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The Ringer Fantasy Football Show
Week 16 Preview: Tua Benched, Trevor’s Test, and the Parsons-less Packers, With Ben Solak (Plus the Tufted Titmouse)
01:26:40
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- [00:20]
A
Welcome to the Ringer fantasy football show. My name is Danny Hyper. Today I'm joined by Danny Kelly and Ben Solak. Ben back in the flesh, baby. He's back.
- [00:29]
B
They call him Discount Craig.
- [00:31]
A
They call him Walmart Holbeck Kirkland.
- [00:34]
C
Yeah.
- [00:34]
A
So Craig. Craig is on vacation, AKA benched after Monday Night Football. But so, like, you're here. The conquering hero. Honestly, man, it's just good to see you. How are you?
- [00:45]
B
It's good to see you, too. It's. It's so much is the same and so much has changed. Mostly camera quality every time. I mostly, like, listen to the pod when I'm walking around and then I'll catch the social clips. I'm always like, man, DK's face used to be so blurry, and now it is. Big face upgrade. And now it's crystal clear.
- [01:02]
C
Big face up.
- [01:03]
A
Big face upgrade. Yeah, I mean, that's the story of Darnold's career, too. Just big face upgrades everywhere for everybody. How many children have you had since we were last on this show?
- [01:10]
C
So, like, two, right?
- [01:14]
B
Yeah, well, yeah, I'm pretty sure two. Anyway, I have two total kids, so it's two or one that we're going to be positive. One of those two numbers.
- [01:21]
C
Two total.
- [01:21]
B
God. Well, yeah, no. Two little girls at home. They're the bomb.
- [01:25]
C
Awesome.
- [01:25]
B
Yeah.
- [01:26]
C
Congratulations. Officially.
- [01:28]
A
All right, so at the end of the show, we have to get into something with Craig. Craig is actually. We are doing the ringer fantasy league this year. We brought it back and Craig is Deacon. I have first run buys. Craig is in last place. Toilet bowl with Sean Finessy. And so we have to. We want to consult you on. Since Craig's not here, we want to go behind his back and consult you on tweaking Craig's punishment. We'll do that at the end. But we're going to get in all these games. Week 16. We're happy to have you, but first, we're going to take a quick break. This episode is brought to you by Ford Blue Cruise. It's not just where you're going, it's how you get there. And Ford Blue Cruise hands free highway driving technology helps make the journey more enjoyable. We took it for a test drive so we could experience the convenience for ourselves. So I tested the Ford Blue Cruise hands free highway driving technology last month, and it was amazing. I was blown away. Like, we're just on the highway and you can just hit a blinker and it just changes lanes and you can set how many car lengths ahead you want the truck to be in front of or behind the car, like how far you want it from the nearest car. It was amazing. I was. I didn't realize we were there. I felt like I was living the future. So it was. It was absolutely mind blowing. With Ford BlueCruise you arrive at your destination ready to take on whatever comes your way. But don't just take our word for it. Experience the convenience for yourself. Ford Blue Cruise Hands free highway driving for a hands on life available feature on Blue Cruise equipped vehicles. Blue Cruise requires a connected services plan and modem activation. BlueCruise Driver Assist features can be activated in hands free blue zones and do not replace safe driving and drivers need to control the vehicle. See Ford.com BlueCruise for more details on available plans and hands free models. This episode is presented by Chime Bank Smarter this season fantasy football is all about strategy. Well, here's a winning strategy for your money trade banking fees for fee free banking, 1.5% cash back getting paid when you say and a higher APY in your savings. That's a lineup that wins. Stop banking the old way. Bank smarter through Chime. Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services and the secured Chime Visa credit card provided by the Bancorp Bank NA or Stride Bank NA members FDIC optional services and products may have fees or charges details@chime.com fees info with a qualifying direct deposit earn 1.5% cash back on eligible secured Chime Visa credit card purchases. APY means annual percentage yields. Learn more@chime.com okay, so you know you're not with us here at the ringer anymore, but the more stuff changes, the more it stays the same. I want to talk to you about Tua because what else is new? The Bengals are at the Dolphins this week but the real story here, Tua is benched. We can I want to get into the future of the Dolphins. I want to get to what Quinn yours looks like in week 16. But first of all, is it I I do you just feel like Tua is just playing as badly as he's played and as he's been in a few years and the Dolphins have regressed around him or is it just is to actually getting worse either from physically from processing standpoint, like why did this happen at this point in the season for two getting benched?
- [04:32]
B
Yeah, it's. It's always like a little bit everything can be true. It's always somewhere in the middle which is what makes this discourse always so hard. Right. Like I Said this week, like, look, Tua should be bench. Like, Tua is bad. And people, well, he was good three years ago. And it's like, yes, he is worse than he was three years ago in terms of his play in a vacuum, but also a lot of it is like, in 2022 and 2023, nobody had answers to what Mike McDaniel was doing. He put 70 points on the Broncos. I wrote at the time, like, this is going to be the greatest offense in history because they're just too fast. You just whatever. And then, you know, by week 14 of that year, they had. Brandon Staley, had a good game, Mike McDonald had a good game against them, and all of a sudden, bang. The water's edge of scheme is a very real thing. Nobody can just keep that going forever. And when you run into the water's edge, you need your quarterback to elevate for you. And it's just not something that Tua has ever had. And so it is true that he, in a vacuum, is worse than he was. I think it is mostly majority the fact that the offense is really propping him up in the past seasons and you just reach a limit in how far you can prop up a guy and how far you can carry him. Tua still, though, I think is like, for sure one of the 40 best quarterbacks, probably one of the 32 best quarterbacks in football. Like, if Tua is starting for the Raiders next year, I won't think that's egregious at all. You can obviously make a really good offense around the guy. It's just you have to be cognizant of the fact that it's a very fragile build. Right. It's a very frail sort of system that he works well in and he's not going to be able to elevate for you outside of it.
- [05:49]
A
I want to pick on the numbers. Solick just said either top 40, which means good backup, or 32, which means starter. DK, do you think Tua should be the worst starting quarterback next year? And I mean, the team goes in and two is the plan, or do you think a team could be like, hey, man, if it doesn't work, it'll fall back on Tua?
- [06:07]
C
I don't think. I don't think any team is going to be excited about starting to a. I don't think it'll be maybe like a backup plan or something like that where if, If. If other things fall through, if the rookie or if, you know, the draft doesn't really work out the way that people thought they maybe they can figure out a way to get to it. I just don't think he. And I think I agree everything that Ben said and he's just basically too limited physically to have the ability to kind of like adapt to the way in the ways that he needs to adapt.
- [06:34]
A
They said that about us and then we got better cameras face upgrade.
- [06:39]
C
But yeah, I think, you know, losing Tyreek, in addition to like teams adapting to the scheme, taking away the first read, like I've said this for a while, so it feels like Tua is really good when he can hit his back foot on his drop back and get the ball out. Everything after that is like horrific.
- [06:58]
B
Yeah.
- [06:58]
C
So that's kind of the problem. And like I said, he just doesn't have the physical tools to kind of like adapt to the way that he needs to adapt. I think he's not gotten any stronger or faster as he's gotten along in the season. I also think this is just sort of off the cuff.
- [07:12]
B
I don't.
- [07:12]
C
You guys can tell me what you think. I think some of the, the mess ups he's had in the media, there's a lot of stuff where like every time you see him during blowouts on the sideline, he's like chuckling and laughing it up with his teammates. Like I think the demeanor thing has something to do with this too, like the leadership. So you know, I think this like, yeah, this is like the right move for the Dolphins in the long term. They got to figure out what to do with him in terms of his contract. But I just think they're not going anywhere with him. In addition to the fact he's like, I don't think shown the right kind of leadership for the team. Just everything he said in the media the last year has been so bizarre and strange. You see him on the sideline yucking it up and during, I just think it's like the demeanor's all off.
- [07:54]
B
They're 6 and 7 and the offense has been good over the last month, month and a half now it's been go to the running game. But it would be very easy to hide behind record and offensive numbers and say, and for this reason we're not benching Tua. If that's what McDaniel wanted to do and if that's what the locker room wanted to do, for sure you could pull it off. Nobody really wants to do that. And to me that goes to the guy, right? That goes to kind of the individual who is in the locker room, who is in Front of microphone.
- [08:16]
A
This could have been prevented if he just had social media. But he's like, well, I'm not on social media. I'm like, yeah, that's why you have no idea how bad you sound at these.
- [08:22]
B
Self awareness.
- [08:23]
A
Yeah, download it.
- [08:25]
B
That's a good take, actually.
- [08:26]
A
I like that quarterbacks don't have the luxury of big on social media. So I want to go through just these options because I don't want to get into accounting and everything. But they base. Miami has three options here now that they're going to bench him for the off season. You're either going to Russell Wilson him, you're going to Kirk Cousins him, or you're going to Brock Osweather him. And what I mean by that is either that you do what the Broncos did with these verbs. Well, you rush him, you curse him, or you Brock him. So it's like the Russ is going to take a hundred million dollars of dead cap and you split it in half over two years. You can split the numbers in creative accounting ways. Not worth going into. But it's all paperwork. It's 51 year and 50 the other. It's 60, it's 40, whatever. $100 million dead. And then option two is Kirk Cousins him, which is what the Falcons did last year, which is you look at option one, you're like, that sounds horrible. Why don't we just keep him? And then he could and it sounds insane to have a $54 million backup quarterback, but that's less crazy than paying $54 million and then having to find a backup quarterback. So that's option B is just paying a lot to have them. Maybe you cut two in 2027. That's way more palatable. And option three is the Brock Osweiler, which is when the Houston Texans signed Brock Osweiler, The Peyton Manning 2016 backup to such a crazy big deal that was so bad, immediately Houston attached a second round pick to Brock Osweiler's contract like an NBA trade and foisted him upon the Browns. And we're like the that we will literally trade you a pick for the cap space back because this is so horrible. So of those three options, I don't know, Dick, if you're the Dolphins, what would you do? I. I think cutting to a. I. My personal take is that two is not Cam Newton, this isn't a quarter or Carson Wentz even. He's not a locker room cancer can't.
- [10:01]
C
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [10:01]
A
He's not, he's not. There won't be an alpha problem if he's on the roster.
- [10:04]
B
No, there will not be.
- [10:06]
A
Like, I think Two is actually disposition wise, he's actually pretty suited probably to be in a backup quarterback, if we're being honest. I think he's like Kirk Cousins. Like, I think you keep Two on the team. I, I don't see the benefit of, of cutting him. Is there anything I'm missing with that? I'm like, you might as well keep him.
- [10:20]
C
I will. I think it's also just like it takes two to tango. Like, you know, if they, if, if they can find someone that's willing to trade for him, I think that maybe changes the discussion a little bit. I don't think that's going to be the case. I think. Yeah, I think the nice part is the Falcons did the dirty work for you and benching Kirk Cousins and, and all that stuff. Obviously he got hurt, so that was like big part of it. But they did the dirty work in sort of like taking all of our attention, taking all of our making fun of them for a solid year for all the moves that they made. And now it's like, okay, the Falcons are doing this. They're paying their backup quarterback, whatever it is, like 30 something million a year. And it's just more acceptable now, like it's more acceptable in the NFL world for this to be a thing. So I think that they probably end up keeping him as a backup. And like some, like I said, it's like, it's not. He's not. He's actually a pretty good backup to have. I just think it's like building your franchise around this guy just doesn't make sense.
- [11:15]
B
Yeah, we'll know what they're going to do once we actually know what's going to happen to McDaniel. Because like if it's, hey, McDaniel, you have one more year with a new GM to figure out the job then or to like, you know, to keep the job, then I think you lean much more so in the cut direction because the McDaniel is going to be like, you know, my team, you know, get two out of here. Like, you know, we don't want to play with them again. We want it to be different quarterbacks. Yours, Zach Wilson, whatever veteran ends up being great. If they move off McDaniel and it becomes like a whole team reload. Then I imagine you just keep him because you're thinking about the 2027 cap and the 2028 cap and you have a little bit more of like a long term perspective for when you want the dead Cap money to hit you and not hit you, they obvious have to cut Tyreek Hill. So now they're going to take on so much dead cap in 26. If they cut both Tyreek and Tua and then like the Brock, the Brocking him is like that should always be an option.
