In short
Kurt Warner discusses NFL Week 7 storylines from London, focusing on coaching mentality, team identity, quarterback play, and MVP candidates, plus a brief “Overreaction Monday on a Thursday” segment.
Guests
Kurt Warner (Pro Football Hall of Famer; former NFL MVP and Super Bowl-winning quarterback; in-studio from London). Other mentions: NFL Network reporter Sarah Walsh (sideline for Rams-Jaguars in Wembley).
Key claims
- Defensive-minded coaches may prefer “keep it close” play-calling rather than aggressive offense, citing a Rams-Jaguars/Denver-related end-of-half play discussion.
- Eagles’ issue is losing offensive identity after a new offensive coordinator; Saquon Barkley’s production has dipped.
- Caleb Williams and the Bears look like a real offense now; Bills’ Josh Allen is “athlete mode,” pressing and taking risks.
- Chiefs have “turned a corner” by reverting to their comfort brand of play around the line of scrimmage and Mahomes’ legs.
- Drake May is an MVP candidate through seven weeks, making signature big plays.
Notable examples
- Drake May’s Buffalo comeback: sack avoided into completion; late-game touchdown after a fake-screen look.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOKurt Warner Joins the Show
0:34 to 0:56
Rich Eisen welcomes Kurt Warner to discuss NFL topics and updates.
“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.”
Kurt Warner Joins the Show
1:27 to 2:44
Rich Eisen welcomes Kurt Warner to discuss NFL topics and updates.
“Adversity makes you dig down even deeper.”
Analyzing NFL Strategies
2:44 to 6:38
Kurt and Rich discuss offensive strategies and team identities in the NFL.
“We've got the bearskin on the running man.”
Eagles and Bills Performance Insights
6:38 to 9:26
Kurt shares insights on the struggling Eagles and Bills teams.
“or maybe more importantly as they think about how the offense could lose it for them.”
Kansas City Chiefs: Turning Corners
9:26 to 14:01
Discussion on the Kansas City Chiefs' recent performance and identity.
“But every week, there's a little bit more excitement about what it looks like.”
Analyzing the Chiefs' Return to Form
14:01 to 15:08
Learn how the Chiefs have regained their confidence and performance.
“and we're going to get back to what maybe made us the Chiefs when we first got this thing.”
Drake May: MVP Candidate Discussion
15:10 to 16:44
Explore the potential of Drake May as an MVP candidate through his performances.
“and those teams, a combined record that's not so great.”
Unexpected NFL Surprises in 2023
16:45 to 17:24
Discuss surprising team performances in the NFL this season.
“he's looking at a fake screen to the right, and he comes back and hits the post over the top of somebody to the left for a touchdown.”
Daniel Jones' Transformation and Consistency
17:25 to 20:50
Analyze Daniel Jones' improved playing style and its impact on the team.
“And he's making a lot of plays, and he's the reason that they're winning football games.”
MVP Contenders: Current Quarterback Rankings
20:51 to 23:36
Evaluate current MVP contenders among quarterbacks in the NFL.
“And so I think I might skew his direction because of those big plays and bringing his team back.”
Show all 25 chapters
Kurt's Evening Plans and NFL Insights
23:37 to 24:19
Kurt Warner shares his upcoming plans and discusses NFL matchups.
“I've been running around looking at different bits and pieces.”
Soccer and Bandwagon Fans
28:05 to 28:40
A humorous take on soccer fandom, particularly during the FIFA World Cup.
“A bandwagon fan, the biggest insult in sports.”
Caller Interactions Begin
28:54 to 29:35
The hosts engage with callers, starting with Fetty from Italy.
“Not only does Progressive let you bundle your insurance, they also give you round-the-clock protection.”
Texans' Performance Discussion
29:35 to 30:20
Chris discusses the Texans' recent performance and attempts a humorous higher register.
“Yeah, I just got a higher register real quick for the Texans.”
Fetty's Experience at the Game
30:20 to 31:00
Fetty shares his experience seeing Rich at a game in London and asks about stadiums.
“And they turned a corner after being a Baltimore Ravens.”
NFL Stadiums in London
31:00 to 31:57
Rich discusses his experiences at Wembley and Tottenham stadiums in London.
“so I didn't want to make an ass of myself yelling at you.”
Upcoming Game Insights
31:57 to 32:32
Rich discusses the upcoming games and the importance of team performance.
“But in terms of a stadium in London, I'll just throw Tottenham into the top five stadiums an NFL game has played in.”
Housekeeping and Overreactions
32:32 to 32:50
Rich sets up segments for the show, including Overreaction Monday on a Thursday.
“I was off on Tuesday and Wednesday, which means a couple of things that we normally do on those days.”
Overreaction Monday on a Thursday
32:50 to 35:09
Rich and the crew engage in Overreaction Monday discussions, reacting to various NFL situations.
“before Larry Fitzgerald joins us, top of hour number three.”
MVP Discussions and Predictions
35:09 to 37:15
Discussion about MVP candidates and predictions for the NFL season.
“The only one that Kupuka is going to be, I'd be surprised if I'm calling his action on this weekend.”
Discussion on College Football Coaching
37:15 to 38:15
The crew discusses potential coaching changes, focusing on Penn State and James Franklin.
“All right, TJ, you got a big one this week.”
Debate on Coaching Candidates
38:15 to 40:06
Rich and the crew debate potential candidates for college football coaching positions.
“They hail from Washington, and they are a football team.”
Lou Holtz and Humor
40:06 to 40:56
The crew shares a light moment discussing Lou Holtz and his coaching history.
“They need someone who can go down to Florida and recruit some speed.”
Returning to the Show
42:19 to 42:45
Rich returns to discuss the Hyundai Palisade and wrap up the show.
“So I'm going to tell you about the Hyundai Palisade.”
