WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.200 Welcome to Football Army, the show that takes 00:00:02.200 --> 00:00:04.940 you inside all the major storylines dominating 00:00:04.940 --> 00:00:08.179 the NFL and NCAA landscape. And what a week it 00:00:08.179 --> 00:00:10.900 was. Week 11 is officially in the books. And 00:00:10.900 --> 00:00:14.599 if you are looking for any kind of clarity or, 00:00:14.599 --> 00:00:16.579 you know, stability in that playoff picture. 00:00:16.679 --> 00:00:19.519 You did not find it. Not at all. This past weekend 00:00:19.519 --> 00:00:22.679 felt less like a steady football season and more 00:00:22.679 --> 00:00:25.339 like a series of. I don't know, high stakes crises 00:00:25.339 --> 00:00:28.440 just unfolding in real time. Across both conferences, 00:00:28.500 --> 00:00:31.460 too. And the chaos was, I mean, it was just as 00:00:31.460 --> 00:00:33.640 intense off the field as it was on it. Oh, absolutely. 00:00:33.899 --> 00:00:36.280 We had everything this week. We're talking major 00:00:36.280 --> 00:00:39.539 player suspensions, costing guys hundreds of 00:00:39.539 --> 00:00:42.359 thousands of dollars. We had these stunning slides 00:00:42.359 --> 00:00:44.939 from teams you expect to be contenders in the 00:00:44.939 --> 00:00:47.960 AFC. Traditional powerhouses. Exactly. And then 00:00:47.960 --> 00:00:50.280 you get into these deep -seated coaching controversies 00:00:50.280 --> 00:00:53.320 and some. Well, some frankly shocking and pretty 00:00:53.320 --> 00:00:56.920 sobering off -field legal stuff involving a former 00:00:56.920 --> 00:00:59.560 superstar. That's right. Our mission today is 00:00:59.560 --> 00:01:01.600 to really unpack all of this. And we have to 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:03.060 start, I think, with the Monday Night Football 00:01:03.060 --> 00:01:05.540 drama. You have to. The Dallas Cowboys dominated 00:01:05.540 --> 00:01:08.180 the Las Vegas Raiders. Yeah. But the story was, 00:01:08.359 --> 00:01:11.480 it was less about the final score itself and 00:01:11.480 --> 00:01:14.459 more about who was allowed to score, which, you 00:01:14.459 --> 00:01:17.099 know, brought up some fascinating and a little 00:01:17.099 --> 00:01:19.379 bit uncomfortable optics around how these games 00:01:19.379 --> 00:01:22.530 end. For sure. And then we'll get into that stunning 00:01:22.530 --> 00:01:25.590 slide of the AFC powerhouses. I mean, the Kansas 00:01:25.590 --> 00:01:27.349 City Chiefs are hitting the panic button after 00:01:27.349 --> 00:01:30.109 another loss. And it sparked a genuine, I think, 00:01:30.129 --> 00:01:33.250 rift between Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, at 00:01:33.250 --> 00:01:35.049 least in the court of public opinion. It has. 00:01:35.549 --> 00:01:38.349 At the same time, you have the Cincinnati Bengals 00:01:38.349 --> 00:01:40.829 wrestling with a question that honestly no franchise 00:01:40.829 --> 00:01:43.609 ever wants to face. Right. Do you bench your 00:01:43.609 --> 00:01:45.650 superstar quarterback for the long -term good 00:01:45.650 --> 00:01:48.560 when your season is... for all intents and purposes, 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:50.959 already lost. It's a brutal question. And we 00:01:50.959 --> 00:01:53.400 can't ignore the discipline issue that cost Jamar 00:01:53.400 --> 00:01:55.640 Chase over half a million dollars for what was 00:01:55.640 --> 00:01:57.780 described as a, well, a pretty disgusting act 00:01:57.780 --> 00:02:00.120 against the Steelers. Yeah, that was ugly. Plus, 00:02:00.120 --> 00:02:02.400 we'll get into that chaotic quarterback situation 00:02:02.400 --> 00:02:05.840 in Cleveland after Shedder Sanders' brutal debut, 00:02:06.140 --> 00:02:08.800 a debut that prompted some really serious questions 00:02:08.800 --> 00:02:10.620 about how the Browns are developing their young 00:02:10.620 --> 00:02:13.120 talent. So much to get to. Let's start with Monday 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:15.419 night. Let's do it. So the Dallas Cowboys, they 00:02:15.419 --> 00:02:17.819 put on a really spirited and dominant performance, 00:02:18.180 --> 00:02:21.659 beating the Raiders 33 -16. It was a decisive 00:02:21.659 --> 00:02:25.090 win, yeah. But it was... Completely defined by 00:02:25.090 --> 00:02:27.189 the emotional context around it. Right. This 00:02:27.189 --> 00:02:29.550 was the first game Dallas played since the tragic 00:02:29.550 --> 00:02:31.830 death of their defensive end, Barshawn Neeland, 00:02:31.990 --> 00:02:33.949 who passed away on November 6th. And you could 00:02:33.949 --> 00:02:36.909 feel it. The emotional weight in that stadium 00:02:36.909 --> 00:02:39.930 was, I mean, it was palpable even before kickoff. 00:02:40.069 --> 00:02:42.250 You saw the team gather. They had the moment 00:02:42.250 --> 00:02:45.210 of silence for Neeland. And the players, the 00:02:45.210 --> 00:02:47.430 coaches, everyone was wearing those tribute shirts 00:02:47.430 --> 00:02:49.770 all night. It really felt like the team rallied 00:02:49.770 --> 00:02:52.129 around a purpose that was, you know, bigger than 00:02:52.129 --> 00:02:54.620 football. And that was exactly the theme that 00:02:54.620 --> 00:02:57.080 Dak Prescott hammered home after the game. His 00:02:57.080 --> 00:02:59.960 postgame message was, it was really powerful. 00:03:00.259 --> 00:03:03.219 He was focusing on unity and the importance of 00:03:03.219 --> 00:03:05.800 emotional vulnerability. Which is a conversation 00:03:05.800 --> 00:03:08.080 you don't always hear from a franchise quarterback. 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:11.240 You know, not at all. He spoke directly about 00:03:11.240 --> 00:03:13.379 brotherhood. He said, and I'm paraphrasing here, 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:16.219 it's about being vulnerable. To show courage, 00:03:16.259 --> 00:03:18.099 you have to show some kind of weakness. Wow. 00:03:18.180 --> 00:03:20.539 He went on, this game, it's bigger. It's about 00:03:20.539 --> 00:03:22.180 life and these connections that we're making. 00:03:22.240 --> 00:03:24.300 We have to be there for each other. And that 00:03:24.300 --> 00:03:26.759 kind of message, that can really define a team's 00:03:26.759 --> 00:03:28.580 resolve for the rest of the season. And on the 00:03:28.580 --> 00:03:31.360 field, he backed up that whole emotional drive 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:33.979 with, I mean, just hyper -efficient play. Oh, 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:36.719 absolutely. He threw four touchdown passes. And 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:38.360 they were spread out, right? It was four different 00:03:38.360 --> 00:03:40.259 players. Four different players. CeeDee Lamb, 00:03:40.560 --> 00:03:43.479 Jake Ferguson, George Pickens, and Ryan Fornoy. 00:03:45.259 --> 00:03:47.979 That secures his eighth season with at least 00:03:47.979 --> 00:03:50.460 20 passing touchdowns. Which is just a remarkable 00:03:50.460 --> 00:03:54.039 indicator of his sustained high level of production. 00:03:54.300 --> 00:03:56.580 It's not a flash in the pan. Not at all. But, 00:03:56.639 --> 00:03:58.319 you know, while the scoring was spread around, 00:03:58.500 --> 00:04:00.759 the first few minutes of that game were defined 00:04:00.759 --> 00:04:04.860 by... Really bizarre coaching decision. A decision 00:04:04.860 --> 00:04:08.159 that seemed to inject like a jolt of urgency 00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:10.759 into his top playmakers. Okay, I know what you're 00:04:10.759 --> 00:04:12.699 talking about. The benching incident. Exactly. 00:04:12.900 --> 00:04:15.259 Wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, 00:04:15.379 --> 00:04:18.220 your two starting playmakers, were benched by 00:04:18.220 --> 00:04:20.839 coach Brian Schottenheimer for the opening offensive 00:04:20.839 --> 00:04:24.199 drive. The very first drive. And what happened? 00:04:24.540 --> 00:04:27.139 Predictably, it resulted in a three and out. 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:30.160 A complete waste of a possession. It was pure 00:04:30.160 --> 00:04:32.699 in -game discipline. And Schottenheimer, the 00:04:32.699 --> 00:04:35.939 players, they all declined to elaborate on the 00:04:35.939 --> 00:04:38.300 exact reason afterwards. Just the classic coach's 00:04:38.300 --> 00:04:40.120 decision. Right. They just said it was related 00:04:40.120 --> 00:04:42.420 to something that was missed. So, you know, you 00:04:42.420 --> 00:04:44.779 can speculate it was meeting prep or some small 00:04:44.779 --> 00:04:47.480 disciplinary infraction. But the message was 00:04:47.480 --> 00:04:50.300 crystal clear. Nobody is above the team standard. 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:53.060 And whatever that message was, George Pickens? 00:04:53.420 --> 00:04:55.879 He received it loud and clear and responded with, 00:04:55.939 --> 00:04:58.160 I mean, immediate electric play. When he was 00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:00.939 allowed back on that field, he absolutely exploded. 00:05:01.100 --> 00:05:02.860 What were his final numbers? His final stat line 00:05:02.860 --> 00:05:06.040 was nine receptions for 144 yards and a touchdown. 00:05:06.339 --> 00:05:09.959 That is a monster game. And get this, 101 of 00:05:09.959 --> 00:05:12.079 those yards were accumulated just in the first 00:05:12.079 --> 00:05:16.120 half alone. Wow. Lamb, too, he produced big numbers. 