Latest / 3 Guys, 6 Balls NFL Podcast / EP 33: Breaking Down The NFC Standings After Week 7
Transcript
- 0:003 lifelong friends, 6 trusty balls and endless NFL ticks.
- 0:05Welcome to three guys 6 Balls NFL podcast.
- 0:08Welcome to episode 33 of Three guys 6 balls NFL podcast.
- 0:11Today we have a guest joining us from Fun Football Podcast.
- 0:15It is Isaac. How you doing today man?
- 0:17Good, man. You know, it's always nice when
- 0:19you barely beat the Arizona Cardinals.
- 0:21You got to feel great about that.
- 0:24Just squeak it out and make it look really difficult.
- 0:27But I'm doing good, man. I just got back from a cruise,
- 0:30it was a lot of fun. Got this there doing pretty
- 0:32good. Just got off the boat on
- 0:33Saturday, it was fun. All right, nice, nice.
- 0:37Well, why don't you go ahead and get us started by just telling
- 0:39us a little bit about your podcast.
- 0:41I've been able to go on your podcast.
- 0:43Avery and Will weren't able to make that, but we had a lot of
- 0:46fun on your podcast. And so I expect to have a lot of
- 0:49fun with the four of us today, but just let everybody know
- 0:52about your podcast a little bit and where we can find you on
- 0:55social media. I typically go Friday nights.
- 0:58Last couple Fridays I was gone on that trip, but you can find
- 1:01me on YouTube, Instagram, Tic tac, tic, tic tac, tic tock,
- 1:06Spotify everywhere. Yeah, tic tac, whatever.
- 1:10Like I'm doing a fantasy show there later tonight on it's a
- 1:13Tuesday. But yeah, man, I do Friday night
- 1:16shows. Had a blast.
- 1:17Had Blaine Bishop on right before I took that break.
- 1:20Got a cool show lined up next week and typically on Fridays,
- 1:23but I do shorts all the time like you guys.
- 1:25And it's been a fun season, man. I've been.
- 1:28It's been a weird one as a Packers fan.
- 1:30But yeah, it was fun having you on.
- 1:31Joel. I would love to have all three
- 1:32of you on in the future if we can line up a Friday night.
- 1:35But yeah, I know you guys are busy.
- 1:37Yeah. But thanks for having me on,
- 1:39man. I appreciate it.
- 1:41Yeah. All right.
- 1:42Yeah, we'll definitely have to do the four of us on your show
- 1:44one time. That'd be that'd be a lot of.
- 1:46Fun. That'd be cool.
- 1:47All right. So today we are going to be
- 1:50talking about the NFC side of things.
- 1:52Last week we talked about the AFC and how the playoff picture
- 1:55looks after Week 6. Today we're going to talk about
- 1:58the NFC and how things look after Week 7 and kind of do some
- 2:02predictions there. But to get us started as a just
- 2:05so you know, Will does a weekly recap for us every week.
- 2:08So Will I'll turn the time over to you for your Week 7 recap.
- 2:12OK, here we go. Week 7 in the book started off
- 2:15Thursday night. Steelers at the Bengals every.
- 2:18close your eyes for a second. The year is 2011.
- 2:20We had Joe Flacco versus Aaron Rodgers in prime time. 577 total
- 2:25passing yards, 7 touchdown between the two quarterbacks.
- 2:27Oh, wait a minute, it's 2025. These two were still playing.
- 2:30That was Thursday night's game. Joe Flacco is out here saving
- 2:33Bengals players and coaches jobs one game at a time.
- 2:36No one is happier than Zach Taylor.
- 2:38Maybe Jamar Chase that that Joe still has some left in the tank.
- 2:42Then early Sunday morning we had Rams at Jags in London which is
- 2:47supposed to be a home game for the Jags.
- 2:48The Rams go over on Saturday for the Sunday game, then all they
- 2:52do is going to have 5 passing touchdowns with no puka.
- 2:55Rams win that one easy. Eagles, Vikings.
- 2:58Carson wins is possibly the most reckless person with the
- 3:01football I've ever seen. Also the Eagles remember they
- 3:04couldn't pass the ball but at they cut what it caused the fact
- 3:07that Saquon forgot how to run the football Pat's hat Titans my
- 3:10favorite Rabel revenge game went as expected.
- 3:12Drake made looking at the pro Bowler he is Panthers jets
- 3:16played football dolphins Browns Darren Gaber with his first one
- 3:19as a starter, although he didn't have to do anything.
- 3:22That's just how bad the Dolphins team is this year.
- 3:24Saints hat Bears Bears win four in a row go into a bye week.
- 3:28They are playing the Ravens after their bye week and they're
- 3:30supposed to have Lamar everybody back and so like it's a big
- 3:32thing, but 6 1/2 point underdog when you're when you're a four
- 3:37four win streak, that's pretty embarrassing here at Raiders at
- 3:39chiefs. The chiefs is the chiefs and
- 3:42they currently be chief in Colts Chargers.
- 3:45How dare the Los Angeles Chargers make us hard working
- 3:50Americans and people over the world watch a football game
- 3:53while they're out there looking like that Papa grew the.
- 3:56Banana bananas you talking about?
- 3:58Yeah, Papa grew. By the way, the Indiana Jones
- 4:00came out and whooped up on his minions.
- 4:02That's what happened, Giants at Broncos this game showcase
- 4:07leaving too much time in the clock.
- 4:08Mint 33 points in the fourth quarter is unreal.
- 4:11Now at the Broncos configure how to play all four quarters.
- 4:14They should just be fine. Packers Cardinals week after
- 4:17week. Carla Murray's watching his
- 4:18starting job dwindler way Packers win even though the
- 4:21Cardinals were statistically better and most every column.
- 4:24But who cares about stats anyway?
- 4:25Sergio Commanders, Cowboys. Jane Daniels gets hurt, but it
- 4:28wouldn't matter anyway. Cowboys move to a perfect 500
- 4:31record at 3, three and one on the season, and they're four of
- 4:34them, finishing the season 888 and one in honor of Jason
- 4:37Garrett, the Falcons 49ers CMC in the bag of rocks, win again,
- 4:42making Shanahan question Mr. Relevance contract.
- 4:45Week after week. We're going to move to the
- 4:47nightcap games. Seahawks at or Yeah, Texans at
- 4:50Seahawks, 7:00 PM Pacific Time, kick off which 10:00 PM Eastern
- 4:54Time. No one over there watched it
- 4:57kick off in Seattle that night. Now, I could have been the best
- 5:00night in Seattle in decades, but the Mariners came up short in
- 5:04game seven of the ALCS. That's all right for the
- 5:06Seahawks. Hit some home runs with Donald
- 5:08and JSN to help recover the wounds.
- 5:10If anybody was still sober enough to watch that game in
- 5:13Seattle. And then we've got Buccaneers,
- 5:14Lions. I skipped this one on purpose
- 5:16for you boys probably have something to say about it.
- 5:18Jamir Gibbs had his way with the team from Tampa Bay.
- 5:22Baker. All right, let's let me slow
- 5:24this down again. Baker dropped back to pass 54
- 5:28times in that game. He attempted 50 passes, got
- 5:31sacked 4 times. That is too many passes.
- 5:34They only had 12 rushing attempts.
- 5:37It is too many passes for a team where your receivers are out.
- 5:42Everyone's hurt and came, came back early or not, or got hurt
- 5:46again in the game. That's too many passes, too many
- 5:49attempts. All right, Joel Avery, your
- 5:53first loss as Buccaneers fans. Second, I think, I think, yeah,
- 5:57we were. We were.
- 5:58Fans before we announced it. They the Lions did us a favor
- 6:01and knocked the Packers to number one in the NFC because
- 6:04the Bucks were first. Yeah, because that's.
- 6:05Sweet tie A 40 point tie. That was a good one, yeah.
- 6:10So I actually I asked Will to put that game last because I
- 6:14wanted to transition into that game because I have some
- 6:16thoughts on it, but I wanted to go last with my with with my
- 6:20thoughts. So if you guys have any thoughts
- 6:22on that game, kind of what what, what did you guys take away from
- 6:25that game? I'm curious what you guys think.
- 6:28I'll let Isaac go first, Azzy. Good time, good time mate.
- 6:33The Bucks, Yeah, I know, right? The Bucks need their weapons to
- 6:36figure out what type of team they are, just like the 49ers.
- 6:39To me. We're not going to know.
- 6:40And it sucks because now Mike Evans is going to be out for an
- 6:43extended period. I think they'll be OK with
- 6:45IGBUCA and Tez hopefully, because we don't know if we're
- 6:48going to see McMillan. It just sucks because like I
- 6:51want to see them with most of their full complement at the
- 6:54same point. I think this proved that the
- 6:56Lions, I would love to sit here and brag about my Packers, but
- 6:59I'm not really that impressed with them.
