Here we go, here we go, here we go, here we go,
here we go, here we go. Here we go, folks. That's
right. The trade deadline is over with, and we
got to talk about the winners and losers of the
trade deadline and gut check time. That's right,
folks. Gut check time. We're talking about all
32 teams and what they need to do in order to
keep on playing in January and February, okay?
All of this and more. On the 97th episode of
Football Junkies Podcast, okay, I am your host
with the most, all right? I am your GM who currently
is not on a team right now, but don't you worry
about it, all right? Don't you worry about it
because I'm your chief bag roll dominoes. That's
right, chief, head of the table, anything and
everything related to the bag, rumors to the
bag, and more. I am your GM who is also your
hopium, hopium, hopium, hopium, hopium dealer,
as well as the GM that's going to give you the
truth bombs, hot takes, and more about all 32
teams, but you are listening to the greatest
football podcast that you can listen to on a
week -to -week, day -to -day basis. I'm your
GM, who, by the way, I mean, do we got to start
talking about the draft? We might have to talk
about the draft in this episode. I don't know,
but guess what? This is going to be a loaded
episode. This is going to be a great episode.
It's going to be an amazing episode. Some people
may not like what I have to say, but it has to
be said. So with all that said and done, let's
get into this thing, all right? So guess what?
On three, one, two, three, let's lock in. rifle
system into the meat and potatoes of everything
that is going on in the league right now so before
we get into gut check time which i know everybody
is waiting for Let's talk about the trades, all
right? I'm just gonna briefly go over all the
trades that have happened so far, and then we'll
get into the winners and losers and everything
else, all right? So Joe Flacco was traded to
the Bengals, of course, as we all know. And so
the Browns received a 2026 fifth round pick,
while the Bengals, of course, received Joe Flacco
in a 2026 sixth round pick. Here's the stats
for Joe Flacco since being with the Bengals.
173 attempts from 112 completions. 1 ,254 passing
yards, 11 touchdowns, two picks, 7 .2 yards per
attempt, a 64 .7 completion percentage, and a
1 -3 record. Now, can we hold the record against
Joe Flacco? No, because there's an offense and
a defense. And last time I checked, Joe Flacco
doesn't play defense. So with that being said,
I feel like Joe Flacco has played well for the
Bengals. Because leading up to this point, If
you would have told me that the Bengals would
make an in -division trade for Joe Flacco, I
would have called you a liar. But at the same
time, I understand why they did it because once
Joe Burrow got hurt and once everybody realized
that he most likely was not going to be playing
for the rest of the year, they had to make a
move. Because the quarterbacks that they had
on the roster was not cutting it. They wasn't
feeding Jamar Chase nor Tee Higgins. But Joe
Flacco, he is giving them... every type of throw
you could possibly think of. Now, unfortunately,
we all know the defense isn't holding up their
end of the bargain, but that's another story
for a different day. But the fact of the matter
is, I feel like this is a good trade. Now, on
to Adafio Way and Aloy Gilman getting traded,
right? So the Ravens receive Aloy Gilman's safety
in a 2026 fifth round pick, while the Chargers
receive Adafio Way in a 2027 seventh round pick.
Now, with that being said, Adafio Way so far
has six tackles and four sacks, while Aloy Gilman
has nine tackles, one fumble recovery, one pass
deflection, and one forced fumble. So me personally,
I feel like the Chargers have won this trade
more than the Ravens. Let me explain why. From
a production standpoint only, Adafio Way has
been more productive than Gilman. Adafio Way,
since being traded to the Chargers, has had a
sack every single game. That's not something
that you saw when he was playing for the Ravens,
which further enhances everything that everybody
has been saying for the past semi years with
the Ravens. Their pass rushers that they draft
do much better when they're away from the Ravens
than when they are with the Ravens. So to me,
I feel like the Chargers won this because guess
what? Come next offseason, they can move off
of Bud Dupree. Give Adafi away a decent contract
and pair him with Khalil Mack and you're good.
Whereas with this safety for the Ravens, he has
been productive, but I feel like personally safety
wasn't a need. They needed more from their pass
rushers and defensive line. And the fact that
you trade away someone like Adafi away is just
blasphemy to me. But we're going to save that
when we have to talk about the reasons for the
winners and losers of the trade deadline, all
right? So let's keep this thing going. Tyson
Campbell and Greg Newsome. So the Browns received
Tyson Campbell in the 2026 seventh round pick,
while the Jags received Greg Newsome in the 2026
sixth round pick. So Tyson Campbell so far has
had six tackles. One pick, four pass deflections,
and one forced fumble. While Greg Newsom has
had four tackles and two pass deflections. So
with that being said, I feel like Tyson Campbell
going to the Browns was a better situation for
him. Because if I'm not mistaken, the Jags primarily
play zone. And that's not Tyson Campbell. Tyson
Campbell is a man coverage corner. And we all
know that the Browns run man coverage a lot.
Not to mention, this move was primarily made
because Greg Newsom is up for a big payday. And
so we all know that the Browns won't be able
to afford him. So let's just put him in a situation
where they can afford him while getting a player
in return who is already under contract with
low numbers. It's a win -win situation for both
sides. But let's keep this thing going. Roger
McCrary. We all know that he goes to the Rams
and the Rams also get a 2026 conditional sixth
round pick while the Titans receive a 2026 conditional
fifth round pick. A low risk, high reward move
where you're addressing a need while at the same
time you're not overcompensating for that player.
This is the number one thing that I want you
guys to always remember. Look at the teams that
didn't have to give up a lot to get the player.
Bookmark that because we're going to talk about
it later on. But with Kyle Duggar, of course
the Steelers receive him in a 2026 7th round
pick while the Patriots receive a 2026 conditional
6th round pick. Again, a low risk. high reward
move where you're addressing a need while at
the same time, you're not overcompensating for
it. These are the type of trades that you want
your GM to make. Not give up two first round
picks for a player who really has been productive
since his first two years coming into the league.
But we'll save that for later, okay? But let's
talk about Keyon White going to the 49ers. So
the 49ers receive a 2026 seventh round pick while
the Patriots receive a 2026 sixth round pick.
Again, this is a low risk, high reward move while
at the same time addressing a need because since
Nick Bosa has gone down, their pass rushers haven't
been able to create pressure while at the same
time get sacks. And I know a lot of people probably
saying, well, they should have went after Trey
Hendrickson or a more well -known pass rusher.
Well, let's be real here. The 49ers are going
to need their first round pick next year. So
it's only right that they try to go a little
bit cheap while at the same time trying to at
least put a Band -Aid over a bullet wound just
for now. I feel like Keon White would fit better
in Robert Sala's system as a defensive end than
what Mike Rabel's system. That's just my personal
opinion. I could be completely wrong, all right?
Now let's talk about Michael Carter II and John
Mechie, all right? So the Jets received a 2027
sixth round pick and John Mechie, while the Eagles
received Michael Carter II in a 2027 seventh
round pick. Low risk, high reward, while at the
same time addressing your needs. We all know
that the Eagles were looking for a corner. And
so what did they do? They attacked corner hard.
They went after Michael Carter II, who was a
really good slot corner, as well as go after
Jair Alexander. But this is the part of the season
where Howie Roseman really gets in his bag. If
there's any pressing needs on his team, regardless
of what it is, he is going to find a way to address
it. Now with this trade, my question is, how
are the Jets going to use John Mechie? What exactly
in his skill set will help the Jets win games?
Because at this point, what is John Mechie? Is
he wide receiver three? Is he wide receiver four?
Is he wide receiver two? What exactly is he?
But let's keep this thing going. So let's talk
about the other trade that the Eagles made. They
traded for Jair Alexander. So of course, they
received him in a 2027 seventh round pick, while
the Ravens received a 2026 sixth round pick.
