Latest / Fanatically Speaking with Kent / NFL Conference Championship Breakdown - Defense, Disasters, & Debate

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NFL Conference Championship Breakdown - Defense, Disasters, & Debate · Fanatically Speaking with Kent

0:06
Hey, what's up, everybody? Welcome to another
0:08
episode of Fanatically Speaking. I'm Kent, the
0:10
co -host and promoter. I'm Log Off, the Log Off
0:14
legend, the hater of all things social media.
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I'm the co -host and producer of the show. And
0:20
we are going to get into a lot of stuff. Again,
0:25
NFL. We just had the divisional round, another
0:30
crazy weekend of football, and now we're going
0:32
to get to our conference picks, conference championship
0:35
picks. the coaching carousel continues, and then
0:42
we gotta talk about Josh Allen and some other
0:45
quarterbacks, but mainly Josh Allen. Yeah, and
0:49
I think my position on Josh Allen might be a
0:53
little predictable, but I gotta stay true, man.
0:59
I call it like I see it, so I'm curious to hear
1:03
what you have to say on it, but we'll get to
1:05
that. Okay. We'll get to that. I'm ready to lead
1:07
off wherever you want to start. Okay. Let's just
1:11
get into the games from the past weekend real
1:15
quick. Which one was the most? So we'll exclude,
1:18
let's save the Bills game for last. We'll save
1:20
that for last. We'll just, yeah, we'll save Bills,
1:23
uh, you know, Bills Broncos. Um, I mean we start,
1:26
uh, Rams Bears. Rams bears a fine one. Yeah,
1:31
like I said, I think I do want to break not break
1:33
down but get into these just a little bit because
1:36
It I think everything that happened matters To
1:42
lead up to the conference championships. So yeah
1:46
Rams bears I Did get that right I finished overall
1:52
finish 500 thank God I Thought I was gonna have
1:57
a one in three uh but yes snowy game cold game
2:02
right maybe not snow was it snow felt like there
2:05
was snow in every game yeah everywhere was icy
2:08
i felt like everywhere was just everywhere had
2:10
uh the precipitation yeah so so the biggest things
2:14
for that game was like the rams outlasted the
2:16
bears it went to overtime rams win by field goal
2:21
the the bears again with just unbelievable plays
2:28
to even get it there. And we can talk about,
2:32
oh, that's a great play. Caleb Williams running
2:35
20 yards from the line of scrimmage and throws
2:37
up basically a Hail Mary. And the Rams defender
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Durant just decided to go, you jump 10 yards
2:44
ahead instead of back where the ball was going.
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And his, and his receiver who he's defending
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kind of a really wonky, weird play, but look,
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it was great for TV. Great for the moment. uh,
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that ended up tying it. I think Caleb Williams
2:58
showed again that he can, he's got, he is, he's
3:01
going to be there, right? He's going to take
3:02
the steps. He's, he is, we talked about him progressing
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to be that guy making these plays, but then on
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the other side, as we said, we're going to talk
3:12
about quarterbacks, turnovers is the key to the
3:16
whole weekend. And Caleb Williams, the turnovers
3:20
were insane and you know, it'll, it'll kind of
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get get me to my larger point later as we continue
3:27
going over all the games. But yeah, I mean, it
3:30
was rampant everywhere. The weather had a lot
3:33
to do with that. Really good defense. had a lot
3:37
to do with that, too. I'm not just going to sum
3:38
it up to, oh, it was cold and wet and icy. And
3:41
it's like, no, like we've seen games where teams
3:43
are able to hold on to the ball, specifically
3:45
running the ball, even in inclement weather.
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But yeah, it was a heavy turnover game. I commend
3:54
guys that can throw picks and fumble and still
3:57
go out there and make plays. So I want to make
4:00
sure that I give Williams that credit. because
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he still he put that he put the helmet right
4:04
back on and went right back out there like he
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he understood the the moment and even with all
4:10
that it was only a three point loss even with
4:13
all that hell and all that mayhem they still
4:15
had a chance to win it at the end so you know
4:18
it's um yeah i mean it was tough to see the turnovers
4:21
were everywhere but yeah i mean he's gonna have
4:24
to tighten that up if he if he wants to advance
4:26
in the playoffs in the future Yeah, well and
4:29
we're gonna keep saying like I said every game
4:31
was you know, turnovers was the key But like
4:35
you said, yeah, you can give credit to the quarterbacks
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for continue to make plays which they should
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But I think another key like you said you mentioned
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a key word which is gonna be to my big point
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but yet defense was key as well and When your
4:49
defense is able to keep you in games Despite,
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you know in spite of turnovers But it's the timing
4:56
of the turnovers that matter. And again, Caleb
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Williams, though, again, played great, shows
5:00
he's next on the quarterback in line to be the
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next great, good quarterback in the league. I'm
5:09
gonna chalk this up for Caleb Williams to just
5:11
being young. First playoff experience, it is
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what it is. Like he said, weather, defense. I
5:18
don't think the moment was too big. He made some
5:20
great plays. It just happens and it always happens
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to most guys in the league, especially when they're
5:26
young. In the playoffs that first time you might
5:29
get that one win, but then eventually as it gets
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deeper in the playoffs, making those plays, not
5:35
turning the ball over, just being a little smarter,
5:38
not forcing things. And it just came back to
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bite him. I think other big things was Ben Johnson
5:43
again, first time being a head coach. I felt
5:46
like even though they end up tying the game and
5:49
he went to overtime. When it got under three
5:52
minutes He let a lot of time go off the clock
5:56
when they were on defense I felt like his timeouts
5:59
he probably could have used a little better and
6:01
Then in overtime. He didn't use a timeout at
6:04
all He didn't even use one to ice the kicker
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or try to ice the kicker. So yeah, it's just
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it's a lack of inexperience Exactly. I think
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he's done a great job. I'm sorry a lack of experience
6:14
lack of experience and and he The the things
6:19
that you need to do to tighten the game up when
6:21
it's really that close Yeah, and we're talking
6:25
like you said it's a matter of crazy plays. It's
6:29
fumbles. It's interceptions It's missed tackles
6:32
is busted coverage. It's it comes down to literal
6:37
feet of space on the field and All those things
6:41
mattered. Yeah, you know calling some timeouts
6:43
the ice to kicker who knows? You know, maybe
6:46
it just gives you a chance to get a look at where,
6:48
you know, maybe, maybe your special teams can
6:50
go out there and block the kit. Who knows, but
6:51
at least try. Right. Yeah. You know, normally
6:53
NFL coaches give it a shot. Call one if they've
6:56
got them to at least say, okay, we'll, we'll
6:58
wait till you almost kick it, then call it, make
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you kick it again. Uh, I think that's just like
7:04
you said, inexperience. And, um, yeah. And then,
7:09
you know, I heard, you know, they talked about
7:11
all day long about him not going for two when
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they tied it, but. that's a risk. You know, if
7:16
you go for two in the playoffs and you don't
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get it and you lose by that one point, you'll
7:20
never hear the end of it. So never hear the end
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of it. It's easy to say, Oh, yeah, they should
7:25
have wanted quarterbacks. Yeah. Now you, Oh,
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just, Oh, just go, Oh, just go for it with your
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season on the line. And if you miss it, it's
7:31
over and everyone points the finger at you and
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they want to get you out of that. That's the
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stuff you do in the regular season. You don't
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do that when you, especially when you're at home
7:38
in the playoffs, you go to overtime, you have
7:41
the momentum, you just tied it. I definitely
7:45
don't think he should have went for two it crossed
7:47
my mind, but I don't think she went for two That's
7:50
really all I got on the Bears and Rams. Thanks
7:52
to the Rams to me are still the most balanced
7:56
team But yeah, so that game was kind of crazy.
