Coaching Updates and Wildcard Preview

00:00:00
Speaker 1: Wow, everybody, It's Thursdays, January eighth, twenty twenty six. Welcome to the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, where we're available to consult on coaching hires. To me your man, NAMG Marcus Grand joined by Michael Florio and Lakwan Jones, people behind the curtain. A lot of these intros are just stuff that's like on my mind usually when we start the show. And part of this is because I have, against my will, been in long text chains about what the Raiders should do with their head coaching higher and it's like at the beginning, you know, I kind of care, like so I'll say this right, you guys know, I am a forty nine Ers fan, but you know, the Raiders were in Oakland when I was a kid, and they moved back to Oakland at some point, so like they're still kind of the Bay Areas team. And so while I'm a Niner fan, I do have a soft spot in my heart for the Raiders, and I would like to see them figure it out on some level and be competitive again. But like after like you know, sixteen or seventeen texts about like what they should do with a head coach and a draft pick I mean it got to like we need to trade Max Crosby and just blow the whole thing up and start a rebuild.
00:01:17
Speaker 2: Like it got to that point.
00:01:18
Speaker 1: I was kind of like, all right, well I'm gonna I'm gonna go play chess on my phone.
00:01:23
Speaker 2: You figure this out. That's for really.
00:01:27
Speaker 3: I kind of wish you were a Raiderstrand, man, that would have been awesome.
00:01:30
Speaker 1: I think you to be sad on this show every week.
00:01:34
Speaker 3: I don't know, man, it might be a different universe with you as a Raiders fran. Like, I don't know, maybe we'll get more along on the pod.
00:01:43
Speaker 1: I mean, look, one of us is willing to say nice things about the other person's team.
00:01:48
Speaker 2: It's you that I like your players.
00:01:51
Speaker 3: I just don't like the team or the fan base. That's been very clear for how long we didn't doing this pod.
00:01:56
Speaker 1: It's you that allows the forty nine or franchise to live rent free in your dome.
00:02:02
Speaker 4: Do you like their players?
00:02:06
Speaker 2: Jordan Mason was a good player. You can't call a quarterback by his proper name.
00:02:10
Speaker 3: You know, he's the most overrated quarterback. But I get it, man, he was mystery irrelevant. I know the underdogs like someone that.
00:02:19
Speaker 4: Likes their players. Don't, don't, don't, don't listen.
00:02:22
Speaker 3: Stop putting him in conversation with the Joe Burrows and the Matt Staffers, the Josh Allens. No, there's another tier for him that I am comfortable.
00:02:30
Speaker 1: He's accomplished as much or more than Joe Burrow.
00:02:33
Speaker 4: Well, let's not put Matt Stafford in that elite tier either.
00:02:38
Speaker 3: This is how he's starting off. I am not crashing out over this anymore.
00:02:42
Speaker 1: Anyway, We're gonna talk some more coaching moves because some more things have happened since the last time we spoke to you all, And of course we're gonna dive into the weekend's wild card matchups because a lot of football to be played starting on Saturday and running through Monday. And of course, so will finish this off with some DFS lineups because we know some of you out there are still doing that too, keep your interest up as you go through the weekend. But then let's get started with some news headlines. One that broke this morning, and I think we said on Tuesday Show that like it seems like Mike McDaniel is safe. Wrong, because it came out this morning that the Dolphins have fired Mike McDaniel after four seasons.
00:03:22
Speaker 2: Florio, I know you.
00:03:22
Speaker 1: Are a little bit a little bit disappointed, a little bit sad any surprise. I mean, it just seemed like he was safe, right, It seemed like he was in the clear. This is a little bit of a surprise that it happened right now.
00:03:33
Speaker 4: Yeah, And it makes me think a little bit that maybe because there was rumors out there that like teams that had head coaches in place were reaching out to Harborough and stuff like that and being like, hey, any interests, So maybe that that led to it. My take on my and look, well long enough timeline, every take will be put to the test. But my take with Mike McDaniel has been that he over succeeded with Tua. Right away, they paid to a like a franchise quarterback that was a mistake to a regressed and then all the concussions led to even more regression. And on top of that, it changed the way this offense ran right like they had to get the ball out quickly. There was less deep shots and that and the speed and the deep ball is what made Mike McDaniel so successful. I've seen people say you can go to Washington as their row. See, I've been pounding the table that I want him in Buffalo as to play caller. Like, whoever gets him maybe goes back to the Niners. I don't. Whoever gets him, though, is getting a great offensive mind. On the flip of that, though, I think there's an argument now that Miami might be the worst opening of the what is it seven or eight? Now that are openings? Eight openings now, I think they might be eighth. If they're not, I think they're close to it.
00:04:50
Speaker 1: Huh. Let's say you've got you don't really have a quarterback. Your defense is pretty bad.
00:04:58
Speaker 4: They have negative cap space this a season.
00:05:01
Speaker 2: Nice.
00:05:02
Speaker 4: Nice?
00:05:02
Speaker 2: Yeah, Yeah, that's pretty awful. That's pretty good. Yeah, that's pretty pretty bad.
00:05:07
Speaker 3: I think it was time though, right like they had to writ the band aid off because it's completely gone south. No pun intended for Miami, but I'm just saying, like, at the end of the day, when you make this change because of hardball gain, possibly fired kind of shook the tree, like, oh well, we actually have a shot at giving one of these top dogs. But I think Micha will land on his feet. I think he'll lands somewhere as a coordinator. I honestly think, you know, the Cardinals might be interesting. I will welcome him into the West to make them competitive, because every time any of the NFC West teams played the Cardinals, it's like we're playing the game, but your controller is unplugged, so you do so at the end of the day, these are teams that need that like offensive spark, and I think he still has that. It's kind of like the situation where we saw the Dolphins kind of hit the ground running and we saw that twenty three season with two and everything else. But he lost the dressing room very quickly after that season once the concussion started going on, because this is when Tyreek Hill started taking shot that tool on and snapchat, naming his top five quarterbacks and obviously leaving his guy off.
00:06:10
Speaker 4: So like, when you.
00:06:11
Speaker 3: Lose the dressing room like that, you lose the culture, you lose the winning spirit. And like, I still think that the offensive genius of mine and him is still there.
00:06:19
Speaker 4: But isn't that a to a thing? Like it wasn't they lost faith in Mike McDaniel, They lost faith in their starting quarterback. I think the way that Miami fought hard after Tyreek got hurt this year, and especially after they benched to a I thought that was enough to say to be like, look, it's not a Mike McDaniel problem.
00:06:40
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I think I think that loss to the Steelers on Monday night sort of sealed McDaniel's fate, or at least at least went a long way towards sealing it, right, because they were they were putting some stuff together, they were kind of getting on a winning streak. I think I said on this show. I know I said in some other places that you know what happens if they run the table, and you know, at that point they would have been what they would have finished ten and seven possibly, and that might have been enough to get them in the playoffs. And it felt like, okay, with they were ten and seven and they're in the playoffs, and I think we might even ask cam Wolf about this Florio that that might be enough to save him. They went to Pittsburgh on that Monday night when it was brutally cold, and they looked awful, just awful, and at that point it felt like the team had sort of just that was like their last gasp and that they were done at that point, and yeah, so maybe it is the hardball thing. I say this, I think with Mike McDaniel, he will get a job. I am sort of convinced that, at least for now, he's better off any coordinator role than a head coach role. Like leave him alone in his little lab to tinker with stuff and just like come up with weird little gadget plays and come up with like offensive schemes like.
00:07:54
Speaker 2: Let him do that.
00:07:55
Speaker 1: I don't know that he is built to be the head coach of a team, just because, you know, to your point, Lakwan, I think he sort of came into it trying to be the cool substitute teacher or the cool teacher, want to be friends with everybody, and like it worked for a while, but then when things started going badly, or when guys started taking advantage of that.
00:08:19
Speaker 2: You know, when you have two and his intrusive thoughts at.
00:08:21
Speaker 1: The microphone talking about guys not wanting to you know, show up in meetings or whatever, that's when you, as the head coach, have to sort of step in. I mean, it's great when the players can police themselves, but as the head coach, your job is to make sure that these guys stay on track, and he just didn't do a good job of that.
