← FantasyPros - Fantasy Football Podcast
FantasyPros - Fantasy Football Podcast
2026 NFL Schedule Release | WINNERS & LOSERS That Change EVERYTHING (Ep. 2026)
00:56:17
Loading summary
Transcript461 lines
- [00:00]
A
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:02]
B
Guaranteed Human support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory services by Public Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com/disclosures.
- [01:06]
A
Park it right here, everybody. It's time for the Tailgate. It's me, Joey P. Joe P. Is up here with my two best friends, Andrew Erickson, Mr. Big Pot Energy, and D bro Derek Brown, the king of bros, fresh off another bout of NyQuil. You gotta get healthy, son. You gotta start taking better care of yourself. Come on.
- [01:23]
C
She bro doesn't wash his hands. That's why.
- [01:25]
A
Seriously. Gross, dude.
- [01:27]
D
I. I just subscribe to, you know, I'm living by my best Lamar Jackson life out here.
- [01:32]
A
Well, he does have three kids, Erickson, so that. That's. That's never.
- [01:35]
D
I like finger foods too, you know. Works out well.
- [01:39]
A
All right, we got a great show for you today. The NFL schedule dropped this week, so we're gonna talk about the winners, the losers, and we're going to talk about some of the Sun Fun videos. We're gonna talk about that a little bit that's going on. We're going to talk about week one, week 18. Just give you all kinds of takes and, and not like too serious, okay? Because this is Tailgate. This is where we just talk football. We just hang out, me and the boys and just talking ball. And if you like this kind of stuff, well, subscribe to the channel. Drop your comments below because you could win free stuff like our latest giveaway, the Jamar Chase Jersey. That's right. We're giving away a signed Jamar Chase jersey on this channel that you can win because it's a new channel. It's really easy. Subscribe to the channel. Drop your comments below. That's it. That's all you got to do. And of course, you should like this video and should share it with all your friends, because this is not about hiding from the world, your little advantage in fantasy, or a little advantage in betting. No, no, no. This is about fun. It's about football. It's about friendship, and it's a festival of all those things right here every single day on the tailgate. So let's check it out here, and let's start with the reasons why the NFL hates your family. I want to start there because not only do we have three games on Thanksgiving now, now we have a Thanksgiving Eve game. Thanksgiving Eve is not even a thing. So let me walk you through this right now.
- [02:49]
C
It's kind of a thing.
- [02:51]
A
It's a thing when you come back from college and you hang out with all your friends who are all back home, not to watch football necessarily. You're going to bars.
- [02:58]
C
Yeah. You go out to the bars, and now you can watch the game. It's perfect.
- [03:02]
A
See, this is why no one's having sex anymore, Derek. This is why that generation isn't getting laid anymore. See, in the 90s, this is. It was a totally different thing. Okay? We didn't have cell phones walk around now everyone's gonna watch on their phone. They're gonna be out at the bar watching the. The phone and watching the. Was it. The Rams and. And packers is gonna be on there. And these are great games on Thanksgiving Eve and day. But see, this is the problem, Derek. This is why the. You know, we're going backwards as a society.
- [03:30]
D
Man, I. I feel like such an old man yelling at clouds. But does the NFL have to dominate every damn day of the freaking calendar? Like, I love it as much as everybody else, and I love football, but good Lord, man, between the holidays and now, we got Thanksgiving Eve, there's football, and there's a. On the Friday afterwards, and it's stretched across Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and all that. Like, can we ever just have time? Like, with. With family and friends and stuff? Like, I get it, but still, like, she.
- [04:00]
A
I love standalone football games. Everybody who's watching me over the last two decades of doing this knows how much I love the standalone games because you get to really sit down and really kind of take every moment in and do all that stuff. But it's just hard for family stuff, man. Like when you have kids or the holidays or you have company coming in or relatives and stuff like that. Look, the Black Friday game I like because I was like, yeah, you know what? Day after Thanksgiving, everyone's just kind of sitting around. That's fun. The night before. Now it's on top of. It's kind of. Let's run through the schedule here. So you got Rams and Green Bay Packers. Okay, cool, fine. Whatever. Thanksgiving Day. This might be the best Thanksgiving Day slate ever. So we've got Lions hosting the Bears. We got the Cowboys hosting the Eagles. And then at night you got the Bills and Chiefs, which by then, theoretically, Patrick Mahomes should be up and running pretty well, literally and figuratively. And then we. Black Friday, you got the Steelers and Broncos, which. Okay, whatever.
- [04:54]
D
Like, you know, Broncos beat the Steelers.
- [04:57]
C
When you're looking at which game is going to be a turd, it's clearly Black Friday.
- [05:00]
A
It's definitely the Friday game.
- [05:03]
D
You know what?
- [05:04]
A
NFL will always put the Steelers on. Guys, they always put the Steelers on prime time.
- [05:08]
D
So many prime versus Denver.
- [05:12]
A
How many prime quarterback games are there? Just get. How many primetime Steelers games do you think there are this year?
- [05:17]
D
Oh, there's.
- [05:18]
A
Don't look.
- [05:18]
C
Oh, I don't know.
- [05:19]
D
Three.
- [05:19]
A
Take a guess.
- [05:22]
C
I would say three. Yeah, it's a three.
- [05:23]
A
You're both wrong. It's four.
- [05:26]
D
Oh, we're both wrong.
- [05:28]
C
Like, we were so far off rough by one, bro.
- [05:31]
A
That's. That's a lot of time. Games.
- [05:34]
E
Four.
- [05:34]
D
Too many.
- [05:35]
C
Well, how many. Okay, Thursday night is. I mean, that's. That's prime time technically, but I'm not. I mean, everyone gets a Thursday.
- [05:42]
A
It's a prime time game.
- [05:44]
D
Now Thursday night, we all know, is really just Tennessee versus Jacksonville. That's really what Thursday is for.
- [05:48]
C
Yeah. So they get, I'm assuming Sunday. Yeah, they got one Sunday night game, one Monday night game. Black Friday and Thursday night, like, that's. Yeah, that's pretty status quo for a team with a plays in a very lucrative market. Obviously, Steelers fans are some of the best fans in the NFL, so.
- [06:04]
A
Oh, absolutely. Oh, look. And having, you know, just become a converted Yinzer.
- [06:08]
C
Oh, yeah.
- [06:09]
A
After the NFL draft this year, clearly I feel the same. I have very. A very big kinship there for the Steeler Nation.
- [06:14]
C
Did you get a terrible towel? Did you bring one back?
- [06:16]
A
I bought one for Scott Bogman. So that was the tease.
- [06:19]
D
Do you have your. Do you have your Steelers onesie on underneath?
- [06:21]
A
I don't I have my chain. I have my chain from the other day from the draft show. I could wear that. And I got the coolest hat ever that I wore on the show, but I got my Steelers chain still. So wearing that. Oh, you got beads.
- [06:30]
D
What did you do to get those beads there, Joe? I think you know, if, you know, you know, I think you know, I
- [06:36]
A
know, but I got make all this noise. The audio guys are going to love me. I got a terrible draft towel and sent it to Scott Bogman as a little present for our, our pal box. So that was the surprise gift that I was sending him. He was very appreciative. It's a cool looking draft towel. It has all the draft logo on it and the terrible towel on the whole thing and stuff like that. So yeah, man, Pittsburgh is.
- [06:58]
D
I need one of those tools. I'll wipe my dog's feet when they come in from like one of the back.