- 7:01They're a good team. No, I know that, but I think
- 7:04this proved the Lions of the team to beat right now in the
- 7:06NFCI. Don't think it's Philly.
- 7:08I like the Rams, I like the Bucks, but at this moment,
- 7:11health considering, I think the Lions proved that they're the
- 7:15favor. And it's a little unfortunate.
- 7:19Like, gosh, man, Baker did not look that good.
- 7:22Seriously, I was that was a little concerning.
- 7:26I've got him in one of my fantasy leagues.
- 7:27But I'm impressed with the Lions how they've adjusted coming off
- 7:32both these coordinators losses since that first game, they've
- 7:36mostly looked dominant. I love their formula of leaning
- 7:38on Jamir Gibbs. I think that's the way to go and
- 7:42I want to see the bit the Bucks and the 49ers get mostly holes
- 7:46so we can see what they can be. That's my thoughts.
- 7:51I agree with Isaac. I think, yeah, the Lions are at
- 7:56least. I mean, I don't know about the
- 7:57team to beat. I would say that is the team
- 8:00that I'm sure any other team would not want to face.
- 8:03That would be the last one. And yeah, and especially with
- 8:05that momentum, I I feel like the Bucks were never really as good
- 8:09as five and one. They kind of snuck their way out
- 8:12of all their wins except for one.
- 8:14I think there was Joel and I listen to this miked up with
- 8:16this offensive lineman and he's sitting on the bench and he's I
- 8:19think this is the first time we haven't been like struggling to
- 8:21pull this one out. Like it's kind of nice just
- 8:23being able to sit here knowing, you know, with a couple minutes
- 8:26left that it that that, you know, we're good.
- 8:27That being said, I've recently been more of the opinion I
- 8:32think. I can't remember who I heard say
- 8:34it. It wasn't I I didn't make it up
- 8:36but someone said like you don't pay skill players.
- 8:39I don't know if that got discussed here somewhere else.
- 8:42That was. With.
- 8:44That was with Germ from Stuff About Sports.
- 8:48Yeah, yeah, I remember him. I remember him saying that and I
- 8:52was like, that's kind of, I mean, you want those good, but
- 8:54those are the exciting players. But I'm also.
- 8:59Of the opinion, like Kate, these are all professional football
- 9:01players. All of these guys excelled in
- 9:04college. I mean, yeah, there there's,
- 9:05there's differences and you know, when you get to the
- 9:07highest levels, like, OK, there's a big difference here.
- 9:10But I feel like with receivers, like, OK, can you run, can you
- 9:13catch, can you run a route? Can you memorize a play?
- 9:17I, I, I feel like, dude, if you're open, you're open.
- 9:20I I mean, if if if you need a top wide receiver to be able to
- 9:24grab 5050 balls out of the air, you know, Megatron, Julio Jones,
- 9:28like, yeah, that's one thing. But I think Tez Johnson is an
- 9:31example. Now, of course, he's very small,
- 9:33but he's very shifty. He got a bad 4-5, but forty
- 9:37time, but he can still I don't think he didn't even hit 4-5.
- 9:41I think it was it 4-5. I'm getting hung up.
- 9:43I. Got you and I got.
- 9:44You anyway, the whole thing is, I mean dude's a seventh round
- 9:47draft pick and people were chanting MVP, not at him, but
- 9:52they were chanting MVP and so I I see. 451. 451 And I think he
- 9:56was. He's the slowest at his weight.
- 9:59He's like the slowest receiver to ever go through the combine.
- 10:03Anyway. Just seeing that, seeing what
- 10:05they've been able to do the whole season with those
- 10:06receivers, I feel like that kind of goes back to the coaching and
- 10:10a little bit of Baker Mayfield's like, dude, you've been making,
- 10:13you've been making this seventh round pick feel like an MVP
- 10:16after one catch. It's like you guys have it here.
- 10:20However, I just feel like they have been propped up a little
- 10:23too much. I feel like we've been giving
- 10:24them, I don't say giving them too much credit, pulling out
- 10:26those wins is impressive, but not as like, oh, this is a team
- 10:30I don't want to face. I feel like they just get more
- 10:33lucky. I'm not saying they're bad, but
- 10:35I do feel like those injuries are hurting them hard.
- 10:39And I think if anything, the Lions lost kind of woke them up.
- 10:42I felt like they weren't at least on the run defense.
- 10:44It didn't look like they were really trying.
- 10:47Maybe they were, but some of those, just some of the some of
- 10:51the defensive plays just were very questionable.
- 10:53But anyway, go ahead, Joel. I want to hear what Will has to
- 10:57say first. I was reffing AJV football game
- 11:02here in Oregon on Monday night during the first game and didn't
- 11:06get home until the second game so I was kind of happy.
- 11:08There was 2 games on Monday that night so I actually didn't get
- 11:10to watch it. But from the replay I mean I
- 11:12kind of said my thoughts. 54 drop backs for Baker without all
- 11:17of his weapons is too many. And I get you were behind and I
- 11:20get you had to play catch up. There is, I don't know if
- 11:24there's a single quarterback in the league right now do I would
- 11:27say you should be dropping back 54 times in a game even to play
- 11:31catch up. That's just too many.
- 11:33I wouldn't even want Mahomes doing that and they don't have a
- 11:35running game. And so Rashad White kind of
- 11:39proved himself a bit last week as a, hey, I can do this.
- 11:43And maybe the game running game was working.
- 11:44I don't actually know how maybe they couldn't run it on Detroit,
- 11:48but the most successful teams we've seen in recent history
- 11:53have a solid run game that they can play Action Pass with.
- 11:56Passing is secondary. It's one.
- 12:00And then 1A is PAT running. IS11A is passing.
- 12:04You want to run first and play action to open up all of your
- 12:08passing and then passing you have to.
- 12:10And if you're dropping back 54 * 4 sacks, 50 attempts, that's
- 12:14just too many in the National Football League.
- 12:18They really need Bucky Irving bad.
- 12:20You can see it. I think that's as big of a loss
- 12:24as the receivers. I mean as as good as the book
- 12:26has been, sorry to interject. I just this shows how bad you
- 12:29need like I mean, my team wouldn't be anything without
- 12:32Tosh Jacobs. So sorry to interject.
- 12:36No, you're good. You're good.
- 12:37So so despite this loss and despite how bad the Buccaneers
- 12:41played, I was actually kind of impressed with the Buccaneers in
- 12:45this game. If you did not watch this game
- 12:48and you see the final score, you probably wouldn't think that
- 12:50this game was close, but it actually kind of was.
- 12:54With as bad as the offense was, the defense gave this offense
- 12:59multiple, multiple chances to come back and win this game.
- 13:04With as bad as they started off the game, as bad as that first
- 13:06half was, the defense gave the offense, they got turnovers,
- 13:11they got turnovers on downs, they gave the offense and
- 13:14multiple chances to come back and win this game.
- 13:17The offense for whatever reason, just could not get it done.
- 13:20And Isaac, when I was on your show, I said that I was a little
- 13:23bit worried about the injuries for the Buccaneers moving
- 13:25forward and like in the playoffs.
- 13:27But I said one thing you cannot do with the Buccaneers is count
- 13:30them out of a game. And the Buccaneers, the
- 13:33Buccaneers were in this game right up until about two minutes
- 13:36left in the fourth quarter when they had no more timeouts and
- 13:39they couldn't stop the clock. They were in that game right up
- 13:42until the end, even though their offense was terrible.
- 13:47The defense. Here's some stats for the
- 13:48defense. The Bucks held the Lions to just
- 13:50three of 13 on 3rd down, which is 23.1% which was the lowest
- 13:56third down percentage that Lions have had all season long.
- 13:59They had four sacks, 7 tackles for loss, and two takeaways.
- 14:04The defense was really good. They kept the Buccaneers in this
- 14:08game the entire time. Yeah they allowed some big plays
- 14:12and all that, but when they needed to, they allowed the
- 14:14offense to have opportunities to score, but the offense just
- 14:18didn't do it. So again, the Buccaneers were
- 14:21never out of this game, even though they played.
- 14:25Awful. They were never out of the game
- 14:28and so I am trying to be very positive about the Buccaneers
- 14:32moving forward because as a former Cowboys fan, I was never
- 14:35positive about anything. And so I'm trying to change.
- 14:38I'm trying to turn that around with this new team, so I'm
- 14:41trying to find the positives here.
- 14:43Hey, there's. No positive in that.
- 14:45You're not a Cowboys fan. That's a positive in itself.
- 14:48It's a positive fan. You're not a Cowboys fan.
- 14:51You're. Already.
- 14:53If you were Cowboys. You have a 40 point tie.
- 14:55You can't have that. I live near Dallas.
- 14:57You could be a Cowboys fan thinking you're going to win a
- 14:59Super Bowl after you beat Washington.