8:00
So like I said had the defense had to stuff blah
8:02
blah blah No, no, I'm with you. What um, which
8:07
game you want to go to next? The only other recap
8:10
this isn't gonna be a quick one the Seahawks
8:11
beat the 49ers The the Seahawks did well Well,
8:18
you know, that's what you do to you know That's
8:21
what another team in the playoffs should do to
8:23
a team that is so depleted Even though the Niners
8:26
got guys back in that game, right? They got D
8:28
winners back. They got Ricky Pierce all so they
8:31
had some guys back but still obviously Overwhelmingly
8:35
still outmatched in key positions the Seahawks
8:39
they did what they do special teams defense and
8:43
run the ball. Make sure Sam Darnold, the game
8:47
is not in his hands. And that's what they did.
8:49
And it worked perfectly. Yeah. It was an ass
8:54
kicking from, from literal kickoff to the very
8:58
end. I think we all kind of saw how depleted,
9:03
you know, the 49ers were brought pretty in and
9:07
out of the lineup all year, even though he's
9:09
been playing great the last, you know, last stretch
9:11
of the season. it went the way that it should
9:15
have went on paper. We knew that the Seahawks
9:18
were better. We knew that they, you know, they're
9:20
playing in their stadium. You know, San Francisco
9:23
is a division opponent. Typically these games
9:26
are more competitive, but we knew that they weren't,
9:29
they weren't at full strength, nowhere near it.
9:31
And they were outmatched. And you know, the Seahawks
9:34
showed that to them. I kind of feel like this
9:36
is like an Indiana. You know football team blowing
9:40
teams out type scenario because you know, they're
9:43
just they're just it's not that they're not great
9:46
but the question is are they really as good as
9:49
what the score is indicating and I think we'll
9:52
have a lot of answers, you know Next weekend,
9:55
you know when you got it when you see yeah when
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you see Matthew Stafford and Rams coming to town
10:00
like it'll Yeah, so we'll have to see we'll kind
10:03
of see what what goes from there Yeah, I mean
10:05
McCaffrey got banged up in this game it just,
10:08
you know, uh, for the Niners, I mean, like I
10:11
said, call this what you want to call it, but
10:14
the Eagles gave them false hope that they could
10:17
actually. Yeah. Yeah, probably so. And part of
10:20
me is a little, part of me is a little happy
10:24
that this, this wasn't, you know, it wasn't my
10:28
birds over there getting ass like this and the
10:30
way that you know that that would have I would
10:32
have I would have preferred the outcome that
10:34
we had them losing the San Francisco then for
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them to go all the way to Seattle to wear to
10:39
have boots in the ass yeah with so with the part
10:42
of me is kind of glad it just happened to San
10:43
Francisco yeah with the way the Eagles offense
10:46
was going there's no way they would have done
10:48
anything against Seattle's defense yeah it would
10:52
have been it would have been a tough one that's
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us it would have been hard that's called us being
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honest know what I'm talking about. Yeah, I gotta
10:57
be. I gotta be. Alright. So, um so Tex Texan's
11:02
Patriots, Texan's Patriots. This this was this
11:07
game was exactly now I got the pick wrong but
11:11
it was exactly what we talked about. Two good
11:14
defenses going to get two great defenses going
11:16
against each other and the and the quarterbacks.
11:20
It was going to be the turnover. Like you said,
11:23
similar, but not similar, right? And at the end
11:25
of the day, Drake may made the plays. Obviously,
11:28
home field helped him. He made more touchdowns
11:32
than turnovers, but he had three turnovers. CJ
11:36
Stroud was giving away like said like Oprah give
11:39
away cars He was just like I said four in the
11:42
first half But I could tell this is a thing of
11:44
man like I like CJ Stroud and people can say
11:47
oh He's been worse since his first year and again
11:50
you're when you're that good your rookie year.
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You're gonna have a downfall He can still play
11:55
Whatever was going on yesterday. He had his Jake
11:58
DeLone game as we always bring up when you give
12:00
up a lot of Interceptions in the playoffs in
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a game. Yeah, he had his game Mean he was the
12:06
very first throw wasn't even close and the guy
12:08
was wide open. So He has some drops one pick
12:12
was on the receiver his hands But he never looked
12:16
he never looked right the entire game But again
12:19
that goes back to that defense we talked about
12:21
we talked about that with the Rams and the Bears
12:23
You talked about it being closed. I mean the
12:26
Bears were in the game even though The turnovers
12:30
right the Texans were still in this game because
12:33
of their defense In spite of the turnovers by
12:35
CJ shroud their defense They did all they could
12:39
as long as they could right the pick six really
12:42
hurt them because that's a defensive touchdown
12:44
and That ultimately made that when the Patriots
12:49
did score on offense made that you know deficit
12:52
wider and again the weather and things like that
12:55
and You know, there's questions about to be go
12:59
Ryan's punting with you know, down and get, you
13:02
know, then the Patriots, you know, they burned
13:06
about, I don't know, six or seven minutes off
13:09
the clock, more in the fourth quarter, but either
13:13
way, that didn't lose it for them or anything,
13:15
but there's always those calls like, but at the
13:18
end of the day, like I said, yeah, the weather,
13:20
but it was, I think still what we thought it
13:22
was, even though we didn't get the winter right.
13:25
And I'll say my part and let you talk. I will
13:29
say now that the Patriots and Drake May are for
13:33
real. I'm not going to go that far. I saw Drake
13:41
May play a similar game to CJ Stroud, just with
13:49
a better team and system around him. To me, they
13:53
were pretty neck and neck in terms of quarterbacks.
13:57
The one thing I'm going to say, and I know we've
14:00
been talking about defenses for the last couple
14:02
of weeks and just how great these defenses are
14:04
in the playoffs. I, I'm not one of these people
14:08
that like to, you know, Oh, well, you know, the
14:11
defense in the defense for, uh, for the Texas
14:14
did a great job against the Patriots and they,
14:16
and they did keep the lid on for as long as they
14:18
could. It's also their fucking job. Like that's
14:23
what they're supposed to do. And, and of course
14:25
you don't want to depend on your team to score
14:27
your points, your defense to score your points
14:30
for you. But at the same time, it's like, that's
14:33
what, if you have a good defense, like you should
14:35
be able to lean on them on a day like that where
14:38
your young quarterback is struggling in the playoffs.
14:42
So it just didn't work out for them. I will say
14:45
that some things really telling in all this,
14:49
it seems like every single game that we've spoken
14:52
about. We've primarily focused on the loser as
14:56
opposed to the winner and what the winners did
14:58
to win. Now, maybe that's, you know, some bias
15:03
because I did pick the Texans and I think and
15:04
I think they showed that they had a legit shot.
15:07
The Patriots were just able to make the big plays
15:09
that they needed. You know, this is a really.
