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Announcer:
Welcome to the podcast, to be named later, where we explore the world a conversation at a time, sit back and enjoy. Here are your hosts, Chris and Kelly.

Kelly:
Hello everyone and welcome to the playoff edition of the podcast to be named later. Both college and pros are in playoffs. Chris is in. I happen to be on the road in Texas, so Chris, welcome to the podcast.
Chris:
Hey, thanks a lot, Kelly. A little role reversal for. So I'm home and you're on the road.
Kelly:
Yeah, I'm traveling for a little bit, so. You know, last episode, dude, we chatted a lot about how excited we were about. Those college playoffs, you want to talk about a let down.
Chris:
Well, yes. So for sure, the games themselves. Left all of it to be. There, you know, if you take away the first quarters of the games, which kind of those are always close, everyone still has a chance by default, right? The games just started and stuff. Other than that, you know that there was only about. 668 minutes of like, you know, truly intriguing. You know, Texas and arrows just Arizona State gave us what ended up being a really good, competitive, exciting game. But honestly, even in that one to, you know, it was halfway through the fourth quarter before it even became intriguing, so. Look, man, I, you know, I loved what the 12 team playoff did for the. I think you and I talked on multiple occasions that this was, you know, my excitement for college, college football had increased again it was back to an all time high. I I like everything about this twelve team playoff. Except for the one thing that we, you know, a lot of people have spoke on. Is the seating process and relative to the rankings and some of the. Bylaws and paragraph three, you know, but Boise State should not have gotten to buy and got a free pass into the quarterfinals, you know? And so if they can adjust the way the seating goes, I'm not saying Boise State didn't belong there at all. But other than that man, I mean, the results were not great. None of them were competitive other than, like I said, the Texas and Arizona State game, and even that one it was. It wasn't till the the final 6 minutes that it got good. So, but what I don't want is to overreact like there's a huge problem with it. Uh, you know, just sometimes man games, you know, are one sided and and that's just we seem to get a series of them. That was. You know that none of the games, really. You know, held held your interest for long. That they were pretty much all blowouts, but that doesn't mean there's a. It just you know, those the games just, you know, worked out that way and there's still 3 left. And these ones you you would think should be good ones you know. So let let's let it finish all the way to the end before we. You know, render final judgment on the whole thing.
Kelly:
Almost definitely. I'm. I'm not against though the format or the fact that we had. Hey, you know what? They still they play the games and you don't know how. Going to go. So I still think it's better than we've ever had. I will say. Boy, what happened to the Oregon Ducks?
Chris:
Yeah, I mean. I mean, they got walloped, dude. So yeah, I don't. I mean the two teams played and it was a close. I mean, maybe if that game earlier in the season had been on a neutral field, you know, possibly Ohio State, you know, may have been able to win that one. Mean. I'm not sure how much of an effect home field had, but. It was a very close game that could have gone either way the first time they met and then now when they did meet on a neutral field, yeah, they they just had their way with them. Had no answers.
Kelly:
It was one of the for the teams in the. They were one of the bigger blowouts in just I've seen in a while.
Chris:
So going forward, who do you? I mean, how do you think these games end up?
Kelly:
I you know, based on what we saw on the field, it's hard to take take anybody but Ohio State.
Chris:
So you're taking them over? You're taking them to win the whole thing then.
Kelly:
Yeah, I think.
Chris:
That what you're saying?
Kelly:
I think if you look at the two games, you know, Notre Dame and Penn State. Although the odds that's a closer game, I believe it's 2.2 and a half favor point favorite for one of those two and spread in Texas and Ohio State is a touchdown. When I looked earlier, but I would say that. I would say that you could put Texas or Ohio State against either Team, Penn State or Notre Dame, and either team would probably beat them.
Chris:
Yeah, I think the the two best teams remaining are playing each other in Ohio State in Texas. And you know if you were to rank them, I think you would rank Ohio State one Texas to probably Notre Dame 3 and Penn State 4. But the gap between 3:00 and 4:00 would be minuscule, as represented by the the spread and but the gap between 2:00 and 3:00 would be significantly more. I think even if you took Texas. Against a Notre Dame, I think Texas would probably be close to a touchdown favorite in that game, so. Yeah, that tells you where the you know it just it works out that way sometimes. Man, when you don't recede when you set up brackets the the way they did and you don't recede. Mean we see this all the time in the NC AA tournament, you know. You know, you get past your tough first game matchup. Let's say you're you're the 8-9 game. So you win that one and then you go against the one seed. If you win that, then you know you're already pre established to have an easier path. And you know that you could look at another brackets and and a team has to play. Know the number six team in the country and the number 12 team in. And the number 11 team in the country on their way. And another team may who hadn't done a better job all year may end up with, you know, the number 36 and the number 42. And it just the way it goes, man. So you know, I like the way the NFL recedes. I think. That rewards having a good regular season. And you know, maybe college football could look at that as. But you know the the it's it's tough when when the games are set up in this predetermined, you know this is this is my real beef and this is kind of been my beef with the NC AA for decades. That just a lack of general common. Like you know, I understand you have, you know this method that you. Right. So we're gonna. We're gonna. Pick the 12 teams who are making the playoff OK and then all right, now who is the highest rank? OK, they go into the one and then OK of all the teams that won their league, who's the highest rated and clause B says. You know. A Power 5 is ranked higher than and it's like dude, why? When you get to the end of you could look at it now. Lost the game they had against Ohio State, so they were likely going to have to play tough games. Had. They lost it, so it is what it. But right when the brackets came out, you could see man, there's some easier. Had a pretty sweet path, you know, to to get there and. I think that's something that they could look at and and just say, hey, you know what, you know, I listen to the. I don't think I'm a chair, person or Commissioner or whatever. Whatever they whatever they refer to him as and I listen to his statement after everything came out and, you know, I watched the selection show and all that. He said hey, you know, we just, you know, we do step 1:00 and then we do Step 2 and then we do Step 3. Sorry about. Forgot to mute my phone and we do Step 5 and we do step 6 and so on and so forth. This is where it brought us. Brought us to here. My problem is when you get to there and you look at it and you're like, wow, this is this ain't this doesn't seem fair or balanced. Why? Why do you not have the bill? This is the. This is how we have to do. Why don't you have the ability to look at it and say, yeah, you know what? Let's. Some stuff around to make this make more sense and that that's my beef, that they don't have that.
