Latest / Know Your Personnel Pod / BAKER IS FALLING APART! DAK VS LAMAR | Week 3 NFL Look-Ahead & What We Need To See From Teams
Transcript
- Nathan Hawthorne: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to another episode of KYP. My name is Nathan Hawthorne. This is my co-host Jared McEnroy. We are gonna give you the week three outlook for the 2026 NFL season. There's plenty to talk about, but there are only a few things that truly matter. We're gonna break down these games for you and we're gonna take a very close look at each one of them. We're gonna go Thursday night football, a few games on that Sunday sandwich, and we're gonna close it with Monday night football. Jared, I know you've got some opinions. about this team in particular that is playing on Thursday night football. Why don't you go ahead and kick this one off for us? Jarod McInroy: Yeah, I've been very passionate about the Atlanta Falcons. I really want them to succeed and see what they look like with a c a good quarterback finally in a position to lead this offense. Michael Penix, good for you. And when I said I was passionate, I was joking. I was talking about the Packers, who you're playing. Go kill them. I hope the Falcons show up and just dominate them. I I don't care if it's a snooze fest. I'm not even gonna really Be watching. I got plans on Thursday, but I want to check that score and I want to see Falcons 35, Packers like seven at this point. I'm not a hater. I promise. I just I really don't like the direction this team is headed. And they've proven it for two weeks. They've looked really bad. And now you have to go up against a fully healthy, well, semi-healthy Falcons team who we all had really high hopes for, and It's gonna be a great game for them for both both teams to make a statement. if if the Packers wanna get this thing headed in the right direction, they better go prove it this week against against this team. Nathan Hawthorne: Yeah, they have to. Listen, the box is going to be loaded for the Atlanta Falcons against the Green Bay Packers. If you don't have bad if you don't have good quarterback play, they're just gonna load the box on Bijan Robinson. It's proving that because the quarterback play, you can't get the ball to the wide receivers, they're just gonna take away Bijan, which is strangely still really hard to do. And then if you're the Green Bay Packers, Jordan Love, this is why you're paid the big bucks. This is why you got an extension before you had really even proved anything in that one year after Aaron Rodgers as a starter. I think you've got immense talent throwing the football. I think you've got a good idea of where to go with the ball when there's a blitz, but there's something just not right in the biggest moment. So you've got Thursday night football, all eyes are on. Atlanta Falcons, don't embarrass yourselves. And Green Bay Packers. Don't embarrass yourself. This is why is it that on Thursday night football sometimes we end up with some of the worst matchups? Usually it takes until later in the season, you know, in that war of attrition, but we're just getting an absolute burger to start the year. It's you you hate to see it. Jarod McInroy: Yeah, these teams don't hate each other. There's no beef. Like it's there's no storyline really. It's this is this is almost the embarrassment bowl. Like d don't don't go embarrass yourself in in two teams that need to get this thing headed in the right direction. So yeah. Nathan Hawthorne: Quickly. Quickly. That that's all I got to say on that game. Jarod McInroy: That's all I got to do. Let's get into the Ravens Cowboys for a second. I we we mentioned how the Cowboys had bounced back and had a pretty good win against the Commanders. this is gonna be another game where if you want to be in that Super Bowl bubble, you have to play well against Super Bowl bubble teams. the Ravens clearly being one of them. two new a new head coach, new offensive coordinator. so This is the time to go do it. Go get your win against them early on in the season because the more the Baltimore Ravens continue to play football, the better they're going to be. they have talent all over the field, but they also have the talent to expose where the Cowboys have holes. And I feel like that's where I have a tough time with this matchup. they're the the offense of of the Ravens should really have their way with this Cowboys defense right now. Nathan Hawthorne: Yeah. Jarod McInroy: because I mean you still even gave up twenty points to a team that didn't have their quarterback for half the game. So what it what what do you have your eyes on on this matchup? Nathan Hawthorne: My eyes are absolutely on the Cal Dallas Cowboys defense. You got bailed out in that second week because Jaden Daniel was injured. And again, that offense wasn't quite ready to go under David Blau. Now you're running into the Ravens. And you've got Declan Doyle, the offensive coordinator. I think he's I think he's a wizard when it comes to drawing up plays. Last week, did he forget how to run the football? Yeah, I give you grace as a first-time play caller and coordinator. It happens every once in a while. You get you get Caught up in your shiny toys and they were also missing Zay Flowers too. Another hard part but Rashad Bateman finally stepped up. Anyways, what I'm also looking at is the defense for the