2025 NFL Week 7 NFC Preview

21:12And the blitz comes in, fills that lane just fast enough to make the quarterback hesitate. He was kind of scrambling around in this sort of cloudy, looking for his rush lanes situation. Didn't trust what he was seeing downfield to throw the ball. Couldn't really cut and run the way that he wants to because of the way that they were pressuring him. It was so creative. It was like geometric art, you guys. I loved it.

21:36Steve Wyche:Can you do that every week? They've been doing it week after week this year. Here's why they can do that. And it's hopefully this becomes a story because one Caden Ellis, the inside linebacker is the most underrated player in the NFL. I've said this for two years, but they've taken divine Diablo who was with the real last name, a former safety type player who can run. And Raheem told me this in training camp. You're going to see some things out of this kid. You haven't seen. You've got a guy who can run and that goes to Jordan's point. When you're blitzing a certain way and you've got two linebackers who can go, we saw this with Dre Greenlaw and Fred Warner with the Niners.

22:08they can clean up any stuff up front but the thing is the guys up front have been so gap disciplined you saw that when josh allen was like okay where can i go nowhere like they but they've got two linebackers who can clean it up aj terrell at the corner is playing his tail off yeah he is got two great safeties you got the rookie xavier watts and jesse bates so defensively they're sound on all three levels and they're cranking it up all bricks you know who's been who's with with Raheem when they were there and the before when Dan Quinn was coaching, they usually kind of wait, wait, wait. Now we're going to come after you.

22:41Now they're like, nope, we're coming after you from the gate. So I love the way that they're playing. This game's going to be interesting. But with Mac Jones, who's gutting through that knee and that oblique, you could see it show up some in that game against the Bucs. If he's stationary like he is, it's going to be tough. It is going to be really tough because those linebackers can match up with Christian McCaffrey out of the backfield.

23:02Patrick Claybon:and a lot goes on Kendrick Bourne's shoulders, which is nothing new to Kendrick Bourne after getting there. He's at 142 yards. It's like exactly 142.

23:11Steve Wyche:Fantasy pickup of the year.

23:12Patrick Claybon:No, go ahead. A great pickup by the 49ers because there was some negotiation that was going on before Kendrick Bourne actually got signed. Price went up. Yeah. Yesterday's price evolved. And so now where the Bills were in a situation where, especially in the second half, they couldn't shake free of the Falcons secondary. like better hope that there's a kiddle availability in this game, because if those pressures were getting, that was the most, that was the highest blitz rate that Josh Allen has seen in almost four years. Like you got to go back to 2021 for, for a blitz rate like that against Josh Allen, where teams have kind of felt unsafe to come after him to that extent.

23:52Patrick Claybon:But the Falcons were able to clean out of the gate. Yeah. I mean, the entire game. Yeah. And so if like seeing Mac Jones, like adjust the knee brace and like hobble up and get up slowly for the past few weeks like I don't know maybe maybe they both have to play in this game and on the other side I think this is so cool and unfortunate because I really would have loved to see Fred Warner and not even just Mike Penix but Fred Warner and Bajon Robinson chess match as well because Bajon Robinson and the pistol we talked about this on NFL Daily with him last week friend of the program like how he's setting up his own runs or giving him the autonomy directionally as if as a quarterback would have to set up different layers of the defense if that quarterback was setting up his runs.

24:33And instead, Bajon is able to kind of help do that and do that, especially aligned if they're going to run outside in the pistol, which has its detractors, but I am a big fan of. And it's cool because I would have loved to see Fred Warner negotiate that and counter that and that battle. And these are really, this is a young 49ers defense that I think has played really, really admirably, especially undermanned and sort of rebuilding as it is. And Robert Sala has really coached this group up. And by the way, the Venn diagram of coaching staffs here,

25:05Steve Wyche:Robert Sala, Jeff Ulrich, Raheem Morris, Kyle Shanahan, a bunch of assistants. Yeah, and so it's so interesting for all those reasons and I can't help but think and wish that of any player I wish could see go against this, the way that Atlanta is playing schematically right now, it is Fred Warner. Yeah, the 49ers superpower used to be incredible game planning, plus super duper stars. Like we are more talented than you and like physicality. Without Bosa, without Warner, Purdy hasn't been healthy. Not that he's at that level. Trent Williams is not quite where Trent Williams used to be. Like they just don't feel like that super team.

