Latest / Best of the NFL Podcast Network / Championship Weekend Picks with Cynthia Frelund + Ravens Hire Jesse Minter as Head Coach

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Championship Weekend Picks with Cynthia Frelund + Ravens Hire Jesse Minter as Head Coach · Best of the NFL Podcast Network

0:03
Speaker 1: Welcome to NFL Daily where, like Billy Bean, our ish
0:07
Speaker 1: just doesn't work in the playoffs.
0:09
Speaker 2: My name is Greg Rosenthal.
0:10
Speaker 1: I'm here on stage five where we just taped another
0:13
Speaker 1: electric episode of Game Debut. Check that out on NFL
0:17
Speaker 1: Network because it's with my co host, the brilliant Cynthia Frielan,
0:21
Speaker 1: who's eight and two picking games straight up in the
0:24
Speaker 1: playoffs and is crushing me against the spread in the playoffs.
0:28
Speaker 1: When I refer to Billy Bean, I don't know if
0:30
Speaker 1: you remember that quote. Oh, okay, the former general manager
0:34
Speaker 1: of Oakland Ace who just said his stuff didn't work
0:37
Speaker 1: in the playoffs.
0:38
Speaker 2: I mean, I appreciate the honesty.
0:40
Speaker 1: Yeah, I went on in three last week. Look, I'm
0:42
Speaker 1: still at rushing for the season. I'm still at thirty
0:44
Speaker 1: six and twenty four. That's sixty percent. That's solid sixty percent.
0:47
Speaker 1: G I kind of want to just like quit right here.
0:51
Speaker 1: I mean you kind of have to, yeah, because there's
0:53
Speaker 1: actually no way to land on sixty percent from here
0:55
Speaker 1: on out. So no, Look, it is kind of this
0:58
Speaker 1: is obvious, but it's it's a good lesson for people
1:02
Speaker 1: who are putting real harder money out there. Like everyone
1:05
Speaker 1: goes harder in the playoffs, when really that doesn't make
1:08
Speaker 1: as much sense because in a normal week, you're not
1:10
Speaker 1: really going to want to be picking every game with authority,
1:14
Speaker 1: and you have way less games to choose from, which
1:16
Speaker 1: means you have less opportunities to use it.
1:19
Speaker 2: As Cynthia, mind your units, you know, mind your units.
1:22
Speaker 1: I am excited to talk about these two conference championship games.
1:26
Speaker 1: We're just going to pick them against the spread because
1:28
Speaker 1: we have to, there's only two left. But we're also
1:30
Speaker 1: going to talk a little news. Jesse Minter is the
1:33
Speaker 1: new Baltimore Ravens head coach, and some coordinator news that's
1:36
Speaker 1: really interesting. Cynthia is really tied in with the whole
1:39
Speaker 1: coaching world, so I've been enjoying getting her perspective these
1:43
Speaker 1: last couple weeks. But let's start with the games. Let's
1:45
Speaker 1: start with the AFC Championship. As we're taping, the lines
1:49
Speaker 1: come down a little bit for Denver, and Denver is
1:52
Speaker 1: now a four and a half point underdog at home.
1:56
Speaker 1: I was stunned by what your computer model. I'll spit
2:00
Speaker 1: out for game debut.
2:03
Speaker 2: I have the Broncos winning it straight up, who by
2:05
Speaker 2: one point?
2:06
Speaker 1: So straight up though, yes, this Stidham factor didn't move
2:09
Speaker 1: it that much.
2:10
Speaker 2: So maybe you had them winning by five points with
2:12
Speaker 2: I had the winning I looked at it. I think
2:14
Speaker 2: it was four. Okay, I can't remember, but I did
2:17
Speaker 2: look at it. It was more than a field goal but
2:19
Speaker 2: less than a touchdown, which that's not very helpful thing
2:21
Speaker 2: to say, but you know, honestly, that makes sense.
2:24
Speaker 1: And I want you to go into the reasons why
2:26
Speaker 1: you think you know Denver could win this game straight up,
2:28
Speaker 1: but especially why you know you feel good about the number.
2:31
Speaker 1: And I tend to agree in terms of the number,
2:34
Speaker 1: because for the Patriots to ever be favored by five
2:37
Speaker 1: and a half points this week, that would almost indicate
2:40
Speaker 1: that bo Nix that Jarrett Stidham was like a six
2:43
Speaker 1: point difference or a seven point difference.
2:45
Speaker 2: For a while, it was because I believe it opened
2:46
Speaker 2: negative one and a half Denver. Then it swung to
2:49
Speaker 2: five and a half. So that's seven.
2:52
Speaker 1: That's crazy, and then now back to that doesn't see
2:54
Speaker 1: that doesn't as look. I think bo Nix is really good.
2:57
Speaker 1: I just think it's a quarterback friendly system, and most
3:02
Speaker 1: backup quarterbacks I think like that's too much for him.
3:04
Speaker 1: So anyways, tell me, tell me why you like the
3:07
Speaker 1: Broncos in general.
3:08
Speaker 2: So there's a couple of things that I always look for,
3:10
Speaker 2: and O lines are where everything is one and lost
3:13
Speaker 2: for me. Really, that's where I start. And the trenches
3:15
Speaker 2: for the Broncos. They started the season strong, they continued
3:19
Speaker 2: the season strong. Quinn Minors his tummy. It's one of
3:21
Speaker 2: my favorite things in all preseason. I don't know if
3:23
Speaker 2: the man gets sunburned on it. He wears his He like,
3:26
Speaker 2: I like that. You show your tummy. If you guys
3:28
Speaker 2: are watching on YouTube. Cynthia's also got a badass leather jacket.
3:31
Speaker 2: One tummy. He exposed the tummy. You are not doing that.
3:35
Speaker 2: I'm not exposing my tummy, but he but his is,
3:37
Speaker 2: and I'm just like, does it get sunburn? I have
3:39
Speaker 2: some many questions about it, but Quinn Miners has been amazing.
