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- [00:00]
Lance Meadow
Mint is still $15 a month for premium wireless. And if you haven't made the switch yet, here are 15 reasons why you should. One, it's $15 a month. Two, seriously, it's $15 a month. Three, no big contracts. Four, I use it. Five, my mom uses it. Are you, are you playing me off? That's what's happening, right? Okay, give it a try. @mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment of $45 per three month plan. $15 per month equivalent required.
- [00:26]
Myron Metcalf
New customer offer first three months only.
- [00:27]
Lance Meadow
Then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra.
- [00:29]
Myron Metcalf
See mintmobile.com this is Matt and Myron, the podcast for the books.
- [00:36]
Lance Meadow
One more to toy with as we take you up till 1pm Eastern here on Madden Myron ESPN radio, the ESPN app, SiriusXM channel 80. Multiple ways for you to tune in. I'm Lance Meadow filling in for Matt Jones. He is Myron Metcalf. You could tweet at us at lancemetow one word, last name M E D O W. He is at Metcalf by espn. And we are inching closer to King of the mountain. You could call us now with your hottest sports takes. 888 say ESPN 888-729-3776. We're also monitoring Steelers, Vikings going on right now in Dublin Vikings football. They're trying to get into the end zone for the first time today. Down 246 to the Steelers with just over 10 minutes to go. Some injury news on that front. Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin left the game with a shoulder injury. He's questionable to return. Jalen Ramsey, their star cornerback has it appears to be a hamstring injury. And not to make light of this situation, but earlier in the game, Jordan Mason appeared to lose a fumble. Ramsey picked it up, returned it for a touchdown and just as he was entering the end zone, he pulled up as if he pulled his hamstring only to be. Okay, so. So Myron, we're also having karma which travels from the United States overseas for those following from abroad.
- [02:00]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, I mean that was an interesting development to go from faking the hamstring injury to maybe having an actual hamstring injury. It looks like for, for the Steelers, maybe these injuries are piling up. Calvin Austin going to the locker room. Cam Hayward walking off the field look like he just took a funny hit in this game. But beyond that, everything is sailing for the Steelers who have created turnovers, who've been able to move the ball down the field with Aaron Rodgers. I don't know if this is a byproduct of a tired defense. But Brian Flores defense has been difficult for a lot of teams to solve and the Steelers are finding ways to do that.
- [02:40]
Lance Meadow
But again, when you're going up against Browning of the Bengals vs. Aaron Rodgers of the Steelers, it's very different. Aaron has been there, done that. He's seen just about every defensive scheme that anyone could throw his way in the National Football League. And it goes back to my main point that it's cliche to say it's a week to week league, but there's so much substance behind that phrase. Given you could look miserable one week and then based on the matchup, you all of a sudden look like a juggernaut the following week. And I think we're getting a sense of that with both of these teams, the Vikings and the Steelers. But as you mentioned, you're talking about a Pittsburgh defense that has been opportunistic. They've picked off Carson Wentz two times. They have been all up in his grill. They've taken advantage of the field positioning and if you do that for an Aaron Rodgers led offense, more often than not, it's definitely going to backfire on you. And I think Mike Tomlin deserves credit year in and year out, regardless of whether or not you think the Steelers are going to be a Super bowl contender because the quarterback changes, he loses personnel. He's down Jalen Warren at running back today. Myron. He's down Joey Porter Jr. At corner. Yeah. Yet they don't miss a beat. And I don't care whether or not you like the Vikings or you despise them. It's hard to do that when you take away all of this talent. So something's going right at top. The food Jane, in Pittsburgh, if people are at least willing to acknowledge and admit that.
- [04:07]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah. And again, maybe Aaron Rodgers at this stage of his career is managing games right fine. He's doing it better than Carson Wentz. He's finding his guys, putting DK Metcalf in a position to make that big play early, earlier the the run game is getting the job done. I think what this game shows and what the Vikings have shown and what the Steelers have shown that middle of the pack and I think there are a ton of teams in that group, just the margin for error is just pretty slim. You know, I think you have some top tier teams in this league so far, but for the most part there are a bunch of teams that are a couple plays away from being in a really tough spot or being in a Favorable spot going into week five. But I, I just think this is a Vikings team that doesn't know what it has at the most important position on the field. And if you're lucky, Lance, you have that solved long before the season begins. That wasn't Minnesota situation with JJ McCarthy coming off of an injury. They knew he was the guy. They didn't know if he was the guy though. Right. Because he hadn't played in this league. You go move on to Carson Wentz. He looks great last week, but now he looks like a dude who only plays well on American soil. I don't know what he has going on, but you don't want to be in the gray area that the Vikings are in. I think the Steelers look like a team that's saying, you know what, we can do this for the rest of the season and have a, a solid record. I think the Vikings are going, can you really have this up and down kind of season and expect to get into the playoffs?