25:46Steve Wyche:Whereas Atlanta, sure, it's like greater than the sum of their parts on defense. But on offense, you have two capital D dudes in Bajon Robinson and Drake London. And they're just more talented, I think, than the 49ers. All right, we're going to take a break and we're going to go to the NFC East, which is all jumbled up and everyone's looking at the Eagles thinking maybe we can win the division.

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31:08Steve Wyche:Back on NFL Daily. Washington and Dallas coming off. Disappointing losses each, but there's good injury news on the horizon. CeeDee Lamb practicing on Wednesday and Kevontae Turpin. Like, maybe we're getting CeeDee Lamb back for this game.

31:26Patrick Claybon:It may be. The Cowboys have needed all the offensive help they could get considering the way things have gone for the defense. Both of these teams were on win streaks, but now it's the Commanders who are favored by two and a half points at the Dallas Cowboys. 54 and a half is the over-under. It is Fox 1, Kevin Burkhart, Tom Brady, Aaron Andrews, and Tom Rinaldi there for the call as Steve. Do we finally get an opportunity for Dallas to show its defensive strength against a division opponent? No. Oh, no. No. Their defense is not good. Jaden's going to be upset by the way that game ended. Bill Krosky-Meritt's going to be upset by the fact that he gave it up in the first half.

32:06The offensive line's going to have to play a little bit better in the run game. I just think this is one. Terry McLaurin is supposed to be back practicing this week. Washington's just going to go off. That was one of those, you could tell by Dan Campbell's body language after the game, that he was sick. I mean, the missed tackle. I'm sorry. Yeah, Dan Quinn. Sorry about that. The body language that he had. Two goatee guys. It's fine. Yeah, the missed tackle at the end on DeAndre Swift. I think Washington's going to come out and play one of its best games of the season. I think Jaden's going to come out and play well.

32:38That 54-and-a-half line is not even high enough. There's going to be some points scored in this game.

32:42Steve Wyche:I think Washington's going to put a whole lot of them up there. Everyone plays their best against this Dallas defense, and you look at the approach that the Bears took, which I thought was really good. I know it wasn't perfect against Washington, But when teams have slowed down Cliff Kingsbury's commanders, it's been a lot of just, we're going to have more numbers than you in the running game. And we're going to make you try to win one-on-one matchups, which works better when Terry McLaurin is out of the lineup and now he will be back in. But they ultimately like got totally stonewalled by what going into the game was maybe the worst run defense in the league.

33:20Steve Wyche:The bears, I thought it was a good game plan. It's like, Oh, you know who else, you know, could run that game plan. like the former Cowboys coordinator, Dan Quinn. Problem is no longer there. And like, who is the most inflexible defensive coordinator in the league? It's Matt Eberflus. Like, I just, I can't imagine him. I think Flus is not loose. And like those guys, yeah, Deron Bland and Trayvon Diggs, like they would be up for it. But I just kind of can't see the Cowboys having that sort of approach in this game. But I think both with both offenses, we're going to see a lot of points, points on both sides.

33:51And I agree 100 % with what you guys are saying about the commanders. I think that this is an all out. You try to score seven, six or seven on every single drive. Right. And I think that is it's possible against what this Cowboys defense is doing. I also think, though, that this commander's defense looks old to me. I mean, they look slower. And we were worried about this last year and they play really hard. Nobody's questioning that. And they are really smart players. And Frankie Louvoo is flying around, looks back to his old self. Teams were kind of putting a lot on him in terms of how they were countering him earlier in the season.

