Hour 1: NFL Divisional Recap

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg

Episode: NFL Divisional Recap (Hour 1)

Date: January 19, 2026
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Main Theme:
A spirited breakdown of the NFL Divisional playoff weekend—featuring a deep dive into controversial officiating (especially “the catch”/interception debate), the persistence of “usual suspect” franchises in the AFC, and the impact of quarterback injuries. The show also weaves in some NBA/NBA-Knicks news and listener calls, all in the energetic, honest, and sometimes combative style that defines the trio.

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1. Opening: No Time for Banter, Right to Football

(01:10–02:23)

• The episode opens on a light note, mentioning Don joining from chilly Calgary, but quickly pivots:
  Peter Rosenberg: “We have limited time, guys, so we can’t even, you know, talk about the weather.” (02:00)
• The focus: NFL Divisional Weekend, with particular attention to officiating controversies and the future of the remaining playoff teams.

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2. The AFC Playoff Officiating Controversy: “The Catch,” Consistency & Frustration

(03:00–10:00, revisited throughout)

a) What’s a Catch? What’s an Interception?

• Peter Rosenberg is irate about a controversial call late in the AFC Divisional game and the lack of replay review:

“Why after 19 games…and three hours of incredible, intense football…on a play that’s clearly at least controversial, would the refs really trot up to the line of scrimmage as if there was nothing to look at?” (03:00)

• Alan Hahn:

“That might be one of the most difficult plays to say yes or no to. It’s got... There is no—you can’t confirm on anything on this.” (04:54)

• Don LaGreca strictly references the NFL rulebook:

“He didn’t survive the ground…If there’s no defender there and that ball pops out when he hits the ground…It’s incomplete. Now there’s a defender there, so it never touched the ground. You can’t call it incomplete. You can’t call it a catch…The only thing to call is an interception.” (05:22)

• Peter repeatedly points to inconsistent applications of this rule in other games—Packers/Bears and elsewhere.

b) Consistency and Transparency in Officiating

• Alan and Don both agree that consistency is lacking but differ on what’s “cut and dried.”
• Alan: “If there’s any criticism, it’s…they never gave it an opportunity just to take a look. Even if they walked out and said, ‘no, no, we’re going to keep the call as is,’ at least you looked at it.” (07:53)
• Don: “They looked at it, and by the letter of the law, didn’t survive the ground. That’s it.” (08:26)
• Peter, frustrated: “But here’s what—the most critical play of the season, they rush through!” (40:00)

Notable Quote

• Peter: “We’ve all seen regular season games where…quarter of a 2–13 game, they spend 10 minutes trying to get the spot of the ball right, but here’s the most critical play of the season, they rush through!” (40:00)

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3. AFC Championship: Are We Doomed to Usual Teams?

(09:24–13:40, revisited later)

• Peter fears a lackluster matchup: “We’re in a world where the New England Patriots are going to be—I mean…they are going to win this game. Can we all agree?”
• Don, always the contrarian:

“I cannot sit here and tell you that [the Broncos] have got no shot. Can’t do it.” (10:41)

• Vegas odds are discussed, with consensus that even Vegas gives Denver “a chance,” though New England is favored.

Parity vs. NFL Royalty

• Alan calls out the “fake” of NFL parity: “It’s the same teams. It’s either the Chiefs or the Patriots in the championship game in the last 15 years. Unreal.” (13:09)
• Peter: “In a year in which we felt like the really great teams weren’t there, it’s still ultimately a version of the same teams?”
  Alan: “It just seems to be the same brands always float to the top.” (13:22)

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4. National Championship & Knicks Check-In

(14:04–18:06, 25:30–28:50)

• Briefly pivots to college football: National Championship night is hyped, with some friendly banter about rooting interests (Miami vs. Indiana) and college football’s ever-expanding playoff (16:20).
• Alan transitions to NBA/Knicks news: Jalen Brunson named All-Star starter (for the East), and the Knicks may at last be healthy for today’s game (25:51–26:43).
• Knicks stretch: Upcoming “get right” homestand is critical, after injuries contributed to recent 3-game losing streak.

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5. Structured vs. Off-Platform QBs & NFL Storylines

(33:56–37:14, 47:23–50:51)

a) Young Quarterbacks and “YOLO Ball”

• Caleb Williams’ wild playoff throw for the Bears: Amazing but ultimately meaningless since the Bears lost.
  • Alan: “That did feel like…a young quarterback making a throw that in five years, he’ll never make.” (37:03)
• Don draws Brett Favre parallels—brilliant, but prone to critical mistakes.

b) The NFL’s QB Monster?

• Caller Dave: “We have these great quarterbacks…give us highlight films…But they got no Super Bowls because they got no structure. The NFL’s created a monster that can’t win.” (48:30)
• Don agrees in part: Off-structure QB play (e.g., Josh Allen, Caleb Williams) is exciting, but structure/discipline wins in the long run.

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6. Listener Calls: Fan Frustrations & the Nature of Great Franchises

(28:51–34:48, 47:14–51:22)

• Danny on Long Island: Breaks down the catch/interception ("to me, there’s no controversial [call] whatsoever," 28:51) and on NFL franchise “Royalty”—“four teams have combined to play in almost 60% of the AFC Championship games. Same song, different day.” (32:47)
• Jason in the Bronx echoes frustration: “The refs ended up ruining it for us because of how quickly they were just like, nope, it’s not a catch…Like, come on, you’re just gonna leave us with that?” (38:20)

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7. Rulebook Drilldown: Surviving the Ground

(51:02–52:50)

• Caller Cody reads the NFL rulebook (Section 1, Article 3) on simultaneous catch vs. interception. The hosts agree: The rule as written means “did not survive the ground” = interception, even if the ball is physically ripped free and never hits the turf.
• Don: “Don’t be surprised if they might revisit this during the offseason, but by the letter of the law, they got it right.” (52:44)

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8. Notable Quotes & Moments

• Peter Rosenberg:

  “Why after 19 games…on a play that’s clearly at least controversial, would the refs really trot up to the line of scrimmage as if there was nothing to look at?” (03:00)

• Alan Hahn:

  “That might be one of the most difficult plays to say yes or no to…You can’t confirm on anything on this. And hearing some people stomp their feet about this play makes no sense.” (04:54)

• Don LaGreca (on rulebook):

  “He didn’t survive the ground…If there’s no defender there and that ball pops out when he hits the ground…It’s incomplete. Now there’s a defender there, so it never touched the ground. You can’t call it incomplete. You can’t call it a catch…” (05:22)

• On NFL Parity, Alan Hahn:

  “It’s the same teams. It’s either the Chiefs or the Patriots in the championship game in the last 15 years.” (13:09)

• Caller Dave (on NFL QBs):

  “The NFL’s created a monster that can’t win.” (48:30)

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9. Tone & Takeaways

The tone is sharp, heated, but grounded in fandom and rulebook substance. The crew blend ribbing, hometown perspective, and genuine curiosity/despair about the state of NFL officiating, parity, and quarterback play.

