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- [00:02]
Matt Jones
This is Matt and Myron, the podcast.
- [00:04]
Gabe Neitzel
We're not just counting it down to kickoff. We are counting down to that College Football Playoff selection show as well here on ESPN Radio, ESPN App, Sirius XM channel 80. I'm Gabe Neitzel along with Myron Metcalf, ESPN Radio, presented by Progressive Insurance. And as we get closer and closer to the reveal of the College Football Playoff bracket, the first ever 12 team playoffs in high major college football, we want to hear from you, Triple H, say ESPN 888-729-3776 on that Dr. Pepper call in line. And I do want to make a note before we go out to our calls, Myron, there was a gentleman named Harold who had called in. He dropped, I believe he's from West Hollywood.
- [00:46]
Myron Metcalf
West Hollywood.
- [00:47]
Gabe Neitzel
If somebody knows Harold or Harold, if you're still listening, we'd love for you to call in. We'd love for you to call back in. There was a point that you wanted to make that we found interesting.
- [00:58]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, Harold was talking that talk. So, yeah, come, come call back. We want to hear something about bias or something like that. So I just want to hear from Harold, man. And you know, if you know Harold in West Hollywood, I feel like people just know Harold in West Hollywood, you know what I mean? Like, I feel like there's just a dude that people know and they'll, they'll encourage him to call back.
- [01:18]
Gabe Neitzel
Go out to James in New York. James, you're up next on Countdown to Kickoff on ESPN Radio.
- [01:24]
Myron Metcalf
Hello?
- [01:25]
Gabe Neitzel
What's happening?
- [01:27]
Myron Metcalf
Hey, James.
- [01:28]
James
Yeah. I'll say this before I get hung up on because you tell yourself a.
- [01:35]
Myron Metcalf
Joke, James, you tell yourself a joke. Came in laughing. Okay.
- [01:41]
James
I think, you know, when I think the last team in should be Army, I know they won't be, but I, but I believe that they had the best game of the weekend. What's that?
- [01:56]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, how does that work, though?
- [01:58]
James
And I would take Indiana out because they have the same resume.
- [02:06]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, I mean, the thing about Indiana is they didn't play and beat, you know, a bunch of top 10 teams, right?
- [02:15]
Gabe Neitzel
Yeah.
- [02:15]
Myron Metcalf
Their biggest matchup, they lost to Ohio State. But they had a lot of lopsided wins on their schedule. And I think that's why Indiana is in a position that it's in right now. Army, mind you, has had one of the greatest seasons in, you know, army history, at least modern history. And I think that Army Navy game is going to be amazing. But I don't say you put them above Indiana, you know, and take Indiana out.
- [02:39]
Gabe Neitzel
Yeah, I am Right there with you. And while I was rooting that, I really wanted army to at least hang with Notre Dame. Yes. The way that the service academies work it, they're just not going to have the players to actually compete with some of the top teams. It's great that they only have one loss. It's great that they're going to be in the top 25. And like you said, Army, Navy, next week is going to rock crazy. They would get rocked by any of these teams if you put them into the College Football Playoff.
- [03:09]
Myron Metcalf
Well, in Indiana might, too. I mean, like, it won't shock me if all of the higher seeds win and win convincingly throughout this entire playoffs. Right. Outside of once you get to Boise in Arizona State. But, like, in that first round, I mean, you know, if Indiana loses by two touchdowns, that won't be shocking, you know, if they have to go travel. So we'll see. But I think the field outside of SMU, Alabama.
- [03:37]
Gabe Neitzel
Yeah. Oh, I'm 100% there with you. That's. That's the last question you can squabble over. Who's going to be seating. Because I even think that the four teams that are hosting, I think those are basically set as well. I mean, you can. You can argue about, okay, should Penn State be the five or should they be the six? But I think Penn State, Ohio State, Texas and Notre Dame are all hosting that opening round.
- [03:59]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, they're all hosting for sure. But it's going to be interesting, man, because, you know, if you got to play, play a SMU team that's angry or an Alabama team. Like, it's going to be fascinating to see what the selection, the committee does.
- [04:12]
Gabe Neitzel
Triple H, say espn, more of your calls coming up in just a little bit. But there is a game in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Rams today, and it seems like Josh Allen now finds himself almost in that driver's seat to be the league mvp, despite statistically having one of. I mean, the only thing that's. That he's really doing well this season compared to some of the numbers he's put up in past seasons is the lack of turnovers. But at the same time, the Bills lost a lot offensively, defensively, and because of Josh Allen, they still have the record that they do at 10 and 2. They've already clinched their division. We're barely into the month of December, and he's the big reason why they are where they are and have not dropped off, despite some of the guys that they decided they had to let Go of.
- [05:02]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah. I mean, you lose Stefan Diggs, you lose. Lose all the pieces that he lost. And people said, okay, we'll see who Josh Allen is. And now you bring in new faces, a bunch of young guys, and clearly he's one of the elite quarterbacks in the league. I mean, having one of his most efficient seasons, you're not seeing the same turnovers because he's not taking the same risk. Like, he's smarter this year. But I think once he, once he and that San Francisco game became, I think the first quarterback in 50 years or whatever it is to catch a touchdown pass, throw one, and also run one in, I mean, it was sort of set. Saquon Barkley has been incredible, but he's not going to get it over a quarterback who's playing at Josh Allen's level.