Troy Aikman's Commentary on Bears
42:54 to 46:30
Discussion on Troy Aikman's candid remarks and Bears' performance.
“Our audience in Chicago, Illinois, ESPN 1000, may not like to hear this, but I don't mind Troy Aikman speaking his mind, folks.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Rich Eisen:Are all batteries the same? That's like asking if all soccer players are the same. Take Messi, the most decorated player ever. Is there any other player who has achieved that? No, just him. Now take Duracell. Is there any other battery with Power Boost ingredients inside? No, just Duracell. Remember, goats only trust goats because they're built different. And Messi only trusts Duracell.
0:31Rich Eisen:This 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. 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+. 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.
1:05Rich Eisen: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. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Adversity makes you dig down even deeper. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studios in London, England. Gone! Home run! Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Earlier on the show. NFL Network reporter Sarah Walsh. Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner. Coming up. 11-time Pro Bowl receiver Larry Fitzgerald. And now, it's Rich Eisen.
1:56Rich Eisen:All right, hour number two of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air. Our first of two days from London, England. We just had Sarah Walsh, the sideline reporter, who will be patrolling everything for you in Wembley on NFL Network's live coverage of Rams and Jaguars at 9.30 a.m. Eastern Time, 6.30 a.m. Pacific. It'll be 2.30 locally here in London, England. And joining me here to kick off hour number two of this program is the man who will be in the booth with me wearing his perfectly Thursday night date night with Brenda Warner finest. Good to see you, Kurt Warner. How are you, sir? I'm good. How are you?
2:35Rich Eisen:Good to see you. You guys got the show here in London. I love it. Look at us. Brazil, London. It's everywhere. And you were on in Brazil. So I appreciate you being here in London. Do you see behind you? We've got the bearskin on the running man. Okay. You know? You got that? It's not very air. I wish I could have that hair. You going to wear that on Sunday? Let me just pop one of those out? Oh, please do it. Yes. Yes, Kurt. Yes, Kurt. It's kind of mandatory. Mandatory. It would have been perfect for us last week in terms of comic relief. Yeah, maybe. Kurt. You're right. At one point, I was begging you to circle somebody on the screen.
3:10Rich Eisen:Just circle anybody, man. Trust me. I wanted to. I didn't know who to circle at that point. You know? It was, yeah. Yeah, we had a bit of a rough go offensively, didn't we? It was tough. Are you still burned by it? Because I am. I tell you what. The Rams and Jaguars are going to help me get through it. We asked Coach McVay, can you give us some 15, 20 passes? He even said that when he sat down. I will have no problem doing that, so don't worry about that. But I can't tell you how many times I've gone back and thought about what happened at the end of the first half, and I'm still trying to figure out what the – I don't know.
3:42I really don't know.
3:44Rich Eisen:The thing that I, you know, going back to it, and I understand Aaron Glenn was giving us his opinion, that when it all came down to it, it was fourth down. He didn't want to go for it and give the ball back. So what you should do is take time down and try a Hail Mary at the very least, not just walk off the field. Your questions emanated from the play calling just after the fake punt. You just made that commitment. So you might as well get aggressive with your quarterback. Well, all of it. I mean, they pass to get a first down on the first part of the drive and get out past the 30. Right. Like, it's go time.
4:22Like, this is what you do, especially, you know, I don't know. I mean, yeah, there was a lot of things.
4:27Rich Eisen:But, I mean, and we'll just hit this and then move on to the present of week seven. Are the Jets afraid of what Justin Fields might do if they let him loose and throw? Or they don't have trust in him? or what? That's what it felt like to me was that they were afraid to throw the football and they were almost happy to be in that game and so the mentality for me wasn't let's try to score and take the lead and then we can double up. It was let's not give the ball back to Denver. That to me was how they played that whole thing and I actually tweeted today because I've been thinking a lot about this whole scenario and just the idea that I wonder, I always played for offensive coaches and so So for me, their mentality was always, let's score.
5:16Let's be aggressive. Let's attack offensively. And I wonder if you're a defensive head coach, if your mentality is so opposite of that, where it's like, I know defense. I'm all about defense. Let's keep this game close and let's win it with defense. And, you know, you wonder if Aaron Glenn in this stage, early stage of his coaching career is if that's what it's about. Like, oh, we're in a game. It's close. Let's not do anything on offense to screw it up. Let's just keep it close, and then we'll find a way to win it with one offensive possession, or we'll find a way to win it on defense because they took the lead with a safety.
5:54And you just wonder if the mentality, because of a defensive background, is more let's just play it close to the vest. I was even referencing, like, Tony Dungy. Like, they beat us to – or we beat them to go to the Super Bowl 11-6. Right. And I can't tell you how many times I thought, man, if that defense, had some semblance of an offense, they would have won so much more than they actually did, but they never did. And everybody's like, well, they didn't have a quarterback. Well, was that by choice? Could they have gone out and gotten a quarterback to do something? But I just wonder sometimes if those coaches just say, we're happy to be in a muddled up 17 to 16 game and win that way instead of putting the ball in our offense's hands and letting them either win it for us or maybe more importantly as they think about how the offense could lose it for them.
6:44Rich Eisen:Kurt Warner here on the Rich Eisen Show. All right, now the Eagles have lost two in a row. What do you think? Any concern here now, what you saw maybe from Thursday Night Football last week? I'm concerned. For me, just because I don't know what their identity is anymore, is that I still think they're a good team on defense. But, you know, it's like week to week where they try to run it and then that we're going to come out this week and we're going to throw it all over. And then we're not really good at either one of them. I mean, I thought I heard today that Saquon hasn't had a 20-yard run all year long, where that was a staple.