- [05:32]
Lance Meadow
So the Vikings just got into the end zone. Carson Wentz connecting with Xavier Scott. And if you're wondering who Xavier Scott is, no, he does exist within that Vikings roster. But I can only imagine if you own Justin Jefferson or Jordan Addison or TJ Hawkinson, you're miserable right now. He waited all this time for the Vikings to get a touchdown. And of all the guys, it's Xavier Scott who had to really get both toes in, in the very back of the end zone to secure what appears to be. And I'm seeing the replay, it looks like both of those feet are inbounds before he steps out. So this should be upheld as they clearly review all scoring plays.
- [06:12]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, it looks like Carson Wentz is in. Every time I talk about Carson Wentz, if I say he's not going to play well, then he does something like this. And when I was talking earlier in the show and saying he was going to be great, he wasn't. That's going to be a close call on this touchdown. We'll see. I don't know if that back foot was on the paint or not, but again, it just shows how hard it is to win in this league, Lance. And you're a New York guy. When you don't have above average quarterback play, like when you can't rely on that position to elevate you to be the difference, to be the thing that maybe in a game like this puts you over the top, you are going to be in these dicey games for the rest of the year. And that's just a hard place to be.
- [06:52]
Lance Meadow
Well, because your team is imbalanced.
- [06:54]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah.
- [06:54]
Lance Meadow
And you can't then say, all right, well, don't worry, our defense and our special teams will make up for it. No, every offense that. That is playoff caliber is going to be able to put points on the board, and you can't expect your defense to hold them to 20 points or less. It's just not a reasonable goal. But getting back to what you were describing with respect to the Vikings situation, and they did draft J.J. mcCarthy in the first round, and he sat, which I'm a big proponent of. I don't think you have to rush players to get on the field. But the reason why he sat and he wasn't practicing and running the scout team was because he suffered the torn meniscus in the preseason.
- [07:31]
Myron Metcalf
He.
- [07:31]
Lance Meadow
It wouldn't have hurt if they said, you know what? We'll resign Sam Darnold. JJ Will still learn. He'll be a sponge. He'll get healthy, and then maybe we work him into lopsided games or whatever it may be. But the problem with today's NFL, and this is where I think front offices get in their own head and even some head coaches, you draft a quarterback in the first round, right. He gets the fifth year option. So in order to justify the pick and. And determine whether or not you're going to exercise that fifth year option, the philosophy seems to be we have to get him on the field sooner rather than later because the clock is ticking and this forces teams to make that transition. Now, I don't want to say the Vikings rushed the process because, again, JJ did sit for that first season, but Kevin o', Connell, of all individuals, has been labeled a quarterback whisperer because he actually has a really good track record. Right. Kirk Cousins going back to his Washington days and what Kirk did in Minnesota and resurrecting Darnold's career. I don't see why it would hurt to have taken more of a patient approach here with J.J. mcCarthy. And then you don't have to say, well, Carson Wentz worked with Josh McCown and they're connected and he's the QB coach because they were in Philly together. So let's all of a sudden get the band back together and hope for ideal results.
- [08:55]
Myron Metcalf
I mean, I just don't think this league has any patience, though. I don't think you have time. You. You don't have three years to figure out if JJ McCarthy is the guy or not. Like, if you're the Vikings and this doesn't work. And JJ comes back and he struggles. You got to go into the 2026 draft looking for a quarterback. Like that's just the reality. I think in this league, if you don't figure it out, people are going to get fired. So I think that to me is where the push comes. I also think at some point you either have it or you don't, and I think that's what they're going to have to look for with J.J. mcCarthy once he returns. Is there something there that you can build around? Because if you don't have that by the end of the season, you got to put yourself in a better spot at that position next year, which means.
- [09:34]
Lance Meadow
They'Re going to either have to pursue another veteran quarterback, whether it's free agency, whether it's a trade.
- [09:41]
Myron Metcalf
Is Sam Darnold available?
- [09:43]
Lance Meadow
Well, something tells me Seattle is going to stick with him, especially if this season turns out well and the way their defense is performing, it would be a surprise if they fell off a cliff and there's a pathway for them to perhaps win the division given the Niners issues. And we'll see whether or not the Rams can sustain what they're doing on both sides of the ball. There is a game on the schedule that perhaps is taking a backseat because Micah Parsons is returning to Dallas and clearly the Chiefs are colliding with the Ravens and a pair of former MVPs. We're going to tackle that game next and it could determine who's going to be a true contender in the nfc. This is Matt and Myron Lance Meadow in for Matt as we move forward here on ESPN Radio and ESPN app.
- [10:32]
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- [11:34]
Myron Metcalf
Matt.
