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- [00:00]
Bobby Bones
If you love your phone but not your carrier, just switch to T Mobile. You can keep your phone, keep your number and we'll help pay it off up to $800 per line. You can also use our savings calculator to compare our plans and streaming benefits against Verizon and AT&T. So switch and keep your phone, keep your number and keep more of your moolah. @t mobile.com up to 4 lines via virtual prepaid card.
- [00:22]
Matt Castle
Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device, credit.
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Bobby Bones
Service port in 90 plus days with.
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Matt Castle
Device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required. Card has no cash access and expires.
- [00:29]
Bobby Bones
In six months hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirrorball trophy from Dancing with the Star. So where else are you gonna find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything. Listen to Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [01:00]
Matt Castle
Consider this is a daily news podcast, and lately the news is about a big question. How much can one guy change? They want change. What will change look like for energy?
- [01:12]
Bobby Bones
Drill baby, Drill schools?
- [01:14]
Matt Castle
Take the Department of Education.
- [01:16]
Bobby Bones
Close it. Health care better and less expensive.
- [01:18]
Matt Castle
Follow coverage of a changing country.
- [01:21]
Bobby Bones
Promises made, promises kept. We're gonna keep our promises on.
- [01:24]
Matt Castle
Consider this from NPR. Listen on the iHeartRadio app or wherever.
- [01:28]
Bobby Bones
You get your podcasts. Jon Stewart is back at the Daily show, and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into John's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondence and contributors, and with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed? Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [02:08]
Matt Castle
Hello and welcome to Wake and Jake, myself Jake Storieli, Big Baby David, producing and special guest Justin Penic. As we enter arguably the best weekend of football of the year, which some people say about last weekend, and I think we're gonna, yeah, let's pivot, bust that myth kind of quickly because the wild card kind of let us down again. We are going to cover a lot we are going to give you quarterback rankings remaining. We will cover. Panic's pretty hot about the playoff format. He needs to get that off his chest because he's not pleased there and obviously previewing the big games of the weekend. Not a lot of baseball talk, I guess. Justin Pennock, one minute to get your baseball thoughts out.
- [02:52]
Bobby Bones
One minute to get my baseball thoughts out. I want the Yankees to continue to get better and Luis Arias is going to help that. Then let's go get Luis Arias and get a first baseman.
- [03:01]
Matt Castle
Got Goldschmidt. I've got good news for you.
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Bobby Bones
Oh, well, there you go.
- [03:06]
Matt Castle
Now it's done. Hey, Pennock, how are you? How are you feeling with football? I guess maybe this might be the spot for you to get off. You're not too pleased with what's going on with football.
- [03:17]
Bobby Bones
It's not even a playoff format. That, because I, I, I'd like more games. I like teams getting to the playoffs and stuff like that. I don't really have like a big problem with the format, but, like, I'll get it off my chest. Like this weekend sucked and like to get excited, especially for somebody who, like myself, like, I'm trying to work and I'm trying to find stuff to talk about and like, look at this cool thing. There wasn't that, like, cool thing that kind of happened this weekend that everybody's talking about and everybody's buzzing about besides something at football and Sunday night kind of saved the, the wild card weekend. And then you have that straggler game on a Monday now. So I wasn't thrilled with the entertainment quality and the product that the NFL kind of put out because really, like, I, I am the one to typically say wild card weekend, one of the best weekends in sports. And it was not that. And I was disappointed.
- [04:06]
Matt Castle
Yeah, I, I wonder how much of it is year to year, how much of it is how the matchups landed this year. I wonder, you know, as this plays out over time, just because I feel like the elite in football this year and the elite are left.
- [04:27]
Bobby Bones
I mean, so it's one team.
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Matt Castle
Who's your elite team that's out.
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Bobby Bones
No, the, the team that is not elite. That's left.
- [04:35]
Matt Castle
Oh.
- [04:36]
Bobby Bones
Is the Houston Texans.
- [04:39]
Matt Castle
I love that.
- [04:39]
Bobby Bones
The Houston third and Long Texans, because I might.
- [04:42]
Matt Castle
Oh, no, I'm not saying I'm buying Texan stock cover. No, we'll get there.
- [04:47]
Bobby Bones
Yeah, we'll get there.
- [04:49]
Matt Castle
I guess for me, Detroit is a wagon. Yeah, Detroit is a wagon. Philadelphia is a wagon. Baltimore is a wagon. Buffalo's a Wagon. And the Chiefs are. They are they win the Chiefs invitation. You have five teams that are at another level than everyone else with two buys. That means you're going to have three teams playing not against each other, that are wagons.
- [05:18]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [05:20]
Matt Castle
So that formula. And Those teams are 95% of the chance going to be at home. And there's also another percentage. Percentage points that it just doesn't matter because they're such better football teams that. Yeah, that's part of the wild card formula. That's just not working for me right now that I don't. I mean, they're not going to get rid of it. So I'm not really sure of the answer.
- [05:42]
Bobby Bones
No, because that, that's the thing where there are certain times where I watch the NFL and even when it's a close game and I'm not, I'm not talking about, well, Justin, you just want a close game. Like, I looked at that. Even that Monday night matchup against the, the Rams and the Vikings, I didn't necessarily look at it as the Vikings were just a bad team. I looked at as the Rams just kind of kicked their ass. Right. And even when the, the Lions played the vi, it's kind of crazy. The Lions played the Vikings, you know, the last week of the season. I'm like, oh, this is just a good team playing another good team and just playing better. Not necessarily that's a bad game, but there are times even in close games where it's like, oh, my God, this, this is not an, like, this is not an entertaining watch just because it's close. So I don't know. That's. I think the NFL, I would like the NFL to think about the quality of product that they're putting out there at times, but they don't have to since 20 million, 30 million people are going to watch every game that's on primetime. More. More people are going to watch. More people are going to gamble on it. The NFL is going to make more money than it's ever going to make. And there's no need to change if more people are going to watch.
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Matt Castle
Yeah, they're. They're not going to adjust. I remember when the Thursday night game started happening and they had a few duds and people were like, oh, people watch. We watch no matter what. And that's kind of what happens. I mean, the holiday schedule this year was bananas and everyone tuned in.
- [07:00]
Bobby Bones
You're asking teams to play and that, that's the type of stuff that you're going to get. And, you know, now with Teams don't practice as much as they used to. So you're going to get in there to practice and there's like, there's no time to prepare. There's no time to like, all right, we're going to adjust to this opponent. That doesn't happen, especially on the shorter schedule stuff. But it's post season. I'm excited for this weekend. Make up for it.
- [07:19]
Matt Castle
I think what America needs to do. And my guy Ryan Rosillo mentions this. Sometimes football, we just have this weird, I think in other sports, if a game is bad, like we have the mental capability to just be like, oh, I don't this, it's a 10 nothing baseball game, I'm gonna click away. Or this basketball game's a blow. Football, for some reason, it's tougher to do that. And I don't know if it's the fantasy aspect.
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Bobby Bones
I think it's betting also because it's like, sure, I need Tucker Kraft to get a 20 yard reception because I was, I was doing that, you know, a couple days ago.
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Matt Castle
Yeah, there's just, there's a little bit of paralysis that kicks in and it's like, well, I'm already awake. Like, keep watching. Okay, well, I'm glad that's out there now.
- [07:58]
Bobby Bones
Yeah. Better games this weekend.
- [08:01]
Matt Castle
Let's start with the. I don't want to say clickbait stuff, but your quarterbacks.
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Bobby Bones
One's left. All of them are good.
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Matt Castle
We have eight quarterbacks left and it is a good note by you. Panic. They are all good.
- [08:16]
Bobby Bones
All of them are good.
- [08:17]
Matt Castle
Like sometimes there's usually the loose, the loose string or there's, you know, one of these things is not like the other. All of these guys have their arguments in a lot of different ways that in the AFC it's Mahomes, Stroud, Lamar and Allen, you. And in the NFC it's golf. Daniels hurts Stafford, I guess via conference. I'll let you roll for a little bit because this was kind of your thinking.