Initially, when this trade went down, I did talk
about it in the last episode, but now that we
finally, you know, allow time to pass, it's a
little bit of a head scratcher for the Ravens
side. But I understand why the Eagles made this
move, because again, corner was a problem for
them. Outside of Quinion Mitchell and Cooper
Dejean, who else can you rely on? Kelly Ringo
wasn't showing a whole lot. Adoree Jackson wasn't
showing a whole lot. But by bringing in someone
like Michael Carter and Jair Alexander to proven
corners, I think that'll boast up the room a
little bit more. But if you're the Ravens, you
cut your nose off despite your face because you
know why? You didn't play Jair Alexander. And
I understand when you guys initially signed him,
he was still recovering from an injury and whatnot.
I get all that. But we're in November. Like,
I'm not saying he has to play an entire game.
Put him on a snap count. Do something. Because
I guarantee you Jire Alexander approached the
team and said, you know what? I feel like I'm
not being used. I'm healthy. I'm always ready
to play. I'm always a healthy scratch. I would
like to be traded. And they probably asked him
where you want to go. He probably said, you know
what? Take me to Philly. And there's that. Now,
it sucks for the Ravens because if Marlon or
Nate Wiggins goes down. Who else can you rely
on? But it's like, hey, you wasn't using him.
So it is what it is at this point. But let's
talk about Jalen Phillips, all right? So the
Eagles receive him and the Dolphins receive a
2026 third round pick. Now with this move, he
reunites with his old defensive coordinator,
Vic Vangio. Now when he played under Vic Vangio
in 2023, Jalen Phillips had 28 tackles, six and
a half sacks, two pass deflections, and one pick.
Now, those aren't top five or top 10 pass rusher
stats, but that's a promising stat line that
says, hey, there's something there. Now, with
him going to the Eagles, they're now saying,
hey, you're going to be pass rusher one or two.
No, at best, you can be pass rusher three or
four, which is actually good because why? The
Eagles love to have a rotation. So I think pairing
you with Brandon Graham or pairing you with Nolan
Smith or however you want to do things, I think
that's great. And once again, by the time he
leaves, if he decides to leave, guess what happens?
The Eagles get a comp pick for it. So it's a
win -win situation for the Eagles. But let's
keep this thing going. Draymond heads to the
Ravens. And so the Titans receive a 20 -26 conditional
fifth round pick. It's a little bit of a head
scratcher, I'll be honest. If I'm not mistaken,
he can play both end as well as interior defensive
line. I've never really seen him play, but...
From what I've heard, he can do a little bit
of both. So how the Ravens are going to use him,
I'll just leave it there because I have a whole
lot more to say when we talk about the winners
and losers of the trade deadline. But let's talk
about Logan Wilson. So he heads to the Cowboys
and the Bengals receive a 2026 seventh round
pick. This is a good move for the Cowboys because
they're bringing in a good coverage linebacker
and pairing him with DeMarvin Overstrom, which
I think is a really good pair. This is a low
risk type of move where you're not saying, hey,
we need you to play like Sean Lee or you need
to play like, you know, a top 10 inside linebacker.
No, all they need him to do is to just do his
job and execute because for the longest time,
what have the Cowboys been doing? Using hybrid
safeties as linebackers thinking that it's going
to work when in actuality, it really doesn't
because a lot of times they be missing out on
their tackles. No disrespect to y 'all, but that's
just what it is. But let's keep this thing going
and let's talk about Jacoby Myers heading to
the Jaguars. So they receive him while the Raiders
receive a 2026 fourth and sixth round pick. All
right. So I understand why they made this move
because Brian Thomas hasn't really been playing
his best ball and Travis Hunter is out for a
while. But why would you give up that type of
compensation for somebody that's going to be
a free agent next year? Just how it was pointless
for Chris Ballard to trade away his 2026 first
round pick, his 2027 first round pick, and A
.D. Mitchell for Sauce Gardner. I understand
people have different opinions about this. I
have no problem with that. But the fact of the
matter is, Sauce Gardner is not worth two first
round picks. You know who is worth two first
round picks? Derek Stingley or PS2. You know,
people that are consistent. People that have
been proven since day one. Outside of the first
two years of Sauce Gardner, what has he shown?
Nothing. And I understand that Traverius Ward
is still hurt. I get all of that. But that doesn't
mean to just say, you know what? F it. We're
going to give up two first round picks for Sauce
Gardner. No. That's the dumbest thing that you
could ever do because you know why? That automatically
puts a time clock on this roster. And that also
says that, guess what? We believe in this roster
so much that we are willing to give up future
assets that we could use to build up this team
even more for a player right now. And we believe
that within the next three to five years, we
will be able to hold up on Lombardi. No. But
here's a few junkie nuggets. So according to
NextGenStat, Sauce Garner hasn't allowed no more
than two receptions to a single receiver in a
game this season. Sauce Gardner has faced number
one receivers on 45 .5 % of his coverage matchups.
Now when targeted, he's forced tight windows
at a 52 % rate. But here's the kicker. The Jets
now have five first round picks within the next
two years. I'm going to say that again. The Jets
now have five first round picks within the next
two years. You have three first round picks in
2027 alone. You have two second round picks in
2026. So technically speaking, you could use
those second round picks to get back into the
first round if you want to. We're going to save
that for later. Let's talk about Rashid Shahid
before I get upset. So he goes to the Seahawks
and the Saints receive a 2026 fourth round pick
and a 2026 fifth round pick. Now, this is a good
move for the Seahawks because you're reuniting
him with Clint Kubiak, which... If we're being
real here, he had one of his best years under
Clint Kubiak when he was with the Saints. He
had 41 targets for 20 receptions, 349 receiving
yards, 3 touchdowns, and 17 .5 receiving yards
per reception. Now, to some people, you're probably
saying, those aren't really good stats. Rasheed
Shaheed is a wide receiver 2 -3 on a lot of teams.
He's a productive receiver, and if we're being
real here, I think he can take this offense to
another level. Because who's going to stop Cooper
Cupp, J .S. Singh, Rasheed Shaheed, A .J. Barner,
and Elijah Roya, and Zach Charbonnet, and Kenneth
Walker? Not a lot of people. But let's keep this
thing going. Joe Tryon heads to the Bears. And
so the Bears receive him in a 20 -26 seventh
-round pick, while the Browns receive a 20 -26
sixth -round pick. A move that was very much
needed because one of their pass rushers is out
for the rest of the year because they tore his
Achilles. So they needed to make a move quickly
while at the same time not giving up a lot of
compensation, which I completely understand.
Quinton Williams, he heads to the Cowboys. And
so the Jets receive a 2027 first round pick,
which is going to be Dallas' highest first round
pick, a 2026 second round pick, and Mozzie Smith.
Now here's some junkie nuggets about this. Since
2022, Quinton Williams has beaten 57 double teams
to generate pressure. He's fourth among defensive
tackles and total pressures at 190 total pressures.
Quinton Williams has 13 run stuffs for loss or
no gain, which is the second most of this season.
He's completed this on 8 .9 % of his run defense
snaps, outpacing his career run stuff rate of
6 .6 % in 2020. We're going to save my opinion
about this. Let's keep it going. Trevor Penning
heads to the Chargers. The Saints receive a 20
-27 sixth round pick. Honestly, I feel like this
was a bad move for the Chargers, but I understand
why they did this because their offensive line
is decimated with injuries and they are desperate
to at least get some bodies on that line. So
I understand on one hand why they made this move,
but... I would have called a veteran. I would
have did workouts. I would have done something
at this point because it's already bad enough
that you lost Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater for
the rest of the year. But to bring in someone
like Trevor Penny, who, I mean, if we're being
real here, the Saints used him at left tackle.
He didn't do anything. They used him at right
tackle. Didn't do anything. They used him at
guard. He didn't do anything. He's useless everywhere.
And this is no disrespect to him, but bro. If
the team is putting you in different positions
and you still haven't shown anything, you're
just bad. But let's talk about the final trade.