7:20I mean, talking about we're going against – we're going to watch the Rams this week. I mean, he had 12 of those against the Rams last year. Yes. And so I just don't know what their identity is. And still think they have good players, still think they can be a good football team, but they've lost their identity. and when you lose your identity and you don't know what you hang your hat on, that to me is when I start to worry about a football team.
7:42Rich Eisen:Okay, so how does that happen? How does a defending Super Bowl champ with such a clear identity lose their identity? Well, I think the biggest thing that you have to point to is you've got a new offense coordinator. And so as much as it's easy to say, oh, we ran the football really well last year, come in and run the football really well this year, so much of being an offense coordinator is timing, the plays that you call, how it plays into who the players are that you have out there, the healthy players on the offensive line. But, I mean, that's really the one thing that's changed. Is that the only difference?
8:17Is that the problem? Are they banged up and just not playing as well in those areas? But I don't know the answer to that because I think we all would have thought, hey, worst case scenario, they're going to come out and just run the football again and play good defense and win football games, and it just hasn't been the case.
8:32Rich Eisen:Kurt Warner here on the Rich Eisen Show from London. We're calling Rams Jaguars for your viewing pleasure on Sunday. Please watch. Don't take last week out on us. I'm sorry. I got to turn the page. I got to move on. But, you know, work schedules and routines get all blown up when you're on the road like we've been over the last week. Have you been able to watch Caleb Williams and the Bears? I did. Yeah. Okay. So what's your takeaway? They're getting better. and Caleb I think is taking small steps every single week but you know I came away from that game going this looks like a real NFL offense okay right it's coming together they're making plays down the field and Caleb's playing on time and trying to go through his progressions they're running the football well now they're using all of their weapons in different ways that I just I really like what they're doing and I like the strides that Caleb has made not there yet It isn't a finished product.
9:27Shouldn't expect him to be. But every week, there's a little bit more excitement about what it looks like. Because that's such a big part of it is that you can have success and your numbers can be good, but there's times where you're just like, man, it doesn't look right. They're getting fortunate here. It looks like they're putting together an offense, and it looks like Caleb's getting more comfortable. So I'm excited about where we are because we're only six weeks into this experience, and I think it looks pretty good.
9:56Rich Eisen:How is it different from weeks one and two? Obviously their first two games they were 0-2 and they were 3-0 in their last three. Again, I think it's comfort level with both sides and I don't think it's just about Caleb, although he's getting more comfortable. I thought he played fast early on. I thought Ben Johnson played it a little more close to the vest early on, that he was trying to simplify some of the play calls and give Caleb like a two-man read instead of opening up the field. And I didn't think he called great games. There wasn't a lot of guys that were just open, which is what Ben Johnson's kind of known for, is creating some easy opportunities for his quarterback.
10:32And I think as he's gotten more comfortable with Caleb, as Caleb's gotten more comfortable in the offense, they've opened it up. They've spread it out, and they've allowed for some of those opportunities. And that, to me, is what's making it look different. And, you know, it's been better by both of those guys, you know, since week one or two.
10:49Rich Eisen:Okay, and then the Buffalo Bills have lost two in a row. How have defenses from New England to Atlanta been able to bottle up Josh Allen, or it's not that? What is it? Yeah, no, this is interesting. First of all, I don't think they have a great defense, so I believe they're going to have to win offensively for the most part. And I think Josh at times gets away from playing quarterback and goes into, I guess, what I call athlete mode. And so what you'll see is he'll drop back, and before he even really sets up and takes a look, his feet are already moving. He's already looking for a window to take off and create.
11:28And then when he creates and he throws these quick checkdowns, instead of just going back and playing the game, which is where I thought he took the best step the last couple years, was not taking a checkdown, not throwing a five-yard pass. That's not the case. It's just read the play and let the play work for you. And I feel like he's doing and trying too hard to do it all by himself again. And it's not do it by myself. You know, every throw has got to be 40 yards or every run's got to be a super run. It's just he gets back and he wants to play with his feet more than he wants to play with his arm and his mind, which to me is where he got so good and why he won the MVP a year ago.
12:08And so I think he's got to slow back down. And I think he's probably pressing because their offense hasn't been great. They haven't been able to create some of the big plays down the field. So it's like, I got to do it on my own. But I think it's hurting this offense and it's hurting him because he's putting himself in harm's way when he doesn't have to, when there's opportunities out there to be had.
12:26Rich Eisen:Kurt Warner here, a few minutes left with him here on this Thursday edition of the Rich Eisen Show from London. I guess we're almost completing an entire circuit of a NASCAR oval talking about how many corners the Chiefs have turned. Yeah. Right. Right. We've seen a couple turns. This one appears to be a turn that has now Rasheed Rice on the straightaway. What do you think? Have we turned a corner? Is this it? We've definitely turned a corner. It looks like a confident team. It looks like a team that knows what they want. We talked about lack of identity in Philly. I believe this team has found their identity.
13:06And it is? Well, I think it's gone back to what they've done so well the last couple years. And so it's not as much about the big plays as it is about making plays around the line of scrimmage, spreading the ball around, the creative ways of getting the ball in playmakers' hands and allowing them to make plays for Patrick Mahomes, Patrick Mahomes' legs being a huge part of it. But I really felt like when we did the game in Brazil in the first couple weeks, what was the message that we heard from everybody? We're going to get big plays back in it. We're going to be conscious of calling them. We're going to design them.
13:39Patrick saying, I'm going to be more patient, and I'm going to – and we saw him try to do that, and it was like, okay, hold on.
13:46Rich Eisen:This is all out of whack, and they lost a couple games. Well, three plays into that best laid plan. Right. You know, Xavier Worthy got laid out by his own guy, unfortunately. And so I just think it was like we were going to try, and we're going to get back to what maybe made us the Chiefs when we first got this thing. And then they've just kind of gone, And, well, why don't we just go back to the team that went to the Super Bowl the last couple years? Because that team's pretty good, too. And it worked for us. And so that's what I feel that they've gone back to. They've developed their confidence again.
