WEBVTT - Micheal Lombardi Does Not Like Little Players 0:00:03.920 --> 0:00:08.520 From the King of Sports Books comes the Key sports 0:00:08.560 --> 0:00:19.000 podcast Unleashed, presented by bet MGM. Here's your host, Janice 0:00:19.040 --> 0:00:28.400 Papas and Olivia Arlan Decker. Welcome in everybody. This is 0:00:28.480 --> 0:00:31.640 Unleashed by bet MGM, the King of Sports Books. And 0:00:31.720 --> 0:00:34.760 if you like football and you like betting and laughing 0:00:34.880 --> 0:00:37.640 and maybe cringing a little bit, especially at the end 0:00:37.640 --> 0:00:40.199 where we basically give Janice free range, then you have 0:00:40.280 --> 0:00:44.000 come to the right place. Johannes Propis is my co host, Janice. 0:00:44.120 --> 0:00:46.440 How did you watch this weekend's games? Do you throw 0:00:46.479 --> 0:00:48.600 back a couple of trulies and hanging your basement like 0:00:48.600 --> 0:00:51.080 a big creep? Oh? Yeah. I don't know if you 0:00:51.120 --> 0:00:54.960 have access to my Google cameras, but that's exactly what 0:00:55.000 --> 0:00:58.880 I did. Me and Paul Versey threw back more than 0:00:58.920 --> 0:01:02.440 a two three four amount of trulies. It was it 0:01:02.560 --> 0:01:05.160 was like we were filming a commercial for Trulies. That's 0:01:05.200 --> 0:01:08.120 what this weekend was about. Most of the games were 0:01:08.120 --> 0:01:10.720 a disappointment, but it was It's still a fun hang 0:01:10.959 --> 0:01:14.400 and I am so excited for the games coming up. 0:01:14.440 --> 0:01:19.919 They are gonna be incredible. So football is fun right now, baby, 0:01:20.360 --> 0:01:22.880 We've really got to stop doing free ads for truly, 0:01:22.920 --> 0:01:25.840 we should just say sparkling alcoholic beverage until they start 0:01:25.840 --> 0:01:29.959 paying us. Yeah we really, Yeah, there are other sparkling water. 0:01:30.760 --> 0:01:33.720 How do they make that? What like that? What is alcohol? 0:01:33.800 --> 0:01:37.399 I always wonder like, Yeah, I mean it's basically a 0:01:37.560 --> 0:01:41.440 soda that gets you drunk. They're so good. Alcohol is 0:01:41.480 --> 0:01:47.440 God's tears. That's a guy I like that, but it is. 0:01:47.560 --> 0:01:49.560 It is fun to throw a couple back and watching 0:01:49.600 --> 0:01:53.120 football games, and now this weekend is getting much better. 0:01:53.160 --> 0:01:55.600 You're right, a couple of blowouts last weekend, but now 0:01:55.640 --> 0:01:58.640 I've got eight teams, four games that still have Super 0:01:58.680 --> 0:02:01.480 Bowl dreams alive. We're gonna talk about how we got here. 0:02:01.640 --> 0:02:03.840 I loved this note that I heard this, and I 0:02:03.840 --> 0:02:07.160 thought that belongs on Unleashed. The last time the Bengals 0:02:07.200 --> 0:02:09.960 want a playoff game, you could not send someone a 0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:13.400 text to talk about it. Literally, the technology didn't exist 0:02:13.720 --> 0:02:16.720 thirty years ago. I mean that's incredible. And O. J. 0:02:16.840 --> 0:02:23.040 Simpson was the sideline reporter. So yeah, let's just say 0:02:23.120 --> 0:02:27.120 it was before cancel culture. Oh yeah, it was before 0:02:27.320 --> 0:02:31.000 that's before the me too movement. I think that was 0:02:31.040 --> 0:02:36.360 before like every movement except like the Women's March or something, feminism, 0:02:36.400 --> 0:02:39.200 women voting. But yeah, so we're going to talk about 0:02:39.200 --> 0:02:42.480 the divisional round games coming up this weekend. I'm so excited. 