- [07:05]
A
All right, let's talk about Christmas games because this is the other trend that started the last couple years where I know growing up Christmas is always about the NBA, which I didn't. I as a little kid I cared about like in the 80s and 90s, I kind of cared about. Actually I did watch some of those games, but then at a certain point I just didn't. And it just felt like, yeah, okay, NBA can have Christmas. Not anymore. To Debra's point, now the NFL has to dominate. Not just Christmas Day, but Christmas Eve too. So now we're doing Christmas Eve and Christmas Day triple header. No, no, like one game or two games. There's three. I also feel bad for the, for the players because it would be nice for them giving up so much of their. You look, I get it. This is the chosen profession. They get paid a lot of money. But it's also nice, especially for these guys who have little kids sometimes too, to have a little bit of time. I feel like where you can like take. Okay, we're gonna, we're gonna spend Christmas together with the family this week at Christmas, despite the fact not seeing daddy for the last, you know, I don't know, you know, 17, 18 weeks or even more can training camp and all that. So here's the Christmas Eve day schedule. Christmas Eve, Texans, Eagles, great game on paper. Absolutely. Then Christmas triple header, you've got the Green Bay packers, you got versus the Chicago Bears big in division game. You got the Broncos and Bills, which again has massive implications right. In terms of playoffs potentially. And then the Rams and Seahawks in Division 2, which they've chosen three premium games, Erickson, which is awesome. Which I don't know if I'd rather them do that or just give me the three worst games you have that week and just put them on there anyway. Like, why are you wasting all of the good games here on Christmas Day? Where. I just feel like a lot of people just want to do other stuff on Christmas, so you're not spending time
- [08:49]
D
with your family and you're staring at the tv. That's why they did it. That's why I think a lot of
- [08:53]
C
people just throw it on to have in the background. So people that aren't usually watching football anywhere just kind of, oh, well, like, the game is on. Let's throw something on. We want to watch the Christmas story for the 12th time in the last few days.
- [09:05]
D
Yes, I do have time. Christmas Story. Yes.
- [09:08]
A
I think that's exactly what you're supposed to do.
- [09:10]
C
Yeah, but we work in football, so it's a little bit different for us versus a more casual fan where it's like, no, like, I like to have something new. I. I would say, too, to your point about feeling bad for the players, I feel bad for the players that have to play on Christmas and Thanksgiving, like, because there are teams that are playing on both sides.
- [09:23]
A
Well, the Rams. Right, the Rams, the Packers, the Bills,
- [09:27]
C
the Broncos, and the Eagles. Like that.
- [09:30]
A
Like, yeah.
- [09:30]
C
I mean, that doesn't. There's a lot of teams that are playing on both holidays, which to me seems very, very unfair.
- [09:38]
D
Yeah, dude. Like, and again, I feel like an old man yelling at clouds. And anytime I put anything like this on social media, everybody's like, well, they get paid so many millions of dollars,
- [09:46]
C
it shouldn't matter at all, dude.
- [09:47]
D
Like, dude. But that's what is the human element. Like, come on. Like, can we stop, like, with all of that, like, and just talk about the fact of, like, they still have families, they still have kids. Like, they want to spend time with their families on holidays just like all of the rest of us. So, like, let's cut the crap. Like, let's not get into all that.
- [10:06]
C
I mean, I think it's fine.
- [10:07]
D
Like, I hate.
- [10:07]
C
I still. I still think it's fine for them to play on one particular holiday.
- [10:12]
A
Yes.
- [10:14]
C
Not both. Like, that's kind of where I would want to put my foot down. It's like, look, I think this is a little extreme now where we have to have. Again, they're putting the same teams because they believe that these teams are going to be good. But that's the issue that the NFL gets Bit by is what if these teams aren't good? So then you get a crappy backup cord by playing on both thanks to those things. And it's kind of like, well, NFL, you did this to yourself. Like you went overinvested. And I know one of the teams that they're really invested in this year, when you just look at all the primetime games and standalone games is the Chicago Bears. Like, they are very much betting on Caleb Williams in his Year three second year with Ben Johnson that I think the offense is going to cook the defense is where I get really concerned. And if there is a major injury. Right. What happens then? Because that's something that the NFL can't necessarily see coming. And that's when you run into issues where who started for the Vikings last year at quarterback? That was just a game that I could not. Yeah, that game was absolutely. Didn't the Vikings win and beat the Lions?
- [11:09]
D
Jaren Hall.
- [11:12]
C
Yeah, it's just like that. So we did this with the Thanksgiving game of these Christmas games. Which game is. Is the turd. Which game is the one that you're. Now I'm going to take a nap potentially during this game. Which one is it?
- [11:28]
D
Can I tear it down for a second? How this goes wrong.
- [11:30]
A
Which one's the nap game?
- [11:32]
C
Nap game, turn game, however you want to drop it in the comments. What do you call that game that is bad when on paper it looks
- [11:40]
D
what, what if Stafford's out and this is Ty Simpson versus the Seahawks? Or what if it's the Texans versus the Eagles and it's Davis Mills versus the Eagles?
- [11:51]
C
He's.
- [11:51]
A
Okay, look, in, in theory you're trying to sell the game and the advertising and all that. And again, I don't mind if it's like one standalone game, especially because it's a Friday too. Right. This was Saturday. I get it. Like, it's a Saturday. Okay, cool, whatever. But that time of year, college football goes away on Saturdays and the NFL starts taking over. And I understand all that. But on Friday, like, I don't know. And then Thanksgiving Eve, it just feels like. And, and again, I want to watch these games. Like, these are games that I really want to turn my attention to. I want to, like, I want to sit there and I want to watch the whole thing, but not over spending time with family and friends and people.
- [12:25]
D
Not over making like core memories with my kids and my family.
- [12:28]
A
Yeah. And I also understand that there's people that are alone. People don't celebrate Christmas, but everybody celebrates Thanksgiving, you know.
- [12:35]
C
Well, you can Celebrate those core memories with the Lions and the Bears in
- [12:38]
A
the background, I guess. Yeah, I guess.
- [12:41]
D
Getting Destroyed by Mike McDonald's defense wall. Sit here and roast some marshmallows to it.
- [12:45]
A
It feels like we're getting to a saturation point too. And the other point that I just want to make about this too. And like, I. I understand this is unpopular. If you feel differently, comment below. We like to have conversations here on the show. You're like, no, I love this. I want football all the time. Like, I want football all the time too, within reason. I also feel like it kind of downs grade downgrades a little bit. The. The beauty of Sunday, like, football Sunday used to be kind of like this magical thing where like, you're all in on Sunday and then it became Monday Night Football. Okay, cool.
- [13:15]
C
That's.
- [13:15]
A
That's great. We love the standalone game. And then it became Sunday Night Football where it was like, okay, yeah, well, extending it, that's actually really cool because some people are so busy on Sundays, you get that.
- [13:23]
C
Cool.
- [13:23]
A
One standalone game, especially with the flex schedule, that was cool too. And then we moved to Thursday night. Okay, that's also cool. It just feels like we're downgrading Sunday. It feels like football Sunday is no longer going to be a thing and we're just going to have random games on every day of the week going forward. At some point, it's going to happen in our lifetime. And the other thing is going to got to happen along with it is we need the second bye week for everybody because these teams and the travel schedules are getting out of control. And I think you're gonna have more injuries and more issues and more of the NFL. To Andrew's point, where you're talking about like, everybody's like, oh, you know, like, this looks such a good game. This is such a good game. And then we end up getting Eric, you know, getting, you know, Brosmer playing quarterback or God knows who else, because people can't stay healthy because of the travel schedule and everything that's going on there. I do think, guys, that at a certain point we gotta revalue and reevaluate how these bye weeks work. And when we play these in division games too, I think that's also very important to.
- [14:17]
D
To two quick points on that one. Does it also feel, to a certain extent every NFL season has just become like, to this point, like a war of attrition on injuries? Like, look at the Broncos, what happened with Bo Nix and all the guys. And it's like, whoever stays the healthiest also and has a good team can go the farthest. Well, if, well, I guess the opposite
- [14:39]
A
point of that is whoever has the deepest roster goes the furthest. Like whoever does the best job of backing themselves up again.
- [14:45]
D
But again, this all comes back to all the injuries and stuff like that. And I honestly don't think that like, like decreasing the preseason and decreasing the ramp up for like NFL players is the difference between being in practice shape and gym shape and being in NFL game shape. I kind of feel like they're doing a disservice to the players. They're like, oh, take less hits and stuff like that. But it's like the injuries don't seem to be slowing down. And number two, how are we all going to feel when we eventually get to a 24 game season and football is Wednesday through Monday and you get 24 days off? Like, I know it sounds hyperbolic, but
- [15:20]
C
how, how are they playing 24 games?
- [15:24]
D
The same can be said of when people said, okay, well how are they gonna get 16 and 17 and well,
- [15:29]
C
I mean, yeah, they're gonna play, they're gonna move it to 18 games, but like 24.
- [15:33]
A
I, I, well, I guess when you start adding in playoffs, that's another, you
- [15:37]
C
know, I mean, yeah, if you're talking about playoffs, but then, yeah, so you're up to 22.
