In short
Albert Breer breaks down early-season NFL storylines and injury updates, focusing on Buffalo’s offense/defense under Joe Brady and Jim Leonard, Detroit’s defensive problems, key receiver and QB situations (Texans/Ravens, Vikings/Bears, Seahawks), and Rams defensive star Aaron Donald’s Monday-night status. He also discusses “must-win” pressure points for several 0-1 teams and Cleveland’s quarterback decision dynamics around Deshaun Watson.
Guest backgrounds
Albert Breer is a senior writer for The MMQB (NFL-focused reporting).
Key claims
Bills look more aggressive and balanced offensively after early “breaks” shifted; DJ Moore’s injury is an AC sprain and likely not long-term. Detroit’s run defense is a major issue; secondary problems and missing safeties (Brian Branch, Kirby Joseph) matter. Nico Collins/Zay Flowers may be rested; Carson Wentz could seize a starting opportunity if he wins. Sam Darnold’s hip/glute tendon injury is a 3–6 week window; Drew Lock likely starts. Aaron Donald has a good chance to play.
Notable examples
Josh Allen’s high-difficulty throws; Bills’ 2019 LSU-style aggression; Lions stats: 63 first downs allowed in six games; James Cook 135 rush yards vs. 104 before contact; Cleveland “Tampa layup” preseason setup; pressure schedules for Packers, Buccaneers, Patriots, and others.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VORich's Health Update
0:59 to 1:14
Rich humorously shares about his health after surgery.
“No two football players are exactly alike, and the same is true off the field.”
Rich's Health Update
1:41 to 2:20
Rich humorously shares about his health after surgery.
“He did have an incredibly inflamed appendix.”
Albert Breer on NFL Insights
2:20 to 4:00
Albert shares his insights on NFL performances, particularly the Bills and Josh Allen.
“We're going to do our best to empty those phone banks.”
Analyzing the Lions' Defense
4:00 to 7:40
Discussion around the Lions' defensive struggles and their coaching changes.
“And, you know, it's interesting because when I talked to Josh about this over the summer, he brought up 2019 LSU.”
Injury Updates for Key Players
7:40 to 12:00
Albert discusses injuries impacting key players and their teams' strategies.
“That's tied with the 85 Colts for the second most through two games of an NFL season.”
Evaluating Quarterback Situations
12:00 to 14:00
Discussion on quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Sam Darnold's situations in the league.
“Like, while Kyler convalesces, but, you know, this is a pretty big football game against the Chicago Bears.”
Quarterback Situations: Wentz and Darnold Updates
14:00 to 16:04
Learn about the current quarterback situations for the Seahawks and the implications for the Rams.
“okay, well we brought him in to be the starter.”
Aaron Donald's Potential Return
16:04 to 17:23
Discussion on Aaron Donald's injury status and its impact on the Rams' upcoming game.
“But, obviously, they have the defense and Drew Locke just takes care of the football.”
Pressure on 0-1 Teams and Coaching Challenges
17:23 to 23:09
Analysis of the pressure faced by teams starting the season 0-1 and coaching dynamics in Cleveland.
“What are you hearing that you wouldn't mind?”
Reflections on College Football Atmosphere
23:09 to 26:40
A discussion on the unique atmosphere of college football games and the need for more matchups.
“And that gets amped up if they don't play well in Tampa.”
Show all 23 chapters
Reflections on College Football Atmosphere
26:47 to 27:24
A discussion on the unique atmosphere of college football games and the need for more matchups.
“844-204-RICH phone calls coming up next Rich Eisen here with some advice.”
Manny's Call: A Downbeat Interview
28:53 to 29:51
A call from Manny discusses Kyle Larson's recent race and his emotional state.
“Buenos dias, el capitán está para atrás Welcome back, Mr.”
Michigan's Game Strategy
29:51 to 30:28
Discussion on Michigan's strategy for their upcoming game and implications.
“So, like, oh, my God, the tears just started right there.”
AI and College Football
30:28 to 31:01
The hosts discuss the use of AI in college football and its surprising effects.
“And certainly Western Michigan comes in and, you know, and thanks for the call, Manny, did what they did.”
Injury Reports and Game Insights
31:01 to 31:44
Insights on player injuries and their impacts on upcoming games.
Dallas Cowboys' Challenges
31:44 to 33:03
Analysis of the Dallas Cowboys' upcoming games and their performance pressures.
“what ai does these days man but well i saw lane playing coy with the injury report sam levitt was doubtful then he gets upgraded to questionable now it's like okay like can we just cut like You know he's playing.”
Washington Commanders' Defense
33:03 to 34:26
Christian's call highlights the improvement in the Washington Commanders' defense.
“Only a handful, you know, Louisville SMU is one.”
Upcoming NFL Matchups
34:26 to 35:55
A look at crucial upcoming NFL matchups and team performances.
“And that is going to just be a big-time game in Dallas.”
Green Bay Packers' Struggles
35:55 to 38:09
Discussion on the Green Bay Packers' performance and potential coaching changes.
“I decided I'm not going to go to Brazil.”
Teasing Future Segments
38:09 to 38:47
Rich teases future segments about matchups and baseball updates.
“But if they lose to the Jets, it ain't going to be just me.”
Baseball Update: Mets and Yankees
41:01 to 42:00
Discussion on the latest updates in Major League Baseball, focusing on the Mets and Yankees.
“The Rich Eisen Show, TJ Jefferson, I just learned, doesn't hit on 16s.”
Baseball Playoff Predictions and Player Performances
42:00 to 48:19
Listeners will hear insights on the current MLB playoff race and notable player performances.
“That was a nice comeback win on the Rangers.”
Baseball Playoff Predictions and Player Performances
48:22 to 48:33
Listeners will hear insights on the current MLB playoff race and notable player performances.
