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The Heed the Call podcast

are gearing up for their crypto profane.

It's time.

It's time and it's can't miss.

Check out Hoctua.

Worked out for her.

Nobody even knows where she is anymore.

Welcome to Heed the Call.

Championship Sunday Preview.

Dan Hans is here with Mark Sessler.

And our wonderful Thursday regular guests, Jordan Rodrigue and Michael Sean Dugar with Justin Engraver on the ones and twos.

What's up, gang?

I was recently in Arizona for the Cardinals game, and

my homie bought a house out there, and I went to his house the night before, and we were just talking.

He's into crypto a lot.

Spent like two hours talking about it.

It's fascinating stuff.

That's why that intro made me chuckle.

Were you me talking about gambling, Mike?

Not quite.

I am familiar.

Like my homie, who, my homie's dad retired in 2017 because he hit on a bunch of Bitcoins, which is really when I was like, wait, this stuff is real.

But I hadn't really had another intimate talk with someone who was like, I mean, he has all of the apps, all the investments.

He's doing well too.

Good for him.

Good for the crypto bros.

I'm not in that phase, though.

Mark, there's

well for Hoctua, though.

I thought she

got into some hot water with her.

She accidentally, I believe,

stumbled into a massive fraud scenario.

Crypto is one of those topics.

What a surprise.

Yeah, it's unfortunate for me because there seems to be a kind of a broad spectrum where

people

start talking business,

and I just like turns into the Charlie Brown adults.

And it's like, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, I just don't know what's going on.

It's like, oh, yes, that's some good crypto.

Yeah, yeah.

You should good investment.

Or any type of business talk.

Or while we're here, like, oh, yeah, it's the northwest corner.

Like, how would I know where the northwest corner is?

Like, I'm more like Jared Goff in that sense.

In many ways, we are children, and we understand that.

Like, our entire business venture is being run essentially by your very skilled wife who understands economics and money.

You and I are like, I feel like a mentally damaged individual when it comes to, you know, adult things.

Mentally damaged?

That's a different direction, though.

This is Championship Sunday coming up.

How about that?

We're all going to be mentally damaged when we realize that after Sunday, there's only one football game left, and it doesn't come for two weeks.

It is Super Bowl 59.

So today will be the show where we do a deep dive on the final four of the NFL.

That hasn't taken on any sort of momentum.

I've been saying it for several years now, the final four of the NFL season.

I guess it's protected IP in a lot of ways, so I should just back off.

But the NFL gobbles up everything else.

Why can't it take that?

Do you think it's you?

What?

It just hasn't caught on to you.

Oh, yeah, no,

I think that plays a central role, perhaps.

Part and parcel.

And we'll also stop down at the midway point of the show to catch up on all of the news in the NFL.

And there is a bunch, including a new hiring of, you know, my favorite football team.

What could possibly go wrong?

But let's get into it.

Let's dig in.

Gravy, how are you, buddy?

Grave digger.

Doing well.

Thanks for asking, Dan.

You know, the Final Four is actually trademarked by NCAA college basketball.

We tried to use it in a bracket thing I did at Fox, and we were told you cannot even write Final Four anywhere on your graphic.

You cannot use the words Final Four on the podcast.

Total fear of being sued by that entity.

So yeah.

This feels like a classic facts and questions moment with Justin Grave Grave Digger.

Oh, yeah.

Absolutely.

Because I have a follow-up.

So hit it, Justin.

FAQs, FAQs.

FAQs means acts and questions.

So much wrong with that song.

Great song.

It's very pleasant.

Do we have to, now that we're no longer under the

shield, do we have to call

the Super Bowl the big game?

Hmm.

Great question.

Don't ask.

I'm just wondering.

Okay.

I can find out without asking, and I won't give you an answer.

How about that?

Perfect.

That's how we handle business.

What a segment.

You're going to call.

We find out general ideas of legal potholes, and then we just simply step over them and keep moving.

Everything will work out.

It's the FAFO method, you know?

No FAFO method.

That's exactly.

All right, let's get into it.

Where do we want to start?

Let's start.

Let's start in the AFC.

My goodness.

I am

so thrilled

to introduce the following game.

What?

The number two Buffalo Bills traveling to Arrowhead.

Michael Sean Dugar for the past 20 or so weeks has called it the Arrowhead Invitational.

And here we are yet again

for, you know, we're closing in on a decade straight of Arrowhead Invitational, as it feels like, for the AFC title game.

And it is that the Chiefs as the number one seed,

Two-point favorites in the desert,

which seems about right.

And

Jim Nance, Tony Romo on the call for another big spot for these two gentlemen.

These teams met, obviously.

Jordan Rodrigue in the AFC divisional playoffs last year came down to a field goal.

And I would be stunned, Jordan, if we don't get something similar in this game.

I think that this is a Bills team that's ready and a Chiefs team that finds a way, but also has proven time and time again that even when they win, they make it interesting.

I think, wouldn't it just be the classic storyline after, you know, the Chiefs have eliminated the Bills four times in five years, that this game does come down to a last possession, a final field goal.

And the Bills, much maligned kicker over the past couple of years, is the one who brings it home for this team, in part because of the efforts put forth to make the most complete attack specifically and the most

will-to-want to defense, despite some of their shortcomings.

They play so hard for Sean McDermott.

Like, this is such a complete Bills team.

It almost feels like this has to be their year.

And I would expect this to be a, you know, that coaches like to call it a burn the boats game where you throw everything you have at this opponent, but you got to know that the Chiefs and Andy Reid have something dastardly up their sleeve.

Steve Spagnolo has has something something dastardly up his sleeve in response.

I'm with you.

I thought there was a great story on your guy's site, The Athletic from Nate Taylor, that talked about Andy Reid is still showing up to the complex at 4 a.m., that they've got a playbook with more than 100 different screen passes, that he's super obsessed.

And I think there is a level of exhaustion with the Chiefs, maybe from like the fan angle.

Like we've seen this so many times, but they're as healthy as they've been all season.

Hollywood Brown is back, like Isaiah Pacheco is back.

Like my one concern about the Chiefs is the one time we saw them vulnerable was against the Bucs in the Super Bowl when offensive line problems caused breakdowns.

And I do wonder, I know Joe Tooney has done a nice job at left tackle, but is that the one doorway in for the Buffalo Bills defense is to create havoc against Patrick Mahomes?

If you can't do that, you're not winning this game.

Well, I think the other way is what we saw from Baltimore.

I think I mentioned it last time, too, is like the Bills, they're not my style of defense largely because they're super turnover reliant uh and i think they led the league in turnover uh rate i think or something like that in the regular season which is why i picked the ravens because lamar hadn't turned it over mike knows nothing uh apparently they just went in there and cared nothing about protecting the ball uh and that's that was the difference you know uh the chiefs not as good at protecting the ball i don't think mahomes threw a lot of picks uh this year uh i actually viewed this game i think last week i was like how many talk myselves into the underdogs uh most of them did well.

But this one, it was like, I had a bunch of questions.

Like question number one was like, what happens if Spaggs gets antsy and just starts heating Josh up?

Which I do think is going to happen.

You know, what happens if Kelsey's old?

He didn't really do anything last game.

What happens if the Bills don't get turnovers?

You know, because like these two teams are very evenly matched.

What?

Two-point spread.

Yeah, that's right.

But the Chiefs, man, they just feel like they never do the wrong thing, at least this year.

They never do the wrong thing at crunch

And it does feel like the Bills Ravens game felt like that.

Like the Bills obviously played well, but more importantly, it just feels like they didn't do the wrong thing.

And I feel like the Chiefs have been that too.

That's why they keep winning all these closed games.

It's like when it comes down to using your timeouts or staying inbounds or getting that first, whatever, just, you know, when the kick, punt, go for it.

They just keep doing the right thing.

And when you're at home, and I do think they're the better team, like, I feel like Buffalo is going to have to force them into doing the wrong thing at some point if they want to pull off the upset.

And I want to dig deeper into a great point that you made, Mike, because

the Bills are asking themselves the same question.

What happens if Spaggs decides to go like full

evil villain in a superhero movie, Steve Spagnolo, and starts blitzing and blitzing and blitzing?

You know, that was super successful last week.

You know, of the 17 blitzes they sent per next gen, eight of them were unblocked.

And that was a huge difference in why they just, you know, had their way against the Texans.

That was a major difference in inability to defend those blitzes.