for the Baltimore Ravens, Jesse Minter. I don't think that it looked great late matter when it mattered against the New Orleans Saints. And so I wonder how deep is that defensive bag while being a head coach. Now, I know that they've got the talent across the board. Nate Wiggins looks fantastic at corner this year. I love the way Kyle Hamilton's playing safety. But you got CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens this week. And that back end looked like it was, you know, able to be exposed. Now I think Kellen Moore is a better coordinator than Schottenheimer is, but the talent that this Dallas Cowboys team has is far superior to what the Saints have. And I I what I'm worried about is the the Ravens letting the Cowboys stay in this game too long. You have to bury them and bury them quickly. But also the problem is the Dallas Cowboys don't mind throwing the ball fifty times a game. If they don't have to establish the run, it doesn't seem to really matter for them. And you know that George Pickens is itching to get going. So I want to see the Ravens defense hold when it matters against what is a great offense. That's going to show if this team really deserves to be in the Super Bowl bubble. Can you show up and play well against a really good offense? And then for the Cowboys, again, we need to see more than a high school JV offense out there. I'm sorry, high school JV defense. High school JV defense. Whoa, yeah. No, the the offense is elite. That was a misspeak on my part. I Jarod McInroy: Okay. okay. That's about Yeah, yeah, yeah. Nathan Hawthorne: I need to see that that de I need to see the defense show up in a way that matters. And again, they can't stop the run. And they are just they are all bad on the back end. They and I don't even think it's a lack of talent. I just think they look confused on the back end. How many times did the Giants in week one complete a swing pass to the running back where nobody was there? It's just where's what's our alignment, what's our assignment. So Cowboys need to align and assign better. Jesse Minter needs to dial up the defense when it matters in the big moments. That's what I'm looking at. I expect both offenses to be spectacular. Jarod McInroy: Yeah, one final piece of this that I want to highlight is I drafted him in fantasy. I was big on him this offseason. Jake Ferguson, being able to find a pocket. again, now that you have a fully healthy C D lamb, he takes a piece of the defense away. George Pickens on the other side usually takes the go ball, takes a a safety deep. And now you got Javante Williams, who's been playing incredible, catches the ball out of the backfield in the flat, across the middle. He's he's finding pockets. He had two tutties this week. He's he's gonna be a big pot part of this offense moving forward. And even the the emergence of Ryan Flornoy, he's he's finding ways to catch balls and provide another target for Dak. Like this this offense looks in insane. And they're gonna continue to, but Nathan Hawthorne: Quick quick question, and I'm not sure if you know the answer to this. We've got Jake Ferguson with the Cowboys, and we got Terrence Ferguson, Skoducks, for the Rams. He looked great last night. That's a guy that we called out in our division breakdowns earlier this year. Are these guys related at all? Like cousins or whatnot? 'Cause Jarod McInroy: I couldn't tell ya. Nathan Hawthorne: I mean, for both of them to end up being tight ends last name Ferguson and great in the trenches but catching the football, kinda cool. Maybe they should do a little jersey swap. Well Jarod McInroy: Yeah. Yeah, maybe they should. And let's just jump over to the Rams really quick. They're at the Broncos, right? that's gonna be another fun game because now we just we we just talked up the Broncos. We just said, Hey, you guys look like you're here to play. you're here to to really stick around for a while. You're back to that team you were last year with Bone Nicks. Jay sorry, Jalen Waddle looked incredible. Now you have to go do it against the Rams. That's a this is a different beast. Now you're at home. that's a big piece of it. That's gonna be good for you. The Rams have been kind of traveling. They now they have to go to elevation. I don't like the Rams odds in this game. And if they're not favored, I'm probably gonna take the Broncos. Nathan Hawthorne: Yeah. This and if Puka's healthy, that certainly helps because with Puka and Devante, you feel good. But with Pat Sertana on the other side, and if you only have Devante, listen, the Denver Broncos play more man. The Giants were just sitting in don't zone defense scared to do anything. so you could might you might as well call call Devontae Adams a wash. I know he's great, but you got Pat Sertana on him all night. That's gonna be difficult. This is gonna be a true test, I think, for both teams. The Rams. Okay, you got blown out by the Niners, weird travel situation. You got gifted a Giants team that number one was not as good. The Rams were always going to win that game, in my opinion. But then you got against an injured team. And then things start rolling. You feel great. Nothing can stop you. This is your first legitimate test where I'm going to look at this Ram team, Rams team as that glamour versus hammer. Can you show up defensively and offensively? And then for the Denver Broncos, you