← Scoop City: Inside The NFL
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- [00:00]
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- [00:30]
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- [01:11]
Dan Weiderer
Dreaming of getting the all new iPhone 17 Pro designed to be the most powerful iPhone ever.
- [01:16]
Jesse Newell
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- [01:19]
Jake Seeley
Oh actually they will have to get up and open the door.
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Verizon Announcer
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- [01:22]
Jesse Newell
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Jake Seeley
I know this is your history and who you are, James, but this is why band kickers, this is why you should just be part of it. You wouldn't have to worry about that.
- [01:35]
Mike DeFebo
I can.
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James Palmer
I was a kicker in high school.
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MeUndies Advertiser
I know.
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Jake Seeley
That's what I'm saying.
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James Palmer
I like the game too much. I love the game.
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Jake Seeley
The game, the part of the game that shouldn't be part of the game.
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James Palmer
The kicking game.
- [01:47]
I actually full transparency. Kicking a field goal in high school is one of the easiest things in the world. If it's just sitting there. Like the ball is so easy to kick compared to an NFL ball. And then everybody like the crap crowd goes nuts and everybody would go nuts.
- [02:02]
Jake Seeley
Just grab my kick, being able to do it.
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James Palmer
I was like, this is awesome. Like all the guys were like, yeah, Palmer, way to go. And I'm like, this is so easy.
- [02:15]
Oh, welcome into Scoop City on a Thursday. I'm James Palmer. Don't forget to like and subscribe. You won't miss anything that we're doing here on Scoop City. That's Mondays. Remember, Chase, Diana and I, that's Wednesdays. Usually, Diana and I breaking down the inside of the NFL. Then today we usually have. What is it? Our road trip around the NFL. And week 14 has some monster matchups. We're going to pull back the steel curtain. Take a look at that Steelers, Ravens matchup. We'll go inside the facility or maybe just outside of that said facility. Also, we're going to break down Ben Johnson and the Bears, number one seed in the nfc, going against the packers, one of the best rivalries in all of sports. We'll go inside that one. And we'll also talk about the Chiefs and the Texans, what's happening in Kansas City. We take you inside the facility there as well.
- [03:04]
Take that road trip and let's use a brand new automobile to do it.
- [03:12]
And the first stop of our Thursday road trip. Oh, we're on a road trip. We're in the car. Mike DeFebo joins us. Mike, where are we at right now? Give us a lay of the land here. Tremendous peacoat as well.
- [03:24]
Mike DeFebo
Well, I appreciate it. It is cold here in Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, Mike Tomlin did not realize that we were recording Scoop City in the indoor practice facility. And for some reason, he dec he would want to practice there instead of allowing me to record the podcast. So we had to improvise. We called an audible. I'm now in my vehicle and we'll see what we can do.
- [03:43]
James Palmer
Well, we're going to crush this. I know you will. And listen, speaking of Mike Tomlin, he knows how important this game is. This is first place on the division. This is our first meeting ever between Lamar Jackson and Aaron Rodgers, actually a couple of MVP winners. Couple what? Two of the 11 that have won multiple MVPs in their career. Now, I look at this game, Mike, and I say, okay, you could split with the Ravens. You could be the Dolphins and the Browns and Whoa, whoa, whoa, there we are. We're right at that Mike Tomlin famous number to where we don't finish below.500. We've heard more, I guess, chance heat on Mike Tomlin. Let's start there. Than we maybe ever have before. Is there a different feeling in your opinion right now in terms of Mike Tomlin's future than there were in seasons past? Because this is a regular topic of discussion, no matter how absurd it is.
- [04:33]
Mike DeFebo
Yeah, well, you know, let's start with the famous meme. Okay? And if you remember, there's the meme of Mike Tomlin, he's standing at the press conference with a tassel cap over his head, and he's asked a question about his job security, and without even answering the question, he turns and he exits. Okay? And that meme comes from a couple years ago when the Steelers lost in the playoffs to the Bills. And at that point, it had been seven years since Mike Tomlin had won a playoff game. And at the time, he had just one year remaining on his contract. And people wondered, you know, were things starting to come to a tipping point where maybe Mike Tomlin, his job, could not be secure in Pittsburgh. And what did the Steelers do? They responded by not only renewing Mike Tomlin, but giving him an extension and a raise that made him one of the top coaches in all of football. And so you have to realize when we're talking about the Pittsburgh Steelers, this is the most stable and possibly conservative franchise in the NFL. They've had just three head coaches since 1969. There have been more popes over that span than Steelers head coaches. So he certainly has a longer leash, so to speak, than a lot of coaches. That said, the. The public sentiment has never been worse here, and Mike Tomlin's approval rating in Pittsburgh has never been lower. And so the way I look at it is, from a fan perspect perspective, I think that unless the Steelers win a playoff game and snap this drought, which now is threatening to reach nine seasons this year without a playoff win, I think a lot of people are going to be frustrated. But. But really the question is, will a franchise that has believed in stability and continuity stick with their approach? Or with two years remaining on Mike Tomlin's contract, still, do recent performances start to tip them in the other direction?
- [06:30]
James Palmer
Yeah, it's going to be fascinating to watch because I don't know if anybody's questioning Mike as a coach. Sometimes these things are time. Sometimes there's a variety of factors we'll just continue to monitor. I know you'll be all over it. And part of the reason why I think fans are frustrated is this is an offense that has been very difficult to watch. I think I'm putting that very politely. It is the short passing game. It is the play action. It is the screen game is kind of much the entire focus. Mike, I looked up the stats. 0 for 10 on passes over 20 yards dating back to week nine. That's not good. Is this the only way they can play offensive football? Yeah.
- [07:06]
Mike DeFebo
I mean, this reminds me a lot of the end of the Ben Roethlisberger era. And in that season, the Steelers started 11, and oh, there's a lot of hope and optimism, but once teams realized that the Steelers couldn't throw the ball downfield, the whole thing collapsed upon itself. And it has shades of that for sure. And I don't put it all on Rodgers. Like, definitely it's been a problem for him. He has not been able to attack deep downfield. Part of that is the ball seems to flutter on him when he throws downfield. He's not on the same page as his receivers, but you also look at the entire operation. He's working behind a very young offensive line and still developing, and those guys haven't given him a lot of time to attack downfield. You look at his receiving core, they've got DK Metcalf and then there's a huge gap in everybody else. Those receivers haven't created a lot of separation. And then there's a little bit of schematics involved as well. A lot of teams are playing the Steelers from a too high shell, which is going to limit your ability naturally to attack downfield. But you put it all together and add in an inconsistent running game and really it's what you're talking about where if the Steelers aren't getting the ball out of Aaron Rogers hands quickly getting it to DK Metcalf on slants and outs, other quick patterns and allowing him to create yards after the catch, there's not much going on offensively.
