WEBVTT - The Season with Peter Schrager: 2023 Season Predictions! 0:00:07.266 --> 0:00:09.706 The Season with Peter Scheger is a production of the 0:00:09.786 --> 0:00:25.666 NFL in partnership with iHeartRadio. Welcome everybody to the Season 0:00:25.706 --> 0:00:29.706 with Peter Schreger. We are here. The NFL season has begun. 0:00:31.706 --> 0:00:35.426 Kickoff is obviously Thursday night. If you're listening to this 0:00:35.506 --> 0:00:38.026 on Friday or Saturday or Sunday, you already know the 0:00:38.026 --> 0:00:40.866 outcome to Thursday night's game. We are recording this podcast 0:00:40.906 --> 0:00:44.506 on Thursday morning, and I'm talking with grave tones in 0:00:44.546 --> 0:00:47.546 a very serious way, because well, if you listen to 0:00:47.546 --> 0:00:49.746 the Season with Peter Schreger, it's not just twenty two weeks, 0:00:50.346 --> 0:00:52.786 it's fifty two weeks. We do this thing every single 0:00:52.826 --> 0:00:55.746 week because the season is all year. There is no 0:00:55.826 --> 0:00:58.426 off season in the NFL. Every time a player coughs 0:00:58.466 --> 0:01:01.346 or hiccups, we talk about it. Anytime we are in 0:01:01.346 --> 0:01:03.386 the off season. It's the best time for us to 0:01:03.386 --> 0:01:07.866 get coaches and gms to speak unfiltered with that becomes 0:01:08.026 --> 0:01:12.346 an all encompassing three sixty view of the NFL. You 0:01:12.386 --> 0:01:16.186 are owed, and you have earned a chance to listen 0:01:16.186 --> 0:01:17.666 to Aaron and I give our predictions for the twenty 0:01:17.666 --> 0:01:20.026 twenty three season. Aaron wan Coffin has joined me, Aaron, 0:01:20.026 --> 0:01:21.786 my great producer. How you feeling right now? 0:01:21.866 --> 0:01:22.986 Oh, I'm I'm ready. 0:01:23.026 --> 0:01:26.146 I'm you know, I've calmed myself down a little to 0:01:26.146 --> 0:01:28.666 give maybe some hot takes, I don't know. I want 0:01:28.666 --> 0:01:31.506 to see how you're looking at the future and what 0:01:31.546 --> 0:01:32.466 I see differently. 0:01:32.586 --> 0:01:35.226 Let me talk some shit right now? Can I talk 0:01:35.306 --> 0:01:35.706 some shit? 0:01:36.426 --> 0:01:37.066 Go off? 0:01:37.226 --> 0:01:40.986 Okay? They talk that talk. There are a million pregame 0:01:41.026 --> 0:01:44.386 shows out there. I'm on two of them, and these 0:01:44.426 --> 0:01:48.706 guys give their Super Bowl picks and it's like Eagles 0:01:48.706 --> 0:01:52.706 play the Bells BAH, or Chiefs play the forty nine 0:01:52.786 --> 0:01:56.746 Ers BAH, and like, I need depth. I need to 0:01:56.786 --> 0:01:59.506 know what your playoff teams are. I need to know 0:01:59.546 --> 0:02:02.266 who your offensive Rookie of the years are. I need 0:02:02.306 --> 0:02:04.826 to know who your MVP is. I need to know 0:02:05.186 --> 0:02:07.426 which team makes the playoff that didn't make the playoffs 0:02:07.466 --> 0:02:09.386 last year, which team doesn't make the playoffs that did 0:02:09.386 --> 0:02:10.946 make the playoffs last year. I want to know your 0:02:10.986 --> 0:02:13.266 coach of the year. That's the stuff I'm here for. 0:02:13.346 --> 0:02:16.346 I want to go deep. Super Bowl picks. Everyone had 0:02:16.386 --> 0:02:18.586 a Super Bowl pick. My son made a Super Bowl pick. 0:02:18.586 --> 0:02:20.306 You know, my son, Mel said to me. I said, 0:02:20.306 --> 0:02:21.786 mal I gotta pick a Super Bowl pick. What's you 0:02:21.786 --> 0:02:24.546 suer pick? He said, Daddy, I think the Giants are 0:02:24.586 --> 0:02:26.546 going to play the Lions. I said, well, that's impossible. 0:02:26.586 --> 0:02:30.306 But you know what, you know what, Son, you might 0:02:30.426 --> 0:02:32.906 be right. When you compare yourself to all the other 0:02:32.946 --> 0:02:35.306 pundits out there who just throw two teams at a wall, 0:02:36.106 --> 0:02:38.386 they might realign the conferences for you. Baby, I'm not 0:02:38.426 --> 0:02:41.706 going to stop you. This is your world, this is 0:02:41.746 --> 0:02:44.346 the Prediction episode. You can turn it off if you 0:02:44.346 --> 0:02:47.866 don't care, or you can listen and you can play along, 0:02:48.346 --> 0:02:53.586 and you can tweet us. I'm at p shrigs pschrgs. 