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FantasyPros - Fantasy Football Podcast
AFC South 2026: Every Team's Ceiling, Floor & Breakout Player + AJ Brown Trade Rumors (Ep. 2032)
00:54:54
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- [00:00]
Debro
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.
- [00:04]
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- [00:56]
Joe P. Zapia
Park it right here, everybody. It's time for the tailgate. It's me, Joey P. Joe P. Zapia on our newest channel where we just talk NFL all day long. If you missed last episode, we were discussing the AFC north. And today, well, today we're going to move on down south. That's right. And I'm wearing one of my favorite shirts today on the show. My old CM Punk shirt that says, I'm hurt, I'm old, I'm tired, and I work with children. And speaking of those two children, Debro Derrick Brown, the king of bros, and Andrew Erickson and Ericson, where did you park your Subaru Outback before the show today?
- [01:25]
Andrew Erickson
My Subaru Outback. I drive a 2010 Toyota Corolla and I love it. So. Okay, I don't know.
- [01:31]
Joe P. Zapia
I don't know from, from the attire today.
- [01:32]
Andrew Erickson
I don't.
- [01:33]
Debro
I don't know. Ericson, did you, did you finish that, that novel or short story that you're working on?
- [01:38]
Andrew Erickson
I don't, I don't understand this.
- [01:40]
Debro
Are you, are you, are you broadcasting from a coffee shop right now? What are we doing?
- [01:45]
Andrew Erickson
Because I'm wearing glasses, it makes me a hipster.
- [01:47]
Joe P. Zapia
Is that what you're wearing? Glasses, Flannel hoodies?
- [01:50]
Debro
You look like an aspiring, aspiring writer.
- [01:52]
Joe P. Zapia
That's.
- [01:52]
Debro
I don't know, like you're a poet.
- [01:56]
Andrew Erickson
But seriously, this is my. I ran out of contacts look, so.
- [02:00]
Joe P. Zapia
Oh, I thought it was. I. I stopped my composting in order to come here and do the show. I thought that's what it was. And what are you laughing about? Bilbo Sagins, this guy over here. I need a holiday. I need a vacation so bad.
- [02:14]
Debro
From what?
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Joe P. Zapia
From hanging out with me? Is that what you need a vacation from?
- [02:18]
Debro
I'm old, I'm tired and I work with children. That's all I can say.
- [02:21]
Joe P. Zapia
It's a classic. It's a classic. Let's go. All right, we got a great show for you today. As always, we're going to preview the AFC South. But before we get into all that, subscribe to the channel. Like this video. It's easy to do. This is our new channel. This is our labor of love, the three of us, where we come on here and just talk ball. A little bit of everything here when it comes to football because that's how we, all of us digest the NFL. And before we get to the teams, I want to talk about something that we need to digest here because we are now just, what, like less than 10 days away from the decision. I feel like there should be an ESPN special about this when it comes to A.J. brown because A.J. brown is probably going to be traded here. We've seen the roster moves that Howie Roseman has made with the Philadelphia Eagles this off season, so there's a good chance he is on his way. Perhaps he is going to the New England Patriots. Maybe the Rams want to kick the tires in here. If there's one move that could put the Rams over the top. And we know Sean McVay hates first round picks. Just just ask Ty Simpson how much he hates first round picks. There's a chance also from a bit of reporting yesterday that the Kansas City Chiefs, according to Albert Breer, could be circling back around because of some of the stuff we talked about on yesterday's show, which you can watch on demand on tailgate. NFL subscribe to YouTube channel so Erickson, I want to talk about this for a second here because we kind of, without realizing it, we're, we're sort of putting this out there into the ether, I think, about how much can the Chiefs really rely on him and what's it going to look like next year? Are they probably going to move on from him? We all thought it was probably a bad investment. Now we're in a situation where it looks like there's a possibility where the Chiefs might be saying, okay, when Mahomes gets healthy, can we really rely on Rush E. Rice to between, I don't know, 20 May and 1 September to not get into even more trouble? And I don't think that's a ridiculous thought. Process from the Chiefs organization. Do you think that they're actually really in on this or is this just an NFL reporter kind of hearing a rumor and putting it out? There is a possibility.
- [04:22]
Andrew Erickson
I think it's them doing their due diligence. I think that any team, they need wide receivers. Even if Rashi Rice wasn't in jail, you're spending his 30 days away. So I think that calling the Eagles just to get an idea, kicking the tires on. All right, well, what is the A.J. brown Patriots compensation? I think that we all believe it's a 2027 first round pick or 2028 first round pick that's going to be dealt for A.J. brown because that's what the Eagles want, a future first rounder. So I believe it that they're calling about it, but I do think that it's going to be to the Patriots unless another team offers a lot more. And that's kind of what the handshake agreement is. The Eagles, yeah, we're going to trade you A.J. brown for our future first. Unless we get something better. Because if we get something better, then we have to renegotiate because we're going to take the best deal. We don't care where he necessarily goes. We don't necessarily feel that we need to do right by A.J. brown. I think A.J. brown wants to go to the Patriots. I think that's pretty clear. He likes the Patriots. He likes Mike Vrabel. I saw, I saw a post, I don't think that. I'm pretty sure it wasn't real, but at AJ Brown's wedding, it was like, who was invited? It was Drake May, Mike Vrabel, and then Mike Rabel's plus one with the initials Dr. Like, like, so, so, so, so clearly. But like the AJ Brown has a connection with the, the coaching staff in New England and he wants to be there. So I think that makes the most sense. But I think that every team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Los Angeles Rams, you just got to call and ask like, well, what is it? The prices it changed at all and maybe teams will get more desperate if, you know, certain things, injuries happen between now.
- [05:46]
Joe P. Zapia
I also wonder if it's some of the teams just rolling that price up on the Patriots too, because they can,
- [05:50]
Debro
you know what I mean?
- [05:51]
Joe P. Zapia
Like, that's all. There's little gamesmanship. Is the NFL everybody all right? If you think that stuff doesn't go on. Of course it does. It's the same crap that goes on in your fantasy football leagues. Or somebody's like, ah, you know Before I trade this guy to so and so, maybe I'll kick the tires. Well, so and so has given me this guy for A.J. brown. It's no different. It really isn't. I think we all believe it to be a foregone conclusion that the Patriots will be the team for A.J. brown. Because what Erickson said like, that, that connectivity between the two of them, it's a real thing. We all know that. We know that a lot of the players love to play for Mike Frable. And all the scandal and nonsense aside there, like, it just feels like that's probably where we're going. However, if it does go somewhere else and it goes to the Chiefs or the Rams or some other team, the Rams are the one that's still the most interesting to me because that puts them in a spot where you go, I don't know what you do to stop that Rams offense. And it also creates this incredible insurance policy where if you do get another Puka Nakua injury or if you do get some decline in another year of age of Devonte Adams like AJ Brown. Pukinakua Devonte Adams. It's one of the great wide receiver trios I think we'd ever see in the NFL. It's probably unlikely. I think the Chiefs might be a more likely landing spot. But if you're A.J. brown and his agent, do you want him to be with the Patriots or do you want them to be with the Chiefs? I feel like he can make more money with the Patriots because the Chiefs still have massive cap issues coming forward in the next couple years.
- [07:17]
Debro
Yeah, I was just pulling up cap space for 2027, and it looks like if you're AJ Brown, you probably want to end up with the Rams. They have over a hundred million dollars in cap space in 2027.
- [07:29]
Joe P. Zapia
Okay.
- [07:29]
Debro
The. The Chiefs, like you said, Joe, they're underwater.