- [08:22]
James Palmer
Yeah, it's been. It's been rough. And what's going on with the tight ends has been in a kind of an enigma in a sense. You're putting money there. Certain guys aren't playing snaps. It's just been very interesting to watch as a whole. You mentioned with Rodgers, the ball fluttering maybe at times, maybe being off gate. I remember the last time you and I spoke, I do not think you had this vehicle. It is a newer purchase. We were talking about Aaron Rodgers, potentially year two in Pittsburgh. Has that conversation or mindset or in your opinion, changed now that we're having this conversation? Do you think this could be the last year for Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh?
- [08:56]
Mike DeFebo
Well, well, all it took for Aaron Rodgers to start going downhill was us having the conversation about could he come back next year. Because at the time when we had that conversation, I think it was realistic to consider it. You know, at the time he. His passer rating was 102 point something. You know, he had thrown 17 touchdowns against five interceptions. He was near the top of the league in a lot of those categories and he was Playing really good. They were working around his limitations. His leadership seemed to be clicking within the building. But things have certainly go. And so I think really the key is going to be what happens down the stretch. What we've seen over the last 10 quarters from Aaron Rodgers has not been good. He's completed only 52% of his passes. He has more turnovers, three than touchdowns, too. He's injured. You know, it seems like the hits are adding up. So what happens at the end of the year? And ultimately, I think the person who's going to have the biggest say within this conversation is Aaron himself. What is he going to want to do? Is he. Earlier the year, it seemed like he was having fun. The Steelers looked like maybe they were a team that could make some noise in the playoffs. Maybe if they had done a little bit in the playoffs, he would want to come back for a second year. Now with the way the Steelers are playing, would he even be interested in coming back to Pittsburgh? And so, you know, I think how this season ends, I think is going to shape a lot of things on both sides, both the Steelers and Aaron Rodgers.
- [10:23]
James Palmer
Yeah, you mentioned all the fun he was having earlier. Now he looks like Marv from Home Alone. He's all beat up. He got the nose and everything. It's been something. But listen, it's not that side of the ball that goes fully to blame on what's gone wrong with Pittsburgh recently. And it was fascinating to listen to T.J. watt after the game just more or less talking about how much of a tail kicking it was and how they ran just a couple of the same plays and they didn't have really any answers. What's the discussion in the building this week when you're going against an offense that has looked far different than what we're used to seeing with Lamar Jackson and the way he has played over the last several weeks is just not Ravens football. It's not Lamar. This is the worst we've seen him. What is the discussion about the Ravens offense? Are they still going well, he could still be Lamar or are they going to try to play him differently? Like when I talk to everybody around the league that says no, no, the coverage is different. The way they play him in terms of how he uses his legs, the last few weeks is different. What do you think the Steelers approach will be?
- [11:24]
Mike DeFebo
Well, one interesting thing is that the Steelers until a couple games ago were maybe the best team at defending Lamar Jackson, and a big part of their approach was when he dropped back in any circumstance or if he Pretended to, you know, carry out a play fake. They hit him. They hit him a lot. And it knocked him out of his rhythm and they turned him over. And for a huge part of Lamar's career, the Steelers have been the best team at defending him. What changed things was Derrick Henry coming in. And Derrick Henry added such a different piece with his downhill and physical running style and just made that read option all the more dangerous and hard to deal with. And so you look at the last two games combined, you know, the Steelers flamed out in the first round of the playoffs and they allowed 299 rushing yards to the Ravens in that playoff loss. Great times, great times. And after that game, the defensive coordinator, Terrell Austin said, we have a Baltimore problem. And you look at, well, how did they go about addressing it? They drafted Derek Harmon, defensive tackle in the first round. Great player, very good, but he's injured right now. Okay. So you look at it and not a lot has changed from a personnel standpoint. And so you, you would hope that schematically or physically or execution wise, the Steelers are better, but they're also just coming off of a game where they allowed an Acrisher Stadium record for an opponent in rushing to the Bills. And the Bills run a lot of the same concepts. You know, TJ Watt, one of his biggest frustrations after the Bills game was that the Bills are running the same plays over and over again. Well, what do the Bills do? They run a lot of duo and they run a lot of zone runs. That's a lot of what the Ravens are also going to do. So on a short week, the Steelers are going to have to turn around and be a much better product against an offense that uses similar concepts.
- [13:24]
James Palmer
Unbelievable. Yeah, it's almost like teams are like, well, the read option with Lamar. We're not worried about Lamar running. That's what I'm being told. It's been fascinating to see what's happened the last couple weeks and watch all of a sudden he'll start taking off and he'll be healthy again and we'll see what happens. All right, what I you to do is go inside, tell Mike that we did do this interview, that we did knock it out of the park, that we didn't need his indoor facility and he better win considering he knocked us out of the indoor facility. Just for aesthetics, not for content. Content crushed. And yeah, maybe next time he'll think a little bit differently.
- [13:56]
Mike DeFebo
Look, Mike's an understanding guy. I think so I think that he definitely would be willing next time to Accommodate us and prioritize Scoop city over preparing for the Baltimore Ravens 100%.
- [14:07]
James Palmer
Or maybe we just have him included in the conversation. That can answer a lot of the questions as well. Appreciate it, Mike. Thank you. Brilliant as always. Enjoy the game this weekend.
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Mike DeFebo
Awesome. Thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it.
- [14:19]
James Palmer
Oh, moving on in our Thursday road trip to a massive showdown. One of the best rivalries in all of sports. Bears. Packers. Bears are number one in the nfc just like we all predicted. Have won nine of their last ten. Packers get a huge win all the over the Lions on Thanksgiving. There are Jordan loves looking good. So Dan Weider joins us. Dan, I have to ask you right out of the gate, I've talked to Kevin Fishbane about this and just Ben Johnson, it's kind of this we saw the shirt get ripped off. He might be running for mayor in the, you know, a couple of years down the road, most popular man in the city. But what has he done during this win streak that has allowed a team that is, let's just be honest, is creating a new culture and learning about winning for the first time in a long time. Allowing to have this go week by week. What is he doing right?