- [05:43]
Gabe Neitzel
Yeah, that's true. I just. But statistically the numbers aren't there. Yes. You have the rare feat of being able to catch the touchdown pass like he did last week. I still feel like Saquon should be the league mvp. I understand he's never going to win it. And the reason being, like some of the Giants fans that I've talked to, oh, it wasn't that big of a mistake to let him go. Because if you put Saquon on the Giants, it's not like their season drastically changes. Right. Like we've seen Saquon on the Giants and still be incredibly bad. You put Josh Allen on the Giants and their season changes dramatically. But I still don't think that takes away with what Saquon has been able to do with the Eagles because he has been absolutely incredible in, in his pursuit for 2,000 yards rushing.
- [06:28]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, I mean, he has a strong case, I think, to be mvp. You know, I think everybody can certainly see that. But, you know, the leader of a team that lost what Josh Allen's team lost, you know, Saquon was coming into a Philly system that up until that eight game losing streak or whatever it was last year, they were pretty good coming off a Super Bowl. And then this year, you know, they got back to what we knew they could become and he certainly added to that. But, you know, they were in a Super bowl two years ago. So I think Josh Allen, with what they lost, is going to be in the driver's seat because he's being efficient. People say they didn't want the turnovers. Okay, you don't see the turnovers. You're not seeing maybe some of the five touchdown games either. But he's a more efficient Passer, and I think that's worthy of mvp.
- [07:13]
Gabe Neitzel
Yeah, because he's been one of the best quarterbacks in the league for a while. And cutting down on the turnovers in the way he has kind of reminds me the way Brett Favre was able to do late in his career. Okay, I need to take care. Better care of the football. And that has led to wins. Like, he doesn't need to have the five touchdown passes, quite possibly because you don't need to score as many points when you're not turning the ball over and giving the other team a short field, be able to punch it into the end zone. And he is absolutely spectacular. But I mean, really, the last two games is what put him over being able to beat the Chiefs, beat the Niners the way that they did. I mean, they've got an important one, you know, we'll have to travel to Detroit. Well, that would be an interesting game for Josh Allen. But if he goes into Detroit and they beat the Lions, he basically wraps up the mvp.
- [07:58]
Myron Metcalf
Yes, no, it definitely does. And again, to me, beyond the MVP conversation is I think the Bills have a credible case to be the favorites right now. I mean, Kansas City has won 14 consecutive one score games. They look bad against teams like the Raiders and the Panthers couldn't hold on to leads against them. The Buffalo Bills are playing better football than Kansas City right now. I think that's undeniable. And it feels like we might be a couple wins away from saying Kansas City has to beat Buffalo and not the other way around.
- [08:34]
Gabe Neitzel
Yeah, until that one happens, I don't think I can actually say Buffalo is the favorite, but like, they're not playing good football.
- [08:40]
Myron Metcalf
Kansas City's not good right now. They are playing games that they should have lost and in most cases would lose. Like, it's not a skill thing to me with how they've escaped some of these games.
- [08:51]
Gabe Neitzel
No, they're, they're an NBA team just kind of sleepwalking through the regular season because guess what? LeBron knows. Hey, I gotta, I just gotta show up in the playoffs. Steph Curry knew when the warriors were doing what they were doing, you just got to show up in the playoffs because they're good enough where they sleepwalk their way through. And how many people left them for dead after they lost to the Raiders on Christmas last year? A good chunk of people. And then they did what they did.
- [09:13]
Myron Metcalf
But, but this doesn't. First off, I'm an NFL history guy, right, Gabe, no teams won three in a row.
- [09:19]
Gabe Neitzel
Correct.
- [09:19]
Myron Metcalf
And you think about the great teams we've had, you know, you had those packers teams in the 60s, the Steelers of the 70s, the Niners of the 80s, the Cowboys of the 90s, and then the Patriots and then Kansas City. No team's done it. That says a lot to me. But also how many teams have just sort of escaped like this and then shown up in the playoffs? Like that doesn't happen in the NFL. And I think Kansas City is very, very vulnerable right now.
- [09:46]
Gabe Neitzel
Are they vulnerable? Yes. I refuse to pick against them and say that they're not the favorite until somebody actually beats them in the playoffs. Because it felt like we did that all last year, you know, So I can't, I just can't be out in front of that one anymore. Like, I just got. Okay. I just have to accept. Yes. Is this unlike anything I have ever seen in my football watching life? Absolutely. But I think I just have to accept that this is the anomaly. This is the one that stands out. And I mean, we before Tom Brady, we never saw somebody have basically two different hall of Fame careers. His first part of the career when they won three out of four Super Bowls early and then when he won four more late in his career, he had a 10 year gap between winning Super Bowls like we had never seen that before. And he was able to do it. I think we just have to accept that the combination, because that's what it is. To me, it's the combination of Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. It's just different. They're allowed to do different things versus everybody else. More NFL games we need to dive into. Plus, we do want to hear more from you on that Dr. Pepper call online about how you feel that College Football Playoff is going to shake out. That's all coming up next on Countdown to kickoff, ESPN radio and the ESPN app.
