Hour 2: Jets, NFL Binge, Ohtani

Summary

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Don, Hahn & Rosenberg - Hour 2: Jets, NFL Binge, Ohtani

Date: October 20, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Podcast Description: A lively trio of Don La Greca (NY/NJ legend), Alan Hahn (Knicks broadcaster), and Peter Rosenberg (hip-hop/WWE personality) dissect New York sports, the NFL, and wider sporting culture with their trademark charisma and honesty.

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into:

• The Jets' continued quarterback turmoil and organizational dysfunction
• NFL Week in review: notable games, team trajectories, and MVP chatter
• Shohei Ohtani’s historic playoff performance and his unique status in baseball history

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1. Jets Quarterback Debacle & Team Dysfunction

[00:43] – [13:20]

Main Discussion Points:

• The hosts lament the Jets' inability to "learn how to win," focusing on poor quarterback play and lack of offensive weapons.
• Tyrod Taylor's potential to have turned games around is debated, but the consensus is that the team's problems are deeper than QB.
• Justin Fields is singled out for not being "NFL game ready," appearing completely lost, with minimal offensive production.
• The blame extends to the Jets' coaching and front office for ill preparation and lack of offensive strategy tailored to their players.

Key Quotes & Moments:

• Don Hahn [00:43]: "The Jets...are just another game in which it's winnable, but they just can't win it. They don't know how to win."
• Peter Rosenberg [01:31]: "Anybody that said...you got to go to Tyrod Taylor...you're not paying attention...they didn't really find anybody else to play wide receiver."
• Alan Hahn [04:11]: "The frustration again, to me about this team is how it was ill-prepared going into the season, clearly."
• Peter Rosenberg [10:45]: "The Jets are lethal injection to quarterbacks...you get sentenced to the Jets, it's the death penalty."

Statistical Low Points:

• Fields’ passing stats in multiple games are cited as "painful," with a net gain of about 10 yards.
• Since Week 1, only 4 offensive touchdowns in 6 games—zero first-half TDs, one TD in the third quarter (garbage time).

Broader Reflection:

• The show discusses broader systemic issues: failed drafting (Darnold, Zach Wilson), poor free agency, and a decades-long struggle to develop or protect QBs.
• They sardonically wonder if any QB ("even Josh Allen," "Lamar Jackson," "Joe Namath") could succeed here.

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2. Giants: Coaching Failures & Rumors

[15:53] – [21:34]

Main Discussion Points:

• Giants coach Brian Daboll is grilled for not considering coaching staff changes after an epic defensive collapse.
• The hosts discuss the fallout from pushing out Wink Martindale and whether there's any value in internal defensive changes at this stage.
• If the season implodes, they predict the entire regime goes, not just assistants.

Notable Quotes:

• Don Hahn [16:34]: "I'm glad he took responsibility for it because at the end of the day it is his responsibility."
• Alan Hahn [17:48]: "If they do make a change at the end of the season...everybody goes. Nothing's worth saving."

Dream Coaches Segment

• The guys have fun hypothetically shopping for next Giants coach—Mike Tomlin, Mike McCarthy, John Harbaugh, Pete Carroll, and jokes about Belichick and Brian Kelly.
  • Peter Rosenberg [18:52]: "If Tomlin ever shook loose in Pittsburgh...just the stability of it."
  • Don Hahn [20:57]: "Bringing in an experienced coach in New York is going to be very important."

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3. NFL Binge: Week in Review

[24:46] – [36:57]

Main Discussion Points:

• Segue into the "NFL Binge"—recapping key Week 7(8) matchups, MVP candidates, and shifting power rankings.
• Rams humiliate the Jaguars in London; Stafford and Devonte Adams shine.
• Eagles’ steady dominance, Cowboys’ offensive explosion, and Commanders’ season on the brink after Jaden Daniels’ injury.
• NFC West has multiple playoff contenders; MVP talk—Dak Prescott’s first-half heroics but past second-half struggles.

Key Segments & Quotes:

• Don Hahn [25:55]: [Play-by-play voiceover for a Rams touchdown, enhancing the binge experience.]
• Alan Hahn [29:04]: "You could be over before...your season can be over in one second."
• Peter Rosenberg [32:07]: "Is there any more parody than...there really doesn't feel like a team that, if I had to put all my money on this team...there's no one."
• Don Hahn [33:32]: "All you got to do is just kind of hang in there...then you get yourself in the wild card...and everybody's like, oh, there they are again."

Fun Stats & Trivia:

• Two teams with 200+ points scored: Cowboys (NFC) and—surprisingly—the Colts (AFC).
  • Peter Rosenberg [38:01]: "Yes. Well done. 232 points."

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4. Shohei Ohtani: Legendary Playoff Feat

[39:53] – [50:55]

Main Discussion Points:

• Ohtani throws 6 shutout innings with 10 Ks and hits 3 homers in the same playoff game, carrying the Dodgers to the World Series.
• The episode contrasts Ohtani's two-way dominance with the greats of other sports—Bill Russell, Lamar Jackson, George Blanda. None compare.
• Speculation: Should Ohtani win this World Series, does he enter the "greatest of all time" debate?

Memorable Quotes:

• Don Hahn [40:06]: “One of the greatest playoff performances, I think, in the history of any sports, is what Ohtani did.”
• Alan Hahn [41:28]: "I want to go back and do it again. Give him the MVP every year. It’s just so psychotic when it all comes together like that."
• Peter Rosenberg [46:28]: "Most DHs never pitch. In fact, never do. This is... you don’t see this."
• Alan Hahn [47:24]: "At what point do you say, is he the greatest player that’s ever lived?"
• Don Hahn [50:15]: "If I go out there and make 35 starts... that has to be better than anything Judge can do defensively. But Ohtani hasn’t done that yet."

Contextual Analogies:

• They reach for football and hockey metaphors—a goalie recording a shutout, then skating as a forward and scoring a hat-trick in a playoff clincher.

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5. Notable Quotes - Highlight Reel

• Peter Rosenberg [10:45] (on Jets QBs): "The Jets are lethal injection to quarterbacks...you get sentenced to the Jets, it’s the death penalty."
• Don Hahn [40:06]: "One of the greatest playoff performances, I think, in the history of any sports, is what Ohtani did."
• Alan Hahn [41:28]: "It’s just so psychotic when it all comes together like that. It’s truly unlike anything else in pro sports."
• Alan Hahn [47:24]: "At what point do you say, is he the greatest player that’s ever lived?"

