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- [00:00]
Matt Jones
This is an iHeart podcast guaranteed human.
- [00:04]
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- [01:35]
Arizona State University Announcer
With so many options, why choose Arizona State University?
- [01:38]
Drew Franklin
For me the only online option was.
- [01:40]
Commercial Announcer
ASU because of the quality. Their faculty was really involved with their.
- [01:44]
Drew Franklin
Students and care about your personal journey.
- [01:47]
Commercial Announcer
The dedication to my personal development from my professors.
- [01:51]
Drew Franklin
That's extremely valuable to me.
- [01:53]
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- [02:04]
Drew Franklin
ASU EDU NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and iHeart podcast. All Right, it is cover 0 and it is playoff time. We it's the wild card round. Six games of excitement. It is also what do you call the Tuesday after Black Monday? The melancholy Violet Tuesday. Drew is on vacation but was gracious enough to leave his millionaire beach house to join us. And Drew, good to see you.
- [02:47]
Matt Jones
You as well. You all will be proud. My first day on the bench or beach, I pretty much just scrolled through anytime touchdown scores and NFL news so I' ready to go.
- [02:56]
Drew Franklin
That's exactly what your wife was Hoping for when you went down there, she was wanting to make sure to get her. To get her her picks in. So I guess what we'll do is we'll go three parts. We'll start with the coaches that got fired, then sort of the news and notes, and then the playoffs. So, Billy, I like that, by the way. You're doing the all black Johnny Cash PGA look today.
- [03:23]
Billy
Double logo today hat and on the jacket. So we are repping the.
- [03:28]
Drew Franklin
Why black? It's not a common golf color.
- [03:31]
Billy
It goes with the most stuff. So when you have a limited number of jackets, you can wear it all the time.
- [03:37]
Drew Franklin
Okay, gotcha. Black does go with. With everything. It's also slimming, so that's good.
- [03:43]
Billy
Yes.
- [03:44]
Drew Franklin
Yeah. All right. Well. All right. By the way, you with the goatee and everything, you kind of look evil, and I like. I'm kind of liking evil Billy here. All right, so I'm seeing that for.
- [03:54]
Matt Jones
The first time, actually. What in the hell is on your face? I didn't see you all this week, these last two.
- [03:59]
Billy
So you don't like it? You don't want me to keep the goatee?
- [04:01]
Drew Franklin
Well, no, it's evil, though. Like, are you. Are you trying to be evil Billy?
- [04:05]
Billy
Well, it's the playoff run, and, you know, as an employee of the NFL, I'm going to keep it growing until, you know, Super Bowl Sunday.
- [04:11]
Matt Jones
Right.
- [04:12]
Drew Franklin
Okay, so can we analyze your goatee for just a second? Like, really pick it apart?
- [04:16]
Billy
Go ahead. Sure.
- [04:17]
Drew Franklin
Very thick chin and a thick mustache. But I think you're struggling on the line between the two. It looks like maybe not as much hair there. One side seems to have very little hair at all. What's happening there?
- [04:33]
Billy
We're just growing at God's pace, Matt. I mean, there's really no, you know, serum being used or tactics involved. We're just. We're here living.
- [04:43]
Drew Franklin
All right, Drew, what do you think about that? It's sort of. I don't want to say what I think it looks like because I think it's. That would get us banned. But it's an interesting. It's an interesting rate. What do you think? You're a facial hair connoisseur?
- [04:55]
Matt Jones
Yeah. Well, I actually logged on 15 minutes early because Billy and I to record something else. And I've been sitting here small talking with him, but where the mic is positioned, I couldn't see it. So thank you for calling that out. I 15, 20 minutes of looking at him and did not see that little fuzz on his chin. But I like you're right. It's like a. It's like a villain. It's like we got the evil.
- [05:15]
Drew Franklin
You look like you could be the villain in a cartoon.
- [05:19]
Billy
I was thinking Austin Powers movie or something. But you know what? It's fine.
- [05:24]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, it looks like you're, I don't know, gonna get droopy dog in the and. And find away his. His treasure. Well, I like it. This is the all black PGA look, the goatee, it looks like you're trying to plot something evil. So it's perfect for the day after all the coaches get fired. So let's go ahead and let's go through them here. Yeah.
- [05:48]
Billy
So there have been four coaches fired since the last game of the regular season, including Atlanta Falcons. Raheem Morris the lost.
- [05:55]
Drew Franklin
Let's go one by one. Let's start with Raheem because he was the first one to. To go. One of the things I want to do here is say like how eager would you be for these openings? Raheem Morris and there are a couple jobs that are open anyway because of, because of other. Other situations. Raheem Morris. 50, 50 chance. I thought he still was in Tampa Bay. Like I go back and forth. Raheem Morris is someone that you could have any given point told me which team he was coaching and I would just guess someone in the NFC South. I kind of don't think Atlanta is the most exciting job to have in the world. I don't think you know who your quarterback necessarily is going to be. How will you best remember the Raheem Morris era?
- [06:41]
Matt Jones
For one, you're right. I felt like he was a hot name in coaching searches for several years while he was in Tampa. Gets his chance. You know, they fired the GM too. I think the GM did him wrong with that Michael Penix pick where you just paid Kirk Cousins all that money and then go waste your first draft pick on a quarterback when you could have gotten a lot of other pieces. Maybe Penix is good long term, but I think that's such situation alone set him up for failure to begin with.
- [07:04]
Drew Franklin
I think that was tough. And then, and then Kirk Cousins wasn't very good. So I think that hurt them hurt him as well. Now with that said, they tied for first in the in the AFC or NFC south. So, you know, if they just gotten one or two good breaks, I think they might have actually still, you know, he was a tie for the division champion. Can you name the last Atlanta coach that you think was good?
- [07:35]
Matt Jones
Dan Quinn. And I use good solution there. Davis.
- [07:40]
Drew Franklin
Yeah. Okay. I guess that's okay. He was the coach for the Super bowl, right?
- [07:47]
Matt Jones
243 coach.
- [07:48]
Drew Franklin
I feel like. Didn't Dan Reeves coach there too after. After Denver?
- [07:52]
Billy
Yes.
- [07:52]
Drew Franklin
Then I think what Jerry Glanville was the coach at one point back in the day. But I still think it's a, it's a franchise that I don't know if you were to do the best coach in the history of each franchise. I think Atlanta's is going to come close to the bottom in terms of the most historic coach.
- [08:13]
Matt Jones
I think of their owner Arthur Blank with the we're making. But he's got the Billy kind of villain thing going on too. He kind of looks like a cartoon villain. So I think of him more than their coaches actually.
- [08:25]
Drew Franklin
He always ends up on the field at the end in very. He dresses like he owns a funeral home. I've always thought that about him and I, you know, I think he's. I think he, he seems like a nice enough guy. Well, to me it would be a job if I had my choice. Of all the jobs, it might be the one that I would be the least interested in. What do you think?
- [08:51]
Matt Jones
Yeah, I have some favorites in the mix that we'll get to but as I run through them in my head. Yeah, I don't know if it's saying you're in a division that's not usually very good.
- [08:59]
Drew Franklin
Well, you're in a winnable division that's.
- [09:02]
Matt Jones
You could get the playoffs right away.
- [09:04]
Drew Franklin
Could be very good and B, John Robinson is obviously a positive guy to have in your on your team.
- [09:10]
Matt Jones
So I think my. It's not one of the four that just got fired, but there's six openings. I would say of the six openings my team that's been had an opening for a while might be the last of all those.