15:18
non -sexy playoff run for the NFL. Not a lot
15:21
of sexy teams, not a lot of big names, some nice
15:25
sized brands in there, but this, you know, I
15:29
don't know if this is a trend. Obviously a lot
15:31
of the bigger teams are out of the playoffs this
15:33
year anyway. So, I mean, it'll be interesting
15:36
to see how this goes moving forward. But, um,
15:39
if you want to transition to the other team,
15:41
the last game, and I feel like we're going to
15:44
focus on the bills as opposed to the Broncos,
15:46
but you know, let's do it. Well, I do have one
15:48
more thing on a Patriots. I did say there and
15:51
Drake made for real. Well, I will say that based
15:54
on their defense and some of the throws he made,
15:56
like he made some really good throws to, and,
15:59
but you're, you are exactly right. I did not
16:01
bring up the fact that he did. have four fumbles
16:04
along with his pick, but he only lost two fumbles
16:08
and he leads the league in fumbles. So that is
16:12
huge. It's just the Texans couldn't capitalize
16:15
and recover all the fumbles and they were all
16:18
stripped sacks, right? I mean, they were like,
16:20
I think he had one where he ran. So you're exactly
16:23
right. Like Stroud, the interceptions, you can't,
16:26
when they're interceptions, they're interceptions.
16:28
And like I said, one went off the receiver's
16:30
hands. Drake right off his hands Drake and Drake
16:33
May's interception was a Hail Mary at the end
16:35
of the half it is what it is but the four fumbles
16:37
were definitely and I'm just gonna say this because
16:40
I because I think this is hilarious the way you
16:42
framed it you said you said yeah Drake May fumbled
16:47
four times but he only lost two two of them which
16:52
is the 50 % which is the I mean, I mean, I know
16:58
you didn't even do that on purpose, but like,
17:01
that's crazy. Like four fumbles and you just
17:04
got lucky. He really did. One of them, he was
17:06
super lucky because they were right there to
17:08
scoop it up and he just couldn't, it just couldn't
17:10
wrap it up. Yeah. And that, and that tells the
17:13
difference of that game. If they, if they do,
17:16
like you said, it all comes down to one play
17:18
that possession. And by the way, if I'm not mistaken,
17:20
I hate to cut you off. I'm not mistaken. I can't
17:23
remember. it was I want to say it was like maybe
17:25
the second or third quarter in the game but I
17:28
want to say that they if they would have if the
17:30
texas would have recovered that I want to say
17:32
they would have been on like their 20 in between
17:33
your 20 and their 30 yeah like they were right
17:36
there like at a minimum it's a field goal yeah
17:39
so I mean and you know you look at it and like
17:42
you said I mean maybe it makes the Patriots a
17:45
little more conservative in their offense. Maybe
17:47
they start to run the ball more. Maybe they put
17:50
Drake Maybach. He fumbles again. Who knows? But
17:52
like I said, one more fumble would have made
17:55
all the difference in the game. Who knows? Yeah,
17:57
I don't think. Yeah, I think that game was way
17:59
more even than people look at. The score indicated.
18:03
Exactly. I'll point out this one stat and then
18:07
we can move on. I promise. You're good. You're
18:10
good. No, I mean, it was a great game, man. It
18:12
was it was good. It was good. Why? So, funny
18:13
how this is, it's going to be the 15th straight
18:15
year, either the Patriots or Chiefs are in the
18:18
AFC Championship game. So, stat. I'm sorry. I'm
18:23
sorry. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Okay, wait.
18:25
So, this is the 15th straight year. that one
18:28
of those two teams are in the AFC championship,
18:32
which is so crazy because we get a year where
18:34
the chiefs are not in the playoffs. They're not
18:35
going to be back and the Patriots all of a sudden
18:38
find themselves in it. All right there. And here's
18:41
the other thing after a six year drought has
18:43
to do with the matchup. Maybe it just has to
18:45
do with the matchup in the seedings. Yeah. But
18:46
the other thing is even throughout those years,
18:49
how many can you recall where one team eliminated
18:51
the other? Cause I can only think of one. Yeah,
18:54
that that that is true because but that was prima
18:56
homes with the Patriots were just making every
18:58
AFC championship Still still within the last
19:01
15 years though. Oh, yeah, and then they met
19:03
and Tom Brady because because I'm gonna go because
19:06
of because I went off sides the Patriots beat
19:09
the Chiefs Okay, yeah, so last game a lot to
19:16
this one I think because I think this is gonna
19:19
just lead into other things here Buffalo Bills
19:22
At the Denver Broncos, the Broncos won. A lot
19:29
in this game. I think decisions, I think play
19:33
again defense, defense, not so much. I mean,
19:36
you got 63 points combined. But on one hand,
19:41
there was defense because there were turnovers
19:43
again. At four by Josh Allen, you know, two picks,
19:47
two lost fumbles. Five total by the Buffalo Bills
19:52
one, you know, you know by who was it cook? Yeah,
19:56
so yeah kind of same with Texans You know quarterback
19:59
turns it over four times in the running back
20:01
marks turn it over on the five yard line There's
20:03
another just to go back to that ball game again
20:06
They were on the five yard line rated score and
20:08
he fumbles on the five. So same here with the
20:11
Buffalo Bills You know, again, Broncos at home
20:18
played good. Bo Nicks made some great plays,
20:20
great throws. There's been some guessing, second
20:27
guessing on coaching in this game by Buffalo
20:29
with not just running out the clock before halftime
20:33
instead of trying to go down because what did
20:36
that lead to? Josh Allen scrambling, running,
20:39
fumbling. Broncos get a field goal before halftime.
20:42
Right after halftime, second half, another fumble.
20:44
And the Broncos get another field goal. So in
20:47
a span of no time, they went from a 10, 10 game,
20:49
20, 23, 10 game, but credit to Josh Allen, credit
20:53
to the Buffalo Bills. They did come back, take
20:55
the lead only to finally, uh, you know, they
20:59
went, ended up going to overtime and then the
21:05
ref show happened. The ref show happened. Um,
21:12
I like the play called by Buffalo. I'm gonna
21:14
get straight to it. They had the ball. Josh Allen
21:17
throws it deep to Brandon Cooks. The defender,
21:21
McMillan, as Cooks is catching it, kind of has
21:24
a hand in there. Cooks has two hands on it, hits
21:29
the ground, then McMillan has two hands on it.
21:33
They kind of, he's kind of on top of Cooks, I
21:37
guess you can say, and then comes out with the
21:39
ball. So they rule an interception. I think you
21:45
maybe blink not even twice and they've already
21:47
got the ball spotted ready for the next play.
21:52
So, you know, McDermott had to call a timeout
21:54
to say, hey guys, are y 'all gonna look at that?
21:57
You know, this is kind of like a big game and
21:59
a big time. You know, this is a big play and
22:02
it's kind of a close play. Like, are y 'all gonna
22:05
maybe do a, you know, go upstairs and review
22:07
this? Because I'm not sure you got it right.
22:12
and I don't know that they looked at it. And
22:14
if they did, they barely looked. And then they
22:16
just said, you know, the call stands. What was
22:19
your take on the call itself? Not so much the
22:25
rush of trying to get the ball, you know, snapped
22:27
and, you know, kind of just blow it off of like,
22:30
oh yeah, that's an interception. Easy, easy call.
