Power Rankings Post NFL Week 4: The Tom Brady Mouth Kiss Episode

Cold Open And Power Rankings Setup

SPEAKER_00 0:14

Wow. Missing the point. That's us. Both in literal sense, because it's our show, and that's what it's called. And also we're gonna proceed to do that several times over the course of the next hour-ish. If it lasts any longer, it gets you into that kind of awkward Tom Brady mouth kissing his son feeling. You know, you're like, this has gone on for this has gone on for entirely too long. And it's strange that it's happening in the first place while he's getting like a front massage. Remember that? It's we just kind of glossed over that. Anyway, I'm here with the floor.

SPEAKER_03 0:49

Some things I try to black out.

SPEAKER_00 0:50

Yeah, yeah. Uh, much like his kid. Um, I I imagine. He'll probably have to unpack that later in very expensive therapy. Um, Mike and Zach are here. I'm here. It's been another wacky and wonderful week in the National Football League. A lot of stuff's happened. A lot of players got injured. I don't really have an explanation for that. It's like they sent set up a transformer station outside of every single uh uh different practice facility, not just the 49ers. But hey, we're still we still seem to be able to. Oh, Matt's here too. Uh Matt told us he wasn't coming, and uh now is here. That's that's how that's cool. Now you can't leave. Great. Um Matt's here now. Uh yeah, I remember the I remember the movie A Bronx Tale. Um all right, well, I did the intro, and uh, you joined at the worst possible time during the intro, and uh now you're here also. So that's cool.

SPEAKER_02 1:50

Now it's the best intro.

SPEAKER_04 1:52

Just like my parents' birth.

SPEAKER_00 1:54

Shit. Yeah, that was that almost landed. Okay, so here we are. We're doing power rankings again, but because we have the MTP Boston fellas here, we're gonna spend a probably probably for me excruciatingly long time on the New England Patriots. Um thankfully, for you guys, the three of you, I haven't been able to talk to you since uh you were you were able to redeem yourself in the in the process of of coming out and actually beating a good team since um the low of Drake May crying over losing a game in September uh on TV. But now you've bounced back, so we'll come on to talk about them. But um I'm gonna get to them when we get to them in the natural order of things. Uh and before that, I'm gonna start at the bottom of Matt's power rankings, and then we're gonna fly right up. If you just wouldn't mind fucking with the uh fidelity of the sound there, Matt, that'd be great. Um, just trying to record a podcast here, if you wouldn't mind uh making less noise. That'd be super great. Thank you so much for that. Stop touching your microphone. Love that. Cool. Anytime you're ready, we'll get this show on the road. Um, the power rankings. We're back. Matt gave us a list. It's a little absurd again. Um, but we can we can talk about things as we get to them. We've crossed off two teams already, guys. We've crossed off the Tennessee Titans and we've crossed off the Miami Dolphins. If there's dissent in that, uh I I I speak now or forever hold your peace. I have to make a pitch to cross off a shocking amount of teams this week, so I'm really glad everybody's here.

Crossing Off The 0-4 Teams

SPEAKER_00 3:30

The bottom five teams on Matt's list are as follows: the Titans and the Dolphins, those are the bottom two. We've already crossed them off. The next few, the Bucs, the Chargers, and the Texans, have all started winless. Not a single win on the board for any of these teams. Five 0-4 teams. Five 0-4 teams. One team in our lifetime has made the playoffs after starting 0-4. And it was the 1992 Chargers. So that's a fluke. Could we possibly cross off, put our flag in the dirt, and as a podcast say, we don't think the Bucs, the Chargers, or the Texans are gonna make the playoffs either? I mean, these are three teams we all thought were gonna be much, much better this season. And now we're talking about a winless opening to the NFL season. Mike, I'll go to you first. Which one of these teams, if you gun to your hat to cross off, would you do it? And do you think it's possible? Could we possibly cross have five teams crossed off after week four?

SPEAKER_03 4:46

Yeah, I would absolutely cross off the Chargers. Um, you know how I feel about Justin Herbert. Unsurprised that he said that. It feels like Harbaugh is cooked, like he just he he's not the coaching guru that everyone thought um that he was. And my thing with Tampa Bay, they're owing four, but they're only two games back of first place in that division. So I I'm just not willing. Uh knowing what we know about Baker and really what we know about the uh the Saints and the Falcons, um, I'm not ready to write them off just yet. But I'd be 1000% willing, ready and able to write off the Chargers.

SPEAKER_00 5:32

Okay. I mean, I guess I get it. It's not my first instinct. If you look at the numbers, it's a little damning. The Chargers have scored 14 points, 14 points, 16 points, and then miraculously 23 points across their four losses this season. The completion completion percentage crowd, I mean, mostly Jordan Love fans, very quiet all of a sudden this year, um, would be up in arms at his 59.7%, 816 yards across four games, four touchdowns, six picks, and a 70.6 passer rating. He's been sacked 12 times. Seattle got three turnovers from him, two picks and a fumble. I there are a lot of penalties. There's no angle, Zach, where you can sort of say secretly these guys are playing great, right? Like they're minus 39, the quarterback's playing badly by his standards, by anybody's standards. They're three games behind Kansas City, and Vegas is three and one in that division. The AFC wildcard route is crowded. All right, do you support Mike's position here on this these Los Angeles Chargers? As surprising as this situation we find ourselves in is.

SPEAKER_02 6:38

Yeah, and and I will piggyback on that too. In terms of the NFC South has just always been garbage, and you're gonna have a team with a losing record when it feels like the AFC West has just been so competitive and so dominant from top to bottom for years that if you have a rough start like this, you're kind of out of it already, just by default, because you know the other three teams are gonna be fighting for um not just the division, but even the other two wildcard spots. So to write off the chargers, I would uh I'd go ahead and do so. Um with Mike, though. Not ready to do that with the Bucks.

SPEAKER_00 7:12

Matt, I I mean they're they're your rankings. Are we are we putting these fuckers out to pass here?

SPEAKER_04 7:17

Uh no. If I were to pick a team done in my head, it'd be the Steelers. I hate them. I hate the quarterback. Uh I hate their last coach. This new coach is okay. Um but yeah, no, I'm not ready to cross off the Chargers. I just I I just have this earnest belief that Herbert has something in his arm that he can turn this around if the offensive line turns around, if the running steps it up. There's just not that many ifs that change this team from a disaster to something competitive.

SPEAKER_03 7:42

Matt, he's got a lot of things in his arm, he's just got nothing in his pants. You can write this fucking team off.

SPEAKER_04 7:48

Okay, so that feels like we're crossing off a whole gender of players for quarterback. I don't love that.

SPEAKER_03 7:55

Um I tried to write off the Jaguars week five last year. Like advocated for it.

SPEAKER_04 8:02

What do we do? Like I can't justify a 13-point loss to the reigning the Super Bowl champion doesn't feel like they deserved it this week. I I but I'll follow the lead. I'm a follower. I give into peer pressure, so whatever you guys think.

SPEAKER_02 8:16

Well, I also it doesn't help having it doesn't have help having Mike McDonald, and you're supposed to uh you know have a revamp offensive minded guru and uh you know looks even worse this year. It's just between that Harbor looks like he's a cooked coach.

SPEAKER_00 8:32

Uh it's yeah, Harbor's out there looking like Joe Biden during those last debates. It's it's not good.

SPEAKER_04 8:38

He looks like everything I always said he was. He's just uh he's a little brother and he sucks.

SPEAKER_03 8:42

Yeah. Yeah, but you know what? Let's keep him. You're right. With great sales pitch, Matt. Oh he said he said he'd follow the leader.

SPEAKER_00 8:48

He said he said he'd follow you. I'll smoke your cigarette down the garden path. Um all right, combined in the Los Angeles Chargers. Honestly, watching them is about as awkward as it was watching Tom Brady mouth kiss his son that time uh in that video. Uh, I don't know if you guys remember that when he was doing like a front massage.

SPEAKER_02 9:04

That was uh was that Tom vs. Time it was called. It was.

SPEAKER_00 9:07

That was Tom versus the allegations.

SPEAKER_02 9:09

I so I immediately once I came out, I immediately tweeted out more like Tom versus Child Services.

SPEAKER_00 9:14

Yeah, yeah. It was it was weird.

SPEAKER_04 9:17

Did you guys see Tom in that game shitting on the Chargers? He really gave it to them too. He kissed them right in the mouth as well.

SPEAKER_00 9:23

Yeah, yeah. I feel like he should when they're doing those gimmicks, you know, it's like Tom's whatever, you know, he should be like, this is gonna be this week's Tom, Tom's awkward mouth kiss. Okay, and I'm giving my awkward mouth kiss to the Los Angeles Chargers, okay? Come on over here, Jimmy Harbs, plant one on me. What do I get? What do I get? Front massage. Okay. That's not gonna be that's the second time I've brought that up. Spoiler alert. It won't be the last. It will be coming up again. I was I was unceremoniously served that video today, naturally on my algo. Uh, speak of that, which you will, but now everyone has to hear about it because I'd forgotten about it and it

Chargers Panic And Herbert Debate

SPEAKER_00 10:00

made me feel deeply uncomfortable. So um Miami Dolphins are crossed. The Texans, the Titans are crossed. We have to have a conversation now about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Houston Texans. I'm still, I'm still, I can't cross the Texans off. I I understand that it looks really fucking bad. I I but they they looked like they had a little bit of a pulse for a second there uh this past weekend, right? I mean, it it's sort of the opposite of the Chargers situation. When you go into the metrics, it's like some of these games might actually be able to go a different way. I mean, the they've three of these losses, five-point margin, three point two-point margin, and a four-point margin, it looks like. Stroud's over a thousand yards, five touchdowns, no interceptions in these losses. Um, he finally looked like himself, I think, against the Cowboys. 21 to 31, 347, two touchdowns, 126.7. Houston led for the majority of the game before surrendering the winning TD with 40 seconds left. And you know, me and Matt discussed this last week. It's not as if the this Cowboys offense, as much as I'm sure Mike, you're loath to admit it. It's not it's not as if this Cowboys offense looks anemic in any way. Like they're they look like they can score on anybody. So I think there is a case, Jacksonville already being three and one, they would really need a big like they need to go at 11-1, basically, for the remainder of the season, but it's still it's gotta be too early to cross them off, right, Zach? I mean, is it is it is this uh is this a we we can't cross all these teams off. Sure, I will. I'll get fucking crazy. You want to get nuts? Let's get nuts. But if we're being shut up, Matt, if we're being reasonable, we gotta leave the Texans on the board.

