Bengals crack the Top 10, 49ers are rising, and the Vikings are still fooling you.

Dave Clarke: 0:06

Welcome into missing the point, I am your host of the weekly podcast that discusses the power rankings in the National Football League. We're just discussion pre show that I seem to be hosting every week on this Power Rankings show. So I'm officially the Alex Trebek the power rankings. It's a short live gig. You know, it comes and goes with the NFL season. But I enjoy it like all Bobby really has to do is write names next to numbers and give me give me 10 teams and I really have to add like the song of brilliance that

Rob Kelly: 0:35

you're really you're really taken that Alex Trebek gig like Aaron Rodgers Did you just

Dave Clarke: 0:41

know he failed at it and I am nothing if not a success at this hosting a show Thanks Aaron Rodgers believing he could do anything except play quarterback well in 2022 But we're not going to talk about him because he's not in the top fucking 10 So we might you know, it gets crazy here on the Power Rankings show it gets wild. It gets wild, like a party down in Boca so essentially Bobby gave us a rough draft this week it didn't want to didn't want to proofread and give us a final copy because he didn't decide on who number 10 was wanting us to do a forum so Mike, it's the Bengals version. I'm just fucking with you. Versus it's it's gonna be good radio.

Rob Kelly: 1:19

Welcome back to the podcast.

Dave Clarke: 1:21

It's the Bengals versus the dolphins. I think both have a legitimate claim to be in this top 10. But Mike, you know, you made a point in our group chat before we started up this podcast because you know, we talk in a group chat. We talked before the show we talked during the show we talk after the show. I think I talk to you guys more than I talk to my wife. So you made you made the point that the Bengals just got fucking dog walked by the Cleveland Browns and probably shouldn't deserve the top 10 I think the alternative is probably that there's a little bit of precedents here for the Cincinnati Bengals you know, they were just in the Super Bowl. I know that's becoming a more and more distant memory. And we have talked about the fact that they are a little bit of a trick or treat team and their talent might not always belie the result. But talk to me about why either I guess why it's the dolphins on their merit or why it just shouldn't be the Bengals.

Michael Marcangelo: 2:08

Okay, okay. So it shouldn't be the Bengals not because of what they could probably do in the future. I think if we're just talking about this week, you mentioned they are Trick or treat. They got their asses kicked by by the Happy Halloween, everybody. 3232 13 and their trick is gone. Jamar Chase is out for the next four to six weeks. So as it's currently constituted, yes, they often they they come back for a big week from a big deficit. And with Joe burrow there, they've never gotten their ass kicked by such an inferior team before. So I don't understand how in this week, you would still say that they're a top 10 team, the NFL. That's so bad. I mean, Bobby, before

Dave Clarke: 2:49

we before we talk about before we talked about the Dawson's, I do want you to respond to that. And I'd like to, I'd like you to specifically respond to the idea that the Cleveland Browns are such an inferior team. I mean, yeah, they have some they have some issues at the quarterback position potentially more with their much maligned very controversial star quarterback to come back in a few weeks. But, you know, again, I'm not gonna sit here on a sports podcast where I'm trying to retain credibility and talk about how great the fucking Cleveland Browns are. But that's not to say that they can't win a game against an arch rival in any given situation, right? I mean, they have some decent players on their team. They got Nick Chubb for God's sake.

Rob Kelly: 3:32

Yeah, that's why like I always take these these Browns Bengals games a little bit of grain of salt especially recently because the Browns kind of have the bangles number over the past few years that's a good match. Yeah, I think it's four straight games they beat in the bangles. And I think it goes back to what this bangles you know, weakness really is and that's against a weak pap pass rushers that oh line. And that game plan literally has no answer. You saw it the first two weeks of the season. It exactly the Super Bowl. You saw when Michael Parsons you saw with I forget who played week two, but then you just saw it last week with Myles Garrett because they were just all over Joe burrow, I think with Jamar chase in there. It might be a different story, but I'm not sure. I think that that game was just set up for Cleveland for Cincinnati to fail but I still have faith in this team and and if you just look at their biggest losses so far this year, it's against teams that have that elite path pass rush and that's not something that every team has. You know you look at the rest of the games the Bengals are the team that we saw last year for their four wins. They're a completely different team for those four losses but I just look at the upside man that's why I'm considering them here. And because it just seemed like such a weird game like the Bengals just couldn't get out of their entire their way that entire game. I mean, granted, that's that's a complete negative against them, but also, the Browns have kind of like a top 10 roster in the NFL with if you take quarterback Get out of the equation, the

Dave Clarke: 5:02

equation that's one of the greatest cars I've ever seen if you take the engine out of the equation, but if you

Rob Kelly: 5:09

will, an eight second cars and a second car No, but I'm just if you put Deshaun Watson back in that position, I think the Browns are very good contender for that seventh spot near see. Yeah, you know, they're definitely gonna be right there. Once Watson comes back.

Michael Marcangelo: 5:24

I agree with the premise. The only thing that I would say is that if we are saying that, that Cincinnatus should be ranked in the top 10 Because again, of what we what they did last year, what did they think they could do this year, and not based off of this performance? The Bailey Zappe D, and the Patriots smoked the breaths. The Bengals are a far better on paper team than the Patriots and they get their asses kicked by the browns. Well, for that reason,

Dave Clarke: 5:52

I think styles make fights Mike you know, it's it's it's it's a matchup issue as far as more than more so than a quality issue. And I'm not sure we're basing it necessarily off. Obviously, I've talked myself into the Bengals be should be in the top 10 team and not the dolphins But although you know, it benefits me because the bears play the dolphins this weekend. And then if we were able to beat maybe a ranked team. Well, we'll see what happens in the future. But the Bengals were not basic enough what they did last year, what they could potentially do in the future. I think that the Power Rankings is what you've done this season. You know, it's not if we're basing it game by game, and it just be like everybody who won their game and how convincingly they like that they want it, you know, the chiefs wouldn't have made it the week the they lost to the bills. So I think there is some there's some precedent here to say that I think my point is that there's some precedent that the Bengals might actually bounce back, you know, of all teams that that have shown the bounce back ability once they do get fucked up by a team that they probably should beat of all the teams that have shown that the Patriots maybe, you know, the chiefs, the bills, the Eagles, I mean, the Eagles haven't had to show it but like those type of teams, but also I would say the Cincinnati Bengals are they have a tendency to bounce back. They have good game plans. Like let me ask you this. Make me an argument of the dolphins merit over the Bengals, Mike because to me, the dolphins you know, we know exactly who they are. Yeah, I think we can look at the dolphins and we can we can size them up now like as long as their quarterbacks brain isn't melting when they send them back on the field. I think we kind of know what we're getting with the dolphins, which isn't a bad team. But there's some potential I think for for the trick or treat nature the Bengals to say, you know, maybe we should hedge our bets and put them in a 10

Michael Marcangelo: 7:36

Yeah, okay, so I'm before I talk about the murder of the dolphins, I just want to say one last thing to hopefully solidify my point against the labels, their own three in their division this year. And that's that's disgusting. That it wouldn't recommend a division last year, but the dolphins in this game and for this week did what the Bengals normally did last year. And they overcame a large deficit against the high scoring offense. And they were down what 2727 to seven, and they come back and win that game. 3127. So they overcame the adversity, I think to look really good 20 out of 36 This team just feels like that it is the team to hit your wagons to if you're if you're talking about between the two, that offense looks unstoppable in terms of the wide receiver core. And then they have they're going to have 100 yard rushing game every game and it's going to be from different people. It's going to be between two a monster and now. Wilson Jr. I just think based off of the merits of this week, they looked like a top 10 team, the NFL fairpoint probably

Dave Clarke: 8:39

they have gotten better, you know, with the moves that they made in close to and up to the deadline. And I will say that if we're talking about dynamism and offenses, I mean, not something I thought I would be saying at this point in the NFL season when we kicked this whole thing off, but I do think the dolphins probably do have a more dynamic offense. And I don't see them like you said getting in their own way. You know, tripping over their own dicks for a whole game against the team they should be beating What do you have to say to that?

Rob Kelly: 9:06

Ya know? So this is why I said I was gonna surprise you because I am leading dolphins on on this decision here because of how electric that passing offense really is to Tyreke hill so far this season has four games over 160 yards. Do you know how many games the rest of the NFL has over 100 mins? Every receiver the rest of the NFL over 160 yards for four. So Tyreke Hill has as many as the rest of the NFL. So you add him in with wattle. Now you have Jeff Wilson, which I think that honestly was one of the more underrated moves of the deadline. Because you look at what Chase had been was in Arizona. He didn't fit that zone run scheme. Now Mike McDaniels has his two running backs that he loved from two years ago in San Francisco, Jeff Wilson and moster. So he has a running game that he's used to he has wide receivers that are electric it all lives of two women that that's what scares me the most. And listen, they're I know, they're undefeated, but to us so far this year, and he's been a different surprise so far this year.

