Latest / Inside the Birds: A Philadelphia Eagles Podcast / Caplan's Intel On Eagles 2025 Schedule, Part 2: DEN, NYG, MIN

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Caplan's Intel On Eagles 2025 Schedule, Part 2: DEN, NYG, MIN · Inside the Birds: A Philadelphia Eagles Podcast

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Speaker 1: Hello, everyone, Welcome to another edition of Inside the Birds.
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I am Adam Kaplan and on this special show, we
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continue our Eagle schedule series with games five through eight,
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and in our first one we did games one through four,
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which you could get on any podcasting platform just like
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this show. But before we get started, just a quick
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note on our for Patreon, we do a live stream
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So check that out. You go to patreon dot com
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love that. I get that totally. You get Discord that's
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included with other members. We know a lot of people
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do Discord. We show up every once in a while
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and there get You also get chalk Talk, where it's
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an instructional series, whether it's a former coach like former
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Eagles quarterbacks coach John de Filippo, for personnel people, general
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managers who've worked with the National Footballager, personnel directors, cat
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people get. You also get Greg Cosell live. We do that.
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We're probably gonna start doing that again in August. We
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do that every week during the season. By the way,
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you get Greg for about a half an hour. You
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could talk about any team with Greg all thirty two,
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just like you count with us. We don't just talk
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to eagles on Inside the Birds. We talk all thirty
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month for June. This is phenomenal. We had Vinnie Curry,
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a Super Bowl winner in twenty seventeen, which is one
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of our favorite ones. He was atoltely awesome, answered some
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great questions and he told he boy does he have
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great stories. So you can get all that and more
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at patreon dot com slash inside the Birds to become
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a member. All right, let's get to the Eagle schedule
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games five through eight. Now the Eagles start to their schedule.
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I wouldn't call it a Bear like maybe other years,
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It's obviously got its challenges. When you're the Super Bowl winner.
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It's not the hardest thing in the world, but it's
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certainly much harder than average. As we know, they host
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the Cowboys on Thursday night. Being the Super Bowl winner,
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they host the first game. Then they're at the Chiefs.
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They know the Chiefs very well after absolutely smoking them
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in the Super Bowl. That's certainly still going to be
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a hard game on the road. Chiefs are still going
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to be good. Then they host the Rams, a team
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that they very well know, and then they're at the Bucks.
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For some strange reason, they're playing Week four in back
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to back seasons. If I'm not mistaken, I mean double check.
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Did they play? Yeah? And I don't know what we
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forgot to mention this? Do you know that most people
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don't even know this? Week three and twenty twenty three,
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the Eagles played at Tampa Bay. What the hell's going
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on with that one? Now, the Eagles won that game.
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That was that I think it was that Sunday night
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or Monday night game. Baker Mayfield was the quarterback. Eagles
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were able to win that game. But just why are
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they playing in the first month of the season at Tampa.
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It just defies logic. But getting back to twenty twenty five,
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now we're on the week number five, So week number
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five they will host the Denver Broncos, who came out
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of nowhere the odds makers last year. Depending on which
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book you looked at to start the twenty four season,
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they were given between a four and a half win
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or five and a half win total. Obviously, the books
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got crushed if if they if any of the betters
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took the over they wanted a big way, I wonder
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what the plus if you picked over, I wonder what
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you were getting for that. But nevertheless, this year the
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odds makers learned if the Broncos are opening, in fact,
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it really hasn't hasn't really moved the over nine and
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a half wins, which is their win total. It's minus
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one of five, and they're gonna make sure they're winning
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either way, right the unders minus one fifteen, I see
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them around nine or ten wins, right. So the tough
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part though for the Broncos is that teams kind of
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know who they're facing now. They know it's a Sean
4:24
Payton coach team, they know what bo Nix does. They
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know what to tape look like. So they're in the
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midst by the time they get to week five of
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three out of four away, they hope it against They
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open against the Titans at home, then they're at the Colts,
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they're at the Chargers, they host the Bengals, and then
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and that that game, by the way, is on a
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I think a sunny night, and then they at Philly
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at one o'clock Easter game. That's that's a two hour
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time difference. It's like kind of playing at eleven am
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for them. They have to get through that. But the
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bottom line is they're playing Sean Payton. They know what
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they're getting. As we look at their offense, they are
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what we called a balance eleven and twelve offense. That
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means that they'll Sean Payton. Now he's got having Ingram
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at tight end and now they could really compete attend
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and Greg Dulsige unfortunately didn't work out due to hamstring problems,
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but he's going to go back from eleven personnel and
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they are super loaded receiver, one of the deepest receiver
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teams in the National Football League, but they will run
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the football. They drafted the kid Harvey from Central Florida's
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or second rounder. They brought in JK. Dobbins, who led
5:29
the charges in rushing, did a great job. He's had
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a number of injuries, but they they will run the ball.