34:25He's flying around. But I just I don't I they just they're creaky to me in different ways, too. And I think that if you're getting the guys back on this Cowboys offense, that does have something. No, they could not run the ball this last game. But overall, throughout the season, they've run the ball extremely well. Schematically, they've looked great up front. Javante Williams has looked explosive. I think that that is an anomaly last week versus the norm that we've seen. And if you're getting these guys back with Dak playing the way that he is, and unfortunately, I do believe this is another possibly wasted Dak game, like most of these losses have been.

35:03But him and Schottenheimer and Javante and this offensive line, who also got guys back and are getting back into a rhythm, like there's just something there. I just like it. I don't like their defense at all, but I just like what the Cowboys have cooking on offense. and I think they trade blows back and forth all day.

35:19Patrick Claybon:Yeah, even the passing game, despite the fact that the run game went into the singularity that is the Panthers defense in Charlotte for some reason that we won't be able to explain. An event. Never understand. But the pass game still looked good. And to imagine Dak having the full complement where it's not Ryan Flannoy on the field. Instead, it's now CeeDee Lamb.

35:40Steve Wyche:Hey, Ryan Flannoy had a big game.

35:42Patrick Claybon:He did. He had a great game. They've all been able to be successful, but when George Pickens is the number one threat and still having the performances that he's had, it shows all the potential, which is kind of wasted by this inflexible, as Greg says, defense, which does have some flexibility because Kyer Elam is not playing almost at all anymore. It was to the start of the season where it's like that trade didn't necessarily yield the results that the Cowboys would have liked to have. but for weekend and week out to be the same exact situation we expect to be in the game. Oh, the Cowboys are going to be in this game.

36:18Patrick Claybon:They got to score a lot of points to try to eke it out at the end and be right every single week. Like something's got to eventually give here.

36:25Steve Wyche:It's such a big game. I do like thinking about these in the context of the season. It's why that Cowboys loss to the Panthers, I think, really hurt. Like their schedule is difficult. But if you want mess. Oh, I like mess. Just imagine, you know, the Cowboys do get this win. they can get they get back to like three three in one you got the Giants and the Eagles playing twice in three weeks if the Giants could ever like sweep that matchup that game next week is gonna be big and even though I've kind of liked what I've seen overall out of the Commanders this year like if if they found a way to stub their toe this week I don't think they will but if they did and they're at three and four yeah it's just like uh shake it all up this thing is is gross and it's the NFC east of like four or five years ago no that would be great and look Look, I just think, especially knowing the coaching staff in Washington, like they're sick.

37:14The missed tackles, poor run angles on defense. Offensively, they were fine. They said the giveaways. I just think this is going to be a much better week, but you don't know what you're going to get out of this. They're one of these teams right now where we're like, what are they?

37:30Steve Wyche:The two quarterbacks, you kind of know what you're getting every week from these two teams, and that's about it. Yeah, I would say that. And then Jaden, you know, still, he's coming back, getting healthy, and he was he's a little spotty from time to time but you know they get Terry McLaurin back that

37:43Patrick Claybon:that changes that offense and I think um you know as much as they love to be at home to not be in the elements after the weather caused a lot of those issues uh it's it's going to be a nice comfortable 72 degrees uh inside AT &T Stadium with the zero percent look out for the sun right there's that uh the Green Bay Packers are going on the road they are six and a half point favorites at the Arizona Cardinals. The over-under is 44 and a half. Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, and Jen Hale on the call. We saw a moral victory from the Arizona Cardinals in a Jacoby-Percet game where the Colts like oddly fell apart in warm-ups and had to make some adjustments.

38:24Patrick Claybon:How do you see this one going, Jordan? I would argue that this is not really a road game for Green Bay considering how many Packers fans and Wisconsinites do reside in the state of Arizona overall and how deep they will travel for this game and fill up the stands there at State Farm Stadium, I suspect. You know, I still think the Packers have it. They've got all the pieces. Jordan loves playing great. The offense is starting to come together. The run defense is the best in the league right now in terms of yards per game. And Micah Parsons is still on the team, lest we forgot. I would just really like for not only Packers, this Packers team as a whole, but also like some of their fans to just like loosen up a little, to lighten up.