- [12:00]
C
You got Brock.
- [12:02]
A
Yeah.
- [12:02]
B
It's just. Will somebody, will somebody be the Ospiler to that Brocking? Right? Will they?
- [12:06]
A
If there's a team, it would be the jets, but they're in the same division. But the jets make the most sense to just collect more picks.
- [12:11]
B
But if anybody wants to, to take a pick off you to give you that cap space back, especially if you're keeping McDaniel and he's got one more year and you want to spend a little bit money, then yeah, go ahead and do it.
- [12:20]
A
Godspeed to the Dolphins. I feel bad to Carlos, one of our producers here, who they went on a five game winning streak. We didn't talk about the Dolphins once and then, you know, now we talk about them all the time. Sorry, that. Yeah, Quinn Ewers. We'll just see how he plays on Sunday. We can get to that then. I mean, I, I think, you know, I'm so excited.
- [12:37]
B
I can't wait. I'm really pumped.
- [12:38]
C
Wait, I'm sensing.
- [12:40]
B
I love, I love, love, love, love, love, love, love when these day three rookies have to start because then for the next four months when you and I DK are doing our draft stuff and people are like, well, what do you think about, you know, Diego Pavia from Vanderbilt coming out of the senior boy, I'll be like, look at this queen, your star. Look at these Brady Cook stars. Do you understand why it's ridiculous that I have to talk about this?
- [13:00]
A
You know, it's funny. ESPN or someone during the Heisman, I guess it must have been ESPN because before the Heisman ceremony, they posted all the pictures of all the nominees from the last 10 years. And it's so funny because outside of like two seasons, the last 10 years of Heismans, if you look up the photos, it's literally the dragons meme of the fierce dragons. And then one like derpy1 in terms of their NFL careers, obviously they're at a great college, but it's just like a bunch of like elite guys. And then you're like, oh yeah, it's like a Diego Pavi. And I'm like, it's so obvious that like Diego Pavi is that guy this year. It's like, it's just a bunch of like Christian McCaffreys. And then there's like a Toby Gerhardt is there. You know what I mean?
- [13:36]
B
Wow, that's insane. Toby Gearhart. Toby Gearhart was cooking back in the day. Daniel.
- [13:41]
A
Just saying. Okay, I want to just.
- [13:45]
C
Who's going to win this Bengals Dolphins game? Does it matter? Does anyone care?
- [13:48]
A
Probably the team without Queen ewers.
- [13:49]
B
The Bengals will win because they employed Joe burrow. Joe Burrow versus Queen ers. But who knows, man? 1800 rushing yards and 28 rushing touchdowns in Toby Gerhardt's final year at Stanford. All right. Respect on the name.
- [14:04]
C
Also it's kind of, this is going to sound bad and it sound like I'm defending Heifetz, but where did Toby Gerhardt play?
- [14:09]
B
Oh my gosh, this is so upsetting to me. He was, he was OG Stanford power. I go, no, no, no.
- [14:16]
C
I'm saying in the NFL.
- [14:17]
B
In the NFL.
- [14:18]
A
He replaced the Jaguars. I think he replaced, I, I, I'm pretty sure he replaced Matt Aada as the Vikings backup for a bit.
- [14:25]
B
Four years in Minnesota, two years in Jacksonville.
- [14:27]
A
That tells you how the brain works. I just named two white Stanford running backs with Gerhart McAffrey.
- [14:31]
B
Yeah. Bryce Lover. Very tough.
- [14:33]
A
All right, I want to get to a bunch of meaningful games here because this week is the real like split between meeting and non meaning games. But I want to just start here with the Jacksonville Jaguars are at the Denver Broncos. Jags are in a five game winning streak. Broncos are an 11 game winning streak. And I feel like this is the big boy test for Trevor Lawrence. So I'll start with you. I feel like Trevor Lawrence just, you know, honestly, three of the best four or five games of his whole career ran rough shot on the Titans and the Colts and the Jets. That's cool. Jets and Titans suck. And then now I feel like this Broncos game now is the difference between Trevor Lawrence had a great month versus Trevor Lawrence great quarterback. Going from completely changing the way that we've talked about him. Whereas even two months ago it was still kind of disappointing to Trevor Lawrence actually prompt delivering on the all the hype. So I guess my question is entering this game, do you actually think Trevor Lawrence is good enough to walk into Denver and win this game or do you think he's going to go back to saying, as Craig would say, Trevor Lawrence goes back to being a blockhead.
- [15:34]
B
He's 100% capable of it. This recent stretch of Trevor Lawrence has been extremely encouraging. The issue is that the way that Lawrence succeeds is inherently a volatile way of Doing it. You think about the greatest stretches for Mahomes and for Allen and for Lamar. One of the things that we always underappreciated, it doesn't get in the highlight reels and in the YouTube compilations is their ability to erase negatives by scrambling, by getting outside of the pocket, avoiding sacks, extending plays, finding guys underneath, outside of structure. Trevor not dissimilarly to Tua, right? Talk about the difficulties there. Trevor lands on that back foot, sees it and rips it, brother. And like from an arm talent perspective it is. There are some extremely impressive throws. From a processing perspective, there's some really, really great pre snap moments this year with like in the first half of the year when it was Brian Thomas Jr. And it was Travis Hunter who are like making up their route breaks and like, you know, they don't want to make catches over the middle of the field. It looks disastrous. You get Jacobe Myers in there and Jacoby Myers only job is to just be like the most 9 to 5 white bread missionary receiver in the world. Just hits his brakes, turns around and catches the ball and like immediately unlocks the office. It's very funny, but you're still talking about a player who right now is leading the league by a mile in the amount of his throws that are 10 to 19 yards down the field, right? He's got one of the highest tight window throw rates, you know, in the league. When he's throwing downfield as well, he just tests windows and he tests them in difficult area, difficult spots of the field. And so like I go back to that Cardinals game that he played, right? You talk about like the Colts and the Jaguars, whatever, that Cardinals game, the first like 2, 2/4 it was like, dude, Trev's got it. Like here it is. And then he threw the worst he ever saw. And we're like, frick, he's bad. And then the next drive he like ripped a touchdown of Jacoby Myers was like, dude, he's so good. And the next drive on a horrible pick, like that's just his, his, his games swing really fast, really hard the other direction. And so it's in his cards to have a wonderful game against Denver. It is also in his cards to have a disastrous travesty of a game against Denver, more so than the average quarterback. He vacillates.
- [17:33]
C
The whole time you're talking. I'm like, this just reminds me so much of Baker Mayfield. My whole bit was that like Baker Mayfield just fucking rips it. He, he rips more passes than any other quarterback. I'VE ever seen. He just loves ripping it. Wants to hit his back foot, step into that crow hop a little and just rip passes down the seam. And I feel like Trevor is the same way.
- [17:51]
B
It's.
- [17:51]
C
It's similar in the sense that you're like, he's so confidently making that terrible throw. You know what I mean? The demeanor of that throw was confident.
- [18:00]
B
But it was no way. And the thing with Trevor relative to Baker is Baker, like, always looks like he's exerting really hard. So Baker's was like big stride, big throw, like, like he gets caught by somebody. Trevor always looks so smooth, right? So Trevor would be like, you know, musical, classic music, organs, violin, drop back. Beautiful throw. He goes right to a defender and you're like, what?
- [18:18]
C
You look so. That too.
- [18:19]
B
You look so comfortable.
- [18:20]
A
This is how I feel watching Jalen Hurts versus Caleb Williams. I think Jalen Hurts exerts more energy than throwing passes away on the run than anyone. Like, Jalen Hurts has to try so hard to get the ball beyond the line of scrimmage. Kayla Williams effortlessly just puts balls like around his receiver's hands 40 yards downfield, like by the sideline. And I'm like, how are these guys doing the same thing? Why does it look so goddamn hard all the time?
- [18:43]
C
I want to talk about the Jacoby Myers thing a little bit more too, because I think that's such a great point. Exactly what you said where you're like the. Before Jacoby Myers got there. If you look at the note, the splits in terms of Trevor Lawrence's numbers before and after they traded for Jacoby Myers, it's like night and day. Trevor Lawrence has actually been like Probably a top 78 quarterback in terms of every stat you can think of since Jacoby Myers got to town. Now, of course, that's, that's against some bad teams, so you got to factor that in. But, you know, just having a receiver, that's where he's supposed to be when he's supposed to be there. Such a thing that I think we underestimate as fans that, you know, it's like all these offenses are predicated on timing. You have such short little amount of time to fit passes in between the defense and things like that. And you get, you get Myers in here is just like a veteran. He's just a pro and he's going to show up where he needs to be. So, yeah, I'm just looking at Trevor Lawrence. He's a QB2 in fantasy since Jacoby Myers got to town, 14 pass touchdowns now touchdowns helps. That certainly helps. 14 pass touchdowns which is second most. He's first in yards per attempt, first third in success rate, third and pass rating eighth in EPA for drop back since Jacoby Myers got to town. His, his completion percentage is still sub 60 which is, you know, not what you're looking for. But overall I think he's exactly what they needed. You got a couple like wild stallion type receivers in Travis Hunter and Brian Thomas Jr. So I think it's just like every receiver room has to have sort of like a different mix of guys and Jacoby Myers just seems to like pull that pull it pulls the room together in that offense, if that that makes any sense.
- [20:22]
B
It's just the sense he became a jag. He is sixth in successful receptions per targets. That's not just catches, but that's plays that were positive at epa. He is ninth in first downs for touchdown per target. Right. It's like it, the list is like Puka, jsn, Drake London and like Jaylen Coker to on Vale, like some low, you know, target guys who've had good weeks and then just Jacobe Myers, Parker. Washington's also 10th, right? Parker's the other guy who just Washington lineup hter got hurt and just behaves and that's all it does to the Jaguars offensive takeoff.
- [20:49]
A
Well, I, I, I have this Jaguar stat I like, but it's from one of those online troll accounts, you know, it's like one of them, like I don't know. So might have you heard of this guy named Steven Ruiz?
- [20:59]
B
Yeah, the Steven Ruiz.
- [21:02]
C
To clarify he's not the fake step.
- [21:04]
A
Yeah, no, Stephen had an amazing stat this week that I'm paraphrasing but basically Trevor Lawrence's EPA per drop back with Jacoby Myers on the field would lead the entire league and it's better than Drake May or Stafford. And then Trevor Lawrence's EPA per drop back when Jacoby Myers is not on the field is the same as Russell Wilson's this season.
- [21:22]
B
Jacoby Myers is both simultaneously proof that like on off splits are terrible in the NFL, we shouldn't use them. And then also proof that he's the greatest player in the world. Who knows which one's true. Mvp. Mvp maybe MVP Jacob Myers.
- [21:36]
A
That's. God, I wish I thought of that. That's good. Okay, the next thing I want to get to here. So the packers are playing at the Bears on Saturday and they played again 13, you know, 13 days ago. I so the last 18 games these teams have played where the packers are trying to Win. The Bears are 1 in 17 in their last 18, so I know they almost be. And obviously they almost beat the packers when they almost played Caleb Williams through the interception on the last play of the game. You can argue about it. If you'd thrown it earlier, maybe it was a time, whatever. It could have been a touchdown, could have been a pick. But I mean, this game of. The packers have since in the last 13 days, lost Michael Parsons to a tornado under the radar. But Evan Williams, their safety, has been playing well. Also spraying his MCL on the same play, which was funny because he was like. I looked up and there was like one trader and he's like, where is everybody? And like everyone was tending to Michael Parsons.
- [22:21]
C
Why aren't they as worried about me?
- [22:22]
A
They tossed him a water bottle. He was like, what? What the hell, guys?
- [22:25]
B
Rob some dirt on it, son.
- [22:27]
A
Hierarchy, babe. And then Zach Tom, the right tackle, also has a knee issue that he made worse last week, so he's looks like he might not play. And then Josh Jacobs and Christian Watson, running back, receiver, look like they'll like, play, but gonna suit up less than a hundred percent. I don't know, dk, like, who do you think is better right now, the Bears or the packers with all of these injuries?
