6 NFL surprises we are SOLD on, Joe Flacco to Bengals & HUGE Jags MNF win

Interactive Transcript

spk_0 And this episode of football 301, Matt Harmon joins me to talk about some surprises through

spk_0 five weeks of this NFL season six surprises that we are buying into that were completely sold on.

spk_0 We also recap Monday night football and that entertaining sloppy stake matchup between the jaguars

spk_0 and chiefs. Very fun show with Matt. See you guys in a second.

spk_0 Hello and welcome to football 301. I'm your host Nate Tice. Great show for you today.

spk_0 Continue some superlatives here on Tuesdays. Tell me do that today as we go over six surprises

spk_0 and breakouts that were sold on were buying into were really confirming this after we have five

spk_0 weeks of NFL action. Tell me do that like every single Tuesday. My guy, Matt Harmon,

spk_0 how are you doing today, Matt? I'm doing great and I think that this is a more enjoyable exercise

spk_0 than some of the skepticism. You know, I'm liking talking about these over performers that were

spk_0 really sold on not that we're going to get those right all the time either by the way. We might

spk_0 end up being wrong on some of these because that's going to happen with this sport but I am very

spk_0 excited to talk about our six combined storylines here today. I felt like we played to play to

spk_0 each other a little bit on these. So I'm excited to get into. There's a couple that like we've kind

spk_0 of checked in on and kind of want to just recheck in on even if it's only been a week or two or three

spk_0 weeks or maybe just the beginning of the season looks like you got breaking news for me. Can I

spk_0 break some news to you right now? Joe Flacco has been traded to the Bengals.

spk_0 All right. So we got to end to it. So you're a minute to compute that. Yeah. For it's a lot going on

spk_0 there. Oh man. Yeah. That'll align. Okay. I mean, you can't get any worse than what Jake Browning

spk_0 put out there on on Sunday. You can't. No. I tweeted this but that was like Jake Browning versus

spk_0 Alabama when he was at Washington. They played in the college football play. Oh my god. He was just

spk_0 totally overwhelmed. Absolutely overwhelmed. All right. Well, Joe Flacco to the Bengals. What do you

spk_0 think about that match? It's real quick. Yeah. I mean, look, you're right. They absolutely had to

spk_0 do something, right? They couldn't. It was getting to a point where it wasn't credible.

spk_0 Their operation there. Now, this is not the outcome that I probably would have fought, you know.

spk_0 Just because I think everybody wanted to see Russell Wilson or James Winston. And I actually

spk_0 do think that Russ for I have been maybe a skeptical about Russell Wilson since he left the

spk_0 Seahawks as almost anybody out there. And just kind of be like, I don't really know if this is.

spk_0 I don't know. I didn't think it was going to work in Denver to the level that everybody else thought

spk_0 it was going to because he is so particular. And I think the longer he has played the more

spk_0 particular he's gotten, I actually thought in this situation, it could have worked just because

spk_0 of what the Bengals want to be, which is it's basically touched down to check down anyways.

spk_0 So it's not a lot of complicated over the middle of the field stuff. They lean into all of those

spk_0 things, which with a guy like Browning, you're just drawn dead at this point with with some of

spk_0 their route concepts and the way these players need to be used. I think with Flacco,

spk_0 you want to you're going to I think it's how to say I think it's going to look a little bit too

spk_0 much like the cults though from last year where it's a lot of shotgun. You know, it's not as much

spk_0 like you're being supported by a strong running game. Like the best of Flacco has been when you've

spk_0 been able to get him under center two years ago, by the way, which he no longer has the legs. I

spk_0 mean, you felt that immediately when Dylan Gabriel, we're going to surprisingly, we are talking

spk_0 about the Browns in this episode. But you felt that immediately in last week's game where just even a

spk_0 quarterback who can move a little bit is going to do wonders for your ground game. I guess the

spk_0 Bengals are looking at this saying, Hey, we don't have a ground game anyway. So who cares? We're

spk_0 just hoping that Joe Flacco can rip it to some of these guys down in the field. But I think because

spk_0 they're so shotgun based, I kind of skeptical that this, this, it's going to look better than

spk_0 Browning, but I'm skeptical that it can be anything super exciting. I don't think it'll be consistent.

spk_0 Like because the run games are not consistent right now, like you say, if they're in the gun,

spk_0 even more like, yeah, the best of Flacco's under center is the best of Flacco is like

spk_0 Instafansky's first offense with Baker under center, good run game, Nick Chubb play action,

spk_0 and then now it's yeah, that Flacco's not going to operate that way. He just takes so long. He's

spk_0 a catapult right now. Just takes so long to get rid of the ball and then the ball flies out.

spk_0 And I think with the Bengals who I know everyone in vision's burrow, and it's just a lot of

spk_0 game getting ball out, getting ball out, some lot of high lows. I think it's more just going to become

spk_0 989, which is two goes on the outside, a middle route in the middle, and just is going to come down

spk_0 a bunch of third downs and a bunch of go balls. Like I that's a, I think last week where they just

spk_0 missed out on a couple of those vertical shots. Actually, the last two weeks, the Broncos game as well.

spk_0 They missed out on those vertical shots where Higgins or Chase are actually winning because they

spk_0 win a lot. And I think they're just like, well, we'll just live and die as see a race to eat explosive

spk_0 passes, even with a like a 36% success rate. Like we can't get worse success rate wise. So

spk_0 might as well try and get some explosives. We always talk about that math. I like trying to get

spk_0 one of those two things where both. So I think that's maybe this what they're going for. It can't

spk_0 get worse. Like at least flackle on the undernates and always make it a little bit exciting. Yeah,

spk_0 the defense stinks. Yeah, that's a moment's last week, but the line's got banged up as well.

spk_0 But man, I yeah, that's interesting. Individient trade is always interesting as well, but I guess,

spk_0 it's also the bangles who kind of just don't operate by norms. This is kind of do what they want to do

spk_0 apparently. So Gibral is fine. I thought that's my day. Got some ball quick. You know, I thought

spk_0 he was fine. And then it's not the run games getting going. No, Shadur's actually relevant. I actually

spk_0 do think there's times to actually talk about Shadur's standards now. So hello there. So I'm sure a

spk_0 lot of producers are very happy across the country. But no, I think they did not need the invitation.

spk_0 It looks like at least on some of the bigger networks did not look like they needed any invitation

spk_0 to that whatsoever. So at least on our show, maybe we'll actually talk about will actually address

spk_0 will actually address him at some point now. But yeah, I mean, I think this is I think it's

spk_0 interesting. I think from a from a from a production standpoint, it truly can't get any worse

spk_0 than what it was in Cincinnati. So this at least helps. I understand it for both teams in the

spk_0 weirdest way I do because it's like, all right, well, we have Gabriel. He's fine. And all right,

spk_0 he checked the box. It's not the easiest defense to go against. All right. What's what's this role

spk_0 with them? See what we got. And then then we can see what we got two first round picks next year.

spk_0 I mean, Jagger was picked not as juicy as it was looking. But we can just move on from that and see

spk_0 what we have with him. See if we have anything with Shadur Sanders. You know, I think that's just

spk_0 how they go about it. And I think but the bangles is just like, we can't get worse. So it's just

spk_0 throws and deep balls shoot off some fireworks. And hopefully we can scrounge together some fun games.

spk_0 Yeah. Also, we're going to preview the Monday night football game.

spk_0 Jack's cheese. But before we do that, make sure to check us out on the Yahoo Sports Network.

spk_0 Our brand new streaming TV channel Yahoo Sports Network is available to stream on leading fast

spk_0 services or on Yahoo Sports dot dot TV. A lot of great stuff coming at you there. From all over

spk_0 Yahoo, got baseball and full swing. You can't tell if my mayor sweatshirt. Hopefully I don't jinx it

spk_0 tonight. But no, let's get into Monday night football. What was a chaotic, entertaining,

spk_0 Monday night game that felt very dovol Jacksonville, Leonard Skinner blaring. I mean, just

spk_0 raucous crowd playing cheese fans though. I would say kind of kind of wrapped up this weird week five.

spk_0 I kept using the word wonky. That's the last time I used that in this entire show. But wacky and

spk_0 crazy and a way that ton of upsets are Ben Fox from here at Yahoo. Had a great little tweet

spk_0 today where he said underdogs when nine and five against the spread and all nine that covered

spk_0 also won their game outright. Yeah, the 49ers Cowboys Panthers Broncos, Bucks, Titans,

spk_0 Commanders, Patriots and Jacks. Couple eight point underdogs there. The chiefs outgained the

spk_0 jacks by over 150 yards. They had a success rate of 68.3%. Mahomes wasn't sacked. They won the

spk_0 turnover battle and they lost. Wow. I actually feel really good about the chiefs offense after this

spk_0 game or at least much better than I did a couple of weeks ago. For short, Smithskins, some touches,

spk_0 the run games really getting going. Those young offense alignment are really getting going. But I do

spk_0 think the Jaguars. Great moments and also some just troughs in this game. Okay. I mean, just

spk_0 capped off by that Trevor Lawrence, stumble, ruski, double, stumble into the score, break three

spk_0 tackles. Matt, what are some of your takeaways from this wild, wild Monday night game?