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Jets QB Discussion/Dysfunction: [00:43] – [13:20]
• Giants Coaching Change Debate: [15:53] – [21:34]
• NFL Binge—Week’s Biggest Games: [24:46] – [36:57]
• Ohtani’s Historic Night & GOAT Talk: [39:53] – [50:55]

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Tone and Atmosphere

• The episode is packed with signature blend of sarcasm, passionate sports agony (especially re: NY teams), quick wit, and hilarious analogies.
• Each host brings his expertise and cynicism to dissect failings and rare athletic greatness, while poking fun at each other and at persistent sports narratives.

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Summary Takeaway

• The Jets and Giants remain mired in institutional chaos, defined by poor quarterback and coaching choices.
• NFL's parity reigns, with few surefire favorites—except, perhaps, Kansas City’s relentless competence.
• Shohei Ohtani’s two-way mastery is so singular, the hosts can't even find a fitting cross-sport comparison, and openly question if he’s now the greatest to ever play baseball.

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Transcript

[Don Hahn]

At New Balance, we believe if you run, you're a runner, however you choose to do it. Because when you're not worried about doing things the right way, you're free to discover your way. And that's what running is all about.

[Alan]

Run your [e-mail] Running.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Hahn]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.

[Don Hahn]

So the Giants were the complete debacle. The jets, on the other hand, are just another game in which it's winnable, but they just don't win it. They just can't win it. They don't know how to win. Another team that just obviously doesn't know how to win. Defense plays out of their minds, comes up with big plays, gives the ball constantly back to the offense, which is now led by Tyrone Taylor. And we'll see. Tyrod Taylor.

[Alan]

Sorry.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, I'm just trying to change his name again. Tyrod Taylor to see.

[Alan]

Better call Tyrone.

[Don Hahn]

So we'll see if that. If that sticks. We haven't heard yet from Glenn confirming who his quarterback.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He said today he doesn't know. Still.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Doesn't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

So. But what does it matter? I mean, it's. They're all clearly.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Doesn't matter.

[Don Hahn]

That's the problem.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, anybody that's had Don. Anybody that said that, you know, you got to go to Tyrod Taylor there. There'll be a better offense with him. You're not paying attention. First of all, Garrett didn't play, so you don't have a capable wide receiver. And then on top of it, they didn't really find anybody else to play wide receiver. No one. I mean, like Alan Lazard, we all know, like, he's. Like, he didn't play when Aaron Rodgers was here. So that's the problem with this roster is they went into the season offensively with a quarterback that you were trying to see if you could just get something out of him or try to get him to the next level, whatever it is. But you didn't give him anything to work with.

[Don Hahn]

No. And also having him come in a relief like I do. I think if he played, if he came into the second half of the game against Denver, do they win? I believe they do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Again, I. I am not saying that. No way am I saying that. I can't. I can't believe.

[Don Hahn]

No, no, no. Because they didn't have to do much to win that game, Alan. I'm not. I'm not Complimenting Taylor. He's a professional quarterback that would have figured out a way to get in field goal range at the end of the game in London.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's not, let's not make him Jeff Hostetler, though.

[Don Hahn]

All right, let's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's dial it back.

[Don Hahn]

What I'm saying is the reason why.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He'S been a career backup for 50.

[Don Hahn]

Years and it doesn't matter, but if he plays in this. I believe if he comes in the second half after the debacle at the end of the second quarter, if they pull the plug on Fields and they put Taylor in in the second half, I think they win that game. And then he's the starting quarterback yesterday. And if he's got a week to prepare with the number ones, I think they got a chance to win that game.

[Alan]

Okay, I'm with Don on this and only. And I hear your point. Allen on, On Tyrod. It's. It's. Tyrod is a serviceable player. Justin Fields is not. He's not a real quarterback. So anytime.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not, you know, like, it's like we're not. Like, we're.

[Alan]

But it's not.

[Don Hahn]

You don't have to be.

[Alan]

No, no, no. It's not.

[Don Hahn]

You're.

[Alan]

You're thinking, see, Al, see, Don, Allen's making this about Tyrod. It's about Fields. He's not NFL game ready. You don't have a starting. That's not a professional.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Have we seen somebody of his talent and we've seen him fall this far. Like, he's like, to a point, it looks like he just, he can't play. He's not confident. He's uncertain. He's glazed. All you look at his eyes during games, he's just completely lost. He's not moving anybody. He's not reading defenses and calling plays out of the line of scrimmage. Nothing.

[Alan]

I'm listening. I'm listening. Yesterday I went to go drop my parents off at their hotel, and I'm listening to Greg and Dan at halftime and they're going over his stats again. I'm going, these are his numbers again. It was plus 10 yards again. Every game it's plus 10 yards, 6.

[Peter Rosenberg]

For 12, 46 yards.

[Alan]

But then he had a sack.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But then there was a sack, three sack.

[Don Hahn]

He had losses.

[Alan]

So his literal neck gain.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, you mean neck gain. Yeah, it was like 10 yards. It's painful. It's. It's painful. So this is where they are. So the frustration again, to me about this team is how it was ill prepared Going into the season, clearly. And the choices they made at quarterback, which you put on the head coach because that was his guy. The choice they made with this player was a gamble. They were taking a shot at this don't. This was not a. There was no plan in place. Because if there was a plan in place, you know what? They'd have a system that would have accentuated his strengths. Instead, they make him a pocket passer. He's absolutely clueless. And they're a mess offensively. They're hard to watch. And they've got a talent in Breeze hall who can't get the ball.

[Don Hahn]

There's something. There's something else here because. All right, listen. It won't be the first or last time that Peter and I are wrong, but we thought that there was something. Two fields. And you can't say if this was his debut. You'd say, all right, the kid can't play. But he showed signs in Chicago. Pittsburgh wanted to keep him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They did want to keep him, but they didn't want to give him the ball back when Russell Wilson had it.

[Don Hahn]

No, I understand that that was weird, but it wasn't this. It never looked like this. Not even with Eber Fluss. It never looked like this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But remember, his numbers would never, like, blow you away numbers.

[Don Hahn]

But.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But offensively, he never did anything.

[Don Hahn]

No, but not this bad. So I can't. So unless something happened, whether he just kind of gave up on him, maybe he was promised something with the jets and they didn't deliver and now he's tapped out, Whatever it is, I don't know. I don't think that could possibly be the case because even if you don't want to be with the jets, you want to ball out so you can end up someplace else. He's only got one more year left on his contract, so. And he's only 26 years old, so there'd be no reason for him to give up.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So let me ask.

[Don Hahn]

But I got. I got to give the jets an assist on this though, right? It just can't be about. He can't play.

[Alan]

That's where I'm going.

