Rest In Peace, John Madden
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On this episode of MTP, we check in on all the current playoff teams to see their strengths and weaknesses as the playoffs are just around the corner,
Also, just as we were about to record tonight, the news broke that NFL Iconic Coach, Broadcaster, and Video Game Franchise Namesake, had passed away at the age of 85.
We look back on his impact both on and off the field of football.
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Hosts: Dave Clarke, Joe Malkin, Craig D'Alessandro
Producer: Craig D'Alessandro
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On that note, welcome into missing the point, everybody. We're here talking about how boned we are about the Celtics. But we're not going to talk about that during the show because it's depressing. And makes everybody sad. And I think we'd be better served. Talking about the NFL because it's been a pretty crazy season, Joe, I mean of all things. You beat me in fantasy football yesterday, congratulations on your place in the final.
Joe Malkin:Thank you very much.
Dave Clarke:I'm convinced I would have won had my roster not been beaten up. But we don't make excuses around here. We just get results. So congratulations on your win. Fuck you. And I'm really glad. I'm really glad one of us is still in it to try to win. Then again, if we keep winning our own fantasy football league, they might get suspects.
Joe Malkin:Sure, because Craig Craig won last year. Me
Dave Clarke:and Craig played each other in the final last year, which is right already like, you know, maybe we're doing backdoor deals. But we're not we're not that we're not that smart.
Craig D'Alessandro:That was the one you're worried about because I was up by like 30 or something. But then the bills came in week 17 That was like an he thought it was over that was like I don't think so. No, patriots don't have it is here. And then Josh Allen continued to royally fuck the Patriots second. Yeah. And then Jacoby Meyers caught a pointless path in the fourth quarter. Well, me $500
Dave Clarke:Yeah, I can't I couldn't even start a full team. against Joe because everybody on my team had COVID which is my fault. I took them all out. And we all when we weren't wearing masks. And about half of them were to vaccinate and I didn't want to ask you know, because it's a touchy subject. Yeah. But also, you know, on the subject COVID I heard Oh microns little pussy variant I'm not even scared of it. So fucking Bring it on. Yeah, lick lick my fucking licked my face. I don't give a shit. I'm done. I mean, like, you guys know, I was captain fuckin COVID Fuck. Where your mess. I gotta say, I'm finished. I'm not doing it anymore. I'm vaccinated. To two vaccines and a boost. If you don't wanna get vaccinated and you want to die choking on a ventilator? That's your fucking prerogative. I don't give a shit anymore. We're moving on. We're moving on from from the whole COVID thing. I want my life
Joe Malkin:back. Dave's gone in firing here. On that note,
Dave Clarke:it's fucked up my fantasy football game. But you know, so it's still finds ways to but fuck me from time to time and not in the way that I like. And yeah, I feel like maybe do you want us? Do you want to just like Kitt. Hit it hard with the Power Rankings The Bobby just sent over. And we can just sort of build from there since?
Joe Malkin:Yeah, I think we should. I think that's a good way to start the discussion. Because there was just so much this week that happened that Yeah. And talk about COVID screwing up your fantasy team. I mean, I've been lucky in three of my two of my three fantasy leagues. I'm in the championship. And the other one I didn't make the playoffs. So
Dave Clarke:that was a pretty intense
Joe Malkin:humblebrag. Right there, Joe? Yeah, just a humble brag at least I'm playing Alex in our league. So at least as a non member of MTP who's in charge on a
Dave Clarke:team schedule to move against them. Um, you want to go from 10 to one because it's boring to start with the best one? Yeah, let's,
Joe Malkin:let's do that. But let's talk about both of these number 10. Let's talk about 10 and 11. Because I think they're both pretty interesting.
Dave Clarke:Yeah, it's weird. That the car I mean, again, this has been a weird season, but it's just fucking weird that the Cardinals have dropped all the way to 10. And they were one for a few weeks, like, you know, run it running straight through. I mean, I get that they're, they haven't had a lot of luck with injuries this season.
Joe Malkin:Yeah. Last James Connor this week. Yeah.
Dave Clarke:Um, and they've been where they were even kind of a weird team and their winning. But they were sort of a great representation of this season as a whole for a while there because they were such a weird team to watch. He told us we could decide what number 10 was either the call to the Cardinals? I think it's the Colts personally because I honestly think they're underrated. I know you were talking in the chat today about their issues at quarterback. With what's his knuckles go and it was a COVID when it's going down with COVID Yes, it COVID Yeah, he would get COVID He fucking would get COVID He's such an idiot. But I mean, he's been playing well. And I feel like the Colts are a good team. You know, I feel like they have they have a sneaky like level of being good at football from time to time. Like, they'll be teams you don't expect him to be. Don't play better than you expect him to play even though you don't really know who the fuck half their players are. But yeah, I would if it were up to me, I'd slot them in at 10 I greatly above the Cardinals, especially since especially since they they beat the Cardinals. I can make sense.
Joe Malkin:A lot of these teams in this league this year really weird. Like I even I look at a team outside the top 10 Like the Steelers and wonder how they're a 500 team just watching them. And then you watch the Cardinals and you see their blatant flaws and you watch the Colts and you See their blatant flaws, but then, you know, you see them run all over the patriots like they did when you look at the Patriots and you see the way they played in a seven game, win streak and then they come out and play flat against Indiana Buffalo and it's just
Dave Clarke:those are two good teams though, you know, I mean, sure. I feel like the Patriots are definitely super weird. If you want to just skip to them because I'm sure your champion. Well,
Joe Malkin:no, not necessarily. I just mean I just mean this is an overarching thing in the NFL this year that just seems like nobody's good. Nobody's nobody's great. And the Packers are the Packers are probably, you know, at the top, but we'll get to them shortly. But yeah, they're they're really the only team that kind of stands out is dangerous because they're they're really good everywhere. And they're tough to beat. But yeah, with number 10 I agree with you on the Colts. I think the Cardinals might be a year or two away still. I really liked their offense. I like Kyler Murray. I like Kliff Kingsbury former New England patriot. But yeah, cold scolds at 10
Dave Clarke:Yeah, nothing that makes sense. Um, moving on number nine to Titans. They're still hanging around, hanging around earlier after the best running back in the NFL goes down. It kind of goes to show like if he didn't go down like what you know, what were the what would they've been made up going into the playoffs? I think they would look like a really solid outfit. It's almost it's pretty disappointing that he got that season ending injury. But it is another reason. You can't rely on a running back because they get hit so much. You know, it's like they get hit. Every time they touch the ball. They're good. They're going down at some point. And I think it's tough to keep them healthy. It's the reason why they have them retire at 26. You know, like, there's the freaks of nature out there like Adrian Peterson who plays until he's a million. Um, but it's tough to I mean, you don't say no, you don't turn your nose up at a quality running back like that. But I mean, look at the Giants right now a sake one, you know, like, he cannot he cannot put a real season together. Um, I think, reliant on that. And like, again, you know, a lot of times like there's running backs or like point guards in basketball, there's shitloads of them. You know, there's so many of them. And I just like, when the Steelers didn't want to pay levy on Bill, I fully agreed with that. Because it's just like, do we really want to like pay a guy a million dollars a day to come and be our running back when then they get James Conner and he's just like, he's just as good. He's like he has he has a great season right after that. It's like, no, that's not really I don't I don't I don't agree with the idea of building your team around running back and I think that the Titans sort of fell victim to that trope this season. But yeah, I mean credit to him for hanging around you know, they're not they're not a bad outfit they have they have a pretty solid defensive good oh line. Um, I won't say that their quarterbacks great. But, uh, you know, they've won some games, they've made some shit happen. So
Joe Malkin:he's better than Brad Johnson and Trent Dilfer, like he could win, he could win the Super Bowl like with the coaching that he had,
Dave Clarke:you know, we always we always have it's that's what is it? It's like, yeah, they don't maybe but they don't have the kind of defense like that ravens team had, you know what I mean? It's like, no, they're definitely you have to have something really special on the other side of the ball. Or you know, or elsewhere. Maybe a running back I don't know.