- [10:59]
Matt Jones
Matt and Myron, the podcast.
- [11:12]
Gabe Neitzel
Countdown to kickoff, ESPN radio, ESPN app, Sirius XM channel 80 along with Myron Metcalf. I'm Gabe Neitzel. Always hit us up on that doctor peppercollen line. Triple H, say ESPN and don't forget, coming up in about 45 minutes, it's that College Football Playoff selection day here on ESPN Radio. It's noon to 2pm Eastern with Mark Kesters and Ian Fitzsimmons as they will get you ready and then be there for that College Football Playoff announcement. We'll see the bracket just a few hours away here on ESPN Radio, but we'll continue to take your calls at triple H, say ESPN 888-729377. 6. Let's go to Dan in Indiana, which very well could be the football mecca of college football right now.
- [11:55]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah.
- [11:55]
Gabe Neitzel
Dan, you're on Countdown to Kickoff on espn.
- [11:58]
Myron Metcalf
Ready?
- [12:00]
Dan
What's up, gentlemen? How are you?
- [12:01]
Myron Metcalf
How you doing, Dan?
- [12:03]
Dan
Good. A few things. One, I actually think that, that getting hurt and trust me, I don't wish nobody get hurt or anything. But his backup, I feel like he came in and played way better than Beck was playing earlier in the game. And then two, I don't think Texas is really that good of a team. I think Ubers, he did not look good yesterday at all. I didn't feel was this. So with that being said, do you think. Do you think both those teams should be ranked higher than Notre Dame?
- [12:32]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, yeah, they should be. I mean, I don't know about Texas will be interesting, I think, but you know, the Georgia thing, people got to realize they won their conference championship. So Georgia is only competing with three other teams when it comes to the seating, right? 1, 2, 3, 4. You win your conference championship, the highest rated conference champions, they get those top four seeds and the buys that come with them. So you're really comparing Georgia to Arizona State and Boise State, not the rest of the field. So Georgia will be the number two team again. The Carson Beck injury, they. They find a way to win. Backup look good. We'll see what the injury really is. I do think Texas is interesting. Like, I think Texas is one of those teams where they look like a team that could be one of the best teams in the country a couple of weeks ago. Gabe. But you look at them yesterday and what we've seen the last couple of weeks, I'm asking if Arch Manning makes this a better team. And that may seem crazy, but I do think that's the kind of, that's the kind of conversation Steve Sarkis is going to have to have with himself in the playoff. If you get into a rough stretch with Queen Ewers, do you bring in the kid?
- [13:34]
Gabe Neitzel
I don't think it's that crazy because we also saw Arch Manning play. It's not like he's still, you know, it's not like he's some still, oh, mysterious Manning that you have waiting in the wings because Ewers got hurt earlier this year and we saw Arch Manning look pretty good at times. I think it becomes a legitimate part of the conversation that if you struggle offensively against one of these teams, especially early do. Do you have the guts to do that? Because the way that Sark talked about it earlier when Manning was playing and he was playing great. Now we know Quinn Ewers, he's our quarterback for a reason, he's our senior leader for a reason, all these different things. But now when push comes to shove, all the cards on the table in a playoff scenario, if, if yours is not getting it done, I think it's a conversation you at least have to have. And maybe you don't have it with the players, but at least as a coaching staff, you may have to have that conversation just to prepare yourselves.
- [14:30]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, because. Because if the goal is to win, you got to be ready to make changes in mid game changes, you know, to, to give yourself a change of pace. Georgia didn't have that option. Carson Beck gets hurt again. We'll see what the MRI says. I will say Boise State might be sitting there going, wait a minute, our only loss is a three point loss to the number one seed in this whole thing. Right. So if anybody's mad, it might be boys to State about where they're seated. But if I'm Texas, Arch Manning, you've got to be prepared to turn to him. If you don't feel as confident in Quinn Ures if he gets off to another rough start, if it doesn't like look like he can lead you to a win, you got to bring in Arch Manning.
- [15:05]
Gabe Neitzel
Look, Boise State's just going to be upset, right? Like if they're going to be upset with the three seed, they're going to be upset that their guy, Ashton Gentee doesn't win the Heisman Trophy.
- [15:13]
Myron Metcalf
I mean, I think he should, but he won't. Yep.
- [15:16]
Gabe Neitzel
Oh, you think he should over. Over Hunter?
- [15:18]
Myron Metcalf
Yes. Not that I think he's the best player in football. I mean if it's about the best player in football and I don't know if that's the Heisman, Gabe anymore. Like I don't know what the Heisman is.
- [15:28]
Gabe Neitzel
Honestly, the most outstanding is the way it's worded on their website.
- [15:32]
Myron Metcalf
It's. It's him. Ashton Gentee has been the most outstanding player in football. Travis Hunter has maybe been the most remarkable player because we just haven't seen a guy play both sides the way that he has and to do it to that degree. But dominance is the running back in Boise State. But he won't win it though.
