2025 NFL Week 2 NFC Preview

17:16Patrick Claybon:Because if we're talking about young quarterbacks and all due respect to Caleb Williams, he's not playing as well as Michael Pinnock Jr. has or has the entire time that both of them have been playing football. And as far as what was available to Michael Pinnock Jr. against the Buccaneers at home, it wasn't very much. They had to lean on the short passing game, the rushing attack. He almost outrushed Tyler Algier and Bijan Robinson. They had 24 yards. He had 21 on the ground to the extent where if something was to get done, Michael Pinnock Jr. had to do it himself. And so like I'm excited about the way that the defense of Jeff Ulbrich are looking, but I'm my eyes are firmly on Zach Robinson for this game because it shouldn't all be the second year quarterback making.

17:58Patrick Claybon:He hasn't made six starts in the NFL. He's not a normal second year quarterback with six starts, though. I do think you see the difference of him being a 25 year old with a lot of college experience. We'll see what J.J. McCarthy really looks like at the NFL level. But for right now, I would feel more comfortable with Penix in a lot of ways. I think they remind me of each other. they would be what 1990s analysts would call gamers. You know, like that they do what it takes to win when it's winning time and that they just got a little something extra. Because I saw that in Penix last week and I do love the way he played in the fourth quarter.

18:36It got overshadowed ultimately because Kuh missed the kick in Baker Mayfield. But I thought every winning play that needed to be made, Penix made it. And he has ultimately more experience based on college and based on, you know, the NFL experience that he has.

18:51Patrick Claybon:Yeah, that's why the whole game winning drive thing that we put up for quarterbacks is a huge liar. If you want to look at two games last week where Aaron Rodgers gets like 17 yards and Chris Boswell hits a 60 yard field goal versus Michael Pennix going all the way down the field with no timeouts and Ku yanks one. It's not fair. It's not fair.

19:08Jourdan Rodrigue:We talked about a dabble, a smattering of revenge games. Michael Penix and J.J. McCarthy once faced each other for a certain national championship game in college. I had to fact check that real quick. Sorry to be rude. I was off the phone. No, that's a fair point. That's a good point, dog. Also, you know, the Falcons could have taken J.J. McCarthy. You took that first one. No, I just completely forgot. We've been taping so long. I was like, I used to listen to Mike and the Mad Dog. That was fun. One last thing on this game and then let's move on. Let's do it. I thought Mike Hughes is the weakness in that secondary.

19:46So can Adam Thielen or Jalen Naylor really be the guys that take advantage? And then I think we talked a little, it was Colleen on a Tuesday show about a possible, this is the year for Kyle Pitts. And I thought he looked good last week. I thought after the catch, there's a little bit of that juice that I think because of injuries, we haven't really seen consistently at the NFL level. So just something to watch. A little Kyle Pitts-a-san. Okay, I'm overdoing it. Sansa.

20:15Patrick Claybon:We have had a lot of sansas. We're having a sansa sansa. We're having a seance for Brock Purdy as we're concerned about his injury status. The San Francisco 49ers, six and a half point favorites. As I am looking at this on this piece of paper, I feel like that may change. At the New Orleans Saints, the over under 46 and a half again right now. Kevin Coogler, Daryl Johnson, Allison Williams on the call. We may be back to Mac. Greg Rosenthal, how does that make you feel? Interested. Look, I had a whole segment planned for Tuesday's show that Purdy and that first drive by the 49ers offense was a fantastic omen because even though Purdy threw a couple interceptions in that game, I thought he dealt with pressure and ultimately what the guys around him did the most in a game that I thought the Seahawks defense played well.

21:09Now he's hurt and you lose a lot and it will really hurt this team long-term. But if he's going to miss games at New Orleans is not a bad one to miss. You have Jacksonville and Arizona coming up at home. We'll see how long it takes. And I'm curious. I'm curious to see Mac Jones in the offense that Kyle Shanahan wanted to draft him in, according to reports, you know, back in the Trey Lance draft that John Lynch went over the top, you know, and got his guy, Trey Lance. Neither one of them long-term really worked out. But, man, Mac Jones was slanging it in the preseason. Sometimes watching those preseason games pays off, and it's for a moment like this so that I can tell you, America, that Mac Jones was slanging it.

