Latest / NFL Power Rankings / #8: Chiefs back at No. 1, but Ravens & Lions hot on Kansas City's heels

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#8: Chiefs back at No. 1, but Ravens & Lions hot on Kansas City's heels · NFL Power Rankings

• 0:04
  Speaker 1: Welcome to a brand new edition of NFL Power Rankings.
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: Mike ham at Eric at Home with You. This is
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  Speaker 1: the show where we rank the teams one through thirty two.
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  Speaker 1: For analysis on every single one of them, all you
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  Speaker 1: have to do is check out Eric's column on NFL
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: dot Com and Eric before we even get to the rankings.
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: A little bit of a buzzkill to have to start
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: with injuries. I think the question to ask is who's
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: healthy right now in the NFL?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's affecting the rankings, Mike. I mean every
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  Speaker 2: single week I asked, all right, did they win or lose?
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  Speaker 2: And who got hurt? Really, that's the biggest thing, especially
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  Speaker 2: quarterbacks and wide receivers. You know Brandon Aiyuk, Mike Evans
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  Speaker 2: and Chris Godwin in Tampa. You know, Watson obviously is
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  Speaker 2: going down for Cleveland, and you know the rookie of
• 0:44
  Speaker 2: the Year favorite for Washington too. We might not have
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  Speaker 2: the Caleb Williams showdown we were hoping this week with
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  Speaker 2: the Bears. So, yeah, a lot of movement and the
• 0:52
  Speaker 2: injuries certainly had a big impact.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, we'll trickle in some of the news throughout the
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  Speaker 1: course of this show, but let's get to the rankings,
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  Speaker 1: and not a huge surprise, but they did get back
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  Speaker 1: up to the top spot. The Kansas City Chiefs the
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  Speaker 1: only unbeaten square out of the NFL at number two,
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  Speaker 1: all the Ravens dealing. How about at number three the
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  Speaker 1: Lines no Aiden Hutchinson now tied for first with Minnesota
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  Speaker 1: in the division. Speaking of the Vikings, they actually dropped
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  Speaker 1: three spots to number four. At number five, Josh Allen
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  Speaker 1: still no interceptions on the year Packers and Nail Bier.
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  Speaker 3: With Houston they sit in the sixth spot.
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  Speaker 1: As Eric made reference to the Commanders, Jaden Daniels week
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  Speaker 1: to week now with the rib injury doesn't matter. Marcus
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  Speaker 1: Mariota hello, leading the Commanders to forty points, and at
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  Speaker 1: number eight it is the Houston Texans, which I think
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  Speaker 1: deserves an interesting conversation, which we will have in just
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  Speaker 1: a bit.
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  Speaker 2: Eric.
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  Speaker 1: Let's start with the team of the week, the Kansas
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  Speaker 1: City Chiefs. And yes, they're undefeated, and I understand why
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  Speaker 1: you have them number one. They deserve to be number one.
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  Speaker 1: But I think the real question is are they the
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  Speaker 1: best team in the NFL?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah? You know, when Regie Rice got hurt, I opened
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  Speaker 2: the door for them to not be the best team
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  Speaker 2: in the NFL. You know, the cumulation of injuries, the
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  Speaker 2: way they were winning games, and that's continued, but the
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  Speaker 2: winning part has also continued, Mike, and so I don't
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  Speaker 2: want to overlook that. And if this was a team
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  Speaker 2: that had come out of nowhere this season, it was
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  Speaker 2: six and oh maybe more like the Minnesota Vikings. Had
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  Speaker 2: they won Sunday, I might have been considering another team here,
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  Speaker 2: like the Ravens, like the Lions in the number one spot.
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  Speaker 2: But this Chiefs team has such a body of work
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  Speaker 2: over recent years and they've kind of reinvented themselves. You know,
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  Speaker 2: you've got Kareem Hunt back running like Derrick Henry in
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  Speaker 2: his prime here. That was a huge factor. Sunday didn't
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  Speaker 2: need the huge game from Patrick Mahomes. He had a
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  Speaker 2: couple of moments where he obviously shined as a runner,
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  Speaker 2: made enough plays and that defense did the job. So,
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  Speaker 2: you know, when I look at a team like the
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  Speaker 2: Niners going ahead against the Chiefs, they're a team that
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  Speaker 2: can't afford a bad quarterback production game right now. The
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  Speaker 2: Chiefs can. That's why I still have them at number one.
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  Speaker 2: I don't know if the Ravens, for instance, could survive
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  Speaker 2: a bad quarterback game from Lamar Jackson and still win
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  Speaker 2: against the quality opponent.
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  Speaker 1: Dereck Henry on line number one for you, because the
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  Speaker 1: way the King is playing, maybe there's an argument, but
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  Speaker 1: I understand your point here, because the Baltimore Ravens now
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  Speaker 1: said at number two, Lamar Jackson five touchdown passes, five incompletions,
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  Speaker 1: Derek Henry runs for one hundred and sixty nine yards.