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They'll be balanced. Now. The thing getting over to Bownicks,
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who was well head of scheduled last season. Most teams
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didn't like Bonnicks, to be honest with it, this is
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Sean Payton's gott not just publicly but privately. The word
5:46
around the league was that this is his guy, this
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is the guy he wanted. He's so little of Drew
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Brees and him. He's a bigger version of Drew Brees,
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but pretty good athlete. There were knocks. Can he be
5:55
a pocket passer? He's a guy like the rollout, pretty athletic.
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Is he willing to be a pocket passer? The achuer
6:02
is yes. You look at this receiver corps and this
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is where if you're the Broncos, knowing the way the
6:08
Eagles are, this should be a heavy eleven personnel game
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with Courtland Sutton who's terrific, Marvin Mims who could run.
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Veyle who was the seventh rounder last season, who's a
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big guy. Pat Bryant third round of Illinois was a
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big sleeper Troy Franklin to play with Knicks at Oregon,
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so they're super deep at wide receiver. Now we mentioned
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Evan Ingram who's a slot tight end. Adam Treulman who
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came over into trade from New Orleans, so he'll be
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their wide tight end. This is not an easy situation
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for the Eagles. Were knocked deep at corner, so this
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to me is really challenging for the Eagles. If if
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I'm Sean Payton, You're gonna spread them out. Their offensive
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line is well above average. It's a solid offensive line.
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It's not like elite. But Garrett Balls has revived his career.
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You might remember early Garrett Balls's career in twenty seventeen.
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It's the first rounder. He really struggled. He was an
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older offensive line when he was drafted. He struggled a
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little bit. But they've kind of settled things down minor.
7:05
It's been a nice story. Is the right guard, Mike
7:07
mclinche comes over from the Niners. He's been there for
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now a couple of years. Ben Power signed a big
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deal as their left guard. They got Wattenberg, who's a
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fifth rounder three years ago. At center so they're fine there.
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The Eagles defensive line, as we know, it's changed. They're
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gonna have five minimum five new starters on defense. So
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this will be a challenging, absolutely challenging game for the Eagles.
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If all the key pieces are healthy for the Broncos,
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this to me is a challenging game. This will be
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a fun game. This will absolutely be a fun game
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for the Eagles in Week five. I look forward to
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this one now. Defensively, this is a fun This is
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another team where you look at it and vance Joseph.
7:52
The strange thing, it's vanced Joseph who comes back. He
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was once the Broncos head coach. It didn't work out
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with John Alway as the general manager of ventures was fired.
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He was later brought back by Sean Payton to be
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the defensive coordinator. So he's done an excellent job. They're
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really loaded. Their front three is terrific. Zach Allen, who,
8:14
by the way, the Eagles had a lot of interest
8:16
in it coming over from the Cardinals, but they didn't
8:18
want to payhim the money. They made their trade for
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John Frank la Meyer's former defensive tackle and pretty good
8:25
pass rusher from an interior standpoint and DJ Jones is
8:28
a veteran run stopper. It's been around league a long time.
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So their front three is pretty good. They match up.
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They can match up with athleticism, size with Eagles offensive line.
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Obviously the Eagles have the best offensive line football. This
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will be a good matchup for them. Then the edge
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rusher group is really good. Nick Benito has been a
8:44
great story of development, no question about it. He's he's
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on the final years deal, but I'm sure he's going
8:53
to get an extension for a training camp structor you should,
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John Cooper, it's been a good story development as a
8:58
former seventh rounder. And so Luther Ellis's kid. He had
9:04
another Elis kid who's a former Utah pass rusher, Jonah Ellis.
9:09
He came out last year so they could get after it.
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Now here's the problem at inside backer, where the Eagles
9:15
really have an advantage. Drake Greenlaw has not been the
9:18
same since he tours Achilles in the Super Bowl two
9:20
years ago. Alex Singleton, formerly of the Eagles, good good player,
9:25
but he's coming off a torn acl seranad is back
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who's a fifth rounder. Justin Strenad who is a fifth
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rounder for the Broncos in twenty twenty. So there are
9:35
questions here and this is where the Eagles could really
9:38
eat by running. When they run the football, they should
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be successful. Really good secondary. Patrick Shretan a first rounder
9:45
in twenty twenty one. He is the best corner in football,
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no question about it. He's phenomenal. And Riley Moss, now see,
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there were questions about Riley Moss. Is he a safety
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or was he a corner? Sort of high hipped that
10:00
was a concert from who was the third round of Iowa.
