In short
Stephen A. Smith previews late-season NFL contenders (Rams, Texans, Ravens disappointment), critiques Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Petullo and offensive identity, and discusses NBA title odds (OKC Thunder). The show also reacts to Thursday Night Football: Falcons’ comeback vs Buccaneers, Tampa’s collapse at home, and the NFC South race opening up. It further pivots to Michigan’s next head coach, with Rich Eisen and callers discussing a “football version of Dusty May” (self-made builder, “do more with less”), plus Deion Sanders-to-Michigan speculation.
Guests (backgrounds)
Stephen A. Smith, ESPN “First Take” host and longtime sports media personality. Tom Pelissero is mentioned as joining later (NFL Network insider). Derek Brown is set for hour three (Carolina Panthers defensive end). Other segments include callers.
Key claims
Rams are best entering final weeks; Ravens are underperforming despite talent; Texans are AFC sleeper; OKC is dominant (16 straight, 24-1). Eagles’ issues stem from first-time coordinator and inconsistent run/pass identity. Falcons’ 19 penalties and Kyle Pitts’ historic game drive Tampa’s loss; Todd Bowles’ “inexcusable” rant reflects urgency.
Notable examples
Aaron Donald “fantasy” return to Rams; Falcons’ 28-14 comeback and 1993 precedent; Pitts first 100-yard game since rookie season; Pitts 150+ receiving yards and 3 TDs since Shannon Sharpe (1996); Bucs’ Mike Evans 12 targets/132 yards; Todd Bowles locker-room message; OKC’s only loss on season to Portland (back-to-back).
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOIntroducing Stephen A. Smith
0:04 to 0:26
Rich welcomes Stephen A. Smith to discuss sports and the NFL.
“It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50-page restoration block, or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks.”
Introducing Stephen A. Smith
2:14 to 2:24
Rich welcomes Stephen A. Smith to discuss sports and the NFL.
“I will describe as well what you're listening on ESPN Radio, what people have just seen.”
Discussing NFL Team Performances
2:24 to 4:38
Stephen A. Smith shares insights on the best and worst NFL teams as the season progresses.
“Could not stop by here without asking this man on.”
Analysis of Disappointing Teams
4:38 to 7:11
The conversation turns to the disappointing seasons of teams like the Ravens and Eagles.
“Because I think they're a big-time team.”
Conversations on the Cowboys and Jerry Jones
7:11 to 10:47
Stephen shares anecdotes and thoughts about the Cowboys and their owner Jerry Jones.
“It's been difficult for, I think, a lot of us in the national media to wrap our arms around the idea that it is a new day, that there are a lot of teams coming for a new day.”
Trolling and Media Relations
10:47 to 14:01
The discussion includes Stephen's dynamic with Jerry Jones and the fans of the Cowboys.
“No, I know you're friendly with Jerry Jones.”
Stephen A. Smith on NBA Predictions
14:01 to 18:30
Stephen A. Smith shares insights on the NBA season, focusing on the Oklahoma City Thunder's dominance and potential playoff teams.
“Even though when Michael Irvin's off tee, I mean when Michael Irvin and I were doing first take together, I remember when they beat Tampa in the playoffs and Tom Brady, and they spanked him.”
Stephen A. Smith's Super Bowl Picks
18:31 to 18:48
Discussion about potential Super Bowl matchups with Stephen A. Smith predicting the Rams and Texans.
“I'm getting ready to go do my show on Sirius XM, Mad Dog Sports Radio.”
Thursday Night Football Preview
18:49 to 19:01
The hosts introduce a discussion on the events of Thursday Night Football, highlighting the performance of the Buccaneers.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Performance Analysis
20:46 to 28:00
An analysis of the recent struggles of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, including game stats and implications for their season.
“and ESPN Radio presented by Progressive Insurance along with our Disney Plus and ESPN app feed.”
Show all 15 chapters
Falcon's Comeback and Bucs' Downfall
28:00 to 30:09
Discussion on the Falcons' dramatic win over the Buccaneers and Todd Bowles' reaction.
“And then just got to hit Mech in stride on that third down.”
Analyzing the NFC South Landscape
30:10 to 32:55
Analysis of the NFC South standings and implications for the Buccaneers and Panthers.
“or any other coach losing his filter at the podium, raising their voice to pound the podium.”
Analyzing the NFC South Landscape
32:56 to 36:12
Analysis of the NFC South standings and implications for the Buccaneers and Panthers.
“with two to go against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.”
Cleveland Callers and Michigan Coaching Speculation
36:24 to 42:01
Listener calls discussing the Browns' season and speculation on Deion Sanders as Michigan's next coach.
“That's the energy State Farm brings to insurance.”
Debating Michigan's Next Head Coach
42:01 to 47:10
Discussion about potential candidates for the Michigan football program's head coach position, emphasizing the need for a self-made builder.
“And as you just said right there about my alma mater.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:01This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome, that's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50-page restoration block, or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks.
0:15Rich Eisen:Gemini and Chrome is here for it. Ready to make anything online make sense? There's no place like Chrome. Check responses set up required. Compatibility and availability varies 18+. Thinking about refreshing the carpet in your home? Now's the time to do it. For a limited time at the Home Depot, get 10 % off installed carpet projects on trusted brands like LifeProof, LifeProof with PetProof Technology, Home Decorators Collection, and Traffic Master. Plus, with installation starting at just 49 cents per square foot, upgrading your space is more affordable than ever at the Home Depot. Offer valid June 11th, 2026 through June 28th, 2026.