3:42
Speaker 2: I joke, but this whole O line really is an
3:44
Speaker 2: advantage for the Broncos because we know Milton Williams in
3:47
Speaker 2: the middle. He is going to want to come after
3:49
Speaker 2: calebon Chase on fun name to say, rble to defend
3:52
Speaker 2: if I were going up against him would be terrible, right,
3:54
Speaker 2: So I mean as a coach because as a human,
3:56
Speaker 2: I would die. So ultimately, I'm looking at these different
4:00
Speaker 2: Christian Barmore. There's a lot of different ways at the
4:01
Speaker 2: pressure income. But I still think that the broncos O
4:04
Speaker 2: line has been sort of battle tested in this way.
4:07
Speaker 2: They faced a lot of great defense. Now, thing number two,
4:10
Speaker 2: what is bo Nicks instructed not to do? What is
4:12
Speaker 2: the thing all season long? Is like, do not take sex? Hey, kid,
4:16
Speaker 2: don't take sex? And what did he not do? He
4:18
Speaker 2: didn't really take that many sacks, it was he was
4:21
Speaker 2: one of the lowest sacked quarterbacks in the league. Part
4:23
Speaker 2: of that scheme, why well, he throws a lot of
4:25
Speaker 2: screen passes. That is an area that the Patriots have
4:28
Speaker 2: had a tough time with levers. Blaine's been great against
4:30
Speaker 2: the run, but screen passes have been an area where
4:33
Speaker 2: it's been a problem. And what did bo Nicks have
4:36
Speaker 2: the second most yards doing screen passing? Is that how
4:39
Speaker 2: you would say that that ever? Seems right? With screen passes,
4:41
Speaker 2: he had the second most yards in the regular season.
4:43
Speaker 2: So I'm looking at all these things together, and I'm
4:45
Speaker 2: also thinking it's Sean Payton. Sean Payton is always playing pokery.
4:48
Speaker 2: This man is the best bluffer. I watched that Chicago
4:51
Speaker 2: film agam to be like, what's the difference here? Why
4:53
Speaker 2: does it look so different from my eye? Well, for
4:56
Speaker 2: almost kind of an interesting reason. They used a ton
4:59
Speaker 2: of motion, like seventy two percent of the time they
5:01
Speaker 2: were using motion pre snap. And then they threw against
5:04
Speaker 2: the Bears against the Bills. Yeah, oh, sorry, against the Bills.
5:07
Speaker 2: Excuse me, against the Bills. They threw against the Bills
5:09
Speaker 2: inexplicably in that situation. So I'm looking at that and
5:12
Speaker 2: I'm like, a Bills defense is really good against the run.
5:15
Speaker 2: You're using motion and you're throwing against them. Fascinating.
5:20
Speaker 1: He almost has an advantage with Stidham in a weird way.
5:24
Speaker 1: Not an advantage like you would want him over bo Nix, obviously, no,
5:28
Speaker 1: but the fact that you haven't got to see what
5:32
Speaker 1: a Jared Stidham regular season Sean Payton offense looks like
5:37
Speaker 1: two years. In two years, you've got a couple weeks
5:39
Speaker 1: at the end. But the fact that they gave him
5:41
Speaker 1: that the end in twenty twenty three, right, the fact
5:44
Speaker 1: that you gave him that second contract paying him good
5:46
Speaker 1: money about six and a half million dollars a year
5:49
Speaker 1: after he was already in the system, and that Sean
5:51
Speaker 1: Payton said, Okay, year three, that's when quarterbacks elevate in
5:55
Speaker 1: my system. I think he can execute. I think he
5:57
Speaker 1: has a high ceiling. I talked about it enough on
5:59
Speaker 1: this show to again. But what you hit on is
6:02
Speaker 1: why I'm also on the Broncos covering the four and
6:05
Speaker 1: a half. Ultimately, I always say, like I have to
6:07
Speaker 1: just take my team, yeah, win on this show where
6:11
Speaker 1: we're and that's even true in terms of the numbers.
6:14
Speaker 1: I don't like going against them in terms of the numbers,
6:16
Speaker 1: but I have to just like be real and when
6:19
Speaker 1: I'm real on this one, Like, I just don't think
6:21
Speaker 1: it's a great number. I think the Patriots are a
6:25
Speaker 1: really good team, and I think they're going to have
6:27
Speaker 1: to play really well, and I think they will to
6:30
Speaker 1: win a close game in Denver. Like I think the
6:33
Speaker 1: Patriots are going to play nearer their best and then
6:36
Speaker 1: that results in a two or three point win. Like,
6:39
Speaker 1: I think that's kind of the outcome here. It's not
6:42
Speaker 1: like you're getting lucky to win in Denver in any scenario,
6:45
Speaker 1: because I think Stidham will be able to run the offense. Ultimately,
6:49
Speaker 1: the things I wrote down where it's similar to you,
6:51
Speaker 1: which is in the end, what's the first thing you
6:54
Speaker 1: look at between two teams, It's the line play. And
6:57
Speaker 1: I think the Denver offensive line beats the defensive lines
7:01
Speaker 1: sneaky issue. The last couple weeks, Patriots actually not getting
7:03
Speaker 1: a ton of great for me in pass rush. They
7:05
Speaker 1: haven't needed to because they're just blitzing the crap out
7:07
Speaker 1: of other teams.
7:08
Speaker 2: In and shroud is target krushing as aals on every
7:11
Speaker 2: single beast would make no sense that I think someone
7:14
Speaker 2: make sense. That one didn't make sense.
7:16
Speaker 1: And I believe in this defense that they're playing better
7:19
Speaker 1: than they have and ultimately that's, you know, one of
7:21
Speaker 1: the reasons they get a win. But it's the other
7:23
Speaker 1: side of the ball that really cinches that. I think
7:27
Speaker 1: it's a low scoring game. Denver's defensive line is clearly
7:30
Speaker 1: better than the Patriots offensive line too. What is Will
7:34
Speaker 1: Campbell and Jared Wilson struggle with like speed off the
7:37
Speaker 1: edge and like twists and communication up front, and Denverick
7:43
Speaker 1: can do that, right, Denver can do that so well.
