In short
Hour 3 of The Rich Eisen Show mixes college football talk, NFL quarterback/roster discussion, a “Rich’s top 5 overlooked NFL stories” segment, and Rich’s Wild Card Weekend “crystal ball” predictions.
Guests (and backgrounds)
Michael Irvin, Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Dallas Cowboys WR; he discusses Miami Hurricanes football and NFL playoff outlook. Other referenced guests earlier in the show: Tom Pelissero (NFL Network insider) and Phillip Rivers (former NFL QB).
Key claims
- Irvin says Miami’s title threat comes from prioritizing the offensive line and defensive line under Mario Cristobal, with Jason Taylor working the defensive front; he cites Miami’s Alabama and Ohio State wins.
- Irvin praises Troy Aikman’s reported Dolphins role in a GM search as “brilliant.”
- Irvin argues Emmitt Smith’s 1994 playoff performance (42 touches, 229 yards, TD) is the benchmark for running backs.
- Rich’s top 5 overlooked stories: Jaguars’ rise without Travis Hunter; Trey McBride’s receiving production; Jets’ midseason trades setting up a strong draft; Vikings’ late surge with J.J. McCarthy starting; Saints QB Tyler Shuck as an under-the-radar franchise candidate.
- Rich predicts Wild Card matchups and winners, including Seahawks-Panthers opener and Rams-Eagles Monday night.
Notable examples
- Miami vs Alabama (line mismatch early) and Miami’s Ohio State “stolen” win.
- Jets trading Sauce Gardner to the Colts; Colts’ post-trade slump.
- McBride tied with Puka Nakua at 119 catches; Saints rookie QB Tyler Shuck’s 2,125 passing yards and 11 total TDs.
- Wild Card “crystal ball” schedule: Panthers-Seahawks (Carolina), Jaguars-Titans (night), Ravens-Texans (home), Packers-Bears (Fox), Rams-Eagles (Monday).
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VORecap of Previous Hours
1:27 to 2:06
Rich recaps the previous hours and guests including Philip Rivers and Tom Pelissero.
“The Ole Miss Rebels have knocked out the Georgia Bulldogs!”
Michael Irvin Joins the Show
2:06 to 2:44
Rich welcomes Michael Irvin and discusses his connection with Miami football.
“If you missed any of it, there's our YouTube channel, youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show.”
Michael Irvin's Superstitions
2:44 to 4:36
Michael shares his superstitions and how they affect his game watching.
“Hey, it's so good to be with my boys back on the show again.”
The Current Hurricanes Team
4:36 to 8:18
Discussion on what makes the Miami Hurricanes a threat to win it all.
“But once I got out from under the interview and went over there and got in front, it's like, Carson, come on, y 'all, come this way.”
Troy Aikman's Role with Dolphins
8:18 to 11:23
Michael shares thoughts on Troy Aikman's consulting role with the Dolphins.
“a threat to win it all right now, Michael?”
Michael Irvin and Retirement Thoughts
11:23 to 13:18
Michael reflects on retirement and the possibility of coming back to play.
“Great talent, really know how to design the plays, but it takes also the order, you know, the order.”
Emmitt Smith's Legendary Game
13:18 to 14:01
Michael reminisces about Emmitt Smith's impressive playoff performance.
“You know, whenever I get in an argument.”
Emmitt Smith's Legendary Performance
14:01 to 18:08
Explore the details of Emmitt Smith's unforgettable game and his impact on football.
“I always point to that game as your running back could never do what Emmitt did on this day.”
Super Bowl Predictions with Michael Irvin
18:08 to 21:11
Michael Irvin shares his insights and predictions for Super Bowl 60.
“I heard you guys talking even about the MVP.”
Coaching and Team Dynamics in the NFL
21:11 to 23:06
Discuss the importance of coaching and team dynamics in NFL success.
“Would you think it would be a better winner if it was like a Seattle?”
Show all 19 chapters
Listener Call and Panthers Discussion
24:58 to 28:01
Engage in a listener conversation about the Panthers' chances in the playoffs.
“Get into the Hyundai Getaway sales event and get away with a deal so right it almost feels wrong.”
Playoff Predictions and Hot Takes
28:01 to 29:10
Discussion around playoff predictions, focusing on the Carolina Panthers and their potential.
“But we're either going to lose out first round and or, if not, then I think we're going all the way to the Super Bowl.”
Rich's Top 5 NFL Stories
29:11 to 31:08
Rich shares his top five NFL stories that have gone unnoticed, starting with the Jaguars.
“My top five NFL stories that slipped through the cracks presented by Hyundai.”
Highlighting Trey McBride's Season
31:09 to 32:52
Rich discusses Trey McBride's outstanding season and his historical achievements.
“Trey McBride is having a monster season.”
The Jets' Strategy and Vikings' Performance
32:53 to 35:36
Analysis of the Jets' trades and the Minnesota Vikings' strong finish to the season.
“It could be right in the middle of the first round, and the Jets have done their job on their own.”
Franchise Quarterbacks and Home Run Hitters
35:37 to 38:13
Rich discusses the emergence of Tyler Shuck as a potential franchise quarterback for the Saints and highlights Devon Achan's performance.
“could be the offensive rookie of the year.”
Crystal Ball Predictions for the Wild Card Round
39:40 to 41:28
Rich reveals his predictions for the NFL Wild Card round, discussing potential matchups.