- [15:41]
D
No, but like, can we get to like 19 weeks of, of regular season football or 20 weeks of regular season football? You don't think that could happen?
- [15:49]
C
No, but that's still not 24 games when it's also our 24 game season. I mean, if you're including the, the
- [15:56]
D
playoffs, I mean, we got 21 right
- [15:58]
A
now, massive disadvantage the next year for the teams that go into the playoffs and have long runs. For sure.
- [16:04]
C
Well, once thing too, to the, to the injury point, the NFL, it seems like it's, they obviously say they want to prioritize player health, but they obviously want to prioritize. They say that they want to prioritize the international part of the game. That's why we're playing so many international games this year. And that's why before they expand the game or the season to 24 games or add that 18th game, I think that we're also going to see every week there's going to be an international game, just like there is there's an international game in Week 1. That's the reason why. And this kind of dovetails into the week one schedule where the Seattle Seahawks are playing on Wednesday night football against the New England Patriots. Because we need to accommodate for the Rams and 49ers playing in Australia so that the USA can watch it on Thursday night the following day.
- [16:49]
A
I like that the NFL wants to become an international sport. I do think, though, we have to do the double bye weeks and I do think we also have to. I also think there's something to be said for opening the season to a certain degree. Maybe not even week one, maybe you start in week three, where all the in division games go from like week three to week seven or something like that, and then you play them again in the latter part of the year in a section. So you kind of. And I know that's going to be the healthiest.
- [17:20]
D
Like. Is that what you're thinking?
- [17:22]
A
No, what I'm saying is I. I think that there's so many travel issues now and so much international stuff and all these other things that the most important games are these individual games. Right. So I do think playing them towards the beginning of the season is good and then playing towards the end of the season is good drama and something you want. Yeah. But in between having two bye weeks to stretch them out a little bit so teams can get healthier for that last stretch run a little bit. I do think that's very important and it's just very difficult to do the way you're moving everything around. And I think you're asking a lot of the players and the coaches and. And a lot of this stuff here. And I. And I think we'd all agree to a certain extent. Like, we all know Thursday Night Football quality suffers because it's on Thursday night.
- [18:03]
D
It's yes.
- [18:05]
A
Do we want the best product or do we want to just jam it down everybody's throat all the time? And I think the answer is clearly the latter.
- [18:12]
D
Yeah.
- [18:12]
A
So that's fine. Letter. But I want good football, too. I want my. I want my cake and I want good football, too. And I want to sit in front of the TV and watch good football while I eat my cake.
- [18:22]
D
They also need to increase the roster sizes, in my opinion, because if we're fighting a war of. War of attrition with injuries, they need to increase the active roster size.
- [18:32]
C
They've been doing it. They've been progressively with that. With the practice squad getting a little bit bigger. Yeah. So I think they have, like, bigger than it is. Yeah. I agree that the extra bye week and the expanded player roster should be.
- [18:45]
D
If we really. If we really care about player health, really.
- [18:51]
C
And everybody's got to wear the. The Romeo Dobbs helmet. There you go.
- [18:56]
A
Yeah, totally fine with it. I'm fine with it. But for guys to start wearing it more frequently, it's got to look better because it does look odd. I'm all for now.
- [19:06]
D
I'm here for the oddity. I'm all for it, man. Spaceballs it up. Let's go.
- [19:10]
A
Well, we are gonna do a Spaceball sequel. Yeah, dude, if Romeo Dobbs is in that sequel, that'd be amazing, obviously.
- [19:15]
D
Oh, that'd be great, man.
- [19:16]
A
All right, so prime time breakdown. The Rams have the most seven primetime games, followed by six for the Bills, the Packers, the Chiefs and the Seahawks. I think the Chiefs is a little ambitious for six, but whatever, I get it. Five for the Cowboys, the Eagles, the Bears, The Pats, the 49ers, four for the Giants, of course, my Pittsburgh Steelers, the Vikings, the Ravens, the Lions, then the Texans and Commanders. And then you get all the way down to one for the Saints and one for the Browns and zero prime time games for the jets, for the Titans, for the Cardinals, for the Raiders and for the Dolphins, which again, if you watch the power ranking shows, that kind of makes sense. So, I mean, do you ever want to see the bad teams on prime time or. No.
- [20:03]
D
Guys like.
- [20:04]
C
Well, like I. I think that the NFL is going to regret not putting the Titans in more prime games.
- [20:09]
A
I was just going to ask you.
- [20:10]
D
I agree.
- [20:11]
A
Take which one and maybe the Raiders have a flex flex game into a prime time. I would say the Titans.
- [20:16]
C
Well, Tennis State's. Because they're going to win the division. So that's why flex it AFC Thursday night. I. Yeah, I think the Cardinals, jets don't. I mean the Dolphins and Cardinals.
- [20:28]
D
Nobody wants to watch the gyms fans.
- [20:31]
C
No. Screwed like, dude, Malik Willis has no shot of keeping this job. I'm sorry. Like, it doesn't matter what he does because the team is going to be picking first, second year in 2027 and he just. I. And if you look at the way the contract is structured, it's like preparing to be our quarterback this year and then they're going to draft the next guy. I don't see how you can look at their schedule and think, oh yeah, they're going to win this amount of games. There are so many quarterbacks are going to be draftable next year. So if it's not Archie Manning, is it Dante Moore that they take if they're picking first or second? Are the Cardinals picking first or second? So Malik Willis, like, if you got him in Dynasty and super. So. So because it's not going to last until next year. I think that this is where he has his value for the 2026 season. He's going to run a ton. And then after this year, I think it's going to sputter out that I
- [21:21]
D
don't think the Dolphins are going to be. That roster is not going to be anywhere close to competing next year. And once you get the quarterback in house, the clock starts on competing. Or at least the idea by Apocalypse Weeks.
- [21:31]
A
Here we go. Week 10, we got the Bears, Broncos, Eagles, Bucks, all off. Week 11, you got the Falcons. You got the Browns, Packers, Rams and Patriots and Seahawks off. And then week 13, you've got four teams out as well. You got the Ravens, the Colts, the Raiders and the Jets. So the jets have to watch 12 straight weeks of football. There you go. Speaking of which, the schedule, release videos all came out on social media, which everybody looks forward to except for these two guys. I like it. I enjoy them. I think they're fun. Sometimes I think they're a little overrated, and sometimes they suck. Sometimes they're good. The jets one is a little controversial. There's people who love it and hate it. I showed it to my daughter this morning. It's like taking the different color palettes and they put them together to make the color of that team, and then they swipe down on the color and then it's the logo of the team and the week they're playing them. And she was like, oh, that's kind of cool and stuff like that. And I was like, is it. Is it, though? Compared to. A lot of the people don't like it. They think it's a joke. I think it's hilarious because I think it's a metaphor. Because watching the jets is exactly the same as watching paint dry discuss. I don't disagree.
- [22:35]
C
I think the jets have. I think the Jets. The jets have good offensive players.
- [22:40]
A
They do, yes. If they only had someone to throw them the football or a play caller.
- [22:44]
C
Gino, like, I think you guys are too low on Gino.
- [22:47]
D
Here's the pro Gino. Oh, gosh, here we go.
- [22:50]
A
You don't watch them the last two years.
- [22:51]
D
Here we go.
- [22:52]
C
The last two. He was fine. His last year in Seattle, he was
- [22:57]
D
like, I. I feel like I woke up from, like, hibernation.
- [23:02]
A
Why am I in this? No, no, no, no. Hold on, hold on. I woke up from a nap.
- [23:06]
D
And now Joe is the biggest Daniel Jones truther in the world, and Erickson is a Geno Smith, like, stand.
- [23:13]
C
What?
- [23:14]
A
What?
- [23:16]
C
He was hoping top 10 completion percentage from a clean pocket last year. It's not his fault the entire offensive line got injured. He's lost his best receiver after week one. What did he do against the Pack?
- [23:25]
D
Here we go.
- [23:25]
C
Week one. I'm just saying, he's got Garrett Wilson's got Breeze Hall. He's got a good offensive line. Look, his play caller's bad. Admit that, like, that's not good. There were, like, Frank Reich, a lot of it.
- [23:44]
D
He's still going. He's still going.
- [23:46]
A
He's still going.
- [23:48]
C
The better the Dolphins.
- [23:49]
A
There were some good reaction videos. I highly recommend the Falcons one because it was like the old school sports center commercials they did with all their players.
