[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And also out, Timmy Jernigan, defensive tackle, foot injury, that was expected. Corey Clement running back is questionable. And for the Packers, Zedaria Smith popped up yesterday on the injury report as questionable with a knee injury. So we have to wait basically until 90 minutes before kickoff to see whether or not he's going to play. But Alshon Jeffery coming back.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] It helps the Eagles offense, and uh, it may or may not have influenced my ultimate pick in this.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, thanks. I don't know if that's a compliment or not, but I'll take the wizard part of it. I actually, and I've gone back and forth on this, and I need to put it in context. I'm 0 and 3 on Thursday night this year. And it's time to get off this Schneid.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, my impulse was the Packers. So I've decided to go against my impulse and go with the Philadelphia Eagles. I-I can't see the Eagles going to 1 and 3. I think they are better than that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And maybe the Packers are a little bit overly inflated at 3-0. They should have lost to the Vikings. The Broncos gave them a better game than the final score would indicate. And the Eagles could have beaten the Falcons. They could have beaten and should have beaten the Lions. And now that Alshon Jefferies back, Carson Wentz is still healthy. Carson Wentz is the best quarterback the Packers have seen all year. And I think that with three


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Games of Mike Petten 2019 film for Doug Peterson to, to spend some time trying to crack, although he didn't have a full week to crack it. I think Peterson, who is 3-0,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] on short week games during his head coaching career. I think Peterson and the Eagles sufficiently desperate to get the win tonight. The Packers feeling sufficiently good about where they are that they relaxed just enough for the Eagles to steal this one. So I like the Eagles 24 20.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Hey, and also Chris, also, also, it's not just losing the NFC East. Good luck getting the 5 seed or the 6 seed with what the teams in the NFC West and the North are doing. You fall to 1 and 3, your margin for error is down to maybe 2 losses over the balance of the year. I mean, you gotta go 10 and 2 to make up for a 1 and 3 start, all the more reason for them to be desperate. Go ahead.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Another example, wait, another example of Sims threading the needle, picking the favorite to win, but picking the underdog to cover. And let me just say, to the extent that we factor in over under, cause I don't put a whole lot of thought before we sit down and do this into the score cause I'm not thinking over under, but over under is 46 and a half.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So I'm gonna revise my score to 28-24, not 24-20. I still like the Eagles by 4. I like the idea of maybe more points being scored based on your explanation. And my gut's telling me this game is gonna be more likely to be over that number, although it's probably gonna be close to that number. I'll go 28-24, so I'm leaning over.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] We know Laramie Tunsil, the left tackle that the Texans picked up the week before the season started for a couple of first round picks and a second round pick. They also got back receiver Kenny Stills. He was limited last week in practice with an ankle injury. This week it's an ankle and a toe that has him limited in practice. We have to continue to watch the injury report as the week unfolds. Chantrelle Henderson is out with an illness.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And those are the really only noteworthy injuries. Nobody else seems to be seriously injured. Whitney Merciless shoulder. He fully participated. He should be fine. For the Panthers, obviously Cam Newton is out.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Shaq Thompson, limited in practice with a knee. Greg Olson, limited with a back.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Kaywan Short was out with a shoulder injury. Trey Turner out with an ankle injury. So continue to watch the injury report because that may factor into your final assessment, whether it's for betting purposes or fantasy purposes. But obviously the big news, no Cam Newton and who knows how long it'll be until we see Cam Newton. If Kyle Allen wins another game, that pushes back Cam Newton's timetable probably even longer, Chris.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, you know, the Texans could be 3-0. They had the game won against the New Orleans Saints. They allowed the Saints to drive down the field and kick the game winning field goal.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And, uh, hey, it impressed me that they went to LA and beat the Chargers there last week. A game that I thought the Chargers would win. You know, we've criticized the Texans so much for mortgaging their future. Well, when you mortgage your future, you have a lot of money in hand right now. They've got Laramie Tunsil.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They've got Kenny Stills and I see 23-17 for a lot of the same reasons that you identified. I don't know that Kyle Allen can continue to do what he did last week. This is not the Cardinals defense. This is a better defense. This is a tough environment for the Panthers. And I think the Texans are starting to build a little something. We've already seen the separation start.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] At the top of the AFC South, you know, going into the year, we didn't know who was going to be any good. Week one kind of caused us to reevaluate, especially with the Titans beating the Browns. But I think it's going to be the Colts and the Texans, as it seems to be more often than not. And they're starting to separate, and this is an opportunity for the Texans to get to three and one and start to pull away from the bottom of the division.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Well, let me give you the quick injury run down. Mark Andrews, who was questionable last week for Baltimore with a foot injury, he did not practice Wednesday. Jimmy Smith, knee injury, did not practice. Earl Thomas got the day off for rest. Those are the important ones that really stand out.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Brendan Trawick also elbow injury didn't practice. Uh, for the Browns, Demaris Randall is back and it was weird. He claims he didn't have a concussion.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He's cleared to practice with a concussion that he claims he didn't have. He fully participated. The rest of the starting secondary though, still banged up.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Which yeaah, which still, other than that, the browns should be fine. And look,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I was talking to Tony Grossi earlier today on PFT Live, who covers the Browns and has covered them for years, and he has...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] What I thought was unreal, unrealistic amount of confidence in the Browns this week. His point is, hey, they can go in and they can beat the Ravens. They can be right where they were supposed to be tied for first place in the division. It's like, it's not going to be quite as easy to go into Baltimore and beat.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They still kept it close against the Chiefs. So I, I, I, you know, the Browns are gonna have to prove it to me. After losing two out of three games, they've got some tough games coming up.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I wanna see how Freddy Kitchens handles adversity. I mean, if his excuse for making bad decisions in play calling is going to be...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'm new at this, he's also new at dealing with adversity, and I don't think they're gonna deal with it very well. I think the Ravens win this one.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And, uh, let me find my score here. I gotta scroll up. I got these out of order a little bit. I have the Ravens winning this game in Baltimore. See, I'm filling as I scroll down to find it. I've got the Ravens winning by 7, 27, 20. And they may win by more than that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Let me ask you this question about the Cleveland Browns. The issue arose yesterday, and actually it was earlier in the week when Rex Ryan was on ESPN saying that Baker Mayfield is overrated as hell and he's a one read quarterback. Do you agree with the assessment of Mayfield as a one read quarterback?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Well, and, and it's his first regular season game because some of his great throws last year came in the Georgia Dome in the preseason. And if anything, he's only going to be better when we completely take weather and wind


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Out of the mix. So this could get very scary and it gives you an idea maybe of how much better he would be if he played eight of his home games in a dome stadium.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Alright, Danny Amendola did not practice yesterday, chest injury. Mike Daniels has the foot injury. He was injured I think this past week. It was. Against the Eagles. And Darius Slay, remember he's hopping around one leg with a hamstring. He was limited in practice with a hamstring injury, but those take time to heal. And for the Chiefs, Mahomes still shows up.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] With an ankle injury. He fully participated in practice. Eric Fisher still out with a groin. Tyree Kill obviously still out with his clavicle issue. Damian Williams did not practice with a knee. He's the starting running back. LaShawn McCoy limited with an ankle. He did well last week. So, uh, that's the, those are the big ones for both teams.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeaah, look, I, I, this falls into the category of...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. And I think Matt Patricia will have a plan for dealing with the Kansas City Chiefs.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] His former boss, Bill Belichick, had a plan for slowing down the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game and it took some heroic efforts by Tom Brady and company to come back and win that game. I don't think the personnel in Detroit is good enough to implement the plan and Patrick Mahomes is still


