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#9: NEW #1 TEAM · NFL Power Rankings

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  Speaker 1: NFL Power Rankings is a production of the NFL in
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  Speaker 1: partnership with iHeartRadio.
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  Speaker 2: Welcome to a spooky edition of NFL Power Rankings. Mike
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  Speaker 2: amalong with Eric at home. And there's nothing better than
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  Speaker 2: going through thirty two NFL teams. And if you want
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  Speaker 2: analysis on all of them, all you have to do
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  Speaker 2: is check out in the NFL dot com. I mentioned
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  Speaker 2: the spooky theme, Eric, I know you're dressed enough for Halloween.
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  Speaker 2: What's the costume.
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  Speaker 3: Then we've got a sort of a circus theme going.
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  Speaker 3: I'm the strong man, and believe it or not, I
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  Speaker 3: didn't even campaign for that. It must just be my reputation.
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  Speaker 3: I'm not sure.
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  Speaker 2: I like it. I like it and it is fitting
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  Speaker 2: for you. Side note for me, I'm just gonna eat
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  Speaker 2: the candy. So I'm on set for a smart move coverage.
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  Speaker 2: Yes on anfilm network. All right, let's get to it.
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  Speaker 2: Because I was excited. I saw the rankings come out.
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  Speaker 2: I got a little preview, and yes, there is a
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  Speaker 2: new number one, the Detroit Lyons moving into the top spot.
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  Speaker 2: The Kansas City Chiefs still unbeaten, falling one spot to
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  Speaker 2: number two, the Buffalo Bills sitting at three, and yes,
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  Speaker 2: Josh Allen is human and did throw an interception at
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  Speaker 2: number four. It's the raven who cannot close out Cleveland.
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  Speaker 2: Don't know what to make of it. We will discuss
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  Speaker 2: Commander's got outplayed, but they've figured out a way to
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  Speaker 2: have maybe the most memorable Hail Mary we have seen,
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  Speaker 2: and we'll see in a while. They sit in that
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  Speaker 2: number five spot. Malik willis to the Rescue Packers at six.
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  Speaker 2: The Vikings two straight losses, sit at seven, and the
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  Speaker 2: Houston Texans are occupying the eighth spot now six and two,
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  Speaker 2: two games ahead of the Colts in the win column. So, Eric,
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  Speaker 2: you decided to make a change at the top spot.
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  Speaker 2: I'm not hating on this. The Kansas City is still
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  Speaker 2: the only unbeaten team in the NFL. So why did
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  Speaker 2: you feel so confident in what you've seen from Detroit
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  Speaker 2: to move them to the number one spot on your
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  Speaker 2: power rankings?
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  Speaker 3: Yeah? I mean, as I wrote in the power rankings,
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  Speaker 3: is less a reflection of like the Chiefs as it
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  Speaker 3: is more that the Lions just seem to be a
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  Speaker 3: more dangerous team right now. Anytime you can go out
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  Speaker 3: and have a two hundred yard day on offense to
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  Speaker 3: score fifty two points. I guess that's pretty efficient. And
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  Speaker 3: you know, they really dominated in all three phases. They
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  Speaker 3: didn't run a lot of offensive play, so it's not
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  Speaker 3: if their average was so bad and they still broke
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  Speaker 3: off big plays like Jamir Gibbs and Montgomery throwing a
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  Speaker 3: touchdown past the Laporta. They got in the end zone
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  Speaker 3: plenty of times, but special teams gave them great field position,
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  Speaker 3: defense gave them turnovers. And if you get wide open
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  Speaker 3: passes like this all day long, yes you are worthy
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  Speaker 3: of the top spot. Again, nothing against the Chiefs more
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  Speaker 3: is just that the Lions have overcome so many things
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  Speaker 3: and one games in so many different fashions. Had to
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  Speaker 3: make the flip this week.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, they look like a dominant football team. And I
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  Speaker 2: think that's the eye test. And I hate using that
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  Speaker 2: phrase because it's, you know, certainly subjective, but at the
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  Speaker 2: end of the day, the lines of a plane some
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  Speaker 2: outstanding football. Another tough test for them as they match
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  Speaker 2: up on the road against the Packers. Hopefully Jordan Love
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  Speaker 2: will be ready to rock and roll, so that means
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  Speaker 2: the Chiefs fall to the number two spot. I think
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  Speaker 2: fans in Kansas City are ready to atch you on
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  Speaker 2: social media. Explain why the last undefeated team all they
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  Speaker 2: do is figure out ways to get wins are sitting
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  Speaker 2: at number two for you.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, this sort of reminds me a little bit of
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  Speaker 3: what the Philadelphia Eagles did last year. They got out
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  Speaker 3: to that ten and one start, and they kept winning games,
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  Speaker 3: and at one point during pretty deep into that streak,
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  Speaker 3: our opponents had more touchdowns than they did. Now, it's
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  Speaker 3: not quite to that level in Kansas City, and they
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  Speaker 3: always seem to be kind of one step ahead of
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  Speaker 3: their opponents. But on Sunday, he just sort of felt
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  Speaker 3: like they left the door open, right Patrick Mahomes through
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  Speaker 3: the interception there. Yes, it was a throwback game for
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  Speaker 3: Kelsey and he's got a new running mate there and
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  Speaker 3: DeAndre Hopkins, and there is certainly a little bit more
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  Speaker 3: offensive promise. You see guys like Worthy start to break
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  Speaker 3: out a little bit here, and defensively, we know they're great,
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  Speaker 3: but they did allow Gardner Minshew to kind of come
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  Speaker 3: down the field a couple times and make it a
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  Speaker 3: close game. Had the Raiders capitalized in some of those
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  Speaker 3: red zone possessions, there'd be a better reason to move
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  Speaker 3: them down because the Chiefs might have lost that game.
