2025 NFL Week 9 Early Games Preview

22:00Jourdan Rodrigue:I actually disagree with you because they got some of their timing offense going, too. And CJ Stroud was able to throw in rhythm and on time. Now, that is something that bodes well for the future. And yes, they had to make low probability plays. It's like a ton of missed tackles and like breaking through players. Yeah, especially with that receivers group that they're not quite all used to each other yet. You know, they were trying to go for yak plays against a pretty embattled 49ers. defense, they won't be able to do the same thing against this Broncos defense with even without Pat Sertain. This is a really, really talented defense.

22:33Jourdan Rodrigue:And so to me, I did see enough of the Texans to offense to build on, especially because like I mentioned, they were able to get that timing and that rhythm passing game going. And yes, some of the downfield shots, especially, and some of the low probability plays that were made, they were there. They were open. They were schemed to be made and in the first half cj stroud did miss a couple of those throws and he hit him in the second half so i i do think that that's a big factor but again he wasn't pressured so that that that's the hinge point for all of it and and that's the the difference in this texans offense because it's a lot like like both offenses in in texas in the state of texas right dac's gonna have uh those low completion percentage uh throws that he's had for years and cj stroud also does does that as well where you've it's the way that the offensive structure the way the quarterback plays where they take those chances when they get clean pockets to throw from except the variance there uh when when Dak has you know things are a little muddied he can still be successful not like he was against the Denver Broncos where things went absolutely left and that was for an offense that was playing well and now you're asking this Texans line where it's like there's been two or three games this year where CJ looks great and he's you know arms crossed celebrating as guys go in the end zone and everything looks good.

23:50But when things do get difficult, the offense completely falls apart. And it's kind of what I expect to happen. But so does Bo Nix. That's the good thing. Okay. So Bo Nix this year against pressure. Now he faces the least amount of pressure in the league. Like last week for CJ was every week for Bo Nix. And that's key. But by far the least amount of pressure. And that's partly because of the scheme too. It gets the ball out of his hands quickly.

24:13Jourdan Rodrigue:He's got a good line. But he's got a great line. And it's a big test for Garrett Bowles. and, you know, on the right side, like Will Anderson and Daniel Hunter just have to have, you know, a massive game. When Bo Nix is pressured, only two quarterbacks in the league have a lower yards per attempt than Bo Nix. And that's Jake Browning, who's long gone, and Russell Wilson, who's long gone. They still barely qualify in terms of these stats. So if you can get pressure on Bo Nix, it just hasn't worked this year. He's coming off his best game of the season. And they should feel confident. But that was a game.

24:47Again, he's proven in this scheme with all the weapons that they have that he'll make it happen. Against this Texans defense, though, like they're a defense first team. Like Will Anderson wants to be in a conversation at the end of the year, by the way. You know, like these are the types of games. They just have to be absolutely special and just shut them down.

25:05Jourdan Rodrigue:I think what's something that doesn't bode well for the way that this I almost said Saints, but the way that this Broncos offense kind of operates, especially with, with Bo Nix and Sean Payton as collaborators here is, and it's probably, I think a benefit for the Texans defense with how aggressive they play and how frequently they are able to make plays on the ball is he's throwing short of the sticks on over half of his third downs. And this Texans defense, they jump routes. They're super sticky and aggressive in coverage, and they will play tighter than you want to be played. Right. Good point.

25:38Jourdan Rodrigue:And I just think that that's a huge swing point of this game because the Texans have had to score points on defense to win some of these games because the offense has looked so bad in spurts and flashes. So I do think that this is where one of the hinge points is. Looking forward to it. Jalen Petrie may be all pro right now. Would he be your best nickel in the NFL? He might be my choice. We could have a conversation. Yeah, we absolutely could. I'm looking forward to this one. Nico Collins should be back. And so they're kind of figuring out what their, I think, offense is going to look like. I think it's going to be a lot of Jalen Noel, a lot of Nico.

26:15You got Xavier Hutchinson, maybe a little, you know, less of Jaden Higgins and Woody Marks in the mix. They got a chance. I'm looking forward to this one. Let's take a break. And yes, we got more good games in the early slate for once the early slate came through.

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30:24Back at NFL Daily. I just feel like the air has been let out of the Bengals balloon over the last handful of days. But you know what? As we learned with that Pittsburgh win, like it just takes one win to just flip it right back around. The question, though, with this Bengals-Bears game is will Joe Flacco be available? I didn't realize that was going to be such a serious question. But let's listen to Zach Taylor talking about Joe Flacco's injury. He wants to play in the game. And so kudos to him, man. He's been here three weeks. He wants to play. I hate speaking for him, but that's what he's told me.