39:12We had people, guys, in our show mentions mad that we were having fun with an icing the kicker moment. Like lighten up, guys. Like loosen up. I was unaware of this. I didn't know. The expectations, like enjoy something. The expectations on this team are so high. And I say this carries right even through to the team itself that plays still to me a little tight sometimes and a little in its own head sometimes. Like their head coach. And that's including the play caller, which I was about to say. And I feel like this, I just want this team looser. I just want to see them cut it loose and play loose and schematically sound and fundamentally sound, obviously.

39:50But I can tell the second they made that move and a great move and one that is going to take them to the playoffs, deep in the playoffs and one that makes them instant Super Bowl contenders. In trading for Micah Parsons, you also saw them get tight. You also saw them clench up a little bit because this is a team that knows it's got what it takes to go the whole way. So just enjoy it. Have some fun. Loosen up. Be free.

40:14Steve Wyche:Play like a complete game. I think that's what it would do. They just are always frustrated and there's always something about the game that they're a little annoyed about. Enjoy all four quarters. They haven't been a totally complete team. I would expect I would definitely take the Cardinals plus six and a half here because the Cardinals are the example of the middle of the NFL. They are the most average team in the NFL, even with their back. Two and four is not indicative. They actually have a plus scoring differential this year because the four games they've lost have been by a combined nine points.

40:47Steve Wyche:But the two games they won were also one-score games. Everything is a last-minute field goal or a last-second throw for Jacoby Brissett. And I think they're a tough enough defense to give Jordan love in this offense problem, which hasn't been able to put together like a totally complete game. And Arizona just doesn't know how to win. I mean, that's the main thing. That's why they're losing these close games. It's a little mistake here or there. They just don't know how to close it out. But in terms of Green Bay, I mean, defensively, they should be, whether it's Jacoby Brissett, whether it's Kyler, they should be able to handle this offense.

41:19This is one where I really want to see their defense kind of choke a team out. Yeah. Like, we're that good. they don't have the weapons Marvin Harrison still in concussion protocol I believe like let's go there choke them out not expect our offense to do something and beat a team that doesn't know how to win a close game

41:34Patrick Claybon:Marvin Jr. was limited as of Wednesday as was Kyler Murray and so there's if Jordan or anybody else is looking for a loose Packers moment Josh Jacobs was mic'd up against the Cincinnati Bengals much like the Leonard Fournette mic'd up of a few years ago. He was laughing every time he was tackled. I love it. So there's a light, fluffy Packers moment where, yeah. Just enjoy the ride, guys. This is going to be fun for Packers fans. Just enjoy it. And a lot of them are. A lot of them are. Plenty of them are. I know. It's just fun. They just, you know, expectations will crush a team.

42:14Steve Wyche:I'm more worried about the Cardinals fans, who did have high expectations this year, and this is their last game before their bye. it just feels like a big moment for them. If they go into that by two and five, it's the lowest moment of the Jonathan Gannon era. And like, I give them a chance. There are some things to like. Part of it was because Jacoby Brissett played. So that's tricky. I assume Kyler Murray will be starting if healthy. He's limited, as you mentioned. Then again, they have the bye week. So reading between the lines, to me, it sounded like they weren't counting on Kyler Murray earlier in the week, but maybe he's making good progress.

42:48Steve Wyche:Like with Jacoby Brissett, You saw the play action rate went way up. He was not kind of the dink and dunk Jacoby Brissett. Yeah, he was letting it go. He was. They had more chunk plays in that game than almost the entire season combined. And they actually had their offensive line that they intended to have going into 2024 before a number of injuries struck to different players. And that's been the case somewhat this year. And Will Hernandez is coming back from an injury. They actually had it all together for the first time since before last season. and they played pretty well against the Colts.

43:20Steve Wyche:So, like, I'm not counting this Cardinals team out in this week or long term. Oh. Why not? I think they're, like, right in the middle. They're right in the middle, the NFL.