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  Speaker 3: So again, like you said, the formula still works. They're
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  Speaker 3: still beating teams, but how long can this last? Are
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  Speaker 3: they gonna be able to step on some team's next
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  Speaker 3: metaphorically speaking that we get into the season. Then again,
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  Speaker 3: last year she said a similar formula and ended up
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  Speaker 3: pretty good. Yeah.
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  Speaker 2: Eric, you know, coming off of the show last week,
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  Speaker 2: I was convinced in my mind that the Baltimore Ravens
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  Speaker 2: I was going to go back and forth with you
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  Speaker 2: as deserving in the number one spot. Guess what they
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  Speaker 2: lose against Cleveland and that's a problem here four drops
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  Speaker 2: for Lamar's I'm watching this game unfold. I'm thinking to myself, man, like,
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  Speaker 2: these are golden opportunities. I don't know what to make
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  Speaker 2: I think it's fair, completely fair where you have them
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  Speaker 2: right now?
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, and drops on both sides. The ball right there
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  Speaker 3: was the like you said, the four by the receivers
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  Speaker 3: there were Sean Bateman had a big one that could
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  Speaker 3: really flipped the field there at the end of the game.
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  Speaker 3: But also Kyle Hamilton's dropped interception. Jameis Winston comes back,
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  Speaker 3: strikes him and puts him down. And this is now
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  Speaker 3: the eighth time since the start of the twenty twenty
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  Speaker 3: two season that the Ravens have led going into the
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  Speaker 3: final two minutes of the game and came out with
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  Speaker 3: a loss. Obviously a distressing trend that we see. I mean, look,
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  Speaker 3: Lamar Jackson's outstanding. He could do it with the best
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  Speaker 3: of them. Had big plays in this game, you know,
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  Speaker 3: certainly was a big part of putting him in a
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  Speaker 3: position to win, but couldn't finish it off. The defense
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  Speaker 3: certainly carries a lot of the burden for that, but
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  Speaker 3: his receivers have to step up too. They've got to
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  Speaker 3: find ways to haul in the football when it's put
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  Speaker 3: on target. And yeah, this is just a little bit
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  Speaker 3: of another second loss this season against a seemingly lesser
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  Speaker 3: opponent along with the Raiders in Baltimore. So look, I mean,
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  Speaker 3: these are the kind of losses that not only hurt
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  Speaker 3: your seating, but also kind of hurt your reputation. We're
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  Speaker 3: talking about some of the heavyweights in the NFL.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, look this division, and we'll talk Steelers coming up
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  Speaker 2: in just a bit. We'll talk about Famous Jamis as well,
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  Speaker 2: and yes, Cincinnati will also be a topic of conversation,
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  Speaker 2: not in a good way. But it is wild to
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  Speaker 2: me from a Baltimore perspective. I felt like they were
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  Speaker 2: the best team in this division right now, looking up
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  Speaker 2: at Pittsburgh in the standings, the Commanders moving up two spots.
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  Speaker 2: Here we go, the Hail Mary, all the hooplah and
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  Speaker 2: the fanfare that we have seen. It was entertaining. They
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  Speaker 2: were fortunate to get this win. I wasn't sure how
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  Speaker 2: you were going to treat them, but I guess W
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  Speaker 2: is a w and they move up two spots in
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  Speaker 2: your power rankings.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, you'd said earlier you thought they maybe outplayed the Bears.
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  Speaker 3: I would disagree. I thought I thought the Commanders were
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  Speaker 3: the beat.
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  Speaker 2: I'm with you, I've got you heard that.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, I thought the Commanders were the better team for
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  Speaker 3: the first fifty minutes. They did. They start sort of
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  Speaker 3: giving up some ground there at the end a little bit.
