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Don Hahn
Ton.
Don Rosenberg
I'll be licking the television screen. Licking it like it's ice cream.
Caller Max
Han.
Alan Hahn
Oh, the type of music I listen to would make you cry.
Don Hahn
And Rosenberg, I expect to be called ball coach.
Don Rosenberg
This isn't North Dakota. This is New York.
Don Hahn
This is Don Hahn and Rosenberg on 880 ESPN and the ESPN New York.
Don Rosenberg
App 301 of the big city. Don Hahn and Rosenberg. It's a football Friday. We got a game already in the books. Eagles hold on to beat the Cowboys. I'm already up three points on everybody.
Alan Hahn
No, no, no. We already have Peter. I believe a game to protest.
Don Rosenberg
Well, we can protest that at some point. We'll have our full picks coming up a little bit later on in the show, but protest all you want. But until that protest is heard and overturned. I got my three points.
Alan Hahn
It's a tentative three point.
Don Rosenberg
It's a joke.
Peter Rosenberg
No, listen, he gets it. There's no changing it. We can't fight back. We're not gonna win.
Don Rosenberg
What do you mean we can't. Like he.
Peter Rosenberg
He. There's no. Listen, you can't. The. The sports books ruled. How they ruled. The game was what it was. It was a crap game. And it is what it is. We can't take the points back. But Don knows in his heart that what happened last night, when it comes to like an actual pick of substance, he may have gotten it right. Who knows? The Cowboys might have won that game outright. We don't know. But whatever happened in the second half so didn't resemble what that football game was.
Don Rosenberg
That's fine. And he owned nature.
Peter Rosenberg
It's work of God. What do you do?
Don Rosenberg
Wait a minute, Wait a minute. I understand that. What? The final score there was 44 points scored. 41 of the 44 were scored in the first half. And what happened in the third half? The second half, a 30 minute rain delay, lightning delay. Obviously sapped the offense. At least. It was at least 30. As long as a whole hour. So you can make the case that it did affect the score. If you had the over Then I think you got a kick coming because that probably affected how they came out in the second half, but it affected both teams equally. So maybe the Cowboys score more points and maybe the Cowboys win the game outright. It had no effect on the spread. The only effect it had on maybe was the over under. If you had the over, I can understand you complaining about the delay. I don't know how the delay compromises my Cowboy pick. Explain that to me, Alan.
Peter Rosenberg
You want me or you?
Don Rosenberg
Well, I don't think either you could, but go ahead.
Alan Hahn
It can absolutely explain it. So much changed in the second half of that game. It was obvious.
Don Rosenberg
Okay.
Alan Hahn
I don't think the players didn't have the same energy that, okay. They were just getting the game over with.
Don Rosenberg
Okay.
Alan Hahn
So the fact that you had a delay of that long to me compromised the end of the game and compromised the the result. You won. You get it? No, no, but I don't like it.
Don Rosenberg
No, listen, I don't care.
Alan Hahn
It's like you won in the bubble.
Don Rosenberg
No, you won the bubble. No, listen. Conditions. No, I, I. You are making zero sense right now.
Alan Hahn
That makes. No, no, it's true.
Don Rosenberg
No, because you, because it's true. Long delay. All right, a long delay. SAP the offense. It didn't result in how many points the winner was going to cover by. Because the Cowboy. Maybe the Cowboys would have scored more. Maybe they would have won the game. So maybe, maybe the final score.
Alan Hahn
Maybe.
Don Rosenberg
Allen, seriously, Maybe it's a four point game, but it's the final scores 34 to 30 instead of 24, 20. So that's why I said the over is would be affected because obviously it seemed weird. 41 of the 44 points are scored.
Peter Rosenberg
In the first half.
Don Rosenberg
But Peter, because I think you're kind of on my side here, outside of the theatrics of it that you can't say it compromised the COVID The only thing it compromised was the over. And my three points was that the Cowboys are the COVID of the eight and a half. How could you say that the delay more affected the Eagles than the Cowboys?
Peter Rosenberg
What I would argue.
Alan Hahn
CD Lamb.
Peter Rosenberg
What I would argue is that, is that, listen, in a serious, on a serious note, you can't actually argue it. It's an act of God. It is what it is. But I disagree with you, Don, that you can't say it could have affected the COVID Yes, it affected both teams, but it affected the game so dramatically, just in every way. It sucked every bit of. You have a home crowd that now didn't get the Third quarter started in earnest until nearly midnight. It compromised the game entirely. So when you win, you got it, you win. But it did compromise the game.
Don Rosenberg
The one thing Alan cited was that, you know, CB Lamb dropping four passes. So you can make the case it affected the Cowboys more than the Eagles. So if anything, maybe the delay that the Cowboys would have won the game outright.
Peter Rosenberg
But I like my case that it just affected the entire experience, the home crowd experience, everything about it. And by the way, getting away from our picks because we'll get back to the picks and listen, Don's up three, nothing. We got to deal with it. We got to come up with our three today. And of course you can join us on the COVID 5 app where we're going to be having some fun there as well. But can we just talk about what an unbelievable dud that ended up being to start the season? I mean, guys, I had an event I had to go to early and I listened to the final two minutes of the first half in the car on the way home. I make it home and Natalie and the baby. I thought I was maybe running home to help put the baby to bed. No, they both had conked out. I walk in the house, everyone's asleep. I go, oh, my God. I'm going to throw my feet up on the coffee table like a gentleman. And I am going to watch the best thing our country has to offer, and that is American Rules football. On the first night of the year, as God is my witness, the second my feet went up and I hit play. Mike Tirico tells me the game has stopped.
Alan Hahn
And don't.
Peter Rosenberg
I had to go to bed before it started again. I went, all right, I'm waiting an hour now, guys. I saw two plays before my eyes shut. It was a disastrous way yet again to start a season.
