WEBVTT - #21: Chiefs Super Bowl fatigue? 0:00:06.583 --> 0:00:09.143 It's a brand new edition of NFL Power Rankings. Mike 0:00:09.223 --> 0:00:10.863 Am and Eric head home with you, and it's kind 0:00:10.863 --> 0:00:12.663 of a special edition for us. I'm usually in the 0:00:12.663 --> 0:00:15.063 studio and this week I'm at the East West Rine Ball, 0:00:15.103 --> 0:00:17.543 which will be able to catch on Thursday on NFL 0:00:17.583 --> 0:00:19.063 Network at Eastern time. 0:00:19.143 --> 0:00:21.183 And we know, Eric is that the Senior Bowl. Certainly 0:00:21.223 --> 0:00:23.103 bumped up for that matchup to see some of. 0:00:23.103 --> 0:00:26.263 The best college players in the entire country. But here's 0:00:26.303 --> 0:00:29.383 the best part, Eric, draft a side college players aside. 0:00:29.423 --> 0:00:32.583 We finally know the Super Bowl matchup and it's a rematch. 0:00:32.583 --> 0:00:34.503 It too ridiculously talented teams. 0:00:36.103 --> 0:00:37.983 We got to sprint to the finish, right, just like 0:00:38.023 --> 0:00:39.903 my run through the airport. Yeah. No, this is a 0:00:39.903 --> 0:00:42.423 great time of year, especially for the draft knicks out there. 0:00:42.703 --> 0:00:45.943 They're starting to update their needs lists, their prospect lists, 0:00:45.983 --> 0:00:47.663 and we'll be watching a lot of them, you and 0:00:47.703 --> 0:00:50.063 I between our two locations. 0:00:50.983 --> 0:00:53.583 Yes, we will have everyone covered here, but if you're 0:00:53.663 --> 0:00:55.583 checking out the show, you want to know the rankings. 0:00:55.623 --> 0:00:58.263 And it's not really a huge surprise to see who's 0:00:58.303 --> 0:01:01.543 in that top spot six consecutive weeks. The Kansas Cheeps, 0:01:01.583 --> 0:01:04.703 they just have to figure out ways to win football games, 0:01:04.743 --> 0:01:07.343 and we might be talking about a history making team 0:01:07.383 --> 0:01:09.783 with a third consecutive Super Bowl. The team they will 0:01:09.823 --> 0:01:12.023 match up against moved up two spots, so that is 0:01:12.023 --> 0:01:14.783 the Philadelphia Eagles, the Bills drop a spot, and the 0:01:14.823 --> 0:01:18.143 Commanders fall into that fourth position. We'll talk about all 0:01:18.143 --> 0:01:21.143 four of these teams, but had tip major respect, we 0:01:21.183 --> 0:01:24.063 got to start with the number one squad. There's a 0:01:24.063 --> 0:01:26.343 phrase that has been thrown out there on social media. 0:01:26.383 --> 0:01:28.903 I've seen it done on shows when I'm checking in 0:01:28.943 --> 0:01:33.023 on NFL coverage and they say Chiefs fatigue. Is that 0:01:33.103 --> 0:01:35.183 a fair way to look at this squad? Because I 0:01:35.463 --> 0:01:37.703 would argue it shouldn't be fatigue. We should be saying, 0:01:37.743 --> 0:01:39.223 you know what, this is pretty. 0:01:38.903 --> 0:01:43.623 Special, Yeah, Mike. We experienced something pretty similar, I think 0:01:43.663 --> 0:01:47.023 with New England a generation or two ago, and it 0:01:47.103 --> 0:01:49.543 obviously got a little tiresome for fans to see the 0:01:49.583 --> 0:01:52.423 same team in there every single year. We're watching the 0:01:52.423 --> 0:01:55.183 greatest quarterback of his generation, even if the stats don't 0:01:55.183 --> 0:01:58.143 always add up. He wasn't in the MVP conversation necessarily 0:01:58.183 --> 0:02:01.903 this year, but Patrick Mahomes delivered a tremendous game against 0:02:01.903 --> 0:02:05.303 the Bills defense that was shorthanded. He took it. He 0:02:05.383 --> 0:02:08.303 got the three touchdowns that he needed, and his teammates 0:02:08.343 --> 0:02:10.183 certainly helped him out too. Xavier are Worthy. What a 0:02:10.223 --> 0:02:12.783 tremendous game he had too. So here's a new face, 0:02:12.863 --> 0:02:14.703 right Here's a guy that we watched at the Combine 0:02:14.783 --> 0:02:17.223 last year blow it up, and he's a new addition 0:02:17.303 --> 0:02:19.703 to this team. So there are some new faces there. 