[Don Hahn]

Are also screwing something up.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Tenor Angstrom, right. They brought him over. He was. He was in the offense on the offensive side of the ball in Detroit. They couldn't get. Obviously weren't going to get Ben Johnson. Ben Johnson left and Angstren wasn't like he was. I think two rungs down because they couldn't get anybody to be an offensive coordinator of any experience. Nobody wanted the job now he brought him with him from Detroit. And after week one, everybody thought, oh, my God, this kid's a genius. Like, right? Like they scored 30 points, had a decent day. You thought everything was great ever since then. In the six games since then, four touchdowns from Fields. Four. Think about it for a minute. They have had no first half touchdowns. Zero. Since week one, Not a single week one offensive touchdown in the first half.

[Alan]

Don, that was the week that you.

[Don Hahn]

Just had six weeks.

[Alan]

A damn football team.

[Don Hahn]

I gotta tell you, not everybody knows where that promo stems from. It's crazy. Every time I hear it, I get embarrassed.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I feel good. You have a damn football team. We don't have a damn football team.

[Don Hahn]

Shrink like Fred Flintstone every time I hear it. Because if people hear it out of context, they're like, I'm probably talking about, you know, the Jets. No, I was talking about. I mean, the Giants. I was talking about the jets because they did look like guys. No, it's one week. I don't. I don't think. I don't want to be this guy. But when I don't know the answer, I'm willing to hear and accept all possible explanations. They almost beat Pittsburgh. Did somebody say, oh, guys, we can't do that. We might win a game. So dial it back. You might accidentally slip it through. We want a tank. We want to go in seven. Explain this to me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Didn't have any tape. They had nothing to go on.

[Don Hahn]

But, dude, they didn't know what to do. 32 points, not enough. But how can you look even at the half? Pittsburgh would have been like, all right, let's. We've got to do something here. How can you look so good against the Steelers? And listen, the Steelers aren't any great shakes, but the one thing they can do is they're. They got a pretty good defense. They got one of the best defensive players on the planet playing for him, right? Give up 32 points, and then they make everybody else the rest of the way look like the 85 bears. How is that possible?

[Peter Rosenberg]

It gets better, Don. I'm not done. And, like, that's why I'm buying into. Again, it's always what's around the quarterback that hurts. And this is a very inexperienced play caller who is getting. He's getting his hat handed to him and some other parts of the body in these games by defensive coordinators. So, as I told you, zero touchdowns in the first half of the last six games. So take the Pittsburgh game out and go from there. You know how many they have in the third quarter.

[Don Hahn]

None one really. When was that?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Against Miami? Remember we were watching. We were sitting on the couch.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The fields ran one in.

[Don Hahn]

Thank God. You know, we should do a coach cast. A couch cast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, we should do a coach one.

[Don Hahn]

Coach one. Coach one too. You know, just do it right up on the sidelines. We'll be able to make suggestions.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And it gets better.

[Don Hahn]

No, it doesn't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So they have seven touchdowns. So there's one in the third quarter. Of the six remaining touchdowns that obviously came in the fourth quarter, they all came trailing by 13 or more points.

[Don Hahn]

Wow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So in other words, extensive garbage time.

[Alan]

Garbage time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

These were not like they haven't critical. When it matters, they do nothing. These were against the prevent defense touchdowns.

[Don Hahn]

And that's where you are.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And that. That. That is coaching. That is an. That's inexperience in an offensive coordinator. It's something Aaron Glenn actually was open to. That's a good question. When asked about the play calling, rather than him putting up a front, he let you know. He let you in. He told you. Yeah. We're kind of wondering what's going on on that side of the ball. Not my expertise, of course. So I left it up to this kid. And we got some problems over there. No doubt.

[Alan]

Guys, that the Cleveland Browns with Dylan Gabriel yesterday. Oh, don't, please don't put up a 31 spot.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's it.

[Alan]

Real quick. Gabriel's line. 13 of 18. 116 yards. No touchdowns, no picks. Just didn't turn it over.

[Don Hahn]

Keep it simple.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They.

[Don Hahn]

They.

[Alan]

They rushed the ball, they scored. Touch teams could score in this league. Even the not very good team can.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can we trade for Shador Sanders? Am I like, why not? What the hell? How bad.

[Don Hahn]

What did Shador Sanders ever do to you, by the way? I support.

[Alan]

I would support it. I want to watch football. At least I shorten the game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

See if he comes in and does something. Maybe gives you a little magic.

[Don Hahn]

Little something.

[Peter Rosenberg]

A little something crazy.

[Don Hahn]

Destroy him too. This is a place where.

[Alan]

Yeah, don't worry.

[Don Hahn]

Honestly, it's like. It's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's like I'm that desperate man.

[Don Hahn]

No, I'm telling you. The jets are lethal injection to quarterbacks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, right.

[Don Hahn]

You get sentenced to the jets, it's the death penalty.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think you're right.

[Don Hahn]

Honestly, I don't think it is where.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Quarterbacks go to die.

[Don Hahn]

It's. It really. It's where they die and then when they come out, they're. They're. They're resurrected.

[Alan]

You're going to like tonight, the late game, Texans at Seahawks. You'll want get to watch Sam Darnold. Yeah, get to Sam Darnold could legitimate good NFL.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So let's go back to that draft. The Donald draft.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's pretend Darnold, like either isn't there at 3, or the jets decide they like someone else. So let's predict. Let's say they take the guy I loved in that draft, which is Josh Allen, that age. Well, Josh Allen, how does. What does he become out of Wyoming? Shows up in New York, an Uber driver.

[Alan]

He'd work at Carvel.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So. All right, next up, next up, the other guy now that he went 30, so it's not like he would have been a top 10 pick, but let's just say they fell in love with Lamar Jackson. They saw him at Louisville and they're.

[Don Hahn]

Like, I don't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This guy's got it. We're not telling anybody how much we love him. Whatever. Even they trade back whatever it is and they draft him. What is he? What is he? Now remember, he's this guy's one MVPs. What does he know?

[Alan]

He can't play this game. I know it's impossible.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Nobody. Is there anybody that has enough. Like Joe Namath was the only guy that ever overcame the stench that is the Jets.

[Alan]

And overwhelming was the best version of him. Here. Pennington was. Was good here.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They did. What happened, though, Testaverde. They beat the hell out of his body to a point where he couldn't. Like the one year that they were ready to make a run. No, no, this ain't happening.

[Alan]

Looked like Farve.

[Don Hahn]

Here's the thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And Pennington got hurt.

[Don Hahn]

That's the thing. This is. This is where it is. So you want to know what the. There's no curse that the jets will never win again. The curse is nobody else will be able to play quarterback.

[Alan]

And as a result, you won't win.

