[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, and then afterwards we can talk a little Titans in Packers. You've already touched on the Packers and what they need. Yeah. Yeah, we'll hit on it. Here we go.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Hold on. This is like Zen right here. Ah, it is. It does, it relaxes me. Here lie the Tennessee Titans.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] A team that fell two wins short of being the most unforgettable Super Bowl champion since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. How dare you? Taking shots at my old team? What an asshole you are. I was there the next year. I'm semi part of it. I had forgotten about that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The only chance the Titans have next year is bringing back Derek Henry to slice through defenses, or Mike Raible making the choice to slice off something himself. Like his mustache? Don't worry about that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Maybe we won't talk about that next year, it'll be a non-story. Here lie the Green Bay Packers. Bye Green Bay. A team with a quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, who will still be in the Super Bowl, selling insurance in commercials. He'll still be there, so don't feel bad for Aaron. He'll be there with my homes. He'll be there with my homes, you're right.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] It's a team that Chris Simms called the worst two seed in the history of the sport and a team that ended up taking a pretty good number two on the field in Santa Clara.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] It is. They found the ways to win. They had more wins than we thought they should have had. Well that's a good thing that they did that. So let's look at the Tennessee Titans real quick here and moving forward for them.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Because, they've got some questions. They've got a quarterback, we think, in Ryan Tannehill, right, for the future.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uhm, but he's a free agent. Can franchise tag him. But then you also gotta worry about Derrick Henry. Yeah. And now whose value is as high as maybe any running backs has ever been when they hit the free agent market. Doesn't always work out that way.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You might be on the down. He is, he has never been more valuable and now hitting the free agent market. So they, they've gotta figure out a way to get both of them. You think, you assume they will. Yes. But I don't think it's a foregone conclusion.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So they have to find a pass rusher. Maybe add a little bit more to the secondary. They also have to find a defensive coordinator.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Breaking news. Dean Pease is out. Dean Pease retired. He retired. He retired. Mike Vrabel saying he talked him out of retirement one time, didn't have the heart to try to do it again. So Dean Pease is retiring from the Tennessee Titans. Wow. Okay, he's one.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Derek Henry, how much is he going to make? So you got Zeke making 15 million a year. You got Todd Gurley making 14 million a year. People see both of those deals and say, oh, maybe both of those teams would rather not have done that. Leveon, 13 million a year. Maybe the Jets would rather not have done that. David Johnson, 13 million a year. Those are the only players making


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You gotta, you gotta pay some big bucks to play the game though. Eric Henry, the best in the game right now at the running back position. And one more thing I throw at ya, Bruce Arians over there in Tampa. He says, you know what, I just heard what Chris Sims said about Ryan Tannehill. And I'm not sold on my guy.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And the Chargers say, ah, I heard what Chris Simms said about Ryan Tannehill.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] There are other teams out there that would love to make a offer to Ryan Tannehill. Yes. There may be more. You're just talking about 15, 14 million per year for Derek Henry. Who knows? I mean, there are quarterbacks available. There are other teams that need quarterbacks. That's, that's, I don't think that's as much of a foregone conclusion as we think. No, I, I, okay.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They have key free agents in their linebacker, Blake Martinez.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, Brian Bulaga, Mason Crosby, they're kickers. There are some pieces there, but for the most part it seems like the Packers are intact and moving in a direction you think that Aaron Rodgers says he thinks they're in a window. I do. So he thinks that he with Matt LaFleur can win a couple, he said, I hope to win a couple Super Bowls with him.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Mason Crosby, 13 year NFL career, all with the Packers. He'll be back. Made 92% of his field goals this year, his best percentage ever. I hear they can kick in green.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So you know, we're not the only people that use this area. Did you know that? I kinda thought it was your only area. Well, it's like, it's my area and I rent it out to people.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So the two Robbie's also do the podcast. Do great work with the Premier League. I work with them from time to time. On a random Monday here and there where everyone goes, why is Rebecca not here? Who is that other guy that's got darker skin? I don't like him as much. So here the two Robbie's were doing their podcast. Here's what they had to say not long ago.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The two Robbie's are coming for you. Not one Robbie, there's two Robbie's. There's two Robbie's. One of them's not talking to the mic, okay? So I don't know if that mic's working. Alright? We'll check that. But it is true. So we've had, I don't know if people know this, but we've had 13 desks since we started this podcast. Right.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Of different sizes. This is not the latest one. No. Because we have a real, a real good one now. A real good one. We think we have one forever. We do, we do. It's like a forever death. Yes. But, so that's going to Miami. It's going to Miami.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] LIF. L-I-E-F. Uh, Super Bowl LIF is Super Bowl 54. Somebody's telling me back here, and he says it is. Yes. It is, you're right. Okay, so there you go.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, it's congruent. So the speed round time for Super Bowl Live, uh, you got opening odds, Kansas City minus one over under 53.5. I just want gut reactions here. Don't go deep into it because you're going to be doing that for the next two weeks straight and you're going to be sick of it. Uh, but your first reaction to Kansas City being favored and the over-under being 53.5.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The game? Yeah. Coin. Oh. Coin toss. Heads or tails. Well, it's gonna be tails.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So here we go. So, uh, which uniform should the 49ers wear? So here's the story. Yes. So they want to wear the white ones. The throwback white ones from 1994, if you're watching on YouTube. They've done it twice this year, which is already an exception from the NFL.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They only normally let you wear the throwbacks one time in the year, but then the 49ers said, can we do it week 17 against the Seattle Seahawks? We think it would be cool. And the NFL said, fine, okay, it's cool.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Will they let them do it again? I don't know. The league has not always been known. Now, we are looking at what their normal away jerseys are, the whites, and the throwbacks, and I must say, the throwbacks look way better. Yeah, the throwbacks are special. I mean, they really


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Do we have breaking news here? Pete, so- Are they allowed? Oh, rumors are, is that the NFL will not allow- Yeah. Grow back uniforms. But you're right, it might be a more of a production issue. I would think so. Which to that I say, you're a multi-billion dollar company. Figure it out.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, it's not my call. No, it's not your call. And it's probably a huge headache, and they're just like, just wear the other ones, just wear the other ones, and no one will notice. Uh, will we see Andy Reid in a Hawaiian shirt at any point over the next two weeks? Of course. Of course.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Here's more drapes for you to wear, Mr. Reid. It's just like how many thousands of miles from Hawaii to Miami, but yea, he'll be, he'll be supporting that. And, uh, he did say he does need to lose some weight before he gets down to Miami. Right. And do you know how he celebrated the win yesterday? Did you hear that quote?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Well, my mind, my mind is my home. Yeaah. But then you got Garoppolo second. Right. Cause they're quarterbacks. Yep. How about them?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I would go Kittle. I'd put all my money on Kittle. Mahomes, Kittle. 14 to 1. I like those odds. Who's your third? Who's after Kittle? Uh, I like Nick Bosa. Okay. And I would go- I just asked for three. I would Mahomes. Thank you. We know Mahomes. We know Mahomes is one. We know that. Okay, fine.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, finally, most important defender in the game. Who is the most important defender? Not necessarily the most impactful, or who will have the biggest game, but who is the most important defender for their team in the Super Bowl? That's a real one.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'm looking forward to seeing D-Ford. I think he's important because he knows what Kansas City does. Sure. He was traded for a second round pick last year to the 49ers. You know who, uh, you know who the chief selected with that second round pick that they got for trading D-Ford to San Francisco? McColl Hardman. That was it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And he went to the perfect, uh, perfect offense.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] On your run today, the 27 yard run, you told me that it might have been the longest run you've had since high school. Take me through it and what caused you to be able to make it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Oh, I guess so. Yeah. I mean, yes. You throw for almost 500 yards and no interceptions and lose. You get a spot. You do get a spot there.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Digress. Digress. Digress. Those two words back to football. Yeaah. So even though, even though Cowboys Vikings did make the deep dive, they are first on give me the headline. I'll throw this out there to you and see what you think. Yeaah. This is easy. It's just a starting point. Right. Kirk Cousins wins in prime time.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Did you hear him talking to Michelle after the game? No, what'd he say? So in the interview on the field, Cousins said, one of the things he said right away to one of the first questions was,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Thankfully, they're in the NFC East, this is thankfully for their fans, cause they can figure it out and still be close to the top, not on top. They're not in the NFC West where they'd be, they'd be in serious trouble right now.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Alright, sorry. Give me the headline. Give me the headline. Yes. A little bit more, a little bit more efficient. Yea. Alright, Panthers, Packers.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] To me, the game was a little bit, you know, the game was fine, whatever. Right. It's starting to get cold outside. Yeaah. It's getting darker earlier. Yeaah. Got the fire going. Oh yeaah. Dinner's being made. Right. There's snow at Lambeau Field. It doesn't get any better. The game itself was fine, but just that entire scene at my house, awesome. It's awesome. It felt like a real fan. Yeaah.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Ram Steelers, another Pittsburgh victory. Yeaah. Our guy Matt Casey, his headline is, Goff McVeigh, shine is off. That certainly works. I had written down here, my headline, all caps,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Exclamation points, whatever side you're thinking about. If you were kind of into what the Steelers were doing, you love what they're doing now. And if you were a little worried about the Rams, you watched what happened in Pittsburgh yesterday, now you're big time worried.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Is him being average again by his standard a bigger problem than Jared Goff right now?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He has to. And he also doesn't have like a real difference maker amongst the pass catchers. A lot of really good players.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But no one player, defensive coordinator, says we have to worry about this guy. And correct me if I'm wrong, but most defenses, after seeing a scheme that you've talked about, and you said, when people come down to you a little bit and say, you don't like golf enough, you should like him fine, I like the scheme better. But without a real difference maker out wide, and with teams knowing what's coming scheme wise,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Maybe they're really missing, in addition to Gurley being himself, someone out wide that a D coordinator is scared shitless.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But before we move on, just a quick headline about what's jumped out to you about the Steelers defense. You don't have to go big picture, but in this game, what did they do to keep the Rams without a touchdown? Because even though they're not what they were a year ago, keeping that team without a touchdown is doing something.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know what they're also doing? They're getting the best out of their own first round picks on defense. And your first round picks as well. You mentioned Tyson Aloualu, Mark Barron, Joe Hayden, Fitzpatrick. These were all high picks elsewhere.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They certainly did deserve to win with the, uh, with the offense.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Playing like this, or I guess with the Atlanta defense playing as well. A lot of ways to look at how they dominated Drew Brees and Thomas and Kamara. But bottom line, the Saints didn't score a touchdown. No, they didn't. My biggest question, not about this game, but the entire weekend I was looking forward to talking to you about. How did the Saints not score a touchdown?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And my first thought is, okay, this isn't a team that relies on pushing it way downfield if they're dropping 8. They're dropping them into the right zones to prevent Drew from throwing it over the top. He doesn't really do that anyway. No, this is one team that kind of carves you up underneath anyway. So why weren't those there? Because that's where