And that is Jasir Taylor going to the Jets while
the Chargers receive a 2028 seventh round pick.
My guess is this is just to fill in the voice
that both Michael Carter and Sauce Gardner left
on the team. Nothing more, nothing less. So let's
talk about the winners and losers of the trade
deadline. For winners, you have Cowboys, Eagles,
Jets, and Seahawks. In losers, you have Ravens,
Titans, Chargers, Colts, and Jaguars. So let's
start with the winners. So with the Cowboys,
they definitely won this trade because when we
look at it, since Micah Parsons has been traded,
what did Jerry Jones say? I could either use
these picks to acquire somebody or I can draft
somebody. But he emphasized that he wanted to
bring in somebody that is going to help with
stopping the run. And who better person to get
than Quentin Williams? Not to mention, he's going
to be a lot cheaper than what you would have
had paid Micah Parsons. That's the part that
I think people don't understand. When we look
at the entire Micah Parsons situation. If the
Cowboys would have paid Michael Parsons the money
that he was looking for, they wouldn't be able
to re -sign Deron Bland. They wouldn't be able
to re -sign their offensive lineman. They wouldn't
be able to make the moves that they're making
right now. So in some ways, it was a smart move
for Jerry to make. He realizes that, listen,
my team still needs a lot of time to be built.
So I need to bolster up as many resources as
I possibly can so that I can make this a little
bit easier. Because Jerry was honest. He said,
listen, I have more time behind me than ahead
of me. So I need to maximize every single year
that I have on this earth. And he's 100 % right.
But let's keep this thing going. Let's talk about
the Eagles. So for them, they realized that one,
their pass rusher room was not good enough. They
realized that their cornerback room wasn't good
enough. So they said, you know what? We're going
to address those two positions as best as we
can. They gave up a third round pick for Jalen
Phillips and they gave up day three picks for
both Michael Carter and Jair Alexander. I think
that's great because these are low risk, high
reward moves where you are not thrusting them
to be cornerback one or pass rusher one. You're
just putting them in a position where they can
be successful, which is all you need. Because
again, the pass rush room for the Eagles has
not been good this entire season. Nolan Smith
has been banged up. Z'Darrius Smith just unexpectedly
retired. And so they had to convince Brandon
Graham to come back. So yes, they needed to make
these moves. And they didn't have to give up
a whole lot to get them. And then the most important
part is, whatever Jalen Phillips do in the offseason,
they're going to get a comp pick back. If I'm
not mistaken, I think it's a third round comp
pick as well. So it's a free move. Who wouldn't
want to make a free move? Classic Howie Roseman,
folks. Classic Howie Roseman. Now with the Jets,
yes, they are winners. And here's why. You realize
that the current direction of this team is not
successful. And you realize by having two players
in both Sauce Garner and Quinton Williams, you
can receive multiple draft picks that can help
build this team up a little bit faster. So guess
what? You got five first round picks. You could
possibly have a little bit more, honestly speaking.
So that means you have multiple chances to find
your quarterback, to find your receivers, to
find your corners, your defensive tackles, and
any other positions that you feel like needs
to be upgraded. And the final winner is the Seahawks
because they realize that the missing piece is
just another wide receiver. Outside of that,
everything else on their roster is pretty good.
Their defense is great. The offense has been
putting up numbers. Sam Darnold looks like an
MVP. Who's really complaining? This is the structure
for success. This is the structure for long -term
success if we want to take things another step.
I guarantee you, folks, within the next three
to six years, the Seahawks will be back in the
Super Bowl. You heard it here first on the Football
Junkies podcast. And let's talk about these losers
because I got a lot to say about these losers.
So let's start with the Ravens. You guys are
losers because you realize that by trading away
Adafi away, everyone is thinking, oh, they're
going to make a big move to bring in a really
good pass rusher. And you didn't do that. You
know what you did? You brought in Draymond Jones.
And this is no disrespect to Draymond Jones.
But I'm sorry. You had an opportunity, just like
any of the other teams, to get someone like a
Quentin Williams. And you didn't do it. I understand
everybody has their qualms with John Harbaugh.
John Harbaugh isn't the person that you need
to have qualms with. It needs to be EDC. Because
year after year after year, you have a GM that
continues to sit on his hands and say, you know
what? I like being complacent. I like wasting
people's time. I like not being aggressive. At
some point, you're going to have to put your
balls on the table and say, you know what? We're
going to make this aggressive move because you
know why? We are in our Super Bowl window and
we need to win one. But even if you thought going
after Quentin Williams was too expensive, you
should have at least made one more move to shore
up your offensive line. Daniel Falele is ass.
And I mean hot ass. Garbage ass. Anytime that
you see him on the field, you know most likely
he's going to miss his assignments, he's not
going to block well, and he's going to be a barbecue
chicken alert for every single defensive lineman
that he faces. So the fact that you didn't address
those two needs while at the same time bringing
in another corner to replace Jair Alexander just
shows me that one, this team is not serious about
winning and that they should just get rid of
all of their players. Because you cannot make
the move that you made to acquire Roquan Smith
and pay him the money that you paid him and then
just say, you know what, after that, we're not
going to do anything else. I don't care who the
person is. I don't care what the asking price
is. We're not going to do it. Even though making
one aggressive move could literally change your
entire season. Let's be honest here. This is
the best year for any other team outside the
Chiefs to win the Super Bowl. The Chiefs are
weak this year. The Broncos are going to keep
them in check. And if we're being real here,
if the Broncos win that division, the Chiefs
don't want to face that. The Bills don't look
that strong. So why would you not want to make
at least one aggressive move? I'm not saying
you got to throw the whole house away just to
acquire one player, but you need to do something.
Draymond Jones is not going to do anything. What
you have right now is not good enough. Half of
the people in your interior defensive line room
are banged up. So you needed to bring in somebody
fresh, somebody that you know that, guess what?
When they step on that field, when they put their
hand in that ground, they're going to make some
noise. They're going to create some pressure.
They are going to be able to change the entire
game. But if you're not willing to meet that
price, well, then by all means, you don't need
to be a GM. Because all you're doing is wasting
the prime years of Lamar Jackson and Derrick
Henry. And everybody else that has been committed
to this team through and through. So when that
documentary comes out on why the Ravens never
won a Super Bowl, go to EDC. Because EDC had
the power, he had the resources, and he had the
opportunities to solidify his roster over everybody
else's. But he didn't want to pull the trigger.
But let's keep on going. Let's talk about the
Titans. So with them, yes, they are a loser.
Because you know that you're going through a
rebuild. You know that you're going to need...
in excess of resources in order to properly build
this team up. And you're going to need more than
just second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and
seventh round picks. You're going to need some
first round picks as well. And the fact that
you didn't get rid of Jeffrey Simmons, even though
you had the opportunity to do it, lets me know
that you're not serious. But this is the same
thing that they did with Derrick Henry. The Ravens
were willing to give whatever the Titans were
asking for. And the Titans said, you know what,
we're not going to do it. Because he's the reason
why people come to the games. He's the reason
why people want to buy jerseys, buy merch, attend
whatever little get -togethers that the Titans
hold. Are we serious about making money or are
we serious about winning championships? Just
let me know. The Chargers, I understand that
your offensive line is depleted. I understand
that you need somebody just to get by. But training
for Trevor Penning is not the answer. I would
have at least tried to go after a veteran offensive
lineman before I would have resulted to Trevor
Penning. You're talking about somebody that has
been tried at both tackles and guard and haven't
been successful. So that just lets me know you're
just downright atrocious. You should have at
least held some workouts for some veteran offensive
linemen. I understand they're probably not the
best names. I understand that they have their
own flaws as well, but hey. At least they can
get you by because guess what? You're going to
have to go up against the Steelers. A Steelers
defense, by the way, that just finished beating
one of the best teams in the league. So the fact
that you don't have both Joe Olt and Rashawn
Slater lets me know that most likely Justin Herbert
is going to get cracked in this game. And I don't
want that to happen, but I know it's going to
happen. The Steelers are going to send the house,
the car, and the fence at Justin Herbert. And
there's nothing that you can do about it. Now
the Colts. I understand you guys are having a
great season. I understand things look very promising.
