WEBVTT - #577 Packers Unscripted: Wild weekend 0:00:00.840 --> 0:00:14.440 Hi, everybody, Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 0:00:14.480 --> 0:00:18.000 Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined as always 0:00:18.000 --> 0:00:20.800 by my trusted colleague West and hot Cooitz for coming 0:00:20.800 --> 0:00:24.200 to you here from socially distant locations at lambeau Field 0:00:24.239 --> 0:00:27.200 and West. I say, as always, but I was the 0:00:27.200 --> 0:00:30.319 one actually missing the other day. Big props to Larry 0:00:30.400 --> 0:00:33.440 mccairn for filling in. It sounded like you guys had 0:00:33.440 --> 0:00:35.960 a pretty good time recapping that Chicago game. Oh, we 0:00:36.080 --> 0:00:38.239 most certainly had a good time. But Mike kind of 0:00:38.400 --> 0:00:41.959 like if you look at Chris Barnes and Christian Kirksey 0:00:42.280 --> 0:00:45.800 when you lose that Mike linebacker no pun intended, and 0:00:45.920 --> 0:00:48.519 I have to move into that seat. It's a different 0:00:48.640 --> 0:00:50.879 world sitting in that seat. I gotta give you a 0:00:50.880 --> 0:00:52.839 lot of credit for how you're able to orchestrate the 0:00:52.840 --> 0:00:55.200 whole thing. We're trying to get through it the best 0:00:55.280 --> 0:00:57.440 we could. I feel like we put a good show together. 0:00:57.520 --> 0:01:00.160 Larry obviously is a legend, was incredible to get some 0:01:00.240 --> 0:01:03.400 of his thoughts and but being after all these episodes 0:01:03.440 --> 0:01:06.400 that that incredible streak that you had of doing unscripted, 0:01:06.640 --> 0:01:08.440 it finally ended and I had to step into the 0:01:08.520 --> 0:01:10.480 driver's seat. I'm not saying the car didn't get a 0:01:10.520 --> 0:01:13.520 little dinged up, but it definitely got back to the house. Well, 0:01:13.560 --> 0:01:17.080 streaks are there to be broken, and uh, but I 0:01:17.120 --> 0:01:19.800 am back now and all is good. So so we 0:01:19.880 --> 0:01:23.160 will move forward before I do forget though. Our show 0:01:23.280 --> 0:01:26.920 brought to you by Serious x M, NFL Radio Channel eight, 0:01:27.360 --> 0:01:30.280 the only radio outlet dedicated to the National Football League 0:01:30.319 --> 0:01:35.200 seven days a week, three days a year. Well, as 0:01:35.240 --> 0:01:38.800 I said, you and Larry certainly recapped the regular season 0:01:38.800 --> 0:01:41.720 finale against the Bears, which got the Packers the number 0:01:41.720 --> 0:01:44.680 one seed. So I think we should just take this 0:01:44.760 --> 0:01:48.520 episode with the Packers on the playoff by and take 0:01:48.560 --> 0:01:51.120 a look at this wild card weekend that is coming 0:01:51.200 --> 0:01:54.120 up here in the NFL Super wild Card Weekend as 0:01:54.160 --> 0:01:56.400 the NFL is calling it now, because there are six 0:01:56.440 --> 0:01:59.280 games instead of just four. I'm not sure if the 0:01:59.360 --> 0:02:02.960 Super wild Card weekend carries over into future years when 0:02:03.000 --> 0:02:05.200 this is what it's going to be presumably all the 0:02:05.240 --> 0:02:08.600 time now, but that's a conversation for another day. The 0:02:08.639 --> 0:02:12.600 Packers are awaiting their opponent in the divisional round. It 0:02:12.600 --> 0:02:16.600 will be one of four teams Washington, Tampa Bay, the 0:02:16.680 --> 0:02:22.200 Los Angeles Rams, or the Chicago Bears. And here's here's 0:02:22.240 --> 0:02:27.400 the thing, West, I'm not sure how you mentally process things. Okay, 0:02:27.440 --> 0:02:30.359 this is how I have mentally processed. This is how 0:02:30.400 --> 0:02:35.200 I have mentally processed in the simplest uh structural way possible. 0:02:35.360 --> 0:02:38.720 How this is going to or how to understand this 0:02:38.800 --> 0:02:41.760 scenario for the Packers. The Packers will get the lowest 0:02:41.840 --> 0:02:46.040 remaining seed in the divisional round, so mentally I work 0:02:46.320 --> 0:02:49.880 from the bottom up. The lowest seed is the seven 0:02:49.919 --> 0:02:53.240 seeded Bears, so if they win, if they beat the Saints, 0:02:53.280 --> 0:02:56.560 that they come to lambeau Field. The six seeded team 0:02:56.600 --> 0:02:59.440 is the Los Angeles Rams, So if the Bears lose 0:02:59.639 --> 0:03:02.880 and the Rams win, the Rams come to lambeau Field. 