2025 NFL Week 3 NFC Preview

22:30Jourdan Rodrigue:with surprising quarterbacks before I think it kind of makes the answer Brian Flores as well because when you're playing what I would call a little bit more of a regulated scheme, it kind of looks a little bit more out of the older versions of the McVay-Shanahan offense when you have Jake Browning. And that's great. They've created explosive plays. They've been efficient. Jake Browning has played great within the structures of that system. And Zach Taylor has schemed him and the rest of the offense up well. It is what Zach Taylor knows. It's what he came up in as a coach. And so I think that on that side of it, that gives him an advantage because Kevin O 'Connell will be building a game plan for the first time ever with Carson Wentz.

23:08Jourdan Rodrigue:But this is where Brian Flores comes in because when you are playing more regulated, what they call rules ball out of that offense, Brian Flores can then mess with your rules and he can affect the spacing that you're trying to scheme open. And he can change the look several times pre-snap to the point where the point and shoot where you're telling the quarterback to go with the ball isn't actually available to you. And that's where I think this becomes really tricky. Yeah, and this is not going to be, again, as up and down as things have been for Carson Wentz. It's not a player that's making his first couple of starts in the NFL, and the Vikings have had one of the lowest pass rates in the entire league with J.J.

23:43McCarthy as a starter, and probably him getting hurt in that game may have influenced that as well. But they'll be able to air it out more against a defense that albeit had Trevor Lawrence play a categorically bad game and still have a lot of statistical success in that game. Yeah. I think it's hard to lean away from them. As much success as the Bengals have had with Jake Browning, a quarterback, I think he's a quarterback that – the backup quarterback that comes in and takes chances, which I think is what you need to have a guy run in there and try to play it safe. No, Jake Browning is going to get buckets.

24:17He may throw three picks. He may have four touchdowns. He is very Ryan Fitzpatrick. And I've heard Dan Orlovsky talk about this. He regrets not playing more like Ryan Fitzpatrick. You're ripping it at practice, and then you get into the real game and you just try to play it safe. And Jake Browning, who doesn't have a massive arm or anything, knows he has the best weapons, I think, when you're including Chase Brown. And I think he's really important for this game of just about any quarterback in the league. I mean, he's just throwing it up there to Mitchell Tinsley. And Mitchell Tinsley is making him look smart like he did in the preseason.

24:49And this Vikings defense is a lot to prepare for. And this offensive line, I don't think, is up for the challenge. They're 25th or worse in pass block win rate and pass run block or rather run block win rate. I don't think they are going to be up for the challenge, but I don't think it will be from him not like trying to use all his weapons and being aggressive.

25:10Jourdan Rodrigue:Yeah, it's it's interesting because they have to try to run the ball and they have to try to settle things. And if you're the Bengals, Minnesota invested a great deal into their front in their defensive front. And they kind of need a bounce back game as well. They kind of need to be dynamic and aggressive. On the other side, Minnesota's offensive line also concerns me. This is somewhere that they really, really invested in. And it's one of the reasons why I think that Kevin O 'Connell and Wes Phillips should give old pal Mike LaFleur a call because of the run, the RPO and the design run game that they built for Carson Wentz back in the last game of the season.

25:43Jourdan Rodrigue:That was Mike LaFleur's game plan. Sean McVay kind of, he was up in the booth during that game and Mike LaFleur kind of built that out for Carson Wentz. It was really successful using him as a run threat, building out different layers. that really were unscouted previously from what they did. And this will be the same. You're not really looking at the quarterback as a running threat previously. You need to build in as many unscouted looks as you can against this Bengals defense. But the line, and it would mitigate some of the risk on your line. Ryan Kelly is in the concussion protocol, their starting center.

26:16Jourdan Rodrigue:Backup tackle Justin School also in the concussion protocol. This is getting a little bit frightening. There's the second most sacks allowed through the first two games. I think the question is, like, how much does getting J.J. McCarthy out of the lineup help out everyone else? I think it's fair to wonder if Carson Wentz is an upgrade, at least in terms of the offensive line structure and getting the plays called out on time. It did seem like there was a lot of confusion, and he was moving in slow motion. We hit that a lot on Tuesday's show. They might get Christian Derrissaw back, who practiced fully for the first time on Wednesday.

26:51they might also get Harrison Smith back who's been out with an illness. So those are two positives there for the Vikings. Get away. I'm rooting for them because I'm going to see them in Dublin next week.

27:01Jourdan Rodrigue:And it can be positive. And I'm always rooting for them. For J.J. McCarthy, you know, the schedule works out sometimes and you play against the Minnesota Vikings defense. I mean, excuse me, Cincinnati Bengals defense where Carson Wentz comes in and the Bengals are giving up 51 % of their third downs. Like they're number 30 in the NFL. And so Carson Wentz is going to come in. He's going to have success. and people would be like, ah, JJ McCarthy. It's the Bengals. It's the Bengals. It's fair. Just getting quarterbacks paid over there. Also, if he struggles, expect a lot of heat, rightfully so, I think, on Quesia Dofamenta and the plan for this offense in general, but especially for the backup quarterback position.

27:39I guess Kevin O 'Connell has a huge say in that. So he would take the heat, too.

27:42Jourdan Rodrigue:So does Josh McCown. Their two quarterbacks were Sam Howell and Brett Rippon all offseason. And Sam Howell, that didn't work out. like they traded for him. Brett Rippon is now the backup on the Bengals. Revenge game. I don't know. Brett Rippon revenge game. Why not? Well, knock on wood. Hopefully, hopefully all the quarterbacks finish this game. We're running out of backup quarterbacks. Everyone stay upright. We're running out of like revenge games. There's revenge everywhere we look. Let's take one quick break and we'll probably take another in the show because we like to honk a little bit. When we come back, we'll talk a little Todd Bowles revenge game.

28:19That's a real one. They did them dirty.

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32:56Back on NFL Daily, where what, 20 minutes later, I finally got Jordan's Tyler Durden joke. I'm just kidding. It was a great show. Greg watched Fight Club in the break.

33:08Jourdan Rodrigue:Uncondensed all 22. Fight Club. I was thinking, like, the defining Gen X movie. What do you think about that take? It might be it. Yeah, I would prefer that be it instead of one of those, like, other, like, any of those Vince Vaughn movies that some? Weirdly, like, I think of, like, American Psycho. Just, I mean, of, like, just really right there. In the wheelhouse. Swingers were my number one target among Vince Vaughn movies that suck. And then there's the cop ones either way. The New York Jets at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where the Bucs are favored by seven after the calamity. No Justin Fields.