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  Speaker 1: They've now won five consecutive games. That's sort of the
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  Speaker 1: theme here this number five. But Eric, I gotta tell you, man,
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  Speaker 1: like this is the Ravens team that I thought we
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  Speaker 1: were going to see at the start of the year.
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  Speaker 1: They lost those two first games, they were tight nailed Byers.
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  Speaker 1: But at the end of the day, I think you
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  Speaker 1: can make an argument Baltimore's the best team in the NFL.
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  Speaker 2: I think it's absolutely there. I wrote a line on
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  Speaker 2: my piece this week, I said I strongly considered it
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  Speaker 2: when they were sort of putting the hurt down on
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  Speaker 2: Tampa Bay in the second half. They're up big, did
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  Speaker 2: kind of ease up late, did have some ugly moments
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  Speaker 2: early in this game. But look, I mean everything after
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  Speaker 2: that touchdown came off the board in the first quarter. There,
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  Speaker 2: they dominated the football game at least and put it
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  Speaker 2: away a big enough margin. Hill was huge. Lamar Jackson
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  Speaker 2: had a great night, and the reports of Mark Andrews
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  Speaker 2: demise are a little bit exaggerated. I think he had
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  Speaker 2: a great game as well. So toughest offense right now
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  Speaker 2: to deal with. And if you can consistently out rush
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  Speaker 2: your opponent by one hundred or more yards, as they've
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  Speaker 2: done in every single game this year, Mike, I think
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  Speaker 2: you have an edge. And that's why Derek Henry right
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  Speaker 2: now is the best closer in the NFL. Look at him.
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  Speaker 2: Just put this team away, carry him on his back
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  Speaker 2: and several big runs.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, explosive run after explosive run, watching the king out
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  Speaker 1: on the football field. The only thing that I would
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  Speaker 1: throw out there is if we get back to an
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  Speaker 1: AFC championship game and it's Kansas City and Baltimore because
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  Speaker 1: of the Derek Henry factor, maybe that thing plays out different.
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  Speaker 1: I don't even know if this team has even reached
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  Speaker 1: the peak of their offensive powers. I think they're still
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  Speaker 1: trying to figure it out. The Lions, you know, a
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  Speaker 1: week ago Eric on this show, we were talking about
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  Speaker 1: Aden Hutchinson.
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  Speaker 3: What would the fallout be really positive here?
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  Speaker 1: Look, they win a game and offensively, is there a
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  Speaker 1: quarterback playing more fishing ball than Jared Goff?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think he's got to be in the MVP
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  Speaker 2: discussion at least at this point, especially after the Hutchinson injury.
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  Speaker 2: They're going to count on him more. And you know,
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  Speaker 2: some absolutely beautiful throws on Sunday. You know, they get
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  Speaker 2: off to a little bit of a tough start on
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  Speaker 2: both sides of the ball. Goff just kind of calmly
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  Speaker 2: some back Jamir Gibbs was terrific. We know how good
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  Speaker 2: that offensive line is. You know, Jamison Williams suspension got
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  Speaker 2: a factor that in. Sam Laporte has been a little
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  Speaker 2: bit quiet. You know, Montgomery's a little banged up. He
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  Speaker 2: had a big fumble on Sunday too, But it just
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  Speaker 2: seems like whatever problems come their way, they find their
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  Speaker 2: way to get out of it. They find solutions from within,
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  Speaker 2: and they have the mental and physical toughness that's up
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  Speaker 2: there amongst any other team in the league, right up
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  Speaker 2: there with the Chiefs, right up there with the Ravens,
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  Speaker 2: et cetera. The Vikings played a very good game. I mean,
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  Speaker 2: they were set to win this thing, and Detroit pulled
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  Speaker 2: it out at the end. So both teams that thought
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  Speaker 2: it quitted themselves. Well. Detroit's toughness though, just so impressive.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, and the Vikings are still a team even despite
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  Speaker 1: the loss. I know there were some questions, Hey, how
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  Speaker 1: much are you buying on the squad? You and I
• 5:50
  Speaker 1: both buying on Minnesota still a really good football team.
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  Speaker 1: One other note on Jared Goff because I think it's
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  Speaker 1: just pretty remarkable. Eighty three point five completion percentage over
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  Speaker 1: his last four games. That's the highest completion percentage over
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  Speaker 1: any four game span since nineteen fifty. You watch this
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  Speaker 1: team play, the ball does not hit the ground. I mean,
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  Speaker 1: it is awesome to watch this team's offense. And they
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  Speaker 1: get Tennessee this coming week. Let's move to your fifth
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  Speaker 1: ranked team, Eric, you got the Buffalo Bills.
