Speaker 14: the field. He's taking it seventy yards, you know, from

460
00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:38,160
Speaker 14: behind the line of scrimmage for a touchdown. He went

461
00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:41,160
Speaker 14: thirty yards the other night against San Francisco. So while

462
00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:44,880
Speaker 14: they have taken away and their masterful at breaking down

463
00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:48,600
Speaker 14: your protections, Detroit still has that ability to beat you

464
00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:52,240
Speaker 14: from anywhere on the field. And that should give you, know,

465
00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:55,800
Speaker 14: Kevin O'Connell, Brian Floor some heart palpitations because of the

466
00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:58,880
Speaker 14: speed of those two guys. And then just tell how

467
00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:01,200
Speaker 14: they use it and how they set those guys up

468
00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:02,080
Speaker 14: for a big play.

469
00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:04,680
Speaker 1: It'll be the Junior Gibbs show because of course, David

470
00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:07,640
Speaker 1: Montgomery is still love with that knee injury, Stacey. Most

471
00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:10,600
Speaker 1: of the defense also right now for the Lions is

472
00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:14,000
Speaker 1: out for this game, maybe reinforcements with Alex Angeloni potentially

473
00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:17,040
Speaker 1: back to play in this one here. How have they

474
00:22:17,119 --> 00:22:22,200
Speaker 1: continued to push forward amidst losing this many critical guys

475
00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:23,320
Speaker 1: over the course of this season.

476
00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:25,800
Speaker 13: Honestly, it's been fascinating.

477
00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:29,480
Speaker 8: I don't think the Lions have felt like they're facing

478
00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:33,080
Speaker 8: the adversity that we feel on the outside. All the

479
00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:35,920
Speaker 8: injuries that they've had, and you're in their locker room

480
00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:39,080
Speaker 8: after they just keep winning and winning and winning. And

481
00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:41,359
Speaker 8: they did it in San Francisco. Even some of the

482
00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:45,000
Speaker 8: beat people I've had conversations with, they marvel at it.

483
00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:47,080
Speaker 8: They've never seen anything like it. Well, they take on

484
00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:50,320
Speaker 8: and embody the leadership of their head coach, but it

485
00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:52,560
Speaker 8: is the leadership across the board that's so special. We

486
00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:55,200
Speaker 8: talk about Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, but Jared Goff

487
00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:58,920
Speaker 8: in his ninth season, you guys, he is in the

488
00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:00,000
Speaker 8: prime of his career.

489
00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:03,199
Speaker 13: He talked about entering it last season. Well, he's in

490
00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:03,840
Speaker 13: it right now.

491
00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:06,720
Speaker 8: Dan Campbell said he is in it and it's because

492
00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:10,680
Speaker 8: of just so many intricacies that he knows and understands

493
00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:14,040
Speaker 8: within this offense, not to mention a really good offensive

494
00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:17,160
Speaker 8: line Baldy and Tom and all the skill players around him.

495
00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:21,000
Speaker 8: But his timing is impeccable. As I use the word

496
00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:22,919
Speaker 8: surgical when we came into this thing. That is the

497
00:23:22,920 --> 00:23:25,480
Speaker 8: word Taylor Decker used in describing his quarterback.

498
00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:28,440
Speaker 13: He just doesn't make mistakes, Brian Flores said of him

499
00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:28,959
Speaker 13: this week.

500
00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:30,879
Speaker 8: He knows where he wants to go with the ball,

501
00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:33,560
Speaker 8: he knows where his receivers are supposed to be, he

502
00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:36,199
Speaker 8: knows what protection he's supposed to be in, and he

503
00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:40,680
Speaker 8: knows what he's looking at. Defensively, Jared Goff has been outstanding.

504
00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:42,080
Speaker 13: Sam Darnold has two.

505
00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:45,080
Speaker 8: And so, guys, I'm just curious if Detroit and Kirby

506
00:23:45,119 --> 00:23:47,359
Speaker 8: Joseph in that group defensively can come up with a

507
00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:50,480
Speaker 8: couple more takeaways for their quarterback at home to take

508
00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:52,160
Speaker 8: the number one seed on Sunday night.

509
00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:55,080
Speaker 14: So a lot of interesting things right there, Stacey. And

510
00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:56,800
Speaker 14: you know, when I look at Minnesota, they look so

511
00:23:56,920 --> 00:23:59,920
Speaker 14: balanced and they are pretty much healthy across the board.

512
00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:03,520
Speaker 14: Detroit played him in that first game week seven, they

513
00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:05,480
Speaker 14: played him a lot of man coverage because they were

514
00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:08,480
Speaker 14: trying to blitz to get pressure on a Sam Donald.