Dave Clarke: 10:10

I mean, surprising the fact that I feel like I at the start of the NFL season would have said, Okay, maybe their offense will be dynamic, but it's not going to be because of two, but we actually got an opportunity to see that he is a good mechanic, glues them all together. He's a good decision maker. I also think and again, this might be a huge bias but I think that the NFL is sort of leaning towards that type of quarterback now it's sort of set up for those types of quarterbacks to win you know your your Peyton Manning, read the defense cough, call for audibles and then win the game in the regular season most of the time, but that type of archetypal quarterback really isn't what teams are looking for anymore if you have the Tyreke hills of the world and the running game that the dolphins have. What you need is a guy who can make good decisions on the fly if and a guy who can do well when the play breaks down and a guy who can move you know like he's also got wheels and I think that this is what teams are looking for these days. As much as I kind of want to stuff Mike McCain or a locker when every time I see him like I just want to bully him. I do think he yet he has put together he's just unbelievable. Come on, let's let's be honest, and we should bring back believe but that's a whole different conversation. But the but like if you look at him, and I don't mean like pretend that I mean the dolphins, he has put together a pretty succinct and clear game plan in that in Miami and I think they're pretty decent. I think that the worst thing about the dolphins is that they're in the same division as the bills.

Michael Marcangelo: 11:33

Right. Right. And also, the one thing that one knock against them leading up to this week was that their pass rush wasn't what it should be. I mean, whatever you got Bradley Chubb.

Dave Clarke: 11:42

Yeah, that was a really good pickup. That was I was gonna say that was probably their best move. But you know, debatable either way. I think what we sort of discovered having this conversation is that the dolphins are trending upwards and the Bengals are trending sideways, sideways.

Rob Kelly: 11:57

sideways to down. Yeah,

Dave Clarke: 11:58

possibly down. We'll see. They do have a little bit of a light run coming up. I believe. I think the Bengals play the Panthers who I will not. I will not accept that. There all of a sudden, like a good team. Like that's not your jaywalk. You're not going frisky.

Rob Kelly: 12:13

I'm not

Dave Clarke: 12:13

doing it. We'll see. I mean, I'm happy to I'm happy to be proven wrong, either. It's been a crazy season. The NFL, like we said a lot of parity, but I'm not. I'm not there yet. But it's going to be a good test. I mean, it's going to be good test for both teams. So I've got a foreman. He's there. He's decent. He's got one good game, so that probably means he's gonna be the best player in the league. But by a fantasy man he's overreacting. Like across the across the league, but listen, it sounds like both you guys are leaning dolphins. So I think the only fair thing to do is to have me decide and choose the Bengals. No, I'm just kidding. Well put the dolphins in a number 10 I think I think you guys talked me into it. They are more exciting to watch. I if I had a choice to put on either the Bengals game or the dolphins game this coming weekend? I probably would choose the dolphins. They're more watchable. I do love Joe burrow. I have a soft place a soft spot in my heart for him. But and I do hope they get that figured out down there in Cincinnati or over there in Cincinnati, I should say if we're being geographically Correct. On this podcast, we are always geographically correct, if not politically, number nine, the downtrending. Giants Bobby, I mean, we had a we had a fun conversation about the New York teams and how maybe their records were a little inflated, but they were fun to watch. They were entertaining. They had figured some stuff out with a subpar quarterback. But in both cases, maybe one not subpar, but maybe not quite proven yet. What do you think? Is this is this a little bit of a one off? Or the New York team is gonna go away and not talk to us again, like we kind of thought they should in the first place?

Rob Kelly: 13:39

Well, so the giants are going away. I can guarantee you that because their next two games are against the Texans and the lions.

Dave Clarke: 13:45

And those are two very winnable games, right. And college football teams,

Rob Kelly: 13:48

if they're if they're respectable at all. They win both those games. You know what I mean? Can I ask a

Dave Clarke: 13:56

question before you continue, though? Like, on that note, I'm sorry to interrupt you. But I it is an interesting question. To me. The giants are a team of their confidence team. You know, I don't think anyone could sit down and it would be absolutely fucking painstaking to do but I don't think anyone could really sit down and convince me that they have a top 10 roster in the NFL. But here they are in the top 10 Power Rankings for last, what six weeks. And I think it's because of the coaching staff who have done an admirable job pumping them up and getting them to play the game plan, all this kind of stuff. It you're walking a tightrope, you don't have the talent, is what I'm saying. And if you lose a game, I don't know if you've ever seen the film The Replacements, but quicksand and quicksand, we might be in a little bit of a quicksand situation too early to tell, I'll admit, but if there's any type of team to have that happen, I've seen it before. It's all I'm saying you start hockey when you're first six, you know you're even six of your first eight or whatever it is, and then all of a sudden, one thing goes wrong. And then another thing goes wrong and all of a sudden not everybody's buying in singing off the same hymn sheet and it's It's a completely different story because you don't have a guy that can just stunt on another team and pull your ass out of the fire. So before you continue on the Giants, do you think that that's a real possibility within

Rob Kelly: 15:08

quicksands? A scary mother? Let me tell you a quick 10 is a scary one. It wasn't completely

Dave Clarke: 15:12

fictional. I would be

Rob Kelly: 15:13

super scared of it. No, because the coaching staff, you know, I don't see that happening with this team. I don't I don't like the Giants. Everything in my body tells me to be like, yeah, no, fuck the Giants. They're, they're not for real. But when you have such a well coached team in such a horribly coached league man, every week, there's, I mean, we talked about this. It's absurd how bad the coaching is this year in the NFL, and I just see them leaps and bounds. Above the rest of the NFL when it comes to coaching like you don't see them making those stupid mistakes. You don't see Daniel Jones making those horrible turnovers that he didn't a path. And the game plan is just consistent. They are who they are. And they're not going to sit here and go for it every fourth down, they're not going to run themselves out of a game. They're not going to throw a pic down by three, you know, with two minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Dave Clarke: 16:03

They just don't know if not making simple mistakes is enough to be considered an elite team.

Rob Kelly: 16:08

I think it is this year, though. This is such a weird year. Like it's can you think there's some? Alright, so the bangles? Yes. Okay, I'll give you the bangles. But of all the teams that aren't on this list. Is there anyone that you trust, besides the bears in the Patriots perspective that you trust more than the Giants? Right? That's how we look at it is like, when it comes down to not crunching time. There's there's no one else on this list that I trust above them?

Dave Clarke: 16:37

Maybe but I just don't know if I trust the Giants at all. You know, I mean, it's, I agree with you that there's a lot of up by Robbie, I Bobby, there's a lot of there's a lot of untrustworthy teams in the NFL. I agree. But Mike, what did the Giants lose? Because something I found out about what they put together or the Seahawks just good. I mean, they're the next team on the power ranking. So I'm totally okay to talk talk about them, too.

Michael Marcangelo: 17:00

Yeah. So I think that this is a situation where the teams are so similar in the sense that, you know, I think that Seattle has the better skill player in terms of the wide receivers. But if you get up on a tee on the Giants by, you know, 710 13 they will not nine times out of 10 be able to overcome that because their quarterback is not elite,

Dave Clarke: 17:23

because they're getting managers, they're coming in to manage their way through a game. If you get up on them like that, like you said, yeah.

Michael Marcangelo: 17:28

They have to start quick. And if they do, they'll be okay. Like when you asked Bobby, you know, the next couple of games are against, I think you said the lions and the Texans, the lions, you posed a big threat to them, because they can score now they can

Dave Clarke: 17:41

chew on their mouths early. Yeah, they can punch them out early, and you have to be able to respond to that you just did. Right.

Michael Marcangelo: 17:47

Right. So I think I think the Seahawks for we undervalued Bobby and I really, in our division pic. I

Dave Clarke: 17:55

think we all did, though, I don't think that I don't think that you know, I don't think there was any anybody literally victory. There's nobody doing a victory lap about the fog of Seahawks. That isn't a Seahawks fan right now. So I wouldn't worry about that, too.

Rob Kelly: 18:05

Even most Seahawks fans are doing a victory lap. They're fucking lying. Yeah. But

Dave Clarke: 18:11

nobody thought nobody thought Geno Smith was going to come in here and put in a fucking top 10 quarterback performance. Nobody thought that. So fair enough.

Michael Marcangelo: 18:19

I would just say that if this season goes like real South real quick for the Giants. And then now you know, Daniel Jones is not the guy. Because the if the coaching is what we all think it is, and they don't make those mistakes, and he still can't lead this team that started out. Five and two, then it's time to move on. I think we know

Dave Clarke: 18:39

I think we know that. Dan Jones is not the guy. I mean, I think we you know what I mean? That was inevitable. Like that was an inevitable death taxes in that game from Daniel Jones. There's there's very few guarantees in life. But that was common. And I think it's like I'm not taking anything away from the coaching staff. I think they've accomplished a lot across the first seven, eight games of the season, but nobody gives a fuck what you did in the first seven, eight years of the season. Come come playoff time. So you know, you got to be able to put your money where your mouth is. And I'm confused as to why and I'm not blaming you guys. I think this is a thing across the entire national media over the past couple of days, like every 10 seconds on ESPN. It's Oh, my God was still an amazing thing that his coaching staff has done. Why did they get the bobby Why did they get the praise, but not to blame?