33:50This week ruled out with a concussion from last week. The over under 44 and a half. Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, and Megan Olivi on the call. Jordan, how do we expect things to go in this one?

34:01Jourdan Rodrigue:You guys, I'm raising a gavel. There's a gavel. He's got props. Order. Order. Order in the studio. All rise. This meeting of the Emeka Abu Club will now come to order. Abuka's three touchdowns lead all rookie receivers in receiving EPA and touchdowns, and he's tied for first among all receivers, and he did it in just 13 targets, the lowest among other receivers, with at least three touchdowns. You may be seated. Okay. Okay, thank you. That was a cell phone standing up because Patrick, who's already skying above me, is in the foreground. And it really is accentuating. You stood up? I did. Oh, wow.

34:43Tough one. It was tough to see Agbuka go through injuries last week. Like, clearly wasn't 100 % in that game and have to fight through it. Because you do worry about this offense if he was hurt or if they had even one more injury. They're a little thin. They've sneaky not been great on offense compared to a year ago. I think the running game is awesome. I think Baker's made do with what he has. But right now, it's a group that's missing two tackles and missing Chris Godwin and missing Jalen McMillan. And you can kind of see it. They're having to be resourceful. And the thing that helps them be resourceful is the two guys in the backfield who are making defenders miss.

35:22Yes. Like they were on that final drive, which was essentially a Bucky Irving display because you had a defense in the Houston Texans that can do all this man coverage. They can rush the passer. But when everybody's looking different ways, like Baker can go charging down the field and then you've got 30 feet of space around Bucky Irving for a defender to make a tackle. And he was making guys miss in phone booths the entire game. And that's the type of pressure that having these explosive players can go for. And so it's, the Jets are in a tough situation, just in general. and the Bucs having the schedule that they do are coming in a little bit banged up.

36:01Maybe they're only hurt, but the Jets are hurt as well. Oh, I'm strongly considering taking the Jets again on our Friday pick show. Really? At least to cover the seven. Maybe not to win outright, but I just, I think the Bucs have been doing well, but it's a short week for them. And I do think the Jets are going to be an inconsistent team that's better than they looked a week ago and that you're going to get a better game out of them. The problem matchup-wise is that Todd Bowles is doing that thing again where he has one of the best run defenses in the league like he has throughout a lot of his coaching tenure.

36:37Even in New York, they had some of the best run defenses literally in NFL history have been coached by Todd Bowles. And that's how the Jets want to win, whether it's Tyrod back there, which it will be, or Justin Fields. They want to win on the ground.

36:49Jourdan Rodrigue:Yeah, Justin Fields has been ruled out already this week, and he's in the concussion protocol. So that's significant. And then, and the Jets are giving up, you know, in technical term, a crap load of yards in the run game and pretty much all over. They did to the Bills last week, but they, you can run the ball on them and against one of the better, if not one of the best defenses overall pound for pound in the NFL, 63 % rushing success rate between the two backs, Bucky Irving, obviously leading the charge. This is going to be a game where you're probably, where you're going to be missing Luke Gadecki because he aggravated a foot injury, and Todd Bowles was saying he's probably going to miss multiple weeks.

37:29Jourdan Rodrigue:They're still waiting on Tristan Wirfs to come back, and they expect him back in October. So if you hold it down and run the ball really well, especially when teams aren't quite built to defend the run just yet, that's winter ball, right? So if you can run the ball really well, and then you play a little razzle-dazzle Baker ball at the end of games there, I think they're going to be good. That's what I mean. That's why I think it'll be like a close game. We didn't mention on Tuesday's show that Kalijah Kansi is out for the season with a torn pectoral muscle. And I thought the Bucs finally had found a really good four-man pass rush.

38:00And Kansi, it was five quarters, but was playing lights out in those five quarters. So that's a big hit for them. I do want to see Aaron Glenn just show a little more adjustment. It's a lot of man coverage. It's a lot of confusion, I think, for a defense that shouldn't be that complicated. and he also just needs some of his key free agent pickups by Darren Mugey and him to play better. Jamie and Sherwood at linebacker has been benchable. He's killing them. You've been through it before. The Brandon Stevens era in Baltimore was not fondly looked upon. One of the most surprising contracts. And then Michael Clemens is a guy who gets a crazy penalty every week.

38:40Before we do move on from this game, I do just want to read a quote to you guys on Tyrod Taylor. like shout out to Tyrod Taylor starting games in the year 2025. I still remember him as Joe Flacco's backup back in the day. There was a brief moment where he was the best running quarterback in the entire NFL. And now he's still slanging it. And here's sauce Gardner on Tyrod Taylor. He says, cool guy, cool cat. He can dress confident in himself. I think he can get girls. I think he do. I don't really know. I ain't trying to get him in trouble. I don't know, but he's cool. He's cool for real on and off the field.

39:12He stays so calm on the field. too calm or a farming a bit. I just love all of it. He does dress well.

39:22Jourdan Rodrigue:That went in so many different directions. I saw that and I was like, I need to share this with as many people as I can. Full summary of the Tyrod experience, who was actually the starting quarterback when Baker Mayfield was drafted. Baker Mayfield's first game was on Thursday Night Football against the Jets, who fired Todd Bowles. Multiple revenge aspects in play. for this one. Let's go to Santa Clara. The Arizona Cardinals at the San Francisco 49ers were favored by one and a half. The over under is 43 and a half. We have a mutual, Greg, who says that Kyle Shanahan is prone to say things that may be untrue.

40:00He did say that there is a chance that Brock Purdy plays in this game. Whether or not he does, how do you feel about the opportunity here? In the division, both teams are 2-0. Not expected to play, but there's a chance, I feel like gives him some cover just for the new listener. I feel like you're referring to Cynthia Freeland, who often refers him as the lying liar who lies. When it comes to injury, you may think it's redundant, but the phrase is out there. I think it hammers it home. I love that the winner of this game is going to be three and oh, and it'll either be like Mac Jones or this Cardinals team.