But the Bills are one of the best teams in the NFL right now at specifically scheming against the Blitz.

Now, they have Josh Allen, who's a cheat code, for so many different things, but specifically looking at the structure of their offense and all of the outlets and the solves and like the hots that they've built in to protect specifically the quarterback from having to go on the move.

every single time when a free rusher is coming.

They have chippers built in in ways that they had not before.

They have little outlet passes and quick game going flush and run or designing these different pickups and chipping help that these players are really communicating well on.

This offensive line is just really playing incredibly well and has, I think, gone a little bit under the radar among some of the top groups this season in the way that they can get so mean and nasty at the right times, coached by Aaron Cromer, and also, you know, the way that they communicate with each other.

And that's a big factor in how well they are specifically scheming up against the Blitz.

They have the fourth lowest pressure rate allowed against the Blitz this season per next gen.

And they are in the top 10 of picking up free rushers.

And that was a huge advantage for the Chiefs last week.

And it really has been all year, particularly when they're designing pressure around limited snaps, perhaps for Chris Jones, who was getting his calf worked on at various times during the game.

last week.

That is certainly on my radar as well.

But I think the Bills are asking themselves that same question.

and you have so the bills are perhaps underrated in terms of their talent level on their offensive line as jordan points out there they they they play well they scheme well they understand how to defend and then you have a quarterback in josh allen who's a literal tank that moves with a very fast efficiency so it's like they are designed to be able to survive a healthy pass rush.

And on the other side, I feel like with this game,

if you think it's going to be a close game, and I've already said said I think it's going to be a close game, it is that old thing in the trenches that I wonder if that is the difference in this game.

And you look at the Chiefs, and like Mark, you mentioned Hollywood Browns back.

You have Mr.

4-2 or whatever it was, Xavier Worthy at the combine.

So you have that speed element downfield, blah, blah, blah.

You have DeAndre Hoppin.

The problem is when you have Joe Tooney playing out of position, and he got beat up pretty good last week, and then you have Juwan Taylor, who is a problem for this team.

He not only struggles with penalties

he is a below average tackle I feel like the one of the reasons why you're getting Travis Kelsey you know so involved is a Kelsey just has that extra gear in the playoffs it's just a thing and also like

Mahomes doesn't have time like he doesn't have time right now and I wonder like the last time we saw Mahomes get beat you know badly in a game is that Super Bowl against the Bucks if if that's a if that could happen in this game if he could end up getting beat up in this stage

and if the offensive lines end up playing a major role in deciding this game, it feels like a one category where it's a double check mark for the visiting team.

I wonder if we get like the Gregory Rousseau game, the Von Miller game, like guys like this that just show up in a big moment here.

That said,

Patrick Mahomes, for all his,

there aren't a lot of downs, but in the playoffs, like if you go and study what he's done in the postseason, he's error-free.

Like this is when he turns it on.

He He becomes like whether it's ankle or injury, whatever he's had, like he's an incredible rusher in the playoffs.

He does not turn the ball over.

So it's like, can the Bills create chaos?

And I think, you know,

honestly, like Bobby Babbits has been a really good play caller for them on defense and has done a nice job.

They had 11 different people with...

generated pressure last week.

They're finding a way to get to the quarterback.

Can they do it against the Chiefs?

Like if you can't,

it's boring to say, but I just think the Chiefs find a way to win these games

by three or four points at the end.

And it's like, can Buffalo create havoc?

Can they create enough havoc to make the Chiefs uncomfortable?

We just haven't seen that too often.

One of the other questions I have is: what happens if KC is content being meticulous, you know, or methodical, I guess is probably what I should have wrote.

But, you know, the Bills play this like shell defense, you know, and they're like, all right, you don't throw it over our heads.

You got to walk it up and down and do right every snap.

And the Chiefs are like, sure, great.

You know, I think they were the least explosive offense in the league, the Chiefs were, which is kind of funky to say, but they're just very comfortable going horizontal, taking their time, a little screens to Worthy, check downs to Noah Gray, Kelsey, you know, maybe a third and five conversion to D-Hop, but like they don't need to bomb it on you.

They're just very comfortable doing right up and down the field

as long as this Taylor guy doesn't have him in third and 20, right?

Because of a holding call or a false start or something.

If that doesn't happen, they're very comfortable kind of playing the Bills game, which is why then if the Bills have to be like, all right, we got to get the ball out of 15 Sands and they start getting out of character, quote unquote, then I think they could be in trouble too.

So I feel like there's a lot of questions, but a lot of them ultimately for me kind of come back favoring Kansas City.

And on the subject of 15, let's talk about Patrick Mahomes, who is very popular in the news cycle or unpopular, depending on the viewpoint here.

He came out of that win over the Texans

figure of controversy because of the two unnecessary roughness calls that benefited the Chiefs.

Also the little sideline dance that

trying to apparently pick up another flag that led to some pointed criticism from Troy Aikman and everybody else.

There is, it's kind of led to a bit of a tipping point, it seems, as Mark alluded to, with where people stand

with the Chiefs as they're attempting to be the first team ever to go to three or win three straight Super Bowls.

Here was

Marlon Humphrey fresh off a difficult loss in the playoffs.

Just keeping it real, keeping a 100 here.

I have no reason of saying this other than being a hater.

I respect this.

The Bills or whatever NFC team got to beat the Chiefs.

We can't let them keep getting away with this.

Oh, my God.

He's dropping the Jesse Pinkman line from breaking bad gravedigger.

I love putting Just on the spot.

In a big spot.

Championship Sunday preview.

Oh, no.

He's got his brace on on the right hand.

It's affecting his trigger.

He He can't keep getting away with it.

And yet he can.

So, of course, Patrick Mahomes, nice job, Justin, was asked about the so-called preferential treatment from officiating and what it means to him or what it does it mean.

Let's hear it from Patrick.

As far as fair whistle, not a fair whistle, I mean, does it feel to you like you've gotten protection or anything like that from officials that it's not around the rest of the quarterbacks in the league?

I mean, not, I don't feel that way.

I mean, I just try to play football at the end of the day.

The referees are doing their best to

call the game as fair and as proper as they possibly can.

And all you can do is go out there and play the game that you love as hard as you can and live with the results.

And so for me, it's to go out there, play hard, try to do whatever I can to win the football game,

and then live with the results based off my effort and the way that we played the game.

And so I think that's what we preach here in Kansas City.

Well said.

Well stated.

Perfectly buttoned up, Jordan.

Yeah, I think it's, I'm more of a,

it's the system that's flawed and not the player and not the way that the players can sometimes use

human error on the official side to specific advantages.

And I'm not saying that Patrick Mahomes is intentionally out there like psychologically manipulating people or anything like that.

But it is a flawed system.

It is human error that we're so often reliant upon and this like fake

like sentiment from the league that it would simply take too much time to actually give us better looks at all of these things.

The league can't even fully staff adequate camera angles at every single football game, despite the fact that it wants to play football every single day of the week.

So I think that you know we got to start a little bit higher up in my opinion.

And I think that if you're going to be the greatest of all time, there are some optics questions that you have to answer at times.

Like you have to really think about what certain optics of in-game actions look like.

And in that case, when Troy Aikman was really frustrated and vocal about the sideline, sort of the run out of bounds with the little extra movement by Pat Mahomes, I think that that's where

the optics part of it comes into play.

But in terms of exploiting the system that exists, I don't see anything wrong with quarterbacks doing whatever they can to exploit a system that was created that has not been updated by the governing bodies of the NFL and that probably should get a closer look this season.

All right.

Well, how about this, Mark?

How about this, Mark?

Is

it possible that all this discourse and a lot of it critical of the NFL as well, obviously, could lead to the game being called a little bit differently than we've seen with Patrick in the biggest game of the season?

I do think the NFL,

and it's, you know, the offseason is truncated enough where it's hard to change everything you need to change, but they do seem to want to

get away from things that optically look wrong to a child watching football.

Like certain rules that just don't work.

When we all are in a tavern or a bar and something makes the entire room sway a certain way, we're like, that doesn't seem right to us.

Like, I do think the NFL wants to get away from that.

But I am with Jordan that, like, it's not Patrick Mahomes' fault that he can take advantage of the way that the rules certainly exist at this point.

Can I just ask a question?

Like, do we really think the refs

want Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to win more than another team?

Like, that to me from another angle feels a little absurd.