- [22:47]
C
Oh, that's a good question. I. I think I'll probably still lean the Packers a little bit, but, I mean, I. I do kind of lean the Bears in this game. Yeah, it just feel. What was the record of the last, like, whatever. How many games these guys have played? The Bears are 1 in 17. They gotta win at some point, right? They're do.
- [23:05]
A
Yeah.
- [23:05]
B
Yeah.
- [23:05]
C
They're gonna. They gotta p. I don't. I never know how that works. It's like they're due. Right? Or maybe they just could never actually beat this team. I don't know. It is. It is going to be really interesting to see how different the packers defense is without Parsons, because he's just such like, a trump card for them in terms of their ability to. Especially when a team, if they're ahead late in the game, just unleash Parsons when, you know the opposing team is. Is. Is passing. And especially a team like the Bears, where they're sort of built their foundation of their offense on the run game. And if. If, you know, if they're forced to pass a lot in the end of the game, a lot can happen. Like, I like Caleb Williams. I think Caleb Williams is trending in the right direction, but a lot can happen with that guy. He's just kind of all over the place. So I think that certainly hurts them a lot and I, I think it's going to affect kind of like the game script. I think the, the Bears have a better chance of kind of like sticking with it and, and maybe even playing from a lead late in the game. So I kind of lean the Bears in this game. But I do think if I was forced to pick gun to my head, I, I think the packers are still a better team.
- [24:04]
B
Man, I like it if we do like the whole scheme nerd thing. Like oh, Michael Parsons, you know, he was double teamed so much. You got protections to go his way. Like he was integral to the scheme. The second most important packers defensive player to the scheme might be Evan Williams because Williams is like their extra fitter from depth. He's the guy who comes down as the box safety and is the additional guy and he's unbelievable against the run. He's so, so, so, so, so good. Like I think the Bears might throw the ball 13 times.
- [24:28]
C
Yeah.
- [24:28]
B
And run at 45 and just win this game because they never punt. Right. Every single drive gets across the 50. Every single drive is across the 40. They give her every single fourth down because they just move in the packers offline. Right. There's no devonte Wyatt. Also key defensive players been lost for weeks now since the Lions game. He's got, you know, season ending ir. Like I, I, I think I, I think Packer season is chalked. Like I really do. Like I, maybe they beat the Bears this week but like in the NFC with these injuries, I, I, I can't get there on the defense.
- [24:53]
A
But if like Zach, Tom and everyone Williams come back, you think it's cooked, it's just because of Parsons or cause of the amount?
- [24:58]
B
I think that I think defensively I think it's like omega chalked. Offensively. Okay. We Tom back Christian Watson, avoid a major injury. Great Josh Jacobs. Can they go flamethrower mode for four, four games in a row and win in the NFC playoffs? Like probably. But also we have like so how many times with the packers, with Jordan love, Matt Laflore, we said all right, they clearly just need to be pass happy now. They clearly need to be aggressive. It's time. And they do it for one game and we're like there it is. And then there's immediately back to just like, you know, pitter patter, four yards run the football. Jordan love one bad pick. Oh my gosh, it's the middle of the third quarter. How did this happen? Because you guys sit on It. You guys, you guys, they have no interest at any point, this packers team in going up 21 to nothing, which obviously, like, that's like, you can't do that automatically. But they're. They're not coded for it and they never have been. And so I just. I, It's. It still feels like theory to me to say like, oh, this like love his best plays lafleur. His best play calls. They can go on an absolute tear. Offensively, I don't know.
- [25:55]
C
I.
- [25:55]
B
Every time I find myself saying that, I find myself believing it less and less.
- [25:58]
A
I. I kind of agree with you. On the offense, I believe in love, but I. I think the defense, I.
- [26:03]
C
You believe in love?
- [26:04]
A
I believe in love.
- [26:05]
B
I do.
- [26:08]
A
Now Craig's gonna get FOMO because like, he's got. He's like, we're singing without Craig on the show now he's gonna be upset, I think. Wait, do it again. I couldn't hear you guys.
- [26:17]
C
Well, I was singing the. I don't remember who is the song? It's like wolf something or other. Wolf Mother.
- [26:21]
A
I believe it. I think it was wolf. Yeah.
- [26:23]
B
Uh, I did. Did you believe in life after love? I was doing share. Oh, yeah.
- [26:27]
C
Sonny and Cher.
- [26:29]
A
Sonny and Cher. Ringo Starr and Sonny and Cher. Yeah. Comedy.
- [26:33]
C
Like I.
- [26:34]
A
The Packers. I. I have to say, I. I mean, I'm not doing this to be contrarian. I do think the most hipster take you could come up with this week is that Evan Williams is going to affect the. Missing the game would affect it more than Parsons. But I do kind of think the packers run. I think the packers defense will be way more okay than people think without Parsons. I'm not trying to diminish how good he's been, but I just think that the packers are probably more suited to continue existing without him than people think. They did have a plan on defense until, like, I forget what they was treated August 29th, August 30th. I don't know. I feel like the linebackers are so good in the run game, it's still gonna be hard to go horizontal. You're right. I still think they. The combination of losing Evan Williams, filling the run, and then also just everything that they're doing on the back end to mix up coverages, which I think the coordinator, Jeff Halfley's been doing like a good job mixing up things at the right time. So I think it'll. I like when you look when I see stats like this, which is like Micah Parsons has been double teamed by offensive lineman at the highest Rate in the NFL, triple teamed at the highest rate. I'm like, okay, that's a little scary. But I kind of just think, like, I'll be fine. Like not no impact, but more fine than people think. I think this is a classic. People will be surprised when the packers defense, I think it's a classic. A week later you're like, oh, that's weird.
- [27:42]
B
I think they can get away with it for a week. I think, like Halfley comes out, right? They kind of simulated pressure. Look at how cool these designs are. Everybody's breaking out film. Twitter's breaking it down on the next day. But like, if they, if they lose in the NFC playoffs, I would be stunned if the first thing out of everybody's mouth is like, the packers team pressure rate of nine is the worst the defense has had in the NFC playoffs since like, you know, 1943. Like, it's just. They just don't have the horses. Beside after Parsons actually get after guys.
- [28:06]
A
Okay, so that's Packers, Bears. Was there anything else you want to talk about that?
- [28:11]
B
I mean, Bears, it is worth noting. Rome Adunze and Luther Burden both already out for that game. Right. And so it's going to be DJ Moore and Alameda Zacchaeus as the the receivers. Devin Duvernay is the third guy. And so again, it's going to be like three tight ends on the field. It's going to be nasty, nasty boy formations. They're going to run the bowel. I'm excited to see it.
- [28:28]
A
Fantasy purposes too. I think it's important because what you said. So like the Colson Loveland, super, you can super play him. And then I actually think if you're in desperate, like, because I think a lot of people are more desperate than I've seen actually at receiver this week because of all the receiver injuries. I think the worst player you can play this week that I actually feel okay about is Alamede Zacchaeus. Because when Burden's out and it's out, like he's just going to get passes. Like he's had a couple of brutal drops at various points that I think, you know, just naturally kind of elevated Burden over time. But I think you could play a lot of easy chaos and get a really disgusting 11 points out of it.
- [29:00]
C
That's like the galaxy brain. You're a real fantasy manager. If you start Olamide Z Keys and he gets you 14 points, that's when you can really feel good about yourself.
- [29:07]
A
I'm not saying you want to. I'm saying that if you have I have two different leagues where I have Devonte Adams and Christian Watson who's somehow going to play in this game and then also Rashid Rice who might not play because he's a concussion.
- [29:19]
C
He's still not practicing as of Thursday.
- [29:20]
A
And it's like the product, the way the protocol works, the odds are he won't play. So I'm like over my bye week where I wasn't playing. I lost three starting like that's not good. Ricky Parasol so I think a lot.
- [29:29]
B
Of people, all my totally dead best ball teams with so much round 18 Alamina, Zakia's exposure are going to cook this week. You know I'm so excited.
- [29:38]
A
We cannot have you here without talking about the Eagles select.
- [29:41]
C
So we buried the lead.
- [29:42]
A
Eagles are at Washington. Washington. There's nothing to talk about. But I'm curious where you are. I don't care that you just beat the Raiders 31 to nothing. I don't care at all. The Raiders, six of the teams they played at the best game of the year versus the Raiders. What we've been at least what I've been saying. I think you agree, dk, but correct me if I'm wrong, but where I where I'm at on the Eagles is very simple. Every time Nick Sirianni gets to hire the offensive coordinator, it's a mess. And it looks like it looks like this season and I think that this Eagles season, when things aren't perfect, is going how it went a couple of years ago. And frankly, I think this Eagles season will you'll win the rest of your games in the regular season, you will peter out in the playoffs and then over the off season, you will demote Kevin Pulo. You the Howie Roseman will hire a different offensive coordinator. Dick Sirianni will not get to do it. The offensive line will be healthier. You'll get Lane Johnson back and then because of a different coordinator who's creative and a healthier line, Jalen Hurts will magically look better and you will go right back to being a Super bowl contender.
- [30:36]
B
You only got one thing wrong, which is that the the offense coordinator will be Kevin Stefanski, who's a Philadelphia native. We already know that. It's already decided. The Browns will fire him.
- [30:44]
A
I got Beth. The Giants I just just fucking hire.
- [30:48]
B
He'll immediately become because Vic Fangio is only our defensive coordinator because he's from East Stroudsburg. Shout out 18301 and so he wanted to be back home near family. Stefan's going to be the exact same Thing. And we're just going to have the two goat coordinators while Nick's there on the sideline going, like, yeah, and Cashing Jackson winning Super Bowls, the best season ever.
- [31:07]
C
Question how different is the world going to look like that? Like the meme with, you know, the perfect meme, the world that if, like, how different is the world going to look if the tush push is banned this offseason? Which it will be.
- [31:20]
B
I mean, like, they'll just sneak it like a regular team. Right.
- [31:25]
A
It's exciting.
- [31:26]
B
It's. I, I agree. It should be banned. I agree. I, I find it very funny that it hasn't been banned. I find all the discourse around it hilarious. It's so good because, like, the best part about the tushbush ban thing is like, it always becomes a item of discussion. Like in like the second week of May, whenever the owners meetings are. I don't know what they are. And it's always like, you know, you go, you turn into Sports center and they're like, the NBA Western Conference finals is going to a game six. But first we have Adam Schefter here.
- [31:53]
C
To talk about golf club.
- [31:55]
B
Yeah, it's. It's how, it's how funny it owns the offseason narrative cycles relative to other sports. Like is, you know, will show he Otani if you traded to the Dodgers or sign with the Dodgers. And also Nick Sirianni opens up by the judge push.
- [32:10]
C
Nick Sirianni drinking some orange juice at the breakfast, threatening all the.
- [32:14]
A
Like Shane Sten and Jonathan Gannon like it was a protection racket. Like, you guys know why you got jobs. I know. You better vote it.
- [32:23]
B
Listen, they, they'll sneak it and they'll be good at sneaking it and whatever. Like wall for getting a year soak.
- [32:28]
A
After the Chargers Monday Night Football game versus the Eagles where we got on, obviously it was the game where Jalen Hurts had the however many turnovers, two in one play. And we get on the show and DK is like, I'm so glad we don't have to pretend that Jaylen Herz is like, good anymore.
- [32:42]
C
Oh, that's not exactly what I said.
- [32:43]
B
We do because if we, if we say something like that on the Internet, we get yelled at by a lot of people. And here's what I say. Don't say those things on the Internet.
- [32:50]
C
Here's actually what I said, if I'm remembering correctly. I said, I no longer have to defend him. I don't have to. I don't have to pretend I'm not going to pretend anything. I just. I don't have to defend him anymore when. Because, like, basically the. The whole thing with. With Jalen Hurts has been for the last few years. It's like, look, he's very, very clearly limited in a lot of different ways, but he works really well in the Eagle system. Like, what they do on offense, the way that they run their offense, the way that they play ball, control, he doesn't turn the ball over. All that stuff is like just a perma. Caveat. I just have to. I have to express that caveat every time I talk about Jalen Hurts. Even though, like, most of the time I'm just, like, super frustrated watching what I'm watching with him now. I'm just not going to do that anymore because he turned the ball over five times when. And lost me my fantasy matchup.
