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Scoop City: Inside The NFL
Why the Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson Week 1 showdown will live up to the hype
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- [00:01]
Narrator/Host (Ad Read)
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- [01:14]
Diana Rossini
Ready to order? Yes. We're earning unlimited 3% cash back on dining and entertainment with a Capital One Saver card. So let's just get one of everything.
- [01:22]
Mike Silver
Everything. Fire everything.
- [01:24]
James Palmer
The capital one saver card is at table 27 and they're earning unlimited 3% CA.
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Diana Rossini
Yes, chef. This is so nice.
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James Palmer
Had a feeling you'd want 3% cash back on dessert.
- [01:35]
Diana Rossini
Ooh, tiramisu.
- [01:36]
James Palmer
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- [02:28]
Diana Rossini
Wait, there's like a season of where all the animals are trying to meet.
- [02:31]
Mike Silver
Yeah.
- [02:32]
Diana Rossini
And it's September.
- [02:34]
James Palmer
It's right now. Yeah.
- [02:36]
Diana Rossini
Football.
- [02:36]
James Palmer
Watch out. Aggressive moose, guys. Aggressive moose could be out there.
- [02:41]
Diana Rossini
What's the plural of moose?
- [02:42]
James Palmer
Moose.
- [02:43]
Mike Silver
Moose.
- [02:45]
Diana Rossini
Mooses.
- [02:53]
James Palmer
Welcome in on a Wednesday to another edition of Scoop City presented by ebay. We are here. There is a game tomorrow. It'll actually matter. There are players standing in Brazil right now as we record this. We'll have a game Friday before a massive slide of games on Sunday. Don't forget to like, don't forget to subscribe. I have to say that every week. Diana, how are you? Good to see you again. I'm joined, as always, on a Wednesday by the athletic senior NFL insider, Diana Rossini. Diana, I know you're stoked for today and there's been a lot of text.
- [03:23]
Diana Rossini
Messages about today all morning long. I'm trying to work and you're just texting me. We've got Silver. Silver's joining. Silver's coming on. Silver's gonna stop by. Swing by 5 minutes, 20 minutes. We never know with you. Mike Silver. What's up, buddy? Thanks for hanging out with us, guys.
- [03:41]
Mike Silver
This is so fun to be here in Scoop City environs with two of my favorite humans and two people who know everything about what's going on in the NFL. I'm glad you guys have been texting all. I went for a run and I'm refreshed and ready to talk football.
- [04:02]
James Palmer
Yeah, you told me this morning once I get caffeine in me, I'll start thinking. And I hope that caffeine hit you, Silver, and you're ready to rock here because we are going to break down. You spent some time with the Bills. So we're going to talk about the Bills and the Ravens. A monster game. Could it be the AFC title game? Would the Chiefs not play in that game with Patrick Mahomes? Who knows? We're going to talk about second year quarterbacks. Might be one of the biggest storylines that's talked about throughout the course of this year. With all of those guys going in the first round a season ago, who's on the right trajectory? We'll break that down, all three of us. And then we'll also be talking about Jackson Dart, the second quarterback taken in this year's draft and when could we see him on the field? Because outside of maybe Diana, our fan favorite and our favorite player in the NFL, Jarrett Stidham, outside of Stiddy, Jackson Dart maybe had the best preseason out of any quarterback that is out there. So this is what we're hearing around the league. Diana, what is your take on what we could see Sunday night between for the first time ever, the MVP and the runner up for the MVP playing in week one against one another? Are we making too much of this or does the hype really is it appropriate for a week one game?
- [05:25]
Diana Rossini
It is perfect. In fact, I would argue it should have been the season opener game. I know it's got to be the super bowl champs, I get it, blah blah blah. But to me this is more exciting because of who's at the quarterback position and how these teams are built. When we talk about rosters because we're at that time of year where we're just we don't have any football to discuss, we can just go. Based on what we're observing and seeing and looking at on paper of what these teams look like, I would argue that the Ravens have the second best roster in the NFL right now. Right. We think the Philadelphia Eagles, I think we think the Detroit Lions are up there as well. The Ravens are in there. And then you look at the Buffalo Bills where they're a team that's constructed a little bit more around their the main piece and that main piece of course being the league MVP last year in Josh Allen. But they've resigned a lot of their players this offseason. Brandon Bean was busy doing contracts isolated last three busy being was at they.
- [06:24]
Mike Silver
Call him bbb but I don't think it's for busy.
- [06:27]
Diana Rossini
I don't think it is either. Oh I just got that. So I think just look you have a story in Buffalo right now of it's actually credit to Brandon being here where they are signing up, signing up a lot of the guys that he drafted and they are building something not just for now but for the long term here. So in terms of the hype and the excitement headed into this, I feel like both teams are entering this thing full steam ahead. We don't have that injuries outside Isaiah likely which we reported on a few weeks ago that he was dealing with a foot injury. He had surgery and I was told that he's most likely expected to be back in the lineup probably later September. They're going to obviously try every single week but realistically that probably makes more sense.
- [07:14]
Mike Silver
You know, there's a lot of intrigue in this game. And let me start with the most important layer of that and that is you talked about the last two MVPs. Well, it was a really tough decision as to which one should b MVP last year and Diana and I were both voters. I wrestled with it really hard. I ended up picking Josh Allen. I had seen him play two transcendent games after getting hired by the Athletic. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. Jackson both had MVP caliber seasons last year, by the way. So did Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Jared Goff. I mean it was a monster year. So that's the first layer. But the second layer is the the Ravens did not play well in that game last January and they came back at the end and would have tied it had Mark Andrews done what he normally does and catch the ball. And you said Isaiah likely with the foot injury, unlikely to play. But that just puts even more spotlight on Mark Andrews who we weren't sure if he'd be back with the Ravens. He is. And so I think if you're the Ravens, it's not just that you lost. You didn't show out in that key moment. Other than that they are very similar teams in that they have the transcendent quarterback. They absolutely believe they are super bowl victory caliber. But they haven't done it as Patrick Mahomes has continued to dominate that conference. And I had the same conversation essentially with Sean McDermott and John Harbaugh over the summer, which is, hey, everyone says they're not breaking through. They got to do something major to change it. And in their mind, each of their minds, it's, you know what, we're just going to keep swinging, we're going to keep knock on the door and eventually we think we can kick it down doing it the way we're doing it. So this game, the winner or loser of this game, they're still both going to be in great position to have a great season. But I feel like it stings the Ravens a little more just because they didn't play the way they wanted to play.
- [09:17]
James Palmer
Silver. Let me ask you this. After talking to Both Harbaugh and McDermott who actually are two of the most entrenched head coaches that we have in this league. I think McDermott's at like year nine. I think Harbaugh's at what like 12 or something like that. Who has more pressure on them when you talk to them and you feel in that building to get this Chiefs like monkey off their back in the AFC. Who who feels it more maybe.
- [09:42]
Mike Silver
Definitely Sean McDermott. He's never been to the super bowl or wanted as a head coach. John. John Harbaugh beat his brother in the super bowl. So, yes, he wants a second one really badly. But when you beat your brother in the super bowl, like, you're kind of made for life. So, yeah, definitely Sean McDermott.