- [09:21]
Drew Franklin
Well, that's true, but you might think you have your quarterback depending on what you think of Cam Ward. All right, what's the next one?
- [09:26]
Billy
Kevin Stefanski let go by the Browns two time Coach of the Year, 45 and 56 in his six seasons.
- [09:35]
Drew Franklin
I understand why they did this, but I'm not sure that I think it's a great decision to let him go because I think he's a really good coach. It wouldn't shock me if he gets one of these other job openings, to be quite frank with you. I guess the reasoning is that you say, well we're going to restart because I don't think they're choosing Shador now. He was very quick to leak out within minutes that he didn't want desean Foster like that. That or deshaun Watson. Excuse me. That came out within seconds of him being let go. I think that was intentional. I actually think Stefanski is a very good coach, so I don't know that I think Drew, this is a good decision.
- [10:17]
Matt Jones
Yeah, it took over right around Covid got in the playoffs as a coach of the year trophy. In his case, I'd say his phone will ring very quickly and he might even be coaching one of these other teams we're talking about.
- [10:26]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, I think you will. I mean, if you're Atlanta or one of these other teams, I think you would at him. The Browns can't get out of their own way. Do you believe the. His leak that he had no interest in deshaun Watson?
- [10:40]
Matt Jones
I think so. Just the fact that because if I were there, I wouldn't want everyone to know that I didn't want to be a part of that or want anything to do with that either. So I would say the hurrying us would get it out there.
- [10:50]
Drew Franklin
I did like the owner who said in the press conference, one thing the Browns have always stood for is getting high character guys. I like that answer. You know, I mean, you might as well. I mean, it's 20, 26. Just say anything, right? Like you can just say whatever. And people go, oh, of course. They like high character guys in Cleveland. Why wouldn't they?
- [11:10]
Matt Jones
Or maybe the lowest character and has worst trade in history, whatever you want to call it. But when you're not winning, I guess you got to try to point to something or make it up at least.
- [11:17]
Drew Franklin
Well, all right, what's the next one, Billy?
- [11:20]
Billy
The Arizona Cardinals have moved on from Jonathan Gannon after three seasons. He went 15 and 36 and never figured out Kyler Murray during that time either.
- [11:30]
Drew Franklin
I kind of knew this was going to end as soon as I saw his welcome to the team video. I don't know if you remember when they initially showed him talking to the team, he was like, okay, guys, we're going to be playing football here and it's going to be. It's going to be swell. And I thought, yeah, this isn't going to work. I just. I knew immediately, like, I didn't need to see one other thing. I Another team where Jerry Glanville is coached, another team that really doesn't have an iconic head coach. I knew within seconds that the Jonathan Gannon thing wouldn't work. And three years later, that's where we are.
- [12:10]
Matt Jones
Hey, managed to make it three years for a franchise that doesn't have much of a winning tradition and a quarterback that's been pretty inconsistent that had high hopes with the Browns. Maybe we can include the Falcons, but certainly the Browns. These are just a couple places that don't have much culture or anything to point to right now. And sure, again, it probably needed to go more than than the Browns coach, but it just feels like these places are due when you get hired.
- [12:34]
Drew Franklin
All four of these jobs where they fired their guy Monday have been four franchises that pretty much have been horrible for the last decade. I mean, all four of them. And I guess there's a part of it where you just, you know, I guess you're just playing musical chairs with the coaches. But it is kind of, I mean, I guess, okay by Jonathan Gannon, who's next? Who's going to be the next one that's going to have the job for three years? I just, I guess there must just be a culture of when you're in that much heat, you're just not going to do well because Arizona is a pretty also dead end job.
- [13:10]
Matt Jones
It is. They'll just go, I guess Gannon was a defensive coordinator with Eagles. They'll just go. Whoever wins the super bowl this year, they'll probably go out and get one of their coordinators, repeat the cycle. And in season three.
- [13:21]
Drew Franklin
I hope he gives a better intro speech, though, the Gannon speech. If you want to ever look for when you're starting a new job where you're in charge and you want to know what not to do, go look for his intro video. I think he said something like, so who took the bus here? And like no one had taken the bus. They're like, we are multimillionaires. We do not take the bus to the facility. I think it was downhill from there. And then I guess, what's last, Bill?
- [13:45]
Billy
Pete Carroll, 74 years old One and done with Las Vegas.
- [13:50]
Drew Franklin
Embarrassing for him, unfortunately. I mean, a great career. USC national championships, wins the super bowl in Seattle, like a lot of old people. Lost his fortune in Las Vegas when he tried to go one more. Um, it's a shame. I like Pete Carroll now. They did get one last win so he could get go out on top at 3 and 14. But I actually thought this had a chance to work. I mean, I didn't think they'd win a Super bowl, but I thought he actually had a chance to be okay. But they were never really competitive. They did, however, win the first game of the season and the last game of the season. And you know, I'VE always said it's the most important thing is your first day and your last day. And Pete Carroll did both those.
- [14:35]
Matt Jones
Well, that's true.
- [14:36]
Drew Franklin
Good for Pete.
- [14:37]
Matt Jones
With their win on the. On the back end, though, it almost messed them up with their pick. They had to be bailed out by the Giants getting a win there too. But Pete, this is one of those, though. Everybody's just gonna, you, you said it. You should have just stay retired, man. You had a great career. You're 74. If you want to go to Vegas, just hit the slot machine with the other 74 year olds over and over for hours at a time.
- [14:55]
Drew Franklin
It's hard to be old, though, because, like when you're old, you still think you can do it and you still wanna, but you still want it to work out. You don't want to accept being old. I mean, for those of you that watch this, I wear these readers and for some reason every time I put them on, a little piece of my soul dies. So I really try to strain and say, you know what, I can still read this phone like, I don't need these. And I think that's how Pete was. He was like, I can still coach. I don't have to just go sit at home. But now he's going to sit home and he won't get another job. Sad, though, because I like Pete Carroll. Seems like a fun guy.
- [15:34]
Matt Jones
I like Pete, too. I'll remember for the Seahawks year. Hopefully this will be forgotten. And you're right, he wanted to prove he was young and he said, all right, give me the map. I'm going to Vegas and I'm going to show him I still got it. I'm taking Geno with me. And then next thing you know, George.
- [15:46]
Drew Franklin
You know, and that's another one. Well, they're going to get the number one pick. Well, I'm sure be talking about that. We'll see if baby face nerdy Fernando Mendoza, how that's going to work in Las Vegas. I feel like it's going to be like, when is it road trip when the guy ends up at the party with all the women around him. I wonder if that's what'll be Mendoza when he gets out on the strip for the first time.
- [16:11]
Matt Jones
Great road trip reference. That was the first DVD I ever owned. I have the whole movie memorized. That was DJ Quals, I believe.
- [16:17]
Drew Franklin
DJ Quals, Yeah, I like DJ Quals. What's he do now? I don't know.
- [16:22]
Matt Jones
He had a bit of new life when Reed shepherd got drafted by Houston on the Internet. He got memed a lot, but other than that, I haven't heard much from him.
- [16:30]
Drew Franklin
DJ Qualls, you know, he was always going to have one type of role. I don't think he was ever going to be a leading man. So he kind of needed. There's a kind of role that you're just like, this is where we get DJ Qualls. And I don't know if they've had one of those in a while, but Road Trip's a good movie. Although people forget. Didn't. Didn't Tom Green, like, put a rat in his mouth or something during that movie?