It's a bit of an absurd scenario.

It's just that Patrick Mahomes is better at taking advantage of some of these rules than other quarterbacks are.

I just don't think that there's a group of referees like, we want the Chiefs to win this game.

To your point, it's not, why would the NFL be like, we need the Kansas City franchise to stay on top of the world?

Like, business-wise, it probably doesn't make a lot of sense either.

Anyway, that's our little detour.

And why not throw up another Marlon Humphrey tweet while we're at it, just so we can discuss it.

This is from a year and a half ago.

I love him.

I was today a year old when I found out the Titanic was real.

What?

That's wild, low-key.

What?

Oh, my God.

I mean, the Titanic thing is funny, and he's a young guy or whatever, but like,

you know,

we were young and when the Titanic sank, you know, we were kids too.

You should know that.

But

like, that's wild, low-key.

Don't you learn that in most school systems at some point?

I thought so.

I thought so.

How did we find out about it when we were?

I mean,

I didn't need Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet to teach me about that.

In fairness, he didn't get that.

He didn't get that.

Our generation got that.

Okay, but

all I'm saying is that it was introduced to me at some point in the school system, I believe.

Well, you learned about it the day after it happened in your class, Mark.

So, rim shot.

Wow.

Bang!

Got him!

It was just in the news cycle for me.

Mark is a 400-year-old vampire.

Breaking news.

All right, any other thoughts on this game before we make a prediction?

Yeah, can I just complain about something really quick?

Of course.

Our last 10 minutes, Marlon Bumpy?

No, I just.

No, no, no.

I love

realizations like that.

My homie just had one about like

the whatever movie where what's her, never mind, it doesn't matter.

The movie where old girl, they get switched and they have, and it looks like she has a twin in the movie.

I can't remember the name of it right now.

The parent trap?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

He was like, yo, she don't got a twin.

Yeah.

He was like, yo, wait a minute.

She don't got a twin?

We're talking the Lohan version or the Haley Mills version?

Or is there another one on the movie more recent years?

This was the Lohan CGI Lohan.

Yes, yes.

yes, that was a funny realization.

But anyway, what I wanted to complain about, I just don't like, and I feel like I don't know if I'm in the minority in this.

I just don't like how the manufactured everyone wants to be the little engine that could thing.

This is in reference to like Josh.

I'm like, yeah, they told us we were too small.

We didn't belong.

We didn't have enough talent.

This like infuriates me in the sports world.

And I like know why it happens.

I covered Richard Sherman, so I get it.

You know, I get the kind of maniacal Michael Jordan.

I took that personal psycho thing.

I get it.

I understand understand why it happens.

I just think it's the dumbest thing in the world in part

because I feel like it's dismissive of the people who did believe in you.

Like that's where I'm just like, guys, there are stronger motivations than

Emmanuel Acho monologues, you know, like I just, I just really think there are stronger motivations in the biggest thing of your life, you know?

And like, I've always felt this way, but now that I like have a kid, I'm just like, there's nothing that's going to motivate me more than like my daughter believing that I can do the thing, you know, versus like Nick Wright thinking I can't win or a couple of tweets or some prediction.

You know, every team now screenshots like the analysts after who picked them to win.

Now that now every team does it and it's like, ha ha, you thought we would lose.

Like, it just seems like this really.

dumb way to go about motivating yourself.

People do it when they win awards and stuff.

And they're like, yeah, man, I didn't think we could do it.

And it'd be teams like the Chiefs.

Like one year, the Patriots did it.

I'm just like, bro,

what's wrong with you?

Like, right.

Your mind is not a good thing.

Yeah, nobody believes in us pulling that card.

It's like, we know you got people who believe in you.

You know, you have thousands of fans who would kill, like, the average diehard fan in the NFL is like a real legit psycho.

Like, face painted, bare shirt in the cold.

Like, there's going to be naked Kansas City Chiefs fans or shirtless ones in there.

It's probably like 12 degrees.

If you're the Chiefs, I don't want to hear, oh man, they didn't think we could get back here.

No, man, there's some

fat white guy right now with the

dressed in red, painted chest,

nipples yellow to match the uniforms.

He believes in you.

Do it for him.

Don't do it because someone told you guys, someone picked the bills.

You know,

I just hate that.

I feel like it's dismissive of the people who believe in you, but it's people in your hometown, your fans, your teammates, your coaches, your kids, your wife.

You should do it for them.

Not just trying to, the first thing out of your mouth when you win shouldn't be, yeah, they didn't think we could.

It should be appreciating the people who did think you could do whatever the thing is.

Okay.

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

That was very nice.

Oh, that would, Mike.

We need more of that.

I want more.

I got one rant now, and I want more.

There's only so many things we're super upset about, but that's one.

You know, we need more because we got to come together as a country.

We need some like shirtless black guys, Mike.

We don't have shirtless black guys,

like fat guys in the crowd ever.

You never see it.

Yeah, it's very rare.

Yeah, no, we are usually clothed, body paint, not usually a thing.

Yeah, well, I do know why that is, but yeah,

we don't get it much.

We don't get it much.

I don't think we'll get it in Kansas City Whites.

That is correct.

Yeah, the paint, yeah, works for the white physique in a way that's different.

Does it?

I mean, that's what they're trying to say.

That stands out more for sure.

Yeah, you know, yeah.

Yeah.

All right.

Well, that's something to work on.

Yeah.

I'm not saying you should be that guy, Mike, and your physique is too impressive to even, you know, register on that end, but something to think about maybe down the line.

All right, let's pick the game.

I

have been saying this.

I can't turn back now because

I know the reality of the situation here is that the Chiefs always find a way, right?

And we're used to it.

But I've been saying it since November: that I think this is the year they get picked off.

I have circled this day in particular, AFC Championship game.

If the Ravens would advance, I thought it was going to be the Ravens year.

If the Bills advance, I think it will be the Bills year.

I think it's going to be a close game.

I think it comes down to the very end.

I got the Bills by a field goal, 23 to 20, getting back to the Super Bowl for the first time in 30 years.

Sess.

Well,

yes, I think I'm wish casting here along the same lines as you.

The only loss the Chiefs suffered with their starters in the game was against the Bills this year, and I just feel like it's time for us to see this happen.

So I'm going Bills 27, Chiefs 24.

And in a classic, I do this all the time.

And once in a while, it's true, but in overtime.

It must be

a sess dog prediction must end in overtime.

All right, so that's two for two Bills.

Jordan.

Yeah, Dan, you kind of took mine, man.

I mean, I know you're on the kicker beat, so technically, I guess I took yours, but

I say Bills win 23-20.

However,

my camera froze, as did all of you, pretty much right after Mike said the word nipples.

so I'm not quite sure what your setup was I just heard the score and I assumed it came down to a field goal so boom that is my that is my score we have three games pick predicted right now bills winning by a field goal Mike what are we doing

I'm gonna go the other way all right I like the Chiefs I like the Chiefs Very similar score as you guys though I actually like 23 to 21 which you know I'm looking at Vegas these spooky devils they are.

Yeah, I think the Chiefs pull it out.

I think they just do the right thing enough.

You know,

like I said, the Bills are really turnover-reliant.

It's not the only way they play good defense for what it's worth, but that is the edge that they have.

And that is how they beat him the last time.

Think Mahomes threw two picks.

You know, so like, I think Mahomes and those guys just do right long enough and end up squeaking one out.

23-21.

All right.

Gravy, how about you, buddy?

Oh,

Actually, everything's like too.

It's wildly inappropriate, Justin.

I also

picking the Chiefs.

I think the Chiefs are the Chiefs.

And if you pick against them, do so at your own peril because

they've shown us why you shouldn't do that for seven straight years now.

I know.

I got more on this in my fearless prediction.

All right, let's take a break.

And when we get back, we'll get caught up on the news and then hit the NFC title game.

Stay right there.

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All right, we are back.

It is time to get into the rest of the NFC.

Hoo-boy.

I'm pretty sure I know who that is.

Yep, it's me.

Gold.

This bit again, Mark.

Hey, God, what's up?

Kind of busy.

Big show today.

Championship weekend.

Bro,

I know it's championship weekend.

I literally created football.

And also your faces.

And your bodies.

And minds.

And

stuff.

of course, of course, got anyway.

I need you to stop praying to me for the Eagles to lose every week.

It's sad and annoying.

Alright, busted.