- [33:34]
A
I just think Jalen Hurts is what we thought Tim Tebow would be. Honestly, I. I just. I just feel like. And what I mean by that is all Jalen Hurts has ever done in his entire career from college on is play with the most busy winning. Yeah. Play with the most stacked rosters imaginable and win at every level. Like, it's all he's done his entire life. And.
- [33:52]
B
And. And espouse platitudes.
- [33:54]
A
And espouse platitudes. And it's like you want to argue it's with the results. You're like, well, what if someone else. And it's like, okay. But all he's done is win and succeed at every possible thing. Also, his rosters have been comically good. And it just becomes like this weird meta argument.
- [34:08]
B
Yeah. But it should be. Yeah, it should be very easy to talk about him because the vast majority of NFL quarterbacks also fall into this general bucket of. My team can be very good when the team around me is better, and my team will be quite bad when the team around me is not as good. I am to some degree a slave to my environment. Like, that is. Not only is it like a vast majority of quarterbacks, but this year has really been a year of like, oh, shoot, Lamar Jackson might still be in this bucket. Patrick Mahomes might also be in this bucket.
- [34:36]
C
Right.
- [34:36]
B
Like, the fact that we have to, with every individual quarterback act like we have no idea that context affects how well they play. And like, yes, Jalen looked better than he actually is last year because context is very good and looks worse this year than he did last year. So context is now is not bad. The fact that we have to pretend like that's a riddle despite the fact that every single quarterback's life in the league tells us that that's the case is very funny because it's all just like you know to protect ourselves you know from angry fan bases mostly. But this is not a Broncos conversation.
- [35:03]
C
Oh oh good segue.
- [35:07]
B
Well we already talked about that.
- [35:08]
A
I'm going to make you do it. They talk about we we were all negative on Bonix. I me probably the the most because.
- [35:14]
C
I just called him Boomer.
- [35:15]
A
Called the Boomer bow which made me slanted. What is your actual take on Bodix Select?
- [35:20]
B
Yeah, Bonix is like a fine rookie starting quarterback been my take from the jump right. Like when we did the draft process I didn't mind a Bonix at all. Like you know I didn't think that he was going to be the 12th overall pick. I thought that was a dramatic overdraft. But like I as far as like okay the quarterback six one of the better quarterback six we've seen in terms of every draft class and yeah you can get starting caliber play out of the guy now the out of Oregon it was oh you know, doesn't throw down the field. Everything's behind line of scrimmage. He gets to Denver. A huge part of their offense has been throwing the ball behind line of scrimmage. His accuracy 20 plus yards downfield is the worst of all quarterbacks since he entered the league remains that to this day. There are games which he connects on three go balls I. E this packers game and you get a Cortland sun touchdown, you get a Corn sun four into conversion, they win the game. There's also game three misses them egregiously right. And sometimes Denver still wins those because the defense is really good and their special teams is quite good and yada yada yada again everything we said about context. So BO is not bad at all. And having BO as a rookie contract starter is a great spot to be in as a team. Evidently they are extending everybody, right? You saw Malcolm Roach just got a deal from them right. Like every Wattenberg right the center. Like they have so much money because they have a rookie rookie starter quarterback who is consistent and reliable. And Barkas he was Boomer Bug, he's an older player. When we get to contract time they go do the same thing the Dolphins did with tua. I think we all know how that story is going to end at some point in that second contract but for right now go win yourselves a Super bowl with a rookie quarterback contract. That's how it's Supposed to work at.
- [36:38]
C
One point in the season. And I. This is acknowledging that Bo's been playing really well. And obviously, I echo everything. So, like, saying it's like, they have a chance to win the Super Bowl. Like, you know, that's what you're going for. There was one point in the season where I was like, you could just. You can make it. The story of the Broncos season is just a supercut of all the receivers diving for, like, way too far. Bo Nix is like, deep balls. Like, there were so many moments in the first half of the season where, like, they're just laying out full on, like, full extension dives for these, like, overthrow passes out to wide open receivers.
- [37:11]
B
This game he played against the packers was, without question, the game of his career. And, like, if you do that every single week, I'll start talking about you differently every single week. But this is what he's been for most of his career has been, right? That player with the inconsistent accuracy. And so if he's got a new level unlocked, and we see that over December and in January, now it's a different conversation. But it's one game. And like, I. You know, nobody should change their opinion on a quarterback based off of just one game.
- [37:30]
A
It's kind of fun, though. But now his feet.
- [37:33]
B
I'm about to say there are a lot of people who make a lot of money. Like, quarterback, I just won game. Yeah.
- [37:37]
A
Yeah, his. Yeah. Bo's feet were a mess earlier in the season, and they're calming down, but it's a window to the mind the. The one. One other game. Cause I know you got to go see. So, like, the. The game we have to hit here is Monday night Football is. The San Francisco 49ers are at the Indianapolis Colts. And I want to hit this game for one reason and one reason only. It's because something was bothering me this week, and it. And I figured it out this week, which is I was trying to remember after all these super cuts were going around of when Philip Rivers is cursing, he's like, gosh dang it. He's, like, really getting after people, but he won't. And I realized it reminded me of you.
- [38:11]
B
That's very. That's very meaningful.
- [38:13]
A
I appreciate that someone who's, like, actually pretty good at talking trash, but, like, doesn't curse, so it's actually, like, way better trash talk when someone runs disarming you.
- [38:22]
C
Wait, what do I do with this?
- [38:23]
A
It's very disarming. And so I wanted to either off the cuff, or I will literally Send you things. Can you just do a Philip Rivers cursing impression? Like screaming at a defensive lineman?
- [38:31]
B
Oh, he had something. Oh, my gosh. There was something he said in. In the mic'd up this week that was so funny. And I was like, I have to add this to my lexicon, and I can't remember what it was. I'll find the. I'll find the mic that. I'll send you guys later. It was killing me, right? But no, it's always right. He's always like, you know, like, he'll again, like, right. You get, like, the face of, like, you know, some enormous Steven's tag. Like, we got your boys jammed up. You're jammed up good. And you're like, that's not even. That's not even an intimidating thing. But it's because he's got the draw and, like, the bluster going on. You're like, yeah, man, you do got a shammed up good, dude.
- [39:02]
A
They get, like, stopped on a third. He's like, gosh dang it.
- [39:05]
B
Yeah, absolutely.
- [39:08]
A
The unironic dad gummet is actually. It's. It's unbelievable.
- [39:12]
C
There was a good, super cut going around this week where it was from his whole career. It wasn't from just this week, but it was basically like him yelling at Ron Torbert like, Like a bunch of times. He's like, ron, Ron, Ron, what down is it? Third down, third down. It's just like. And then there was another one that was memorable where I think he got knocked over, I want to say, from Gawk Way. Oh, yeah, that's who it was. And he basically, he's like, 97 yard touchdown, and he's like, yelling right in his ear. And then Yannick and Gakway was like, dude, what? I just helped you up? Like, chill, man. He's just classic. I just, like, I miss all the days I got.
- [39:54]
B
I got. I got it. He said, it aggravates the stew out of me. This was when he was with the Colts. It was. This wasn't. It wasn't in 25 was when he was most recently with the Colts because, like, Jacoby's on there, whatever. And he was talking to his quarterbacks coach. He's like, man, it aggravates the stew out of me. And I was like, I don't know what that means, but it's provocative. All right. It gets the people going.
- [40:12]
C
You got to write that down.
- [40:13]
A
Oh, it's incredible.
- [40:16]
C
They got to bring Jay Cutler back out of retirement, the 49ers or whoever.
- [40:21]
B
Interesting thing to say. After they got a.
- [40:25]
C
Whoever. Whoever's. Whoever they're playing.
- [40:27]
A
I don't know if there's any quarter. Like, of all the quarterbacks, I think that saw Phil Rivers, I think all the old guys, like, I'm talking, not just Tom Brady and Cam Newton, who. Or, you know, Roethlisberger talked about it. Even, like, freaking Ryan Fitzpatrick. Like, I. Even Kurt Warner was probably like, I bet I could do that. The only quarterback, I think, that watched Phil Rivers last week and was like, nope. Was Jay Cutler. I don't think he has any interest. I don't think he would do it if they called.
- [40:51]
C
Did he have interest when he was in the league?
- [40:52]
A
Very little.
- [40:54]
C
Yeah.
- [40:54]
B
Jake Plummer owns a shrooms company, so he was watching, being like, man, I didn't know Philip Rivers was purple. Like, this is unbelievable.
- [41:02]
A
Jake Plummer figured out life. Jake Plummer knew what to do with, like, $60 million.
- [41:06]
B
Jake Plumber's cooking, man. He's having a good time.
- [41:09]
A
Niners, Colts, anything in this? Honestly, I kind of just saw it. Do you remember where you were when you saw that Rivers was going to start this game last week?
- [41:16]
B
I would, yeah. I mean, like, I was in my office because it's just like, you know, you're working and stuff.
- [41:20]
A
It's a boring answer. Maybe if you cut that.
- [41:22]
B
That was. Yeah. Like, I was on the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. Like, what do you mean? It was. I got two kids here. I was at home.
- [41:29]
A
All right, TK Bail me out. I don't know. I don't ever leave my house.
- [41:32]
B
What are you talking about?
- [41:34]
C
I was actually gonna ask that. I was like, you have two young kids. Can you imagine having ten and a grandchild?
- [41:40]
B
It's crazy because when we had one kid in this house, there was one kid in this house. And now we have two kids in this house. And there's like, twice kids in this house, dude. Like, it's like. It's way more than twice as many kids. Yeah.
- [41:51]
C
The math doesn't work exactly. It's like eight times as much.
- [41:54]
B
Yeah. The compounding interest of the exponential, dude. Like, I can't imagine.
- [41:58]
A
Because there's probably a middle ground where there's no man's land, like six.
- [42:02]
B
Where at that point, at some point, it probably. Right logarithmic curve. It probably, you know, settles eventually get older, Right?
- [42:08]
C
They get older, and then they sort of are surrogate babysitters or whatever.
- [42:12]
B
I'm looking forward to that day where I'm just like, hey, manage yourself. And she's like, yeah, I'm on it. Don't worry about it.
- [42:17]
A
Yeah, get a job. All right. So, Lech, before we get out of here, we have an important thing for you. So we did. I have to say, we. We were. We really innovated. We changed the fantasy football game this year. I think we have a perfect format for fantasy football, where obviously there's an issue with punishments that I think gets harder as you get older, where it's hard to get 10 or 12 people to agree on a punishment, where the spectrum of what some people find embarrassing or effortless, whereas some people won't. Will never do it.
- [42:44]
C
And they're like, I'm not doing that.
- [42:45]
A
Yeah, it's hard to get people.
- [42:46]
B
I'll quit the league.
- [42:47]
A
Especially when you get. Yeah, kids. DK's. Like, you think I'll spend 24 hours at a Waffle House? I have a child, like, and it gets hard.
- [42:54]
B
Bring the child to the Waffle house.
- [42:55]
C
Imagine having 24 hours of free time.
- [42:58]
B
True.
- [42:58]
C
So can you even imagine that?
- [43:01]
A
So I. What we decided to do this year in the ringer league was we had everyone pick their own punishment. So it's like we had 12 punishments, and you could draft them in a round of the draft. So if you worried you, like, some people were, you reach in, like the 11th round, instead of taking, like, another receiver, you're like, I will just do this easy one. And then it's about how much you trust yourself.
- [43:21]
C
Yeah.
- [43:22]
A
If you're not afraid, then you wait till the last round and you take like a, you know, shave your eyebrows like Vanilla Ice.
- [43:27]
C
And anyway, that was mine.
- [43:29]
A
Yep. Well, you and Fennesee had the light eyebrows. So anyway, here are the two.
- [43:32]
C
Yeah, you can barely see my eyebrows.
- [43:34]
B
Yeah.
- [43:34]
A
Here are the two punishments remaining. So Bill unfortunately escaped, but so Sean Fennesy, if he comes in last, has to wear a headband for an entire episode of the Big Picture. But he cannot address it. He cannot acknowledge who chooses the headband. We choose the headband. But we're hoping he does this during Oscar season. And he's going to be, like, interviewing, like, Michael B. Jordan about sinners. And he's gonna have to just be, like, wearing a LeBron James Cavaliers era headband.
