← The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Top Five Games to Watch This Weekend, Drip Drill with Mike Ryan Ruiz, And the NFL's greatest people with Jourdan Rodrigue
00:52:28
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- [00:01]
A
Okay, my fellow football Americans, we don't have a moment to waste here in front of NFL Week 5. We have to talk about the Houston Texans falling apart. Or is it the Baltimore Ravens falling apart? The glory that is the uniform matchup of the Seahawks and the Bucks. We have to talk about Deion's son and A.J. brown being down in the dumps even though his team is undefeated. And of course, we have to talk about Dan Marino's. But let's start the show high and low. Hello, my fellow football Americans. We got the Athletics, Jordan Rodrigue, and the straw that stirs the drink, Mike Ryan coming up to get you right coast to coast. Welcome to NFL Week 5. Welcome to Football America. Episode number 13 presented as ever by DraftKings. DraftKings. The Crown is yours. So much to get to. Let's jump right in. Mike Ryan. What's the poop, fella? No time for you to answer. We have to cover what matters the most. The greatest number 13. I'm sorry for fumbling my words. That's how excited I am to speak with you. The greatest number 13 in pro football history. This should be an easy one for you.
- [01:11]
B
It is. Even though I'm not a Miami Dolphin fan, growing up down here and seeing that man always on television. There's one number 13. If you mean another 13, you're going to need to clarify for me, pal, because that is Dan Marino's number. And it's almost as if all the sports recognizes that you don't play that position or where the number 13. That's because it's big shoes to fill, quite literally. I used to see that big boot in, in Niketown, you know, no bend on that ankle whatsoever. It's Dan Marino. And second place isn't even a quarterback, Dave. It's Odell Beckham Jr.
- [01:42]
A
I think that's probably the right answer. We don't talk enough about now. By the way, I knew Marino before everybody in south beach did. That's because I grew up on the banks of the Three Rivers where Danny Marino matriculated for a high school. Then he walked out the door there, walked couple feet down the street into the University of Pittsburgh. I watched him toil there. The Steelers decided not to draft him. That's a story for another day. I wish they would have, of course. You know, here's the thing though. After the Achilles injury and Dan Marino continues to play at a Hall of Fame level despite, let's just say it, getting a little heavy. Is he our heaviest high end quarterback ever?
- [02:24]
B
Oh, yeah, probably. You have all eyes like Big Ben over there. But a lot of Red Sox.
- [02:30]
A
No, no, no. Not even, not anywhere close to the, to the tuchus that Marino had for the second half of his career.
- [02:36]
B
That's a Red Sox Sunday, man.
- [02:38]
C
Jamarcus Russell was bigger, but he wasn't even, you know, obviously Marcus Russell. Yeah.
- [02:41]
A
So.
- [02:42]
C
But he was. Let me see who. Culpepper.
- [02:44]
A
Oh, Dante Culpepper. Culpepper definitely had the biggest.
- [02:47]
C
Pepper was the next one. I'll always remember Dante.
- [02:49]
A
Kurt Warner.
- [02:50]
B
Yeah, that's a good. Another 13 and also a little heavier on the bottom.
- [02:54]
C
Oh, but now you got boxing. Kurt Warner's probably the only one that could even come close to Marino.
- [02:59]
B
Right.
- [02:59]
C
Because he had a Super bowl win.
- [03:00]
A
Hefty lefty. Also a shout out to him. The, the late great Jared Lorenzen. Also you had Ken Riley of the Cincinnati Bungles, a Hall of Famer, I think in just the last couple of years. There's Brock Purdy, maybe the best going right now. And the answer to one of my very favorite trivia questions is who is the Miami Dolphins number 13? The only Miami Dolphins number 13 to be a Super Bowl MVP. Mike Fuentes. I throw it to you.
- [03:32]
C
Brian Greasy, I think.
- [03:33]
B
Is it Jake Scott?
- [03:34]
A
Jake Scott, Brian Greasy?
- [03:36]
C
I don't know. I took a guess.
- [03:37]
A
Jake Scott, Mike Ryan. There you go. Well done, friend. Mr. Mustache. A bald headed Super Bowl MVP. Two picks against. Against Washington, of course. Mike. We're going to be doing our beloved segment Drip Drill when we cover all things aesthetic in. In. In pro football. But first let's go back to front versus how we usually do the show. We usually leave the top five games and give our picks on those at the end of an episode. Let's start it off with those. Now there are some good ones on the slate and let's kick things off with if I can find them here. Well before, before we get to the pro football picks though you have a big R producer everybody down there. There's the three way rivalry of the Gators and the Knowles and. And the U of course. Who do you hate more as a U supporter, did you hate? I assume the top two are Bobby Bowden and Steve Spurrier. Who did you dislike more between those two cats?
- [04:39]
B
A common misnomer. I think Miami FSU is a weird rivalry in that more built on mutual respect. I think a lot of that has to do with Bobby Bounden's approach. Just always likable. And Bobby Bowden was always super complimentary. You know how Steve Spurrier was Post game, when a team was better than him, that was never Bobby Bowden. Bobby Bowden would always take ownership of it. So I really like Bobby Bowden. He's a legend. And I kind of respect fsu. Certainly it'll get intense when I go up to Tallahassee over this weekend. Don't like them when we're playing the game, but we can all agree we hate Florida. He's in a weird place when it comes to their rivalries. Rivals with Notre Dame, rivals with fsu, rivals with Florida. And yet even Keynes fans would. None of those schools would rank Miami as their number one rival. Weird historical outlier. Hate Steve Spurrier. Actually hate Jimbo Fish, Jimbo Fisher, way more than I hate Bobby Bowden.