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Patrick Mahomes. And even though he's still feeling that ankle, he told me that on Sunday after the win over the Ravens. I think the Chiefs are more than good enough. And this is one of those, one of those games where a team that maybe surprises us with their early season performance comes back down to earth. The Lions go from 2-0-1-1 to 2-1-1. I got Chiefs 34, Lions 24.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I got, I got, I got nothing to add. We have covered it all. And you know what though, if the Lions do pull this one off, then it's time to completely re-evaluate how we feel about the Lions. Cause this would be one of those shots heard around the NFL world, and I'm not ready to rule it out.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But I just think the Chiefs are too good. You know, we've kind of signed on to this idea that the Patriots, Chiefs, Cowboys, and Rams are a cut above everyone else. Right. And now it's up to everyone else to prove that that's wrong.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Tight ends Hunter Henry and Virgil Green. No practice for them. Henry's got a knee problem that's lingering. Green's got a groin issue. Casey Hayward didn't practice and also Mike Williams popping up with a back injury. He had a knee problem earlier this year. No practice yesterday for him with a back injury and for the Dolphins.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, does it really matter? Josh Rosen has a right elbow injury. He fully participated. The other skill position guys, Albert Wilson, hip and calf, limited in practice. Alan Hearns recovering from a concussion. He got blown up by Jeff Heath last week in Dallas. So those are the big injuries. Those are the injuries of note for the Chargers.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uhm, home or away, regardless of who they play. And the Chargers are 1 and 2 and they shouldn't be. And this is one of those get-right weekends for a team that feels like it should be a playoff contender. They have too many close games. Last year they won most of their close games. This year they've lost a couple of close games. And now this is a game that isn't gonna be close. I think the Chargers are gonna drop the hammer on the...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Miami Dolphins, and now I gotta scroll back up and find the score. I think I did 42-17. Okay. Uh, maybe not quite 42. Here it is, here it is, here it is.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] 42-10. So I'm not, I'm not letting the Dolphins score more than 10 points, which is their high on the season. 42-10 LA over Miami.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I like the take that has the links of the Miami coaching staff back to the win over the Chargers in the playoffs, but then I remind myself the Patriots are the Patriots and the Dolphins are the Dolphins. And right, you can draw it up just like drawing up a tight end blocking a pass rusher. It looks good until it's time to go do it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, and, uh, just a couple of note for the Patriots. Tom Brady's still limited with a calf injury. He was limited last week. He's still played. He explained he's no spring chicken anymore.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] That's a, that's a fairly obvious point from a guy who's 42 and a month and a half old. Rex Burkhead, foot injury, limited in practice. Julian Edelman had that chest injury, had x-rays on his ribs. He was limited in practice on Wednesday.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] For the Buffalo Bills, the guy to watch is Devon Singletary. Running back, hamstring injury. Did not practice at all on Wednesday. May not be available come Sunday. It could be the Frank Gorse Show. Zay Jones was limited in practice with a shoulder injury. And look, Chris, I mean, it was, it's...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] This, this is a great rivalry. It is. And every year, we allow ourselves to think that this is the year the Bills are gonna stick it to the Patriots, and I'm not gonna fall for that again.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I, I, the Patriots are still a cut above everyone in the AFC East, including the Bills. The Bills are a little bit of an inflated 3-0, should have lost to the Jets, almost blew it to the Bengals. I just think the Patriots are still a step or two above the Bills and they will be ready


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Because of the fact that the bills are 3-0. Because of that vibe.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Here come the Patriots and Bill's Mafia is gonna be fired up and they're gonna be throwing the dildos out onto the field and we were having fun yesterday on the show talking about it and making people in the control room.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Very, very nervous as we talked about it and stopped short of saying something we shouldn't say on an FCC regulated radio broadcast, but, uh, you know, it's a fun game. It's an exciting environment, but I think the patrons are going to go in there knowing they, they need to jump on the bills early.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And quiet that crowd. And then as Tom Brady said yesterday, he loves it when toward the end of the game, it's just Patriots fans left. And I have a feeling that's what's going to happen again. My pick for the score. I got to get my, my picks in the same order as the outline because I keep fishing around here looking for the score.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And your point about the bills being buttoned up because it's the Patriots and it's a stiff test, that makes me less confident in the bills. Not more confident. You think they'll be a little scared?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] That sets the stage for being a little stiff, a little tight, and then if you're down 10 or 14, that's like you pop the air out of the balloon, and uh, and that's it. Not our day, not our year, same old Patriots, same old Bills. It's a hell of an opportunity.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The Patriots know that too. They don't have a lot of knockout blows they have to deliver in their division and the Bills in Buffalo is the last big knockout blow that they need to deliver and it's only week four.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] One last point. The Patriots' opponents through three weeks are 0 and 9 combined. So here comes a team that's 3 and 0. So it is going to be a very stark difference in the quality. But I'm just saying, I'm pointing out the stat. 0 and 9. They have played shit teams. They haven't played a team that's won a game yet this year.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, for the Colts, the guys to keep an eye on. Receiver T.Y. Hilton, quadricep injury. He did not practice on Wednesday. Darius Leonard, great running back, er, running back, great linebacker.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Concussion, no practice for him on Wednesday. Ryan Kelly was out with an illness. Malik Hooker.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Great safety, knee injury, he didn't practice, so these are guys to keep an eye on as the week unfolds.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] For the Oakland Raiders, they got some, some injuries that should cause concern. Trent Brown, ankle and knee injuries, he was limited in practice. Vontez Burfect has the cocktail of elbow, knee and shoulder injuries, he was limited. Uh, Gabe Jackson, knee injury, he didn't practice, so.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So, and again, you never know how it's going to play out the rest of the week. The guys who don't practice on Wednesday, those are the guys that you need to watch most carefully to see if and when they get back and if and when they, they do have that opportunity to play. But, uh, both, you know, we're, we're three weeks in. There's some teams that are, that are more banged up than others, but for the Colts, I think the big concern is T.Y. Hilton and Derrick.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Boy, and I have it not even being that close. I got 3420 Colts. I just believe that the Colts are clearly a better team.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The Raiders are kind of in the early throws of a free fall. They lost by 18 to the Chiefs. They lost by 20 in Minnesota. They don't have another true home game for like five more weeks.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] John Gruden's gotten himself all twisted up. After they beat the Broncos, he said, we didn't need Antonio Brown. Now after two straight losses, well, we don't have Antonio Brown. That's why the offense isn't any good. Derek Carr's not throwing the ball down the field, even though Gruden wants him to.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Everybody's making excuses, Gruden's making excuses, Carr's making excuses, and I think the losses are just gonna pile up, and I can see the Colts just running rough shop.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Over the Oakland Raiders this week. It may not be, it may not be that close, but 34-20, I'll be a little charitable with the Raiders, I'll allow them to score 20, I'll allow them to only lose by 14, but I think there's a clear difference between the Colts and the Raiders at this point.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, uh, not a lot of injuries of note in this one. Calvin Ridley limited with a hip on Wednesday, the number two receiver for the Falcons. Got to keep an eye on that. Two running backs didn't practice with concussions. Edo Smith and Kenyon Barner. Edo Smith the backup to Devonte Freeman. So that's something to watch. For the Titans, Delaney Walker knee injury did not practice. He had that rant in the locker room yesterday about how


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Guys react differently when they're one and two than they used to, that they don't get as down in the mouth, they don't get as upset, they're more individualized now than they used to be. I don't know what impact that has on the Titans. But let me tell you this, Chris. The Titans are the ultimate team.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I genuinely wondered whether or not Mariota thought it was the third quarter. That was the lack of urgency we saw from him. And I wouldn't be shocked if at some point they do flip from Mariota to Ryan Tannehill.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They've had extra time to get ready for this one. Yep. And again, they play up to the level of the competition. Falcons are a four point favorite. This is the kind of game the Titans win. It's a quick trip from Nashville to Tennessee, or from Nashville to Atlanta. I like the Titans to steal this one 23 to 20.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] No, just because I like the underdog to win straight up doesn't mean I'm willing to put someone else's money on it. But you know, one last point about the Falcons. They are starting to feel a little desperate, but I don't think it's going to make a difference. I feel like something's broken in that organization that needs to be fixed and it's going to be punctuated


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] By the closest team geographically to the Falcons coming in and, uh, and knocking them off and, and we're going to start having Dan Quinn on, uh, on termination watch.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I wish his number was two, and then we could call him Danny Deuce, and we could say he's dropping a deuce on everybody. I mean, that would be even better. Too bad he picked number eight. Uh, so, anyway, every time I see Danny Dimes, now I think Danny Deuce, which maybe I like it after all.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, injuries. Case Keenum. Now, Washington did not practice on Wednesday, so we get one of these weird injury reports where they didn't practice, but if they had practiced, here's who wouldn't have practiced. Case Keenum, with a foot injury, which is big. Colt McCoy would have fully participated with a fibula injury that dates back to last year. So, Keenum wouldn't have gone.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] McCoy would have gone. Meanwhile, Dwayne Haskins appears nowhere on the injury report. And it sounded yesterday as if Coach Jay Gruden a little more willing to entertain the possibility of flipping over to Dwayne Haskins. And I think that would be smart. If he wants to extend his tenure. At some point you have to say, my best argument isn't winning games.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'll take it. I didn't mention the Giants injuries. Obviously Saquon Barkley's out with an ankle. That's the big one. Russell Shepard didn't practice with a foot. He's one of the team's receivers. Alec Ogletree has a hamstring, but for the most part, uh, there, there is a general health for the Giants and the key is Daniel Jones emerged from his first start.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Pat Sharmer, the coach of the Giants. Yeaah. Knows Case Keenum.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Very well, knows what he can do, knows what he can't do, knows what to force him to do that he's not comfortable doing, and I think that will, to the extent that Shermer takes the time to work with defensive coordinator James Betcher this week, they can maybe come up with something that will shut down Case Keenum. Or at least slow him down. Secondly, secondly, I cannot pick a team


