Speaker 1: Keep your book down, Fail Cutsdown, Miami Qua Run. What
Speaker 1: is up? Dolphans And welcome to the Drive Time Podcast,
Speaker 1: part of the Miami Dolphins podcast network, covering your team,
Speaker 1: your Miami Dolphins. How's it going to everybody? I am
Speaker 1: your host, Travis Wingfield, and as always I am here
Speaker 1: to bring you your daily dose of Miami Dolphins football.
Speaker 1: And on today's show, that intro might be a bit
Speaker 1: of a lie, because today we're gonna go around the
Speaker 1: NFL in thirty two minutes, well thirty one minutes and
Speaker 1: preview all thirty one of these NFL teams ahead of
Speaker 1: the season. Every team gets one minute on the clock
Speaker 1: and then we're gonna break it all down before we
Speaker 1: get to the record predictions and the divisional predictions, and
Speaker 1: our playoff and supert picks here for season, my personal picks.
Speaker 1: It's all me on this podcast, on this special edition
Speaker 1: of the Drivetime Podcast from the Baptist Health Studios inside
Speaker 1: the Baptist Health Training Complex. This is the Drivetime Podcast.
Speaker 1: Let's go ahead and just jump right into it. Here
Speaker 1: a different Dolphins podcast than you're used to here on Drivetime.
Speaker 1: One minute on the clock. We're gonna do this in
Speaker 1: one take all the way through, So thirty one minutes
Speaker 1: when I say, go where you're going to start in
Speaker 1: the NFC West and work our way all the way
Speaker 1: to the a f C East, And I'll probably just
Speaker 1: not do the Dolphins minute, because well, we talked about
Speaker 1: the Dolphins for thirty minutes a day, every single day.
Speaker 1: And with that, why don't we jump right in to
Speaker 1: the NFC West and get this thing started with the
Speaker 1: Los Angeles Rams one minute on the clock Matt Stafford.
Speaker 1: The big story there for this Rams team this offseason,
Speaker 1: the acquisition after a big extension for Jared Goff, they
Speaker 1: go out and get a guy that Sean McVeigh clearly
Speaker 1: thinks can operate that system and his very successful offensive
Speaker 1: system with a high level of efficiency and effectiveness going
Speaker 1: down the field, and they add some speed to that
Speaker 1: offense as well this offseason with the Shawan Jackson with
Speaker 1: two to at well to go along with Robert Woods
Speaker 1: and Cooper Cup. And they do lose Cam Anchors, which
Speaker 1: is gonna be a tough, tough pill to swallow, a
Speaker 1: tough player to replace. But I do like the addition
Speaker 1: of Sony Michelle to kind of help out there with
Speaker 1: Darryl Henderson and get that thing cranking, especially when you
Speaker 1: have a top level defense like they had last year,
Speaker 1: spearheaded by the best defensive tackle and probably one of
Speaker 1: the best players in the National Football League, and Aaron
Speaker 1: Donald plus Jalen Ramsey and so many more guys that
Speaker 1: make that defense tough to run on, tough to pass on.
Speaker 1: They get takeaways. I like this Rams team a heck
Speaker 1: of a lot this season. There goes one minute off
Speaker 1: the clock. Up next the San Francisco forty Niners, Jimmy
Speaker 1: Garoppolo and Trey Lance. Is the big story there this offseason.
Speaker 1: Which quarterback will get the job? What I mean, We're
Speaker 1: gonna probably hear about announcement here coming up in the
Speaker 1: coming days if you haven't already. But I think Trey
Speaker 1: Lance is upside, even though maybe he's not quite ready
Speaker 1: with the experience because he only played a couple of,
Speaker 1: you know, a handful of games in college and had
Speaker 1: a preseason this year, but just the limited rep count,
Speaker 1: you might go early with the more experienced vector and
Speaker 1: a guy and Garoppolo who has gone to a Super
Speaker 1: Bowl and had a ten point lead in the fourth
Speaker 1: quarter of that super Bowl. The other big question for
Speaker 1: the Niners is their health. Always a big question mark
Speaker 1: around this team because they are so loaded all across
Speaker 1: the roster, but they haven't stayed healthy in recent years.
Speaker 1: So can Nick Bosa stay healthy on that defensive line
Speaker 1: and continue to get pass rush for that Niners front?
Speaker 1: And also they have a dominant offensive line with a
Speaker 1: good running game, good running backs. The scheme is always good,
Speaker 1: but that pass rush, Fred Warner and that secondary to
Speaker 1: go along with that defensive front. I think the Niners
Speaker 1: are one of the most loaded teams in the NFL.
Speaker 1: There goes woman off the clock. The Seahawks up next.
Speaker 1: The let Russ Cook train last season worked pretty well
Speaker 1: for the first half of the year and then the
Speaker 1: offense kind of sputtered late in the season, and I
Speaker 1: think that one of the reasons for that might have
Speaker 1: been the depth at the receiver position. But they did
Speaker 1: go out this year and add some guys to go
Speaker 1: along with DK Metcalfe and Tyler Lockett, who for my money,
Speaker 1: are two of the very best receivers in the National
Speaker 1: Football League. Both can get vertical, both can do the
Speaker 1: entire route tree and catch tough passes over the middle
Speaker 1: as well. The Dwayne Brown situation. Russell Wilson says they
Speaker 1: need to do whatever they can to keep him there
Speaker 1: and keep him happy. He has been one of the
Speaker 1: stalwarts on that offensive lines. To the Seahawks have tried
Speaker 1: to build an offensive line around Russell Wilson and been
Speaker 1: more effective at doing it in later years. And then
Speaker 1: on the defensive side, where's the past rush gonna come from?
Speaker 1: Last year? That was kind of a question mark for them.
Speaker 1: And then also they lose Shaquille Griffin in that secondary
Speaker 1: that could be a big loss back there. How do
Speaker 1: they replace his reps in his production? And of course
Speaker 1: Jamal Adams gets the big extension. That's a big story
Speaker 1: there for the Seahawks. Just managed to going by fast
Speaker 1: Arizona Cardinals Kyler Murray and Cliff Kingsbury. Year three. I
Speaker 1: think Kyler could be poised for a big, big, big season.
Speaker 1: It's a big season for Cliff Kingsbury in this third season.
