What’s Wright - Best Of - What's wrong with Lamar Jackson? Chiefs LEAVING Kansas City, NFL Week 17 Picks | Nick Wright

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd — "What’s Wright - Best Of" (Dec 27, 2025)

Host: Nick Wright
Guest: Damanze
Episode Focus: Chiefs Leaving Kansas City, Lamar Jackson Concerns, NFL Week 17 Picks

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Overview

This "Best Of" episode of What’s Wright with Nick Wright on The Herd dives deep into three major topics:

• The Kansas City Chiefs’ impending move to Kansas (but not out of the Kansas City metro),
• Ongoing questions and frustrations around Lamar Jackson’s health and leadership in Baltimore, and
• Nick Wright’s fast-paced Week 17 NFL picks.

Nick, along with Damanze, brings his trademark blend of personal storytelling, civic pride, sharp sports analysis, and candid takes, making for an episode that’s rich in context and highly opinionated.

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Chiefs Leaving Kansas City: Breaking Down the Move

[02:25–18:09]

The Realities of the Move

• The franchise is moving roughly 20 minutes west, still in the Kansas City metropolitan area, but technically across the state line into Kansas.
• Nick clarifies confusion about Kansas City’s geography, explaining the Missouri/Kansas border (State Line Road) for listeners.

  "The Chiefs are moving about 20 minutes west of where they currently play. This has no impact on them being the Kansas City Chiefs... They are still in the greater Kansas City area." — Nick Wright [03:46]

Civic and Economic Impacts

• The deal is the largest public subsidy for a stadium in American history: $1.8 billion from the state of Kansas.
• Nick laments the escalation of taxpayer spending on stadiums but notes that, for mid-market cities, keeping teams matters for civic pride and economic reasons.

  "I hate that the Chiefs are leaving. I don't hate that Missouri was not held hostage by pro sports owners... There is real economic and civic pride benefit to [having teams]." — Nick Wright [06:55]

• He compares Kansas City’s situation to major markets (New York, LA) where public funding isn’t as justified, but acknowledges the stakes for smaller markets threatened by team relocations:

  "Losing that team can be devastating to the community. I do think you have to weigh that." — Nick Wright [08:27]

Border Politics & Stadium Subsidy Game

• Nick details a “border war” dynamic: teams and businesses leveraging state competition for better deals, resulting in tax games that benefit corporations with little net local benefit.

  "You’re not adding jobs to your community—you’re just stealing them off the books of Kansas to add them in Missouri, or vice versa." — Nick Wright [10:31]

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Impact on Football: The New Chiefs Dome

[12:21–15:41]

• The Chiefs will play in a closed dome stadium by 2031; Nick shares mixed feelings:
  • Pro: Patrick Mahomes’ late-career stats may benefit playing indoors.
  • Con: It further erodes the NFL’s elemental tradition; weather becomes less of a factor.

  "Having his age 35 and older seasons in a dome is probably good... But that to me is not worth the trade off of football slowly but surely eliminating weather as a component." — Nick Wright [13:04] "I think football is a game made to be played in the elements." — Nick Wright [13:41]

• Nick foresees fewer iconic “weather games” (e.g., Kansas City/Buffalo playoff cold) as the league transitions to domed stadiums, apart from a few outliers (e.g., Buffalo, Green Bay).
• He also doubts that Kansas City will regularly host Super Bowls, even with a dome:

  "The idea that Kansas City... is going to be part of a Super Bowl rotation—that's not going to happen." — Nick Wright [15:23]

Arrowhead’s Legacy and Fan Experience

• The move reduces stadium capacity from ~80,000 to ~68,000; Nick hopes the tradition of raucous tailgating survives.

• Nick questions whether the new dome can replicate Arrowhead’s legendary noise.

  "Arrowhead has been the loudest open-air stadium in the country forever. I just hope they are able to recreate that." — Nick Wright [17:54]

• Damanze provides a light moment by googling the current stadium naming sponsor (GEHA) and Nick jokes about never knowing what it stands for.

  "It's always Arrowhead to me." — Nick Wright [18:14]

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Lamar Jackson & Ravens Frustration

[29:11–39:48]

The Latest Setback

• Baltimore’s playoff hopes hang by a thread after a loss; Lamar Jackson left the game with what is now called a “bad contusion” (not broken ribs).
• Damanze (a dedicated Ravens fan) and Nick scrutinize Lamar’s absence in the game.