“No two football players are exactly alike, and the same is true off the field.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Albert Breer:Hey, I've got some game time tips to share with Frigidaire. When you're hosting during football season, you've got to be ready for every kind of craving. Somebody wants fresh pizza. Somebody wants crispy wings. Somebody's asking if there's sliders. That's when you need more than one call in the playbook. Frigidaire offers ranges and wall ovens with over 15 cooking modes, so you can tackle hosting with confidence. There's stone-baked pizza for restaurant-quality pizza in as little as two minutes, Air fry mode for crispy favorites, and air sous vide for juicy tender sliders. Plus, there's slow cook, no preheat, and more.
0:35Albert Breer:Stone baked pizza and air fry, both built right in your oven. That's the game time MVP combo. So when you're hosting before kickoff, Frigidaire helps you cover every craving. Available at the Home Depot, how doers get more done. Only when using stone baked pizza mode, cook time requires preheat and reheat, and may vary based on ingredients.
0:56Rich Eisen:This episode is brought to you by State Farm. No two football players are exactly alike, and the same is true off the field. That's why State Farm gets to know you, so they can help personalize coverage for your life and budget. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody.
1:18Albert Breer: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. He did have an incredibly inflamed appendix.
1:47Rich Eisen:Rich Eisen, a man barely alive. With AI, we can rebuild him. We can make the world's second bionic man stronger.
1:57Albert Breer:We're not sure about faster. The Rich Eisen Show. On today's show, senior writer for the MMQB, Albert Breer. And now, with inflation, it's the$46 million man, Rich Eisen.
2:15Rich Eisen:Hey, everybody. Hour number two of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air here on this Friday. 844-204-RICH, number to dial. Every phone line is lit. We're going to do our best to empty those phone banks. It's a what's more likely Friday. Chris Brockman's got everything all teed up for that later on. Here on Disney +, the ESPN app, ESPN Radio, Sirius XM Channel 80. His material in Sports Illustrated is the MMQB writer and senior writer and reporter is must-read material. Albert Breer, back here on The Rich Eisen Show. How are you, Albert? Good to see you. I'm good.
2:47Albert Breer:I'm good. How are you doing, Rich?
2:48Rich Eisen:I'm doing great, but better for seeing you here on my screen. um all right uh what's your impression of last night uh and the bills doing what they did
2:56Albert Breer:on Thursday night I I mean I think the best way to describe it is it it sort of looked at the beginning of the game at least like a high school game and there's one kid who's going division one on the field you know what I mean like it's just such an obscene um level that he's playing at and And my former colleague and your current colleague, Kurt Warner, put a video out this morning that I think was really informative of some of the stuff that he's doing. The open throw to Josh Palmer, which looked like a layup and really wasn't. The degree of difficulty with some of this stuff. The way he just seems to have a defense on a string.
3:35Albert Breer:That's number one. Josh Allen is again playing like the best football player on planet Earth. So that's number one. You know, number two, I think what you're seeing from Buffalo is a little bit of the breaks are off now. And this is Joe Brady's team. And there's going to be an aggression and there's going to be kind of a no apologies field of the way that they play. And, you know, it's interesting because when I talked to Josh about this over the summer, he brought up 2019 LSU. and it's it was just an interesting thing to bring up because I think it was sort of aimed at you know we're coming for everybody this year and that's the sort of look this team's going to have and obviously you know you're not going to replicate what Joe Burrow and Justin Jefferson and Jamar Chase were at the college level that's sort of a one-off but I think it kind of you know illustrated what Joe Brady's capable of when he's got all the tools around him and it does feel to me like at least offensively right now and and and it looks like they dodged a bullet on dj more um have dj more and dalton kincaid and um and and khalil shakir and james cook and keon coleman looked pretty good last night i thought too um it it feels like this is maybe the most balanced group that josh allen's had a hat around him he doesn't have the singular weapon that he had when he had stefan diggs in his prime but just collectively it looks really really good through
5:07Rich Eisen:two weeks all right so a couple things i want to follow up on dj moore they did dodge a bullet
5:11Albert Breer:with him you think it looks like yeah so it's an ac joint sprain those can be tricky um how long is going to be out i'm not sure i would assume he's going to miss some time but i don't think it'll
5:20Rich Eisen:be a time okay so it's not like collarbone or anything that serious or right and that was the
5:25Albert Breer:concern i mean that was the first thing i thought when i saw him go down it looked like he was like literally holding his clavicle you know what i mean like so that was my first thought that's what it was going to be and those are obviously way worse you miss more time there's a the risk that you re-break but it looks like he's going to be all right and i think i know what you meant
5:42Rich Eisen:by this but i want to ask it so you can fill it in uh what do you mean by the breaks are off now
5:47Albert Breer:in buffalo what do you mean by that so like this is i i i've said this a few different places i'm not sure if i've said it with you yet i think i probably did but um you know his joe brady's mentor, Sean Payton. And I think this is the best way to illustrate it. And you remember Sean Payton with the Giants, was a good coordinator, got to a Super Bowl. John Fox is the defensive coordinator under Jim Fossil. And then he was stripped of play calling in 02. And then he went to Dallas. He was with Bill Parcells for three years. And his ideas were so crazy and out of this world there that Bill Parcells actually started calling him Dennis the Menace.
6:24Albert Breer:So like, I think in retrospect, respect, you look at those six years that Sean Payton spent as an offensive coordinator, and it was still done within the context of whoever his head coach was. And so you didn't get to see the full Sean Payton. Then he gets to New Orleans and man, did it look different, you know, and a huge part of that, of course, is Drew Brees. But for 14 years in a row, they were a top five offense. Brees broke every record in the Saints, in the, in, in, in, in, in Saints history, broke a lot of NFL records. And, you know, I just, that's something I did talk to Joe about, you know, this, this summer, he's gonna be careful, because he's still very close with Sean McDermott.