0:02:53.706 --> 0:02:56.146 But everyone in the world makes a Super Bowl pick 0:02:56.186 --> 0:02:57.986 and then they kind of vanish into the shadows and 0:02:57.986 --> 0:03:00.106 everyone worries about it. I make my Super Bowl pick. 0:03:00.106 --> 0:03:02.546 I pin it to the top of my profile, and 0:03:02.586 --> 0:03:05.306 with great humility, I tell you I have been right 0:03:05.386 --> 0:03:07.306 the last several years. I had the Chiefs last year, 0:03:07.306 --> 0:03:09.186 I had the Rans. Before that, I had the Buccaneers 0:03:09.986 --> 0:03:11.706 before that, I had the Chiefs when they beat the 0:03:11.746 --> 0:03:13.586 forty nine ers. I take a lot of pride in this. 0:03:13.666 --> 0:03:15.546 I live and I breathe it. But it's not just 0:03:15.546 --> 0:03:17.666 gonna be Super Bowl picks. Aaron, are you ready to 0:03:17.666 --> 0:03:18.466 make some picks with me? 0:03:18.826 --> 0:03:20.626 I am all set. Let's go. 0:03:20.786 --> 0:03:23.706 Okay, I've thrown off the what they call these the cans. 0:03:23.746 --> 0:03:29.906 I've thrown off. Cans are off, gloves are off. Let's 0:03:29.906 --> 0:03:35.906 start with some insignificant awards. These are just to get 0:03:35.906 --> 0:03:40.866 our feet wet. All right, all right, NFL Offensive Rookie 0:03:40.866 --> 0:03:42.786 of the Year. I'm going with Jamiir Gibbs of the 0:03:42.826 --> 0:03:45.466 Detroit Lions. If you're watching this on Friday morning, Gibbs 0:03:45.466 --> 0:03:47.706 probably already put up one hundred yards. And on Thursday night, 0:03:47.986 --> 0:03:49.666 if you're watching this on Thursday going into the game, 0:03:49.706 --> 0:03:51.706 pick them up in all your fantasy leagues. I am 0:03:51.746 --> 0:03:54.226 doing this on the strength of speaking with the GM 0:03:54.386 --> 0:03:57.146 on this very show earlier this summer, when he described 0:03:57.226 --> 0:04:02.786 Jamiir Gibbs as an elite positionless weapon. When I made 0:04:02.826 --> 0:04:06.226 the pick of Jamiir Gibbs to start Good Morning Football 0:04:06.266 --> 0:04:09.306 on twenty fourth as like my breakout player of the 0:04:09.346 --> 0:04:10.946 of the next few weeks. People are like really a 0:04:10.986 --> 0:04:13.506 running back, and now it's almost like commonplace. Everyone's in 0:04:13.546 --> 0:04:15.506 on Gibbs, So no way he can let up to 0:04:15.546 --> 0:04:17.506 the hype, right I think he can. I think that 0:04:17.586 --> 0:04:19.866 Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator, is gonna use him in 0:04:19.906 --> 0:04:21.386 a way that we don't see a lot of running 0:04:21.386 --> 0:04:22.866 backs in their first year US. I think he's gonna 0:04:22.866 --> 0:04:24.746 play runningack. I think he's a play wide receiver. I 0:04:24.746 --> 0:04:27.786 think he's gonna be used in all sorts of different packages. 0:04:28.066 --> 0:04:30.226 And I think he puts up the stats. Yes, but 0:04:30.266 --> 0:04:32.266 he also helps make this Lions offense one of the 0:04:32.306 --> 0:04:34.546 best in the league. I wouldn't be shocked if Detroit 0:04:34.586 --> 0:04:37.066 finishes the year with the number one ranked offense and 0:04:37.146 --> 0:04:40.866 Jamier Gibbs is their jack of all trades, their Swiss 0:04:40.946 --> 0:04:43.986 Army Knife, their Deebo Samuel, their Jaysom Hill, whatever you 0:04:43.986 --> 0:04:46.186 want to say. I think the Lions are winning the 0:04:46.266 --> 0:04:48.906 NFC North, and I think Jamiir Gibbs is a breakout star. 0:04:49.226 --> 0:04:52.426 Jamiir Gibbs is my Offensive Rookie of the Year, Aaron 0:04:52.466 --> 0:04:56.586 Wan Kaufman, your selection for Offensive Rookie the Year is the. 0:04:56.106 --> 0:04:58.586 Drummell Anthony Richardson. 