31:03We'll have to work through the week to see if that's able to do that. It's a throwing shoulder. It's painful. Does he need the reps at all? I mean, you've seen what he's done. Came in, played on a Thursday, you know, after three days of practice. So I think if anybody in this league can get by with minimum reps right now, it's him. It's an AC joint. His brain and his throwing arm. We've seen quarterbacks have those over the years. It's tricky. At another point, Zach Taylor said it would be 50-50 if Flacco played. 50-50. And that's at this point.

31:34Jourdan Rodrigue:Just give him a chance. On Wednesday. Well, he wants to play. And our friends at Spotrack or Spotrack know in that contract that 75K for every win that Joe Flacco starts. So I would want to play as well against the Chicago Bears, who are three-point favorites, Jordan, against Joe Flacco's Cincinnati Bengals. The over-under is 51.5. Spiro D is Adam Archuleta there for the call. Are we going to see a better version of the Chicago Bears offense against a defense that has been rough? And the sky would be falling in Chicago, you know, that market, if they don't see a better or at least a more complete and consistent version of this offense.

32:13Jourdan Rodrigue:because we see it in spurts and fits that this offense really can be something and can do something. This Bengals defense, it either implodes right away or it's a slow implosion that is sort of happening over the course of a game like it did last week. And I would really expect the Bears to play better than they have, or at least more consistently, because I think the ideas are there and I think the players know what they're supposed to do. The penalties keep setting them back. They are leading the league in penalties and penalty yards against them. And I think it all starts with running the ball.

32:46Jourdan Rodrigue:Yes, by the way, you can run the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals defense because they are averaging not just they're not just one of the worst in terms of yards allowed in the NFL. They're also allowing themselves to be blocked out of the play on yards before contact at the sixth highest frequency in the NFL right now, which is not good. I'm surprised it's not higher. That tape last week, I finally got to it watching that Bengals-Jets game. That was a game that is part of a season that gets an entire regime fired. That was a fiasco. If that had been like a primetime game, it was crazy. And they're playing these two linebackers, rookies, Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight at linebacker.

33:30And it is just not going well.

33:33Jourdan Rodrigue:Yeah, they've benched a couple of guys. I mean, but they're, they don't have any choices. Like they benched Logan Wilson. He came back in and he struggled. Those two guys are out there basically every snap and they are getting picked on. And I think Ben Johnson and this bears offense can be good at like targeting a weakness on the opposing team. And you don't have to worry about the pass rush because Trey Hendrickson still hurt. Shamar Stewart, I went and checked, does not have a QB hit or a sack this year. I think he has three total pressures. There's just, there's leaks everywhere. But I, to me, it's like coaching and lack of talent.

34:03Like, it's all bad. And we see the coaching increase. We've discussed Ben Johnson and what this Bears team has done since the bye. They have 14 explosive runs since the bye. That's far and away the most in the NFL. And that's since week five. 183 rushing yards a game. And considering what Brees Hall and Davis, the backup, did against this Bengals defense last week, It's just hard to not see a scenario where Chicago scores a whole lot of points in this matchup. The recipe is that Joe Flacco plays close to what he's played lately, which is incredible, by the way. I can't believe how well he's playing.

34:44I think people are getting a little lost. It's like, oh, Joe Flacco, he's turning back the clock playing this well. Did he play this well normally? He's never played this well. Other than the hottest streak in postseason history.

34:57Jourdan Rodrigue:It's those solo dinners, man. And they're really doing wonders for him. At the very least, he is at his level where he was during the peak of his career, which is incredible. He was fantastic last week. Their offense is kind of a wagon right now. In terms of rushing success rate and efficiency, they've been one of the best teams in the league the last three weeks out of nowhere after being the worst team in the league. So this Bears defense has its share of problems. And start the clock. I don't know if we have a sound effect or anything. CD Deuce is back in the league John C Gardner Johnson are we starting the clock for him and DA to have a very passionate conversation I love that they're back together strange bed fellows Dennis Allen who once traded you know John C Gardner Johnson because but that's the thing that's his pattern he goes back to teams and people that know him he cycles through these different defensive coaches and teammates that know him well and then you start the clock we've all had relationships that like had to end, but man, there was a lot of good stuff to it, so you come back.

36:02Jourdan Rodrigue:Backslide. Break in case of safety emergency, and then you go to the Super Bowl, oddly enough. Like, that's... That's the method. We're CJGJ. I don't know if I could see that happening, but I could see the Bengals really doing well if lack of place, because it's been a little lost that the Bears are down their top three cornerbacks. Kyler Gordon was put back on injured. Reserve Jalen Johnson has been out. They have major injuries. I just did want to point out it is a revenge game, quietly. Do we remember how Zach Taylor got in the league? People would get on him a little bit because he was... Friends with Sean McVay?