7:04Albert Breer:And everybody respects what Sean McDermott me to did over the last nine years there. But there is something to a coach like that, not having to go over and check and not having to do something within somebody else's game plan and not having to think twice about doing X, Y, or Z. And I think what we've seen over the first two weeks is a Joe Brady who is I mean I think letting it rip on offense I think that ethos is carrying over to what's a really aggressive defensive scheme under Jim Leonard and I think you see how much the players are enjoying playing within it Josh
7:41Rich Eisen:Allen of course primary among them Albert Breer here on the Rich Eisen show where does this leave the Lions I know they're one and one the week one game looked to have been in hand then it wasn't then Tyler Shuck went off on this defense that I was talking about, having given up 63 first downs through six games, Albert. That's tied with the 85 Colts for the second most through two games of an NFL season. Another stat that I had in the shoot that I didn't mention here, of the 135 rush yards by James Cook last night, Albert, 104 came before contact. Which is nuts, yeah. 100 yards rushing without being touched.
8:20Rich Eisen:So like 100 flag football yards last night in a Thursday night football game. So I know we're talking about Ben Johnson's not there anymore and they're a different team. But, I mean, the defense appears to be a massive problem in Detroit.
8:37Albert Breer:Yeah, and I think they did show offensively, they showed some fight last night, I thought, getting back into it and making it at least interesting, at least I thought it was, in the fourth quarter there. I thought Jared Goff played pretty well down the stretch. You know what they are offensively. And I think, you know, hiring Drew Petsing, I mean, to be able to score 31 points in that environment and do it without three starting offensive linemen, I thought was pretty good. Defensively, it's going to be interesting to see where this goes, because Kelvin Shepard's one of Dan Campbell's guys and a guy that he developed there.
9:09Albert Breer:This is now his second year as defensive coordinator taking over for Aaron Glenn. and Dan Campbell really stuck by Aaron Glenn through some rough patches early in their time together in Detroit and I think if we see a couple more of these performances then you're start you're going to start to see Shepard on the spot now like to be fair to him he's a bright young coaching prospect and the secondary has all kinds of issues and it's Terry and Arnold the way that thing played out. And then it's being without your two starting safeties and Brian branch and Kirby Joseph, who they are going to get back.
9:44Albert Breer:So, uh, it's not all on shepherd, but you're right. I mean, you look at the, the, the run defense and the issues, the run defense, they don't have that same crutch that they have in the secondary with the front seven. So, um, you know, I think that there were some things, some people I've talked to have pointed out to me, um, people who really know this stuff, obviously about the way the defense looked last night and it looked undisciplined. They lost contain a bunch. They've got a lot of stuff to take care of and, you know, it kind of makes me think back to, you know, 2021 when Dan Campbell wound up pulling the plug on, on Anthony Lin is his offensive coordinator.
10:25Albert Breer:It was a tough decision, but he made that decision. And if this doesn't get it, get turned around, you wonder if he's going to start to look at, at similar types of actions on the defensive side of the ball. Wow.
10:35Rich Eisen:No kidding, huh?
10:37Albert Breer:Yeah, I mean, I'm not saying it's likely or anything like that, but it's worth at least considering at this point because this isn't like a one-off. The defense has been a little messy for a while now.
10:47Rich Eisen:Okay. That's more of a loaf than a breadcrumb right there, Albert. All right, let's talk about some injuries. Nico Collins and Zay Flowers are two top-notch wide receivers that have been missing in practice for much of the week. Do we see them this weekend for the Texans and Ravens specifically?
11:07Albert Breer:So, like, Nico, I believe, is a hamstring, right? So, Nico, I would think that the Texans would be careful. Now, the issue here for the Texans is they did lose last week, and they're going to be playing the Cincinnati Bengals, and that is, of course, no easy out, even though it's at home. And so my guess would be they rest him. I'm a little less certain on Zay Flowers. It'll be interesting to see where both of those go. Again, this is such a long haul. And I think it's easy for all of us on the outside to look at it and say, well, maybe the Ravens have a little bit more leeway than the Texans do because the Ravens are 1-0.
11:49Albert Breer:And they've got a chance now to be really, I think, special offensively. So you take precautions. But I think both teams are going to be careful with their star receivers.
12:00Rich Eisen:And in terms of quarterbacks, Carson Wentz, it's crazy, but it's the truth here. And he's got an opportunity, right? Like, while Kyler convalesces, but, you know, this is a pretty big football game against the Chicago Bears. And if he goes into Chicago and balls out, they're 2-0. And you've got to sit here and wonder, do the Vikings just stick with the former second overall pick here?
12:28Albert Breer:And this is a fascinating game for a ton of reasons. And I think the biggest one is getting to see that Bears offense piloted by Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams going against the Brian Flores defense. Can't wait for that. But you're right. Like, I think it's worth considering the spot Carson Wentz is in now. If he's able to go get a win on the road against the defending division champions, does he start to build some momentum here? and I don't know that Kevin O 'Connell would go away from Carson Wentz or go away from Kyler Murray that quickly. But if Kyler Murray comes back from the concussion and two or three weeks in it doesn't look right, if Carson Wentz plays well in this spot, then all of a sudden we're looking at it and we're saying, well, is Carson Wentz the better option?
13:18Albert Breer:I'd also say this. I think O 'Connell is committed to giving that group of players the best answer he possibly can. After everything they went through last year, and a lot of these guys were around for the 14-win season two years ago, and you can go down the list of veterans that are in the prime of their careers, guys like Andrew Van Ginkle and Blake Cashman and Byron Murphy and Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and TJ Hawkinson and Aaron Jones and on and on and on and on, Christian Derrissaw, Brian O 'Neal. like those guys don't want to wait around. And, you know, so like, I do think this is something that will continue to be evaluated over the course of the year.
13:59Albert Breer:Cause I don't think Kevin O 'Connell is going to just say, okay, well we brought him in to be the starter. So he's the starter. If it doesn't work and it didn't look great before, before Kyler Murray got hurt. If it doesn't work with Kyler Murray, I think there is a world where Carson Wentz winds up being the quarterback down the line um and that's simply based on my belief that kevin o 'connell feels like he owes it to that group of players to give him the best answer the answer at the position after what they
14:28Rich Eisen:went through last year and then um two teams that played in the first two games of the season it feels like it was last year um what's the scoop with sam darnold for the seahawks this is a weird
14:39Albert Breer:one yeah so it's i want to make sure i get this right it's the the hip joint and the glute tendon I think is the, is, is the two, two injured areas. And it is. So I was told this is a three to six week injury. Wow. When I ran that up to the, ran that up the flagpole with Seahawks people, I, you know, I got a lot of like, well, we just don't know, you know, and we're just not sure. And so I think there is enough uncertainty around this. Now the good news is like they do trust Drew Locke and Drew Locke was there for two years, left for a year, came back last year. He's got the experience in that offense and as much as Sam Darnold does.