22:33
Here we go. Okay. So the first thing in terms
22:37
of like, okay, so the pick is called The rush
22:42
up to spot the ball. I don't have a problem with
22:45
because it like if that's my team. That's what
22:47
I want I don't care if it's if we got the ball,
22:49
let's get this shit going You know what? I mean,
22:52
like I'm not gonna give you guys an opportunity
22:54
to think about it So I think there's some of
22:57
that is What strategic to try to make sure that
23:01
you know that it got that a call like that? Because
23:04
because it's like hey, we got the ball There's
23:07
no benefit to us to let this thing drag out Let's
23:11
just snap the ball, you know, so I didn't have
23:13
a problem with that part the call itself I hate
23:19
to be so wishy -washy I'm trying to remember
23:23
other instances in which I've seen plays like
23:25
that where the end result is an interception
23:27
but the one thing that happened is is he as he's
23:31
coming down going to the ground with the ball
23:33
he loses it and Then the defender gains possession
23:39
of the ball and it doesn't touch the ground.
23:43
You know what I mean? Like it went from hand
23:46
to hand. So to me, it's no different than, you
23:50
know, you stripping a running back of the ball
23:52
as he cuts by you, you strip the ball right out
23:55
of his hand and run back the other way for six.
23:57
Maybe. If the ball changes, if he made a catch
24:02
and the catch was caught. So he has a catch,
24:06
makes football moves, goes to the ground. loses
24:10
the ball while going to the ground, and I retrieve
24:14
the ball as a defender, I mean, I don't know
24:18
if it's technically a fumble, but if he truly
24:23
had possession, and I have it now, all before
24:29
a whistle is blown, then it's an interception.
24:32
Technically, it's an interception. Yeah, I think
24:35
it just, I think it depends on the day. I mean,
24:39
I understand it. I mean, I saw the ball, you
24:42
know, once, cause I think I'm, a lot of people
24:44
are looking at it and they're seeing that he
24:45
caught it, his knee hit, he's down, but then
24:49
the ball moves and then, you know, maybe like
24:52
it's in there with two hands and as his body's
24:55
hitting, it's kind of moving and then he snatches
24:57
it away. So, you know, it's different than a
24:59
running back because a running back, if he's
25:00
got it and a knee down, he's down, but receiver,
25:05
you know, when you catch a ball, you gotta, you
25:06
gotta, Even though you catch it in your knees
25:10
down, which is the same as feet, then you have
25:12
to, you know, no matter what movements after
25:15
that, you have to hold on to the ball. So it's
25:18
the set, you know, the age old, what is a catch
25:21
when all these things, I just didn't like, like
25:24
you said, I get the Broncos want to hurt and
25:26
spike the ball, but you know, they're, they're
25:28
rushing against the NFL because in the refs,
25:30
because it's over time, there's no challenges.
25:33
It, everything's got to go to the booth and I
25:35
just, It was just kind of weird that they didn't
25:38
want to really take a look at that because I
25:40
mean they analyze other stuff Way way in depth
25:44
and they just didn't want to do that So that
25:48
was a huge call obviously at flip possession
25:50
and then Denver on their last, you know drive
25:53
they did the Dallas Cowboys favorite play which
25:56
was let me just throw it up and let me get a
25:58
flag and Yeah, and and I and I get why now because
26:03
we learned that Bo Nicks broke his ankle So he
26:06
was pretty much done and they were like, we're
26:09
in desperation. And I think we were, you know,
26:13
we were texting and I said this about, you know,
26:16
PIs now in NFL, they flip a coin. One play, there's
26:19
a lot of contact, no call. The next play, there's
26:21
barely contact. Now there's a call. I will say
26:24
about the first PI on that drive, there was also
26:27
a rough in the passer. So regardless if it was
26:30
PI or not, which I don't think it was. The rough
26:35
in the past or would give him 15 instead of that
26:37
spot So it didn't matter but and then obviously
26:42
the last one I will say that I thought it was
26:44
past interference. He got there early But I did
26:49
tell you this makes me again Say about we once
26:54
talked about rules. We want to be changed and
26:57
This has got to be one that Because now they're
27:02
you know team this is gotta one just gotta be
27:03
changed because teams are using this as offense
27:05
Because how many times does offense get called
27:07
for anything on a on a ball like that never?
27:11
Very rarely do they get called for pass interference
27:13
on a ball. That's just thrown up for grabs All
27:16
the advantages on the offense the defender, you
27:19
know Again, the rest are flipping a coin. I Don't
27:24
like the spot foul. Just take it back do like
27:26
college 15 yards, but that's my take on that
27:31
What else do you have on those calls? I thought
27:37
there were a couple of calls. I don't I don't
27:42
I'm I can't I Have no explanation for for what
27:48
you just broke down, okay Yeah, and I largely
27:51
agree with you. Like I don't I don't have any
27:53
opposition on it the calls are bad the rest were
27:57
inconsistent and With with the all the games
28:02
except for one is we can be in so close. I think
28:04
that's why it stands out so much Because it felt
28:09
like I mean Yeah, it felt like every single game
28:13
had something where it's like wait. What the
28:15
hell is going on? Yeah I do have a question for
28:19
you because this there was something I was floored
28:21
by and I'm trying to remember who it was that
28:23
made the interception Okay When you when an interception
28:28
is made Do you not have to get both feet in bounds
28:32
before going out of bounds? You have to get both
28:37
feet or, you know, a knee, an arm. Okay. So one
28:42
knee counts as two feet. Counts as two feet.
28:46
Okay. All right. That's where I was lost. Yep.
28:48
Cause I saw one where I'm like, Whoa, he only
28:50
got one leg down. And it's like, Oh, well his
28:52
knee, you know, graze the tops of the blades
28:54
of the grass. So close. Yeah. That was the, I
28:56
think that was the Patriot game. It was the Pats
28:59
game. That's what it was. It was so close. And
29:02
I was like, man, it looked like maybe a blade
29:05
of white was touching his knee. But that's what
29:07
I was thinking too. And I'm just like, wait,
29:09
I was like, wait, but this doesn't matter. He
29:11
needs to have, you know. So, okay, I guess it
29:14
makes more sense. Again, really close called,
29:18
really, really close call weekend. Overall, I'm
29:22
going to give the refs and some of the, like
29:25
the calls that were made, I'm going to give them
29:26
a B. Yeah. Mainly because I feel like they got
29:32
them right based on what the interpretations
29:34
of the rules are. I know what you're saying about
29:37
the PI. I hate it too, but when it works and
29:40
you need it, baby. It's the rule. Yeah. I'm just,
29:43
I just don't like it. Like, like of all the games,
29:46
that game again was close and I felt like the
29:49
refs had a hand in it. Not necessarily cheating.
29:53
Fair enough. Just it's like. I wanna see the
29:56
Bills and the Broncos decide this game, not the
30:01
refs and their yellow flags. But at the end of
30:04
the day, yeah, the calls are the calls. I don't
30:07
think, as we always say, during a game there's
30:11
always opportunity. And so we're gonna shift
30:16
to just the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen, if
30:20
you have time. Yeah, let's just Go through yours
30:27
real quick and then I'll go through mine. I don't
30:29
and then we can close out. Yeah, I'm good Just
30:31
go through yours real quick. You're right. So
30:33
Just just a stat one. We do know that Josh Allen
30:37
had four turnovers in this game He lost in the
30:42
divisional round where there is no Patrick Mahomes
30:44
in these playoffs No, Joe burrow that those are
30:47
the last guys that will patch my homes to beat
30:50
him four times But he's always been knocked out
30:53
by those guys We all remember the overtime rule
30:57
got changed because of Josh Allen. He is now
31:02
0 -3 in overtime because of the new rules and
31:05
he's 0 -7 in his career in overtime. I think
31:11
we have to have a hard conversation about Josh
31:13
Allen and the blame game on this. Ultimately,
31:16
Buffalo Bills decided they would blame Shawn
31:18
McDermott and they fired him today because of
31:23
not winning, not just today, not just yesterday,
31:26
but the last, what, nine seasons, not getting
31:29
over the hump with a Josh Allen. The first thing
31:33
that came to mind was, well, what is the general
31:35
manager doing? Right. Are they making the moves
31:38
necessary? Are they getting him the players?