- [15:08]
Dan Weiderer
Yeah, I, I, I think this team's got a very special presence about them and the ability to kind of to turn the page quickly to process the previous game for the meaningful achievements and shortcomings and then to, to quickly start to piece together the puzzle for the next opponent. They've been great at this all season long. It was most on display last week in Philadelphia on a short week against a good opponent on the road. And they just find ways to find ways. Right. Like it's how can we win this game this week? Ben is at the forefront of that. He's been very good at getting this team to in on the tasks of the day. And then they've got a good group of veteran leaders. The three veteran captains, Joe Tunney, Kevin Byer, Grady Jarrett, very good at setting that tone. But it starts at the top with Ben's his intensity, his passion and his ability to get this team to lock in.
- [15:53]
James Palmer
One of the names you mentioned there. I'm going out of order here in my questions, but you mentioned Joe Tunney and I covered the Chiefs for a decade with NFL Network and Joe was one of the guys that came up there over and over again. Not as a player, which is an all pro, but he's won Super Bowls in New England, he's won Super Bowls in Kansas City. I was always told what he did for the rest of the offensive line, specifically the two guys that are playing next to him on a regular basis. You look at what this offensive line has done as a group, you revamp the interior. But we've had three left tackles. Like, like, how does this group come together so well and what have they done right. To make sure that this running game is going the way it's going and Caleb's been protected relatively well. But what have you seen from Joe? And then I am curious about left tackle and how that's been a revolving door. But. But they've been fine.
- [16:38]
Dan Weiderer
Yeah. On the topic of Joe, I think you used a good phrase there, regular basis. And having covered him as you did, I'm sure you know that Joe doesn't miss time. You know, I think he has as many missed games in his career as he has super bowl rings. Right. Like, that's a pretty good feat to achieve as an offensive lineman. And so the dependability aspect of things is terrific. I think the Bears understand that he's assignment sound all the time. He brings a level of stability and composure to that group. They revamped the interior and they've gotten the return on investment of that for certain. Dan Richard, the offensive line coach, has done a wonderful job. I think some of the developmental leaps that Darnell Wright has made on the right side have been notable here. And so what you're trying to do here is take the commitment that the head coach has to the running game, which is truly impressive, and try to make it be something that you can lean into every single week. They've done a very successful job of that. We walk into December with the Bears owning the number one rushing attack in the entire NFL and they've done it, as you mentioned, with a little bit of a revolving door at left tackle, which goes all the way back to the start of training camp when they had a three man battle for the starting job and then ended up picking a fourth guy to be their starter.
- [17:44]
James Palmer
Just, it has been remarkable. You throw a rookie over there and it's like, yeah, okay, we'll be, we'll be, we'll be okay. And part of that that I bring up in the group in front is what happens with this packers defense. They're so good at changing the picture on the quarterback, right. Trying to change the picture late and trying to make something look different than it does. And with Caleb, Caleb in the way he's throwing the football, it's almost like an enigma to me. And I need it explained. Like, when you're completing 58% of your passes, but you're protecting the ball the way Caleb is through the air. How is he able to do both those, I guess, at the same time? And can you go on a run if you're completing 58% of your passes with your quarterback?
- [18:24]
Dan Weiderer
Well, they're on a run right now, which is the most staggering thing. They've won nine out of 10. And it is jarring to. To see sort of the uneven development of the quarterback married up with the results they've gotten. I think two of the things that Caleb has done most impressively is one, protect the football. You have to go back to week three of his rookie season to find the last time he turned it over twice within the same game. And then he's also been very, very good in the late stages of games of being able to lock in to that situation. The Bears have won five games this year with late go ahead drives, and Caleb is a huge part of that. We've seen some of the signature moments he's had in that regard, and so that gives you a chance. Now, bigger picture. You heard from the head coach this week expressing his displeasure with the passing game and really emphasizing it, not only the media, but with his offense, that we've got to get better here if we're going to dream the biggest dreams within this season. And so they've got to make leaps there down the stretch of the season. It's not going to be easy. They're going to be outside the rest of the way. They're going to be playing the packers twice, the Lions, the 49ers, the Browns. You're not going to get a week off as an offense to try to find your groove, but you're going to have to find some way to enliven this passing game. And it starts with Caleb being a little bit more precise, I think James, with, with the way he throws the football and where he puts it for his playmakers to be able to make plays.
- [19:36]
James Palmer
That's. That's put well. That's put very well. What, what I'm. What I'm fascinated about is this.
- [19:39]
Dan Weiderer
The, the.
- [19:40]
James Palmer
The. The balance that, that Ben has tried to create with teaching Caleb to play under center. And I'm told that he actually is really enjoying playing under center, which is interesting, and then playing in the pocket, but then also making sure. You mentioned how good he has been in late games that he doesn't try to get. Maybe this is a compliment to Caleb, too robotic to stay in the pocket, that I still am a playmaker I still can make plays. How has Ben and him kind of figured out specifically, even late in games that we need you to do these things to be successful staying in the pocket, but also you are a playmaker.
- [20:14]
Dan Weiderer
In terms of his under center work, I've been very impressed at how graceful he's been in making that transition and doing that so well. It's allowed the Bears play action game to become a weapon and you see the way they run the football. Well now defenses have to account for that and you're getting a half dozen completions every game just based off the fact that your running game is really good and you can, you can run some play action and have a wide open target and hit them and get a profit on the play. I think one of the big jumps in Caleb's development is learning to stay inside of a noisy pocket one tick longer, right? The instincts are there, the playmaking gifts are there to get outside and try to make a play in that regard. And I think Ben and the offensive staff is saying, look like if you had just waited in here another breath, this guy's coming open for you. You've got him open. You've got to be able to see, see that. You've got to be able to just have that patience and poise within yourself to stay in there. It's a little bit contrary to what Caleb's done his whole life and so there is a little bit of a growth curve to that and he's learning to go through that. But I think ultimately if the Bears want this quarterback and the teams that he leads to reach their ceiling, he's going to have to become a little bit more pocket driven and understanding what you can do from inside there before you get outside on the edge. I'll also say this, that I've actually been slightly disappointed that Caleb hasn't been more gifted on the move. It's supposed to be one of his superpowers and you expect them to go to a new level when he's able to hit some more of those off script explosive completions. It's been lacking a little bit and I think the Bears would like to get that unlocked a little bit as well.
- [21:39]
James Palmer
That's a really good point because I mean, I ask people around the league, it's like the athleticism and the arm, it's. It's next level. It really is. And so he's doing his part, the offense is doing their part protecting the ball towards this NFL leading turnover differential at +7 17. I was looking at it the last Time the Bears finished first. You probably know this. 1985 +18. I think everybody in Chicago knows that year. And so with the defense's role in that, Dan, like, what are they doing to force these turnovers? Because going into that Philly game, you were probably thinking the same thing as me. Well, one thing Philadelphia does do well as an offense, even though they're struggling, is protect the ball. And they still force two turnovers in the game. What is Chicago doing that allows them to turn the football over like this? Is there anything in practice, anything you know, DA's doing what is give me the secret sauce?