SPEAKER_02 11:45

I mean, if you want to be reasonable, sure. Um, but it's very hard to go from having this all-time defense last year and very elite defense, and rightfully so. They deserved all the praise in the world last year. Um, and then have this 0-4 star with a somewhat shaky looking defense. It's I'm I'm with you. I'm not quite sure I'm ready to write them off. There's another team in the division that's 0-4. I know we wrote them off, but again, that gives you hope to climb in the standings. AFC South has always been a uh kind of a dumpster fire as well. So in terms of having a chance, I think they might have a chance, but um, but I also wouldn't blame anyone here if they wanted to write off the Texans either.

SPEAKER_00 12:34

Does anybody have a case for for a strong case for writing them off? Otherwise, I'm gonna give them another stay of execution, a week, another week. Um it's similar with the Bucks. Uh, I mean, they're the weirdest, I think, of the teams we've talked about so far. They all four losses have been by seven points or fewer. They're minus 20, which is uh is survivable if you compare it to like Miami. Um, they held Green Bay to 283 yards, but like that's not really an impressive feat. Uh Baker's out. Jalen Daniels, uh yeah, he looked bad. Like, to be honest, it doesn't look like that's gonna really be anything. Antoine Winfield Jr.'s out for two to four weeks with a fractured rib, it looks like. Close losses are still losses. Um, their offense is moving in the wrong direction. You know, it's not as if they're building any sort of momentum that we could really make a case for. I mean, what's the best case scenario for a playoff win? Like nine and four was would be the minimum uh over the course of the next uh uh 13 weeks to finish this season off. So, I mean, they've been competitive, you know. I test wise, I might I might be convinced to give them another week, but Mike, what what's what's what do we do with this Tampa Bay Buccaneers team? And they're they're another letdown, you know, there's a theme here. You gotta keep them because that division's so weak.

SPEAKER_03 13:50

Uh they could still like that they could literally win that division with eight games. And didn't Carolina make the playoffs last year with a losing record? And then, yeah. So I I just think the offense will figure it out. I think they are struggling to uh with their identity without Mike Evans. They clearly thought that one of their other wide receivers was a was a number one, they're not ready yet.

SPEAKER_00 14:13

He's really irreplaceable. I mean, you could I I feel like you you could have seen that coming. Like he's kind of one of one. If it wasn't for Drake London, he'd be one of one.

SPEAKER_03 14:22

Well, I but I believe in out of out of out of everyone in that division, I believe in Baker. Like he's the quarterback that I would pick that say that that they can turn it around. Um yeah, I just I don't think no, if they go one and six, yeah, you can write them off at that point. But oh and four, they can still turn it around.

SPEAKER_00 14:42

All right. We're keeping an eye on him. Matt, other than the Steelers, I would say the waiting room, the the guys waiting to come into this conversation over the next couple of weeks are the Cardinals and the Jets. Now, you and I had a conversation about the Cardinals being frisky. I feel less sure about that, having watched them over the weekend. They lost to the Giants 36-24. They're playing Detroit next in a must-win bounce back game for Detroit. They pushed San Francisco to 36 and 36-30. Like they lost by six in a sort of a comeback fashion against, or not sort of, in a comeback fashion against San Francisco, the team we kind of unanimously think is, I think, probably the best or at least top three in the NFL right now. So I think that made us seem like made us think that they were a little frisky, but I'm losing faith. What about you? I mean, I I don't think they're cross-off eligible yet, but it's gonna be a conversation in the coming months, coming weeks.

SPEAKER_04 15:35

They're certainly getting close. I mean, it's not just that they lost, it's you lost to the Giants, who lost their start their star, their starting quarterback, and you lost on a late pick six. Hate to see that. That causes damage that I don't think we all see like beneath the surface. Uh, I don't like how they looked. They didn't look competent, and we've had faith in the players that are not appearing on the field right now.

SPEAKER_00 15:57

They're getting close. As far as the Jets go, I'm willing to wait again to even really have a conversation about them. I think losing Chicago is probably going to be something a lot of teams do this season. And I think that losing to Cleveland next week and put to putting them at one and four, we have to start to discuss the New York Jets, who again also we thought were maybe looking a little frisky, but uh the frisk is is in, and uh we didn't find any weapons on it. Mike, what do you think?

SPEAKER_03 16:22

The Jets have a better point differential than the Patriots. So I do think that they hang in tight. Um, I don't think they're as bad as the record would indicate. And I'm I'm not looking for them to, you know, to win uh eight games or anything, but I do think there are objectively worse teams that we could look at and say, I I would I would much rather write them off now instead of New York.

SPEAKER_00 16:46

I mean, teams like the Commanders and the Saints, I I like again, uh teams I thought were gonna be better, teams I thought were gonna be at least able to sort of make some make some account of themselves. I was very interested. Could you bring the Saints to win two games? Uh I I I meant after the first couple of games of this season, I was like, oh, it looks like they might have something here. Like these are the conversations we've been having in the in the power rankings, you know, like, oh, well, maybe the Saints week one, they looked a little bit more spicy than we thought. I would be very worried if I was a New Orleans fan after watching that Monday night football game. The Falcons, who we're actually gonna come on to talk about a little bit later, are consistently being given a platform to look good and not struggle. Um, I I am getting a little bit of that inflated record, not as good as are gonna get Mollywapped week one of the playoffs if they make it, if they can sustain this from the Falcons. But looking at that Saints offense, man, I it just didn't look good. It didn't look like they picked the right offensive guru to be their head coach. Um we we've had a lot of Kellen Moore conversations on this show uh due to his close association with the Dallas Cowboys over the years. And I I don't know. Uh it doesn't, it I think that QB might actually be pretty good. I think he's got all the athletic tools. I think he's got um a decent pocket presence for like how they started to get to him in the second half, especially yesterday. Um, and I think he I think he might be able to actually do something. That being said, with the offensive weapons he had, I really I wanted him to put a little bit more of a performance on last night against the Falcons, who I'm I'm really suspicious of. So they're maybe hovering around the conversation, Zach, of of uh possible cross-offs in the coming weeks, as well as the commanders. I mean, losing to Indy in the fashion that they did. I mean, I know their owner sits on the sidelines and has conversations. That's been established, by the way. I don't need to hear about that anymore. Like that's completely fine, and it's great for her, and I'm not saying anything bad about it, but it's um it's not a phenomenon that needs to be uh cut to and discussed on a fucking weekly basis. Like she's sitting somewhere different than the other owners sit. It's not um, it's not fucking headline news, guys, at this point. And I really there is a little bit of a vibe of um it's a lady though. Look at the lady on the sidelines actual football man stuff. And I'm like, all right, yeah, like cool, whatever. Um, losing to the Colts uh if you're the commanders in that fashion is probably not a good sign. Uh the Seattle upset looks a bit like an outlier now. Um so between the Saints and the Commanders, Zach, I I I wonder if you think if you could put your finger on who is more likely to be on the chopping block, at least on this podcast in the coming week.

SPEAKER_02 19:20

Probably I mean like probably the Saints, I would say. Um like I said, game last night was not a good indicator. Plus with the commanders, um should be getting Jane Jaden Daniels back. What is he? Is he week to week now, or is he should be back soon? So I mean Yeah, I mean he's practicing, so right. So at least Washington has a chance to kind of turn things around. Uh it seems like with the Saints, they are who they are. So I don't know. I mean, I'm not I if you want me to pick one of them to say who who to put on the chopping block first, it'd probably be the Saints.

SPEAKER_03 19:54

Now you know that I like Jane Daniels more than you do, DK, right? But I don't dislike him. I can't you based on the same logic that we just talked about, you can't write off anyone in the NFC South until like week eight. It's creates weird, isn't it? It's fucking spooky down there. So I mean based on but the the NFC East, like it feels like the Eagles are coming back down to Earth, but the last time they started two and two and they won the Super Bowl, um, so they could go on a run. It really comes down to who do you trust more? The commanders

Texans Hope And Bucs Limbo

SPEAKER_03 20:30

or the or the cowboys at this point. And I can't believe I'm gonna say this. I trust the cowboys more.