43:30Patrick Claybon:Congratulations to the Arizona Cardinals of 2025. We're all looking at Greg like, okay. You are the middle. Preach that sermon, my brother. I actually look at Steve every time Greg makes a point because Steve is within reach of the swinging mitts here. Oh, yeah. Yeah, so I've seen. You can take a shot. I always see Steve. Greg's wingspan. Shockingly large wingspan. Yeah, and that great shirt, by the way. Eagles green. Let's go. Hey, a reminder. The Houston Texans exist. Coming off of the bye, they went into Baltimore, got healthy on offense, and now they get to be a part of the Monday night doubleheader, the later start at the Seattle Seahawks, who are a three-point favorite.

44:13Patrick Claybon:Chris Fowler, Louis Riddick, Dan Orlovsky, Katie George, Peter Schrager on the call as we get a chance to see if that offensive revolution, Greg, was just the Baltimore Ravens or if the Texans are back.

44:27Steve Wyche:This will be a very tough game to figure that out because they could put up 16 points as long as it wasn't complete disaster class like that might be a good performance against the Seattle team. We'll see if Devin Witherspoon gets back on the field this week. I just think he's so important to what everything Mike McDonald wants to do, especially the combination of him and Julian Love, who have been out. But I like that you frame it in the, not just the Ravens, you know, game. I like that coming off a bye, I think coaches and staffs tell us a lot about themselves. So what have they worked on during this bye?

45:04Steve Wyche:What are they going to look like, especially in terms of being able to pick up pass rushers? Because that's what they've really struggled with up front. And Seattle makes it as hard as any team in the league to do. Yeah, this is, yes. because you could see like small incremental improvements. And yes, some of it was the opponent. I will, I definitely allow that and a lack of a pass rush in Baltimore. But you could see, you could see slight starts of incremental adjustments and improvements, getting Woody Marks in there a little bit more, help them out. The offensive line in general, settling down a little bit.

45:37They're young in some places and need to obviously put, continue to build positive blocks and steps forward. so the bye week yeah is huge this is a nightmare opponent defensively to go against nightmare opponent but it's it's a nightmare opponent for both teams because Seattle is the most explosive offense in the NFL right now love that for them they are so fun to watch but but they're going to go against a brick wall in that Houston Texans defense not just their secondary but also Seattle has to improve their run game for as great as as much as we love the blueprint of it and as much as we love watching this offense overall this is not going to be an easy defense to go against to get to fixing certain things that need to be fixed.

46:17No. I mean, you look at Houston's front seven, one of the most talented front sevens in the NFL. I mean, from the linebackers, you know, you got to Oto 'o, you got some of the guys, you know, Aziz Alshire, and then, of course, a bookend pass rush would come for Sam Darnold. But again, I think the timing offense, the way Seattle's running its offense right now, you can still move the ball up and down the field on Houston. It's going to be whether they can get into the end zone. I think that's the issue. But the way Darnold is playing right now, I'm all on the Sam D Club he's number one in EPA per play composite ranking Steve we're geeking up out over them every week we got him on the island

46:51Steve Wyche:he's there quite an island right now we gotta get CJ back this is not gonna be a game though that will probably support I don't know man CJ seems to be I mean I know it was the Ravens and the Titans the last two games but CJ seems to be like okay now I feel a little more behind this offensive line so I don't think he's scurred right he's going in his game ready to deal a little bit so I think this is going to be a tight game it's just tough because it's in Seattle yeah yeah well that's the

47:20Patrick Claybon:thing though because these Seahawks are road warriors they go out they give all kinds of problems folks in Duval were on cloud nine after that win against the Chiefs but there comes JSN streaking down the field for 61 but the Jags you know there's there's a reason that they're shipping corners out and trying to make changes in the secondary that the Texans, I think, talent wise are uniquely positioned to be a problem for Seattle's offense to an extent that maybe they hadn't seen yet.

