Two for the Win
"Mike" and "Bryan w/ an I" discuss the latest sports news and events and offer an interactive fan culture.
Two for the Win
Two For The Win - E01
Switching gears to the NFL, we tackle the concerning rise in soft tissue and lower extremity injuries affecting key players like Deebo Samuel and Keenan Allen. What are the underlying causes of these injuries, and how do changes in preseason formats and practice routines play a role? We delve into the NFL's ongoing efforts to minimize head injuries and concussions, and we examine the impact of playing surfaces on injury rates. Are grass fields really safer than turf, and could the shortened preseason be making players more vulnerable?
Join us as we highlight the resurgence of quarterbacks like Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, exploring how coaching systems and team environments shape a player's success. We also analyze the performances of teams with new head coaches and discuss the development of rookie quarterbacks. From key player injuries to intriguing matchups in the upcoming NFL games, we offer our predictions and analysis, ensuring you're well-prepared for an action-packed weekend of football. Tune in for an episode packed with insights, and don't forget to share your thoughts on social media!
Welcome everyone. Thank you for joining us for another conversation about all things sports. I'm Brian with an I and I'm Mike, and we are Two for the Win, mike. What are we talking about today, mike, and we are two for the win, mike. What are we talking?
Speaker 2:about today. Well, on today's episode, we're going to be talking about the MLB postseason, which is rapidly approaching there's only 12 games left and we're going to talk about the IR, which is mounting with every game this year with the NFL, and we're going to be talking about who's hot and who's not in these first few weeks of the NFL. We're only into week three and some teams are surprising us.
Speaker 1:Yeah yeah definitely some surprises start the new year, some expected and you know, some things not you know some things not.
Speaker 2:So, with the approaching MLB postseason, there's still some interesting things to take note of. Right now we have Shohei Otani, who's trying to do something that has never, ever been done in baseball. I mean, you think about baseball, it's been around since the 1800s, so you're talking over 100 years of baseball. I mean, you think about baseball, it's been around since the 1800s, so you're talking over 100 years of baseball. And we've had some big time names. You know people like Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, you know, unfortunately, Barry Bonds and you know, and some of the guys from the steroid era. But Shohei is trying to pull off the 50-50 season, which means 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases, which has never been done, Not once. That's astounding.
Speaker 2:And for most other sports, you know, if this was, you know, a season where a player was throwing in the NFL, if they were throwing like 60 touchdowns and somehow had 60 receptions, it would be on that kind of level. And the problem is is a lot of people just aren't taking notice because baseball doesn't have quite the clout it used to, and that's fine. I mean, you don't have to be a baseball fan. I mean there are a lot of people who aren't, I mean, in this nation, most people are watching the NFL. That's the bag for most people. They love the NFL. Yeah, I mean, that's the bag for most people. They love the NFL.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, I know I'm one of them. I like other sports, but NFL or football in general, is definitely one of my stronger subjects sports.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean it's hard not to be. I mean it's a very polarizing sport.
Speaker 1:Yeah, especially when you grow up on it.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean well, growing up on sports in general, I mean you still have to take note of something when it's being done for the first time and with 12 games left, it's very well possible that Shohei will pull it off, that he will get the 50-50 season. And the other thing that makes this kind of astounding is the fact that he just had elbow surgery before the season and it's the whole reason he's not pitching. Because, if you didn't know, shohei is a two-way star he pitches and he hits. That doesn't really happen.
Speaker 2:The only other player that has done that is Babe Ruth. So when you start saying, hey, the only other player is one of the most well-known players of all time for a sport, you're doing something. So the fact that he's doing this when he's not pitching after having a surgery, and he's doing it in a season where all he's doing is hitting is pretty astounding and he deserves he does. Even if he doesn't get to 50, 50, people do need to give him a little bit of you know a tip of the cap, because this is pretty historic for major League Baseball standards. But we just had today, just recently, that the Brewers have clinched their third NL division title central NL central title.
Speaker 1:I should say Congratulations to them, by the way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they fought a hard road and they did it. There are other teams. They're all trying to clinch. They were starting to get into that territory of the magic number, the magic number being how many games they need to win in order to clinch their spot in the playoffs, and a lot of times it still comes down to the wire. We've got plenty of teams that are still scratching and clawing to get into the wildcard spots, which, as a lifelong Braves fan, I'm really hoping that they can pull it off, but that doesn't always work out for me. So it's okay, though. You know, if they don't make it, it's it's't make it. It is what it is. They've had a lot of injuries this season.
Speaker 1:You said we got some significant news surrounding Luis Acuna, right?
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, speaking of Braves, Ronald Acuna's little brother is now in the majors. So the Mets drafted Acuna's little brother, luis Acuna, and he came up because Francisco Lindor had gotten hurt and he's playing his first game in the major leagues and he hits his first home run as a major leaguer. And that's just really cool. That's something that happens usually at the end of the season when they start expanding rosters, and for him to hit his first home run, it's something special. They'll always remember that Even if all you ever have in your entire career is one home run, you'll remember that first one. And for him, having his older brother is already in the majors hitting home runs, stealing bases. And it's for him having his older brother is already in the majors hitting home runs, stealing bases. You know he's got a lot of hype behind him. They're hoping he'll be like his brother.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, by the way, going back to the Shoya Tana's debt, trying to go 50-50, stolen bases and home runs. Ronald Acuna, jr Luis's older brother, 2023, 40 home runs, 70 stolen bases.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, he did do that. He was shooting for the 50-50. There was talks of it, Sorry 41 home runs 73 stolen bases. Well, they rounded off, so it's a 40-70 season. But going back to his little brother, Luis, I swear that home run swing. He looked just like his brother when he swung that bat. So if he turns out like his brother he's going to be a tear in the major leagues, just like his brother, and the Mets have their future star there. So watch out, Francisco Lindor, you might lose your spot.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, it's always nice in any sport whenever you can see flashes from your young talent. That's always a good feeling, so that young man has a bright future.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and you hope that it's on your team, If you're the team on the other side going. How did we miss out on him? Why didn't we draft him? That's usually a bad day. You admire it, but you're like man. I wish he was on our side.