- 15:01That's great. People forget the week before I
- 15:04was on the cruise, they lost to the Panthers.
- 15:06Not that they're that bad this season, but that's that's
- 15:10Cowboys fans for you. They think they're going to win
- 15:11a Super Bowl if they go get Max Crosby, which they're not going
- 15:14to do. Like, you don't want to be a
- 15:17Cowboys fan. You're better off already.
- 15:19Just saying. Of all teams, Max Crosby's not
- 15:23going to the Cowboys. No, he's not.
- 15:25Getting tricked out here, He's not going anywhere.
- 15:27But the Cowboys are not near gritty enough.
- 15:30I'm not talking about the dance for Max Crosby.
- 15:33Dude was born a Raider. He's yeah, just like Jerry Rock
- 15:37was the Raven. Jerry would give up all four of
- 15:40those first round picks for Max Crosby.
- 15:43He would, he would. That'd be hilarious.
- 15:46He gives up more for as much of it like Max Crosby as slightly.
- 15:50I mean he is really good actually.
- 15:51He's slightly older than Parsons, but that'd be wild to
- 15:55give up Micah Parsons and landmarks Crosby in the same
- 15:57offseason. But you know the the weird thing
- 16:01with the Cowboys? Then they they go pull off a
- 16:02trade like for Pickens. That's worked out extremely well
- 16:05for them. Like Pickens has been huge,
- 16:07especially with CD Lamb being out.
- 16:10Maybe he jumped off the ship at the wrong time.
- 16:12Just kidding. But anyway, just just to finish
- 16:16my thoughts on the Buccaneers, like I came away even though we
- 16:21lost, like I came way impressed. And just another thing for me
- 16:24personally, I predicted that the Lions would be the one seed in
- 16:28the NFC with the Buccaneers as the two seed both at 12:00 and
- 16:305:00. And in order for that to happen,
- 16:32the Lions had to beat the Buccaneers.
- 16:34So just for a little personal reason, it's all part of the
- 16:38plan. Yeah, it's all part of the plan,
- 16:40right? It's all part of the.
- 16:41Plan Also, also to the people, nobody who I'm talking to here
- 16:45will ever hear this, but the people who trolled the
- 16:48Buccaneers on TikTok when we had our post last week about how
- 16:54Mayfield should be the MVP favorite over Mahomes, people
- 16:57were just waiting for the Buccaneers to lose so they could
- 17:00just troll on that post. And they did.
- 17:03Oh boy did they troll. And to all those, to all those
- 17:07people, I just want to say you guys know nothing about
- 17:11football. If you expected if you expected
- 17:14the Buccaneers to go 16 and 1, you know nothing about football.
- 17:20When was the last time that we saw a team have one loss going
- 17:25into the play offs? I can only think of two times it
- 17:29that come to memory right off the bat where there was a team
- 17:31that had one loss or 0 losses. The Patriots who lost the Super
- 17:35Bowl, and the Panthers when they lost the Super Bowl.
- 17:41Did the Chiefs lose one or two last year?
- 17:43Did they give up that last game? They lost 2.
- 17:46Oh, yeah, yeah, they, they they rested their starters that last
- 17:49game. That's right.
- 17:49Yes, yes, but most. Of the time I got, I got one my
- 17:53Packers after they won the Super Bowl in 2011.
- 17:56So it's been a minute. And then they they lost to the
- 17:59Giants. That was the year, the second
- 18:00Eli run. It doesn't happen very often man
- 18:031 losses are really hard. It does not happen very often.
- 18:06So if you expect there are, so the Packers are at 4-1 and one
- 18:10and then the two through 7 seed right now all are five and two.
- 18:15If you expect all of those teams to not lose another game, you
- 18:19don't know anything about football.
- 18:20This is what I hate about NFL fans.
- 18:23This is why I hate a bunch of NFL fandoms is because every
- 18:26time A-Team loses a game, oh they suck, they suck.
- 18:29They lost the game. We beat you guys, you guys suck.
- 18:31I'm like, you can't expect to not ever lose a game in the NFL.
- 18:35You're going to lose somewhere between two and seven games if
- 18:39you're in the play offs every single year.
- 18:41Like it's just going to happen. So you guys, those people who
- 18:46are trolling, you're retarded. You don't know anything about
- 18:49the NFL and how it works. You don't.
- 18:51You can't say Redskins, but you can say retarded.
- 18:54Is that how it works? That that is the problem.
- 18:58Like, I've heard Bears fans all offseason, I'm like, oh, you
- 19:01finally won a game, the first one out of 12 or you know.
- 19:05Jeez. Like our Cowboys fans, after
- 19:08they win a game, they, they, they get excited.
- 19:10It's just edible. Fans are funny to me, man.
- 19:13You, you, I don't know how much do you you guys must see so much
- 19:17on social media too, right? Like people just clown and it's
- 19:20just ridiculous man, dude. Every single time, every single
- 19:23time the team loses the game, Like I bet, I, I guarantee you
- 19:27people right now are putting the Colts as the number one team in
- 19:29the NFL because they have the best record in the NFL.
- 19:32As soon as the Colts lose. As soon as the Colts lose
- 19:34another game. Oh, the Colts.
- 19:35Suck. The Colts suck.
- 19:36They suck. I told you they suck the whole
- 19:38time. I told you guys they suck like
- 19:40dude, then they're. The media reflected now too,
- 19:43like ESP NS gotten so bad. There's some if you listen to
- 19:47podcasts. That's the way to go to me,
- 19:48because that's where I found much better.
- 19:51Like it's more educated and it's more fun.
- 19:54But ESPN just like after one game, they'll it's it's it's
- 19:59it's all click baity and I hate that crap because the Colts
- 20:02offense looks dominant right now and they look good.
- 20:05I I posted are they an actual contender?
- 20:09Maybe we still want to see him beat a good team, you know?
- 20:13My, my, my thing is, I feel like with the NFL, it's like, OK,
- 20:17unless you win the Super Bowl, what do you have to brag about?
- 20:21And so you have to fabricate it. You have to make it week by
- 20:24week. Otherwise it's basically 31
- 20:27teams are upset and one is, is is ecstatic, but the problem is
- 20:32none of the other teams want to talk about it anymore.
- 20:35It's like winning like in fantasy.
- 20:37No one's there for you, dude. They're they've all written
- 20:40their team off long ago. They're like I do.
- 20:42I don't even look at the app anymore, man.
- 20:43Oh, you won. Oh, I didn't I?
- 20:45Didn't even. You know, and so that this is
- 20:48the only time where you can do that.
- 20:50The thing is, is like, and this is this is the one thing I
- 20:54really love about college football over the NFL is the
- 20:57fact that you have these dynastic teams that end up
- 21:01playing in the middle of the season after having gone
- 21:04undefeated because they've been playing, you know, the the
- 21:06backwash of the conference the whole time.
- 21:09And then you have these like marquee matchups that genuinely
- 21:12matter. Like if you lose this, this
- 21:14could be the difference between your season ending.
- 21:16That is a little wild player, like one loss.
- 21:19Yeah, yeah. I mean, The thing is, is now
- 21:22there's 12 teams and and the SEC is afforded like 3 to 4 losses
- 21:26just because almost everyone's ranked.
- 21:28But at the same time it's like you see these big marquee
- 21:31matchups. The thing with the NFL is like,
- 21:33dude, you could have like, you know, the Chiefs and, you know,
- 21:37Bills, Chiefs and Ravens play and it's like could be a good
- 21:40game and also could be completely inconsequential.
- 21:43Like maybe they got some players out.
- 21:45Maybe they're not really worried about this win because they've
- 21:47already got the thing locked up and that that's like to to what
- 21:52Joel was saying where it's like, dude, you almost expect to lose.
- 21:56It's like part of it. It's like a growing pain just
- 21:58making a mistake, learning from it.
- 21:59That's actually maybe why you did win because you lost some of
- 22:02those games where it's like, it's great as like a team seeing
- 22:06that your team build. But as far as like bragging
- 22:09rights or having a genuinely consequential game, the only
- 22:12thing consequential is like, Oh, it's Monday Night Football.
- 22:14That's cool that all teams on Monday Night Football, not
- 22:16because there was any anything big at stake.
- 22:20That no, that's a good point because it like occasionally
- 22:23that's what I TuneIn for like a number one or a number four seed
- 22:26or #4 and a number 12 in the in college and in the NFL.
- 22:30It they matter and it matters for seating like you don't want
- 22:34to like the bills really don't want to go to KC again.