Don Rosenberg
I will tell you, that's kind of what September football is. Let's be honest. We don't. We don't have a training camp. We don't have preseason games of any real value. So the first four to maybe six weeks are compromised. But what I took from it, forget about the entertainment, the quality of it from a giant perspective, guys, that's not what you wanted to see. That was not a dumpster fire Cowboy team. That was not a Cowboy team. Compromised to the point where you feel like, oh, we're going to be better than Dallas, even though statistically nothing popped out for Prescott, but I thought he looked very good. I thought their defense was fine. You know, listen, they lost to a better team. You know, that Philadelphia is a better team. CD Lam dropped some passes. Maybe the delay had some kind of effect on either team. But the fact is, I thought the Dallas Cowboys put a decent showing up there. So if you were hoping, as we talked about yesterday, that the Cowboys are gonna be a tire fire and the place was gonna be a mess, I didn't see that. And if the Cowboys play like that next Sunday against the Giants, well, the Giants better come to play. So that's. We talked about that yesterday, guys. And what I took from that game is the Cowboys seem okay. And let's see if the Giants can take advantage of what I don't. They're gonna have to play well because I don't think the Dallas Cowboys are going to be what we were all hoping they were going to be after the trade.
Alan Hahn
Couple of things. All right, first and foremost, the Eagle offense was unstoppable. Then the delay, then they punted, then they didn't score. They got a field goal, and that was it the rest of the game. So they were absolutely dominating. Jalen Hurts did whatever he wanted. They got. And they were plays that he was leaving on the field because he was running more than he probably. He was. He was not wasting any time. They ran roughshod on that defense, and then the delay came and the game stopped. That's a real thing. All right. Yes. I'm having fun with you, Don. So you don't want to have fun with it? I'm not going to go any further with it. All right, you got your three points.
Don Rosenberg
Oh, my God.
Alan Hahn
But honestly, if you were.
Peter Rosenberg
But you're right, Al.
Alan Hahn
You're watching that game play to play. And I had a long delay. So I was. My buddy, Ben, he's. He and his wife have a place in Hell's Kitchen. I went up there, hung out, got some delicious Mexican food. By the way, Peter, this place, Anejo. Unreal.
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah. You went on. Yeah. Right.
Alan Hahn
So it was really good. So we had a great time watching that first half. Halftime comes. Gracie and her friend are at. Tate McCrae at the Garden. So I got to go Uber down to the Garden to get them, scoop them up, bring them home.
Peter Rosenberg
This was the plan.
Alan Hahn
Yes.
Peter Rosenberg
Okay, now coming together, what you did.
Alan Hahn
So I had. I had to kill time. So he happened to be in town, and I went up to a spot. So we watched the first half together, and it was. That was an entertaining, fun first half. And Don, that part of it, I'll agree, is that Dallas's offense was able to score. But I kept. We both Were saying the Cowboys are not. They are not going to be able to keep pace. No, they're not gonna do it. The Eagles are knife through. Through butter. But when. When I get to the Garden, I'm following the Yankees as well. And I realize that now you have the delay in the football game. We were. God, we were almost. I think they didn't start the game till I got home. Like, seriously. So. So that's a long delay. I sit now and watch from home. The rest of this game. It was not the same game. And the Eagles did not have the same pop. The offense was not the same. And you can't tell me that there was some sudden awakening of the Dallas defense. The Eagles were getting whatever they wanted against Dallas's defense. Then the delay happened and then that offense sputtered. That's a real thing.
Don Rosenberg
Well, I don't.
Alan Hahn
I can read you drive by drive if you want, because I can give you punt and then another punt and then the end of game where they decided not to score because they had the game in hand.
Don Rosenberg
I don't. I don't. I don't. Again, I don't think the Cowboys are as good as Philadelphia. That was my whole point with the Giants is. Is that the Giants, no matter what happens, they're not on Philadelphia's level. The hope was going to be you're going to be on Dallas's level. Dallas has deficiencies, okay? They're not a great defense. They weren't a great defense with Parsons. So you don't expect it's going to improve when you get rid of your best player. But their offense, I thought, was good. CD Lamb dropped four passes. Could have changed the complexion of the game, especially in the second half. All right, so Dallas looked functional. All right? Dallas looked like a pretty good football team. That's just not on the level of the defending super bowl champions. All right? And maybe I did catch a break. As far as the spread's concerned, the bigger break was, you know, Carter getting thrown out of the game. How is that?
Alan Hahn
We got to get into the house.
Don Rosenberg
And also the taunting penalty, too, which kept the drive alive, where Dallas scored to take the lead, 17 to 14. I don't like the taunting stuff. I mean, all he did was stand over him. I forget who the Cowboy was. Didn't even look up. Didn't even notice that he was being taunted. But the NFL said they're cracking down on it, so these players have to know that. So there were a lot of breaks that the Cowboys got to hang in that game. But the overall point is, is that if the Cowboys played the exact same game on Sunday against this Giants team, then the Giants better come to play if they're going to win the game. All right, Because I didn't see a dumpster fire. I saw a team that's not in the same stratosphere as the Philadelphia Eagles, but I didn't see a team that was dysfunctional. I didn't see a team that didn't belong. And that's what we were kind of hoping for after the trade didn't happen. You know, Schottenheimer, I don't know if he's any a good coach, but I know he's a pretty good offensive coordinator. The offense scored points. So if the Giants better come to play, let's see what they do on Sunday against Washington. But they're going to have their hands full to stay out of the bottom of this division, no matter how well they.
Alan Hahn
I think. I'm telling you right now, I think the Eagles look like a team now. The one thing they got to figure out is how are they going to get Brown and Smith involved? Because I think what teams are going to do is like, do you think obviously Barkley is. Is special, so you got to always watch him. But is there some kind of thought in the direction of when you play the Eagles is almost make Jalen hurts a runner as good as he is.
Don Rosenberg
Yeah.