0:04:58.946 --> 0:05:00.866 I know I'm not big boy. I no, I love 0:05:00.906 --> 0:05:01.106 it go. 0:05:01.586 --> 0:05:04.826 I know you don't want to pick a rookie who's 0:05:04.826 --> 0:05:08.066 on a bad team. I know that Gibbs is gonna 0:05:08.106 --> 0:05:11.866 have so many more wins. And Zay Jones another popular pick. 0:05:11.906 --> 0:05:14.346 And I know you say. 0:05:14.266 --> 0:05:16.066 Flowers, say Flowers, I'm gonna pick you up. 0:05:16.146 --> 0:05:17.866 Yes, say Flowers. 0:05:17.866 --> 0:05:18.866 Not a rookie, go on. 0:05:19.746 --> 0:05:21.986 Zay Flowers has a ton of buzz as well, and 0:05:22.026 --> 0:05:24.906 he could be a good proxy for the Ravens offense 0:05:24.946 --> 0:05:29.066 doing well. I'm going with Richardson because when Kyler won 0:05:29.106 --> 0:05:32.106 Offensive Rookie of the Year, he had thirty seven hundred 0:05:32.106 --> 0:05:36.346 passing yards, twenty passing touchdowns, twelve interceptions, five hundred rushing yards. 0:05:36.386 --> 0:05:36.706 Okay. 0:05:37.226 --> 0:05:40.706 Last season, the Colts quarterbacks, the collection of Matt Ryan, 0:05:40.866 --> 0:05:44.506 sam Ellinger Nick Foles threw for thirty eight hundred yards, 0:05:44.586 --> 0:05:46.986 seventeen touchdowns, and twenty interceptions. 0:05:47.106 --> 0:05:50.986 Okay, I think the wide receiver group could allow that. 0:05:51.266 --> 0:05:55.546 Another thing with Kyler when he won in nineteen, second 0:05:55.546 --> 0:05:58.986 place was Josh Jacobs, who had eleven hundred yards, seven 0:05:59.066 --> 0:06:03.546 touchdowns and one hundred and sixty six receiving yards. Aj 0:06:03.786 --> 0:06:06.906 Brown was third in voting with fifty receptors, fifty two 0:06:06.986 --> 0:06:11.106 receptions over a thousand yards and eight touchdowns, and Miles 0:06:11.106 --> 0:06:15.186 Sanders had eight hundred rushing yards and five hundred receiving yards. 0:06:15.426 --> 0:06:19.146 I feel like Bijon and Gibbs will cannibalize each other. 0:06:19.466 --> 0:06:24.946 I think that Zay and Addison and JSN they might can't. 0:06:26.786 --> 0:06:28.146 Yeah, yeah, So I. 0:06:28.026 --> 0:06:30.826 Think Richardson is gonna stand like, gonna have a nice 0:06:30.906 --> 0:06:33.066 second half of the season, and I think he is 0:06:33.146 --> 0:06:36.706 going to maybe not get thirty five hundred passing yards, 0:06:36.706 --> 0:06:39.066 but he could get i don't know, six seven hundred 0:06:39.146 --> 0:06:41.666 rushing yards, like they could really push it. And I 0:06:41.706 --> 0:06:46.866 think Gibbs that whole offense is already good. We know that, 0:06:46.906 --> 0:06:49.946 and if the Colts do well, it's because of Richardson. 0:06:50.026 --> 0:06:52.026 So I'm gonna go out on a limb, which feels 0:06:52.026 --> 0:06:54.226 weird to say with a quarterback being the offensive Rookie 0:06:54.226 --> 0:06:55.586 of the Year, but I'm gonna go out on a 0:06:55.626 --> 0:06:58.426 limb and say Richardson wins Offensive Rookie of the Year. 0:06:58.466 --> 0:07:00.226 Broke, I tell you something, Yeah, that might have been 0:07:00.266 --> 0:07:01.746 your best three minutes ever on the podcast. 0:07:01.746 --> 0:07:04.786 I'm gonna tell you something that's that's my most reach 0:07:05.266 --> 0:07:06.066 for the whole day. 0:07:06.586 --> 0:07:09.226 Delivered Like I thought you were gonna come in and 0:07:09.226 --> 0:07:11.346 be like, nah, you know, maybe Bryce, young dude, that 0:07:11.466 --> 0:07:14.786 was great. No, I'm really impressed. Right now we are 0:07:14.826 --> 0:07:18.386 in regular season mode. Dude, Okay, great defensive rookie of 0:07:18.386 --> 0:07:23.346 the year. Jalen Carter is the overall favorite everywhere. I 0:07:23.346 --> 0:07:26.026 think he's probably gonna win Rookie of the Year. But 0:07:26.106 --> 0:07:29.226 that's not fun. So I'm gonna give you another defensive player. 