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Joe P. Zapia
Well, here's the difference too, D, bro, because you're talking about a team that, like whenever you have that first rookie contract for a quarterback like Drake May, you can overspend on the frills, Right? The other stuff, you can't do that when you're paying a guy $50 million like Patrick Mahomes. And then the other question is, if you're A.J. brown and everybody. Okay, yeah, the Rams, that sounds good in theory. But if you win it all and then Matthew Stafford goes away, what does that look like for the next couple years, end of your career? So there's a lot, I feel like, again, the best landing spot, if you're AJ Brown, where You want to be to get paid and where you want to be to be relevant is still New England when all said and done.
- [08:08]
Debro
Yeah, I think it's still New England and I think that's probably still like the favorite place for him to go. And I don't disagree with any of that. I'd say the place that needs him the most. A lot of people will say the Patriots. I, I will say the Chiefs need him the most. They don't have a guy that can beat man coverage. They legit do not have that guy on their roster like Xavier Worthy can't do that. Rasheed Rice has never been asked to do that and at this point I don't know that he can. So they need, they, they've been needing a guy that could beat man coverage for multiple seasons and it's a problem. I think the Chiefs need him more than even the Patriots and it obviously the Rams, considering the wealth of, you know, riches that they have. But I think the funnest spot for him to land would be the Rams because then everybody's like, oh, they're gonna calm it all down, but they're gonna try for this not to come out. But like, everybody be like, is this the new dream team? And then it's like, oh no. Oh no, we've jinxed.
- [09:05]
Joe P. Zapia
Like I said, we should have the decision. We should have. I mean, this is exactly what LeBron did. We get everybody together in that, in that dream team scenario down in Miami years ago. Erickson, I think I know the answer to this question, but I'm going to ask it anyway. Is there any universe where the Eagles actually are better offensively without A.J. brown because of a different construction of the offense?
- [09:27]
Andrew Erickson
I don't think so. I think AJ Brown is too good of a player. I like them thinking from a long term perspective that maybe Makai Lemon, Eli Stowers as the integral parts of this offense operating more over the middle of the field. Obviously last year with AJ Brown, like you weren't getting the best out of him because of the, I want to say lack of effort, but lack of his involvement in the offense. When you're not featuring your best player more often in the passing game, well, the offense is going to struggle. So their time has obviously worn off. Like he was no longer going to fit in what they're trying to do and them drafting, I mean, trading up to draft McKay, Lemon, I mean that's pretty telling. Yeah, we're ready to move on and go in a different direction. Devontae Smith, Wide Receiver 1, etcetera so I, I don't think the team is better in 2026 now. But that's the thing. AJ Brown is not a spring chicken. He's not like super old, but he's getting closer to age 30. And he does have this mysterious degenerative knee thing that's been reported. Like, how many years does he have left? And the way that he plays, he plays bully ball. Right. This dude wants to run you over. He's a superstar receiver, but he just fits what the Patriots in their timeline are right now. Whereas I guess I'll push back a little bit here on the Chiefs. Is this the best version of the Chiefs that you're going to get in 2026 with moms coming off as ACL? Like, probably not. Like, no.
- [10:40]
Debro
I kind of feel like, no, definitely not.
- [10:41]
Andrew Erickson
So. So for me, it's like AJ Brown is more of a drop into a contender versus drop into a team that's kind of on a mini rebuild, which I think the Chiefs this year kind of fit that profile.
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Joe P. Zapia
I feel like, I feel like the Chiefs think that they're in that debro, like, mini rebuild to be possibly a team that backdoors their way into the playoffs this year. And if they're healthy, make some noise there, which is still relevant. Whenever you have Patrick Mahomes healthy, you have a chance. But you know, fun fact here, Rushy Rice is going to be turning 27 and A.J. brown's 28. So I like that. Maples.
- [11:12]
Debro
Yeah. Like we said before, Rashid Rice isn't nearly as young as people think he is. And I, I don't disagree. I think where the Chiefs are in their life cycle, their team, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. It makes a ton of sense for the Rams. Make a ton of sense for the Patriots. I'd say those are the two probable favorites and probably the best landing spots for him. But I, I kind of disagree. Like, the Eagles could be a better offense without A.J. brown if, if Jalen hurts is enforced, feeding the ball to him on a. On a per snap basis. And what if he does hit the wall with the knee? And what if he does fall off a cliff? Because wide receivers of his body, of his archetype and skill set. When the cliff comes, baby, it's. It's here and it's very, very real. And now you don't have a game changing talent. Now you have a disgruntled wide receiver that can't deal with the fact that he's not what he once was. Is that a Good thing to keep in Philly.
- [12:04]
Joe P. Zapia
It's a good question. I want to know from everybody out there, too. Drop your comments below. Let us know what you think. Where does A.J. brown end up? Drop your predictions here in the comments. And remember, when you subscribe to the channel and drop your comments below, you're eligible to win our latest giveaway, the Jamar Chase jersey. That's right. We're a new channel. This is a great opportunity to win that jersey because we brand new. You're. You're not competing against everybody on Fantasy Pros podcast. No, no. On Tailgate, it's a lot easier to win again. Pristine Auction, the best place to get all your autographed items here if we're talking balls, talking helmets, drunk and everything. And this Jamar Chase jersey can be yours again from Pristine Auction. Subscribe to the channel, drop your comments below and ring the bell till it goes ding. So you never miss a piece of content here on Tailgate. NFL. Join us for all things football. All right, everybody, let's turn our attention now to the AFC South. That's right, when I think of the South, I think of Derek Brown, you know, because that lovely accent twang of his, it's just, it's cheerful in my soul.
- [13:00]
Debro
Sometimes I think of Daniel Jones. That's what I think of.
- [13:05]
Joe P. Zapia
All right, let's talk about the first squad here. We're talking about the Jacksonville Jaguars. So just doing kind of a little look here at the schedule, looking through some things here. Obviously last year with Liam Code, in that first year, you got that, you know, that bounce, everything was new, everything was exciting. Now year two, I think there's a little bit more preparation. We had a great discussion on the Fantasy Pro show earlier in the week with Jake Seeley about Trevor Lawrence. And yeah, like towards the end of the year, he really did come on strong. Some of those big stats though, again, I keep coming back to the same thing. They get padded by playing some really crappy teams, including the jets at the end of the year where he put up his only 300 yard game and a five touchdown performance. The other big performances down this stretch against the Titans, a team that was still not very good against the Arizona Cardinals. So I'm glad that Trevor Lawrence is trending in the right direction. I'm just not sure that right now, Deborah, we're getting all of a sudden like Trevor Lawrence has now finally realized all his promise. Now one thing to keep in mind too, they only have six true regular season home games in Jacksonville this year. The other 11 games will be on the road and neutral sites because of all the, you know, I guess London is their home away from home. How much does that impact your take on the Jaguars this year? That schedule?
- [14:15]
Debro
I was just looking at the schedule. I think we could talk about the travel and the lack of home games and I think that all matters. The other part about this schedule, guys, it is brutal. Like before weeks. Their week seven by. Okay, fine, you get the Browns in week one. Kudos. Probably get a win there after that. Dude, are we staring at a 1 and 5 team going into their bye week. They get the Denver Broncos, the Patriots, the Bengals, the Eagles and the freaking Texans.
- [14:46]
Andrew Erickson
Who.
- [14:48]
Debro
Man, that's rough. And, and just some of the luster come off of Liam Cohen and all the Gladstone stuff about like him bombing these two last draft classes. Is the volume going to get turned up on that when we're. We're coming out of the bye week?
- [15:04]
Joe P. Zapia
Well, you know what happens, Erickson, is when you, when you don't have good drafts and you start to have the inevitable injuries, as you love to talk about the injury attrition year over year and which teams have good and bad and all that stuff, it's that roster depth that kind of saves you during those moments. And I feel like when we look back at this year's draft of the Jaguars, I think that's one of the things you can point to as a negative.
