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- [00:00]
A
NFL Cover 0 with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and iHeart podcast. It's episode one of the NFL Cover Zero podcast. I am Matt Jones and joining me is Drew Franklin sitting over there. Well, actually directly in front of me. Drew, this is our first episode. I hope you're excited.
- [00:29]
B
Very excited. Just right now I'm looking at the NFL log behind your head and it kind of feels surreal that we're able to do this.
- [00:35]
A
Yeah. So for people who are listening for the first time, Drew and I have worked together for 17 years and we are big sports fans and we have thought for a long time the NFL is one of the most fun sports. But sometimes the podcasts take it very seriously. And we're like a lot of fans, we just enjoy watching the games and having a good time. And so what this podcast is going to do is cover the NFL. You know, I won't say from a non serious way, but just as a fan, we don't do. We're not going to do a lot of X's and O's. We're just going to be like two guys, you know, sitting and talking about the games. And Drew, I'm looking forward to that. You and I do this anyway, so we might as well talk about it. We'll have guests on throughout the year. We're going to do shows that we will record right after the last game on Sunday. So when you wake up on Monday morning, it's there.
- [01:26]
B
Yeah, we'll have a lot of fun. We might leave the, the advanced statistics, all those metrics to someone else because.
- [01:32]
A
We don't know that.
- [01:33]
B
Not a big player perspective between the two of us. Not a lot of football in our background. But like many people listening, we just love watching the NFL. We'll talk about the stories even off the field too. Just anything fun happening on a Sunday, we'll be taking notes.
- [01:45]
A
Totally agree. So now if you've ever, if you, if you're aware of our work, we often have technical difficulties and screw ups. This was our first one. So. So this episode you're about to listen to and by the way, if you have not yet, go to where you get podcasts or YouTubes or Twitters and you click on subscribe because we'd like to have you as a subscriber, go ahead and do that now. NFL Cover Zero, we would appreciate it. We recorded this episode, the first one last week and then all of a sudden as soon as we finished, we got an Adam Schefter alert that Micah Parsons had Been traded. So when you listen to this, I don't want you to think that we don't know that Micah Parsons has been trading. We do know that. Allegedly to Green Bay, four years, $188 million for two first round picks and Kenny Clark. We know that, but we had just already done this and we felt good about it. We didn't want to redo the whole thing. We'd have to redo our entire premise of the show in order to put it in. So we're going to just deal with Micah Parsons. But you have to understand that when you hear the packers rating and you see the Cowboys rating, it would have been different had we known about the trade.
- [03:06]
B
Incredible timing. We were on our way home. I wasn't out of the parking garage when the group text got hit with the. The graphic that went around announcing the news. So we just missed that by about 30 minutes.
- [03:16]
A
It happens. I mean, listen, I. Sometimes you don't. Sometimes you don't get the news earlier. I just recently, you know, heard that the Olympics were over. Wasn't aware you've been dialed in with football. I just, I watch it on streaming and I was like, you know, I was just getting through all the events.
- [03:35]
B
That was some bad lagging.
- [03:36]
A
It was. Well, I'm in Kentucky. Internet's not fast, so. So yes. Now, knowing that, we'll start with that. You are a Secondary Cowboys fan. Are you sad to see Micah gone?
- [03:48]
B
I am. It's a big PR hit. I mean, that city just lost Luca. Mike is the other big star in that town.
- [03:55]
A
They're about to trade J.R. ewing as well. For you older folks, yeah, if you.
- [04:00]
B
Really believed in a real rebu, they got the pieces for something here if you make those picks work. Have some concerns about the Cowboys making it work since it's been several years since they've made much work there. But it's hard to watch Micah Parsons at 26 years old walk out that door for an NFC contender.
- [04:17]
A
I did hear this morning he has an F4, F5 vertebrae, something. I don't know how many Fs there are in your vertebrae. I feel like four and five. Those are important ones. So hopefully he's okay, but he might miss the first week. Nobody knows for sure, but do you think maybe the packers should have done more injury checks with his F4 and F5 sprains?
- [04:44]
B
No, I think they're still going to make out good on this as long as they win right away. He wasn't, he wasn't cheap on their end. There's going to be some salary cap.
- [04:51]
A
On down the road. Highest paid player non quarterback ever. Is he think he's worth it?
- [04:57]
B
Probably. I like that he retired his mom. Like for that kind of money, will you retire my mom? And like all the moms, I'm going.
- [05:04]
A
To go ahead and say I feel like his mom. Bernie Schmidt, year one he had made a bunch of money. I mean his mom had to be at some point, like, okay, like four Pro Bowls.
- [05:13]
B
Why am I still working?
- [05:14]
A
You know you're on the COVID of Madden. Like why am I still working? Micah? I've always told my mom that if I'd made it in sports because she'll always send me some picture like Lamar Jackson bought his mom a car and she'll be like, isn't this sweet? And I go, mom, I would have bought you a car too. I wouldn't have accepted. Well, you know what, it's very nice. So now the packers, are they a Super bowl favorite to you?
- [05:42]
B
Yeah. It's crazy how quickly the change around them. I mean obviously they're in a good spot as it is, but it feels like just a few weeks ago people are wondering if Jordan Love has a thumb, if they're going to be okay. And suddenly love's good to go.
- [05:54]
A
They were wondering if he had a thumb.
- [05:55]
B
He turns out that's two of them. Both are healthy. But you go from just worrying about that, wondering if you can repeat some magic from last year to all of a sudden you have the best pass rusher in the NFL on.
- [06:04]
A
Yeah. So you know, it does change the NFC north, which was maybe the best division anyway, gets even better. I'm always hesitant to spend that much money on a non quarterback. To me, players, I'm not going to say they're fungible. They're not. Michael Parsons is huge. But I don't know if, if one player changes the entire course of your team unless it's a quarterback. But we will find out. But I love watching Dallas make another ridiculous decision. I love watching Jerry Jones try to explain it in a press conference. If you could have picked the worst time he could have made this deal, it would have been now. If you were to say what was the least amount of leverage he had last year before the draft, this year after the season. If you were to put it on a timeline, I think he traded it. Literally the worst moment he had leverage. Way to go, Jerry. I'd love to play poker with you.
- [07:00]
B
I'll add also with the timing, my wife a diehard Cowboys fan, we were about Two episodes into the new Netflix documentary on the Cowboys. And after the Micah news, she's out. Like, I can't watch the rest of this. I'm not ready. I'm too hurt.
- [07:13]
A
Yeah. Well, anyway, that's the way it goes. So what you're going to hear from now on is the podcast we did. We basically ranked all the teams in watchability. We decided if we were going to watch, if a team was on, where would we rank in terms of how we would want to watch them? Would you want to watch them more than any other team or less than any other team? Again, if we'd known about Micah Dallas, probably lower, Green Bay higher, but that's the way it goes. But we did want you to know we do know about Micah, and we wish them both the best of luck. Now, Billy is our producer. I want to show something. Hand me. Hand me that book there, Billy. Okay, so, you know, to prepare. I bought a book.
- [07:53]
B
Oh, my. That's not any book. That's a phone book.
- [07:55]
A
First of all, this is. I'm holding it up to the camera here. This is the Sharp football Analysis. Some guy named Warren.
- [08:03]
B
I follow. Warren Sharp.
- [08:05]
A
Now, I don't know who Warren Sharp is, but Warren Sharp, I think you could say, really likes a football. If you look on the screen, for those of you on YouTube, you'll see the pages are color coded. There are lots of numbers. And I bought it because somebody told me, if you read the Sharp football preview, you'll have everything you need to know. So I bought it and thought, okay. And then I opened and I go, I'm not reading that. All right. I'm not reading that. There's a lot of stuff in here. I'm not reading all that. But I am mesmerized by how beautiful the color is.
- [08:38]
B
Yeah.
- [08:38]
A
Guess how much this book cost me.
- [08:40]
B
Oh, God. I can just tell by the printing job on that alone had to have been outrageous. Hold on. It's about as thick as. I'd say the Columbus, Ohio, phone book. $45.
- [08:50]
A
This is like $74. That's how much this book was. Was.
- [08:56]
B
Look, what I. I know this is not a good visual, but I am holding a piece of paper that I got from the iHeart lobby with a pen I borrowed from a salesperson, and I jotted some notes down.
- [09:05]
A
74 pages and. Or $74. And I just was like, I'm not gonna read this. So I gave it to Billy, and I said, billy, as we go through teams, I want you to give me a fact. I Don't want to feel like I wasted the $74. Warren Sharp put a lot of time into this.
- [09:17]
B
He's got a great mustache, too, by the way.
- [09:19]
A
Oh, he does.
- [09:19]
B
Yeah. It's probably a lot of that money will go to just keeping that thing looking good.
- [09:23]
A
Mustache wax. That's where a lot of the money goes. So I want to feel like Warren did his work for good reason, and I want to feel like I didn't waste $74. So I asked Billy to. As we go through teams, give me one fact from Warren for each team. Billy, are you prepared to do that?
- [09:40]
C
Well, you gave me this assignment 30 minutes ago, so we're. We're about halfway through the teams, and the other half, we will do it on the fly.
- [09:47]
A
You've got this so most, you know, you can do like a preview. Here's what I want to do. I enjoy watching the games. I don't know about you, Drew. When I see the schedule, sometimes I think that team is going to be fun to watch, and sometimes I think I can't. I can't do this right. It's. It's. It's Sunday Night Football. Are you telling me it's the Saints again? Like, I can't do it.
- [10:11]
B
Occasionally there will be a bad matchup that will make me watch something on Netflix.
- [10:15]
A
It's probably more Thursday Night Football. That's where you get it. Those. Those Thursday night games. And it's like, I love Kirk, Herb street, but can I do this again? So we decided we were going to rank the 32 teams 1 to 32, just in watchability. This is my. If the team is on my screen, do I want to watch them and do. I think there's a lot of factors that go into this. One is, how good are they? Right.
- [10:42]
B
Probably the main factor.
- [10:43]
A
Two, do they have, like, a player or a style that's interesting? Then it might be, you know, are there storylines with them? What is their home field advantage like? I would even go visually, what does it look like to watch a game there? Like, when Minnesota's college team plays, they seem to be playing in a dungeon. And so I think the combination of the color of their uniforms and all that. I cannot watch a golden gopher. We have ranked, you and I each have a list of our top of our NFL teams 1 to 32, and we're going to do a draft. I'll pick one, you'll pick one. And at the end, we will have our 32 team official ranking of how watchable these teams are.
- [11:29]
B
I like this, there's some teams that, like, I hate watch. We're all familiar with the team you.
- [11:34]
A
Don'T like, but you're like, I'm going.
- [11:35]
B
To watch them just so that I can root for them to lose. So I considered that. Another thing, you know, in the NFL, it's all these beautiful stadiums. We don't get the Minnesota domes, but places with potential snow give you little bonus points there if there's a chance I'm going to see a snow game. So I factored that in a little bit.
- [11:50]
A
I didn't do the snow bonus, but that's actually good because are you more likely to watch a game when it snows?
- [11:57]
B
Oh, absolutely.
- [11:58]
A
Me too.
- [11:59]
B
I will turn off my favorite team to watch a sloppy snow game.
- [12:01]
A
I'm exactly like that. So we have it. We'll go back and forth. I'll tell you what, how many fingers am I holding up? One or two?
- [12:12]
B
I'm going to say two.
- [12:13]
A
All right, it was two. So I'm going to let you have the first pick.
- [12:15]
B
All right.
- [12:16]
A
And you are picking for the, for the group. What is the most watchable team in the NFL to you?
- [12:21]
B
Well, it is kind of lame to answer this way, but it is the first pick. It's going to be a popular pick. I'm going with the new Hollywood Kansas City. With the recent news this week, their. Their brand just got even bigger. With now Taylor will be moving into Kansas City. Then, of course, we have the Mahomes magic. All the improbable finishes. Anytime they play the, you know, the Ravens, the Bills, the Bengals, it seems to come down to the wire. So even though they're not a team I particularly care for, it's hard to not watch a Chiefs game when they're on tv. And now you've added the Swifties.
- [12:50]
A
Yeah, I have Chiefs number two, but I'll take them at number one. I think it was close whether it was one or two. All right, so a lot of factors. One, I think the most important thing, they're good. They, especially in recent years, it seems like they are in a million close games because they don't. They don't blow teams out. I think, what, last year they were 11 and 1 or something in one score game. So it always comes down to the end. Mahomes usually ends up with the ball, has a chance to do it. Mahomes is fun to watch. You know, little bit of a dad bod, little bit dorky, but crazy good. You know, Travis Kelsey used to think Travis Kelsey was a goober. Now He's America's sweetheart. I kind of like him. He's got the mustache. He seems like he's kind of an idiot. But like in the lovable.
- [13:33]
B
Yeah, we all have lovable idiots.
- [13:35]
A
He's like a lovable idiot, right. Andy Reid. Mustache rotund. How are you not going to like a rotund guy with a mustache? Looks like a Philadelphia cop, but a good one.
- [13:46]
B
He's not corrupt, right?
- [13:47]
A
Not one that's being investigated.
- [13:49]
B
More like a school crossing guard.
- [13:51]
A
Looks like he looks like I got.
- [13:54]
B
A Billy laugh on that one.
- [13:55]
A
A very nice school crossing guard. Then you throw in the Chief stadium. Right? Love that. Looks fun.
- [14:02]
B
I've been many times as good as it gets.
- [14:04]
A
Might snow, might snow. Now you mentioned Kansas City. We've been to Kansas City. Good barbecue, decent stuff going on. But it's crazy to me to think that Taylor Swift kind of lives there, you know, I mean she basically has to live there with Travis Kelsey and they are maybe the two most famous people in America and they are in Kansas City. Do you think that's strange?
- [14:27]
B
That's why my pick, I called it the new Hollywood. Honestly, before this engagement I probably would have had them two or three, but I think America is going to just. This is now our home base. This is our center point of America is Kansas City. I'm not even sure if it's in Missouri or Kansas, but we'll figure out. Yeah, but it is now. Is now the celebrity hotbed.
- [14:46]
A
TV's going to be a games. Do you think they just go to like regular restaurants in Kansas City? Well, they just go to. I mean, I don't know what the good places are there.
- [14:54]
B
Well, it just opened. It's the 1587 Steakhouse by Travis Kelsey and Patrick Homes.
- [14:59]
A
Oh, they have their own.
- [15:00]
B
Just opened. Yeah, it's. She'll have her own room.
- [15:04]
A
Why is it 15? Oh, their numbers.