15:22Albert Breer:And so, you know, you've got a guy that you feel like you could trust that got rolling towards the end of that game against the Patriots. My sense is like that they feel like, they feel good about going into the game against the Cardinals this week with Drew Locke as their quarterback. And they're going to keep reevaluating it. and they're going to be careful with it because, again, it's just such an uncommon injury. And so, again, the glute tendon and the hip joint, that combination I think has kind of created some uncertainty around where Sam is and where Sam is going to be a week from now, two weeks from now.
15:59Albert Breer:But, again, what I was told initially was this is about a three - to six-week injury.
16:04Rich Eisen:Wow, that's significant, man. There's just no other way to put it. But, obviously, they have the defense and Drew Locke just takes care of the football. that they could just win more games than they lose, clearly, if any. And then do we see Aaron Donald on Monday night here in L.A.?
16:19Albert Breer:I think he wants to play. I think he wants to play. I think there's a good chance of it. Yeah, I think. Now, look, like what you don't want, if you're Sean McVay, if you're Chris Shula, if you're the guys that are trying to see him through to the finish line, right, and the finish line's in January and February, which is where the big goals are for the Rams, like you certainly don't want to get in over your skis just because Myles Garrett's out. That would be, I think, the concern would be, let's not overreact to Myles Garrett being out. But it certainly would help to have Aaron Donald out there.
Read the full transcript
16:50Albert Breer:Maybe this Giants team that the Rams are going up against is a little bit more of a formidable opponent than we would have thought a couple weeks ago. And obviously Aaron Donald can be a difference maker. So I do think that there's a good chance that he plays on Monday night. It'd be exciting for everybody to get to watch that on national TV, of course, on ESPN. And so, look, I think they're on track. I think they're on track to see if he can give it a go on Monday night.
17:22Rich Eisen:All right. What am I not asking you? What are you hearing that you wouldn't mind? No, seriously. You know, because so many people, you talk to them. They talk to you. Week one is a liar. It's not a liar. Week one is a liar.
17:35Albert Breer:I just think, you know what I think is interesting? and I have some of these teams written down, but the amount of teams that are 0-1 that are in just really interesting spots going into week two, right? Like, so, like, is it a must-win for the Packers? Maybe not. But losing to the Jets wouldn't be great, right? And I think the Jets are actually kind of frisky. Like, I look at the Jets roster and kind of the job they've done since Darren Moji got there, I think they're going to be a little bit of a tough out. the Buccaneers, they're 0-1 now. And obviously turning the ball over four times against the Bengals wasn't great.
18:16Albert Breer:They play the Browns. I think most of us look at that. That should be a layup. Man, would the sky be falling there if they lose the Browns. So there's some pressure on the Bucs there. And then there are a couple teams that, to me, there's some pressure on them because of the way the schedule sets up. So New England would be one. They're now 0-1. They play against the Steelers at home on Sunday. After that, at Jacksonville in the September heat at Buffalo, like you could be looking at Owen for, and then the Broncos have the Jaguars at home this week. After that, the Rams, the Niners, the Chargers, the Seahawks.
18:53Albert Breer:So like, I just think like for a few of these teams that have started on one that had really high expectations, you know, And those four teams that I mentioned have been regulars in the playoffs, except for the Patriots, and the Patriots were in the Super Bowl last year. They rightfully have high expectations. But you get to 0-2, and it's maybe one of those it's starting to get late, early situations.
19:18Rich Eisen:Talk about Cleveland. It's late, early there, isn't it? I mean, listen, I understand Todd Munkin's like, I'm the coach, and I tell the players who are playing, and it's their job to execute. I totally get that. That's what coaches should say. This situation, it just rang, yeah, not hollow because he means it. Yeah. It just rang a bell that sounded like more of an alarm from the outside looking in to say, you know, how would the locker room feel with Watson not performing well again? and then he says that the media thinks he should throw 400 yards and five touchdowns, which is an absurdity. You know, I mean, Browns fans just want to win, dude.
20:07Rich Eisen:And if it doesn't happen in Tampa, they come home against Carolina in week three, and we're going to sit here and wonder who's starting.
20:15Albert Breer:It's going to be a cauldron, right? Like you'd imagine if it doesn't go well, you know, if it doesn't go well down in Tampa this weekend, I mean, Rich, what we saw over the summer, that was a preseason game with like 15 ,000 people in the stands. That was nothing.
20:32Rich Eisen:I know. You know what I mean? And it was a layup set up by Munkin because he put Deshaun's start in the preseason on the road, and he knew if he was going to be in Cleveland, put him in the second half against a bunch of guys who might not make the roster, and he'll succeed and get things working. It was set up as a layup. We've been through this and done that. So, you know, what are you hearing out of Cleveland? Yeah.
20:59Albert Breer:And so I would say they still do believe that Deshaun's the best option for the team. And, you know, a lot of this year, and I don't know if they're going to say this publicly, but a lot of this year is about talent development for them, right? So they made the conscious decision a year and a half ago, we got to get younger, which precipitated the Travis Hunter trade. Right. And like to their credit, they put together a really nice rookie class last year, you know, with Mason Graham and Quinshawn Judkins, and of course, Carson Swessinger, the defensive rookie of the year, Harold Fannin, Dylan Sampson, all those guys.
