Hour 2: Micah’s Revenge Game

Summary

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Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron

Hosts: Myron Medcalf & (guest host) Lance Meadow for Matt Jones
Date: September 28, 2025
Episode: Hour 2: Micah’s Revenge Game
Network: ESPN Radio

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into the Week 4 NFL storylines with a particular focus on Micah Parsons’ highly anticipated “revenge game” against his former Dallas Cowboys squad. Myron Medcalf and guest host Lance Meadow break down not just Micah’s situation, but also offer sharp analysis on the broader NFL landscape, touch on college football upsets, and weigh in on major headlines across the WNBA, Ryder Cup, and more. The show’s tone balances tongue-in-cheek banter on pettiness in sports with serious football analysis, all while keeping listeners engaged ahead of the Sunday slate.

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Main Segment: Micah Parsons’ “Revenge Game” in Dallas

The Context: Parsons’ Return and Pettiness Olympics

• [00:34-02:57] Lance Meadow sets the table, updating listeners on early NFL action (Vikings-Steelers in Ireland), then pivots to the central storyline: Micah Parsons’ return to Dallas as a member of the Green Bay Packers.

  • Notable detail: Parsons, unable to get a suite refund in Dallas, now “rents out” his suite for the rest of the season.
  • Bantery Moment: Myron mischievously suggests Parsons should fill the suite with the wildest opposing fans as petty revenge:
    Myron: “I would give it to the most wild opposing fans at every game... That’s who I would let sit in the suite. That’s what he should do.” (02:38)

• [03:14] Myron leans into the theme of pettiness:
  Myron: “I support pettiness, Lance. I want it to be completely personal for Micah Parsons... If I’m Micah Parsons, this is the Petty Olympics, and I’m trying to win a gold medal, baby.” (03:14)

The Conflict: Jerry Jones vs. Micah Parsons

• [04:07-05:58] The hosts debate blame: Is this messy split on the player or owner?
  • Lance: Micah and Jerry both know how to fan the flames; both share responsibility.
  • Myron: Lays blame mainly on Jerry Jones, emphasizing his unusual public contract spat:
    Myron: “What Jerry does is not what happens in this league ever with star players. You don’t end up in a situation where you are publicly going back and forth with your star player about whether or not you should pay him.... Jerry is the one who did that, and Jerry is the one who had the opportunity to solve it, and now he’s paying for it.” (05:58)

Parsons’ Motivation—Downplaying or Fueling the Fire?

• [04:49] Soundbite from Parsons:
  Micah Parsons: “Nah, just for me, I just feel like my fuel has always been trying to be the best player... This is the moment that you got to be your best player for yourself, for your team, and, you know, everyone there.”
  • Lance’s Reaction: Skeptical. “I don’t buy a word that just came out of his mouth... This is a huge game for Micah Parsons.” (05:04)

The Fallout in Dallas

• [07:25] Explores impact on Cowboys’ defense:

  • Remember, Dallas has given up a franchise record 13 passing plays of 25+ yards in three games since Parsons’ departure—12 in the last 2 games.
  • Lance: Defensive woes have reached the point where “when you make the Giants offense look good, you’ve got problems.” (07:25)
  • Myron: Parson’s treatment was out of bounds; Jerry’s ego cost the franchise.

• [09:46] Banter peak with Gladiator references:

  • Lance: “Are you not entertained?”
  • Myron: “That’s what I want to see. I want to see that kind of a moment.” (09:46)

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NFL Quarterback Spotlights & Division Dynamics

Vikings QB Dilemma

• [23:17] Steelers-Vikings update; Wentz turnover woes resurface.
  • Myron draws a vivid analogy:
    “You know when, like, you go to an ad and you see like a $9,000 Ferrari... you buy it and realize it’s got 299,000 miles and half an engine... That’s the Carson Wentz experience.” (24:34)
  • Lance: If the Vikings can’t sort out QB, “overnight you can drop that steeply within the division.” (25:47)

Colts, Daniel Jones, & the “Game Manager” Debate

• [29:01] Discusses Daniel Jones’ surprising resurgence in Indianapolis and whether it’s sustainable.
  • Lance: “I think what we’re seeing right now is the environment is positive for Daniel Jones. But once that environment gets cracks in the foundation... that’s when I think there’s a bigger concern.” (29:41)
  • Myron: Defends “game manager” QBs:
    “I don’t know why we penalize so many quarterbacks who just do a good job with what they’re given. There aren’t that many dudes in this league who can go off script and be great...” (30:29)
  • Baker Mayfield as parallel: Sometimes change of scenery does work.

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Sunday’s Headlines: Fast-Paced Sports Takes

(Segment begins [14:33] with James Steele and guest contributor)

1. WNBA: Cheryl Reeve’s Playoff Suspension

• Story: Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve suspended one game for postgame officiating comments during WNBA playoffs.
• Myron: “That to me was not the right move... You can’t suspend her in the middle of the playoffs for game four. I think the WNBA looks silly in the way that they just did that to Cheryl Reeve.” (15:33)
• Lance: Defends officials, calls it a tough but correct call.

2. Ryder Cup: Comedian Crosses the Line

• Story: Comedian Heather McMahon steps down after leading “F you, Rory!” chants.
• Myron: “Why do we expect to send comedians to events and... this won’t happen? That’s what they do.” (17:37)
• Lance: “This is what golf needs... I welcome this on the major level and I actually would be calling for more of this. Not necessarily from comedian MCs... but it’s nice to see golfers actually get out of their box...” (18:31)

3. College Football: Virginia Stuns Florida State & Field Storming Debate

• Story: Virginia upsets #8 Florida State, fans storm field.
• Notable Quote:
  Myron: “I’m against storming the field, because at some point, someone is going to be seriously hurt. I’ve been in these court storms... and people have no idea how fast this goes.” (19:53)
• Lance: Questions the effectiveness of fining universities. Mocks Illinois for storming the field after beating a team only two spots higher in rankings.

