Hour 2: ‘What’s More Likely,’ Ravens Hire Jesse Minter, plus Patriots CB Marcus Jones

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0:49Rich Eisen:Bring it this season with grills that deliver flavor and patios that set the vibe from The Home Depot. Start your spring with low prices guaranteed at The Home Depot. Exclusions apply. See homedepot.com slash price match for details. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of the Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash richeisenshow and you'll never miss a moment.

1:27Rich Eisen:Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Pump up the volume. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. This is the Rich Eisen Show. They love this guy. Rich Eisen. Earlier on the show, Dolphins head coach Jeff Halfley. Coming up, New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones. NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero. Actor Dylan O 'Brien. And now, it's Rich Eisen. hour number two of the rich eisen show is on the air we had a delightful chat with jeff halfley uh the new head coach of the miami dolphins in hour one if you missed it there's our youtube channel there's the disney plus uh tile as well once the show is over you can watch all three hours back um there's our podcast uh you can listen to all three hours every day however you get your podcasts uh we're expecting macus jones of the did i say it right correct suzy hates it when I attempt a Boston accent.

2:30Rich Eisen:I'm not that great at it. You are, she is. At any rate, of the New England Patriots, one of the team captains on defense and special teams is going to be joining us. He's scheduled to join us in about 20 minutes time. And he's going to tell us about how Jared Stidham, I believe, has already received knighthood for his next London game, right? So what's happening? I like that one. I don't want this bit to ever end. unless he actually wins on Sunday. Just you wait. We'll have two weeks. We'll have two weeks. If he makes the Super Bowl, pal, you know, if he makes – okay, we're not there yet. We're not there yet.

3:09Rich Eisen:Just get ready for it. It'll be one of the most amazing sports stories ever. I'm going to take it two weeks to battle. Okay. Okay. In the meantime, it was just announced that the college football playoffs will stay at 12 teams. There's been a lot of chatter between the Big Ten and SEC and everyone else that it could be expanded. I guess they couldn't figure it out, couldn't come to an agreement. It's going to stay at 12 teams. Kind of fine. That's fine, right? Do you think a 16-team field would have been better this year? I mean, I need them to get rid of the automatics. It should just be 12 teams.

3:46Rich Eisen:Boom. Right. Get rid of, well, I mean. Again, we don't need the JMUs. Yeah, but in order to make this happen, the JMUs and all those schools that you feel shouldn't make it over teams that have more losses than them, they would sue. I think there'd be lawsuits galore. Sue who? Who's in charge? Sue everybody. Sue who? Sue everybody, just like the Jerky Boys. I don't know. This is the way it's been described to me, is that they have to have a seat at the table of some sort. You know, I think what needs to be fixed is the second round games should be at the home of the bye week teams. The bye week doesn't mean anything.

4:37Rich Eisen:No, it usually hurts you. Because the teams that play the week before, Or it's not like they, just like the wildcard teams in the NFL, just play one week later after the regular season is over. Some teams that have bye weeks don't even play in their conference championship games sometimes. Right? Or let's put it this way. Those who get the bye week are more rusty than the teams that have three weeks off and then play. Right. I honestly, but, but bowl game sites need to be, have their table filled with the goodies and they need to get their eats. They got to have their money, their revenue. Again, conference championship games should go away.

5:28Rich Eisen:And second round games should be played on campus of the bi-week teams because that's an advantage now. That would be, Because everybody would get the same amount of time off, exception to the bye week teams, who then would have one extra week off. And then to counteract the fact that the team that's coming in would already have played a game and, you know, barring any injury or dumbass targeting penalty that's inappropriately or inconsistently applied and somebody's missing the first half of a game, you know, it is a benefit, I think, for the team to have come in to that second week game to have already played.

6:11Rich Eisen:So give the teams that have a bye week a leg up by saying you have your game on campus. I kind of dig that. And then if you aren't in the top 15, despite winning your group of five conference, that doesn't guarantee you a spot. How does that sound? Right? You got to be in a certain ranking in order to get that spot. Right. And I think that's fair, certainly if that's what gets Michigan in the dance. Oh, chance. Of course. I'm going to get my microphone set for that sort of thing. All right. 844-204-RICH being the number to dial here on the program. Speaking of University of Michigan, the newest head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, I kind of sensed it from the start.

7:00Rich Eisen:Again, I wasn't talking to anyone in Baltimore. I just thought to myself, self, the Ravens want to get somebody who knows the building. They want to get somebody who potentially is similar to a system that a Harbaugh might be familiar with. And they're familiar with him, somebody on the defensive side of the ball, somebody who is going to bring a certain culture, someone who's young and up and coming. and Jesse Minter checks every one of those boxes. Former Raven, Harbaugh defensive coordinator at Michigan and in Los Angeles and has been just awesome at every stop. Couldn't keep Mike McDonald because he left in an AFC championship year for them.