0:03:03.400 --> 0:03:06.960 If the seven and the six both lose, the Bears 0:03:07.040 --> 0:03:09.560 and the Rams both go down, then the Packers get 0:03:09.560 --> 0:03:12.120 the winner of the four or five game, which is 0:03:12.160 --> 0:03:15.160 Washington versus Tampa Bay. Does that make sense? You got 0:03:15.200 --> 0:03:17.359 all that? It makes perfect sense? And it was funny 0:03:17.880 --> 0:03:21.959 trying to diagnose this as much of a difficult time 0:03:21.960 --> 0:03:24.440 as I had during paths of the playoffs, trying to 0:03:24.480 --> 0:03:27.000 figure out all the different versions of how this week 0:03:27.040 --> 0:03:30.120 could play out. It's been kind of interesting because what 0:03:30.240 --> 0:03:33.640 I've realized when you got past all the minutia is 0:03:33.680 --> 0:03:37.920 that really there could be four different, very cool matchups. 0:03:38.080 --> 0:03:40.320 I really don't think I wrote this an insider inbox. 0:03:40.320 --> 0:03:42.920 I don't think there's a bad game in the bunch 0:03:43.000 --> 0:03:46.880 from a pure football fandom perspective. They all have storylines, 0:03:46.920 --> 0:03:49.600 they all have history, and there's everything that makes it 0:03:50.000 --> 0:03:53.440 uh to be a compelling sort of scenario. The one 0:03:53.520 --> 0:03:56.000 thing that gets me though, is the fact that this 0:03:56.080 --> 0:03:57.880 is the first time the Green Bay Packers have been 0:03:57.880 --> 0:04:00.640 in a position like this where not necessarily that that 0:04:00.720 --> 0:04:03.560 you're getting the bottom of the barrel. All these teams 0:04:03.560 --> 0:04:07.000 could win, There's no question about that, but it really 0:04:07.080 --> 0:04:10.240 is waiting for everything to come to Green Bay as 0:04:10.240 --> 0:04:13.160 opposed to kind of chasing a little bit heading into 0:04:13.200 --> 0:04:15.480 the postseason. And that is the benefit of a thirteen 0:04:15.480 --> 0:04:17.760 and three season and obviously getting that number one seed 0:04:17.760 --> 0:04:21.800 in the NFC. Well, the tricky thing as far as 0:04:22.320 --> 0:04:27.640 figuring out whom the Packers will be facing. As I said, 0:04:27.640 --> 0:04:29.600 I start from the bottom up with the Bears being 0:04:29.640 --> 0:04:31.680 the seventh seed. But what gets tricky about it is 0:04:31.720 --> 0:04:35.520 that the Bears are playing last of the three NFC 0:04:35.600 --> 0:04:38.760 games over the weekend. So regardless of what happens in 0:04:38.800 --> 0:04:42.160 those two games on Saturday, which is Rams and Seahawks 0:04:42.240 --> 0:04:46.159 and Washington versus Tampa Bay, the Packers still won't know 0:04:46.279 --> 0:04:49.720 their opponent until that Bears Saints game is finished, because 0:04:49.720 --> 0:04:51.800 if the Bears win, then that is the opponent. If 0:04:51.839 --> 0:04:55.160 the Bears lose, then it's whichever one of those possibilities 0:04:55.480 --> 0:05:00.640 has still survived from Saturday into Sunday. So it will 0:05:00.680 --> 0:05:03.320 be a long weekend in terms of actually knowing which 0:05:03.360 --> 0:05:07.280 team the Packers will wind up playing. But looking at 0:05:07.320 --> 0:05:11.160 these three games in the NFC collectively, it feels like 0:05:11.360 --> 0:05:16.080 west that the Seattle Seahawks, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and 0:05:16.120 --> 0:05:19.880 the New Orleans Saints are all considerable favorites in this game, 0:05:19.920 --> 0:05:24.680 in these games. But this is the NFL and this 0:05:24.760 --> 0:05:27.760 is the playoffs, and to think that all three of 0:05:27.800 --> 0:05:30.560 those games are just going to fall into place the 0:05:30.600 --> 0:05:33.560 way people expect, maybe it will happen that way, but 0:05:33.680 --> 0:05:36.360 you know what, there's a darn good chance that it won't. 0:05:36.800 --> 0:05:39.480 There's always every year there's something that's going to surprise you. 0:05:39.720 --> 0:05:42.560 And in real. Like I mentioned just a second ago, 0:05:42.720 --> 0:05:45.400 all of these teams have a chance to win because 0:05:45.440 --> 0:05:47.560 they're all here for a specific reason. You can even 0:05:47.600 --> 0:05:50.320 hate on Washington if you want, but the reality is 0:05:50.360 --> 0:05:53.560 they've had one of the best most consistent defenses in 0:05:53.600 --> 0:05:55.960 the National Football League all season. For all of the 0:05:56.040 --> 0:05:58.600 various issues they've had on the offensive side of the ball. 0:05:58.960 --> 0:06:01.360 That's why they immerse arged out of the NFC East. 0:06:01.400 --> 0:06:04.240 That's why they still have a puncher's chance. I feel 0:06:04.480 --> 0:06:07.880 in this game against Tampa Bay. The Rams game is 0:06:08.000 --> 0:06:10.880 interesting to me because there are so many questions for 0:06:11.080 --> 0:06:13.280 l A on their offensive side of the ball, whether 0:06:13.279 --> 0:06:17.000 it be injuries or the COVID nine team list. But defensively, 0:06:17.080 --> 0:06:20.200 you have Aaron Donald in Jalen Ramsey and that that 0:06:20.400 --> 0:06:24.000 unit going up against Russell Wilson, who, while it has 0:06:24.040 --> 0:06:28.280 been an effective, productive offense this season, has had some takeaways, 0:06:28.279 --> 0:06:31.119 has had some giveaways, and have found their way through 0:06:31.160 --> 0:06:34.120 some games after you know, kind of having some setbacks. 0:06:34.200 --> 0:06:36.839 So I think they're a you know, a live dog. 0:06:36.920 --> 0:06:40.400 You could say in this matchup, the toughest road to 0:06:40.440 --> 0:06:43.800 travel for anybody is going to be Chicago, because you're 0:06:43.880 --> 0:06:46.080 taking on a New Orleans Saints team that while they 0:06:46.120 --> 0:06:48.720 have had some COVID issues now themselves the last week, 0:06:49.080 --> 0:06:51.839 defensively they're a powerhouse. They're playing on their own turf. 0:06:52.120 --> 0:06:55.080 And offensively, not only do you have Drew Brees back, 0:06:55.120 --> 0:06:58.360 but you're seeing how they use Taysom Hill his multiple 0:06:58.560 --> 0:07:01.960 role again. Now that raises back in the lineup, that 0:07:02.120 --> 0:07:05.279 is going to be a really difficult puzzle for the 0:07:05.320 --> 0:07:07.919 Bears to solve in that two verse seven matchup. The 0:07:07.960 --> 0:07:10.600 first one, Yeah, I think, what when I look at 0:07:10.600 --> 0:07:13.560 it from the perspective of the favorites versus the underdogs, 0:07:13.640 --> 0:07:16.200 I am with you in the sense that I think 0:07:16.240 --> 0:07:18.760 we're on the same page here. What gives all of 0:07:18.800 --> 0:07:22.040 these underdogs a legitimate chance is not just because this 0:07:22.120 --> 0:07:25.360 is the NFL, but all three of these underdogs have 0:07:25.680 --> 0:07:29.880 legitimately good defenses. You mentioned the Rams, that combination of 0:07:29.920 --> 0:07:32.760 Aaron Donald in the pass rush and Jalen Ramsey as 0:07:32.800 --> 0:07:36.000 the number one cover corner to potentially take away one 0:07:36.000 --> 0:07:38.680 of your top receivers. And now, obviously the Rams and 0:07:38.720 --> 0:07:40.960 the Seahawks have already played a couple of times. Jalen 0:07:41.040 --> 0:07:44.000 Ramsey has seen plenty of DK metcalf over the course 0:07:44.040 --> 0:07:46.560 of the year. But it's an it's another matchup. It's 0:07:46.560 --> 0:07:50.680 going to be a star studded one in that respect. Washington. 