Latest / The Mostly Football Show / Season Preview

Transcript

Season Preview · The Mostly Football Show

0:03
SPEAKER_00: This is the Mostly Football Show, a uniquely Australian take on the NFL and all things in the world of sport.
0:12
SPEAKER_00: Over to you, Pete.
0:18
SPEAKER_01: Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you are in the wide world.
0:22
SPEAKER_01: Welcome to the Mostly Football Show.
0:24
SPEAKER_01: It's exciting.
0:26
SPEAKER_01: Two more sleeps to go till the season starts.
0:28
SPEAKER_01: And this week I'm joined by Matt and KG.
0:32
SPEAKER_01: Gentlemen, how are you?
0:35
SPEAKER_01: You know what I'm going to say.
0:37
SPEAKER_06: Just excited, man.
0:38
SPEAKER_06: Just excited.
0:39
SPEAKER_06: It's almost here.
0:41
SPEAKER_06: You're right.
0:42
SPEAKER_06: A couple more sleeps.
0:44
SPEAKER_06: You know, I'm kind of um like a kid, you know, just gonna be jumping up on what is it, Friday morning for us and um, you know, trying to check out a game.
0:53
SPEAKER_06: But yeah, you're right, Thursday is the first one.
0:55
SPEAKER_06: So it's it's really exciting.
0:57
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:58
SPEAKER_06: So oh man.
0:59
SPEAKER_06: Cannot wait.
1:02
SPEAKER_01: How do you, Matt?
1:03
SPEAKER_01: How are you doing?
1:04
SPEAKER_05: If Carrie's excited, I'm excited.
1:06
SPEAKER_05: Bring it on.
1:11
SPEAKER_01: It's it's one of those times where you're excited, then you look at who your team's playing, and then you go, ooh.
1:20
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
1:20
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, just to steal a uh a well-worn English football saying, uh potential banana skins all over the place.
1:29
SPEAKER_01: One slip up, and it could all be over.
1:32
SPEAKER_01: But uh worry about that.
1:34
SPEAKER_01: Uh this week we're gonna go through each individual game with a preview.
1:38
SPEAKER_01: Uh, because we have the time this week.
1:40
SPEAKER_01: Uh that might not be the case for the rest of you weeks because we'll be summarising the game.
1:44
SPEAKER_01: Uh, we will have a bonus show for you on Friday, which will be a reaction show to the Australia game of the Rams versus the 49ers.
1:54
SPEAKER_01: Um, but as ever, we're gonna start with the news.
1:58
SPEAKER_00: Now it's time for the latest in NFL news.
2:00
SPEAKER_00: Matt, what's been happening?
2:02
SPEAKER_05: Thank you, Peter.
2:03
SPEAKER_05: Um let's go with the news roundup from September the 1st to September the 8th, 2026.
2:10
SPEAKER_05: We kick off with some sad news, particularly for Bears fans.
2:15
SPEAKER_05: Um, Matt Suey, who was Walter Payton's um right-hand man, he was fullback to Walter Payton's running back, uh, passed away overnight.
2:27
SPEAKER_05: Um he was Walter's longtime lead blocker, um, most notably on the 85 championship team, and he passed away in his sleep.
2:35
SPEAKER_05: Um he scored the first touchdown in Super Bowl XX, um, which, as we all know, is the Bears' only Super Bowl win, and spent his entire 10-year career in Chicago.
2:46
SPEAKER_05: Um, he was known as much for his selflessness clearing paths for Peyton as for his own 2-4-9-6 rushing yards.
2:55
SPEAKER_05: Um, so very sad news that um that came out today.
2:58
SPEAKER_05: Former teammate Dan Hampton called him a man of unmatched character.
3:03
SPEAKER_05: And I, if my memory serves, um the Payton family made him um uh appointed him in charge of the Payton estate um uh after Walter's death, and um he um assisted Walter's son Garrett in um setting up the Walter Payton um award that the NFL awards every year.
3:29
SPEAKER_05: Um moving on, um we talked last week about the players on the Naughty Boys list.
3:34
SPEAKER_05: So let's just have a quick recap of the Commissioner's exempt list as legal situations continue to remain unresolved heading into week one.
3:44
SPEAKER_05: So we talked about the Packers running back Josh Jacobs, and this has stemmed from his domestic violence arrest and charges.
3:52
SPEAKER_05: The Seahawks cornerback Terrian Arnold, um, who was traded from Detroit to Seattle during the offseason, um, has also been placed on the Commission's exempt list.
4:04
SPEAKER_05: Seahawks general manager John Schneider called keeping him on the exempt status uh a long-term play for the Seahawks, saying that he could um that he could not see that Arnold's character fit with the allegations that were made against him.
4:20
SPEAKER_05: And if you remember rightly, Arnold was um uh um convicted of kidnap and um assault uh for a against a group of people that he felt had uh robbed him whilst uh renting a holiday home.
4:37
SPEAKER_05: Uh Broncos linebacker Jonathan Cooper pled not guilty on Monday to a felony strangulation charge, a new one for our list of misdemeanours.
4:46
SPEAKER_05: Jesus.
4:47
SPEAKER_05: Um plus three additional misdemeanours from a June domestic incident.
4:52
SPEAKER_05: A jury is set for November the 10th.
4:54
SPEAKER_05: Denver's general manager said the team is taking things very seriously.
4:58
SPEAKER_05: However, they will continue to support him.
5:02
SPEAKER_05: Um the Rams wide receiver Puka Nakua's situation, stemming from um a biting and anti-Semitic comment civil suit, which we've mentioned in previous episodes of this podcast, continues to remain unresolved and could still result in discipline.
5:21
SPEAKER_05: In other news, the Falcons have named Tua as their week one starter over Michael Penix Jr.
5:28
SPEAKER_05: Um he took the opportunity to win the job outright whilst Penix recovered from his ACL tear.
5:35
SPEAKER_05: But a shaky camp and preseason seems to have left the door open for a possible in-season change when Penix Jr.
5:45
SPEAKER_05: returns.
5:46
SPEAKER_05: The Giants have extended or used Labor Day weekend to extend two veterans and clear some cap space before week one.
5:54
SPEAKER_05: So backup quarterback Jameis Wilson signed a two-year$13 million extension, um, keeping him on the roster as Jackson Dart back up through 2028.
6:04
SPEAKER_05: And left guard John Runyon Jr.
6:07
SPEAKER_05: signed a two-year,$22 million extension with$21.5 million guaranteed.
6:13
SPEAKER_05: Um higher AAV by$11 million than his prior deal, which also took him through to 2028.
6:21
SPEAKER_05: The timing isn't coincidental.
6:24
SPEAKER_05: The Giants were roughly uh$1.8 million over the 2026 cap.
6:29
SPEAKER_05: And in converting both players' base salaries into signing bonus money, they created instant cap relief without having to cut anyone from their roster.
6:39
SPEAKER_05: Harrison Smith of the Vikings has ended weeks of retirement speculation by agreeing to a one-year deal worth$12.5 million.
6:48
SPEAKER_05: Um, just days before Minnesota's opener.
6:50
SPEAKER_05: He'll play in his 15th season, all of which have been with the Vikings, and will suit up in week one versus Green Bay.
6:57
SPEAKER_05: Alec Pierce of the Colts missed almost all of Camp and preseason, recovering from his March ankle surgery.
7:05
SPEAKER_05: Um good news, head coach Shane Steichen has confirmed this week that Pierce will be good to go for the week one opener against Baltimore.
7:12
SPEAKER_05: Um this matters a little bit more than usual since Indy also traded away Michael Pittman Jr.
7:18
SPEAKER_05: during the offseason.
7:19
SPEAKER_05: Um Pierce on his new four-year 116 million, I beg your pardon, Deal, is now the clear number one.
7:27
SPEAKER_05: Separately, Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen was arrested for DUI this week, um, adding a wrinkle to that receiver room.
7:38
SPEAKER_05: It goes on and on, doesn't it?
7:39
SPEAKER_05: Meanwhile, over at the Cowboys, Tyler Smith needs a thumb ligament surgery and is headed to um injured reserve.
7:49
SPEAKER_05: He's expected to miss four to six weeks, Kerry, and this is right before Dallas opens its season at the Giants.