- [11:34]
Lance Meadow
And Myron the podcast Pucks Eagles, a pair of three and O teams on the horizon doing battle in Florida later today. This is Matt and Myron on ESPN Radio, the ESPN app SiriusXM Channel 80. It is presented by Progressive Insurance. I'm Lance Meadow filling in for Matt Jones. He's Myron Metcalf. As we are giving you a full spectrum of the NFL landscape, this is a countdown towards the 1pm Eastern kickoffs. And so glad you could spend part of your Sunday morning with us. And it already has gotten underway. The Steelers are driving again. They're up 24 to 14 over the Vikings. Last we checked, Minnesota scored its first touchdown, Xavier Scott getting in from a pass from Carson Wentz. They then went for two. They converted the two point conversion. So on the ensuing drive now Pittsburgh is looking to seal it with just over four minutes to go in the fourth quarter as the Vikings plagued by turnovers today with Carson Wentz throwing a pair of interceptions. Baker Mayfield has taken care of the football, but he's going to go up against an opportunistic Philadelphia defense today and he's going to get some assistance back. Chris Godwin is going to be active today for the first time and that's key. With Mike Evans sideline due to a hamstring injury and his left tackle, Tristan Wurfs back in the lineup. The Bucks have been hammered by injuries. They've played a game of musical chairs, they're moving their center to left tackle, they're bringing a guy off the street to play right guard, you name it. Yet Baker does not miss a beat. And I'm not invested in either one of these teams, Myron. But it's hard to argue how you don't love what Baker's doing in terms of him rallying with his career. There's a change in offensive coordinator with Liam Cohen now as the Jaguars head coach and the offense has been a straight line. He spreads the wealth. They've got a great rookie wide receiver out of Ohio State in who has been shining for them. There's a lot to like about this Tampa Bay squad.
- [13:38]
Myron Metcalf
Well, and there's been a lot to like for a while. You know, I think the last couple of years most passing touchdowns in this league is Baker Mayfield. Like he, he's just a dude. People say the Baker Mayfield tier like it's a negative thing. And I'd argue there aren't many teams in this league that have a guy that good. He's finding ways to win. He's winning with all these personnel challenges. He's had Mike Evans out for long stretches. Chris Godwin offensive line, like, not many guys have dealt with more injuries around him than Baker Mayfield has. And then he's finding ways to win down the stretch of really tight games. And I think that is a skill. So I just think he is a great example of finding the perfect guy for your system, your situation, and not spending $60 million to do it. I think Baker Mayfield just found his home and now that they're getting healthy, I think they can be a player. Like, I don't think that's a team that you're going to want to play in the postseason because of the way that the win, they win. It's a gritty team, and I think Baker Mayfield just has a swagger that just affects that entire group.
- [14:37]
Lance Meadow
I agree. Well said. But he does still face criticism, it seems, because he's got that moxie is what I call it, meaning he wears his emotion on his sleeve and he's not going to be bottled up just because you think he's too much out there. And I don't think, as you pointed out, that it has had a negative impact on the team. And as long as it's not ruffling the feathers of teammates, let Baker be who he is. And the latest example is they beat the jets last week. Steve Wilkes, who's the jets defensive coordinator, was in Carolina as the interim coach when the Panthers cut ties with Baker and he ultimately went to the Rams. And hey, it worked out well for, for Mayfield. But you could tell Baker has a checklist and he's all of a sudden looking it over multiple times. So this was what he spoke about after they knocked off the jets and knew who was on the opposing sideline.
- [15:29]
Myron Metcalf
I loved it.
- [15:30]
Lance Meadow
And it's also their D coordinator was the one that cut me in Carolina.
- [15:32]
Myron Metcalf
So it was A lot of stuff was personal today. Hasan Reddick, former Jet, a lot of.
- [15:36]
Lance Meadow
People, short, sweet and to the point. So you could tell he knows exactly who perhaps wronged him during his career. I can't say that there's that baggage with respect to what's going on on the Philadelphia sideline today. Not that he needs additional motivation, but the Bucks, given all the injuries that they've had to deal with, and Philly, in fairness, too, has been banged up. I don't think they're the same caliber defense Myron that we saw a year ago. They lost personnel up front at free agency. The secondary is not the same, but if the Bucks can knock off the Eagles at home, maybe we start considering Tampa Bay as a team that could be in the mix. And it's not just a lock for Philadelphia to all of a sudden get penciled back into the NFC Championship game.
- [16:22]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, I mean, there are people who probably had that thought through the first three quarters against the Rams. I mean, the Rams for the second game in a row against the Eagles look like they had the Eagles dumber. They should have won that game. Happened in the playoffs. That in the last week happened again. So I think there are def. Definitely vul abilities for this Eagles team. But again, Lance, I think winning ugly is a skill. Right. And I think in this league you have to. It doesn't have to always be pretty, but the Eagles find ways to come out on top. They're playing a team, though, that's better than that than anybody. And they're finally getting healthier with the Bucks. So I do think this looks like one of those games where. Could this be an NFC Championship game, potentially? Could this be a game where there's a lot on the line in the postseason, potentially. But. But I also feel like the Buccaneers are getting better at the right time, whereas the Eagles, in a weird way, are still trying to find themselves even though they just won a Super Bowl.