Speaker 1:And while he's filling in for an urgent player, let's talk about the NFL's IR list man. That's looking pretty interesting here through only week two.
Speaker 2:Yeah, week two and we have players going down like crazy. It's just astounding the big-name players that are going down. I mean one team in general that is feeling the injury bug. The worst is probably the Rams, because not only do they lose in week one, nipuka Kua, who he wasn't even touched he was literally going to the ground to catch a pass and it looked so routine but then he's grabbing for his knee and now he's on the IR and he's done for the season. The next week they have Cooper Cup go down, so their best two receivers go down to injury.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And it's astounding that the amount of injuries that are happening. It's a lot of calf injuries. Like Debo Samuels has a calf injury, you have a heel injury for Keenan Allen and in the Giants game their kicker, just trying to cover a guy on a kickoff, pulls his hamstring. Now I get it, it's a kicker. Most people don't count the kicker as an athlete. But let's face it, Some of these kickers they are athletes and your whole job is to kick a ball. So your legs have to be the most you know ready to go. You have to have the most muscle in your lower body. Like nobody cares if a kicker has, you know, big biceps, they just want to make sure that you have a mule leg.
Speaker 1:Just make the kick, man.
Speaker 2:Yeah, just make the kick. We don't care beyond that, kick the ball. But you know, graham Gonneau, he's just trying to do his job and cover the kick returner and pulls his hammy I mean like Lord. And it begs to ask the question what is the uptick of these soft tissue injuries? What is the uptick of these soft tissue injuries? What is the cause?
Speaker 1:And lower extremity injuries as well, to go along with that Soft tissue and lower extremity injuries.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, yeah, I mean, like some things are pretty apparent. Like you know, if you have a lineman rolling up on your knee, like Jordan Love did in the game in Brazil, then yeah, you can kind of understand. Okay, yeah, he had a huge guy on your knee, like Jordan Love did in the game in Brazil, then yeah, you can kind of understand. Okay, yeah, he had a huge guy on his knee. Of course he's hurt.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean those things you know happen. Bang bang plays and what I call poor technique plays often result in injury.
Speaker 2:Oh, you mean like somebody doing the old hip drop tackle and rolling up on somebody's calf or cup blocks? Yeah Well, those are illegal now, and so are the hip drop tackles.
Speaker 1:There's a right way and a wrong way.
Speaker 2:There is, there is. I actually saw a player on the Jets. He was running after a 49ers player in their game and what would have been a typical hip drop tackle kind of move, he didn't do it. He didn't do the hip drop, he kind of came over and he allowed the offensive player's momentum to take him to the ground. So he kind of just came and just almost gently shoved him to the ground and then he just kind of fell to the ground out of the way, which is almost next to impossible when you're moving at full speed. But kudos to him to doing it. Good try, fella. You know these preseasons have gotten chopped. It used to be four games, now it's down to three games. Well, let's face it Starters, they do not play. In the first game they might do a series and then they're out of there. The next game they might do two series, maybe a quarter, and they're out of there.
Speaker 1:Yeah it's very abbreviated, especially with the new format.
Speaker 2:But there's some teams, like the Rams, who decide that they're going to do no starters, we're not playing our starters, and it kind of started the whole trend of we're not playing our starters and I wonder if that might be hindering or aiding I should say aiding in these uptick in soft tissue injuries Because you're not getting up to game speed. Let's face it a non-contact pad drill or without pads doing these drills and shorts, it's not the same. You're not going after guys taking them to the ground Now, granted, don't ever do a practice in preseason and take your quarterback down, but you need to consider the fact that there's a reason that they did these things in the past. They were doing these things to get you ready for game speed, not have you show up for game day and not ready to go.
Speaker 1:I think there's a good argument on both sides, but there's something to be said for valuable live game experience, even if it's just the preseason. You can't replicate it and just like when they did away with padded practices several years ago, there was a big controversy around that about how it's going to affect injuries. Will there be more, will there be less things like that? Yeah, overall, the abbreviated season and, you know, reducing padded practices overall has reduced the number of overall injuries, especially lower ligament injuries. Now, concussions is up slightly last year, even though it is down from the overall four. I think it was like 219 from 209.