0:02:42.480 --> 0:02:44.840 I'm assigned Bills at Chiefs this weekend again on the 0:02:44.919 --> 0:02:47.760 national radio broadcast, so I'll dive a little bit deeper 0:02:47.800 --> 0:02:49.720 in on that one. I think that's the game of 0:02:49.720 --> 0:02:52.560 the week. But I'm a little bit biased. No, you're right, 0:02:52.639 --> 0:02:54.359 that is the game. That is the game. The way 0:02:54.400 --> 0:02:57.040 those two teams are playing, that's the game I'm most 0:02:57.080 --> 0:03:02.520 excited to watch. You mean, listen, of course, I got it. Well, 0:03:02.760 --> 0:03:04.640 I got like I said, I gotta get those double 0:03:04.680 --> 0:03:08.320 A batteries first and final radio. So I'm gonna have 0:03:08.360 --> 0:03:09.960 to like look in my you know, I'm gonna have 0:03:09.960 --> 0:03:11.919 to look through my garage and see if I have 0:03:11.960 --> 0:03:14.799 an old one, or jump in your car and drive 0:03:14.840 --> 0:03:17.640 around or I'll really now I'm just plugging out on stuff. 0:03:17.639 --> 0:03:19.560 But get the tune in app, in the tune in 0:03:19.639 --> 0:03:23.960 up you can listen to our broadcasts. But anyways, we 0:03:24.040 --> 0:03:26.720 have a real treat today to help us dissect all 0:03:26.760 --> 0:03:30.519 these games. It's former NFL GM and executive Michael Lombardi 0:03:30.760 --> 0:03:32.919 joining us in just a little bit. You'll remember he's 0:03:32.960 --> 0:03:36.520 been on the show before. He's fantastic. He has his 0:03:36.560 --> 0:03:40.200 own podcast, the GM Shuffle on Twitter, at the Daily Coach, 0:03:40.480 --> 0:03:43.720 I think, just at Daily Coach, and he's written books. 0:03:43.840 --> 0:03:47.880 He knows everything and everyone, so it's a real treat 0:03:47.960 --> 0:03:50.160 to have him on. Then at the end, as always, 0:03:50.160 --> 0:03:52.480 we're going to break down the numbers and spreads for 0:03:52.520 --> 0:03:55.400 this weekend's action and give you our take. Not that 0:03:55.440 --> 0:03:59.200 it matters, but we're usually pretty spot on, right, yah, 0:03:59.440 --> 0:04:03.120 both of us, we're usually both spot on. We nail it. 0:04:03.200 --> 0:04:06.640 I mean, I mean we always nail it. We get 0:04:06.680 --> 0:04:08.840 the overrighte, we get the under right, we get the 0:04:08.880 --> 0:04:11.560 points right, I mean, we get how many passages are 0:04:11.560 --> 0:04:13.760 gonna be thrown, who's going to score first? I mean 0:04:14.080 --> 0:04:17.960 from A to Z. Just listen to us and we 0:04:18.040 --> 0:04:21.279 will win you money. I mean, you could just tell 0:04:21.320 --> 0:04:23.240 we work from bet MGM because we give the worst 0:04:23.279 --> 0:04:27.440 advice at least at least I do. We're trying we 0:04:27.560 --> 0:04:31.480 make the company money. No no, no, Janice usually beats 0:04:31.480 --> 0:04:33.480 me at our punishment picks. That's at the end. The 0:04:33.520 --> 0:04:36.479 winner gets to write the outro for the loser to 0:04:36.520 --> 0:04:39.080 read it's all very embarrassing. Last week I told you 0:04:39.120 --> 0:04:41.200 my mom was standing over my shoulder, and I had 0:04:41.240 --> 0:04:44.480 to read about as embarrassing as an outro as possible. 0:04:45.040 --> 0:04:46.800 Um So, if you haven't listened to that, go back 0:04:46.800 --> 0:04:49.480 to last week's show and just start thinking of your 0:04:49.520 --> 0:04:52.719 mother standing over you as you read that. Anyways, I 0:04:52.760 --> 0:04:54.840 had a little bit better luck this week, so I'm 0:04:54.839 --> 0:04:56.960 gonna give you a hint. The cream rises to the 0:04:57.000 --> 0:05:01.119 crop in the top, the cream rising of it. Cream 0:05:01.200 --> 0:05:03.760 rises to the crop. The cream rises to the crop. 0:05:04.320 --> 0:05:07.040 Isn't it cream of the crop? But the cream rises 0:05:07.080 --> 0:05:09.839 to the top. The quarterback for the forty niners is 0:05:09.960 --> 0:05:14.200 Jeanine Garoffalo, and the cream rogers to the crop. Baby, Okay, 0:05:14.240 --> 0:05:15.960 I win. Let me That's what I'm trying to say. 0:05:16.000 --> 0:05:18.120 I won this week, So Janice has to read my 0:05:18.160 --> 0:05:21.719 outro by the way, honest, congratulations, we're up for Best 0:05:21.800 --> 0:05:25.120 Sports Comedy Podcast. That's right, We're a nominee for a 0:05:25.160 --> 0:05:30.479 sports podcast award. I'm so excited. Congrats. Congrats to you. 0:05:30.640 --> 0:05:33.359 And I know your competitive nature. You really want to 0:05:33.360 --> 0:05:35.720 win this thing. So