0:02:19.743 --> 0:02:23.543 And listen, like, I agree, greatness you appreciate it in 0:02:23.543 --> 0:02:25.823 the moment that you try to at best, and that's 0:02:25.823 --> 0:02:27.183 what we're witnessing right now. 0:02:28.143 --> 0:02:29.943 Yeah, I use the analogy all the time, and I 0:02:29.983 --> 0:02:31.903 think the same can be said for and you made 0:02:31.943 --> 0:02:33.983 a reference to the Patriots to you know, Tom Brady. 0:02:34.023 --> 0:02:36.223 I'm glad I was an adult and understood what was happening. 0:02:36.263 --> 0:02:38.983 I was still a kid when Jordan's bulls were kind 0:02:39.023 --> 0:02:41.223 of running through the NBA, but I understood what was 0:02:41.263 --> 0:02:43.663 going on. I like to be able to say that 0:02:43.703 --> 0:02:46.663 I've seen those guys play and I understand what greatness 0:02:46.703 --> 0:02:49.583 really is. We're witnessing that right now. And I think 0:02:49.583 --> 0:02:52.063 there's a layer to this conversation. You know, for a 0:02:52.103 --> 0:02:54.423 Buffalo perspective, I asked you this question last week, and 0:02:54.423 --> 0:02:56.343 we'll talk about the Bills in their downfall. But on 0:02:56.383 --> 0:02:58.423 last week's show, I said, hey, is this team, you know, 0:02:58.783 --> 0:03:00.943 is this their best chance? Is the best team that 0:03:00.983 --> 0:03:03.743 we've seen Buffalo? Now they fall short. I'd ask you 0:03:03.783 --> 0:03:05.743 the same thing about this Chief squad because the last 0:03:05.823 --> 0:03:09.503 two Super Bowls, it does feel different to watch this 0:03:09.583 --> 0:03:11.903 year's Kansas City Chief squad than the one that we've 0:03:11.903 --> 0:03:13.223 seen the last two campaigns. 0:03:14.703 --> 0:03:17.863 Yeah, they've mastered these close game victories and it's seemingly, 0:03:18.423 --> 0:03:20.943 you know, Andy Reid and Steve Spagnolo coming up with 0:03:20.983 --> 0:03:23.863 great plans every single week and understanding, you know what 0:03:24.023 --> 0:03:26.783 needs to be done to win this game. Right. You know, 0:03:26.863 --> 0:03:29.143 this is again, I would say, a different version of 0:03:29.143 --> 0:03:31.343 the Chiefs that we've seen, at least for most of 0:03:31.383 --> 0:03:34.143 the year. And you're right, this team in particular has 0:03:34.183 --> 0:03:37.663 had to overcome a lot the left tackle issues. Obviously 0:03:37.823 --> 0:03:40.543 at times, the secondary was a little shorthanded, you know, 0:03:40.583 --> 0:03:43.023 the receiver injuries as well. So a lot of new 0:03:43.023 --> 0:03:46.423 faces in these spots, and yet the same old consistency 0:03:46.503 --> 0:03:49.663 Andy Reid, great game plans, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelcey, all 0:03:49.703 --> 0:03:52.263 those guys executing it. It's it's pretty brilliant stuff to 0:03:52.303 --> 0:03:54.663 watch in real time. Yeah. 0:03:54.703 --> 0:03:56.023 Look, we're going to do a deep dive in a 0:03:56.023 --> 0:03:58.983 Super Bowl preview next week here on power rankings. But 0:03:59.663 --> 0:04:03.103 is there something that comes to mind as the secret 0:04:03.143 --> 0:04:05.743 sauce for them to win a third consecutive after you've 0:04:05.783 --> 0:04:08.703 now seen essentially a full season plus the postseason, with 0:04:08.783 --> 0:04:10.423 just one game left for Casey. 0:04:11.943 --> 0:04:14.903 Yeah, obviously you know they're gonna get Philly's best game, right. 