Trust me, you're not alone.

I'm actually getting this request a lot lately, but I'm worried about you.

I'm starting to think that I've gone too far with the Jets.

Yeah, yeah, maybe you have, but I'm sorry, God.

I know you've got more important things on your plate right now.

Oh, you think?

Do you?

What gave you that idea, Oppenheimer?

Oh, I know.

God!

All right, God, I sense sarcasm.

You should,

because I'm laying it out pretty thick.

Anyway, before I go, I see some of my other sons and daughters in the chat.

Jordan,

nice job on your tight ends, fearless prediction.

Wonder how that happened.

Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

Michael Shot,

shout out to your coops also please watch more Tarantino or else just

easy on the edibles kid no I'm just kidding keep eating them it's how we talk at night

Mark

You are a freak, my friend, an absolute savage.

Keep it up.

Okay.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you, guys.

Okay.

Bye.

Weird that he comes on this show

to say he's busy and then we get all that.

I don't know.

I think he has his hand on the pulse.

Well, he's God.

Well,

that's fair.

He's got

something over there, Mark.

Yeah, what are you up to, Mark?

I don't know.

Why every time God walks in the room on our show, show, does he make a veiled reference to what seems like a very unorthodox lifestyle that you're leading?

That's all.

It's hard to.

You're a sex addiction?

You got a problem with sex?

You're addicted to sex?

It has been consistent and it's coming from God.

So

I've got to pay attention and be aware.

All right.

Mike, do you hear that about Tarantino, by the way?

That almost seemed like a threat.

Yeah, that scared me a little bit.

Now I got to dive into something.

Tarantino should make he should make a heist movie.

That would get me more.

Another one.

I know he's made some before.

I just watched Den of Thieves 2 the other night.

So now I'm all back in my heist movie stuff.

Maybe that could be our compromise.

There is

Reservoir Dogs, right?

Yeah, that was like in the, I think that came out the year I was born, maybe.

It was like an older movie.

That doesn't mean it's a bad movie.

Well, it was also bad.

But he should try to make another one.

It's got to give him the rights to Dark Tieri.

Oh, imagine.

I could get down with that.

I could get down with that.

Yes.

Shout out to the Cougs, though.

God being a Koog fan.

There we go.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And he got that DC fired, too.

So, like, you know,

all the things that work out.

There we go.

All right.

Let's catch up on some news.

Let's start with the New York Jets who make their decision after an exhaustive round.

I think they interviewed 16.

candidates with their little search firm that involved Mike Tannenbaum.

Some weren't even coaches.

They were just civilians.

They weren't even all coaches.

I actually got a second interview with the Jets.

But in the end, it is the guy that I think a lot of people connected

the Jets to from the beginning.

It is Aaron Glenn, the defensive coordinator of the lines.

So, yes, the brain drain is real in Detroit.

They lose Ben Johnson, their OC, and Aaron Glenn, their DC, just days after their shocking playoff ouster.

So

this is a move that comes with, as a Jets fan, optimism

because

what the Jets needed from my perspective as a fan was a guy that could come in that is a culture setter.

And you hear all that about Aaron Glenn, that he's a guy that commands respect, former first-round pick that played forever,

then got into the scouting side of

the game before becoming a coordinator.

And he is a guy that commands respect, knows how to run,

you know, how to get people to buy into his messaging.

And this is crucial to me, a guy that wanted to go to the Jets and wanted to be part of the solution of fixing what this is, which is a mess.

So I like that.

There are also markdownsides, which I understand, which is this is like the fourth hire in a row or a third hire in a row since Adam Gace, where they go

first year, first time head coach that's a DC.

And it's like, okay,

your offense offense is always bad.

Maybe it's time to change it up again.

But I'm willing to give this a chance.

I'm not going to pound the table and say the Jets are fixed now, but I like the hire, and

I have a feeling, a reason to be optimistic for the first time in several months about the Jets.

I would say briefly, you needed to get a coach and a person and a human being who wanted to be part of the Jets.

And he's got Jets, DNA,

you know, rumming, like going through his bloodstream.

And I think that from that angle,

there is a reason for optimism.

There's a lot of evidence that he can relate to players,

jazz up a roster.

I think the Jets, it's about player development.

They've got to develop players.

They've got to,

it seems like there's four or five key pieces on the roster that don't really want to be there right now.

That's got to change.

That's got to evolve and grow.

And so, but, but, you know, usually these things, like, talk to me in two years because there's a Jets angle to this too.

It's the organization.

But of the people they could have

gone and hired, like he fits the best.

And

I texted you yesterday, I'm arrow up on the hire.

I think it's a positive hire.

I don't feel great about it, Dan.

Mostly because, not because of Aaron, it's mostly because I don't know if you can set a culture when the culture is just inherently bad because of ownership.

Because I don't think Robert Sala wasn't that.

I think Robert Salah, culture setter too, like good leader.

There's just things about that organization, you know, a lot of which the homie Zach at the Athletic, who does great work,

has written about extensively, him and Diana Rossini, who also does great work for us.

Like, every time I read something or listen to them talk about the Jets, I'm like, oh, they're going to be bad forever.

You know, I remember I was talking to those guys when I went up there.

They played the Seahawks played the Jets in like week 13, and they were just like talking to all the other beat writers and stuff.

And I was like, oh, this, this franchise is screwed, you know?

So I hope it works out for him.

But I do feel like for the Jets to turn around and for all the bad teams really to turn around, it's really got to start up higher than the coach.

The owner sets the culture.

And unless that is going to be a lot different,

we could see

AG suffer some of the same fate as the guys before him, particularly if they don't get the quarterback thing right, which I'm also worried about.

Let me just, before Jordan, I get your thoughts on it.

Let me just answer to that as the Jets fan that's trying to feel good about this.

That the way this could have went also, and we're trying to fix things around here, this could have went, they galaxy brain it, they overthink it with all these different people, and you end up with, oh yeah, we must hire an offensive play call.

We must hire someone that's had prior experience, and you end up with Arthur Smith or Matt Nagy or Todd Haley or some shit, like, which that would have made me furious.

Uh, Glenn represents to me, although in some ways, oh, they're repeating the same mistakes.

I like that they're rolling the dice, and maybe they hit on someone that's special and he can be that guy that changes things.

I get the woody thing, but there's only so much that you can control, and that's not something you can control.

Aaron Glenn is overqualified for this job.

And what I mean by that when I say that is he has a holistic, ecosystemic, organizational experience.

He knows about every piece of an organization and has been inside those rooms as well as on the field coaching and developing players.

And he has been able to, A, create an expansive network in doing so.

And B,

understand how all of those pieces have to click and fit together.

And because he is most undoubtedly paying attention to everything that's gone on with the Jets over the last several years, he understands exactly what it looks like when it's not working.

And he probably had friends in the building telling him all of the secrets and all the little things that were going wrong.

That's just all of these coaches, they gossip to each other constantly.

That's just how it works.

And so I think that he has an eyes wide open understanding of exactly what it is that he is taking on.

And I think he is, I think this is the right hire.

And I hope for his sake, because he is

a hell of a coach, a great mind defensively, and also has a great mind for

talent and being able to get the most out of people, whether it's coaches, whether it's moving on from mistakes and then acquiring different people, overhauling what is wrong and what needs to be fixed.

We saw that in real time over the last several years with the Lions

and connecting with people.

I hope that this goes well for him and I hope that he gets the support and the collaboration and the partnership and the not just open support, but the behind the scenes that's a leaky building.

I hope he gets the support holistically that anybody who is really passionate about wanting to make things right in that building should have.

And I hope he gets that.

I like this hire.

I hope the next move is they go and they get McVay's passing game coordinator as the OC.

Mick Kaylee.

Yeah.

And then the next move would be, I guess, to hire a GM.

I'm a little apprehensive about

your first-time head coach.

And then if this Lance Newmark fellow is basically Aaron Glenn's guy,

then it's just Aaron Glenn running the entire organization.

Now, that seems like a lot

on the man's plate for a first-time coach, but listen, this shit only has to work once.

Come on.

Just

it could have been worse, Dan.

They could have done two things.

One, they could have just went on the subway and just interviewed people and just said, hey, do you want to coach the Jets?

And then pick someone.

Or B, they could have hired Rex Ryan again.

Like those were easily ways.

Then they'd be screwed.

Todd Haley, Arthur Smith, Matt Nagy, Rex Ryan coming back.