21:31Albert Breer:They think they've done it again now with Spencer Fano and Casey Concepcion and Denzel Boston. So like, you've got a really nice young core there. And like, I think a huge part of this year for Munkin, for everyone on that staff is, how can we bring the talent along to a point where everyone's got the arrow pointing up going into 2027. And I just think like a huge piece of the decision making now is what quarterback is going to be best for the other 10 guys in the huddle to develop, to get better. And if you've got a young quarterback who's developing himself, it can hamstring that a little bit.
22:09Albert Breer:And, you know, one thing that really stuck out, stuck out to me and kind of doing my homework on Cleveland situation over the summer was that, you know, they really felt like Deshaun Watson was a good fit for, for Todd Munkin's offense for a specific reason that made Deshaun Watson feel like start to feel like himself again. And that's the amount of control that Todd wants to give the quarterback. Cause that's what Bill O 'Brien gave Deshaun Watson in Houston. And so like that piece of the offense sort of goes away if you go to a younger guy and that's not Shador Sanders's fault. It's just, there's one guy who's now in his 10th year in the league.
22:46Albert Breer:And there's another guy who's in his second. And so there's all these football reasons. That's the point I'm making here. There's all these football reasons to stick it out with Deshaun. But then there's the other stuff. And how does Deshaun himself react to that? And how does the team react to that if that's a home game for them and it is a hornet's nest that they are walking into? That's, I think, the balance here. And that gets amped up if they don't play well in Tampa. I'm not saying they need to win. But if they get their asses kicked down there, If it's 40 to nothing and Baker Mayfield is planting flags, so to speak, and, and, and, and, and thrown for 350 yards and showing the Browns what they replaced Deshaun, like what, what, what they, what they, what they replaced when they went to Deshaun Watson.
23:33Albert Breer:I mean, obviously the temperature is going to get turned way up on that.
23:36Rich Eisen:No doubt. Hey, it's great to see your face, man, because I thought your fellow Buckeye fans would be eating it off like leopards. Isn't that what was going on?
23:44Albert Breer:We made it through the week. we made it through the week rich which is always a win after after a game like that we don't on man as ryan day says as ryan day says we don't lose around here i know and i get it i get it
23:56Rich Eisen:come on man losing to texas in texas in that environment i know you're up 20. that environment by the way that's nothing to hang it's nothing to hang your head on
24:06Albert Breer:and no hate on texas like that environment was incredible that's the one thing i really hope rich like and i know you feel the same way i do can we please do everything we can to get more schools to schedule games like that i i just i like that is something that is so unique an environment like that like the what it was like on tv just watching on tv at 10 p.m eastern yeah on saturday night like we need more of that not less of that and i just i mean credit to sark because i think he was right last year when he said we shouldn't be punishing they shouldn't to punish his team for scheduling the Ohio State game when other teams are scheduling cupcakes for the three or four non-conference games that they've got.
24:50Albert Breer:We need to incentivize that. There's a reason why big noon kickoff is at Ohio State, Kent State on Saturday. It's because there aren't enough intersectional games. Oh, no doubt. And so anything we can do to create more nights like Saturday night is great, even if the result wasn't what I was looking for.
25:06Rich Eisen:No doubt. We got to stop looking at college football like we did in the 70s 80s 90s in the aughts where you know uh one loss is the end of a season and you know there's now playoffs right like how many nfl teams make it to the playoffs with no losses you know what i mean like so it and and it's so difficult to win a national championship going undefeated indiana did it last year michigan did it two years ago. No, I mean, it's, it's not easy to do it. But in terms of the environment,
25:45Rich Eisen:Lane in Oxford this weekend. Holy crap, brother.
25:48Albert Breer:I know. I know. It's going to be great.
25:49Rich Eisen:Oh, right.
25:51Albert Breer:Saturday night. That's the drama that you just, right. I feel like that, that sort of drama is so specific to college football. You know what I mean? Like, so yeah, let's get more of that. Not less brother.
26:02Rich Eisen:Great to see you. great to see you thanks for the time and the great insight as always we'll chat it out sure all right thanks rich that's albert breer everybody right here on the rich eisen show um listen you know what it's like watching games you step away for 30 seconds to grab a drink and of course that's when the big play happens this is why i use sonos at home because it follows me from room no room it's a whole sound system designed to work together so i'm listening when i'm listening can follow me from the living room to the kitchen it helps me stay connected to the moment because it's a system that lets the sound follow me moment to moment living room to kitchen so the game doesn't have to pause until i come back it's incredible susan i use it you should get it too love the sound feel the system visit sonos.com to build your system today 844-204-RICH phone calls coming up next
26:57Rich Eisen:Rich Eisen here with some advice. If high interest credit card debt is grinding you down, it might be time to call an audible with a SoFi personal loan. It consolidates your debt into one low monthly payment with no fees required. And with as soon as the same day funding, you can make the right play fast. Call an audible on your debt today at SoFi.com slash debt play. Loans originated by SoFi Bank N.A. Member FDIC. Terms and conditions apply. NMLS 696891. Fast funds terms apply at SoFi.com slash debt play.
27:27Albert Breer:Taking a quick break to tell you how Saturday's game time can get a little messy. Your crew just came over to watch. Snacks on the table. Drinks in hand. And somebody celebrating like they just won the whole season and beyond. And when that energy gets going, your walls can end up taking the hit. Whether it's a big spill or a noticeable scuff, that's where bare ultra interior paint comes in it adds an extra durable stain blocking finish that helps your walls hold up for the whole season it also delivers outstanding coverage and hide in fewer coats with easy application and a smooth even finish that goes on clean from the first pass plus that easy clean finish helps walls stay looking new longer so before the next kickoff give your space game ready defense and coverage that goes the distance bare ultra only
28:12Rich Eisen:at The Home Depot. Rich Eisen here. Running a small business means every hire matters. A bad hire costs time and money, but the right one helps your business grow. The challenge? Finding that person without sorting through resumes. That's where LinkedIn Hiring Pro comes in. It screens candidates so you can focus on conversations with qualified talent. With Hiring Pro, you can hire with confidence and build the team you need. Join the 2.7 million small businesses using LinkedIn to hire. Get started by posting your job for free at linkedin.com slash eisen. Terms and conditions apply.