SPEAKER_00 20:35

So I actually trust is a strange word to apply to Dallas, but and even with that very bad clock management loss to the Baltimore Ravens, I weirdly like am confident in their offense in a way that I've I've never been before. Like I know that they've always had weapons, and I know they've always been able to put together runs and been able to score, and they've always been a really kind of fun team to watch, to be honest, in the air. And I and I think a lot of that's still true, but there's something very competent about that offense. There's there's this there's a stink of confidence coming off them a little bit this year that um competence, I should say, that that I that I've never really known the Dallas Cowboys to have, even with that very bad finish to in the Ravens game. It didn't actually dent that for me. So we'll we'll keep an eye on them. Um I did think it was funny. We're not gonna spend a ton of time on the next few teams because as I said, like this this middle of the pack is it's gonna be the same conversation on it with every single one. When we talk about the Falcons, the Colts, the Eagles, the Steelers, the Packers, it's gonna be like we don't know enough yet. We've seen them stink and we've seen them be good. What I will say was I did think it was funny that Aaron Rodgers was like, I should have just retired. And you could really see him saying that in the lip reading. Like I saw a meme that was uh that picture of um Brendan Frazier in The Whale, the the movie about how like he's just a fat guy and that's bad. And uh it's he there's that one photo, the still of like him just sort of looking at the camera and like kind of Welling up, and it's like, this is just how Mike McCarthy looks at Aaron Rodgers all game. He's just like, please. Um, I think that my historical Tomlin take is improving week to week with watching uh Mike McCarthy try to hold this fucking collection of absolute divas together. Um, and him getting on with his Kermit the Frog voice in in the Sunday uh uh broadcast and and making really excellent points on a regular basis. I I've been really enjoying that, but um that's all I really have to say about these middle of the pack teams. Matt, Matt, it seems like you might want to chime in on the old Steelers there. Shocking.

SPEAKER_04 22:35

I agree with you. All right, we should move past this. I just want to say, hey Mike. Hey Mike, hey Mike. How about those Falcons, huh? Quarterback looks pretty good, doesn't he?

SPEAKER_03 22:44

Does he?

SPEAKER_04 22:45

Does he? I thought he looked pretty good.

SPEAKER_03 22:47

Didn't we just say that Saints have a terrible defense? Uh what about that?

SPEAKER_04 22:51

Good quarterbacks beat bad defenses.

SPEAKER_03 22:54

Oh, okay. Well, let's just see it. Let's see, let's see if he can play a 15-game season.

SPEAKER_04 22:59

Just listen for those footsteps, buddy.

SPEAKER_03 23:01

I know I know you got a little penny in your pants, but there's still a few years.

SPEAKER_00 23:05

Michael Panzer's still a 510. Hey, it's an average pennix, okay? There's nothing, there's nothing to be whatever. Well, there's ligament damage. Ligament damage to your panics. Whoa. Oh, we're doing those jokes after after Drake May's performance this year. I would I would honestly I'd give you guys a mulligan. I'd I'll let you all exit the Caleb Williams joke sphere if you want. It doesn't have to be like this. It does not have to be like this. I don't think it's a good idea for you guys. Um, but whatever. You do you. I mean, if you you know, it I didn't start this. I just I didn't take I didn't I didn't draw first blood. That's all I'll say.

SPEAKER_03 23:44

Your best man did.

SPEAKER_00 23:45

Nope. No, you did.

SPEAKER_03 23:47

He just did it.

SPEAKER_00 23:48

He just didn't sent the meme. You sent the meme. That's what caused all of this. That's what I started this whole thing.

SPEAKER_04 23:55

I'm gonna pull my ships out of the Strait of Hormoose. I don't want any of this about it.

SPEAKER_00 23:58

I would just say, just like uh just if we're talking about the Caleb Williams versus Drake May thing of it all, we were very amical to one another across the course of this whole podcast until Matt got here. And uh and I think that you know you had to send that meme because you thought that he was hurt worse than he was, and I'm sure that I crossed your mind when you were watching Drake cry on the sidelines. I'm sure because I heard you bring it up on MTT MTP Boston with Matt the uh the following day. And um and it's okay. I just want you to know I forgive you because uh I am a child of God. I mean, I would just say like my quarterback.

SPEAKER_03 24:33

My quarterback's still suited up and then won a big game. Yours is still on the sidelines. So you're not gonna be able to do that. Yes, so he's actually injured.

SPEAKER_00 24:39

So you feel bad, right? So he actually was hurt. It's a grade two strain, and like you feel bad about all the things you said. That's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_03 24:47

I didn't say anything.

SPEAKER_04 24:48

You still looks like he's doing the best green mercury impersonation I've ever seen. So I appreciate him on the sideline.

SPEAKER_00 24:54

That must have killed it. He changed the mustache, so just fucking get up, get up, get up, get up, get up to speed, button.

SPEAKER_04 25:00

Wait, hold on. Was he on your center? How would I have seen it? Uh he was like, can you can you ruffle some more papers, Matt?

SPEAKER_00 25:05

Yeah, seriously. Stop making noise. It's insane. You are literally talking to a fucking microphone on a podcast. Like, stop making fucking noise.

SPEAKER_03 25:13

Just a touch of the tism over here, but continue.

SPEAKER_00 25:15

Good lord. Um, no, I mean, I could tell what Caleb Williams's facial hair looked like because it kept cutting to him on the sidelines because it's the consensus uh correct number one overall pick at his draft class. I you you're gonna hear about him even when he's not playing. So moving right along, we'll we'll come on to talk about Caleb Williams and Drake May in the coming moments, but uh moving right along, the Packers, uh, we're gonna talk about them in the sense uh the context of the Chicago game. The Lions defense is such I would categorically declare them not a threat in the playoffs unless they make a serious bunch of moves at the trade deadline. I think that that window is looking alarmingly closed. I can't believe the Giants, to be honest. I I just can't even believe them. Um that looks like kind of what I thought the Chargers were gonna look like this season. I thought that that storied name of a coach was gonna take his quarterback and and actually do things. The adversity the Giants are coming up against this season, I don't think it's sustainable, but it's something.

SPEAKER_02 26:16

They're gonna be a great eight and nine team. I'll tell you that.

SPEAKER_00 26:19

They're gonna be a really good eight and nine team. But you know what? It what contained in those eight wins it mayhaps be relevancy, you know, like they may actually be teams that we that affect the outcome of the playoff race that affect what we actually are putting on tape this season. So I'm actually happy because if I was doing my TV rankings, which I often I often uh do cite, the Giants are watchable. They're they're a watchable team this this year, which I'm uh after the injuries, I was surprised, but here we are. Cowboys, same deal. Browns, I need this to not be true. Guys, I need this to not be true. I need Deshaun Watson to not be back. Someone talk me and talk me into safety here, please. He's not best back.

SPEAKER_02 27:00

Did someone on the Browns like listen to me pitch the idea of moving them to Hawaii and it were just like they took it personal? Like they were the Jordan means.

SPEAKER_00 27:10

We should drop that episode soon because it is funny how that game is actually uh manifesting the in the playoffs.

SPEAKER_02 27:16

Well, like if we don't like if we don't drop it soon, it's gonna look really dumb when I'm like, oh, I I can fix the Browns this way, and they go on to win the Super Bowl. Like it's just gonna be really, really bad if that happens.

SPEAKER_00 27:25

I'm gonna I'll drop it this week since we're just putting out one uh you know in-time show. So I'll drop it this week as a as some bonus content for the for the lovers of the game out there. Um they've won three straight games. Uh Jacksonville fucked them up, but Jacksonville will be fucking a lot of teams up. It's kind of ugly. It's a resilient 3-1, like it's a nobody believes in us 3-1. They're becoming harder and harder to dismiss, even though I badly want to. Um, I'm I still think it can all fall apart. And they're very similar, and I like how the power rankings always end up doing this. These tiers start to take shape because there was a real similar vein in the cross-offs conversation, right? There was a real similar vein in the in the maybe almost cross-off conversation. The Browns and the Raiders are are having very similar seasons if you're comparing it contextually to uh what we were expecting coming into the season, Matt. I mean, looking at this Raiders team, they lost to Kansas City by three points. And Mike uh said in the group chat, shit, are the Raiders good? And it's like they looked pretty confident, honestly. Uh if if Kirk Cousins doesn't throw that later reception, they take the undefeated Chiefs deep into the final minute. Um honestly, 14 seems low, Matt, for the Raiders. Uh, can you can you justify their position here? Because I feel like they're better than this. I feel like they're better than the Panthers, and the Panthers are two places above them.

SPEAKER_04 28:42

I swear to God, you like you knew exactly where I wanted you to go because my note on it is the reason I place them so low is their next seven opponents are the Patriots, Bills, Rams, 49ers, Seahawks, and Broncos. If it weren't for that, I'd have them higher. That's almost all good teams. It is all good teams, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 29:02

Uh well, the Broncos look a little shaky in their post-memory list, so we'll come on to talk to talk about them. But um, Mike, what what made you say that in the in the group chat? I mean, are would are you legitimately concerned that we might have a good Raiders team on our hands?

SPEAKER_03 29:14

Well, yeah, it just it that that's the most competent that they've looked in such a long time. Uh and I I hate that it's Kirk Cousins that's doing it, but he's doing it. I mean, he is I think he's he he was uh Sam Bradford before or Sam Darnold before before Sam Darnold was. Like when you only have on those one-year deals, couple year deals, you can come in and actually, you know, make a good run, and then you realize, you know, you know, he's still Kirk Cousins. But I think their defense is playing better than I thought they were going to. Max Crosby is not gassed, he's not cooked, he's he's still all the things that that we thought he was. Uh and that offense is just formidable. Like Genty, Bowers, Cousins, they're they're good. I think they're good.