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  Speaker 3: They move up one spot from last week.
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  Speaker 1: Tell me what you think the upside is with this
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  Speaker 1: offense with Amari Cooper there.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, we really saw it in the second half of
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  Speaker 2: that game on Sunday. The first half, I mean, he
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  Speaker 2: had one target. It was a drop pass, an easy
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  Speaker 2: out route and you thought, oh boy, he's not settling
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  Speaker 2: in quite the way we'd hope. But the second half
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  Speaker 2: really turned the page. Had the touchdown on that post
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  Speaker 2: route or excuse me, on that slant, had a nice
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  Speaker 2: sideline round after that. Clear least helped stretch the field.
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  Speaker 2: And it was funny because he and Keyon Coleman weren't
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  Speaker 2: on the field together a ton. But Coleman also had
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  Speaker 2: his biggest game of the season four catches, one hundred
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  Speaker 2: and twenty five yards. So just adding more explosiveness to
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  Speaker 2: this team right now, I think it's gonna be, you know,
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  Speaker 2: make them even more dangerous.
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  Speaker 1: Now.
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  Speaker 2: Obviously they're a team that can be in long down
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  Speaker 2: and distance situations. Josh Allen can pull out miracles. But boy,
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  Speaker 2: if they can stay on schedule and getting second and
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  Speaker 2: thirds and stuff like that, how dangerous is a guy
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  Speaker 2: like Marie Cooper going to be with this team. They
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  Speaker 2: already have Dalton King k great young tight end. We've
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  Speaker 2: seen Dawson Knox, come on, James Cooks a weapon. Two. Yeah,
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  Speaker 2: I think this can help kind of stretch the field
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  Speaker 2: on the outside, but also down the mill quite a
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  Speaker 2: bit as well. And we saw the fruits of it
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  Speaker 2: the last thirty minutes of that game when they came
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  Speaker 2: back and kind of steamrolled the Titans.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, in my mind, Eric, I think the addition of
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  Speaker 1: Marie Cooper thrust them legitimately into that conversation of one
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  Speaker 1: of the top two or three teams, not only in
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  Speaker 1: the NFL, but certainly in the AFC. This is going
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  Speaker 1: to be a tough Shane up on the road against Seattle.
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  Speaker 1: We said this earlier this season, We're going to learn
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  Speaker 1: a lot about Buffalo in some of these road games.
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  Speaker 1: They lost at Houston, lost at Baltimore. Can they get
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  Speaker 1: it done against Seattle? The Packers are a team and
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  Speaker 1: they sit in that six position for you, they move
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  Speaker 1: up the one spot with a win here against that
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  Speaker 1: Houston squad. I don't know what to make of this
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  Speaker 1: Teaman like they're overcoming some turnovers here by Jordan Love,
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  Speaker 1: and I love Jordan's game and he comes up big
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  Speaker 1: in some of these big moments. But is that in
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  Speaker 1: the back of your mind while you're doing some of
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  Speaker 1: these rankings that maybe the Packers your hedge in just
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  Speaker 1: a little bit a little But I.
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  Speaker 2: Still think they're a Super Bowl contender at this point. Right.
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  Speaker 2: I mean, the big turnover streak on defense ended. Love
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  Speaker 2: did have the first two interceptions in the first half.
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  Speaker 2: There sort of a give and take first half. He
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  Speaker 2: did settle down a little bit, had some nice throws
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  Speaker 2: in that last drive. Romeo Dougs came up big with
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  Speaker 2: a couple of grabs, but yeah, you'd like to obviously
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  Speaker 2: see him cut down on those. He and Patrick Mahomes
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  Speaker 2: tied to the league right now, league lead right now
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  Speaker 2: with eight picks apiece. So you know, obviously the comparisons
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  Speaker 2: to far have been made. We know that's a pretty
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: good thing. Brett fahv won a lot of football games
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  Speaker 2: up there, But there is that sort of high variance
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  Speaker 2: quality about this offense where they can look really really
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  Speaker 2: good and they can also let you down by giving
• 9:02
  Speaker 2: the ball up. So I think it makes some dangerous
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  Speaker 2: We've seen them go on the road, We've seen them
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  Speaker 2: have offensive performances that are spectacular, and I think there's
• 9:10
  Speaker 2: been measurable growth on defense and Mike. They may have
• 9:13
  Speaker 2: a kicker. Brandon McManus made all four of his tries
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  Speaker 2: one field goal at the end of the game. That
• 9:18
  Speaker 2: has been a big issue for a long time in
• 9:20
  Speaker 2: Green bay Books up there are very happy and.