47:47Steve Wyche:And they should be a problem for everyone's offense, like the physicality that they have. Although I was thinking about like bigger picture that this season, I always think this it just is a reminder. It's really tough to build around defense. I just like, yeah, the Texans defense is great, but ultimately they've given up a couple drives in key moments this season where even though the offense has struggled, they could easily be four and one this year if the defense made a couple. I think about the Vikings really built around their defense and it's tough for their defense to carry them week after week.

48:19Steve Wyche:I think about the Broncos, who you think of as one of the best defenses. Those last two aren't even in the top 10 in DVOA right now because when you go up against an offense, and I would include the Seahawks in one of these, at least their passing games, that's truly efficient. It's just nothing is set up for you. to dominate in this league. So you better have like a respectable, the better offense or your team is kind of DOA. If your defense is on the field, you know, right over and over and over, eventually the team's going to hit you on a 10 play drive and 11 play drive where you're butt down.

48:49And then that's that the offense has got to be able to points up on the board. That's why, again, I think Houston, I don't know. I love this.

48:55Steve Wyche:Watching them. I love this game. This is my favorite game of the week. You already gave you one. Yeah. I just, it's Monday night football. It's late. Oh, that's everyone. Oh my God. everyone gets it yes we'll be there why why can't the Seahawks run the ball consistently though

49:09Patrick Claybon:like at what point is that like an issue yeah last week was concerning that's the thing that's wild to me because the scheme is there and they're they brought some dudes in and and they've got the two-back system and you would think all of the pieces on paper everything even on on scheme wise on the field when you're watching the tape you're like I could see why that would work and yet you You know, but here's the thing. Two weeks ago, Mike McDonald was mad as heck at his pass rush or lack thereof. Spoke about it at length in the media that week. This week, obviously not thrilled with the run game.

49:45Speaking about it at length in the media this week. This is the focus this week. He is never hiding what his team is focusing on week over week over week. And you have to run the ball or at least try. Because if you try to get the ball to these big tight ends that they're having success with, you got these badass linebackers for Houston that are making that more of a challenge. And if you're trying to be explosive on the perimeter or even getting some of those, like gimme pickup yards and conversions or yak plays that Cooper Cup kind of came alive with last week as well, you're going to have a hard time against the secondary.

50:18Everything is going to be difficult. You have to run the ball better.

50:21Steve Wyche:And that's where you want to win against Houston too, because their tackles, Charles Cross and Abe Lucas have played great, especially protecting Sam Bradford. But if you're going to pick a weakness, it probably has been their interior. Even, even draft Gray's able in terms of what Sam Bradford made his way. I was like, it's a long show. Sam Bradford and Sam. We've been sitting here for hours to me. I always, always used to mix up and now Darnold is just taking it to another level that the 2000 and what year was it? 11 parking lot, you know,

50:55Patrick Claybon:smelling, smelling the sense. in the run game or the pass game because I think back because one of those late defensive collapses by the Texans, Greg, was the performance by Baker and the Bucs offense, which was really just Bucky Irving as well as Rashad White making guys miss on that final drive. So perhaps Zach Charbonnet as well as Kenneth Walker will need to make some plays in this one to our final game we go. That's a great game. You change the locations and this would be the ultimate revenge game, but it is not. it is the new Orleans Saints at the Chicago Bears who are favored by five and a half points the over under is 46 and a half Kevin Coogler Daryl Johnston and Allison Williams will be there Steve as we get the Dennis Allen opportunity Dennis Dennis is going to be more motivated Dennis is going to be like we're punching it out we're going to get five takeaways two and gum furiously on the sideline look but with this Bears defense though I mean it's funny Watson against Washington which is a better team but they make some freaking plays man I mean this pick right here that we're seeing on video that was a spectacular play the way that they showed some of the athleticism and speed and tenacity I like the way they played now they're they're vulnerable at times but sweat coming in in the rush.

52:18I just think this he DA was like no mercy. No mercy. But again their defense has been gashed a bit of time but not by Spencer Rattler. I who hasn't been bad by no.

