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Warning Signs in Buffalo · The 3Ts: Tables, Tailgates, and Toploaders

• TB: Special guest Mike is here. Are you ready for your random question out of nowhere? All right. it's Mike: Bring it. Hm. TB: a two parter because I know you're a baseball fan. So first of all, who is your favorite team? Mike: The Yankees. TB: And question two, tell me why the Tampa Bay Rays are bad for baseball. Mike: Watching watching games in their stadium is just it it's torture. The the the fact that they have these ground rules where you hit a certain beam and it's a double or it's a home run or a foul ball, it's it's terrible. TB: So how do you feel that they eliminated your Yankees without a single win? Mike: Well, I'm just hoping now we f fire Aaron Boone. Fire TB: Wow, what a year. Mike: Fire Aaron Boone and bring in Don Mattingley. TB: Donnie baseball is back. That seems like a great place Mike: Bring back. TB: to start the show. Mike: Yeah. TB: All right, what is up, friends? We are back. It's been crazy. What a week. What what a crazy two weeks it's been. We've been back, or I've been off, right? I can't even talk. It's been so long since I've done a podcast. But obviously things are a little different this week. Things have been crazy. no Sydney this week, but we got Mike coming up to to bat. You know, we'll keep the baseball references going. Thanks for being here, buddy. How you doing? Mike: Good, good to be here. TB: Yeah, thanks for joining me. I know it's it's been crazy. It's been a bit chaotic. Look, we got back from the Chargers game, things were a little out of whack, and we didn't get to a podcast last week with Sydney and I, and then things happened today. I mean, we got a hurricane in Pensacola with with Jackson. He's trying to travel to Jacksonville, and Sydney's car broke down, and it's just One chaotic mess after another. So you're you're up to bat. You're stepping Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: in. I appreciate it. thanks for for hopping in here at the last minute. So how are things in Ohio? Mike: Doing okay. Weather's nice here. TB: Yeah, yeah, no no hurricanes coming your way off the lake. Mike: It's been nice and sunny and no rain. It's been beautiful here. TB: Are you ready to talk some Buffalo Bills football? Mike: I guess. TB: So the both of us, we were both at the Chargers game. So it's been a couple weeks since we we did an episode. But yeah, we were both at the Chargers game. I guess we could start there. they they hung on and and survived after a crazy day, five turnovers. give me your thoughts on that game before we turn our t our attention to the the the debacle that was last Sunday. So the Bills pulled out a victory 24-16, but the offense Five turnovers and it it didn't look nice for I think I turned to you and I said that was forty six minutes of dog crap. what what were your thoughts as we were leaving the Chargers game? Mike: I mean, the offense played as terrible as they possibly could. and actually the defense kind of stepped up a little bit there and was able to secure a win. It was on one hand we knew we we we laid an egg there, but to come out with a victory there was somewhat reassuring that the defense could do something and secure a win. TB: Yeah. But did it give you any false confidence heading into the New England week? I think it was or or was it one of those situations where, you know, good teams find a way to win and blah, blah, blah. I mean, so so often we've been on the opposite side of that where I mean this this rarely happens. very Mike: Mm. TB: few times in NFL history has a team committed five turnovers turnovers and still come out with the dub. And and we just happen to be on the the luck side. But was this a situation where good teams find a way or Did did we just get lucky? Mike: I I think we just got lucky that the Chargers are that bad. I saw a stat, I think it was since 2013. There were three times that a team has turned the ball over five times and won the game. this being the third time. But every team that had lost those three games was the Chargers. TB: man. Yeah. yeah. And we could talk kind of a more general NFL picture here in in a few minutes. But, you know, I I thought we we we shouldn't have won that game by any stretch of the imagination. And I thought that, you know, heading into the New England game, they really would have taken the week to kind of shore up a lot of the sloppiness, a lot of the in inattentiveness, and really have it on lockdown heading into New England. And that's Really not what we saw. Now you and I, we were in completely different places. I was in Colorado. I watched the second half of this game in a bar after listening to the first half in in the in the car. You were actually in in the stadium in high mark. So tell me what it was like to be inside the stadium for this first loss of the Bills season. Mike: I I think everybody was in disbelief. I think i it was almost like people were expecting a letdown against the Chargers after those first two games. and after the how bad they played against the Chargers, I was fairly confident going against the Patriots. Normally we we have a bad game and we bounce back from that and that would definitely was not the case. TB: Yeah, it was just I don't know. I I I went back and I rewatched the game and we could talk about some of those things here in in a minute, but it was just I had such a sense of disbelief. Like how could this possibly can carry over from the Chargers week into this week? And that's kind of exactly what happened. Yes, the turnovers weren't there in as great number, but they still made some some terrible decisions, some terrible plays. The Shakir fumble was critical. The the last second Josh. Interception was absolutely uncalled for. I'm not letting him off the hook. I know he's the golden child and whatnot and my favorite player ever. But look, that's inexcusable. You can't throw that ball there. And we were in perfect position to either tie or win that game. So what was the mood like when he throws that last last minute pickle? I mean, did the whole stadium just deflate? Like what was the what was the instant reaction there? Mike: Yeah, i i it completely deflated everybody and about half the stadium left at that point, it seemed like. everybody was just in disbelief the entire game. How well we make made Drake May look. he looked more like Josh Allen than Josh Allen looked like himself. he was running all over the place, making all kinds of throws. he was terrible for the last couple weeks, and we made him look like a pro bowler. TB: Yeah, the Patriots, to your point, came in with one of the worst offenses in the league. going by the numbers, Drake May had looked terrible up to this point. He looked nothing like the MVP candidate he was last season. He had been throwing pickleballs all over the the the stadiums in in each of the first week. And and to your point, yeah, he looked more like Josh Allen than than JA seventeen did. He was running all over the place, making crucial first downs with his legs. Just getting chunk chunk play and chunk play and they they couldn't stop him. It's like they had no desire or no plan to contain him whatsoever. And it was kind of un you know inexcusable given the offensive weapons that this Patriot team rolled out there last Sunday. I just so I want to ask you kind of a general question and then we can kind of break down some of this game stuff. But if I give you a spectrum, I want to know your opinion, a member of the Bills Mafia. fan of this team for forty plus years. In your opinion, are we closer to the sky is falling or are we closer to Super Bowl contender? Mike: Right now the sky is definitely falling. Our our defense looks worse. I mean, th they they stepped up a little bit against the Chargers, but other than that, they've been terrible this year and they just they're not improving at all. especially the secondary. The secondary th they made their wide receivers look like they were awesome. And did you see who they were playing out there? Yeah. TB: Yeah, guys you'd never heard of in in your life. Yeah. I mean, X-Bill Mack Collins, like, and and and he drives me crazy with his theatrics. Every time he catches a three yard pass, he's up there dancing Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: and prancing and flexing and doing all kinds of nonsense. And you know, it's so frustrating. So so you you think we're closer to this guy's falling. Well, let me ask you a follow-up question to that. How do you handle losses as a fan? Because when I started this show, it's all about like how these things make us feel. Does it take you a long time to process a loss as a fan? Like if we lose on a Sunday, what point of the week are you turning your attention to the next game? Does this loss sit with you for days? Is it hours? Is it weeks? This New England game, week four, how did it sit with you? And then how do you move on from something like this as a fan? Mike: I think it just because it's New England, th this one hit hard. if we lost one of the other three games we played, I I don't think it would have been as big of a deal. but going into last week with the way the injuries that New England had and us coming off a bad game, I I thought we were gonna stomp And we just we did not play well at all and We we could have really put a big lead in our division. And this hurts. It it feels like last year again. TB: Yeah, it felt like we could have knocked him out completely out of the running for the AFC East right away, week four. Take what? I think that would have been a three game lead over them at the quarter quarter pole of the season. And instead, if we end up losing and they win this week, they're suddenly in first place. And it's like we have totally given up any lead that we had and it's just so frustrating. let me ask you this question. Is it easier to take a loss when you're in the stadium or when you're at home or wherever you choose to watch the game? Mike: I mean for me it it's worse in the stadium 'cause you got that long drive home now. and TB: Ha ha. Mike: and then especially when you're sitting in traffic, that's that and everyone's angry. that it's it's never a good thing. TB: Yeah, yeah. And the reason I ask is because I usually don't go out to watch games. It's very rare that I do. So I'm either at the stadium or I'm at my in my basement, kind of hunkered down. this was the rare, rare time that I actually was out watching a game at a bar. So we're at a sports bar, kind of on the outskirts of Denver, and there were probably, I don't know, 30 TVs in this place. Probably every game on the early slate was was taking place. And I had the only TV dedicated to the Bills game. So I'm literally at this long table. There are four TVs. I'm at the end of the table and it's the Bills game right in front of me. And maybe two other people in the whole room behind