[Don Hahn]

I can't develop a quarterback. And if I stumble into quarterback that can play Testaverde, Farve, Pennington, they'll get hurt, Right? Testaverde got hurt. Favre got hurt. Remember Pennington injured his shoulder? He didn't have a strong arm to begin with. No, but he injured his shoulder.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, but he was smart. He was the probably the smartest quarterback they've ever had.

[Don Hahn]

There's always exceptions to every rule. Right. Like, they actually got more out of Pennington than I think he actually was. Right? Oh, for sure. And. And I think they actually selected a bad quarterback in Zach Wilson because Zach Wilson is The exception to the rule because he's not even backing up to in Miami.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think you're out.

[Alan]

Right?

[Don Hahn]

So. So that's. That's where we're at. Like, there's exceptions. Like, they did get more out of Pennington than they should have and they did draft a bad quarterback in Wilson. Otherwise it's where quarterbacks die.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, how does it happen that forget the fact that the Giants got their next quarterback before you. You got your first. That the Patriots got their next quarterback and they already had one in between in Mac Jones.

[Alan]

Listen, how do you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How does this.

[Alan]

We don't need to talk about that.

[Don Hahn]

How does it.

[Alan]

I know we're. Everyone's dealing with a lot. We don't need to talk about the Patriots. Everyone's dealing with a lot.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen, man, the rest of the league.

[Alan]

Doesn'T need to hear about.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hard to get over that.

[Don Hahn]

I.

[Alan]

Believe me, when you thought at least.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They sucked now too.

[Alan]

I know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And you thought now, all right, jumping over the Patriots finally going to have their number and. And instead. No, no, look, they got their next.

[Alan]

I know. My boy savior. My boy Jesus.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What type of satanic verses was Joe Namath saying that night down in Miami before the Super Bowl?

[Alan]

My boy. My boy G. Spin hit me yesterday. And he's like, man, we're back. And I'm like, oh, I feel so bad. He's a Patriots fan. I feel so bad. Was that a tough five minutes? Do you guys have a bad little five minute break?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Poor Pat.

[Alan]

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[Don Hahn]

Reminds us of Ryan Fitzpatrick had a good year too, but unfortunately that ended in him losing in Buffalo and missing the playoffs at 10 and 6.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He had a, he had a bad game. Brandon Marshall had a bad game in that one. But you remember too, he signed the following year then because he had that big Fitz Magic season following year. He held out a training camp looking for the contract, right?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Showed up the last day of camp. He got celebrated. They had that big video of all the players. Be excited when he showed up and it was like this again. It always felt like good vibes. And then he got hurt.

[Don Hahn]

Yep.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So this is what never ends well. Ends well on the giant side of things. Don't know if you saw Jordan Renan has a story from Brian Dable's meeting with the media today. The obvious thing to do is ask is, okay, you were mad. You were yelling at Shane Bowen, the defensive coordinator. That's an epic fail from a lot of areas of your coaching staff. Are you making any changes? And he said no, not considering that he said it all starts with me. We all got to be better. It starts with me. So I, I wonder if he even has the authority.

[Don Hahn]

Well, I don't, I don't. I don't know how that helps. Like, do they have anybody else on the staff to be a defensive players.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Were not happy with?

[Don Hahn]

No, they weren't. But he's got to put out fire and that's, that's something you're probably going to change at the end of the season. But I'm glad he took responsibility for it because at the end of the day it is his responsibility. He brought Bowen in and he can override.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He sent Wink Martindale out. Keep that in mind.

[Don Hahn]

That's the reason why Bowen was available is because. Or their position was available because he, he sent Wink packing because they couldn't get along with each other. And that was kind of the beginning of the end. I really think that it just all went to, you know what after that and I just don't know if he's going to make any changes. Plus, it's not, this is not a situation where like he could take over the play calling because he's an offensive guy, not a defensive guy. Like if there was an offensive screw up, the question would be are you going to take over Play calling. Are you going to take more responsibility? That's not his area of expertise. So I can't imagine going, you know, going into week eight, like, almost halfway through the season, believe it or not, that you're going to make some sort of a change. And I think guys, if they do make a change at the end of the season, this is not a situation for me where Dable stays and Kafka and Bowen go, no, everybody goes this. No, nothing's worth saving. If it all completely goes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Give me a coach that you think would be like a good fit, would be like, the right kind of guy to bring in this situation where the team is right now. Give me a name. You know, you could try. You could do like the Knicks and try to, like, get somebody that already has a job and see if you can.

[Don Hahn]

I mean, I had code buy him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Out, but yeah, if you're gonna make a change, because we always say, who you gonna get? You could go there. Is there somebody, though, that, that you're like, off the top of your head, what would be your dream candidate if you could. Andy Reeds, obviously, that's off. I'm talking about, like, if there was somebody that is reasonably available.

[Don Hahn]

Not that he's known for his offense, per se, but, you know, if Tomlin ever shook loose in Pittsburgh, I think there's a relationship there between the Steelers and the Giants. There's always been. And if things kind of fall apart, they don't take advantage of winning this division, just, Just the stability of it. You know, I, I was never a big fan of McCarthy, but he's kind of aged well.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's available.

[Don Hahn]

You know, I, I thought the jets should have done it twice, actually. You know, he's an offensive guy, remember.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He wants that autonomy. He wants control. Like, he's. He's gonna want stuff like that now.

[Don Hahn]

Well, that's when, see, that's where you have a conversation because they blow the whole thing up and Shane doesn't come back. You know, do you have that kind of conversation where you give him a little bit more power? Again, I don't think he's an amazing coach by any stretch. He's one of those guys, like, he won a Super Bowl.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, the last minute of a game, you know, you're. You're fumbling and stumbling because, you know.

[Don Hahn]

But you ask me, like, really, it's hard. It's like you said, I can't take Andy Reid. I mean, no, you know, the Harbaugh is not aging well in Baltimore. Things are kind of falling apart. There, but.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, but that's more roster. You know, the Costa had a hard time rebuilding that defense.

[Don Hahn]

You tell me that Baltimore completely falls apart and John Horball becomes available. How do I say no?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I drive down and get him.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, that. That would obviously be somebody that I would think about.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

All right. I wouldn't want Belichick. I think that ship sail.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay. That's definitely out.

[Don Hahn]

Because the only way I would.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, he's not going to last more than this season down in Carolina. Right. And you know, this is the job that he considers. He holds it in high regard.

[Don Hahn]

I know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But usually feel like he's already. Like he feels like he's flown the cuckoo's nest.

[Don Hahn]

Now, if you tell me he'd be. He would never do it, but if he's willing to be my dc. Come in.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I don't see that.

