I didn't think the pain from the shingles rash would affect simple everyday tasks like bathing, getting dressed, or even walking around. I was wrong. Though not everyone at risk will develop it, 99% of people over the age of 50 already have the virus that causes shingles, and it could reactivate at any time. I developed it and the blistering rash lasted for weeks. Don't learn the hard way.
like I did. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist today. Sponsored by GSK. It is time for Overreaction Monday with a week 17 that topped a week 16, that topped a week 15, that we thought could not be topped. The last month of this NFL season has been off the hook.
Rich Eisen, along with Chris Brockman. Good to see you, Christopher.
So much to talk about. There are. I can't believe it. 16 regular season games left. That is it.
And a handful still to be decided. We don't know. what we just saw, including a Sunday night game that is the new game of the year.
So I don't know what's on your piece of paper. As always, week seventeen, with the exception of Rams. at Falcons in the books, but based on what we saw. All the way up until this game, the Rams no longer have a shot at their division or the one seed. They will be starting the playoffs on the road, regardless about.
Monday Night Football's result. Are you ready, sir? Let's do it. Hit it. That was terrible.
That was crap. That was garbage. This place sucks. Overreaction. Mondays.
Monday. All right, Christopher, what do you have over there? I'm going to start with Sunday Night Football. At one point, man, that game, so many points, I was like, what is the record for points in a game? Because it felt like it was kind of on that pace.
Ultimately, San Francisco holds on. And the 49ers should be the favorites to win the NFC. Um I'll still call this an overreaction. It's so wide open. On NFL game day morning, on Sunday morning, our crack producing staff.
Came up with a great idea in advance of New Year's Eve where I had one of those confetti machines that you pop, you twist it and it pops and then the confetti flies. And uh each of my colleagues came up and explained why their team that they've been assigned could be the Cinderella of the upcoming playoffs and going on to winning it all. Jaguars, Texans, just keep naming one team. Bears. You could also choose in the AFC.
The Patriots just keep going on and on and on and on with teams that you think could. coming into the season didn't have any chance. And if I agreed with them, I would pop the confetti and add six tubes. I popped all six of them. Yeah, right.
Honestly, this is the most wide open playoff field I've ever seen. Even. Listen, I know the Steelers looked terrible in Cleveland, okay? And I'm sure you have something on your piece of paper about this.
Next.
Okay, so I won't go. all in on this right now. But the way that they looked in Cleveland, DK Metcalf being out for the final two games of the year, might cost them. Um I mean, it's a team game, but the bottom line is him not being there could cost them not making the playoffs. Would have been nice to have him on the goal line fade.
All I'm saying is, even that team that looked so bad in a sport that we do week to week, snap judgments, thus, Overreaction Monday exists. That team could go on a run. The Ravens beating the Steelers could go on a run. And that's at the extreme level. Any team that's currently in the playoff field, and that also includes the Green Bay Packers, who could get Jordan Love back and maybe somehow, someway, another week of no activity, even though he keeps suiting up in Josh Jacobs.
The seven seeds. Have, as always, the least shot of going on a run. Do they want Jordan Love back? Great one. Good overreaction Monday subject, knee-jerk reaction right there.
That said. This is the most wide open field. You've got to think the Bears We saw how it all came down to literally the last snap and maybe the last, what would you say? 36 feet. of of this game.
It came down to this. And 100% the Bears can go on and win it all. The Eagles could go on and win it all. The Rams could go on and win it all. The Seahawks.
Then that's just for starters.
So to win the NFC They have, it seems like the best shot where they don't have to play a road game until 2026, right now. Right. And it all would start with This upcoming Saturday night, if they beat the Seahawks at home, which they 100% can do. And then they don't have to pack a bag for the rest of the year until it's time to take a family vacation. And for them, hopefully, after a parade for the first time in three decades in Northern California for a football team.
So I'll just call this an overreaction. The Niners have been superb. They just keep losing one significant player after another. They lose Trent Williams on the opening pick snap of the game. That's unbelievable.
And they still were able to win and not have it affect Brock Purdy all the way until the final drives of the game when finally Booker got around the end and forced a throw from Purdy. prematurely. to the effect of The end of the day. This is an overreaction. What else you got over there?
Love their offense. Love the way Brock Purdy's playing. What do you got over there? Schedule is shaping up to be fantastic week 18. Love the two Saturday games.