- [15:06]
B
Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it's. It's supposed to be a big deal literally just opening right now. So. Okay, so I expect she'd be there a lot.
- [15:12]
A
I also, I mean I kind of like the Chiefs before because old Joe Montana played there, you know, when he was kind of washed up. They had a safety. Who had a rap song that I could sing, Billy, right now. Do you remember Eric Barry?
- [15:26]
C
Of course.
- [15:26]
A
And he would go, Eric Barry, Eric Barry, you so scary. I don't know if that's exactly how. I don't remember the song, but it was. You could look it up. He had a song called Eric Barry and I loved it. And so you know I had some Chiefs positivity before that.
- [15:43]
B
Oh, I had a friend who had family in Kansas City when we were in middle school and about once a year we'd go and I'd get to go to Chiefs game. There are photos of me where I'm fully painted red and yellow. Like I was all in there for a little while. I would never call it my favorite, but I've had plenty of trips to Arrowhead that were a wild time.
- [15:58]
A
I don't know if you want those photos out different time. So I think the Chiefs are a pretty good number one pick. Feels like they play at 4:30 with Jim Nance and Tony Romo almost every week. So I agree with that. My number one team is. I think most people would put here and so it'll be number two for us is the Bills. I think again, same kind of thing, really good. Josh Allen is. Is maybe the most exciting player to watch. He bounces off people but really a lot of it's right. It gets dark in Buffalo at 2:30 in the afternoon so. So the game is. It's always dark there. No matter what. It's snowing. You throw people through tables and then there's just the history of they've never won. They find a way to collapse at the end. They look sad. I don't think anybody would say there's anywhere that looks to be more fun. You know, as a team that they almost lost the team a couple different times in their history. So the Bills for me pretty strong. Number two.
- [16:52]
B
Yeah, Bills were number two for me. Also like if. If you don't enjoy the current Bills era with the mafia Josh Allen, you just have hate in your heart. I don't care if they're. You got your favorite team. They're a likable group. Even like to bring up swifties again. When Jason Kelsey went to a game a few years ago, they're just showing him in the crowd with his shirt off. The Bills games maybe more than any other team in the NFL. It's an experience that's fun to watch from afar.
- [17:16]
A
By the way, I already forgot part of the show which is I was supposed to go to Billy for a fun fact for each team from Warren Sharp.
- [17:24]
B
Hey, we're first.
- [17:24]
A
First episode. Really working out. We got through one team and I had already forgotten to go to Billy. So let me go back for a second. Go to the Chiefs. What was Warren Sharp's fun Chiefs back?
- [17:35]
C
Well, the Chiefs may be fun to watch but they don't throw the ball downfield out of the 192 team seasons since 2019, the 2024 Kansas City Chiefs ranked 189 in rate of passes thrown, 15 plus air yards. So Patrick Mahomes, he's so great.
- [17:52]
A
Having a hard time.
- [17:53]
C
He doesn't throw the ball past 15 yards.
- [17:55]
A
OK, explain to me what's your number? How many years of bat football?
- [17:59]
C
Since 2019, there have been 192 individual team seasons.
- [18:04]
A
Okay. They came in 189.
- [18:05]
C
189 out of 192.
- [18:07]
A
That is a little surprising. And that's partially why I think they're going to be better this year because they're going to have guys to throw down the field. But it's amazing. He's considered universally the best quarterback and the fourth worst team in the last, what, six years to throw the ball down the field. That's impressive.
- [18:21]
B
When you got Kelsey, you don't throw too far. But they do throw it far. If it's 4th and 34 in the games on the line, they get a completion, that's when they go long.
- [18:28]
A
That's definitely true. All right, so now number two, give me a Buffalo Bills fact.
- [18:32]
C
Oh, it's all about getting over the hump in the playoffs for the Bills. The bills average over 24 points per game in the playoff losses they've had over the last five years. Conversely, the opponents score on average 33 points in the games that the Bills have lost in the playoffs.
- [18:49]
A
So they scored nine less points in the play. Yeah, I'm going to say to Warren, I think that stats better if it's flipped. I mean, I kind of would have assumed that they scored less points than the teams when they lose in the flex. Am I supposed to be surprised by that stat?
- [19:06]
C
Maybe by how many points they score?
- [19:08]
A
And so they scored nine points less than the other team.
- [19:10]
C
That's right. In the playoffs.
- [19:12]
A
Okay.
- [19:12]
C
In their losses.
- [19:13]
A
I'm just going to say, I mean that's not a shocking. The chief stat. Little shocking Bill stat. Maybe not.
- [19:19]
B
Do we mention the potential for snow in Buffalo? Because they're the one that's the. They got all the snow points.
- [19:24]
A
If Buffalo ever built a dome, I think they should have to forfeit their their team. I mean, because that's the thing. That's their biggest home field advantage. And Buffalo was also the place where wasn't. Who was the player? Was it Ocho Cinco who said there's nowhere to go here but Applebee's?
- [19:39]
B
I think it's to to a lot of Applebee's when He was up there for a year.
- [19:45]
A
There's no reason to disparage Applebee's. Wrong with Applebee's. Give me my hometown.
- [19:49]
B
That's all we have. Birthdays, anniversary celebrations. We're going to Applebee's.
- [19:53]
A
When I went to Applebee's, I felt like we're going big time.
- [19:56]
B
Eating good in the neighborhood.
- [19:57]
A
That's right. Number three, you get to pick.
- [20:01]
B
All right. Number three. It's a team nearby us, not necessarily a fan, but when Joe Burrow is throwing to Jamar Chase, there's not much better in the NFL when that offense is rocking. So I went with the Bengals at three, also like that. Their defense is usually chaos, so they get a lot of shootouts, but it's all Bengals locally. Here in Kentucky, we have a lot of friends who like the Bengals, so I put them at third, but mostly just Burrow to Chase.
- [20:26]
A
Maybe a lot of people. Maybe some people out there that consider that a surprising pick. I had him in number four, so I can't. You know, I didn't have a much lower. I think it's the Burrow Chase thing, right? The. Do not let your girlfriend see Joe burrow. Like, if she's tuned in to watch the game, hoping to see Travis and Taylor, and she sees Joe Burrow. Especially, like me, we live in Lexington. So if I like. If you're with a woman in Lexington and she burrows it, she might be like that. Cincinnati's not that far. Like, I could meet him maybe if we go up there and he's. Is he married? He's not married, is he?
- [21:03]
B
No, he's dating. Remember when they got robbed or whatever? He got exposed that he was dating some model.
- [21:08]
A
Oh, he had a secret girlfriend.
- [21:09]
B
Yeah, yeah. That was at the house or whatever it was.
- [21:11]
A
That would be the worst way to get caught.
- [21:14]
B
Yeah. He's just trying to keep.
- [21:16]
A
Your house gets broken into and it turns out you had a woman there. I. That would be a bad day for Joe.
- [21:24]
B
I'd still probably trade places to Joe if I was given the opportunity, though Joe seems to have pretty good life going for him. Bengals I probably would have had in the 30s before Joe Burrow on this list. But he and Chase, that they're the.
- [21:35]
A
Offensive, and he has a lot. There's a long line of quarterbacks, you know, Boomer Esiason, the one that gets forgotten. Ken Anderson. Do you know the name Ken Anderson?
- [21:43]
B
I've met Ken Anderson here in Lexington at a golf outing.
- [21:47]
A
You know, he was the NFL MVP one year.
- [21:48]
B
Yeah. And I went as Boomer Siason for Halloween as a little kid. I guess now that I've done the Chiefs, Bengals. I like the Titans. Maybe I just love the whole league, but, yeah, I was a Boomer. Had the full outfit and the helmet.
- [21:59]
A
And you went to Boomer Esiason for. Well, I always say this, but it's my one Ken Anderson fact. My mom went to law school with Ken Anderson while he played for the Bengals. He was also in law school. Can you imagine if an mvp. So let's just say, like, Josh Allen were to also be in law school. Like, what would Stephen A. Say on first take? How in the world is he supposed to focus when he has a tort law class in the morning? But Ken Anderson did that.
- [22:29]
B
Imagine you're watching Sunday Night Football, watching Allen come back to beat the Ravens, and then 8am There he is in your class. He's in your group working on the group projects.
- [22:38]
A
I think my mom said, like, he was in her civil procedure small group, and my mom did not know who he was. And people were like, you realize Ken Anderson is your partner. She didn't know who he was. She was like, that's Ken. He always comes in here dirty. I borrowed his stencil one day.
- [22:55]
B
Nice guy.
- [22:58]
A
So what is our Bingles? Fun fact.
- [23:01]
C
The Bengals are the only offensive line.
- [23:03]
A
How'd you say it?
- [23:04]
C
The Bengals.
- [23:04]
A
Thank you.
- [23:05]
C
Or the. Not the Bengals. The Bengals are the only offensive line to rank 25th or worse for four straight years.
- [23:11]
A
Yeah, their offensive line is awful. They claim it's better, but I doubt it. For people who don't live in Cincinnati, the Bengals practice facility is under the interstate next to a train station. You think I'm making this up? If you drive on I75 between Kentucky and Cincinnati, you drive over what looks to be like a chemical. Chemical waste dump. And right next to it is the brand new Bengals practice facility. And I always think it's kind of funny that, like, it's nice, but you also conceivably could have hobos coming off the train joining you and running out patterns.
- [23:51]
B
They don't even have a goalpost. The kicker, there's, like, those two smokestacks at that factory. He just goes out in the parking lot, starts kicking through that, and a lot of teams, like, isolate themselves out somewhere. It's maybe one of the busiest roads in America, and people are just flying by, looking.
- [24:04]
A
They're in the middle of downtown. Like, you can literally sit and watch the practice from the bridge.
- [24:10]
B
We don't encourage that, by the way.
- [24:11]
A
Yeah, don't go watching it. But you could. All right, number four. It's my pick. I actually had it at number three, but we had the exact same top four. We didn't talk about this before. I have the Ravens. Really, it all comes down to Lamar. To be quite frank with you, I think the Ravens are actually kind of boring to watch. Besides Lamar. Lamar, though, is the most exciting player in football. And then last year they had the Derek Henry edition that. That helped make them. But if the Ravens are in the game, it's awesome. You know, we still. If you're my age, you still think of them as a defensive team, but that's really not the case anymore. It's really Lamar. And it's amazing that a team can be number four because of one guy, but I think they are.
- [24:51]
B
I'm glad we did this order because this was my first one where I.
- [24:54]
A
Got a little wild.
- [24:55]
B
I had them much farther down because I said I hate watch teams. As a Titans guy, seeing Derek Henry still look like he's young, I can't watch it. We got rid of him because he's too old. Let's get out. He can't do it anymore. He's 31, 32. And I know Saquon's out there, but I'm saying Derek Henry will be the best running back next year.
- [25:14]
A
And in running back years, 32 is like 88.
- [25:17]
B
Yeah.
- [25:18]
A
Like, I mean, and he's still out there doing it. And for him to go to a rival, that had to also.
- [25:22]
B
I've also been to. I go to. Not that they happen often, but I try to go to Titan playoffs games. Ravens have gotten me twice with heartbreak over the years.
- [25:30]
A
Well, when I say rival, that's what I mean. Like, you all have lost in the playoffs.
- [25:34]
B
You got a Louisville guy and Lamar who actually admire and appreciate in the NFL. But still, they're a team that when I turn it on, there's more emotions than I'm just watching the game.
- [25:43]
A
You didn't have.
- [25:43]
B
I had him at seven because I want King Henry in Nashville, not in Baltimore. That was the big one.
- [25:48]
A
All right, so it's Chiefs, Bills, Bengals, Ravens. It's a pretty good top four. Give me a Baltimore. Tell me what Warren Sharp thinks.
- [25:54]
C
Since 2020, the Ravens are 23 and 24 in one score games. That's the 18th best in the NFL in that time.
- [26:02]
A
That's a terrible fact. They're basically in the middle of the pack.
- [26:08]
C
For comparison, the Steelers who made the playoffs last year are 37 and 15. That's number two win rate.
- [26:14]
A
Okay. So that would have been a good fact for the Steelers.
- [26:18]
C
Baltimore, Pittsburgh, they're always battling.
- [26:21]
A
All right, that's okay. You know what? Warren's. Warren had good facts for three of the four.
- [26:26]
B
I'll add one. The Ravens are undefeated. If Derek Henry gets 90 yards, I think they were 12. And oh, last year. Again, Derek Henry is still in his prime. I miss him.
- [26:35]
A
You think he'll be good this year?
- [26:36]
B
Yes, the best.
- [26:37]
A
All right, tell me who you got. What's next? Number five.
- [26:40]
B
Speaking of, let's get weird. This is where I had to put my own team. I had him at 4.
- [26:45]
A
I'm not letting you do that.
- [26:46]
B
The Cam Ward experience.
- [26:47]
A
I'm not letting you. The Titans, you cannot. Listen, we got to put this in a graphic out to the public. I cannot put the Titans as the number five most interesting.
- [26:55]
B
@ some point when we're doing. If I'm sitting down watching, like, where are your Bears? I mean, they're probably. But I mean, that's part of the game. We have our teams, but to be.
- [27:05]
A
Honest with you, I gotta put them somewhere. I feel like objectively, Caleb Williams is more interesting.
- [27:11]
B
Cam Ward, the number one pick this year.
- [27:14]
A
He has year as the number one pick, would be the arbiter. If it's games on TV and it's Titans or it's Bears, his team or my team, who are you more excited to watch?
- [27:29]
C
Neither. But I guess the Bears. If we're choosing it, and I hate to say that for you.
- [27:33]
B
What happened to our draft order? Why do we need some. We have an order.
- [27:36]
A
The problem is we're going to put this on a graphic and it's going to be the first time people are going to know and you're going to have the Titans fifth.
- [27:43]
B
It's Cam Ward. It's my team. Where do you want them? 17th.
- [27:49]
A
This is ruining the graphic. I just wanted.
- [27:51]
B
Well, where you said you had the.
- [27:52]
A
Bears at fifth, but that was. That's. That's objective.
- [27:54]
B
But they don't. I mean, they don't belong in the top 15.
- [27:57]
A
Caleb Williams is excited. Like with Caleb, you don't know what color his fingernails are going to be. Right. You don't know if he's got. You know, think about the games last year. Every game we had came down the wire. You had the Fame, the Hail Mary game against the Commanders. The ball ends up in his hands in the fourth quarter with a chance to go in all the time.
- [28:17]
B
But you just made my case for Cam Ward. He's last Year's Caleb Williams. That's why he should be ahead of. You.
- [28:24]
A
Know what Cam Ward looks like?