0:52Rich Eisen:Exclusions apply. For licenses, see homedepot.com slash license numbers. This is The Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. Check this out. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Fire the cannons. Let's hear them. Live from the Rich Eisen studios in New York City.
1:35Rich Eisen:Fly home safely. Atlanta wins. Today's guests, host of ESPN's first take, Stephen A. Smith, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, Panthers defensive end Derek Brown, and now it's Rich Eisen. Oh, yes. Welcome to this edition of The Rich Eisen Show. It is our final day here in New York City. The final of four days here on Disney Plus on the ESPN app and, of course, ESPN Radio presented by Progressive Insurance. For those who are listening on Sirius XM Channel 80, I will describe as well what you're listening on ESPN Radio, what people have just seen. It is our first guest leading us off here to kick off the final day here in our home away from home in New York City in the Disney and ESPN studios.
2:29Rich Eisen:Could not stop by here without asking this man on. And kind enough, fresh off of us, stay in Los Angeles and fresh off the first take set, which is right next door. Good to see you, buddy. The great Stephen A. Smith. How y 'all doing? How are you? Good to see you. I'm good, man. It was 70 degrees in L.A. yesterday. I get off the plane last night. It's 25. By the way, that's a heat wave over the last week. That doesn't make me happy, but I'm here. I mean, you're still Hollis, Queens. Tough, though. Always. You know what I mean? Always. But, you know, when you're in Los Angeles, you can thin out the blood.
3:02Rich Eisen:Great to see you. It's a little bit different. Hey, this place is incredible. It is. I mean, for us to hang out here all week long, get up here, first take there, we're here when get-ups out, and then everybody else around here. Now I know when I saw you on The View the other day, it's just walking down the hallway. It's unbelievable. It's 20 feet. It's 20 feet. Good morning, America. is 50 feet. I'm like, this is why they did it. You know what I'm saying? It ain't hard to get these people on the show. They right here. You got no excuse. So let's just jump in, because I know you're heading off to one of your many other shows.
3:38Rich Eisen:Yeah, yeah, yeah. The best team in the National Football League, in your opinion, entering the final four weeks of the season is? It's tough. I'm going to go with the Los Angeles Rams. You are. I just think that Matthew Stafford is playing out of his mind. Puka Nakua is big time. Devontae Adams, what he's doing is a reliable weapon in the red zone, obviously, and getting touchdowns, closing the deal for you. And that defense is special enough to make that kind of noise. And I think that Sean McVay is arguably the best coach in all of football. I think, you know, right now, coach of the years between Vrabel and Ben Johnson, in my estimation, because of what's been going on in New England and Chicago, what the expectations were, what they've done to exceed them.
4:17But Sean McVay is just a steady hand. And I found myself actually fantasizing. Just like you had Brandon Graham come out of retirement to play for the Philadelphia. What if Aaron Donald had decided to do that for the Los Angeles Rams? I mean, it ain't going to happen in all likelihood. But you're watching the Rams play this year, seeing how formidable they are. I actually found myself fantasizing about Aaron Donald returning to the Los Angeles Rams. Because I think they're a big-time team. And I think they have a big-time coach.
4:44Rich Eisen:Well, I mean, I can pretty much say with certainty that the Rams have called Aaron Donald about that more times than the Colts have called Philip Rivers. I just don't think Aaron wants to do it, but it would obviously put the Rams even on a different plane. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you've got two 15-win teams from last year, Chiefs and the Lions on the outside looking in. The Lions have a much better shot to make it than the Chiefs, who really need a lot to get some help. You've got the Vikings, 14 wins from last year, definitely not making the playoffs. Commanders, 12 wins from last year, same thing.
5:19Rich Eisen:It seems to be completely turned upside down. If you had to name a team that's disappointed you the most this season, I gave you a little bit of a platter there. I would say it's the Baltimore Ravens. I mean, I expected a hell of a lot more from the Baltimore Ravens. I can't believe what I'm seeing from them. I mean, you've got Lamar Jackson. You've got Derrick Henry. You've got Zay Flowers and Bateman and these boys. You've got Andrews as a tight end. and you've got likely, you're looking at these guys and you're like, what the hell is going on? Where's the signature defense? Where's the signature toughness?
5:49You always knew it was going to be a war with the Baltimore Ravens, and they'd win more than they'd lose, and now you don't see that. You're seeing an offensive coordinator that's forgetting half the time that Derrick Henry's his running back. You're looking at Lamar Jackson who's been playing with injuries, but even as he's come back and looked a bit healthier, his game hasn't been indicative of that because it's been a bit sluggish compared to what we're accustomed to seeing from him. They're not finding ways to win. And then I think about Baltimore and Buffalo. Buffalo's not in that category in relation to your question, of course.
6:23But I think about them in this way. I think the window of opportunity is rapidly closing. Once upon a time, it was Patrick Mahomes. And then we looked at Josh Allen with Lamar Jackson. Who's going to knock him off his pedestal? Which one of y 'all are going to get it done? Because you've got to get it done. It was a three-horse race. New England saying, nah, it's a new day. Denver saying, nah, it's a new day. Denver's on 10 straight. They haven't lost a home game in 14 months. They're like, nah, it's a new day. The Chargers are like, nah, it's a new day. The Texans are coming. I believe that the Texans are the sleeper to come out of the AFC with their defense, which is ferocious as it gets.
7:01I'm just looking at this and I'm saying, how could Baltimore have fallen like this? I mean, they still got a chance, but they don't look good. They just don't.
