licking, the wounds after losing two miles Simmons,
Cleveland Browns in overtime, but also,
Kind of renewing his vows with football. I'd rather lose
the not play and it was a time earlier this season and
I really didn't intend that pun. I really didn't.
There was a time earlier this season where
it seemed like a foregone conclusion, that Brady was done
this year and maybe Aaron Rodgers has done this year. And
now we already talked about Aaron Rodgers and the 60
million reasons he has to continue.
Playing it started feel like Brady's, going to keep going,
doesn't it?
Yes, yes, it does. I mean, I mean, he's still a good
quarterback
and you can still deliver the ball. There have been a lot of
weird issues that have happened there with Tampa Bay and for
whatever reason, he and Mike Evans, sometimes just don't
seem like they're on the same page for instance,
but it's not like he is a bottom, third quarterback in
football, even at the ripe young age of 45 so I can
certainly see him
continuing to play.
I mean even is especially when he says, I'd rather lose
the not play at all. And I man, that's,
that's something it really is something because he hasn't
done much losing ever in his career.
And it was the first time ever that and I can't remember
the specifics, but something like having a seven-point lead in
the final two minutes. Yeah,
something like that. Where he lost the game?
And it had been to 18 and 0 before that game
on Sunday in Cleveland. And really, we've talked about
Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, and Tom, Brady. So far. This
show, Russell Wilson's Awards to the three right now,
and it's not even close.
So he's going to keep playing next year. There's not even
thought about whether or Not, he's going to retire. So why
are we thinking that the other two
would do the same when it's all they know?
And especially Brady, it's all he knows for more than half of
his life, literally the NFL is already knows, all right, we're
going to do
scale of 1 to 10
with some of the division leaders right now. And we'll
start with the NFC South, the worst division in football. No
one is at 500. Much less above 500. What is your confidence
level? The Buccaneers currently at 5 & 6 will hold the lead and
win the division
miles scale. One to ten with ten being the most one, being
the least, nine and a half because none of the none of
the other teams in that division. Inspire any confidence in me
that they can
eventually overcome Tom Brady. And the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
the Bucks are going to win that division at nine and eight
eight, nine, seven and ten, perhaps ten and seven. I don't
know if they're going to get ten wins but whatever it will
be. The Buccaneers are going to be the team left standing at
the end and they
They will host a playoff game whether it's
the Cowboys. If they end up as the five seed, the Giants,
maybe they still end up as the 5 seat of the Eagles falter
a little bit. Maybe they have to go back and play Tampa Bay like
they did last year
but it well
the Buccaneers are going to win that division. There's just
nobody else that inspires any confidence in the except for
maybe the Panthers
if they keep playing as their plan under Steve Wilkes.
Perhaps but the Falcons no I'm sorry. No.
And and the Saints. Nah,
it's just not happening for them.
I agree with you nine and a half. I'll even go. Nine point.
I'll see your nine and a half and raise it to 9.75. I don't
think there is any way the Buccaneers lose that division,
but the Panthers are the team that has my attention. Hey,
they had the perfect outcome last weekend. They're the only
team in the division that one
the other three lost. Now this week, you know, the Saints are
either going to pick up win number five or the Bucks are
going to pick up win number six because they play each other.
The Panthers get to sit home and watch route for
the Steelers
to beat the Falcons.
And I guess you would root for. The Saints to beat the Bucks to
keep everybody in that range where the Panthers at 4 and 8
have a chance to catch
and maybe surpass
and hey the Bucks were the five seed two years ago when they
won the Super Bowl. So there's still hope they're going to go
in as the four seed. Whoever wins that divisions getting
the four seed but
it's going to be different than 2:41. I think
that was the weak one outcome in Dallas
between the Cowboys and the box. If Dallas goes to Tampa
in the Wild Card round, I have a feeling
that that it may turn out a little
Live in week 1. But again with Tom Brady and get the single
limit. I don't want to Discount this, it'll be his 48 career,
playoff game
when he gets to the Wild Card round this year and that
experience means a hell of a lot. Alright, the next three
games to the Bucks, by the way, Saints
Bengals, 49ers not an easy Road and I may not have the order
100% accurate but I ended with the 49ers because our next
division is
the NFC West. What is your confidence level that the 49ers
will hold their current
There at 7:00. And for
the Seahawks are at six and five scale of one to ten.
I'll go with an 8 here, Mike in part of it is I have a lot of
confidence and that San Francisco defense. They're
getting healthier and everything. Yeah, they're
number one in points allowed and yards allowed, which is
just really, really, really hard to do.