0:07:51.480 --> 0:07:54.200 I mean, look at when does Tom Brady lose in 0:07:54.240 --> 0:07:57.000 the playoffs when the pass rush gets to him and 0:07:57.040 --> 0:08:00.520 Rex his offense right, Washington has a pass rush. Now. 0:08:01.000 --> 0:08:03.680 They have a lot of other limitations offensively that you 0:08:03.720 --> 0:08:08.000 know Alex Smith for the tremendous comeback season that he 0:08:08.080 --> 0:08:12.440 has had, Washington is somewhat limited an offense. They're not explosive, 0:08:12.480 --> 0:08:15.119 they aren't going to scare anybody, but that pass rush 0:08:15.320 --> 0:08:19.080 can keep any team, any Washington team in a game 0:08:19.560 --> 0:08:22.680 um against against the potentially high powered offense. And then 0:08:22.680 --> 0:08:25.400 the Bears. We all know about the Bears defense now. 0:08:26.240 --> 0:08:28.480 They are banged up a little bit here going into 0:08:28.760 --> 0:08:30.920 this game with New Orleans. When they played the Packers 0:08:31.000 --> 0:08:34.160 last week, two of their top three cornerbacks were out 0:08:34.200 --> 0:08:37.840 and then they lost Roquan Smith, the star young inside linebacker, 0:08:38.440 --> 0:08:40.880 during the game. We don't know how healthy the Bears 0:08:40.880 --> 0:08:43.360 defense is going to be going down to New Orleans. 0:08:43.440 --> 0:08:45.880 I think that's a big thing to watch because if 0:08:45.920 --> 0:08:48.560 I recall West, the Bears in the Saints played during 0:08:48.559 --> 0:08:52.000 the regular season and it was an overtime affair. Certainly 0:08:52.040 --> 0:08:56.360 New Orleans offense did not overwhelm Chicago's defense in any 0:08:56.400 --> 0:08:59.040 respect in that ballgame. No, they didn't. As you pointed 0:08:59.040 --> 0:09:01.400 out my defense. Yes, that is where the tone is 0:09:01.440 --> 0:09:04.000 going to be set. But realistically, and all three of 0:09:04.040 --> 0:09:06.760 those games, the other aspect I look at is can 0:09:06.800 --> 0:09:10.520 you get your running game to help your quarterback? Can 0:09:10.559 --> 0:09:14.320 you have David Montgomery come out and be successful against 0:09:14.360 --> 0:09:16.920 one of the best defenses in the National Football League? 0:09:17.280 --> 0:09:19.640 Cam Akers is back. Can he get back into a 0:09:19.720 --> 0:09:23.280 groove and maybe take that those reins and be able to, 0:09:23.600 --> 0:09:25.840 you know, get the run game going again for the 0:09:26.040 --> 0:09:28.320 Rams with all the issues that they have at quarterback 0:09:28.400 --> 0:09:31.400 right now, with injuries and most importantly Mike, I don't 0:09:31.440 --> 0:09:34.199 have specific statistics. I don't have anything I can cite 0:09:34.240 --> 0:09:38.239 for you, but this Washington team is different when Antonio 0:09:38.280 --> 0:09:40.920 Gibson is healthy and he's on the field. You saw 0:09:40.960 --> 0:09:43.280 what happened when he left. They still won some games, 0:09:43.480 --> 0:09:46.920 but it was a lot more difficult. That defense and 0:09:47.000 --> 0:09:49.160 that running game gives them a chance in this game 0:09:49.200 --> 0:09:52.480 against Tampa. All that being said, I think if you're 0:09:52.520 --> 0:09:54.080 the head coach of any of these three teams that 0:09:54.080 --> 0:09:57.000 are favored this weekend, you tell your guys to do 0:09:57.040 --> 0:09:59.439 what you do, take care of what you take care of, 0:09:59.720 --> 0:10:01.800 and are gonna be able to come up victorious because 0:10:01.840 --> 0:10:04.760 pound for pound the teams again that our favorite in 0:10:04.760 --> 0:10:08.439 this even though Tampa obviously has the lower seed than Washington, 0:10:09.040 --> 0:10:11.360 they're there for a reason and they were able to 0:10:11.400 --> 0:10:14.000 do that for a reason. I think that's why these 0:10:14.040 --> 0:10:18.680 games are all going to be somewhat close. But everything 0:10:18.720 --> 0:10:22.360 being equal, as you said, things can change, but you 0:10:22.400 --> 0:10:24.840 do see the path to victory there for these teams 0:10:24.880 --> 0:10:28.560 that have the decided advantage. Yeah, well, it is the playoffs, 0:10:28.640 --> 0:10:30.880 and you just never know exactly how things are going 0:10:30.920 --> 0:10:33.680 to unfold, whether you're talking about ten years ago a 0:10:33.760 --> 0:10:36.520 six seeded Packers team that runs it all the way 0:10:36.720 --> 0:10:40.680 