- [28:26]
B
Well, it's not a beauty. We're trying to watch him fire the big skin. What are we talking about? I got helmets on.
- [28:32]
A
Fire the pig skin.
- [28:33]
B
I'm just defending my. I'm defending my Titans, who I think might be one of the worst teams.
- [28:38]
A
I'll tell you what. Just know.
- [28:41]
B
How about on the graphics?
- [28:43]
A
He ruined the graphic in asterisk.
- [28:45]
B
Next.
- [28:45]
A
He ruined the graph.
- [28:47]
C
Yeah. For a podcast called Cover zero with Titans in the top five of Watch.
- [28:52]
A
I can't believe the Titans are number four. Five. Okay. But then the Bears are going to be number six. So we were. I mean, this. This podcast. We've ruined it right there. But we'll have to. We'll have to put a.
- [29:03]
B
Like our faces next to each one of them.
- [29:05]
A
Says it's our team. All right, Give me a Titans fun fact. Good luck.
- [29:12]
C
They were really bad last year. 2 and 6 and 1 score games. If you want to keep that theme going.
- [29:18]
B
There we go.
- [29:18]
A
Two and six and one score game. You're a Titans fan. Cam Ward's the only reason to watch the team. Apparently. It's the reason. The fifth best reason to watch any team but. Right. Is there any other reason to watch them?
- [29:29]
B
Not at all. I love them. It's been a. Been a rough existence since 1999. We've had a few good years. Those are getting few and far between. But Cam Ward, in the little glimpses we got of him in the preseason, it's not just me being a fan. There's some excitement around him and thinking he could be one of those dudes. I don't know if we're going to have a Jalen Daniels run of a year ago and make the playoffs, but I think he is one that a lot of people want to see how he pans out.
- [29:52]
A
Yeah. I just. For just comparison sake, I had the Titans 29th.
- [29:58]
B
It's perfect.
- [29:59]
A
You did not have a Bears 29. I had the Titans 29th. I feel like most of the time when I watch the Titans, the field is coming up like the field has been. It feels like you all get more divots in the field than the other team.
- [30:13]
B
You should see the upper deck. If you go to a game, you look down, the concrete has cracks and you're thinking, there's a chance I could end up in the parking lot if they don't fix this.
- [30:20]
A
Yeah.
- [30:21]
B
Also, it's very fitting for the Titans to make a bad pick at the top of the draft because that's exactly what they do. It's a little tribute. Taking the Titans number four.
- [30:29]
A
Okay, so the Titans up number five. I guess we're going with the Bears number six. My case is going to have an exciting offense, lots of weapons. Caleb Williams, you get to see an SNL skit from the 80s. Every time they play while they show the guys. Go dubbears. They keep showing all those guys. I think they've all passed away, unfortunately, but they're still on there. You got the mustaches. They're also the only stadium I've ever been to that only serves RC Cola.
- [30:57]
B
Oh, wow.
- [30:58]
A
Did you know that?
- [30:59]
B
No, I didn't.
- [30:59]
A
Their official soft drink is not Coke and it's not Pepsi. It's rc.
- [31:05]
B
So you can only get all the rc.
- [31:06]
A
You can only get RC products.
- [31:09]
B
Impressive.
- [31:10]
A
That's really strange. Like, is there. First of all, is there any other place in the United States where you can only get. I think you could go to the RC factory and they would still offer you a Coke.
- [31:20]
B
I grew up around the corner from an RC plant and I thought when it closed that was the end of RC. That was like 30 years ago. You're telling me it's still out there, floating around?
- [31:27]
A
It's the only drink you can get at Soldier Field is rc.
- [31:33]
B
So one of the oldest stadiums. They're just going for the nostalgia thing.
- [31:36]
A
Yeah, I guess so. So there you go. That to me is the fun fact for Chicago. But does Warren have one better than that?
- [31:43]
C
Caleb Williams took A League high 68 sacks last year.
- [31:47]
A
Yeah, well, I felt that watching him. I mean, he. That's over four sacks a game. And he, he was, he held the ball too long. But he also had a terrible offensive line. They. They upgraded it during the off season.
- [32:01]
B
Watch him.
- [32:01]
A
Hopefully. Yes, call him Missouri. That's exactly right. All right, number. Who's next for you?
- [32:06]
B
Well, if you didn't like my last one, I don't think you're going to like this one. Well, they are America's team, so America will agree with me. But just the chaos of the Dallas.
- [32:15]
A
Cowboys, I don't think that's a bad pick, actually. I mean, I have them. You have them what?
- [32:21]
B
They were fifth on my list.
- [32:23]
A
I have them eight. So like, I don't think that's a terrible. And it's because of the drama.
- [32:28]
B
The drama. I mean, are they ever going to be good again?
- [32:31]
A
It's because of the drama and then the agonizing shots of pain on the fans faces. Are also great. And then I love when Troy Aikman's doing the game and his disgust about his former organization comes through. That's so. I don't think the Cowboys are crazy.
- [32:46]
B
Yeah. If Prescott can stay healthy this year. You got Lamb and Picking, so that's a good duo. Also, just little side things, like when the light comes through the stadium and blinds everybody. Like, how do you have the nicest stadium?
- [32:59]
A
That is always bizarre to me because they always have that one light and the announcers will go, this is hurting people.
- [33:07]
B
Remember Lamb last year? Dropped a touch. Your home Pro bowl receiver dropped the pass in the end zone.
- [33:12]
A
And you've been before. And I think watching a game at Cowboy Stadium has to be like what it's like to watch a concert at the Severe. Like, it doesn't feel like you're in a real place. It's so beautiful, and so it almost feels like you're in a theater. You're not in a football stadium.
- [33:30]
B
And because that screen's so big, you look up instead of. Even though the live action is right in front of you.
- [33:35]
A
I've never seen a moment on the game on the field. No, you're only looking at the stadium. I'll also note when you park there, I'm still walking back to my car. The parking lots are so far. You get your steps in, though. That's. That's good.
- [33:50]
B
And if you haven't been, you know, it's not Dallas. Dallas, it's out on its own. So if you're trying to, like, make a day out of it, there's a few things around it, but it's kind of out there on its own. You see it when you're flying in.
- [33:59]
A
It's way out there. All right, so I'm gonna go. So this will be number eight for the group. I'm gonna take the Lions mostly because they used to be towards the bottom of the list for me because I hate the indoor stadiums. But I do like watching Dan Campbell. I always feel like at some point he's going to spontaneously combust. He reminds me of the gym teacher from Beavis and Butthead. And then Aiden Hutchinson. I get to see his family always enjoy that. Oh, man, I hope they're doing good.
- [34:28]
B
Showing them.
- [34:29]
A
Yeah, they love showing them. I hope they're doing really well. The offense was really exciting. Now, I don't know without Ben Johnson if they will be quite as exciting, but, you know, it seems like a fan base that's desperate to win. And so I enjoy the Lions. And then I Think the Lions are one of the top teams in the league, along with the Vikings, of people dressed up in costumes. You know, there are people dressed up as in Lions gear, or they'll have, like, they'll be a plumber, or they'll be dressed as Mario or Luigi, or.
- [34:58]
B
They'Ll just wear shoulder pads to the game with their lion shoes.
- [35:01]
A
There's a lot of people who think they might check in at some point, so. So the Lions come in next for me.
- [35:06]
B
I'm glad we're getting back on track. I had the Lions as my next if it had been my pick. So we agreed on this one.
- [35:11]
A
All right, what is your line? First of all, Cowboys fact. I skipped them to what's your Cowboys fact.
- [35:15]
C
Yeah, Cowboys fat. The Cowboys have made the playoffs 12 times since 1998. They're 4 and 12. Eight of those trips were brief. Oh, and one postseason.
- [35:24]
A
They have only won four playoff games since when?
- [35:28]
C
98.
- [35:29]
B
Crazy. They've had some heartbreakers.
- [35:31]
A
Four playoff games in 27 years. Now, that Warren Sharp slash, Billy, is a pretty amazing statistic. 4 and 27 years. I kind of hope they win now. Just. I don't like looking at Stephen A. In his cowboy hat. That never. It never makes me happy. All right, what is the Lions fact?
- [35:53]
C
The Lions drafted Tate Ratledge in the second round from Georgia. He allowed.
- [35:58]
A
Just stop right there. That's the fact. Go ahead.
- [36:04]
C
He allowed just one sack in three years as a starter at Georgia. Only 10 pressures, only four penalties, and over 1600 snaps.
- [36:12]
A
That one really stuck out for you, you big, tight Ratledge guy. Oh, yeah.
- [36:15]
C
I mean, one sack in three years as a starter at an SEC school. That's pretty good.
- [36:21]
A
Do you have a picture of Tate Ratledge? Are you related to.
- [36:23]
C
That's close to Rutledge.
- [36:25]
B
Yeah, it's the last name thing.
- [36:26]
A
Oh, just move a letter. Rutledge Ratledge.
- [36:30]
C
Billy on sports, on Twitter, if you want to follow.
- [36:33]
A
Look at him trying to get the NFL bump for the Twitter account.
- [36:37]
C
Winning row.
- [36:39]
B
We know Billy will shoot a shot on those things.
- [36:41]
A
That's exactly right. Jennifer Lawrence. You asked her out. Tate Ratledge. I hope you get a chance. I think we can pull strings and maybe get Tate Ratledge on the podcast.
- [36:53]
B
Glad you didn't say Jennifer Lawrence.
- [36:54]
C
It'd be an honor. We can meet Jennifer Lawrence, too. That'd be fun.
- [36:57]
A
No, no, we're getting tight Ratledge.
- [36:58]
B
They're one in the same.
- [36:59]
A
I want you to start working on this.
- [37:01]
C
Oh, I'm working on It.
- [37:01]
A
Okay, well, I mean, you're the producer.
- [37:03]
C
Okay.
- [37:03]
A
I think you need to call the lines. Just go, may I have the lines? And say we'd like to get Tate because he can't get a lot of requests.
- [37:12]
C
It sounds pretty good.
- [37:14]
B
Will you see high expectations?
- [37:15]
A
Ask for Tate Ravage.
- [37:16]
B
I will. And if you can't get him, get the entire Hutchinson family. We know they're there.
- [37:20]
A
No, no. I think we're going to discover that Tate Ratledge, in addition to not giving away sacks, is a fine young fellow.
- [37:28]
C
I hope so.
- [37:28]
A
All right, good.
- [37:29]
B
Georgia boy. Southern charm.
- [37:30]
A
Good. All right, let's see. Back to you. Who? What is it?
- [37:35]
B
I went with our defending super bowl champs here.
- [37:39]
A
Kind of surprising the Eagles all the way at number nine. I had them at 12, but we had to go all the way to nine to get the Eagles. Why the Eagles this? Why wouldn't the super bowl champs be higher than this for both of us?
- [37:50]
B
That's a good question. I mean, they are fun to watch. They're absolutely loaded with talent. I think part of it is I kind of hate how their. Their gm, Howie, keeps getting away with robbery on draft night, and I don't like that they're as good as they should be. Also, I mentioned the Derek Henry things. Hard for me. I still can't look at A.J. brown. That dude should be retiring as a Titan one day, and they let him go to Philadelphia. So I have a little bit of hard time watching AJ There. Arthur Juan, as I call him, have successful.
- [38:18]
A
Jalen hurts too handsome. That's a problem for me. You know, these. These guys going back to Brady, when you have dudes too handsome, I can't deal with it. He's another one. Don't. Don't watch a game with. Don't. If you've got with your girl, don't watch a game when Jalen hurts. Come on. There's a couple people. We'll get to one here in a minute, too. There's like three quarterbacks. You can't let your girl. Can't let her around. Joe Burrow. Can't let her around. Jalen hurts, especially when he starts to tush pushing. Yeah, exactly. And he smiles, and it just. It doesn't work. Then I did enjoy the Saquon Barkley rejuvenation. You know, the Tush push, though, they bring them down the list. For me. I wasn't putting a team that Tush pushes in the top 10. Fourth and one should be exciting. It's not exciting. They get it every single time. I hate the Tush push and that makes them down for me. So I think number nine is good because I'm not going to put them high when they're pushing all that tush.
- [39:10]
B
I've mentioned jealousy with some former players my team let walk, but I mean, New York Giants, watching Saquon Barkley go to the Eagles and it's got to be yards, I think I would shut down the entire organization.
- [39:21]
A
He also looked like a corpse at the end in with the Giants. I mean, he looked, he looked. He looked like Tate Ratliff trying to run. Trying to run the ball.
- [39:31]
B
And then there's that clip like, well, we hope he doesn't go to the.
- [39:33]
A
Giant Eagles and then he goes to Eagles and he's amazing. So normally a Super bowl champ defending you think would be in the top three or four, but the Eagles down the list. And I don't think we're the only ones that feel like this.
- [39:45]
B
They're like boring good. They're. You're just so good and so complete. We just know you're good. I don't have to watch you.
- [39:50]
A
Give me an Eagles fact.
- [39:51]
C
Jalen Hurts has scored 33 of his career rushing touchdowns on the tush push. That's 60% of all of his rushing scores.
- [39:58]
A
See, that's in and of itself should not be allowed. 60% of his touchdowns are Tush pushing. That doesn't feel.
- [40:06]
B
He's going to have to admit to that.
- [40:07]
A
One feels a little fraudulent. I'm not going to like it when.
- [40:10]
B
He has a record for rushing touchdowns. That should be an.
- [40:13]
A
He'll have probably the quarterback record. I mean, I have to think he's probably in the vicinity on his way soon. So. All right, my next one on the list is the Commanders. And then the reason is Jalen, Jaden Daniels. They probably. If we were starting this last year, they probably would have been one of the bottom six or seven teams. They hadn't been interesting in a long time. But he's fun. I'm going to. I'm kind of wondering is there going to be a second year curse for him a la CJ Stroud where he takes sort of a drop. They had game after game that they won at the end last year. I think they're going to take a regression this year. But Washington fans are a big reason I have number 10. They've had so little to cheer about that last year. They just seem so happy. You know, they just. I like people who, who are very happy. And that stadium is four and a half hours from Washington D.C. so by the time they get there and you know they've had to trek across the Oregon Trail to get to the stadium, I like seeing them get to have a good time.
- [41:11]
B
I had them just a spot away. So we're pretty like minded here too obviously Daniels last year getting the playoffs. But like you said, there's a little bit of charm when these teams that have sucked our entire lives are good. Like we have the Lions in the super bowl conversation. I couldn't remember a good Lions year before here recently. Commanders, you'd have to go all the way back to the early 90s. I mean Bengals, some of these teams that that seemed like they were awful forever have really surged and it made last year fun to watch with the commanders.