00:08:40
Speaker 2: So I don't I think he's better.
00:08:42
Speaker 1: Off, Like, hey man, hey man, just drop some plays in the dirt, like do that for us. I think you're good at that. I don't necessarily want you to be in charge of everything.
00:08:50
Speaker 3: You can't be one hundred percent friends with your kids, okay, because when they start misbehaving, doing things wrong and start being rebellious and then you try to correct it, they're gonna look at you as a joke and that's kind of how you lose the dressing room. So I think if he goes into this coordinator cycle, look at Matt Naggy. He's already being interviewed for head coaching job now, which everybody forgets how the Bears kind of fell apart. But the Bears are doing good right now. It's fine. But I think he'll be he'll be back in the cycle for head coaching jobs when the cycle is warranted.
00:09:21
Speaker 4: You know, I'd argue he might be the third best candidate right now, like outside of Stefanski and John Harborough, who's the next great candidate. It's a really down year.
00:09:33
Speaker 2: Cliff.
00:09:34
Speaker 4: What has Cliff done though? That he hasn't done more than Mike McDaniel in my opinion, No, I'm not in the course of just like the last couple of years, but I think they're kind of neck and neck, like somebody's going to give Cliff Kingsbury a shot if it's a coordinator job or a head coaching job, whatever the case may be.
00:09:49
Speaker 3: I think him and Cliff will probably he'll.
00:09:51
Speaker 4: Get a coordinating job for sure, but like send him to send him to Tampa. I just think McDaniel would opinion if I was ranking the candidates right now, he might be third for me.
00:10:03
Speaker 1: See, I think for me it's it's Harbor number one, which we will get to in just a second. Obviously Stefanski at two, and then well, I guess to hear it, I think it depends.
00:10:13
Speaker 2: On what you need.
00:10:14
Speaker 1: So to circle it back around to the Raider conversation at the start of the show.
00:10:20
Speaker 2: I think I think it's Harbon number one.
00:10:21
Speaker 1: I think Brian Flores is their number two candidate, potentially because you want somebody who can sort of reassure Max Crosby right with the way things ended, the fact that you.
00:10:32
Speaker 2: Just signed him to this extension, the fact that.
00:10:34
Speaker 1: He is your real solo piece on defense, like you got to make him feel better.
00:10:39
Speaker 4: I think I think Brian Flores is a coordinator for a while, given everything that has transpired that's currently going on right now.
00:10:47
Speaker 1: Maybe I mean, but I also think, you know, there's there's that shatter that maybe Tom Brady wants to.
00:10:53
Speaker 4: I also want zero part of him mentoring a young quarterback, like I know two it wasn't the guy, but he really mess that up as.
00:11:02
Speaker 3: He needs an already established quarterback, like maybe a Lamar Jackson, Like he needs somebody that's already in that tier.
00:11:09
Speaker 2: Like all right, look at a work.
00:11:11
Speaker 1: What if you brought in Brian Flores as your head coach and Brian Babel as you'r O C.
00:11:18
Speaker 4: Dude, those two they would they would fight everywhere, which makes them.
00:11:23
Speaker 2: Perfect for the Raiders. It's perfect for the Raiders.
00:11:27
Speaker 3: Like there's a difference though, because like when you start this cycle of coaches and coordinators and stuff, like some teams need different things. Like some teams like the Raiders, they need a culture change, the Browns culture change, right, Like some of these coordinator jobs that are open, they're just teams that honestly need some type of offensive you know, stability. So like when you put a Flores in brian de Bowl and the same pot, and for any team that may think of this combination, I think Flora's right. They will fight every single morning and the locker room would be divided. Like, you do not want to destroy culture that's already set in foundation with two coaches that are going to be bumping heads that that would be insane.
00:12:07
Speaker 2: Be fun for our entertainment.
00:12:08
Speaker 4: Though, there's definitely gonna be a there's gonna be a breakout candidate or two, I feel like, but I just don't know. Like there's no Liam Cohen, right, there's no like Ben Johnson. Yeah, yeah, well we're like this guy has a history of success here, Like it just feels like a down year.
00:12:27
Speaker 3: We forget about the Falcons offensive job that's I mean the head coaching job that's open, Like you got it good at offense there. Like there's like not much whispers or anything going on with the Falcons right now, which is kind of weird.
00:12:40
Speaker 2: Yeah, that is very weird at this point.
00:12:43
Speaker 1: Obviously, some of these dominoes are falling because of what caught everybody by surprise yesterday, and that is that the Baltimore Ravens fired John Harbaugh after eighteen seasons, the eighteenth season ending without the playoffs after a tough loss on Sunday Night Football against the Steelers. The reports are the Ravens are looking for a head coach that will quote, reach and invigorate Lamar Jackson. As we were sitting here talking and throwing around names, any of those, Lakwan jump out to you as an immediate.
00:13:16
Speaker 2: Fit for the Baltimore Ravens.
00:13:20
Speaker 3: We need somebody that's going to be able to match Lamar Jackson, like be able to unlock him, like Todd Munkin becomes like an obviously look at like is he staying or is he going right? That'll be the foundation of the offense because we saw last season Lamar put up career numbers like incredible passing the ball. Like the passing offense was there, even though they lack, you know, the wide receiver presidence that I think they should have. But ultimately, whoever comes in, it's just gonna reset the culture, like reset the whole foundation and identity of this entire team. And I think obviously there's a need for addressing some of the defensive flaws, like the pass rush, you know, and the secondary allowing all these big plays. There's just name out there, like where we were just explaining like a Brian Flores that can come in and get the defense right, but we need this offense to be able to kind of maintain what we saw Todd Munkin unlocked. So it's like it all comes down to the next couple moves that the Ravens make, Like we can't just throw names in there, because this is Lamar Jackson, you know, this is Lamar Jackson that needs to get back to twenty twenty four season and get back to the MVP candidate race and get to the Super Bowl and win it.
00:14:27
Speaker 2: Rings.
00:14:27
Speaker 3: So like you can't just fire haul Ball and then bring in the Cliff Kingsbury or bring in Brian Flores or bringing Kevin Stefanski. Like, I don't think this is going to be an easy fix really, to be honest, I looked.
00:14:41
Speaker 1: At this as just Jim or John Harbaugh and his voice just like the message sort of going stale, right, because it's not like it's not like the Ravens fell off a cliff. I mean, they've had some really tough, heartbreaking losses either late in the Sea or in the playoffs, like that part has happened. But also every single year when you look at the AFC North, you're like, well, the Ravens are very much in the mix, Like the Ravens are a playoff team, and yeah, this year some bad things happen.
00:15:14
Speaker 2: Right.
00:15:14
Speaker 1: The defense was as bad as I think we've ever seen it in the Harbaugh era, Lamar Jackson missing time, Derek Henry having his fumble issues early in the season. But it doesn't feel like it was things that were out of control, right. This doesn't feel like, like you know, Sori, we talked about the vibes in Miami all year long and how that the vibes starting the season were bad and they didn't really get but they got better for a little bit, then they were bad again. Like I never got that sense with Baltimore. It's just like things didn't quite click. So, I mean, my only thought on this mic is just that at some point, after eighteen years, maybe the message just got stale. Right for the guys who've been there forever, it's like we've heard like the probably guys that sitting in the back of the meeting room just sort of like you know, lip syncing the John Harboss speech, because we've heard this every year for the last however many years, right, like it just it just seemed like one of those things where I think ownership just felt like I think we just need to be unplug it and plug it back in, and John Harball is just not the guy to do that anymore.
00:16:15
Speaker 2: I don't know.