36:40No, Mike Sherman's son-in-law. That's how he...

36:43Jourdan Rodrigue:The other way people get... Yeah, he was Mike Sherman's son-in-law. He was on that team. And then Mike Sherman was at Texas A &M. And Zach Taylor brought him to Miami. This was a little highlighted because he was on Hard Knocks and everything. And he ended up being the quarterback's coach with the Dolphins for a long time. You know, who was his assistant quarterback's coach, who he elevated over and became the offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson. So it's like Ben Johnson, you were just handed everything on a silver spoon. I'm going to take it out on you, Zach Taylor. You know, it's kind of wild.

37:14Jourdan Rodrigue:I mean, he wasn't. I would. I mean, it seems like a lot of people are friends with Zach Taylor. But it's interesting because it wasn't a burn. I think it's true. It wasn't a burn. and I think it's true. I think it's kind of like a sneaky way to explain his career, though. Just people like him. No, Zach Taylor. Jordan has the high ground. Cracking up over here. No, it's like, I recall back to, I don't think this was about him, but Ben Johnson's opening press conference when he took the job, he's like, I basically want to beat all the Nepo babies in the league. That's paraphrasing. That's basically what he said.

37:48Zeroed in, target locked on Zach Taylor. The Bears are going to score 50 points. Let's go. Run it up. Dan Campbell style. Let's get to another, you know, talking about Super Bowl contenders. Yeah. The Atlanta Falcons. No, not them. Are on the road at the New England Patriots. Greg Rosenthal, the Patriots are favored by five and a half points. The over under is 44 and a half. We do think Michael Penix Jr. will be back. Hopefully for Falcons fans, it was not the best cousins outing. Andrew Catalan, our good friend Charles Davis and Jason McCourty are there. Can anything slow down? the New England Patriots of 2025, Greg.

38:25Yeah, I think this Falcons defense has shown that they can cook up specific game plans that'll confuse you. And the offensive line communication for the Patriots hasn't been great. Greg May, I think, is taking the fifth most amount of pressure in the league, which, you know. Did those numbers go up? Because they played arguably one of the top three defensive players of our era last year? They certainly went up. And actually, the Falcons have been continuing to blitz a ton all season and it's kind of stopped working the last couple weeks they really have not been able to pressure uh either the 49ers or the the miami dolphin so do the patriots have like a good short game type of answer because i really thought raheem morris got outcoached a little bit by what tua and mike mcdaniel wanted to do last week that that isn't really drake may's game uh he likes to hold the ball a little bit he likes to invite that pressure before uh he tries to make a play.

39:19Jourdan Rodrigue:Yeah, I think this could be a pretty cool, another pretty cool Drake May game. I want to ask you your opinion. Actually, you're more plugged in, I think, to that. Well, certainly to that team, but also to that market, I think, and some of the reporting out there. Ramondre Stevenson was not at practice on Wednesday. So kind of wondering what your instant reaction to that is. Well, it wouldn't be anything until I saw the report that the Patriots are looking for running back help from Mike Reese at ESPN in the trade market. They wanted edge help and running back help. And I'm thinking, I mean, they're pretty.

39:53Ramondre and Travion Henderson, you would think that would not be a primary position.

39:57Jourdan Rodrigue:So I don't know if there was like an injury that we hadn't seen or something that hadn't, that hadn't been reported yet. Or if you've heard of anything or if maybe he's on the block. I mean, I don't know if they're, but then that, that report kind of playing well though. Yeah. And, but that report kind of counteracts it. They seem to want to put Travion Henderson on the field a little bit more, which I agree with. And he played great until then he lost the fumble right at the end of that game. So I was thinking Patriots game without a lot of fumble though. It's becoming a tradition. I was thinking that was a big step forward from him last week.

40:26He had some good pass pro reps, but like my, my most obvious reason I'm a Patriots fan is that I check that Travion Henderson pass pro reps every week. And I do want him to play more.

40:36Jourdan Rodrigue:I'm just saying. It is. Pass pro reps are, are a little bit sick. Well, because I want to just see him like on the field. And there's only it's very easy to do. There's like seven of them every week and they had been going poorly and they went great last week. They made a couple of trades. We should we should do the news portion of the show. Keon White, a second round pick who threw two weeks last year, I believe was leading the NFL in sacks. Little known stat. I think four sacks threw two weeks last week, last year, was traded to San Francisco. and Kyle Duggar, their safety, who got a huge contract almost immediately after their supposed personnel chief, Elliott Wolfe, arrived in New England, was traded to the Steelers, both of them essentially for nothing, for sixth and seventh round pick swaps.

