fill in the blank. I'll consider Jeff Saturday's, head
coaching debut a success if the Colts
what they are, six point underdogs,
I mean, really? I look at it, if the Colts just avoid major
disaster. I mean, that's really kind of how I look at it.
I mean, I'm not going to pick them to win the football game.
I'm not, I'm going to be totally transparent about that
I
can after this week, but
If it's just not like a total, 35 nothing 42. Nothing type of
game. I'm in and he doesn't mess up situations
and it looks like the process is somewhat normal. Watching
the game on TV then I think it's somewhat of a success and
I was long as it's not a blowout and like I said he's
making doesn't make some huge blunder.
I think that's at least a start. I don't my expectations
aren't real high here but this
Yeah, mine aren't either. And look we're going to be watching
very carefully. This Saturday. Look the part is you can have
the same issues in the Faneuil hack. It had getting plays in
on game day there isn't much the head coach
ultimately has to do but you've got to do it in a way that
inspires confidence to everyone around. You got to make quick
decisions, you got to have systems in place
and look,
irsay was upset with the idea that, you know, the whole
thing's broken. It's all these NFL coaches. They're afraid of
their own shadow. Will you still got a coaching staff?
That was part of this in There was a report yesterday that
Scott Milankovitch
the quarterbacks coach declined. The play calling.
What I had said, right opportunity. Yeah, yeah. That's
what I said yesterday. We don't. We don't really don't
know how these guys are on the coaching staff dealing with
this. And is there kind of a soft Mutiny is? There
resistance. Is their reluctance, is Saturday able to
get them all on the same page? It's going to, it's going to
take everything that he has from a personality standpoint
to hold this together. But, you know, if it just looks like
if He looks like an NFL coach if he acts like moves, like if
everything looks normal, then then you know, you pass
the eyeball test. And if the team functions in a normal way,
if you don't have multiple delay of game penalty, is, if
you don't have, you know, just a bunch of stuff exactly why we
don't know what's what the hell is that, you know, this is
eliminate the mental Miss process and a nightmarish.
Yeah,
right, yeah. Also one other thing and we've managed to blow
any extra time we had
compiled but
They are say, said the athletic that I noticed yesterday on
Matt Ryan, he he insisted that Matt Ryan has not been benched
for the rest of the season even though that's exactly what
Frank Reich said. Our say is suggested that Ryan could be
back
at some point. Now again, I don't know whether this is just
going him going
above and beyond to reduce any impression that they're
tanking, but that really struck me.
The idea that the boss says, maybe Matt Ryan's going to be
back this year. I don't think it's going to happen but I was
surprised. He said it Chris. I've course, I guess nothing
should. Yeah, I
say, why are you surprised anything is come out of there?
Right, right. Never mind.
I know, I know. And that's 12 where I mean, Matt Ryan. He
might be looking at that. Like what you want me to play?
No thanks, thank you very much.
You can keep saying Sam ehlinger in there,
thank you and I'm sure he's I doubt he's chomping at the bit
to get back out there right now and be a part of this formula.
Six and three Seahawks at the four and five Buccaneers at not
really. At it's a home game for the Buccaneers but they're
playing in Munich Germany by herself. The Buccaneers will
turn things around in the second half of the season.
Starting with
this game against Seattle, we're not really asking you to
pick the Bucks to win. We defer that to our megapix podcast,
but no buyer sell. This is where the Bucks turn it around.
Well, like
everyone's. So, what? What's like I'll ask you. What's our,
what's our vision of turning it around? Like what what is, what
classifies that is. Turning it around. You know, again that
get back on just a winning record, we talking
about, or do we think that turning around is going to
result in like some run here down the stretch where, well,
all the sudden they win, you know, eight out of the last
nine.
I mean they're tied for first place and technically in first
place in the NFC say yes, right? And turning it around.
Means you know, all the things that have been going wrong
starting to go right running game,
reactivated offensive line a little bit.
Better defense a little better. Just the things that have
played them so far. Yeah going away and I just see this as
Tom. Brady
entering the stretch run of his career Ultra Focus alter
determined and Chris you know what benefits the Bucks this
week. It's going to be a Super Bowl atmosphere in Germany
and it's going to be a big deal.
And you're going to have some guys that walk into that Arena,
and they're going to be like, holy crap, not Brady. Not
Brady, and he's gonna eat
Brady's, not going to be overwhelmed by the moment and
I think this just this sets up perfectly for them to really
last week. They beat the Rams so that kind of a glimmer this
really sets up for them to if they're ever going to do it.
And we've been saying that about them in the Packers if
they're ever going to do it
they're going to do it now
but if they're ever going to find their groove and really
put together a story, that becomes the exact opposite of
the mess. The first half of the season was this is it this
opportunity in Germany? Yeah well
I'll buy it, I'll buy it. I'm guarding for a good story. I'm
rude. For the bucks to turn it around. They bought him doubt.
And now the process of digging out makes it for a potentially
great stuff. I'm buying it too.