talked about it. They proved it last week. Unfortunately they're in a year, they gotta keep proving it again every week. There's no week where everyone's gonna look at this team and be like, well they lost, you know, the w w what's going on? We're not too sure. Every single week is gonna be a question mark for them until they have another great season. So I'm excited for this matchup. I think it's the best matchup of the week and both teams have a lot to prove. Jarod McInroy: Yeah, one of them for sure. getting into our next matchup, another one where we have two teams that have a lot to prove. Vikings at Bucks. Nathan Hawthorne: Mm-hmm. Jarod McInroy: Vikings, if Kyler returns, he has a lot to prove himself. but the Vikings, they're two and They have to prove that this is this is not some fluke that this team is more than just the quarterback position, which they have been able to prove in previous years. But once they do get that part figured out, this is gonna be a tough team. Buccaneers, you have to prove that you are not terrible. Because right now, why do we pay Baker all that money? Why why do we have why do we why do we go and pay somebody who's not on the same clock as us? is it time to jump ship? Can you trade him with this new contract to a team that might be quarterback needy? There there's a lot of question marks on the butt buccaneer side of the of this game where this is this is almost a turning point, which you don't want it to be in week three. You don't want this to be the turning point in your season, but you got at home at least. Nathan Hawthorne: Yeah. Yeah, you got him at home and it's hard not to again, they ha you had that massive rain delay in the game against the Browns, but the bottom line was is it was against the Browns. Unfortunately, there's no excuse for losing to the Browns. I I know that Todd Munkin is, you know, probably a better coach than Stefansky was at the time. Maybe there's some new energy, things look different, but there's no excuse to lose to the Browns. That's just it is what it is. And again, Baker Mayfield had the whole you know, verbal fight with the front office this offseason. You got paid. Prove it. I think they've got the weapons, you know, Emeka Egbuka, you've got Chris Godwin, Bucky Irving, but it doesn't really seem like the offensive c offense is clicking. Now the offenses that are clicking, Dave Canales with Bryce Young and Trevor Lawrence with Liam Cohen. And those were his two offensive coordinators, previous to who he has now. And now being two years removed from both of them, I'm curious if He's just he he lost his guys, you know? The guys that were helping him stay straight and narrow, take care of the football, stop running like a maniac and actually take your first read, take the second read. It's weird to me. I don't know. But yeah, the Buccaneers have to write this ship, no pun intended, or otherwise we will see a Todd Bowles firing midseason. And I don't think it would be the worst Jarod McInroy: Yeah. Nathan Hawthorne: thing for him. Jarod McInroy: They're in shambles. They have to head in a new direction. I think it's it's you're not going you're not playing every season to just win the division. And that feels like what all of these teams are doing year in and year out. But them in particular, exactly. Nathan Hawthorne: And that was and that's a horrible division to win. Yeah. Jarod McInroy: Them in particular though, like at least the Saints look like they're headed in a direction where they're really trying to make moves to be a a good football team with in the grand scheme of the entire league. Same with the Falcons, same with the Panthers. Tampa Bay just looks like they're trying to fight for the division, and that's it. Like that this team has no staying power. Their defense looks terrible. The offense is all out of sorts. I disagree. I don't think they have a bunch of pieces. I think they have a couple names. I love a buka. Bucky Irving's good, but is he's not a Bijan Robinson. He's not a Jameer Gibbs. Like he's he's a good piece of a potential offense, but you're you have holes everywhere. Nathan Hawthorne: Well, there's only let's be clear, there's only three of those guys in the league. Between Gibbs, Taylor, Bijan. I guess you throw C Jarod McInroy: A Shann. Nathan Hawthorne: Mac in there. A chan with Mike McDaniel. but yeah, and also we've got we've got Brian Flores who's gonna be heating him up. Baker might throw five picks. If you've got him in fantasy, don't start him. That's all I'm saying. And I know he's Jarod McInroy: No, it's gonna be a bad week. Nathan Hawthorne: gonna have the whole chips are down week. He's gonna headbutt somebody in the tunnel, he's gonna be hyped up I'm sorry, dude, it's not your week. Not your week, not your year. Happy you got paid, but maybe the Falcons will give you a call. Jarod McInroy: Maybe. And that would be a great spot for him. Nathan Hawthorne: That would be a great spot. Jarod McInroy: let's stay in the same division here. You already said your game you're looking forward to this week. I think the sneaky best game this week might be Raiders at Saints. These Nathan Hawthorne: Ooh. Jarod McInroy: are these are two teams that have surprised us early on. If we were if we were looking ahead at week three before the season started, we wouldn't even think about caring about