spk_0 Okay. I've actually, I'm going to flip you, flip this back here and ask you a question because I've

spk_0 been dying to ask you this basically ever since the game ended. What as a Trevor Lawrence

spk_0 backer? And I think we can safely say that you are Trevor Lawrence defender. What did that game

spk_0 feel like to you? Like, I'm not, I don't care. I'm not talking about evaluated. Just emotionally,

spk_0 what did it feel like to you? The, the QB sneak fumble or where you try to jump over the line and

spk_0 didn't score at the, at the goal line. I was like, it was just here we go again. It was the GTA meme.

spk_0 I got here we go again. Red zone turn over Trevor Lawrence. No, overall, it was, it was, it was,

spk_0 it's kind of that right really encapsulated Trevor. Some moments of brilliance, some absolute great

spk_0 ball placements, decisions and then moments where he's maybe trying to do too much, doesn't trust what

spk_0 he's seeing and also just has a, a weird turnover. But again, I, I, I just like the aggression he played

spk_0 with. I mean, he, like even the PI at the end, it's like, yeah, you can see it like you're just

spk_0 cheap and it's gaming up a PI. But that's because he's attacking their end zone. Like, and that's,

spk_0 that's the thing. That's why I like what quarterbacks is like, you know, fortune favors the bold.

spk_0 You get more big plays on top of, you know, you'll have some negative stuff crop up. But like,

spk_0 that's why you get those penalties in key moments because you're pushing the ball. You don't really

spk_0 get PI on a little four yard under routes. You get PI on down the field routes and double breaking

spk_0 routes and in breaking routes. So I just thought that I also thought Trevor with all the pregame

spk_0 operation was actually pretty damn good. I know people were making fun of how long it was taking.

spk_0 That's because the play call is getting so late. And if you notice, this is what the ramps have

spk_0 been doing for a few years with Stafford. And I've been, what couple of offenses are doing right now

spk_0 with some quarterbacks that can handle it. Notice like how many times you'd be under center, they'd

spk_0 kill a play and then you go to shotgun or he'd be in the shotgun and kill a play and they go or

spk_0 alert or can, you know, and they go under center. That's, that takes a lot of words like to,

spk_0 like get that whole play call in or to get to, it's, you're basically getting two separate play calls

spk_0 in and they're already wordy enough. They're already seven, eight, nine, ten word play. So now you

spk_0 get into 20 plus words and the quarterback has to be aware of what they're getting. And so that's why

spk_0 if you don't get that play call in at like 18 or like really 24 or 22 seconds, if you're getting

spk_0 that 16 right before the headset cuts off, you're breaking the huddle at 10 and then you have to

spk_0 kill the play at seven. Like it's just a lot of operation. They're trying to get there. But this is

spk_0 what we've been talking about the jacks. I know I've just kind of explained the whole jack stuff.

spk_0 But it's, but this is what we've been talking to is like, yeah, they've had a legal shifts and

spk_0 everything. But the, this is good process. Like the result of this is going to be great. It's just that

spk_0 you got a lot of young players. You got a guy that's a part-time receiver who's still learning the

spk_0 playbook, but you see his flashes and Travis Hunter. Yeah. I mean, like, some of some people are asking

spk_0 me, they're like, how long should this take? Like, should you get worried? I go, he's behind, he's

spk_0 behind the eight ball a little bit mentally, but it's okay because the juice is worth the squeeze.

spk_0 Like just stick with it. Just ride this out because look at those flashes you see from Travis

spk_0 Hunter. But that's part of this. They have a young offense as far as skill players. So they're

spk_0 trying to do a lot right now and they're trying to work through it. But the results are good most

spk_0 of the time, but there is some chaotic moments. I think to answer your original question that kind of

spk_0 sums up Trevor Lawrence as well. It really does perfectly sum up Trevor Lawrence. It was the

spk_0 most Trevor Lawrence game. I think you could, you could dial up, which is, which is perfect for a

spk_0 Monday night football island game as we always talk about. This is when narratives get made. This is

spk_0 when people truly make evaluations of players when they're not like going back and watching the

spk_0 games. You're just watching it. Island game. This was a, if you're unfamiliar with Trevor, this is

spk_0 mostly what it's like. It's very chaotic. I will definitely admit that I am not emotionally

spk_0 invested in the Jaguars at all. I mean, I, I like Liam Cohen. I like a lot of the players here.

spk_0 And I want this team to be successful. But I'm not, I'm not tied to this at all. I wasn't betting

spk_0 on the game. I have any fantasy riding on or anything. But I was losing my mind when they took

spk_0 that second delay of game penalty. And I'm not, I'm not an animated hard ass guy at all. I'm standing

spk_0 up right over there in front of my TV and going like this, like, come on. Get the step off.

spk_0 Everybody is driving me. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, they're laughing about it in the booth because it's,

spk_0 it's taken so long. So that was, that was definitely driving me crazy. I think it's because it's

spk_0 something we've talked about, like just the operations here and, and, and everything. But I think the,

spk_0 the silver lining there is, this is one team that if you're going to be patient with something,

spk_0 you've really got to, there's so much new here. The coaching staff is all green. It's all new.

spk_0 First time Liam Cohen has called plays and been a head coach. It's the first time Grant Yiddenski

spk_0 has been an offensive coordinator. It's the first time the defensive coordinator has been a defensive

spk_0 system has his obvious warts that I think we can talk about over the long term. Are those ever going

spk_0 to get ironed out? I was encouraged by Trevor Lawrence's scrambling in this game. I believe it

spk_0 was the highest scramble rate he's ever had in his career converted 75% of his, his third down runs

spk_0 into first downs. That's something that I've kind of wanted to see more of from him. And I think

spk_0 he could still be more decisive of let's pull this rip cord and get out of this play. I kind of

spk_0 compared it last night when I was doing my recap on the fantasy show to how Baker may feel to times

spk_0 in his career would always like bail out of the pocket to the right and like always drift to the

spk_0 right when he would get under pressure. And at some point somebody got in his ear and said, hey,

spk_0 buddy, let me pitch you an idea. Rob just run up the freaking gut, you know. So I think that,

spk_0 that like changed, but I think that's like not an exaggeration to say that changed Baker's career

spk_0 to doing that like in responding to pressure in that way. I'd like to see Trevor be more decisive.

spk_0 But I thought this was an encouraging development in that regard, like just getting out there scrambling,

spk_0 like keeping the offense moving because this is such a herky jerky operation, keeping the offense

spk_0 on schedule with his scrambles. That's encouraging. So you've got him kind of adjusting to this.

spk_0 And then you mentioned the Travis Hunter part of it. Like I thought this was the most encouraging

spk_0 game we've seen from him as a two-way player. And I definitely like by a long shot, I will admit to

spk_0 as somebody that is a big fan of Travis Hunter as a receiver, there is there is a part of me that

spk_0 would love to just say like, hey, let's let's just to have him play full-time receiver. I get it.

spk_0 I know a lot of people want to see that. But this is the young man's career. This is what he wants to do.

spk_0 Far be it for me to tell him like what he should do with his career. I thought this was this was

spk_0 the most encouraging you saw from him as a two-way player. But it's going to take a lot of time for him to

spk_0 get on the same page with the offense as long as they do that. So I'm glad you pointed that out

spk_0 that if there was ever a team to be patient with, this is one of those teams that we need to see it.

spk_0 And the fact that they're four and one now, despite needing that patience, that's a really good sign.

spk_0 And the stuff's well designed like this. That's what's so encouraging. Yes, I get the process

spk_0 of stuff and the the pre-snaps stuff takes a while and I understand that. But again,

spk_0 they're getting to good plays. They're getting to the run game makes sense. Like sometimes a guy

spk_0 doesn't execute, but like why they call a play against a certain front makes sense to my football

spk_0 brain to my coaching scheme brain. The passing game, same thing. It's like they're getting

spk_0 explosives. They're attacking over the middle. They're attacking outside. They're throwing go balls.

spk_0 Like the screen game still great. Liam Cohen still good like when to call screens thrown into tight

spk_0 end screens in there in Brent Strange got banged up last night too. I'm happy to mention that.

spk_0 Anton Harrison had a good game. Like it's just like there's just a lot of good here even if it's not

spk_0 perfect and it just kind of feels just a little bit more. I'm generally excited about what I'm seeing.

spk_0 I know I talk about the Jags. It's kind of a lot. And I know it's kind of a bit. But this feels

spk_0 different than anything I saw with the Duck Years in error, which felt so Mickey mouse to me.

spk_0 And then yeah, the Travis Hunter stuff. I'll cap off with that. It just he had a foot cramp,

spk_0 which I thought was funny. He was like, yeah, he has a great play. But you mentioned the two way

spk_0 play there. Like that. This was crystallizing for me. It's like, okay, this can work in this

spk_0 certain way. He had 19 coverage snaps on defense last night. Targeted four times. He'll have two

spk_0 receptions for 26 yards. They have a PBU. And then two of those targets were tight window targets.

spk_0 Chrono Nexion stats. Man coverage. Those 11 snaps. One target zero catches in the PBU. So

spk_0 basically put the day in man coverage for him. And I really do think that yeah, the Jaguars

spk_0 defense has been, I mean, they're really improved. Devon Lloyd looks great. He almost was one of my

spk_0 surprises that we're going to talk about. But yeah, it's there's there's there's just a lot of good

spk_0 happening with this team. Jordan Lewis is having nice nice season. It's just they did they had a

spk_0 great off season. And they're kind of like, even if it's not again, not perfect, the the process

spk_0 is going to lead to some really, really great rewards. I think down the road. And then yeah, also

spk_0 shoddy refereeing holy crap. Got it. I can't let them escape. Yeah. About both sides both sides.