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They did not help themselves at all in terms of play calling, and one of the things I hate the most after a game is when people question four downs that don't work, and a game plan that didn't work. However, when your quarterback throws it 45 times, and your top two running backs combine,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I didn't really even try. And I wonder, is it something where Sean and Drew knew going in, that was the plan? Or if they got the stat sheet at some point after the game, or they got home and were like, holy shit, we only ran nine.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And this is, this is jogging your memory back a year. Yeah. Uh, but just thinking about that, what you remember about that game, any similarities to how you felt about that effort that was way below the Saints norm? Yeah. And kind of set up what would happen in December? Yeah. And what happened yet?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, and that's a big difference. And how about this number? We'll see if this means something to you. Breeze was under pressure 35% of the time. That's according to next-gen stats. Entering the game, New Orleans are only allowed 22% of the time. Oh, yeah. Well, and I would say...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, I mean the... Which to me says a lot about their offensive line because as you pointed out, they weren't like coming after him all the time.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They were all over it. They were running with them. Their linebacker coach, by the way, Jeff Ulbrick. So when I was


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He was the linebacker coach for UCLA. And our kids, we lived in the same town. Our kids played on the same flag football team together. And so I was in Atlanta a couple years ago for a game. Things weren't going that well. He had a big smile on his face. And I was kind of like, what's, you know, why are you so upbeat?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He was so excited about those two young linebackers and how they could run. He's like, Paulie, just watch these guys. They're freaks. I've got the best group in the league. And so we're seeing that a little bit. Listen, you talk about him reminding me of the background story in my mind with those young linebackers. So they have loved those


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Let's look at the other side just quickly, and what jumps out to me, especially with what we talked about with the Saints offense, Matt Ryan had a decent game, good to see him back, played well enough, made some nice throws, made some nice runs on third and fourth down as well, which is kind of surprising.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Right. And to me, the biggest difference, we talked about the 45 and 9. Right. For Breeze and his running backs. Matt Ryan threw it 35 times. Yup. His top two backs ran it 30 times. Yes. And you would think, okay, they handed off or pitched it 30 times. It must have been kicking ass in the run game. They didn't total over 100 yards, those two guys.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Let's go to LA, visit a couple of quarterbacks, golf and rivers. You didn't have either one in the top 16. No. Either one in the top half of your quarterback rankings took a lot of shit about it. Again, not easy, not easy.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'd like to spend some time with Carr coming up here in the next, like, when we really get into some plays, I feel like we haven't talked about him at all. All of a sudden they look like they're decent.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] That spin move, which is good every single time, or the Patrick Mahomes jumping in the air.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] With a spike, I believe, with a kill in the clock spike, I think was one of the things.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] His only incompletion in the first half was the spike. And I feel like his performance yesterday is getting discounted a little bit because it's coming off the Patriots performance, which was on Sunday night, coming out, took him to the next level. And there were so many close games yesterday. That game was a blowout. It wasn't as big a game as the Patriots.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] That was an NFL game, he went 15 out of 17. Right. Exactly. So his runs being shown a lot, and it should be, it's great, it's fun, it's unbelievable, but his efficiency yesterday, just because it was the Bengals, doesn't mean that we shouldn't like applaud and put a bunch of exclamation points at the end of that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I've got my own damn okay this week. Good. I know you have one more, but I'm gonna jump in and let you exhale a little bit.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'm going damn okay Ivy League. What? Okay. We used to cover the Ivy League on NBCSN, and Yale-Harvard was always a fun game. Sure. And there were a couple guys for a couple years that were like, when I did the games with Ross Tucker, I'm like, I wonder if these guys are going to make it in the NFL. Yeah. Great stories in the Ivy League. They dominate here.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] We talked about how the Falcons dominated the Saints offense. He let Atlanta in tackles yesterday.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Please do that, that would be nice. Hey, think about Ivy League. Yeah. Brian Fitzpatrick. Yeah. I think you're going to hit up Brian Flores.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Such a stupid media narrative. Yea, it is. Maybe some people making decisions about draft picks, you know, will lead you to think that, but there's no way the players are playing to tank. Oh no, we're the coaches.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Oh, by the way, before we put a uh, move on from damn okay, Yale. Bulldogs.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He said his team's too sloppy. I see his quarterback didn't throw a pick. Completed over 70% through 446. Right.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But they could have punted, and it's still a one score game no matter what. Yes, okay. With the talent they have at punter, you're likely putting them somewhere inside the 10.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] To his left? I feel like watching him play, if you're on the bag of Phil Mickelson and you watch him around the green, and the way he would choke up or like hand over, like find a way to get it close to the pin, just all feel and talent.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Is there a pattern of something that the Chiefs didn't do in those situations to put it in the end zone or something that Tennessee's defense did?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] How about defensively? Yea, yea. Kind of hit them offensively. Defensively, last week we sat right here. Yup. You praised Steve Spagnolo for some of the adjustments they've made. Yup. They found a way to beat Kirk Cousins.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And the Vikings. How is it that Derek Henry and Ryan Tannehill, down 10-0. We talked about how they should have been down more. Right. Found a way to get better as the game went on and put together these late touchdown drives against a defense that just a week ago adjusted well.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I mean, he's a beast. How is it that the Chiefs defensive front? We talked a number of times about how they can wreck games, especially Jones.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] To me, Henry's a running back where if you get to him in the backfield, you can kinda make him look average. Yes, you can.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, how is it that he had so many times where he got to the line of scrimmage or threw it without being affected at all?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I thought the last drive was similar to what Matt Moore did.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] A week ago, against the Vikings. I know we're talking about the same team, but he hit a couple really big throws to put him in position, and Tannehill added a big run. Definitely. Two big runs, I believe. Maybe it was one, it might have been one, yeaah. Maybe it was twenty, twenty-one yards.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] It was a wonderful strike, but he had that moment where he was at the top of his drop, Chris, and he wanted to throw it, and that little shake hadn't happened yet, and he just waited. He had a little split second of wait and patience, and threw it at the exact right time, and looked like a veteran quarterback who had started for a number of years, which is exactly what he is.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Before we put this one to bed, move on to the highlights, the headlines again for some more games. Those two teams play ten times. How many times do chiefs win? Eight.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] About right. I think so. I think so. Would it guess seven? Yeah, maybe seven.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] We checked this. Jeff Driscoll was two and a half yards past Linus Grimmage on the final one.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] About a month ago, or however long ago it was, where we first saw him play in that first start against Tampa Bay. Yeaah. We both praised him for how he stood in the pocket. Yeaah. Until the last second. Right. Would get rid of it and then get blown up. Right. Now it just seems like he's getting, he's taking more hits than he should.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Moving on. We have one more headline for the actual NFL. Arizona Tampa Bay. Yes. Alright. Guilty pleasure.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Game didn't mean a lot. Had a lot of mistakes.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] If you don't love or hate them, you see the Buccaneers on, it's a good way to spend 5 minutes or 2 minutes.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Interception streak snaps 211 without an interception.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] That's a whole lot. That's crazy. It's a rookie record.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Bruce Arians said to Peter King that if Jameis plays like that, he's the guy he wants around for the future.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yes, that's right. It's Florio. It's Sims. It's Chris Sims unbuttoned PFTPM collaboration where me and Mike like to bust each other's chops and have a lot of fun.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, we're getting, we're okay at betting. We give a lot of good info. Listen to our info. Take it where you want after that. Okay. But we're going to break down these four divisional round playoff games. Going to be fun. Mike and I will be on the field pregame football night in America.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] 3 p.m. Eastern 12 p.m. Pacific on Saturday. I'm looking forward to that. It's Mike's