- [41:38]
A
One of the things I'll note that's interesting, our top five most interesting teams to watch all AFC teams and then the next five were nfc. So the AFC is an objectively more interesting league at the top than the nfc. But the NFC does come in next. Give me a Washington Commanders that also.
- [41:56]
C
Includes the Titans, but here's your commanders facts. The 2024 commanders were the most successful fourth down team not just last season but in recent NFL history. Washington covered 87% of their 23 fourth down attack.
- [42:10]
A
That is a high number. 87%.
- [42:12]
C
Next closest was the 2018 Saints who had 81% of their 16 attempts and.
- [42:18]
A
They had Alvin Kamara at that time kind of running forward and they had Debo this year.
- [42:22]
B
That'll be fun.
- [42:23]
A
So interesting. That's a see Warren Sharp when he wants to, when he focuses can, when I find the right one, when he comes to the right ones goes all right, what's next for you?
- [42:48]
B
This is one I can't believe I put here, but I really think they're going to be exciting. And that's the Vikings with JJ McCarthy making his debut a year too late. I watched that entire Week 1 preseason game where they got to see him for the first time after he missed the whole year with injury in Minnesota was rocking to see him on his first series. He looked good there. They didn't play him much in the preseason, but a team that's been pretty good lately with Jefferson and all they've done with that offense. Now we get to see McCarthy go to it. So I'm just interested to see how.
- [43:15]
A
That looks with the exception of your boneheaded Titans pick. I'm been in the vicinity with you on all these JJ McCarthy I think is probably not going to be good, but I want to watch it Again, a lot of people dressed up at these games. This is where you bring people. Everybody sort of wears the fur. You know, they wear fur on their shoulders like Giant Gonzalez. And they, they come in and they all are very hefty and, and they wear, you know, have shields. Some people will get swords in there. Hard for me to surprises me, they let that through security.
- [43:48]
B
That's what the shields are for. It's everybody keep it, keep it all safe here.
- [43:51]
A
Everybody's armed just in case something happens. The team itself, you know, were great last year. I never believed they were going to go to the super bowl and of course they collapsed in the final week. But I'll be interested to see what they do with J.J. mcCarthy. Very rare though, to be the number one. What overall seed in the playoffs. Number two. And then just get ready your quarterback.
- [44:13]
B
Yep, that's going to be a fun division. And I know your team's in it as an outsider. I think all those teams look pretty good this year.
- [44:19]
A
So I'll go next. This is number 12 for our group. I'll take this. Well, first of all, give me a vikings fact.
- [44:25]
C
Nearly 50% of Sam Darnold's drop backs last year lasted three plus seconds. The NFL average was 32%.
- [44:33]
A
So he holds out.
- [44:36]
C
Oh, he had all the time in the world back there.
- [44:38]
A
Yeah. Probably takes a pill for that. He can. Yeah, probably helps him. Okay, well, that's good. That's a long time. I don't know is that good or bad though?
- [44:49]
C
Means you have a good offensive line, but Yeah, I don't know if.
- [44:53]
A
I mean he holds on the ball too long either. Or either.
- [44:58]
B
Read more about what Warren Sharp says.
- [44:59]
A
Yeah, we'll see what Warren says. By the way, Warren, that color page you use for the Vikings. Very ugly. Very ugly. That's what. That's a weird looking green. Let's go purple.
- [45:10]
C
It's purple.
- [45:11]
A
Oh, you had it on something. Yeah. All right. The Steelers. Steelers. They're going to be number 12 for me. What?
- [45:17]
B
This is going to be our biggest discrepancy. Where'd you have 32?
- [45:21]
A
You had a lot. You think the Steelers are the worst.
- [45:25]
B
Team to watch 32? I do not care to see Aaron Rodgers this year. I've never liked the Steelers. If they're on my tv, I'll turn on Gilded Age on hbo. I want nothing to do do with the damn Steelers.
- [45:38]
A
Steelers are the least interesting team to watch in the NFL.
- [45:41]
B
Last year we went to a Steelers game in Pittsburgh.
- [45:44]
A
It was boring.
- [45:45]
B
Yeah, it was fine. But then they go and add Aaron Rodgers. Yeah, I just can't do it. I want nothing to do with it.
- [45:52]
C
Wow.
- [45:53]
A
Well, first of all, I thought no one disliked Aaron Rodgers worse than me. Clearly you do. That's an amazing call by you to put them last. Let me give him the case for 12. I like Mike Tomlin. If you were to look up the word stoic in the dictionary, it's going to be Mike Tomlin. Facial expression never changes, ever. Like, he's got the same look on his face. He looks mildly disappointed in his children at all times. I enjoy that.
- [46:24]
B
And he's looked the same for 20 years. I think if you took a picture of him from every season and you had to guess what year it was, that you wouldn't know they'd all look exactly the same.
- [46:31]
A
He doesn't age very exactly right. If you watch a Steelers game is required by law. I think it is an executive order that was passed by Lyndon Baines Johnson that they have to say that they're blue collar. The words blue collar are coming out at some point. They're going to say that during the game. Then. I love the fact that they have this team. They have a winning record every year. No chance at ever finding a capable quarterback. Not even. Not even interested. Like, they're just like, you know what? Since Roethlisberger, hey, can you play? Let's give you a shot. Hey, Billy. Tate Ratledge or. Right. Hey, Aaron Rodgers, would you like to. Yeah. Aaron Rodgers, I know you might be on a podcast, but why don't you come join us and play? I think that's good.
- [47:16]
B
I do. I came off as a little hater there, and I am a bit of a hater. What Tomlin does there is pretty amazing how they're in the mix. The defense, we all know the Steelers brand, but this year specifically, I just. I can't do it. They're dead last.
- [47:29]
A
So I hate Aaron Rodgers so much that one of my friends, for my birthday, which is today, by the way, one of my friends got me an Aaron Rodgers, like, bobblehead. Okay? And it's an Aaron Rodgers jets bobblehead. All right, now, here's what's interesting about it. I said, wow, they knew it would be, like, something I wouldn't like. And they said, yeah, it was $5, so it was very cheap. Now, here's what was interesting. It was Jets. And I looked at it and I go, why is it all green? And by all green, I mean his face is green, his hair is green, everything is green. And she Said, I don't know. Then she looks up online. This was the jets bobblehead and it said as a special for Aaron Rodgers, one in 50 are all green. So I got a rare Aaron Rodgers. I got a 1 in 50, all green. Aaron Rodgers, jets bobblehead. So I hate it. But I wonder, do I have a steel? Is this like an antique roadshow thing? Only 1 in 50 are all green.
- [48:48]
B
Two things that sounds like there was a misprint. They're trying to spin it to sell that batch and not lose any money.
- [48:54]
A
You know what, you might be right about that.
- [48:55]
B
And you could just say it's day after ayahuasca trip. Aaron, he's a little sick, not feeling well. A little green. Still coming back down to earth with.
- [49:01]
A
The rest of us. I'm going to bring it in here and show it to you. It's awful. Like it's ugly. You can't even really tell it's Aaron Rodgers because think about if you just had a statue and it was all green. How do you know what it is?
- [49:13]
B
Gumby.
- [49:14]
A
It looks like an Aaron Rodgers. Gumby, give me a Steelers.
- [49:18]
C
Speaking of Tomlin, he has led the Steelers to 18 straight non losing seasons.
- [49:23]
A
Amazing. But also I think it's a fact everyone knows.
- [49:27]
C
Well, Warren Sharp had it in his book.
- [49:30]
B
He uses more colors in there than the bobblehead.
- [49:33]
C
That's true.
- [49:35]
A
All right. I thought the fun fact was going to be Mike Tomlin is the coach.
- [49:40]
B
Fun fact, they use towels.
- [49:42]
A
All right, who's at number 13?
- [49:44]
B
Oh, it's my pick. All right. Lucky number 13. Let me get back on track. I got a little chaotic. Even though it was yours. Putting them at 32 was wild. I have here the Green Bay Packers.
- [49:53]
A
I just exactly who I would have had. We would have hit at the same time.
- [49:56]
B
I just mentioned that's going to be a fun competitive division. I saw this week that Jordan loves thumbs. Good to go. He has two thumbs. That's very important when you're quarterback. Actually just the throwing win is all it needs.
- [50:07]
A
But I'm two thumbs going to be the packers quarterback.
- [50:10]
B
Mario, look at that.
- [50:11]
A
This guy. I mean that was what Jordan Love would have said. That's not me.
- [50:15]
B
Good team though. Had a good year last year. I think love's going to take another jump. But the real reason they're right here. I said it before the show. Snow potential. A lot of snow potential here. This in Buffalo. Got a big bump for for cold weather snowy games.
- [50:27]
A
You pro or con wearing cheese on your head. Pro.
- [50:32]
B
We were blessed to go to a Lambo game last year. I had an absolute blast. That's a bucket list. I want it. It was still cold. We had to sit on our cardboard. But that's a place where, if I'm going, I want the frozen to bring the weather. And we were cold, but that can. That can get real nasty.
- [50:45]
A
I was there for week one last year with espn and I'm the only person who's ever nearly passed out of heat exhaustion in Lambeau Field. It was, I believe, 114 degrees. And I decided to wear a hoodie, not. I don't know why. And I was so hot. And the packers lost. It was. It was brutal. Cool place. I mean, like the best stadium you go to on television. I like it because, you know, usually people are bundled up, right? They're wearing.
- [51:16]
B
See their breath coming out.
- [51:17]
A
You get to see how their cheeks get really rosy. You get to see the breath. There's always people on the sidelines. The other team always looks so sad to be there. One of the few stadiums you could see actual ice on the field, right? Like you can see white ice. Packers games end up inevitably producing some of the best weather moments. So I'm with you. Whether the team was good or not, you put them in.
- [51:41]
B
You remind me of something when. About bundling up and blowing out your breath there. I like when the opposing team comes out without sleeves and being tough. And then halfway through the first quarter, the guy that had his shirt off is completely bundled up and you can see the regret in his face. But they try to be the tough guys there in Lambeau in the beginning.
- [51:57]
A
Is there anywhere in America that sells those jackets they wear on NFL sidelines? Except the NFL. Like those big, huge jackets. It's like a jacket a 1910 New York gangster would wear, except it's a football with a football logo and it seems to be made of plastic. Usually, yeah, the.
- [52:16]
B
The gangster versions had their Tommy guns in there, but this is just to cover, I guess, them pads and they're plastic.
- [52:23]
A
It doesn't feel like a comfortable jacket.
- [52:25]
B
No. Certainly wouldn't fit in my closet or luggage. But I guess it's necessary in Lambo.
- [52:29]
A
What's the Packers. What's their fact?
- [52:31]
C
The packers ranked number one in the NFL last year in receiver error. Eight percent of passes were not caught by either Drops not getting their feet in bounds or, you know, know, failing to run the route.
- [52:43]
A
So they are an error prone wide receiving.
- [52:47]
B
Jordan Love would put out.
- [52:48]
C
Yeah, yeah. Jaden Reed was the worst out of all receiver eligible receivers the second worst was Mr. Wicks on the same team.
- [52:55]
A
So the two worst wide receivers in football for heirs were both on the same team?
- [53:00]
C
Yes.
- [53:01]
A
Wow, that's a problem, by the way. You just calling people out like Jaden Reed. Well, I'm sure I'm against him.
- [53:08]
C
I'm sure they're used to it. NFL players gotta have thick skin.
- [53:11]
A
Yeah. I mean, if you're going to be on this NFL Cover Zero podcast, you got to be ready for the heavy heat from Billy and his big foam ball. Better start catching the ball every week. All right, so I'll go next 14. I'll put the Broncos. All right. The reason I say that, they would not have been on this list for a long time, but the reason I put them is Bo Nix is fun. I'm expecting a Bo Nixon. This massive regression year. Mark it down. I watched him play too much in college. He did crazy things. He made crazy decisions. Things just went too well in year one. I think it takes a step back. Sean Payton, like him, always looks when they show him on the sidelines, perplexed and staring up into the crowd. Every time they show him, he always has a look of befuddlement, like. And he's looking in the crowd like, where's my family? I always see that when I play them or when they play, but I do think they're entertaining. I think Bo nix is entertaining. 14th.
- [54:12]
B
Bo Nix is very entertaining. I feel like I watched him play college football for 42 years. I feel like I grew up watching Bo Nix play quarterback.
- [54:20]
A
Speaking of Britain, only quarterback, by the way, in NFL history with only five letters. When you add up the two names.
- [54:26]
B
It'S got to be one of the shortest names.
- [54:29]
A
I did this stat once. It wasn't in Warren Sharp's book, but I did it last year. He's the only player in NFL history who's only had five. Because, you know, if you think about it, four is the minimum. Right.
- [54:42]
B
Because you just got a letter.
- [54:43]
A
Yeah. I mean, what? I don't even know. A human being with only two letters in each name. Mo.
- [54:49]
C
Ba.
- [54:51]
B
I don't have one.
- [54:52]
A
Can you think of one? Can you think of anybody with only four letters in their name?
- [54:55]
C
I'll give you three.
- [54:57]
A
Mr. T. Mr. T. That's not. That's not a. That's not a legal name.
- [55:01]
C
Oh, you didn't say legal names.
- [55:03]
A
Yeah, so? I don't think so. I would bonix the fewest letters in their name of any NFL player in history.
- [55:10]
B
I just thought of another one that ties Bonix. I don't have four.
- [55:13]
A
Have a five.
- [55:13]
B
Ty Law.
- [55:15]
A
Except I think his name is Tyrone.
- [55:18]
B
Touche. I'll put that one back in the jar.
- [55:19]
A
But. So there you go. Just a little fact for you while.
- [55:22]
B
We'Re talking Denver quarterbacks, my favorite preseason moment happened this week. They cut Ben Denucci and he immediately went and did my favorite thing, airport beer. See a tweet, it said, nothing tastes better than getting cut by the NFL airport beer. It was his seventh time getting cut and he tweeted his airport beer. Not a better beer in the world than the one at the airport.
- [55:41]
A
Did he go straight from being cut.
- [55:42]
B
To the airport and it's the seventh time it's happened. And he tweeted his beverage, said, you all wouldn't understand. But getting cut by the NFL airport beer is the number one beer. I haven't had the cut version, but I've had the airport version and I've same wavelength.