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Bobby Bones
Yeah, it, it would be really tough to do like if we combine these conferences because automatically we're putting Mahomes, Allen and Lamar ahead of anybody in the nfc.
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Matt Castle
You have to.
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Bobby Bones
So that's why I think actually splitting this up by conference is a lot of fun. I think there's a, I think there's a discussion to be had between Allen versus Lamar in the AFC and then in the nfc you can put any of these four in any of the, in any of the order. And I guess I wouldn't fully blame you. And this Even includes Jaden Daniels as a rookie. So where do you want to start? Do you want to go a little bit more chalk in the AFC or NFC where, you know, where the, where.
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Matt Castle
The things can shock me because I don't know what the chalk is.
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Bobby Bones
Okay.
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Matt Castle
How do you even. I guess you yourself, how do you view Mahomes at this point?
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Bobby Bones
He's number one.
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Matt Castle
So it's not even the two MVP candidates like.
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Bobby Bones
Or how are we going to phrase this? How are we going to. I'm asking you, tier maker or the. The bracket.
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Matt Castle
I guess it's for the remainder of the playoffs.
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Bobby Bones
Who do you want in the playoffs? Is that the question that we're asking?
- [09:45]
Matt Castle
I think so.
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Bobby Bones
Okay.
- [09:46]
Matt Castle
I guess. Yeah. It's still. It should be team neutral.
- [09:49]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [09:50]
Matt Castle
So. Okay. So it's still in my homes.
- [09:53]
Bobby Bones
Yeah. Because especially you look at what Mahomes did last year and I, I think, I think they're starting to turn it on. You saw Kelsey get more involved down the stretch. Like Christmas Day.
- [10:02]
Matt Castle
They just did this. Yes, I know the part, I guess the part that's frustrating to me and I'm part of the problem because I'm, I'm kind of on the Eagles train. I think running the ball is sexy and they're dominant. Like we talk about the Chiefs like this was a down year. Right. Right.
- [10:24]
Bobby Bones
Kind of like last year. But I think people get it more. They get it more. Oh, this is just what they do.
- [10:28]
Matt Castle
They went 15 and two with their last game. Not mattering that this was probably a 16 win team.
- [10:36]
Bobby Bones
Yeah. Didn't lose a game at home and they didn't care.
- [10:41]
Matt Castle
Yeah. And normally for sports, if you don't show me something completely during the regular season, I need you to show me that I'm a big believer, especially for our baseball now I think the appreciation for the grind is necessary. I think that's a little bit of what our Yanks have been missing in past years. That, you know, going and getting it every day matters for football. I kind of thought the same thing too.
- [11:09]
Bobby Bones
Sure.
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Matt Castle
You can get hot right time of year and we could talk about that with the Rams a little bit because you know that front seven. Justin Panic. But I guess we just saw the Chiefs in a much more malaise slash losing games last year in the postseason came and they. They were the Chiefs and they won the whole thing. So, yeah, everything should still start with Mahomes, I guess. I'm glad you're there because I know you've. You've been higher on Lamar than most People in previous years and obviously what Josh is doing as well.
- [11:41]
Bobby Bones
It's so tough to pick between them. I guess that's really, that's where the conversation is next. I, I think they're going to put more on the homes plate in the postseason because Right. That's just what the Chiefs do. It's like, okay, well they led the league at least at one point for the majority of the year. They led the, they led the league in the most boring stat possible. Jake plays between four to nine yards. What's four times three? 12. That's a first down. You know, there you go.
- [12:05]
Matt Castle
Boom.
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Bobby Bones
Math pod, you know, so their success rate of running the ball very, very high. But they had a very, very low explosive run rate because that run game would just keep them on schedule and they would be success. And you know, if you're going to play too high because you have to play too high against Patrick Mahomes, you don't want them to stretch the field. But again, I think they're going to, the Chiefs are going to find more ways and this I think is the genius of Andy Reid of now it's the postseason, now this matters more. I'm going to ask Patrick Mahomes to throw it a little bit more downfield to Xavier worthy. Let's use DeAndre Hopkins. DeAndre Hopkins is such a weapon inside the red zone. So Mahomes touchdowns is probably going to go up. And then of course you have Travis Kelsey who I honestly think the approach with Kelsey is let's get him through the regular season and let's get him to the playoffs where now we're going to have that ultra best communication like we're not, we're not even going to call a play. We're just going to allow these guys to just Travis Kelsey running an area where you know, you're going to get open and then Mahomes is going to throw it to you and you're, you two are just going to get it because that's what they do. That's what's going to happen. And I, I don't know if they're going to dock walk the Texans, which I think they should because I don't like the Texans. The Texans are not a good team. But also the Chiefs, the Chiefs don't really blow people out. So I could still be in it. See, I could still see it being a close game. But the Chiefs I think are going to control the game because that's what they do.
- [13:26]
Matt Castle
Let's finish the quarterbacks, let's finish the Quarterbacks Allen or Lamar. Because it feels like you just start talking Chiefs, Texans to get away from it.
- [13:36]
Bobby Bones
I know. Because I don't want to decide.
- [13:38]
Matt Castle
Right.
- [13:42]
Bobby Bones
Pivot question, who's the mvp?
- [13:45]
Matt Castle
I think Lamar is going to win.
- [13:46]
Bobby Bones
Lamar should win it.
- [13:47]
Matt Castle
I think Lamar is going to win.
- [13:48]
Bobby Bones
The CBS showed like the side by side graphic of the. All the stats of like yards, touchdowns, interceptions, rating, whatever, And I think Romo was like, oh, I don't know. It's close, Jim. And it's like, no, it's not like Lamar is dominating in everything and he's that good. We've never seen a season like this from a quarterback that can do the things that Lamar Jackson can do. Lamar Jackson I think is the mvp. It's the only hesitation is people are wary of giving multiple MVPs Josh Allen.
- [14:17]
Matt Castle
Get his first, like, right. Part of me gets that, part of me doesn't. I think the thing for Lamar that got me is I think. I think passing wise or QBR or one of those stats. It was like a top five season from a quarterback ever.
- [14:31]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
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Matt Castle
And I believe QBR doesn't involve rushing.
- [14:35]
Bobby Bones
I think. Is this ESPN qbr?
- [14:38]
Matt Castle
I forget which one. That's why I didn't want to go there. But. And it was for me, that's one of those light bulb moments. It's like, wait, this is. This guy's breaking some of Vic's records and he's also passing at that level.
- [14:49]
Bobby Bones
He's much. He's much better thrower than Michael Vick. Yes. Much better.
- [14:54]
Matt Castle
So then it's Lamar.
- [14:57]
Bobby Bones
This is so tough, man, because this is. Who would you rather have going forward in the playoffs? Right. And I think I would lean Josh Allen.
- [15:09]
Matt Castle
Okay.
- [15:09]
Bobby Bones
And I love Lamar and I'm rooting for the Ravens to win the Super Bowl.
- [15:13]
Matt Castle
What do you think puts you over the edge? Is it short yardage when you need it? Is it. I feel like the Bills have a little better of distribution. Like I like all their options.
- [15:24]
Bobby Bones
Right.
- [15:24]
Matt Castle
Cook to Shakir to Coleman to the. Both tight ends like Amari. Like, it feels like they are. It's a true offensive play caller's dreams where no one can demand the ball on their offense. That it's literally who are they leaving and it feels like they're finding that guy.
- [15:42]
Bobby Bones
I'm worried if the Ravens can't run the ball as successfully as they do in these games where they kick ass.
- [15:51]
Matt Castle
Right.
- [15:52]
Bobby Bones
I'm worried about. All right, let's put the. Let's put the ball in Lamar's hands and Only Lamar's hands.
- [15:59]
Matt Castle
Right.
- [15:59]
Bobby Bones
Throwing the ball, which I think he can do it, sure. But it's a matter of, I think I would prefer Josh Allen and his supporting cast even with that pass blocking offensive line. Then Lamar Jackson, you know, Zay Flowers is, is the number one. Mark Andrews has had like the renaissance towards the second half of the year. Isaiah likely, sure. But I think I prefer if the ball is in Josh Allen's hands. And this is also past experience as well where Lamar, you know, it took, it took the Ravens a while to be like, all right, let's, let's run the damn ball in the playoffs. I, I think only six running back designed runs in the AFC championship last year against the Chiefs. It's like we can't do that.