Speaker 2:Well, you have to give it to the NFL. They have made it a point to. We need to get away from hitting people in the head, and they've been very blatant with these calls. If you go at the quarterback and your hand just comes down and hits him in the head penalty, they are making a point for no shots to the head, no defenseless receivers. They're making a point to reduce the number of injuries, which should be the focal point anyway. I agree it is a rough sport. Well, I was always told when I first started playing sports, and especially with football. I was always told if you don't want to get hurt, don't play.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Flat out don't play, get hurt, don't play. Yeah, flat out, don't play, and it's that's. It's right. You won't get hurt if you don't play. But you know, for those who have ever played a sport and loved it as much as we do love sports you can't just say to somebody look you, you've been hurt too many times, stop playing. To anybody Exactly exactly. It's a really hot-button topic right now because they just put two on IR.
Speaker 2:So, now he can't play for the next four games. And it makes sense to a point because he's had multiples and and once you've had one concussion and I'm speaking from my own experience because I've had multiple concussions once you've had one it becomes easier to have another so, and the impact becomes greater the more you have them well and and you don't really know the full scope of the damage, sometimes until way later in life.
Speaker 2:I mean, that's why we're having all these players with CTE issues and players like Junior Seau, who he was complaining about.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 2:I want to refrain from saying complaining. He was trying to bring attention to he was suffering, there was issues and he knew it was because of his head injuries and he ultimately took his life because he was dealing with a lot of really bad issues that stemmed from his playing career Related to that, yeah, and who knows what else is out there that we haven't discovered yet?
Speaker 1:And who knows?
Speaker 2:what else is out there that we haven't discovered yet? You know Well and I mean there's plenty of players over the years that they have a long career and never have to deal with concussions. You know there's other players that they have concussions like crazy. Yeah. I mean Like Wes Welker, his career ended early because of all of the concussions he was sustaining and they basically told him like look, dude, you only get one brain.
Speaker 1:Yeah and you know people, you can take care of yourself all you want. It's just like the game of life. Some people seem like they're made of iron no matter what, and some people just seem like they can't get through, no matter how well they take care of themselves. Some people just seem like they can't get through, no matter how well they take care of themselves, and I just want to point out how ironic it is real quick when Tua got that concussion running head on into well, he was head on, he ran into DeMar.
Speaker 2:Hamlin's chest. Yeah, there's a certain amount of irony in the player that everybody saw have a cardiac moment on the field. He's the one that Tua runs into and gets a concussion from.
Speaker 1:How do you think DeMar is dealing with it? Because he was dealing with his own and now he's on the other end of a player being injured.
Speaker 2:See, the thing is though I don't think it most football players they'll tell you it's football. You know they'll say it's football. It can happen on any play. Majority of these players they have either seen, been through or had it happen to somebody they know, so it's not new territory for them. I mean these football players. They see some of the worst of the worst. They're there on the field. They see the injuries. When you have the old, you're not going to like this one, but the old Washington team, when Lawrence Taylor comes around, you can say it it's okay.
Speaker 1:You can say it no okay. You can say it.
Speaker 2:No, no, I'm not going to say the team name because I'm not going to go there, but no, when Lawrence Taylor comes around and he hits your quarterback and he snaps his leg like a twig and you can see the leg. It's all bent in the L shape in the wrong direction and Lawrence Taylor knew it from the second that it happened. I mean I've heard recounts from them where they say it sounded like a shotgun going off.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's loud Because he snapped his leg.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, the players see these things, so an injury to them. It's like, okay, let's, you know, we wish them well. We don't, we don't like seeing this ever happen to anybody. And we might go ahead and you know, bring the next man in and let's go. You know, it's, it's, there's not, there's not much they can. They can do about that, but you know, injuries are just part of it.
Speaker 2:So, going back to these uptick in injuries beyond the concussion side of it, I'm wondering if a lot of these injuries that have been happening have a little more to do with the turf, because that's been kind of a little bit of a tough issue with a lot of these teams and these players. Well, not so much the teams, more so the players.
Speaker 1:It is becoming a tough issue with a lot of these teams, these players yeah, well, not so much the teams, more so the players. It is becoming a bigger uh issue. It's being discussed more often now.
Speaker 2:Turf versus grass well, the players have been, you know saying hey look, we'd rather play on grass fields, period, like we don't want to play on turf. A A lot of them, don't? I mean, look, the Cardinals literally roll their field out of the stadium to help the grass grow in the sun and then they bring it inside so it doesn't, you know, get burnt up in the Arizona sun, which is really astounding and crazy that they do that, and if you've never seen a video of it, just check it out. It's pretty cool.
Speaker 2:They have it on a whole rail system and it's not like it moves fast. But just check it out, it's kind of a cool thing. You know one of the only stadiums that does it. I think there's also a few soccer fields throughout the world that do it too, but I don't know the ones offhand.
Speaker 1:I'm not an encyclopedia on people's fields but um, if you're a fan of engineering it, it's a pretty cool thing to see yeah, it really is.
Speaker 2:but yeah, I think the players have a claim. I mean, I, I've played on grass, I've played on turf and, and the turf is, it's different, it has a little give to it but it's kind of springy, it's got a little bounce to it. It's got a little weird feel to it and once you're playing you don't really notice it. It's not like dirt.
Speaker 1:You're not going to dig into it like you are in dirt.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's none of that and there's none of the. Well, if you're wearing the right shoes, you're not slipping as much. Yeah, but you know the uptick in injuries might be due to these field conditions. I mean, going back to nipuka akua, his injury was a non-contact as he was cutting for the ball. He cuts for the ball, kind of dives down to the, to the ground, catches the ball and then everybody's like oh good, play, come on, get up. And he's like no, no, my knee, my knee hurts. Well, nobody touched him, nobody hit him.