41:21So just they moved up one round from the seventh to the sixth. It was basically they just gave them away. So there's two former Patriots on that Steelers safety group with Jabril Peppers, who started out the season there too. I don't know. It's weird. It is weird to be sellers. Just giving away guys. While you're leading the division where it's... Key on white, I get, he was down to being a healthy scratch. And I think it was something where he was not, he was passed by Caleb on chase on and in camp. And it just didn't seem like that was working with Mike Braybill. Kyle Duggar, by all accounts, was like accepted his demotion.

41:58He was out there for 15, 27. They have like two safeties on the roster. I don't get it. They're just getting rid of all the Belichick guys. Except for Marcus Jones. White had four sacks in those games you mentioned. In the other 32, he has two. Yeah, he's a guy who's a pretty good interior rusher. I love that trade for the 49ers. I mean, it probably only has like a 30 % chance of mattering that much. But if you use him as an interior rusher, he could be fun. We should get back to this game. Should we give the Falcons any chance here at responding? Because I really do. They seem like a four and four type of team.

42:30You know, this is how I pick games sometimes. I gotta say the Patriots what are they right now? 6-2? they seem more like a 6-3

42:38Jourdan Rodrigue:what do you mean what are they right now? I just forgot if they had a bye or not this does seem like a game to pick the Falcons just for that because they seem like a 4-4 team and the Patriots seem more like a 6-3 team they're just so frustrating to me because they are so mercurial and you see an identity start to emerge from them one week and then it's completely gone or easily sniffed out by the opponent, or they are beating their heads against a wall, trying to do the same things and getting the same results and not adjusting or evolving. The potential of this defense, especially relative to expectation, is great.

43:17Jourdan Rodrigue:The potential of this offense is great. This Atlanta Falcons team is not meeting its potential regularly, and I think that's very concerning. And I don't know if I would pick them in any game moving forward. They're going to win some games, but I don't trust this team. Well, they're power hitting on both sides. And there's high variance with that blitz rate. And also with the number of plays where they're stretching guys out, trying to get Bijan to break six tackles or relying on Kyle Pitts in the flat to get past guys. And, you know, seeing Pinnock's fire those slants in to Drake London where, you know, the ball could go the other way or Drake London could take it.

43:54It's it's just a high variance team where the outcomes could be any number of things. Like if you just watched the game in Charlotte, the game last week against the Dolphins, you think this one of the worst teams in the NFL. Then we see them against the Bills, the defense in that performance against the Minnesota Vikings, where it's like, OK, like they're the Falcons are a coin flip. And he was Zach Robinson was asked about it this week, about like our defense is showing you things you're not ready for. And he said, we've actually been seeing simpler looks than we've been anticipating. What an insult, which makes it on the mirror on that one.

44:26But maybe kind of an insult to his players is like more frustrating for everybody knowing, hey, we can own these looks. We can anticipate what's coming, but we just have to get it cleaned up. Drake London is expected to be back at practice. They're also talking about that Darnell Mooney kind of hasn't been himself all the way back from his injury. But they think this week now he's ramped up and he's ready to go. Michael Penix is expected to take the majority of snaps. So that's a good sign. On the other hand, though, on paper, it's a mismatch when the Falcons are running the ball, which doesn't make sense.

44:57The Patriots events is built to stop the run. They're playing base defense. They're very good stopping the run. They should be vulnerable against the pass. But the Falcons haven't been very good running the ball. They're below average with John Robinson running the ball 20th and rushing DVOA.

45:10Jourdan Rodrigue:Yeah, it drives me nuts. Yeah, drives me absolutely nuts. This is we did a segment earlier this week about things were haunted by and I almost knew I was going to get too mad if I brought up the sort of wasting this John Robinson season. And all, you know, I just I can't stand it. It drives me absolutely nuts. And now you got to go against Chris Tonga. I'm not sure how you know you would. If you were give him a contract, you're feeling like persnickety this week, Greg, you could give me this game and that would piss me off. But I kind of want to watch it also. But I would give it to you. I hate watch it.

45:43Jourdan Rodrigue:Although I love what the Patriots are doing right now. Hate watching the Falcons because they drive Jordan nuts. It drives me nuts. Also, the punchline to one of my favorite pirate jokes. maybe I'll tell you guys one day the San Francisco 49ers are on the road they're favored by two and a half points at the New York Giants the over-under is 48 and a half Kevin Harlan and Trent Green are on the call and it is a it's a sad one because we love what Cam Scadaboo was doing the Giants not only have lost Cam Scadaboo the league neighbors the injuries becoming a whole lot but They've still got Jackson dark against a 49ers defense and offense, Greg, that had a weird performance in Houston.

