Hour 3: Rams & NFC West Intrigue, Jaguars as AFC 1-Seed, Dolphins’ MNF Stakes

24:04Rich Eisen:L.I.M. Cohen. L.I.M. Coeen. Spelled like a Coen brother. Right. Joel, Ethan, and Liam. Let me just say this. Let me say this about the Jacksonville Jaguars. This game that we saw Trevor Lawrence play against the Jets is exactly why I wanted the Jets to draft Trevor Lawrence. Nope. You had the chance to. Frank Gore score against the Los Angeles Rams. Who could forget that day? Nope. Now, this is the type of game that everybody was hoping to see out of him with consistency in Jacksonville. But when this guy was at Clemson running away from everybody or just dropping dimes on everybody and his hair was flowing and it was just as perfect as it is today, this is the game everyone was thinking about.

25:00When he was viewed as a surefire, can't miss, gotta have first overall quarterback drafted prospect. Trevor Lawrence is getting it done.

25:15Rich Eisen:Third consecutive game with a passer rating of 100 or better. That's tied for the longest such streak in his career. 2022. Now this is what we all thought that was going to happen with Regulatory after Doug Peterson took over. He certainly didn't do it when Urban was there. You know, he's pretty rich. You need a coach, right? You know what Urban would just do? He would just bench the running back because he fumbled like it's the game five of a Big Ten season. But at any rate, Trevor Lawrence becomes the third player in NFL over the last 30 seasons with five or more passing touchdowns and one or more rushing touchdowns and no interceptions, joining Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers at the 2019 season.

26:01That's what we're talking about. Season high, 48 points. Last time they scored as many points in a game was 10 years ago against the Colts, 51-16. I told you the Colts can't win there. It's tied for the third most points scored in a single game in Jacksonville history. And what I've seen, of Jacksonville with my own two eyes was a team that couldn't basically tie their shoes without getting a drive-killing penalty thrown on them. I mean, when I saw the Jacksonville Jaguars in London and we were talking to Liam Cohen before that game, you get the exact timing of it. Jacksonville and London against, it was week seven.

26:48All right, so keep that in mind. so he Liam Cohen told the crew that they have on Wednesdays a session a film session of game breakers on the opposing team and that film session is to remind everybody how stout the upcoming opponent is or the this is the one person we're circling on film we cannot let this person beat them. Instead, leading up to the Rams, you could think, oh, Puka was out, so there's Devontae Adams. There's Matthew Stafford. There's Jared Verse. Instead, he just put a, Liam Cohen said, he just put a Jaguar symbol up on the screen. This is the entity that could break the game.

27:37You. You're making too many mistakes. You're the ones that can make or break this by focusing on the task at hand. sure enough, they wound up having more than 10 penalties against the Rams, and they got boat raced, and they go home, and they go on the bye. And I thought to myself, well, that's that. Then they come off the bye, they go to Vegas, and they win in overtime. Who knew they were looking at Jacoby Myers saying, why don't you join us in a couple weeks? I think Jacoby probably wanted to hop on that flight anyway. Then they go to Houston, and they're up by 19. And blow it. And I thought after they blew that, well.

28:20Yeah, good run. That's the way that one went. And all they've done since then is beat the crap out of everybody. Again, that game against Arizona wasn't, I thought that Jacksonville had it. I'm sure some of the Jaguar fans don't feel the same way. But let's throw that one out then. They still won on the road against an opponent that, you know, since Kyla Murray's been down, Jake Brisket's been winging it all over this place. He sure has. To Trey McBride and Michael Wilson.

28:51Rich Eisen:So, but they just, they got, Trevor Lawrence got everybody. The Chargers defense, Colts defense, the Jets defense. The Jets just fired their defensive coordinator this morning, Steve Wilks. and they are they also got Justin Herbert on the ground and out of the game they hit him so hard Jim's like uncle we're done here

29:21Trevor Lawrence asked if he is at the apex if you will of his uh confidence is there a time you can remember that you were playing maybe this confident this free out on the football field um i mean that's a tough question i don't know uh there's been yeah there's there's been times where i've i've felt that way and uh but definitely this is confident as i've as i felt um just the the feeling in our locker room and our team and our offense i mean it's been fun so we got to continue to build on that and can't get complacent you know there's still a lot more ahead ahead for us um and some big games coming up so we got to continue to push and get better like there's There's still things we need to clean up, but it's been a lot of fun, and I feel great, I feel confident, and I think our whole offense feels that way.