Joe Malkin:I also thought I was doing a show with Dave man Mike because you just mentioned you can't win with when your point guard or your running back. That was
Dave Clarke:my take originally that Mike stole so
Joe Malkin:you know what, he's, he's you I always knew he was a
Dave Clarke:is a filthy filthy thief is what he Yes. Uh huh. The Bengals are funny. They're there. They're number eight. They're funny. Um, Joe burrows. Kind of funny.
Joe Malkin:Remember when I had Zach Taylor as the first head coach out last year? Yeah. And I And speaking of bad takes credit we can put into a show later. That was a bad take because this Bengals team is pretty good. Like if I would have loved to see what happened if Joe burrow stayed healthy last year, but now that he has Jamara cheese this year? I mean, the guy just threw for 525 and four touchdowns this week. And I mean, I don't know if that's a sign of things to come but
Dave Clarke:he fucking scorch the Ravens dude, he was running that Yeah, to
Joe Malkin:those games happen all the time from just schlubs off the street right?
Dave Clarke:Like you know, he's
Joe Malkin:just yeah, he's a good quarterback and he's got a good team around him and Zack Taylor is a better coach than I had given him credit for they're they're a funny team though. You know? I mean they can they could very easily go out and I think they can still win the north so
Dave Clarke:it's still up for grabs. Yeah, cuz they were both on six coming into coming into the game right. So you loser out.
Joe Malkin:The Steelers are seven seven on one now.
Dave Clarke:Oh, really? Mm hmm. That's better than I thought that they're
Joe Malkin:there they're just so bad. I watching Roethlisberger play quarterback it's it's painful, because he can't move and everybody on the Team is more concerned about celebrating. So
Dave Clarke:I mean, I, you know, with a team, we talked about this with it just to do a little Steelers aside briefly like we talked about this in the chat. You know, I don't necessarily think it was Chase Claypool, his fault that they lost because like a Don't get yourself in that situation shortly. It's by again sparked in the fucking first half. And B, you know, he didn't slow it down that much. And they already weren't managing the clock super well and like they had still had a chance to make a play at the end of the game to win. But foof I mean, I'm not even a Steelers fan. And that boiled my blood like I was like, Dude, what are you doing? And then they did it again this week there was I saw highlight I refuse to watch. Yeah, I refuse to watch those games anymore because it's fucking painful.
Joe Malkin:How does that work? When when your significant other as a Steelers fan,
Dave Clarke:I was super supportive of them. As you know. He cheated to beat the bears this season. And now we're gonna fight all the time about it. So if I have like one too many beers, I'll start just being like, what's it like to support a team that just fucking cheats to win?
Joe Malkin:Well, what do you don't want? I'm glad you have her in the house. So you don't take that out. I mean, like, right and correct.
Dave Clarke:But not but then the fucking that's that quarterback was doing it when they were getting fucking lit up. They were down like 25 to nothing or whatever it was. And he makes one be makes one bus to play in the corner of the endzone and he's like, taunting like, it's like, Dude, you got to that guy's got to get control of his locker room. And they've always been leaky. They've always been like little fucking piss ants all over the fucking field. It's just like, You got to start drafting for character, you know, and build yourself a solid foundation. And don't like, I don't know sweep sexual assault allegations under the rug so much. And like maybe we can have a culture there because like, yeah, a lot of talent. Like we talk about shitload of talent. A lot of guys are really like watching to you know, like, read les Claypool. Um, I really like Johnson, I really like like a basically. And they're also always exciting cuz they're like, who they draft this year, he's gonna be good here. I mean, like, at a skill position. But like, I'm sick of watching Ben Roethlisberger his corpse get, like, dragged out onto the field every week. And they need to blow that up, you know, they need to, they need to go make some moves. And they need to like, I think they need a new coach. Because I just I,
Joe Malkin:I see this so much on on forums on line and on Facebook and other social media platforms where people say, Oh, the lions are so bad. Why don't you know, why doesn't the NFL make them? Sell the team? AND, and OR, AND or move them? And my response is always, as long as the Ford family is any part owner of the Detroit Lions, they will not Detroit will not lose a team. They won't change the name. They won't sell the team. They won't move them. Because what who's one of the biggest sponsors in the NFL? It's Ford. So does that mean
Dave Clarke:that the US government technically owns the Detroit Lions because they had to get bailed out? Or wait for ticket bailout? I can't remember. But anyway,
Joe Malkin:I actually I think they were one of the companies that didn't I could be wrong, but back to the Steelers that and the point with that that little rant was that the Steelers will basically run a coach into the ground until they retire or die. That's just the way the Steelers are they don't like to change head coaches. So they're not going to but but there's such a problem. When did when did Tomlin coming oh, StG was oh six is because
Dave Clarke:what's his name? cower one and then retired. Right.
Joe Malkin:Right. So he came so so Tomlins first year was 2007. So that's, I mean, that's a pretty good run. I mean, he did well, but you're right. They're leaky. They they don't they draft well, but they don't draft for character and you get these guys that, you know, do these things and you're you're right about Claypool, but my I think my bigger issue with Claypool was when the offensive lineman basically pulled them off the ground and was like get back to the line. And then they spiked the ball and he goes off on the right guard. Like what do you what do you do that you're on the field? Don't Don't throw a tantrum on the field. You're
Dave Clarke:on national television.
Joe Malkin:You're on national television. Brussel sprouts. Yeah, you're driving down field. you're attempting to win a game in the NFL and you're going off on your right guard for pulling you off the ground when you were celebrating a first down catch with the clock running 26
Dave Clarke:seconds because he had a little fucking clock awareness.
Joe Malkin:Yeah, well, you know what, that's another big thing in the NFL is in a lot of coaches don't know how to manage the clock. And Mike Tomlin Mike Tomlin is terrible, but so was Bill coward Bill cower was awful. You can always count on a few coaches not to know how to manage the clock. Sean McDermott is actually one of them as well. But McDermott Reed Tomlin. Ariens is fine, but I think that's more Tom Brady right now. He kind of used to stink too. So I mean, I think that's a an
Dave Clarke:Ariens doesn't coach that team.
Craig D'Alessandro:All right. Today that though,
Dave Clarke:visited the NFL,
Joe Malkin:right when we're recording this on December 28. At the Jacksonville Jaguars not only want to talk to kellen moore of Dallas Cowboys, but they also want to talk to Todd Bowles and Byron Leftwich The Buccaneers. So that's gonna be interesting.
Dave Clarke:I used to play in Jacksonville, right? Yes, he did. So that might make sense.
Joe Malkin:Yeah, that would actually be an interesting hire. I don't know if he's ready to be a head coach, but everybody that's around him says he's brilliant. So I like fired
Dave Clarke:off. I'll tell you what, back to the Power Rankings The Yeah, it's funny how insignificant the Bengals are as a franchise because when you get to the Bengals in the Power Rankings, it becomes a 10 minute conversation about the Steelers.