- [16:53]
Matt Jones
And he sings about tiny salmon swim in that impossible dream. I really can't do the whole movie.
- [16:59]
Drew Franklin
Well, that'd be a good summer podcast. And then the two jobs that were already open were the Giants and the Titans. Let's go with the Giants. First I heard Joe Shane, who is my favorite gm, just because he was on the one season of Hard Knocks where they proved that GMs don't know what they're doing. They kept him, surprisingly. And I heard an interview where he was talking about what he was going to do for his coach, like, what kind of coach he's going to look for. And he said something to the effect of, we have a lot of time. We're going to study, we're going to look at the collegiate ranks. And then he said, and we're going to use AI extensively. Oh, to do what? I mean, I'm not, like, I'm not an expert in AI, but what is AI going to do to help you pick a coach?
- [17:50]
Matt Jones
This is just going to put in their resumes and be like, AI. Which of these resumes is better? We just. We talked about AI just a few days ago on here, about how it. It's still messing up. Who could win the Super Bowl. Whatever. You said, the Monarchs.
- [18:03]
Drew Franklin
What could he even say? Like, I don't even know. I honestly don't know what role AI could conceivably have in picking a coach.
- [18:14]
Matt Jones
It would have to do his job. Like, give me 50 questions to ask my job candidate. It was literally having to, like, do that for him.
- [18:22]
Drew Franklin
I mean, Billy, you're. You're a nerd. What do you think I would do?
- [18:27]
Billy
Organization, maybe? I. I don't know.
- [18:30]
Drew Franklin
What. There's. I mean, there's what? How many people is he interviewing? It feels like there's a limited amount. Maybe a little, like, not. Remember the five candidates.
- [18:38]
Billy
I made a little pros con.
- [18:39]
Matt Jones
Maybe that's how he gets his candidates.
- [18:41]
Drew Franklin
Oh, you. Oh, you think AI. Who should I hire? His coach.
- [18:45]
Matt Jones
And then he's like, AI scan all of football pro.
- [18:50]
Drew Franklin
Kevin Stefanski and DJ Quals.
- [18:53]
Matt Jones
Those would be the three you would get Nick Saban. They're interviewing Nick Saban?
- [18:57]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, Well, I, I didn't have a lot of confidence after I heard it because it felt like he. Somebody had just told him what AI was and he threw it in.
- [19:11]
Commercial Announcer
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- [19:47]
Drew Franklin
And then your Titans, that's your team. What are you looking for in your new coach?
- [19:53]
Matt Jones
I'll go ahead and tell you. I don't like the names they're throwing around. Somebody randomly on the street the other day is like, you excited about Mike McCarthy? And I was like, don't. Well, no, but he was asking me. His names were thrown out. But the way it was presented to me, I was like checking my phone, like, oh, no. What did I miss on Twitter? I don't know. I just. That's what I've said many times. When we talk about anything with a team, I expect the worst. There's at least what I've seen floated around a lot of recycled names like Mike McCarthy, which sounds about like something.
- [20:20]
Drew Franklin
We would do, a really good spot for Raheem Morris. And then I could still see like, I feel like it's already another Southern Division team. I. I could see where he. Morris there.
- [20:32]
Matt Jones
Yeah, they're going to do the work. I would like a name I haven't watched lose on Sunday before. Maybe take the Cardinals route and just grab me a coordinator out of the super bowl this year. But I don't want a veteran name that I've watched not my make the playoffs over and over somewhere else.
- [20:45]
Billy
So not Matt.
- [20:47]
Matt Jones
Well, okay, no, he's another one.
- [20:49]
Billy
That's the number one.
- [20:50]
Drew Franklin
Matt Nagy. As a Bears fan, you do not want Matt Nagy. Do not get Matt Nagy.
- [20:55]
Matt Jones
His name comes up a lot.
- [20:57]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, stay away from that. I'm just gonna go ahead and tell you that's That's a, that's fool's goal. I did hear Rich eyes. I was listening to Rich Eisen show today, which I never do, but Kurt Signetti, he was very adamant that Kurt Signetti should be hired by one of these teams, specifically the Giants. Do you think Kurt Signetti would be a good choice for the NFL and do you think there's any chance he would take it?
- [21:23]
Matt Jones
You know there wins everywhere, so I'm gonna be careful. Doubting. I know, but it. Well, when you do google him, he seems to go to places that have never won off the grid colleges and then turn them into winners even at the highest level with Indiana. So putting him in a pro system with millionaires and he's big.
- [21:40]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, players are millionaires now too.
- [21:44]
Matt Jones
That's true. That's very true. Just the way he coaches too. You know, he's. Every time they show him on the sideline, he looks like he's ready to ring someone's neck. And I don't know what he's saying, you know, in the locker room, but I don't know how that would translate to the NFL. But you're right, it's. They're making close to about the same amount of money in Bloomington right now.
- [22:00]
Drew Franklin
But you could do worse, right?
- [22:02]
Matt Jones
Oh, oh, definitely. I would be happy with him if he wanted to go to Nashville. It seems very improbable, but I think he's just a true college coach.
- [22:09]
Drew Franklin
Which of the jobs is the best job? Like if you're going to rank the six, well, here I'll give you mine and then you tell me if you agree. If I, if I'm ranking the six in terms of how good the jobs are, I would say the Giants are kind of a definitive number one. You've got a quarterback, you're obviously in New York and I think pretty much everything you would want is there. I would say number two. It's kind of all in the eye of the Boulder in some ways. I think I would want the flexibility of picking my own quarterback. So I would probably take the Raiders second because I'm going to get the number one choice and I'm going to get whatever quarterback I would like in the system. I would probably say number three for a similar reason would be Arizona that I get to pick my quarterback. Then I would probably say, oh, I mean, what I'm looking at Titans, Falcons and Browns. I'm probably Gonna go Titans 4, Browns 5, Falcons 6. That's probably the way I'm looking at it. What about you?
- [23:22]
Matt Jones
I agree completely with you completely on the Giants. They're like a runaway number one for me. You already got Scatter Boo and Dart bringing some, some juices, rookies. Our guy Wandell's looking good. They've got the tradition like the, one of the NFL's first teams. I mean everybody knows the G man. So I'm going there and taking Dart and seeing what I can do with that team. Eileen joining you, Vegas next. Part of that's more just me wanting to be in Vegas. But you know, the number one pick.
- [23:49]
Drew Franklin
Likely to be the number one pick. And like if you're a new coach, you get to get your quarterback. Nobody gets in your way. Right. Like you're gonna get. And I mean whatever people think of the choices you get to pick. You also get to decide if you don't want any of these guys and you get like a free year to kind of roam around until next year. So I mean I, I think that one's probably the best of the others.
- [24:14]
Matt Jones
And then I'm going, I think Atlanta third. They can the gm. So I'm coming in with a new gm. Hopefully we get along. We're starting this together. I give a healthy Pinnock one year. Probably not the long term answer I want, but I give him a chance and everybody knows that that wasn't my quarterback in my first year. And if it stinks the following year, I'm assuming I'm not fired afterwards.
- [24:36]
Drew Franklin
You're not taking Cam Ward like I thought you would take the Titans.
- [24:39]
Matt Jones
I, I love them. That organization is embarrassing. The.
- [24:45]
Drew Franklin
I love camp.