SPEAKER_02 29:59

Dude, I feel like I heard Bower's name more in that game than any player in any other game this past Sunday. That dude is just always making plays. He is always in the right.

SPEAKER_00 30:11

Yes, of course. Okay, we're talking about him.

SPEAKER_02 30:13

But it yeah, oh man, like I I wasn't sure how he would play, especially in the uh Raiders offense, but it it's in I mean when you have a a guy that goes go ahead and um he can really stand out for a mediocre or shit team. Uh you know he's special. And especially at the tight end position, too. I any running you can put any running back, I want to say any running back, but you mainly see running backs, talented running backs on terrible teams, putting up big numbers and doing well. But I think the tight end position is a little tougher to get that. So big props to him and and Kirk Cousins. I would also say our generation's uh Vinny Testaverdi.

SPEAKER_00 30:48

Wow. That's uh good comp. He's better than Vinny Test.

SPEAKER_02 30:52

Well, you know, the one-year deals going team to team, the you know, NFL whore, you know.

SPEAKER_00 30:57

Is he better than Vinny Testaverdi? I mean, I think if you can if you could if you stacked up, I don't have the numbers in front of me because this is not what I expected to happen. I think this would have been hard to predict uh the conversation going this way. But if you stacked their wins against each other, I would imagine Kirk Cousins is one a lot more games in the NFL than Vinny Testaverdi. Um and probably has better numbers to back it up. Uh I do think that the non-telling is the playoffs, right? Like there was always the bright lights.

SPEAKER_03 31:21

Yeah, 100%. Uh, but for all your fantasy owners out there, uh Kirk Cousins loves tight ends. Like he all every everywhere he's gone, he's made a tight end a superstar. So I mean, they were talking about Brock Bowers so much in the first half because they were just targeting Myers the entire time, or Mayer the entire time. It's like that's their backup tight end, and he already has like 65 yards and six catches in in the first half. So I I just think listen, they are at least the second so far, the second best team in the AFC West.

SPEAKER_00 31:51

Yeah, 14 might be low, to be honest, now that I look at it. Because then I I take a look at the next three teams the Bengals, the Panthers, the Vikings. I mean, week to week, I'm giving Matt shit for this for his Vikings placements. Like, uh, they're four and oh. I understand that it's that fucking uh uh, you know, it's that offense. I understand it's that their offense is absolutely turgid. I really get it, but they're four and oh, and they're sitting 11th on your power rankings. It just seems I get it, but they've won two games without scoring an offensive touchdown, something no team has done this early in the season since 1923. Um I know you distrust the offense, but shit. Looking at the Bengals, I'd say the biggest issue there is that Jamar Chase and T. Higgins both left hurt, so I understand why they're a little lower. I think, I mean, you know, they they kind of held their own against Jacksonville. Jacksonville team we now all think is good. And then the Panthers, beating Detroit, we'll see what kind of a what kind of a level of good that is as the weeks go on, because they're not looking that great. They got blown out by Atlanta, but Atlanta seems to be dropping fucking 40s weekly. And that, you know, their their issue is defense as well. This is the middle class of football right now. I mean, this this group uh they're probably gonna sit there thereabouts for the remainder of the season, right? I I mean, if the Vikings keep winning games, like maybe you have to justify moving them up. The Raiders look like they can make a strong case to actually jump up. You look at these three teams, though, and the Browns maybe and the Cowboys maybe, they they can all be in a in a bull market, but you look at these three teams, and it's like they're they're feeling good. They they bought a new Honda. Uh, you know, like they're the household income is right there at the median. Um, you know, they have to budget, but they're they're a little more comfortable than they were uh a couple of years ago. Um am I misreading, Zach? Any of these teams?

SPEAKER_02 33:42

I I think I think you're not accounting for the massive amount of credit card debt that the Minnesota Vikings have, maybe a gambling addiction or something. I don't know. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:51

The waste the waste uh shop is shopping therapy.

SPEAKER_02 33:54

Yeah, maybe the pr there's actually two Amazon Prime memberships that I'm aware of.

SPEAKER_00 33:58

Uh so you think that just the wheels are gonna fall off. I mean at some point.

SPEAKER_02 34:03

Yeah. I mean, in our our uh prediction show, I I had them for one win, but uh four wasn't expecting that, of course. But like you just said, they they had two games, so they didn't score an offensive touchdown. Like that's insane. That's not sustainable for a whole season. Um yeah, the the wheels will come off by like week eight or week six, right around there. Uh it's just gonna be.

SPEAKER_00 34:29

They're gonna win in Miami, they're gonna

Fringe Teams And NFC South Weirdness

SPEAKER_00 34:30

be 4-0. It's gonna be hard to defend their low position. They're about to go play the Saints. I could see them beating the Saints. I, you know, I'm at I'm as much as I'm enjoying the soundboard that you've been using for the entirety of this show. I uh your phone, you got a notification just so you know. Me, Mike, Zach, and all the listeners know. Um, but I I stopped the microphone.

SPEAKER_03 34:50

Just mute your fucking microphone, dude.

SPEAKER_04 34:52

This is Dave's fault. He made me bend my microphone down because he said I have to talk into the top of it like I'm like I'm blowing a Jewish person.

SPEAKER_03 34:59

So I'm not to assault it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 35:01

Okay. So if I can just uh defend my position on the Vikings very quickly, they have 86 points, 42 of them are their kicker. Not a great number for a team that deserves to be above where they are. They're in the middle of the pack, they're gonna slip, it's not gonna be it's not sustainable. They don't have an offense that can score the ball. And how much should a team move forward for beating Miami? No, no, I will decide.

SPEAKER_03 35:28

I really don't want to do this to you, but uh, how many points did the Patriots score in their first in their first three weeks?

SPEAKER_04 35:34

I'm sorry, are we Boston together? What is happening right now? No, I'm just like I just want to be just wanna be fair.

SPEAKER_03 35:41

I just want to be fair here. Like they're they're four and oh. Did we cross off the five Patriots?

SPEAKER_04 35:48

Or the Dolphins?

SPEAKER_03 35:50

You would have crossed off the Patriots had they lost.

SPEAKER_04 35:53

I actually was ready to do that before. But uh we already crossed off the Dolphins. You'll get points for beating Dolphins by five points.

SPEAKER_03 36:04

Okay, okay. Okay, so we just you could winning only matters if you beat teams that you deem as as good teams on the power of the room. I just want to make sure that I understand what I'm gonna be joining here for the rest of the fucking week because when I see a four-0 team, I'm like, oh, they should be in the at least in the top five. I do cross the likes. They're flawed. They're flawed.

SPEAKER_00 36:20

I do, I think I see the point that they're flawed. I just think Steelers were 12-0 three years ago, and you thought they were the best team in the fucking league, you know? I wouldn't say that. I just I think my entire point in that season remained consistently that they're 12-0. Again, it was based, it was based on the fact that Bobby wouldn't put them anywhere near the top five, and they had won 11 straight games. And I was like, I just think to like this is the exact point you're making right now about the Vikings. So strangely enough, it seems you're the one who has flipped or flopped one or the other. Not sure which if you're a belly up or ass up uh to start, but you're making the same point I was making that season about the Steelers, but we both accept that this is a flawed Vikings team.

SPEAKER_02 37:03

Dave, you know who else is belly up? Who? Tom Brady. When he got that kiss from his son.

SPEAKER_00 37:08

Just like Tom, thank you so much for that, Zach. Really appreciate that so much. Just like Tom Brady when he got that one and then second much longer lip kiss from his son while he was getting a front massage for football reasons. The kiss, I mean. So um maybe that's how he passes on his powers. Huh? Huh? I hope he kisses Caleb Williams. Um again, not what I thought I'd be saying on this podcast today, but here we are. Alright. I wanted to get here because we have to do a Patriots deep dive since we have the uh the the regular cast of MTP Boston here and three Patriots fans. So what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna set you guys up and I'm gonna let you take it away on a longer conversation. I'm just gonna give you sort of the framework and uh and I'm gonna leave it over to you to just do our little MTP Boston segment, the three of you. Um I'll I'll throw in my two cents if it if it's uh applicable. But let's start with Drake May. His full season numbers are still ugly. Um he looked better in that game. 73 for 117 on the season. That's a 62% completion percentage for those of you following along at home. Mike, I know that's important to you because you kept bringing it up about Caleb Williams all season last season. 854 yards, not great. We would like to see the QBs that have played all these games be cracking a thousand yards by this point. Um, four touchdowns, seven picks, and a few fumbles. It's not great, but again, trend going upwards. Um, I did really like the signs in the running game, far less anemic uh over uh in in the last game. The aggregate team numbers make me think that this giant leap back to number 10 is a little premature. As Mike alluded to earlier in the in the show, they're averaging 16 points a game. They've scored seven offensive touchdowns, and they own the horrific minus five turnover differential. Um, they're converting just 18 to 52 on third downs. That's 34%. That's not good enough. And May alone has thrown like those seven interceptions, lost two fumbles. That's nine May turnovers in four games. And I don't know if a legitimate top 10 NFL team can survive that scrutiny. Now, Buffalo happens. May goes 22 for 37, 269, three pick, three TDs and one pick, and 54 rushing yards, kind of look like himself again. So I guess the framework of this conversation should really be are you guys worried that you're gonna see two weeks ago New England again? Or does it feel like they Vrabel maybe got the train back on the tracks? I really enjoyed his response to CJ Gardner Johnson. I I thought uh I thought that was pretty perfect. Um, I did think, I mean, I like CJ Gardner Johnson. I really liked him on the Bears. He came on uh last season and definitely contributed, but it's you know, uh Vrabel's not wrong. 29 points is a season high for them. Um 405 yards is a season high for them. I think this is sustainable. I I do think that they can actually make this work. I don't I don't think you can get that bad that quickly. So, Mike, I'll start with you and then you guys can just talk amongst yourselves. Where do you feel? Where's your confidence meter? I know you specifically you did not hit the panic button just yet, which is a good thing.