14:19As you said, Worthy's back. Gives them a little bit more confidence as a playmaker. When Rasheed comes back, that's going to give them a little bit more confidence. And so I just think they're back to playing, I guess, the last couple years of Chiefs brand of football. They know they're good at it. They know that Patrick's good at it. Let's do that. He's added his legs maybe even a little bit more than he has in the past. He's their leading rusher right now, and so that's a new element. But I just think that's what it was. I think they tried to be something, and again, I don't want to say different because they were before, but different than they had been the last couple years early in the season and go, hey, we're going to try all this.
14:55And then they realized, well, we still don't have the pieces to depend on in that realm. Let's go back to the things that we know, the things that we're good at, the things that bring us comfort, and now they're playing some really good football.
15:07Rich Eisen:Kurt Warner here on the Rich Eisen Show. Normally when somebody takes care of business against a team like Carolina in week four and New Orleans in week six, Tennessee in week seven, and those teams, a combined record that's not so great. Carolina's is better now than when this quarterback saw them in week four. And they do well and they perform well. That would lead Chris Brockman to say, yeah, who have they really beaten? But when it's Drake May, he's an MVP candidate. Well, Drake May beat a Super Bowl favorite. That's true, too. In the middle of all that, I did leave out that win in Buffalo.
15:46Rich Eisen:What's your opinion of Drake May? Is he an MVP candidate through seven weeks? Yeah, I think he has to be. I don't think anybody expected them to be leading their division. I don't think anybody expected them to beat Buffalo. And the thing that I love about Drake right now is that it's not just dink and dunk, manage the games, we're winning. He is chunking the ball down the field, and he's throwing it extremely well down the field. Even when the referees don't call a flag. I just think that's the difference maker is that he's playing good football, but he's making the big plays over and over and over again.
16:25And when you talk about MVPs, we always talk about those moments, the kind of signature moments or big play moments. And, man, you could pull one of those in almost every game. Go back to the Buffalo game. He's got a guy draped all over him. Instead of a sack, it becomes a completion. He hits the whole shot to lead him back to win that game late. I mean, last week, I mean, there was a couple of them where, you know, he's looking at a fake screen to the right, and he comes back and hits the post over the top of somebody to the left for a touchdown. And it's just like you're seeing it all come together.
16:56You see the athleticism. You see the physical talent. And then mentally within this offense and what Josh McDaniels is doing, and giving him good answers. He looks comfortable in it going through his progressions. I think they're a good football team, and you knew they would be better with Mike Vrabel, and they would play good defense and do those things. But I think Drake is playing better than people expected, and he's the reason that they're winning as opposed to, I think a lot of people thought, oh, be a complimentary piece, and we'll be in close games and make a few plays and we'll win. And he's making a lot of plays, and he's the reason that they're winning football games.
17:31Rich Eisen:I mean, when we were in Brazil getting ready to call that game, just only one contest into the season, right, where the Eagles took care of the Cowboys, who looked pretty darn good, and had a shot to win that, could have given you an indication about how the season was going to go in a way that you can't predict. I guess you could say that about any NFL season. But that said, if I had told you Chiefs were going to be 3-3 going into week 7, that, hey, you and I are going to be sitting in London getting ready to call this game, Chiefs are going to be 3-3. Patriots are going to lead the AFC East.
18:09Rich Eisen:The Steelers were going to be 4-1, but have a 2.5 game lead on everybody else in the division, including the Ravens at 1-5. Or the Colts at 5-1. Which one would you have looked at me and go, nah, not at all? The Colts are the one seed in the AFC entering Week 7, Kurt. Yeah. I gave you those scenarios. I can run through it again. No, no. The only thing... Which one of those would be most surprising? Ironically, I would say the Colts leading their division would not be. Conference. Conference. Oh, conference. Five and one. Oh, gotcha. They're the one seed. I thought you were talking about division.
18:42No, they're leading the conference at five and one. Yeah, run them down. Well, I mean, that's got to be the one. We're talking leading the conference. I thought, you know, division maybe not.
18:50Rich Eisen:The Steelers have a big lead over the division. I mean, that's surprising just from the standpoint that I thought Cincinnati would be better. I thought they would be pushing for the playoffs. We all thought the Ravens. So to think that they've got a two-and-a-half game lead in the division at this point, I don't think anybody would have guessed that. Patriots lead the AFC East? I mean, yeah, that's – again, I thought they would be a better team. Nobody thought they would be better than Buffalo, and so that is surprising. But, yeah, I would say Colts being the leader in the AFC overall, come on.
19:23I mean, nobody saw that with Daniel Jones and what he's – Really? He's been phenomenal.
19:29Rich Eisen:I mean, compare, like, I guess let's linger here for a quick minute. Compare the guy who we saw last year in Munich, who that was his last start for the Giants. The film that you saw going into that game, the performance you saw in that game, the guy we're seeing now. I mean, it's night and day. It's 180. It's a quarterback that's confident in what they're asking. Like, I felt the Daniel Jones in New York, especially at that time, had gotten to the point where it was like... Over. Well, it was over, but he was afraid to do anything. Like, he was afraid to play because all it was was scrutiny and he wasn't good enough and every mistake he made was accentuated.
20:09And he goes to Indy and I just feel like it's a free Daniel Jones. And now they play a style that I think fits him. I've said this from day one. Fits him perfectly with what he does and what he's good at. but I truly feel like he's not worried about making a mistake. He's not worried about the New York scrutiny that's going to come with it or living up to the first round. He's just able to just play football and they're confident in him and he's not looking over his shoulder and he's not worried about anything. And again, we talked about Drake May and Drake May has been awesome. But if I had to take one guy and say, he was my leader for the MVP at this point, I love Baker and Baker's made a lot of big plays.