- [15:23]
Andrew Erickson
Yeah, I don't think that a lot of us were really high on what the Jacksonville Jaguars did in their draft. And the Travis Hunter pick obviously put them behind the eight ball a little bit without having a future first because they traded it to get Travis Hunter. Now he missed the second half of his rookie year. It looked like maybe he was kind of on the cusp of a breakout. In his last game against Los Angeles Rams where he had 100 yards as a receiver, he was defending passes against Devonte Adams. It was kind of like the thesis of the play of, okay, this is why we like Travis Hunter because he's going to shut down Devonte Adams and he's also going to go for 100 yards on the other side of the football. Now I think with them in terms of the schedule agreeing with you guys, fifth most difficult through weeks one through six and, and then talking about in the second half of the year, the road games. Right. Seven of the last 10 games are on the road in the second half. And one thing that I thought was really interesting when I was looking back on my schedule release article. I know, Joe, you didn't read it but in 2025 article no I didn't. Maybe you should have read it because what I talked about in that article was that Trevor Lawrence had one of the easiest schedules in the second half of the 2025 season. So to your point, it was a cupcake schedule that ended up playing out that way and I think did really boost some of his statistics towards the end of the year. Now obviously took major growth in Liam Cohen's offense. Acquiring Jacobe Myers was I think a big boost just getting more of his style fit types of receivers whereas in the beginning of the year really wasn't clicking between him and Brian Thomas Jr. So you're adding pieces of players that he was more comfortable throwing to whether it be Parker Washington or or Jacoby Myers. So those are a couple things I would note and yeah, maybe it is a little bit more strugglesville in Jacksonville to start the year with a tougher schedule especially with how front loaded it is.
- [17:03]
Joe P. Zapia
I want you to know something, Andrew. I love you very much. You're a dear friend of mine. So is Derek Brown. I don't read his articles either. I just don't. I'm too busy writing books instead of reading stuff. That's what I that's the thing. But you know, it's just a busy time of year for me.
- [17:17]
Debro
He's old.
- [17:19]
Joe P. Zapia
I mean and I work with children.
- [17:21]
Andrew Erickson
Full disclosure for the people that are listening. Joe put the Carolina Panthers on this show sheet for for the I because
- [17:26]
Joe P. Zapia
I was going 100 miles an hour trying to get the show ready. It's fine. You know I dogged you at the top of the show. You could dog he's tired. I'm just going Southern teams am I going through stuff and like my brain just completely zapped because I was trying to get this show planned for tomorrow done before the four more baseball shows I had to host yesterday.
- [17:44]
Debro
The writer formerly known as Erickson pointed it out.
- [17:47]
Andrew Erickson
I'm getting a call right now. It's. It's the waulance Joe.
- [17:50]
Joe P. Zapia
You want to pick it up? I don't.
- [17:53]
Debro
Well, they might be picking him up. You know, he's old.
- [17:56]
Joe P. Zapia
I wish they would take me. Oh they would just take me away from all my problems. So for it. All right. So Erickson, talk to me about this Travis Hunter. This offseason has been bizarre. I mean we've got first it was he's only going to play corner. Then it's well, you know, we think maybe we do want to get him involved in in the wide receiver and then While the wide receivers room is. Is really, you know, kind of crowded. All right, are we going to look back at this Travis Hunter move and think that they grossly overpaid to move up in the draft to get him?
- [18:25]
Andrew Erickson
I mean, that's probably what it looks like right now because we don't really have an idea of what he's going to be doing. I think that they want him to play both ways and that really is what you have to do with him if you're going to try to justify the price that they pay to get Travis Hunter again, moving him for first two first round picks to essentially get two players that can play both cornerback and wide receiver. So I believe them what they say that they want to continue to have him play wide receiver in a more of a scheme touch role and then have continue to get more snaps on the defensive side of the football because that's really where they need him more. We talked about the depth that the Jacksonville Jaguars have at wide receiver. He's a starter at the cornerback position when you just look at the depth chart based on the guys and moves that they made during free agency. So I do think it is noteworthy though that before he got injured last year, he led the team in catches weeks one through seven. Second of the team in routes, mostly operating out of the slot. So look, a lot of it was underneath stuff, scheme touches. I think that's going to be.
- [19:23]
Joe P. Zapia
Isn't that where Trevor Lawrence excels, Erickson? I feel like that's his MO so far because the Brian Thomas on the outside, that was the Mac Jones project. That wasn't the Trevor Lawrence project two years ago. Debro to this point too. Now you got a very crowded group of guys like Parker Washington and Jacoby Myers, like all these guys can do the slot stuff. So you don't really need Travis Hunter to do that. So should he just play corner and focus on that?
- [19:44]
Debro
He should just play corner. And it's a fool's errand to keep doing this back and forth everything. I mean, the thing that I go back to is if Travis Hunter becomes who he is meant to be and he is a top five to 10 top 12 corner in the NFL. Let's just say top 12. If he becomes a top 12 corner in the NFL, nobody's going to freaking care who the Jaguars traded or how much they traded to get up to get him. Nobody's going to care about that. If you keep doing this back and forth garbage. He doesn't have enough time to sit here and practice. Both he's still unrefined as a wide receiver, never going to hit his ceiling as a corner. He's not a true difference maker or an all pro on either side of the ball. Yes, he's going to go down as ex. I'm not saying a bust, but the price they paid to get him, it's going to look like a fool's errand. They need to stop this crap, man. Like I talked about this as Travis Hunter as a prospect. It's like there's only so many hours in the day that you have to work on your craft. The guys that play on one side of the ball that spent all of their effort focusing on becoming the best version of themselves for that one position, most of them still don't even like become like elite players at their positions. So we're expecting Travis Hunter to just buck that trend and be an outlier of outlier of outliers. It's foolish to me. And honestly, considering the foolishness here, it's kind of in line with what Gladstone has done and continues to do.
- [21:14]
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- [22:04]
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- [22:31]
Andrew Erickson
Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty.
- [22:34]
Joe P. Zapia
Andrew, how many hours a week do you think DBRO loses to his craft by combing his beard for hours on end? Oh, I would say at least three or four hours in a week he loses to combing his beard where he could be working on his craft.
- [22:48]
Andrew Erickson
Yeah.
- [22:48]
Debro
What do you think you could be.
- [22:50]
Andrew Erickson
You're doing so many different things instead of combing your beard.
- [22:53]
Joe P. Zapia
Like reading Andrew Erickson's article.
- [22:54]
Andrew Erickson
Yeah.
- [22:57]
Debro
Or I could be just staring in the.
- [22:59]
Joe P. Zapia
In.
- [23:00]
Debro
In the mirror, hoping that I had a beard. It's okay.
- [23:02]
Andrew Erickson
You could be growing hair on top of your head.
- [23:04]
Joe P. Zapia
Oh, if he could, he would.
- [23:06]
Debro
Okay. He went there. I was waiting for it.
- [23:09]
Joe P. Zapia
I was like, you know what I think? I think in season or maybe in the playoffs, DBRO and I, instead of like the, you know, people do the playoff beards, we should do the opposite.
- [23:17]
Debro
Oh, no, I don't want that.
- [23:19]
Joe P. Zapia
I don't want any part of that.
- [23:20]
Debro
I don't know.
- [23:20]
Joe P. Zapia
That would be hilarious. Just let it go until the super bowl, and then we shave it again.
- [23:24]
Debro
Oh, geez.
- [23:25]
Joe P. Zapia
Just to see what it looks like.
- [23:27]
Debro
I know what it'll look like.
- [23:29]
Joe P. Zapia
It's fine. It's a dead period anyway. Let's do it.
- [23:31]
Debro
I'm gonna look like a bad scientist.
- [23:33]
Joe P. Zapia
I don't want it now. I want to see it more. Super bowl winner for the Jaguars. Odds in Vegas. Plus 3000. Hard pass. Conference winner, plus 1500. Hard pass. Division winner, plus 230. Anyone?
- [23:45]
Debro
Anyone?
- [23:46]
Joe P. Zapia
Bueller?
- [23:46]
Debro
No.