7:11Rich Eisen:It's been difficult for, I think, a lot of us in the national media to wrap our arms around the idea that it is a new day, that there are a lot of teams coming for a new day. And it's been difficult to watch what the Eagles have gone through over the last three weeks. But I still can't put my finger on what the rest of the iceberg looks like. The problem with the Philadelphia Eagles is the offensive coordinator. And the reason I say that, it's not him like, oh my goodness, he doesn't know what he's doing. But here's the problem. He's a first-time coordinator. And when you look at Kevin Petullo, he doesn't deserve to have his house aged.
7:45Of course not. We don't need that kind of belligerence and stuff like that. We get it. But the flip side to it is this. You have the same weapons. A.J. Brown is still there. Devontae Smith is still there. You know, that offensive line, even though Lane Johnson was out, still there. Jalen Hurts is still there. What's going on? Right. And the difference is the offensive coordinator. And, you know, one minute you're running the ball more than you're passing it. Another minute you're passing the ball 113 times, but over a three-game span we're only running it 60 times. You look at Saquon Barkley. What the hell has happened to him?
8:17I went in the Monday night's game because I was at the Chargers game against the Eagles, and I walked into the game saying there's an APB out for Saquon Barkley, LAPD looking for him. Where you going to find him? And they found him because he showed up, 122 yards rushing, but they still lost. A.J. Brown has been one of the top two receivers in the game over the last three weeks. They still lost. A defense that's got a 21-point lead on the Dallas Cowboys. They lose the lead. You're like, what the hell is going on? And they just don't seem to know who they are, what their identity is. And unfortunately, I don't think it's something that you can just turn on and turn up because Seattle's going to have something to say about it.
8:55L.A. is going to have something to say about it. and the Detroit Lions showed you, you know, that they're going to have something to say about it as well. Do you think the Cowboys are going to catch him? No. Of course not. Of course not. I mean, you know, I know Michael Irvin's somewhere watching, and I'm laughing. I just knew it would happen. I told everybody, just be patient. Just wait for it. You know, just wait for it. Everybody was excited. You know, even I was excited. I'm like, you know what? I'm like, Jerry's my buddy. That's my Libra buddy right there. And I said, you know, damn it, I'm tired of a root for him to lose.
9:24I mean, damn it, he's 83 years old. I want him to get something. All right. But when they lost, when they ended up going to Detroit and getting romped like that, I just laughed at myself because I kept telling everybody, be patient, just wait. I didn't know it was going to be that game. Right. But I just said, just when you have expect, when you heap expectations on them, they will collapse. They just don't let me down. It's been 30 straight years. They haven't let me down. This is what they do. And so, I mean, I just laugh about it. But in the same breath, listen, give the credit where credit is due.
9:54They have looked formidable. And Jerry Jones and how much he was maligned for letting go of Micah Parsons, we can't do that now. They have looked like a different team since Williams arrived. They have looked like a different team since Logan Wilson and Overshawn has come back and Logan Wilson was acquired. They have looked like a different defense. And offensively, they've looked like a juggernaut. When you lost to Chicago, CeeDee Lamb got hurt because stupidly somebody had him coming out of the backfield running the damn football. That's what TJ's been saying. Very dumb. Very dumb for them to do.
10:22He's not built to be going up against defensive linemen and linebackers. He's built to get into your secondary against safeties and quarterbacks. You can't put him in that position. So you got hurt that game, and then he got concussed, obviously, last game or whatever against Detroit. So all of those things you look at and you just say, it's just not going to happen for the Dallas Cowboys this year, but next year they'll be ready next year. This is what they're going to do. They win the Super Bowl next year. This is what we're going to hear.
10:48Rich Eisen:No, I know you're friendly with Jerry Jones. I know that. And one of my favorite moments of the year is when you were sitting with Jerry in that Monday night game in Dallas against Arizona. Yeah. And when things began to go south, they showed you, and at that point in time you were like, I got to run. I got to get it. Because, you know, it's like. It's not great when you're around an owner of the NFL and it's going south. I got a lot of love for Jerry Jones. I've gotten to know him over the years. you know through the playmaker and so many others. There's so much good that he's done that he doesn't get recognized for.
11:23And I really, really do have a lot of love for him. And I was recently honored by Nancy Lieberman's foundation, and Jerry Jones was a surprise presenter of the Lifetime Achievement Award, and he did that for me. And I had no idea it was going to be him, and I was real touched by that as well. So fast forward to a few weeks later, and here we are. We're doing I'm a part of Monday Night Countdown for that particular week because I do several Monday Night Countdowns a year. with the NFL now. And so I'm there, and Jerry Jones is like, come on up to the suite. And so I said, I got to come up there and see him.
11:54He's invited me. I got to come up there and see him. So I get up to the suite, and then one touchdown gets scored. One turnover happens, and I'm like this. I'm going to get on out of here. I'm going to get on out of here, man, because I don't want to, you know, I don't want to, I'm not a bad guy. I know it's hard for people to believe, but I'm actually a very nice guy. I don't want to do that. I don't want to troll you like that to your face. not to his face like that in his booth. Now, I'm here on television. That's different. I'm doing my radio show. That's different. I'm sitting there on X or something.
12:23All right, but damn, in his face, in the suite. No, I don't want to do that. You know, that's just classless. I'm not going to do that. When I was up there, I was hoping that the Dallas Cowboys would do well so he'd have a smile on his face sitting next to me. But as I saw it coming, I was like, let me get on that. Did you say we start scoring once you got to the box? No, no. I said, no, they started. Detroit started. Arizona started livin' up. Arizona started livin' up, and I saw what was coming, and I was like, let me get out of that.