me are occasionally glancing at it. Jamie is watching the Ravens game on the TV right next to me. And so It was a very weird experience. Most of the fans in this room were Eagles fans, if you could believe it. There were like a whole ton of Philly fans, and the the Eagles game was on the main TV. And I'm watching Bill's Patriots on a smaller TV, literally right in front of my my face. But I'm jumping out of my chair most of the time. They make a terrible play. And I'm trying not to drop F bombs all over the the restaurant. And It was just when he throws the last pickle. I just stand up and I'm I almost want to like knock my beer over in disgust. I had to Mike: Ha ha ha. TB: kind of pull myself back a little bit. And I'm just like, you gotta be kidding me. It was very difficult for me to watch that game in that in that atmosphere. and normally I I'm losing my mind in my basement and you know, there's no one to see me. But but yeah, I understand what you're saying. But you're a huge Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: Bills backers guy. You go to a Bills Backers bar in Cleveland, right? How's the mood there? Now normally it we don't have too many losses, but usually how does the the atmosphere, what's the atmosphere like for for Mafia members at a place like that after a a a a loss? Mike: normally it's not good. but there's a lot of kids there and stuff too, so there's still some positivity there. it's not complete anger like it is especially outside of the stadium. TB: Right. Mike: walking back to the parking lots, people stuck in traffic. that that it's never a good scene. At least at the At the Billsbackers Bar, i it's it's kinda like a little family there now, 'cause you know, TB: Okay. Mike: it's it's it's the same people that go there every week. so you know, everyone knows each other, so it's i it's not as bad there. TB: No, no, I get it. And and I think having kids there kinda helps, at least it le it it should kind of raining in a little bit. There were no kids in this bar where we were. And Mike: yeah. TB: maybe maybe there should have been. But so so let's talk about it. Three and one. Had the had these two games been reversed, let's say they lost the Chargers game but ended up pulling out the dub against the Patriots, would we still be this upset? Let's just reverse the the the win and the loss. Let's say Josh doesn't throw that last second pickle and we end up pulling out the win at home against the Patriots, but we have the five turnover game against the Chargers and they they demolish us. If we simply reverse the win and the loss and we're still three and one, what are we feeling right now? Mike: it's not that bad then. I we're s we're still all feeling the last twenty years of the Patriots. So anytime they beat us, it just stings that much more. Especially with them being in our division. So i it would be completely different. TB: Because in some respects, these were two get right games for two down on their luck teams. After the first Mike: Mm. TB: two weeks, the Chargers were coming in the laughing stock of the league. Now they ended up losing. So they continued to be the laughing stock of the league. And they lost again last week. So they're sitting at 0 and 4. the laughing continues. But with the Patriots, Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: we thought, hey, this is one of the worst offenses. And to your point, they were flying high coming off a Super Bowl appearance last year. Everyone's golden boy, Drake May was coming into town having, you know, thrown, I think what do you have six six interceptions already coming into the Buffalo game and and things were not looking good in in in Beantown. And then they come in here and basically, you know, control the whole game and make us look foolish. So yeah, I I think you're right, but I just think it's an interesting way of looking at it. If we just flip these games, would we still be that upset? and I think it's because it's the Patriots that yeah, you're you're right. I hate the Patriots. And it there's probably five, six times during this game, in one half, mind you, because we only made it there for the second half, where they showed Mike Frabel on the TV and I'm ready to to punch a hole in the screen. Mike: Yeah. TB: And I'm getting looks like, take it easy. I'm just like, you don't understand. Mike: Hm. TB: I hate this man. I hate him with every fiber in my being. This is like the nemesis. Th this team is is my nemesis. And so maybe, maybe you're right. Maybe that's it. Maybe it's just because it's the Patriots. If this was, I don't know, the the Raiders, would we still think the sky is falling? who knows? I don't know. But yeah, two ugly performances back to back. Are these signs of real problems? What is your worry meter for the rest of the season? Mike: You know, I I'm up there pretty high right now. TB: Okay. Mike: our de our defense can't stop anybody right now. and a lot of these teams that we had in the beginning of the season that we thought that were gonna be really good, like Houston and the Chargers, they haven't turned out to be that great. And we just kind of barely squeaked by them. So I don't think we're nearly as good as we thought we were in the beginning of the season. TB: That in conjunction with some of the teams we didn't think would bounce back so quickly are automatically right bare right back up at the top, like the Kansas City Chiefs. the Ravens are playing really well. Obviously, they lost a tough game I know Lamar got hurt, but they're always right there in the in the wings. But yeah, the defense, what what the hell is going on with the defense? So I went home this week and I I rewatched this entire game and I Gotta tell you, every defensive play, I focused on one play. One player. Can you think? I I'll give you, I'll give you two guesses. I watched one player and he was not on the defensive line. So who do you think I focused on for every single play? Mike: Maxwell Harrison. TB: Closer to a little closer, the next line in. Mike: Okay. Trell Bernard? TB: Terrell Bernard, number eight. I watched every defensive snap focusing on him for the entire game. I don't know if you've ever done this. if you've if you have the ticket or you get to watch like game replays, like in the condensed version, it's great because Mike: Mm. TB: you can literally focus on one player and it's just like rapid fire and it's awesome. I watched every defensive play focusing on number eight. He was terrible. He looks lost. First of all, he's hurt. I'm telling you. I don't care what anybody Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: says. He's hurt. He looks like he's dragging his leg behind him half the time. He's slow as as I almost cursed. He's slow as smolasses, right? He's he looks lost. Half the time the ball is snapped and he's still waving his arms, trying to communicate with people. It's maddening watching him play this game. And the thing that really upset me, I don't know if you listened to Joe Brady's press conference, I think it was Monday or Tuesday. Not the one immediately following the game, but the next day or two, he comes out and he gives his press conference. He actually said that Terrell Bernard is playing great. He said he's playing great. And I'm like, Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: Joe, I know you gotta back your players, but don't straight up lie to me. I'm not an idiot. And to say he's playing great is completely not true. And I don't know what the deal is with this guy, why he Is so terrible all of a sudden, but man, we we have a serious linebacker problem. I'm not even gonna talk about the defensive line because I think that they are solid to above average. You take Deion Walker, who's playing out of his mind, and Gregory Rousseau, those guys are awesome. It's a shame about Ed Oliver, and that's kind of a separate topic. The guy can't seem to stay on the field, and now we have another problem. Is he gonna play anytime soon? Who the heck knows? But some of these younger guys, the TJ Sanders and Dwayne Carters, are are stepping in and filling in, I think, very well. And they all have bit roles, but they're playing them great. It's it's the back seven that are a complete freaking disaster. So Terrell Bernard, Dorian Williams, CJ Gardner Johnson, Maxwell Harrison, Christian Benford got hurt again. Cole Bishop hasn't done anything that we thought he was gonna do this year as far as taking the next step. The secondary and the linebackers dreadful, dreadful performance. I don't know what you watch as far as like when it comes to do you focus on specific players when you're there in person? Do you when you're watching it on TV? Like how do you digest the game when when you're watching it? Mike: Well what really struck me is how much Demart Hamlin was on the field. And I didn't realize he was playing nickel corner the entire time. I TB: Yes. Mike: I'm scared enough when he's playing his normal position at safety. and now you got him playing out of position. and I didn't realize that until after the game. But I I was watching him and Harrison a lot just to see why we're getting so torn up in the secondary. TB: Yeah, and and to your point, Hamlin was in because we had lost the first two guys to injury. So he was Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: there because he was forced to be there. but Maxwell Harrison had a terrible game, terrible game. Christian Benford didn't play because of injury. And now we have to get ready for the Rams, who have probably one of the best, you know, two wide receivers in the entire league with Devontae Adams and Puka Nakua and and the the the reigning VP just chucking the rock all over the place. my goodness. I I don't even know. I'm not I'm not prepared to even talk about that yet because it's gonna Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: it's gonna, you know, I might have to take a puff of an inhaler at some point. I I don't Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: know. But yeah, the defense. What what do we do? What do we do at this point? I I just I don't I don't know what what the answers are. Mike: And the problem is when your secondary is that bad, you really can't blitz because now you're bringing more people in and now your secondary has to work harder. So I I don't know what we do at this point. TB: Yeah. And and to go along with that, we're one of the lowest rated blitzing teams in the league. Like we're literally running and rushing the passer with our front four. That's it. We're not creating exotic blitz packages to get after the quarterback. So seven are almost dropping back into coverage on a regular basis. And it's just the front four that are going after the QB. And it's it's just it's been a nightmare. Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: I don't I don't know what the answers are. The trade deadline is still a few weeks away, but is there do we do we call up Shaq Thompson from the the the practice squad to help out at linebacker? Do we call Tradavius White? Joey Porter Jr. was just traded from from the Steelers. That would have been a great fit. I there's been talk that Jim Leonard has to simplify the defense even more than it already is, and then just let these guys kind of play free and loose. And it's like, how much freer and looser can they play? Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: D Alford, he's complaining about did you hear this? He's complaining about the crowd noise. And and Jim Leonard to his credits, like, hey, look, if you're gonna complain about the crowd noise, you're an asshole. Like, and I know this is a family show, but he called out the that comment and I I love it. Like, Mike: Mm. TB: you can't complain about being in one of the loudest stadiums. that should be in your favor 99% of the time. Like, are you kidding me? So we're gonna we're gonna complain about about the crowd noise? No, that's that's completely unacceptable. So I don't know. Let's take a step back. Are there any bright spots on this team? Any any anything good we want to talk about? Let's try to let's try to get some positive positive juice flowing here for a second. Mike: I'm impressed with Keon Coleman. He's put to put together back to back games. TB: Let's go. Yeah. Mike: and I mean he's actually running routes and I mean he he's made some really big catches. TB: Do you think that's the the game of his career so far? Mike: I I would say probably so, yeah. TB: Six catches, 116 yards, a touchdown, probably one of the greatest catches you're gonna see all year. I'm not saying it'll be catch Mike: Mm. TB: of the year, but it's already got to be in the top five, top ten. I don't know how you saw that live. If you saw that live, awesome. Awesome Mike: Mm-hmm. Yeah. TB: catch on the sidelines there. It kind of bounces and then he die, he he dives again. I don't even know how you classify that. Mike: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. TB: And he stays inbounds and and completes the catch. Fantastic catch. But yeah, he's running great routes. He's blocking his ass off. He's working hard. he he seems to have his head in the game. I love it. I love everything about it. makes me ready to go get a few more Keon Coleman cars for my PC collection because I had to go put that on pause for a minute because they were all worthless. So maybe, maybe Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: now's the time to to jump back on the Keon train with my my my my collection there. What what do you think? Mike: I I th I think it's a good buy. TB: Goodbye or nah. But yeah, can can we talk about DK eighty six? What the heck? What the heck, Joe Brady? He he was lighting up the league. He was the third best receiving player, the fur the third best catcher in the whole league through the first what, two weeks? Two, Mike: Mm. TB: three weeks, and he he gets one catch. I what I rewatched the game, like I said. He was targeted on the third play, the third play of the game, and then he didn't get another target until the end of the fourth quarter. Tell me how that is okay. In what world is that is that acceptable? Mike: Especially when you're missing DJ Moore. I mean, you would think TB: Yeah. Mike: that he's he's gonna be the next guy you're gonna throw the ball to. TB: I don't know. I I it's mind boggling to me. I I feel like we don't utilize the best players we have, the best offensive weapons on the team. James Cook, what was the deal with that? He was running the ball well. It started a little slow, but then it he they opened up some lanes and they got him going. He only had 12 carries the whole game. And it's not like the it's not like the Patriots were out to a two, three score lead. This game was tight. This game was close for the for the duration. Only 12 carries for James Cook. Your reigning rushing leader and and one catch for Dalton Kincaid? I I don't know. Has here here's one of my concerns. Is Joe Brady going to be a little too prideful? Is he think he's smarter than everyone? Or is this going to be a problem? Is he going to be able to adapt and or is or or is this a k situation that's going to continue? Because I truly think he got completely outclassed. and out coached on Sunday. Mike: And and for the love of God, stop taking the ball in the beginning of the game and when you win the toss. we're getting killed and that double dip going into the half. TB: Yes. Mike: that that that that that's gotta stop. It was cute at first, but we gotta stop that. And James Cook, he was at I think he averaged over six yards carry last game. it TB: He did six point two five yards per carry, correct. Mike: I mean, you g you gotta give him the ball more. especially when you're struggling on offense and Let let's make sure we get that screen pass and wipe that off the playbook because bringing that back was it did not go well at the stadium. It was not w very well received. TB: You're talking about the third and eight, they did a screen to I believe it was Keon Coleman, and he got absolutely annihilated at the line. And I Mike: Mm. TB: think, and and correct me if I'm wrong, you were there. The booze translated very well to the TV. Mike: yeah. TB: Is that how how much were the boobirds raining down on Brady at that point? Mike: they they were raining down. I w I was helping out w with it with that one 'cause that that a and I th Josh might may have changed the call on that. but regardless, third and eighth throwing a screen pass like that, it's unacceptable. TB: So why does this team keep making it way harder than it needs to be? Help me understand this. I I feel like this should have been a cakewalk. I feel like the last two weeks should have been a continuation of the first two weeks where the offense was just on fire, pedaled to the metal, and that's just seemed to fall completely apart. Like like we're driving down the highway on two wheels all of a sudden. So why why do we keep making this harder than it needs to be? Or am I just imagining this? Mike: Well I I think in games past when w we have a game like this, Josh Allen would put his cape on and just start dominating and running all over the place and I I really think there's something wrong with him because he did not run at all. he's not running and his decision making has been off the last two weeks. So I think that makes things a lot more difficult when he's not doing his thing. TB: How many carries did he have against the Patriots? Less than five, right? Less than four. I know he had the Mike: Yeah. TB: one, the one run in from the two. but other than that, there were no designed scrambles or bootlegs or anything. And it was yeah, he didn't even try. And and what's the deal suddenly with these kneel downs behind the line of scrimmage? He he rolls out and then just takes a knee? Like, what are we doing? Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: And we're losing two, three yards on a kneel down. He just doesn't have a place, so he takes a knee. This is brand new. This has never been something he's done before. So what is this? Mike: And and it was kinda hard to tell in the stadium. I I don't know if he flopped or not, but it looked like he got hit after he took a knee. And you know that was not the fans did not take well to that either. TB: Yeah, I don't know if that one was very egregious. It was more like a tagger it sort of deal. I I I Mike: Yeah. TB: wouldn't get too upset by that one. But the the one I I do remember the one where they were close right on the goal line and he flings it behind them and I'm like, that's a safety. Like, what are you what what the hell is Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: going on? He's just these boneheaded plays. But so who gets the biggest slice of the blame pie for Sunday? Is it Is it Josh Allen? Is it Joe Brady in the play calling? Is it the defense? Is it the two turnovers? Who where do you wanna divvy it up? Do you think it's equal? Do you think somebody's carrying the the flag for this? What what we got? Mike: For for me it's the defense. we made them look so much better than they are. I I I think we should have won the game with the points we scored. And the way they pla the way New England played the last couple of weeks, they shouldn't have put up that that many points. And we made them look much better than they are. TB: Yeah, yeah. And one thing I want to see as a fan, as a member of the mafia, I I want to see way less of this. I want to see way less talking. Cause I feel like too many people, specifically on the defensive side, are running their mouth. And I see you, CJ Gardner Johnson. I see you, Maxwell Harrison. I'm changing my number to one because I'm the chosen one. Really? You're the chosen one by the other team's offensive coordinator and quarterback. He's gonna pick on you all day because you're terrible. So, yeah, you are the chosen one, and you're gonna get attacked for 60 minutes. Like, what are we talking about here? And CJ running his mouth about the guy that caught the ball for the Patriots, saying, it's a practice squad player, which wasn't true. And just sounding like an idiot. Just sound like take, Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: take your L. Dude, you lost. You got torched by Drake May, who had been terrible for three weeks, and he threw and ran all over you. Just take the L and go be quiet in the corner and get better and come out on fire next week. I I can't stand that nonsense. Like there's no reason for that. All you're doing is adding bulletin board material for when we have to play these guys up in New England. Am I wrong? Mike: No, not at all. and that was a fantastic catch they made. Give his props. TB: Fantastic catch. Mike: I mean, give his props, say we gotta do better better and move on. I mean it's TB: Yeah, and who was guarding him? IGB, I think. And IGB had him locked up. Like Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: yeah, you're right. Give him his props. That was a fantastic catch. That's a catch to what less than five percent of the league can make. That was an awesome Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: catch. It just sucks that it was against our guy, but I think IGB played him great. I I don't think it was a lack of effort on his part, but I don't know. And then Joe Brady, the initial press conference. I talked about the one he had a couple days later, but the initial one, he goes on there and says, Well, wins and losses don't matter. And I actually like losses more because we can learn from them. And my god, dude, are you serious? Is this what it's gonna be for the next three months? About how I I love losses, they're fantastic, and we can learn so much, and it really doesn't matter. And I'm just like, dude, stop. I I Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: I I know the McDermott isms. Please don't tell me that I have