46:24Still favorite about two and a half. How do you see this one? Yeah, I was watching that game and wondering, like, is their offensive line becoming a problem? Maybe it's the matchup that that'll happen. But they've had people in and out of the lineup. Colton McKibbitt was really struggling in that game. And, you know, when they try to pass the ball in this game, you do worry about that against this Giants front. But then the answer to that is pretty simple. Just don't pass the ball. And just, I know you're supposed to at some point, but this is the worst running defense in the league by far. Like the gap between the Giants and 31st is pretty wide right now.

47:04So it could be a CMC get right.

47:05Jourdan Rodrigue:I know you were like shocked about the Bengals statistic that they weren't lower. And I was like, did you forget about the Giants? They're one of the worst run defenses of the last 20 years, at least right now they are. Yeah. Yeah. And I also think that this is another game where to mitigate the pass rush that the Giants do still have available to them, you get the ball out quickly, especially to a mismatched player such as Christian McCaffrey in the screen game and in the little quick outs and the flat, and you ask their defenders to come and tackle, which they don't do well, especially in the second and third level of the defense.

47:39Jourdan Rodrigue:They are, they've been so just rolling through these, these corners and trying different things. They're undermanned there. Um, this, this front is still a strength in terms of the pass rush for the giants. I know that there's some weird, I don't want to say weird cause it's, but reporting about maybe cave on Thibodeau ahead of the trade deadline and just uncertainty throughout the entire group. And that's, that doesn't bode well either, especially when you're coming off of just like the gut punch of losing a player who truly buoyed the the entire team clearly scadaboo is wheeling around the facility on wednesday according to brian he can't how hard do you think it is to keep that guy in the chair honestly like how hard do you think it will be yeah yeah that will be the hard thing uh is is making sure that he you know adheres to the timeline and doesn't try to go two bananas uh during his bounce back but that was it was nasty to see but it was great to see um you know his teammates uh helping him off the field and the fans in philly uh applauding him off the field as well and and yeah the thibodeau conversation uh which mike garofalo came out and reported that you know the team says they have no intention of trading cave on thibodeau i think that would be a great time greg to do what the lions did if you want to keep him so much uh go ahead and go ahead and lock it up yeah i don't think that's happening there's so many injuries on this team you really feel for the giants so jermaine illuminor who's been great has a pec strain.

49:04He's not practicing.

49:05Jourdan Rodrigue:He did tell reporters he's going to play this week. That's a great sign, but it's much lesser in looking negative for Cordell Flott, who's in the concussion protocol, been their best cornerback. Paulson Adebo is still out of practice. Their other big money cornerback. And so, like, man, that's just weakness on weakness. Giants, the 49ers need a win here. Yeah, they do. They're still... Keon White, baby. They're still creaking back to health. Brock Purdy may or may not play. Kyle Shanahan said it was not a long shot. Now, Cynthia, I think, puts it well in a much more succinct way than I do. But it's really hard sometimes to tell how truthful Kyle Shanahan is.

49:47She calls him the lying liar who lies. But she has a personal relationship with him and somehow can get away with that, I believe. I think.

49:55Jourdan Rodrigue:She's also a badass. So either way. That's for sure. Yeah. So, and then, and then also it's, you know, no Brandon Ayuk, which is another problem. They're just, they're so decimated in terms of guys who catch the ball for them that I do think this is, it sort of sets up nicely to play to what's a current, what a current team strength is help the line dig in a little bit more. Don't have them past setting all the time. They were, they had a new center. They've had new centers in and out. Trent Williams looked banged up as well against Houston. So you can solve a lot of problems at once here and sort of get your team dug in a little bit more if you just run the ball.

50:32And I'm wondering if it was a game plan thing because the CMC volume had been so high. If Kyle was trying to restrict CMC touches last week, you have to go back to like 2021 Panthers for CMC to have less than eight carries and three catches, three targets, I believe, against the Houston Texans. So maybe a little more Christian McCaffrey in this one. Yeah, and they just need their defense to get off the field. Like, I think this could be a good Jackson Dart fantasy type of game. And Jackson Dart has kind of replaced. Look, Drake May is still like he's all that matters in New England. And that's the case.

51:09And in Los Angeles. I kind of feel like for this time of year, the rest of the season, Jackson Dart's all that mattered. And all that matters for the Giants. I've been really impressed. He's been better than I would have expected. And if he continues along this path, it's going to be like a successful season, in my mind, for the Giants. If Jackson, if they feel like they found a real franchise quarterback. Successful enough to save the jobs? I think so. I think if Jackson Dart plays well the rest of the year, it makes sense to keep Brian Dable. That's my opinion.