“Call 1-800-GRAINGER, click grainger.com, or just stop by.”
NFL Wild Card Weekend Predictions
42:02 to 45:22
Rich discusses his predictions for the upcoming NFL Wild Card weekend matchups.
“I am saying the first game of Wild Card Weekend is going to be at Carolina.”
Debate on Playoff Matchups and Outcomes
45:22 to 46:42
Rich and his co-host debate the outcomes of the predicted matchups and which teams might win.
“And again, I will just blame the crystal ball.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:01The world moves fast. Your work day? Even faster. Pitching products, drafting reports, analyzing data. Microsoft 365 Copilot is your AI assistant for work. Built into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft 365 apps you use. Helping you quickly write, analyze, create, and summarize. So you can cut through clutter and clear a path to your best work.
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1:00Rich Eisen:This is the Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of the Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. It's B-Roll! The Ole Miss Rebels have knocked out the Georgia Bulldogs! Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Who, who, who, who, who? This is the Rich Eisen Show. No complacency. Earlier on the show, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero.
1:48Colts quarterback Phillip Rivers. Still to come, Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin. And now... Here we come! It's Rich Eisen.
2:00Rich Eisen:Hour number three of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air. Hour number two began with Philip Rivers. It was great to chat with Philip. Hour one with Tom Pelissero. If you missed any of it, there's our YouTube channel, youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show. There's our podcast. All three hours. You can also hit the button on our Disney Plus page once we're done to re-watch any and all of the three hours that you may have missed. 844-204-RICH, number to dial on the program. He is the man of the moment on the sidelines for the University of Miami that is not actually playing for the University of Miami.
2:35Rich Eisen:He's the first fan. He's also my Hall of Fame friend. I love this man more than anybody that I know. His name is Michael Irvin. Good to see you, sir. How are you? Hey, it's so good to be with my boys back on the show again. Rich, you know, I never told you, man, but what I was just watching, when I watched your intro, the Johnny Carson-like intro, that is dude hey that's spot on rich you know what i'm saying that's spot on man that's exactly what that i'm like man well you know i don't know why i've never said anything about this you know that really is that's cool but you know me you know what i'm all about you know what i'm trying to do you've been you've been with me serious literally since my wedding day you know um so you you get it you know what i'm trying to do around here and i i just love watching uh you doing your thing.
3:25Rich Eisen:You know, and do you think you're playing for the team still, Michael? Well, you know, I'm so superstitious, right? And a lot of us athletes are. You know, you remember my boy Time, how he had to put his suit out the same way every time. I used to wear whatever my suit was, my underwear had to match. And we would wait until I get undressed and say, And, okay, we're ready, you know, because that's the superstition that we did. Dale Hellistray and Troy used to mess with me about those things. And what I do, okay, let me explain to people. Like, I can't just sit still, right? I have to be in front of our offense like I'm helping them, saying, come on this way, pull this way.
4:09And then behind the defense, like I'm trying to stop the other offense. You know, so, yeah, I just get into it like that. I can't sit still. As a matter of fact, when I was doing an interview on the sideline the other day, that's when the team started coming back because they had me standing still in one spot. I didn't tell them I got to cut this short, man. I got to get back in front of the offense, man, so I can pull them. I can do my piece. And so it just got crazy, man. I told them I got to get out of here. But once I got out from under the interview and went over there and got in front, it's like, Carson, come on, y 'all, come this way.
4:45If it's third and five, I take five steps this way. one, two, three, four, five. And then start pulling so we can get the first down. That's just how I watch the game.
4:55Rich Eisen:No, I know how superstitious you are. All those years with game day morning, you would wear the colors of the team that the Cowboys were facing. You know, you would wear the Eagles green on a day the Cowboys were taking on the Eagles. I saw all of that. I had a front row seat for all of that. Right. I don't know. Why don't we like that, though? Why are fans? Why do we believe we are affecting the game in some way? It blows my mind, man, but I just love it. It's a way that you feel that you can control the uncontrollable. Is Ray Lewis the same way? What are you and Ray like watching the game? Ray is Ray since he's still.
5:36Adrian James, Andre Johnson, those guys, they're more calm. They're more calm.
5:44Rich Eisen:I think everyone's more calm, Michael, than you are. You know what I mean? That goes without saying. But I'm just wondering, does Ray even try to tamp it down for you? All the time. All the time. All the time. Hey, Ray, calm your black ass.
6:08That's what he's telling you? That's what he's telling you? We're going to say that all the time. Yeah. Ray said eventually all the time, man, I just laugh and go grab him and hug on him, man. You know, because, you know, those defensive guys can't take that. You know, they can't take it. They can't take all the affection and stuff. So when they get mad at you, just go back on them and try to kiss them. Yeah. Yeah, stop telling me, man. Leave me alone with that kind of stuff. I bet you. But then my boys, Rich, you know, it was so great being on the sideline with my boys again, all of that, man.
6:37And the conversations we had early on when we were all going to Miami about, you know, how we want to build it and what we wanted to become. And then, you know, we talked about our kids possibly going here and now seeing it doing, seeing what one of ours, Coach Cristobal, come back. You know, doing what he's doing with it is insane. It's incredible. And it's a great feeling. And it was so great because Coach Christobal, even Coach Johnson went up to him and he said, Coach, come on, the game ain't not over. We had to make sure it was all the way over, you know. And he said that's what Coach Johnson would have been saying, you know, because that's what he got taught under.