7:56
SPEAKER_05: Um back up TJ Bass steps into the starting left guard uh spot.
8:02
SPEAKER_05: Um Roger Goodell, the commissioner, has agreed to a four-year extension through the 2030 season.
8:11
SPEAKER_05: Um, and this was announced to team owners via a memo on Sunday, September the 6th.
8:16
SPEAKER_05: The key details.
8:18
SPEAKER_05: It's his fifth contract extension um since he became commissioner in 2006.
8:24
SPEAKER_05: Succeeding.
8:26
SPEAKER_05: Anyone following along?
8:27
SPEAKER_05: Do you remember who the previous commissioner was?
8:29
SPEAKER_05: Paul Taggeru.
8:31
SPEAKER_05: No idea.
8:31
SPEAKER_05: Paul Taggirbu.
8:33
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
8:34
SPEAKER_05: The deal is heavily performance-based, so 95% of his total compensation is tied to Goodell's and the league's performance against various metrics at the committee's discretion.
8:46
SPEAKER_05: Exact financial terms haven't been disclosed.
8:48
SPEAKER_05: The NFL no longer has to report and pay publicly since the League Office restructured out of tax exempt status years ago.
8:57
SPEAKER_05: Um, for reference, he reportedly earned$63.9 million across the 2019, 2020, and 2020-21 seasons.
9:10
SPEAKER_05: So that averages out at about 30 odd million a year.
9:15
SPEAKER_05: The timing lines up with the current, right?
9:18
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, difficult job, eh?
9:20
SPEAKER_05: The timing lines up with the current collective bargaining agreement, which also runs through uh a similar timeline.
9:26
SPEAKER_05: So his tenure and the labour agreement are now synced up, and you'd have to think that some of those performance metrics would be ensuring that there isn't a lockout.
9:34
SPEAKER_05: Um by the time DLN's Goodell will be nearly 72 and will have held the commissionership for 24 years, uh, having started his career as an NFL administrative intern back in 1982 under Pete Rosell.
9:52
SPEAKER_05: Um injury watch ahead of week one, 49, as Christian McCaffrey and Nick Bosa were both not spotted at a very recent practice, which has raised last-minute availability questions for the for their Melbourne opener.
10:09
SPEAKER_05: And finally, the Giants released veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton as part of their final roster trimming.
10:18
SPEAKER_05: That gentleman is the news.
10:50
SPEAKER_05: No updates on this.
10:55
SPEAKER_05: No updates on him this week, although I may well do a quick bit of research to see if he was if he was in seat 1A in on Quantas on the way over.
11:08
SPEAKER_05: Yes.
11:10
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I yes.
11:11
SPEAKER_01: Uh well well let's uh let's just hope he uh fell foul of the immigration system like so many people do.
11:19
SPEAKER_01: Well, that's the news for the week.
11:21
SPEAKER_01: We're now going to go into uh previewing all the games, all the games that are the games coming up.
11:26
SPEAKER_01: Um if you're in America or listening to us, you have Wednesday night football, Thursday night football, Sunday night football, and Monday night football to look forward to.
11:34
SPEAKER_01: For us, it's uh Thursday morning football, Friday morning football, um, or watching the game late at night because we've all been working hard during the day and avoiding the scores, of course.
11:45
SPEAKER_01: Of course.
11:47
SPEAKER_01: So let me kick off.
11:49
SPEAKER_01: We kick off the season with an absolute banger, a repeat of the Super Bowl.
11:55
SPEAKER_01: This must be one of the first times that we've seen the Super Bowl uh uh be repeated in the first game or the opening game of the season.
12:05
SPEAKER_01: So it's gonna be very interesting.
12:07
SPEAKER_01: I've been very critical of New England, uh, I think my hot take was that they won't even make the playoffs.
12:14
SPEAKER_01: Um be interesting to see how Drake may steps up.
12:17
SPEAKER_01: Can he step up?
12:18
SPEAKER_01: He's got some new weapons to throw out in terms of uh AJ Brown is there now, Romeo Dobbs is there now, so they've opened up the wide receiver room to being a couple of top class players in.
12:32
SPEAKER_01: Uh question will be uh has AJ Brown taken his attitude with him to New England, or is uh everything gonna be fine there?
12:40
SPEAKER_01: Um a little bit of a uh kick in the face because we've got Seattle be raising their uh Super Bowl banner on the uh on on the on the day.
12:49
SPEAKER_01: Not only did you have to put up with them beating you in the Super Bowl, you've got to be there while they raise the banner as well.
12:56
SPEAKER_01: Uh it will be interesting to see how New England have uh have or how they tackled uh the defence of Seattle.
13:06
SPEAKER_01: Uh they they were just bullied in the Super Bowl, out muscled all over the place.
13:10
SPEAKER_01: I kind of feel that they really New England scored because Seattle let them and took their foot off the gas a little.
13:16
SPEAKER_01: It will be interesting to see what adjustments um they have made.
13:20
SPEAKER_01: Uh they did make some good moves in the offseason in New England, but we'll see how that goes.
13:24
SPEAKER_01: I can't help but think I'm gonna stick to my guns, uh, gentlemen, and believe the atmosphere at Lumenfield uh will be too much for the Patriots and they will receive another hiding at the hands of Seattle.
13:42
SPEAKER_01: So you heard it here first, the Super Bowl winners are gonna win.
13:44
SPEAKER_01: Big shocker, right?
13:46
SPEAKER_01: Big shocker.
13:47
SPEAKER_01: That is uh that's kind of so there we go.
13:49
SPEAKER_01: I should I should make a note of all this um uh and uh and put some tips in and see how see how well we do next week, right?
13:54
SPEAKER_01: We're gonna Seattle first, right.
13:56
SPEAKER_01: Kerry, over to you.
13:57
SPEAKER_01: Talk about uh the very exciting game that's being held here in Melbourne, Australia at the MCG.
14:04
SPEAKER_01: It is on Friday morning our time to be Thursday night football in the States, the 49ers versus the Rams.
14:14
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, and and I think the the biggest thing is, you know, to get um teams all the way over here is a big deal.
14:22
SPEAKER_06: And so we're we're excited in many, many ways, and and some of it is just getting them to land and be here and be amongst it has been exciting.
14:37
SPEAKER_01: That's right.
14:38
SPEAKER_06: It's only a couple of sleeps until the game, and the Rams uh have decided to just basically uh land and uh run onto the field at the same time.
14:48
SPEAKER_06: So we'll see how that plays out for them.
14:51
SPEAKER_06: Look, it's uh gonna be um uh you know, it's gonna be a tough game because I think both teams are hyped up um beyond belief.
14:59
SPEAKER_06: Um both sets of fans are um, you know, truly anticipating um Super Bowlness this year, both I would say, uh without a doubt.
15:10
SPEAKER_06: I've got a a buddy who's uh going to the game, and um, you know, I think he he thinks um with the roster they have and with Debo back and all those other things, this is going to be uh an incredible year for them.
15:24
SPEAKER_06: And and I can't say that I um can argue too much.
15:28
SPEAKER_06: If they are healthy, um the 49ers are gonna be uh phenomenal, but we can't look past the Rams because they have you know basically built this super team, you know, with every um bit of um cap that they could find.
15:46
SPEAKER_06: They have pulled in some phenomenal players, and uh I think the biggest thing is to see these two powerhouses go at it.
15:55
SPEAKER_06: I think for me the um test is gonna be who travels better, who can um deal with this being overseas.
16:05
SPEAKER_06: Um I think the fans are gonna be going for both sides.
16:09
SPEAKER_06: It's just a matter of um how they fare on the day.
16:13
SPEAKER_06: My money, um I know the Rams are um are are supposed to be the best of the best, but given what is happening, I I think the 49ers will pull this one out, um, give a little bit of an upset, uh, shake up the Rams in the first game.
16:33
SPEAKER_06: That's uh what I'm thinking.
16:35
SPEAKER_01: I I think this is a hard one to call as well.
16:38
SPEAKER_01: I I slightly disagree with you.
16:39
SPEAKER_01: I think you're gonna see a sea of red at the MCT.
16:43
SPEAKER_01: Oh, at the and and part of that is because the the Rams haven't even bloody got it yet.
16:49
SPEAKER_01: So there's no marketing, there's no there's no special trams set up, there's no special morning, they've got no pub or or anything like that.