515
00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:13,760
Speaker 14: And it's interesting just watching how Kevin O'Connell deploys his

516
00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:17,560
Speaker 14: receivers because even last week they went and doubled and

517
00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:20,359
Speaker 14: they gave a lot of attention to Justin Jefferson, and

518
00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:23,280
Speaker 14: when they did, Jalen Naylor, you know, won over the top,

519
00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:25,760
Speaker 14: beat Green Bay over the top with a touchdown, and

520
00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:28,560
Speaker 14: he did the same thing week seven. I mean, there's

521
00:24:29,119 --> 00:24:33,080
Speaker 14: Brian Brands clouding Justin Jefferson with help from Carlton Davis,

522
00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:35,760
Speaker 14: and there's Sam Donald making the right RD. He's like, oh,

523
00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:38,680
Speaker 14: I've got Jordan Adison down the middle with leverage against

524
00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:42,000
Speaker 14: the other safety on that play, Kirby Joseph, and he

525
00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:44,800
Speaker 14: had before a fifty one yard game. Sam Donald is

526
00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:46,439
Speaker 14: going to throw it to the open guy. He's been

527
00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:48,840
Speaker 14: trained to do it, to go through his progressions, and

528
00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:53,880
Speaker 14: if you spend too much time on that beast, Justin Jefferson, Naylor, Hockinson,

529
00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:57,119
Speaker 14: Addison will beat you just that fast. So it is

530
00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:01,240
Speaker 14: a balancing out for Detroit right now with the number

531
00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:04,040
Speaker 14: of different players playing on defense and what they can

532
00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:07,879
Speaker 14: do to limit the big plays from this Minnesota offense.

533
00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:11,040
Speaker 5: To say, toutle up here at the Staff game, he's

534
00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:15,560
Speaker 5: gonna throw forward. He talks if the seconds, who wants to.

535
00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:16,600
Speaker 6: Go to the playoffs?

536
00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:19,639
Speaker 3: Tuck down, tuck down one again.

537
00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:21,359
Speaker 8: They went over turn.

538
00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:23,560
Speaker 2: We'll see you in the Puffs season.

539
00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:27,800
Speaker 5: What a great call.

540
00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:31,240
Speaker 4: That was just the pure emotion from a Commanders team

541
00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:34,200
Speaker 4: trying to get to the playoffs for so many years.

542
00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:37,040
Speaker 4: That guy is gonna be there. Jaden Daniel is also

543
00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:39,800
Speaker 4: going to be in the Pro Bowl Games, a rookie

544
00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:43,080
Speaker 4: quarterback selected, which is a rarital, though clearly he deserves it.

545
00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:45,760
Speaker 4: That said, they go far enough in the playoffs, not

546
00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:47,520
Speaker 4: gonna be in the Pro Bowl games, will be in

547
00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:50,120
Speaker 4: another bowl, plenty of time to get to that. Here

548
00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:53,520
Speaker 4: is the NFC playoff picture for the Washington Commanders.

549
00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:55,240
Speaker 5: It is really very simple.

550
00:25:55,359 --> 00:25:58,600
Speaker 4: They can clinch the sixth seed with a win or

551
00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:01,359
Speaker 4: a Packers loss. I'd like to know a little more

552
00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:04,160
Speaker 4: about the Commanders. I know a little more about their

553
00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:06,400
Speaker 4: matchup with the Cowboys. So let's talk to our good

554
00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:08,680
Speaker 4: friend Jane Slater, who will be there.

555
00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:11,960
Speaker 5: Jane, what's going on? Thank you very much for joining us.

556
00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:15,960
Speaker 4: On the insiders here, take me deep into Washington with

557
00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:19,840
Speaker 4: the success they've had here. Obviously winning is important, but

558
00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:22,080
Speaker 4: take me to their mindset for what they're looking at

559
00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:24,200
Speaker 4: going forward for this game against the Cowboys.

560
00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:26,880
Speaker 15: Well, it's been a complete culture shift if you think

561
00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:29,480
Speaker 15: about it in Washington. I had to double check this,

562
00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:32,480
Speaker 15: but they haven't had an eleven win season in thirty

563
00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:35,160
Speaker 15: three years. Ian that's how big of a turnaround we're

564
00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:38,119
Speaker 15: talking about. When we also look at last year and

565
00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:41,159
Speaker 15: what dan Quinn has been able to do since coming in.

566
00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:43,760
Speaker 15: In fact, let's see last year they were four and thirteen.

567
00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:46,600
Speaker 15: People forget about that as well because of some of

568
00:26:46,640 --> 00:26:48,880
Speaker 15: their success now. It certainly helps when you go out

569
00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:51,919
Speaker 15: and you get what's looking like the best rookie quarterback

570
00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:55,200
Speaker 15: in last year's draft class in Jaden Daniels. It was

571
00:26:55,280 --> 00:26:57,760
Speaker 15: dan Quinn who spoke about him this week, saying, how

572
00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:01,520
Speaker 15: specially is adding quote those are plays I would say

573
00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:03,199
Speaker 15: that amaze me this year. But there's a play that

574
00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:05,119
Speaker 15: goes in the huddle and then there's another play as

575
00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:07,480
Speaker 15: resulted that, and they are not the same play.

576
00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:09,159
Speaker 13: In other words, Daniels knows how.

577
00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:11,400
Speaker 15: To make things happen, and as you said a win

578
00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:13,760
Speaker 15: on Sunday could give them a sixth seed in the playoffs.

579
00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:15,200
Speaker 13: A loss gives them the seventh.

580
00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:19,040
Speaker 15: Now, remember the Cowboys had that incredible game against them.

581
00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:20,240
Speaker 13: I was there in Landover.