- [10:01]
Diana Rossini
In terms of the quarterbacks, I was thinking about this earlier. I feel like we've spent a lot of off seasons dissecting Lamar Jackson, what he needs to get better at. I think everyone can agree that he is the best athletic quarterback, or at least the most athletic quarterback in football. And I think a lot of people have criticized different parts of his game, but I feel like after the last two seasons, the way he's been able to develop, grow even in the Todd Monkin offense, this is the best version, I think we've of Lamar. His ability to pick up the blitz was criticized a lot the last few years. Not an issue last year. Calling out protections. Not an issue last year. Right. So all the things that I think people have been trying to just be maybe a little too picky about, that's not the issue. Those aren't problems. Which. Which makes me think that the, you know, the Baltimore Ravens probably have the best chance of going to the super bowl this year than any other year over the last 10 years.
- [11:02]
Mike Silver
They are my pick. I have not publicized that yet, but.
- [11:05]
James Palmer
Publicized mine, and they were my pick. They did it on Monday. Let's go, baby.
- [11:09]
Mike Silver
I picked himsies, I think, like Palmer, but, you know, Di. That's right. And I think, you know, watching him in practice this summer, what struck me and what always strikes me is just the comfort level back there. And I know that when you can get away from virtually anyone in the world, it makes you more comfortable. But he just is so unbothered when he's back there. And that doesn't mean he's going to take off and run. He can and he's great at it, but he just is not stressed. And he's so good at throwing the football. All the things you mentioned with the Monken offense and all of Lamar's growth. And yet I keep coming back to, he didn't come out and play great in that game in Buffalo, nor did he in the championship game the year before against the Chiefs. And, you know, he did turn it on and looked Lamar and led them to what should have been a tying touchdown drive. And maybe he would have won it, and who knows what would have happened the next week against the Chiefs.
- [12:15]
Diana Rossini
But I Think I know the answer. And James, I think I know for you, too, but I'm curious. Like, one of my favorite questions to ask defensive coordinators are, you know, how do you stop Lamar? Right. The answers are so funny because I feel like I get real specific game planning when I'm asking about Josh Allen, if I'm asking about Patrick, if I'm asking about Joe Barr. Lamar, it freaks out every offensive coordinator, head coach in football. Like, he. He's the one. They're like, he gives us such a headache. No one wants a game plan for him because you can't.
- [12:46]
James Palmer
It's more like a prey little. Like, I hope things go our way. I hope there when you talk to defensive coordinators, because I've done this and I love that you brought this up and this wasn't playing guys. This is. We're just on the same leg with that all the time. I. It's a lot of. I hope our offense scores. Yeah, I hope. I hope we put some points on the board, like, and I hope we do it early. Like, you hear that all the time because they say, like, it's just so unique of a challenge. The way he toys with line of scrimmage. I always hear, right, like, he'll run. Like Silver was saying, like, he'll run, but, like, he won't look to run sometimes, and then he'll just stop before the line of scrimmage. And now you're stuck in this bind about whether you cover him carrying the football or he's still going to throw the football. And the growth that I hear of now going into what is this year three for Zay Flowers and how that connection has grown, and he didn't play in that divisional game out there on the outside, and now you bring in somebody like DeAndre Hopkins, who we've all known for an eternity, and you put him in there to just maybe even help Zay with some of the nuances, like he did with some of those receivers in Kansas City Ravens know, like.
- [13:48]
Mike Silver
If you're meant to be a Raven, they. Eric DaCosta will eventually get you on that team. Like, you know, like your guy, Steve Smith, Aqua Bolden, obviously Derrick Henry.
- [13:58]
Diana Rossini
Like, we appreciate that Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are on the same team. Like, we know it, we see it. Take a step back and think about that. The two best runners in football are on the same squad.
- [14:11]
Mike Silver
It's insane. Imagine just. It's. It's like mid fourth quarter, you're gassed. You've been told all week about how dangerous they both Are you're staring across the line trying to hang on and now they're running a zone read and you either have to crash and try to hit Derrick Henry low and hope you don't get run over. And by the way, he's getting stronger or you have to not go for the fake and then beat Lamar around the edge and help contain him. Yeah, but you know, I also want to shortchange Josh Allen because when you talk about growth, yeah, Lamar has grown every year to his credit, but I don't know if I've ever seen a quarterback grow the way Josh Allen has in terms of you can't coach accuracy. They always tell us. For decades I've been hearing the one thing you can't teach and coach up is accuracy. Well, apparently you can because when Brian Dabel had him as the offensive coordinator of Buffalo, he went from like not quite the Anthony Richardson level, but like.
- [15:14]
James Palmer
It was like 50% or something like that 50s accuracy.
- [15:18]
Mike Silver
He was running around like a madman because he had no other choice and he got to like 70. And so, you know, give. Diana mentioned it. They're, they're very star heavy. They're kind of all built around Josh Allen in that orbit. But what, what a testament to his growth too, over the years that he has become this hyper accurate thrower.
- [15:43]
James Palmer
Before we move on Silver, I do want to talk about this real quick because go to the Athletic find Silver's article that he had with Deon Dawkins, who I think we all agree is one of the most colorful personalities in this league. We all love talking to him in the locker room, the number of times I've sat at his locker on a Friday and him tell me about what he's going to karaoke during a party on the weekend and just awesome.
- [16:05]
Diana Rossini
I love the karaoke song, by the way, if you had one.
- [16:08]
James Palmer
I have so many. We have a karaoke machine. We also. So we do it probably twice a week. I'm not gonna lie. Meg and I are karaoking regularly.
- [16:17]
Diana Rossini
Come home from a hard day's work. Like, let's just.
- [16:19]
Mike Silver
You can Google, put on Donna Summers.
- [16:21]
James Palmer
Meg, I had a rough day.
- [16:24]
Diana Rossini
I swear I just did that this weekend. I said put on Donna Summer on the radio. What is wrong with you?
- [16:32]
Mike Silver
You can Google. Go ahead and Google Michael Silver, Sports Illustrated, karaoke, jumping Jack Flash and tell me how you it's been immortalized in the pages of the greatest sports magazine in history.
- [16:47]
Diana Rossini
So right now, if I said we had to do this and you wanted to win, do you have A song that you know you could nail.
- [16:54]
Mike Silver
Yes, it would be Shooting Star by Bad Company is what I would do.
- [16:58]
James Palmer
And it would be easily the Humpty Dance by Digital Underground. 100%. This off season, I was visiting my good buddy as Phil brought him up. Steve Smith. And I did it when Steve and I went to a karaoke bar and I did it in a packed house in Charlotte. And Steve was my backup dancer actually behind me while I crushed Digital Underground. Humpty Dance.
- [17:18]
Mike Silver
Awesome.