Read the full transcript
20:52And so I think I might skew his direction because of those big plays and bringing his team back. But one quarterback that has played consistently better than everybody else up to this point in the season, I would choose Daniel Jones right now. I would choose Daniel Jones. Not as many big, wow plays, but consistently good, I would choose Daniel Jones. I mean, they should have beat the Rams. He played well enough. They should have beat the Rams as well. Yeah, I mean, and he's played great. And so, to me, he has been the best top-to-bottom consistent quarterback in the National Football League through six weeks.
21:27Ninth MVP odds.
21:28Rich Eisen:He's ninth. Ninth. He's ninth. He's not flashy. He's not exciting. He doesn't have – Jonathan Taylor is scoring a ton of touchdowns. He is. But, again, I think if he was making some of the Baker Mayfield or Drake May throws on top of it, he would be way up that board. But they're not asking him to. And, you know, quite frankly, he's not that guy. But just the way he's playing down in and down out. He's been better. What other quarterbacks are you ahead of him? Ahead of him? It's all quarterbacks. All of them are quarterbacks? Eight quarterbacks that are ahead of him? Justin Herbert, Jordan Love, Stafford, Goff, Drake May, Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes is your favorite.
22:05Okay, come on, no. I mean, at this point in the year, no way we're putting half of those guys, you know, ahead of him if you're just looking at play.
22:13Rich Eisen:What would your top four be then for MVP right now? Baker would be up there for sure. Obviously, Daniel Jones. Daniel Jones would be up there. We're talking just these quarterbacks? Yeah, sure. Where's my list? There's your list right there. Dak Prescott. Who's up all? Bo Nix. I mean, I don't know. I mean, again, I think about Jonathan Taylor and guys like that that I would probably put up there before them. If a quarterback is playing as well as Daniel Jones has been playing, and it's of a 5-1 team, and he's not making mistakes after mistake that we've seen. His play has been vastly improved.
22:53Rich Eisen:He's got to be in the MVP mix. He's got to be. Baker Mayfield, you'd have to put Drake May in that mix right now, right, at 4-2? I mean, Drake's been good. I don't know if I would put him, I would say, MVP good. But it's been surprisingly good for the team, so I understand that. You put Matt Jones in there on that? Do it, Curt. Do it. You know, I mean, I think Sam Darnold's played really well, too. Safford's played really well. Safford's played well, too, but I think he's had some ups and downs. Sam Donald is really bald. Again, I don't think I would put any of those guys ahead of Daniel Jones if I was just picking an MVP right now.
23:26Their names are flashier. We understand all of that. But just the way they're playing, I mean, I think Baker would be the only one that I would put above him, and I think it would be really close.
23:35Rich Eisen:Who had the best performance on tape, on film, for this past week? I've been asking that question. I know. I've been running around looking at different bits and pieces. I thought Patrick was really good this week. I thought Drake was really good this week. Big play after big play in New Orleans. Real. I don't know. Who am I missing? Yeah, again, it's all jumbled up here this week because I didn't watch it quite like I normally do. Normally you do. Sam. Sam's third in passing. Sam having touchdowns maybe. No, he's good. All right, so you're heading to? I'm heading to a show. I don't know what it is.
24:12Rich Eisen:Do you know what show it is? I don't know. Are you serious? I don't. My wife knows. No, no, Brenda knows. Yeah, she plans all of these things. No, no, trust me. I was going to go out to dinner with you, obviously. And then my wife, because she thought she got these tickets before we left. Sure. And then we got here, and she's like, I don't know. I thought I got them, but I don't see them anywhere. And then she got a reminder last night saying, hey, you have tickets to a show tomorrow night. And so I'm like, oh, we're in. But I don't know what's happening. No, I understand that. Trust me. Oh, yeah.
24:37Rich Eisen:I'm in the similar boat as you, where it's just like, what are we doing tonight? Exactly. But at some point, I then asked the follow-up question of, like, what is the name of the performance that we're going to see? Here's the thing. You don't know? I love theater. I love musicals. I love plays. I don't really care. Like, I mean, I'm in for anything that she wants to do. And so we went to a cabaret show earlier. We went and saw Brickett Gervais. Yeah, our friend Kane Brown was here. Obviously, that's not a London show. But we went and saw his concert here at Wembley, over by Wembley. And then tonight we got...
25:11I mean, I have a list.
25:13Rich Eisen:You want me to just like scroll? I think you'll bring a bell. I don't know. Like all of these are playing. It's live and you're going. And I don't... Listen, we need to let him go. I don't want him to miss curtain time. Okay. Yeah. I don't want to walk in late. I don't want the traffic or any of that sort of thing. But yeah, I can't wait. So when I see you tomorrow, you'll know. I will know. And I will tell you what show we went to tomorrow. Yes. Yes. And if it ends, you know, still come out. Well, we're going to be out. You're going to be out all night? Yes. You guys are shutting her down? No, here's the thing.
25:40The Thursday night game starts at 1.15 in the morning here. Is today Thursday? Yeah. There's a game tonight. Who do you like tonight? I don't even know who's playing today. It's Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. It's the icy hot bowl. Yeah, I'll take Pittsburgh in this one. There you go, ladies and gentlemen. You sure? Mike Tomlin, 2-9 on Thursday night on the road. I'm still taking Pittsburgh. I mean, obviously, last week I took Philly, and I thought that was a good one, too. And that didn't work out so well.
26:05Rich Eisen:I told you the stat. The stat is that the Steelers lead the league in yards after the catch in terms of percentage of the yards, like total yards, passing yards. 72 % of their passing yards are all after the catch. That's unbelievable. And the team that's given up the most yards after the catch on a pass is Cincinnati. But for content, we need the Bengals. Okay. We do? Good to know. I think so. For content. Guys, is Brenda here? No, she's not. She's going to come. I'm like, come on, come on, we'll go. And she's like, no, I'll just meet you there. So that's how it works. Just show up at the thing.