Kelly:
I do think I believe they will be doing. I don't know for sure how quickly they can do it, but I think they will make some tweaks to this. And again, overall I think it's OK. So you know. Who are you taking in these games with? You know, Penn State, Notre Dame. Do you take?
Chris:
Notre Dame. You know, part of it is just, and they've continually proved me wrong as of late. So you know, part of it's dating back to last year and really kind of even you could go back even further than that to be honest with you. You know, Penn State just comes up short in the big games. Know they they roll over the people that they're supposed to. They come up against inferior competition. They beat them 70 to 3:00. And then they they get into the Michigan game or they get into the Ohio State game or they, you know, they got to play at Camp Randall in a night game and they come up short, you know, in those situations historically where, you know, hey, man, this is. Chance to prove you know that you belong with the big boys and. They just seem to repeatedly come up short. Now this in the playoffs. Obviously they're here, so you know, they've continued to advance. So we'll see if they this will be their chance to prove me wrong. Once again, I guess but. You know, to me, I think the they're very similar, right? Both want to run the. They're both, you know, hard nosed, real blue collar type football teams and I think Notre Dame is better at it, so. We'll see. I guess we'll find out.
Kelly:
And then Ohio State in.
Chris:
Yeah, I'm taking Ohio State there for the same reasons you outlined, man. Mean they? They just look like they're clicking. Howard's. I mean, they're receiving corners, absolutely. They I mean, they have an NFL receiving core and.
Kelly:
Well, for $20 million roster, they should have.
Chris:
Also, yeah, they got 2NFL. I mean the the two running backs, they have Quinn, John Kins and Trevion Henderson, are both gonna be, you know, probably day 2 picks. Wouldn't shock me if one of them got picked in the, you know, in the first round, but. Maybe that's that's. It would shock me because running backs just don't get picked. Much. But you know, they're arguably the number 2 and #3 running back in the country behind Gentry this. So yeah, like you said, I mean they got they have, you know, a whole roster full of nothing but NFL caliber players. And now they're showing. They, I mean they look really, really good, man. Defense is. They run the ball, they throw the ball. They can do it all so. They're going to be my pick to win the whole thing. Texas and I actually wouldn't be surprised. Has looked a little. I wouldn't be surprised if they kind of run with away with that game, similar to what they did Oregon.
Kelly:
And then I assume you're taking Ohio State over Notre Dame? Yep. You know, The funny thing about Texas and. I jokingly it's not a joke, but I mean said the 20 million and I'm again the nil thing in college football is what it is and I got no beef with the players getting something. I do find it funny that you got a guy that's going to be the starting quarterback for Texas who probably won't go to the NFL, but you know we're down the street. That he's got offers of $6 million. To gold play for somebody else in college football next year and Texas will bring up Arch Manning.
Chris:
Yeah. Well, and I mean, I'm sure there's a pretty large contingent that wish that Arch Manning was starting this next game. You know. I think yours is the right guy, but. You know. I mean Arsenal pretty good when he played and he's had very little opportunity and when he has he's looked darn good.
Kelly:
I think that college football is, you know, it is still the Wild West and I think that. The way that the players are right now anyway, the way they can move around, and again I'm I don't fault them because coaches can do it anytime. You know. It really makes every it's like free agency every year. And it's funny because we have these signing days and all that and I think, yeah, OK, you're happy now, but you know how many of these guys that signed and you all jump up and down that we had. Best signing class. Two years from now, how many of them are still going to be on the team?
Chris:
Yeah, I mean, like you said, it's the Wild West, man. Mean guys and especially with. Today's youth and just, you know, society in general, it everything's a limited time offer. Man, if you're not keeping my attention or if you're not providing something for me instantly or very close to instantly that I'm out and you know, with the freedom to do so and. Open door to to just walk at any point I mean. You know. Just the world we live in now, man. And it's it that's not going anywhere. You know what, the portal being what it is and you know basically like, everyone's a free agent. You know there's you know that. The NFL has contracts, right? You. You know you have four or five year rookie deal to start.
Speaker
Of.
Chris:
You have mechanisms, mechanisms in place to hold on to people that you put time and effort and training into. You know, even beyond that using franchise tags, you know there are a means. In which players, you know, teams can retain the players that they've put effort into and and help develop and build and make into who they are in college.
Speaker
Play.
Chris:
Not really the case. You know the the kids show. You know, they they both people, make a commitment to each other. And right now, there's no recourse for the college. Know. I'm sure they paid for all their food, paid for their housing. You know, I'm sure the college spent a lot of money on, you know, those high ticket players. And. You know, right now the the universities and institutions don't, as far as I know, don't have a whole lot of recourse if they want to leave, they could just walk out the door.