So does the SPN, I'm sure. Oh, I guarantee that. And, of course, Sunday night football. Of course, it was going to be Steelers, Ravens. Why wouldn't it be Rich Eisen?
The losing head coach of Steelers-Ravens won't be back in 2026. That is still an overreaction to. That's still an overreaction. It is going to sting if the Steelers do not make it. It is going to the stat that Steelers fans are sick and tired of hearing.
more than ever. uh would ring hollow of hey At least it was a winning season. Hey, Mike Tommy, Mike Tommy's never had a losing season. This one would particularly hurt because they win three in a row to set themselves up to go into Cleveland, win that game, and week 18 doesn't even matter anymore. Doesn't matter that DK Metcalf is suspended.
Doesn't matter that TJ Watt is still not back from. An errant needle that was, that still is something that really hasn't been talked about. But this man keeps everything in-house, Mike Tomlin, and he does. You know, block out the noise better than most human beings I've ever seen in their jobs. And we will see what happens in week 18.
I just find it hard to believe it would be a big seismic shift for the Steelers to move on. Again, from everything that I am hearing. And the same thing in Baltimore as well. Steve Baschati would be. I'd be more concerned if I'm John Harbaugh at this point.
Steve Basciotti would have to be one really pissed-off individual to start pulling apart at the seams an organization that just keeps churning out. Winning teams and Super Bowl opportunities. Listen, it's no surprise. Not Super Bowl appearances, though. It's no surprise, sir.
that after Everybody, including us on the flagship show before we went off. on our holiday uh walkabout for a few days last week. Was talking about how the Ravens mysteriously, somehow, someway, did not utilize Derrick Henry in the final 12 minutes of that. Lost to the New England Patriots that set the Ravens up on the precipice heading to Green Bay. Everybody heard it.
Even John Harbaugh was like, Yeah, I don't even know what the heck that was, to paraphrase. And then they hand it to him thirty-six times. on Saturday night. For 216 yards and four touchdowns. And we love doing that segment on our show of.
What were they really thinking? John Harbaugh, I'm sure, wanted to step up to the podium and go, Listen, I'm no dumbass, okay? I know what to do coaching football games, and I know. There's a lot of second-guessers out there. I'm even second-guessing myself how that slipped through the cracks.
But how does 36 carries for 216 and four touchdowns sound to you? And Put it right on Derrick Henry. You know, and two game balls. Right. Two on Saturday.
Why not? He deserved every game ball. He deserved every football that was in the vicinity of Green Bay, Wisconsin.
So, I will call this an overreaction. Whoever loses, it's going to particularly sting, and I think for the Steelers more than the Ravens. And let's get Lamar back. Let's get Lamar back. Do you need Lamar?
Yes, you need Lamar. You need everybody on deck. Everybody on deck. And Lamar coming back and making the playoffs and having a home playoff game. Against the the uh Texans most likely.
Because I think the Jaguars will beat the Titans at home and win their division. And it doesn't matter what Houston does against Indianapolis in week 18, the Texans coming in is going to be. Uh That's the ultimate, you don't want to face this team in the playoffs type of team.
Okay.
So it's. Or Steelers, Texans. I would sit here and think that you would say whoever wins is getting one and done in the playoffs. That would not be an overreaction.
Well, I said that a few weeks ago. I know. Oh, got it. You don't want to recycle. I don't want to double up.
I understand. You want to be fresh. Fresh. Who are you picking? In this one?
Yeah. Early thoughts? I don't know. My early thoughts would be the Ravens. Mm-hmm.
I did not like the way that the entire offense of the Steelers was. Um, did you buy a note? It was Rogers Rogers trying to back shoulder throw his way down the field. What are you tuned to what Miles Garrett said that they were uh trying to stop him more than they were supposed to be? Stay tuned to the flagship show, sir.
It's an interesting stay tuned to the flagship show because it sure did look that way, it did, but At the end of the day. Not giving up a sack to Miles Garrett is part of a game plan that any team would have going into a game against Miles Garrett. I don't think it's just like, you know what? Let's make sure we don't get the sack here. Let's lose the football game instead.
That was a little extreme, but... What else you got over there? One team gave up five to Miles Garrett and still won. This just in receiving word. Oh, Drake May just threw another touchdown.
The Patriots are the most likable, great team heading into the playoffs this year. What the hell does this even mean? Why are we even wasting our time on likability? What does that mean, likable, great team?