- [05:32]
A
Can I tell you something? What you just did was very gently. You took a shot at Florida State. I heard it. I know that the naive among us maybe didn't pick up on that. You don't care enough about Florida State. There's such a punchline to you. You watch Bobby Bowden stand on the sidelines one too many or four too many times after the field goal went wide right with that deer in the headlights look like, what? What just happened? Dad gum, do we lose to them again? Kind of vibe. Yeah, it's a shot at them. You're very much like Don Draper in the elevator, aren't you?
- [06:11]
B
I don't think about you.
- [06:12]
A
I don't think about you at all. Or if I do, I laugh.
- [06:14]
B
Part of the most unfortunate thing about the Hurricanes not being super rele over the last 20 years is those were prime partying years. And I will say, in the history of this rivalry, when we made FSU feel pain, it had national title implications. They went on that crazy run where they were consistently in the top five. And damn near their only loss was always to Miami. Miami would cost them national titles. Really wasn't the case when they had their best run of form and we had our most heartbreaking losses. Miami wasn't a very good team and they were getting held down by the likes of Jameis Winston and really good FSU teams. My 20s was littered with painful memories at the hands of FSU. But really, Miami wasn't that good to begin with. So you're right, it was a shot at fsu. Dave.
- [06:57]
A
And to bring it full circle, before Danny Marino played for the Miami Dolphins, I said he was a Pitt Panther and Pitt was great. In 1980, the only game they lost was in Tallahassee to Bobby Bowden in Florida State because it was very rainy, apparently and my old man, to his dying day, belly ached about the rain that night. And Ron Stark, the Seminoles punter, kicking the ball so high in the air. And Pitt fumbled one or two of those and it swung the game, apparently, and it cost Pitt the national championship. Fuentes, who do you weigh in here? Who's. Who's the more hated one down there in South Beach? Is it bowed in? Is it Spurry or who.
- [07:40]
C
I got like a little soft spot for Spurrier because my dad was involved in University of Florida when I was growing up and there was a Javon curse was on the team. So I think that was 98, 99. I went down to an Orange bowl practice down at St. Thomas University. Yeah, down at St. Thomas University. And my dad was walking on the field and all I hear is, hey, Al. And then Steve Spurrier's running over to shake my dad's hand. So I'll always love Steve Spurrier for that. Made me feel so important for like five minutes. But I think Mike's probably right on the head. Jimbo Fisher, I remember the most growing up. And Bowden, if you watch the you documentaries, he comes off so genuine and sweet when he talks about the University of Miami, like, oh, it's a shame it's not a rivalry. And they kicked our ass. And he was just so honest all the time. It's hard not to like Bobby Bowden, even as, you know, very charming.
- [08:22]
B
I think the answer is Urban Meyer.
- [08:24]
C
Oh, that's actually Meyer. Yeah. Very unlikable as Urban Meyer.
- [08:29]
A
I love hearing about these rivalries. And you can only really dig in when you talk to somebody who is in and steeped in the region and has spent a ton of time there. There was no sort of like, I feel bad beating our grandfather kind of effect when Pitt would be Joe Paterno. Oh, the. The most reviled man in our home growing up before it was cool, before the rest of the world caught on. The Joe Paul was a creep. Oh, we were. We were well aware in the damage household. All right, let's get to it. The top five countdown. The best games going in the NFL in week five. And we'll start it off Commies Chargers at the time of this recording, the home team LAC laying two and a half. The total is 47 and a half. Mike Ryan, take it away.
- [09:13]
B
Jaden Daniels, it all comes down to him here. Maybe Jackson dart and the Giants unlocked a little something there. I'm reading into the line there. Perhaps LA the market liked them a little bit too much. I. We all Know that there's going to be a good contingent of commies fans out in Los Angeles. No real home field advantage there for the LA Chargers. I'm going to take the. The. The commies in this one.
- [09:41]
A
Boy, the commies absolutely need to get this one. But the Chargers get right even though they won't have Alt or Slater, like I said at the top there, they'll survive this one because the commies in 2025, I'm not talking about last year. Jaden Daniels is supposed to play 30 to 21. The Chargers get this one because they are for real this season. At number four on the countdown. This is a juicy one. We're going to get to this on drip drill. We'll keep our powder dry for now. Let's just talk about the football part of it. At the time of this recording, Bucks Seahawks in Seattle. Seattle laying three and a half total, 44 and a half. Take it away, Mike.
- [10:20]
B
The Bucs have won a lot of tough gambling spots. You know this. We've tried to fade the Bucks and thinking that they would. That it would be difficult for, for Baker Mayfield to pull it off. And they come out in the final minutes and get these things done. This is the top defense in the league with Seattle Cross country flight. I think Tampa kind of escaped in the earlier parts of the season as I highlighted there. This is probably a comeback down to the meme. Tampa Bay feels like a team that's going to in December still going to have to fight for their playoff positioning and their playoff lives. So I think they dropped this one.
- [10:51]
A
Yeah, it to me is the critical matchup is the obvious 1. Bake v. McDonald, Mike Ryan's MVP vs. Gino Fuentes, his favorite defense. I wish Gino was here to talk up the Hawks right now. It's an MVP showdown if you're into that sort of thing. Evans and Bucky Irving don't appear to be playing at the time of this recording. I've got the Hawks 27, 25 and a squeaker.
- [11:16]
B
Ooh, so you got the Bucks cover in there. Bucky Irving is so important to them. He's such a tremendous football player. If he's not 100% right, it could be a long day for the cross country traveling Buccaneers.
- [11:28]
A
Oh, I don't mind Rashad White one bit and I think if he's available in your fantasy, on your fantasy waiver wire, go get him. That's a great pickup there. Even though they are playing, like we say, a very good defense in Seattle at number three. Boy, this is A this is a juicy one in terms of importance to the two teams playing it. The Texans, the Ravens. It's in Charm City on Monday night and yet. Oh no, that's not the Monday night game on Sunday night. That's the next one we're getting to. Nevertheless. Texans, Ravens, Baltimore plus one and a half at home. The total on this one is forty and a half. Mike, how say you?