from what I've heard, I have 0:05:35.760 --> 0:05:38.640 a little intel on the ground You've created about a 0:05:38.720 --> 0:05:41.680 thousand fake email accounts, and you've just been up voting 0:05:41.680 --> 0:05:44.800 and voting and voting. So you, guys, I'm not telling 0:05:44.839 --> 0:05:47.080 you what to do, but you know, if you love Olivia, 0:05:47.320 --> 0:05:49.760 do as she does. I love it. I love it. 0:05:49.800 --> 0:05:51.440 I think that's also what a couple of states did 0:05:51.480 --> 0:05:54.520 for voting for president. So that's exciting. It's on my 0:05:54.720 --> 0:05:57.840 Instagram bio if you want to help vote for us. 0:05:58.000 --> 0:05:59.839 I keep plugging it all on my social media, but 0:06:00.080 --> 0:06:02.240 it lives in my Instagram bio if you want to 0:06:02.240 --> 0:06:04.640 click that link. All very exciting. I think we can 0:06:04.680 --> 0:06:06.400 also put it in the show notes. Right, I'll talk 0:06:06.440 --> 0:06:10.440 to Alex, our producer extraordinary about that. Okay, it's time 0:06:10.440 --> 0:06:12.720 for us to go off on one topic we feel 0:06:12.720 --> 0:06:22.960 passionately about this week. Y honest, let's unleake. What's it's time? Okay, honest? 0:06:22.960 --> 0:06:27.880 How about them Cowboys? Uh No, Usually it's an emphatic 0:06:28.040 --> 0:06:31.280 year after a big win, echoing the passion of their 0:06:31.320 --> 0:06:34.480 former Hall of Fame coach Jimmy Johnson. But I'm saying 0:06:34.520 --> 0:06:38.000 it more disappointed and kind of perplexed, like, how about 0:06:38.080 --> 0:06:42.960 them Cowboys? Once again? Cowboys fans are going home without 0:06:43.000 --> 0:06:46.720 a playoff win, a huge payroll, lots of star power, 0:06:46.960 --> 0:06:50.320 but the NFC East champs got sent packing by Jimmy 0:06:50.400 --> 0:06:53.159 g and the forty Niners. These teams hadn't met in 0:06:53.160 --> 0:06:56.080 the postseason since I was one year old, but it 0:06:56.080 --> 0:06:59.279 was highly anticipated by people around your age. Honest, because 0:06:59.320 --> 0:07:02.040 of all the great history in the eighties and early nineties, 0:07:02.520 --> 0:07:09.000 Cowboys haven't reached NFC championship game since. Despite every year 0:07:09.200 --> 0:07:12.480 we hear nothing, but this is the Cowboys year. They're back. 0:07:12.600 --> 0:07:16.200 They basically all but promise us they will. Now. A 0:07:16.240 --> 0:07:18.400 lot was made about the refs down the stretch of 0:07:18.400 --> 0:07:20.320 that game, but the Cowboys have no one to blame 0:07:20.400 --> 0:07:23.520 but themselves. Come on, Mike McCarthy and the poor clock 0:07:23.600 --> 0:07:27.440 management go together like Janice and conspiracy theories. Running a 0:07:27.520 --> 0:07:30.920 quarterback draw with fourteen seconds left, the Cowboys took a 0:07:31.000 --> 0:07:33.280 huge risk of their not being enough time left, and 0:07:33.320 --> 0:07:36.160 sure enough there wasn't. It's like football one oh one. 0:07:36.200 --> 0:07:38.800 The Cowboys and Mike McCarthy took shots at the official. 0:07:39.640 --> 0:07:41.160 I don't know about that, but they have no one 0:07:41.160 --> 0:07:43.320 to blame but themselves. The official had to put the 0:07:43.320 --> 0:07:46.160 ball down to be snapped. The center needs to give 0:07:46.200 --> 0:07:48.000 the ball to him. This isn't gym class, this is 0:07:48.040 --> 0:07:51.080 the NFL DC. You've got to be better. You have 0:07:51.160 --> 0:07:53.760 to have better awareness. Don't blame the refs. They've got 0:07:53.760 --> 0:07:55.800 a hard enough job. Or don't run a draw play 0:07:55.880 --> 0:07:58.440 with fourteen seconds left and take two shots at the 0:07:58.520 --> 0:08:00.840 end zone like you probably should have. That's what they 0:08:00.840 --> 0:08:03.160 should have done. I can figure it out. I can 0:08:03.160 --> 0:08:06.520 coach an NFL team, And just my overall impression, the 0:08:06.560 --> 0:08:10.600 stadium is gorgeous. Listen, Jerry World, It's gorgeous. It'll always 0:08:10.600 --> 