Joe Malkin:You know, we're talking about the teams that they play not about them.
Dave Clarke:Yeah, I mean, they're not bad. I mean, I do kind of think joba was good. And I kind of like his attitude. It's like, it's like what the Browns thought they were getting with Brady Quinn. Um, but I think he's I think he's legitimate are Brady Quinn throwback, throwback?
Joe Malkin:Wait, way to go that guy. Notre Dame quarterback from 15?
Dave Clarke:Yeah, but he was also a first round pick on the Browns so you know, make sense. He obviously also lives run free in my mind. I know what's his name? Fucking Baker Mayfield Baker. It's what they thought they were getting with Baker Mayfield so I think you know that makes me happy because I'd like to see the Browns do badly. Um, all right. Well, here we are the moment of truth number seven with a bullet did American patriots show what the fuck is happening over there? I mean, is it is it because maybe it's difficult to not ever throw the ball and win games?
Joe Malkin:Try it. You know what? It's so interesting. You say that because this week against buffalo at home was a probably the worst accuracy game Mac Jones has had in his very short career. He did not look good. Buffalo was all over him. The problem was is that the played buffalo in Buffalo, and won the way they did before they played them at home. Cuz Sean McDermott has a hair across his ass when it comes to Bill Belichick and they used every single thing from that week that leading up to the game and buffalo all the way up until now as bulletin board material to go out and smoke the Patriots. And it was almost like I mean, you couldn't have scripted it any better. It's it was almost written in stone that it was going to happen that way. It made sure it's came out flat.
Dave Clarke:Yeah, right off the bat. You knew you knew. I mean, I honestly I'm surprised this was as close as it was with because if you actually watch that game, it was the Patriots were plugging away. You know, they were trying to they're trying to stay in the game the whole time. But yeah, no, it was a foregone conclusion pretty much from the start
Joe Malkin:on Josh Allen torched them without a second on third receivers they were called Beasley was out. Isaiah McKenzie is a kick returner he's like I mean he's gonna chef scheme for those of you Patriots fans, but he's almost better I like he's a good receiver and he beat miles Brian on drag routes and in routes all day. He miles Brian just couldn't keep up with them if you saw number 19 Catch the ball 41 in blue. Oh wasn't wasn't far behind him. And that was that was disappointing. I mean, the one nice thing the Patriots did was they they did start to fight back again in the second half but the problem is they don't play well when they're playing from behind. They stopped the run up the middle Singletary and even Allen couldn't get anything going up the middle so they had to go to the outside patriots had to do the same thing at Buffalo defense oh man that they are really good. They are really good and because they because Bobby has him at six I think Bobby has the bills too low in the power rankings
Dave Clarke:that just because they be your team that no
Joe Malkin:no because I saw their amazing maybe the spice it in the pre in the preseason show that I think buffaloes, a wagon. And I think that they hit their, their, their low point a few weeks ago and I think they had a tough time against New England at home and against tamp on the road. And then, you know, I think they're hitting their stride right now. And I think that's I think that's dangerous for the rest of the league.
Dave Clarke:How come? How come N'Keal Harry touched the ball so much? He sucks. Give it to the other guy. Nelson Agholor. He's better.
Joe Malkin:Well, Nelson Agholor didn't play because he was out with COVID Correct Correct me if I'm wrong.
Craig D'Alessandro:Yeah, he was out the entire week didn't practice and do nothing.
Dave Clarke:Yeah quaden The game?
Joe Malkin:No, he was out Kendrick Borne plating who had also been out because
Dave Clarke:I would not end the ball and N'Keal Harry ever again. Very
Joe Malkin:nice kid the way they need to. So here here's the problem. Bill Belichick loves him because he was a first round pick so he's never gonna get rid of them. So what he tried to do is he tried to use N'Keal Harry in the same way he uses Nelson Agholor. N'Keal Harry using Nelson Agholor and Nelson Agholor isn't even all that great either.
Dave Clarke:But yeah, I guess I mean, it buddy
Joe Malkin:through the problem was is three times two on two different occasions they threw to Harry and then when backing him again to try and read let them redeem himself and the first time was a pick and Mac Jones was pissed because you knew he didn't want to go there but it was his only
Dave Clarke:read yeah but don't they look so much better when they're like like Hunter Henry barely saw any of the ball to like he was going to him but like I you know I get it I get it his options are limited but don't they look so much better when they do those kind of like jumbo tight end sets you know they try to establish a little bit better they try to just get like short yardage over the middle of their tight ends like that's what the pages always look like to me when they're when they're successful. I get that they have no fuck backfield right now to like I understand that and it's like tough to run the ball and that scheme as much as they want to but I mean, I don't know man like that N'Keal Harry guy is not good at football. So I'm just like curious as to why he gets so many looks you know you get so many looks.
Craig D'Alessandro:Did you see the article in the USA Today with Troy Brown?
Dave Clarke:No, I didn't. I didn't wake up at a fucking Holiday Inn Express today so mighty USA Today wasn't waiting for me. I understand the Internet exists. Sorry. I'm just fucking I know. What does it say what it will say?
Craig D'Alessandro:Troy Bryan was interviewed by the USA Today and said just now than N'Keal Harry's finally working together as fundamentals where they need to be I'm glad that's happening and like, I don't know year three instead of years or anything or a
Dave Clarke:year of fucking Pop Warner. Where do you get your fundamentals where they need to be? He's got
Joe Malkin:a big head. So to your to tight end jumbo say common that that is exactly what Josh McDaniels wants to do. What did he do when he first came into the job? It didn't see the ball at all did he know John Smith didn't see the ball Hunter Henry barely saw the ball. And I mean that was his bread and butter when he first came to the Patriot since the OSI way back when it was it was Rob Gronksowski and it was Hernandez so that's what they wanted to do with Henry and and Smith and they just they cannot do that but how do you how do you heal the N'Keal Harry issue keep putting him out there in run in running formations, but haven't put on 15 pounds and line them up as a tight end stop putting them in wide receiver stop making them think he's gonna
Dave Clarke:catch thinking might be a brain issue not a skills issue. Oh, it
Joe Malkin:definitely is. He comes running out of that tall every Sunday like she's you know King shit. And he can't cuz I don't I don't really don't mind Nelson Agholor.