  "I do feel strongly that he could have came back in the game... I felt like he could have kept playing, especially in that situation." — Damanze [33:40]

The Ongoing ‘Weird Lamar Injury Thing’

• Nick walks through Lamar’s history of mysterious or nagging injuries and the perception that he doesn’t always “gut it out,” especially compared to elite peers:

  "It's just another weird injury thing with Lamar... It's very, very hard not to go to the other quarterbacks in Lamar's tax bracket and not ask you something: Do we think they would have an injury that the next day their coach calls day-to-day and expects them to play next week—that we wouldn't have seen them back on the field at least trying?" — Nick Wright [35:25]

Reflection on Ravens’ Window

• Nick expands beyond just this season, arguing that Baltimore has missed its best chances at a Super Bowl during Lamar’s recent prime.

  "I am not saying Lamar will never make or win a Super Bowl. What I'm saying is I think when his career is over, we will look at the best chances he had were these past three years... To come out of these three years with two total playoff victories... is stunning." — Nick Wright [37:40]

• The pair touch on team dynamics, suggesting perhaps Lamar has “run his course” with Coach Harbaugh.

• Celebrations and concerns: Nick reports WR Zay Flowers making the Pro Bowl, Damanze calls for him to secure the football in crucial moments.

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NFL Week 17 Picks: Nick’s Rapid Fire Bets

[45:50–49:17]

Nick fires off his five favorite picks for the week (lines from Hard Rock Bet):

1. Dallas -6.5 at Washington
   • “Dallas is going to blow out the Commanders... Dak owns the Commanders in his career, 12–2 straight up.” [46:01]
2. Jacksonville -6.5 at Indianapolis
   • Jags have the motivation; Colts’ season is done. “Jags have been crushing against the AFC South.” [46:46]
3. Pittsburgh -4 at Cleveland
   • “It’s fine for a fifth round rookie but for a Pittsburgh team that knows, ‘We take care of business here, we get ourselves a bye...’” [47:38]
4. Buffalo -2.5 vs Philadelphia
   • “I think Buffalo’s better. Buffalo needs the game. Buffalo’s at home. I’ll take Buffalo.” [48:11]
5. Chicago +3 at San Francisco
   • “I think the Bears can win that game outright.” [49:12]

“If you’re going to bet favorites, bet them early. We are doing this on Tuesday. We are betting them early.” — Nick Wright [49:17]

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Weather in Football:
  “To me, it’s a bit of a bummer... the last quarter of Patrick’s career... but I like that weather matters.” — Nick Wright [15:23]
• On Stadium Funding:
  “We need to have an agreement amongst ourselves: we are not going to pay for pro sports team stadiums because they want to be in our cities.” — Nick Wright [05:32]
• On Lamar Jackson’s Injuries:
  “I'm not trying to hint at anything, but I'm also not going to act like it's not weird.” — Nick Wright [35:25]
• On Arrowhead's name:
  “It's always Arrowhead to me.” — Nick Wright [18:14]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamps | |--------------------------------------------|-------------------| | Chiefs leaving Kansas City (overview) | 02:25–18:09 | | The Dome debate & stadium tradition | 12:21–15:41 | | Arrowhead’s legacy, fan atmosphere | 17:54–19:31 | | Lamar Jackson's injury & Ravens’ collapse | 29:11–39:48 | | NFL Week 17 picks (fast segment) | 45:50–49:17 |

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Tone & Style

Nick’s tone is conversational, passionate, opinionated, self-aware, and sometimes nostalgic. He moves easily between civic analysis, strategic football talk, and joking with Damanze. The episode keeps a brisk pace, especially during picks, and is heavy on original insight and context, especially for listeners outside the Kansas City region.

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Conclusion

This episode is quintessential Nick Wright—emotionally invested in his roots, keen on larger economic/political contexts, and never shying away from strong opinions on football culture and individual stars. It’s essential listening for listeners curious about the cultural and gridiron implications of the Chiefs’ move, the ongoing Lamar Jackson debates, and sharp NFL betting advice.

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Transcript

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[Nick Wright]

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[Nick Wright]

Welcome to the best of the week for what's Right with Nick Wright. The best takes and moments from this week on the show and enjoy.

[Damanze]

The season from hell becomes more hellacious. You guys lost Patrick, you guys lost your backup quarterback and guard du and you lost the Titans. And it seems like Kansas City Chiefs are no longer going to be in Kansas City. They might be moving over to Kansas in 2030. How do you feel about this development?