Kelly:
I think they pretty much have zero in most cases. You know, the one thing I wonder about with Mill here is and I've not seen any articles on this and I'm going to have to do some research and try and figure it out.
Chris:
Yeah. So that's that's not fair either.
Kelly:
Know we hear this talk of different amounts and stuff like. I guess what I partly wonder about is where is this money coming from in the? That is it, the same money that the donors were directing. You know, partly under the table where they donated to athletic departments. This new money coming into the sport. Really kind of curious about that. Like, where is it all going and coming from?
Chris:
Well, in how hard would it be to? You know what I mean? If at T or folding Ford Motor Company or somebody wanted to, you know, back somebody if you had a corporation and the power and the financial resources that would come with that. You know, how hard would it be to filter through? Hey. Going to give you a raise this. You know, Mr. CFO, you're going to get a $5,000,000 pay bump in pay. And then just so happens that you know CFO is, I'm gonna donate it all to University of Texas, Austin. And you know how hard, how hard would that be to hide it? Know what I'm. And so not not hard at all, in my opinion. So now now you start. Bringing other avenues and and you know, Nike or whoever wants to support. Nike already has been pretty much, but. You know, it's just it's a slippery, slippery situation that we're in. That's that's all. Like you say, you described it very well-being it's a wild, Wild West Kelly. You know what I mean? Really. I mean, you know, there's we're in really uncharted territories, but eventually, you know, right now we're in it. Know it. It's it's it's new and we're trying to figure things out and. It's a it's all unknown territory right now, but just give it time. It'll settle. I think I think there will be some structure and some some, you know, more fairness and and we haven't got there yet.
Kelly:
Well, I think there will be. I think we're going to see some level of course correction, there's. There's a lot at play here because and again the NC AA I I don't have a lot of sympathy for them because they did almost all of this to themselves and part of how we've ended up in this situation is because. They. Did nothing for the players for so long. You know, there's now been some lawsuits and things like that at play that the NCAA has had to answer to that have led to this situation. And so I, you know, I think that that's all going to have to play out first and then I think. In two to five years you will see some structure in place where. Colleges, basically. Not that they're not already, but they becomes formalized. That they are really a a professional Football League. If you will just down at a level because. I am quite positive, however, some of this money is getting to these teams and players. The people paying the bills, they're going to want a little more structure and confidence in what they're doing and I'd like, you know. They give somebody $10 million, they're going to want to know that the guys going to be there for more than a year. And they're going to find ways to make those deals contingent on you being there longer. I think they just got to figure it out and it'll take a few years.
Chris:
Yeah, I'm kind of surprised. And I'm not in the know on how all the nil money works and stuff, but I'm I'm kind of surprised that that isn't already in place. Know what I? These you know, if I'm giving someone $200,000, man, I mean, that's going to come with some form of contract and I would again, I yeah, I don't want to pay you just for this year, dude. You know. To Boise State for the next three years for this money or you know what I mean? It's it's. It's gotta have. A length of time associated, you know, along with the the dollar amount.
Kelly:
Yeah, I'm no by no means an. I do read a little bit about it and study because I'm I'm just always curious about the finances behind a lot of this just because you know what you hear through the you know, again we have so much detail about NFL contracts but little about college at all. But you hear some things. In the dollar amounts are staggering to me at times. So we'll. I mean, we got, you know, we got three games left this season for the playoffs. Again, I'm ecstatic that we had it. The only other thing I'd say is boy. There's one other thing that if this year, like in none other, strengthens the case these preseason and rankings, when the you know as soon as all this is over, there's going to be rankings for next year. They should be tossed on the scrap heap. You don't have no idea who's going to be what when the season starts.
Chris:
Yeah. And that's kind of always been the thing and especially, you know, college basketball is a little bit easier because they play so many more games. Know they're generally playing, you know, 29 to 33 game seasons, you know, and there's more. More time to work it out. In college football, you know it's it's about a well generally like about a 12 or 13. Weak season and yeah, if you if you started out you know with the with the number three next to you, you're at a significant advantage over you know imagine if Arizona State had started. Mean they ended up getting there in the end anyway. They had a by and won their league and all that. But imagine if they started with a four and didn't have to fight their all their way all the way up from, you know, 110. And you know, and it's just a, it's just hard to leapfrog people, man and. And so yeah, I I just don't think you should. I don't think it's fair to start with the preseason. I know why you do it just to get clicks and so public, you know, so you know. You know, so, so, So what you're. I don't know how to say it, but you know what I mean and I get why. It's why it happens. But. It's it's not fair.
Kelly:
I mean, look, man, look how long it took us to get actual tournament in. I don't know that that, that, that hill is going to be one that I'm going to climb successfully, but we'll see. Speaking of climbing hills, we've got, you know, about almost half the league in the NFL looking to climb the Hill playoffs. This week. Interesting times in the old NFL.
Chris:
Yeah. I mean, what are your? Man, once you lead us off, I'll tell you what. Do this. You know, we can work our way there if you're open to it. Let me tell you the games and you tell me what your thoughts first game to be played.
Kelly:
Yes.