to sign up for these Joe Bradyisms and you're gonna tell me wins and losses don't matter. Like hell, they don't matter. This this could have put your number one opponent in the AFC East out of commission at the quarter mark of the season, and you're telling me they don't matter. I don't know. Did you hear that nonsense? Mike: I did. And just maybe more mad. TB: Yeah, I don't know. So here we are. We're we're three and one. We're at the quarter pole. What are your overall thoughts before we turn our attention to the Rams for a few minutes? Mike: the the the DJ Moore injuries got me really scared. I kinda wish they didn't play him though at le at least against the Chargers. give him a week of rest there. but when when he's not in there, our offense looks completely different. That's it's scary to think that, you know, he he might be out a couple of weeks now just d make sure he's re good good and ready for the end of the season. TB: If you're Joe Brady and you know you have the Rams and then the Raiders who are no slouch week six, do you proactively like, you know, do you sit him to try to get him ready for the rest of the year, or do you roll the dice and get him out there knowing he's a key part and a much needed participant in this offense? Mike: I mean, we don't know the full scale of his injury, but he doesn't look the same. I mean if y if you set him set set him the next two games, you got the bye week after that, you're giving him a good amount of time there to rest and hopefully heal up and come back the player he was. TB: Agree, agree. So let's turn our attention to Monday night. we're only a few days away. Actually, let's see, Friday's we're four days away from the next game. Monday night football, Bills at LA Rams, October twelfth, eight fifteen, SoFi Stadium. The Rams are coming in two and two. Did you see any of the highlights of this game? They were losing the entire game to the Eagles, and I suddenly turned around to see what the rest of the room is screaming at, and they were not happy campers in that Mike: Hmm. TB: bar. like I said, they were all Eagles fans, and the Rams came back and won that game 24 to 20. the Rams outgained the Eagles almost by like 250, 275 yards. It was insane. Matthew Stafford threw for over 300. Puka Nakua, who is an absolute beast, had nine catches for 125 yards. I don't know. before we get into predictions, what do you think about this game? Mike: I I'm scared about this game. especially the way we're playing right now. And I I I think this is the b probably the best team that we've played so far. although the record may not look like it. I mean they're two and two, but they played some good teams too. TB: Yeah. and the Bills, look, a couple years back, they went out there and they put up an absolute firestorm against this team, but still lost 44 to 42, 86 combined points between these two juggernauts. do you think we could repeat that this Monday night? I I think it's possible. What what do you think? Mike: I I I think we're we're gonna have to put up points against them 'cause I I don't think we're gonna be stopping them. I I think if if we win it's gonna have to be a shootout. TB: Yeah, which which can be scary, particularly if DJ Moore is not gonna be available for this game. So yeah, Buffalo secondary versus Puka Nakua versus Devontae Adams. Can we prevent Stafford from just chucking it all over the place? And he is a very quick trigger. He doesn't get he doesn't hold on to the ball that long. He gets out quick, easy completions, a lot of a lot of yak on this team, a lot of yards after catch. and that also scares me because it seems like re-watching the the Patriots game, guys are just running completely all over the place, like their hair's on fire. So look, they gotta they gotta get they gotta calm down a little bit and they gotta focus. And maybe it actually helps not playing in Buffalo for this game, not being in high mark, because the crowd sure is gonna be quiet. And well, Drake May ran all over this team. Matthew Stafford's a statue, so we don't have to worry Mike: Yeah. TB: about that. Right there. I think he has 11 rushing yards on the season or some nonsense, or I don't know, less than 20. And Drake may have that in the first two minutes of the game. So I I don't know. I'm not worried about the rushing attack by the Rams. I think defensively, we've played really well against the run this year. for whatever reason, we've we've been able to shore that up. So that doesn't scare me. Now on the opposite side of the ball, Is this a game where we we try to slow it down? We try to make it a clock controlled game and and and slow the tempo way down and and utilize James Cook way more than than we did last week? Mike: I mean, I think you gotta run Cook still. y you gotta have the run there to set up the pass. if there's no threat for the run, it's gonna be easier to defend us as it is. with our lack of de lack of receivers if DJ Moore is not playing. So I I hope they're using James Cook more. I'm not saying, you know, go complete ball control the entire time and, you know, run the clock, but There's gotta be a little bit more running, especially if he's if he's running for six yards a carry. TB: Yeah, yeah, I I agree. So is this a week where Josh thinks he has to play hero ball or can he play boring, safe, march it down the field, completion high completion percentage football? Mike: I mean, I I'd like to see more of that. maybe taking a few less chances. I'd like to see a deep ball here and there, but not in a double or triple coverage. TB: Does this team ever use a five to seven yard slant? Have I Mike: Ha ha ha. TB: have we ever seen that? I feel like it doesn't exist. It's like a 15 yard play to the middle of with with Kincaid, or it's a bomb down the field, or it's a half yard screen pass. Those are the things we're using. Do we have a five, five yard quick inside slant that we can use to get easy, cheap yards? Ever? Does is that in the playbook? Mike: It'd be nice if it was. TB: Is that too much to ask? my god, my gosh. I don't know. So look, I think I think they gotta come out. We we can't go three and out. If we lose, either way, if we if we win the the the toss, we better defer. Like Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: we can't we can't do this nonsense where the Rams are double lipping on us. And then we gotta I I think we really gotta stay balanced and and play disciplined, smart offensive football. And I think we could still score points. Just like, come on, be smart about it. rewatching it, I didn't think the offense looked as bad on the rewatch as I thought when I initially watched the game. I do think they they left some points out there. how many did they end up? They still scored 26 points against the Patriots, Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: which is a very good defense. but they left probably what 14 points? They could have easily put up 40 points against the Patriots. So I I do think even with more out, I think they they they can move the ball up and down the field and I think they can score. They just have to make smarter decisions and make smarter play calls in the crucial situations. Is that too much to ask? Mike: Not at all. TB: I don't know. So all right. let's do this. what's your number one concern about this Rams team heading into Monday night? Mike: J just stopping the receivers and Matthew Stafford. TB: Is it Nakua? Mike: Yeah, I de definitely Nikula. I mean if if if he k has, you know, ten catches against us, we're doomed. TB: Is it possible he could have twenty catches against him? Mike: Ha ha ha. TB: man. What scares you more? Buffalo starting slow or Pakua Pukua Puka Nakua just Mike: Yeah. TB: torching us? I like that. Maybe that should be his name, Pukua. Mike: I think the slow I I think the slow start, if we if we start out slow, I I think just for my own mental health, I think that's gonna really drive me crazy. TB: Is the threat of this game getting completely out of hand there? I I think it is. Mike: Well and not only this game, th then you got the Raiders who are all of a sudden good now right after that away also. so it's TB: Kirk Cousins is the man. He is the man. So that he's got that team playing great. yeah, I got I got mad love for Kirk Cousins. If I wasn't a Bills fan, I would I'd be rooting for the for the the Las Vegas Raiders. Mike: Yeah. TB: I I love what he's got going on out there. Mike: So yeah, I I'm really worried about this game. TB: Yeah, it it's tough. So all right, it it's time. Let let's let's put up or shut up. give me one bold prediction for this game first. Give me give me what w give me give me something you think is gonna happen. Some bold prediction. And you can't say a Josh Allen rushing tutty. Mike: I'm gonna go Greg Russo three sacks. Three sacks. TB: Three sacks against Statue Stafford. All right, I Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: like that. Who's the Bills player of the game? Are you sticking with Rousseau? Okay. Mike: I'm gonna go Rousseau. Yeah. TB: And then give me give me your gimme your score. Give me your your prediction. Mike: I'm gonna go forty one forty. Forty one forty bills. Mm-hmm. TB: okay. All right. Forty one forty. You're you you're confident we're we're going into SoFi and we're winning this thing on the back of Gregory Rousseau. Mike: Well, a one point victory I won't say confident, but TB: I mean that that's not bad. What's your worry meter after the heading into this game? Mike: I'm up there. I'm probably seven or an eight right now. TB: I think I'm a 10. I think this is probably before pre-playoff game. this is probably my most worrisome game. I'm going nine and a half, ten. one bold prediction. gosh. Terrell Bernard, one tackle. Mike: Ha ha ha. TB: I no, my my one bowl prediction, I think Cole Bishop finds an interception somewhere. I think. We end up luring Stafford into one bad decision. And I think Cole Bishop makes a turnover. player the game. I I think this is a cook game. I think he's gonna have success. and and and find pay dirt a couple times. I think he scores two rushing touchdowns and has probably 125 yards in this game. but I don't think we're gonna be victorious. I'm sorry, Mafia. I'm sorry, three Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: T's fans. I do not have the Bills winning this game. I got the Rams winning 42, Bills 35. So I I this was the game. If you remember our season preview, if you remember our first I think we broke down the first like five weeks. This was the game I had circled as a loss and coming off the last two weeks, it looks even worse to me. So I just I don't know. I have little confidence after watching that. nonsense that was put on the field last week, specifically defensively, that we can that we can slow down this Rams team. so yeah, I I think it's a second consecutive loss, which we seem to put together every year. and yeah, so that's what I got. I I'm