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You won both of your best bets. You won Buffalo Houston, the under, and then you took Seattle on the road in Philadelphia. I won the Seattle Philadelphia under. I lost New Orleans. I did think they were gonna dominate the Minnesota Vikings. So with that, I am four picks behind.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I gotta, or yes, or if we both pick the same bet, this could be interesting, but let's get right into it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Some of these games that I'll clarify for the 19th week in a row. I just don't care about the spreads and whatever it is. I don't.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I wouldn't bet on them and I'm going to be wrong on the spread. So we'll see. I want to beat you in straight up and best bets. We'll see. This is a big week. It's divisional playoff round. I'm ready to go. I've rise raised my level. All right, I'm ready for playoff ball. Here we go. All right, let's hit it off.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Let's go with it. Your Vikings on the road, San Francisco 49ers, 49ers have the week arrest. They look like they're going to be healthy. Minnesota coming off the big win. Mike lead us off. Where do you think this one goes?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Well, okay, first off, who did the Vikings beat in that 86 game after that, you know, nine minute explanation? Who did they beat? The 49ers. In 86? The 86?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Wow, you're picking the upset. I did not expect that because I never know where to go with you and your Minnesota Vikings. It's like you, you hate them more than the most. Most people hate their own team more times than not. Alright, so here's where I want to go with this. Like first off, I just want to ask you this because I, I do think the Minnesota Vikings can win this game if Dalvin Cook doesn't have a big day. No, I don't either.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And I just don't know what happens there. Now, of course, Minnesota's offense is predicated on Dalvin Cook's success. There's no doubt about that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And they ran the ball great on the edge of the Saints defense last week. That's what teams have done against the Saints. They're big. They're slow. You get out on the edge. That's what they did. Different story this week.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You're not going to run on the edge against the San Francisco 49ers. It's arguably the fastest front seven in football. So they're going to be great at that. To attack the 49ers in the run game, you got to attack them right up the middle.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And I will. I'm interested to see if they can pull that off. You know, Bradbury, Elf line. They're very good blocking in the inside run game. Um, the other thing I'll say is, you know, as much as I do believe in that run game, right. And I think they need to be successful to win the football game.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The one way I can maybe look at them and go, okay, I think maybe if the run game is just so sober and or less than.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, they play that cover three or man to man. The corners are basically in man to man type situations all game long. And if you're willing to throw out routes and come back routes and things outside the numbers, which a lot of teams are reluctant to do this day and age,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I do think the Niners are susceptible there and I would test them. I really would. I would somebody sometimes just simplify the game and go, Hey, I'm Kirk Cousins. You're Adam Thielen.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think we're better than Richard Sherman and let's go from there. So that'd be interesting part of the game. And then the Vikings, we've talked about that Mike, right? How impressed we were with Zimmer last week on defense. He threw some curve balls at Sean Payton. He took away some of the bread and butter things they do there. They did on offense.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Do you, do you think Mike Zimmer will have some tricks up his sleeve this week in this matchup? What do you, what's your thoughts there?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think they'll have to be because that's what the 49ers do. And you know, if you're going to match the 49ers, you better be aggressive. They keep the pressure on you. And I think, you know, yes, Zimmer, uh, and there's another interesting angle. You know, I do think Zimmer has the advantage in the fact that Gary Kubiak


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, and Kirk Cousins are on his staff who have both worked with Kyle Shanahan.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So they might be able to give Zimmer, especially Kirk Cousins, he might be able to tell Zimmer.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Hey, on this type of play, he's looking at this to check to that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Or he's calling this play, hoping you play this defense, and then he's going to try to do that against you. I think that's a little interesting angle to at least evaluate. I do think this 49ers offense poses more problems for the Vikings defense than the Saints did for two reasons.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The run game of the 49ers is special. All the priest that movement guys go in different ways. The Shanahan run scheme, let alone the reverse is the speed sweeps and all the things. And then unlike the Saints to


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] This is aggressive passing game. We know Drew Brees and company. They're kind of dink and dunk, which allowed Minnesota to play aggressive and be at the line of scrimmage and never really back their corners off. They better back off this week because Garoppolo and Shanahan will dial up some deep play action passes and try to gas you that way. Hey, listen,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'm excited for this game. I think it's close for a while, but I think ultimately I'm going with the San Francisco 49ers. I'm going with the team that I thought has really been the best one or two teams and football all year. In my opinion, a week off, they're healthy. Shanahan has extra time to prepare. I'm going to go San Francisco 31


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Okay. All right. You're like, what do they call that? An Irish goodbye, right? The guy that just like kind of sneaks out of a party and doesn't say bye to anybody. That's going to be you, or at least I'm hoping it's you on Saturday. All right, let's get to game two of Saturday, Saturday night. Uh, we got the Tennessee Titans coming off


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Do you think there's a way the Titans keep this close? Do you think they can pull it off? How do you think this unfolds?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, no, you're right. The defense, I think that's where I'd like to start the conversation. You know, I mean, you know, right? I mean, Mike, do you think?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, I don't think the Tennessee Titans can win a game this week if they put up the same performance they did last week against the New England Patriots. You know, one,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think as a total defense, this defense gives the Tennessee Titans more problems because they have some true run stuffers in Baltimore.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I don't think Derrick Henry's gonna be able to run the ball up the middle 28, 30 times against Baltimore. If you're gonna have success against Baltimore, you better run on the edge. And so that's the only place I give them success. And I just don't expect them to be able to consistently run the boss, uh, successfully. And then I go, okay, so let's go to the pass game. The pass game was underwhelming last week.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Wink Martindale is one of the best defensive minds in the game. He will be all over some of your bread and butter concepts, let alone they're really talented in the secondary. I just have a hard time finding, can the Titans generate enough offense?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, and then on the other side of the ball, I do think Dean Pease and Mike Vrabel will have a few wrinkles up their sleeve to stop this.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He's got four rockets up his butt tonight. I mean, he was all over the place. So, you know, within that, I just think the Ravens pose problems for the Titans. I do. And I don't know if the Titans front seven is fast enough to track down Lamar when he gets on the edge.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uhm, I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong here because I know you think it's going to be close. I'm going to go with the Ravens dominating this football game. I am. I'm going to pick them to win 31 to 14. I do. I think it'll be one of those where it's, you know, maybe 14 7 then 21 7.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And then I wouldn't be surprised if it went to 21-14 and then really just the Ravens kind of slowly put them away somewhere, you know, in the start of the fourth quarter in there. That's how I envision it. We'll see how it goes, Mike. Uhm, but you're a little more, you think they can pull off the upset here. You don't think it would be a total shock to you.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, I'm interested to see how much the titans sell out to stop the run game.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, are they just gonna put people all over the line of scrimmage and say, okay, let's see if Lamar can beat us with his arm.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, can can can Hollywood Brown beat a Dory Jackson and Logan Ryan and can Mark Andrews get open down the middle of the field in the past game and Lamar hit him. Like you said, it's been a while since they had to play meaningful football that way too. And there is something to be said about that. So I'm going with the Ravens just in the fact that I think they're the better team.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They're going to be rested and just ready to bludgeon people. Uhm, but I see your side of the story too. I'm not going to say I'm sitting here going, eh, you're crazy. I, I get it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, no, you're right. And then there's the Dean Pease factor who came from Baltimore who's, you know, of course anytime you face your old business or old, you know, com-