- [12:08]
B
Well, Cooper Rush is starting, it would appear in this game, which helps explain the line, I think. Look, the Ravens defense has been terrible this season, but for as bad as their defense has been, watch the Houston Texans on offense. It should be. It should be a punishment. It should be at federal judges should be able to hand down. You get to watch the one o' clock window. Houston Texans just brutal offensive walk.
- [12:32]
C
C.J. stroud is like a case study. And how about we don't crown everybody too early.
- [12:35]
B
Yeah, maybe a little bit of patience. Even though he did look outstanding and I keep waiting for that guy, but he has been bad longer than he was good. I think Cooper Rush. I went to a game in which Cooper Rush beat Joe Burrow at. Cooper Rush is fine, serviceable. I think we all found out together that he's in Baltimore, so that was cool. So I'm kind of up to speed a little bit now. I just hate watching the Texans so much. I'm picking with my heart here. I don't like the Ravens historically, being a reformed former Browns fan, but man, I can't stand watching the Texans. Let's go, Ravens. Put them to bed and don't ever show this game on red zone.
- [13:08]
C
Is this. Is this one of those. This has to be the biggest disparity in skill sets among starter and backup quarterback, right? Like, yeah, like the big. The widest gulf in talents and athleticism has to be this.
- [13:19]
B
There was that one time where Michael Vick was backing up Chris Chandler.
- [13:23]
C
Good point. That's a good point. In the league right now, though, it's definitely Lamar Cooper Rush above everybody else.
- [13:29]
A
Well, when you talk about the history too, the other thing is, and people have made this, have observed this too, but boy, it really is a spiritual throwback to the David Carr days. They really love never having an offensive line down there. If you had to describe the Houston Texans experience over the last 25 years, you would say, like, yeah, they, they. They really do a bad job with the offensive line, I guess would be the takeaway. Now I was talking with my guys, Randy Bauman and Bill Crawford on 102.5 DV in Pittsburgh about Cooper Rush and I think it'll be diminishing returns in the coming weeks if in fact Lamar Jackson can't go beyond this week. But for one week, we've seen this over and over again in the NFL. The rest of the team tends to rally around the more athletically deficient quarterback Cooper Rush. We've seen him out there. It's not like it's a huge spot that he's never experienced before. I think the Ravens get this one 27 to 21 between two borderline bum teams because of injuries and otherwise.
- [14:28]
B
A lot of first round draft picks still on that Baltimore Ravens roster, especially on the offensive side of the ball. He's got enough talent to help and you just feed Derek Henry here. Could be low scoring, no doubt. But please, just no more success for the Houston Texans franchise until they fire this offensive coordinator and stop being a blight on our Sundays.
- [14:46]
A
Yeah, and also their uniforms suck too.
- [14:48]
B
Oh, this is going to be garish to look at. It's going to be an awful game to watch. Don't put it on.
- [14:53]
A
Okay? Done and done. You didn't have to ask me. I will be rooting against the Ravens because if they go to 1 and 4, sheesh. The division, the AFC north is available to whoever wants it. Are you paying attention? Aaron Rodgers on your week off at number two Monday night or this is the Monday night game. Chiefs Jags Another crazy one. The home team in Duval county plus three and a half total 46 and a half. Trayvon Walker wrist surgery earlier in the week. They say he might play. I find that very hard to believe. How say you Mike?
- [15:24]
B
Well, I loved watching the get right offense thanks to the opposition in Baltimore and Xavier Worthy returning. That felt normal. It didn't feel normal with the Chiefs not being good at offense. But this is going to be a great game to watch because Teal versus one of the best uniforms in sports. The road white tops with red pants, those beautiful red shell helmets. Going to really pop. By the way, what did you make of San Francisco last week wearing the home the road whites at home. I don't think I've ever seen them do that before. Little jarring. I'm happy that this game is on Monday.
- [15:59]
A
Not a fan.
- [16:00]
B
I love watching Patrick Mahomes even when he's pressing. I think this is going to be a really tight game. I'm a fan of that. Jags defense. Jaguars fall within that number. I haven't liked the hook this much since Kylie Minogue's kink. Gets you out of my head But I'm going to go with the Chiefs to win straight up and the Jags to cover.
- [16:18]
A
Boy Fuentes, he labored there for that for that joke, but he got it for that one. I what swings it for me is my is what I assume is the absence of Trayvon Walker because he's been real good and these are two flawed teams to this point. The Jags better than we expected. I'm going to take the Chiefs 24 to 23. And that brings us to number one. Broncos Eagles. Philly laying three and a half numbers. Not that big for an undefeated team defending world champions, but I guess that says something about the way Denver's been playing. The total on this one, 43 and a half. Mike Ryan, if you'd like to do this one as Bobby Kennedy Jr. You're welcome to either way. What's your pick?
- [17:04]
B
Both very rare mates, but both delicious, especially one strapped out of your car. But on a go Philadelphia Eagles and what should a dandy teacher.
- [17:21]
A
You got the Dallas Cowboys. You got the New York Giants. You got the Washington. Look, there are a lot of teams in the NFC east, but the Philadelphia Eagles are going to lose this game 28 to 26. The big takeaway from Monday Night Football in Denver. A lot of people including Jamar Chase complaining about Jake Browning, but in fact Pat Certain is dominant no matter if it's Browning or Joe Burrow. And as it happens, sir Tan's making the trip along with Riley Moss, the other very good corner for the Broncos. Sorry A.J. brown. Sorry Eagles, you're going to have to delay your reunion I guess, or whatever you would call what you have planned down kick it down the road by a week because I don't think it's going to happen against those Broncos. Hi and hello fellow football Americans. Don't know if you heard the news, but football, it's back. And so is your shot at big wins. With DraftKings Pick Six, the official daily fantasy partner of the NFL, your game day instincts can score you real money and fast. Here's the play. Just pick more or less on two or more stats from breakout rookies to elite QBs and unlock the upside every snap brings. The better your calls, the bigger your payout. This week I put my head together once again with the Fuentes brothers heads and we really like Patrick Mahomes to go over his rush total. He is the entire offense just about. And we like Jordan Mason to put up a big rush total against the Steelers. Have you seen that defense? Not good so far. And here's the kickoff bonus. New DraftKings customers get $50 in bonus picks with just a $5 entry on your first pick set. So this season, play your player instincts. Download the DraftKings Pick Six app now and use code DAMOSHEK. That's code DAMOSHEK and D A M E S H E k. Play just $5, get $50 in pick six bonus picks make the pick ride the upside. In partnership with DraftKings pick six, the crown is yours. I'm trying to handle all my paperwork here. It's time for drip drill exploration of the gridiron aesthetic.