00:05:16.379 --> 00:05:20.920 Five receptions, 66 yards, and a touchdown. It's 00:05:20.920 --> 00:05:23.139 a really unusual strategy, right? It is. You 00:05:23.139 --> 00:05:24.959 bench your stars for a statement. And then you 00:05:24.959 --> 00:05:26.980 watch them deliver massive production anyway. 00:05:27.339 --> 00:05:29.079 I guess it proved that the Cowboys could take 00:05:29.079 --> 00:05:31.459 a short term hit for a long term disciplinary 00:05:31.459 --> 00:05:34.339 game. The victory was comprehensive. But this 00:05:34.339 --> 00:05:36.399 is where the conversation gets, I think, extremely 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:39.120 interesting. It shifts from the on field play 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:42.139 to like game optics and the world outside the 00:05:42.139 --> 00:05:45.560 lines. With the game decided, Dallas has a commanding 00:05:45.560 --> 00:05:48.079 lead. And Coach Brian Schottenheimer makes the 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:49.819 decision to kneel the ball rather than run up 00:05:49.819 --> 00:05:51.639 the score or kick a field goal late in the game. 00:05:51.720 --> 00:05:54.060 And Schottenheimer gave what many people saw 00:05:54.060 --> 00:05:56.740 as the classy, you know, the high road explanation. 00:05:57.180 --> 00:05:59.920 He cited deep respect for the Raiders coach, 00:06:00.100 --> 00:06:01.860 Pete Carroll. Right. He said he had too much 00:06:01.860 --> 00:06:03.860 respect for the game and for Pete, who has been 00:06:03.860 --> 00:06:07.079 so good to me throughout his career. So it was 00:06:07.079 --> 00:06:09.319 framed as this moment of professional courtesy 00:06:09.319 --> 00:06:12.040 between two established coaches. That is the 00:06:12.040 --> 00:06:14.180 official narrative. Yeah. But you know the Internet. 00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:17.220 Oh, I do. It immediately exploded with a wildly 00:06:17.220 --> 00:06:19.980 different theory, a theory related to prediction 00:06:19.980 --> 00:06:22.680 metrics and the final score total. Here we go. 00:06:22.779 --> 00:06:26.480 The final score was 33 -16. If you do the math, 00:06:26.579 --> 00:06:30.420 that sums up to exactly 49 points. Exactly 49. 00:06:30.420 --> 00:06:32.779 And this is where the fan speculation just runs 00:06:32.779 --> 00:06:35.240 wild. They weren't suggesting the Cowboys were, 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:37.160 you know. throwing the game or anything. Oh, 00:06:37.180 --> 00:06:39.560 of course not. But that, kneeling the ball with 00:06:39.560 --> 00:06:42.220 over two minutes left, deep in Raiders territory, 00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:45.500 and well within field goal range, that it was 00:06:45.500 --> 00:06:47.480 a deliberate decision. Designed to keep the final 00:06:47.480 --> 00:06:50.800 total score at 49. And why 49? Because so many 00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:53.000 of those prediction outcomes rely on a razor 00:06:53.000 --> 00:06:56.560 -thin line, often set at 49 .5 points. So the 00:06:56.560 --> 00:06:58.660 suggestion from the fans is that the kneel -down 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:01.459 which was framed as this classy moment of respect 00:07:01.459 --> 00:07:04.379 for a peer, was potentially influenced by or 00:07:04.379 --> 00:07:06.819 at the very least benefited those interested 00:07:06.819 --> 00:07:09.379 in keeping that final total under the critical 00:07:09.379 --> 00:07:12.420 49 .5 number. Look, it's purely speculative, 00:07:12.459 --> 00:07:14.720 of course, and Schottenheimer's explanation seems 00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:17.680 genuine. But the coincidence of the score hitting 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:21.620 exactly 49 points right at that critical moment 00:07:21.620 --> 00:07:24.939 of decision making. It certainly fueled the fire. 00:07:25.079 --> 00:07:27.360 For a lot of people watching, it instantly became 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:30.720 the biggest postgame talking point, even overshadowing 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:34.579 the emotional tribute to Nyland or Dak's incredible 00:07:34.579 --> 00:07:37.259 performance. It just illustrates how every single 00:07:37.259 --> 00:07:39.699 decision in the modern NFL is scrutinized through 00:07:39.699 --> 00:07:42.300 multiple lenses, you know, and often that lens 00:07:42.300 --> 00:07:44.839 is focused on the numbers. So let's transition 00:07:44.839 --> 00:07:47.519 from the winning team to the losing team, because 00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:50.160 the narrative around the Las Vegas Raiders is 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:53.870 increasingly dire. Dyer is the right word. They 00:07:53.870 --> 00:07:55.769 are a franchise in free fall. They dropped to 00:07:55.769 --> 00:07:58.149 2 -8, and that marks their eighth loss in the 00:07:58.149 --> 00:08:00.050 last nine games. It's just a complete collapse. 00:08:00.329 --> 00:08:02.550 And the problem, it starts, and honestly, it 00:08:02.550 --> 00:08:04.709 ends up front. The offensive line was an absolute 00:08:04.709 --> 00:08:06.310 catastrophe on Monday night. They were already 00:08:06.310 --> 00:08:08.750 banged up coming into the game. Exactly. They 00:08:08.750 --> 00:08:10.930 were already down two starters due to ankle injuries. 00:08:11.389 --> 00:08:13.610 Colton Miller at left tackle and Jackson Powers 00:08:13.610 --> 00:08:16.750 Johnson at right guard. This required a massive... 00:08:17.160 --> 00:08:19.600 forced shuffle of the line. Can you just walk 00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:22.480 us through those specific position shifts because 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:25.579 playing guys out of position that's often a death 00:08:25.579 --> 00:08:27.800 sentence against a dominant pass rush like the 00:08:27.800 --> 00:08:30.639 Cowboys have. It is. They were forced to move 00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:32.980 their center Jordan Meredith over to right guard 00:08:32.980 --> 00:08:36.139 and then they had to insert Will Putnam at center. 00:08:36.279 --> 00:08:38.700 Not ideal. Not even close. The result was just 00:08:38.700 --> 00:08:41.679 chaos. Geno Smith was under constant, immediate 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:45.279 siege. He was sacked four times by that dominant 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:47.360 Cowboys front. And the pressure stats must have 00:08:47.360 --> 00:08:49.240 been through the roof. They were. He was pressured 00:08:49.240 --> 00:08:52.480 on a staggering 41 % of his dropbacks in the 00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:55.240 first half alone. 41%. That level of pressure 00:08:55.240 --> 00:08:57.440 makes any kind of sustained offense completely 00:08:57.440 --> 00:08:59.840 impossible. And the consequence of that O -line 00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:02.240 disaster was the complete abandonment of the 00:09:02.240 --> 00:09:05.080 run game. Complete abandonment. The Raiders finished 00:09:05.080 --> 00:09:08.080 the night with just 12 total rushing attempts. 00:09:08.419 --> 00:09:11.419 For how many yards? A pathetic 27 yards. And 00:09:11.419 --> 00:09:13.820 it's just inexcusable, especially when you consider 00:09:13.820 --> 00:09:16.220 they invested heavily in the run game by drafting 00:09:16.220 --> 00:09:18.240 the rookie running back Ashton Janty. Right. 00:09:18.279 --> 00:09:20.419 He was supposed to be the guy to fix what was 00:09:20.419 --> 00:09:23.059 already the league's worst rushing attack. And 00:09:23.059 --> 00:09:26.179 on Monday, he got, what, six carries? Six carries 00:09:26.179 --> 00:09:29.000 for seven yards. And Janty, he did not mince 00:09:29.000 --> 00:09:32.289 words after the loss. which to me indicates some 00:09:32.289 --> 00:09:34.450 deep -seated frustration in that locker room. 00:09:34.509 --> 00:09:36.850 No, he didn't. When he was asked about his lack 00:09:36.850 --> 00:09:38.970 of touches and not being able to establish a 00:09:38.970 --> 00:09:42.610 rhythm, Jante just said his workload is up to 00:09:42.610 --> 00:09:45.970 the guys upstairs. Oof. That's a passive -aggressive 00:09:45.970 --> 00:09:48.809 swipe if I've ever heard one. For sure. It clearly 00:09:48.809 --> 00:09:50.889 signals his disappointment that the team isn't 00:09:50.889 --> 00:09:53.149 winning and isn't developing its highly drafted 00:09:53.149 --> 00:09:56.269 rookies. Instead, they're resorting to this predictable, 00:09:56.570 --> 00:09:59.250 pressure -prone passing attack. The team's lack 00:09:59.250 --> 00:10:01.149 of confidence in their own reshuffled offensive 00:10:01.149 --> 00:10:03.830 line is now dictating and defining their entire 00:10:03.830 --> 00:10:07.190 offensive philosophy. It's a mess. And beyond 00:10:07.190 --> 00:10:08.929 the offensive struggles, the Raiders' defense 00:10:08.929 --> 00:10:11.330 also showed some really serious weakness in the 00:10:11.330 --> 00:10:13.909 secondary. Yeah, Q Blue Kelly, who was starting 00:10:13.909 --> 00:10:16.710 at cornerback after having that fantastic two 00:10:16.710 --> 00:10:18.450 -interception game last week against Denver. 