21:53Jourdan Rodrigue:If I'm recalling some of the cyclical nature of the sport correctly, there was once a time in San Francisco where a sort of unheralded quarterback signed a massive contract, then got injured, then Brock Purdy took his job. now Brock Purdy is injured. We're not sure if we're going to see him when he's going to play. And Mac Jones has been waiting in the wings for this exact moment to take basically everything he can get to show he still deserves a starting job, but no, no George Kittle. Juwan Jennings is banged up. Kendrick Bourne is there now, Greg. You've been sort of calling this out for a while.

22:30Jourdan Rodrigue:The Kendrick Bourne will at some point arrive in San Francisco.

22:34Patrick Claybon:And he arrived.

22:35Jourdan Rodrigue:I think he's going to play. Yeah.

22:36Patrick Claybon:He took a visit and they put a number in front of him. And Kendrick said, no, no, you're going to need me. I'm going to leave.

22:41Jourdan Rodrigue:I love that.

22:42Patrick Claybon:And Kendrick Bourne was right because the price did go up. The need went up as well. And to be clear, Purdy's not playing in this game. Shanahan said it could be a multi-week injury. And since we started recording, literally, the 49ers line has gone from six and a half to two and a half. So it is viewed more as a toss-up. ultimately the saints need to show some of the stuff they showed last week. Number one, the Mario Davis and Cameron Jordan.

23:15Jourdan Rodrigue:Yeah. I mean, still got it. Our friend Ryan, you know, that boy Wolf on, on Twitter from the saints block party podcast. He suggested a segment for NFL daily called the unks of the week. I was like, I don't know if I'm the man to really pull off that segment, but if we had some Cameron Jordan and Demario Davis, like longtime veterans, 17 years deep for Demario Davis, and Cam Jordan is literally the oldest player to ever have a sack for the New Orleans Saints, they would be the unks of the week.

23:44Patrick Claybon:Yeah, just in terms of filling, because it's a violent game to fill gaps as a run defender and for Demario Davis to still be doing it at this level on a defense that has had some problems and a lot of teams have had rushing success. I know Trey Benson averaged almost nine yards a carry against the Saints. That being said, still played pretty well. And they were in that game. They were in the game. And the rat man made some throws. The snake emojis were flying up on the top. I think he looked good. I think he looked Spencer Rattler better than a week ago. I don't want to move past the big story here, though.

24:19Do you think I pulled off the unks of the week segment? I tried, Ryan. Yeah. If you're out there, I tried. I don't know where you feel like the laps would be. No, it's canon. It's happening. You know who wouldn't have been? Would be Trent Williams. I was shocked watching that game last week. Might have been the worst game of his career. That disturbed you.

24:38Jourdan Rodrigue:That disturbed you. He did leave the game at one point. He also didn't practice or play that much in the preseason. And then Matt Barrows of The Athletic responded to my tweet because I was just watching him being like, wow, I just can't remember Trent Williams ever looking human. And he noted that Trent Williams gave up more pressures in that game than any game in seven or eight, I think it was eight years. Yeah, since 18. So that's something to watch because I would assume he's going to work his way into shape. But if he's not Trent Williams, they are a different team. Obviously, opponent factors in.

25:07Jourdan Rodrigue:But what if I told you guys that the Robert Sala defense, by the way, Brandon Staley revenge game coming up now that we're keeping track of revenges and whatnot. Although I guess it doesn't really count because he was like an assistant. But anyway, what if I told you guys that the Robert Sala defense, the Sala-sans, is finished third behind the Colts and the Broncos in week one in passing defense EPA per play. What if I told, what's your reaction to that, Greg?

25:35Patrick Claybon:Yeah, they had Darnold looking kind of crazy out there. He only threw the ball to one player. Literally, I've never seen that. 90 % of the air yards from Darnold last week were to Jackson Smith and Jake. But I think it's a really positive sign. That was a better secondary defensive performance than they had almost all of last year.