0:04:14.943 --> 0:04:17.263 I mean, even though not everybody from that Eagles team 0:04:17.343 --> 0:04:18.823 was there when they lost to the Chiefs in the 0:04:18.863 --> 0:04:21.023 Super Bowl, a super Bowl, they probably felt they should 0:04:21.063 --> 0:04:23.423 have won. But there's no doubt that the Eagles are 0:04:23.423 --> 0:04:25.103 going to come in and say, all right, this time 0:04:25.183 --> 0:04:27.903 we cannot be beaten. Right, we have to be able 0:04:27.903 --> 0:04:30.943 to get a lead, hang on and don't give it up, right, 0:04:30.983 --> 0:04:34.103 because when the Chiefs start dictating the flow of play, 0:04:34.503 --> 0:04:37.423 that's when things get real scary. Obviously, Mahomes in the 0:04:37.463 --> 0:04:39.983 fourth quarter, you can never count that guy out. So 0:04:40.543 --> 0:04:43.263 you know, whatever it takes to save the energy of 0:04:43.303 --> 0:04:46.383 those pass rushers, make sure you rotate throughout the game 0:04:46.423 --> 0:04:49.463 for the Eagles and get after him because boy, you know, 0:04:49.583 --> 0:04:52.543 defending these guys for four quarters. Even if the offensive 0:04:52.623 --> 0:04:55.463 numbers don't look all that mind blowing. By game's end, 0:04:55.983 --> 0:04:58.383 they will have cut you at some point and dug deep. 0:04:58.463 --> 0:05:00.703 And that's what they often do. And Philly knows that 0:05:00.743 --> 0:05:03.623 more than anybody. Nick Sirianni Jalen hurts everybody else who 0:05:03.663 --> 0:05:04.623 went through it the last time. 0:05:05.863 --> 0:05:08.623 Yeah, you see that image there of Patrick Mahomes kind 0:05:08.623 --> 0:05:11.703 of holding up the Lombardi Trophy. You think about what 0:05:11.743 --> 0:05:13.783 this guy has been able to accomplish. You mentioned the 0:05:13.783 --> 0:05:16.263 greatness there, but it is about also some of the 0:05:16.263 --> 0:05:18.783 pieces around him. You loved up, Andy Reid. I think 0:05:18.823 --> 0:05:21.783 about a conversation I had with Brian Baldinger last year, 0:05:21.783 --> 0:05:23.423 and I made reference to the fact that this is 0:05:23.463 --> 0:05:26.703 a different KC team, right. I think about that first championship, 0:05:26.743 --> 0:05:29.063 high flying, explosive place, Tyreek Hill running all over the 0:05:29.103 --> 0:05:31.663 place last year. I think about this team's defense, and 0:05:31.703 --> 0:05:33.663 Baldy made a really good point. He goes, I don't 0:05:33.743 --> 0:05:36.223 understand how Spags is now on the sidelines, not as 0:05:36.263 --> 0:05:38.903 a DC of this team, but as a head coach. 0:05:39.463 --> 0:05:41.823 Had some interviews. According to a lot of our insiders, 0:05:41.863 --> 0:05:44.423 are you surprised we're not talking about him, you know, 0:05:44.583 --> 0:05:46.983 really leading the charge and kind of having the reigns 0:05:47.023 --> 0:05:48.743 of his own team. 0:05:49.783 --> 0:05:52.943 Yeah, I think everybody knew in that key spot, that 0:05:53.103 --> 0:05:55.343 fourth down with just under two minutes to go, they 0:05:55.343 --> 0:05:57.223 said Spags is going to bring a blitz. I'm sure 0:05:57.303 --> 0:05:59.783 Josh Allen knew it too, but he wasn't able to 0:05:59.783 --> 0:06:02.303 pick out exactly where the pressure was coming from. He 0:06:02.423 --> 0:06:04.623 kind of drifted into it. You know, that's a cloud 0:06:04.783 --> 0:06:07.743 six Spags call. We've seen enough big Chiefs games over 0:06:07.743 --> 0:06:10.143 the last five, six, seven years to where we kind 0:06:10.143 --> 0:06:12.143 of know this guy is going to bring it. He's 0:06:12.143 --> 0:06:14.703 not going to go down without swinging, And it's just 0:06:14.743 --> 0:06:16.943 sort of that instinct that makes you think this guy 0:06:17.063 --> 0:06:19.983 is an exceptional football coach. Now, his first go round 0:06:19.983 --> 0:06:22.343 as a head coach did not go well, asked Saint 0:06:22.423 --> 0:06:25.463 Louis Rams fans. They remember it all too unfondly, I 0:06:25.463 --> 0:06:28.423 should say, But you know, it begs the question does 0:06:28.463 --> 0:06:31.023 he deserve that second chance? This is somebody who's been 0:06:31.063 --> 0:06:33.583 overlooked the last couple of cycles, even with a couple 0:06:33.583 --> 0:06:36.583 of token interviews along the way. So you know, I 0:06:36.903 --> 0:06:38.903 still believe the Hall of Fame should be open to 0:06:38.943 --> 0:06:41.783 assistant coaches, guys like