00:16:15
Speaker 4: There were a couple of times this year where it felt like him and Lamar wearing on the same page. Like he said Lamar was healthy and then Lamar said I'm not. He said Lamar was going to practice, and then Lamar didn't. But there was also the report from Ian Rappaport this week that like, Lamar didn't really have a lot of faith in John, and we've heard the whole tenure that like John wants to be like like he's propping up Lamar. I look, I truly believe Lamar Jackson is one of the most talented quarterbacks who ever played, probably top five in NFL history in my opinion, talent wise. I do think he needs to be better as a leader, though, because you're telling you a rookie kicker in the middle of a huge game, like you, I'm livid with you. There's videos that he's like ignoring he was ignored Harbor when they walked off the field together. Like I think he expects greatness because he's so great and to me, though, I look at the other elite quarterbacks right and like, look, things got bad in Cincinnati, but but Burrow was putting it on himself and not really playing it. Like Josh Allen literally came out this week and was like, I've stunk this year, like it's on me. So I think that is what is missing from Lamar's meturation, and I think it could happen. Maybe. I think maybe someone like Flores, someone who's not going to be his friend, right, someone who's gonna be like, we're I'm coming in to hold you accountable because ultimately I want to get to where I know you can be, and that's winning a super Bowl. And so I think that's a little bit part of it. But I do think also, yeah, like you said, like he's been there for so long, there was some rumors that maybe he lost the locker room a little bit. But it's also funny because you know, I've been anti Sean McDermott, but and Bill's fans are saying if they lose this weekend like he's fired, and he might be. But this is again another year where like last year, I was like, hire Ben Johnson, please, like get that. But there's not that guy. So I don't know. I think it was time for a change in Baltimore because you only get so many opportunities with an elite quarterback. But I just don't know which. This is the biggest offseason of la Mars career and there's not an obvious candidate.
00:18:26
Speaker 1: It's weird to think, right, I mean, you was talking about alternate universes and all that kind of stuff.
00:18:30
Speaker 2: Right.
00:18:30
Speaker 1: If Tyler Loup makes that field goal, are we having this conversation about Mike Tomlin.
00:18:35
Speaker 3: Yes, one hundred percent, that's exactly. It was a game for whoever loses, you're gonna be chopped like.
00:18:44
Speaker 2: Loser go home's the playground.
00:18:47
Speaker 4: I know that's the narrative. I actually don't. I don't think you fire a guy who's been there for eighteen years based off the results of one kick.
00:18:56
Speaker 1: No, maybe not, but I feel like I feel like that is sort of how we operate, right, Like I'm gonna this this maybe not like if.
00:19:03
Speaker 4: The Ravens were one and done I think he's still fired.
00:19:07
Speaker 1: Like this, So this is not gonna hurt you that much, Floral, because you either weren't alive or were very very young when it happens. Like I have a boss who always talked about just sort of like the sliding doors theory of things, right, Like everybody talks about the Bills and losing four straight Super Bowls. If Scott Norwood pushes his field goal a little bit to one side and it goes through, then the whole legacy of everything about Jim Kelly and Andre Reid and all those Bills teams is incredibly different. It's it comes down to feet, right, you know what I'm saying, Like little little feet sort of what happens. So like, yeah, I think on the grand scheme of things, maybe you don't. But then again, sometimes we're stuck with the last thing we see and and that sort of changes everything. So yeah, this, the the Harball firing definitely throws a huge wrinkle into what is going to happen this offseason.
00:19:58
Speaker 2: Uh. I would suggest that of.
00:19:59
Speaker 1: The seven of the eight teams that have vacancies, Baltimore being the obvious one, John Harbaugh rockets to the top of pretty much everybody's list, I would think.
00:20:08
Speaker 4: And I think they're the best opening. It's funny because he's a candidate and I think they're the best opening.
00:20:13
Speaker 2: Just not gonna It's not gonna have it.
00:20:15
Speaker 4: I am really curious about Todd Monkin though, because like his scheme helped Lamar become the best possible passer he could be in my opinion, do you really want to break that up now?
00:20:27
Speaker 1: Well, it's funny you say that because there are a couple of coordinator openings now around the league. One in Detroit where John Morton was let go after one season, one season in which he was snatched of play calling dute He's midway through the year, Dan Campbell took it over and we saw we saw a lot more productivity from guys, especially Jamison Williams. The other opening where Monkin's name has come up is in Tampa Bay, where they have made the move.
00:20:55
Speaker 2: To fire Josh Gizzard after a year.
00:20:58
Speaker 1: I'm Monkin was the OC in Tampa back in twenty eighteen, and there's some thought that maybe the Bucks could lure him back down there so there could be some competition for Todd.
00:21:09
Speaker 2: Monkins services in the season.
00:21:12
Speaker 4: I'm just gonna If you're a coordinator out there, just wait because there's a chance there might be an opening in Buffalo and that would be the top coordinator job opening.
00:21:22
Speaker 2: If you are in line for a coordinator interview, stay in line could be the thing. All right.
00:21:30
Speaker 1: Yeah, there will be definitely more to talk about this, especially as the hirings start to happen too, and then we have a better idea of what teams might look like coming.
00:21:38
Speaker 2: Up the next season.
00:21:40
Speaker 1: Speaking of seasons, the second season about to begin across the NFL, we'll take a break, come back and preview the wild card around across the NFL. That's next on the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. So, the NFL playoffs kickoff starting on Saturday, six games across. It's the weekend stretching from Saturday to Monday. How do we feel about the Monday wild Card game?
00:22:06
Speaker 3: We like this, Yeah, it all depends.
00:22:11
Speaker 4: I like it as long as my team's not playing in it.
00:22:16
Speaker 2: Yeah, I can see that.
00:22:18
Speaker 1: I'm not excited about it. I'm kind of indifferent to it. I'm like, I guess it's there. It's fine. Like I don't necessarily think we needed to have it, But you know, the answered all your questions is money.
00:22:29
Speaker 4: The disadvantage to whoever wins then you're playing.
00:22:32
Speaker 2: It is because you were on a short week.
00:22:33
Speaker 1: Yeah, because you're gonna have to you know, even if you play on Sunday, it's still a short week compared to what you had before.
00:22:40
Speaker 2: Everything that's going on Saturday?
00:22:43
Speaker 1: What four thirty pm Eastern the one thirty Pacific Rams at the Panthers, Luquan, how do the Rams? And I don't I don't expect this will happen, but how do the Rams avoid an upset down in Charlotte this week?
00:22:55
Speaker 3: It comes down to our defense, Like Quentin Lake's back, like there should be no excuses with the misstackles.
00:23:01
Speaker 2: Like since Quentin Lake.
00:23:02
Speaker 3: Has been injured, we have been among the top teams of missing tackles. And I think obviously last game having Chewba Hubber get light on us and Rico Daddle and not really performing the best of his abilities in that game, it kind of just kind of took all the pressure off of Bryce Young, having the running backs being able to perform as a one two punch, and obviously Tetro McMillan him getting loose on Emmanuel Forbes. Like our secondary is shaky, but it really comes down to suffocating the run game and keeping Bryce Young in the pocket confused and getting the pass rush towards him. So it's a lot of like moving parts on our defense that needs to be locked in this week. I'm not worried about the offense whatsoever. I know they're gonna go out there and handle business, and Poka's gonna be Poka. We've seen him just go off on many, many secondaries that are challenging. And then DeVante Adams is back. He feels good, The hamstring is great. He was battling somewhat a knee injury he kind of avoided and not putting too much, you know, on it in practice. But I do feel like DeVante Adams if he says he's healthy, he's healthy.
00:23:59
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm I'm not worried about the offense at all. In fact, when I was trying to come up with topics to talk about, it was like, there are no questions I have about the Rams offense. Like I was like, I don't, I don't even know where to go with that. Yeah, I think the defense the last few weeks.
00:24:14
Speaker 4: Stafford can't throw another pick six like last.
00:24:16
Speaker 3: Time at bro don't even put it in the unit.
00:24:20
Speaker 4: Two interceptions. He does have to be better than he did the first.
00:24:23
Speaker 3: The Panther secondary ain't none like they're.
00:24:25
Speaker 4: No exactly, they're good. They're a good unit.
00:24:28
Speaker 1: Going into that game, they were like so much talk about the streak, right, it's like, oh, he's Stafford has thrown twenty touchdowns an.
00:24:34
Speaker 2: Interception and he's doing back to back pack like, oh, but it's crazy.