0:08:13.200 be one of my favorites because the Packers opened it 0:08:13.280 --> 0:08:16.080 up and its first year with a Super Bowl win 0:08:16.160 --> 0:08:19.520 over the Steelers. That's one of my best NFL memories, 0:08:19.520 --> 0:08:22.280 one of my best sports memories ever. But this weekend, 0:08:22.640 --> 0:08:25.480 that big gass joebotron, it got hit by a punt 0:08:25.720 --> 0:08:29.160 that should never happen. I've done games in there, I've 0:08:29.200 --> 0:08:31.920 worked games in there, and when the sun comes out, 0:08:32.440 --> 0:08:36.120 you're basically in a big glass greenhouse or something. It 0:08:36.160 --> 0:08:39.640 gets kind of hot and it's just too sunny. It's 0:08:40.280 --> 0:08:42.079 I'm not a fan of it. For day games. I 0:08:42.120 --> 0:08:44.520 gotta say the glare is pretty bad. So it's tough 0:08:44.559 --> 0:08:48.559 for receivers to see or for kickerturners. It's not good. 0:08:48.640 --> 0:08:50.480 So I just have to go off on the Cowboys 0:08:50.520 --> 0:08:55.720 a little bit there. Wow, that sounded personal. You're attacking 0:08:55.720 --> 0:09:01.400 America's favorite team. You're it's almost like you're Yeah, that's 0:09:01.400 --> 0:09:04.480 like attacking Beyonce. You're gonna get a lot of trolls 0:09:04.559 --> 0:09:07.520 now coming out. People love the Cowboys. But guess what, 0:09:08.200 --> 0:09:11.880 I got your back. We're partners, and I am sticking 0:09:11.960 --> 0:09:15.960 with the Cowboys on this one. I think it's time 0:09:16.040 --> 0:09:21.640 to pass the torch to another team to be America's sweetheart. 0:09:21.920 --> 0:09:25.920 We're off of oil coming soon. It's all about Tesla, 0:09:26.000 --> 0:09:32.520 It's all about renewables. Dallas, you're antiquated, your archaic. It's over, baby. 0:09:32.840 --> 0:09:36.559 You're not America's team anymore. Like Olivia said, your stadium, 0:09:36.559 --> 0:09:40.480 it looks like a UFO landed in Dallas. Okay, I've 0:09:40.520 --> 0:09:43.960 been there. From the outside. It just looks like, you know, 0:09:44.440 --> 0:09:48.160 close encounters of the third kind. Bigger is not better 0:09:48.360 --> 0:09:51.439 is what I'm trying to say. Bigger is not better. Now, 0:09:51.440 --> 0:09:53.760 how many times have you said that in your life? 0:09:54.679 --> 0:09:57.480 I've had to say that many times to explain to 0:09:57.520 --> 0:10:03.640 women why why this was okay? And why I have 0:10:03.720 --> 0:10:07.480 other skills that can compensate. You're absolutely right, Olivia, You're 0:10:07.520 --> 0:10:10.800 absolutely right. I like more of a stadium with some charm. 0:10:10.840 --> 0:10:13.840 I like an older stadium. I like the Buffalo Bills. 0:10:13.880 --> 0:10:16.920 They play right there in the neighborhood. Okay, there's people 0:10:16.920 --> 0:10:19.800 who live right next door. I like their fan base. 0:10:20.120 --> 0:10:24.120 They're drunk, they throw themselves through tables, They're committed. It's 0:10:24.240 --> 0:10:26.840 all they got up there. They live in a city 0:10:27.040 --> 0:10:30.960 that used to be great until we shipp the jobs overseas. 0:10:31.000 --> 0:10:35.680 That's America, the Buffalo Bills. We need to find another 0:10:35.880 --> 0:10:39.000 team that is America's team. Who do you guys think 0:10:39.040 --> 0:10:42.440 it should be? Should it be? Should it be the Raiders? 0:10:42.840 --> 0:10:45.160 Gambling is legal in a lot of places. Now we 0:10:45.160 --> 0:10:47.960 work for a gambling company. Should it be the Raiders? 