Latest / Banter with the Boys / NFL 2025 | Week 19 Wildcard Round Preview | Banter with the Boys - Gridiron Updates

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NFL 2025 | Week 19 Wildcard Round Preview | Banter with the Boys - Gridiron Updates · Banter with the Boys

0:00
laced up let's go it's time for banter with the
0:05
boys uh oh wait there it is now we're starting
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oh rob quick what's my favorite strings instrument
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oh the guitar cello everybody We just lost all
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five subscribers. No, welcome back to Banter
0:29
with the Boys. Gridiron updates. Our wild card
0:32
preview and picks. Jesus Christ. We smiled already.
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Hey, you know we always end. It's wild in here.
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Our preview and pick shows are always a little
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bit more rambunctious because they come at the
0:45
end of the dive. End of the night. End of the
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night. I don't know. Sorry. All right, anyway.
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All right. Roberto is next to me, though. What's
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up? Nothing. Coach, you're ready to make some
0:56
picks, talk some football, and claim a Super
0:58
Bowl champion. Yeah, not the Vikes, but yeah.
1:01
Maybe next year. Yeah, every year, man. It's
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our year. Jake, also not your year, but you're
1:07
here. Absolutely not, but I am. Ready to watch
1:10
some unadulterated football. There we go. Yeah,
1:13
I'm about that. It is nice to kind of watch football
1:15
when you don't really have a skin. Oh, it's way
1:17
more fun. It's way more fun. I can't lie. Good
1:19
luck to you. Way less stressful. You got a stressful
1:22
game coming up. Burdick's still out. Yeah, I'm
1:24
going to lose my mind. I can't wait. Oh, for
1:25
sure. Yeah, I bet. I bet. Taking on the Bears,
1:28
obviously. That's the second game we're talking
1:30
about, so we'll get after it here soon. Kev,
1:33
behind the scenes, getting everything set for
1:35
us as always. Did we have a... transition for
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this part kev i forget now yeah oh there it is
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all right uh we're gonna yep uh kev let's just
1:46
hit that Today's been a nightmare. I'm sorry.
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High quality production. It is. It is. That's
2:01
the thing. The content, though. That's right.
2:02
Yeah. Anyway. All right. Game one. Here it is.
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NFC, the number five seed Rams traveling to the
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number four seed Carolina Panthers. Oh, wait
2:13
a minute. I got some pics from some fellows.
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And they're right here in front of me. So it's
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all Gucci. Oh, you just want to pull them up
2:19
so you can have them. Am I or am I not saying
2:24
it before? You also pick. That's what I thought.
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Dom was here earlier this season. He's going
2:32
Rams. Coach Dan also going Rams. And Ben, another
2:37
Packer fan, also going Rams on this game. Roberto,
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why don't you start us off? Yeah, the Rams are
2:45
the biggest favorites of the weekend. So that's
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kind of telling you. direction for good reason
2:51
uh kind of been that explosive offense that we
2:54
talked about in the last episode it's you know
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davante adams is he coming back because once
3:00
they have adams with puka on the other side parkinson
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am i saying this last thing right that's right
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um sorry we're talking about somebody else with
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parkinson my mind i'm like is that the right
3:11
word either way but um I'm probably going to
3:15
end up half to go with the Rams here, even though
3:18
the Panthers did beat them a few weeks ago. Carolina
3:22
is the only playoff team with kind of a negative
3:24
point differential this year. I just don't think
3:28
they're quite ready. They had a great year. I
3:30
like seeing Bryce Young coming out. Him and T
3:33
-Mac look like a combination that can continue
3:36
in the future. I can't go with the Rams. It's
3:40
going against them right now, especially if Adams
3:43
comes back. But even without him, I think they'll
3:46
get it done. I think they'll get it done. Roberto
3:50
going with the Panthers. I'm sorry, going with
3:54
the Rams. My bad. Justin? Everything in me wants
3:58
to pick the Panthers because everyone's picking
3:59
the Rams, but I can't pick against the Rams.
4:02
Everything they have on offense, everything they
4:05
have on defense, they are going to want to win
4:08
this game. They're going for blood after how
4:10
they performed so poorly in that game during
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the regular season. McVay is going to pull out
4:15
all the stops. I feel like it's been... written
4:19
in the stars since about a month in that Stafford
4:22
was going to get back to a Super Bowl or try
4:24
as darned as to get back to one. I feel like
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this is that step one where they're going to
4:29
put on an offensive and defensive performance.
4:31
They're going to unfortunately probably make
4:34
the Panthers look like the team that is from
4:37
the NFC South that we've seen over the last several
4:40
years. I would love to see the Panthers eek this
4:47
one out but i've got to go matt stafford and
4:49
company oh so let me put that down justin says
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no please do no chair that's it you wrote no
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no no chip for you not yet uh jake what you got
5:01
fam um we'll start with my pick first the rams
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uh as everybody's alluded to i think that Rams
5:07
offense and defense is just superior in every
5:10
way, shape, or form. That loss to the Panthers
5:13
earlier on in the year, I think, was kind of
5:15
a fluke, but also a good awakening for the Rams.
5:19
It's like sometimes there are good losses where
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it's just like, oh, even a bad team can beat
5:24
us. So we have to be hypervigilant and more focused.
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I think they're going to go through that. I think
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we talked about it in tent talk. I was second.