- [15:50]
Gabe Neitzel
No, I mean in terms of dominance, Yes. I mean they are in the College Football Playoff and they are going to get a buy. Who thought when they came up with the idea that, oh yeah, top four conference champions, they're all going to get buys. I don't think they envisioned that the Mountain west was going to be one of those four teams that were represented in those four buys because that is certainly what is going to happen when that is released. The prime time game this week in the NFL. Myron is countdown to kick off ESPN Radio Gabe Night. So Myron Metcalf, the Chiefs Chargers tonight might be one of the more intriguing games of the weekend, mostly for the things we were talking about with Kansas City. Even though they're playing at home in KC today, they're favored by four points over at ESPN bet. But this Chargers team is one that I'm also still trying to figure out. First of all, I am impressed with what Jim Harbaugh does has done getting this team ready the way that he has this many wins. They had to lose a lot due to to their salary cap issues that they had coming into the season. But when they stepped up to the Ravens a couple of weeks ago, yeah, it ended up being a seven point finale, but it was a 14 point game pretty late into that contest. When they've stepped up in competition, they haven't been able to hang. This is an opportunity for the Chargers to show that they could be a team to be reckoned with when we get to the postseason about a month.
- [17:04]
Myron Metcalf
From now it is, man. I mean, you know Justin Herbert and what he's been able to do under Harbaugh. I mean that defense has had a lot of highs, but this is one of those games for me. And I don't think you can do this with all teams, but there are some teams where it's like I really don't care what the personnel is like, I don't care who's actually on the field. I'm just going to look at the history of these two teams and the history is that the Chargers don't beat Kansas City. It just doesn't happen. Justin Herbert's 2 and 7 against Kansas City in his career. Right. I believe in the last 17 matchups I could be wrong. I think Kansas City is 14 and 3 or something like that against the Chargers. Like the Chargers just don't win these games. So, you know, as silly as it may be, I just think that that is a real thing, especially going into Kansas City. The Falcons, what they were able to do is they were able to pressure Justin Herbert who'd been largely protected, but I think he was sacked five times in that game by an Atlanta defensive line that's really not that effective, hasn't been all season. But they got to him. Kansas City can Do that and more. And by the way, Kansas City doesn't lose to the Chargers historically.
- [18:26]
Gabe Neitzel
And the final game of the weekend, it's not that intriguing. Bengals, Cowboys. But are you into the Simpsons old cast at all? Is this something that you're going to check out? Monday Night Football? Of course, you get the regular broadcasts, but over on ESPN+Disney plus, you can check out the Simpson old cast. Drew Carter, Mina Kimes, Dan Orlovsky going to be on the call for that one.
- [18:48]
Myron Metcalf
I have a pair of specially made customized Simpsons shoes that. I have a pair of shoes where the. The Simpsons living room is the pattern for these shoes that it's amazing to see. I'm a big Simpsons guy, man. I think this is going to be awesome. It's going to be cool. And I'm glad we're doing stuff like this, man. Like, I'm glad we're doing these sort of alt cast, you know, for. For moments like this. And I think we'll do more of it going forward. So I think it's awesome, man. I'm definitely gonna have that on one TV and then the main broadcast or another.
- [19:19]
Gabe Neitzel
Yeah. I want to check it out. I don't know how long I'll watch it for, but like you said, I mean, I don't know if this is necessarily for me, but at the same time, I want to care if you watch. Yeah. But I want to see what it looks like. They just. The technology behind it is just so fascinating to me that they're going to be able to create something like this. I think it's gonna be a lot of fun.
- [19:39]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah. And as somebody who consistently got Cs in art class, like, I don't know how you do this. I can't draw, right? No, man. No, I can't draw. No, I can't. So I can't do the basics. Like, I still do stick fit, you know, I can't draw it all. So to see people do stuff like this is really fascinating. Like the artistic visual element of that.
- [19:57]
Gabe Neitzel
Yeah. One time, I mean, it was a middle school art class, you know, sitting there doing the drawing. Teacher comes over, looks over my shoulder, oh, Gabe, those. Those are really great rocks.
- [20:06]
Myron Metcalf
That didn't happen with me.
- [20:07]
Gabe Neitzel
Flowers. I was trying to draw flowers. It was.
- [20:10]
Myron Metcalf
My sister did my fourth grade project. My sister did my fourth grade art project. And everybody knew it. It was perfect. Everyone knew I didn't do it. Everybody.
- [20:18]
Gabe Neitzel
It was just a little inconsistent with some of the other work.
- [20:20]
Myron Metcalf
It was. It was masterpiece.
- [20:21]
Gabe Neitzel
Yeah. Fantastic. We are going to continue Countdown to Kickoff, College football, NFL all coming up next on ESPN Radio.
- [20:29]
Matt Jones
Matt and Myron, the podcast.
- [20:48]
Gabe Neitzel
Countdown to kickoff here on ESPN Radio, the ESPN app, Sirius XM channel 80. Along with Myron Metcalf. I'm Gabe Neitzel. Excited to bring on our next guests, ESPN NFL analyst. He's our coach, Herm edwards. Coach, how you doing this morning?
- [21:00]
Herm Edwards
Good morning, gentlemen. We are fine. There are some teams in the national football leagues not doing so good right now because if they don't win, they're going to be Christmas shopping early.
- [21:10]
Gabe Neitzel
Well, one of those teams who have an interesting matchup, Coach, the Atlanta Falcons going to Minnesota. Kirk Cousins is returning, but Cousins has been playing some pretty bad football as of late. How has a coach, how do you handle that situation? You have a quarterback, he's pretty high priced. You brought him in and yet here you have another quarterback winning the wings that you used a top 10 pick on who maybe you make the switch to if Kirk continues this interception streak.