- [17:17]
Lance Meadow
What I love about the Bucks is the way they're winning games late against the Texans. Same thing with the Jets. There's an art to that. You have to be well equipped with both facets of your team to be able to finish. And they're showing that. Sometimes it's the defense, sometimes it's the offense, and if you can rely on that, I think that bodes very well for them. The Eagles have also won a few late games, whether it be the Cowboys game or, as you mentioned, the comeback against the Rams. But there's just something about the identity of the Bucks. You could take players out of the equation and they don't miss a beat. Speaking of late game efforts, the Steelers were trying to punch in the devastating blow in the red zone against the Vikings. And the Vikings stopped the Steelers on fourth and goal. So they're taking over deep in their own territory. Less than four minutes left in the fourth quarter in Ireland. Madden Myron is presented by Progressive Insurance. Progressive can help you protect your home, auto, boat, motorcycle, ATV and RV and more. And if something wasn't mentioned that you had in mind, find out if it could be covered@progressive.com or 1-800-progressive because it probably can be. On the topic of teams being Able to finish the. That brings us to the Lions. They had quite the battle royale with the Ravens on Monday Night Football. And this is now a Browns team that they have to solve. And Cleveland's defense is one of the best in the National Football League. The problem is not a lot of people are talking about that side of the ball because their offense has been painful at times. But it would not surprise me if Cleveland's defense, which is much better than what Baltimore has to offer if they give Jared Goff and company some trouble. And this is more of a grinded out type of affair between the Lions and the Browns today.
- [19:04]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, I mean, you know, to, to me this is one of those games where the, the Cleveland defense clearly matters. We saw that against Green Bay. Right. And the way they were able to close last weekend. But this Lions offense is also starting, starting to figure it out under a new coordinator. Right. This is the Lions offense that's trying to go in the, the post Ben Johnson era. There are a lot of questions about that and I think in the Ravens game a lot of people said, okay, they still have it. And Jared Goff to me is just one of those guys. Again, you put him in the right situation, you protect him, he's a very clean quarterback. So I think the challenge in this game for Cleveland is this is where you're going to find out that defense alone isn't enough. You got to be able to put up numbers with, with a Detroit team that I think that can score with anybody. So I'm looking forward to seeing this game.
- [19:51]
Lance Meadow
And they prove that going back and forth with the Ravens, we know they have a two headed monster with respect to the rushing attack. You pointed out the Lions change in offensive coordinator and the one thing that has stood out to me is I thought with Ben Johnson moving on to Chicago, maybe they're going to play it more conventional and they're not going to be as creative. But all of a sudden against the Ravens, we're seeing that that creativity is still alive and well. And I like the fact sometimes when a new coordinator comes in, you know, they want to put their stamp on the team. I don't think the Lions have lost who they are and maybe that is credit to Dan Campbell pulling the strings and making sure that the new coordinator doesn't try to mix things up too much.
- [20:33]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, I mean, at the end of the day that's still an offense that can go right and they have all the pieces in place and I think they proved that. Again, it just takes time with new coordinators.
- [20:43]
Lance Meadow
And we're seeing that and a much improved defense, let's not forget, which was an absolute mess a year ago. Big part of that was the injuries, but having Aiden Hutchinson back is making a world of difference so that the Lions don't have to necessarily win 4137 every single week. All eyes are going to be on the Giants quarterback. Was it a panic move though for Big Blue? Right here on Matt and Myron on ESPN Radio.
- [21:11]
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- [22:27]
Myron Metcalf
Race the rudders. Raise the sails. Race the sails.
- [22:30]
Lance Meadow
Captain, an unidentified ship is approaching.
- [22:32]
Myron Metcalf
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- [23:03]
Lance Meadow
Matt and myron here on ESPN Radio, the ESPN app SiriusXM channel 80. You can ask your smart speaker to play ESPN Radio. He is Myron Metcalf. I'm Lance Meadow filling in for Matt Jones as we are counting you down to kick off right to the 1pm Eastern window NFL Week 4 and it has been an Entertaining Steelers Vikings game late. Minnesota getting yet another touchdown. They stopped Pittsburgh on a fourth and goal deep in Vikings territory. Went down the length of the field. Jalen Naylor catching the touchdown. So 24 to 21. Then went for an onside kick. Pittsburgh has recovered, so they're taking over right around the two minute warning as the Vikings putting together a rally late. But make no mistake about it, Pittsburgh's defense has dominated this game by picking off Carson Wentz two times and sacking him multiple times, which put them in this tough spot. Now, somebody that's going to be in a tough spot coming up this afternoon is Jackson Dart. He's going to have to solve one of the best defenses in football, led by Jesse Minter, their defensive coordinator, the former Michigan man who came over with Jim Harbaugh to LA as they're going to welcome the Chargers to MetLife Stadium. And this was maybe not necessarily a surprising move to many outside of Giants land, Myron, but it certainly seemed like a rushing move, I guess is the way they would put it. Russell Wilson struggled against Kansas City. There's no issue and no defense around that. But remember, they brought in Russell Wilson and they brought in Jameis Winston. Yeah, they did that before they drafted Jackson Dart. But the thought process was we're going to try to draft a quarterback and we'll have two veterans so we don't have to rush the process. We, we'll take our time. We could do what happened with Patrick Mahomes and what the vikings did with J.J. mcCarthy and now all of a sudden 03 and Brian D. Having two straight losing seasons after they made the playoffs in 2022. It just, it comes across as if that process was completely revamped overnight because of the current state record wise of the team.