25:54Jourdan Rodrigue:And I'll say jokes aside, they did look way better. They looked more active. Robert Saul is actually blitzing so far at about a 10 % more frequency than he ever has before, which is good because we've been talking about this all off season that he has to evolve a little bit where he went from not really, you know, necessarily liking to blitz so much, but now he has to because he's not exactly getting exactly what he needs from even the odd fronts that he likes to run sometimes. So he's blitzing the linebackers more, sometimes the DBs, but mostly like D winter was the guy that he, that he's blitzing a lot.

26:25Jourdan Rodrigue:The other part of this is they do have some, some areas of, I don't want to say weakness because he's a young player. It was his first game, but Seattle tried the plan where they're like, let's throw it at Upton Stout and see what happens. And he plays in the slot and the saints have three receivers who are really good, who can all play in the slot. I mean, two receivers who are really good. One, he's a veteran receiver. One that I have a note here that they need to take him out of the lineup. And that's Brandon. I was going to say, I saw your face. I was like, okay, let me take that back. Sorry.

26:53Jourdan Rodrigue:Two receivers who are really good. And one who needs, who is a veteran. Like resting Greg reaction face is not good. And I don't know, but everyone, I needed that note. Everyone's told me about it. I needed that note. It just happened to be written down. It's like, they need more. Remember the preseason? It was a lot of fun. Mason Tipton. Just let's get some speed in there. Devon Vele. We traded, they traded for him. I went, we like, let's, let's get them in there. Brandon cooks. At this point, you can't play him just because of, the contract. Maybe it was the scheme though, because I didn't see a lava and Shahid getting much room either.

27:26It was a great job by Arizona. They were so pass heavy. The saints, even though Alvin Kamara looked good and they ran it. I was,

27:32Jourdan Rodrigue:they want to throw the ball so bad. And they play so sure they were going to run the ball. They couldn't do it. And they were playing hurry up and Rattler looks good there. I do think you saw some growth from Rattler one year, one to year two. That makes me more excited about watching the scene. Just the, he looked like an NFL quarterback and he's going to be a good guy. up against the guy in Mac Jones who has had a lot of struggles when he's played over the last, what, three or four years. There was one time, though, I've said this before, that he was in the rookie of the year race with future Hall of Famer Jamar Chase.

28:03Jourdan Rodrigue:Who do we think, pick someone, who do we think on the Saints, Mac Jones is going to try to fight?

28:09Patrick Claybon:Everybody. I mean, Mac Jones, fight anybody he can.

28:12Jourdan Rodrigue:I will say, too, to your point on Demario Davis earlier, Greg, we saw him having the time of his life at practice when we were out there earlier this summer. So I'm stoked for him. It's translating into the season. It's one of those things that I just hope it can keep going because I thought he did start to look like he was slowing down a little bit. Cam Jordan, you know, just talked about he wanted to be more productive than he was a year ago and they're off to a great start. And your D. Winters shout out is a great one because he looked awesome. And I like it when you hear the hype pieces from the entire offseason and D.

28:41Winters has been the subject of him. Like this guy looks different this year than he's ever looked in the past and you can kind of see it. and he's probably a perfect fit for that offense. Let's take a break and we will be wrapping up the NFC after the break, including the matchup that all the networks fight over every year.

29:07Back on NFL Daily. Revenge week. The biggest revenge game of the week is actually going to be played. Tulane. Darian Mensah, their star freshman quarterback who left the Tulane Green Wave to go to Duke matching up against each other on Saturday. That's what I will be watching. And you should. Yulman Stadium. Roll wave, Greg. They might be a top 25 team if they could win this game. But this kid Mensah, we will be talking about him in the path to the draft in about a year or two, depending on how long he stays there, because he is awesome. But now playing for Duke. Let's talk.

29:45Patrick Claybon:Oh, go ahead. Yeah, and then you will be a Mensa member. Not as much right now while he's playing. I love him, though. But the puns, we've now broken the record. There it is. Breaking news. Congratulations. And let's get to our next game. The New York Giants and their quarterback for now, Russell Wilson, taking on the Dallas Cowboys, who are six-point favorites at home. The over-under is 44-and-a-half. Joe Davis, G-Reg, and Pam Oliver are on the call. As Jordan, we saw a lot of frustration from the Giants' offense. What are you looking forward to seeing against the Cowboys from them this time?