- [19:28]
C
Oh, sorry, I forgot about that.
- [19:31]
B
Producers can do that.
- [19:33]
A
We'll fix it in post. I'm a very aesthetic person. Guess what? You have that in common.
- [19:37]
C
We don't really go over these a lot before we start. Yeah, we don't really go over these a lot.
- [19:41]
A
All right, so there you have it, Mike. Let's start here and we will get into that NFC East. We'll rank it for you. We already did the AFC west, maybe the best division in pro football. And I'll say East might be in contention for the worst, but in the meantime, glorious. It's like Christmas for anyone who loves the get ups the way Mike and I do Sunday in Seattle. It's 1976 all over again. Back in the 90s, things got sideways for the Buccaneers. The reason we came to hate the the cream sicko uniforms was the satin finish pants. That's my contention at least. That's why we don't like Tampa Bay. Those pants are so ugly. They're not going to wear those. They're going to wear the all whites against the Seahawks. Glorious royal blue and Kelly green. Regionally specific, both of them. And I think that's part of why they're both so great. How say you on this one?
- [20:30]
B
This is the best uniform matchup the league might have to offer, especially this season. I mean, I love both of these uniforms. I like the road whites all white more than I like the creamsicle tops even. I think this is just.
- [20:43]
A
I think I do too.
- [20:44]
B
Such a bold look. The white on the uniform makes all the other colors pop. And the contrast of these Seahawks uniforms. I'd love for them to have an alternate helmet that isn't a throwback that invokes that silver flint finish that the that the Seahawks had in their AFC west days. I love this uniform matchup. I may not red zone it. I may just free base this game. Aesthetically sound. Doesn't even need to be on. This is a beautiful looking Game. I get a great defense to watch. I get the. The graphic that comes up now every time Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield play, which is both of them in a Carolina Panthers uniform. This game is going to look fantastic.
- [21:23]
A
Pretty days. Pretty days for our eyeballs. I will say the best uniform matchup that we get to see every year is Chiefs when they wear the red pants at the Raiders. Not as good, though, under the dome as it was when they were on the Oakland Athletics. Dirt infield. That was. That was a little bit better.
- [21:41]
B
Pitchers mount in the middle for just. Just the total contrast, the total power contrast.
- [21:46]
A
Oh, it was great. All right, let's do it now. Like I say, NFC east, let's rank them four down to one. And I'm gonna let you kick things off here in For Metropolis is. I don't know if this counts as a hot take or whatever, but I am unimpressed with the outfits in 2025, at least for these four division foes.
- [22:07]
B
Yeah, most people would say that there's probably a huge disconnect here. The audience might recommend that this is the best uniform division. It's the most overrated division in all of sports aesthetics. And I'll rattle off the reasons why. But my worst team, my worst uniform, which a lot of fools will probably argue is the best uniform in sports. There's only one thing. The Dallas Cowboys uniform is atrocious. It makes zero sense. Zero sense. The finish on the pant doesn't match the finish on the helmet. The blue on the socks and the numbers. Where's that blue on the helmet? Can we have navy, please? Can we have matching colors? None of it makes sense.
- [22:46]
A
How about.
- [22:47]
B
How about for the pant? You. You see the. The road set, which is the navy top and the actual silver pants? Those should be the pants all the time. The only thing this uniform has for it is it's a beautiful contrast when directly lined up against the Green Bay packers and The San Francisco 49ers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. It looks great. It looks like football is supposed to look like. But that is more nostalgic than its actual aesthetics. This Cowboys uniform makes zero sense. Zero.
- [23:19]
A
I listen, I support everything you just said, and it is good. You know, you want to play complimentary football if you're on the same team. If you're playing against somebody, you want complimentary football fashion. And the Cowboys at least give that. They got to get rid of the satin finish on the pants. That would be the first order of business for me and a plague for this whole division. Is the Cowboys right now don't look as good as they did in say 1978. That that flat finish looks way better. And they should go back to that. But that's just the tip of the iceberg for me. They're number three because at number four, it's not just the terrible name. They're the commies. The commies in our nation's capital. What are we doing here? Here's my question to you, and it's tangential. It's not specifically about what your eyes say, but more your ears and what comes out of your mo. Have we. Because they went to the Commanders have. Is that an indication that we as a society are not allowed to say Redskins anymore? I don't even know if Mike Fuentes has to bleep that.
- [24:24]
B
It is weird. Like once Daniel Snyder cop to it, which really was just like a PR diversionary tactic.
- [24:32]
A
Wait, you're worse than him? Like, you can't be worse than him. Like, yeah, you're right. I shouldn't say that anymore.
- [24:36]
B
I don't understand like why we all. Although the way that I remember it is left leaning. Media just started saying, look, I'm the Washington football team before they were actually the Washington football team. And it felt just as much about Daniel Snyder as it actually meant about the offense. I don't understand why they went Commanders though their nickname is Commies. In fact, I know them as the commies and I struggle to find. To find their actual name. They should have been the Washington Pigskins because you could still remain calling them skins. It would have been fine. They have the hog history with the. The. The famous O line. The football is called the Pigskin. Maybe we would have offended some animal rights group, but it should have been pig skins.