0:10:48.480 --> 0:10:53.880 Should it be the Raiders? How about? Yeah, that's America's team. 0:10:54.040 --> 0:10:57.040 When you talk about there being homes right by the stadium, 0:10:57.160 --> 0:11:00.760 that's Green Bay. It's a factory town, it's a blue 0:11:00.760 --> 0:11:06.400 collar town. It's as Americana as you can get Midwest 0:11:06.520 --> 0:11:08.839 to honest, when you find JFK to l A X, 0:11:09.120 --> 0:11:11.640 there actually is this whole part of the country in 0:11:11.640 --> 0:11:14.600 the middle, and that's where America's team needs to come from. 0:11:14.800 --> 0:11:17.640 I vote the Green Bay Packers. Okay, well, I'm just 0:11:17.640 --> 0:11:21.000 gonna be the obnoxious coastal elite and say, you guys 0:11:21.040 --> 0:11:23.200 need to learn how to code, learn how to code. 0:11:23.360 --> 0:11:27.000 I'm going with the San Francisco forty Niners. That's America's team. 0:11:27.320 --> 0:11:31.920 Tech Baby, that's the future the metaverse Bitcoin. Is it 0:11:31.920 --> 0:11:36.360 gonna be San Francisco? Is it l A? Come on, 0:11:36.520 --> 0:11:39.360 I say, maybe it's l A. How about this one, 0:11:39.880 --> 0:11:42.480 Maybe it's the Packers. Yeah. I mean, look, I didn't 0:11:42.480 --> 0:11:44.439 know until I had to live you on my podcast 0:11:44.480 --> 0:11:47.160 Long Days. I didn't know that Green Bay was Communist. 0:11:47.320 --> 0:11:51.440 But apparently the team is owned by the people. The 0:11:51.559 --> 0:11:53.880 people own the team. So are you for the people? 0:11:54.280 --> 0:11:57.760 Do you love obesity? Do you love cheese that should 0:11:57.760 --> 0:12:02.559 be illegal? You're gonna make enemies. You gotta stop. I'm 0:12:02.679 --> 0:12:05.120 just I'm having a little fun. I mean, don't get 0:12:05.120 --> 0:12:08.040 me wrong. I know when you go to Wisconsin, You're like, wow, 0:12:08.040 --> 0:12:09.800 oh my god, this is the most beautiful women I've 0:12:09.800 --> 0:12:12.240 ever seen in my entire life. But are you a 0:12:12.280 --> 0:12:15.199 Brett Farve guy? Do you like interceptions. Do you like painkillers? 0:12:15.240 --> 0:12:18.319 Do you like showing your penis penis to a cheerleader? 0:12:19.559 --> 0:12:21.920 Do you like Iver Beckton? Are you and I mectan guy? 0:12:21.960 --> 0:12:25.079 Did you recover from COVID just taking Iver meton? Well, 0:12:25.120 --> 0:12:29.600 then the Packers are your team. All is all I'm 0:12:29.640 --> 0:12:34.400 saying is it's no longer. It is no longer, Bigger 0:12:34.440 --> 0:12:39.160 is better. It is no longer the Dallas Cowboys. I 0:12:39.280 --> 0:12:44.480 nominate the Packers. I nominate the Grin. Let's go Packers. Okay, 0:12:44.480 --> 0:12:47.640 that was an obscure reference to the Grinch. I guess 0:12:47.679 --> 0:12:49.080 you might be too old for that one, you know, 0:12:49.160 --> 0:12:51.199 the Jim Garry Grinch. I'm too old for a lot 0:12:51.200 --> 0:12:56.320 of things. I nominate the Grine. Okay, Well, let's ask 0:12:56.320 --> 0:12:58.760 the people, right, Let's let's keep communism going and have 0:12:58.840 --> 0:13:00.920 the people vote. I think that's the best way to 0:13:00.960 --> 0:13:02.720 do this. Let's put it on Twitter. You think on 0:13:02.760 --> 0:13:05.640 Twitter the day the show drops on Thursday. I think 0:13:05.640 --> 0:13:07.280 that's a great idea. We'll put it up. We'll have 0:13:07.320 --> 0:13:09.760 Ben MGM put it up, and you people tell us 0:13:10.160 --> 0:13:14.040 who you nominate as America's new team. And why make 0:13:14.080 --> 0:13:16.800 it fun? Okay? I love it, honest but put it 0:13:16.800 --> 0:13:19.199 on Instagram or TikTok or I won't see it. Now, 0:13:19.280 --> 0:13:29.800 let's bring in our guest, Michael Lombardi. He's got one 0:13:29.800 --> 0:13:32.280 of the best NFL resumes in the history at the 0:13:32.320 --> 0:13:36.080 Game sharing offices with Bill Walsh to Bill Belichick. He's 0:13:36.120 --> 0:13:38.920 got three Super Bowl rings. The host of the GM 0:13:38.920 --> 0:13:43.439 Shuffle podcast and author of Gridiron Genius, Michael Lombardi. Welcome 0:13:43.440 --> 0:13:45.840 back to the show, Mike. Oh, thank you, thank you, 0:13:45.840 --> 0:13:48.400 O Loivis, thank you honest appreciate you having me. We 0:13:48.520 --> 0:13:51.200 are so excited to have you back. On the last 0:13:51.240 --> 0:13:55.000 episode we had with you on did huge numbers. So 0:13:55.520 --> 0:13:57.720 you're an influencer, my friend. Yeah, whether you know it 0:13:57.800 --> 0:14:00.480 or not, you're an influencer. I got that very much, 0:14:00.559 --> 0:14:03.200 