REShow: Mina Kimes - Hour 2

It's Rich Eisen. Hour number two of the Rich Eisen show is on the air.

Mina Kimes of the Worldwide Leader in Sports is going to be joining us in studio this hour. So much to talk about in the National Football League. Going into a week, Baker's dozen. You'll never believe the top story on the Twitterverse right now involving the National Football League. To kick off hour number two, let's do it.

Let's do it. Because it has been Pylon Russ season. In 2022. It has been. When Russell Wilson arrived in Denver. You know, my AFC West takes have been a little awry this year.

Admittedly. The Las Vegas Raiders nowhere near the top of the standings. Although they're playing very, very, very well right now. Playing very, very well right now.

In the last second of the game. They've won two in a row. So admittedly, I must say that. On the flip side, when everyone's going crazy about the Broncos just add Russ. The JAR just add Russ. I was pumping the brakes on that. I said I need to see it to believe it.

I need to see it to believe it. And then came the schedule comes out and zero chill from the NFL schedulers. Zero chills by throwing him in Seattle and in week one.

And I thought, man. Put put put Russ in Los Angeles. I thought that was going to be the kickoff game for the Rams. You know, you raise the banner, you get the rings and you bring Ross in in his first game as a Denver Bronco on national television. Yes, but against the Rams.

You know, a team that he faced two years, two times a year for all those years. And I think the league might have wished to have reversed it right now because that Rams Broncos game sitting there on Christmas Day in the middle of the day is the proverbial lump of NFL scheduling coal right now. Brutal because that week one game in which Denver went to Seattle. And by the way, that might have been Russ's best game of the year under the circumstances and the way the offense was moving and in the red zone and both running backs who aren't even active right now, one not active, one not even on the team anymore. Fumble inside the five. And that was when we were first introduced to Nathaniel Hackett's coaching readiness, acumen, however you want to put it, when he decided to play for a game winning 90 million yard field goal. Instead of letting Russ cook in his first opportunity back in Seattle, first opportunities at Denver Bronco and then one after another after another. Hit would come on the field of one game where after another in which the offense was stagnant or even worse, looking incompetent is the only word that you could use. Really?

Point blank. You're not wrong. That first game, he had 340 yards and a touchdown and a 101 passer rating. And I thought like, OK, if not for those fumbles, at least we're seeing the offense is going to be good. I mean, he didn't fumble on the goal line.

And then it went off a cliff. Yeah. And prior to that, seeing Russ and the videos that came out of him that the Broncos, I guess, put together of him in front of a green screen and saying Broncos country, let's ride, and then him constantly using those phrases at the podium after games in which the team lost and the offense looked completely anemic. Him standing in the middle of the field and with his eyes closed, twirling around like cream, you know, twirling around. And it has been pile on Ross here.

It really has been. And the record and the record is is absolutely worthy of criticizing any quarterback, doesn't matter who it is, doesn't matter who it is. Three and eight, when you sign for as much money as Russ has signed for.

In Denver. And then you saw and going to three and eight, losing to Carolina on their interim head coach and their third different starting quarterback of the year. Baker Mayfield, then PJ Walker and then Baker again, and now Sam Darnold's ready. And Matt Rule we spoke to yesterday is now the head coach of Nebraska Cornhusker football. I mean, talk about a total dumpster fire of a of a season. They lose to that team. And Mike Purcell, the defensive tackle on the team is just comes off the field and barks at Russ.

And in this day and age, you've got to be careful about that sort of business, right? I mean, Dez Bryant is the perfect example. Dez would be going up and down the sideline and yelling and screaming. I'm like, how disruptive is he?

And then the actual, you know, the actual mic up sound, right? The actual transcript of what he's saying is all trying to get his team going. So you've got to be careful about that sort of stuff. But even Chris Long came on this program and he is a guy who doesn't traffic in the hot taken. And he's a two time defending Super Bowl champion. He's just like, of course, he was angry. He's like, we're talking about how Russ isn't the same Russ and how the contract may be suddenly one of the worst deals in the history of the league. That's what we've been talking about.

This contract is the worst contract maybe in the history of the league you're seeing right now. So, of course, they're angry with Russ and maybe not buying in on it. Why am I bringing this all up right now? Mike Cliss, who covers the Denver sports scene for a very long time, he tweets out about 15 minutes ago, there's been some gossip about Russell Wilson standing in the locker room. Here's some context. Per source, Wilson's wife, Ciara, threw him a birthday party last night and, quote, it looked like about half the team was there on a player's day off.

Why do people have to be so hurtful? Question mark he just puts out there. I mean, the knives are out and we're not even for them. On game 12.