582
00:27:20,359 --> 00:27:22,720
Speaker 15: We walked down to the tunnel and we saw how

583
00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:26,280
Speaker 15: this one went right to the wire. Obviously Washington looking

584
00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:27,680
Speaker 15: to get past that one.

585
00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:29,280
Speaker 13: But ever since losing.

586
00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:31,399
Speaker 15: That game to the Cowboys, they've been on a win streak.

587
00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:33,760
Speaker 15: Let's see if they can finish out this season strong

588
00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:37,240
Speaker 15: with twelve wins. And we're also going to be wondering

589
00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:39,280
Speaker 15: what happens with Cliff Kingsbury. I mean, obviously he's had

590
00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:39,800
Speaker 15: a lot to do.

591
00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:41,120
Speaker 13: With this offense this year.

592
00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:44,480
Speaker 15: Will this be some sort of job interview with this

593
00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:46,960
Speaker 15: regular season finale? I mean, none of these guys are

594
00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:49,200
Speaker 15: talking about going anywhere right now, because we'll get to

595
00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:51,399
Speaker 15: Mike McCarthy here in a second. They are focused on

596
00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:53,560
Speaker 15: this last game. But a lot of things are going

597
00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:55,920
Speaker 15: to look different, not only in the East next year,

598
00:27:56,400 --> 00:27:57,680
Speaker 15: but potentially for the Commanders.

599
00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:00,520
Speaker 4: Let's talk about the Cowboys a little but though, because

600
00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:03,399
Speaker 4: obviously playoffs not gonna happen, but still plenty for the

601
00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:06,159
Speaker 4: Cowboys to play for of course, ruining the finale for

602
00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:09,120
Speaker 4: Arrival is always nice way to go into the postseason,

603
00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:12,520
Speaker 4: but there's a lot more instake for Dallas after this.

604
00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:15,320
Speaker 4: Take me into what they are looking at once this

605
00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:16,240
Speaker 4: game concludes.

606
00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:17,639
Speaker 13: Listen.

607
00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:21,040
Speaker 15: I think that I would say mid season there did

608
00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:23,919
Speaker 15: seem like the energy was off with these guys. I

609
00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:28,080
Speaker 15: remember talking to Jerry Jones to Mike about Mike McCarthy, saying,

610
00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:31,240
Speaker 15: does their need to be a different voice at this point?

611
00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:33,679
Speaker 15: And it wasn't an indictment of Mike McCarthy, it was

612
00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:36,840
Speaker 15: just are these guys being receptive to his leadership?

613
00:28:37,119 --> 00:28:37,320
Speaker 3: Well?

614
00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:39,360
Speaker 2: Enter Cooper Rush and a bunch of young.

615
00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:41,520
Speaker 13: Guys that have had to step up as a result of.

616
00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:43,960
Speaker 15: Injuries, And I got to tell you, the energy in

617
00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:47,200
Speaker 15: there is so different these days. You know, talking to

618
00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:49,720
Speaker 15: these guys, you know they all know that not only

619
00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:52,320
Speaker 15: Mike McCarthy, but a number of these coaches are on

620
00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:53,840
Speaker 15: expiring contracts.

621
00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:55,680
Speaker 13: But if Jerry Jones.

622
00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:57,680
Speaker 15: Does what he's typically done as it relates to his

623
00:28:57,760 --> 00:28:59,680
Speaker 15: head coaches, and that's talked to some of the guys

624
00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:02,400
Speaker 15: in the law, I could go down the list and

625
00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:04,760
Speaker 15: tell you that every guy that I talked to today,

626
00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:07,920
Speaker 15: I in wants Mike McCarthy back now. When I talk

627
00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:10,200
Speaker 15: to let's go down the list, Cooper Rush, I talked

628
00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:12,760
Speaker 15: about his impact in the quarterback room and he said

629
00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:14,960
Speaker 15: the one thing that stood out for him the last

630
00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:17,040
Speaker 15: two years is him being in there and marrying the

631
00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:19,840
Speaker 15: footwork with the timing, getting the wide receivers and the

632
00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:23,360
Speaker 15: Titans involved. When I talked to Dak Prescott, he'll tell

633
00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:26,520
Speaker 15: you about Mike the man. When you talk to Jordan Lewis,

634
00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:28,440
Speaker 15: he told me that there's not a lot of blue

635
00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:32,200
Speaker 15: collar guys whose background mirrors his. You know, a lot

636
00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:34,040
Speaker 15: of some of these coaches can't relate to some of

637
00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:34,680
Speaker 15: their players.

638
00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:37,280
Speaker 13: And then when I talked to Brandon.