Rob Kelly: 19:21

I think it's a very good question, honestly. Because the precedent is there for the skill players to get that play. And because listen, the story of this year is Brian dapple, you know, in the media is gonna run with that 100 times out of 100 I can't remember first year coach that has had this kind of impact on a team that he has, you know what I mean? Like you guys have said, their bottom 10 team in terms of talent like literally it's a Quan.

Dave Clarke: 19:49

That's I don't know if the if we're talking about just degree of impact. I've seen Jon Gruden come in and destroy teams. Really, really take things and make them

Rob Kelly: 19:57

positive I

Michael Marcangelo: 19:58

just want to say bye bye All right, Bobby, someone from the same coaching tree did start six no in Denver one year then was fire unceremoniously the next year. If Daniels

Rob Kelly: 20:09

gonna say Josh, you know, I

Dave Clarke: 20:10

heard a quick as a quick aside, as a quick aside, I heard I heard an interesting theory today not my theory, somebody random on the internet but I can't amalgamate this information also remember your name so apologies. I heard that there's some weird clause in cars contract that if he doesn't win a certain amount of games this season or like up until this season, they can cut him and not pay him like the 100 Fucking million that they owe him. And McDonald's is like intentionally tanking, which I normally wouldn't believe Josh McDaniels move what it is Josh returns and also the way he's lost games is like, it's it's been like trying to let your little brother win, you know what I mean? Like, which I never would fucking do, by the way, it doesn't teach them anything. But I think, you know, I've seen him make crazy mistakes that like, it is a little believable judgment, yes, can make those mistakes. But I mean, it's been pretty crazy. Anyway, whatever. Maybe it's true. Maybe it is. And we're not talking about the Raiders, because they fucking suck. We're talking about the Seahawks and the Giants. So, you know, I guess, in summation, Bobby, if it wasn't a good team, that was also like one spot up on the power rankings, maybe we'd have a little bit more to worry about, about the Giants. But, you know, nothing really wrong with losing to the Seahawks. However, as much as everybody wants to talk about this narrative, Mike, everybody wants to say, oh, like look at this coaching staff, you know, look what they're doing with a guy that's basically, you know, a fucking heartbeat inside a traffic cone and Daniel Jones, like this is Look what they're doing. It's nice to craft that narrative. But I think if we're all being honest, we're halfway through the season. This is not a playoff team that's going to go anywhere, they'll get it in their record or get them in but they're not going to do anything in the playoffs because of Hey, Mr. DJ, so talk to me about this. I you know, I'd love to take care of your thoughts on essentially the crafting of narratives across across the sports media and this this stuff that seems to always happen. And is it fair to a team like the giants to big them up like this because you can only fall from a higher precipice that when you've when you've been brought to this level by people gassing you up to Jones is still your quarterback they could have said a li built steadily built steadily built but once you get captured once you capture the nation's attention, this is what happens and now they have a much higher plans to fall off if they do and will inevitably fall off. come playoff time so so talk to me about what do you think what do you see for the future of this franchise? The short term

Michael Marcangelo: 22:38

short term is Daniel Jones stuff a guy we all know it. I think I think we all know it the this little Cinderella started the season has kind of masked it if there's anything that the the national sports media

Dave Clarke: 22:50

seem to really like start was actually pretty bad. It was a finish that we like we want a Cinderella finish, but we're not we're not gonna get it done like a Cinderella star.

Rob Kelly: 22:59

Are we gonna? Are we gonna do a rewatchable on Cinderella? Pretty fun. I mean,

Dave Clarke: 23:05

stepsisters are such cons man.

Michael Marcangelo: 23:09

I would just say there's nothing more that the national sports media likes to do than tear you down after they've built you up for no reason. Yeah, right. They're gonna Britney Spears. That's what's my whole point.

Dave Clarke: 23:20

I really genuinely think that's what that's where we're headed. Because nobody everybody likes to see this happening to the Giants. And it's great. And Giants fans are probably probably sure, but there's truisms of football that we know and Bobby as much as you're high on this giants team and you should be Daniel Jones is still their quarterback, Bob's, you know, their quarterback, we're gonna talk about this when we get to number five, and fucking Minnesota Vikings, this is gonna be the same theme. So these poor fuckers man, it's not going to work out for them. That's what I'm talking about. That if the quicksand thing is going to be led by the guy who we know is going to fail, and it's in the job where you can't fail. So, you know, why shouldn't we I guess my question to you to just be more specific is Shouldn't we be all collectively pumping the brakes on the Giants? Now that we have the vision of the playoffs in our future now that we can see the playoffs coming? Shouldn't we be pumping the brakes on them? Because they're not going to fucking do it? They're not going to do it. We know this. I'm on record now. It's fine.

Rob Kelly: 24:19

But yes, but that means that we have to sit here and instead of pumping the brakes on the Giants, you want us to gas up the three and five bucks or you want us to gas up the the so disappointing three and four rams,

Dave Clarke: 24:32

or forestry chargers? I honestly I'm glad you asked because you've led me to my ultimate point. Whilst I believe this is what I've been thinking about, because every week on this Power Rankings show we have this similar thematic conversation and everybody's really done it now everybody's kind of come through you and I are on it more oftentimes because you make the power rankings and I talk about power rankings, but people have people are coming in and rotating cast of characters. We've had Joe we've had we've had Mike a couple of times Ray doesn't want to come on. I don't know we haven't. I don't think he wants to come talk about the power rankings. I think he's just too upset about the Celtics most of the time. But I think the recurring theme is like wow, I really thought that like it'd be more good seems to be pulling away by now. And like there's so much parity that people made the point. Oh, September's we're like the preseason now, blah, blah, blah. I still think that that the teams that we know are good, that we know have the best talent on the rosters are going to end up populating this list by the end of the school year. And I think that I think that's what's going to happen. I know it doesn't say I know it's like the NFL season is drunk right now. I get it. But I think it's gonna work. I think it's gonna sober up like I'm not making any any specific is gonna get that cup of coffee. Not gonna show I'm not I'm not going to do that. Because because I don't want him I don't want to attach myself to any specific records because it could be anyone. But one of the Rams, the Bengals, the Bucs. One of these teams that we thought were going to be better coming in, they are going to finish notice with a double with double digit wins once said, again,

Rob Kelly: 26:05

notable admission from that list the Green Bay Packers. Yeah, well, yeah.

Dave Clarke: 26:09

It's not gonna be that. Fingers looking cross. But what what I mean, I'm not listing all of them. I think there's other teams as well, that really have started, it started very disappointingly, across the start of the season coaching decisions, like all this, you know, I mean, I thought the Pats are gonna be better. These teams that aren't in the top 10 I guarantee I'm not going to guarantee it, but I guarantee it are going to populate some of them are going to populate this list by the end of the season. And Mike, it seems like you agree with me.

Michael Marcangelo: 26:34

Yeah, I would just say I would just you know, summarize your your eloquent

Dave Clarke: 26:38

speech that I need. I need I need someone to bring brevity in my life. Whether it was just

Michael Marcangelo: 26:43

a question of Bobby right now who do you have more faith in the system? Two giants three and five bucks. That's it. I mean, that's it. I mean,

Dave Clarke: 26:53

because what what did we talk about? What did we get to the heart of this conversation? Daniel Jones, not the guy looked me in the eye and tell me that he couldn't possibly still be the guy. You can't. Because you mean Mike. And everyone listening to this has at one point written that motherfucker off. At one point, they've done it at least once, and then he comes back and fucking proves you wrong. So yeah, maybe it does happen. Maybe it doesn't. But come on, man. You gotta have the guy.

Rob Kelly: 27:18

Agree. Agree. Also, it's way less fun to put the three and five fucking Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Dave Clarke: 27:24

or students? Sure. It's I'm not saying that the Giants didn't earn their spot on the list as of right now under the criteria of what power rankings should be like. They're the movers and the shakers in the NFL right now. I just think some of the adults haven't come to the meeting yet. That's all I'm saying. That's essentially my entire point. And once they do they take the light off from the parent teacher conference. Yeah. And maybe the kids are going to pipe down once they get into the conference room. That's all I'm saying. That's all I'm saying. I'm not saying all of them. I'm not saying all the surprising good. Teams are going to stay stay are going to turn bad. I'm not saying all this surprising. Bad teams are going to miraculously be great all of a sudden, but a few will. A few will. And this list is going to become a little bit more realistic. I think, in the coming weeks and a great example of that spike in Tennessee Titans who are essentially the color to me. I don't understand them. I don't know how they win football games. I couldn't fucking tell you. I mean, listen, I always used to say that the Tennessee Titans remind my second team because I love love, love, love. Loved the air McNair Kevin Dyson, Eddie George No. 2000 Yeah, baby blue fucking jerseys like, Steve McNair was like all swag. Rip like Big ups. But like, you know, I love the Titans for that reason. I still like him. I like Mike rabl As a coach, if you asked me to write I remember the classic five paragraph essay you know, put your name in the heading to the John Collins way. I couldn't I couldn't even form a thesis statement about what this Tennessee Titans team actually is. I think it's I think it's Derrick Henry. I think they're Derrick Henry. I think that's what it is. So I don't know either one of you. Just please tell me what like how do I make sense of this team? Why are they on this list? Because they've won a lot of games some Yeah,

Rob Kelly: 29:10

that's it, bro. Are they? This is I have to say every time I do this power rankings. You're like oh, it's like I got to put those first. Yeah, those first four teams are like oh my fucking god I have to put this team on this. Listen. I think what sums up perfectly of who the Titans are. So right now right look at the AFC South. Jacksonville is two in six Indians three foreign one in Tennessee is five and two so like they got a nice two game cushion on that division. Do you know what the point differential is? In that division right now? It's fucking absurd that the Jaguars the Jaguars are plus 14 point differential in the season. Their culture minus 28 the Tennessee Titans have given up a touchdown less than they've scored so far this season and they're fucking five and two. That is the most absurd stat I've ever seen.