- 22:36They don't they need to be in Buffalo and then still they need
- 22:39to finally beat the Chiefs. But I the only counter I'm going
- 22:43to counter to you, Avery, is I think Colts fans, even if they
- 22:46lose in the playoffs, they're just going to be excited that
- 22:49they freaking made it or the Panthers if they don't have a
- 22:52losing season. That is like winning a Super
- 22:54Bowl for Bears fans. Beating the Packers is their
- 22:57Super Bowl for Packers fans. Honestly, beating the Eagles
- 23:01would be great for us. And every time we beat the
- 23:02Cowboys, it's hilarious. There's that's what I like about
- 23:05is there's different things for different teams and there's
- 23:07different expectations. I'm trying to temper mine and
- 23:10remember that my team is the youngest team in the NFL.
- 23:12Unfortunately, they're just going to play stupid sometimes
- 23:14because even I don't think this is happening yet.
- 23:17They're they're building something good.
- 23:19But even the Cowboys in the 90s, like if you watch that in me and
- 23:24July, I think we're talking about it.
- 23:26If you watch the Netflix documentary, one of my favorite
- 23:28things was when they brought in the defensive end for what was
- 23:32his name I oh the. Guy from the 49ers.
- 23:36Yes, Charles Haley, I'm so sorry.
- 23:38I'm I don't know, my brain has been much since I got back from
- 23:41the trip. Chelsea Haley and he comes in,
- 23:43he's like, they're talented, but they're dumb and he that nails
- 23:46my team and a lot of teams in the NFL right now, they're dumb.
- 23:50And some of the talented ones that haven't done anything yet,
- 23:54they that's actually why I like my team's win this week and why
- 23:58I like what Joel said about his team.
- 24:00My only complaint is that they give up yards to Gibbs.
- 24:03But I mean, a lot of teams do, you know, it's Jamir Gibbs,
- 24:07you're going to give up yards. But that's what I like about the
- 24:10NFL is there's different storylines for different teams
- 24:12and different expectations. And that's why I enjoy this ride
- 24:17so much. Like fantasy pisses me off to no
- 24:20end. I don't know how y'all's teams
- 24:21are doing. If you have Brian Thomas Junior,
- 24:24I'm sorry. I traded them away in one
- 24:27dynasty and I'm trying with everything I can to trade them
- 24:30away in another one because the dude just needs to get off my
- 24:33freaking team. I'm not going to curse.
- 24:35He's made me so mad. I, I, I do.
- 24:39I traded all my picks away. I'm going a long story.
- 24:42I'm sorry I treated all my picks away.
- 24:44It's a dynasty where you have three years of picks.
- 24:46So it's like an NFL squad with 2627 and 28 picks.
- 24:51I have almost no picks next year and hardly any in 27 and my
- 24:55team, and somehow this team is 2 and five.
- 24:57I'm going to read you my main guys, Josh Allen, Jonathan
- 25:02Taylor, Saquon Barkley, Scary Terry, and that's where the
- 25:06problems start. Brian Thomas, Junior.
- 25:08There's another problem. DJ Moore, I just traded him
- 25:11away. He's been wonderful.
- 25:12I've got Remodry Stevenson, so I've got some depth issues, but
- 25:15the top of that lineup, even in an IDP to me should be at least
- 25:19four and three. And I'm two and five and I'm
- 25:22trying to not let it wreck my season because it's absolutely
- 25:27like wild to me what happens. But it's, you know, it's been a
- 25:31crazy year too. I think the parody that's a bit
- 25:34occurring right now is the most I've ever seen.
- 25:37Long story, sorry. No, and I just what, just real
- 25:41quick, I, I, I, I do agree that, yeah, there's different
- 25:44expectations for each team. But like, I guess I'm talking
- 25:47more about like that excitement of the playoffs where it's like,
- 25:49no, like if, if there's a win here and it's the same, 'cause
- 25:52I'm like, I'm even bigger college basketball fan, less so
- 25:55lately because of all the shake ups and it's ruining the, the
- 25:58game. But a lot of people I'll, I'll
- 26:00be talking about all these teams are great, this team.
- 26:02And like, dude, I don't even, I don't even hear about college
- 26:05basketball until March. And then I just look at the
- 26:07bracket and then I watch some games and I feel like to an
- 26:11extent meaning as far as an in game consequence where it's
- 26:15like, oh, if you lose this, like it, it hurt our chances to make
- 26:19the playoffs like this makes it a little steeper.
- 26:22We lost, you know, home field advantage.
- 26:24But I guess what I really like and it been part of it is like,
- 26:27yeah, you know, the season's a lot longer, you know, and so you
- 26:30have these games. But like that, like, dude, this
- 26:34is like it's kind of like overtime in in college, not in
- 26:37NFL for obvious reasons, where it's like, dude, we are going to
- 26:40find out who is going to win and lose this game right now anyway,
- 26:43anyway. But that's that I can I can
- 26:45acknowledge though, that's a that's a subjective thing on my
- 26:48end is more of a college guy. Well, and you know, I don't know
- 26:52how Will and Joel feel too, but I've been to a couple college
- 26:55games in the atmosphere. NFL is also electric, but some
- 26:59of those college people like that could be your biggest some
- 27:02some states, that's the only thing like Arkansas, there's no
- 27:05pro team. There's a lot of states.
- 27:07That's Montana. That's it, man.
- 27:09You're rooting for a team in another state.
- 27:11So I get it. I'm in Alabama, an hour away
- 27:13from Nashville. I don't think I've ever seen
- 27:15anyone wearing a Titan's jersey here, not once.
- 27:19It is pure college SEC. Well, I I they don't even wear
- 27:22those in. Tennessee.
- 27:23Yeah, I've got a Titans buddy and I do show with him on some
- 27:26Wednesday nights and he was just excited the coach got fired.
- 27:31Like that was it? I had a question for Will
- 27:37because I was trying to have a few questions for y'all coming
- 27:39on. How do you feel about your Rams?
- 27:42Are you like, I think they're doing really well.
- 27:45Are you concerned about Stafford?
- 27:47What are you? How are you feeling right now?
- 27:49We'll pick Stafford as MVP. 5 touchdowns.
- 27:53I mean, he did throw for five touchdowns after flying.
- 27:57You guys are. Both you guys are both right.
- 27:59So that's why that's the right thing.
- 28:01Appreciate that. I didn't I didn't have to bury
- 28:04the league because you just throw right out there.
- 28:05That's great. You're welcome.
- 28:07I don't know, I think there's a lot to be said by the way Shawn
- 28:10Bay wins his team and the way that that he is tapping into his
- 28:15players no matter who they are. Because even when Baker going
- 28:18back to to our our homeboy Baker when he was on the Rams, they
- 28:23got the absolute best out of him.
- 28:24And he has continued to be that best in Tampa Bay when it was
- 28:28Jared Goff. Jared Goff took him to the Super
- 28:30Bowl like and we can't forget that.
- 28:33Like I don't think I know that was Sean Mcvay's first or second
- 28:36year there. So he gets the best out of his
- 28:39players no matter who he has. And I think bringing Devonte and
- 28:43I think Devonte has possibly never been happier.
- 28:46Maybe when he was with Aaron, but but there was some years
- 28:50there in the middle where it's like he was struggling and and
- 28:53so he's on a team where he doesn't have to get all of the
- 28:56attention now with Poca being out, he's getting that now, but
- 28:59he's he's just another piece instead of the piece.
- 29:02And so I I think that they're built very well.
- 29:04They're very fairly well a semi young defense and they're doing
- 29:09their best to replace Aaron Donald.
- 29:10Aaron Donald. They're doing a good job, too.
- 29:13That's the way you are. Yeah, Yeah.
- 29:14Verse and Pune Ford and they're that's really hard to.
- 29:17Do I like him? Too young is I?
- 29:19I got him in my IDP and he he, he's been really good, yeah.
- 29:25I, I think that with a quarterback as good as Matthew
- 29:30Stafford is and I, I don't know the whole statistics for Hall of
- 29:37Famers versus Super Bowl wins versus this, That's the others,
- 29:41right? He's only got the one Super Bowl
- 29:44win. I think the way he has
- 29:47revitalized the game in multiple cities, I think he should be a
- 29:53maybe not first Hall of Famer. He retires, but but a Hall of
- 29:56Famer because of his stats and everything and, and his
- 29:59consistency throughout his entire career.
- 30:01He took Detroit from Owen 16 about mediocre.
- 30:06Right now they're doing better and then and so he's taking this
- 30:10all, all time talents who is very, very good.
- 30:16And he's like, OK, well, this is the guy I have, so this is what
- 30:19I have to do with it. And it hasn't mattered who the
- 30:20guy is or what the position is. And so I feel good with them
- 30:25right now. I feel like they're going in the
- 30:26right direction. They've got the team.
- 30:28Stafford's playing like he's 31 again.
- 30:31I I don't know what they're doing.
- 30:32I like the number you picked, 31, no.
- 30:35That's not, that's not add. It's like he's, you know, he's
- 30:39not. He's, you know, it's funny, he's
- 30:41the same age as me. And I'm like, good for you going
- 30:44out there and playing football because yeah, yeah, no.