Well, for 20 years, for 20 years, they were the most hated team in the NFL. Then another team took that mental, and now what is there not to like about? The Patriots right now. What's not to like about Jacksonville? What's not to like about what one team is relevant and the other team is Jacksonville?
Oh my gosh. You just literally said those words, huh? What is one team relevant? I mean, I'll end up in a video, sure. But, like, look, one team, one team is the greatest dynasty we've ever seen, and gate this and gate that, and nobody likes to coach.
I'm happy. And for you now, it's the complete opposite. I'm happy. Everything is likable about them. I don't know how to do it.
Except every syllable out of your mouth over the last 40 seconds. What do you mean? What does that even mean? The Bengal's wife that does cooking videos. Let me step in.
The coach has a mustache. Like, what are you doing? Let me step in here. Let me just step in here and say if this is what you're looking for, I'll give you the verbal hug that you might be looking for here. I'm very happy for you.
I'm happy for my wife. I'm happy for my youngest son. I'm happy for my in-laws. I'm happy for anybody that I know from the New England area that went through. Yeah.
Very long years of not being that good. After 20 years of being so great, I feel so bad that you went maybe even half a decade with no hope. That's so terrible for so many franchises that just go maybe decade after decade after decade of stepping on their own Johnsons. And you get to have this. It's not our fault.
You get to have this. You get to have a guy who I think is now in the running with Liam Cohen and with Kyle Shanahan for coach of the year and Mike Vrabel. Mike Vrabel is incredibly likable. I love the way he goes about his business. I love his no-nonsense ways.
I love his ways now of having a nice velvet touch with his players. I love that he quiets the male reporters who begin to. Ask their questions before a female reporter is done having her time in questioning. Everything about them is likeable. He's awesomely likable.
I couldn't be happier for the Kraft family that it looks like Bob is going to get in the Hall of Fame and their team could actually be in the Super Bowl the day after or two days after Kraft gets his night at the honors in San Francisco, the NFL honors. I'm happy for Drake May. I'm happy. I could go down the list of all the likable people. Or his wife, Bake May.
Bake May and Drake, Drake May, May. I get it. I get it. I get it. I get it.
Denver fans think their team is incredibly likable. Jacksonville fans think their team is incredibly likable. Junu's incredibly likable. I just hung out with a lot of Texans. D'Miko Ryans is incredibly likable.
So is, by the way, C. J. Stroud. CJ Stroud is incredibly likable. Will Anderson is incredibly likable.
These teams all had expectations coming out of the world. Why are we spending any time on this? Other than the fact that congratulations. That's your team. Your team is coming out of nowhere.
And would you care to guess? The w the number. of teams. that the Patriots have right now. In going 13-3, beaten with a winning record.
I know that it's one. That's correct.
So great.
So what?
So keep doing what you're doing before you start talking about how likable you are. The game was over in the first quarter yesterday. It was actually, you're not, you're off on that. The game was over when the Patriots woke up. And got on a bus and went to the stadium against a team that is quitting.
100%. Other teams are losing at home. I got it, dude. Your team's incredible and can win the Super Bowl, but to sit here and say they're the most likable team or they're like, I don't even know why we're spending this much time on you. I mean, what else?
Okay, great. Keep going. Great. Good lord. Great.
Didn't go great for Buffalo yesterday on Sunday, Rich Eisen. And the Bills, they've maxed out with Sean McDermott. He's coaching for his job in the playoffs. I disagree in that regard as well. I don't agree with his decision to go for two.
That's what I didn't understand. Oh, really? Why? Come on. Jalen Hurts didn't have a completed pass in the second half.
Josh Allen could barely move. Which is why you wanted him but you want him to play overtime now? Because yeah, because what you can do is Absolutely, you had a better chance to win that game rather than going for two with one play left to go on the two-yard line. Oh, man. Josh Allen couldn't move.
He scored. He was doing well enough and. My gosh, they got to this point in time, and all they needed to do is kick the extra point. Go ahead and figure out who's getting the ball first. Doesn't matter.
The Eagles weren't getting a first down on them. Any I mean, the stats that I could read you about how lucky the Eagles were to emerge with the win based on what they did in the second half. That's been the whole season for them. And yet, the Bills had an opportunity to kick the extra point, go into overtime. And Tell the Eagles good luck trying to put something together against us, and we'll march down the field on you and kick a field goal.