Dave Clarke: 30:00

It's like when you look at the guy above you in the fantasy football table and you've scored like 200 more points than him but he's got like three more wins than you because he just like played the right team. So the right weeks Yeah, it's Mike

Rob Kelly: 30:15

definitely not talking about me.

Dave Clarke: 30:17

You know, it's funny you say that it did sort of strike a chord with me. It's like, I know you guys don't want soccer. But every year in the Premier League, there's always a team that just scrapes out a bunch of zeros zeros like they're just the worst fucking team you could ever imagine. Watch but they achieve success because they don't lose a lot. Right? So I think what you're essentially explained to me is that the Tennessee Titans are just there. They're not winning. They're just kind of not losing Mike, what do you think that an accurate statement about this Tennessee? Do you have some sort of miraculous angle on

Rob Kelly: 30:45

before you go before you go? The AFC South I love you guys. Fall college Bobby's upset, but it's just so funny. Because if you watch college football, there's a conference called the Mac.

Dave Clarke: 30:59

We're here on the sports podcast. I

Rob Kelly: 31:00

mean, everyone who follows the Mac knows what maxion is because the Mac has the most absurd football week to week like this past week. There was like this crazy fucking lateral. I don't know if you guys saw that Ball State. Like that's, that's exactly what the AFC South is like. Yeah, they could absolutely obscene the Chiefs any week. You know what I mean? It could happen.

Dave Clarke: 31:24

It would happen, it would happen this week. If it was gonna happen. The Tennessee Titans do play the Kansas City Chiefs don't agree with you that they're gonna

Rob Kelly: 31:32

they're gonna beat the chiefs, but the Colts also just lost to the fucking commander. So I just

Dave Clarke: 31:39

kind of I don't know if you can do that kind of if then with with football, I think there's just a lot of matchup issues. So Mike, what do you think about this Titans team? I guess in I guess in the context, since we brought it up of them going to play say the Kansas City Chiefs this week? Are we going to see them on national television basically tell us who they are? Because that's kind of what I Yes.

Michael Marcangelo: 31:59

Yes, we are. So the the Titans got lucky last week that they that they matched up against a team that they they could actually just tell before the game, we are not going to throw the ball 11 times. So we're 55 yards to be exact. We're we're just going like

Dave Clarke: 32:16

that Tim Tebow Broncos team.

Michael Marcangelo: 32:18

Here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna give Derrick Henry the ball 41 times. Stop him. And instead, he rushed for 220 yards, and two touchdowns. So they got lucky this week. They can't play that. Well, it's

Dave Clarke: 32:32

I mean, we were lucky to have your best guy play well,

Michael Marcangelo: 32:35

well, you can't go against Patrick mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs without a quarterback. And when you can't Yeah, yeah. So to your point, yes. They're gonna show us who they are. We

Dave Clarke: 32:46

are vulnerable to the derrick Henry's of the world. I mean, I'm not talking myself into this. I'm just I'm just creating some sort of, I mean, Tennessee

Michael Marcangelo: 32:51

was up like at nothing on them. And then 30 seconds later, it was

Dave Clarke: 32:59

like, oh, fuck we oh, God, we're down. Hold on a sec. Let's

Michael Marcangelo: 33:02

start it. Yeah, I've

Dave Clarke: 33:02

touched down. I kind of love that about them. To be honest with you. It's one of the more entertaining teams to watch for that reason. Okay. Yeah. I mean, I see that I guess that the kind of the thesis that we've burned down into in this conversation about the AFC South in general, is that the Jaguars could be fucking five and two, you know, or three, you know, like that they could easily have happened and the Titans could could be could have won one game. So it is a weird division. And I think like we were kind of talking about in the last segment, and a point I think Mike has made before the season started and it sort of came through with like the Dallas Cowboys and their their cohort. It's going to shake itself out, you know, it's going to shake itself out. I think that the AFC South is a fight to the bottom. You know, so who as you guys can just figure out who the shittier of all your shitty teams are and then we'll just get off the playoffs when none of you are going to be relevant.

Rob Kelly: 33:57

Go for a quick South tangent, and not about the AFC South. What's worse, what's worse, the AFC South or the NFC South. So those two divisions right now are just literally hot garbage. The NFC South is the only division where every single team in the division has been outscored so far this season. There is not a pretty one team in the NFC South who has a a positive point differential. Well, not one.

Dave Clarke: 34:27

Okay. Well, I don't know man, because it sounds like you think that the NFC South is worse than the AFC South but the NFC South is populated with teams that you've backed across the course of the season like you you've been huge on the on the New Orleans Saints. I was huge and they're trying to do is they're kind of doing some shit. You know, they

Rob Kelly: 34:47

might have they might have like, jumped off. Yeah.

Dave Clarke: 34:50

You just explain to me why the Panthers are going to be the fucking second coming. We just talked about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers basically being like unfuck with a bowl because they have Tom Brady And like we can't we can't talk them off the list yet because they have Tom Brady. We can't put the Falcons are in first place and the Falcons. I mean, I've tuned into a couple of those games like late and late in the second half. There's there's some fun stuff happening. I love Cordell Patterson, you and I were just talking about him yesterday because you wouldn't trade them to me. So when he comes back,

Michael Marcangelo: 35:19

and he and I are Yeah. Is he done

Rob Kelly: 35:21

done? Yeah, no, no, I, I have four or five weeks.

Dave Clarke: 35:26

When did that happen? It doesn't matter. So when he can when he comes back when he comes back regardless, it's there's still kind of a fun thing to watch. So, I mean, is it I don't I'm not sure what my answer is. I haven't thought about it. But isn't your answer that the AFC South or worse?

Rob Kelly: 35:41

Yeah, yeah, no. Yeah, for sure. Okay, if you were to match up these AFC South teams versus the NFC South, I think I would I think I put my money on most of those NFC South teams.

Dave Clarke: 35:51

Yeah, I wish they I wish they had it done that thing where they they play each other this year, but I think they're matched up with separate conferences. I'm so glad I got both of you guys though. I got the Pats and the fucking and the Cowboys playing the bears this year and honestly if I hadn't picked it's if I was going to pick which one to win I probably would have picked the path so it worked out Alright, moving on. You know we're here to talk about the San Francisco free Niners everybody. I still like him I like him. I do I think as much as the Jimmy G's of the world again like you know, he's we've seen him come up short in real time. I liked the defense. I liked the culture. I liked that I liked to coach I like to coach his ability to draw a lot out of mediocre quarterbacks. I think that's a resume that heat that can't be taken from him. I like his name because it's a strong Irish name. I like their jerseys. You know, I been to San Francisco a couple of times it was a nice place to be I like I'm high on the 40 Niners still This week well talk me out of it.

Rob Kelly: 36:47

Can I just say that CMC looks sexy as fuck in San Francisco for everybody

Dave Clarke: 36:52

read and they did it looks it looks it looks like it fit you know it looks like it should have been there the whole time was some serendipity about it there was there was a little bit of pixie dust on it I will say and I hope he can use that pixie dust on whatever ligament he tears in the next three weeks but what what what I wouldn't wish that on him I'm only joking he just does get hurt a lot and I didn't you know whatever fantasy football any of if you've ever been burned by the man it's it's it stays which everybody has everybody has ever had this year apparently Yeah. So yeah talk to me about the 49 is too high on him or where are we going with this?

Rob Kelly: 37:30

I don't think so because I see this as a tear job this is where we go from you know upstart you know upside could possibly win a playoff game to where in contender territory now

Dave Clarke: 37:44

Oh really? Cuz I know spoiler alert the Kirk Cousins Vikings are right right after this so interesting that you

Rob Kelly: 37:53

get that early Saturday playoff game we're fine

Dave Clarke: 37:58

Oh, the TV's not working now that the broadcast isn't going out.

Unknown: 38:01

Like 17 touchdowns

Dave Clarke: 38:05

dot dot dot dot all right. Sorry.