- [17:19]
James Palmer
John Holtz Silver, like, you had this article that you wanted to write, obviously about the Protector of the Year award that Deion had a big, big part in, and now there's going to be an offensive line award. But also he talked in that piece a lot about, like, he will kill himself to protect number 17, and he will make sure that his, you know, his quarterback is clean. What is the mentality of that off right now? Because we're mentioning all these different pieces around Lamar. It's a little built differently the way it's built around Josh.
- [17:52]
Mike Silver
Yeah. And I think James. And thank you for mentioning my Dion Dawkins article. It's at the Athletic. I think people really like reading about him and the legacy he hopes to leave behind now that he's helped create the protector of the year and he believes he's eligible, even though that'd be a weird look, he doesn't think he should not get considered for the first protector just because he helped create it and he's good enough to be considered. But, you know, one thing that has really struck me about the Bills, you know, last season and going into this season is Josh Allen is freer to just get the ball to the open guy in his mind and as good as Stefan Diggs was and is, you know, there was a pressure that kind of came along that. With that, that, well, he's our guy. We got to get Digg heavily involved at all times. Gabe Davis, I think, was a guy that Josh Allen felt a responsibility toward. They were very close. Gabe Davis was trying to make that jump to elite receiver. So Josh felt like a burden to get Gabe Davis a lot of balls. And he's now back, I guess, on the practice squad. He's had quite a journey. But, you know, the Josh Allen who went out there last year was just kind of like, look, I got all these dudes, you know, it's kind of more like Mahomes, like, hey, whoever's open, whoever's around, I'm just going to get them the ball and we'll roll with it. And so there was a lightness of being that Josh Allen had. So when Dion Dawkins talks about the responsibility of the offensive line and that he feels, you know, I just. He's like, I don't want to be the one to cost him the MVP because he doesn't have time to throw. They all love Josh Allen. But I think one reason there's so much harmony right now is that it just doesn't feel like there's any pressure that any. Anyone has to be the guy.
- [19:49]
Diana Rossini
Yeah, it's such a minor part of this game, but also it could be significant depending on how things shake out, because, you know, both teams are. I'm expecting them to score a good amount despite the fact that both defenses are really good. But we just. We just know how good these quarterbacks are. But I think special teams could actually be part of this. Right? The Bill's got the new special teams coach, the new kickoff rules. Justin Tucker is no longer there. And if you look back historically, in Buffalo's opening weekends, they've allowed touchdowns three out of the four last years. So special teams has been a little bit of a problem. So I know it's kind of dorky and minor, but it could be something significant to kind of put a bow on. On this conversation about super dorky.
- [20:32]
Mike Silver
I agree. And probably it'll decide the game, and then you'll clip this and Diana will look smart as usual. I want to remember. I want to remember prediction of the week that in the first game of last year, Isaiah likely came down with what would have been one of the most epic, dramatic touchdowns of any season. Looked to have, I think, tied the game against the Chiefs and maybe went ahead. I could try to remember. And they went to. They went to review it, and he was ruled out by, like, two blades of grass. And, you know, because it was a nationally televised night game, there were extra camps, cameras. Whereas if it had been just like a Sunday afternoon game, they might not have had that camera that could show that angle. So that's the margin of error in these games. And of course, at the time, we could have said, oh, Baltimore's trash. They didn't win by two blades of grass. I think they went.02 and then went on a run. Obviously, they were there, you know, when it counted. So let's not draw too many conclusions from Bill's Ravens. I think this is just one we just enjoy and say, hey, I think if all. All things, you know, being the way we expect them to be, we're either going to see these Two teams play again or each of them will play the Chiefs, but they'll be in it in the end.
- [21:54]
James Palmer
Yeah, I think that call was indicative, Silver, of the way the chief season was going to go as well with the way some of these breaks went throughout the course of the year. I'll put a bow on this before we move on. Right before. Yeah, exactly. I'll put a bow on this before we move on to these quarterbacks. I was told multiple times during the season, talking to defense, it was like the Bills are built to beat you between the hashes. We don't have to worry about anything outside the numbers at all. Can Keon Coleman be that guy in year two to where defenses do need to respect the entire field? We know Josh Allen can put it anywhere. He just wasn't putting it outside the numbers because they couldn't have anybody that could attack defenses out there. That would add an element if Keon Coleman can take a jump in year two. Don't ask my buddy Steve Smith, by the way, about Keon Coleman. He'll have some opinions there.
- [22:38]
Mike Silver
Does he play special teams?
- [22:40]
James Palmer
I don't think so.
- [22:41]
Diana Rossini
Someone found a letter you wrote me on the radio and they told the world just how you failed now.
- [22:51]
James Palmer
All right, our three viewers just left. Now this is just for us, guys. Let's go to these second year quarterbacks. Diane, and.
- [22:58]
Diana Rossini
And then, listen, I couldn't get my karaoke song out of my head since we were talking.
- [23:01]
James Palmer
I saw earlier when Silver was talking, you were kind of like singing to yourself and there's a microphone in front of you and I understand.
- [23:07]
Mike Silver
Oh, Mick Silver on Squib City. You do not want to see Mick Silver.
- [23:11]
James Palmer
Oh, Silver.
- [23:12]
Diana Rossini
Let's check these quarterbacks, baby.
- [23:13]
James Palmer
Listen, they're in kind of different spots. They're all over the place. So many of them were taken in the first round. We're going to to the ones that we have the most question marks for. And then if we have time, which I think we will, we'll get to kind of Jaden Daniels and Bo Nix, two of the guys. We're just curious how big the jump will be in year two because the year one was so good. I want to start with Michael Penniks, which was the one that everybody was going. He was picked where, like what? They just got Kirk Cousins and now he has three starts in his rookie year because of Cousins issues back into the season turning the football over, health or whatever you want to call it. He's now the guy in Atlanta and talking people down there. There's two kind of quick stories I want to tell about why they're so excited about Michael Penix. One, I was told that because of his arm talent, because of the way he sees defenses, because of what they see he can do compared to Kirk Cousins, they literally changed what they want to do offensively during this off season. The offensive staff got together and says, we need to make it like this because Michael can do X, Y and Z that we couldn't do last year. We need to change what we do offensively because of the talent. This guy. The second part was in just those three games. They learned very quickly to when he came back to the line, when he came back to the sideline after a drive, when they said, what'd you see? He could go through the drive and go, well, on this play they showed this. And I had to go here. And then on this play I saw this. So then I had to go here. And then the coaches, when they went back to the tablet were like, yeah, he's right. Yeah, yeah, he was right again. Yeah, he was right. And like, they were like, okay, he sees it. So now we can do this, this and this. They couldn't be silver. More exc. About Michael Penix in Atlanta. We'll see. Nothing's happened yet, but he has skilled guys around him and they really believe they have a star in the making in Michael Pennix.
- [25:07]
Diana Rossini
How much do you believe that the Falcons knew he would be this good when they drafted him?
- [25:14]
James Palmer
I think that was the issue, Diane, because my understanding is they never intended on picking a quarterback in the first round, let alone the top of the first round. That's why they did the Cousins deal. Then they went and worked him out privately and on the playing back, my understand is they were all like.