SPEAKER_03 40:21

Yeah, I mean, even on uh MTB Boston last week, I said I fully actually expect Drake May to show up for this game and to win. Like this is the game that for whatever reason they get up for it. Um listen, I I said uh I think I said in the chat, I he just looked more confident. He's still gonna make mistakes, he's still gonna try and make throws that he shouldn't try to make. But when you see him do that and he crumbles or cries on the sidelines uh in in Jacksonville in September, that's that's when you're like, okay, something's broken. Because it's one thing if you just shrug it off. Listen, only I can make that throw, and I'm gonna keep trying to make uh I'm gonna keep trying to make that fucking throw. That's fine. But don't lose the confidence. What I did like more about this game is that it felt like Josh McDaniels went further into his bag, like he was calling a better game. I actually thought this was one of the best games that he's called, uh I think since since last year for sure. Um I don't love that Drake May is the leading rusher. I don't love that. Like you can't that that's not sustainable. Not when you have Henderson healthy, uh Stevenson healthy, but I thought when you this this looked a lot like you know the the football from years gone by where he just threw the open receiver. He was not targeting one specific player every single time. And I think that this is gonna be if he keeps doing this when AJ Brown does come back, it should make his return that much more impactful, right? Because then, yeah, you want to put double coverage on him, but now Chisholm's actually a wide an actual wide receiver. Romeo Dobbs, he's still gonna drop a ball, he's still gonna cause an interception, whatever, but he looked better too. Like this this game made me feel better about him. So I thought the defense did as good of a job as it could do against Buffalo, um, especially without Gonzo or Barrmore. Uh and I just think this team needs to play with confidence because they're they're gonna fuck up. It doesn't like and they just need to not worry about that and just go out and forget about it. Like, you know, be a fucking goldfish, like Ted Lasso said.

SPEAKER_02 42:20

I am very happy with more of the confidence boost of this game in terms of May look looked more confident in the pocket, more relaxed. It didn't seem like he was running for his life the entire time. Didn't have like the happy feet going on. The post-game locker room reaction, the press conferences, all great. So from a moral standpoint, for sure, I think it's a great turnaround. I think it's a good start to hopefully something better for this team. But I do think that this game may be a little flawed in terms of like thinking that the Patriots are back, or um even though Gonzo was was uh and Barmore wasn't there for uh for the Pats, the Bills were also missing their number one uh corner. Um also the Bills, for whatever reason, does anyone understand why uh James Cook only uh rushed 12 times in this game? Like, does that make any sense at all? I'm sure I'm sure they they figure they would uh throw the ball more without uh Christian Gonzalez, but at the same time, like running backs have tend to have a pretty decent success against the Patriots defense. So I think there's some play calling questions on Buffalo side. Um I think if you're if you step away from the Boston sports fan in a Boston lens, I think you would look at this game not mainly as the Patriots are back, but more of huh, maybe Buffalo is kind of a flawed team and maybe we should have questions of whether or not they're gonna be dominating all the way through.

SPEAKER_03 43:58

It just feels like uh Buffalo's head coach is more concerned with making sure that Josh Allen's the MVP as opposed to having the perfect game plan. Uh, because he knows that if he doesn't get to the Super Bowl, then he's probably gonna be fired anyway. So, I mean that's why they fired the last guy. And I don't see any difference in the play calling. There's really, really no difference. But this game should be looked at the way that Zach said. Like, yeah, the Patriots played a good game, but Buffalo gave us every chance to win this game, and we just happened to take it.

SPEAKER_00 44:28

I mean, I see a difference in the Buffalo in this Buffalo team. I don't know if it's coaching, but that defense looks shaky. I mean, it's you're not the only team that's been able to get at them. And I think, yeah, I mean, you can average 32 points a game, which is what they're averaging on offense all you want. But I mean, that that defense looks it looks like you can get at them a little bit. I mean, I still probably trust them more in January as we as we get down the home stretch that to right the ship in that regard. But like, I did sort of expect, just having watched them over the past few weeks, I did sort of expect the Patriots to be at least given the opportunity to get their offense back on track this week against the Buffalo Bills. Yeah, it's an intimidating team to play when you're you know when you're struggling on on either side of the ball, but it is a divisional team, which is the ultimate equalizer, like I always say. And and I don't know, I mean, like what was the big thing the Pats needed? They needed to be able to give get a little room to spread out and get that offense going and figure out how to defensively move the ball to different targets, get their quarterbacks' confidence back a little bit, and like Buffalo really just gave them that, right?

SPEAKER_03 45:37

No, 100%. I think uh what you wanted to see out of this game was if Drake may make a mistake, which he's going to, but I don't think that the interception was his fault this this week, and that isn't me being an apologist. I think if you just look at it, maybe he threw it too low, but whatever. I think last week that encourages him to fall apart a little bit more and again shed some more tears. What I loved was that right after that, they McDaniels was just like, We're we're gonna actually make Drake throw on the run. Because that throw to uh oh god, I already forgot his name. Yeah, that was it, that was a designed rollout throw. Like that that looked exactly like it was drawn up. Um, so I don't know. Keep him confident again. He's gonna make mistakes. I if you thought he was gonna go 15 and 2 or 14 and three out of your mind, you know, we we were expecting rational Patriot fans were expecting 11

Raiders Rising And Vikings Skepticism

SPEAKER_03 46:30

and 6.

SPEAKER_00 46:31

So But the fact that he did make mistakes in that game and the wheels didn't come off, I think. Yeah, that's the good thing. That's the good thing. I think that's the that's the real positive because I would think with how I wouldn't say shaky, I think that's an unfair word to use, but I think that in the first few, the first drive, maybe, and then a few snaps into the second one, the you would be forgiven for thinking, uh oh, he looks he looks like maybe the wheels are coming off again. But because, and I said this to Matt last week, because he was able to turn around overall and improve his performance, and yes, I agree that McDaniels put him in a position to do that, which is his fucking job, right? But like I you've seen offensive coordinators fail their quarterbacks that are struggling in these situations and try to get too complicated and try to make him, you know, do things that are out outside their comfort zone. He he did give him the opportunity to play his game and and his game effectively, but also it was completely up to Drake to not fucking panic once he made a couple of mistakes, right? And and I I it's defensible to say that was Romeo Dobbs for the for the pick, but you know, it wasn't the best throw in the world. You know, it wasn't like holy shit, like uh how did you possibly not just catch that? It was it, you know, it was there to to let the mistake happen. So I don't know, Matt, I would love to get your opinion on all not quite a prediction, but what you think you're gonna need to see going into playing the Raiders, who we've discussed now on this show, and they look frisky. So if you are able to go beat them, that's another big win for your season, for your momentum, for for the confidence in the locker room, like Zach was saying.

SPEAKER_04 48:02

Yeah, thank you. So uh what I've been thinking is maybe this year we can do the parade down Scarrow Drive instead of uh Comav. I just think that if we give Drake his own uh unbrady used uh you know uh parade, uh he'll settle in better in the city. No, I'm I'm I'm obviously kidding. I'm really high on them right now because I I love that they went out and showed everyone that the Buffalo defense is completely fraudulent and that you can't give up 27 points per game and win every game you play. But I really am nervous against the Raiders because I think our biggest weakness right now is Will Campbell. He looked like shit again. Russo was all over our Drake, he was cutting that edge every time he took the corner. Um, I really am afraid that uh he's gonna get hurt this week. The Drake's gonna get hurt this week. I think Will Campbell should be moved to guard and we should find another solution because this kid cannot handle the fast rushers.

SPEAKER_00 48:54

I think he should be moved to right guard, is the strange part. Yeah, I I feel like he he looks like he's on the wrong side of the offensive line as well as just you know T-Rex arms. I mean, we knew that coming in. But um I don't know. I I really thought that he was maybe a little banged up in the Super Bowl and he was gonna come back and and uh prove the doubters wrong, but I do agree he's he he looks like he can't get around. He can't he can't get around in time for those um athletic edge rushers in the at an NFL level. And I do think he's still a good pusher. You know, I do think he's strong, I do think he's he's quick off the off the line of scrimmage. You can see his athletic ability, but it is it is not great, and especially again when you're trying to build up a young quarterback's confidence again, which was obviously at an all-time low coming into this season.

SPEAKER_03 49:38

Also, the biggest detriment to him is that everyone knows that he has T Rex arms. So the refs, when they see that the defender's not blowing by him, they're like, oh, it must have been a hold. And there's hold of it every play. It is sometimes. But he but he's so egregious about it that they like they just they look they look directly at him and they're like, oh, that guy is not going past him. Oh, he has his jersey holding. Like I find it.

SPEAKER_00 50:02

He's still a solid run blocker.

SPEAKER_03 50:04

He's he's a he's not he's not the worst lineman we've we've had in the last 10 years.

SPEAKER_00 50:08

Oh, you picked him awfully high for that to be uh a description, though. That's depressing. I know.

SPEAKER_03 50:14

I know.

SPEAKER_00 50:15

Um anything else on your New England Patriots? Anyone?