00:24:39
Speaker 3: The Thursday Show, I jokingly put five interceptions for my bold predictions because whatever, you guys were up to Stern the pot. But then you see how we put that, you see how we put that in the universe, and then it happens. The power of the tongue is real, folks, like, just stop, all right, Florio Stern the pot. This is playoff time. I'm not putting no had juju on Josh Allen like, come on, bro.
00:25:02
Speaker 4: No, no, no, Well, when we talk about that game, you could say, like if he throws pick sixes, they're gonna lose.
00:25:06
Speaker 1: I mean you do like to talk about the turnovers and stuff with Josh Allen frequently.
00:25:12
Speaker 4: Facts though, it's facts though, Who's thole the most pick sixes in NFL history?
00:25:16
Speaker 2: Oh, here we go, Bro, Josh.
00:25:18
Speaker 4: Hasn't throw a pick six in like seven years.
00:25:20
Speaker 5: Give it time, Give it time. It's a catch up, catch up, no catch up. I don't know, I do catch up. At this point, He's not gonna catch up to Stafford again.
00:25:32
Speaker 1: We'll speaking of putting things in the universe, Flora can Bryce, you don't do it again? And by it, I mean throw a whole bunch of just bananas passes on like third and fourth and long. I gotta have his situations. That was kind of how he did it against the Rams the first time. I don't expect that, but I mean, can he find it again against the Rams?
00:25:53
Speaker 2: Yeah?
00:25:53
Speaker 4: I mean he's gonna have to be Like I'm not expecting a huge Bryce Young game, but for them to win, he is going to have to have success because the Rams are going to put up points. I agree with everything you guys are saying there. It's not like like this Panthers defense could limit the Rams offense maybe, but you're not going to completely shut them down. And I think more than anything, Tetoro McMillan's going to have to have a big game because the Rams struggles this year have been against perimeter receivers and on the deep ball, and I know they're getting healthier and stuff, But if McMillan can't take advantage of those matchups, I think it's going to be a long day for the Panthers.
00:26:31
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean it's an uphill battle for them without a doubt.
00:26:37
Speaker 2: Yeah, I would be shocked.
00:26:39
Speaker 1: I think that would be the most shocking outcome of the weekend.
00:26:42
Speaker 2: If the Panthers somehow win.
00:26:44
Speaker 3: You wouldn't hear from me. You would not hear from me for the next month.
00:26:48
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:26:49
Speaker 4: Sure, it's thirty day.
00:26:51
Speaker 2: Is no.
00:26:52
Speaker 3: If you show up as mister Purr or whatever, is not.
00:26:56
Speaker 4: Mister I like that.
00:26:59
Speaker 2: What's that bear doing?
00:27:00
Speaker 4: You call him?
00:27:03
Speaker 2: I'll be like you be like, what up? Surper?
00:27:06
Speaker 1: Shout out the chosen packers at Bears mcwen show's your fighter Jordan Love or Caleb Williams.
00:27:14
Speaker 3: So this one I thought hard and long for, Like I do think like this matchup, both quarterbacks can shine and look good in this matchup. I think I'm going to side with Jordan Love just based on what we've seen earlier in the season in the matchup of him taking advantage of the Bear secondary. So I think with this team being more healthier than they were these last couple of weeks with Josh Jacobs, Christian Watson and stuff. I think Jordan Love has a blow like he just blows up, like he has a show out. So I'm going Jordan Love over Caleb Williams. And it's it's close.
00:27:46
Speaker 2: Though.
00:27:46
Speaker 3: It's not like I'm saying Caleb's gonna have a bad game. But I think Jordan Love just comes out victorious.
00:27:51
Speaker 1: The range of outcomes with Caleb is so wide, you know, like just week to week, I was, you know, I'm looking at it yesterday just I don't know, I don't know how I missed this or it just caught me. Like Caleb in Fantasy was the QB five this year, at least through eighteen weeks.
00:28:11
Speaker 3: As someone who had him, it didn't feel like that, right, That's.
00:28:15
Speaker 1: Kind of the thing, right, Like I was looking at his but I was looking at his game logs, right, it's like twenty four, sixteen, twenty nine, eleven, nineteen four, eleven, thirty eight.
00:28:24
Speaker 2: Twenty five. I mean, it's just it was all over.
00:28:26
Speaker 1: The plays, right, And so I think we Love there's just a little more consistency. The gap between the ceiling and the floor didn't really feel so drastic, you know. I mean, he had a couple of games in there, like he had the game against Minnesota where it wasn't great, you know, one hundred and thirty nine yards, no touchdowns.
00:28:46
Speaker 2: You know, you can't really.
00:28:48
Speaker 1: Judge that last game against Chicago because he left with a concussion, so that that's not really fair to, you know, to kind of evaluate that. It just feels though, like there's a little more steadiness week to week. Even if the ceiling isn't as high as Caleb's, the floor isn't going to fall out from underneath you either.
00:29:05
Speaker 3: It doesn't help when both of his top wide receivers are limited in practice this week, like they're trying the nurses injuries to get ready for the playoffs. But then again, Caleb goes out there, He'll throw the ball fifty times and complete probably twenty of those balls. It's like that's kind of just what it's been, the wide range of outcome. Like which version of Caleb Williams you're going to get this week? That's what it comes down to.
00:29:25
Speaker 1: Yeah, on the other side of that floor, let's chose your fighter, Josh Jacobs or DeAndre Swift.
00:29:31
Speaker 4: Look, if we were just talking like in a vacuum, I'm going with Josh Jacobs. But this specific weekend, I'm gonna go with DeAndre Swift because I have no idea how healthy Josh Jacobs. Like the last two times we saw him, he was barely a like he was splitting time with Emmanuel Wilson and that second that last game that we saw him, and he was barely able to play, like he finished with less than ten yards. So I know he ended the last week off, but I have no idea how healthy he is. And on top of that, this is kind of like a handicap match because Dean J. Swift has Kyle mannung guy there with him, you know. And to me, part of what makes Caleb so inconsistent is how good this Bear's rushing attack is. Like if they get it going on the ground, they're just gonna keep running and running and running. So I do think the Bears backs put up good number because this Packers defense, too, is just so beat up.
00:30:22
Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, I mean losing obviously, losing Michael Parsons is sort of the big thing there, but they got a lot of injuries up and down. Do we see Trayvon Diggs too this week.
00:30:33
Speaker 4: I forgot to have some fun.
00:30:35
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's just like that happened. So yeah, the.
00:30:40
Speaker 1: Whole Josh Jacobs injury thing was really a bummer to end the year because you know, he's just been doing in.
00:30:47
Speaker 4: A league that I had no business like. I had a terrible league and my opponent had a worse one because of Josh Jacobs. That's kind of what the season has been with him.
00:30:55
Speaker 3: It's just been up and down or mid like he's getting saved with all these front loaded like touchdowns that he's getting, Like that's why you can never just count them out.
00:31:03
Speaker 1: Yeah, look, at some point, scoring touchdowns is a skill, and it seems to be one that he's really good at.
00:31:09
Speaker 2: Like he's good at scoring touchdowns. So I don't know.
00:31:13
Speaker 1: Bills at Jaguars Florida. I'll ask you, where does the wheel of Bill's pass catchers stop?
00:31:18
Speaker 2: This week?
00:31:19
Speaker 4: I have a wacky look. I think it's it's Brandon Cooks, someone who wasn't on the team eight weeks ago. And the reason I think that is is because diving into this match up, the Jacks have allowed the fewest rushing year. It's the best rushing offense against the best rushing defense.
00:31:34
Speaker 2: Now, I think the.
00:31:35
Speaker 4: Bills will be able to run, not maybe as much as they normally do, but I do think they'll find success on the ground. Like it'll be a game of give and take there. But the Jags, because they're so good against the run, teams throw at them at the highest rate. But they have been awesome against slot receivers lowest passer rating in the NFL on those targets, which probably takes Khalilshakira out and makes him a little bit not have his biggest game. Where the Jacks have struggled is against out wide wide receivers and on the deep ball. And since Brandon Cooks has got there, he has been the bills best downfield option. I know he had a couple of bad drops and I was coming on shows saying like his hands don't work anymore, but he's getting open downfield ever since that Super Bowl. Yeah, which is more than we could say about Josh Palmer. And and to further this point, right like last week when the Bills sat all their starters, Brandon Cooks was the receiver that they held out. They played Josh Jacob. Josh Jacobs Josh Palmer through the fourth quarter in a blowout game. They played Gabe Davis through that, like they sat Shavers and Brandon Cooks, which should tell you how they value him. And I do think he catches a deep ball or two in this game, and he's not gonna be one of those receivers that is gonna finish with like seven catches, but he might have like two for seventy five or something like that. Like, I think he's gonna have a big impact in this game.