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  Speaker 1: You get to do a little lambe leap at the
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  Speaker 1: end of the game, which I'm sure McManus is one
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  Speaker 1: of those moments that I know he is never going
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  Speaker 1: to forget. Hey real quick here, because I mentioned Houston
• 9:30
  Speaker 1: Texans and we're talking obviously about the Packers. I was
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: hanging with David Carr last night getting ready for a
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: Monday night postgame show on NFL Network, and I brought
• 9:37
  Speaker 1: up Stroud's name. Look, I don't want to call it
• 9:39
  Speaker 1: a sophomore Steff, because that's not what this is. But
• 9:42
  Speaker 1: it feels like at times you're playing better in his
• 9:44
  Speaker 1: rookie campaign eighty six passing yards. What do you make
• 9:47
  Speaker 1: of what you saw from him past protection?
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  Speaker 2: Biggest thing I took away from that game, you know,
• 9:52
  Speaker 2: the Packers were kind of toying with them. Look at
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  Speaker 2: all the guys up on the line on this play.
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  Speaker 2: Some drop out. That's because earlier in the game they
• 9:58
  Speaker 2: were successful getting home with the blitzes, so they confused Stroud,
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  Speaker 2: they confused the offensive line. They put obvious slow Wick
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  Speaker 2: to play caller, and some tough spots there. So I
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  Speaker 2: think that's a huge part of it. It felt like
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  Speaker 2: a bigger deal the first three four games of the
• 10:11
  Speaker 2: year than it had recently, but it showed up against
• 10:14
  Speaker 2: Sunday and again no Nicocollins. There's only so much Joe
• 10:17
  Speaker 2: Mixican do. He missed a big chunk of the season
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  Speaker 2: earlier as well, so I would focus on the offensive
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  Speaker 2: line and right CJ hasn't quite played up to that
• 10:26
  Speaker 2: same level. But if he gets the protection, and maybe
• 10:28
  Speaker 2: it's a different answer, then.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, once again, still feel really optimistic about Houston's chances
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  Speaker 1: totally make a run here, But just something that kind
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  Speaker 1: of popped up, I.
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  Speaker 3: Think when we were all watching the game.
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  Speaker 1: All right, just getting underway here on NFL Power Ranking,
• 10:42
  Speaker 1: Let's keep in mind Russell Wilson making the season debut
• 10:45
  Speaker 1: season had thirty seven points. Why the AFC just got
• 10:48
  Speaker 1: put on notice? Back here on Power Rankings, Mike am
• 10:58
  Speaker 1: and Eric at Home with you the complete analysis of
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: every single team on NFL dot Com. But we pick
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: things up with the number nine, the Steelers. We'll talk
• 11:06
  Speaker 1: about Russ's debut in just a moment. Sakuon Barkley haunting
• 11:10
  Speaker 1: the g minutes. The Eagles at ten eleven, it's the
• 11:12
  Speaker 1: Bears at twelve, the Broncos dominate in New Orleans and
• 11:16
  Speaker 1: Sean Payton's return. Thirteen the Buccaneers dealing with a slew
• 11:19
  Speaker 1: of injuries, which we'll get to.
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  Speaker 3: At fourteen the Seahawks.
• 11:22
  Speaker 1: They snapped the three game slide with the win against Atlanta.
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  Speaker 1: The Falcons just behind them at fifteen. Some some issues
• 11:29
  Speaker 1: right now offensively for the squad after they have come
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  Speaker 1: on like gangbusters.
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  Speaker 3: And at sixteen it's the San.
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  Speaker 1: Francisco forty nine or speaking of injuries at that wide
• 11:38
  Speaker 1: receiver spot, another conversation we will have, but we will
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  Speaker 1: start with Russell Wilson in his debut thirty seven points
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  Speaker 1: season high.
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  Speaker 3: It was a little on the fence. Why go with Russ?
• 11:47
  Speaker 3: Why not just roll with Justin? Fields?
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  Speaker 1: Do they find another level the rest of the season
• 11:51
  Speaker 1: with the play that you saw this past week from
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: Russell Wilson.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, pretty impressive stuff from Mike Tom at least after
• 11:57
  Speaker 2: one game. Right, they were in an election season and
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  Speaker 2: Russ wasn't polling buried well, you know what I mean,
• 12:01
  Speaker 2: people were questioning the decision. Why don't you stick with Justin?
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  Speaker 2: He's been getting it done, they've been winning. Look, Mike
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  Speaker 2: had had a number at the internal numbers, I should
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  Speaker 2: say they're really good numbers. He knew what was going on,
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  Speaker 2: and even after that two for eight start, I think,
• 12:15
  Speaker 2: you know, he felt like this offense is going to
• 12:16
  Speaker 2: hit its groove. It did a lot of short passes,
• 12:19
  Speaker 2: some deep shots as well, and just kind of toy
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  Speaker 2: with that defense and really made a difference. Got Pickens involved,
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  Speaker 2: got you know, Friarmuth involved, and the run game suddenly
• 12:29
  Speaker 2: opened up too, and Mike when they got close to
• 12:31
  Speaker 2: the end zone, it looked like a justin fields like
• 12:34
  Speaker 2: cameo appearance moment just didn't happen. There was no fields.