[Don Hahn]

But I don't see him taking that kind of a step back.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

And plus. And then if the job is available with the general manager position open, the temptation would be too strong for. For John to give him power, and I think that would be a disaster. I was willing to just be the head coach and somebody come in a strong personality to handle because he's not a great selector of talent. He's not. That's not.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's fair. That's fair. Now it's too bad Pete Carroll took the job and in Vegas because, like.

[Don Hahn]

Pete's great, even though he's almost the age of Bill. He doesn't seem that way at all.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And.

[Don Hahn]

And.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And him. And together would be hilarious. But.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It just doesn't feel like this. You're not going to go Ron Rivera. Right. You're not going to do that.

[Don Hahn]

No. But I do think bringing in an experienced coach in New York is going to be very important.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So you don't want to go a college coach. You don't want to do that.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You don't want to bring somebody in who is a college coach.

[Don Hahn]

It usually doesn't work.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know.

[Don Hahn]

You know, ever. And work with Jimmy Johnson.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What about Brian Kelly? He could be here with his family.

[Don Hahn]

I think.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Although he might say, I'm here with my family now that I'm here in New York.

[Don Hahn]

The only reason I. The only reason I have the conversation, it would be an absolute disaster. But, boy, it'd be good for the show.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, it would be.

[Don Hahn]

You'd have to think. Peter, you'd at least have to discuss it. Just because our show would just. It would be fantastic.

[Alan]

A bad coach if he's at least entertaining. Yeah. Part of David's problem is he's not only bad, he's not entertaining.

[Don Hahn]

No, it's not. But you know what?

[Peter Rosenberg]

He just gets really emotional. He gets so fired up.

[Alan]

But he's not. But what's his personality? He's not funny. He doesn't. He's not charming.

[Peter Rosenberg]

His players do like him. I. I will say that I'm being selfish here.

[Alan]

I mean, for us though, when we play anything, there's nothing worth playing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, he tells you nothing.

[Don Hahn]

I almost sensed Patrick Mahomes thing going. You. You were going to list a bunch of things. If you were on a roll enough.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What would you say you might have.

[Don Hahn]

He might have. You know what he did with Mahomes?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I was hoping he would repeat it.

[Alan]

I don't have enough things about him.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, but I think. I think we.

[Alan]

It would end it. He's boring. He's boring. He doesn't coach well. He's kind of a dork. His brother's a tool. His girlfriend's annoying.

[Don Hahn]

I don't have two or three other things besides boring. I think we could have gotten there with that.

[Alan]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Alan]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. This is the NFL binge.

[Alan]

Hey, how is everyone?

[Don Hahn]

Good. Yourself?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not great, Bob.

[Alan]

NFL binge today driven by Ramsey Mazda. I realize. Anthony, I think we need to spice up the intro for the NFL binge. I gotta add like some. I mean, we don't want to do the same thing we do for the picks every week.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, what do you mean?

[Alan]

We're watching football. We can't have that in there. Yeah, but I mean, our intro to this one, I'm like feeling left out because we have so many good intros throughout the week.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And this intro, it just goes.

[Alan]

This is the NFL binge. I mean, it's serious, it's straightforward. Yeah, it delivers a point.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Why waste any time?

[Alan]

Get right to the binge.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, you could probably get a couple of drops of calls of plays on Sunday, see, and just throw them in, see?

[Alan]

Or even if they're generic, Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's just generic in history. Amazing football.

[Alan]

Harlan. Yelling things like, he's wearing a bra. You know, there's so many things.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, exactly.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's a good one.

[Alan]

All right, guys. Well, if only the jets had a wide receiver like Devonte Adams. They don't, by the way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, if only you had a Taco Bell in your house like he does.

[Don Hahn]

Matthew Stafford under center, single back, stands.

[Alan]

Up, throws the fade, right side jump ball. Devontae does it again over the top of the outmatched defender. Three touchdowns. The Rams went to foggy London town and they took that what felt like a Thursday nighter Sunday morninger and just blew out the Jaguars 35, 7. That's supposed to be a home game for the Jaguars.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Was there.

[Alan]

Practically live there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We learned two things in this game, did we not? One, the Jaguars are a little over it.

[Alan]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They'Re not there, the Yaguars. But also that Stafford's not dead. No, he's very much not dead.

[Alan]

No, they're going to be a team probably that late in the year we're talking about again they, they've like the Rams have quietly been let the fourth team in. The Chiefs, Bills, Eagles.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, in the cycle of teams that.

[Alan]

Are always there quietly there they had one year completely off. But really Don, wouldn't you agree over the last four years the Rams are kind of there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They are.

[Alan]

They're a very solid football team.

[Don Hahn]

Functioning, if you will.

[Alan]

Yeah, functioning if you will. They had a damn football team as a man once said. All right, well, doubters of the Eagles and their past game silence at least for one game. Hurts back, hurts looking, hurts. Firing A.J. brown touchdown. There you have it. Jalen Hurts throwing for 326. Devontae Smith and A.J. brown each had over 120 yards receiving.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Everybody's happy.

[Alan]

Eagles hang on again. The Eagles aren't blowing anyone out but they beat the Vikings 28 22. Now this one's gonna hurt a little bit to talk about Dak Prescott. Is he not being talked about for MVP enough?

[Don Hahn]

They are on the ball quickly. First down play fake boot right, throws.

[Alan]

It out to the right. Ferguson dives in from the two. Touchdown Ferguson.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The guy is a touc machine.

[Don Hahn]

Unbelievable. Second of the day for Fergie.

[Alan]

Cowboys offense was a lot too much to handle even before Jaden Daniels was hurt yesterday. Cowboys just kept responding. It was back and forth early but the Cowboys had too much offense. 4422 Route of my commies. The bigger concern of course the commanders. Jaden Daniels leaving with a hamstring injury. The MRI is complete. It is nothing serious or long term. So I am, I am exhaling. But Alan and I had a very sobering conversation earlier where he did make just a really good point which is that if you have a second thing in the leg for the year on the other leg. Now it's the other leg. I have two questions. One, how fast are you rushing him back? I hope not at all. Then what are we really doing this year? And this is what makes football so fragile. Two weeks ago I have Don legreca saying in earnest, I think the Commanders are going to be the cream of the NFC the next night or that night. Jaden drops a snap in wet weather. They lose a game there.

[Don Hahn]

I'm sorry.

[Alan]

The next week they get routed, he gets hurt again and you're going this could be over before your season can be over in one second. Because if he they play. We're at Kansas City next week. If that's Mariota going to Kansas City, the way the Chiefs are playing right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now, that's a wrap.