- [23:47]
Joe P. Zapia
No hard pass for Erickson, too. Okay. To make the playoffs. Yes. Plus 105. No. Plus 1 10.
- [23:56]
Debro
I'll take the no side of that.
- [23:57]
Joe P. Zapia
I kind of like the no side too. Erickson, what do you think? I think.
- [24:02]
Andrew Erickson
I mean, the AFC south is always so tough with these playoff teams because you don't necessarily even have to put up a good record and you can somehow sneak in back way you're waiting to the playoffs. So it's probably going to be a shy away for me.
- [24:13]
Joe P. Zapia
All right. If you were to set the win total, what would it be for this team?
- [24:16]
Debro
I bet it's way too high.
- [24:18]
Andrew Erickson
I think that wasn't the question. Second half of last year.
- [24:22]
Debro
I'll say.
- [24:24]
Andrew Erickson
I'll say nine and a half.
- [24:25]
Debro
I. I think it should be nine and a half, but I get the feeling that Vegas has done it. Made it ten and a half.
- [24:30]
Joe P. Zapia
Nope, it is nine and a half. So you want to go over for plus 120 or under minus 130. See if the minus is telling you minus 130. Then you definitely want to vote the no on the make the playoffs, huh?
- [24:42]
Debro
Yeah.
- [24:43]
Joe P. Zapia
So to me, that's like one of those things where it's like they're telling you the story of, you know, they give the script out for the NFL every year, guys. Everyone says it on, on Twitter, so they're telling you what's going to happen. So just listen.
- [24:54]
Debro
Script is they come back to earth this year that massively.
- [24:58]
Joe P. Zapia
All right, let's talk about the Houston Texans because I think the Texans are all about CJ Stroud between the ears this year is a confidence level. The confidence definitely was shook at the end of the playoffs and rightfully so. Like he faced some, some pretty good defenses there and he, he's, you know, the offensive line was still a very much work in progress. Now they have done, you know, a lot to kind of remake that how good it is. We could debate that here, but CJ Stroud definitely has had some issues. I believe that some of them also stem from the lack of consistency at the running back position. Because I think when you have that run game that you can count on with some balance and some better offensive line play, I think every quarterback's a little bit more comfortable throwing the football and being the pocket debro. Talk to me about the Texans offensive line and the acquisition of David Montgomery and how much that theoretically could help CJ Strau get back on track for 2026. Because this Texans defense is super bowl caliber.
- [25:55]
Debro
Absolutely agree with the the defense, super bowl caliber, one of the best in the and honestly you can make the argument that they're the best defense in the NFL and one good with what they've done with the offensive line. I just, I don't find myself loving anything that they've really done outside of bringing in Braden Smith. Like Ed Ingram is okay, but not amazing. Wyatt Teller There's a reason the Browns didn't retain him. The, the effectiveness, the health of this part of his career. They drafted, they traded up for Keelan Rutledge to play him at center, although that is a position he has never played at all. But he's just going to magically morph into a center in his rookie season in the NFL. Yeah, that seems like they're setting him up to succeed. And then you talk about the death behind him. Like Evan Brown, passable at best. Trent Brown is just a mountain of a man that like he gets it done because team like defensive ends had to try to run around him. And so the offensive line, I'm not nearly as high on what they did this offseason versus somebody like the Cleveland Browns. But going back to it, I think that adding David Montgomery and giving C.J. stroud a running game to one, lean on two, it'll help play action and three, it's going to help hide C.J. stroud to a certain amount is definitely a plus. I, I think David Montgomery still has juice. I think he still can, can get it done. I, I, I'm actually very excited to see him back into a workhorse featured role and I think that's what he's going to get. I think this is, he's the new Joe Mixon in town. They're going to lean on him as much as he possibly can. Like he's going to get 300 plus touches. And if the Texans do go to the super bowl this year, I think it's more likely because of their defense and their run game than it is because of anything C.J. stroud does well.
- [27:44]
Joe P. Zapia
Erickson, to me, it's like C.J. stroud, hey, don't make mistakes. Go manage the game and play with a little bit more confidence and let the defense cook. To me, that's the special sauce here. What do you think?
- [27:56]
Andrew Erickson
I think that makes sense, but I do think that having C.J. stroud look anything like he did his rookie year is what puts the Texans in the Super Bowl. Right. Where if he can be that guy and you're getting the defense as a top five unit or the best defense in the NFL. Again, the defense was winning games last year.
- [28:15]
Joe P. Zapia
To your point.
- [28:16]
Andrew Erickson
I think this is what they tried to do last year and it worked to an extent. He wasn't losing games for them. I mean, they were good last year overall. But then things kind of unraveled when Moore was asked to put on his plate. He was coming off with a concussion, scary injury, and especially when you're playing behind a patchwork offensive line. The thing with Stroud that I was really surprised at, just looking back at the last three years and going back to his rookie year, where I'm thinking, man, did this guy like ever have a good run game? I'm like looking like last year rushing success rate last two years ago, like
- [28:45]
Joe P. Zapia
debt was last his rookie year. It wasn't good.
- [28:47]
Andrew Erickson
Yeah, no. And this rookie year again, it was still like terrible. So with this offensive line, can we at least get a semblance of a run game where it's 20th, 16th, 18th? Not, we don't need a top 10 run game here, but just something to take the heat off of CJ Stroud so he can kind of develop a groove of some of these receivers outside of Nico Collins. Right. They're trotting out Christian Kirk all year last year. Why, like Jaden Higgins is entering. He's a talented guy entering year two. Jalen Null entering year two. A lot of excitement with some of these skilled players outside of Nico Collins. And I think too with the offensive coroner coming back from last year, something that I would like to see more of is these heavy tight end sets, like lean into it. The offensive coordinator came from the Rams. Everyone is doing it. They drafted Marlin Klein in the second round because he, hey, he's a tight end. We have Dalton Schultz. Let's use these heavy sets, get play action going for CJ Stroud, make it easy because we know that he can rip it. We know that the upside he can offer and that he can win in a shootout just hasn't shown it the last couple of years and they haven't been asked to do that. But there are going to be times where the Texans defense can't shut out a team and keep them below 17 or 20 points. That happens in the playoffs. I think C.J. stroud has shown, at least at the NFL level, he can be an elite passer. But it's obviously been a few years since we have seen it and that does concern me that he has taken a step back, he has regressed and will we ever see that guy again? I just, I don't know the answer to that. I want to believe he can do it because he was so good as a rookie, but. And that's when you're expecting him to face the biggest challenges. But maybe he kind of took, you know, bit off too much that he could chew and he was trying to take too much of the offense. I think the offenses really needs to be better around him, honestly. And I think that's, you know, that's not a hot take.
- [30:26]
Debro
I think he was sniffing his own hype too damn much, man. Like everything coming out of his rookie season, maybe it was all these interviews and stuff and he's talking about he. He's one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and. And then he's giving.
- [30:37]
Joe P. Zapia
Believe that, right? Like, if you're.
- [30:39]
Debro
That's fine, but it's how, it's how you carry yourself too, man.
- [30:43]
Joe P. Zapia
Well, you know, that's also, you know, not being on your back.
- [30:46]
Andrew Erickson
One thing, one thing too, I want to note, and it kind of gets forgotten or lost in the sauce is losing Tank Dell. Like Tank Dell Was CJ Trout's guy. Like, he was a.
- [30:57]
Joe P. Zapia
He was an explosive playmaker. Absolutely.
- [30:59]
Andrew Erickson
But. But the way that Stroud talked about Tank Dell, when he would list off, like, who are the best wide receivers in the NFL, like, Stroud would mention Tank Dell. Like, I think they asked him on one of his interviews where it's like, okay, you have your optimal lineup. Who you're putting on X, you putting that Z, who are you putting in the slot? And Tank Dell was the slot receiver
- [31:15]
Joe P. Zapia
he listed off to your friends. I'm sure if you ask, like, you know, who's your favorite host, you'd say me. But really, you'd rather be working with Rich Eisen? I think that's obvious.