SPEAKER_02 50:20

I don't think you can walk all at once, but you're gonna be able to do that. We're all so excited. Here we go. Uh Matt, how about you start?

SPEAKER_04 50:26

Patriots by seven, walking in.

SPEAKER_00 50:29

Michael? You seemed more confident at this start than that, but alright.

SPEAKER_03 50:33

Yeah, I think again, I is as long as Drake looks confident, uh, because he is going to get attacked by Max Crosby all all game, and he can't let that get in his head. So it's easier said than done, but I just think if he steps into throws or if they actually design bootlegs again and he and he's not throwing off his back foot, that's a good sign. If you see him in the first quarter uh panicking and doing that whole Mac Jones thing, like it's it's it's not good.

SPEAKER_02 51:03

And I think the thing I'm kind of I guess more. I mean, Drake's odd Drake and the offense, obviously like the big story right now for this team, but I'm more curious to see how the defense goes against uh Clint Kubiak led offense again. Uh you know, obviously uh led Seahawks to Super Bowl win, but it goes with Sam Darnold, kind of a mediocre quarterback, so we thought. Kirk Cousins, mediocre quarterback, so we thought. Uh curious to see what he kind of cooks up for this game, if there's anything special up his uh up his sleeve. Uh so I'll be curious to see how they uh stop the run and if Kirk Cousins could actually uh do anything special.

SPEAKER_00 51:44

All right. Well, I personally think you are gonna beat the Raiders. Um I think that their their fairy tale is gonna probably come to an end sooner rather than later, although I it will, you know, and I know we say this all the time on this show specifically, but we'll know a lot about both of these teams after this week because uh you're gonna have to be a good team to win this game, it seems like. Um you're not just gonna walk past the Raiders. You may have looked at this as a more favorable matchup on the schedule before the season started, but that they they're not uh just shrinking in these games. They they there seems to be some self-belief. And the same's true of the Patriots. I mean, it's not a great time to play them because it you're still in sort of a must-win situation here. You know, you still because you have to start to build in this momentum. If you get a repeat performance from, say, week one or week two from Drake or the offense or the offensive line or the defense, if you don't put it together, you're right back to square one. You know, you're right back in the doldrums of of thinking about uh if this is even sustainable as a project going forward, which is at the low points you guys seem to be at um last week before you you kicked this game off. So let's see, let's see how it goes. I I do think both teams really need to win, but I do think the Patriots are much more harmed by a loss than the Raiders are in this situation. So let's see how that goes. Um I'm gonna fly through the next few because there's just too many, I don't know, yet, even in the top ten. I think you're real generous putting the Broncos at nine, I have to say. Uh, I think that they looked like shit against the 49ers, but I guess a lot of teams will. They're two and two. There's two two and two teams in the in the top ten here, uh, one of them being the Patriots. I think both are generous spots. Um, I don't think Bo Nicks is as good as people thought that thought he was good thinks that he is. Did that work? Okay. Um, you kind of got what I was saying. I think uh 42 attempts for 214 yards, 5.1 per yards per attempt, and they still only generated 296 total yards. Their defense kept the game close, but Sertan and Riley Moss both left hurt. San Francisco eventually cracked them open. I think they're gonna do that to a lot of teams, though, so I I get why it shouldn't hurt their stock that much. But and I and also I will say this for the Broncos, their wins over Jacksonville and the Rams still both look good. They're not frauds by any stretch.

Patriots Deep Dive With MTP Boston

SPEAKER_00 54:00

I just think this is a little statistically and sort of eye test wise, I think this might be a little bit high. But if anybody wants to come to the Broncos defense, I you know, uh your time is now.

SPEAKER_04 54:09

Yeah, their only weak point appears to be Bo Nicks, which I've always said he's garbage.

SPEAKER_00 54:13

That's a tough position to uh be able to have a weak point at.

SPEAKER_04 54:17

I think, yeah, yeah, I agree with you, but a good team can win with a serviceable quarterback. And if he can be serviceable, they stay competitive. Because that defense is a good thing.

SPEAKER_00 54:24

When you say win, though, I don't know if you can win a championship with a serviceable quarterback, because even if you think about the teams that have won with what you're doing. Like Sam Darnold, I was gonna say, this is the point I'm about to make. I'm just gonna beat you in this argument before you even really make yours. Even if you look at teams winning with what you would call a mediocre quarterback on paper, that quarterback is playing at an elite level in their playoff runs. Like Eli Manning, sorry to bring that up, but Eli Manning, like you look at those playoff numbers during those runs, he was really fucking good. You look at Sam Darnold, he was really fucking good. I I think that I think that they at least need to be playing at that level. I don't know if you can see Bo Nicks making a playoff run at an elite quarterback level, but I or I can't at least. Maybe some maybe someone here can.

SPEAKER_03 55:11

The last team to win a Super Bowl with a less than super quarterback, I would say, was the Denver Broncos with Peyton Manning.

SPEAKER_00 55:18

It was still Peyton Manning, though.

SPEAKER_03 55:22

He couldn't make the thrusts, right?

SPEAKER_02 55:23

But he was it's still Peyton Manning's brain.

SPEAKER_00 55:25

Yeah. True. That was also one of the best defenses I've ever seen, like of all time, right? So I it it like it's not I'm not I'm not sitting here saying it's not possible. I I I'm not disagreeing with your point entirely that you can win with a serviceable quarterback on paper, but the the circumstances need to extenuate as fuck. No, you know, like there need a lot needs to happen. You're probably better off having a good quarterback. Not the hottest take in the world, but you're probably better off having a good quarterback, was where I would probably land on that. Um, you know, if they're playing, if they're playing, I don't know, if they're playing the Chiefs in in the AFC championship game, you're just not betting on anyone but Patrick Mahomes in that scenario. Really? I'm just saying. It's just in Denver. It's in Denver. Make a bet. Chiefs. Yeah, exactly. So I'm just saying, moving on, Baltimore Ravens. Mike, has your opinion on this team and and this quarterback changed? I mean, I heard you make the point that Lamar Jackson was a bad quarterback, which I think winning the MVP as a quarterback automatically disputes that fact, but sure. Uh I I I because I did hear Matt go, you mean like a thrower of the ball? And you were like, no, quarterback. And again, MVP as a quarterback, like not as any other position, and most valuable player, best in the league as a player at quarterback multiple times. Okay, no problem. I get it. I I think your point about them not really being able to win with him down the stretch is is more uh defensible. But 15 of 20 for 222 yards and two tutties with a 144.2 QB rating across four weeks. Uh, he's completing 71% of his passes. And again, last year completion percentage was very important to you when it came to trying to talk shit about Caleb Williams. This seems less important to you now, but like you wouldn't be the kind of guy that argues when convenient. So uh surely there's an explanation for that. But um six to one touchdown at pick ratio, his usual rushing threat. I know they played the Titans, but I still think they're they're a pretty healthy team.

SPEAKER_02 57:28

Well, there's a chance that Lamar doesn't play this week.

SPEAKER_03 57:31

Is that true? Is he hurt? Yeah, yeah, he's hurt, and they're their wins, yeah. Colts, Titans, their best wins against the Cowboys, and they they they lost to the Saints. So I'm just I I I don't think that they've had a signature win yet. Um I don't believe that Lamar Jackson is a is sorry, uh you're not gonna win a Super Bowl with him. I've I've I'm not gonna stop saying that. I will not stop saying that. He's one of the greatest athletes I've ever seen. Um, but when it comes to crunch time, he can't make the throws. Can't. And he I guess he can make them in September, but I just know what he's gonna do in December and January.

SPEAKER_00 58:10

I mean, that's proven to be true the last few years. Yeah. I mean, it unfortunately, like that, you can't really argue with the facts, you know, like it's true until it isn't, but as of right now, and and in our current timeline and our current dimension, it is true. So that's it's it's hard to argue with. You're not gonna win a Super Bowl with him because you haven't yet, is still a little unfair. Like, I you know, it's not it's not great, but it's also true of most players.

SPEAKER_03 58:34

Well, but but I think the difference is is you should have so far. I mean, especially last year when Mahomes was down, like that was the year that Alan or uh or Lamar should have made it, and they just couldn't do it.

SPEAKER_00 58:47

It's true, and now he's back, and I bet they're really fucking kicking themselves. I bet a lot of teams in the AFC are really, really fucking kicking themselves at this point. So we'll come on and talk about those Chiefs.

SPEAKER_02 58:56

To defend your stance on like quarterbacks and like the whole MVP thing. I give you Rich Cannon. He won an MVP. What did that guy ever do? Nothing.

SPEAKER_00 59:05

This is this is a good point. Um, that's there's bad Super Bowl you're not. It was bad though. Like that was one of the more lopsided Super Bowls I've ever seen. Um and he looked particularly fucking terrible in it. So uh fair point. Fair point. Um The Los Angeles Rams at 2-2 uh are number seven on your power rankings, Matt. I mean, based on how they've played, my instinct would be to say that this is high. However, if you're going projection heavy, their talent really supports the place on the board. Uh, I'd be interested to hear first your general reasoning for putting them here, and then if there's dissenting opinions or agreement from the other two, uh, please feel free to jump in, guys. But go ahead, Matt.