to the Super Bowl Championship, or last year a nine 0:10:40.679 --> 0:10:43.600 and seven Tennessee team that gets into the playoffs and 0:10:43.640 --> 0:10:46.600 suddenly makes a run knocks out the number one seed. 0:10:46.600 --> 0:10:49.640 Baltimore actually has a lead in the a f C 0:10:49.800 --> 0:10:53.360 Championship game over Kansas City before their hot streak kind 0:10:53.360 --> 0:10:55.679 of ran out on them. So you just never know 0:10:55.760 --> 0:10:57.880 how these things are gonna go. The flip side of 0:10:57.920 --> 0:11:00.880 it is, sometimes things fall as a spected. Last year 0:11:00.880 --> 0:11:03.160 in the NFC, the one and the two seeds were 0:11:03.200 --> 0:11:05.720 San Francisco and Green Bay, and they ended up facing 0:11:05.720 --> 0:11:08.960 each other for the NFC title. So, uh, sometimes it 0:11:09.040 --> 0:11:11.720 falls the way you might think, and other times you 0:11:11.800 --> 0:11:14.240 just have no idea. The other storyline to watch two. 0:11:14.400 --> 0:11:16.880 As much as people always like to get on these 0:11:16.880 --> 0:11:19.720 teams that have losing records entering the postseason, they actually 0:11:19.800 --> 0:11:23.080 have a pretty good return on investment here the last 0:11:23.080 --> 0:11:26.160 few seasons, whether it was Carolina winning a playoff game 0:11:26.160 --> 0:11:28.199 at seven eight and one six years ago, where you 0:11:28.280 --> 0:11:30.280 go back to John Schnyder and Pete Carroll right at 0:11:30.280 --> 0:11:32.800 the beginning of this thing being I think sex six 0:11:32.840 --> 0:11:35.640 and nine are seven and nine in winning a playoff 0:11:35.640 --> 0:11:36.760 game back and I want to say, was that two 0:11:36.760 --> 0:11:40.840 thousand nine or two thousand and ten. It has happened before, 0:11:41.040 --> 0:11:43.080 and they can you know that that if you don't 0:11:43.120 --> 0:11:46.439 take those teams seriously when they're playing on their home turf, uh, 0:11:46.480 --> 0:11:49.840 that that that can come up not looking so well 0:11:49.880 --> 0:11:52.840 for you. Yeah, well, we will see how things unfold 0:11:52.920 --> 0:11:56.560 and exactly which opponent will be coming to lambeau Field 0:11:56.600 --> 0:11:59.920 next week, and we also don't know yet the official 0:12:00.160 --> 0:12:03.040 day and time of that divisional round game. It will 0:12:03.040 --> 0:12:06.200 be either Saturday or Sunday. I'm guessing just based on 0:12:06.240 --> 0:12:08.840 the whole TV thing and all that, that the Packers 0:12:08.840 --> 0:12:11.760 will either get the Saturday night prime time slot or 0:12:12.080 --> 0:12:15.880 the late Sunday afternoon one on divisional weekend. But again 0:12:16.080 --> 0:12:18.280 we will have to see. That has not been announced yet. 0:12:18.440 --> 0:12:20.320 I do want enough Saturday night games, by the way, 0:12:20.320 --> 0:12:21.800 we can put that thing on Sunday. I'll be just 0:12:21.840 --> 0:12:25.720 we've had We've had enough night games this year. I 0:12:25.720 --> 0:12:28.439 think it's been six primetime games out of sixteen for 0:12:28.520 --> 0:12:31.640 the Packers. So yeah, those are certainly more challenging for 0:12:31.760 --> 0:12:34.480 us from a work perspective, but we will roll with 0:12:34.520 --> 0:12:38.199 whatever punches are thrown at us. Yeah, I do want 0:12:38.200 --> 0:12:41.160 to get your thoughts on the the a f C games, 0:12:41.200 --> 0:12:46.600 because while I started talking about the NFC matchups looking 0:12:46.640 --> 0:12:50.520 at three teams that look like rather significant favorites or 0:12:50.600 --> 0:12:52.959 clear favorites that you would think would win those games. 0:12:53.280 --> 0:12:56.720 When I look at Indie against Buffalo, Baltimore against Tennessee, 0:12:57.080 --> 0:13:00.600 and Cleveland against Pittsburgh, it feels like all three of 0:13:00.600 --> 0:13:04.120 those games are absolute tossups, coin flips. They could you know, 0:13:04.200 --> 0:13:07.000 like there there. It doesn't feel like anyone in the 0:13:07.000 --> 0:13:09.199 a f C other than Kansas City, which has the 0:13:09.240 --> 0:13:12.200 buy in the number one. Other than it feels like 0:13:12.200 --> 0:13:15.240 no one in the a f C is really a favorite. 