- [31:23]
Andrew Erickson
No, but I don't think that he mentioned Nico Collins as, like, his main. He was like, no, I want Justin Jefferson, I want Jamar Chase, and I want Tank Dell. Like, it was like, okay, but. And obviously, Tank Dell's career has been derailed by brutal injuries. But when you lose your guy, I think that also has a big impact on you.
- [31:40]
Debro
There's a lot being made.
- [31:41]
Joe P. Zapia
Oh, go ahead. Go.
- [31:42]
Debro
I. I am no fan of Nick Kaylee. I don't care that he's back. I think he's one of the worst offensive coordinators in the entire NFL. The fact that they trotted out Xavier Hutchinson last year, you talked about, like, losing Tank Dell, well, that's also magnified when you're trotting out Christian Kirk and Xavier Hutchinson over two talented rookies for most of the year. And even when Jaden Higgins is flashing and he's showing you he deserves more playing time, you should give him more playing time. You should be utilizing Jalen Noel more. He didn't do it, and it's fine.
- [32:12]
Andrew Erickson
Is that Kaylee, though, or is that d'? Amigo? Ryan's like, he's the head coach. I mean, he's not the.
- [32:17]
Joe P. Zapia
Yeah, but Ryan, which I think sticks to the defensive side, I don't think he really.
- [32:21]
Andrew Erickson
I mean, if you're the head coach, you're like, dude, these records are flashing. Get them on the field.
- [32:24]
Joe P. Zapia
Like, yeah, I mean, you can, but, like, I mean.
- [32:27]
Debro
Or you leave it. Leave him in his sandbox to play with the offense and you stick to the defense.
- [32:31]
Joe P. Zapia
Who knows? There's. There's a lot being made to the quote, unquote, cold weather crucible that they got to go through here at the end, where in December, on the road, they play the Steelers in Pittsburgh, the Commanders, and the Eagles on the east coast in December, and then The Green Bay packers on 14 in January, where you assume Micah Parson's gonna be back by then. To me, defense travels, so I really don't care about this. I think it's overboard. Do you all agree? Yeah.
- [32:55]
Debro
That's overblown. That's just, I think it's garbage, to be honest.
- [32:59]
Andrew Erickson
Well, I do think it sucks for, like the fantasy outcomes for the Texans players because these games are not going to be high scoring, so that.
- [33:05]
Joe P. Zapia
Well, that's terrible.
- [33:08]
Debro
My whole thing is like, it's cold that time of the year. Everybody's gonna be playing in cold unless they're playing in freaking domes. So why whatever doesn't Alice is playing
- [33:16]
Andrew Erickson
in domes in weeks 15, 16, and 17. They're not going outside.
- [33:20]
Joe P. Zapia
How about them Cowboys? Very interesting. I'm gonna wear my, my Jerry Jones shirt on the NFC east when we get to that show. All right.
- [33:29]
Debro
Should never take it off.
- [33:31]
Joe P. Zapia
Super. That's why I have the tattoo. It's a Jerry Jones. It's a Jerry Jones tramp stamp. That's right.
- [33:41]
Debro
Which way are his eyes looking, Joe?
- [33:43]
Andrew Erickson
Up or down? Both.
- [33:47]
Joe P. Zapia
Both free agents enter this portal. All right.
- [33:51]
Andrew Erickson
Oh, my.
- [33:52]
Joe P. Zapia
Oh, my.
- [33:54]
Andrew Erickson
All right.
- [33:55]
Joe P. Zapia
Super bowl winner for the Texans +2000. I'm kind of curious about this one.
- [34:00]
Andrew Erickson
No, I, I, I, I can't roll them out because the defense is, the
- [34:05]
Joe P. Zapia
defense is so good, too. Here's what I think, Andrew. At the very least, this makes money as an investment in a cash out later on. That's how I like. At some point that's going to be 5 to 1, and they might be like, oh, here's 60 of that bet back. And yes, I'll take that very much because that's how I play the futures market.
- [34:20]
Andrew Erickson
Who do the Texans play early in the year? Like, what's their.
- [34:22]
Joe P. Zapia
Early in the year is not nearly as bad. Early in the year it's. Well, they start off with Buffalo, but then they got the Bengals, the Colts, the Cowboys, Titans, Jags, Giant, Titans, Jags, Giants. That's where you start to, you know, you go on a little bit of a run there, I think. Yeah. And then you hit your bye week. And after the bye week, they get the Chargers, Browns, Colts again. It's not the easiest schedule, but again,
- [34:42]
Debro
AFC is gonna be very terrible though.
- [34:44]
Joe P. Zapia
Either conference winner plus 1000. Okay. Intrigued. I'm still intrigued by that one. Division winner plus 140.
- [34:53]
Andrew Erickson
Yes.
- [34:53]
Joe P. Zapia
No. Like, I think this is a good wager to make the playoffs. Yes. Minus 155. No. Plus 140. So obviously this, they're going to be a playoff team if, you know, unless Stroud completely implodes, what I don't think is going to happen. Win total. What do you think it is, boys? What do you think it is?
- [35:12]
Andrew Erickson
What's a. Jags was nine and a half. It's probably.
- [35:13]
Joe P. Zapia
Jags was nine and a Half.
- [35:14]
Andrew Erickson
It's probably gonna be nine and a half, too.
- [35:16]
Debro
Nine and a half or ten and a half.
- [35:17]
Joe P. Zapia
That is correct. It's nine and a half again, ladies and gentlemen. The over minus 110. The under plus 110. So they're telling you they think that the Texans are the edge here for this division. Which means instead of that, give me, you know, division winner plus 140. That's your best odds. See, look, that's how you play this game, kids. So you look at that and it's telling you, oh, they think they're a little better than Jaguars. Okay, Vegas. If you think they're going to win that division, just instead of betting that, instead of betting the wind total, just go bet the division plus 140 and you make more money that way. Speaking of making money on betting, shout out to our sponsor, Hard Rock Bet. Everybody loves Hard Rock bet, Florida Sportsbook and the official sports betting partner of the Orlando Magic. Because it's NBA playoff time. We got the conference finals happening right now. Lots of things going on in the basketball world. And you can get involved in all the hardcore action right here over at hard rock bet. So download the app. Today, you bet five bucks, get 150 in bonus bets. When you do, when you place your first wager plus your winnings. And of course, this is that time to get in the game. They've got same game parlay action they got in game, live betting. They got everything. Profit boost, you name it, they have got it. But you can't get in on it unless you download the Hard Rock Bet. So do it right now. Go play on Hard Rock Bet. Payable and bonus bets. Not a cash offer offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in Florida, offered by 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. Concern about gambling in Florida, call 1833 playwise in Indiana, if you or someone you know has a gambling problem wants help, call 1-800-9 with it. Gambling problem, call 1-800- gambler in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia. Let's go to the next squad here that we Want to talk about. It's the Colts. I know. We've been waiting for this for a long time, baby. Let's talk about the Indianapolis Colts, which. I don't know why it's all in red. I don't know who did that. I don't think I did that, but whatever.
- [37:13]
Debro
I. I did that whenever you were supposed to take out the Panthers, but
- [37:16]
Joe P. Zapia
apparently I told you I was just rushing a million miles an hour.
- [37:22]
Andrew Erickson
It's not time.
- [37:23]
Joe P. Zapia
Well, wait, wait. No, instead, you should.
- [37:25]
Andrew Erickson
You.
- [37:26]
Joe P. Zapia
It would have been a positive for. You would have a show without Daniel Jones discussion.
- [37:31]
Debro
I mean, every show has a Daniel Jones.
- [37:34]
Andrew Erickson
So let's spin it different. Let's not talk about Daniel Jones.