Alan Hahn
And he, he, he shredded them. But if you start taking out guys like Brown and Smith, especially Brown, I think he got one reception and it was. It was deadly. He almost went goosey. And I think that gets, you know, he'll get frustrated, guys will get frustrated, and you'll start getting that kind of the chirping that goes on and change. I think that was part of the approach. But Hertz was really good and they were scoring at will. But the Eagles look. Look to me like a team that you could say could go back and repeat, which is rare. But I do think we saw a little bit of an Achilles heel there in that game. But Dallas, I think their defense can be had. Of course, I think their defense can be had. And I think the Giants with. With Russell Wilson, with some of the weapons they have and that offensive line, I think the Giants can go toe to toe with them.
Peter Rosenberg
Well, to your, to your point, Alan, you have to think that if that bizarro stoppage doesn't happen, the Eagles score more than 24 points. Didn't they just get to a 50? Burger was the turnover. Listen, they had. They, they. They scored. They did not punt in the first half.
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
Peter Rosenberg
So there's no reason to think that that wouldn't have continued. Something obviously changed.
Alan Hahn
But they just got the turnover late.
Peter Rosenberg
Yes.
Alan Hahn
And then they had to do the stoppage. They were going like they could have gone down again. Now, I know they had a long way to go, but they like, they looked like they were ready to put their foot on the throat at that moment.
Peter Rosenberg
By the way, I was disappointed to see. Yes. It will in fact be another season where we have the fakocta turnover, celebrate in the end zone thing. I was hoping like, maybe we're getting to the end of the line because it started. I remember, Don, it was Covid when that really started. It was like five years ago when teams started on every turnover having to run to the opposite end zone. And by the way, I'm not Michael K. Okay. I am not, respectfully, an old school fan who yells about any sort of celebrating. I enjoy a good celebration. I think it's part of football. But the. Every turnover, we need to run to the end zone. To me, it's just there's a little bit of act like you've been there before that starts to irritate me. But it seems guys, they have not decided to dead it. We're going to get another year.
Don Rosenberg
Yeah. But you know what? You know, it's just. I don't want to spend all day on this, but it's worth. Worth the conversation, especially after the. What they went down yesterday. First of all, spitting on somebody is inexcusable. And the other thing to stop it. All right. You know, I can't stand the Dallas Cowboys as much as I hate the Philadelphia Eagles. All right? Dak Prescott did not try to spit on Carter. He spit.
Alan Hahn
But he did spit. He did spit.
Don Rosenberg
All right? But that does not excuse Carter for what he did, spitting right at him. Okay? So do not tell me.
Alan Hahn
You know, in the, in the NFL like this. It's, you know. Know what that is? That's a death sentence. You spit on an opponent, you're out of the game. Everybody in the league knows that. That's nothing new.
Don Rosenberg
Yeah, so that's. Oh, I didn't realize.
Alan Hahn
No, you knew the minute you spit, you're out.
Don Rosenberg
And that's so the fact that you.
Alan Hahn
Did that in that moment with officials around.
Peter Rosenberg
But you also can't. I want to say this, though, Don. You can't. You can't take. You can't take away the disrespect from Dak, too, because, yeah, it's not the Same thing. But spitting at someone, even it's not as bad as on them. It's not cool. That is also not. But that is. It was a stupid thing. You got caught. Listen, whoever gets caught and ejected, all stupid.
Don Rosenberg
But there's. There's degrees, man. And at least you can. You can have a conversation. Hey, I spit towards you. I didn't spit at you. These guys spit 20 times a game, right? It just happens. It's habit with athletes. It happens all the time. But you spit directly on someone, no matter what he says, no matter what he does, you just can't do it and almost cost him the game. But to your point, Peter, because the taunting, they want to crack down on the taunting, but they want to celebrate the photo op of the turnover. Running to the end zone sometimes 80 yards in the other direction. So that's okay. Either allow all of it or none of it. Now, certain things are inappropriate, like The Odell Beckham Jr. Urinating, pretending to urinate in the end zone or the throat slash or gunplay stuff.
Peter Rosenberg
Like.
Don Rosenberg
So you could see there's a line cross there, but a guy tackles, somebody stands over him and flexes. One of the most iconic photos in the history of football is Chuck Begnarrick leaning down over a prone Frank Gifford, who they thought was dead. And it's celebrated in the hall of Fame as one of the greatest pictures of all time. Now, if you do it, you're kicked out of the league. Come on. But yet I can run 80 yards with my teammates and pose for a stupid picture after a turnover when I'm down three touchdowns in the fourth quarter. So either keep. Either accept it all or get rid of it all. But this like, because I. All I know is I'd be just as irritated if the entire defense runs for a picture at the end of the end zone the same way I would one guy standing over me after a tackle. But one's illegal and one celebrate.
Alan Hahn
Yeah, but they're not doing in your face.
Peter Rosenberg
They're just running.
Alan Hahn
What's the defensive unit? This is what they get to celebrate. Turnovers are their goal. Turnovers are their touchdowns. That's how they score. So I can understand that. I can understand that, but I'm with you that it does get a bit much when it's. We're going to run the whole damn length of the field. Like that's the lay of game. Like I throw a flag on that. Like, no, no, you're not running 80 yards. Put the ball down and let's start.
Don Rosenberg
The clock as soon as the turnover happens then, then you want to go run a croc run to East Rutherford if you want to in the parking lot. Just don't get a. Delay a game. You're going to get a penalty.
Alan Hahn
Yeah, that, that I think is how you curb it. But it's the enthusiasm that the sport does, they don't want to take that out of the sport. It's the same as baseball and bat flips that are now in all the different things that they're allowing a little more of the enthusiasm. So they're, they're letting it go because it's not hurting anybody because you're not doing in their face.
Don Rosenberg
But, but I will say this to wrap, to get this conversation going about the, you know, the jets and the Giants and both will be at 1:00 o'clock on Sunday.