Dave Clarke:I think he's a good player. No, I think. Yeah, well, that's fixable. You know, you can just like you can work on your hands, I feel like and I think
Joe Malkin:when he went to when he went to the Raiders, after he left when he was with the Eagles, he couldn't catch the football. He went to the Raiders. He learned how to catch the football. Now he's coming here and he's he's doing pretty well, he doesn't have a lot of drops in here. But three, like three years ago, he led the NFL and drops the Eagles. It was bad. And it was really bad. And he redeemed himself when he went to it's also it's it's
Dave Clarke:tough to because I feel like there's a version of the Patriots that play that exact game but don't get absolutely shellacked on by the bills offense, like your game plan was sort of state consistent, you know, like, it's just that the defense didn't really make the plays that they usually mean. And like didn't stifle it. Because like, if you look at the box score, it's like, I don't know if you guys scored in the first quarter, but I think it was like, then it's like, Touchdown, touchdown touch. It's like that constant like trudging up the hill, trying to like stay close in the game. And I think that there's, you know, like, that's still the same game plan that you guys have been winning that you guys once was it six games in a row or seven games in a row with? And it's like, that's, you know, I think that you can still go into the locker room be like, alright, well, look, here's what we did. Well, you know, and here's what we did well in other games, and we can still implement this if we just improve in these areas. And we get our we get our guys healthy, you know, like I know Mccourty played, he didn't play very well. You know, it's like it that's the thing. It's like when your best defensive player isn't making the plays he usually makes when you're coming up against an offense with a lot of weapons. You know, I mean, I know that they were missing a couple guys at wide receiver but they still had Steph on fucking digs, you know, and Joshua and Obama. Yeah. And he played great. And he was just a problem the whole day and only had one touchdown, but he was just a problem the whole day and like he you're looking at Josh Allen that can was looking he was basically able to do whatever he wanted for the whole game. So it's like, I fell on VB on Sunday. Yeah, and I also think that the Patriots have have a sort of a you know, they've always had that sort of bend don't break defense. But I think part of that is like you got to stifle you got to stifle teams early, you got to frustrate them early. You got to like confuse the looks early. And I just think like that ship sailed really quickly. And I think that in the game got away from them. And they did try to claw back like they have fight. I think that there's there's a lot there's like doom and gloom and the Patriots lose in our chat. I just think it's like, I don't know you're still going to the playoffs. You know, like I wouldn't worry about it
Joe Malkin:too much. Hey, most likely, I mean, there is a way that they that they miss or become a seven seat. I mean my Miami looks. Miami played a really banged up saints team on Monday Night Football this week. But that Miami team looks good. Good like all right the Patriots should go out and beat the Jaguars in week 17 But in week 18 they get they got their work cut out for him in South Florida I mean that it if if the Patriots if the if the dolphins went out including winning beating the Patriots and the bills went out the potatoes went
Dave Clarke:out because the bills have to play the Falcons and the Jets so All right, next one,
Joe Malkin:but the bills the bills will win the East and the the dolphins would finish second and the Patriots would be in third looking up and maybe still get into the playoffs at 10 and seven be a wildcard at that point. Yeah, that well they're the number six seed right now. Going into we 17
Dave Clarke:Okay, weird we'd like to tenant six but I mean that's still that's pretty you know tenant six or I guess it would be nine and six right nine and those nine six right now so you're saying they could potentially they could be 11 and six
Joe Malkin:they could be they could be 11 on six if they go along on six they're gonna finish second and use them they'll be I would they can still win they can still win but Atlanta Atlanta or the Jets has to be buffalo which
Dave Clarke:probably means the New England Patriots in the playoffs and yeah sure.
Joe Malkin:You just got to get to the dance right so but the dolphins the dolphins can still win the east and they can still finish second above the Patriots and there's there's a path have begun to happen so the Patriots can finish 11th 610 and seven nine and eight but I don't think Jacksonville Jacksonville is just a mess. I mean, they just lost James Robinson this week to 20 I
Dave Clarke:mean they're a mess period though they're right anyway they're terrible um, on that note, you know, just as I was just started looking up to go into the next thing and I actually do agree with you I think the bills are better than the Rams I think they're better than I don't think the rams are that good. I and I also I think that they're like devastated by injuries right now and I think they're gonna have a tough time closing out this their season. I know that they're like RB one is down. I know because he's on my fucking fantasy team. Henderson Jr. He got COVID I don't know what like I don't know what the rules are now. I don't know when you get to come back. Because the CDC days is fine. I don't I have no idea. So like we're just making it up as we go along. So they may be placed next week. I don't know. But the brand's again like you know, and I've been saying this all year, it's like Matt Stafford's their Qb and you can just now now the teams that played them a lot. They used to be the NFC North and the NFC in general. But now it's teams have figured out that you just kind of ruffle his feathers a little bit just like we did and you can you know kind of stifle them and you can beat that team I think that they're talented all over the field but they're kind of they're really similar the bills like they have a kind of a weirdly similar setup like in the skilled positions but I mean I don't trust either of them to win a championship to be quite honest with you but if I if I found in my head I had to pick one I would probably put the bills over the Rams
Joe Malkin:I think they're their head coaches the bills and rams I think their head coaches are a little I don't want to say weak but I want to say weak minded I think we like like you just said if you can ruffle their feathers because you're right their makeups Have you know Tyler Higbee equals Dawson Knox that's that's a pretty good comp. Cooper copy cool stuff on Biggs. That's a pretty good comp. You know, the running backs are similar, right? Like neither team really has a running game, but they can but they can run their quarterbacks can move when needed. Josh Allen has a much better runner than than Matt Stafford. You know, Mike, Mike kind of goes back and forth. Because it's so funny. A few weeks ago, Mike was like, Oh, Matt Stafford, you know, basically for lack of a better term and I'm slightly putting words in his mouth because he wasn't as harsh but basically saying that Stafford was overrated, even though in the offseason he wanted Matt Stafford into when he
Dave Clarke:is overrated, but but
Joe Malkin:he is and and I think with the team that they have there, I think they're volatile. I think they could explode at any moment. There's a lot of big personalities in a in a small space. And I agree with you that the bills in the rent like the I think in Bobby's top five there's only three teams that could win the Super Bowl. And then there's the Rams the bills in the Cowboys. And I I think the rams and bills are just, you know, like you just said they have the talent. They have the ability to get there. But unless they play each other, neither one of them is going to win the Super Bowl this year.
Dave Clarke:I don't know man, the cowboy was like, I like the Cowboys. I think that the
Joe Malkin:show you want to talk about the box before we talk or the Cowboys before we talk about box.
Dave Clarke:Well, I mean the bucks the bucks, right? It's like okay, it's Tom Brady, like chances are, you know, he can win you fucking Super Bowl. Like he still looks the same level. He always he's always looked. I think that that you know, there was a little bit more mystery to that team last season, so they probably want a few more regular season games, but it's Tom Brady in the playoffs like what do you what do you think's gonna happen? He's probably he's gonna give every they're gonna give everybody they play a game. Like a hell of a game. Um, they match up poorly against the Packers. You know, I think that I think the Packers I'm hoping to Christ that they're not as good as everyone saying. I think they are. I don't know, man. I don't know. All loot box. All right. All right. So the books Yeah, the books and books. So the Bucs are still pretty much the same team, right that they were that they were last year.
Joe Malkin:I think there's four nets out right now. And that could be a big problem. Sure,
Dave Clarke:but I just think that I think that the way that they're currently constituted they could. Nobody would be surprised if Tom Brady made another playoff run and win another Super Bowl show.
Joe Malkin:We know that we know that Tom Brady is comfortable throwing to any receiver on that sideline. Scotty Miller, which again, saw last year and I've said it and I'll say it again when he threw that past with eight seconds left in the second and the first half against I believe it was the Packers in the playoffs at halftime to Scottie morels like done, it's over. Bucks won the Super Bowl. Because if Tom Brady's playing like that, that lights out, and he's working with what he's got, he'll be fine. Raul Jones just need to hold on. So it's also just like,
Dave Clarke:it's you know, it's a sort of a veteran mentality thing to say Tom Brady's gonna take you to the playoffs and he's going to tell everybody in the team exactly the way they need to be thinking about exactly the things they need to be doing. Everybody needs to be in bed by nine o'clock. If you're looking Tom Brady team, you know, you need to get a full night's sleep. No one's dicking around, you're not going to get any kind of crazy. Um, curveballs thrown at you from that perspective. And I just think yeah, I mean, he could just, it's boring to say, but he could just win another one. I would just be like, cool. I guess Tom Brady is still the greatest of all time. I saw a crazy stat today that was like it was I forget exactly what it was. But it was like he he led the NFL in touchdowns the one year that they didn't win the division that he didn't win this division. But he's still at the NFL and touchdowns. And the other year, they didn't win the division was he tore his ACL a year. And but that was even weird because you guys still went like 11 and five.