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Quick Hitters: NFL Insights & Running Back Value

Bears, Raiders & Rookie Runners

• [39:15] Bears’ offense finally shows life against a struggling Cowboys defense, but skepticism remains about sustainability.
• [40:44] Raiders’ rookie RB Ashton Genti struggles;
  • Mark Schlereth (audio): Defends Genti’s talent; blames Raiders’ offensive line.
  • Myron: “I wouldn’t draft Barry Sanders, Emmett Smith, you name the great... in the first round [today]. If you’re a team in that position I guarantee you have other holes...” (41:55)
• Lance: Only exceptions are elite dual-threat RBs (e.g., Barkley, McCaffrey).

Jaguars, Offensive Struggles, and Defensive Promise

• [43:56] Jacksonville is 2-1 “despite” Trevor Lawrence’s learning curve in Liam Cohen’s offense.
  • Myron: Cohen “loves everything about this team except his quarterback.” (43:56)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Myron: “If I’m Micah Parsons, this is the Petty Olympics, and I’m trying to win a gold medal, baby.” (03:14)
• Myron: “What Jerry does is not what happens in this league ever with star players.” (05:58)
• Lance: “When you make the Giants offense look good, you’ve got problems...” (07:25)
• Myron: “That’s the Carson Wentz experience.” (24:34)
• Myron: “I wouldn’t draft Barry Sanders, Emmett Smith, you name the great... in the first round [today].” (41:55)
• On Ryder Cup drama:
  Myron: “Why do we expect to send comedians to events and... this won’t happen? That’s what they do.” (17:37)
• On NCAA field storming:
  Myron: “I’m against storming the field, because at some point, someone is going to be seriously hurt.” (19:53)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

| MM:SS | Segment/Topic | |-------|----------------------------------------------------| | 00:34 | Setting up Micah Parsons’ “revenge game” | | 03:14 | The “Petty Olympics” and Parsons’ motivations | | 04:49 | Parsons’ downplaying the drama (audio quote) | | 05:58 | Who’s to blame: Jerry Jones or Parsons? | | 07:25 | Dallas defense struggles, fallout after Parsons | | 09:46 | Gladiator movie banter | | 14:33 | Sunday’s Headlines with James Steele | | 15:33 | WNBA: Cheryl Reeve’s suspension | | 17:37 | Ryder Cup: Comedian’s crowd taunt at McIlroy | | 19:53 | College Football: Field storming debate | | 23:17 | Vikings QB struggles (Wentz vs. McCarthy) | | 29:01 | Colts/Daniel Jones analysis | | 39:15 | Bears, Raiders, and rookie RB Ashton Genti | | 41:55 | Running backs in the first round: “Don’t do it” | | 43:56 | Jaguars' defensive promise, Lawrence's struggles |

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Takeaway

This episode epitomizes a classic Sunday morning sports discussion—balancing NFL news, sharp analogies, irreverent banter, and wider sports headlines, mostly through the lens of player empowerment, front office politics, and the crucial (sometimes fragile) environments surrounding quarterbacks and coaches. Myron and Lance toggle seamlessly between sports hot takes and thoughtful critique—always with a splash of humor and “pettiness squared.”

For fans who missed it: The show offers fresh angles on the week’s sports soap operas, with especially rich context on Micah Parsons’ “revenge” arc and what it means for the Cowboys, plus commentary on how narratives across football and beyond are shaped by conflict, culture, and, yes—pettiness.

Transcript

[Lance Meadow]

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[Myron Metcalf]

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[Lance Meadow]

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[Myron Metcalf]

See mintmobile.com this is Matt and Myron the Podcast.

[Lance Meadow]

Well, I'm not ashamed to say I am not 64 and can't call Kentucky home. A little bit smaller in terms of my scale and I call New York my backyard. As Lance Meadow Here in for Matt Jones it is Matt and Myron on ESPN Radio, the ESPN app SiriusXM Channel 80. It is presented by Progressive Insurance. So glad that you could make time on your Sunday to tune in to us as we are counting you down to kickoff, taking you right into the 1pm Eastern kickoffs. A lot of storylines and multiple ways you interact with us here on the program, including on social media. Myron is at Metcalf by espn. I am at Lance Meadow. One word, last name heavy D O W We are keeping close tabs on Viking Steelers in Ireland. Yes, an early morning kickoff to jump start Week 4. They're at the half and Pittsburgh leads Minnesota 14 to 6. Carson Wentz has thrown an interception. He he's been sacked two times. The Vikings have settled for a pair of field goals. Pittsburgh had a field goal blocked but the storyline is Aaron Rodgers hitting DK Metcalf for a catch and run 80 yard strike and also them getting a rushing touchdown. So an eight point lead for the Steelers at the break in Ireland. That is the appetizer though because the main course is coming up later today, Myron and that will send us to Big D where Micah Parsons is returning to a team that he pretty much recently called home. And interestingly side note, you were sharing your Taylor Swift rendezvous earlier in the program so I'm trying to play catch up with you. I don't know if you heard Micah had purchased a suite at AT&T Stadium and the Cowboys are not refunding it so he now has it for the remainder of the season. He's giving it to friends and family now today it's convenient right to be utilized. But that means that if you want to go See the Cowboys play the Giants later on in the season or whatever it may be. You can ask Micah Parsons. He'd be more than happy to rent out that suite. I just wanted you to know, in case you have any family or relatives in the Texas area.