16:57
SPEAKER_01: Uh it's just such a a weird thing for them to be doing, considering it's their game.
17:04
SPEAKER_01: It's their home game.
17:05
SPEAKER_01: They've given up this home game to be playing here at the MCG.
17:09
SPEAKER_01: So uh you know it just it baffles me.
17:14
SPEAKER_01: What what what happens if we get a uh a volcanic ice ash cloud from Bali or or Iceland or wherever they're gonna fly over and the guys can't make it here on Thursday?
17:23
SPEAKER_01: It's it's just madness.
17:25
SPEAKER_01: Just madness.
17:26
SPEAKER_01: Um it is strange.
17:29
SPEAKER_01: We'll see.
17:30
SPEAKER_01: Uh so I think you'll see a sea of red there.
17:32
SPEAKER_01: Uh and but I I think the 49ers might take this out because I think they've just taken it a little bit seriously than uh than the Rams out.
17:39
SPEAKER_01: Matt, what what what are your thoughts before I ask you to delve into the Bears and the Panthers?
17:44
SPEAKER_05: Well yeah, puzzling that the Rams aren't here yet.
17:47
SPEAKER_05: Uh I think the 49ers have been in town for a week or so.
17:51
SPEAKER_05: Yep.
17:51
SPEAKER_05: I did see a super nice um social media clip from George Kittle acknowledging and inviting um Jai Arrow to the sideline to hang out with the 49ers during the game.
18:06
SPEAKER_05: He um said that the 49ers players had noticed um Joe's uh Jai's 100th game that incidentally Kerry and I were both at, and uh the 49ers players um um described him as uh a truly inspirational uh individual.
18:25
SPEAKER_05: So um yeah, look, it's I've been firmly in the in the Rams, you know, one foot in the Rams camp.
18:32
SPEAKER_05: But um I think um the 49ers have approached this in a much more wholesome way in terms of expanding the game into a new market um and um doing the right things by the Australian public and the NFL themselves.
18:48
SPEAKER_05: But I'm sure that Rams ownership will have a jolly good reason as to why they are arriving when they are.
18:55
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and and it's nuts considering if there's a game in Australia next year it will be another Rams game.
19:01
SPEAKER_05: So Yeah, I think they're gonna the nearest team geographically, right?
19:06
SPEAKER_05: So um and I think that's one of the reasons why the Panthers play uh well, actually geographically, it'd probably be one of the North Eastern teams, but yeah, I would imagine that's why they've uh been allocated home team status, because they're nearer, right?
19:23
SPEAKER_01: Now this this will be where listeners have to bear with me, because it could be something I've read and totally forgotten or misread, but I believe the Rams have the rights to the Australian base hand market.
19:37
SPEAKER_01: And that's why they're here.
19:38
SPEAKER_01: And and like you say, Jacksonville, I think have got London, because they play play in Europe one or two times a year.
19:44
SPEAKER_01: Anyway.
19:44
SPEAKER_01: But anyway.
19:45
SPEAKER_01: Um let's not cloud uh my m misfacting.
19:49
SPEAKER_01: Let's move on to your uh maybe f maybe I'll I'll call them the Chicago Bears until um we've got firmness on there on their new stadium.
20:00
SPEAKER_01: Uh the Bears, the Chicago Bears, Matt's Chicago Bears, as we probably should know them, against the Carolina Panthers.
20:07
SPEAKER_01: Matt, how are you feeling?
20:09
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, not good.
20:10
SPEAKER_05: Um I think this is a trick a tricky, it's the start of the season, buddy.
20:16
SPEAKER_05: Come on.
20:16
SPEAKER_05: Well, look, I think it's a trickier than it appears start for us.
20:21
SPEAKER_05: Um obviously I'll be watching two things really, how Caleb and the offence go, but also how our sort of patchwork defence goes with the injuries to Kobe Bryant, the departures, and um, you know, trading away Gerva on Dexter last week.
20:39
SPEAKER_05: So um look, I think um I think yeah, tricky one.
20:45
SPEAKER_05: Um it'll be good to see where the Panthers are.
20:49
SPEAKER_05: Obviously, they won the division title last year on a tiebreaker, so we're good to see if they're the real deal this year or um flattered to deceive or won by um default, if you like.
21:02
SPEAKER_05: But um I'm still hoping and tip in the Bears to win narrowly, but um I'm anticipating this is gonna be hard work in um a very hot and humid environment down in uh down in Carolina for the Bears.
21:22
SPEAKER_01: Very good.
21:23
SPEAKER_01: Very good.
21:23
SPEAKER_01: I I would tend to agree, I think this is um potential banana skin.
21:32
SPEAKER_01: Uh but I think you might just have too much for them as well.
21:37
SPEAKER_01: And we'll we'll learn, I guess, if the cardiac bears can be showing up again um this season to see how they go.
21:45
SPEAKER_01: Uh that that will leave me to talk about uh the two bees, the Bucks and the Bengals, which is is gonna be a fascinating matchup.
21:53
SPEAKER_01: Right?
21:54
SPEAKER_01: You've got uh Todd Bowles lining up in uh Tampa Bay coach.
22:00
SPEAKER_01: Also, you've got Baker Mayfield sitting out there who who started last season said off lot he was going to win the MVP and the Bucks were going to be a force to be reckoned with, and that kind of fell to the wayside towards the back end of the season.
22:14
SPEAKER_01: So it'll be interesting to see how that all lines up, whether the fact that they haven't resolved his contract yet is going to be weighing down on him or whether he's going to play you know carefree and and really earn the contract that he thinks he should be getting.
22:29
SPEAKER_01: So that that'll be interesting.
22:31
SPEAKER_01: Um Cincinnati, Joe Burrow is fit.
22:36
SPEAKER_01: Jamar Chase is fit.
22:39
SPEAKER_01: Um if they're really at full strength are they really are they going to be a force to be reckoned with?
22:46
SPEAKER_01: They should be, right?
22:48
SPEAKER_01: Uh we've all seen the second season of quarterback where Joe Burrow is is passionate about his craft, is passionate about winning.
22:57
SPEAKER_01: He just wants to win.
22:59
SPEAKER_01: Um it'll be interesting to see if they go six and eleven again, uh what his thoughts will be on staying in Cincinnati.
23:08
SPEAKER_01: Uh so this is this is a really tough one.
23:11
SPEAKER_01: You've also got uh Mike Evans has gone, he's gone to San Francisco, so who's Mayfield gonna be thrown to?
23:15
SPEAKER_01: Who's gonna be his number one?
23:18
SPEAKER_01: Um and look, you've got Dexter, Lawrence, and Boy Mayf who are into Cincinnati's defense now.
23:24
SPEAKER_01: So um obviously one of their problems last year was not just keeping Joe Burrow fit, it was stopping other teams scoring against them.
23:31
SPEAKER_01: So uh it's gonna be hard to call this one because I think if Baker Mayfield comes out flying, it could be a tough afternoon for the Bengals, but I'll I'm gonna take the home team.
23:44
SPEAKER_01: I think Joe Burrow has just got enough in him, and this could be possibly his breakout year.
23:51
SPEAKER_01: So I'm gonna take the Bengals over the Bucks on that one, and uh possibly the start of a tough season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
24:01
SPEAKER_01: Any thoughts, Jets, before we move on?
24:05
SPEAKER_05: Feels though you've got that about right to me, Pete.
24:08
SPEAKER_05: Um I'm expecting surprises from the Bengals this year, and um a lot of them are linked to the two things that you've mentioned, an im vast improvement it would appear, to their defence and a fit um Joe Burrow with targets and weapons at his disposal.
24:26
SPEAKER_05: So I think the Bengals could be a dark horse to surprise this year.
24:31
SPEAKER_05: I also think it'll be interesting to see how Baker Mayfield goes.
24:35
SPEAKER_05: My sense is he plays his having watched him on quarterback, his best football when he's angry and peed off.
24:42
SPEAKER_05: And I think he's angry and peed off because he hasn't got his um contract extension and he there's a fair amount of narrative about him feeling disrespected by the team.
24:53
SPEAKER_05: So I think um there's a world in which um Baker Mayfield plays out of his skin and yet the Buccaneers um still struggle, but um we'll be keeping a close eye on that one.