- 30:48I I. He's got to be a Hall of Famer.
- 30:50First ballot. Unbiasedly, he is.
- 30:53I think it. Was I didn't, I didn't want to
- 30:55say it because it would be bias, but I think there's truly
- 30:59something. You just went on a cruise, you
- 31:01got back Saturday, we record on Monday.
- 31:04You've already said a couple times, sorry, my brain still
- 31:06sluggish because it because it's travel.
- 31:09The Rams flew from Baltimore to London on Saturday, and then
- 31:15they played a football game the very next day.
- 31:18Which is wild. Why would you and?
- 31:20He threw for five touchdowns. It was only 182 yards, but that
- 31:23team played very well. They took the number one
- 31:26turnover defense in the league and played Immaculate against
- 31:32them. Just made them look like
- 31:33children and without. The Jaguars got there at the end
- 31:37of last week or the end of the the previous week.
- 31:40They were there for for four or five days and the Rams showed up
- 31:45for like 24 hours. That was the whole time in
- 31:47London, 24 hours. All right, we're out because the
- 31:49way it works is if you win, you get the first flights out as
- 31:52well. So they were last in, first out
- 31:54the way every employee wants to be.
- 31:56I want to be in latest and out first.
- 31:59I don't know. I like the way the Rams are
- 32:01going on a bye week this week. It'll give them time to reset
- 32:05and so. Maybe he took a nap that whole
- 32:08that whole flight. That's how he was so arrested to
- 32:10throw 5 touchdowns. Maybe slept that whole 8 off
- 32:12flight on that super nice jet he must have, right?
- 32:16I was not thrilled with the loss to the Niners.
- 32:20No, that one. 'S it's CMC and a bag of rocks
- 32:23over there, but. I don't know man, they keep.
- 32:25They're five and two. They're five and two.
- 32:28That defense is real, man. That 49er defense is Robert
- 32:32Salas. Yeah, true.
- 32:35Good point. But they've been playing well,
- 32:37No, they played lights out against Atlanta and they're
- 32:40young. Like they're, you're right, they
- 32:41lost, you know, I know they lost Warner and Bosa, but they're
- 32:44playing lights out. They're playing the inspired
- 32:46type of football. You want a young team to play
- 32:49under Robert Sala. I'm not saying he's a great
- 32:51coach, but he's a damn good defensive coordinator and he's
- 32:53got him going. And Shanahan knows the right
- 32:56buttons to push when he's got a running game and he's figuring
- 32:59it out. Like Tampa Bay.
- 33:01I'd like to see him healthy, but with a defense in CMC that might
- 33:04be enough to get to the playoffs.
- 33:08Do you guys know, you might already know this?
- 33:10How many quarterbacks have thrown for five touchdowns while
- 33:13doing it with under 200 yards? I do not know that like in NFL
- 33:19history, I'm. Going to go 3.
- 33:21Yeah, Matthew Stafford became the blank quarterback to do it
- 33:28I'm. Going to go. 3rd I'm gonna go
- 33:31first. I'll go second then.
- 33:35Eight. I thought it was.
- 33:37Yeah, sorry. That was underwhelming. 8
- 33:39quarterbacks. Yeah, I, I just see that I'm
- 33:43like that looks like it's like, did you, it's like you swap
- 33:46passing for running. It's like you just kept running
- 33:49it. And then when you got in the end
- 33:50zone, you're like, this is where we like to throw it.
- 33:52That's super weird, Avery, I've got to ask.
- 33:54Punch it in. Is that a Sour Patch gummy
- 33:56behind you? That is.
- 33:58Very, I knew it. I was, I kept looking at it and
- 34:01I'm like, that's a sour patch gummy.
- 34:02You know, I have a six year old and that's a a vice of mine as
- 34:06well. But I'm like, that has got to be
- 34:08a sour patch gummy. I knew it.
- 34:09Yeah, I picked it up in Myrtle Beach years ago.
- 34:13I don't even remember. I don't know how I even made it
- 34:15back here. I think I bought it on a whim at
- 34:17like, a candy store, and then it just made its way.
- 34:20I think I had it when I was setting this up.
- 34:22I went back to look for these fake ferns and then I saw that
- 34:25and I'm like, hey. The ferns that.
- 34:27Matches nothing. It's perfect.
- 34:29Yeah, the ferns give it a good aesthetic.
- 34:31And then Joel, you got, I see Josh Allen, Burrow, is that
- 34:34Jalen Hertz and Mike Evans? It is and Travis Kelsey.
- 34:38Oh, Travis. Kelsey, Travis Kelsey.
- 34:40Oh, that's who it is, Kelsey. Gotcha.
- 34:42This was before I did have, I did have Micah Parsons one on
- 34:46here too, but then he got traded to the Packers and so I had to
- 34:48take it down. Hey, you could have a Micah
- 34:50Parsons one now after the three sacks.
- 34:51He just he that was like that. I that trade.
- 34:55I was like, that's why you make that trade right there.
- 34:57He saved us Save. Color it, color it green and
- 35:00send it to Isaac. Man, he'll probably want it.
- 35:02Absolutely. I have a question.
- 35:04I have a question for you guys. Yeah, where'd you go?
- 35:07So as I mentioned before, in the NFC, the NFC standings right
- 35:11now, the Packers are the ones he currently at 4-1 and one and
- 35:13then the two of the step and speed are all 5 and 2.
- 35:18Has the talent gap in the NFC closed?
- 35:22Because you have you've got the 49ers who beat the Seahawks,
- 35:26then you've got the Seahawks who lost to the Buccaneers, you've
- 35:29got the Buccaneers who lost to the Eagles and the Lions.
- 35:32The Packers beat the Lions. So like all these teams are just
- 35:35beating each other, so how do you truly know who is the best
- 35:38team? That's a really good question.
- 35:41Do you want me to go? I've stuffed up too.
- 35:43You want me to Uncle. Uncle second or third here.
- 35:45Avery, will you want to go? This is because this.
- 35:48This might not be it, but this is what I.
- 35:50Let me expand this a bit further.
- 35:51The top 12 teams in the NFC are A500 win ratio or better.
- 35:58Sorry. So it extends other than the 12
- 36:00anyway. Avery, take it away.
- 36:02I think this comes down to more about what Isaac was saying.
- 36:06They're dumb. I, I, I think, I think it's, I
- 36:10think there's a lot of inconsistent play and a lot of
- 36:14just, it also ties back to Joel's point where it's like
- 36:18you're going to lose a lot of games, like you're, it's going
- 36:22to feel like you're not as good. And then suddenly, you know, you
- 36:24what, you could end up winning the Super Bowl, unlike in
- 36:26college where it's like, no, you have to be the best because if
- 36:29you lose once or twice, like it's over.
- 36:31And so you just have to win. Where is this?
- 36:33It's like there's times we don't.
- 36:35But then again, I mean, you see the the 49ers play the Bucks now
- 36:39you guys don't look that great. And they play the Falcons like
- 36:42you guys look pretty good. OK.
- 36:44And so and so I feel like there's, I think it has less to
- 36:48do with the talent and more to do with either effort or
- 36:52coaching. Maybe it's just lack of like
- 36:55adjustments for like personnel or different looks where it's
- 36:58like sometimes it's like, Oh, you can run the ball.
- 37:00I thought you all you could do was just run right into the
- 37:03defensive tackle like, and then it's like all of a sudden now
- 37:06there's holes, there's gaps in the box.
- 37:08Just couldn't tackle anyone. You know, at least in that first
- 37:12half, it was, it was anyone running Gibbs.
- 37:15I only needed him. So I, I feel like it comes down
- 37:18to like it's not black and white and it's just stupid stuff.
- 37:22I, I, I honestly feel like that is what it would be.
- 37:25Is just like we weren't in it. An injury.
- 37:28That million variables rather than there being this like, oh,
- 37:32like the talent levels equal. I mean they're all professionals
- 37:35and you I mean you have a draft, you have free agency, you have
- 37:38salary caps. So it's not like it's baseball
- 37:40and you can just stack super teams or anything, but feel like
- 37:43a lot of it is just stupid stuff.
- 37:45What's also wild is Tampa Bay has a negative point
- 37:48differential at 5:00 and 2:00. The 49ers have seven more points
- 37:53scored than against. So their net points is 7 and
- 37:57they're five and two. The Eagles are only 5 and those
- 38:00are the three other teams leading their divisions.
- 38:02It's it's kind of wild and the injuries have been on a couple
- 38:06of those teams. I, I think Avery, you nailed it
- 38:09though, man. Like I don't even like legit my
- 38:12I know my team's number one right now and I know they're
- 38:13good, but like, and this has been one of the hardest years
- 38:16for me to pick who the actual like I do a top five every week.
- 38:20This has been the hardest year I can remember.