I am I'm not buying it in the factory. I think they're going
to go on some like a magical run here and then we're going
to get done with the Year and be like, oh man, they ended up
12 and 5 or 11 and 6. Like, no, that's not happening.
Every game is going to be a struggle for the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers and nothing's going to be easy. But I think that,
you know, to your point they're going to come out on top more
than they will, you know, come out
on the other side.
The That's his healthy. You know, we saw last week, I mean,
you take away, literally
just basically to pass plays from Matthew Stafford in that game.
There's two deep ball pass plays in the game
after that they could not do anything.
I mean there is nothing.
So v2v Hakeem Hicks him being back
and I'll Murphy bonding
Carlton Davis being back.
Antoine Winfield is healthy,
you know, and I think the offense being just good enough
to wear. Yeah, Mike, I think they're going to turn it around
to here to a degree. Agree but I don't think they're going to
turn into like an NFC Powerhouse. I don't see that
but but Chris all I got to do is win. That division will be
the 4 seed at worst the four seed and once you go to
the playoffs the records get thrown out the window. The only
the only way. The records are relevant, is
teams that had really good. Records may feel extra pressure.
Buccaneers go in and saying, hey, here we go and Tom Brady
versus Kirk Cousins, Tom, Brady versus Jimmy Garoppolo Tom,
Brady versus Geno Smith, which will see you on Sunday, you put
that in a single elimination
round.
When Brady's got 47 of those games that he's played over
the last 20 years.
I know you're holding onto dreams, though, you're holding
out your day. You're talking about a guy that's playing
brilli average football at quarterback. I mean, really
average. It's just this
week. I mean you saw him s*** down his leg in the game last
year. You saw him do it the year before that and showed up
watching this.
Well, welcome to the NFL kids. Here we go.
It's a grown-up talk here.
So
he's here holding on the pipe dreams, but I understand your
point. Nobody's gonna like seeing them coming to town.
We know of one child specifically who's watching
the show today. Good morning, Mikey you got another word in your
vocabulary. Although if you've been hanging around him he
probably already knows. How boys are
the Packers on a scale of 1 to 10 confidence and Aaron
Rodgers, bouncing back from his three interceptions performance
in week 9, s, loss to the line. Gosh, is another one where
I want to go. Like,
you know what? What is, what's the bounce back? But okay, I'll
I'm going to like my confidence. There is like
Six, I mean that we're not again,
I think we're seeing what we're seeing. They made a few more
plays last week. Against Detroit whoop-dee-doo, they
made a few plays against the worst defense. We've seen in
football, over the last five years. I mean,
great and they are resulted in 29 Points.
This is still the same issues with him.
I mean, it's, the offense is not aggressive, he's not
aggressive period, you know,
there are still a number of throws, and you look at
That game last week where you go, I don't know what he's
looking at, he's looking at the rush, he's not looking
downfield or he's worried about his completion percentage.
That's it. People are open and then
you know these throws right here, they're horrible.
That is a horrible throw.
Bakhtiari was gonna have to dive back to catch that ball.
This one, this is Rogers problem here. He's got was
open. He just can't pull the trigger. He can't even
three seconds late throwing the ball.
So I mean, bounce back to the point where
he won't throw an interception, because he's gonna throw
everything. Three-ball the most conservative throw in
the history of football. This game and so it won't be his father.
That's what I expect. So,
you know, so I'm going to give it a six just because a no
turnovers, but lack of big plays
certainly going to be that to
that's their annoying.
I was on radio somewhere yesterday and I was asked this
question. I hadn't thought of it. Yeah. Well that's why
I like doing these because it's just it's like
the conversation. We have you talked it through, you get
ideas.
I was asked at what point will they Inch Rogers
for Jordan. Love
because at what point do you basically throw in the towel
and say we're done this year, we got to start treating
the rest of these games as preseason
for next year. And let's get Jordan loves from wraps, Let's
Get Him to the point where the game slows down and I they
would never bench Aaron Rodgers, but what they would do
potentially is just put them on injured. Reserve with
the thumb,
the thumb still an issue. He didn't practice yesterday
because of the thumb. He said he tried to practice some last
Wednesday. Throw it some and it
Heart too much. So
that thumb continues, they got four games, they got
Cowboys Titans at home than on the road against the Eagles and
the Bears then their bye week and then four games after that
if they're done, if they lose these next four. And I'm not
saying they're going to lose four in a row, but they've lost
five
in a row. They can easily lose these next three,
I wouldn't be stunned if they put him on injured reserve,
and that's how it ends with a whimper, where he just on
injured reserve, because of his thumb.
And because, you know, think about it is he going to want to, if
They are done, if they're eliminated or pretty damn close
to it. See this is the benefit of having seven spots in
the playoffs. It takes each team longer
to be mathematically eliminated, so you're alive
deeper into the season. You throw an extra games to and
you've got
another opportunity to get back into it. But I'm looking at
week 16 at Miami. Christmas day, one of the three games to
be played Standalone TV audience
captive sitting at home.