- [25:18]
C
I do like the W logo though. Yeah, that's the W logos.
- [25:21]
B
You can have the W logo and.
- [25:22]
C
Still be pig skins. Yeah, you're right. You get both.
- [25:24]
A
Okay, that's more collegiate in. In spirit. A W. The old logo was cool. Now I'm not advocating that they were careful. They should have been the. What they should have been was the Hogs.
- [25:35]
B
Let my boy cook.
- [25:35]
A
That offense of the wasn't offensive. What was offensive was the name calling the guy on that help.
- [25:42]
B
But the Hogs is.
- [25:45]
A
Wait, what was that one?
- [25:47]
B
I have a character on our show anytime that someone wants to be right leaning, he just talks in the Miami play by play voice, Joe Zagagi. And so it's a bit of an look. That's what we call an Easter egg for our shared Audience there from the extended lebaverse.
- [25:59]
C
Yeah.
- [26:00]
B
Finally someone guts to say it.
- [26:01]
C
Yeah. Complicated legacy, Jose.
- [26:04]
A
All right, so we're not saying it. I don't know. I feel like.
- [26:08]
C
First say it, bro.
- [26:11]
B
On the count of three.
- [26:12]
A
I better not. I guess I better back off and.
- [26:14]
B
But we'll do it at the same exact time. We'll do it together.
- [26:18]
A
I mean, you really. You really put that into perspective for me. Like, you are more extreme than Dan Snyder if you're saying it still so right. You're right. I guess I should.
- [26:27]
C
You don't want to be in that. In that ilk.
- [26:28]
B
Come on. Let's say one more time. I'll follow you, Mike Washington. Washington.
- [26:35]
A
Bobby Kennedy Jr. Wants to say it. He can say it now. Number three for you, Mike Ryan in the nfc.
- [26:43]
B
I can't actually say it. My voice gets.
- [26:49]
A
He's not saying it. Everybody can you hear? He's not saying it. We're not saying it again.
- [26:57]
B
Philadelphia is solid in this division. Yeah, a beautiful helmet.
- [27:02]
C
I don't like the Eagles at all. Yeah, I don't like the color green. I like Hunter green. The best thing about it's the helmets. I don't like how it looks on the uniform. And also very unpopular opinion. I think the Kelly Greens are the most overrated retro uniform in the league.
- [27:14]
B
I mean, that's why you're wrong.
- [27:16]
A
The Kelly greens are great. 1960. The Jaworski ones are. The underrated ones are just green. Pine green with the gray pants. And then the Randall Cunningham ones. All better than what they've been wearing for the last 25 years. Get rid of those already, would you, Eagles?
- [27:30]
B
You got an old soul here, Dave. I understand it, but you went at the Bucks rebrand, and the Eagles said this, too. At a certain time, we're known as losers. We're not championship material. Nobody has, like. The only affinity that people have to these uniforms is the fact that they've been around for a long time. But we haven't done any winning in these. When they rebranded and went with the darker colors, they started getting consistently good, and that's a successful rebrand. They successfully rebranded, and so did the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Now, you can have your opinions and say the Creamsicles are better. That's fine. But it kind of worked out for the Bucs.
- [28:08]
A
Listen, they made a deal with the devil. And you're right, you can't now reverse course on that. Same thing with the Flying Elvis Patriots. I'd like them to go to Pat Patriot, but all they're winning all their lombardis were in that ugly navy get up. All right, so you've got the Eagles.
- [28:21]
B
At three, I've got the. I've got the Eagles at two. You and I agree with the Washington commies over there. And number one for me now I have a bone to pick with like their pants selection because I loved it when they invoked the gray pants. Great rebrand at the turn of the century for the New York Giants. A great example of how you can honor your legacy and not go full throwback and still push it fashion forward. I loved how they accentuated red on the road. The New York Giants a classic interlocking and well the classic NY ya tittle type of logo on the helmet. They did a fair amount of winning with their old 80s parcels set and that uniform, when they bring those throwbacks back, it always bothers me because the one with the script giants on the helmet, the blues do not match at all. And everyone seems to go gaga over these and it doesn't make any sense.
- [29:15]
A
Congratulations, you and I are complete in a complete agreement on this. And the all whites didn't look good. The LT all whites were not especially attractive whereas the gray pants with the white jersey and the red numbers are in the conversation for best road get up. Now they wear the all white so those aren't good. Bottom line, this division is lousy with its uniforms. I will give the Giants a tepid win here over the Eagles because they summoned that throwback from the deep past. And I do think the the lowercase NY is superior to the uppercase Giants. But I think you and I are in the in the big minority.
- [29:51]
B
Here's one thing I'll give their throwbacks though. The nameplates that the 80s New York Giants had that they've remained consistent whenever they hearken back to throwbacks in the modern era. Beautiful name plates, big legible names on the back. I like that.
- [30:07]
A
Mike Ryan, I like you. Good luck to your to your canes this weekend. They better make quick work out of that team or maybe nobody deserves a bit out of the acc. We'll talk to you soon, fella. In the meantime, safe travels up to Tallahassee. Successful travel up to Tallahassee.
- [30:23]
B
Thank you, crap town. Hate it. Go Canes.