639
00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:39,320
Speaker 15: Cooks, I thought this was really interesting. You know, he's

640
00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:42,680
Speaker 15: played for guys like Sean McVay, Sean Payton, Bill Belichick,

641
00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:45,360
Speaker 15: and he said they're all very different guys, but he

642
00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:48,960
Speaker 15: puts Mike McCarthy in those categories. Well, we start looking

643
00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:51,800
Speaker 15: at the tenure of Mike McCarthy in Dallas. You know,

644
00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:54,320
Speaker 15: I have to remind folks he came in during COVID

645
00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:57,200
Speaker 15: and they had all the technology issues. Mike Nolan got

646
00:29:57,200 --> 00:29:59,440
Speaker 15: fired in the first year they had a strength and

647
00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:02,480
Speaker 15: conditioning coach pass away in the weight room. You've had

648
00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:06,000
Speaker 15: your quarterback out for the season, two seasons while he's

649
00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:09,360
Speaker 15: been here, and this year just an absolute mass unit

650
00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:12,120
Speaker 15: as it relates to their starters. And still these guys

651
00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:14,400
Speaker 15: are still looking to play. Also, when we talk about

652
00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:19,080
Speaker 15: this roster next year, twenty six free agents, twenty two unrestricted,

653
00:30:19,520 --> 00:30:22,120
Speaker 15: it's gonna look very, very different, and we'll just see

654
00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:24,840
Speaker 15: what they do with Mike McCarthy and the folks moving forward.

655
00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:26,320
Speaker 15: But I can tell you on Sunday, these guys are

656
00:30:26,360 --> 00:30:27,120
Speaker 15: playing for their coach.

657
00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:30,040
Speaker 4: Yeah, time will tell where it all lands with Mike mccarthur.

658
00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:32,640
Speaker 4: But you listen to players like you just mentioned, Listen

659
00:30:32,680 --> 00:30:34,200
Speaker 4: to Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones.

660
00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:36,320
Speaker 5: At the least they have loved.

661
00:30:36,080 --> 00:30:39,200
Speaker 4: How McCarthy has kept this thing together in some very

662
00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:43,200
Speaker 4: very difficult circumstances. Jane, thank you as always for joining us.

663
00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:46,280
Speaker 4: Enjoy that game. Obviously, we will talk to you very

664
00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:50,520
Speaker 4: soon about games or whatever else is going on the offseason. Meanwhile,

665
00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:54,480
Speaker 4: Baker Mayfield and Joe Burrow quarterbacks of two of the

666
00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:56,720
Speaker 4: potential wild card teams.

667
00:30:56,800 --> 00:30:59,960
Speaker 5: Very famously, Baker Mayfield one time welcome feeling danger.

668
00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:04,720
Speaker 4: Is his team dangerous? What are the most dangerous wild

669
00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:05,400
Speaker 4: card teams?

670
00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:06,240
Speaker 5: Let's get into it.

671
00:31:06,280 --> 00:31:15,880
Speaker 6: Coming on next, take a look at the current playoff

672
00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:18,880
Speaker 6: picture as it stands right now. Those teams in the Hunt,

673
00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:20,880
Speaker 6: you don't even get your logos up there because you

674
00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:22,760
Speaker 6: got to get yourself into the postseason to get that

675
00:31:22,840 --> 00:31:25,040
Speaker 6: kind of respect. You still got a shot, hence the

676
00:31:25,240 --> 00:31:29,080
Speaker 6: in the hunt title over your names. All right now,

677
00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:31,280
Speaker 6: we're gonna bring in Brian Baldinger and Mark Ross. Gonna

678
00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:33,960
Speaker 6: talk about this playoff picture right now. Baldy, I want

679
00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:37,040
Speaker 6: to start with you because you always got that nobody

680
00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:39,560
Speaker 6: wants to see this team come into their building, the

681
00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:41,160
Speaker 6: old wild card that can make the run.

682
00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:41,920
Speaker 2: Who is it for you?

683
00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:46,600
Speaker 14: Well, I mean, nobody wants to see Joe Burrow in Cincinnati.

684
00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:48,680
Speaker 14: I don't believe if they can get in now. They

685
00:31:48,680 --> 00:31:51,200
Speaker 14: got to beat Pittsburgh and they need Kansas City beat

686
00:31:51,240 --> 00:31:53,760
Speaker 14: Denver to get in there. But I just went and

687
00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:57,040
Speaker 14: looked at their schedule this year. They played seven playoff

688
00:31:57,080 --> 00:32:00,840
Speaker 14: teams this year and in those games they've.

689
00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:02,160
Speaker 3: Averaged over thirty one points a game.

690
00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:04,840
Speaker 14: They're gonna put up a number now and Joe Burrow

691
00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:08,320
Speaker 14: is an absolute assassin. So I don't think Buffalo anybody

692
00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:10,880
Speaker 14: wants to see the Bengals if Big it in. They've

693
00:32:10,880 --> 00:32:14,960
Speaker 14: won five in a row and they feel invincible the

694
00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:17,520
Speaker 14: other team, though, honestly, like if Tampa takes care of

695
00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:21,280
Speaker 14: business this weekend, what Baker Mayfield is doing right now

696
00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:23,800
Speaker 14: is remarkable. I mean, he's got thirty nine touchdowns on

697
00:32:23,840 --> 00:32:27,120
Speaker 14: the year. He's the definition of a gunslinger. An interception

698
00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:30,960
Speaker 14: does not stop him from making the next throw. If

699
00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:33,680
Speaker 14: you get down inside the red zone, the balls going

700
00:32:33,680 --> 00:32:35,920
Speaker 14: to Mike Evans, it's going right there. I mean, no

701
00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:38,560
Speaker 14: corner wants to line up against Mike Evans one on

702
00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:41,240
Speaker 14: one at the goal line right now. And then those

703
00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:44,040
Speaker 14: rookies Bucky Irving and JAYL McMillan are stepping up.