- [44:00]
B
Oh, I was thinking, like, full 80s Karate Kid headband.
- [44:02]
C
That's what I think.
- [44:04]
B
Several inches of thickness. Yeah.
- [44:06]
A
Oh, my God. So, but here's the question. So Craig weaseled his way out of it. And, like, because if you. Craig doesn't drink coffee, or he does sometimes Craig drinks Matcha. And so Craig's thing is the most bore. I know, right? Oh, ceremony, ceremonial grade, macho. Like that means anything. He gets all defensive about it. My. Please, sir.
- [44:28]
B
The grading of Matcha is by ceremony.
- [44:30]
A
Let me tell you something. It's fake.
- [44:31]
C
And I. Ceremonial grade.
- [44:33]
A
It's all made up. It's like, it's like, it's.
- [44:35]
C
It's like the thing.
- [44:37]
A
It's a real thing that, like, it's like organic. That used to mean something and then now it means nothing.
- [44:43]
B
Okay. Anyway, Googling this.
- [44:45]
A
Oh, so looking at ceremony graded matcha. So here's what we're thinking. We could make Craig go for a week without Matcha. I don't know if that's very good for content. Part of me is like, what's he going to do? I have an Instagram every day of like, hey, I'm not drinking Matcha.
- [44:56]
B
Look at me not drinking much.
- [44:57]
A
I think instead, we should tweak this. I think we should tweak it to. He has to drink a large black coffee every day. And I know that he hates coffee now.
- [45:09]
B
I agree. We should do something to his tummy that's integral. The large black coffee is good. I. My thing was we should make him drink non ceremonial grade matcha and then.
- [45:18]
C
Oh, like, the crappiest matcha you can find Matcha ever.
- [45:21]
B
Because, like, as somebody who really loves coffee and has never had matcha, if you were like, you have to have matcha for a week, I'd be pretty quick like, okay, like, I will just try this and learn how this feels. Like, whatever. But if you were like, hey, like, only instant coffee. Like, I have, like, you know, like, bougie coffee and like, the grinder or whatever.
- [45:34]
C
Yeah, yeah.
- [45:35]
B
If you're like, all right, only instant coffee and like, but you have to drink it at the same quantity you were drinking it, it's just going to suck in terms of quality. That would piss me off. I would not want to lose the game.
- [45:43]
C
That's a good. I like that. That's a good.
- [45:45]
A
We have to tweak.
- [45:46]
B
Clear. I only learned about Macha's grades, like, four minutes ago, so this might not be as big of a burn as I'm thinking.
- [45:51]
A
It's disappointing because the whole point was, like, if you took. If Bill or Mallory got stuck with no caffeine for a week, it would be like, it would have impacts on the company. Like, the entire company would feel the reverberations of Bill or Mal not having coffee for a week for years to come.
- [46:04]
B
Yeah.
- [46:05]
A
People talk about it for for eons, Craig getting it was like super lame. So we have to tweet emails that ring your face.
- [46:11]
C
The irony of, of our great new rule and how proud we are of it is that if Craig ends up losing, it's like actually really boring.
- [46:18]
A
I think we need to assign other people.
- [46:21]
C
We need better. We need a better one.
- [46:22]
A
Yeah, we need.
- [46:23]
B
I'm gonna say, have you consulted Liz? No, but.
- [46:26]
C
No, I think she support him.
- [46:28]
B
Yeah, Liz is worth a text here. Liz will know where it hurts.
- [46:31]
A
That's a good.
- [46:32]
C
Okay.
- [46:32]
A
Yeah, maybe we will. I'll text her. It's a good idea. Solar email serving a Fantasy Football gmail.com if you have thoughts on what we should do, Craig's punishment and email if you have thoughts about solex Bill, Nick's tape. What's your, what's your ESPN email now?
- [46:48]
B
Solak daniel kelly.com benjamin.solag sbn.com there's nothing you can say to me that Broncos fans haven't already said to me. I've heard it all. Every single thing. I tweet, write, publish, say on a podcast these days. I get one of two responses. It's Lions fans reminding me that I didn't like Jameer Gibbs at 12. Get over it, boys. It's been three years. And then it's Broncos fans reminding me that I thought Bo, Nick's rookie, the first month of his rookie season wasn't good.
- [47:17]
C
People don't forget.
- [47:19]
B
They should go outside, look at a bird, stop remembering things.
- [47:24]
C
Oh, so like, by the way, before you go, you're going to love this. My son Calvin, we have these bird cards, index cards, and he has memorized an entire package. I'm not kidding. It's like 200 cards of different birds and he has them all memorized.
- [47:38]
B
Which birds are you showing him? You showing him good birds?
- [47:40]
C
I'm showing him they're all the birds. There's like 17 different kinds of yellow.
- [47:44]
B
Belly bull in the building. Do you have a, do you have a bearded vulture? Do you have a harpy eagle?
- [47:49]
C
There's American coot in there. There's a family friendly shell. There's a harrier, northern harrier.
- [47:56]
B
Harriers are cool.
- [47:57]
C
There's probably like six or seven different kinds of wren, six or seven different kind of thrush. He knows them all.
- [48:03]
B
This is excellent. I would like a video.
- [48:05]
C
I'll send it to you.
- [48:06]
B
Lydia is obsessed with, with the bird feeders and seeing the birds. So if there's. She'll be sitting in her chair and she sees the bird feeder out the window. It's in the bush. It's like she sees it through the lilac bush. And she'll like, bird, bird, bird, bush, bush, bush. And you're like, yeah. And then the bird leaves and then she's like, more. And it's like, homie, like, I, I can't. The feeders are full.
- [48:24]
C
They're just not here.
- [48:25]
B
They're not. And then she gets very upset. She's more bird, more bird, more bird. So I have to go. I have to buy birds, train them. They got to live outside and live in the bush.
- [48:36]
C
The things we do.
- [48:37]
A
Oh, my God. All right. So, like, thank you for coming on. We appreciate it. I might make you send us two warblers and a lie or something for the Sunday episode or something.
- [48:45]
C
That's a good bunch of birds.
- [48:46]
B
But I would be honored.
- [48:48]
C
The tufted, tufted titmouse got to be my favorite tufts.
- [48:52]
B
Now, if you hear the call, Peter, Peter, Peter, Peter, Peter. That's the tufted titmouse call. That's a classic northeast Pennsylvania bird we love. That's a Tim house. I saw a red breasted nut hatch the other day. I was fired up.
- [49:01]
C
Get out.
- [49:03]
B
All right.
- [49:03]
A
Peace Select. Thank you. This episode is brought to you by United Airlines. Flying just got easier with the United Airlines app. Get real time flight updates like a live countdown clock to boarding, even if your screen's locked, as well as play by play directions through the airport with a personalized map. And if you want to make a game time decision and go home early or stay longer, there are no fees to change your flight. Get the united app@united.com app no fees to change your flight. Excludes basic economy. Applies to flights originating in the US Fare difference may apply. This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn ads. The best B2B marketing gets wasted on the wrong people. So when you want to reach the right professionals, use LinkedIn ads. LinkedIn has grown to a network of over 1 billion professionals, including 130 million decision makers. And that's where it stands apart from other ad buys. You can target your buyers by job title, industry, company role, seniority, skills, company revenue. So you can stop wasting budget on the wrong audience. It's why LinkedIn Ads generates the highest B2B return on ad spend of all online ad networks. Seriously, all of them. Spend $250 in your first campaign on LinkedIn ads and get a free $250 credit for the next one. Just go to LinkedIn.com/ringer fantasy that is LinkedIn.com/ringer Fantasy terms and conditions apply. The world of Avatar will change forever this Friday. Discover why Avatar Fire and Ash is being hailed as bigger, better and more emotional than ever. And the best one yet. Avatar Fire and Ash in theaters, IMAX and 3D screens everywhere this Friday. Get tickets now. This episode is brought to you by McAfee. Game days can be hectic, which is why having McAfee watching your back just makes sense. From checking stadium bag policies to scouting player stats, safe browsing alerts you to risky or unsafe sites faster than a ref throws a flag. Visit mcafee.com online protection today to get award winning online protection for just 3999 your first year. Cancel anytime Terms apply. Okay, we're going to go through the rest of these games here. There's some games here that are so disgusting a spared solac from them. So starting with the main meaningful game that I think is when you look at it will look and feel and sound like a disgusting meaningful game. But DK the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers, which is one of the worst divisions, kind of on the line games I could I can really remember. This is pretty. Yeah, it's pretty horrific.
- [51:53]
C
This is the worst division in football. I think I saw somebody tweet the other day the the like what is it? The point differential for all the different teams in all the divisions. The NFC south is like by far the worst. So this is like for some of the marbles this is to win the division. Technically the Panthers have had one of the weirdest seasons I've ever seen. They in their last two games they beat Matt Stafford in the Rams and then lost to Tyler Schuck and the Saints. So what are they? I don't know. And then meanwhile I think the Buccaneers are a pretty good team that's just been really hurt all year and they're starting to get some of their guys back. It wouldn't surprise me if they start to kind of finished the year strong. Because of that they're getting some of their playmakers back. Bucky Irving is back off a long term injury. Mike Evans is back off a long term injury. Chris Godwin I think seems to be integrating himself more into the offense now. He looks more like his old self. Amica Buka is like a really solid number three at this point. Like the number of snaps he's playing, all that. And then Jaylen McMillan is also back. So the Buccaneers offense feels more like its old self and I just don't know what to make of this Panthers team. What I Do know is the buccaneers have won 11 of the past 13 matchups with the Panthers. So I like the bucks.
- [53:08]
A
Yeah. I think it says something that the Buccaneers. This is, I would say unequivocally, and I don't think Buccaneers fans would argue with this. I think this is unequivocally the worst Buccaneers team in like at least seven seasons. And yet if the Buccaneers beat the Panthers this week, they have a 95% chance of making the playoffs, which I think just speaks to how bad the NFC south is that the Buccaneers, they did fall off and they're still going to win this division because that's how bad it is. Honestly, we could just move on. I mean, there's so little. It's like these. You know what's so funny? This is the only. We keep saying parody. Any team could win a playoff game. We wouldn't be surprised. Except these teams. The Panthers, obviously, no one would pick. And even the Buccaneers, like, these are the two worst teams that will make the playoffs.
- [53:46]
B
Yeah.
- [53:47]
A
And it's, yeah, whatever. The other game, that's pretty, I think Steelers Lions is interesting. I, I the line still these. It's so funny. I mean, the Steelers, I think we all acknowledge like the Aaron Rodgers is playing better, probably like the best stretch of his season. DK Metcalfe's getting a little more integrated. The, the tight end thing seems to be working. Kenneth Gainwell, Jalen Warren. It's non traditional. Feels like the Steelers, the physicality, it's built to win. And as the weather gets colder, you know what I mean, it's like, man, Darnell Washington's at left tackle, 310 pounds. That's running routes. And yet 41% of their drives go three and out.
- [54:22]
C
Yeah.
- [54:23]
A
And they stabbed T.J. watt in the lungs.
- [54:26]
C
Oh, yeah. That, that actually was a thing. Right? That's what happened.
- [54:28]
A
Yeah. I mean, it's, we're being dramatic. It was like dry. It's like acupuncture or dry needling or whatever. So like. But having said that, it went wrong enough that the man was hospitalized, but yeah, collapsed lung.
- [54:36]
B
Yeah.
- [54:36]
A
Yeah. That's not great.
- [54:38]
C
So when I think about these two teams, I feel like they're on the complete opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of style. I know that both of the teams believe sort of like in that smash mouth balance and all that stuff, but the Lions are just like explosive plays. Pure sex, pure speed. You know, everything that you think of, like you want to watch an offense. And then the Steelers are so like the opposite. They're like, matriculate down the field, you know, pass to the running backs and to let them pick up a few yards. You know, they're like. They're running fewer receiver routes than any other team. Their whole passing offense is basically through one receiver and then a bunch of tight ends and the running backs. It's just, to me, like, stylistically, these teams couldn't be further apart. And it helps a lot. I think, that the Lions are at home in this game because, like you said, the Steelers are built to win sort of in the snow in January when, you know, it's like terrible weather and windy and all that stuff. And the Lions are more like a finely tuned sort of sports car. But they're.