0:13:15.480 --> 0:13:18.120 And even though Kansas City is favored and rightfully so, 0:13:18.200 --> 0:13:21.199 a dominant season that they had really on both sides 0:13:21.200 --> 0:13:24.319 of the ball. All four you know, these four teams 0:13:24.320 --> 0:13:27.760 that you mentioned right off the bat, Buffalo, Indianapolis, Tennessee 0:13:27.760 --> 0:13:30.000 and Baltimore. If you flash forward to a month from 0:13:30.000 --> 0:13:31.360 now and you just put me in a box and 0:13:31.400 --> 0:13:33.000 pull me back out and say one of those teams 0:13:33.040 --> 0:13:35.360 is in the Super Bowl, I believe you they both. 0:13:35.440 --> 0:13:38.079 They all four of those teams have stood up at 0:13:38.120 --> 0:13:40.040 times and have really looked good. And I think you're 0:13:40.040 --> 0:13:42.040 seeing Baltimore start to a little look a little bit 0:13:42.040 --> 0:13:45.520 more like itself. Obviously a two thousand yard rusher Derrick 0:13:45.559 --> 0:13:48.040 Henry in the month of January. You cannot count out 0:13:48.040 --> 0:13:50.840 the Titans, just asked last season, But the one I 0:13:50.880 --> 0:13:53.120 have my eye on the most is Josh Allen and Buffalo. 0:13:53.120 --> 0:13:55.680 And I made this point in Insider inbox too. They've 0:13:55.800 --> 0:13:58.520 arrived now they don't have to talk about that lengthy 0:13:58.760 --> 0:14:02.720 playoff drought that they they're back and they've been back. Now, 0:14:02.760 --> 0:14:04.880 can you actually start to win? Can you start to 0:14:04.920 --> 0:14:07.719 make an imprint? Because the moves they made last offseason, 0:14:07.720 --> 0:14:11.000 Mike Stefon Diggs and some of these transactions that came along, 0:14:11.280 --> 0:14:13.360 they didn't make them because oh yeah, we want to 0:14:13.400 --> 0:14:15.400 be able to just get back to the playoffs. They 0:14:15.480 --> 0:14:17.920 wanted to win, they wanted to win a super Bowl. 0:14:18.160 --> 0:14:20.440 They feel like they got the best quarterback of that 0:14:20.520 --> 0:14:22.960 draft class, and they have been able to come out 0:14:23.040 --> 0:14:24.960 and I think really show that the way that Josh 0:14:25.000 --> 0:14:29.360 Allen plays that position, it enhances things and it really 0:14:29.400 --> 0:14:32.560 does complement the weapons that they have on the offensive 0:14:32.600 --> 0:14:35.480 side the ball. Somebody had asked me this an inbox too. 0:14:35.560 --> 0:14:38.280 Who's under more pressure this week? Is it Lamar Jackson 0:14:38.320 --> 0:14:40.320 showing that he's still the m v P quarterback, that 0:14:40.360 --> 0:14:42.360 he's still the guy everybody thinks he is in Baltimore? 0:14:42.400 --> 0:14:44.800 Can he win a playoff game? Or is it Alan? 0:14:45.320 --> 0:14:48.160 And I still feel like it's Alan because the Buffalo 0:14:48.360 --> 0:14:52.440 is trying to make a run after years of not 0:14:52.520 --> 0:14:56.640 being relevant Baltimore when they're playing and they're playing well, 0:14:57.000 --> 0:14:59.200 they can make this thing. They can get back to 0:14:59.240 --> 0:15:02.720 the Promised Land. But it's that question if Baltimore can 0:15:03.240 --> 0:15:07.360 Buffalo excuse me, can finally regain itself and they have 0:15:07.400 --> 0:15:09.120 a tough team to do it against in the Colts 0:15:09.120 --> 0:15:11.120 in the first round. And then quickly, just to touch 0:15:11.160 --> 0:15:14.800 on Pittsburgh and Cleveland kind of a mismatch matchup right now, 0:15:14.840 --> 0:15:16.800 you don't really know what you're gonna see on Sunday 0:15:16.800 --> 0:15:19.480 with the COVID issues that Cleveland has, the reports. I 0:15:19.480 --> 0:15:21.720 think Alex Van Pelt is gonna be calling plays for 0:15:21.760 --> 0:15:25.240 them on Sunday. And then you have Pittsburgh, who really 0:15:25.640 --> 0:15:27.800 tripped and fell and is trying to get up after 0:15:27.840 --> 0:15:30.320 making what appeared to be a run at an undefeated season. 