40:37Who's had a very favorable schedule to start the season. Saints and Panthers has some concerns, but all they got to do is play well this week and beat a team led by Mac Jones and force him into some turnovers. And suddenly they could be three and oh, I I'm going to have a hard time picking this game. I have not decided.

40:55Jourdan Rodrigue:I am actually pretty worried about the Cardinals secondary because Garrett Williams is going to go on injured reserve. Also, by the way, kind of went under the radar because they lost so many corners, but also a defensive lineman, LJ Collier is also going to go on reserve. Both of those guys are expected to be back, but not obviously right away. Max Melton's going to practice, which is great. Will Johnson will not. He's dealing with a groin injury. So this is a huge problem because Jonathan Gannon loves to play a lot of dime, but he likes to mix up his nickel and dime looks and rotate coverages and shift things around quite a bit on the back end, which then sets up his pressure plan on the front.

41:32Jourdan Rodrigue:It's a rare team that plays sort of back to front like that. You see it sometimes with these Fangio system coaches. this is tough because regardless of who the quarterback is and I assume it will be Mac Jones because we've been through this Kyle Shanahan experience before Ricky Pearsall is emerged as a bona fide deep ball threat and yes the 49ers are banged up and they have been banged up and they're missing their starting quarterback but Ricky Pearsall right now is averaging 20 and a half yards per catch which is leading the league among receivers with 10 or more catches so he's Alex Pierce erasure there, you know, with that last little part of that.

42:06Yeah, yeah. Poor Alec.

42:07Jourdan Rodrigue:You know, a couple more targets. Hey, Alec Pierce is – A couple more targets. We'll get to it in a bit. A couple more targets. Got to set clean parameters, you know. But I think that that's where I actually – I really worry about this Cardinals secondary, and I think the 49ers do keep it very close because the Cardinals have also been playing with their food too much. Even if when they have been at full strength and been clearly the more dominant team on the field the last two weeks, they have let teams crawl back in it and almost lost in the final moments of the games the the reason because I do think especially with Mac Jones playing because I know there's this idea out there that there's not a significant drop off I think the significant drop off between these two quarterbacks is when their pressure arrives Brock Purdy is people don't give him credit for how elusive and how maneuverable he is in the pocket when things do break down and Mac Jones had two touchdowns and seven picks against zone coverage last season and the Cardinals are playing zone about it like north of 82 yeah and a zone you can't diagnose like it's real cloudy regardless of the injuries and so like I think that's where the separation is because I do think it's very close and not that Mac is going to go out there and just melt down and have a bad performance but I do have somebody have to attribute the backup quarterback being the backup for a reason Brock got his money for a reason he's not just some dude I think Brock matters yeah and to your point, Patrick, I would actually, I would say Mac Jones, we'll have to see it to believe it, but Brock Purdy would be the guy who takes the shots at the perimeter to Ricky Parasol downfield, right?

43:34Jourdan Rodrigue:Like he would be the player. Oh, Mac's going to take his shots. I'm not worried about that. I don't think he'll be afraid to do it. In a perfect world, he's kind of the, like, I don't know, upper middle class man's Jake Browning. You know what I mean? I was just like trying to like not knock browning too much so upper middle class but it's similar vibes let me wrap my head around that that was very complimentary it's like upper middle class someone compared him to me instead of the rich man's you know the poor man's you know jake browning the rich man's he's like the upper middle class jake browning so where does that put him in relation to he's a little above jake browning okay jake browning's middle class in this scenario Someone compared him to me to the character in The Good Place who wears the Jacksonville Jaguars jersey and throws Molotov cocktails everywhere.

44:24Jourdan Rodrigue:So that's where I kind of go with it. But, you know. Matt Jones is from Jacksonville. That's fair. And you heard Nick Rallis, the Cardinals coordinator, this week just being like, I love the love. He's just like, there's no one like Kyle. Nobody does it like Kyle. And I think Kyle's starting to remind some people. and he's going up against them. And of course, ominous respect. That's what I'm saying. It's a little ominous. They actually beat him both times last year. They were close games. Purdy didn't play in one of them. CMC didn't play in either of them. So very different. Although the 49ers just lost another starting offensive lineman, by the way, like just add it to the till.

45:02The reason I like the 49ers, though, is because of the defense and the Robert Salasans. It's happening. He's changing. He's doing some of the new school like disguises and stuff. It's not all static. And more importantly, he's got a great linebacker duo, Fred Warner. Just like a year ago, I remember on this show saying at the end of September, he might be my defensive player of the year. And then he got hurt and it fell off a cliff around him. He might be my defensive player of the year again through two weeks. And Dee Winters has been incredible next to him. And I will get on my soapbox again to make this case.

45:38since there is such a vast difference between Fred Warner and the rest of the linebackers in the NFL, he should be an MVP candidate. Like, if there is that much difference between you and the other people who do the thing that you do, Fred Warner should be an MVP candidate.

45:52Jourdan Rodrigue:I like it. Fred Warner, I posit, this is a little takey, but I posit he is the reason why young Kubiak could not do the things that they wanted to do that we saw in week two in week one. Because Fred Warner was diagnosing a lot of where they were moving the fullback around. and Fred Warner was moving with him. He was like, I am not fooled by you changing gaps on me. I am not fooled by your emotions. I'm not fooled by your run game. He was all over it. It was magical to watch. And I think he affected the game plan more than most. And the Cardinals like to play. Drew Petsing is right out of that system as well.

46:25Jourdan Rodrigue:Fred Warner will be a factor in this game. To that point I made earlier about Kyle, where I thought he was just so good getting mismatches and putting Mac in good situations last week. This is from our research department. I'll do a little quiz. The highest points per game average for any coach coaching up a backup quarterback. In the top four are two Shanahans, Kyle and Mike. So that tells me something. With the backup quarterback, it's Don Shula, number one. I mean, hell, he went undefeated with a backup quarterback. It's Mike and Kyle are three and four. the question is who is number two on this list and I'm going to give you a big time hint it is a former Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Wisenhunt wrong it's Dennis Green they are who he thought they were and we let him off the hook Dennis Green the Dennis Green era was kind of fun it's time for the Sunday Drive presented by Toyota the Kansas City Chiefs a six point favorite in a game at the New York Giants at MetLife.

47:35The over-under is 44.5. It's Sunday Night Football. So it's Mike and Chris on the call with Melissa Stark, the whole crew. You get Florio and Chris Sims before the game. Everything's great as we get a chance to see Kansas City try to get their very first win of the year. Wow. Do they get it? I'm worried about the Chiefs.