the Jimmy Great Jimmy Johnson from 0:06:42.503 --> 0:06:45.663 Philadelphia and others who you know Monti Kiffen and these 0:06:45.703 --> 0:06:48.983 great defensive coordinators. I would put Steve Spagnola in that 0:06:49.023 --> 0:06:52.183 wing too, because I think he belongs. But let's not 0:06:52.383 --> 0:06:54.743 end his chapter as just a coordinator and a one 0:06:54.743 --> 0:06:56.703 time head coach. I still am holding out hope that 0:06:56.743 --> 0:06:58.863 he can get a second opportunity. I think he deserves it. 0:06:59.903 --> 0:07:02.143 Yeah, I'm with you one hundred percent from that perspective, 0:07:02.143 --> 0:07:04.463 and maybe if they want another Super Bowl that eventually 0:07:04.863 --> 0:07:07.383 come for him. And it's gonna be tough against the 0:07:07.503 --> 0:07:10.103 number two ranked team and that is the Philadelphia Eagles 0:07:10.143 --> 0:07:12.983 trying to redeem themselves from couple of seasons ago and 0:07:13.063 --> 0:07:16.663 win a Super Bowl championship. We've spent a good stretch 0:07:16.663 --> 0:07:18.983 of this season talking about who the MVP is and 0:07:19.143 --> 0:07:21.223 is you know, Lamar Jackson is a Josh Allen. There 0:07:21.263 --> 0:07:23.143 was a time where Saquon Barkley was in the mix. 0:07:23.623 --> 0:07:27.663 Josh's criticism now really is hey can't beat Mahomes when 0:07:27.703 --> 0:07:30.063 it counts the great players. And by the way, I 0:07:30.063 --> 0:07:31.983 don't know if I totally agree with that assertion, that's 0:07:31.983 --> 0:07:34.023 what people are saying. I know, maybe the numbers bear 0:07:34.063 --> 0:07:35.983 it out, and I do have to believe it, but 0:07:36.583 --> 0:07:38.903 guys are delivering the best players in the NFL in 0:07:38.943 --> 0:07:42.383 the game's biggest moments, and Saquon Barkley is doing that 0:07:42.623 --> 0:07:45.623 right now. For as great as Mahomes is, Saquon is 0:07:45.703 --> 0:07:47.863 just doing it differently in a different position and is 0:07:47.903 --> 0:07:51.183 also fantastic. Is he enough to run this team to 0:07:51.263 --> 0:07:52.663 a championship. 0:07:52.183 --> 0:07:53.983 At this point? Who am I to doubt him? Right? 0:07:54.263 --> 0:07:56.063 You know, we've sort of said this is not the 0:07:56.103 --> 0:07:58.303 age of the running backs. It's a quarterback driven era. 0:07:58.423 --> 0:08:00.943 But you've seen this slow shift and I think this 0:08:01.063 --> 0:08:04.343 last free agent class with guys like Saquon Barkley and 0:08:04.903 --> 0:08:08.463 Josh Jacobs and others who really thrived in new environments, 0:08:08.703 --> 0:08:11.463 the run game is cycling back in and Saquon, I think, 0:08:11.543 --> 0:08:13.663 is kind of holding the scepter right now. He is 0:08:13.703 --> 0:08:15.543 the guy at the front of the line and can 0:08:15.583 --> 0:08:18.583 make people miss, can make those big plays out of nothing. 0:08:18.783 --> 0:08:21.303 And it was a devastating rushing attack, right They had 0:08:21.343 --> 0:08:23.863 no stop, They had no answers for that and no 0:08:23.943 --> 0:08:26.823 way to stop it. So yeah, I mean, this might 0:08:26.863 --> 0:08:30.103 be the one guy at that position right now who 0:08:30.183 --> 0:08:33.343 I think has a chance to kind of out Mahomes 0:08:33.343 --> 0:08:35.503 Mahomes a little bit. I'm not saying Jalen Hurts isn't 0:08:35.503 --> 0:08:37.303 going to play his role, but Barkley is going to 0:08:37.383 --> 0:08:39.943 be such a weapon. They haven't even used them that 0:08:40.063 --> 0:08:42.023 much as a receiver too, so they've got that in 0:08:42.063 --> 0:08:44.183 their back pocket. But what he does as the runner 0:08:44.223 --> 0:08:46.863 is absolutely scentilating, and he's that good. He deserves to 0:08:46.903 --> 0:08:49.743 be in that MVP conversation for good reason. You know, 0:08:49.983 --> 0:08:52.023 we can love up Saquon Barkley in two years ago. 0:08:52.063 --> 0:08:54.423 I think about Jalen Hurts, who, if