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Who stirs the Gatorade with a sleeve of cups wrapped in plastic.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I agree with you on the stirring the cup. I'm surprised that you aren't more grossed out about the stirring of the Gatorade that gets ingested into the human body by the sleeve of plastic cups wrapped in plastic that was laying god knows where on the ground, in the grass, on a pile of crap. Who knows?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Tuesday's podcast that was the week three awards and we answered a few questions. And I did yesterday, I try to do once a week, just answer every question that they ask. And I go for an hour to an hour and a half and I did one yesterday. So that's the latest one. That's the last one for the week other than the joint PFTPM Chris Sims on Button podcast that we are recording.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Ideas have to force their way onto your radar screen and somebody made a good point yesterday that I have yet to write about at PFT but we talked about it for a while yesterday. Should the Vikings trade Stefan Diggs?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He has six catches for 101 yards in three games this year. They are wasting money on feeling and digs. Now they don't have a lot of depth at the position, but as the trade deadline approaches, if you can beef up some other areas of need on your team, and maybe you could throw him into a package that would include Jalen Ramsey coming to Minnesota,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Kyler Murray is roughly as tall as Russell Wilson. There is a noticeable difference in size between the two guys. And we've seen Kyler Murray struggle a little bit. I think that


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They're starting to figure out the Clift Kingsbury offense. Remember all that talk before week one? Hey, nobody knows what to expect. We've got three games of it now and look what they did last week. All those passes were dinks and dunks. Nothing down the field. From an injury standpoint, there's a lot of Seahawks.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But still, plenty of guys that there are questions about. Ziggy Onsa, Shocker, he's got injury issues. Dwayne Brown didn't practice with a biceps injury. That would be a problem if the left tackle is not available. For the Cardinals, no big names really stand out. Their punter didn't practice with a hip injury, which could be an issue. But for the most part, the Cardinals are healthy.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think that we're getting to the point where Cliff Kingsbury is going to have to counter what defenses are doing now that they have seen what his offense is.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] to the Saints. They're only five point favorites or something in that neighborhood. I think the Seahawks win this one easily. Now they were one of my bets of the week last week in a blow up in my face, but I'm not giving up on the Seahawks.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think they get right with this game and I think the Cardinals get a little bit more exposed as a team that really is a cut below the good teams in the NFC.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, my score is 34-17 Seahawks over Cardinals and I feel even better about it this week because of what happened last week for both teams. Which of course means it's all going to get flipped around and the Seahawks are going to lose by 15, but I don't think, I'd be stunned if that's the outcome this week. I think the Seahawks win this one easily.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Injuries Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin did not practice with a hip on Wednesday. Keep an eye on him. Rashad Perryman quadricep limited in practice. Vita V a groin injury did not practice and Devin White.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Their top ten draft pick. He did not practice with a knee injury. And for the Rams, only three names. Akib Tlaib got the day off for veteran rest. Tyler Higby, limited with a chest. And Austin Blythe, offensive lineman, limited with an ankle. So the Rams, very healthy right now. And every week I keep expecting Todd Gurley to pop up. He has not popped up yet. But Chris, let me, let me ask you this.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] There was some comments yesterday from Sean McVeigh about Todd Gurley's use. And he's averaging 14.6 carries per game.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] McVeigh wants to get it to 25 and it's funny they asked him a bunch of questions about load management and girlies incorporation to the offense and it's like everybody dances around asking about the knee. Like how's the knee doing?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, and I think it's because the team got so salty about all those questions that the reporters are afraid to ask now, but that's really what I want to know. How is his knee holding up after three games? And are you limiting his use because of the knee? And they're tiptoeing around that topic, and I think that's what we need to know about Todd.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And I thought about it, and I thought about it, and then I went look, I went back and looked to see how the Cardinals under Bruce Arians did against Sean McVay's Rams the first year that McVay was there. The Rams swept the Cardinals that year, and I know that that's not


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Well, let me look at the injuries here. The Broncos have a lot of guys. The ones that stand out, Emmanuel Sanders limited in practice with a quad injury, Royce Freeman running back, shoulder injury was limited.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And, uh, the rest of them, you can check out the injury report. I mean, they have several guys, but those are the big ones. Also for the Jaguars, a lot of guys getting some rest yesterday. Jalen Ramsey did not practice with the back injury, the much disputed back injury. And then he left the team for the birth of his second child with an open-ended pass.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The statement the team issued basically said he'll return when he's ready. We'll see how long that is. So that's kind of a concerning situation from a standpoint of


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Team chemistry and distractions and they handled it well last week on a short week when Jalen Ramsey


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And it felt like he was going to be traded the day after the win over the titans. Since then, the Jaguars decided to slam the brakes on it. And it's gotten a little clunky. It's gotten a little awkward. And I don't know how much that's going to affect the Jaguars. Other injured guys, Chris Conley, receiver, limited with a knee injury. Miles Jack fully participated in practice.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Despite a concussion, he got knocked out on the field last week against Tennessee. So those are the big ones to keep an eye on. And, and Chris, I, you know, Denver's not gonna go 0-16.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Now, they may not go eight and eight, and they probably won't have a winning record. It'll probably be three straight losing seasons for the first time since 1970 through 1972.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But I just feel like this is a game the Broncos win. I, I still have concerns about disarray in the Jaguars organization as a result of Jalen Ramsey. I don't think he's gonna play Sunday. I don't think he's gonna be back Sunday. I don't either. I don't expect it. I think it has become a distraction and uh, I think it is gonna affect the Jaguars at altitude.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Broncos, you know, they, they should have beaten the Bears. They got screwed by the officials. I thought they played better than the score indicated against the Packers. And, uh, you know, week one against the Raiders, who the hell knows. But I think, I just feel like it's time for the Broncos to get a win. Because really, there aren't a lot of clear opportunities to get wins. Or you do have to start worrying about 2 and 14, 1 and 15.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Just to illustrate the point that I made earlier, as it relates to the level of desperation to get any of wins, any of the wins on your schedule that you can, it's at the Chargers next week.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The Titans at home, which will not be an easy game, despite the, because the Titans play up and down to the level of competition. Then the Chiefs come to town, then it's at the Colts, then it's the Browns, then it's at Minnesota, then it's at Buffalo, the Chargers again.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] At the Texans, at the Chiefs, the Lions come to town, and then week 17 against the Raiders, and by then...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] It'll be long since over for the Broncos, so they gotta get the wins where they can, and I feel like this is gonna be one of the rare wins. I think 3-13, 4-12 may be very real for the Broncos, especially when we consider that schedule, Chris.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Well, and the Bears have a few injuries coming out of the Monday night win over Washington. Nakeem Hicks had a knee injury in the second half. That's something of concern. He did not practice on Wednesday. Taylor Gabriel, he had three touchdowns and then he got smushed by a Washington defender and he has a concussion. He did not practice. And Eddie Pinheiro,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] No more dinero coming for him if he can't get healthy. That knee kept him from practicing on Wednesday. He was clearly bothered by it on Monday night, although it didn't seem to affect his kicks the way it could have.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Didn't practice Wednesday, so we'll have to keep an eye on that. For the Vikings, no major injuries to worry about. Anthony Barr did not play last week in the win over the Raiders. He was limited in practice with a groin injury. The rest of the team, at least the key players, largely healthy. And now it all comes down to this.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Do you like it at Kirk Cousins or do you like it at Mitchell Trubisky? I like it at Kirk Cousins this week, Chris. Whoa, whoa! Listen, at some point, if the Vikings are going to be...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And the Vikings defense has been very good. And I think that the Vikings can run the ball, run the ball, run the ball, run the ball, limited use of Kirk Cousins, maximum use of Dalvin Cook. And even though the Bears haven't given up a 100 yard rusher since 2017, they haven't faced a guy like Dalvin Cook.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I don't think they ever faced him. No. Maybe last year they saw him a little bit.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But he was banged up last year. He was injured by week four in 2017. They've never seen this version of Dalvin Cook. No, they have not. This guy is better than any Dalvin Cook we've seen and he's up in that top shelf now with Ezekiel Elliott and Christian McCaffrey as the best running backs in the league. So, uh, I, I, I like the Vikings to win this one straight up 20 to 14 over the Chicago Bears.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Okay, so good, I won't be heckled by you all day long because you didn't take