[Nick Wright]

All right, first let me explain to people what it Means Kansas City. This Kansas City. For all intents and purposes, when people hear about Kansas City, they, they are talking about the Missouri side. This is where I'm from. So weird kind of border rivalry, Missouri or Kansas, but I grew up one block off State Line Road. That is exactly what it sounds like. The line between Missouri and Kansas. Now, confusingly and oddly, the Missouri side of State Line Road is Kansas City. The Kansas side of State Line Road is not Kansas City. Kansas City. That's a different part. Like there is a small part of Kansas City, Kansas that touches State Line Road. But most of it that touches State Line Road is like Leawood or Olathe or different municipalities. Okay, you guys don't care about that. What you, what does matter is this. The Chiefs are moving about 20 minutes west of where they currently play. So this has no impact on them being the Kansas City Chiefs because they were in Kansas City proper. Yes, but they are still in the greater Kansas City area. Just like The San Francisco 49ers play in Santa Clara. The New England Patriots, which people consider Boston's team, play in Foxborough. Like this is the. The Detroit Pistons used to play at the palace at Auburn Hills. This happens. They are. This is not a team moving the way teams move. Like Baltimore going to Cleveland, that type of. Or Cleveland going to Baltimore, either. That's not what this is at all. Now it does for me as a native Missouri and someone who's lived lived his whole life. My dad was a Kansas City, Missouri firefighter. I lived in, on the Missouri side. And whenever people say to me, oh, you're from Kansas, I correct them, say, no, I'm from Missouri. I, I hate that the Chiefs are leaving. I don't hate that Missouri was not held hostage by pro sports owners. And this is where we get into a little bit of tricky stuff. And then we will talk about the football piece of it because there is a real football piece of it. But this is so teams, because the state of Kansas, via Star Bonds and other stuff is going to pay more money for this Chief stadium than any local government, which means taxpayers have paid for any stadium in the history of America. $1.8 billion. And I have always believed that the call it 15 biggest cities in the country, all of the mayors, slash governors of those states should have gotten together a long time ago and said, folks, we need to have an agreement amongst ourselves. We are not going to pay for pro sports team stadiums because they want to be in our cities. So New York, Louisiana, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, San Francisco, that your major markets Pro sports teams want to be there. The idea that they are going to leave is a bluff if you are a major, major market. So you should never pay. Never pay if you're in one of those markets. If you're in a smaller market, it does get trickier because we have seen teams leave smaller markets. And one can argue, and I have argued for a long time to use my hometown as a example, that the thing that distinct that makes Kansas City different from Des Moines, Iowa or Omaha, Nebraska is that we have the Chiefs and the Royals. That's it. We're a two sport pro sport city. And there is real economic and civic pride benefit to that. And Kansas City is not a huge market. So you pro, you can't just dare a team to leave the way LA could or New York could or Washington D.C. could because they might leave. Kansas City has lost teams before. And so I don't think it. While I understand the argument of there are better things to be putting, paying taxpayer dollars for, that is correct. I agree with that in general I also understand why if you're Memphis losing the Grizzlies is scary as shit and it might be worth taxpayer dollars to make sure they stay. And so I think I the math is not the same for mid market or small market teams as it is for major market teams. That's just my opinion. I think I have data to back that up. But it's my gut feeling on having grown up in one of those places and feeling like I'm from somewhere and because we have pro sports teams and so this doesn't change that for Kansas City and they will still be the Kansas City Chiefs, nobody half the country thought they played in Kansas already anyway. And I don't think I understand the gut reaction people have and I'm with you politically on this, that it is shameful the public subsidies we will give billion dollar sports teams when I mean the city of the state of Kansas has no public transportation. None. Don't get mad at me Governor Laura Kelly. Like I'm sure there's a few bus routes but like there are the, the, the, there's, there are things that money could be used for that probably would help a greater group of people. I get that. But I also do think that if you're in a city the size of one that a team might leave, losing that team can be devastating to the community. So I do think you have to weigh that. The, the problem for the cheap four that the Chiefs were able to play into specifically is because they're on a state line they could play one state against the other and get basically to Monse the benefit that you normally only get this type of. I mean 1.8 billion. It's the biggest public subsidy ever. You normally only get that. Something like that. If you are threatening your fan base with we are moving like we are going to. We, the Seattle SuperSonics are going to become the Oklahoma City Thunder because Kansas City, that is on a state line they were able to get the benefit of without ever having to threaten. They were never threatening to move to San Antonio.

[Damanze]

Right.

[Nick Wright]

Just like we'll just a 25 minute.

[Damanze]

Extra drive for whoever is going to the game previously.