spk_0 Everybody got banged by the officiating in that one for sure. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Everyone got

spk_0 screwed over. And then George Carloft has had a nice game. Chris Jones, not so much. He

spk_0 brought here in like five miles an hour on that last play with Trevor Lawrence. I'm

spk_0 many of people have highlighted. But yeah, no, cool stuff from the Jags. Even though the Chiefs really

spk_0 did put together a really great performance on offense, I'm actually really encouraged with the

spk_0 Chiefs of Showing where she writes should be a nice fun drop in. So really fun game. I was very

spk_0 entertained. I'm glad the Mariners weren't playing. So I can totally focus on it. We are going to take

spk_0 our first break. And then we're going to come back with six surprises that we are sold on through

spk_0 the first five weeks of the NFL season. See you guys on set. All right. We are back, Matt.

spk_0 What is your first surprise that you're sold on to this first chunk of the NFL season? I'm excited

spk_0 for you. I'm excited to talk about this one. Yeah. You and I were joking over text that I think

spk_0 maybe this is playing to the crowd a little bit that this was the first one that I picked here. But

spk_0 I truly and honestly wanted to talk about this. I think this Patriots offense is like a top 10,

spk_0 12-ish type unit in the NFL. They're 10th in yards per play. They're 12th in EPA per play.

spk_0 They're eighth in explosive play rate. They're 17th in success rate. So some of the down to down

spk_0 consistency, I think, especially as been especially early in the season has been a little hit or

spk_0 miss. But the last couple of weeks, I think they've looked a lot better. I really like a lot of what

spk_0 I'm seeing from this unit. Of course, we know Drake May is awesome. We talked about I felt good

spk_0 that we talked about that and had him as the number one second year quarterback. And then he goes

spk_0 out and has that performance on Sunday night. I'm sure you and Charles talked about it on the recap show.

spk_0 Like, yeah, that's one of those five moments he was talking about him last week. And I was like, come

spk_0 on. Just don't do this to me because this is usually when it blows up my face. But yeah, yeah, no, he had a

spk_0 nice game. A thousand percent. He had a nice game. He's just showing just so many promising things

spk_0 from a decision making standpoint. I think there's always a couple that you can point out. But

spk_0 he accesses all levels of the field. He makes off platform throws. And God, I mean, talk about,

spk_0 you know, another thing we discussed last week. And then I talked about this with reception

spk_0 perception last week on my in season charting tracker. Just digs his performance in week three was

spk_0 a real crescendo into what we saw in week five. And I think those guys have an awesome connection.

spk_0 Which really did start to show in week four, particularly against zone coverage. They picked on

spk_0 the Panthers in zone coverage. But then they had two plays in man coverage where digs made these

spk_0 big receptions. One working deep over the middle of the field and the one down the boundary as the

spk_0 isolated receiver or on the outside on the line of scrimmage receiver. That was like, those are

spk_0 the type of things. We're like, okay, if you're going to do that, then we can really have something here.

spk_0 And then obviously in week five, he is targeted on over 50% of his routes. He's been talking over 40%

spk_0 of his routes the last two weeks combined. Stefan digs. And yeah, his chemistry with Drake May is

spk_0 really good. The scramble drill stuff. You know, this is something that obviously digs has a history

spk_0 with Josh Allen. So that part of it is really good. But I think the overall design in the passing

spk_0 game is nice too. I love the way they use the tight ends. I think they create space with a guy like

spk_0 Kashon booty even even if when he's not getting the football, I think he helps kind of create space

spk_0 for this team underneath, which Drake is really good about. All right, if it's not there, I'm going to

spk_0 take something in the short and intermediate area. He's I think he's really good at reading things

spk_0 out. You could tell they're putting a lot on his plate mentally and he is responding to it. Like

spk_0 this isn't some kids glove little offense here. They're putting a lot on his plate from a conceptual

spk_0 standpoint. He's he's he's he's running with it. There's some issues we can talk about in the run

spk_0 game. But I think overall this team looks like it's trending towards the right direction from an

spk_0 offensive standpoint. And I'm really buying what I'm seeing so far. Yeah, I am too. I think that last

spk_0 little sentence there kind of was a perfect like too long didn't read. I totally have bought

spk_0 an instance past game is exactly how you put it. This I mean, really the top 10 passing game.

spk_0 I guess it can be consistent, which they've already shown. Even if it's not like a perfect trio,

spk_0 like digs, hunter, henry and and booty kind of work together in a weird way. Like they're not like

spk_0 no one's an A plus guy, but they kind of compliment each other well. And I kind of yeah, I've kind

spk_0 of been really liking it. You're the connection they have. Like this is I mean, you're always

spk_0 a step on digs number one fan. Like ever since I've known you even before I've known you.

spk_0 I would say you mentioned this last year when he was in Houston. It was like he's still good guys.

spk_0 Like he's still like doing nice things. That's why I want to see him with Nico and I want to see him

spk_0 with tank Dell. I want to see this kind of cook. And even with CJ Stroud, it's like digs has just

spk_0 an incredible spatial awareness like his body control and understanding like, okay, I'm running an

spk_0 out breaking route or an in breaking route. But the ball might not be leading me. The ball might

spk_0 be put put away from a defender. Like you know, as far as like a back shoulder almost on the

spk_0 slant like you saw that little he had like a 30 yard catch and run where you kind of turn back

spk_0 into it. Yeah, he understands space. It's a very it's a gift of some of these athletes have that's

spk_0 really fun to watch. Quarterbacks included. Drake May has this sense of space. Like a lot of the good

spk_0 quarterbacks do too. But so cool to see receivers just understand it as well. I had I this is so random.

spk_0 But like Devante Adams had a moment last week on Thursday night where it was a go ball that was

spk_0 incomplete. But the thing was Devante Adams understood where he was on the field. And it was he

spk_0 stopped himself and reached over like you know, like a Willie May's catch. But the fact that he had

spk_0 the spatial awareness to understand, oh, this go ball not might not be thrown vertically. It might

spk_0 be thrown kind of 45 degrees of where I'm at. And I just mentioned that these guys have this these

spk_0 and then these were special athletes have and it was cool watching digs like he just had so much more

spk_0 burst out of the breaks. Like he's not just catching and falling down and getting it first down,

spk_0 which is kind of how I envision him this year. And yeah, the passing game feels real. It's real.

spk_0 I mean, 13th of DVOA. This offense is right now. And yeah, they in a offensive schedule based

spk_0 by DVOAs 29th. But that means they're still producing even though they've faced a week or schedule.

spk_0 You know, so on top of the stats here say, so I think this is real, especially this passing game.

spk_0 I think they're getting explosives now. I think booties been a very pleasant surprise amongst all

spk_0 players in the NFL, like what he's become just like a solid player, like solid, like just does

spk_0 does some nice things like they trust him with stop routes. They trust him with a stuff, you know,

spk_0 the whole shot that he had like and he's in he's producing is not having any bad moments. Not

spk_0 gone wood. The wrong game has to get sorted out. They're doing some frustrating things to me. Like

spk_0 I just mentioned Hunter Henry. He's another guy that I understand space. They're using him. They

spk_0 used him as a full back at times. And as much as I like Hunter Henry, I'm not ever having him lead block

spk_0 on anybody ever. And they did it like five times. And it's just like, it's always something. It's

spk_0 always something with these offenses. But I agree with you. This has been a very pleasant surprise.

spk_0 I thought this offense would maybe crescendo as the year went along. May this passing game are really,

spk_0 really kind of like cooking right now. And it's pretty cool to see. And then I really face

spk_0 in a bunch of tough defenses in the next couple of weeks either. I wish Travian Henderson was

spk_0 like playing a little bit better. You know, I it's just constant complaints from like he's

spk_0 thank the fantasy heads that he's not he's not. But yeah, you can see it's like he needs to slow

spk_0 down a little bit. And hopefully, hopefully we see more of that. And maybe that again, patience

spk_0 in the second half of the year. Maybe that's something. But you know, there's a reason that

spk_0 reminder is Stevenson keeps fumbling and then Raeville keeps going back to him and and keep saying

spk_0 like we need to stop fumbling because we need his skill set because they do need because I think

spk_0 he's had some nice moments this year as a rusher. But again, we can't just keep putting the

spk_0 the the phone I put in the football on the carpet. And just last point on digs too, I'm glad you

spk_0 pointed this out about like his great hands and like way to attack the football in order to get

spk_0 more out of these plays like I cannot say this enough like younger receivers. There's a reason

spk_0 that guys like digs is producing into 30s keen and Alan is producing in his 30s. Devante Adams

spk_0 producing his 30s like these guys. Yes. Are all like a plus plus plus plus technicians. None of them

spk_0 first round draft picks. None of them like freak athletes or anything like that. It's just like

spk_0 true. Antonio Brown was like this before obviously insert everything. Yeah. There's a

spk_0 there's a reason that these guys are producing into their 30s. Like these are the type of things

spk_0 like that. It's the separation. It's the separation between like good players. It's like some of

spk_0 the stuff that Brian Tom's junior is working through right now. You know, it's it's a separation

spk_0 between like good player elite player. That's why these guys were like the peak of their position

spk_0 and while they're not the same players they used to be. They are still hanging on and being plus

spk_0 plus additions for all three of their football clubs right now when they're yeah like 32, 33 years old.