0:07:29.266 --> 0:07:31.426 And I'm already changing my pick from Good Morning Football, 0:07:31.426 --> 0:07:34.666 where I picked Brian Berzi earlier this week. I'm gonna 0:07:34.666 --> 0:07:36.706 give you another Detroit Lion, and it's not their first 0:07:36.826 --> 0:07:40.146 round pick, Jack Campbell. I think Brian Branch, the heat 0:07:40.226 --> 0:07:43.586 seeking missile safety for the Detroit Lions, is going to 0:07:43.626 --> 0:07:45.986 garner aate a lot of attention and might very well 0:07:46.026 --> 0:07:49.186 be our defensive rookie of the Year again, Lions. I'm 0:07:49.226 --> 0:07:50.586 all in on the Lions this year. I think they're 0:07:50.586 --> 0:07:53.306 gonna go big and be on national TV. And I 0:07:53.346 --> 0:07:54.946 think all these guys are gonna be household names, whether 0:07:54.946 --> 0:07:57.106 it be Adrian Hutchinson, whether it be i'm Mon Ross 0:07:57.146 --> 0:08:00.506 nine Brown. But the two rookies, Gibbs and Branch, both 0:08:00.506 --> 0:08:02.986 of them out of Alabama, I think are gonna be outstanding. 0:08:03.106 --> 0:08:06.426 I'm going Brian Branch as my late audible from Brian 0:08:06.906 --> 0:08:08.866 and Jalen Carter. I am now going with my third 0:08:08.906 --> 0:08:12.506 pick as my first pick on the podcast. Brian Branch 0:08:12.746 --> 0:08:16.066 is my defensive Rookie of the Year. Aaron, I don't 0:08:16.106 --> 0:08:18.026 know how passionate you are on Defensive Rookie of the Year, 0:08:18.026 --> 0:08:19.786 but let's see if you can follow up that offensive 0:08:19.826 --> 0:08:20.626 Rookie of the Year spiel. 0:08:20.586 --> 0:08:24.226 All right, So, I think with defensive Rookie of the Year, 0:08:24.266 --> 0:08:27.226 you need splashy plays. You need big moments that people 0:08:27.266 --> 0:08:30.226 are gonna see. It doesn't necessarily have to be like 0:08:30.346 --> 0:08:34.146 nationally televised games, but you need big moments. And I 0:08:34.186 --> 0:08:38.706 think Emmanuel Forbes for Washington, the cornerback is gonna have 0:08:38.746 --> 0:08:43.786 some big, big plays because he's gonna play against good receivers, 0:08:43.786 --> 0:08:46.466 so he's gonna be guarding talented players. And I think 0:08:46.786 --> 0:08:50.746 he has enough, like ball howking ability to come out 0:08:50.786 --> 0:08:55.546 and like do some flashy things. So I think Forbes 0:08:56.026 --> 0:08:58.506 is like kind of a little dark horse. Again, Will Anderson, 0:08:58.586 --> 0:09:00.986 Jalen Carter, they're probably the top of most people's list. 0:09:01.666 --> 0:09:02.906 I'd like to see Forbes want it. 0:09:02.946 --> 0:09:07.146 Okay, all right, let's go onto the next award NFL 0:09:07.426 --> 0:09:09.586 Coach of the Year why don't you start us off 0:09:09.666 --> 0:09:11.826 your NFL Coach of the Year. Now, remember to give 0:09:11.866 --> 0:09:16.306 you some backstory. Most years, if you're listening, you know this. 0:09:16.746 --> 0:09:18.866 It's not the team with the most wins, it's not 0:09:18.906 --> 0:09:21.666 the established name. It's the team that makes the biggest leap, 0:09:21.866 --> 0:09:25.586 and it's usually a younger first year guy. Belichick's only 0:09:25.626 --> 0:09:27.946 won Coach of the Year three times. I believe Brian 0:09:28.026 --> 0:09:29.906 Dable won it last year, and in recent years, Kevin 0:09:29.946 --> 0:09:33.026 Stefanski has won. Matt Naggi has won this award. Sean 0:09:33.106 --> 0:09:36.106 mcvayh has won this award. Aaron, who do you got? 0:09:36.466 --> 0:09:38.746 I Am going to complete opposite direction from you, and 0:09:38.786 --> 0:09:41.786 I'm going with Mike Tomlin. I think that the Steelers 0:09:42.346 --> 0:09:44.626 have looked really good in preseason. I think the offense 0:09:44.666 --> 0:09:46.506 and defense are both going to be better than they 0:09:46.506 --> 0:09:49.426 