SPEAKER_04 59:49

You hit the nail on the head. It's just I just look at that team and I just cannot justify dropping them out of the top ten by any measure. I don't think that the Ravens are better than them. I don't think the Broncos are better than them, and I know that the Patriots will be better than them, but they're not at the moment. Um I just I just have a lot of faith in the talent that they have spread across that team. And I feel like uh if you look at who they've uh what they've done, you look at last week, uh that was an impressive win. I mean, it just is. To come back and win like that, uh they just look good and even injured. I think they're a very good football team.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:20

We haven't seen their defense with Miles Garrett and Aaron Aaron Donald on that line at the same time yet, so that's gonna be something. And Stafford always like as he's gotten older, or in his uh in this latest iteration with the Rams, he gets better as the season goes on. Kyron Williams gets better as the season goes on, and I just I don't know of a better one-two wide receiver duo than Puka and Devontae Adams.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:47

I'm a little nervous about Puka's brain, though. He he seems like he seems to have be an Antonio Brown type. Yeah, you gotta get what they're doing there.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:57

And part of me kind of feels uh Rams might be kind of fraudulent. I mean didn't the Eagles go uh Well, didn't the Eagles like go through they lost Saquon in this game, and then they had were down to their Shipley or the third string running back, too. And you know, the Rams get by, barely get by the uh the Eagles here. Uh weren't they 15 points down?

SPEAKER_03 1:01:21

They were 16.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:23

16, that's right.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:24

So when you say barely gets by, you mean all that happened and the good team capitalized and outscored the the other team? Correct. Yeah. Yeah, they sound fraudulent to me. You're right.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:34

I will I they feel a little I'm just saying like if they uh if they had beaten a healthy or if Saquon had played healthy the whole game, then I wouldn't be like, all right, impressive when like Zach.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:46

Do you go for it? Do you think the Patriots are fraudulent? Uh no, because they've they've shown No, no, because your your exact argument there, they were 10 points up on the team where their starting quarterback went down, and a backup quarterback came in and beat and just beat the brakes off of them for the rest of that game, and they lost. So you you're holding you'll hold the Rams to a standard that you don't hold the Patriots to?

SPEAKER_02 1:02:10

It's just Well, I also wouldn't have the Patriots at number seven in the power rankings either.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:16

Yeah, you're right. The scrutiny is is is really on the number seven team. I will make one point just as a space to watch in in defensive Zach's pretty pretty smoking hot take right here. Stafford's been pretty good on the eye test. He's thrown for 1,189 passing yards and six touchdowns, but also six picks. He's right at 500 with his touchdown to pick ratio, and they seem to be coming at opportune times. Uh that they they haven't destroyed a game for the Rams in any like horrific way. He hasn't been responsible for any sort of Rams loss, and he was responsible for the comeback, uh the 16 unanswered points and the comeback wins. So it it hasn't been talked about as much, but statistically it is happening. So he's got to clean that shit up, right? If they're gonna if they're gonna make a legitimate run, right? Like he has to start getting that ratio a little different. And if that continues, I mean, maybe we were just all a little bit fast off the starting blocks with this team. It's it's possible. I'm saying it's possible. I don't think they're frauds, and I don't think it's provable that they're frauds yet, but he all he did say, I'm starting to think maybe. He didn't say definitely.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:23

I said maybe I'm just saying allegedly possibly maybe frauds. So on the block.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:30

They're on the fraud block.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:32

They they walked into the butcher shop and they can see the block there. They know it exists. The other customers are walking around, it's not like, but the Rams are like, hmm, what's that piece of wood over there? Is that for me? Is it for him?

SPEAKER_00 1:03:44

It's not it's not bad yet, but it is starting to feel awkward. Like a little bit like that time that Tom Brady mouthkissed his son on that documentary for like a long period of time while he was getting a front massage, uh, for football reasons, I guess. Um anyway, I'm just saying it's it's it's a little awkward, not that much awkward, not that level of awkward, not Tom Brady mouthkissing.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:07

Are the are the Rams Brady in this situation or his son?

SPEAKER_00 1:04:12

Or the massage giver watching it happen and being very uncomfortable. Uh, I I just think that there's there's things to be worried about, but they might not necessarily be the things that we're worried about. You know what I mean? Like it might be completely normal over there. It it's actually the most apt use of the Tom Brady mouth kissing his son metaphor uh for the whole show because it might be fine, it might be not weird at all, but it looks starting to look like there might be some weirdness there, you know?

SPEAKER_04 1:04:39

So it might be weird, might be weird. Like like Jay Cutler and his cigarette mouth and Kristen Cavalier dog walking him. That was that was fun. Remember that?

SPEAKER_00 1:04:47

Is is that supposed to offend me?

SPEAKER_04 1:04:49

No, how can I offend a Bears fan with their quarterbacks over the past 20 years? Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:55

Sorry.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:56

Sorry.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:57

Um, I'm gone. I'm sorry. Got awkward in here, almost as awkward as that time, Tom Brady. Don't do it. Don't do it. Oh man. And 4K, nonetheless. All right. Um, moving right along, we actually already kind of did the Bills section uh in the context of the Patriots. Fuck the Bills. Um I think uh, all right. Um I think the Seattle Seahawks being three and one, beating the Chargers, everybody be doing that. I'm gonna save an extended Seattle Seahawks section for next week because they're about to play the San Francisco 49ers,

Broncos Questions Ravens Rams Heat Check

SPEAKER_00 1:05:30

and that's gonna really be a fun game, I think, to watch. I think that's two powerhouses going up against each other. I think number five is fair on the power rankings. They're three and one with a plus thirty-two differential. Let's see if they can actually beat a team that we all think is a Super Bowl contender, right? Let's see if that can actually really happen because they're they are the 49ers are at this point. Brock Purdy's playing out of his mind. Is he the front runner for MVP right now? Brock Purdy? Yes, absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:56

Um, that's he usually like the first six weeks of the season. He's had a couple. Yeah. You're right.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:02

I'd have to agree with you. I think this is the best he's ever looked, though. I will say that for him. I think on the eye test, this is the best he's ever looked.

SPEAKER_03 1:06:09

Mike Evans is a game changer.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:10

Yeah, it's fucking crazy, dude. That's there's he opens up the middle of the field. He just does. He's also a little injury prone, though, so it is kind of crazy that the 49ers picked up another guy that like potentially could be affected by those Transformers. Um, I guess we can talk about the Chicago Bears. Is there anything interesting there to talk about? I might, I might have a few things to say. Um I got I got one back.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:33

I think the Bears are the best coach team in the NFL, and I don't think it's even actually close. Not close.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:40

Um, yeah, Ben Johnson's definitely a good coach. I mean, when you when you get yourself in a situation where you can provably say that you have the three best quarterbacks in the NFC North on one team, I uh I think that's pretty fun. I I'm having a good time with it. I don't know about you guys. Um, Jared Goff, fourth best quarterback in the NFC North, after obviously Tyson Bage and Case Keenum and Caleb Williams. And I think it's looking like Caleb's gonna be out again this week with the hamstring that everybody like really overreacted to his reaction to. And I I'm sure you guys are embarrassed enough about that. I don't I don't want to rub it in, but we're not um four is pretty generous to these Chicago Bears. It might might be like you're you're doing me a favor here. I mean, I haven't seen them beat a team that good. They're not gonna get that opportunity next week because they have to play the Green Bay Packers. So even if they beat them, it's just like waxing another fucking tin can, you know what I mean? It's not that's not gonna be that impressive. But they're going to Lambeau favored for the first time in like uh I think that the number exact mathematical number was a bajillion years. Um, so that's interesting to me. Uh, I again don't think Jordan Love is that good. I don't think the Rams look that impressive in their win, but the Bears look really competent. There's just a lot of competence going on, and it's obviously coming from the coaching staff. They seem to, he seems to have actually changed the culture there in two seasons, which uh just shows you what a what a good head coach can actually do. The blocking for the running, especially, but the blocking is just it's a fucking sight to behold. I've never been this turned on by an offensive line before. Usually I'm not into that body type, but honestly, boys, it's open season. You guys are looking sexy out there. Fucking tons of fun. Tons of fun watching those tons of funds on the offensive line for the Chicago Bears. Monongai is filthy. Uh Swift is great. They're playing fucking out of their minds. I love watching Kymenongai run the ball. Genuinely. He's one of those just head-first downhill bowling ball runners. He's like, you guys remember the movie Hook? And then there's the kid that they roll down the thing. Yeah, uh, unbelievable. He's just so fun to watch. Three winning quarterbacks in four weeks. Um obviously, it's gonna be funny when you guys start calling Caleb Williams a system QB when he comes back. I I uh I can't wait. It's good, it's just the bit is writing itself, obviously. But I saw a video of the Jets um like local broadcast all being like, well, this is an easy win, no Caleb Williams, right? And I think Philadelphia probably felt it the same way. The only downside to the Chicago Bears winning in this fashion is I think we're now starting to get on people's radar. I think people are actually starting to see that this is a team that you they might be a contender. I don't know. I don't know. I mean they they they looked okay in the playoffs last year. They their defense actually seems to be a lot better than I thought it was gonna be. The the rookies that they drafted are legitimately good. Um, and yeah, I've never seen a Bears offense like this. You're absolutely right. I've never seen a Bears offense like this, not even close, not even fucking close. So I I'm interested just to to hear, Mike, from a I guess neutral, although you do look like to see me sad uh in perspective. Would where how do these bears look to you? What what are you seeing?