- [22:30]
Dan Weiderer
Yeah, it's a combination of things. And it's funny because you mentioned that the Eagles were the NFL's best at protecting the football, and then the Bears took it away from Jalen Hurts twice. And, well, guess what? This week the packers have now become the NFL's best at protecting the football. And you go, oh, it's going to be hard to get one off them. Well, maybe not, because you just got two off the Eagles, who were the leader last week. And so. So I think there's a credit here to Dennis Allen in terms of his ability to position his playmakers for success. They've gotten a huge breakout year from Nishan Wright, who's the league leader in takeaways with five interceptions and three fumble recoveries. Kevin Byard having another all pro caliber season. And so you've been able to turn loose some of your playmakers to make plays. Now, I think they have also emphasized this from the day that they got on the practice field for the first time, first new coach minicamp back in the spring, and it becomes a way of life. There's a lot of people that will say, and there's truth to it, that the takeaway faucet doesn't stay open consistently. Yet us here in Chicago lived through nine years of the Lovey Smith era, where I think The Bears averaged 34 takeaways per season. And so it was evidence that you can make that part of who you are and part of your identity every single year. If it becomes one, what you emphasize and two, a byproduct of how you position your best playmakers to be able to make plays. The Bears have done that very successfully through the first three months of the season.
- [23:47]
James Palmer
It's been outstanding. When you also change defensive coordinators and it's like, well, DA's, I use personnel like this and Uberfluss used it like this. And this is the group I have. And to have the turnovers be a Big part of that is obviously a great feather in the cap of that group. Before you go, the Bears success being number one. This is relatively new to the, to the division. So is Micah Parsons and Micah coming into this division, which he's going to be a part of now for some time. And this is going to be a, you know, late nights every single week you're planning for. For him coming at you. The way he's been moved around, the way he's, I'm told, starting to find his feel in that defense. How much is his name being talked about in the building to make sure he doesn't change the course of a game?
- [24:30]
Dan Weiderer
Yeah, it's. Everything starts there. And that the comp. That, that, that folks in Chicago have is Khalil Mack in 2018, when he came to the Bears and just, just changed the entirety of how that defense was able to operate. And that defense had a bunch of other playmakers, just as this packers defense does. And so you've got to devote a ton of attention to Micah Parsons, but you also realize, oh, oh, Rashawn Gary is across the way and he can make life really miserable for us if you're not careful. I think the Bears had an advantage here where they didn't have to see Green Bay until December. They could find themselves offensively before they had to see him for the first time. Well, now comes the reality check because you're going to face him twice within 14 days here. They play the packers two weeks from now on a Saturday night here in Chicago. And so look, they've had a long week. I would imagine that Ben and his staff has gotten in the lab and tried to figure out what are ways we can sort of neutralize Micah Parsons and do what we want to do. And we'll see what answers they bring to the table on Sunday afternoon and then again in two weeks when they've got to go take the test again. And so this is, this is where I think folks in Chicago justifiably are excited about where the Bears stand. 9, 3 top seed in the NFC. But also look down off the corner of that tightrope and realize, man, we could be the eighth seed on the outside of the playoffs looking in if we're not careful over the next, you know, two weeks here.
- [25:42]
James Palmer
Yeah, that's well put. That's exactly right. And it can. And that's why I think the parody of this year has been fascinating on both sides of the conferences. Before we go, let me get a, Let me get a prediction here, because one thing I Did want to mention too, Green Bay has been very pleased with the way Michael Parsons has played against the run. That was not the MO coming out of Dallas. So we'll see what he can do against this outstanding run offense of Chicago. You have a prediction for us before we go.
- [26:05]
Dan Weiderer
So I've got an issue here, James, because I think picked against the Bears the last three weeks and I've been wrong and I've heard about it. Now listen, the pick against Pittsburgh was with the assumption that Aaron Rodgers would play in that game. He didn't. But they have been making believers out of people. And so I think it's a principal play this week after picking against them for three weeks and being wrong that I've got to pick the Bears to go up to Lambeau and win this football game. And so I'm going to go there on principle. I'm going to do it with kind of shaky confidence because I do think this packers defense, particularly at home, is going to cause some problems for them. But the Bears have answered every test that they've been asked to take this year. And so it feels like another, another signature moment coming for them Sunday afternoon up in Green Bay.
- [26:42]
James Palmer
I love it. I feel like you're almost in a lose lose, though. Like people are going to go, Dan, you were on a heater by not picking them. You were getting them these wins.
- [26:49]
Dan Weiderer
And I hear you.
- [26:51]
James Palmer
Yeah, awesome. Well, enjoy it. Enjoy it. It's. It's football heaven up there. You've been there plenty of times. I know you'll cover it brilliantly. Thanks, Dan.
- [26:58]
Jake Seeley
Thanks, James.
- [27:00]
James Palmer
All right. Our Thursday road trip continues to a place I love and a room I adore. Jesse Newell sitting in that Kansas City Chiefs practice facility. It's right next to the toilet, right next to where you get the drinks. And then you step into this room and you talk to me. How's it going, brother?
- [27:15]
Jesse Newell
Too much info, James. But you're exactly right. That's exactly where I am right now.
- [27:19]
James Palmer
I love it. The backdrop looks outstanding. I'm glad you found it. The setup is brilliant. Listen, everything that's going on in Kansas City right now, there are things to be positive about, but they know where they stand. They have to essentially win out to make the postseason. They lose this game to Houston, they have an 11% chance. And, you know, according to our good old athletic playoff odometer, or I always say odometer, it's similar. Jesse, what would you say is the biggest focus this week as you're kind of in a one week season from Here on out, what have you seen from coach that stands out the most?
- [27:54]
Jesse Newell
Yeah, it's so interesting you mentioned it, James, that this team doesn't look like it should be 6 and 6 and statistically you can go up and down the numbers and offensively especially and say that this team is probably better than it was a year ago, but the results have not followed suit. I think you can go one of two directions. You know, if things aren't going your way, results wise, you either mix things up and you change or you try to convince everybody in the building that things are okay and you got to stay on course. And the Chiefs have definitely gone that route. Talked to Andy Reid yesterday, asked him about, you know, he talked about, hey, he likes to talk about the reality of his team when he watches film. What is the reality of this team and the reality he season is that they're this close. You know, they need execution on one play or two plays or to reduce a penalty here or there. But this doesn't need to be a throughout the baby with the bathwater situation. They just need to come through in those clutch moments. And we've seen the Chiefs defense really let down in the fourth quarter and in these close games except for the Colts game which you know is the one close game that they've won this year. But I do think that they are a lot closer than maybe what outside appearances would you would think right now. But at the same point we hear Patrick Mahomes say it, we heard Andy Reid say it earlier this week. You got to do it. And at some point the Chiefs have to prove they can come through in these crucial and clutch situations. And to this point they haven't done that for the most part. If they do that moving forward, then they've got a great chance to not only get in the playoffs, they've got a great chance to win out.