• Key Takeaway: Despite radical changes around the league (injuries, new QBs, expanded playoffs), the NFL keeps returning to the same few franchises at the top; and, on-field, “catch vs. interception” controversies remain as confusing as ever.

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Major Timestamps

• 02:23 – “I was disgusted by the NFL in every single way...”
• 03:00–10:00 – Catch/interception officiating debate explodes
• 13:09 – “Same teams, every year”
• 25:51 – Knicks/Brunson/All-Star news
• 28:51 – First in-depth caller, fan perspectives
• 33:56 – Bears-Rams/Caleb Williams, “legendary moments in defeat”
• 47:23 – Caller Dave on QB structure/off platform
• 51:02 – NFL rulebook read-aloud: Simultaneous catch/interception

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For Listeners Who Missed It:
This episode is an unfiltered breakdown of playoff chaos: why rules are so hard to apply, why the same teams always seem to win, and why young quarterbacks and big brands still dominate the NFL’s biggest moments. Add in the exasperation over instant replay and you’ve got another classic blend of argument, expertise, and New York sports pain.

Transcript

[Peter Rosenberg]

Every sip of coca cola brings you closer to the excitement of the FIFA world cup 26. Because nothing compares to the joy. So grab a Coke and drink in the FIFA World Cup 26.

[Don LaGreca]

No purchase necessary.

[Peter Rosenberg]

13 in 50 US states and DC with a web enabled device.

[Don LaGreca]

Ends March 1 with eight entry periods.

[Peter Rosenberg]

[e-mail] SoccerRules Don, she fell in love with the sex. Han sauce was everywhere. And Rosenberg, if you want to stay up, he's got the energy that matters. This isn't North Dakota, this is New York.

[Alan Hahn]

This is Don, Han and Rosenberg.

[Caller/Danny]

The best threesome I've ever heard on.

[Alan Hahn]

ESPN New York and streaming live on YouTube.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh yeah, you bet your ACR streaming us live on the YouTube or you know, whatever you consume us on the ESPN New York app. I am full sized Peter Rosenberg here with miniature Alan Hahn.

[Alan Hahn]

It really looks ridiculous.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Joining us from Calgary, invisible Don, Miniature Allen. Miniature Allen in full size Rosenberg Size Rosenberg. Oh, full frontal, baby. We are here on this Martin Luther King holiday. If you are forced to work today, we are going to get you through the next 90 minutes. If you are having the day off, I hope it is a lovely day of rest or service or however you like to spend the day honoring Dr. King. But we are here to talk sports. Oh, and now we have Don coming through with a new interesting angle like you've never seen before.

[Don LaGreca]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And Don, I got it right. You're in Calgary.

[Don LaGreca]

I am in Calgary. It is a balmy 33 degrees. I decided to go for a brisk walk this morning and there's literally people walking around with shorts.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I was going to say that it does feel balmy compared to here. Here it's 32. Feels like 18. Absolutely frigid the second I stepped outside today. But listen, we only have, we have limited time, guys, so we can't even, you know, talk about the weather.

[Alan Hahn]

No banter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The back of your belly for a sleigh ride. No time for banter, Allen. You got big Knicks basketball to get to on this holiday.

[Alan Hahn]

Correct.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I'm sure you guys saw my social media over the weekend. I was disgusted by the NFL in every single way, Don. Well, you definitely didn't. You're not checked in on the social media, but I'll just say this. And Alan, you and I were texting about it.

[Don LaGreca]

What do you think I'm in France?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I don't know. I don't ever see you on the gram. Are you scrolling the gram?

[Alan Hahn]

Don's in orbit right now. He really is not paying attention to anything.

[Don LaGreca]

Every second of the game. Not Instagram. What? That's the only place people talk. They don't talk on Twitter anymore. I'll get off it right now, then.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I mean, the word. You do your.

[Alan Hahn]

You say you get off it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I say you get off just because. Because just do first. But I threw some up there as well. But I. I was just. Let me tell you what. I want to let you guys get in whatever you want to get in. But the number one point I will say is this. This is the one thing I think we will not argue about, because we can argue about whether or not Buffalo should have lost the game. We can argue about the immense amount of turnovers from Josh Allen, whose fault it was, and we can certainly argue about whether or not it was an interception or a catch. But one thing I don't think can be argued about. Why after 19 games, or almost 19 games and three hours of incredible, intense football, guys, why Allen, on a play that's clearly at least controversial, would the refs really trot up to the line of scrimmage as if there was nothing to look at? Can you please help me understand that part at least? Why is that not a moment when you're determining who's going to go to the Conference Championship game? Why would that be a moment when you don't stop and look at it for five minutes?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I can't explain that. I think. Look, they can't. That's one where it didn't feel like in the moment. It didn't feel like it was that questionable until you saw the replay. And so you're right, you would think, let's just take a look. The fact that never happened. Never happened. But I just got to say this. Anybody that thinks they can stand 10 toes down on business, that that should have been called a catch. You don't know what you're talking about. That's a play that is impossible. I don't think it's easy to say either way. It was an incredible defensive play and that's what I saw. Now, whether you could use the technicality of knee down, all that stuff, I don't think it's as cut and dried. That might be one of the most difficult plays to say yes or no to. It's got.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I agree with.

[Alan Hahn]

There is no. You can't confirm on anything on this. And hearing some people stomp their feet about this play makes no sense. That was one of those 50, 50 type things. And the officials had to make a decision.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, Alan, but here's the here's the weird.

[Alan Hahn]

That's all I'm saying. I don't think it's as easy as some people are trying to make it out. You're biased if you are.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I. I agree with you and I admit my bias. I deeply wanted Buffalo to be playing next week.

[Alan Hahn]

I've.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I had no interest with Denver and with Bo Nix, let alone Jared Stidham. So I think we've all been ripped off and that's. That's more personal. I agree with you. You definitely can't go 10 toes down. But Don, this league has to make up their mind on what the call is every single week. There was one between the packers and Bears. There was one yesterday in the Nightcap. We're seeing it over and over again. Can we at least get Don some level of consistency in officiating this play?