30:17Jourdan Rodrigue:Frustration and not much else. I mean, my goodness, they could not move the ball on the ground. They could not move the ball in the air. This was also a huge factor of Andrew Thomas not being there, their left tackle, who is still not practicing as of our taping on Wednesday, but Brian Dable expects him back later this week. He was actually surprisingly honest with reporters earlier on Wednesday morning when they asked him directly about whether Andrew Thomas was planning to be back at all. having him back is significant. It's also part, probably part of the reason if he does come back, probably part of the reason why Russell Wilson is still starting this week, because they have to see what it looks like when, when Andrew Thomas is on the field with this offensive light.

30:56Jourdan Rodrigue:And he creates such a statistical differentiation that like, you actually have to see if you've even got anything with Wilson before you make the move to Jackson dart, which I still think is going to happen soon. Love that theory. And part of it can be that you also don't want to start Jackson dart without Andrew Thomas. Yeah. Right. If he's not available, because they say it's part of his rehab plan to miss Wednesday and practice Thursday or Friday, but nobody really knows what's going to happen here. The biggest upset of the week would not be the Giants winning this game. It's kind of shocking, though, that they're six point underdogs.

31:29That's given a lot of credit to the Cowboys coming off of a losing effort. The biggest shock is that this is a 1 p.m. game. I don't think in my time covering the NFL that this has ever been a one o 'clock game because it's usually as I said sorry Patrick it's not Panthers Cardinals that the networks fight over it's this one because you look at like the highest rated games of all time in the NFL and half of them are like Giants Cowboys games on Sunday night football they always were shoving it down our throat now they're still giving us the Joe Davis Greg Olson treatment my number one booth not just in Fox but in America Joe Davis I mean killing it with the Dodgers and in football and there's no one better than G-Rag but this thing being at one o 'clock

32:13Jourdan Rodrigue:how the mighty have fallen and the legend Pam Oliver on the ground as well and I think that this is interesting because I kind of think we know what Dallas is going to be all year like I'm pretty sure they're just going to be this right they're going to be able to put up points they have good matchups they have two receivers they can get the ball to CeeDee Lamb minus the drops really had a if you take away the drops had a really good game Dak Prescott looked incredible you know I don't know how effective they're going to be running the ball at any point that's what I would like to ask you both when you say you think we know what we're going to be well I didn't say we you say that like uh I thought you did say we you said we know what they're going to be this year um and I guess I'm I'm positing after that week one performance but I'm doing it in a question like how high do you think the ceiling is for this running game coordinated by Clayton Adams coming up over from Arizona because it is one of the things that I feel differently about after watching one game.

33:13Patrick Claybon:Yeah, if we can track the growth of last season where the season started, and again, I understand there's different parts of this coaching staff where there was nothing available. Then as Rico Dowdle kind of got going late to the middle part of last season, it's like it was a viable run game. It already starts looking with some injuries, some questions up front. starts looks like it looks like a viable running game to where the offense can actually have that balance and if Dak plays like that they're going to be in every single game yeah um but again that

33:44Jourdan Rodrigue:that's all the health of four this is a lazy comparison but I'm going to make it anyway they're kind of Bengalsy 2024 to me a little bit obviously it's really extreme talent uh a receiver I think they're going to run the ball better than a lot of people expected the Bengals last year did that as well with with chase brown um they pleasantly surprised me with how they were running the ball because even in joint they weren't getting any movement at all even when they're allowed to hit at practices and so for them to be able to come out and look like i said surprisingly adequate and even then some kind of frisky and cohesive too like the line looked good it was creative really liked you could see they were running you know brian schottenheimer and and clean Adams, they, um, the way that they called that game after Jalen Carter came out, they were calling, especially inside zone.

34:33Jourdan Rodrigue:They were calling some gap stuff. They were calling some duo stuff. They were really actually spamming the place where he was not right. And so I think that type of multiplicity in the run game is also important that you call what works in that situation that you have it even in the bag of tricks to use. I think again, I guess, you know, to me, I believe that they're very 2024 Bengals-y, which is not necessarily a good thing, but it's better than what we thought they were going to be. They got a little extra rest. I know it's early in the season, but I'm always on three days extra rest. Watch.