spk_0 So just stuff that like little nuances that younger players can learn from watching these three guys

spk_0 still do it at the high maybe not the highest level but pretty damn close to it. Yeah. Yeah. No,

spk_0 I could keep going on. But it's it's the understanding of what a football play is or a concept. It's like

spk_0 yeah, it's written like this way or it's drawn up this way but there's ways you have to functionally

spk_0 get there. Like it's not always going to be perfect on this route. It's not the ball is not always

spk_0 going to be exactly thrown in front of you or anything like that. The route's not going to get to

spk_0 six yards. You might get pressed. You might get in and just understanding okay, as long as I get to

spk_0 this spot on time that's successful for us or that can lead to success for us. So then it's a very

spk_0 good point about kind of like which skill sets age well. Moving on to my first surprise and just a

spk_0 team I feel like I have to keep talking about because it's like not great to teeth. I just really

spk_0 enjoy this team right now. This is the Colts offense is a legit top five unit and I think maybe

spk_0 just overall the Colts are a playoff team like that's legit and not just a lucky schedule or lucky

spk_0 breaks but just offensively pick a stat first and success rate second and DVOA second and rushing

spk_0 success rate third and passing success rate sixth and explosive play rate first knee paper play

spk_0 first in yards per play. So whether you like traditional stats or advanced stats or anything in

spk_0 between eye test all of this is just passing with flying colors. Even just the avoidance of negative

spk_0 place has also been a huge part of their kind of success on top of all the stuff that I just listed

spk_0 there first and sac rate allowed there fifth and run stuff to zero or negative yards. So they just

spk_0 it's just positive play after positive play after positive play their first and and drives where

spk_0 they only went three plays and punted less than 10% of their drives which is again they're just staying

spk_0 on the field consistently having good plays and it's funny it's just after years of really liking so

spk_0 much of this Colts personnel and stuff that we joke about like who's fancy relevant who's actually

spk_0 the one who's gonna get playing time who should get the targets there's something to just having a

spk_0 lot of good out there you know even if some of them are B's or B pluses or B minuses there is

spk_0 something to that when you just can operate on time with the designs are good Daniel Jones is

spk_0 playing with so much confidence getting the ball out so quick I'm going in the last week I think

spk_0 the three players just on true drop acts not including screens that we're getting the ball out

spk_0 quickest for my home Stainel Jones and Trevor Lawrence which to me was showing just what kind of

spk_0 with their confidence with the offenses you know just taking out RPOs and screens and stuff so

spk_0 I think he's placing the ball well again he made some mistakes against the Rams where they

spk_0 caught him a couple times but overall he has also had some really good moments against the Rams a

spk_0 couple of weeks ago and then the Raiders they just did whatever they wanted John Taylor is up

spk_0 there for offense player the year through four or five weeks probably him Pukinakua JSN maybe

spk_0 you're the trio look at but Taylor which great the offense line which good I keep in a bad way

spk_0 pointing out Bordellini but he's getting better the center and I think they just have

spk_0 competent players on the offense and Tyler Warren's been great I just keep going on and on and on

spk_0 it's just they're an aggressive team they have good designs I'm digging what I'm seeing and I think

spk_0 I was saying that yeah this can be a top 10 offense or SDR but I'm bumping that up to this is

spk_0 going to be a top five offense top six we'll call it for the rest of the year for this whole season

spk_0 I think it's just a really good operation right now I mean there's there's still scoring on 65

spk_0 percent of their drives which leads the league by a healthy margin and I mean brother the the

spk_0 Raiders defense against this offense there were there were so many just stop stop he's already dead

spk_0 type moments I mean that was just a completely unfair fight this Raiders defense going against

spk_0 this Colts offense which I'm not saying that to say that oh it's it's inflated by playing bad

spk_0 defense because they've played some good defenses too Broncos Rams are tough to play against

spk_0 especially from pressure perspective obviously they're going to put a lot they're going to throw a lot

spk_0 at you so yeah I this I'm the bills are going to catch a stray when I say this so I apologize in

spk_0 advance to bills fans but I'm like the bills are the whole like everybody eats thing is kind of

spk_0 starting to get on my radar a little bit with the bills were like yeah everybody's eating but everybody's

spk_0 eating scraps like because nobody's really that good here I mean like they're all they're

spk_0 they're yeah well they're they're all eating from the buffet ain't nobody getting full okay I'm

spk_0 let me tell you that uh like don't incates having a nice season I like Clio Shakir for what he has

spk_0 I'm a how's big Clio Shakir fan we I think we both are we really like we really like Shakir we are

spk_0 but but I mean like he's in his he's got his like role and then everybody else is just kind of

spk_0 all right fine from like a pass catcher standpoint yeah this offense is like yeah no actually everybody

spk_0 eats in this offense Tyler Warren is awesome Michael Pittman is one of four players with 20 plus

spk_0 targets on first down this year and he's caught a 16 for 156 it's it's it's Pukinakua obviously

spk_0 Jake Ferguson and Dallas it's Michael Pittman it's Justin Jefferson like he's getting intentional

spk_0 quick usage and in his role he's awesome Josh Downs is uh you know probably not where some of the

spk_0 Josh Downs like fantasy bros want him to be but he's been really great like in his particular role

spk_0 Alec Pierce is doing his thing um and obviously the run game is is bad at run games I'm not talking

spk_0 about the run game in Buffalo the run game obviously kicks ass but um Jonathan Taylor is one of the most

spk_0 productive players in the league right now running back so it's like actually this is and everybody

spk_0 eats offense this is what it looks like everybody's used to kind of like they're maximum potential here

spk_0 as opposed to like we're just spreading it out just to spread it out yeah no and I mean

spk_0 yeah Pierce has been banged up with the cacushion and it's like Vady Mitchell just didn't have that

spk_0 fumble would be feeling a lot better about where he's Mitchell is right now you know because

spk_0 some of the other stuff that he had been leading up to that point but so much better and so much

spk_0 more consistent um no it's you're right it's like everybody eats in a good way like everybody's

spk_0 gonna lose a main course and get Mike Pittman's gonna budget touchdowns and get some nice designs

spk_0 like he's become such a high leverage player almost keen in Alanish in a way kind of like just

spk_0 usage like what keen now and it kind of fall into I'm so glad you said that because uh like for

spk_0 years I used to get a ton of crap for saying that their um reception perception profiles were kind

spk_0 of similar and people like they're not even remotely similar at all because because keen and is

spk_0 is like more fluid I think is a player but in terms of where they're used and neither one of

spk_0 the small either Pittman's like a big dude and keen now is bigger bigger than you think um just

spk_0 by being kind of a slot guy so I'm glad you said that there him um Michael Thomas is kind of cut

spk_0 what those saints Michael Thomas was kind of cut from this cloth as well like these bigger guys that

spk_0 separate on these kind of like over the middle routes of course everybody knows that with Michael

spk_0 Thomas so anyway sorry to cut you off but I'm so glad you said that because I'm saying it for years

spk_0 and nobody liked it I hadn't even thought like that's not a note I had that was just literally

spk_0 me rambling right now it's just kind of as I was I was like man you know I'm not thinking some of his

spk_0 catches they are like it's their it's not it's kind of power slotish but it's not it they're not

spk_0 they're big guys that aren't vertical guys like I think everyone thinks oh six four ball winner

spk_0 okay Mike Williams T Higgins those guys but these guys are underneath operators and just you know

spk_0 crossers and slants and glances and stuff like that stuff where they can just be big they're

spk_0 boxing guys out you know so yeah I know that actually makes no sense uh no it's it's it's it's it's

spk_0 real uh I you know it's kind of one of these were it's really nice and encouraging to see like it's

spk_0 like where I'm like okay I swear seconds a good play designer I swear he's a good play designer

spk_0 what happened oh here it is maybe just anti-rigicent didn't have to be in there possibly and also

spk_0 last little thing I know it social media truly doesn't matter in the grand scheme of life

spk_0 Penn State fans keep yelling at me about tower Warren for some reason because I really like cold

spk_0 I had the audacity say I really like Colson love one too tower Warren was like uh

spk_0 13th on my big board overall and I'm trying to figure out what yeah what I did wrong because I

spk_0 really like him but I just like I think a loved one has a lot of ability long term so that

spk_0 that's interesting I know it's going rough with you guys you know lose into UCLA at home

spk_0 yeah that was probably a lot of fun to watch wasn't it with a office coordinator office play

spk_0 car that installed plays for two days just yeah okay but yeah please stop all right moving on

spk_0 beat up on your next surprise instead of worrying about their their college team I like it what

spk_0 what a way to live start looking at some coordinators that you guys want to hire you know

spk_0 I think that's where you guys should be focused on not my tower Warren top 13 players take

spk_0 which is very weird to get after me about uh Matt what's your next one what's your next surprise

spk_0 so far the season that you're buying into uh the Dallas Cowboys offense um I had them as a top 10

spk_0 unit coming into the lead uh into the season and part of that was just the players and you know