51:40Jourdan Rodrigue:I think, well, I think what also keeps Brian Dable and Joe Shane is the fact that they got Jackson Dart. You've seen enough from him at this point to, I think, sort of temper ownership a little bit. Yeah, you got to keep it going. That's why it's all that matters. We got eight or nine weeks to go. But the 49ers have the worst pressure rate of any team in the entire NFL. So he could be protected. Well, let's take one more break where we wrap up the early games of week nine. The official midpoint of the season is after Monday Night Football, actually. 9-18 divided by 9. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Browning.

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55:45At Baja Mar, you'll find every pleasure under the sun and one-of-a-kind experiences for the entire family, like Baja Bay, our 15-acre lush tropical water park, interactive wildlife experiences, including our daily flamingo parade, world-class golf, tennis, spa, and so much more. Visit BajaMar.com today and discover a vacation destination where memories are made for a lifetime. Bahamar. Life spectacular. Back on NFL Daily. Noticing, looking at this next game, we're going to talk about that G-Reg. Been on a lot of Panthers games this year. Just kind of like Spiro Didis is the designated Bengals guy.

56:26I think they're just staying in Cincinnati. Spiro Didis and friends. Why don't we keep it thematic? And we'll go to Jordan Rodrigue. Carolina Panthers at the Green Bay Packers, who are favored, Jordan. By 13 and a half points, the over-under is 44 and a half. Affirmentioned, G-Reg and Adam Amin are on the call. The only thing I think that matters in this game is Bryce going to play. And if so, I feel like that number is way too high.

56:56Jourdan Rodrigue:I think he's going to play. Pick all the first team reps this week at practice so far. got a little good news bad news sitch happening in carolina the good news is they have determined that rico dowdle to my understanding of kind of the reports out of camp or out of practice will be the lead back they're not going to go with this very uh on again off again two back system frustrating that really i think limited the maximum potential of each running back uh they're a week too late of doing this because bad news here is that they are missing multiple offensive linemen as they go against the best pure pass rusher in football, maybe ever in Micah Parsons and also a very stout Packers front.

57:42Jourdan Rodrigue:Oh, they already were missing Brady Christensen. He had the ACL or the Achilles Taylor Moten is questionable. He's been their stalwart right tackle forever and Cade Mays will not be available. So this is not a great week, never a great week to be missing your line, but having a quarterback coming back from an ankle injury and also facing the Green Bay Packers defensive front. That's why that number isn't that crazy. And it's one thing I've learned from Cynthia's model over the years, and I don't think it's all that different from some of the computer models that create these numbers is offensive line injuries really make the number move.

58:17So that, that could be a factor. And I think it's baking into something that I've thought about, which is, I don't think this Panthers team is much better than they have been the last few years. Like they've found a way to win games against bad teams. And I think that's great. And I think long-term, like we're going to be able to evaluate them, but when they play one of the best teams in the league, like the Packers are, and maybe like the bills were, you know, last week, I think they're pretty overmatched. There's still like a bottom six or seven team in terms of like just total talent. But it'll be good if Bryce is back.

58:50Well, yeah, it will be. It's just in terms of the way that the Carolina Panthers have been successful is moving the ball, running the ball successfully, having key fourth down conversions in all of those wins to an extent that I think managing to get that 13 and a half point gap becomes a little bit different because of the time involved and the Packers propensity to run the ball as well as the reason, again, I'm not confident that the Panthers would win the game. The number feels like it's tilted a little bit more, especially when the Packers, one of the more willing to run teams, despite the way that they can be explosive in the pass game, they stay committed to it.

59:27Josh Jacobs has been very effective in the run game. And the Panthers, honestly, we celebrated the growth and the shift and the ability to stop the run. The Bills exposed one thing with the gaps. and it was not fixed over the course of the game. James Cook would still be running, if not for the end zone being the limit to where the play's in. I do think about that sequence in the offseason where they thought they were getting Milton Williams, and they ended up signing Tershawn Wharton sort of as a consolation prize and gave him a lot of money, and he's struggled so far for the Panthers. So that change has not worked, and yet you're going up against the quarterback who, more than any other, is asking the people in this room, Why am I not on quarterback island again?

1:00:13I am not asking me. I'm first in the NFL in EPA for drop back. Jordan, just keep it up and you can join your other Jordan soon enough.