- [21:35]
Herm Edwards
Well, right now when you look at him, they've lost three in a row, as everyone's well aware of, but they are 6 and 6 and they're leading the division. They're, they're 4 and 1 in division play. The Bucks are 2 and 2. So Kurt had a bad week, there's no doubt about that, throwing four of them to the bad guys. But I think you help him in this way, especially because of the game that's about to take place. He's going back to his old team in Minnesota. He's going to be excited about playing these guys. Think you got to slow it down for him a little bit, you know, rely on the running game some, let him get the ball to pits the tight end, just, you know, help him through a series or two to get the flow of the game and do that with him. And Raheem knows that he's got a veteran quarterback and everyone's saying about Penix, you know, get Pinnix, well, you know, you're in first place right now and so that's not fair to Penix either. I mean, you put him in the game and he's going to be like all these rookie quarterbacks that started the season off, except for Jaden Daniels. Jaden Daniels started off very well and then he came back to the pack a little bit. Had a, you know, had a couple games where he looked like a rookie. Well, pennies is going to have to go through that. He hasn't gone through that. And you're talking about you're in first place Right now, you don't want to do that. You want to stick with your veteran quarterback. He'll work his way out of this and we'll find out.
- [22:48]
Myron Metcalf
Today you get Sam Donald. If the Vikings continue to play like this coach and win big, will we see more teams try to spend less on a veteran quarterback as opposed to overspending for a guy like Kirk Cousins?
- [23:04]
Herm Edwards
Well, I think, look, I mean, anytime you talk about quarterback, they set the market, right? So you overspend. If you don't get to the playoffs. If you get to the playoffs with the guy, you're fine, right? And that's what you got to look at. You got to look at, I got a young guy. Do I want to start a rookie? Washington didn't overspend. They got a new coach coming in, new regime. They said, we're going to get the rookie quarterback. We're going to draft one high and we're going to start him. And you look at all those, what, five guys that are starting out, all those rookie quarterbacks, for the most part, they're playing, which is a good thing. I mean, that was a good class that came out this year. When you look, when you look at the numbers, at the end of the day when you watch them now, obviously Washington has, you know, got a lead on them, you know, because they're going to make the playoffs, obviously. But these rookie quarterbacks have done a nice job, I thought.
- [23:55]
Gabe Neitzel
Herm Edwards, ESPN NFL analyst, joining us here on Countdown to Kickoff, ESPN Radio and the ESPN app, along with Myron Metcalf. I'm Gabe Neitzel, Coach, not who is the best, but who is playing the best football of any team right now?
- [24:09]
Herm Edwards
Well, on the AFC side, I would say it's a toss up between the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers. I think they're playing the most consistent football. You know, although The Chiefs are 11 1, we find ourselves kind of discounting them. But the playoffs haven't started yet.
- [24:30]
Myron Metcalf
That's what should.
- [24:32]
Herm Edwards
When the playoffs start, all of a sudden they kind of hone in, you know, and I've said this earlier, when you're a team like the Kansas City Chiefs or one of these teams that's constantly in the playoff mode, you know, every year you're playing three or four or more games than everybody else because you're getting to the big game, right? And so there comes a fatigue factor, too, that, you know, it catches up with you. When you've done this two or three years, you play a lot of extra football games in playoffs. That playoff Competition is different than the regular season, guys. The volume turns up, you know, because it's single elimination. And so they've gone through this gauntlet of games over the last two or three years. They're chasing history trying to win three. And so, you know, they're kind of playing, they're playing good enough to win when they get in the playoffs. I got a feeling that the switch might just turn up a little bit.
- [25:19]
Myron Metcalf
Coach. The Steelers look good. Obviously Mike Tomlin I think is your coach of the year if it's not Dan Campbell, but I don't think Russell Wilson can win a Super bowl at this stage. I mean, how important is to have an elite quarterback if you're going to have to go through a Josh Allen, Lamar Patrick Mahomes to get to the Super Bowl?
- [25:35]
Herm Edwards
Well, I think anytime you talk to Pittsburgh Steelers, you say one thing, you say defense and that's where it all.
- [25:41]
Myron Metcalf
The defense doesn't win championships, Coach. No, I think that's the biggest lie in our sport. Well, defense never wins championships. Well, no, this is what not alone.
- [25:48]
Herm Edwards
This is what defense does. Defense keeps you in the game.
- [25:52]
Myron Metcalf
That's fair.
- [25:53]
Herm Edwards
So you can win a championship. Because if you don't got no defense, it's in today's world, if you don't have a defense, you got no shot. You got no shot because of the way they throw the ball around the ball yard. So a defense keeps you in it. I'm not saying it wins it, but it keeps you in the game along with this if you're able to run the ball. This is Dan Campbell, right? This is Dan Campbell. He's going to try to run the ball. He's going to play action pass. He understands what his quarterback is. Defense plays good enough but at times when they don't play good, that makes the offense predictable. Now they got to drop back and throw. Jared Goff doesn't want to drop back and throw passes. He's a play action quarterback. What do they have beside Jared Goff? They got a good running game. They got a two headed monster with those two running backs, right? I mean when you watch them play and they're physical and they play tough. So I just think at the end you still have to make stops on defense because if you don't, you got a problem.