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Comrades, you wanna, you know, stick it where the sun don't shine and show them who the boss is. Thank you very much. I almost did it. Yes, because usually this is a podcast and we can swear. So this is a very big challenge for me right now to not challenge. I mean, cause I want to throw out a lot of, you know, f-bombs and things like that, but all right.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] We're both, uh, you're on the Vikings, I'm on the Niners. We're both on the Ravens. You think the Ravens game will be a little closer than me. Now, let's get to Sunday afternoon.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] This is, I mean, come on, Sunday is just quarterback matchup day, and this is a doozy to start it off. Two young guns and Watson Mahomes. Houston beat Kansas City in Kansas City earlier this year, but I think Kansas City is a completely different team now. Mike, Mike, what do you think here? How does this unfold?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Okay, alright, I hear you there. Uhm, this is the, just to bring back some bad memories for you, uh, this Sunday will be the 50th, Saturday, excuse me, this Saturday will be the 50th anniversary of the Chiefs beating


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You're a Minnesota Vikings in the Super Bowl. Uh, that's alright. I wasn't, I wasn't a fan then. I was only four. Oh, okay, good. But I just wanted to rub it in on you and your team one more time. Uh, I mean- 65 toss power trap. Yeah, right, right. Keep matriculating the ball down the field, guys. Uh, there's a lot of great sound bouts for that game.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, I think that, you know, the big thing is the Texans did beat the Chiefs the first time around. I get that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And they won that game with that was early in the year. Remember when we were going, man, the chief's defense doesn't look good and teams are just controlling the clock. The Houston Texans, the Indianapolis Colts, they were just running the ball.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And keeping Patrick Mahomes in the offense on the sidelines. And, uh, this is one of the, this was one of those ways to beat Kansas City early in the year.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Okay, yeah, it worked. Also in that game. Hey, if anybody wants to go back, go back and watch that Kansas City was very close to like


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Almost blowing out Houston early on in the game. And if you remember, Mike, remember that was that interception game where my homes through a deep. There was a pass interference flag thrown on the field, and then they picked it up.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And then they kept it an interception where Houston was on the ropes and wobbly, that gave them the ball back and they went down and scored to make the game competitive once again. But it was very close to being a blowout and then all of a sudden it totally swung in Houston's way. But Kansas City's defense is different. They're a different animal now.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, they got a lot of size. They're very good at stopping the run. They played as good as defense as anybody in football the last four to five weeks of the year.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And Spagnolo and I think the defense itself have gotten comfortable with the system to where they're very creative. They will do Belichick things and double Deandre Hopkins on certain down and distances and things like that. And then, you know, the other side of the ball,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I guess where I get concerned is, hey, the Texans defenses, they're, they're spotty. I don't know if I trust them. There's always people screaming wide open in the pass game.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think the offense in Kansas City is more versatile now than it was early in the year anyways. Early in the year, Mike, they were still trying to do that. Hey, we're a shotgun like 2018 and Mahomes is going to throw for 400 yards and four touchdowns every week. And they've readjusted their formula now.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They get underneath the center. They got more of a short passing game. They're a little more patient with the run game.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And I think of all that, we're gonna see really fun, exciting big plays.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But I just think ultimately, I have more faith in the Kansas City Chiefs. I just think they're a more well-rounded team on both sides of the ball. I'm going Chiefs 38-24. Uh, I think this is fun back and forth for a while, but my homes and company ultimately put their, their foot on the throat of the Texans and send them home.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, it is. It's the first one we agree on both counts. And I don't know where I'm going to go with my best bets yet here. So I'm still like kind of kind of tinkering with this one all together. All right. You ready to do it? We got the big NFC matchup Sunday evening.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Oh, Aaron Rodgers, you're the greatest quarterback I've ever seen. And he's got Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll coming into town. Mike, to me, this is the most intriguing matchup of the weekend because this is the one that I think is the most 50-50, at least in my mind. Uh, I don't know how you feel, Mike, but you know, what do you, what do you think here? How does this game go? We know it's funny.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You're right. I need to get him one because I got my homes. I got Rogers. I got the Sean Watson. I'll come up with something for Russell Wilson. Just give me a little time. I need to get my creative juices flow.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, I think that is a real point. I think you're right. I mean, I think, you know, that will motivate a team if they went, oh my gosh.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So where, yeaah, it might, you know, just be a little daunting to go, gosh, we gotta go out to San Francisco and play that team again. The team that dominated us, like, thoroughly the first time we saw them. Geez Louise. So I don't disagree with that kind of psychoanalysis there. I think you're on to that. You know, there's just so many.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] First off, you know, the weakness to the Packers on the defense, it is their run defense. It's been one of their issues all year long.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But it's been better, down the stretch. And then, okay, yes, it's not a great run defense, but are the Seattle Seahawks a great running team right now? I don't know if they're good enough up front to take advantage of it, right, Mike? I mean, you got two backup running backs. You know, even if Dewayne Brown and, uh, Ayupati play,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I don't think they're going to be 100%. They didn't play at all last week. So that's a little scary. And then the other side of it, I just go, okay, if there's a weakness of the Seattle Seahawks, their defense is their secondary. And I go,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I just not sure. I mean, we know Adams and Rogers are good, but you know, to be really good on offense in the passing game, you need more than just one guy. I mean, you just need it more. And that's where I get into this, this can confuse state here of I don't know who I'm going to pick.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think this is going to be a very close football game. You've heard me say, if I'm Mike Petten, like, wouldn't you, Mike, you tell me, if you were playing the Seattle Seahawks right now, wouldn't you say, you know what? I don't think you're run games all that right now. I'm going to play pass coverage and put safeties back. Prove to me you can run the ball. Would you or would you not? Am I crazy for that? Yeah.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, I would hope so. I would hope Mike Petten evaluates that and looks at that. You know, on the other side too, I just, I don't know, I don't know if I, you know, we think of Green Bay and we go, you know, I think both of us agree that Aaron Jones has to be kind of the focal point of what they do on offense, right?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And Pete Carroll is one of those old school defensive coaches or his first thought is stop the run. Let's crowd the line of scrimmage. Let's stop the run. Let's not let that, you know, let's not let them get rolling there and then let Aaron, you know, Aaron Rogers and Aaron Jones off a play action fake start burning us this way. I'm very, I'm very torn between this game.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And I think I'm gonna go with the Seattle Seahawks to win this one. I am. I just think Seattle, they rise to the occasion in these type of games. Pete Carroll has created an atmosphere of like,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, I, you know, they're, they're like rabbit. They love this big lights, big game, big situation. And I just think.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think in my heart of hearts, I look at Seattle in a really close game, and man, this is hard for me to go against Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, because you said it. They're tough up there.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I just think Seattle has a few more difference makers on their roster right now than Green Bay and a really close game where I go, okay, it's a push between Rogers and Wilson. I go, ooh, the receivers for the Seahawks are more talented. They can make plays.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And then I look at like Jadevion Clowney and that Seattle front to where I think they can create some havoc and make some plays too.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'm gonna go Seahawks 24 to 21, pulling off the upset and therefore going to San Francisco the next week for the NFC Championship game.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I like it. I like it a lot. We got two differences here. I can make up the ground this week. I'm just saying. Yeah. You thought the same thing last week and what happened? Yeah. Well, I know I didn't, it didn't pick up any ground. All right. Thanks Jerks. Thanks for being Debbie Downer.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, this is a, it's a good one, but I'm going to go with Jimmy Garoppolo just because of Shanahan, the run game, their ability to dial up unbelievable play action passes and screens off the run game. You know, some of these yards Jimmy Garoppolo gets, you know, you and me could do it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Because Shanahan's gonna, he's gonna deliver a few guys that are just gonna be like, hey, here's a wide open receiver. If you can hit a wide open receiver 15 yards down the field, it could be a free 30 yards. Do you want it? Do you want it? Do you want it? Going once, going twice.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'm gonna go with them because Kittle, Debo, Samuel, Emmanuel Sanders and the run game all together, I think, lead to Jimmy Garoppolo having a better day than cousins.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, I don't disagree with you there. I still, you know, like we talked about with this match up a little bit, I do think that the Vikings have a significant advantage on the outside and I hope they work it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, if I'm a Vikings fan, I want to go, damn, what do we pay Thielen and Diggs all this money for if we're not going to work them and some one-on-one opportunities?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And San Francisco is a defense that doesn't change it up a whole lot. They don't double people. They run that Seattle scheme, Mike, where, you know, you hear me complain about it a lot. It's too obvious. It's too easy. The quarterback's always comfortable. And I don't think, you know, we saw a little in week 17 to what you're saying of