If they win the toss, they get it second, they figure out what they need to do. Get the Eagles off the field, and the Eagles were 100% ready to play a punt game in overtime because they couldn't do a thing. That was my opinion. I could not believe they went for two. And I was saying it before I saw that Josh Allen didn't complete it.
But this guy's not coaching for his job. I think Buffalo fans are kind of sick of what's going on here. They had a five-year window with the Patriots being a bottom dweller. And what did they get out of it? Zero Super Bowl appearances.
I love that. You're missing out on Josh Allen's peak here. I am 100%. Understanding. The frustration level for both.
Those fans should be out of their mind frustrating. Yet, let me ask you this question, Chris. You'll be fine with the Bills strolling into New England and wild card weekend. Not worried.
Okay.
Josh Allen is going to be West Stan. He's injured right now.
Well, I I'll I'll say this. Um maybe they should sit him for this week against the Jets. I would advise that. Because they're in the playoffs and they probably don't need him to beat the Jets. Right now right now, I I don't think they're concerned about going to New England either.
Because they just went there. And I'll just say this one last thing. One last thing on this subject matter. Because, you know, fingers of blame are going to come out. If I'm the Pagula family, I just keep.
Why would you take a coach? Out of this mix, or the general manager out of this mix, that keeps putting a product on the field. Certainly, when you're going into your next stadium, that has a chance to win and win the Super Bowl. I understand that the idea is to win the Super Bowl, period, end of story. And in order to do that, I don't think you start from scratch with a new head coach, number one.
And then, number two, what I would do is. I don't know. Um because I do love the general manager. Can we get Josh Allen?
Some extra help at wide receiver. Can we go ahead and say, you know what? Shakir is good, but as a one, Not so much. Right. Can we go ahead and say we're not going to go shopping in the Filenes basement after we s we what Filenes Basement, you like that reference?
After we take big swings in and trade deadline and come up empty because they're they're too big a swing. And then we're going to go ahead and say Brandon Cooks, who, by the way, still had 100 yards receiving. He had a great game. Hey, Josh, that's your guy. James Cook is going to lead the league in rushing this year.
Let's go. Stack the weapons here. Let's get some extra help for Josh Allen. They did it well enough to get James Cook under contract. But this season is not over yet.
I'll just call this an overreaction for the moment and ask you to move on. Baden a thousand so far. All right, let's uh let's let's have an uncomfortable conversation, Rich Eisen. Oh, we haven't had one yet? Uh, no, this was just a warm-up for this one.
Okay, uh, it did not go well this season for one of well, both of your Super Bowl picks, honestly, but uh, Detroit in particular. Either Goff or Campbell have to go for the Lions to get over the hump in the NFC. You know how I'm going to react to these sorts of things. I do, but I want the topic out there because it's going to be a conversation this offseason.
So what w How about this? The Detroit Lions need to do two things: one of which is out of their control, one of which is in their control. Stay healthy. That's the one that's out of their control. They have to go find whatever football god.
uh had Honolulu blue pee in In the cornflakes, okay? Because I've never seen over the last two years a defense, certainly on the back end. get eviscerated by the injury bug. Non-stop. Non-stop.
And Your you know depth is tested And I understand I'm saying this. As something that needs to be fixed for the Lions, while the 49ers lose Bosa and Warner. and Kittle for a quarter of the season and Purdy for half the season. Um just to name four off the top of my head, and they're in line to be a one seed. Ha having having a A last place schedule also helps.
Sure. The Lions have gotta somehow, someway get out of that injury bug vortex. I get a riptide. But the other one that they need to do, they gotta hit the hell out of that the line play again. They gotta get better on the offensive line.
They gotta get healthier and better on the offensive line and get healthier and better on the defensive line as well. Just get. And hit the trenches again because that is the way that they can win football games. And I don't know if you know, in the self-scout, Dan Campbell as the call as the play caller is the answer. And find themselves a guy as close to Ben Johnson as you possibly can get, some young, innovative mind that can let Campbell be the CEO of the situation.
Again, I'm just sitting here and looking at results. I'm playing results. is what I'm doing. And to see how at the end of the day, That week two 50 burger on Ben Johnson was the hey, see what we can do around here? We can still score 50, we can still beat.
Teams up, including you in your new spot in Chicago with your quarterback and your whole offensive guru mentality and also your. your uh reputation. And then at the end of the day, it's like, boy, did they miss Ben Johnson? Yeah. Felt like some high watermark.