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Nobody was ready for that. Devontae Adams was
5:38
a full participant at practice today, so I fully
5:42
anticipate that he's going to play. It's going
5:45
to allow Puka to do Puka, even though he was
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balling out last week. All season. With or without
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Devontae. Kyron Williams continuing to run with
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attitude. I don't think the Panthers have shown
6:03
enough. And I know that there's a lot of people
6:07
out there in the world poo -pooing eight and
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nine teams making the playoffs and how they should
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redo the entire. But there's three eight and
6:14
nine teams in the South that was competitive
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to me is what that means. Exactly. I agree with
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you. And we have seen eight and nine teams like
6:22
host and upset wild, well, upset wildcard teams.
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Hello, Seahawks. What do you want? A bunch of
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14 and two teams and a bunch of two and 14 teams.
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Would that make it better? Right. It just means.
6:34
It just means it's competitive. Yeah. I don't
6:36
know. I hear you. So, going Rams. Man, I would
6:43
also love to be different, but I cannot. Don't
6:46
worry. You'll talk yourself out of it. I'm going
6:48
to go Rams. And then back into it, right? And
6:51
pick the Buccaneers. Now, with saying the Rams,
6:53
though, I do think these two defenses are a lot
6:56
closer together than people think. I do still
7:00
think this is going to be like a 21 -10 game.
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I think it's just going to kind of get away from
7:03
the Panthers. It'll just be too much. They can't
7:05
get back into it. But it's truly that Rams offense
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that's just going to be too much for that Panthers
7:11
defense to handle. But I think they'll hold their
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own. It's just not going to be enough, unfortunately.
7:17
But it's promising for the Panthers as far as
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building something for the future. Do you feel
7:25
confident with Bryce Young heading into next
7:27
season? Let's see how he does with the pressure
7:29
of the playoffs now and see what happens playing
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against a solid team, against that team that
7:35
we always talked about last season being kind
7:37
of like that blue collar, never count them out.
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They were like the Patriots of this year and
7:41
last year. And the Rams still kind of give me
7:43
that vibe this year. They were in a tough division.
7:47
They've played some really tough games, so I
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think they could make a deep run even if they
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win. Most likely, Rams could be playing the Seahawks.
8:02
That's a tough, that's a great game. That's what
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Seahawks fans do not want. They do not want to
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play someone in their division right off the
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bye. 100%. With that, let's head right into our
8:15
second game. The lowest seeded Packers, that's
8:21
seven, but I just had to throw lowest in there.
8:23
Traveling to the number two Chicago Bears, a
8:26
team that was in the number one spot half the
8:28
year. How are you feeling about this game, Justin?
8:32
I feel really good about this game. I look at
8:35
the two Bear -Packer games, and it's weird. I
8:38
was thinking about this on the drive over. I
8:39
feel like Bears fans should feel really good
8:41
about this game, and I feel like Packer fans
8:43
should feel really good about this game. The
8:45
last win that the Packers had was against the
8:47
Bears. win the Bears had were against the Packers
8:50
and I look at both of those games and the first
8:53
one came down to a really long drive that was
8:58
defensive inflicted by the Packers by two personal
9:02
15 -yard penalties that allowed that to continue
9:04
to go on that was made up for with an interception
9:07
in the end zone that closed out that game the
9:10
second game you knocked out Jordan Love you played
9:14
a lot of backups Josh Jacobs didn't play Jordan
9:17
Love didn't play. I think what's going to bug
9:20
Bears fans is they have not beaten Jordan Love
9:24
when he plays the full game. They have not. He
9:26
is undefeated against them when he plays the
9:28
full game. They need to knock him out to win.
9:30
I feel really good. I feel really good if the
9:34
team can stay in, not be knuckleheads, stay healthy
9:37
during that game. I feel really good about the
9:40
Packers' chances. Caleb Williams is special.
9:42
That offense is really good. Their Achilles heel
9:46
is their defense. Their defense is averaging
9:48
23 to 25 on all key categories. That is going
9:52
to cause them to struggle in this game, and if
9:55
for some reason they get past this game, they're
9:58
going to struggle through the whole playoffs.
9:59
They need to figure that out before they become
10:01
a championship team. I think they have it right
10:03
on offense. I firmly believe they will not have
10:06
it right on Saturday, and they're going to have
10:08
to take a step back. and think about what do
10:12
I do for next year because I know I have my quarterback.
10:15
I know I have a lot of key pieces on offense,
10:17
but I need to figure out my defense, and that's
10:19
what's going to cause Jordan Love and that team
10:21
to go down and beat them in Soldier Field. That's
10:23
my pick. Packers, love it. I love it. Give it
10:28
to me, Coach. Tell me which way this is going.
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Rob's ready to tee off. I'll give it to you.
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Damn, I had it, too. No, listen, I had it, too.
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Wow, I've completely lost my train of thought.
10:42
Hold on. I don't want nobody to go quick. Let
10:44
me just... The spread's at one. It's like one
10:49
and a half, isn't it? One and a half for Green
10:52
Bay. I'm going Chicago because I wish so much
10:57
that the Packers were healthy. That's my concern.
11:01
They're not fully healthy. I think if Tucker
11:04
Kraft was in there, man, that's a difference
11:05
maker in this game. I mean, Micah Parsons, of
11:09
course, yeah, but he wasn't even there that long.
11:12
But he was a big difference maker, even though
11:14
he was there a short time. But missing him is
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going to be key. I don't know. Jacobs can say
11:21
everything he wants, but we'll see when it comes
11:23
game time. But if they can at least stop that
11:26
run game a little bit, you've got to make Jordan
11:28
Love beat you, and he can. He absolutely can.