28:53Rich Eisen:The Rich Eisen Show podcast. Radio together, one big happy family. 844-204-RICH. Number to dial. Manny in El Paso. What's up, Manny? Buenos dias, amigos. Buenos dias, el capitán está para atrás
29:09Albert Breer:Welcome back, Mr. Eisen.
29:11Rich Eisen:Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. Thank you.
29:15Albert Breer:All right, so first of all, sir, are we still playing? Is he back yet for Aaron Donald? Because technically we haven't seen him on the field yet. Second of all, congratulations to Kyle Larson. Last week he booked his win streak of 51 races, but my reason for bringing him up is his team, Alex Bowman. First time in a long time that he finished second place, but in his interview he was really down, don't doubt. His head was down during the interview. He had said that he didn't want to get on the plane, that he had a hard time getting into the car, that he said he had just lost his best friend. I'm like, oh, man, well, that sucks.
29:49Albert Breer:He was talking about his puppy. He was talking about his dog's sin. So, like, oh, my God, the tears just started right there. But the reason for my call, sir, can you please call your buddy Kyle Whittenham to maybe start the third line or maybe even the practice squad for tomorrow's game to get to my beloved set, Miners? They put up 51 last week after getting blinded out by OU by 51. Not sure what amount of money was found, but, hey, I take a Rich Island show mug in place of that.
30:16Rich Eisen:Listen, I don't think – hey, Manny, I don't think Michigan is going to take any reps off at all. I don't think they have any desire to, and I don't think they have any leeway to. I mean, every rep matters. And certainly Western Michigan comes in and, you know, and thanks for the call, Manny, did what they did. You know, they're not going to sit here and take any reps off, third stringers, second stringers. They're going to take that game and try and stack first downs, stack points, stack touchdowns, stack. Yeah. They're going to go back to Glory Road. They're going to take UTEP back to the 60s.
30:59Rich Eisen:Josh Lucas. Oh, yeah. That's what they're going to try to do. you know i mean michigan's 35 point favorite whatever okay 35 like who comes up with that line uh i mean there's i mean we i said every day with this computers and the algorithms i mean it's i think it's pretty accurate that game in oxford mississippi i mean you're saying this can't be real what i'm seeing online with uh morgan freeman's voice right oh he's the guest picker this week oh i know that yeah and i know he's on pat show yeah you know but did you see lane playing no but you're not seeing the you know what's going on all on socials now you know the hype video that old miss fans have put out and the ai using morgan freeman's voice it's crazy what ai does these days man but well i saw lane playing coy with the injury report sam levitt was
31:51Albert Breer:doubtful then he gets upgraded to questionable now it's like okay like can we just cut like
31:56Rich Eisen:You know he's playing.
31:57Albert Breer:What are we doing?
31:58Rich Eisen:It's so on. I believed him. It is on. On Saturday night. It's just going to be. We knew that too. We knew it. We knew it when we first saw him walk to the FBO, to his airport, to take the plane to Baton Rouge, to leave town, just on the outset of the playoffs. Can you imagine? That frigging happened. And it's all coming back.
32:25Albert Breer:He was going to get bonus money if Mississippi somehow made it all the way. He did get bonus.
32:30Rich Eisen:He did get bonus money for a couple of rounds. And what's with the – they had, like, the FBI sweep the facility for bugs. Oh, for bugs. Right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They were concerned, like, Lane had the place wired.
32:44Albert Breer:After he left.
32:45Rich Eisen:Dude. This is college football at its finest in terms of lowest.
32:51Albert Breer:Old school, yeah. Lowest in terms of – Yeah.
32:53Rich Eisen:Boy. I will be settled into my chair for that Saturday night. You know, and then.
33:00Albert Breer:Yeah, great game on a slate where there's not a lot of top 25 teams playing against each other. Only a handful, you know, Louisville SMU is one. And then tonight, Houston and Texas Tech.
33:10Rich Eisen:It's only three matchups of top 25 teams this week. Christian in Toronto here on the Rich Eisen Show. What's up, Christian?
33:18Albert Breer:How's it going, guys? It's been a minute.
33:20Rich Eisen:What's going on?
33:22Albert Breer:I'll be quick. Just want to get something off my chest.
33:24Rich Eisen:Go for it.
33:25Albert Breer:For the first time in quite some time, the Washington Commanders have a pretty decent defense, I would say. Outside of your boy Mikey Sanristill getting burned a little bit, I thought we looked pretty good against Philly, and I think we'll look even better Sunday against the Cowboys once Jaden and Cole enter game two of this new offense. And I think we're going to get a big divisional win. Sorry, TJ.
33:47Rich Eisen:I love how I'm just synonymous anytime someone calls in the book. You're not anonymous. He just called you out. I said synonymous. I thought you said anonymous. Sorry. Why are you surprised that you're synonymous with the Dallas Cowboys? It's funny, man. Anybody playing the win-loss game when it was time to, you know, the Jets, they were like, sorry, Rich, it's a win. I'm like, okay, whatever. That's all right. I just like it. All right, Christian. I did see that towards the end. That fourth quarter was more like year one of Jaden Daniels offensively and the team. They looked pretty damn good towards the end of that game in Philadelphia.
34:22Rich Eisen:Philly did just enough to escape. And that is going to just be a big-time game in Dallas. Big time. Thanks for the call, Christian.
34:33Albert Breer:Thank you.
34:34Rich Eisen:You bet. That's going to be massive.
34:37Albert Breer:Cowboys 0-2? What's the panic meter if that happens?
34:41Rich Eisen:Well, let's take a look at Dallas' schedule. Because if that happens, they go to Rio to take on the Ravens. And then they're at Houston. before Tampa visits in a short week on Thursday night, and then they have to go to Green Bay. One assumes Micah's back. And then the Monday night are against Philadelphia. I would say you best go into that stretch one-on-one. You got to hold serve at home. You're Gotti, right? Gotti. Gotti. He Gotti. Greatest offense there is. Again, Aureus Consulting would have, you know, said to pump the brakes on him. Pump the brakes. Let's not give ourselves an acronym when we don't have a single W.