- [26:45]
Gabe Neitzel
Herm Edwards, ESPN NFL analyst joining us, Countdown to kickoff ESPN radio, ESPN app, SiriusXM channel 80. Gabe Neitzel along with Myron Metcalf and coach, you brought up Dan Campbell. So as a coach, what do you think of him? Going for it as often as he does and in some of those situations, because going for it on his own 30 backfired, led to an easy touchdown for the Packers. But then he decided to go for it despite being in field goal range so he could run out the clock late in that game. Is that reckless? Is that just part of what the NFL is now? How do you feel about how often the Lions go for it on fourth down?
- [27:18]
Herm Edwards
This is what he does. And I think anytime you play Detroit, you saying you're playing a four down team on offense. So going into that game, you understand, look, he's playing four downs, guys, and there's no telling when it's going to show up. So you have to be ready to play on fourth down against them. Because when you look at that game, what they do when they convert these four downs, they keep the ball long periods of time. Now, guys, they wear you out. They had 72 plays last week. 72 of them. The opponent only had 36. So your chances of winning go up pretty good when you got more plays than the other guy. And you. And you control the game that way because you go for it on fourth downs. He went for four of them.
- [27:57]
Gabe Neitzel
Five.
- [27:58]
Herm Edwards
He went for five. And he only missed one.
- [28:00]
Myron Metcalf
Four. Five.
- [28:00]
Herm Edwards
Right. And so you do the math. If you convert that fourth down, guess what? You get three more plays. And here they go again. And they go on these long, methodical drives, man. And you're looking at the clock and you're going, we can't possess the ball. No, because they go for it on fourth down and when they convert, they just start the series all over again. That's his personality. His team believes it. They trust the coach. Coach trusts the players. And this is how they roll.
- [28:25]
Myron Metcalf
Coach, who's more important to their team right now? Josh Allen to the Bills or Saquon Barkley to the Eagles?
- [28:31]
Herm Edwards
Oh, boy. Oh, my word. I would say because the Eagles have so much talent, it's hard for me to say Saquon, although I think he's made this team, obviously one of the better teams in the NFL. But Josh Allen, they get rid of their number one receiver and the guys he's playing with on offense, they're great players, but not as talented as affiliate Eagles group, right? And it's all about Josh Allen. He's either beating you with his arm, he's going to run it. You know he's running it. And here's the funny thing about Josh Allen. If you don't play the Buffalo Bills a lot and they're not in your division. And you see the guy in pregame warmup, you're kind of looking, you're going, boy, he's big, isn't he, for a quarterback? Yeah, he's about 6, 5, he's 250. And you're going, he runs, you know, and you're the secondary guy. You go, oh, boy, he's runner. You're saying, this dude's running at me full speed, man. That's a load to carry. Now. It's just, he's different. I keep saying it, guys. He's like John Elway, big and can run, man, and got a powerful arm. So to me, I mean, he's put this team on his back. They got rid of their number one receiver, and basically he says, that's okay. We're going to be fine. And they are. They're playing well.
- [29:50]
Gabe Neitzel
Herm Edwards, ESPN NFL analyst, joining us on Countdown to Kickoff on ESPN Radio. Gabe Nitzel, Myron Metcalf with you as well. We talked a little bit about the Falcons and how they're still in first place. The other team in that division I can't figure out are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They also sit there in six and six. Coach, are they a good team?
- [30:08]
Herm Edwards
As long as, as long as Baker Mayfield's playing quarterback, I mean, he's like the Energizer Bunny, man. I mean, think about his career, when he got drafted and all that he's gone through. He found a place in Tampa, and he plays with a lot of grit, guys. I mean, he is just an emotion. They play off his emotion. They really do. When you, when you just watch him play this guy, you rooting for the guy because he's not the biggest quarterback. He doesn't have the strongest arm. But you talking about competing, just a competitor, I mean, that whole team watches and they go, man, look at this dude play, you know, and so you got to take your hat off to him. I mean, this division is going. It's going to boil down to those two teams, the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who wins this division.
- [30:54]
Myron Metcalf
What advice would you give Gerard Mayo as he's struggling in his first year, taking over for a legend like Belichick?
- [30:59]
Herm Edwards
Well, you know, anytime you follow that guy, I mean, that's, it's, you know, it's like, okay, what do you want to do? Look, I think the best thing they did, they, they put the rookie quarterback in there. I thought they waited too long. I thought he should have started the season off, to be quite honest. I said, hey, start to rookie man, just go ahead. You know, you, this is a season where you're just trying to find your team. You're trying to find your players. Ownership understands that. Look, this ownership, they've lived in camelot for almost 20 years. I mean, you know, so it's, it's now they gotta live like everybody else. Okay? We gotta try to like all the rest of the teams, just trying to win a game. Right? And so you gotta go through this. And it's the growing pains of it all. I think Mayo's getting better at the job. I mean, it's a hard job. I mean, it's easy to say you want to be a head coach until you sit in that seat, you know, and then you figure out it's more than just being the head coach. It's dealing with personalities. It's, it's all these other things. And I just think he's finding his way. And I think they got a quarterback that, that. So they got a shot. They got that guy. Right. They got the quarterback. Now just got to build around him.