- [55:54]
A
Ben, my friend Max Duffy, he played punter for the University of Kentucky for people who don't know. And he tried out for the Broncos, right? And it was a punting battle a few years ago. It was him and somebody else. And I don't know if Max will be listening to this. Max, I'm sorry I'm going to say this, but he lost the punting battle. He still is very angry about the fact he lost the pun B battle. He insisted whoever it was that beat him that he was better than him. And I'm on Max's side, of course.
- [56:23]
B
He'S better than them.
- [56:24]
A
But what I like is Max blamed the the altitude. He said that the altitude is what caused him to lose. And I would ask him, what do you mean? I mean it's not like that guy other guy kicked in a different altitude and he was like, altitude doesn't work with how I kick. Not sure what it means. But I did make the point to him. You're going to have to play in Denver regardless. But he, Max will not go back to Denver because of that.
- [56:57]
B
Well, I remember we were passing through Denver on our on a road trip last year with Max and he didn't wanted to drive around it. I mean we weren't even doing anything related to my coast and didn't think he wanted to go through Denver at all.
- [57:08]
A
Tell me what you got. 15.
- [57:10]
C
You want a fact? Get your sure they were 10 and 7 last year in those 10 wins. They only won one of those games by one score.
- [57:18]
A
Yeah, that's that. If you're wanting to make a case for them to be better. Their wins were not flukes last year.
- [57:23]
B
Yeah.
- [57:24]
C
By comparison, The Chiefs won 15 games.
- [57:26]
A
11. Yeah.
- [57:27]
C
Score games.
- [57:27]
A
So there are people who would. That's a. That is a good, a good stat. All right, what's next for you?
- [57:33]
B
I am. Might be wild card. We'll see. But this will be one of the worst teams in football. But I should. Or Sanders in Cleveland. The quarterback situation. We're interested. Right. I mean, the Browns are going to suck no matter who they go with. But you have 45 year old Joe Flacco and two rookies fighting for a spot. So I have the Browns here at 15.
- [57:54]
A
That's a little higher than I had him. But I don't, I don't think that's a crazy case. I mean, the Shador drama, especially if we get to mid season and the Browns are 2 and 6 or something, then I think you get into does he play? And then you got the Dylan Gabriel piece. Like if they're probably going to play Dylan Gabriel first, would the Browns. Will they give him a chance? Will the fans give him a chance or will they just be calling for Jador? You know, a lot of these rookies, it takes a few games. He might, you know, Dylan Gabriel might not even get the few games to give it a chance. So, yeah, I think there's a lot of interest in the Browns. Another team where people are dressed up a lot.
- [58:25]
B
Oh, maybe the most. I mean, they eat dog bones.
- [58:28]
A
Yeah. I mean, you never know what. But again, back to watching a game with a woman that doesn't like football. Turn on a Browns game, have them show the crowd, and then look at your woman's reaction. She'll be like, what are these people doing?
- [58:43]
B
Have they showered?
- [58:44]
A
Why are they dressed like that? And I'll go, well, they're the dog pound. And you'll go, they'll go, why? I thought their nickname was the Browns. And you don't really have an answer. I don't know.
- [58:55]
B
I have a good dog pound story. I know two guys in Ohio. One's Browns fans, one's Bingles, and they did a bet. Loser or the winner? No winner. Got to take the other one to their, you know, home team. The guy bought tickets in the dog pound. And the Bengals fan went and set in the dog pound. He didn't make it a quarter. It was so rough. In his Bengals jersey.
- [59:13]
A
He was wearing the Bengals jersey.
- [59:15]
B
He didn't know they had dog pound tickets. He said, I'm taking the game. He was telling me a story. He made It a matter of minutes and had to get out the dog hit him. Not violent, but just barking non stop. Relentless for being a Bengals fan right in the middle of it.
- [59:29]
A
I like that. All right, then let's go for my number 16 or. Well, first of all, Browns fact at.
- [59:34]
C
This time last summer, the Browns were favored in nine games before the season started. This year, just one.
- [59:41]
A
They're only favored in one game.
- [59:42]
C
One game this year.
- [59:43]
A
Wow.
- [59:44]
B
Another Browns fact too. What they Pro Football Focus ranked the all players in the NFL and Miles Garrett was number one.
- [59:52]
A
I can see it. I can see it. Plus Joe Flacco. It's going to be nice seeing a 58 year old quarterback. I want to see how that works out. He's old, he's kind of brittle.
- [60:02]
B
I love that image. I guess it's been two seasons ago where they had to call him out of retirement and he's like sitting coach in a southwest flight on his way to save the team. Someone took a picture. He just looks like a dad on his way to Disney vacation. And then a few days later I think he goes and wins the game.
- [60:15]
A
They made him fly coach.
- [60:16]
B
He's just amongst them on this flight to restart his career. And then I think he ended up having a great run.
- [60:22]
A
I'm glad you're using the phrase amongst them. I think that's. It's a good one. All right, I'm going to go 16. Halfway point, Tampa Bay. The reason I picked Tampa Bay, Baker Mayfield is fun. You know, you never know what Maker Playfield is going to do. He scrambles around. I know that's Billy's team. Very attractive people in the stadium. That's another one like now again, another group of dress it up people. This is a lot of women dressing up as swashbucklers. You know, women like to wear pirates. Don't y' all have a festival? It's like they do down there.
- [60:56]
C
Well, there's a pirate ship in the stadium. That there's.
- [60:58]
A
I know that. But there's a festival in Tampa where everybody dresses as pirates, right?
- [61:02]
C
Oh, yeah, I imagine so. Yeah. I don't know.
- [61:04]
A
I thought you lived there.
- [61:06]
C
I did for 12 years.
- [61:07]
B
Seems like you know about.
- [61:08]
A
And you don't remember the biggest festival?
- [61:10]
C
No, didn't remember the festival.
- [61:14]
A
I am fairly certain that there's a festival in Tampa, a big one where people dress up as pirates and it feels like that's a fun dress up. So the combination of that and Baker has em at 16 for me.
- [61:26]
B
What's a pirate's favorite letter R. No, the C. Thank you. Also, like Tampa. I watched. I watched Tampa.
- [61:36]
A
I can't believe I was so mad at you for telling that joke because it was so stupid. And then you actually had a good one.
- [61:42]
B
Everybody. Everybody goes for R there.
- [61:44]
A
They do with you. But Gasparilla, that's the name of the festival.
- [61:48]
C
I had to check it out. Next time I'm down there.
- [61:50]
B
Next time you're down there for 12 years.
- [61:52]
C
Yeah, it was the first 12, though, so it wasn't like I chose where I was going.
- [61:55]
B
Oh, you were a child.
- [61:56]
A
Okay. Still, though, I feel like you should have heard of it.
- [61:59]
B
If I can pay the Bucks a compliment, I watched the entire week one preseason game because they're playing the Titans. Who? The fifth most likable, watchable team in NFL. But Billy, I think you guys are going to be good. The running backs are stacked. The rookies look good. Bucks, I mean, I'm not going to have in the super bowl conversation, but I think you're due for a fun year.
- [62:16]
A
It's another team where they mention an offensive lineman a lot. Tristan. Worse. There's never been a game where they don't bring up Tristan Worfs. I don't know if he has. I don't know if he has pictures that he holds, if he's got pictures of the announcers that he's threatening him, if they. But Tristan Wurfs is mentioned a lot in Gamebrush podcast.
- [62:38]
B
He's pretty good.
- [62:39]
C
Yeah, he's a great left tackle.
- [62:40]
A
All right, so give me a Bucks. Fun fact.
- [62:43]
C
Well, besides Mike Evans tying Jerry Rice for consecutive thousand yard seasons and looking to break the record this year, the 2024 Bucks scored 152 points in the fourth quarter. That was the most in the NFL last year.
- [62:55]
A
Okay, well, they lose Liam Cohen as their offensive coordinator, so we'll see if they'll be able to keep it going. All right, we're going to take a break right here. We are halfway. If you want to pause it and maybe go outside and mow your grass, that would be a weird thing to do, but nevertheless, we could take a little break. We'll be right back. It's NFL Cover Zero. All right, time for part two. We are doing our appointment watching teams. We've done the first 16. Let's go. What's next, Drew? What's number 17? We're starting to get into teams that are harder to watch, but what do you got?
- [63:39]
B
I still like to watch this team occasionally, even though they ripped my heart out many years ago. But the Rams have some potential this year. I'm going to put them here.
- [63:46]
A
I was close to having the Rams. You got them about where I did.
- [63:49]
B
I feel a connection to Matthew Stafford right now. My back is killing me. He has back problems. I feel like if he can overcome his back problems, the Rams might have something I'm dealing with that first, first year without Cooper cup since. I don't know. Since they were in St. Louis.
- [64:03]
A
I don't know. But so what is Matt damage playing or not playing? He's not playing right.
- [64:08]
B
He's got back problems.
- [64:09]
C
He's practicing again.
- [64:10]
A
Yeah, well, I mean I have back problem. He can overcome those back problems can change day to day. Like they're day like you. If you have back problems, you can one day feel like you can do the everything and the next day you can't move right back. Can. Can do either way. I think if the Rams, if Matthew Stafford, if you told me he was healthy all year, I think they're a dark horse super bowl contender. If he's not and it's a Jimmy G experience, then we're at step three of hide your girlfriend. Because Jimmy G, I mean I watch Jimmy G. Like your girlfriend will leave you in a heartbeat. I mean he is arguably the most handsome person to ever play sports. Think about him, Brady, it's like him and Popeye Jones. Those are the two most handsome people to ever play. To ever play sports. But Jimmy G, I. Part of me wants Jimmy G to play because people act like he stinks. I don't think he stinks.
- [65:05]
B
Listen, he's in la. We don't need Jimmy G going and.
- [65:07]
A
Leading them to the Super Bowl.
- [65:08]
B
He's got enough going for him. We don't need him. In former Hollywood, Kansas City's the new Hollywood. But in the old LA LA land we don't need Jimmy G becoming and some a list celebrity because he's good at football.
- [65:18]
A
Like Sean McVeigh. He kind of looks like a guy who would. Who would try to get you to sign up for P45 class or whatever it is those things are. He's, you know, he's always wearing the kind of muscle shirts but apparently it seems like a very smart dude. They sort of create wide receivers out of, you know, they just get tiny guys from anywhere and they end up good.
- [65:43]
B
Added Devonte Adams too.
- [65:44]
A
Yeah. So who didn't do a whole lot last year? I think with the name though. With. With the name. But I enjoy watching the Rams. Great has been the greatest show on turf a couple of times. I think they'll be good again this year. So I think this is a good spot for him.
- [65:58]
B
Have the greatest show on turf. You just took me back to that one yard stop when the Rams ripped my heart out. But then not even just this year with the Rams. They're usually on at 4:30. When we've gone through that first slate, I usually find myself watching the Rams game.
- [66:11]
A
Give me a fun fact.
- [66:12]
C
Slow starts are the name of the game for the rams. They ranked 31st in first quarter points per game. That's down from 10th a year before.
- [66:20]
A
Kind of amazing because on paper you would think they'd be good at that. You know, you get this offensive genius who probably comes up with a scripted set of plays to start the game. You would think Sean McVeigh would be one of the best in the league at scoring a lot of points at the beginning, but it just did not happen last year.
- [66:35]
B
It didn't. And part of that, you know, he's got the coaching tree. I feel like half the league now. Their head coaches have got some connection to McVeigh. So he's been putting out a lot of, a lot of coaches everywhere too.
- [66:45]
A
All right, at 18, I'm going to go with the Dolphins.
- [66:47]
B
Hey, that's who I had next. Look at us.
- [66:50]
A
We really did amazing job. If it wasn't for your stupid Titans pick, we would. We've been pretty, pretty good at putting where things where they are. I have the Dolphins here. A couple things. Enjoy watching Tua. He does scare me. I don't like, like, I just don't want him to get hurt so much that it makes it hard. Mike McDaniel. I think I love to hate because I think he like to love. Oh, you love Mike McDaniel.
- [67:15]
B
You've mentioned all these quarterbacks. Girlfriends might leave their others for my wife.
- [67:20]
A
If Mike McDaniel, I think smack Daniel's hot.
- [67:22]
B
It's not so much. It's that dorky funny.
- [67:24]
A
Like he's not funny.
- [67:26]
B
He's like a teenager.
- [67:27]
A
He's not funny at all.
- [67:28]
B
I think he's pretty funny. Unintentionally funny.
- [67:31]
A
Okay, I'll give you that. But I think he thinks he's intentionally fun.
- [67:34]
B
Yeah, he looks like a kid that just played a bunch of Madden and they picked him up and like, you're a head coach now.
- [67:39]
A
No, he looks like a kid who puts out a rap song in middle school and everyone laughs and then he thinks he's a rapper. Like, I mean, the way he dresses and all that. He's just he's ridiculous. And then those Glenn, he. He's so. I don't know. He's. It's. It's like asocial. But then also at first I kind of thought he was cool. And now, you know, you hear players kind of whispering like, okay, a little bit of a dork. So I don't know. The other thing that works against him is it always feels like there's only 14 to 15 people at the games there.
- [68:16]
B
That hurts them.
- [68:17]
A
It starts at 1 o'. Clock. Most of the crowd gets there at 2:30 and the game is almost over. It just always seems to be really hot there. I'm sure it is, but. But to in and of himself is probably worth six or eight points.
- [68:31]
B
Tyreek Waddle. They got some playmaking. 1pm in Miami is usually when people are leaving the club from the night before. That's why they're slow arrivers. With the McDaniel thing, I like not so much when he's trying hard, but like there's. There's bloopers where he's walking in a stadium and the camera's falling him and he'll just take off running, trying to outrun the camera or a little goofy things in press conferences. He can be a little bit of a try hard. But I like more of the unintentional try hard.
- [68:55]
A
That's a good way to put it.
- [68:55]
B
More of the unintentional comedy right now.
- [68:58]
A
I know you've seen this, Drew, because we've talked about it before, but for those of you that have not ever seen it, take a minute, go Google Mike McDaniel's parents wedding photo.
- [69:08]
B
I'm doing this right now. I don't think I've seen this.
- [69:10]
A
You're not seeing this. Everybody needs to do that. Mario, I want you to Google Mike McDaniel's parents wedding photo. It's one of the great photos. It's one of those photos that kind of shows how like, in America anything could happen. Because you look at that family and you go, can you imagine what that party was like? Like, like it's insane. And. And the dad looks to be one of the. I will say this. His dad looks to be one of the coolest people I've ever seen.
- [69:32]
C
The Afro.
- [69:33]
B
I like Mike McDaniel even more. I don't know how I've seen this before.