7:53Rich Eisen:So get another guy who's just like Mike McDonald with his resume and bring him to Baltimore and sign him up. Now, obviously, who's he going to bring offensively? That's an important part. Because he's going to be, I imagine, just like Jeff Halfley in hour two, I mean, hour one came undescribed. He's going to call the plays and be the HC. He's going to call the defense. Who's going to be the OC? What if they bring in Kingsbury, who is no longer with – It was my first thought because, you know, part of the reason that you hear that he's no longer with Washington is because they wanted more of a pro set for Jaden Daniels, less of a college-y type offense in a way.

8:41Rich Eisen:And I think Lamar would kind of thrive on the offense from two years ago that Jaden Daniels was running, don't you think? That wouldn't be a bad choice there. I don't know who else might be coming in. but I dig this choice for the Ravens I think it's great and I just think it's great that at one point at Michigan you had Mike McDonald and Jim Harbaugh and Jesse Minter and they're all now three head coaches in the National Football League with 13 kids drafted from the National Championship season and then more kids drafted last year so obviously the NFL teams thought Michigan needs an asterisk.

9:27Rich Eisen:This is not about Michigan. Oh, it is right now because I'm making it that. Oh, goodness. Honestly, if everybody thought that they were cheating and had the plays and had a cheat sheet, why is everybody getting hired? And why is everybody getting drafted? Is Nate Hutchinson a defensive player of the year candidate? Let me look right here. Or the other aspect of this, if you really want to do this again, is if they were so good, why did you have to cheat in the first place? I don't know, buddy. Okay, great. I wish that didn't happen. Yeah, I get it. But, asterisk this. Another guy hired to be a head coach in the NFL.

10:03Rich Eisen:And I don't know if McDonnell was there when this whole nonsense was going down, but Mintershire was. And he balled out, dialing things up defensively, and the Ravens are like, we want that. And I think it's a smart hire. 844-204-RICH, number to dial. So what's more likely Friday? Let's hit it. Let's hit it. Go for it, please. What? What's more likely? Never say never, but never. What's more likely presented by Pella Windows and Doors. Chris Brockman, the floor is yours. Hey, everybody. Happy Friday. Good to see you. As we reported here first, championship Sunday is taking place in 48 hours. It is our exclusive.

10:41Rich Eisen:I appreciate it. Of course, of course. Guys, wait to be the higher total. Let's start in Denver. Drake May, Jarrett Stidham combined touchdowns and turnovers or total sacks by both teams. Oh, I'll go total sacks. These defenses can hit. Yeah, I'll go total sacks. Again, May has been sacked, and he has turned it over, but they keep winning for various reasons because they're a stout team, and May just gets up and makes plays, and the defense doesn't allow the turnovers to be turned into points. And so I think Denver's going to get some eats. And then on top of it, Stidham's going to take more sacks than Knicks.

11:30Rich Eisen:So I'll go with the total sacks by both teams, more than touchdowns and turnovers combined. Now, rushing touchdowns are removed from this, correct? Unless May or Stidham run it in, correct? Yeah, they can run it in. Okay, so it's May, Stidham, total touchdowns accounted for. And turnovers. And turnovers. I'll take the sacks. Sacks, yep. What else? More likely to be the bigger number in this game. Drake May rushing yards or longest Will Lutz field goal? Drake May had 66 rushing yards. Yeah, I'm going to go Drake May rushing yards. Only 10 against the Texans. Texans. I'll go Drake May Rushyards.

12:11Rich Eisen:I'll do that. I think he's going to, if you guys win, I think his superpower of showing off the arm and the legs is what's going to take you home. Yeah. So I'll go Drake May Rushyards in this game because I don't think New England's just going to be inundated by Denver's defense and Stidham's going to show up and just ball out to the point where May's going to have to. Well, even if you are coming back, there'll be moments where May will just take off. I'll go Derek May Rush Yards. Okay. How many Rush Yards did Josh Allen have last week? You keep going. I'll find that up, and I'll move on. Move on, sir.

12:51Rich Eisen:Both these plays, teams can definitely hit the big play downfield. TJ more likely to have the longest reception. Kayshawn Boutte. Hey. Or Corlin Sutton. I 66 yards rushing for Josh Allen is that what you said last week okay yeah thank you for buttoning that up I'll go Booty Booty Booty Booty Booty

13:17Rich Eisen:is Riley Moss on him or is Pat Sertan on him good question I don't know what they're going to play at defense yeah I will go Kayshawn Booty although Courtland Sutton might have the game of his life because Stidham is going to be ripping it in a way that Nix doesn't. That's what I heard. I mean, again, Nix takes more sacks than Stidham, but I think Stidham has the chunk play winging it around type game that Nix is growing into more consistently. That would be my guess. But I'll just take booty. Just because you wanted me to say those words into a microphone and people could meme it. Both these play callers in this game.