[Alan]

And if McLaurin and Debo aren't back, yeah, that's a wrap. Now you dropped to three.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's amazing too because isn't Barnwell kind of suggest the Commanders will take a step back because you're not going to win all these close games. Everything that happened last year, luck just can't last. It doesn't repeat itself. But no, that makes me think but then you had McLaurin with the contract holdout, you had a couple of injuries early on through train through preseason and it's like there was a lot of those little indicators going into your season that this was going to be like a struggle compared to last year, which was caught everybody by surprise and then just rode the wave. This is one of those kind of grind out the first half, stay relevant, get healthy late and then get in and then be that team you were last year. That's all you're hoping to do now.

[Alan]

Now, by the way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But you got to get the kid healthy.

[Alan]

The not only is not only is Daniels out, you know he's questionable for this week. Yeah, they lost Dorrance Armstrong, who is not one of the sexy names if you're not a fan of the team, probably the best player outside of Duron Payne up front so that he's out for the year. So it's just another it's going to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Be a defense already wasn't good and.

[Alan]

The defense is already not good. To your point. All right. Sunday Night Football, the Niners were led by the great Christian McCaffrey formation.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Jones takes and gives. Christian cuts it up inside back penalty is pushing, pushing, pushing. They got him in Braun up front.

[Alan]

For the Niners tonight. A touchdown maybe to put it away. And the Niners keep rolling. You know, they don't, they don't seem sexy or special when you see them on paper, but here they are. They beat Atlanta, who had been rolling 20 to 10. Done.

[Don Hahn]

But we now we talked about the rams. Now they're 5 and 2. Niners are 5 and 2. Seattle, they're 4 and 2. Who's winning.

[Alan]

The NFC west and when is this the case that you might have a bunch of good teams at the top of the NFC West? The NFC west is still the team I think of having a team get in the playoffs at 7 and 9.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, between the Rams and the Niners, though, you've got perennially the last couple very good teams.

[Alan]

But Seattle wasn't good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's Seattle that had kind of went through well, with Gino, they were. They. They had stayed competitive. But you're right, the fact that Seattle looks like them is definitely they win tonight.

[Alan]

They're five.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, that's. That's makes it a huge.

[Don Hahn]

You knew the south would be the answer to this question, but it could very well be the east as well, where only the division champion makes the playoffs.

[Alan]

Starting to feel that way.

[Don Hahn]

So whoever wins the east, because you got Dallas with three wins, Washington with three wins, Giants with two. So you've already got, you know, two potential wild card teams coming out of the west. And with Detroit and Chicago, four and two. With Green Bay four, one and one.

[Alan]

It's. It's.

[Don Hahn]

You know, you might have to win the east in order to make the point playoffs. And who would have thought that you thought there was a better chance of three teams making it rather than just one?

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, we've talked parody around this season. I mean, is there any more parody than you. I mean, we were doing tiers right the other day and we were putting teams in certain tiers and now it honestly is there. There really doesn't feel like a team that if I had to put all my money on this team, this or the field. There's no one.

[Alan]

No, there is one.

[Don Hahn]

Well, there is one. You don't want to say there is.

[Alan]

It's.

[Don Hahn]

I don't want to say it.

[Alan]

No. Alan likes to say it. He.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I.

[Don Hahn]

But Peter. I don't want to say it.

[Alan]

I don't want to say it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You're gonna throw up.

[Alan]

Yeah, I'll throw up in my mouth. But.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But even they're not. Not as much of a given as.

[Alan]

No, but that's exactly why you put the money on them.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But we default to them because they are the one team that you just trust.

[Alan]

And this is why it's wild. Watching what's happened to my team this year with the injuries is what makes me appreciate Kansas City. Philadelphia, Buffalo.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah.

[Alan]

How do you do this every year?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, there's your.

[Alan]

How do you survive it every year?

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's what I told you is the example. Especially with Kansas City is so good at is early in the season. And the Patriots used to be like this too, Don. You remember, they could start a season and stumble.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They could have a couple of injuries. And it's just. All you got to do is just kind of hang in there. You don't. You don't give away games. If you have a chance to win, you win them. The obvious stuff, but, you know, if you just grind through the early part of the season and stay in the fight. Then you get yourself in the wild card. You get healthy by the end of the season, you're in the playoffs and everybody's like, oh, there they are again.

[Don Hahn]

There they are.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Your commanders have anything in them. That's who they have to be. And it's a great point, Don. It could also be the Ravens. We're ready to throw dirt on them, but we don't know.

[Don Hahn]

Only because, you know, Pittsburgh just had a tough loss. I don't know how good Pittsburgh is. I don't know everybody else in the division's under.500. So the door could be open. Same thing with Washington. I mean, Philadelphia just didn't all of a sudden stripped the dysfunction away from them because they beat Minnesota.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You see, you see Barkley's line. They went away from Barkley completely away. He had 18 carries. He had one pass thrown to him. And it's not like they are appealing to their wide receivers right now. And they got away with it in this game.

[Alan]

Well, that is the n. Wait a minute.

[Don Hahn]

Wait a minute.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wait, wait, wait.

[Don Hahn]

I was having too much fun.

[Alan]

Driven by Ramsey Mazda. It's the experience of driving a new Mazda. What about what happened to Mazda from Ramsey Mazda? Choose wisely. Choose Ramsey Mazda.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Should we talk about Miami? How about Vrabel Rabel going into Tennessee, getting the game ball from his. From his players?

[Don Hahn]

Saw that coming off.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Great story.

[Alan]

That's something.

[Don Hahn]

Changing coaches in the middle of the season, him going back to his old stomping grounds.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How about he has more wins this season than the Titans have since they fired him.

[Don Hahn]

That's got to make him feel fantastic. And also, you know, we mentioned it in passing, but how do we feel about Trevor Lawrence? This was supposed to be a generation of talent. Guy can't miss and he hasn't been bad and he's parlayed it into a big contract. But how is Jacksonville only 4 and 3? You know, how is Houston 2 and 3? It's. It's incredible what Indianapolis is doing. It looks like they're going to run away with this division.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, let's answer your question again that was asked, but we didn't really kick it around. We have a minute or two, right? Is the Dak Prescott conversation here? Well, and Jerry Jones probably feeling a certain way right now about what is what, what he's seeing. Pickens was a smart move because he's playing motivated for the contract.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You might argue that moving Micah might allow them if they want, if they feel like Pickens and CD Lamb are the best duo receiving duo in the league. And it makes Dak look good. I guess they got a good running.