00:10:18.629 --> 00:10:20.789 He had a terrible night against the Cowboys receivers. 00:10:21.149 --> 00:10:23.509 Are his numbers. Kelly gave up six catches for 00:10:23.509 --> 00:10:26.409 87 yards and a touchdown on just six targets. 00:10:26.470 --> 00:10:28.289 So a perfect passer rating when they threw his. 00:10:28.330 --> 00:10:31.110 Wow, perfect passer rating. And it led to immense 00:10:31.110 --> 00:10:33.970 fan frustration, especially since a lot of people 00:10:33.970 --> 00:10:37.149 are questioning why the rookie third rounder 00:10:37.149 --> 00:10:39.429 Darian Porter is still just sitting on the bench. 00:10:39.629 --> 00:10:41.250 They're sacrificing development for immediate 00:10:41.250 --> 00:10:42.950 results that they aren't even getting. That's 00:10:42.950 --> 00:10:45.990 it. Exactly. But amidst all this doom and gloom 00:10:45.990 --> 00:10:49.149 for the Raiders, there was one major individual 00:10:49.149 --> 00:10:52.620 bright spot. an NFL record was actually broken. 00:10:52.860 --> 00:10:55.980 That goes to their tight end, Brock Bowers. An 00:10:55.980 --> 00:10:58.399 absolute stud. He finished the night with seven 00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:01.220 receptions for 72 yards, and that pushed his 00:11:01.220 --> 00:11:04.179 career total to 151 catches. And that broke the 00:11:04.179 --> 00:11:07.100 record, right? It broke Sam Laporta's NFL record 00:11:07.100 --> 00:11:09.860 for most receptions by a tight end in their first 00:11:09.860 --> 00:11:13.860 two seasons, and Bowers did it in only his 26th 00:11:13.860 --> 00:11:17.159 career game. That is phenomenal production in 00:11:17.159 --> 00:11:19.210 such a short amount of time. Especially when 00:11:19.210 --> 00:11:21.429 you think about the instability and, frankly, 00:11:21.570 --> 00:11:23.509 the poor quarterback play he's had to deal with. 00:11:23.649 --> 00:11:25.950 He is, without a doubt, a cornerstone for that 00:11:25.950 --> 00:11:28.669 franchise's future. But the overall narrative 00:11:28.669 --> 00:11:31.230 around the Raiders organization is just dire. 00:11:31.649 --> 00:11:34.169 Owner Mark Davis is under heavy scrutiny for 00:11:34.169 --> 00:11:36.809 just cycling through coaches and failing to win 00:11:36.809 --> 00:11:38.870 a single playoff game since he took over the 00:11:38.870 --> 00:11:41.470 team. Even after hiring established names like 00:11:41.470 --> 00:11:44.379 Pete Carroll. The organization is facing major 00:11:44.379 --> 00:11:47.460 criticism for spending money on veteran players 00:11:47.460 --> 00:11:50.580 who are past their prime. And a systemic failure 00:11:50.580 --> 00:11:53.240 to develop their draft picks outside of Bowers. 00:11:53.379 --> 00:11:56.059 And Pete Carroll, at 74, he's the oldest coach 00:11:56.059 --> 00:11:58.379 in the league, and now he's tasked with turning 00:11:58.379 --> 00:12:00.659 around a franchise that hasn't found any stability 00:12:00.659 --> 00:12:03.340 in years. It feels like they're just stuck in 00:12:03.340 --> 00:12:07.000 this cycle of hiring big names and then struggling 00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:09.679 to build a solid, cohesive core around them. 00:12:09.950 --> 00:12:12.529 That's the challenge, the instability at the 00:12:12.529 --> 00:12:15.570 coaching level and the failure in drafting and 00:12:15.570 --> 00:12:18.409 developing key positions. I mean, it means this 00:12:18.409 --> 00:12:21.070 run of losing seasons is probably going to continue 00:12:21.070 --> 00:12:23.730 unless there's a massive cultural and philosophical 00:12:23.730 --> 00:12:27.190 shift in Las Vegas. OK, switching gears one last 00:12:27.190 --> 00:12:29.730 time on Monday Night Football. Let's talk about 00:12:29.730 --> 00:12:32.830 the spectacle, because the Manning cast, it always 00:12:32.830 --> 00:12:35.070 delivers entertainment beyond the score. The 00:12:35.070 --> 00:12:37.789 guest list was truly stellar this week. They 00:12:37.789 --> 00:12:40.379 had. former President George W. Bush on. Who 00:12:40.379 --> 00:12:42.899 was naturally charming and funny. He was. When 00:12:42.899 --> 00:12:44.820 Peyton Manning asked him if he always thought 00:12:44.820 --> 00:12:46.980 he'd go into public service, Bush had this classic 00:12:46.980 --> 00:12:49.840 line. He said, no. I would have behaved a hell 00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:51.899 of a lot better in college. That's a great self 00:12:51.899 --> 00:12:53.740 -deprecating moment. It really was. And then 00:12:53.740 --> 00:12:56.139 you had the culinary angle. Guy Fieri, the mayor 00:12:56.139 --> 00:12:58.600 of Flavortown, came on. To address a very important 00:12:58.600 --> 00:13:01.100 football question. An extremely important question 00:13:01.100 --> 00:13:03.740 posed by the injured Giants running back Cam 00:13:03.740 --> 00:13:06.860 Scadobo regarding taco etiquette. And Fieri actually 00:13:06.860 --> 00:13:09.879 demonstrated. He picked up a taco and showed 00:13:09.879 --> 00:13:12.200 the precise, correct way to eat it without losing 00:13:12.200 --> 00:13:15.480 half the fillings. Bringing some classic culinary 00:13:15.480 --> 00:13:19.059 chaos and levity to the telecast. I mean, those 00:13:19.059 --> 00:13:21.360 are the moments that just make the Manning cast 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:23.720 mandatory viewing. We also have to mention the 00:13:23.720 --> 00:13:25.919 national anthem performance. It was universally 00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:28.620 praised. The war and treaty, the husband and 00:13:28.620 --> 00:13:32.860 wife duo, they delivered this soaring, soulful 00:13:32.860 --> 00:13:34.919 rendition that just got overwhelming positive 00:13:34.919 --> 00:13:38.039 reaction all over social media. People were calling 00:13:38.039 --> 00:13:41.529 it an all time or chills inducing. Some were 00:13:41.529 --> 00:13:43.789 even suggesting they should be next in line for 00:13:43.789 --> 00:13:46.210 a future Super Bowl anthem slot. It was a definite 00:13:46.210 --> 00:13:48.590 win before the game even started. Finally, the 00:13:48.590 --> 00:13:50.769 most purely theatrical moment of the night was 00:13:50.769 --> 00:13:54.860 the Oscar -worthy flop. Oh, this is great. Cowboys 00:13:54.860 --> 00:13:57.659 tackle Tyler Guyton took a spectacularly exaggerated 00:13:57.659 --> 00:14:00.379 fall after being, you know, lightly struck by 00:14:00.379 --> 00:14:02.539 the Raiders player Koontz. He sold the contact 00:14:02.539 --> 00:14:05.500 perfectly, drew an unnecessary roughness flag. 00:14:05.779 --> 00:14:07.960 And while Dallas ultimately declined the penalty, 00:14:08.139 --> 00:14:10.039 they opted for a defensive pass interference 00:14:10.039 --> 00:14:13.879 flag on the same play. The video of Guyton's 00:14:13.879 --> 00:14:17.159 pure theatrical gold went. Instantly viral. A 00:14:17.159 --> 00:14:19.639 bizarre and hilarious footnote to a dominant 00:14:19.639 --> 00:14:22.220 performance. All right, let's pivot now to the 00:14:22.220 --> 00:14:25.039 AFC, which is currently undergoing a massive 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:28.179 and I think really unexpected power shift. We 00:14:28.179 --> 00:14:30.179 have to start with the Kansas City Chiefs. You 00:14:30.179 --> 00:14:32.679 have to. They suddenly look less like a dynasty 00:14:32.679 --> 00:14:35.960 and more like a playoff long shot. The slide 00:14:35.960 --> 00:14:38.940 is just stunning. The Chiefs are now 5 -5 after 00:14:38.940 --> 00:14:42.100 losing to the 9 -2 Denver Broncos. Who are red 00:14:42.100 --> 00:14:45.960 hot. Red hot. And now they hold a 3 .5 win buffer 00:14:45.960 --> 00:14:48.799 in the AFC West. For a team that has won that 00:14:48.799 --> 00:14:51.259 division every single season since 2015, this 00:14:51.259 --> 00:14:53.740 is completely unprecedented territory. And the 00:14:53.740 --> 00:14:56.419 wider playoff picture is genuinely alarming for 00:14:56.419 --> 00:14:58.919 them. If the season ended right now, based on 00:14:58.919 --> 00:15:01.019 projections, the Chiefs would miss the playoffs 00:15:01.019 --> 00:15:03.779 entirely. Yeah, NFL .com's projection currently 00:15:03.779 --> 00:15:07.600 gives them only a 52 % chance to progress. 52%. 