- [25:31]
Diana Rossini
This.
- [25:32]
James Palmer
Guy'S like, really good. Like, if he's there, I think we should take him. And like, they didn't think that would happen. That's how quickly they fell in love with Pennix.
- [25:42]
Diana Rossini
Yeah. And. And now the Kirk Cousins situation still, I can we call it looming. Right. Because he's there. He doesn't want to be there.
- [25:52]
James Palmer
I'm surprised.
- [25:54]
Diana Rossini
I mean, I am, but I'm not. Not. I'm not surprised, but I'm surprised. I thought by now Atlanta would want to move him to just not have that situation there. But obviously, you know, from their perspective, they've not getting the right trade offers yet. They may be better off holding on depending on how the season goes in terms of injury. And they haven't been able to find any Team that's willing to pay the price that they're looking for, which I heard was pretty steep.
- [26:18]
Mike Silver
I love how the Falcons regime is like, man, I can't believe this guy Kirk Cousins who can't do anything was here. Thank heaven we have Michael Penix who even got that Kirk Cousins guy over here for all that money. Oh, it was us right before we drafted Michael Pennix. Like guys, you're the ones who paid them so. But listen, I was sold on Michael Penix on that fourth down play with the season on the line against the Commanders in that night game late in the season when he threaded that ball to extend the game, they ended up losing the game. But Michael Penix can sling. I'm excited about that. And so, you know, we haven't seen lot of him, which is more than we can say for JJ McCarthy who missed the whole season. But to me Michael Penix remains an unknown. I'm excited though.
- [27:08]
James Palmer
Yeah, you mentioned McCarthy Silver. This is wild guys. There's been 35 quarterbacks drafted in the first round from 2015 to 2024. Two never started a game their rookie season. One of them is JJ McCarthy, the other is Jordan Love because somebody named Aaron Rodgers was sitting there, but that's it. So like Diane, have you spent some time this offseason around Kevin o'? Connell? What is the like this is the biggest unknown I think we have out of this group because we just didn't see it. And he didn't even get like a Patrick Mahomes not playing rookie year where he ran the scout team and was out there and showing coaches what he had through a rookie season. He didn't play because of Alex Smith, he couldn't do anything because of the knee injury. What is realistic out of the game gate for, for J.J. mcCarthy?
- [27:56]
Diana Rossini
Well, I think they've been realistic about the situation entirely viewing him as a true rookie. So to your point of yes, he is not taking a single snap so we can't call him a second year quarterback. He is truly in his rookie season here. When I spent time around them, they seemed so optimistic and confident that he can run this offense. The quarterback specifically, the way he was understanding what Kevin was asking of him seems to be seamless at this point. He had some up, up and down days that we reported. Alec Lewis, our Vikings reporter at the Athletic kept us up to date every day on, on everything he was doing. And it appeared that as camp went on, J.J. mcCarthy just got better. Like getting that playtime was just helping improve his his actual play out on the field. So look, I don't think anyone in Minnes sitting there going, we expect JJ McCarthy to play at the height of Sam Darnold in this first year. I don't think that's realistic and I think they understand that. I think there's a lot of patience, but also a lot of hope that he is talented enough that maybe he can pull off a lot of really good wins, especially considering the fact that they've surrounded him with such a good roster and a very good defense, specifically. So I know the work has been done. I know they believe in him. I know he's the guy according to them. But I don't think the expectation should be that he's going to come flashing and flying out of the gate here, blowing us all away.
- [29:37]
Mike Silver
You know, we talked about karaoke, so I don't know how you feel about Love Story by Taylor Swift, but that's what I think of when I think of Kevin O' Connell and JJ McCarthy. Because let's think about the restraint that Kevin O' Connell had to exercise. JJ McCarthy was not a factor as a rookie. You know, we saw him in the preseason, it looked cool. You know, I think there may be some questions about his maturity and readiness that you can't really answer when someone's on ir. The Vikings had a team kind of built to win. Now that he thought they could contend last year and had a great season until the playoffs. Sam Darnold, had he not just face planted in those last two games, the game against the Lions that decided the number one seed in the playoff game probably would have been back. I think Kevin o' Connell felt comfortable not bringing Sam Darnold back because he kind of assumed that Daniel Jones, who was the next reclamation project, would just stay on as a hedge for JJ McCarthy. Daniel Jones wisely read the room, saw what was going on in Indianapolis and was like, I can beat out that 48% passer, I'm pretty sure. And did. And Anthony Richardson. And then Kevin o' Connell was like, huh? Well, Aaron Rodgers and I are talking. What's he done so far in the NFL? He's won four MVPs. He's a future first ballot hall of Famer. He's one of the best to ever spin it. And he started to look pretty good last year as he came back into form coming off the Achilles. So I think it's hard to say no to that and be like, yeah, I'm just going to bring Aaron in for a year, let JJ Prove it and grow and learn behind one of the all time greats and take this team built to win now and try to win now. The fact that Kevin O' Connell felt comfortable saying, Nah, JJ's my guy, ride or die without a viable backup, I think tells you he's. It's not like not in love, like, you know, romantic love, but the closest thing football has to offer. It's a love story, man. I mean Give. Give Kevin O' Connell and JJ McCarthy credit, man, they are tethered at the hip.
- [32:04]
James Palmer
But what happens if they don't make the postseason?
- [32:07]
Mike Silver
Well, what happens to love stories when you know you've seen enough rom coms? James, you know what happened to tell everybody my Mike? You know, I think that, listen, this franchise has been trying for a long time to draft and develop a franchise quarterback. So even if this season goes poorly, I don't think they're going to panic. I think they're going to say, hey, we're trying to build it around J.J. mcCarthy but you know, it's the NFL. Whenever a team coming off a good season has a bad season, it starts to get weird.
- [32:41]
James Palmer
Well, who he's going against in this game is probably the one that's the most scrutinized out of the entire group and that's number one overall pick Caleb Williams. He will be going against Brian Flores defense, which, yeah, I'd love to do that in the new offense. I'm running from Ben Johnson and let me just get Brian Flores right out of the gate. That's just, that's just not fair. It seems like I want to ask both of you this question because I was thinking about this this morning. We have scrutinized everything about Caleb Williams throughout this entire process and maybe rightfully so. But may, you know, it's been overdone. We talked with Zach Key for when we were talking about the developmental of quarterbacks. Diana on here about how that shot of him throwing into a net or not throwing appropriately into a net has been shown 7,000 times and that's. I took the under there. What happens if this works out and Caleb has a really strong year? We find out he is the guy, the talent is there. Obviously we knew that. But Ben Johnson gets it out of him. Would there be a. I know that now that I say it, it probably won't happen, but would there be a way that we start to maybe trust the process of developing a quarterback and that would benefit the head coach and the quarterback? And we just went, oh, okay, this was the process with Caleb. Yeah, like we shouldn't scrutinize every day the way it is. You're gonna have success through failure.
- [34:03]
Diana Rossini
No, it's adorable. The thought is adorable, but that's just not how it works. Right.