- [37:37]
Joe P. Zapia
I don't want to talk about. I want to talk about Jonathan Taylor.
- [37:40]
Andrew Erickson
Yes, yes, yes.
- [37:41]
Joe P. Zapia
Let's. Let's stop it.
- [37:42]
Debro
Yeah.
- [37:42]
Joe P. Zapia
Good.
- [37:42]
Andrew Erickson
Yeah.
- [37:42]
Joe P. Zapia
Okay. Jonathan Taylor, great year last year. Hello. It's been a while since he's had a great healthy season. In between, it's been ankle injury. Ankle injury. Ankle injury. Right. So it's been a couple years of that. So, Erickson, where. Where are you here with Jonathan Taylor going to the season? Because especially with Daniel Jones coming back from all the surgeries and issues and health stuff, it does feel like at least early on, you have got to lean on Jonathan Taylor. Is that too much to ask of Jonathan Taylor that early? And are you going to ruin him by the time the year is halfway through?
- [38:14]
Andrew Erickson
I think that's possible that he might wear down as the season progresses, but if you're Shane Steichen, dude, that's what I'm trusting this offense in with. Jonathan, because you have so many of these projections. Right? I don't mean to. He who Must Not Be Named is coming off an Achilles injury, but there are other.
- [38:30]
Joe P. Zapia
Can we get a Voldemort Daniel Jones picture, please? Producers, I want. I want Daniel Jones as Voldemort with that weird nose. It's like, yeah, look,
- [38:41]
Andrew Erickson
there are other parts of this Colts offense that also are projections. Alec Pierce, you're not going to be wide receiver 1. Can you deliver on that? Maybe he can, maybe he can't. Like, that's a projection. You have a new right tackle that's going to be in. Because Braden Smith left. The Colts is now with the Houston Texans. Okay, another starting tackle. How is he going to perform? I think that this offense overall is more likely to be average than the top five unit that it was last year. Where again, 2007 Patriots esque. That's not repeatable. That offense Regressed the following year because Brady got hurt. But again, it was going to regress no matter what. So those are things that I'm looking at beyond the quarterback, where if you're psyching, you have to feed Jonathan Taylor as much as humanly possible because that's going to get you to wins on the offensive side of the football. While Daniel Jones starts to come back from his injury because at some point, like he will be much more healthy than he is in week. I mean, I, I think he'll probably looking much better in week 10 than he does in week one. Again, fresh off again. He also fractured his leg last year too, and he was playing on it, which is why he tore his Achilles. So that's kind of how I'm reading this offense where there are other question marks I have of okay, you could see if these guys do step up into new roles, they smash. But I think it's Jonathan Taylor robust early in the year for this Colts offense.
- [39:56]
Joe P. Zapia
The quarterback that lived come to die. Bro. All good Harry Potter jokes aside, I don't think Alec Pierce is the number one target in this offense. I think Tyler Warren is hot, take or no. No, I think Warren is a superb talent and I don't think he gets talked about enough because we're in this golden age of tight ends.
- [40:16]
Andrew Erickson
He's not Colson Loveland, that's why.
- [40:17]
Joe P. Zapia
Well, it's tough. Not everyone can be.
- [40:19]
Andrew Erickson
No, but you know, I agree Tyler Warren is also very, very good.
- [40:23]
Debro
I, I don't disagree with you, Joe. And, and I think to that, to that point, this passing attack scares the crap out of me, man. Like Josh Downs has been banged up over multiple seasons. Is he going to be an outside wide receiver? How is that going to go? If he misses any time, then you're boiling this down to Alec Pierce, who is an unknown as a true wide receiver, one for an offense, and Tyler Warren. And then we get into Nick Westbrook, Akine, Ashton Doolin, Dion Burks, Anthony Gold, Laquan Treadwell. Yes, he's still in the NFL. Cole, Coleman, Owen.
- [40:56]
Andrew Erickson
How is that? Did you mention Dion Burks? Did you mention. I.
- [41:00]
Joe P. Zapia
Did you?
- [41:00]
Debro
I did mention Dion Burks. Yeah, yeah. You know, seventh round pick, gotta mention him. He's game changer. But that this all comes down to, there is so much in flux with this team on the offensive side of the ball that it's insane. And quarterback health. What are you getting out of the passing attack? Alec Pierce, Tyler Warren dealing with, you know, getting pushed.
- [41:21]
Joe P. Zapia
But despite all that, you do look this was one of the many faults of lot of teams we do. Like, I still think the Colts have a top 10 offensive line, don't you does.
- [41:32]
Andrew Erickson
They're starting Jaylen Travis as a 2025 fourth round rookie pick. So he's their new starting right tackle. So like that's one thing that I think matters. Like having a different right tackle I think is one thing. Again, I don't think that it's. This is a team that bottoms out on offense. Look at Shane Stike in the last three years. 898998. Like. Like they're gonna kind of be. They're kind of doing the cult.
- [41:53]
Joe P. Zapia
And that was Gardner Minshew. That was with Anthony Richardson. That was with Philip Rivers. That was with Daniel Jones. I mean Shane Steichen I think deserves a little bit of love.
- [42:03]
Andrew Erickson
Yes.
- [42:03]
Joe P. Zapia
You know, I mean good football coach. Yeah. This guy a real quarterback, please.
- [42:06]
Andrew Erickson
And now he's got to overcome the other another injury to his quarterback and
- [42:10]
Debro
that ties are wagon to a real quarterback.
- [42:12]
Joe P. Zapia
You know what though? You know, I realized something that the Voldemort title for Daniel Jones is really applicable because it is.
- [42:19]
Andrew Erickson
He.
- [42:19]
Joe P. Zapia
He is coming back, you know, from the dead. Basically reformed, remade.
- [42:24]
Andrew Erickson
Right.
- [42:25]
Joe P. Zapia
A lot of magical spells going on there and makes him very dangerous. Very dangerous. I. You know what? I think we should have that dark mark on our arm too. So whenever we call upon him, he can show up on the podcast. I think that'd be great.
- [42:37]
Andrew Erickson
I'm gonna need. I'm gonna need a rain check on that because I burned my arm on the in the oven yesterday
- [42:44]
Joe P. Zapia
making your sourdough.
- [42:46]
Debro
Joe, I've never made sourdough my entire life.
- [42:50]
Andrew Erickson
I have no idea why you assume that or I just threw it out
- [42:54]
Joe P. Zapia
there yesterday as like a thing. But now, now you burned your arm suspiciously and we don't know why or how. What about the defense of the Colts? Can we talk about that for a second? Because offenses is all.
- [43:03]
Andrew Erickson
We focus on defense.
- [43:04]
Joe P. Zapia
Dbro, talk to me about the defense of the Colts. What do you think it looks like this year?
- [43:08]
Debro
I think they're. I think they're a really good unit with the ability to be a. A very strong defense. Now I'm not going to say like they're gonna be a top five unit. I think their pass rush is good, but I don't know if they have the parts or pieces will they out to Lotu like can he take another step JT there? Like their defensive line is very good. I just question what is the absolute ceiling of their Pass rush. Like, I don't look at this unit as saying, like, this is a top five pass rush in the NFL. I think the biggest thing for them is what does the secondary look like and how does that come together? Because if Charvarius Ward can actually stay healthy, same thing with Sauce Gardner, that tandem can be one of the best in the NFL and that can help their pass rush get home. The addition of C.J. allen I thought was fantastic considering their linebacker room in the off season. So I think this defense could be a top 12 unit, but I don't think that they'll step into rarefied air as an elite unit unless their corners just all really out kick even what I think they can do.
- [44:12]
Joe P. Zapia
All right. Super bowl winner plus 6,500. You can miss me with that. Conference winner plus 2800. You can miss me with THAT. Division winner, plus 400. Interesting long shot because it is so tight. It is so close. But you can also miss me with that, too. I'd rather bet on the Tech. I. I'm always betting on defense. I'm a defense guy. Okay. Me and Bogs, we like the defense. That's what we like around these parts to make the playoffs. Plus 170. Yes. That's a lot. That's a great number. Minus 170. No. What side you want to be on to that? Erickson?