00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:09.860 That is frighteningly close to a coin flip for 00:15:09.860 --> 00:15:11.840 the Kansas City Chiefs. It is. And their struggles 00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:14.279 are compounded by losses against other current 00:15:14.279 --> 00:15:17.200 wildcard contenders like the Bills, the Chargers, 00:15:17.299 --> 00:15:19.360 the Jaguars. Which complicates all a tiebreaker 00:15:19.360 --> 00:15:21.320 scenario. It severely complicates them. They 00:15:21.320 --> 00:15:23.100 are losing the head -to -head battles that matter 00:15:23.100 --> 00:15:25.379 most in a crowded conference. The frustration 00:15:25.379 --> 00:15:27.960 is clearly high, and we're seeing this growing 00:15:27.960 --> 00:15:30.740 rift in the public discussion around the offense's 00:15:30.740 --> 00:15:34.049 inconsistencies. Patrick Mahomes, he tried to 00:15:34.049 --> 00:15:37.450 be the calm voice of reason after the loss, you 00:15:37.450 --> 00:15:39.649 know, publicly taking the blame. He delivered 00:15:39.649 --> 00:15:41.570 the textbook leadership response. He said the 00:15:41.570 --> 00:15:43.830 team is talented, but consistency is the issue 00:15:43.830 --> 00:15:46.950 and that it starts with me. He admitted there 00:15:46.950 --> 00:15:49.210 are times he misses a throw or misses a protection 00:15:49.210 --> 00:15:53.029 call and it causes drives to stall out. Which 00:15:53.029 --> 00:15:55.990 seems like the right move. But in a surprising 00:15:55.990 --> 00:15:59.009 twist, it led to a backlash against coach Andy 00:15:59.009 --> 00:16:02.470 Reid. It did. Fans are now accusing Reid of essentially 00:16:02.470 --> 00:16:05.309 throwing Mahomes under the bus with a statement 00:16:05.309 --> 00:16:08.450 that was widely perceived as weirdly deflective 00:16:08.450 --> 00:16:10.509 of his own coaching responsibilities. And if 00:16:10.509 --> 00:16:12.330 you look deeper into the criticism, I mean, it 00:16:12.330 --> 00:16:14.250 has some merit. The frustration among analysts 00:16:14.250 --> 00:16:16.470 is that Reid is just being too stubborn right 00:16:16.470 --> 00:16:19.289 now. His offensive scheme is failing to build 00:16:19.289 --> 00:16:21.370 in what they call easy buttons for Mahomes, you 00:16:21.370 --> 00:16:24.210 know, quick, reliable throws in the passing game. 00:16:24.350 --> 00:16:26.389 And it's neglecting foundational principles. 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:29.200 Like a power running game married to play action 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:31.960 passes from under center. Exactly. Essentially, 00:16:32.019 --> 00:16:35.399 the argument is that the offense is too reliant 00:16:35.399 --> 00:16:37.779 on Mahomes being perfect on every single down, 00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:40.679 particularly when the surrounding talent, a wide 00:16:40.679 --> 00:16:43.200 receiver, is arguably weaker than it has been 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:46.519 in past seasons. When the talent pool dips, the 00:16:46.519 --> 00:16:49.059 coaching scheme has to compensate by making things 00:16:49.059 --> 00:16:52.399 simpler and more diverse. Precisely. Reid has 00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:54.759 historically been lauded as an offensive genius, 00:16:54.919 --> 00:16:57.740 but the feeling now is that he's refusing to 00:16:57.740 --> 00:17:00.340 adapt or diversify the scheme. And that's why 00:17:00.340 --> 00:17:02.600 fans are shifting their loyalty entirely onto 00:17:02.600 --> 00:17:04.680 the quarterback who is already trying to shoulder 00:17:04.680 --> 00:17:07.140 the blame. This conflict is the biggest narrative 00:17:07.140 --> 00:17:09.539 hanging over Kansas City, especially as they 00:17:09.539 --> 00:17:12.500 face the tough 9 -2 Indianapolis Colts next week. 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:15.039 That's a huge game for them. Meanwhile, down 00:17:15.039 --> 00:17:17.559 in Cincinnati, the Bengals have their own set 00:17:17.559 --> 00:17:19.859 of profound crises, starting with the health 00:17:19.859 --> 00:17:22.819 of their franchise cornerstone, Joe Burrow. The 00:17:22.819 --> 00:17:25.180 national analysts, you know, guys like Adam Schefter, 00:17:25.220 --> 00:17:27.680 they're posing a brutally blunt question. If 00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:30.079 the Bengals keep falling, they're 3 -7, they've 00:17:30.079 --> 00:17:32.299 dropped three straight, should they just bench 00:17:32.299 --> 00:17:34.119 Burrow for the rest of the season to protect 00:17:34.119 --> 00:17:37.299 his long -term health? This is a classic agonizing 00:17:37.299 --> 00:17:40.890 debate of caution versus competitiveness. We 00:17:40.890 --> 00:17:43.769 know Burrow is fiercely competitive. He wants 00:17:43.769 --> 00:17:45.789 to play the second he's medically cleared from 00:17:45.789 --> 00:17:48.009 this turf toe injury. But the long -term health 00:17:48.009 --> 00:17:50.829 of your franchise cornerstone is paramount, especially 00:17:50.829 --> 00:17:53.769 because this is now his third season in six years 00:17:53.769 --> 00:17:56.890 where availability has been a major issue. And 00:17:56.890 --> 00:17:59.589 maybe we should pause here to explain why turf 00:17:59.589 --> 00:18:03.029 toe isn't some minor injury for a quarterback. 00:18:03.190 --> 00:18:05.829 It sounds innocuous. It sounds like nothing, 00:18:05.910 --> 00:18:08.869 but it can be debilitating. Turf toe is a sprain 00:18:08.869 --> 00:18:11.210 of the ligaments around the big toe joint. For 00:18:11.210 --> 00:18:13.349 a quarterback, it is devastating because it's 00:18:13.349 --> 00:18:15.349 the big toe on the plant foot. The one that anchors 00:18:15.349 --> 00:18:17.509 you. Exactly. It's responsible for anchoring 00:18:17.509 --> 00:18:19.369 you into the ground, transferring all your weight, 00:18:19.430 --> 00:18:21.569 and allowing you to generate that push -off power. 00:18:22.250 --> 00:18:24.410 Without that anchor, you lose velocity on your 00:18:24.410 --> 00:18:26.769 throws, you lose accuracy, and most critically, 00:18:27.029 --> 00:18:29.369 you lose mobility in the pocket to escape pressure. 00:18:29.710 --> 00:18:31.789 And playing on it just severely increases the 00:18:31.789 --> 00:18:34.089 risk of re -injury. Or converting that sprain 00:18:34.089 --> 00:18:36.190 into a much worse tear, which requires surgery 00:18:36.190 --> 00:18:38.609 and months of recovery. So the internal debate 00:18:38.609 --> 00:18:41.569 in Cincinnati must be fierce. A lost season does 00:18:41.569 --> 00:18:43.910 nothing for Burroughs' immediate health, and 00:18:43.910 --> 00:18:46.089 risking further injury to play meaningless late 00:18:46.089 --> 00:18:49.509 -season games seems, I mean, strategically foolish 00:18:49.509 --> 00:18:51.799 for the organization. Coach Zach Taylor has been 00:18:51.799 --> 00:18:54.579 very cautious. He confirmed Burrow is doing 7 00:18:54.579 --> 00:18:57.900 -on -7 work, could move to 11 -on -11 soon, but 00:18:57.900 --> 00:19:00.599 he has specifically avoided committing to a weak 00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:03.779 12 or 13 return. That decision has to be weighing 00:19:03.779 --> 00:19:06.640 heavily on ownership, especially since the defense 00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:08.539 just allowed the Steelers to rush for over 300 00:19:08.539 --> 00:19:10.980 yards. And convert more than half of their third 00:19:10.980 --> 00:19:14.500 downs in that brutal 34 -12 loss. The team is 00:19:14.500 --> 00:19:16.680 just not competitive, even with Burrow's potential 00:19:16.680 --> 00:19:19.559 return looming. And then adding fuel to this 00:19:19.559 --> 00:19:22.119 whole fire of discipline and competence issues 00:19:22.119 --> 00:19:24.339 is the suspension of their star wide receiver, 00:19:24.519 --> 00:19:27.460 Jamar Chase. This was a severe incident. It resulted 00:19:27.460 --> 00:19:29.940 in a one game suspension because Chase was disciplined 00:19:29.940 --> 00:19:33.119 for spitting on Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey. 00:19:33.160 --> 00:19:35.619 Right. During their recent loss, Chase initially 00:19:35.619 --> 00:19:38.200 denied it postgame. But the field level video 00:19:38.200 --> 00:19:40.599 evidence clearly supported Ramsey's claim that 00:19:40.599 --> 00:19:42.940 he was spit on, even though Ramsey was the player 00:19:42.940 --> 00:19:45.180 who got ejected for punching Chase in reaction 00:19:45.180 --> 00:19:47.500 to it. And that one game suspension carries a 00:19:47.500 --> 00:19:50.180 heavy, heavy financial penalty. The numbers here 00:19:50.180 --> 00:19:53.359 are just staggering. Chase. forfeited his weekly 00:19:53.359 --> 00:20:00.400 paycheck of $448 ,333. $448 ,000. Plus an additional 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:04.619 $58 ,823 per game active bonus. That totals over 00:20:04.619 --> 00:20:06.980 half a million dollars. For one game. An immense 00:20:06.980 --> 00:20:09.259 price to pay for what is essentially an act of 00:20:09.259 --> 00:20:12.460 unsportsmanlike conduct. It speaks volumes about 00:20:12.460 --> 00:20:14.880 the lack of discipline currently plaguing a team 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:17.339 that was built for Super Bowl contention, but 00:20:17.339 --> 00:20:19.920 is now just spiraling into chaos. Jordy Nelson 00:20:19.920 --> 00:20:21.559 is going to hear Chase's appeal, but then... 00:20:21.579 --> 00:20:23.880 Video evidence is compelling. It seems likely 00:20:23.880 --> 00:20:26.220 the punishment stands. I would think so. All 00:20:26.220 --> 00:20:28.460 right. Moving to Cleveland. The Browns are dealing 00:20:28.460 --> 00:20:31.539 with quarterback chaos on a different scale after 00:20:31.539 --> 00:20:34.019 Dylan Gabriel entered concussion protocol. Yeah, 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:36.200 he showed symptoms at halftime of the Ravens 00:20:36.200 --> 00:20:38.220 game. And this forced the highly anticipated 00:20:38.220 --> 00:20:41.440 debut of the rookie Shedder Sanders. And it was, 00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:45.119 well, by all accounts, a disaster. It was historically 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:48.049 bad, unfortunately. Sanders finished the second 00:20:48.049 --> 00:20:51.410 half of that 23 -16 loss to Baltimore, completing 00:20:51.410 --> 00:20:55.289 just four of 16 passes for 47 yards. Through 00:20:55.289 --> 00:20:57.650 one interception and registered a dismal passer 00:20:57.650 --> 00:21:00.430 rating of 13 .5. And the Browns were shut out, 00:21:00.470 --> 00:21:03.069 13 -0 in that second half. It just demonstrates 00:21:03.069 --> 00:21:06.029 how completely ineffective the offense was under 00:21:06.029 --> 00:21:08.730 the rookie. And the controversy here stems from 00:21:08.730 --> 00:21:11.230 Coach Kevin Stefanski's admission after the game. 00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:14.000 That Sanders' emergency relief snaps were his 00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:15.859 first with the starting offense since he was 00:21:15.859 --> 00:21:18.880 drafted. Not one single first team rep in practice. 