- [24:47]
Matt Jones
Yes, but by far less like a gap. I can't fit in the screen. And I love Cam Ward. It's just the moment someone look around the league right now. Kevin Byard is a Titans legend picking off passes for your Bears. We think about Henry and A.J. brown and Vabril. There are Titans everywhere making big plays right now for good teams and they let them all walk out the door. So I just have no faith in that organization.
- [25:12]
Drew Franklin
That's a bad sign if you, if, if you're a Titans fan. Well, all right. So those are, those are the six jobs. There might still be one or two more. Billy, what other news and or notes do we have?
- [25:23]
Billy
We'll start with Nick Sirianni. He's defending his decision to rest the starters in the final week of the regular season. He said he knew this was an outcome that these things could happen. One thing he could guarantee was giving them rest. I couldn't guarantee them anything else but being healthy and going into the playoffs. Is a big deal for us. Are you buying that explanation?
- [25:45]
Drew Franklin
Well, I mean, I'm buying that that's what he thought, but I disagree with him. I mean, I think the playing the packers would be a lot easier than playing the 49ers. Now, maybe he thinks because the 49ers are banged up, maybe he thinks they're a better matchup for the team. I'll say this. If. If Sirianni thinks the 49ers are an easier opponent than the packers, then. Then it'll play itself out and we'll see. And I'll give him the benefit of the doubt if he genuinely doesn't think it matters who they play though. And rest is more important. Just would disagree with that. I think that's an incorrect point. If he believes. But if he would rather play the 49ers, then that's fine, but I just don't believe that that rest is worth getting a harder opponent. Do you?
- [26:34]
Matt Jones
Not at all. He better win. That's a good team coming to Philly. I know you're at home and that place will be rocking, but it'll be a bad look if they drop that game with this on the back end. It could have nothing to do with that. You know, the guys that set could play great. You just lose on a fluke, whatever. But fans will still be livid if they don't win that. That game after sitting all their stars in week 18.
- [26:55]
Drew Franklin
So, I mean, the Bears lose. And you know, the Bears are. I think if the Bears were playing the 49ers, obviously we saw the end of that game two weeks ago and they lost. So I mean, the Bears, if you ask them before the game, they probably say, yes, I want to play the Packers. How about this? The Bears have never beaten the packers in the playoffs. 02. It's kind of crazy those. How long these franchises have been around and they've only played in the playoffs twice. Isn't that kind of an amazing statistic?
- [27:27]
Matt Jones
It is not.
- [27:28]
Drew Franklin
Hey, it just.
- [27:29]
Matt Jones
It's another way that the packers have had your number for so long with. With the win streak and then never getting them in the playoffs. We got to get you over the hump.
- [27:37]
Drew Franklin
We'll get to that game. We'll pick it here in a little bit. But. But I disagree with Sirianni on that. But that's another dude, though. To be fair, I thought his opening press conference was the most psychotic ramblings, but I thought it was pretty. And then he ended up winning the Super Bowl. So maybe sometimes you can Have a bad intro and be okay. What's next?
- [27:59]
Billy
The Seattle Seahawks are the favorite to win the Super bowl at +3.30 on DraftKings. But I found a trend you guys might find interesting every time.
- [28:07]
Drew Franklin
Hang on. It's down to plus 3. 30.
- [28:09]
Billy
Yeah, plus 3.
- [28:11]
Matt Jones
30.
- [28:11]
Drew Franklin
Plus 4. 50 Sunday night. So I wonder what's happened in the last two days to make people think that. That seems crazy low to me for. For a playoffs that I think 11 teams can win the Super Bowl. Do you only get plus 330 is nuts, but go ahead.
- [28:28]
Billy
I was going to say there's an interesting trend with the Seahawks. Every year a Pope is elected, the Seahawks make the Super Bowl. In 2005, a pope was elected. Seattle won 13 games and played the Steelers in the. In the Super Bowl.
- [28:40]
Drew Franklin
Well, there were popes before 2005. You know that, right?
- [28:43]
Billy
Yes, but the last three popes to be elected, the Seahawks have been in the Super bowl. When they do 2000 or 2013, Seattle beats Denver after winning 13 games and Pope Francis is elected. And then now 2025 Pope Leo.
- [28:56]
Drew Franklin
So that's. Wait a minute. It's not the last three. It's the last two.
- [29:01]
Billy
2005, 2013 and 2025. Three times.
- [29:05]
Drew Franklin
Where Pulse super bowl yet.
- [29:07]
Billy
This could be the third time this year.
- [29:09]
Drew Franklin
Okay, so there's a difference between though, and it's not the third. Could be the third.
- [29:14]
Billy
Could be the third this year. But Seattle did win 13 games already this year.
- [29:18]
Drew Franklin
I think on the super bowl then I'm going to say that's a genuine Pope connection. But I. Yeah, I don't know if they're going to. I'm very surprised by that number of how good their odds are. Do you think they are even the best team in the playoffs?
- [29:37]
Matt Jones
I do not. I won't spoil my picks, but I will tell you, I am fading the Pope. If the Pope has Seattle as a.
- [29:43]
Drew Franklin
Super Bowl, I'm out on the Pope.
- [29:45]
Matt Jones
Get him out of here.
- [29:46]
Drew Franklin
He's done no ball.
- [29:47]
Matt Jones
Leader does not know ball, though. He can go lead people somewhere in the Vatican. Doesn't know ball.
- [29:54]
Drew Franklin
And also, don't you think the whole Pope like the whole way we pick Popes is amazing? First of all, I love that movie. What was it called? Where they.
- [30:04]
Matt Jones
Conclave.
- [30:05]
Drew Franklin
That was a good movie. That was a great movie. Did you see that movie, Billy?
- [30:10]
Billy
No, I didn't.
- [30:11]
Drew Franklin
You should. If you told me there's going to be a movie about people picking Popes, I would have thought, eh. I don't know if that's the movie I want to see. But I thought it was really well done. It had intrigue behind the scenes, Pope conniving. I liked it. And then. And it's also highlights, though. Like everybody just gets in a room and you don't know who's going to come out. And I feel like the America embraced the trying to figure out who the Pope would be more this time than they've ever done before. And we got rewarded with an American Pope.
- [30:47]
Matt Jones
It's just a reality show. That's all it is. It's Survivor, Big Brother.
- [30:50]
Drew Franklin
You don't know any of the candidates. Just someone emerges.
- [30:54]
Matt Jones
Let's be honest. Unless you're really Catholic and into it.
- [30:56]
Commercial Announcer
I don't.
- [30:57]
Matt Jones
Whoever elect, whoever. I'm with you. I'm watching it for the backstabbing and the drama. Put this thing on TV on Wednesday nights at 9 o' clock live. Maybe vote one out every week. It'll fit right in our TV lineup that we love right now.
- [31:09]
Drew Franklin
But who's got more Pope connection? Is it the Seahawks with the stat or. He's a Bears fan, right? Billy Curveball, He's a Bears fan. He likes the Bears. I mean, we've never had a Pope be this bear tastic. So, I mean, that make. Maybe that's who will.
- [31:29]
Billy
Yeah. Didn't we talk about if God was helping kickers make kicks the other night? You know, is God a Bears fan this year with the Pope?
- [31:37]
Drew Franklin
Maybe. God's always been a Bears fan. He just, he just was asleep when we had Jay Cutler. He was, you know, God wasn't paying total attention, by the way.
- [31:48]
Matt Jones
Giving us toughest battles. I think that's right.