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I've been in this business 20 years now. I really do not care like I used to. I used to be ridiculous. I used to be...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] If they would lose, I would go into a 48 hour media blackout where I would read nothing, I would watch nothing, I did not want to be reminded, I did not want to see the highlights, I averted my eyes.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Anytime that there would be like a newspaper open and there'd be an article about the game, I wanted nothing to do with it for 48 hours. It was two days every time they lost. That's how bad I was.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] That's news to me. Wait a minute, here it is. Oh, you know what, I should have done it earlier. Oh no, wait, it's right here. No, you've got to read before I have a read.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I wash clothes. Good for you. I wash my clothes. I wash my own clothes. I keep a hamper. I keep them on. Cause I work out every day. Yeah. So I usually have a pile of like really nasty sweaty stuff that I'll wash once a week when it, when the smell like overcomes me. Uh, but yes, tide gets the uh, the stink.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Out of the clothes. It gets the stink out. Probably not the best jingle for Tide, but nevertheless. Tide, and I, I mean Tide, I remember the box of Tide, like it's in fancy packaging now.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] When I was a kid, my mom always had that big orange box of Tide.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Like, there, there was a, uh, uh, there was a way that the, the top opened, that it was like a re- you pulled up a piece of-


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Alright, Sunday Night 7, make sure to play the all-new Sunday Night 7 on NBC Sports Predictor. We got graphics for mine, Chris. Make 7 simple predictions. $100,000 is up for grabs each and every contest, and here is a sampling


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Now here's the thing though, last week the Saints, even though they beat the Seahawks, they gave up over 500 yards. I know. Which is kinda concerning. And, and I think maybe against the Cowboys, do you think they try to slow it down? Do you think they try to shorten the game and give the Cowboys fewer possessions and just maybe make it more of a chess match that way?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Dak had 405 passing yards week one against the Giants, 269 week two against Washington, 246 last week against Miami. I'll go with you in that 250 to 299 window against the Saints.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think Dak is good enough to do it, but I also think that the Saints are gonna maybe try to shorten the game and reduce the possessions. Alright, one more on this. Ezekiel Elliott or Alvin Kamara, who has more rushing yards?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Well let me mention some of the injuries before we get back to, because we're already up to that game anyway, uh, Saints and Cowboys.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Drew Brees obviously he's out for several more weeks after having thumb surgery. No other big injuries of note for the Saints. For the Cowboys, Michael Gallup receiver.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Didn't practice Wednesday with a knee injury. Amari Cooper had an MRI yesterday on his ankle. He was limited in practice. So that's one to keep an eye on. Zach Martin, back injury, limited yesterday. So those are just the big names to keep in mind.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] As the week continues to unfold, Chris, and we've begun to talk about this game. I, look, I know last year,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] After the Cowboys manhandled the Saints and essentially slammed the door shut on what was an incredible run of offensive performance by the Saints and you could argue that's when kind of the Saints were exposed and they were kind of


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Struggling after that, maybe they got banged up physically. The Saints really wanted to play the Cowboys again in the playoffs, and to the extent that there's carryover on the roster, I think those guys are really looking forward to this game, but I say be careful what you wish for because I just see the Cowboys as a better team. They are on that elite level with the Rams, with the Chiefs, with the Patriots,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And, and, uh, I've got 31-21 Cowboys over the Saints. The defense was not good last week for the Saints, and I don't think Teddy Bridgewater and company are gonna be able to do enough.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] To overcome the Cowboys offense, uh, prime time, big game for Dak Prescott, trying to get paid. And I made, I, I just, you know.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The Sean Payton factor gives me some pause, but I just think the Cowboys are too good on both sides of the ball.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uhm, well, I agree with you, it should be a great game. It would be better if, uh, if indeed Drew Brees was available, but, uh, maybe a little bit of a pro-, of a postseason preview.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Because the Saints at two and one, and if they can hold on until Breeze comes back, then I think they could be in the mix for the division title because it seems like no one wants to step up and grab the NFC South.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, I mean, this is one of the great rivalries in football that has completely fallen apart because the teams are winless and they feel listless and, you know, the Steelers are


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But look, I've been around Pittsburgh enough in my life that I have a pretty good sense of what this Steelers team is all about. And right now, they are bad. And they are not bad very often, and that's good for Steelers fans. But you know, I don't see them winning this game.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Need to accept. They need to work through the five stages of grief.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They're at denial. Anger, denial, bargaining, depression, acceptance. And maybe the bargaining reflects the trades they've been making, but at some point they're going to accept the fact that this is a lost season. And the fans are going to accept it and the fans are going to be pissed because they're spoiled by the fact that the Steelers have contending teams far more often than not. Bottom line is, the Bengals had the Seahawks number.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They had the Bills number. I mean, they've been competitive in two of their three games against good teams. The Steelers really haven't been.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The Steelers haven't impressed me. They needed those five turnovers from the 49ers to just keep it close. And I don't think they can count on that against the Bengals. I think Cincinnati will relish the opportunity to go into Pittsburgh and deliver a defeat to a team that is going to fall to 0-4 and who knows where the bottom is, Chris. So give me the Bengals straight up in this one.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, I got 2317 and I really do think this is a genuine dynamic for an organization that is just not accustomed to being bad. They are wrestling with


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] That reality. And they're going to regret giving up a first round pick for Minka Fitzpatrick because that's going to be the pick that they could have used to draft their next quarterback. And they're going to wish they had that top 10 pick, which it looks like they're going to earn this year. And the Dolphins are going to have two top 10 picks thanks to their own struggles and thanks to the Steelers struggles.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Something will happen this weekend to make it feel like a loss for the Jets. Maybe the Giants thumping Washington in MetLife Stadium and giving that team real hope at the quarterback position will be the thing that essentially is a loss for the Jets.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So you want to hear mine before you figure out yours?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Alright, I got the Giants, I got the Giants. They're giving what, two, three points? The Giants? It's, it's Danny Deuce time, baby. He's gonna drop a deuce all over Washington. They're gonna be stirring Gatorade with a plunger by the time Danny Deuce is done with him. I like the Giants, that's one of my best bets.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, you know what, that probably should have been one of mine, but I've already locked mine in and I'm not gonna let myself be influenced because I've heard yours. I like the Cowboys on Sunday night against the Saints, although I know the Saints have that strong desire


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Look, there's a reason Drew Brees is one of the best quarterbacks of all time. Teddy Bridgewater played well last week, but it wasn't spectacular. 265 yards of offense to more than 500 gained by the Seahawks. I still don't know how the hell they lost that game. So I like the Cowboys to cover in this one. That's one of my best bets. Book it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They have my text already, so I'm not stealing your idea. I like the Seahawks too. I think last week was an aberration. They're going to be pissed off. The Cardinals are not good enough. There's enough film out there. The defense is going to figure out how to shut down Air Kingsbury. So I think the Seahawks win this one and they win it easily. Yes. So I agree with you.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Hey, safe travels to South Bend. We'll see you Sunday. And, uh, yeaah, uh, I'm already reconsidering my picks, but, uh, it's too late now to hand off.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And we'll have fun that way, but I think this will be the schedule going forward here, probably, probably until the start of training camp for all those out there listening. They're just not enough to go around, not enough to talk to. Even with my big mouth, I can't find enough things to talk about three times a week right now on a podcast.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Big Phil's gonna be Tuesdays. He's not gonna make it today. We let him know a little late. That's my fault. We'll blame Matt Casey in the back too. But either way, he will be here on Thursday. He's gonna do the podcast on Thursday. No, not here, not here. He does want to come here to do the podcast.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] No, he would probably like to drive himself, actually. He likes to be in the car by himself. I don't know why. But at some point during the summer, we are gonna get him here. He wants to do it. But Tuesday, for all those out there listening, will be...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I did set the rundown. Now where do we start? I don't know, but I got a lot of stuff that grinded my gears today. Chat my ass. That's what it says. Yes. My ass and a chat. My ass. Is that where we want to start this podcast?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] No, let's not start there. That's coming up, chat my ass, okay? That's gonna be a new segment.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Okay, you like it before, you like it first? Well, let's talk about the free agents first and then just get into that because it is kind of a newsy topic that's relevant to the NFL right now.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Well, I think there's two names. You know, I think first off, the big, the big conversation right now is, okay, the end of the compensatory pick period is over right now. And people think, oh, because that's over, it means within the formula of compensatory picks, which are, let's just say at a basic way based on the