- [16:38]
Matt Castle
Right.
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Bobby Bones
And they got Lamar's legs involved as along with, along with Derrick Henry's legs against the Steelers and that's a good physical defense and they just destroyed them. They destroyed them and they need to do that more. But if you get in a situation where you're down by 10 points, are you really, you know, how committed are you going to be to the run game? You're going to feel that pressure and, and past experience. Lamar's playoff performances still make me a little worried.
- [17:04]
Matt Castle
Yeah, I mean, fantastic. Last week I, you know, you could say this with kind of any team, so this is a little dumb, but did the Ravens feel like every Madden team I ever drafted? It's like, okay, I'll take Lamar with the first pick. Oh, sick. Derek Henry still sitting there because no one. Okay. Oh, damn. The wide receivers are kind of gone. Let me, oh, Mark Andrews, that's still sick. And oh, likely I'll actually have two tight ends.
- [17:32]
Bobby Bones
Let me grab the £300 fullback Zay Flowers.
- [17:36]
Matt Castle
Numbers will probably boost during the season. Shot Bateman's good on the deep ball. You could say that for a lot of these teams. But so you have Lamar ahead of.
- [17:46]
Bobby Bones
Allen right now because I, like I said, I have Allen and Lamar, but it's very close and I hate that. So you have, you have that flipped.
- [17:56]
Matt Castle
Yes, with a sigh. I mean it's, it is what it is.
- [18:01]
Bobby Bones
That's why I hate this exercise in the afc, but I like it a lot more in the nfc.
- [18:04]
Matt Castle
Yeah, yeah, I'll do it just to be different. And you know, the whole Lamar, he only threw like really one interception because he hit his wide receiver's hands. Even though that's not how it works. Yeah, I just, I, I fell in love with the Ravens. They were my super bowl team until I saw the Eagles. Remember that they were the Eagles earlier on this year. That. Yeah. I would do in Stroud. Tough grouping for him. And we'll talk more about him in a second. Nfc.
- [18:35]
Bobby Bones
Nfc.
- [18:36]
Matt Castle
This is fun. Pennock.
- [18:37]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [18:38]
Matt Castle
Because you've got my guy Jaden Daniels, which you've accredited. Accredited me with fully. I think so. Golf. God, Herz, who's an interesting case right now, and old Craybeard as Scott Van Pelt are calling him Trev's friend. Matthew, you know what? I'm going to cut you off at the pass a little bit because I know who your number one is.
- [19:05]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [19:06]
Matt Castle
And I think it should be a consensus number one. I, I think it's Stafford.
- [19:11]
Bobby Bones
I totally agree. Totally agree.
- [19:14]
Matt Castle
The veteran presence, the way he can sling it, some of the spots he still puts the ball in. He's obviously seen everything that I mean. Stafford with the Lions.
- [19:25]
Bobby Bones
Oh, yeah. If you, if you, if you flip. If you. This is crazy. If you flip Jared Goff and Matt and Matthew Stafford.
- [19:33]
Matt Castle
Thank you.
- [19:33]
Bobby Bones
If you flip them. Lions may already have a Super bowl already. They probably do have a Super bowl already.
- [19:39]
Matt Castle
I think they'd be the easy favorite.
- [19:41]
Bobby Bones
It's not a shot against golf. I really, again, I like golf. But Matthew Stafford, in all of the games that they've played the Lions, Stafford has outplayed golf. But you just have the juggernaut that is the Detroit Lions. That, that's the difference because they just have such a great football team.
- [20:00]
Matt Castle
Before we have the rest of this conversation. Golf, go out and win the whole thing.
- [20:05]
Bobby Bones
I would love that. That'd be awesome.
- [20:07]
Matt Castle
Because it does get really tricky for how much I love Jaden Daniels. If Jaden Daniels was on the Lions.
- [20:17]
Bobby Bones
Him and Jir Gibbs running around together.
- [20:20]
Matt Castle
That feels like that offense has another asset which is really rude. Cuz Goff is very good out of the pocket. Like that's. And that's still so much of this, this game.
- [20:31]
Bobby Bones
So much of the Lions is get the ball to your hands quick. That that's so much of what. Of what they do. They don't. They don't like to hold on. Jaden likes to hold on to the wall.
- [20:38]
Matt Castle
Just a dude. Yeah.
- [20:39]
Bobby Bones
He's incredible, man. And how cool and he might be.
- [20:42]
Matt Castle
He might be the other one. You wouldn't trade with Stafford because the commanders need him to do everything right. Where Stafford doesn't have as much as that in him as. As he used to. And then I guess the other example here hurts on Detroit. It's just A different team and you'd rather have golf.
- [21:01]
Bobby Bones
So you just went through my one through four.
- [21:03]
Matt Castle
Yeah.
- [21:04]
Bobby Bones
Stafford, golf, Daniels, Hertz.
- [21:08]
Matt Castle
I think I might be Daniels over golf.
- [21:11]
Bobby Bones
I love that.
- [21:12]
Matt Castle
I know you love that for me.
- [21:14]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [21:14]
Matt Castle
Because it's a little aggressive.
- [21:16]
Bobby Bones
There were two teams in the NFL that scored on over 50% of their drives this year. It was the Lions and the Commanders.
- [21:23]
Matt Castle
A lot of fourth downs, a lot of third downs.
- [21:28]
Bobby Bones
Avoid third down.
- [21:31]
Matt Castle
Yeah. Hey, Hertz, for what the Eagles do is beautiful, but he doesn't make that.
- [21:37]
Bobby Bones
Do you think. Do you think Jalen Hurts can make like that throw for you? That's the thing with Hertz.
- [21:42]
Matt Castle
I think Hurts can make that throw, but it's within the scope of them hammering the run.
- [21:57]
Bobby Bones
Right.
- [21:57]
Matt Castle
And it sets up those two plays you need to make. And I do think he can. Dude, the year Hertz took off, was that 22.
- [22:06]
Bobby Bones
Yeah. But everything worked. And I like you. You thought like, I thought that he was going to be like, all right. He's like, this is only way up because you have Brown, you have devonte Smith and something, you know, Steichen kind of left and like, you haven't seen that Hurts since.
- [22:23]
Matt Castle
Well, it's. Sometimes we have expect expectations for teams or players that it's always like this. And it's not like Hurt showed me that. He showed me this for everyone on YouTube. I'm using my hands up and down bad for the podcast. Subscribe.
- [22:42]
Bobby Bones
That.
- [22:43]
Matt Castle
Life's not always that way. And I was begging in panic. You know, like, I'm. I consume a ton of football. Advanced football guy. Not having played. I am worried about my own knowledge sometimes. The Eagles are a running football team.
- [23:02]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [23:02]
Matt Castle
They have the monsters of all monsters on their O line. They signed a pretty good running back. They did what Hertz can do running the ball. And with those whiteouts outside, they showed during that 2022 breakout year. Hurts. There was a couple times he put in the bucket and I was like, damn. Like, I was like, okay. I didn't. This is what he kind of needed to show, and he showed it, and that's what made the Eagle special. It felt like for two years or a year and a half, they, like, started with Hertz and we're like, all right, let's get Hertz going and then we'll figure out the offense. And it's like, no, you're not built that way. And in a polite way, to him, he isn't either. But I mean, there was times some of the throws he made in that 22 season. I mean, I know Devonte is a special patch pass catcher. I know Brown's a freak and a special pass pass catcher and a reader of sorts.
- [24:00]
Bobby Bones
He loves reading number one book, annotated and everything. That's how I knew that he actually read it. When I saw that it was annotated, I'm like, all right, you read it.
- [24:07]
Matt Castle
Know what? I knew just the condition the book was in.
- [24:11]
Bobby Bones
Yeah, that's a book.
- [24:12]
Matt Castle
You travel with that. Yeah, I, I love Herz's fit with that team. I think if you're ranking these quarterbacks being pure, I think Hertz would be last.