- [25:15]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, you know, Brian D. Gets a lot of heat for, for what transpired. I, I put it on the front office like you already created confusion by bringing in Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston and then moving up to get Jackson Dart. Like teams don't usually do that. If you're going to go out and get a veteran, then that guy has to be a solidified starter. Russell Wilson was anything but that. He was a guy who's bounced around the league over the last couple years. You knew that he would be coming in still trying to prove he had his fastball. And that's exactly what we saw. And then the idea was, well, if it doesn't work out, Jameis Winston is right there and is a serviceable quarterback. But once you draft Jackson Dart to Me, what you're saying is this guy is next, and in this league, we just don't have as much patience, especially in the situation you're in right now. I would have started and I advocated for starting Jackson Dart right away, because to me, if you're Brian Day Ball, what you can say is whether it goes south, whether it's incredible, you can say you're developing a quarterback and people can see the signs potentially of watching this quarterback grow from week to week to week. You saw how the Patriots mismanaged Drake May, and it cost that entire coaching staff their jobs because they didn't know when they were going to use him or how to use them. I think if you move up in the draft to get a guy like that, play him, see what you have. There's no way to spare anybody in this league. I think they started him too late. Lance, if I'm being honest, because I think you move up, see what you have. You got a veteran behind him. Roll with that guy.
- [26:39]
Lance Meadow
The problem is, though, to. To take it a step further. How many times, though, have you seen you start the rookie immediately, but there's problems on the offensive line. They don't have a run game and they don't even have a great defense. And you find a variety of ways to screw up that young quarterback. I mean, we've seen it, whether it's a Mark Sanchez, Alex Smith. How many different offensive coordinators did Alex Smith have in San Francisco? And I'm just naming a few off the top of my head with, we could sit here till we're blue in the face. So I thought the Giants played it right by taking the patient approach. And now the fact that you look at the turnover rate with head coaches, the fact that the offense is struggling, that all of a sudden Jackson Dark had put on the cape and saved the team. And I just think that's an unrealistic approach.
- [27:31]
Myron Metcalf
I don't think anyone's asking him to save the team. I don't even know what salvation looks like for this team. Right. Like, at the end of the day, to. To me, if Jackson Dart can't find Malik neighbors until the fourth quarter of a game, that's a conversation where you go to young quarterback is still figuring it out. When Russell Wilson can't find Malik neighbors until the fourth quarter of a game, you have a problem with the veteran. I think having a young guy in there, it gives you a chance to say, yes, he's going through some of the growing pains, but you're also finding out what you Have, I don't know, when quarterback became an internship and in the NFL when we decided that everything had to be right for all of these rookie quarterbacks. The offensive line has to be great. They got to have a couple of great tight ends. The defense has to be wonderful. The coaching staff has to be impeccable. And oh, by the way, make sure they have their favorite brand of bottled water on the sideline. When do we start doing that with quarterbacks in this league? Because I'm going to tell you something, Lance, we don't do that with offensive linemen who come into this league and they're young. We don't do it with receivers, we don't do it with defensive stars. We, we throw all those guys into the lion's den and we say, can you do it or not? But suddenly we have to have a blueprint and a PowerPoint and a director of operations to tell us when to put a young quarterback in the game. You either have it or you don't in this league. And if I'm Brian Dall, I want to find that out right away, not be in this situation where the veteran quarterback who has done this for multiple years now I got to pull him out and, and put in the rookie in this situation.
- [29:02]
Lance Meadow
Well, I think the big difference is though, the quarterback is reliant on all of those other facets that you mentioned, whereas those other positions can maybe operate on an island by themselves. So I get your point that maybe the leeway is not shown towards other positions in the National Football League, but I don't think those other positions are dependent like a quarterback is on all of those other things clicking and registering. And you, yes, it's make believe land to say, okay, we're only going to put the rookie in when the offensive line can average 150 rushing yards per game and they don't give up a sack and he's got all the time in the world in the pocket. No, I mean that once again is unrealistic. But if you still have, for example, Andrew Thomas, the left tackle, had been banged up for the Giants. He now has since returned. They don't have a great running game going because they just also suffered an injury with Tyrone Tracy one of their starters. Although Cam Scatter Boo has shown some flashes, the bottom line is there's been a lot of movable parts. And the Giants also went through this with Daniel Jones when he took over for eli Manning in 2019. And that didn't necessarily turn out according to plan when also there seemed to be a Rush because the Giants had lost their first two games. Now, on the topic of can one man steer the ship and save the day, Dart was actually asked that very question this week was when he spoke with reporters.