35:27Rich Eisen:He got it. He got it. He got it. The greatest offense there is.
35:34Albert Breer:Can we not drop the ball this week, George Pickens? Come on, man.
35:39Rich Eisen:When the Ducks quack. It's a different game if he catches. Got to win your home games in division. Period. End of story. Got to have it. That's a massive game. Massive large. And then they go to, like I said, they go to Brazil. Dude. I decided I'm going to stay home, Rich. That flight did not end. I decided I'm not going to go to Brazil. Okay. I'll be here. Oh, man. When I went to call that game last year, oh, my God. That flight just didn't end. Really? Didn't stop. How long was it? I think it was 12 hours. That's so long. Yeah, the hemisphere is pretty big. Yeah. You know? Especially because it's flat.
36:17Rich Eisen:Oh, my God.
36:21Rich Eisen:and yeah man that's a pretty big football game coming up with Baltimore playing the way they are one would think Baltimore against the Saints this week they win that one they're 2-0 going into that game and then after that game in Rio it's a home date with Tennessee for Baltimore before they visit Atlanta which just announced they're starting Cooper Rush this week. Michael Penix is not back yet, even though he's practicing fully. So it's Cooper Rush game again. Oh boy. Jack Strand is the backup. Jack Strand. Private dick. I think we might see Jack Strand on Sunday. You think so? What do they got to lose?
37:05Rich Eisen:If Chicago put up that many points in Carolina against this defense, Bijan and Drake London and Kyle Pitts, let's go. You know what I mean? You have Drake London and Kyle Pitts. You start in those guys?
37:21Rich Eisen:Maybe not Pitts, but you gotta start London, don't you? Yes, and you pray. Right, and you're definitely starting B.J. Yeah, for sure. He might be quarterback-proof, but the other guys? Penix might make his start the next week on Thursday night in Green Bay. Now that would make for a pretty big game if Green Bay... Green Bay's gotta beat the Jets this week. They just have to. You know? losing six in a row, dating back to last season, including the playoffs, and four of the six, they had a double, they had a two-touchdown, two-score lead in four of the six. They just got to, they have to go to the Jets and polish them off and come home at one-and-one to take on Atlanta.
38:05Albert Breer:It might be just me talking about the LaFleur hot seat. I don't know why you do. But if they lose to the Jets, it ain't going to be just me.
38:15Rich Eisen:I don't know why you do. they just signed him again. Great. What do you got against LeFleur? I don't have anything against LeFleur. You keep mentioning his hot seat. I guess when you lose seven games in a row. And I think other spots have proven
38:30Albert Breer:sometimes change is just necessary after a given period of time. Look at Buffalo right now. Right. You think they'd be on this hot start if Sean McDermott was the coach? Maybe. Maybe. But the change seemingly has worked.
38:46Rich Eisen:Let's take a break. 844-204-RICH, number to dial here on the program. Still to come, what's more likely? I've got my top five other matchups to look forward to. And then there were some things that happened in baseball while I was hospitalized. Got a hit on that. Somebody got eliminated in the room. We're eliminated in May, bro.
39:12Rich Eisen:Rich Eisen here for Gusto. After all these years talking to athletes, coaches, entertainers, and people at the top of what they do, one thing is pretty clear. Success usually depends on getting the details right. For small business owners, that includes payroll, hiring, onboarding, benefits, you know, the work that keeps everything moving, even if it's not the reason you started the business in the first place. That's why there's Gusto. Gusto is online payroll and benefits software built for small businesses. It's all-in-one, remote-friendly, and incredibly easy to use, so you can pay, hire, onboard, and support your team from anywhere.
39:47Rich Eisen:Automatic payroll tax filing, simple direct deposits, health benefits, commuter benefits, workers' comp, 401k, you name it. Gusto makes it simple and has options for nearly every budget. And it's all built to save you time with built-in automated tools for offer letters, onboarding docs, direct deposit, and more. Plus, you get unlimited payroll runs for one monthly price. No hidden fees, no surprises. Try Gusto today at gusto.com slash rich and get three months free when you run your first payroll. That's three months of free payroll at gusto.com slash rich. One more time, gusto.com slash rich.
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41:00Rich Eisen:The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. The Rich Eisen Show, TJ Jefferson, I just learned, doesn't hit on 16s. Not all the time. In blackjack. Jay Philly, just listen to Love by Keisha Cole, because that's going to be the song that's going to get everybody going, and you're going to want to be a part of that. If you see Jay Philly in Vegas tonight. Yeah, ask him to buy you a drink, because he can afford it. That's for damn sure. Running a small business means every hire matters. Bad hire costs time and money. But the right one helps your business grow. The challenge is finding that person without sorting through resumes.
41:34Rich Eisen:That's where LinkedIn Hiring Pro comes in. it screens candidates so you can focus on conversations with qualified talent with hiring pro you can hire with confidence and build the team you need join the 2.7 million small businesses using linkedin to hire get started by posting your job for free at linkedin.com slash eyes and terms and conditions apply all right tj the new york metropolitans got eliminated from playoff contention earlier yeah like i said in may this no that didn't happen in may it actually was official this very week hey you know you lasted all the way to mid-september man well my interest in it did not last past i know that i gotta i know that so uh do we have the updated board i don't know if we have an updated board um we're last out of huh i'm last out of the three well i know it's there is but i'm i'm just wondering there it is there's an x sort of it's sort of like a He got X'd out.
42:31Rich Eisen:Got X'd out. Family feudish. Man. Gone. The Yankees clinched. Good seeing you guys. When's the Red Sox magic number? Can't be too far around the corner.
42:42Albert Breer:Can't be too far off. Win last night. Gutty win last night in Texas.
42:46Rich Eisen:Yeah.
42:47Albert Breer:That was a nice comeback win on the Rangers.