But why in the blue hell would you give up two
first round picks for a player that has not been
proven? It'll be different if you gave up two
first round picks for Derek Stingley. I would
not complain. Or you give up two first round
picks for PS2. I wouldn't complain. But Sauce
Gardner has not shown anything within the last
few years. And I understand that your cornerback
room has been banged up. And I understand by
bringing Sauce Gardner in, that can bring a little
bit of energy back into the cornerback room.
But I would not give up two first round picks.
This is just one good year. Anybody can have
one good year. The Commanders won the NFC Championship
last year. And now look at them. So why would
you give up two first round picks for somebody?
You guys made two steps forward just to go six
steps back. And by making this move, you have
basically started the clock of being successful.
Because if you don't make it to the AFC Championship,
let alone the Super Bowl, within the next five
years, that was a waste. Not to mention, you're
going to have to pay Daniel Jones. You're going
to have to pay Jonathan Taylor. You're going
to have to pay one of your receivers. There's
going to be a plethora of people that are going
to be looking for big contracts this offseason.
And by making a move for Sauce Garner does not
help. So that means one of those players is going
to be a sacrifice. Are you willing to do that?
Especially when you know that you still need
all of your draft picks in order to properly
build this team up. Daniel Jones looks good,
but it's just one season. There's a difference
between just having one magical season and just
being downright consistent and great. Greatness
is consistent. Good is just a moment. That actually
sounds like a bar. I might have to write that
down, but let's keep this thing going. The Jaguars.
I understand that Trevor Lawrence needs some
weapons, but giving up your fourth and sixth
round pick for next year's draft for Jacoby Myers,
who's only going to be playing for eight games,
is a waste. As I've said before in the early
parts of this episode, I am not giving up a fourth
and a sixth round pick for a wide receiver who
is not currently under contract, let alone only
played for eight games. It'll be different if
you made this move in the off season. Okay, fine.
That means you have the entire season to assess
Jacoby Myers. But by making this move right now,
you are cutting yourself short. And on top of
that, you could have used those picks to address
the need on your team because this team is still
incomplete. If you're the Jaguars, you don't
make this type of move if you don't believe that
you're going to be able to re -sign him next
year. If you guys have already had that conversation,
okay, fine. Everything that I've said so far
means nothing. But if you guys haven't had at
least a preliminary talk about contracts, it's
worthless. But here's another thing that I want
to add in, and we'll talk about this just for
a moment. Teams with multiple 2026 first round
picks include the Rams, the Browns, the Cowboys,
and the Jets. Three of those teams don't have
a franchise quarterback. After listening to what
Tom McShay had to say yesterday, it sounds like
to me like the 26 draft class is not going to
be the draft class for quarterbacks. It sounds
like to me like 27 is going to be the better
draft class. Because from what he said, Lenora
Sellers may transfer to Miami. Fernando Mendoza
is probably going to declare for the draft. The
quarterback for Oklahoma, he may stay for another
year because he had thumb surgery. Dante Moore
is going to go back to school. So if that is
true, that means a lot of the top prospects that
everybody has been scouting is most likely going
to be off the list. There's also a chance that
Ty Simpson may also go back to school. So if
you're the Steelers, if you're any of these teams
that need a franchise quarterback, I don't think
26 is the year for you. I think 27 is the better
year. Now, sure, you'll have Sam Lovin, and you'll
probably have a few other prospects that you
may be interested in, but I feel like all the
prospects that everybody's going to want to go
after will probably target the 27 draft and the
26 draft class. That's just my personal opinion.
I could be wrong. Only time will tell, all right?
We still have a lot of time from now until the
combine and the draft and all those different
things, okay? So let's talk about gut check time,
all right? All 32 teams we will be discussing.
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back to the good stuff. And we're back folks.
So let's talk about gut check time. That's right.
All 32 teams, all 32 different opinions. So let's
just get into it. All right. NFC North with the
Lions fight to win the division. And the reason
why I say that is because Right now, this is
anybody's division. Nobody has a clear lead over
the other. When we look at their divisional stats
right now, the Vikings have the best stats within
the division. They're 2 -0. The Bears are 0 -2,
the Lions are 1 -2, and the Packers are 1 -0.
But here's the thing. From a conference standpoint,
the Packers are 3 -1 -1, the Lions are 2 -2,
the Bears are 3 -2, and the Vikings are 2 -2.
With that being said, their remaining opponents
are the Commanders, Eagles, Giants, Packers,
Cowboys, Rams, Steelers, Vikings, and Bears.
So yes, they have some good matchups and they
have some very bad matchups, but I feel like
they're probably going to either win the division
or probably be like really close to winning it.
Because right now, their division is very competitive.
Although the Vikings are 4 -4, they can still
put up a fight. The Bears are looking really
good this year. The Packers... are looking good
this year. But they don't look like the team
that everybody was expecting. So if you're the
Lions, you want to beat the Eagles. You want
to beat the Giants. You want to beat the Packers,
of course. The Cowboys. You want to focus on
your NFC wins more than your AFC wins because
we're starting to get to the point where seeding
is really going to matter. And those conference
games are really going to hold a lot of weight.
So I don't know what they got to do, but just
get it done. Let's talk about the Vikings. Fight
to save your season. And the reason why I say
that is because your remaining opponents are
the Ravens, Bears, Packers, Seahawks, Commanders,
Cowboys, Giants, Lions, and Packers. That's not
an easy feat. Out of all those teams, the only
two teams that I would say you should probably
crush is the Commanders and Giants. Outside of
that, you're facing all NFC opponents. So all
of those games are must -win games. So if you're
the Vikings, you're still in it. But at the same
time, the margin of error, it's very small. And
it's going to get smaller and smaller every single
time that you lose a game. Specifically, you
lose against NFC teams. Because as I just said,
we're starting to get to the point where seeding
is going to matter. On to the Bears. Get ready
for the gauntlet. Your remaining opponents. Giants,
Vikings, Steelers, Eagles, Packers, Browns, Packers
again, 49ers, and Lions. Now, the good news is
you have a winning record. The bad news is your
divisional record is trash. You haven't won a
divisional record at all. And you need to win
your divisional battles. You face the Packers
twice, and then you end the season with the Lions.
So if we're being real here, you should be able
to beat the Giants. After that matchup, things
are going to get a little bit more treacherous.
The Vikings are going to put up a fight. The
Steelers are going to put up a fight. The Eagles,
the Packers, the Browns, even though their season's
over with, they can still bring a team down.
You know the Packers are going to get their act
together. You know the 49ers may try to put up
a fight. And you know that there's a good chance
that the division winner can be decided by the
last game. So do you really want to take that
risk? I don't think so. If I'm the Bears, I'm
trying to win against the Vikings, I'm trying
to win against the Packers twice, and I'm trying
to win against the Lions. You want to make it
so close. to the point where they have to rely
on other records to decide on who's going to
win the division. I would rather do that than
to say, you know what, we didn't win as many
games as we needed to in order to solidify ourselves
within the division. On to the Packers. Lock
in. Your remaining opponents are the Eagles,
Giants, Vikings, Lions, Bears, Broncos, Bears,
Ravens, and Vikings. I'm going to be honest with
you. This might be the hardest stretch I have
seen so far. You got the Eagles, the Giants,
I mean, you can most likely crush. The Vikings,
the Lions, the Bears, the Broncos, the Bears
again, the Ravens, and the Vikings. You got three
games we're going up against divisional opponents.