- [31:51]
Drew Franklin
We were talking about kickers. How did you think Loopty Loop handled the post game? He did a post game press conference and he, he, he like took responsibility. I thought he actually handled it really well. I agree.
- [32:05]
Matt Jones
And just as I'm selling stock in the Pope right now, I'm buying stock in Loop de Loop. That'll be the worst moment of his career by far. He's at Rock Bomb right now. Straight up from here. Straight up.
- [32:17]
Drew Franklin
So, yeah. So they're going to keep him, right? You don't think.
- [32:19]
Matt Jones
I mean, he had an incredible season. He really did. So, yeah, definitely keep him. I'll even say he won't match Justin Tucker, but it'll be like Tucker never even left left. They'll just have an automatic 3 there on the roster for the next decade.
- [32:33]
Drew Franklin
It's interesting. I did like the video of Harbaugh walking out with him, he had his, he had his arm around his waist. It was like an awkward middle school dance, but he was trying to be comforting. You know, I mentioned I feel bad for kickers so I'm glad to see Loop de loo though. He stood up, he did his thing and now I'm going to be pulling for him. You know, he, I. It's gonna be tough because like next year the pressure on any game winning kick and chances are he'll have one at some point during the season that there. It will be pretty immense, don't you think?
- [33:10]
Matt Jones
Oh, it'll be automatic though.
- [33:12]
Drew Franklin
He'll.
- [33:12]
Matt Jones
He'll be feeling last Sunday for several years but. But he'll be automatic. I also, Lamar, I don't know if you saw the Clips Mars reaction. He starts walking like they're going to the playoffs. And Lamar, I mean you see the, the second he realized it, but he was, but he was. The point bringing that up is he was very gracious, went straight to the, to the Steelers and even Lamar put on a professional kind of hardball with everybody around him in that scene because.
- [33:34]
Drew Franklin
You know, did he say something nice to loop de loop?
- [33:36]
Matt Jones
I don't know anything specific to loop de loop, but Lamar also handed it very well because you know, that just absolutely gutted him and everyone on that roster. And they had a camera on him and he handled as well as you could too.
- [33:47]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, well, feel bad for him. What's next, Bill?
- [33:50]
Billy
The Carolina Panthers won a division title for the first time since 2015, but they are the fifth team ever to make the playoffs with a losing record. They are 8 and 9. They're the first team to do it since the 2022 Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Tom Brady. I want to ask you guys, do you think we should change that division winners get home field advantage?
- [34:11]
Drew Franklin
Yes, I do. I think. Aren't those eight, nine teams though, like they're like three and one or something in the first round? I think, I think the eight, nine teams have. Yes, I will take the controversial viewpoint. I don't know why we have division winners in at all. Like why not just take the seven best teams? I don't really. I mean in college football there's an argument about using divisions because it's. Because maybe there might be differences in resources or whatever, but in football it's a salary cap. Everybody's the same. I kind of think the way the NBA does it is the way to do it. Like divide it into two. You play every team in that one. Maybe you play them twice, maybe play Them once. I mean you can decide when you do the schedule thing or whatever, but then you can have a division winner, but it's kind of meaningless. Like that's how it is in the NBA. Whoever wins. Nobody even knows who wins the divisions. You just take the best teams and they're in the playoffs. That's what I would do at least. What about you as a fan of team?
- [35:16]
Matt Jones
It's not very good. My only hope is when our team wins the division. I guess we had a good run a few years ago. You're maybe Billy's division. It's just getting those teams in, rewarding them for winning their division. I know the divisions, there's a big, big gap in how good they are. Right now we got some really bad ones and some really good ones. As this playoff bracket shows where you got the Rams and 49ers barely getting in his wild cards or 60s as wild cards. So even though it's a little wonky this year, I think overall it's good to reward the champion with a, with a home field advantage.
- [35:47]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, I'm definitely against the home field advantage. I mean I think you pair them up and then you say, well look, if you don't, I think the five seed probably this Panthers game should be in la. That's the way. I kind of feel like I'm fine with the panthers getting the 4C but I think the home field should be decided. Or you just get the teams in. I don't want to say you see them like in college sports, but you get them in and then you just do the record. But I don't think it's going to change. And that's the way, you know, for whatever reason they care about these division games. And that's what it'll be.
- [36:28]
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- [36:57]
Drew Franklin
Hey guys.
- [36:58]
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- [37:32]
Billy
Let's take a look at the stat leaders after the regular season is now over.
- [37:36]
Drew Franklin
Yeah. What? Let's do that. Yeah, let's do that together.
- [37:39]
Billy
The passing title went to Matthew Stafford, who had 4,707 yards and is the favorite for the MVP. The rushing title went to James Cook, who had 1,600.
- [37:50]
Drew Franklin
Before you move on that, who would you vote for for mvp? Drew?
- [37:56]
Matt Jones
I'm giving it to me.
- [37:58]
Drew Franklin
All right. I'm giving it to Stafford because of that. Because he won the passing title and both teams were similarly good, even though the Patriots had any better record and an easier schedule. Who would you give it to?
- [38:10]
Billy
Billy Stafford.
- [38:13]
Drew Franklin
Okay, so Stafford wins. All right, what's next?
- [38:15]
Matt Jones
I was. I was Stafford all year. If he had won his division and they were the one seed, I'd give it to him.
- [38:21]
Billy
Some of the other leaders was James Cook at over. Over 1600 yards for the rushing title. Jackson, Smith and Jigba.
- [38:27]
Drew Franklin
Rushing title. I didn't realize that. Okay, go ahead.
- [38:30]
Billy
Jackson, Smith and Jigba didn't get to 2000, but had 1793 to lead all receivers this year. And finally, in kick return yards, Ray Dav had the highest average over 30.4 yards.
- [38:43]
Drew Franklin
Every return you did that just threw a Kentucky stat in there. Right. I was surprised about James Cook. If you had asked me to guess, I'm not sure I would have guessed James Cook because everybody always says, well, Josh Allen has no help. Clearly he does. He's got the number one rusher in the NFL.
- [39:02]
Matt Jones
Cook surprised me too. There's been some.
- [39:04]
Drew Franklin
Some good year.
- [39:05]
Matt Jones
Maybe just being healthy this year gave him a little bit of bump. Some guys missed a few games, but yeah, that one of all you listen surprised me. And on our boy Ray Davis, most of that. I don't have the numbers in front of me. I feel like the back end of the year they either went to him more or he was just about one a game. If he wasn't taking to the house, he was getting a good run to set him up for a score. So well earned. And it felt like that started when we were in Buffalo because he had a big return and that one while we were there.
- [39:28]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, he killed it. Yeah, man, I mean, no one ever talks about James Cook. I mean, literally, the. The story is Josh Allen has no help. He's got the number one running game in the NFL. What do you mean? He does no help those people. And of course, I'm not naming names because I can't think of who said it, but all of them should. Should shut up.
- [39:49]
Matt Jones
I would have lost a lot of money on that. I would have gone Henry or Jonathan Taylor and bet the house against the field with those two.
- [39:56]
Billy
Henry by 26 yards.
- [39:58]
Drew Franklin
And you know, okay, see, I would have thought. By the way, I just got a news alert. So I have it programmed where the only news alerts I'm supposed to get are high priority national or international or national news news. So the goal is only to get an occasional news alert so that if I see a news alert pop up, I know this is something that needs my time. Can I just tell you what just popped up? Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban finalized their divorce. Why would they think that's high priority? Are they looking at priority? If you're know them, if you're their.
- [40:36]
Matt Jones
Children.