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The Seahawks at the end of the third quarter and the fourth quarter, they just said, hey, we're going to attack this corner over here, a kilo with a sperm, a DK Metcalf and just start abusing it and just play one on one football because we think Russell and DK are better than your guy.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] If I'm Kirk Cousins and Kubiak and Stefanski, I'm doing the same thing a little bit. I am.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'm gonna trust Thielen and Diggs to win against Akil Witherspoon and Sherman and just take some of those shots. So I'm with you. I think it'll be very close yardage wise, right? Like, what do you think? I don't think any of the one of these quarterbacks is throwing for like 350, right? I think it's like somewhere between 250 and 300 type of games for both of them, right?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, that's right. And we'll see. I really I'll be very interested to see teams. You know, there was a time where teams love to throw the ball outside the number with these type of looks. Now there's so many creative ways to move the ball and offenses are so advanced.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, I think it's an angle that a lot of teams forget about sometimes just going, Hey, what happened to an out route? What happened to a comeback route? What happened to, you know, a 15 yard curl route on the outside? You know, sometimes I think these coaches out out think themselves a little bit and just as just saying, Hey, my guy's better than your guy. Let's see if you can stop it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think Zimmer will be all over all the George Kittle stuff. And if there's a defense equipped to maybe cover him a little bit with Barr and Kendricks, I think they could be a pain in the butt. They're smart, they're athletic, they're great in pass coverage. I think they'll be keyed in on Kittle.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And you know, Emmanuel Sanders, he is really good, but I think where Debo Samuel comes into play to me a lot, Mike is like those 49ers where


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, play action pass and grapple gets up quick and throws a slant or a short cross or over the middle of the Debo Samuel. And you know, he's another guy when you get the ball in his hands, he's going to break a tackle and make a few guys miss. He's kind of electric that way. So I think that would be the guy I'm going to pick actually. And I didn't expect to say that, but yeah, I think I'm going to pick him.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'm gonna go over there. Uhm, we talked about the Tennessee defense. There's some things I like. They do have some size. I don't think they're incredibly fast, sideline to sideline. And I think when you haven't seen Lamar Jackson, that it's like,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] It's kind of eye opening. I think we've had a lot of teams who are, you know, technically in the right spot to make the tackle against Lamar Jackson. The problem is they've never seen a human like Lamar Jackson in the open field like that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And that's where he's special. I mean, come on, you and I both know with the ball in his hands, he's as good as any running backer receiver in football as far as making people miss and making plays. So I'm going to go with them are over 77.5.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] We gotta stop this guy and that's and then they have the secondary to match up man to man on the back end and just say, hey, the hell with it. Let's get after the run game.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Let's not get exposed there. We think Marlon Humphrey can cover AJ Brown. We think Marcus Peters can cover Corey Davis. Let's just chalk it up to that and stop the big boy, the dump truck, Derek Henry. So I'm going to go like Derek Henry has a day Mike where it's like,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] 24 rushes for like 88 yards. I think it's gonna be something like that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I am going to go with Patrick Mahomes. Uhm, and this is a tough one because you do have to take Deshaun Watson's, like, scrambling and all that into account. You know, I think he's more capable of making more yards on the ground than Deshaun, I mean, than Patrick Mahomes.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But I think ultimately Andy Reid, his history of bi-week football and then the talent and everything like that. And then a questionable past events with the Houston Texans. I'm going to go with Mahomes. I think he has a pretty big statistical day.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] What do you think too? Like, I mean, I know Will Fuller we think is playing, right? I think that plays a huge key into this whole thing. I mean, uh, to me, if they don't have Will Fuller and it's just DeAndre Hopkins out there, I think Spagnolo will have some stuff to completely take Hopkins out of the game. They need Will Fuller to be that other weapon.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I mean, it seems obvious. You know, I thought about Travis Kelsey. I could see him, you know, work in the middle of the field. I just think Spagnolo has shown me he will double people.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Okay, so I think he's gonna take Hopkins away in every big moment. And really, to me, it becomes more between Tyreek and Fuller, I think, in this one.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And I'm going to go with Tyreek because, uh, of course he's maybe the best weapon in the sport, Mahomes. And I think Andy Reed and company are going to have a few things, uh, up their sleeves as far as new ways to get Tyreek the ball in the pass game.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, I know. I mean, you know, I, I mean, I agree with everything you said. You're right. I mean, I think people probably doubt Andy Reid a little bit. I think people should know too that Andy Reid is four and one coming off the bye week in the divisional round. So that bodes well to that. But yeah, I think ultimately like you said it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They just weren't the, the sexy team this year. There was other, with Mahomes injury and you're right, some of those losses at home and things like that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They lost the sex appeal war to, you know, the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar, like you're talking about, the 49ers, their resurgence, you know, the Packers and Matt LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers. That's a sexy story. So.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'm with you, but it is shocking that the team that was in the final four last year is like the least talked about team in the final eight this year.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] This is a close one because I think both, like, both teams will rely more on the passing game when all is said and done. I think Seattle will take away Aaron Jones in the run game.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And you know, I think what happens with great, I think Seattle's run game is not great right now, and they realize it's got to be DK Metcalf and lock it and more. And those guys to win the game and Green Bay traditionally will give you some of those one on one chances to make the type of throws that Seattle wants to make.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And Russell Wilson wants to make so I'm going to go with Russell Wilson to have more yards than Aaron Rodgers. Not by a lot, but I'd say like


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] 305 and maybe Rogers is like 290 something, something like that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] All right. So here we go. Best bets as we've talked about. Mike has a four game lead. I need him to lose these. We have two disagreements already. So I like that as far as straight picks, but best bets. Here we go. Mike, what do you think? You want to lead it off or you want to hear mine first? I'll, I'll, I'll respect my elders.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, you're, uh, you are pretty good at it. You're right. And uhm, I, I thought about that one as well. I did. I kind of like was, was...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'm wrestling within my own brain. I just didn't feel comfortable enough. I'm going to pick the Ravens. Yeah, I don't care that they're favored by nine and a half. I'm riding with it. I think the Ravens are the best team in football.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think the Ravens with two weeks off healthy Lamar Jackson is going to be ready to go. I don't think the Titans have seen anything like a team like this all year long.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And I just think the Ravens are too good on both sides of the ball. You know, Lamar Jackson, it's just hard to prepare for him and this attack. And I think they'll have a few new wrinkles up their sleeves, let alone I'm really concerned about Tennessee's offense versus Baltimore's defense.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, again, I just would be shocked if they can dominate the game in the run game. Baltimore's got so many big people up front and they have as good a secondary as New England. I mean, it's, you could argue maybe it's even a little better, but it's those two are the two best.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And I think they'll be able to shut down Tannehill in the pass game, too. I picked the Ravens to win 31 to 14. I'm riding that nine and a half points, so we'll see.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Well, I, I mean, I guess the big thing is, is, you know, hey, the, the, the Ravens are what? Are the Ravens the highest scoring offense in football? Yes, they are. So I guess that's really where it comes to in that category.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] We might be down 14, nothing here. So, but I, I'm not disagreeing with your thought. Uh, that could be a very.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Very key play by Mike variable in this game is to just say that, right? Like I don't think my defense matches up with the Ravens offense. I'm going to take the air out of the ball and and try to just get into the fourth quarter and make it a one score game and win that type of way. I would not be shocked if variable opted to do that. All right.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] My second best bet, I'm going with the Seattle Seahawks. Hey, I'm picking them to win on the road. You know, the Packers are favored by four.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think the Seahawks match up pretty well with the Green Bay Packers, and I just think, ultimately, what I've come to is I just think Seattle has a few more playmakers than the Green Bay Packers do right now. I do. And I just think they'll come through, whether that's Judevion County making a play that way, Bobby Wagner,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Or Russell Wilson and DK Metcalf. I think this is gonna be a great game to watch or be very close.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But I think that's exactly where Seattle wants it. Seattle just plays to, hey, we want Russell to have the ball in the last play of the game. We don't care how it looks. And more times than not, he comes through. And I think this week against the Packers defense, that's good, but not great. I think he'll be able to make that magic happen.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Alright, so best bets. Here we go. Mike is going for the over in the Vikings 49ers game. It is at 44 and a half.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Okay, so he's going there. He's also taking the under with Tennessee Baltimore. That is at 46.5. He's going under. I am taking the Baltimore Ravens. They're getting favored by 9.5. I think they're going to win by more than that. And then I'm taking the Seattle Seahawks who were road underdogs.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Four point underdogs at that, and I think they're gonna win the football game. So that's that. Everybody out there, please root against Florio and root for Chris Sims. Remember, I'm the nice guy. He's the mean guy and just makes sense to root for me. Anything else you want to say before we go? I'm choking on