7:21So, you know, it's great to see family bringing family along this way.
7:26Rich Eisen:Yeah, and it looks like, again, Coach Jimmy and Coach Christobal, they're doing an old school you-know-it segment from Game Day morning. Yeah, you remember them days? Oh, my God, man. I know Sap was in the stands. I know Sap was in the stands. Everyone's there. Everyone's there. And, you know, I was with you on that night in spirit. You know that, Michael. And it's not just because my nephew Lee went to the U. Right, right. But who you were playing against. Who you were playing against. Oh, yeah, that's right. Okay. You had a whole alumni base from Ann Arbor, Michigan in your corner that night.
8:03Rich Eisen:But, I mean, you saw that, too. You know. You saw kids like Caleb Downs, Arvel Reese. Those are beasts who are coming to the next level. So, in all seriousness, though, what do you think makes this Hurricanes team a threat to win it all right now, Michael? Honestly, Rich, I don't know if even saying what we're saying, we give them enough credit for what they've done. And I look at it, and I'm on the sideline. I get to see things pretty close up and a great job done by all of the coaches, you know, the awesome coordinator, everybody, everybody. But the thing I horn in on a lot is, because that's what I did when I was playing, the big guys, always the big guys.
8:47And Mario Cristobal being a big guy, and having Jason Taylor working with that defensive line, those two have put the focus where we needed it. offense and defensive line, and you're seeing the results. We've always had talented skill set people. But when we opened up against Alabama a couple years ago, years ago, I looked at our line, I looked at their line, I said, no shot here, bro. You know what I mean? It was no shot. It was Bryce Young's first game. I remember that. Oh, my God. Look at this line. Now when I look at that line and I go to that offensive line, yeah. Yeah, we got a shot every time because of those guys.
9:31And Ole Miss, I see a lot of good things in Ole Miss. You know what I mean? They got a lot of that fight like Miami got in them. So that next game is going to be a battle. But beating Ohio State, there was nothing, nothing better than beating Ohio State because they stole one. I had a picture when I was in Columbus, Ohio. I stomped on the graves of those. I went right on campus. I had to go stomp on the grave because I took one of our rings. Somebody ahead on their side stole that ring, threw a five-minute leak flag to take it away. So we've been turning to get the detail for a while. And everybody thought we were going to get beat.
10:13And Rich, we didn't go for it, Rich. It was an incredible, incredible thing to be on that sideline and get that feeling. And I remember when it first came around, the first time we did it, when it was Oklahoma and Nebraska and all of that, and now it's the Ohio States and the Notre Dame, but boy, it was an incredible feeling to be here.
10:34Rich Eisen:Michael Irvin here on the Rich Eisen Show. And speaking of a Cowboy-South Florida-Miami connection, how about Troy Aikman being hired by the Dolphins, apparently, to help with the general manager search? Michael, what do you think of that one right there? I think it's brilliant. I think it's brilliant. You know what I mean? There's no doubt Troy's an asset and a great resource for anybody. I mean, whoever, he should have a consulting business and help all of them. Because I heard when they're going outside, you can do some firm or some research firm. Troy talks to these guys every day. And he's serious.
11:15He's around these guys every day. So he knows. And he knows what it takes to win a Super Bowl. So, yeah, because a lot of times you get dabbled with the brain of a person. Great talent, really know how to design the plays, but it takes also the order, you know, the order. You're going to have to make sure that you can have order within the organization and not have situations like sometimes that you've had in Miami.
11:45Rich Eisen:All right. And we had Philip Rivers on in the second hour of the show, Michael. did you ever get a call after it's being retired to come back and play did that ever happen for you no no i i've never got a real call to come back and play rich yeah but but i thought it was pretty incredible what philip rivers did to get be able to get back on the football field and have that opportunity but but now think about it now that's where the game has lended itself you know probably probably i don't know what year it was when he first came into the game you know you know he was taking more hits, but now the game protects the quarterback so much that he says, oh, my arm is still good.
12:26My body will take way less hits than they had to take, you know? So, yeah, then that lends to you having an opportunity to get back into the game.
12:36Rich Eisen:But at no point did you think, you know what, maybe I should come back? Nothing like that? You never thought that? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I thought it showed us up. I thought it showed us up, but then showed us down and said, boy, stop playing around. You know what I'm saying? or better understood, I probably thought it knee up. Yes. But right in that knee spot, said Negro, please, you better sit down. Right in that knee area, you better sit down. It's all a rich. Rich, I like what people say to me. You look like you still can play. It's beach muscles, man. These things, they function. You crazy.
13:18Beach muscles. This ain't nothing, man. This is nothing.
13:23Rich Eisen:Hey, TJ, what's the anniversary today? You said something to my ears. What's up, Irv? What's up, man? How you doing, bro? I'm great. I'm great. You know, whenever I get in an argument. TJ, my boy, y 'all. That's my dude right there. I'm always running into TJ everywhere. I don't know. Why do we run into each other everywhere? Because TJ's everywhere. That's where the players play. You know what I'm saying? You're right, buddy. You're right. But any time, Irv, I get into an argument about who the greatest running back of all time is, and I'm sure you know my answer. One of my arguments is I always point to this day, January the 2nd, 1994, the Emmitt Smith game, playoffs against the Giants, where he 42 touches, 229 yards and a touchdown.