12:55Rich Eisen:But does he ever say to you, hey, just lay off a little bit? Never, never, never, never, ever. Not one time. He loves it when I talk about the Cowboys. Because, you know, a lot of times, and believe it or not, there's a lot of times we have serious discussions off the air where I'm literally giving him my honest, heartfelt opinion about what he should do for them to get better. And he's like, I ain't listening to that. You know, and he said, there's a couple of times he said, see, see, I did do it. But there are other times where, you know, 80 % of the time, like, I'm not listening to a damn thing you saying.
13:22This is what I want to do. I'm like, okay, certainly Micah Parsons. I didn't want to see Micah Parsons going. To me, he's a Dallas Cowboy, and he wanted to be a Dallas Cowboy. He just wanted his money, and Jerry didn't want to give it to him. Well, my attitude is if you're going to move him, move him earlier. Why are you waiting until right before the season begins and trading him for two late first-round picks? You could have got more than that and Kenny Clark for Micah Parsons. So a lot of times Jerry's stubbornness, his procrastination gets in the way. But my vitriol, I shouldn't say vitriol, but the way I like to troll Cowboys is because of their fans.
13:59It's not because of Jerry. It's not because of Michael Irvin. Even though when Michael Irvin's off tee, I mean when Michael Irvin and I were doing first take together, I remember when they beat Tampa in the playoffs and Tom Brady, and they spanked him. And they had the footage, Michael Irvin walking into the suite with Jerry Jones and the family and hugging everybody. I said, look at him. He's so, ooh, he's so pathetic. And I was like this. I said, he got me now because I knew he was looking forward to coming on the air and getting at me. And I said, what am I going to say? And my girl asked me, well, what you going to say?
14:31What you going to say? I said, you'll see. Wait for it. Wait for it. She said, okay. And we went on TV the next morning. And I said, you got six days because San Francisco is next. I said, you got six days, bro. I said, so you enjoy this? And he's all, there you go. There you go. There you go. And sure enough, six days later, here he comes. Here he comes. Bam. Just like I said. It makes me sick.
14:59Rich Eisen:It's like you can set your clock to it. Stephen A. Smith, a couple minutes left that I have with you here. The story in the NBA is what? Is it Oklahoma City? It is. maybe 81-1, you know? I think they're going to win. Listen, I think they're on the verge. I walked into this season being very, very, very excited about the season. I think my Knicks are going to the finals. I think they could take the East, but Detroit is coming in Detroit. You got to pay attention to them. They are for real. But then I looked at Oklahoma City, and I'm like, my God, what can't they do? And Shea Gildress, Alexander.
15:31I mean, they're just walking through the league like it's nothing. It's like we're the champs. We know we're the champs. We know we're better than you. And we're going to show you. Maybe this game will show it in the first quarter. Another game will show it in the third quarter. Another game will show it in the fourth quarter. But make no mistake, by the time we get finished with you, it'll be very, very clear. They've won 16 straight. They're 24-1. The only loss on their game, on their season, was to Portland, which was the second game of a back-to-back. And by the way, they had played that game without Jalen Williams, and I forgot who else they were playing the game without.
16:03I mean, they are just unreal. on both sides of the ball. And so I look at them as repeating. I don't see any competition for them right now. Anyway, I'm hoping Houston steps up. I was hoping the Lakers would step up, but they can't guard me on the perimeter. And they got a problem with that. So, I mean, you know, when you look at it, all of a sudden we were raving about Luka being in shape. Now we're looking at him. He doesn't look to be in the same shape. That level of defensive tenacity, we were hoping would ascend. We haven't seen that. You're seeing people attack the Lakers' interior and stuff like that.
16:34So you wonder about that, and then you get reminded and say, okay, Denver. Denver did take them to seven games. Did take them to seven games last year in the semifinals. Jokic is still Jokic. Murray is still Murray. Porter's gone, but they still got Aaron Gordon too. Plus they went younger, and they retooled and, you know, they revitalized their bench. So maybe Denver has a shot. But OKC just looks in a class of their own by themselves, and not only a team that's going to win 73 games, but a team that will coast to it unless they make it difficult for themselves by taking nights off, which I don't see happening.
17:12Rich Eisen:Me neither. Next time we see you, potentially the Super Bowl, we'll be there in Santa Clara watching who? Are you Rams and someone else? I started the season thinking Philly and Baltimore. Let me put myself on front street about that. I don't think that's going to be the case now. I honestly believe that the Los Angeles Rams are probably going to the Super Bowl. Right. I really, really do. I believe as long as they don't, you can beat Seattle, but you don't want to have to go to Seattle to do it. You want them to have to come to SoFi. Going to Seattle is a different monster altogether. But I'm still picking the Rams to likely come out of the NFC.
17:49The AFC is a bit tougher because Denver and New England seem to be the two best teams. I don't think it'll be one of them, though. Okay. I'm high on the Texans. I just think their defense is something to behold. With Hunter and Anderson and those boys getting after you, D 'Amico Ryan's got them boys on another level. But offensively, do they have enough? That's the question mark, and that's why it's tough right now. But I would tell you, if I had to pick anybody, it would probably be the Houston Texans.
18:21Rich Eisen:Texans versus Rams, what a Super Bowl that would be with Stafford and Puka and Devontae in that run game. Thanks for coming. You're the best. Thank you very much. Always appreciate your time. That's Stephen A. Smith. Tell everyone what you're going to do. Everyone knows you're going to do. I'm getting ready to go do my show on Sirius XM, Mad Dog Sports Radio. I'm on from 1 to 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time every weekday. I love it. And, of course, first take. Stephen A. Smith, everybody, right here. What better way to kick off our final day here in New York City? We'll take a break. We'll come back, talk about Thursday Night Football when we return.