35:06It's not nothing. And this is a great matchup for them because we have this idea that the Giants defensive line is great. And it is. It is at the edge positions and Dexter Lawrence, which is a lot of the defensive line, but I saw last week where sometimes they had a three-man true defensive line where they have the edge guys standing up. And the three guys in the middle are Roy Robertson Harris, Nacho Nunez, and DJ Davidson. And this is a team whose run defense stank in 2024, and they stunk in week one, too, giving up 224 yards. And I do think the edge guys are good and obviously it is I do think this might be a team that you can run on because Shane Bowen like show me something like he just he's just kind of there and it's a passive kind of staying back time kind of defense so maybe this is a game where we do see the Cowboys run

36:03Patrick Claybon:the ball a little bit and and I ultimately over on the other side I know we talked about the Jackson Dart thing it's a tough needle to thread to coach well enough to keep your job and then like hide and protect the quarterback who's there essentially for Brian Dable's purposes to keep his job at some point to put him in and show promise. And like, you have to have that promise. It's like a very delicate balance to try to have while you're coaching a football team. Then I don't, I don't know if there's a way.

36:30Jourdan Rodrigue:Well, Brian Dable is a delicate guy, you know? Right. I think, I think if they, when I think of Brian Dable, I mean, I think this is it for Russell Wilson. If he struggles, I think, I think it'll be it this week. and just the defense, like I mentioned, I don't think he's going to do him any favors. They lost Micah McFadden, so that's a serious injury. It's going to be multiple weeks. I think he's going on injured reserve. It's not for the season. And Okara K was a guy that they were really excited about at one point and is struggling and struggled a week ago. So I think there's weaknesses there at linebacker, at cornerback, and maybe those six points aren't that crazy.

37:05Jourdan Rodrigue:And it might not be a big deal. It might be a big deal. Malik Nabors was limited this week to start the week. Good to know. And Deron Bland mispracticed, which was a surprise. I didn't even know he was hurt. And that would be a significant loss for the Cowboys at cornerback. We've made it to the end of the road here, Patrick. We have. Everyone really is fighting over.

37:25Patrick Claybon:Yes. Fighting, scratching, and clawing. The Carolina Panthers are 0-1 at the Arizona Cardinals, who are 1-0, who are 6.5-point favorites. The over-under is 44.5. Spiro Ditas, Adam Archelada, and Aditi Kikobala are there. Greg, at a certain point, we need to have a different conversation about this Carolina Panthers run defense. It has been historically bad. It was historically bad once again. What? I don't know. I don't know. Derek Brown can't just fix everything. That was the end of the question, right? That was it. Yeah. Why? What? Why is another question? How? How? When do they do something different?

38:07Patrick Claybon:Like, where do you find the answers?

38:09Jourdan Rodrigue:Oops.

38:13Jourdan Rodrigue:Okay, if I see the Cardinals throw the ball one GD time in this game, it's the wrong game plan. I'm just saying. Maybe they'll miss Clayton Adams, by the way, because their run game wasn't great against the Saints. Well, the James Conner runs weren't great. I guess they were fine. They had a normal running game. But yes, you're right. Load it up, run the ball. 13 personnel the whole game. Do it. This feels like a Panthers-Cardinals-Jordan game for the first time. We can now announce Sunday, Jordan Rodriguez, full recap show. She's getting the assignments. You know, we're going to figure out who has what games.

38:49And this feels, if you're down with it, like a Jordan game.

38:53Jourdan Rodrigue:Oh, this is a very, very me game. It's a Jordan coded game. So I think if you're okay with it, this will be the game that you focus extra hard on. You try extra hard on in the afternoon game. Yes, and also it is interesting that you ask me as we're taping because what if I would have said no, it's not okay. I can't just say no. Then I'll take it. It's not okay. I'll take it and you can have the Super Bowl rematch. It is quite a difference. It is. That's a little bit of whiplash there. I have different strategies, though. Like I like to watch those closer sometimes the next day. Anyway, so I'm fine.

39:25I'm fine missing the big games.