Speaker 1: They're gonna need some results this year, especially in a really,
Speaker 1: really tough NFC West. I think all four of these
Speaker 1: teams are playoff contenders, but I love how much speed
Speaker 1: to go along with Kyler. Obviously, they add on defense
Speaker 1: with Isaiah Simmons a year ago getting more and more
Speaker 1: reps as the year went along, but also Zaven Collins
Speaker 1: in that first round. Those two guys can really help
Speaker 1: kind of transform the second level of that defense. And
Speaker 1: we know on the back end, on the front end,
Speaker 1: the first and third level that Buddha Baker runs the
Speaker 1: show back there in that defensive secondary, one of the
Speaker 1: NFL's best safeties with Chandler Jones one of the best
Speaker 1: pass rushers off the edge. But I think it goes
Speaker 1: back to the offense with Murray and with what he
Speaker 1: can do in that kind of remade offensive line, and
Speaker 1: of course getting the ball to Nuke Hopkins. He's one
Speaker 1: of the best receivers this league has ever seen. Woman
Speaker 1: on the clock for the Buccaneers here, everybody is back,
Speaker 1: but we know how difficult it is to repeat as champions.
Speaker 1: You have that target on your back, and I think
Speaker 1: they probably did last year to some degree because well,
Speaker 1: Tom Brady's in town, and when Tom Brady's in town,
Speaker 1: everyone knows they have to bring their a game to
Speaker 1: beat you. But the relationship he has with not just
Speaker 1: his teammates and Bruce Ariums, but with the front office
Speaker 1: and the decisions they make to kind of get Tom
Speaker 1: what he needs, because again, seven times Super Bowl champion,
Speaker 1: why wouldn't you get the guy what he needs? And
Speaker 1: he wanted everyone back. They got that with Antonio Brown,
Speaker 1: Rob Gronkowski, playoff Lenny Leonard Fournette. That offensive line just
Speaker 1: really came together and became one of the best groups
Speaker 1: in the NFL last season, spearheaded there by Tristan Worth,
Speaker 1: but also the center Ryan Jensen, is one of the meanest, nastiest,
Speaker 1: most technically sound dudes in the National Football League. And
Speaker 1: on defense, we saw Antoine Winfield really kind of be
Speaker 1: that django piece, the final piece. Therefore, that defensive secondary
Speaker 1: in the late last season down their stretch run for
Speaker 1: the Super Bowl, as well as some young cornerbacks like
Speaker 1: Seawan Shaun Murphy Bunting making big plays. The team is
Speaker 1: loaded the New Orleans Saints, Jamis Winston wins the quarterback
Speaker 1: job over Taysom Hill. But I like that move because
Speaker 1: not only do I think the taste that Jamis is
Speaker 1: a better option, but you also have now the option
Speaker 1: to sprinkle Tasso Hill into that offense and give that
Speaker 1: give the defense more looks and more to think about.
Speaker 1: But the skill players on this offensive group. Without Michael Thomas,
Speaker 1: that might be the question mark for this team this year,
Speaker 1: but I think that Sean Payton can always find a
Speaker 1: way to get production. We saw the Kids of the
Speaker 1: Night in the preseason game have a big, big game
Speaker 1: and they have just find guys to get to get
Speaker 1: open and the quarterback finds them and that's part of
Speaker 1: Sean Payton's system. They have a fantastic offensive line. They're
Speaker 1: led by Ryan ram Check and then Alvin Kamara. Excuse me,
Speaker 1: you'll stop in the clock. You know what Alvin Kameric
Speaker 1: can do in the running game. He is so impressive
Speaker 1: both in the passing game and the running game, one
Speaker 1: of the most electrifying running backs in the NFL. They
Speaker 1: have an impressive defense too, especially in that front seven.
Speaker 1: But one question you might look at is the secondary depth.
Speaker 1: I think Ken Crawley was a number two cornerback last
Speaker 1: time I checked, and he's a good player, but the
Speaker 1: Saints were sniffing around some cornerbacks this offseason. The Atlanta Falcons.
Speaker 1: Matt Ryan with all these weapons that he has, with
Speaker 1: Calvin Ridley, who looks the absolute part of an alpha
Speaker 1: number one receiver with Kyle Pitts, who looks like to
Speaker 1: me Florida Aisle Pits with what he's done so far
Speaker 1: in the preseason with the Falcons. And can that offensive
Speaker 1: line solidify around Ryan to give those pass catchers time
Speaker 1: to get downfield and separate and create big plays in
Speaker 1: the passing game. I think they can. I think Atlanta
Speaker 1: could be in store for some some shootout type of games,
Speaker 1: a bunch of high flying, aerial attacks that light up
Speaker 1: the scoreboard. But can the defense get things turned around
Speaker 1: quickly after a couple of down years. They're going from
Speaker 1: Dan Quinn to Dean pas I love the pressure looks
Speaker 1: that Dean Pas uses, and I think they're gonna get
Speaker 1: more production than that some of their parts because of
Speaker 1: that d C and just how experienced and how really
Speaker 1: technically or frankly, his resume speaks for itself. He's always
Speaker 1: been ahead of top level defenses in the National Football League.
Speaker 1: You have to imagine that's what Arthur Smith has in
Speaker 1: mind there. And speaking of Arthur Smith, loved that higher.
Speaker 1: I think he's a good fit for the offense. There
Speaker 1: goes another minute off the clock to the Carolina Panther.
Speaker 1: Sam Donald is the guy they have really trusted in
Speaker 1: and built around this offseason. I think him over Justin
Speaker 1: fields are are passing on Justin fields for j C.
Speaker 1: Horn In the draft will be a big thing the
Speaker 1: Carolina Panthers look back at for years to come, whether
Speaker 1: it's positive or negative. Matt Rule in year two has
Speaker 1: a big contract there, but he is one of the
Speaker 1: most impressive football coaches on the planet. I trusted him
Speaker 1: in his program. They were competitive early last year. Things
Speaker 1: kind of came apart late for them at the seams. Uh,
Speaker 1: just not really about the offensive production down the stretch.