Chris:
I I did hear an interesting note. It kind of tells you what the National Football League. The powers that be think of the Houston Texans, so the Los Angeles Chargers are gonna play at the Houston Texans. At. What'll be 4/30? 1:30 PM Pacific Time, 4:30 PM. Eastern Time, and so the Houston Texans in their existence. Of all the times that they've played a playoff game. And I don't recall the years off the top of my head, but every single game they have ever played on Wild Card weekend has been that early morning Saturday time slot. They have never had a primetime game. They have always been. Basically widely considered the the forgotten game the start early Saturday.
Kelly:
I hadn't heard that.
Chris:
So I I just heard that today from a buddy of mine. Were talking and he said interesting side note. NFL hates the. Or at least thinks the the public hates them because they put him in the. The worst, you know, timeslot and have only ever been there on wild card weekend. Never played on a. They've never played at night. They've only ever played this game. So anyway, side note, all right, chargers at Texans who do you like buddy?
Kelly:
You know, one other interesting side. Really interesting how the Cowboys let Ezekiel Elliott go and the Chargers did pick him up.
Chris:
Yeah, I saw that.
Kelly:
I'm not really sure that's gonna help him much, but I guess they'll do any little thing. Maybe he's got a little left in the tank. You know, if you ask me about this a few weeks ago, I think this game might have been closer, but. Houstons kind of regressed back a little to the to the mean, if you will, of teams and the Chargers, to me anyway, seem like they're on the upswing. And I didn't come up with this first, but some I've heard this on a broadcast. You know what? No matter where he goes, Harbaugh figures out a way to win. I think that they're going to win this game fairly easily.
Chris:
You got a score prediction.
Kelly:
Probably something like 28 to 17.
Chris:
Write this down.
Kelly:
Folks should know that I did finish last in our Fantasy Football League and I was in 3rd place for a long time in our weekly pick EM games and. In Week 18 or 17 or 18 or 18 week, I guess took myself out of the money. The way down to 7th place so. So my predictions are worth whatever that means.
Chris:
Well, for what it's worth. I I finished a little bit higher in the pick EM in the end. So, and I'm gonna follow suit with you, man. I think it's a very similar to what you just. So I like the chargers for the same reason you do I. Here's the deal with the Chargers and and not for nothing. They're kind of like another little side note. Kind of my dark horse to to make a championship game. You know it's not. You know the the Chiefs have have been. The Chargers played them tough already once this year, and the Chiefs will be coming off a long layoff and and a lot of guys will have been rested in all that and I know who the Chiefs are. But I'm just saying, you know the. The the thing I like about the Chargers and and both Harbaugh's really I'd say Jim, especially though they they don't beat themselves, so they don't knock themselves out of football games. If they get punts inside the 10 yard line, they don't. They don't. They they they manage the clock, they get that that score at the end of the. They they don't Chicago bear the time, you know. And and. And although the Bears did pretty good against factors this week and managing the clock they managed. Generally speaking, the Chargers are not going to do things that are detrimental to themselves very often, and and teams that do that. Solid. Run the football. The clock. Get first. You know, they they generally are in football games and so. And I think Harbaugh is really good at that man.
Kelly:
Yeah, I think both Harbaugh's have well, you know, I mean, they've been living football probably since, you know, they were. One year old and they both have great football IQ. And no, no moment of the game is too big for them.
Chris:
Yeah. So I think they'll handle the Texans and I think it's going to be a score pretty much like you just described something something like 2817 is a really good pick, man, I could see.
Kelly:
I like what?
Chris:
You know, potentially even like maybe 31, you know, 31 to 20, you know, something like that 3117, you know, somewhere in that range. I could definitely see.
Kelly:
All right, what's next?
Chris:
All right, next game on the Tick. The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to travel to Baltimore to play their in division rival. Always epic context. You know, over the last few. I mean, these are two teams that know each other well, always play each other tough, no matter who the better team looks like on paper. You want to go first on this one.
Kelly:
Yeah. Although I yes, 'cause, but I have something I want a couple things I want to definitely bring up on this one. Yeah, fire away man.
Chris:
All right, so I. I have a not. I don't know if the hot take, but I have a strong feeling that the Ravens take them to the proverbial woodshed on this one, and I think the Ravens make a statement to the Pittsburgh Steelers that we are significantly better than you and I. Think they they whoop them. Dude, I think that now Pittsburgh does have a defense. It'll it'll. For a while, but I I think this one's like 31 to 10, something like that. I think the Ravens, absolutely. It's going to look like one of the. Football games is my thinking.
Kelly:
You know, it's interesting because then you know, I know we've talked about this guy a lot on this podcast. A few weeks ago I was going to bring up at some point. Boy, maybe I was a little bit wrong on Russell Wilson. Or maybe he was finding a way to have a little bit of a career resurgence. Finally, again, but last few games for Pittsburgh that didn't. Out the window, man.
Chris:
Yeah, I mean, the Steelers offensively, it looked terrible.
Speaker
I have.
Kelly:
You know, like a few weeks ago, I thought he. You know, again, he I thought he was making himself look. OK, but. They're. Offensively, they have nothing like. Russell Agent Russell's a free agent at the end of the year and they shouldn't be bringing him back now. I'll always have a soft spot for the. He was a badger, did well for us. And you know, we've had a lot of talks about how it went to his head a little and all, but I will be very surprised if this game is close. I know we're like saying the same stuff, but I just. I really think Baltimore is on a. I mean, you can say that about a lot of teams, but they've just got too much in the tank. And so I, you know, I'll say 35 to 14.
Chris:
Alright. Broncos at bills. You think Broncos can put up a fight?