52:32Steve Wyche:No, he's been good and you know he was there with with DA like a lot of this team. I mean there's revenge games all over the place. Chris Olave was essentially sold out by DA when he basically chose Derek Carr over Chris Olave in kind of a public situation. Alvin Kamara and DA definitely were not eye to eye. And there was a report actually that Alvin Kamara indicated to the Saints he does not want to be traded because they basically I think are putting up a for sale sign on a lot of their players. I think Chris Olave might be one of them. But Kamara indicated reportedly to them that he wants to stay.

53:12Steve Wyche:That would not be the case I think if DA was the coach. How about this part of the revenge game? Revenge might be the wrong word, but once upon a time, Spencer Rattler was, you know, the number one high school recruiter, whatever in the country. Yeah. And he was displaced by Caleb Williams. And now people are doing redrafts. Our friend, Steven Ruiz at the ringer of the 2024 draft. And this, this was, this was a bold take. First, he had Drake may as the number one overall pick. That's not as bold. Like, you know, you can make the argument for that. Put that in there, you know? Yeah. Yeah. But that's number one.

53:46Steve Wyche:Interesting. ahead of Jaden. He had Caleb going third. He had Spencer Rattler going 10th overall to the Minnesota Vikings now in this redraft because that's the level that Rattler's playing at. I like that match too. Dang. Yeah. Wow. I think he is kind of playing like a team match. I like the team match. Let me say that. Right. He's kind of playing like less maybe like a top 10 overall pick, but more of like Like the guy after the top three quarterbacks, like who's played better this year, Bo Nix or Spencer Rattler? It's not Spencer Rattler. For sure. Yeah. He's a, it's a good story. I mean, cause he, he's the guy that all summer, everyone's like, when is, when is it no longer going to be his job?

54:29Steve Wyche:Right. Some Saints fans are calling for Shuck, which is crazy to me. Yeah. Why? I don't get it.

54:35Patrick Claybon:I don't understand because it seems like Kellen Moore, uh, started to figure out a little bit more of, of how he wants to, to utilize Spencer Rattler, uh, in this offense. They've used motion on 70 % of their plays. And they gained the ninth fewest yards in the entire league when they don't use motion. So yeah, maybe that 70 % should go up. Kellen Moore got out of Philly where they apparently hate motion and was like, I'm free. Let me go. This is it. Run him around everywhere. Nothing but motion. Yeah. Rasheed, Chris, get in motion. Olave has the fourth highest target rate among receivers this year.

55:12Patrick Claybon:So Rattler's loading up Chris Olave.

55:13Steve Wyche:not working though. He's having his worst season. It's not. The roster needs so much help. They need to develop as a coaching staff. The defense needs help. They're going to start replacing some of these older players with these younger players who are coming up to see what they've got. It is interesting though. I want to point this out on the other side. Something important that I think we saw from Chicago earlier in this last game. Calm. Situational awareness. yes they were playing for the field goal for the one point win don't necessarily love that but hey you take them where you can get them and I like the end of game management between Ben Johnson and specifically Caleb Williams how he calmed he's calming everyone down in the huddle he's reminding everybody you know what their assignments are should this happen should that happen you can hear some of it on the mic'd up it just we we are not that far removed from a Chicago team in tight late game scenarios that require some situational finesse by both the coach and the quarterback of which way are they going to lose this week?

56:22Steve Wyche:Right. Right. And I see so much positive progress made out of this Bears team. They maneuvered around their offensive line. The guards are playing good. Jonah Jackson looked awesome for the first time in really a while. He's had some struggles in his career. They switched around. They got a guy back on the right side. They switched around the left side. It's starting to come together for Chicago. It's starting to come together. And we sat here. It's going to take some time. But we know how incredibly talented Kayla Williams is. And so you're starting to see that come around. Clearly, the connection with Roma Dune is there.