[Don Hahn]

Game, I mean, which, which is shocking. He's able to do this. But again, we've seen this from Dak before. Take a look at the stats. I'm not anti Dak. I'm a Dak guy. But he's always really big in the first half of seasons. We've had this conversation many times before. Is he the mvp? And then after Thanksgiving it kind of wilts a little bit. And if Parsons is here, is the defense better? And they probably beat Carolina last week if he's there like so don't stop throwing parades for, you know, Jimmy Jerry Jones making that decision because it still might bite him because they're still only three, three and one getting MVP caliber quarterback play because their defense hasn't been very good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, they're scoring like crazy. They are, but that's their defense. Is the, is the obviously the issue.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. And it's, and that's what's going to stop them from really making a legit run. But it's, it is kind of crazy. Now it's winning time. We're getting, we're getting deeper into October, getting late, early, you know, and listen, I'm not saying this because they beat the Giants, but Denver, you know, let's see what they, how they parlay that win because that's a good defense and they got a good coach. And it looks like Knicks is starting to play a little bit better. So that's kind of where the cream, you know, usually say November, but maybe, maybe it's now a little bit earlier because things are so wide open. Who's going to gain that traction? And there sits Kansas City again. Always big shutout win. And maybe they're not what they were and maybe the champion of 2025 is not going to be historically a great team, but somebody's going to have to win it.

[Alan]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

One last one last trivia for you guys on the NFL? Yes, because I want to see if you can answer this because it's very interesting answer so the Dallas Cowboys lead the NFC in points. Offensive points right? 222 there's only one other team in the entire NFL that has over 200 points scored so far offensively. It's in the AFC, obviously. Who do you think it is?

[Don Hahn]

Indianapolis.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes. Well done. 232 points.

[Alan]

Yeah, they're scoring, man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This episode is brought to you by State Farm.

[Don Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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

[Don Hahn]

So On Friday, we saw something that I don't think we'll ever see again. And one of the greatest playoff performances, I think, in the history of any sports.

[Alan]

Oh, yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Is what Ohtani did. Six innings, 10 strikeouts and three home runs as the Dodgers sweep the brewers are going to the World Series for back to back years. Is there anything that can compare to that guy's? Anything?

[Alan]

Well, here's the thing. First of all, we got. There's a few things about it, right? Nine and one on the way to the World Series.

[Don Hahn]

Again, unreal, right?

[Alan]

So like, you know, we got to start having the Dodgers conversation kind of next to the Chiefs and the Warriors. That, that's kind of where they are. The screaming about the Dodgers.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, they're not there.

[Alan]

Well, no, no, that's. It's what this is their, their fourth World Series.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But how many titles. Chiefs and the warriors of multiple. Legit.

[Alan]

No, no, they got to win another one to be in that conversation.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Oh, yeah. They got to win this one.

[Alan]

They got to win this one. But I saw Ty Butler doing a great job on SNY having this conversation. He was giving a hard time to all the people who kind of complain about the way the Dodgers spend money and all the things there are to say. Anyone's trading to do what the Dodgers are doing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Absolutely.

[Alan]

This is like, this is a dream. And Ohtani goes from purgatory in the same market practically to now getting to be on this team. Don, do you remember how mad people were at me a couple of years ago when I was hanging on to the argument until very late in the year that I would have given the MVP to Ohtani?

[Don Hahn]

Yes, I remember that.

[Alan]

I want to go back and do it again. I like give it to give it to him every year. It's just, it's just so, it's just so psychotic when you put. When it all comes together like that. It's truly unlike anything else in pro sports.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But you can't give it to him every year because he's not healthy every year. Well, him coming back to becoming a starting pitcher again and doing this in the, In a huge.

[Alan]

When he's not. If he's a dh. So it's tough. I get very. He's very good even when he's not pitching.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Of course he is. But he's Edgar Martinez. Like, he's not. Like what he's doing now is, is incomparable.

[Alan]

Incomplete.

[Don Hahn]

We've never really seen the full blown blown unicorn because I guess the most innings he's ever thrown was back in 22, he threw 166 innings. He had 28 starts. Otherwise, you know, the Tommy John, he's been hurt. So we really haven't seen a great pitcher. But never mind all that. Just, just Friday night, you know, to pitch six innings, 10 strikeouts and then hit three home runs. It's. Maybe we'll see it again. Maybe this will become kind of routine. We'll start to see pitchers and hitters combined. But like right now, guys, when are you ever going to see something like that? I don't even know what the equivalent would be. It would be like Deion Sanders catching three touchdown passes and, and having a pick six in it in a playoff game. Right. That would be comparable. Right? That's the only thing I can think of.

[Alan]

It would have to be. It would have to be that though. Where, like, because Dion. Wait, when you say. Wait, sorry, did you say two football stats for Dion or do you give a baseball one also?

[Don Hahn]

No, I gave, I gave football.

[Alan]

Playing both sides of football, like what.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Travis Hunter would do.

[Alan]

Travis Hunter, because Dion, of course gets.

[Peter Rosenberg]

A pick six and then catches a receiving touchdown. Right, but even that's not, that's still not even close.

[Alan]

And Dion, for example, you need a.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Pick six, a sack. No, you would need all kinds of.

[Alan]

Like, it would have to be that he played shut down corner all day. Not just a pick six.

[Don Hahn]

He was playing.

[Alan]

He was shutting down the best receiver.

[Don Hahn]

Receiver all day.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Alan]

And then he had 150 yards deflected even.

[Don Hahn]

It's still though, there's no.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Nothing like there's some. There's some. There's some here. I'll throw some at you that, that AP put together.

[Don Hahn]

All right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right. AP meeting. Associated Press. Not Anthony Pusick. Bill Russell once had 30 points and 40 rebounds in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

[Alan]

That's solid. That is a solid line.

[Peter Rosenberg]

40 rebounds. Some teams don't get full.

[Alan]

By the way, the Wilton Russell stats are hard to even like comprehend sometimes. But.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right, here's. Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes have both passed 500 yards passing plus running in a game.

[Alan]

Meaning they like.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Basically you get. You amass 500 yards of offense running. That includes running and passing.

[Don Hahn]

But still not it, though.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's not all right. That's like. You see what I mean?

[Don Hahn]

Like, it's a lot. But the thing in basketball, Payton rushed.

[Peter Rosenberg]

For 161 yards and also threw two touchdowns.

[Don Hahn]

See, that's a little closer because running backs usually. Yeah, there'll be a few options during the course of A year. But to throw two touchdown passes, very rare. And rush for over 200 yards. That, that, that would be the closest.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How about this one? Let's go. Let's go way back 1970 George Blanda, game tying touchdown pass, then kick the 52 yard field goal in the final seconds to get the win. It's.

[Don Hahn]

It's incredible.

[Alan]

Closer.