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Enjoyed this and on the way out, I hope everybody to Chris Sims on button, PFTPM collaboration, the picks podcast last show.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And now, Saturday, you'll see us, Football Night in America, 3 o'clock Eastern, 12 p.m. Pacific, we'll be out there, me, Florio, Vikings 49ers, we're both pumped to be there, please tune in and watch that. Hey Mike, up yours, see you later, bye. See ya.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yo yo, what's up? Come on man, subscribe on YouTube to Chris Simms Unbuttoned Podcast. I need you, please hit the subscribe button, please!


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Matt Stafford, and then, I'm just trying to think about positioning my tree here. Oh, and then you got Cam Newton for that. Oh, damn!


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Alright, I mean I got ten things written down. Oh, okay.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] We're all playing road games right now, that's the way it is. Ahmed Fareed, Chris Sims, it's a Thursday afternoon, we're a week away from the draft, and guess what? We're gonna talk more about the draft, cause that's what we freakin' do. What's up dude? How you doin' man?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, without a doubt. I mean, those, those uniforms on the top, I mean, it just, that's shitty looking. I don't know what else anybody wants me to say. And, you know, I know we're similar ages. When we grew up,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, this is a classic look. This has got a lot of history behind it. I know people think Cleveland's like a loser-ville because of what we've had, you know, no Super Bowl appearances, but it's great tradition, a great fan base, and to me,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] One of the best uniforms in all of sports. I love the color combination. I love the old school stripes on the shoulders. And I like the stripes on the socks. I think all in all, they did a really good job.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Well, listen, I've never argued that the guy wasn't an elite athlete. All I'm saying, first off, is just that he's not on the level of the other two, in my opinion. And just as far as, especially when it comes to covering man-to-man. I really like Okuda's game. I do.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The 40 is more important for the cornerback position probably than any other position on the football field.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But at the same time, all I know is they were faster than Okuda for sure, okay? And the film shows that they are faster than Okuda. I think Okuda is a top 15 pick, no doubt about it. But I think his ability to turn and run and stay up with premier top flight


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I question that a little bit. I don't question it at all with AJ Terrell and Henderson. Henderson and AJ Terrell were put on an island almost every game and they just said, go cover that guy.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Okuda was really good. He did that sometimes, but Ohio State plays some zone defense. They do some different things. He got the privilege of that. And really, when you really get into Okuda too with like just true speed receivers, I would say this, Omid, one of the games that concerns me a whole lot is just the Penn State game.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, KJ Hamler could run, and the few times they put Okuda on KJ Hamler, it didn't look good for Okuda.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Now, you know, AJ, Terrell, and Henderson, they covered a lot of top end, first round, NFL wide receivers, and were always in the hip pocket of all those guys.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So again, it's not about disliking Okuda. I know the consensus has Okuda number one. The consensus is always right. Did you know that? They're always right. Mitchell Trubisky is better than Patrick Mahomes. You didn't know that, right? The consensus said he was better back then.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, more times than not, I feel like I get positive reinforcement there. And the big thing is, listen, I'm not trying to say I'm always right or I always have the right answers. I know I've been around a bunch of big time corners in my life.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Alright, whether it was college or the NFL, I know what one looks like. You know, I'm obsessed with football and I study film and watch it all day long. And again, it's not a knock on Okuda. He's a really good football player, but I think the big thing that happens in this job a lot.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Is the narrative gets kind of put out there.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] By the people and the evaluators who don't necessarily always really matter when the time comes. I mean, we're getting into where top like GMs and the head coaches and the coordinators, they've just figured out who they really like here in the last 10 to 20 days.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Mock drafts and guys going up and down the board because instead of doing their own evaluations sometimes, a lot of people in the media just go by what they hear from their friends in the NFL, which I don't like that aspect of it. But yes, I mean, we were told the coup was really good. Your Ohio state was awesome all year long.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And it was just the narrative that started the season and people ride with it. And of course he never had a glaring moment that people can look at it and go, oh, see, you know, Clemson, AJ Terrell.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He got up a few yards against LSU and Jamar Chase, who's going to be the number one picket receiver next year. And people go, oh, see, that's, I can point to that. He's not the top corner in the draft. And I would say, you know, no, I mean, AJ Terrell was all over Jamar Chase.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] From what I saw with just the pure raw explosiveness, Ahmed, very, very impressed by Henderson and AJ Turrell. And if I'm wrong, you know I'll say I'm wrong. I just think Okuda might be more Chris Harris Jr., alright, or one of those guys.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Well, listen, he's got NFL starting safety caliber traits, you know, there's no doubt about that. Now, yes, you know, I think the things, it was a little underwhelming, the film.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, our, our man there talked about the missed tackles. Yeah, there's a lot of missed tackles. I'm sorry. I don't know how you're supposed to feel comfortable about that. You're a safety. Your job is to save the play from being a big play.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So that's scary to me, with the lack of opening, open field tackles. You know, the inability to change direction, change direction real explosively to break down and make those tackles. Let alone, I just didn't think the raw athletic ability was on par with the other guys that I saw there.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Explosion, acceleration, whatever it may be. And I thought really in past coverage, he was a little sluggish with his feet as well. So again, it's not necessarily a knock on the guy. He's a really good football player.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I would have guessed mid four sixes when it comes to the 40. He's not real twitchy. The acceleration is above average, but nothing special.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] The, the quicks are just okay. And I just wrote there's nothing elite about the player. He's a good player, but he's not a first round talent.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Not real physical, misses a lot of tackles, not great range as a free safety. And like I said, I just wrote speed and acceleration just okay. So, you know, that's, that's where it is. And again, it's not about, you know, me not liking the player. I just don't think he ranks up there with the guys that I have ahead of him.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] To me, for me to put him in the linebacker conversation, no way. The biggest issue I had with him was physicality and the ability to tackle.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So therefore he's not that. I think this guy's still raw. He's still learning to play football. And I think that's the big thing.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, uh, when I got into it, I just wrote, hips are average, you know, when he's in this backpedal and he's got to turn and run, it's a little lumbering at times, okay? You know, speed does not always pop. He kind of has, you know, I think he's,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So that would bother me. And then the biggest thing, what I'd said was his ability or inability to break down is underwhelming for the specimen he is. And when I see breakdown, I mean, you know, like you saw cam cancer all those years.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Man, Jeremy Chin against, you know, players that are not as talented as he is, they got away from him too much for me, so.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Well, Jordan Elliott from Missouri, I think that's where I'm going to start. I mean, I mean, first off, I'm at the defensive tackle position. Like you said, it's a talented group.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And the more I get into this draft, I actually am starting to realize...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I probably have like 45 guys that I have first round grades on. So I think there's a little bit of better high end quality in this draft than I realized going into it. But, you know, this kid


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But maybe more power than he has altogether. And I was just shocked as the film kept going on. I mean, this is a disruptive, interior, four-three defense, three technique type of defense attack. Like a Sheldon Richardson is. Okay?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I love that about him. He's got great hands and great upper body strength to disengage from blockers whether it's the run game or pass game.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] His grip and rip move as far as pass rush goes. He's incredibly disruptive and he is a true mismatch for guards and pass protection. So I look at this guy as just being an all around really good football player who's a good athlete and has the ability to