SPEAKER_03 1:09:54

I mean, they look like everything that you just said, man. They have they have the the probably the best uh top three offensive-minded head uh head coach in the NFL. Um I think the pairing with him and Caleb is amazing. Uh I do think that what he does and what he's done with your backup quarterbacks makes me reconsider ever thinking that Jared Goff actually was was doing better as a QB. Um Jared doesn't have the same amount of talent that Caleb Williams has. So anyone that wants to call Caleb Williams a system quarterback is a moron.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:32

Uh oh, I thought you were gonna do it. It was right there.

unknown 1:10:34

No, no, oh well.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:37

I'm not gonna call yeah, I'm not gonna call him a system quarterback. Uh no, but what what I've been watching because since week one, it was uh you said like their defense sucks. And it's like, oh well, you know their team way better than I do. And I'm like, well, they're fast. It feels like remember the remember the year the Cowboys defense figured it out, Dave? This feels like that again. Like it looks like they're they can get everywhere, they might give out the points, but like their offense with with Caleb can score 30 a game. Um I I think if Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams are together for 10 years, there's there's a very good chance that the Chicago Bears are gonna win a Super Bowl or two. That would be really nice.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:22

I want to think like that. Guys, seeing Dave Dave's eyebrow raise after you said or two Super Bowls made me so uncomfortable, almost as uncomfortable as watching Tom Brady kiss his son.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:36

You know the irony is that the first time I watched that video, my eyebrow did the exact same thing.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:43

I'll leave that.

SPEAKER_04 1:11:44

I've watched Dave for a long time. There's only been a few times that I get this look, this giddy little cackling look. I want the Bears to win, but I also want to watch Dave watch them crumble. So this is a complicated moment for me.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:56

I don't. I've seen I've seen that I've seen that show too much. I think I still, despite what you what you what you may believe, DK, I am still rooting for a plethora of Bears Patriots Super Bowl matchups. I wouldn't really want that.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:12

100%. I don't think you do want that, Mike. Oh, we want the smoke, it's a good idea. It would be just fucking great content. We might never speak to each other after that era, but it'd be it would be a great finish to the podcast if that could happen.

SPEAKER_04 1:12:35

Um the idea of having a like a game where Drake May and Caleb Williams are mic'd up, and we get to hear Caleb give his every time he gets hit, that would be the best.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:45

You can't say that after our guy was fucking cried against the Jaguars, dude. Like Mike in September.

SPEAKER_04 1:12:51

He gives a shit in September. Sorrow drive. I'll see you in February.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:55

Hey, I wouldn't mind going up against your uh your version of Carson Wentz. I mean, your JJ McCarthy is is gonna be a hell of a JJ McCarthy, you know? I mean, I do think he is, I think what I'm assessing uh of Drake May is that he's the Carson Wentz of JJ McCarthy's. That's what I think he is, and uh we'll see. We'll see as it goes on. I don't really mean that. I'm just just being a jerk for fun. Um,

Bears Buzz Jaguars Surge And Wrap

SPEAKER_00 1:13:20

I don't really think that. I actually do think they are gonna turn it around and and sustain what um happened last week. That's my official take on the New Glen Patriots. The Jacksonville Jaguars, Jaguar's, no, you are no longer a key star. The bitch should be we just cross them off like week four every year, no matter what, just for fun. Um, they're at home in London this week, and uh they um they you know what they're all fucking Jaguars fans over there now. Did you know that? Because of the amount that they've been force fed, the Jacksonville Jaguars. They don't know. They like if you're from England and you hear about Jacksonville, like you don't know what of a what kind of a nightmare swamp that place actually is. That they're the London Jaguars.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:03

They're gonna find out next month when they get GTA sex.

SPEAKER_04 1:14:06

Just the thought that Arsenal fans, Arsenal fans are rooting for a team that plays in Jacksonville, Florida. Beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:13

It's it's beautiful, but I I will say this for the Jags. They've outscored their opponents 104 to 53. That's a plus 51 differential. Um, the Patriots helped them along in that, but uh, they're allowing just 13.3 points a game. Trevor Lawrence looks like I thought Herbert was gonna look. I mean, I think I backed the wrong white guy coming into this season. Um 72, 104 for 843. He's not he's not spreading it around the field. It's not an air raid, but he's playing super efficiently. He's great in the red zone. Um, he legitimately is a really, really good red zone QB. Over the last two weeks, he's thrown four TDs against one pick, and they beat New England 35-6. Sorry to bring that up, but also Cincinnati, who are a legitimately good team, 22 to 17. He was super efficient against Cincinnati, 18 to 22, 23, 227, one TD. No pick, 122 passer rating. And the only loss is a seven-point road defeat in Denver, who Matt thinks are the fucking second coming of the of the 2001 Rams. So the only um thing I'll say is I thought three was aggressive for the Jags, and then when I actually started looking at the resume, I buy it. Um, the London Jaguars at home against wait, who the fuck are they? Oh, they're playing Philadelphia in in London. So they're at home against Philly, and I just wonder when they win that game, which I think that they will, and they're four and one, this is this is they might be a contender, guys. This is kind of crazy. Um, Zach, talk to me about your impressions of what this team was coming into the season and and how they've looked and and how those two things compare.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:42

I mean, I thought they're gonna have kind of a setback right in the high of last year. Uh candidate for sure. Yep. And then the the tougher schedule as well. Um the start has definitely surprised me. Um I find they're I mean, the the offense is gonna speak for itself. Like, like I don't think we need to really expand on that. Trevor Lawrence is looking great, like uh their running backs, their their wideouts. Uh Travis Hunter actually looks really good as well.

SPEAKER_00 1:16:10

Um but their defense is interesting because it might be because Drake May made him look really good.

SPEAKER_03 1:16:17

No, I no, I'm shaking my head because Matt just got a fucking text and I heard it.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:26

The Jags defense is really interesting because uh in terms of um rushing, they've allowed the second least amount of yards per game. Uh but their pass defense is really bad. And it's gonna be interesting to see, especially some quarterbacks like Lamar. I know he can't throw the ball, but if he's given an opportunity, he'll look really good. Um Caleb Williams in December. That's gonna be I know I'm kind of jumping ahead in the schedule here, but Caleb Williams, uh Jaden Daniels as well. So there's a lot of quarterbacks that could put up yards against this defense, and I'd really be curious to see is it gonna be uh is the defense gonna kind of cost this uh team some games? Um so that's kind of what I'd be looking for, even though it is a home game in London. I do respect that home field advantage is big. Um without Saquon and possibly having to go to their uh third string running back, they might be looking to air the ball out more, and the Jags haven't really shown a good pass defense.

SPEAKER_04 1:17:34

All right, I think that this team, the Al Jaguars are susceptible to a team like Philly, because if he if Jalen Hurts gets the ball off over the top and they get up on them, who knows what's gonna happen. You don't want I I've loved watching Trevor Lawrence like command his offense. It finally is happening where he looks uh like he's comfortable, he knows the plays, he knows the plan. But if he's playing from 13 points, 14 points down, who knows what happens? If panic sets in I'm interested to see how they handle it.

SPEAKER_03 1:18:02

If he's playing Justin Herbert, we know what happens. He he wins that game. Trevor Lawrence comes back, like for sure. I I I don't know why I don't like Trevor Lawrence. I can't tell you why. But I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 1:18:16

Did you watch him lose the national championship to Joe Burrow?

SPEAKER_03 1:18:20

No, I don't like I he's talented, but uh it felt like I think he'll be a top 15 quarterback in the league. And it feels like they paid him like he was gonna be a top five. And all the expectations were.

SPEAKER_02 1:19:28

I mean, it it is weird to see, and it's weird to think about, but I mean Drew Brees brought the Saints a Super Bowl, and like people forget like how horrendous the Saints were before he arrived.

SPEAKER_00 1:19:37

This is just I think because of the era that we were kind of our brains were forming. I don't think of the Saints like that because of Drew Brees, but yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:19:45

I mean, Blake Bortles brought Jacksonville to the AFC title game like three years before uh Sunshine arrived. So I don't understand.

SPEAKER_02 1:19:52

But I don't think but I don't think anyone looked at Blake Bortles as a potential top 15 quarterback, even though he was drafted number three. Uh I don't think anyone ever ever looked at him that way.

SPEAKER_00 1:20:01

I think Borders is already a top 15 quarterback now. I think he's top five right now. Yeah, maybe on form, but I just mean like if you were establishing like the credentialed list, I think he'd be in the top 15 at least. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Yeah. Um there's nothing really Kansas City Chiefs. Yeah, I mean I love how I love how when you're trying to make an argument for the first time. Um or 14th or whatever you did. Um the Kansas City Chiefs, yeah, they're back. I'm scared, but they have a bye next week, so there's nothing to really talk about. And we already kind of touched on the San Francisco 49ers. So I really appreciate everybody coming to the power ranking show. Um the Tom Brady mouth kissing, his son joke will uh not be a recurring bit across the cour uh course of the damn shame. Uh well, I feel like if I keep doing it, it's gonna get a little awkward. Um, awkward like that time Tom Brady was mouth kissed. All right, I'm done. I'm done, I'm done.

SPEAKER_04 1:20:57

Keep it up. I'm gonna mouth kiss you in a second. Damn it, that didn't work.

SPEAKER_00 1:21:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. That's that's not a threat to me, Thaler. All right, so we came, we saw, we power ranked. Thank you guys so much for coming. Um, a lot to watch, uh a lot to be excited about, a lot of context. I'd say the game of the week, it has got to be 49ers uh Seahawks. I'm really excited to see how that goes, but I am also interested in the other games around the league, especially keeping a close eye on those New England Patriots. So for myself, DK Sizzle, for Zach, for Mike, for Matt. Thank you so much for listening to the city.