- [23:56]
D
Which Titans too, man.
- [24:02]
A
I'm just saying. You don't like what the Titans did. I thought it was funny.
- [24:06]
D
Okay.
- [24:07]
A
The previous ones were way better. When they would ask the people what the logos were and they would give up fake football team names because they didn't know who they were. Or they would say, oh, it's the Cowboys and it's the Colts and things like that. That was more amusing than what they did. I'm just saying, like, their bar was very high and I thought it was under. Everybody loves the Chargers. Halo 1. I thought that was super overrated, too, and overproduced and nonsense. Love the Vikings. Is that why superior to Halo? What do you want me to tell you?
- [24:41]
C
Drop the comments.
- [24:42]
A
I will say I like the Giants
- [24:44]
D
because they add Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci and it says Joe.
- [24:47]
A
No, the. The Giants one was good, actually. Jameis Winston on the street with people giving away Giants tickets, playing Pictionary. He was drawing the logos of the teams they were playing because James and James Winston was. That was fun. The Will Reichert one in the fancy restaurant for the Vikings with. That was funny with Chris Jericho, of all people. I guess Chris Jericho's a big Vikings fan or something. I don't know. I don't know where that combination came from. But all the dishes they were serving him for 17 course meal were all inspired by. That was very clever. That was very well done. I like the Stepbrothers one for the Raiders. I thought that was cool. They kind of lean into the cringiness
- [25:23]
D
of the two quarterbacks. So cringy, dude.
- [25:25]
A
Yeah. But, like, I feel like they embraced it. It was.
- [25:28]
D
It was. They embraced it. But the whole time you're watching and you're like, oh, my skin doesn't feel right. Something's wrong with the universe.
- [25:36]
A
They're massive.
- [25:37]
D
It felt like watching the office it was great. It was well done.
- [25:40]
C
Based off of that, Joe, so while you were scrolling through all these videos, while you were taking your. Your morning poo, did you.
- [25:46]
D
Or laying in bed late last night,
- [25:48]
C
did you find that you didn't like? Were there any that you didn't like?
- [25:51]
A
Yeah, I didn't like the Chargers one.
- [25:53]
C
Okay. You said that.
- [25:54]
A
I thought the Bears one was pretty, pretty good. It was a good idea, but it didn't execute it great. It was a. It was a. It was Roma Dunes, Bob Ross. I thought the Buccaneers one was a little, again, overdone. And then of course, you got the Dan Campbell one. Did you see the Dan Campbell one? No, I didn't say Dan Campbell coming out of his office to the Bolton board, to the courtboard and just posting the schedule and walking away. Oh, what do you think about that?
- [26:17]
C
See, they're all business because they know that they're going to bounce back big this year.
- [26:21]
D
They got a rubbing in Joe's faces in them.
- [26:23]
C
Top five in the power range that you could ask for. It's a. Oh, my God.
- [26:27]
A
They're.
- [26:27]
C
They're gonna.
- [26:28]
A
There was a part of me was like, yeah, that's cool. And there's a part of me was, is that the best you got? Yeah, the pots was.
- [26:34]
D
And then the stupid roller coaster. And then Joey's laying in his. Ben, he's like, man, now it's boring.
- [26:37]
C
Did you watch the Arizona Cardinals one?
- [26:40]
A
No. I didn't realize they wanted to actually announce the schedule.
- [26:43]
C
Well, I mean, it's terrible. No, I think that theirs was all AI driven and that's just how their
- [26:49]
D
players have to pay the, the Cardinals to be in the commercial.
- [26:52]
C
Just packing in this season. They're just like, we're ready for 20, 27. We didn't even spend time to make our actual video.
- [27:00]
A
The Rams, Napoleon Dynamite inspired one was pretty decent too. I. I would.
- [27:04]
D
I will go see that one. I haven't seen that one.
- [27:06]
A
You'll go see that. It was like, you know, the opening of it with like, they put the plates out with like the burrito and stuff like that. That's what it was like with the, with the, you know, you and I are going to be friends music.
- [27:14]
D
Erickson so happy because he now he got a movie reference.
- [27:17]
C
He's so happy.
- [27:19]
D
He's like. He's like, I got that one. I know that one.
- [27:22]
A
The Browns Arcade was pretty good. That was all right. What did you think of Trevor Lawrence cutting his hair, guys?
- [27:26]
C
Dude, it's not real.
- [27:28]
D
It's fake. It wasn't real. I saw.
- [27:30]
C
You guys fell for it hook, line and sinker. You think he has an insurance policy on his hair? Why would he cut it?
- [27:37]
A
I don't know, but I showed it to my daughter this morning. She was very upset.
- [27:41]
D
I saw the picture where, where that you can see. It's like there's a. A toupee glued. I was like, dude, what in the name of super cuts has happened here? Like, why did they make that man look like young Mark Davis? Like, I was like, please tell me this isn't real.
- [27:56]
A
So they put like a wig on him and did the fake cutting of the hair. Is that what they did for the schedule?
- [28:00]
C
I don't know how they constructed it, but it's not real, so.
- [28:04]
A
Well, there you go. I don't know.
- [28:05]
D
I mean, I threw it in slack and I was like, I'm betting the under on the Jaguars win total this year if this is real, because, good lord, the aura is gone.
- [28:12]
A
Yeah, I'd just be another boo.
- [28:14]
C
I thought about. I thought about trying to style my hair in a similar way to Trevor Lawrence's today, but I was. I chose. I chose all you to do.
- [28:20]
A
Just.
- [28:20]
D
Just pull out the bowl and. Yeah.
- [28:23]
A
All right, let's talk about the winners and the losers here. Before we do, of course, we want you to support our sponsor, Hard Rock Vet. Download the Hard Rock Bet sportsbook app today. It's basketball season, the playoffs are in full swing, and they are the official sports betting partner of the Orlando Magic, their Florida sportsbook. And now if you bet 5 bucks, you get 150 in bonus bets when you win, plus your winnings only at Hard Rock Bet. So download the app today. They've got parlay boost. They've got same game parlays. They've got everything going on, including live betting and Hard Rock Bet. But you can't get in the game if you don't download the app. So download the Hard Rock Bet app today and get the party started at Hard Rock Bet. Payable and bonus bets. Not a cash offer offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in Florida, offered by the Seminole Hard Rock Digital, LLC and other states. Must be 21 plus in physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee or Virginia Play terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling in Florida, call 1-833-play- wise in Indiana, if you or someone you know has a gambling problem wants help, call 1-809-with-Gambling problem, call 1-800- Gambler in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, support for the show
- [29:30]
B
comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory services by Public Advisors, llc. SEC Registered Advisors. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete Disclosures available at public.comdisclosures the following
- [30:30]
E
ad is sponsored by Pets Best Insurance Services. You knew right away he's perfect. The one for you. Those puppy dog eyes, that cute little button nose. You don't even mind the drool. When you find your perfect match in a dog or cat, the love is unconditional. Your budget, on the other hand, has realistic limits. Help protect your heart and your wallet with pet insurance from Pets Best. With plans starting from less than a dollar a day, you can get up to 90% cash back on eligible vet bills. Pets Best makes it easy to pick a plan that works for you and your bank account. Find the perfect match for your Perfect match@petsbest.com Pet insurance products offered and administered by PetsBest Insurance Services, LLC are underwritten by American Pet Insurance Co. Or Independence American Insurance Co. For terms and conditions, visit www.petsbest.com. policy products are underwritten by American Pet Insurance Company, Independence American Insurance Co. Or Ms. Transverse Insur and administered by Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC. $1.00 a day premium based on 2024 average new policyholder data for accident and illness plans. Pets age 0 to 10 all right,
- [31:31]
A
let's talk winners here. Erickson, give me some of the winners that you thought from looking back at the schedule. You're like, yeah, okay, these teams are actually in a good spot because it looks like you want to talk about Dan Campbell to me again.
- [31:39]
C
Detroit Lions easiest schedule in the NFL based on the forecasted Vegas win totals that Warren Sharp does every single year. And it's not just the entire schedule. It's the easiest schedule to open the year through the first five weeks. No team hasn't used your schedule in the Detroit Lions. So Joe, I know that you were a little bit lower on the Lions in the power rankings in the NFC show, but they're going to be making you eat it early on, I think, because I think that this team is checking off all the boxes of a team that's going to regress positively. It's so weird to look they're actually one of the top teams that is qualifying for the worst to first because they finished last in their division last year despite being 9, 8. So the Detroit Lions, their offense was still top five last year. If the defense can just get a semblance of health. They've been gutted by injuries over the last two seasons. And I think too that game against the Patriots in Germany.