11:32
But I think this is going to be more like a,
11:35
what did I say in the chat earlier? I think 24
11:37
-13 Bears win for me. Not a hater. Hater. I'm
11:45
hater, hater, hater. I mean, does it get any
11:47
better than a rivalry game? No. And the playoffs?
11:50
It's the third time we get to see this this year.
11:52
Yeah. And actually, this is the third time in
11:54
both historic franchise's eyes that they've ever
11:57
met in the playoffs in 2010. What happened last
12:00
time? I don't know. Aaron Rodgers cash in his
12:03
Bears ownership again. BJ Raji with a pick six
12:06
to send the Packers to the Super Bowl in the
12:08
NFC Championship game. Oh, and the big man dance.
12:11
The big man dance. Yeah. Yeah. So that's kind
12:15
of fun. Initially, I kind of was thinking Bears
12:19
off this, but I think actually it probably helped
12:22
the Packers having a week off, letting Jordan
12:24
take a week more to see Watson get a week off.
12:29
Yep. I mean, just that team in general banged
12:32
up through and through. And I think that's going
12:34
to be the thing that's going to be the difference
12:37
maker for this game is the Packers because I
12:40
think they can definitely expose that Bears defense.
12:43
It's going to be a shootout. It's going to be
12:45
35 -31, something like that. But I'm going to
12:48
give it to the Packers and ruin the Bears and
12:52
Ben Johnson's season. Give it to the Packers.
12:55
Got to love it. Give it to us, Jake. Since we
12:58
like giving it to people. So playing your division
13:06
opponent twice a year is tough. Having to face
13:10
him a third time doesn't happen very often. And
13:13
really like you throw all scripts out the window.
13:16
Agreed. And Ben Johnson is super creative. So
13:21
he probably threw whatever he had out and he's
13:23
like. scheming a brand new game probably right
13:26
now right now yeah just like i'm gonna be doing
13:28
x y and z um i think green bay has a Has a better
13:34
receiver core. Even if it's banged up, it's still
13:37
deeper. I've been talking about how I believe
13:39
that Green Bay has the deepest receiver core
13:41
in the league. I still believe that. Even with
13:45
all of the nicks and bangs that they've had.
13:49
Bears running game, I think, is superior right
13:52
now. Ben Johnson has that two -headed giant of
13:55
Swift and Bonunga just absolutely churning things
13:58
out. I know. And they're tight ends. Yeah, Loveland.
14:04
Loveland and Cole Komet, both of them have been
14:08
showing up too. And I know we talk about all
14:13
of the things that the Bears defense doesn't
14:15
do, but what they do do is... Take the ball away.
14:22
They lead the league in takeaways. So that's
14:27
their strong suit. Isn't Bayard the? Bayard leads
14:31
the league in interceptions with seven, I think
14:33
is what his number's at. So they take the ball
14:36
away, and it's bend but don't break football.
14:40
Take the ball away. Run the ball. Caleb Williams
14:43
is. playing lights out uh and i still think green
14:48
bay misses micah parsons they miss that motor
14:52
no they don't miss them at all especially late
14:54
especially late in the game when that when their
14:58
defense needs a gas they need a sack they need
15:01
to they need a pressure parson has always been
15:05
able to be that guy yeah and i don't think green
15:08
bay has that and they miss it um That's why they're
15:12
on a four -game slide right now. I know. It's
15:16
terrible. Anyway, all of that to say, I'm still
15:18
going to pick the Bears because they're at home.
15:23
I had the Packers down for you. I'm confident.
15:28
But Ben Johnson's going to run the ball, and
15:30
the Packers just got tore up two weeks ago by
15:32
Derrick Henry. And Ben Johnson, I think, is going
15:36
to do the same thing. He's not going to necessarily
15:38
have to put up a ton of points, 21, 24 points.
15:41
and they're just going to run the ball. Quick
15:44
fun fact of this game I was going to mention
15:47
is the weather. Light rain, mid -30s, windy with
15:50
gust. That's football weather. I mean, it's football
15:54
weather, but there is some effects to these high
15:57
-throwing passing games. I think Love's game,
16:01
was it the Bears game three weeks ago that was
16:03
super windy in Chicago? Oh, yeah. Exactly. You
16:06
saw the kicks and the throws going crazy. I don't
16:12
want to extend this, but next week when the Packers
16:15
win, I will be able to share what the secret
16:16
weapon on defense has been that everyone in Packer
16:19
land knows about, but I'll wait until next week.
16:21
You'll see it on Saturday. You'll see it on Saturday.
16:24
But if they don't win, then he won't be here.
16:27
Well, yeah. All right. All right. The next game
16:33
here. Number six, 49ers traveling to the number
16:37
three Philadelphia Eagles. Classic playoff game.
16:41
Yeah. From the 80s for sure. All right, I'll
16:49
just rip the band -aid off. The Eagles won't
16:50
be repeating this year because they're going
16:52
to lose right here against the 49ers. I've been
16:55
talking the Eagles defense up all year. I think
16:57
they're absolutely stellar. But this Eagles team
17:01
did not end the season well at all. Yeah, they
17:04
beat the Bills 13 -12, but what an ugly one that
17:07
was. Battle, though, defensively. But there's
17:12
something about this Niners team. I don't think
17:14
they're going to go win the Super Bowl or anything.
