John Middlecoff (2:30)
What is going on, everybody? How are we doing, John? Middlecoft three and out podcast. I didn't get the chance to record till way later in the day and I sat down on my desk and I was looking at my DMs. I said, you know What? I have so many questions in the mailbag. Let's just do a big one. So at johnmittlecoff is the Instagram fire in those DMs. Get your questions answered here on the show. That's what we're doing. And just a massive like an hour long mailbag. And that'll be today's show. We'll, we'll have some other stuff obviously as the week goes on. And clearly on Thursday night, big game. 49ers who are like a, you know, like a medical. They might as well just bring seven blue tents to that game because I don't even know if they're going to be able to feel a roster. Playing the Rams in theory should be a big game, but the Niners are injured and the Rams look like pretty good team right now. So we will, we will react to that. On Thursday night, I'm actually going to be in California. Got a buddy getting almost said getting married. He's not getting married. He is married with multiple kids. He's having his 40th birthday. So we're doing a blowout party somewhere in Napa, which should be fun. Have a few cocktails, let it flow. But I will be. Nothing will change in terms of Thursday night. Reacting to the 49er and RAM game. Fired up for that thing. Regardless. If you know Kyle Shanahan might play quarterback for the 49ers and that thing. But again at John Middle cough Instagram, fire in those dms. Subscribe to the podcast if you listen on Collins feed, also YouTube. All of our content is up there as well. Make sure you subscribe to that. But before we dive in any football, you know, I got to tell you about my friends, my partners in the official ticketing app of this podcast, Game Time. Best in the business. What do you want to do? 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If the Bengals part ways with Zach Taylor, could you see them going after Brian Flores? They need a defensive coach to tweak the defense and he can let Joe Burrow run the offense. Fair question. I would say last year if they would have fired Zach Taylor after nine and eight, it would have been one of the most coveted jobs in recent memory. It would have been people lined up just because Joe Burrow that offense. You just don't get the opportunity to coach a guy like Joe Burrow very often. I do wonder if looking at that gig now, Joe, another major injury. The way they've allocated the resources, the roster is not great. You got to deal with the owner. Factoring into it'll be interesting. Now to me, Brian Flores has proven to be an excellent defensive coordinator. Obviously his defense is in Miami when he's the head coach is good. He was awful with offense. He didn't treat the quarterback well. He copied the Belichick thing. Just be a complete asshole to the guy. And he treated the offensive staff. I mean everyone couldn't stand the guy. So I just think that's a major question mark because in 2025, listen, defense is really important but like if I have question marks with your ability to deal with the offense, specifically the quarterback, it's just it would be a non starter for me. So to me that's something that obviously Kevin o' Connell is a quarterback, I would imagine but. But the Belichick guys have all proven. I mean Josh McDaniels did the same thing. Now Brian was a better head coach than Josh McDaniels but they just become head coaches and they just can't deal with anybody. It's like a tried and true formula. All of them because they just copied the guy. Now Flores spent some time around Tomlin spent some time around Kevin o'. Connell. Maybe he's changed. But honestly, if I owned a team, I would have just a no Belichick guy rule. We just wouldn't mess with them. That just would be a non starter. And they've proven, you know, Marvin Lewis was like they've hired good coaches before. But I don't know, I think the Bengals, if you're a Bengals fan right now, you got to feel a little cursed. I would say Zach Taylor's in trouble and I don't even Blame him like he's ain't picking the players for the back. How do you feel about Seahawks roster and what would it take for them to be considered a legit contender? Well, I watched him week one against the 49ers. First time, you know, start for the brand new quarterback, new offensive coordinator. Obviously they've been really good since they beat the crap out of the Steelers. Watch that game. They were just humiliating the Saints. So I kind of stopped paying attention after like a quarter and a half and last week being in New York City on the Thursday night game, it was just I was trying to kind of pay attention at this party but I didn't get a chance to lock in. Obviously they were up I think was it 17 to 3 late in the game and Kyler scored a couple late touchdowns and then they kicked the game winning field goal. But I bet on them to win the division and if you win the division meaning you get a home game especially if you're at a place like Seattle where the home game is really loud, obviously it's going to be hard for them to win the division just like it is for most teams. Right? Especially I mean The Rams are 3 and 1. Let's assume the Rams beat the 49ers. Like I think the Rams are looking like a 13ish 1213 win team. So that's kind of Seattle just has to hold pace and then when they plan beat them. So yeah, I mean if you win the division meaning you have you beat the Rams especially head to head, I would like their chance in the playoffs. They have extremely fast defense, they have an excellent head coach, you know, in terms of a defensive coordinator. And then offensively like this scheme