- [32:29]
A
Face me. Hold on.
- [32:30]
C
I'm on Ross St. Brown homecoming. I, I, yeah, the lines are going to win a lot of games this year. They're going to bounce back in a big way. And honestly, looking at their sky, I'm not done yet.
- [32:40]
A
I know something heinous is happening. Something heinous is happening in the background. DBRO is trying to De Niro Mog me in the YouTube channel right now. Don't even stop. Just stop. That was De Niro facing on this YouTube channel and it's me. All right. That was, that was for Erickson because I was like, you're good, you're good. You stop that from. It was ridiculous. I'm sorry. Go ahead, apologize. Go ahead to the listeners and I apologize to Andrew Erickson. Can we just mute Joey?
- [33:13]
D
Go ahead.
- [33:13]
C
Erickson. A what I was finalizing because I write the, I write the article for the schedule release and some of the fantasy takeaways. I mean, when I compare the Lions out compared to the Atlanta Falcons. Yeah, then you should then, then, then draft, Draft Bijan Robinson over Gibbs. Do it. Because, because I think, I mean, Gibbs right now looks like he's teed up to just be the number one overall scoring player in fantasy football.
- [33:42]
A
I think he is.
- [33:43]
C
The line schedule really does ease. I, I mean, we talked about it. Where are the Falcons in the power rankings? Nowhere near the Detroit Lions. Who has a better offensive outlook? Who do we feel more better about? The quarterback. And again, situation matters so much with running backs. So I think for me it's Gibbs over Bijan. I think that it's a conversation worth having.
- [34:02]
A
Do you do. Do you put the phrase more better into the articles you write? Just out of curiosity, I don't know.
- [34:08]
C
What's the last one you read?
- [34:17]
D
You're good, you. You're good.
- [34:19]
A
You're good.
- [34:20]
D
You.
- [34:20]
A
Stop it. Stop making that face. Not allowed. That's my thing. Don't steal my bits. I don't have many left. All right, so the Lions are a winner for you, Andrew. I respect that. I also want you also to not forget the one box you didn't chick. Check or check or chick whatever tick I made tick and check one thing. So the box that you didn't check is the box of Dan Campbell over coaching and sending his team into losses very firmly over and over.
- [34:50]
D
Can we get. We're gonna have to get this clipped. Whenever Detroit's number one in the power rankings going into week seven
- [34:57]
A
and when they fall apart and when they fall apart in the last couple or in big situations every single year. Oh, my God. Let's not pretend like it's not a thing. Let's not pretend like Dan Campbell doesn't constantly, in every game that seems to matter completely miscue every single important coaching moment in terms of clock management, in terms of decision making process, going for fourth down in the first quarter of a game. Enough already. Enough. Dan Campbell is a good football man, man. He's out of his depth when it comes to actually head coaching. Sorry, sorry. Who are the other winners for you, Andrew? I'm just curious. Ah, man.
- [35:34]
C
What was that? What do you want to know?
- [35:36]
A
Other. Other winners. I don't have time to read your article. So I figured out.
- [35:41]
C
Give me the TLDR version, please, because I don't have time to read.
- [35:45]
D
Too busy watching all these schedule release things on the pod.
- [35:48]
A
You can't.
- [35:48]
D
You can't do it.
- [35:49]
A
And you know, if you did like a, A fun, you know, AI video about it, maybe I'd watch it.
- [35:56]
C
So the Saints have a good schedule overall, and I guess technically they don't qualify as a win because their first two games kind of suck. So that's kind of where I don't feel as great about New Orleans playing on the road against the aforementioned Detroit Lions. Who's going to be favoring that game? Who's going to win that game? I would probably lean towards the Lions and they have to face Baltimore. So the Saints might be one of those teams. Are they Again, we've talked about this. When you start. Oh, and two, it's A not a good look for making the postseason that particular season. So I think that's something that the Saints have to be concerned about if they start out 02 just based on some of their earlier season matches. But the rest of the schedule is really good. Tennessee, I was gonna say, but.
- [36:35]
D
But four of their next five games are against the Raiders, the Falcons, the Giants and then the Steelers.
- [36:40]
C
So I mean. Yeah, yeah, so it gets easier. But do they enter in week three as okay, it's must win game already for us because we're already.
- [36:48]
D
I mean, they get the Raiders, so yay.
- [36:50]
C
Yeah, well, exactly. It's like a game that they should win, but, you know, pressure still.
- [36:53]
D
No, I get, you know, 0 and 2 probably at the gate though.
- [36:56]
C
And then the Tennessee Titans, you don't. You're not a bigger winner because you're facing the jets in week one. Robert Salah revenge game. Oh, like teed up, baby. Love that.
- [37:06]
D
Okay, here for it.
- [37:08]
A
Like the Lions is a winner in the schedule. Are there any other teams too besides the ones you talked about then you thought also like, yeah, this is another like winning team. Like, I'm a big fan of this schedule the way it broke for somebody or that's like kind of the big
- [37:19]
C
ones for you all The Bengals, they have the third easiest schedule, so they're going to be a Super bowl contention team if Joe Burrow's healthy. I mean, I think that's really as simple as it comes down to. And the schedule is favorable for them. And yeah, I wrote up more of them. So, Joe, you won't check out the article, but if anyone else is interested
- [37:36]
A
that our Colby check out Andrew's work@FantasyBros.com right now. It's great whether you're sitting on the toilet, whether you're walking the dog, whether you're on the treadmill, or just, you know, sitting back in your office right now and don't want to do any work. That's what you do. Go read the article. Schedule was it. What's it called? Andrew? Me like you this. Me hate this on the schedule. What's it called?
- [37:56]
C
It is called pulling it up right now. 2026 end of all schedule release Fantasy football Winners, losers and takeaways.
- [38:03]
A
All the SEO juice that you have a good takeaway.
- [38:05]
C
All the.
- [38:06]
A
All the SEO you could possibly handle. Dbro, do you have any winners and losers? Did you just steal the work from Andrew Erickson's article? Tell the truth.
- [38:13]
D
No, I went through all the schedules last night late.
- [38:16]
A
Like a very defensive high pitched. No Wasn't it, Andrew? I feel like. No, no, I didn't. No, I didn't copy and paste.
- [38:21]
C
Well, the article hasn't been published as the time of this recording, so there's no way he could have read it.
- [38:25]
A
Exactly.
- [38:26]
C
See?
- [38:27]
A
Thank you, Eric. Wait a minute. So you accused me of not reading an article that wasn't even available? You.
- [38:33]
C
No, I was saying.
- [38:33]
A
Dirty son of a bitch.
- [38:35]
C
I was reading articles and articles in general, not just this particular one. Like, what was the last time you read an Andrew Erickson published article?
- [38:43]
D
I was fixing to say, Joe, what was the last Erickson article that you read?
- [38:47]
A
I don't read Derek Brown articles either.
- [38:49]
D
Exactly.
- [38:50]
A
Don't take it personally.
- [38:51]
D
Joe doesn't read.
- [38:52]
C
Oh, that.
- [38:53]
A
I write books. I don't read them. Okay. I actually, I do. I'm reading, actually, currently, I'm reading. I just finished Pride and Prejudice earlier this year, which I had never read.
- [39:02]
C
Yeah.
- [39:02]
A
Which was. Which was excellent. It's easily one of the favorite books I've ever read. You should. You should culture yourself a little bit. And now I'm. I'm almost done with the first Lord of the Rings book, which I never read Fellowship or the. I've never read the Lord of the Rings trilogy. And I'm such a big fan. It's so stupid. I love the movie so much. I should. I should read the books to see all the differences and all the other stuff and. And it's starting to get going. I know it was slow. I did the book on tape years ago and I. I just didn't love it. So now I'm older and I'm trying to be more mature, and that's what I'm reading right now. And then I'm going to move on to something else.
- [39:33]
D
So. Trying to read some glasses on his desk to use.
- [39:36]
A
That's right. That's right. I have to. All right, so, yeah, schedule winners.