Speaker 1:But he has a knee injury.
Speaker 2:You know same thing with Graham Cano the kicker Nobody touched him, he was just running and his hamstring went yeah. Debo his calf is hurt. And again, I mean he played the entire game but now he has a calf injury. You know there's all kinds of injuries happening that are soft tissue injuries. Yeah, does it become the field conditions?
Speaker 2:are the reason? Is it the shortened preseason where starters are not playing? You know those preseason games are to help these players get up to game speed and if you're taking that away it's like okay well, yeah, and the global commercialization of the NFL.
Speaker 1:You know trying to spread their wings, so to speak. You know, expand the game, grow the fan base. You know game obviously. You know the game schedule and I think part of the argument between turf and grass probably goes into partly affordability and efficiency.
Speaker 1:They might think it's more efficient to maintain, but as far as the grass or the turf, the turf, yeah, and I mean I'm kind of shooting I'm kind of shooting from the hip here, but it seems like a lot of these it's you know the between the injuries and the schedule and the global commercialization of the nfl. You know everything's all rolled into one ball so well.
Speaker 2:So are you saying that when they take and they play a game overseas or in another country, then the field conditions aren't NFL conditions, they're soccer or, you know, european football conditions, not American football conditions. They don't have the same standards and it was kind of apparent in the Brazil game with all those players that were slipping and sliding and having issues getting any kind of traction. So you're saying that maybe the expansion of the game to have a wider reach might be also hindering these players?
Speaker 1:I think that it's having an impact. I think that they're trying to balance player safety while also trying to squeeze as much as they can out of the game.
Speaker 2:Oh, no doubt.
Speaker 1:That also goes into what it takes to maintain and build these fields, or build and maintain these fields, and I think the artificial versus grass might be part of that.
Speaker 2:Well, a lot of these players jokingly say and they have a right to say it because they're the ones doing it but they jokingly say that the NFL doesn't stand for National Football League. It stands for not for long, not for long.
Speaker 1:And, by the way, I favor grass. I'm not trying to say that I favor turf. I've played on both.
Speaker 2:I can tell you that the turf is way easier to maintain than the grass, because you don't have to have a ground crew, you don't have to pay for sod and soil and seed and water systems and all of that yep but that is what the game was. Yeah, you know and the reason. The reason lambo field is so iconic is because it's been there forever yeah, they're not going to have a false turf stadium ever. It's going to be grass, because that's what Lambeau has always been and always will be.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's the football way. I mean, you look at some of these classic games. There was mud, there was snow, there was wind, there was rain, right, they had ice.
Speaker 2:They had ice had ice.
Speaker 1:Right, the elements is part of the game. Okay, uh. But again, going back to my point, what I was saying and what you hit on with the affordability of it, I think the nfl, they're seeing dollar signs right, and owners too. You know, some of them want to do what's good for their pocket, some of them want to do what's good for their pocket, some of them want to do what's good for their pocket and for their players or player safety, and some of them want to do what's good for player safety and for the good of the game or the future of the game.
Speaker 1:So, everybody's priorities are seemingly in different areas, but they're all kind of headed in the same direction. But you do see it impacting the game and the injury level.
Speaker 2:Well, nobody in the NFL is in the business to lose money, period. Not the players, not the owners, not the brand. They're not looking to lose money. So, whatever they can do to keep the juggernaut of the NFL growing, they're going to do. Yeah, I mean, at some point it's not feasible, though, like I hate to say it, as much as the NFL is popular and they're on this meteor trajectory and just taken off, at some point they will plateau Because, I hate to say it, you can't have a team constantly flying over to Europe. You know some cases it's, you know, 12 hours or more to get there. You can't have a team do that for their home games. Yeah, you know like, and have these teams that like what, if you're a team in Los Angeles or a team in Washington and flying all the way over to Germany for a game, I mean that's some serious jet lag, yeah, and they've experimented with NFL Europe before.
Speaker 2:Well, that's why they do them on a different type of schedule. Different type of schedule different season.
Speaker 1:I think the league is a lot smaller. It was like a, the one I saw had to be like 20 years ago. It happened to be on TV one day while I was flipping channels. That's actually how I knew about it. That's when I discovered that it was over there.
Speaker 2:I know Washington played a game in Japan, but it was a preseason game Long, long time ago. I forget what year it was, but they went over there and they played a game, but it was a preseason. So it wasn't like they were dicing up the season like they do now, where they take two teams and you guys are going to london and then these two teams they're going to germany and these two teams are going to brazil.
Speaker 2:You know, so it's, it's, it's a different thing yeah, like I understand growing the game, but at some point you gotta also think about where the money is. A lot of the money is A lot of the money is here in the States. A lot of these players and fans, they want to be here in the States because you have a stadium, you have a home game. Now you're taking a home game away from those loyal fans that have been there, some of them since day one, and now you're taking away from them.
Speaker 1:Well, that's just like with any other nfl relocation, right, you take it oh yeah, one fan base and give them to. I remember when they talked about basing excuse me, when they talked about potentially moving the jaguars to england. Yeah, that's never gonna happen. Um, and I mean shod khan, with all the money he has, he can make it happen. You know, if they approved it, but I think that I think we, what's that?
Speaker 2:well, he has money, but he also has plenty of other interests vested in the football European football yeah, because he owns a soccer club as well, but he's, I just don't see where it's feasible.