- [30:22]
Myron Metcalf
I don't really feel pressured.
- [30:25]
Lance Meadow
I feel like, you know, pressure is given to those who play at a high level and, you know, the best players in the world are the ones that you are kind of involved with that word pressure. So I don't feel it in that standpoint.
- [30:41]
Myron Metcalf
You know, my focus is just trying.
- [30:42]
Commercial/Advertisement Voice
To just win one game at a time. And, you know, we've been just, you.
- [30:47]
Lance Meadow
Know, we've been so close each week.
- [30:48]
Myron Metcalf
And it's been tough to watch.
- [30:50]
Lance Meadow
It's been tough as a team to come back in the locker room. Like I said, you're just that close to winning.
- [30:56]
Myron Metcalf
So our focus just has to be on each day, each rep individually.
- [31:02]
Lance Meadow
How can we be better?
- [31:04]
Myron Metcalf
How can we hold each other accountable as players, as leaders of the team.
- [31:07]
Lance Meadow
And just find a way to just finish games when we need to? Well, they have been close. I'm not going to dispute that in terms of what Jaxson Dart had to say, but that is because I think the defense at least has tried to hold its own. But the offense has been anemic outside of that Cowboys game and I would really throw that out the window given the struggles of Dallas. So now Dart is going to have to find a way, whether or not he's responsible on an island or not, to get the Giants to a point, Myra, where they can average 22, 23 points a game. This is a franchise over the last few years and they've had multiple quarterbacks. They are hovering around 16 to 17 points and you'd be hard pressed to find another example of an offense that could survive that and remain competitive.
- [31:53]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah, I mean, they're in a difficult spot, but that's just the circumstances. That's what happens when you, you go out and get a rookie quarterback in this situation because you know you're trying to rebuild and it's going to take time. I just don't understand this idea of you got to have the right time to bring in a guy like Jackson Dart. Lance, when is that? Like, what's the game if you're the Giants, where you should bring in Jackson Dart, considering everything that you mentioned, you can't go to a store and go get all those missing pieces. You have what you have. So isn't there some value of a young quarterback learning in a terrible situation and growing from that? I just, I don't know this new NFL mindset where we're protecting all these rookie quarterbacks in ways we never did because Peyton Manning through 27, I think 28 interceptions in year one. And everyone said, that's just what it is, kid. You got to figure it out in this league. That's just what it takes. We didn't do this with quarterbacks 20 years ago, but now we're going, well, is everything okay? Is the temperature right on the field? Is the. Is the turf as soft as it needs to be? Are you sure that this guy is ready to play? You drafted him in the first round. He better be able to play. If he's not able to play, that's your bad evaluation. That's not on him. So you got to put them out there, man, to see if they have something.
- [33:10]
Lance Meadow
I'm with you about the whole safe landing spot which has been utilized. They're playing the Saints next week. So a lot of people said, oh well, they should have waited. Who cares who they're playing? It's not going to get any easier for this giant team. I have no problem with the opponent. It's more of the timing and flipping the 180 script around after the plan seemed to be we're going to ride the veterans, and I use the plural form, Winston and Wilson before we're going to turn to Jackson Dart. I think that's the bigger surprising development. Now, coincidentally, another team that's going to be an action later today, the Denver Broncos, who will go up against the Bengals, they started Bo Nix immediately, which is. Right. What you were pinpointing that. There have been other examples, but I think Bo walked into a situation where he had a really good defense. He had Sean Payton, who has worked with his fair share of quarterbacks and holds QBs to a very high standard, even if they're rookies. And it's no surprise that Bo didn't have to do everything because the other side of the ball was opportunistic, got after the quarterback and so forth. The Giants defense, as good as that front four is, they have a young secondary outside of the two veterans they brought in in free agency. And I've seen this. You've seen this. You even refer to it when we were talking about this Vikings defense. That unit's going to wear down Myron. Right. As the season goes, because you're going to ask them to get a sack, get a takeaway so you could give the ball back to your rookie quarterback.
- [34:39]
Myron Metcalf
Yeah. You know, and I think again, there's not an easy way to go about this when you're in a situation I think that Jackson Dart is in. What I don't like sometimes, Lance, is we play all the worst case scenarios in these conversations for some reason. What if he shows glimmers and flashes of being the next guy, a great young quarterback? Like what if this is an opportunity for him to come out and say, yeah, I'm in. I am one of the elite guys I think in this class. Like we forget the opportunity that this also presents. I just don't think there's an easy situation. But I also can't think of any young quarterback who became great that entered the NFL with an easy situation.