you know. I just I've been around so long. I 0:14:03.240 --> 0:14:05.079 think it's just that I have a lot more people 0:14:05.080 --> 0:14:07.280 that know me. I think that's the only reason longevity 0:14:07.360 --> 0:14:10.760 does have does pay a price at times. He a 0:14:10.840 --> 0:14:16.520 lifetime achievement influencer. Hey, Michael, we were just talking about it, 0:14:16.600 --> 0:14:19.560 in your opinion, if we had to strip the Cowboys 0:14:19.720 --> 0:14:22.640 of the title America's team and give the title to 0:14:22.760 --> 0:14:27.200 a new team who deserves it. Oh, that's a great question. Wow, 0:14:27.360 --> 0:14:29.560 you know they were America's team. I'm writing this book 0:14:29.560 --> 0:14:31.560 about the Hall of Fame and a lot of it 0:14:31.600 --> 0:14:33.480 is the history of the game. And you know, the 0:14:33.560 --> 0:14:36.760 timing of everything always works. So you know, when people 0:14:36.960 --> 0:14:39.440 only had one or two team games that would come 0:14:39.440 --> 0:14:42.240 into their market, and the Cowboys, especially here in these coasts, 0:14:42.280 --> 0:14:46.240 were so you know, I would say, any team that's 0:14:46.320 --> 0:14:49.000 winning at a certain period of time, you know, the 0:14:49.120 --> 0:14:52.040 Chiefs could be America's team. You know, you put them 0:14:52.080 --> 0:14:55.520 on nationally televised game. You know, the Buffalo Mafia would 0:14:55.520 --> 0:14:58.080 certainly think that they're all over the place. You know, 0:14:58.200 --> 0:15:01.080 the Steelers really if you if you ever go to 0:15:01.160 --> 0:15:04.840 a game and you're playing the Steelers, I think, without 0:15:04.880 --> 0:15:07.960 disrespect to any other fan base, I think they traveled 0:15:08.000 --> 0:15:10.720 better than any fan base in the National Football League, 0:15:10.880 --> 0:15:13.960 which they would lend itself to become an America's team. Well, 0:15:14.000 --> 0:15:15.920 I can attest to that. I was just on the 0:15:15.960 --> 0:15:18.200 sideline for Steelers at Chiefs, and of course it was 0:15:18.240 --> 0:15:21.640 Big Ben's last game, we think, and there were tons 0:15:22.000 --> 0:15:24.440 of yellow and black jerseys in the stands. It was 0:15:24.480 --> 0:15:26.720 pretty cool to see. And that's actually where I want 0:15:26.720 --> 0:15:29.080 to start with that game, you talk a lot about 0:15:29.080 --> 0:15:31.360 the middle eight, which is the final four minutes of 0:15:31.360 --> 0:15:33.920 the first half, the first four minutes of the second, 0:15:34.480 --> 0:15:36.960 and that's when the Chiefs really started to put it together. 0:15:37.160 --> 0:15:39.360 In that game, they started off slow and then they 0:15:39.400 --> 0:15:42.680 scored on six straight drives. Right in that middle eight. 0:15:43.080 --> 0:15:44.960 They were pulling all the tricks out of their offensive 0:15:44.960 --> 0:15:47.480 bag to a big man touchdown, a tight end throwing 0:15:47.520 --> 0:15:51.160 a touchdown, running backs catching touchdown passes. So we know 0:15:51.200 --> 0:15:54.120 who they are when they're clicking offensively. But the Bills 0:15:54.120 --> 0:15:57.240 are just as electric and high powered on offense. What 0:15:57.360 --> 0:16:00.360 does this one come down to? You know, this one's 0:16:00.400 --> 0:16:03.360 gonna come down to the team that doesn't have the 0:16:03.400 --> 0:16:05.800 long foul balls. I mean, the last time Buffalo went there, 0:16:05.840 --> 0:16:08.520 they played and they're playing good. They're kicking field goals, 0:16:08.560 --> 0:16:10.680 which weren't you know, which was a problem. They got 0:16:10.680 --> 0:16:13.240 Singletary wide open in the flat. He's probably gonna run 0:16:13.280 --> 0:16:15.640 for thirty forty yards, may get it that inside the 0:16:15.640 --> 0:16:18.120 five yard line and he drops the pass. The team 0:16:18.160 --> 0:16:20.720 that has those long foul balls, that doesn't make the 0:16:20.840 --> 0:16:24.680 plays that are customed their customer making is usually going 