10:02
But he is a corner for now. Whu Funga comes
10:04
over from the Niners with Brandon Jones, those are your
10:08
safeties and barn right now probably will be their nickel,
10:11
but he could wand up playing corner as well. Mathis
10:14
is a good corner. Damorrow mathis number twenty seven. Jawan
10:18
McMillan is there as well. They're actually trading Abram Abrams.
10:23
Drain is there as well, who's a corner. So they're
10:25
really deep in the secondary. This to me, if I
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was going to put out a line just on the surface,
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I would have the Eagles being a three and a
10:33
half to four point favorite. This is this is a good.
10:37
I love this matchup. This is the Broncos man, not
10:41
John Elway. And then of course George Peyton, who's the
10:43
John manager that they've built. John always really not involved anymore,
10:47
but Peyton, and they both Payton, George Peyton and Sean Payton.
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They spelled differently. Peyton's p A t O N and
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then Trump Payton's p y t o N. They're building
10:58
something pretty good here. It's a good trying to be
11:00
a Broncos fan. Let's see how bo Nicks does in
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year two. So this to me is a solid matchup.
11:06
This is a good matchup Van Choz who plays a
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ton of man coverage thirty six percent last year to
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finish them off their fifth most. That's high because when
11:15
I was covering the National Football League back in the
11:19
early to mid two thousands, the league was heavy man
11:23
coverage and now it's moved to more zone coverage. But man,
11:27
they're old school there. This is a great matchup, so
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looking forward to that one Week six, this is the
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eagles second NFC East game. Ve Eagles are at the
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Giants Nick Siurani six and three including the playoffs versus
11:41
those Giants. Now this week sixteen game is October ninth.
11:45
This is a Thursday night game at eight fifteen. Now,
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when you look at the Giants schedule, this is why,
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by the way, the odds makers have the Giants at
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five and a half wins. The over, by the way,
11:58
is plus one twenty. Nobody see I'm doing it well.
12:01
By the time the Eagles play this Giant team, we
12:07
assume Russell Wilson will still be the quarterback. I can't
12:09
pull the plug thatat early. But listen to the schedule.
12:12
The first two games are the way at Washington. We
12:14
know how good Washington's going to be at Dallas Week two,
12:17
both are one o'clock games. Then they play they host
12:21
the Chiefs. That the following Sunday, it's a Sunday night game.
12:25
They host those Chiefs, the Super Bowl runner up. Then
12:29
the following Sunday they host the Chargers. That is a
12:34
murders Row. End. The next week maybe they'll finally win
12:37
a game that's a one o'clock game against the Saints.
12:40
Then on a Thursday night they host the Eagles. And
12:43
listen to this schedule. I just want to roll this
12:45
around and we'll talk more about them later in this show.
12:49
They play at the Eagles and at the Broncos. So
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they play at the Broncos after this Eagles game, then
12:55
they play at the Eagles versus the Niners in Week nine.
13:00
I like the under, folks. I don't see how they're
13:02
getting six wins. I don't. I mean, look the under.
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The odds makers and the betters are with me here.
13:10
The under is monus one forty five. Boy, that's a lot.
13:13
You're getting a lot of juice there. But that is
13:16
really difficult. So yes, so let's get to it. Week six.
13:19
Russell Wilson, he has not played at a high level,
13:24
quite frankly since two thousand and That was with Brian Schottenheimer,
13:31
no question about it. That was with Brian Schottenheimer as
13:34
the offense coordinator for the Seahawks. I would say this
13:38
about Russell Wilson. He had his moments with the Steelers
13:42
last season, but they're wonn't enough of them. As I reported,
13:45
and I put this on sports Bride back in January,
13:48
Arthur Smith, the offensive coordinator for the Steelers, wanted a
13:51
bench Russell Wilson. He was told no, so he couldn't
13:54
do it. But the bottom line is he wanted to
13:57
go to Justin fields, he couldn't do it, and he
14:00
went with Russell Wilson, and Wilson did not close the
14:02
season well, and he's moving on to the Giants. A
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couple other teams talk to him, but he knew the
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one place where he could go and start. And by
14:09
the way, the Steelers interest in bringing back Wilson, he
14:13
was like third or fourth on the depth chart in
14:16
terms of bringing bringing quarterbacks in. He was way down
14:18
the list. The fields was higher than the list, by
14:21
the way, And I don't even know how that would work.
14:23
Knowing that it got out there wasn't just myself. A
14:26
reported and others reported it that Arthur Smiths wanted a
14:28
bench Russell Wilson. So I don't know how that would
14:31
have worked if Wilson would have gone back, but he didn't.