Speaker 1: I think they might have addressed that this year a
Speaker 1: little bit better. You get Robby Anderson back on the
Speaker 1: contract extension too. He's one of the best players on
Speaker 1: that offense. Can Christian McCaffrey come back and be healthy
Speaker 1: because he is, like Elvin Camaro, one of the best
Speaker 1: running backs in the entire National Football League. We saw
Speaker 1: that defense kind of form an identity last year after
Speaker 1: spending every draft pick in twenty on the defensive side
Speaker 1: of the football. I think Brian Burns is an elite
Speaker 1: edge rusher and Jeremy Chin could be an elite safety
Speaker 1: as well on that defense. Going to the NFC North
Speaker 1: the Green Bay Packers with Aaron Rodgers, all the drama
Speaker 1: finally behind us, at least until next offseason. We'll see
Speaker 1: what happens there with him, But as long as he's
Speaker 1: in town, they're a competitor, a contender to go all
Speaker 1: the way. David Botr Will start on the pup. That's
Speaker 1: a big blow to that Packers offensive line. They do
Speaker 1: have some nice names up front with like Elton Jenkins,
Speaker 1: but they also lost Corey Lensley in free agency, so
Speaker 1: can they protect Rogers in the early part of the season.
Speaker 1: They did get Aaron Jones back. I love that pairing
Speaker 1: there with A J. Dillon and of course Davante Adams,
Speaker 1: for my money, is the best route runner in the
Speaker 1: National Football League, so they have weapons for their quarterback
Speaker 1: galore and Matt Lafleur. I mean, how can you complain
Speaker 1: about his resume so far? Thirteen wins and back to
Speaker 1: back seasons, a couple of trips to the NFC Championship Game.
Speaker 1: I thought they probably were the better team that day
Speaker 1: in that game against the Bucks, but things did not
Speaker 1: break their way. I think they're gonna be right back
Speaker 1: in the mix, especially since their defense just continues to
Speaker 1: get better and better over the years, and JayR Alexander
Speaker 1: is one of my favor players in the league. He's
Speaker 1: kind of spearheading that defensive surge. The clock doesn't stop.
Speaker 1: I'm sorry, it's not gonna stop one minute now. For
Speaker 1: the Minnesota Vikings. Last year was the and Mike Sammers
Speaker 1: had this himself, the worst defensive performance he's ever overseen,
Speaker 1: and he you know, it's eating at him to make
Speaker 1: that defensive effort better. They gave up way too many
Speaker 1: yards and points in the passing game last season. I
Speaker 1: expect it will get better because well, Mike Examiner is
Speaker 1: one of the best defensive coaches on the planet. But
Speaker 1: on the quarterback position, is this kind of a transition year?
Speaker 1: It could be, but I could also see them winning
Speaker 1: double digit games behind Kirk Cousins. Does he last the
Speaker 1: whole season? Does he hold off Kellen Mont who a
Speaker 1: lot of folks are high on up there in the
Speaker 1: Twin Cities. But the biggest part of this offense for
Speaker 1: me is Dalvin Cook. Behind a rebuilt offensive line, Cook
Speaker 1: is one of the best runners and yard creators in
Speaker 1: the entire National Football League. You get that thing Cranken
Speaker 1: whoever places quarterback will have some success. But getting right
Speaker 1: on defense is a such a key element for this team.
Speaker 1: And getting Danil Hunter back and healthy after being banged
Speaker 1: up all last year, that could be the biggest thing
Speaker 1: for this football team in twenty one. Stall on the
Speaker 1: clock there. Now into the Chicago Bears. When do they
Speaker 1: go to Justin Fields? That's the question everybody's gonna have
Speaker 1: around Chicago and around the league this year. I would
Speaker 1: do it. Now. They're gonna stick with Andy Dalton to
Speaker 1: start off the season and see how far he can
Speaker 1: take this Bears team. Can they get wins early and
Speaker 1: kind of build some confidence. It's a big, big year
Speaker 1: for Matt Naggy and for Ryan Pace, the head coach
Speaker 1: and general manager of the Chicago Bears. Now, I thought
Speaker 1: this draft was great, getting Justin Fields coming back with
Speaker 1: Tevin Jenkins, and they release Charles Leno and thoughts that
Speaker 1: maybe Tevin Jenkins takes that left tackle job. But now
Speaker 1: Jenkins is banged up, we will miss the entire season.
Speaker 1: So the offensive line was a bit of a problem
Speaker 1: for them this preseason. If you watch them trying to
Speaker 1: protect their quarterbacks, can they find some production from that
Speaker 1: offensive line? And will the defensive depth hold up. Because
Speaker 1: this defense is very, very good, but you lose a
Speaker 1: body like a Khalil mack Or and Eddie Jackson all
Speaker 1: of a sudden, you start to look for some options
Speaker 1: there to replace that production might be difficult to find.
Speaker 1: With the Bears, I think you're in a good spot
Speaker 1: to make a jump forward, but they're gonna have to
Speaker 1: go to fields earlier in my opinion, to make that
Speaker 1: happen in Detroit. With the Lions, how long does the
Speaker 1: mindset or the approach that Dan Campbell is installing there
Speaker 1: in Detroit, how long is it effective if they lose
Speaker 1: some games? Because this is a bit of a period
Speaker 1: of transition for the Lions. They went out and got
Speaker 1: Jared Goff. I was never a big believer in Jared
Speaker 1: Goff's game, but he certainly proved me wrong there early
Speaker 1: in his career. But things have kind of come back
Speaker 1: a little bit to the mean for him. There can
Speaker 1: he take another step here in Detroit. He's gonna have
Speaker 1: to do it with a bit of a thinner wide
Speaker 1: receiver group, as they didn't really address it so much
Speaker 1: this offseason. They also saw Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay
Speaker 1: depart via free agency, and then they went after Penna
Speaker 1: School on the offensive line, and they loved that draft pick,
Speaker 1: and he was certainly one of the top tackle prospects.
Speaker 1: But he has switched over to the right tackle position
Speaker 1: after playing left tackle in Oregon. Can he make that
Speaker 1: transition seamlessly. It's been a bit of a tough preseason
Speaker 1: so far from Penny School. And then also, how do
Speaker 1: they remake that defense to a new scheme because Matt
Speaker 1: Patricia obviously runs a very unique scheme to a couple
Speaker 1: of teams in the league. But will they transition out
Speaker 1: of that and get more production this season? Moving on
Speaker 1: to the NFC East, now twelve minutes in Washington Football Team,
Speaker 1: Ryan Fitzpatrick and those weapons they went out and got
Speaker 1: him this offseason. I'm very curious see how that matches
Speaker 1: up because I always thought fits was more of a
Speaker 1: possession in type, bigger fifty fifty type receiver thrower, or
Speaker 1: he excelled more with those guys. But they have some
Speaker 1: absolute burners and speed merchants and separators and Terry McLaurin
Speaker 1: and Curtis Samuel and Diane Brown. I love that receiving
Speaker 1: corps especially when you add in Antonio gets into that backfield.