1:00:23Jourdan Rodrigue:I know, man. How fun was that to watch? I just, I keep thinking about what Tucker craft just did and what Jordan love just did and how well they're running the ball. And I think about Tucker craft in a mismatched situation against like say Christian Roseboom, for example. and some of these defensive backs who have played really well at times, but also have not really been huge factors in run support either or catch and run support. I think the middle of the field is going to be wide open all day for Matt LaFleur to try to exploit and maximize this momentum that they have with this tight end that seems to be now turning into the volume one on this team the way we thought maybe a receiver would.

1:01:10I regretted on Sunday night, not making even a bigger deal of what Tucker craft just accomplished. Cause the numbers are crazy. So let's just give him his love. Now let's do it. The third most yak yards after catch in a game by any tight end since 2006, according to Jacob Gibbs on Twitter. And this season, you know, the most yak per catch of anyone in the league, the most overall, like he is that dude. But I, I think part of that, and I guess I'd have to go back and really watch it. But I think part of this offense becoming whole is Christian Watson. He looked great in his first game back, and he offers something no one else on that Packers team does.

1:01:49I think he really changes the upside of this entire offense. Yeah, on all the levels, right? Because you see Christian Watson in the way that these Packers receivers kind of get siloed into certain roles. And he legitimately fills all of them in different spots where when they're all there, because I know the fantasy evaluation of the Packers is generally, it's frustrating. We don't know where the targets are going. When Christian Watson is there, the targets are going to Christian Watson. It is a constant thing. And we saw him with a great block to spring a touchdown as well. And I think charting guys and their path back from injuries, like, yes, it was a devastating injury, and it's going to take time for him to be 100 % fully back, just like it did with Tucker Craft last year.

1:02:35He was still contributing. But now we see like when Tucker craft is fully healthy, how different things can be like with a full off season to be able to come at these things. So not man. He looked back. He looks so fast. It's I guess you don't, you never know, but sometimes the guys come back and they're clear. Like Christian D 'Aresov right now, we mentioned just Trevon digs when he came back, like you kind of don't know until you see them on the field and Watson, maybe it's because if you take 10 % off peak Christian Watson, he's still the fastest guy on the field. Yeah, very explosive, big, fast player.

1:03:08And the what did I say?

1:03:12Jourdan Rodrigue:You just have a way with the word. I'm sorry. I just like how you describe things. Yeah, he's he's a large person who runs fast. And to contrast that big guy run fast. Ross Tucker's game. No, sorry. No, let's go over to the Tennessee Titans, where they are facing off. if Greg Rosenthal likes pass blocking reps, might I introduce him to the starting running back for the Los Angeles Chargers the past few weeks. Oh, okay. Adel out of Troy University. The Chargers are eight and a half point favorites on the road against the Tennessee Titans. The over under is 43 and a half. The aforementioned Ross Tucker, along with Tom McCarthy calling this game, Greg, where we started to see things go right for the Chargers.

1:04:01Are you back on? Yes, that. Oh, that was hesitant. Was it not? Well, it was.

1:04:08Jourdan Rodrigue:He took a breath. It's like, whoa. They're going to get to be instant. I think they're going to get to their bye at six and three. And they're coming off statistically their best performance of the Jim Harbaugh era on offense. And I think you saw just the energy that they played with on defense. And some of the things Khalil Mack said leading into the week and the energy that he played with, that he is a force multiplier. for that defense. So I, I still have questions there, but when Herbo is scrambling like that, and he has been as effective as any scrambler in the league right now, they should, they just should be a better red zone team, which is almost their number one problem as a team this year is being better in the red zone.

1:04:50And that was like a great red zone performance. So I'm hoping that reverts to the mean. I don't really correlate people's personal lives, especially I don't like

1:04:59Jourdan Rodrigue:do this with players, people's personal lives correlating to their play on the field. I don't think the two are adjacent. I think that football players who play at a professional level are expert compartmentalizers and they can be a pro and all of that, regardless of what's happening in their personal life. But. Oh. But. Took till week nine. What? I don't want to step on your point. Let's go. Justin Herbert's out of the house. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Justin Herbert's out of the house and in the wild. He's at Dodgers games. He's at Lakers games. He's with, he's, I think he's dating Madison beer. He's at Halloween parties.

1:05:38Yeah. She's the common factor of all these, but he's got confidence.

1:05:41Jourdan Rodrigue:And you know what? Like he's always been an incredible player, but you're seeing this, you're seeing more zest for life out of Justin Herbert when he's on the football field. And like, listen, I don't think the two are necessarily one and one correlated, but I love this for him. I love all of it for him. His play on the field, I mean, he's got a little, like, zing to him a little bit more. He's pointing on first downs. He's running more. He's really, like, lifting what this team can do when he does. And off the field, he's getting outside. He's outside. He's out and about. Good for him. Yeah, I was saying nine weeks until we got to the Madison Beer reference.