[Myron Metcalf]

I mean, that's kind of unfair, right? Not refunding the suite, but then I would just. Yeah, I would give it to the most wild opposing fans at every game. Like, that's who I would give it to. Like, I would hold a contest for the craziest fans of whoever the Cowboys are playing. That's who I would let sit in the suite. That's what he should do.

[Lance Meadow]

I like how you're taking this to a whole other level. The strategy, the mental fortitude, even if you're not in Dallas. A way to perhaps see if the Cowboys could struggle because you have a bunch of the opposing fans in house. Cowboys fans are well represented there.

[Myron Metcalf]

I support pettiness, Lance. I don't know where you stand on the pettiness, like, with this whole game tonight. Like, everyone's saying, like, you don't want Michael Parsons to get too caught up in, you know, this being a revenge game or this getting personal. I want it to be completely personal for Micah Parsons. Like, that's how he plays. Like, that's what this entire thing is. And I don't know that you have to have sympathy for a guy who still walked away with $200 million. Right. But there's a case to be made that Jerry Jones, I think, attacked his character to some degree. Jerry Jones essentially called him a liar, Said, we negotiated a deal, and guess what? Micah Parsons pulled out. Said he wanted to go talk to his agent like he was to me, damaging the credibility of Michael Parsons during this entire process. And it just felt like it went beyond football. So if I'm Michael Parsons, this is the Petty Olympics, and I'm trying to win a gold medal, baby. I am taking all of that emotion into this game.

[Lance Meadow]

Tonight, I'm going to be working on some different acrobatic maneuvers to take part in this Pettiness Olympics. But I'm pettiness squared. I'm with you. This is Meadow and Myron Pettiness Square. This is the new morning show here on ESPN Radio. For those of you who may just be tuning in for the first time. But in all seriousness, I think Micah is responsible as much as Jerry is. They both contributed in fairness. And Micah, remember, he's got his podcast, so he knows how to turn the screws just as much as Jerry they both like the spotlight. And on a related note, Michael was asked about returning to Dallas and whether or not this is going to give him an additional pep in his step and add fuel to the fire. And this is how he responded?

[Myron Metcalf]

Nah, just for me, I just feel like my fuel has always been trying to be the best player. And, you know, when you got a good team and you got to beat them, you got to show up in a primetime game. This is the moment that you got to be your best player for yourself, for your team, and, you know, everyone there.

[Lance Meadow]

I don't buy a word that just came out of his mouth. Myron. If you're going to tell me that he's not treating this game like the super bowl, then you got another thing coming. This is a huge game for Micah Parsons. The wounds are still brand new in terms of him being traded, even though he's in a great environment, and the packers have a legitimate shot to get to the super bowl and win it all. But, you know, he wants to go after his former teammates. He wants to remind Jerry what he gave up, and that is going to be a big part of this game. And Micah is going to have to, regardless of his talent and regardless of the injuries up front for the Cowboys offensive line, and that's going to be problematic. In addition to their defense, Mike Michael also has to be careful about how much he puts into this game because he's the type of guy, you know, he can outrun the quarterback, be out of position, and then they wind up giving up an explosive play. Did I talk to Michael?

[Myron Metcalf]

Micah? Yeah. I mean, I want to go back to something you said earlier, though. This is all on Jerry. Like, to. To me, like, Micah Parsons is an out, obviously has a big personality, and. And certainly I don't think he should have put himself in a situation where he was in a room with Jerry Jones negotiating. But that's still player owner. Like, what Jerry does is not what happens in this league ever with star players. You don't end up in a situation where you are publicly going back and forth with your star player about whether or not you should pay him. There are a bunch of guys who were upset this off season. Miles Garrett wasn't happy, and guess what? He said, all right, trade me in the next couple of days. The Browns gave him a new deal. TJ Watts said, you know what? Okay, maybe I'll sit out of training camp. The Steelers said, we're going to get the do job done, and they got it done. You didn't see this public Back and forth. Jerry is the one who did that, and Jerry is the one who had the opportunity to solve it, and now he's paying for it. He's got the worst defense, one of the worst defensive units in the entire NFL. The Dallas Cowboys in three games have given up 13 plays of 25, 13 passing plays of 25 or more yards, which is a franchise record. Twelve of those plays have come in the last two games alone. This is a defense that is one of the worst in the entire league after you gave up a Micah Parsons. So I can understand the animosity from a Micah Parsons. I can understand him putting more into this game when you were treated that way after being a franchise player for that team.

[Lance Meadow]

And it was out of character for Jerry because Jerry also has paid just about everybody that has been disgruntled with his contract, including, oh, by the way, Emmett Smith back in the early 90s. And Emmett sat out two games. So that was, I think, really catch you off guard moment that they didn't pay Micah and they wound up shipping him out of town. But your point is much more relevant in terms of the defensive woes. Listen, when you make the Giants offense look good, you've got problems considering what the Giants did against their other opponents. Wide receivers are running straight lines down the field. We saw it with Malik Neighbors. We saw it. We saw it with Wandell Robinson and the Giants Roma dun early in the Bears game last week. They've got to clean that up. Green Bay doesn't necessarily have a bunch of wide receivers, Myron, that put fear in your eyes. It's a young group for the most part, but Jordan Love will take advantage of that. And that, to me, is what is going to make or break. Whether or not Dak Prescott and the Cowboys have a chance to even keep them in games is whether the defense can meet them. Okay, halfway is unrealistic, but can you meet him three quarters of the way? Cause they're not even putting in a quarter in terms of balancing out the offense a little bit at this stage.