Everything was in play because, so this feels almost professional.

And all I could say is, I hope, I hope, I hope they finally got this one right.

You know, and spinning to the Jaguars now, because

I like Robert Sala, the man, and he looked the part, and he was very good on one side of the football.

And we saw what happened when the Jets dumped him after week five, what happened to their defense.

But he was not a good head coach.

He was just, to me, he was.

It's just not for him.

Maybe he'll get better if he gets another chance.

The fact that the Jaguars might be willing to hire Robert Sala immediately coming off,

the Jaguars might be a bigger mess than the Jets.

So you have that team reports that Sala could get that job now.

At the same time, we're learning that they finally come to their senses, I guess, and fire Trent

Balky, the GM.

And, you know, Mark, like

this all seems so out of order right now.

And it comes at a time where very likely some of the head coaching options that they wanted, Ben Johnson, for example,

looked at the Balki setup and said, I don't want to go near it.

So now to make the firing just

makes it look like your house is not in order more than ever.

I'm with you.

I don't know if it's if Balky and the cons had a certain type of relationship that allowed him to be,

you know, not judged correctly.

But I'm trying to think of another GM where you've heard so many people and it gets to us, like the messaging comes to us that they just don't think he was like a good person, that he's sort of like a problematic individual.

And you hear that in different ways.

And it's like,

you've completely botched this.

This was a huge, this was a destination spot for Ben Johnson, I thought.

I really thought this was where he would wind up going.

And they completely botched it by putting someone in the way that made it an undesirable location for other coaches.

Like bad, we talked about bad ownership on the Jets.

Like that's just bad ownership.

And I'm a little surprised because I always thought the cons like were progressive and had a way of looking at the organization and the growth of the NFL in a certain way that seemed forward-thinking.

And this was completely the opposite.

And I think you've probably lost out on major candidates because of it.

I think that the Liam Cohen thing was, this is speculation and connecting dots with some background not reporting this, but like I think the Liam

Cohen thing was a bit of a bucket of cold water on just what had to be so clear on this process.

Because I really like Liam.

I covered him.

I know him.

I think he's a great coach.

But in some cases, some might think that maybe he's a year away, not necessarily the Ben Johnson situation of turning down the big job

and understanding with Liam that there was going to be some development time, like there is with any head coach, but maybe he's a year away still

after rising through the ranks as quickly as he did.

And to have somebody who maybe is

there in his career say, actually, no, I'm going to stay.

And by the way,

whose agent once played for the Jaguars and knows the owner and knows the organization.

And

to have that be sort of like, ah, you know what?

This is a huge opportunity and a great place and a great friendly market with a great quarterback to onboard into being ready as a head coach and to step back instead.

I think that's a huge wake-up call for somebody like Shad Khan, who maybe it just took him actually seeing the reaction for all of this with Balky.

Justin, I did have one for you specifically.

I'm not going to try to do it in your voice, but I hear your voice in my head right now.

No, can you please try to do it in Justin's voice?

Can you please, please, please, please?

Okay, this is a compliment, Justin.

Okay.

Oh, God.

Shad Khan made a decision and then he walked it back.

Am I right?

Oh.

Holy god.

I look at you.

You're so talented, Jordan.

I'm sorry.

Like, if I had my eyes closed, I would have

kind of maybe thought.

I'm sorry, Justin.

I'm sorry, listeners.

Do not go walk into the ocean.

It was wild.

Justin, your thoughts on

Jordan's analysis/slash impression.

Great impression.

Better pun.

I loved it.

Great job, Jordan.

Thank you.

All right.

I can't even remember.

Did you actually ask him a question?

Or was it a statement?

No.

No, fake you, Jordan.

No.

All right.

Let's move on.

Let's see.

Let's see.

The Patriots hire Josh McDaniels as OC.

One quick editorial there.

Okay, it makes sense as a hire.

But again, more evidence that they tried to be different and now they're just trying to crank back the clock desperately.

And all right, maybe it works.

Maybe it doesn't.

Drake May has somebody that has had a lot of success in New England.

Jeff Ulbric, the Jets interim coach and former D.C., is now the new Falcons defensive coordinator.

Lions defensive line coach is promoted to D.C., replacing Aaron Glenn, who went to the Jets.

The Bengals quickly move on from Lou Anarumo, who recently left the post there or was told to leave the post and landed with Indy.

Mark calls it a huge hire.

They replace him with Notre Dame defensive coordinator

Al Golden.

He called it a huge hire.

Maybe it will be.

We'll see.

We'll be tracking that all next season.

Those are some updates on the coordinator ranks.

Thoughts?

Anyone, jump in.

Give me any evidence.

I shouldn't have done that.

That's bad hosting.

All right.

Mark, jump in.

Give me any evidence of Josh McDaniels succeeding minus Tom Brady.

Like,

his record when he's not coaching Tom Brady is a drastic mess.

That's my comment.

Okay, Mike?

The Patriots are a little weird for me with the, like, the idea.

They have such good history, you know, this century.

And I feel like you've got to make a decision.

Do you want to just keep leaning into that, lean into it all the way?

Or do you want to completely tether from it?

You know, I feel like the Seahawks had to make a very similar call out here.

It was like, all right, Pete has this like culture.

Do we want to, you know, lead in the boom stuff with this winning organization?

We're getting rid of Pete, but how much do we want to preserve?

How much do we want to start anew?

And they kind of did the halfway thing, fired Pete, but kept John Schneider and like literally everybody else other than Pete's coaching staff.

I don't think that was the way to go about that either.

It seems like the Patriots, after a year, were like, never mind, we're just still, we're Belichick 2.0 around here, which I'm not sure if that's the way to go either.

But I just feel like they're botching that a little bit, though.

I actually do think Josh McDaniels would be good for Drake May.

I actually do have some faith in that particular OC quarterback partnership.

Yeah, and you need the front office to give Drake May some pieces and hit on some draft picks and sign some guys.

All right.

All right.

And finally, last bit, just something to keep an eye on.

The Cowboys are kind of floating in the ether.

They had their second interview with Brian Schottenheimer.

Okay.

What are we doing?

Is that what we're doing?

Is there any way to get Mike McCarthy back?

is this how the Cowboys thought this was gonna go?

Is Mike McCarthy gonna end up without a chair and all this for for what it's worth?

I do think I covered Brian Schottenheimer for a little bit.

He was a Seahawks OC during like the Let Russ Cook years.

Um, and like at that time, he was like rumored to be like a future head coach, right?

Because the Seahawks offense was kicking ass at the time.

Uh, so I actually do think he'll be an okay head coach.

He's been around the game forever.

Obviously, you can tell by the last name, he's got a connection to a lot of coaches, which is important when you want to get a staff going uh knows how to lead people like all that is fine it just feels so random the way they just played with mike mccarthy and the contract and things like that and let him go let's flirt with deion for a few days you know just because

and then we'll just pull up a guy who was already in the office it just feels like the wrong way to go like you talked about the jets kind of their process seemed more professional this seems like the opposite of that the the jaguars and the cowboys seem to just being like Jaguars for a different reason, but the Cowboys and Jags seem to just have like botched the process of this, even if they ultimately land on good coaches.

Which, if the Jags hire Sala and the Cowboys hire Schottenheimer, I think they both could be good coaches, just the way they got there was a little funky.

Yeah, I always thought Schottenheimer was the example of because before the

Let Russ Cook era, Seahawks,

he was during the Sanchez era with the Jets, their OC, and he was a classic example of like he was a very hot name, and then the Rex era fell apart, and he was connected to that.

And so, his name kind of cooled off as a head coaching candidate.

And now here we are all these years later, 15 years later, still looking for his first job, now 51.

So he went from like the young hot shot, future head coach Slam Dunk to a guy waiting to finally get a chance.

Let's see if it happens.

Offensive coordinator, of course, of the Cowboys the last three seasons.

All right.

That's what's happening in the news.

Let's take a break.

We'll hit the NFC title break.

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Hey, we

What are they going to say about your reputation?

What are they going to say when they turn that film on?

I know what they're going to say about me.

I'm going to ride out.

They're going to save me some dogs, man.

Let's get it.

you are, man.

Yeah, win on three.

One, two, three, man.

Let's go.

Oh, man.

I want to run through a wall.

I want to hire Terry McLaurin as head coach of the Jets.

That was incredible.