704
00:32:44,080 --> 00:32:45,760
Speaker 3: That could be a dangerous team.

705
00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:49,840
Speaker 14: With Todd Bowles dialing up his assortment of pressures against

706
00:32:49,840 --> 00:32:50,600
Speaker 14: any quarterback.

707
00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:53,280
Speaker 12: Mark great choices, they're balding, But I'm gonna go with

708
00:32:53,400 --> 00:32:57,560
Speaker 12: the Green Bay Packers. And right now they have a

709
00:32:57,680 --> 00:33:01,640
Speaker 12: top ten scoring offense and a top ten scoring defense,

710
00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:03,880
Speaker 12: so they're balanced on both sides.

711
00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:04,040
Speaker 3: Of the ball.

712
00:33:04,280 --> 00:33:06,040
Speaker 5: And then you look at their losses up their.

713
00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:09,320
Speaker 12: Five losses twice to Detroit, twice to Minnesota, and wins

714
00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:12,080
Speaker 12: to Philly, the best teams in the league, and four

715
00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:14,880
Speaker 12: of those games were only by one possession. So they're

716
00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:18,080
Speaker 12: in the mix in each game with the best teams

717
00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:20,160
Speaker 12: in the league. And then you have to go with

718
00:33:20,200 --> 00:33:22,920
Speaker 12: their experience. Last year, they weren't the team and nobody

719
00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:24,560
Speaker 12: wanted to play. They were just the team, happy to

720
00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:25,720
Speaker 12: be there until they go down.

721
00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:26,920
Speaker 3: To Dallas and crush them.

722
00:33:27,280 --> 00:33:29,360
Speaker 12: And then remember they almost pulled off when he lost

723
00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:31,440
Speaker 12: to the forty nine Ers by three, who went to

724
00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:33,760
Speaker 12: the Super Bowl. So I think with the elements of

725
00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:37,600
Speaker 12: the balance, the experience having played the tough teams right

726
00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:39,600
Speaker 12: to the end, and Jordan Love that offense can get

727
00:33:39,640 --> 00:33:42,360
Speaker 12: hot at any time. I don't think anybody wants to

728
00:33:42,360 --> 00:33:44,440
Speaker 12: face Green Bay no matter who they match up with.

729
00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:46,720
Speaker 6: The I agree with you, but the only thing you

730
00:33:46,760 --> 00:33:49,160
Speaker 6: worry about is no Jaii or Alexander. He's gonna miss

731
00:33:49,520 --> 00:33:51,480
Speaker 6: likely the rest of the season, maybe an outside Chancey

732
00:33:51,520 --> 00:33:53,920
Speaker 6: returns if they make it to the Super Bowl. So

733
00:33:53,960 --> 00:33:56,240
Speaker 6: that's a tough one there for that Green Bay defense.

734
00:33:56,480 --> 00:33:58,680
Speaker 6: Let's flip it around now, Baldy, give me the team

735
00:33:58,760 --> 00:34:02,400
Speaker 6: that is already in and maybe a little worrisome with

736
00:34:02,440 --> 00:34:03,560
Speaker 6: what we've seen from them lately.

737
00:34:04,040 --> 00:34:07,000
Speaker 14: Well, Pittsburgh looks like they're wobbling going into the postseason.

738
00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:09,680
Speaker 14: They'll play at home against Cincinnati, and maybe you can

739
00:34:09,719 --> 00:34:12,319
Speaker 14: get right in one game. I mean, anything can change

740
00:34:12,320 --> 00:34:15,080
Speaker 14: in an instant, But if they're not getting takeaways, and

741
00:34:15,120 --> 00:34:18,160
Speaker 14: they're not getting takeaways in these last three losses where

742
00:34:18,160 --> 00:34:22,120
Speaker 14: they've only scored forty total points. Now, albeit it's Kansas City,

743
00:34:22,120 --> 00:34:25,640
Speaker 14: it's phillyots Baltimore, but regardless you play the teams on

744
00:34:25,680 --> 00:34:28,440
Speaker 14: your schedule, they don't look like an offense. They can

745
00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:30,600
Speaker 14: go up and down the field and put points up.

746
00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:33,360
Speaker 14: They need help from their defense. They need field position,

747
00:34:33,560 --> 00:34:36,399
Speaker 14: they need extra bats. They're not getting those right now.

748
00:34:36,680 --> 00:34:39,520
Speaker 14: Maybe it will change against Cincinnati on Saturday, they'll feel

749
00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:41,920
Speaker 14: a little bit better. But they look like they're wobbling

750
00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:44,759
Speaker 14: to me right now. Mark, heading to the postseason.

751
00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:45,760
Speaker 3: No question.