- [32:03]
Gabe Neitzel
Coach, we certainly appreciate the time. Enjoy watching all the games. Part of NFL Week. Number 14.
- [32:09]
Herm Edwards
Appreciate you both. Thank you.
- [32:11]
Gabe Neitzel
Herman Edwards, ESPN NFL analyst, joining us here on Countdown to Kickoff. And you can tune in for a football doubleheader. Today, we're talking about this game. Steelers host the Browns. That is followed by Bears at 49ers. Coverage begins at noon, noon Eastern on select ESPN radio stations. Coming up next, got to get to a little take your pick. So we make our picks for the day. It's Countdown to Kickoff on espn.
- [32:35]
Matt Jones
Matt and Myron, the podcast.
- [32:56]
Gabe Neitzel
It is Countdown to kick off ESPN Radio, ESPN App, SiriusXM Channel 80, ESPN Radio, presented by Progressive Insurance along with Myron Metcalf. I'm Gabe Nitesoul. We have to do a little take your pick on Countdown to Kickoff. And so I'm, I'm bench hitting today. I am in.
- [33:21]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah.
- [33:21]
Gabe Neitzel
For Matt.
- [33:22]
Myron Metcalf
Matt Jones. Yeah.
- [33:23]
Gabe Neitzel
So all the picks. So he didn't like, submit his picks ahead of time or anything. So I just have to straight up. I'm, I'm the substitute for him.
- [33:30]
Myron Metcalf
You are.
- [33:30]
Gabe Neitzel
So. So I'm responsible for trying to maintain his lead that he has over you of three games.
- [33:37]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah. I was encouraged to make a financial offer to you to take, but I like, I want to play a straight up. By the way, if Matt is listening or if he isn't, I was up 11, 11 and 1. I went last week. I picked up two games on him. I'm coming for the championship. I will be a champion in this by the end of the year.
- [33:57]
Gabe Neitzel
All right, well, I mean, I wish you luck, but I wouldn't mean it. So we can, you know, just continue with the selection. Game number one this week.
- [34:11]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah. We all lose with this one in the. The Brian Day Ball bowl versus the interim coach with the Saints. Everyone's hurt with the Saints. The Giants just aren't good. Who's the best of the bad teams? Day Ball playing for his job, coaching for his job. I'll pick the Giants.
- [34:30]
Gabe Neitzel
Yeah. For all those same reasons. I'm with you. Everybody's beat up on the Saints. They're the home team. No, I'll just take the Giants next.
- [34:37]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah. So when he says next, you hit the Sounder, guys. I don't know. It was a little delay.
- [34:48]
Gabe Neitzel
Got a lot going on back here.
- [34:50]
Myron Metcalf
You got. Yeah, but there was a little delay. I'm like, are y'all on our show? Are you producing? Are you producing somebody else's show? Okay. All right. Browns beat the Steelers early this year. I don't think they've swept the Steelers, though, in a long, long time. Russell Wilson came alive last week. The Steelers are going for something much bigger. Trying to get into this top seed conversation. Give me the Steelers to win.
- [35:12]
Gabe Neitzel
I'm with you with the Steelers, but also I am just enjoying the roller coaster ride that is Jameis Winston and hope he puts together another spectacular performance of deep passes completed and interceptions and we get to continue to ride that roller coaster. Next.
- [35:30]
Myron Metcalf
I don't know if people are going to boo him or what that's going to sound like, you know what I mean? Because the Vikings are happy. You know, Kurt moved on. He was pretty happy up until this three game stretch. But I think the Vikings are just a better team. Falcons don't have a lot of ways to pressure Sam Darnold. If Sam Darnold has a clean pocket, he will destroy your team. Give me the Vikings to win.
- [35:49]
Gabe Neitzel
Now, we're on the same page on a lot of these Vikings, especially because they're at home. I don't. Kirk Cousins revenge game just doesn't sound right. Like, I mean, I don't know if he's really getting revenge.
- [35:58]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, I don't know.
- [35:59]
Gabe Neitzel
Yeah, so. And that Vikings defense is really good. I wouldn't be surprised if he threw a couple more interceptions today. Next.
- [36:10]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, I mean, the Bucks win and Atlanta loses their number one in the NFC south, which I think will happen. I think Brock Bowers have a big game, but the Bucs are Gonna win.
- [36:19]
Gabe Neitzel
Yeah. The. The Raiders are an absolute mess. I. I think the. The Buccaneers are okay. Like, some of their losses aren't that bad, and they've had a tough schedule. You said it earlier in the show. I think they could be that team that gets hot at the right time and nobody wants to play in the nfc. I'm taking the Bucks.
- [36:36]
Matt Jones
Panthers at Eagles.
- [36:38]
Myron Metcalf
This is the point to show where Matt would say, we got to pick up the pace a little bit. Gabe. He'd be mad at me for spending so much time. Jags, Titans. That's another game where we all lose again. Go get a good meal. Enjoy your family. What was it? Was it Eagles? Is that the game they did?
- [36:54]
Matt Jones
Panthers at Eagles.