- [24:23]
Bobby Bones
Right.
- [24:23]
Matt Castle
I would take Jaden over golf just because I've, I've been on him from the start and doing that exercise, like.
- [24:29]
Bobby Bones
And you want to talk about Detroit.
- [24:31]
Matt Castle
I don't think they take a step back.
- [24:33]
Bobby Bones
No, no, they go forward. And you want to talk about lines like, the Eagles can do whatever they want because of their offensive line. Look at that. First touchdown to Johan Dotson. Seven seconds on the pocket. You could read that A.J. brown book in the pocket. Same thing with Jared Goff in the lines. Ben Johnson, and this is like, Bobby Skinner's got a question about, like, Ben Johnson's future as a head coach. Because you, you're going to go somewhere and you're not going to have that offensive line, that offensive line, like, you can do anything that you want. You know, if there's, if you're a football guy out there and you're. And you're drawing up plays, another thing that Bobby says, if you're a football guy and you're drawing up plays about, oh, you know, I can have this motion and this many receivers out there and my quarterback, you know, we need to wait 5 seconds for this long, deep, developing play to develop. But then you have to remember, oh, crap. Well, most offensive lines are bad. Well, you don't have to do that if you're the Eagles and the Lions. But I think Jaden Daniels, out of all playoff teams this past weekend, I'm pretty sure the commanders had like one of the worst, like, win rates or whatever. Their offensive line performances was one of the worst, at least from Saturday and Sunday's game. Vikings offensive line was also pretty bad. But Daniels, you didn't even notice it because Jaden Daniels is that dude. He's cool, calm, collected, he can make guys miss, he can run, he can improvise, he does what he does. And he doesn't have that great offensive line yet. Yet. We're still putting him up here in this conversation with Goff and Herz, I.
- [25:56]
Matt Castle
Think there's so few dudes or chicas in the world that are just actually on a different level for whatever that means, whether that's intelligence, whether that's athleticism, whether that's composure. Chin Daniels, I just. I think it's different, dude. Weird. Me and baby were laughing the they brought Mariota out for the hard snap hard count on third down. Why Jane Daniels was laughing with the opposing D line afterwards the first playoff game.
- [26:30]
Bobby Bones
You see him on the and then.
- [26:31]
Matt Castle
He stiff arms the DN Clancy was playing out of his dome to get the first down to end the game.
- [26:37]
Bobby Bones
Clancy's can see is able to grab is the towel off his backside. Did you see. Do you see him after the. The kick Calm.
- [26:45]
Matt Castle
Yeah.
- [26:46]
Bobby Bones
Didn't jump up and down. All right, we're going on. Moving on.
- [26:50]
Matt Castle
He was. He was yanking Wagner's chain. Hall of Fame hall of Fame middle linebacker. Like, yeah, he fell on the ball. That dude's different. Yep. And I like that.
- [27:04]
Bobby Bones
It's going to be a pain in the ass for a very long time. Yeah, I hate that Command Commanders would be that one team that's like, all right, well, we're going to match up well. We're going to match up well against them, and I'm talking about my Giants, of course we're going to match up well against them. We'll get two wins and we know that we're going to have at least two wins in the division and. Nope, not anymore. Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say. With Bobby Bones and Matt Castle between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirrorball trophy from Dancing with the Star. So where else are you going to find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? Based in Nashville, we're more than just your basic NFL show. We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything because we got lots to say. I texted you and you texted me back. Like, now I don't know if you have the update, but like, all the little thumbs up and heart and stuff, like, it's all colored. They changed it and the heart's a little pink. It felt like I told you I loved you. I'm gonna be honest. It was a little pink. There was something sentimental when you. Like when you send it, it was like, do I send the heart now? I don't like the color edition it's extremely pink. Listen to Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.
- [28:24]
Matt Castle
Consider this is a daily news podcast, and lately the news is about a big question. How much can one guy change? They want change. What will change look like for energy?
- [28:36]
Bobby Bones
Drill baby, drill schools.
- [28:38]
Matt Castle
Take the Department of Education.
- [28:39]
Bobby Bones
Close it. Health care better and less expensive.
- [28:42]
Matt Castle
Follow coverage of a changing country.
- [28:44]
Bobby Bones
Promises made, promises kept. We're going to keep our promises.
- [28:48]
Matt Castle
Unconsider this from NPR. Listen on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [28:54]
Bobby Bones
Catch Jon Stewart back in action on the Daily show and in your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. From his hilarious satirical takes on today's politics and entertainment to the unique voices of correspondents and contributors, it's your perfect companion to stay on top of what's happening now. Plus, you'll get special content just for podcast listeners. Well, like in depth interviews and a roundup of the week's top headlines. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The forces shaping markets and the economy are often hiding behind a blur of numbers.
- [29:33]
Matt Castle
So that's why we created the Big Take from Bloomberg Podcasts to give you.
- [29:37]
Bobby Bones
The context you need to make sense of it all. Every day in just 15 minutes, we dive into one global business story that matters.
- [29:44]
Matt Castle
You'll hear from Bloomberg journalists like Matt Levine. A lot of this meme stock stuff is, I think, embarrassing to the Sec.
- [29:51]
Bobby Bones
Amanda Mull, who writes our BusinessWeek Buying Power column.
- [29:55]
Matt Castle
Very few companies who go viral are like, totally prepared for what that means. And Zoe Tillman, senior legal reporter Courts.
- [30:03]
Bobby Bones
Are not supposed to decide elections. Courts are not really supposed to play.
- [30:08]
Matt Castle
A big role in choosing our elected leaders.
- [30:12]
Bobby Bones
It's for the voters to decide. Follow the Big Take podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.
- [30:21]
Matt Castle
Let's get into the action a little bit. And we're normally a cron pod here, chronological. Which means it would start Saturday with Texans and Chiefs. Here's what I'll throw out.
- [30:34]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [30:38]
Matt Castle
Texans had how many sacks last week?
- [30:42]
Bobby Bones
They had a lot, man. And it was from a couple different players. Inside, outside. Whether it's edge rushers beating tackles or them running those stunts and twists up the middle, they they. That's how they won.
- [30:53]
Matt Castle
If the Chiefs have one weakness, it is their tackles. The Chiefs haven't played in a couple weeks.
- [31:02]
Bobby Bones
Like even the starters, I think 24 days. Three.
- [31:05]
Matt Castle
Three weeks now, right if you include the starters not playing. Holy smokes. There's a recipe. I think the other thing I like for Houston, that's a little bit of BS but could be a thing. Houston came into the season with expectations. They were kind of huge. They wanted to be kind of Lions.
- [31:28]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [31:29]
Matt Castle
Like this is the year the Texans are going to win 14, 15 games and we're here forever. Stroud is that guy. We added another wide receiver. Like, here we go. That didn't happen.
- [31:40]
Bobby Bones
No. Yeah. Also everybody that hurt. You know, the wide receivers, people are hurt too.
- [31:43]
Matt Castle
They got hurt a lot. They just could never get it going. The running game went missing at times. Slowik went from future head coach to. Is he getting fired? They got a little zombie to him. If this wasn't the Chiefs and Arrowhead, which does deserve some credit, I would have a little more Texans. They're dead men walking. Their season was done. You know, I know Rex says a lot of stuff and mix and dropped it after the game, but okay. So I've got a D line that can get pressure. A defense that's feeling really good. Stroud in the offense, what felt again got just weird for a little bit.
- [32:26]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [32:27]
Matt Castle
Mixing will get you 100 on 25 carries.
- [32:31]
Bobby Bones
That online though. Just worry about that.
- [32:33]
Matt Castle
Right. I don't know if this wasn't the Chiefs. If this was and this is super unfair. I think Biebs, I think I said it throughout the year that the Vikings were going to be the regular season team that won a lot of games, that loses because we see that team every year. Again, a lot of stuff happened there. And I have some more commentary on that later. If it wasn't the Chiefs, I think there could be a Texans hype wagon.
- [32:59]
Bobby Bones
Yeah, but.
- [32:59]
Matt Castle
Yeah, but it is.