- [69:36]
A
I mean, look at the dad. The dad is kind of awesome. And I just want to know what those two families talked about at the wedding. It feels like. It feels like the table would have been Very entertaining as you watch those two groups of people interact, don't you think?
- [69:52]
B
Yeah, absolutely.
- [69:53]
A
It's hard to look at dad. Mario, pull dad up there. Look at, look at, look at dad right there. Does he not look like a fun dude? Like, put everything aside about his son. He looks like a fun dude now.
- [70:04]
B
That I've seen photos of his family, even higher on my list.
- [70:08]
A
Does he go higher?
- [70:09]
B
Swag is even higher.
- [70:10]
A
It is a swaggy family. All right, tell me about fun fact.
- [70:14]
C
Well, Tua's been pretty good at throwing the ball over the last three years. He's been number one in success rate and number two in completion rate on all passes. 15 yards down the field.
- [70:24]
A
15 yards down the field. See? See, if you told me that stat with the way to a played, I would think he's been, like, one of the worst.
- [70:34]
C
Yeah, I would say how fast he throws it out.
- [70:37]
A
But what I'm saying is, like, if he is number one in the league at passes over 15 yards, I would think he's a dominant player because in my mind, he runs so much in the short pass is what he does well. So if it's kind of amazing when you tell me that stat that he has not been played better than he has, you know what I mean? Because I would have thought his weakness.
- [70:58]
B
That'S mostly got to be Tyreek Hill is running as far and as fast as he can, and he's chucking it. I would say Tyreek was on the receiving end of many of.
- [71:05]
A
Probably right. Still, though, that's kind of amazing. Stat. All right, what's next?
- [71:11]
B
Is this one you?
- [71:12]
A
No, it's you.
- [71:13]
B
Oh, back to me staying in Florida. I'm going with Duvall.
- [71:18]
A
Okay.
- [71:20]
B
I like. I like the Cohen Lawrence. There it is. I like the Cohen Lawrence connection. I think that might work. Even though this is a divisional rivalry for me, I think Lawrence might have a little life left now that Cohen's is head coach. And then, of course, Travis Hunter. If he's really going to play both sides of the ball. Anyone that watches football wants to see how this is going to work.
- [71:40]
A
Liam Cohen. For those of you not in Kentucky land, get ready. Because the Liam Cohen experience is, first of all, fun. He's a really good offensive coordinator. I think he's going to really. I mean, listen, he revitalized Baker Mayfield's career with the Rams. He obviously took him to another level in Tampa Bay. He's the reason Will Levis got drafted in the NFL draft. Here's the thing about it. Whatever he says to you and don't believe it when this is a trike. There's not. There's nothing. He could say that I love him, but, like, I'm not going to believe a word he said. True story. When he took the Tampa Bay offensive coordinator's job, I put out a tweet where I was quoting a guy in Tampa Bay that said liam Cohen was the leading candidate. I tweet out, liam Cohen's the leading candidate for the Tampa Bay offensive coordinator job. He calls me up and he goes, where'd you hear that? That's crazy. That's not true. And I went, I mean, it was a guy in Tampa. And he was like, well, it's not true. I don't know why he put that out. Thirty minutes later, it was announced he was taking the offensive coordinator job. Like, he literally, like. I mean. I mean, it's like, did you think. Do you think I'm not going to exist 30 minutes from now? Like, what is the point of lying to me for 30 minutes?
- [72:53]
B
I think his. His old boss in Lexington caught a little bit of a surprise on that exit, too. Y' all can put those pieces together.
- [73:00]
A
Why the 30 minutes, it was like, man, you could have just ignored it. But. So, anyway, I like Liam Cohen. I'm pulling for Duvall. And then you have.
- [73:10]
B
Really good at that.
- [73:11]
A
Then you have Josh Allen there. Our Josh Allen. But I don't. I do not think he's the biggest truth teller in the world.
- [73:18]
B
No. And there's some. Some Lexington stories to back that up, too. But he is a good offensive coach. And the. Travis Hunter is the real reason they're where they are on my list.
- [73:27]
A
All right, I'm going to go next. This would be at number. Oh, first of all, tell me, James. Jacksonville.
- [73:31]
C
This sentence has no other context along with it. Trevor Lawrence is one of the most sensitive quarterbacks to pressure over the last two years.
- [73:41]
A
So, I mean, like, feelings. Yeah.
- [73:43]
C
No, I'm not sure. It's ambiguous according to Warren.
- [73:46]
A
Yeah. I want to assume that. That Warren is not talking about football, like, just in life. Like, if he. If he faces a pressure field situation a little sensitive, he gets a little sensitive. And then. So his wife is like, I need you to make a decision. Where are we sending our kid? Are we going to private school or public school? And Trevor's lines is like, this is too much.
- [74:09]
B
Don't put this pressure on me.
- [74:10]
A
This is too much.
- [74:11]
C
Oh, don't cry.
- [74:12]
A
You're gonna make. It's coming out. You know, not to do this to Me? Please stop. That's what I want to assume. It's like.
- [74:27]
B
Like I was a great Trevor Lawrence impersonation.
- [74:30]
C
Sensitive.
- [74:30]
A
Trevor, this is birthday.
- [74:35]
B
Read the line again. All pressure. What kind of pressure?
- [74:39]
C
No, he's just sensitive.
- [74:40]
B
Sensitive under pressure.
- [74:41]
A
It says he's just sensitive to pressure.
- [74:43]
C
No other content.
- [74:45]
B
I took it as it might be like physical touch. Like can't sit through a deep tissue massage.
- [74:50]
A
You mean like literal pressure? I do. I do. Like that Warren Sharp. I'm going to think about that all year. When things happen with Trevor Lawrence, I'm going to be like that dude. Sensitive.
- [75:00]
B
Oh, if he's goes to the trainer's table, be like, careful.
- [75:02]
A
Be careful with. Hey, hey, Liam, be nice. Things are hard. All right. The reason I had the giants at 20th. Me too. Did you really? Yeah. Is I think it's fun. I think the Giants are fun. First of all, again, sad the sights of Giants fans. When I watch a Giants game, the camera will pan to somebody. He'll just be shaking his head. He's just very angry. As anybody from New York knows, getting to Giant Stadium is a herculean feat. And you can see on their face, they're like, I came all the way out here and this is what we're going to do. And now you throw into that the Russell Wilson experience, which Russell Wilson, Giants fans, that's not going to work. And then Jackson Dart being sitting there right behind him, the fans wanting to play. I think the Giants are going to be entertaining to watch just for this sort of anger purposes.
- [76:03]
B
How did you mention the craziness in that room? Didn't say Jameis. I mean, it's what a.
- [76:07]
A
That's true.
- [76:07]
B
Even with the Browns in the conversation, there's no wilder QB room than what they have in. In New York. I don't think it's going to be a good year for them. Between the jets and giants MetLife probably not going to get a lot of wins this year, but watchable just because of the division they're in with a lot of good teams and what kind of chaos can come out of that quarterback room.
- [76:26]
A
Also, no game goes by where they don't mention Michael Strahan. I think, by the way, can be on fewer shows. I don't think there's, you know, Michael Strahan seems like a good guy to me, but, like, I don't know, he needs to be on everything. I mean, there comes a point where you go, okay, I've got my. I got my straight hand fix. You know, I am good. Good.
- [76:48]
B
TV host. We don't need him on every channel.
- [76:50]
A
I didn't have to be on every channel all the time. Give me a Giants back.
- [76:53]
C
The Giants haven't had a 10 win season since 2016.
- [76:57]
B
It's been that long.
- [76:58]
A
Wow, that's wild. So they haven't won 10 games since 2016.
- [77:04]
C
Almost a decade.
- [77:05]
B
One compliment to them. I think Abdul Carter is going to be one of those dudes.
- [77:11]
A
I completely agree. I agree with you. All right, you're up next.
- [77:15]
B
I went with The San Francisco 49ers here last year, but for a good.
- [77:21]
A
Team, this is very low. I mean, this is.
- [77:24]
B
They were in the Super Bowl.
- [77:25]
A
They were in Super bowl two years ago. And then you got to be 21st and with an offense, with a coach. That's pretty exciting. By the way, I have them this low too, but it's crazy.
- [77:34]
B
Yeah, last year was weird with a lot of injuries. I mean, you go from being in the super bowl to where they went like four or five games. So kind of the interest is just, will they rebound? I've never. Maybe it's because they're the West coast, that 430 slot. I don't focus on those teams as much as I do the east coast, the one o' clock games.
- [77:52]
A
So I don't feel they're still playing on a baseball stadium. I know they don't, but I feel like they do.
- [77:59]
B
But this year especially, I want to see if they've really fallen off or if that was a blip last year and they can put a big back together.
- [78:04]
A
I'm heavily invested in Brock Purdy being overrated. I mean, they gave him all that money. I think it's a mistake. So part of me, I'm going to be rooting against him, which is not fair. Brock Purdy's never done anything to me, but I've just kind of been big on the Brock Purdy as a fluke. And, you know, sometimes you just take an opinion so strongly you have to hang on to it. So I'm going to be actively rooting against them in all the games. Everyone gets hurt for them. I mean, like, they just stay hurt every year. Just everyone's hurt all the time.
- [78:36]
B
I have a soft spot for Brock Purdy because when he did lead them a couple years ago, every game they'd do a graphic of what people were getting paid. It was just all these multimillionaires and like Brock purdy, you know, 17 bucks in an Uber ride home. And we're paying him.
- [78:48]
A
Brock Purdy pays us criminally underpaid that.
- [78:50]
B
Year where he was so good.
- [78:51]
A
Yeah, well, I don't. I mean. Listen, Brock, this isn't anything personal. I just want you to fail because I need. I need to. In a continued argument I have with people, I need to say they shouldn't have given him that much. Give me a 49ers fact.
- [79:05]
C
Speaking of money, the 49ers are one of two teams, along with the Eagles, to have seven players making at least $19 million each. Brock Purdy, Bosa Iuk, Trent Williams, Fred Werner, George Kittle, and CMC Christian McCaffrey.
- [79:21]
B
You know what?
- [79:22]
A
CMC, like, that was a weird thing to call him.
- [79:25]
C
Oh, it's his nickname.
- [79:27]
A
Boys do it Run cmc.
- [79:29]
C
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
- [79:31]
A
You didn't know who that was, right? You just read the. That's what Warren Sharp said.
- [79:35]
C
No, no, that's what I wrote down as an abbreviated Christian McCaffrey.
- [79:38]
B
CMC Billy calls it and just we went full names for every player. Then you're like, I'm a boy. Cmc, by the way, does anything.
- [79:44]
A
I feel like Nick Bosa, he should tell us what he thinks about this. Like, I feel like. I don't know. Just feel like I don't really know his stances. And I'm kind of curious. Do you know why he keeps him so close to the vest?
- [79:56]
C
You know, I'm not sure you should share.
- [79:59]
A
You should let us know because right now, I mean, at this point, I think we're not sure I'm gonna go Next here at 22 with the Seahawks. I think I just like it because, you know, feel like they're always showing somebody pounding on a drum. I enjoy them. They added green to the colors. That was. That.
- [80:16]
B
That was color scheme.
- [80:18]
A
They do have a good color scheme. They always tell me that the crowd is the 12th man. Feels like to me, their crowd is similar to everywhere else. But I keep getting told that it's good. I know Geno Smith doesn't play for him anymore, but I like that they replaced Geno Smith with what is basically just another version of Geno Smith with Sam Darnold. I like the idea of we're just going to just keep doing that kind of thing, but usually the Seahawks are good for a one interesting late afternoon game. So I'll put the Seahawks here because we're getting into bad territory.
- [80:51]
B
Yeah. I mean, some of these games, it's really a struggle. I. The Seahawks need some. Some. Some branding right now. I mean, they had the fun, even with Russell, who's a little bit corny but, like, beast mode with Marshawn.
- [81:02]
A
That's fun.
- [81:03]
B
They've always had that. They had the secondary dk, the secondary. Legion of boom there for a while. I don't really know what they're selling. Maybe they're selling the 12th man, but they need to get some of that back, some star power, or just bring back those awesome uniforms from the early 90s before they added the neon green.
- [81:18]
A
I've said this before in other places, but when I was a kid, ESPN got Sunday Night Football, okay? And when ESPN got Sunday Night Football, they did a new commercial to get you to watch it. Paul McGuire was the color announcer for it. And they created a song. And I remember no words of the song, except one of the lines was, there was a guy on the Seahawks named Cortez Kennedy, okay? And in the song, I remember, the line was something like, if you don't watch ESPN Sunday Night football, they go, Mr. Cortez Kennedy will find your house. And they showed him, like, walking up to your door in a Seahawks uniform. And I was a little scared as.
- [81:59]
C
A child, a little traumatized.
- [82:02]
A
I was a little scared because Cortez Kennedy was a big guy. And since I didn't watch the Seahawks, I didn't really know who he was. And now, fast forward 30 years later, I still sometimes will say, Mr. Cortez Kennedy will find your house. I bet somebody can find that audio. The NFL's got it in their archives somewhere, so that I still stick with that. The Seahawks. It stays in my mind, dad.
- [82:27]
B
So if not Cortez Kennedy, right now, if you were sitting home, the doorbell ring, which NFL player would you want to be at the door the most? They can. Just.
- [82:37]
A
NFL player. That I would. Well, I'd want some. Probably Jason Kelsey. I feel like he would be great.
- [82:42]
B
I feel like he'd be fun.
- [82:43]
A
I feel like he'd be cool to talk to, wouldn't be intimidating. Seems like he'd accept me for who I am without judging.
- [82:51]
B
He'd bring his own beer.
- [82:52]
A
Yeah. So I think Jason, kill the other thing. When I went to law school, there's a guy named Teddy Werner who's now, like, CEO of the Milwaukee Brewers. But he went to law school with me. I always found it interesting. His favorite player was Steve Largent, and he was very wealthy, dressed very well, handsome, like, smart, but he would wear a Steve Largent jersey, the law school class, all the time. I just found that so weird. We're at Duke Law School. My man's walking in a Steve Largent jersey all the Time. That's. So those are the two things I know about.
- [83:27]
B
That was a great breakdown of Seattle this year.
- [83:29]
A
Who's next? What's the next one?
- [83:30]
C
You want a fact?
- [83:31]
A
Yeah. Oh.
- [83:32]
B
On top of all those facts we just did. There's more.
- [83:35]
C
I got more. We talked about Sam Darnold, how he needs time. Right. Well, Warren sharps 20, 25 rankings for Seattle by position. He has their offensive line 30th, so not.
- [83:46]
A
He needs a lot of time and they don't have a good time.