[Nick Wright]

Right. You still get to play the states against each other. And this has been a problem for border cities. This is a bigger problem when it comes to business taxes and municipal funding. And again, this is the part that could be boring. But I'm going to give a very simplistic story of what's happened in my hometown because it's on a state line. You'll have a business, not a sports team, a business that is based in Kansas. And then politicians in Missouri, because they want to say we added jobs to our community will give that business insane tax breaks to move its headquarters 15 minutes east over to Missouri. And that business can then not pay the taxes it was once paying. It has no impact whatsoever actually on who has the jobs. You're not adding jobs to your community. You're just stealing them off the books of Kansas to Adam and Missouri or Missouri dad and Kansas, vice versa. But it's the same human beings working there. And that has, you know, been. That's a problem for mayors and city councils of border cities all the time. Like how do we. Because it ends up being a. Not a zero sum game. A game a zero sum for the overall community, but a huge win for the. A zero sum for the employment of the overall community while being a huge win for the bottom line of corporations. But that's a sidebar. Now to the football piece of it because here is the tangible effect. The Chiefs are going to play in a dome stadium starting in 2031.

[Damanze]

Hey, that's awesome. I don't know how you feel about that.

[Nick Wright]

That. That's awesome.

[Damanze]

I love the domes.

[Nick Wright]

I hate it.

[Damanze]

So you needed the snow games. The. That real effect of the. The. The weather.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah, I like that Patrick, he's gonna.

[Damanze]

Be lighting it up in there, man. So this one was the other quarterback.

[Nick Wright]

Here's the. So very short term, very selfish. I like the dome for Patrick's late.

[Damanze]

30S oh and then the new guy is going to be playing in the dome the whole time.

[Nick Wright]

So, so. So if we are just talking about maximizing like Mahomes his career having the fact that his age 35 and older seasons will be in a dome is probably good.

[Damanze]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

Okay. That's probably. That to me is not worth the trade off of football. Slowly but surely eliminating weather as a component like I think we are moving towards a reality of in a decade there are maybe three or four stadiums in the country where weather plays a part. And I don't like that for football. I think football is a game made to be played in the elements. I don't mind domes in warm weather places because it feels like that's actually like the elements aren't going to be a big issue there anyway. And so it allows you to host more events. Fine. And I don't mind the dome in Minnesota only because that specific place can get. So maybe it's just because I'm used to it, but it can get so much snow that they have like cancel games. But I guess Buffalo. So it's probably just because I'm used to it, but I don't like football. Removing the elements. And the idea that because they build this stadium Kansas City is going to get a bunch of Super Bowls is just not true. I think they will probably get one and people will complain about the super bowl being in Kansas City. And you know what? They should because the super bowl should not be in Kansas City. I Super bowl shouldn't. I'm from there. I love it. Super bowl should not have ever been in Minneapolis. It shouldn't have ever been in Indianapolis. It shouldn't be in Kansas City. The super bowl should.

[Damanze]

What does it need to be in New Orleans or wait, what happened New.

[Nick Wright]

Orleans, Miami, Vegas, la. That's where the super bowl elitist.

[Damanze]

Okay.

[Nick Wright]

No cities. It's. Yeah, I guess. I mean New Orleans isn't a big market. It's just awesome.

[Damanze]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

And the. And so I think we have seen cities that can do. And I'd be honestly okay with LA not being included. I'd be fine with it just being Vegas, Miami, New Orleans, like that. That being the rotation. You can make the argument for Phoenix. I but I just think they're not the idea that Kansas City is because they're add this is going to be a part of a Super bowl rotation. That's not going to happen. It's not going to be every 10 years the biggest sporting event in the country. Headquarters in Wyandotte county for In February, it's just not happening. But the big, my biggest thing is on the field. I don't like, I like that weather matters and I like that the Buffalo and Kansas City and Baltimore and Pittsburgh and New England have to be able to play in multiple settings. And I just, I. So yes, I think it'll be good for Pat, the end of, you know, the last quarter of Patrick's career. But it's to me a bit of a bummer. And the other bummer is this. You're going to go from 80,000 seats to about 68,000 and I'm going to be very interested and I really hope that they, that they find a way because I think the tailgating will be great no matter what. One thing Clark Hunt said yesterday that's true is parking lots don't tailgate. People do. That's correct. I think the tailgating pregame stuff, I trust they will make sure that stays sacrosanct. Because when, like, if there's ever a reason to go to a NFL game, going to Arrowhead to tailgate before the game is one of the greatest things in the NFL. And I think that will stay. But I wonder if they're going to be able like and, but the other thing Clark said is seats and concrete don't make noise. Fans do. That is true. But certain stadiums are more conducive for noise than others. And Arrowhead has been the loudest open air stadium in the country forever. And I just hope they are able to recreate that.

[Damanze]

Is it, is it going to have a new name? Well, still going to be Arrowhead.