Joe Malkin:Mr. Plum.
Dave Clarke:Someone's at my front door. I have a ring doorbell now. It's very fancy. But, but yeah, so but he's still like, he still wants division. It's like what Tom Brady was the division every single fucking time. And I yeah, I don't know. He's just he's, he's likely just gonna come in and do Tom Brady shit. You know, and I just
Joe Malkin:said about Tom Brady is the problem with the Patriots have right now is that Tom Brady's in Tampa saying, Hey, this is the way we're gonna do it. This is the way it's gonna happen. And that leadership, that personality and that identity is no longer in the New England locker room.
Dave Clarke:We're not having Tom Brady is a huge fucking problem for me. Yeah, well,
Joe Malkin:but not having a personality is the bigger is the is the bigger problem.
Dave Clarke:I mean, he can't you know, it's like, I mean, to go back to the Patriots then in that case, it's like, I remember and I know I always do this, but I remember when Liverpool's version of Tom Brady, Steven Gerrard left the team and it's like he was the captain. And he handed off the captaincy to the new guy, Jordan Henderson. And what you kind of come up against is a lot of the fan base wants more of what they already had because of the success that that big personality brought. But Mac Jones isn't Tom Brady, he's never gonna be Tom Brady. So you got to let him grow into who he is as a person and I just do not think that the Patriots fan base is doing that right now.
Joe Malkin:Within as well. I think the problem here so I'm sure I mean, from within the veterans want what direction they want an identity they
Dave Clarke:really are either tough two, rookies are tough because there's a leadership position in the team. So you know, it's it's tough to ask it's the big shoes to fill as I'm saying. So yeah, the him not being Tom Brady's definitely a problem but like you were saying he's in Tampa doing that same shit right now. It would almost be so much nicer for Mac Jones if Tom Brady just retired. But the batteries like still out there doing Tom Brady shit is
Joe Malkin:it was gonna be hard for no matter if you're a man. I mean, it was for cabinet last year, right? Everybody was like, oh, but but everybody knew who came. The thing was is if you if you watch the Patriots at all, and you watch the NFL you knew Cam Newton was, but not everybody is it? If we have anybody in Tuscaloosa listening, just hold onto your hats with this one. Not everyone watches Alabama football. Not everyone launches college. Well, I know Craig. So they don't always know who you're getting out of college. So they do see what you see on the scouting report. What and those are always spun to be positive, positive. Right. So the fan base is like the guy that gets picked, whatever. So you're right. He's never going to be Tom Brady and and that's unfortunate for him and and for the fan base. Because he is going to be Mac Jones and I like a lot of his makeup. And I like I like a lot of what and who he is. He's just in a crapshoot position right now. And as a fan base, the Patriots fan base is tough on him. And I can think
Dave Clarke:of a lot of rookie cubies that would have folded before now. Absolutely. In the situation. He's in its own sign. Um, but yeah, the Bucs could probably win the Super Bowl. I mean, most boring taking the day but yeah, they probably could. So I mean, I hope it doesn't happen. I'm sick of seeing that guy went for observables saying, Oh, it's no one ever already. Nobody is ever gonna know quarterback is ever gonna win as seven Super Bowls, it's just not gonna happen. So you could just fuck off Tom, like, that'd be great for all of us. That'd be really great. Watch her watch him come back and coach and we'd like for more.
Joe Malkin:Well, that's a different conversation for a different day. But,
Dave Clarke:um, yeah, so as we were gonna, as we're gonna move on to the Cowboys, I fucking like them. Do they remind me so much of the Oh, six bears, they? That defense is fun to watch. I've been saying it. I know. It's fun to make fun of the Cowboys, I think because when we were all kids, like little kids, the Cowboys are really good. And I think that whole America's team thing pissed us all off a little bit. And I think that a lot of their players when we were growing up, especially were like, really annoying. You know, like, the treatments of the world were like, just very annoying players to watch. Also, they're in Texas, which is like, well, um, so it's like all this stuff that like kind of adds up and they're blue and I'm more of a red team guy. But all these little things add up and you're just like, I fuckin hate the Cowboys. Like it's just by default, Jen. You know, obviously Jerry Jones being like a megalomania maniacal fucking dashpot. Like, he was clearly like saying racist shit behind closed doors, even though I can't prove that. But like, yeah, he's obviously awful. So all these things add up to hitting the Cowboys. But that defense is so fun to watch. It really is like, they really do like play, they play lights out every week. And like all it is, and I've been through this before. So I have a lot of sympathy for our good friend, Bobby, when he comes in to the chat talking about the Cowboys. The offense has to step their game up, and they need to, they don't even need to win the game. Like their offense is in a position where they don't even need to win the games for their team. They just need to not fucking fuck it up and not lose. And like, I think that's so dangerous in a year where nobody really has like the same identity that they had last year, in a year where everybody's like a little more rickety than they were last year, in a year where if they overcome the best team in their conference, they likely will pay will play a less good team in the Super Bowl. I can see it I can see the path I could see like I don't want to fuck it like at Bobby's hopes up here. Because listen to this. They see it. They're good. They're good. I know the Washington football team are not good. I know that. But it doesn't matter if you're a good team or a bad team if you get blown out as badly twice as badly as they did by the Cowboys. Like that's the Cowboys are doing some right. And I and therefore they're the funnest team to watch this year. There he is far and away the funnest team to watch this year. And the Patriots are the least fun to watch this year. For me that.
Joe Malkin:I mean, well that's because the Cowboys are kind of that they they mimic a lot of the teams we saw in the early 2000s where they have the high flying offense that can they can either chip away or they can beat they can take the lid off right. And then they have that defense that is just absolutely relentless. I will say that Trayvon Diggs is not the Defensive Player of the Year, he's actually not having a very good year for a guy that has 11 interceptions. But besides the point, he Micah Parsons is without a doubt the best defensive pick in the draft without a doubt. The guy's an animal he is he will go down if he can stay healthy. He will even after you know a great career will go down as one of the best linebackers to ever play the game. If he can, if he can continue what he's doing. And he's got his head on straight and he understands what he's doing. And this is such a Mike McCarthy team, right? Like this is what the Packers were in the early Aaron Rodgers days after Mike Sherman left to go coach football he retired and then went to coach football at Mahshid High School in in Orleans, Massachusetts. Or used him one of the two anyway on the cape it's all the same um, but such a Mike McCarthy team to put this kind of a defense together and then have kind of a high flying offense to back it up and you want a Super Bowl that way in Green Bay Did he win to this Rodgers have one or two was one though they won given Aaron Rodgers more suitable? Is that right? I'm sorry. I'm sorry. His ex girlfriend just had a baby. But besides the point with John Malini also besides quite hilarious Oh, he
Dave Clarke:was dating Olivia Munn. Yeah. And
Joe Malkin:then they broke up while she was pregnant, and she had the baby like on December 27 or something.
Dave Clarke:What do you like read People magazine was
Joe Malkin:I follow her on? She's hot, but she's a Thursday.