sorry, but is what it is. So I hope you're right. I hope I'm wrong. You got anything else you wanna you wanna say about this Bills game? Mike: Yeah, I think that pretty much covers it. TB: All right. So let's turn our attention to the Squared Circle Wrestling Marks. You are on the clock. How you feeling? It's been a minute since we talked wrestling. And unfortunately, we're gonna start with some sad news in the world of professional wrestling. yeah, that this one sucked. I don't know if you heard the story, but Pac, formerly known as Neville from NXT from WWE, he passed away at the age of forty. I don't know what you saw about this, but Yeah, this was someone who, if you are a fan of wrestling, you've known for quite some time. He has clearly left his mark in the industry. If you've watched any of the responses, any of the shows, any of the posts An awesome wrestler, but an even better human being. I got the chance to see him one time in person. Unfortunately, he he got hurt. we were at an AEW show in Baltimore probably a year and a half ago. and he was wrestling a match and he he like tore his Hammy or something? I don't know. He ended up being out for a while, but he managed to to crawl back into the ring to finish the match. So this dude is like his strength and his determination or off the charts and his wrestling ability. I don't know. But before I keep going, do you have any any any thoughts on on this? Mike: I mean it just it really stinks. there there's too many wrestlers this happens to. I mean th and there's a variety of reasons. but I I kinda wish he got more of a push in WWE. just 'cause he he had all the talent in the world. but it just it really stinks. TB: Yeah, so for those who didn't know him, Benjamin Satterley, formerly known as Adrian Neville, aka the man that Gravity Forgot, also known as the King of the Cruiserweights. He basically, when NXT was coming to fruition, basically being formed at the infancy stages, this man was at the forefront. He carried the NXT title for a very long time, actually went on a deep dive and watched a lot of these matches. via YouTube. This dude, his wrestling ability, man, this guy was off the charts. I don't think he got enough credit for the things he could do in the ring. He could wrestle so many different styles. He could do the craziest things. His red arrow was one of the best off-the-top rope finishers that you will ever see. and then he had great submission moves. He just had great technical skills. He he was He could be a technician, he could be a high flyer, an acrobat, he could be a submission specialist if he wanted to. He literally could do anything. And then you you hear the praise and the the stuff about his career coming out since his passing, and and people are saying he's one of the greatest British wrestlers, English wrestlers to to ever come out of that area. And and you see the the things that make make me sad are you see the photos. that people post from, you know, five, ten, fifteen years ago, all these guys riding up and down the road in the buses, you know, and and in in the restaurants. And they're all kind of, you know, just relaxed and hanging out and got their arms around each other and they're, you know, drinking, drinking a few beers and just chilling. And it's just the to see the camaraderie and some of my favorites were him with Finn Balor, you know, out of the ring, just just hanging out. And clearly they were, they were the best of friends and they had Some really good rival rivalries through the years. But I re-watched a match of his from NXT Revolution against Sami Zayn, where Sami Zayn finally won the NXT title That match was awesome. That match Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: was so good. Because outside of his that that almost year-long NXT Championship title reign. He had a huge run with the trios championships in AEW. and that that run lasted I almost a a year, if I'm not mistaken. So he's had really big runs with significant titles and then huge amounts of time where he didn't carry gold. And he was one of these guys that just constantly was putting over other other wrestlers and just you know doing The dirty work and making other guys look like a million bucks and the outpouring of positive stories about the type of person he was and how he would just be super kind to everyone, each and every person he met outside of the industry. And, you know, I don't know. Did you get a chance to watch Dynamite, AEW Dynamite this last week? That was the tribute show. Mike: I didn't but I saw a bunch of clips of you know, and a lot of the wrestlers like breaking down in the ring. it's y look like they they put on a good tribute to from the clips I saw. TB: It was awesome. I I I watched every second of it and the wrestlers did a fantastic job. props to to John Moxley, Props to a lot of those guys. They they did a hell of a job. And it just sucks. And if you've been a wrestling fan for any amount of time, for as long as you and I have, going on four decades, this stuff unfortunately happens way too often. and it's just I've seen too many of these tribute shows. And it just it it makes me it makes me very sad. And unfortunately that that comes with the territory of being a professional wrestler. Obviously the details of his passing aren't aren't known, and it might be quite some time, but it's just sad, nevertheless. he was a rare dude, man. It his range in the ring was just all over the place. and His ability to portray such terrible people in the ring was Mike: Yeah. TB: contrasted so greatly with the type of awesome, amazing human being he was outside of the ring. And that's that's something that we just don't we don't see too often. So you know, it's meaningless to kind of say thoughts and prayers. but I did want to talk about talk talk about him for a few minutes here. And you know, when he left. WWE and went to AEW, I will be the first to admit that I kinda wasn't tied into that brand creation for a while. So I lost track of him. but over the last, you know, few years, I I've gotten back into it. And to see the work he's done with the Death Riders and that team, it's been awesome. And I think he he was extremely vital and important to that, to that business and and well loved by everybody and well respected by his peers. So Yeah, it just sucks. So I don't know. It just the whole freaking thing sucks. But you got anything else you want say? All right. So let's try to turn the page and and and talk some some positive news. Money in the bank, one of the the biggest shows of the year is coming up this Saturday. So why don't we take a few minutes and do a a breakdown of the card heading into Saturday from from New Orleans? hopefully the hurricane is gone by then. And hopefully this doesn't affect anything at the Smoothie King Center. but yeah, we're starting at six AM or six AM. Jeez, that would be crazy. Six six PM. Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: First of all, I'm a huge fan of six PM start time. How about you? Mike: absolutely. I'm I I can't stay up that late anymore. So yeah. TB: Even on a Saturday. Mike: I even honest I the last couple of Yankees games had kinda kicked my butt staying up that late to watch the entire game starting at eight o'clock. So yeah, TB: No, I Mike: I I'm happy I'm happy with the six o'clock start. TB: I hear you, old man. We are not getting any younger. So so this Money in the Bank show, we have five matches. I'm gonna turn it turn the mic over to you. Which one of these matches are you most excited about? Let's let's start there. Mike: Money in the Bank is probably one of my favorite pay-per-views. just because what happens afterwards, it it it can turn into a year-long storyline. So I I I'm most invested, I think, in the men's paper the men's Money in the Bank one match, TB: Okay. Mike: just because I want to see what's gonna happen with that. And there's there's a lot of contenders in there that I I think can make a good storyline for a long time. TB: Would it shock you if of these five matches, I were to tell you that the men's ladder match is my least most anticipated match of this card? Dude, Mike: Yes, it would. Mm-hmm. TB: I am so psyched for this show. I think this is a stacked card. I think it's one of the best shows on paper that they have put together in quite some time. And we're gonna break down each and every one of these matches, but there's not a match on here that I'm not looking forward to. But if I had to pick one that I'm super, super excited about, it's so close, but I have to go with the triple threat women's world championship match between Stephanie Vakir, Becky Lynch, and Liv Morgan. I think the build to this has been great. I think Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: Becky Lynch interjecting in down in where were where were they? Brazil was it Brazil or or something? Mike: Think so, yeah. Yeah. TB: That Stephanie won the belt off Liv and and Becky Lynch was the the sudden special referee. And man, Mike: Mm. TB: like this story has been way better than I anticipated. And I will be the first to admit that my interest level in the Liv Morgan story was kind of on the fritz for a while, but interjecting these two has sparked it to the roof. I love the promo packages they've been doing back and forth. And I think I don't know if you got to see it, but the Becky Lynch Live Morgan match from Monday night to decide who was gonna face Beck here. That match was fire. Now it ended Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: in a schmozz. I'm okay with that because I wanted to see this triple threat anyway. But that I think that's my most exciting match. So let's just start there, if you don't mind. How have you liked this build? And who do you want to win? And who do you think will win this match? Mike: I I I think the build's been great. and it's it was kind of predictable that at some point there was gonna be a triple threat match here. It was just a matter of when. I would like to see Becky win just because I'm a Becky fan. I think I I think Stephanie Vakier is gonna gonna win it though because I don't I don't think we can take the belt off her this quickly. I think you need to do a little bit more to establish her further. and I think t taking the belt off her right now would not be a good move. TB: Are you saying there's no chance for my favorite female wrestler of all time, Becky Lynch, to win this belt? Mike: I I don't think it's very probable at this point. TB: man. You're just crushing my hopes and dreams in the first match of the preview. I think you might be right. Look, I want Becky Lynch to win. I hope she does. but yeah, I think I think Stephanie's gonna gonna retain any shenanigans in this match, or do we see is this one of the few straight up wrestling matches on the actual show? Mike: No, I I I think you have some shenanigans come out. TB: Judgment Day. Mike: yeah. but I I think they whatever they do, they botch whatever they're trying to do and doesn't work out in their favor. TB: Yeah, and I definitely do not see Liv. I think she's least likely of these three to win. And I'll tell you why as we we continue with our preview. But yeah, I I I see Vacaric retaining which match of these do you want to talk about next? The the floor is yours. Mike: let's go with the Obafemi and Bronson Reed. TB: This was neck and neck to my most anticipated match of this card. what what have you thought of this build before I go crazy? Mike: Bronson's comeback was awesome. I mean he looks like he's in so much better shape and even more dominant than he was before. TB: Is it me or does Bronson not remind you of a classic old school late 80s, early 90s villain slash heel bad guy? You know, he he reminds me of like the the Sergeant Slaughters and the the I don't know the the Iron Chic, just these evil, evil, bigger, larger than life bad guys who will stop at nothing to destroy the Mike: Hmm. TB: The USA, you know, that kind of thing. I think it's awesome. I love the return of Bronson Reed. He is jacked to the gills. He looks like a million bucks. Everything he says, every way he acts, his presentation, his costume, his whatever he's wearing, screams. Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: Bad, bad guy, professional wrestler. I love everything about it. Now, having said that, he has zero chance to win. Mike: Yeah. TB: On Saturday. Is there any world that that he wins this match? Is it possible? Mike: I kinda see maybe this hap being a schmazz in itself 'cause I don't think you can crush him right on his comeback. I think that's I think you can't do that to him. I mean he he's got so much momentum right now. And Obafemi's a beast. you know, there's there's no stopping him either. So there there's gotta be some kind of shenanigans that happen here where either maybe it's a disqualification or you know, there's interference in there, but I I don't I don't f see this being a clean match. TB: Yeah, I don't want to see either of these guys lose. And how do you protect both of them when they s they both look so dominant? And so that's that's the trick, right? That's always the the worry in WWE. You don't want to put one of these guys up so some guys are able to absorb a loss, and other guys it knocks them back down a couple rungs. And Bronson is is climbing that ladder. I want to see him in a title picture. I want to see him with gold around his waist. I want to see him being at the top of the card. Each and every month. I would love to see a feud with him and Roman Reigns. I think that would be awesome. A feud where he's the champion going against like a Randy Orton or a Cody Rhodes or a Sami Zayn or somebody like that. I would love to see that. and yeah, yeah, to your point. But but how do you protect both of them? Because Oba is on a tear right now coming off the retirement of Brock Lesnar and the SummerSlam match and all a great feud over there. This is really his first feud post Lesnar. You have to protect him and keep that aura, keep that mystery, keep that power going. How do you keep him protected in a situation like this? So you you just end it with a schmozz? Mike: Schmozz or maybe s you know, maybe the vision gets involved and it's a disqualification and it leads into another match at another pay per view, like maybe in a in a steel cage or something, but I don't think you can have one guy lose clean. TB: And Paul Heyman's lurking. He's lurking. I I love Mike: Mm. TB: I don't know if you saw the promo with him and Bronson Reed from Monday. Did you see this? This was one Mike: Yeah. TB: of the best Paul Heyman promos I've seen. And all he does in the promo is scream, tsunami, tsunami, tsunami again. Mike: Ha ha ha TB: And he must have said it twelve, fifteen times. And I'm watching it going, he's gonna stop soon. He's gonna stop soon. And he just Mike: Yeah. TB: keeps saying, and then you end up with another tsunami and another tsunami. And I was like, I kept inching closer and closer to the screen. Like, Mike: Hmm. TB: this is amazing. This is one of the best promos I've I've ever heard of Heyman in quite some time. So he's lurking in the back and he has such a respect and adoration for Obafemi. How is this gonna play into this storyline? That that's I love the mystery of it. I love the Paul Heyman aspect, and I really don't know. how it happens. Like what what do you think? Or am I just thinking that it's this is a big nothing burger? Mike: th there's definitely something there. whether in the end he represents Oba Femi or maybe he does the double cross and somehow does something to make Femi lose, to take take revenge for Lesnar losing. TB: Yeah, that that's not bad. That's not bad. I definitely don't think Oba Femi needs a mouthpiece. I think he's fantastic on the mic. I love the line of he he's talking to Reed after their showdown, and he says, you know, all these other guys are basically gonna be climbing the ladder. You have a mountain to climb on Saturday, and waiting for you is whatever his finishing move is Fall from Grace. man, that was glorious. He's like, you Mike: Mm. TB: have a mountain to climb, and waiting for you at the top is a fall from grace. And I was like, yo, that is Mike: Mm. TB: awesome. He has no issue on the mic. I love the lines he comes up with. He speaks with passion. He speaks cleanly. There's no issue with his flow. He looks like a seasoned vet out there. So, I mean, a few tweaks here and there in the ring, and this dude is. money, like lock him into your main event picture for the next five to ten years. So who do you got winning this match? Are you going straight Schmaz, no winner? Mike: I'm going straight Schmaz. I I I don't I don't think l at least if there is a winner it's not gonna be a clean victory. TB: Okay. I if if we got a pick, I'm going Oba, but I I totally see I totally see I totally see your point. what do you want to talk about next? You got two money in the bank matches and then you have the world heavyweight championship match. Which one do you want? Mike: let's get the the Roman LA Knight match out of the way. TB: Yeah. So how you feelin'? Tell me about your love or hate for this build. Mike: I love LA Knight. I I I'm been waiting for them to f to push him for the longest time. the bill's been okay. i and it's been kind of a slow kind of cooker where you know, he's been challenging Roman on the mic for the longest time and Roman's kinda ducking him, or at least that that's the way it's perceived. but I I just I don't see it happening. I would love to see it happen. e even TB: Okay. Yeah. Mike: if it's just for a month or so, LA Knight being champ. I think it would be awesome. But TB: If he if he does not win on Saturday, does he ever get another shot? Mike: it's gonna be tough. I I I I I don't see it. you know, it you know, maybe something else materializes after, you know, Roman's reign, a year or two down the line, but I I don't see it happening anytime soon. TB: Any chance he wins on Saturday and then the men's ladder winner cashes in instantly the briefcase from earlier in the night. Is this the I'm assuming this is the main event. Mike: Yeah, I would think so. TB: So men's, let's say men's ladder match starts. You got your winner, who we'll talk about here in a second. Roman LA Knight closes out. LA Knight hits the one, two, three, shocks everyone. Show's about to go off, and whoever's music keys in, and then there's a rundown, and he gets beat. One, two, three. Any chance that happens. Mike: I hope not. just because I I like the money in the bank thing just stretching out for a while, you know, the the the fake cash ins, the just the threat of them cashing in, you know. And you're thinking about it ever every championship match, you know, is there gonna be a cash in here? TB: You want the Dolph Ziggler briefcase carried. He carried it for a while, didn't he? And Mike: Yeah. TB: there was always a threat. Mike: Yeah. And I I and I I kinda like TB: Maybe I got that wrong, but Mike: and and I kinda like the build up they got going on with Sammy and his paranoia. I I think they could really play on that for a while. at least as long as he's TB: Okay. Mike: champion. just the the threat of the cash in and and him losing his mind. TB: Like the build to this match. I say I will say I like the build to this match. He did a promo, I think, two weeks ago on Monday, where it was just him in the ring. LA Knight, I'm talking about. It was a little weird. A little weird. Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: About saying, yeah, nobody believes in me. Even I don't believe in me. I don't know why. I'm like, he's just, I don't know why I'm here. Mike: Ha ha ha. TB: And like, I'm like, wait a second. What the hell are you talking about? He Mike: Ha ha TB: finally got back. to center on that. I'm not sure what he was doing. And then last Monday they went at it face to face. Brilliant. Like that promo battle was great. LA Knight calling him a manufactured superstar and making fun of his teeth and all kinds of stuff. And Roman Roman l let Mike: Mm. TB: him go there, which look I give him props. I've talked about this before with Roman elevating his competition lately. You know, whether it's guys like Penta or, you know, some of these lower tier guys, he's elevating them. And look, is LA Knight on the same tier as Roman? I don't think so. Not many people are. Do I think he has a chance? I think he has a small chance. Do I think he's gonna win? I don't think he's gonna win. But hey, stranger things will happen, right? But my my question in the back of my mind is is, and this is what I asked you, if not now, when for LA night? Because I don't know when it's gonna be. Is he a WrestleMania main eventer? I don't see it. So if he's going to win a title, it's gonna have to be between SummerSlam and WrestleMania or immediately after WrestleMania and roll into SummerSlam. I don't see him having a long reign with this thing. If he does win, I hope I'm wrong because I would love to see what he can do. but we've seen this where he's get he gets a slight push and then he makes some flubs or errors and does something dumb and gets knocked back down, and then he has to work his way up and back down and up. And I mean, this is this is what's happened. Well, now he's back here, so you're not gonna get too many shots, so you got to make the most of it. I hope these guys put on a great match. I I have I don't know if I expect it. I hope it happens, but we'll see. This could be not a great match. I'm just Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: gonna say that. It could be not a great match. Mike: Yeah. TB: Do you think this could be a good match? Great match? So so match? I mean, look, Punk fought. Who did Punk just fight? He fought Rhodes. And that match was terrible. and I'm like, I don't know. Could this be a good match? What do you think? Is this gonna be a good wrestling