Eleven games in and everything is being parsed. I mean, this is a man who doesn't traffic in this sort of rumor mongering, but he did throw it out there. I mean, that is as rumor mongering as you can possibly get.

And the knives are out. And it's just like, you know, who was the name of the quarterback from draft day? Right. Bo, right. I mean, it's what we're talking about. Like, you know, nobody comes to his bowling party.

Nobody comes to his birthday party. But we're talking 53 people. If you got half, that's 27 people. That's that's a view. If half of your guest list shows up to your party.

But I T.J., T.J., if I'm throwing like I'm the quarterback around here. Right. Yeah. OK.

I'm throwing a birthday party. You don't show up because you got something else to do. You already have something going on. You're out because you on your one day off. I mean.

Action invited you to the barn, you know, going to the barn, though, of course, but if you don't show up, you might have a reason for not showing up. Correct. Yeah. And now suddenly somebody's out there calling up somebody who covers sports TV or whatever and say, you know, not even half of the Rich Eisen show crew is at Rich Eisen's birthday party. Eight.

There's 11 of us. Like there's also grown men who have wives and children, whatever, and they're one off day in the middle of a season. Yeah.

So just come back from Carolina. So they don't want to go to Russ's birthday party. You're kind of proving the point.

That's a lot of people to show up for for a birthday party on your day off. I don't know. I mean, it's written like it's bad, but I don't think that's bad. Somebody is saying that it's bad. Somebody is telling. I mean, look, it's I don't think it's bad. You don't.

I don't know. Well, Chris, you expected all 53 to show up. Like, no, no. But you would have heard like, hey, Russ, through this banging birthday party.

Not everybody can make it. But it was still a great time. No, this is. Yeah.

Nobody came to his birthday party. What are you talking like that? What is Nathaniel Hackett thinking right now?

Do you think. He's thinking, I think that's because you're going to take a look if you take a look at that Purcell video, if it is angry, if he is telling Russ, cut them, you know, whatever. Oh, who knows whatever the transcript of it is.

But it is something that is angry. And I'm talking to him in a manner in which probably no Seattle Seahawks ever spoke to him. Maybe in his entire tenure there. The Purcell statement, soliloquy, whatever it was, one way ticket. Message was said right in front of the head coach, right in front of him.

Look at the video. He doesn't even bat an eye. So maybe it wasn't that bad because he didn't turn around and go, hey, you know, whatever.

Or maybe Nathaniel Hackett's just like, you take care of it. I don't know what the hell is happening there because something's happening in that locker room. And stuff's getting out and being spun and being tweeted.

That is so off the charts. Right now towards Russell Wilson and the Broncos traded so much to get him and spent so much on him. Hey, folks in Denver, hey, locker room around him. He's going nowhere. He needs to be rehabilitated. OK, like he's not 40 and being shoved out the door. He's not somebody who can suddenly get pushed out the door because of whatever's happening in the locker room suddenly is so untenable.

He's going no where because let's just even say let's just even entertain. Let's just talk about this elephant that's clearly in the room that's rampaging all over the place right now. Let's just say and entertain the idea that the Broncos sit around, OK, that they sit down, the brass sits down if they're allowed to stay. The ownership group sits down from the team president to Commissioner Goodle. They all sit down and they go, what a monster, massive mistake this is. Coach has got to go. GM's got to go.

We got to clear this whole damn thing out. Russ has to go. Russ has to let's let's just say they come out of that meeting. Russ has to go. Do you think they're getting anywhere back the value like what would Russ go for in a trade right now with this contract coming off of this performance?

Like a fifth round dude, not even remotely like in the galaxy of what Seattle just got one one pick. So he's going no where. So whoever's whispering about Russ's VIP list or his RSVP list, more specifically, whoever's got that knife out for him. You're just bleed make making him bleed because he ain't bleeding out. Whatever your goal is to try and embarrass him or clown him or whatever.

You might be the one needing to change your address because he's not changing an address. Yeah. So just looking at Russ's contract out, he still has his twenty three salary and twenty four salary and bonuses fully guaranteed. The Broncos really can't get out of this deal until twenty twenty six.

Yeah. He's going nowhere. So you better go to his birthday party if you want to hang out with Denver.

Also, it's a twenty five million dollar house. Wouldn't you want to go see. And by the way, TJ, hold on a second. Sierra is there.

That's my point. Hey, Del Tufo, first of all, let's be honest, the forty ninth through fifty three men on the roster, they get invited to Sierra's party. I am sorry, but no, you're just not getting invited.