25:07
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, very good.
25:08
SPEAKER_01: Very good.
25:09
SPEAKER_01: Um I assume that he's in the season three of quarterback then is Baker Mayfield.
25:15
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, and he's um Kerry, you've watched that.
25:18
SPEAKER_05: Uh would you would you say he's somewhat likable or mostly dislikable?
25:27
SPEAKER_06: Mostly dis, but that's alright.
25:31
SPEAKER_01: On a scale of one to Kirk Castle, so is it?
25:34
SPEAKER_05: Oh, he's uh Kirk, you know, Kirk's Champion Europa Champions League and uh Mayfield's Vauxhall Conference.
25:43
SPEAKER_01: Very good.
25:44
SPEAKER_01: Very good reference.
25:45
SPEAKER_01: Okay, let's let's talk about a team that should do well and against a team that kind of crashed a burn at the end of last season.
25:51
SPEAKER_01: The Ravens are at the Colts.
25:54
SPEAKER_01: KG.
25:56
SPEAKER_06: This is a tough one for me because um uh when I first saw this matchup, I immediately thought, oh, you know, the Ravens probably have this because, you know, Lamar and all of that jazz.
26:10
SPEAKER_06: But if I kind of you know hearken back to you know the season that was, the Colts are really the hotter team, and and I actually think that they may show up.
26:22
SPEAKER_06: Um look, the Colts um when they have uh met the Ravens 11 and 7, so it looks like they've got that um yeah um in the bag as far as just the history of it.
26:36
SPEAKER_06: Um but but um the uh Baltimore Ravens have won their last three home opener or the last three openers by more than 30 points uh so the last three years.
26:49
SPEAKER_06: So um, you know, as far as starting off hot, um the Ravens have the edge.
26:55
SPEAKER_06: Uh I don't know as much about these teams as I'd like to, but my uh gut just tells me that um, you know, uh given the hot start that they usually have, um I'm I'm gonna go Ravens this time just to see if that uh streak can continue.
27:14
SPEAKER_06: But um it looks like it's gonna be a a tough matchup.
27:18
SPEAKER_06: They've got some um, you know, some people uh Daniel Jones returning from um an Achilles injury, uh Trey Hendrickson uh is now gone.
27:29
SPEAKER_01: It could be the big deal.
27:30
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
27:30
SPEAKER_01: Yes, it could be a big deal.
27:32
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
27:32
SPEAKER_06: That that's that's a a a big change.
27:35
SPEAKER_06: Uh and so there's some some moves that have uh been made that uh will make this an interesting game.
27:41
SPEAKER_06: But yeah, uh I'm I'm leaning towards Ravens.
27:43
SPEAKER_06: How about you guys?
27:47
SPEAKER_01: Given that stat you've just read out that uh they've won their last three opening games by 30 plus points.
27:52
SPEAKER_01: Uh I would struggle to see how you wouldn't want to tip the Ravens on this one.
27:57
SPEAKER_01: I think Lamar Jackson's got a lot to prove this year.
28:00
SPEAKER_01: Um and again, if if we're looking at Kansas City, uh not me personally, but uh you two were looking at Kansas City not being back to Kansas City levels and heights, uh uh Lamar Jackson's got to be looking at this as an opportunity for Baltimore again this year to to drive a path through to the Super Bowl.
28:17
SPEAKER_01: So um we'll see.
28:21
SPEAKER_01: We'll see.
28:21
SPEAKER_01: Well, on to your second team then, Kerry.
28:24
SPEAKER_01: We'll uh we'll let Matt talk about these guys.
28:26
SPEAKER_01: Uh it's uh Chris's Buffalo Bills, as they'll be known.
28:31
SPEAKER_01: Uh against the Texans.
28:33
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
28:34
SPEAKER_01: Interesting start for the Texans, I think.
28:38
SPEAKER_05: Two teams I've um I've got a bit of a fancy for this season.
28:42
SPEAKER_05: Um I think when we did our um predictions, uh league predictions rounds, I've got the Texans winning their division and the Bills winning theirs.
28:53
SPEAKER_05: So, really the things that I'm gonna be keeping an eye out um on, obviously it's Joe Brady's coaching debut, Joe Brady, Josh Allen's best mate.
29:01
SPEAKER_05: So give us a first look at you know what that um offensive scheme overhaul looks like.
29:07
SPEAKER_05: Um it'll be DJ Moore's first game um as WR1 for Josh Allen.
29:14
SPEAKER_05: Um the Texans will debut their own new wide receiver, Keyshawn Boutet, who we um mentioned was uh traded for from New England last week.
29:24
SPEAKER_05: Um and obviously as interesting as the new offense in Buffalo is their new defense, um, and I'll um also really seeing how that sort of stacks up against what we've all seen to be quite um an effective and dangerous Houston offense.
29:42
SPEAKER_05: I think this is the year that CJ Stroud really needs to step up.
29:47
SPEAKER_05: Um so um it'll be be super interesting to see how he goes against that new Bills defense.
29:54
SPEAKER_05: Um so, really, all in all, um eyes on the uh the transition from the old Buffalo Bills offense and defence to the new one and what that looks like in 2026 ahead of the Bills returning to Buffalo and um Um debuting in the new Highmark Stadium.
30:18
SPEAKER_05: I did read a very alarming article that one week before this uh week one kicks off, the entire field was um torn up and relayed.
30:30
SPEAKER_05: Um they were having some appalling um issues in preseason with the the quality of the real grass surface at High Mark Stadium.
30:39
SPEAKER_05: Um I did read something that said so there was uh uh an expert in field laying, a sodologist or something like that.
30:48
SPEAKER_05: Um he said that somebody seriously uh sod doctor or whatever they are.
30:55
SPEAKER_05: Uh somebody had seriously taken their eye off the ball because the the pitch has been laid for months, but um um apparently it hadn't knitted at all underneath the plane surface.
31:06
SPEAKER_05: So um that's one to keep an eye on for week two is after we've assessed the Bills offense and defence, let's uh uh assess the playing surface at the new stadium.
31:16
SPEAKER_03: Wow.
31:17
SPEAKER_01: Very good.
31:18
SPEAKER_01: So after all that, you're you're claiming the uh Bills, presumably.
31:24
SPEAKER_05: Um no, actually, I didn't make a prediction.
31:27
SPEAKER_05: I think the Texans will win this game.
31:31
SPEAKER_01: Oh, my word.
31:34
SPEAKER_01: So you're very positive for everybody else but the Chicago Bears at the minute.
31:37
SPEAKER_05: No, I tend the Bears.
31:41
SPEAKER_01: Well, it's true.
31:42
SPEAKER_05: I'm equally as positive as the other teams are.
31:47
SPEAKER_01: I I think you hit the nail on the head there.
31:49
SPEAKER_01: CJ Stroud has to start proving himself this year, and this is a great game to be doing it.
31:54
SPEAKER_01: Um I might edge on the side of Buffalo on this one just simply because it's at Buffalo.
31:58
SPEAKER_01: Um and I think that can make a bit of a difference.
32:02
SPEAKER_01: Um and you'll see your uh your mate DJ Moore uh pick up the last second touchdown to uh win the game for the Bills, I think.
32:10
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, with another cracking opening fixture.
32:14
SPEAKER_01: It is a great fixture.
32:16
SPEAKER_06: It's it's gonna be a great one.
32:18
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, I think the the Bills are just so strong at home, and they've got some things to prove, so I think yeah, I'd I'd just slightly go with the Bills, although I think the Texans are gonna be better this year than the Bills.
32:30
SPEAKER_06: So that's a big show.
32:35
SPEAKER_05: Just to be a contrarian gentleman, the games uh the Texans, the Bills are on the road.
32:40
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
32:41
SPEAKER_01: Oh then well then the Texans the Texans, and then oh well then I take it all back and I'll jump on I'll jump on the Houston bandwagon.
32:50
SPEAKER_01: Um it's my ro Rowie tribute.
32:52
SPEAKER_01: It's a bandwagon I can jump on.
32:54
SPEAKER_01: I'm getting on it.
32:55
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
32:56
SPEAKER_01: Um so next up, unfortunately, just the way the crookie cumbles, I've got to talk about the Saints and the Lions.
33:03
SPEAKER_01: Ooh, you get your favourite.