Kelly:
I think they can keep it close in the first half, but. I think that they're going to find out, you know, couple years from now, this might be a different game, but. This one again, I think it's ultimately going to be about 28 to 7 now. I'll say 28 to 21, but I I just don't see the. Bills losing here.
Chris:
That's funny. You and I, I wonder. It's like you're in my head so. I told the buddy the. That what I predicted for this game was 28 to 20, but I put like a little side note that said hey, but it's not going to seem that close. Know. So what I'm anticipating is a game. You see him all the. It's one of those games where you watch the game and you never really, truly believe that that. Has a chance to win, but the scorer says hey, technically they're only a score down. You know, so if they get a stop. And then, you know, they do get a stop, but but they don't score. And then now they got to punt it back to the other team and it's I think it's just gonna be one of those games where it feels like, you know, if you look at the numbers on on the TV, it looks like, hey, this is a this is. But if you're watching the game like on the television, it doesn't look. And I think this is going to be one of those. I think it's going to be like a 20. Game Buffalo kinda has a history of playing with their food a little bit and I do think similar to. The Chargers, some of the stuff I said about Jim Harbaugh, I do feel the same way about Sean Payton. Think he will take necessary gambles calculated. I think he knows how to manage a clock. I think he knows how to prepare his team. Think they'll show up and and play well? And represent themselves well. I just think the Buffalo Bills are a significantly better team and there's nothing that Denver can do about it. You know, I think that's just kind of where they are right now. But I I do believe what you know, they're going to be out of that Wilson money. They're going to be. They got a good young core they need. Got holes? I mean, they're a team that maybe is similar to like, where the Packers were last year, you know, and and just like, hey, man, they're ahead of schedule like that. You know, they're they're in the process of kind of like redoing some stuff and and. You know, ours was transitioning from Aaron Rodgers to. Jordan love and then bringing in a whole new, you know, losing Devante Adams, bringing a whole new receiving core, bringing in new defense, new defense coordinator. And I think the Broncos are kind of in that same thing. Just like, hey, now we're, you know, we're. We had to tear it down to scratch, you know, we were in the whole financially because of a a bad, you know, business decision we made bringing Russell Wilson in and giving him too much money. And you know, we're going to start putting. And I think. There, they're ahead of. But yeah, I think the bills beat them. Maybe. I don't know what the line is in that game. Touchdown ish bills are 8. Favorites, and I think that's, you know, I can see the Broncos covering that line just because, like I said, the bills kind of sometimes play with their food a little bit. You know, don't step on throats like. They they could, if they wanted to, and so and then I think the Broncos will be sound. In the end, I don't think the Broncos can beat the bills in Buffalo. My I don't see it.
Kelly:
Yeah, I look at this as you know what this is like. Hey, man. Denver you know, they were grade in middle school, OK. And now they've stepped up to high school. They're kind of this is their freshman year, if you will, in high school. They're still learning the ropes, but they've got all the pieces. They've got enough of the pieces in place that as they progress through the next classes, if you will. Their future is bright and this is a this is like a learning experience for them.
Chris:
Yeah, yeah. And and a lot of teams have to go through this. And you know, they're on. Rise for. So you know that. AFC West. I don't know how much longer the the Chiefs can keep doing. I mean, I as long as I got my homes and read, I think they can. But you know, at some point, man that the clock strikes midnight on everybody. But I don't know. I'll tell you, the Chargers and the Broncos are on the come so. That that division, you know, I throw the Raiders out there. Are ways away still but. You know that those other two teams man coming.
Kelly:
Yeah. I mean, when I was a kid, man, the the West, it was always that great division, always a offensive juggernauts. And I think that we're seeing that come back here. And I, as you said, you got three or four teams are definitely trending positive. So what do we got next?
Chris:
Well, this one's going to break our hearts, so we'll see. Next on the agenda, the 1:30 the afternoon game. NFC wild. The Green Bay Packers are gonna travel to Philadelphia, and the Packers did themselves none favors by losing to the Bears and ended up in in what I think most of us would consider the worst possible location. You know, based on team makeup and and style of play. And and environment and everything. Else you know that going to Philly was the worst thing that could happen to them in in Week 1, and that's what they got. You you want you. It's my turn, I guess if we're taking turns, but if you got, if you got something you want to say, man, I'll let you have it.
Kelly:
Pains me dude, but I I it pains me as a Packer fan, but I. I foresee this game as being perhaps the biggest blowout of the weekend. And that pains me to say, but I see no signs of. That the Packers can in any way, shape or form compete with Philadelphia. Their offense, for whatever reasons, just isn't clicking. And their defense? I mean that Bears game was an embarrassment and. They're just not a good football team right now. So I'm not going to sugarcoat it. So if it's like. Again, if it's probably something like 3038. 18 it won't surprise. I don't think it's going to be close, so I'd love to be. Nothing make me jump for joy more than to see the offense and Josh Jacobs go crazy on the running. And Jordan love, you know, have a career game, but they just they haven't done. They haven't played well at all this year against any good team that I can recall.
Chris:
Yeah, I. So this one's hard for me to say too, man. I mean, you and I are both Packer fans. You know, coming into the season, you know, and even during the season, but every opportunity that they had to show that, hey, we belong, we can win a Super Bowl this year, they failed every single time so. You know, they just have never been able to put four whole quarters together against another good quality opponent. And laying an egg head down, losing Christian Watson, who's the one? True, like big play, you know, difference making in in a single touch kind of guy. Yeah. I just. It's just like you said, there's no signs. Like you, you want teams go on runs all the time. You know, you know advance and wild card teams follow win super rules.