were last year. And I don't think it's going to 0:09:49.506 --> 0:09:52.426 be necessarily any one player, unless maybe you think, like 0:09:52.786 --> 0:09:55.306 what could do defensive player of the year, And I 0:09:55.306 --> 0:09:57.666 think Tomlin will sort of be the proxy for the 0:09:57.706 --> 0:10:00.386 whole team doing well, and I think he takes home 0:10:00.426 --> 0:10:00.986 coach of the Year. 0:10:01.026 --> 0:10:04.666 Okay, Mike Tomlin. They were an eight win team last year. 0:10:04.666 --> 0:10:06.866 But I don't know if Mike Tomlin has won NFL 0:10:06.906 --> 0:10:08.746 Coach of the Year. While I'm talking, google that for me. 0:10:08.786 --> 0:10:10.906 I think that'd be amazing that after all these years 0:10:10.946 --> 0:10:14.066 of never being under five hundred, Mike Tomlin has never 0:10:14.146 --> 0:10:15.626 won a Coach of the Year award. If he did, 0:10:15.706 --> 0:10:17.546 it was his first season. Has he ever won it? 0:10:18.106 --> 0:10:18.866 Two thousand and eight? 0:10:19.026 --> 0:10:21.426 Yeah, so the year they went Super Bowl, Mike Tomlin 0:10:21.466 --> 0:10:22.946 did win Coach of the Year, but that has been 0:10:23.026 --> 0:10:25.346 fifteen years already. Yeah, if my math is correct, I 0:10:25.386 --> 0:10:29.146 think it is my coach of the year. Is that 0:10:29.226 --> 0:10:34.866 old dog, that renegade, rebel, that maverick, that gun slinger, 0:10:35.586 --> 0:10:39.426 the guy who does not necessarily love the NFL league offices, 0:10:39.746 --> 0:10:43.026 does not care about your coaching code, does not care 0:10:43.146 --> 0:10:47.666 about who coached before him, and yet has his players believing. 0:10:48.306 --> 0:10:49.986 This could be a massive whiff. But I'm going to 0:10:50.026 --> 0:10:52.186 bank on him, just knowing just how committed he is 0:10:52.186 --> 0:10:53.906 to this thing. I'm gonna go Sean Payton as my 0:10:53.946 --> 0:10:55.666 coach of the Year. I think the Broncos have a 0:10:55.706 --> 0:10:58.706 massive increase in wins that he gets. Russell Wilson, right, 0:10:59.026 --> 0:11:01.186 I think these players are all on the same page. 0:11:01.186 --> 0:11:03.706 I don't think you need six time management coaches to 0:11:03.706 --> 0:11:06.226 help him. I think he's gonna win in late game situations. 0:11:06.546 --> 0:11:08.666 To go for an on fourth down, it's necessary, and 0:11:08.706 --> 0:11:10.986 I think the Broncos have a massive leap and wins. 0:11:12.466 --> 0:11:17.306 Let's go Broncos. Let's ride all that. Sean Payton is 0:11:17.346 --> 0:11:19.066 your NFL Coach of the Year. 0:11:19.186 --> 0:11:19.266 Now. 0:11:19.346 --> 0:11:21.066 Whether or not the writers actually vote for him is 0:11:21.066 --> 0:11:23.826 another thing. I don't think he's a fan. He's got 0:11:23.906 --> 0:11:26.026 all those fans. As far as let's pick him as 0:11:26.066 --> 0:11:30.026 some like wonderful story. He's kind of the renegade where's 0:11:30.026 --> 0:11:31.626 the black hat? And I kind of like that. I'm 0:11:31.626 --> 0:11:36.426 gonna go Sean Payton, all right, next award? All right, 0:11:36.546 --> 0:11:39.746 so the NFL has Comeback Player of the Year, and 0:11:39.986 --> 0:11:43.186 I'm gonna say, if Damar Hamlin plays eighteen weeks, Damar 0:11:43.266 --> 0:11:46.586 Hamlin's gonna be your coach, your comeback player of the year. 0:11:46.626 --> 0:11:48.346 And I think if DeMar Hamlin even plays week one, 0:11:48.386 --> 0:11:51.066 so we're not gonna even discuss comeback Player of the Year. 0:11:51.066 --> 0:11:53.106 I think that's already a Damar Hamlin award to lose, 0:11:53.106 --> 0:11:54.386 which is such a weird thing to say, Like the 0:11:54.466 --> 0:11:56.546 only reason he won't win is if he gets cut 0:11:57.026 --> 0:11:59.826 or if he doesn't play because of an injury, comes 0:11:59.906 --> 0:12:01.626 moving and God forbid that he's got to go through that. 