- [33:01]
Bobby Bones
It's the Chiefs. I think like I think they could cover if it's.
- [33:05]
Matt Castle
They're going for a three peat.
- [33:07]
Bobby Bones
If we're talking about eight and a half, I think the Texans could cover. And then it's like it's one of those things of. Hey, you never know. Eight and a half is a pretty big spread for Chiefs team that does play a lot of those one score games. But I call the Texans the Houston third and long Texans because they. You just look up and every third down is third and seven and longer. They led the NFL in average to go distance on third down and they might have even led the NFL or bottom quarter in the NFL. Bottom five in number of third downs faced, which that's not a sign of a healthy offense when you're when you're an offense that is facing constantly third down, third down, third down, especially when that distance is great, that's not a healthy offense. That is inefficient offense. And they kind of relied on CJ Stroud to play hero ball on third down last year, and he did because he was just that freaky. And C.J. stroud is still good, but I think the offensive line has taken a step back. Plus, it's a whole year of, hey, we kind of figured out what you're doing. Plus your wide receivers are hurt. You know, even Nico Collins has struggled with injuries throughout the year. So you never know if he's the same. All these guys are beat up this time of the year. No Tank Dell, no Stefon Diggs. All that stuff hurts. So the Texans, I think they are. It's kind. This has been like a kind of look yourself in the mirror season and be like, hey, maybe we're a little further away than we thought because we got to take care of this offensive line. But what does win in the postseason is a pass rush. And that is the thing that could set this game in a different path. But you have to also be careful with your edge rushers, because if you're going after the quarterback. Jake, what is Patrick Mahomes going to do if your edge rushers come too far up field? We're going to go outside the tackles, we're going to improvise, we're going to run. And that's what Mahomes can do very well. So it's a. It's a tough, tough game plan and approach for a pass rush like the Texans, that's feeling hot every game.
- [34:58]
Matt Castle
Joe Mixon had 20 carries, a hundred yards. Yeah, they lost two of those games. Excuse me, except one. Detroit, 25 carries for 46 yards.
- [35:09]
Bobby Bones
Boy, not good. It's not good.
- [35:13]
Matt Castle
And that's a really good team. Chiefs and Chris Jones and we talk.
- [35:16]
Bobby Bones
About Mahomes, but it really is the last two years. It's the Chiefs defense.
- [35:20]
Matt Castle
That's right. And they're there again there, if not better.
- [35:23]
Bobby Bones
Right.
- [35:27]
Matt Castle
Eagles commentary. I. I think we move on because let's be honest, I mean, it's.
- [35:31]
Bobby Bones
I think the Chiefs are going to win.
- [35:32]
Matt Castle
Everyone thinks Andy's got more up his sleeve. Everyone thinks Patrick has. Everything's Travis. They're going for a 3p. It's never been.
- [35:38]
Bobby Bones
They're rested, they've been there. And then if they. If they lose, then we're talking about how should they have sat that long?
- [35:44]
Matt Castle
Yeah, it'll Just, it'll be interest. It'll be interesting. If they start slow and Houston can put something together at the same time. I don't know. My, my Broncos punch the Bills in the mouth. That ended pretty quickly in. Dude, I might take the chase just to be. Just to do it. Staying chronologically, Commander's Lions. I just said a lot of stuff about Jaden Daniels. We just talked about how. Well, I guess we haven't talked about how truly good these lines are, but it's kind of why we use them as the example. If you put Stafford, if you put Jaden, if you put someone else. And it shouldn't be a shot at Golf, who had 4, 600 yards, 37 touchdowns. It was more so meant to be compliments the other way.
- [36:27]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [36:28]
Matt Castle
At home, traditional bye week. A city that is as thirsty for it as anyone. A commander's team that I like, Jaden, they're never out of it, which is good. The defense has been a little sus all year. And this is a team that barely survived the Bucks on a. Basically a jet sweep fumble.
- [36:52]
Bobby Bones
Right. This could just be a Jimmy's and Joe's game. Lions are a better football team. Doesn't mean that the Commanders are not a good team. Doesn't mean that they're not an ascending team. And they're not necessarily like a young team that hasn't been there. This, this is a team where Dan Quinn and Adam Peters brought in buzzword sports buzzword, they brought in culture guys. They brought in like veterans and they signed them to, you know, one or two year deals. You know, they brought in Bobby White. Why does a team like the Commanders who had the second overall pick need to bring in Bobby Wagner, who was on the last legs of his career? Well, you know, this is, this is why, because if you have, if you have it, you have a young team and you have a team that. All right, well, we need to go in the right direction. Yeah. You're bringing a Jeremy Chin, you know, in your, you know, on the back end. Right. You bring in a couple of these past rushers that you had in Dallas that were third or fourth on the depth chart. But now they're going to be, you know, number one for you, like a Dante Fowler, I'm pretty sure. So maybe I'm getting that name wrong and I'm getting.
- [37:54]
Matt Castle
Huh.
- [37:54]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [37:55]
Matt Castle
Former Panther in on every play.
- [37:57]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [37:58]
Matt Castle
Former Panther, Southern Illinois Saluki. Holy cow.
- [38:02]
Bobby Bones
But that's why you do that, you know. So this isn't necessarily like a young team. You think it is because. Just because they're rebuilding, right. Or retooling. This is not a rebuilding. This is really like a retooling year for the Commanders. But. But like I said, I. I think this may just come down to Jimmy's and Joe's. I think the Lions players are just flat out better offensively and defensively than the Commanders. But Jaden Daniels is an X factor here. The. The amount of points that the Commanders can score as an offense, also an X factor. Aaron Glenn does like to blitz. You play man coverage in the back end. And Jaden Daniels, if you blitz them, that's a quarterback that could burn you.
- [38:39]
Matt Castle
Yeah, I'm. The only chance for the Commanders is Jaden taps into something even more right. And I'm, you know, every third down he finds a way to leak out and every. Like he. He would have to do something truly special. I'm interested to see if he taps into his legs a little more. Like we saw Lamar last week. You know, what was it that first drive or first two drives 10 times that, you know, for Jaden, that can be a safe place. It's. It's interesting that he stayed away for it, but it's also what the defense fear. So I, I'm interested to see that part of his game. How much does he try to revert to that because it's where he can be special and different. Keeping up with the Lions, man. I mean, it's a race to 30 points. Field goals are failures. Race to 30 points that I, I don't think the Commanders fully have that. It'll be interesting, man. I, I guess in that game. And this is just the Chiefs pedigree coming in. But for those two games with massive spreads, nine and a half points. Detroit, I could see Detroit getting tight butthole a little bit more if Taron Arnold gets burned on the outside once. And Goff has one of those. He's had a few games where he's actually put together a decent game. But he starts off and it's like two picks on the first two drives and you're just like, hey, Jared, what? Yeah, what happened?
- [40:07]
Bobby Bones
Doesn't have a ton of interceptions, but the games that he has, the interceptions, they usually come just happens quick and.
- [40:11]
Matt Castle
You'Re just like, what is. What is this? And you know the city of Detroit with that just kind of buzzing, man.
- [40:18]
Bobby Bones
Buzzing.
- [40:20]
Matt Castle
That would be the. But the Lions are going to get 30.
- [40:25]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [40:25]
Matt Castle
And the Commanders, that, that basically means if you slip up on one drive, you're going to be up against it. That I Don't know. It should be Chiefs and Lions roll and get ready for the next step. It'll be interesting to see at zombie Texans. If I could buy like two zombie Texan stocks. Just to take the screenshot the next day and be like, otherwise I'm. I'm out on both of them.
- [40:51]
Bobby Bones
Right.
- [40:53]
Matt Castle
Sunday, Rams, Eagles. And I'm glad you brought up Jeremy Chin. I am.
- [41:00]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [41:01]
Matt Castle
Because you mentioned Bobby talking about the Eagles and Hertz isn't always going to have that O line. I think I have bad news for you guys. I think he's going to have it. Not necessarily the guys, but this year Kelsey left. Yeah. And I know they brought in a great center and they paid him, but they did that Zach Bond on defense.