Speaker 1: They have weapons at just at the disposal of Ryan Fitzpatrick,
Speaker 1: and I'm sure he'll put some point on the scoreboard
Speaker 1: and keep that team in plenty of games, especially with
Speaker 1: that defense that is completely loaded up front, thanks in
Speaker 1: large part to a real investment on the defensive line
Speaker 1: with Jonathan Allen one of the best defensive tackles in
Speaker 1: the game, and of course Chase Young last year and
Speaker 1: what he did as a defensive rookie of the season.
Speaker 1: Carmen curl is he legit because last year in his
Speaker 1: rookie season he certainly was. And if he is, that
Speaker 1: secondary can be good enough to really compliment that front.
Speaker 1: And also I love Ron Rivera, one of the best
Speaker 1: coaches in the NFL for my money. Going onto the
Speaker 1: Dallas Cowboys now, the weapons they have are just absurd
Speaker 1: with a Marii Cooper and Seedee Lamb, who might be
Speaker 1: one of the most electrifying receivers, I expect a big
Speaker 1: year to jump from Ceedee Lamb. Is Ezekiel Elliott gonna
Speaker 1: be healthy? Is he gonna be back to the old
Speaker 1: back we saw back in that rookie sees him That's
Speaker 1: a big question mark for them behind an offensive line
Speaker 1: that was just so banged up last year. But if
Speaker 1: they get healthy, if Zeke gets healthy, and they compliment
Speaker 1: that passing game with Doc if he's healthy. It's a
Speaker 1: lot of ifs, but if it all comes together, they
Speaker 1: could be one of the most prolific offenses in the
Speaker 1: entire National Football League. But I think the biggest cloud
Speaker 1: of doubt surrounds the health of Dak Prescott. Is he
Speaker 1: gonna be ready to go? Can he hold up the
Speaker 1: whole season with that arm strength coming off the leg injury?
Speaker 1: No less big question mark there for the Hard Knocks team.
Speaker 1: And then defense last year was a bit of a problem.
Speaker 1: Dan Quinn is in now in place of the former
Speaker 1: defensive coordinator. There he gets himself a nice first round
Speaker 1: draft pick, and Micah Parsons, who looks the part of
Speaker 1: an absolute beast in the middle of that defense. Moving
Speaker 1: on to the Philadelphia Eagles, another one of these teams
Speaker 1: that might be in a bit of a year of
Speaker 1: transition with Nick Sirianni. They go after Gardner Minshew and
Speaker 1: trade for him to help aid that quarterback room and
Speaker 1: Jalen Hurts. What can Jalen hurts be Is he gonna
Speaker 1: be one of these running, run first type quarterbacks that
Speaker 1: really takes advantage of his legs. Will he kind of
Speaker 1: take that next step as a pocket passer. I think
Speaker 1: he certainly has the work ethic and the talent to
Speaker 1: do it and become that franchise quarterback. Will it happen?
Speaker 1: Will it materialize this year? On the other side of
Speaker 1: the ball, the defense, there's so many talented players on defense,
Speaker 1: but as getting to the point to where it's the
Speaker 1: same guys you've seen for a few years now, can
Speaker 1: they hold up in health because they are getting a
Speaker 1: little bit longer in the tooth, and maybe it's getting
Speaker 1: closer to the time where they say it's time to
Speaker 1: step back and rebuild this thing. Like guys like Flexer
Speaker 1: Cox and Brandon Graham who have been so good for
Speaker 1: so long and that team again, they're just so good
Speaker 1: talent wise on paper in the trenches, and that's gonna
Speaker 1: help keep them in some close games, I believe, provided
Speaker 1: they stay healthy, because that's been a problem for this
Speaker 1: Eagles team for a long long time as well. Going
Speaker 1: on to the Giants, our final team here in the NFC,
Speaker 1: and still on one take for you guys here on
Speaker 1: Drive Time Gettleman and Joe Judge a big, big year
Speaker 1: for those guys, a big year for Daniel Jones as well.
Speaker 1: In year number three, we saw several Giants players retire
Speaker 1: this training camp. That was kind of strange to see,
Speaker 1: But I thought Gettleman, for all the arrows he takes,
Speaker 1: had a very nice draft class this time around. But
Speaker 1: it's all gonna come back to Daniel Jones and can
Speaker 1: he take that big step forward after a kind of
Speaker 1: a tough start to his career so far through two years.
Speaker 1: But the offensive line in front of him is gonna
Speaker 1: be a big, big part of that because they've put
Speaker 1: some investments into that line. They went out and draft
Speaker 1: Andrew Thomas number four overall last year in a very
Speaker 1: very good offensive line class. Can he take the next
Speaker 1: step in his second season and getting that offense kind
Speaker 1: of compliment with that defense can do because they did
Speaker 1: go out and get guys like a ca Darius Tony,
Speaker 1: who I think is fantastic, A Kenny Golladay who gives
Speaker 1: him a nice contested catch guy. But can that offense
Speaker 1: compliment a defense that really looks to have made the
Speaker 1: next step as they remade that thing with the New
Speaker 1: York Giants going over to the a f C here
Speaker 1: at minute sixteen with the Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes,
Speaker 1: Andy Reid, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelsey. I mean, the weapons
Speaker 1: and the coach and the system and the quarterback at
Speaker 1: all looks very good for a long long time for
Speaker 1: the Chiefs team. But they also remade their offensive line
Speaker 1: after the Super Bowl was a rough go for them,
Speaker 1: as they were banged up in that game, and they
Speaker 1: go out and you know, not that it's easy to
Speaker 1: do this, but I think it's a little bit easier
Speaker 1: when you don't have so many problems on your roster,
Speaker 1: and you also have problem with racers like we mentioned
Speaker 1: with Mahomes and Hill and Kelsey, but Joe Tuoney, Creed Humphrey,
Speaker 1: Tray Smith, Orlando Brown just so many added starters to
Speaker 1: the offensive line that I think you're gonna make that
Speaker 1: offensive line very very good and make this Chief's team
Speaker 1: they contender, not just to go all the way, but
Speaker 1: to possibly win every damn game they play. Defensively, they
Speaker 1: get back Juan Thornhill, who was such a vital piece
Speaker 1: of that defense, especially when you pair him with Tyrone
Speaker 1: Matthew might be one of the best safety duos in
Speaker 1: the National Football League. And then Frank Clark, besides Aaron Donald,
Speaker 1: from my money, is the best interior defensive lineman in
Speaker 1: the NFL. The Chargers year two for Justin Herbert and
Speaker 1: the Rookie of the Year had a big, big rookie
Speaker 1: season throwing the football down the field. But can they
Speaker 1: learn to close games out late? It's been a big
Speaker 1: problem for the Chargers team for a long time now.