14:04Rich Eisen:I always point to that game as your running back could never do what Emmitt did on this day. It was the day that in the regular season that got the Cowboys into the playoffs. The shoulder day. The shoulder game. The shoulder game. What was that like back in the day? That shoulder game? Yeah. Playing with Emmitt? Oh, man, Emmitt. To me, Emmitt is the greatest running back of all time. Now, I know we see Jim Brown, and God knows he's a beast. I just put him to the side. Right, right, right. And you're going to put Jim Brown to the side. You're going to put Jim Brown to the side. But you also got to remember, Jim Brown was going up against defensive linemen that were 240 and 50 pounds too.
14:50So, yeah, he was going to beast those guys. Now, Emmitt was beasting Reggie White and Jerome Browns. You know what I'm saying? So we see such devastating blows and such speed by Jim Brown. We see such dynamicness and beauty in a Barry Sanders. but the combination of both with what we call a hit balance i don't know if he had four or five legs because every time somebody hit him this way kind of stand them back up on his leg and hit him this way and he always made progress you know you can see bear sometimes he'll dance and make some beautiful plays and he's one of the greatest ever so i'm not putting down on anybody we're just breaking out a pair of tough analysis and trying to really dig in and find differences but sometimes that dancing got them in a lost situation and then sometimes they even took a lot on their on the in the end zone red zone you know what i mean emmys smith gave you
15:55Rich Eisen:both what about that day or what about that day when he was that day was incredible that day was incredible you guys know how it came about he and i would always step out and double trouble right before every game. And we would always talk. Like, injuries, and if you're injured, that's one thing. But you're hurting. We got nothing to do with you hurting. We made a pact to come in here. We knew we were going to be hurting. So, like, I remember one game in Washington, I had a pulling rib, my rib cartilage, and I could barely breathe. And then it was like, hey, wait a minute. He said, hey, can you stand?
16:28He said, I'm standing. He said, they don't know you hurt. You stand out there and keep the safety out there and let me run. You know, that's the mentality. So we were in this game, and Emmitt had gotten hurt. He hurt his shoulder. And I was trying to say the same thing to him. I said, they don't know you hurt. You just sit back there, get that safety in the box, and let me wait in this game. But I think they forgot. And after that, it was over. I mean, the dude put on an incredible performance. After that game rips, he was in the training room, literally bent over with the ice on, and I'm trying to check him out.
17:11I'm coming in. I don't know if he was crying because I had so many tears in my eyes crying. I'm crying. I'm like, you know, it was the greatest game. I swear to you guys, I told him, that was the greatest performance I've ever seen by an athlete in my life because I really knew how he was hurting and what he gave up that day was incredible.
17:33Rich Eisen:32 years ago today, unbelievable. And, you know, he's a Gator first as well. So is he sending you straight to voicemail these days because he doesn't want to hear about Miami right now? Are you getting sent straight to voicemail if you call Emmett right now? He'll take it. He'll take it. He and Deion, Florida State, they're a little different when it comes to their alma maters than I am. They wouldn't even allow me to go. They'll answer the phone. So, man, don't call me with this. Come on, Mike, man. Stop playing, man. Stop playing. You know what I mean? So, yeah, that's different. All right. Before I let you go, you want to take a shot at the Super Bowl?
18:10Rich Eisen:Who's in Super Bowl 60? Irv, what are you doing? This is a good one. I heard you guys talking even about the MVP. And, I mean, that would be interesting, man. Drake May has played well. Matthew Stepp. But this big thing I think about with the Rams is you're going to need both of them out there. and I'm talking about Puka and Devontae Adams, then you got a shot to beat anybody. The shot to beat anybody. Without both of them and just one of them, the game changed. Like, you know, you can make it a little more difficult on Puka without Devontae Adams. So, yeah, I think it's a hard pick to find out to think about who's going to go to the Super Bowl.
18:51That's why I'm asking you.
18:52Rich Eisen:Come on, Irv. I know, that's our trip, man. You sound like Mooch now where you're talking it out and then you're going to wind up on the fence. Come on now, let's go. I was trying to solidify my thoughts here on it. Because you see Seattle. What the, the Seattle and the defense. Niners, Bears. Seattle hadn't had those big games. Yeah, they hadn't played those big games. But you see the Niners and you know the coaching. You see the Rams, you know the coaching pedibree that are on those sidelines. It's Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay. So from what I – the players, the coaching, the players are great.
19:26I would say take the Rams if everybody's healthy. I would say take the Rams because I'm an offensive guy. I know they can put up points against everybody or anybody if everybody's healthy.
19:39Rich Eisen:And the AFC? What do you got? Oh, let's just see. This is even more difficult because Vrabel, he's done such a great job. And I said this, Rich, a week ago. I said, man, New England needed to lose a game. Because, you know, when you win eight, nine, ten, 11 games in a row, you guys are not studying film on Monday. It's kind of fun. You know, it's kind of fun. And it's not quite Belichick, you know, because Vrabel has put his hand on it. So I imagine you kind of lose just a little edge. But then they lost, and you saw what they did coming back. And that's exactly what I was looking for. the way I know it was just the Jets or who else.