- [44:40]
Andrew Erickson
I want to be on. No, because these odds are going to shift after the. I mean, the first three weeks they play the Ravens, Chiefs and Texans, like, yeah. And if you're getting Jones at less than 100% and Jonathan Taylor can't eke out wins even though he's touched the ball 30 times a game and they're losing to those teams. Like, I mean, you look at those Raven, Chiefs, Texans, like, those are all good defenses. I think that this team, to dbro's point, I didn't get to mention, I. I think that this defense is also pretty good. I think they're probably average at worst. But remember who did they go after last year? They traded for Sas Gardner. Like, he has to be top five, locked and loaded, number one cornerback in the NFL, shut down to. Really? Yeah, exactly. So I think that puts them into that top 10. And maybe their defense has to carry them while the offense kind of gets back up to speed with the injury to their quarterback. And I think that is possible with Gardiner. I do think, like, because they've also had issues too with some of their defensive tackles where, like DeForest Buckner, when he's missed time in the past, like their run defense just gets eviscerated. Grover Stewart, those guys are a little bit older, so. But I think secondary wise, Javarius Ward, they really could have an elite tandem.
- [45:50]
Debro
Dude, they have to stay healthy, though, because behind them the depth is. Is not great. They have Jonathan Edwards, Cam Taylor, Brittany Wyatt, Eckler, Makai Blackman, too. Yeah. Would you like. They need that.
- [46:04]
Joe P. Zapia
They need those. That's like corner.
- [46:05]
Debro
Stay healthy.
- [46:06]
Joe P. Zapia
What would you set the win total at for this team?
- [46:09]
Andrew Erickson
I feel like all these teams are going to be. I think eight and a half would be. I think it's less for the. I think the other two teams.
- [46:14]
Debro
Yeah, I think it's eight and a half and I'm taking the under is.
- [46:17]
Joe P. Zapia
All right. All right, so there you go.
- [46:20]
Andrew Erickson
Is it eight and a half?
- [46:21]
Debro
What is it? Yeah, you're leaving us hanging here.
- [46:25]
Joe P. Zapia
Eight and a half. The best line you can get on Betting Pros right now. And this shows on Betting Pros Today as well as a regular podcast feed everywhere. Over seven and a half at minus 130, under eight and a half at minus 145. So to me, that's basically telling everybody, like, we have no idea. All we know is we're covering our ass either way. That's.
- [46:43]
Debro
And the Colts aren't making the playoffs. That's.
- [46:45]
Joe P. Zapia
Vegas is covering their ass and they're like, you know what? We're just not a big fan of this. It gets it.
- [46:50]
Andrew Erickson
It's.
- [46:51]
Joe P. Zapia
It screams unknown. And I think that's something to be.
- [46:54]
Debro
I'd be very curious. What are the odds of them finishing last in their division?
- [46:58]
Joe P. Zapia
Yeah, that. I have to find it. I don't. That's the specifics there. Let's talk about the Tennessee Titans with the most attractive coaching room in the history.
- [47:08]
Debro
Best coaching staff of the NFL, baby. Beautiful.
- [47:11]
Joe P. Zapia
My older brother Robert Sala is back here, and I'm very happy for Robert Sala again. I think he's a really good football guy. I think this is a really fun team here, potentially. I think they're going to be disruptors. I think they're going to be annoying. I think they're going to have a. There's going to be a couple of weeks where we're going to sit here on the show and we're going to go, can you believe what the Titans pulled off? I think they're going to do that. I don't know if it's going to happen right away, but I'm very intrigued by this team. So let's talk about what the impact of Robert Sala is going to be debro. I'm going to start with you here because you're bald like me and so is Robert Saleh.
- [47:46]
Andrew Erickson
Yes.
- [47:46]
Debro
I had to take the hat off just for this team.
- [47:47]
Joe P. Zapia
That's right.
- [47:48]
Debro
I, I think they can make some noise out the gate. Like, you look at the beginning of their schedule. They got the jets, the Eagles, the Giants, the Ravens. I mean, if they start off two and two in those first four games, people will be talking about them. And if they're competitive against the Eagles and the Ravens in those games, people will be talking about this team if they manage to, to knock off the Eagles or the Ravens in one of those games. Yeah, we, you know, looking at a team that could be three and one possible. Like I, I, I agree with you, Joe. I think they're going to make some noise this year now. Like I, I don't think that, you know, saying that they're going to win the division and go to the playoffs and that kind of stuff, like, we shall see, depending on the odds that we get to later, I might not be against betting that. But I think adding Robert Salah, adding Brian Dall, like, say what you want about Brian D. As a head coach, as an offensive coordinator and what he did with Jackson Dart last year, I think is very commendable. Now, they didn't end up like closing out a lot of games, but if they wouldn't have fallen apart in the fourth quarter of a ton of games, Brian Dall would not be the offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans. He'd still be coaching the Giants right now. So I like that his addition with Cam Ward, the fact that they put offensive weapons around Cam Ward and said, hey, we want you to succeed. Tony Pollard's good enough to sit here and hold up the, the running attack, you know, if they get anything out of Taj Spears, Nick Singleton, kudos. But putting more weapons around Cam Ward, like he has a legitimate, like you could put that starting three with Carnell Tate, Calvin Ridley and Wandell Robinson up against a ton of teams. And I'm not saying it's the best starting trio in the NFL. Ain't bad boys. Ain't bad at all.
- [49:28]
Joe P. Zapia
You know what? I like that despite he's a defensive M head coach, the organization is paying attention to the fact it's an offensive league. And a lot of the season was spent. Andrew, between the draft and, and what they've brought in here, you know, bringing in Brian Dabel, who's got a nice track record as a Good offensive mind in the NFL that, that they're paying attention to. You have to develop this young quarterback and you were stunting his growth with the last regime. The minute you got rid of them, things start to get a little bit better. And what you really want is to see a big jump in year two. So that, that's, that's why I'm so cautiously optimistic is like I feel like they're going to have the defensive mindset, but the organization was looking towards improving the offense, which was really important.
- [50:08]
Andrew Erickson
The Titans are going to put the whole league on notice after week one when they killed the Jets. So I am all aboard the Tennessee Man.
- [50:16]
Joe P. Zapia
I want. What's that, what's the line on that game?
- [50:17]
Andrew Erickson
We talked about this on a previous
- [50:19]
Debro
show for minus three and a half. I think it was, it was.
- [50:23]
Andrew Erickson
No, the jets were not. It's because it's playing in Nashville.
- [50:25]
Joe P. Zapia
They were in Nashville.
- [50:27]
Andrew Erickson
Yeah, but I think that that's going to be a launch point for this team. Robert saw facing his old team that he coached for. I think that this is the Cam Ward break. I, I, I love the Tennessee Titans. I want to bet them to win the division because we see this every single year where one team goes from last place to first place. And the Tennessee Titans have all of the ingredients of that type of team where you have a second year quarterback taking a major leap. You have impaired with a successful offensive mind. In Brian Dabel, you have Robert Sala who's shown that he can win games with bad quarterbacks. Again, talking about Shane Steichen. This guy got seven wins with Zach Wilson, Mike White and Joe Flacco in 2022 and a top five defense with Zach Wilson and Trevor Simeon in 2023 as his quarterbacks. Again, seven wins. Both of those Woody Johnson.
- [51:12]
Debro
So that's not enough though, Erickson.
- [51:14]
Andrew Erickson
I mean, it's one of these things where I think that you have to anytime a player like does something with the jets and then does something like, and then removes himself from that situation, it's like, wow, it really isn't that bad when you're not on the New York jets anymore.