47:56Jourdan Rodrigue:I think they win this game. Oh, okay. But I am anxious. We did an anxiety. So they win it by more than six. We did an anxiety panel earlier this week. First time I've done that out of a therapist room, so that was nice. And it was, the more we talked about the Chiefs, the more worried I got about the Chiefs. Yes, Russell Wilson is coming off his best game in recent memory. I mean, it was, other than at the very end there, absolutely awesome game. Yes, this defense, this Giants defense will be a challenge, despite the fact they're missing some personnel. at linebacker. I think that they're going to move Abdul Carter inside a little bit more so they can keep the three top linebackers, whether outside or inside, uh, all of them, obviously Brian Burns and cave on Thibodeau.

48:42Jourdan Rodrigue:They're going to be maybe the standup rushers full time. And then you drop Abdul, Abdul Carter, maybe into inside linebacker. Cause Micah McFadden is injured. That way you keep them on the field the whole time and try to get as much pressure as you possibly can on Patrick Mahomes and an offensive line that I think is still question marks and coming together a little bit. Yeah, I was shocked how low the Chiefs are ranked in terms of like pass block win rate and run block win rate. They're in the bottom five of the league in both. It's been bad. I'm looking at the running game and seeing Isaiah Pacheco with 47 yards this year and Mahomes is leading the team with 123.

49:17That's a problem. I think against this front, Kayvon Thibodeau is playing really well this year. His run stops are excellent. Carter's getting a little lost in the mix being inside, I think. But ultimately, there's a lot of talent, and that could be a little bit of a mismatch for the Giants up front. Now, if Mahomes has any time at all, then he gets to expose what's just a mess in the Giants' back end in terms of their linebackers. This should be a Travis Kelsey type of game.

49:49Jourdan Rodrigue:Well, that's what I'm saying. They haven't quite committed to Abdul Carter at ILB yet, but he doesn't have a lot of snap counts. He's not on the field as much as he needs to be, a player who can make splash plays the way that he can and certainly be a factor. I mean, he can cover. I've seen him do it. You know, he can cover. So I would imagine if they're trying to get their best defense on the field, you find a way to get that guy on the field. Shane Bowen, like linebackers background, like you find a way to get your best player. Show me something to Shane Bowen, by the way. You talk about like considering the talent that's available?

50:22Like the way that the end of that game ended, the way they were structured last year. Just seeing Deontay Banks out there still struggling, the safety struggling. Maybe it's a personnel thing, but they're quite a vanilla defense. And the way that they just let the Cowboys set up that Brandon Aubrey field goal bothered me. Yeah, just like do something. It's kind of a damned if you do type situation because sometimes, you know, with the installs, with new players coming in, maybe these things take time and to have to play a Dak Prescott, you know, where we talked about just the level that Dak is playing at, just functioning and operating the offense.

50:58maybe a little bit tougher to do that in week two. Fair. We'll see how the Giants do the next time around. I'm interested to see where Chris Jones is utilized. Yes. Because, like, we're used to, like, the Chiefs need it. It's the moment. And then Jones is at edge. But that hasn't been going. He's only been aligned on the edge on nine of his 57 pass rushes this season. I think a lot of that may have to do with the Chiefs trailing for a lot of time, and they haven't been able to be in these situations where it's very pass-heavy. But the Chargers threw against the Chiefs almost more than any other game in the Greg Roman era.

51:34And then we come out where an Eagles team didn't really need to throw the ball a lot. They've managed to lose both ways this season to the extent that where we've seen all of these departures time over time with the Spags defense. And I think it's finally starting to catch up in terms of the talent that's available to them. They'll be well coached enough, though, not to let everyone just run by them on the same exact play call. Like the Wandale play and the Malik neighbors play back-to-back, back-to-back drives was the exact same play. Different personnel usage, but that's not going to happen.

52:04Jourdan Rodrigue:I wonder if we see Russell Wilson run a little bit more. I know he doesn't prefer to do that, but Justin Herbert had so much success against undesigned or non-designed scrambles and rushes against this Chiefs defense. And I just, I wonder if that's part of the game plan that they deploy to keep it close. I can't fathom a world where Kansas City starts 0-3. I can very much fathom a world where the New York Giants lose this football game, but I will say all of that being a truth, I'm worried about the Chiefs for the long haul. Same. And this is a Spags revenge game. I don't know why he needs to get revenge for the organization that really helped make his name initially, but he's returning home beloved in New Jersey.

52:47Before we go, we're going to listen to a question asked at a press conference of Patrick Mahomes. And this was suggested by our great producer, Eric Roberts. And sometimes when they suggest something, you should just do it because then it'll give them like a little carrot. They'll like you more, but then you ruin it by talking about it ahead of time. So that's really my lesson to the audience. Don't be like me. If you're going to do the thing anyways, just do it and get the credit for it. This happens to me at home all the time. Let's listen to Patrick.

53:22Jourdan Rodrigue:He wants to have the chance to make the plays happen, and he's made the plays happen for years. And so I don't feel like we ask for too much from him, but, I mean, we ask for him to be out there and be himself and just be who he is. And I think that in itself is enough for us. Okay, Greg, hold on, sorry. You know, Greg, now you're telling me how to do my job over here. Yes, I love when Eric comes into the show. Usually, you know, this is going to be a Travis Kelsey game. Yes, that would have been the time. perfect time to throw that video and quote that I so, you know, graciously gave you before, but you know, yeah, I could have set that up better.

53:56It was a question about whether Kelsey is doing too much notes, whether he's my job, you doing your job. I like, I like a little note taken. Give me some honest feedback. I want it. I need it. Clearly the setup there about Greg critiquing his choice to criticize the thing could be construed as more criticism of the thing before we did the thing. Yeah. Which is which would be my coachable point if we're, you know, saying do your job and summoning Bill Belichick for some reason. Also, I don't like I don't like that question. I actually think Kelsey has moved well this year. He dropped a pass, but I don't think he's looked as the first player ever to drop a pass.