00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:20.960 Which prompted some really pointed criticism 00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:24.319 from former MVP Cam Newton. He suggested that 00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:27.220 Stefanski set up Sanders to fail. By throwing 00:21:27.220 --> 00:21:29.680 him into live action with zero first team reps. 00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:32.400 A claim that Sanders himself implicitly supported 00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:35.460 by just calling his debut rough. When you look 00:21:35.460 --> 00:21:37.259 at quarterback development, especially in the 00:21:37.259 --> 00:21:40.279 NFL, why is zero first team exposure considered 00:21:40.279 --> 00:21:43.559 malpractice? Because the speed of the NFL is 00:21:43.559 --> 00:21:45.539 immense. A rookie has to build chemistry and 00:21:45.539 --> 00:21:47.259 timing with the starting offensive line, the 00:21:47.259 --> 00:21:49.559 starting receivers, particularly in a complex 00:21:49.559 --> 00:21:51.960 scheme like Stefanski's. You can't just throw 00:21:51.960 --> 00:21:54.839 them in there cold. No. When a backup takes the 00:21:54.839 --> 00:21:56.720 field, they should have rehearsed the core game 00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:59.490 plan with the starting unit. By denying Sanders 00:21:59.490 --> 00:22:02.130 any first -team snaps, even during walkthroughs 00:22:02.130 --> 00:22:04.789 or rotational drills, Stefanski was throwing 00:22:04.789 --> 00:22:08.069 a completely unprepared player into a live situation 00:22:08.069 --> 00:22:10.430 against one of the league's best defenses. It 00:22:10.430 --> 00:22:12.390 raises serious questions about the development 00:22:12.390 --> 00:22:15.069 process in Cleveland, especially since they only 00:22:15.069 --> 00:22:17.710 have two quarterbacks on the active roster. That's 00:22:17.710 --> 00:22:20.599 dangerously thin depth. It really is. And this 00:22:20.599 --> 00:22:23.579 entire quarterback disaster completely overshadowed 00:22:23.579 --> 00:22:25.920 one of the most dominant defensive performances 00:22:25.920 --> 00:22:29.579 of the week, maybe even the season. Miles Garrett 00:22:29.579 --> 00:22:31.960 was an absolute wrecking ball. Garrett's performance 00:22:31.960 --> 00:22:35.539 was just elite. He racked up four sacks against 00:22:35.539 --> 00:22:37.460 the Ravens, which gives him a league -leading 00:22:37.460 --> 00:22:39.660 15 on the season. And he tied a record, right? 00:22:39.799 --> 00:22:42.039 He tied a record set by Richard Dent back in 00:22:42.039 --> 00:22:45.299 1984 for 10 sacks in a three -game span. That 00:22:45.299 --> 00:22:47.819 kind of dominance just puts him in rarefied air. 00:22:48.039 --> 00:22:50.420 Garrett has a legitimate chance to challenge 00:22:50.420 --> 00:22:53.240 the NFL's all -time single -season sack record 00:22:53.240 --> 00:22:56.660 if he maintains this pace. He does. And it's 00:22:56.660 --> 00:22:58.920 truly a shame that such an elite defensive performance 00:22:58.920 --> 00:23:01.700 is being wasted by the offensive struggles and 00:23:01.700 --> 00:23:04.720 volatile quarterback drama in Cleveland. You 00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:06.720 have a defense playing at a championship level 00:23:06.720 --> 00:23:09.440 and an offense operating at a developmental league 00:23:09.440 --> 00:23:11.579 level. It's a tale of two teams in one locker 00:23:11.579 --> 00:23:13.799 room. Absolutely. All right, let's pivot to the 00:23:13.799 --> 00:23:16.119 NFC, where things are also getting extremely 00:23:16.119 --> 00:23:19.240 strange. We have some surprise contenders emerging 00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:22.400 and coaches doubling down on philosophies that 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:25.660 may be winning games, but are certainly controversial. 00:23:25.920 --> 00:23:28.980 Let's start in Chicago. The Bears are quietly 00:23:28.980 --> 00:23:31.880 7 -3 and are currently sitting as the number 00:23:31.880 --> 00:23:34.819 one team in the NFC North after beating the Vikings 00:23:34.819 --> 00:23:38.240 19 -17 with a late field goal. They are winning, 00:23:38.319 --> 00:23:40.799 but the victory feels distinctly uncomfortable, 00:23:41.380 --> 00:23:44.400 almost accidental at times. Statistically, though, 00:23:44.519 --> 00:23:47.140 they're performing well above expectations. They're 00:23:47.140 --> 00:23:49.460 the eighth -best scoring team, fourth in yards 00:23:49.460 --> 00:23:52.099 per game, trailing only Dallas, Buffalo, and 00:23:52.099 --> 00:23:54.720 Indianapolis. Which is shocking. But the most 00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:56.839 interesting development is the reported tension 00:23:56.839 --> 00:23:59.099 that's brewing between coach Ben Johnson and 00:23:59.099 --> 00:24:02.640 quarterback Caleb Williams. This is the classic 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:06.019 battle between structure and talent. Right. An 00:24:06.019 --> 00:24:08.680 opposing defensive coach suggested that Johnson 00:24:08.680 --> 00:24:12.220 is frustrated because Williams' improvisational 00:24:12.220 --> 00:24:14.859 off -script style, the very thing that makes 00:24:14.859 --> 00:24:17.660 him special, is deemed uncontrollable. And it 00:24:17.660 --> 00:24:19.880 just doesn't mesh with Johnson's structured coaching 00:24:19.880 --> 00:24:22.299 style. So on one side, you have a coach who is 00:24:22.299 --> 00:24:24.900 prioritizing precise execution and structure. 00:24:25.079 --> 00:24:27.279 And on the other, you have a quarterback whose 00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:29.759 genius often emerges when the play breaks down 00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:32.359 and he has to rely on his natural athleticism. 00:24:32.660 --> 00:24:34.839 Precisely. If you look at historical parallels. 00:24:35.470 --> 00:24:37.549 Coaches often want quarterbacks to follow the 00:24:37.549 --> 00:24:40.150 script until the fifth read, but players like 00:24:40.150 --> 00:24:42.710 Williams or even a young Mahomes, they operate 00:24:42.710 --> 00:24:44.529 on instinct. A former head coach who weighed 00:24:44.529 --> 00:24:46.750 in on this suggested that Williams has the potential 00:24:46.750 --> 00:24:49.430 to be a top 10, even a special quarterback, if 00:24:49.430 --> 00:24:51.170 he learns when to follow the script and when 00:24:51.170 --> 00:24:53.690 to improvise. It's the ultimate coaching dilemma. 00:24:54.109 --> 00:24:57.009 Do you curb the spectacular to ensure reliability, 00:24:57.410 --> 00:25:01.069 or do you allow the raw talent to flourish, even 00:25:01.069 --> 00:25:03.710 if it costs you some occasional breakdowns? For 00:25:03.710 --> 00:25:06.380 now, Johnson is winning. But the tension suggests 00:25:06.380 --> 00:25:08.579 that the philosophical compromise hasn't been 00:25:08.579 --> 00:25:11.480 reached yet. On a positive note for Chicago's 00:25:11.480 --> 00:25:14.319 offensive future, the team is committed to expanding 00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:17.220 the role of rookie wide receiver Luther Burden. 00:25:17.319 --> 00:25:20.000 Who is now playing 100 % of the snaps in three 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:22.500 receiver sets. Johnson noted that Burden has 00:25:22.500 --> 00:25:24.720 been really productive and that there's a strong 00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:26.359 argument they should get him the ball more often. 00:25:26.539 --> 00:25:28.559 Which is a sign Johnson is willing to adjust 00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:31.619 personnel usage, even if not his core philosophy. 00:25:31.819 --> 00:25:34.900 Right. Okay, moving on to Detroit. The Lions 00:25:34.900 --> 00:25:38.240 lost 16 -9 to the Philadelphia Eagles, who are 00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:40.839 now tied for the best record in the NFC at 8 00:25:40.839 --> 00:25:43.759 -2. This game was a showcase for the aggressive 00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:46.779 Dan Campbell philosophy and how it can spectacularly 00:25:46.779 --> 00:25:48.880 fail. Campbell, who has permanently taken over 00:25:48.880 --> 00:25:50.660 play -calling duties for the rest of the season, 00:25:50.799 --> 00:25:53.480 went for it on fourth down an astonishing five 00:25:53.480 --> 00:25:56.029 times against the Eagles. And he failed. Every 00:25:56.029 --> 00:25:59.029 single time. Zero for five. Five failures is 00:25:59.029 --> 00:26:01.910 just brutal. And critically, two of those attempts 00:26:01.910 --> 00:26:04.789 came squarely within field goal range. That's 00:26:04.789 --> 00:26:06.910 a minimum of six points potentially left off 00:26:06.910 --> 00:26:09.369 the board in a low scoring seven point loss. 00:26:09.589 --> 00:26:11.529 And that's where the advanced analytics just 00:26:11.529 --> 00:26:14.289 kill you. While Campbell's identity is built 00:26:14.289 --> 00:26:16.930 on this aggression, statistically, choosing to 00:26:16.930 --> 00:26:19.569 pass on three certain points in field goal range 00:26:19.569 --> 00:26:22.029 for a low percentage fourth down conversion. 