Do I? It's next week in a breakdown. Who on the practice squad was there? Only thirty percent of the practice squad showed up. That's how unpopular Russ is in the locker room. You know, he may be looking at the whole team.

Did you blame him for long snappers? Not getting an invite to see the whole the whole business of scream run, scream pass. I'm a leader and all that stuff that a lot of people think is fake or needs to be made fun of a little too much. All of that may be a little bit too much. Great. But that's who he is. Right. Broncos country.

Let's ride. No matter if you've missed on 30 passes, that's who he is. The danger, rough sandwich, all of this stuff. This is who he is. You don't like it. Get out because he's going nowhere.

Whoever is whispering about his RSVP list. Let's call it what it is. They will change the coach, the general manager and the roster before they change him right now. And you're not going to change him and hits to who he is. But what he is is no longer the guy who showed up in week one with those stats.

It's terrible. Not even close. I saw a stat.

He was the thirty third ranked quarterback last week out of only thirty two started people. Well, they can't look. You can't all be Mike White, man. They all can't be Mike White.

Get the fur coat. So, again, whoever's agenda is, is to clown Ross. Guess what? You might be the one with the red nose on. Let's take a break. Mina Kimes is joining us here on the Rich Eisen Show. So much to talk about. I once got invited to Pink's birthday party, speaking to female. You were probably invited to Russ's party. I went roller skating with. No, you were hanging out with me. Well, last night. Or this was Monday night. This is years ago.

I don't know. I went to Pink's last birthday party. Oh, my gosh. Didn't go to Russ's house birthday party on a day off. He must be unpopular. Guess what? We know he's unpopular already. His defensive tackle barked at him.

Or he could have been trying to hype him up. Let's go. Let's take a break. Mina Kimes here on the Rich Eisen Show. That's right.

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This is the story of the original influencer. This is Elizabeth the first. Elizabeth the first the podcast wherever you listen. Back on the Rich Eisen show from ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports and NFL Live and so much more. Mina Kimes is here. So you want to chime in on the Russ story about his birthday gate?

I mean, what's your take on the Broncos? Oh, my God. I know that's a very that's a very large macro way to go about it. But what do you got for me?

Well, first, I want to start with the birthday thing. If we were talking about this before, if even like five people I know come to a party I'm throwing, I'm thrilled. Half of the football team is a lot of people. So that's what I'm saying.

I don't know why people are citing that as though like he's unpopular. I do think we're talking about the football stuff in a second. It feels a little bit like people are piling on Russell Wilson because having followed his career very closely, obviously in Seattle, he's always been the same guy.

He's just not playing now. So it feels like, you know, this is not uncommon in sports. The knives are out once the performance dips, but it kind of bothers me a little bit. The sense of the piling on, I guess. I don't know.

I maybe I'm the softy. I mean, how do you feel about it? Look, if if if the worst is that he is a dork putting on airs or anything like that. OK. You know what I mean? Right. I mean, honestly, at some point it's like we get it. You don't like the guy.

So so what? You know, like the issue is, is his team has signed him to a ton of money because that is that. And well, the issue is if he is unpopular in his own locker room and and the team signed him to a ton of money. Yeah. And the draft choices that they have given up for him are now something that they need to help rebuild, because they are so incredibly valuable based on their incessant losing. That's a problem, certainly if the coach might not be the guy either. So it's it's about rehabilitating Russ's career at this point in time in Denver.

Yeah. They should be skipping George Payton's party, not Russell Wilson's party, because he's the one who did that contract. And look, I I didn't see this much of a decline in performance coming, but the last two years in Seattle were not great. And this was I think we're seeing why the Seahawks were willing to move on from Russell Wilson.

I mean, sure, there's some interpersonal stuff as well. But really, for about a couple of years, you saw some pretty inconsistent performance. I think him forcing the ball downfield, a decline mobility that's all just been turned up to 11 now in Denver. And there are a lot they're married to him because of the contract extension, not just because of what they gave up in the trade. And it does feel like they've got to find a coach who's willing to take the job, which is not that attractive because they are married to him and hope that at least they can get some improvement because it's not been great. Well, you know how it works in the NFL, Mina, that there there's always a coach who says, I can fix that person. There's always that coach. There has to be somebody who looks at Russell Wilson's game and says, I can do something with that. There has to be. And it could be Nathaniel Hackett.

I don't know. I just feel like at this point in time that that whatever is simmering in that locker room. I mean, Mike Purcell barked at Ross, whether it was, you know, one of those that we look up from our couch and say, that looks awful. But he might have been just like, let's go.

Who knows? That was right in front of the coach. It was literally right in front of Nathaniel Hackett.