54:33But right. By the way, I don't think he's looked quite as sluggish as he looked to start the last two seasons. And yeah, this this could be a Travis Kelsey. That was the Sunday drive presented by Toyota. Let's go places. Toyota is all-in all season with another year of Toyota Game Day Giveaways coming up during this week's Sunday night game, Kansas City Chiefs versus New York Giants. If there's a 40-plus yard field goal in the second half or a missed extra point in the second half, 100 fans will win a$200 Lowe's gift card for all their tailgate needs. Terms and conditions apply. Enter for a chance to win at toyotasgamedaygiveaways.com.

55:08Jourdan Rodrigue:And the day we're recording this, happy birthday, 30th birthday to Patrick Mahomes. Yes. Happy birthday, Patrick. We had to celebrate Brady's birthday every single year. And also after he retired, we've had to announce everything he's invested in. I don't know why people do that. But yeah, happy birthday, Patrick. because where you're told to and there's lots of money behind it but this is one that makes me feel old Patrick Mahomes turning 30 I'm kind of annoyed that every time there's like a junior like Antoine Winfield junior when he first came out but any junior that had a professional you know athlete father is in college or comes to the pros everyone just says I feel old I was just like just get used to it at this point but Patrick Mahomes being 30 I know because I don't think of him starting his career that long ago.

55:54It's not old, but it's a, it's a, it's a halfway mark for a normal career. Now, Patrick Mahomes seems like he might be someone that might not have a normal career, but it's, it's a point where careers, you know, you're, you're like halfway through at the very least.

56:08Jourdan Rodrigue:Do you know who turns 30 next season, which blew my mind and I could not, it's another quarter Jordan Rodrigue. That was nice of you. Tyler Durden, Joe Burrow turns 30 next season, which also blew my mind i couldn't i was like i can't process that i can't process that which also means sam darnold still won't be 30 next season wait really that really blows my life um yes the passage of time comes for us all uh it's been a theme on this show let's take one last break on our nfc portion of the program no purchase necessary void where prohibited ends 2826 open to legal residents of the 50 u.s states and dc 18 and over for complete details how to enter prizes and official rules visit toyotasgamedaygiveaways.com for adults with crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis symptoms every choice matters trimfaya offers self-injection or intravenous infusion from the start trimfaya is administered as injections under the skin or infusions through a vein every four weeks, followed by injections under the skin every four or eight weeks.

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1:01:29Back on NFL Daily. A little bit of a crossroads in the early season of the Raiders and the Commanders. I know it's early. I'm just saying you lose Jaden Daniels. You lose decisively on a Thursday night. You lose a couple of veterans in Deitch Wise and Austin Eckler. And we don't know for sure that Jaden Daniels is out for this game. But he's not going to practice until Friday at the earliest. and just reading between the lines of like the tone of the insiders. It does feel like it's a Marcus Mariota type of game. Yeah, Dan Quinn says he needs to see Jaden Daniels on the field if he's going to play this week in that game where the commanders are at home taking on the Las Vegas Raiders where Washington at the moment that we're reading this favored by three and a half points.

1:02:18The over-under is 47 and a half. Chris Myers, Mark Slareth, and Jen Hale on the call as, well, we've got both teams dealing with injuries because, Jordan, it was difficult to watch the Raiders' offense with Brock Bowers wearing a big brace on his knee. There was a notable difference in the way that they executed and how they moved up and down the field. How do you see this one going?

1:02:38Jourdan Rodrigue:Yeah, I was at the game, and it was an entire week of Pete Carroll pulling a Kyle Shanahan and talking about how great Brock Bowers was moving around. But then after postgame, and he clearly wasn't. He all but disappeared after one target in the first half, And then he kind of came alive just a little in the second half, a couple of crucial third downs, but it looked painful for him. And yes, that brace, it was one of those with like the solid sides to it, that the wheels that are on the side, which is not a great sign. Another really ominous sign was Pete Carroll postgame when asked about Brock Bowers talking about, well, he survived the first half.

1:03:16Jourdan Rodrigue:So we went to him a little bit more in the second. Yeah, that's not great. As positive as he sounds when he says it, if you read the words, it's not really great. And not having Brock Bowers affected that entire game plan because it's pretty clear that Chip Kelly doesn't quite trust Ashton Jantiet and there were a couple of mistakes in protection and there were a couple of mistakes on throws behind the line of scrimmage where he could not shake a single matchup. There were a couple of mistakes in the handoff. So it's pretty clear that they're not trusting that math-changing player. So your other math-changing player is Brock Bowers who creates short intermediate and middle to deep layers or runs after the catch plays in that offense that they were absolutely missing.

1:03:57Jourdan Rodrigue:They were out of rhythm and off time and behind the down every single drive. And even when they were, when Geno Smith was trying to make plays happen, the, you know, forcing throws into really tight windows, which usually he can make, but there was nothing that he was taking underneath. Brock Bowers is the trustworthy guy who makes those things happen, who creates more layers in your offense. The Raiders badly, badly need that. And they need to design it and they need to call it. Much easier matchup this week, I believe, against the Commanders. Jesse Minter, he puts that cap on an offense. He stops them from going deep.

1:04:33And I love Dan Quinn as a head coach, but they're going to be aggressive. They're going to play man coverage. there are concepts to beat their man coverage. Why rewatching that Packers game? I was just thinking like their cornerbacks had no chance on some of those plays that criticizing Marshawn Lattimore. And he didn't have a good game, but there were about three of those plays that they lost before the snap happened. And there are certain rules that Dan Quinn's defenses play with. And it'll be interesting, you know, to see if chip Kelly is the guy to be able to take advantage of that. Yeah. I'm willing to disregard the game against a really good Green Bay team where multiple, like Dietrich Wise gets carted off the field with an emotional moment, like Jaden's playing hurt.

1:05:20I'm willing to look past a lot of that. I'm not ready to place the blame over on the other side on Ashton Gentile. Like he's averaging.1 yards before contact in the backfield. Right. Where he's getting.1 yards, immediate contact. He's had plenty of positive rush plays despite the way things have looked when he got the ball. If you can't trust him in certain situations, you have to be able to design around that. And I bought into the excitement around Chip Kelly. But when you've got such a dynamic player, we can see it when the ball's in his hands, especially when it wasn't there on the outside.

1:05:57It was just a frustrating watch as a Geno supporter to see the Raiders offense operate the way it did on Monday. But he played poorly. Yeah, he did play bad. That was the worst game I've seen Geno play in, I don't know. Yeah, and he admitted it too.