752
00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:48,760
Speaker 12: That talked about the Steelers earlier in the show, and Baldy,

753
00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:51,400
Speaker 12: as you mentioned, the defense is always the cornerstone, but

754
00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:54,759
Speaker 12: they're struggling on defense too. Their last three losses. Of course,

755
00:34:54,800 --> 00:34:56,440
Speaker 12: three of the best teams in the league, but thirty

756
00:34:56,480 --> 00:34:59,719
Speaker 12: points a game. Their last eight games, they've given up

757
00:34:59,719 --> 00:35:03,239
Speaker 12: twenty four plus. So I think for the Steelers, they'll

758
00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:05,080
Speaker 12: be looking to match up against the team I think

759
00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:07,680
Speaker 12: is the weakest, and that's the Houston Texans. I think

760
00:35:07,719 --> 00:35:10,080
Speaker 12: that would be the most favorable matchup for both of

761
00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:13,359
Speaker 12: those teams. The Texans are three and five and they've

762
00:35:13,400 --> 00:35:15,920
Speaker 12: wrapped up their division a mid season, but it really

763
00:35:15,960 --> 00:35:18,520
Speaker 12: hasn't been impressive. Even early in the year, they were

764
00:35:18,560 --> 00:35:22,280
Speaker 12: struggling to get wins, grinding out close victories.

765
00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:23,800
Speaker 5: They just never looked like a good team.

766
00:35:24,160 --> 00:35:26,000
Speaker 12: Just kept thinking they're going to turn it around, but

767
00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:30,600
Speaker 12: the struggles continued, particularly for CJ. Stroud throughout the whole season.

768
00:35:30,640 --> 00:35:33,359
Speaker 12: Of course, a ton of injuries with Diggs and Dell,

769
00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:36,440
Speaker 12: but really it's going down to CJ. Stroud not being

770
00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:38,640
Speaker 12: able to block up front, and he's been off target

771
00:35:38,640 --> 00:35:41,240
Speaker 12: and a lot of mistakes. So I think for Houston

772
00:35:41,320 --> 00:35:44,239
Speaker 12: they could be one and done unless they match up

773
00:35:44,280 --> 00:35:46,160
Speaker 12: with the Steelers and that'll be a real dogfight. But

774
00:35:46,160 --> 00:35:49,000
Speaker 12: I think anybody else who matches up with them, I

775
00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:51,160
Speaker 12: think the Texans might be out real quick.

776
00:35:51,560 --> 00:35:54,319
Speaker 14: You know, that offensive line is a real concern and

777
00:35:54,360 --> 00:35:57,279
Speaker 14: not just the way that they play, Mark, but they

778
00:35:57,400 --> 00:35:59,319
Speaker 14: might be the most penalized team in the league, and

779
00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:02,640
Speaker 14: a lot of them happened pre snap penalties, constantly getting

780
00:36:02,680 --> 00:36:06,680
Speaker 14: themselves in second and long situations right now with holding calls.

781
00:36:07,160 --> 00:36:10,080
Speaker 14: They have struggled up front and CJ. Stroud has struggled

782
00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:13,360
Speaker 14: as a result. If Nico isn't winning down the field,

783
00:36:13,600 --> 00:36:15,920
Speaker 14: they look like they really struggle right now to get

784
00:36:15,920 --> 00:36:19,080
Speaker 14: any kind of a big explosive plays out of that offense.

785
00:36:19,880 --> 00:36:22,319
Speaker 6: Now, well it's all on Nico because they've they're down

786
00:36:22,320 --> 00:36:25,759
Speaker 6: a couple of wide receivers in Stefan Diggs and Tank

787
00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:28,319
Speaker 6: Dell because of season ending injuries to those guys, So

788
00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:30,160
Speaker 6: that has really hampered what they thought they were going

789
00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:32,360
Speaker 6: to be and what they were for a bit early

790
00:36:32,480 --> 00:36:35,240
Speaker 6: in the season. Brian Baldinger, Mark Ross, thank you guys

791
00:36:35,840 --> 00:36:37,960
Speaker 6: very much. Looking forward to more insight from you guys

792
00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:42,440
Speaker 6: as we get into the weekend of week eighteen. It

793
00:36:42,520 --> 00:36:45,520
Speaker 6: is game day morning, Sunday.

794
00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:48,000
Speaker 2: At nine a m. Eastern. As we get you set

795
00:36:48,040 --> 00:36:49,680
Speaker 2: for Sunday.

796
00:36:49,440 --> 00:36:54,320
Speaker 6: In the NFL for Week eighteen, Kurt Warner, Steve Ariochi,

797
00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:57,160
Speaker 6: Rich Eisen, Gerald McCoy, Cally wilf Cynthia Fa the KYLEI Brandt,

798
00:36:57,200 --> 00:36:59,760
Speaker 6: the NFL insiders like us, the reporters at stadiums across

799
00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:02,560
Speaker 6: the getting you set for NFL game day morning. Kurt

800
00:37:02,560 --> 00:37:05,800
Speaker 6: Water sits down with Justin Jefferson, the Vikings wide receiver,

801
00:37:06,040 --> 00:37:08,040
Speaker 6: as he prepares to face the Lions in the NFC

802
00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:11,720
Speaker 6: North Showdown, plus Lil Wayne again an actor oh Shaye

803
00:37:11,800 --> 00:37:14,440
Speaker 6: Jackson Junior joining us live in studio that is Sunday

804
00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:16,120
Speaker 6: at nine a m.

805
00:37:16,120 --> 00:37:16,680
Speaker 2: Eastern.

806
00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:19,319
Speaker 3: Hey, what's up man?