14:32
He's not he's with the Giants. Here's the thing about
14:35
Russell Wilson talking to various NFL people. His deep ball
14:39
still good, but he doesn't move as well. He has
14:43
issues hold onto the football. That is driven coaches who
14:46
have coached him crazy over the years because why does
14:49
he do it? Because he wants to be superman, He
14:52
wants he wants to make the big splash play, but
14:54
he doesn't move as well. And here's the problem with
14:57
the Giants offensive line. As bullsh as I am on
15:00
this offense with Brian Daball and Mike Kavka, we'll see
15:04
who they have made a final decision to call Colton plays.
15:07
I'd be surprised if Deboll's not doing it. Russell Wilson
15:11
needs to be coached hard. Brian Schottenheimer was brought in
15:15
to coach up Russell Wilson hard in twenty twenty. Did
15:19
a great job with what happened with Russell Wilson. There
15:21
was two things. He had twenty touchdowns in eight games.
15:26
Pete Carroll had enough of the passing. The front office
15:30
was after Pete, they played with him. Let's come out
15:33
from that? Was let Russ Cook hear that Schottenheimer's idea shot.
15:37
He wanted to come out and throw the football early,
15:40
pass early, get it, get a lead, and run to win. Well,
15:43
the problem was Carol thought that because the defense was
15:46
not really competitive and so bad, they had to run
15:49
the football limit possessions. But that's not Schottenheimer or any
15:53
offensive coaches problem. They're there to score. It's just not
15:56
good coaching by Carol, and it didn't well with Schottenheimer.
16:00
Carol Pete did not bring back Schottenheimer after that, and
16:05
the second half of that season teams started playing more
16:07
zone defense. And also Russell was not in a rhythm
16:12
because of the offensive scheme change or philosophy change, I
16:15
should say, but Russell was awesome for at least half
16:18
a season. We know, Winston's the backup, then the Rooks,
16:22
then the Rooks the rookie. And when you look at
16:26
that situation with their quarterback depth chart, the question will
16:31
be by the time the Eagles get to them in
16:33
week six, if they're on five, will they because pretty
16:36
much if you're on five, you're not making the playoffs, right,
16:39
the history of teams going on to five as minuscule
16:42
in terms of making the playoffs. If you're in week
16:43
six in their own five, which is realistic, do you
16:46
just bypass Jameis Winston and go to the kid? And
16:51
why wouldn't you? What are you playing for? So? But
16:54
then part of it is where's the kid? From a
16:55
metal standpoint, Jamis is a drop back passer. He's not
16:59
an athletic mover like Dart. That's something that they'll get to.
17:03
But let me tell you, folks, they are super skilled
17:05
and deep at these skill positions. Malik Nighbors, who was
17:09
the stud as a rookie. Darren Slayton it's back. He
17:12
could flat out fly. He's hurt the Eagles over the years.
17:15
Wandell Robinson will be their slot receiver. He's on the
17:18
final y of his deal. He could be a gadget player.
17:20
Zach Pascal, who the Eagles know is theirs and the enforcer.
17:23
He'll block. Jalen Hyatt, who told the media that he
17:26
put on twenty five pounds of muscle. He needed it,
17:29
but we're gonna see if that affects him. Kenny run
17:31
as well. But they don't have great size with that team,
17:34
but they can flat out fly. Theo Johnson is the
17:37
slot tight end. Belgier will be their why. Manhurts could
17:40
be their why. Well, actually mine Hurts will be their
17:42
key why, their main why. They mentioned Greg Dulcetch earlier.
17:45
He was claiming off waivers. They are super deep at
17:49
the skill positions. It's gonna be Cam Scattabow and Ty
17:52
Tracy most likely will carry the load. Devin Singletary, who
17:56
the general manager and head coach. You know from their
17:58
days in Buffalo Sanitaries, doesn't have Jews like Scata Bowe
18:02
and Tyrone. Tracy will be having it to me. Scata
18:06
bow could be could be the third down back. I
18:09
love this offense. The issue is an on the offensive line.
18:14
If you're the Eagles right in Week six, will Andrew
18:18
Thomas be available. He's had major problems staying healthy hamstring,
18:21
knee running. Is a good left guard. John Michael Schmidz
18:24
is an okay developing center. Greg Van Roten and Evan
18:28
Neil will compete for the right guard job. Greg Van
18:30
Wroten out of Penn This guy's an unbelievable story and
18:32
underected free agent in twenty twelve. I'll give the guy credit.
18:35
Germaine Iluminor will almost certainly be the right tackle unless
18:39
it doesn't work out right guard. They can move him
18:40
to from right tackle to right guard and move Evan
18:44
Neil maybe or Marcus Embo to right tackle. They have depth,
18:47
by the way, James Hudson, who's not a bad backup tackle.