14:02Rich Eisen:That's for you because I know you're a child in the corner. I know. I'm just going to be quiet. That's what TJ said. In their bag, as everyone likes to say, Sean Payton and Josh McDaniels. Are there more likely to be more combined trick plays in this game or head coach openings on Monday? I'll go head coach openings on Monday. I don't know if the Raiders are going to have one and the Browns are, you know, the Browns are yet to be Rudy Rule compliant, which is wild for a team that has been interviewing coaches or able to since the Monday after the season. Wild, right? Arizona, Raiders. So even if there's three openings by then.

14:43Rich Eisen:Okay. Let's just go on the low side. Not getting three trick plays in this game? No. Okay. We need some good tomfoolery, though. John Payton's good for something. Josh McDaniels, you know. You know who's good for tomfoolery? Who's that? Booty. You're welcome. Love it. Listen to you giggling like you're seven. All right, let's go to Seattle. That's why I'm here. Let's start this off with the obvious one before we get to some more fun stuff. Offensive player of the year. Candidate, more catches, more yards. Puka or JSN? I'll go Puka, man. Last time. He's been way more consistent in terms of Puka outsized numbers than JSN has.

15:23Rich Eisen:A month ago when they played, he had, what, 12 for 225? or something? Yeah, I'm going to go Puka Nakua. I'm going to do that. That game was... I'm not saying this means the Rams win. I'm just... You're asking what's more likely. And Puka has been going off for the last two months. And JSN has not gone... He doesn't have to. Is he going to snipe this award from JSN? It's entirely possible. I think so. Offensive player of the year? Yes, sir. I'm not allowed to... They don't want me to tell anybody... Come on. You just... after it's announced though, right? Oh, well, it's going to be made public.

16:00Rich Eisen:Relevant. Every vote I have will be made public if you want to seek it out. Oh, I guess I didn't even think about it. What else, Chris? Who's more likely to have the longer play in this game in Seattle? Who did you think I voted for for Offensive Player of the Year? McCaffrey. Thank you. To have the longer play in this game, Devontae Adams reception or Kenneth Walker run? Great question. Thank you. I'll go Kenneth Walker run. Ken Walker's been fire these. He's been gashing on downs and distances. You don't expect gashing to take place. He's been spry. He looks... Spry. I know, and he's going to have more carries, one would think, with Charbonnet out.

16:41Right?

16:42Rich Eisen:No sense. Like, this is it. Torpedoes be damned now, man. Either you're done for the year or you get a week off. So go for it. What's the point? There's no sense in waiting. so they're gonna yeah i'll do that i'll do that and as you know davante has been more lethal um in red zone play than in between the 20s in terms of chunk plays although i keep watching back do you keep seeing that throw from an overtime right hash to left sidelines that stafford would even think i can get it there i'm gonna rope it in there with probably, what, three hours into the game, 19 possessions into the game or whatever it was.

17:25Rich Eisen:I'm going to frozen rope this thing, and Adams is going to toe-drag swag it. That's truly unreal. Professional ball thrower, professional catcher. Yes, sir. These two teams have played phenomenal games this season, a two-point game in SoFi, a one-point game up in Seattle, more likely to be the greater number. Darnold and Stafford combine interceptions. Or the final margin of this game? Good one.

17:54Rich Eisen:I'll go final margin. I think I've got a stat to support this too. Was it three points? Three combined points this season. Here it is. It's just the third instance in NFL history of teams that split a regular season series with a combined point margin of one or fewer meeting in a conference championship game. Okay? Both previous instances, the third time, ended up being decided by 13 or more points. Whoa. 1985, New England beat Miami 31-14, and in 1980, the Eagles defeated Dallas 20-7. Sorry to bring that up for you, TJ, but it's all go margin of victory because in the previous two instances of two such tight contests between division opponents facing each other in the playoffs the third time, It's been much looser.

18:45Rich Eisen:Not close. Correct. All right, two more. Is it more likely the Seahawks scored defensive? You didn't think I'd have a stat for an answer. I didn't, but that was phenomenal. Wait a minute. What does it say on my computer screen right here? Like the candle? No. Lead pipe wheeled professional. Thank you. Professional. That's me. Who put that sticker here? I thought you did. No, I didn't. Somebody did. I guess that's a what's more likely. Who's more likely to have taken that sticker and put it on my – anybody here? Bueller? Just blame RJ. The knives out situation. We can make our – Knives out. Is it more likely – two more.