7:45
Speaker 1: I'm saying all that and then I'm adding the weather
7:48
Speaker 1: into the mix too, Like I just think it's going
7:50
Speaker 1: to be in the twenties. Wind Chill might be in
7:53
Speaker 1: the teens or even the single digits, and so to me,
7:57
Speaker 1: that's kind of an equalizer. So just if you're giving
8:00
Speaker 1: me four and a half points between two pretty even
8:03
Speaker 1: teams and the home team's the underdog, I think I'm
8:05
Speaker 1: just gonna take those points. Ultimately, though, I do think
8:08
Speaker 1: Drake may reminds everyone why he's an MVP candidate sure,
8:12
Speaker 1: and kind of does something legendary and plays just like
8:16
Speaker 1: I am the best player on this field and goes
8:19
Speaker 1: and gets them and winning the hero. So I'm kind
8:20
Speaker 1: of I'm threading the needle.
8:22
Speaker 2: You are threading the needle. There's only one way to
8:24
Speaker 2: do it, you know, got to do it, thread that needle. Okay,
8:26
Speaker 2: So that means I'm taking Patriots to win, but.
8:28
Speaker 1: The Broncos to cover, all right, So we're on the
8:30
Speaker 1: same side there, yep, Seahawks Rams.
8:34
Speaker 2: I actually don't know if.
8:34
Speaker 1: We're on the same side of this because I don't
8:36
Speaker 1: know you're what is the point total?
8:37
Speaker 2: It is two and a half for Seattle. I guess
8:42
Speaker 2: I'm threading the needle because I have two point win.
8:44
Speaker 2: You have a two points. I hate that. I mean,
8:47
Speaker 2: I think you should either when you have two points
8:49
Speaker 2: and it's between three. I mean, I'm just gonna go
8:52
Speaker 2: and take the three at this point because I think
8:54
Speaker 2: it's stupid to take two. Okay, so you're gonna take Seattle. Yeah,
8:57
Speaker 2: why not. I'll take Seattle because I have a two
8:59
Speaker 2: point win. I'm going to stick with my math because
9:01
Speaker 2: that's what But for the sake of our game, Okay,
9:03
Speaker 2: I'll take three because God loves fun. You know. That's
9:07
Speaker 2: one thing I can tell you. And I think it's interesting.
9:09
Speaker 1: Like when you look when when you run all the
9:12
Speaker 1: numbers and you're going to be on game day morning
9:15
Speaker 1: as always this weekend, and you're talking about the numbers,
9:18
Speaker 1: like what stands out that the model spits out the
9:20
Speaker 1: most that's favorable for Seattle?
9:23
Speaker 2: You know, getting this? It's really all of different ways
9:26
Speaker 2: their defenses have I understand in these games against the
9:29
Speaker 2: Rams at particular moments, Pooku Nakua has lit up the
9:32
Speaker 2: stat sheet. I understand what happened, But I also understand
9:36
Speaker 2: that they're learning from all of these different pieces. When
9:38
Speaker 2: you have a rookie like Nicki Minuai who's been so versatile,
9:40
Speaker 2: and so he and the secondary did wasn't all fully
9:44
Speaker 2: healthy the first time they played, and that first one
9:46
Speaker 2: was banana like, that was a crazy game. So both
9:48
Speaker 2: games when.
9:49
Speaker 1: They only allowed that, it's so weird how those two
9:51
Speaker 1: games played out because the first game, the Seahawks only
9:53
Speaker 1: allowed like two hundred and fifty yards right totally.
9:55
Speaker 2: They played it real exactly defense. But it's so strange
9:57
Speaker 2: because you know that second game, everyone's like that was
9:59
Speaker 2: the game of the friggin year or whatever, and it
10:02
Speaker 2: was an incredible game on Thursday night. But the first
10:04
Speaker 2: game was a pretty darn incredible game too, just wasn't
10:06
Speaker 2: in its own primetime slot. So I don't know. I'm
10:09
Speaker 2: looking at this one. I think learning from that is
10:11
Speaker 2: number one, and then number two. I have to admit it.
10:15
Speaker 2: I've looked at this Rams defense and there have been
10:17
Speaker 2: pieces have been more and more vulnerable as the weeks
10:20
Speaker 2: have gone by. Now they've been great against the run,
10:22
Speaker 2: they've been greating in certain passing situations, but you can
10:24
Speaker 2: get a deep ball on them, and those explosive plays
10:27
Speaker 2: are that is what Sam Darnold has been making all
10:29
Speaker 2: of his money doing this year.
10:31
Speaker 1: I apologize, deep deep I know, and he hasn't much lately,
10:34
Speaker 1: which is interesting. So I want to see that come back.
10:36
Speaker 1: I think it can and should. He hasn't needed to
10:39
Speaker 1: for what it's worth.
10:40
Speaker 2: That's what I was gonna say, Like, is it that
10:41
Speaker 2: he can't or didn't? Right?
10:45
Speaker 1: They haven't even attempted many plus twenty yard throws since
10:49
Speaker 1: that Rams game. Actually, I apologize. It's been a big
10:53
Speaker 1: week for media apologies. I don't know if you've seen
10:55
Speaker 1: on our four letter friend that's also doing sports like
10:59
Speaker 1: it's a lot of like apologizing to different athletes. I
11:02
Speaker 1: want to apologize, you know, for bad takes and whatnot.
11:05
Speaker 2: It doesn't matter I tell me what this is off
11:08
Speaker 2: air because I have no idea what you're talking. I
11:10
Speaker 2: who over my head.
11:12
Speaker 1: I want to apologize to the NFL Daily Listens because
11:14
Speaker 1: I took the Rams on our show on Wednesday when
11:18
Speaker 1: I went around the horn and was just like, all right,
11:20
Speaker 1: everyone picked the games and I'm picking there, like kind
11:23
Speaker 1: of what I want to happen, right, because you know,
11:24
Speaker 1: my daughter and my wife are but I really don't
11:28
Speaker 1: buy it. And I am taking the Seahawks. I hate
11:31
Speaker 1: doing that, but this is my official one. Like I
11:34
Speaker 1: sat with it in immediately.
11:35
Speaker 2: I hadn't.
11:35
Speaker 1: Actually this sounds stupid, but as of Wednesday afternoon, I
11:38
Speaker 1: just hadn't really thought about who I'm no picking for
11:41
Speaker 1: the game. Yeah, Like my gut just says the Seahawks
11:44
Speaker 1: team is awesome, that it's better, and obviously if.