Speaker 1:I think they will make their way overseas, especially with technology and communications, evolving TV and everything like that. People sports, people with platforms. They have a much farther reach today, especially with social media and broadcasting, than they did before. They have a much farther reach today, especially with social media and broadcasting, than they did before. So I think that eventually you could see teams based in UK, Germany, Japan, definitely Canada, Mexico.
Speaker 2:They did have the NFL Europe for a little while.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we hit on that before and then, like what you're talking about, earlier, in 2002, washington did play in the American Bowl in Osaka, japan. Yeah, I found exactly what you're talking about there. It did happen. It was interesting information.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was a while ago. Like I said, I can't be an encyclopedia on everything. I have some sports knowledge, A lot of it useless. We do the best we can, but yeah, I mean the whole first few weeks of this season. It has brought up many stories and brought up a lot of injuries and that's one of the things that everybody loves about the nfl. You know it's any given sunday exactly any given sunday yeah.
Speaker 2:So like we're, and we only have two weeks in and we're already being hit with so many surprises. You know, like we're, we're sitting here, we've got teams that are oh and two, that you wouldn't think would be oh and two, and we've got teams that are two and oh, and it's like wait, how are what? Wait why?
Speaker 1:yeah, how did they do that?
Speaker 2:no, it is definitely eye-opening yeah, well, okay, so, like one, two of the teams that are that are two, and oh, right now is the vikings and the saints, who had that on their bingo card. Yeah, no one, I mean especially, I mean maybe, maybe their fan base is probably.
Speaker 1:You know, as fans we all want our team to win every single game, but that doesn't mean it's going to happen, and especially with the Vikings, you know. I mean, they have good coaching staff over there. They pull everything they can, but Kirk Cousins leaving. I think everybody was like, well, what are they going to do, you know?
Speaker 2:Yeah, like it was probably going to be a down year, but they picked up Sam Darnold and Sam.
Speaker 1:Darnold's having a resurgence.
Speaker 2:Well, okay, I don't want to put the cart before the horse. He's looked good through these first two games. I don't want to sit there and be like, oh my God, he's becoming an astounding player. He's always been a decent player, but maybe it's just a change in scenery. I mean, look at, look at baker mayfield again another team that is 2-0.
Speaker 2:He basically, you know, got booted out of cleveland for for next to nothing. I mean, they, the panthers, picked him up for like a bag of chips and then he didn't do much there and the rams came calling like, hey, you know, stafford went down, can we, can we have a baker mayfield for a little bit?
Speaker 1:and he came in and he played pretty well yeah, and let's, let's look at the history of sam. Let's go back to sam donald real quick comes in under the new york jets, okay. Then goes to Carolina Historically not too strong football programs okay. Goes to San Francisco in 23. Yeah, think he learned a thing or two.
Speaker 2:Well, sitting in Shanahan's system and you know being see, the thing that's good about a Shanahan system is he can almost plan it down to. You will throw here almost. I mean you still have to make the reads. I mean obviously you can't just back up and just throw a ball somewhere and hope that somebody's going to be there. I mean, that's not really what it's for, it's it's he. He layers and has multiples and makes the reads easier on the quarterback. But he breaks down why you're looking for these pass options and when to look for these pass options.
Speaker 2:And I don't think he had that early on Because, if you remember, when he was with the Jets, he had Todd Bowles, who's a defensive coordinator, he's not an offensive guy and he had another coach I forget the coach's name, but he was with the Colts and that guy was trying to coach him like he was Peyton Manning. But he's not Peyton Manning. He couldn't be Peyton Manning because. But he's not Peyton Manning. He couldn't be Peyton Manning Because that's not what he was asked to do in college. He was not asked to be Peyton Manning in college, he was just asked to Adam Gase. That's it, adam Gase. Yes, adam Gase was trying to treat him like he was Peyton Manning. And he could not be Peyton Manning Because, let's face it, if he was Peyton Manning he would have been the number one pick and would have been the consensus number one pick, and in that draft it was Baker Mayfield. But I mean, technically, the Browns didn't get it wrong, they just didn't use Baker to his best ability. Or maybe Baker just wasn't mature enough, because Baker's playing fine.
Speaker 1:I mean, they had Johnny Manziel at one time too.
Speaker 2:He's not you know Well Johnny Manziel's another story, he just was too immature.
Speaker 1:Mayfield. I mean Darnold and Mayfield may be in the same conversation after all Rough start. I mean, look at Genoo smith. You know it took him a few years to get trashed.
Speaker 2:Not everybody's overnight hit, you know and he was drafted by the jets too ironic. You mentioned that funny, funny how the jets players seem to go elsewhere and start playing better. Hmm, funny how that works yeah you know, I mean I don't mean to bang on the Jets. I mean the Jets are a historical team. They have a Super Bowl, albeit it was so long ago you know Can't say anything.
Speaker 1:I'm a Washington fan.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, you know, we're on like our 20,000th quarterback a lot of teams have have their down seasons or their their moments where they feel like they just can't do anything. I mean, remember, one of the teams that's two and oh, right now is the saints, and they used to be the eights to everybody, where their fans are wearing paper bags on their heads, which now the Panthers are. The Panthers are the ones wearing the paper bags on their heads.