26:39I'll have your ticket and we'll go to the show. So wait a minute.
26:42Rich Eisen:She's not here to tell you where to go. Do you know where you're going? Well, I mean, she's going to text me. Here, come to this place. Show starts at 7. Oh, it starts at 7. Oh, jeez. You need to leave. You need to leave. I got to go. Kurt Warner's here. Okay. Kurt's here. We're back with Overreaction Monday on a Thursday. That's how we're out of whack. We are in our London week.
27:06Rich Eisen:The Rich Eisen Show Podcast.
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28:28Rich Eisen:Sure. Why not? Prefer sports where players can use their hands? Me too. Just here for the snacks? Now we're talking. So grab a bag of Lay's and jump on the bandwagon. We're undefeated. Lay's, the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
28:47Rich Eisen:Back here on the Rich Eisen Show from London. ESPN Radio is presented by Progressive Insurance. Not only does Progressive let you bundle your insurance, they also give you round-the-clock protection. Quote today at progressive.com. 844-204-RICH is the number to dial here on the show. He's a regular caller to our show, but this is as close to Fetty in Italy as I think the show's ever been. What's up, Fetty?
29:15Rich Eisen:Fetty? You there, Fetty? Oh, no. Oh, no. I called in from Italy. We're so close. Let's go back to the phone lines before we get back to Overreaction Monday on a Thursday. Chris in California. We're as far away from Chris. Not me. I'm here. Chris is in London. What's up, Chris? Yeah, I just got a higher register real quick for the Texans. Oh. Okay. Take ours. Well, first of all, Chris, it doesn't sound like a higher register is going to be very easy for you. You sound like you've got a lower register type of voice. So I said best of luck to you as you attempt to start us off on a higher register Thursday.
29:52Absolutely. The Texans turned the corner after beating the Baltimore Ravens.
30:01Rich Eisen:Well done. Hold on a second. Chris, let me help you out here. You got to talk your way into it, okay? Try one more time, a little preamble about what you feel about how the Texans have maybe done well, and then you finish up with the higher register. Try that one more time. Like a roller coaster, Chris. Go for it. So the Texans did well putting the ball down into the end zone against the Baltimore Ravens. And they turned a corner after being a Baltimore Ravens. Okay. Much better. Much better. All right, Chris, keep working on it. Keep working on it. I'm still working on it. I feel like if Chris calls back, he'll do better.
30:38Rich Eisen:He's got it in him. He's got it in him. He got his first one out of the way. He sounded a little nervous. All right, is Fetty in Italy back? Fetty! Hi, guys. Sorry for earlier. What's on your mind, brother? What up, Fetty? I just wanted to say hi because I saw you on the field, but I couldn't quite catch your attention. Also, like, all the Broncos' parents and relatives were there, so I didn't want to make an ass of myself yelling at you. No, Fetty, I'm sorry. I sometimes get in a zone before a game and certainly envisioning just how professionally miserable I was going to be over the next four hours.
31:17Rich Eisen:Okay. Sorry. What was that, Fetty? Go ahead. Sorry, Fetty. Oh, no. You looked really focused on the game. So, yeah. Didn't want to break your concentration or anything. It's also crazy that the studio you guys are in is where my hotel was, basically, but couldn't stop by. I had a question for you. What is the best London Stadium for the NFL experience now that we've seen both Tottenham and Wembley? Well, I mean, I haven't done a game in Wembley in a couple of years. I'm excited to do it this weekend. It can seat up to 86 ,000 fans for the National Football League. Tottenham is much smaller. But in terms of a stadium in London, I'll just throw Tottenham into the top five stadiums an NFL game has played in.
32:10Rich Eisen:It is that good. It is awesome. Any NFL. Any NFL. Yes, it is great. The sight lines are incredible. The field is top-notch. The environment is through the roof. And you've seen a game in Tottenham yourself. It's awesome, Matt. I saw a soccer match. It's unbelievable. It is outstanding. 844-204-RICH is the number to dial. As you know, we'll take calls from Europe or from back home as we roll. I was off on Tuesday and Wednesday, which means a couple of things that we normally do on those days. we're going to get to on this program. That's a little housekeeping for you. Later on, I've got my power rankings before Larry Fitzgerald joins us, top of hour number three.
32:54Rich Eisen:But here is Overreaction Monday on a Thursday. That was terrible. That was crap. That was garbage. This place sucks. Overreaction Monday on a Thursday. Oh, okay. Did she go higher register? I was a little, she threw it away. She threw away. On a Thursday? Yeah, she's... On a Thursday? Chaz is wondering, are we really... Was there a question mark on a Thursday? Yeah, it makes no sense. What are you guys doing? I think she's overreacting. On a Thursday? On a Thursday? All right. Oh, don't do that. Hey, Mikey! Everybody. He's still there? There he is! Come on! I thought you went home. Come on, people.
33:36Rich Eisen:Hey, you guys good? Good to see you. Hey, what's up, Chris? How's everything going? Hey, TJ. What's up, man? Oh, my God. Please don't do that. Guys, we got a game tonight. We got a game tonight. And if it goes how I want it to go, we're going to be talking about this, guys. If Flacco wins tonight, the Bengals are making the playoffs. Three and four is better than two and five. I gave you the stats to begin this thing. And three and four would put them entering this coming week. It would be, I think I was told there would be no math. Is a three and four team better than a two and three team? Yes.