[Myron Metcalf]

I mean, they're a quarter tank of gas at this point. I mean, right. You can't rely on that defense for anything. And again, what does it do to a unit? Lance, when you lose a franchise player like Michael Parsons, like when you lose a dude. Yes. There's other stuff of Micah Parsons and the personality. Maybe you think he's arrogant. No, I don't think it was necessarily a great idea to be on the sidelines of a preseason game and looking like you were falling asleep. On the training table at the same time, this is a guy who had earned, I think, the right to be treated the way other elite guys have been treated throughout this league. And instead, Jerry Jones said, I'm going to show you I'm bigger than that. Like, I'm the biggest guy on this team. I'm the star of this team. And guess who has to suffer for that decision? His players, the guys in that locker room, the guys on the field. So I just think this is one of those situations where if you're Micah Parsons, you already look like you're the winner but have all the emotion you want to have in this game. I hope he's pointing up to the box at Jerry Jones and saying, look. Look at what I'm doing. You know, like. Like Gladiator. You know what I mean? Like, he's just pointing up to the box of Jerry Jones and challenging him, because I think he deserves to have that kind of emotion after what went down in Dallas.

[Lance Meadow]

Are you not entertained? Is that what you're.

[Myron Metcalf]

That's what I. That's what I want to see. I want to see that kind of a moment.

[Lance Meadow]

I'm buying Russell Crowe.

[Myron Metcalf]

Give me that.

[Lance Meadow]

There you go. Okay. Well, you should check out Gladiator 2. Two, perhaps. Also good.

[Myron Metcalf]

Not as good as the original, but still solid performance by Denzel and.

[Lance Meadow]

And most sequels do not match wits with the originals, but we'll save that for perhaps a rainy day. On a related note to the NFC east commander's Falcons also coming up right here, by the way, on ESPN Radio, so you don't even have to change the dial. And Marcus Mariota will get another star for Jaden Daniels. He looked really good. He seems to be a great fit for this offense. But the bigger storyline is the state of the falcons. Michael Penix Jr. Is struggling. And remember, similar to what the Vikings are going through, they made the decision to have him replace Kirk Cousins last season. They didn't score one point against the Panthers. Of all teams last week, they've made changes on the coaching staff. If there's any quarterback right now in the NFL that I think should be concerned, regardless of what Raheem Morris says publicly, Myron, I think it's Penix Jr. You got an established veteran who right behind him. And how longer is Raheem Morris going to wait till he thinks he has to jump start this offense?

[Myron Metcalf]

Yeah, not long at all. I mean, he didn't wait. He didn't finish the game last week. Right. So I think Michael Bennet Jr. Is certainly in that tough spot. What hurts Michael Bennet Jr. To Lance is Michael Bennet Jr. I believe is going to be 26 this season. So this isn't your typical second year guy. This is an older dude already coming into this league. I think he has to prove in in these next couple games that he can be a franchise guy with that team.

[Lance Meadow]

30 to nothing. They lost to the Carolina Panthers. Atlanta just trying to put some points on the board because don't overlook that Washington offense Even though Terry McLaurin is out as well as Jaden Daniels. This is Matt and Myron here on ESPN Radio. It's presented by Progressive Insurance Cars, homes, boats, motorcycles, RVs and more at progressive.com Sunday's Headlines what you may have missed outside of the biggest stories. Hang tight right here on ESPN Radio and the ESPN app.

[James Steele]

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[Myron Metcalf]

Matt and Myron the podcast along on.

[Lance Meadow]

This, getting you set for NFL week number four, counting you down. To kick off, it is Madden Myron on ESPN Radio, the ESPN app, SiriusXM channel 80. You can ask your smart speaker to play ESPN Radio. Lance Meadow filling in for Matt Jones. He is Myron Metcalf. As we have been covering all that is happening in the National Football League, including a game overseas right now in Ireland, it is the Steelers leading the Vikings early in the third quarter 14 6. It's been all about Mike Tomlin's defensive unit. They have three sacks, they have an interception, and clearly they have held Minnesota to a pair of field goals. But there's also a lot of other things happening in the world of sports that you may not have taken notice because they perhaps fall into a different tier. And it is now time for Sunday's headlines. And to help us navigate all of these intriguing storylines, we bring in our esteemed producer, James Steele. James, take it away. Extra. Extra.

[James Steele]

Real model the Sunday headlines.

[Guest Contributor]

All right, let's start. In the wnba, Lynx coach head coach Cheryl Reeve was suspended one game to due to her quote, conduct and comments during and after Minnesota's 84 to 76 Game 3 loss to the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA semifinals on Saturday. Re will serve the suspension during Sunday's Game 4 in Phoenix, where the Lynx trailing the series 2 to 1, face elimination. Rhea was ejected in the final seconds of Friday's game after Lynx forward Nafisa Collier, her left leg made contact with Mercury guard Alyssa Thomas. Thomas went for a steal, leaving Collier on the floor in pain, grabbing her right ankle. In her postgame news conference after that loss, Reeve didn't take questions. Instead, she spoke for nearly two minutes about the officiating, saying it was, quote, malpractice to have this group of referees work on WNBA playoffs to be final game. Myron, what are your thoughts on this?

[Myron Metcalf]

I thought it was a joke by the wnba. Cheryl Reeve is one of the most accomplished coaches in basketball history. Four championships, gold medals, all those things. Did she go far? Of course. She was trying to make a point and I get it. There's just no world where Steve Kerr would have done that after game three in the Western Conference finals against the Lakers and the NBA would have suspended him. That would have been the entire show for. For first take. So I don't know why you're doing this in WNBA and you're expecting people not to react the way that they have. So for, for me, that to me was not the right move for someone in that position, you find her, maybe even if you suspend her next season for a game, but you can't suspend her in the middle of the playoffs for game four. I think the WNBA looks silly in the way that they just did that to Cheryl Reeve.

