After Hours with Amy Lawrence PODCAST: Hour 4

How's your mental health?

I'm listening with Katie Perry. There's a lot of natural tools to be able to use to combat depression and anxiety. You know, I do things like meditation and conversation with other friends. We've all had to face a lot of things. I do believe that you can get through it.

It's not always easy, but you can. More at I'mListening.org. Talk saves lives. How's your mental health? I'm listening with Charlie Puth. I just surround myself with my family.

And if you don't really have a big family, just surround yourself with some of your closest friends. It's pretty amazing how other people can lift one up just from their energy alone. Mental health in general is not to be looked down upon. It's a very serious thing, and it's important that your mind is healthy just as much as your body physically is healthy. More at I'mListening.org. Talk saves lives. It is a morning with a lot of questions for the Miami Dolphins and their coaching staff, as well as the medical staff, and we're going to get to all of that.

But most importantly, on this Friday morning, we have an update on the status of Tua Tangaoloa. After a scary hit, after he was thrown down to the ground, and clearly right away it was obvious because of the fact that he couldn't stretch out his fingers. They looked like cramps into these awkward positions. And because he was laying there on the ground and unable to get up and move around, and all of the football world saw it. Not only was it scary to his teammates and his coaches who crowded around him for almost ten minutes there on the field, but at the same time, Amazon Prime was showing the replays and showing the impact on Tua, and he was then taken off the field on a stretcher. So it was a nationally televised game, and we all had the opportunity to see it, but in the wake of what happened last week in Buffalo, when he fell to the ground, he was pushed by Matt Milano, he fell to the ground, his head seemingly snapped back.

And when he stood up, he was wobbly. The questions persist, was Tua cleared to play legally? Was Tua in danger by being on the field, not just in the second half against the Bills, but also against the Bengals last night? So most importantly is the update on his health.

We've got that here in moments. In fact, we got it straight from Cincinnati with a Dolphins reporter who spoke to Tua. But in addition, we've got Mike McDaniel answering the questions and getting somewhat defensive about the idea that he would put his franchise quarterback in danger, or that he would put any player in danger.

It's after hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. We're live from the Rocket Mortgage Studios. Whether you're looking to purchase a new home or refinance yours, Rocket Mortgage can help you get there.

For home loan solutions that fit your life, Rocket can. Just before the top of the hour, we were talking about the potential high-profile matchups of the week. Now, certainly this was one of them, Miami being at Cincinnati, the home of the reigning AFC champions, and it was a game that really took a backseat to Tua's injury. But yes, the Bengals won, and Joe Burrow is getting cleaner and cleaner in that pocket behind the newly-built Bengals offensive line, newly-rebuilt Bengals offensive line. So that's a pretty important matchup in the AFC when you're considering the first month of the season now. Can you believe that? The end of this weekend will be one month through the season.

Stop it. We've got four other games that you can vote for as the after-hours game of the week. We don't include the Thursday games. I don't know the last time we had Jacksonville involved in any of these potential options, but the Jaguars are looking like a dark horse upstart team in the AFC South. In fact, they're leading the AFC South.

Which is cool. Jaguars at the Eagles, who are now the only remaining undefeated team in the NFL. Will they get through week four unscathed? The Bills at the Ravens. Bills are coming off a loss from last weekend, and Buffalo in that heat, in that humidity, some of the Bills players have indicated they were never that tired, they were never that exhausted, more exhausted than they were after playing in South Florida last weekend.

And there's that photo. I kind of feel like it's going to be a meme. Do you think so, Producer J, of Josh Allen with his head resting on the shoulder of Tua Tango Baloa?

Everything becomes a meme nowadays. It does, but it's one of those moments where poor Josh Allen looks spent and Tua was there to comfort him. So the Bills trying to get back on the winning track on the road at the Baltimore Ravens, who are coming off a game in which Lamar Jackson had five more touchdowns. How about the Kansas City Chiefs at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Kansas City and Tampa Bay will play in Florida, so the game did not end up getting moved with the consultation and the approval of local authorities in Tampa.