I'm not mistake, 0:08:54.423 --> 0:08:55.863 it was a runner up in that MVP vote. 0:08:55.863 --> 0:08:58.743 I think that's how talented he was and we actually thought, 0:08:58.783 --> 0:09:00.983 I mean, Gez demonstrats you could have won that football game. 0:09:01.303 --> 0:09:03.223 Is he still that same guy? And I know it's 0:09:03.263 --> 0:09:05.423 hard to make an argument that he's not just based 0:09:05.463 --> 0:09:07.423 off of, you know, the three touchdown performance and getting 0:09:07.423 --> 0:09:08.983 into that end zone and looking as good as he 0:09:09.023 --> 0:09:11.783 did in the ground game, but it doesn't have the 0:09:11.823 --> 0:09:13.823 same type of finger His fingerprints on the game aren't 0:09:13.863 --> 0:09:15.343 what we saw a couple of years ago when he 0:09:15.383 --> 0:09:16.383 could have been the league MVP. 0:09:16.863 --> 0:09:18.663 Yeah, that's a fair question to ask. He may not 0:09:18.743 --> 0:09:20.863 be quite as prolific as we see him in that 0:09:20.943 --> 0:09:23.223 last Super Bowl against the Chiefs, bombing it out. We 0:09:23.263 --> 0:09:25.463 don't see that quite as much. Obviously, it's a little 0:09:25.463 --> 0:09:28.543 bit more of a ball control offense. Saquan certainly has 0:09:28.583 --> 0:09:30.383 something to do with it, but I also think it 0:09:30.423 --> 0:09:31.983 has to do with the fact that Hurts has kind 0:09:31.983 --> 0:09:34.703 of taken a beating, right, but the fact that he 0:09:34.783 --> 0:09:37.823 was able to come out and pretty much dispel those 0:09:37.863 --> 0:09:41.783 injury questions after getting his leg bent backward pretty pretty far, 0:09:42.063 --> 0:09:44.103 you know, to the point where his availability was at 0:09:44.183 --> 0:09:47.383 least in some doubt early in the week, that question 0:09:47.503 --> 0:09:49.663 was kind of thrown out the window. And he really 0:09:49.943 --> 0:09:53.063 played a terrific game in the NFC Championship game, did 0:09:53.103 --> 0:09:55.143 what he needed to do to win. And yeah, he 0:09:55.183 --> 0:09:57.863 may not be that superhero who is sort of matching 0:09:57.903 --> 0:10:01.143 Mahomes play for play, but the rushing production is there. 0:10:01.543 --> 0:10:03.743 You know, he found a groove with aj Brown again. 0:10:03.823 --> 0:10:06.943 That's a huge development right there, and when they need to, 0:10:06.983 --> 0:10:08.463 they can absolutely dial it up. 0:10:09.383 --> 0:10:11.703 You know, I asked you about the Kansas City Chiefs 0:10:11.743 --> 0:10:14.383 and how different this year looks compared to the last 0:10:14.423 --> 0:10:16.823 two years. I also think that this team has got 0:10:16.823 --> 0:10:18.903 This Eagles team has got some similarities to the one 0:10:18.903 --> 0:10:21.743 that we saw two years ago because of the defense, 0:10:21.743 --> 0:10:23.623 which took a hit last year, and I think that's 0:10:23.623 --> 0:10:26.463 the reason why they weren't in the postseason. Is this 0:10:26.543 --> 0:10:28.423 team better though, than the one that lost to the 0:10:28.463 --> 0:10:29.383 Kansas City Chiefs. 0:10:30.823 --> 0:10:33.743 I will say this, you know, adding those two rookie 0:10:33.743 --> 0:10:37.823 defensive backs Quinnon Mitchell at outside corner and Cooper to 0:10:37.903 --> 0:10:41.623 Jean at the slot safety kind of a hybrid role 0:10:41.663 --> 0:10:44.223 if you will, also helping out on special teams. And 0:10:44.263 --> 0:10:46.463 then you add guys like Zach Bond who's had a 0:10:46.503 --> 0:10:49.623 career year and you know you lose, you have injuries 0:10:49.623 --> 0:10:53.143 at linebacker, Orton Burke steps up and has a terrific 0:10:53.303 --> 0:10:55.983 NFC Championship game. You know it was other guys stepping 0:10:56.063 --> 0:10:59.023 up up front too. So maybe they get Brandon Graham 0:10:59.063 --> 0:11:01.223 back to for the Super Bowl, one extra body. You 0:11:01.223 --> 0:11:03.623 know he'd love to, you know, either