33:05
SPEAKER_01: Oh, man alive, Jack.
33:07
SPEAKER_01: Jared Goff, blah blah blah.
33:09
SPEAKER_01: Can they do it?
33:09
SPEAKER_01: Worst of first, all that crap.
33:12
SPEAKER_01: Um look, there probably more eyes will be on the New Orleans Saints than the Detroit Lions.
33:18
SPEAKER_01: If the Detroit Lions don't win this, then you can kiss their Super Bowl hopes goodbye because that would much as I'd love it, I just can't see them using to uh a team who if I asked you to name their quarterback, how many of you could?
33:34
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, it's Tyler Schuff or Schau Schuff.
33:37
SPEAKER_01: Tyler Schuff, I think.
33:39
SPEAKER_01: We'll have to work out how to say it.
33:40
SPEAKER_01: So um Tyler Schuff, this is his second year after he took over the job midway through last season.
33:46
SPEAKER_01: So still a lot to prove.
33:47
SPEAKER_01: I think I don't even think Alvin Camara's gonna be playing in the first game after his MCL injury, so we've got to think about that.
33:54
SPEAKER_01: Detroit strengthened through the offseason.
33:57
SPEAKER_01: Jared Goff is Jared Goff.
34:00
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I just can't be bothered with this.
34:02
SPEAKER_01: It's uh it's a Detroit win, and I hate it.
34:05
SPEAKER_01: So um enough said.
34:07
SPEAKER_01: Yes, I'm biased, everybody.
34:08
SPEAKER_01: I don't like Detroit.
34:10
SPEAKER_05: Let me shake you out of your miserable negative old man um uh mindset and um run this one past you.
34:18
SPEAKER_05: The Athletic did an article on wild takes for the season, a little bit like we did the other week with our hot tech takes, and um one writer suggested Tyler Schuff will get Pro Bowl votes this season.
34:34
SPEAKER_01: Right, but let's remind you that Shadur Sanders was in the Pro Bowl last year.
34:39
SPEAKER_05: This is a very fair and valid point.
34:43
SPEAKER_05: Let's keep an eye on Tyler this week and um see what he's got.
34:48
SPEAKER_01: I I'll I'll uh I'll get hold of the printers for a 3D cardboard cutout if if New Orleans beat the Lions, we will start up Tyler Shuff Corner and uh I will retire the Shadur Corner um for good.
35:04
SPEAKER_01: But we'll see.
35:05
SPEAKER_01: Let's move on to another possibly possibly the worst game after the Saints and the Lions.
35:15
SPEAKER_01: Um the Jets and the Titans, Matt.
35:20
SPEAKER_05: Yes, Jets and the Titans, lucky old me.
35:23
SPEAKER_05: Uh Robert Saleh's head coach in debut in Tennessee.
35:27
SPEAKER_05: Um Cam Wood's year two um progression under new offensive coordinator Brian Dayball will be something I'll be keeping my eye on.
35:37
SPEAKER_05: Um they we obviously mentioned um uh in a previous show um that the Titans have had a brutal 2025 where they finished 3 and 14.
35:50
SPEAKER_05: Um so any sort of competency that they show in this game will be uh talking point.
35:56
SPEAKER_05: Um so really, you know, for me this is a a case of two franchises very much in that sort of rebuilding phase, and it'll be um a good sort of uh yardstick of who's out of the gate um earlier.
36:13
SPEAKER_05: Uh I think, gosh, this is a really hard one.
36:18
SPEAKER_05: I think the Titans are gonna win.
36:21
SPEAKER_05: I'm gonna go Titans, given they're at home, but um I suspect this one won't be easy on the eye, and it'll be uh an attritional battle between um you know two teams that are probably gonna spend the the majority of the season bottom feeding.
36:37
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
36:39
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
36:39
SPEAKER_01: I I'd like to see the Jets win because if the Jets go 0-2, it's almost certain they'll pick up a win in Green Bay in week three.
36:48
SPEAKER_01: You see that progression.
36:50
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yes the the branch trajectory as it's called.
36:53
SPEAKER_01: Um let's go to a much more exciting game.
36:56
SPEAKER_01: Kerry, Falcons at the Steelers.
37:00
SPEAKER_06: Oh, you know, exciting.
37:01
SPEAKER_06: I I'm still not there with you, but it is gonna be a more interesting game, I'd I'd say.
37:07
SPEAKER_06: Uh look, uh I think uh the big battle with uh Tua, um having the the reigns for the Falcons and uh Rogers, you know, being back, that's gonna be the uh interesting thing to see how you know two um I I'd say uh name quarterbacks um uh compete against each other.
37:26
SPEAKER_06: I think you know, from a team against team standpoint, I I my gut would say the Steelers have this, you know, easily.
37:36
SPEAKER_06: But you know, maybe I'm maybe I'm wrong, maybe Tua's gonna um show up and be the two of that you know we were all expecting them to be at the very beginning of his career.
37:46
SPEAKER_06: Um but um yeah, I think uh it should be a a fairly solid win for Pittsburgh.
37:52
SPEAKER_06: Um uh um ex or former uh cowboy coach Um McCarthy is head coaching and um I'm sure he's gonna be well prepared.
38:01
SPEAKER_06: And um, yeah, so uh I think it will be more interesting than the other, than the the Jets Titans, but uh I think the Steelers should um carry this one fairly niftily.
38:13
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
38:14
SPEAKER_01: I just have to correct you.
38:15
SPEAKER_01: It's former Packers head coach Michael McCarthy.
38:19
SPEAKER_06: True, true, true, true.
38:21
SPEAKER_06: Who had him for the city?
38:24
SPEAKER_01: Uh Michael Pittman Jr.
38:26
SPEAKER_01: has turned up at at Pittsburgh, so that's that's quite exciting.
38:29
SPEAKER_01: But uh and I I was kind of going when you talked about Tua, but you know, if if Michael Pence is coming back from an ACL, you probably want to give him a little bit of time to to make sure he's definitely ready.
38:43
SPEAKER_01: The last thing you want to do is is rush someone back from an ACL.
38:47
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, yeah.
38:48
SPEAKER_06: And it's it's early enough in the season you need to let it rest.
38:53
SPEAKER_05: I I was gonna say um former Packers Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, um Steelers Nation and old man Aaron himself will probab could probably not wished for a better start.
39:09
SPEAKER_05: Um they are facing an Atlanta defence who literally have no pass rush given James Pierce Jr.'s suspension.
39:18
SPEAKER_05: So um I um foresee lots of Aaron Rodgers um strolling around in the pocket and um spraying passes to his um newly assembled weaponry.
39:32
SPEAKER_05: I can see this one being a fairly one-sided victory for the Steelers.
39:40
SPEAKER_01: Yes, totally agree, totally agree.
39:44
SPEAKER_01: Well, I seem to have got the uh the rough end of the pineapple when these uh when we're going through these games one at a time.
39:50
SPEAKER_01: Because it's now the Browns at the Jaguars.
39:53
SPEAKER_01: What can we say?
39:54
SPEAKER_01: Deshaun Watson um likely will be happy because the the game is at Jacksonville.
40:00
SPEAKER_01: Um so he won't be booed off the pitch by his own fans.
40:03
SPEAKER_01: Um I could make a bold prediction and say by the middle of the second half uh Shadur Sanders will be on at quarterbacking.
40:10
SPEAKER_01: Um but we'll we'll we'll see that.
40:14
SPEAKER_01: Um I think Jaguar was a you know they had a such a good season last year.
40:20
SPEAKER_01: I think they finished 13 and 4 or something like that, and I think their playoff inexperience showed as they went through it.
40:27
SPEAKER_01: So again, I'm gonna keep it short and sweet.
40:30
SPEAKER_01: The Browns are dog shit, and Jacksonville will win this uh pretty easily.
40:38
SPEAKER_06: Agreed.
40:40
SPEAKER_06: I'm with you.
40:41
SPEAKER_06: I mean there's there's not much else, but uh yes, uh that that that's what'll happen.
40:48
SPEAKER_01: Yes, yes, exactly.
40:50
SPEAKER_01: So uh let's throw to the next run, which is uh uh again, short and sweet, I'm expecting from you, Carrie.
40:57
SPEAKER_01: Cardinals at the Chargers.