31:39
Which I still think they have a talented team.
31:42
And, you know, again, it took a crazy play like
31:45
that interception to ultimately beat them. But.
31:51
Brandon being the the general manager of the
31:55
Buffalo Bills did not get fired with Sean McDermott.
31:59
He actually is going to still be the GM and he
32:01
got promoted to president. So make that make
32:07
sense. Go for it. I'm not going to. I'm not going
32:16
to trash Josh Allen and I'm. I'm not going to
32:20
trash him and I'm not going to allow it. What
32:24
what he's trying to do is very hard and And the
32:28
crazy thing is throughout the past week. I heard
32:31
consistently people say the phrase Josh Allen
32:35
With the words Superman or cape. Yeah in the
32:40
same sentence He was supposed to do a lot and
32:43
look he did not have a great game The other thing
32:45
I want to point out is that that dude was banged
32:48
up from the week before yeah And we spoke about
32:52
that. I think he had something to the midsection
32:55
I know he got tested for a concussion and he
32:58
also hit his I think he had his hand or injured
33:00
his hand in one way or another and his And his
33:02
foot had been hurt since the Eagles game There
33:06
you go. So it's so he even he wasn't playing
33:09
at a hundred percent and Look at what the outcome
33:12
of the game was like it and like you said it
33:14
all came down to moments it all came down to
33:18
instances I He'll be fine It stinks, you know
33:24
McDermott out who knows who they get get as coach
33:28
but I think I think the the benefit is I feel
33:33
I feel like Josh Allen is like an elevated level
33:36
of Michael Vick where it's like You know, you
33:37
can win with him as a quarterback but the style
33:41
of play becomes a question when you get to the
33:43
playoffs and I don't know what needs to change
33:49
for him as an offensive player. It's easy to
33:52
say, okay, just make less mistakes, but I don't,
33:56
I'm not gonna, this is a loss on his record.
33:59
It is what it is. He didn't get it done when
34:01
all the other marquee quarterbacks weren't in
34:04
the playoffs. And he was the most seasoned quarterback
34:09
in all of the playoffs up until he got eliminated
34:12
anyway. This isn't on him, man. And I commend
34:18
him for taking the bullets and just being the
34:21
dude and still out there being an MVP caliber
34:24
quarterback, which is hard. He played through
34:28
it and it just didn't work out for him. But I've
34:31
got nothing bad to say. I've got nothing bad
34:34
to say about the guy. He did everything that
34:36
he could. You know, it's not his fault. He's
34:39
not Patrick Holmes. Yeah, he's not. I'm not going
34:42
to say, yeah, like I'm not here to bash Josh
34:44
Allen. I just think it's a you have to have the
34:47
conversation and this will lead to another one
34:49
where we we talk about quarterbacks and who gets
34:52
the blame but when you're the quarterback, you
34:53
get the blame. Well, I'm I'm going to I'm going
34:57
to say this to you and I'm just going to and
34:59
this it was staggering. I saw it. Oh man. I saw
35:03
this this morning actually. So, Josh Allen has
35:09
eight playoff wins. out of every quarterback
35:15
in NFL history who has ever won at least eight
35:18
playoff games, he's the only one to not play
35:22
in a Super Bowl. Like staggering. You know, so,
35:29
and just to put it in perspective, Eli Manning
35:31
has two Super Bowls with the same amount of playoff
35:36
wins as Josh Allen has. They both have eight
35:39
playoff wins. So, I mean, then the rest of the
35:42
list is, you know, you know what I mean? Like,
35:43
Kurt Warner, Jim Kelly, McNabb, Breeze, Russell
35:45
Wilson, Jeff Rutledge. You know what I mean?
35:50
Like, come on, man. But some of those guys, they
35:52
didn't make it to a Super Bowl. So, it was. Exactly.
35:55
Like I said, they played in the Super Bowl. Yeah.
35:57
Eli only had two. They didn't have to win it.
35:59
Eli only went on a run twice. There you go. And
36:02
that's all it took. That's all it took. Yeah.
36:04
I just think, like I said, he's got to take some
36:06
of the blame. He's a reigning MVP like Williams
36:10
and Stroud. They're young so we say oh well.
36:12
They're young They're learning like Josh Allen
36:14
for turnovers man. That's big Like we said Bo
36:18
Nicks in this game broke his ankle. He's out
36:20
the rest of the playoffs. We're gonna get more
36:21
into that Again, I think Josh Allen is great,
36:26
and I think he is one of the top quarterbacks
36:27
in the league That's not going to change But
36:31
there's now going to be this narrative about
36:33
him Because again to lose this season like this
36:36
where he lost in Denver Young quarterback is
36:39
Bo Nicks a great defense. They played great coach.
36:42
They played But ultimately he didn't get it done.
36:45
So that's the conversation we have to have All
36:51
right, so so like so we were just talking about
36:54
Josh Allen the Buffalo Bills and the downfall
36:57
of Josh Allen this this year or this season and
37:02
this playoffs And ultimately like we had mentioned
37:05
it led to Shawn McDermott getting fired and The
37:10
coaching carousel continues. So now you have
37:13
an opening in Buffalo and you have another veteran
37:18
head coach Seasoned head coach out there for
37:22
a team which makes it really interesting Because
37:26
I think you when you Shawn McDermott Would would
37:30
be a great coach. I think in Pittsburgh I don't
37:33
know about Baltimore, just because they just
37:38
fired Harbaugh for not getting a talented quarterback
37:42
in team to the next level. So I don't know they
37:45
would go right into someone else who kind of
37:48
did the same. I don't think the same as a Pittsburgh
37:51
like that for whatever reason, just because they're
37:53
not as, to me, they're just not as talented.
37:55
When you think about the big names, even though
37:58
Aaron Rogers is a big name, he's also old, but
38:01
I could definitely see him. I think he wants
38:04
to keep coaching. And there's still plenty of
38:07
jobs out there. And I don't think we've updated
38:10
recently, but John Harbaugh is a New York Giants.
38:15
He ended up in New York. Your boy Kevin Stefanski
38:18
in Atlanta, which it makes me scratch my head.
38:24
Well, I told you it didn't matter what the Falcons
38:28
were gonna do like It doesn't matter. I mean
38:31
they they could uh, I don't know man They could
38:33
have hired, you know grimace from McDonald's
38:36
to be that head coach and they'll still have
38:37
the same outcome Yeah, it's that that was an
38:42
odd choice to me, but maybe maybe he'll be better
38:45
there Maybe he'll treat his quarterbacks better
38:47
there. I don't know Miami went kind of The non
38:53
-sexy name, not the big name in Jeff Halfley,
38:58
the D coordinator from Green Bay. So they're
39:01
going to just kind of trying to switch culture
39:04
there with a up and coming coordinator. And then
39:09
we got Tennessee. They just hired Robert Sala,
39:12
which is a great deal. Great. I'm glad I knew
39:15
he was going to get a coaching job. I just didn't
39:16
know where. And I think I mentioned before. their
39:21
defense has some talent. So it's just getting
39:25
everything else around cam ward, having a coach
39:28
who's been there before. I thought solid did
39:29
a great job in New York and you know, so I like
39:33
it. Even though you're not gonna seen him really
39:36
anywhere. And look like he wanted to kind of
39:40
dodge being in the same division with the Niners
39:43
instead of taking that Cardinals job, then kind
39:45
of go, go back to the AFC and get in a division
39:48
and stuff like that. that he could possibly win
39:51
with the AFC South? Yeah, the coaching carousel
40:01
as we called it, it's a lot to keep up with.