Speaker 1: In last season, they were the same team in the
Speaker 1: fourth quarter as they were through the first three quarters
Speaker 1: of the game. They did put a bunch of effort
Speaker 1: into the offensive line, which was a bit of a
Speaker 1: sore spot last year. How quickly or will it in
Speaker 1: general solidify upfront for Justin Herbert thought Corey Lindsley was
Speaker 1: a great addition to the offensive line, but again, how
Speaker 1: quickly does it come together for that team? On the defense,
Speaker 1: also want to mention Austin Ekeler, one of the best
Speaker 1: dual purpose backs in the National Football League. He'll be
Speaker 1: a fun addition to that offense as well. On the
Speaker 1: defensive side, is Derwin James gonna finally stay healthy? Please
Speaker 1: stay healthy. Derwin James one of my favorite players to
Speaker 1: watch in the entire football league. What about Joey Bosa,
Speaker 1: same story for him, one of the best pass rushers,
Speaker 1: but can he stay healthy? This team is just so
Speaker 1: talented and it seems like they have been for a
Speaker 1: decade now. They just so they're cursed injuries, late game,
Speaker 1: just weird things that happened for this Chargers team. Can
Speaker 1: they finally get out of that funk? The Denver Bronco
Speaker 1: is a big, big year here for Vic Fangio and Teddy.
Speaker 1: He's going into it with Teddy Bridgewater beating out Drew Lock.
Speaker 1: And we talked about the Panthers and this regard passing
Speaker 1: on Justin Fields for a cornerback who I think is
Speaker 1: gonna be a home run pick in Patrick Surtan the second,
Speaker 1: but not going after Justin Fields, just like the Panthers,
Speaker 1: I think will be a big question or just a
Speaker 1: big storyline that follows this team for a couple of
Speaker 1: years here, as they did not get the production of
Speaker 1: Drew Lock last year or the production this summer to
Speaker 1: make him their starter as kind of the guy that
Speaker 1: was hoping to be the bridge or the future rather
Speaker 1: going to the bridge quarterback here with Teddy Bridgewater, Justin
Speaker 1: Simmons is there, Von Miller is back and healthy, and
Speaker 1: this defense, you know, it's gonna be a team that
Speaker 1: has to win games with defense and special teams in
Speaker 1: that formula with ball control. But like I mentioned, to
Speaker 1: go out and get a Patrick Sir Tam plus a
Speaker 1: who's the cornerback they got from Kyle Fuller, I should
Speaker 1: say from the Bears. That's a great addition to this
Speaker 1: defense for the Broncos. And they have a strong defense
Speaker 1: and Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon can help them with
Speaker 1: that ball control style offense. The Las Vegas Raiders, they
Speaker 1: started very strong the last couple of years in September
Speaker 1: October under John Gruden, including the loan victory or the
Speaker 1: loan loss, I should say of the Chiefs in that season.
Speaker 1: Besides I think the season finale when they rested everybody,
Speaker 1: but then they kind of fizzled out late in both
Speaker 1: of those years. Can they fix that? Can they find
Speaker 1: a way to win games in December and stay competitive
Speaker 1: through the playoff chase. I think Derek Carr is one
Speaker 1: of the most underrated quarterbacks in the NFL. He is
Speaker 1: so good at getting the ball out quick, also accurate
Speaker 1: down the field, A tough guy that that plays pretty
Speaker 1: much every game and stays out there. Didn't expect him
Speaker 1: to play in that game last year against Miami, but
Speaker 1: he did and played great in that game. Defensively, it
Speaker 1: was a struggle for them. Can they get pressure this year?
Speaker 1: They made a heavy investment in that defensive secondary. Will
Speaker 1: it click right away for them? And plus the free
Speaker 1: agent additions they made last year. Sometimes it takes a
Speaker 1: year for free agents to connect and get together. Will
Speaker 1: that happen in year two for the Raiders? They need
Speaker 1: it there for John Gruden to get into the playoffs
Speaker 1: for the first time since signed that ten year contract
Speaker 1: a few years back. Over to the a f C
Speaker 1: South minute number twenty the Tennessee Titans Julio Jones with
Speaker 1: a J. Brown to compliment Derrick Henry in that running game.
Speaker 1: I think really accentuate the things that Ryan Tannehill does well.
Speaker 1: Twelve personnel package as a max protect couple of routes downfield,
Speaker 1: use that big strong arm, but also the athletic ability
Speaker 1: to get outside when he has to. It was a
Speaker 1: tough year for that defense last year but they'll be healthier,
Speaker 1: and I expect a big season upfront from Jeffrey Simmons
Speaker 1: on the interior, and you go out and you add
Speaker 1: a guy like Bud Dupree to book end with Harold Landry.
Speaker 1: The Titans pass rush has been one of those position
Speaker 1: groups across the league for the last couple of years
Speaker 1: where it's like, man, we could use some more there,
Speaker 1: And it seems like this year they've gotten a lot
Speaker 1: more in that area to really get after the quarterback.
Speaker 1: But can they find a way to keep those guys
Speaker 1: fresh and keep rotation that keeps them healthy and ready
Speaker 1: to go on third downs late in games. Offensively, though,
Speaker 1: I think this team could be one of the best
Speaker 1: in the NFL with those weapons, and that is always
Speaker 1: a good recipe for success in today's NFL to be
Speaker 1: offensive heavy like the Titans might be the Indianapolis Colts.
Speaker 1: The injuries that's they're they're they're piling up for this team,
Speaker 1: and it's a big question mark with this club right now.