42:50Rich Eisen:That left a mark on Texas. Because they're two behind the Guardians who could win. You know, this is what's nuts, is that the Yankees are 22 games above 500, and the Guardians could wind up getting a week off. You know what I mean?
43:11Albert Breer:Division winner.
43:12Rich Eisen:Because they win a division, and the Astros are one game above 500 and could wind up taking on the loser in the Central. Whatever.
43:21Albert Breer:Meanwhile, we have to play each other in the wild card.
43:24Rich Eisen:It's happening again. Sweet. Yankee Stadium again. Brutal. That's coming. it'll be schlittler cole and and freed three games yikes that's what the that's the yankee strength right there as uh we'll find out judge got hurt he had to leave the game but the the person who eliminated the mets we knew it was happening pete alonzo hits his 300th home run to tie game yeah i mean and the fans go nuts a curtain call you have a problem with that who's my favorite baseball player brockman pito alto so no you'd have been leading the charge there huh listen if if our record was a little different and this game meant something then yeah i might have tapered it a little bit but no we're so far out of it it was cool what better place to
44:09Albert Breer:have him hit it like i thought it was cool shamanaya was kind of pissed he was pissed and
44:14Rich Eisen:i read that i'll be straight up like again we we met shamanaya at uh at the were you at the big Slick that year? He was with the A's. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. And he joined the party because we were too loud. We were in the same hotel.
44:29Albert Breer:A bunch of the A's players.
44:30Rich Eisen:I know, and they were really cool. It was really cool to meet him, but I'm like, dude, welcome to New York. This guy means so much to Met fans, which is why they let him walk. Come on. Well, he could have chosen. He chose to walk. I think the more you really break it down and look at it. Then why did he walk if the Mets didn't give him what he wanted? I don't know. Why didn't the Mets give him what he wanted? I don't have inside source there. If he thought he was declining, too, look at his numbers.
45:01Albert Breer:He's been awesome this year.
45:02Rich Eisen:He has been.
45:02Albert Breer:He's got 38 home runs. 280, almost 400 home runs and over 100 RBI. Yeah. Come on.
45:07Rich Eisen:I know. I know. And then a perfect moment, too. Perfect. When a ball between Lindor, Bichette, and my favorite, Mr. New York himself, Mr. Met Town himself, Juan Soto. Did you see SportsCenter Zero Chill? They put their salaries on the screen. Well, I think$1 billion worth of salaries.
45:31Albert Breer:Somebody said it during the broadcast.
45:32Rich Eisen:It's$1 billion of salaries letting the ball drop. Oh, God. So great. Like, that is, you know, chicken soup for the soul when you need your appendix taken out. you know, you're reading about this. You're thinking, oh, my gosh, I got to go to the emergency room. What am I looking at? Oh, that. Well, it's good to see that. Met fans cheering. They're leaving after Alonzo's last at-bats. Good to see the hate in your heart wasn't taken out. It's not hate, you know, like the hate to see another man provide for his family and get a great deal for himself. It's not hate. It bothers you so much. No, no, it's not hate.
46:09Rich Eisen:Too bad they didn't cut that out. Could have been the turtle. Toradol. That was post-op. I bet that felt great. Dude, I've never had that. Holy crap. 10 out of 10? But you know, baseball Toradol is watching a billion dollars of Mets salary, including the guy who left New York to take, left the Bronx and to take the money and call it a Mets town. This would really mean something more than a Yankees fan, but traditionally throughout decades, you guys have been the guys who have been that way. It's great. Mets fan. just cheering on Pete Alonso. Should have been here, Pete. We love you. Pull the bear.
46:46Rich Eisen:And didn't you want him? Pull the bear. Yeah, you did. No. No, I think you did. I just wanted him away from playing the Yankees as much as he did, and unfortunately he went to a spot they play him more. Yankees can't get him out. Ever. That's why you wanted him. Ever. Ever. I thought you wanted Alonso this offseason. I didn't really want Alonso. The Red Sox. He would have been a dynamite addition to the Boston Red Sox.
47:11Albert Breer:Wilson Gutierrez has been awesome this year. Glad to have him, but I really wanted him. Yeah, I really wanted him.
47:15Rich Eisen:For sure. And the Orioles are still, put up the wild card standings. They're not out of it. They're not out of it, but, you know, they've had too many losses. Three out right now, that's a tall order. Feels like a lot. That's a lot of teams to skip and jump. How many games are left? Nine? It's going to be the two of us. It's going to happen again. Yankees, Red Sox in the playoffs. And if the Yankees advance, they take on the Rays. and if they whoever wins the al whoever wins the divisional series most likely yankees rays or red socks rays will take on a team that's like 500 in the alcs feels like one of those three teams from the east is going to the world well it would only make sense because it is the best division in the american league this year by far by far and the three best teams yeah by far socks rays this weekend okay i hope the worst for both of you you know what I appreciate that.
48:09Rich Eisen:I appreciate that. I don't hate the Yankees. Yes, you do. No, I don't. Just admit it. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. This episode is brought to you by State Farm. No two football players are exactly alike, and the same is true off the field. That's why State Farm gets to know you, so they can help personalize coverage for your life and budget. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.
From the publisher
Sports Illustrated/The MMQB’s Albert Breer and Rich discuss Joe Brady taking the brakes off the Buffalo Bills’ offense, the Detroit Lions’ struggles on defense, if Carson Wentz can hang onto the Vikings’ starting job when Kyler Murray returns from his concussion, how long the Seahawks could be without Sam Darnold, if Aaron Donald will suit up for the Rams on Monday Night Football, and which 0-1 teams can least afford to start the season with back-to-back losses, the Cleveland Browns sticking with Deshaun Watson as their QB1 and his Ohio State Buckeyes’ blowing a 20-point 4thquarter lead to the Texas Longhorns.
Rich and the guys discuss the LSU/Ole Miss showdown, the Atlanta Falcons starting Cooper Rush again with Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. out due to injury, and Mets fans giving Pete Alonso a curtain call after the Orioles 1B hit his 300th career home run at Citi Field.
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