Speaker 1:I will say what did, we do. I will say as a lifelong fan. I mean every team has flashes here or there. You might not have a totally good season, but you see flashes, right. It's like a cycle, right Um the team. There are teams out there that don't have any history of even making the playoffs.
Speaker 2:So so you're saying it's like a circle.
Speaker 1:It's a triangular cycle. It's a triangular cycle, Mike.
Speaker 2:No, no, some teams do look like they're sticking a triangle into a circle and like why isn't this working? It's a triangular cycle, mike, you know. No, no, some teams do look like they're sticking a triangle into a circle and like why isn't this working square hole? I can fit this square peg into this round hole. Just watch. Yeah, yeah, and those teams are like you said. There's two teams that are consistently not in the playoffs but I will say it's.
Speaker 1:It's nice having some history, even if I've never experienced it myself. We've been there. I hope other teams eventually get there, but I hope my team gets there first.
Speaker 2:There are teams that have been in the league forever that don't have Super Bowl wins. It's been done where teams don't have a win. But, moving on from the Super Bowl wins or lack thereof, we have teams right now that people were like, oh, they're high on them, they're going to be in the playoffs, they're going for a Super Bowl and they're falling flat on their faces. You know, like the keys in point, the Ravens.
Speaker 1:Yeah, interesting opening to their season.
Speaker 2:They have not won a game yet Now. Granted, they came down to a toe, to losing their first game, because if Isaiah Likely has his big toe off of that back of the end zone, they tie that game up. And who knows if they won in overtime, but the possibility was there.
Speaker 1:That was a good game and a tough game. Yes, now going out to Las Vegas. That should have been a winnable game for that team.
Speaker 2:Yes, you're up 10 in the fourth.
Speaker 1:You should have won that game, yeah they let it slip, man, they really did.
Speaker 2:And that's not taking anything away from the Raiders. They did what they had to do and they came out with the win.
Speaker 1:They got it done yeah, they got it done. Team with with the win they got it done, yeah, they, they got it done.
Speaker 2:team with a new coach, I mean two teams with two new coaches are out there getting it done right now. Well, I mean, he, their coach, isn't new. They had him last year oh, I thought he was.
Speaker 1:He was like he was there in him yeah, he was their interim, oh he was the interim, but they made him the permanent this yeah, he's a permanent coach.
Speaker 2:He's a permanent coach kind of new coach.
Speaker 1:yeah, coach, we'll tell you a kind of new coach, yeah, a new head coach.
Speaker 2:Kind of yeah, I'm counting it. Okay, you can count it, but you know there's other teams that you know, like the Bengals. The Bengals lose to the Patriots in week one. Yeah, no one, no one. I mean so many people that had survivor pools probably picked that game and were out week one because the Patriots under Gerard Mayo, a guy from Hampton Virginia, by the way, salute. Yeah, he sits there and takes that team into their house and wins the game.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that was a hell of a game there.
Speaker 2:Well, their defense is outstanding. He's coaching these guys. It's not so much that somebody's just doing outstanding things on the field, as much as these guys. They're doing their job. They're coaching their players. You have a a job. This is what you will do. Do not deviate from this is the plan. You will stand in this gap or you will close this edge. You will stay on this player.
Speaker 2:Do not move off him yeah, this is your job, do it it sounds so simple, but you see every sunday where somebody comes off of what they were told and taught to do and they wind up losing because of it. So it's it's interesting that that happens. But you know another team that's super interesting the Saints. Yeah, the Saints are 2-0.
Speaker 1:I was just getting ready to bring them up.
Speaker 2:No one had that Now granted again their fan base. Maybe their fan base like, let's face it, every fan base has their believers. I mean, the Cowboys prove that every year they have believers who, that every year they have believers who think every year they're going to the Super Bowl and it's like guys, you didn't make it out of the first round last time, so neither here nor there. But the Saints speaking of Cowboys, they whooped up on them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they walked into their house and, by the way I called that. A lot of people called me crazy and I understand, because that happens a lot.
Speaker 2:What people calling you crazy? That one yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay, but I partly wasn't surprised. That's not really a knock on the Cowboys. It's always a volatile game between the Cowboys and the Saints, the Cowboys and the Packers. These teams have some history in recent years of going at it, so I knew there was going to be fireworks.
Speaker 2:Oh well yeah, I mean it's definitely somewhat of a rivalry starting there with the well not starting. It's been there because, I mean, saints-cowboys are pretty close to one another and you know, cowboys fans are passionate, saints fans are passionate and because they're so close they can travel to each other's games Well, not only that.
Speaker 1:you know Derek Carr finally doing what he does best, just slinging the ball man Alva Kamara going off.
Speaker 2:Well, I think also you have to have a good supporting cast.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's got some good receivers, he's got Shahid.
Speaker 2:He's got Alavie Alavie, right, that's how you say it. I think it's Alavie Alavie. Yeah, you're right, you're right, you're right. And then you know, alva Camara is looking like Alva Camara of old.
Speaker 1:He's just you know he's scoring on the ground.
Speaker 2:He's scoring from receiving passes and he's just looking like his old self, and I think it's partially due to their new offensive coordinator. Yeah, do you know who their new offensive coordinator is?
Speaker 1:It's uh, I know who he is.
Speaker 2:Kubiak's son.
Speaker 1:He was in the 49ers system. Is his first name Bradley. Let me pull this up real quick.