11:46
Speaker 2: The Rams win, it wouldn't shock me.
11:48
Speaker 1: I feel like they're going to play a little looser
11:51
Speaker 1: after a near death experience last week in Chicago. Like,
11:53
Speaker 1: I think McVay is going to be better. I think
11:55
Speaker 1: Stafford's going to be better. I just think the Seahawks
11:58
Speaker 1: team is a wagon. I just think top to bottom,
12:02
Speaker 1: every level of that defense is the most special part
12:06
Speaker 1: of this game. As good as the Rams offense is,
12:09
Speaker 1: and it's the number one scoring offense, number one scoring defense,
12:12
Speaker 1: the Seahawks are playing that way now. I haven't seen
12:15
Speaker 1: it from the Rams for a month, and you go
12:18
Speaker 1: defensive line, linebacker, level, secondary. I think their defense, and
12:23
Speaker 1: it's a weird defense and running type of league right now,
12:27
Speaker 1: is the most special thing that is left in the playoffs.
12:30
Speaker 2: You're at home. That's enough for me.
12:33
Speaker 1: Like, and it's two and a half points these two teams.
12:37
Speaker 1: I keep coming back to this in my head have
12:39
Speaker 1: played each other twice this year. Sam Darnold has freaking
12:42
Speaker 1: turned the ball over six times in those two games.
12:45
Speaker 2: They are minus six and one, right, and they set
12:48
Speaker 2: and they're scoring, and the scoring is the same.
12:50
Speaker 1: You know, the yardist is about the same, and they're
12:53
Speaker 1: minus six and turnovers they were minus three in each
12:55
Speaker 1: one of those games, and yet the score was about
12:57
Speaker 1: the same. So just don't be minus three to be
13:00
Speaker 1: minus one and the better team is ninety two. Heck, right,
13:04
Speaker 1: So that's where I landed.
13:07
Speaker 2: Okay, so are you gonna go with just what's your score?
13:10
Speaker 2: They went by four or something.
13:12
Speaker 1: I had it low scoring, you know what, I actually
13:13
Speaker 1: had a I think this is going to be under.
13:16
Speaker 1: I didn't really have a hot take on, Like I know,
13:19
Speaker 1: the Broncos, we have to pick over unders, and it's
13:22
Speaker 1: not going to be one of our picks here. Of
13:24
Speaker 1: the two, I think the under a NFC to me,
13:27
Speaker 1: was more attractive.
13:28
Speaker 2: I think it's going to be a little bit of
13:30
Speaker 2: a defensive game, a running game, like a red.
13:34
Speaker 1: Zone stop type of game. And I think it's like
13:38
Speaker 1: twenty three to nineteen something.
13:39
Speaker 2: Okay, Okay, I mean the over unders are not compelling
13:43
Speaker 2: for me in this game. But now I'm not really
13:45
Speaker 2: into the over unders either. This Sometimes I am, but
13:48
Speaker 2: not not this weekend.
13:49
Speaker 1: My final stat, by the way, for this it was
13:51
Speaker 1: from next Gen Stats.
13:53
Speaker 2: I love this.
13:54
Speaker 1: Five cornerbacks in the NFL this year allowed one yard
13:58
Speaker 1: or less personnap coverage snap three of them around the Seahawks,
14:03
Speaker 1: Riq willand Josh Job and Devin Weatherspoon, I mean Weatherspoon.
14:08
Speaker 2: That's incredible.
14:09
Speaker 1: So that is just like, yeah, a ridiculous yep, all right,
14:12
Speaker 1: we got it to.
14:12
Speaker 2: Do something funny. Yeah. So I went to a religious college.
14:16
Speaker 2: I went to BC, right, I didn't grow up religious.
14:19
Speaker 2: We get the Bible there, like, okay, return to job whatever,
14:21
Speaker 2: we have to take a theology class. You better believe.
14:23
Speaker 2: I had no idea where to look at that damn Bible.
14:25
Speaker 2: I was like, can somebody tell me where to find
14:27
Speaker 2: because I was spelling it like that. I.
14:31
Speaker 1: Oh, yeah, that's right, it's not spelled the way. A
14:32
Speaker 1: good call. We're exposing ourself here. I was also raised
14:36
Speaker 1: not in a religious household whatsoever. People assume I have
14:40
Speaker 1: knowledge of what's gone on at temples, but I grew
14:42
Speaker 1: up in a ninety five percent Irish Catholic town. I
14:45
Speaker 1: did go to a couple midnight masses because I was
14:48
Speaker 1: dating a Catholic girl and was kind of like, you know,
14:52
Speaker 1: get in with your parents and stuff. Well just more
14:54
Speaker 1: just like, hey, I'm a respectable young man. But yeah,
14:57
Speaker 1: I'm a little clueless too. So yeah, let's go book
14:59
Speaker 1: a job. Gosh job on Sunday. All right, let's talk
15:02
Speaker 1: coaches before we get out of here. Jesse Mintter is
15:07
Speaker 1: the new coach of the Baltimore Ravens. It's interesting because
15:12
Speaker 1: you heard right when this opening happened from people who
15:16
Speaker 1: are smart about these sort of things, watch out for
15:19
Speaker 1: Jesse Mintter there. And it wasn't just connecting the dots.
15:22
Speaker 1: It was I think people with real information, they go
15:24
Speaker 1: through the process. In the end, it is the Chargers
15:27
Speaker 1: defensive coordinator who goes from being Jim Harbaugh's defensive coordinator
15:34
Speaker 1: to the replacement for John Harbaugh in Baltimore. Very interesting
15:39
Speaker 1: that the Ravens and the Chargers just they keep swimming
15:43
Speaker 1: in the same pools. You know what I mean, what
15:44
Speaker 1: do you think about Jesse Minter taking this job.
15:47
Speaker 2: I'm trying to figure out, like, you know, we talk
15:48
Speaker 2: like the Shanahan tree, like after Mike Shanahan, not Kyle right,
15:52
Speaker 2: like we talked about, So the harbaw Tree would be
15:54
Speaker 2: after jam or John because like Mike.
15:56
Speaker 1: McDonald's, Mike McDonald's in there whatever, I think you just
15:59
Speaker 1: call it the harbor but.