18:51
Evan Neil if he's not starting, will be a backup
18:54
who could play right tackle and guard, and Aaron Schlottman,
18:56
who started some games eron Stinney starting in Super Bowl
18:59
with the Bucks, so they actually Joshu Zudu is still there.
19:02
They have depth. The debt the greatest death, but they
19:03
actually have more depth than most teams. But just can
19:06
the starters stay healthy. They're not very talented overall other
19:09
than Thomas, who's elite when healthy. But it's better than
19:14
it has been before if everybody could stay healthy. But
19:18
the Eagles defensive coaching and front and philosophy is they're
19:22
going to have an advantage against that offensive line. That's
19:25
where they're gonna eat. I know Russell Wilson tormented the
19:27
Eagles earlier in his career of Seattle, not so much
19:29
lately in terms of being looking like the same guy
19:33
that he was in Seattle. He's not that guy anymore.
19:35
That's just the fact, and we'll see what he's got.
19:38
But this is this is this is interesting. Now if
19:40
I am the Giants again, I'm spreading the Eagles out
19:44
because right now, unless they make a trade for Corner
19:47
by the end of training camp at the start of
19:49
the season, you're gonna see teams play more twelve person
19:52
she's more eleven personnel. If they can do it now
19:54
the Giants have enough ten tight ends to play a
19:56
lot of twelve, but in this matchup, you got to
19:59
think that they're going to go more eleven personnel. Let's
20:02
go to the Let's go to the defense here, which
20:05
I think could be phenomenal under Shane Bowen. Now, what's interesting.
20:10
Everybody talks about they're a big, sim pressure team, and
20:12
that's absolutely true. But when you look at the Giants
20:15
defense under Shane Bowen, who comes from the sort of
20:19
the Mike Rabol tree, which is a thirty four front,
20:25
I would say this, they play a little. They're not
20:27
a high blitz team twenty eight percent, which is actually
20:30
above the league average. They're actually top ten in blitz,
20:34
but they they're not breaking seven folks, They're not. They
20:38
don't blitz like you think they do. They play a
20:40
lot of band coverage versus the rest of the league.
20:43
They're they're thirty percent man team, which is well above
20:47
the league average. So you got to have good corners.
20:50
And we talked about this with Greg co Sell in
20:53
our series when we did the NFC East recently. The
20:58
key to their secondary is getting Giantype, who's now in
21:00
the third years a rookie deal. He just got to
21:03
play big time football. He's not pull some Deebo would
21:05
be one of their starting corners. They're expecting to be Banks.
21:08
They're expecting Drew Phillips, who's got a chance to be
21:10
a pretty good nickel. As you start with the secondary,
21:13
Tyer Lenuban, who's a good player. Javon Holland, he's one
21:16
of the better safeties in the league. He didn't have
21:18
a great season last year. That's why Miami decided not
21:20
to pay him. Dave Belton Dame Belton, will be their
21:23
top backup safety. So the question now is if the
21:29
front seven, particularly Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, Thibodeau, Charunty Golston
21:35
comes over from Dallas. So you've got a really good foursome, right,
21:38
They're gonna have a good rotation. And Thibodeau's got the power,
21:42
Carter's got the explosiveness, Burns his bendy. We know the
21:46
Eagles have an elite offensive line, but this is where
21:51
and maybe against the Eagles you maybe have to blitzmore
21:55
because they just don't give up a lot of pressure.
21:57
This is a fascinating philosophy here, like what will they
22:01
do against the Eagles. Will they bring it more? Will
22:03
they stunt more? Simp pressure less, sim pressure more? Because
22:09
they know that Eagles could hold up against a normal pressure.
22:13
It's just fascinating to see how they're going to do it.
22:15
But the bottom line is with the Eagles offense versus
22:19
the Giants defense, the Giants have to prove to me
22:22
that they're deep enough a corner and until then, now
22:25
I know the Eagles are not a heavy eleven personnel team.
22:28
This may be the week we didn't. They didn't really
22:31
do it last year, but maybe they do it in
22:33
this matchup. Maybe you get Johan Dotts on the field more,
22:36
Maybe play more eleven personnel terror Marsha who could play
22:39
insider outside it's wherever outside receiver or Nia Smith is
22:42
or slot receiver. Okay, maybe you have that going and
22:48
depending on how they cover a linebacker. Although the Giants
22:51
are talented linebacker, they're inside backers are very talented. There's
22:56
no question about Okarake is really good. MIKEL McFaddens, are
23:00
you underrated? But you could spread those guys out. I don't.