30:07Rich Eisen:Man, just ask the guy in the front office, Tony Buscelli, you remember big games against the Denver Broncos back in the day? I do. It's like Tom Coughlin's there telling everybody, be there five minutes early. Because guess who they got next week? This is it. Here we go. Even if you're like, yeah, but who have you really beaten? other than the Chargers and the Cardinals team that's putting the scare in everybody. You had the Houston Texans dead to rights and let them off the hook. And by the way, sparked a rally for them. They haven't lost since that comeback win. So the Jaguars have got a big game in week 16, if not the game of the day in the AFC.

30:53I mean, you got the Ravens at the Raider. I mean, the Ravens at New England. That's a big one. But you look at the rest of the AFC, you know, that's a pretty big one.

31:06Rich Eisen:Say the least. Because the Jaguars have a shot at the one seed. They win that one. They got a shot at the one seed. Because if the Chargers, I just laid out for how the Chargers could be the one seed. If the Chargers wound up having the same record as the Broncos, they might win the division. But guess who would maybe have the same record as the Chargers? A team that beat the crap out of them. The Jaguars have a shot at the one seed if they win this game in Denver. 100%. So how's that for respect? How's this for respect on top of it all? I got a did you know for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Give me the music.

31:47Rich Eisen:Did you know about Trevor Lawrence? Did you know Trevor became the first player in NFL history with five or more passing touchdowns, one or more rushing touchdowns, and 50 rushing yards in a single game. And yeah, that stat line, you take the rush yards out of it, you join Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers with that stat line as the only quarterbacks in the last 30 seasons. And this is how much I respect the Jaguars. I got another one. No. About Travis Etienne Jr. He's been great. He's the first running back with exactly three receptions and three receiving touchdowns in a single game since Calvin Hill did it.

32:25Rich Eisen:for Cleveland in 1978. And he's just the third running back in the last 40 seasons with 70 more receiving yards, three or more receiving touchdowns, and 10 or more carries in a game, joining Marshall Falk and Brian Westbrook. And see, that's how much I respect the Jacksonville Jaguars. Calvin Hill, of course, the father of NBA legend. Indeed, and also Dallas Cowboy. You understand that. But he did it for Cleveland. Yeah, that's why he didn't give a second shot. I understand that. Was it Jared Goff who told us you got to give a quarterback five years before? And I think this is year five for Trevor Lawrence, and I think it's kind of a cooking issue.

33:01Here's what you pick up about Liam Cohen around him. He is one confident SOB. That is very true. And in the same way that Jim Harbaugh spends every second of his life breathing confidence in a guy in Justin Herbert that you think doesn't need it, I think he's done the same thing with Trevor Lawrence. And look at the results here. but Trevor Lawrence going into Denver and doing it to the Broncos and Bo Nix let's see it there it is they don't like it there the Jaguars would like us to stop doing that did they really yes they do

33:36Rich Eisen:this whole segment is brought to you by respect for Jackson don't ask again just don't drop it on your own court is all I'm saying Just wait until I call for it. I'm sorry. His locker room and the postgame are very fun. He is impressive. That's what I'm saying. He talks with his chest, man. He really does. L.I.M. talks with his chest. And by the way, they're doing this all without Travis Hunter. All without the guy they traded up for the second overall pick. And Brian Thomas being kind of a bust all year. Right. And I'll tell you this. the AFC South has the two teams that maybe you want to face the least.

34:19Yeah, one and two probably. Houston's probably first, right? By the way, when do those teams play? Is that the final game of the season? Stroud was awesome yesterday. Yeah, it is. Jacksonville. These games are great at the end of the season. Jacksonville. No, they already played each other. They're already done. They split. That's right. Boy, they came so close to basically knocking the Texans out. Texans come off the mat and they are dangerous. C.J. Stroud looks awesome. Yeah.

34:47Rich Eisen:That defense is awesome. If they're putting up 40, what? They're not going to be beat, right? If they can consistently score that many points, they are not losing again this year. I mean, they are so red hot. How red hot are they? The center snapped one through C.J. Stroud's legs right to Woody Marks, who grabbed it off the ground and popped it in the end zone. And even the official score is like, that did not look planned to me. It was a fumble recovery for a touchdown. If that happened on fourth down, they wouldn't have been able to get a touchdown. That's how red hot the Texans are. So AFC South wide open.