Scary Tierry speaking in the tunnel before the NFC divisional playoff.

Stunner over the Lions.

And they are the commanders, the one team that sticks out like a sore thumb because you got a number one versus number two seed in the AFC.

In the NFC, it is the number number two seed Eagles.

Now with home field advantage hosting, yes, the number six commanders.

And yet,

there's no reason to think that the commanders are out of their depth in this matchup because they've shocked the world against the Lions.

They couldn't have more confidence, and the Eagles are going to have their hands full, Sess Dog.

This could be another game that comes down to the very end.

Very excited about both of these games this year.

It kind of reminds me of the early era Seahawks with Russell Wilson, where like this team has grown up before our eyes, and I simply am unwilling to pick against them at this point.

I think they can beat anyone in any situation.

They were so well schemed last week against Detroit.

And I think like Cliff Kingsbury is one of the bigger stories in the entire league right now because I think he was largely dismissed and viewed as old news.

And he's coached this young quarterback in this offense in such a way.

I guess

the question for me is

what version of Jalen Hurts they're going to be dealing with?

Because I think Hurts has been just banged up.

He's coming off.

He's had a concussion.

He's got

lower body injuries right now.

Like, where is the knee?

And what version?

Because if you take Jalen Hurts, the running quarterback out of this, they are a very limited offense outside of Saquon Barkley.

Because, you know, he's thrown for less than 200 yards in the playoffs.

So it's what version of Hurts?

And then can anyone actually stop Washington's offense?

Like they, to me, just seem like they want to be down by a touchdown or 10 points in the fourth quarter just to show us they can do it again.

Well, Vic Fangio and the Eagles gave him the business a couple of times.

And that was a, you know, they've split games, I believe,

this season.

But Vic Fangio was one of the teams that did give the commanders' offense the business.

And then part of, you know,

it was a tough contest both times.

And And with Jalen Hurts, one of the things that drove me crazy, just from an objective perspective, being there last week in Philly, first of all, one of the coolest environments I've ever seen in my entire life, Jalen Hurts was so much more banged up than it looked like on the broadcast or the All 22 when I went back and looked.

Because a lot of times on those angles, you can't see the limping on the sideline, the back and forth, some of the maintenance that he's doing.

And Kellen Moore can see that.

And I was pissed.

I was like, Kellen Moore is losing his GD mind because he's dropping him deep despite the fact that he's banged up.

And you have to preserve your quarterback for the very end to use all of the tools in the toolbox with this quarterback.

And I think that just forgetting that you had more games likely ahead of you was just malpractice in that regard.

And so I think that you do need to find a way to maximize Jalen Hurts as a runner.

You do need to weaponize the entirety of the Eagles run game against a commander's defense that has played so admirably but cannot defend the run.

And that's where I think some of these big differences are.

It's just that Jaden Daniels is playing, first of all, so clean and so poised, and he's making the correct throws and he's not rushing or forcing passes.

He's setting things up very meticulously and very efficiently while also being such an explosive passer and explosive when he does decide to cut and run.

that I do believe that the commanders are going to score a lot of points in this game.

And I think the Eagles will too.

And I think that these teams are going to give each other all they've got.

And we're just going to see, I think, just the max version of both of these groups on offense and defense.

Yeah, Mark, I'm glad you brought up that Russ season because this does feel like that a little bit too.

I mean, Bobby being there makes it like a much cleaner parallel.

Also, the commanders are employing a ton of former Seahawks, including their head coach, their linebackers coach, I think their special teams coach, Nick Velour on special teams.

Their long snappers are former Seahawks.

It's like Seahawks East

over there.

And Russ is probably the only other quarterback.

I don't have all the rookie years in front of me, but like his rookie year, his playoff run was actually really good.

They were 30 seconds away from getting to the championship round.

Russ had 450 yards in the divisional round at Atlanta.

And then the Legion of Boom smoked the lead with 28 seconds left or something like that.

Or we'll be talking about him having played in the championship game too.

That's how nails Jaden is playing right now.

This game

is kind of funky to me because I was like,

I rewatched both of the games.

You're right, Jordan.

Jordan, they split.

Commander, Jalen, Jaden went crazy.

He had like five touchdowns passes in the game in Washington, and then they lost the game in Philly.

But like, I wonder, this really might come down to, like you alluded to, Dan, who gets the ball last?

Like, I feel like if Washington gets the ball last and they need to score, Curtins.

This Jaden dude is just cash.

Like, he was fourth in drop back EPA in the fourth quarter this year, just completely just clutch.

The top five, actually, was Lamar, Jalen Hurts, Baker, Jaden Daniels and Josh Allen shows you how important that is for your quarterback in the playoffs the difference is Hurts was like he had like 86 drop backs in the fourth quarter didn't throw much which makes sense I think if Philly though has the ball last and they need to bleed the clock like they're leading then it's also Curtains.

You just give it to Saquon a bunch and then it's over, you know?

So, and also a note on that fourth quarter thing with Jaden.

He's really only throwing two real fourth quarter interceptions this year.

One of them was on a Hill Mary, so I'm excluding that so two real ones both against the eagles like if he does mess up fangio can get to him he can get so yeah this will be i really think yeah this is coming down to the wire there's some other matchups that that really matter here too for the commanders i think how often they get terry mclauring involved is going to be important i think he had one catch in the loss uh and then like 60 yards and the touch in the win and he had that touchdown on quinyon mitchell uh as well in that in the rematch and i think he's going to play in this game too so it's going to matter

But yeah, I really think which quarterback or which team can really operate late better is going to win this one, obviously.

And weirdly, I think that favors the team with the rookie quarterback.

I mean, what a story that would be.

By the way, when you look at the Eagles,

I could see it being a shootout.

Like, Jordan, you're saying you think points could be scored by both.

There's also, like, if Jalen Hurts is really, really banged up, and that's great insight that he offered, that he was just struggling down the sideline, they might be hiding.

Like, he might be barely able to play in this game.

Can he finish this game?

We don't know.

Like what is going to be the version of Hurts?

And if he is really compromised, then it becomes an even more exaggerated version of what their offense has become in Philadelphia, which is very like Saquon, Saquon, Saquon, just waiting for the dam to burst.

And to Barkley's eternal credit, there's...

For me, in my football viewing history, and no disrespect to you, Justin, because Derrick Henry is incredible also and had a 2,000-yard season.

But like the Adrian Peterson season of 2012 was the only other year where I just felt like I was watching greatness at another level where it's like, he's going to, it doesn't matter what this other team does.

He's going to get his huge play that changes this game.

So I think that will happen.

I think Barkley will get his 150 to 200 yards rushing.

But is that going to be enough if the Washington offense is really humming?

And then you look at the coaching staffs, like I think it's interesting they announced the assistant, the coach of the year finalist.

By the way, Siriani, what are the Eagles now?

17 and 2 or whatever?

Not even a finalist in Coach of the Year among five different games.

Yeah, you've got to be thrilled.

You got to be.

Well, I think a lot of people see what I see, but

I heard.

14 wins, Dan.

14 wins, not a finalist?

Come on.

God essentially warned me to shut up about the Eagles, so I'm going to for the next couple of minutes.

But like Vic Fangio is nominated as assistant coach of the year, as he should.

So if Fangio can do some things against the rookie quarterback, I know he's a very special rookie quarterback, but if you can cook him up, Jordan, a little bit and put Washington in some difficult situations and then Barkley gets what's his, that's how the Eagles win.

I just don't see Jalen Hurts being a big factor once again, which is typically very hard to get to the Super Bowl when your quarterback can't make a play anymore.

But they might have the right combination with defense, coaching, and a very special running back to pull this off.

Yeah, and it's almost like you're looking at that two weeks of rest period too.

You're like, okay, like I said earlier, burn the boats game and then heal over two weeks and get it done.

But the couple quiet matchups that I think are really interesting about this and Vic Fangio-related as well is Jalen Carter has been just electric all season.

Mark, I know you've mentioned him a bunch of times on the various shows.

And Sam Cosme is one of their best players, front commander's best players up front.

And he's not going to be there.

And the fact that Jalen Carter is now able to be deployed in these Vic Fangio plans

where

they'll run these little rotations and like these fake stunts and these fake movements that really put the Rams' offensive interior in a blender, especially late in the game.