- [41:23]
Bobby Bones
All probably.
- [41:25]
Matt Castle
He was a.
- [41:26]
Bobby Bones
He was like. He was like an outside linebacker.
- [41:28]
Matt Castle
Edge Rush Orleans like rotational.
- [41:30]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [41:32]
Matt Castle
The Eagles are doing stuff at another level that you mentioned. Jeremy Chin. And like I'm. We've gotten better at this in the baseball world with it's usually retread pitchers that it's like, oh, you know, they had him throwing a four seamer, let's teach him a sinker. And it's like, wow, he had a great year. It seems like football might have a little more retread coming because it's tough because it's such a short lifespan, but Jeremy Chin, shout out Zach Bond. I don't know. I think the Eagles are operating at a different level.
- [42:01]
Bobby Bones
Your guy. Can I. Who's one of the biggest X factors this postseason, please? Vic Fangio.
- [42:07]
Matt Castle
Yeah.
- [42:08]
Bobby Bones
Defense coordinator for the Eagles. It's one of the biggest X factors this postseason.
- [42:11]
Matt Castle
It's tough. I can't. I can't claim. I'll claim Guy. I can't claim Jake. I think a lot of other people have claimed Vic before me. He did. He coached a lot of bad Bronco teams to an okay spot.
- [42:25]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [42:25]
Matt Castle
But that's for another time.
- [42:27]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [42:30]
Matt Castle
I guess so. The Rams, they have the pedigree, they have the coach, they have the quarterback, they have two wideouts that while they've had them on the field, that's felt different. Oh my God. When Higby was out there and I know he's questionable for this game and they have. Was it the youngest, the cheapest defense.
- [42:49]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [42:50]
Matt Castle
In football.
- [42:51]
Bobby Bones
Their front four. I mean we'll. We'll go through it. The. On the interior of Colby Turner, second year player. Like I. I think a day two pick. And then you have Braden Fisk, Florida State. Florida State, first round pick. So that's your Interior, first and second year. And then your edge rushers, you have Jared Verse, Florida State. And then you also have, on the opposite side, you have Byron Young from Tennessee, who was like a day two or a day three pick from Tennessee the previous year. So year one and year two players are your front four. And they're good.
- [43:20]
Matt Castle
They are good. And it. It feels like the defense is taking a step. Feels like Stafford and McVay. You know, remember McVay? Like, after they won the first super bowl, he was like, he might be going to the booth. And everyone was like, Whoa, McVeigh, young coach. But it's like, well, if you time that right, you can kind of live forever. Like, dude, blood blows my mind when I turn on, you know, whichever NFL game ends or starts. Whenever Bill Cower pops up, I'm like, what? Yeah, Cower felt like he was old when he retired and he's still at it and he still looks like Bill Coward, that it's like, dude, if McVeigh won that super bowl, went to the booth, get ready to see 80 years of Sean McVeigh.
- [44:01]
Bobby Bones
They showed McVeigh and Stafford back to back, like during the national anthem, and it's like McVeigh looks younger than Matthew Stafford. Stafford's got the gray. The gray man beer going on.
- [44:11]
Matt Castle
So we've got the original boy genius coach. Yeah, we got Matthew Stafford. Who knows how many more rodeos he's up for. We got the wide receivers back. It feels like their defense is now an asset, which it didn't necessarily feel like that before against the Eagles, who have dominant players in dominant places. Both lines. Saquon, they can get any fourth and one or third and one that they need at any time. That's almost not even a play for them. They have a head coach who is almost viewed opposite of boy genius, for lack of a better term. But in a way it works. He's like the most successful coach in NFL history. And that's a little bit of the assets he's using, and it's a little bit of how he acts with it. Philadelphia is a 6 1/2 point favorite. The other thing that does need to be mentioned, Justin Pennock. These two teams played once, if I remember correctly.
- [45:12]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [45:13]
Matt Castle
37 to 20 Eagles and Saquon ran for 255.
- [45:17]
Bobby Bones
That's the worry anytime you.
- [45:19]
Matt Castle
That's the worry.
- [45:20]
Bobby Bones
That's story anytime you play them. If I'm. If I'm the. If I'm the Rams here, which I'm surprised to see that they only had an 18% blitz rate from Monday Night Football this past week and the packers who played the Eagles had a 20.8. I am ramping that percentage up.
- [45:41]
Matt Castle
Okay.
- [45:42]
Bobby Bones
Or what the Rams did. What I really liked is a couple times you saw, all right, we're going to show this, we're going to show these front four, we're going to show this five. But then you saw these corners and these slot corners. Like there was one sack that they had where they brought both corners. I'm like, that is crazy work to bring in two cornerbacks on a blitz and you're dropping back these linebackers. I think Jalen hurts could crumble when he's, when he's being blitzed, diagnosing what's happening in front of him. He's done a good job with it this year. He's done decent because last year it was you blitz the Eagles and they don't know what to do. And Jalen hurts will take sacks, take stacks, take stacks. It's not the same this year, but I still think there's a little bit of Jalen hurts in there where if you blitz them, if you make them feel uncomfortable and you put pressure on that Eagles offensive line, numbers wise, I don't know if the front four, the really talented front four of those first and second year players, I don't know how often they're going to win 1v1 Mano e Mano against the Eagles, against the Eagles O line. But if you put pressure on them and you show different looks and you pressure on them, numbers wise, that's where I think the Rams could have a path. But also that Shayla Hurts throwing the ball. Saquon Barkley is the formula of this because if you bring in a blitz and somebody is running behind Saquon Barkley and then goodbye, he runs for 55 yards.
- [47:02]
Matt Castle
Yeah. And I guess, you know, for the, this talented, the talented Rams defensive line, you know, I think there was some thoughts that they could, they could be a little light or that was a part of the reason. But everyone compared to the Eagles O line is a little light. So that, that's one of the questions, I think something that I haven't been able to wrap my head around and this unfortunately ties to our friend Sam Darnold is okay, you know, because I, I think everyone felt a little bad for Sam. I did pretty, pretty tough to end that way. Like, you know, whoever you are, like story. Yeah. You should just feel a little bad for Sam. That I was wondering, okay. They played the Lions in Detroit anzalone comes back. I was just listening to my guy Booger on pmt, and they were like, you know, how much of effect is that? Anzalone, like, you know, he calls the plays. Is it just him being back? And he's like. He compared it to. And I don't think this is perfect, but it's cool. Booger McFarlane said. He said it's the version of a dad taking care of kids and mom goes away for the weekend. It's just different.
- [48:10]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [48:11]
Matt Castle
Like, we got this, but you don't.
- [48:13]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [48:14]
Matt Castle
At the same time, it's like when you've got that, it just feels different. That. Okay, Detroit with that stadium and that big of a game and their defense getting Anzalone back. Where is Detroit's defense now? Cause I know they had a couple tough weeks there, but when Sam played them, where were they? This Rams defense, we're now hyping them up. This young core that seems like it's solidified. And was it Less Sneed or West.
- [48:41]
Bobby Bones
Need less sounds right.
- [48:42]
Matt Castle
Less, I believe. Who puts the Rams together? Is less a name. What's that about?
- [48:48]
Bobby Bones
Is less need. Good job.
- [48:50]
Matt Castle
You know that him with McVeigh and putting a team together and they had draft picks, and now it's all gelling. There is a world where Sam Darnold actually just ran into two good defenses at the wrong time that plummeted in season. Obviously, he was, like, struggling to get the ball out. And there's some other Darnold stuff there. I guess that's what I'm interested to see are these. There's a world where these rams are peaking. McVeigh busts out all his tricks. Stafford Bucks bust out all his tricks. They can run the ball a little bit. If their defense is peaking and they're on the road and they played last. Like, there's a recipe.
- [49:30]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [49:31]
Matt Castle
It could also just all be for. Not if the Eagles give Saquon the ball on first down and get eight yards every time.
- [49:39]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [49:40]
Matt Castle
And sometimes they don't do that, and it's horribly frustrating. It blows my mind.