match? Mike: I don't know, the the last time we really saw Roman in a title match was against Penta. And that match TB: Fantastic. Mike: was awesome. And it's not gonna live anywhere close to that. Yeah. TB: But Penta could wrestle a paper bag and make it look like a million dollars. Like can LA Knight do that? I don't know. Mike: No. A and I can't see it being that long of a match either. It's not gonna be a a twenty I can't see it being a twenty five minute match. And if it is, it's probably not gonna be very good. TB: Are the entrances longer than the match? Mike: Well, Roman takes his sweet time walking out there, so maybe. He he's in Undertaker TB: Okay. Yeah. And Mike: territory now, the way he walks out there. TB: And I don't know how they got the Smoothie King Center set up, but you know, if they make that entrance lamp ramp wind around a little bit, it could it could probably probably take a while. But I don't know. So so you got do we both have Roman retaining? Yeah, Mike: Yeah. TB: I think so. So all right, before we get to your number one anticipated match, let's turn our attention to the ladies' side of things. Let's talk about the women's money in the bank ladder match. We have Sol Ruka, Lola Vice, JC Jane. Roxanne Perez, Last Legend, and Tiffany Stratton. forget booking for a second. Forget the build. First, straight up, who do you want to win this match? Mike: I actually want Roxanne Perez to win this. I I TB: You stole my thunder, damn it. Okay. Mike: I think it could make the the judgment day dynamic very interesting. this match is probably the most interesting match, I think, because I don't think there's really a front runner for this. And whoever wins this match, is really gonna push their get a get the biggest push to their career. other than Tiffany Stratton who's won it I think she won it once. TB: Yes. Mike: there there's the rest of these are relative newcomers that really haven't gotten a push. TB: And that's why I am so excited about this match. I think this match is gonna be fire. I think they all are fantastic wrestlers. In fact, if you break down break this down, I'm gonna go out on a limb. Sorry, Tiffy Time. I love you, but I would actually rank you last in regards to actual like ability. And that's not slating her in any way. I just think so highly of these other five women. This match is gonna be awesome. And Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: I completely agree with you with your Roxanne Perez point. I want to see her win this. I hope she does win it because and I want her to carry this thing for six, seven, eight months and tear apart the dichotomy, the dynamics Mike: Ha ha ha. TB: of the judgment day. I want Liv running around like a lunatic, you know, constantly questioning everything, looking over her shoulder. I think it would be fantastic. Fantastic to see. Roxanne kind of take over as the leader of the judgment day and force live out in a six, eight, twelve month storyline, I think that would be gold. Is there any Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: chance that they pull that off? Mike: I sure hope so. I I th I think that would be great. TB: Yeah, and I think you're gonna see some six spots in this match. I just hope nobody gets hurt. Mike: Mm-hmm. Yeah. TB: who of these six women has the most ridiculous spot of the night? Mike: I I'm thinking Sol Ruka. I I th I think she does something ridiculous off the ladder. TB: Any chance she could do the soul snatcher off of two setup ladders? That's gotta be crazy dangerous though. Mike: Mhm. Yeah. I mean I I I just hope it hope they're safe when they do it. TB: Yeah, yeah. This this match is gonna have me nervous as hell and on the edge of my seat at the same time. I I can't wait to see this match. Does this match go first? Mike: I I would hope so 'cause I mean it i it could really set the tone if it does. TB: Agree a hundred percent. So we're both going with Roxanne Perez as who we want to win. Do you have Mike: Yeah. Mm-hmm. TB: any thoughts that someone else is going to win? Mike: I wonder if they give it the Lash Legend just to give her a push. seems like they've been maybe p doing that lately, but I hope not. TB: Yeah. Yeah. That's a good point. I really can't see anyone else carrying it. So I don't know, but stranger things have happened. But I think I regardless, I think it's gonna be awesome and I can't wait to see who wins this. All right, men's money in the bank time. this is your number one anticipated match. So here's the participants. You got Javon Evans, Trick Williams, Penta, CM Punk, KO, and Braun Breaker. How's the build been to this thing? Mike: weird. I I don't think it's been the best. it seems like it's been just long and kind of drawn out. TB: Have you liked anything about it or is this seemed to you like just a mishmash of participants? Mike: definitely that. there really doesn't seem to be conflict between these guys. They're just kind of thrown together, it seems like. And e even the even the TB: Yeah, so good. Mike: even the last couple episodes, like the the promos I think they've fallen kinda flat. TB: Yeah, the one where they're all in the ring giving their speeches. I hate that promo. It's one of the Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: it's it's the one I dread the most leading into this show each and every time. I hate that promo. It's terrible. And to me, it added nothing to this. So two questions. Who benefits the most from carrying the briefcase and who doesn't need it at all? Mike: first I'll go to who doesn't need it at all. CM Punk doesn't need this at all. he's the most established out of all of and he's had a couple title runs here lately too. So I I I don't think he needs this at all. and I really TB: Why is he in this match? Mike: I I don't know, and I really hope he doesn't win because I'm I'm just I'm kinda sick of him at this point. TB: Yeah, I I agree a hundred percent. I don't understand why he's in this match. It makes no sense. No sense at all. I I don't know. It's that's very frustrating. So yeah, continue. I I apologize. Mike: I'd really like to see Braun Breaker win it. I think he could really carry it for a while and I I think his his promos would be fantastic also, just with the briefcase. TB: Are you enjoying the Braunbreaker experience? Mike: it feels like we're waiting for something. It's i i it's continuing but nothing's happening is kind of what it seems like right now. TB: I gotta tell you, I'm running out of Braun Breaker's theme. You know, when he's running around and he's hitting his 98 mile an hour or whatever the nonsense is Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: they keep they keep telling you how fast he's running. When it first started and the dogs were barking, look, I was right there barking with all of them, and I was super hyped and excited. And then the train completely ran out of steam. And now I'm just like, I don't know if I want to see this anymore. I I don't I don't know. Hell tell me why I'm losing interest in this story. I wanted to see him lose to Oba. he thought he was better than Oba. I don't Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: think he is. And I don't know. I don't know. I don't I help me get back on track with this Braun Breaker hype. Mike: I think he just needs a change. I I I think doing the same thing over and over is just getting stale. giving him the briefcase I think might give him some momentum. Let him evolve a little bit. TB: Does Paul Heyman turn on Braun Breaker? Because I feel like that seed's been planted. Mike: Yeah, I I think so at some point. TB: Is there any chance Heyman costs him the briefcase in this match? Mike: I I don't know. I don't know what would prompt him to be out there for that, so TB: Well, I recall the last time they had their backstage segment and they're talking and he's telling Paul, no one is safe, or something to that effect. And Heyman goes, No one? And he looks right at him and he goes, No one. It makes Mike: Mm. TB: me think like Heyman's gonna eat a spear from Breaker at some point. That would get me back on the train. Like if Heyman's gonna put himself in harm's way like that. I'm back in, baby. I'm back in. Let this guy run roughshod by himself, separate him from the other nonsense players. I don't know what Logan Paul's doing. He went from like awesome acrobatic freak to now a dude with an arm club and doesn't do anything in the back, and he's just oogling at the the Lovebirds as they're grabbing each other's asses. Like, I don't know what's going on with this team anymore. I wanna see the Bronson boys kind of go their separate ways and have the rest just fall apart, but that's just me. Mike: I I'd like to see Bronson Reed at some point turn on Braun Breaker. I think that would be that would be a cool and it'd be a good storyline for a while too, but TB: Yeah, I don't see that happening anytime soon. but yeah, I it would be great. It would be great. So who you got? Who do you want to win and who do you got winning this thing? Mike: I'd like to see Braunbreaker win just 'cause I'd like to see a change there. I'd also like to see Penna win. I just because he is a fantastic wrestler, I don't know how his promos would be with the briefcase. and yeah, he could you know make some run-ins and stuff, but I I don't know if he would have an extended reign with that briefcase or not. TB: Okay. Cause the question always is, it's not necessarily who wins, but who is the current champion who's gonna get cashed in on, and how do you see this playing out? So we know that the Sami Zayn storyline has got like 15 participants in it right now. And that's what's throwing me off about this. So you have the CM Punk and you have the KO, you got the Finn Balor and the Gunther and the Randy Orton and the Johnny Gargano. And the Candace Lorray somehow worked into this. And like everyone, like all these participants. And it's like, well, logic would have it that either CM Punk or K Owens and cashes in on Sami Zayn. You wrap that story up nice and tidy. The other side, could you see any of these guys cashing in on Roman? I don't think I could see that, with the one exception of Braun Breaker, right? Maybe he Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: decides to challenge Roman. Or Oba, King Oba, don't forget he won King of the Ring. He still do a title shot for winning the King of the Ring tournament that he put on hold for his three-month show off with Brock Lesnar. So he still got that title match looming in the background. Is it possible that whoever wins LA Knight Roman immediately gets put into a title feud with Oba and then Oba wins the title and then here's Braun Breaker to cash in and now we're off and running with that with that storyline. So I don't know. It's it's all I I think Finn Balor, maybe my heart is telling me one thing and I shouldn't listen. Finn Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: Balor's