That's the reason why the Matthew Stafford

almost incredible comeback drive ultimately failed was because Jalen Carter blew up the game because of all of the setup plays and the setup movements that he was deploying within that scheme.

And then Zach Ertz is the biggest red zone threat, one of the best red zone threats in the league right now, and the biggest red zone threat for the commanders once they get down and are highly efficient in that area.

Well, Vic Fanjo is going to put Dejine Parmesan on Zach Ertz in that power slot defender, star defender against the tight end matchup.

And those two things could end up being really crucial, pivotal positions in very thin

margins of error in this game.

We're on the same party line because

one of my notes here was just like, is this the game where Jalen Carter

becomes like a wildly powerful version of himself?

Now, they doubled him non-stop in their matchups

against the Eagles.

And so I think that they're going to have to find a way to keep him out of this.

But the Sam Cosme injury.

He was their best offensive lineman.

That is huge.

It's like little things like that at the end of the year when you've lost key figures changes everything.

And so the only thing I'd say is if you're Washington, keep being as aggressive as you've been.

I do think that one thing is Dan Quinn is an example.

We're talking about all these guys that are getting a first-time coaching chance at head coach.

Like he has showed me that he has learned from

what happened with the Falcons because he has been super aggressive on fourth down and it matches their quarterback.

It matches what Cliff Kingsbury wants to do.

And that's why I'm with you, Mike.

I think like whoever has the ball last in this

probably prevails.

But Washington's shown that they can do do it like seven or eight times this year.

By the way, Jordan, I noticed it this time.

I missed it the last time you did this.

Dan Quinn gets referenced and you turned your hat around.

Well done.

Yep.

Mike was already a step ahead of you.

He already had his hat turned around.

Here is Vic Faggio on the great Jaden Daniels.

He's a young quarterback by birth certificate,

not by

the tape.

You know, the guy's playing extremely well.

You could tell how much they think he's playing, you know, so good by the volume of their offense and the things they trust him to do.

And he's come through for them in a big way.

He's tough to handle.

I got to tell you, I've been on the Vic Fangio beat for years and years and years.

That dude is kind of mean.

And the way that he's gushing over this quarterback is like probably the highest praise I've ever heard from Vic Fangio in talking about an opposing player.

It just was really stunning and very telling to me.

Did you ever get yelled at by Vic Fangio?

Well, at the Super Bowl, like

go ahead, Mark.

Well, I was going to say, like, when, you know, we went to multiple Super Bowls and you're spending all week covering both teams.

And like, I've never encountered a grumpier individual that I attempted to sit down and talk to than Vic Fangio.

And I kind of loved it because it's like he's just being who he is.

But this was a grumpy individual.

Yeah, I love Vic Fangio.

I think he's perfect for that team and for that fan base and everything.

And like I said, I had a great time out there last week.

But

I was in Miami last year working on a story about how the cheat motion spread across the entire league and up and down into Canada and back down into America and across like all of these little coaching trees.

And I was talking about talking to

practicing against it in Scout Team.

And is he starting to see that play pop up more often on the scout team cards that they design when they're trying to predict what other teams are going to use against them?

Like, are they starting to see their own play come back at them on in scout team?

And Vic stared at me for like a good while and was like, Yeah, we see a lot of motion.

And I was like, I'll just go myself.

Yeah, he is not.

I think Mark and I were uh talking about this on even on Instagram.

I posted like a picture of Vic, and I was just like, Oh my God.

And me and Mark were like fangirling out.

And I was like, Then it just, the letdown was just, yes, absolutely died.

Mark has like an old Jonathan Brandis teen beat type poster on his wall above his bed, but it's actually Vic Fangio

sitting by the pool at the Pro Bowl in 2014.

You love my dad,

really sordid stuff.

All right, let's pick this game.

I'll start.

Listen, I know we don't get what we want typically as football fans,

and I know all of South New Jersey is unhappy with me and much of Pennsylvania,

but I don't care.

It's time to give us the matchup we want.

I already told you Bills are going to get by Kansas City.

Let's make this a really special story.

The Commanders find a way.

And good news for you, Eagles fans.

If my prediction is wrong, which is

27, 23 Commanders, not only will we be celebrating another trip to the Super Bowl, which would be three in a decade, which is pretty damn good, you get to bury me.

You get to put me underground.

And I will apologize on the Sunday night show for being a dick.

So you get all of that and more.

It's like a price is right showcase for Eagles fans, if I'm wrong one more time.

You know, Supi from the Wonder Years, it can hit me up.

Connie Fox, hit me up.

Gonzo, hit me up.

Tell me, tell me why I'm an idiot, and I'm cool with it.

But I am not predicting.

Forget that I'm an asshole.

Yes, but I will own up to it if the Eagles find a way to get out of the NFC because I don't think they have any business in their current state to get out of the NFC, and I don't think they will.

Go, Commanders, 27-23.

Mark?

I love that.

I joined Damashek at their Damashek show, and he warned

the listening public that the one thing we don't want is a Chiefs Commanders Super Bowl from a uniform angle.

You know that he's very into the uniform matchup.

He's a uniform officer.

Yeah, and I pick the Bills, and I'm picking the Commanders, and it's a similar score to yours.

I I 27, 26 over the Eagles.

So that should concern Commanders fans that I've just done that.

It is not good.

That is not what I was looking for, Mark.

Well, I didn't need you getting behind because you love the Eagles, you know.

So now you're getting behind the Commanders.

I think it's very fair to ask once again

if a voodoo issue could come into play now.

I don't agree.

I'm not buying into this.

I don't have that power.

I believe the commanders can supersede my so-called Jinx power.

But it is concerning.

Man, what a huge Sunday for narratives.

Mike.

I actually think points are going to be,

this should be hard to come across.

That Eagles defense is just loaded, man.

With the Get Mitchell back,

yeah, Coop, hashtag Deceptive Speed, DBs, Ed Reed, Blake and Ship,

Gardner Johnson, you know, Slade turning the clock back, like that.

Finding an all-pro linebacker out of the just off-the-scrap heap and Zach Bond, like Fanzio.

I think it's going to be, I think the Eagles' defense has

the edge.

I would like to see AJ Brown actually play in one of these games in the playoffs.

That would be nice.

I don't think he's played in either of the two games.

And I think he's important here because the last time they played Washington, he went off, and Marshawn Lattimore just could not guard him.

Multiple DPIs in that game.

I think AJ scored in that game too.

So I like the Eagles 20 to 17.

I think just the overall strength of their roster

ends up being the difference here, whether Jalen can feel his knee or not.

It would be cool if the Commanders won.

I'd be really happy for Bobby Wagner to go back to a Super Bowl.

I think that would be really cool.

Yeah, I think it's been like if they go back, depending on what day the Super Bowl is, it'll be almost like 10 years to the day of the time Russ

through the interception in the Super Bowl that they lost.

So, that'd be pretty cool if he gets to get back.

If the Eagles win, that'd be cool too.

Shout out to the homie Clint Hurt.

He's the D-line coach for the Eagles.

That'd be cool if his team got it too.

So I don't really care who wins, but I am picking the Eagles.

Yeah, Mike, I love that you brought that up because based on talking to you too for many years now about the Seahawks, Bobby was one of the people who tried to hold that locker room together, right?

Like he was one of the people who tried to keep even when all the defensive players and everyone was so shattered and so angry after that.

So I think, I do think I would love to see that for him.

All-time great dude, all-time great player.

But I'm picking the Eagles.

It came down to something a little bit more simple for me.

I think their best offensive strength, which is Saquon Barkley, is better than the Commander's biggest defensive weakness, which is stopping the run.

I do think Jaden Daniels is going to give us an absolute show.

And I think he's going to get his points and plenty of them in this game.

As much as I love the Commanders and I've loved them all year, they were my games.

I can't wait to watch multiple times early in the season.

But I've loved the O defense more.

And if Kellen Moore decides that he won't lose his absolute GD mind this week with some of his calls, I do think that the Eagles can win this game.

I'm going to pick the Eagles 31 to 28.

And thank you, Eagles fans, for the genuinely awesome hospitality last weekend.

Very nice.

Absolutely.

Well done, everybody.

Let's

yes, Justin.

Can I pick the game as well?

Mark?

You say, Titans 30, Commanders 12.

Like, no, the Titans are not playing in this.

I mean, it's fair for you to wonder whether to chime in because I did ask for your AFC prediction.

So it only makes sense to get your NFC.