- [83:48]
C
Correct.
- [83:49]
A
Interesting. See, you actually combined facts there. You kind of took Warren.
- [83:53]
C
I went a little above and beyond.
- [83:54]
A
It was like Warren and Billy molded into one fact. But Billy's feeling himself now in these facts. All right, what's next? 23.
- [84:17]
B
23. I don't love this pick here, but that's kind of territory in. I went with the Raiders.
- [84:22]
A
That's who I am.
- [84:23]
B
Kind of interested in the. The Genti experience and just the Vegas games can be fun because they got the little club there. You mentioned Miami in Vegas. They really. They haven't been to bed yet when they're at their games. So just the whole Vegas experience and the curiosity and the rookie running back is why I have them here.
- [84:39]
A
Another great stadium for people dressing up, you know, I mean, although the Raider Nation, they're. They're wearing spikes again. How does that get through security? I've never totally understood. Love that Pete Carroll's there. That's what I'm excited about. 73 years old. Will headbutt you. He is. He's so excited all the time. But in a way I don't find annoying, like everything that, you know, once you get past like a certain age, sometimes people slow down. You question. I don't question that. I think Pete Carroll could beat me up right now. And so I'm going to watch the Raiders. Love the color scheme, love the fans, love Pete Carroll. As far as the players brought Bowers. Really good. Be interested to see what happens. Ashton Genty. But otherwise, who cares?
- [85:24]
B
Some young pieces on offense to go with Geno there. I. I love Vegas and it's. It's fun watching them, but I do feel like the Raiders shouldn't have been the team there. That they don't carry that Raiders brand like they used to. It's a little more flashy. And look at our Vegas strip now when they used to be the big intimidating team.
- [85:41]
A
Yeah, you. It does feel a little. Not exactly what they. What they should be, but I'm excited to have them. The Raiders are, you know, relatively interesting. I will go right here back. I always have to remind me. Go ahead.
- [85:57]
C
Warren Sharp has has dove into rest advantage and disadvantage. And the Raiders have the number one largest net rest disadvantage this year at minus 19 days.
- [86:08]
A
So how do they. How do they compute that?
- [86:10]
C
Like when you have a game on Thursday Night Football and then you've got to turn it around the shorter race.
- [86:16]
A
So the other team will have 19 more days of rest than the. Yeah, I've heard people say that. That's very important. I think where it plays in a lot is when a team plays on Monday night then versus Sunday or even Saturday or Sunday versus a Thursday, etc. So interesting.
- [86:35]
B
Raiders also have the problem. This happens in Nashville a lot, but you're in that stadium, you look up and it's mostly the away team because it's such a destination city. Who wouldn't want to go watch their NFL team in Las Vegas? So they always have a great turnout from the opponent.
- [86:47]
A
Well, another team that has that same problem, which I'm going to say is the Cardinals. I'm putting them next. The reason I'm putting them next, they're always involved in shootouts. They seem to pull up sets. And then Kyler Murray, assuming he's healthy at any given moment, fun to watch. He's just like a little bitty guy. He runs around with his little bitty hands. He throws it. And it's very fun to watch him be little bitty. And I think he's exciting. Even though he sometimes does something, it never feels like to me, his helmet feels fits, though. Have you ever noticed it, like goes down over his eyes? It feels like a lot. I just feel. I think they could do one change to make him a better quarterback. Just getting one smaller size on the helmet because it's just a little big.
- [87:31]
B
I think there's nobody that's more fun to watch scramble than Kyler Murray.
- [87:35]
A
He.
- [87:36]
B
He does like, he just keeps going backwards and making defensive linemen trip over their own feet. This year, I think he probably have his best offense that he's had since he's been there. So if Murray is ever going to work and really take him to another level, this might be the year he can do it.
- [87:49]
A
Have you seen the picture of Marvin Harrison? You know, he. He looks like Batista. Yeah. I mean, he's gotten huge. Like he's ripped. Like, you know, how DK Metcalf used to look. That's how he looks now. I don't know if that's going to make him good, but he's ripped.
- [88:03]
B
Well, when I said the offense has gotten better, I actually had that image of Marvin Harrison Jr. In my head. He's going to be a piece in that.
- [88:09]
A
Big piece in that or give me a fact.
- [88:12]
C
The head coach, Jonathan Gannon, is in his third year. He was the defensive coordinator for the Eagles before he was a head coach. Last year, their defense was 27th. Their first year with Gannon, they were 32nd.
- [88:23]
A
So it got worse.
- [88:25]
C
They got a little bit better, but he.
- [88:26]
B
If he was 22nd.
- [88:28]
C
Calling card.
- [88:29]
A
30 seconds. I got you.
- [88:30]
C
He hasn't been very.
- [88:30]
A
Is he related to Rich Gannon?
- [88:32]
C
I don't know. I don't know that.
- [88:34]
A
It doesn't matter if he is or not. I just was. I just was curious. All right, so you're next. What do we got?
- [88:42]
B
I have maybe, again, maybe the worst team. I got three teams, I think would be the worst, but I have the Saints here. Just.
- [88:51]
A
How could you not have the Saints as the most boring?
- [88:53]
B
Well, they are boring, but I think that's why I want to watch them. I mean, they named Spencer Rattler their starting quarterback. Rattler, like Tyler Shock. When they made that. That draft pick, we're like, is this really the answer? And I think we're going to learn that they are going to continue to suck. So it's more of a. I just want to see how this Spencer Rattler experiment is going to work out when they could have done better in the draft.
- [89:12]
A
I had them last. The reason I had them last is, first of all, always so dark in that state. I don't know why they don't turn more lights on. It feels like it is always so dark in there. That's part of it. They'll do a shot from one of the end zones. You can't even see the other end, though. I mean, it's. It's. So they just need light. And then. I don't think there's ever been an NFL team where I know less players than I do the Saints. I don't know anyone on that team. I mean, who is on the team? Alan Kamara. I think he still is, right?
- [89:49]
B
He is. Yeah.
- [89:50]
A
And then who?
- [89:51]
C
Chris Olave?
- [89:52]
B
Yeah. Got Chris.
- [89:53]
A
Okay. He's still on the team.
- [89:54]
B
He's got Spencer Rattler throwing to him. Should be a great year for him.
- [89:58]
A
Spencer, the fact that you have Tyler Schuck and Spencer Rattler is your two choice. They're going to be off.
- [90:03]
B
And I left out the second part of my point. If Arch Manning actually looks good this year, it's going to be a tank watch for Arch kind of thing with them in the number one pick next year.
- [90:12]
A
But we do we know Arch is good?
- [90:13]
B
No, and I don't think he'll be that. But if he does live up to the billing, there will be a lot of Saints tanking to get the number one pick.
- [90:21]
A
I give me a Saints fact.
- [90:22]
C
The Saints defense may not be good, but they're ranked number one in generating offensive holds. And in fact, it's the third straight year they've been in the top three.
- [90:32]
B
See, these are the stats that are just too deep for me when you're who created the hold.
- [90:37]
A
So they're first in generated offensive holds, which I would just sort of write off as being random. But then you tell me they've been in the top three for three straight years that can't be random. So they must. I guess their defense is such that maybe they are quick.
- [90:51]
C
Twitch Cameron Jordan.
- [90:52]
A
Yeah.
- [90:53]
C
Gets hold held all the time.
- [90:55]
B
Or they teach them to, you know, grab the hands and kind of.
- [90:57]
A
Oh, you think they might teach them.
- [90:59]
B
To sell it a little bit.
- [91:00]
A
Interesting. Well, I'm going to be watching for that this year thanks to you and Warren. How many holds do they do they draw? It was an interesting fact. I guess I'm on up next. I'm going to go the Patriots. I hate the Patriots, mostly because of Bill Simmons. When I was growing up, my friend Trevor liked Washington and I hated Washington even though I love Trevor because I was like, I don't want Trevor to be happy, which you would think with your friend, you're not in sports.
- [91:29]
B
Not in sports.
- [91:29]
A
I just didn't want him to be happy. So I wanted them to lose for them. I feel that way about Bill Simmons. Not my friend. Only met him once. Actually haven't met him at all. Talked to him one time and I listened to almost everything he does. But he's so annoying about the Patriots that I want them to lose every game and when they lose a big game, I just keep refreshing the podcast feed waiting to mock him. So I don't want him to be good. I don't like Drake May I don't like the uniforms. People from Boston, Boston sports fans are usually arrogant and so I'm anti Patriots. But they might be better and that's why I don't have them last.
- [92:09]
B
I had them next here too. I also don't like the Patriots. Just, you know, too many people that latched on to that dynasty that pretend they're lifelong Patriots fans. I'm like, you're from Western Kentucky. Why do you like the Patriots? However, I have a connection to the Patriots.
- [92:23]
A
Oh, what is that?
- [92:24]
B
My peloton username is Bike Vrabel. So Big Variable Guy didn't want him to leave Nashville and I want him to be happy. So even though I don't like the Patriots, I want my guy Variable to have a good career.
- [92:40]
A
Let's go back to Bike Variable for. So I'm going to guess. Just let me, let me guess. I'm going to guess you'd got on peloton during career.
- [92:47]
B
Yeah, when we were hot.
- [92:49]
A
And do you have a Peloton still do.
- [92:51]
B
I'm still biking.
- [92:51]
A
Did you have it before COVID No. So you're one of those people that made the stock, like, shoot up? Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right. You're a clever guy. You like puns. How long did it take you to come up with Bike Variable?
- [93:08]
B
Well, Bike Will Kid Gilchrist was too long. That was my first pick. Like I said, the Titans were hot in that area. Era kind of short there. One thing that's interesting about it is I. I don't know if you all peloton, but you can hide, you can high five just strangers, like, go get them. There are a lot of people who I think think I'm Mike Vrabel because I have his picture also as my picture. So I get it. Like it was more so when it was Titans, but I get a lot of like, tighten up. Go get them coach. And I just want to be like, no, it's just my username Bike Variable. But.
- [93:37]
A
So you're doing like Stolen Valor for Buffer on the bike for Mike Bravel.
- [93:42]
B
I. I've actually never confessed this to anyone, but yeah, I'm Bike Variable on there for. For my guy.
- [93:46]
A
Do you still do Peloton? Like, I know that was huge, but I don't even talking about anymore.
- [93:50]
B
It's been about a year and a half for me. So you stop paying the. Well, I. I do. They have a lot of other stuff on there I use, like stretches.
- [93:58]
A
You stretch on it? Yeah. Isn't it a bike on the bike?
- [94:01]
B
Like once you're a peloton member, I can pull it up on tv.
- [94:03]
A
I mean, can do you have. I mean, you could stretch on your own, right?
- [94:06]
B
I am, but I like fit people to tell me I'm doing it and I can just kind of watch them and I'm like, well, he has an ab.
- [94:11]
A
I remember on TikTok there was a woman who got kind of TikTok famous. She was Like I think an instructor. Right. And she'd be facing you and she was very attractive and she'd like, she'd go, go, you can do this. Yeah. And then she'd be dancing and all this and. And I wasn't riding a bike, but she had me just moving in my chair.
- [94:31]
B
She works for ESPN now.
- [94:33]
A
Really?
- [94:33]
B
Jen, I think is her name.
- [94:35]
A
Jen what?
- [94:36]
B
Simpson. The peloton instructors are like, they all became their own little celebrities over time.
- [94:42]
A
Really?
- [94:42]
B
Yeah.
- [94:43]
A
Huh. Well, good for her. I haven't seen her riding on the peloton on my, on TikTok. But I was gonna buy a peloton during that period. Glad I didn't because I thought, you know what? A month later, I won't do it.
- [94:56]
B
I don't regret it, but I probably need to get back on it. It's been a while. Gotta get the clothes off of it.
- [95:01]
A
All right, you're next. Or what's. First of all, what's the Patriots fact.
- [95:04]
C
Could be a good year for Vrabel. The Patriots have the easiest schedule in the AFC and the second easiest in the NFL.
- [95:10]
A
They do have a very easy schedule. The 49ers who we talked about earlier, I think have the easiest schedule. But the Patriots schedule, if they're decent, they could end up making the playoffs. All right, what's Next? We have six more. This would be, I guess what, 27.
- [95:25]
B
27. And I am going to Atlanta for the sophomore Michael Penix experience. I feel like Atlanta hadn't been good in a long time and maybe he's given them a lot of. A little bit of faith. They had some explosive games a year ago. Basically with what's left on the board. I would turn to Atlanta if I'm watching a game.
- [95:44]
A
Yeah, I haven't been really interested in Atlanta game since Michael Vick or the Dirty Bird dance thing about the Falcons for me only means one thing. Chris Myers is going to be on my screen. You know, Fox's Chris Myers only calls NFC south games. Really? I think he only calls Falcons games. I mean, I, I've listened to him say, welcome Back to Atlanta. 13:10, three minutes to go. Panthers have the ball. I think that's happened 83 times in the last four years. Yeah, so I'm not, I'm interested with Michael Penix because he's so old as a, as a second year player and people forget him in that draft class. But this is about where I would have put him. I might have even put him lower. Billy, give me a Falcons.
- [96:30]
C
Yeah. Before the season last year they signed Kirk cousins to a four year, $180 million deal.
- [96:35]
B
Crazy.
- [96:36]
A
He's still on the team like after they give. After they get. Take his job.
- [96:38]
C
He's still on the team, including 100 million guaranteed. He went 7 and 7 and was benched to Michael Pennix, who they drafted with the 8th overall pick.
- [96:48]
A
Yeah, that's your fact.
- [96:50]
C
Yeah, that was it for Atlanta.
- [96:52]
A
Warren. Did Warren take Atlanta off?
- [96:55]
C
Well, it was more just like, wow, that decision still.
- [96:58]
B
I'll give you one. They haven't won more than eight games since 2017.
- [97:04]
A
Wow. So like the, like the Cowboys and the Giants with those crazy stats and the NFC hasn't even been great. You would think it would happen. All right, I guess I'll go next. I'll take the jets again. Part of the reason I picked them like with some other teams, sadness. I mean the amount. And then there's guys who have the, like the firemen, you know, there's people that they play roles. It's kind of like they're their own.
- [97:30]
B
Celebrities at these games.
- [97:31]
A
The jets are kind of like, you know, the village people of football. They have the jets plumber. You have the jets fireman. I am excited. I like Justin Fields. I got a soft spot in my heart for Justin Fields because he was in Chicago. I want to see him do well. And then that defense is really good. Their defense is awesome. And I do have to assume that when they hold teams to 50 yards and still they have to be so angry at the offense. I would love to be in the locker room when the jets defense is just furious at the offensive guys.