35:35Rich Eisen:with two red-hot teams. Red-hot. Texans haven't lost since they came back on the Jaguars, and the Jaguars haven't lost since the Texans came back on them. How does that sound? Unreal. How's that for respect to the AFC South? And the Colts are going with Phillip Rivers on a Monday night. The AFC South is now like, let's talk about it. And Trevor Lawrence is looking exactly like the guy. that game right there, Rick Dalton, Jeff, that's the one. Every scout was watching him do it in Clemson and say, come to my team in the NFL right there. There it is. That's what I was like watching this game saying, that's who I thought the Jets were going to draft until Frank Gore scored an insignificant touchdown in a game that didn't mean jack.

36:22Were you smoking a cigarette?

36:24Rich Eisen:Pretty much. When I was dreaming of Trevor Lawrence, I didn't look like Leonardo DiCaprio. I did look more like Leo in other parts of Once Upon a Time. Very wise man in Indianapolis once told me that. He might have been drunk. It is possible. Alright, 844-204-RICH, number to dial. Joe Burrow has added some extra thoughts, not too many of them, on what he was talking about last week when he was saying, if I want to keep doing this, this being playing football. 844-204-RICH, number to dial.

37:04The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.

37:13A bandwagon fan. The biggest insult in sports. But this summer, during the FIFA World Cup, it's an invitation, America. Never watched soccer before? Perfect. Think a corner kick is a karate move? 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.

37:38Rich Eisen:Lay's, the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Rich Eisen here. And summer's here too. And that means it's travel season. My favorite summer trip last year was to Sao Paulo, Brazil. With so many fans traveling for the Los Angeles against Kansas City game, they got to see how lively the city is. I love the culture and the amazing food that I'm still craving. Those memories remind everyone that it's that time of year to plan a little getaway. And that's why summer has a way of turning weekends into big events. One minute, it's a normal week. And then all of a sudden, a huge concert, sporting event, or festival brings people in from all over.

38:14Rich Eisen:And when that happens, visitors start looking for places to stay all across your city. So if you're already planning a summer trip of your own, you could list your space on Airbnb and earn a little extra cash while you're away. It doesn't have to be some big year-round commitment. It's about making the most of a busy weekend when your place would just be empty otherwise. I can tell you, people love finding a place that helps them feel connected to the city that they're visiting. If your city's about to have a big summer moment, this is a great time to maximize your space. Your home might be worth more than you think.

38:48Rich Eisen:Find out how much at airbnb.com slash host.

38:56We're back on ESPN Radio presented by Progressive Insurance. As you all know, I care deeply about pediatric cancer research. That's why I love talking about Hyundai Hope on Wheels. For over 27 years, every Hyundai Sold has helped fund life-saving pediatric cancer research together with over 850 dealers nationwide. wide they've raised more than 277 million dollars supporting over 25 000 kids in their fight against cancer at hyundai hope is an optional it comes standard visit hyundaiusa.com and search hyundai hope on wheels to learn more please let's talk about what's at stake in tonight's monday night

39:32Rich Eisen:football game pittsburgh steels need to win to stay a game in front of the baltimore ravens uh no tj watt because of a mishap that apparently happened last week um obviously we'll learn more about that as conditions warrant but hopefully we'll see tj watt back shortly uh due to that what appears to be allegedly reportedly uh a misplaced needle it seems like uh in some sort of therapy session that he had um so we'll see what happens the steelers win they they i mean what a follow-up this would be to beat the ravens and then come home and and win a monday night football game that they supposed quote unquote supposed to win um certainly with the ravens having looked a lot better yesterday the ravens with a shutout win over the cincinnati bangles And if you're wondering if Joe Burrow was staring into the abyss about having fun, how about suffering the first shutout loss of his football life since 2018 against Alabama?

40:38So there's that. And his comments last week about if I want to keep doing this, I need to have more fun. And the whole conversation was, okay, so is this you just being frustrated about being hurt?