Speaker 1: Can Carson Wentz get back and healthy. Can you play
Speaker 1: the first few games of the season after that foot injury,
Speaker 1: but will he also get back mechanically sound to what
Speaker 1: he was in Philadelphia that m v P type season
Speaker 1: in seventeen before things kind of went backwards on him
Speaker 1: a little bit. Then he rebounded. I thought inten with
Speaker 1: a great push at the end of that season. But
Speaker 1: last year just didn't look comfortable. The base got two wide,
Speaker 1: sometimes bald would sail on him. Just wasn't a very
Speaker 1: good year. But if anybody can correct it, I think
Speaker 1: Frank Reich is that quarterback whisper to do so. They
Speaker 1: have a dominant offensive line, perhaps one of the best
Speaker 1: in the NFL, led by Quentin Nelson, and very good
Speaker 1: backs in Jonathan Taylor, Niheem Himes and Marlon Mack and
Speaker 1: Matt eber Fleus. On defense with Darius Leonard kind of
Speaker 1: being the straw that stirs the drink. He's a very
Speaker 1: underrated coordinator, a very good defense. But what does the
Speaker 1: back end of that defense look like? In that secondary?
Speaker 1: That could be one of the question marks for this
Speaker 1: Colts team heading into the season the Jacksonville Jaguars. I
Speaker 1: look at the learning curve here for a first time
Speaker 1: NFL coach in Urban Meyer, one of the best football
Speaker 1: coaches of the last couple of decades, college pro or otherwise,
Speaker 1: can he get the NFL game down in imediately. I
Speaker 1: don't doubt that he can. We'll see if he can.
Speaker 1: I think getting Trevor Lawrence the first pick in the
Speaker 1: draft is certainly going to be a big part of
Speaker 1: taking that early step and making this team competitive in
Speaker 1: year one under urban Meyer after a fifteen game losing
Speaker 1: streak last season. But I expect him to get better
Speaker 1: as the season goes along, kind of like you saw
Speaker 1: with Brian Flores his first year here in Miami, as
Speaker 1: he gets the culture kind of instilled and they kind
Speaker 1: of begin to build upon what they think they are
Speaker 1: as a football team and get better that way. I
Speaker 1: love the weapons they have on offense with Lavisco Chanal
Speaker 1: DJ Shark, losing Travis E t N sucks man. He's
Speaker 1: such a good kid and a good player. Wanted to
Speaker 1: see him there in year one with Trevor Lawrence. Defensively,
Speaker 1: I want to see what Josh Allen can do now
Speaker 1: in your number three, one of the best pass rushers
Speaker 1: to come out in recent years. And then c J. Henderson,
Speaker 1: their cornerback first round pick last year. What does he
Speaker 1: look like in your number two? The Houston Texans at
Speaker 1: quarterback looks like it's gonna be Tyrod Taylor and at
Speaker 1: some point maybe Davis Mills. Their first draft pick, who
Speaker 1: I believe was taken in the in the third round
Speaker 1: of this last April's draft. David Cole he gets his
Speaker 1: first head coaching job. It's good for him. He's got
Speaker 1: a tough task ahead of him here with Nick Cassirio
Speaker 1: and Nick easterby kind of repositioning this franchise and rebuilding
Speaker 1: this club. They signed something like twenty twenty five free
Speaker 1: agents this offseason, and most of those were one year deals.
Speaker 1: We saw a report the other day that the Texans
Speaker 1: were making most of their veterans available and trade offers.
Speaker 1: I can't remember where I saw that report, but if
Speaker 1: it's the case, they might be looking to kind of
Speaker 1: recoup some of that draft capital that had gone by
Speaker 1: the boards last couple of years. But if they can
Speaker 1: do that and continue to build this thing up around
Speaker 1: draft picks opposed to the free agents they had to
Speaker 1: sign this year to really get themselves a football team
Speaker 1: on the field, that could be a positive sign going forward.
Speaker 1: But a very weird offseason for the Houston Texans. They
Speaker 1: had minimal draft capital to work with. Trying to restock
Speaker 1: the cupboards that way and build for the future there
Speaker 1: in Houston, the Baltimore Ravens now as we go to
Speaker 1: the a f C North here two more divisions left.
Speaker 1: Losing JK. Dobbins to me changes the outlook drastically from
Speaker 1: my prediction standpoint, and this is in order of my position,
Speaker 1: my division winners. But then the team is just one
Speaker 1: of the best ran to teams in the NFL, so
Speaker 1: I think they'll find a way to do it again.
Speaker 1: I just loved how Dobbin's complimented Lamar and his skill set.
Speaker 1: But they did get some new weapons in the passing
Speaker 1: game with Sammy Watkins and Rashan Bateman. Both those guys
Speaker 1: are dinged up right now those we start the season.
Speaker 1: They have a load of defense, especially in that defensive secondary,
Speaker 1: one of the secondaries. For my money, they can they
Speaker 1: can compete with Miami for the top heavy and depth
Speaker 1: of that secondary, but they can go out and get
Speaker 1: leads with that explosive offense and Lamar Jackson and the
Speaker 1: running game. Then take the air out of the football
Speaker 1: with that running game because they can just out execute
Speaker 1: you in the running game and then play good tight
Speaker 1: coverage and really prevent the deef the offense from coming
Speaker 1: back through the area. Because they are ball hawks, they
Speaker 1: play tight coverage, and they also compliment all that with
Speaker 1: one of the best special teams units in the league,
Speaker 1: led by both John Harbaugh and by Justin Tucker. I
Speaker 1: just love the way this team is constructed. The Cleveland
Speaker 1: Browns have arguably one of the best rosters in the
Speaker 1: National Football League. Can Baker Mayfield continue the surge we
Speaker 1: saw in the second half of last season and be
Speaker 1: the quarterback that we all thought he might have been
Speaker 1: after being the first pick in the draft. I thought
Speaker 1: he to the part last year. I would expect him
Speaker 1: to continue that climb towards a top ten quarterback status.
Speaker 1: Kevin Stefanski in year two, you know, sometimes it's tough
Speaker 1: to repeat a strong rookie season as a head coach.
Speaker 1: We've seen it so many times where a coach comes
Speaker 1: in wins a bunch of games. Year two is tough
Speaker 1: to replicate, and then things kind of get sideways. I
Speaker 1: don't think it's gonna be the case for Kevin Stefanski.