16:00
Speaker 2: Like both, so just encompasses both because they share him.
16:04
Speaker 2: That's what's that's all crazy.
16:06
Speaker 1: And they're all hiring right now now, John Harbaugh looks
16:10
Speaker 1: like he's he's settled on Mike McDaniel for I mean,
16:15
Speaker 1: Jim Harbaugh has settled on Mike McDaniel, So he's not
16:17
Speaker 1: making too many.
16:18
Speaker 2: Hunts unless Mike McDaniel's getting hard by someone else.
16:20
Speaker 1: But you never know, right unless for some reason he
16:23
Speaker 1: didn't get this Just Ravens job here, So we'll see.
16:25
Speaker 1: I guess he has one left that he's waiting to
16:28
Speaker 1: find out. But John Harbaugh and Jesse Minter will presumably
16:32
Speaker 1: be fighting over the same assistance, which is very interesting
16:36
Speaker 1: because the Ravens have been like saying John Harbaugh cannot
16:39
Speaker 1: take some of the assistants that he wants to with
16:41
Speaker 1: him to New York, Like what have you heard like
16:44
Speaker 1: being around the League of like what Jesse Minter is like,
16:47
Speaker 1: and what have you seen in terms of this Chargers
16:49
Speaker 1: defense and kind of how it applies in Baltimore.
16:52
Speaker 2: I've never met anyone who has anything negative to say
16:54
Speaker 2: about Jesse Mintter. I've heard he's a great dude, a
16:57
Speaker 2: great coach, great at teaching the things that the questions
17:00
Speaker 2: I ask, are you know what's his install like you know,
17:03
Speaker 2: because these are teaching moments. I think you have to
17:05
Speaker 2: be a good teacher to be a good head coach.
17:07
Speaker 2: I've heard nothing but great things top to bottom about him.
17:11
Speaker 2: But I don't almost care who the head coaches until
17:14
Speaker 2: I see who all of their assistants are because it's
17:16
Speaker 2: the cascade of everyone that matters, not just one figurehead
17:19
Speaker 2: and then getting whatever, Like I want to see the
17:23
Speaker 2: are you going to command the gravitas to get the
17:26
Speaker 2: good assistance? Because it feels like a land grab right
17:28
Speaker 2: now with all of these coaching openings. Who's going to
17:30
Speaker 2: go wear? What are they going to do? Doesn't match myself?
17:33
Speaker 2: Doesn't match yourself? Like it's very like cool, But.
17:35
Speaker 1: I got to Anthony Weaver for it, That's what I'm saying.
17:38
Speaker 1: Like coordinator, maybe not Baltimore because he was he was
17:41
Speaker 1: one of the finalists for the head job, and that
17:44
Speaker 1: doesn't make sense.
17:45
Speaker 2: Sometimes they're interviewing them to be the defensive coordinator, like
17:48
Speaker 2: those doing those little sneak interviews. What I got one
17:50
Speaker 2: for you?
17:51
Speaker 1: I got two for you that I'm glad you brought
17:53
Speaker 1: that up.
17:53
Speaker 2: So I asked quickly.
17:55
Speaker 1: Of like, who could be the OC candidates for Jess
17:57
Speaker 1: you minder, because that's so big, right, And I heard
17:58
Speaker 1: back Joe Brady and Cliff Kingsbury are two really strong picks,
18:02
Speaker 1: and they are two men who interviewed for the head
18:04
Speaker 1: coaching job in Baltimore. If you tell me that Jesse
18:08
Speaker 1: Minner has Cliff, I think that's interesting. I think that's honestly, Lamar,
18:14
Speaker 1: it's maybe more right. It's not maybe a long term play.
18:18
Speaker 1: But I think with Lamar right now, I'm not really
18:21
Speaker 1: thinking about the long term. I'm thinking about the next
18:23
Speaker 1: two years. Can we go win a super Bowl? Cliff
18:26
Speaker 1: is intriguing to me for that. Joe Brady is interesting too.
18:30
Speaker 1: I wouldn't hate that.
18:31
Speaker 2: Cliff is really intriguing to me, and especially given like
18:35
Speaker 2: the thing that's interesting that I like about Cliff with
18:37
Speaker 2: the style fit for Lamar Jackson is I think that
18:42
Speaker 2: like Cliff could teach some things that he hasn't seen yet,
18:45
Speaker 2: which is hard to do with a guy who's already
18:47
Speaker 2: been an MVP multiple times. Right, Like we'd be like wow,
18:50
Speaker 2: like that could be cool to see something a little different. So,
18:53
Speaker 2: I mean, I don't know. I think it again, I
18:56
Speaker 2: think a coach, head coach will always be remembered by
18:58
Speaker 2: who's actually doing work, right, like who's calling the plays
19:01
Speaker 2: on defense, who's calling the plays on offense. So we'll
19:04
Speaker 2: see how he puts. Again, it's I've heard nothing but
19:07
Speaker 2: great things.
19:08
Speaker 1: Same Daniel Jeremiah speaks highly of him. Who's been around
19:11
Speaker 1: him with the Chargers for a couple of years. Basically,
19:14
Speaker 1: anyone that's been around him thinks he's that dude. I
19:16
Speaker 1: think he's kind of the perfect age for a first
19:18
Speaker 1: time head coach. He's forty two, Okay, He's like, he's
19:20
Speaker 1: not too young.
19:21
Speaker 2: Young. He looks young until he puts his hat on,
19:24
Speaker 2: then he like looks more mature.
19:25
Speaker 1: He looks young and then the other thing I really
19:27
Speaker 1: like is that he was in that building for five years.
19:30
Speaker 1: He was there from twenty sixteen through twenty twenty, so
19:32
Speaker 1: he knows where the bathroom is well, I just know
19:35
Speaker 1: they know him. I think Eric Tacosta knows him so well.
19:39
Speaker 1: Steve Bushatti knows him. To me, that's a system job,
19:44
Speaker 1: kind of like Kyle Shannan has system quarterbacks, you know
19:47
Speaker 1: what I mean. Like you can plug in a coach
19:50
Speaker 1: to that job, I think, and they're going to be
19:52
Speaker 1: set up for success, and they kind of I think
19:54
Speaker 1: they have a good idea how he'll.