1:06:18Definitely a woman.

1:06:19Jourdan Rodrigue:I was like, what's the trap? That I'm super familiar with, you know, before this. But I do think winning has a little bit to do with all of those things. Not necessarily that. It doesn't have to be the cause, but they can be correlated. Because I'm sure Justin had left the house prior to being with this pop star. Famously never left the house. Like famously not an outside the house guy. He's like Devante. He has the Taco Bell inside. It's inside of his house. I do think it makes us more likely to see him not at the house, considering his relationship status. but it's it's a it's a better team i think a better version of the team uh that's getting healthier um i i i was not kidding about kamani vadel in pass protection yeah where he was like a little portable offensive lineman out there where considering like the issues that bradley boseman had um you know it's something that they needed um and as when justin herbert is making so many plays out on the edge it's almost like he feels more uncomfortable within the pocket or he's not sure yeah out of the house out of the pocket the correlations are all there it's all connecting who is kaiser so say where i i think like we've just seen what a breakout for around a guest in the second everything's happening out outside for justin herbert and company i would like to see the the operation inside be a little more succinct uh for for long term but hey if it's working out there it's working joe alt being back is the number one thing that oh it's incredible transforms this team and maybe even more in the running game than as a pass protector, but certainly both.

1:07:54Jourdan Rodrigue:I think it's two things. One, yes, having Joel back, incredible. But I think really the transformation that you're seeing is a combination of Joel being back and also Aranda Gadson emerging as a true double threat tight end. So they can stay in these heavy personnels that they love to use. You can be in 12 the entire game if you want, because you're getting the ability to block the way you want to for Kamani Vidal in the run game. And you're also able to disguise some of your passing looks and you're funneling a lot of those, that passing volume through the tight end who you can keep on the field for every down.

1:08:26Jourdan Rodrigue:It's so valuable. It's so valuable to have that guy thriving for this offense and for Justin Herbert and in tandem with one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL and Joe already in his young career. It's just, I I'm back in, like, I believe the chargers, I was worried about the best team in the NFL. I was worried about him for a while. I still want to see more consistency out of this defense. I believe that can come along to especially getting a game like this could give them a good opportunity to get some of that confidence back. I didn't say momentum confidence back winning streak. Yes. Yeah, but I just I think I'm back.

1:09:01Jourdan Rodrigue:Yeah on the Chargers. I am. So this should be, you know, a matchup. They should feel comfortable and on defense. We'll say though that was a very good Cam Ward game last week that I don't think not enough people saw he threw a late interception or he threw one interception that was like that he would like to have back but other than that I thought it was his best game as a pro very composed I think they found two dudes in to marry DK and Alec Io Manor now they might be like a two and a three or two like whatever but you just found two good NFL players and then my god I can't I feel like I'm doing a bad job because not enough people hit me like up on social or anything to, to ask me, did you see that Tajay Spears game?

1:09:45Cause my God, Tajay Spears talk about coming back from an injury and back with the juice. He looked incredible last week and that's one of the better. Now that Spears is back and moving like that, running back tandems in the league. So I actually feel like there's a little bit of positivity there. I know it didn't show up exactly in the box score and the defense keeps trading away good players and wasn't very good to begin with. So that part of it's bad. But I do kind of like the difference of Cam Ward the last two weeks since they made the coaching.

1:10:13Jourdan Rodrigue:I think they're going to be more of a handful for the Chargers defense than people expect them to be. I think they'll make it competitive, especially early in the game. Ultimately, I think the Chargers take this easily. But I do. I like the way Cam Ward has been playing. And you at least see the vision, right? Like I said a couple weeks ago, they're trying stuff. They're seeing what's going to work with this team moving forward, what kind of identity they want from their new coach. Meanwhile, they asked defensive coordinator Denard Wilson about the trade of Roger McCreary to the Rams. And he was just like, yeah, you know, we started with with Roger McCreary and and Brownlee and LeJarri Sneed.

1:10:48And now Sneed's on IR and the other two are playing with other teams. And those were good players. I was just like, oh, that was about as as like, hey, why are you doing this to me, guys? Like we're trying to win over here. Good luck to the Titans this week. Good luck to everyone playing in the early slate. We have one more preview show. We're going to go through all the late games and the primetime games. So just click over to that one right now, wherever you are. Wasabi is purpose-built to free your business from skyrocketing storage costs and fees. Wasabi is the go-to provider for professional and collegiate sports teams around the world.

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