- [29:12]
James Palmer
Yeah. Can you put your finger on that? Because I know we all talk about the way the pendulum has just swung right 11 and oh or whatever it was last year in these ones one score games and then now it's swung back the other direction. Is it essentially just that or is there something missing? Is the defensive line not what it's been in years past? Is Chris Jones playing too many snaps can't be impactful on money downs. Like is there an aspect outside of us just going, oh, it's the odds have swung back out of their favor as they've been in their favor.
- [29:40]
Jesse Newell
Yeah, I think you can go both ways on it. Right. Those things you mentioned are absolutely the case. I know that the Chiefs, blitz wise, have not done what they've done in years past. We always remember Steve Spagnolo, the defensive corner coming through with these, these looks the teams aren't expecting. And you get this guy that's unblocked on the crucial snap in a particular game that ends up winning the game for them. Those haven't come as free this year. You know, the Chiefs don't have explosive runs. We can go into that and how that could help them out. But, you know, you're also talking to a guy who, who plays some poker. And so it's. Sometimes you even make it. Makes me wonder, you know, you're sitting the blackjack table and you're doubling down on 11 and the dealer's showing a six and you know, he gets to 21. And so the next time you're up, double down, and it's a dealer showing a 5 and he gets to 20 again. And all of a sudden you look at your process, you're going, what am I doing wrong? Am I supposed to double down here? What's, what's happening? And really the process isn't the problem. It's just sort of, you gotta run more hands, you gotta have more games. And so. So it's crazy looking at like some of these advanced numbers. You know, the Chiefs right now are number one in the NFL in average yards per drive. Offensively, they are tied for number one, the NFL in when they get a series, how many times in that percentage do they get either a first down or a touchdown? And I was looking at the two teams that match up exactly with them when it comes to that particular stat here in the last 25 years, according to True Media, the two teams that match up exactly with them offensively are this year's Rams. We're not talking about them, you know, having a bad season. It was the 2005 Indianapolis Colts who went 14 and 2. And so again, you pop open the hood, you look at the Chiefs and you say, a lot of things going wrong. They're not having these results, but they just do need a bigger sample and they need to let this thing play out. The problem, as you've mentioned, James, they're running out of time. And at a certain point, if you keep doubling down on 11 and losing, you're out of chips. You got no money left. And that's sort of the place the Chiefs are at now. Their back is against the wall. They know it it. And they especially have to win this game against the Texans because of all the tiebreaker scenarios that are out there in this particular game.
- [31:37]
James Palmer
This is a fascinating pull back the curtain glimpse into the life of Jesse Newell, like this professional poker player or whatever. I'm, I'm just thinking the Raiders are in the Chiefs division. You go to Vegas every year. This is, this is, this is a.
- [31:56]
Jesse Newell
Hotel based off of certain, you know, requirements. You know, is there a poker room or not?
- [32:01]
James Palmer
I like where this. I think they all have poker rooms, I would think, I don't know. Maybe not, maybe not. The poker rooms you play in, who knows? Talk about a gambler back there. And Patrick Mahomes going against this pass rush and two edge rushers that are as outstanding as they are. But this is the best defense in football in a lot of people's minds. It's not just the pass rush. It's this defense on all three levels. But when I look at how banged up they are on that offensive line, what have you heard in that locker room and talking to different sources that they're going to do offensively to try to combat the speed in which Houston can get after you?
- [32:39]
Jesse Newell
Yeah, it's not a good scenario for the Chiefs right now because obviously Josh Simmons is out their left tackle with his wrist injury. Trey Smith did not return to practice yesterday with his ankle and then Juwan Taylor has an elbow and so they're still kind of up in the air on those two guys and obviously getting either one of them back would be a big deal. It's the wrong week to have that happen because of the Texans and their pass rush and Daniel Hunter and Will Anderson and all those guys we know after the quarterback. I would go back to last year though, if you're looking for a little bit of hope, because I do think the hope is in this building for the Chiefs because of who they have. And you go back to the playoffs last year and we would have said the same thing for the Chiefs. Going against the Bills or the Texans last year when they had Joe Tuney at left tackle and they had Mike Caliendo a backup at left guard is how are they going to combat this? This is the big matchup of the game and those ended up not being non factors in a game that the Chiefs ended up winning and getting the super bowl. And that's because of Andy Reid and that's because of Matt Nagy. So yeah, if you're looking for confidence here, I think you scheme it up. I think the Chiefs have to find quick answers. I think they've got to help their tackles out. Obviously, when it comes to chipping help and trying to, you know, take advantage as much as you can of getting those guys and trying to. To lose their aggressiveness, if you will. But the Chiefs are also coming off a little bit of mini bye week here after the Thanksgiving game. So they have some extra time. They have some extra time to go over what they do and, you know, think for the Chiefs do or Die game, this has got to be the biggest regular season game at Arrowhead in a long, long time. I mean, they haven't had to play for their playoff lives in a long, long time. So this is a Matt Nagy, Andy Reid game for me. They've got to find answers. They know the challenges face in front of them and they know potentially the guys in the building that they have. It's time to figure out some things like they have in previous playoff games to get to the super bowl, to make this matchup a lot more manageable, not only for their offense, but for Patrick Mahomes as well.
- [34:21]
James Palmer
Well, man, you're spot on. Okay, before you go, Jesse, just really quickly because this is uncharted territory. We have been to the AFC Championship game or better every year. Patrick Mahomes has been a starter. So this is just like. I'm curious because I've seen the confidence in that building. I've seen, frankly, the arrogance in that building. Where is it now? Like, when you walk around that facility, is there a different feel than you've ever seen before covering the team?
- [34:50]
Jesse Newell
It's been interesting. I wouldn't necessarily say that. And it's. It's such a crazy year because I've covered them for four years now. I really haven't seen a team get along better in the locker room than this one. The receivers all love each other. They have this, you know, the ege. Everybody's got to eat. They're always in the locker room. They're always together. They like to hang out outside the locker room. You know, you've got. It's the new trend. This is going to show my age, potentially yours, James, too. But the shadow boxing in the locker room, where you point one way and you got to look the other. I mean, these guys, the. With the receivers and the linebackers, maybe more in previous weeks, but the chemistry doesn't really line up with the results right now. I think this team likes each other, cares about each other. I think they're confident in what they do or have been to this point, at least until it's been six and six. So none of this has really made sense. To me. But to your point, yes, there are obviously questions outside the building. Andy talked, Andy Reid talked earlier this week about there's not going to be many outside voices that you're going to hear this week that are going to pump you up and give you confidence.