23:03
I don't believe they're gonna be great in coverage. Negas
23:05
have athletic tight ends that they're gonna keep two in
23:07
maybe three. If Kylon grantsh he's more of an f
23:10
tight end, you can move him around for matchup purposes.
23:14
That's a week that I take advantage of him. But
23:16
the matchups to me here as we close out and
23:18
the Giants are fascinating. I like this. I like this matchup.
23:24
I think the Giants could have some success. But the
23:27
problem is for the Giants until Banks proves that he's
23:31
a good corner you're gonna go against, You're gonna go
23:34
after him, and obviously their front seven is loaded with
23:38
Dexter Lawrence. They bring over, they bring over Roy Robertson
23:41
Harris for the Seahawks cut this guy's a good football player,
23:43
Daris Alexander, who's an older defensive tackle coming out Toledo.
23:47
This is a good group here, This is a competitive group.
23:50
This will be a good matchup quite frankly, for the
23:55
for the Giants offense going against the Eagles defense just
23:59
from a good sectural standpoint and vice versa. The Giants
24:03
defense because they're super deep, super talented, but the Eagle
24:06
has specific matchups which they can exploit. This is a
24:10
fun game, but the Giants might be on five. Come
24:12
into this one.
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today are called six ten, nine to one, eight seven, five.
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Speaker 1: All right, folks, So I want to before we get
24:46
to week seven, which is gonna be fascinating matchup where
24:49
the Eagles are at Minnesota, I want to just mention
24:51
to my friends at stretch shown shout out to them.
24:53
They brought the app back. Folks. If you're sowing like me,
24:57
who's out there getting out there getting askers exercise, I
25:01
strongly encourage if you're not a member, get the free
25:04
thirty minute stretch. It doesn't cost you a thing. There
25:07
are thirteen locations in the Pennsylvania or New Jersey and
25:10
they've they have brought the app back and let me
25:14
tell you folks, it literally takes thirty seconds to sign
25:18
up for a free for a free thirty minute stretch.
25:22
You could do it. You could do it online. But
25:24
if you're a member, you could actually sign up for
25:28
your stretches you get depending on what I get eight
25:31
per month, depending on what plan you get. This is
25:36
the this is it right here. This is the app
25:40
which they just brought back recently. You could see them
25:43
on ig that's where I actually saw that they bringing
25:45
it back. And it takes me thirty seconds. I'm already
25:49
logged in. All I do is go, Okay, which center
25:52
do I want? Which stretcher do I want? And voila,
25:56
I'm done And that's it. You don't even have to call.
25:59
You don't have to go in there to re sign up. Now,
26:01
you obviously could if you're a member, you can book
26:04
your stretchers when you're there. But I just do it
26:07
off of my app. But you could actually to move
26:11
along here if you're not a member, very simple. You
26:13
can go on line to sign up. It takes less
26:16
than a minute and they will get You could get
26:18
your free thirty minute stretch around your schedule, which is
26:20
really great. You could call to your nearest center. I
26:23
think it's easiest if you go online. You could call,
26:26
leave a message, or we could go in stretch shown
26:29
dot com. I'm telling you I've been a member for
26:31
three and a half years and I cannot play tennis
26:34
four to five days a week without them, So I
26:36
appreciate their help with keeping me active and keep me going.
26:42
All right, wait seven the Vikings. I cannot wait for
26:46
this matchup. Kevin O'Connell. Kevin O'Connell was once the Browns
26:52
offensive coordinator, excuse me, quarterbacks coach and obviously a great
26:56
offensive coordinator with the Rams and now doing a great
26:58
job as a head coach of the vik So this
27:01
game for the Eagles is October nineteenth. This is a
27:04
one pm Easter game in Minneapolis. And let's look at
27:08
the Vikings first six actually five games. They have a
27:11
buy in Week six, they're at the Bears. Then they
27:14
host back to back the Falcons and Bengals. They're at
27:18
the Steelers and at the Browns, and they have a
27:19
bye week six, and then they host the Eagles in
27:23
week seven. And then after that, oh boy, listen to
27:26
the schedule. They're at the Chargers, They're at the lines
27:29
and they host the Ravens, so this is a dawning schedule.
27:33
The Vikings now and they are another team now. O'Connell
27:37
comes from sort of the Sean McVay belief system. A
27:42
lot of running. They use the fullback C J Hamm
27:46
and JJ. McCarthy never played as a rookie in the
27:49
regular season. He got hurt in the first preseason game
27:51
at home against the Raiders. He actually looked really good
27:53
in that game. He threw some balls under pressure. I
27:56
was surprised. Greg O Sell told me, and Greg was
27:59
not a fan to McCarthy's tape coming out of Michigan.