• 12:38
  Speaker 2: This was all Wilson. I think he's the guy from
• 12:40
  Speaker 2: this point on. We'll see what fields the story in
• 12:42
  Speaker 2: Pittsburgh is after this, but I think he's gonna go
• 12:45
  Speaker 2: until the wheels come off at this point.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, Eric, I know you got kids. You go to
• 12:49
  Speaker 1: the amusement park. You know that little game machine that's
• 12:51
  Speaker 1: got the cloth and it like drops down and you
• 12:53
  Speaker 1: get like the Teddy Bear or whatever. I never used
• 12:56
  Speaker 1: to get that. The real life version of that is
• 12:58
  Speaker 1: George Pickens. Some of the grabs, I mean his hands,
• 13:01
  Speaker 1: it's yeah, it's remarkable. So I'm with you on the Steelers,
• 13:04
  Speaker 1: who've been kind of hovering around this nine to ten area.
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  Speaker 3: We see if they find another notch up.
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  Speaker 1: The Eagles, they actually move up a couple spots, two
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  Speaker 1: spots to be specific to number ten. I'm not surprised here.
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  Speaker 1: I mean, say, Quon one hundred and seventy six yards.
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  Speaker 1: This was the performance we expected to see against his
• 13:20
  Speaker 1: old squad.
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  Speaker 2: There was no chance he would be a no show
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  Speaker 2: at MetLife Stadium against his former team, and look he
• 13:27
  Speaker 2: tapped out after three quarters. He kind of gone for
• 13:30
  Speaker 2: that career high in yard. Certainly, it was the most
• 13:32
  Speaker 2: he'd ever had in that stadium, which had the sting
• 13:34
  Speaker 2: for Giants fans, right Mike of just saying, oh sorry,
• 13:36
  Speaker 2: but yeah, yeah, on a day when you know, really
• 13:40
  Speaker 2: not a whole lot was going well for the Eagles.
• 13:42
  Speaker 2: I know that touchdown past d aj Brown was terrific,
• 13:45
  Speaker 2: maybe the best stow of Jaalen Hurts season. It was
• 13:47
  Speaker 2: really all about Barkley and all about how that Eagles
• 13:49
  Speaker 2: defense really hunted Daniel Jones, knocked him out of the game.
• 13:53
  Speaker 2: They went to Drew Locke late, and you know, the
• 13:55
  Speaker 2: Eagles are a tough team to figure out, but when
• 13:57
  Speaker 2: they have Barkley rolling, it really is you know, you
• 13:59
  Speaker 2: can understand why they paid the money for him this
• 14:01
  Speaker 2: offseason and he's clearly made a big impact on the team.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, big time matchup looming for this Eagle squad against
• 14:08
  Speaker 1: a Cincinnati squad that I've been defending here on the
• 14:10
  Speaker 1: show for a significant period of time. Moving on to
• 14:13
  Speaker 1: power Movers and the Denver Broncos, the team right now
• 14:17
  Speaker 1: that vaults up four spots to number twelve, Eric, if
• 14:20
  Speaker 1: you would have told me before the season, hey, we'd
• 14:22
  Speaker 1: be talking about this Denver squad kind of the middle
• 14:24
  Speaker 1: of the pack, but up to twelve, I would have
• 14:26
  Speaker 1: been surprised.
• 14:28
  Speaker 3: Sell me on this.
• 14:29
  Speaker 2: Yeah, No, I've had to kind of sell myself to Bears, Broncos,
• 14:33
  Speaker 2: other teams that I had five, six, seven, eight, ten
• 14:35
  Speaker 2: spots below. I think most of it has been. Hey,
• 14:39
  Speaker 2: they've been doing pretty well and the teams above them
• 14:41
  Speaker 2: have been losing. Right now, the middle class is a
• 14:43
  Speaker 2: little bit jumbled, but they're making it work. With bo Nicks,
• 14:46
  Speaker 2: He's not been perfect, but he's been effective moving the
• 14:48
  Speaker 2: chains with his legs. He can work out of slumps
• 14:51
  Speaker 2: within games, the run game has been efficient and that
• 14:54
  Speaker 2: defense too. Cody Barton with a huge game last Thursday
• 14:57
  Speaker 2: in New Orleans. I mean, I didn't think Sean Payton
• 15:00
  Speaker 2: would go in there and lead an offensive showdown, but
• 15:03
  Speaker 2: you know, they came out with a big defensive win
• 15:05
  Speaker 2: and that was the statement they wanted to make. And so,
• 15:08
  Speaker 2: you know, this team is interesting. I don't know how
• 15:10
  Speaker 2: much what their ceiling is. I don't know if we're
• 15:12
  Speaker 2: talking about a true top ten type of team, but
• 15:15
  Speaker 2: they're right on the cusp right now, and I think
• 15:17
  Speaker 2: a lot of that has to do with how they've
• 15:18
  Speaker 2: played in recent games.