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
Don Rosenberg
And the jets, they've got their, their issues obviously with their offensive line and the Giants certainly. We don't know if Andrew Thomas is going to play. He talked today. We'll hear from him a little bit later on. Looks like it's going to be a game time decision. If I had to guess, I think he wouldn't play. It doesn't sound good but we'll talk about that. But guys, when we're talking about offenses and the Dallas Cowboys can score and the Eagles can score, that's how you win in this league. All right. Both of these teams have fabulous defenses but they're not going to hold up. They're not going to play meaningful games in December if they don't score points. You got to score points in this league, guys. You got to. And will these two teams, the jets and the Giants score? Because there you can't ask a defense to hold the opposition to 7, 10 points and expect to win the game. The jets can ground and pound and try to keep, keep win the time of possession 40 to 20, but teams can score in like 13 seconds in this league. Okay. So you've got to be able to make sure that these long drives, the jets want to produce, the produce touchdowns instead of field goals. You know, Russell Wilson is a nice story. Neighbors had a great rookie season. The Giants offensive line has been improved. There's weapons there but guys, they've got to score. That's how this season is going to. I don't care what the jets want to do. The Giants can talk all they want about their defense and all that. Got to score points in this league. Will they? That's the question. Will the jets and Giants score enough to give us some semblance of a season.
Alan Hahn
I think, I think the Giants are going to have a better offense than the Jets. I think the Giants will have the ability to score. The biggest concern with the Giants continues to be their concern which is the offensive line. Is it. Is it strong enough to protect Russell Wilson now? That's why his legs are going to be a big part of this. But he's a vet. He know he can get the moon ball so they can get down the field. I think they have a decent running game. I think their offense will ha. Will have a better opportunity to score now. They're also playing a tougher schedule. That could factor in here as well. The jets don't play as tough a schedule. But guys, I keep looking at the jets and trying to find the optimism and all I keep coming back to is the same thing. The hope that Justin Fields continues to evolve as a starting quarterback and can take a next step that everybody's waiting for him to take. I personally think he is what he is and leaving it there, I don't know. How do they average more than 17 points a game? How do they get over 20 points a game? Do it. Aaron Rodgers.
Peter Rosenberg
Could it be?
Don Rosenberg
Could.
Peter Rosenberg
If you're looking for optimism, Breeze hall last year did not turn out to be the Breeze hall that everyone was sort of expecting last year. Does Breeze hall go back to being the guy that you thought he was about the step Breeze hall was about to take, does he take that step this year? Garrett Wilson I thought was down a tick last year as well.
Alan Hahn
The problem is reason for that.
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah. And the problem is Garrett Wilson.
Alan Hahn
There's.
Peter Rosenberg
There's not a lot of help in that receiver core to get attention away from Garrett Wilson. So I. That's the thing that concerns me is number one, you don't know about the guy throwing him the football and number two, you just don't know if there's anyone else to distract defenses at all. You can just key in on Garrett Wilson. Problem solved.
Alan Hahn
That's why I said that Darren Muji's biggest job this season before the trade deadline or at least or next offseason, one or the other, he has to find the A.J. brown to the Devontae Smith because that Garrett Wilson is Devonta Smith. Right. Like that's, that's. It's the same type of thing. You have to find the A.J. brown, the veteran high level receiver that now gives you two guys that you got to cover and very few teams have two good corners. So someone's going to be able to beat his man on On a, on a regular basis and, and get open when you need that third down and they don't have that. And so until they get that guy, I just, I think this offense is going to have to be as it's, it's going to have to be a ground, it's going to have to be a very, very. Just, you know, they got to keep it simple and just run the ball.
Don Rosenberg
They.
Alan Hahn
Can we all just get a high level offense.
Peter Rosenberg
Can we just get from one of these teams to a watchable offensive product? I mean just let's throw out wins and losses. Neither of these teams is winning the super bowl, but man, the football in this town, guys, you know, every week got my priorities. I can't be Dave Rothenberg. I cannot watch every minute, every game. I'm watching the commanders and I'm watching the jets and the Giants. Can you please not make the jets and the Giants games miserable? That has been the case, Don. How many years since I've been here? I've been here almost 10 years, Don. I feel like between the two of them, the total good offensive seasons between, between those teams, it's got to be under two.
Don Rosenberg
No, it's way under two.
Alan Hahn
Well, the jets haven't had a top 10 offense in forever.
Don Rosenberg
Yeah, forever. And when the Giants won in got to the playoffs in 16 and 22, it certainly wasn't lighting up the offense at all. Oh, Del Beckham Jr. Eli to Odell for you know, maybe 17 points and then holding on in winning games and that was 11 wins. And then the nine wins they had the other year and then the Todd Bowl 10 win season, that's the only time they've been above 500 since you've been here with Fitzmagic. Guys just score some touchdowns. That's all I'm saying is the jets can't have a 10 minute drive and they kick a 27 yard field goal only to see the opposition score on four plays. And it's 7:3 then time of possession doesn't matter, does it? Right. Same thing with the Giants. Got us red zone, red zone. Score touchdowns.
Alan Hahn
So you did, you did 16 years Jet games, right?
Don Rosenberg
Yes.
Alan Hahn
Can you name the last year they were a top 10 offense? And I'll tell you right now, barely a top 10 offense.
Don Rosenberg
And it was, it was during the time I did it.
Alan Hahn
Yes. The last time you, I believe you were. It would have to be.
Don Rosenberg
Well, it might, it might have been because statistically it was the greatest season a quarterback had since Joe Namath. I guess it probably was the 15 jet team with Fitzmagic.
Alan Hahn
It was not. I thought you were onto it. That one was actually 11th.
Don Rosenberg
Okay.
Peter Rosenberg
All right.
Alan Hahn
The one that was in the top 10 was ninth and it was a quarterback who was here for one season.
Don Rosenberg
So I guess so Brett Favre. That was the eight and three start.
Alan Hahn
That's correct. Yeah. They finished.