I don't know what you need to do. I don't know
who you need to bring in. I don't know what speech
needs to be given. But whatever it is, it needs
to be done now. Because whether people realize
it or not, with the Packers tying against the
Cowboys, there's a chance that can easily affect
them negatively or positively. So if I'm the
Packers, I want to avoid that scenario. And the
only way that you can do it is if you start off
hot by beating the Giants, Vikings, Eagles, Packers,
the Packers again, the 49ers, and the Lions.
If you can beat out those teams, you're in a
good spot. But if you're having trouble against
the Vikings or the Eagles or the Packers twice,
I don't know what to tell you. Out of all the
teams that I just talked about, you can beat
the Giants, you can beat the Browns. Everybody
else, that's up to y 'all. Now let's talk about
the NFC South, all right? So with the Panthers,
finish the season strong and keep the divisional
battle close. Your remaining opponents are the
Saints, Falcons, 49ers, Rams, Saints, Bucs, Seahawks,
and Bucs again. So right now, you're five and
four. Your divisional record is 1 -0. Your conference
record is 3 -1, which is actually really good.
But with that being said, you realize that you're
fighting an uphill battle against the Buccaneers.
But it is a battle that you can easily win if
you get the job done. You've beaten the Packers,
which is really good. The Saints, that's an easy
W. The Falcons, that could be an easy W. That's
two wins right there. All you have to worry about
is the 49ers, Rams, the Bucs twice, and the Seahawks.
If you can win those games, you're in a good
spot. And when you win those games, you're going
to put added pressure on the Buccaneers to maintain
their lead. Because the Bucs realize that if
they lose one or two games, guess what? You now
take the lead in the division, which is what
you want. On to the Falcons. Fight for your season.
I understand that things haven't been the best
for you lately because you're on a three -game
losing streak and your next opponent is the Colts
on Sunday. But you got to fight. Because even
though you may not make it to the playoffs, you
can still make some noise. You can still be a
team that drags one of your division rivals down,
which you may want to do, honestly. Just saying,
you know. When you look at your remaining opponents,
of course, you have the Colts, you have the Panthers,
the Saints, the Jets, the Seahawks, the Bucks,
the Cardinals, the Rams, and the Saints again.
So you can beat the Saints twice. You can beat
the Jets. Everybody else, it's up in the air,
which is what you want. Because when we look
at it, right, your division record is not good.
Your conference record could be a little bit
better. But that doesn't mean that you just sit
down and say, you know what, the season's over.
There's no point in us fighting. There's no point
in us putting in effort. None of that. You have
to keep fighting. That momentum could save somebody's
job. Not saying that, you know, people are going
to get fired or anything, but you just want to
show a little bit of grit. The Saints have quit,
okay? Their good is gone. Their goose is cooked.
Yours isn't. You could still have a winning record,
even though you don't make it in the playoffs,
which I think at this point, if you're the Falcons,
I think that's what you probably want to shoot
for. If you can have a winning record, but you
don't make it in the playoffs, I think that's
a successful season. I think that's a season
that shows, hey, What we have right now is working.
We just have to continue to build off of it.
Then just say, you know what? There's no point
in us fighting. We're just going to tank so we
get a high draft pick so we can just draft somebody.
On to the Bucs. Extend the divisional lead. Your
remaining opponents, Patriots, Bills, Rams, Cardinals,
Saints, Falcons, Panthers, Dolphins, and Panthers
again. You know you're going to beat the Dolphins.
You know you're going to beat the Saints. You
know you're going to beat the Cardinals. The
Patriots and the Bills and Rams are going to
give you some trouble. The Falcons may try to
give you some trouble as well. And the Panthers,
I mean, hey, they just finished being the Packers,
so it's topsy -turvy with them, all right? Now,
with your divisional record, you're 2 -0, but
your conference record is 4 -2, which is really
good. You have to extend your divisional lead
because the Panthers are right behind you. And
you know right now they have the momentum on
their side. So if you're the Buccaneers... I
would rather seal up the division by Christmas,
or better yet, Thanksgiving, than to give the
Panthers a chance to fight this thing all the
way to the end. But on to the Saints. So use
the rest of the season to assess the team. Your
remaining opponents are the Panthers, Falcons,
Dolphins, Bucks, Panthers again, Jets, Titans,
and Falcons. So that's manageable. But if we're
being real here, you're tanking so you can get
a high draft pick, all right? If we really want
to take things another step further, You're using
this to assess Tyler Shuck, Spencer Rattler,
Chris Alave, and everybody else that you have
on this team. Because I would rather for you
to use the rest of the season to see what you
have and what you don't have than to just say,
you know what? We're going to put our hardest
effort in. We're going to try to win as many
games as we possibly can, even though we know
damn well you guys aren't. Your season is over
with. You're not going to do anything. So just
count your losses, all right? Your goose is cooked.
And it has been cooked since week six, if we're
being real here. Now on to the NFC East. The
Eagles finished the season strong. So right now
you're six and two. Your divisional record is
two and one. Your conference record is five and
one, which is great. Your remaining opponents
are the Packers, Lions, Cowboys, Bears, Chargers,
Raiders, Commanders, Bills, and Commanders again.
And with that being said, we all know that you
could beat the Commanders. We know that you can
beat the Chargers. We know that you can beat
the Raiders. All you really have to worry about
is the Packers, Lions, Cowboys, Bears, and the
Bills. The Cowboys may be a team you may have
to keep an eye on, especially with them acquiring
Quinton Williams. Just saying. But if you want
to get a high seed, you're going to have to finish
strong. And that doesn't mean you just let up
on the last two games. No, you have to be guns
blazing from this point on. Now on to the Cowboys.
Prepare for the gauntlet. Your remaining opponents
are the Raiders, Eagles, Chiefs, Lions, Vikings,
Chargers, Commanders, and Giants. Now with that
being said, your divisional record is 2 -1, and
your conference record is 2 -4 -1, which, if
we're being real here, that tie may have a negative
or positive effect on you when it comes to playoff
seeding. Now, we all know that you can beat the
Raiders. It's just what you do against the Eagles,
Chiefs, Lions, and Vikings that's going to matter
the most. And we also realize that the offense
can't continue to be the workhorse for the team.
At some point, the defense is going to have to
step up. Now, am I saying that you have to be
this dominant team for the rest of the season?
No. But if you can just contribute, be consistent,
make great plays, I think this team can make
some noise. On to the commanders. Assess your
strengths and weaknesses and prepare for the
offseason. Your remaining opponents, the Lions,
Dolphins, Broncos, Vikings, Giants, Eagles, Cowboys,
and Eagles again. With Jade and Daniels recovering
from a dislocated elbow, I would rather the commanders
use the rest of the season to assess their strengths
and weaknesses on this team than to just say,
you know what, we're going to try to put our
best foot forward. Because let's be honest here,
there's a lot of holes on this team and they're
going to have to be addressed in the next offseason.
For starters, the defense has to get younger.
But anytime your defense is composed of older
players, you're not gonna see a whole lot of
production out of them. And if you do, it's gonna
be in spurts. Paying 10 million to Von Miller
isn't gonna solve the pass rushing issue. Trading
for Marshawn Lattimore isn't gonna solve the
cornerback issue. You most likely are gonna have
to draft those positions. Or you're going to
have to pay a premium to bring in a really good
player to address one of those positions. Now,
luckily, next year's draft class is supposed
to be a defensive draft class. And last time
I checked, there's supposed to be a lot of good
edge rushers that are coming out next year. So
with that being said, you need to assess your
tight end room, your receiving room, your offensive
line, your running back room. You need to assess
every single position on this team and say, you
know what? Can we upgrade this position? Can
we make a move to possibly bring in somebody
that can be more productive? You need to have
these honest conversations now so that when the
draft comes around and free agency starts, guess
what? You have all your ducks in a row and you're
ready to go. Now on to the Giants. Try to finish
the season strong and prepare for the offseason.