- 38:22I've only done the podcasting for three years now.
- 38:24It's my third season. But even before that, this is
- 38:27like, it's so hard to pick like who's the best team?
- 38:33Like legit who'd you guys in the end of the week?
- 38:35Week by week it changes. After I saw the the.
- 38:38Bills play. I'm like, oh, the Bills.
- 38:39I think it's the. Lions but yeah the bills defense
- 38:43looks not that great the Colts offense looks great, but we
- 38:46don't I don't think any of us like think the Colts are that
- 38:49special yet we want to see it a little longer there was a time
- 38:52we thought the. Packers were the best, yeah.
- 38:54Especially after the first few weeks.
- 38:56The 49ers defense is playing legit, but their offense isn't
- 38:59that great. Billy like sleepwalks through
- 39:01half a game every week. The Bucks, you know, I've been
- 39:04just squeaking out wins. The Lions look good now, but
- 39:07they've had a couple of losses. Seattle actually low key kind of
- 39:11looks good. They get forgotten about and the
- 39:13ramps have been pretty good. And then you got the bears on a
- 39:16four-game win streak. It's been weird like and they're
- 39:20not even in the plant picture right now.
- 39:25It's it's been it's been one of those seasons where it's it's
- 39:27really hard to tell. I'm going to say I agree with
- 39:30Avery's take. I think there's been some stupid
- 39:32stuff that's happened. Like in my game on 1/4 down they
- 39:35went, they at midfield they threw a 50 yard bomb.
- 39:38It made no sense on 4th down. Stupid crap like that.
- 39:41But I do think the talent has, mainly because of injuries.
- 39:47I think it is closer than it's ever been.
- 39:50I can agree with that. I think that it's kind of
- 39:53flipped. The AFC used to be more tightly
- 39:57contested deeper and it's, it is it is pulled away.
- 40:00If you look at the same statistics there, only the top
- 40:03eight are 500 win record or better.
- 40:07And so you have four additional teams in the NFC at 500 or
- 40:13better. And so I, I just think that
- 40:15there are it's just better competition this year and it's
- 40:18still early. I think it's still early and and
- 40:20it's still. What don't No one has any idea
- 40:24how this is going to happen. I wouldn't wish this on anybody,
- 40:26but if Patrick Mahomes were to get his leg broken, I don't
- 40:30think that team continues the same way.
- 40:32Now, I do not want that to happen.
- 40:33I'm not wishing it upon anybody. But are you?
- 40:36Sure. That yeah, I'm sure that team
- 40:38would be terrible. You're pretty quick to say
- 40:40Patrick Mahomes. Well, it's because he's the best
- 40:43quarterback in the league right now.
- 40:44I'll stand by that one and we can discuss that later.
- 40:47Yeah, I just, I, I, I know, I think the NFC more so is, is, is
- 40:54truly anybody's race of the top 12, any of those teams, Well,
- 41:00maybe not the Vikings or the Falcons, but hey, even the
- 41:03Vikings and Falcons, any of those top 12 could make the
- 41:06playoffs. There are 12 teams fighting for
- 41:08seven spots. Last week when we talked about
- 41:11the AFC playoffs, we talked about 8 teams fighting for seven
- 41:14spots. And so that's why I think that
- 41:17the competition is just better because they see how the best of
- 41:21the best are doing it. And every single year we are,
- 41:24well, not every single year we have the last like 5 years, if
- 41:27not more. We've had Eagles, Chief, Bills,
- 41:30and there's been more. But making the playoffs, making
- 41:33the Super Bowl, you get the same teams who do the same offense,
- 41:37defense consistently making it deep in the playoffs.
- 41:39Is that OK? Well, we need to do that.
- 41:42And these teams are actually hiring coordinators and hiring
- 41:44coaches and modeling their game after that.
- 41:47And so you're getting more consistent play from everybody.
- 41:53So I want to go, I, I want to ask another question going off
- 41:57of what Will said. So Will said there's 12 teams
- 41:59competing for seven spots in the playoffs.
- 42:01And I'm assuming you said 12 teams Will because those are the
- 42:04teams that are 500 or over. And so my question is, so
- 42:08there's four teams in the NFC that have a losing record right
- 42:11now. Of those four teams, do you see
- 42:14any of them being able to compete for a playoff spot?
- 42:17If any of them is going to be the commanders, and it's not
- 42:20just because they're the closest, I just think that
- 42:22that's the the next best put together team.
- 42:25If Jaden vanish can come back and not be hurt.
- 42:27I think if he doesn't get hurt now, I don't think it really
- 42:29wouldn't matter for winning the game, but it would have been a
- 42:31lot closer. It's the Cowboys.
- 42:33If they can get their team back and have actually healthy a
- 42:36healthy lineup, that commanders team is more scary than than
- 42:41they should be. Now, in response to that, does
- 42:44this change your opinion at all? Their next three games are
- 42:47against the Chiefs. At the Chiefs, they go against
- 42:50the Seahawks and the Lions. Both the Seahawks and Lions are
- 42:53at home, so their next three games are Chiefs, Seahawks, and
- 42:55Lions. There's a chance that the
- 42:57Commanders could go 3 and 7. Does that change your opinion at
- 43:00all? Will.
- 43:01If they had a full, healthy team, I think the Commanders
- 43:05could put up a good fight, if not win all three of those
- 43:09games. That is not the current reality
- 43:11we're living in, which is where I was going with to begin with.
- 43:14I don't think they make the playoffs because they're not
- 43:16healthy and the teams that are sitting at the top are over.
- 43:20Well, except the Niners are overall the healthiest teams.
- 43:24This is why the Ravens are one in five this year because they
- 43:28they're they're All Star. Their player got the injury bug
- 43:32and they had to figure out how to play football without Lamar
- 43:35Jackson. It just wasn't working.
- 43:37Well, it wasn't working before they before he got hurt.
- 43:39Well. Well, they were one and two when
- 43:42he went out, right? One and three, something like
- 43:44that. He.
- 43:44Got 1 and 3. Oh, I didn't.
- 43:46Well, yeah, well, one of those games is to build.
- 43:49You know, you make excuses all the time.
- 43:51I had them on my fancy team. I'm not happy.
- 43:53I don't want to talk about it. I'm not being negative.
- 43:55I'm going to be positive. I'm positive.
- 43:58I mean, obviously schedule does change the needle for a lot of a
- 44:03lot of things for every single team in the league.
- 44:07So yeah, I think it does change. I don't think the Commanders
- 44:10stand a chance right now anyway. They're sitting that they are at
- 44:12the 13th seat, the 13th seed after Week 7 to come back and
- 44:17make the playoffs. I have no idea what the status
- 44:19on that, but I'm sure it's not great.
- 44:22Isaac, what do you think? They're not a cross off for me
- 44:24yet The only teams I would cross off, I listen to that on Bill
- 44:28Simmons. The only teams I would
- 44:29absolutely say I don't, even though I don't love the
- 44:31Commanders chances and they need, they need Scary Terry to
- 44:34come back, they need Jane Daniels.
- 44:36The only teams I would absolutely say I don't think are
- 44:38have any chance to make the playoffs are the Cardinals and
- 44:41Saints and the Giants. Unfortunately, even though I
- 44:44like Scatimo, they don't Malik neighbors and dart's going to
- 44:47have some growing pains and I don't like their secondary or
- 44:50linebackers really. I I just.
- 44:52They have a bright future, though.
- 44:53Yeah. The password as you mentioned,
- 44:56coach or GM? So at least you got a pass rush,
- 45:00right? And you got Scatimo is fun and
- 45:02Dart. I think that that's some
- 45:03building blocks at least. But no, I'm sorry, Giants fans,
- 45:06you, you, you need another good offseason.
- 45:09They're not making the playoffs. I would put money on that.
- 45:11The Saints are not going anywhere.
- 45:13I know the Cardinals almost put me at the Packers, but they've
- 45:15lost five in a row. I worry about the Vikings
- 45:19because I don't know what the quarterback play is going to be,
- 45:22but I can't cross them off because the rest of the roster,
- 45:25especially the Jones coming back, is just so freaking
- 45:28talented. That defense is solid.
- 45:29They've got awesome receivers. Addison just came back.
- 45:32So the only absolute like teams I would say definitely aren't
- 45:35going to make it are those three.
- 45:37But I will say this, This is teasing something.
- 45:41The seven teams that are in the playoffs right now, I think that
- 45:45the Bears or maybe the pimp, the Falcons or Cowboys are going to
- 45:51squeak into one of those wild cards.
- 45:53I could be wrong. Really, a Tigers fan is saying
- 45:56the Bears are going to make the playoffs?
- 45:58Their defense looks good. I don't love Swift, even though
- 46:02he's been decent, but they've got weapons and if that defense
- 46:05can play well, they're an interesting team.