00:26:22.759 --> 00:26:25.380 It often translates directly to lost expected 00:26:25.380 --> 00:26:28.660 points added or EPA. So in short, his high risk 00:26:28.660 --> 00:26:31.200 strategy statistically reduced their chances 00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:33.700 of winning that game significantly. It did. Yet 00:26:33.700 --> 00:26:35.920 Campbell stood before the media and absolutely 00:26:35.920 --> 00:26:38.599 doubled down on his identity. He refused to apologize 00:26:38.599 --> 00:26:40.819 or change his approach. What was the quote? He 00:26:40.819 --> 00:26:43.420 said, that's who we are. That's who I am. And 00:26:43.420 --> 00:26:46.920 it bit us today. That is quintessential Dan Campbell. 00:26:47.400 --> 00:26:50.339 He is prioritizing his brand and his locker room 00:26:50.339 --> 00:26:52.700 identity over what may be analytically optimal. 00:26:52.920 --> 00:26:55.480 But that aggression requires precise execution 00:26:55.480 --> 00:26:57.960 which was completely lacking largely because 00:26:57.960 --> 00:27:00.519 quarterback Jared Goff struggled immensely. Goff 00:27:00.519 --> 00:27:03.670 had arguably the worst game of his career. He 00:27:03.670 --> 00:27:06.029 posted his lowest completion percentage at 38 00:27:06.029 --> 00:27:09.690 % and a dismal 60 .1 passer rating. And they 00:27:09.690 --> 00:27:12.130 struggled on third down, going only 3 of 13. 00:27:12.450 --> 00:27:14.990 It was a collective failure. They had a chance 00:27:14.990 --> 00:27:17.690 late in the third quarter after a 42 -yard gain 00:27:17.690 --> 00:27:20.329 put them at the Eagles' 22. And they stalled 00:27:20.329 --> 00:27:22.390 out and failed on a fourth and goal from the 00:27:22.390 --> 00:27:24.730 three -yard line. When your coach is willing 00:27:24.730 --> 00:27:27.250 to forego three points to back his aggressive 00:27:27.250 --> 00:27:29.549 identity, the players have to execute. And they 00:27:29.549 --> 00:27:31.789 simply didn't against that stout Eagles defense. 00:27:32.170 --> 00:27:34.150 OK, let's discuss some quarterback bounce backs 00:27:34.150 --> 00:27:36.609 in the NFC, starting with Bryce Young in Carolina. 00:27:36.970 --> 00:27:39.369 The Panthers are now surprisingly knocking on 00:27:39.369 --> 00:27:41.450 the door of a playoff spot, sitting at six and 00:27:41.450 --> 00:27:44.130 five. Young is demonstrating significant growth 00:27:44.130 --> 00:27:46.619 compared to his rough first two years. Against 00:27:46.619 --> 00:27:49.160 the Falcons this past weekend, he set a new franchise 00:27:49.160 --> 00:27:51.579 record for passing yards in a single game with 00:27:51.579 --> 00:27:55.160 448. Breaking the old record held by Cam Newton. 00:27:55.339 --> 00:27:58.240 Exactly. And that record is significant, especially 00:27:58.240 --> 00:28:00.819 considering the Panthers are 6 -5 this season, 00:28:00.900 --> 00:28:02.839 which matches their total win count from the 00:28:02.839 --> 00:28:05.599 previous two seasons combined. And Young himself 00:28:05.599 --> 00:28:08.410 is 6 -4 in the games he's played. Part of that 00:28:08.410 --> 00:28:10.329 improvement is definitely credited to the addition 00:28:10.329 --> 00:28:13.190 of rookie wide receiver Tetero McMillan, the 00:28:13.190 --> 00:28:15.730 eighth overall pick this year. He seems to be 00:28:15.730 --> 00:28:18.109 providing Young with that reliable, dominant 00:28:18.109 --> 00:28:20.450 target they desperately needed to anchor the 00:28:20.450 --> 00:28:23.410 passing attack. Young's performance, particularly 00:28:23.410 --> 00:28:26.410 his vertical passing game, is showing signs that 00:28:26.410 --> 00:28:29.089 he is rapidly maturing into the franchise quarterback 00:28:29.089 --> 00:28:31.509 they drafted him to be. And down in Tampa Bay, 00:28:31.769 --> 00:28:34.109 Baker Mayfield is also resurrecting his career 00:28:34.109 --> 00:28:36.630 and becoming a fixture in the NFC playoff picture. 00:28:37.069 --> 00:28:39.289 Despite all the injuries that have been plaguing 00:28:39.289 --> 00:28:42.230 the Buccaneers' offense, the fans are now increasingly 00:28:42.230 --> 00:28:44.769 regarding Mayfield as their franchise quarterback. 00:28:45.190 --> 00:28:47.609 He's been efficient, he's been resilient, and 00:28:47.609 --> 00:28:50.930 most importantly, he's been consistent. And Mayfield's 00:28:50.930 --> 00:28:53.490 improved play, coupled with a surging running 00:28:53.490 --> 00:28:56.190 game, is definitely helping. Running back Sean 00:28:56.190 --> 00:28:58.900 Tucker is heating up. He is. He became the first 00:28:58.900 --> 00:29:01.539 running back this season to run for over 50 yards 00:29:01.539 --> 00:29:03.880 against the Patriots last week, and then followed 00:29:03.880 --> 00:29:06.400 that up by rushing for over 100 yards and scoring 00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:08.940 three total touchdowns this week. Coach Todd 00:29:08.940 --> 00:29:10.980 Bowles confirmed they're sticking with the hot 00:29:10.980 --> 00:29:13.759 hand. Tucker's resurgence gives them that offensive 00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:16.200 balance they desperately needed to take the pressure 00:29:16.200 --> 00:29:19.259 off Mayfield. And while the supporting cast is 00:29:19.259 --> 00:29:21.859 stepping up, The consensus remains that the team 00:29:21.859 --> 00:29:24.180 is succeeding because Baker Mayfield is playing 00:29:24.180 --> 00:29:27.279 right, which is a crucial factor in their playoff 00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:30.119 push in a wide -open NFC cell. Finally, we need 00:29:30.119 --> 00:29:32.920 to touch on the NFC West battle, where the Los 00:29:32.920 --> 00:29:35.500 Angeles Rams won a tight one against the Seattle 00:29:35.500 --> 00:29:39.039 Seahawks, 21 -19. Which allows the Rams to remain 00:29:39.039 --> 00:29:41.980 atop the division at 7 -4. This game was decided 00:29:41.980 --> 00:29:45.519 almost entirely by one factor. Turnovers. Seahawks 00:29:45.519 --> 00:29:47.720 coach Mike McDonald gave a very honest assessment 00:29:47.720 --> 00:29:49.960 of quarterback Sam Darnold's performance, whose 00:29:49.960 --> 00:29:51.980 four interceptions were officially called the 00:29:51.980 --> 00:29:54.859 deciding factor in the loss. Four interceptions. 00:29:55.220 --> 00:29:57.920 Despite the Rams' defense delivering a dominant 00:29:57.920 --> 00:29:59.759 effort for much of the day and shutting down 00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:02.380 Matthew Stafford, those four turnovers were just 00:30:02.640 --> 00:30:05.299 too massive to overcome. Darnold did manage to 00:30:05.299 --> 00:30:07.500 lead a late touchdown drive and move the team 00:30:07.500 --> 00:30:09.380 into fringe field goal range for a potential 00:30:09.380 --> 00:30:12.299 win, but the mistakes define the narrative and 00:30:12.299 --> 00:30:15.400 cost them a critical divisional victory. On the 00:30:15.400 --> 00:30:18.240 Rams' side, wide receiver Devontae Adams was 00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:20.640 encouraged by the win despite saying the offense 00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:23.589 played like crap. Adams himself had a low -volume 00:30:23.589 --> 00:30:26.549 day with just one catch, but he extended his 00:30:26.549 --> 00:30:29.890 touchdown streak to seven TDs over four games, 00:30:30.029 --> 00:30:32.390 giving him a league -leading 10 scoring grabs 00:30:32.390 --> 00:30:34.970 on the season. The Rams are learning how to win 00:30:34.970 --> 00:30:38.009 ugly. And what about injuries in Seattle? There 00:30:38.009 --> 00:30:40.230 was some good news on guard Graze Abel's knee 00:30:40.230 --> 00:30:43.039 injury, right? Yes. Coach McDonald said the initial 00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:45.680 testing showed nothing significant calling him 00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:48.220 day -to -day. That's a huge positive for their 00:30:48.220 --> 00:30:50.400 offensive line stability moving forward, which 00:30:50.400 --> 00:30:52.880 they desperately need. All right, we've hit that 00:30:52.880 --> 00:30:55.039 point of the season where injuries are just piling 00:30:55.039 --> 00:30:57.480 up and forcing major changes on rosters and depth 00:30:57.480 --> 00:30:59.880 charts all over the league. It's attrition season. 00:31:00.319 --> 00:31:02.299 Let's run through the most important health concerns 00:31:02.299 --> 00:31:04.180 and personnel moves, starting with quarterbacks. 00:31:04.359 --> 00:31:07.640 The biggest story here involves Aaron Rodgers. 00:31:08.039 --> 00:31:11.099 The Steelers quarterback. He's suffered what 00:31:11.099 --> 00:31:13.880 is reported to be a slight break in his non -throwing 00:31:13.880 --> 00:31:16.599 wrist during the win over the Bengals. His status 00:31:16.599 --> 00:31:19.160 for Week 12 against the Bears is currently uncertain. 