0:16:24.720 --> 0:16:26.240 to be the one, and if the chief start off 0:16:26.240 --> 0:16:28.880 the game as slowly as they did against Pittsburgh, that 0:16:28.960 --> 0:16:31.080 can be problematic. But you know, these are the kind 0:16:31.080 --> 0:16:34.120 of games that come down to All playoff games really 0:16:34.240 --> 0:16:37.400 get reduced to situational football, and at the end of 0:16:37.400 --> 0:16:40.200 the day, it's about who converts third and short. It's 0:16:40.200 --> 0:16:42.560 a really key down. Now both teams might go for 0:16:42.600 --> 0:16:44.480 it on fourth and short too, so that may just 0:16:44.640 --> 0:16:47.680 lend itself to what the third alcohol is who executes 0:16:47.720 --> 0:16:50.920 the best in the red zone offensively, defensively, and then 0:16:51.040 --> 0:16:54.200 who controls the final eight minutes of the game. I mean, 0:16:54.240 --> 0:16:56.520 I think that's essential. You've got to be able to 0:16:56.560 --> 0:16:58.160 control that. And if you have a big lead, you 0:16:58.240 --> 0:17:00.480 gotta keep scoring. If you if you're trying to catch up, 0:17:00.520 --> 0:17:02.680 you've got to get some stops. So I think it'll 0:17:02.720 --> 0:17:04.639 be a fun, fun game. I think it's almost a 0:17:04.720 --> 0:17:07.560 super Bowl quality of two teams and we get in 0:17:07.680 --> 0:17:09.879 the divisional round, which is fun. I was going to 0:17:09.960 --> 0:17:12.120 ask about that. Are you almost bummed one of these 0:17:12.119 --> 0:17:14.560 team season ends this Sunday? It seems like this should 0:17:14.560 --> 0:17:17.000 be the a f C Championship. Yeah, it should be, 0:17:17.080 --> 0:17:20.040 you know, or certainly, And I'll tell you what, like Fraser, 0:17:20.040 --> 0:17:22.080 and I'll leave. You know, every fight is going to 0:17:22.160 --> 0:17:23.840 take a little bit of something out of you, you know. 0:17:23.920 --> 0:17:26.600 And so whoever gets the winner of this game is 0:17:26.640 --> 0:17:29.680 gonna feel pretty good about themselves, whether it's Tennessee or Cincinnati, 0:17:29.800 --> 0:17:31.920 because they didn't have to go through the thriller in 0:17:31.960 --> 0:17:33.639 Manila to win it. You know, they got to be 0:17:33.680 --> 0:17:36.560 able that they were fortunate to play this. And both 0:17:36.640 --> 0:17:39.240 these teams will put it all out there and and 0:17:39.320 --> 0:17:40.920 they've got to get up off the mat and then 0:17:40.920 --> 0:17:43.440 go play another game the next week, the bigger game. 0:17:43.840 --> 0:17:47.280 So you know, I think Tennessee and Cincinnati the beneficiaries 0:17:47.280 --> 0:17:49.800 of that. I have a two part question for you 0:17:50.080 --> 0:17:52.240 coming up. We got a really great game with the 0:17:52.320 --> 0:17:56.480 Bucks in l A. What are your projections? What do 0:17:56.520 --> 0:17:58.639 you think is important for that game? And the second 0:17:58.680 --> 0:18:02.040 part of the question is oh b j big argument 0:18:02.080 --> 0:18:05.560 trending on Twitter right now. Everyone is arguing was it 0:18:05.800 --> 0:18:09.480 the situations he was in or has oh b J 0:18:10.160 --> 0:18:13.720 finally grown up? Well, I mean I'd like to think 0:18:13.720 --> 0:18:15.919 he's growing up, and I think the situation is different. 0:18:15.960 --> 0:18:17.880 I mean, he's got a quarterback who's a really good 0:18:17.880 --> 0:18:20.560 pocket passer, right, And we know Baker Mayfield's all about 0:18:20.560 --> 0:18:22.680 play action. You know, I say this all the time. 0:18:22.720 --> 0:18:24.840 When Baker came out of Oklahoma. One of the things 0:18:24.840 --> 0:18:26.560 he used to say at the huddle to all his teammates, 0:18:26.560 --> 0:18:29.960 I couldn't see it. I mean, little quarterbacks, it's hard, 0:18:30.119 --> 0:18:33.120 you know. And we saw it with Kyler Murray last night. 