- [40:40]
Drew Franklin
That is not high priority.
- [40:43]
Matt Jones
If that's high priority, you would just be getting alerts every second for every piece of news all day long. That should not even be top hundred. Did you open the link? Did you open the link?
- [40:54]
Drew Franklin
Okay, so that's all I need to know. First of all, I didn't need to know that, but now that I know it, that there's nothing. There's not one other piece of information from that that I care about Nicole Kidman. Did you see the show where she's like. I've seen two shows with her recently. She's like a guru in one of them, like a life coach. And they take them all to the. This wellness retreat. Have you seen that?
- [41:21]
Matt Jones
Yeah, I'm trying to think of the name of it, but I watched it.
- [41:24]
Drew Franklin
It's called, like, I don't know, something. I only got a couple episodes in that. And then there's one where she like goes, it's with Borat. It's on Apple tv. And it's like she once had an affair with a younger guy and then he died. And like, then the dad thinks that he killed her. Like, did you ever see that one?
- [41:48]
Matt Jones
I knew there was something with like a young affair kind of thing. I didn't know Borat was in it.
- [41:53]
Drew Franklin
I feel like she. And what's the other woman that I think are the same person. Julianne Moore. Is that a person?
- [42:01]
Matt Jones
A little strawberry blonde, reddish hair. Is that what's.
- [42:04]
Drew Franklin
Yeah. Are they the same person?
- [42:07]
Matt Jones
They're not. I would guess similar in age. They do.
- [42:11]
Drew Franklin
Julianne Moore had a show right where she was married to Kevin Bacon. And then a girl moved in to be like her protege. And then her sister, which was the girl from White Lotus, came in to save her.
- [42:27]
Matt Jones
I don't think I caught that one. I was still probably caught up in.
- [42:29]
Drew Franklin
The all these shows. I've seen every one of those shows. I just. First of all, I can't remember any of the names of any of the Sirens. It's called Sirens.
- [42:39]
Matt Jones
I don't have you on that one. I don't have you on that one.
- [42:40]
Drew Franklin
Of you all are helpful to me. Shows.
- [42:43]
Matt Jones
I liked her more in, I guess, Moulin Rouge.
- [42:46]
Drew Franklin
That's been a while.
- [42:48]
Matt Jones
The wellness one is something Strangers. Right.
- [42:51]
Drew Franklin
Perfect Strangers.
- [42:53]
Matt Jones
I can meet you on that one. I'm not Sirens. I'm not hip on non Perfect Strangers.
- [42:57]
Drew Franklin
Well, she single now, so holla at your boy Nicole, if you would like. I've seen your entire catalog.
- [43:04]
Matt Jones
I'm sure after hearing that that's up there, she'd love to meet up with you.
- [43:08]
Drew Franklin
All right, Julianne, you feel free as well, either one of you. I feel like we're all kind.
- [43:13]
Billy
What would you talk to them about if you met them? Can't talk about their movies.
- [43:16]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [43:17]
Drew Franklin
First of all, say, heard you got divorced. Came up on my phone. Congratulations.
- [43:23]
Matt Jones
Congrats.
- [43:25]
Drew Franklin
Yeah. And what do you think about Tyler Loop? Those would be the first two things I would say. And then after that, we just see how the conversation goes.
- [43:32]
Billy
What's next, Billy, While we're talking about the Bills. Interesting stat. The Bills have lost eight straight road playoff games since 1992. And with a playoffs without Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow, many people think this is Josh Allen's chance.
- [43:50]
Drew Franklin
That's an amazing stat. I didn't know that. They've lost eight straight road playoff games. I have no idea what's going to happen. Well, let's just. Do you have any other news? We could just start with the playoff game.
- [44:01]
Billy
Oh, yeah, we can get to it. Yeah, the playoff games.
- [44:05]
Drew Franklin
Important news. I don't want to skip over your important news.
- [44:08]
Billy
No, no, it's fine. I was just going to make fun of the jets for a little bit, but we can skip that.
- [44:12]
Drew Franklin
No, let's go for it. Let's make fun of the jets really quick.
- [44:14]
Billy
Okay. Well, the jets were the first team in NFL history with zero interceptions since 1933. You know that. But they're also the team that's the far. They have the longest playoff drought. It's been 15 years since the 2010 AFC Championship game, their last playoff game.
- [44:30]
Drew Franklin
That's an amazing stat. Even more so to me than first of all, did you see there's been no team in college football to not get an interception in a season since 1970. And that. So I mean.
- [44:45]
Matt Jones
And that's playing fewer games.
- [44:46]
Drew Franklin
That's playing fewer games. And since 1970. And it was like Navy didn't get an interception in 1970. I mean, that's pretty unbelievably horrific by the Jets.
- [45:00]
Matt Jones
And I said this on a past episode, I believe. But their playoff drought is all. Is also the longest, not just in football, but in any sport.
- [45:09]
Drew Franklin
And half the teams make the playoffs in the NFL.
- [45:13]
Matt Jones
You just gotta win the division one time.
- [45:14]
Drew Franklin
All do you gotta guy or just come in the top seven. I mean that's. That is. Is. Is truly. And, and they're awful. Like there's. They have no hope at all. And they're New York.
- [45:27]
Matt Jones
They're new market.
- [45:42]
Drew Franklin
All right, well, let's go. So here's what we're going to do. We're going to pick playoff games, but then we're also, while we're doing it, going to pick a touchdown for each of them. So let's do this. We'll start with the first game. I'll just do it in the order I look at the screen. So Billy, I'll let you go first, then Drew, then me on the first game and we'll just rotate through. First game is Saturday. We've got. The Rams are at the Panthers. Start with. Who do you pick to win? Drew? Any. You think the Rams can go on the road and get the W. I.
- [46:20]
Matt Jones
Thought, I thought about picking the upset here.
- [46:23]
Drew Franklin
It was.
- [46:23]
Matt Jones
It was really weighed on me. I wanted to do it, but it's just. It's too big of a gap between these teams. I think the Rams go in there and win. I want the Panthers magic to continue. I want it so bad. But of all the teams for them to draw here, that's. That's the worst. So I think the Rams get a.
- [46:39]
Drew Franklin
Yeah, I'm going to go. I'm going to go with the Rams. I mean the Panther. Like I said, the eight, nine teams have won three of the four times they've played. But I don't. I don't think the home field is going to matter. And I think Matthew Stafford will play well. I will say in all six of these games, Literally all six. I do not think there could be a surprise winner. Like I, I think any of these 12 teams playing could win. As a matter of fact, the game with the biggest spread, which is Eagles 49ers. To me that makes almost no sense. Like I actually think that game is one of the closer ones that you could have, but I.
- [47:22]
Matt Jones
That spreads much lower than this one. Eagles 49ers.
- [47:25]
Drew Franklin
Oh, it is. So the Rams are the biggest. Okay. I could still see the Panthers winning. Nevertheless, I'm going to take the Rams as you do. All right, Billy, what is going to be your touchdown pick?
- [47:35]
Billy
I'll take the easy one. Puka Nakua had a great year. I'll take him to score a touchdown in this one and hoping Carolina Mike plays before the game starts. I think that should be a lock that we can bet on too.
- [47:45]
Drew Franklin
So you got Puka Naku. All right, Drew, I will let you take. Who would you like to have this is. Again, you have to score the touchdowns. You can't just take the path.