[Don Hahn]

Closer. But here's the thing, is that you don't pitch and hit. It's not something you do. Like basketball players can score and rebound. Maybe not that level.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

But they do or they are asked to play both offense and defense. And we have seen running backs throw touchdown passes and, and we have, we've seen guys play, you know, very well in like quarterbacks run and throw, but that's not that rare.

[Alan]

But if they.

[Don Hahn]

To be a starting pitcher and pitch six innings, 10 strikeouts, that's. That's terrific for any starting pitcher.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is that like a goalie getting a shutout and a hat trick?

[Alan]

Now we're talking.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, but it's just literally, it literally. But now we're talking at goals like that. That would. Like this would be. Yeah. I don't know how this would ever happen, but like so six innings. So let's say you had a starting goaltender. All right. Let's say whoever it's. It's Igor Shusturkin and he has a shutout through two periods and there's an injury to Panarin. And let's say for some reason Igor could also skate and score and they.

[Alan]

Were short of forward.

[Don Hahn]

So they'll say we'll put Jonathan quick in. In the third period and we'll have Igor skate.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

As a forward. And. And he gets a hat trick in the third period and they win the game.

[Alan]

Oh.

[Don Hahn]

By the way. And clinch a playoff spot and advance to the Stanley cup final. Like that would be the equivalent. Think about that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They complete a sweep in the Eastern Conference finals to go to the cup sweep.

[Don Hahn]

The Panthers go on the Stanley Cup. Like that would be. That would surpass it. That to me would surpass what I thought so.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But that's a, that's the best way to describe just how improbable this is. Because it's one thing. Like what you're saying is a goalie never comes out and puts on skates and plays forward. Well, guess what? Most dhs never pitch. In fact, never do. They pitch. Unless of course, his team's losing by a lot. And they don't. They want to use a position player. Right. To pitch just to get out of A game situation, you don't see this.

[Alan]

So if ever. So if they. If they win this World Series, and let's assume in that World Series, he wins at least, you know, a game in the playoffs or whether it's a win or not, has a great performance in the playoffs and hits like this. I mean, the air that we're starting to get to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan]

When talking about him, like, at what point can you have a conversation if he continues to do things like this, wins championships? Also, given that he's doing Ruth like things in the modern era.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know what you're gonna say.

[Alan]

What point do you say, is he the greatest player's ever lived?

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know what's funny? We keep calling Aaron Judge the best player in the league, but when Ohtani is now on the mound pitching again and doing things like this level, there's.

[Alan]

Not a better player.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He just can't.

[Alan]

You can't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it's. You can't raise that comparison.

[Don Hahn]

He's got. He's got to go out there and give me a full season pitching. It doesn't even have to be elite.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know, Don. He gave me a playoff game.

[Don Hahn]

Listen, if you want to say Judge is better because he's also an A plus defender and he does affect the game defensively.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

And he's a better hitter than Oton. But Judge. And it's unfair. But even what would Judge have to do to equal what Ohtani did on Friday?

[Peter Rosenberg]

What hit six home runs and rob two at the wall?

[Alan]

It doesn't happen.

[Don Hahn]

It's unfair to compare. Now, if you want to say better than Ohtani, fine. But like. But is it.

[Alan]

But here's the thing. I resent that part. It's not unfair. They both have two arms and two legs. Okay. This is what he does. He. This is. I was watching the TikTok that was moving around yesterday with him being interviewed when he was a kid. He at one point was going to give up and not play both sides. And then when he chose his Japanese team, they offered him. They said, hey, we want you to do both, and we're going to help you do both. And he went for it. And it happened.

[Don Hahn]

Now, the thing is, is that. Yeah, because Judge could pitch, I guess, right. BDT chooses not to. He's not a pitcher. So that what Ohtani did can't be duplicated by Judge. But can Judge's defense through a whole season be equal to what over Ohtani can accomplish as a pitcher? I guess that would be the question. Like, if Ohtani is going to give you 28. Like the best, the best season. He rat in 22, 28 starts and he threw 166 innings. Right. And equality. I think he had earned run averages under 3. Could judge defensively over 162 games equal whatever Ohtani can do affecting games, helping his team win to the point of a guy that can make 28 starts.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Just so you know, Don Ohtani's war now all not just, you know, offense or defense, just overall, war was 7.7. It was third best in the sport.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Judge was 9.7 of the best in the sport.

[Don Hahn]

Now, Ohtani didn't pitch a ton because he was coming back.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So like skeens was fourth with 7.6. Just to give you an example on a cal Raleigh was fifth at 7.3. Scubal was in the top 10. So was crochet. They were in the sixes for what?

[Alan]

For, for, for, for war.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Overall war, like doesn't matter what where you play. Ohtani was 7.7 and Judge was 9.7. Right. Like, do you take that into consideration at all?

[Don Hahn]

I don't know how they judge pitchers war.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No.

[Don Hahn]

You know, I would think if I go out there and make 35 starts, you know, and I win, you know, 18, 19 games, that that has to be better than anything the Judge can do defensively. How many, how many guys could he throw out at third? How many catches, diving catches can he make that would equal 35 starts. But Ohtani hasn't done that yet. But it's, it's pretty incredible what he's done to see that. I mean, that's Ruthie and right. I mean, that's going back a hundred years ago.

[Alan]

They're slugging in OPS is very similar. Judge has a few more RBIs, of course. Judge batted.330. Judge batted 50 points higher.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Judge is a better hitter.

[Alan]

Yes, but listen, listen, but when you say that, you're absolutely right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But Shohei was still bad at 280.

[Alan]

With 55 home runs.

[Don Hahn]

It is pretty insane. And what he did Friday we never ever seen before. 1-800-919-3776 Big 5 o' clock hour enn at 6. Don Hanan Rosenberg on ESPN New York however, there are a lot of reasons why people buy at Ramsey Mazda. It's their selection, it's their customer service, and it's their savings. Get 1.9% APR financing on a new Mazda 2025 CX50 or release for 219 for 36 months. Start shopping now at Ramsey Mazda.com choose wisely. Choose Ramsey Mazda. Call 833-853-2970 for details. Finn SN 390557 MSRP32455 0 Security Deposit APR 17.48 per $1,000 it ends 103125.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan]

I don't want to know how the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sausage is made, man. I just want to know it's good. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter Weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 880 ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers talk about stepping up.

[Don Hahn]

It's time to level up your game. Introducing the all new ESPN app. All of ESPN all in one place. Your home for the most live sports and the best championship moments.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The electricity is palpable. Step up your game with no annual contract required.

[Don Hahn]

It's the ultimate fan experience.

[Alan]

Level up.

[Peter Rosenberg]

For More on the ESPN app or.

[Alan]

At stream.espn.com sign up now.