20:21I don't care. I was looking at what kind of performance you can put on when you come back to see if you're going to wilt in the playoffs. And I don't think they will wilt. I was looking at Chicago the other day to see if they can come back because it was a pressure, a better game. And they came back. I was like, okay, I can see this now. Because he's made so many big plays this year. and in playoff moments, he's going to be looking to make a big play. Most young guys run from that big play, but he'll be looking for it. But if I had to pick right now AFC, I would take New England with the young Drake May, even with Buffalo right now because Josh Allen has to be Superman all day.
21:07Rich Eisen:Yeah, so New England Rams for a third time in Super Bowl history, says Michael Irvin. But I don't know if we want that. TV. TV. No, I just said it. Don't go by TV. Would you think it would be a better winner if it was like a Seattle? I think it's great no matter what because anybody could win it. I think Houston and San Francisco could make it, which would be wild for D 'Amico Ryans, you know, to be back in his old spot against his old team. There's so many different ways. Jacksonville could go on a run for sure. I didn't think about Houston, Rich, and I want to say this, Rich, you got to give D 'Amico Ryans a lot of credit.
Read the full transcript
21:45It's amazing. It started off 0-3 like this and then put the defense together. And, man, it's just an incredible job. And I don't know if we're giving him enough credit because we'll say, well, he was supposed to be there. He should have started off 0-3. But then missed three games with his top quarterback. And Davis Mills come in and win those games. I was like, man, that's an incredible job he has done. I don't think we talk about that enough.
22:07Rich Eisen:Agreed. I miss you, Irv. Great to see your beautiful family. Pictures behind you. Susie sends her best to you. we're all watching you on the sidelines of the U hoping that everything's okay you know what I mean like we love seeing you out there and one last thing do me a favor find out for me if Aikman took the job thinking he was actually hired to find a new GM for the Cowboys can you do that for me Michael? he's like wait a minute Miami? Did I really do that TJ? that was unnecessary what do you mean? that's the smart Miami though because they know he wanted to do it for a long time and he wanted to do it for Dallas and that's why you can understand Miami saying okay if Dallas won't tap into that resource let us and even the Cowboy fans can understand you know what I mean so we're happy for Troy man I love my man me too I love you too Irv happy new year to you and all the Irvs good luck no no no no no no no no no it's not a happy new year it's a happy you year happy you year this is how we see it buddy you understand happy you year that's how enjoy it we'll see you out there for the semifinal and I'll chat with you ladies and gentlemen the one and only Michael Irvin happy you year to everybody okay I think we took that segment and beat it with a belt you spanked that thanked it the fact that michael irvin knows my name it's not lost upon me he loves you i'm just saying though as a kid growing up watching me you never would think that these guys would know you and like you know i told you him and charlie sheen sat in front of me at the canelo bud crawford fight and uh that was an experience in itself this is great all right we take a break uh you have to get a god by the way um what ray lewis tells him on the sidelines That was an interesting moment as well in the history of this program.
24:14Rich Eisen:We take a break. I got my top five list, the top five most overlooked stories of the NFL season coming up.
24:25Rich Eisen:Rich Eisen here. You know that feeling of handing off your taxes and then hearing nothing? Total radio silence. Well, not anymore. Now your taxes are done for you by a TurboTax full-service expert who checks for every deduction and keeps you in the loop with real-time updates on your phone. Just match with your dedicated expert, upload your docs, and go live your life. Confident you're getting every dollar you deserve. This is how taxes should be. Visit TurboTax.com today to learn more. Real-time updates only in iOS mobile app. Only available with TurboTax full-service experts. Get into the Hyundai Getaway sales event and get away with a deal so right it almost feels wrong.
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25:42Rich Eisen:We had such great experiences that whenever we travel somewhere new, we always check Airbnb first to find a place that fits our needs. The homes we've stayed in, comfortable, safe, private. You feel like you're part of the community. After a long day of exploring or sitting on a beach, it really is nice to come back to a place you can call your own. Airbnb is also a great way if you want to earn some extra money while you're traveling or out of your house for an extended period of time. You can make your home work for you while you're away. Not as a full-time thing, not as some big production, just something that fits into trips you're already taking.
26:16Rich Eisen:You can use the money for that dream vacation or put that money towards that outdoor kitchen you always wanted. Hosting on Airbnb just feels smart. Your home may be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com slash host.
26:34Rich Eisen:The Rich Eisen Show podcast. Here on the Rich Eisen Show on ESPN Radio. 844-204-RICH-NUMBER-Diall. Noah in Portland, Oregon has been hanging on for a while. What's up, Noah? Happy New Year, sir. Good morning. Happy New Year. What's going on? Happy New Year. Happy New Year. I can't ever say that. Right? Forgive me. I'm in a rural area, so hopefully I don't drop the call. I want to talk about the Panthers a little bit. I predicted them to be 9-8 when we did our win-loss. I didn't think at all that they would have a shot at the playoffs this year. Shout-out to Anna. We're 8-8. My one problem is I believe the last game that I predicted against Tampa, we were going to lose.