- [35:46]
Dan Weiderer
Confidence.
- [35:46]
Jesse Newell
Those people need to be entrenched in those people inside these walls to make sure they come out the right side on this. So we'll see. I mean, losing does this to a team. It makes you reevaluate, makes you think about is what you're doing working and will it work in the future? Like I said, on an underlying level, on an under the hood level, especially offensively, what the Chiefs have done has worked, even if it hasn't resulted in wins. So they're sticking to the course right now. That'll be harder to do if they continue to lose games and they miss the playoffs this year.
- [36:13]
Jake Seeley
So.
- [36:14]
Jesse Newell
So that'll be an interesting turning point. But they're not quite at that point yet because of this game against Houston. It's going to be a huge game here at Arrowhead, man.
- [36:21]
James Palmer
I don't know. I don't know if I'm going to be sending some sort of like, hey man, are you doing okay? Text to my good buddy Nick Wright after this game on Sunday night. We'll see what ends up happening, that is. Jesse Newell covers this team brilliantly for us. For the athletic. Also a gambling expert. Jesse, appreciate it. Enjoy the game on Sunday. It's one of the ones to watch for sure. And we're going to get your fantasy advice. Coming up next, Jake Seeley's going to talk to us about, well, a couple of different fantasy under the radar type guys and also who are the NFL players he wants to hang out with most. But that's next. In Scoop City on a Thursday.
- [36:56]
Dashing through the store, Dave's looking for a gift. One you can't ignore. But not the socks he picked. I know, I'm putting them back. Hey Dave, here's a tip. Put scratchers on your list.
- [37:06]
Dan Weiderer
Oh, scratchers.
- [37:07]
James Palmer
Good idea. It's an easy shopping trip. We're glad we could assist. Thanks, random singing people. So be like Dave, it's holiday and give the gift of play Scratchers from the California Lottery. A little play can make your day.
- [37:23]
Jesse Newell
Please play responsibly.
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Jake Seeley
Must be 18 years or older to purchase player claim.
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James Palmer
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James Palmer
The F1 season reaches a dramatic climax this week, and for the first time since 2010, three drivers can still win the title. Follow all the buildup and fallout from the final Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi this weekend with the race wherever you get your podcasts. Oh, it's a Thursday. You know what that means. Welcome back to Scoop City. I'm James Palmer. Jake Seeley joins us. Are, are you senior fantasy expert analyst, senior fantasy writer?
- [39:23]
Dan Weiderer
I think. I don't know.
- [39:24]
James Palmer
Okay.
- [39:24]
Jake Seeley
Senior something.
- [39:25]
James Palmer
All right.
- [39:25]
Jake Seeley
Well, I did just have another birthday, so more senior than I, I was before, so.
- [39:29]
James Palmer
Yeah, well, I mean you're very good at what you do. And I'm going to tell you something. I'm quitting fantasy, Jake. I'm done. This week broke me, man. This week broke me. My team was so superior to the, to my opponents and Lamar has screwed me the last like three weeks, which I've been texting you about and been very upset.
- [39:50]
And then I'm, I'm going into that, that Monday night game going well. The Patriots aren't going to score 13 points off their kicker, are they? No, they did. They did. I also went against the, that guy also had the Seahawks defense which got him 28 points. So those two together shows you how bad his team was by the way. But this is my last week playing fantasy. I'm quitting mid season. I'm like an in season firing.
- [40:16]
Jake Seeley
I know, I know you played in high school, but the band kickers movement, man. I'll send you a T shirt. I still have some of them. You can come on over.
- [40:22]
James Palmer
Yeah, give me a T shirt. Give me something. Now I'm up.
- [40:26]
Jake Seeley
Makes you feel any better? Super flex with Lamar and Jalen. Hurts and like two top 10 running backs and I lost my 50. It's just what happens.
- [40:34]
James Palmer
It happens. Okay, well, you keep playing and I might be done. What we do want to talk about first before we get to some fantasy, is your list this week and what a topic it is. These are the current best NFL players to hang with, it seems. Now. What was the criteria for this list?
- [40:52]
Jake Seeley
Just whatever you feel like. Which is why there's no specific ranking this week. If you notice, it's the first fun ranks I've ever done without actual numbers because I feel like this is So I figured you'd be the best one because you hang out and talk to a lot more players than I do.
- [41:09]
But I mean, tell me, like, if there wasn't a 101 and they obviously or producers agree, like, cam scatter boot, like, he like, dude, like, hey, go jump off that car.
- [41:17]
James Palmer
And yeah, he's like, with the jackass guy. He's just gonna pop his shoulder out, show you his weird collarbone. Yeah, he seems like a good time. He does. If everything's going right, if things go poorly, it's could be dicey.
- [41:31]
Jake Seeley
And then leguette, because would you not just laugh at everything that comes out of his mouth the entire time?
- [41:36]
James Palmer
That's his accent. I mean, I mean, I get. He is like, he likes to ride horses, I think, which would be kind of fun to go.
- [41:41]
Jake Seeley
I know, but that's why it would be fun. All right, so do you have a problem with anybody in the list, or would you add somebody to the list I don't know about?
- [41:46]
James Palmer
I'm looking. Why? What's the T.J. watt situation? You just want to see if you can hang out with all three Watt brothers at the same time.
- [41:52]
Jake Seeley
No, because I've been told his personality is a lot like J.J. watt, which seems like a fun hang. And then if you have TJ over, JJ might show up with pizza. Like, that's the thing.
- [42:03]
James Palmer
Yeah. And jj, because I've had this conversation with him a million times. He is huge office fan. Like, you could quote episodes all day with JJ about the office, and he Is a very, very humorous individual. They both are together when they get arguing. It's also even more fun. Kittle's an outstanding pick. Miles Garrett. I think you'd have some really deep conversations and some really fun conversations with. I like A.J.
- [42:22]
Jesse Newell
Brown.
- [42:22]
James Palmer
A.J. brown has a lot of different interests, obviously. We know that a little bit. Huge baseball fan. Yeah. Just it reads a lot. A very interesting cat.
- [42:31]
Jake Seeley
Baker pushback on that one you did. Yeah, the AJ Brown one, I think. I think that would just be fun. I think he's one of those ones that just the perception he gets too much.