And so. If this keeps simmering, it has to be on the coach to button it up and tamp it down. Yeah, he seems to not really I don't speculate, but he is most likely to be the scapegoat. I wouldn't say scapegoat because I actually think he deserves a lot of criticism for game management and play calling and whatnot.

But I'll push. I don't think this is an attractive coaching job as well. I know there's always a coach who says I can fix him, especially when there's a young player and a coach thinks, well, he's clay. I could mold him. Russell Wilson's not clay.

He is who he is. And that's why I think I was really confused before the season when there was some, I guess, hope that, OK, he's going to be paired with Nathaniel Hackett. It's going to be a different kind of offense.

We're going to see a different Russ. Russell Wilson plays Russell Wilson football. And a lot of coaches are not drawn to that because he plays outside of structure.

He always has. He's not a very schedule guy. He's not a coachable quarterback. And I have to say, I don't think many coaches, at least many of the more appealing candidates, will be drawn to that job. So if you were a head coach or counseling head coach, you'd say take Carolina first? I would rather. Yeah, I would.

I wouldn't you? I mean, the opportunity to mold a young quarterback. You got some young pieces there across the team. Expectations are fairly low because it's a rebuild.

Mina Kimes here on the Rich Eisen show. So I don't think John Schneider and Carol in their wildest dreams would have thought the first rounder, the first first rounder that they would use on Russ. Well, obviously they used one this past time, but the next first rounder that they would use on Russ would be top five.

I mean, top five. And I know that they've lost two in a row and I saw them in Munich and I was really surprised at the result. After seeing them and interviewing them and now we're bouncing off the walls and we're feeling great and then losing to the Raiders at home. What do you what's your take on on the the Seahawks and the NFC West as it currently stands right now?

You know, with the Seahawks, obviously they've surpassed expectations no matter what. Geno Smith, who I think was on last time I was here, you got him to coin let's work as a phrase. That's right. Let's really take off. Hashtag.

That's something we learned this season that Geno kind of has bars. He has a lot of good catchphrase. What you should also look, Chris, is when is his birthday? We'll check on his RSVP list to see how many Seahawks show up. I've been a lot. He seems really popular.

More? More than Russ's party? He seems really well liked. But yeah, no, the offense, I think is, you know, I don't think Geno's regressed. Obviously, he's had a couple of turnovers in the last couple of weeks, some of which were not his fault.

But I think we've still seen reasonably high level play from him. It's really the defense that's been up and down, which anyone could have predicted coming into the season because there were so many holes. It's a very young defense. There's going to be ups and downs. It looks like they had kind of made some adjustments after about week four or so and improved, especially the run defense. Now you're seeing a bit of a dip. So I think it's going to be, you know, incumbent upon that staff to get that side of the ball back in order, get right opportunity against, of course, a Rams offense that probably won't even have Matthew Stafford. But, you know, they're a wildcard contender. Yes. And I think that's any Seahawks fan should be happy with that.

Well, certainly sign for it going into the season is now we're entering week number 13. Mina Combs from NFL Live. How's your podcast doing as well? It's fun. Yeah, it's good.

We're two times a week now. Mina Combs show. OK, very good. Very good. Everyone should check that out right here on the Rich Eisen Show.

Mina Combs in studio. So who was your Super Bowl prediction going? We had the same one. We did.

So Bills versus the Bucks on on my weekly show on NFL Network game day morning on Thanksgiving. They allowed me a mulligan. I took it.

Oh, yeah. Every Thanksgiving show we're allowed a mulligan from our preseason pick. I took it.

I got off of Bills and Bucks and went on Chiefs and Niners. Just about to say that. Look at this. Wow.

This is this is us. Literally. When you said Mulligan and I was thinking, OK, what's going on? So did you choose the Niners or the Chiefs to win it? Chiefs. Chiefs. I went the other way.

OK, well, I went the other way. I just can't quit. Kyle Shanahan and I can't quit McCaffrey's addition.

Yeah. And then I also love what the defense is doing is if they stay healthy, they can really just take down anybody. And that's the thought I have about getting past the Eagles as well. Jalen Hurts, your reigning Offensive Player of the Week in the NFC, what he just did was just spectacular.

And and he is an MVP candidate for sure. But that's that's where I'm standing right now on that front. I think it's a tough matchup, too, for the Eagles, not just with the defense, but the Eagles weaknesses we've seen over the last few weeks have been stopping the run. So the fact that the Niners and the Cowboys are the two foremost competitors in the NFC is not great for them, even with Jordan Davis coming back. I just this Niners defense.

First of all, this week against Miami. Oh, my God. I know. Like, why is that not in primetime?