17:17
But the way that season has gone for them, they
17:19
got, I feel like the Momo, if you will, is what
17:23
the Niners had in mind. I thought you were going
17:24
to say the second easiest schedule. In Philadelphia,
17:26
so extremely difficult to win football games,
17:29
especially in the playoffs. And don't we know
17:31
it as Minnesota Vikings fans. But this game has
17:35
a feel. This is going to be an absolute bloodbath
17:37
battle. But the Niners are going to edge it out.
17:40
For me, it's going to be that 24 -21 for me on
17:44
this one. close game but i gotta go to nine there's
17:47
just something this is it eagles aren't repeating
17:49
get in there you know i mean that was crazy was
17:54
that shaggy scooby -doo what's going on over
17:57
there where are you all right who wants to tell
18:00
him he's wrong yeah i will we got some work to
18:04
do now go go for it i you meddling kids when
18:09
i When I look at the scores and I look at the
18:13
stats, I would agree with you. But when you watch
18:15
the game and you watch the film, what I have
18:18
seen from the Eagles the last several weeks makes
18:21
me think otherwise. They are hungry. They are
18:24
getting healthy at the right time. They're getting
18:26
after the quarterback. They're getting after
18:28
the running back. And I look at the last three
18:32
games that they've played. The competition maybe
18:36
has been a little suspect with, I think, the
18:37
Raiders was their first win out of that three
18:39
-win stretch. Correct. Where they shut them out
18:42
31 -0, right? But I look at the team, and if
18:46
Jalen Carter's on the field, they're dominant.
18:50
They're going to win that game if he can stay
18:52
on the field during that game and he doesn't,
18:53
like... He doesn't, like, punch at anyone or
18:55
spit at anyone or whatever the cases. I love
18:59
Jalen Carr. That dude's a force. He's a beast.
19:02
I haven't seen enough out of the 49ers to say
19:06
they can go and beat the Eagles. If this was
19:08
the Rams, I would wholeheartedly agree. But with
19:10
it being the 49ers, I just don't. You would pick
19:13
the Rams to beat the Eagles, you're saying? I
19:15
would pick the Rams to beat the Eagles. I could
19:17
not pick the 49ers to beat the Eagles. There's
19:20
a lot of injuries on that Niners defense. If
19:22
they were fully healthy. I think it's time. No,
19:25
absolutely not. I think it's time. I think it's
19:27
time together. I think it's, to your point, it's
19:29
injury on the offensive side. They haven't had
19:31
enough time together. And they've struggled,
19:33
weirdly enough, against, like, way worse teams.
19:37
So can they put it together in Philadelphia,
19:40
right? Like, that's going to be the challenge.
19:42
Again, hard place to do it. I don't see it. I
19:44
think the Eagles are going to win this one. I'll
19:46
lose it, but I'm sorry. You should. Because if
19:48
I win it, it would be great. All right, Jacob,
19:51
give it to us. Just how we like it. I'm really
19:56
torn on this one, but I'm going to pick the Eagles.
19:59
Well, you're not. Yes, I am. I'm picking the
20:01
Eagles. He's going to say this big thing, and
20:02
then he's going to pick the other team like he
20:03
did with the last pick. No, I'm picking the Eagles.
20:06
He didn't tell us he was picking the Packers
20:08
right away. I'm picking the Eagles. I mean the
20:10
Bears. Also true. But again, I repeat, I am picking
20:15
the Eagles. The Eagles defense is super stout.
20:18
We saw how the 49ers offense struggled against
20:22
the super stout defense. I think you're going
20:26
to see a repeat of that. And Philadelphia just
20:31
has to put up. I think it's going to be a matter
20:33
of can Philadelphia put up 17 points. I think
20:36
that they can do that pretty convincingly. It's
20:40
not going to be pretty. But Philadelphia hasn't
20:42
won pretty all year. It's true. They're kind
20:46
of used to that. And so they're just going to
20:49
win ugly like they do. Win ugly like they do
20:54
for the Sheagles. What do you got, Roberto? Eagles
20:58
four and a half is what I got on my current spread,
21:01
the one I put in there. Did you say it? Sorry.
21:06
Rematch. I didn't say it, but I see it. Oh, sorry.
21:09
From two years ago, NFC championship game, I
21:13
believe. The Eagles, with the return of Carter,
21:18
the team has been completely different. That
21:20
game against the Bills kind of showed that. when
21:25
they want to play with him in the middle. It's
21:29
a difference maker. You did bring up CMC and
21:32
his quickness and his abilities. Brock is just
21:35
cool and collect. And they're going to have to
21:40
run outside, a lot of screen passes and stuff
21:42
like that. But the Eagles secondary is going
21:45
to be kind of that difference maker on a lot
21:47
of those niche plays that I see. But they're
21:51
going to be able to sniff all that stuff out.
21:52
Jacob said 17 is probably going to be good enough
21:55
for the Eagles. I'm probably going to up that
21:57
to 24 to 27. But at 27, I feel like they probably
22:00
win by 10. So I'm going Eagles on this one. The
22:05
weather's going to be perfect for it. Eagles
22:08
are at home. It's just a different environment
22:09
there. 49ers had a nice year. That defense looks
22:13
promising moving forward in the future with all
22:15
the youth there. And they're a younger team,
22:19
so I think they'll be fine moving forward. And
22:21
it's nice to see the 49ers back on that winning
22:24
track. But I think the Eagles are just going
22:26
to be too tough for at home. Just too much for
22:28
them. I forgot I do have these picks. Let's see.