- [42:41]
James Palmer
I like that. These aren't all the same type of personality either. Like, Baker's a very different person than, say, AJ Is and Keenan is. Why is Keenan on the list?
- [42:50]
Jake Seeley
Oh, because we read it. Like, I have zero evidence. This is just how it feels like. Look, he's the older veteran that just feels like he's super chill to hang out with and would be like, ah, I got. Got the food. I'm picking up the tab. Like, it just seems like that kind of guy.
- [43:02]
James Palmer
When Keenan's like, not at the facility. He is. He is checked out. I. I would add one on here. One of my favorite people. I'd add Von Miller to this group. You want to talk about his chickens? Talk about outer space. You want to talk about anything? Vaughn is. He is game to chat. That's a good poll. I would put Vaughn maybe on that list. He is an outstanding conversation. Okay, enough of the fun. Now to the fantasy. You see how I still am bitter about what's going on in my fantasy league? Let's get into a couple of receivers, interesting cats you want me to talk about here? AD Mitchell, who goes over a hundo right. For the. For the jets in his. Was that his debut? And then Devon Vale traded from the Broncos to the Saints and had himself a day.
- [43:49]
Jake Seeley
It did. And I think Mitchell is very startable. Like, not only the first game, seven targets, two catches, mostly his fault. Second game, seven targets, two catches. Some of that was the connection with Tyrod Taylor, but that was the thing that I like about it. They keep going back to him. They keep going back to him. They keep going back to him. Back to him again for the third straight game, as you mentioned, a really nice one. And what do we know about Adonai Mitchell coming out of college? Very smooth out there. He's not the best route runner and powerful corners are going to overpower him, but they're using him in the way that we saw in college in Texas and everything. Like that. It's just that smooth. Let's get him into space, let's get him downfield. And he's doing what we knew he could do. He flashed a little bit with the Colts and he's showing it there. And now he's the number one until Garrett Wilson comes back. So as a wide receiver, two or three depending on your lineup this week, with four teams on a buy. Thank you very much, NFL on week 14, I think you can start him. And then Vale is very simple to me. Like if you wanted to say Mitchell on the Saints, it's Vale. He's just the number two behind Chris Olave, which big playability. There was talk with the Broncos and it's actually a little surprising to some people that they trade, traded him away after they talked him up. But he's hitting what the excitement was for him now as the number two alongside Chris Olavi. And Shuck is doing what we thought he might do, taking more shots downfield than Spencer Rattler, so deeper shot than Mitchell, but I think Mitchell's a strong start. Vale is kind of that Boomer bust if you need it this week.
- [45:08]
James Palmer
I'll tell you, people in Denver loved Velle. I remember talking to them during the training camp and it was like Cortland Sutton, then Devon Velle, and he actually finished second behind Sutton among the receivers on their team. But he was like an 82 year old rookie last year and so they were like, let's go with the younger guys and you know, and Bryant and Troy Franklin and so they moved on. But it doesn't mean Vale can't play for sure. Definitely a big body guy out there that can run actually really, really good routes. Let's go to the Charger situation. How are you going to monitor this metacarpal situation that's going on here with Justin Herbert? What should we be following? How should we be protecting ourselves, ourselves as Justin continues to try to protect himself this week so he can go play on Monday.
- [45:49]
Jake Seeley
So I'm going to make it really simple for everybody and it's more simple than people might think. Lad McConkey is all you need to worry about with or without Justin Herbert, because that's all we've had lately with the Chargers, with Justin Herbert. This Chargers offense in the second half has been lad McConkey and then if you go by fantasy, since about the midpoint of the season, Keenan Allen's Outside the top 70, Quentin Johnston's outside the top 50, Ironde Gasson's falling off. I know, like none of them is not even usable at tight end. So all that excitement has gone out the window as what is Greg Roman doing now? He's going back into the run. They were actually the run heaviest game they faced the entire season last week and granted Herbert was hurt in that game, but are they going back to the run? They might get Hampton back if it's Trey Lance. We're obviously downgrading everybody but. But you can still start lad McConkey because here's the one aspect about it in this matchup as you the Eagles aren't super man heavy, but where they've really been vulnerable is wide receivers who know how to beat man. And we've seen this time again this year, actually Pickens, who is much better against man than Ladd or CD Lamb, has been this year, had the bigger game against them. So if you look at teams that have been able to use that aspect, lad McConkey can still do well even if it's Trey Lance. So there's your easy answer. It's just lad McConkey and don't worry about the rest.
- [47:04]
James Palmer
Okay? Lad McConkey, don't worry about that. They did have to put Cooper De Jean outside on George Pickens, which is something that Philly never wanted to do. Even though people say play Cooper outside and he just couldn't do it out there and Pickens just went to town. You're right. I agree with you. But listen, yeah, I'm just more fascinated by like if Justin Herbert plays in this game, like what type of like superhero type of person he is. I host another show that, that I was looking at a live chat while I was doing it and somebody was like, bro, put him in the Ronnie Lott category. And I was like, back it up. Ronnie Lott chopped his finger off. That's not what Justin Herbert's doing. But this is pretty, pretty damn impressive. Okay, last one, Chris Godwin, who is on my fantasy team and I made a smart pickup mid season as everybody was not paying attention to him and Bucky Irving back. How we feel about that? Please give me some good news before we say goodbye.
- [47:49]
Jake Seeley
Oh, this is really good news. Bucky Irving first game back. The biggest running back touch percentage he had for the entire year. Bucky Irving's back to be not only being Bucky Irving better than he was before, arguably. So that one's really simple. Just trust Bucky Irving. If you hesitant last week, you don't have to worry about it. The Godwin one is watching that game and it's like we saw Godwin earlier this Year we were like, Godwin earlier this year when he came back was like, eh, he doesn't look like Godwin. And he reaggravates the injury. Well, aggravates the injury off the surgery, as we all know. But all that being said is we saw Godwin and then I'm watching this game and like, right off the jump I'm like, oh, my God. Godwin's got his burst back. Godwin's separating and looked good in that game. And Baker Mayfield said, wait, look, there's my old Godwin back. I'm going to go to him. I'm going to go to him again. I'm going to go to him again. And he could have had a touchdown in that game. Like, Godwin looked like the old Godwin pre injury from last year. And I'm not saying he's top 10. But for all those people like you who smartly stashed him and just said, hey, why not put him on the end of your bench? Even if Mike Evans is back, I think he's a strong wide receiver, too. And I'm not so sure. Mike Evans does come back. But you can't trust him in his first game anyway. But Godwin back to a wide receiver, too. Trust him. Slam him in all your lineups. He looked good.