0:12:02.026 --> 0:12:05.306 Our next award is Defensive Player of the Year. Nick 0:12:05.386 --> 0:12:08.266 Bosa won this last year. As of right now, Nick Bosa, 0:12:08.346 --> 0:12:11.226 Chris Jones, and Brian Burns are not with their current team, 0:12:11.386 --> 0:12:14.546 so that complicates this thing a little bit. Looking at 0:12:14.546 --> 0:12:16.666 some of the odds and the leaders on this thing, 0:12:16.706 --> 0:12:18.826 there are some bigger names, but I'm gonna go with 0:12:18.826 --> 0:12:20.546 a guy who's a little bit down the list who 0:12:20.546 --> 0:12:23.666 I heard is absolutely dominated and blew up practices when 0:12:23.666 --> 0:12:25.306 they did joint practice with the Rams to the point 0:12:25.306 --> 0:12:27.506 where many people were like, this guy's an absolute beast. 0:12:28.146 --> 0:12:30.026 He might have a huge breakout year as far as 0:12:30.026 --> 0:12:33.026 being one of those household names. My Defensive Player of 0:12:33.066 --> 0:12:36.506 the Year for twenty twenty three is Max Crosby of 0:12:36.586 --> 0:12:40.746 the Las Vegas Raiders. Going in that tradition of Howie 0:12:40.746 --> 0:12:44.746 Long and Matt Millen and Charles Woodson and great defenders 0:12:44.866 --> 0:12:48.386 of Raiders lore. I'm saying Crosby, who's got so many 0:12:48.426 --> 0:12:50.986 tattoos of crazy things on his body that I think 0:12:50.986 --> 0:12:53.666 there could be a documentary on it. He is a 0:12:54.186 --> 0:12:57.346 student of the game. He's also an absolute madman, and 0:12:57.786 --> 0:12:59.706 he's got those two x's on his name. I'm going 0:12:59.826 --> 0:13:02.586 Max Crosby a little outside the box as my defensive 0:13:02.586 --> 0:13:04.146 player of the Year. Aaron, who do you got? 0:13:04.706 --> 0:13:04.866 Ah? 0:13:04.946 --> 0:13:06.746 Well, again, I'm gonna be a little bit from you. 0:13:06.786 --> 0:13:09.626 I'm gonna go completely inside the box and I'm going 0:13:09.666 --> 0:13:13.066 with Michael Parsons. I think he was second last year. 0:13:13.386 --> 0:13:18.626 The Cowboys defense is incredible and we have high hopes 0:13:18.666 --> 0:13:20.826 for the Cowboys as a team as a whole. And 0:13:20.866 --> 0:13:22.986 if you're thinking that the defensive player has to be 0:13:23.026 --> 0:13:26.826 someone who's on a really competitive team, I think the 0:13:26.826 --> 0:13:31.146 Cowboys are definitely up there. And Parsons just changes the 0:13:31.186 --> 0:13:34.866 way offenses have to deal with him every single down. 0:13:35.026 --> 0:13:37.986 And I'm going with him. Okay, taking the crown this year? 0:13:38.066 --> 0:13:42.666 Micah and Crosby. Okay, did you do playoff picks? 0:13:42.666 --> 0:13:43.946 Aaron did? 0:13:44.106 --> 0:13:46.826 Yeah. Okay, let's go division by division. I'll name my 0:13:46.866 --> 0:13:49.106 division winner, you name your division winner. Here we go 0:13:49.586 --> 0:13:54.906 with no further ado. Peter Schragers. AFC East champion is 0:13:54.946 --> 0:13:57.666 the New York Jets. The Bills are loaded, but I've 0:13:57.666 --> 0:13:59.946 got the Jets beating out the Dolphins, the Bills, and 0:13:59.986 --> 0:14:02.146 the Patriots. Aaron, who do you have as your AFC 0:14:02.226 --> 0:14:02.826 East champion? 0:14:03.346 --> 0:14:05.306 I tried to be as unbiased as possible, and I'm 0:14:05.346 --> 0:14:06.586 going with the Bills. 0:14:06.466 --> 0:14:09.586 Flow Bills, Okay, the Bills. AFC North, I'm going Bengals. 0:14:09.626 --> 0:14:11.866 Who do you got in the FC? Going with the Bengals, Okay, 0:14:12.066 --> 0:14:13.786 AFC South, I've got Jaguars. 0:14:14.666 --> 0:14:15.666 I'm going the Titans. 0:14:15.746 --> 0:14:17.586 Yeah, talk about you know we do. No one picked 0:14:17.666 --> 0:14:19.466 him on Good Morning Football. We're hearing about it. Vrabel's 0:14:19.466 --> 0:14:21.666 a really good coach. What's the reason Titans over Jacks? 