1:06:08Jourdan Rodrigue:And it was a lot of what they were trying to do and him pressing to try to make a play happen because this drove me crazy. Patrick, to your exact point, I think they should open Ashton Janty up. I think they should say, hey, stuff is going to happen. You're a rookie running back. Stuff is going to happen. Go play ball. But it felt very constricted and tight. And that's where I have such an issue with it and setting up the offense in general in really adverse situations. The thing that they did that I liked was they played more pistol this game. So you're giving him better vision. You're giving Gino vision on the defense, and you're also giving the running back better vision on the defense so he can set up his holes.

1:06:46Jourdan Rodrigue:The problem is they aren't there, right? They're not there for him to actually take advantage of, right? And then they cannot stretch the defense out at all because Brock Bowers is not a mathematical mismatch. The other issue that I had, though, was don't call shot plays on second and one out of the pistol. and then have either a neutral or a negative play, and make your quarterback press the ball, run the dang ball. And Pete Carroll said postgame. It was really interesting. If you guys go back and listen to his entire postgame press conference, like I said, all of it sounded very positive and optimistic and upbeat.

1:07:23Jourdan Rodrigue:But if you go back and you read some of the things that he said, it was like, yeah, he also wants to run the ball more. I've got to talk to Chip about that. Like, yes, he wants to put more on Ashton Janty's plate. and I think that again a rookie running back you're going to have a handoff miscommunication that also might have been a little bit of the quarterback as well you're going to have those types of things happen but you got to let this guy go and you got to block for him and you got to just turn him loose and scheme open things for him to do where he can be successful and get on time and get advantageous and efficient downs and then your offense gets back on track and oh by the way then you can play fast like you want to if you're Chip Kelly do they want to play fast though because they're not they got to figure out what they are.

1:08:05They're not. They're not.

1:08:06Jourdan Rodrigue:And he's on the field a ton, to be fair. They're just not running the ball. Like he's on the field over 50 snaps a game. 11 carries. That's it. And he's on the field the whole time. And when I say they want to play fast, it's very clear by the way they're pressing the ball that somebody is telling them they need to push the ball. And that, and the way it is, is it Tom Brady? No. Ooh, that's one often. It's the ghost of Val Davis. Just like how the Raiders play ball. Like it's just in the, in the building. in the ether i mean gina smith would totally make sense as a 1980s like la raiders quarterback really any any raiders quarterback he just fits i know he plays the way that their quarterbacks always play i know he had a bad game but man for a minute there i thought he was gonna go just shut the lights off of that building because it was so cool watching him come out of the tunnel with with max crosby and uh warm up on the logo in the silver and black and like he was so ready to go and then it was an omen the interception the first play of the game it was a bad omen greg um you know on the other side of it i trust marcus mariotta if he has to go in uh is this a revenge game a little bit interesting um did the raiders help marcus mariotta rehab his career a little bit i'm not sure but yes we could we could call this a revenge game i'm with you i trust the commanders this is a tough game to pick but i trust the commanders a little more overall.

1:09:34It's a tough one. I like I would take I would take the points, but I would take the commanders most likely something just came to me thinking about Marcus Mariota potentially revenge against the Raiders. Yeah, did Amari Cooper say he was going to sign with the Raiders then quickly retire just to give it back to the Raiders after all the things they said about him after the trade that would that would be amazing Marcus Mariota by the way did not start a game with the Raiders he came in as a backup a couple times. I remember got a shot And I believe got a shot. I could be wrong, but I feel like John Gruden got really excited when he came in during a Monday night football game as an announcer and pumped up Mario.

1:10:13I might really be mixing up things.

1:10:15Jourdan Rodrigue:Never got a fair shot, guys. Now redemption. I like the Raiders' defense, actually. If people go watch the last couple of weeks, no touchdowns in the second half against two pretty solid attacks. and I think that this group, there's a talent deficit there. We all know this, but they're outplaying it right now, and that's Patrick Graham who's outcoaching the lack of talent on the roster. Looking forward to see that. Always fun to talk about our old friend John Gruden. Out there sending emails still. Hopefully the content is a little bit better now. The Atlanta Falcons, our next game, favored by five and a half across the division against the Carolina Panthers.

1:10:56The over-under is 43 and a half. Speaking of John Gruden, Tim Brando is on the call. Matt Millen and Sarah Kustak as well, Greg, as we get to see if this Carolina Panthers team, which didn't have an opponent run for a billion yards against them last week, could go up against this Atlanta Falcons team that did run all over the Minnesota Vikings a week ago. Yeah, seeing the Falcons as that big of a favorite going into a week three game and imagining a world, very realistic world, where the Falcons' defense is number one in DVOA and EPA per play after three weeks this season. They are number one in EPA right now.

1:11:35And the fact that they have the Panthers, who are missing two starting offensive linemen for the first time this season, putting them on injured reserve. What a wild world to live in. This Raheem Moster, Jeff Ulbrich marriage. Raheem Morris. Yeah, sorry. I had Raheem Mostert on the brain.

1:11:52Jourdan Rodrigue:Guys, we're not doing a Jeffissance. It's the era of Jeff. The era of Jeff. This is Jeff Olbrich, who's scheming up pressure, which Raheem Morris admitted and knew they needed more of. They're blitzing a little bit more than Raheem Morris ever wanted to do. Guess who is suddenly third in pressure rate and tied for third in sacks in the NFL after we couldn't find a pass rush if our lives depended on it in Atlanta over the last several seasons. That's right, the Atlanta Falcons. Jeff Ulbrich and Raheem Morris are a great team. It's part of the reason why a lot of teams wanted to hire Jeff Ulbrich this offseason.

1:12:26Jourdan Rodrigue:I told you guys this Falcons team would be frisky, and that is also why they are my survivor pick this week. Oh, good choice. Bang those drums.

1:12:37She turns her back on her beloved Carolina Panthers. Hard to blame her, though, the way it's looked. In the offensive line, which they hadn't been getting as much going in the running game so far this season anyways. And so to lose Robert Hunt for the season is absolutely brutal. I think Michael Penix is quietly having his second year leap, but you don't really know it because they had to play the Bucs and everything that Todd Bowles was sending out him in week one. And then last week, obviously, Brian Flores and the Vikings. But I'm really impressed with how slow the game seems for him, how he makes a lot of smart checks at the line of scrimmage, how just these first couple games, he's just dingin' and dungin', which is the opposite of the Michael Penix show, but I think it's because it's winning football in these specific matchups where they knew their offensive line couldn't hold up, and he just seems like a very mature quarterback this early in his career.