[Don LaGreca]

Well, there's always going to be inconsistency in everything. We see it in hockey all the time. That's goaltender fear. It's a different referee, a different game. And if we're building, it's not goaltender interference. What's pass interference, what's not pass interference. But get back to the interception. You're just basically talking about a PR move. Let's grandiosely go out there and take 10 minutes to look at it. Every turnover is looked at. And as much as you don't want to believe it, Alan's right. It's kind of cut and dried in the sense that you can't call it a completion. He didn't survive the ground. If there's no defender there and that ball pops out when he hits the ground, whether it's his knee, whether it's his elbow, whatever, he didn't survive the ground. It's incomplete. Now there's a defender there, so it never touched the ground. You can't call it incomplete. You can't call it a catch because he didn't survive the ground. The only thing to call it is an interception. Now, you could have taken 10 minutes if you wanted to PR wise, but once you know the rule, once you know he didn't survive the ground, it has to be an interception. There's nothing else.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The exact same play happened between Green Bay and Chicago. Guess what? In the defender's hand, they called it an incompletion.

[Don LaGreca]

So it was a little bit different.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They survived the ground yesterday.

[Alan Hahn]

Not. That was not the exact same.

[Caller/Danny]

It was the same.

[Don LaGreca]

He was being driven forward. Progress was stopped. He was moving in different direction.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I hear surviving another man jumping on top of you and he didn't jump.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, no. They came down together. Hands on the ball together like that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was enough. It was not hands.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't think we're giving enough credit to the defense. I thought that was incredible defensive play. Incredible.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen, listen.

[Alan Hahn]

To pry that out of Cooks is like, like, we're not talking about a guy who's like, soft. Cooks is tough man. To rip that ball out of his hands in that moment, rolling over like, that's a sick play. Sick.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So if you rip. But if he ripped the ball out of his hands, doesn't that imply that it was in Cook's hands when he hit the ground, but on the turf, ball in his hands, then ripped out of his hands?

[Alan Hahn]

I thought, I thought that was coming out on the way down. No, like, again, like, like I said, I don't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is why they needed to look at it for three minutes. We got three minutes to look at it.

[Alan Hahn]

That's what I was going to say. That's what I was going to say is that what we're doing here is. Is exactly why it did need to be looked. If there's any criticism, it's. They never gave it an opportunity just to take a look. Even if they walked out and said, no, no, we're going to keep the call as is. Hey, at least you looked at it. Right? Right. But the fact that they wouldn't even look at it is, you know, that's the part that I'll outside with you, but I don't feel like this is that cut and dried that you could say definitely this and definitely that. It's not one of those plays. I don't see it that way.

[Don LaGreca]

I think the same thing would have happened. Would people have felt a little better about it? Yeah, possibly. But I don't think it would have just been take 10 minutes. People still would have been upset about it. They looked at it. Every turnover is reviewed. They saw by the letter of the law, didn't survive the ground. That's it. Now you can get to the pass interference stuff. Should they have called the pass interference? Well, his arm. He had to go with one arm because the other arm was being grabbed. Should he not call pass interference because it affects the game because it's in overtime? I thought the whole thing in sports is what you call in the first quarter should be what you call in overtime. And then the one that wasn't called in the end zone, I'm not sure that ball was catchable. Now, they never said that. They never said the ball was not catchable. But I think people freak out, guys. And certainly I'm no fan of the officials and I wanted the Bills to win this game. I picked the Bills. I wanted the Bills. It's much more sexier to have the Bills in the championship game. But I can't say they got job by the officials. I can't.

[Alan Hahn]

But now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I hear you.

[Alan Hahn]

But now the result of this whole thing and with Bo Nix's injury, it's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's.

[Alan Hahn]

We're in a. We're in a world where the New England Patriots are going to be. I mean like they are going to win this game. Can we all agree? I mean, is it consensus like it would be?

[Don LaGreca]

I can't.

[Alan Hahn]

It would take a miracle. A miracle.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It would be a great little feature though, I'll tell you this. It would be a great feature in the eventual Sean Payton hall of Fame exhibit if he were able to somehow coach Jarrett Stidham to a win over the Patriots even if they don't win the Super Bowl. It would be an incredible, incredible moment for the Sean Payton legacy. Because you guys would agree this only happens if Peyton coaches the game of his life. There's no way on paper that the Stidham Broncos should beat this Patriots team. Well, so that. That's the only hope this thing has. But it's such a dumb.

[Don LaGreca]

Let me ask you, Alan.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Go ahead, Don.

[Don LaGreca]

How much better is next to Stidham? He's better. No question. But how much better? You're not going John Elway to a backup quarterback. You're going to a second year quarterback. It is definitely a step back. But you got one of the best coaches in football. You got one of the best defenses in football. You've got home field advantage against the Patriot team that really had trouble putting away the Texans despite the five turnovers. I'm not betting on the page, I'm not betting on the Broncos. But I cannot sit here and tell you that they've got no shot. Can't do it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I like that take. I like that take. I don't agree with you.

[Alan Hahn]

How many. But I like how many games instead of played him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Stidham is a career four star.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, four stars.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. And. And now he's gonna. Now he's gonna start in the AFC championship game. Come on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But now he.

[Don LaGreca]

You know what, I gotta tell you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He does have eight touchdowns though, and eight interceptions in his career.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. So again, I'm not betting on it. But what's the number five?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, the four and a half, isn't.

[Don LaGreca]

It four and a half? Vegas is telling you there's a chance.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Vegas is saying it's not an absolute impossibility that, that, that. You're right about that.

[Don LaGreca]

I can think of a couple of reasons why the Broncos win the game. They're home, they got a great defense, they've got Sean Payton, and there's a lot of reasons why people buy at Ramsey Mazda. It's their selection, it's their customer service.

[Alan Hahn]

That was unbelievable.

[Don LaGreca]

At least a new 20, 25 Mazda, 32.5s, all wheel drive for 189 for 33 months. Start shopping now at Ramsey Monster dot com. Choose wisely. Choose Ramsey Monster. Call 833-853-2970 for lease details. Vin SM 844-681 MSRP $29,075 0 security deposit ends 2, 226.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was beautifully done, Don. I'm going to push back on what you just said, though. Don, I was agreeing with you, and you were on a roll, and I liked it. But Allen, five and a half on the road is still Vegas telling us New England's winning this football game.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes. That's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's eight and a half. Neutral site on that. That's a. That is a big number.

[Alan Hahn]

And by the way, by the way, all of us who are celebrating parody and the newness and new teams coming in to win things, you could have.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let me just say it, Alan.

[Alan Hahn]

How's that looking right now?

[Peter Rosenberg]

You were, you were right. You were right. The parody. I was excited.