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The players you lose, how much money they're signed to, as far as what tier they're in as free agency, right? So, the New England Patriots are gonna get a nice compensatory pick for losing a Trifflowers, okay? And so they'll be up towards the top of what you can get as for a compensatory pick. Now, lower level free agent guys you lose, yeaah, you're not gonna get as high as a compensatory pick.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Well, it's gonna, it's gonna be, it's anywhere between, what, pick 97?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, if it's not a great value, it might be fifth round picks, whatever it may be. But that is the, the period that ends right now. Okay, so people think that these, these players, Anza, Mohammed Wilkerson, and Damocon Suh, are going to get signed right now because of...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The compensatory setup, right, which they're saying,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I don't know if I'm explaining this really good. I'm stumbling over my words. But what I want to say is this, okay, with an endomiconsue or a plier like that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] When you lose a player like that kind of player, and he signs for big money somewhere else, you get a higher compensatory pick.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Okay, if you lose, uhm, if you sign one of these type of players, okay, you can lose some of your compensatory value, right, as far as what happened in free agency. I'm trying to clean this up as we talk about it. And uhm,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, not to, probably not to quite to that extent, but he certainly could hurt the value of where that compensatory pick happens. But my big thing is, I think people are making a bigger deal about this compensatory pick period, right? Teams weren't signing, or not signing, a Damocon Su, or let's say a Zico Anzia, because they were going, oh gosh.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I don't, we were picked 97 with the compensatory picks, now we're gonna be picked 127. That's not the reason, uh.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Of course, that's usually the, the, the time is when physical skills start to decline. And for guys like Ezekiel Anzia and EndamaKunsu, there's questions about, not only them as players, Ezekiel Anzia has shoulder issues, so people want to make sure that gets healed up.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] People don't want to pay big money to an older defensive tackle type like an Andamakunsu. Okay, so they're going to kind of evaluate their team, let's see what we can do in free agency, the draft, see if we can get some guys in here that are younger and less expensive.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And then, at some point during OTAs, mini camp or board training camp, teams are gonna evaluate their team and go, alright, we've seen enough, we've seen the guys we got here in the locker room, our defensive tackle position is lacking.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So, let's maybe make a play for Ndamukun Su and see if we can get him to join the team because we have some serious deficiencies at the defensive tackle issue. Did that make sense, any of that? I hope it did. It did.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Well, I think Ansa is the guy that, you know, widens my eyes or makes me perk up a little bit.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He's going to visit a bunch of teams come the end of July and August again so they can check on that shoulder and then you're going to see the bidding starting for his services. Now some teams that jump out to me that I think would be the Ezekiel Anza, you know, conversation, uhm, the Buffalo Bills, the Baltimore Ravens, the Seattle Seahawks.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The New York Giants, the Oakland Raiders, and the New York Jets. Those are, those are six teams to me where I look at and go, there's a deficiency issues with pass rushers on their roster.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They could certainly be in the convo now. Yes, I mean, JPP for all those out there listening, uh, we kinda just got word as we were starting here to tape the podcast.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, he got in a car crash last week, and it didn't sound like it was horrible, like he was banged up, beat up a little bit, but we just got word that, you know, there's a fracture in his neck, and that he's going to see some specialists, and that him playing in the 2019 season is now in danger. Yeah. Uh, that's just some bad luck for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Double digits, yes, I mean, you know, traded for the player to get him still playing well, good against the run. Like you said, he's a very good pass rusher still. And I just feel bad for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who just had the number five pick in the NFL draft. I mean, I think if they knew this issues, they might've gone, okay, forget Devin White, we'll go Josh Allen.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, somebody off the edge. So this changes the dynamic of their football team where I feel sorry for them. You know, they let a guy like Vinnie Curry walk out the door. You know, they're a team that's in the mix for pass rushers. Their problem with Ezekiel Anza in this thing is Tampa Bay, as far as the salary cap concern,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They have about the, the least, second to least amount of money out there to spend. Really? Yeaah. They're at 1 million, they have 1.7 million dollars. They're in 31st as far as...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, you know, Jamis Winston being on the fifth year option this year. I'm trying to go through all the other names that might be, uh, in the conversation here, but you're right. I'd have to look at the rest of their list to go. I wouldn't have guessed that they were in that situation. Gerald McCoy we're forgetting about. Okay. Donovan Smith got, uh, new money this year.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Ali Morpit, I'm just naming off some of the guys that are at the top of their list for what they're making. But yea, Jamis is making 20 million, he's a 20 million dollar cap hit this year.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Mike Evans is a $20 million. Yeah, Levante Davis has got a $10 million cap charge. So, uh, they are, they're a little top heavy as far as that's concerned, but that's unfortunate for JPP. And yeah, I hear you. The bucks are going to be in that conversation.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think at the end of the day, the Bills, the Seahawks, the Raiders, the Jets, they have the assets.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] to pay Ezekiel Anza a little bit more money than let's just say the Ravens or the Giants in this scenario.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Now what's Anza going to like? He's going to want to go somewhere where, hey, they're competitive, they're in the playoff conversation. If I'm him, I also want to go to a place that the defense is pretty good. So I'm not getting double teamed all week because he's probably going to have to sign a one year prove it type deal.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So to me, that's where the Bills, the Seahawks, really come into play. Seattle would make a whole lot of sense. Right? I mean, just get outside, rush the pass or be a part of that defense and you'll probably strike it rich. The Bills are another team, I would say.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think they got some players up there that certainly would, would, uh, you know, make me perk up in my seat and go, ooh, this team is on the verge of, of maybe being, you know, a true contender. I do. I think they're the team to watch out for. The Raiders though, for Anza, that to me is a no-brainer.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I would go after him hard. They can overpay him, but there's still pass rushing issues with the Oakland Raiders roster where I would look at to go. It makes most sense there, but we'll see how that plays out.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He's the other guy, the other big name in this, in this conversation. And yeaah, what is he asking for money wise? He wasn't worth the 14 million dollars he commanded last year. He played great in the playoffs, but the regular season was just...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Good. It was not great. It wasn't worth $14 million. So, I think that's where the discrepancy lands with N'Dama Kunsu, is what he's asking is probably a little too rich for a lot of teams, and at the point of his career, again, he is one of those guys, teams are gonna go in and go, let's see what we got first, and let's see if maybe a diamond in the rough appears in the rotation of defensive tackle.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And hopefully he appears, but if he doesn't appear, then maybe we need to call on Dominic Cassou's agent and see, you know, what's going on there.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They sucked. I mean, do you know where the Raiders ended up on sack total last year? They had 13 sacks for the season. Total. That's 17 below second to last place at 30. Unbelievable. Right, that's how poor their defense line was. So to me, again,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, with Sue, I think there's some teams that certainly could use his help. The Indianapolis Colts, you look at their interior defensive line, it's not real impressive for a team that I think we're all expecting kind of a run for here in the AFC, right?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The Kansas City Chiefs, they're another team I'd throw out there. You know, they're not in the greatest cap space situation.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think they could probably figure out a way, when you're in the Super Bowl window right now, to maybe finagle some money for Andama Kunsu. It's, they still have 17 million dollars of cap space. They're right down the middle of the 15th place.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And even the Cleveland Browns. I just look at the Cleveland Browns. You're bringing up all the IT teams. The IT teams, it's crazy. But again, the Cleveland Browns, they're sixth or fifth as far as salary cap space.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And I just would challenge people out there. Again, they have some names on their roster on the defensive line, but a lot of unproven commodities. And after Sheldon Richardson and Larry Ogan-Joby, who's a third year player for them,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] There's not a lot of depth of proven commodity on the interior part of that defense line. For a team that I look at to make a big jump, I think that would scare John Dorsey too, and he's not afraid to take a chance on some personalities either, to where I could see that maybe happening if the price becomes right for Sue and Cleveland.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The Chiefs and Colts to me are poised to be playoff football teams. Right. And as we see when you're in the playoffs and then you're one of the only game on or two games on on a Sunday afternoon, everybody's watching and you thrive in those situations.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, again, the Colts, uh, and the Chiefs I think are more in the defensive tackle.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Gotta start right there. There's a report in the, in New York yesterday, Manish Meta had a report that, that Daniel Jones, one team wanted him to work out as a tight end in the pre-draft process, okay? Now, yeaah. So, exactly. What? It chaps my ass, okay?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So basically, let's pile on. The first time I heard this comment, I just thought, wow, the Jets beat writer had some negative propaganda on the Giants? Whoa, shocker there.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So to me, it's like who gave them that information? The Jets? I mean, you know, everybody's piling on the Giants in New York right now. Everybody's piling on Daniel Jones. Listen, I know I wasn't a big fan, but I'm gonna, I want this piling on to stop. I really do. And this, to me, is a bunch of bullshit, this kind of stuff right here. This is where it drives me crazy. First off,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'm not necessarily in love with the reporting of it, okay, with this kind of scenario.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, since he is a Jets beat writer and he realizes that everyone's piling on the Giants, I don't doubt that he's reporting maybe something somebody told him.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But again, I don't know if I would believe the person that told him.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And what I would want to argue even more about this is I would love to know the team that really wanted to him to work at a tight end because they need to go into psycho evaluation, psychoanalysis, like in a big way. A 6'5", 221 pound tight end, right? That runs 483. They're not very high on the tight end list.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] That's why I wanted to talk about it. It just bothers me. It's piling on to me. It's a hot button topic up here in New York.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Daniel Jones is a quarterback, he's a quarterback all the way, and just because we said he was undervalued as an athlete didn't mean he was an athlete athletic enough to play stand- at 221, you're saying he'd have to be a stand-up tight end. Right. Like Jordan Reed, like a slot receiver.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So that is so stupid on so many levels and I'm not blaming just Maynish Mehta on that. I'm just, you know, somebody might have told him a lie or told him something, I don't know. But either way, I just don't like it and I think it's wrong on all accounts.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeaah, right. Well, I mean, his, his college film warranted that discussion. Right. Daniel Jones or Lamar Jackson did not warrant that discussion. Trace McSorley, I watched 10 Throws and said,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He'll never be an NFL quarterback. This is not going to happen. I respect the player. He's gritty. He knows how to win. You know, he's a good athlete. All of those things.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] If you wanted to make it in the NFL and optimize your skills and your ability, yea, McSorley needs to make the change, and that made sense there.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, okay, and this is, to me, more of just something that I think needs to be put on the radar of fans, because I've had a lot of, even my friends ask me, like, why, why is Odell Beckham Jr. doing this? Why is Le'Veon Bell doing this, okay?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Here's at a base level where I just want people to back off the player a little bit to understand the full scope of the situation.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] One, okay, uh, these guys are professionals. Okay, they know what it takes to be in shape and play at a high level. They've already proven that. Whether you like the guy or not, Leveon Bell's been a stud for a number of years. Odell Beckham Jr. has been a stud. They've both been in the conversation for the best at their position in the sport.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Second of all, this is the other thing people gotta take into account. You know, when you go and train with your football team, and of course I am for that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But you're going to train with a football team. Most weight staffs have three guys, three trainers, maybe four this time of the year, okay? There's 90 players.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Okay, Odell Beckham Jr. does not want to do some of the same drills that a 315 pound defensive tackle are doing, or some of the weight lifting exercises in the weight room that they're doing. He's gonna be there and go,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] What the hell is this doing for me? I mean, I don't need to worry about taking on double teams. So, so he has the money and the assets to hire a trainer.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And probably somebody to watch his diet along with it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And on a daily basis, he can work on the things that get him better as a football player at his position, specific to his skill set that he needs. He's getting more individual attention, and again, we gotta remember too, a lot of these guys these guys are training with, these are high level trainers.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'm gonna say in a lot of cases, they're way higher level trainers than the guys who are training football teams.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They're, they're so good at their jobs, they don't need to be employed by a team. They can overcharge special commodities like Odell or Leveon Bell or other single clients and make them overpay for hourly wages of them training because they're that good at what they do and they're cutting edge. And we have this thing in the, in the sports world that we think