1:13:33Yeah, and it points me back to just what a great draft pick it was for a maligned GM like Terry Fadneau. After giving a quarterback$100 million guaranteed on a move that was directed by his owner to take Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the NFL. You know who was on an island defending that pick the day it happened from all the haters? Right here. Oh, so now, okay. Eric Roberts' favorite host. All right.

1:13:58Jourdan Rodrigue:That's right. You know, I'm reminded of another take earlier this summer, GM rankings and whatnot. And somebody in this room right now, Brave Soul, in fact, complimented and lauded the fact that Terry Fontenot's draft picks tend to work out pretty good and have pretty good. Kyle Pizzasance is definitely happening. Moving well. And I will also say that their pass rushers, which they traded for, I personally would not have given up a first round pick, but they're both popping off the screen. This is a factor early on. I'm not ready to fully say for the entire season, the Atlanta Falcons defense is back, but they look really dang good so far.

1:14:40Jourdan Rodrigue:And going against this version of the Carolina Panthers, it bodes well for them. Only eight players in the last 30 seasons have had 10 total tackles and interception and half a sack through two games. One of them, Billy Bowman Jr., another young Atlanta Falcon. Xavier Watts has looked great. Drafted by Terry Fontenot. It's a little TBD to me with Pierce and Walker in terms of how much they'll have an impact this season. But Divine Diablo, who they picked up from the Raiders, has looked awesome. There's a lot of good players there. And then on the other side, Like Bryce right now has the second lowest completion percentage on targets over 10 yards.

1:15:17And it just feels like it's it's hope balls to Tetaro McMillan, who comes down with him a lot of the times. And that's about it. Like the drop off. I think it's the worst group of weapons to throw to in the NFL. And that's a lot considering they were in such a good position. They felt before the season that they're they're making trades like and sending. you know we saw the the late game performance um from hunter renfro the plan was never like

1:15:45Jourdan Rodrigue:hunter renfro was let go it's supposed to be there at the start of the season and i think that also speaks to how difficult things have been for xavier leggett yeah at the start of the season he's he's really struggling um it's like the route depth has been weird i saw a cut up where it's like going through like the way tets uh excuse me his mom also called tedaroa also will call him tedaroa T-Mac's fine. Yeah, T-Mac is acceptable as well. The comparison between the way that they run their outs and, like, Leggett's was not lazy, but, like, he's drifting back, and the defender's able to get there.

1:16:15It wasn't crisp. And once he gets the ball in his hands, he seems indecisive. Maybe some better play will lift up everything for the Panthers.

1:16:23Jourdan Rodrigue:Yeah, there's questions about A.J. Terrell this week. He is week-to-week, not expected to play, which is a massive loss for the Falcons. Good catch. Thanks, Greg. You're doing great as host. I think Eric would agree I mean I would have done better if I had brought up the week to week AJ Terrell injury before that but we got it I really like this Falcons team I came in the year obnoxiously high on this Atlanta Falcons team and I just like everything they're putting together let's not forget too we haven't seen actual improvement from the Carolina Panthers defense JC Horn has made a couple big plays which is awesome we haven't really seen a ton from them yet and last season And Bajon Robinson set his career high in rush yards.

1:17:03Jourdan Rodrigue:And Drake London set his career high in receiving yards in that week 18 game. Yeah, pretty crazy numbers from them both. But it's in that vision. Anything can happen. It's true. Bryce was incredible in that game, too. Yeah, that's a good. It was a good game. Good memory for always. It's always fun when these two teams play. We've had a couple of long distance revenge games where things can kind of mellow and go around. Now we have Clint Kubiak and the Seattle Seahawks at home against the New Orleans Saints. The Seahawks favored by 7.5, the over under 41.5 points. Andrew Catalan, our good friend Charles Davis, Jason McCourty, and A.J.

1:17:40Ross on the call. It's been a little up and down. Do you think it's going to be all up with the big favorite Seahawks at home? Jordan.

1:17:47Jourdan Rodrigue:Seattle looked a little messy at the beginning of last week's game against Pittsburgh. Sam Darnold turned it over. that was actually more courtesy of a really great play by Jalen Ramsey undercutting a route on a ball intended for Cooper Cup. If Sam Darnold would have led Cooper Cup, that's a touchdown, easy money, because Cooper had Jalen Ramsey beat on the play. So I think this is as time passed and this team, the Seattle offense started to run the ball, get the fullback, Robbie Oots. I've apologized to, I think, probably a family member of his who reached out to me last week that I mispronounced it.

1:18:20Jourdan Rodrigue:Please forgive me. but he he tried something there I liked it I thought it was good keep cooking Greg getting him involved his snap count has increased week over week getting him more involved is a true game changer for this offense because they can play bully ball run the ball behind your lead blocker with the fullback behind Gray's able I don't I still don't trust these tackles to pass pro super well they've had some issues with pass pro with Sam Darnold, but they're running the ball well. They are physical. They are like bully ball offense once they get kind of opened up in that phase. And I expect that to be the same against this defense.

1:19:02And they need to pass protect well because that's their franchise left tackle in Charles Cross and they just gave Abe Lucas a lot of money. I always understand why the player does take maybe like 90 % of the dollar of what he could get. if he has a healthy season before the season coming off an injury. I always think there's a risk coming off of a major injury that Abe Lucas had to give that money, and he struggled a little bit. But these are two teams that want to run the ball. They have run the ball pretty well. It's a mismatch when the Saints have the ball on offense in this game because Spencer Rattler has been surviving despite facing the second most amount of quick pressures in the NFL.

1:19:46Now, Fuaga, the Saints right tackle, just hasn't looked right. And he admitted to a reporter that he's playing through some sort of patella tendon diagnosis. And that's really scary because you're worried maybe a bigger injury could happen. He gave up that big sack that ended last week's game. Their offense has been better than expected, for sure. It's why I thought about making this my survivor pick, too. but I think it's too much. I want to give the Saints just enough respect that you just never know, and I didn't feel quite comfortable. The defense, unfortunately, for the Saints has been a little worse than expected, I would say.