has been proven to work and Sam's playing really well. So nice win. Short week on the road. Yeah, I mean I'm high on Seattle Vikings fan here. If JJ doesn't work out by the end of the season and the Bengals are still not making the playoffs, would you send everything you have to the Bengals to trade for Burrow? I'd send them three first three seconds and a player if needed. The Vikings roster is good enough to win and we just don't have a top quarterback. I think if you told me that Burrow had just had the season that he had and was completely healthy and they won like six games and he wanted out 100%. I do believe that injury has to terrify you. He has had a major knee injury, he's had the wrist injury or hand injury or whatever that was a couple years ago. And Then he had this year the toe and you could say they're all a little random, but they are three pretty significant injuries. They've essentially ended a season each time and I would have a hard time trading a freight. Like if you told me I would, you know, he's not available but like Herbert, no hesitation. Obviously a Lamar or Mahomes or Allen. No hesitation. I think the burrow thing with the injuries now has to terrify you. So could you take the risk? Sure. But I do wonder because the GM and the coach picked jj which is rare for this time. But I do think he would get three years. The shitty part for JJ is year one didn't even count because he didn't even play. Nothing happened. So he basically gets this year and next year, which is tough because you're spending a bunch of money. You have a ready made team to win. In theory they're just in a weird situation and it's got to sting. If spam Darnold, you know, it's one thing if he's winning 14 games for you. Well, if he goes to Seattle and they win 12 games, they're a playoff team. Even if they don't win the division, they win 11 games, they're a wild card team. You're going to regret it. You just are. A question for the pod. McVeigh and Shanahan are often compared since they are in the same division and good friends as Sean worked under him. However, I think the big difference between them is a Super bowl win. Now that McVeigh got his in 21 and went through the disaster in 22, he seems to be more free and just loves coaching and team and kicking ass. It's almost as if they're playing with house money. Compared to Kyle who has gotten close but still doesn't have the ring. He frankly just seems kind of as if he's wearing. If it's wearing on him, his best chances appears to be behind him. The 49ers can't seem to stay healthy and their roster isn't as stacked as it once was. I mean if you just physically look, he looks tired. However, there is a large age gap between him and McVeigh. So what might be a part of it. And Sean, I got to imagine has had some work done since being in Hollywood. He definitely has. He looks the exact same as he did at 30. At 39 years old, I mean the exact same. Now I text with a I. I worked one of his. Their coaches is married to a. To a girl lady, you know, she's Like a mother of three that I, I know pretty. I mean, I, I knew her much better probably 15 years ago, but I still. We follow each other on Instagram DM every once in a while about like, I, I just, we just bs and she congratulated me on my kids, my future kid, my wife's pregnant. And I, she had laughed at the. Something I had shared about him. And I'm like, is he like on HGH or something? Like, what's he. She's like, he does eat really healthy and he takes really good care of himself. Obviously he's got good genetics. I mean, he's just a good looking guy. But I, I think he is pretty health conscious in Los Angeles, I think. Kyle, I also think your personality is your personality. McVeigh is much more of an optimistic uplifter where, you know, kind of like McVeigh. I'm just going to use these, these are not perfect parallels, but it's more Pete Carroll, right? He's more positive, he's more uplifting. Kyle personality is, I mean, again, it's not saying he's Belichick, but he's much more grumpy than a lot of these guys. Like, I've been around Andy Reid a little happier, you know, it doesn't mean you can't have bad days. It doesn't mean that you're not serious and like stern. But like over the course of the year, like, I don't think Kyle's Mr. Happy Go Lucky. That's just not his personality. Like, your personality is your personality. Like you said, he's a little older. I mean, what's cop, 45 years old. I think Kevin O' Connell is a good example. I think Kevin O' Connel is a pretty optimistic guy. Right. LaFleur, who, you know is. Looks like he's got some work done as well. Good looking dude. I would say LaFleur leans a little, like negative, which I appreciate. Like, my natural inclination is to be negative. And I've really had to work on trying to be more positive. And I'm not even talking about like this. I'm just talking about in general, in life. Get it from my dad, you know, it's like it's something hereditary probably. But even though my grandpa Woody, his dad was a very optimistic human, it's just, I just think you're wired. Like, you're wired. And yeah, I mean, I think factor in alcohol, factor in no sleep, factor in age, stress. But I hear you. I do feel there's a looseness with Sean. I mean, his team's good. That helps. But I also think, which I really respect, we would have been worse off if he had taken all the money from Amazon and called games. Even though he probably would have been really good. But, like, we would have lost football fans because having him involved with the team is big. It's important. Like, we need coaching personalities, coaching stars. It matters to have Jim Harbaugh back in the NFL. It's cool that Dan Campbell's become