40:07
There's no real method to the madness. It seems
40:10
like teams kind of have the idea of what it is
40:15
that they want to do. And if we want to be Like
40:19
if you want to be 100 % honest with yourself
40:23
as a sports fan, how much does coaching really
40:26
matter when it comes to, you know, having an
40:32
advantage? Of course, in some instances, yes,
40:34
it benefits you. But I would rather have a mid
40:38
-tier coaching staff all the way around through
40:41
and through than, you know, some big name, big
40:47
shot, I know it all type head coach. I'm not
40:50
saying that it's an easy thing to do, but I guess
40:56
to kind of hammer home what you were saying earlier
40:58
about McDermott, I think the thing that kind
41:02
of rattles me a little bit about McDermott is
41:06
like his background was in defense. He was the
41:10
defensive coach. and the Bill's defense has never,
41:14
hasn't been great under his, you know, tutelage.
41:18
He wasn't, you know, the play caller type coach.
41:21
And, but I would have liked to see him do what
41:25
it is that he does best, just based on, you know,
41:28
his level of expertise. You know, he already
41:31
had Josh Allen on the offensive side and it didn't
41:33
matter every single game that they were in in
41:35
the playoffs for the last. four or five years
41:37
or you can look it up, they were always in shootouts
41:40
because their defense couldn't stop a nosebleed.
41:42
So I mean, I don't know. I mean, so I don't know
41:46
how good he's going to be anywhere else. It's
41:48
like, what strength does he really bring when
41:51
he doesn't have an all world quarterback and
41:53
Josh Allen, you know, under center. So, you know,
41:56
it remains to be seen. We'll see. Um, you touched
41:59
on, you know, the Miami higher, uh, Harbaugh
42:01
going to the giants. I don't think they're going
42:04
to make any any measurable differences being
42:07
head coaches next season. So I think it's, you
42:10
know, all of those places you named, who'd you
42:13
name? The Giants, the Dolphins and the Falcons.
42:15
I don't think we expect anything out of the Titans.
42:18
I don't think we're expecting anything. And they
42:21
got a quarterback, a number one overall pick
42:23
quarterback. But I think we're not going to expect
42:26
anything from them for the next two to three
42:28
seasons. And then we'll just see what they build
42:30
and you know, what they can actually come up
42:33
with. Yeah a couple things off of some of these
42:39
recent firings hirings You remember I mentioned
42:43
the first week of the playoffs and we were talking
42:45
about the coaching changes and I was after Harbaugh
42:49
got fired and I Was like watch the Packers and
42:52
the Buffalo Bills, right? Those and you can kind
42:57
of they kind of went separate with their thinking
42:59
like to me little floor He hasn't been there
43:01
as long as to McDermott But he's also not gotten
43:04
that team over the hump and they decided that
43:07
they would extend them And just keep rolling
43:10
for at least whatever the extension of his contract
43:12
is where Buffalo was just like, okay We're done
43:15
like now obviously Josh Allen is an MVP Jordan
43:19
Love is not he's younger all these great things
43:22
So you can kind of see why that's the case and
43:24
I'm not mad at the Packers keeping the floor
43:27
But then hardball, of course jumped on the Giants
43:30
Stefanski with the Falcons and then all of a
43:33
sudden, Buffalo bills jobs open. So I also wonder
43:36
if Harbaugh is regretting going to the Giants
43:38
because I'm sure Buffalo would have maybe made
43:41
a call. I don't think Stefanski would have been
43:44
a great pick for Buffalo. You hear a lot of rumors
43:47
about Belichick and, you know, of course, I don't
43:51
know if his girlfriend likes cold weather. So
43:54
I don't know if Buffalo is good. Maybe if it
43:58
was Miami, I would have been like, yeah, she
44:00
likes Miami, Arizona. Uh, but so that Buffalo
44:04
job, like I said, it's, it's Baltimore and Buffalo
44:07
are the best jobs out there. It's a coveted job.
44:09
Both of them. Cause you've got star MVP quarterbacks
44:12
in their prime. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, yeah.
44:14
Franchise quarterback and teams that are normally
44:17
in the, the hunt and in the running for really
44:22
the Superbowl, like beginning of the season.
44:24
This is a weird year. Beginning of the seasons.
44:26
Who'd we name in the AFC? We said Buffalo, Baltimore,
44:29
Kansas City. Yeah. Ravens. Yeah, that was what
44:32
it was. So what we're getting is the Patriots
44:36
and now we're going to get the Broncos with Jarrett
44:38
Stidham. Yeah. So, yeah, you know, it's it's
44:42
can he be Jeff Hostel or can he be Nick Foles
44:44
for the Broncos? We'll talk about that here in
44:46
a minute. But yeah, I wonder if they have regrets
44:51
or at least hardball for that matter. Regrets
44:54
about jumping on that giant job, which I think
44:57
is a good job. Don't get me wrong. young quarterback,
45:00
young running back, great defense, great wide
45:03
receiver neighbors. So the pieces are there for
45:06
them to build and not just be, but that win now
45:10
team like a Buffalo is right there. The other
45:14
funny story, we talked about Aaron Rodgers is
45:16
gonna play, retire. I saw a report where the
45:20
Steelers would not be opposed to a reunion with
45:23
Aaron. And it was funny that they're interviewing
45:26
Big boy Mike McCarthy because that would reunite
45:31
McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh United
45:33
man, and it feels so good and it won't feel so
45:38
good Okay, so that I'll touch on that real quick
45:44
I this I think the Steelers are more looking
45:47
at who they're gonna be who they're gonna hire
45:49
as their head coach I think that's what's more
45:51
important for them as opposed to getting, you
45:54
know, Aaron Rogers. I told you that dude looked
45:56
gunshot. He looked, he looked, he looked afraid
46:00
of defenses out there. He was afraid of the contact.
46:04
So I hope that they bring in, that they continue
46:08
those discussions, bring in a head coach and
46:11
then have those discussions so that way, you
46:12
know, he can cook with the, you know, the groceries
46:16
that he's going to buy as opposed to inheriting
46:19
Aaron Rodgers, who I deem one of the biggest
46:22
QB headaches in recent years. He just is. And
46:27
so that's one thing. But to kind of put a bow
46:33
on what you were saying about Harbaugh. And I
46:36
believe I sent this to you via text when kind
46:40
of the news came out. What I knew was going to
46:42
happen when he went to New York was that they
46:45
weren't going to let him leave without some sort
46:48
of an agreement on what was going to happen.