19:55
Speaker 2: Fit into that.
19:56
Speaker 1: Patrick Clayban, who was on the set with us when
19:58
Speaker 1: you broke the news that this was happening, he is
20:01
Speaker 1: a little he's a little skeptical because he wanted to
20:04
Speaker 1: get out of the whole Michigan family, that it's too incestuous.
20:08
Speaker 1: He started making jokes immediately that what they're going to
20:10
Speaker 1: bring Greg Roman back?
20:11
Speaker 2: Like, I hope not. I don't think so. I don't think.
20:13
Speaker 2: I don't think that's you mentioned Lamar. I wanted to
20:17
Speaker 2: bring this up.
20:18
Speaker 1: He retweeted something on Twitter on Thursday of a fan
20:26
Speaker 1: who said, is this a good time to point out
20:28
Speaker 1: my three year old may have predicted a potential move
20:32
Speaker 1: of Lamar Jackson to the Raiders, And Lamar retweeted this
20:37
Speaker 1: and it sent everyone on Twitter. If you're into that
20:40
Speaker 1: sort of thing, into a complete tizzy, and then Lamar,
20:43
Speaker 1: being confusing as he often is, like an hour later, writes, lol,
20:49
Speaker 1: I just posted the kid in the jersey. I swear
20:52
Speaker 1: I didn't even read the caption.
20:53
Speaker 2: I buy that. I buy it too. It's also funn
20:55
Speaker 2: I mean, you see a cute kid, you want to
20:56
Speaker 2: be like, oh, that's nice of that kid to buy
20:57
Speaker 2: my jersey. It's expensive, Like, I don't think you. I
21:00
Speaker 2: don't think it's too deep.
21:01
Speaker 1: I don't think it's too deep, but it is funny.
21:03
Speaker 1: It's funny, but it's not based on what Steve Bashatti
21:05
Speaker 1: said in terms of they are going to work hard
21:09
Speaker 1: to get an extension for Lamar Jackson to open up
21:11
Speaker 1: some salary cap space this offseason. I really think that
21:14
Speaker 1: jessemna Higher is a good one. I think there's a
21:17
Speaker 1: reason why he is near the top of a lot
21:18
Speaker 1: of lists, and I think the Raiders I suspect had
21:22
Speaker 1: him very high, if not atop their list before this happened.
21:26
Speaker 1: Mentor obviously is not going for that Browns job either.
21:29
Speaker 1: He had withdrawn his name. Okay, we're gonna fly through
21:34
Speaker 1: a couple other little news items. Christian Parker is a
21:37
Speaker 1: name not the average fan would know, and yet Cynthia
21:41
Speaker 1: frielan pre eminent ball knower, is raising her hands like
21:44
Speaker 1: she just scored a touchdown.
21:46
Speaker 2: Why is that?
21:46
Speaker 1: He is the new defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys.
21:50
Speaker 1: He's the Eagles. He is reported by the way like
21:53
Speaker 1: it's one of those where they're couching it. He's expected
21:55
Speaker 1: to be the defensive coordinator of the.
21:57
Speaker 2: Cowboy And I will say I did text some congratulations.
21:59
Speaker 2: He hasn'tritten anything back yet, so I'm sure it's being
22:01
Speaker 2: a little worried. I think it'll be. It'll happen as
22:04
Speaker 2: soon as it signs. It's going to be great. So
22:06
Speaker 2: Christian Parker, first he was with the Broncos, so that's
22:09
Speaker 2: where I first met him. Prior to that, he was
22:11
Speaker 2: with Green Bay so he was with Patrick Sirtan in Denver.
22:15
Speaker 2: First he was with Pattan and Denver. Then he went
22:18
Speaker 2: to the Eagles. Pretty good secondaries that he's been working with.
22:22
Speaker 2: Also worked for Vic Fangio also where he's been easiero Ever,
22:26
Speaker 2: I can't say his name is egigro everro you know, Okay,
22:29
Speaker 2: you got it? Yeah, So I know it's hard to
22:32
Speaker 2: say so I'm trying. But he's been working with some
22:34
Speaker 2: great guys. But ultimately the reason you don't know his
22:37
Speaker 2: name is Case doesn't do that thing that a lot
22:39
Speaker 2: of people do, which is try to kiss up to me.
22:41
Speaker 2: I had to figure out who the heck he was
22:43
Speaker 2: based on the good people he's playing with, telling me
22:46
Speaker 2: that I need to know who. I asked the players
22:49
Speaker 2: who's a good coach? Nobody He didn't at the combine,
22:52
Speaker 2: be like, hey, do you want to start saying nice
22:54
Speaker 2: things about me? You know you read all those lists
22:56
Speaker 2: people to watch John for his head coach, and they'll
22:58
Speaker 2: be like eighty three people I don't even know anything.
23:01
Speaker 1: It's like people that are probably sources correct.
23:05
Speaker 2: So instead I thought it'd be a more prudent way.
23:08
Speaker 2: I always ask players who are the coaches who I
23:11
Speaker 2: should be promoting? Who are the people who are actually
23:13
Speaker 2: teaching you things? So you really want to work for it?
23:15
Speaker 2: You think it really good that I maybe haven't heard
23:17
Speaker 2: of before. Christian Parker. You came out of people who
23:21
Speaker 2: are exceptional defensive backs. Same name, same name, same name,
23:28
Speaker 2: same name. When you hear that enough, you see the
23:30
Speaker 2: results on the field here.
23:32
Speaker 1: You and I don't know if one of those names
23:34
Speaker 1: was Cooper Dejine, but he was on Twitter on Thursday
23:39
Speaker 1: saying what an incredible coach Christian Parker is and that
23:42
Speaker 1: he would not be nearly the same player if it
23:44
Speaker 1: wasn't for him, and the fact that you're doing it
23:47
Speaker 1: hurt in your division rival.
23:49
Speaker 2: I mean, the Cowboys always got Eagles on the brain.
23:51
Speaker 1: Remember they put that little thing in Michael Parson's contract
23:54
Speaker 1: that they weren't going to allow.
23:56
Speaker 2: Him to go anywhere about the Eagles.