- [39:41]
D
Yes. I. I actually like the Chiefs, man. I like their schedule because the sense of if Patrick Mahomes doesn't start week one, if he is put on the pop and say we get Justin Fields for the first four weeks of the season, okay, opening with Denver is not good. But then they get the Colts, the Dolphins, and the Raiders and a bye week. So I think there's a realistic chance that we might not see Patrick Mahomes until week six. Guys like, am I crazy with this? And if that's the case, this is a really good opening part of the schedule for the Chiefs.
- [40:13]
A
That's interesting. What do you think of that? Take Andrew.
- [40:17]
C
I think that he's going to play, but he may not be a hundred percent, like in terms of not 100% healthy, but he's not operating at the peak level of Patrick Mahomes as a NFL quarterback. I. He's way too competitive, in my opinion, to have Justin Fields start over. Like, I think that he's just going to force his way onto the field and I think maybe you see the normal Patrick Mahomes, like, that's what I would think is more likely to happen than him to just straight up miss games.
- [40:43]
A
Yeah, I could. I could certainly see him missing them. Wait, when is their first bye? Week five.
- [40:48]
D
So literally, like if he starts on the pup, he gets four weeks and
- [40:51]
A
then a buy a week from the pop.
- [40:52]
D
He gets the bi week to ramp up and then week six. It's not crazy, man.
- [40:56]
A
Yeah. You know what? I hate it. I think he's right. Andrew. I think he might be right. Especially if the schedule is easy. They probably feel like they can.
- [41:03]
C
Well, they're facing Denver week one. That's not. I mean, that's.
- [41:06]
D
Well, I know that's what.
- [41:07]
A
That's an automatic.
- [41:08]
D
Then they get three wins, so they're walking out of that. End of their bye week three and one. Then they get a bye week and then Mahomes comes back with a 3 and 1 record.
- [41:17]
C
How many games did Justin Fields win last year?
- [41:21]
A
He was a Jet.
- [41:23]
D
I mean, he was a Jet.
- [41:27]
A
He won something.
- [41:27]
C
I just asked the question.
- [41:29]
A
Just ask the question.
- [41:30]
D
How many wins for the Steelers the year before?
- [41:33]
A
I think there's a hidden agenda before that question. I love that he's taking shots at Justin Fields, but he defends Geno Smith.
- [41:38]
D
That's what I love. Exactly.
- [41:39]
C
Yeah. Yeah.
- [41:40]
D
Awesome.
- [41:41]
A
You pot, kettle, kettle, pot each other.
- [41:45]
C
Who's a better passer? Gino Smither. Justin Fields.
- [41:47]
A
Well, Gino Smith.
- [41:50]
C
Okay, thank you. That's what he's asked to do.
- [41:52]
D
Who's a better runner in the football? Erickson.
- [41:54]
C
I mean, Justin Fields.
- [41:56]
B
There you go.
- [41:57]
C
What helps? What helps you win NFL games?
- [41:59]
A
Do either of you have a morbid curiosity like I do, just to see like with Andy Reed, if he can.
- [42:04]
D
Yeah.
- [42:04]
A
Somehow break through to Justin Fields? Yes, I think I do. I'm old enough to remember Justin Fields at Ohio State playing for national championships and actually being pretty good at throwing the football and like looking around going, yeah, Justin Fields is going to be a problem in the NFL. And then he went to Chicago to one of the worst coaching staffs possible. You can quarterback. And then after that he went to the Steelers, where he did win. He was 4 and 2 before he got replaced as a starter. He was almost five and one that year in a game that they almost came back and beat the Colts. I remember that game very well ago. Oh, my God. Justin Field is going to bring this team back. And he just fell short, and then they just replaced him, and then he had to go to the jets last year. And I don't want to. I don't want to hang that on anybody. Like, I don't want to hang that. That's. That's not fair to Justin Fields. So I'm just curious.
- [42:45]
D
I don't want.
- [42:46]
A
I kind of want Justin Fields.
- [42:47]
D
I'm very curious just to see it.
- [42:48]
A
All right, any other winners for you before we talk about the losers? Because losers are fun. No.
- [42:53]
D
I mean, I had a lot of the same teams that Erickson had written down the lines. The Bengals. So, no, we. We can get to parts.
- [43:00]
A
All right, well, give me your losers.
- [43:01]
C
I actually have one other one I just want to throw in real quick. The Chargers play the Cardinals and Raiders to start the year. So I'm going to draft the Chargers defense and fantasy this year because of those two games that they opened the schedule with.
- [43:12]
A
Yeah, very nice. Well, Chargers defense is pretty good to begin with anyway, so.
- [43:15]
C
Well, they lost their D.C. so that's. That's. That's a concern.
- [43:17]
A
Yeah, we still got the personnel there, though. Personnel.
- [43:21]
C
It's not that great.
- [43:21]
A
That was all right. It's pretty good.
- [43:23]
C
Charger name. Name the three best Charge defensive players. Go.
- [43:28]
D
Derwin James. That's two.
- [43:30]
A
The third one.
- [43:31]
C
Okay.
- [43:32]
A
Would you say he's a third at
- [43:33]
D
13 sacks last year? I think it's pretty damn good.
- [43:35]
A
That would be my third. Yeah, There you go. There's three. That didn't take very long.
- [43:40]
C
We're good. Starting the questions. That did.
- [43:42]
A
I'm just answering questions. This is becoming very. I'm just asking questions. It's like.
- [43:48]
D
I'm just answering.
- [43:49]
A
It's like that episode of south park where you're like, I'm just asking questions. I'm just asking questions. I'm not saying you want to get anything, but. But were you in love with a Smurf? Because I heard that. I heard that. That was true. I'm not saying you were in love with the Smurf, but if you were, I'm just. I'm just asking that question, you know? Did. Did you. Did you do that? All right, let's talk about losers. You got any losers from the Schedule,
- [44:10]
D
dude, the packers, like guys tell me they didn't get hosed to this. They're the only team with two Thursday night football games, a Wednesday night football game on Thanksgiving week, and they play on freaking Christmas Day.
- [44:24]
A
That's right.
- [44:24]
D
Tell me, tell me the NFL doesn't hate Green Bay to an extent. And everybody's like on social media because I put this out last night, they're
- [44:31]
A
like, oh, well, they get so many days off.
- [44:33]
D
Dude, that's not what we're talking about here. They get so many days off afterwards. Sure. But these shortened weeks, if anybody's kind of on the fence about playing, you're probably not getting that player active that week.
- [44:46]
A
That's the big. Jordan Love is like Jordan Love, you know, has a rolled ankle on Sunday and Josh Jacobs Wednesday. Right? Josh Jacobs, yeah, that, that's, that's the point.
- [44:54]
D
Tucker Craft, coming off an acl, like, do we, do we not think that the packers got screwed a little bit here?
- [45:02]
A
No, it certainly does feel like it's going to be a tough. I also, I still think, and I know they traded the draft picks and all that stuff, but Erickson, I know in our little private chat there on Slack, you know, you're bringing up an excellent point where Micah Parsons here, how many, how many games did the packers win last year without Michael Parsons? Andrew,
- [45:19]
C
they won zero. And they don't have Dante and Wicks anymore as was also pointed out in that Slack chat. So that's a big one.
- [45:24]
D
Thank you mayor for your contribution.
- [45:26]
C
And the other thing with Green Bay too is their end of season schedule is just played like cold weather game. If they're cold for the last five games are going to be played in the frozen tundra. So whether it's Soldier Field on Christmas, Lambo in January, there's just not a lot to like about the entire slate for the Green Bay Packers. Especially when you add that fact that Parsons probably won't be ready for week one to start the year. And then how effective will he be when he actually does return to live game action? Remains to be seen.
- [45:55]
A
I think we could live in a world where the packers are less in that division. I don't think that's an absurd thought.
- [45:59]
D
No, I don't think it's absurd at all.
- [46:03]
A
Time into straight year, who's the backup QB there now that Malik Willis has gone?
- [46:07]
C
Oh, they signed Tara Taylor to Rod.
- [46:09]
D
Oh yeah, Tyrod.
- [46:12]
C
Another jets quarterback.
- [46:15]
A
Taylor is, is a medical miracle. That guy is still like walking around. He's had the worst luck of any person like charging the charger's medical staff
- [46:25]
C
punctured his lung to get Justin Herbert on the field.