It's infuriating to me. As a matter of fact, it is on Sunday night, isn't it? No, no, no.

It's like the afternoon game. Oh, that's right. That's right.

My bad. Golds Cowboys. But I just love watching them so much. The defensive line is just it reminds me a little bit, actually, of the Super Bowl Eagles, where it's just waves of dudes. Every defensive lineman who comes in plays for Chris Kasturk and that defense suddenly has like this rebirth of his career. They get Eric Armstead back hopefully this week. And then behind them, I don't think enough people are talking about the season that Fred Warner is having. Just I mean, he's always been one of the best middle line because football playing out of his mind. So to have him manning the middle of against the field against a Dolphins offense this week that specializes in middle of the field throws.

I mean, you can't ask for a better matchup. Yeah. McDaniel bringing this team.

And it's getting spicy. Have you been following a little bit of the go forward? So I think it was I don't want to miss attribute this, but I think it was where he most dirt who. Oh, that's right. Ty Dunn quoted him saying, be a little bit chippy about leaving San Francisco. And then there's been some chirps back and forth between, you know, he said he hasn't. He hasn't. Now I know what you're picking up on what you're saying.

He said he wasn't being he was sort of backpedaling back a little bit about Jimmy G and all that stuff. It's out. It's out of the cage now. And you're getting you're getting little chippy quotes between both sides. And this is a great matchup. And I don't think anybody saw the the the the Dolphins having the better record. And and and to a looking the way that he's looked going into this game.

Nobody saw that one coming either. It's just such a great styles make fights kind of match up to because these offenses and they share the same DNA. But they've gone in like two totally different directions in terms of yards after the catch in the way that offense and the way the quarterbacks what they're asked to do. And it's just so exciting. So I'll give you the here's a sports talk radio conversation.

We don't we don't have the topic bar at the bottom that you might be used to on ESPN. But the the team that's on the outside, not not a division leader right now. One would say that that has the best chance to make it the Dolphins or the Bengals.

Would you choose right now? Oh, the Dolphins not. Well, they have they have a piece right now. I would go with the Dolphins, although I really love what the Bengals have been doing. The Bengals have the hardest schedule, I think, in the NFL remaining, which is the Chiefs this week.

Yeah, it's going to be really challenging. I really like some of the adjustments they've made. I thought the defense in particular against Tennessee was spectacular. But the Dolphins offense right now is just something new, right? Like you've watched a lot of football. I mean, the combination of those two wide receivers with this scheme and then a quarterback with who has total faith in the scheme and makes those anticipatory throws over the middle of the field.

It just feels like new to me. And I just I think they're about to go into a really difficult stretch. They're going to be tested in a way they haven't been over the last few weeks.

But I just think that combination, that speed, all of it is just so hard to defend. I have the schedules right here. I mean, it gets tough. We've been talking about the six week stretch that Tua will have to finish and the Dolphins will have to finish with. This is where rubber meets road, including three road games in a row. They got San Francisco, then they come down just up the road here to take on the Chargers. That's just been flexed into the latest example of what Denver has wrought that the NBC says, yeah, we'll take the Mahomes game off our schedule. That's now been flexed into a Sunday night game.

And then the Miami Dolphins have got a visit to Buffalo to try and sweep the Buffalo Bills before a Christmas Day game against the Packers at New England, home for the Jets. That's pretty tough. Then you take a look at the Bengals remaining schedule.

I mean, would you say it's tougher? You got at you got home for Kansas City, home for Cleveland, the Battle of Ohio. We all know that Cleveland just absolutely tricked him instead of the treat on on Halloween night. See what I did just there at Tampa at New England, home for Buffalo, home for Baltimore.

It's tough. I think both are playoff teams, though, regardless. And I think whoever makes it through better is the more ready for for for January.

Well, that's what I like. That's what I like about the Bengals is that I feel like they're so battle tested right now, like getting through this this stretch without Jamar Chase. And you've seen the offense really evolve a lot over the course of my podcast this week. You know, the Bengals' struggles against cover to Tampa to the beginning of the season were well documented. Those goal balls just weren't there. The offensive line was struggling. They couldn't get anything going in the run game.

It was also siloed. And you've seen like Joe Burrow and Zach Taylor just kind of like evolve a little bit week to week. And against Tennessee, you saw it wasn't really airing it out against those defensive looks, but he was willing to take what was given to him. It wasn't pressured those that much. And then when the deep shots, the Deacon's opened up the sideline, he took them in the second half.

And I watched that. I was like, oh, man, this Bengals team is actually better than they were last season. They got a little lucky last season with injuries and competition. But this this version, they've kind of been through the fire.