[Nick Wright]

I would imagine they'll still call it Arrowhead. They've already kind of sold on that because it's technically Geha Field at Arrowhead. And I've never totally understood naming. Right. Sponsorships. Like, I don't know that anyone has paid more attention to the Kansas City Chiefs. I really don't know that anyone in the world has paid more attention to the Kansas City Chiefs than me certainly since. Because the stadium's only been named that for like five years of the field in that time. And I still don't. But I still don't know what G H A is. Yeah, you were like, I have no idea. I, I have no clue what the. What I, I don't know. Do they sell insurance? Is it, are they a. I have no console. I, I don't know what it is. So it's, it's always Arrowhead to me. But that's the, the positive and the negative. That's what it is now, will Kansas City get a Final Four? Maybe. Like, will. They're like having a domed stadium. There is, there are benefits for it. Go ahead.

[Damanze]

Is government employees Health Association.

[Nick Wright]

Still don't know what it means. Does that mean they, they, they. Does that mean they compete with the company that Gronk advertises for? So it is. They're the competitors of Gronk's company. What's that? What's the Gronk insurance company where he's like, I wasn't in the military, but my granddad was. Yeah. Okay, so GEHA and USAA are competitors. All right, good for them.

[Damanze]

Do you, do you think that there's. I'm sorry, I just cut you off. Do you think there's going to be any teams that hold out on this open air stadium, closed thing? Like, could you see Green Bay being like the last team with an open open stadium in 30 years?

[Nick Wright]

Buffalo's building a new stadium. And Buffalo's new stadium doesn't have a roof. Right. Fact check me on that.

[Damanze]

Okay, well that, that's good for something then.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah, yeah. And, but Buffalo, yeah, it's not a dog and it's Buffalo, but I, I don't know. The Chiefs playing in a dome feels weird to me. I'm sure I get used to it. And if, and if old Mahomes is just lighting people up, maybe I'll be fine with it.

[Damanze]

But maybe because I'm a. Not a savant and like a football historian, I just don't see why you would want like, and this is like, I hear a lot of people, that's their take. They want there to be snow, the inclement weather. Why would you not just want them to perform to their best ability like any other sport? Like, I feel like there's no other sport, outdoor sport. It's because.

[Nick Wright]

So that's, so that's where. That's where go. I'm sorry, I disagree with you. No, what you're saying, a lot of people feel that way. It just, it just depends on how you look at it. I look at being great at football intrinsically, meaning that you can have different types of game plans and different abilities in different weather. Because I think that is part of building a team. I think part of building a team is teaching them how to exploit different weather conditions. I think that is as intrinsic to the game as kick returning. Like that's part of it. And I think removing it, people, a lot of people feel like, oh, you remove it and that then makes it more pure. I feel like, it makes it less pure. And I, I understand in basketball, that doesn't exist. Every part's the same, all of it.

[Damanze]

Like soccer. Like, I mean, I don't know if they play soccer. Definitely, they play soccer in the snow or, like, light snow. They obviously can play in, like, heavy rain. That's fair.

[Nick Wright]

But the soccer is an outdoor sport, and being able to handle heat is a bigger thing in soccer. Like.

[Damanze]

Yeah, yeah, the. Yeah, yeah. I guess I'm always looking for the light show. I've seen these games. But that's fair.

[Nick Wright]

That's the way the NFL's moving, that it just bums me out. I mean, but again, I'm a grandpa.

[Damanze]

Now, and I'm sorry to those historians. That stuff has changed.

[Nick Wright]

No, it's fine. I just. So many of the, like, the great moments in NFL history are playoff games in the elements, and that'll be a bummer for me. But, you know, nothing to cry about. I just, I don't love it. That, to me, matters a lot more than the fact that they're moving 20 minutes west across state lines. Want to know where I bet on sports during the holiday season? Hard Rock Bet. Not just because it's the presenting sponsor of our show, but because they make it easy to bet both pregame and live in just a few simple taps. Open the app, find a bet I like, and then, bam. Bets placed just in time for me to get back to wrapping presents and enjoying my favorite Christmas movie. We actually watched National Lampoon's Holiday Vacation last night. As cliche as that is, sign up today and bet $5 on any game. If it wins. You also score $150 in bonus bets, a winning bet plus an extra $150 to bet with. That's spreading holiday cheer. Plus, Hard Rock Bet fills your stockings with new promos daily. So whenever you're listening, just open the app and check out what you've got. Any day of the week, download the Hard Rock Bet app and make your first deposit today. Payable and bonus bets. Not a cash offer offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in Florida. Offered by Seminole Hard Rock Digital, LLC in all other states. Must be 21 plus and physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee or Virginia to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling in Florida? Call 1888-Admitted in Indiana. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-809 with it gambling problem, call 1-800- gambler in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee or Virginia what are you reaching for?