[Don LaGreca]

I disagree with this. Take two.

[Alan Hahn]

What's your disagreement here? Because, let's see. Rams. Yep. Let's see. Seattle. Yeah, they've been in a lot. New England.

[Don LaGreca]

Yep.

[Alan Hahn]

They've been in a lot. It's the same teams. What's that? What's. It's. It's either the Chiefs or the Patriots in the championship game in the last 15 years.

[Peter Rosenberg]

15.

[Alan Hahn]

Unreal.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So you're saying even in a year in which we felt like the really great teams weren't there, it's still ultimately a version of the same teams?

[Alan Hahn]

It's the. Well, the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not Philly or Kansas City.

[Alan Hahn]

It's the brands. Right, the NFL brands. It just seems to be the same brands. Always find a way to float to the top at the end of the season. It's. It just happens to be that way. So it's been a little while for the Patriots, of course, but still.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I can't believe we're back here already. Don, can you believe it? When it ended, did you really think there was a chance that we'd be sitting here in 2026 and there'd be an entirely new Patriots team that's likely headed to the Super Bowl. I'll let you think about it, but let.

[Alan Hahn]

Let him think about that for a second because, you know, we are. We are. We. We could crown a champion tonight. You know this, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

What do you mean?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, we have a national championship tonight. Oh, and you know when the trophy is raised, that it could feel like the season's over. Of course. But on the ESPN app, it's never really over because with more than 47,000 live events, plus originals highlights coverage from every corner of the sports world, there's always something to dive into. Now, you know I'm going to be all over that. The Natty tonight, everybody. The Knicks play at 5. I'll get home in time. Plenty of time to catch the end of that Indiana Miami game. Emma, grad student from the U. So you know who we have to be pulling for, right? Just have to. If it's okay with Don, we do have blood in the ground there. No off season, just everything a fan needs to keep going. Always in season. Get all of ESPN all in one place. Download the ESPN app on your TV or phone today. Is it okay for me? Can I root for the U?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can I listen? You know, don't do that. Don't do what you just did.

[Alan Hahn]

Can't do that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not do. No, you cannot put a U up. Alan Han, that is ridiculous. You could put up an liu.

[Alan Hahn]

I'll do the. I'll do the li.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But Li, you cannot put up. I didn't tell you.

[Alan Hahn]

Don didn't see it. I wanted to send Don off the edge just. Just to throw up. Throw it up. Me and Michael Irvin.

[Rich Eisen]

I don't know.

[Alan Hahn]

I might. I might be hanging out with Michael Irvin.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Bta. I. I've been seeing the. The Miami gear, though, out in the streets of New York. People, the U grads are proud, bro. You kind of forget that a lot of people, you know, from this area and from a lot of metropolitan areas go to the U and. But I'll tell you, Even today in 30 degree, what feels like 15 degree weather in New York, Allen, I'm seeing the Cane's jackets out in these streets. People are amped up. And I was like, oh, my God, college football is still going. No way.

[Alan Hahn]

How dialed in are you going to be?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I always throw on the national championship so it'll end up on in the house. I like it because it goes from about 9 till 2am so you can kind of come in for a little while, put your baby to bed, have dinner, get on the phone, come back. It's the third quarter. Oh, Heisman Doza being a cheeseball. Listen, if it's a good game, I will watch till the end and if it's trash, I will just turn it off. That's it.

[Alan Hahn]

What about. Is. Is it a better story for Mendoza and the, and the Hoosiers to just, you know, to, to finish the season, you know, unblemished? You know, the Heisman winner wins the national championship, right? Signetti, the next big coach everybody's gonna be talking about, but a program, a school that's only known for basketball, suddenly becoming the, the toast of, of the football of college football, is that the better story or is it the return of the U, the rugged defensive team, right? The arrogant. Not arrogant, but you know what I mean. He's a brash coach as well. Cristobal, like is that. Which is the better story for college football?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think moving forward, the better story is probably the return of the U. You know, like, is Indiana turning into a legitimate full time powerhouse or is this going to be just like a random year in which this coach and this quarterback came together? I mean, obviously they're pretty stacked team, so maybe this could last for a while. But I sort of feel like overall from a brand standpoint, a rejuvenated Miami probably does more honestly, just a great game. Isn't that always what the.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, you need. You need that. You need that, man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We don't need. We don't. What we don't need is 46, 22 or 50. You know, what you want is a decent football game tonight. Because this end of the college football season, as much as I love the playoff and I really do think it's a huge improvement, you know, And I know I mock college football a lot, but the truth is the college football playoff is such an upgrade from the bowl game system we used to have. The one thing, Allen, that I think that's still making it a little weird is like the way it stretches out towards the end and you do kind of get caught up in the NFL playoffs. Unless you're a hardcore college football fan, you can easily be like, oh yeah, this thing's still going on, huh? January 19th.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, but just think they're going to expand it even more because it's been successful. This thing, you know, this, this could go on a little bit longer, but it's been, look, it has been fun. I like it. It's also showing you too, that you get a 10 seed in the championship game. You wouldn't have had that if you only had the 14. Like, that's. That shows you that this time of year it's still important to include more teams so you can see what happens. But no, it'll be fun. It'll be big. I mean, look, without having a number one pick for the jets, it's not like you're watching Mendoza and wondering, like, is this the guy that could be your franchise changing quarterback? But I think it's almost the fait accompli now. The Raiders will take him at one, but, you know, it's still. I'm dialed in because it's a championship game. It's an interesting story. We're always about the stories. But the Buffalo Bills losing Josh Allen at the podium and then they didn't wait a day. And the fact that McDermott was, was canned, the, like, it's, it's. The corpse is barely cold and he's out. That had to feel like. That's why when we were saying it throughout the playoffs or going into the playoffs, it had to already be on the minds of whether it's Pula, whether, whether it's Bean. They had to be already thinking, like, look, if we don't get it done now, we've got to make a change. It had to have been on. On their minds how fast they decided to get rid of him.

[Don LaGreca]

And I, and I think the way he reacted, the things that he said, had to tell you that he knew he was done.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, because he was. Because the way he was very defensive, the way defending Buffalo. Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

Guys, there's a narrative out there. The good thing the Giants got Harbaugh signed this weekend, otherwise he'd go to Buffalo. No, he wouldn't. He was never going to Buffalo. Because you don't think his agent, Harbaugh himself didn't find out, hey, what's McDermott status if he loses in Denver? And then all he had to do was drag his feet another day or two and then the job would have opened up and then he could have used it at leverage during the course of the negotiations. The fact that that never happened, he was never going to Buffalo, and were the Bills going to pay him five years, $100 million. So stop with this stupid narrative. All Giants lucked out. The Giants didn't luck out. And the fact that his agent called Tennessee. That's being a good age. If things aren't going well in the negotiations, for leverage. But he was going to sign the deal. Everybody reported it. Gary Myers, Ian o' Connor all said this eventually is going to get done. So this whole idea that the Giants lucked out, that the bills Let go, McDermott now, not before, stop it. There's just no, there's zero evidence of that.