- [34:07]
James Palmer
Like, it's me and my utopian NFL society.
- [34:10]
Diana Rossini
If it's figured out through them, let's say they have all the success together and you just state what it was, which is obvious, that they had the right coach, the right quarterback, and it's a perfect match. It's still not going to translate to every other team and every owner that's picking their head coach and their quarterbacks and making sure that marriage is going to work. It just does. Everyone wants results immediately, and the lack of patience is the problem, which is what we talked about in the last show in terms of why. Why we can't figure out how to develop quarterbacks the right way and why we see so many fail. I think there was something like 52 or 56 different starting quarterbacks last year in the NFL. Is it.
- [34:50]
James Palmer
Browns played like five.
- [34:52]
Diana Rossini
So do you see the Browns?
- [34:54]
James Palmer
I think they played like four or five.
- [34:55]
Diana Rossini
I think they did four. I think. I do think it was four. Look, I think if this works, it's just great for the Bears, and it's great for Ben Johnson, who appeared to have taken his time over the years to really wait for the right moment to step into the ring and become a head coach. It also says a lot about the previous coaching regime. Right, because they weren't able to get out, get the most out of Caleb Williams. And I'm sure it's going to say a lot about the former quarterbacks that were there and those coaches as well. So. So, yeah, I don't think it's going to set a standard of, okay, this is how. This is the formula. We know the formula works. The hard part is, is figuring out which matches are right, which ones work. So, look, I don't think that this is going to be an offense that looks like it did in Detroit. I think that was the idea initially. I think a lot of people thought that's what we were going to see. But from what I can gather, they have made a lot of tweaks because they have to, because Jared Goff and Kayla Williams are not the same quarterback and they don't have the same amount of experience. So it would be foolish, actually, you know, it would be dumb if Ben Johnson walked in there and gave him the same playbook that he gave Jared Goff, because there's no way he'd be able to do it. You can't you can't compare the two.
- [36:15]
James Palmer
Does this work, Silver?
- [36:18]
Mike Silver
You know, I think the bottom line is they fired their coach and then he had an interim. And so you can say this is the process of how we were going to develop a young quarterback. The bottom line is it failed last year. You know, they, they had to fire someone and hire someone else. Obviously a reason that Ben Johnson got hired is because of their belief of what he can do with a quarterback, the way that he and Jared Goff made beautiful music together in Detroit. But, you know, I think we're just going to have to see how it looks. And by the way, guys, I will be at both NFC north games this weekend. Very excited. Going to see Micah Parsons and the packers host the Lions and then I'll Chicago for that Caleb Williams, J.J. mcCarthy clash. So I'll have much stronger opinions about this coming up.
- [37:10]
James Palmer
We'll always have you back, Silver. We will always have you back. I know there's a couple quarterbacks we really didn't get to. We have been Chatty Cathys on here, but there's not a lot you can add about Jayden Daniels with one of the best rookie seasons we've ever seen. Bo Nix with an outstanding year. I think there's some questions about Drake May. Obviously he might have the, the least desirable setup out of all of these guys as they continue to turn that roster over in New England. But I do think he has a really good offensive mind in Josh McDaniels with him and with Caleb Williams. I will say I think Colston Loveland is going to be a big, big part of that offense. To my understanding, I think that's going to be a big safety blanket for him. And I don't overlook the fact that you went and got somebody like Joe Tunney to be a part of your offensive line. Just what he does for everything around him. Even if he's not the player he was when he first arrived in Kansas City, it's still very, very valuable. Silver, you're a. You're the goat. You're my North Star. This was the first of many appearances here on Scoop City in 2025. Coming up next on Scoop City, presented by ebay, we're going to talk about Jackson Dart. When is he going to play? We know Chase says Halloween. What does Diana think? More of that coming up next. You saw that play when your quarterback dropped back, looked off the safety and threw a dime deep for the go ahead touchdown. Well, that's not just Hallworthy, that's wall worthy and you can own a piece of piece of it when you shop the unrivaled selection of trading cards and memorabilia on ebay, the home of collectibles since 1995. Huddle up with 132 million users around the world to find that rookie autograph you can't find anywhere else. Premium trading cards, singles and sealed boxes. Unreal Live Card Breaks Truly unique game use memorabilia. All the epic finds you need are right here on eBay. Plus, with the eBay authenticity guarantee for trading cards, you know what you buy is the real deal. Collect with confidence by downloading the ebay app on the App Store or by going straight to eBay.com TheAthletic that's right, your collection journey kicks off right here, right now@ebay.com theathletic come through and collect with us today. Par le tu francais hablas espanol? Parl italiano. If you've used Babbel, you would Babbel's conversation based technique teaches you useful words and phrases to get you speaking quickly about the things you actually talk about in the real world. With lessons handcrafted by over 200 language experts and voiced by real native speakers, Babbel is like having a private tutor in your pocket. Start speaking with Babbel today. Get up to 55% off your Babbel subscription right now at babbel.com acast spelled B-A B B E L.com acast rules and restrictions may apply.
- [40:04]
Narrator/Host (Ad Read)
If you love to travel, Capital One has a rewards credit card that's perfect for you. With the Capital One Venture X card, you earn unlimited double miles on everything you buy. Plus you get premium benefits at a collection of luxury hotels when you book on Capital One Travel. And with Venture X you get access to over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide. Open up a world of travel possibilities with a Capital One Venture X card. What's in your wallet terms apply.
- [40:30]
James Palmer
Lounge access is subject to change. See capital1.com for details. Scoop City all right, welcome back to Scoop City on a Wednesday presented by ebay. As always with the athletic senior NFL insider Diane Rossini, I am James Palmer. Diana, you broke some news this morning. I was texting with you going, hey, yo, this is a biggie. I don't think people understand how big this news you broke was for what they're trying to accomplish in year one with Aaron Glenn and the Jets.
- [41:01]
Diana Rossini
Yeah, James Elijah Vera Tucker. He is going to be out for a significant amount of time. He has been easily the best offensive lineman for this New York jets team and this is so unfortunate. He's been dealing with injuries. It appears to be almost every single season. And there was a lot of hope that he was obviously going to have a significant role in an offense that is not hiding what they're going to be. Right.
- [41:25]
James Palmer
Yeah, they should lead the NFL in rushing attempts, you think?
- [41:28]
Diana Rossini
Aaron Glenn has basically screamed to the top of the Empire State building, we are going to be running the ball. And a lot of that is because they have a quarterback who's so good with his legs and that is going to be his strength and they know that's how they're going to possibly win some games this season. So a really big blow for the Jets. Something, you know, usually I feel like when we're going to report about a guard having a significant injury this time of year, it's. It's bad. But this is one of those that's going to be really tough to camouflage because he has such a significant role on this offensive line and especially the way this offensive line is built. So this will be hard to mask. So unfortunate news for the New York jets, it's his tricep, which, as we know, those things are weird. You know, if he's got to get surgery, he's going to probably be out, so he's going to go get that looked at and we'll probably know more by Sunday at least of what the future is. But obviously some bad news for the Jets.