a big deal in a store, right? It's awesome to have this legendary guy in Andy Reid be at the, you know, peak of his profession and then all these other kind of younger offensive coaches trying to figure it out. No, Connell and LaFleur and Kyle and trying to win a Super Bowl. So it's like, I'm glad that he denied it. And like you said, like, I've never really had adversity since I've been the head coach and they lost all those games and it was wearing on him. He was going to have a kid. But like, Sean McVeigh is meant to coach like that. That's his skill. I hope you're having a great evening. I never submit topics on podcasts, but I'm watching the jets and I can't understand how people think. Fields is the problem. O line sucks, play calling sucks, the defense sucks, and yet Fields is playing his heart out. I think he could have been a KOC type revived quarterback if he leaves the Jets. What are your thoughts? One thing Fields has proven over the years is, like, mentally he's really tough and he can be. And he has been in some really crappy situations and he keeps battling and trying. He is not Mr. Like, he's the opposite of tap out. Not giving you everything. He has. He. I have a lot of respect for the way he's handled his career. I don't think he's the most natural thrower of the football. And I don't mean like, ability to actually throw the ball. Like, he does have a powerful arm. He just has a powerful. I mean, he has a powerful arm, but I don't think you like sitting in the pocket. Like just a. Just a feel and a rhythm to his game doesn't really exist now. He's an incredible athlete, so he can take off. So I think he's. He's got some flaws that are hard to overcome. Can he be revived to be some student? I wouldn't go that far. But he's going to play in the NFL for a long time. And I'm with you. You watch the Jets. I mean there's just the penalties, the pre stat penalties. There's an organizational like character that needs to be reset, revamped and started over and right now the Raiders have that too. And Aaron Glenn's coming from a place where they revitalized the freaking Lions and he's realizing like this is not an easy culture to flip. I think Spy Tech and Pete Carroll are learning that too now. I also think the jets roster is really overrated. I mean I think SAS Gardner is like the most overrated player in the league, which is an indictment on the Jets. They did not need to pay him. I would have traded him. When should the Browns start Dylan Gabriel? This defense is ridiculously talented and I think we need a spark on offense. Do you think Shador will see the field? I saw a report about an hour ago that all indication is that Dylan Gabriel is going to start against Minnesota this week in in Europe which listen Flat Flacco, I'm honestly surprised he made it this far. You know Chidor's playing this year I would imagine. I think there is going to be a contingent and it's going to be pretty sad rooting against Dylan Gabriel and being like how is this guy playing? And listen, I was not a fan of Dylan Gabriel as an NFL prospect, but I also think the discussion around him people talk about Dylan Gabriel if you just turn on the shows, especially Deion's buddies, like how is Shador not playing over this guy? Dylan Gabriel started at Oklahoma and then he transferred to Oregon where he started again. Let me repeat Oklahoma and Oregon and last year Oregon up until Ohio State beats their beat their brakes off in the Rose bowl was widely considered one of if not the best team in the country. The Oregon Ducks. He was our starter and more the kid that just looked incredible against Penn State and is having a great year was his backup. Couldn't beat him out like that happened, right? So I think Gabriel again I don't like him as a prospect, doesn't have the greatest arm to short but in terms of like his resume it is pretty freaking impressive. Like won a lot of big games played against the big boys and beat them at Oklahoma and at Oregon. So I think he now the NFL is a different ball game. I don't really like either one of these guys as prospects. I think it's going to be a tough year for them all. I think the Browns offense is going to be just atrocious. I think they're both screwed. I'd be stunned if either of them looks good to be honest with you. The pout, the Cowboys Packer game ending sucked. We need overtime rules. How can the NFL look at tie games as an enjoyable experience? Because the tie doesn't happen to the last possible second. So throughout the game it's, you know, especially toward the end, the fourth quarter overtime, it's kind of a riveting experience because you're just thinking, who's going to win. So when the tie happens, as it did in this last game, when love bounces the ball off the linebackers back, you don't think the tie is going to happen. So listen, do I agree that the ending of a tie is, as they would say, like kissing your sister? I've never had a sister, and I would imagine you don't want to kiss her. But I don't know what the analogy for those of us without sisters are. It obviously sucks. It's not a fun experience, but it only happens at the end and then everyone complains about it throughout the game. You're kind of like, who's going to win this thing? Today's show is brought to you by our new presenting sponsor, Hard Rock Bet. The Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook app has new promos every day. We talk a lot of football in three and out, but there's always something to bet. Postseason baseball is heating up and you can place your first bet on winners, pitchers, home run hitters and so much more. Open up the app and see what new promo you get. 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