46:50
Yeah. Above, you know, all the things that people
46:54
say about New York. I've got my issues with New
46:56
York as a as a city. But the thing about New
47:01
York is that they like things big. They like
47:04
big names. Remember when they when they signed
47:07
Carmelo and it was the greatest thing ever? You
47:10
know, you bring in big name coaches, you know,
47:15
Phil Jackson, gotta go big. And I feel like that's
47:19
what Harbaugh is in this situation. He absolutely
47:22
has regrets. He's absolutely smacking his leg
47:25
this morning saying, damn it, man, I should have
47:27
just waited a week. But they probably gave him
47:30
what he wanted to say. Hey, what do you need
47:32
to take to accept this job? They gave it to him
47:35
and was like, here you go. Now what's your excuse
47:38
to say no? So he couldn't and the job was there
47:42
and available and it was no telling what was
47:44
gonna happen with the bills So I give him credit
47:46
for that. But yeah, I mean of course for me if
47:49
I'm him I would of course rather coach the bills
47:52
and and Josh Allen and He's gonna he would have
47:56
had a much longer runway in Buffalo He could
48:02
have been there a decade Being being with them
48:05
doing the same thing they're doing right now
48:07
Which is winning at a high level and not getting
48:10
over the hump and they weren't gonna run that
48:12
dude out of town They would have given him the
48:14
time and patience that it needs for him to be
48:16
able to kind of turn things around You're exactly
48:20
right and You know, it's funny when I was looking
48:23
at all these names. I think the three big names,
48:26
right? I mean again in the same offseason in
48:28
the same season, you know Tomlin Harbaugh and
48:33
McDermott, that's insane to me that they're all,
48:38
we're looking for a job, are looking for a job
48:41
and not coaching the team that they had been
48:42
at for so long. But there's a reason for that.
48:46
And I think - And if I'm McDermott, like I take
48:51
a step back and just kind of wait and see where
48:53
things shake out. I'm sure as agents, you know,
48:55
are working on stuff behind the scenes, but to
48:59
me, when you say Tomlin and Harbaugh to me, McDermott
49:04
doesn't belong in that discussion with those
49:05
other two. Still, still a good name. Yeah. But
49:09
wait, not as long, but, but still you service
49:12
again, you're talking about that. Yeah. You're
49:14
still talking about either great coaches or teams
49:17
that we expected to be there. And now they're
49:20
not, but I think there's a reason for that. And
49:21
my big reason was it is the Kansas city chiefs
49:25
calls this. It was the effect of Them not being
49:29
in the playoffs. Yeah, I Think that my home chiefs
49:33
not in the playoffs not being that excuse to
49:37
say We didn't get it done now. I know the Ravens
49:41
didn't make the playoffs, but I still think I
49:45
still think somewhere somehow some way it all
49:47
kind of trickles down to say This was our year
49:51
We couldn't even get it done and there and the
49:55
best of the best are not even in it So and that
49:58
also again not even applies to coaching but I
50:01
think like you said we had a discussion Josh
50:03
Allen it applies to him, too He's got some work
50:07
to do on his legacy but yeah the coaching, you
50:11
know, I Don't really have anything else. I mean
50:14
they're the openings are the openings. This is
50:16
it like a record year tying, you know for ten
50:19
coaching jobs Four have been filled at this moment
50:22
and then we're just waiting, you know To see,
50:27
you know who's gonna fall in place But all this
50:30
as we talked about the the games last weekend
50:34
All these coaching changes some based on some
50:38
of those games Leads us to the conference championships
50:46
this coming weekend, so it's time for our picks
50:49
Where do you want to begin? I mean the The easy
50:55
thing to do is to start with the AFC. I mean,
51:00
it's short and simple, man. The Broncos are cooked.
51:03
You got Stidham at your quarterback. Their defense
51:06
is great, but I don't think it's going to be
51:09
enough if they can't score points. And New England,
51:13
even though Drake May wasn't stellar and he looked
51:18
human, we know that that offense is well -balanced.
51:22
and they'll be able to score and put points up
51:26
and then the Broncos are gonna have to respond.
51:29
I don't see them doing that. So yeah, so for
51:32
me, this is the Patriots Super Bowl bid to lose
51:36
if they go in there and muck it up. So yeah,
51:41
I mean, that's easy peasy for me. Super easy.
51:46
Yeah. Yeah. So it is an easy one. I look at it
51:51
a couple of things. I always look at the quarterback.
51:53
So obviously Drake may with his fumbles Slipping
51:56
out getting strip sacked all the time The Broncos
52:00
will get after them and there probably will be
52:02
some fumbles It's just dude the Broncos take
52:04
advantage of it against a obviously now we see
52:07
is a really good defense Which they have been
52:09
all year in the New England Patriots. I credit
52:12
that to a lot to Super Bowl champion Milton Williams
52:15
but Former eagle, but but also the Broncos we
52:20
saw they're not really good stopping the run
52:22
I think the Patriots which I had said this about
52:25
the Texans game to us. They really just need
52:27
to run the ball You know make it easier for Drake
52:29
may run the ball I think they're gonna be able
52:32
to run the ball even better against Denver Buffalo
52:34
was able to run the ball. Just don't fumble like
52:37
you know, that's the key the key is going to
52:39
be turnovers again the same kind of the same
52:42
thing defense turnovers and then It's gonna be
52:46
the same any other game and the big play right
52:48
like I said, that was the theme last weekend
52:51
And the divisional was defense turnovers and
52:54
a big play We saw it in all the games really
52:58
except the the Seahawks But I mean you could
53:00
count you can maybe say that to start the game
53:03
with a kickoff return was the big play for Seattle
53:05
and Then and then their defense and forcing turnovers
53:10
on in San Francisco. So yeah, those are the three
53:13
big things and I think it's going to continue.
53:15
And yeah, unfortunate for the Broncos, they lose
53:17
their quarterback in Bo Nicks. I just don't see
53:21
them overcoming that. Stranger things have happened,
53:24
but yeah, picking the pick of the Patriots to
53:27
go back to the Super Bowl again. This time, no
53:31
Brady, no Belichick. We get a new breed in there.
53:37
Yeah, so that's that's a FC. Let's let's let's
53:39
go to the NFC and we get a nice let's go where
53:42
the foot Let's go with a fun is we get a nice
53:44
division rival Division rival NFC championship
53:49
game and and I'm just gonna I'm gonna put you
53:51
on the spot here for a second Just quick yes
53:53
or no Do you know what the scores were for the
53:55
two games that the Seahawks and Rams played this
53:58
year? I do I do know I do 21 21 to 19 correct
54:05
the Rams Yes, and then it was 38 37 38 37 Seattle
54:12
T which they went for two. Yeah, they did go
54:15
for two won that game come so It is did so this
54:20
is where the game gets interesting to me because
54:23
I think you could say that they're two evenly
54:27
matched teams the Rams travel well and You know
54:32
clearly Matthew Stafford I mean MVP candidate
54:36
this year. I think their luck runs out this weekend.
54:43
They were able to skate all playoffs. It's hard
54:48
as hell to go on the road and win in the playoffs,
54:53
in the NFL, in that stadium versus the Seahawks.