22:32
I forgot to say Dom picked the Bears. He is also
22:35
going Eagles. Ben went with the Packers, of course,
22:39
and then also went Eagles. Coach Dan went Packers
22:44
and went 49ers. So that's dope. For me. At least
22:49
I'm not alone. Yeah, you got someone to cry with.
22:52
Right on, right on. You got a shoulder to cry
22:54
on. That's awesome. We'll talk to you guys next
22:56
week. Wiping the tears, wiping the tears. It
23:00
depends what the Packers win on. Yeah, you won't
23:02
be talking. I'll be here regardless. Well, thanks.
23:06
Thanks for that, Jay. I got you. We appreciate
23:08
that. All right, game four out of six. Holy crap,
23:11
we got to move along here. Number six, Buffalo
23:14
Bills traveling to the number three Jaguars.
23:17
Jacksonville Jaguars. Yes. I guess I'll just
23:27
start this one, too, now. I'm just going to go
23:29
Jaguars. I've been on the Jaguars wagon all year.
23:31
They're at home. They're probably playing one
23:33
of the tougher AFC opponents, like we were talking
23:36
off air. Probably the Bills' opportunity to do
23:38
it this year with no Chiefs in the way. You got
23:43
the sneaky Patriots, but we'll touch on them
23:44
in a minute. I just, Jacksonville really is coming
23:50
in with the Momo right now, and I really feel
23:52
what they're doing. Trevor Lawrence is going
23:53
to Waffle House. Like, everybody's just, yeah,
23:57
man, everybody's just amped right now. I think
24:00
that's going to be a fun environment. That's
24:01
going to be a fun game. That's going to be a
24:03
close one, though, like uber close, maybe one
24:05
score or a one -point game, like 28 -27 because
24:08
of some fluke BS, you know. But I'm going Jaguars.
24:15
Rob, you go. Spreads one and a half. Is that
24:19
what you guys got? Buffalo Bills. Jaguars has
24:24
been kind of an interesting team, just kind of
24:25
thinking back from the preseason. We talked about
24:28
whether Sunshine was going to be the guy. I was
24:31
going to ask you the question while you were
24:32
talking. Is he done enough this year that you've
24:36
kind of changed your view of when we talk about
24:39
it in the preseason of Mr. If he had to be on
24:43
this year. Hell yeah. He knocked over those pins.
24:47
You led your team with 13 -4. You threw for over
24:50
4 ,000 yards. there that that makes me content
24:54
with I'm just going to put this in the old bucket
24:58
for next season of knowing exactly where you're
25:00
at. So when he goes back by week seven, when
25:02
you're complaining, you're just going to rip
25:04
me apart. Well, that's what we do around here
25:06
on Banter with the Boys. We're going to update.
25:08
Around here? I don't know where the hell we are
25:10
now. Well, we're talking about the Buffalo Bills
25:12
in a circle in the wagon against the old Jaguars.
25:15
And that's exactly what I think they can do.
25:18
Josh Allen, I think, is going to have a little
25:20
bit of game. I do like the... Jacksonville's
25:23
defense offensively. That's going to be the interesting
25:28
part, whether McDermott brings a lot of pressure
25:31
on Sunshine, and that's really where you can
25:33
get him. He's been playing, though. Sunshine.
25:36
Lights out. But I just think that the Bills are
25:39
going to be too much, even though this is in
25:42
Jacksonville, and they're hosting. And is it
25:45
Liam Colner, head coach, right? So it's really
25:49
rare for a first -year coach thinking about,
25:52
you come on next year to host a game. So it rarely
25:55
happens. So you have that to look forward to
25:57
next year. So I'm going with the Buffalo Bills.
26:01
Nice. Go for it, Jake. ETN's going to have a
26:07
day. You know who else is going to have a day?
26:09
James Cook. Yeah, that's right. He's your rushing
26:12
champ this year. Crown him. Yep, barely squeaked
26:15
it out over King Henry. Oh, he lost in something
26:20
else again. Yeah, he lost a lot of things. I
26:25
believe Buffalo's offense is going to overpower
26:31
a tough Jaguars defense. Jaguars defense, much
26:34
like the Bears, excels at causing turnovers and
26:38
limiting points. But it's a game of experience
26:45
here. Buffalo's been here before. Josh Allen's
26:49
been there before. He's hopefully better. That
26:53
ankle's going to be better. And we've learned
26:57
and seen what he can do without having a true
26:59
number one wide receiver this year. So give me
27:02
Buffalo. Give me Buffalo. Give me Buffalo. The
27:06
preseason Super Bowl favorites. Sorry, did you
27:12
have that at take? I struggle with this one because
27:15
I really like Josh Allen. Love the Bills. Love
27:17
everything. That they're about. And Jacksonville's
27:23
offense on paper is not nearly as good as their
27:27
defense. Their defense is keeping them in games.
27:30
As you watch games or you get the little ticker
27:33
update of how things are going quarter by quarter,
27:35
they struggle. They struggle to score points.
27:38
It'll be interesting to watch the number one
27:40
rushing offense against the number one rushing
27:42
defense. But I think McDermott is playing for
27:47
his. job right now. I believe that. I think it's
27:52
very similar behind closed doors to probably
27:54
what was happening with Harbaugh in Baltimore.
27:58
I feel like there are no excuses for Josh Allen.
28:01
There is no Mahomes. There is no Burrow. Those
28:05
have been the big walls he's had to go through.
28:08
This is his year. If he wants to make it to a
28:10
Super Bowl... You got Drake May, you got Bo Nix,
28:13
but they haven't been here before. You got Trevor
28:16
Lawrence in game one. Sunshine hasn't been here
28:18
either. He doesn't know what he's talking about.