0:14:22.066 --> 0:14:22.466 Rabel? 0:14:22.666 --> 0:14:26.506 Rabel and Rabel and they got Hopkins and Henry is 0:14:27.226 --> 0:14:30.586 still amazing. Like I remember, one of the first things 0:14:30.626 --> 0:14:32.706 you and I talked about on the show last season 0:14:33.106 --> 0:14:36.626 was how scared I was anytime I was watching Henry 0:14:36.746 --> 0:14:39.826 play against the Bills. He's he is incredible. And I 0:14:39.866 --> 0:14:43.506 think that Rabel just pulls the guts out of that 0:14:43.586 --> 0:14:46.466 team no matter what. And I think by signing Hopkins, 0:14:46.946 --> 0:14:48.946 they showed you that they're still in this to win 0:14:49.346 --> 0:14:52.266 and they are going to compete. And you know, the 0:14:52.346 --> 0:14:55.906 Jags are great and their defense is a little suspect, 0:14:55.986 --> 0:14:57.586 and I think the Titans are going to beat them out. 0:14:58.666 --> 0:15:02.666 Okay. AFC West, I've got the Chiefs who got Kansas City. Okay. 0:15:02.666 --> 0:15:04.746 Now this is hard because we've said this, only seven 0:15:04.786 --> 0:15:06.306 teams can make the playoffs, and you can only get 0:15:06.426 --> 0:15:10.066 three wildcard teams. I'm sure I caught a lot of slack. 0:15:10.106 --> 0:15:12.346 Here are my three wild card teams. I revealed these 0:15:12.346 --> 0:15:14.506 on Good Morning Football earlier in the week and have 0:15:14.586 --> 0:15:17.586 been hearing from it from a lot of fans. The 0:15:17.626 --> 0:15:20.906 first AFC wildcard team, I have Buffalo. The second AFC 0:15:20.986 --> 0:15:23.026 wild card team, I have the Steelers. Like you, I 0:15:23.026 --> 0:15:25.066 think Mike Tomlin is an excellent coach, and I think 0:15:25.106 --> 0:15:28.026 Kenny Pickett makes a leap. My third AFC wildcard team, 0:15:28.106 --> 0:15:29.706 I'm going to go all in on Sempaygeon. They got 0:15:29.746 --> 0:15:31.746 to make the playoffs. I'm taking the Denver Broncos, which 0:15:31.746 --> 0:15:35.226 means no Chargers, and we loved Kellen Moore on the podcast. 0:15:35.346 --> 0:15:39.306 He was awesome. No Chargers, no Dolphins, who added a 0:15:39.346 --> 0:15:41.986 ton and have two of the fastest wide receivers in 0:15:42.026 --> 0:15:46.466 the sport, And of course no Ravens, which I'm let 0:15:46.506 --> 0:15:51.266 me give you an aside here My wife is from Baltimore, Maryland. 0:15:51.426 --> 0:15:53.866 My in laws go to every single game as season 0:15:53.866 --> 0:15:56.466 ticket holder since they came back as an NFL franchise 0:15:56.506 --> 0:15:59.386 in nineteen ninety six. And my father in law went 0:15:59.426 --> 0:16:02.506 to every Baltimore Colts home game from nineteen sixty seven 0:16:02.586 --> 0:16:05.786 to nineteen eighty three and went to every Baltimore Colts 0:16:05.866 --> 0:16:09.146 or Baltimore raven Super Bowl. My mother in law, she 0:16:09.346 --> 0:16:12.386 goes to every game, sitting in the cold weather out 0:16:12.386 --> 0:16:15.106 there in Baltimore in December to watch Browns Ravens. She 0:16:15.226 --> 0:16:18.786 is there. I have never not picked the Ravens to 0:16:18.826 --> 0:16:20.946 make the playoffs, through fear of what that might mean 0:16:20.986 --> 0:16:22.706 in the family, but also because of what they've built. 0:16:22.706 --> 0:16:25.706 And yet I don't know about their defense. I just 0:16:25.786 --> 0:16:28.066 don't know about their defense. The AFC North is loaded, 0:16:28.586 --> 0:16:30.266 and as much as I love Todd Monkin and that 0:16:30.306 --> 0:16:32.226 new offense and I think they could get better, I 0:16:32.346 --> 0:16:36.386 didn't put the Ravens in the playoffs. I have the 0:16:36.386 --> 0:16:40.586 Broncos instead. Aaron your three AFC wildcard teams. 