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  Speaker 3: First of all, the swift touchdown, a little bit of
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  Speaker 3: a break down there and let the Bears get back
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  Speaker 3: into it. Two cracks at the end zone there, one
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  Speaker 3: that failed and one that worked, And yeah, there was
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  Speaker 3: a little bit of worry there. But obviously when you have,
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  Speaker 3: you know, an injured quarterback who can make magic like
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  Speaker 3: this and oh Chicago, don't let him go back to
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  Speaker 3: the other side. They did hit it, of course he
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  Speaker 3: burned them. Jalen Daniels made a terrific throw. The Bears
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  Speaker 3: were disorganized defensively, the Commanders were in their right spots.
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  Speaker 3: They made that play. Also, smart execution. On the two
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  Speaker 3: plays prior the Bears gave them a ton of space.
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  Speaker 3: They took advantage. I don't think Daniel was able to
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  Speaker 3: make that throw if the Bears don't allow them. Sort
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  Speaker 3: of twenty four three yards at least thirteen of them
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  Speaker 3: were or pretty easy. So great execution. You're down at
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  Speaker 3: twenty five seconds in your last gasp, doesn't look good.
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  Speaker 3: But with this kid, I'll tell you what, his equanimity,
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  Speaker 3: he's cool, his calm. They're all very impressive. And that
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  Speaker 3: Washington defense too, held Caleb Williams and the Bears in
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  Speaker 3: check for most of this game, and I thought did
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  Speaker 3: an outstanding job. That's for the last five games, Mike,
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  Speaker 3: where you have to see they've played well on that
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  Speaker 3: side of the ball, even if it remains somewhat of
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  Speaker 3: a question.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, by the way, you talk about that last sequence,
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  Speaker 2: I thought Tony Roman and I'm usually not big on
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  Speaker 2: talking about broadcasters. I thought he did a tremendous job
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  Speaker 2: on the broadcast to break that down from a quarterbacks perspective.
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  Speaker 2: And Jayden Daniels, you know he's banged up with the
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  Speaker 2: rib injury. I was also concerned about him being able
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  Speaker 2: to make a throw like that he delivered in the
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  Speaker 2: game's crucial moments. And the only other thing that I
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  Speaker 2: will say about this game, I'm thrilled that it played
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  Speaker 2: out this way because I feel like this is a
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  Speaker 2: start of one versus two, two quarterbacks that are always
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  Speaker 2: going to be linked and will always go back to
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  Speaker 2: this game, and hopefully these two spots are to be
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  Speaker 2: butting heads for a long long time with those two
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  Speaker 2: quarterbacks and Eric. There are some other news to get
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  Speaker 2: to with the team that you had slotted at number eight,
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  Speaker 2: that's the Houston Texans. We Sustefon Diggs get banged up.
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  Speaker 2: Weren't sure exactly in the moment the severity of the injury,
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  Speaker 2: but Demko Ryan's making it an official ACL injury. He
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  Speaker 2: has done for the year. What does this mean for
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  Speaker 2: the Texans moving forward?
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, this is obviously a tough blow. They made the
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  Speaker 3: big trade in the offseason, they felt like this was
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  Speaker 3: going to kind of bring the unit together, take CJ.
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  Speaker 3: Strout of the next level. Had it done that before
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  Speaker 3: the injury, I don't know, but obviously removing him from
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  Speaker 3: the equation and not having Nico Collins for at least
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  Speaker 3: another week. Remember the Texans played the Jets on Thursday.
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  Speaker 3: Is Tank Dell your number one receiver? You know? I mean,
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  Speaker 3: is Dalton Schultz have to step up for a big roller?
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  Speaker 3: Is there going to be a Joe Mixon game? I'm
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  Speaker 3: not sure, but this takes yet another weapon away from CJ. Stroud.
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  Speaker 3: He lost Mixon for a bit. You know, they had
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  Speaker 3: John Metchi on ir for for a whole year. Other
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  Speaker 3: guys you know, have to step up out like Hutchinson. Well,
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  Speaker 3: but now Stefan Diggs going down takes a big threat away,
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  Speaker 3: and even when Collins comes back, I think they're going
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  Speaker 3: to be shorthanded.
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  Speaker 2: Mike, Yeah, any concern Just look, I mean, trade deadline
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  Speaker 2: right around the corner. They this is a move that
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  Speaker 2: they've made, like, this is a really good Houston team
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  Speaker 2: that's got to be thinking Super Bowl aspirations. And maybe
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  Speaker 2: Diggs was that missing piece. They don't have them now.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah. I mean, if they can get somebody cheap, obviously,
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  Speaker 3: that's the best way to do it. Right, If you
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  Speaker 3: get somebody trying to unload a salary, or somebody in
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  Speaker 3: the final year their deal or something like that lip
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  Speaker 3: them a future pick on day three, I think that
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  Speaker 3: would be outstanding. What the Texans don't want to do
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  Speaker 3: is kind of upset the future till of picks. You know,
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  Speaker 3: they've done a great job building this rosters through the draft,
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  Speaker 3: and so why veer away from a plan that's been
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  Speaker 3: highly successful just to fix a short term need that
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  Speaker 3: may not end up in a Super Bowl. So it's
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  Speaker 3: a it's a catch twenty two either way.