00:31:19.539 --> 00:31:22.259 So if Rodgers can't go, the focus immediately 00:31:22.259 --> 00:31:25.299 shifts to Mason Rudolph. Right, and coach Mike 00:31:25.299 --> 00:31:27.900 Tomlin has publicly valued Rudolph's consistency 00:31:27.900 --> 00:31:30.700 as a backup, noting that he always delivers when 00:31:30.700 --> 00:31:33.019 called upon. And Rudolph actually played surprisingly 00:31:33.019 --> 00:31:35.579 well in relief against the Bengals. He completed 00:31:35.579 --> 00:31:39.619 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown. 00:31:39.980 --> 00:31:42.680 And that consistency is key. While the Steelers 00:31:42.680 --> 00:31:44.900 are highly unlikely to stick with Rudolph once 00:31:44.900 --> 00:31:47.259 Rodgers is fully healthy, Rudolph has carved 00:31:47.259 --> 00:31:49.500 out a niche as a reliable short -term solution. 00:31:50.059 --> 00:31:52.240 He seems comfortable stepping back into that 00:31:52.240 --> 00:31:55.000 role. OK, in Houston, Texan star quarterback 00:31:55.000 --> 00:31:57.880 C .J. Stroud remains deep in concussion protocol. 00:31:58.180 --> 00:32:00.900 And he's considered unlikely to play in Thursday 00:32:00.900 --> 00:32:03.099 night's game against the Bills. For him to be 00:32:03.099 --> 00:32:05.680 cleared, he needs to clear two full practices 00:32:05.680 --> 00:32:08.400 by Tuesday, which is a very long shot given the 00:32:08.400 --> 00:32:10.700 short week. Davis Mills, however, has stepped 00:32:10.700 --> 00:32:13.380 up pretty well in Stroud's relief. He's led the 00:32:13.380 --> 00:32:15.920 Texans to two straight wins and brought their 00:32:15.920 --> 00:32:18.700 record to a respectable 5 -5. The Texans are 00:32:18.700 --> 00:32:20.700 going to need a big performance from Mills against 00:32:20.700 --> 00:32:22.960 the Bills, especially given how effective Josh 00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:25.859 Allen is for Buffalo. The game instantly changes 00:32:25.859 --> 00:32:29.400 from a young gunslinger duel to a battle of attrition 00:32:29.400 --> 00:32:32.660 led by Mills. And back in Cleveland, Dylan Gabriel 00:32:32.660 --> 00:32:35.809 is also officially in concussion protocol. after 00:32:35.809 --> 00:32:37.730 showing those symptoms at halftime of the Ravens' 00:32:37.730 --> 00:32:40.470 loss. Which, as we discussed, led to the disastrous 00:32:40.470 --> 00:32:43.829 Shetter -Sanders debut. The Browns' QB depth 00:32:43.829 --> 00:32:46.490 chart is certainly volatile right now. Moving 00:32:46.490 --> 00:32:48.589 to the Jets, we have a major quarterback decision 00:32:48.589 --> 00:32:50.609 that affects the entire outlook of the franchise. 00:32:51.309 --> 00:32:54.029 Justin Fields has been officially benched. Benched 00:32:54.029 --> 00:32:56.630 due to poor performance, and Tyrod Taylor has 00:32:56.630 --> 00:32:59.349 been named the new starter. This benching is 00:32:59.349 --> 00:33:02.849 incredibly significant because it makes the future 00:33:02.849 --> 00:33:06.130 of fields in New York beyond the 2025 season 00:33:06.130 --> 00:33:09.470 extremely murky. This is the second time this 00:33:09.470 --> 00:33:11.170 year he's been benched. A team that was hoping 00:33:11.170 --> 00:33:13.329 he could be the long -term solution now has some 00:33:13.329 --> 00:33:15.089 really tough decisions to make about potentially 00:33:15.089 --> 00:33:17.950 moving on from him next year. It signals a possible 00:33:17.950 --> 00:33:20.690 return to the draft market for a franchise quarterback. 00:33:21.109 --> 00:33:23.809 It does. On a more serious and deeply concerning 00:33:23.809 --> 00:33:26.539 note regarding the Jets. New York police are 00:33:26.539 --> 00:33:28.799 currently seeking a suspect in the shooting of 00:33:28.799 --> 00:33:31.440 cornerback Chris Boyd, which took place outside 00:33:31.440 --> 00:33:34.400 a restaurant in NYC. That's a deeply worrying 00:33:34.400 --> 00:33:36.980 off -field headline for the organization and 00:33:36.980 --> 00:33:39.799 a serious safety concern for the player. Absolutely. 00:33:40.119 --> 00:33:42.839 Okay, moving on to skill position injuries, the 00:33:42.839 --> 00:33:44.839 Green Bay Packers received some relatively good 00:33:44.839 --> 00:33:48.640 news on running back Josh Jacobs. Yes, he avoided 00:33:48.640 --> 00:33:51.019 a significant knee injury in their win over the 00:33:51.019 --> 00:33:53.640 Giants, which is a huge relief, though his status 00:33:53.640 --> 00:33:56.210 for Week 12 is still up in the air. So if Jacobs 00:33:56.210 --> 00:33:59.190 misses time, this means we'll likely see an uptick 00:33:59.190 --> 00:34:01.309 in snaps for Emmanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks. 00:34:01.450 --> 00:34:03.690 And Brooks, in particular, only had five snaps 00:34:03.690 --> 00:34:06.069 against the Giants but made a crucial play. He 00:34:06.069 --> 00:34:07.849 picked up a blitz that allowed Jordan Love to 00:34:07.849 --> 00:34:11.019 complete a 33 -yard game. That specific play 00:34:11.019 --> 00:34:13.440 just highlights the importance of backup depth 00:34:13.440 --> 00:34:15.900 and pass protection. The Buffalo Bills offense 00:34:15.900 --> 00:34:19.019 may have to adjust significantly on a short week 00:34:19.019 --> 00:34:21.840 before that Texans game, as wide receivers Curtis 00:34:21.840 --> 00:34:24.519 Samuel and McColl Hardman both sustained injuries. 00:34:24.820 --> 00:34:27.420 Yeah, Samuel has an elbow and neck issue. Hardman 00:34:27.420 --> 00:34:30.019 has a calf injury. Both did not practice Monday. 00:34:30.420 --> 00:34:32.900 Losing two key receivers on a short turnaround 00:34:32.900 --> 00:34:35.880 puts immense pressure on Josh Allen to perform 00:34:35.880 --> 00:34:38.579 with fewer weapons. And finally, the San Francisco 00:34:38.579 --> 00:34:40.719 49ers. are dealing with a kicker issue of their 00:34:40.719 --> 00:34:43.239 own. Eddie Pinheiro is week -to -week with a 00:34:43.239 --> 00:34:45.840 grade one hamstring injury. That injury has forced 00:34:45.840 --> 00:34:47.860 the 49ers to look at a group of kickers for a 00:34:47.860 --> 00:34:49.900 workout this week, which is never a good sign 00:34:49.900 --> 00:34:52.539 late in the season. Plus, wide receivers Brandon 00:34:52.539 --> 00:34:54.960 Ayuk and Jacob Cowing are also week -to -week. 00:34:55.139 --> 00:34:57.139 The receiving core is going to be tested. Now 00:34:57.139 --> 00:34:59.260 we come to the off -field news, and we have to 00:34:59.260 --> 00:35:01.780 address the profoundly serious legal situation 00:35:01.780 --> 00:35:04.420 surrounding former All -Pro receiver Antonio 00:35:04.420 --> 00:35:07.039 Brown. This isn't a quick update. This requires 00:35:07.039 --> 00:35:10.039 a serious and careful exploration of the legal 00:35:10.039 --> 00:35:13.079 mechanisms at play here. This is an incredibly 00:35:13.079 --> 00:35:16.300 severe situation. Antonio Brown is facing an 00:35:16.300 --> 00:35:19.059 attempted murder charge that carries a mandatory 00:35:19.059 --> 00:35:22.539 minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum sentence 00:35:22.539 --> 00:35:26.079 of 30 years. And this complexity is rooted in 00:35:26.079 --> 00:35:28.239 the firearm enhancement that's attached to the 00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:31.440 charge stemming from a May 16th incident. Let's 00:35:31.440 --> 00:35:33.179 break down that legal mechanism for the listener, 00:35:33.260 --> 00:35:35.880 because the difference between 20 and 30 years 00:35:35.880 --> 00:35:38.500 is, I mean, it's crucial. The underlying charge 00:35:38.500 --> 00:35:41.239 is second degree attempted murder. In the state 00:35:41.239 --> 00:35:43.239 where this happened, that typically carries a 00:35:43.239 --> 00:35:46.760 maximum sentence of 15 years. However, a prosecutor 00:35:46.760 --> 00:35:48.980 confirmed this week that because a firearm was 00:35:48.980 --> 00:35:50.820 allegedly used in the commission of the crime. 00:35:51.480 --> 00:35:53.559 that immediately triggers a sentencing enhancement. 00:35:54.019 --> 00:35:56.159 Which essentially doubles the maximum possible 00:35:56.159 --> 00:35:59.059 sentence to 30 years and creates that mandatory 00:35:59.059 --> 00:36:01.539 minimum of 20. So the severity isn't just the 00:36:01.539 --> 00:36:03.880 charge itself, but the use of the weapon is what 00:36:03.880 --> 00:36:06.690 forces that elevated sentencing range. Brown 00:36:06.690 --> 00:36:09.570 is currently out on a $25 ,000 bond and has to 00:36:09.570 --> 00:36:12.210 wear a GPS ankle monitor. And regarding the details 00:36:12.210 --> 00:36:14.610 of the incident, the accusation is that Brown 00:36:14.610 --> 00:36:17.030 grabbed a handgun from a security guard after 00:36:17.030 --> 00:36:20.050 a celebrity boxing match in Miami and fired two 00:36:20.050 --> 00:36:22.210 shots at a man who had been in a fistfight with 00:36:22.210 --> 00:36:24.889 him earlier. The alleged victim told investigators 00:36:24.889 --> 00:36:28.309 that one of the bullets grazed his neck. Brown 00:36:28.309 --> 00:36:30.130 has publicly maintained that he was defending 00:36:30.130 --> 00:36:33.710 himself, claiming he was jumped by multiple individuals 00:36:33.710 --> 00:36:36.119 who were trying to steal his jewelry. His lawyer 00:36:36.119 --> 00:36:38.239 also stated in a previous hearing that Brown 00:36:38.239 --> 00:36:40.860 used his personal firearm and that the shots 00:36:40.860 --> 00:36:43.860 were not aimed at anyone specifically. Regardless 00:36:43.860 --> 00:36:46.179 of the final legal outcome, the news of Brown 00:36:46.179 --> 00:36:49.119 potentially facing decades in prison has ignited 00:36:49.119 --> 00:36:51.639 a highly polarized reaction from fans online. 