00:32:52
Speaker 2: All right. I honestly there were times I forgot Brandon Cooks was in Buffalo real. Yeah, I totally for that.
00:33:00
Speaker 4: If you want to a peek behind the Bills Wade receiver curtain, Sean McDermot is talking about Jacoby Myers every chance he gets this week and being like, that's a player that changed someone's season because the Bills easily could have had.
00:33:14
Speaker 1: I mean, so, is that a shot at Brandon Bean You think he also took.
00:33:19
Speaker 4: A shot with the Darius Slay thing. He was like, well, we had four corners until six weeks ago because they had to play Maxwell Harrison in the fourth and he got hurt in a meaningless game. You woo the Bill Favs are not happy with their GM right now.
00:33:33
Speaker 2: Vibes are bad in Western New York, all right, I see that.
00:33:37
Speaker 1: Meanwhile, the vibes are immaculate in Duval. I mean, you got Trevor Lawrence showing up at local watering holes and getting squatted by random patrons at the bar.
00:33:51
Speaker 2: The Jags are riding high.
00:33:53
Speaker 1: Liam Cohen is like the best thing going down there in Florida. So I will ask you, Lakwan, can Trevor Lawrence stay hot after his amazing end to the regular season, I.
00:34:03
Speaker 3: Would say yes, I think this train is going to be disappointed in that It's not disappointment I much further. He made my bad of saying I was wrong about mister Trevor Lawrence. I can call him Trevor Lawrence for the rest of the season of however it plays out in the playoffs. But I think he stays hot, like we've seen him go up against some of the scariest defenses and deliver. And again, I keep going back to the same take. The addition of Jacoby Myers really saved him, being even added to the middle meter again, Like, I really think that this offense, being that it's starting to jail. It's starting to get the identity. And that's one of the biggest issues that the Jaguars had in the front front end of the season, like they had no identity, like what was their foundation. They avoided the run at times where Travessey TN had to suffer. So I think they had the perfect balance between the run game and the passing game. Even though the Bill's secondary man like, they've been locking it down. They've been one of the best passing defenses in the NFL since Week ten. So it's like you're looking at a team that doesn't allow much of the past, but Drever Lawrence having these many weapons, they're gonna have their hands full with this offense.
00:35:07
Speaker 1: Yeah, Like I guess I think he's part of what has made him so effective is getting out of the pocket and being a scrambler. Being a runner has helped him a lot because now all of a sudden, you do have to pay attention to that, and that does.
00:35:20
Speaker 2: Open some things up. And if you're gonna play.
00:35:22
Speaker 1: Man defense, Trevor can take off and make something happen. And we know the Bills have struggled against the run.
00:35:28
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:35:28
Speaker 4: I go back and forth between saying whoever wins this game is gonna win the AFC, and also pointing out that like on this eight game winning streak by the Jacks, I don't want to be disrespectful, but it's kind of Patriots like, like outside of the Broncos, I'm just saying, like, they beat Brady Brady Cook, they beat Riley Leonard, they beat cam Ward, and then they beat Brandon Allen, Like outside of that Broncos game, in this eight game winning streak, they haven't really been tested. Now, that's not their fault. They can only play who's in front of them. But I think if they win this game, they win the AFC. I also think it's possible they come out and uh it's they not that they look like they're old selves, but like they don't look how they've looked the last eight weeks. I have no idea which way this is gonna go.
00:36:13
Speaker 1: I think that's why that Broncos game, though, was such an eye opener for a lot of people, because I think a lot of people were sort of looking at that, right You're like, okay, yeah, sure, you beat the Carters with overtime to beat the Cardinals, and you beat the Titans.
00:36:24
Speaker 2: Okay, sure.
00:36:24
Speaker 1: You mentioned they beat Riley Leonard h and the Colts. They beat Brady Cook, so it was like, Okay, they go to Denver, now what? And they went out and absolutely handled the Broncos. And that's when everybody's like, oh.
00:36:36
Speaker 4: I also, maybe it's just a meat thing.
00:36:38
Speaker 2: I think Denver's overrated as well.
00:36:40
Speaker 1: I think Denver is a blade team. I think they're a good team. I don't think they're a great team.
00:36:45
Speaker 3: Overrated though on their Yeah, I don't think they're the best team.
00:36:48
Speaker 2: In the AFC. They're not the best team in the AFC.
00:36:50
Speaker 3: I don't think we ever said that. I don't think we ever they're the one.
00:36:54
Speaker 4: See, like, I know a lot of people are giving them really good hill like they're not. Like the AFC I think is completely wide open, but every team outside of one, I would argue it has not been battle tested in the playoffs. So we're gonna learn a lot about these teams.
00:37:08
Speaker 2: Yeah, true, I think that's true. That's very true. Forty nine ers at the Eagles.
00:37:12
Speaker 1: So I hesitate to ask LaQuan any questions about this game, but I will anyway. I mean, we know they're going to give the ball to Christian McCaffrey a lot. That tends to be the way of the world. They struggled throwing the ball in Week eighteen against the Seahawks.
00:37:29
Speaker 2: Trent Williams is banged up. We'll see if he's available.
00:37:31
Speaker 1: And ready to go, because that's going to be a big deal there. But will the Niners be able to throw the ball effectively against a good Philly defense?
00:37:39
Speaker 3: Expose Turnity, please, this is the only time I'm going to be signing with the Eagles. Expose him. I do you think that matchup player? I like some players, but names listen man, and there's certain players that your organization like to prop up and they be in my DMS. Your fan base is the out there possible. I am on wax saying that. But let's get to the question at hand. I think at the end of the day that we're going to see a lot of Christian McCaffrey. That's going to be your star studded player. I don't think that the narrative, the headlines of all this is going to be Brock Purdy. I do think at the end of the day, Christian McCaffrey is going to show like, hey, I could take over a game. Still I can still be the workhorse of this.
00:38:24
Speaker 2: Backdate, no comeback player of the year.
00:38:31
Speaker 3: I told you he's locked that up since October.
00:38:33
Speaker 1: Like Matthew Stafford, job, why are all your races done since October?
00:38:38
Speaker 4: Done since the season games in November?
00:38:42
Speaker 2: What was this look?
00:38:45
Speaker 3: I would say this Christian McCaffrey, I was completely wrong on, But I think this game comes down to him. Like, I don't think this is going to be a heavy passing game because the Eagles have been locking it down these last couple of weeks in terms of allowing these pass catchers to get loose on them. So I think it's going to be a very difficult task for this all should throw it the ball.
00:39:01
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean I agree.
00:39:03
Speaker 1: I just think the Philly pass rush again, if Trent Williams isn't there, uh, perty's going to be under pressure from that side all day long, you know. And Joel and Jane's a nice piece, but he's not necessarily a world beater.
00:39:19
Speaker 2: If they're throwing it a lot and successful, you're.
00:39:20
Speaker 3: Sure why receiver one?
00:39:23
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean he is, and he's your third target.
00:39:27
Speaker 2: That's sort of the.
00:39:28
Speaker 1: Difference between like a number one pitcher and an ace like it is. But he's right, he's a number three target behind like McCaffrey and Kittle, you know, and then we'll see if Ricky Piersoll is healthy.
00:39:38
Speaker 2: That's why he's overrated.
00:39:40
Speaker 3: You know that, right, That's why who Turty is overrated?
00:39:44
Speaker 4: Man, you have just.
00:39:45
Speaker 1: The guy whose team runs fifty eleven tight end screams and he throws.
00:39:49
Speaker 2: One yard touchdowns all day. Like, what are you doing?
00:39:52
Speaker 4: What are you doing touchdowns?