1:20:28The learning and adjustment process, you could see it going on with Coach Moore and the Saints team who ran play action at the lowest rate in the NFL in week one. They came back week two and 33 % of the time. They used play action, and Rattler had seven completions for 73 yards and two touchdowns using play action, which is something, considering the way that the run game has gone, like Alvin Kamara, when given the ball, has seen more light boxes than anybody. He's still getting contact behind the line of scrimmage. So bad. Considering, and, you know, the context that Flaga's playing through some things as well, like they're having some trouble up there.

1:21:05And so it does have to be all on Spencer Rattler, like as limited and shorthanded as things could be. And he's delivered. And Juwan Johnson's made plays, he did have some drops in both games. But, you know, get the snake emojis going. The Rattlers supporters, we are many and we are growing. If Tyler Shuck had two weeks like that, everyone, I think the conversation would be, wow, is Tyler Shuck going to play well enough that the Saints considered not using a quarterback, assuming they have like a top five pick? I think that's how well Spencer Rattler has played. I think people just view him differently because of where he went in the draft and because he's a second year player.

1:21:42Jourdan Rodrigue:I just think when you combine the way that the Seahawks defense is playing, how aggressive they are, how they already look like one of the best defenses in the NFL this early in the season. Like I would put them and the Chargers and the Eagles, depending on who's at corner at corner number two, maybe the Broncos, although they've been a little shaky. I would put those guys all in the top tier right now in of defenses. is the Rams as well. And Seattle's right up there at the very top. And they are aggressive. And especially if your offensive line is banged up, as you mentioned, Patrick, like this could go get ugly quickly.

1:22:20Jourdan Rodrigue:And especially at home. I mean, I really expect Seattle to open up a can here. I couldn't believe this stat, but Mike McDonald, I think, has only lost one game on the road and he's barely won any games at home since he took over. I was shocked by that last week. They brought it up on the broadcast. It's more impressive. The home thing is fluky. Everything, I think, home road splits over a short enough timeline. It's just loud for a young quarterback is what I'm saying. It's pretty fluky. I just feel like more should be made out of that, that he's like 9-1 on the road somehow as a head coach. It's kind of wild.

1:22:52You just got to look at the schedule makers. But to Jordan's point about the defense, especially the pass rush, 49 % of dropbacks, they're getting pressured. They're getting pressure. It's the highest mark in the NFL, and they have blitzed at the second lowest rate in the league. It's getting skewed up. Because they don't have to. And somebody like Demarcus Lawrence, his sack and pressure numbers aren't up there, but everybody's doing their job, and again, to summon Bill's memory. Nobody's chasing sacks, but they're still getting pressure. I mean, Bill's still with us. He's coaching a team with a two-game winning streak here.

1:23:25Just blew out the Richmond Spiders last week. Congrats to him. There's a Bill Belichick update. Bill Belichick, still with us. Yeah, the Seahawks, 3-7 at home under Mike McDonald. They're so good on defense that, like, Nuosu's not even playing much. I know he's coming off an injury, but they just have so many guys. Boy, Mafe is on my list of the top 25 free agents going into 2026. He was already pretty high up there, and, I mean, he might get to the top just about. There's not that many good free agents, ultimately, that get there. If they don't sign him long-term, he will be, like, in the top five, I would guess, to actually get to the market.

1:24:07That's a long way away. I mean, I like the offseason and all, but it feels good. Do we need to plug the free agency? I think it's fun to look ahead to free agency. Make it a year-round event like the NFL draft. That's the vision. Conspiracy theory. Greg wants Boyamafe in the New England Patriots.

1:24:25Jourdan Rodrigue:Sure. Oh, I understand. Layers to this. That would be a lot of fun. You know what else would be fun? Listening to our preview, of the AFC. So if you, if you've noticed last week, we divided up the preview shows into AFC and NFC. We're giving every team just a little more tender, loving care and attention each and every week. So that is it for the NFC. We got six games in the AFC. We'll see you there. I'm U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. We all get distracted when we drive, whether it's from our phones or kids in the backseat bickering. But how we handle these distractions can be a matter of life or death.

1:25:11Before you get on the road for your next road trip, please put your phones on silent and take a mental note to focus on driving. Paid for by NHTSA. When you're a maintenance engineer in a beverage manufacturing plant, you keep production lines moving and quality on track. Because there's no room for slowdowns. With Grainger's vast selection of high-quality motors, sensors, belts, and hard-to-find parts, you can get what you need fast and all in one place, so nothing gets in the way of getting the job done. Call 1-800-GRAINGER, click grainger.com, or just stop by. Grainger, for the ones who get it done.

1:25:54Honey, Felipe sent another photo. From Argentina? How? With T-Mobile, of course. Mira, he's video calling us. Hola, familia. Did you get my photos? We did. They're so pretty. Here to share every moment with T-Mobile. Enjoy data roaming at no extra charge in 21 Latin American countries. Switch now on the T-Life app or T-Mobile.com slash connectate. Qualifying plan required not for extended international use. You must reset in the U.S. and primary usage must occur in our network. Visit T-Mobile.com. When Kohler, global design leader in luxurious kitchen and bath products, asked me to be their ambassador for timeless, elegant, durable cast iron, I said, I'm in.

1:26:35Soon after, I was in their Kohler, Wisconsin foundry, watching molten iron poured, enamel applied by hand, and the beautiful finished pieces ready to ship. Since 1883, Kohler cast iron has been crafted by incredible artisans, and seeing it firsthand gave me a whole new appreciation for their craftsmanship. Now, I'm proud to lend my stamp of approval to my favorite Kohler cast iron products for their durability, beauty, and enduring style. Shop my curated picks at Kohler.com. As the Kohler cast iron ambassador, I say, long live cast iron. Now more than ever, America needs a laugh. Enter the Super Troopers to the rescue.

1:27:21Vermont's finest and most shockingly offensive mustachioed highway patrol officers return to the big screen in Super Troopers 3 with more pullover

1:27:30Jourdan Rodrigue:pranks and more over-the-top shenanigans than ever. In this latest installment of the cult comedy classic, Rod Farva's wildly over-the-top Indian engagement to Thorny's sister spirals out of control, a debaucherous bachelor party, a wedding that Thorny is desperate to stop, and a dangerous drug smuggling ring all threaten the troops' friendships and future. Fill your liter of cola, grab your buds, and roll up to the multiplex for Super Troopers 3. Only in theaters August 7th. Get tickets, meow. This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed human.