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[Damanze]

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[Damanze]

Ravens hanging by a thread Drake May was looking poor in the first half, rallied. Lamar Jackson came out of the game with I think like a rib injury. We lost the game. Now we have a 7% chance of making the playoffs.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah.

[Damanze]

How who do you think this is bigger on the Ravens or Patriots? I think of.

[Nick Wright]

Well listen, I think it's a Let me start with the Patriots and what was I'm trying to remember because there was a clip from last week's show. Was it about Lamar? What was the clip? Maybe the producers saw it as well. There is a clip of I did some take that I don't even know if Damanze agreed with but it was massively aggregated and it was aggregated with the Monze and I split screen and I always find this funny because I wasn't do you guys remember what I'm talking about? Was it was it last week from it was from Thursday's show. I I can't even remember what we talked about on Thursday but regardless Mars.

[Damanze]

Health nyquil and sickness and stuff and it was something else other than that.

[Nick Wright]

Probably there that's what I'm trying to remember what our if I had our rundown from last week in front of me I could, I could think of it trying to think if it's Lamar because the reason I thought of that is it might happen again this week. But the. Let's start with the Patriots. I think that was a growing up moment for Drake.

[Damanze]

Drake.

[Nick Wright]

I think that Drake was playing one of his worst games of the year and for him to rally the way he did and make the. I mean he obviously had the one great deep pass that was robbed from him on the Ms. DPI but didn't matter. He had already the, the touchdown pass he threw to the front corner of the end zone.

[Damanze]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

Was unbelievable. I thought that was great. And I, I think that on top of that. Hold on. I think Paul just texted to me. Oh, this is what it was. Sorry. It was the thank you, Paul. It was the WIMBY stuff. It was me saying I don't need to be lectured by a 20 year old French kid. That the people got super mad at that take and you're just sitting there like listening like it's just super funny. Thank you, Paul. The. No, the people got mad at me. I think my Lamar takes from TV but. Sorry, I'm interrupting myself. I thought the Drake May touchdown pass was unbelievable. The bomb was unbelievable. The fourth and two play which kept him alive to go win the game. It was just a pass to the sideline, but it was an absolute laser that I thought was going to be knocked down. He was excellent. And Drake May's the real deal.

[Damanze]

Yeah, he is the real deal. And.

[Nick Wright]

The Patriots, they had to win that game because while I thought sometimes the schedule stuff got a little overblown, if they had played that soft schedule and then lost to Buffalo and Baltimore, it'd be like, okay, you know what I mean? They're.

[Damanze]

Who are we?

[Nick Wright]

They're a really. Yeah, they're. Oh, they're ahead of schedule. They're better than all the JV teams, but they're not an A lister. And I think they proved they're A listers. And so I think that is, that's the Patriots piece of it. And they've got, they got their quarterback.

[Damanze]

The guy looks like. I think that guy's going to be in the league for a really, really long time. Seems like.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah, yeah, I, I solid, man. I think he is just going to be a top five quarterback moving forward. I. He's legit. He is without a doubt legit. And then you get to the Ravens and there's a lot here. They blew another big lead. Everyone's blaming Harbaugh. They didn't give the ball to. They didn't have Derrick Henry on the field for their last two possessions. People are understandably blaming Harbaugh. Another. Can I call it without people freaking out? Weird injury thing with Lamar. He.

[Damanze]

I do, I do feel strongly that he could have came back in the game watching the like and it's, and it's a rib injury. I do think he could have come back in that game. And I don't like doing that or like being like. Because I don't know what the guy was feeling, but I don't know. Like he was moving around. He's like on the side. Like, I, like I've had a rib injury before and I just, I don't know, I felt like he could have kept playing, especially in that situation. We have the game. We just need you to manage.

[Nick Wright]

But I. So listen, I hate that you're the one that said that instead of me because. And I want this, if this gets aggregated people to understand this is devontae's favorite team and the guy he's ridden with more than anybody.

[Damanze]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

But I was shocked he didn't go back in. And when he didn't go back in. Let me rephrase that. I was not shocked he didn't go back in. We didn't go back in. I assumed we were going to get the news yesterday that he broke his ribs, that he had cracked ribs, that even though the hit didn't, the, the knee didn't look that bad. But you never know. You know how that is. And so I just assumed, like, oh man. There, see? Like he's, he probably isn't going to play this coming week and that's. It's a rap. And when Harbaugh came out yesterday and said it's just a bad contusion and he's day to day, I was stunned. Now again, it's weird because Lamar is obviously tough and obviously he's played.