- [30:28]
A
All right, now it's time for this week's pick six, presented as ever by DraftKings. DraftKings. The Crown is yours and Mike Fuentes. Gino is out. So it's just you and me and I gotta tell you, I'm pissed, man. Maybe we could blame Gino for this. But one way or the other, we're a full month in and we still haven't won the million dollars. It's time to fix that. Let's get simple here. Let's not complicate things. I've gotten six touchdown scores. All they need is to get into the end zone once. And I've talked. I. I've chosen some of the most prominent touchdown scores in our league. Right now. I'm going to start it off with Jameer Gibbs for a touchdown against the Cincy Bungles. Gibbs has four touchdowns already on the season, and the Bungles defense, as you may have heard, is lousy. That's why I'm also giving David Montgomery a touchdown. He's got three on the season. He's playing that same Bungles defense. Jalen hurts gets into the end zone against the Broncos. Yeah, Denver has a great defense, but Hertz, as you may have seen, getting Tush pushed pretty much every week. Four touchdowns on the ground for him this season. Cam Scatter Boo's been paying a visit to the end zone since he took over there. Two touchdowns for him. He'll get another one against the Saints. Indiana Dimes has three rushing touchdowns this year. They're playing the Raiders. He'll get one. And George Pickens is now the man. With CD Lamb down for Dallas, he'll get into the end zone against the Jets. Easy peasy. Million dollars coming our way. How say you, Mike Fuentes?
- [31:56]
C
So I love anytime touchdown bets. Let me start by saying that I do like all of these. The only one that has me a little scared is you. Having both Lions running backs penciled in. I'm guessing your logic is that the Bengals defense is so bad that they'll score so many touchdowns that they'll spread them around. I feel like the coach of the Lions whose name is escaping me, Campbell. He like, likes to give out touchdowns to all his players. I feel like if Gibbs gets one, it's money that the next attempt that gets close will be Montgomery. But I think Montgomery had two touchdowns in that game. If I remember, that was the. The primetime game.
- [32:28]
A
So, I mean, yeah, but since he's. Since he's dreadful, especially, I mean, Jake Browning is not doing anything for that offense. But that defense, you just expect a lot of and remain.
- [32:37]
C
Yeah, a lot of rushing. I mean. Yeah, yeah, that's what you're hoping for. And you're right because Jake Browning is bad. Crazy statement from the Bengals head coach this morning saying we're not going to look for a quarterback that's insane. They need to find a quarterback. So that scares me a little bit. I do love Daniel Jones getting rushing touchdowns. Like I said, he's a lot more than Josh Allen. Like Josh Allen, people like to admit. Jalen hurts, like you said, he gets tushed, pushed every time he's within the. The five yard line. Pickens, he somehow needed CD Lamb to go away, to be activated and now be really good again. So that. That one I agree with. One that I'm gonna add here just in case you don't like David Montgomery. You don't like any of these guys. Lad McConkey, for God's sakes, you. You have to get one. You have to get one. All right? You were the guy. Now you're not the guy. Why are you not the guy? Lad McConkey has not scored this season. I'd put him in here. Just if you need an extra flyer or you like an anytime touchdown.
- [33:22]
A
I'd like this to be like a, you know, a debate or something where we figure this out. 50. 50.
- [33:27]
C
I'm agreeing.
- [33:29]
A
No, you're doing the opposite, lad McConkey. That's like going up there, like, why haven't hit 21 in seven hands? It's bound to happen this time. That's what you're asking for here, lad McConkey gonna get in the end zone here, Dave.
- [33:41]
C
Believe in something. Believe in something, please.
- [33:45]
A
All right, who. And we're taking David Montgomery out. That's the one you want to replace.
- [33:48]
C
I don't even know if that's true. Only because I don't like both of them. But your logic is too sound. If you don't like one of these. That's how I'll preface it. If you're watching this and you don't like one of these, put in lad McConkey. Take a flyer.
- [33:59]
A
So we've given you seven, and all you need is six. And either way, Mike and I are millionaires as of Sunday night. I hope you'll join us there. All right. I'm very excited about this. I've been jealous with some of my pals for a number of years now because she is a breakout star on their podcast. She's a national NFL reporter for the Athletic and, like I say, a star in NFL Daily with our guy, Greg Rosenthal. It's Jordan Rodrigue. How are you? Thanks for joining.
- [34:32]
D
Hi, Sheck. It is my honor. I've been listening to your beautiful tones in my ears for years and years and years. If you don't mind me saying, I feel like these days we're parking our cars in the same garage a little bit. You know, we're, you know, Dan, Mark, Graver, Greg, all the guys. You know, this is. This is a big, A big, really cool moment for me. I'm honored to be on with you today.
- [34:54]
A
Oh, please. Now, listen, I find you to be a authentic ray of sunshine. Everybody's such a cynic and everybody's trying to come up with a hot take. It comes across to me at least that you sincerely love what you're doing and that you feel lucky to be getting to talk about football for a living. Is that fair?
- [35:15]
D
Yeah, it is fair. And thank you. It's the only thing I ever wanted to do ever. And it's the only language I ever wanted to learn, and it's the only real passion I think I've ever had. I'm happy to be here. There's a lot of hard stuff out there in the world. I'm happy to be writing and talking about a game that I love and genuinely fascinated by for a living. And I think it rocks, frankly. So I'm just happy to be here.
- [35:44]
A
Listen, if you can devote all your passion into the irrelevant world of pro football versus everything else that's going on, I think you're on the right track there. So, all right, you're a nice person. Who are. You've done so many great things with the Rams specifically, but, you know, you're. You're out there covering all 32 teams. Who is. Just give us a list. I always like a. A look behind the curtain with media people. Like that person behind the scenes when no one's around is a great person or super funny. Who are the football people that America should know about? Like that cat is the best. Is it McVeigh? I get the sense that you're going to go with Sean McVeigh.