40:59
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, this this is a tough one.
41:01
SPEAKER_06: Look, I I think it's not the Cardinals.
41:06
SPEAKER_06: It's not it's not tough for the Chargers, let's just say it that way.
41:10
SPEAKER_06: The Chargers should um again, this should be a one-sided affair.
41:15
SPEAKER_06: Uh the Cardinals are still in very, very early rebuilding stages.
41:20
SPEAKER_06: So and to me, they're still uh dismantling, right?
41:24
SPEAKER_06: They're still um losing players that you think surely they would have kept um you know him and him and him.
41:30
SPEAKER_06: So I think um it it should be uh one-sided contest.
41:34
SPEAKER_06: It should be um something that the NFL uh doesn't show on prime time at all because you don't want to see a game like this.
41:44
SPEAKER_06: It's it should get ugly pretty quickly.
41:47
SPEAKER_06: I think um, you know, just the move around from the Cardinals means that they're another two years away from being a reasonable team.
41:57
SPEAKER_06: So um good luck, Chargers.
42:00
SPEAKER_01: Well done.
42:01
SPEAKER_01: Well done for itching that out for a minute and a half, Kerry.
42:04
SPEAKER_01: That's just it's just nothing to see here.
42:07
SPEAKER_01: The Chargers will win.
42:09
SPEAKER_01: Um yeah, yeah.
42:12
SPEAKER_01: Okay.
42:12
SPEAKER_01: Uh well, Matt, the the the cookie has crumbled in your direction and you get another NFC North game.
42:20
SPEAKER_01: Uh the Packers at the Vikings.
42:23
SPEAKER_05: This could be an absolute cracker.
42:25
SPEAKER_05: Uh it really could.
42:27
SPEAKER_05: Um so obviously Green Bay starts the season without Mika Parsons.
42:31
SPEAKER_05: We we know he's battling his way back from a um you know devastating knee injury last season.
42:38
SPEAKER_05: It's also Kyler Murray's um debut as a Vikings player.
42:42
SPEAKER_05: Um we've mentioned that you know Caleb Johnson and Marshawn Marshawn Lloyd will be carrying the ball um the rushing load for for the Packers with Josh Jacobs out at the commissioners' uh pleasure.
43:01
SPEAKER_05: So really we're looking at a depleted Packers roster versus you know a reshaped and hopeful Minnesota team.
43:09
SPEAKER_05: Um I think this one, it's a line call.
43:15
SPEAKER_05: In my mind, I'm I'm I'm hearing that Viking horn constantly playing after touchdowns from Kyler Murray.
43:29
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, um I'm manifesting a Vikings win.
43:33
SPEAKER_05: Um I think Packers will just edge it.
43:39
SPEAKER_05: Just edge it.
43:41
SPEAKER_05: Less than three points, three points or less.
43:45
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, Trace Mack, last minute uh field goal, that's uh that's what I'm putting.
43:50
SPEAKER_01: Trace Mack is so new you can't even pick him in fantasy football.
43:56
SPEAKER_01: So um that that's it.
43:58
SPEAKER_01: I I I at at some point There is going to be a smack that headline coming in.
44:03
SPEAKER_01: It just has to be.
44:05
SPEAKER_01: So uh look, I am of the uh my pessimistic side says this is way too tough.
44:10
SPEAKER_01: Um my optimism from our prediction show a couple of weeks ago says if uh Kyler Murray can't throw the ball at Justin Jefferson, they're they're buggered.
44:19
SPEAKER_01: Um so all you gotta do is double up on on JJ, stop the run again, and and you should win quite comfortably.
44:27
SPEAKER_01: It's really gonna depend on Green Bay's wide receiver stepping up um and and kind of a breakup year for Matthew Gold.
44:36
SPEAKER_01: But yeah, I'm I am nervous.
44:39
SPEAKER_01: Monday morning I will be nervous.
44:41
SPEAKER_01: 6 25 a.m.
44:43
SPEAKER_01: kickoff.
44:44
SPEAKER_03: Oh carry.
44:47
SPEAKER_03: Okay.
44:48
SPEAKER_03: Or is it me next?
44:51
SPEAKER_01: Up to you.
44:51
SPEAKER_01: Is it me next?
44:52
SPEAKER_01: It is me next, isn't it?
44:53
SPEAKER_01: Jesus.
44:53
SPEAKER_01: How did I pick this one?
44:54
SPEAKER_01: The Dolphins at the Raiders.
44:58
SPEAKER_01: Oh man alive.
45:00
SPEAKER_01: Um actually quite interesting.
45:02
SPEAKER_01: Now, Kirk Cousins has the start in week one.
45:05
SPEAKER_01: That's already been decided.
45:07
SPEAKER_01: So there's no up and down.
45:08
SPEAKER_01: Is it gonna be Hernandez?
45:10
SPEAKER_01: Is it gonna be Cousins?
45:12
SPEAKER_01: The Roy Rogers loving Kirk Cousins will open up for the Raiders.
45:16
SPEAKER_01: Probably a sensible decision.
45:18
SPEAKER_01: Um the Dolphins, of course, have got uh Malik Willis, so his first starting debut.
45:25
SPEAKER_01: Um Jeff Hafley uh uh knew there.
45:29
SPEAKER_01: It's oh this could be a tight one.
45:33
SPEAKER_01: Um you know the Raiders drafted well, they've they've they've traded well, they've still got Max Crosby.
45:40
SPEAKER_01: The Dolphins with two were not that good.
45:44
SPEAKER_01: Um and I I like Malik Willis.
45:47
SPEAKER_01: Um he's a great backup quarterback.
45:50
SPEAKER_01: I and I'd love to see him break out and be a strong starting quarterback because I think he deserves to have that opportunity.
46:01
SPEAKER_01: Um I don't know.
46:04
SPEAKER_01: Uh you've got Ashton Gennetti making his regular season NFL debut as a as a feature back.
46:08
SPEAKER_01: There's this so much to kind of weigh up and down a bit.
46:12
SPEAKER_01: This I don't think it's gonna be pretty.
46:15
SPEAKER_01: But you know what, I think Kirk Cousins is gonna is gonna prevail.
46:20
SPEAKER_01: And I think Rowie, if you're listening, I think the Raiders are gonna take this one and head up for a uh uh eight and nine or a nine and eight season.
46:30
SPEAKER_01: Whoa, what it's gonna be.
46:32
SPEAKER_01: But it's not gonna be pretty.
46:34
SPEAKER_01: Let's say that.
46:38
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, I've got the Raiders winning this one as well.
46:41
SPEAKER_06: That's that's uh that's bold.
46:45
SPEAKER_06: I I can see that because uh I I think you know I'm I'm excited that um you know uh Cousins is in the hot seat.
46:54
SPEAKER_06: I think he'll do well.
46:55
SPEAKER_06: I think he'll be a good mentor.
46:58
SPEAKER_06: And I just yeah, I didn't see much from the Dolphins in the offseason.
47:03
SPEAKER_06: So yeah, I'm kind of with you.
47:05
SPEAKER_06: But um we'll see how the season goes for the Raiders, because that's that's big.
47:10
SPEAKER_06: Love it.
47:10
SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
47:11
SPEAKER_06: Where's Roy when you need him?
47:13
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, exactly.
47:14
SPEAKER_01: We we should invite him back one day just to laugh at him.
47:17
SPEAKER_01: Can he turn up with his bloody Detroit gear on?
47:19
SPEAKER_01: We don't want that.
47:20
SPEAKER_01: Um So Kerry, you're well, you've got You've got a divisional game.
47:28
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
47:29
SPEAKER_01: The commanders at the Eagles.
47:32
SPEAKER_01: Now, this to me is a fascinating one.
47:35
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely fascinating.
47:37
SPEAKER_06: And I I don't know how to pick it, you know, because my um it's it's hard to go for either of these teams because obviously they are very much division rivals uh with the Cowboys.
47:52
SPEAKER_06: But I um I'll I'll call it early because I think the Eagles will still win this game.
47:57
SPEAKER_06: However, um it it really all depends to me on Jaden Daniels.
48:02
SPEAKER_06: If he's truly healthy and the and I know um, you know, he shouldn't be looking at looking for his number to be retired still.
48:12
SPEAKER_06: I I know that's that's it.