[Lance Meadow]

I think next time, Reeves should tell us truly how she feels about the officiating. I think she held back, perhaps to a certain capacity. I will say this, regardless of how she felt, that was a good no call, Myron, in terms of Alyssa Thomas knocking the ball loose. Then the contact happens between Collier and Thomas. It's unfortunate and it stinks to the links. She's going to be out today. But if you go by the rule book and you watch that frame by frame, that was a heck of a call by the officiating crew. And I think it's very difficult for anybody that doesn't do that for a living to call that in real time.

[Guest Contributor]

All right, moving on. We're in the middle of the Ryder cup, as you guys know, and a master of ceremonies has stepped down from her role at the Ryder cup after joining the Bethpage Black crowd and directing expletive lace chants toward Rory McIlroy. In a statement released Sunday morning, the PGA of America announced that American comedian and actress Heather McMahon will not return to emcee the first tee at Bethpage Black. Heather McMahon has extended an apology to Rory in the Ryder Cup Europe and has stepped down from hosting the first tee of the Ryder cup, said the PGA of America, which runs the event. Video footage taken Saturday morning appeared to show McMahon riling up fans at the first tee by shouting, f you, Rory, into the microphone. Myron, what do you think about this?

[Myron Metcalf]

Why do we expect to send comedians to events? And, like, things like this won't happen. Like, why? Like, it's always interesting me, Lance, we will put comedians in this position. It would say, we're gonna put you at the center of this big party, whether it's sports, entertainment, whatever it is. Can you just not cross a line? And then every comedian's like, no, I got you. We're good. I'm not gonna cross. And they all do it because that's what they do. So I blame the Ryder cup for putting her in that position in the first place and saying, you know, okay, we're gonna trust you to be the. The mc. So I. I don't know. It wasn't surprising to me that this is where it ended up.

[Lance Meadow]

Between that and the New York environment, boy, the world of golf is really asking for it over these last few days. I saw Rory McIlroy had expanded his vocabulary in terms of firing back at members of the crowd right before he took a shot.

[Myron Metcalf]

That should be a story too, right?

[Lance Meadow]

There you go. I will say this on a quick side note, James, before we move on to the next headline, this is what golf needs. I love the fact, Myron, that we've had some back and forth between the golfers, that they're showing some personality. It's a stale sport. I welcome this on the major level and I actually would be calling for more of this. Not necessarily from comedian MCs, but it's nice to see golfers actually get out of their box and showcase a little bit more than the buttoned up polos and have to be all proper in terms of how you walk and maneuver through a golf course.

[Myron Metcalf]

No, I love it too. I got to give Bryson Dechambeau some credit, right? He's kind of been that villain dude over the last four or five years and it feels like the rest of the sport is seeing that there's value in having some of that in the sport.

[Guest Contributor]

All right, on to college football. Virginia upset number eight Florida State on Friday night in double overtime. The final play saw Tommy Castellano's last ditch heave into the corner end zone, intercepted his intended receiver, Squirrel White lay on the turf and instantly Virginia fans just off the field at the base of the stadium's grass hill swarmed and the field, I mean, the receiver was laying on the ground. He disappeared. Myron, what do you think about field swimming?

[Myron Metcalf]

Whenever I talk about this, I sound my age, right? Because people go, oh, you're just the old man when you say stuff like that. And you know, first off, let me just say, Squirrel White might be the best football name we've ever had. That's one thing. But number two, I don't know. I don't know that I've ever seen people just descend onto a field as fast as they did at Virginia. And James is right, he did disappear. And I'm sorry, I'm against storming court, storming the field, because at some point, Lance, someone is going to be seriously hurt. I've been in these court storms. I've been in these moments where this happens and people have no idea how fast this goes. And people are looking at the player. That's one thing. Imagine if five or six students in the front of this field storm fall down and get trampled. Or imagine if someone, I saw some guy used a gesture towards a Florida State player. What if that Florida State player punches him in the face. It's all bad. And it's like we're just waiting for something really, really bad to happen, Lance, before someone pulls the plug and says, okay, this was a bad idea. Let's end it.

[Lance Meadow]

It's remarkable that none of the players. There were three, by the way, that were in the end zone on that last play. All are thankfully still standing and ready to go next week. It's embarrassing, really. And what makes it worse, Myron, is you find Virginia $50,000, because that's a new rule by the ACC. As if the students are worried about the university and the athletic department having to cough up $50,000. I mean, really. Boy, of all the things to prevent that behavior. But you know what? On a somewhat related note, what was even more embarrassing? Illinois beat USC yesterday. They're the 23rd ranked team, Trojans are 21st, and the Fighting Illini storm the field. You're two spots behind in the rankings and you're treating it like you won all of a sudden the championship.

[Myron Metcalf]

Michelle, get your team. Michelle Smallman, go and talk to your team on that field. They can't stone the field after that. Come on, call your team.

[Lance Meadow]

Duke basketball player got hurt. What was it, a year or two ago? So we've seen the horror stories. It's remarkable what goes on with the student body at these collegiate institutions. Do you buy Daniel Jones in Indianapolis? That's next on ESPN Radio.

[Myron Metcalf]

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[Lance Meadow]

Matt and Myron, the podcast only appropriate. We have this in the background as we are tuning into football in Ireland. And I'm not talking about soccer. I'm talking about NFL Week 4 Steelers Vikings. With Pittsburgh leading Minnesota 14 to 6 with about five minutes to go. In the third quarter, it is Madden Myron on ESPN Radio, the ESPN app, SiriusXM Channel 80. I'm Lance Meadow in for Matt Jones. He's Myron Metcalf. You can interact with the two of us on social media at Lance Meadow, one word, last name, heavy. D, O, W. He is at Metcalf by espn. It is presented by Progressive Insurance. And Carson Wentz has now thrown a pair of interceptions. He has been sacked five times in this game. The Pittsburgh defense, quite the turnaround compared to what Minnesota had to deal with Cincinnati Wise last week. And earlier in the show, Myron, we were talking about the hypothetical if Carson and the offense continue to perform like they did last week, does Kevin O' Connell consider just keeping JJ McCarthy on the bench? And Carson Wentz has had enough of a sample size, unlike JJ McCarthy, to have a pretty good grasp of what he can and can't do as a quarterback. And this has not been pretty from an offensive standpoint this morning.