spk_0 I thought that was going to be the the biggest part of it I was interested to see with the coaching

spk_0 staff is was going to do but I didn't have like a strong feeling one way or another uh was open

spk_0 to being optimistic I think so far through five weeks I kind of feel like Brian Brian Chottenheim

spk_0 was cooking a little bit uh one as we always got to talk about him whenever you and I get on the

spk_0 mic and especially you you know Clayton Adams obviously is doing a great job in the run game um

spk_0 this stat from at Bobby belt TX uh the cults are running the I see me the cults cheese the Cowboys are

spk_0 running the ball with motion 15% more this season and running out of condensed formations more than

spk_0 40% more so they're up a yard and a half more per carry in both categories as well the rushing game

spk_0 has been excellent um I was writing a piece today about uh top 10 players at each position in fantasy

spk_0 and kind of like the surprises there obviously Javante Williams is one of those just 7.6% of his

spk_0 carries have gone for zero or negative yards which is the lowest rate among top 24 fantasy backs

spk_0 right now so part of that obviously is because this is a really well designed run game and I'm

spk_0 giving Brian Chottenheimer credit for hiring uh for sometimes as a human being as a football coach

spk_0 which is a human being you got you got to you got to know what you don't you got to know what you

spk_0 don't know or and go find someone to help you out with it big shout out to Brian Chottenheimer

spk_0 and his first time as a head coach should not be just hey my my job my offense I'm gonna do

spk_0 I'm gonna do everything instead he's seemingly we know obviously don't know the full inner

spk_0 workings of the building but seemingly is just farmed out a lot of this run game stuff to Clayton

spk_0 Adams and as we've talked about his absence is really being felt in the place that he left so

spk_0 that I think if we're going to talk about Brian Brian Chottenheimer cooking not just from a schematic

spk_0 standpoint but as a leader and as a head coach that's a feather in his cap and then beyond that what's

spk_0 happening in the passing game I think is is really sick uh they they're using motions and shifts more

spk_0 that's great I also think they're leaning in it's this is one of those times where you see a really

spk_0 good balance between veteran quarterback that probably wants things a certain way and and also like

spk_0 hey let's tweak it a little bit so that we can modernize this thing we don't need to go full

spk_0 you know we're motioning just emotion and we're doing play action just to play action it all

spk_0 feels very intentional feels very purposeful um the way that they're using uh George Pickens I

spk_0 think is great as they're yeah mostly just leaving him out as a boundary x receiver and throwing

spk_0 him the routes that he likes but they're also um I feel like attacking based on matchup um you know

spk_0 in in the green bay game I think they they just noticed a maybe a physicality difference between him

spk_0 and the corners that recovering him so we're just going to attack him in man coverage on kind of

spk_0 ISO routes over and over again uh in this game against the jets the play uh not the play but the

spk_0 shot play to him uh that went for the touchdown I thought was really well designed subtle pre-snap

spk_0 motion where they take the full back and put him on the line and then they just ripped that thing

spk_0 to him I thought that was exciting getting role players like Ryan Flournoi activated because that's

spk_0 where the matchup uh I'll take take about him big takes it needs to go because that's how you

spk_0 attack the jets who is not sauce gardener we're just gonna pick on that corner over and over again

spk_0 they did that with Ryan Flournoi you know what I'm saying so I just think this is felt like a really

spk_0 buttoned up offense pretty much like everything that's doing right now and I think that not to give

spk_0 Jerry Jones any credit here but it they took a lot of crap for hiring shot andheimer is it like a

spk_0 very uninspiring hire but I think Nate you could tell me if you think I'm wrong I think you can really

spk_0 feel the years of timing that these two guys have together like shot andheimer and and Dak and how

spk_0 that has benefited everybody here yeah no it's yeah Clay nam's all the past everything you nailed

spk_0 is it's just it's been a really fun watch it's really really sound offense it's like it's

spk_0 teach tape as far as I kind of game planning stuff but yeah no the what you mentioned about the

spk_0 connection or the trust I should say you know that shot andheimer and Dak might have came up on

spk_0 third down a couple times against the jets by the way Chets Run game still good sorry I have to

spk_0 I have to throw that in there like Chets Run game is really good and also like Justin Fields is

spk_0 actually like throwing the ball like fairly well and I'm keeping mine I know the Cowboys defense

spk_0 sticks but I'm keeping my eye at it because I'm like he's playing a lot more confident I just want

spk_0 to just want to keep my eye on that but anyways back to the Cowboys there's two third down says stood

spk_0 out so one was a slant route to to George Pickens everything you mentioned here and talk about

spk_0 already already developing this kind of trust that this why I want to get into between Pickens

spk_0 who I would consider going into this year not a trustworthy player not a player that I'd say I would

spk_0 trust as far as like doing the design properly executing it counting on him for 60 minutes where

spk_0 doesn't lose his mind it's a third down the jets have a blitz look and I've seen Dakprost got to

spk_0 this before and he's one of the few guys that does it still right now actually probably might be

spk_0 on only guy because he operates so traditionally so there's these things called site adjusts and

spk_0 it's old school offensive play and a site adjust is if these certain guys come you have to adjust

spk_0 your route to a slant to an out to a go but it's just there's no signal so it's just like the

spk_0 receiver in the quarterback have to read the same guy at the same time and it's usually just the

spk_0 extra seaver or the tight end that gets a side adjust George Pickens most traditional extra seaver

spk_0 I think we have in the NFL right now he they points out Dak points it out everything pickens

spk_0 the justice routes run a slant safety blitzes boom there's Dak hitting the slant first down

spk_0 and I was I first off was shocked because Dak didn't really like over signal it was I'm like hey

spk_0 George like these guys come in your coat it was just like hey hey you see him right you see him

spk_0 right and he did it and I was like oh my god George Pickens just executed a site adjust

spk_0 that to like in football terms this is like this is 301 this is like that as far as quarterback

spk_0 receiver play and it's I've no Dak can do it but the fact that they're already at that connection

spk_0 and shot and he goes yeah yeah keep doing your third down operation stuff even though you have

spk_0 a backup center in there like oh that's really cool that's always why I'd like Dak I think he's

spk_0 one of the smartest players in the NFL and then there's another third down Jets run Robert they have

spk_0 two crossers and this was I think to fornoi go two crossers and a robber the for obber it's

spk_0 what where obber is the safety lurks down in the middle it's man coverage everybody else and then

spk_0 that safety kind of reads the quarterback eyes but what's happened now modern NFL is that safety looks

spk_0 up the first crosser to kind of take it away because that's the natural answer you know robbers

spk_0 on the inside defenders are going to play with outside leverage so in breakers are good just physics

spk_0 but if you have the robber just decleating the crosser you're not going to throw the crosser so on

spk_0 the play crosser goes safety comes down looks to take his head off and Dak waits in there waits in

spk_0 there Clayton Adams great protection even with a couple backups in there here comes the dig route

spk_0 boom hits the or the overout hits the overout two in breakers advanced cubie play great

spk_0 design great execution by everybody so what I'm saying is yeah I'm with you here Matt like this is

spk_0 awesome stuff so you got the run game stuff you got Dak executing perfectly you got trust in George

spk_0 Pickens and then CD is hopefully coming back soon just really good stuff and really good note on

spk_0 the cadence formation stuff because that's very that's also notable like to the i test as well

spk_0 yeah 100% yeah that's a great point dude like this is all without CD lamb and you know

spk_0 kovati terpins miss time and obviously they've had injuries on the offensive line like that's the

spk_0 mark of good coaching when you how many times when they would lose CD lamb or whatever or he get

spk_0 taken out of games like well that's it like yeah yeah offense is dead it's not that it's actually

spk_0 been great the last couple of weeks which is yeah it's pretty impressive to see yeah yeah sorry

spk_0 thank you for letting me nerd out because it was one of those games I was about to start

spk_0 going to breeze through it I ended up like pulling like 20 clips because I was like oh yeah that's

spk_0 the Jake Ferguson touchdown was awesome it was like a screen design where they pulled they made it

spk_0 look like counter I was like yeah this is awesome and and on top of the run game stuff the use of

spk_0 fullback with a hunter lepki like the run game designs are great javante's executed well yeah it's

spk_0 it's really good stuff I hope the line gets healthy because I want to see this offense at full

spk_0 force and CD on top of that so great shout out here great surprise that I'm buying into because

spk_0 I agree with you I'm buying into this too it's become one of my favorite watches in the NFL

spk_0 all right we're gonna take our last break and then we'll come back with a couple more surprises

spk_0 including bill see you guys in a sec

spk_0 all right we are back this one's one of mine one of my surprises even though I just just

spk_0 goshed about the Cowboys for a good fight this uh this is another NFC East you really are playing

spk_0 into the crowd you're like here here's some catnip Nate here you go here you go clad for

spk_0 I forgot that you're such like a duck um hawk and oh yeah so I got that part of it and

spk_0 I knew about the Clay Adams thing but yeah oh oh this oh my guys is like I even like yeah yeah

spk_0 the couple's alignment too like tower smith when he's healthy is like one of my favorites too yeah

spk_0 yeah like you said it's catnip and patriots you start off the show look at you I'm gonna go with

spk_0 another NFC East team and that's bill and the commanders run game even without Jane Daniels