[TurboTax Announcer]

Zero.

[Don LaGreca]

It also makes zero sense.

[Alan Hahn]

I think we've. Because it dragged on for so long, it became how can we find, you know, it's how we really. We are so typical of this, we all get caught up in it. Is that how can we find the negative? Where can we create like, oh no, they're going to lose them. Right. And the stuff that Ian was telling us suggests that this was the job that Harbaugh wanted all along. But when you are an agent and you're trying to get certain things for your client, there's probably some stipulations you wanted. And if you're not getting them, then you start to say, well you know what, while we're doing this, I'm gonna give Tennessee a call real quick. So that stuff's always gonna happen. But you know what else too is kind of getting swept under the rug that over the last two weeks we have learned is Chris Maher has really emerged, hasn't he, as a very important piece here. He is no longer like, you know, a guy who's in the family who gets a job in the front office. People have, you know, railed about that and him and Tim and why, why are they working and why are they there and what's their influence. But I think the next last couple of weeks you trust Ian's reporting, of course is he has had a very, very big influence in all of this. And this is a huge feather in his cap to kind of ascending into sort of the primary ownership role. As obviously John gets older. It says a lot that he's the one that sort of had that quick secret meeting to make sure everything's cool. Like he made sure face to face. No, let's not let agents and stuff do stuff, but let's just stay face to face on this. Cuz we want to make sure that, you know, we want you and we're going to get this done. And he did that. The personal touch he really, I think is emerging. It's something Giants fans should, should pay close attention.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well and it's good timing when they need some good news on that front. With all the lack of clarity about what's going on at the top of the organization. That's a great piece of a great update, I'd say for Giants fans over this weekend to learn that about Chris. If you didn't know previously.

[Alan Hahn]

Quick break. Let's talk defense. Football's on your screen, but peace of mind starts at home.

[Don LaGreca]

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[Alan Hahn]

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[Rich Eisen]

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[Alan Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Alan Hahn]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. So before we get back into the football combo, I got a couple of pieces of NBA slash Knicks news for you guys. Number one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, boy.

[Alan Hahn]

They named the All Star starters today. And Jalen Brunson again named a starter. In the east, the east is all pretty much guards. And then Giannis, it's it. Brunson, Kate Cunningham, Tyrese Maxey and Jalen Brown and Giannis and the west is.

[Don LaGreca]

Anybody want to read my text?

[Alan Hahn]

Not right now. Luca SGA, Steph Curry, Wembanyama and Jokic, which means LeBron James for the first time in 21 years, wasn't voted a starter.

[TurboTax Announcer]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

So there's that. And then last but not least for today's game, which is in a couple hours, Brunson and Hart will be back in the lineup. So the Knicks will be whole for the first time than I can remember because like everybody's. Everybody's in a lineup now. There's no one that we know of on the injured list, which is a good sign.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, that's important, right? Because they've what, lost? Seven of nine. But how many times, how many times in that span and three straight losses have they been whole?

[Alan Hahn]

They have not because again, Shamet's been out forever and then they've everybody else, whether it's Hart, whether it's Brunson, whether it's OG for a while, McBride missed time, they've had guys out. But look, they're home now for the next 10 days. And then after today is earlier start Wednesday, they play the Nets and then they have two days off at home for the first time in over a month. Then they have a game in Philly on Saturday. Then they have two more days off, which they'll be back home for.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Look at them.

[Alan Hahn]

That's critical. Practice time, rest time, get shots up time. Yeah, this is your get right time if you're the Knicks right now before the All Star break. So let's see if it if it comes to fruition. But healthy today. They need a win. This is feels like a must win. I know it's technically not, but it feels like one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So we need another word for the not. Must win. Must win.

[Alan Hahn]

Can't lose.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, it's the same as must win. It's like a should win, right?

[Alan Hahn]

It's like Extra urgency kind of game feels.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, like, like it would be problematic to not win this game, but that doesn't have a ring. And real quick, let's hit some game time. Brought to you by Tully More Do Irish Whiskey because when it's game time, it's Tully time. The Knicks, as Alan just mentioned, host the Mavs with coverage immediately following us here on 880 at 430. Rangers, hockey ranger. They're an exciting team. Anthony's very into. They visit the D Ducks with coverage following dan grass on 880 at 9:30 and coverage of the college football championship on 10:50 starting at 6:30. A lot of numbers there. The Nets host the suns at 7:30 like you dream about. And the Devils are in Calgary facing the Flames at 9. Islanders play the Canucks in Vancouver at 10. We are all over the place. Tolle Mordew, the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or try the new Tullamore Du Honey during today's action. Glasses up to enjoying Tullamore do responsibly. And with that, let's say hello to the people. Let's get things started with our guy Danny on Long Island. What's up, Danny?

[Caller/Danny]

Good afternoon, everybody. Hope you enjoyed that little snowstorm in the football. We had two, two, two bags of poop and two classics. First comment on the interception. I mean, we all know you gotta, you got to hold the ball. You have to complete the catch all the way to the ground. Most of the time the ball pops out and we say it's incomplete. Case it popped out or was torn out and ended up in the defensive guy's arms. So that was the only thing that was unusual. That ball pops out, everyone looks at the replay goes, oh, it's a complete pass. He didn't catch it all the way to the ground. So to me, there's no controversial whatsoever.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Danny. Let me just say one thing about that, though. Let me just respond to one thing. There has to be a difference in how we view you landing on your back and the ball popping out versus if you landed on your back with the ball in your hand, then the ball was ripped from your arms. That's precisely what makes it controversial. So like, if he had, if he landed on his back, not touching the guy, the ball pops out of his arms and into the arm of a Bronco. I don't think we're having a conversation. I think the argument is that people feel that there's an angle that Shows when he, when his butt hits the ground, he clearly is the one with his arms around the. That's the controversy.