28:01
He said, the thing that you saw from that tape
28:03
that the Raiders was how good his footwork was. I
28:06
thought that was interesting. Now this is an old school
28:09
West Coast scheme in terms of philosophy and route and routes.
28:13
They have the ability to stretch teams out. They could
28:16
go heavy eleven personnel. They could go heavy twelve personnel
28:21
with Jefferson Addison, who's really good. Jalen Nayler did a
28:24
good job filling in when needed last couple of seasons.
28:28
Tim Jones. It comes from the Jaguars. He could flat
28:30
out fly Rondell Moores on a one year, cheap, low
28:32
end deal coming from the Falcons. But then with twelve
28:36
personnel you got Hawkinson, Josh Oliver who was drafted. It's
28:40
really funny how things work out. Josh Oliver, who came
28:42
over from the Ravens back in twenty twenty three. Josh
28:48
Oliver was an athletic move tight end coming out of
28:51
San Jose State in twenty nineteen by the Jaguars. He
28:54
didn't make it, had some injuries with the Ravens who
28:57
came more of a blocker. Now he's one of the
28:58
best blocking tight ends. He's got. He's gotten another extension
29:02
from the Vikings. This guy is really really good at
29:05
staying in line. Hockinson could do both, so they can
29:09
attack the Eagles anyway that they want. I mean, they
29:12
absolutely have the talent Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason who
29:16
acquired in the trade. Jordan Mason looks like he'll be
29:18
the future at running back and ty Chandler is their
29:21
third running back. Is to change up. They could power
29:23
run with Mason. Jones obviously is one of the more
29:26
versatile backs in the league. Now, their offensive line is
29:29
the one issue here. Darrisol comes back their left tackle
29:32
for the toWin ACL, Brian O'Neill, who was a left
29:36
tackle Pitt. He's a right tackle as he was drafted
29:38
ash and he's put a mass, a lot of weight
29:43
on his frame and he's become a good right tackle.
29:45
What I find fasting is they come back, They come
29:47
back and freidgency. They bring in Ryan Kelly and wilf
29:51
Fries who came off of a big injury, but he
29:53
had great tape this past season before he got hurt.
29:56
They bring in the guys from Indie. Now, Ryan Kelly,
29:58
there's some people on the Lake think he's just not
30:00
the same player. Donovan Jackson will be their left guard.
30:02
He's their first round pick. So there's a lot of
30:04
talent on the offensive line, but there are questions in
30:07
the interior. And this is where the Eagles kind of
30:10
good match up pretty well with Jalen Carter Davis and
30:14
others and a Joemo. This is a matchup the Eagles
30:17
probably could win. We'll see how good Dasol is coming
30:19
off off the ACL. But man, the Vikings are talented
30:23
again then and again, they could go from heavy eleven
30:26
to heavy twelve. They could do it anyway that they want.
30:28
Let's move on to the Vikings defense. The Vikings are
30:34
the highest blitz team last season under the most unorthodox
30:37
blitz schemes under Brian Flores. So the Eagles faced Flores,
30:42
if you might remember a few years ago and Flores
30:46
had a light box. The Eagles round the ball like
30:48
crazy against them, and you could say it was a mistake,
30:52
but they were not going to give up the deep ball.
30:54
Hurts didn't throw for a lot of the orangers there.
30:56
They just round the ball because you never know what
30:58
he's going to do. Flores, they're not a heavy man.
31:02
They were not a heavy man coverage team. They were
31:06
below the league average of twenty two percent, but the
31:07
highest blitch percentage. They're base three to four. You give
31:10
a lot of looks. Now, what I find fascinating that
31:13
the oldest three man line in the National Football League
31:16
Jonathan Allen who was cut by Washington, Harrison Phillips who's
31:20
been there for a couple of seasons coming from Buffalo,
31:21
and Javon Hargrave who's older than the other two guys,
31:25
and Harvraings is not a run stopper. He gets a field,
31:28
then their edges are John Grenard, one of the more
31:30
underrated edge rushers, with Andrew Van Ginkel obviously Fangio knows,
31:36
and then they're light. They're very light at inside backer
31:39
with Blake Cashman and Ivan Pace. The Eagles should be
31:44
able to run against this team. In fact, I think
31:45
they'd run very well against him. Hargrave again not a
31:48
run stopper. Allen has had a number of injuries. He's
31:51
an older player, good football player. Though the Eagles have
31:55
an advantage here. Okay, their offensive line versus front, there's
31:57
no question about it. But the thing is when you
32:00
drop back to pass, you just don't know what Floors
32:03
is going to do. In the secondary, they're not very
32:06
good at corner. Brian Murphy's a decent number two corner.