Drinking eggnog laced with Ayahuasca,
is he going to want to be part of that? If it really is
a complete and total mess by then days that that is that, is that
his like, this is my last game that anybody's going to watch,
or does his attitude going
to be? I don't want to be part of this, I don't know, I don't
know. But
these are all things that
I think are at least relevant to start thinking about, if
this continues, if they, if they lose Sunday and Thursday,
four days apart, if the three and six becomes 3 and 8
and they can't win at home,
Home against the Cowboys of the Titans
all bets are off at that point Chris.
I am, maybe you're right
here. Maybe me, you know, II, don't I don't doubt it. I don't,
you know, I don't think I'd let him off the hook, if I'm Green
Bay, I'd make him playing. Oh, you're making fifty million
dollars and you played not good this year. You're playing
against stick this out and deal with the ugliness just like
the rest of us.
Welcome right. There's a shovel that's what I would do.
I mean I would I wouldn't let him off the hook, but we'll see
where it goes, but yeah, it just did. Rashon Gary hurt,
Dobbs hurt. I mean, oh, and it's the Dallas Cowboys coming
to town with Mike McCarthy, waste to get ready, right? And
Mike McCarthy. You don't think he wants to shove it up
the Green Bay Packers fan base and everybody right there and right
so there's there's a lot
of motivation on Dallas aside.
Yeah it's ugly in Green Bay it really is you know their world
events. Still good. It's going to be tough moving the ball on
them and it's good. But the offense it is what it is right
now and
he's having I think really the Worst year of his career.
I don't think there's any doubt about that.
It really is a shame that it's happening this way and
early on it was Brady, that was the one that was looking like,
Willie, Mays who stayed too long. Now, it's Rogers. Who is
looking like those throws from the Lions game that? Yeah,
that's, that's the kind of thing
and that's got to drive him crazy because that's not what
we've seen from him and he writes into those great
statistical achievements. That become the thing, he can point
to and say, I may not have the Championships, but look at
this, I've got this ratio, I've
got this stat, I've got that
he's undermining.
Those and that's what he was trying to avoid.
We thought based upon his reluctance, to throw the ball into
take Windows, but my God it just has been,
it's been something and we'll see if that's something ends
this weekend, our game Sunday Night Football, five and three
chargers at the foreign for 49ers. The 49ers coming off
their bye week.
Here's the question with Debo Samuel, coming back
off of the by the 49ers offense with Christian. McCaffrey
will what? Look awesome. That's
What? That's what it will look awesome.
I just think, first off, Shanahan had time before the by
to start playing with this formula. Now, we had a few
little extra time, I'll need a little extra time here.
Let alone. It's a team that I think is healthy now
or as close to, as healthy, as it's going to be all year long,
right? So
we saw the, you know, the unveiling of McCaffrey with
that last game, against the Rams, but Debo Samuel wasn't
involved.
Then now we're going to see the full advantage, I think of what
the offense can deliver and where it may go, and I don't
think it's going to be anything crazy or what. We don't, you
know what, we don't expect, we know what to expect, Shanahan's
going to have people going and every which direction and
having everybody's
head spinning and
using you know, Debo and McCaffrey as decoys. And
sometimes the main Coy's and just don't go and play ball
that way, but I think it's going to be a lot of fun to
watch. And I expect the 49ers to hit the ground running
and kind of start showing that there are
a super ball. Our team from here on out.
They just have to keep enough of their key players Health.
That's it will be arguably the most dangerous team in the,
in the NFC. You know what Chris, it just kind of occurred
to me. Yeah, the 49ers are the nfc's version of the Ravens
that team that yes. You just can rely upon to show up and
kick your ass. That's right. And you better be careful or
they will ya Ten Years. After
we saw the Ravens
and the 49ers and wouldn't be shocking.
No, those are. Those are the two teams that I know? Yeah,
I know, we've talked about this a lot. We look at the Eagles and
the Cowboys, and the Vikings is top teams and
the NFC. And we know the,
you know, the AFC with the bills in the Chiefs and all
that. But yeah, those are probably Enemy. Number One to
upset that little formula there on each side as the Ravens in
the Niners. At least in my opinion,
I think those are two teams. The Ravens have shown
the ability to play at a very high level during the year. They've
met some things up but they're their ultimate high-end play
to me when I see it. I go.
Damn, that's a really good. That's a scary in the same with
the 49ers and to your point, you're right, they both Pride
themselves on like, what were the ass kickers out here? We're
the team that's going
to punish you into Oblivion
and there's something to respect about that and it
translates the playoff football. Like we see a lot of
times to
we really have kind of
Stumbled our way into the best time of the year here. We are
halfway through the season but we're two weeks exactly from
Thanksgiving and then we go into the Christmas season. And
then once Christmas is over,
the NFL, regular season is coming to a crescendo and then
we get into the postseason where you've got all these
teams that had reasons to feel really good about the season.
They had being pitted against each other and someone's got to
go home.
All these great teams
and all but two of them are going to get thrown to
the Wayside. Some point in January, it's an amazing couple of
months that will be
coming up and it it really gets started tonight
with the Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina
other than tonight, it's a great couple of months
that's coming.
hit, subscribe for the latest news and Analysis from pro
football talk.