Speaker 2:I'm sorry to stump you, but yeah, I heard his name, kubiak. Well, yeah, because his dad was a long-time NFL head coach and assistant.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Gary Kubiak.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Clint Kubiak.
Speaker 2:Yes, clint Kubiak, who was in the 49ers. He was with the 49ers as one of their assistants. Now he's the offensive coordinator with the Saints and, lo and behold, the Saints are looking pretty good. Amazing how you put the team with the right system and they start scoring and looking good. This is why a lot of other analysts have said you need an offensive coach, not a defensive coach, because I mean, look at the Bears. They have probably one of the best quarterback prospects to come out in a long time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and he's not looking good. On paper they should be better than they are. But you know that goes back to some of football's oldest arguments. You know rookie quarterbacks do you just hand them the keys? I'm not trying to start a open a new can of worms. No, no, no.
Speaker 2:But it kind of lends to a point we were making earlier about sam darnall yeah you know, they handed him the keys from jump street with the jets, yeah, and he didn't look good. But he also had, you know, a coach who was not coaching him to what he was capable of doing. He was trying to make him in what he wanted him to be, so it was a bad fit yeah, all all these quarterbacks going off have been around for a few years.
Speaker 1:There's no first year quarterbacks really. I mean jayden daniels he's doing all right, but he's not exactly lighting it up right now, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he's not, you know he's not slinging it all over the yard. He's running, he's making decent reads. It'll take some time, he'll probably play a lot better, but it just kind of shows that sometimes a change of scenery is what's needed.
Speaker 1:And now you know Change of scenery and it gives you a chance to reset mentally like, well, that's probably what young needs, and uh, with the panthers he's, you know in alabama.
Speaker 2:He looks like a can't miss prospect, as far as you know his processing ability and his ability to throw on time and on target. And that's not what he looks like this year. I mean, he throws an interception his very first pass of the season. You can't get more off target than that. No, you know and it's not from a lack of them building a better team, because they have. They have added some pieces, it's just not working. He almost looks like his confidence is done, like he's shot.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I honestly think them benching him might be good for him, because it would give him a chance to clear his mind and it would give him a chance to stay healthy through a potentially bad season. What it looks like is shaping up to be a bad season, rough season.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, they're bringing Andy Dalton in to let him try to see what he can do with the squad and maybe it is a confidence builder for him to let him sit and learn or sit and recalibrate his confidence.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But do you think that they might just be trying to sit him, reevaluate and maybe let him go Send him somewhere else, trade him?
Speaker 1:I think it's a hard deal to pull if they trade him, but I don't think it's off the table if they got an offer that they liked. I mean, I think the Panthers they wanted to be competitive sooner than later. I don't think they thought it was going to be this year, but I think they thought they'd be doing better than where they're at through week two Now. Is that a knock on Bryce Young? Is that a knock on the offense? Is that a knock on coaching?
Speaker 2:Well, I don't think you've seen enough to say it's the coaching. I don't think you've seen enough to say it's the coaching and I don't think that Andy Dalton's going to come in and light it up and prove that it was all young. But there are things that you can't ignore that have happened with him. So, basically, with no pressure, pressure, just dumping the ball out, like not even waiting for the play to develop, just dumping the ball out. All of his completions have been short yardage completions, the you know jump, jump back. Where's my safety valve? Bam, there it is. I let it go go after him. Is he just not? It's not because he has pressure in his face or the pockets collapse and because he, in most of these occasions he has a good pocket. He's just not. It's almost like his confidence is just like not there.
Speaker 1:Is that what you're reading? Nfl defenses.
Speaker 2:I don't think it's that the speed at which he's letting it get out, like you know, backing up, okay three seconds, boom, right there, just giving it up, not letting a crossing route develop, or, you know, not really trying to extend plays, just getting rid of it.
Speaker 1:I have to watch some of their film.
Speaker 2:It just doesn't look like a player that has confidence in his abilities right now and confidence in the players around him. So it might be that he's going to have to go somewhere else to get his confidence back up and then not by his choosing, you know it might be that they trade him away. I mean, if the 49ers can trade away trey lance for a fourth round pick, they can certainly trade him away to somebody else. It's just a matter of does anybody want him?
Speaker 2:yeah because we've seen players you know that were drafted high. Maybe, maybe not a number one pick, but they find themselves out of the league shortly after being in the league, for you know, a little sip of a participation in the league. Yeah, like Josh Rosen. They said hey, Josh, we know we drafted you with the ninth overall pick. We kind of like this, kyler kid. We like this guy, we're going to take him.
Speaker 1:So nice knowing you yeah, bye-bye, it's not that way. And then you know that went the way it did, because then tua came in the picture in miami. What yep yep?
Speaker 2:because he was out. It was out again yeah, was it two.
Speaker 1:Or was it tannahill?
Speaker 2:no, it was two because tannahill was with the Titans.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's right. He had already been with the Titans. He's not even on a squad right now.
Speaker 2:Rumor is that he's Well. No, it's not that he's out. Teams are calling because he's still a viable veteran backup in the play as a backup. But he's basically said he's looking for the right opportunity, the right spot.
Speaker 1:He's playing the Kareem Hunt game.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well.
Speaker 1:Wait until somebody needs me.
Speaker 2:Well, and that might work out for Kareem Hunt. It's not a bad play Because he's now on the practice squad with the Chiefs.