cap his career 0:11:03.663 --> 0:11:05.543 or extend his career with the Super Bowl and one 0:11:05.583 --> 0:11:08.703 chance to win another ring for Philly. But yeah, I 0:11:08.743 --> 0:11:10.623 don't know. It'd be fascinating to kind of put those 0:11:10.663 --> 0:11:13.423 two defenses side by side and do an apples to 0:11:13.423 --> 0:11:17.743 apples comparison. But as we've seen this group grow, I'm 0:11:17.783 --> 0:11:19.623 starting to come around on the idea they might be 0:11:19.743 --> 0:11:23.423 as good or possibly better than that devastating unit that 0:11:23.503 --> 0:11:25.423 led the league in sacks a couple of years ago. 0:11:26.343 --> 0:11:28.223 Yeah, once again, I think it just looks a little 0:11:28.223 --> 0:11:30.583 bit different. I'd still probably give the edge to that 0:11:30.623 --> 0:11:33.383 team from two seasons ago. But here's the beauty of it, Eric, 0:11:33.503 --> 0:11:35.943 and you know this, it doesn't matter. This is a 0:11:35.983 --> 0:11:38.623 brand new season. Just like we have the MVP conversation. 0:11:38.863 --> 0:11:41.023 Lamar Jackson's numbers are better than they were your ago, 0:11:41.103 --> 0:11:42.903 so he's got to be the MVP. No, no, no, that's 0:11:42.943 --> 0:11:45.223 not how it works. And it doesn't matter if the 0:11:45.223 --> 0:11:47.543 Eagles defense might have been better two years ago. This 0:11:47.663 --> 0:11:49.983 unit right now is very good and they're matching up 0:11:49.983 --> 0:12:02.503 against a very talented Chiefs team. What happened to the 0:12:02.543 --> 0:12:04.943 Buffalo Bills. We thought that this was their best chance 0:12:05.023 --> 0:12:07.543 to go and get over the hump in an AFC 0:12:07.663 --> 0:12:11.143 championship game today, what are you thinking about what you 0:12:11.183 --> 0:12:12.023 witnessed on Sunday. 0:12:12.183 --> 0:12:14.343 I feel for Bills fans, I really do. I mean, 0:12:14.343 --> 0:12:17.783 they're an excellent team now. This year obviously it started 0:12:17.783 --> 0:12:19.703 in for agency, having to kind of bleed the roster 0:12:19.743 --> 0:12:21.663 a little bit. Injuries did kind of hurt them late 0:12:21.703 --> 0:12:24.063 and not having you know, Taylor Rapp and Christian Benford 0:12:24.103 --> 0:12:26.463 for most of that game. So you know, you think 0:12:26.503 --> 0:12:30.103 about things like that. But boy, Josh Allen had Look, 0:12:30.143 --> 0:12:32.783 we're going to say it, they had an MVP caliber season, 0:12:33.143 --> 0:12:35.983 and they appeared to get that first down up one 0:12:36.063 --> 0:12:38.543 point decent way through the fourth quarter with the game 0:12:38.623 --> 0:12:41.743 kind of shifting in there in their favor. They don't 0:12:41.783 --> 0:12:45.103 get the call. Chiefs get go down score. This is 0:12:45.143 --> 0:12:47.143 where you could sort of see it coming if you're 0:12:47.143 --> 0:12:49.423 a Bill span because you watch these games against the 0:12:49.503 --> 0:12:52.423 Chiefs and other teams too, but certainly Kansas City the 0:12:53.063 --> 0:12:55.263 main combatant that has sort of broken their heart what 0:12:55.423 --> 0:12:57.823 four times now in the playoffs and a five year span. 0:12:58.383 --> 0:13:02.063 It has to be just absolutely awful to sit through 0:13:02.103 --> 0:13:05.183 these games knowing that if we give them as beating 0:13:05.183 --> 0:13:07.623 the Kansas City Chiefs, they are going to cut our throats. 