- [35:18]
Lance Meadow
And that is an ideal circumstance which once again are far and few. It's just a matter of you don't want to impact the confidence of the quarterback mentally, right? You can screw up a kid, especially if you put them on the field too soon. And there's a lot of examples actually, even within Giants history where it backfired on them. Viking Steelers down the stretch. Final minute, Pittsburgh leading 24, 21. It's Minnesota football. Can Carson Wentz work his magic? We'll keep you posted on that. And we're going to play. Take your pick. It is Matt and Myron Lance Meadow filling in for Matt Jones here on ESPN Radio and the ESPN app.
- [35:59]
Myron Metcalf
This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Checking off the boxes on your to.
- [36:04]
Lance Meadow
Do list is a great feeling.
- [36:06]
Myron Metcalf
And when it comes to checking off coverage, a State Farm agent can help.
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Lance Meadow
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Myron Metcalf
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Lance Meadow
The phone or using the award winning.
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Myron Metcalf
App, it's nice knowing you have help finding coverage that best fits. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. This episode is brought to you by Diet Coke. You know that moment when you just need to hit pause and refresh. An ice cold Diet Coke isn't just a break. It's your chance to catch your breath and savor a moment that's all about you. Always refreshing. Still the same great taste. Diet Coke make time for you time Matt and Myron the podcast.
- [36:49]
Lance Meadow
Matt and Myron on ESPN Radio the ESPN app SiriusXM channel 80. It is presented by Progressive Insurance. I'm Lance Meadow taking the spot of Matt Jones. He is Myron Metcalf as we have been hitting on everything imaginable underneath the sun in the National Football League. Counting you up to kickoff for the 1pm Eastern window with the Commanders and the Falcons coming up right after us here on ESPN Radio. And it is A Viking Steelers final in Ireland. Pittsburgh holding off Minnesota 2421. Quite the statement for the Steelers defense, sacking Carson Wentz six times, picking him off twice as the Steelers improving to three and one with Aaron Rodgers at the controls. And we actually saw some packers fans in the crowd at the end of the Steelers win over the Vikings in Ireland. I mean, you can't script this stuff even if you think the NFL is scripted. And they're going to be our fans of the month. Yes, we are crowning them. The best fan of the month is brought to you by Dr. Pepper. It's not college football season without the delicious taste of an ice cold Dr. Pepper college football. It's a Pepper thing. So you can congratulate packers faithful, the individuals overseas who have been doing a lot of the heavy lifting, but we've got more important matters to take care of because I, I am a guest picker today and I can't tell you, Myron, how honored I am to fill the shoes of Matt Jones. It is now time to play take your pick. Take your pick.
- [38:23]
Myron Metcalf
You take your pick. It's time to take your pick with Matt and Myron. Chargers at Giants. Yeah, I mean, this one feels kind of easy. Obviously Jackson Dart making his first official start. It won't be easy, although the Chargers have some concerns on the offensive line. Justin Herbert has been great, but Makai Becton I think is out now with the concussion. Sean Slater obviously got hurt before the season. So you wonder can this offensive line hold up but the Chargers win this game.
- [38:53]
Lance Meadow
I'm with you. Also, what's been problematic for the Giants is their inability to stop the run. I think the Chargers will ride Hampton, who's now the lead back with Naji Harris injured. And until the Giants offense scores more than 15 to 17 points, it's hard to believe that they could stay in things and also knock off a three and O squad.
- [39:12]
Myron Metcalf
Titans at Texans. Yeah, I mean the rookie Cam Ward going against a guy on CJ Stroud who has faced a lot of question marks after that incredible first year, a slump last year. Can he get back into a rhythm? But I think the ti the Texans win this game.
- [39:28]
Lance Meadow
I'm with you. I'm going to go Houston. They've been in games. The problem is they have not been able to finish. But Demo Ryan has an advantage going up against a rookie quarterback who's been prone to the turnovers. He's C.J. stroud and company have a lot to finish and work out, but I think their defense is good enough to Solidify this win.
- [39:46]
Myron Metcalf
Commanders at Falcons. I love you, Lance. We probably got to go a little bit faster here with all the teams. We got commanders, Falcons, I mean, Michael Penix Jr. Is Kirk Cousins going to come in and end up taking over this game? I believe in those explosive plays I saw with Marcus Mariota. Give me the Commanders to win.
- [40:03]
Lance Meadow
Washington offense look great with Mariota, so I would second that effort. I don't think they're going to miss a beat without Jaden Daniels, especially against.