[Myron Metcalf]

I mean, last week was promising. I mean, ran through the bangles. Looked like maybe Carson Wentz is going to put himself in a position to be the starter, at least in the immediate future until JJ McCarthy recovered and maybe there would be a quarterback battle. That was the conversation up here. But now it's kind of like, like, you know when, like, you, you go to an ad and you see like a $9,000 Ferrari and like, you know what, Is there a catch? You know what I mean? Like, it, 9000. And then like, you, you, you buy it and you realize it's got 299,000 miles and like half an engine and there's all this work you gotta do. That's the Carson Wentz experience. Like, it's not going to last, apparently. And we just saw him do all the things that cost him his job in Philadelphia, kind of made him a guy who's just been on a world tour in the NFL of backup jobs. But I also think it leads to the question of where are the Minnesota Vikings if this is your situation, if you don't have the right guy at quarterback, whether that's a young JJ McCarthy who clearly needs more time. Lance. Or a Carson Wentz who, Who is nothing more than what we're watching today? Where are you in a competitive division like the NFC North? There's a world where you're at the bottom of it and you didn't spend all this money to be there.

[Lance Meadow]

Well, as you just mentioned, you look at the landscape of the rest of the division and Green Bay, with the acquisition of Micah Parsons, Chicago may be emerging from an offensive standpoint and what the Lions have become. If you don't figure out the most important position right in football, it could happen very quickly. Myron, this is not something that all of a sudden takes years. Overnight you can drop that steeply within the division. Now, the Vikings defense, though, in this game, which now is going to have its back against the wall as the Steelers are right up against the end zone. But the first interception, you had a block field goal. So they did not capitalize off of that. The Steelers. And this is the second one. It's still a 146 game, but I've said this with so many teams that don't do a good job protecting the football. If you eventually put your defense in that type of a position, and let's assume that either CARSON Wentz or J.J. mcCarthy continue with this turnover rate, I don't care how good Brian Flores is, Myron, as a defensive coordinator, that is unsustainable. You're not going to be able to rescue the offense week in and week out because the caliber of the offenses that you're going to go up against is just going to dramatically change, especially once you get into the latter part of the year.

[Myron Metcalf]

And what you're watching in this game specifically lands is just a good defense being worn down, right? The Vikings are giving up bigger run plays, they're giving up bigger passing plays because at some point you just don't expect to be on the field as much as they have been on the field. So losing that time of possession game has a huge toll pays a. You pay a price on defense. And to me, defense wins championships is the worst phrase in sports because defense has never won a championship. You gotta be able to score. And the Vikings don't necessarily look like a team that can do that under Carson Wentz or the young J.J. mcCarthy right now.

[Lance Meadow]

So off the deflection that T.J. watt picked off, the Steelers this time capitalized Kenneth Gainwell with his second rushing touchdown. He's filling in for the injured Jalen Warren, and if you have him in the fantasy lineup, you're certainly liking the cushion that he's giving you in early morning football with 57 yards on the ground off 11 carries, also has four catches for 21 yards. So Gainwell answering the call as the starting running back for the Steelers. Now on the topic of starting quarterbacks in the land of the unknown, that brings us to Colts Rams coming up later today, and Indy has been a pleasant surprise. Myron, so far this season specifically, not just with Daniel Jones's play. But Jonathan Taylor's healthy. He leads the NFL in rushing. Their defense has been opportunistic, even though now they're dealing with some injuries. But as somebody that covers the Giants, I mean, I've seen this Daniel Jones storyline. I've seen the highs, I've seen the lows, I've seen the middle ground. I've seen him and his decision making lead to injuries. And right now in it's good and you hope that it stays that way. But our very own Jeff Saturday, former Colts offensive lineman who's an ESPN NFL analyst, he was on, on sportsmanlike and he's not necessarily sold that this Daniel Jones train is going to remain on the tracks.

[Myron Metcalf]

If you diagrammed how to make a quarterback's life easier, Shane Steichen has done it and he gives him protection. He'll keep tight ends in, he'll keep backs in. It doesn't always have to be five guys getting out, right? He'll, he'll play within the system and go some. You know, we're only going to have a couple guys every now and again. You got to figure it out, right? You'll have the time, be consistent, be confident and then drill it in. And then I think Daniel Jones has played well. I mean, he's averaging almost 10 yards in a completion, which is insane, right? I mean, this guy's got 800 yards in three. I mean, he'll have a 4,000 yard season which no one, including myself expect. I expected to compete for the South. I think they're the clear favorite.

[Lance Meadow]

And when you look at that division, it's not as if you're going up against the juggernauts of the NFL. The Texans have their fair share of issues. Tennessee's got a rookie quarterback and you could see a pathway where Indianapolis could very well have at least Jonathan Taylor do the heavy lifting and the defense changing field positioning. And Daniel doesn't have to take on a role where he's constantly feeling the pressure and running and throwing for his life, which is what he experienced with the Giants. And I think what we're seeing right now is the environment is positive for Daniel Jones. But once that environment gets cracks in the foundation and you're asking him to do more, that's when I think there's a bigger concern for Shane Steichen and company.