[Don LaGreca]

I'll let Danny finish, but let's, let's extrapolate that out. You, you say then he survived the ground. But, but he didn't, he didn't have the ball. It's like, so what do you rule if you say it's not an interception if the ball never touched the ground, what, you're going to give him reception because the ball was torn out of his hands? That wouldn't make any sense either. Like there is a fourth option. Peter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, the option would be, and I get why, in, in the way it happened in, in Live Motion with the defender toppling over him and ending up with the ball in his hands. I see why it's really hard to make this argument, but the argument would be, no, he landed on the ground with the ball in his arms, he's down. And then a defender, once he's down, ripped the ball out of his arms. And now you're saying it's an intercept.

[Alan Hahn]

But what if I told you the defender's hands were on the ball as well? You go, ty goes to the runner.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's. Well, Ty does go to the receiver. Yeah. And if you look at it, it really was much more in Cook's arms than the defender before they, before they rolled over, the pull out came on the roll.

[Don LaGreca]

The words they use, survive the ground. Survive the ground means you hit the ground still having the ball, whether it popped out of your hands, whether it touched the ground or ends up in the defender's hands. He didn't survive the ground. The defender was able to rip it from his hands. If he had tugged once, didn't go tugs a second time, well, then you could say, well, he survived the ground because he didn't get it the first try.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Maybe they need to determine because in this case, because in this case, it wasn't as much about surviving the ground as surviving the defender. Either way, Danny, as you can tell, I disagree that it was as clear as you're saying based on this argument, but continue. What else you got from the game, Danny?

[Caller/Danny]

Okay, two other things. Two? I have a problem with the first pass interference call, not when that put them down close about the 15 to 20 yard line. Not that I didn't think it was pass interference, but because we just watched seven playoff games and nearly a full eighth where they reverted to the 1975 pass interference rules, including a three throw down the sideline where the Buffalo Bills guys Clearly had his hand. The demo guy was holding his hand down, which you see that and you go up and that wasn't called. Now all of a sudden on the last drive, we're going to call two ticky tack very close pass interference calls. And last but not least, Peter said, same old teams. This will be the 60th Super bowl out of the 60 AFC first ever called the AFL. For argument's sake, we'll say there's been 60 AFC championship games. This will be the 25th time that game had either a Patriots team or a Bronco team. If you throw in the Steelers in the Chiefs, four teams have combined to play in almost 60% of the, of the AFC championship games. Same song, different day.

[Don LaGreca]

See, the Broncos are a sneaky team.

[Caller/Danny]

They've had runs in three different. In three different.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, thank you for the call, Danny. I had the exact same thought as. I'm just like, it's always, in some ways, it's always the Broncos there. If there's Elway era, there's Manning era, now there's Peyton era. It's, it's over and over again. It's, it's a nightmare.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, just well run franchises, right? I mean, you want to reward well, you know, so it's, it's not, you know, it's not big market, small market. It's not, oh, they got a billionaire like in baseball. You would explain it by saying, well, he's got an owner, spends a lot of money or it's a destination. Not that Denver's not a destination. Not that New England's not a destination, but still it's not like, oh, I go, I'm going there because the taxes are better. I'm going there because it's always Sunny and it's 85 degrees every day. No, they're well run franchises and you should award well run franchise. They're not, they're not Jimmy switch in the system.

[Alan Hahn]

No, they're just, they're good and they know how to win one game. We didn't mention, obviously it was, I mean Bears, Rams was a great game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And we haven't even gotten to that.

[Alan Hahn]

That what sucks. And this again goes against the idea of the script. This goes against the idea of what the league wants because that throw by Caleb Williams should have been a legit. It would be a legendary throw. But it can't be because you lost the game and you lost the game because, you know, you threw a pick when you really didn't have to throw that and you know, the receiver wasn't running a route right and you for some reason threw it there anyway. It sucks. That was one of the most unbelievable moments in a playoff where it was.

[Don LaGreca]

This was over.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Could that be a top.

[Alan Hahn]

It's a legendary. We'll never like. You can't reference that throw. Is there any other play in sports you could think of where it was?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Such like what do we.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Don LaGreca]

Like it's.

[Alan Hahn]

It's such a great moment that you can't really ever disagree.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I disagree with you. If you're a Bears fan, you won't talk about it the same way because you lost. But Don, I think the greatness of the play will still be talked about. You don't think so?

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, but it's not going to live forever. It's Andy Chavez. It's Andy chavez catching. Game 7 against the Cardinals is one of the greatest catches I've ever seen. And it came in a loss. Right. So it's not. It's going to be remembered. But I think it's the reverse, Peter. I think it will be remembered in Chicago especially if Cape Williams becomes a big time quarterback because you can't take away that throw. But history is not going to remember it fondly because they lost the game. But God, he threw. I'm just expecting to be incomplete or picked off.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

And I was at the bar across the street from the hotel and just everybody collectively just screamed. Couldn't believe it.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don LaGreca]

And then in overtime you're right. They're chipping away. They're chipping away. 5 yards, 4 yards chip away and then they go for it. And the other thing we were texting on the thread, all the field goals, the field go. They were nailing every field goal an extra point. Pretty much like, like I don't think it was that big. I think I had to score touchdown because the elements wouldn't allow you to kick a field goal. Well, 42 yard field goal one. If they were chipping away, man, they were on their way to winning that game and then they went for it and it didn't work out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know there are a lot of people who think that it was the route and you know, I'm not a football analyst to break down what the route was supposed to be. I did. I don't know how you felt, Alan. There was a little part of me that felt after the game tire from Caleb. He was a little bit loosey goosey, like I'm in the zone right now. I just felt like he did not need to chuck that ball all the way Down.

[Alan Hahn]

You think he went yolo. Like, he.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There was a little yolo ball.

[Alan Hahn]

Watch me get him with this one. Yeah. Yeah. The problem was, is that who. Who was the receiver? Was it. Was it dj? I think it was DJ Moore, right? Like, the fact that he wasn't running the route hard, like, because I. I guess what it was. He wasn't expecting to get the ball. Whatever it is, whatever happened there, that's. You're right. Like, I had two thoughts. The first one was when you watch a replay and they start explaining the route not being run hard, you're like, oh, come on, man. You got to run every route hard. Then the other one is, Caleb, you don't need that. Like, you didn't need that. You didn't need that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That had the game.

[Alan Hahn]

It was there. It was over. Just get yourself down close enough to kick a field goal. That did feel like. That's a young quarterback making a throw that in five years, he'll never make that throw.

[Don LaGreca]

Going into. Going into the weekend, guys, what odds would you put on the team that had the ball first in OT goes three and out and still wins? Yeah, what are the odds? You'd have to put in less than 50%, right?

[Alan Hahn]

Definitely.