• 15:19
  Speaker 3: Yeah, a good coaching job by Sean Payne and it helps.
• 15:21
  Speaker 2: Obviously.
• 15:22
  Speaker 1: Bonnix is having some really good moments on the football field.
• 15:25
  Speaker 1: At number thirteen the Buccaneers. They actually dropped four spots here.
• 15:28
  Speaker 1: I think this is a sign of things to come
• 15:30
  Speaker 1: for this team. We know the news Chris Godwin is
• 15:33
  Speaker 1: out because of a dislocated ankle. Mike Evans goes down
• 15:37
  Speaker 1: with the hamstring injury. I don't know where this offense
• 15:41
  Speaker 1: goes without.
• 15:42
  Speaker 3: Arguably the two of the best wide receivers that we have.
• 15:44
  Speaker 1: In the league.
• 15:46
  Speaker 2: I agree, you know, when you saw Evans drop that touchdown, Plass,
• 15:49
  Speaker 2: that was the play where he heard his hamstring or
• 15:51
  Speaker 2: reinjured it, whatever you want to say. After that, Baker
• 15:55
  Speaker 2: Mayfield look lost at times. It took him a couple
• 15:57
  Speaker 2: quarters to kind of find his rhythm again. By that point,
• 15:59
  Speaker 2: the game was out of hand. So yeah, I mean,
• 16:02
  Speaker 2: obviously the Godwin thing happened late in the game, but
• 16:04
  Speaker 2: the red zone pick, the interception. After that, Mayfield had
• 16:08
  Speaker 2: a tough outing out there. Some of it was protection,
• 16:10
  Speaker 2: but I definitely think missing his top guy and eventually
• 16:13
  Speaker 2: now top two guys really hurt. Katee Todten had a
• 16:17
  Speaker 2: big game. Jalen McMillan is a nice rookie. You know,
• 16:20
  Speaker 2: there's some three different options in the backfield they can
• 16:22
  Speaker 2: turn to hand the ball off to. But I'm with you, Mike.
• 16:24
  Speaker 2: If if Evans is out for any significant period of
• 16:27
  Speaker 2: time along with Godwin, even in this division which remains
• 16:31
  Speaker 2: open and there is a path to winning another division
• 16:34
  Speaker 2: crown in a home playoff game, I'm having a hard
• 16:37
  Speaker 2: time seeing it right now. And as well as Mayfield
• 16:39
  Speaker 2: had played coming in the last Monday Night.
• 16:41
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm with you one hundred percent. I feel back
• 16:44
  Speaker 3: because this is a squad.
• 16:45
  Speaker 1: That looked like they were the best team, you know,
• 16:47
  Speaker 1: maybe in that division. But I think some of those
• 16:49
  Speaker 1: other squads their eyes just kind of opening up very
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: wide with this opportunity. Speaking of injuries, the Niners dealing
• 16:55
  Speaker 1: with a lot of them, Brandon, I you it gets
• 16:57
  Speaker 1: a huge deal, you know, four years, one hundred and
• 16:59
  Speaker 1: twenty million dollars deal kind of offseason. I'll use air
• 17:02
  Speaker 1: quotes around that because it went up to the liar
• 17:05
  Speaker 1: here gets hurt, done for the season, and Deebo Samuel
• 17:09
  Speaker 1: also he started this game, played four snaps, had to
• 17:12
  Speaker 1: leave pneumonia. Ian Rapaport's reporting actually had to go to
• 17:15
  Speaker 1: the hospital fluid in his lungs. No timetable on his return.
• 17:18
  Speaker 1: The Niners dropped two spots here. This is this couldn't
• 17:22
  Speaker 1: have gone worse for San Francisco. I mean, Christian McCaffrey
• 17:25
  Speaker 1: hasn't even hit the field yet. I still want to
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: be optimistic about this team. I just don't know where
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: the production's coming from.
• 17:33
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, Deebo, I think we'll be back at
• 17:35
  Speaker 2: some point, but he's an annual injury risk. I yuke
• 17:38
  Speaker 2: out of the picture. As you said, Ricky Piersoll now
• 17:40
  Speaker 2: has one game under his belt. Juwan Jennings still a
• 17:43
  Speaker 2: toss up guy as well, you know, as well as
• 17:46
  Speaker 2: Kittle has played the last few games, you know, and
• 17:48
  Speaker 2: the hope of McCaffrey coming back at some point. You
• 17:51
  Speaker 2: have all these issues. You have defensive problems as well.