- [98:03]
B
I do love some Sauce Gardner, one of the better personalities in the league. But if you're watching the jets this year, you're probably just checking on Fields. They're not going to be good. Might win four or five.
- [98:14]
A
Good. I actually I, I think they win seven or eight. I think they're going to surprise you because I think Justin Fields isn't as bad as people think and I think that defense is great.
- [98:28]
B
So their schedule though is not doing them any favors in that division and some of the other games they have.
- [98:34]
A
Yeah, I'm going to take your. I don't know what the over under is, but assuming it's probably like five and a half or something like that, I'm going to take the over. Give me a Jets fact.
- [98:41]
C
We've been talking streak. The Giants were the one that haven't had a 10 win season since 2016. It's the jets that haven't had a winning season. Since 2015.
- [98:53]
A
And sad. I just. I just. I want good things for the secondary teams in New York. I always feel bad for the jets, the Mets, the Mets, the Nets, they all rhyme. The jets, the Mets, the Nets, the Islanders. I kind of always feel sorry for those people because it feels like the Devils, they're also. I guess that's the New Jersey Devils. And I feel like those people, they always have to look at Big brother being rude to them. I feel some sympathy.
- [99:23]
B
I do, too. And I know some of it's just kind of where you grew up in New York, but you also had an opportunity to pick one of the other ones and no one was gonna say anything. If you're from New York and you like the Yankees, no one's gonna call you out. But it's like you chose that existence.
- [99:34]
A
I think some of it is like kids, like, like rhymes.
- [99:37]
B
That could be a little easier to teach the kids.
- [99:39]
A
Jets, Nets, Mets, it's easy. But when you go Rangers, Knicks, it's harder.
- [99:46]
B
That's got to be it. That's the reason.
- [99:48]
A
Yankees, Yankees. Yeah. All right, you're next.
- [99:53]
B
I have the Houston Texans next. What is this?
- [99:56]
A
Okay, so let's. We're at 29. The Texans are legitimately good and they are so boring that even though they're legitimately good and have a quarterback that if we did this last year, would have been ranked as a top five to seven quarterback, we have them at 29. And by the way, I'm not saying you're wrong. I had them at 28, so.
- [100:16]
B
Won a playoff game last year and gave the Chiefs a good fight, if I'm not mistaken, in the second round. But they're just. I mean, they're the Houston Texans. They're kind of boring. They're in the AFC South. Stroud's good and they are a good team. They're going to run away with the south easily this year. But I just. If it's Texans game on, it's one of the teams I'm watching the least.
- [100:36]
A
I'm going to sit here and think. I don't want to speak too quickly, but, Mario, I think I'm going to say, I don't think I've ever watched the Texans game in my entire life.
- [100:48]
B
Oh, come on.
- [100:49]
C
Those playoff games?
- [100:50]
A
No, because they're always on Saturday at 1 o' clock and I'm doing something.
- [100:54]
C
Yeah.
- [100:55]
A
I don't know. Have I watched. I like Aaron Foster, at least when he's on podcasts.
- [101:03]
B
Yeah, he's been gone a while. David Carr next on the list. J.J. watts gone too.
- [101:13]
A
Can you all think of one Houston Texans moment?
- [101:18]
C
Andre Johnson. Fighting Cortland Finnegan.
- [101:21]
B
Related to the Titans. Well, winning the playoff game last year was a pretty big deal.
- [101:26]
A
That was two years ago, wasn't it?
- [101:28]
B
Didn't they win last year, too?
- [101:31]
C
Let's see.
- [101:31]
A
But you're probably. We should know this regardless.
- [101:34]
B
The Texans, even in the playoffs, isn't something I would have thought of a few years ago. Till they got Stroud.
- [101:39]
A
Yeah, I don't think I've ever seen him play. I've never met a Texans fan. That's a.
- [101:44]
B
That's for sure. Yeah.
- [101:45]
C
Beat the Chargers, then lost to the Chiefs.
- [101:46]
A
Yeah. Yeah. Well. Oh, no, I do remember the Chiefs game. Okay. I do. I did actually. They could. They kept that close. So I take that back. The first ever Texans game I watched was last year. Divisional playoffs. Divisional playoffs against the Chiefs. I do, I do vaguely remember that game. Give me.
- [102:05]
B
They are going to have a good record again because that division's so bad.
- [102:08]
A
Give me a Texans fact.
- [102:09]
C
Yeah. Despite all that success, their offense ranked 29th in overall efficiency.
- [102:14]
A
Really?
- [102:15]
B
Yeah.
- [102:15]
A
And they got. They won a playoff game. 29th. Yeah. C.J. stroud had a big regression year, so be interesting. 30. When guys have a good rookie year, a bad second year, the third year usually decides their career. If you look historically. So it'll be interesting to see what they do. I'm going to go 30th. I'm going to take the Panthers sneakily. If you're like me and you are a Chris Meyers, Stan, you would have known that the Panthers were kind of fun at the end of the year last year. Bryce Young's good. Xavier Legrette, they, they beat up on some teams towards the end of the year. So I think Bryce Young, I don't know if he's good, but I think he's better than probably the average football fan realizes because you kind of wrote off his career and then he came back, you know, last year after he won the job back. So, yeah, I'm kind of, I'm kind of in on the Panthers. 30th is obviously pretty low. I'm not that in on him, but I do, I think they'll, they'll have their moments.
- [103:12]
B
I went to a real life Panthers game shortly after he was picked. It was one of his first games. It was hard to watch. I was like, like this guy has no business being a starting quarterback. Can't believe he's the number one pick. This is a horrible experience. Experiment but then last year, as you said, he kind of turned it on, and they've got some optimism around him right now. They just lost Thielen back to the. To Minnesota. But they've got one of my favorite people in the entire league, Xavier Leggett, in that accent. So I actually want that to work out, really, just for Xavier Leggett.
- [103:39]
A
The problem with the Panthers is Charlotte is basically just one big bank, and their stadium is kind of a bank, too. It's just. If you've ever been in Charlotte. I lived in Charlotte one summer. It's a very sterile city, and it feels like everything is a. Is a Bank of America lobby. And that's kind of how I feel like their stadium is. Is, too. But. But other than that. I also don't like their logo, but other than that. Yeah, yeah. I'm just. But that's why they're third. They're not the worst, though.
- [104:10]
B
Yeah, they're third to worst.
- [104:12]
A
They're third to worst. Give me a fact.
- [104:14]
C
My fact is about Bryce Young and his finish over the final 10 weeks. He threw 15 touchdowns to six interceptions and had multiple touchdown passes in each of the season's final three games.
- [104:23]
A
See? Might be good. I'd be fun to watch them. I think they open with the Jaguars in a game that. Before I even. I knew you were talking about a game I knew Chris Myers was going to be on. When I saw Panthers Jaguar, I knew it was Chris Myers. And then Fox released it a couple weeks ago, it was Chris Myers. Like, that was. That game was made for him. What's next? You're getting to decide here what team is not coming in last. So go. Two choices.
- [104:52]
B
I mean, I've already made my decision without knowing how this would play out. I got to go by what I have written down, and I have next. The Chargers.
- [104:58]
A
All right, Chargers.
- [105:02]
B
What can I say about the Chargers?
- [105:04]
A
Have zero faith. There is no one in America, okay, that can prove they're a Chargers fan.
- [105:10]
B
I remember the COVID draft year where they would do a zoom and they'd have fans at home. And the Chargers came up and they just had, like, helmets because no one would even get on that zoom. Remember, they would have, like, 15 fans in their living room.
- [105:23]
A
Nobody was there.
- [105:24]
B
And then they're like, Chargers. We didn't really get anybody.
- [105:26]
A
I think they had that, like, one woman.
- [105:28]
B
I think that went. I think she went viral that night because she was, like, the one.
- [105:32]
A
Yeah, she was the one. The one Chargers fan, Jim Hart. And they might be good. I mean, they Might be really good. Like, they're. I think I was listening to some podcasts that had him as the number five team in the NFL, and we have them at 31. I mean, it could be the case that Chargers in the AFC Championship game, and we feel stupid with it, especially with you having the Titans at number five.
- [105:55]
B
All right, Bears at number six. Let's slow down on getting them in the championship game. But there is potential with Harbaugh and Justin Herbert. I like to. In the preseason, Harbaugh was out tailgating with the fans. He's at least trying to find fans and bring them into games.
- [106:10]
A
Let's be worried at the game.
- [106:11]
B
But Antonio Gates and Ladanian Tomlinson and Philip Rivers are.
- [106:15]
A
Those people were eating at a restaurant across the street, and he said, I'll give you $50 if you come stand next to my car and act like you're going to this game.
- [106:20]
B
Please come watch my team.
- [106:22]
A
Yeah, I can't act like I care. I mean, I do like their. I do like their cool. You know, I think the color of the uniforms is nice. I like when they wear throwbacks. They're very rarely on television. It feels like Sunday Night Football against the Chiefs once a year is usually when I see them play, but they could be good. Justin Herbert is legitimately, really good. He needs one big win. I think he gets it this year, but I can't put him higher than 31.
- [106:49]
B
They won the hall of Fame game a few weeks ago. Beating the Lions get you a little fired up about the Chargers.
- [106:55]
A
It's always weird that they play that game. It's always in early July and now.
- [107:00]
B
Like, it's just an extra game and it's preseason.
- [107:03]
A
Yeah. What do you got?
- [107:04]
C
Well, Warren Sharp agrees with you. He says the Chargers don't have a home field advantage, so every game is either an away game or a neutral game.
- [107:13]
A
No, he's right. They have the least home field advantage of anyone because when the other AFC west teams play, they invade their stadium. I mean, when the Chiefs and Broncos especially play their many more Chiefs and Broncos fans. And then you have people. You mentioned this about Nashville and Vegas. There's people who say, hey, I want to go to la. This is a good chance to go to la.
- [107:34]
B
And tickets will be the Chargers.
- [107:36]
A
That's exactly right. So the way it goes, all right, that means last place, the most boring team to watch in the NFL, the Indianapolis Goats. Don't disagree. The other team. Stadiums too dark. By the way, they were. They were next to last on mine Stadium. Sue Dark the one thing that was interesting is in what way will Anthony Richardson fail this year? Now you get Daniel Jones. I mean, if you were to look up poor guy. I said not if you look up poor guy. But if you were to look up. I think he's very poor. If you look up boring quarterback, you're going to see Daniel Jones. I mean, went to Duke or Goggles when he was in high school. I mean he's, he is the Colts, right? Games always at 1 o'. Clock. Feels like most of the time they're playing the Titans.
- [108:25]
B
And they won like 17 in a row against the Titans.
- [108:28]
A
Yes. And it is, it's just not interesting. And they. Every game is 17, 14. And I just, I can't think of anything that would make me want to tune into a Colts game. And they're only a couple hours from where we are. And I never have once thought about going to a game.
- [108:46]
B
Well, I hate that their stadium for Kentucky basketball final four reasons. But the Colts are what I have as a rivalry in the NFL. As you mentioned, they play the Titans a lot. Had their number for many years. So I genuinely hate them. I have like an actual hatred for the Colts. However, right now I feel a little bit bad for them that just two years ago they had a top five pick, had several options. We're about to get our quarterback from a future. You blink, you wake up and Daniel Jones is your starting quarterback for the year. Like how did that happen in the span of a year and a half? But it happened to them and I want the worst for them, but this might actually be too far for them.
- [109:22]
A
It's interesting you said that you. You hate them because they're your rival. I think if the NFL.com were to do a piece best rivalries in the NFL it would be.
- [109:31]
B
It'd be low on the list.
- [109:32]
A
Last place would be Colts, Titans. I wouldn't have even thought you were a rifle. You're not even that close to each other geographically.
- [109:39]
B
There was a time when in the AFC south those two were good and the Jaguars sucked and the Texans were getting started.
- [109:45]
A
But Billy, do you agree with me in terms of ROC rivalries near the bottom?
- [109:49]
C
Yeah.
- [109:49]
A
Yeah.
- [109:50]
B
I don't think the Colts would even.
- [109:51]
A
Claim that would be like somebody that goes to Colorado State going. We have a huge rivalry with Wyoming. You don't understand.
- [109:57]
C
Not even the Colorado game.
- [109:58]
A
You don't even understand how important that game is. That's what I would feel with that one.
- [110:04]
B
What do you think the old Kerry Collins, Peyton Manning showdowns in the NFL the best.
- [110:09]
A
Historically, the best is Bears, packers.
- [110:11]
C
But recently Steelers, Ravens, Steelers, Ravens Thanksgiving game.
- [110:15]
A
Yeah, Steelers, Ravens. I think recently has produced the best games. Historically. I think most people would probably say Bears, Packers. But yeah, I mean I make it a point to watch every Steelers Ravens game.
- [110:27]
B
Yeah, I have one I mentioned I used to go to Chiefs games a lot. The Chiefs, Raiders. It's died down a little bit. But back when they were both really good, it was nasty in Arrowhead when.
- [110:38]
A
The Raiders were in town in its heyday. Cowboys, Eagles, Cowboys, Giants Cowboys Commander like Cowboys Niners had a good run in their heyday. But for me in the NFL now, I mean I the only games that I'm like, I gotta see because these rivals are fun to watch each other is Steelers and Ravens. Yeah. All right, what's your fact?
- [110:59]
C
It's been rough over the last two seasons with Anthony Richardson. Out of 55 eligible quarterbacks, Richardson was last in accuracy, last in completion rate, and 50 out of 55 in TD interception rate.
- [111:12]
A
And if only someone could have seen that coming with the fact that he also wasn't good in college and he also wasn't good in high school.
- [111:18]
B
My favorite is Kentucky beat Florida and after the game a Kentucky defensive back tweeted heisman question mark that boy Hot Dog water is what he said about Anthony Richardson. I don't even know what that means, but that was his takeaway after the game.
- [111:33]
A
Hot dog water is a mean thing to say. Well, I Hope everybody enjoyed first episode of NFL Cover Zero. What'd you think of Warren Sharp's preview impression?
- [111:42]
C
Very analytical. Deep dive.
- [111:44]
A
Is that worth $74?
- [111:46]
C
Oh yeah, 100% has my recommendation.
- [111:49]
A
Well, good if it has Billy's and you're ready. Thank you all very much for listening. Click on the little subscribe button. Especially for those of you that are in areas that you don't know us. Tell a friend about it. Or, you know, just recommend it to one person. We'd appreciate it. We will be back next week. We will preview week one and hopefully have a guest for you. This has been NFL Cover 0. 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. This is an iHeart podcast.