807
00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:23,359
Speaker 16: How you got se Yeah?

808
00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:24,600
Speaker 3: You made the Pro Ball?

809
00:37:27,600 --> 00:37:31,520
Speaker 2: Oh, you made it.

810
00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:38,080
Speaker 16: I think you might be the first receiver drafted that

811
00:37:38,120 --> 00:37:41,239
Speaker 16: made the Pro Ball. But you made it, man, you

812
00:37:41,320 --> 00:37:41,719
Speaker 16: made it.

813
00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:45,759
Speaker 3: You made it. I knew you would first time I

814
00:37:45,960 --> 00:37:46,239
Speaker 3: saw you.

815
00:37:46,239 --> 00:37:47,799
Speaker 16: Iknew you would.

816
00:37:48,680 --> 00:37:50,480
Speaker 2: You believe that.

817
00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:52,879
Speaker 6: That's crazy though, I know it's from a little kid,

818
00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:53,719
Speaker 6: from a little kid.

819
00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:54,879
Speaker 8: That's a I know.

820
00:37:55,000 --> 00:37:57,600
Speaker 16: So I always tell people have two favorite memories, calling

821
00:37:57,640 --> 00:37:59,600
Speaker 16: the guy when we draft him and then tell him

822
00:37:59,600 --> 00:38:02,160
Speaker 16: when they made Pro Bowl for the first time. So

823
00:38:02,480 --> 00:38:04,960
Speaker 16: you know what, man, I'm so happy for you, your family,

824
00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:08,160
Speaker 16: your dad, you know what I mean. Now we gotta

825
00:38:08,239 --> 00:38:10,000
Speaker 16: keep it going right. Yeah, uncle is not done?

826
00:38:10,160 --> 00:38:16,360
Speaker 1: Yeah, What an honor for one of Boston College's finest,

827
00:38:16,640 --> 00:38:21,760
Speaker 1: Zay Flowers, officially a selection to the Pro Bowl Games,

828
00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:25,839
Speaker 1: first wide receiver in Ravens franchise history. Unbelievable thirty one

829
00:38:25,920 --> 00:38:29,319
Speaker 1: years to be selected the Pro Bowl. There're also some

830
00:38:29,440 --> 00:38:34,520
Speaker 1: rookies making their Pro Games debuts Brought Bowers, Jayden Daniels,

831
00:38:34,520 --> 00:38:40,799
Speaker 1: and Jared Vers all selected to that game, among many

832
00:38:40,800 --> 00:38:43,000
Speaker 1: others across the NFL. As you take a look at

833
00:38:43,000 --> 00:38:45,960
Speaker 1: some of the various social posts, everybody's got a little

834
00:38:45,960 --> 00:38:51,120
Speaker 1: different format. Everybody's honored except the Dolphins, who got absolutely

835
00:38:51,600 --> 00:38:53,160
Speaker 1: nobody into.

836
00:38:53,120 --> 00:38:54,480
Speaker 2: The Pro Bowl Games.

837
00:38:54,640 --> 00:38:57,960
Speaker 1: Welcome you back to the insiders, Tom Pelvisero, Ian Rappaport,

838
00:38:58,040 --> 00:38:59,759
Speaker 1: and Mike Garrel Pullop too.

839
00:39:00,120 --> 00:39:01,160
Speaker 2: I I come to you first.

840
00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:05,000
Speaker 1: Your biggest snub from the who should be the most

841
00:39:05,040 --> 00:39:06,680
Speaker 1: offended that they don't get to play?

842
00:39:06,680 --> 00:39:10,440
Speaker 4: Tuga Warrion, Well, this person should be offended, although he

843
00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:13,600
Speaker 4: has since gone on record as saying he is not

844
00:39:13,719 --> 00:39:16,359
Speaker 4: offended because he has his sights on bigger things like

845
00:39:16,760 --> 00:39:19,280
Speaker 4: All Pro which actually is offensive to the Pro Bowl whatever.

846
00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:20,239
Speaker 5: And then Super Bowl.

847
00:39:20,280 --> 00:39:23,880
Speaker 4: And that is Kirby Joseph, the really really good safety

848
00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:27,399
Speaker 4: for the Detroit Lions. There's another safety for the Detroit Lions,

849
00:39:27,440 --> 00:39:29,960
Speaker 4: Bryan Branch, who actually did get in, so his teammate

850
00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:33,280
Speaker 4: gets in, but he doesn't. Buddha Baker Xavier McKinney also

851
00:39:33,280 --> 00:39:36,480
Speaker 4: get in. But look, Kirby Joseph is not exactly a

852
00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:38,759
Speaker 4: household name. I think he's going to be, but he's

853
00:39:38,760 --> 00:39:41,520
Speaker 4: not exactly a household name. He's only the NFL's leader

854
00:39:41,560 --> 00:39:44,560
Speaker 4: in interceptions by two. He's also been a guest on

855
00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:46,960
Speaker 4: The Insiders, which of course is why he's my favorite.