The Buccaneers will be hosting that game at Raymond James Stadium. And I appreciate what Tom Brady had to say about the fact that having a football game there actually can do, it can do wonders, it can be an uplifting opportunity for an area that was so hard hit by Hurricane Ian. I always feel like sports has brought people together over a long period of time, you know, and, you know, watching different adversities, whether that was 9-11, whether that was Katrina. Sports has an amazing way of kind of healing wounds and bringing people together and bringing communities together. I think any time you can participate in things like that, it's a great feeling.

And, you know, I know it means a lot for us to have the opportunity to go out and play for our fans always. But, you know, after what so many people have gone through in the state, you know, it's great to go out there and give them something to cheer about. Even now, first responders from across the United States are traveling to the Sunshine State to aid in the cleanup, the recovery.

There are still a lot of people who are unaccounted for. At last count, I believe it was 10 deaths in the state of Florida, and they are still looking for people, again, who have not been accounted for. And so Florida is beginning its rescue and recovery efforts at the same time that Ian has been recategorized as a hurricane. So it was downgraded to a tropical storm. Now it's back to a hurricane and is bearing down on the Georgia Carolina coast. So that northeast part of Georgia, but really South Carolina bracing for a hit. North Carolina has already been declared a state of emergency after watching the aftermath on the Gulf Coast of Florida and seeing the photos. Even now, the Outer Banks is getting that wind and the rain, the area around Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

And so that Category 1 hurricane is right now approaching the South Carolina coast to make landfall for a second time. So they will play the football game, and I appreciate what Tom Brady has to say, that sports do have the power to heal. I'll confess I don't often understand it, but I've seen it.

We've seen it. Other examples would be after Hurricane Harvey in the Houston area and the Astros go out and win the World Series, their first in franchise history. How about following the Boston Marathon bombing and the Red Sox later that year win the World Series. So there are countless examples of how sports somehow bring us together and maybe give us a reason to smile, give us a reason to cheer for a moment. It really is uncanny the way that sports not only unify, but also have the power to heal, even if just for a moment, for an evening. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. So you can vote in our poll on Twitter, After Hours CBS, or on my Twitter, and then also on our Facebook page.

It's going to be a long cleanup process. And so the people of Florida, if they want to enjoy a football game, you certainly understand why that might be a sweet distraction and an opportunity to kind of let go and have some relief for a little bit. Around the rest of the country, getting set for what will be week four, and so we'll do a little more preview through the eyes of the defense coming up.

But I promised you the update on two a time go below us. So before we talk about the game between the Bengals and the Dolphins, this was the moment with about six minutes to go in the second quarter. Most remains the running back play-action to roll to his left stops. Open, he's open Joe. He's going to be sacked back in his own territory at the 47-yard line.

Two is down. He got body slammed. He got thrown down, and they're coming out right now. Jimmy had time to get rid of it. Instead, he gets thrown down hard, and he's not getting up.

Oh, boy. I think a lot of people struggled. I know me personally that if I didn't have a job to do for the organization and the rest of the players, and I didn't have that obligation in my mind, I would have tapped it. It's not something that is comfortable for anybody. It was not a situation that you want for any of your players or your team in general.

It's some scary stuff. I'm just glad that it worked out. Mike McDaniel almost at a loss for words following the game to talk about that moment and the impact. And according to our Dolphins reporter from WSVN, Josh Moser, who was in the stadium, he said that humongous crowd, and it was the largest crowd ever to watch a Bengals game, went completely silent. That it was ominous and it was mortifying, and people were staring with their jaws open in horror, worrying about Tua. The good news was that he had movement in his extremities right away, and he was taken to the hospital, a level one trauma center in the Cincinnati area, and they treated him and released him. So Josh was on the show with us in the first hour, and I asked him for the very latest on Tua. The best news of the night, Tua was able to come back to the stadium after being released from the hospital.