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  Speaker 2: Tough balancing act for that organization as they try to
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  Speaker 2: figure out short term goals and long term goals. So
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  Speaker 2: we're just getting started here on rankings. In fact, there
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  Speaker 2: is one team that continues to win. They got a
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  Speaker 2: quarterback that's elevating their offense. Eric hasn't moved them, though.
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  Speaker 2: We'll tell you who it is and why I think
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  Speaker 2: they should actually move up the touch that's coming up
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  Speaker 2: next back here on power rankings, Mike ham and Eric
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  Speaker 2: at Home with You, and no change at the number
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  Speaker 2: nine spot. The Pittsburgh Steelers occupying that at ten Philadelphia Eagles,
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  Speaker 2: so once again back to back weeks. That's what we're
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  Speaker 2: looking at with those two teams at number eleven. Bone
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  Speaker 2: Nicks eight passing touchdowns for rushing touchdowns leads the team
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  Speaker 2: in rushing touchdowns so far this season. They are sit
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  Speaker 2: at number eleven. At twelve, it's the Falcons, who will
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  Speaker 2: get to in just a minute.
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  Speaker 3: The Bears.
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  Speaker 2: We touched on them at thirteen and that tough loss
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  Speaker 2: on the Hail Mary. At fourteen, the forty nine Ers
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  Speaker 2: speak Dallas. They move up two spots, starting to get
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  Speaker 2: maybe a little healthy. Good to see Debo out there.
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  Speaker 2: The fifteenth ranked team, it's the Chargers, match the season
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  Speaker 2: high with twenty six points and the Bucks. They hung
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  Speaker 2: tough without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. They are at
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  Speaker 2: number sixteen.
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  Speaker 3: All right.
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  Speaker 2: The Steelers, to me, I'm almost surprised. I wasn't sure.
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  Speaker 2: We finished up our post game show on NFL Network
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  Speaker 2: on Monday night and I'm walking off the set with
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  Speaker 2: Steve Witch and I'm like, I actually said to him,
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  Speaker 2: I'm like, I'm wondering where Eric's gonna put the Steelers.
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  Speaker 2: They're winning football games. The defense is playing well, they're
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  Speaker 2: occupying the top spot in the toughest division, and yet
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  Speaker 2: no change. Why not move them up a little bit?
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, part of this was the real estate around them, Mike.
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  Speaker 3: We got to look at the comps right and a
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  Speaker 3: lot of teams just south of them and just north
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  Speaker 3: of them won and one in either similar fashion or
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  Speaker 3: you know, not so impressively that I had to move
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  Speaker 3: one team up or down. It was slow going early.
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  Speaker 3: I mean, the run game was fine, and then finally
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  Speaker 3: they get the deep ball going. This was what really
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  Speaker 3: I thought changed the game. Obviously the punt return too,
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  Speaker 3: but you know, getting the vertical shots that Russell Wilson
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  Speaker 3: is so good at getting that really kind of I
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  Speaker 3: think unlocked the offense. Now, Russell did put the ball
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  Speaker 3: on the ground late, and you know it required TJ.
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  Speaker 3: Watt to come up with his weekly force fumble and
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  Speaker 3: being bishop to get another interception. So they had to
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  Speaker 3: make some late saves. Defensively, Daniel Jones got in a
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  Speaker 3: rhythm early and then was harassed. What five sacks on
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  Speaker 3: the night, I want to say, And you know they
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  Speaker 3: just closed the door, even if they let Tyrone Tracy
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  Speaker 3: loose a few times. So yes, a little bit of
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  Speaker 3: a sluggish start, but they ended up getting the job
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  Speaker 3: done in moderately oppressive fashion. Again, like you said, the
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  Speaker 3: formula works. They keep winning. You got to give Mike
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  Speaker 3: Tomlins some Coach of the year cred for his decision
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  Speaker 3: on Wilson and for keeping it going with two different
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  Speaker 3: quarterbacks and having the results be very similar.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm actually glad you brought up that point. A
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  Speaker 2: really important distinction there. I think a lot of people
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  Speaker 2: were questioning the change to go to Russell Wilson considering
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  Speaker 2: the success in terms of wins and losses that the
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  Speaker 2: Steelers have, But it looks like it's elevated them. They
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  Speaker 2: needed this win. They head into the by next four
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  Speaker 2: games for them are monster matchups, especially inside that division. Eric,
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  Speaker 2: we moved to the twelfth ranked team, the Atlanta Falcons
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  Speaker 2: that lead the NFC South after that win against Tampa Bay. Look,
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  Speaker 2: there's some great moments, there's some questionable moments on this squad,
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  Speaker 2: but they move up three spots for you. How much
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  Speaker 2: of this is Look, they got to win and you
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  Speaker 2: want to love them up because of it.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, Well, obviously want to recognize to win but also
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  Speaker 3: it's kind of a reflection of the division now now
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  Speaker 3: that they've swept the Bucks, now that the Bucks basically
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  Speaker 3: have to finish a game ahead of them if they
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  Speaker 3: want to win the NFC sal That's a big factor,
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  Speaker 3: right there, is that. Look, there's a really good chance
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  Speaker 3: the Falcons are getting a home playoff game this year.