spk_0 with or without him they said Marcus Maraudi in there who can run a little bit just the run game

spk_0 with the running backs it's really good it's really cool it's really well designed and it's not

spk_0 just me gushing about a run game that ranks 20th and success rate this is number one run game in

spk_0 the NFL in terms of success rate 50.9 percent 50 percent on just running back runs second explosive

spk_0 runs first in yards per rush at 6.2 yards per rush first in rushing yards per game 157 ninth

spk_0 in rushing DVO way they ripped off a big play to Chris Rodriguez last week like so even

spk_0 thus the quote unquote burly back is getting huge plays for them and really Bobby Johnson's

spk_0 the offensive line coach Cliff Kingsbury even in Arizona had a really good run game that I thought

spk_0 was always interesting with James Conner and this has kind of been really cool to see this some

spk_0 next level stuff like and just kind of what they're trying what they're trying to accomplish is

spk_0 making sense it's not just whackiness from like wow that's on sound because you guys are going fat

spk_0 a lot of college offenses like sorry just not to be snooty college offenses for a while it's like

spk_0 which run as many ball plays as possible because the defense will pop so we're not sound but the

spk_0 defense won't be sound too defense is caught up got lot better so running more plays and running

spk_0 more bad plays actually it was not a good thing but right now what commanders are doing they run so

spk_0 much tempo they're able to get to the entire menu of no huddle and they will just do things like

spk_0 this so this was a sequence on their second drive and this is kind of highlight when I talk about

spk_0 this run game they went 13 jumbo three tight ends with the six offense alignment uh transgot

spk_0 they run counter which is polo guard polo tight end but they pulled the six offense alignment which

spk_0 I thought was fun 70 hour game next play 12 personnel very similar formation almost identical 12

spk_0 personnel is two tight ends two receivers they run counter again literally the exact same play

spk_0 literally the same place pulling the guard pulling the tight end goes for 12 yards in the first

spk_0 next play 11 personnel all this is out no huddle by the way 11 personnel they run counter again

spk_0 with McCaffrey Luke McCaffrey pulling this one only goes for one yard so it's not as exciting

spk_0 but they ran the exact same run concept three different times three or three times in a row

spk_0 out of a different personnel grouping every single time all out of no huddle and that stuff is cool

spk_0 to me as a football geek that teams that do that because it's making the uncomplicated or the

spk_0 simple look complicated all we get this motion look at this different personnel grouping we're

spk_0 on the same play so for the players they just if you just draw x's and o's we still get to execute

spk_0 the same exact thing and then it's up to the coaches to put them in good spots and to manipulate

spk_0 the defense and that's exactly what they did against a defense that's pretty stout it's not perfect

spk_0 that chargers defense but still just is able to be very sound um bills touchdowns which might I

spk_0 might highlight this week for video sequence or for a video video series on YouTube um pin pull

spk_0 concepts uh and it was just great again great formation design using 11 personnel and 1 or 12 I'm

spk_0 sorry um the other one was 13 personnel so the use of personnel the use of tempo um all these

spk_0 different types of concepts they're running speed option you know on on third and short just a

spk_0 lot of cool stuff that uses jane danos a little bit but also just traditional runs that don't even

spk_0 have to use his legs so I wanted to give him a shout out they had a good run game last year so

spk_0 it's not a total surprise but this is very real to me and it has a lot more juice because of bill

spk_0 aka jacquari crosskey married but it's so much easier to more fun to call him bill and I'm not

spk_0 talking about bell check so any thoughts on what you've seen from the commanders offense so far mad

spk_0 because I I'm this has been really really cool for me to watch and I I'm really becoming a big fan

spk_0 of cliff kings very NFL 2.0 and I think Bobby Johnson what he's doing with offensive line with

spk_0 layer metonsol josh carnally crisp pull out a nice game just just doing a good job there

spk_0 yeah I wrote up last week um like the top 12 run games in the NFL and uh Washington at the time

spk_0 was fourth in terms of success rate on their running back runs and that was what stood out to me was

spk_0 from like a design perspective uh yes like obviously they take advantage of jaden daniel's

spk_0 legs and which anytime you have a mobile third or quarter back it's gonna help the run game

spk_0 everybody knows that but in this game in particular against the chargers so that was like last

spk_0 week I noted this run game and just how how good it was it's like yeah you know they're splitting

spk_0 it three ways but man if they ever just gave the load to one guy that player would go off and

spk_0 obviously that guy would be bill crosskey merit who did take a step forward over Chris Rodriguez

spk_0 who played only 10 let fewer than 10% of the snaps in this game against the chargers um I did think

spk_0 though heading into it like well I wonder if you know jaden still dealing with that knee injury

spk_0 you know what the run game will look like but yeah I I noted the same thing watching even just

spk_0 watching it on uh on sunday just all the pullers and everything and how they're just getting to

spk_0 the perimeter we're on a lot of these runs and like he's so explosive when he gets to that edge and

spk_0 he just he just can go can bill crosskey merit so um I I think he's really fun to watch he's

spk_0 very explosive and brings this whole different dimension to the run game then guys you can tell

spk_0 you know we talked about this right when in Vegas when they traded Brian Robinson it was like wow

spk_0 they were they could not get rid of Brian Robinson fast enough and I think Brian Robinson is a nice

spk_0 back um he's probably really well suited to the role that he's in now which is Christian McCafferys

spk_0 back up you know the number two back in San Francisco which means you never touch the ball but then when

spk_0 you do touch the ball if he misses time you're probably going to touch it up a jillion times and

spk_0 have a pretty nice game but uh he does he didn't bring any of this level of of juice to the perimeter

spk_0 that bill crosskey merit does so I I I love what I've seen from this run game as well and yeah this

spk_0 is just the cliff king's very special you can pick nits at the passing game design although this

spk_0 here I think the way they've used ebo Samuel has been pretty cool getting him on all of these

spk_0 slots reps playing most more in the slot than he ever has ever um but every year he always throws

spk_0 out a good run game uh does cliff kingsbury this one looks better than ever and like you highlighted

spk_0 luke McCafferys blocking I think it's you you that says this right that whenever you see the receivers

spk_0 you know block like doing that type of stuff you know full over the course of the play like

spk_0 ripping it as a puller uh and blocking like all right these guys are kind of bought in you know

spk_0 McCafferys like a yeah role player for this team but when he's out there he's making the most of his

spk_0 reps uh and I think that that's just indicative of this whole team right now feels very bought in

spk_0 in the run game you can see the results of it he had the the deep ball right before half time right

spk_0 what McCaffer did too and I think he returns for him but yeah no it's that's they're they're doing

spk_0 um cooler stuff with debo then maybe I would have given I should have given more curve at cliff

spk_0 kingsbury with it because he is creative I will say maybe OC cliff kingsbury has found his calling

spk_0 because he can just focus on it and just you know not all the other stuff um is like they had a wild

spk_0 cat play with bill at quarterback chain Daniels at tailback right behind him it was pistol

spk_0 well wow can't obviously and debo samuel is technically in the side cars or you know

spk_0 is almost like a fullback and how they use it was just such great eye candy because it was just like

spk_0 well that's uh on you the running back is at quarterback the receivers at fullback technically

spk_0 and the quarterback is that running back and even if they just and they just ran a simple play I

spk_0 want to say they just ran zone on it and oh no they ran GT counter uh again another counterplay

spk_0 but pulling the guard and tackle on this one and it's just like one of these things where it's just

spk_0 the window dressing because there's as a defender you're like okay what the hell all right uh uh

spk_0 and most defenses when they don't know what you're doing like they're like okay this is weird

spk_0 they're in pony personnel with two tailbacks they're in wildcat what do they do stay simple

spk_0 quarters cover two like just just keep it in front of us so we don't botch this and if you're

spk_0 a good offense that runs a good play or or sound offense boom there's a there's a eight yard gain

spk_0 ten yard gain with again a play that you run a hundred times but the window dressing does a lot so

spk_0 yeah I wanted to give him a shout out because I've just really I've really enjoyed watching

spk_0 that this year even when jay and day knows was heard it was still working um so good stuff there

spk_0 from the washroom commanders what's going on to your last surprise mat what do you have so far you

spk_0 hinted it at the beginning of the show because of some breaking news but what's your last surprise

spk_0 through five weeks this season yeah I would say that the Cleveland Browns who I know are one in four

spk_0 and just lost the Carson Wentz overseas not great but they're far from the most embarrassing

spk_0 product in the league right now um and I think they were treated with kind of the I think because

spk_0 of the clown car quarterback situation yeah the i-roll and I think maybe we were guilty of a

spk_0 two because we we were not joking about the Shadour sander stuff that was not fun in terms of like

spk_0 we got to talk more about the fourth string quarterback here but guess what like now they've cut the

spk_0 fat out of that quarterback room and it is just the two young guys and I'm genuinely interested to

spk_0 see how that goes the rest of the season um you know I think they have some I think I've got some

spk_0 interesting players on offense like they're getting so much out of their rookies even Isaiah Bond who

spk_0 I don't want to like give a lot of flowers to Isaiah Bond and how they acquired him like oh

spk_0 shrewd move now like he signed an undrafted for agent who was who was who was unsigned because he

spk_0 turned himself in on sexual assault allegations set the record for guarantee money to an undrafted

spk_0 for agent on top of that so I'm not I'm not trying to come in here and like give him flowers for