I will call this an overreaction.
Okay.
They're going to go into 2026 with Goff 100%. Dan Campbell's going nowhere. Hit the line. and have some sort of a seance. To tell the football gods, stop taking away our defenders.
All right, three more, and we'll finish up. This team's not a playoff team, but I do want to talk about it because. Their rookie quarterback is Ballin. Tywa Shuck's going to win rookie of the year and have the Saints over 500 next year. You know what?
The the rookie of the year Is 100% in play. I was talking about this with friends and Um With Coop, you know, with a bunch of folks, because I'm beginning to gather my thoughts. I have to put in my votes for these awards. By the end of next week, football, by January 5th, I think. And So I'm looking at an offensive rookie of the year.
Meka Abuka had it wrapped up. A third of the way of the season, and then the final two-thirds of the season hit. I think, unfortunately, for him, he's out of the running. Ashton Genti had a highly unsatisfying season. Even though his numbers end up being pretty good, he just went higher register.
Yeah. Okay, but he's not offensive rookie of the year. No, he is not. Um you go looking around and saw what Jackson Dart did to start. And now he's having a nice little finish.
but the middle parts where he got hurt Um maybe that's his fault. Maybe it's not his fault. I I I don't know if it can be You can look at him and say that's the offensive rookie of the year. Cam Ward had a nice season in basic anonymity. That's true.
And you could say the same thing for Tyler Schuck. Not enough people are talking about this right now, what he's been doing. 300 yards again on Saturday. And, you know, first rookie quarterback in Saints history to have a win. First rookie quarterback in Saints history to have a 300-yard game.
First one in Saints. uh rookie quarterback history to do it in back-to-back games. I mean He is setting a standard for a rookie quarterback in a spot where they've never really seen it. Um But having them over 500 next season is a tall order. But seeing the worst of first that's happening and seeing how Eight and nine might win this division.
Right. And also, on top of it, You know, we just talked about the lions on this pod here. The Lions and the Vikings have the same record right now, eight and eight. The Vikings might finish above 500.
So, I'll say this is not an overreaction right now. Certainly, when you could see. Um how Shuck has performed. And Kellen Moore, um, in his second year there with Shuck should be able to affect. Um some wins.
and affect some yards and affect some some positive results for the Saints. Olave and the whole business, they could draft a little bit better too. Yeah, I look at this Saints team as having a nice 2026. Yeah, when you think about Saints fans, probably didn't want them to spend the draft capital on a quarterback, maybe see what Rattlers got this year. Shucks end up, I'm going to go, I just want to say that.
Just when I register again. He's been good, man. You know, a veteran quarterback who played a lot of foot college football comes in, and he's putting up some nice numbers. I got one last one for you. I think he's going to take this down.
Three quarterbacks since the merger have had back-to-back, 300-yard or better passing games with no interceptions. Their names are Joe Burrow and Dak Prescott, and now Tyler Shuck. Hey, man, I remember when he zoomed with us prior to the draft, he's like, because I think he's 26 years old. Yeah, yeah. He makes Brandon Whedon look like a young buck.
Sure. You know, like he's. Yeah, I just dropped it. He said, I'm the most pro-ready quarterback, not just in terms of age, but in terms of experience. I've been hurt.
I've been bounced around. I've swapped teams. I've had different coaches, different coordinators. And that is the experience of a professional player in many different ways.
So, kudos to him. I think this is definitely on the mark. Saints fans should be excited, and they haven't been able to feel that way for a while. All right, two more. Saturday, Malik Willis came in.
Did a good job. Didn't get the win, but he's playing well now so much. There's conversations like, oh, should he play over Jordan Lowe? That's crazy. Let me just say how crazy that is.
That is not what I'm my overreaction. Backup quarterbacks who do the job are doing their job. That's it. That's really it. I understand we all want to see the replication of Tom Brady.
Where, oh, he comes in, he gets the job, and he becomes an all-time great. You know, like I. I understand that. I mean, look at look at Brock Purdy, what he's doing. right now.
Then uh When Mac Jones did what he did, it's just like, why do you even need Brock Purdy? Because Purdy can take it to the next level. Jordan Love can potentially do that.
Now, Malik Willis might be able to do that in his next spot if that's where you're going right now. Yeah, Rich, he's going to be the next Baker or Darnold. He's going to be starting somewhere next year. I think that's without a doubt. And I think he's going to get paid.