Dave Clarke:Okay, gotcha. Gotcha. Gotcha. I know that. Listen, that makes sense. I know the biographies of plenty of hot girls I don't care about
Joe Malkin:so anyway, so yeah, I mean, listen,
Dave Clarke:Mika Parsons. Michael Parsons has been has been the most fun defensive player for me to watch this year. I think the way he goes silent to the sideline reminds me Urlacher I just love it. I really think he's really good. He pressures a quarterback for easy good. Like he gets to that fucking qB. I can't wait to watch him for the next 10 years. He's going to be unbelievable. I think you should get defensive Rookie of the Year, of course. Um, I mean, rookie of the year, maybe defensively the year. It's a lot for me. I mean, you could make an argument for miles Gary, you can make an argument for TJ watt. You can make an argument for those guys every year, but I just think the mere fact that of Parsons being as as fun as he's been an exploding onto the scene in the way that he has, and like you said, how clearly good he's going to be for the foreseeable future. You might as well just like Do yourself a favor as like, as as an organization in the NFL, like give him defensive player of the year because fuck it, you know, he's like, it's he deserves it. He deserves a one first of all, but also, when you look back, it's just gonna be cool. It'd be like shit, he got Defensive Player of the Year, his rookie year, that's super cool. You know what I mean? It's like it's, it's, he's been super fun to watch and I'd like it you know, I'm very happy for Bobby that he has him because he looks more like a bear.
Joe Malkin:And I was gonna say that when you said the lacquer thing, right? Because he is kind of a quintessential bear style linebacker, I mean, are lacquer and Mac parts it looks like all three of those guys were pretty much cut from the same mold. I mean, or lacquer was a little bit bigger than everybody on the other two guys. Yeah. And
Dave Clarke:our air Locker was kind of more of a cover tea guy as well. Like, uh, you know, he didn't pressure that to he can that's the crazy thing at both of them were really good at because of the sidelines like I mean I just remember right or like or being able to strafe like incredibly incredibly quickly to the point where he was always he didn't make the tackle he was always at the scene of the crime you know? And I think that reminds me a little bit of that I think he's probably more athletic than or lacquer but he um, you can't edge rush you can't run around the edges as an offense coming up against this cowboys team because it because he can hit he can even if he doesn't see which direction the plays going he can get to the edge so fast that there's there's nowhere for you to go you know so switch places tackles it you know this is one of the biggest things I always say about a defense like great you know, okay you can you can you get a picker to cool you score some points cool. The most important thing for me as a defense is to complete your tackles Don't fucking lose tackles the bears went from being one of the best tackling teams as far as like not failing to bring a guy down on the first tackle to recently since the in the matt naggy era being one of the worst two or three. So and it's so frustrating to watch as a player because I've worked in the Patriots have always been really good at this. They always complete their first tackle. You know, it's like the if you get to the guy, you got to bring him down. You have a guy like Micah Parsons on your team, he's always gonna make the play. He's always gonna make the tackle you cannot like that's so rare to defensive player, because he's so fast. A lot of times guys that fast. They overrun their tackle, you know what I mean? But he's like he's stopping slow down and speed up seat speed is so crazy. And his awareness for a rookie is so crazy that like, oh, yeah, it's gonna be awesome to watch him i The only thing I can really hope is that, like the Cowboys somehow going to insolvency and somebody else gets him but otherwise he's gonna basically be a defensive stalwart in Dallas for the next 10 years,
Joe Malkin:which is what they wanted. Leighton Vander ash to be and he just yeah, they're not gonna say no, like Shawn Lee. They wanted him to be that Leighton Vander ash, they wanted him to be that and they finally hit on Micah Parsons. And you know, it's funny because last year, we were like all Mike McCarthy can do this. He can't coach this team. And now this year, everybody's healthy. Everybody's buying in.
Dave Clarke:And I you know, I hear what you're saying about Trayvon Diggs T but like there was a few weeks there where he was making the case for being the best defensive player in the picture crazy. He slowed down a little bit, because I think that's just because nobody, nobody wants to throw over there anymore, because he's so good. So it's tough for defensive backs. That's all I'm saying.
Joe Malkin:That's true. Stephon Gilmore did it but that's besides the point. So I know the chiefs.
Dave Clarke:Yeah, they're they got their mojo back. Oh, yeah, they did. I would, I would be worried about them if I was anybody in the AFC.
Joe Malkin:Without Travis Kelsey, they got their mojo back because Kelsey was out due to COVID this week, and he couldn't clear protocols on Sunday morning. So they play without him. And they want anyway. And they look good. And I think Byron Pringle number 13 a wide receiver. I think he's an underrated in an underrated NFL player. I think he's really good at his position. I think he plays his role well,
Dave Clarke:and they're just protecting fucking homes below but better now, too. You know, like, they definitely run he was running for his life for a few weeks there. And like, I think that that you know, there was yeah, he can still make plays, obviously, cuz he's still Patrick mahomes. I think a little a few skema just I mean, Andy Reid's a good coach. I know everybody like jokes about how much he comes up short, but But it was only there's a handful of guys in the NFL where you can even be pretty sure that when you have a team as talented as them, and they're obviously in a Super Bowl hangover, um, he can probably get them sorted out. And I think the problems were kind of there for all to see, um, offensive line wise, you know, playmaking wise. Yeah, they're, I mean, it's tough to get to the level that they were at, at this point last season, because they were playing out of their freakin minds offensively. But yeah, I think they just got it sorted out. I think they have their mojo back. They're definitely the favorites in the AFC right now. And it'd be really boring to see a Packers chief Super Bowl, but I mean, it's probably the most likely outcome at this point. Unless I'm forgetting somebody.
Joe Malkin:Um, well, as far as the cheese. I mean, I think another thing when you said they're protecting mahomes butter, they blew up that entire offensive line. Yeah. Now I'm basically saying like for new offense, one, I think either 60 or 80% only
Dave Clarke:doing way to go. The only way to get stuff at that point.
Joe Malkin:But so you're talking about the Packers and chiefs being the Super Bowl. i i You could make a case for the Cowboys getting there. I just don't think they did.
Dave Clarke:I didn't make a case. It just happened.
Joe Malkin:I know. I know he did. But I just don't think I don't think that they're mentally strong enough to finish. To finish. I think, Matt Leflore and Aaron Rodgers, Bruce Arians and Tom Brady are those are two more mentally tough combinations than McCarthy and Prescott that you know what I mean? Like I know it takes more than a coach and a quarterback to do it. Right. But,
Dave Clarke:but emotionally as a coach and a quarterback.
Joe Malkin:Most addicts go. I think based on what we've said about the box, I think that, you know, going back to again, something else that Mike has said is that Aaron Rodgers can't get over that hump. Often either. He did it once, but he can't get over the hump.
Dave Clarke:I think Mike's again, I think Mike's take is still very much in play, which actually just chokes in the playoffs not chokes, but like he just can't get it done in the playoffs. I think that's very much in play. I also think if we're going to talk about the Packers, I just think there's two ways to look at it. Right? There's there's the positive way to where you say, well, they always make the play to win the game. They make the play and they're winning the games. Or you say Why are they beating the Browns by two points if they're the best team in the NFL? You know what I mean? And I think that I think that the jury's still out because you have all these intangibles, especially with with Rogers his track record in the playoffs because you know, this isn't 2003 anymore. If it was 2003 what we'd be saying is, I think this guy's been to a Super Bowl before he knows how to win one. But that's not the standard anymore, is it if you're as good as everybody says, Aaron Rodgers is dead now that Tom Brady's won a fucking bajillion Super Bowls. He's changed the standard the standard now is you only want one and I think that's fair enough to be honest. Really because the guy showed a guy went out there and showed what greatness is he set the bar different the bars just different now. I even paid Manny more one more than one I understand he was just kind of on the bus for the last one but he did it you know and I and I think everybody was sort of saying like that sort of sealed greatness for him when he did that because he needed those two rings as opposed to just one Aaron Rodgers high need need him to retire with only once your bowl like me like I might Happy Gilmore him if he's about to throw the winning touchdown just run him over with my car. While he's on the field.