Rob Kelly: 38:07

No, I just think the 40 Niners are legit man. I thought this going into the season and I think it even more now with jpg just because they don't have unknown a quarterback anymore. You know what you're getting from Jimmy G. Let's be real. Yeah, everyone knows you're gonna get one bad throw a half from Jimmy J. And it's just the matter is, is if you can stop them on that turnover, whatever the case may be, you know, ever Why

Dave Clarke: 38:33

does he ever throw the ball over anybody's head? Like you could just just give you're just New England and offense you could just New England that offense and you can just be like, you only throw underneath passes that you're 100% sure that intercepted

Michael Marcangelo: 38:46

with with CMC, that's what they're gonna do. I mean, that's

Dave Clarke: 38:49

just off the dump offs. Potential is crazy, like, like Tyreke Hill and Patrick mahomes, circa 2000. Like 19. Like Eric like levels if you play that way. So talk to me about it, Mike. Yeah, he

Michael Marcangelo: 39:01

had two bad throws in this game, but it didn't really cost him anything. Right. I think what was he kind of in that season, like 21 of 25 for like 250 yards, but I think the best part about this is, if he stays healthy, this is going to be the early CMC, from from Carolina. I mean, he threw a touchdown. He caught a touchdown. And he ran, he ran for a touchdown. He was there. They're leading receiver in terms of receptions and this offense, which with him, and Devo when they're both healthy, that's fucking ridiculous. And now, George George Kittel has decided that he's no longer a blocker is actually a tight end again. So that is a dynamic offense with a good defense. I I think that they're going to be a hard team to beat but again, I think with CMC now though, the whole thing was, if you get if you get up on Jimmy early, he can come back. He doesn't have to throw Hail Marys anymore, but he passes like he can literally he has to elusive playmate yours shouldn't. You should never take that off to

Dave Clarke: 40:02

the worst fucking depot I've ever seen. He should just never do that.

Michael Marcangelo: 40:05

Have you seen Mac Jones depot?

Dave Clarke: 40:08

Well, he I mean, he's Diotima GE so I wonder. I wonder would you be worried if your house was made of straw like their houses though, to double down on Christian McCaffrey when you have at your most important position, a guy who is provably provably made a fucking wind, essentially. And Christian McCaffrey? Who is what was the last time he played a full season ever as it ever happened? I mean, he has it Yeah. So three years ago, he played a full season right? So there you go. Debo Samuel. I'm not saying he's injury prone. I'm not I'm not going that far. When it comes in and out. He comes out not injury prone. Well, he's i Has he been out for like a whole Oh, shit. We lost debo Samuel for a year. Treason analysis is my point. You know, he's in and out. And I think that, like you said, he's such a key to an offense. Like I like AU. Au because how you say his name right? I like him. I like I like a lot of the guys that they have peppered around that offense, but they don't use George Kittel as a pass catcher anymore. I guess that's fine. I don't really get it. But like Sure. Yeah, sure. But it's just like you have a guy thrown underneath passes. Like just fucking throw it too tight. And I thought that was like what how what the Bill Belichick Bible fucking offense was like how you that's how you do that. We've seen it work. I just do it. It's and it's like the easiest way to do it. So I don't really understand when they don't, doesn't matter. Point is you've built your team on a colada guys that like the doctors in San Francisco better be real, real good. They gotta be real good. And they're sweating right now. It like you're, you're going all in? You know, you're rolling the dice. What are you? Are you nervous about that? Because to me, one of these guys is going down at the worst possible moment.

Rob Kelly: 41:52

Yeah, I mean, I feel like that's inevitable. I agree. But until it happens like I put it in the chat are we because like, bro, CMC is built for this goddamn offense. He really is mad like with the quarterback with that zone run scheme with his cutting ability. Like there this is CMCS dream offense it was the offense that he he excelled that in Stanford Stanford runs a zone running scheme. And this is what made him CMC It's what made him who he is today. So as was an I know is such a big, like, hypothetical. But as long as he stays healthy, the sky is a goddamn limit for this time because listen, you saw what they can do with a running back like listen most there's good Jeff Wilson's good Elijah Mitchell's good, but they're not fucking Christian McCaffrey if you can put a running back like him into a system that that produced 1000 yard rushers with Jeff Wilson, with with Elijah Mitchell with all these dudes that we had never heard of before. Can you imagine what that Russian game could be with CMC when their health? You can because we saw it this past weekend. So it's just the sky's the limit with this team. I love them. If they get hurt. Yeah, they're gonna drop. But for right now, man, I couldn't be higher on the board and I hate the 40 letter. No,

Dave Clarke: 43:19

I mean, I like I genuinely like, right, great, Mike. If the fantasy draft is today, and you have the first overall pick? Do you take Christian McCaffrey?

Michael Marcangelo: 43:31

Knowing what I know. No, no, I don't you really lucky? Because, like, you're gonna say, I still have all the confidence in the world. If that was the scenario, if I needed him in the championship game and the fantasy draft, he would be out that week due to an injury. So I couldn't I couldn't do it. But listen, I think this the scenario with him in San Francisco takes a lot off of his plate. The majority of his injuries in Carolina, were not when he was a past catcher, but when he was either a blocker or a runner, he was averaging 2026 carries again, and in San Fran is going to be like 1518 So you're going to be able to to alleviate some of those heavy hits. He was taking from fucking 300 pound lineman right off the bat. I think this is the best case scenario for him. It would take it would. It would kill me not to take him but I've been burned four times by him. I will never draft Christian McCaffrey do you do

Rob Kelly: 44:34

get burned by him? Every year like like

Dave Clarke: 44:39

Bobby said question.

Rob Kelly: 44:40

Yeah, no, I'm Jake. I'm sorry. Like I said, the CMC being in the system is so perfect man. Like Kyle Shanahan even admitted like he they wanted CMC where he was coming out of the Stanford that didn't get him and he told CMC that Listen, this was our there's obviously a joke but like, Listen, this is our plan all along. We wanted to wait four years for free for us to build this offense. And for us to make it perfect for you to come in here because he knows that CMC is the perfect back man because he is so patient. He waits for those holes to open up. And once that holes open, he's gone. He's through that hole. And plus he throws a better deep Baldwin's goddamn quarterback.

Michael Marcangelo: 45:28

Yeah, yeah,

Rob Kelly: 45:29

I can see him saying,

Dave Clarke: 45:31

No, you're not wrong.

Rob Kelly: 45:32

I feel like the probably the perfect throw wasn't not it was it was really good.

Dave Clarke: 45:36

I would I would say that like, you know, those those plays as they're designed are beneficial, you know, it's like you can do it once but can you do it again? Probably not I mean, it's just a it's just harder to actually put a position of quarterback you know, it's you're you're you're sort of you're sort of judged by your entire day slash week

Michael Marcangelo: 45:52

slash it was better than Amari Cooper's that's all I gotta say. Yeah. Terrible fucking bro.

Dave Clarke: 45:56

Yeah, you know when that's the you know, the worst throw of like, most of the time you see a receiver throw throw a pass. The worst thing you'll see is the sideways throw. Like it's the first one that they do to try to set up the deep ball and it's like that's that's going behind the line of scrimmage. This is a terrible idea. Oh shit, okay, they've run it back to the house. Great. You know, you got to

Rob Kelly: 46:15

a gun is odo I gotta say,

Dave Clarke: 46:19

the gun I imagined they all have like really slick arms like they're all like top tier athletes.

Rob Kelly: 46:25

Say he has an actual gun. I was like, Well, I didn't meet at school.

Michael Marcangelo: 46:28

That was like that was Plex ago, but I will say shit that Kyle Shanahan is just came out today and said that they're going to be in the Odell Beckham market. So if you add him to that fucking team, Jesus, yeah.

Dave Clarke: 46:41

Yeah, yeah. Sky's the limit.

Rob Kelly: 46:43

So, so many sprained ligaments, so many sprains Yeah,

Dave Clarke: 46:47

I mean, we also just haven't really talked about and we don't really have time to but we haven't really talked about their defense as much as they haven't been as good as they were at the start of the season. They don't really have to be anymore. And this is a I mean, I'm glad that they're good because if the offense is what the offense what you guys think seem to think the offense is they're gonna be out in the field quite a bit because the the touchdowns are going to come quick and they're going to come off and so I'm excited to see the 40 Niners I personally think they should be at number five over the next team we're going to talk about because I really do have way more faith in this 40 Niners team being there there abouts come playoff time then this next team, the purple people eaters, the Minnesota Vikings, it hasn't quite gotten cold enough up there in in Minnesota, but I still think it's gonna because they're bucking quarterback Favi is Kirk Cousins and we talked about this every week. But I see him creeping up the rankings in

Rob Kelly: 47:38

winning. Understand waiting,

Dave Clarke: 47:40

I understand I get it I you know, the record. The record speaks for itself, as does their quarterbacks record in primetime. So I'm gonna go to Mike first on this.

Michael Marcangelo: 47:49

Well, I have a question. I mean, I fucking hate Kirk Cousins. I hate him. I don't trust him. He sucks in primetime hit New Orleans.