0:16:40.826 --> 0:16:41.066 So. 0:16:42.746 --> 0:16:45.706 I had Titans as the AFC South and I'm gonna 0:16:45.706 --> 0:16:49.266 have the Jags as my first wild card. Like you again, 0:16:49.306 --> 0:16:51.986 I shouted out Tomlin earlier. I've got the Steelers and 0:16:52.026 --> 0:16:56.306 form my third. I'm not going with the Jets. I 0:16:56.506 --> 0:17:00.986 am going with the Ravens because I think that Lamar 0:17:01.106 --> 0:17:06.386 seems reinvigorated hopefully, and I think that offense could be really, 0:17:06.626 --> 0:17:09.106 really excited. I mean, the Ravens got there last year 0:17:09.346 --> 0:17:12.266 with an offense we were all tired of and without Lamar, 0:17:12.666 --> 0:17:15.786 and I think this year they can do well. I 0:17:15.866 --> 0:17:18.506 know that this is a lot to have Bengals, Ravens, 0:17:18.506 --> 0:17:20.826 Steelers all in there. It happens last year we had 0:17:20.826 --> 0:17:25.306 three MS, and I think maybe this is like again 0:17:25.466 --> 0:17:26.866 a little too much personal bias. 0:17:26.906 --> 0:17:30.066 I think there's so much hype on the Jets. 0:17:29.546 --> 0:17:31.746 And their first six weeks are really. 0:17:31.546 --> 0:17:34.386 Hard, and I think, you know what, the Monday Night game, 0:17:34.466 --> 0:17:36.426 the Bills may not be able to pressure that offensive 0:17:36.426 --> 0:17:39.586 line enough. But give them a couple of weeks and 0:17:39.666 --> 0:17:42.186 let's see what that line looks like when they're playing 0:17:42.506 --> 0:17:47.226 the Cowboys. Like I I think that things could go 0:17:47.386 --> 0:17:48.586 wrong for the Jets. 0:17:48.986 --> 0:17:51.026 I so I'm gonna leave them off. 0:17:51.426 --> 0:17:57.346 You're a hater, yeah A yeah, no Dolphins, no Chargers from. 0:17:57.266 --> 0:18:00.546 US huh no? Yeah. I love the Dolphins. You know, 0:18:00.626 --> 0:18:03.146 I think it'd be fun to see so many. 0:18:03.026 --> 0:18:13.786 Rooms in the end, you know what I mean. Next up, 0:18:13.946 --> 0:18:17.666 let's go with NFC playoff teams. I'll go first in 0:18:17.746 --> 0:18:20.866 the East, I have the Eagles. In the North, I 0:18:20.906 --> 0:18:23.546 went with the Lions. And I know that might not 0:18:23.626 --> 0:18:25.386 sound shocking now after two months, but if you think 0:18:25.386 --> 0:18:27.346 about it, I'm actually picking the Lions to win the 0:18:27.466 --> 0:18:29.346 NFC North. If someone actually put their name on it 0:18:29.426 --> 0:18:31.706 and say it's actually gonna happen, I'm doing it. If 0:18:31.746 --> 0:18:33.666 you haven't noticed on this podcast, I'm really all in 0:18:33.706 --> 0:18:38.146 on the Lions. NFC South by default, the Saints. I 0:18:38.186 --> 0:18:42.106 don't love Carolina's depth. I have to see what Desmond 0:18:42.146 --> 0:18:44.386 Ritter can do in a big game before, not in 0:18:44.426 --> 0:18:46.946 college obviously who's great, but in the pros before I'd say, yes, 0:18:46.986 --> 0:18:50.586 they're division champions and Tampa big, big unknowns all over 0:18:50.586 --> 0:18:52.266 that roster, especially in the offensive line. So by the 0:18:52.266 --> 0:18:54.346 Saints by default. I don't love the Saints, but I 0:18:54.346 --> 0:18:55.906 think Saints win the division and they're one of those 0:18:55.946 --> 0:18:57.986 like nine to eight teams that do it. And then 0:18:58.066 --> 0:19:00.026 the West, I went the Niners. Bosa will figure itself 0:19:00.026 --> 0:19:01.466 out and if it doesn't. I think they're still good 0:19:01.546 --> 0:19:06.026 enough wild card teams. Where it gets tricky, I'm going 0:19:06.786 --> 0:19:09.866 on a limb here. I have one team in the 0:19:09.986 --> 0:19:12.306 NFC East as a wild card team, and it's not 0:19:12.386 --> 0:19:16.506 the Cowboys. I have the Giants over the Cowboys this year. 0:19:16.586 --> 0:19:19.706 The Cowboys have absolutely owned the Giants the last several seasons. 0:19:19.746 --> 0:19:21.426 I think the Giants get over the hump this year. 0:19:21.466 --> 0:19:24.666 I feel like times are changing. And it's not against 0:19:24.706 --> 0:19:27.626