been too involved in a storyline to not have a shot at Sami Zayn. A legit shot. I don't know how he gets there. But I would like to think that it's sooner rather than later. And so I'm I'm I'm trying to think long term with with the men's briefcase and see how that plays into the storyline. So am I crazy? I don't know. Mike: Well, it it's kinda weird that all the all the breadcrumbs have gone to someone cashing on and Sammy or Sammy losing the title to one of the other people that are after him. There hasn't been anything linked to to Roman at all. It's like almost like they're kind of ignoring that. and maybe they're doing that so what if it does happen it's a huge surprise. TB: I just can't see KO or CM Punk winning this briefcase. I can't see it. I can Mike: Yeah. I can't either. TB: see I could see more of a fatal four-way in the near future involving some of these players, the SmackDown side, than I can one of those two guys wins the briefcase. Why? They don't need the briefcase. In fact, I think it Mike: Mm. TB: makes them look weaker to see KO or CM Punk with a briefcase. This is not twenty, twenty years ago, fifteen, twenty years ago. These guys are established superstars. They don't need a briefcase. They should be able to walk into Adam Pierce's office, or who whomever, and be like, yo, I want a title match. And be like, all right, well, Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: beat you know, beat Johnny Gargano and you got yourself a title match. And they're like, all right, done. One, two, three, you know, finger poke of doom. You know, I mean, Mike: Hmm. TB: I don't I don't know. But yeah, this one's tough. I I I really struggle with this because I think if I had to pick, I would also pick Braun Breaker, but I see it just being such an afterthought. It's like the King of the Ring thing. He won Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: and then it's kind of forgotten about. But if you pay attention, they keep saying that he won the King of the Ring and that they keep bringing it up that he's due a shot at some point in the future. And that's all I can kind of connect the dots. I think whoever wins the men's side is gonna kind of get put on hold. And we'll meet again way down the line. But that that's that's where I see it. Maybe I'm completely wrong. Most of the time I am when it comes to these predictions. So Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: overall hype meter, excitement meter, whatever you want. What how many how many turnbuckles of excitement are you rating this thing pre pre Saturday? Mike: I mean this this card is stacked. I'm probably about a 3.8 right now. I think I think this is gonna be a good show. TB: Yeah, I can't wait for this. I can't this is probably my one of my most excited shows that they've put together. And and I think they've done well with their pay per views thus far. So yeah, I I can't wait. Are you gonna be able to watch it live? Mike: Yeah, I think I should be able to. TB: Awesome. So you got anything else on this before we quickly turn our attention to one thing in the card industry? All Mike: No. That's TB: right. Card enthusiasts, you're on the clock. yeah, I apologize. We haven't spent a lot of time doing any card talk. So we're gonna hit Mike with a quick question out of nowhere. What what have you bought recently? Anything good in the good buyer naw category coming from Ohio? Any good purchases? Mike: actually I I've bought a couple of cheap Josh Allen cards, but that's it's been about it lately. TB: There's no such thing as a cheap Josh Allen card, so I call you a liar. Okay, Mike: Mm-hmm. TB: all right. Are you working on a nice PC of Josh Allen? Anyone else that you're invested in and in the bills or are you c trying to collect anything else or what? Mike: Nah, I'm I'm kind of set there with Josh Allen and every once in a while if I can see a cheap autograph or something I'll try to see what I can find. But that's about it right now. TB: Okay. Well, are you a fan of Allen and Ginter baseball? Mike: This is like one of the weirdest sets that I've ever seen. TB: Can you see my screen? Mike: I can, yes. TB: So, weirdest sets you've ever seen. Have you seen this before? Mike: I have, yeah. TB: All right. What are your overall thoughts about Allen and Ginter? Now, before you before you you you give me your thoughts, I just want to give a rundown of what this actually is. So, Allen and Ginter, it's a crazy off the wall set. It's 300 card base set delivering some of baseball's biggest names, and it mixes in personalities and subjects from all different genres. Not just sports, but culture, music, all kinds of stuff. There's all kinds of crazy wacky cards in this thing. There's mini cards. There's autographed Rob Low cards. I mean, who doesn't want an autographed Rob Low card? There's 50 ways to say hello in multiple languages, including this one here. You see, bonjour. In case you didn't know, that's French. I mean, who doesn't want to collect 50 ways to say hello? So, so hit me. What are your overall thoughts on the annual Allen and Ginter set. Mike: It is very unique. I th I and TB: Yeah. Mike: I think it it's cool just because it is so different. Everything else seems so much the same lately. I TB: Right. Mike: I think I think this is very much a standalone and it's it's something that's just fun to open. TB: Do you consider this weird, quirky, or just something fun and off the wall? Mike: I th I think it's more of just something fun to open. TB: Okay. Some of the other no notable names are in this checklist. Patrick Stewart, David Spade, country singer Luke Combs and Tim McGraw? Can I interest you in a Nelly card by chance? No? How about Ann Mike: No. TB: Hathaway or Megan Fox? Mike: Okay. TB: What if you pull a Megan Fox autograph card? Would you be keeping that or nah? Mike: probably I'd keep it. TB: So I I don't know if I've ever asked you this, but are you a big non sport card collector? Have you dabbled in anything other than football and and baseball? Mike: No, I I really haven't been able to get into any of the the non sports stuff. TB: Is this the set that bridges that gap? Is this the gateway drug of the card community? Mike: I don't think it's a gateway drought drug. I th I I think it's just something fun to open that's that's different. 'Cause you still got your sports TB: Okay. Mike: stuff in there. TB: Yeah. Have you seen any of the craziness that's in this? Have you heard of the rip cards? Mike: No. TB: Okay, so this is this is one of the wildest things I've seen. So you get it and it usually has a picture on it, but it tells you, hey, this is a rip card. And if you open it, there you it literally is perforated. And when you tear the thing open, it has another card inside of it. And it's usually of a more rare commodity, sometimes, not all the time. So you take the chance, do you keep this card intact or you tear this thing open hoping for a better card inside it? And there's the even rarer double rip card. So look, that's just cool. I gotta tell you, like I would love to be open in a hobby box and find a double rip card. I I I think that stuff's awesome. So but yeah, I mean, there's mini cards, cut signatures. I saw somebody the other day on socials during a break, he pulled a cut signature of Satchel Page. I mean Holy cow, that's that's pretty Mike: Yeah. TB: awesome. It was a one-of-one cut auto of Satchel Page. I thought that's pretty damn cool. So what do you think a good price point is for this? Where would you be okay with diving in? Because this product just hit the shelves yesterday. In fact, I don't even know if it's available. We'll we'll have to check real quick. But what where would you be comfortable diving into a hobby box of this? Mike: Y you know, I don't know. a lot of my purchases where I'm opening packs are kind of impulse buys. So I d I'd have to be more in the the right frame of mind and the right mood to purchase something, so TB: How many fourth and bourbons would it take for you to buy Mike: Yeah. TB: a hobby box of twenty twenty six Allen and Ginter for let's go with one sixty nine ninety nine? Mike: Ay. TB: Too high, too too steep? Nah, you you're going nah. All right, Mike: It's a it's it's a little steep. TB: what where would you be at? One thirty, one thirty five? Mike: maybe one hundred twenty five. TB: 125. I don't know what the hobby the I just checked the top site. The only thing they currently have listed is the value boxes. Shocking for the low, Mike: Mm. TB: low price of $24.99. So you're gonna have to unfortunately brave it out at your local hobby shop. And probably going off history, I'm guessing you could probably gonna be around 160, 170. So after the markup, they probably sold at at at time. of pre-sale, they were probably around 130, 140. that's usually what the where where they're at. It's exciting. I I like to your point, all the products are the same or they're getting to be very similar. I like when something different comes out. It's it it makes it more fun. So yeah, I think I I would be down for probably around 150. Maybe if I had a couple of fourth and bourbons, I could be talked into one sixty, one sixty five, but but we shall see. But yeah, it's cool. And look I I've said it from the beginning since I, you know, debuted many moons ago. real TV rip style, the fun factor is always the most important factor. And I think this has fun factor you know, at every turnbuckle. So so there you go. I I'm giving the final verdict on twenty twenty six Allen Ginter a goodbye. Are you saying goodbye or nah? Mike: I I think it would be a good buy. A are there any guarantees in the hobby box? TB: You I think there are two. So one one auto and one mem mem memorabilia card. Mike: Okay. I I would say goodbye then. TB: Goodbye? Okay. I mean, you pull that Rob Lo auto? I mean, come on. Mike: Yeah. TB: I think that's a good bye. All right, but I think you got anything else you want to talk about before we put a bow on this bad boy? Mike: I think we're good. TB: All right. Well, I appreciate you you helping out this week. you stepping in for Sydney. So many thanks. So I think that's gonna wrap it up for this episode of the three Ts. Thanks for listening. Thanks for watching. Hit that like, hit that follow, leave us a a nice review somewhere on any platform that you decide to leave me a review. Don't come at me on socials. Look, I don't need I need I don't need you coming after me and telling me how awesome Sydney is. you know, telling me she's wife material. Get a grip, people. All right, go take a walk. But other than that, if you like the show, you know, give me a good review and and tell somebody else who's a member of the mafia, who loves professional wrestling, or who is an avid car collector, because we we could use the help. But for Mike, I'm your boy TB. It's been real, it's been awesome. And we will talk to you after the Bills game. So go, Bills, and we will see. You later.