Kelly:
So that's how the Packers won a. Bowl dude.
Chris:
Yeah. So but it's different. Know what I? It's, it's they. They generally in those circumstances when that's happened, it's because that team has been in playoff mode. For the five weeks leading up and they're coming in hot fire on A5 game-winning streak and and that's the scenarios in which these wild card teams get hot to flip a switch and all of a sudden that just doesn't happen. Dude, so. And and the Packers, they they look like they're going the wrong way. Getting. So that's, you know, I don't know who you blame or if you blame anyone or or, I don't know, man. But yeah, I agree, dude. You know, the one thing I will say is. Uh, the Eagles kind of have their own internal problems sometimes. The one thing that could happen is the Eagles could just meltdown, you know. Ajaj Brown could throw Jalen hurts helmet and like they might fight themselves on the sidelines. You know, it's gonna take something freaky. That that does happen in football. I mean, it absolutely exists out there in the world of sports where a team just, you know, melts down or you know, if if for whatever reason hurts hurts his elbow or or, you know, something happens to an ankle, an ankle and he can't finish the game you. Those things happen in football too, but that's the kind of thing that I think is going to need. Place in order for the Packers to win this game is something just, you know, kind of like what happened to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game, where they didn't have a quarterback. Know what I mean? And and you know it's going to take something of that level I think because if they just line up and play their best game. That the the. Eagles are gonna smash them.
Kelly:
And so we're recording this earlier in the week on Tuesday. I hadn't. I, as of yesterday, heard concussion protocol.
Chris:
Well, I from my understanding and again I'm. I'm I'm not you know, in the locker room and dialed in but. But my understanding and that was strictly a technicality like you can't clear concussion protocol until you practice and they hadn't held a practice. So that's, you know, I think it's just a technicality. He should be good to go. And you know, I'm in no way going to, like, wish any any any ill on anybody. So I'm not even going to say it, but you know that that's the kind of thing that it would take, I think 'cause the factors just don't have it.
Kelly:
That I if for some reason he didn't play, I might change my opinion a little bit, but frankly, you know you said it now, so I won't. Know right now and I don't know. I honestly don't know where the problems are coming from. But the Packers just seem like a disorganized mess of a team. Yeah. Yep. Agreed. So. So I don't know what's next on the. All right, let. Yeah. Let's get past that one.
Chris:
That one hurts to talk about.
Speaker
Yeah.
Chris:
Alright, this is a good. This is maybe my, maybe my favorite game of the whole weekend. Washington commanders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And you're on this one. I'm curious what your thoughts are 'cause I I I have a feeling of how the game's going to go.
Kelly:
It's. I was thinking about this before we started recording and. This is probably the most evenly matched game both teams have had pretty good years. It got a little bit of stumbling blocks at times, but. It is probably the most competitive game on the slate of games this weekend. I think the Washington pulls it out in the end, but I this one's I think going to be one of those games that goes down to, you know, the last minute or so and Washington probably pulls it out 31 to 28. I think you're going. See a lot of offense. And it's going to be a bit of a track meet and entertaining.
Chris:
I mean it. Know this. I think this kind of makes. For you know. Bad bad radio. But I mean, you and I are just, like, entirely like In Sync on this. Mad. So you know my pick for this game was 3432 commanders, and I even went so far as to say, you know, the the Bucks are gonna be winning. Seven with you know a minute and 40 left to go on the clock and the commander is going to drive down and score a game-winning, you know, touchdown, you know, near nearly as the clock expires, you know, it's 88 to 8 to 15 seconds left on. Clock or something and they they. Have just done it repeatedly, and I mean hell marries and last second walk offs and overtimes and they just you know they're the true cardiac kids of this year. They're exciting. Both these teams are a lot of fun to. They got playmakers, you know McMillan and Bucky and and Mayfield's play great. Jay Daniels just looks ridiculous, you know, and his ability to run the ball, you know? Hasn't caught up with how fast he. He's so deceptive and how fast he is and how how quick he can get to a corner and. You know eventually guys will will start to respect him more. I think in terms of his speed, but it's it's just it's sneaky man. All. It's like Derrick Henry. You know, a man that, that, that's that huge. You wouldn't think he could turn a corner, you know, and and yet he does. He outruns people. The time. You know, he gets in the open field. He's just out running guys that are. You know close to £100 less and him and I think you know, unless you see it all the time and that could be why the Steelers do so well against the Ravens is you know, they just see him all the time, man. And and they underst. Like, hey, I've played against Lamar. I get the angle I have to take to get him. Where as a team like the Giants playing them and they've never seen him before and they're like, oh man, I thought I had him and then he was gone, you know? And I that's partly why the division. Games are closer. It's not just the X's and OS and the schemes they run and things like that. Like these players know these players. You know what I. And the and the cornerbacks have played against this wide receiver so many times. Understand his moves. Understand. You know how close they need to be to to, to still be close with them, right? And on and on and. I think Jayden Daniels, you know, coming into the league, I I just don't think people. Really appreciate how what his speed is like out in his moves out in the open field and stuff and how to corral him. And I think that's it's shown itself in the game so far. And I think there's going to be a good one. Dude, I really do. Think this could be the highest scoring game on the slate? I I wouldn't be surprised at all if they're both in the 30s and I would be shocked if this game was like a, you know, 20 to 17 game that that would I. Don't how that could happen unless it was something similar to like what the. You know, lions and Vikings, you know, went through or they just couldn't. Couldn't score in the red. That's the only thing that would keep the scoring down is if somehow they that you know there's a turnover in the red zone and the other team drives down and they fumble in the red zone or have to kick field goal or something like that, you know, other. That. I mean, I just see these teams going up and down the field on each other and having a good time doing it.