[Myron Metcalf]

I think that's a lot of quarterbacks though, right? The game manager category. But, but they are clearly putting him in a position where he can shine. Like so far, what they've done to Your. It's not like they're going up against the best teams in the NFL. But make no mistake, that same Denver team that he just beat really put pressure on Justin Herbert last week. Five sacks. They were really pressuring him. And people think the Chargers are a Super bowl team, so you got to give them some credit for what they've already done. But now you play a Rams team where I think this would make everything legitimate. If you go out and beat this team now, we can start having the conversation of, okay, how good can the Colts be? But I don't know, Lance, why we penalize so many quarterbacks who just do a good job with what they're giving. There aren't that many dudes in this league who can go off script and be great. The guys who do that are making $200 million and their household names for the most part. Most teams don't have that. So I think Daniel Jones is doing whatever Shane Stichen has given him. He's playing according to what they're putting in front of him. The run game is good. Why is that a sin in this league, Lance?

[Lance Meadow]

And it's not a sin to answer some people. It feels like that, though, and probably so, because I think a lot of fans, perhaps, and I'll generalize here, so I'm guilty of that. I think are living more in a fantasy bubble. And you can't analyze pro football in that context. It's not just about statistics. It's not about everything looking great. It's about can you finish and can you get the dirty work done. Indy is winning in the trenches, where I would argue it matters more so than anything else. But you hit on an interesting note, Baker Mayfield. Here's another quarterback. When the environment all of a sudden became that much more attractive, we saw his true colors, and I think Baker's got much more upside than Daniel Jones. Let me preface my commentary that way. But Cleveland gave up on him too soon because of the shoulder injury. He had a cup of coffee in Carolina. He came off the plane and had that big Thursday night victory over the Raiders for the Rams. And then we saw what he's doing in Tampa Bay. So I don't want to hear that quarterbacks, they can't all of a sudden get back on track maybe three or four years into their career. It's possible Daniel is now going to be entering maybe the renaissance of his career because of the coaching and the environment. But his decision making has also played a role in his career, and I think that's going to Be critical. Does he get to the point where he thinks he needs to do more, or does he just accept the talent around him in the really strong run game, which he had that one year the Giants made the playoffs with Saquon Barkley.

[Myron Metcalf]

But I think the experience you just pointed to being with the Giants, I think Daniel Jones more than anybody knows what happens when he overdoes it, when he tries to do too much, when he tries to play outside of the scheme. That's not what Daniel Jones is, and I think that's okay. Now, I'm not in the Daniel Jones's MVP conversation and all these other things, but I do think he can be a good quarterback under the right circumstances. And I would argue, lance, that is 75% of the quarterbacks in the NFL. They are going to play according to what you have around them, the scheme, the coaching. They need a lot of help. That's fine. Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, there's a handful of guys who maybe don't need that as much as Josh Allen, Joe Burrow for the rest of the crew. They all need a lot of help to be at their best. And I think Daniel Jones just found himself in the right, right situation to be that.

[Lance Meadow]

Well, I would say the jets and the Dolphins also both need a lot of help falling under the umbrella that you just placed. This is a battle of 03 teams. The jets have a new coach and a new staff led by Aaron Glenn. They did lose a heartbreaker to Tampa Bay last week after getting that late blocked field goal. But Miami to me, is in a far more precarious spot than the jets because Mike McDaniel has been the coach for the last few seasons. Tua Tungavailoa has been in and out of the lineup with the injury bug. You wonder whether or not he's on the same page with Tyreek Hill from a mental and physical perspective. So even though the latest reports are that they're giving Mike McDaniel time and flexibility, Myron, you know this well from covering the NFL. You could say that in Week 4 and then speak to me in Week 8, where all of a sudden it goes to the opposite side of the spectrum. So I think McDaniel is feeling the heat, and I think this game is far more important for the Dolphins than the jets on any level.

[Myron Metcalf]

Yeah, if. If people are talking about your job status, then your job isn't safe. If decision makers are being asked questions and responding to questions about your job status, you're in a difficult spot. I think Mike McDaniel's clearly on the hot seat. They need some sort of massive turnaround. They paid Tua. I think he's going to be the quarterback at least through the next couple years when the cap number goes down. But this is just a group that is Underperformed under Mike McDaniel, I think time and time again at some point when do you bring in a new voice?

[Lance Meadow]

And it's also, I think, a lesson to be learned that just because you come from that Shanahan coaching tree or they ran their offense one way doesn't mean that an assistant without that talent and without some of those experienced coaches comes to a new franchise and it just simply works Magic Steelers 21, Vikings 6 in the second half in Ireland. We'll continue to keep you posted on that front, though it looks like the Steelers may actually be dealing now with an injury to the secondary. Jalen Ramsey, who faked a hamstring injury earlier when he thought he was returning a fumble for a touchdown, may have been banged up. So that's another storyline to monitor. And and on the topic of coaches coming from one tree and trying to all of a sudden showcase their skill set elsewhere, the Chicago Bears. Did Ben Johnson and company turn the corner against the Cowboys or was that just a flash? And wait till you hear Myron Metcalf's thoughts on where and when, if at all, to draft a running back. You're not going to want to go anywhere. As we continue to Preview NFL Week 4, it's Matt and Myron. Meadow and Myron actually here on ESPN Radio. He got Willa. They got my daughter.