00:39:55
Speaker 1: You text us every week about how upset you are at the thirteen different tight end screens that Matthew Stafford throws.
00:40:04
Speaker 2: He throws from the one yard line, Like you need to drink some water. You guys are gonna drink some water right now.
00:40:11
Speaker 3: Stafford literally leads the league in the longest touching passing touchdown among all the quarterbacks. Like we're looking at Stafford being able to score from anywhere on the field. And that was a touchdown, the two two at Well. Yes, it was only twenty plus air yards on it, but at the end.
00:40:26
Speaker 4: Of the day, he could still score.
00:40:28
Speaker 2: He could still.
00:40:29
Speaker 3: Score from anywhere. Like, let's not get this messed up.
00:40:32
Speaker 2: So it's a two two out Well touchdown.
00:40:35
Speaker 3: Yeah, I love how you guys stirred the pot. You brought it up, man, you brought you I was not complaining about the layups. I was complaining about the tight end screens. It's literally the worst play in all of NFL. I hate when it works. I hate when it doesn't work.
00:40:51
Speaker 1: You said that because he's because perty is throwing to see himc and Kittle, that makes him overrated. Yeah, your quarterback throws a lot of tight end screens and one yard touchdown.
00:41:00
Speaker 3: Because of his coach tight ends coach in Washington. So obviously now he's just like exploding with this personal with these tight ends.
00:41:10
Speaker 2: It is what it is. So Matthew Stafford is a Sean McVay creation. I hate you. I'm I'm just using your work.
00:41:17
Speaker 4: He is a benefactor of the best infrastructure any quarterback has in football.
00:41:21
Speaker 2: Anyway, we can do this all day. Let's not.
00:41:26
Speaker 1: Florial because the Niners struggle to stop the run, and that.
00:41:30
Speaker 2: Is what the Eagles do.
00:41:30
Speaker 4: Well.
00:41:31
Speaker 1: Will they even need to throw the ball regularly against this Niner defense?
00:41:34
Speaker 4: I think so because the Niners defense has kind of tightened up against the run a little bit, right like when they've played the Bears in that game the Bears drop thirty eight. DeAndre Swift led the Bears with fifty four rushing yards, Like, like mynung guy didn't have a ton. I know that game, and then I go back to the game prior to that, when they were able to shut down Jonathan Taylor, and look, I know the Eagles are beasts. I think the Eagles will be able to run the ball. But your secondary has been probably just as bad as your run defense. So I do think, especially to me, it comes down to your offense. Actually, like if your offense forces them to have to put up points, I think we'll see them throw the ball, and I think they will be able to. But if if you guys can't put up points, if it's looking how it was a couple weeks ago for you guys then or week eighteen against Seattle, yeah, then it might not be a game where they throw a ton.
00:42:31
Speaker 1: If this game gets into the thirties, I think that's the game the Niners want to play. I think that's it because if it goes into it becomes a track meet back and forth. I think San Francisco sort of wins that way. If it is a low scoring, grind them out kind of game. I think San Francisco has trouble with that, and I think they're going to struggle to stop the run.
00:42:51
Speaker 2: I think the secondary actually is not bad.
00:42:53
Speaker 1: The problem with it is that the pass rush is terrible, so they're kind of left out there, just kind of dangling for a long time.
00:43:00
Speaker 4: That's Hey, have you guys seen those new commercials?
00:43:02
Speaker 1: Yeah, Warner schooling Puka, given Puka an education on his financial well being.
00:43:09
Speaker 4: If the players can get along, why can't the fans.
00:43:12
Speaker 1: I mean, I'm willing to be generous to the Rams. It's it's the other guy that apparently can't can't extend in alive branch.
00:43:19
Speaker 2: That's all I know. Anyway, Chargers are Patriots Florida. Choose your fighter, Justin Herbert or Drake May.
00:43:27
Speaker 4: I'm gonna go with Drake May, partly because he has two hands and a full offensive. But yeah, like that, that's really I do think the Chargers secondary is the much tougher matchup of the two here. But the great neutralizer is the Chargers offensive line, and they've really I think if Herbert puts up numbers, it's gonna be a lot of quick passes and yak and that's when he was in his bag kind of in the middle of the year. I think defense has started to figure that out a little bit. And when you don't have the downfield presence, like, it's just easier to clog up closer to the line of scrimmage. But I'll say it now, I don't think either one of these guys has a huge like performance. But I think I'm gonna go with May. But the only reason I don't think he has a huge day is because I really respect that charger.
00:44:14
Speaker 1: Second Yeah, both these defenses are pretty good, especially their their secondaries. You know the Drake May thing. I know, we love his rushing ability. Obviously, it's a big big deal. Justin Herbert had more rushing yards than Drake May this year with this kind of a wild.
00:44:31
Speaker 4: Statement because he had to know.
00:44:34
Speaker 2: It's definitely out.
00:44:35
Speaker 1: Of necessity for sure, but yeah, he had more rushing yards than that.
00:44:39
Speaker 3: I never want to see Justin Herbert run this much ever again, by the way, like.
00:44:43
Speaker 2: Nor does Jim Harvard. I'm sure, seriously, I'm sure it does.
00:44:47
Speaker 4: Think that they built the whole all line to be the strength of their team and then the stars got hurt.
00:44:52
Speaker 1: It's just it evaporated, right, they lose Rayshawn Slater like preseason I think it was, and then they lose Joe Ault.
00:44:59
Speaker 2: Like really Vegas blow. Wow?
00:45:02
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah yeah, discuss that hurt a lot.
00:45:06
Speaker 5: Uh.
00:45:06
Speaker 1: Well, then let's talk about the guys lak on who we are expecting to run the football. Choose your fighter between o Marion Hampton and Trevion Henderson.
00:45:14
Speaker 3: I gotta go Hampton because we talked about handicaps. Because Vermandre Stevenson is a league winner, hands down, I mean out of nowhere right, like how he finished it back in the season. We know he earned his keep. No matter how many fumbles this guys have, he's going to be involved in this backfield. So I got to go to Martin Hampton, who's probably going to be their workhorse in this game where it's a difficult task for both of these running backs really against this defense, against either defense, I should say against the run game. So I think Hampton looks a little bit more better in a DFS lineup than a Trevion Henderson where you're just going to be banking on like one of these explosive plays to happen, which may not happen, but it comes down to a Marion Hampton not having a handicap.
00:45:56
Speaker 2: All right, Yeah, I don't know.
00:45:59
Speaker 1: I don't really love either one of these guys in this game. I think I think this is gonna be kind of a lower scoring game. It seems like I would have the potential to, you know, maybe turn into a track meet, But I don't know. Something tells me there's not gonna be a lot of points.
00:46:16
Speaker 4: No surprise there.
00:46:17
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's why I kin didn't ask you because I kind of knew where that was gonna go.
00:46:22
Speaker 3: Well, again, it's not out of the question that he can't blow one for like eighty rs.
00:46:26
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's kind of Chargers.
00:46:29
Speaker 4: Are really good against receivers and tight ends too, so I think we get a lot of Trevion in the passing.
00:46:34
Speaker 2: Yeah, that wouldn't surprise me.
00:46:36
Speaker 3: Charges miss tackles are at a high rate as well.
00:46:38
Speaker 1: So, I mean, the way the Patriots offense is currently constructed for Travion to have a big game, he's got a break at least one or two explosive plays.
00:46:48
Speaker 4: Luckily, the charges a lot a lot of explosive runs this year.
00:46:51
Speaker 2: There's that.
00:46:52
Speaker 1: There's that Speaking of points, Texans at Steelers Florida.
00:46:55
Speaker 2: Will we have actual points in this game.
00:46:58
Speaker 4: It might be first to twelve or few team wins. It's gonna be a I do think it's possible that Houston puts up. Like to me, this is either going to go one of two ways, right Like, it's either going to be a muck them up game where it's like very low points and it comes down to the end. And if you're Mike Tomlin, you're feeling all giddy right now, right like that is the game you were born to coach. But I also think it's possible where it's something like what we saw the Texans due to the Chargers where they just hit a couple of big strikes and they get all of their points and yards in like two chunk plays because they're there. Texans offense is big play or bust, right Like, they're awful in the red zone. They don't have a good rushing attack there, they don't consistently move the chain, so it's all home run or bust. But the Steelers have struggled downfield against speedy receivers, so like Nico Collins could win that one or one of those Iowa State guys. And they've also really struggled against tight ends. So I think Dalton Schultz could have a couple of big plays. But if it goes, if they connect on a couple of deep balls, I don't think the Steelers will be able to match points.