spk_0 this stuff but they are getting a lot out of their rookies obviously Quinchan Judkins another guy

spk_0 with a troubling accusation this offseason as well but but at the same time damn their play their

spk_0 their their run game is fun to watch um and that's with having like kind of a

spk_0 problematic offensive line can we say problematic offensive line I mean yeah it's definitely one that

spk_0 it's problematic but nevertheless like I think Judkins is decisive and explosive I think the

spk_0 designs are pretty good there obviously they've done so much with Harold Fanon who

spk_0 man I mean they got to be itching to just get more and more out of him bro they you could just tell

spk_0 they love him they and he brings so much to the table there from a versatility perspective

spk_0 he's exciting he's so fun he's so fun so fun to watch um if ever I was going to break

spk_0 that I won't chart a tight end rule I might do it for Harold Harold Fanon but he plays such a

spk_0 nebulous role it wouldn't even make any sense so he's fun to watch really really exciting player

spk_0 there they're still getting a decent bit out of David and joku although you wonder if he's maybe

spk_0 a trade deadline candidate and that's just on the offense defensively this unit is just so hard

spk_0 to play against I think every single week teams are going to come in here and play the Cleveland

spk_0 Browns and they're not going to have a good time the past rush gets after we've talked about it

spk_0 they give you almost nothing in the run game they know just no almost no explosive runs they keep

spk_0 things in front of them they play physical man coverage on the back end which certain quarterbacks

spk_0 are obviously going to be able to solve that right um I get it but then at the same time

spk_0 if they're able to put heat on you they're not going to have these big coverage bust down the field

spk_0 because they're in these funky zone coverage or anything like that so I just think this teams

spk_0 tough to play against um they have been their point differential is not great because they have

spk_0 been blown out twice but they got blown out by the more so fully operational version of the Ravens

spk_0 Alliance those teams are going to take it to a lot of other of other operations as well so

spk_0 so against basically everybody else they've been competitive been in these games so they're not good

spk_0 they're they're going to be a bad team they're going to pick high in the draft next year but they're

spk_0 not a total joke they're not embarrassing they're not they're not an avoid team on Sunday right

spk_0 even going back and rewatching they're not a team that's like well I'll just I'll see how especially

spk_0 now that flacco is not in the mix I like flacco great career but I'm I've had about enough of the

spk_0 flacco experience and now we're going to get them instant and he of course but I like now that

spk_0 Gabriel's in there I'm at least just you know more interested in what's going on in the offense uh

spk_0 while the defense is pretty uh pretty electric now I great it's yeah it's worth watching now or

spk_0 rewatching or checking in on as opposed to like all right Raiders defense I'm going to give you a

spk_0 few weeks you know or you know there's some units out there where I'm like yeah I'll see when

spk_0 you have an interesting match up I have to check out um you mentioned the OI think they traded for

spk_0 camera Robinson which is kind of the uh the canary and the coal mine about how your offense

spk_0 alliance situation is yeah but um nope we'll see yeah that's it it's a body uh no agree I mean shoot

spk_0 the rookies ton of fun fan and I really liked I agree juckins on field have really enjoyed

spk_0 watching and I think the run game is getting going um and and Mason Graham has done fine too

spk_0 but Carson Shwesinger Shwesinger has been great oh so far as a rookie really like him he's been

spk_0 even more and I liked he's a guy I mean interviewed him too but I came on late in the draft process

spk_0 where I was like yeah yeah second round grade and then the more I watch him like no this can work

spk_0 because he's so instinctive he's so good in coverage like truly watch like I tweeted at once

spk_0 but just truly watch him in coverage in a UCLA he's running down with receivers 30 yard I think

spk_0 he ran down what was that with that say a bond he ran oh no no it was USC uh as a carriers branch uh

spk_0 he he ran runs down 30 yards down the field and it was just like it's unbelievable he stepped for

spk_0 step for him um they also had another guy Aiden Huntington who's an undrafted free agent uh

spk_0 who is really coming on as a rookie Millie Collins looks great this year absolutely great a

spk_0 defense attack all this year and then I got to give shout to the guy uh because this this defense is

spk_0 first uh in DVOA against the run like so you mentioned like they kind of are slogged or run against

spk_0 so Miles Garrett who of course is one of on the podium at the very least for best defender best

spk_0 non quarterback in the NFL most valuable non quarterback yeah I fell think about think about Miles

spk_0 Garrett always can get after the passer once in a while or he'll have stretches though against the

spk_0 run kind of runs going away from mom I'm getting double teamed here okay you know it's not

spk_0 third down I'll save it for third down he has been awesome against the runs this year getting

spk_0 after it yeah effort and not knocking his effort because his effort's good it's just that you know

spk_0 he knows he's a professional he's smart he got those right where you know where he's gonna get paid

spk_0 off of but the thing is is the other guys maybe give him more juice where he's like oh I got

spk_0 I they have to run at me on this so I looked at some next year and stats stuff because I was like man

spk_0 that it feels high like I always run like stops and run stops so I go run stop is a successful play

spk_0 for the defense on the tackle right now 13 he has 13 run stops his rate of run stops so as far as

spk_0 how many tackles are a stop is at 14.4 percent before this year his average was at 7 percent so he's

spk_0 double his usual rate through four ricks he has 13 already this year he's had years or last

spk_0 year he had 25 total so he's already halfway to that total that he had last year he has seven run

spk_0 stuffs which is a gain of zero yards or a TFL his stuff rate is 7.8 percent he's never cracked

spk_0 he's only cracked 4 percent once his entire career he had 4.6 percent during his defensive play of

spk_0 the year year he has seven this year he had 13 all of that year so already almost double already

spk_0 half what he had his defensive player the year year like his effort is just again not knocking

spk_0 it but it's just like he has become a fully complete best defensive player on a unit that's just

spk_0 kicking ass right now with a bunch of other good players so I just want to give out also because

spk_0 I'm writing awards through a quarter of the season he's my defensive player of the year so I

spk_0 had to get better pull some extra stats for it so the man just I just had to give that a shout out

spk_0 because it's like it's not just the past game stuff which we know about it's there are complete

spk_0 defense right now especially against the run they're probably the toughest team to run on right now

spk_0 yeah lowest yards per game allowed I'm running on rushing plays right now and I think that is

spk_0 like a testament to Garrett you know just because yeah he got paid he's back with the browns he decided

spk_0 to take that money and stick there but he is not phonein it in one bit he is playing his ass off

spk_0 right now and that's been pretty cool to see it has yeah again also want to give Collins that last

spk_0 shout out because Scott he's been awesome too so yeah great defense great shout out there because yeah

spk_0 there's been a lot more embarrassing teams around the week than what the browser put out there

spk_0 another one and four team my last surprise that I'm buying it to it's just the Saints competency

spk_0 that's all I'm saying is just the competent Saints on a team that I thought would be a total joke

spk_0 would be easily going for the number one pick easily get there are competitive I know the

spk_0 CX game happened but you know a lot of stuff happened to that game but it's just been weekend week

spk_0 out they took it to the Giants they were I thought clearly the better team in that game on top of

spk_0 the I mean of course the turnovers help but they forced those turnovers I think offensively they

spk_0 have been like middle of the pack slightly below average they're 19 success right right now but the

spk_0 thing is it's the again I use this term the bones the operation has been good so far like it's like

spk_0 oh this makes sense this is good design for Kalmore and the staff I think Spencer Ratler has been

spk_0 just really way more consistent and efficient as an operator understands where to get rid of the ball

spk_0 they don't get any explosive plays any explosive passes they only have 10 explosive passes so far

spk_0 the week average is 21 they're 30 second in a yak for completion half of the average I know

spk_0 and they're still with no explosive plays 21st and EPA per drop-back so like I just get a few more

spk_0 explosives and that okay you can be in a league average passing game with a fifth round pick in a

spk_0 second year with you know Chris Alave still good just still a little consistent she she eats been

spk_0 like just this three level monster now like like his route they finally got an explosive play to him

spk_0 this past week yes they did and it was 50 I looked it up because they're so impressive from Ratler

spk_0 Ratler throws one of the prettiest balls like his his operation his throwing has zero fat on it

spk_0 it's like should be studied like he truly a dark thrower and he threw that one to she the deep

spk_0 corner 51.7 air yards or air distance from right through it flat footed and I looked it up and

spk_0 dark on his flea flicker that he shorted he was able to hitch up into it through it under 51 yards

spk_0 so that's just a difference a little bit of like tangible arm strength and showing like not you

spk_0 know on top of throwing through a wall just how you can get the access that these guys can get

spk_0 they've been really rough in the red zone so they're 29th in red zone scoring 31st and gold to go

spk_0 which is probably why they're low in points for drives and score percentage and everything but

spk_0 they move the ball consistently they do some cool stuff with no huddle you mentioned she deep ball

spk_0 and then the shadow of the brain and stale in this defense is the effort level is so much better

spk_0 like the tackling is so much better just watch a lot take Taylor and how he plays this year

spk_0 he went from last year where he was a joke and he was on Sean Tucker highlight reels to this year

spk_0 where he was in the slot on a play against the giants and he's trying to write he's fitting up against

spk_0 camp scataboo so tackling his effort it's like defense and basketball or just I guess defense period