- [51:28]
Joe P. Zapia
So, you know, I liken it to, you know, when the people work out in the gym or you see him on the walks with a weighted vest, you know, and then you take it off, you're like, oh, I feel so much lighter. I think that's what it's like.
- [51:37]
Andrew Erickson
And all the defensive additions they made, John Fricklin, Myers, Jermaine Johnson, Anthony Hill, Lante Taylor, Cordell Flot, Joshua Williams, Kendrick Falk.
- [51:43]
Debro
I adding half the giant step chart. Yeah.
- [51:46]
Andrew Erickson
And they added. I think they added the good pieces from the jets that worked with Salah. They added the good pieces from Day Ball's giants. So you mix this all together and I think you got a division winner here. I know Dibro was waxy poetic about the weapons. It's not even just about the weapons. It's about the comparison to the weapons. Last year he was throwing two rookie day three picks as his two wide receivers because Calvin really got hurt. And honestly, like Sher dk like he flashed. And I think that is telling about Cam Ward. Who one of the guy. He's one of the quarterbacks that's going to be on the Netflix quarterback documentary this year. I am so amped to watch that with Cam Ward because it's going to be him in all ball. It's like, okay, well what are you going to do tonight? I'm going to watch film, play football and then that's it. Like, I really feel like that's all he's going to do. And I think that's going to show this season when he has a breakout and just getting him away from Callahan, what the offensive setup was last year. Last seven games, 11 touchdowns, one interruption. Like he showed that he was grew.
- [52:43]
Joe P. Zapia
Absolutely. And. And he. And he shows the work. I think there are things when you watch Cam war tape from college that you go, okay, there's some stuff to fix there. You could see. Yeah, you could see the skill level. You could see that there's something to work with. But I think to me, the Cam Ward story in the NFL is going to be one of the great stories of this is a worker. This is a guy that's going to outwork everybody else and he's going to make up some of those physical deficits that he might have compared to some other quarterbacks who could just do things easier than he does them. But he'll be able to actually make more progress than some of those other quarterbacks because of his mindset and the work mentality. And I think that is going to be the separator for him. You know, it's like, like Derek Jeter, okay, Derek Jeter was. Was never the most talented shortstop of his era. He kind of just outworked everybody and he had deficits on defense. He had deficits, all that. But he has 3, 000 hits and he's in the hall of Fame. Right? Like, that's the kind of thing. And I'm not saying, like you know, Cam Ward's in the hall of Fame yet I don't want to put him there. But I'm saying it's like that kind of mentality. It was like, well, you know, Derek Jeter wasn't 35 home runs every year, but Derek Jeter was a winner. And I, I think that's what Cam Ward is and I think that's going to rub off and I think that combination of Cam Ward with Robert Salah is going to be a really fascinating one. So let's get to some of the numbers here on the Titans too before,
- [53:55]
Debro
before we dive into that. Erickson brought up one really good point that I want to expand on just a little bit.
- [54:01]
Joe P. Zapia
Sure.
- [54:01]
Debro
Brian Callahan's system with a West coast offense and adding asking Cam Ward to play within structure and go from 1 to 2 to 3 and get the ball out timely. That is a horrible marriage. Was a horrible marriage from the beginning of it. It was terrible. Putting him with Brian Dal and the ability that they're going to let him play outside of structure some more. They're going to get him on the move. I'm not telling you he's going to become like a true rushing quarterback. They are going to utilize his legs more and his off script ability. That is a perfect marriage too. Whereas like Callahan, I don't know what the hell he was thinking. Like, yeah, this quarterback is perfectly going
- [54:38]
Andrew Erickson
to fit my system.
- [54:39]
Debro
No, it was horrible to begin with, but now I think it's gonna be good.
- [54:46]
Joe P. Zapia
Let's see how good you think it's gonna be. Not for super bowl, not for conference winner, forget all that. Division winner plus 950. Andrew Erickson. Have you already bet it?
- [54:54]
Debro
Done?
- [54:54]
Andrew Erickson
Yes. The betting pros feed the socials. It's all over there. My favorite futures bets featuring the Tennessee Titans.
- [55:03]
Joe P. Zapia
So to make the playoffs, I'll take the to make the playoffs at plus 360 instead.
- [55:07]
Andrew Erickson
Wow.
- [55:08]
Joe P. Zapia
To me that is Howard's way out.
- [55:09]
Debro
Take.
- [55:10]
Joe P. Zapia
That's fine. That's fine. Well, you know what's amazing though?
- [55:13]
Andrew Erickson
You're going against the though here. Like I, that's. I don't think that's wise. Like the trend is last place to first place into the division.
- [55:20]
Joe P. Zapia
I know, but I already have one of those.
- [55:21]
Andrew Erickson
You think two teams are going to come out of the ASC South?
- [55:24]
Joe P. Zapia
No.
- [55:25]
Andrew Erickson
So then why are they, how are they going to make the playoffs? They don't mind the division. Is that on the mic drop? Is that another mic drop?
- [55:31]
Joe P. Zapia
Oh, oh. Two shows, two microphones. Two shows, two microphones. For Andrew Ericson. All right, Bazinga.
- [55:44]
Andrew Erickson
All right.
- [55:45]
Joe P. Zapia
I'm gonna have to go bet it. What do you think the win total for this team is?
- [55:48]
Andrew Erickson
Oh, I know it.
- [55:49]
Debro
Six and a half. Seven and a half.
- [55:50]
Joe P. Zapia
Six and a half. Plus 110 for the over, minus 105 for the under over. Don't you have it, everybody? So that's a look at the South. But what do you all think of the South? Drop your comments below. Let us know what you think here. Subscribe to the channel. That's what we want you to do. Subscribe to Tailgate. Subscribe. Like this video. Share it. Put it. Put it on your Twitter feed. Put it on your Instagram, Put it on your social media feeds. Everywhere. If you're an old fart, you put it on. On Facebook, whatever you want to do. MySpace, even better.
- [56:17]
Debro
Facebook.
- [56:18]
Joe P. Zapia
We're trying to grow the channel. Again, this is our labor of love. We appreciate all the great comments we've gotten so far. I mean, it's been really positive. We really appreciate everybody who's in May listening to football shows. But again, we're trying to blow this thing up this year in 2026, and we can do it with your help. So we really appreciate all the support you give the show. Share it everywhere. And remember, drop your comments. Subscribe to the channel. You could win a Jamar Chase jersey. That's pretty good. That'll do it for us. Kick us out of the parking lot. Tailgate's over for now. We'll see you next time, kids.
- [56:47]
Debro
Welcome to the Tailgate. The fail safe from stale takes Erickson D Bro Joe, stay late, tail at the game, taping trade grades, dual action play fakes and JJ Spades hit the day slate like hopscotch on play date things NFL takes away this the tailgate.
- [57:10]
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Liberty Mutual Advertiser
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- [58:31]
Andrew Erickson
Hey, guys, it's us, the Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin.
- [58:33]
Debro
And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called hey Jonas. We invented a podcast. Well, we didn't invent it.
- [58:41]
Joe P. Zapia
We.
- [58:41]
Debro
We just contributed to it. First people to do podcasts.
- [58:44]
Joe P. Zapia
We get to ask other people questions
- [58:46]
Andrew Erickson
because we're sick and tired of being asked questions.
- [58:48]
Debro
Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but you know, tired and sick.
- [58:51]
Andrew Erickson
Tired and sick.
- [58:52]
Joe P. Zapia
Listen to hey Jonas on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [58:57]
Andrew Erickson
Just listen.
- [58:58]
Debro
We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy not quite on Humor Me with Robert Smigel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier this week. My guests, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter side Up, help an acapella band with their between songs banter.
- [59:18]
Andrew Erickson
Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes.
- [59:21]
Debro
Those people are starving for banter. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [59:30]
Joe P. Zapia
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [59:32]
Debro
Guaranteed Human.