Speaker 1: I think that he is more than equipped to build
Speaker 1: a solid football team. I think he's done that here
Speaker 1: in Cleveland, especially on the defensive side of the football.
Speaker 1: Miles Garrett is a defensive Player of the Year candidate,
Speaker 1: and the moves they made with both John Johnson and
Speaker 1: Troy Hill from the Rams, that was a fantastic remake
Speaker 1: of a position group that needed some help, kind of
Speaker 1: like the Chiefs on the offensive line, Cleveland did well
Speaker 1: in the secondary and they have the best offensive line
Speaker 1: in the NFL for my money, blocking for Nick Chubb
Speaker 1: and Kareem Hunt one of the best two headed monsters
Speaker 1: in the NFL as well. The Pittsburgh Steelers Big Ben
Speaker 1: Roethlisberger's last to raw can't He's still get the job done?
Speaker 1: I mean it looks like it, the guys. He had
Speaker 1: some fantastic play in the preseason, throwing touchdown passes to
Speaker 1: Pat friar Muth, throwing him open a couple of those
Speaker 1: in that Lin's game a couple of weeks ago. Well,
Speaker 1: excuse me, we're not stopping the clock. Will they be
Speaker 1: the first the team we saw in the first eleven
Speaker 1: games last year that was eleven and oh, or will
Speaker 1: they be the team that finished out the season one
Speaker 1: and five with one victory and the five losses including
Speaker 1: the playoff loss to Cleveland. I think Nagy Harris could
Speaker 1: certainly resurrect that run game, but without the reinforcements up
Speaker 1: front on the offensive line, can't he make that happen.
Speaker 1: He could be a bell cow from day one there
Speaker 1: in Pittsburgh. Last year they kind of saw the defensive
Speaker 1: opposition creep in on them and kind of shut down
Speaker 1: the short passing game and squat on some routes because
Speaker 1: they just couldn't get vertical. That can't be the case again.
Speaker 1: They have to find a way to get vertical with
Speaker 1: Juju Smith and Nate uh Washington and Deante Thompson. Man,
Speaker 1: I'm killing the name show the receiver, the receiving corn
Speaker 1: of the Pittsburgh Steelers has some guys who can get vertical,
Speaker 1: and they could have the top defense and it starts
Speaker 1: with t J. Watt and that front with Cam Heyward
Speaker 1: and stefon to it. But who's going to be cornerback
Speaker 1: to That's a big question mark for me. Went a
Speaker 1: little bit into the Bengals time here, but Joe Burrow
Speaker 1: is the big story there. Will he trust that knee
Speaker 1: and feel comfortable in the pocket. They didn't really address
Speaker 1: the offensive line this year, but they do get Jonah
Speaker 1: Williams back, a big time left tackle prospect out of Alabama.
Speaker 1: That could be a big boon for them. Can Jamaar
Speaker 1: Chase get his confidence back after getting five targets in
Speaker 1: the preseason and dropping four of those passes. That will
Speaker 1: be a big storyline as he and Joe Burrow reunite.
Speaker 1: Big year for Zach Taylor after a couple of rough
Speaker 1: years to start his career there in Cincinnati. But they
Speaker 1: did end the season last year with Brandon Allen being
Speaker 1: very competitive, winning a bunch of games against some tough
Speaker 1: teams down the stretch as well beating Pittsburgh on Monday
Speaker 1: Night Football with Ryan Finley and that was an impressive showing.
Speaker 1: And will this offensive line come together and give Joe
Speaker 1: Burrow time to throw the ball downfield to mar Chase
Speaker 1: to Tee Higgins to Tyler Boyd a very good receiving
Speaker 1: corps and then Joe Mixing one of the better running
Speaker 1: backs in the NFL. Dual threat guy there in Cincinnati.
Speaker 1: Moving on to the a f C East, we have
Speaker 1: three more minutes left because we're not gonna do the
Speaker 1: Miami Dolphins, but the Buffalo Bills I think probably have
Speaker 1: the second best roster in the NFL and maybe the
Speaker 1: third best behind the Chiefs and Bucks. Josh Allen we
Speaker 1: know what he can do. He is tough as I'll
Speaker 1: get out. He can fit every window, he can escape pressure,
Speaker 1: he can shake off tacklers, tough, tough guy to stop.
Speaker 1: They have the skilled positions down pat with Stefon Diggs,
Speaker 1: who was the best receiver in the NFL all of
Speaker 1: the NFL last year. From my money. They go out
Speaker 1: and they get Emmanuel Sanders as well, and they also
Speaker 1: have gave Davis there in tow with a couple of
Speaker 1: good running backs and Zack Moss. But I thought that
Speaker 1: Devin Singletary this preseason looked the part. I think he
Speaker 1: could be a really good running back for some years
Speaker 1: for them. On defense that the hits keep coming, Matt
Speaker 1: Milano and Tremaine Edmonds are really good linebackers and they
Speaker 1: play behind a remade defensive line that added more pass
Speaker 1: rushers in this year's draft with Gregory Rousseau and Carlos Basham.
Speaker 1: I loved those picks for that defense. And they rebuild
Speaker 1: rebuilt the secondary a couple of years back, and they're
Speaker 1: all still there. With Micah Hide, Jordan Poyer, Andrew Davious White,
Speaker 1: one of the best secondaries of the NFL. But who
Speaker 1: was cornerback to three four? After that? Depth is the
Speaker 1: one area you might be able to go after on
Speaker 1: that team. The New England Patriots. The big news of
Speaker 1: the week was Mac Jones will start the season for
Speaker 1: the Patriots after they release Cam Newton. They get all
Speaker 1: those opt out back. Nobody had more opt outs last
Speaker 1: year than the New England Patriots, including Dante high Tower,
Speaker 1: one of their best players. They have a huge free
Speaker 1: agency period. Huge freegency class doesn't pay dividends. It used
Speaker 1: to be that it took a year for the free
Speaker 1: agent class to really kind of come together and solidify.