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Guys are kids. They're not men yet. And I don't mean to say that in a disrespect way. I'm just telling you, when I was 21 years old,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He's got a little bend around the edge passing, you know, uh, pass rushing from the inside on guards and tackles. And like I said, for 303 pounds, I was really impressed.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think he's that type of prospect in my mind. Yep.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] No, he's a little bit more of a, you know, first off, Alabama, the film can trick you if you don't know what to watch for. And Alabama, a lot of the times they ask their D. Lyman, like, hey, not to fly up field and cause disruption.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They're like the New England Patriots. They kinda just say, hey, hold your guy, hold your ground.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And you know, whether it's a run or a pass, we want you to disengage, you know, appropriately, oh, here comes the ball, get rid of your guy and tackle the ball carrier. Oh, now you see it's a pass, let go of your guy or rip him out of the way and try to, try to pass rush him that way. So they don't always get the green light to attack.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Holds his ground, two gaps, causes more disruption than you would expect for a guy this size. Can just simply overpower guys and push them back into the backfield. But, you know, I'm big on what does your bad look like?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And you're bad for a guy like Raekwon Davis is like, oh, you get a stalemate at the line of scrimmage and you don't move him at all. That's as bad as it gets.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, and there's going to be great value in that in the NFL. And I think he's a hell of a player. And yes, again, I think another guy that's in that late first round, uh, you know, early second round conversation and not all defenses are going to like them on that. I don't know if a lot of four, three base defenses like the Seattle Seahawks, I don't think they'll like them.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But New England, Baltimore, some of the teams that have more of the 3-4 in them, I think they're going to look at them and go, oh, this is our kind of guy, he's a stud.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Well, I think, you know, again, the stats don't always tell the story. You know, it just doesn't. You know, we look at sacks sometimes and I can see a guy that's got 10 sacks and I go, well, like eight of them were coverage sacks or like the quarterback fell down. So are we going to give the guy like a first round grade just because he got 10 sacks?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Like I said, because it's not about stats or tackles or disruption with that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They're asked to do different things. And, you know, I'll bring up the example of a guy for the Washington Redskins, Deron Payne. A lot of people thought he was like a second or third round choice out of Alabama a few years ago at Defensive Tackle. And it was the same type of question. Well, there's not a lot of tackles. There's not a lot of sacks. There's no production.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But that just wasn't his job. His job was to hold the fort down and just, you know, create a mosh pit in the middle of a offense and defensive line. That's what his job was.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, if he was given the green light to go, he could have been a lot more disruptive. But, so that's where I really get into it. And, you know, again, I've heard people say, oh, he's the Forrest Buckner.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think he's more powerful than DeForest Buckner. I don't think he's as athletic as a DeForest Buckner. That's why I kind of said like the Richard Seymour, Muhammad Wilkerson type guy. And that's why he won't be for everybody's defense because he's not that like


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Shoot the gap like we just talked about with the Missouri kid and he's gonna fly in there and just ruin a play. No, that's not what he's gonna do.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I don't even know where to start with this guy. First off,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] That'll make you go, huh, I wonder what this film is gonna look like. You know, because you just go, is this a combine freak who's not that good on the football field? Or what is this gonna look like? Or is he as freaky as the numbers look?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And I came to the ladder that he's as freaky as the numbers look. I'm in-


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And he has got legit athleticism as a pass rusher, but he is strong as hell. And you know, I know there's some knocks out there. People talk about, oh, and run defense. He's not always perfect. Well, let me give people a little food for thought for at least what I saw there.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, Oklahoma is a team, Ahmed, that likes to stunt and slant their defense alignment all over the place, right? So, imagine you're Neville Gallimore, uh, Neville Gallimore, and you're over between this guard and center gap.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And now the coach wants you at the snap to slant and go all the way to the other center and guard snap. Well, what if you're going to do that and now there's down block by the guard you're lined up over. So now you're running one way with a guy pushing you on your back.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] No, there's no human on earth that can do that. And I see too many comments with that, where I go, oh, he gets moved in the ring. Listen, when they ask him to play one gap, the one that's in front of him, which he'll be asked to do more times than not in the NFL, he wins it almost every single time.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Let alone, like I said, the pass rush traits are really, really special for somebody that size playing defense to tackle.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I mean, this was one of the pleasant surprises of the whole draft for me here. It really was. When I turned on the film, I just went, oh my God. You know, like I said, his ability to rush the passer from the inside.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Now is he quite as strong as they are at the point of attack? No, I'll say he's a little less than they are. But man, his athleticism, his twitch, his ability just to explode straight ahead and get on the edge of a pass-protecting guard?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, and then now the guard can't catch up and he edges them and gets around them. I mean, it's impressive. I mean, this kid can be a star in the NFL and a major, major, uh, contributor to F the play up Chris Simm style in the NFL for sure.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Well, it is a little bit, and I want to say this, I mean, this is almost as close as it gets to as far as a tie at the top, okay? I mean, I really, I didn't know what to do. And with these two guys too, as I flip through my notes and filibuster here, I want to let you know too,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] First off, just let me make this blanket statement with both of these guys. These are top 5 picks in the NFL draft. That's how good they are.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think they are worthy of a top five pick. Either one of them. It does not matter. They are definitely top 10 picks. I know that. But when I watch their film, I look at it and go, oh, it's every bit as good as Quinnen Williams last year. Yet these guys are bigger and stronger and can hold the ground better. You know, so if you want me to start with Javon Kinlaw, I mean, it starts with,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Built like a brick shithouse. I don't know. I've never seen many humans in the history of the world built like this guy. Like...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] It's insane, Ahmed. He is put together with, like, looks like he's got cuts, and you can see definition in his arms. He's got incredible legs and ass, as you know, I'm very big into that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I mean, first off, there's no weakness to the guy's football game. It's incredible strength.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Alright, if there's a negative, maybe use a more, a hair more stiff than, than our man Brown at Auburn, but quickness,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I mean, he could win with just straight ahead sheer strength or he gets them off balance with like, you know, a shimmy or a shake move, which like at 326 pounds, I don't know if I've ever seen a human do that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He is, uh, a dominant, dominant football player who's gonna have a long, long career.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So just think about when you teach him some different ways to win, what he can do. You know, there, there is something to that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'm gonna have to take a second look to confirm, cause that's how close I thought it was.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And uhm, I just, yeah, this guy's a, he's a, he's a no-miss, you know, no-brainer at some point in the top ten for a football team.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, it's like, you know, it's just like evolution. Here's the best defensive tackle in football in the mid nineties. And now this is what the best defensive tackles look like in 2020. And that's what he is. He's got a similar build to that. You know, I mean,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Be in awkward positions and throw off an offensive guard or offensive tackle. He can win any way you want. That's the thing I wrote, you know, towards the bottom. I just wrote he can win with pure speed and just shoot the gap. He can overpower you and overwhelm you with his hands right up underneath your chin and just push you back.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] To make guards and tackles off balance, he gets you leaning one way, and then bam bam, he hits you with your hands, and all of a sudden he's hitting your quarterback. So, you know, again, he can play just about any position on the D line, Ahmed. He can two gap in a 3-4 defense, he can play shade nose, he can play three technique, you know, and,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] This guy, you know, has good legs, but not like the best legs. You know I'm into that. And there's a lot of weight in the midsection. Okay? And if I was just gonna say one thing that scares me, with a body like that, one bad off season.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] One bad like, ooh, I didn't care about what I ate and I didn't train very hard.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, that would be something for, for teams to digest. But again, another can't miss prospect on that. I mean, just an absolute freak and monster of a person.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeaah, I mean, I think that's fair. You know, Brown...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Brown maybe has better hands. He's got a little bit better bend. I think it's very close in all areas. I really do. And, you know, I'm interested just from


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, they are both really good. I don't think you can miss either way. I really don't. And like I said, I think they fit any scheme you want to play on the defensive side of the ball, let alone