- [49:47]
Bobby Bones
That's the worry. That's the worry. And I have a little worry, too, because I'm. Obviously, I'm. I'm a big Rams guy. I want. I want my Rams to do well. I want Matthew Stafford to do well, and I don't want the Eagles to do well. But again, Vic Vangio being an X factor in this postseason. You're playing too high. A very dangerous thing in the NFL, Jake, is when you can play too High as a defense and then still stop the run because you have Jalen Carter, you have Davis, you have. I mean, so I'll admit some of these edge rushers. You want to talk about light, like, Nolan Smith is light and he's going out there and he's bull rushing tackles, and it's like, that shouldn't happen. And then you have Zach Bond to Kobe Dean got hurt, so that's a tough injury for them. But Zach Bond's playing like this all Pro who makes plays and coverage and in the run. So they. The Rams got to be able to like first and second down. And this is every football game. But I think particular it's going to be big in this game. First and second down, you got to win. Avoid third down or avoid third and long, because then that's when you can have a pass rush. That's when you can have a defense that can really tee off and have some fun. So first and second down between Barkley on the Eagle side and then also keeping Stafford out of third and long situations where maybe he can get hit up a little bit. It. I think out of all games this weekend, it's the first and second down is the biggest talking point in this one.
- [51:02]
Matt Castle
Yeah. You almost have to like, again, Sirianni. I kind of rubs everyone the wrong way.
- [51:10]
Bobby Bones
Even Philly fans rub them the wrong way. Like, you walk around that parking lot.
- [51:13]
Matt Castle
They'Re like something bizarre, man. Like this NFL head coach who's setting records and he like, like, proudly wears the Italian flag. You think, like, that's a very proud. The Italians are proud people.
- [51:24]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [51:25]
Matt Castle
Let me say that. Philly proud people. And for some reason, he just kind.
- [51:33]
Bobby Bones
Of can't stand him. There was a. There's a clip. I don't know who did it, but there was a little mini mic video. If the Eagles are going to fail or lose this postseason, who's to blame? Everybody's like, yeah, Nick Cherianni. It's like just no doubt. It's like this is.
- [51:47]
Matt Castle
It's. It's kind of wild that I. You almost need to, like, distract him with a flashy light.
- [51:54]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [51:55]
Matt Castle
That's like, hey, please don't give it to Saquon on first and second down.
- [51:58]
Bobby Bones
Yeah. Hey, don't. Don't talk to whoever. That doesn't matter. Don't talk shit to your fans. Like, let's just look over here. You're right.
- [52:06]
Matt Castle
I don't know. I think the Eagles, they kind of already overcame their adversity. They already played a playoff game just to like ice that. Like it's. No. The no potential of one and done. I think is actually huge for them.
- [52:26]
Bobby Bones
If they're going to win. It's going to be boring. It should be. Yeah. Because that's what they. That's what they do.
- [52:32]
Matt Castle
Should be, man. Like it's, it's unreal. If the Rams can score early and make the Eagles play regular football, that's how they win. And that's insane.
- [52:44]
Bobby Bones
Yes.
- [52:45]
Matt Castle
And the Eagles should not be baited into that. But it's almost like they have the coach that should be baited into that. Yet they never do because they still win. I don't know. I. I think there's going to be a lot of people rooting for the Rams between Stafford's last ride. I don't. I don't think they're going to do it. I, I know. I just think this also could be.
- [53:06]
Bobby Bones
A Jimmy's and Joe's game where. Eagles roster young. They're also a young roster, but they're. They're super talented. Super, super talented.
- [53:15]
Matt Castle
I will say I feel like both teams are very young on the back end that. I wonder.
- [53:19]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [53:20]
Matt Castle
I wonder if Stafford can take advantage of that more or, you know those two or three plays that they draw up. That's A.J. brown and Devonte. If it's going to be like, oh.
- [53:28]
Bobby Bones
It'S like sometimes you forget that those guys are on the team and then they'll have those big games and it's like, oh, well, they gotta give it to those guys every week. And that just doesn't happen.
- [53:37]
Matt Castle
You know how the Rams just crack. It feels like Nakua gets the ball.
- [53:41]
Bobby Bones
Every other play cracks a rib comes in two plays later.
- [53:45]
Matt Castle
He's a monster.
- [53:46]
Bobby Bones
Same as a lead blocker. They put him in motion as like a lead blocker.
- [53:50]
Matt Castle
They don't need a fullback built out of different material.
- [53:52]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [53:53]
Matt Castle
Than us.
- [53:54]
Bobby Bones
Yeah. They'll replace. They'll replace a material mid game and put another on them. And then I'll go back out there.
- [53:59]
Matt Castle
Just doesn't. Doesn't care. I think that is. Let's see if the Rams can make that a game. Yeah. There's a chance they cannot.
- [54:12]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [54:13]
Matt Castle
And I. The Eagles are so good on each D line that I, I think, you know, even me trying to give the zombie Texans some love. I think me trying to give the Ram some love. I do think there's just too much of a ripple effect of seeing a team play last week and look solid.
- [54:28]
Bobby Bones
They also could just match up well against the Vikings, which I Think they did beat the Vikings on regular season two.
- [54:32]
Matt Castle
So the other side of that Darnold conversation is maybe everyone just found out their weakness at the right time. It was like get to Sam so those long developing plays don't happen. And it got exposed quickly.
- [54:47]
Bobby Bones
That's now this game.
- [54:48]
Matt Castle
Jake, it leaves us with one. It is the soup du jour is the game of the weekend. It's the game that could save the whole playoffs if some of these early games don't click. Ravens, Bills in Buffalo, it's listed as Baltimore by a point. So essentially pick them. But that's interesting because you know, Buffalo cold pretty, pretty famously crazy fan base at this point. Bill's mafia saw the special on that on espn. The two MVP candidates at quarterback. It's the Bills feeling like they've reached a peak. They have a rushing game now. Their offensive options make sense. The Ravens, I mean they were, they early won me over for super bowl because I was like, if they can run like this, there's nothing you can do. And Derrick Henry almost getting two Bills. Lamar, I don't know, I mean, panic. This is where I'm interested to see what you say because if they played this game 10 times, it's five and five, man. Like, okay, we fumbled this game, we lost. They fumbled that game, we won that again. That's horrible analysis. But I guess. What am I missing?
- [56:10]
Bobby Bones
What I think you're missing is I'm a little worried that there's some ghosts for Lamar.
- [56:18]
Matt Castle
Okay.
- [56:19]
Bobby Bones
Pre, like pre playoff appearances. The Ravens at times can be a very highly penalized team and they get undisciplined. And if the game script isn't going according to plan, then we do things that we shouldn't be doing as the Baltimore Ravens.
- [56:38]
Matt Castle
Okay.
- [56:38]
Bobby Bones
Like Lamar and I, I feel dirty saying that Lamar can't handle being down by like 10 points, but he can. He can because he's that good. We just talked about how he's the MVP and he has.
- [56:50]
Matt Castle
It just makes them significantly less special.
- [56:53]
Bobby Bones
You're, you're playing the threat of Derek.
- [56:56]
Matt Castle
Henry popping one every single run isn't there.
- [57:00]
Bobby Bones
And you're putting Justice Hill in the game.
- [57:02]
Matt Castle
It feels, it feels significantly different because their wife, their wide receivers don't horrify you. You know, even Mark Andrews, like, he's, he's Mark Andrews, but you're not scared of the 70 yard play that yes, they, where the Bills, they are still built on throwing the ball that if they go down 10, it almost feels like bad news. It feels like, hey, James, Cook, you're going to have to wait a little bit.
- [57:23]
Bobby Bones
Oh. Now the game's in Josh Allen's hands.
- [57:24]
Matt Castle
But he's more dangerous as. I think Cook's still more dangerous as a straight up pass threat. Yeah, that. Yeah, I think. I think that's a fair thing to feel.