[Damanze]

He's also like 100%.

[Nick Wright]

So I, so that's why I'm saying it's just another weird injury thing with Lamar where now he has suffered a hamstring injury that nobody saw when it happened, but obviously was a real one. Like a not real as opposed to real versus fake. I should have said a significant one to where he missed multiple games, including a game after a buy that his coach thought he would be back for and then had knee, ankle, toe injuries that made him miss practice but not miss any games. But he then wasn't effective in the games. Then his, you know, annual December cold had a missed practice and now what looked like a relatively banal play knocked him out for the most critical half of their season. Basically playing an elimination game. It's just weird. And I'm not trying to be like cagey with my analysis here. I'm not trying to hint at anything, but I'm also not going to act like it's not weird. And it's very, very hard not to go to the other quarterbacks in Lamar's tax bracket and echelon and not ask you something. Do we think they would have an injury that the next day their coach calls day to day and expects them to play the next week? That we wouldn't have seen them back on the field at least trying, seeing, giving it a go and then maybe, okay, this isn't going to work. I don't know. I feel like you would have. And so it's just odd. And I go back to Baltimore, see.

[Damanze]

Like with the situation, Harbaugh, whatever it is.

[Nick Wright]

Let me tweak that. There you go. I don't, because I said this a few weeks ago, I don't think he wants out. I think he might be over Harbaugh and that this has run its course and that Lamar is resigned to the fact that this is a lost season and it is a lost season. And this was the, the biggest thing I said yesterday on TV that I think people maybe took issue with. But again, we won't know for five years. But I'll, I think this will age well. I am not saying Lamar will never make or win a Super Bowl. What I am saying is I think when his career is over, we will look at the best chances he had were these past three years. They were the solitary super bowl favorite at multiple points in each of the last three seasons. They were the super bowl preseason favorite this year. And to come out of these three years with two total playoff victories come out of the 2000s so far, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 with two total playoff victories is stunning. And now I think you start a new era with a new head coach. Damanze, before we move on to Pittsburgh side of it, I want to give you some news. Zay Flowers named to the Pro bowl this morning. Now go ahead. I know you have a potential. Zay Flowers take.

[Damanze]

Just run straight, man. Please just run straight and, and just be a little bit tighter with the football. I just think that there's, there have been a couple of big situations and the biggest point of the season, I think the guy is loose with the football. He's trying to play like backyard football or something, making these cuts backwards. And that's not like the only time that I've seen him do that. But just in the bigger instances, it's like, dude, just, just be tighter with the football. Don't try to get it all in one play to go down or something. It's just kind of frustrating to see something.

[Nick Wright]

And he has said he was going to do that. Yeah. And then he has not done that.

[Damanze]

He's loose, just loose.

[Nick Wright]

And it's the end. He doesn't fumble a lot. But you remember the fumbles. Yeah, you're, you remember they're big moments. By the way, if you're thinking about upgrading to the all new iPhone 17 Pro, designed to be the most powerful iPhone ever, but you're also thinking about the traffic on your way to the store or transferring all your data. Good news, when you order a new phone online with Boost mobile, they'll send an expert to your home. How about that? Or home. Or work to deliver your brand new iPhone pro and get you set up on Boost Mobile within minutes. No hassle. So how about that? You get the new iPhone, it comes right to you and a tech comes in. Get all your stuff transferred, get you set up on the network. Visit boostmobile.com to get started. Delivery available for select devices [e-mail] terms of course, do apply.

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[Damanze]

All.

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[Richard Sherman]

Not is on sale now for the holidays. A breakout hit with over 13 million global players, ready or not is the tactical first person shooter where you take the role of a SWAT commander and feel the weight of the badge. I reunited with my Legion of Boom teammates Cam Chancellor, Cliff Averill, Mike Bennett and Walter Thurman to go through real SWAT training and experience firsthand what makes this game special Special. You can watch the full video now at the Richard Sherman Podcast YouTube channel. Here's what we discovered. This isn't just mindless running gun like other shooters. Just like the Legion of Boom operated as an elite defensive unit where everyone had to think strategically and work together. Ready or not demands the same mentality. You're commanding a SWAT team, clearing rooms, protecting civilians, making split second tactical calls, and with 18 high stakes missions, endless loadout customization, you need discipline and coordination to succeed. On sale now across PlayStation, Xbox and PC with full cross play support. Go solo or lead up to five teammates through operations where strategy matters. Don't miss the holiday sale on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S and PC. After training with my brothers, I can tell you this game gets it right.