39:26Jourdan Rodrigue:I do really want to watch this game because I do think that this defense with the Panthers, first of all, they're still undermanned, right, and overwhelmed. and so far it's one week, right? But so far it's the same story and it's sort of a ticking time bomb in terms of, you know, Gerald Everett being there and his entire staff and like that is just a situation to keep an eye on and it's something where you don't want to keep changing and changing and changing and changing but, you know, and I would also argue that, yes, they went out and got some, they paid some veteran free agents to come in, Christian Roseboom and Bobby Brown and then they are trying to figure out what they're doing at Corner and all this stuff.

40:06Jourdan Rodrigue:And that's their prerogative to do so. Save the line. Save the line. But it also is like, okay, bang your head against the wall enough times you're going to knock yourself out. Like, come on. Their pass rush was completely non-existent in terms of pressures per snap. By far the worst pass rush of any team in the league last year. I mean, last week. It was against the Jaguars offensive line. And maybe the Jaguars are a really improved group, but that's not one that you think of, you know, when you're thinking of like great, great offensive lines. And it's such a big game for both teams. Like Carolina goes on the road and wins this game and they're one and one.

40:43It's just like,

40:43Jourdan Rodrigue:then we're worrying for nothing. Everything's fine. And, and you just start moving forward. They lose it. And you start thinking about, man, when was the last time the Panthers were in a season in mid October? Forget getting to December. When is the time they were, so I went and checked. They were one in seven last season to start the year. They were one in 12 the year before, which was the, it's hard to keep track of all their coaches, Frank Reich year. And they were one in five the year before, which was the Matt rule. Yeah. The Matt rule stuff doesn't. So, but it's just, it's just been a while since they were even in the mix.

41:16Like, and you just don't want to have that sort of slow start. And I think if you're the Cardinals, I heard Jonathan Gannon say it this week. He's like, we were pretty rusty last week. We need to wake up a little, like now, like let's get going. Cause they were given a gift by the schedule. Gods getting saints and then home for Panthers to start. take advantage and you start out fast.

41:34Jourdan Rodrigue:Well, you're, I think, allowed the grace of a slow start. If you run into a scenario that Kyler Murray admitted he ran into in which he was up at four in the morning, very ill the night before the game. I think if you're not going through that. I didn't know this.

41:51Patrick Claybon:He got put on the report late because he was going through it.

41:55Jourdan Rodrigue:He was going through it and he was pretty open about it on like an influencer Twitch stream. I don't really know if I'm using the right words. I thought he played fine, though. Yeah, but that's what he was saying. He was saying. He was like, it was bad news for Kyler earlier, very much earlier that morning. His communication wasn't the only thing that was open, you're saying. Oh, my God. You know?

42:17Patrick Claybon:There we go. You want more show? You got it. Yeah. That's the Super Bowl we're focused on. What have I done? What have I done? There we go. I do feel like we should wrap with that, but I do want to just give some pop because I know Cardinals fans, they want to hear their team talked about a little bit. The Will Johnson, Max Melton combo last week looked freaking awesome. Did you go back and watch that

42:42Jourdan Rodrigue:Will Johnson game? I loved that game. And Melton too was all over Olave and is a guy that under the radar second round pick who was impressive last year and he might be taking a step. That's exciting if you're a Cardinals fan having guys like that next to Buda Baker. I'm looking forward to this game. We need a Bryce Young rebound. He needs to play better.

43:02Patrick Claybon:Bounce back from a Watote nominee performance. Oh, that's right. The worst throw of the year nominee. Get it back, Bryce. If you're going to have a nominee, week one is the right time to do it. We have a whole season of throws that are going to be worse and throws that will be better and games that will be worse. We did it. We got to the end and I loved it. That is it for the NFC and all of our preview shows this week. If you're just listening to this and you're wondering, where's my Bengals? Where's my AFC team? All the AFC preview games are in the podcast. If your team's playing a home game in the AFC, even the Rams are in there because they're going on the road to Tennessee.

43:45That is in your feed as well. Right now, that's it. We will be back in your feed on Thursday night. Nick Shook and I handling that primetime game. One of the best Thursday night games of the year. Commanders Packers.

44:00Jourdan Rodrigue:That's going to be fun. We previewed it earlier this week. This was a lot of fun. I think the sans-a-sans. It's happening.

44:14Jourdan Rodrigue:This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed human.