48:14
SPEAKER_01: You didn't call him by his real name, number five Jaden Daniels.
48:18
SPEAKER_01: Sorry, LSU number five, Jaden Daniels.
48:21
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
48:21
SPEAKER_01: That's right.
48:22
SPEAKER_06: But uh if he's if he's healthy, they're gonna be a good team.
48:25
SPEAKER_06: They're gonna be a good side.
48:27
SPEAKER_06: Um they've done some you know moves in the offseason to shure up the defense a bit, give um get him off the field just a bit.
48:34
SPEAKER_06: Uh sorry, uh get the um get him on the field a bit uh longer um and more opportunities.
48:41
SPEAKER_06: So if that um, you know, if he's moving around like he was in his um debut year, they'll do well, but I still think the Eagles just a stronger team.
48:52
SPEAKER_06: Um the offense is the part that I'm not sure about with the Eagles because um I I think I've I feel like they're getting old, um, and I'm not sure if they feel it, but they're starting to um you know not be uh as dynamic.
49:08
SPEAKER_06: So I'd say um let's watch what happens with their new offensive coordinator, um what is it, um Sean Mannion, um, and um see how they they fare.
49:21
SPEAKER_06: But uh right now I'm still saying Eagles should should pull this one off.
49:28
SPEAKER_01: What?
49:30
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I yeah, I think you might be right.
49:33
SPEAKER_01: I think you might be right.
49:34
SPEAKER_01: I think Jalen Hurts is gonna have a stinker of a year.
49:36
SPEAKER_01: That's that's my problem here.
49:38
SPEAKER_01: I think the the Eagles are not gonna be the usual Eagles you expect.
49:42
SPEAKER_01: They kind of got tush pushed out of the way last year, and I feel it can happen to them again this year.
49:48
SPEAKER_01: Uh uh maybe uh AJ Brown disappearing is gonna enlighten the locker room and everyone's gonna step up and I'm gonna eat my words.
49:55
SPEAKER_01: But yeah, I think they'll beat the commanders, uh, because I think the commanders are probably the weakest team in this division.
50:03
SPEAKER_01: But I I I think the next game we're gonna come on to is is probably gonna be the top two sides in the division this year.
50:15
SPEAKER_01: That means a bad start for the Cowboys then so uh with that said, let me throw to Matt who's taking on Sunday night football, which is the Giants at the Cowboys, I believe.
50:33
SPEAKER_05: 10 20am on uh on Monday for you, Kerry.
50:38
SPEAKER_05: Um yes, we talked about Tyler Smith's uh thumb surgery, so obviously the Dallas O-line has taken a hit out of the gate.
50:48
SPEAKER_05: Um and the Giants are welcoming back some of their long-term absentees.
50:54
SPEAKER_05: So um Weapons Malik neighbours uh Najee Harris are back, and Odell Beckham Jr., as we mentioned last week, has also made the rosters.
51:04
SPEAKER_05: Von Miller's debut for the Cowboys, and it'll be interesting to see how um the president's mate, Jackson Dart, um, goes in year two.
51:14
SPEAKER_05: Um now he's got uh wide uh a deeper wide receiver um corp to throw to.
51:21
SPEAKER_05: Um I think the Cowboys will run up a score and win this one comfortably.
51:29
SPEAKER_01: Wow.
51:32
SPEAKER_05: You're the only person I know, Pete, who thinks the Giants are gonna cause trouble this season.
51:39
SPEAKER_01: They're my celebrities.
51:41
SPEAKER_01: Jackson Dart's gonna break out this year.
51:43
SPEAKER_01: That's that's what I'm saying.
51:45
SPEAKER_01: Well, I I'm stunned.
51:47
SPEAKER_01: I I I I think I think you might be right.
51:50
SPEAKER_01: I think the Cowboys, I think, because Dak always starts quite hot.
51:53
SPEAKER_01: Um you know, and you know, I don't want to speak for Kerry, but generally by week five he's got hope for something, and then by week eight that's all disappeared.
52:03
SPEAKER_01: So I think a hot starting Dallas might just take this one, especially because it's at Dallas.
52:10
SPEAKER_01: Um, but I still think the Giants, I I think the top two in this league this year will be the Giants or Dallas and the Giants in in either one.
52:19
SPEAKER_05: I think this one's in New York, Pete.
52:23
SPEAKER_01: Is it?
52:24
SPEAKER_01: Uh clearly I've got the EPL way round.
52:27
SPEAKER_01: So as it's in the Giants stadium, then I'll still pick the cables.
52:33
SPEAKER_06: Look, uh I I'm I'm kind of with you.
52:37
SPEAKER_06: Um I I was reading some of the um predictions and uh it it's scary because the the the Giants have a a lot more weapons than I knew about, uh and they've done some some really good work um you know kind of rebuilding from you know the from the trenches, I'd say.
52:58
SPEAKER_06: So uh it is gonna be uh a matter of can the Cowboys score like they were able to score last year, if they can, and the defense can just hold tight.
53:10
SPEAKER_06: You know, just it's not about if they can score.
53:12
SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
53:13
SPEAKER_06: They can score.
53:14
SPEAKER_01: It's it's it's can they not not concede is the is the is the question, right?
53:18
SPEAKER_06: Well that's that's let's see see if uh we have any uh improvement over last year.
53:24
SPEAKER_06: Again, for me, biggest biggest question is defensive coordinator, brand new talent.
53:29
SPEAKER_06: Um let's let's see if the talent works out, and if it does, then you know we'll we'll we'll have hope again.
53:34
SPEAKER_06: We'll see.
53:37
SPEAKER_01: Very good, very good.
53:38
SPEAKER_01: And finally we'll come on to Monday night football.
53:46
SPEAKER_01: Broncos at the Chiefs.
53:48
SPEAKER_01: What a great game to start the AFC.
53:50
SPEAKER_01: The the Wannabes against the the veterans.
53:53
SPEAKER_01: The Chiefs had a stinker of the year last year, not you know, notwithstanding Patrick uh was injured at the back end of the season.
54:02
SPEAKER_01: And so that's you know, could probably uh account for a few of their losses at the back end.
54:06
SPEAKER_01: There, I think they probably would have rushed him back had they still been competing in it.
54:11
SPEAKER_01: I still stand by what I think.
54:12
SPEAKER_01: I think the Chiefs have a good chance of making the Super Bowl again this year, as long as they don't make this season the Travis Kelsey retirement tour.
54:19
SPEAKER_01: If they fall into that trap, it's gonna be a long, long season for them.
54:23
SPEAKER_01: Um Bo Nicks, obviously back after breaking his ankle in uh in the postseason uh last year, possibly ruining their chances of making the Super Bowl.
54:34
SPEAKER_01: Um in the end.
54:36
SPEAKER_01: He looked good in preseason.
54:38
SPEAKER_01: If he can uh fire it up, that will be good.
54:41
SPEAKER_01: Uh the Chiefs have got Kenneth Walker the third, though who was the the first quarterback in what 25-30 years, the first running back in 25-30 years to win the MVP at a Super Bowl.
54:54
SPEAKER_01: I think they've strengthened really well.
54:56
SPEAKER_01: They've lost Trent McDuffie, obviously, but I think I I'm gonna stick my neck out and say the Broncos are gonna get put in their place by the Chiefs.
55:05
SPEAKER_01: I think uh it's it's I'm gonna again take a wild guess and say it's at the Chiefs.
55:10
SPEAKER_01: Um and I think the home opener will be too much for Bo Nicks and his buddies.
55:15
SPEAKER_01: And therefore the Chiefs are gonna take this one.
55:23
SPEAKER_06: It's it i it's uh it's a tough one for me because I I actually think the Broncos are gonna be a great team this year.
55:28
SPEAKER_06: I think um I've got them picked as you know my my potential Super Bowl champions, the Broncos.
55:36
SPEAKER_06: Um but I I think you're you're right.
55:38
SPEAKER_06: The the Chiefs um I just can't see Mahomes not starting off strong.
55:44
SPEAKER_06: Um we'll see if it um you know what the effect is of a new season um you know uh bouncing back off of a um you know lackluster season.
55:55
SPEAKER_06: I I suspect they will come um hot and ready to go.
55:59
SPEAKER_06: So I'm I'm with you.