00:36:52.360 --> 00:36:54.840 The response runs the emotional spectrum from 00:36:54.840 --> 00:36:57.559 shock and frustration over his Hall of Fame path 00:36:57.559 --> 00:37:00.460 being derailed to profound sympathy. And the 00:37:00.460 --> 00:37:02.599 sympathy element often points back to the high 00:37:02.599 --> 00:37:05.019 -profile hits he took during his career, particularly 00:37:05.019 --> 00:37:07.739 the Vontaze Burfecht hit. For those unfamiliar, 00:37:08.059 --> 00:37:10.719 that was a brutal helmet -to -helmet hit delivered 00:37:10.719 --> 00:37:13.599 by Burfecht in 2016 during a playoff game, which 00:37:13.599 --> 00:37:15.760 many people, including medical professionals, 00:37:16.039 --> 00:37:18.340 believe was the inflection point for Brown's 00:37:18.340 --> 00:37:20.519 behavior becoming erratic and unpredictable. 00:37:26.230 --> 00:37:29.869 And while we can't diagnose anything, the correlation 00:37:29.869 --> 00:37:32.230 between that hit and Brown's subsequent high 00:37:32.230 --> 00:37:34.969 -profile incidents fueled the speculation that 00:37:34.969 --> 00:37:37.530 maybe there's something bigger going on mentally 00:37:37.530 --> 00:37:39.949 that the league failed to address. And that leads 00:37:39.949 --> 00:37:42.289 to the systemic criticism directed at the NFL 00:37:42.289 --> 00:37:45.010 itself. Fans are questioning the league's long 00:37:45.010 --> 00:37:47.630 -term care and support systems for former players, 00:37:47.710 --> 00:37:50.550 asking, the NFL loves you until they don't. Where 00:37:50.550 --> 00:37:52.809 are the support systems? Brown's legal issues 00:37:52.809 --> 00:37:56.170 continue to define his polarizing legacy. A legendary 00:37:56.170 --> 00:37:59.369 talent, a cautionary tale, and a symbol of the 00:37:59.369 --> 00:38:02.130 NFL's complicated and often criticized relationship 00:38:02.130 --> 00:38:04.590 with player wellness and mental health. Moving 00:38:04.590 --> 00:38:06.730 to another high -profile legal headline involving 00:38:06.730 --> 00:38:09.829 an NFL star, Stephon Diggs filed a serious lawsuit 00:38:09.829 --> 00:38:11.829 against a social media influencer this week. 00:38:12.150 --> 00:38:15.820 Yes. Diggs, who is dating Cardi B, filed the 00:38:15.820 --> 00:38:17.960 lawsuit against Christopher Blake Griffith for 00:38:17.960 --> 00:38:21.059 allegedly falsifying a story. And the claims 00:38:21.059 --> 00:38:24.079 in the falsified story were incredibly heavy 00:38:24.079 --> 00:38:26.440 and serious. Including allegations that Diggs 00:38:26.440 --> 00:38:29.380 drugged and sexually assaulted Griffith and conspired 00:38:29.380 --> 00:38:31.780 to have him killed to suppress his gay bisexual 00:38:31.780 --> 00:38:35.260 secrets from becoming exposed. That is. extremely 00:38:35.260 --> 00:38:38.360 serious libel and defamation. And Cardi B herself, 00:38:38.599 --> 00:38:40.860 who recently welcomed her first child with Diggs, 00:38:40.940 --> 00:38:43.860 has publicly shared screenshots and chat logs 00:38:43.860 --> 00:38:47.219 asserting she has concrete evidence or receipts 00:38:47.219 --> 00:38:50.519 to discredit these accusations and support Diggs' 00:38:50.579 --> 00:38:53.940 claims. It's a messy, high -profile legal fight 00:38:53.940 --> 00:38:55.880 that has spilled over into the celebrity and 00:38:55.880 --> 00:38:58.239 music world, adding yet another layer of drama 00:38:58.239 --> 00:39:00.539 to the off -field news this week. Let's end the 00:39:00.539 --> 00:39:02.980 news bliss with a couple of fun pop culture crossover 00:39:02.980 --> 00:39:05.380 notes, starting with the Thanksgiving halftime 00:39:05.380 --> 00:39:07.320 show lineup. Always a highlight of the holiday 00:39:07.320 --> 00:39:10.239 football slate, we have some blockbuster musical 00:39:10.239 --> 00:39:12.199 acts lined up for the triple header. For the 00:39:12.199 --> 00:39:14.880 Packers at Lions game. Detroit native Jack White 00:39:14.880 --> 00:39:17.480 will perform at halftime, with CeCe Winans performing 00:39:17.480 --> 00:39:20.400 the national anthem. And the Chiefs at Cowboys 00:39:20.400 --> 00:39:22.659 game will feature the always entertaining Post 00:39:22.659 --> 00:39:25.159 Malone headlining the halftime show. Which is 00:39:25.159 --> 00:39:28.320 a great cultural fit for the Dallas crowd. And 00:39:28.320 --> 00:39:31.380 finally, Lil Jon will be performing at the Bengals 00:39:31.380 --> 00:39:34.360 at Ravens game, bringing his legendary hype energy. 00:39:34.579 --> 00:39:38.099 A truly stellar and diverse lineup. And finally, 00:39:38.119 --> 00:39:39.980 let's talk about injured Giants running back 00:39:39.980 --> 00:39:42.380 Cam Scuddebo, who made a surprise appearance 00:39:42.380 --> 00:39:45.920 outside the facility. Specifically, he was on 00:39:45.920 --> 00:39:48.579 Monday Night Raw. Yes, Skatbo, who is out for 00:39:48.579 --> 00:39:50.320 the season with a season -ending ankle injury, 00:39:50.519 --> 00:39:52.840 got into a shoving match with the WWE stars, 00:39:53.039 --> 00:39:55.960 specifically the Judgment Day, alongside comedian 00:39:55.960 --> 00:39:58.480 Andrew Schultz at Madison Square Garden. I have 00:39:58.480 --> 00:40:00.639 to say, for a player recovering from an ankle 00:40:00.639 --> 00:40:03.539 injury that ended his season, watching him get 00:40:03.539 --> 00:40:06.000 physical on television raises a few eyebrows 00:40:06.000 --> 00:40:07.960 among fans. Oh yeah, people were online saying 00:40:07.960 --> 00:40:10.039 things like, tell Cam to stay at home, we need 00:40:10.039 --> 00:40:12.119 him 100 % next year, and just expressing frustration 00:40:12.119 --> 00:40:14.079 about an injured player getting into any kind 00:40:14.079 --> 00:40:16.900 of physical altercation, staged or not. It definitely 00:40:16.900 --> 00:40:19.860 captured attention. Despite the staged nature 00:40:19.860 --> 00:40:22.340 of pro wrestling, the optics of an NFL player 00:40:22.340 --> 00:40:25.519 brawling with WWE stars while recovering from 00:40:25.519 --> 00:40:28.079 a serious injury certainly gives fans a moment 00:40:28.079 --> 00:40:31.219 of pause. For sure. What a week of chaos, crisis, 00:40:31.280 --> 00:40:34.119 and controversy. As we look ahead to Week 12, 00:40:34.300 --> 00:40:36.820 we have some absolutely critical matchups that 00:40:36.820 --> 00:40:38.800 will likely determine the direction of the AFC 00:40:38.800 --> 00:40:41.940 and NFC playoff races. Absolutely. It all kicks 00:40:41.940 --> 00:40:44.719 off with Thursday Night Football. The Texans, 00:40:44.820 --> 00:40:47.539 likely without Stroud, hosting the Bills in a 00:40:47.539 --> 00:40:50.760 critical wildcard battle. Then, the NFC East 00:40:50.760 --> 00:40:53.219 is likely on the line when the 8 -2 Eagles visit 00:40:53.219 --> 00:40:55.619 the Cowboys. We also have the spiraling Chiefs 00:40:55.619 --> 00:40:57.179 desperately trying to right the ship against 00:40:57.179 --> 00:40:59.699 the 9 -2 Colts, which is a must -win for Kansas 00:40:59.699 --> 00:41:02.199 City's playoff aspirations. And finally, the 00:41:02.199 --> 00:41:04.320 Patriots, who are on an eight -game winning streak, 00:41:04.480 --> 00:41:06.860 hosting the Bengals, who are still trying to 00:41:06.860 --> 00:41:09.260 decide Joe Burrow's immediate future. The narrative 00:41:09.260 --> 00:41:12.030 this season is truly unpredictable. We've seen 00:41:12.030 --> 00:41:14.289 established, strong contenders like the Chiefs 00:41:14.289 --> 00:41:16.909 and the Bengals spiral quickly into crisis, while 00:41:16.909 --> 00:41:20.190 teams we barely noticed, the 7 -3 Bears, the 00:41:20.190 --> 00:41:23.710 6 -5 Panthers, are finding ways to stack up wins 00:41:23.710 --> 00:41:26.389 and seriously contend for playoff spots. The 00:41:26.389 --> 00:41:30.250 AFC is a mess, the NFC picture is fluid, and 00:41:30.250 --> 00:41:32.510 the biggest names are facing the biggest problems. 00:41:32.630 --> 00:41:35.150 They really are. So as you look forward, consider 00:41:35.150 --> 00:41:38.239 this. Given the entirely unpredictable nature 00:41:38.239 --> 00:41:41.639 of this NFL season, what single factor, be it 00:41:41.639 --> 00:41:44.559 the rising tide of high -profile injuries, the 00:41:44.559 --> 00:41:46.820 rigidity of certain coaching philosophies like 00:41:46.820 --> 00:41:49.119 Dan Campbell's fourth -down obsession, or the 00:41:49.119 --> 00:41:51.320 sudden volatility of quarterback play, do you 00:41:51.320 --> 00:41:53.260 think determines which current playoff contender 00:41:53.260 --> 00:41:55.380 falls entirely out of the picture by the end 00:41:55.380 --> 00:41:57.559 of December? That's the core question, because 00:41:57.559 --> 00:41:59.840 the margin for error is razor thin. Teams like 00:41:59.840 --> 00:42:02.079 the Chiefs or Bengals have the talent, but if 00:42:02.079 --> 00:42:04.320 the instability at the coaching level or a crucial 00:42:04.320 --> 00:42:07.119 injury at quarterback persists, one critical 00:42:07.119 --> 00:42:09.820 weakness can absolutely derail a season instantly. 00:42:10.280 --> 00:42:12.699 I would focus heavily on the health of the quarterbacks 00:42:12.699 --> 00:42:15.159 in Week 12. Food for thought as we head into 00:42:15.159 --> 00:42:17.360 Week 12 in the holiday football season. Thanks 00:42:17.360 --> 00:42:18.619 for joining us for Football Army.