- [40:11]
Myron Metcalf
That Atlanta D. Saints at Bills. We're the worst team maybe we've seen a long time, right? The Spencer Rattler Saints. Bills win. I mean, at this point of view, the Bills, it's, how much better can you be than last year? Can you be a Super bowl team? I think they'll look the part again this week. Give me the Bills.
- [40:30]
Lance Meadow
I think it would take Armageddon for the Saints to win this game. So I think I've said enough. You want me to be short and sweet? I'm right to the point.
- [40:39]
Myron Metcalf
Eagles at Buccaneers. Now, you don't have to be super short, but Matt. Matt's all. Matt always does that to me. So you gotta go faster, you know, so Eagles. Bucks will be a great game. Chris Godwin's back. Trista Wers is back. Offensive lines getting better, but give me the Eagles. They just find ways to win in these kinds of games and I think they'll do it again. Give me the Eagles.
- [40:57]
Lance Meadow
I'm gonna go opposite. I like Tampa Bay. I think they're getting healthier. Tristan worse. Returning should be immense to help Baker gain some extra time to survey the field. And their defense has been impressive. I'm not sold on the Eagles. I like the Bucks holding their terms at home.
- [41:14]
Myron Metcalf
Browns at Lions. You know, I mean, the Browns defense is legit, and Jared Goff has had challenges, I think, against teams that put a lot of pressure on him, but I just don't know how the Browns are going to score against an offense like this. Give me the Lions.
- [41:28]
Lance Meadow
That's the biggest concern. You hit it right on the nose. The state of the Cleveland offense. It's much like watching the Giants and all these other teams. Cleveland could keep you in the game on the defensive side. They're not going to completely shut down the Lions offense. Lions offense is good enough to give them enough to walk away with a W.
- [41:45]
Myron Metcalf
Panthers air. Patriots. I don't believe in what I saw last week with the Panthers playing Atlanta and that blowout. I think they come down to earth against the Patriots. Drake May has a better game, completes more than 65% of his passes. Give me the Patriots.
- [41:59]
Lance Meadow
I thought New England looked good last week. The problem was some turnovers and missed opportunities when you're in the red zone. Drake May seems to be more and more comfortable with Josh McDaniels as his new OC, which I love that marriage. New England, if they want to prove that they could be a competitive team, I think this is a statement victory for them today.
- [42:20]
Myron Metcalf
Jaguars at 49ers okay, we kind of got to go rapid fire. We got like two minutes left. Matt would be losing his mind right now, by the way. If we had this many games left, like it would be the whole show. Jags at Niners brought Birdies back, but I like that Jags defense. Give me the Niners though, to win.
- [42:37]
Lance Meadow
I'm going to take Jacksonville. I think their defense will do enough to help out Trevor Lawrence.
- [42:43]
Myron Metcalf
Colts at Rams Rams should have a win over Philly like through three quarters. They had it. Devonte Adams is going to play Give me the Rams to win this.
- [42:52]
Lance Meadow
I think the Rams is the toughest matchup the Colts have seen thus far, so I'm going with LA2.
- [42:58]
Myron Metcalf
Bears at Raiders I think the big letdowns coming after a big game against the Cowboys. Give me the Raiders to win this one at home.
- [43:06]
Lance Meadow
I like the Bears finding a way because the Raiders offensive line is too problematic. And that game, by the way, will be right here on ESPN radio.
- [43:15]
Myron Metcalf
Ravens @ Chiefs okay, now I think we just have to say the team name at this point. Give me the Chiefs.
- [43:21]
Lance Meadow
I'm going to go with Kansas City as well.
- [43:24]
Myron Metcalf
Packers at Cowboys Matt Jones will be losing his mind right now. Give me the Packers.
- [43:31]
Lance Meadow
I don't lose my mind only when I watch the Cowboys defense. Green Bay takes the win.
- [43:37]
Myron Metcalf
Jetset Dolphins. We both lose but give me the Dolphins.
- [43:42]
Lance Meadow
I'll go with the jets getting their first victory.
- [43:45]
Myron Metcalf
Bengals at Broncos Mad Matt is probably screaming in Africa right now listening to us. Give me the Broncos to win this.
- [43:53]
Lance Meadow
It's all about the mile high and we got to the finish line. How about them apples? This has been a pleasure, my Myron. Thanks to James and Cameron for their assistance from my Metcalf. I'm Lance Meadows signing off Matt and Myron on ESPN Radio.
- [44:06]
Myron Metcalf
Thanks for listening to Matt and Myron the podcast. You can listen to the show live every Sunday morning at 10am Eastern on ESPN radio, the ESPN app and on Sirius XM channel 80. Matt and Myron the Podcast talk about stepping up.
- [44:32]
Lance Meadow
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- [44:34]
Myron Metcalf
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- [44:38]
Lance Meadow
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- [44:40]
Myron Metcalf
And the best championship moments.
- [44:42]
Lance Meadow
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- [44:50]
Myron Metcalf
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