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  Speaker 3: And you know, Kirk Cousins, I'm sure he would love
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  Speaker 3: to face the Bucks again. I think he's averaging roughly
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  Speaker 3: one hundred yards a quarter passing against them, so pretty
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  Speaker 3: good numbers, a lot of them built up in the
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  Speaker 3: five hundred yard game earlier this season, but also a
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  Speaker 3: strong first half this year. Didn't need to do as
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  Speaker 3: much in the second half. Actually thought they took the
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  Speaker 3: foot off the pedal a little bit and that safety
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  Speaker 3: kind of got the Bucks back in the game somewhat.
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  Speaker 3: But you know, Kirk Cousins finding ways, I think that
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  Speaker 3: was a career I scramble right there. A pretty good
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  Speaker 3: effort from him. And you know, you get Kyle Pitts
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  Speaker 3: involved and he had a few big plays, two touchdowns,
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  Speaker 3: almost lost one of them. So you're right, they kind
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  Speaker 3: of give you reasons to not like them. They let
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  Speaker 3: the Bucks back in the game. You know, Pitts almost
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  Speaker 3: fumbles this one here, Antoine Winfield nearly made a terrific play.
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  Speaker 3: It held up on review. But there are just these
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  Speaker 3: little things that prevent me from getting him in the
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  Speaker 3: top ten. But clearly they're winning enough to get in
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  Speaker 3: that top dozen.
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  Speaker 2: Here's the other thing I'll throw out there, four and
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  Speaker 2: zero right now inside the division. So at the end
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  Speaker 2: of the day, if there is a formula to get
• 14:32
  Speaker 2: to the postseason, handle business inside your division. That's why
• 14:34
  Speaker 2: they sit the top right now. The NFC South, the
• 14:37
  Speaker 2: San Francisco forty nine ers, trying to keep this thing
• 14:41
  Speaker 2: the patchwork and keep it alive. They figured out a way.
• 14:43
  Speaker 2: Dallas made an interesting late in this ballgame. I sort
• 14:46
  Speaker 2: of felt like, hey, you know, Nyer's got this one
• 14:48
  Speaker 2: heading into the fourth quarter and they were going to
• 14:49
  Speaker 2: take care of business. I don't know, like they're still
• 14:52
  Speaker 2: dangerous to me, but it feels like the perception of
• 14:56
  Speaker 2: invincibility is no longer there with this Niner squad.
• 15:00
  Speaker 3: Absolutely, I agree, that's a terrific way to describe him.
• 15:03
  Speaker 3: Right now. I think people feel like they can beat
• 15:05
  Speaker 3: this team, whether it's in San Francisco, obviously the Rams
• 15:07
  Speaker 3: came back with a big fourth quarter to beat him,
• 15:11
  Speaker 3: or whether it's you know, in the opponent's building or whatever.
• 15:14
  Speaker 3: So yeah, this is a San Francisco team that's having
• 15:16
  Speaker 3: to kind of reinvent itself on the fly.
• 15:18
  Speaker 2: Here.
• 15:19
  Speaker 3: Look, the bye week happens at a nice time.
• 15:21
  Speaker 2: Here.
• 15:21
  Speaker 3: They can finally get even healthier. Maybe Drea Drake greenlaws back,
• 15:25
  Speaker 3: Maybe Christian McCaffrey comes back at some point two. The
• 15:29
  Speaker 3: ingredients are there. I know the IU C loss was tough,
• 15:32
  Speaker 3: but Brock Purty using his legs a little bit more
• 15:34
  Speaker 3: getting those first downs, and Dallas came out and played hard.
• 15:37
  Speaker 3: I mean they were gaining a lot our yards after
• 15:39
  Speaker 3: scrimmage and making some big plays defensively, and you know,
• 15:42
  Speaker 3: the forty nine ers were able to kind of hold
• 15:44
  Speaker 3: up to it and stand tough. And this guy right here,
• 15:46
  Speaker 3: Ricky Pearsall could be a big factor down the stretch.