19:21Rich Eisen:Detective Benoit is going to come here and suss it out. The Seahawks score a defensive or kick return touchdown, or a Rams tight end catches a touchdown. Oh, Rams tight end. Yeah. Ah, well. Rams tight end. Although Rams special teams has been the issue, isn't it? Damn. He fast. I'll just do Rams tight ends because there's four. There seems to be 19 of them. There's a lot of them. Right. Good action. You got one more? Last one real quick. More likely the Super Bowl matchup is Sean versus Sean, Sean versus Mike, or Mike versus Mike. Bro, I'm literally five minutes ago that was going through my head.

20:03Rich Eisen:I had no idea this was going to be your question. Because all the head coaches are either Sean or Mike. I'm going to take a Sean versus Mike because that way I don't have to reveal who I'm choosing. Yeah, you kind of gave him an out. You don't know which Sean? You don't know which Mike? Look at you. So I'm going to go Sean. This is not my first rodeo. I'm going to go Sean versus Mike. I tried to box you in. No, and I will not. Sean, Sean, Sean, Mike. Thank you, Einstein. What's more likely is brought to you by Pella Windows and Doors. When it comes to your home, Pella Windows and Doors always have the winning game plan.

20:32Rich Eisen:That's why your neighbors trust them. Visit Pella.com slash Eisen. Pella. Chris, you want to say who's coming up next in your voice? Marcus Jones is coming up. Okay, very good. I've been doing the Patriots. Don't go anywhere. Right here on the Rich Eisen Show, Cooper's excited about this guest.

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21:28Rich Eisen:Right now, save$10 on a pair of Rain-X Latitude wiper blades. They feature beam blade technology to improve windshield contact for maximum visibility. The professional parts people will even install your new wiper blades for free. Choose Rain-X Latitude wiper blades at your local O 'Reilly Auto Parts store or online at OReillyAuto.com. The Rich Eisen Show podcast. The Rich Eisen Show ESPN radio audience has just returned. We've been chopping it up for a couple minutes already with Marcus Jones on the Disney Plus ESPN app side of things, talking about the time, Marcus, in your first season there where you were asked to start playing on offense, despite being known at that point in time as just special teams.

22:13Rich Eisen:When did you get out there on defense in your first year? When did that happen? I would say it was probably like week five. I don't know specifically what week it was. I know it was the Cleveland Browns the first time I played defense. I don't know specifically what exact week, but that was the first time I played my defensive snaps and everything like that on defense. Okay. And then when did you realize the Jets were going to kick it to you no matter what, Marcus? When did that happen? I didn't know at first. I was thinking that they were going to kick it out of bounds, but as soon as I seen it go off the punter's foot, I was like, oh, man, I could have some space and everything.

22:50And my goal most of the time is always to get the first first down. but I seen I had a little bit more space and I was like, I can definitely get to the end zone. So I commend my teammates for being able to, you know, open up the lanes and everything for me.

23:03Rich Eisen:What does it mean to wear that C on your chest? Again, you're a kid drafted, I believe, a third round, correct? And, you know, Troy and Houston were the two collegiate stops for you. You get a call from RKK and Bill Belichick, and now you're a Patriot, a special teamer who then goes and has a special rookie season. Now you got a C on your chest. What does that mean to you? It means a lot. You know, first off, the guys that had Cs on their chest before me, man, those are some big names when it comes down to it. And being a part of, you know, like I said, the legacy here, man. I've always been a lead by example type of person.

23:41But whenever I do talk, you know, people listen and everything. And how I do one thing is how I do everything. So I always try to make sure, you know, I give 110 percent, whatever it is going on. And then also when it comes down to practice and being in the film room, however, I could help the team. You know, I'm down for it. I talk to the rookies, you know, anytime they need help. Communication is a big thing, especially on the back end. So everyone on the defensive side, DB wise, you know, we always have to be in tune with each other with motions, you know, different plays and adjustments, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

24:12Rich Eisen:Well, as you know, with the history of New England, Marcus, that it's very rare for someone to come in and have three coaches in three years. You know, it's been nothing but one way of doing it and consistency and then an inconsistency that's rare for the franchise. What's what's happened this year for for everything to be sort of like a lightning strike and come together that you that you have from your perspective? yeah i would say from my perspective um it was a lot of new faces that came into the building you know you said it you know um it was it was used to you know consistency and everyone know you know and knowing everyone but we had a lot of new faces and i would say uh we got to know everyone um we had the four h's you know that they talked about a little bit on espn uh getting to know how people got into the game of football you know their family um things that they like to do, interest, all of those things.

25:06And then also, you know, the heartbreaks when it came down to it. So learning more about the people that surround you, make you want to play harder for your brother on the field. And, um, you know, that person also has your back as well. So I feel like, you know, a lot of off the field stuff helped us, you know, um, build our trust when it comes down to being on the field.