19:01Rich Eisen:Need parts fast? O 'Reilly Auto Parts as fast. Need them now? We've got now. No matter what you need, we have thousands of professional parts people doing their part to make sure you have it. We're O 'Reilly Fast. Just one part that makes O 'Reilly stand apart. The professional parts people. O, O, O, O 'Reilly Auto Parts.
19:33Rich Eisen:Rich Eisen here, and summer's here too. And that means it's travel season. My favorite summer trip last year was to Sao Paulo, Brazil. With so many fans traveling for the Los Angeles against Kansas City game, they got to see how lively the city is. I love the culture and the amazing food that I'm still craving. Those memories remind everyone that it's that time of year to plan a little getaway. And that's why summer has a way of turning weekends into big events. One minute. It's a normal week, and then all of a sudden, a huge concert, sporting event, or festival brings people in from all over.
20:05Rich Eisen:And when that happens, visitors start looking for places to stay all across your city. So if you're already planning a summer trip of your own, you could list your space on Airbnb and earn a little extra cash while you're away. It doesn't have to be some big year-round commitment. It's about making the most of a busy weekend when your place would just be empty otherwise. I can tell you, people love finding a place that helps them feel connected to the city that they're visiting. If your city's about to have a big summer moment, this is a great time to maximize your space. Your home might be worth more than you think.
20:39Rich Eisen:Find out how much at Airbnb.com slash host.
20:46The Rich Eisen Show podcast.
Read the full transcript
20:49Rich Eisen:Back on the ESPN Radio Network. and ESPN Radio presented by Progressive Insurance along with our Disney Plus and ESPN app feed. As you know, we rarely start a program with a guest right off the top. Usually we do it at the Super Bowl because we're jam-packed or in the case of today's program, Stephen A. Smith right next door. He's got to go to his SiriusXM show and so he let us off. So Hollis, Queens out, Livingston, New Jersey in. Yes. Mike Del Tufo, big shoes to fill. Good to see you here on the program. All right. So let's get into what we normally would have started the program with, which is a big-time Thursday night football result.
21:32And Derek Brown of the Carolina Panthers,
21:36Rich Eisen:he of the causing Matthew Stafford to fumble late in the game to beat the Rams fame, is going to join us in hour number three of this program. And it'll be great to tell Derek Brown or ask him, hey, are you ready for some football? Are you ready to step up? Because the door to win the NFC South has been left wide open by the once upon a time six and two Tampa Bay Buccaneers, now seven and seven Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As we are sitting here now on the Friday of week 15 that is now underway in the National Football League with one month to go. Four games left for every team in the NFL with the exception now of Tampa and Atlanta, because Atlanta beat Tampa to kick off week 15 on Thursday night football and shocking the system coming back from two touchdowns down with 10 minutes to go, 28 to 14, to hand the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a bitter home loss just five days after suffering a, wait for it, bitter home loss in division.
22:43Rich Eisen:The Buccaneers, at once upon a time, Six and two have lost back-to-back home games to the Saints and the Falcons. The bottom half of the division to now leave the door wide open for the Carolina Panthers, who are visiting the New Orleans Saints this week in New Orleans before they play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers twice the rest of the season, Week 16 and 18 in that Week 17 game against the Seattle Seahawks at home. Should be huge for both. That is what is up right now because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in first alert mode. They have fallen and can't get up, even though they've gotten Bucky Irving back, even though they got Mike Evans back last night.
23:32Rich Eisen:And he was targeted 12 times, catching half of those targets for 132 yards. He was doing his job. Bucky Irving got only 60 yards rushing and only one catch coming out of the backfield. So if you're looking at any results of last night's stats that you're saying, boy, they could have done a better job. They could have done a better job running the football against the Atlanta Falcons. but you're just nitpicking because the Falcons did all they could do to basically give the game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 19 penalties the Falcons had last night. 19 penalties, which is the most in a National Football League game since the Oakland Raiders lost – actually, hold on a minute.
24:25Rich Eisen:The Oakland Raiders committed 23 penalties in week eight of 2016, but also won at Tampa Bay. So this is the most penalties and call most in penalties committed by a team in a game since that time and also in a win since that time. And Kirk Cousins did his thing with a 373 passing yard, three passing touchdowns and no interception game. it's his first such game since week two of two years ago and it's the first time an Atlanta player's done it because two years ago he was a Viking the last Atlanta player to have a stat line like that was Matt Ryan in the COVID year in week 15 so they come back from two scores down after committing a fumble to give the two score lead B.
25:19Rich Eisen:John Robinson fumbles the Bucs go in Was that a fumble? You know what? But I'm sure Ravens fans are saying that sure looked like Isaiah Likely's touchdown grab. But it was a fumble and then a two-score lead taken. And then Atlanta does what it seems everybody's doing these days, which is going for two when they didn't have to, only to try and go for two because I get it, everybody out there who's giving me analytics that you do this sort of thing. So if you get the two, then you now only need a touchdown and you can walk out with a one-point win, which, wait for it, the Falcons did anyway. Exactly.