And I'll tell you one spot that should take him. You want me to tell you right now? Jets. No. Really?
The Jets aren't prepared to just go ahead and they're not prepared. They don't have. They don't have the weapons that Green Bay has. They don't have all those young receivers and an offensive line and a running game, despite Brees Hall having the first 1,000-yard rushing season since Chris Ivory. But he's potentially going to walk to the Jets have to pay him.
They're not equipped. They're in full rebuild mode. Right now. Um, he's got to go into a spot. If I'm him, I need to find a spot where the coaching staff is going to be there and that the weapons are, you know, there ish and building.
and also a spot that I might be potentially familiar with. And I don't know what their plans are going to be after Sunday night. If they make the playoffs or not, I think the Steelers should go from a. I think the Steelers and Malik Willis in the mesh point run game action. Um and and get him there.
That would be a, and just finally go and get a young kid. and get going with it. Get going. This is no Justin Fields. He can throw it.
And he's got a great way about him. Not to saying that Justin Fields isn't. I shouldn't, I guess, throw another guy under the bus while I'm praising another. But that he's going to have his choices. He made himself some money Saturday night.
Sure did. He was terrific. I mean, he was his tight spirals and him running and him, you know, fighting through injury, he showed exactly what a quarterback needs to do in a big-time football game that has massive playoff implications for a lot. Um So You know, he is going to make some coin and he's going to go somewhere else. And I think this is 100%.
Um, going to be on the minds of a ton of teams, especially since he can't, he's not going to command the 40, 50 million bucks a year either, unless his agent can really strike up. No, I mean, that three for 100 that Sam Darnold's on seems pretty good. Why wouldn't another team go ahead and do that? I thought you might say Miami might be a good spot. That's possible.
That's a good one, too. Seems like two is although Quinn Ewers looked pretty damn good. Got a victory. And he might be the guy coming to New England next to spoil the likable party. Hey.
The liking party. I don't know why you're down on them. I don't know. I'll just send you some heart emojis. He's down.
That would be nice. Not down on the liking party. That'd be a change. Nobody wants to come out and listen to another person. Person, talk about how likable their team is.
They just don't want to hear it. Or more likable than yours. You know what that makes you unlikeable, less likable. Just giving you a little life hint and tip here, Chris, as we go out the door. Just saying.
You got the last one over here? All right, last one. You saw this team personally. I did which one of the two on Saturday. Great job on the call.
I appreciate you saying that. Chargers. Not everyone agreed. Don't read the comments. Thank you.
Which I'm going to do later. This is not going to go well for you, honestly. They will Jacksonville. They're touchy. They're touchy.
By the way, and I picked them to win the division. I was the only one of the group to pick them to win to be exactly where they are right now. You know what that makes you? Likeable. More likable.
More likable. I'm big in Duval. I go to Duval every year. What is going on? The Chargers are the player.
The Chargers are the playoff team with the most concerns heading into January. Um. I don't know. I think whoever wins the South And whoever wins the North. I I think NFC South, AFC North.
Even though I just named two, yes, AFC North and NFC South. Um I'm sorry, I didn't give you the conferences because they are the only divisions that are kind of up for grabs.
Well, I mean, the West is up for grabs, too. In the NFC.
So let me just. But you're not concerned about that. Let me just say, let me just say, I'm more concerned about the Ravens. Chart uh Steelers Bucks Panthers winning a playoff game, even though they're at home than I am about the Chargers. That's a really really tough team, the Chargers.
The tough thing though that is for them to overcome is Their lack of a left tackle right now. I mean, Herbert's getting his butt kicked every week. Dude, the Chargers started someone at left tackle on Saturday who hadn't played left tackle in three years, and then they had to bench him for the person that they started him over. They put the benched guy in the game after benching the guy who started in his place because he just wasn't equipped to handle Daniil Hunter and handle Will Anderson. I don't know who he is, by the way.
I'll be honest with you on that front. Um All I kept thinking Watching that Chargers team make mistakes, too. They could have won this game after all of it, which is why I'm less concerned about Sherman's Pro Bowl and then misses two kicks, which he really hasn't done all season. That's correct.
Aronde Gadson, who was a revelatory tight end as a rookie, had one go off his hands for an easy pick just as the Chargers were trying to change momentum and get the ball to start the second half as well. And after they had that awful pick happen to them in the red zone, they wound up and picked off CJ Stratto at only one interception in the previous four games. They picked him off twice.