27:16Rich Eisen:Doesn't matter because if Atlanta wins and they've been terrific. Could you say Atlanta's been a top 10 team in the last month? no kirk cousins has been has been on point bijon has been unstoppable that's true he's the man right now bijon has been unstoppable you cannot stop him and i thought they were going to be that way in the beginning though and and that you know pitts despite having only one catch on monday night has been the exact guy that the falcons had always hoped he would be right now london's healthy. Mooney? They're still getting that pass rush going. I do have a bold prediction, if you guys will allow me.
28:01Alright, so if we
28:03Rich Eisen:do make it, right? We make it to the playoffs. Carolina. But we're either going to lose out first round and or, if not, then I think we're going all the way to the Super Bowl. That is a hot take. We've got a couple of games that we have under our belt that I wouldn't have thought. Green Bay being one of them. The Rams as being the other one. I mean... Okay. Listen, you're going to have to go on the road and do it. That's for sure. And I just don't know if you have those horses, but thank you for the call. That's Noah in Portland. Big Panther fans sitting up there in... Super Bowl. Big 10 country.
28:38Rich Eisen:50 rematch. That would be wild. If it turns out to be Denver versus Carolina at the end of the day. Once again, same building 10 years later. That would be... That would be crazy. Unlikely here on this much more likely Friday. I have a top five list. Came up with it last week while I was just chilling out doing nothing because I can't turn it off. It's the top five NFL stories that have slipped through the cracks. Nobody's talking about this, or at least not enough people. Presented by Hyundai. Hit it. High five. One, two, three, four, five. Rich's top five. All right. My top five NFL stories that slipped through the cracks presented by Hyundai.
29:19Rich Eisen:Here we go. I mentioned this last week. I'll say it again. The fact that the Jacksonville Jaguars are in the position that they're in, which is one home win against Tennessee away from winning the division and also having an outside shot at the one seed. Trevor Lawrence playing as well as he's ever played. Defensively, the only team that's taking the football away more than the Jaguars are the Bears. they are like a rocket ship and nobody's talking about the fact that they've done this without Travis Hunter normally when you do not have the second overall pick in a draft at your disposal coming up with numbers for you and this is a guy that was supposed to come up with numbers on both sides of the football for Jacksonville they lost a starting corner and a starting receiver all in one fell swoop when his knee gave way late October.
30:16Rich Eisen:And ever since then, they've lost once. It's crazy. And I could only sit here and think what the Jaguars would look like with an improving Travis Hunter, moving upward, as only somebody of his talent can. And we'll obviously see what happens with Jacksonville over the next few years with him. But everything that we thought, Jacksonville, honestly, if I told you guys before the season, Jacksonville would in fact have a shot at winning the division with one home win against Tennessee in week 18 and have a shot at the one seed and Trevor Lawrence is playing out of his skull and they're the best in the AFC taking the football away you would have said what's Travis Hunter doing right probably offensive rookie of the year right and or the craziness I was asking Liam Cohen how about offensive and defensive rookie of the year instead it's been nothing Number four on the list.
31:11Rich Eisen:Nobody's talking about this. Trey McBride is having a monster season. Oh, baby. Is he ever? An absolute monster season. Going into week 18, he is tied with Puka Nakua for most catches in the NFL. 119. He is the first tight end in NFL history with multiple receiving seasons of 110 catches or more. the last tight end to lead the league in receiving as as as he could do going into the last game against the rams tony gonzalez did it in 2004 i was gonna guess with just 102 catches as a matter of fact if we put up the graphic here by the way i love the headline from smith's trey bian He has two of the top five single season catches, seasons, in the history of the NFL by a time.
32:07Rich Eisen:Two of the top five. 111 last year. He's got 119 this year. And remember last year he only caught one for a score? Remember he couldn't score? This year he's got 11. He's having a monster season. Nobody's talking about it. No, because they're 3-13. I understand that. And also, he's had two different quarterbacks. Yeah. He's been just absolutely superb. Number three on the list. Nobody's talking about this either. I don't know why they would, but I'm focused on it. The Jets won their trades. They took two of their best players out. They decided we're tanking. We're going to start losing games. We don't have it.
32:52Rich Eisen:we're going to take our best players and turn it in for draft choices in the middle of the season we're going to hope our fan base buys into the fact that we know what we're doing and um as long as Aaron Glenn is safe and he's the real deal then guess what they were when they traded sauce Gardner to the Colts the Colts were seven and two they've gone one and six since right now that that if the Colts lose this weekend and go 8-9, the draft choice that the Jets have currently is 18th overall. It could be right in the middle of the first round, and the Jets have done their job on their own. They're now third overall on the clock.
33:34Rich Eisen:And Quinnen Williams, you know, goes to Dallas. Dallas doesn't make the playoffs, so they're not going to watch him go and play postseason football. This year. And, you know, hopefully for them, the draft choices turn out to be better for them. In this coming season. Now all they got to do is just draft right. And no longer burn it down. Because the fan base is sick and tired of watching them burn it down. The Jets have been pretty good at drafting. They just haven't hit on a quarterback. Number two on the list of storylines nobody's talking about. The Minnesota Vikings have actually finished quite strong.