0:13:07.623 --> 0:13:10.103 So and that's what happened, and that's there's really no 0:13:10.183 --> 0:13:12.623 other way to say it. But you look at Josh 0:13:12.703 --> 0:13:14.223 and you look how well he played. He's in the 0:13:14.223 --> 0:13:16.103 peak of his career, and they still can't find the 0:13:16.183 --> 0:13:18.383 paths to the super Bowl. That's the hardest part for 0:13:18.423 --> 0:13:19.023 them right now. 0:13:19.383 --> 0:13:21.063 And look, you're at the Senior Bowl this week. I'm 0:13:21.103 --> 0:13:23.103 Atie Sweat Shrine Bowl, and that's to look ahead to 0:13:23.143 --> 0:13:24.903 the draft. And I'm not asking who they should draft, 0:13:24.903 --> 0:13:26.903 but in this offseason, what is the priority do you 0:13:26.983 --> 0:13:29.703 think for Buffalo to sort of build this roster and 0:13:29.703 --> 0:13:31.583 get over the hunk, Because at least on paper, I 0:13:31.583 --> 0:13:34.263 thought this roster heading into the season wasn't as good 0:13:34.343 --> 0:13:36.783 as the one that we saw last year, and yet 0:13:36.823 --> 0:13:38.423 at the end of the year, I thought they had 0:13:38.463 --> 0:13:40.703 a chance. I thought they Hell, on game day preview, 0:13:40.743 --> 0:13:42.183 I picked the Bills, I thought they were gonna win 0:13:42.223 --> 0:13:42.623 that game. 0:13:44.383 --> 0:13:48.223 Yeah, I would be loading up on defensive depths, certainly. 0:13:48.263 --> 0:13:50.183 I mean in the more impact players you can find, 0:13:50.223 --> 0:13:52.703 the better. But you know, you saw when they had 0:13:52.703 --> 0:13:54.943 to take Benford out and go to kyer Elam, who 0:13:54.983 --> 0:13:56.583 was a first round pick a couple of years ago, 0:13:56.943 --> 0:14:00.223 just unfortunately hasn't found a role there in Buffalo, and 0:14:00.503 --> 0:14:02.183 as soon as he came into the game, they went 0:14:02.223 --> 0:14:05.303 after him. So cornerback has to be a place. Cole 0:14:05.343 --> 0:14:07.703 Bishop had somewhat of a tough game at safety. Still 0:14:07.703 --> 0:14:10.223 a young guy, plenty of promise, but I would like 0:14:10.263 --> 0:14:12.463 to feel a little bit better about my safety position, 0:14:12.543 --> 0:14:15.103 even with guys like Taylor Rapp in the mix Tomorrow 0:14:15.143 --> 0:14:19.103 Hamlin coming back and playing well after his scary incident 0:14:19.103 --> 0:14:22.223 in Cincinnati. But yeah, you have to find more pass 0:14:22.303 --> 0:14:25.583 rush sources. You have to find. Really, I would argue 0:14:25.783 --> 0:14:28.183 depth on all three levels of the defense, though I 0:14:28.183 --> 0:14:30.263 don't think Brandon Bean's gonna go out there and use 0:14:30.303 --> 0:14:32.303 every draft pick he has on that side of the ball. 0:14:32.343 --> 0:14:34.543 That might be a little too short sided. They probably 0:14:34.583 --> 0:14:36.823 need another receiver. There are other places where they could 0:14:37.023 --> 0:14:40.383 bolster their depth, but the offense is in pretty good shape. 0:14:40.423 --> 0:14:44.623 They can go by with minimal additions on that side. Defensively, though, 0:14:44.623 --> 0:14:47.343 as von Miller gets up there and Matt Milano's injuries 0:14:47.423 --> 0:14:50.143 keep piling up and things like that, you know, you 0:14:50.263 --> 0:14:52.783 just need a couple more difference makers. And look what 0:14:52.823 --> 0:14:54.463 the Chiefs did a couple of years ago when they 0:14:54.543 --> 0:14:57.663 drafted that slew of young defensive backs and they want 0:14:57.743 --> 0:15:00.303 a Super Bowl the following year. That made a big difference. 0:15:00.303 --> 0:15:03.023 So don't tell me that the draft can't have an impact. 0:15:03.103 --> 0:15:06.343 Obviously it has in Philly and other places as well. 0:15:06.463 --> 0:15:09.263 Yeah, that's why I can't wait for the NFL Draft. 0:15:09.263 --> 0:15:10.823 I know we got thirty teams that are thinking about 0:15:10.823 --> 0:15:12.903 it right now, except for those two times playing in 0:15:12.903 --> 0:15:15.943 the Super Bowl. Speaking of the draft changing the fortunes 0:15:15.983 --> 0:15:18.143 of a franchise, we saw that with the number four team, 0:15:18.183 --> 0:15:20.743 the Commanders. They get Jaden Daniels and we say, hey, 0:15:21.023 --> 0:15:23.823 everything is going to be okay. I don't want to 0:15:23.863 --> 0:15:26.703 be the negative dude here, but you know, I don't know. 0:15:26.783 --> 0:15:29.183 Sometimes we've seen some teams have some success and it 0:15:29.223 --> 0:15:33.223 doesn't guarantee success that following season. Why do you feel 0:15:33.263 --> 0:15:36.583 so confident that Jaden Daniels can be better the next 0:15:36.583 --> 0:15:38.103 season than he was this season. 