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[Lance Meadow]

Week four is well underway. We had Thursday Night Football, a tight one between the Cardinals and the Seahawks. Now some early morning football with the Steelers leading the Vikings 21 to 6. Early fourth quarter. It is Matt and Myron here on ESPN Radio, the ESPN app, Sirius XM Channel 80. Lance Meadow in for Matt Jones along with Myron Metcalf as we are counting you down to kickoff, taking you right into the 1pm Eastern window. And if you missed anything on today's show, well, you could listen to the Matt and Myron podcast, which is available where you get your podcast. And we continue to move through the slate of games coming up and one in particular that has plenty of storylines. Bears and Raiders will be colliding Chicago coming off an impressive victory at home against the Cowboys, where Caleb Williams lit up that Dallas defense. Then again, I don't know who hasn't done that over the first few weeks of the season. Whereas a Raiders team we've seen be a bit of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. They have issues up front on the offensive line. They have not been able to get their running game going. So maybe we'll learn. You could easily argue about both of these teams under the circumstances, but I look at the Bears first and I want to start there, Myron, and it's very similar to what the Giants did and even the Vikings, who we've been analyzing against the Steelers, look at who the opponent is and not necessarily what that team is specifically doing. Because I think that's going to tell you a lot as to whether or not you, you can invest in that stock or you need to see more and I need to see more from this Bears offense.

[Myron Metcalf]

Yeah, I think both teams can be true, right? I think certainly you got to see how the Bears perform against the better competition in the division and beyond before you can say this is the team that has figured it out. I mean, the Cowboys have been given up a ton of yards, big passing plays, and that fit into everything that Caleb Williams wanted to do. At the same time, if you're a Bears fan, you just want to see that team get into a rhythm under Ben Johnson. You got a new coach, a new scheme, and you just want the offense to flow. So I do think that builds confidence when you get a team that is suddenly just rolling. And we hadn't seen Caleb Williams do that under Ben Johnson or even before. So I think that to me is a really good thing for that team going forward because they know what's possible. It's going to get harder. Of course, at the same time you're looking at the film and going, we have something. If we can continue to execute the way that we did last weekend.

[Lance Meadow]

Coming up in about 15 minutes we're going to have King of the Mountain. We want your hottest sports takes so you could call in now at 8:88 say ESPN. That's 888-729-3776. Now speaking of hot takes, Ashton Genty has been put under the microscope because based on what he did at Boise State, it hasn't necessarily translated thus far to the National Football League. Now Mark Schlerith, former NFL offensive lineman, three time super bowl champ, he was on the Rich Eisen show and he was asked about whether or not he has any concerns about Genti's production.

[Myron Metcalf]

When I hear people say oh he doesn't have it or he's not the guy, that that's foolishness.

[Lance Meadow]

Okay?

[Myron Metcalf]

That kid is, I think I've heard.

[James Steele]

You say it before in regards to Mo Jones.

[Myron Metcalf]

Drew a bowling ball of butcher knives. Like he is going to be a really good player. I think one of the things you have to understand is for running backs and, and I watched in my career, you know, playing with Terrell Davis as a Rookie go for 1100 and then as a second year player go for 1400 and then as a third year player goes for 1700 and then as a fourth year player go for 2000. And part of that understanding is it's more than just knowing what you're supposed to do. It's knowing what the defense is doing. What is the strength of the defense, what is the weakness of the defense and how do I adjust based on those things. Pre snap, part of its trial and error, part of it's just having a better understanding, a better feel for what's going on. Now the concern is the Raiders couldn't block their way out of a wet pepper sack.

[Lance Meadow]

And that last point, Myron is the key. They're having problems up front. Geno Smith's been sacked 12 times and it's only been three games. So if he's having problems surveying the fielded pass protection, why would you expect the run blocking to be any better?

[Myron Metcalf]

Yeah, that's a problem. But why draft a running back in that situation in the first round, right? If you don't have those things figured out. I think the Raiders are a good example of why you should never draft a running back in the first round of today's NFL. I wouldn't draft Barry Sanders, Emmett Smith, you name the great. I wouldn't draft Derek Henry in the first round. To me if you're a team in that position I guarantee you have other holes that you have to address before a running back can thrive. And I think this is a Raiders team that clearly had some of those challenges on the offensive line and put Ashton Genti in a tough spot. He might be great when it's all said and done. Clearly we saw what he did at Boise State. The talent is there. Couple things with him, Lance A in the NFL care how good you are. Your offensive line has to be be able to create a path for you to be great. Number two, you can't bully people and run over everybody the way that you did in college. And he's still trying to do that. It's not going to work. And I think number three, the expectation by him being selected so high has only made things harder for him because you're drafted in the same position as a high level quarterback coming out of college, a high level receiver, a high level offensive lineman and we don't give those guys a lot of grace. So I think it's all bad in terms of what has been put around Ashton Genteel and it's just not giving him a chance to really showcase some of that talent.

[Lance Meadow]

There are exceptions. SAQUON Barkley, Christian McCaffrey going to use them in the passing game and their true weapon I would say may be worthy of the first round pick, but when it's a conventional runner it's certainly a tough sell. Now on the front of the running game, Jacksonville has been leaning on that because Trevor Lawrence seems to be struggling taking on Liam Cohen's offense thus far. Jags Niners is a game in which Brock Purdy is set to return. I've been actually most impressed with the Jacksonville defense that Myron they've kept them in games. This is a 2:1 Jaguars team and based on the state of their passing attack, they really have no business. And I think they can match wits with a Niners offense that still has some question marks on the health front.

[Myron Metcalf]

I think Liam Cohen loves everything about this team except his quarterback. I think that's the only frustrating part he has right now. I think the one thing, if you gave him truth serum, you might not even have to give him truth serum because he's so forthcoming. The one thing he wishes he could change right now is quarterback play, but he feels like he has everything else because that defense does look great.

[Lance Meadow]

King of the Mountain is coming up next as we hit everyone up on the Dr. Pepper call in line with your hottest sports takes. And I think it was a fairly hot take that Myron said he would not draft a running back in the first round. If you can top that, if you can man up on that front. We welcome you aboard as we continue to set the stage for NFL Week 4 and the storylines coming out of Ireland. With the Steelers leading the Vikings 21 6, it's Matt and Myron on ESPN Radio.

[Myron Metcalf]

Matt and Myron the Podcast.

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