34:13Rich Eisen:They're 8-8. They've won four in a row. J.J. McCarthy, it was just announced moments ago, is starting for the Vikings in their final game against the Green Bay Packers. Everybody loves putting the memes of McCarthy out there right now. I understand. If he wins this game, they'll be 6-4 with him. And Justin Jefferson had this to say about J.J. McCarthy being the quarterback in Minnesota moving forward. That's not my job. Of course, I would love for him to be here. Of course, I would love for him to be the quarterback, especially off of this year I feel like he needs to show everybody and prove to everybody that he is that top tier quarterback so I would love to have him and I love to work with him and show everybody he is that number one guy.
34:58Rich Eisen:Six and four he would be if he beats the Packers this weekend and as you know the Packers might be starting Clayton Toon they signed Desmond Ritter and the defense has been balling out I mean Brian Flores may get a job out of it and they might by the way not finish in last place in the NFC North because the Lions might lose their final game and they would be 8-9 and the Vikings would finish with an above 500 record at the end of the day. Number one, the top NFL story that has slipped through the cracks is the New Orleans Saints may have themselves a franchise quarterback. I think this kid, Tyler Shuck, could be the offensive rookie of the year.
35:39Rich Eisen:Yeah, I said that on overreaction this week. Nobody is paying attention to what he has been doing for the New Orleans Saints. So under the radar. 2 ,125 pass yards and 11 total touchdowns with one game left. And his passer rating in his eight starts is 97.2. Each of the four rookie quarterbacks to have a higher passer rating in starts in the last 10 seasons won the Offensive Rookie of the Year that year. He's completed 69.6 % of his passes in his starts. Nice. And nice. Over the last 10 seasons, the only quarterbacks to have a better passer rating than him. As I mentioned, Justin Herbert, Jaden Daniels, C.J.
36:22Rich Eisen:Stroud, Dak Prescott, they all won Rookie of the Year. Yeah, they've won four in a row. He's gone over 300 each of the last two weeks. He's playing well. And he's the only rookie quarterback in Saints history to win a game and have a 300-yard passing game. He's done the gig for Kellen Moore, may have found himself a quarterback. Nobody's talking about that. You have one more. I did not know this. And here's the one more for you. Here's the one more for you. Miami's best home run hitter is a football player.
37:01Rich Eisen:Devon Achan. Oh, I see what you're talking about. Achan is no freaking joke, everybody. body. He is unbelievable. He may not play this weekend, so I'll just say this. 11 games with 90 or more scrimmage yards. That's the longest active streak in the NFL. 10 games with 100 or more scrimmage yards are tied for most by a player in the history of the Miami Dolphins, trailing only Ricky Williams. He leads all qualified rushers in yards per carry with 5.7 yards per carry. Fifth with both 1 ,350 rush yards. Fifth with 1 ,838 scrimmage yards. He's one, How about this one? He's gained 745 scrimmage yards after forcing a missed tackle, according to NextGenStats.
37:44Rich Eisen:He's forced 92 missed tackles. And he's one of 51 players in the history of the NFL with 3 ,000 or more rushing yards in his first three seasons. And amongst all of them, he has the highest yards per carry average of 5.6 in his career. Guy's a massive home run hitter. and I'm sure he's going to be a first round draft choice in your fantasy league next year. Without question. Those are my top five stories that slip through the cracks presented by Hyundai. When we come back, we finish with the, I guess now tradition. We've done it, how many years in a row have I done that? Several. Okay. I'm busting out the crystal ball.
38:23Rich Eisen:I'm going to predict who makes the wild card round, what the games are, and I'm going to do my best to predict how they're going to fall on the wild card weekend schedule. two on Saturday, three on Sunday, one on Monday. I'll see if I can throw my dart at the dartboard and hit a bullseye. That's how we're wrapping up this Friday show in a moment. And I know things. Save money and get a better view of the road when you replace your worn-out wiper blades at O 'Reilly Auto Parts. 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.
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39:48Rich Eisen:As you know, I care deeply about pediatric cancer research and awareness. Hyundai Hope on Wheels is all about that. So are the dealers. Over 850 dealers nationwide together have raised more than$277 million, supporting over 25 ,000 kids in their fight against cancer. Because for over the last 27 years, every Hyundai sold has helped fund life-saving pediatric cancer research. Learn more at HyundaiUSA.com. Search up Hyundai Hope on wheels. At Hyundai Hope isn't optional. It comes standard, ladies and gentlemen. All right. If you're listening right now, you might hear my voice a little bit more lush because it's bouncing off this huge ass crystal ball that I went and bought years ago thinking it would be fun to have a crystal ball on the set.
40:37Rich Eisen:And I got the biggest one because I thought it would be looking good on television. And it is. It's just a massive lunk of glass. But I look into it every now and then. And I see, or as my good friend Tyrion Lannister might say, go ahead. And I know things. Just like me. Okay. Just like me. And I have right here in front of me a list of wild card games that I think are going to hit. Right now, as you know, there's still a few things up in the air. Who's winning certain divisions? What seeds are going to be in? And at some point, it's all going to land by Sunday night. And the good folks in the National Football League are going to get together with television partners.
41:24Rich Eisen:And they're going to say, you get this game. You get that game. You get that game. And Wild Card Weekend will be all fully formed. I'm just going to tell you how I think it's going to land first. Because I drink and I know things. And you got a crystal ball. And give me some music right here because I'm going to crystal ball it. Oh, actually, we have a drop. Go ahead and hit it. Hit it. Hit it. You know, I tell you, I don't have a crystal ball. I have no idea. It's called Crystal Ballet. Is that Mike Zimmer? I think it is. It is, yeah, yeah. We might have to update it. All right. And scene. Here we go.