- [46:29]
D
That I will still to this day believe that was absolute and total medical incompetence. I did not say the Holiday Inn, but I do have a medical background.
- [46:39]
A
I was gonna say. Maybe you shouldn't say it so much as ask the question like Andrew does. Was it medical malpractice?
- [46:45]
D
I don't know.
- [46:46]
A
I'm just saying it out loud.
- [46:47]
D
I'm just asking.
- [46:48]
C
It's true.
- [46:48]
A
I'm just. I'm just asking questions.
- [46:51]
C
That's all we're doing.
- [46:52]
D
Can I ask another question?
- [46:54]
C
Yes, please.
- [46:56]
D
Will the Arizona Cardinals go winless in 2026?
- [47:00]
A
No.
- [47:00]
D
Looking at their schedule?
- [47:01]
A
Absolutely not. They have too much talent.
- [47:03]
C
Oh, yeah.
- [47:06]
A
They're gonna have one or two days where somebody's gonna go nuts like a Jeremiah Love or. Or a McBride. Like Brissette was adorable last year, dude.
- [47:15]
D
Fine. Let's walk the schedule. Real class.
- [47:17]
C
I mean, they played. They played the jets like there's still a chance. They played like that's one they could win.
- [47:23]
D
Well, they played the Chargers. That's loss, Seattle. That's loss. 49ers.
- [47:27]
A
We all know that same thing happens every year. It's like one of these individual games. Panthers were going to beat the Rams and it happened. Nobody thought that was.
- [47:36]
C
I was all over them covering that spread.
- [47:38]
A
Well, Andrew is. Because you're the biggest Panther fan ever. Bang the drum, Andrew. Bang the drum. I want to get you a little mini drum. Can we get you a. Can we. I gotta go look at Amazon right now. I'm gonna see if I could do like a mini.
- [47:49]
D
I thought you're gonna make a joke about a little Bryce Young jersey and somewhere that it's side.
- [47:54]
A
I have a six one.
- [47:55]
C
There you go.
- [47:56]
D
There you go.
- [47:57]
A
Eric, do you have any losers that you want to talk about here before we move on?
- [48:00]
C
Oh, losers. Let's see. Let me pull up this article that I. I was working on. So the Carolina. So Carolina Panthers don't have a great schedule. Third most difficult. And the perks of when you win the division. That's such a big thing that plays into. When we talk about the worst of first type of trend that happens every year. It's. Teams benefit so greatly when you just come in last place when you're in division, even if you're not necessarily like a total dumpster fire of a team. And when you're just kind of sneaking to the finish line to be the top team in your division when you're not like an actual elite offense or defense and you run into some issues. So the Carolina Panthers for me are a team that probably is not going to repeat. And then, I mean, this is an annual tradition where the Giants basically always get screwed in some way, shape or form. Like last year they had like the toughest schedule ever in. Brian Dable basically never had a chance. This year they will face the toughest road schedule according to Warren Sharp. So their non divisional road games include the Rams, the Texans, the Colts, the Seahawks and the Lions for the New York Giants. So that's not including that they have to face the Cowboys on the road, the. The Commanders on the road, and the Philadelphia Eagles on the road. So I think again, going back to the point we've talked about with the Giants, we've liked a lot of things that they've done. I still think that they're a year away.
- [49:17]
A
Yeah, I, I think that's a pretty good sentiment. I just looked on Amazon, by the way, and on Google shopping stuff. I can't buy any sort of Carolina Panthers drum. I think that's weird. You would think that's an item that they would sell readily. Panther shop. What are you doing?
- [49:30]
C
I mean, same as a market. There's a market inefficiency, right?
- [49:33]
A
I'm saying there's a market inefficiency. I'm saying we should have that on our shop for tailgate, which have a little major Panthers drum that you could bang at the game with a little tiny. You know that. If not I gotta make one for Andrew.
- [49:43]
D
You could probably get like one of those little preschool drums.
- [49:45]
A
I guess you could like get one of those things where you like monogram, you know, like everything. You can personalize this, whatever, a little drum and you could put. I was gonna have to do for Andrew for Christmas. It's a lot of work.
- [49:55]
D
Speaking of beating the drum.
- [49:57]
A
Huh?
- [49:58]
D
The Buffalo Bills. Are the fans gonna be beating the drum to fire Joe Brady with the start of their schedule? They start with the.
- [50:06]
A
They're not gonna fire the Lions.
- [50:07]
D
The Chargers.
- [50:08]
A
Hold on.
- [50:10]
D
Tell me if he's not under fire at the beginning of this schedule. Texans, Lions, Chargers, Patriots, Rams.
- [50:18]
A
I think that's.
- [50:19]
D
What does the record have to be after week five of those.
- [50:23]
A
I see one or two losses in there at most.
- [50:26]
D
I'm sorry.
- [50:26]
C
I mean, the Bills are.
- [50:27]
A
The Bills meeting Josh Allen.
- [50:30]
D
The Bills is really good, but those teams are really damn good too, man.
- [50:33]
A
They are. But Josh Allen finds ways to overcome things.
- [50:35]
D
I, I think if they're 5 0, then everybody will be singing the praises of Joe Brady if they're oh he'll
- [50:40]
A
be and three number one, two and
- [50:43]
D
three though tell me that the fan like that that we're not going to be walking into week six and oh they get the Raiders so it's a bounce back game, blah blah blah. But Joe Brady is oh he's feeling the heat.
- [50:54]
A
They won't fire him. By the way, speaking of all the fun things on the scheduled release of the Vikings when they came to the the meal for the Buffalo Bills, whatever that dish was, it was a broken table with buffalo wings on it with sauce like on the plate. That was was pretty funny. I thought that was. It's really good. It's long but it's really good and I like when kickers get to star and things and have their moment. All right, let's talk about week one. Week 18 our favorite games on the slate here. Debro Erickson, when you start to look ahead here to the first week of the season, obviously a lot of in division games that's what we're looking at here. Some are really hot. San Fran La you've got rematch of the super bowl too. You've got Bears, Panthers.
- [51:34]
D
You get the trash bowl in the Falcons and Steelers.
- [51:36]
A
Falcons and Steelers. So what's your favorite week one? Hey, you've even got a night game of Cowboys Giants too. That should be a fun one on Sunday Night Football. What's your favorite game on the slate? D bro for week one, dude I
- [51:48]
D
I my eyes immediately went to Buccaneers and Bengals. I feel like that's gonna be like a 51 total game and a shootout.
- [51:56]
A
How about you Erickson? For you is there one that you're like oh this has my eye.
- [51:59]
C
I talked earlier about the Titans and Jets. I think that that's a massive game for the Titans to show we are a completely different team and not dumpster fire revenge dude. Salt D I mean if we're talking, I mean I don't know. I haven't looked at any like because obviously you have the betting lines out too for week one with a lot of these games I it's because it's a home game for the Titans so I imagine their favorites and I would take them with playing the points whatever it is I'm taking the Titans laying. I mean it's probably like a field.
- [52:30]
A
What do you what do you think what do you think the line is right now?
- [52:32]
C
Probably their Titans minus 2 and average Titans minus 3.
- [52:35]
A
It's minus 2 and a half. You nailed it.
- [52:37]
D
Oh yeah.
- [52:37]
C
I would say minus three that easily.
- [52:39]
D
Yeah.
- [52:41]
C
I mean, I think Robert.
- [52:42]
D
I like the over. I like the over.
- [52:45]
C
He's gonna run circles around Aaron Glenn in this particular coaching matchup. You got Brian table with Cam Ward. I think that this is a really good setup for the Titans to kind of set expectations for Cam Ward in year two. So that's a game that I'm going to be eyeing as well. Patriots, Seahawks. It doesn't really bring me a lot of warm and fuzzy feelings just based on what we saw the last time,
- [53:07]
A
but these teams are gonna be a little bit.
- [53:09]
C
They're gonna be. But they're gonna be a little different. The Ken Walker's and I'm not on the Seahawks like he was the guy.
- [53:15]
A
We also 15 days till AJ Brown too.