I saw him and spoke to him. He was wearing scrubs and a neck brace. He was choking. He was his jovial self, so it looks like he appeared to be very, very normal. Luckily, his parents were here at the game to watch him live, so they were able to get to the hospital, be there with him, and Tua was able to fly back with the team on the team plane, was able to kiss his mom and his dad goodbye before he got onto that flight.

So it appears as of now, Tua is okay from a normal person's perspective. Now it's just a question of when will he pass protocols and be ready to play football again. You get a little bit of a mini bye week here for the Dolphins.

They've got the Jets coming up in week five at their place. Does he remember what happened? Did he say anything about getting sacked? He did not. It was very brief, just kind of, hey, just make sure you're good, and that was it. There was no official media. They were kind of just telling everyone to stay away, was able to sneak in for a quick hello, and that was it.

Josh Moser giving us the update on after hours during the first few minutes of our show, and again, this is what he said. I saw Tua. I spoke to him. He was wearing scrubs and a neck brace. He was choking.

He was his jovial self. Tua was able to fly back with the team on the team plane. He was able to kiss his mom and his dad goodbye before he got on that flight. As it turns out, Tua's parents were there in Cincinnati for the game, so they went to the hospital with Tua, and then when he returned to the stadium, he was released from the hospital. He was wearing a neck brace. His parents were with him.

I can imagine that was a great comfort to him because he's very tight with his parents, but also a great comfort to his parents that they were there and weren't watching this and waiting for updates from somewhere else in the country. One more piece of information that Moser shared with us later in the conversation is that they had to cut off Tua's uniform and then his equipment because they didn't want to move him. They needed to keep him stationary until they could figure out what was wrong and evaluate him, and so in order to get him out of his uniform and his equipment, they cut it off of him, which is why he was in scrubs, according to Josh. That whole conversation with Josh, and there's more information in there, the reaction of his teammates like Jalen Waddle, who played with him at Alabama, Tyreek Hill, who was clearly and visibly shaken up, that conversation is on our podcast already.

After hours, AmyLawrence.com is where you can find it. So the questions will persist now. Why was Tua even on the field? Going back to last week against the Bills, he got pushed to the ground by Matt Milano, his head appeared to smack back onto the ground behind him, and then when he stood up, took a couple steps and was wobbly and almost fell to the ground, if not for a couple of his teammates who not only caught him, but held him up.

And he did eventually walk to the locker room late in the second half against Buffalo, under his own power, and he was out there to start the second half of the game against the Bills last week. We heard from the Dolphins, including Mike McDaniel, over the last few days that it was a back injury. Tua himself told us it was a back injury. In fact, Tua, earlier in the week, was the one who was telling us that he was fine. I felt like I hyper-extended my back or something. And then on the next play, I kind of hit my back and kind of, you know, kind of hurt, and then I got up and then that's kind of like why I stumbled, my back kind of locked up on me.

But for the most part, you know, I'm good. So that was Tua Tangaveloa in the days after that game against the Bills. All week long, he was listed as day-to-day with a back injury. The Dolphins told us he was cleared through concussion protocol. And yet, you see him taking this hard hit, you see his fingers, his hands locking up, which I give credit to the Amazon Prime team and certainly Al Michaels, who was able to quote a doctor. So they weren't speculating at that point. They had a doctor who told them exactly what that was. It's a reaction, a well-known reaction to head trauma, to head and neck trauma.

But it was scary to see, and we saw it multiple times. So right away, social media blows up. Former players, current players, questioning why Tua was out there on the field, and assuming that the Dolphins were hiding a head injury from last week.

And that's where I just can't take that leap. These are independent neurologists who clear players. They're employed by the NFL and the NFLPA.

They're not employed by the teams. But beyond that, even if you don't believe in that process and you think it's a farce, you think the Dolphins would have wanted Tua out on the field at all costs because they had to protect their perfect record. But I don't see that with Mike McDaniel. We don't know a whole lot about him, but this is not a former player. He's not some big, strong, tough dude who comes from an era where you play and you compete at all costs. No weakness.