So this Chargers defense is really good. And this offense is really good because that quarterback is incredible. He's unbelievable. He is, but banged up. Questions about the receiver.
So, yes, I understand that. I'm saying. That I'm watching this game, and I was thinking about it afterwards, too, because. You know, I just can't let go. I can't quit football.
What would the Chargers look like if Rashawn Slater? Was it left tackle and Joe Alt? Was it right tackle? Sure. You could obviously play that game for so many other teams.
What would the Niners look like if they had both in front of Warner? Right. Right? will still be in line for the one seater, maybe already have it in their back pocket. I just keep thinking of myself.
If this guy is protected with Omarion Hampton and Keenan and Ladidi and Quentin Johnston. They're a Super Bowl team. They can't protect Herbert.
So, yes, I have concerns for them going into. Into January, big time. I think they're going to wind up maybe being the seventh seed in the AFC. Um and you're gonna see him. Because I think the Bills, even without Josh Allen, are going to beat the Jets in their final home game.
I think, I mean, I know the Bills are going to wanna rest Josh Allen. But I don't think they're going to sit Josh Allen and have him have an earbutton in the final home game at Highline. I think Patriots fans, if they don't get the one seed, want to see the Chargers. I will just warn you on that. I'll give you a big fat warning.
on that one. Jim bringing this team east to west. If you're playing if the options are Houston, Buffalo, or you'd rather take on the team that is having trouble protecting the quarterback. Right. But.
still the quarterback under immense duress. has been superb. We Zoomed with Jim Harbaugh. The Tuesday before the game, okay? And it was his birthday, by the way.
Yeah, on December 23rd, two days before Christmas. We Zoomed with him and asked him about. Herbert. And of course he he he gushed. Like he he spoke for 10 straight minutes.
about Herbert. And so I'm not telling you tales out of school, but within a span of those 10 minutes, a 45-second span, he equated Justin Herbert to Ethan Hunt. Mission Impossible about how he does things that only Ethan Hunt can do. And then said that game he just had in Dallas the week before, where they had three touchdowns to start the game in three drives. He had 300 yards passing and also ran one in as well.
He said that was like Pablo Picasso painting. Oh, wow. And then at one point, talking about how with his left hand, he. Stiff arm somebody when his hand was broken. Before in the game in which it was broken, he was stiff arming somebody with his broken hand.
He said he was half man, half beast. And we had a conversation afterwards as a broadcast team. Yeah. So it was Ethan Hunt, Picasso, half man, half beast. Halfman.
Half-beast. Right. So I said to the production team: I said, we have to have a graphic of all three on the screen when we talk about Harbaugh's love for Herbert. And the staff chose a minotaur. I would have chosen a centaur.
Okay, so what they chose was the beast's head on a man's body. Yeah, I would have went. I would have been man on top of the horse. The horse, that's a centaur. Did you know that?
Right. Okay, so I'm just teaching all these things in advance of your wild card playoff game because I think. Ethan Hunt, Picasso, Centaur, I think so. Yeah, it feels like. And if not, it's going to be the Bills.
Oh, well, if they beat Denver, then.
Well, I mean, we'll see what happens in that game because Denver needs to win that in order to get the one seed.
So it means something for Denver. And every game means something for the Chargers. It just does. That's just the way Jim coaches. It's the way that they are.
I have less concerns about them than I do. Two teams that are going to have home playoff teams. That's how good the Chargers are. And I'm going to warn you on that front and warn everybody else looking down the camera of my one-shot on the TV version of this pod. That You you overlook the Chargers at your peril in the wild card round.
But man, do they have a weakness protecting their quarterback right now? Significantly so.
So I understand what you're saying. I'm calling that an overreaction to wrap it up. Oh, yeah.
Okay.
So good stuff, Christopher. Thank you so much. Come back. Yep. Same to you.
Same to you. We're on the air Monday, Tuesday, Friday of New Year's Week. We're going to take off New Year's Eve Day and New Year's Day, and then come back for Friday to set you up for that. Massive week 18. Love it.
Yep. So Kurt Warner's on the Monday flagship show to break down everything from week 17. No contest wrestling comes your way as well next week.
So good to see you, Christopher. For Chris, I'm Rich. Overreaction Monday, week 17 version. Peace out.