- [47:53]
Matt Jones
Yeah, a lot of targets there for Stafford. He'll hit a lot of them. But I'm not, I'm not sure which one I want to pick. So I'll take Kyron Williams to run one in and let you all try to figure out what receiver tight end Staffords throwing to. So Williams gets a touchdown for me.
- [48:09]
Drew Franklin
So you're going to take Kyron Williams. All right, so you know, you guys are both taking people from the, the, the, the Rams. So I feel like I need to take someone from the Panthers. I don't know who's the.
- [48:29]
Billy
How many Panthers do you.
- [48:30]
Matt Jones
So it's pretty much Rico or McMillan or your.
- [48:34]
Billy
Yeah, the rookie receiver has been great this year.
- [48:36]
Drew Franklin
All right, I'm going to take. I'll take Rico down. He only has six touchdowns though on the year. But I'm still going to. I'm still going to go with him. I'll get. Give me Rico and so you've got Kyron and I've got Rico. All right, let's go. The game that night. Bears, Packers. I am officially be not only nervous, I'm pessimistic. I think just because it's Green Bay and it's the Bears and we haven't played well last two weeks. I'm wearing the hat to try to talk myself into it. Who you got this weekend?
- [49:10]
Matt Jones
I will let you have the pessimism. I love your Bears. This is the moment where everything flips. It's been all packers for decades. This starts the beginning of The Bears owning that series. This is the beginning of Kaylin Williams stuff in Jordan Love in a locker for the rest of his career. Your Bears are getting it done, man. I know as a fan you have that built in pessimism. If it were my team, I'd be nervous and thinking negative.
- [49:34]
Drew Franklin
2.
- [49:35]
Matt Jones
I'm neutral. I think your Bears get the job done.
- [49:39]
Drew Franklin
Well, I hope so. I'm very nervous about it, but I will take it. I'm going to pick. I'm going to pick the Bears, but it's more of hope than belief. But I think it'll be a great game. I would love to be there, unfortunately, because if it was Sunday, I was going to try to go, especially if it was Sunday afternoon or Sunday night. But because it is is Saturday, I do not think I can go. So I'm going to. But I'm still going to take them. Now you get to pick the first one on the. On the touchdown. Who you got?
- [50:15]
Matt Jones
I'm going to go a little bit of a longer shot here. I'll let you all have these running backs. Jacobson, Swift have been great this year for making a little. I'm going to go to your tight end and go with Colston Loveland getting a big catch late. He said some huge catches this season. So I'll go with a little bit of a longer shot here in our second pick and go tight end.
- [50:33]
Drew Franklin
All right, well, then I'm going to take DeAndre Swift if you're going to give me. If you're going to give it to me. And I actually think Billy's going to end up getting a pretty good one here, too. Who you got?
- [50:41]
Billy
Yeah, I'm going to get even weirder. I'll go Kyle Manung guy, the other Bears running back to give me a touchdown.
- [50:46]
Drew Franklin
So we're all picking Bears. Nobody's picking Jacobs.
- [50:51]
Matt Jones
He's a. He's a automatic touchdown, too.
- [50:54]
Drew Franklin
I don't want it.
- [50:55]
Matt Jones
I want Loveland.
- [50:56]
Drew Franklin
No one picking Jacobs. All right, well, you may regret that Big Billy, or if Kyle Fungi makes it, you will be. You'll be pretty happy. All right, so let's go. The next day you got the Bills and the Jaguars. Any result in this game would not surprise me. I mean, either of these teams could blow the other team out and I wouldn't be shocked. I really want two touchdowns. Either way would not surprise me. Jaguars are better, but the Bills have Dash out. And so because of that, I don't know what to do. Drew, do you?
- [51:35]
Matt Jones
Yeah, I'm leaning one way, but before each pick. Josh Allen. Look at your path. You've had ridiculous paths for so many years. Look in front of you. Sure, Jags, Lawrence, they've had a good year, but this isn't Mahomes and Lamar Jackson and what you've had in front of you in the past, it's set up. I know you're on the road, but if he can't do it now, as good as he is, he's just not going to get over that.
- [51:58]
Drew Franklin
Home may just not do it. All right, I'm going to take the Bills. I'm going to pick Josh Allen as my touchdown. I feel like in big games when they get close to the end zone, he only trusts himself. So I'm going to take Josh Allen and that's my pick. Billy, who do you have?
- [52:16]
Billy
I'm going to go. Jags receiver Parker Washington. Think he's been great. Second half of the year.
- [52:23]
Drew Franklin
Washington. Parker Washington is your pick.
- [52:28]
Billy
I mean, come on, Drew, as somebody that watches the AFC south, he's been pretty good for Jacksonville lately. But, I mean, we are throwing darts from pretty far away from the board right now.
- [52:37]
Matt Jones
I've learned with Jacksonville because I pick a player on every team every week. They. They're very balanced. Like right when you think you know who's going to have it. That's why I believe the board got five guys at plus 200 or less of all teams. They don't really have a star that's just punching in every week.
- [52:52]
Drew Franklin
So who are you getting, Drew?
- [52:57]
Matt Jones
I'm gonna go. I never gave my team pick either. I'm gonna say jags, get it done. Even though I am a part of Bill's mafia now. But I will pick James Cook since I just learned.
- [53:08]
Drew Franklin
James Cook or Jacobs. That's crazy.
- [53:10]
Matt Jones
I'm picking James Cook.
- [53:11]
Drew Franklin
All right, so you get James Cook. All right, so then in the afternoon game, 49ers and Eagles, I don't know. I think this game, it's another one. I could see either team winning. I think you're going to get a good Jalen Hurts game here. That's what I think. This is going to be the game he actually plays well. So I'm going to get take the Eagles something like 20 to 10. Something like that would be my guess as a score. So give me the Eagles. What about you, Drew?
- [53:42]
Matt Jones
I think the Eagles get the job done because they're just so well rested. I mean, last week they just got their feet up at home watching NFL tv. So they win. And they better win or I would Hate to be Nick Sirianni facing Philadelphia after the way the season would have played out there at the end.
- [53:57]
Drew Franklin
Yeah. All right, Billy, what is your. Your touchdown.
- [54:02]
Billy
I'm going to take CMC. Easy pick. But I will take the 49ers to win outright in this one as well.
- [54:07]
Drew Franklin
So you're going to take McCaffrey. All right. That's a totally understandable pick. Drew, what about you?
- [54:16]
Matt Jones
I was gonna go McCaffrey to get me my Eagles win. I guess I'll do Sake one.
- [54:21]
Drew Franklin
I hate.
- [54:22]
Matt Jones
No, no Seiko. I hate the favorites. That's boring. AJ Brown gets in. Mr. Drama gets him a playoff touchdown. So AJ Brown put me down for that.
- [54:30]
Drew Franklin
AJ Brown. So after all that happens, AJ Brown.
- [54:36]
Matt Jones
You gotta get somebody with some odds. I want a little juice. It's no fun watching Derrick Henry run for touchdown. He does it every week. Give me a receiver, a tight end. In this case, I'm going receiver and going as A.J.
- [54:47]
Drew Franklin
Brown. It is for me.
- [54:50]
Matt Jones
You got to go with her.
- [54:52]
Drew Franklin
I guess I'm gonna have to go Saquon, right? Like, I mean, if you're gonna. If you're gonna give them to me, I guess I'll take. I will take Saquon. All right. So that night, Patriots and Chargers. I've already picked the upset Chargers make Bill Simmons cry and make all of Boston the sadness that it deserves. I'm going to take Justin Herbert on the road. Give me the Chargers. What about you?