Your remaining opponents. Bears, Packers, Lions,
Patriots, Commanders, Vikings, Raiders, and Cowboys.
Now, realistically speaking, you're not going
to win a lot of games. But if you can win a couple
of these games, I think that can be promising.
And I think the way that you win those games
can also be bonus points as well. Let's be honest
here. This team is still incomplete. The wide
receiver room needs more talent. The running
back room needs more talent. Offensive line needs
to get stronger. The defense could get a little
bit stronger in a few different areas. So there's
room for growth. So you need to use the rest
of these games to assess, hey, how do we match
up against these teams? And be honest. Some feelings
may get hurt, but guess what? You need to be
honest at this point because there was a point
in time during this season that we were talking
about Joe Shane and Brian Dable getting fired
by Thanksgiving. But since Jackson Dart has come
in, he's been the breath of fresh air. So with
your ownership, do you want to break that up?
No. I think you're going to have to keep Joe
Shane and Brian Dable for another year. Now,
if next year comes around and you don't see anything
that you saw this year, okay, fine, you can blow
it up, go in a different direction, whatever.
But you have to keep rolling with this. Now,
on to the NFC West, all right? So with the 49ers.
Try to keep up with the Rams and Seahawks. So
your remaining opponents, Rams, Cardinals, Panthers,
Browns, Titans, Colts, Bears, and Seahawks. Now
you have a chance to make some noise both in
the division and in the conference. But all you
have to do is just continue to stack wins. Now
am I saying you have a chance to win the division?
Realistically, yes. But the path to acquire that
is very difficult. We all know that you can beat
the Titans and the Browns and the Cardinals,
but how are you going to match up against the
Rams, the Colts, the Bears, and the Seahawks?
But on to the Seahawks. Extend the divisional
lead. The remaining opponents are the Cardinals,
Rams, Titans, Vikings, Falcons, Colts, Rams,
Panthers, and 49ers, which really isn't that
bad. You can beat the Cardinals, you can beat
the Titans, you can beat the Falcons. It's what
you do against everybody else that matters. I
think right now you're in a good spot within
the division, but I wouldn't get comfortable
because why? The Rams and the 49ers are right
behind you. And right now, if you're the Seahawks,
you want that home field advantage. So the only
way that you can get it is if you win the division
and you get a high seed within the playoffs.
Now on to the Cardinals. Assess your strengths
and weaknesses and prepare for the offseason.
Your remaining opponents. The Seahawks, the 49ers,
the Jags, the Bucks, the Rams, the Texans, Falcons,
Bengals, and Rams again. So with that being said,
you're in a spot right now. You just have to
count your losses. Kyler Murray most likely isn't
going to play for the rest of the year. And most
likely he's going to get moved this offseason,
which that's going to be a separate conversation
when we get to gut check time for the offseason.
But with that being said, this team needs to
assess what they have and don't have, especially
with next year's draft being a defensive draft.
I think you really need to see, okay, are you
comfortable with your pass rushers? Are you comfortable
with your corners? And maybe even some of your
wide receivers as well. Because it looks like
to me that the Cardinals are probably going to
go through another rebuild. And if you're going
through another rebuild, you need to see who
is your building blocks for the future. Is it
Trey McBride? Is it Paris Johnson? Is it Will
Hernandez? Because by doing so, you are creating
a hierarchy of what positions you value high
and low, which is very important because again,
like I said before, this is supposed to be a
defensive draft class next year. So that means
that, hey, you might be able to get your pass.
You might be able to rebuild your cornerback
room and safeties and whatnot. You may not be
able to do anything for the offense. But with
that being said, let's keep this thing going.
Let's talk about the Rams. Finish the season
with momentum and win your divisional battles.
So right now, your remaining opponents are the
49ers, Seahawks, Bucks, Panthers, Cardinals,
Lions, Seahawks, Falcons, and Cardinals. So this
isn't that bad, but I think it's manageable,
all right? You know the 49ers and Seahawks are
going to be tough matchups. You know the Buccaneers
are going to give you some problems. You know
the Panthers aren't a team that you can't sleep
on. You know the Cardinals are just done at this
point, if we're being real here. You know the
Lions and Seahawks and maybe even the Falcons
may try to put up a fight with you. So it's not
just rainbows and unicorns at this point. So
don't take your foot off the gas. Increase the
pressure on the Seahawks. and make sure you keep
winning your divisional and conference battles.
Because so far, you haven't won a divisional
game. And right now, your conference record is
one and two. So you have time to fix it, but
the question is, are you going to fix it? Because
if you don't, that can negatively affect you
when it comes to playoff seeding. Now let's go
to the AFC, all right? Let's start with the AFC
North. So the Steelers extend the divisional
lead while becoming more consistent. Your remaining
opponents, the Chargers, the Bengals, the Bears,
the Bills, the Ravens, the Dolphins, the Lions,
the Browns, and the Ravens again. So right now,
you're 5 -3. Your divisional record is 1 -1.
Your conference record is 4 -1, which is really
good. But the thing is, you haven't really been
consistent in the last few weeks. So right now,
this is the perfect opportunity for you to start
to develop that consistency on both sides of
the ball. Because after the Chargers, the Bengals
are coming to Pittsburgh. You know you're going
to have to face the Bills. You know you're going
to have to face the Bears. You know the Ravens
aren't no slouch. You know the Dolphins are just,
you know, done at this point. No disrespect to
y 'all. You know the Lions are going to put up
a fight. You know the Browns are going to try
to bring you down. And you know that you're going
to end the season with the Ravens. And most likely
that matchup is going to dictate who wins the
division. Because right now, the Ravens, the
rest of their schedule is pretty good. Yours,
on the other hand, is about to be very difficult.
But since we're talking about the Ravens, let's
talk about their storyline. So keep the divisional
battle close while finish the season strong.
So the remaining opponents are the Vikings, Browns,
Jets, Bengals, Steelers, Bengals again, Patriots,
Packers, and then Steelers. So right now they're
3 -5, their divisional record is 1 -0, and their
conference record is 2 -3. Now they can turn
things around, but it's going to be difficult.
The Vikings are going to put up a fight. The
Bengals, Steelers, Patriots, Packers, they're
going to put up a fight. So you got to bring
your A game. You can't just have those crappy
games like how you had in the first half of the
season. Now everything really matters. And you
know that the Browns are going to try to bring
you down. So don't fall for the trap games. Always
be on your P's and Q's and try to win as best
as you can. Because right now, if I'm not mistaken,
you and the Bengals have the best divisional
records. So right now, most likely, you're probably
going to lose to the Steelers. And I'm not saying
this as a fan. You know the Steelers are going
to get their lick back. And you're playing in
Pittsburgh. The Patriots aren't no slouch. The
Ravens ain't no slouch. The Bills ain't no slouch.
And then you have to face the Ravens again. The
Dolphins, I mean, you can do whatever you want
with them. Cardinals, that's another dub. Browns,
that could be a trap game, depending on how things
go between the Ravens and the Steelers. I mean,
let's be honest here. Just because you trade
for Joe Flacco doesn't mean that you guys now
have a chance to make it to the playoffs. Because
your defense is still trash. Granted, you have
the best divisional record. But you're in a really
bad spot right now because if you lose two or
three more games, that's it. Your season is finito.
And it doesn't help that they didn't make any
moves to bolster up the defense, which if we're
being real here, they probably should have. And
I probably should have listed them as a loser
as well. But forget about that. Let's talk about
the Browns, okay? So assess your roster and prepare
for the offseason. Your remaining opponents,
the Jets, the Ravens, Raiders, 49ers, Titans,
Bears, Bills, Steelers, and Bengals again. Let's
be real here. As I've said before, it was either
in Wacko Flacko or Paper Champs. You need to
use this time to assess what you have between
Dylan Gabriel and Shador Sanders if he's healthy.