34:13Rich Eisen:More wins is always better. All right. So they'll just be ninth and in a better spot. And right now, four and two is your wild card spot. Broncos five and two potentially. Yeah. I mean, I'll still need to see a little bit more. So I'll say that's a typical overreaction. Recency bias for a result that is yet to occur. Okay. Makes no sense. It does make no sense. All right. What else you got over there? Cool. We were just talking MVPs with Kerr Warner. like I said, the top 12 or something are all quarterbacks. How about this? A non - quarterback is going to finish in the top two in MVP voting this year.
34:54Rich Eisen:Last two seasons, a runner back has finished third. Saquon Barkley last year, Christian McCaffrey two years ago. Justin Jefferson cracked the top five a few years before that. I'll say that's an overreaction. Even Jonathan Taylor, how great he's performing. John Robinson maybe. I hear you. The only one that Kupuka is going to be, I'd be surprised if I'm calling his action on this weekend. Which would mean that's a game and a half gone from his, or two games where one in which he was hurt and one in which he's missing. So I'll call that an overreaction. This is a quarterback driven league and there's too many.
35:32Rich Eisen:I understand if we're sitting here saying it's Baker Mayfield versus Daniel Jones, that somebody will be sit there and go, So, well, Jonathan Taylor is more valuable on Indianapolis than Daniel Jones. Puka, had he done what I thought? He was on an amazing pace. He can potentially come back and still put together an incredible season. True. But even then, I'll just call this an overreaction and move on. What else you got? Oh, and just quickly move on. Yes, indeed. You got dismissed. Rich, you got a great game coming on Sunday. Rams. I hope so. And Jaguars. We deserve it. Two top-notch teams. We've earned it.
36:09Rich Eisen:We've earned it. My God, I've earned it. God, the sweat, the blood, the tears you've been through. The loser of the London game is going to miss the playoffs. That's ridiculous. I'm just going to call that ridiculous and move on. Four and three. Four and three to out of the playoffs? Is that what you're saying? Yeah, four and three to out of the playoffs. Look, the NFC West has three four and two teams. You think they're going to get three playoff teams from that division? I think not. They fall a game behind. The Rams are the kings of finishing strong after starting one and four. I know, but two and five.
36:38Rich Eisen:Now they're four and two. Now they're four and two. And if they lose this game to go to four and three and start playing as well towards the end of the season as they always do, they're fine. What about Chris in California? His higher register, Texans coming on, maybe Jaguars, a little fraudulent. They fall behind the wayside. I still think that, again, that's a little bit more of a knee-jerk overreaction. The Jaguars going to four and three to out of the playoffs would have to be as bad as what we've seen over the last year and a half from Trevor Lawrence and the offense and the defense that we just haven't seen through the first six weeks of the season.
37:11Rich Eisen:If everybody stays healthy, I'm not concerned about them either. What else you got? All right, TJ, you got a big one this week. Washington and Dallas. I'd agree. That's a lot of points. I think this is the highest total of the week. We're going to see some fireworks, I think. The winner of Commander's Cowboys. They're going to win the NFC East. That's ridiculous also. Really? You feel great about the Eagles right now? I think the Eagles have enough talent to bounce back. Yes, I do. The Eagles are going to lose in Minnesota. Even if they do, I'm not concerned about it. Wow. A little disrespectful to my boys.
37:42Rich Eisen:The Eagles and the commanders don't face each other until weeks 16 and 18. So there's enough time between week 7 and week 16 to turn things around and find your strength, find your zen, find your identity, and maybe even if you're the Philadelphia Eagles, add one or two pieces at the trade deadline. The same thing with the Commanders. You know, the Cowboys go 3-3-1 to now they win the division? No. Dak's playing at an MVP level. Dak is 11-2 against the Washington football team. Dak is elite. They're not called that anymore. I know you keep saying that. I think they are, though. No, they're not.
38:20Rich Eisen:He's got hate saying the Commanders. I will never say that. I know that. They hail from Washington, and they are a football team. They're a football team. So what am I saying wrong? What else, Chris? You got a couple more? Yeah, yeah, yeah. We love talking about Baker Mayfield. We were talking about him with Sarah Walsh. Rich, he's your third son. Monday's Bucs-Lions showdown. That's going to be the NFC Championship game this year. I don't think that's an overreaction. I think you could say that, too. In the same way that I thought the Lions Chiefs were a great Super Bowl preview. I think it kind of still is.
38:52Rich Eisen:You know what I mean? I think these are the two best teams in the NFC. I love those Bucs. And, you know, the Packers have a chance to crash that party. So do the Rams, as you know. Sure. You want to, you know, go deeper down the list. The Seahawks, Falcons, Commanders, if you're a believer in the Bears. NFC's kind of loaded. I agree that it's more loaded than the AFC. Yeah. At the end of the day, though, I think Bucs-Lions, that's why this game is big. It might be for the right to host that game. I'm with you. You have one more. I did not know this. I miss my boy. I'm so homesick right now. One more.
39:30Rich Eisen:What else? Rich, one of the big stories out of college coming into this week. Penn State, TJ fired James Franklin. Oh, my gosh. That's not an overreaction. Last week, I said, that was the first time ever. I said, it might be time. And then what happened? It was time. It was time. You know what Penn State should do? They need to call Nick Saban. Joel Klatt is right. Call him. Let's go. Make him a godfather offer. One million percent, they should call him. I don't know if he'll answer. That's called due diligence. Hire that man. That would be amazing. You think? I think they should hire Urban. Go ahead and hire Urban.
40:06Rich Eisen:Come on, bro. One of the two. Make a splash. What about Bill? Get someone who could win a big game. Tell Bill. Bill can't win a big college game. I don't know. Tell Bill. Bill can't win a college game. Here's what Penn State needs. They need someone who can go down to Florida and recruit some speed. Yep. Because that is what's necessary. They need to drop a bag off in Bloomington, Indiana and say that. No, Rich, he's going to be the Jets head coach next year. Who, Signetti? Never. Never? Never. And he's going to take Mendoza with him. When do you sign for that? Never. You would sign for that. You would sign for that.