[Don LaGreca]

What, 30%? 20. And they both won.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's. It's. It's nuts. So you know what? That ball had all over it. Alan, that was a j. I like to call it a Jay Cutler effort. Just, you know what? You know my arm strength.

[Alan Hahn]

Watch this. Go get that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, 50. 50.

[Alan Hahn]

I just. I just did it a few minutes ago. Let's close the house. Watch. Watch this one. Go for six. You know, like, we don't need a kicker.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's go to Jason in the Bronx. What's up, Jason?

[Caller/Danny]

Hey, what's up, guys? I love the show. You guys are great. Peter, unsanctimonious departure from 97. Love you in the mornings there.

[Alan Hahn]

You're correct.

[Caller/Danny]

Don, you are a Segway savant. With that Ramsey Mazda Segway.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was great.

[Don LaGreca]

Allen, you're going to get to watch.

[Caller/Danny]

The Knicks do something special this year.

[Alan Hahn]

You think so? So with the. God's ears. Oh, yeah.

[Caller/Danny]

With that Cats in the Bills game, I thought that was, like, a beautiful football play. The refs ended up ruining it for us because of how quickly they were just like, nope, it's not a catch. Like, like, come on, like, what, you're just gonna leave us with. With that?

[Alan Hahn]

That's it?

[Caller/Danny]

You're not even gonna, like, really dive into it at all? It was contested it was perfectly thrown. At the end of the day, it was probably a catch. He went to the ground, he hit the ground, had possession.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's how I felt.

[Caller/Danny]

Wasn't there actually.

[Alan Hahn]

Wasn't there a.

[Caller/Danny]

Could not actually be a fumble.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, no, it never touched the ground.

[Don LaGreca]

It's only a fumble if the ball touches the ground. Correct.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don LaGreca]

Because then it's still an interception. I. Listen, the only argument that I'll accept is that they could have looked at it longer. They did look at it, and by the letter of law, I believe they got it right. So how long do you have to go to satisfy the public? Like, well, that was probably.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Look at it.

[Alan Hahn]

What hurt them?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Looked at it once. McDermott burned a timeout.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that's why he called the timeout. But.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But reviewable.

[Alan Hahn]

What hurts.

[Don LaGreca]

They review all scores and turnovers.

[Alan Hahn]

What hurts them.

[Don LaGreca]

So it was looked at.

[Alan Hahn]

The audience had the ability to see it over and over and over, and it allowed you more time to nitpick whatever side you were feeling. If you were sympathetic to the Bills, you were finding every excuse to say, wait, that should have been a catch. So the more time it was spent. So they didn't spend as much time on it as everybody else did. And I think, Peter, that's why I agree with you. I do think there's a little bit of a frustration there because all of us were going, wait, wait, wait, wait a second. We need to see this again. Wait a second.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We've all regular season games where for five minutes, quarter of a 213 game, they spend 10 minutes trying to get the spot of the ball right. But here's what the most critical play of the season, they rush through.

[Alan Hahn]

That's.

[Don LaGreca]

But here's what they're telling you. You're right. There's times it takes three, four minutes. I see it in hockey all the time. Alan sees it in the NBA. Because there is something that's debatable, and you really need to look at it a bunch of times with a bunch of angles. What they're telling you is they didn't need a bunch of angles.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I'm telling you, they're wrong.

[Don LaGreca]

Their mind.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was absolute debate.

[Don LaGreca]

Peter, Peter, he didn't survive the ground.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, but the next day they did. So it's debatable because last night I saw a play that was a split second different, and it was called different.

[Don LaGreca]

How could that not be debatable? Peter, It's a bit. That's a big deal. It's a different play. On that play, they didn't need a million angles. Once they determined he didn't survive the ground, they could look at it 400 times. It wouldn't have changed their mind. So they looked at it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right.

[Don LaGreca]

Didn't survive the ground. It's got to be an interception. Didn't touch the ground. So why do we completion?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Why do we review? They do already. We don't need to see a replay. How could they know without seeing it again?

[Don LaGreca]

Because he didn't survive the ground, Peter. He didn't survive.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You don't know that the rule.

[Don LaGreca]

No, you do know. Cuz he hit the ground and lost the ball.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, he hit the ball. He hit the ground with his butt down, ball in his hands and it was then ripped out by a defender. That's not surviving the ground. It's surviving the ball being ripped out when the play was over.

[Don LaGreca]

In their eyes, that's not surviving. I, I agree with you, Peter. I hate the rule too.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Then get it together. To get it together. You can't change every single week.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, they're not changing it. They believe that it would. He didn't survive the ground.

[Alan Hahn]

Wait, wait, wait. When you say change every. How often do you see a play like that?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, it's happened three times.

[Alan Hahn]

Not like that was simultaneous.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The one yesterday was pretty.

[Alan Hahn]

Not simultaneous. It was close. It was definitely.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was close. The ball was coming out as the knee hit the ground yesterday.

[Alan Hahn]

Simultaneous though.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And they had.

[Alan Hahn]

But.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then I go back and watch the Green Bay Chicago one. This just happened. It happens pretty frequently.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't want to argue because I agree that they should have spent more time on it. That's all I'm saying. I agree with that part of it. I just don't think it's that. It's that not that cut and dried by the rest of.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I agree with you.

[Alan Hahn]

We're. We're regular people. We're lay people on this thing. The experts that understand every rule and letter of the law, they're the ones that could tell you yes or no. But the rest of us who just watch football, you can't possibly have.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Except these. Except the words concrete football move. Except the words like football movement and surviving the ground in the last seven years, but never existed previously when it used to simply be if the ball is in the guy's gut, in his arms and his butt hits the ground, it's a catch.

[Don LaGreca]

I don't disagree with you. But what they're saying is if he hits the ground and the ball pops out is the same as if it got ripped out. He didn't survive the ground. I could argue, I could argue, but if that's the rule, then then 400 different angles isn't going to change it. Spending 15 minutes isn't going to change. He didn't survive the ground. Would I like to see the rule change?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sure.

[Don LaGreca]

It goes back to the the Megatron catch. It goes back to what happened to the Cowboys. It's we've seen catches that should be catches that aren't catches. Change the rule. But if that's the rule, then I got it again.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Alan Hahn]

The World Moves fast. Your workday even faster Pitching products, drafting reports, analyzing data. Microsoft 365 Copilot is your AI assistant for work built into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft 365 apps you use, helping you quickly write, analyze, create and summarize so you can cut through clutter and clear a path to your best work. Learn [e-mail] M365 copilot thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Alan Hahn]

Catch this show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us where wherever you get your podcasts.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Peter Rosenberg here in New York City, Frigid New York City. Don legreca is joining us all the way from Calgary, Canada, where he is actually, he says It's a balmy 33 up there, so he's doing pretty well. Don, you're surviving 33. Does it feel like 33 or does it feel like 10?