Don Rosenberg
So that was 08.
Alan Hahn
Yeah. Oh, eight season. They were ninth. That's it. And then, and then, you know, you. I'm still looking. The next time they were top 10 was that great 98 season with obviously Vinnie Testaverde and Kobe, they were fifth.
Peter Rosenberg
So that was, that was never a top 10 offense.
Alan Hahn
So when you say give me an offense to watch Jet fans laugh and say we've never, never had that.
Don Rosenberg
And when they do have something close, it's still not good enough to make the playoffs. Now listen, I'm with Peter. We, we're, we're just. That's why I said yesterday with the hope with the Giants. Not hope of, of winning a championship. It's not a hope of even making the playoffs. Just hope that my team's not an embarrassment. That you see improvement, that they're functioning, that they, you can watch them and be proud that that's your team. Even in a losing effort with that tough schedule. Jets the same thing. Do I have a coach? Do I have a coach that's got a clue? Are they going to cut down on the penalties? Are they going to do. Are they going to live up to the expectations defensively? Remember this is not the first time that we've heard this Jet defense is going to be great. A couple of years ago they were Talking about the 85 bears, you know, so can these teams live up to at least what little expectations they have? Now obviously we know about the jets woes on the offensive line. Will Andrew Thomas play? We're going to hear from him. We're going to hear from you as well. At 1-800-919-3776 we got a huge show fraud alert Friday at 4:30. We're doing ENN at 5 because we're only on till 6 today because the Mets are in Cincinnati to take on the Reds. So what we're going to do is we're going to have a big ENN with all the bells and whistles of a typical Friday at 3 o'. Clock. And then at the bottom of the hour we're going to go into our picks. Oh yeah. In which I only have to make two selections because I don't know if you heard I did Win that game yesterday, you stumbled ass backwards into three. Lots of compromise.
Alan Hahn
Yeah, Mother nature.
Don Rosenberg
And how about the little you got? You got your fangs out today, Alan. I noticed.
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, I noticed.
Don Rosenberg
Football Friday, you came at me and then it was like, oh, well, you're only kidding around. But now you've taken it seriously. You know how I get, Alan, He's a maniac.
Alan Hahn
You're going to learn how I get.
Peter Rosenberg
It's a. Oh, yeah.
Alan Hahn
This is what we do.
Don Rosenberg
It's a first football season.
Alan Hahn
It's our first.
Peter Rosenberg
It is our first football. It's our first football season together, guys. We only did the playoffs.
Don Rosenberg
I don't want to be held accountable for anything I say today because anything could come out of my mouth. 1-800-919-AS WE LEARNED YESTERDAY. 3776 Don on Rosenberg. Just getting started on a football Friday here on ESPN New York.
Peter Rosenberg
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Don Rosenberg
What about a home office shop?
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Don Hahn
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
Peter Rosenberg
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
Don Hahn
Catch the show on demand whenever you want to. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.
Don Rosenberg
Game Time is brought to you by Telemardu Irish Whiskey. Because when it's game time, fellas, it. I knew that was going to happen. The Mets start a series with the Reds in Cincinnati. Coverage immediately following us on 880 at 6 o'. Clock. So we got a short show today. Yes, the Yankees host the Blue Jays at 7:05. Huge game. And I don't know if you saw this, Allen, your right fielder is Aaron Judge. That's not nothing.
Peter Rosenberg
Oh boy.
Don Rosenberg
So back in the outfield that is huge news. And the Yankees did take two out of three from Houston. Held on for the 84 win last night. So off to a good start with his 12 game gauntlet. And the Liberty will visit the storm at 10. Tullamore Dew, the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Iris whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or try the new Tullamore Dew. Honey during today's action. Glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly.
Alan Hahn
Cam Schlitler on the mound two tonight for the Yankees. So a lot of interest in this game tonight that goes beyond the obvious, which is trying to now gain ground on first place in the division.
Don Rosenberg
Yep. And a big series for the Mets. Will Peterson bounce back Cincinnati? Not, you know, not the one. That's the immediate concern for the Mets. The Giants are San Francisco has won nine of 10 and now they're four games back of the Mets. So still want to try to get their best foot forward this weekend with a couple of the kids going on Saturday and Sunday sproat going on Sunday. So very interesting baseball, but it's all wrapped around the football that begins for real for us here in New York at one o' clock Again. That's another reason why you want these teams good again so they're not playing at the same time. It never happened growing up, Peter, you didn't have to worry about this as a kid, you know, because you just had your, you had your Redskins and that was it. But you Know, Alan and I could tell you that they never played when they, maybe Rush Hashanah, there, there would be some kind of wacky thing would happen where they both have to play at one o'. Clock. And it was a shock. And it was like once every couple of decades now, now it's rare when they, when they, when they're not playing at the exact same time. It's ridiculous.
Alan Hahn
It just shows you there's, there's no demand for them for either. And really two years ago, the jets with Rogers, that there was a demand. They were on national a ton. But I agree, Don, I never remember because you always felt like, all right, the jets are on it one. All right, so then the Giants must be on at 4. And you just always knew after you watch one, you watch the other. Like it was just a full day where you knew you had the two locals playing opposite each other. And it was so rare maybe at the same time.
Peter Rosenberg
Can we say something about that, though?
Alan Hahn
What do we want to say based.
Peter Rosenberg
On what we just talked about with these teams? Thank God that's not the case. I mean, I remember too, even when I was first living here for many years, but given how dreadful both of these teams have played offensively in recent memory. God, at least if you're so you're a Giant fan, aren't you Happy that at 4 o' clock you get to watch some random fun game instead of a Jet game? I mean, at least can you get.
Don Rosenberg
One local fun game to watch?
Alan Hahn
That is a fair point.