26:01Rich Eisen:We'll talk about that analytic stuff in a minute or later on because this is really about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers blowing it at home. They have the Saints at home. They have the Falcons at home. All they got to do is keep winning these home games in division when they've already won one at Atlanta and they've got two coming up against Carolina and they've got one that they've already won in New Orleans. That's all they got to do is home field turf protected against their division. And instead, they lose two in a row. And their win against Arizona that they had to pull out, if you will, comes after a three-game losing streak against much better opponents.
26:49Rich Eisen:So they have been struggling and spinning their wheels, and the conversation for the Bucs have been wait until they get healthy. When they get healthy, the team that started 6-2 is going to show back up again. And yet this past two-week run, with Godwin back for a while, and Evans now back, and Bucky Irving now back, they couldn't defend their home turf. And the big problem at the end of the game was an interception that Baker Mayfield threw that Atlanta used to try and get back in this game, which they did, and they kept, again, shooting themselves in a two-point conversion foot only to get the ball back because of a third-down conversion that the Buccaneers could not do, letting up defensively.
27:31Rich Eisen:A fourth down and 14 on the final drive. All they got to do is defend that small piece of turf at home, and they couldn't do that. And the Falcons, unlike week one, do get a kick to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and move on and send Baker Mayfield to the podium saying, I've got broad shoulders, put it on mine. Disappointing, obviously, but falls on my shoulders. Can't turn the ball over, can't have that interception. And then just got to hit Mech in stride on that third down. Listen, you can say what you want about being up two scores and the defense right there, but we have to be better on offense.
28:13and it comes down to how I play. And this one's going to haunt me. This falls on my shoulders.
28:23Rich Eisen:Again, the interception, the inability to get one more first down. A lot of people were talking about, again, that fourth down conversion that Atlanta came up with to march down the field and get the game-winning field goal. Third and 28 at one point. Right, and then they got just enough to make it fourth and not even manageable, but they still got that. As what David Sills IV kept catching pass after pass after pass. After he dropped a wide-open touchdown earlier in the game. I mean, and he got targeted 10 times as Drake London was out. Mooney seemed to fumble, but they got it back. There were four bucks around that play, too.
29:00Rich Eisen:Kyle Pitts had the best game of his Falcons career. They have been literally waiting for a night like Thursday night since they drafted him. It's his first 100-yard game since his rookie season. That's how long it has been. And he became the first tight end with 150 or more receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns in a game since Shannon Sharp did it in week six of 1996. That's how they torched the Buccaneers' defense. So Todd Bowles, who watched this team go 6-2 and is now seeing this Buccaneers team lose five of their last six to be at 500 or worse in week 15 or beyond for the third time in the last four seasons now staring into that same abyss of still having to pull it out of the fire which by the way the Buccaneers have done every single one of these times that they've been 500 or worse entering the final three games of a season he had this to say and this is a guy I I mean, let me just say this.
30:04Rich Eisen:What you're about to see from Todd Bowles is 100 % the equivalent of Dennis Green ranting or any other coach losing his filter at the podium, raising their voice to pound the podium. Todd Bowles doesn't do that, but he does this instead. It's inexcusable. You don't make excuses. You gotta care enough where the hurts. You gotta care enough where the hurts. It gotta mean something to you. It's more than a job. It's your livelihood. How well do you know your job? How well can you do your job? You can't sugarcoat it. It was in the excusable and there's no answer for it. There's no excuse for it. That's what you tell them in the locker room.
30:54Look in the mirror.
30:57Rich Eisen:That was 10 beeps. Woo! It wasn't a truck backing up that was in response to a question of what do you tell your team and that's what he said he told his team well i saw that transcript so i was curious how that was going to sound and again that is him ranting yeah that's his version of a rant yeah baker mayfield was told uh about what coach bowls had to say because he was first up at the podium on thursday night he hit the nail on the head saying that in questioning does it does it mean anything to the guys. Does this hurt enough for you to actually make changes to come in, do the work that you need to do, to do the things that we need to do as a team to get better, fix these things, and win ball games?
31:43Rich Eisen:He repeated it. It really is as simple as that. We have talent. Talent doesn't get you s***ed, though. Doing the work and executing on game days does. We didn't do that today. Like I said, I did not do that. yeah the Falcons left the Buccaneers cursing which nobody I didn't see coming with 10 minutes to go in this game with them up 14 I thought that was going to be a wrap and instead kudos to the Falcons and Raheem Morris who could have had the U-Haul backed up but they decided to come up with their biggest overcoming a deficit win last time the Falcons overcame a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter and won was 1993.
32:27Week 15 against San Francisco when they trailed 24-7 in the fourth quarter
32:32Rich Eisen:and wound up scoring the final 20 unanswered to win by three. And that's how Todd Bowles watched his team fold to the Falcons in the fourth quarter and leave them a half game behind the Carolina Panthers who have a monster game in New Orleans on Sunday. If they win that, they take a one-game lead into the final three weeks with two to go against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And that game will be at home, the first one. So they'll get the Buccaneers in their house to start it. And they have been better at home than they have been on the road. As you know, they've beaten the Rams there. They did beat Green Bay in Green Bay.
33:16Rich Eisen:So this Panthers team is a shot. And so do the Bucs, obviously. Listen, if I'm going to counsel Philadelphia Eagles fans to relax, I will try and do the same to the Bucs because it's in their hands. It's in their hands. All they got to do is win those games, and that's the end of it. And while Carolina plays Seattle, Tampa Bay visits Miami. So the game in between the two that they play each other, Tampa has, if you will, the more winnable game, although the way that they have been playing of late, you can't chalk anything up as winnable for this team. So the NFC South has just gotten far more dramatic and far more wide open for a team that comes in with an opportunity into week 15.