- [55:35]
B
They're at.
- [55:36]
C
They're indoors in Detroit. I don't know, this just feels, like, tilted towards Detroit quite a bit.
- [55:41]
A
And I was going to say, I think fantasy wise, DK Metcalf's been hard to know whether to play him. I think. I mean, at this point, you should play Kenneth Gainwell, which is incredible.
- [55:47]
C
But I. I know Chuck Inwell's, like, quietly been one of the best running backs the last, like, three weeks.
- [55:52]
A
I think Rogers trusts him, which is like 80% of the value of 80% of what you need to be successful in an Aaron Rodgers offense is. Aaron Rodgers is like. He'll be where I need him to be when I need him to be there. I like this guy rolling through here. I think the last game that's kind of truly interesting is the Patriots are at the Ravens on Sunday Night Football. First of all, of course, Lamar Jackson's sick again. Can we get him shot? What is going on?
- [56:15]
C
He's worse than, like, a kid in daycare, man. It's crazy.
- [56:18]
A
He actually, at this point, it's. It's. We're years and years removed from it already being a thing. I don't know how this guy gets. He's the only quarterback that gets the flu every freaking year. It's unbelievable. The irony is him being sick again is I think Lamar looks healthier. And I know that the Ravens beat the Bengals 24 to nothing, but I. I think the Ravens offense, I'm torn because part of me thinks they're closer to being them than they have been since week one, where I think Derek Henry has been really close to breaking off a couple big runs and he's getting pulled down at the end. But Keaton Mitchell has been getting big plays. Like, I'm not quite there on the passing offense, but I don't know, man. I feel like Lamar looks healthier and I do think the running game has been better recently than it may seem on the surface.
- [57:00]
C
Yes, I think that's true. I think at one point in the season, maybe it was before the season, I can't remember, we were talking about how they're like the best team that I absolutely don't trust at all. And I think now Baltimore is morphed into just a team that I don't think is good. And I don't trust them either. Like, you know what I mean? Like there. If you look at some of the numbers this year, I understand that they've been hurt, they've been having injuries, and Lamar has been in and out and all that stuff. But, like, if you look at some of the numbers, man, they're like middle. They're middling in a lot of it. They are 15th in DVOs, like right in the middle, 15th on offense, 18th on defense, 10th on special teams. They're 22nd in the passing game for DVOA, you know, 14th in points per game, 22nd in success rate, 25th in turnovers, 21st and turnover margin, 23rd and three in outrate. It's hard to find stats that kind of point to a good team at this point. And I understand, like, that is all the caveats with, you know, the injuries along the way, but even when Lamar's been back, they just haven't looked. What is their identity? I think, I think what, what are they good at?
- [58:05]
A
I think it's a couple things. I, I hesitant to draw too many conclusions from the season when Lamar has just not been right, healthy. And I, But I think that my, my. I guess my short version is I think that the Ravens tried to do at guard what the Eagles succeeded at doing at tackle. Like, the Eagles. Jordan Mylotta, who's the right tackle for the air. Sorry, the left tackle for the Eagles is one of the best left tackles in the NFL. He's an experiment. He was like a seventh round pick or an undrafted. I forget that. Had never played football. He was a rugby player. And the Eagles have the best offensive line coach, one of the best ever in Jeff Stoutland, who taught Jordan Mylotta to play left tackle after having never played football. And it's an experiment, and that's the word. And it worked. And I think the Ravens tried to do this at guard and they tried to do some like quirky stuff at guard. One of their guards is Andrew, I always get his name wrong. Andrew Voorhees, who is a very, very high prospect who I Believe tore his Achilles at the combine.
- [59:02]
C
Yeah, I think that's right.
- [59:03]
A
They were like, oh, well, this is an opportunity. And they drafted him, like, you know, obviously plummeted in the draft. And they're like, well, we'll give him a medical red shirt year as a rookie, and then we'll play him at guard. And it's like an experiment, if that would work. And then the other guard is Daniel Falale, who is the biggest guard in the history of the league. He is, like, 380 pounds and 6 foot 8, and he's basically, like, the biggest guard that's ever played football. And they both aren't very good. And Daniel Falali is probably one of the worst guards in the entire league because he just. He's too big and he's not that talented. But, like, the Ravens took two crazy swings where the upside on these guys was crazy high, and they both. And they both just struck out. And so their guards suck on a team that's supposed to be a vertical rushing team, where it's supposed to be Lamar and Derrick Henry. And it's like, oh, we're. Look at this. We're going to do read options. Yeah. And so they can't really seem to have a vertical running game because their guards kind of suck. And part of me wonders if it's as simple as, well, the guards suck. And then Lamar got hurt, and then every time he got back, he got a different injury because he kept getting tackled. And then eight of their top 11 defenders got hurt in week one. And I'm like, it's that simple.
- [60:10]
C
I mean, that's all very true, but at the end of the day, like, what are they now? What. What kind of team are they? By the way, Voorhees, he tore his ACL at the combat. Sorry.
- [60:18]
A
Yeah, he's. Thank you.
- [60:21]
C
I think you just want to just watch them. It just. They feel so toothless in terms of their offense. Like, when Lamar is not on time, they kind of, like, runs around a bunch and gets sacked. Like that is it just. When I'm picturing their offense, it's. That's.
- [60:34]
A
That's what it is at the end of the. I hate to hate to be this guy, but I look at this game. Patriots, Ravens. And I hate to say it, but it just feels like the Patriots are winners and the Ravens are kind of losers right now. Like, I just feel like you could, like, look at all the X's and O's and be like, well, the Ravens should win this game, but the Ravens should have won a lot of games and I'm just looking at I'm like I New England is so much less talent but I just kind of feel like the Patriots will win and like something that concerns me about and I know the Ravens just shut out the Bengals, right. But something that concerns me is they the Ravens traded Adafe Away, their pass rusher and a contract year for a lowy Gilman that he's the guy who just got the ball in the handoff for the touchdown adopt. He went to the Chargers and obviously the Harbaughs are brothers but also the guys running the Chargers front office all work came from the Ravens. So they know that team better than anyone other than the Ravens and they traded for Dafa away. Dafa away has seven sacks in the nine games since he came over the best stretch of his career. I don't think it's a good sign for the defense and defensive coordinator Zach Orr for the Ravens that the people who were he just worked with for six years were like, well he's being used wrong and then they just got him and then immediately is the best stretch of his career. That's not good that the people who were just in that building were like yeah, we'll take him and he's going to have the best stretch ever. I that's super concerning to me that they know how to use the players better.
- [61:50]
C
So after all that said does are the Ravens just going to kick the shit out of the Patriots in this game or what?
- [61:55]
A
I think that there's a rule that if I criticize a team for long enough that they're going to win. That's.
- [61:59]
C
I know. That's how I feel like I feel so not confident in the Ravens right now. Which means they'll probably win or something. You know what I mean? Like because the Patriots are playing really well. You know, obviously they gave up the lead in that last game, but overall came away pretty impressed with them against the Bills. But yeah, I don't know what to think. But this is actually I think there's a good matchup. I think it's a fun matchup.
- [62:22]
A
Yeah.
- [62:22]
C
You know, I can't say enough good things about what Drake May has done this year on the other side. Do we have to. Do we want to say more? Because he's just been awesome. But yeah, I mean the Ravens, I think of all the teams that have been a disappointment this year, I think the Ravens are the top of my list.
- [62:39]
A
I mean they were literally the super bowl favorites and they might not miss make the Playoffs. So, yep, yep, Raiders are at the Tech. These, these are games now where it's like one team that's contending, but Raiders are at the Texans. Obviously you're not. I mean, this is brutal. I mean, fantasy. This is brutal, too. I mean, the Raiders are horrific. I mean, the Texans have won six straight games and the Raiders first team to be shut out twice in a season since the 2000 Browns, which were an expansion team, basically. Raiders have more games with less than eight first downs in a game than the rest of the league combined this year.
- [63:07]
C
I mean, what do you think the odds are the Raiders get shut out again?
- [63:11]
A
It's higher than winning maybe. Like, if you look, this is the best defense. I think you're going to play Brock Bowers because he's Brock Bowers and there's no way you can tight end better. I mean, how many running backs would you play ahead of Genty? Because, like, I think this is. I think if you want to bench Ashton Genty, like, this team's been shut out twice now. They're playing the Tanks ins. Like I. We have Genti ranked pretty low. We have. I mean, but I have no problem if you don't want to play it. We have Genti behind Rico Daddle this week and I don't. I don't know. You have confidence playing Ashton Genty, right?
- [63:42]
C
I think the only problem is it's like, do you have anyone better? I actually have Genti, I think, in the ringer. The ringer league. And I'm like, man, I don't know what to do with him. But are you going to play him? I think I have to. I don't think I have.
- [63:56]
A
Like, why do you have to. He's. They literally have been shut out twice.
- [64:00]
C
I know part of.
- [64:01]
A
Part of me thinks, like, gun to your head, who'd get more fantasy points this win week? Ashton Genti or like Michael Carter? I'm like, probably Michael Carter.
- [64:08]
C
That is like the most. It's the most fantasy football thing ever. That. Yeah, you're probably better off starting Michael Carter, the guy that you picked up off of waivers in week 16, than Ashton Genty, who was like a first or second rounder.
- [64:20]
A
But you probably are, though.
- [64:22]
C
Yeah. Yeah.
- [64:24]
A
Godspeed. I'm not saying you have. That's another, like, watch him have three touchdowns.
- [64:27]
C
The Texans defense, first in dv. Sorry. They're second in DVOA on defense or first against pass, third against run. So they're incredibly, incredibly balanced. They're tied for third in the NFL and takeaways They've get up the fewest yards. They just like everything they do is really good. In fact, like, the only thing that's even a little bit strange about how good they are is that they're not super high in pressure rate. They're 21st in pressure rate, 26th in hurry rate according to Pro Football Reference. And but I think it's just because they're so disciplined, such good tackling team, so good in the back end in terms of taking the ball away and covering. It's just like they're just so good from, from back to, from front to back on defenses. They're one of the more fun defenses to watch. So yeah, this is going to be, I mean this is going to be.
- [65:13]
A
Spread on this game is 14 and a half. It's going to be ugly for the Tech. Yeah, this is brutal.
- [65:17]
B
All right.
- [65:17]
A
Buffalo Bills are at the Cleveland Browns. I, I, I have nothing to say here, man. I mean, what do you need me to do, tell you that Josh Allen's better than Shadora Sanders? I, we, I mean, I think you play Quinn Shaw, Judkins if you want for fantasy and Fanon even though it's tough.
- [65:30]
C
I mean, yeah, Fannin for sure.
- [65:33]
A
Bills are good against tight ends, but you probably don't have a better option than Harold Fannin and Judkins you should probably.
- [65:37]
C
He's like their number one receiver right now.
- [65:39]
A
Yes. But I don't know what to say about this game. I mean, sorry, it would be funny if Miles Garrett broke the sack record in a game that the, the Bills won by like 40 points. Like the score is 50 to 10, but Myles Garrett sets the sack record on Josh Allen. Chargers are at Dallas. This is just the ultimate movable object versus stoppable force. The Chargers and their seven string tackles versus Dallas's defense that just can't stop anybody at all.
- [66:08]
C
This, this like could have been a really fun game to watch I think if, if circumstances were different. But because now the Dallas, now Dallas is out of the playoff hunt. The Chargers are just so injured. They're, you know, they could no longer run like a normal offense. But, but yeah, I mean, obviously not a lot at stake here for, for the Cowboys. They did come out and say they were going to play Dak Prescott for the rest of the year. I always think that's a funny thing that, that teams do. But, but yeah, I don't, there's not a lot to some of these games, man, are just so late in the season you're just like, oh God.