54:59
I think it's going to be insurmountable. I do
55:04
think they'll be competitive but you know to
55:07
stop bearing the lead I got the Seahawks winning
55:09
by a touchdown okay they just keep the game they
55:12
keep the game close close close close close they
55:15
go up and then the Rams come down and score and
55:19
then they just don't get another opportunity
55:21
to one up Seattle in that building 12th man place
55:27
is rocking I'm gonna go with the Seahawks on
55:30
this one okay And I'm not prisoner at a moment
55:33
from what they did to San Francisco. I just think
55:37
like they are going to turn it on and they have,
55:42
I'll put it like this, outside of Puka, outside
55:46
of Puka Nakua, I think that the Seahawks have
55:51
way more, I think the Rams are gonna have way
55:54
more questions to answer about what it is that
56:00
The Seahawks are going to do the Rams are gonna
56:03
have to answer so many of those questions on
56:06
the fly Live in the middle of the game And I
56:09
don't think it's gonna be enough for them to
56:11
be able to score enough points to win it at the
56:14
end Okay so I've been rolling with the Rams they've
56:21
won both their games by field goal They're battle
56:26
-tested Obviously Stafford veteran McVeigh. They've
56:29
been there before they've won it before They've
56:32
got a new young defense in there now. No Aaron
56:35
Donald anymore got puka got Devante Adams Decent
56:41
running game great tight ends And again like
56:45
every week I go I go and I look and I can't you
56:49
know I'm such a I I don't know either. I haven't
56:53
learned my lesson or I always pick the road team
56:56
on But again, I go back to quarterback play as
57:00
well. You mentioned it, obviously they've had
57:03
really close games, two games to set about three
57:05
points. They know each other. They're the top
57:09
two teams in that division. I do still think
57:14
the Rams are the most balanced team. I trust
57:16
Matthew Stafford over Sam Darnold in big moments.
57:22
Obviously it took a Thursday night comeback for
57:25
the Seahawks to beat them the last time. That
57:27
place will be rocking. Their defense is for real.
57:30
It is hard to judge off those 49er game because
57:33
they did what every NFL team should have done
57:36
to the 49ers in the playoffs. I don't know if
57:41
Seattle can do what they did last week where
57:46
again, big play defense and keep. keep Sam Darnold
57:51
like don't throw a lot, you know, like so I'm
57:54
going with the Rams. And again, I do believe
57:58
in Sam Darnold more than I used to this year.
58:01
Like he grew on me, even though he turns the
58:02
ball over a lot, a lot of interceptions. But
58:07
again, you mentioned Stafford's the MVP. I think
58:10
he's going to get MVP. I think we're going to
58:12
get a Super Bowl between the top two guys going
58:15
for MVP and Drake May and Matthew Stafford. Again,
58:18
I've been rolling with the Rams. I roll with
58:20
them until they lose. Just like I did with Josh
58:23
Allen, they're out so I can't roll him anymore
58:25
in the bills. So I gotta go with with my other
58:28
my other gut. My other instinct is the Los Angeles
58:31
Rams. I believe will win by field goal again.
58:36
In another just epic, probably an epic battle.
58:40
I think it will be one of those games again and.
58:44
I know Seattle's got a better defense. Better
58:48
offenses the Rams, but their defense is solid.
58:52
They did pretty good in Chicago outside of You
58:54
know jumping ten yards ahead for that one catch
58:57
The miracle throw so yeah Rams going Rams. We're
59:03
gonna get a Rams Patriots Super Bowl and I saw
59:06
a funny thing about these picks by the way and
59:10
It's really kind of goofy, but it was like are
59:13
you are you team Mike or team Sean? Because you've
59:17
got, you know, Sean McVeigh, Sean Payton, Mike
59:21
McDonald, Mike Vrabel. I mean, it's kind of goofy
59:26
and stupid, but you know, it was just funny that
59:29
they had the same name and which one are we going
59:31
to get? I think we could get one of each. And
59:36
yeah, that'll be a good game. And I think, you
59:40
know, back to the Denver one too, by the way,
59:41
I think, you know, they're going to battle. It's
59:45
just we don't know about Jerry's did him we we
59:48
just don't know what he's gonna do again Jeff
59:53
Haesteller did it with the Giants But that Giants
59:56
team was way better than this Broncos team Nick
1:00:01
Foles did it with the Eagles and again that Eagles
1:00:04
team I would say was way better than this Broncos
1:00:07
team So I just don't see it happening and just
1:00:12
to get back to that one. But yeah, so There you
1:00:15
go. We differ on, we differ on one this week.
1:00:18
So I think you got me last week. So, uh, yeah,
1:00:21
this week, uh, like I said, we're picking Patriots.
1:00:24
I got Rams. You've got the Seattle Seahawks and
1:00:29
Sam Darnold. Yeah, I do. And, you know, just
1:00:34
to kind of, you know, we talked about, you know,
1:00:37
the kickoff return for Seattle, starting the
1:00:39
game off hot. But other than that, I mean, they
1:00:42
were just consistent. Yeah. You know, uh field
1:00:45
goal, you know, Sam Donald throws a touchdown
1:00:49
pass, you know, to, um, you know, Jigbuck gets
1:00:52
him involved and then it's the Kenneth Walker,
1:00:56
the, you know, the third show where it's like,
1:00:58
I'm just going to get, I'm just going to rush
1:00:59
and get these touchdowns. They were just racking
1:01:02
up points and he's going to have to do it by
1:01:05
himself this week because uh, Charbonneau is
1:01:07
gone for the playoffs. Well, and this is, and
1:01:10
this is where, um, I'm confident in. This is
1:01:17
where guys make their make their names, right?
1:01:21
And when you're looking at when you're looking
1:01:24
at this team, you've seen like how well balanced
1:01:26
they are. Yeah, I'm pretty sure they're going
1:01:29
to mix it up and throw some trick plays in there.
1:01:31
They'll probably get, you know, some of their
1:01:34
wide receivers, you know, set up in some some
1:01:36
screens, you know, you know, get, you know, Cooper
1:01:40
Cup going like. They're going to have opportunities
1:01:43
to be able to make plays. And we know that the
1:01:48
Rams defense could be tissue paper sometimes.
1:01:52
Sometimes. They can just allow teams to put up
1:01:54
points. So I mean, I'm uncomfortable with my
1:01:58
Seahawks pick, man. The Rams have been the sexy
1:02:01
pick all year, and they have been consistent,
1:02:03
and they have proven themselves by getting to
1:02:05
this game. It ends this weekend. Yeah, and I'm
1:02:10
not mad at it, you know what I mean? But they've
1:02:13
been producing turnovers themselves, you know,
1:02:16
with Bryce Young and Caleb Williams, and Sam
1:02:19
Darnall's got some years on those guys, but his
1:02:21
playoff experience is very limited, so. and we
1:02:24
know he loved to turn the ball over. Okay. And
1:02:27
again, that's what I'm saying. And he loves it.
1:02:28
Like he's like, what I say, third in the league
1:02:30
and uh, interceptions. So, and, and, and no,
1:02:33
I want to say he leads the league in turnovers,
1:02:36
like turnovers as a, as a stat with, with the,
1:02:39
uh, fumbles as well. Yeah. Which, which if they
1:02:41
would win, that would make an interesting super
1:02:43
bowl with the quarterback who leads the league
1:02:46
in fumbles lost and the quarterback who is one
1:02:49
of the top, you know, interception. Uh, yeah.
1:02:53
That would be interesting. But again. Yeah, fun
1:02:57
to see. We shall see. That's our picks. This
1:03:00
is another episode of Fanatically Speaking. I
1:03:03
am Kent, the co -host and promoter. I am Log
1:03:07
Off, the Log Off legend, hater of all things
1:03:10
social media. I'm the co -host and producer of
1:03:12
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