856
00:39:47,440 --> 00:39:49,239
Speaker 4: But this is one of the bright young stars of

857
00:39:49,280 --> 00:39:52,319
Speaker 4: this league doing the Merden Hanks right there. He may

858
00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:54,440
Speaker 4: not be a pro bowler, but I'm just gonna go

859
00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:57,440
Speaker 4: ahead and guess guys that he probably will be a

860
00:39:57,440 --> 00:39:59,080
Speaker 4: pro bowler at some point soon.

861
00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:01,040
Speaker 5: Is an excellent, excellent play.

862
00:40:01,320 --> 00:40:05,400
Speaker 6: I'm gonna go with future guests of The Insiders to

863
00:40:05,520 --> 00:40:07,839
Speaker 6: running joke Viscaria is sure and have him on sure.

864
00:40:08,320 --> 00:40:09,960
Speaker 6: He was a free agent sure, and then he went

865
00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:12,200
Speaker 6: on a visit with the Baltimore Ravens and had to

866
00:40:12,239 --> 00:40:14,160
Speaker 6: cancel on us because he was visiting that day, and

867
00:40:14,200 --> 00:40:15,280
Speaker 6: then signed with the Ravens.

868
00:40:15,280 --> 00:40:16,799
Speaker 2: This was over a year ago.

869
00:40:16,840 --> 00:40:18,280
Speaker 5: This was Kyle van Ney.

870
00:40:18,560 --> 00:40:20,400
Speaker 2: Back in the twenty twenty three season.

871
00:40:20,440 --> 00:40:22,440
Speaker 6: Now in the twenty twenty four season, how about a

872
00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:26,760
Speaker 6: career high in sacks for van Ney. He had eleven

873
00:40:26,840 --> 00:40:30,000
Speaker 6: and a half this year. He seems to be aging

874
00:40:30,120 --> 00:40:32,480
Speaker 6: like the fine wine. Like the old saying goes getting

875
00:40:32,520 --> 00:40:36,520
Speaker 6: better with age. Now at the almost age of thirty

876
00:40:36,560 --> 00:40:38,800
Speaker 6: four years old, eleven and a half sacks and the

877
00:40:38,840 --> 00:40:41,960
Speaker 6: reason why I feel like it's a snub. Look Khalil

878
00:40:42,040 --> 00:40:44,160
Speaker 6: Max having a great year as well, but six sacks

879
00:40:44,239 --> 00:40:47,080
Speaker 6: van Ney almost doubled him. And he has been an

880
00:40:47,080 --> 00:40:50,000
Speaker 6: impact player despite the fact that he's missed a game

881
00:40:50,120 --> 00:40:51,799
Speaker 6: and some time here or there because of a neck

882
00:40:51,840 --> 00:40:55,600
Speaker 6: injury this year. So, Kyle van Ney, maybe once you

883
00:40:55,680 --> 00:40:58,279
Speaker 6: get on the Insiders like that'll be the thing that

884
00:40:58,320 --> 00:40:59,520
Speaker 6: puts you over the top.

885
00:41:00,120 --> 00:41:01,239
Speaker 2: We know it's going to happen one.

886
00:41:01,120 --> 00:41:02,400
Speaker 6: Of these days, and we know now that you have

887
00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:03,480
Speaker 6: to set appreciate at.

888
00:41:03,440 --> 00:41:07,200
Speaker 1: Thirty five at this point, I've seen him on some

889
00:41:07,239 --> 00:41:09,960
Speaker 1: other shows those don't move the needle. This yet right

890
00:41:09,960 --> 00:41:12,640
Speaker 1: here potentially could do it for him. So maybe make

891
00:41:12,680 --> 00:41:15,040
Speaker 1: an appearance and you'll get on. Let's also put up

892
00:41:15,040 --> 00:41:18,200
Speaker 1: the siren call for Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Junior to

893
00:41:18,200 --> 00:41:20,399
Speaker 1: go ahead and come on the Insiders. He's not been

894
00:41:20,440 --> 00:41:22,960
Speaker 1: a lot of positive news to talk about with the

895
00:41:23,080 --> 00:41:27,040
Speaker 1: Jaguars this season. With Brian Thomas Junior eighty catches for

896
00:41:27,200 --> 00:41:31,319
Speaker 1: one and seventy nine yards and ten touchdowns, he's had

897
00:41:31,320 --> 00:41:34,400
Speaker 1: his best games of late. With Mac Jones at quarterback,

898
00:41:34,520 --> 00:41:37,560
Speaker 1: leads old rookies and receiving yards ahead of Rock Bauers

899
00:41:37,560 --> 00:41:41,400
Speaker 1: and Maleak Neighbors and Lad McConkey and Marvin Harrison Junior,

900
00:41:41,440 --> 00:41:45,200
Speaker 1: Brian Thomas, a lot of good years ahead, a lot of.

901
00:41:45,200 --> 00:41:46,680
Speaker 2: Good nights at for the Insiders.

902
00:41:46,680 --> 00:41:49,040
Speaker 1: We are on every weeknight, seven BM Measter Time on

903
00:41:49,200 --> 00:41:51,480
Speaker 1: NFL Network all the way through the Super Bowl. Go

904
00:41:51,560 --> 00:41:54,520
Speaker 1: on YouTube watches, catch the podcast. We'll see wherever you

905
00:41:54,560 --> 00:41:54,960
Speaker 1: find us.