56:57Right? He's getting some stuff going with Loveland. That's here and there. But if Swift continues to play, if he stays on the field and continues to play the way they played, Chicago is interesting. I'm glad you mentioned the offensive line because what they did to Washington late, okay, when they were able to hit the edges over and over. Like you heard me talk about how Dan Quinn's going to be just furious about seeing that. But the play by the tackles and the pulling linemen to hook the defenders in the spring swift like that, they keep doing that. You keep opening the offense, you can go here, here, then you can work it inside, then you got a quarterback who can get it downfield.

57:31Steve Wyche:They can be very dangerous. I mean, on the edge, how about a little shout out to the Canadian Eagle, Theo Benedict. Yeah. going to UBC in Canada, a little Canadian representation. There you go. They choose him as the left tackle coming out of the bye. And I was talking about that with the Texans. Like, show us your work coming out of the bye. The Bears on both sides of the ball, suddenly their run defense was tough and looked better and they're healthier. Their linebackers are healthier. Kyler Gordon is in there. That is part of it. And then on the offensive side, they suddenly ran the ball and I like, man, I want to, I'm rooting for the Saints in this game.

58:05Steve Wyche:I want to pick them in this game. But I just feel like the biggest mismatch is Ben Johnson versus Brandon Staley in this defense. And I saw, I thought it last week too with McDaniels and he had him cooking, especially in that early script where he just kind of knew what the Saints defense was going to do. And they took advantage. But real quick, I mean, this, this brings up a point. And I think we look all around the, what teams are mature enough to handle this, right? Can Atlanta, which came out of the buy, like gangbusters, can they handle not going to San Francisco? Right. Can the Bears, coming off a nice Monday night win, go down to New Orleans?

58:39Are they mature enough to handle it? This is where we're going to get some tells about some teams.

58:42Patrick Claybon:Greg, you mentioned big mismatches. We've got a fine one because we need to survive. As a family, we, again, are undefeated. And I have a suggestion for you. Okay. The Denver Broncos at home against Jackson.

58:56Steve Wyche:No, don't like that at all. I feel like the Giants are risky. You know, he wants to pick the Patriots. No, don't want that either. on the road. Our method has been to just take the team playing the Bengals. We don't have the Bengals. It's a Thursday night football game, but we're taping this on Wednesday. There's no rule saying that we can't do that. Have you seen the last two Thursday night football games, Greg? They have been crazy, but that does not impact me. Can't you see how much Patrick cares about this? We could do the Chiefs. It's because we're doing it together. We have yet to choose the Chiefs this season.

59:33Steve Wyche:Oh, come on. We could just survive that way. Or we could stay consistent and go believe in the Aaron Rodgers Steelers. That's a little tricky too.

59:45Patrick Claybon:Steve, this is your first

59:47Steve Wyche:show that you've sat in for both. I mean, it was a big get. AFC, NFC. I give you the tie breaking honors here. The tie breaking honors? Even though I didn't get to submit one. I thought you wanted, you didn't like the Chiefs. I thought you liked the Broncos. No, I want Patriots picking the Patriots over him. That's what I was going to go as well. Oh, no. Not allowing that.

1:00:09Patrick Claybon:If you're taking it seriously, Greg, as we were accused of not.

1:00:13Steve Wyche:I am. I think they could lose that game. Absolutely. Nope. Nope. He's mad. I don't think he's serious. I am serious. I don't think you take this game seriously enough. I'm kind of disappointed. I am taking it so serious. A road team, fired coach, and a team getting a lot of love with the number there. A revenge game? by a previously fired head. You dig beneath the surface and they're like 20th overall in DVOA and you're telling me that's a better pick than the Chiefs at home against the Raiders? Yeah, I want to feel something. Okay. All right.

1:00:44Patrick Claybon:Don't do it, man. No. All right. I'm with Greg.

1:00:46Steve Wyche:I'm with Greg. Oh my God. But if we lose this, that is 100 % on Greg Rosen. I take that responsibility. See, he doesn't care about this. He doesn't care about this. Everyone has been showing up to the players only meetings that are not required. One time. And they're on time. Weiss is there early. He's taking notes. The leadership here is great. Thursday night football. It'll be Nick, Shook and I. That's the next show in your feed. We will see you then.

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