Joe Malkin:It'd be good because loved Mrs.
Dave Clarke:I mean, listen, it's I don't move as quick as I used to be but But if all the heart is there, I need him to retire with just one because I can just I can just post that forever, you know? Yes, of course it is.
Joe Malkin:I just wanted to I wanted to make sure Yeah,
Dave Clarke:but like I do think I mean honestly, if you look at it if gun to your head right now, if you look at the Green Bay Packers yes, they're they're making the place to win the games. But they're not beating they're not being bad teased by as much as they should. They have weird moments in games and Aaron Rodgers has that kind of play off. Stank, you know, like he doesn't get it done. He's turned into a different guy a lot of the time in the postseason. Like I there's reasons why that might not happen this year. I get I get it. You know, he does look exceptional this year. He really does. And that team looks exceptional this year, especially after kind of a shaky start. Last year to though I mean, it was Yeah, sure. That's what I'm saying. Would you gun to your head if you could bet on any team right now to win a Super Bowl would you really put your money on the Packers like no Yeah, well there's something there's something to be said for for this safe bet like that, you know, but I there's my my overall point being there's something about him, you know, there's there's got to be some there's something about him everyone's picking up on and everyone's always saying it like there's something not quite right with that packers team. And, you know, you made the point, the very start of the show, like they're, they're very well rounded. You know, they and I think that normally, that would be the thing I'd be looking forward to your bowl contender come week 16 week 17. Um, you know, well roundedness, I think that was a big part of the Bucs last season. I think like there was like no glaring weaknesses and We're on the field. And yeah, they came up against the Chiefs team where you couldn't really point to any glaring weaknesses, either. But, you know, that's that's solidity I think is a big deal when it comes to postseason as well as momentum. And I think they do have both of those things. Should I talk myself into the Packers being good? God dammit, Jeff.
Joe Malkin:Well, I'll talk you out of it, because I think the Packers have the same thing. Something similar to what I think the Cowboys have. Okay, I just don't I think that the Packers have the same thing. I think there's too much. I don't even really know the word. There's too much.
Dave Clarke:They're kind of on a knife edge. They play on a knife edge. You know, they play in a high shore it both of them. And I love to see them. I don't know. I don't I don't have the standings in front of me. So I'm not sure how that would work. Like, would they see each other in the NFC Championship game at this point? Because they're both division leaders? Yes. So yeah, so if it's the NFC Championship game, and they play each other, I'm taking the foot cowboys every single time like
Joe Malkin:packers, I would do 100% packers because I think from what I
Dave Clarke:hear that kind of team, they're the exact kind of team to make Aaron Rodgers fuck up the way that he fucks up in the playoffs.
Joe Malkin:Malla floor and Aaron Rodgers are two pretty the
Dave Clarke:can I use? Yeah, they're not grainy enough. But now they're the
Joe Malkin:cat. No, no, they're not. But the Cowboys just don't. I just don't think the Dak and and McCarthy
Dave Clarke:have they needed to go they need to go the way they needed to go. Yeah, I know. But
Joe Malkin:McCarthy I think McCarthy beats Rogers. I'm with you on that. Right.
Dave Clarke:Right. See, that's the thing. Like I feel like he knows right like that he needs perfect. It's like it's setup so perfectly. Like, I would love that. I would love that so much. I would love to have like back the Cowboys, like being a supporter of them and like how their defense is playing, like, supported them and be like, Come on, man. You're doing great. I mean, there's been times obviously this season where I just wanted to fuck with Bobby. But I really have genuinely realized
Joe Malkin:you just we just put them in the Super Bowl. And that's all he's gonna do. I
Dave Clarke:bet I bet them to win the Superbowl. I think they're gonna do it. And their odds are great right now. Their odds are unbelievable. And like, the momentum thing for me, it's always the momentum thing for me going into the playoffs and they just look like they've got it. They've, they've got they've got it all figured out. Like it's all coming together just at the right time. And it's just looking good. Of course, they'll probably lose in the first bucket round knowing my gambling history in the Cowboys playoff history. But it's gonna be exciting. It's going to be a cool playoff because at the end of the day, anything can happen isn't you got to pay the
Joe Malkin:mortgage somehow. So you got to hope that they win. Yeah, no, I bet the home mortgage Don't Don't tell me. All right, we won't tell him. But looking at the top 10 I think now that we're going into week 17 I think it's kind of we can take the playoffs can kind of take shape. And we can say alright, the two best teams left in the AFC are the chiefs and the Rams chiefs in the bill. Sorry, I looked at the rams and men bills, chiefs in the bills. But when you look at the NFC, the Packers, the Cowboys the Bucs, like there's three teams right there. And even the Cardinals. I mean the Cardinals are not a bad football team. They're a good football team, but I just don't think that they've reached Aaron Rodgers cowboys as a whole.
Dave Clarke:Well see issues. They're just gonna be tough for them in the playoffs,
Joe Malkin:and they could eventually be that team. So we're gonna find out in a few years because Kliff Kingsbury and Kyle Murray oh yes guys. Sky's the limit for him go for those guys are going anywhere but I I think you said packers chiefs and I'm not going to make a Super Bowl prediction right now and I know you didn't either. But you know, packers chiefs looks likely. I mean, coyotes, I'm into the Cowboys but I'm gonna still Go Bucs chiefs. I just think that that's we said it last year that these are kind of the two teams that right now we're just leading the charge. And I think they'll continue to do that as we go into the playoffs. And maybe I'm wrong. And maybe a team like the bangles or the bills in the Patriots or even the Colts jump on somebody and maybe the Colts go all the way and win it with Jonathan Taylor and we can shove it down Mike's throat but a team led by a running back won a Super Bowl.
Dave Clarke:Yeah, I doubt it. But I do think I do think the Colts have a bright future. They do arts the cards have a bright future. The Titans still have a bright future. Um, I don't know about the Ravens dude, to be honest with you. I feel like Lamar is not that dude. I think it's official. I just I think he's a great athlete. If he's a great football player. He's a great quarterback. I know it's a boring taking. Everybody has it, but I don't know. I don't see it. I don't see it.
Joe Malkin:They're weird team. Sure. And it's and they've had enormous fun,
Dave Clarke:like every other game because he gets COVID twice a day.