28:20
I'm picking the Bills. I think Josh Allen does
28:23
just enough to eke it out, but it's going to
28:24
be a really nasty, really gritty performance.
28:28
He's going to have to run. I think we talked
28:30
about it earlier. I think that foot or ankle
28:32
that's in question is going to become a really
28:34
important piece of this. I'm torn on this one
28:36
because I do like Jacksonville. I like what they're
28:38
about. I just don't trust their offense. And
28:41
I think it comes down to experience. I think
28:42
they learn a lot from this experience. I think
28:44
they come back stronger. But I think this weekend
28:47
is going to be Josh Allen and the Bills weekend
28:49
in that matchup. Yeah. Circle them wagons. Circle
28:52
them wagons. I mean, I was just looking at their
28:54
record. There are four losses this year. Three
28:57
of the four against playoff teams. Who are the
29:00
Bills? Jaguars. Oh, yeah. Interesting. We'll
29:04
be fine. We'll be fine. No, I was giving your
29:07
team credit. Oh, okay. Well, actually, your team's
29:10
the Vikings. Coach Dan taking the bills. Coach
29:13
Dan taking the bills. Ben also taking the bills.
29:18
And Dom did not pick one for this game. He's
29:21
used to five games. He's used to five games.
29:24
Oh, man. Would Dom take the bills? I wonder.
29:28
I feel like he would, too. I feel like he would
29:30
take the bills. Nah. Should we? No. All right.
29:34
I was like, don't tell me you're the good time.
29:36
I'll do a live call right now. Put him on speakerphone.
29:38
Live caller. Live caller. Oh, my God. Live one.
29:41
All right. Sorry. Focus up here. Dial in. Lock
29:44
in. Number seven. What? What? It's like we got
29:48
two games left. Yeah. Yeah. Here we go. Yep.
29:50
Jake bringing us back. Here we go. Number seven,
29:52
Chargers. My boys. Probably taking a no. Traveling
29:56
to the number two New England Patriots. Roberto?
30:03
Well, it's very unfortunate for the Patriots
30:07
not to get the one seed this year because I thought
30:11
this was probably their chance to get out of
30:14
the first round. Oh. So I am going to take the
30:18
Chargers for some odd reason. That seems crazy
30:22
to me. You sound like you're questioning your
30:24
decision. It's already written. No, I think it's
30:28
going to be something weird, something goofy.
30:31
The Chargers in the Harbaugh. You know, a little
30:35
script for him getting fired, part of the family
30:39
deal. I just think the Chargers are going to
30:42
squeeze one out. Yeah, that locker room speech.
30:44
There it is. That's not a real thing. I'm just
30:47
saying. Volunteer's tribute. Can't confirm or
30:50
deny. Okay. Well, how about Justin? I also agree
30:56
that something weird is going to happen, and
30:58
you're going to see the love fest of Raybill
31:00
hugging all of his folks as they get past the
31:02
wild card round, and the Patriots are going to
31:04
run with this one. Both defenses are great. There's
31:07
too close in margin, and I think if this was
31:11
week one chargers, I would 100 % agree with you.
31:14
They've had too many injuries on the line. Herbert
31:17
looks great, but it's going to catch up with
31:18
him when he plays a really, really good defense.
31:21
And he struggled quite a bit. Again, it was his
31:24
first game back, I'm pretty sure, against the
31:25
Eagles. That was an ugly game. Understand he's
31:29
been healing since then. He's understood what
31:30
he's dealing with since then. But dealing with
31:33
a defense that knows how to historically minimize
31:36
your number one offensive target and expose that
31:40
and force you to do other things. They don't
31:41
have one, so they don't have to worry about it.
31:43
Well, then they're going to limit Herbert, right?
31:45
They're going to limit the run game. That's where
31:48
it's coming from. Patriots. Patriots all the
31:51
way. And I'm going to have to go ahead and agree,
31:54
unfortunately, as a Chargers fan. I hope not.
31:56
But it's those two tackles, man. This is the
31:59
time of year you really need those two. Quite
32:03
literally top tier tackles, to be honest. And
32:05
so, I mean, that's going to be a massive loss.
32:07
And Omarion Hampton hasn't been like electric
32:10
since he's been back. That was a surprise. So
32:12
there's a lot of concerns there. Herbert's been
32:16
banged up all season. Seems like he's been banged
32:18
up a lot the last couple of years. So hopefully
32:20
that's not a, you know. thing to watch out for
32:24
the next few years but i don't know what i was
32:25
trying to say there but um i gotta go with the
32:28
patriots i think they're just too hot right now
32:30
who was it that they got up like 24 nothing on
32:32
and then lost was that the broncos right at the
32:35
end of the regular season somewhere in there
32:36
that wasn't in the beginning that was the broncos
32:39
game i think you're talking about something really
32:42
recent they got up big maybe it was only 17 nothing
32:45
but they got up big towards the end of the season
32:46
somebody ended up losing the game on either sunday
32:50
night or monday night bills No, it was the Bills.
32:53
That was a massive comeback. Weren't they up,
32:55
like, 17 -0 or something? Yeah. Like, 21. They
32:58
were up 21. It was 21? Okay. Yeah, and then they
33:00
went into halftime, and the Bills... Like, that
33:02
is concerning to me, heading into this game,
33:05
where somebody, like... Herbert and that Chargers
33:07
defense. There is a couple of real veteran players
33:10
on that Chargers defense that have been in these
33:12
situations before. That is concerning for me.