And I think they're going to come out on the other side better. And prior to the Tennessee game, the NFL Network research staff, the crack staff there, came up with a graphic that we put up on the screen on on NFL Game Day morning on Sunday. Is that this Bengals team and last year's Bengal team through 10 games, same record, same points per game that they score? I mean, literally same offensive touchdowns, almost almost the same points per game allowed. They have the same base through 10 games this year as they had last year. So it's entirely possible they can go on that run. And of course, that run last year did start with a home victory against the Chiefs. And that's who they have this week. It is kind of wild how much we're overlooking them. But nobody saw the Dolphins coming. I mean, the AFC, the AFC is somewhat, you could say, wide open.

I mean, it comes here on the Rich Eisen Show. Who is your coach of the year right now? Who would you say is your coach of the year? It's always a weird award because it's often just like who turned around their team the most, who came in with the lowest, which I think is why Brian Dabble was leading for a lot of people. But you can also give it to the coach of who seems to be like have the most impact. And for me, that's probably Mike McDaniel right now. And it goes beyond scheme, although I love watching their offense. Like I am eating every clip that comes out where it's him talking about two or vice versa. I just eat it up, you know, because I think it captures like the other side of coaching, right?

The confidence, the emotional intelligence aspect of it. Do you remember that clip a few years ago of Steve Kerr talking to Steph Curry and just like reassuring him? It's Steph Curry rather. So it's just like, but that was so, I don't know, that really got to me. And when I watch Tua talking about how he thought he sucked until Mike McDaniel came along, if that's not amazing coaching, like what is? Did you hear the one that came out today of him talking about how Mike McDaniel was going to YouTube you and your technique was trash? Did you see that one? No, I haven't seen that yet.

That's a new one from yesterday. Yeah, well, you're referring to my colleague from the NFL Network for so many years now on CBS. Didi Kinkipwala had a sideline report during the Dolphins-Texans game saying that Tua told her and the rest of the broadcast team in their pre-broadcast meeting that Tua said half the time last year, many times he looked in the mirror saying, do I suck? And McDaniel came in and not only told him, by the way, you don't, but he had 700 plays of Tua. He put together a video of 700 Tua snaps to show him why he does not suck. And that's part of the coaching that I think you're bringing to bear right here. And then, you know, I just look, I just love the guy just from his sense of humor aspect. I mean, we gave him three coaching cliches that we wanted him to use in his press conferences this fall. He goes, not only will I do it, I'll do it at the Combine. And then he did it.

So you had fun. So you think to yourself, OK, what's going to happen, though, when adversity hits? How are you going to handle that? Obviously, the whole concussion stuff with Tua was definitely a very difficult period to watch him navigate that and negotiate that. Some of his answers were a little bit lacking, to say the least.

But Tua is now back and that is not an issue that we're either focusing on or is an issue period anymore. I just love his demeanor during the games. The NFL films picked him up, you know, saying to Justin Fields, stop.

That was really funny. You know, when Justin Fields is running all over him, stop. And then he was asked during the press conference the next, you know, a few days later, he's like, well, what were you doing telling him to stop? He goes, I just figured I'd just ask nicely, you know. And it's just like, this is a guy who's taken Don Shula's seat, you know, many times removed.

It really is amazing to see. But then the other thing, too, and for Coach of the Year award, Mina Combs here, is also why wouldn't if Mahomes is the clear MVP, right? Would he be your MVP through 12 weeks? He is, yeah. OK, he's ours, too. We went through the process yesterday with a ranked choice voting and things like that. Oh, wow. He was first place in all three of our ballots here.

Reluctantly. So if Mahomes is the MVP of this league and he is MVP and the part of the reason is, despite Tyreek Hill is gone and look at how the offense still is. I mean, why isn't Andy Reid getting that run? Because he's Andy Reid and he's been he's been there for 20 years and that's it.

TLDR, yes. But I have been I said this on our show a few times. Like, I actually think this is one of Andy Reid's finest seasons as a coach. It's one of his most creative seasons, play calling. Like what the Chiefs do with their use of tight ends now and throwing out a heavy person on running out of it and just constantly dictating to defenses is, to me, so impressive and so hard to stop. And that is Reid and the enemy like it is.

It's so incredible. But I think you're right, because he's been a coach for so long and because we've celebrated him for so long, we're probably going to take it for granted. I mean, coach of the year is, like I said, it's the new guy, right? Pretty much every year. I mean, not always the new guy, but it's the breakout.