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, hey, if you had a good three technique and you said, oh, well, we already have a good three technique, you just go, well, this guy can play Shade Nose. If you had a great Shade Nose and you went, oh, we already have a good Shade Nose, you go, well, this guy can play three technique. I mean, he really is going to work anywhere you want.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yeah, well, you know, all I do is let the film talk to me. And not that it always talks to me the right way, but I just watch the film.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And watch the player, and I let that tell me, and then I get done, I look at my notes, and I start to read them, and that usually tells me the story. So, oh my gosh, I guess I'm not trying to get clickbait. I guess not. Damn.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Hey, one more guy I think we need to just give a little love to here because I think that he is also in the first round conversation is the Ross Blacklock from TCU. You know, he to me,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Has a little bit of, you know what we talked about with Jordan Elliott from Missouri.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And a little bit of what we talked about with Neville Gallimore from Oklahoma. He's kind of like a combination of both. He's got a little more...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, but he's a guy that I liked. I just, I just, you know, he just came out of the top five for me there.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, what type of scheme they play on the defensive side of the ball. But yeah, you got your true middle linebackers. You got your hybrid linebackers who could be like outside linebackers and probably get stand up inside linebacker.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, to what your point is, I mean, there's some guys on here that are listed as linebackers, where I go, this guy's more of a strong safety than a linebacker, really.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So, there's a little bit of everything. And this day and age in the NFL, you need a little bit of everything. You know, depending on the personnel you're trying to match up against, against the opposing offense, you know, the style the team plays on a week to week play, you know, basis of whoever you're playing. You know, you need some variety as far as these linebacker positions.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Because they want to go, Oh, we have the big physical traditional type. If we got to play a team like the Dallas Cowboys, you're going to try to run it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So, you know, it, it's, it's an important position with all the different tight ends and running backs and, you know, hybrid receivers with side, you know, Michael Thomas is a slot receiver. You gotta have some big athletic, you know, linebackers to cover those guys and the Travis Kelsey's of the world. So very good group.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He is a unbelievable athlete at the linebacker position. He didn't run at the combine. He's 6'1", 245. Okay, he played stand up linebacker, but also played defense at end and was very good at both.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] It's the physical tools that are special. Is he perfect as a player? No, he's not. And, you know, to what you're saying, Ahmed, I'm sure he's a tweener. You know, I'm sure they were a little bit like, where the hell do we put this guy? Is he a safety, a defense end, a linebacker? What the hell do we do with him?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But they finally found the right position for him. And man, Ahmed, I mean first off,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, he is an incredible athlete and he's got out of this world strength.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uh, for his size. I think that's the first thing that jumped out to me. I couldn't get over, you know, for to be 245 pounds, he could legitimately like set the edge.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Physicality, taking on blocks, he is willing. You know, pursuit of the ball, sideline to sideline, he can fly. So, you know, does he need some polish work on, you know, maybe taking on blocks?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] At times he's a little reckless when he's making open field tackles. Yeaah, okay, I get that.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But man, he is a really, really intriguing prospect where it's like he's got legitimate value as like a 4-3 will linebacker, a guy that you just say, hey, go get the football, right? That's all your job is.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But he's also got legitimate value, like coming off the edges of pass rusher too, if you want to change personnel that way. I mean, it's legit. So this is a different type of football player, but nonetheless, like very impressive. And I think a guy that is only going to improve as we continue to go on here.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think that I'm comfortable somewhere in the first 20 picks of the second round probably would be about where I would look at it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, and again, some of the things we're talking about, you know, when you talk about coverage,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, yeaah, it's, it could use some help, but the athletic ability is there. Like that's one of those things where, you know, when he gets coached and somebody puts him at one position, he's gonna learn, he has the ability to do those type of things.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] But I just think the pure raw explosiveness, strength, and athletic ability of the guy was enough for me to put him in my top five and somebody's gonna find a position for him as a stand-up linebacker on their defense and he's gonna make a difference.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Here's, you know, here's another guy that is a little bit of a...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, where, what's he gonna be in the NFL? I think he can do two things. Have you got a three?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Compare him to Kyle Van Noy. And when I saw that, and then I watched the film, I said, damn, Lance is right. He is. That's what he is. He's Kyle Van Noy. That's what type of football player he is. Maybe even a hair more explosive than Kyle Van Noy was coming out of college. But, you know, played


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Defense end slash stand up outside linebacker, but has the ability to play off the ball and go around and be a traditional linebacker and make a lot of tackles that way too. Like we just talked about with Uche too, if you wanted to play him at defense end on a nickel pass rush situation,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] His ability to rush the passer is real. I mean, it really is. I wasn't really impressed with his getoff, his ability to kind of bend around the corner, but this is a really good football player that can do it all.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Like, it kinda hurt me to put him at four, really. I'm just gonna let you know. I, I, I, it hurt me. It's just, the three guys in front of him are just a little bit...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, he's physically explosive. I mean, he's all over the football field.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And he really has a great ability, like I said, with the read and reaction stuff to just diagnose plays and get to the right spot before the ball even gets there.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, whether that's through film study or just his natural instincts of playing a lot of football, man, he's really good. Plus he's the type of guy that's athletic enough that


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, you're going to be able to trust him to cover tight ends down the field and do those type of things. So, you know, again, another guy where I looked at it and I just said, man, he's twitchy. He's explosive. He's strong at the point of attack. He's got great versatility. There's really nothing he can't do.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And, you know, one of the last things I wrote is he's got Patriots written all over him. He really does. I mean, I wouldn't be shocked to see.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, Bill take him in the first round or maybe they trade down a few spots and get them a little later in the first round or the early second somewhere in there. But I think ultimately this is a guy that's picked somewhere between 25, 20 and 35 in the first, uh, you know, in the NFL draft coming up next week.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Was just that, you know, I couldn't sit there and just go, oh, he's amazing right at this.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He's really good at everything. But yes, it is a little bit of a projection.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] of what he'll be in the NFL. And I do think that three, four teams will probably like him better than the four, three teams will like him. But I also would say I saw enough Ahmed of off the ball type linebacker stuff.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He can do it. I saw enough to go. He'll be okay. You know, he might not be perfect at first, but I think between


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I think he'll be very good at it, but I do. I think teams like the Baltimore Ravens and the Patriots might look at him and go, damn, we can play him at three or four different spots if we get this guy.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, it is. You know, the dilute sample, I mean, guys are walking around with gallons of water all day long. They're trying to, one, stay hydrated so they can get through a pretty grueling important workout that they're, you know, nervous about.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, if drinking a lot of water will take me from 228 to 235 and teams will view me differently, then damn, a drink up! And that's what a lot of guys do. So that's where, you know, certainly I would throw caution to the wind on that one. I don't care about the dilute sample.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'm gonna go with Kenneth Murray from Oklahoma, alright? Uh, Kenneth Murray.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Man, this is a good football player. I mean, this to me is a guy that I look at and go, he's the top 25 pick in the draft. And just so you know, like my pro comparison that I wrote for him was C.J. Mosley, who now plays for the New York Jets.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] This is a true middle linebacker. Whether you want him to be a 4'3 middle linebacker or, you know, a 3'4 middle linebacker that stands up there. I think the first thing, you know, he's got a prototype body. I mean, he's, he's phenomenal. He's an Adonis looking in his uniform. Cut up, great legs, square shoulders.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] For the big 12, when I ever, whenever I turn on a linebacker in the big 12, I always go, uhhh, is he going to be able to play the run?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Nobody runs the ball. It's a seven on seven league. That's the way they play football. So I'm always a little concerned at first when I see a linebacker on a lot of people's boards as far as being a top traffic. But man, I don't have any of those concerns with this guy, man. I mean,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He's very comfortable between the tackles and playing in the trash. He really is. Can take on blocks. Got a great nose for the football. I mean.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, I'm always, of course, at the linebacker position, read and react skills are very important, right? You know, his ability to kind of diagnose the play and go, oh, I think the ball's going here and just fly to that spot and get there at the same time the ball carrier is getting to the hole. You know, they're, they're outstanding. They're off the charts. I mean, he's very instinctive that way.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He can do everything at a very high level for a middle linebacker. And his length and athleticism are just special. The way he runs.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He can avoid blockers, he can take them on. And then with that length, Ahmed, you know, my experience playing linebackers, once they start getting over 6-1, you start getting a linebacker like this guy would.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] 6'2 and 33 inch arms and as athletic as he is, man, all of a sudden throwing the ball over the middle gets a whole lot harder because you're going.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You'd rather it see that way than a guy who's like hesitating and like, because then you go, oh man, is that guy, you know, does he know what he's seeing? Is he afraid to get in there and really throw his body around? So yeah, Murray at times, you know, we have this phrase in the NFL where we go shoot your gun. Okay. I don't like guns and I don't even want anybody to have them.