• 15:49
  Speaker 3: They need that third weapon if you will. I don't
• 15:52
  Speaker 3: know if you can count on George Kittle to produce
• 15:54
  Speaker 3: like this every single week. So it helps when your
• 15:57
  Speaker 3: defense takes the ball away as well, and just enough,
• 16:00
  Speaker 3: you know, just enough defensively, just enough offensively and they
• 16:04
  Speaker 3: get healthier, they're kind of back in that just outside
• 16:07
  Speaker 3: the circle of trust group.
• 16:09
  Speaker 2: I would say, yeah, you know what's interesting this and
• 16:11
  Speaker 2: I think you alluded to it. This was a big
• 16:13
  Speaker 2: boy football game. Both of these teams probably felt like
• 16:15
  Speaker 2: they absolutely needed it. It was physical from the get go.
• 16:19
  Speaker 2: Both teams wanted Niners victorious. We'll talk about the Cowboys
• 16:22
  Speaker 2: coming up in just a bit here, but the reality
• 16:24
  Speaker 2: is the Niners to me, at least on paper, I'll
• 16:28
  Speaker 2: say this look more dangerous than the Atlanta Falcons. I
• 16:31
  Speaker 2: would be more concerned later in the season playing San
• 16:35
  Speaker 2: Francisco than Atlanta, at least right now. Point how both
• 16:38
  Speaker 2: of these teams look by season zen. Meanwhile, there is
• 16:41
  Speaker 2: one team that eric'scott sitting in the twenties that I
• 16:43
  Speaker 2: think is poised to make a not only a run
• 16:46
  Speaker 2: in their own division, but a run in the playoffs.
• 16:48
  Speaker 2: Will tell you who that is. It's coming up next
• 16:49
  Speaker 2: on NFL Power Rankings. Power Rankings continue to roll on
• 16:58
  Speaker 2: with teams ranks seventeen through twenty four. The Seahawks have
• 17:02
  Speaker 2: lost four out of their last five games. The car
• 17:04
  Speaker 2: Erdos at eighteen. I got that walk off win. We
• 17:06
  Speaker 2: got news around the Colts coming up in just a moment.
• 17:09
  Speaker 2: At number twenty, it's the Rams who are on the rise. Cowboys,
• 17:14
  Speaker 2: Oh Boy, under five hundred through seven games for the
• 17:16
  Speaker 2: first time since twenty twenty. They are the twenty first
• 17:19
  Speaker 2: rund team. Cincinnati at twenty two, we'll talk about them
• 17:22
  Speaker 2: in just a moment. The Dolphins, they got to a
• 17:24
  Speaker 2: back doesn't equal a win, and the Jets at twenty
• 17:28
  Speaker 2: four just continue to find ways to lose some games.
• 17:31
  Speaker 2: I mentioned some news the Colts, who sit at number nineteen.
• 17:35
  Speaker 2: Tom Pellisero is reporting it's not gonna be Anthony Richardson
• 17:39
  Speaker 2: Joe Flacco getting the start this coming week. What do
• 17:41
  Speaker 2: you make of the decision?
• 17:43
  Speaker 3: Yeah, obviously I put the power rankings to bed before
• 17:46
  Speaker 3: this news came to light. I'm not sure if I
• 17:48
  Speaker 3: would have moved down, at least just based on how
• 17:51
  Speaker 3: Flacco has run the offense compared to Richardson. Flacco a
• 17:54
  Speaker 3: lot more on schedule, a lot more consistent, a lot
• 17:57
  Speaker 3: more drive to drive success, I would say. Now, Richardson
• 18:01
  Speaker 3: has been kind of all or nothing. He made some
• 18:03
  Speaker 3: terrific throws. On also had some big runs late. But
• 18:07
  Speaker 3: you know, Mike, I can't help but think that tapping
• 18:09
  Speaker 3: out on that third and goal play, even if the
• 18:11
  Speaker 3: game from outside the twenty, probably didn't sit well with
• 18:15
  Speaker 3: the coaching staff. Again, this is me speculating. It probably
• 18:18
  Speaker 3: didn't sit well with fans, probably didn't sit well with
• 18:20
  Speaker 3: some players. I don't know how much that had to
• 18:23
  Speaker 3: do with the decision. We'll find out more from Shane
• 18:25
  Speaker 3: Stikeing once he talks and explains his move here. But
• 18:28
  Speaker 3: can't say I'm totally surprised. Although this was only Richardson's
• 18:32
  Speaker 3: tenth start in the NFL. They got to develop him
• 18:34
  Speaker 3: or figure out what he is exactly or how he
• 18:37
  Speaker 3: can improve if they're going to have a future quarterback,
• 18:40
  Speaker 3: you know, the former top five pick running the show.