If he's not healthy, then just continue to roll
with Dylan Gabriel. But if he is healthy, let
Shador Sanders play. Now, I understand there's
going to be a lot of media coverage and a whole
bunch of questions about Shador and everything.
you need to assess what you have between these
two. Because for all intents and purposes, you
could say, you know what, we're comfortable between
these two and we'll just draft a wide receiver
or offensive lineman or another position instead
of going after a quarterback. Because remember,
the Browns have two first round picks. So if
they wanted to, they could address quarterback
and then they could address wide receiver if
they wanted to take that route. Because I mean,
listen, their record is two and six. Divisional
record is 0 -3. Conference record is 1 -4. I
mean, facing the Jets, that's essentially a rock
fight. Facing the Raiders, that's a rock fight.
Titans, that's a rock fight. Everything else
outside of that is basically a slaughter. I'm
just being honest. I could be wrong, but that's
where the Browns are. Because outside of Myles
Garrett, what else is the bright spot on this
team? Nothing. Your offensive line needs to be
rebuilt. Your wide receiver room is just depleted
of talent. I understand Jerry Judy is there,
but he really hasn't shown anything. You have
David Njoku. Okay, that's promising. You have
Quinshawn Junkins. Okay, that's promising. But
outside of them, what else do you have? Because
the defense is doing their thing. It's the offense
that continues to go through these hiccups every
single year. And then it doesn't help that you're
not going to have a lot of cap space next year.
So you're going to have to rely on your draft
picks, and you're going to need those draft picks
in order to hit quickly. Hey, Miles Garrett,
you never should have signed the contract. You
should have just stuck with your guns and just
asked for a trade. Just saying. But hey, I'm
not going to say anything about it. Let's go
to the AFC South, all right? So with the Titans,
let the ship sink and assess your interim head
coach. Right now, your remaining opponents are
the Texans, Seahawks, Jags, Browns, 49ers, Chiefs,
Saints, and Jags again. Now, we all know their
divisional record is atrocious at 0 -3, and their
conference record is 0 -7. Just let the season
just end, and you need to see what you have in
your interim head coach. Can he at least win
two or three games? Can he at least motivate
this team to play a little bit harder? If he
can do those certain things, then hey, maybe
you have your next head coach. Or maybe you're
just going to say, hey, we like what you did,
but we're going to go in a different direction.
Because let's be honest here. You're not going
anywhere anytime soon. So there's no need for
you to really assess anything because there's
barely anything on this team. Most likely, they're
going to release LeJarrius Snead. Most likely,
they're going to release Calvin Ridley. And most
likely, they're going to release a few other
veteran players on this team. And if I'm Jeffrey
Simmons, I'm going to make some noise this offseason
because I'm not going to be the person that's
going to be left standing here in this crap.
I want to win a championship. And there were
teams out here that was looking to at least trade
for me. But I'm not going to get in my soapbox.
I'm going to leave that alone. Now on to the
Colts. Lock up the division. Your remaining opponents,
the Falcons, Chiefs, Texans, Jags, Seahawks,
49ers, Jags again, and then the Texans. Overall,
you're in a really good spot. You're undefeated
in the division, and you've only lost to the
Steelers so far within the conference. So right
now, if you're the Colts, try to lock up this
division by Thanksgiving. Because I think they
have the opportunity to do it. You can beat the
Falcons. You possibly can beat the Chiefs. You
can beat the Texans because they're having a
down year. You can beat the Jags, the Seahawks,
the 49ers. Everybody that I have listed so far,
you can beat them. But Daniel Jones has to get
back on straight street. You cannot have the
same performance that you did against the Steelers.
And granted, I understand the Steelers were doing
a plethora of different things. But you cannot
afford doing the same things that you used to
do in New York. On to the Jags. Stack wins and
try to fight for the division. Your remaining
opponents. Texans, Chargers, Cardinals, Titans,
Colts, Jets, Broncos, Colts again, and then the
Titans again. So right now, this division is
pretty much locked up with the Colts and the
Jaguars right now, I would say. I don't think
the Texans are going to do anything this year.
I know for damn sure the Titans aren't going
to do anything at all. So with that being said,
if you're the Jaguars, just continue to stack
wins and get healthy. Because right now, I want
to believe that they have a chance to win the
division, but I just don't believe it right now.
I think the Colts are way too hot right now,
and they have all the momentum within the division.
Now, can crazier things happen? Yes. especially
with the Colts losing DeForest Buckner for a
minimum of four games, this could be your opportunity.
The question is, what are you going to do about
it? Now on to the Texans. Prepare for the three
-game gauntlet. Your remaining opponents, the
Jaguars, the Titans, the Bills, Colts, Chiefs,
Cardinals, Raiders, Chargers, and Colts again.
Let's be honest here. I don't think nobody expected
the Texans to play this bad. And right now, if
you're the Texans, you just have to survive.
You can beat the Jags. You can just steamroll
the Titans at this point. The Bills are probably
going to give you a problem. The Colts are probably
going to give you a problem. So right now, you
just want to just put up a fight. Do something.
You got to have something positive to say about
the Texans because man, oh man, oh man, have
they underperformed. And it's honestly sad because
when you look at the talent on this team, I think
everybody was expecting them to at least compete
against the Colts. I'm not saying they got to
be just steamrolling everybody in the division,
but the fact that they're just underperforming
week after week after week is a little bit troublesome
because pretty soon you're going to have to pay
CJ Stroud. And let's not forget, they also have
to pay Will Anderson as well. Dang, I hate to
be a Texas fan. But on to the AFC East. For the
Patriots, lock of the division. Your remaining
opponents, the Bucks, the Jets, the Bengals,
the Giants, the Bills, the Ravens, the Jets,
and the Dolphins. So this is actually pretty
good. You can beat the Jets, we already know
that. You can beat the Dolphins, we already know
that. You've been keeping the Bills in check.
The Ravens might give you a problem, but I think
overall, you're in a really good spot. You're
undefeated in the division, and you're 4 -2 in
the conference. So as long as you maintain this
momentum, everything is going to be good. Not
to mention, playoff football comes back to Foxborough.
Do you know what that means? That aura, that
feeling of an opponent being in Foxborough for
the playoffs? That is a feeling that Patriot
fans haven't felt in a very long time. And best
believe if they make it in the playoffs, or better
yet, win the division and get home field advantage,
oh, they're going to have to roll out the red
carpet. You're going to have to bring back Tom
Brady. You're going to have to bring back Gronk,
Julian Edelman, all those guys. But let's keep
this thing going. So on to the Jets. Put up an
effort while assessing the roster. Your remaining
opponents, the Browns, Patriots, Ravens, Falcons,
Dolphins, Jags, Saints, Patriots, and Bills.
So yes, your season is essentially over. I mean,
you trade away Sauce Gardner and Quinton Williams,
but you can still win some games. I think going
up against the Browns, that's a very winnable
game. I think going up against the Falcons and
the Dolphins and the Saints, those are winnable
games. Because right now you need to see what
you have on this team and what those five first
round picks are going to go to. Is it going to
go to corner, defensive tackle, wide receiver,
quarterback, offensive line, running back? Because
right now this whole roster needs to be scrapped.
And I hate to say it, but... That's just where
it is. Sometimes you got to scrap it just to
rebuild it all over again. And granted, they
have the resources to do it. You have five first
round picks. And on top of that, if we're being
real here, just being honest here, you could
use those second round picks to get back into
the first round if you want to take that route.
So you're in a good spot. It's just you're having
to trade away current assets for future assets.
It's not bad. Now on to the bills. Fight to win
the division. Your remaining opponents, the Dolphins,
the Bucks, Texans, Steelers, Bengals, Patriots,
Browns, Eagles, and Jets. So right now your divisional
record is 2 -1 and your conference record is
4 -1. I'll be honest here, you guys have a very
tough battle against the Patriots right now.