Speaker 1: But teams have had more success recently getting new pieces
Speaker 1: in and I think what Belichick would do their assigned
Speaker 1: guys that fit the system and fit what he wants
Speaker 1: to do, and you have to imagine they will pay
Speaker 1: off quickly, quicker, more quickly rather than later for the
Speaker 1: Patriots team. We're not stopping the clock. Baby. Kendrick Boorn,
Speaker 1: Nelson Aghilar are the receiver auditions with Hunter Henry and
Speaker 1: John W. Smith. Can that twelve personnel package stay healthy
Speaker 1: because to me, that's the scariest part of this team
Speaker 1: if they have Hunter Henry and Johnny Smith on the
Speaker 1: field at the same time. They did lose Devan Assisi
Speaker 1: and also Hunter Henry has been banged up this camp defensively.
Speaker 1: Matt Judean, what a great addition he was. He's gonna
Speaker 1: be tough to deal with, going along with Dante high Tower.
Speaker 1: They did put Steffon Gilmour on pup so missed the
Speaker 1: first six weeks at least, but J. C. Jackson, Kyle
Speaker 1: Dugger and Devin mccordy one of the best secondaries in NFL.
Speaker 1: And we finished up here with the New York Jets.
Speaker 1: I think they're on the way up, but they might
Speaker 1: be a year away. We'll see what happens this year.
Speaker 1: They're going with a young quarterback right at the gate
Speaker 1: and Zach Wilson, the number two pick of the draft
Speaker 1: who had a fantastic preseason this August, but Mike White
Speaker 1: is the number two quarterbacks so Zach Wilson's gotta stay
Speaker 1: healthy and playoff seven team games because the experience and
Speaker 1: that position at backup quarterback just is not there right now.
Speaker 1: On defense, Will Robert Salas defense take hold right away.
Speaker 1: I think losing Carl Lawson was an absolute killer because
Speaker 1: he was one of the real up and coming pass
Speaker 1: rushers in this league. With his pressure rate. I think
Speaker 1: it was probably gonna convert that to more sacks this
Speaker 1: year as a Jet. That hurts that team. But they
Speaker 1: do still have Sheldon Rankings and Quinn and Williams on
Speaker 1: the inside. Both those guys can flat out ball and
Speaker 1: then the secondary who's gonna rise up and kind of
Speaker 1: be that next guy for them? And I'm also curious
Speaker 1: to finally see C. J. Moseley, who's played one game
Speaker 1: in two years with the New York Jets. There it
Speaker 1: is thirty one minutes in the can the entire NFL previewed.
Speaker 1: You've already heard the Miami Dolphins a hundred times in
Speaker 1: this podcast, so I thought we go ahead and pass
Speaker 1: on that story once again. That's your NFL preview for
Speaker 1: one season. And what kind of preview would it be
Speaker 1: if we didn't give you predictions for everybody's record and
Speaker 1: go through the playoffs. We start here in the NFC
Speaker 1: in the West, I have the Rams twelve and five,
Speaker 1: Seahawks twelve and five, nine Ers, eleven and six, and
Speaker 1: Cardinals tenants seven. Four double digit win teams in the
Speaker 1: NFC West and all four in the postseason. How you
Speaker 1: like that. Moving to the South, the NFC South number
Speaker 1: one seed Tampa Bay Buccaneers go fourteen and three, New
Speaker 1: Orleans nine and eight, the Falcons seven and eleven, Panthers
Speaker 1: five and twelve. Bringing up the rear. In the NFC
Speaker 1: North are two seed Green Bay Packers twelve and five,
Speaker 1: the Vikings eight and nine, the Bears six and eleven,
Speaker 1: Detroit three and fourteen. Over in the NFC East, the
Speaker 1: Washington football team gets the four seed as division champions
Speaker 1: at nine and eight. The Cowboys go eight and nine,
Speaker 1: the Eagles five and twelve, and the Giants four and thirteen.
Speaker 1: Over to the a f C East and the West,
Speaker 1: the Chiefs fifteen and two, the one seed, the Chargers
Speaker 1: nine and eight, the seven seed, the Broncos seven and ten,
Speaker 1: and the Raiders six and eleven in the South. One
Speaker 1: playoff team here, the Titans win the division at ten
Speaker 1: and seven, the Colts seven and ten, the Jaguars six
Speaker 1: and eleven, and Houston one and six. Team in the North,
Speaker 1: Cleveland thirteen and four takes home the a f C
Speaker 1: North at the three seed of Baltimore gets the sixth
Speaker 1: seed at eleven and six, the Steelers nine and eight,
Speaker 1: and the Bengals three and fourteen. Finally, in the a
Speaker 1: f C East, Buffalo takes it again fourteen and three.
Speaker 1: There will be the two seed Miami twelve and five,
Speaker 1: the five seed Patriots nine and eight, the Jets five
Speaker 1: and twelve. This is all my predictions, only just for
Speaker 1: fun for the sake of the podcast. In the playoffs
Speaker 1: in the NFC, the Cardinals lose to the Packers in
Speaker 1: the opening round. The Washington football team takes out the
Speaker 1: Seahawks in a home game, and the Rams take down
Speaker 1: the forty Niners in the wild card round. Then the
Speaker 1: divisional round, the Rams take down the pack Ers in
Speaker 1: lambeau Field, and the Bucks take out the Washington football
Speaker 1: team to give us a Rams Bucks NFC championship game
Speaker 1: and give me the fighting mcveigh's to go to the
Speaker 1: Super Bowl. In the NFC, on the a f C side,
Speaker 1: the Dolphins take down the Titans for the playoff victory
Speaker 1: for the first time in two decades. The Ravens take
Speaker 1: out the Browns and an upset on the road and
Speaker 1: the Bills take out the Chargers to get to the
Speaker 1: second round. Then the Chiefs take out the Dolphins to
Speaker 1: get back to the a f C Championship Game once again,
Speaker 1: and the Bills beat the Ravens. We have a repeat
Speaker 1: of the a f C Championship Game and a repeat
Speaker 1: result with the Chiefs and they go on to the
Speaker 1: Super Bowl to take out the Rams and Patrick Mahomes
Speaker 1: gets ring number two. That's the prediction. That's the end
Speaker 1: of the podcast. Caroline, Daddy is coming home. You all
Speaker 1: please be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcast.
Speaker 1: Leave us a rating, leave us a review. You can
Speaker 1: follow me on Twitter at winkl NFL, follow the team
Speaker 1: at Miami Dolphins, check out the fish Tank podcast with
Speaker 1: Seth and o J, and of course Miami Dolphins dot com.
Speaker 1: Until next time, fins Up.