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Just because it's a professional team and there's a business card and it's got an NFL logo and a great team logo next to it that they must have the best stuff available to them that money can buy.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And let me just tell you, the NFL is years behind in training, and they're years behind in rehabilitation. And I think that's why you see so many players, it's not just Odell Beckham Jr. and Le'Veon Bell, we could find a handful of players on every team that are doing this.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yes. What ways are they behind in training you think? Well, I think in training, more or not, it's not always as specific as it should be.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They're just getting into, you know, NFL teams have just changed their thoughts of, you know, come here and work hard and we're going to grind you into the ground. And it's the first one to puke. And now we had a good workout if you puke. Yeah. Right. No, that's over.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] It's about, it's about, it's a sport about 4 and 5 second explosions and training the nervous system to be optimal during those 4 or 5 seconds so it can just, so a guy who runs 4-3 can run 4-3 45 times when he runs a route at wide receiver.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think that's the thing that, you know, the NFL, some teams have caught on to it, but other teams have it and they're a little behind. When it comes to, you know, rehab and rehabilitation, man, the NFL's answer to any injury you ever have is ice and stim. Your shoulder hurts? Try some ice and stim and then go back to the ice.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Go back to the stim. And then we wonder why Kobe Bryant's go to Germany, or Chris Sims loses his spleen and goes to Canada. Because I didn't have any fucking doctors or a team doctor that could tell me how to fix myself. I mean, when I lost my spleen, they were just, do some more crunches.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Seriously? Yeah. I mean, that's what I did. For a lost organ? It was crunches. It was like, your core's weak, just do crunches. Oh yeah?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Great, you know what, the crunches aren't doing shit because my muscles are all shut off. So how about you give me an answer to start my muscles again. What'd you find in Canada? Well, the Canada, I went to a doctor up there who finally started to find the roots of my problems. He was the one that told me, I put, what's the thing they put on to see the pregnancy, uh, ultrasound? Yes. He put an ultrasound like belt on me basically and had me do a few exercises and basically showed me, he goes,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Listen, your, your muscles are atrophied. They don't, you can do sit-ups, but you're not using your muscles in your stomach. You're finding other ways, cause you're an athlete, to cheat the exercise and pull in with your oblique and your arms or whatever else.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I found out, yes, with his technology and sports rehabilitation knowledge that I was atrophied there and that I had to get those muscles going again. And it's a very common thing throughout the NFL and a lot of high end players do it. But the superstars do it more than not because they have the money to do it. And I think, you know, that's the big difference.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Totally agreed. It's a way overstated comment. First off, the last time we had the player strike and there was no offseason, we had three quarterbacks throw for 5,000 yards that year. So tell me how in rhythm and sync they were with the receivers that year.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They can, and they're still gonna get a million reps through July and August and even that first week of September to catch up on that type of stuff.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yes, it's definitely an overstated thing. Hey listen, in the perfect world, would you love the guys to be there so you can work out and do those type of things and, you know, get a relationship going and camaraderie? Yes.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But at the end of the day, these are grown men. Everybody knows what it takes to get better at their position. And yeaah, I think that's kinda just like hyperbole that talk at times.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] There was a period of time when Tom Brady didn't come around much in offseason. Right. 2008, 2009, 2010. It didn't affect him. I mean, the timing and rhythm was there.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] My man, Pete D, just made a nice point in my ear. He goes, when the season starts...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] All is forgiven and nobody's gonna care about it once September


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I don't either. I would love Leveon Bell to be there. Sure. For the New York Jets. And I worry about him a little bit more.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Just because he's learning a new offense and running back, there's more rules than a receiver, you know, because you got the protection rules and all those kind of things. But as a whole, Levion Bell's a smart guy. When he gets there, he's gonna understand the offense and he'll catch up in no time. Right?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The whole, everything would be orchestrated around Odell. Of course. They would be going, let's get him the ball and seven on seven. Let's do this. And you know how that works. They would be scripting plays that they want to see Odell Beckham Jr.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Man, this is practice four, and he's run 95 bombs already, and I'm worried about it, but Gruden was obsessed with it, so he orchestrated so many things we did, and other guys' games fell off because of it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I played with CJ 2K too, that would have been a hell of a race, but I've never seen anything like Joey Galloway. Yes, I'd put him up there with anybody in the history of the sport that, yeaah, I'm not saying he beat Deion Sanders or Daryl Green, but it would be a bam bam finish, I know that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Food for thought are things that I don't understand again.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Why one guy gets crap and then another guy doesn't, right? So a lot of talk this week, okay? Greedy Williams makes Super Bowl proclamations last week, right? Why? With the Cleveland Browns. Why would he do that? Because he's a rookie and he just doesn't understand the NFL yet. So yes, why he did that, I don't know. I'm not condoning it, but he did it, okay?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Alright, now Odell Beckham Jr. last night, he's at the Met Gala, right? The, the Party for the Stars, Anna Wintour, Devil Wears Prada, right? All that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He says the g- the goal there is to make the brown- I'm paraphrasing a little- make the browns like the Patriots.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] We were trying, he said we're trying to win Super Bowls.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] These become big stories, right? Big stories. Oh, how could Greedy Williams say that? What an idiot. He's putting bad expectations on, on the brands. Odell Beckham Jr. says it. Be like the Patriots. The Patriots would never make comments like that. They wouldn't do that. And why doesn't he just be quiet and do his job and all that?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I do think it is a little bit, like, what, I don't know, I ask you, like, to me it comes off as, whoa, crazy wide receiver and D.B., these D.B. positions, they're so outlandish and outspoken, how crazy they are. And then the quarterback says it, and everybody's like, huh, this guy's