But their schedule is a little bit tougher than Seattle.
I mean, Seattle still has to play the Rams twice, so that's two
wins you can.
Chock up right there, that also is Carolina,
and they play the Jets at home. They play San Francisco in week
15 on Thursday Night, Football and their home for that. They
have to go also to Kansas City. So 49ers are playing Miami,
Tampa Bay at Seattle, versus Washington at Las Vegas, and
that are inverses, Arizona to end the season. So, I mean,
there's a little bit easier for the Seahawks, but I just think
that the defense is so good for the 49ers
right now, they should be able to hold on.
You know we're usually so quick at this point in the year to
say that a given team has been exposed in some way. I mean
the Seahawks have been exposed over the last two games is defensive
can't stop the run.
They couldn't do it against the box and they definitely
couldn't do it against the Raiders. So
we have found their weakness
and I think that teams are going to continue to exploit
that as often as they can as we get to the final games of
the Season,
I'll just agree with you. I'll say eight. And the reason that
I wouldn't go higher.
The thing about the 49ers, you got to worry about guys getting
hurt because of that phenomenon where they're constantly active
that that mentality that causes you to run through a wall
sometimes gets you injured by the bricks
as you are running through the wall.
And, you know, we're constantly going to have a guy
on the injury report
with,
you know, a big name who is a key part of that team. Whether
it's Depot, Samuel and now you got our own Mitchell out,
and you've got McCaffrey day-to-day with a knee problem.
And hey, if the other team isn't going to score any points
at all, it doesn't matter. And maybe that's these 49ers are
becoming like the 85 Bears before our eyes, where you just
don't need to worry about the offense at all,
because the defense is going to completely throttle
each. And every opponent, it's amazing to see
but that's the ultimate,
that's the ultimate antidote to Jimmy Garoppolo itís.
Have a defense. It is so crippling, not even Garoppolo
can screw things. Zup.
Yeah, I guess that's true. I'm really having a lot of second
half points since that game against the Chiefs back in week
7. So that those you a lot about where they are and that
potential for that defense and how good it is, you know,
Great test this week to with the Miami Dolphins. Coming to town.
What a great game.
This week is 49ers Dolphins.
Kyle Shanahan Mike McDaniel, that great offense against that
great defense. Its shades of bears Dolphins from 1985
although it won't have nearly the same height because it's
probably tucked into
the late afternoon window
somewhere. All right
and the reason we went off to AFC East.
Yeah yeah, yeah.
When the game ends.
Don't watch Red Zone.
If it's the only game left here are going to see it on Red Zone.
All right. Confidence level. The Dolphins will continue to
hold their lead in the AFC East. They are 8 and 3,
the bills are 8 & 3, the Jets are 7 and 4, in the Patriots, six and
five, it really is something to behold.
Can the dog I had off Mi, what's your,
what's your hope? 1 to 10?
I got to go four and a half.
I mean, it's not even that I'm trying to insult the Dolphins
here because I think that they will certainly make
the postseason. I mean, you can look at the AFC East and
present an argument that all four teams in that division are
going to make
the postseason for one reason or another.
But I mean, I gotta see what they do in cold weather
and for of less their last six games in the Dolphins are on
the road. So, you know, I mean, we'll see what they do at San
Francisco.
They're going to be at the Chargers next week, on Sunday
Night Football. So that's going to be fun. I'll hopefully be
able to go to that one, but then you got the bills and
the bills are still a juggernaut to.
And No. So
we'll see what Miami does at Buffalo in cold weather.
I mean, I Gotta Give advantage to Buffalo on that one, just
because they're good and they're at home.
So I don't know that Miami is going to be able to hold on,
but I do think they're make the postseason.
By the way, I saw myself get caught in the tail end of
a yawn there, I am not bored by what miles has to say. I am
just old tired and I'm already looking forward to
my afternoon nap.
I was looking at the schedule this week and it really is
something and I know that some weeks, you just can't fit in
a great game into that big spot. The big spot game
in the afternoon, this week is Chiefs Bangles for good reason.
Chief Beck has the rematch, the AFC Championship game? It's Joe
burrow and Patrick my homes
and and I think that no one
One, when they were configuring the pieces of the schedule back
in May would have thought Dolphins 49ers would be
what, what it, what it's going to be. And on top of that,
you've got the whole Stephen Ross, Jed York angle from Ross.