56:00
SPEAKER_06: I kind of think I'm kind of thinking Chiefs this time.
56:06
SPEAKER_01: Very good.
56:07
SPEAKER_01: Very good.
56:10
SPEAKER_05: Um Peter Kerry, did now we've fumbled our way through our predictions.
56:14
SPEAKER_05: Did you want me to do a really quick run through what the sportsbook says?
56:19
SPEAKER_05: Um yeah the Seahawks Patriots, Ladbrooks have the Seattle at$1.53 favourite, New England at$2.50, Rams$49ers, Los Angeles$1.50 favourite,$49ers$2.60, Bengals and the Buccaneers, Cincinnati$1.50, Tampa Bay$2.60, Texans and the Bills, Texans$2, Bills$1.82, Colts and the Ravens, Indianapolis$2.45, Boltons, uh Baltimore$155, Titans and the Jets, Tennessee$178 favourite, Jets at$2.05.
57:01
SPEAKER_05: Pittsburgh$1.53 favourite over the Falcons at$2.50.
57:06
SPEAKER_05: Panthers and the Bears.
57:08
SPEAKER_05: Bears at$162 favourite over the Panthers at$2.30.
57:13
SPEAKER_05: The Lions are$1.30 favourite to beat the Saints at$3.50.
57:18
SPEAKER_05: The Jags are$1.24 to beat the Browns at$4.20.
57:23
SPEAKER_05: The Raiders are$1.55 favourites over the$2.50 Dolphins.
57:29
SPEAKER_05: The Eagles are$142 against the Commanders at$2.85.
57:35
SPEAKER_05: Chargers, in no surprise to anyone,$1.18, the shortest price favourite of the week.
57:41
SPEAKER_05: Cardinals$5 to win that game.
57:44
SPEAKER_05: The Vikings are$1.82 favourite to beat the Green Bay Packers at$2.
57:50
SPEAKER_05: Uh the Cowboys are favoured$1.64 over the Giants at$2.30.
57:57
SPEAKER_05: And the Chiefs are favoured at$1.68 to beat the Broncos at$2.20.
58:05
SPEAKER_01: Okay.
58:06
SPEAKER_01: So so some favourite, some not in what we've done.
58:09
SPEAKER_01: Now before we we come to the some breaking uh news about Jed York, we have entered a fantasy football team.
58:18
SPEAKER_01: So I signed up to be in uh it's in a beginners competition.
58:23
SPEAKER_01: It's a head-to-head competition run by ESPN, so you can sign up as many times as you like.
58:28
SPEAKER_01: Uh because none of us have done this before, I chose the automatic draft.
58:33
SPEAKER_01: Um, and you'll understand why I'm making that really clear that it's an automated draft.
58:38
SPEAKER_01: Uh so you play head-to-head against uh nine other teams throughout the season, and and at the end someone will come up on top, we'll give you updates throughout the year.
58:46
SPEAKER_01: Um, the team are called the MFs, because I thought that would uh uh uh just just about be allowed.
58:54
SPEAKER_01: And I can tell you why it was also drafted because our quarterback is Caleb Williams from the Chicago Bears.
59:00
SPEAKER_01: We have Christian McCaffrey and Javante Williams at our running backs, Justin Jefferson and Drake London are our wide receivers.
59:10
SPEAKER_01: T.
59:10
SPEAKER_01: Higgins is our tight end, Sam Laporta is also our tight end.
59:15
SPEAKER_01: Uh we have Cameron Dicker as our kicker, and our defense is represented by the Texans.
59:21
SPEAKER_01: Our backup quarterback is Brody Brock Purdy, and our backup defense is the Ravens.
59:27
SPEAKER_01: Uh nothing else to worry about as we negotiate through the rest of the year on that one.
59:34
SPEAKER_01: So we'll keep you updated every week as how we're going.
59:37
SPEAKER_01: If we need to trade anyone, if someone falls out, if I mysteriously uh take out Caleb Williams and put Brock Purdy in as our starting quarterback, you'll understand why.
59:46
SPEAKER_01: However, I feel this week it's the right choice.
59:50
SPEAKER_01: Um and before we leave, Matt, over to you for some uh break late breaking news on Jed York.
59:59
SPEAKER_05: Finishing off on the fantasy league, I reckon the auto draft probably did a miles better job than we could have done.
1:00:05
SPEAKER_05: Not a bad time, I guess.
1:00:07
SPEAKER_03: Sounds pretty good.
1:00:08
SPEAKER_05: Anyway, um uh breaking news um about Jed York.
1:00:14
SPEAKER_05: Um after the most recent report, which came out just yesterday, uh York's fate under the personal conduct policy remains unresolved, with a decision expected after week one.
1:00:27
SPEAKER_05: Now, we speculated about this being the case last week, Peter, as a convenient way for the NFL to get around the problem of York not being able to enter Australia.
1:00:40
SPEAKER_05: Um the 49ers organization have stated that they are explicitly preparing for the possibility of a suspension.
1:00:48
SPEAKER_05: Um General Manager John Lynch has confirmed that historically York is an in the building almost everyday owner.
1:00:59
SPEAKER_05: However, he is now primarily based out of his hometown of Youngstown, Ohio, and communication with the team has changed as a result of um these events, even though Lynch says York remains heavily involved despite being physically absent.
1:01:16
SPEAKER_05: Um the athletics Matt Burrows has um revealed some new details on the arrest itself.
1:01:25
SPEAKER_05: Buckle up, this just gets better.
1:01:27
SPEAKER_05: York had responded to a prostitution ad sting using the name Joe and drove a rental car to a mobile home park in East Palestine, Ohio, where he was stopped by police after getting lost looking for the address.
1:01:45
SPEAKER_05: Um 49ers staff have described things as pretty ugly inside the York family right now, um, claiming that there was lots of weird stuff going on even before Jed's arrest, um, separate from the arrest itself.
1:02:03
SPEAKER_05: Um, this is being framed as a bigger organizational concern than the legal matter itself.
1:02:09
SPEAKER_05: Um, although it's currently sourced to a single anonymous staffer, so we should treat that one with a little bit of unconfirmed colour rather than it being established fact.
1:02:20
SPEAKER_05: Wait for this one, Kerry.
1:02:22
SPEAKER_05: Paul of Fatima, Michael Irvin, um working as Netflix's pre-game analyst in Melbourne, publicly downplayed the situation, saying he got divorced five or six months ago.
1:02:36
SPEAKER_05: So I'm like, man, come on, is this really a crime?
1:02:40
SPEAKER_05: Just let him go.
1:02:45
SPEAKER_05: Michael is.
1:02:46
SPEAKER_05: The bottom line, this is very much a continuing unresolved story heading into week one with elite decision still pending and a secondary family dysfunction thread now emerging.
1:02:58
SPEAKER_05: Um so we will probably try to bring you updates on this one each week as uh more and more sordid details emerge.
1:03:10
SPEAKER_01: Wow.
1:03:11
SPEAKER_01: And if and if you uh if you can't wait to get your fix of football uh and want to treat yourself to some YouTube action, go and watch the end of the Western Michigan uh versus Michigan college game last weekend.
1:03:27
SPEAKER_01: It was something to behold, and many conspiracy theories are about.
1:03:32
SPEAKER_01: So yes, yes, I'll say no more.
1:03:35
SPEAKER_01: Uh go and watch it because I don't want to spoil it if you haven't already seen it.
1:03:39
SPEAKER_01: And on that bombshell that uh Jed King has made it into the country.
1:03:43
SPEAKER_01: Um then uh and and it's not too big a crime then uh we will we will see you all hopefully for a reaction show uh coming out uh late on Friday or Saturday.
1:03:54
SPEAKER_01: Um but we'll be back next week to uh review the games that have been and preview the upcoming games of next week.
1:04:02
SPEAKER_01: Thanks everybody.
1:04:03
SPEAKER_01: Here we go.
1:04:03
SPEAKER_01: See you all soon.
1:04:05
SPEAKER_01: Bye.
1:04:15
SPEAKER_00: That's a wrap on another episode of the Mostly Football Show.
1:04:19
SPEAKER_00: Don't forget to subscribe and review or get in touch at mostly football twenty-five at gmail dot com.
1:04:26
SPEAKER_00: See you next week.