[Zyn Nicotine Pouches Advertiser]

PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite processors are made to go the distance with blazing fast performance. Next level efficiency. Snapdragon processors are built to tackle it all. From highlight reel editing to intense player research, making it all feel effortless. And with multi day battery life, you got true freedom all right without being tethered to an outlet. So from long video calls to all day fantasy drafts, your laptop stays ready so you can be at the top of your game. It's the kind of performance your lifestyle demands. So make sure your next PC is powered by Snapdragon. Learn more at snapdragon.com laptops Snapdragon the heart of your PC. Battery life varies significantly based on devices, setup, usage and other factors.

[Nick Wright]

Five picks do them quick all lines from Hard Rock Bet the First pick to Monze is my favorite pick of the weekend.

[Damanze]

You've got Dallas minus 6.5 at Washington.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah, I listen I think Josh Johnson's playing quarterback for Washington. I don't know this but I think it and if that's the case, they just can't move the ball. Dallas, I understand that Dallas, you might feel like, oh, they're going to be demoralized because they're eliminated from the playoffs. I don't know that. I think they have kind of felt they were eliminated from the playoffs for a while. So they're going to move the ball. I Dallas is going to blow out the Commanders. I love the Cowboys minus six and a half and Dak owns the Commanders in his career. 12 and two straight up and they've covered five in a row.

[Damanze]

Next you got Jacksonville -6 and a half at Indy.

[Nick Wright]

So listen Philip Rivers credit to him for playing obviously way, way, way better than I expected. But their season ended Monday night and he came back to try to make a playoff push. The Jags are playing for a lot as far as locking up the division, staying alive for the one seed. Jags have been crushing against the AFC south five and oh against the spread in their last five against the AFC south. The culture falling apart again. The Jags game and the Cowboys game. Our games. I'm picking here. I don't know if I'll be able to pick Friday on TV because I don't know if the Lions will have moved up to, you know, above the seven but I'll take the six and a half. Next.

[Damanze]

Next you got Pittsburgh minus four at Cleveland. This was originally at four and a half. It just dropped a four.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah, I listen I know laying more than a field goal with Tomlin in divisional games isn't hasn't been the best but I I just think Shador has been really bad and the last two weeks it's fine for a fifth round rookie but for a Pittsburgh team that knows we take care of business here we get give ourselves a buy week 18 doesn't matter win the division. I'll lay the four points with Pittsburgh. I got no problem with that.

[Damanze]

Next Buffalo minus two and a half versus Philly I think Buffalo is a.

[Nick Wright]

Lot better than Philly. They're at home. I'm only I'm laying less than a field goal. And listen Philly getting Jalen Carter and Lane Johnson back this week I think is something Philly also though they locked up the division, they're not going to be the one seed. I so it's not that I think they're not going to care, but they just, they, they have no chance of being the 1 seed. They have no chance of not winning the division. So they have a slight chance at the 3, at the 2 seed. But they can't be the 4. Philly right now cannot be the 1, 4, 5, 6 or 7. They're either no matter what happens the rest of the way, they're the two or the three seed and they are probably the three seed. So I just think Buffalo's better. Buffalo needs the game. Buffalo's at home. I'll take Buffalo and then our one.

[Damanze]

Underdog, we're taking Chicago plus three at San Francisco. This got bumped up from two, two and a half three.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah, I just think the Bears run game in the Bears offense against that Niners defense. I think they can win.

[Damanze]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

And I'm getting three full points. So the, the Bears, by the way played on Saturday. The Niners played Monday. So it's not like a mini buy. But it's a difference in that I I think the Bears can win that game outright. So my five picks are Dallas minus six and a half, Jacksonville minus six and a half, Pittsburgh minus four, Buffalo minus two and a half, Chicago plus three. Again, if you're going to bet favorites, bet them early. We are doing this on Tuesday. We are betting them early. What are you reaching for? If you're a smoker or dipper, you could be reaching for more with Zen Nicotine Pouches. When you reach for Zen, you're reaching for 10 satisfying varieties and two strengths. One. For a smoke free, spit free option that lets you lean into good times instead of stepping away for premium rewards, chances to break free from your routine and a unique nationwide community. Whatever you're reaching for, reach for it with America's number one nicotine pouch brand. Find your Zen Wherever nicotine products are sold near you. Warning. This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.

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[Nick Wright]

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[Damanze]

Boom.

[Nick Wright]

42. You're going down, Doug.

[Damanze]

Oh yeah.

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