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Goal-oriented this guy. So I'm just pushing back about, to me, is the unfairness of that too. At least it looks like to me. If you think I'm wrong or stupid, please tell me. But that bothers me a little bit.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] College head coach was not a talking point this year. Didn't matter for him, but for some reason it mattered to the quarterback playing in blizzard conditions in Wyoming with no NFL players on his team.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But here's another guy with an NFL coach around him where it just slept under the rug. And I understand his receivers weren't great either and I get that. But to me I just don't understand why one guy gets the benefit of the doubt and the other doesn't. I'm always gonna challenge that kind of crap.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Nine and seven I think would be like, okay, things are going the right way, but still gonna leave a bad taste in their mouth. Unless they snuck into the playoffs at nine and seven. It's playoff or bust. I do believe that. I do. Isn't that crazy?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] What I think's amazing, you're right, but that just, it proves to you that everything's positive. I mean, if you're watching on YouTube right now too, the top 10 teams, none of them are good.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, that's what jumps out to me. You don't think Cleveland's good? Well, I do think Cleveland's good. They're, they're at the top of the list and we know the reasons there. But the Redskins, the Dolphins, the Jets, the Cardinals, the Bengals, the Bills, the Giants, the Raiders, the Bucks. I mean, am I wrong? Those, those are all teams that picked in the top 15 for the most, right? Yeah. So, so, uh, I just think a lot of them have brand new reasons to believe.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, uh, you know me and the Buffalo Bills. Nobody circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills. They're a team that I look at.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I look at the Redskins really the last two years. I give Jay Gruden a lot of respect. I think he's done a better job than he gets credit for.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Their team has been ravaged by injuries the last few years.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And hey listen, you can blame some of that on the coach and maybe they need to change their practice patterns and training patterns and maybe


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Change the trainer that we've talked about, who's obviously not li- Okay, there's another example. I mean, teams that have repetitive injury histories, there's something there. It's not just, so,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, but I just look at them and go, man, offensive lines got some talent on it. When they stay healthy, you got Scherf, Trent Williams, Morgan Moses. You go, okay, their defensive line with all the Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Kerrigan on the outside. I mean, they got, sweat is there now.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uhm, receivers that I think have potential. You know, Lederius Geiss is gonna be back. I think the Redskins are one of those teams that I would just say just put a little asterisk next to to watch out for them in 2019.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Well, not happy. Well, then yesterday we got on the PFT, we got to do a conversation about the Bears and you know, Trubisky is always the lightning rod.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Hands down, I have no doubt that they can do it. Again, we in America have to get over this. The quarterback is the only thing that matters on a football team. Uh, conversation or headline or whatever it is, it's all we ever hear about.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I mean, this, I'm going to give a few examples. Again, Jared Goff is not one of the 10 best quarterbacks in football. They went to the Super Bowl last year, okay? I'll just explain it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Cause he had a team around him, right? Okay. Russell Wilson, when he won his first Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, it wasn't cause Russell Wilson was tearing defenses apart. There was people questioning, can you ever win a Super Bowl with a guy that size, that quarterback? Oh yea, no, you can when you put a great


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yes, definitely, and I'm not saying yes, I mean, you're gonna have to have your moments, but I think we're all putting it in like, you have to be Tom Brady or Peyton Manning to win a Super Bowl, or nobody else can do it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Well, I guess it's a constant battle with the people in Chicago. He's become a huge subject for them. You know, hey, Joe Flacco, he was never going to win a Super Bowl either, until he won the Super Bowl. Until he was terrific in that run, yeaah. Right, and you know, again, you know, in 2015, the worst quarterback in football won the Super Bowl. The worst quarterback, statistically,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Physically, literally, figuratively, whatever you want. Peyton Manning threw 9 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions. And he won the freaking Super Bowl. Why?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Because he had a decent running game and an out of this world defense. So Tom Brady won his first Super Bowl throwing for 145 yards in one touchdown and he became the MVP. He had 90 yards before the last drive of the game. And in the last Super Bowl win for Tom Brady.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They weren't that... No, but that's my point. Tom's the man. I'm just saying, it's about the team around you. And you don't always have to be Dan Marino or John Elway to win a Super Bowl.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, uh, so I look at Mitchell Trubisky and go, phenomenal athlete. He has a very good arm. Yeah, could he be a little bit better accurate, a little more accurate, maybe a little more, you know,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] First thing is, he was drafted before Watson and Mahomes. So right there. As you pointed out, not his fault. It's not his fault. But people are making it his fault. Because they want more. They want to see Watson and Mahomes. Listen, he might never be Watson and Mahomes. You're gonna have to get over it. But you have a franchise quarterback in Chicago.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Be happy that you got one and a guy that can win football games. I think that's the first thing. Hey, the first thing you made the point, you're exactly right. What a great jump from year one to year two. I mean, they went 12 and four. If he doesn't get hurt and Chase Daniels doesn't come in and play like crap against the Lions where they won, thank God, because they got a defensive pick six.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He played against crap like the New York Giants. Okay, uhm, they might have gone 13-3 and had the second round, and had a first round bye. Maybe it's the Rams coming to see them in the divisional playoff game, and who the hell knows what happens. So, you know, I think he did plenty good. He's one of the best running back, running quarterbacks in football.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] It was his second year in the NFL. It was his second system. His first year, I've made this point a lot. It was not only a rookie, his starting wide receiver the last like six or seven weeks of the year was Tariq Cohen. Yea, right. I mean he was, they started out games in 21 personnel, two backs, one tight end, two receivers, and Tariq Cohen was one of the receivers.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I just, I want to back people off of the Mitchell Trubisky hate a little bit. I know he's not a superstar at this point, but there's a lot of good, and you could have a lot worse, I would tell Chicago fans.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I totally agree with you, and Matt Nagy to what you're saying too. Now he's had a year to study Churbisky. He knows what he does well, what he doesn't do so well. He can work on those things he doesn't do well, but implement more of what he does do really well into the offense.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And he can tinker with that all off season. So that's, that's certainly a positive. And I would just be shocked if the Bears aren't one of the better teams in the NFC once again.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, no repeat offenders, right? No repeat offenders. Alright, so I got five names in the AFC that I think jump out to me. I'll narrow it down to one. I know you want one. You want one each?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Nope, I'm just gonna throw out five names, okay? And then I'll pick the one I think. And we're picking one. Yeah, and I'm really kind of flushing this out on the fly myself. I don't even know, but okay. And the AFC. Mahomes, Watson, Rivers, Luck, Lamar Jackson.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Those five I think are jump out to me. You know, listen, I'm not picking Josh Rosen right now. Okay. Yeah. Sorry. I'm not picking Marcus Mariota. All right. You gotta cap it somewhere. Five's a good one. Exactly right. Not picking Derek Carr and company there either. All right. All right. Uh, so then I go to the NFC.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Let's stay with the AFC. Okay, sure. Let's stay with the AFC. Cool, keep me on task.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'm, I'm rooting for it. I was rooting for him at the end of the last year. I was rooting for the Chargers in the playoffs. I felt like it was like the John Elway story again. Like, remember when they were going to play the Packers? I mean, I loved Rhett Farver, the Packers, and I was like, man, John Elway deserves a super, right? Yeaah.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I would really love to see Rivers do it. Yeah. And AFC West is tough and, you know, of course they don't have a great home field advantage, so we'll see where all that goes. Right. But if you had a, alright, you had asked me the two quarterbacks that I think are next to win the Super Bowl and the AFC for their first time.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Damn, that wasn't that great. I didn't remember he under threw so many balls like this in the divisional playoff game against the Patriots or the wild card game against the Ravens that wasn't that great. The end of the year, a little bit like Drew Brees, I just thought he physically looked worn out.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] It happened about, I want to say the last three to four weeks of the regular season, and then filtered into the two playoff games. Where, yeaah, it just looked worn out, the arm looked very tired to me, and I, and, and, one thing I'll go with Philip Rivers, you know, his motion doesn't, to me will not last the test of time.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] No, I know, and he's still really good, don't get me wrong, but I just think that we're gonna continue to see the decline in arm strength and the ability to make Philip Rivers type throws.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Because of his motion. He's a pusher. He's like this. It's like, you know, it fell off of Clifford Eli Manning, I mean Peyton Manning in a hurry. You know, I worry about that with Drew Brees a little bit. You know, their motions just don't...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Don't last the test of time. You see how Rivers does it. It's almost like a shot put throw. Brady's gonna be able to throw the ball 70 yards or 65 yards in the air until he's 55 years old because of the way he throws it. I don't know if I can say the same about Rivers. That's what I worry about at least.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Where I don't necessarily look him as a great thrower where I want to go, whoa, there was a tiny hole and he-