40:37Rich Eisen:Never. Never. Don't forget Lou Holtz once coached the Jets. And by the way, he was co-tidy bad before there was a co-tidy. Can we go ahead and give us a Lou Holtz real quick before we go? That's a total overreaction. I don't even hear about that. That Rice team can beat anybody. Okay. All right. We take a break here. Why do you make me do that for the Brits? Because it's hilarious. Can you do Lou Holtz with a British accent? Just think about it. I bet you can. No, I can't. We've got another hour, right? Let's take a break, governor. Hey, hello, Mike. You with you, governor. Wow, stop saying governor.
41:13Rich Eisen:Please, we're surrounded by Brits. Don't embarrass us. Five minutes. Hey, look at that. That's a bear skin right there.
41:22Rich Eisen:The Rich Eisen Show. The podcast.
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42:05Rich Eisen:And because Grainger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-GRAINGER, clickgrainger.com, or just stop by. Back here on the Rich Eisen Show. So I'm going to tell you about the Hyundai Palisade. It's all new. It's a hybrid. And I've been telling you about it actually for a bit. And it's still the same spacious interior that's come for the entire crew. It's still capable of going off-road. And that range of 600-plus miles, oh, baby, fantastic. The all-new Hyundai Palisade Hybrid, so much more than just another SUV.
42:45Rich Eisen:Visit HyundaiUSA.com or call 562-314-4603 for more details. That's 563-314-4603 for more details. Our audience in Chicago, Illinois, ESPN 1000, may not like to hear this, but I don't mind Troy Aikman speaking his mind, folks. Me neither. That's his job. His job is to call it the way he sees it. If you are a Bears fan and you thought he was being unfair to your guy, then guess what your guy needs to do? Ball out and win a football game. Guess what he did? He played better than won. He did. so you know and and the fact that you know i like the fact that ben johnson has this sort of edge to him you know um he's also learning as a head coach you you should cover up your mouth certainly if you're telling someone to potentially if you read lips at stfu playbook which is by the way not not the name of a new law and order um although i would watch i would watch law and order stfu i I think, yeah, for sure.
43:43Rich Eisen:Who's in that? Gary Cole. Well, whoever Ben Johnson, I think, was talking to on the headset is starring in that one. You know, the Bears have an opportunity to win four straight games in a season for the first time since 2018. All they have to do is beat the New Orleans Saints at home. Which they should. Which they should do. Now, the Bears are now taking on teams and winning games that they're supposed to win. supposed to win and their defensive coordinator as we all know uh would like to win this game and dennis allen so you can win one for dennis but you know the whole business of of clapping back at troy aikman like that again that's his job and in case anybody's wondering that troy it was personal because caleb didn't speak with him before the game you know we always talk about um these broadcast meetings that i tell you about like we spoke to matthew stafford today and it does happen that a quarterback is not available to speak with somebody when they are available to speak with them in a in a broadcast meeting i don't know how he and monday night football does it if it's like the way we do it that we're all on one zoom it's an appointed time and you hit it and the player is there a couple years ago when we were here in london trevor Lawrence had a change in his schedule and could not make it to our meeting.
45:05Rich Eisen:He did, in fact, Zoom with Kurt Warner later. So the fact that he did reach out to Kurt later and Kurt was connected with him, a lot of people are reading into, well, Caleb wasn't there for the Zoom. Interesting. So Troy's axe grinding? It happens. But I'm not saying that it happens that Troy's axe grind. Right, right, right. I'm just saying that it happens that somebody's not available. and then I guess he tried Troy, and Troy wasn't there to take his call. It's his job to call it the way he sees it. He does it all the time to Dallas. Yeah, he's harder on Dallas than anybody else. That's why he's so great at his job.
45:48Rich Eisen:Three wings gives you the right to critique. Quarterback's how you want. Listen, it does appear this offense is getting better. Kurt Warner says it looks like more of an offense than the first two weeks, an NFL offense with a quarterback that feels more comfortable to be in it. And the defense is balling out. The defense has three or more takeaways in three straight games. They have a plus eight turnover margin, plus 10 in their last three games when they've won them all, and they put up 27 points a game. So if it helps Caleb to have a shorter field, helps Caleb have DeAndre Swift just run half the field into the end zone, then so be it.
46:24Rich Eisen:Everybody should just be happy in Chicago. You're 3-2. Who cares what Troy Aikman has to say? The Ridge Eisen Show Podcast. You want to get your backyard summer ready, but you don't want to break the bank? Wayfair gets it. Planning on dining al fresco or relaxing poolside? Wayfair has everything you need to prep your space. Shop now and save up to 70 % off during Wayfair's 4th of July clearance. Score huge deals on outdoor furniture, area rugs, and more. We're talking thousands of products for every style and budget. Plus, surprise flash deals July 6th. Don't wait. Shop Wayfair's 4th of July clearance now through July 6th at Wayfair.com.
From the publisher
Pro Football Hall of Famer/NFL Network analyst Kurt Warner and Rich discuss the New York Jets’ and Philadelphia Eagles’ struggling offenses this season, the improvement of Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams and the regression of Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen over the last two weeks, how Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs found their offensive identity, the MVP-level play of New England Patriots QB Drake Maye, Daniel Jones’ rebirth with the 5-1 Indianapolis Colts, and more.
In ‘Overreaction Thursday’ Rich weighs in on Joe Flacco and the Cincinnati Bengals, the NFL MVP race, the Washington Commanders vs Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Rams vs Jacksonville Jaguars, and if Nick Saban should be Penn State’s next head coach.
Rich reacts to the backlash surrounding Monday Night Football analyst Troy Aikman’s criticism of Bears QB Caleb Williams.
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