Getting involved in the Santa Clara Mayoral race and Jed
York.
With some low blows and pissed off the owners that he was
taking it too far. So, a little Intrigue coming up at Levi's,
Stadium
this weekend, I'll say
it. See, this is the problem. Has. I'm trying to avoid
activating to and on this isn't about the Dolphins as much as
it's about the bills. I just feel like the bills are
preordained to win this division.
So I'm going to say three.
I just think it's a matter of time before the Bills take over
there. They're working their way through a rough spot in
the schedule and they're still finding ways for the most part
to win games. They went through the
horrible distraction of having to play a home game in Detroit
and go back to Detroit. And, you know, we heard the stories
about how it brings them together. Well, let's see,
Thursday night at New England. Let's see. See the following
Sunday against the Jets. It's our opportunity to start to put
the
pedal to the metal. So
I just think the bills are going to win that division. So
my confidence in the Dolphins holding on has to be low miles.
Yeah. I mean, I agree with you there but I mean I also don't
want to Discount the Jets completely especially now
that they are playing at least a little bit better. Offensive
lie and I know that there are playing against the Bears. But
look, I mean, my quite seem to bring a little bit of juice to
that offense and that defense for the Jets is every Bit
as good as the defense for the bills. So I don't know what
that means for the back, half or back third, let's call it of
their schedule. But you know, I can't just discount the Jets as
a contender in the afc's.
It is such a weird dynamic with the Jets and we don't have time
to get into it now, but it almost feels like
the reaction by the Jets players. Almost feels like
the way that Broncos players would react. If there was a viable
replacement of Russell Wilson in Denver, and that guy would
be put in the game, doesn't it? Yeah, it kind of just does it
cure it just feels again.
There's got to be a hell of a long read to be written about
what happened with Zach Wilson and why his teammates have
gotten to the point where they don't.
It seemed to really like him and I know they can say
whatever they want when the microphone is in their face.
And who's gonna come out and say? Yeah, I really don't like
him. That's not how you get to the truth.
I just feel like the actions speak louder than words and
the way they respond to my quite may tell you everything you
need to know. All right, one more division, the Ravens
AFC North after blowing
a nine-point, lead
to the Jaguars and losing
late in the game on a two-point conversion. Followed by a Mist,
67 yard field goal like
like, oh, how dare you mrs. 67-yard. Hey, just Tucker. Mmm,
maybe you can make it
7 and 4 are the Ravens. Now, the Bengals have caught them at
7 and 4
and there are the brows and Steelers at four and seven.
What's your confidence level? That the Ravens can fend off
the Bengals. I assume they don't have to worry about
the Browns and the Steelers, but who knows? They still have to
play the Steelers twice. Yes, they do have to play
the Steelers twice and when that mean those two teams get
together, it's like classic NFL rivalry, throw
out the records, right? Me my confidence. In the in
the Ravens winning the division is very low. I call it one lower
way lower than Miami because cuz they can't hold leads
against good teams or in the case of the Jaguars against not
great teams, right? So why in the
world would we feel like they can do that in terms of how
their hold on the division there? They're not the same
Ravens that were used to, where they play excellent defense and
they close out games.
And the other part of this
is how good the Cincinnati Bengals have been
over the last few weeks. They are finding themselves. They're
going to get jamarr Chase back. They're gonna get Joe Mixon
back. I That they're probably going to beat the Chiefs this
weekend at home
and look at you can say whatever you want about
Baltimore but it also is about how good that Bangles team is
and they are just there slipped under the radar but they are
still the defending AFC champions and you know what?
They've improved their past protection.
They did a good job of that against Tennessee
and I just see them continuing to come on, and come on. And
I really think they're gonna win that AFC North.
Given that you are a Cleveland native who was in your
formative football years. When the Browns moved to Baltimore
and became the Ravens and of course, you hate the Steelers
because you're a Cleveland guy
when the Ravens and Steelers play like,
who do you root for
the Steelers? I the Ravens shouldn't exist.
At least as the franchise that they are Envoy.
All right,
I'm pulling open a Band-Aid. The Ravens should stay. Raven
should have been an expansion team and the Browns
organizations to stay in Cleveland. But that's, you
know, now 20
some odd years ago, but I still feel that way.
But I mean, I would much rather I would rather watch
the Steelers win every single time and the some Cleveland people
don't like that when I say that I don't care. I that no
no never the Ravens.
hit, subscribe for the latest news and Analysis from pro
football talk.