33:15
I'm still going to pick the Patriots because
33:17
I think they're just too electric right now.
33:20
Three and a half spread, so Vegas thinks we're
33:23
concerned. Is Will Campbell back for this game?
33:27
I thought he was out for the season and then
33:29
saw something that, like, they were activating
33:31
him off IR within the last week or so. I don't
33:34
know if any of you saw that, but that was a surprise
33:37
to me. I don't know how that plays into this
33:39
game at all. I mean, that would have been great
33:40
for a tent talk. Damn it. Yeah, I'll have to
33:45
look into that a little bit more, but if that
33:46
ends up being something there, that's pretty
33:49
interesting. I thought he was out for the year.
33:51
Wait a minute. He played against the Dolphins,
33:57
Will Campbell. Did he? Okay, so he is back. I
33:59
thought he was back, yeah. Dang. So that's a
34:03
big deal, too. Yeah. That's a big deal for this
34:07
matchup, knowing what he meant to them early
34:09
on before he got hurt. Just not big enough, right,
34:11
Jacob? Yeah, that's right. What do you got, Jake?
34:13
I think that this is going to come down to which
34:18
head coach is going to be able to have their
34:20
team most prepared. Jim Harbaugh has been through
34:26
this before in San Francisco, in Michigan, Stanford.
34:31
He knows the drill. He's really good at having
34:34
his teams prepared. Great scouting. But so is
34:36
Mike Vrabel. Mike Vrabel under Belichick understands
34:40
all of the intricacies, crossing your T's, dotting
34:44
your I's, fundamentals, things like that. I'm
34:49
going to take Patriots. They're just healthier,
34:51
and I think that they're going to be better coached
34:54
and more prepared. for this game better coached
34:57
more prepared going with the new england patriots
35:01
go chargers uh dom going patriots as well coach
35:05
dan hitting up the pats and ben going with the
35:09
pats as well i'm solo on this you're sorry not
35:12
even the chargers fan yeah in the house that
35:16
means we can go as fast as we want All right,
35:20
next game here. This one might be a little tougher,
35:22
not for me, but number five, Houston Texans traveling
35:26
to the number four, Pittsburgh Steelers. Let
35:28
me give you those that are not here, their picks
35:31
here right now. For Ben, it's going to be the
35:34
Steelers. Coach Dan is going to be the Texans.
35:36
And Dom is going to be also the Texans. Jake,
35:43
let's start with you. Oh, right. Yeah, that's
35:45
a perfect leadoff for you. Texans by three. Yeah,
35:50
Texans by three. Total points, 39 .5. Is that
35:53
what you got, too? Yes, sir. Interesting total.
35:57
Man, that's a low total. Yeah. I think it could
36:00
even be lower than that. Mid -30s weather, FYI.
36:03
Texans play fast, hard defense. Steelers, I think.
36:09
probably 40 even maybe be a little high. I think
36:12
both of these teams are just going to continue
36:14
to just play hard -nosed defense, try and create
36:19
turnovers, run the ball. I don't think it's going
36:24
to be entertaining from a points perspective.
36:29
So you take the under. Yeah. I mean, we don't
36:32
do betting on here. Yeah, I would probably. I
36:35
would probably. If I was a gambling man. Yeah.
36:38
Sources. Sources. Gosh. I think. You're so indecisive
36:48
right now. I know. Just say it. Just say it.
36:52
It's Pittsburgh. It's Pittsburgh. And I think
36:55
it boils down to Aaron Rodgers. Even looking
36:58
back at the Ravens game last week, the speaker
37:01
in his headset went out. While he was cussing
37:04
and swearing. Yeah, he didn't need it. I mean,
37:06
he ended up burning all three timeouts. Oh, man.
37:08
I thought the game was over after that. Yeah,
37:11
absolutely. He's like, no, we're just going to
37:13
end up still scoring points. And they're going
37:17
to have DK Metcalf back. Huge. So a lot of get
37:21
him the ball, have him yak, and yeah. That's
37:26
probably going to be the best way that they're
37:27
going to move the ball down the field is have
37:29
DK Metcalf just yak all over the place. Double
37:33
down for you. Pittsburgh. I got to go Texans
37:40
here. I think their defense is going to be. I
37:42
mean, obviously, Rogers has been doing this a
37:44
long time, so he knows what he's going up against
37:47
100%. It just feels like it's just too much for
37:53
that Steelers offense to overcome. And if the
37:55
Texans can show up with the same rushing game
37:58
they did in Week 18, that's enough for me. I
38:03
think the Texans will end up winning this thing
38:05
like 21 -7. I definitely think it's going to
38:08
be under that 39 .5 for sure. And like you said,
38:12
not super. What did you say? Not super fun to
38:17
watch. It won't be like... It's going to be a
38:21
defensive game. It's going to be two pretty good
38:23
defenses going up against each other. Run the
38:25
rock, dink and dunk, heavy defense. The excitement
38:28
is going to be seeing the hits and being like,
38:31
oh my gosh, are they going to be able to get
38:33
back up? I'm glad that's not me. 100%. Yeah.