- [55:19]
Matt Jones
This is. I'm close. I was close to doing that with you. I really think the Patriots could be in trouble here. To be different. I will say the Pats. I just had Drake May as my mvp, so I need to lean into the Pats a little bit here. I'll say they get it done at home, but this is. Don't sleep on Herbert if they can protect him at all. This is a game in there where he can go in there and shine and light him up in New England. But I'll. I'll.
- [55:39]
Drew Franklin
So you're taking Drake May as the. As the scoring the top touchdown. I'll put.
- [55:43]
Matt Jones
Put me down for Trayvon Henderson for the touchdown.
- [55:46]
Drew Franklin
So you're taking Henderson? Well, then I will take Drake Bay for the touchdown. I. I like having quarterbacks on my team. What about you, Bill?
- [55:55]
Billy
I'll take the rookie Hampton, the running back for the Chargers.
- [55:59]
Drew Franklin
The rookie Hampton. All right. Did you know that was almost my name? Omar. What? Omarion? On, no, Hampson.
- [56:11]
Matt Jones
Oh, the last name. His first name.
- [56:14]
Drew Franklin
Yes. My mom almost named Lee named me lamarion. But she decided not to.
- [56:22]
Matt Jones
You could be a Hampton. I could see it.
- [56:24]
Drew Franklin
You think I could be a good Hampton?
- [56:26]
Billy
Yeah.
- [56:26]
Matt Jones
I was supposed to be a Joel. People could be listening to Hampton and Joel right now. Cover zero with Hampton and Joel.
- [56:35]
Drew Franklin
Cover zero with Hampton and Joel. All right, Billy, do you know your backup name? Did you?
- [56:39]
Billy
I was William from minute one.
- [56:42]
Matt Jones
Family.
- [56:43]
Billy
Yeah. So I have to do the fourth for my kid.
- [56:47]
Drew Franklin
All right. We go to Texans and Steelers. Should be a low scoring battle in Pittsburgh. I kind of feel like Pittsburgh is going to find a way to squeeze this out. It just feels like on a Monday night, that crowd advantage will be, like, strong. So I'm going to actually take the Sealers to win. But on my touchdown, I'm going to take Nico Collins as my. My touchdown pick, even though I do believe that Pittsburgh wins the game. What about you? I guess, Billy, you get to pick next.
- [57:23]
Billy
Well, I'm going to take Houston for the game, but if you'd like my touchdown pick, I think I'm going to go. Nico Collins gets it done.
- [57:30]
Drew Franklin
I said Nico Cars. Do you not listen? I literally went first and I said Nico Collins.
- [57:35]
Billy
Oh, I just love him that much.
- [57:37]
Drew Franklin
I mean, I guess I'll get to.
- [57:39]
Billy
Pick it even if he scored two.
- [57:40]
Drew Franklin
Touches to pay attention to the. To the. To the game.
- [57:43]
Billy
Well, DK Metcalf is coming back from suspension, so I think he could get.
- [57:46]
Commercial Announcer
It done.
- [57:48]
Drew Franklin
Well to score after missing the last two games. So actually, I think DK is a good pick. Well, that means, Drew, you give me the game winner and then the final touchdown you guys took.
- [58:00]
Matt Jones
But plays here. I was going to go Steelers and DK Metcalf still keep me with the Steelers, but I'll have to go Gainwell. Warren Gainwell. Warren Gainwell. Kenneth Gainwell.
- [58:12]
Drew Franklin
Kenneth Gainwell. All right, so for those of you scoring at home, Billy's team is Puka Nakua, Manangai, Parker, Washington. Billy McCaffrey. Or not Billy McCaffrey.
- [58:24]
Matt Jones
Christian.
- [58:25]
Drew Franklin
Christian McCaffrey, former Vanderbilt Commodore Billy McCaffrey. Hampton and DK. Drew has Kyra, Kyron Williams, Loveland Cook, A.J. brown, Henderson and game. Well, I've got re. Why did I write Rico down twice? No. Who's the first game?
- [58:49]
Billy
What first game is Carolina and Rico.
- [58:53]
Matt Jones
The first one?
- [58:54]
Drew Franklin
Yeah. Rico Godell. Yeah, I have Rico and Nico because I have Collins as well. DeAndre Swift, Josh Allen Saquon, Bart Barkley and Drake May. How about that Recon? Rico and Nico. I've got them both ready to go.
- [59:09]
Matt Jones
Sounds like a little parlay there. I Might add to my, to my car.
- [59:12]
Drew Franklin
Lornico Parlay.
- [59:15]
Billy
Could you say that those picks are our victory bundle presented by Liberty Mutual?
- [59:19]
Drew Franklin
Yes, it's time for the victory bundle presented by Liberty Mutual. Let's do the three games that I feel the bet. Well, let's each. Will each do the game we feel the best about.
- [59:29]
Matt Jones
Okay.
- [59:29]
Drew Franklin
Against the spread. I'll go first. The game I feel the best about against the spread. See, I don't feel good about any of these games. I guess I'm going to take Buffalo as a road 1 1/2 point favorite. Everyone's going to bet Buffalo but I believe in Josh Allen so I will take Buffalo. Billy, what will you take?
- [59:51]
Billy
I love Houston on the road. They are a three point favorite. They have the best defense in football. Aaron Rodgers used all his magic in the final week of the regular season. Give me Houston as a road favorite.
- [60:03]
Drew Franklin
I don't like that being part of the bundle since Drew and I both picked against it. But we'll take it nevertheless. Drew, what do you have?
- [60:10]
Matt Jones
Well, Hampton, I'm taking your Bears. They're getting points at home as the two seat. You tell me they get a point and a half.
- [60:19]
Drew Franklin
I think that's what it was last.
- [60:20]
Commercial Announcer
Time I saw it.
- [60:20]
Matt Jones
Point and a half. You're giving me that? Absolutely. Give me the Bears at home. They're winning the damn game.
- [60:26]
Drew Franklin
My mom also said they would have called me the nickname my great grandfather had, which was Hamp. I wouldn't want to go by Hamp. I would have insisted they just do Hampton. I'm not going to be Hamp. So Houston, Buffalo and Chicago, that's your victory bundle presented by Liberty Mutual. Start your quote@libertymutual.com if you start with the College Football playoff Thursday night and Friday night and then the, the wild card Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Would you say this might be like the best five day stretch of football that you have all year?
- [61:03]
Matt Jones
Yes. Thank you college football for putting those games on weekdays leading into the NFL slate.
- [61:08]
Drew Franklin
I love it. I'm.
- [61:09]
Matt Jones
I land for vacation Saturday at like 2:30, straight to the couch for that Saturday night slate and probably won't move until Monday when it's time to to work.
- [61:19]
Drew Franklin
Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday. It's a great, that is a great sequence of games for for Alpha and you better enjoy it because after that there's only what, six games left, One college football game and then there are more games this weekend in the playoffs than the entire rest of the time. Actually that's not true, is it? Yeah, that's not true. Never mind. There's seven games left after the six this week, so, you know, I was close. Two games off. Billy Evil Billy. Thank you very much, Drew. Enjoy your vacation.
- [61:58]
Matt Jones
All right.
- [61:58]
Drew Franklin
Thank you. We will. Remember, if you're going to to cover, make sure you cover zero. NFL Cover 0 with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and iHeart Podcast. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
- [62:25]
Matt Jones
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.