• 17:55
  Speaker 2: They can't seem to go a game without some kind
• 17:56
  Speaker 2: of special teams, missque and they just lost to a
• 17:59
  Speaker 2: team that has tormented him and kind of dominated them.
• 18:02
  Speaker 2: I know it's a non conference game and all that,
• 18:04
  Speaker 2: but this had to be a pretty big one going
• 18:06
  Speaker 2: into that game, and you know, they sort of hit
• 18:09
  Speaker 2: in emotional bottom of sorts. But we also know how
• 18:12
  Speaker 2: good Kyle Shanahan teams are in November December. So I'm
• 18:15
  Speaker 2: still not completely giving up hope, but I hear you, man,
• 18:18
  Speaker 2: it's time to sound the alarm bells a little bit.
• 18:20
  Speaker 1: Hey, in the Bay Area, they had this game circled
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: and an opportunity to make a statement, you know, sitting
• 18:25
  Speaker 1: at five hundred coming into this game, where hey like, no,
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: we're still legit, we can handle business, and we've had
• 18:31
  Speaker 1: some losing streaks before, and we figure it out. This
• 18:34
  Speaker 1: is what I think every fan wanted to see. It's
• 18:36
  Speaker 1: hard to get it done though without Ayuk and Deebo. Meanwhile,
• 18:39
  Speaker 1: there's more to come here on NFL Power Rankings, the
• 18:41
  Speaker 1: Jets big splash they bring in DeVante.
• 18:43
  Speaker 3: What does it mean? A loss and more turnovers? We
• 18:46
  Speaker 3: put into focus Dang Green.
• 18:48
  Speaker 1: Next back here on Power Rankings Team seventeen through twenty four,
• 18:56
  Speaker 1: the Chargers five field goals and a Monday night football
• 18:58
  Speaker 1: loss to Arizona. The number eighteen, it's the Colts. Good news,
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: Anthony Richardson didn't throw a pick and they actually scored
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: a win. I will take that. At number nineteen, it's
• 19:07
  Speaker 1: the Cowboys twenty Since that they've won three out of four, Eric,
• 19:11
  Speaker 1: it's time to move them up a little bit higher.
• 19:13
  Speaker 1: At twenty one, it is the Cardinals, so we'll talk
• 19:15
  Speaker 1: about in just a moment. At twenty two, it's the Jets,
• 19:18
  Speaker 1: and this has been a little bit of a tough
• 19:20
  Speaker 1: go the last couple of weeks. The twenty third ranked
• 19:23
  Speaker 1: team is the Rams and the twenty fourth rank squad
• 19:26
  Speaker 1: is the Saints. All right, we don't get to always
• 19:28
  Speaker 1: love up Arizona. They move up free spots for you.
• 19:30
  Speaker 1: Kyler's doing his thing, James Conner's running over dudes. I'll
• 19:33
  Speaker 1: take this as a win. I don't know what it's
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: going to look like at the end of the year,
• 19:36
  Speaker 1: but this looks like a better football team than one.
• 19:39
  Speaker 3: The one that I saw a year ago.
• 19:41
  Speaker 2: Yeah. What really struck me early in Monday Night's second
• 19:44
  Speaker 2: game was how the two big plays in the first
• 19:47
  Speaker 2: quarter Starlink Thomas knocking the ball out for a touchback
• 19:51
  Speaker 2: the other way looked like it was going to be
• 19:53
  Speaker 2: a Chargers touchdown. And then you mentioned Connor, the wily
• 19:56
  Speaker 2: old Badger Man. He was great running the football, but
• 19:58
  Speaker 2: he also made a crucial knockout of an interception to
• 20:02
  Speaker 2: help give the ball back to the Cardinals, So who
• 20:04
  Speaker 2: knows what happen. I think those two plays really kind
• 20:06
  Speaker 2: of set the tone for the night. Situational awareness, toughness, hustle,
• 20:10
  Speaker 2: it was all there, and they kind of out harbored
• 20:13
  Speaker 2: the Harbaugh's Last Night or Monday Night. So really an
• 20:16
  Speaker 2: impressive game with physical power and mental toughness. Not that
• 20:19
  Speaker 2: much explosiveness outside of Murray's run. But there's something about
• 20:22
  Speaker 2: this team. I love the way they play. They throw
• 20:24
  Speaker 2: it all out there every single time in the NFC West,
• 20:27
  Speaker 2: anything is possible, Mike, Yeah, you.