• 18:43
  Speaker 2: Yeah, the Colts on the road matching up against the Vikings,
• 18:46
  Speaker 2: who are a team that has now lost two consecutive games.
• 18:49
  Speaker 2: At number twenty, they move up three spots. So you
• 18:51
  Speaker 2: loved him up here. I think the Rams are poised
• 18:54
  Speaker 2: for a big run. This division has been look, teams
• 18:57
  Speaker 2: are just struggling, right, I mean, that's just the reality
• 18:59
  Speaker 2: of it. Injuries all over the place. Good news for
• 19:01
  Speaker 2: the Rams is they got the injuries out of the way.
• 19:03
  Speaker 2: If they stay healthy. This might be a glimpse of
• 19:06
  Speaker 2: what we've seen, or at least expected to see against
• 19:08
  Speaker 2: that Minnesota defense. I mean they put up over thirty points.
• 19:11
  Speaker 2: Pooka is out there, Cooper Cup is balling again. I
• 19:13
  Speaker 2: think they're dangerous.
• 19:15
  Speaker 3: Yeah, the two guys we didn't think we're going to
• 19:17
  Speaker 3: play this past week, Puka Naku and Jade and Days
• 19:19
  Speaker 3: both go out there and play outstanding football games. And
• 19:22
  Speaker 3: you know, Nikua was the target right away. Stafford had
• 19:25
  Speaker 3: no problem throwing them the football a little slower, burned
• 19:27
  Speaker 3: with Cup, but he had his imprint on this game
• 19:30
  Speaker 3: as well. Drew some flags, had the touchdown, a couple
• 19:33
  Speaker 3: big catches in between two And if you did nothing
• 19:35
  Speaker 3: but watch Matthew Stafford when he didn't have his top
• 19:39
  Speaker 3: two receivers, you saw an uncomfortable quarterback. At least I did.
• 19:42
  Speaker 3: I felt like this is a guy who's out of rhythm,
• 19:43
  Speaker 3: wasn't sort of feeling in the same groove that he
• 19:45
  Speaker 3: normally is in. But last Thursday was a different story,
• 19:48
  Speaker 3: and against a good defense too, So Karen Williams those receivers,
• 19:52
  Speaker 3: he still have to Marcus Robertson, you know, I mean
• 19:55
  Speaker 3: Sean McVay calling plays a defense that's becoming more optimistic.
• 19:59
  Speaker 3: I like their chances, even though it's a division that's very,
• 20:01
  Speaker 3: very crowded. Everybody has four losses at this point.
• 20:04
  Speaker 2: Now look for four and four, well four and four,
• 20:07
  Speaker 2: three teams right sitting in that division with that record.
• 20:10
  Speaker 2: The Rams are actually just one game out with a
• 20:12
  Speaker 2: three and four record, and they go on the road
• 20:14
  Speaker 2: against Seattle this coming week, which really could mix up
• 20:17
  Speaker 2: these standings in such a meaningful way and get the
• 20:20
  Speaker 2: Rams back into this mix up. They're not even out
• 20:22
  Speaker 2: of it right now. Cincinnati, I've been high on them
• 20:24
  Speaker 2: all season. I've been kind of giving it to you
• 20:26
  Speaker 2: a little bit. To sit at number twenty two, I'm done.
• 20:29
  Speaker 2: I'm done doing the defending. You gotta be good teams,
• 20:31
  Speaker 2: and you lost some games earlier that maybe you shouldn't
• 20:34
  Speaker 2: have lost. But to look the way that they did
• 20:35
  Speaker 2: against Philadelphia, I think they're deserving they drop two spots
• 20:38
  Speaker 2: to number twenty two. I will not campaign the rest
• 20:41
  Speaker 2: of the season for them, Eric.
• 20:44
  Speaker 3: This is a campaign promise I can get behind. I
• 20:46
  Speaker 3: really I like this one right and nothing against the
• 20:49
  Speaker 3: Bengals probably, But when you get to a certain point,
• 20:51
  Speaker 3: we can only give you so much rope, only so
• 20:53
  Speaker 3: much slack and assume that the next big win is
• 20:56
  Speaker 3: around the corner. Look, they started well at this game,
• 20:58
  Speaker 3: had a great opening drive, you know, had the lead
• 21:00
  Speaker 3: after the first quarter. Eagles a little bit more of
• 21:03
  Speaker 3: a slow starting team, and you know, without T Higgins
• 21:05
  Speaker 3: out there, it just made such a difference. And this
• 21:07
  Speaker 3: should be a message to the Bengals for next year too.