- [42:25]
James Palmer
Yeah, this looks like it's season ending. It's a big blow. You mentioned how good he is against the run. You mentioned how well he's played this camp. He's playing on his fifth year option, so he was looking for also a payday. We always look at the financials of this too, after the 2025 season, whether that was going to be with the jets or somewhere else. I know Aaron Glenn and company liked him and wanted to.
- [42:47]
Diana Rossini
They love him. He's a captain, too.
- [42:49]
James Palmer
Yeah, just became a captain. Talked in the media on Monday about. Yeah, that's a, you know, that's a big blow. Just when you get started trying to regroup what you are top to bottom, like what the jets are trying to do.
- [43:02]
Diana Rossini
James, I got texts from coaches on the former staff going, oh, man, what do you know? Tell me. Like, he's such a great guy. This stinks. Like, you don't get that all the time on players, you know, but you don't.
- [43:13]
James Palmer
That's a really good point. That shows the character, shows the work ethic, shows kind of who he is and how guys, you Know who even aren't there anymore are rooting for Elijah Vera Tucker. Now, let's stick with the New York team. Diana, I teased it. We're going to talk about Jackson Dart because he has been named the backup. He is going to be ahead of Jameis Winston, who is still going to be on that roster. And it's going to be Russell Wilson, as it always has been throughout the course of this offseason, as the starter for Brian Dable. But you cannot dispute, and I said it at the top of the show, the way Jackson Dart performed in camp, performed when he was in games and playing in all three of these preseason games, that the point I wanted to get to is not only has Brian Dabel picked Jackson Dart, which that was his guy and they put in maybe more work than anybody in evaluating quarterbacks. He also looked like he was preparing him to see if he could play him in 2025. Maybe it's in a break glass in case of emergency. I'd love for you to sit, but it seemed like he almost answered every. Every test that was given to him by Brian Die.
- [44:19]
Diana Rossini
Every test that Brian Dieble gave him. Guess where Brian Dibel learned that from Bill Belichick. That's a good old Bill Belichick way of let me just cause a stir and throw as much as I can at a young quarterback to figure out if they can solve the problem. And the thing is, sometimes in these tests, it's not even about passing it. It's just about, can you at least get close to figuring it out? And from what it appeared, Jackson Dart did a really good job of solving some problems. Not all of them, but he did a good job when he was put to the test by Brian Dall. I read an article that Brian Dabel just walked right up to Jackson Dart. Didn't say good game after one of the preseason's games. Didn't say like, good job. Just said, I love you, man, and walked away like, oh, I mean, he said the L word.
- [45:08]
James Palmer
I have skills right now. I don't know.
- [45:10]
Diana Rossini
I love you. Right? You don't say that to someone that you don't think could possibly save your job. You're not throwing the L word around.
- [45:18]
James Palmer
No, we don't throw the L word around.
- [45:20]
Diana Rossini
Yeah, it took me a while. It was like four dates. And then I was like, okay, maybe I'll say it.
- [45:23]
James Palmer
Four dates.
- [45:25]
Diana Rossini
Just kidding. That's really aggressive inside.
- [45:29]
James Palmer
Wow.
- [45:29]
Diana Rossini
I think it was like four years.
- [45:31]
James Palmer
Seriously. So, dad, I'm still waiting for it. No, listen.
- [45:41]
Diana Rossini
I just think this is what's important. And I hate to be the conservative dork in this city that we live in together, but I ran into Brian Dable at Dairy Queen the other day, which I know is.
- [45:54]
James Palmer
What'd you get? I'm an Oreo Blizzard guy. If you had a butterfly blizzard, we can't be friends, but go ahead.
- [45:58]
Diana Rossini
Chocolate Reese's Pieces, Blizzard standard. I wish I could say I ate it. I did not, because I had Mikey and Joey with me, unfortunately, and they had their scoops of vanilla ice cream that they were just throwing all over the place and being.
- [46:12]
James Palmer
Way to represent the brand. Diana.
- [46:14]
Diana Rossini
Yes. Being very misbehaved. I was very embarrassed in front of an NFL head coach to have children that were acting like aliens, so. And by the way, they. I was. Yeah, I was yelling. I was doing all the things and they just were not listening. I was trying to be like, this is, you know, mommy's at work at Dairy Queen, you know? Anyways, my takeaway from a quick conversation, there was no serious, serious football talk. You can't do that with a foreign 2 year old screaming at you.
- [46:43]
James Palmer
Reese's Blizzard.
- [46:44]
Diana Rossini
Yeah.
- [46:45]
James Palmer
So what do you think, coach?
- [46:48]
Diana Rossini
Mikey, Stop biting him. Get off him. Mikey's yelling, go Birds. He did that. He said, go Eels, not go Birds. But that's still ridiculous. So look, my, my, my big takeaway. And it's. It's nothing breaking. But the patience that the Giants have to have is. Is real. I understand they may not have it. They may not be given that they may have to play him if Russell Wilson turns out not to be great. But every head coach wants to be able to give his rookie quarterback some time to continue to learn. And I know Chase would be screaming at me right now and yelling, well, you only get the experiences of if you play you.
- [47:31]
James Palmer
There's two schools of thought, though. There's. There's plenty of great head coaches that believe sitting matters. Patrick Mahomes has raved about his year of sitting and how that mattered to him and how that developed him. I think both answers are right. Honestly, I think it's what's best for your player. And that's what Brian Dabel needs to figure out.
- [47:49]
Diana Rossini
Correct. And look, we'll talk about it. And I don't think it's something you gloss over. It's the schedule. It's who they're playing, how many. Zach Kiefer on our show was so perfect because we're to reference that show forever and if you didn't hear the show, go back and watch it. Or and if you don't want to watch it, go read his article over at the Athletic is obviously still up there.
- [48:09]
James Palmer
Don't steer them away from watching it. No, don't read his article. We did the entire interview. We clipped it off by itself. It's a beautiful 24 minutes. It's way better than the article. Make sure you spend your time with Zach there.
- [48:21]
Diana Rossini
But we talk so much about the scars that are built up, the scar tissue, so to speak, for these quarterbacks where you could really mess them up if you put them in too early or you put them in the wrong position. Bad habits are formed and ptsd, I think in some cases where it's just the situation is not healthy for them, it's not smart for them, it's not safe for them, it's not good for the organization and the organization's future. So I think everyone needs to temper their excitement for it because it is exciting to think about Brian Dabel being with a stud. Right? We haven't seen it. We saw snippets of Daniel Jones being good with Dabel, but we all want the Josh Allen. We're searching. We're like, come on, this is going to be the guy. So maybe this guy is at Jackson Dart, but I can tell you the Giants just kind of want to settle, chill. Let's give the ball to Russell Wilson until we don't have to anymore.