Because right now, as I've said before a couple
minutes ago with the Patriots, they go up against
the Buccaneers, the Jets, the Bengals, the Giants,
the Bills, the Ravens, the Jets, and the Dolphins.
Those are all winnable games. Whereas with you
Bills fans, you have to go up against the Dolphins,
which I mean, that's automatic W, the Buccaneers,
the Texans, the Steelers, the Bengals, the Patriots,
the Browns, the Eagles, and the Jets. Those are
very tough matchups. And you're going up against
teams that at this point in the season, they're
going to put up a fight. So I don't know what
you have to do. But do it. Because right now,
that defense played well against the Chiefs,
but that's just one game. I want to see consistency.
I want to see how are you going to hold up against
the Buccaneers, the Eagles, the Steelers, the
Patriots. Because there might be a chance you
may have to face them again in the playoffs.
On to the Dolphins. Use the rest of the season
to assess the roster while preparing for the
draft. Your remaining opponents. The Bills, Commanders,
Saints, Jets, Steelers, Bengals, Bucks, and Patriots.
Right now, you need to use the remaining games
to assess Mike McDaniel. You need to see, can
he keep this team motivated despite them having
a losing season? Or do you need to scrap everything
and just go in a different direction? Granted,
I would have expected the Dolphins to be a little
bit more aggressive during the trade deadline
and trade away some of their current players
for future assets, but clearly that's not the
case. So if you're the Dolphins, yes, you're
2 -7. I mean, the Jets are 1 -7, but you still
want to show something. I would rather a team
like the Dolphins fight through the Bills, Commanders,
Saints, Jets, Steelers, Bengals, Bucks, and Patriots.
I would rather put up a fight against all of
those teams and still lose than to just get blown
out. And when you look at the tape, nobody is
just doing the routine things. Nobody is showing
effort. When your players look defeated on the
sideline, oh, you basically lost the locker room.
You lost everybody. But let's talk about the
AFC West, all right? So with the Broncos, fight
off the division. So right now, they're one and
one in the division because they just won against
the Raiders. They're four and two in the conference,
which is really good. And so right now, their
remaining opponents are the Chiefs, Commanders,
Raiders again, Packers, Jags, Chiefs, and Chargers.
I think right now they can still beat the Chiefs.
I think right now they most likely will win the
division. But the question is, how wide of a
divisional lead will they have? Because we all
know this is the part of the season where the
Chiefs start cooking. And if you want to temp
that down, you're going to have to start winning
your division. Now, granted, you just finished
beating the Raiders on Thursday night. You got
to face them again. That's another W. You can
beat the Chiefs. You can beat the Commanders.
The Packers may be a little bit of a problem.
The Jags, I mean... W, I would say. Sorry, Jacks
fans. It's nothing against you. The Chiefs, again,
that's going to be a tougher matchup because
that's going to be at the point of the season
where divisions are going to start being locked
and we're going to start seeing playoff pictures
and all those different things. Now, the Chargers,
at this point, I'll be honest, I don't think
they're really going to go anywhere because their
offensive line is atrocious. Justin Herbert just
can't continue to play hero ball week after week
after week behind just a ghost of an offensive
line. I'm just being honest here. I could be
wrong. But when we talk about the Raiders, focus
on the 26 draft. Just focus on the draft at this
point, okay? Count your losses. Max Crosby, just
find a hobby or something because you guys aren't
going anywhere. Your remaining opponents. The
Broncos, the Cowboys, the Browns, the Chargers,
the Broncos again, the Eagles, the Texans, the
Giants, and the Chiefs. Those are some difficult
matchups. And most likely, you are not going
to win any of those matchups. So at this point,
you need to start developing your big board and
just figuring out, okay, who are we going after
in next year's draft? Are we getting a quarterback?
Are we getting a wide receiver? Are we getting
a defensive end? What are we doing at this point?
Because right now, this roster is incomplete.
And if we're being real here, The Raiders should
have traded off Max Crosby because you could
have used that extra first round pick to address
another position of need on this team. The offensive
line is atrocious. Ashton Gentry looks defeated.
Your wide receiver room, it's promising, but
it's going to take time to grow. Brock Bowers
has been in and out of the lineup because he's
been battling injuries. Your defense, what is
it? Outside of Max Crosby, what is it? I'll leave
that there. You guys let me know in the comments.
On to the Chargers. Stay in the race. Right now,
your divisional record is 3 -0, which is great.
And your conference record is 5 -1, which is
great. The fact that Justin Herbert has been
able to play the way that he's been playing without
an offensive line is amazing. Which, I mean,
if we're being honest here, you may have to put
him in for MVP. Just saying. Just putting it
out there. Don't hurt me, okay? But with that
being said, their remaining opponents are the
Steelers, the Jaguars, the Raiders, the Eagles,
the Chiefs, Cowboys, Texans, and Broncos. So
not the best schedule, but I think they can do
something. Just, you know, just run the ball,
okay? Just run the ball. Do not do anything else.
Don't try to be cool about it. Just run the ball.
Pass the ball a little bit, all right? That's
it. Because, man, you're facing the Steelers
on Sunday night without an offensive line. Then
you have the Jaguars, which you can beat. The
Raiders, automatic W. The Eagles, that's going
to be a fight in itself. The Chiefs are going
to be a fight. The Cowboys, the Texans, and Broncos.
All of those are going to be fights. So you're
in a good spot within your division because right
now you're undefeated. So maybe if you lose maybe
a game or two, you'll still be in a good spot.
Because I don't think the Chiefs are going to
be number two in the division. And we all know
the Raiders aren't going anywhere. So just try
to survive, please. Please, that's all I'm asking.
Because I really want to see Justin Herbert in
the playoffs. But that's another story for another
day, all right? On to the Chiefs. Keep your playoff
chances alive. Your remaining opponents, the
Broncos, Colts, Cowboys, Texans, Chargers, Titans,
Broncos, and Raiders. Now, out of all of those
names that I just listed, The only two teams
that I would say is an automatic W is the Titans
and the Raiders. Outside of that, it is a fight.
The Broncos is going to be a fight. The Colts
are going to be a fight. The Cowboys just got
Quentin Williams. That might be a fight low key.
The Texans, they not going down either. Now granted,
you're one and one within your division and you're
two and three in a conference. So most likely
you're going to be on the road for the playoffs.
Which, if we're being real here, I know the Chiefs
can do it, but the opponents that they're going
to have to face on the road might be a problem
for them. Because there's a good chance the Patriots
are going to win their division, so that means
the Bills are probably going to be on the road.
There's a good chance that either the Steelers
or the Ravens are going to win their division,
which means whoever doesn't is going to be on
the road. So if you're the Chiefs, you got to
go into overdrive. You got to beat the Broncos
and the Colts and the Texans and the Chargers.
You have to scratch and claw to try to at least
get a chance to win the division or at least
get a high enough seed to where you can face
a weaker opponent in the playoffs. Because right
now, the Broncos have the high ground. Star Wars
reference, if you know, you know. And if we're
being real here, the way everything looks for
the rest of the AFC divisions, I don't think
you want to face the Bills. I don't think you
want to face the Patriots. I don't think you
want to face the Ravens. So if you're the Chiefs,
you're going to have to scratch and claw to at
least try to get a chance. And even with that
chance, you're not even really guaranteed to
have a high enough seed within the playoffs because
there's been a lot of teams within the AFC that
have actually been doing well this year. So prepare
your hearts and minds for the Chiefs to not make
it to the Super Bowl this year. Oh, what a glory
day. What a glory day. But I'm going to end this
episode here. If you guys like what you're listening,
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K -A -I -L -E As always, I hope I gave you guys
the fix that you guys need. I love you guys.
I appreciate you guys so much. We may be talking
about more draft prospects within the coming
weeks. I don't know. We'll just see how things
go with different storylines and not, but I'll
always let you guys know, all right? So as always,
I hope I gave you guys the fix that you guys
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guys.