Dave Clarke: 48:02

Yeah, defraud me out of some money. But

Michael Marcangelo: 48:05

he's, he's one of them. He just happens to be on a on a better team and like the lions, but the Vikings are he is what the lions are. He's the high score. He's gonna make a shit ton of mistakes. He just happens to have a lot of a lot of talent around him. I think a lot around him a lot of talent. And now TJ Hawkinson there I mean, it's fucking ridiculous. So that's a great addition should

Dave Clarke: 48:28

never throw an incomplete pass. Right?

Rob Kelly: 48:31

If if they are those for fear

Michael Marcangelo: 48:35

their coaches smart once if once the games get into like primetime or to not cut in time, just give the ball to Dalvin Cook. Yeah, like the you? You can,

Dave Clarke: 48:46

you can make the argument that you could actually change your game plan in primetime. You can be the first team in history to decide to change the way you play football in primetime because you do not trust Kirk out of the daylight saving it's it's it as the argument could be made and I don't even know if it would be such a bad idea. Look, I mean, I don't want to harp on about the fact that Kirk Cousins can't win a game more than four people are watching but I just I just at the same time. And in the same vein as talking about the Seahawks the Giants, we just know he's not the dupe I will say he's he's got more potential to turn it around than then your your Daniel Jones is or your Geno Smith's turn around his record when the game is really on the line but I still don't see it happening and it's it still says to me like we might not be there at this point of the season but eventually we're going to need to start looking at this power rankings and saying yeah, but I mean come playoff come playoff time come playoff time and it's a might not be yet when we were only at the halfway point which feels crazy, honestly. But you know, this is this is what bad just for the Gen Z is out there listening this is what people over 30 Do they go like where? Because your brain literally gets worse at remembering shit. So the fucking time jumps happen more and more frequently. It's great. It's

Rob Kelly: 50:05

cool. No, sophomore, sophomore psychology class. Yeah.

Dave Clarke: 50:09

Yeah, but I remember some stuff at least. But sorry, we were talking about the the Minnesota Vikings. Go ahead my

Michael Marcangelo: 50:15

just one thing before Bobby goes I mean for everyone to say, well, this is a different Kirk Cousins. It's a different Minnesota Vikings. Literally if you just turn the clock back for years and you and you sub out Justin Jefferson for Stefon Diggs, you still have Adam Thielen, you have Kyle Rudolph instead of Hawkinson and you have a better defense, he still couldn't win. Let's face walking,

Dave Clarke: 50:39

right has been good on paper for years. And yeah, it's this I agree with you that it's it's it's becoming frustrating to listen to people talk about them, like this game plan has finally come to fruition and they just hit the scene and their suits are pressed and they're ready to show us who they are. When this you're almost exactly you're exactly right. This almost exact iteration of this team has existed just like the different version of the Power Rangers you know, like it used to be regular Power Rangers now it's fucking ex fighting force. And they're doing the same plotlines they're just on Mars now. So I Bobby come on You heard the man number five on the fucking Power Rankings this team? They Steve cast a fucking spell on Yeah. And they get it they've cast a spell on everybody because this is what they do. They flatter to deceive and they do the shit every fucking time. They do it every time and it's gonna be the same thing.

Michael Marcangelo: 51:34

Not really sure what DK stands on the Vikings but yeah,

Rob Kelly: 51:38

it's hard to make them any lower. When you look at the teams below them it's the 40 Niners you can put it together but they're four and four and the Vikings are six and plan Simplon like

Dave Clarke: 51:50

you said it didn't matter just swimming with sharks

Rob Kelly: 51:52

Oh greed but only fucking loss the Vikings have or to the undefeated number one team on the Rankings The Eagles primetime every time type but

Dave Clarke: 52:02

again, it's this but they can this is what I'm talking about it when we've done this a couple of times across the course of the Power Rankings and I understand why you're wanting to do it, but to say this team beat this team so they should beat this team eliminates context like we've talked about what time was the fucking game on right like this? This is one this is one of the things that really eliminate a

Rob Kelly: 52:23

context and context what time was a game? Yeah,

Dave Clarke: 52:27

but I mean, I put other context to you know, like, stylistic matchups. Oh, they run the ball well, we don't defend the running the ball quite well. But we played six teams that don't run the slug and ball well, this this kind of stuff matters. It's not just his team's good. So this shouldn't be so they should be this team. Like we've talked about the parody in the NFL all year. The Vikings have an inflated record they haven't fucking inflated record for who they are. They're incredibly talented on the offensive side of the ball. I would I would in fact put their talent on paper one for 23456 like absolute stud skill players, I would put it up against any team in the NFL and I stand by that no problem. We know the context. The context is Kirk Cousins won't get it done for you. You gotta have heart. You gotta have hard miles the hardest miles and miles apart.

Rob Kelly: 53:15

It's two guys.

Dave Clarke: 53:17

Also, quite frankly, that's that's just the case. And it has to be said, you know, it just I know, it gets boring talking about Kirk Cousins not being able to play after certain time of day, but it has to be said

Rob Kelly: 53:28

before, can I say that? The coach make a difference. That's what I'll throw out there is I think I have a little more faith in Koc than I do I think that to be the case

Dave Clarke: 53:39

I agree. But you know, it'd be nice for their fit they're taking up a huge portion of fucking real estate on your power rankings. They own fucking Broadway on your power rankings and

Rob Kelly: 53:52

maybe Broadway like also hosted Avenue bought

Michael Marcangelo: 53:56

two quick things like you would think that Zimbra would have been the perfect coach for for customers because he built up a stud defense and still surrounded him with offensive talent and he made it impossible and yeah and and then I will just say just a small this is my hot take I don't know if that's that how this year is is the year where either Kirk Cousins becomes like Aaron Rodgers or if he's to Philip Rivers, but he's been underachieving for so long that we thought okay he's gonna overshadow perfect

Dave Clarke: 54:22

That's exactly right that Philip Rivers analogy

Unknown: 54:26

ever seems right on point

Dave Clarke: 54:27

you know, it's it's it's a guy that it's almost insulting to Philip Rivers to say this because I think I'd like to genuinely I think on talent. I think Phil rivers is immensely more talented than kirk cousins from the time he got into the NFL to the time he left. I think that he had some he had some he got dealt a couple rough hands but essentially you're right he couldn't get the fucking job done. And that's what matters. That's why it's such a cold world.

Rob Kelly: 54:51

Philip Rivers would have gotten the job done if that fucking safety could have held on

Dave Clarke: 54:55

but see, but this is a thing. But it's that he would have if He wouldn't have if career has it Kirk Cousins is where

Rob Kelly: 55:04

Phillip rivers isn't he would have if the game wasn't at seven people, but

Dave Clarke: 55:11

this is what I'm talking

Michael Marcangelo: 55:12

about. There was that delineation in his career where he went from an overachiever on a team that you didn't expect to do anything. And then he was always someone that could never get over the hump. And like, that's where we are with Kirk Cousins in Washington. When he replaced RG three and he and they had that playoff victory. It was like okay, maybe this is the guy. First couple years in Minnesota again, he brings that team backup resurrection from Teddy Bridgewater, and all that. And now they're still in the same spot. They're a great regular season team. Like the Braves without without a World Series that they will always be there but they just won't do it when it matters.

Dave Clarke: 55:48

You know, Peyton Manning had to be so so so good at football to not take any shit for never been able to slug and actually get it done until you know all the way into 2006 and then it wasn't really him when he wanted Denver and I Kirk Cousins is not good enough to avoid that. That particular chopping block you know I mean, even in New England people were still didn't want to see Peyton Manning and fucking playoffs you know and at the end of the day you want Kirk Cousins you want you want I don't care how good the Vikings are you want to draw that number

Rob Kelly: 56:21

that as as Bill Simmons says the shake ease game that that that one 130 playoff game? Yeah. On Saturday Brown. White it out?

Dave Clarke: 56:31

Yeah. Oh, yeah. But it actually brings a nice transition over to a team I'm excited to talk about because it gives me a chance to buy my team is the Dallas Cowboys number four. Number four with a bullet I mean, I genuinely believe we give you shit about the Cowboys. I think that it's a it's a fun thing to do to make fun of each other for the teams that we like we're kind of not allowed to do to the Patriots fans on it's sort of like a sore subject. I don't know what it is.

Michael Marcangelo: 56:56

Oh talks more negatively about about

Dave Clarke: 56:59

okay, now you know, you're you're cool. You're cool. You're just kidding. Just kidding. Nobody really does it to be actually because it's like four days, but but essentially I can't pour Bob WHAT THE FUCK because it's the Cowboys This is funny right? Because every single

Michael Marcangelo: 57:17

September you say this is the year DK never does that.