• 20:29
  Speaker 1: Know, justin Herbert we ran his postgame press conference on
• 20:33
  Speaker 1: NFL Network, got executed in the red zone. He was
• 20:36
  Speaker 1: hammering home that point. The Jets last seven drives in
• 20:39
  Speaker 1: the loss, two interceptions of miss field goal and a
• 20:42
  Speaker 1: turnover on downs. I know it's Davante Adams. I know
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: they're making news. And look, I don't blame any of
• 20:46
  Speaker 1: this on DeVante been there for like two minutes here,
• 20:48
  Speaker 1: but the Jets, dude, like, are we gonna win some
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: games here?
• 20:51
  Speaker 2: Yeah, They've got to figure this thing out pretty quickly
• 20:53
  Speaker 2: and make it all mesh together. Right. We saw a
• 20:55
  Speaker 2: lot of Davante Adams. His biggest play though, in the
• 20:58
  Speaker 2: game was making a tackle after an interception, saving a
• 21:00
  Speaker 2: touchdown at least briefly here and when Rogers with this
• 21:03
  Speaker 2: pick I think was probably on him. The second one
• 21:05
  Speaker 2: definitely not on him. That was Garrett Wilson bald Voss's
• 21:09
  Speaker 2: off his chest and into the hands of Beanie Bishop Junior.
• 21:12
  Speaker 2: So you know, it's plays like that that look like
• 21:14
  Speaker 2: they should be a positive for the Jets end up
• 21:16
  Speaker 2: a negative. That's been too common this season, whether it's
• 21:20
  Speaker 2: you know, the wide receivers, the offensive line, penalties and
• 21:23
  Speaker 2: pressures allowed, and even the defense too. Mike, I thought
• 21:26
  Speaker 2: this was a top ten unit. I know there's injuries,
• 21:29
  Speaker 2: I know there's setbacks, but this is not a group
• 21:31
  Speaker 2: that is playing up to its potential right now.
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: Yeah, Aaron Rodgers right now, six interceptions over his last
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: three games, no point.
• 21:38
  Speaker 3: No all right.
• 21:39
  Speaker 1: Teams ranked twenty five through thirty two. The Dolphins, there's
• 21:43
  Speaker 1: some hope on the way, which we'll get to in
• 21:45
  Speaker 1: a moment. The Giants are twenty six, No comment for me.
• 21:48
  Speaker 1: At twenty seven. The Jags, and I see them. You
• 21:50
  Speaker 1: have a win in London. The Raiders sitting at twenty eight.
• 21:54
  Speaker 1: Kind of an ugly performance. The twenty ninth ranked team,
• 21:57
  Speaker 1: the Titans continue to struggle one to five to get
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: Detroit next. Meanwhile, Deshaun Watson done his Browns at thirty one,
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: It's the Patriot's a long way to go. And I
• 22:06
  Speaker 1: have no idea what to make of the thirty second
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: ranked team, the Carolina Panthers. I don't know if it
• 22:10
  Speaker 1: necessarily matters anymore who's playing quarterback for them this season.
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: Let's go positive here, Miami Dolphins. Tua is knocking on
• 22:18
  Speaker 1: the door. Expect to see him out there. I think
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: maybe the Fins can make a run here.
• 22:22
  Speaker 2: Yeah, whether it's this weekend or next the big game
• 22:24
  Speaker 2: against the Bills, the team that knocked him out earlier
• 22:27
  Speaker 2: in the season. They have to see an offensive improvement.
• 22:30
  Speaker 2: I mean, he would offer big hope, no question about it.
• 22:33
  Speaker 2: They just can't have games where Tyreek Hill Dion see
• 22:36
  Speaker 2: a target until the third quarter. They can't have games
• 22:38
  Speaker 2: where Jalen Waddle isn't seeing a catch until the fourth quarter.
• 22:42
  Speaker 2: That's the biggest problem, the lack of explosiveness. What happened
• 22:44
  Speaker 2: to Devin h An. You know, all these big playmakers
• 22:47
  Speaker 2: they haven't been able to use because of the backup
• 22:49
  Speaker 2: quarterback situation. But then how is Tua? Is he ready
• 22:53
  Speaker 2: to go? Is the concussion still an issue? Those are
• 22:55
  Speaker 2: big lingering questions. So I can't really vault him up
• 22:58
  Speaker 2: too much until we have more evidence of him being
• 23:00
  Speaker 2: able to go out there and stay healthy.
• 23:02
  Speaker 1: You know the tough thing about this is every year
• 23:04
  Speaker 1: it feels like we're trying to find another team that
• 23:07
  Speaker 1: can dethrone the Buffalo Bills. And this season it looked
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: like maybe Miami could have been that squad. I'm not
• 23:12
  Speaker 1: saying it can't happen. They got to go on an
• 23:14
  Speaker 1: epic run, and they need their quarterback back in the
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: lineup and healthy out on the football field.
• 23:18
  Speaker 3: Eric, you're the best man. I cannot wait to do
• 23:20
  Speaker 3: this again with you next week.
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: Thanks for watching and listening to Power Rankings.