- [66:41]
A
I think the Charges one the main one for me is that I think that you can play, I mean lad Monkey I think is a guy that is borderline for you sometimes. But I, I, I think you could play him with confidence just because of how bad the Cowboys defense is. I would even be okay playing Keenan Allen who has not done a ton. But I just think that the Cowboys can't cover anyone, man. And Ironda Gadsden, all these guys that have been a little disappointing from the Chargers, Kamani Vidal, like obviously you'll play a Marian Hampton versus the Cowboys defense, but even Kamani Vidal is like if you're desperate, better than you think. Just because they're playing Dallas and I, I just the defense sucks. Yeah. And if you thought those games were bad, at least those are games where a team has a dog in the hunt. But we could just speed through these. Cause the rest of these games here. Do you remember that Ted Lasso thing where it's like, he's like coach, like the first like, coach, don't they have relegation in America? And he's like, oh no, no, no, no. And they're like, so what happens to all the shit teams at the end of the season? And, and Ted laughs was like, ah, you know, they just play out the rest of the schedule. They go through the motions and meaningless games contested in lifeless half empty stadiums and everyone's pretty much fine with it. Lifeless half empty stadiums.
- [67:48]
C
Yeah, this, this Chiefs, Titans. What a doozy of a game, this game.
- [67:52]
A
I don't want to be grote I, I don't you feel like watching Chiefs, Titans with Gardner Minshew at quarterback and probably like no Rashi Rice. I feel like this is like a wake. Like I feel like I should wear a suit to watch this game. Like I, I can't think of like more haunted vibes than the Chiefs trying to be the Titans without Patrick Mahomes.
- [68:13]
C
I, the God, I can't even imagine how low the Chiefs must be right now just considering the success they've had over the last 10 years. Then you lose Patrick Mahomes going and playing like a meaningless game in Tennessee.
- [68:24]
A
They literally, I've gone from, they literally have not not made the playoffs in like 12 years or 10 years or whatever to that Chris Jones didn't even know they had been knocked out. Remember the press? He was at the pres. He was at the podium and he was like, he didn't know the playoffs. And they were like, yeah. He's like, oh yeah, okay.
- [68:40]
C
It's surprising how many players aren't really aware of like the, the playoff scenarios.
- [68:45]
A
It's. Well, the worst ever was Ron Rivera for Washington. The head. It's one thing if the coach chooses to keep the players in the dark. The coach not knowing they could have been eliminated that week is.
- [68:57]
C
It's about as rough as you get that.
- [68:59]
A
Yeah, it's. It's. It's just kind of. Well, that one was bad because it kind of just is a little revealing into like the overall. Like how did no one tell you that?
- [69:08]
C
And no, are you not aware of that?
- [69:10]
A
What environment have you built that no one told you that you could be eliminated this week? Yeah, Chiefs are at the Titans. I mean, what's all. Also, dude, Rasheed Rice.
- [69:18]
C
I. Yeah, that's the other thing.
- [69:20]
A
So he's concussed. If you play. If Rishi Rice plays, you play him obviously. But this is. I gotta tell you, man, if Rasheed Rice doesn't play, I don't know if I trust anyone in the Chiefs off because like dude, my cousin texted me and he was like, do I play Ken Walker or a Chiefs running back? And I was like, dude, you want me to. I was like, isaiah Pacheco I don't think has had 60 yards the whole year. And I'm like, you, yeah, sure, it's the Titans, like they could play well. But I'm like, you want me to endorse the Chiefs running game? And I'm like, it's the Titans. But I'm like Gardner Minshew and all these guys like outside of Kelsey, Xavier Worthy I don't think has had double digit points since week one.
- [69:56]
C
It's rough. It's rough out there. What? Yeah, what do you think? How do you think this offense is going to work with Minshew? Like, who is the beneficiary of the Minshew thing?
- [70:04]
A
I think they're screwed because I think it was Rasheed Rice. I think it was Rasheed Rice was going to get all these design touches. Like people are like, oh, it's bad for she. But I'm like, Rashid gets the ball a ton over the middle and like designed routes. I'm like, without Rasheed Rice, I don't know if there's a one. I don't think anyone else practices that stuff. Kelsey's not fast enough to do it anymore.
- [70:21]
C
Yeah, but didn't. So I'm trying to remember back early on in the season there was like one game where Hollywood Brown had like 16 targets. Again, this is with.
- [70:28]
A
That was when he got. That was when Worthy went out in the Middle of the week one, right. And then there was like nobody left. And so Hollywood Brown, yeah, he had 17 targets, but that was immediately. And the other one is, I believe Taekwond Thornton. He is a concussion too. He was gonna be, you know, Xavier Worthy, I guess like Juju and I guess Kelsey and Noah Gray, they'll probably play more two tight end sets.
- [70:48]
C
But anybody that you play in this game for fantasy purposes, this is so, so risky because it could be one of Worthy, Hollywood Brown or Kelsey or some other rando that we don't need. Like, like you're saying like juju. I don't know who else like it's gonna, I cannot, there's no good way of like predicting who's gonna be tired in this game.
- [71:06]
A
Exactly. It could work. But like I said, I am not risking my season on it. I, Speaking of which, the Vikings are at the Giants this week. This week is. Dude, this game is pathetic. The NFC east my single handedly revive Gardner Minshew's career because the Vikings beat Washington 31 to nothing.
- [71:22]
C
Did you say J.J. mcCarthy?
- [71:23]
A
Yeah, yeah, yeah. The Vikings beat Washington 31 nothing. And then the Vikings beat Dallas 34, 26. And so, and then now they're playing the Giants and their ass defense which is allowing six yards of play and has allowed the most first downs in the entire league. And I'm like, J.J. mcCarthy's gonna have a job next year solely because of this freaking three game stretch.
- [71:40]
C
Thanks for giving him his confidence back.
- [71:43]
A
I will say I do think you can play Justin Jefferson this week. I have watched the Giants, you do watch their cornerbacks. I think Justin Jefferson gets a touchdown this week. I, I, the Giants cannot defend Justin Jefferson. There is no way. Even JJ McCarthy and his whack ass mechanics where he looks like he's throwing a fucking spear like at the end of like, I think he cannot be speaking.
- [72:00]
C
He does kind of look like he's throwing javelin.
- [72:02]
A
He looks like he's doing a javelin. Like the way he ends up, if you pause it, you're like, what was he throwing a ball or a, or a javelin.
- [72:08]
C
He has his javelin, throws up the seam to the tight ends. That's like his thing. Where are you on Jackson dart? Like, because I think obviously the concussion thing has been the big story. But outside of that, like how have you thought he has played when he's been on the field and not great?
- [72:24]
A
Well, I wish he wasn't such a freaking idiot. Like I, I, I love him. He's, I mean, I think it was all Summed up very well. So Hard Knocks does the in season thing with the dude by divisions and I will say they reveal more than you'd think. Obviously it's like, you know, touch it, go. But they revealed Washington had the pregame scouting report and they had like key players up and they had Dart and they showed what they said about the defensive coordinator for Washington said about dart.
- [72:48]
C
Oh really?
- [72:49]
A
And they said the scouting report was so like, of course they're talking about this. The scouting report was, yeah, this guy, we're going to treat him like a running back. He's really competitive. We use that against him. Dart does not go down along the sidelines. He doesn't slide, he doesn't go out of bounds. So remember, he's a runner. Hit him, hit him like a running back. We're going to make him pay.
- [73:08]
C
That was the coaching points and they.
- [73:10]
A
Showed that play of him getting rocked by the Patriots.
- [73:13]
C
Right.
- [73:13]
A
And like the coaching point is hit him. And they honestly, the Giants need to sit him down and show him that video and be like, your competitiveness is being used against you. And if you're so competitive, you need to focus less on proving yourself on a play to play basis and more on winning. And like, like the whole like the best availability is the best abilities availability. Like you need to be available. He. Dart has been, as you said this week, Dart has literally been to the blue tent for a concussion check five of the 10 games this year. Yeah, that's like, it's unacceptable.
- [73:47]
C
Sometimes I feel like competitive. The competitiveness word, the concept of it sort of like the way that people think about competitiveness is such a cop out for just being dumb.
- [73:58]
A
Yeah. Reckless.
- [74:01]
C
If he was smart, if he was really competitive. You're competing to stay on the field. You're competing to make your team better. The real competitiveness would be learning how like you're competing, you're learning how to protect yourself.
- [74:13]
A
Well, it's tough.
- [74:13]
C
That's actually being competitive.
- [74:15]
A
It's like anything else. This is our joke, but it's like this is why 22 year old men have very high rates for car insurance. It's like, right, you are testing the limits of life and you have like this, he hasn't been stopped yet. Like he just does stuff and there's no consequences. And then when the consequences come, you're like, oh, it's too late. Like you shredded your knee or whatever. And so I mean Josh Allen's the perfect example of a player that like we got to see his peak without, you know, he didn't have. But you have to adjust how you play. And I. Yeah, Dart has to adjust how he plays. This is going to be a brutal game for the Viking. The Vikings defense. I am cautiously pessimistic that Dart is going to be able to manage a Brian Flores. I just think that, like, the way that the Vikings are great at snuffing out a lot of screens and ways they get the ball of his hand, I think they're going to hit him. I'm a little concerned. Jets are at the Saints. I'm not going to acknowledge this game. Tyler Shuck's playing well. Give Tyler just.
- [75:04]
C
No.
- [75:05]
A
For a guy that Alvin Camara was saying, Tyler Schuck, it's not that he didn't know his left from his right, but we talked about this, right, where Tyler Schuck would motion players, and he was motioning in the wrong direction. And Alvin Camara. This is the season.
- [75:17]
C
I don't think I forget that.
- [75:18]
A
Yeah, Alvin Camara pulls him aside and he's like, bro, you're not motioning correctly. And he's like, what do you mean? And he's like, motion me to the right. And Tyler Schuck's like. And Camaro's like, bro, it's your left hand. And Shuck's like, oh, like, he was just doing a motion signal no matter which direction. And Camaro's like, this is your fault when guys don't know what to do. And Chuck was like, you're right. And Camara ends this, like, very revealing anecdote. And he's like, you know, look, man, that's the kind of thing quarterbacks learn from experience. I'm like, he's 26 and he's learning left from right. Anyway, that's funny, since I made fun of him for that. He's. Chuck has played really well. And I have to say, I think Tyler Schuck has actually crossed the most important threshold, which is I think Shuck has played well enough that he can go into next season as the Saints quarterback. And they don't need to add a quarterback. I don't think Shook needs competition next season. I think they can just. That can be the plan for 2026.
- [76:10]
C
Yeah, I think it has to be based on the what. What their cap is doing and. And all that. And, yeah, there's no point in not trying to develop him and see where it goes. I feel like they're kind of. They're in a tough spot just because of the constraints with their cap and sort of just like they're in a reset year with their roster, all that stuff. But yeah, I mean I think he certainly has played a lot better. He's, he's. I think the biggest and most surprising thing to me is how mobile he's been and how much he's made plays with his legs. I don't think I expected that quite as much. You know his out of structure stuff is the most surprising to me because when I was watching him in college and this was not just me, I think everybody kind of noticed this. It's like he just refused to get hit. He was very Derek Carr where if anybody's coming, if any pressure is coming, he's just chucking the ball out.
- [76:54]
A
We kept recovering from season ending injuries.
- [76:56]
C
Yeah, that's like I understand that's actually fair. And we just got done talking about protecting yourself when it comes to Jackson Dart.
- [77:01]
A
Yeah Jackson Dart. It's like learn to protect himself. Tyler Schuck learns to protect himself. Like stop playing like a.
- [77:06]
C
But there's, there's a gray area in the middle there. You know he. I think Shuck was one of the league college football leaders in throwaways. So it's like, is clearly like a strategy for him. It's like this pressure comes, I'm throw I'm chucking it out of bounds as far as I can. So I think there's just a gray area somewhere in the middle compromise. I think obviously Shuck has played a lot better than I thought and then most second round quarterbacks would so you know credit to the Saints for that. And then I think you're right they next year to go into next year with him as kind of their starter and see where it goes from there.
- [77:41]
A
But yeah, Falcons, Cardinals. I have nothing to say about Arizona. You're playing Michael Wilson, you're playing Jacoby Reset. I think you could play Michael Carter at running back. I think the question Kyle Pitts. You're playing Kyle Pitts, right? I mean you're playing trigger bride and George Kittle over him and I think that's literally it.
- [77:57]
C
Absolutely.
- [77:58]
A
Do you think Kyle Pitts is the reason people win their matchups this week or lose? It'd be really funny if he had no catches. That would be fun.