0:15:30.440 --> 0:15:33.080 So they're still in this too. But those first four 0:15:33.080 --> 0:15:34.880 teams that I mentioned, those are the ones I have 0:15:34.960 --> 0:15:36.480 my eye on because I think any of them could 0:15:36.520 --> 0:15:38.680 very easily get on a run. Yeah, I think so. 0:15:38.720 --> 0:15:41.560 To the the the Indie Buffalo matchup right off the 0:15:41.600 --> 0:15:46.240 bat really intrigues me because you have sort of, you know, 0:15:46.320 --> 0:15:49.400 the old guy at quarterback in Philip Rivers. This might 0:15:49.440 --> 0:15:52.280 be his last legitimate shot to get to a super 0:15:52.320 --> 0:15:54.640 Bowl in his career. And then on the other side, 0:15:54.680 --> 0:15:57.320 you mentioned Josh Allen for Buffalo, and the word that 0:15:57.360 --> 0:16:00.960 I continue to use with regard to Josh Allen when 0:16:01.000 --> 0:16:02.960 I do get a chance to watch the Buffalo Bills 0:16:02.960 --> 0:16:06.360 play is fearless. This kid just looks like he plays 0:16:06.440 --> 0:16:09.720 the game with no fear at all, and he's fun 0:16:09.760 --> 0:16:12.640 to watch in that respect. And the Buffalo Bills have 0:16:12.760 --> 0:16:15.680 put together an offense to pair with what has been 0:16:15.760 --> 0:16:18.400 and what had been developing prior to Allen's arrival, as 0:16:18.880 --> 0:16:22.280 as a pretty solid defense. So I personally think if 0:16:22.280 --> 0:16:24.000 I were to pick one team that has the best 0:16:24.080 --> 0:16:27.120 chance of knocking off the Chiefs as the defending Super 0:16:27.160 --> 0:16:29.640 Bowl champs and and the and the number one seed 0:16:29.640 --> 0:16:31.080 and the favorite right now in the a f C, 0:16:31.480 --> 0:16:33.600 I think Buffalo maybe has the best shot at that. 0:16:33.880 --> 0:16:36.280 But at the same time, I say that I don't 0:16:36.280 --> 0:16:38.520 count the Colts out at all this weekend in in 0:16:38.560 --> 0:16:41.920 that opening playoff game, the other next one Baltimore Tennessee, 0:16:42.080 --> 0:16:44.840 a rematch of last year's Division A Round game where 0:16:44.840 --> 0:16:47.400 Baltimore was the one seed, had the by was fourteen 0:16:47.440 --> 0:16:50.760 and two and Tennessee came in and punched him in 0:16:50.760 --> 0:16:53.560 the mouth, so to speak with Derrick Henry and surprised him. 0:16:53.720 --> 0:16:56.520 Baltimore just never got on track in that game, and 0:16:56.560 --> 0:16:59.320 suddenly their fourteen in two season went up and smoked 0:16:59.360 --> 0:17:01.840 on I believe it was a Saturday night and suddenly 0:17:01.880 --> 0:17:05.520 they were they were out um and as you mentioned, 0:17:05.560 --> 0:17:08.360 Derrick Henry a two thousand yard season this time he's 0:17:08.400 --> 0:17:11.040 the back to back NFL Russian King two years in 0:17:11.080 --> 0:17:14.160 a row, UM and is coming off of a monster 0:17:14.320 --> 0:17:17.520 game to help Tennessee win that that a f C 0:17:17.720 --> 0:17:21.600 South last weekend. And then Cleveland at Pittsburgh the COVID issues, 0:17:21.640 --> 0:17:24.080 I mean, everything going on with with Cleveland. Their head 0:17:24.080 --> 0:17:26.760 coach won't be on the sideline, won't be able to 0:17:26.760 --> 0:17:29.040 communicate with his team at all, as well as a 0:17:29.040 --> 0:17:32.840 few other coaches as they go through that. And Pittsburgh 0:17:32.880 --> 0:17:35.440 is really interesting to me because, as you mentioned, they 0:17:35.440 --> 0:17:38.040 were eleven and oh, people were wondering, okay, are they 0:17:38.040 --> 0:17:40.240 going to run the table, go sixteen and O and 0:17:40.280 --> 0:17:43.080 head into the postseason. Well, then they lost three games 0:17:43.080 --> 0:17:46.399 in a row. They're trailing by seventeen points in the 0:17:46.440 --> 0:17:48.639 second half to the Indianapolis Colts at home. They have 0:17:48.680 --> 0:17:51.040 a huge second half rally to pull out that game 0:17:51.520 --> 0:17:54.840 win the a f C