Don Rosenberg
It's a first world problem for us. Because when I was growing up a Giant fan, that would be my concern. When I was a kid, like now I'm stuck watching maybe a lousy jet team at 4 o' clock or vice versa. You grew up a Jet fan. I got a lousy giant team at 4 o' clock now because now you can actually get a good game at 425. But. And listen, most people, if you're a Jet fan, you're a Jet fan. Giant fan. Giant fan. So you don't really care that they're both up against each other, each other. But for us, you know, means DVRing both of them because you never know what's going to suck you in, right? Because you got to come in having watched both. How are you supposed to do a show when you don't have both? And oh, by the way, it's not like the Yankees and the Mets aren't playing meaningless games either.
Peter Rosenberg
Now you want to know what you.
Don Rosenberg
Got to live with?
Peter Rosenberg
You know what else is wacky? While we're talking about things that are different, of course I'll get into our full announcer lineup come five o'.
Don Rosenberg
Clock. There was, there was some people wondering. No, the person that didn't like it is no longer with us. And when I say no longer with us, he's on the planet, just not on the show.
Alan Hahn
Oh, I thought he was about to announce something.
Don Rosenberg
No, Michael. Michael despised the announcer lineup.
Peter Rosenberg
By the way, Michael already wrote me. I guess he heard my line earlier when I, you know, I said I'm not like a get off my lawn guy like Michael K or whatever. I said he received, I received a what is usually a two letter. A two letter, two word response. Now he makes it four letters. That's how he chooses to spell. The first letter has three and the second one has one Don. You know what I'm talking about. I don't know why he chooses. He chooses to take what is the sound of one letter and makes it three letters. But either way, he wasn't pleased with me. Now here's the other wacky piece though.
Don Rosenberg
Okay, you're gonna.
Peter Rosenberg
And I 4:25 today on Sunday, CBS. Lions, Packers.
Don Rosenberg
Yeah, I can't.
Peter Rosenberg
They've gotten really wacky with the conferences playing on cbs and Fox too.
Don Rosenberg
Yeah, that's weird to me. That is still weird to me. And by the way, talking about Michael K quickly, if the barometer of how you feel about Peter, like liking Peter to the Don level or hating Peter to the Tessa level, Michael probably is closer to Tessa than Don with.
Caller Max
You agree?
Alan Hahn
God, oh my God.
Peter Rosenberg
No, of course I don't agree. But I will say this.
Don Rosenberg
Well, no, he acts like it.
Alan Hahn
Really. I'm learning a lot right here. No, I, I, I realize this at all.
Peter Rosenberg
No, I think Michael loves me. But his, he, he, he does both. I mean, he will. He can give me Don and he can also give me Tessa. Now, the Tessa detests me. I mean, like, that's the thing. I think with Michael. He hates me. But, but it really is based in true love.
Don Rosenberg
Okay, Tessa.
Peter Rosenberg
It is outright. You're right. It's like she comes out for me when I haven't said anything on the show that day. Like the Commanders could beat the Giants and Don. It happened last year. We'll get to Monday and I'm just, I'm not. That's right, Don. You know me. I'm not saying I'm not annoying in how much I talk about my team, but if the Commanders win on Sunday, I'm not going to get on the air and hang on the rim. That's not how I am. Tessa will call and force me to start acting that way because she will just come at me even if I'm being a gentleman for this is this. It's not right. And I hope my hand doesn't get forced. And listen, I'm not counting my chickens. I don't plan on making the Commanders one of my picks this week. I don't love that number, but hopefully my hand doesn't get forced this Monday if that does happen.
Don Rosenberg
Now, the big thing with the Giant, I think it's a huge thing and it hasn't affected the number because I guess they haven't said he's out, but it certainly can affect whether I pick the game or not. Is what's the availability of Andrew Thomas on left tackle for the game against Washington while Thomas spoke today? Will you play?
Andrew Thomas Interviewee
I think we'll see. I've been talking to the trainers and we'll see. We'll make that decision there.
Don Rosenberg
All right. What did he work on during the course of the week?
Andrew Thomas Interviewee
Yeah, so Wednesday got a little bit more than I did the last week. Doing some more stuff one on ones. I actually did some individual stuff with extra guys, like extra work on the side. And then Thursday, scheduled day off and then today I actually got some team reps and that was my first time doing that. I thought it was pretty good. Obviously some technique I got to work on to get back into the flow of things, but I thought it was a good day.
Don Rosenberg
Now the thing that bothers me, guys, is there are people that think that it's a weakness or a bad job by Thomas if he chooses not to play because he's taking the wide angle view of the season where he doesn't want to hurt it further. He wants to be careful because it's a long season. I look at that as being smart. Listen, I want him to play. I want him to be available against the commander. It's a big game, it's divisional game. But I also don't want to come at the expense of maybe having him in and out of the lineup all year or maybe re injuring it to the point where he's not an option this season. So if he doesn't feel right, man, I don't want him to play. This is one of those situations where the old college try, you know, cutting off the, you know, Ronnie Locke cutting off his pinky finger to play in the Super Bowl. I don't view that as this. I, I look at it as sometimes you got to do the prudent thing to do for the long haul. So I don't know how you guys feel about it, but if he doesn't feel he's right, then I got to back him. If he doesn't play, he doesn't sound.
Alan Hahn
Like he's 100% confident. I think what he's. What he wants to make sure is that he's going to make every effort to be available for his team, which is what you would expect. But it's a list, Frank. Injury on a man, 300 pounds. This is not something that you fight through. This is something that you slowly get yourself back. And if he's talking about technique and footwork and want to get right, like those are all things that if it's going to take you another week, you take the next week. You don't force it because you know how important he is to this offensive line. Oh, I need to ethical and especially for Jackson Dart, if Dart's ever going to get out on the field and you don't have your all pro left tackle out there, right, that's the last thing you want. I would wrap him in bubble wrap and tell I'd make the decision for him. Andrew, not yet.
Don Rosenberg
And also the fact is that if you got Dart backing up Wilson and you don't protect Wilson and Wilson gets hurt, then Dart becomes your starting quarterback faster than maybe you wanted him to.