Well, Sirianni could be considered that, too, right? I mean, I know that this isn't his first year, but what he has done with this offense and then just he. I didn't know he was so mouthy and chesty, you know, like he talks with his chest and he's like barking at fans. He is chesty, you know, and you could see, you know, I mean, don't read his lips sometimes. And Philly fans dig that. Oh, he dig it.

I mean, I didn't see this. Remember his first press conference in Philadelphia? And we're just like, oh, God, who is this guy? Why was he hired? Can he talk to the media? Oh, yeah, he can. He plays to them, the fan base pretty hard. Does he ever? And Philly fans have eaten it up and why not?

I mean, it hurts. Is that spectacular? OK, so who's on your pod this week? Let's let's give your pod a little run. Yeah, so I have nominee Foxworth now every Tuesday, which is really fun. And this week we picked actually we do a Monday night recap. We talked a bit about Kenny Pickett, how we were impressed by him. He's really good. I was really impressed.

Like you just went higher register, you know, here on the show and you go higher register. You sometimes have to do that to believe what you're saying. So be careful.

Oh, my God. You know, he's pretty good. Like we heard that. But you do believe he's pretty good.

No, you call. You're right. I kind of believe you just nailed it. I backed off that mid take.

You totally got me. I think he's pretty good. That's it. He said the same thing yesterday, though. He's not bad. He's better. He's better than I expected. And most importantly, he's getting the ball quickly, which I didn't think he was going to be able to do. He's getting the reps.

I mean, who else is who else from this rookie class, the quarterback class getting the reps? I got to say, the two gloves still bothers me. Yeah. Kurt Warner was a two glove guy. You got the baby hands. Oh, boy. I don't think he's fumbled a lot, though.

The gloves are sticky. That's why. Well, I mean, you want to talk about a story that's amounted to nothing is his hands size.

We've seen him play in like inclement weather, though. It's December, Rich. Let's keep an eye on that one. Keep an eye on the small hands story from February. That's right.

We're sleeping on the small hands story. All right. So that's what you're talking about on your pod, the minicom show. Do I say it's in the pod center?

Is that the way it goes? Pod center? I always say wherever you get your pods, because I can't say the word pod cast. Yeah. Okay. Is that what it is?

Where you get your pods? I'm in the pod center because I did Schefter's podcast. Yeah. Adam had me on to do the whole Michigan thing. Oh, that's good. All right. You guys have that. I've known I've known him since the late 80s.

Adam Schefter. Oh, yeah. I could tell you stories. But I won't. I won't.

Actually, you never know. Thank you for coming on, Mina. This is delightful once again, just like the last time you were here.

And keep looking for my phone call, if you don't mind. Chiefs Niners. That's it. We're going to revisit that. Okay. So you took the Chiefs.

I took the Niners. It's the kiss of death, actually, with these two. That's a problem. We cancel each other out, and it's going to be Bill's Bucks anyway. I don't know.

I was going to say, you should have stuck with Bill's Bucks. Come on. I hear cowboys get mentioned in there. You know.

What is your thought? I register. I register our cowboys. You got one more segment?

I'm high on the cowboys. Yeah. Okay. Let's take one more break. She said that how I registered. I'm high on them.

No, I'm high on them. She's just like, no, I can stay. I got to get out of here. We'll talk about the cowboys when we come right back. Hour number three on the other side, Patrick Peterson of the Vikings will join us.

Playing so well. The World Tournament of Soccer happening in Qatar is finally here. And with all the weird kickoff times and all the other sports happening simultaneously, it can be kind of hard to keep up. So to make sure you're up to speed, be sure to listen to Qatar Kickaround for the daily wrap up of all the action from the tournament. From the group stage all the way to the final, Andy, Lars and Peter are here for you with recaps and opinions of what happened that day in Qatar. Everything can be found at the kickaround.com, the Cumulus podcast channel on YouTube, or wherever you listen.

I guess a bonus segment here with Mina Combs. Kind enough to stick around here to talk Dallas Cowboys. TJ Jefferson was wondering where the Cowboys stand in your pecking order.

They stand where? I would have them in the top five with the Niners and the Eagles. I actually think all three of those teams are pretty equal, honestly.

And I think they're equal because I talked about this earlier. I don't think the Cowboys are a good match up for the Eagles this next time around. We talk a lot about the Eagles running game and obviously the quarterback and what he does for them and how great that offensive line is. The Cowboys arguably have the second best rushing attack in the NFL. I'm a big Pollard guy.

Huge. But you know when Zeke was out and Pollard had that big game, you also saw the other back at running backs just going off. The offensive line, the way the scheme has evolved a little bit, Kellen Moore and how he has approached the run, it's really, really hard to stop. Especially since Tyron Smith's injury was supposed to be the end of it. And it wasn't.