- 46:09I don't know man. OK.
- 46:10So, so follow up question then follow up question to that.
- 46:14Of the seven teams that are in right now, if the Bears make it
- 46:17into the playoffs, which one team would you have going out of
- 46:20the playoffs? Even though they like the way
- 46:22the Seahawks are playing, they would probably be the team.
- 46:26Because you're gonna have somebody from the NFC West,
- 46:30whoever wins, it's going to make it.
- 46:32So one of those three teams is going to make it.
- 46:34Philly's going to probably make it because I don't trust the
- 46:37Cowboys to actually win the division.
- 46:39Somebody from the NFC North's going to make it.
- 46:40Probably the Packers or the Lions.
- 46:44I would say Seattle, even though I actually like their defense.
- 46:47I just have got questions about Darnold in the running game.
- 46:50Even though like low key, like the way they're playing, this is
- 46:53a tough one. It's like who?
- 46:54Who do you take out? For me, I I think it'd be
- 46:58Seattle because there's only going to be probably 1 NFC soap
- 47:02team unless Atlanta gets it going maybe.
- 47:04So yeah, I don't think the 40. Niners are making.
- 47:09Don't think the 49ers the playoffs.
- 47:12Don't agree with that? The only reason is their
- 47:14schedule. Like check this out.
- 47:15They're scheduled the rest of the way.
- 47:18It's so freaking easy, dude. Like they've got the, I think
- 47:21they've got the easiest strength to schedule remaining.
- 47:23They play the Texans this week. They're 2:00 and 4:00.
- 47:25They have the Giants. That might be two wins to get to
- 47:277 and two. Worst case, they lose 1.
- 47:29Then they do have the Rams, but then they get the Cardinals and
- 47:32then they the Panthers have been tough, but then they get the
- 47:35Browns and then the Titans. Like there's at least three or
- 47:40four more wins on that. Yeah, that's that's that's an
- 47:43easy schedule, especially that Rams game, like that's so easy.
- 47:50Good poke, I like it. See you November 12th.
- 47:56I feel like I feel like the 49ers are gonna get a little
- 47:59worse and I feel like the Cardinals are gonna get a little
- 48:02better. I think the Rams and Seahawks
- 48:04are gonna stay good. You think the Cardinals are
- 48:06gonna make a playoff run or you think they're toast?
- 48:08No. No, I don't think they're gonna
- 48:10make the playoffs. I just think they're gonna.
- 48:12They can play spoilers. I think they're gonna.
- 48:14Yeah, yeah. I don't know.
- 48:15Who's gonna be one or two Seahawks or Rams?
- 48:18But but I know 49ers and Cardinals are going to be the
- 48:20bottom 2, I think. I think the Falcons.
- 48:24Falcons looks unpredictably scary.
- 48:30Like I feel like at any point in time they could just pop off and
- 48:34have themselves a night, or they could just completely look lost.
- 48:37They look like that amazing like 8 and nine team that's going to
- 48:40beat some, like just beat some awesome teams like the Buffalo
- 48:44and then kind of like my team and then just lose some crap
- 48:46games so that you shouldn't lose.
- 48:48Yep. And that's the thing.
- 48:49And part of that inconsistency, inconsistencies, the stupid
- 48:52stuff, I feel like that's those are some of the things you're
- 48:56going to find out. Everyone's going to find out
- 48:57about their teams going forward where it's like, OK, what was
- 49:00the fluke and what was real? Like, what is something that we
- 49:03can actually expect you to come back and do?
- 49:06And I think that's usually what ends up making the team.
- 49:08And then, you know, going into the postseason, you kind of know
- 49:10what you have. I think the Panthers are going
- 49:12to keep doing pretty well. They might make the playoffs,
- 49:16but I could see the Falcons either absolutely tanking or
- 49:20just popping off and probably a little bit of absolutely both.
- 49:24Just like the most confusing whiplash for fans.
- 49:28I actually don't see the Panthers doing well, but we can.
- 49:31That's an interesting one. I like that they have two
- 49:34running backs at least. It's a nice thing to have that a
- 49:37lot of teams don't. They're third and rushing, so
- 49:39it's something at least to lean on.
- 49:41Like at least a lot of teams don't have that identity.
- 49:44At least the Panthers have that. But Joel, I'm with you.
- 49:46I didn't expect much from them. Here's their schedule upcoming
- 49:49the Bills, Packers, 49ers, Rams. They have to play the Bucks
- 49:53twice. They have to play the Seahawks.
- 49:56That's a really, really tough schedule that is brutal.
- 50:01I feel like they're still going to get to seven or eight wins,
- 50:03which is way more than a lot of people expected.
- 50:05The Panthers. Are a trap team this year,
- 50:07right? Like, you go in, you're like,
- 50:09oh, we're just playing the Panthers this week.
- 50:11And then they come out and punch in the mouth and you don't
- 50:13expect it because Rico Gallo runs for 215 yards.
- 50:17Shout out Cowboys. I'm one of those, by the way, My
- 50:22my cousin's a big Panthers fan and I asked him about like the
- 50:26running back situation. He's like dude, like 1-2 punch.
- 50:30And he kind of had a take where it's like, dude, this has much
- 50:33more to do with like your offensive line.
- 50:36It's not like it's always I mean, unless you're like a
- 50:39superstar running back that's making do with a bad line.
- 50:43Like if the holes there, I mean, you're both like basically
- 50:45starting caliber running backs. I can't see why, like I've seen
- 50:49so many memes of like Panthers fans like trying to decide like
- 50:53who they want more. It's like porque no Las dos like
- 50:56let's run both of them. If one of them gets hurt, you've
- 50:59got the other. Like, I mean, I guess except for
- 51:02fantasy or maybe like, you know, players, you know, morale
- 51:06because they want to, you know, get those stats for, you know, a
- 51:09larger contract or something. I'm like you as far as the team
- 51:12goes. And then you guys usually got it
- 51:14made at running back right now. Yeah, I mean, it does suck a
- 51:17little for fantasy, but it is what it is.
- 51:19I the Panthers could be a regression candidate, but the
- 51:22weird thing is they're not even one of the teams in the
- 51:23playoffs. So it's like this is Wildman
- 51:27like the AF CS a lot easier to pick.
- 51:29Like I can look at that fields and be like, yeah,
- 51:32Jacksonville's not making it. I don't that's.
- 51:35What I said. Pittsburgh might regret since
- 51:40maybe Cincinnati steals the AFC North.
- 51:42I don't see, you know, Cleveland, probably not
- 51:45Baltimore. They might be dead in the water
- 51:46at 1:00 and 5:00. But the AFC is way more wild
- 51:50where I could pick two or three teams from that playoff race and
- 51:53be like, yeah, the NFC is so freaking hard, man, like.
- 51:58It's very tough. I question really quick, what do
- 52:01you guys think of the Bears? Do you believe in them?
- 52:03Do you need to see more? What do you all think?
- 52:06They're pretty. They're pretty scary.
- 52:07Will I man all right as I real. Scared of Caleb?
- 52:17As I mentioned in my wrap up, they have won four games in a
- 52:21row and there's almost full touchdown underground after
- 52:25winning four in a row and I do not trust this bear teams bears
- 52:30team at all. If you're buying into them, buy
- 52:33buy the points. You get a full almost a full
- 52:35touchdown bet on them heavy. Now we don't give gambling
- 52:38advice here. That's not a part of our show.
- 52:41But I I just Caleb Williams, I think is a fraud being made look
- 52:47like he's not. This is like the emperor with no
- 52:49clothes, right? Well, you're not nice.
- 52:51My clothes are. And and no one's really going to
- 52:54tell them that, hey, you know, you're not actually that good,
- 52:57right? Your team kind of sucks and
- 52:59you're the problem. But for now, they're doing OK.
- 53:04I mean, I can't say they beat nobody, but they've kind of beat
- 53:10nobody. They beat and therefore they
- 53:12Cowboys, Raiders, Commanders and then Saints.
- 53:15They don't play a team with a winning record again.
- 53:18I guess if you count the Cowboys having a winning record at 500,
- 53:23we will call it. So they, they played the Cowboys
- 53:27in Week 3 and beat them and then they played the Raiders.
- 53:31They have a losing record. The Commanders have a losing
- 53:33record. The Saints have a losing record.
- 53:34The Ravens next have a losing record.
- 53:36The Bengals after that, they have a losing record.
- 53:38The Giants after that, they have a losing record.
- 53:41Now we're in week what, 789-1011?
- 53:44So in Week 11 is when they play the Vikings, and they are,
- 53:48that's the next team that they play that are currently they're
- 53:52not even in playoff contention. Well, they have to schedule. 2
- 53:57That's true. You don't right?