- [49:00]
James Palmer
I love the way you just buttered me up. Oh, you were smart. Like James was where he picked up Chris Godwin. You're trying to lure me back.
- [49:08]
Jake Seeley
See, now you're not going to quit fantasy.
- [49:09]
James Palmer
You know what? I'm not going to quit Fantasy. I'm excited for this week. Let's go. Chris Godwin in the starting lineup. Khalil, Shakir, you're out. Take it easy.
- [49:18]
Jesse Newell
Take a hike.
- [49:19]
Jake Seeley
You should have been out a long time ago.
- [49:21]
James Palmer
I'll be playing him at the Flex, but okay. Understandable. Okay, Jake, appreciate it. Thanks for the list. Thanks for the info. I will adjust my team accordingly. We will be texting this weekend, as always, as I have trouble with my lineup. Appreciate it, buddy.
- [49:33]
Jake Seeley
I'll send you a T shirt.
- [49:34]
James Palmer
Thank you. Oh, I'll take a T shirt as well. Hey, coming up, I got my extra point. This segment is back. We haven't had it for a couple of weeks. I have a bone to pick with teams that just refuse to put that quarterback under center. I'll tell you why. And I got receipts. Coming up next, Scoop City on a Thursday.
- [49:52]
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Dan Weiderer
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- [52:24]
James Palmer
The tennis podcast managed to secure Andy Murray's first major interview since retiring last year. He lifts the lid on what it was like going head to head with and overtaking to become the world number one. Federer, Nadal, Yokovic. Oh, how retirement has reshaped his perspective of his career.
- [52:43]
Welcome back to Scoop City on a Thursday. James Palmer still here with you. We've covered a lot and I have time for my extra point though. And it's this play action pass and the bootleg run from under center are still some of the best plays in all of the NFL. I was having a conversation with a former quarterback just this week who really still stays in the game, stays active, studies, studies the film and told me exactly that. And one of the main things is first the play action aspect of it. And specifically when you're under center, there's a rhythm, there's an aspect of how you operate it with your footwork that creates an entire flow to the offense and a timing to the offense. And then there's the aspect of holding the defense. The play takes longer. There's been a lot of discussion points by the way of Caleb Williams staying in the pocket maybe longer, holding on to the ball longer. This is part of it and I'll get to Caleb Williams. You hold on to the football for a beat longer, yes, you're in the pocket longer, but what does the defense have to do? They have to hold for a beat longer. Those linebackers, those men in the secondary before they commit against the run because they don't know exactly what the play truly is. When you operate that same play action out of say the shotgun, ask anyone around the league. The play is much quicker. The decisive happens much quicker from the defense because you're not holding them as long. We'll get to the RPO aspect of it in just a second. But that's exactly why the play action pass operates so well when it's under center because the time it takes for the defense to decipher what you're doing. And I mentioned Caleb Williams, so let's talk about him. Caleb Williams was barely under center in all of college and all of last year. Ben Johnson came in and has forced him to play under center, something he was not comfortable doing. Fast forward to now and the Bears obviously the number one seed in the nfc. I'm told that Caleb loves playing under center. He loves the flow of the offense with him operating under center and oh yeah, they have one of the best run games in all of football operating right now. A big part of that helps the play action game. So he is able to find free, free receivers and free routes when he's able to convince the defense that they're possibly running the football. When you look at the metrics, he's behind only Matthew Stafford in a lot of different metrics in terms of throwing the football out of play action under center. And when you look at all the teams that are near the top of the league and their success rates and everything that comes with how frequently they use this type of play, it's teams like, I don't know, the Rams, the Bears, the Lions, the Patriots, the Jaguars, the Seahawks, the Chargers. Those are pretty good offenses to me. Then when you combine it with the fact that you can take a look at the bootleg that's run from under center part of that play action game, and you see a lot of the same teams, but then you add in the likes of teams like the Colts and the Broncos and the Cowboys to the ones I just mentioned. These are all offenses that are operating at a very high click. Now, I understand playing in the shotgun. If you have a super commute supercomputer back there, you have a Joe Burrow that processes information unlike any other human on the planet. I understand you put Patrick Mahomes back in the gun regularly. I do kind of understand. But when you're the Philadelphia Eagles and you're an offense that is built off of the run with one of the best running backs in all of football, and you are in the shotgun at one of the highest rates in the NFL, it almost doesn't really make sense. You're not fooling the defense in any aspect. Now, I understand that Jalen Hurts is a running quarterback, that you can run the RPO game and you can hold the defense the same way you would with the play action under center with the way you run the RPO game. The problem, Jalen Hurts is running the football at the lowest rate of his NFL career. So if he's not running the football out of the RPO game, there is no holding the defense because they're not believing the same exact thing could be said for the Baltimore Ravens and they're struggling offense since Lamar Jackson has come back. Lamar isn't running as well, not nearly as well. And when you talk to teams around the league, they'll tell you they're defending the Ravens differently because Lamar Jackson to run the football isn't the same threat as it's been in the past. So when he's standing in the shotgun trying to hold you in the RPO game, it's not as effective. So the shotgun aspect of running that unless you have a mobile quarterback that is willing to run, doesn't really entirely make sense to me. That's just my two cents. And you know what? I also love the way it works. I love timing, I love the way it operates, and I love the way that you can still be explosive down the field while you're doing it. Just ask the Seattle Seahawks.
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And that'll do it for Scoop City on a Thursday. Thank you so much for watching or listening and enjoy your Week 14 matchups of games. They are outstanding with a lot of implications on the line with the results of some of these. Okay, want to thank everybody who's joined the show, whether that's Jesse Newell, whether that's Mike DeFebo, whether it's Dan Weiderer and Jake Seeley. As always, we love everybody joining us and we love all of you listening and watching. Thank you so much. Enjoy your football. I am back in the fantasy game.
- [57:37]
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- [58:07]
James Palmer
Dashing through the store, Dave's looking for a gift, one you can't ignore, but not the socks he picked. I know, I'm putting. Hey Dave, here's a tip. Put scratchers on your list.
- [58:18]
Dan Weiderer
Oh, scratchers.
- [58:18]
Jake Seeley
Good idea.
- [58:19]
James Palmer
It's an easy shopping trip. We're glad we could assist. Thanks, random singing people. So be like Davis Holiday and give.
- [58:26]
Jesse Newell
The gift of play Scratchers from the California Lottery.
- [58:30]
James Palmer
A little play can make your day.
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Jesse Newell
Please play responsibly.
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James Palmer
Must be 18 years or older to.
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Jake Seeley
Purchase, play or claim.
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James Palmer
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James Palmer
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