00:48:02
Speaker 2: Again. This is another thing where you're right.
00:48:03
Speaker 1: If the Texans get out and score a few, you know, some points early, get a couple of touchdowns early. I think the Steelers are cooked. Their offense is just not built to come back. But all that being said, lacon Ken, Kenneth Gagwell stay hot.
00:48:18
Speaker 3: Yes, because in the last five weeks we have not seen him have less than fifty percent into snaps and double digit opportunities, which keeps him in the mix of having like startable like in these DFS lineups, with Kenneth Gamewell being so explosive, being involved in the past a game like if we want this Steelers offense to keep up with whatever version of CJ. Strow we get, because you still have Nico Collins on the other side of that perimeter. So I think, at the end of the day, if this offense wants to keep up or be competitive, or to have these explosive plays on the table, Kenneth Gamewill has to be a major piece in this offense.
00:48:53
Speaker 1: Yeah, he's well, he's been a major piece because necessity, they've absolutely needed him. The good news for the Steelers, DK Metcalf will be back for this game, so you know.
00:49:05
Speaker 4: And I'm telling him, go earn your key in the last two weeks.
00:49:10
Speaker 2: Yeah, man, we need something from you, like you.
00:49:13
Speaker 4: Yeah, legs man, go out there and earn it.
00:49:17
Speaker 1: Let's go get it, all right, let's go through quickly, and you pick winners for this game. Rams at Panthers started with you o Q, Like I don't know, at least put it on record, damn it, just say it out loud, Florial.
00:49:31
Speaker 4: He No, I'm going with the Rams.
00:49:33
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's Rams here the Kuan Packers at Bears Packers.
00:49:40
Speaker 4: Okay, I actually am going with the Packers as well, but I would not be surprised at all if the Bears have like the flukiest, craziest playoff when you could think.
00:49:49
Speaker 1: Of I'm gonna take the Bears because I think something fluky and crazy is.
00:49:55
Speaker 2: So I'm gonna take I'm gonna take the.
00:49:56
Speaker 1: Bears, all right, Floya start with you for Bill's Jaguars, Like I don't know I'm going.
00:50:01
Speaker 4: With the Bills, but this is a tough one. I'll say it again. I think whoever wins this might win the AFC, all right, LQ.
00:50:08
Speaker 2: Jags.
00:50:08
Speaker 3: I think they're a more complete team, to be honest, even with Josh Allen on the other side, it's it has to be the Jags.
00:50:14
Speaker 1: I'm gonna I'm gonna take the Bills because Josh is gonna do something crazy, heroic, because I think that's how it's gonna have to work for them to win, is just Josh just puts the whole team on his back.
00:50:25
Speaker 2: Uh, forty nine Ers at Eagles, you know, taking the forty nine ers, just leave it back. You're taking the Eagles, Florida. You get to be the time.
00:50:34
Speaker 4: I'm going to go Eagles, but I'm going to be rooting for you guys.
00:50:37
Speaker 1: All right, just to see you, just to see it's it's all about you, LQ. He just wants to see your reaction to this whole thing.
00:50:43
Speaker 2: That's all it is.
00:50:44
Speaker 4: Over forty nine ers rams NFC Championship.
00:50:47
Speaker 2: You'll know my mood Saturday night.
00:50:50
Speaker 1: That would be wild. That'll be wild, all right. Lakwan Chargers at Patriots.
00:50:56
Speaker 3: This one's actually tough. I'm probably gonna lean Patrio just just like this feels like the Chargers are going to be the Chargers where they always shoot theirselves in the foot in the most important game. So maybe justin Herbert throws four interceptions in this game, who knows?
00:51:12
Speaker 2: All right, who you got, Floria, I'm going.
00:51:14
Speaker 4: With the Patriots, but I just think the Chargers are they're with they're a lie issues their backs against the wall in that sense.
00:51:23
Speaker 1: Yeah, that and the Patriots being at home. I'm gonna take the Patriots in that one too. Last one Lakwan Texans at Steelers.
00:51:31
Speaker 3: Steelers, I mean, shout out the quab Our producer. I'm supporting him in this decision. I don't like this game is nasty to me, honestly, Like like Florio said, first and.
00:51:40
Speaker 4: Twelve, Yeah, Floria, you got Speaking of Kuav he was he emailed me the questions like we're going over on Sunday show and for this game, it's just pick a winner the Texans there though, I'm gonna.
00:51:54
Speaker 2: Take the Texans this game. Actually, I like the Texans.
00:51:57
Speaker 1: Somehow broke out of their normal like first game on Saturday a time slot.
00:52:02
Speaker 2: This game should have been in that time slot.
00:52:05
Speaker 4: The only reason is they need a four or five on Monday, and they weren't putting Rams Panthers on Monday night.
00:52:11
Speaker 2: They should have.
00:52:12
Speaker 3: They had a great weekend, chill, cool, calm and collected.
00:52:15
Speaker 1: Honestly, think I would rather see that game. And I know, I guess because the you know, the number on that one is kind of large, So I guess that's the reason why. But Texan Steelers feels like, Man, I'm gonna just I don't know.
00:52:26
Speaker 2: This would be background.
00:52:28
Speaker 4: The Panthers being on Saturday is the only way they have a chance because they're there. They got an extra day's rest compared to the Rams because they played on Saturday, and the Rams gotta go cross country. I think that keeps it competitive, that makes them have a fighting chance.
00:52:42
Speaker 1: Honestly, why Packers Bears isn't the Monday night game like that would have been a.
00:52:46
Speaker 2: Great Monday day.
00:52:47
Speaker 4: Apparently there was an article written and NFL through Amazon and bone pretty much was the explanation I got in the article.
00:52:57
Speaker 1: All right, all right, again, these decisions are where well above our pay grade.
00:53:02
Speaker 2: So whatever.
00:53:04
Speaker 1: Anyway, I look at the wildcard weekend. Of course we'll be back next week to recap that and get you ready.
00:53:10
Speaker 2: For whatever's coming up. But we're not done.
00:53:11
Speaker 1: Take a quick break, come back and we'll give you our DFS preview for the weekend. We set some lineups to let you know how they look. That's coming up on the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, Time for Who Will Deliver, presented by Uber Eat. When football makes you hungry, order Uber Eats. We did some wildcard weekend DFS lineups. Lakwan, you just like to start with who you put together.
00:53:37
Speaker 3: So I went value here, like I got some names in here and that aren't traditional, like big names like you got Terrence Ferguson. I think this is where Sean McVay just unlocks him and unleashes him completely and with who person, Hey, no, deep deep with Terrence Ferguson. It's not Kobe Parkinson, mister screen or Davis Allen dropped the ball. But anyway, I went with the running backs that I feel like are to have high performances. I think Josh Jacobs puts up a ton in the flex position and be a guy that's going to be in striking distance and it's a skill at this point, right He's going to score a lot of touchdowns. Traves etn Saquon Barkley. I think they have amazing rushing days. And then the wide receivers. You know, I had to get my anchor and there mister offensive player of the year, Pookin Nakool And then I went with some value plays where I was kind of surprised to see Jalen Coker only at forty five hundred, where he kind of lit us up last time they played. So I look at Jalen Coker as a sneaky guy in there. Maybe a flex play where I think this is a solid lineup to bring home the goal for a couple of folks.
00:54:34
Speaker 1: All right, all right, so you definitely some value spots in there are some spots where you spend big.
00:54:40
Speaker 2: I like it. Florida. What is your DFS lineup for the week?