41:55Rich Eisen:Give me some actual football music. First up, there's two games on Saturday, three on Sunday, and one on Monday night on ESPN. I am saying the first game of Wild Card Weekend is going to be at Carolina. Oh. And it's going to be the Seahawks visiting the Panthers for a rematch of what we saw in week 17. Just last week, Seattle's going to be back in Carolina. The Panthers, I think, are going to lose to Tampa, but get in because Atlanta beats the Saints. How does that sound? And I think San Francisco beats the Seahawks on Sunday night, making the Panthers the five seed going to Carolina. And I think that's going to be the first game of wildcard weekend, followed up by a primetime game in Duval County, Florida.
42:48Rich Eisen:I believe the Jaguars will beat the Tennessee Titans but not get the other results they need to be the one seed. They will be the AFC South champions. And just like the last time they won the AFC South, they're going to have a night game at home. If you remember, that was the game where Trevor Lawrence threw a ton of picks. Yeah, four. Peterson kept him out there. And then Justin Herbert and the Chargers, despite taking the big lead, lose. And yada, yada, yada. Here we are with the Bills under the lights. I think the fact that Josh Allen is playing a playoff game is going to be too good for the NFL to pass up and put in front of the whole country.
43:26Rich Eisen:Bills at Jaguars is going to be the night game. NFC and AFC for your first wildcard weekend. Doubleheader on Saturday. Now for the tripleheader on Sunday. I am going to say that at the end of the day, Lamar coming back and rolling Derrick Henry downhill against the Steelers team that looked offensively challenged against Cleveland. I think the Ravens win that game on Sunday night, and they open up the wildcard tripleheader at home against the Houston Texans. Oh, that's so nice. Rematch last year, right? Well, I believe. Two years ago? No, it was two years ago. C.J. Stroud's first season. Yeah.
44:05Rich Eisen:He won his first playoff game, then lost in Baltimore, I believe. And then the Ravens made the AFC championship game only to lose to the Chiefs. That's the first game. And then late window, this is going to be on Fox. Brady and Burkhart are going back to Chicago for Packers and Bears for just a monster rating Sunday afternoon leading to the night game. Chris, get ready. Let's go. Chargers. Jim Harbaugh. Let's go. And Justin Herbert coming into New England, I think, will be the NBC Sunday night game. Cold Foxborough. Because the league will just take a look at everything and think it's too good to pass up the opportunity of Rams and Eagles on Monday night football.
44:51Rich Eisen:Just one more nice game sent from the NFL to our good friends in Bristol, Connecticut and the Walt Disney Company. I think the Rams and the Eagles wrap up wildcard weekend in a game that everyone's going to sit down and watch. I might be wrong about who's in. Those are so tasty. I might be wrong with who's in and who's out. And I might be wrong about the matchups. And I might be wrong about where the NFL places them. But I think I'm going to get more than half of this list right. How could you be wrong? You literally have a crystal ball in front of you. I did. And again, I will just blame the crystal ball.
45:26Rich Eisen:And while we're already doubling down on all this silliness, I might as well quadruple down. Oh, yeah, yeah. Magic 8-Ball if I'm going to be right. We don't have a job for that one. Am I right with my crystal ball and picks Magic 8-Ball? I shake it and it comes up and it says, it is certain. I'm right. I'm right. The crystal ball doesn't lie and the Magic 8-Ball doesn't lie unless they cancel each other out and I'm totally right. All right. Now, let's assume your match-ups are correct. Pick the winners. Oh, God. Come on, man. Why not? I already picked enough winners to give you enough. I don't know.
46:04Rich Eisen:Keep going. I just told you that the Bucs win, but the Panthers get in because the Falcons win. I just told you that the Niners beat the Seahawks and that the Ravens beat the Steelers. Keep going. Pick them. And that the Bears are the two seed, which means they win the final game of the weekend. I'm not going to lie. I look at this. All home teams. You think there's not a road team that wins? I think the Texans would beat the Ravens, don't you think? I think the Texans are about to go on a fat run. Derek Henry is just running over everybody. He can't do that every week, though, can he? I don't know.
46:34Rich Eisen:Can he? But TJ, at the end of the day, don't you think the Chargers beating the Patriots is totally doing it? Come on. Oh, absolutely. It's going to happen, maybe. Happy New Year, everybody. That wraps up our Crystal Ballet segment and our first show of 2026. Thanks for listening to the Rich Eisen Show podcast. You can watch and listen to the Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from noon to 3 Eastern on ESPN Radio, Disney Plus, and on the ESPN app. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
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From the publisher
Pro Football Hall of Famer and University of Miami alum Michael Irvin and Rich discuss the Hurricanes’ improbable run to the College Football Playoff semifinals with an upset win over Ohio State, Philip Rivers’ NFL return and if he ever considered a comeback, explains why former Dallas Cowboys teammate Emmitt Smith is the GOAT running back, which teams he sees facing off in the Super Bowl, and more.
Rich lists his top under-the-radar NFL stories this season including takes on the Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals TE Trey McBride, the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, and Miami Dolphins RB De’Von Achane.
Rich breaks out his crystal ball to predict the matchups for the NFL’s Wild Card round playoff games
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