- [49:12]
James Palmer
I think it's worth mentioning if you talk to anybody in Buffalo about that first year with Josh Allen, they didn't want him to play. He was thrust into playing that rookie season. They wanted him to sit and Brian Dabo and Josh Allen figured it out on the fly. I think this time around, Diana, he might be a little bit more prepared to not have to figure it out on the fly. Because you look at what everything he's done with Jackson now, people would also say he spent three years with Lane Kiffin. He's been with Brian Dabel for a full offseason. I think he's calloused enough to play in the NFL right now. But I think you look at what Dayball did that first year with Josh Allen, everybody really saw what was to come. And obviously Josh deserves a lot of the credit, too, for taking it to the next several levels. But with Dabal going and figuring out how quickly he picked it up, Joe Shane can talk about it at length when he's spoken to the media about how quickly Jackson Dart has picked things up and you look at the little things he's done in practice by taking the headset out and just seeing if he can adapt. Throwing him in there for just one play in the middle of Russell Wilson playing. An exact thing that would happen to you if you are the backup getting put into a game, having a conversation at halftime with Jackson, Dark going, allowing him to speak to you. Right, Diane, Allowing Dark to come to him and say, I want to go up tempo in the second half. Can we do that? Having that conversation and that freedom and that trust with your young quarterback, I think is huge. And so I think all of these are, to circle this back, are tests that Dabel's making sure he's checking off whether he's at Dairy Queen or not. He's thinking about it, going, I think he's passed a lot. Obviously, I'd like everything to go great and I don't have to play him, but I think he's going to be really prepared when that moment comes. And it could be for one reason or another, there's a reason he's coming onto the field. We don't know what that would be, but I think they're going to be more prepared this time around than maybe they were with Allen when Bay was there in his first year.
- [51:02]
Diana Rossini
I agree. I agree. And there's something about that quarterback room and the importance of it. Two things for you, quickly. One, what could Brian Dable order at Dairy Queen that would have bothered you? Because I saw what he was eating. What would have annoyed you?
- [51:18]
James Palmer
I will send him a text if you tell me this is what he had. If he was eating a Butterfinger Blizzard. Oh, terrible, terrible choice. The Reese's is very acceptable. That would be my second choice after the Oreo Blizzard, which is a staple.
- [51:34]
Diana Rossini
He had a small cup, a small, little tiny cup with him because he was with his young daughter. Also, I. I don't think we're really appreciating that. On a show called Scoop City. I ran into a head coach at an ice cream place.
- [51:50]
James Palmer
Yeah, I'm surprised you didn't like that. Could be our new logo. If you would have snapped a photo of you guys with scoops of ice cream and, you know, or you could have got a video of Dable going like, I love Scoop City and I love scoops of ice cream. And, you know, that's pretty bad. I gotta workshop that.
- [52:07]
Diana Rossini
It's hard not to be corny when your show's called Scoop City. It is hard. I love the name, by the way. People always comment on the name to me, like, I don't know if they've come up to you about it and it's always like a little tongue in cheek. But yeah, I dropped the ball. So I'm sorry about that, partner.
- [52:23]
James Palmer
It's okay. It's okay.
- [52:24]
Diana Rossini
Next time I go to Dairy Queen, just post up at the Dairy Queen. In my town, we're learning, we're growing.
- [52:29]
James Palmer
And we're talking about this Dairy Queen. You got a couple east coasters. We're not Rita's water ice. And yeah, I did get my Philly accent back out for that. I called it water ice. Rita's water ice. Okay, coming up, we have one more block here on Scoop city as we continue our discussion about summer's favorite treat, scoops of ice cream or winter ice. And we have an interesting question that's been posed to us, Diana, that I think you're going to enjoy. You saw that play when your quarterback dropped back, looked off the safety and threw a dime deep for the go ahead touchdown. Well, that's not just hall worthy, that's wall worthy. And you can own a piece of it. When you shop the unrivaled selection of trading cards and memorabilia on ebay, the home of collectibles since 1995. Huddle up with 132 million users around the world to find that rookie autograph you can't find anywhere else. Premium trading cards, singles and sealed boxes. Unreal. Live card breaks. Truly unique game used memorabilia. All the epic finds you need are right here on eBay. Plus with the eBay authenticity guarantee for trading cards, you know what you buy is the real deal. Collect with confidence by downloading the ebay app on the app store or by going straight to eBay.com TheAthletic that's right, your collection journey kicks off right here, right now@ebay.com theathletic come through and collect with us today.
- [54:01]
Narrator/Host (Ad Read)
As you've probably heard by now, we've teamed up with BetMGM. This season we'll be using BetMGM lines to make all of our picks and and we'll have special offers for our listeners each week. If you haven't signed up for BETMGM yet, use bonus code theathletic and you'll get a one year subscription to the Athletic plus up to a fifteen hundred dollar first bet offer. On your first wager with BetMGM, here's how it works. Download the BetMGM app and sign up using bonus code theathletic. Make your first deposit of at least $10. Place your first bet on any game and claim your voucher for a one year subscription to the Athletic. See betmgm.com for terms. U.S. promotional offers not available in D.C. mississippi, New York, Nevada, Ontario or Puerto Rico. Gambling problem call 1-800- gambler available in the U.S. call 877-8-HOPE NY or text HOPE NY 467-369 In New York, call 1-800- NEXT STEP in Arizona, 1-800-327-5050 Massachusetts 1-800-bets off in Iowa, 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help in Michigan, 1-800-981-0023 in Puerto Rico. First bet offer for new customers only in partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. Don't forget, if you haven't signed up for BETMGM yet, use bonus code theathletic and you'll get a one year subscription to the Athletic plus up to a $1,500 first bet offer on your first wager.
- [55:15]
If you love to travel, Capital One has a rewards credit card that's perfect for you. With the Capital One Venture X card, you earn unlimited double miles on everything you buy. Plus you get premium benefits at a collection of luxury hotels when you book on Capital One Travel. And with Venture X, you get access to over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide. Open up a world of travel possibilities with a Capital One Venture X card. What's in your wallet?
- [55:41]
James Palmer
Terms apply. Lounge access is subject to change. See capital1.com for details. All right, welcome back to Scoop City on a Wednesday, presented by ebay James Palmer alongside Diana Rossini. Diana, we close this one out. We've been loving our Wednesdays where we get a question posed to us us and we just get to kind of, you know, think of an answer on the fly. We have a new one this week. Here it is.
- [56:08]
Chris Branch
Hey, Scoop City. Chris Branch here with the Pulse. I have a very hot ticky question for you guys. What is the most overrated tailgate food in your opinion? We are looking up recipes this week. Over at the Pulse. We're running a big feature. I have a very specific hot take which I think chicken wings are overrated. And let me qualify that with drumsticks are overrated. I think they are one of the worst food experiences you can have with such a beautiful food product. Give me all flats every day of the week. Would love to hear yours.
- [56:40]
James Palmer
All flats every day of the week. Wow.
- [56:44]
Diana Rossini
I agree with the Flats on that.
- [56:47]
James Palmer
I like a good flat.
- [56:48]
Diana Rossini
I don't think chicken wings are overrated. Oh my gosh. Who doesn't go for them?