Joe Malkin:I know. I can see. And and you know what, he is a good athlete. And his his throwing has gotten better. You know, we look at we sent it about the Steelers, like some something's off with that team. I think something's off with the Ravens. And I think it probably starts at the head coach. But again, you know, I look at it now and it's in a lot of times when we talk about head coaches because you have the Hot Seat head coaches. You have the urban Meyer's you have the Dave collies you have you know, Maggie, Maggie Yeah Who's definitely a hot seat like I anything? Yeah, I don't even think Dan Campbell's on the hot seat in Detroit. I think the way that the the owner of the lions hugged him after that went over the Vikings. He's there for at least another year. But you look at some of these coaches and it's so funny because all the time you say, well, if they get rid of naggy well who's going to come in and be the head coach, they get rid of belcheck Who's going to come in and be the next head coach. We'll just in the top 10 right here of Bobby's rankings. low floor is a one to 30 year head coach. You have Sean McVeigh in LA who's in his what fifth year, fourth year, so I mean, the bangles It's Zack Taylor, who's in a second season. I mean, Frank rakes a little bit older, but then you have Kliff Kingsbury with the Cardinals too. But my point being is that you do have these young coaches that are now emerging and changing the game a little bit and being pretty good in their first few years. So I think the coaching changes in Pittsburgh, Baltimore and definitely Chicago need to come sooner rather than later,
Dave Clarke:man All right, that was good. I do feel it we should talk about the fact that your man's dead for that's super sad. I my question I guess in in that context is who at Wikipedia updates the death so quickly? Because quickly, I heard the news and I looked on the internet for some like John Madden facts, you know, to be like, oh, yeah, like let me give it a little refresher course and it already said was
Joe Malkin:is it all all community edited? Or is there people Oh,
Dave Clarke:there's gotta be one more but fuck, who just sits there and waits for death and changes the tense of is to was and it's it's you know, they know what they're doing over there you know? I only hope that I'm I can only hope the internet kills me as quickly as I die. Um, but sometimes
Joe Malkin:killed before they die. So I would you know what I all I request
Dave Clarke:is like the second you guys hear that I'm dead go on the missing the point website and just change it to was all I want. Now, it's super sad that John said obviously, it was a big part of all of our childhoods and, you know, if you're, if you're into dynactin, he's probably a big thing for you, too. But he was, you know, the game, the commentary, he was great in the replacements, um, he kind of his football in a lot of ways like he, you know, I wasn't alive when he was like the coach of the Raiders. I was alive, where he was the voice of the sport when I was getting into the sport and like him and Al Michaels will always remain that the best football commentary do to me. Yeah, towards the end, he definitely started it's a weird shit if they may be left on the air for a little longer than they should have. But when you're a guy, who with a prestigious and storied career, as long as as big as John Madden's, maybe you get that luxury, so I'm sad that he's dead. It's a bummer. It marks all of our ages and the ever fucking nonstop passing of time and I'm sad about it. So I know his wife and his kids are still alive. So you know, sorry to those guys. It's a bummer. The gentleman's dead for sure. I'm going to play I'm going to play Madden Season after we get off this call. So you know, I think memorization
Joe Malkin:I think you should with the Raiders too.
Dave Clarke:Yeah, that'd be fun.
Joe Malkin:I would say fire Derek Carr immediately did that to himself already. Yeah, it's so interesting because I from like a business standpoint for him and like as a fan for ESPN went him and Al Michaels left it just there's never been a crew. So they've been looking for a crew to take over for those guys. Since they left and nobody nobody can do it. Nobody can be up to that level. And I think they just had that old school sound and that old school style and you know, you're right, we grew up with it. And that was the coolest thing besides the the video game which I basically owned every single one from like 1999 up until probably 2014 16 And it's it's a it was a great legacy and a great life and it was pretty cool and you're right. I mean when you when you think of football you think of John Madden if you you know you of course you think of Lambeau and the Packers and you think of John Madden don't I'm sorry you don't you're embarrassing anything to Brian Urlacher and sugar plums but John Madden was was you know like you said he said some of the the craziest stuff and you know the if you score more points than the other team you're gonna win and you know, as a Patriots fan, one of the most iconic things he ever said was that Tom Brady should kneel the ball and they should go to overtime against the Rams in Super Bowl 36. And, and without hearing it or knowing it, the Patriots drove down the field and won the game and regulation and it was just iconic moment. And nobody hates him for it. Nobody bashed him for it because the guy was lovable. And he was he was great at what he did. He was a great coach and a great ambassador for the game of football and it's probably something the game will need again, but won't have for a very long time. So yeah, it's it's pretty sad.
Dave Clarke:Yeah. Shout out Pat Summerall, too. I forgot about him. I forgot. He was like his main Oh, yeah. This fitting partners in Germany on Michaels days, but yeah, they're a great team. And I think also, you know, we come from the reason we all met is because we all like did radio broadcasting together. So I think, maybe more than a lot of people we have respect for the broadcaster guys. And a lot of times, you know, career journalists or career broadcasters will come in and they'll get paired up with the former football guys and like Tony Roma's of the world and you're like, Yeah, okay, like, you know a lot about the sport, but you know, Dick all about broadcasting. And I think that, one thing I will give gentleman a lot of credit for is that he took to it better than most people and he was he was just a really good personalities pace, his voice, and his ability, I think, second to none, to talk about stuff when nothing was happening in the game. I think he was just like an interesting dude in that way. And he just had like things to say and that way. And one of the best parts of the replacements, like I said, So Craig Eonni. You got any John Madden thoughts? Childhood? John Madden thoughts?
Craig D'Alessandro:I didn't know we retired at 43. From coaching that really surprised me.
Dave Clarke:I defer a second I thought you meant from broadcasting. I was like, You look terrible.
Craig D'Alessandro:He was around a lot longer than that as a coach, because I remember when I was the writers he looked like 50s and 60s, but now 43 Yeah, he
Joe Malkin:was he was he? It's like Willie Nelson. He just always looked old.
Dave Clarke:43 look like in the 80s. Yeah.
Joe Malkin:I hope I don't look that bad in 10 years. Yeah. Well,
Dave Clarke:I mean, that's what happens when you're in Oakland for that long, I guess.
Joe Malkin:Yeah, that's true. Well, no, he wasn't in LA for me. Fucking live
Dave Clarke:to 85 though. Jesus, you know, he would have pegged him getting 85. He didn't look great. When he retired, but like good for him.
Joe Malkin:You know, he never flew from fact the Madden boss was actually Oh, that's right.
Craig D'Alessandro:That he never went to the Pro Bowls in Hawaii.
Dave Clarke:Yeah, he was never gonna clean.
Joe Malkin:Yep, he wouldn't get off to a play. And you know what? I don't really know.
Dave Clarke:Why it's like the safest way to travel.
Joe Malkin:I know. I like to see things on a you know, I mean,
Dave Clarke:tough fact, internet. Let's
Joe Malkin:go back into nag them. I was watching the other night and I told you guys cuz I texted him because Nigel Graf hit a 65 yard field goal movie. And nobody ever talks about that part. And I was like, Wait a minute. Nigel. gruff had the longest field goal until 2021. In the NFL.
Dave Clarke:That's a that's a bonkers field go over. Like, yo man would say like, why are you in a position to take a 65 year old field goal in the first place, man, we got to get yourself some yards. I remember. I remember a really specific soundbite. And one of the Madden's was like, probably oh six, which is the one I played the most. It was like he was like, Well, I don't know why you're going for it on fourth down, because the other three downs told you you can't get enough yards. This is like stuck in my head because I'm like, it's not a bad point. You're going forward a fourth down, you're already prove you suck at getting yards. So there it is. All right. Well, thanks for that. Joe. That was a fun show. Glad NFL season still drunk gives us a lot to talk about Thanks to Bobby for making power rankings to guide us through this wonderful journey of talking about sports, which is kind of the whole thing that we do here, but also get vaccinated. Um, and you know, because you knew your pets, spayed, neuter your pets get vaccinated. Wear your seatbelts and your three point and brush your teeth at least twice a day. But I also like to sometimes do it after lunch because it's stuff gets stuck up there. Actually. Um, yeah, this is all really good advice. And I'm really glad that we're changing the world. Rest in peace John Madden. Thanks for listening.