38:39
Oh, God. I don't think I can get up. Mom. The
38:46
meatloaf. Justin, what you got? I'm going to
38:49
go with the Steelers. I think this one's really
38:53
tough because obviously the Texans have the top
38:57
defense. And I know C .J. Stroud, he's got experience
39:01
at this point. That defense looked like shit
39:03
against the Colts. They did. I think about what
39:07
this means to Aaron Rodgers. I think about what
39:09
this means to Mike Tomlin. And I think about
39:11
what they did last week. That's momentum. And
39:13
I think... Bringing that into this week compared
39:18
to the Texans, I think they're going to want
39:20
it a little bit more. It's in Pittsburgh. It's
39:21
going to be ugly, and I think it's going to come
39:23
up to turnovers. If there's anything Aaron Rodgers
39:26
does almost to a detriment to himself is he does
39:28
not turn over the ball. He does not take the
39:30
risk that is going to get the turnover. He's
39:33
not no Jameis. Someone has to outsmart him or
39:35
outplay him to get that turnover, and I think
39:38
that's going to be the difference in the game.
39:39
You have two really good defenses. The only thing
39:42
that makes me... A little nervous is Pittsburgh's
39:44
defense has just, like, they've given up the
39:46
yards throughout the whole year. They haven't
39:48
been that great, but they've tightened up when
39:51
they've needed to, and that's why I'm giving
39:52
the nod between that and the experience of Rodgers
39:54
and the drive of what he wants to do at this
39:57
point in his career. I'd like to see him win.
39:58
I'd like to see him win one more. Yeah. And side
40:01
note, I've watched enough Aaron Rodgers when
40:03
he does this and he can't hear. He can actually
40:04
hear. He's just calling whatever play he wants
40:06
to call. That's what he does. Brilliant. So if
40:10
you are a betting person and you can. Bet on
40:12
that because that will happen at least once in
40:15
this game. I can't hear you. Touchdown. Roberto,
40:20
close us out, fam. Yeah, this is going to be
40:23
where we talk about that low defensive struggle.
40:25
Houston is favored. Is it Pittsburgh? I mean,
40:30
I've got to read my damn notes. That's right.
40:33
I got mine. I mean. Is the win against the Ravens
40:38
going to be enough at home? The weather looks
40:41
pretty decent. That ending of the game was nice
40:44
for the Pittsburgh. It felt like they actually
40:46
had some good offense for the first time. Yeah,
40:49
but then when the Ravens drove down the field
40:51
without DK, but is he enough against that Texans
40:54
defense going to be? Helps. Yes, it helps. But
41:01
is it going to be enough? I already went. I can't
41:05
talk anymore. But he keeps talking. I know. I'm
41:09
sorry. Here we go. It's a coin flip. Texans.
41:19
It's a tie. Restart the season. It's leaning
41:24
more Texans, just barely. That's how I'm going
41:26
to go. It's going to come down to something.
41:28
It's going to be a field goal. Another really
41:30
dumb thing, like a missed extra point or a missed
41:32
field goal. Yeah, I could see something like
41:34
that. On that wonky turf. Yeah. Won that wonky
41:38
turf. I mean, we're set up for an amazing week
41:42
in the football, honestly, gentlemen. I mean,
41:43
we got a lot of good matchups here. I mean, every
41:46
game should be exactly what we were looking for
41:49
this season, I imagine. The only one I think
41:52
that we're all feeling that could be a blowout,
41:54
if it is, is probably Rams -Panthers, maybe.
41:56
I mean, that's the biggest thing. I still think
41:58
that's going to be a good game. I think we have
42:01
an amazing slate of games. A lot of good football
42:03
to watch, again. stress -free for for most of
42:06
us um what thanks yeah for sure hey man you're
42:11
gonna be going through it see those fingernails
42:13
look like oh they're already oh they're already
42:14
gone have you not watched the season i'm not
42:19
gonna have any hands after this weekend justin
42:22
thanks for being here giving us your packer actually
42:26
having a team in the playoffs so that's fun yeah
42:28
um jake you're hey welcome to the purple misery
42:31
son yeah um didn't somebody post or text in the
42:34
thread it's just another tuesday for vikings
42:36
fans yeah everything i was going through yesterday
42:39
literally another tuesday just another tuesday
42:42
i think that was in reference to the missed field
42:44
goal just another tuesday for which team has
42:47
more hype heading the next season the ravens
42:49
or the vikes right Probably pretty similar. I'm
42:52
going to say Ravens because they're going to
42:53
have a new coach, so everything's going to be
42:55
revolved around that. We're going to change Lamar
42:58
into an 8K throwing yard quarterback. He's going
43:03
to run less. Did you say 8? Yeah. I'm being dumb
43:07
with it. He's just throwing a dumb number out.
43:09
8 ,000 throwing, 5 ,000 rushing. No, no, he's
43:13
not going to rush at all. It's going to be all
43:14
Henry. They're going to go straight to single
43:18
back. Just ungodly offensive numbers. I got you.
43:21
Okay, fair enough. Well, this show's over. Roberto,
43:24
thanks for being here, man. Thanks, Coach. It's
43:26
been an awesome, good season. Yeah, it has been
43:28
a good season. Good thing it's not done yet,
43:29
right? That's fair. Here we go. Just getting
43:31
started. I'm Smelty, of course. Kev behind the
43:34
cameras and the computer and whatever else over
43:38
there. Get everything done for us, as always.
43:40
Don't forget to like, comment, subscribe, wherever
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you listen to The Banter, whether that's YouTube,
43:43
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43:46
we will see you next week, yes, on Gridiron Updates
43:49
here on Banter with the Boys. Peace. I don't
43:52
know. Don't forget to follow, like, and subscribe.
43:57
Tune in next time for more Banter with the Boys.