34:05Rich Eisen:Carolina at New Orleans win that game against the three-win Saints, and off you go. with a one-game lead into the final three to play. And if they beat the Bucs to start it, if they're a game above the Bucs to start that stretch at home and beat Tampa, they would be two up with two to play. And I don't know what the tie breaks are. I don't know. But we'll find out when we get the playoff-clinching scenarios based on what Carolina does over the weekend. So now the Bucs are in the unenviable position of sitting at home and rooting for the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. And I've got my top five list of other games that I'm looking forward to seeing the most later on.
34:48Rich Eisen:844-204-RICH is always the number to dial right here. It's a what's more likely Friday. Tom Pelissero is going to join us to tell us about everything going on around the rest of the league. He does have a report on what has happened to TJ Watts' lung. He will discuss that with us, all the other coaching carousel concepts. and then as I mentioned Derek Brown of the wide open for the taking Carolina Panthers in hour three
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35:54Rich Eisen:And for a limited time, college students get the best of both worlds. Get the Unreal College Deal. Everything you need to study and play with select Windows 11 PCs. Eligible students get a year of Microsoft 365 Premium, and a year of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with a custom color Xbox wireless controller. Learn more at windows.com slash student offer. While supplies last, ends June 30th. Terms at aka.ms slash college PC. This episode is brought to you by State Farm. You know those friends who support your preference for podcasts over music on road trips? That's the energy State Farm brings to insurance.
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36:47Rich Eisen:The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. Back here on The Rich Eisen Show, ESPN Radio is presented by Progressive Insurance. They make the claims process easy so you can get back on the road in no time. It's why over 43 million drivers trust Progressive. see for yourself at progressive.com 844-204-RICH is the number to dial here on the show let's go to Terrence in Cleveland Terrence I have a feeling I know what's coming which is why I'm calling in here on our final show in the ESPN studios in New York City for the week what do you got over there Terrence I have a little bit of a chest cold something that sounds like I normally do ah the reason I'm calling Rich Normally we...
37:35Okay. No, no. My wife says she thinks I sound like a spam caller. Have you gotten one of these lately? I'm looking for Sarah Connor. It's regarding the card's extended warranty. I said, no, you idiot. They'll say I live here.
37:50Reason I'm calling you. Okay, Terrence. It's harder than Harden. I check out Browns this season. I watch you. I watch you every week on the pregame, and my dad will call, and he'll ask what is best on a football Sunday. I said to crush your enemies, is see them driven before you and to hear the lamentation of the opposing fans. But then when the game starts with the bad play calling and the holding penalties that push us out of the field goal range, I just want the Cleveland Browns to get to the end zone. But by the fourth quarter, down two, three scores, there should be a mercy room in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns.
38:21I keep shouting, come on, do it. Come on, in the game already. Come on, I'm here, in the game. Do it now. And Rich, that's when I thank God for the sweet, sweet jazz. The Cleveland Browns may be 3-10, but George Benson's weekend in L.A. is undefeated.
38:41Rich Eisen:Terrence in Cleveland, everybody. We thought we were getting Morgan Freeman, but he switched it up. I guess Terrence in Cleveland, everybody. He'll be back.
38:52Rich Eisen:Thank you, Terrence. Appreciate this. Terrence in Cleveland, everybody. Who is your father and what does he do? Don't get. Gabriel in Washington State, let's take your phone call. What's up, Gabriel?
39:05Rich Eisen:You there, Gabriel? Hello? Hello? Yes, sir. You're on the air, brother. All right. How are you guys doing? What up, though? Hey, what's going on? What up, man? A couple things I want to talk about. I want to talk about your alma mater real quick and then talk to some Seahawks before you hang up on me. but um i think this is opportunity for michigan to fail up let's get the jet fueled up let's buy his house let's buy his new one let's bring prime to ann arbor prime to ann arbor whoa listen i mean you can you had me at hello on that front okay yeah i'll do that sure dion hey yeah dion this is where i was at the student newspaper It's a good sandwich place.
39:50Rich Eisen:Hey, Dion. Oh, my goodness. Red Hot Lover. Yeah. You got the deli. You got the deli. You know, jump around town. Okay. That's what I did at Red Hot Lover. Mr. Spots is the spot. Yeah. And then Mr. Spots is where we go, right? But no, even with Colorado down here, I was surprised that, you know, maybe Dion did say no to some of these bigger schools that were looking for a new coach this cycle. But, no, yeah. I think Dion to Michigan would be great for college football. And then also I'm a Seahawks fan, and I'm actually going to the game next Thursday night when the Rams come to town. But seven weeks ago I put money on the Seahawks and the Broncos to go to the Super Bowl, a rematch of 48, and Seahawks to win.
40:40So same with my chest. The Seahawks are the best team in the NFL, and they're confident Thursday night they're going to take it to the Rams after we see Uncle Philly on Sunday.
40:50Rich Eisen:I'm telling you, one week from today, it's going to be a heck of a conversation on our show because the Rams and Seahawks will have played one week from today already to kick off week 16. Thanks for the call, Gabriel. Listen, the Seahawks can win the whole shooting match as well. I mean, we wrote down a number of teams that you can absolutely see winning the Super Bowl this year. You know, Rams, Seahawks, Niners are in that mix. We'll see if the Buccaneers and Panthers can come out of the NFC South, although we saw from Tampa last night that they needed to clean a lot of things up. Packers, Bears, Lions.