Alan Hahn
That's a good point.
Don Rosenberg
You got to be careful of that. Hey, that's why they said if it was the super bowl he play because it was the Super Bowl. Well, then the season's over and you got this entire off season to figure it out. There's 16 games after this, guys. So I think it's the right thing to do. Now, Jordan Ronan was on with DNR earlier today. So what's the plan of Thomas can't go. They made a plan this offseason was to sign James Hudson. They gave him significant money for it. Be a swing tackle. Marcus Bowe has impressed, but he's been.
Peter Rosenberg
More a right tackle.
Don Rosenberg
Doesn't make as much sense to flip him to the left for his first career game. So I think James Hudson would be the top option there. If Andrew Thomas doesn't go on Sunday. Well, at least there's an option. Right. And it's a guy that was prepared to do that, which I think is a good thing.
Alan Hahn
Yeah, they were. They were prepared for this. And again, I think what you want to do is make sure that everybody sees that you're making every effort to be available for your team. But I don't think anybody should hold it against him if the decision is made for him to wait at least another week. If not two.
Don Rosenberg
Such an important position for this Giants team. Such a, such a huge question mark entering, you know, the beginning of the season.
Don Hahn
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
Peter Rosenberg
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
Don Hahn
Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.
Don Rosenberg
Football Fans, enter the ESPN New York Survivor sweepstakes for a chance to win $5,000. Make your pick each week of the football season to find out how you stack up against your your friends and favorite ESPN host. But be careful. One wrong pick and you're eliminated. The last one standing will take home the title of the 2nd Annual ESPN New York Survivor Sweepstakes Champion and 5000 Bucks. Enter before Sunday, September 7th at 1:00pm on the ESPN New York app powered by Splash Sports.com My pick is in. You guys got your picks in?
Alan Hahn
Yes.
Peter Rosenberg
I don't. Oh my. I do. I have Survivor pick. My Survivor pick is not in yet. No need to do it.
Don Rosenberg
All right, working on it. So we'll make those announcements a little bit later on in the show.
Alan Hahn
Clearly.
Don Rosenberg
1-800-919-3776. Well, yeah, I guess at some point when Peter ever gets it in, I.
Peter Rosenberg
Got the, I got the COVID five. I got our three picks.
Don Rosenberg
I got a lot, a lot of app downloading. You know, there was like some tremendous video I had of my daughter's first steps I had to get rid of on my phone. So that was able to fit in the Splash that much.
Alan Hahn
Let's go. It's not that important. Let's go.
Don Rosenberg
Yeah, she's still walking.
Alan Hahn
She's walking.
Peter Rosenberg
What are first steps? She got way more steps than that.
Don Rosenberg
Let's go to Max in Nebraska. You get us started here on Don on Rosenberg. What's going on?
Caller Max
Hey, Don, how's it going?
Peter Rosenberg
Good.
Don Rosenberg
How are you?
Caller Max
On. So I didn't get to watch the first half guy Eagles gaming out the first half of the first five minutes because I had a whatever going on. But I noticed on Twitter or whatever that Carter spit on him and then and everyone was like giving him, you know, giving him the business about it. And then all of a sudden I see that Jack spit on him as well.
Don Rosenberg
No.
Caller Max
That immediately made me think of one thing. You guys know what I'm talking about?
Don Rosenberg
Hawk Tua.
Caller Max
The Seinfeld.
Don Rosenberg
Episode second Spitter, listen Dak did not spit on him. He may have spit at him.
Alan Hahn
Yeah, his general direction.
Don Rosenberg
General direction.
Alan Hahn
That's right.
Don Rosenberg
I spit in your general direction. But that does not.
Caller Max
So there is a little bit more to this story. But yeah, it definitely was kind of a myth understanding.
Alan Hahn
By the way, do we need slow motion replay of the spit? Like, was that necessary to see kind of him hawk the loogie? And then there it goes kinda. And then there it splashes on the cowboy jerk. Like, did we really need. Like, there's injuries that you see that.
Peter Rosenberg
You'Re like, I don't want to see.
Alan Hahn
The replay of that injury. Did we need to see it in slow motion? Look, there it is.
Don Rosenberg
I. You know what? And here's why. The answer is yes. Two reasons. We have the technology, might as well use it. And also that because of how fans are, I think they needed to see that there was no misunderstanding. You know, Flem didn't come out as he was talking or it was something else, because people will spit any way they want, you know, so clearly he spit on him. There is no excuse for Carter. I don't care whether he thought Dak was spitting on him or not. He didn't spit directly at him or on him. It might have been in his direction. But again, athletes spit.
Alan Hahn
Okay, you're all for three and four different angles and replays of the spit, not just one. And we're like, yep, there it is. Okay, let's keep it moving.
Don Rosenberg
Well, we overdo everything, but really, I got to be honest, it did.
Peter Rosenberg
I had to see it. I needed to see it.
Don Rosenberg
But did you need to see every direction?
Alan Hahn
And then even later on, like later in the game, they're like, oh, by the way, if you missed it.
Don Rosenberg
Well, no, see, see, that's. What's it like. There's a caller, he loves football, but he missed it a lot of.
Alan Hahn
No, I get they missed it. But to show it again in slow motion, it's like, just show.
Peter Rosenberg
I'm telling you, though, I did have.
Alan Hahn
He spit at him.
Peter Rosenberg
I did have the feeling when I missed it too. Do you know what I did? This is what shows Allen that they are 100% right. I got home, I heard in the car on the way there, Kevin Harlan talking about Jalen Carter being ejected. Oh, and I saw Allen had textured our group saying, oh, what a. What a bonehead thing. Whatever. The first thing I did when I got home was went on Twitter and searched for it. So. Yeah, you do. I did want to see it.