Dave Clarke: 57:22

Yeah, I mean maybe next year we had a lot of salary cap but looking at this cowboys team again I mean I've been on side with you this season and last season I've been on the record I really genuinely enjoy this team I've said it many times their defense reminds me the six bears to ball hawks they get after it they they play some kind of high risk high reward football and I think that that showed against the bears this this last weekend cuz they I think they essentially said like we got to make we got to make Justin fields beat us right like we got to make this guy come out and actually beat us and I think they were like oh he's doing better than we thought you know and we established a decent running game or play calling out a lot better. But yet what happens is when you're at a team in this elite level and I think that this this is why it wasn't a game I expected to win when you're when your defense isn't there your offense goes fucking Berserk you know and they walk in about five touchdowns across the course of that game with with little to no effort I do think that there was some and just as a Bears fan I'm gonna like lay the criticism on my defense first and foremost I'm gonna be like you guys gotta get your fucking act together it's a big lip the Miss test for that but they're young but man I mean that offense where all the problems all the all the all the callin talk all the all the DAC got hurt is their QB controversy looks like they are maybe becoming the the offense that we hoped prayed thought at night because when we couldn't sleep that's that they were going

Rob Kelly: 58:39

to be I wake up when I couldn't fucking sleep.

Dave Clarke: 58:43

Well, I meant the royal weed.

Rob Kelly: 58:47

It wasn't I just think it comes down to a couple of things. So first, I think the main thing that I need to take away from this game is that I've been fucking right for the last two and a half goddamn years that Tony Pollard needs to be the fucking starting running back for the show. I

Dave Clarke: 59:04

mean, it wasn't it wasn't it wasn't the hottest take by the I mean it was pretty obvious you fucking suck. Yeah, I felt like I was you're stubborn.

Rob Kelly: 59:10

Listen. It's not even fucking close guy.

Dave Clarke: 59:15

Right? You know?

Rob Kelly: 59:16

It's and that's so fresh, you know is the frustrating because like, Did you just see what happened? Tony power took that fucking game over. Man. You took that game over like that, that one run where

Dave Clarke: 59:30

he'd up 25 yards. It was pretty crazy.

Rob Kelly: 59:34

There's there's four to five runs. During the course of that game. The other cheek is the running back. It's an eight yard game. And Tony Bauer turned it into a 30 to 35 yard game. Yeah, it's just absurd. How much better the offense?

Dave Clarke: 59:49

Downhill runner you know, he's the kind of guy that that if you have a Dallas Cowboys offense that that opens up the game the way that they do when they're playing well when DAX playing well, and he's not forced And he spreads his targets around. Now admittedly, I think that if there was any glaring weakness, it might be your receiver core, that that might come back to bite you in the ass later on. But if data is good enough, then he can make them good enough. And if he spreads them out, you need a downhill runner. Zeke is the kind of guy you bring in to establish your running game in a game to say like, Okay, two yards, three yards, four yards, two yards, three yards, four yards, that kind of do your offense doesn't. I'm not gonna say you don't need it anymore. But they don't do that anymore. It's not really it's not really the game plan. What it is, is to put the ball in bags hands to win the game and everybody else needs to help them fucking do that, which I think that's what they should do. Mike, do you agree that the offensive game planning in the faith in Dak Prescott as only an offensive coordinator can take this level of faith for a quarterback he believes is topped here, right? You're not gameplan around him. You're not You're not taking the ball out of his hands in important situations, what they're saying and what they definitely definitively said against the bears was DAX, our dude, he's gonna win the fucking game for us, like let him run the game. Let him Let him act like Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, these type of guys, that's how you get the most out of them. What do you think?

Michael Marcangelo: 1:01:03

Yeah, I 1,000% agree with that. Don't make him or don't make him you know, throw the ball 60 times because he doesn't need to your team your offense is good enough with Pollard in there, where you can have Dak you know, attempt 27 passes for improved from Yeah, and throw for less than 300 yards. Every single one of those yards and passes meant something like it set something up. Right? Dak and Zack, I think Dak is one of those interesting cubies where he has all the potential to win you a game and be the best guy on the field. But you don't necessarily need him to do that every single week. Because that offense I'll just say well, the runningback Pollard is so good right now they're there. Their wide receivers Bobby when you sit at their top five wide receiver room and the preseason show, I know I called you an idiot then I hope that you feel like you are now because I live because the side CD lamb, it's bad. See is really good. But it will get better. Presumably because it can't get much worse. I would just say Dak is the heartbeat of that team. And you can see that now that kellen moore is assigned it decided to let him manage the game. It was so like consistent you knew that the drive was was going it was going to be a good drive after the first play because it's

Dave Clarke: 1:02:24

also really fast. But yeah, it was like it was like they you know Dak I think if he if he's allowed that leash, you know or no leash at all to run the offense very quickly to go like Okay, everybody knows their assignments. Everybody knows the replays we're doing this next to the point where a Tom Brady does best when I'm saying next Tom Brady but Tom Brady is best and his offense at their best I believe that they knew the play they were going to run based on the outcome of the previous play. So if Tom Brady like like checked down and got a guide for six yards everybody on the offense already knew what the next play was going to be after that because the way the offense ran you could see it when he would run a hurry up offense and just drive down the fucking feel your team you would just be like Holy fucking shit dude, they're not even talking they're just like running different plays every fucking time and I think I saw a little glimpses of that in the Cowboys offense the other day they could they didn't let the especially the start at the end it didn't let the defense settle you know they had this this first this first quarter game plan all set up. It was really impressive honestly and I think to just let them off the leash like that's the way to go Bobby what do you think?

Rob Kelly: 1:03:25

Yeah, I completely agree that's when I've seen Dak succeed throughout his three four years in the league so I mean he fucking years has been leading

Dave Clarke: 1:03:33

five is like honestly the amount of talked about him as a team

Rob Kelly: 1:03:38

like 2017 I think it was the first year but but that's when he succeeds as when you see DACA at its best is either honestly when when we're at a deficit and we need to come back and we're just running literally constant Hurry up letting Dak do everything and direct it or in that two minute drill

Dave Clarke: 1:03:57

okay but what I saw from him this weekend was the situation that you know, I enjoyed watching Justin fields do it the week before to feel the momentum of the game sort of slipping away to say like fuck we were up here last no all of a sudden we're not you know I saw Justin fields do it against the Patriots and and it made me feel like a billion dollars because that to me is the quality of an elite quarterback because it's game management it's difficult to intangible it's difficult to see and in the best possible situation other than a two minute drill driving down the field when you're when your team a game and doing everything right in that situation. The best situation you can really see that in display itself is when the game starts to get away from you a little bit and the bears were coming back like there was a moment there when he or 23 Yeah, that's when he ends the second half right? Exactly. And then what what are the offense Do they just went down the football field and scored they were like, going to get this don't worry about

Rob Kelly: 1:04:52

the QB sneak was was the turning point of the game. Were they

Dave Clarke: 1:04:57

able to I don't know what the fuck is going on there

Rob Kelly: 1:04:58

but I Never seen a QB sneak in my life go for 30 yards.

Dave Clarke: 1:05:05

We don't get forever. I mean, really should watch Justin fields game. That dude fucking that dude makes, like absolute breaks

Rob Kelly: 1:05:14

in the playoffs last year, we might be talking a whole different story. Well,

Dave Clarke: 1:05:18

I mean as with any bears on playing and playing the bears in the middle of Sunday isn't exactly the same as the playoffs and unfortunately the Dallas Cowboys do have a little bit of that quality that they Kirk Cousins themselves once the once the hiring team is

Rob Kelly: 1:05:31

so focused the coach just yeah, he might be the coach owner or the GM maybe. So I just have a question here. So first, I welcome my pout for both of you. I look at my power rankings and I see a solid tear discrepancy between the first seven and then this top three that we're about to go over right? Of course, what do the Cowboys need to do to join that top group? I know it's pedigree I know that like when you watch football, right, what do you guys think they need to do to be like, Okay, this team is legit, they're a part of that top floor they need

Dave Clarke: 1:06:07

to be one of the three teams that are in the first three spots

Rob Kelly: 1:06:11

for that that's the only that's the only chance I guess they have

Dave Clarke: 1:06:15

the opportunity to go play the Eagles you know, it's a divisional game and I think if you and I think you might be the only team that with the remaining schedule with the potential to bloody their their record up you got to go beat the fucking eagles to be honest with you because I can I can You can see them play pretty football until the cows come home. It's about what do you look like? What what how did your mind shift when the bills beat the chiefs? You know what I mean? Like it was like, okay, you know, you might not necessarily be taking the bills over the Chiefs now and are in a playoff situation and arrowhead or whatever, but, you know, you go Oh, fuck, like, the juggernauts have to play each other. They have to be difficult on each other. So if you want in that conversation, just like a heavyweight boxer, you gotta go beat one of the guys everybody is already talking about that's the only way I see it being really convincing to break into that top three Mike you might disagree.

Michael Marcangelo: 1:07:02

Now I was gonna say you need to beat them convincingly so the Cowboys need to be silly by 50 by two touchdowns or more right Allah you need to leave no doubt that the you are the better team and show and show you know Phillies flaws I think they're they're there of course they are yeah playing tape on him now they just run it up but they just run up the score so quick that it doesn't matter.