this game. the Saints look very interesting, and the Raiders look very interesting. let me ask you one question though to start this. Do the Raiders have a team to actually be competitive this year or just win a good amount of games? Like, do the Raiders actually have a full roster top to bottom with Kirk Cousin Cousins leading this team, with Clint Kubiak doing what he's doing to actually be a competitive football team and maybe make the playoffs? Okay. Nathan Hawthorne: No. No. No, they don't. And part of part of it is definitely not make the playoffs because they'd have to be they'd have to make the playoffs as a third team in the division, which I don't think that they're gonna be able to do in the AFC this year. And their wins again are against a Miami Dolphins team and a a Chargers team, which again you you won you won the games. But we need to see you play a legitimate team first. And the Saints Yeah, yeah, interject. And they looked really good doing it Jarod McInroy: Can I s can I interject for one second? Nathan Hawthorne: by the way. And they're not at full strength. Jarod McInroy: The Pats look terrible. The Chargers look terrible. The Texans are 0 2. We have to fill seven playoff spots. Nathan Hawthorne: Yeah. Texans are gonna be fine, I think. I I know that I've I bashed on Nick Cayley, but I think the Texans are gonna be fine. but that that is a great point. There's some team there's some teams Jarod McInroy: I don't believe it. I d I don't I'm not I'm trying to lead you to just say yes 'cause I wanna hear you say it, but it it Nathan Hawthorne: No, I'm not gonna say yes. Jarod McInroy: it's at least a conversation at this point, right? We can all Nathan Hawthorne: They can Jarod McInroy: agree that. Nathan Hawthorne: I think that they can comfortably win seven games this year. And that's me saying Jarod McInroy: Yeah. Nathan Hawthorne: based off the talent and what I've seen. Do I need to look at the schedule and kind of count those wins out? Absolutely. But I I think that they are only going to improve. I think this year. And I think that the longer that they can keep Mendoza on the bench, the more he gets to learn, the better. I don't want to see them, especially if they're winning, go ahead and bust him out early and then, we got the momentum. It's time to get him in. Just stick with Kirk Cousins. Let him sit that full year. Jarod McInroy: Well, what do you need to see from the Saints this week against the Raiders to think that they actually have a shot at the division? Nathan Hawthorne: I need to see them play kind of this team to me reminds me not defensively but reminds me of the Broncos last year. Things were weird not really working early in the game, but then that back half of the third quarter and into the fourth, all of a sudden the offense wakes up and things start to click. So what I need to see is the Saints offense be good from start to finish. They've had two great second halves in their first two games. I want to see them be great offensively from the start. That's what I want to see from the Saints and Kellenmore. Jarod McInroy: Yeah, no, I agree. I also they need to get the the running back room figured out. It it doesn't look like they have a good like understanding of whose role is what between Nathan Hawthorne: Why pay Travis all that money if you're not just gonna make him the guy? Just make him the guy. Jarod McInroy: Yeah, and and what do you do with Kamara at that point? it's Nathan Hawthorne: You should addition like three years ago. Jarod McInroy: probably is there Nathan Hawthorne: Anyways. Jarod McInroy: a world where they both work together though? Like I I mean I don't see why not. So that they gotta get that piece of the game figured out because once they do, it could be dangerous. It could be what we all thought it would be, a two-headed monster. but it yeah, Kellen Moore, I feel like it's just too good of an offensive mind to have those pieces in his hands and and not be able to do something with it. So yeah, that'll that'll be an interesting game. But that kind of leads us into yes. Mm-hmm. Nathan Hawthorne: I think it's gonna be awesome. Well, quick question, just to stake a claim on it because it's interesting, who wins this game? Jarod McInroy: Mm. I think the Saints beat them. I I do. I think at home, I think they're gonna continue momentum. They just beat the Ravens. They think they can beat anybody. I think the Raiders come back down to earth a little bit. and the and the Saints kind of elevate to like, hey, we we could win this division and actually be competitive. Nathan Hawthorne: Okay. I'm gonna hold you to that. Jarod McInroy: Yeah, let's do it. Eagles and Bears Monday night football. this is another one. This is another one. How bad's Caleb Caleb's injury? Like, is it is it bad? Do we know at this point? I'm not a doctor. Nathan Hawthorne: I don't I d I do not know, but I know that regardless if he's healthy enough to play, obviously his scrambling ability is gonna be limited. And I think that based on the way he reacted to his injury, it's gonna be in his head. Like, I can't take off 'cause my 'cause my hamstring might go. I think he's gonna be that mental about the injury. but for but this matchup in particular, the Eagles haven't looked great, but they've been fine. Which is what we've seen from them a few times in the last couple