23:58
Speaker 1: It's right ridiculous. So that's a great thing I think
24:02
Speaker 1: for the Cowboys. It's interesting, you know, because they interviewed
24:05
Speaker 1: a couple bigger names. Brian Flores was in the mix there.
24:09
Speaker 1: Jonathan Gannon was in the mix there. There's some talk
24:11
Speaker 1: he's interviewing with Green Bay, but Brian Flores is not
24:14
Speaker 1: going anywhere. Brian Flores is staying in Minnesota.
24:19
Speaker 2: It prized me he's not going anywhere, but that like
24:23
Speaker 2: for I don't know, I just felt like it was
24:24
Speaker 2: like maybe some time to change, to make a change, but.
24:26
Speaker 1: Nope, it surprised me a little bit. He obviously didn't
24:29
Speaker 1: get the Raven's job. He is in the mix for
24:31
Speaker 1: the Steelers job, and so it's this is contingent on
24:36
Speaker 1: him not getting that, which is which is funny, Which.
24:38
Speaker 2: Is the same thing with McDaniel contract. This is new.
24:41
Speaker 1: Patrick was joking about it on our previous show on
24:43
Speaker 1: when they just like, yeah, this is a new like
24:46
Speaker 1: contingent clause contract agreement situation. But obviously huge news for
24:53
Speaker 1: the NFC North. For the Minnesota Vikings, I actually think
24:57
Speaker 1: it would have been a major problem if they lost
24:59
Speaker 1: Brian Flores because I think the talent that they brought
25:02
Speaker 1: in specifically fits what he does in a way that
25:05
Speaker 1: it would have been tough to replicate if he left.
25:08
Speaker 1: So to me, they have a much better chance at
25:10
Speaker 1: being a real contender next year if they can have
25:14
Speaker 1: Brian Flores. Now they do, you just got to figure
25:16
Speaker 1: out quarterback. But big news there.
25:18
Speaker 2: I'm very interested to see if either of the two
25:19
Speaker 2: guys with these contingent clauses end up going somewhere else,
25:22
Speaker 2: because does that put you at a big disadvantage then
25:24
Speaker 2: getting those defensive coordinators or offensive coordinators, like if Mike
25:28
Speaker 2: McDaniel gets hired, are then the Chargers behind the eight
25:31
Speaker 2: ball here? Or you know, like I guess the question
25:34
Speaker 2: is like, oh great, Like should we have not done this?
25:37
Speaker 1: Like it's a land grab now for all these different
25:40
Speaker 1: coordinator positions, like there's just only so many.
25:43
Speaker 2: We still have five head coaching positions. I'm saying open
25:46
Speaker 2: out of ten, which one do you think it is? Hired?
25:48
Speaker 2: Last head coach? Cardinals? That's my guess.
25:51
Speaker 1: Cardinals seem to be last in line for a lot
25:53
Speaker 1: of people. A couple of people have pulled out from
25:55
Speaker 1: the Browns, probably the team that's hiring a RAMS assistant
25:59
Speaker 1: for instance, if they go to the Super Bowl, that
26:02
Speaker 1: would be the last you know, like Shieldhouse, Like Selhouse
26:05
Speaker 1: seems like he might be Brown, he goes to the Steelers.
26:09
Speaker 1: Chris Shula could be a Steelers choice. So it depends
26:11
Speaker 1: on what happens with the NFC championship. But we both
26:13
Speaker 1: had the Seahawks winning. Wrapping up with Zach Robinson.
26:17
Speaker 2: Kubiak too, he's been up for Clint.
26:18
Speaker 1: Kubiak could be an option, especially in Pittsburgh. That's another
26:21
Speaker 1: one at NABY in Arizona. Zach Robinson is the new
26:26
Speaker 1: Bucks offensive coordinator. They really wanted Mike McDaniel according to
26:30
Speaker 1: all reports. Who didn't want Mike mcg Yeah, they didn't
26:32
Speaker 1: get him, but it sounded like at least Mike McDaniel
26:35
Speaker 1: was strongly considering them. I think it probably came down
26:38
Speaker 1: to the chargers in the Bucks, and he chose La
26:42
Speaker 1: and Justin Herbert over Tampa and Baker.
26:44
Speaker 2: We need to talk to him about the tax basis
26:46
Speaker 2: here in California because that's kind of a bad decision. Yeah,
26:50
Speaker 2: but if you just get caught at.
26:51
Speaker 1: Some point, you're still getting paid from Stephen Rossis at
26:54
Speaker 1: some point enough money is enough.
26:56
Speaker 2: Plus you get Justin Herbert.
26:57
Speaker 1: You're also not coaching underneath a guy who who is
27:00
Speaker 1: immediately on the hot seat in Todd Bowles, and a
27:03
Speaker 1: Frankie Moore talented quarterback in Justin Herbert.
27:05
Speaker 2: So there are positives.
27:06
Speaker 1: I was surprised how hot Zach Robinson's name was in
27:09
Speaker 1: this coaching cycle, because he had a lot of interviews
27:11
Speaker 1: it sounded like he was going to get a job.
27:13
Speaker 1: I did not think he did great work with Atlanta
27:15
Speaker 1: last year at all. And Todd Bowles said he really
27:19
Speaker 1: was impressed by Zach Robinson and how familiar he was
27:22
Speaker 1: with their personnel and thinks he's going to maximize it.
27:24
Speaker 1: So another branch off the McVeigh tree, Zach Robinson, who
27:29
Speaker 1: did not inspire me in Atlanta, and so now he's
27:32
Speaker 1: in charge trying to break that streak of Baker Mayfield
27:35
Speaker 1: having a different offensive coordinator every year.
27:38
Speaker 2: I'm going to ask a couple of the Falcons guys
27:40
Speaker 2: what they thought. Yeah, and I have a chance. Okay,
27:42
Speaker 2: I haven't. I don't like to text to sound something,
27:44
Speaker 2: so they sounds negative, so they'll keep it positive. So
27:47
Speaker 2: once they get a new guy and like life's new, Ooh,
27:49
Speaker 2: it's exciting, it's good, then I'll text and be like, hey,
27:51
Speaker 2: is he a great coach? Because I don't sometimes from
27:53
Speaker 2: the outside, like someone can look great, but they're not
27:55
Speaker 2: good at teaching, or they're not good at you know,
27:57
Speaker 2: they're too confusing, or they're too angry or whatever it is.