- [56:53]
James Palmer
My uncle has his own wing sauce called Old Dad's wing sauce. You can buy it online, I think. Get yourself an Old Dad's today.
- [57:01]
Diana Rossini
Spicy, sweet.
- [57:03]
James Palmer
It's like a mustard base. It's like tangy mustard vinegar base. Tangy. We toss our wings in it. He has a shop down in Dawsonville, Georgia. Go to Old Dad's. Just opened up a new shop this week. Wings is a bad pick. What would be your overrated tailgate food? I like Chris, though.
- [57:22]
Diana Rossini
Here's what's interesting. As you know, as NFL reporters, we don't get to the tailgate that much, but my in laws are season ticket holders to the Eagles, and their tailgate is birds aggressive. I mean, lobster tails aggressive. That's just. That's a lot. But they don't do this. But I've seen this at other tailgates. Veggie trays.
- [57:47]
James Palmer
Like, I. Bro, that's a great call. Veggie trays. Give me a break. You get them and then you flip them over, and then you do it, and then. Then nobody eats it.
- [57:55]
Diana Rossini
It just sits there, right? And the thing. That's. When I walk by it, I think to myself, I would like that during the week. You know, like a snack in between a show or while I'm working. I don't want to eat this before a game. I want beer. I want wings. I want a cheesesteak.
- [58:11]
James Palmer
Oh, look at you.
- [58:12]
Diana Rossini
Cheese steaks. I want nachos. I want a hot dog. Like, so what about. So you say that you think that's fit. Which, by the way, what's the worst vegetable on the veggie?
- [58:21]
James Palmer
I was about to say, well, there's always, like, if my son's there, all the tomatoes are gone. Immediate. All those little red cherry tomatoes is just gonna mow through all. Why don't you toothpaste?
- [58:31]
Diana Rossini
I don't know.
- [58:31]
James Palmer
And the other thing is, nobody brings toothpicks. So everybody takes the cherry tomato, and if they want to dip it in the middle area, which is ranch or whatever, both fingers are going into that dip. Like 100% going into the dip. Okay, Mine is. And listen, I've covered probably the Kansas City Chiefs over the last couple years more than any other team. My favorite parking lot to drive through with the windows down in my rental car because it's the best smelling tailgate in the NFL, probably with everybody swimming, smoking their meats. But I'll tell you, ribs. Ribs are a bad play. They're a lot of work. They're really messy, and 92% of the time you don't have a table. And like, there's just a lot going on. You can screw them up very easily because what happens when everybody's tailgating down, everybody's drinking, losing track of time. And if you're smoking the ribs and you're. I just think you can go with a lot of, like, go with burnt ends, go with, like, brisket, go with. If you want to smoke some meat. Like, just avoid the ribs. They're just too messy in a tailgate setting. And you're always, like, standing there like this. Got like. You're like, somebody's got their phone. They're like, we're over in lot G. Yeah, lot G. And then they can't touch their phone because they're covered in rib juice. Like, it's just.
- [59:42]
Diana Rossini
Yeah, phone juices. You're filling out all the way next year to make me.
- [59:46]
James Palmer
Well, I'm excited because you're right. All my buddies got season tickets to the Birds too. So they're all fired up for tomorrow night. We got one other question. Diana, real quick. Let's get to from cool. Chris.
- [59:57]
Chris Branch
Let's hear this very serious question to ask you guys. I want my wife to watch a football game with me this weekend, and I need to pick the one that will not bore her. And as a caveat, she is Donna Swifty. I'm leaning towards Lions, packers, but maybe Bills, Ravens. I'm not sure. I. Please help.
- [60:15]
James Palmer
Please help. We got you, Chris. We got you. This is what we do here. It's like a therapy session at the end of the show. Dinah, he said. He said my pick, like, the pick.
- [60:22]
Diana Rossini
For the best game. That is the best game on the docket, I believe. But I'm going to try to put myself in the shoes of his lovely wife. So, Mrs. Branch, I think you need bad football to enjoy it because sometimes good is like, who cares? Like. Like touchdowns. I want to just see bad football people angry. So I think the Saints Cardinals game will be so not that good that she may go, ah, this is kind of of fun. Like, they don't know what they're doing out there. Who's the quarterback? And that other quarterback runs a lot.
- [61:03]
James Palmer
Okay. He's only running around calamari.
- [61:05]
Diana Rossini
Yeah, I can picture it. So, Mrs. Branch, that is going to be my suggestion for you. But if you actually want to watch a game that is going to be good and you don't want to stay up late on Sunday because I'm sure she's got a lot of responsibilities and things to do, let's just say she's going to miss that Sunday night game. I like the Rams. Texans.
- [61:25]
James Palmer
Oh, I think some quarterbacks are going to take some hits in that game.
- [61:29]
Diana Rossini
Houston in L. A, both of them right. With Stafford's injury. Both D lines are really good monsters on both sides. I look all last year the Texans were supposed to be the stars and they fell short. The Rams were not really supposed to be the stars and they come through. They, they are a good team all the time every year. Sean McVay knows how to coach them up and they also have one of the best quarterbacks despite the fact that we know he's dealing with this back situation. But I, this is the game I am not missing because it's going to just tell me where the Texans stand. They have a first time play caller in Nick Kelly calling the plays there. They obviously need some changes. He comes from la right. Like he knows the Rams really well. So yeah, that's, that's the one for Mrs. Branch if she wants to. To watch some good football.
- [62:21]
James Palmer
You're right. I like that you said avoiding Sunday night football because I did see behind Chris there the little mini, little tyke basketball hoop that's been around forever. So definitely some kids are running around there. You can't stay up late on a Sunday. But I still am saying it. If you want to introduce her into football and it's not because it's the marquee matchup and we talked about it at the beginning of the show, but who has more fun in your mind playing football and that you can actually see come through the screen than Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson? Like they have a, I don't know, two quarterbacks that smile more during a game, have more fun during a game. Patting defensive players on the helmet as they continue to struggle to try to tackle them during a game. I just think both of them are so electric. We're a quarterback league. I don't want to overthink this. And they bring a lot of joy to football. I think that's a big part of it. And then Bill's mafia. She's going to see what the pre game and the tailgate is going to be because it's the most watched sport watched program on television. Sunday Night Football. And then if you can't go swifty, you got Haley Steinfeld. So yeah, it's not a bad trade off. I thought Sinners was outstanding. Okay, I gotta run. Diana, this was wonderful, a wonderful Wednesday for Scoop City. Thank you to Mike Silver for joining us, Diana, here every single Wednesday and I think we crushed this one. That's what I'll say.
- [63:41]
Diana Rossini
Thanks for watching Scoop City. Don't forget to like subscribe and feel free to leave a comment. New episodes of Scoop City drop every Monday, Wednesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Popsicles, sprinklers. A cool breeze. Talk about refreshing. You know what else is refreshing this summer? A brand new phone with Verizon.
- [64:06]
James Palmer
Yep.
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Diana Rossini
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- [64:27]
James Palmer
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- [64:47]
Narrator/Host (Ad Read)
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- [65:13]
James Palmer
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