- [53:17]
C
We were on account and AJ Brown is going to be on the Patriots. So although I think that the initial reaction is like with D bro. Where it's like, this is really gross and the Patriots are going to get smoked again. Maybe a little bit different because a little bit of different personnel. No Clint Kubiak for the Seattle Seahawks. So although it's going to be a road game for the Patriots as opposed to playing in a neutral field, maybe the Patriots can keep it a little bit closer. Usually this always happens whenever we expect it to be a blowout, it's closer. And then ever we expect it's going to be closer, it ends up being a blowout. So maybe it's a little bit closer. And then I think Bill's Texans is
- [53:49]
A
the one I'm looking at too.
- [53:49]
C
Yeah. Another rematch of that Thursday night game. Bill's text where Josh Allen.
- [53:53]
D
I was gonna say, I feel like we're kind of burying the lead to the 49ers and Rams. That's gonna be one Australia.
- [53:59]
C
That's the only reason I'm like,
- [54:03]
D
I
- [54:03]
A
agree with Erickson that when there's that much travel and that big of a
- [54:05]
C
time, it's also being played Friday morning. That's so weird.
- [54:09]
A
It's weird.
- [54:10]
C
Like, do guys get amped up to be like, all right, 9:00am let's play.
- [54:13]
A
Like, I want to see the commanders, like get off to a good start against the Eagles too. That's a very important one. They're like, they're all important. But like, week one's got some good stuff. Andrew, forgive me. Did you get to say any of your. Who's the biggest loser from the schedule for you? I wasn't sure if we. We skipped over that or not. 2 cents in and plug the Article one more time.
- [54:32]
C
Well, I appreciate that. So got to get those clicks. Well, the Patriots schedule is much harder than it was last year. The cupcake schedule is no longer in existence, so that is unfortunate for them. The Commanders also have a tougher schedule to start the year. 8th toughest schedule overall. First half the season, they had to face the Eagles twice, Seattle Seahawks, the 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams. So, yes, we like the addition of Sonny Styles. We talked about him on the rookie show. But is it enough against some of the tougher offenses in the NFL to make a difference in the win loss column? I am not so certain. So I think the Commanders might start out of the gates a little bit rocky. Might have to make a second half run.
- [55:17]
A
All right, let's end the show with Week 18. I like that the schedule goes full circle here.
- [55:21]
D
Battle the backups. I love.
- [55:24]
A
Well, hold on.
- [55:24]
C
But.
- [55:25]
A
But I do like that we have week one giants cowboys, and then week 18, giants cowboys. I kind of dig that. Like the full circle, like the symmetry. Yeah, I like that. I like the balance. It appeals to my libra sensibilities. And then you've got.
- [55:40]
D
God, don't even start with astrology.
- [55:43]
A
Lions in that last week, too. Eric.
- [55:46]
D
Packers, vikings, also week one, week 18. Since we're doing this. Since you're making us do this.
- [55:52]
A
Yeah, there you go.
- [55:53]
C
Yeah, man.
- [55:54]
A
Erickson, which one for you stands out on week 18? What matchup.
- [55:56]
C
I hate week 18 so much.
- [55:58]
D
Also Commander's Eagles. Since we're doing this.
- [56:02]
C
We get so many backups. Week 17 is way better, in my opinion. It's the reason why we play fantasy championships in week 17, not weekend 17, actually.
- [56:09]
A
So which one's gonna matter? So which one of these games are gonna matter the most? Maybe that sneaks up on us. Is it the Buccaneers and Panthers? Is it the Colts and Texans? Is it the same schedule makers are
- [56:22]
C
clearly hoping that they get another NFC south title game between the Carolina Panthers,
- [56:26]
A
which might be hilarious when the Saints are like three games up on everybody.
- [56:30]
C
Right? So. So that's a game that they're obviously ready to pivot. They're like, all right, we're gonna put one. The NFC south title game on that Saturday slot at 4:30pm that's what they always do. It's what they did last year and end up not even mattering because does of something like how the schedule ended up playing out. I would say. What Matt. So I think Bears, Lions. Makes a lot of sense. I think you mentioned. Yeah, I think that's going to be a relevant game. Jaguars, Titans, Jaguars. Yep, another sneaky one. I think that could make a big difference there and for the division. Yeah, I think those are kind of the main ones, to be honest. And then the Dolphins are going to be in total. I mean, actually Dolphins, Patriots, Cardinals, Rams. Because there could be the number one pick on the line. Type of stakes here with which team has more losses.
- [57:14]
D
Good call.
- [57:14]
C
Because, like, it's just. It's hot.
- [57:16]
A
Take Andrew. Whoever has the most losses at week 17 has already won the number one pick because they're both going to lose in the next week in week 18.
- [57:22]
C
Well, I mean, not. Not if the guys are resting their players. If the Patriots can't have anything to play for, the Rams don't have anything to. I mean, we talked about this with Matthew Stafford, Sean McVeigh. What do they value more than anything? Health. So, oh, no, we don't need to beat up on the. I mean, this is the game the Cardinals win, right? Because this is what dysfunctional franchises do. They winning. They win meaningless games for no reason. Just be like, well, we beat the Rams, we split the series with the Los Angeles Rams and then they lose out the number one pick. That goes to the Dolphins and it's Archie Manning to South Beach.
- [57:52]
D
Chargers and Broncos could be for the division, too. I think that that's a very interesting one.
- [57:58]
A
Nobody said Brown's Bengals. What about that?
- [58:03]
D
Resting all their players. Yeah, like they already got division wrapped up.
- [58:06]
A
Okay. Yeah, no better.
- [58:08]
D
And the Ravens and Steelers are going to be playing out their lost seasons.
- [58:11]
A
Oh, there you go. Time flies when you're having fun. And that's what we like to do here. Make sure you subscribe to Tailgate NFL on YouTube. Subscribe wherever you're podcast again. Drop your comments below when the Jamar chase jersey from pristineauction.com a great place, especially at Father's Day coming up to go get a really cool thing for yourself or for the. The dad in your life. Go get something over. They got autograph jerseys. They got autograph footballs, baseballs. Whatever your dad's into. They got a ton of cool stuff there, too. And again, this is just us hanging out, talking a little ball here, having a good time. We better get our rest in now. We better see our families this summer because once the football season starts, that's it. We won't see anybody else at any given time for any holiday. Never again. But we will see you all again here on the Tailgate NFL. That'll do it for us. We got to get out of here. The parking lot's closing. We'll see you next time, kids. Welcome to the tailgate. The fail safe from stale takes Erickson
- [59:04]
D
D Bro Joe stay late tail of
- [59:07]
A
the game taping trade grades, dual action play fakes and JJ Spades hit the day slate like hopscotch on play dates all things NFL takes away. This the tailgate?
- [59:17]
C
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [59:19]
A
This the tailgate?
- [59:24]
D
Eminem's popped caramel do sound different.
- [59:28]
C
Oh, no. People are gonna be obsessed.
- [59:30]
A
What do you mean?
- [59:32]
C
People hate the sound of chewing. Maybe they won't like the crunch.
- [59:36]
A
Maybe we're saved.
- [59:38]
C
Wait a minute. Yellow. Have you been eating them this whole time?
- [59:44]
A
Mmm. So tasty. Hands off us.
- [59:49]
B
M&M's popped caramel.
- [59:51]
A
It's more fun together.
- [59:53]
B
250 years ago, America made a promise of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
- [59:59]
A
Happiness.
- [60:00]
B
Since 1903, Harley Davidson has been living
- [60:03]
A
it out on the open road at
- [60:05]
B
the next exit ramp with old friends, new ones, and the next generation of riders. Because the best part of any promise is keeping it. Harley Davidson motorcycles ride. You know how it's never really about where you're going, it's about who you're going with. The right people can turn any drive into a great memory. That's something Toyota really believes. They design vehicles around real life and real people, the ones who make plans happen and bring everyone together inside. Everything's built with passengers in mind. Comfortable seating, smart layouts and space that actually works so everyone can relax and enjoy the ride. There's room for the people, room for the stuff, and room for the moments that happen along the way. Because when people are the destination, your ride is important. Learn more@toyota.com and find the vehicle that fits your people.
- [60:59]
E
If you've been sitting on a business idea for a while, consider this your sign to do something with it. You can even make it official today by creating a website with Wix Harmony. Just tell WIX Harmony what you want and it'll create the whole website for you, business features included. But don't worry, you can still change anything by hand. It's your website, your call. Try it@wix.com Harmony. That's wix.com Harmony.
- [61:28]
A
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [61:30]
D
Guaranteed Human.