41:23Rich Eisen:Eagles, can they pull it together? Your Cowboys, TJ, I mean, can they go on a run and make the playoffs? And if they win four in a row to make the playoffs, it will be as hot as possible. Clearly, you've got in the AFC, you've got the Patriots and the Bills. You've got, you know, I mean, you look at the Steelers. What possibly can they do to go on a run with Aaron Rodgers? Could they go on a magic carpet ride? the Jaguars, Stephen A. Smith choosing the Texans to make the Super Bowl out of the AFC. They've won five in a row, and the defense has been unstoppable. Broncos, Chargers, the Chiefs went out to go 10-7 and make the playoffs as a 7 seed.
41:59Rich Eisen:Would be great to watch. So, you never know on that front. And as you just said right there about my alma mater. So, we just hung up with a caller who's like, what about Deion to Michigan? What do you say? That Michigan would fire up the jet and pay off Deion's house. First of all, if I could speak for Prime, he wouldn't say this. I don't think Deion needs help paying off his house. You know what I mean? Well, again. Clause, you throw it in there. I'm not saying he would say no. No. I'm just saying. I'm not saying he would say no, but that's also not Michigan's MO. Not to say that there's nobody in the Michigan alumni base that doesn't have a plane to send.
42:47Rich Eisen:And again, I'm getting so much online sent my way and comments and whatever about Michigan's next coach and who is it going to be. And there's still so many pieces to land right now in Ann Arbor and so much healing that kind of needs to go on. and I know you can't hold anything up on that front. You've got to be able to run dual tracks here because at some point, the focus will have to be completely on who's the next head coach of the Michigan football program. And I'm getting a lot of questions. Who's it going to be? Who's it going to be? Who do you want it to be? So I'll give you this answer here.
43:27Rich Eisen:The next head coach of the University of Michigan football program, I want the football version of Dusty May. That's what I want. If you can find somebody with a similar background and a similar self-made builder, somebody who comes from a smaller pond, if you will, somebody who was made more with less and now can do more with the more that Michigan will be able to equip this coach with, that's the one I want. I'm seeing we got to buy this person out. We got to buy that person out. I don't think Michigan's buying out somebody with, you know, 25, 30, $40 million buyout. It just strikes me as just a waste of time.
44:18Rich Eisen:Maybe I'll be wrong. I'll be surprised. Whoever it's got to be, it's got to be somebody who's 100 % focused on football, 24-7, 365, can recruit like Sharon Moore. Shereen Moore was getting some players coming to Michigan, which is why I'm freaking out. The rest of the alumni football fan base is freaking out about these kids that have committed. You know, transfer portal's coming up. You got to get this thing and ducks in a row real fast. And I know a lot of people are saying, how about getting the Oregon Ducks head coach? We spoke to Dan Lanning a few weeks ago. And he's like, I'm not going anywhere.
44:53Rich Eisen:Yeah, but that was a few weeks ago. Dude, to me. I mean, Brian Kelly is available. somebody who is currently a head coach somewhere that has shown like shown the ability to do more with less i mean bo schembechler came from miami of ohio all right so you don't have to go to some big huge football program and buy someone out for you know high 10 figures and say come to michigan find somebody like dusty may same makeup same character same doing more with less the same smart roster builder and master motivator find that guy yeah who's the football version of this guy you know screw it i'll just say it we had we're here at the espn studios i'm gonna go there okay do it clark lee was in the in the green room i did every it was every fiber of my being I just had to be respectful because there were Vanderbilt staffers all over the place.
45:53Rich Eisen:He says, hey, coach, you want to come here for a second? I don't know. Real quick. But this is what I'm talking about. This is what I'm talking about. And I don't know. He might love it in Vanderbilt. He might love it wherever he is. And as he keeps saying, you can win from anywhere. Indiana and Kurt Cignetti have proven this. Let's take a guy from James Madison, stick him in a program that's hardly ever won a damn thing, and suddenly, boom, a few years later, they are dominant and maybe winning the national championship of the Heisman Trophy quarterback, who they wisely had transferred from Cal.
46:27Like, that's what Michigan should do.
46:30Rich Eisen:Easier said than done, obviously. But I'm hearing, like, they should go here. They should go there. Let's hope, you know, John Harbaugh's gone from Michigan. Like, he would take his brother's job. You know, like, it just seems to me so many, I don't want to ever speak something into not existing, but I think you need to be smart about it while you're healing in one track and dealing with whatever, you know, legal stuff that might be coming down the pike on what just happened over the last 48 hours. If there is anything, you still have to maintain this track, the football, dusty may go get them.
47:10Rich Eisen:The rich Isis show podcast. You can't reason with the sun. Trust us. We've tried. This summer, it's time to put that angry ball of fire on mute. Columbia's OmniShade technology is engineered to protect you from the sun's harsh rays that can burn and damage your skin. The sun is relentless, but so is our gear. Level up your summer at Columbia.com to spend more time outside and less time slathering on aloe lotion. You're welcome. Columbia. Engineered for whatever. you
From the publisher
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith joins Rich in-studio where he explains why the Los Angeles Rams are the best team in the NFL, why the Baltimore Ravens are the league’s most disappointing team, says why the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense has struggled this season, reveals why he made an early departure from Jerry Jones’ suite at a Dallas Cowboys game this year, and if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder can win back-to-back NBA titles this season.
Rich reacts to the Atlanta Falcons’ come-from-behind Thursday Night Football win over the reeling Tampa Bay Buccaneers who now have some work to do to make the playoffs this season.
Michigan alum Rich weighs in on which candidates would be the best fit to take over the Wolverines’ football program in the wake of Sherrone Moore’s controversial firing.
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