- [57:33]
Bobby Bones
Yeah. So, I mean, the Baltimore Ravens, they've been a highly penalized team all throughout the season. I just feel like the Bills can maybe deal with a little bit more adversity versus the Ravens. They kind of need the game to go their way. They need kind of like the perfect game to game script from kind of start to finish to go their way for you to feel like they. They have that good shot. You know, the Bill and both of these teams are so evenly matched where I think like these offenses, they're both top five in passing and they're both top five in rushing. I would put. I would give the edge to the Bill's offensive line in certain areas as a pass blocking unit, but I think I would give the edge to the Ravens as a run blocking unit. So they're so evenly matched and that's why the line is as close as it is. Little surprising that the Ravens are road favorites, but that's. Those are my thoughts on that. This is the game that I have the hardest getting the hardest read on, as you could tell, for. For this whole weekend.
- [58:30]
Matt Castle
It's okay. Like, I'm kind of glad that's the answer, man, because I don't.
- [58:34]
Bobby Bones
They're good.
- [58:36]
Matt Castle
Both these teams are amazing. Both these, both of these teams, if they ended up holding up the super bowl trophy in a couple weeks, we would say like, wow, that's a great team. They had a borderline, if not mvp quarterback. It's a team that's like taking their lumps like it's. It's everything you want. And I mean, it's. For me, it's tough to go year over year with individual teams like this. This feels like Baltimore's best team in the Lamar era.
- [59:05]
Bobby Bones
Last year's better. Derek Henry, man, Derrick Henry is the one. Big difference. But you had a say what you want about Odell. Odell is a good receiver for them and what they were doing last year, they don't have that third receiver. You had Mark Andrews, you still. The line was so much better yet Kevin Zeitler on that line. I know you. I know Derek Henry.
- [59:30]
Matt Castle
I know Derek Henry.
- [59:32]
Bobby Bones
I know. But I, I think the defense was.
- [59:34]
Matt Castle
Way more talented compared to 23. Odell.
- [59:37]
Bobby Bones
I know.
- [59:38]
Matt Castle
Stop that.
- [59:39]
Bobby Bones
The team I think the team don't.
- [59:40]
Matt Castle
Mean that the team.
- [59:43]
Bobby Bones
Jake, the Ravens last year kicked ass. I think they broke like an NFL record for the amount of times that they beat teams with a record over 500. And they killed. They killed them all. They killed them all. And that's what makes that. That AFC championship game so frustrating or whatever they played. That makes that playoff game against the Chiefs so frustrating because it's like, why are we only running the ball to our running back six times, right? Six times. And it's not like they were losing by 17, 20 points the whole game.
- [60:08]
Matt Castle
Is this the Bill's best team in the Josh Allen era? I mean they had.
- [60:15]
Bobby Bones
Yes.
- [60:15]
Matt Castle
What was. What was the year they had that shootout with the Chiefs where they lost in overtime and that was it.
- [60:19]
Bobby Bones
Their defense. Their defense may have been better, but.
- [60:21]
Matt Castle
It feels like they're better this year.
- [60:23]
Bobby Bones
But the lines better. The run game.
- [60:24]
Matt Castle
Yeah.
- [60:25]
Bobby Bones
I think they finally have very good symmetry and chemistry with Joe Brady. You know, even though there's no Stefon Diggs, I kind of feel like that's better for them. Right. We can spread the ball out a little bit more and there's nobody going to be demanding targets. So I do feel like offensively this is the most complete that we've seen, especially when it's led by an offensive line that is as solid as it is. You couldn't always say that about the Bills.
- [60:48]
Matt Castle
If I made you pick with.
- [60:51]
Bobby Bones
I'm going to have to pick.
- [60:52]
Matt Castle
Even gamble with your your hard earned money. What would you do?
- [60:57]
Bobby Bones
I'm rooting for the Ravens, but I think I'm picking the bills 80 at home. Yes. Yep.
- [61:08]
Matt Castle
Yeah, it's and I this goes with this should have been said earlier. The Ravens beat the Bills 35 to 10 in Baltimore. Derrick Henry I believe 199 yards, not 200 but I think the first run of the game I think he it was a house call.
- [61:31]
Bobby Bones
Oh, was this the. Was this the one where he 87 yard touchdown where he reaches like the same max speed as Xavier Worthy reached that weekend? That was. That's a million view real on JM Football. How do you like that?
- [61:43]
Matt Castle
I remember that and go check out jam football. Couple couple videos have already dropped in the previous week. Couple more videos will drop same point.
- [61:53]
Bobby Bones
Differential, same average margin of victory this year for both of these teams. Point differential plus 157 average margin of victory 14.9. Same.
- [62:03]
Matt Castle
I like that.
- [62:04]
Bobby Bones
Whoever so similar.
- [62:05]
Matt Castle
Whoever wins this one probably goes on to play the Chiefs and Arrowhead where Both have been taken down.
- [62:16]
Bobby Bones
Yes. Because the Ravens played their Week one. Right. That was the week one game. And then highly controversial ending. And then Bills. Bills took down the Chiefs.
- [62:26]
Matt Castle
Right. I guess I meant in recent. I was talking initially about recent playoff history. Yes.
- [62:33]
Bobby Bones
Yep. Because the Chiefs own the Bills on the playoffs. Bills own them in the regular season. That's the whole thing.
- [62:39]
Matt Castle
Hey, probably getting ahead of myself because again, favorites isn't how the sports always works. If it's Lions, Eagles, knowing what you currently know, your opinion doesn't change on either team. Where do you go?
- [62:55]
Bobby Bones
I think the Lions in Detroit respectfully destroy the Eagles.
- [62:59]
Matt Castle
Really?
- [63:00]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [63:01]
Matt Castle
I don't know.
- [63:04]
Bobby Bones
I need to destroy him.
- [63:06]
Matt Castle
Run it on first and second down every time and then if it doesn't.
- [63:13]
Bobby Bones
Work then just throw it out to the running back and get him in space.
- [63:16]
Matt Castle
When has it not worked?
- [63:20]
Bobby Bones
We'll see Jake. We'll see Pop. I'm excited for it. This is the. These are going to be good. I'm even more excited after having this conversation.
- [63:26]
Matt Castle
This is the weekend.
- [63:27]
Bobby Bones
Yeah, this is the weekend.
- [63:28]
Matt Castle
College Football Monday. Panic at your scouting in Ohio State's winning big Giants. Need some thank you to Justin Panick. Go follow him on everything streaming this weekend or no.
- [63:38]
Bobby Bones
Yeah, I would like to stream this weekend. Probably. Probably more on Sunday.
- [63:42]
Matt Castle
Okay.
- [63:42]
Bobby Bones
Two better games.
- [63:43]
Matt Castle
Go check that out. Check everything out on Jam Football. We appreciate you guys and BBD's Uncle Wiggy Jacobs Production of Deadpatcher Productions, John.
- [63:50]
Bobby Bones
Boy Media and Workhouse Media. Whether you're ordering wings for the game, whipping up a seven layer dip, or ordering pizza, there's something about football that makes you want to eat in this football season. Uber Eats has the best deals on game day food no matter what you're craving. From two for one Pizza. To buy one get one Wings. Uber Eats will be dropping new deals each week all season long. Uber Eats, the official on demand delivery partner of the NFL. Order now for game day. Terms and conditions apply. See app for details. Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirrorball trophy from Dancing with the Star. So where else are you going to find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything. Listen to Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt castle on the iHeartRadio app. Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [64:51]
Matt Castle
Consider this is a daily news podcast and lately the news is about a big question. How much can one they want change? What will change look like for energy?
- [65:03]
Bobby Bones
Drill baby, drill schools.
- [65:05]
Matt Castle
Take the department Education close it.
- [65:07]
Bobby Bones
Healthcare better and less expensive.
- [65:10]
Matt Castle
Follow coverage of a changing country.
- [65:12]
Bobby Bones
Promises made, promises kept.
- [65:14]
Matt Castle
We're gonna keep our promises on consider this from NPR. Listen on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [65:21]
Bobby Bones
Catch Jon Stewart back in action on the Daily show and in your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. From his hilarious satirical takes on today's politics and entertainment to the unique voices of correspondents and contributors, it's your perfect companion to stay on top of what's happening now. Plus, you'll get special content just for podcast listeners, like in depth interviews and a roundup of the week's top headlines. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.