• 21:10
  Speaker 3: I mean, if they're you know, if they have any
• 21:11
  Speaker 3: designs on being back in the Super Bowl, hunt, you've
• 21:14
  Speaker 3: got to have those premier playmakers out there. I don't
• 21:16
  Speaker 3: know if a Jamar Chase and Joe Burrow combo without
• 21:19
  Speaker 3: any other sidekick, if you will, is going to get
• 21:22
  Speaker 3: it done. The lack of run game the offensive line
• 21:25
  Speaker 3: is an issue, and that defense really hasn't had a
• 21:27
  Speaker 3: big game in a while. So all the reasons you
• 21:29
  Speaker 3: said and what I added on, I think we can
• 21:31
  Speaker 3: we can move on from them.
• 21:32
  Speaker 2: The unfortunate thing about this is Joe Burrow heading into
• 21:35
  Speaker 2: this past game against Philadelphia was playing at an MVP
• 21:39
  Speaker 2: type level. Wasn't getting made much love because you know,
• 21:42
  Speaker 2: team's not winning some football games. And that's why I'm
• 21:45
  Speaker 2: disappointed with the squad. Let's go to the rankings on
• 21:47
  Speaker 2: the board on teams twenty five through thirty two. The
• 21:50
  Speaker 2: Saints now six straight losses. What's going on here? The
• 21:53
  Speaker 2: gem and cannot get out of their own way. They're
• 21:56
  Speaker 2: at number twenty six. The Browns and we'll talk about
• 21:58
  Speaker 2: them in just a moment, score twenty points in a
• 22:01
  Speaker 2: game for the first time this season. The Jags at
• 22:03
  Speaker 2: twenty eight.
• 22:03
  Speaker 3: The Raiders turn.
• 22:04
  Speaker 2: Off turnovers and more turnovers at twenty nine, The Patriots
• 22:08
  Speaker 2: signs of life snap the six game slide, Drake made
• 22:11
  Speaker 2: some health concerns as they are number thirty. At thirty one,
• 22:14
  Speaker 2: it's the Titans, and at thirty two it is the Panthers. Eric,
• 22:17
  Speaker 2: the team that moved up three spots for you up
• 22:19
  Speaker 2: to twenty seven. The Cleveland Browns. It is all about
• 22:22
  Speaker 2: Famous Jamis. Why are things going to be aokay with
• 22:25
  Speaker 2: him at the QB one spot?
• 22:27
  Speaker 3: Yeah? They made some changes, haven't there? Right? Kevin Stefanski
• 22:30
  Speaker 3: gives up play calling duty, they trade Amari Cooper and
• 22:33
  Speaker 3: when Deshaun Watson gets hurt, Jamis gets his chance and
• 22:36
  Speaker 3: he doesn't blow it. I mean, if he had a
• 22:38
  Speaker 3: great game Now, granted, did he need a little luck,
• 22:40
  Speaker 3: you know, having a dropped interception there at the end
• 22:42
  Speaker 3: and almost cost the Browns. Sure, but you know I
• 22:45
  Speaker 3: love the way he attacks downfield and showed no fear
• 22:49
  Speaker 3: this Brown's offense for so long it looked like it
• 22:51
  Speaker 3: was stuck in the mud. You get Nick Chubb back
• 22:53
  Speaker 3: as well, and things have kind of gotten a little
• 22:56
  Speaker 3: a little more exciting now. So look, are they gonna
• 22:59
  Speaker 3: win this division? Probably not, But if there's anybody who
• 23:03
  Speaker 3: can pull off the miracle, and this year's Joe Flacco,
• 23:06
  Speaker 3: it's probably Jameis Winston. Then you had a great game, sound,
• 23:09
  Speaker 3: and let's see if you can keep it up.
• 23:11
  Speaker 2: Yeah, to move up these three spots and be one
• 23:13
  Speaker 2: of the power movers presented by Energizer says a lot
• 23:16
  Speaker 2: when there's no Deshaun Watson and it's a guy like
• 23:18
  Speaker 2: Jamis Winston leaving the charge against that raven squad. This
• 23:22
  Speaker 2: game this week might get a little dirty for the
• 23:24
  Speaker 2: Cleveland Browns because you know that coach Arbam wants to
• 23:27
  Speaker 2: junk it up a little bit as they match up
• 23:29
  Speaker 2: against the Chargers. Hope everyone enjoyed this edition of NFL
• 23:33
  Speaker 2: Power Rankings. Eric I know we got trick or treating
• 23:35
  Speaker 2: around the corner. You're the strong man, not only in
• 23:38
  Speaker 2: real life, but also on the show and on Halloween.
• 23:41
  Speaker 2: Everyone be safe and grab that candy.
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: NFL Power Rankings is a production of the NFL in
• 23:52
  Speaker 1: partnership with iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the
• 23:56
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