- [36:59]
Myron Metcalf
I was looking at the screen. I was looking at the screen. No, no. Bryce Young. Bryce Young playing better. Give me the Eagles, though. Definitely.
- [37:07]
Gabe Neitzel
Yeah. Eagles. Let's go to the next one.
- [37:10]
Matt Jones
Jaguars at Titans.
- [37:12]
Myron Metcalf
Okay, this is Jaguars at Titans. This is where you go out and get a good meal with your family. Enjoy the day. I will pick the Titans to win this.
- [37:22]
Gabe Neitzel
Yeah, I want to go a little bit different, but I can't because the Jaguars are starting their backup quarterback, Mac Jones. I think Will Levis has been doing some different, better things. I'll take the Titans.
- [37:33]
Matt Jones
Jets at Dolphins.
- [37:35]
Myron Metcalf
Jets have always had a hard time going to Miami to win. You got a Dolphins team that's playing to keep his playoff hopes Alive. Aaron Rodgers. 34 consecutive games without hitting 300 yards. Give me the Dolphins.
- [37:46]
Gabe Neitzel
I cannot bet on Aaron Rodgers at this point, which is a wild thing to say out loud. Like, you can't bet on him because they have been that bad. He has been that bad. Like you said, Dolphins fighting for their playoff lives. They didn't show up in Green Bay on Thanksgiving. I'm taking the Dolphins.
- [38:01]
Matt Jones
Seahawks at Cardinals.
- [38:04]
Myron Metcalf
A weird thing has been happening with Kyler Murray, like, for. For the bulk of the season. He was very good when he was pressured, and these last two weeks, he hasn't been good. And the Vikings threw everything at him and really rattled him. I think the Seahawks will do the same, but I feel like Kyler Murray won't surrender to the pressure the way that he has in the last couple of weeks. Give me the Cardinals to win.
- [38:25]
Gabe Neitzel
I think the Seahawks are going to start grabbing a hold of that division. I think they pull off the win on the road. I'll take the Seahawks.
- [38:32]
Matt Jones
Bills at Rams.
- [38:36]
Myron Metcalf
Matthew Stafford has the number two QBR in the NFL over the last three weeks. I believe Josh Allen's number one he's played better despite all the injuries they've dealt with. But I think the Bills are trying to get that one seed and believe it's possible. Give me the Bills to win on the road.
- [38:49]
Gabe Neitzel
Yeah, they've got that tiebreaker. If they can just get one more loss by the Kansas City Chiefs, they can grab that. Yeah, I'm taking the Bills. I think Josh Allen is going to continue to pile up these wins and really start away, run away with that MVP award.
- [39:02]
Matt Jones
Bears at 49ers.
- [39:05]
Myron Metcalf
Caleb Williams has thrown 232 consecutive passes without an interception, which is an NFL record. Thomas Brown comes in as interim head coach. You play a banged up 49ers team. I'm going to give it to Chicago to get the win here.
- [39:20]
Gabe Neitzel
It kind of feels like they're close to finally getting that win. I don't think they get that win. The 49ers. I am going to say pull this one off at home.
- [39:28]
Matt Jones
Chargers at Chiefs.
- [39:31]
Myron Metcalf
If there's one thing you can be sure about, it's that the Chargers don't beat Kansas City. Like that is the history. Justin Herbert is 2 and 7 against Kansas City. Even before Justin Herbert, the Chargers couldn't beat Kansas City. So I just think this is one of those series where I'm always going to pick Kansas City. Really, no matter who's playing for Kansas City because of that lopsided record. Give me Kansas City to win.
- [39:55]
Gabe Neitzel
Yeah, the only question for me here is, is Kansas City finally going to win by like 7 or more? Are they going to win by 2 scores? Can they win by double digits instead of just another wonky thing happening and they win by a single score? I'm taking the Chiefs as well and I think that they win by double digits.
- [40:10]
Matt Jones
Bengals at Cowboys.
- [40:13]
Myron Metcalf
For all of the Bengals chatter, Joe Burrow might be having his best season. Like it's not showing up in the win loss record, but he's been incredible. He just doesn't have a defense or the right personnel around him. They've struggled, I believe in Dallas in that building. Cooper Rush has been better. I'm picking the Cowboys game, but I don't feel great about it. I don't feel great about it.
- [40:39]
Gabe Neitzel
I think that I'm going to take the Bengals go on the road. Yes, they have found ways to lose in just wild ways throughout the course of the season, but the Cowboys I think are pretty beat up and. And I think the Bengals get a pretty meaningless win on Monday Night Football. ESPN Radio presented by the progressive Keys to Progress program. Providing cars to veterans in need. We have the College Football Playoff Selection Day Special coming up here shortly. But I need one final prediction out of you, Myron. I think the playoff field is set, except for one thing. SMU or Alabama? Who are you taking? Who gets in for that final spot?
- [41:14]
Myron Metcalf
SMU will get in for the final spot. Alabama fans will lose it.
- [41:20]
Gabe Neitzel
I want to hope you're right, but I think Alabama just somehow gets in because they've been such the brand of college football the last handful of years. Coming up next, the College Football Playoff Selection Day Special with Mark Kester and Ian Fitzsimmons on ESPN Radio.