North Division championship. And then 0:17:54.880 --> 0:17:58.080 even though in weeks seventeen they had an opportunity to 0:17:58.160 --> 0:18:00.600 possibly get the two seed as opposed to the three, 0:18:01.200 --> 0:18:04.200 Mike Tomlin said, this is what I think. He said, Hey, 0:18:04.240 --> 0:18:06.879 our guys are tired. This has been a rough last month, 0:18:06.960 --> 0:18:09.440 month and a half. They sort of lost their bye 0:18:09.440 --> 0:18:12.280 week even earlier in the season because of scheduling getting 0:18:12.280 --> 0:18:15.320 shifted around. They Pittsburgh Steelers dealt with a lot of 0:18:15.359 --> 0:18:17.720 things that were out of their control in terms of 0:18:17.760 --> 0:18:20.520 how their season unfolded, and Mike Tomlin said, you know what, 0:18:20.760 --> 0:18:22.800 We're gonna rest some of our key guys in week 0:18:22.880 --> 0:18:26.280 seventeen because the rest and recovery is going to be 0:18:26.320 --> 0:18:30.000 more important to making potentially making a playoff run than 0:18:30.040 --> 0:18:32.399 whether they're the three seeds or the two seeds. So 0:18:32.440 --> 0:18:35.399 they made that sacrifice. The Steelers are the three seed, 0:18:35.640 --> 0:18:37.760 but now they get a division rival, a team they've 0:18:37.760 --> 0:18:40.800 already played twice this year. That third matchup in the 0:18:40.880 --> 0:18:42.920 n f C North between the Browns and the Steelers 0:18:42.920 --> 0:18:46.239 will be the I believe that's the final game of 0:18:46.280 --> 0:18:49.760 the weekend on Sunday Night football, so it should be 0:18:49.840 --> 0:18:51.800 it should be one heck of a weekend. I'm looking 0:18:51.840 --> 0:18:53.320 forward to it. Yeah, Town then one of the best 0:18:53.320 --> 0:18:55.720 in the business, and obviously felt like this was the 0:18:55.800 --> 0:18:57.920 right time to almost kind of simulated by a little 0:18:57.920 --> 0:19:02.159 bit for his guys, for Roethlisberger. For what what, I'm 0:19:02.200 --> 0:19:05.359 really intrigued about that matchup. There was a couple of things. One, 0:19:05.640 --> 0:19:08.680 it seems to me that Pittsburgh, you know, James Conner 0:19:08.680 --> 0:19:10.879 had dealt with injuries throughout the year, but it seems 0:19:10.920 --> 0:19:12.920 like during the end of the season when he kind 0:19:12.960 --> 0:19:15.400 of slowed down a little bit, that's when the offense 0:19:15.440 --> 0:19:17.680 sort of slowed down. I don't watch them weekend and 0:19:17.720 --> 0:19:19.440 week out, so I can't give you a blow by blow, 0:19:19.480 --> 0:19:21.480 but that that did seem to be a parallel to me. 0:19:21.880 --> 0:19:24.239 So can they refine themselves? Can the defense get its 0:19:24.240 --> 0:19:26.399 swagger back? And on the other side of the field 0:19:26.440 --> 0:19:29.119 man for the first time in eighteen years? Coincidentally, the 0:19:29.119 --> 0:19:31.879 team that they lost to Pittsburgh back in two thousand two, 0:19:31.920 --> 0:19:34.240 they get a rematch with them now eighteen years later, 0:19:34.720 --> 0:19:38.280 back in the postseason, and really again had kind of 0:19:38.280 --> 0:19:41.399 a crossroads earlier this year and seemed to really have 0:19:41.440 --> 0:19:44.480 found themselves. I think Baker Mayfield got his swagger back 0:19:44.560 --> 0:19:46.720 to keep throwing that word out there. I like what 0:19:46.760 --> 0:19:50.000 they've done with their backfield combinations. Obviously we know you 0:19:50.080 --> 0:19:52.199 know J. C. Treader well, and how they've built up 0:19:52.240 --> 0:19:54.760 that offensive line. So I think it's gonna be a 0:19:54.800 --> 0:19:58.240 really competitive matchup. And again for Cleveland, this has been 0:19:58.280 --> 0:20:01.760 the statement year you got back. That's awesome. Now, can 0:20:01.800 --> 0:20:03.840 you win some football games and and show that you 0:20:03.880 --> 0:20:06.080 know what this is a team that can be not 0:20:06.200 --> 0:20:09.199 only just a playoff contender, but can actually contend to 0:20:09.200 --> 0:20:12.000