- [78:05]
C
If history is our guide, you know the answer to that. However, it just depends on what Drake London does it. Drake London is back at practice. He's been limited. I believe if Drake London plays, my confidence in Kyle Pitts is severely, severely diminished.
- [78:20]
A
I gotta tell you, I don't think it makes a huge difference to me. Because I am really. I think Drake London's tough because I'm really dubious that Drake London's going to come back and just be himself. I'm torn. But he had a PCL injury in his knee and that stability in your knee, and it's like, Ricky Parisol had a PCL injury.
- [78:34]
C
Why is he trying to rush back?
- [78:36]
B
I don't know.
- [78:37]
A
Guys are competitive. They want to get in the field. DRAKE Lo, like, 24, they don't know. But, like, Ricky. Ricky Paris saw it at pcl. He's like, you know, he came back, he had a good week last week, and then he. I think he tweaked it again. Brock Bowers tried playing through the PCL injury, and it wasted two months of his season, basically. So we'll see. I, you know, the foul. Like, you. You don't know. I. I don't think Drake London is. Honestly, I don't think he's an automatic start. But I. I have Drake London as, like the, like a top 24 receiver. Like, a good example is I would play Drake London over Zay Flowers. But I don't think you necessarily have to play Drake London. I would neither discourage you from playing him if you have him, but if you have other options that are doing well and you're like, do I play him? I don't think you have to either. I think that I would actually be very curious to see, like, the reports in Sunday morning about how confident he is. Like, because he might be in a. He might be fully go. He might be in a snap count and then frankly be kind of like a decoy. I don't know. I'm curious. But it's hard. It's. It's hard to tell people to bench a big name coming off an injury like that. But I also. I'd be surprised if he was just an absolute, physical, dominant marvel. Yeah. Like the way he was winning before, just mossing every. Having three touchdowns in a game. Just all contested catches. I don't know. We play complex.
- [79:51]
B
God.
- [79:52]
A
All right, we have to do the Ringer 107 now without Craig. So today's Ringer 107 is brought to you by FanDuel RIP to Craig. So Craig. Craig actually took a day off for once in his life. So Craig. Good for Craig right now. So here. Where are the games that Craig likes? He sent us four. He likes the pats getting three pats getting three points versus the Ravens, the Niners winning over the Colts by a touchdown, and the Bears getting a point from the Packers.
- [80:27]
C
Okay, I like that. Let's go one, one by one. So he liked, he liked the Patriots.
- [80:34]
A
How do you feel? We did talk a lot about how we like the Patriots and don't like the Ravens in this game. I know, but I'm sure we're all.
- [80:39]
C
On the same page. Like this is the type of thing where after we shit talk, the Ravens, like mercilessly, they come out and play really well and win. But at the end of the day, like this is what we're thinking. So maybe we go with that. The way that the Patriots are playing right now, it's in Baltimore, which is a little bit. But yeah, I mean, right now Ravens are favored by two and a half.
- [81:01]
A
I think we should take the Niners giving a touchdown to Phil Rivers in the Colts. I mean, it's still Phil Rivers in the Colts. Like, come on. 49ers winning by a touchdown over the Colts. So Brock Purdy over Philip Rivers and we just. Okay. Philip Rivers keeps two games within a touchdown. That's cool. Good for him. Bengals giving four and a half points to the Dolphins. And if Quinn Ewers keeps the game with Joe Burrow within five points, awesome.
- [81:27]
B
Cool.
- [81:27]
A
For Quinn, yours.
- [81:28]
B
Right?
- [81:28]
C
So again, this is purdy over 44 year old rivers who can barely throw the ball. This is Joe Burrow versus Quinn Ewers. What else you got?
- [81:38]
A
Bills giving ten and a half to the Browns.
- [81:39]
C
So once again, Josh Allen versus Shadow Sanders. I'm into that.
- [81:44]
A
And then I think there's the Bucks beating the Panthers. I think that one's by a field goal.
- [81:49]
C
Yeah. And to me, I like the Bucks here. Just because they've dominated the series, they're getting healthier, they're getting their guys back. And I don't know, the Panthers are just, I don't know, they're all over the place. I don't trust the Panthers.
- [82:01]
A
I just kind of am okay betting against the Panthers. Like, I just, I just don't feel like if they beat me, it's confounding. But I, I don't feel. I'm not afra. I just. Yeah, I'm fine with that. Do we do Vikings giving two and a half to the Giants? I just like, if the, like the Giants have been so hapless, man, and like it's a little scary to have stuff on McCarthy and maybe that's dumb, but the. Dude, the Vikings beat the Giants. The Vikings beat Washington like 30 to nothing and then the Washington beat the Giants.
- [82:27]
C
Yeah, I'm kind of just fine with that. I'm Fine with that. I do think the Vikings are just a better team.
- [82:33]
A
They are a better team. And so I. I don't know. Unless you want to do 15 points for the Texans to beat the Raiders. Getting the Raiders. Don't score that one.
- [82:43]
C
I'm actually kind of into CJ Stroud over Kenny Pickett.
- [82:48]
A
You wanna.
- [82:49]
C
And the worst. The. The Raiders have been, like, legitimately the worst team in the NFL. I don't know if they're gonna score a point in this game.
- [82:55]
A
Do we lay 14 and a half to the right?
- [82:57]
C
The only problem is, like, if the Texans are dominating and they don't, they won't, like, necessarily feel the need to score a lot of points. You know what I mean? Because I think they'll trust their defense.
- [83:05]
A
Fourteen and a half's a huge number.
- [83:07]
C
It's a lot. Let's just go. Let's go. With your initial gut for the Vikings.
- [83:11]
A
Yeah.
- [83:12]
C
They're playing on the road in New York, though. I don't know if that makes a difference to you.
- [83:15]
A
No, I, I. The wind will fix McCarthy's passes. It's gonna be off target.
- [83:20]
C
It'll slow them down.
- [83:21]
A
Yeah, they'll die down and just fall right into Justin Jefferson.
- [83:24]
C
The javelin throws.
- [83:26]
A
My God. Okay, so we'll do Niners, Bengals, Bills, Bucks, and Vikings. Once again, just all favorites.
- [83:30]
C
Did we get any of the ones that Craig likes?
- [83:33]
A
Yeah, we have the nine.
- [83:33]
C
He likes the Bengals. Oh, yeah.
- [83:35]
A
Yeah.
- [83:35]
C
You like the Niners.
- [83:36]
A
We have the Niners. I think he'll. He'll. He'll respect these.
- [83:39]
C
All right.
- [83:40]
A
And we're in first place for now. Ringer 107, baby.
- [83:44]
C
Yeah.
- [83:44]
A
Today's Ringer 107 is brought to you by FanDuel. Odds. Subject to change. Is there anything we want to do while Craig's not here? Anything you've been dying to do? The.
- [83:52]
C
Craig's veto dancing on the table. It's like the teacher's out of town. No, man. I feel like we are already changing his punishment. That's true. Unilaterally against him. I know it's not unilateral, but whatever.
- [84:06]
A
Email us@ringerfantasyfootballgmail.com if you have a good tweak to Craig's punishment. We can't change it wholesale, but I think that if it's close, make it.
- [84:13]
C
Harder than just not.
- [84:14]
A
Yeah, he's not gonna drink matcha. I'm like, come on. You gotta make. I don't know. We gotta. We gotta. Email us at ringer fantasy football gmail.com. email us if you're on Sunday during the show. Join. Yeah, email us during the awards. Join our Discord. We have a Discord. That's really fun. The invite link is in the episode description. Join the Discord. It's really fun. And yeah, Instagram, Ringer Fantasy Football. TikTok Ringer Fantasy Football. But yeah, the Discord's awesome. Join that and yeah, thank you, dk. Thank you, Craig, wherever you are. Thank you to Solac for coming on.
- [84:46]
C
Shout out. Solac.
- [84:48]
A
Shout out. Shout out. Cameron. Shout out. Steve. Shadow Kai. Shout out Carlos. Shout out Ronick. Thank you, Ryan. Thank you everyone for listening. Thank you, Lord, Lord.
- [84:57]
C
Thank you. The Darkness. I was singing the I Believe in A Thing Called Love earlier and I think I said it was Wolf Mother. It's actually the Darkness.
- [85:08]
A
The Darkness, yeah. That's a pretty good name for a band.
- [85:11]
C
They're a British rock band, the Darkness formed in Low Stoft in 2000. So they're definitely my generation.
- [85:19]
A
The photo that comes up, I thought these guys were from the 70s.
- [85:23]
C
I know. I think that was kind of like the vibe they were going for.
- [85:26]
A
It looks like the vibe they were going for. Oh, my God, look at these.
- [85:31]
C
I don't know enough about them to really say. They kind of got like a Bowie thing going on. I don't know.
- [85:35]
A
Yeah. Were you a big Bowie guy?
- [85:39]
C
Yeah, I love Bowie.
- [85:42]
A
I mean, well, no, but, you know.
- [85:43]
C
I wouldn't say I'm like a big Bowie fan or anything like that, but like, yeah, I loved him, you know. You know, I think it's like one of those things. As a fan, are you the type of person that like really closely follows a band and like goes and sees them live, goes out of your way to listen to everything, everything they listen to versus, like, I just really like all his music. I think it's really good.
- [86:04]
A
Who's the band that if they came to where you are near Seattle, that you like? The band that you would most likely go see in Seattle. You're like, I'm gonna make this 90 minute trek and I'm gonna go into the city.
- [86:15]
C
No Effects. But they're not touring anymore.
- [86:17]
A
No Effects. I don't even know that is.
- [86:19]
C
Yeah, they're a punk band. And then no Effect, no fx.
- [86:24]
B
Oh.
- [86:26]
A
What do you.
- [86:26]
C
I would say that would be like the number one on my list right now. It's probably like Crank, Crung Bin or whatever. However you say that, they're just like really, really good.
- [86:36]
A
I want about. I want to know about no Effects. I don't really get punk. I feel like I'm not. I don't know what you guys are so angry about.
- [86:44]
C
What do you got to be so morose about?
- [86:45]
A
Yeah, what was ever in the 90s? What were you so fucking angry about? You know, you had the world in your palm in the 90s. There's nothing you're fine talking about. Everything was fine.
- [86:57]
C
Yeah, sure. Okay.
- [86:58]
A
What were you worried about?
- [86:59]
C
All kinds of things, man. You know, I don't know. There's a line from, you know the movie shoot, it's the one with Leonardo DiCaprio where he's like, oh, Blood Diamond. There's a line in that movie that always stuck with me. He was like talking to the main character, girl at the bar, and she's like, how can you be doing this when the world's falling apart? He's like, when's the last time the world wasn't falling apart? I'm like, yeah, it's fucking bar.
- [87:25]
A
When no Effects was on tour, when.
- [87:27]
C
Was the last time the world wasn't falling apart? It's always been falling apart, man.
- [87:32]
A
At least for one episode. And we're just like a nihilist podcast.
- [87:36]
C
You asked me what got me into punk. Honestly, I just like the music. I wasn't like that angsty, to be honest, as a kid.
- [87:45]
A
Well, yeah, I mean, we're gonna get Newt, so, you know, what's the problem? So your nihilism originates from.
- [87:51]
C
Yeah.
- [87:51]
A
All right, goodbye, everyone. Monster Energy. Everybody knows White Monster Zero Ultra. That's the OG it kicked off this whole zero sugar energy drink thing. But Ultra is a whole lineup now. You've got Strawberry Dreams, Blue Hawaiian Sunrise, and Vice Guava. And they all bring the Monster Energy punch. So if you've been living in the white can branch out. Ultra's got a flavor for every vibe, and every single one is Zero Sugar. Tap the banner to learn more.
- [88:43]
B
Hey, Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile. You know, one of the perks about having four kids that you know about is. Is actually getting a direct line to the big man up north. And this year, he wants you to know the best gift that you can give someone is the gift of Mint Mobile's unlimited wireless for $15 a month. Now you don't even need to wrap it. Give it a try@mintmobile.com switch.
- [89:04]
C
Upfront payment of $45 per three month plan, equivalent to $15 per month required. New customer offer for first three months only. Speed slow after 35 gigabytes if network's.
- [89:11]
A
Busy, taxes and fees extra.
- [89:12]
B
See mintmobile.com.