And yet I will let Mark decide.

I would like you to make a pick, Justin.

All right.

You are cleared.

It's a go for the gravedigger.

Thanks, Mark.

So, Dan, I don't know if you remember our amazing segment, the Super Bowl Contenders Draft, but at this moment, you and I are the only ones left alive.

You have Bill's Commanders.

I have Chiefs Eagles.

And there's been a meme circulating, you know, the meme of like the character on a road.

And like, one path.

Mark is so mad that he decided to let you talk.

What is happening?

One path is like sunshine and happiness, and it's like a big fun castle.

And that's like Bill's Commanders Super Bowl path.

And the other path is like a dark scary terror castle thing with thunderstorms and lightning and scariness and that's like the Chiefs Eagles Super Bowl and I feel torn between rooting for my

Super Bowl picks because I want to beat you and rooting for like what the rest of America wants which is the the happiness path

but I'm gonna pick the Eagles I do think if Jalen Hurts injury like pops up that could really change things but it's really hard to predict something like that so I'm gonna predict the Eagles win a massive shootout similar to what we saw in Commanders Lions last week.

Eagles 38, Commanders 35.

All right.

And, you know,

I guess I do feel compelled, Mark, to reiterate to our producer that

what you get if you win

the Picks prize for literally our worst segment of the year,

the prize is absolutely f ⁇ ing nothing.

Well, right.

And it's like, is Justin going to walk into like a Wendy's and everyone's going to recognize him and know that this occurred?

No.

This is not changing.

This one is because I have such warm feelings for our producer because he's so excellent and a good man.

I have not let it get under my skin, but it continues to boggle my mind how often he brings this up and cites this as important kind of lore to the show, this one segment.

But I guess it's because you're still in the competition.

And I guess I could follow the breadcrumbs on this one.

I would say it created one of the more thorny text threads between the three of us because Justin would not relent on

how important it was that we keep mentioning this contest.

I just stated that.

I think it's great that we ended up with like Dan, like neither, like, I just think it's awesome how you have Bills Commanders and I have Chiefs Eagles and it's not like.

Like there's only though I feel like everyone's

to your point.

And we really got to go, but like to your point, like you, you say, like, the way better matchup is the teams I pick, but you're willing to have a much lesser matchup so you win this thing.

This is a meaningless contest.

But it's not.

All right.

Listen, we all have the things that get us going.

And now I

better understand you.

Yes.

I'm like Jalen Hurts.

I'm a winner.

I just win.

It was about nine minutes ago that we asked Justin to provide his prediction.

Mark, that was a faithful decision he made.

All right.

He's a winner.

He wins.

We'll see.

All right.

Let's do fearless predictions, and then we got to go.

All right.

Let's see how we did.

By the way, the most important fearless predictions of the season last week, division round players, because it was a skins scenario, worth double.

And

as God pointed out, literally, God pointed out, Jordan, I thought had the most impressive win of the season in some ways.

Let's take a look.

Jordan Rodrigue, a tight end, will score in all four games.

games

damn and my god it happened and not only did it happen the the fourth one in the fourth game

uh ravens bills it was isaiah likely in the final minute of regulation and jordan

did you do like a uh a derrick jeter fist pump when that happened like what was your your reaction did you do the michael jordan like shoulder shrug like what was what was take us through it Yeah, it was kind of sad, actually, because I was finishing my column from Rams Eagles, and I couldn't watch a majority of that awesome game because I was writing.

And I was like in my feels a little bit because it was a really

big column for me personally.

And so I was

emotional.

And then that happened.

And I was like, oh, I think I just won my fearless prediction.

And then I looked and there was nobody around me.

And I was like,

why do I do this?

It was a great, it was a really really great call, though, for four tight ends in four different games.

And I just, just so you know, Jordan, I find you to be an endearing figure.

Like, I always assume you're emotional and on the verge of tears about something that you're covering or thinking about at any given time.

So that's not surprising to me.

You said that in a way where it's like, oh, yeah, she is an okay personality, though.

So, you know.

Wonderful.

All right.

And again, double, double.

So we went into this competition.

Let's see that board again, Justin.

That puts Jordan all alone in first place.

Yeah.

Wow.

Michael Sean Dugar.

Commanders, Lions will feature at least nine fourth quarter conversion attempts.

How many did we get?

We got six.

Yeah, fourth.

Fourth down conversion attempts.

Okay.

Yeah, we got six.

Would have had a seventh, but that's where the Lions had 12 men on the field.

I think that gave them a free.

But that would have only got us to seven.

I think the Lions went for it like three times on the final drive.

We were almost going to get there, but yeah, it fell short.

Good prediction, though.

Yeah, tough one for Gravedeger.

Saquon Barkley goes over 150

scrimmage yards, which he got, but he had the Ramps upsetting the Eagles.

They nearly did, but they did not.

So Gravedegger takes the L.

Connor picking for the Sestog.

Chiefs fans react to bad call against KC, but Texans finish with more penalties than Chiefs.

Intricate.

Did not work.

Cecilarian.

Zuzzer, all four home teams win outright.

Three cover the spread.

The new.

What was it?

Three out of four.

The Lions.

Yeah, the Lions.

Screwed me.

Yeah.

All right.

Okay, let's do our picks.

I don't usually,

and Mark, it's coming down to it now, buddy.

Me and you, three and 16.

Two picks to go

for the battle for the seller.

Underdog will fire us soon.

I mean,

continuing.

I hope Josh Norris isn't watching right now.

All right.

In honor of you, Mark, I kind of have a Susslarian pick here.

The last time a team

had a chance to win three in a row, three chips in a row, it was the 1990 49ers, and they hosted the NFC title game against the New York Giants.

And yes, it is remembered for the savage hit taken by Joe Montana that knocked them out for like a year and a half, two years,

took him out of the game, and then the Giants won that game on a field goal as time expired.

This is my prediction.

I don't root for anybody getting hurt, but Mahomes doesn't finish the game.

And yes,

the game ends with the Bills kicking a field goal in the final minute.

That is the deciding points in the final minute.

So there it is.

Kind of a remix to the last time we were in this position as football fans.

Bang.

Let's see if it happens.

What a nasty hit that was on Montantana.

That was one of the most vicious defensive games by both teams.

That was a wild, wild playoff showdown.

I'll never forget watching that.

All right, next.

Good ref.

Thanks, buddy.

Mark.

What I predicted is that one of the four quarterbacks this weekend will have five turnovers.

Ooh,

five.

Not even Goth had five.

Of course I will not get this correct, but I'm, you know, it's meant to be fearless.

So there we go.

And it is.

And it is.

All right.

Jordan?

Yeah, Mark, I think you overcorrected on that just slightly, just because,

you know, but I understand the stakes are different.

But

no team in the postseason right now has turned the ball over even one time so far that are still alive

so far in in the playoffs.

And I think that changes after this weekend.

I think there are at least four combined turnovers in the two games, and one is returned for a touchdown.

Love it.

And here he is, Money Mike.

He needs it, absolutely needs it to stay alive for the trophy.

Mike, what is your fearless prediction?

Keep it simple.

I think the final play from scrimmage in both games is a scoring play.

I'd sign up for that in a minute.

Love it.

There you go.

Great figure.

Mark, you decide.

Okay.

Proceed.

There you go.

Justin, stage is yours.

A non-quarterback will throw a touchdown pass.

I'm just relieved that it wasn't about the

segment, the worst segment of the year.

And I will be victorious.

No, I'm just kidding.

All right.

A non-quarterback throws a touchdown in one of the games.

Right.

Very well.

Very well.

All right.

Good stuff.

All right.

We will be back on Sunday to recap championship

Sunday

over on the Patreon.

You guys could check in with us where we'll be doing the Friday fun show.

That's the next content over there.

Also, new throwback podcast on the Patreon.

Bob and I, a little bit late.

Blame.

you know, fires and things like that.

But our throwback to the future episode on 2024, our favorite music of the year.

So check that out.

And I'm sure I Dream in Red has a major newsletter this week.

So make sure you check in on that.

And

right, Mark.

We have got a new Rolling Thunder coming out at some point here.

So yes, the content just keeps swimming.

And that is not what that newsletter is about.

I don't know why you continue to sink the product.

I don't understand the strategy, but

you've been effective at that.

patreon.com slash heed the call.

All right.

Thank you to everybody.

Until next time, do what you must.

Heed the call.

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