Kelly:
Yeah, I think you know. I'm looking forward to the Packer game. Obviously, even though I, you know, I told you what I think is going to happen, but this one's going to be, I think, an entertaining game. You got so many good stories here, you know, Tampa Bay. Mayfield, resurrecting his career if you will, getting a good shake and a fair shake. More power to. All right. What we got next?
Chris:
All. Last game, Vikings at Rams. Vikings, coming off of that just miserable performance in the biggest game they've had in a very long time with everything on the line. You know, division number one seed, you know, the whole, the whole shebang was was. Forum and they just absolutely laid an egg and specifically, Sam Darnold looked terrible. And you know, it's like the guy woke up in the morning, looked at himself in the mirror and said, hey, you are Sam Darnold. And the guy said, Oh yeah, I am Sam Darnold. You know, it was just pathetic. It was he was laid on, throws overthrows, you know, just on and on. He looked back. And I don't know, you know, maybe it was just a bad game. Know everyone has a bad. Dude, have you picked a bad day to have a bad day? But. Or you know. You know, this is Sam Darnold. Know we'll find out.
Kelly:
That this is one of those things. And you know, coaches and teams lose jobs over these kind of choices. And I don't know what it is. We thought we knew who Sam Darnold was for years. And then we heard a different story all year. Then it's like when the final exam came.
Chris:
Like he got ad minor.
Kelly:
News. He he I mean, hey, man, I get it. You know the. It's athletics and you never know what's going to happen, but you could not have picked a worse time and it's like, well, what did he like? Said that, he look in the mirror and say oh. I shouldn't be that guy. Or was it just an aberration? So I really don't know. I don't know about this one. I'm I cuz I'm I was going to tell you. You know, I thought the Vikings were one of the elite teams. And they they. They should win this game. I mean, the Rams are just kind of muddling through the year and they played in a week division. The Vikings give me some serious paws, but I'll still say they pull it out. It's probably going to be 25 to 22.
Chris:
This do you? It's so you think it's going to? A close. Yes, in a close. Would you lean towards which defense is better or which quarterback is better? Do you think is or are they the same?
Kelly:
The thing I think that's going to pull it out for the Vikings is Aaron Jones.
Chris:
He'd he steps up in the playoffs, that's for sure.
Kelly:
You know, we saw that last year with the Packers. He'd been out in all that, and he ran that team into the playoffs last year and I think he's a great guy by all accounts. And I I think that he is a guy that the stage isn't too big for him and that's what I think is going. Be the difference I I think he's going to have a. A great game and pull it out in the end.
Chris:
Well, I'm this is the. I'm the is our first game where we're going the other way. Taking the Rams there at full health. And ended up by kind of back door and into a pretty good spot. You know, they're all right. Take the Vikings you know. And yeah, I I just. Like I mean nothing against O'Connell man. An excellent coach. I mean, I I think he's, you know, the perfect guy for the job there. And and all of that but. I think Mcveigh's better and. Umm, you know, Stafford, you know, they've won a super. You know, I I just think, Stafford, you know, has another level he can go to when he needs to. You know, as evidenced by the Bills game. You know, I was 4440. You know you want to shoot it out. All right, man, I can. Can do that. And you know, then they went to San Francisco and and won like a. Well, I forget what that was like, 9:00 to 6:00 or something like that or some some terrible game in the in the rain up in San Francisco. And I just think, Stafford. Has just been there and done that and I I would lean to the. They both matter, but I would say man in a close game, which I think this is going to be a close game. And when when that's the case I quarterback is better. And to me this isn't close. I think Stafford is a significantly better NFL quarterback than Dar. Now you know, you can argue. You could already about defense and scheme and all. All these other things, and Eric Jones is great man and we all love him, dude. He's a great dude, you know, and he did carry the Packers last year, but I would still put the emphasis. On which signal color is? You know, the better guided to put your chips on and I would take Stafford. I think this is a close one. Think it's 2423? And I think the Rams are the ones who end up pulling it out in the end. You know this game could go either. It wouldn't surprise me either way. I will say this, you know from, you know, going rolling back to Sam Donald, I mean, it is not crazy to say that this is $100 million game for him. So you know, there's all kinds of talk about the Vikings retaining him and even if it's not the. Vikings. He certainly played himself into a similar. To what? Baker Mayfield got. He has played well enough this year to think that, hey, this guy can lead a franchise. Mayfield got. You know, whatever it was, you know, three years, $100 million something somewhere in that vicinity. I think Sam Darnold has earned something very similar to that. Through Sihad earned something similar to that through 17 weeks, and then he man to put it all in question. He goes out and wins a playoff game or two, you know, gets him to the NFC Championship game. You know, gives it gives him the Super Bowl. It's a done deal. Man. That guy's getting all kinds of money, but. You know, even just winning a game, maybe, you know, are playing good in, in a second game, you know he's going to earn himself a spot on someone's team. You know the Raiders. You know, somewhere he's going to get a job. Dude, if he doesn't, if he goes out and lays back-to-back. If he looks like he did in the Denver game and you just missing everybody and laid on throws, can't make up his mind. Looks flustered. He's gonna get a one year like 8, you know, $18 million contract, you know that's that's going that that someone's gonna say hey. All right, I'll give you a shot. It. You know you're gonna be the bridge quarterback. Kind of like he was supposed to be this year for JJ McCarthy and someone else will take him as their bridge quarterback and. You know the Titans or or, you know, the Giants or you know the Raiders or somebody you know. Saints there's all kinds of teams that that are gonna be transitioning into to new young quarterbacks, probably. And uh. You know, he'll get a shot, but it's gonna be like a one year. So I I mean, I don't think it's crazy to say that this is $100 million game for him.