- [36:20]
D
He thinks he's funny, but I don't think he's funny. But he thinks he is very funny. I will just say that. No, I was going to go Matthew Stafford, actually, because he gives the quarterback at the podium. I'm going to say all the right things and I love playing with the guys kind of thing, but he's extremely dry. Dry, sarcastic sense of humor. One liners I probably can't repeat. One of them had Plight company but we were watching in the locker room one day, all of us were watching one of those vintage Dan Campbell, Detroit, fourth down, going for it multiple times on the same drive. And his admiration for the act of courage, said in quite a way of Dan Campbell. At that time, you know, putting certain things on tables and whatnot was, was admirable to me. I was like, oh, this is who you are. Okay, Got it. I like it. So yeah, he's great. A lot of people in these locker rooms. That's what I love. I've loved about being a reporter. Sheck is like going in these locker rooms, you never know what you're going to learn on any given day. Everybody's got something to teach. Everybody's got something to say about what they do because they love it too. I know everyone says, oh pros, it's the money, whatever. No, these guys genuinely love what they do. They wouldn't be putting their bodies through this for any amount of money if they didn't. And just getting to understand and peek behind the curtain of, of dynamics. One of the, one of the nicest people I've ever gotten to cover. I think he's still playing, actually. Chris Manhurtz. I think I don't even know what team he's on right now. He's doing a lot of special teams, I think right now, but he is actually. He would always check in on my mental health. Like it's just a really cool. There's little moments everywhere in every locker room. Like it's. It's a pretty cool thing.
- [38:01]
A
It really is true. And I think you do it as well as anybody in the business. Sincerely as the so called getting under the helmet of everybody or an outsized percentage these days of people who get to talk about football either on the page or into a microphone are consumed by trying to do sort of Dan Orlovsky, Jeff Schwartz style X and O analysis. We have that covered. Also advanced analytics are advanced analytics. We don't need you to tell us what they are. We can read ourselves. We understand numbers. What you're doing is actually insightful stuff and I appreciate it. And you mentioned Matthew Stafford. I was sure with all the buzz about the back stuff that was going on for months on end that if that lingered into September that we were going to hear about a trade for Kirk Cousins. Let's start with that one with Kirk Cousins. Is he just, Is he just not. Not going to be anywhere other than backing up Michael Penix this year? It seems like there are obviously available slots for him to fill in a number of situations in across football America right now.
- [39:11]
D
Yeah, well, first and foremost, and I know Dan brought this up to you as well. It's like the Rams are rolling with Jimmy G and people on the outside can love it or not love it.
- [39:20]
A
But Dan Hanzus did mention that this is All American reported with Jordan.
- [39:24]
D
Told him, I told you. I listened. This is a Dan Hans this shout out this. So this is the thing. Irrational. Irrational on the outside. They love that guy. They would have rolled with Jimmy G but for Kirk Cousins. What I think the Falcons are doing now, and you kind of hear the whispers and the reports by people a lot more connected than I am that it's, it's. The Falcons are setting the bar high already in terms of asking price. They know that if a team gets desperate ahead of the trade deadline, they will meet that price. I think that that's a smart thing to do. It's a set the bar. You can argue about all the ways they've managed that contract in general, but it's a smart thing to do to set the ask high in the first place, if that is in fact accurate, what we're hearing about that. And then say, I know that you will come hit this and come find this guy if you are desperate enough and when you are desperate enough, because there is always going to be a team on the edge of contention who maybe thinks they're more in contention than they actually are, who will go make a trade for that quarterback. And in fact, I think we're going to see multiple quarterbacks move ahead of the deadline. Check.
- [40:25]
C
How many games do the Bengals have to lose before they come calling about Kirk Cousins?
- [40:28]
D
I just don't. I don't think that they're. I don't know that they're going to be in the market because this. They have. They already have their guy. Why would you spend more resources to bring in a guy who's going to be yet another temporary fix? Unless it's like incredibly cheap. Maybe a guy that is extra in New York right now, for example. I just don't know that you're going to go bring in a starting quarterback or a former starting quarterback who's still thinks and wants to be a starter and put him in the same room as an injured Joe Burrow. I just don't think you're going to do it. I will say it's kind of like Zach Taylor was out there talking about how excited he was going to be to go 2 0. If they went 2 0. At what cost, Zach? It cost you everything, man. Start out bad, then maybe the universe doesn't punish you so much in reverse.
- [41:16]
A
But it is fascinating. Now they're 2 and 2 and so they have to make the critical decision of who they are. Look in the mirror and say can this team actually do anything the rest of the season? If we had Kirk Cousins versus Jake Browning, I'm not sure. Behind that atrocious offensive line, I kind of could see Kirk Cousins getting the ball out of his hand real quick to those two high end pass catchers. And maybe they could. Especially if you assess. Maybe you have to wait out. The math goes that if they're two and three, but then the Ravens are one in four, then you're looking at the paper tiger that is the Pittsburgh Steelers. If you think that the Steelers are going to come back, maybe you should try and go for the division in 2025. What about the other names that are out there? Joe Flacco now on the bench. Russell Wilson up there with with the Giants and Jamis up there with the Giants. Any of those guys potential moves? I mean, if. So Jimmy G Would fill in if. If Stafford. That's what you're telling me. That's. That's settled.
- [42:18]
D
Hash that they love Jimmy G. O. Jimmy G. Yeah. Yes. And I.
- [42:22]
A
Okay, so any of those other big names.
- [42:24]
D
So I think too Joe Flacco, to me, strikes me as somebody that the Browns just want to have around anyway. You know, I could see Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston or either one of them moving. But again, you have a. The. The dynamics here is like, I could see it more possible at a price that would be more amenable to a team with Jameis Winston, because when you bring in Russell Wilson, you bring in the entire Russell Wilson experience. Experience of there is going to be a, respectfully, a marketing campaign that he is the starter, that he is, like, going to be the person who is going to come in and wants to start, compete for the starting job. The elephant in the room with great hair is Joe Burrow. Right. And like he is. He's there until he's not there anymore. Right. I think the bigger question about Cincinnati right now is at what point do they understand this is never going to work the way you want it to and you got to move on from everybody. Then we're having a much bigger conversation. But with these quarterbacks, you're always thinking about, like, okay, what do I have now? But then am I willing to spend enough to go get this guy? And what is his status right. When he comes into the building? Like it or not, it's the way teams think. What will his status immediately be in this locker room when he comes into the building?