Rob Kelly: 1:07:25

The run game is so scary Phil Yeah.

Michael Marcangelo: 1:07:28

Yeah, but that's it I mean your defenses is elite your quarterback is elite. Your that was like hard for me to say. Like it's amazing to see

Rob Kelly: 1:07:36

when you sit at a crane you see that cringe right

Michael Marcangelo: 1:07:38

there? Yeah, it's whatever the stroke you're running back I mean, Pollard isn't elite yet but he has awfully tendencies. But you need three good to great skill players.

Rob Kelly: 1:07:49

Power is with let me just say power is fucking elite. He has been elite since he came in this.

Dave Clarke: 1:07:55

I think he's I think he's showing that he's showing that he has a tendency is no he is showing it but I don't I can't retire. But honestly, it's not like you'd go off half cocked. So like that's it's like

Rob Kelly: 1:08:06

seven. Never, never never. capitalist. Not one set. Seven out of 10 times she touches a ball. It is a positive six or seven yard foot. I just can't believe we're still talking here. Like Listen, like, I don't know. I don't mean to beat this into the ground. But like, I have been saying power is better than Zeke for so fucking long. And it's so fucking annoying that next week, because you guys both already said it. Next fucking week. Zeke is going to out touch powered and I'm gonna see you. I'm gonna see that photography after a three yard run. Fuck you, Zeke. I don't want to feed you I want you to starve bro. I want you to starve I want let

Dave Clarke: 1:08:45

me let me just pinch it before we gotta get on to this these last three here but let me just get ancient one scenario before we move on. You know you got the Packers next week. This week I should say then you got the secretary we're about oh, you're gonna buy week sorry your next game so so your next games are? You got the Packers then you got the Vikings then you got the Giants, right. So you got two teams that are on these power rankings, right with winning records. Both records I think are a little inflated and one team that again still has the potential to be at the big boys table like we talked about you three and all your next three games. You're in the conversation about world affairs three, you're in the conversation about it, because I might not necessarily agree with it because you've heard my opinions on on the records of the giants and the records of the of the Vikings, but they're winning records. There's nothing you can do about that. So you're gonna win those three games during the conversation. Don't fuck up when you play the Colts don't fuck up when you play the Texans don't fuck up when you play the Jags. I mean, it's going to be a different looking League. At the week after you play the Jaguars and you go into play the Philadelphia Eagles the league is going to be looking real different. That's a lot of games in between then and now. So what are the Eagles look like at that point? You said you still think they have a perfect record? Quite possibly, like they're playing all teams that they could be. However, the Cowboys might want I keep Tony Pollard in their back pocket because I think you can win every single game I just talked about by by playing Zeke and doing the thing or whatever and then just like tell Zeke to go to the fucking club that day take fucking Tony Pollard to Philadelphia and just have ABS Tony Pollard run all fucking over the Philadelphia Eagles expose the fact that they don't they maybe they don't defend the run that well to an elite running back maybe you can expose those things get don't get past blocked the way that everybody seems to get past blocked against the Philadelphia Eagles because man Jalen hertz can sit in that fucking pocket and do his taxes. I mean it's insane. So you know, you got you got to be able to rush the QB and all of a sudden like Mike said you win against the Philadelphia Eagles who are potentially still undefeated or have only lost one game by that point or two games maybe then you're really in the fucking conversation of the playoffs when you lose team you should be so moving on to the top three we're going to do the top three the way we always do

Rob Kelly: 1:10:57

build me up just a fucking jab me right yeah, you

Dave Clarke: 1:11:00

could just call me the Dallas Cowboys because like damn, they didn't perfect that art. I don't know who did. So we're gonna do the same thing. We always do funnel game on the Power Rankings week we're going to take the Chiefs the bills and the Eagles. I'm gonna Yeah, I mean, I think that it does show something level of where we all kind of intrinsically believe deep down in our hearts. We're going to take all three teams. First, we're going to take three versus two in a playoff scenario with the records the way they are, which puts the bills at home, right puts the bulls at home. If the bills and the Chiefs play each other in the AFC Championship game.

Michael Marcangelo: 1:11:38

Who do you take? My oldest chiefs? Still the Chiefs still

Dave Clarke: 1:11:42

the Chiefs for me as well. Yeah. So that. I think you flip flopped a couple of times, right?

Michael Marcangelo: 1:11:47

Yeah. Last week I showed off in one week. Never

Dave Clarke: 1:11:51

gets you. We'll get to you in a second. We're going to use seconds. So what why and Is it is it this thing that we seem to sort of thematically agree on this big boy table argument where they still are the Kansas City Chiefs. They still can turn it on it will also I'd say like Judo is getting involved now. It seems like it's actually like, you know, starting to use the guys that came in he start to fit into these schemes. They get better as the season goes on. And they start really fucking good. So yeah, I mean, it's still them for me to why is it still in for you?

Michael Marcangelo: 1:12:17

I just I heard on the broadcast last week, I forget. I don't know who was calling it but they said that the Chiefs have more plays have of 35 yards or more this year than they did last year and

Rob Kelly: 1:12:29

it was my boy it was my boy grandma, if

Michael Marcangelo: 1:12:31

I'm tight Tyreke entire weeks gone. And their offense is still this explosive. So I don't know I think there's something to be said about Yes, Josh Allen outdoors him in the regular season. To have the nuts to do that in the postseason is not something that we've seen Josh Allen in the bills do but we've seen it over and over again. But by that yeah,

Dave Clarke: 1:12:55

I'm not saying he can't but yeah, he just had it's a different different fucking kettle of fish bottom. Where do you stand in?

Rob Kelly: 1:13:03

Just because the the bills are so goddamn repressive. And the moves that they made us I love nayeem Hines on this bill same. I think it sets up such a different aspect of this bill's offense. It

Dave Clarke: 1:13:16

was the thing about diminishing returns though, right it's like we're still talking about the bills they are they still have a fucking ton of weapons. They still were are a fucking wagon like everybody always says, but let's Mike's point still stands. You know, I

Rob Kelly: 1:13:27

hear I hear your Kirk Cousins argument and I hear that argument coming through right now. But like, it's fucking Josh Allen. This is the guy that gets this is a guy that gets smoked at the one yard line. works up to the guy and goes, I fucking want it. I love it. Like, Josh Allen is a genuine fucking human being that and when you look back at that playoff run he had last year right? Yes, they lost that game. But he did literally everything that was in his human possibility to win that game. He drove them down the field. He won that fucking game. All right, he scored a touchdown with 20 Whatever fucking seconds that was left and won that game. And they still was. I just I just look at it as

Dave Clarke: 1:14:18

just I don't think the expression is that almost only counts for horseshoes, hand grenades and playoff games. I think it's just the first two so he didn't do it but

Rob Kelly: 1:14:26

you know, but didn't get to touch the ball. Get it what heeding glitter put

Dave Clarke: 1:14:32

yourself in that situation in the first place is when the phone doesn't matter. It doesn't matter you didn't get in touch the ball. The ball all through the fucking game score more points

Rob Kelly: 1:14:41

literally won the game. With 14 seconds left. The loss of Justin field didn't wind down. And listen, I'm just saying when it comes down.

Dave Clarke: 1:14:52

I totally see your point. I'm just fucking with you. To your point.

Rob Kelly: 1:14:55

I'm picking the bills man because Josh Allen is a different human being is especially right now, I just think when you look at the way he's playing football, he doesn't give a fuck about what anyone saying he doesn't give a fuck about who else am He doesn't give a fuck about who's open it doesn't matter because

Michael Marcangelo: 1:15:16

at least nobody I mean he can all he can only take that many hits

Rob Kelly: 1:15:20

but but we've seen it before for one season I feel like this is his season where his body's just like fuck did

Michael Marcangelo: 1:15:27

this last year too. He's and he's durable his entire career edge

Rob Kelly: 1:15:30

should have won the fucking game should occur

Dave Clarke: 1:15:33

what I mean listen I don't I'm inspired by your speeches was just not genuinely there was like a fucking guest jeans commercial starring Josh Allen like I was really there like he really put me in the fucking you know right and Disney ranch fuck and watching this all play out but just we've we've talked about football enough This was fun. I'm going to ask the final question that we always end the power rings on and it's gonna prove my point about yet again as it does every week. Unless you just wanted to rail me about the number one team in the NFL and how they're unproven. So Mike, you have the Chiefs if they play the Eagles in the Super Bowl who you put your hard earned money on to to win that game. Chiefs and Bobby you pick the bills. They they're playing the Eagles in the Super Bowl who you put in your hard earned money on to win that game.

Rob Kelly: 1:16:18

Literally only because I didn't want the eagles to win it other fucking Super Bowl. Yeah, for both.

Dave Clarke: 1:16:23

So you heard it here first. You heard it here first folks. You heard it here second. You heard it here third. We've talked about it every single week. The number one team and on the thank you very much for Mike Mark Angela for for the real BK Bob Kelly. I myself am D cases with Dave Clarke and I really appreciate you guys listening. That was a fun one. Talk to you next week on the pirate making show. Thanks.