- 54:00You just when Weber hits the road and playoff times come and
- 54:03you're not playing these teams anymore, you you're going to get
- 54:08exposed horribly. Look at look at Saints, Saints
- 54:12Seahawks, right beast quake like like the Seahawks had no
- 54:16business winning that game, but yet the Saints got exposed.
- 54:21It happens every single year where these teams get bodied by
- 54:25these at home by wild card teams because they happen to win the
- 54:29division. And if the Rams or if the excuse
- 54:31me, the Bears go on to do to make the playoffs, I would not
- 54:35expect anything but a first round loss.
- 54:39Also, there's no way Karen Williams has 4000 passenger
- 54:41yards. To to build off of that.
- 54:44So that was actually a perfect segue, Will.
- 54:45So Caleb Williams has actually a worst completion percentage than
- 54:49he had last year so far. This year so far, he is
- 54:52completing 61.1% of his passes, which is worse than last year.
- 54:56In his last three games, he is completing 58.7% of his passes.
- 55:01The team, the whole team as a whole has been pretty good.
- 55:06They're four and two. They're winning games.
- 55:07They won four in a row. Caleb Williams has not been
- 55:10good. So when you get into the
- 55:12playoffs with a quarterback who has not been good and is
- 55:15completing less than 60% of his passes, like Will said, you will
- 55:19get exposed. You will not win games in the
- 55:21playoffs if you have a quarterback who is playing at
- 55:23the level that Caleb Williams is playing at right now.
- 55:25He's. They he's there's other stuff
- 55:29he's doing well with though. Let let me interject again here.
- 55:33So they better win their next four against the Ravens,
- 55:35Bengals, Giants and Vikings because their last, their last
- 55:39games, they've got Steelers, Eagles, Packers.
- 55:43Then they're home against the Browns, which who knows what the
- 55:45Browns will be about then. And they're Packers, Niners,
- 55:48Lions. They go through an absolute buzz
- 55:50saw the final seven games of the season.
- 55:52That's a tough ending. So they're going to win every
- 55:55win they can now because they're looking at what, 8:00 and 9:00
- 56:00at the end of the season potentially?
- 56:01Well. That's true.
- 56:04I I think he's a Packer fan. I agree there.
- 56:06I mean, yeah, he's not completing a ton of passes, but
- 56:09he does have 11 touchdowns on the year with only three picks
- 56:12and he's only taken 11 sacks. So there's some things I'm
- 56:14liking from him. I feel like.
- 56:18I feel like some of his stuff last year was like stat padding
- 56:21and he's been connecting well with Rome.
- 56:23There's other things I'd like to see though.
- 56:25I'd like to see him connecting with Luther Burden and DJ Moore
- 56:28and the tight ends. But weirdly they are doing, they
- 56:32remind me of the Bucks. No offense, Joel.
- 56:34They are doing just enough to win, just enough to win, just
- 56:39enough to win. That's the the Bears are the NFC
- 56:43North's Bucks. That's what they are.
- 56:46And I want to see a little more from the team because they have
- 56:49the defense that's starting to finally play better that
- 56:52everybody thought was going to be good and hasn't been because
- 56:54they get my Packers twice. They play the Lions.
- 56:56They've got e-mail that they get Philly, they got some games,
- 57:00they got to build up wins early. I was just curious, y'all
- 57:03thought lots on the Bears because they're a weird team
- 57:05that I can't. They're like this whole season.
- 57:08I can't quite figure it out. They are currently third in the
- 57:12in the NFC North. They will finish third in the
- 57:14NFC North. JJ McCarthy will come back and
- 57:16he will blow the season for the Vikings.
- 57:18And that's just the those are just two bad quarterbacks.
- 57:22Yeah, I think the Vikings are in trouble because they're the team
- 57:25I think that's going to, they're not in the playoff race.
- 57:28I, I just, I think they're going to struggle to get to 9 wins,
- 57:32even with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and Aaron Jones
- 57:35and Jordan Mason and all those guys.
- 57:36They're going to struggle. I think the, the, the top of the
- 57:40NFC North is where I'm intrigued.
- 57:42Do you guys think the Packers hold on or do you think the
- 57:44Lions win it? It's a tough one, isn't it?
- 57:46Yeah, so I can see the Packers getting a lot better real quick.
- 57:50I. I can too.
- 57:51And the Lions. I also see the Lions defaulting
- 57:53back to their YEAH factory settings at the beginning of the
- 57:56season 2. Because the Packers here's their
- 57:58next games. They play the Steelers this
- 58:00Thursday night in Pittsburgh. Then they get Carolina in Green
- 58:04Bay. I think they win that one in
- 58:05Green Bay. Hopefully they get Philly in
- 58:07Green Bay in Monday night. That'll be a hell of a game.
- 58:09They play the Giants, they get the Vikings, and then they get
- 58:12the Lions on Thanksgiving, and then they get the Bears twice,
- 58:16and the Ravens and the Bears and Vikings in December and January.
- 58:20So they're probably going to get to at least ten wins already at
- 58:224:00. So how how many wins does it
- 58:25take to win the NFC North 1211? It's going to be interesting.
- 58:31I think the Lions have an easier schedule.
- 58:34They've got the Vikings home versus Vikings at Commanders at
- 58:38Eagles home versus the Giants, Packers and Cowboys three home
- 58:41games in a row. And they're at the Rams home
- 58:45versus Steelers at Vikings at Bears.
- 58:47To finish the season, they need the Vikings or the Lions have
- 58:50the easier schedule to finish it out.
- 58:52True. That's a good point.
- 58:56It's gonna be good. And they showcased last year.
- 59:01That's cuz they started hot and finished off.
- 59:04They just stayed hot all regular season last year.
- 59:07That's what everybody worries about.
- 59:08And that's what you hear a lot of these talking heads talk
- 59:11about that's concluded right now that or is this team too hot,
- 59:15too early? Are they gonna flame out before
- 59:17the postseason? And they they didn't watch her
- 59:20until the postseason. But even that they made us the
- 59:22championship game. They right.
- 59:25Yeah. Right.
- 59:26The Lions, yeah, No, they lost to the commanders.
- 59:32No commanders. Beat them in divisional rounds.
- 59:34Yeah, first round by last. That was the year.
- 59:36That was the. Year before, yeah.
- 59:38That's hand frame. I don't blame me that much, I
- 59:41know. I just think I think the Lions
- 59:43are right. Regular season team, just like
- 59:46Jack Prescott. He's a great regular season
- 59:48quarterback. Good for your fancy team, bad
- 59:50for your playoff team. Yeah, that's a good take.
- 59:54All right, so we got to wrap it up here, but Isaac, I want to
- 59:58give you the final thoughts here.
- 59:59So give us your final thoughts on the NFC.
- 1:00:04I think the, the, the, gosh, this is such a wild take.
- 1:00:07I'm going to try to be not a Homer, but I do think that I
- 1:00:13think that the Super Bowl representative for the NFC is
- 1:00:15going to come out of the NFC North.
- 1:00:17I'm going to give you a bold take right now.
- 1:00:19I think I don't think Philly's getting back.
- 1:00:22Could be wrong. I don't see the 49ers.
- 1:00:25I don't see the Bucks. So the only team would be the
- 1:00:27Rams. I'm really worried about and
- 1:00:28Stafford's got to stay healthy. I like them.
- 1:00:30I do like the Rams, but they've been weird, like they can't get
- 1:00:33by Philly. They like them though.
- 1:00:35They're good team. But I do think the NFC North is
- 1:00:38going to go to the Super Bowl, either Green Bay or Detroit.
- 1:00:40There's a bowl take for you all. Right, I like it.
- 1:00:44Hoping I'm right. You heard it here first.
- 1:00:45You heard it here first. All right, well, we're going to
- 1:00:50wrap it up for this episode, but thank you, Isaac for coming on.
- 1:00:53Had a lot of fun talking with you about the NFC.
- 1:00:55Stay tuned guys for next week. It is our Halloween episode, so
- 1:00:59we're going to do some Halloween themed topics trick or treat,
- 1:01:04little contender or pretender, but it's called trick or treat
- 1:01:08and we are all going to be dressed up in costumes next
- 1:01:12week. So I think it's going to be a
- 1:01:13lot of fun. So stay tuned.
- 1:01:15I want. To put a warning, I want to put
- 1:01:17a warning real quick. I got, I tried on the costume
- 1:01:20that I had and it looks terrifying and it wasn't
- 1:01:23supposed to be scary. It's supposed to be like a
- 1:01:25cartoon character. And the mask is like Hellraiser
- 1:01:30level so maybe you listen to the audio version.
- 1:01:35Next. Week.
- 1:01:37I'm excited. I'm excited.
- 1:01:40All right, cool. So, yeah, that's all we have
- 1:01:42time for on this episode, guys. But as always, don't forget to
- 1:01:46keep your balls played with. We'll see you next time.
- 1:01:49Also, Mark Davis's haircut still sucks.