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Through a laser in there, as a cover two hole ball, he fit it in there, the big post down the middle. No, when they wanted to make those throws at the end of the year last year, they went to Taysom Hill. Taysom Hill was the one that threw the balls that were aggressive down the field, if you went back and look at it. So again, the guys are good, I'm just giving you guys food for thought and things that worry about, that I worry about as evaluators.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Mahomes, Watson, and Luck. Those three. And then I think from there, I look at Andrew Luck as being prime candidate number one. Now I know Mahomes is the easy answer. He is. I know. And I get it. But I just...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I kinda gotta see this Kansas City team replicate what they did last year. First of all, Tyree Kill doesn't look like he's gonna be there. That's huge. Second of all, the way they won last year,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I still am gonna challenge that aspect of you can continue to do that, where you have the worst defense in football and the best offensive football and you think you're gonna go to the Super Bowl. To me, that's just too much pressure on one side of the ball.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So, I- You think Lux Team is better? I do. I think Lux Team is better.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, I think they had another good draft. They had a solid free agency. I have a lot of faith in Frank Reich, the OC. I got a lot of faith in their defensive coordinator. I just look at them as a team and I go, yeah, they're poised to kind of be around here I think for the next few years, especially with Ballard at the helm. I just look at them and so if you made me bet, I'd bet luck.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, I think it, it still goes to the Colts defense a little bit. Maybe interior D-line, that's why we talked about Sue maybe being a possibility there. I do think they lack a few big people in their rotation.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I get that, that's not what they are, but I am a believer that you gotta play some man-to-man this day and age in the NFL. Hey, the team that keeps going to the Super Bowl plays a lot of man-to-man, the New England Patriots.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, as we saw in the AFC divisional game with the Chiefs and Colts, how many times did Patrick Mahomes on third and fourth find somebody open for six yards or step up in the pocket and nobody's around him and he finds somebody down the middle against zone for 20 yards, whatever it may be. I just worry about that aspect of their team having some guys that they can shut down some people man to man in some of those situations.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'm looking just to make sure. I already wrote my five quarterbacks down. I just wanted to pull up the teams to make sure I wasn't missing anybody else here. Alright, so my list here is pretty easy. It's Wentz, Prescott, Goff, Trubisky, and Cam Newton.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Let's cut somebody. Wanna cut somebody? What are you gonna cut? If I was gonna cut somebody there. I think I know who it's gonna be. Because this is a team conversation too.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, I probably would cut cam just as far as the team conversation goes. I thought you were going to cut golf. I understand, but I still am scared of McVeigh and the talent they have on that team.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Certainly still be there. So Cam did make the list? Cam, I guess, did not make the list. I mean, there are teams like Atlanta and Carolina where I look at and go, gosh, if things fall right, they could be one of the NFC powers, but I kind of got to see it to believe it first.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] It would be Cam or Matt Ryan. Yeah. I think it would be. I think it would really be Cam. I think, you know, Cam...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, I think where I look at more than anything again, I think he's so much better than he gets credit for because his quarterback ratings not great and the statistics aren't great. And it's not always about that with the way Carolina Panthers play football. It's more of defense and you know, they have a head coach who wants to play defense, run the ball, be the more physical team.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Okay, gosh, this guy's a big sucker. There's nothing that affects him in the pocket. What can we do to affect him in the pocket when he drops back to pass? Then you start to watch the passes and you go, damn, we gotta defend the whole field. I mean, this guy can throw the ball 60 yards off his back foot. No problem. Throw 20 yard comebacks. He can do it all. So damn, our secondary better be good. Oh shit, on third and short, we gotta worry about Cam Newton up the middle.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He's one of the greatest short yardage runners we've seen in recent history running the football, let alone at the quarterback position. So gosh, and they're going to outnumber us because he's the quarterback and they got, so how are we going to do that? Oh gosh.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] When he gets out of the pocket, how are we going to contain him in the pocket all day long? Right. So all those aspects defenses have to take into account game planning wise. He attacks your defense so many ways that yeah, the numbers don't always look great.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And you know, I go, the Super Bowl, he gets a lot of flack for not jumping on that fumble. And I get it. Now he, he should've.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Now, if we're gonna question his toughness, if everybody thinks that's the reason he didn't jump on the ball, hey, as a quarterback, sometimes you get caught in positions, you go,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Damn, am I gonna dive in there? If I dive in there, I might break my shoulder, like Drew Brees did in week 17. So you do think of those things, and he paused for a second. Super Bowl, you can't pause, I understand that. But for people to say, like, you think he's a coward, no. He's the toughest quarterback ever.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Anytime number one's on the field for the Carolina Panthers, they get a chance to win the football game. That's the simplest way to put it. And that's how special he is. And even think about that Super Bowl. I would challenge people to go back and watch that game.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Damn, he wasn't playing right tackle when he got strip sack bumbled by Von Miller twice. Somebody, he can't block it and throw it. You know, again, we're gonna put this on cam.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He threw a pass down the middle. The receiver had two hands on the ball. It got intercepted. Wasn't Cam Newton's fault his receiver couldn't catch the freaking ball. And then I would also challenge you to go back and watch and go see how many drops Carolina had in that game.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] There's a number, I was there in person. You know, he put them in the chance to win the football game. The rest of the offense failed Cam Newton that day. It wasn't Cam Newton's fault.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Sure, I understand that too. I'm not going to make excuses for him there.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Am I crazy that I think it's Carson Wentz? I was gonna say it's Dak Prescott. He was the next guy, it's one of those too. I feel like I'm favoring Carson Wentz.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, and maybe a little bit that the Phillies proven to me that they can win in big moments. I mean, the fact that they won the Super Bowl two years ago. Hey, let's not forget. I do think Wentz is better than Dak Prescott when everything's, you know, both guys are healthy. Yeah, I think Wentz is special. Again, Wentz was going to win the MVP in 2018 until he got hurt or 2017. Excuse me.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He was on fire. He was the best player in football that year. That was still the best Eagles team I ever saw was the team that was being quarterbacked by Wentz before Foles got in there. That was their all-time best. But I just still think of the Eagles and go, man, this defense has still got a lot of good players on it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They still got a good old line. They got Doug Peterson, who I have a lot of respect for, as far as passing game creativity. Deshaun Jackson's in the fold this year. You know, I just look at all of those things and go,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I still think this is one of the better teams in the NFC and I think they will be in the playoffs and I think they're one of those teams that just has the right mojo during playoff time to go, we can overcome or beat anybody anywhere. We don't care who it is. Let's just line up and play.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Oh my gosh, they got the MVP of football. Who can beat the Philadelphia Eagles? I think they see the greatness. They see it every day. You know, I've heard Fletcher Cox make comments about, ma'am, when Carson Wentz practices, the defense stands up and watches because he does amazing shit every day in practice.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Or at least he's shown enough to me that he is a talent to be in the top five quarterbacks in football conversation when he's healthy and things are clicking on that offense. You know, people gotta remember last year.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They were really a beat up football team when he was playing quarterback. They got healthy when Nick Foles took over. And then people kind of lose sight of that a little bit too. And it gets thrown on Wentz's shoulders and then the off-season leadership things and he owned up to all that and I think that all leads into the questioning of Wentz right now.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Aaron Rodgers, maybe in the little below. I mean, would Carson Wentz turn down 30 million a year right now? I don't think so. When you've been hurt the last two years, get them for the low now. Offer them something. Do it. Same with Dallas. Yeaah. I mean, at the very least,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Jack Prescott deserves to be paid every bit as much as Jimmy Garoppolo or Kirk Cousins. For sure. Right? For sure. And he's their guy. So to me, sign him for 28, $30 million a year. That's going to be very favorable three years from now. Yeah. When you're going to see, I think the bottom of the quarterback market is going to be 27, $28 million a year, which is insane, but it's going to be


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I agree, and then also you look at Dak Prescott and you wanted to point out his struggles early in the season last year? You're too, he took a little step back. Right. Zeke was suspended. They had issues with the team all over.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] That was a nice step. And there was a little struggles though early on. And then they realized, oh yeaah, having receivers helps, so let's get Amari Cooper. And then his game took off because he had one weapon that became a little bit of a force your hand for the defense. Here's a guy.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I was very split between Prescott and Wentz. I really, the reason I gave it the advantage and my only issue with the Dallas Cowboy football team is offensive ingenuity, offensive creativity.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And Jason Garrett bring more schematically to that offense on a week to week basis to help out Prescott and Amari Cooper. It can't always be on them to make it happen with great physical ability. You know, every now and then you just gotta be able to pick up the ball and the first guy you look at is open and you get to throw it, right? And they don't always get that aspect or he doesn't get that privilege always.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yes, I mean just have that guy that can relate, you know, and is your age and understands what's what the interests are off the field.