Kelly:
He could literally lose.
Chris:
I that's my opinion. I think. I think it's the difference between, you know, a three-year, $120 million contract or a one year you know $18 million contract. That's my thinking.
Kelly:
You know, I can't disagree with a lot of what you. I want to go back to one thing and I will say this right. Quarterback in the NFL is we've talked about it several times, but like Matthew, staff clearly has so many years of experience in that intellect and experience like he might be older. But you know that intellect and experience is going to carry him a long way as long as. Physical traits. Are still to some degree there. You know. Surprise me if you're right, but. I you know, I I just, I think we're going to see a little more of that Aaron Jones than you do. And I think that because I think the Vikings have got to try something different. Here's why. I think that. Donald's performance was a little bit of a shock to them. So you don't want. You don't wanna even put a risk that he does that again. So I think you're going to see them do more running and if. Jones gets going early on like I think he. And then I'm just going to ride that horse throughout the game.
Chris:
Yeah, but you know, but they'll still get small when you get down in the red zone, and you know that. That's the that's the problem. I mean, you know, Jones ain't likely scoring from the 50 very often, right? They're gonna work the way. And I I think he will be successful and I think they will ride him. But eventually you're gonna get down to the. And you know, it's gonna be, you know, third and six, you know, or third and goal to go from the six. You're not running Aaron Jones in from the six. In those spots, Sam Darnold is going to have to step up and and complete a ball and and in the Lions game, he had those opportunities. Justin Jefferson wide open. And and so if you do that again and you settle for three or, you know and regularly trade, you know, field goals, I I I like the Vikings defense quite a bit and I think they're going to give the Rams some trouble. You know the Rams can run the ball too. Kyler Williams is pretty good. And I think these are evenly matched games and I think with Puka Nakua Cooper Cup, you know Higbee's back now. Kyrie Williams, I think the and Stafford specifically. I think Stafford is more likely to laser flier fire one into cup in a tiny little shoebox of a window. You know when the games you know when, when, when they're third and six or third and goal at the six. I like Stafford's chances of completing a ball to somebody better than I like. Donald's. And so you know, I I wouldn't even argue that the Vikings get down there more using Aaron Jones and. And they may have more yardage. I just think that Stafford's age and experience is going to somehow propel them to the win, and again, I mean, I said it was going to be 2423. So obviously I think it's a game that could go either way, so. But I just. I just think somehow you know, I put my chips on Stafford, so we'll. Man, I mean, that's the only game we have different. And what's crazy about this whole thing as we've gone through this exercise is just, you know, I you said 2817. Said 3117, you said I said 31. You said 35 to 728 to 2128 to 20, I mean. Dude, these numbers are crazy. Close we are. And you know, this is the only game we have different, you know. So obviously we were seeing things you know and and and in the end we'll probably just be wrong about everything. Packers win the suit.
Kelly:
I just find it funny whether it's, you know, you and I with our little podcast here, off in the weeds or, you know, the guys on TV getting millions of dollars. Although everybody makes predictions and you never see a lot of going back and saying how right or. They were especially on the score score. So we'll see, man.
Chris:
Hey, credit to us though, I wanted to do this because I'm not afraid to, you know, put my opinions out there. I mean, I got reasons for why I think what I think you know and and I'm not afraid to put it on wax and like timestamp it. Do. I'm you know, I'm. I'm not going to back down and I I know I'll be wrong about some of this, right, so. I don't know what, but I know I'll be wrong about some of this and and I'm I'm willing to, you know, get back on here and and and admit what I was wrong about too. So. I'm glad we went through it.
Kelly:
How to say this? The thing that you know as a sports fan? Since I was a kid, the thing that and I don't know how they do it, man. Because in your way, more of a gambler than me. But the thing that blows me away is how right? I mean, they got to be. But the odds makers are on so much of this stuff.
Chris:
Yeah, very high percentage of the time. They're they're wrong. I mean, you know, there's, you know, no, no one's going to bat 1000 in this, right? Yeah, that, it's. It's amazing how accurate they they are. Mean. I've been gambling for a long time and. You know, sometimes it is the number of times you're sweating something out. Know it could be the line and the over. You know, you know, if they score a touchdown here, you know, like I said, it's 4th and goal at the one with six seconds left. If they score, it's it's the Vikings and the over. If they don't, it's the Rams in the under. Know what I mean? How often it comes down to that, like just this play or that play determines, you know the lines and that's how close they were. Know that happens all the time. Time.
Kelly:
So, alright, man, we're gonna have a a good weekend of football and. Thanks for joining in a conversation. Always love him and looking forward to seeing you in person here in a little bit too.
Chris:
Yeah, I'm pretty excited. So safe travels the rest of the week, Ellie, and you know, maybe we could do one of these live and in person, you know, sometime soon.
Kelly:
Definitely. And thanks everyone for listening to this episode of the podcast to be named later.