- [43:36]
A
All right. I have a bunch more stuff to get to and not a ton of time to get to it. So I'm going to jump to this one. We're talking about quarterbacks and who's the man and all of that. All the conversation in Cleveland is about the third string guy or maybe he's the second string guy. I'm not exactly sure what he is. Shador Sanders does that weird moving mouth but not making any noise in response I guess to Rex Ryan insulting him on TV earlier in the week. Not exactly sturdy stuff emotionally from Shador. If that's how you're going to respond to criticism.
- [44:08]
D
Far from Rex.
- [44:10]
A
Well I agree with that. That bleach tooth weirdo who's constantly out there campaigning to become the next next head coach of anybody who will take him is part of the equation. But Shador, you would say if you were advocating for him is versus any other youngster going into the NFL like he's used all of it. He there's no. You're not going to show him anything new. And that seemed like as out of bounds a reaction to criticism as you could have you you should be more accustomed to it. You should have had some coached maturity from your old man. Does this all add up to as far as you can tell without insulting Dion or Shador that my, my sense of this is there are people out there saying like they're out to get Shador and my pushback on that is you think the NFL or an individual team is targeting one of the most popular players sons in the. I mean the last 40 or 50 years one of the most esteemed guys in, in the NFL. Yeah. They've chosen his son to go after. It makes no sense to me. How say you?
- [45:14]
D
I have kind of a conspiracy adjacent theory about this. Now I won't go too far down that direction but just dip a toe in with me if you will like the Browns I think are taking a leaf out of the Cowboys playbook on this because what is the actual story of what's going on in that building? The worst quarterback contract of all time handed out to a questionable individual with some serious allegations against him.
- [45:41]
A
I heard about all that.
- [45:42]
D
Heard about that. Yeah. Glad we covered that. And then the rotating carousel of subsequent quarterbacks and incredible crippled team building method that's only starting to look positive because a lot of these rookies are playing well in that building. So wouldn't you want. I'll do the thing. Wouldn't you want for the noise around Chadhur Sanders and for all of it positive, negative, all of everything to be the thing that floods the zone, including Shaq. You're falling for it, man, you're getting into it. Wouldn't you want that to be the main conversation? Even if from an organizational perspective it's not necessarily painting the young man in a good light and even if he's, he's sort of, you know, falling on his own, you know, stepping on the rake a little bit at times. Like, wouldn't you want that if you're the Browns organization? Because, oh my God, look over here. Nobody's talking about the person still on the roster who has eaten up the majority of our organization and been a black hole for the franchise since they made the trade for him. From a structural perspective, this to me is what's really going on in Cleveland.
- [46:55]
A
So wait, you're saying this is a grand scheme to distract us from the episode Epstein file. Oh, wait, now I'm getting confused about, about what you're even saying. Okay, next big issue right now in football terms is the dust up between the defending world champions who are undefeated, and their star wide receiver, A.J. brown, who just wants the ball. That's all he's saying.
- [47:20]
C
Because my teammates know, my teammates know that when the game's on the line. Look at, you know, and I want to everybody in the stadium to know that, you know, that's not a secret.
- [47:29]
B
You know, I'm not shying away from that.
- [47:31]
A
And so that's where you see that frustration comes out. I see we struggling and I believe that you give the ball to me.
- [47:37]
C
I'm gonna open up things and I'm.
- [47:38]
A
Gonna get this thing going and put.
- [47:40]
B
It on my back.
- [47:41]
A
I, you know, I found it eye opening. You mentioned, hey, the team's winning and, and the, the spirit of just get the W. And you hear that kind of rhetoric in the post game all the time. But I remember Steve Smith, who, who will be with us next week at this very time, by the way, once told me, he said, I said, what's the difference if Cam scores the touchdown? Or Jonathan Stewart or d', Angelo, who gave matters when it comes to negotiating your contract, how say you on. On this dust up?
- [48:11]
D
Yeah, I think it's less so about the contract with A.J. brown because I think if he decided he wanted to go play for somebody else, 31 other teams would try to sign him. He's that good. But I also think that this is funny. This is sort of what you accept. If you are going to go out and get a true number one caliber receiver. You're going to accept the fact that they will always want the ball, that they will always find a way to communicate that they want the ball and you deal with it and you sort of take the licks where you have them. If you're the rest of the organization and you just sort of deal with it, because in the January when they're going to need him to catch a go against a top defender, he's going to make the catch. You know, it's all worth it in the end for those three or four plays. The rest to me is like, you know, obviously it's leveraging and it's power structure and all of it's fascinating. I love it. All of it's fascinating to us because the power dynamics are so on display in that building. At pretty much every season, pick a week, we've seen it with the Eagles, all of the different layers within the dynamics of that building. But you deal with it. You sign up for that. When you have a receiver of that caliber and you understand that if you're the coaching staff in the front office, because he will make the play when it comes time to make the play.
- [49:28]
A
It's, I think the larger point that you make there is do not sort of like you would say about the Patriots in the first 20 years of this millennium, do not look at the Eagles and think that you can mimic anything that they're doing and succeed. They have Nick Sirianni as their head coach. Jalen Hurts is, according to a lot of people, not a top five. Q. They've played in two of the last three Super Bowls and won one of them against the Chiefs. Jordan Rodrigue. Like I say, I anticipated greatness and you exceeded those expectations. Thanks so much for the time. The Athletic NFL Daily, all the rest of it. Come back sooner rather than later, won't you?
- [50:04]
D
Thanks, Shaq. I'd love to be back anytime. Thank you for having me. I really appreciate it.
- [50:07]
A
You're the tops. There she goes. Jordan Rodrigue. And here we go to thanks so much, football Americans. We'll be back on the other side of week five to break it down, try to make some sense of it for you. In the meantime, we really appreciate you subscribing if it's in your ears or if you want to watch it on YouTube. Either way, spread the good word. Like I say, back after the weekend. Until then, thanks so much, football Americans. It's been a thin slice of heaven.