0:15:38.183 --> 0:15:40.383 Jaden may even take a step back. We obviously saw 0:15:40.383 --> 0:15:42.503 that with CJ. Stroud this year, where he didn't you know, 0:15:42.503 --> 0:15:44.463 we were sort of ready to elevate him into that 0:15:45.023 --> 0:15:48.263 upper echelon of quarterbacks. That didn't happen this year wasn't 0:15:48.263 --> 0:15:50.223 all his fault. But I also don't think he played 0:15:50.303 --> 0:15:52.783 quite as well. He's going to get everybody's best shot 0:15:52.783 --> 0:15:55.583 next year. There's no sneaking up on this guy. Defensive 0:15:55.583 --> 0:15:58.223 coordinators who have the commanders on their schedule are going 0:15:58.263 --> 0:16:00.503 to watch or over the tape and make sure they 0:16:00.543 --> 0:16:02.983 can find any kind of cracks in the armor to 0:16:03.023 --> 0:16:04.863 find out how do you beat this guy? So what's 0:16:04.863 --> 0:16:07.383 the best way. Obviously you probably start with the Eagles 0:16:07.423 --> 0:16:09.823 game and see what the shortcomings were there. They had 0:16:09.823 --> 0:16:13.263 a three game losing streak as well. But that said 0:16:13.663 --> 0:16:16.983 hard not to think that the sky is extremely high 0:16:17.063 --> 0:16:19.743 for this guy and this team too. There were so 0:16:19.863 --> 0:16:21.983 many holes in this roster. Mike. I think I had 0:16:22.023 --> 0:16:24.743 him twenty sixth in my August ranking twenty eighth at 0:16:24.743 --> 0:16:27.103 one point we had a graphic on that a couple 0:16:27.143 --> 0:16:29.223 of weeks ago, just to make sure everybody knew or 0:16:29.343 --> 0:16:31.783 how low I had him. But I was sort of 0:16:31.783 --> 0:16:33.903 a believer. I'm thinking, boy, this is a team that 0:16:33.903 --> 0:16:36.623 could maybe surprise win seven or eight games. They did 0:16:36.703 --> 0:16:39.863 far more than that. It also matters that Adam Peters 0:16:39.943 --> 0:16:42.863 is making picks and signing for agents, that Dan Quinn 0:16:42.903 --> 0:16:45.103 as the head coach. He did a tremendous job this year. 0:16:45.263 --> 0:16:47.383 We'll see if Cliff Kingsbury stays, but it looks like 0:16:47.663 --> 0:16:49.903 he's gonna you know, there's a decent chance he remains 0:16:49.943 --> 0:16:52.583 as well. And you could just take this thing pretty far. 0:16:52.663 --> 0:16:54.903 But you know, they said the same thing about Joe 0:16:54.943 --> 0:16:57.343 Burrow a few years ago and other young quarterbacks who've 0:16:57.383 --> 0:17:00.383 had those those terrific moments early in their career. There 0:17:00.423 --> 0:17:02.223 is no guarantee. As you pointed out. 0:17:02.343 --> 0:17:04.383 I almost think the coolest thing about this story, and 0:17:04.423 --> 0:17:07.423 it's a little different than teams that weren't expected to 0:17:07.423 --> 0:17:10.623 do a much and then really surpass that expectation. I 0:17:10.663 --> 0:17:13.863 think the coolest part about this is Washington not only 0:17:13.943 --> 0:17:15.823 was not expected to do well, but they were sort 0:17:15.863 --> 0:17:18.103 of left aside, right like for a couple of seasons, 0:17:18.103 --> 0:17:20.303 we just said, hey, like do you really want to 0:17:20.343 --> 0:17:22.503 be on that team? And now all of a sudden, 0:17:22.743 --> 0:17:24.263 I think guys are going to want to play with 0:17:24.343 --> 0:17:26.143 Jaden Daniels. I think guys on the defensive side are 0:17:26.183 --> 0:17:27.903 going to want to play for Dan Cole. We already 0:17:27.903 --> 0:17:30.103 saw that. Bobby Wagner's a perfect example of that. I 0:17:30.143 --> 0:17:32.263 think they're going to get better, and I think all 0:17:32.303 --> 0:17:35.343 of a sudden the Commanders are an attractive team for 0:17:35.983 --> 0:17:38.983