0:18:33.160 --> 0:18:35.800 I mean, he can't see. He's little, you know. And 0:18:36.160 --> 0:18:38.040 you can give them heels, you can prop them up, 0:18:38.119 --> 0:18:39.960 you can say they don't run him enough and all that, 0:18:40.000 --> 0:18:42.159 but the reality of it is is, you know, Buddy 0:18:42.240 --> 0:18:43.919 Ryan had the great line. And I say this all 0:18:43.960 --> 0:18:45.600 the time, Buddy Ryan had a great line. There's a 0:18:45.600 --> 0:18:48.040 place in football for the little man. It's just not 0:18:48.119 --> 0:18:50.479 in front of the big man. And that's what happens 0:18:50.520 --> 0:18:53.600 to Baker. And he doesn't see Beckham and he doesn't 0:18:53.640 --> 0:18:55.640 throw him open, and then he goes to get Stafford, 0:18:55.680 --> 0:18:58.679 who's a really good pocket passer and can see, and 0:18:58.720 --> 0:19:01.359 all of a sudden he excelled. And then also Cooper 0:19:01.400 --> 0:19:03.960 cups over there getting all the double teams. So now 0:19:04.000 --> 0:19:07.600 you're basically benefiting from the situation. The ball is going 0:19:07.640 --> 0:19:09.359 to Cup, the balls going to Higby. Here I'm the 0:19:09.400 --> 0:19:11.840 third wheel. You know, I don't have to back clean up. 0:19:12.000 --> 0:19:13.960 I can be the number two hitter in the lineup here. 0:19:14.080 --> 0:19:16.879 So I think that really makes a difference. As for 0:19:17.000 --> 0:19:19.880 the rematch, you know, look throw out the first game. 0:19:19.920 --> 0:19:23.080 I think that's insignificant. The Rams dominated that Brady will 0:19:23.280 --> 0:19:25.200 have a really good handle on for he Morris is 0:19:25.240 --> 0:19:27.600 trying to get done, and this game will really come 0:19:27.640 --> 0:19:32.280 down to can the Bucks force the Rams to have 0:19:32.400 --> 0:19:34.719 to throw the ball all the time and not have 0:19:34.800 --> 0:19:37.879 balance in their attack. So the whole system of the 0:19:37.960 --> 0:19:41.600 Rams offense. So when they traded Golf, they basically said 0:19:41.640 --> 0:19:44.639 to themselves, look, we've got a really good quarterback coming in. 0:19:44.680 --> 0:19:47.120 He's way better than Golf. We could open up the offense. 0:19:47.480 --> 0:19:49.520 And then what they found out after about eight weeks 0:19:49.520 --> 0:19:52.000 they said, you know what, I think Stafford would be 0:19:52.000 --> 0:19:54.480 better just running Golf's offense. And so they went back 0:19:54.480 --> 0:19:56.600 to it, and you start to see Sonny Michelle carrying 0:19:56.640 --> 0:19:59.159 the ball, you see Cam Akers carrying the ball. So 0:19:59.200 --> 0:20:02.960 now they're running more of the Golf offense. But Stafford 0:20:03.000 --> 0:20:05.480 does it a little bit better. And when you take 0:20:05.520 --> 0:20:08.119 away the running game from that Rams offense or the 0:20:08.200 --> 0:20:10.960 golf offense that we've known for years. It puts a 0:20:11.040 --> 0:20:13.720 problem on their offensive line. It makes them struggle to 0:20:13.720 --> 0:20:15.840 pass protect. That's gonna be the key of the game. 0:20:15.880 --> 0:20:18.639 Todd Bowles knows this. So Bowls is gonna be really 0:20:18.640 --> 0:20:20.919 good at stop of the run. The Cardinals couldn't do it, 0:20:21.359 --> 0:20:23.360 but Bowls can do it, and I think that's gonna 0:20:23.359 --> 0:20:26.040 be the big difference. Look, I will say this unequivocally, 0:20:26.200 --> 0:20:29.200 the front of the Bucks if they're healthy, Barrett, Vita Bay, 0:20:29.400 --> 0:20:33.120 Sue and Jason Pierre Paul these the Rams can't block 0:20:33.200 --> 0:20:35.399 that front, they will have a very hard time blocking 0:20:35.440 --> 0:20:38.200 that front. Well, you could almost flip that narrative too, 0:20:38.280 --> 0:20:41.280 because when they met week three, Tampa Bay wasn't running 0:20:41.280 --> 0:20:43.760 the ball like they are now. That's their identity now 0:20:43.800 --> 0:20:47.680 because they're shorthanded at receiver obviously, but also we're seeing 0:20:47.680 --> 0:20:49.879 that they're having some injuries on their offensive line with 0:20:49.880 --> 0:20:52.720 Tristan Worfs. He's showed up in a boot yesterday. So 0:20:52.920 --> 0:20:56.159