28:02
Speaker 1: So he sounds like he seems like someone so far
28:04
Speaker 1: not angry. From the outside hasn't looked great, but from
28:07
Speaker 1: the inside people seem to like him.
28:09
Speaker 2: That's what I'm curious, because.
28:10
Speaker 1: To me that their offense didn't make sense, but maybe
28:12
Speaker 1: that was the limitations of some of them.
28:15
Speaker 2: Of John Robinson, I.
28:16
Speaker 1: Was gonna say, like, of like the quarterback in the system,
28:18
Speaker 1: but that doesn't.
28:19
Speaker 2: That's not really fair.
28:20
Speaker 1: Last thing, quickly, they announced the finalists of all the awards,
28:23
Speaker 1: and we've been tracking these awards all season long, and
28:26
Speaker 1: just a couple of names stuck out to me. MVP
28:30
Speaker 1: Trevor Lawrence is one of the five who are the finalists.
28:33
Speaker 1: It's Josh Allen Herbert, I mean no, sorry, wow, it's
28:38
Speaker 1: May and Stafford who we expected. Then it's Josh Allen
28:41
Speaker 1: who we expected. And it's Christian McCaffrey getting that fourth spot,
28:44
Speaker 1: and then Trevor Lawrence getting the fifth, which is interesting.
28:47
Speaker 1: Patrick Claybon wanted to point out all season long he
28:51
Speaker 1: had a formula called the Conversation to determine who would
28:56
Speaker 1: be the MVP based on a very specific mathematical model,
28:59
Speaker 1: and his formula predicted for the final finalists. He did
29:03
Speaker 1: not get Trevor Lawrence. He had Bo Nicks. He had
29:06
Speaker 1: Bo Nicks in the final in.
29:07
Speaker 2: The usually you have to I mean, the Jags did
29:09
Speaker 2: win a lot, so that's great, But like that one's he.
29:13
Speaker 1: Wasn't really tracking it because at the time he started
29:16
Speaker 1: doing it, the Jaguars were so off the beaten path.
29:20
Speaker 1: But Trevor Lawrence finished so strong, so shout out to
29:22
Speaker 1: Trevor Lawrence, one of the five finals. Coaching was kind
29:25
Speaker 1: of the five that we expected. No Sean Payton on
29:28
Speaker 1: that list, although I actually wasn't surprised because you had
29:31
Speaker 1: Liam Cohen also in that mix. You had a lot
29:34
Speaker 1: of good candidates the Defensive Player of the Year. It
29:37
Speaker 1: interested me that it was just five edge players. We're
29:40
Speaker 1: just not smart enough to like pick other players.
29:43
Speaker 2: I mean, you went corner last year. Yeah, that's true.
29:46
Speaker 1: Nick Benito did not make All Pro First or second team,
29:49
Speaker 1: but he was one of the five finalists for Defensive
29:52
Speaker 1: Player of the Year.
29:53
Speaker 2: I like that. Actually, I think he deserves to be that.
29:55
Speaker 2: I was about to say, I'm rolling my eyes at
29:56
Speaker 2: the All Pro.
29:57
Speaker 1: Yeah, Michael Parsons got to be one of the five finals.
30:00
Speaker 1: Think it's cool. I actually do think you was that valuable.
30:01
Speaker 1: That's that's some ball knowing stuff. Despite missing some games.
30:05
Speaker 1: Offensive Rookie of the Year where the two quarterbacks Jackson
30:07
Speaker 1: Dart and Tyler Schuck, plus the two receivers Abuka and
30:14
Speaker 1: Tedoa McMillan, and then Trevon Henderson snuck in there as
30:17
Speaker 1: the fifth guy, and then Defensive Rookie of the Year
30:20
Speaker 1: no big surprise there, but shout out to Xavier Watts
30:22
Speaker 1: getting on the list, the safety from Atlanta as the
30:25
Speaker 1: fifth choice.
30:25
Speaker 2: I mean, you play a big time game in a
30:28
Speaker 2: big time spot. There you go, you know, Monday night
30:30
Speaker 2: football game. Really that he did have a great year.
30:32
Speaker 2: Though he did a great year. But ye, that was
30:36
Speaker 2: like the moment when people were voting too right, So
30:38
Speaker 2: it's like we got to put that kid on here. Shoot,
30:41
Speaker 2: you're absolutely right.
30:42
Speaker 1: That is part of the formula in the conversation, which
30:45
Speaker 1: is that primetime games late in the Sea are heavily
30:48
Speaker 1: waited a.
30:49
Speaker 2: Week before the votes. The ballots are due.
30:51
Speaker 1: This is the last time we'll have multiple games to
30:54
Speaker 1: talk about. I hope we can book you at the
30:57
Speaker 1: Super Bowl. We can find you somewhere in Santa Clara.
31:01
Speaker 1: Actually it to be San Francisco where we're on radio rowkay,
31:04
Speaker 1: and we can pick the final game. So we will
31:07
Speaker 1: be back one more time, and we're not The Seahawks
31:10
Speaker 1: got it to win the Super Bowl.
31:11
Speaker 2: Yep, you already know. Well, I mean I just ran
31:13
Speaker 2: my model, so wow, you know it's funny Seahawks rams, yes,
31:18
Speaker 2: then Denver then Patriots. Wow? What Seahawks and Rams are
31:24
Speaker 2: like seventy percent or okay, sixty something percent, and then
31:28
Speaker 2: the AFC winners.
31:30
Speaker 1: Less I've said all season, they're the best two teams
31:32
Speaker 1: in the NFL, the Seahawks and the Rams. Day clappees
31:35
Speaker 1: based off on Sunday it is not how it is
31:38
Speaker 1: gonna land because the Patriots Seahawks. That's my prediction for
31:42
Speaker 1: the Super Bowl this year. We will be back on
31:45
Speaker 1: Sunday night. By then we'll know the Super Bowl participants, myself,
31:49
Speaker 1: Patrick Claibon, and Nick Shook. For Cynthia Frieland, she's the best.
31:53
Speaker 1: We will see you on Sunday night.
31:55
Speaker 2: Can't wait.