spk_0 it's effort so the fact that he's bought in like he's not going like how some media members go

spk_0 ho ho brain and stale he's like he's fitting up on camp scataboo or last year he was like pulling

spk_0 flags you know so I just want to say I'm bought in to what this that's five weeks but what they've

spk_0 shown so far that this is down the road can turn to something really positive and I just think

spk_0 that the process on both sides including ratlers process have been really good so far yeah defensively

spk_0 I'm glad you pointed this out because part of the analysis with the giants has been oh man they have

spk_0 a really brutal schedule but they've got this week five game against the saints they did not play

spk_0 like a defense that was worried to lay down and being easy out for and I know the giants are the

spk_0 giants right now they have truly nothing going on in the in the vertical passing game without

spk_0 Malik neighbors that they were one of the v teams that could not lose their wide receiver one and

spk_0 they did but they do throw a lot at you from a run game perspective they play physically uh dart is

spk_0 obviously an aggressive player camp scataboo is a hammerhead and they were getting that I'm glad you

spk_0 pointed out they're getting after it they were they were playing it yeah truly actually hammerhead

spk_0 like I think his head will be flat by the time I mean he's like the damn um I've been listening to

spk_0 the Jurassic Park audio books he's the uh parasophilous softless one the one with the dome head

spk_0 and just writing yeah yeah like the actual I read though I read as well yeah I love those books

spk_0 yeah I've been listening to them have you finished them have you finished them

spk_0 I just finished literally just literally just finished lost world today so I'm done with both of them

spk_0 oh okay oh okay all right yeah no I'm sorry sorry to interrupt you but yeah I was a big

spk_0 Michael Craig timeline check out timeline I like timeline okay Michael Craig book I like

spk_0 yeah I love audio books I don't watch any movies but I love audio books on my morning walks uh

spk_0 so this is like god can't listen to freaking podcasts enough of podcasts already um as we say on

spk_0 the podcast so we talk about a podcast as we enter our that past the hour mark of our podcast yes

spk_0 yeah right what was I was I talking about oh yeah the dinosaurs with the dome heads the parasophilous

spk_0 softless he that's cams gotta boo he just he just just smacking against the the jeeps you know uh that

spk_0 that's him and they uh really like I said played aggressively on defense I thought that was a great

spk_0 effort by them and yeah offensively I've I've been talking about this saints team is a good bad

spk_0 offense for a while now and rattler is really interesting to me because he just played so

spk_0 efficiently uh I'm glad you pointed at the lack of explosive plays like he's been a productive scrambler

spk_0 we talked about this on the second year quarterback stuff last week um his connection with a lava

spk_0 on quick outbreakers is really nice they do just get nothing over the middle of the field for the

spk_0 most part um there he's like a bottom five quarterback in net yard adjusted yards per attempt to

spk_0 over the middle and I think some of that might be I'm curious what your thoughts on that are like

spk_0 how much of that is a rattler issue versus I like these receivers but none of those guys are really

spk_0 you know pukinakua a mecha booka jaxonsmithagig but I'm on ross ain't brown like go over the middle of

spk_0 the field just by the way if you look at like EPA per target on or EPA generated on throws

spk_0 between the numbers and uh 10 plus area arts it's all like the best receivers in football right now

spk_0 those are that that's where the best receivers in football are winning they don't necessarily have

spk_0 those guys so I think it might be some of a receiver issue too but that's like kind of the next step

spk_0 I think for him if and this offense are they can access that area they go from being yeah a fun

spk_0 bad offense to a team that actually gets really interesting in terms of like what are we building

spk_0 something here as opposed to just treading water for a year you know at Charles and I at our mock

spk_0 we didn't give him a quarterback um turn now and turn remember who did give him pose not a court

spk_0 oh we him Ruben Bane because this was last week when they had the number one pick and and you

spk_0 know gave him a defender and that that was I think too is just like yeah I think rattlers shown

spk_0 enough I I'll say before I talk about the middle of the field stuff he has improved his sac rate

spk_0 which is the number one thing that get it South Carolina but South Carolina's offense line was

spk_0 awful um but he was just getting murdered back there and he's still trying to operate still trying

spk_0 to throw some good stuff but he did have I think it wasn't the biggest guy of throwing over the

spk_0 middle back from college like I don't think that's ever been a huge huge part of like you know

spk_0 how may was or you know some of the other guys in this class who were just one of the chucking

spk_0 over the middle it was more just like when he does he's okay at it but yeah even though Mike

spk_0 right now he's just taking this leads to some of his efficiency so on a lot of high lows if the low

spk_0 is just is open he's just taking it which is good but it's a good process to start but now it's like

spk_0 okay now you can push it all and I get comfortable defenders are gonna start creeping up so I do

spk_0 I agree with you that I do want to see a little bit more of the I mean you don't really want

spk_0 Chris a lot of a running digs and you want Rashid she right kind of running on the outside yeah

spk_0 it's you're right it might be some print like John Johnson is more of like a finessey tight end

spk_0 you know like a big burly boxed out tight end so uh I traded for Devon Valey I know before

spk_0 throwing a pick for that he that I don't know they ran uh they even designed a play for him on

spk_0 third down I was like oh boy you guys are you actually like to island up plays for Valey

spk_0 hey this is where Jayman Polk comes in in in a year Jay that's where that's where Jayman Polk

spk_0 comes in it's all coming together for us all coming together um so I I agree with you though I do

spk_0 think that he's just never gonna be great at it and but I personnel dependent might be the best

spk_0 way I put it um not that he's not willing to because he'll throw some seams he'll throw digs

spk_0 it's just more like no it has to be perfect I I want this to actually be a thing as opposed

spk_0 to something he's hunting like you know like duck hunts those throws like he's like no that's the

spk_0 thing I want to throw um yeah but I I would say the the most important thing with Rattler right now

spk_0 is how few sacks he's taking and the fact that he's getting rid of all so quickly I think that's

spk_0 really really impressive to me or at least I can encouraging to me down the road because that was

spk_0 really a big blemish if I'm especially down well and a lot of actually the big thing with Rattler

spk_0 was off-field stuff and by all accounts is that he's matured greatly and you got humbled

spk_0 big time which happens to a lot of young men including myself but I do think that who among

spk_0 me or not I've been humbled but I do believe Rattler though is just like I don't know he the

spk_0 confidence is is there like he understands what he's trying to accomplish and I replay it I think

spk_0 it's cool to see it really is even if all the results haven't been like overwhelming it's like

spk_0 you said it's like no there's might be something here to build upon Charles and I will be back on

spk_0 Thursday to preview week six the one third mark through the NFL season the 30s as I used to do my

spk_0 awards to call them but now we just do quarter poles and hybrid it that works I'm Nate size

spk_0 you can find me at Nate underscore ties that is Matt Harman where can they find you Matt what are

spk_0 you working on this week and I'll be seeing you tomorrow on the Yahoo fancy forecast show I know

spk_0 that yes and I know you didn't get a chance to talk your sea hawks but I think I want to talk

spk_0 about them tomorrow so okay more playing to the more playing to the crowd yeah well okay you come

spk_0 doing on on on the fantasy show I'm more playing more playing the crowd here I think I want to

spk_0 I want you to talk sea hawks offense because I've got some I've got some thoughts I've got some

spk_0 things to run out there so we'll have that conversation tomorrow and yeah people can find me on

spk_0 social media at Matt Harman underscore BYB if they so choose yeah I had to take break from the

spk_0 sea hawks and they're like top five offense and every metric and their run game rushing deviate

spk_0 they're like first I think in offensive do it because they adjust for the defense I think of that

spk_0 which actually kind of surprised me yeah I know I have sea ox stats ready it's not I know I'm wearing

spk_0 a mayor's gear right now oh no I'm wrong I'm totally wrong about the run game so cancel that

spk_0 16th I'm sorry they're first in passing that's what it was because Sam Donald

spk_0 us oligarchs are just I'm like yeah the oligarchs are for jumping into my pile coins right now

spk_0 that's what I'm doing right now hey you know what my mentions were so quiet the last couple days

spk_0 and I could have not watched any NFL games this week and I knew that my the quarterbacks that

spk_0 everyone goes oh you're you have your favorites it's like well I think these guys are good that's

spk_0 why they must have good games because they that my mentions were very very quiet this week

spk_0 that's a great indicator about how I'm for you so yeah about my 13th overall player on my big

spk_0 board yeah oh yeah I've really hated them but we're closing it out today on football 301 subscribe

spk_0 to us wherever you get your podcasts apples spotify follow us rate us five stars pretty pretty

spk_0 please watch us on youtube on the Yahoo Sports YouTube channel we have the Sunday live shows that I

spk_0 do with Charles all of our great stuff is on there a lot of good stuff with Yahoo Sports all the

spk_0 sports we got basketball we got hockey picking back up I mean football of course we got college

spk_0 football it's it's great thanks to stone Austin Madison behind the scenes for making us look and

spk_0 sound good thank you all for listening see you guys on Thursday

6 NFL surprises we are SOLD on, Joe Flacco to Bengals & HUGE Jags MNF win

Interactive Transcript

Topics Covered

Related Episodes

Europa Universalis 5 Review

Happy Hour 562- She don't know who I is.

Hour 2: Friday Football Forecast

Game Scoop! 832: Our Favorite PS5 & Xbox Games

Share Episode