of years in terms of their start. They looked like this, what, two years ago? Or yeah, two years ago and ended up winning the Super Bowl. Just kind of like a weird, wonky start, but then ended up really heating up. I sh Man, I don't know what to really think about this game. I'd like to say that the Eagles win this game going away, just because of Caleb Williams' health. I think that defensively the Eagles are too talented. And then offensively, I don't think that the Bears defense is really that good at all. And if they can find if the Eagles can finally get their run game going with Saquon Barkley, Jalen Hurts can start to throw the ball more consistently under this new Sean Mannion offense. I'm feeling really good about the Eagles here. Even though it's in Chicago. so so with all that being said, what do you think is the biggest factor between the Bears and the Eagles this week? Jarod McInroy: It's also going to come down to let's say Caleb doesn't play. I saw that Tyson Bajan also might be in concussion protocol, which means Case Keenum might be the quarterback this week. So Nathan Hawthorne: Woof. Jarod McInroy: with that being said, he is a veteran quarterback. We've seen veteran quarterbacks as backups come in and be competitive in a game, especially he knows Ben Johnson's offense now at being in it for a couple years. it'll be interesting. But I think I think you're right. I think it's gonna be kind of a snoozer game. I think the Eagles have a lot that they want to dial in on offense because they know it's gonna be a long season. They're gonna have to win a lot of very tough games. and in order to do that, you all have to be on the same page. So I'm gonna give it to the Eagles. Yeah. We'll see. But I Nathan Hawthorne: Yeah. You know Jarod McInroy: would I would personally for myself like the Bears to go ahead and win this game because I need the Eagles to stop winning games and the Bears to start winning games for my predictions to kind of work out. maybe I have Nathan Hawthorne: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Jarod McInroy: a couple parlays on the line. Who knows? Nathan Hawthorne: I I'll tell you what, and I gotta ask this question about Ben Johnson in particular. He's obviously a very intense guy. You can read that in his interviews. Is he also a vindictive guy? And let me and let me ask this question. So I've experienced it. I've seen it. There are play callers when you don't practice well or for some reason you've pissed them off, you are not going to get the football. That your number is not going to be called, and I swear they will tell the quarterback, hey, do not throw To this guy, he is in the doghouse. We saw it with Brandon Ayuk, we saw it with Ben Johnson with Jamison Williams when he first got there. It took him a long time to come on. Is something going on with Colson Loveland? I know I know we're only Jarod McInroy: Maybe. Nathan Hawthorne: two games in, but it's like we're really not even moderately halfway looking his way. Jarod McInroy: Here's what I'll say is I don't think so. I think they're just trying to figure out the flow of their offense right now. because Luther Burden's not getting fed either. Those are two really big weapons who were huge for them last year. And also with the departure of DJ Moore, we thought we would see more targets go Luther's way, and we're not seeing that. So I think it's just I think it's a piece of just it it's it's not all clicking with The week one victory, it was very run heavy. Nathan Hawthorne: Mm-hmm. Jarod McInroy: they did see a lot of a lot of success in the run game, so that can skew it as well. If you get an early lead, there's no point in throwing the ball. but there's something something is up. Something's up for sure, because those those two in particular not getting any targets are is pretty crazy. Nathan Hawthorne: Yeah, and there there was a time where we saw that also with Sam Laporta when he would when he had come back from injury. Like I feel like there's things where if Ben Johnson doesn't see what he wants to see from you that week in practice, you're not in the script. And he's gonna script Jarod McInroy: Yeah. Nathan Hawthorne: the guys he feels like he's seen what he needs to see from. So I don't know if I'm reading into it, but that's something to keep your eye on. Especially if you're Jarod McInroy: Something to keep your eye on. Nathan Hawthorne: a fantasy football guy. Just just keep your eyes on that. Jarod McInroy: Yeah, I do personally have Luther Burton, so I'm field Nathan Hawthorne: I didn't fall for that trap. Jarod McInroy: I'm fielding trade offers as we speak. Nathan Hawthorne: Yeah, hey, sell low, I guess. Jared, why don't you go ahead and wrap us up here? Jarod McInroy: Yeah, listen, we're gonna keep doing these week in, week out. Let us know in the comments what you like, what you don't like. you know, we just had our week two recap. Let us know before week three recap comes out. we'd love to know what you guys want to hear about, what you want to hear more of. but with that being said, thank you so much for listening for this, you know, all the way till the end of the episode. But also week in and week out, if you want to see it pop up to the top of your feed, click subscribe. Our faces will pop up. No effort on your part. 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