[Don LaGreca]

It said now it's up to 38, 39.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Look at you.

[Don LaGreca]

But I'm telling you, these people are walking around like, with shirt sleeves because I guess they're used to it being really bad. But I shoveled twice on Saturday and Sunday. And now I'm in Calgary thinking I'm gonna see a blizzard and It's a balmy 39 and sunny.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don't you think. Don't you think it's probably time we stop and give credit to the fact that, like, we always talk about, oh, it's not a real winter. This has been a real winter so far.

[Don LaGreca]

No, this has been. I was telling my wife when I was shoveling again, like, I think I shoveled like three times in the last four years. But now we're getting it back. No, it's been, it's, it's not terrible.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's been cold. And while there haven't been blizzards, it just, you know what it's been like. It hasn't been blizzard, but it's just like all of a sudden it feels much more like an upstate New York or Chicago where, like, it just casually snows here a lot this winter. I know it has not done literally, practically since I moved here in zero.

[Don LaGreca]

No, it's, it's crazy. But it's getting back and we're not even through January, so we still have a few more times where it might snow. But I want to let you know there are a lot of reasons why people go ahead Ramsey Monster. It's their selection, it's their customer service, and it's their savings. Lisa New 2025 Mazda CX 52.5s select all wheel drive for 179 for 33 months or buy with 0.9% APR financing for 72 months. Start shopping now at Ramsey Mazda.com. choose wisely. Choose Ramsey Mazda. Call 833-85329. 70 for lease details Vin SN 379853 MSRP 334250 security deposit APR $14.27 per month per $1,000 financed ends 22 26.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I love what you've done there. It's really tremendous stuff.

[Don LaGreca]

Thank you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

1-800-919-3776 let's go back to the phones. Start with Dave in the car. What's up, Dave?

[Caller/Danny]

Hey, what's up, guys? I want you to hear just my small rant on what I think is a negative in the NFL. And it's going to tie into what you said about Stedman being the quarterback for the Broncos I personally think Peyton has enough experience, all right. And enough defense, and he's in Mile High. I think if their quarterback plays within the structure of how they practice all week, they will win. Here's what's going to lose that game, and here's where the NFL is losing. You let me know. Caleb Williams does this super off platform play. It's the greatest play that will never be remembered, but this is what we've been seeing in the NFL. Josh Allen's been playing off platform. Same with our man with the Ravens. He's been playing off platform. All these quarterbacks playing off platform, what is it getting them? Without structure, no trips to the Super Bowl. You can say what you want about my man in Kansas City. He's athletic, he's got a cannon, but he's playing within a structure. And another reason why I think the Broncos will win. Drake May is the fourth sacked most sacked quarterback in the NFL. And you know what he's good for? He does a lot of off platform. If Denver pressures him and makes him go off platform, the Broncos are going to roll over the Patriots. So my question to you is why we're stuck now, right? We have these great quarterbacks, but all of them are getting all this money to give us highlight films. And 20 years from now they'd be like, yeah, all these guys were great. It was watching O.J. simpson with a football playing quarterback. But they got no Super Bowls because they got no structure. The NFL's created a monster that can't win. Let me know your thoughts.

[Don LaGreca]

It's an interesting point.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it's a very interesting point. After he. Listen, it took me a minute to recover from him calling Stidham Steadman. I don't even think.

[Don LaGreca]

I know it was a bit much.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If you're young and you don't even realize that, that the only reason people know the name Steadman is because it's Oprah's, you know, life partner and he just dropped it as deadman for Stidham is tremendous, but. No, it is. It is an interesting point, Don. And maybe, maybe that does give Denver a fighting chance next week.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, what he's saying is, is that when you freelance, when you think outside the box, that's always good, right? Well, it's not always good, but it can work out to your advantage. But what does that also create? It creates chaos. It creates mistakes. And when he was talking about that, you know who I thought of? I thought of Brett Favre. Brett Favre is a Hall of Famer. Brett Favre is one of the great quarterbacks of all time. He was also an interception waiting to happen because for every great play that he would pull out of his, you know what, there'd be a pick six, there'd be an interception, there'd be a drive that stalled. That's why he only won one. You know, the guys that kind of keep it in pocket, all right, they're not spectacular, but they get the job done. That's why this is a coaching league. I want to leave Josh Allen out of that because I think. I think Josh Allen is doing it because he didn't have anything else. They didn't have a ton of talent. But did Caleb Williams maybe get caught up in his own hype by that interception? You can make that case. And I felt that he threw one unbelievable play leads to a play that cost him the game because freelance gives it. It takes structure. Seems to always kind of give you the consistent result. Might not be exciting, but it gets the job done.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right, let's take one more call before the break. Let's go to Cody in San Diego. Hey, Cody.

[Caller/Danny]

Hey, Peter. How are you?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, buddy.

[Caller/Danny]

So I've got a pretty definitive answer for the incomplete debacle. And I also have a Jets point after. So for the. For the first point, I'm going to refer everyone to the NFL rulebook section one, article three, particularly note for me. I may read that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, please. I think I've probably heard it in the last day, but go ahead.

[Don LaGreca]

Sure.

[Caller/Danny]

If a pass fought simultaneously by two eligible opponents and both players retain it, the ball belongs to the passers. Here is the pertinent part, though it is not a simultaneous catch if a player gains control first and an opponent subsequently gains joint control. If the ball is muffed after simultaneous touching by two players, all the players of the passing team become eligible to catch the loose ball.

[Don LaGreca]

But it's not a simultaneous catch. Right? It's that catch. So. So throw the simultaneous catch out for a second and I wouldn't say it was muffed. It was. It was pulled out of his hand. That's a case of did the receiver survive the ground? So they're what they're looking at, Peter, and this is the semantics of it that drive you crazy. What they're saying is the ball being ripped out of his hands is the equivalent to him dropping the ball. Now, I've got a problem with that. You've got a problem with that? Because I think there's a difference between dropping the ball and having it taken from you. That's to the NFL. It it is the same thing. He did not survive the ground. That could be a drop, a bobble movement in the hand touching of the ground, or it being ripped from your hands. Don't be surprised that they might revisit this during the off season, but by the letter of the law, they got it right. That's why. That's why I just take exception. Peter to the how many angles, how long they would have looked at? It wouldn't have changed that fact. He didn't survive the ground.

[Alan Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't want to know how the.

[Alan Hahn]

Sausage is made, but I just want to know. It's good. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.