Speaker 1:It's not a bad play, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he waited and now he might be on a team that's making a deep run in the playoffs. Yeah, I think it worked. You know, sometimes it's right time, right place, you know, and that's proven.
Speaker 1:I feel like that's life is right place, right time for most things. Now moving along here, let's get into our final segment of the show. One matchup who you taking this week?
Speaker 2:oh lord, that's a, that's a tough call. I mean thursday night game we got the jets and the patriots. You know that that's always good because it's a, it's a division rival and you, you know, we have some injuries that are going to play a huge part in these games. Like we might not see, why am I blanking here? Chargers quarterback Herbert. Yes, justin Herbert. Justin Herbert might not be playing in their game against the Steelers because, he's dealing with injury too.
Speaker 2:Again, injury is just killing everybody. I mean, like the Lions, amon Ross St Brown, their number one receiver. He's dealing with a quad injury Again, another soft tissue injury. But oh man. But man, if I have to pick a game and it's probably my own bias, but I do love division rivalry games but the 49ers-Rams I mean, you've got to love games where you have your team playing a division rival. For me, being a 49ers fan, I've got to pick the 49ers. But there's plenty of other games out that are going to be so much fun to watch. You know, ravens-cowboys, somebody is going to walk away disappointed. There's going to be somebody out of that game that maybe the Ravens get their first win. That is an interesting lineup.
Speaker 1:I mean Arizona, detroit fireworks, fireworks in Detroit. Well, it's in Arizona.
Speaker 2:Well, the Lions have to kind of rebound because Tampa whooped them up.
Speaker 1:Tampa came. In Well, let me rephrase it.
Speaker 2:They didn't whoop them up. They came away with the win. Baker's been baking Well. Baker was getting a little tired of seeing he got sacked three times, though Four and a half.
Speaker 1:Four and a half, sir, Four and a half by one player, Aiden Hutchinson, just living in his living room.
Speaker 2:He's living his best life over there yeah he was like hey Baker.
Speaker 1:The rest of the team might be questionable, but everything's gold to him. So you're looking at is that the matchup you're looking at?
Speaker 2:Well, let me get away from my bias and I'll do Ravens-Cowboys. I think the Ravens will win that game. You think the Ravens get their first win I think the Ravens get off the snide and they get their first win. Cowboys, it'll probably be a back-and-forth game, but I feel like the Ravens come away with the victory as a.
Speaker 1:Washington fan can't say I wouldn't love that For my pick this week. Brian, with an I let's see here what do we got here? I'm really eager to see this Houston Vikings game. I know there's a lot of good matchups up here, but I'm eager to see if Minnesota can keep it rolling and I'm eager to see if the Texans can keep it rolling as well.
Speaker 2:Who do you take?
Speaker 1:Honestly, honestly, rolling as well who do you take? Honestly, I always you know I'm probably gonna pick. I really love houston, but I think they're gonna get upset this weekend I'm taking minnesota. Really, I mean, I kind of I kind of feel like I mean, they're missing a couple pieces. They, you know they're dealing with some stuff that I mean. But texans, they, they're kind of a more complete team. Yeah, they have a good defense, but honestly I'm picking Minnesota this game.
Speaker 2:I kind of feel the opposite. I feel like the Texans will take it Only because, you know, D'Amico Ryans has shown he can coach these boys up.
Speaker 1:He's a great coach.
Speaker 2:He's shown that this team it's a different vibe. There was a former Niners player they didn't say which one, because there's more than one on the Texans who basically said that playing for the Texans feels like how the Niners felt as far as camaraderie and the way they feel at team. They don't feel like it's anybody just trying to get theirs.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and we can't knock Minnesota's coaching staff either.
Speaker 2:No, let's not take anything away from.
Speaker 1:Minnesota's staff, because their coach has them playing on another level.
Speaker 2:Well.
Speaker 1:I'm not knocking that. I think what you said about Texas is great, but I just want to add to that these two great coaching staffs come together. I mean Kevin O'Connell in Minnesota with Wes Phillips.
Speaker 2:Well, don't forget his defensive coordinator. Well, don't forget his defensive coordinator, because I mean you can't just not bring that up.
Speaker 1:I mean the Vikings have a very good defense, Ryan Flores, I mean he's got them coached up good. I mean, he's got them playing good, but did he build it or did he inherit it?
Speaker 2:No, it's how he's coaching him. Okay, so what he is doing is almost ingenious, because most of the time you see the defensive line, you see them. They're all hand in the ground getting ready to come off the ball right from the snap. Right, yeah, he only has two guys on their hand. The rest of the players are standing up. You don't know who's coming. He is literally setting up almost seven players at the front of the line standing and they're not all giving away who's going. So you don't know if a guy's going to drop out in coverage or if he's going to sit there and just be trying to go at the quarterback. So they're also doing a too high safety shell, with a middle linebacker dropping back trying to almost do a Tampa 2. So it's very ingenious what they're doing. It's very ingenious. So that's probably where we're going to cut things for today.
Speaker 1:Definitely would like to see you guys come back and listen to us more, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Thank you all for joining us today. Please, when we get our social media presence up and running, definitely shoot us a like, shoot us a post or tell us we suck.
Speaker 1:Whatever you want to do yeah, obviously, you know it's a work in progress. This is our first episode. We appreciate everybody joining us. We appreciate everybody who's going to continue to join us and develop this thing with us. Once again, I'm brian with a y and I'm mike, and we are two for the win.