40:54Rich Eisen:Or are you just frustrated about being hurt in Cincinnati? And so after the shutout loss, he had to know, okay, here I go to this podium now. And I didn't score. I still haven't scored a point at home as a quarterback since week two. And I'm back now. and that's two losses in a row. And my gosh, is this not fun? And he knew he had to go to the podium and be asked about, did you mean Cincinnati when you're like saying you're not having fun anymore? And this was the exchange. Are you still enjoying playing for the Bengals? And what did you make of kind of what happened in your comments on Wednesday?

41:40My comments had nothing to do with Cincinnati. My comments had everything to do with me and my mindset in football. Do you think that your mindset this week impacted your play today, or was it just your play today? Not at all. I mean, it makes sense it didn't impact his play. As a matter of fact, I would think it would make him want to win more. Certainly if his comments didn't have anything to do with Cincinnati. There was no more follow-up questions to that. Odd. Again, Kurt Warner, his analysis, because he speaks fluent quarterback, was he's frustrated by his injuries. It sucks to be in the rehab room trying to play healthy and then not winning.

42:26What a dreadful combination that is. So just keep that in your mind's eye as we move forward as Cincinnati now officially is playing out the string as opposed to the season not being over. Didn't get that one right. You don't think anyone's going to call up Cincinnati and try and be like, you know, what do you think? You know what their answer is? New phone. Who dis? You don't think three, four, number one, it will take him to basically come out and pull a verbal Carson Palmer. Okay. And I don't think he's doing that. And here's what's at stake for the Miami Dolphins. How about this? It was the night before Halloween and all through the Miami Dolphins, house.

43:14Not a single damn creature on Monday night football in a dolphin uniform was stirring very well. Let's not forget last we saw the Miami Dolphins on Monday night football was that finale of week nine against Baltimore. They lose 28 to six. Remember two of it was throwing one away in the fourth you know right on fourth down right before half we're not taking three we're going for it we come away with nothing and it was such a dreadful um performance that the general manager ate it right before the trade deadline and i'm like what's going to happen with mike mcdaniel is a new general manager is going to come in and if it's not you know on the same page is Mike, then maybe Mike's gone.

44:06And all that's happened since then is

44:09Rich Eisen:four consecutive wins to bring them one game within 500 tonight. And that night, if I had told all you, we come in on Halloween morning to do that Friday, pardon me, that Tuesday show, right? Oh, pardon me. It was a Thursday night game, my bad. But coming on that Friday, it's the last time we've seen them on national television. If we come in on that Friday and I say to you, when the Dolphins play on Monday night football to finish up week 15, they'll still be alive for the playoffs, but the Kansas City Chiefs won't. What would you have told me? What are you smoking, bro? Give me some. Right? The old Bruce Arians drop.

44:58Rich Eisen:Chiefs are out. Dolphins are still in. So there's that. And if they win, they'll be right there with the Ravens, who unfortunately for them aren't in first place just yet. But maybe they would be. And if the Ravens pop up to four and the Steelers pop back in the sniffing category, they'll be above Pittsburgh because they'll have beaten them and getting back to 500. When nobody saw any of this coming and I'm sitting here wondering about their ability to keep winning for Mike McDaniel. Yeah, one and six. We thought he'd be gone by now. Two and seven. They fire their general manager. On a Thursday night, it was brutal.

45:44Rich Eisen:Now they were on Monday night to wrap up week 15, and then they go home to take on Cincinnati and Tampa. You're saying there's a chance. And it's got to go down in the freezing cold of Pittsburgh PA tonight. That's what's at stake. I don't think McDaniel's job is on the line anymore, personally. They like him. They also like what he does with Tua. So here comes Tua to Pittsburgh, PA. In the cold. Let's go. Let's see A-Chan. Let's see them all running. This is fun. They trade away Jalen Phillips. They get rid of their general manager, and then they go on this run. And they are playing meaningful football later in the calendar year the mccansas city chiefs who knew so gonna feel like seven tonight oh feels like seven that is not what it should feel like no no that wraps up this monday show overreaction monday is on the docket frank caliendo on the docket for tuesday oh my goodness gracious i don't even know what we're gonna do with him maybe we'll just wind him up and let him go it's always my favorite thing to do.

46:57That wraps up this Monday show. We'll finish it on Disney Plus in a sec. Thanks for listening to the Rich Eisen Show podcast. You can watch and listen to the Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from noon to three Eastern on ESPN radio, Disney Plus, and on the ESPN app. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.

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