It hasn't been. I thought the offensive line was going to be such an issue for the Cowboys at the beginning of the season and it has not been an issue at all. And one would think Micah Parsons who says, call me a lion. If he is the lion, with Matt Ryan standing back there, it could be a National Geographic documentary.

Oh my God, I forgot. Oh God, that Colts offensive line against the Cowboys pass rush. And Matt, you know, God bless watching him try to escape. How the hell did the Raiders let him run for 40 yards? What the hell was that about? Yeah, 20 yard run on Monday.

I don't even want to talk about it. Well, it should have needed to be 21 before he dove, right? That's one of the tape. I forgot that the Raiders linebacker was watching that. I'm like, oh, you can't be in a meeting room that week watching Matt Ryan. Watching that lion go, I mean, it's like 20 yards is enough, but then it's just he keeps running. It's like, is somebody going to tackle this guy?

He looked like the yodeler on on on on Price is Right, just slowly going up and just keep on yodeling. I think you can beat him, Rich. You probably. Yeah, that's this.

Thank you very much. I appreciate that. It sounds like it's just a brutal matchup for.

Oh, yeah. And the Cowboys. I mean, the Cowboys defense, like we talk a lot about Micah Parsons, but I they're probably one of my favorite units to watch every week because Dan Quinn varies up the game plan. I mean, what they do in terms of disguise on the back end, their simulated pressures on the front end, the games that they run.

It's really creative, which, by the way, I didn't think Dan Quinn was going to make this kind of evolution at this point in his career. It's so fun to watch. I feel like the only thing holding people back from believing in the Cowboys is that they're the Cowboys. Mm hmm. Well, I mean, nuts in the bolts of the team and you start looking at the matchups. They're so good.

And they match up. Oh, wow. With so many of the other teams, the NFC. Well, the reason why you offended TJ is he's still when you think of the Cowboys, he still thinks of the 90s and the rest of the United States years back. I know. But that's why, you know, again, the way that the season ended last year is is still something that just screams at you.

But we haven't seen a lot of those moments this year at all. That needed that last year, just like Jordan had to get beat up by the Pistons to take the net. Really? He needed that. That time clock management. Wow. Did the Niners not shake their hands at the end?

Is that what it was? Well, you know, I just hope that he uses that to elevate him to the next level. It's something I got to believe in, man.

Just to help me. Do you believe it? Do you believe in Dak Mina? Because was it was Sean McCoy or whoever was going after him on Twitter saying he wasn't the guy?

Yeah, no, I do. I think he's playing really good football right now. Every now and then he kind of forces it a little bit, which he shouldn't like this offense again is so everything the pieces around him are so good and we'll see if they sign O.B.J. But he doesn't need to force some of those throws. Now, I will say a lot of the interceptions this year have not been his fault, actually.

It's been the receivers in certain cases. But he's playing at a really high level right now. And I do believe in him. The practice window for James Washington just opened up, too. So there's some there are some there are some reinforcements, potentially even Odell, too. Look, the reason why Dak, by the way, Shady is a flamethrower in his in his media business. I know he's a hot taker that that the whole idea was just like when Dak comes back, Cooper Russ just showed you the offense doesn't need to have a 400 yard passing game, doesn't need to.

And he hasn't delivered it and he hasn't forced it either. Yeah. But he also can run. I mean. That's huge.

Yeah. I have no concerns about Dak Prescott. That was a huge issue for him last year. If you're a Cowboys fan, you might have had the same frustration watching him that I did, which was it felt like when he came back from the injury, he wouldn't take off at times. We had those opportunities.

They weren't using him in the boot game as much in the option game because he can run. You're right. And I feel like that's something that the Cowboys could tap into even more.

Yeah, culture. So that will be huge because we're assuming that this is a win for the Cowboys and the Eagles have to, as Mike Vrabel famously said on this program, take your heart pills and buckle up. That's going to be just a Donnybrook man. The AJ Brown Bowl coming up between the Eagles and Tennessee. So if this is a Tennessee victory, that means the Cowboys get that one game closer that they need before that Christmas rematch that you're saying is a worse matchup for Philadelphia this time around. It's such a good game.

It is. Week 13 is quite scrumptious and it starts on Thursday night with the Bills going out at Buffalo versus Belichick. Can't wait. Thanks for coming on here, Mina Combs. Thanks for having me. Anytime. Absolutely. Hour number three, we will talk about Christian Pulisic and his, if you will, fortitude. And then Patrick Peterson of the Vikings and my power rankings coming up here in hour number three.