Don Rosenberg
You know, it is. It Is a good point, Peter, that we have the technology to go right to YouTube, go right to wherever social media to check it out. So NBC knows this and I don't want. I don't want to give people an excuse to look away from the screen. So let's, let's give it to them as much as we have to keep them away from getting it someplace else, I guess, because there is that level of competition.
Alan Hahn
It's true.
Don Rosenberg
So it's crazy, but it happened.
Alan Hahn
But it's amazing how, how, how much we're willing to accept now when it comes to, like, even gruesome injuries and stuff. Like, isn't it amazing how. How much we can stand. Like, we can tolerate our level of tolerating things? Like, again, would you really want to watch someone's.
Don Rosenberg
No.
Alan Hahn
Bit like. But it was a big mucus in the air. Like, that's not something I'm really interested in seeing. But in this context, yes, you could.
Don Rosenberg
Look away if you choose. You're right, you know, but there are people that just wanted to be able to see it all. And. And the spitting thing. I don't think there's anything more disrespectful than that. So I will see. I don't know if he'll get suspended, but there's going to be a pretty hefty fine for what he did. Did for sure.
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
Don Rosenberg
But that, that probably compromised the game, you know, a lot more than anything else.
Alan Hahn
They could run more. They could run up the middle more. There was so much more they could do because he wasn't there anymore. Their offense was positively affected with his absence.
Don Rosenberg
Yeah, of course. Especially so the cowboy offense.
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
Don Rosenberg
Let's go to Dave and Elizabeth. You're on ESPN New York.
Caller Max
What's up, Donnie Parks. What up? What up, Hollywood Han? Whatever.
Don Rosenberg
Rosenberg radio.
Caller Max
How are you, gentlemen?
Don Rosenberg
Good, good.
Peter Rosenberg
We're great, buddy.
Caller Max
Yeah, man. You guys missed a beautiful bacchanal last night. It was beautiful at the watch party, gentlemen.
Don Rosenberg
Yes. Really? It was good. I had heard you were there.
Caller Max
Yeah, it was dope, man. It was. You know, everybody's a class act. All the ESPN staff. Bart Garland, of course. Beautiful human beings, man. Beautiful hospitality. And the wings were solemn.
Alan Hahn
I heard Bart went behind the bar, was serving drinks.
Don Rosenberg
Yeah, Bart.
Caller Max
Bart was making drinks for customers. Yeah, he was bossing my brother's chops, too. My brother's the Eagles fan. He was busting his chops. It was great, man. Beautiful. Real quick, before you gentlemen. Let me go. Hollywood Han, I know you could definitely agree with me on this tomorrow, one of the best small forwards, in my opinion will be immortalized and he deserves his flowers. That's the Carmelo Anthony. I know he didn't get a championship, but to lose to the next best thing, the Michael Jordan, we can hang our hat on that. It is what it is. I appreciate you, gentlemen. Go Mets. Go Jets. Can't wait for Sunday, you guys. Next week.
Alan Hahn
Thanks.
Don Rosenberg
Thanks a lot.
Alan Hahn
Carmelo Anthony is part of the, the obviously the hall of Fame class will be inducted tomorrow in Springfield. And obviously it's, it is a great basketball story, but in New York right now it's, it's being buried underneath what is obviously with football. And the timing is not great for it's not great. But there's plenty there to talk about and we'll get to it at some point for it.
Don 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.
Don Hahn
Hear more of Don, Alan and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.
Date: September 5, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Theme: Kicking off the NFL season with a review of Eagles vs. Cowboys, spirited debates about "compromised" wins, New York football outlook, and sports etiquette controversies.
The first hour of this Football Friday opens the NFL season with the trio dissecting the previous night’s Eagles-Cowboys game, engaging in classic New York sparring over controversial plays (including a lengthy weather delay and spitting incident), and bemoaning the offensive futility of the city’s own Jets and Giants. The hosts mix their trademark camaraderie, humor, and heated (but good-natured) debates, all while tying it back to the looming Week 1 games and what they mean for New York sports fans.
“It affected both teams equally. So…maybe the Cowboys would have won the game outright. It had no effect on the spread.” — Don Rosenberg (02:22)
“So much changed in the second half of that game. […] The players didn’t have the same energy.” — Alan Hahn (02:57)
"It compromised the game entirely… It did compromise the game.” — Peter Rosenberg (04:29–05:11)
"As God is my witness, the second my feet went up and I hit play, Mike Tirico tells me the game has stopped." — Peter Rosenberg (06:10)
“The Eagle offense was unstoppable. Then the delay, then they punted, then they didn’t score. … The Eagles were knife through butter." — Alan Hahn (08:04)
“Spitting on somebody is inexcusable. […] Dak Prescott did not try to spit on Carter… But that does not excuse Carter for what he did.” — Don Rosenberg (15:17)
"Either accept it all or get rid of it all. […] I’d be just as irritated if the entire defense runs for a picture at the end of the end zone the same way I would one guy standing over me after a tackle. But one’s illegal and one’s celebrated." (17:37)
“How do they average more than 17 points a game? How do they get over 20 points a game? … Aaron Rodgers.” — Alan Hahn (21:08)
“There’s not a lot of help in that receiver core to get attention away from Garrett Wilson.” (21:30)
“…He has to find the A.J. brown to the Devontae Smith, because Garrett Wilson is Devonta Smith, right?” (21:47)
“Can we just get from one of these teams to a watchable offensive product? … The football in this town, guys, you know, every week … Can you please not make the jets and the Giants games miserable?” — Peter Rosenberg (22:40)
“Sometimes you gotta do the prudent thing to do for the long haul.” — Don Rosenberg (36:55)
The conversation mixes exasperated New York sports fandom (“just give us a competent offense!”) with classic sports radio bickering, candid self-deprecation, and moments of nostalgia for better football days. Banter is fast-paced, playful, and relatable to any long-suffering fan.
Summary prepared to help listeners catch all the vital analysis, heated takes, and behind-the-scenes flavor from the Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Hour 1 NFL Kickoff.