32:09
He could play inside a nickel. And then you've got
32:14
Isaiah Rodgers, who we report here and inside the Birds.
32:17
Between the Eagles and the Vikings that he wanted to
32:19
go somewhere he thought he had a better chance to start,
32:22
and he does. Jeffer Couda will not start over him.
32:24
Rogers will start over from Jeffer Cuda as yet with
32:26
another team. He was with Houston before. Now he's with
32:29
the Vikings, and they've got Josh Mattellus, who's a movable
32:31
safety you could play a little linebacker, a little corner
32:35
and safety. And Harrison Smith the man, he's been there.
32:39
This is incredible, twenty twelve first round pick under Rick Spielman,
32:44
and he is now thirty six years old and still
32:49
getting it done. Potential Hall of Fame player. The thing is, folks,
32:55
and we'll stick Dallas Turner, who will be their third
32:57
edge rusher. It's not a super talented defense, but guys
33:03
who've been productive, like Allen, like Hargrave, like Grenard, like
33:07
Van Ginkel, like Murphy, like Harrison Smith. A bunch of
33:12
older players. Guys have an injuries, but there's talent here.
33:15
They're just a little bit older. Is it fading talent?
33:20
That's the question. This is to me. I would have
33:23
the Eagles as a favorite, a two or three point favorite.
33:26
I just JJ McCarthy. I know he started progress by
33:29
the way. Sam Hawlby is his backup until he shows
33:32
me he could do it and get on a roll.
33:34
The Eagles are a better team here. Clearly. This is
33:37
a fun game though, because Kevin O'Connell's a great coach,
33:40
great play caller. He calls it plays and he gets
33:43
things done. I like the way that he does his job.
33:48
But I'm looking forward to this game. This is another
33:50
game and that ends it for week seven. On the
33:53
week eight, all right, Week eight, this is yet another
33:58
game against the Giants. And you have to wonder if
34:02
they're two and five. Right, If the Giants are two
34:05
and five, let's go over that schedule. They may not
34:09
even have a win. Okay, they may not even have
34:11
a win. So their first seven games they don't have
34:13
their buy poor Giants to week fourteen, Let's go over
34:17
this again until they play the Eagles. A Week eight
34:19
at Washington at Dallas, home against the Chiefs, home against
34:22
the Chargers. Probably no better than one three the Saints
34:26
will give them a win. Right Week five home against
34:28
the Eagles, at the Broncos, then at the Eagles. They're
34:32
not getting more than two wins. So if they're two
34:35
and five here do they go to Winston? Do they
34:38
hang in there with it a very outside chance to
34:40
be a wild card? Now, if they're one and six,
34:46
you got to think they're pulling the plug here. And
34:48
if they do, as I said earlier in the show,
34:51
do they go to the kid, Jackson Dart. We already
34:55
gave you kind of what it looks like, exceptually personnel wise,
34:58
philosophy wise. See, here's the thing. Joe Shane, the general manager,
35:04
made the call on the quarterback. He's kind of tied
35:07
in with Brian day Ball if they're one and six here,
35:12
as management kept the coaching staff together, as he kept
35:15
Joe Shane, there's a lot that can happen here, and
35:18
that's just the reality of the National FOOTBA League. So
35:20
it is what it is. I wish them luck. I
35:22
hope the game. I hope that they're competitive team. This
35:24
is a better roster than they've had in years past.
35:26
They're actually an intriguing team with a lot of talent
35:29
that has not been developed. There's a lot of upside
35:31
this team. But they have the NFL's toughest schedule to
35:33
start the season. As I said, Siriane is six and three,
35:36
probably gonna be seven to three against the Giants by
35:38
the time they play them. The Giants are They're four home,
35:43
four away in the first eight games. This to me, folks,
35:51
I'm in a buying week fourteen. I just actually it's one, two, three, four, Yes, Yes,
36:01
it's four and four. It's two a way too at
36:04
home for the Giants, one away, one home, then two away. Boy.
36:10
I hope for their sake that they went at the
36:12
Cowboys in week two. If they don't, they might have
36:15
to wait and probably will have to wait for their
36:17
first home win until week five. Now, if Russell Wilson
36:20
finds a fountain of youth, it starts playing great football,
36:24
you never know, but it's gonna be really hard for them.
36:27
All right, that's it from here. This has been fun.
36:31
Next week we will go to the next part of
36:34
the Eagle schedule. The Eagles have a buying Week nine.
36:38
That's at Green Bay home against the Lions, at the Cowboys,
36:43
and home against the Bears. But that is a fun
36:46
group of four teams. But until then, folks, I'm Adam Kaplan,
36:51
and I'll speak to you then