00:54:44
Speaker 4: Yeah, I went with Jalen Hurts. I think he's going to be running more. The Eagles knew they had this division wrapped up for a while now, so I think they were just like, don't run, don't we don't want to get you hurt. But I think in the playoffs we see him running a lot more. I think the same thing with Kyrien Williams right like, I think the Rams were very vocal that we want him healthy in the playoffs. But this is when you set your best players free, and the Panthers are a great matchup Travon. I think he gets used in the passing game. I think it wouldn't be surprised if he hits a home run or two. In fact, on the Insider said he was the most important Patriot this weekend in my opinion, Pooka Nakua for the reasons LaQuan said, Aj Brown to complete the stack with Jalen Hurts, he's been the go to guy, four Hurtz, Christian Watson. I think it's the most important Packer right Like when they beat the Bears, he went off and the matchup indicates that he needs, I think, to have a big day. Don Schultz spoke about him earlier that I think the Steelers really struggled against tight ends. Spoke about Brandon Cook, so I was able to get him in for really cheap and then I was able to get in what I think is the best defense in football this weekend and just in general in the Houston Texans.
00:55:47
Speaker 1: All right, all right, so definitely some similarities there the Puka thing for sure, a crossover there with the two lineups there.
00:55:55
Speaker 2: For mine, I.
00:55:56
Speaker 1: Went back to Jordan Love as the quarterback there. Actually started with the running backs because I think both Saquon Barkley and Kyron Williams are in line for really big days, so that actually I started building the lineup so I could spin up a little bit for them and then kind of fill in the gap. So I went Jordan lovet quarterback Nico Collins. I think has a really good matchup and to Florio's point, like they could hit a couple of big plays to him early in this game, maybe he finds the end zone. So I was willing to spend a little bit there Tenoro McMillan because I do think the Panthers are going to be in a situation where they got to throw the football and he is going to be the primary option there for Bryce Young, so I got him into a lineup Christian Watson because I think he is the primary target.
00:56:34
Speaker 2: For Jordan Love.
00:56:35
Speaker 1: It also gave me a little bit of a Packers stack there. Dalton Schultz seemed like the best tight end option, especially for the value that you're getting there, so I threw him in there, and then Adam Blake Coorum.
00:56:45
Speaker 2: So I do think the Rams are going to run the football a lot. They're going to get down to the one, and.
00:56:49
Speaker 1: Then Devontae Adams is going to vulture a touchdown away from Kyron or Korum to move winners. Fan, Is that not what happens? Is that not how your offense operates.
00:56:58
Speaker 2: You get down to the one and then the Sean Bud.
00:57:01
Speaker 1: Kilbo decides to call a pass play or something for the quarterback as opposed to the running back who did all the work. I mean, Kyrien Williams is Wendell Brown. Go watch Varsity Blues and you'll understand. Anyway, Lake corm is my flex. And then by the Patriots defense. I did love any of the defenses this week, but I love the Patriots seem like the best option. You mentioned the offensive line there in Los Angeles for the Chargers, so I think they could get some pressure on Justin Herbert, and so I liked the Patriots there as as my defense. So there it is our three lineups for Wildcard weekend if you were playing of the Daily Variety, So.
00:57:39
Speaker 2: There you go.
00:57:39
Speaker 1: That was Who Will Deliver? Presented by Uber Eats. When football makes you hungry, get game day deals on Uber Eats, the official on demand delivery partner of the NFL.
00:57:48
Speaker 2: Order. Now, hey, it's playoff time, everybody.
00:57:54
Speaker 4: I'm very nervous, man.
00:57:56
Speaker 2: Sorry, I was like in my I'm sorry, I was in my head.
00:57:58
Speaker 1: I was thinking about the movie The Warriors, you know, to get they finally get back to Cody Island.
00:58:01
Speaker 2: We fought all night to get back to this exactly.
00:58:04
Speaker 4: That's how it feels, man, because I'm so nervous. Like, maybe this is just my bias, but I'm like, I think Bill's Jags might be the toughest game to pick this weekend. And uh, I'm not looking forward to Sunday morning.
00:58:18
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, yeah, your Sunday could either be great or terrible, depending on how things go.
00:58:23
Speaker 2: We'll see. Yeah.
00:58:25
Speaker 4: I wanted it Saturday night just to pull the band aid.
00:58:27
Speaker 2: Just the system rim, just to be done with it. Yeah. I don't know.
00:58:30
Speaker 1: I may just be like out and about and just try to check checking a Niner game on my phone.
00:58:35
Speaker 2: That might just be better for my own mental.
00:58:36
Speaker 4: Health that I your ability to do that. I have self control.
00:58:43
Speaker 3: If I do that. Rams are one hundred percent losing, like in center, I need to be in my living room twelve inches away from the screen.
00:58:52
Speaker 2: Are you at first quarters?
00:58:53
Speaker 4: Yes?
00:58:53
Speaker 3: I am that person.
00:58:54
Speaker 2: This is intense. I pay.
00:58:56
Speaker 4: I have a like a ball that I like I'll throw off the floor, off my wall or ceiling like.
00:59:03
Speaker 2: But it's funny.
00:59:04
Speaker 1: I'm not that person for football. I am that way for for baseball. I have been that way for the NBA when the Warriors had it going.
00:59:15
Speaker 2: I just I don't know for whatever.
00:59:17
Speaker 1: Reason, Like I have not been that like pace the floor guy.
00:59:21
Speaker 2: For the NFL. I don't know why. I have no explanation for it. Just am't not for me.
00:59:26
Speaker 4: Football brings it out the most because it's it's that day and that's it, you know, Like every other series is like five game, seven games. So basketball playoffs make me hate opponents more than anything.
00:59:39
Speaker 1: As we can tell about your Tyrese Haliburton yet.
00:59:44
Speaker 2: But you're playing twenty five and basketball you're facing like eight.
00:59:47
Speaker 4: If that Etsy Witch man, someone's bought an Etsy Wish Whitch against the Bills. I saw and I was like, it's not even a Jacks fan. It's like, oh, a Patriots orders of course that it.
01:00:01
Speaker 2: Had to be I had to be an NFC or an a f C East.
01:00:04
Speaker 4: Uh personal though, that's how you that that's the team that they're afraid of.
01:00:09
Speaker 1: Oh man, that Sea Witches are busy nowadays when the playoffs come run and Sea Witches seemed to seemed to get in.
01:00:16
Speaker 4: The wrong business.
01:00:17
Speaker 2: Right, get in on that hustle. How do I get in on that real? Right? That's what I need to do. That's what we look at this weekend while playoff games are wrong.
01:00:24
Speaker 4: You're to hire an et sea witch.
01:00:26
Speaker 2: I'm gonna becoming that sea witch. What are you talking about that? I'm trying to make that money. I don't care.
01:00:34
Speaker 4: Would you would you curse the forty nine ers if someone paid you to?
01:00:37
Speaker 2: You paid me enough?
01:00:38
Speaker 4: Sure?
01:00:41
Speaker 2: How much?
01:00:41
Speaker 4: Would you curse the Rams?
01:00:43
Speaker 2: Free?
01:00:44
Speaker 4: What for the Rams?
01:00:45
Speaker 2: Never? Never? I would never do that. No, but he was huge of nineers for free. He doesn't curse a right like you give me. Everybody's got a price, everybody's got money.
01:00:56
Speaker 4: Sorry, Josh, I love you, everybody's got a price. No, No, come, Look, I love Josh and the Bills, but I love my family more.
01:01:05
Speaker 1: You know, seriously, that Quan, your favorite team doesn't love you. Back, so at some point there is a price.
01:01:14
Speaker 3: They sent me the Aaron Donald Gold edition. This was enough love their favorite team.
01:01:18
Speaker 1: That ask Rams fans who were here in the late nineties when the team they loved went out for cigarettes and never came back.
01:01:25
Speaker 2: They team they.
01:01:26
Speaker 3: Came back when the child was good in high school as sport and became a supporting father.
01:01:32
Speaker 1: How did that work out for Shaquille O'Neil's dad, Just saying, and on that really dark note, that'll do it for this edition of the NFL.
01:01:45
Speaker 2: Stay happy, do good, live well, enjoy the playoffs. Everybody wants talk to you again on Tuesday. Bob Count Help, Bob
01:02:10
Speaker 4: Count help, h