No, it's some football nerd, and that's a compliment. And so when he gets defensive, when he's asked about last week and allowing Tua to play in the second half against the Bills, potentially putting him at risk, you can understand the emotion there. Absolutely not. Absolutely not. If I would have, that would be irresponsible in the first place, and I shouldn't be in this position. I do not have any absolutely zero patience for or will ever put a player in a position for them to be in harm's way. That is not what I'm about at all, and no outcome of a game would ever influence me being irresponsible as the head coach of the football team.

So then why? After seeing Tua wobble the way that we did last week against the Bills, why was he cleared to play this week on a quick turnaround against the Cincinnati Bengals? We would have reported him having a head injury. I mean, that's why the NFL has these protocols, and there's not, like every single NFL game that is played, there's an independent specialist that specializes in the specialty of brain matter. So, yeah, for me, as long as I'm coaching here, I'm not going to fudge that whole situation.

If there's any sort of inclination that someone has a concussion, they go into a concussion protocol and it's very strict. Without, yeah, if people don't vary or stray, we don't mess with that, never have, and as long as I'm the head coach, that will never be an issue that you guys have to worry about. Again, we don't know Mike McDaniel, most of us don't know him at all, but we don't know him as an NFL head coach for longer than a few months, but I don't understand what he would possibly gain by throwing his franchise quarterback out there on a quick turnaround, or why he would put his young star at risk, when clearly the two of them have already bonded, both of them are talking about that relationship and how beneficial it's been.

It's a long season. I understand the win-it-all-cost mentality, but it doesn't appear or seem like Mike McDaniel's the kind of guy who would risk the health and wellbeing of a player that he genuinely cares for, and that is so critical to his success for the sake of this game. Now the NFLPA has launched its investigation already and is going to add this to it.

Social media with its mob mentality already piled on. Of course Tua had a concussion last week, of course he shouldn't have been playing, of course the Dolphins allowed him to play when he shouldn't have. But I have a hard time making that leap that this would have been intentional by the Dolphins to put Tua's health and wellbeing on the back burner for the sake of this one game.

That's my, that's just my only pause. It would have to be negligent, willful negligence, not caring about Tua at all. The game seemed so inconsequential and unimportant after seeing what happened to Tua, but again he did go home with the team on the plane and according to our reporter who was there from WSVN, Tua was laughing, he was jovial, he was the same typical self with his parents before he got on the plane. So we'll talk about the game to be sure, we'll let you hear the reaction from a clean Joe Burrow in his clean pocket where he's able to deliver the football because he's not getting hit every five seconds.

It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence, it's a Friday morning, oh try that on first eyes, and we appreciate you always listening to CBS Sports Radio. How's your mental health? I'm listening with Charlie Puth. I just surround myself with my family and if you don't really have a big family just surround yourself with some of your closest friends and it's pretty amazing how other people can lift one up just from their energy alone. Mental health in general is not to be looked down upon, it's a very serious thing and it's important that your mind is healthy just as much as your body physically is healthy. How's your mental health?

I'm listening with Charlie Puth. I just surround myself with my family and if you don't really have a big family just surround yourself with some of your closest friends and it's pretty amazing how other people can lift one up just from their energy alone. Mental health in general is not to be looked down upon, it's a very serious thing and it's important that your mind is healthy just as much as your body physically is healthy. How's your mental health? I'm listening with Charlie Puth. I just surround myself with my family and if you don't really have a big family just surround yourself with some of your closest friends and it's pretty amazing how other people can lift one up just from their energy alone.

Mental health in general is not to be looked down upon, it's a very serious thing and it's important that your mind is healthy just as much as your body physically is healthy. More at iamlistening.org. Talk saves lives. You are listening to the After Hours Podcast. We'll look to pass. He throws it deep down the sideline and it is caught. T. Higgins breaks the tackle. He's at the 10, the 5, touchdown.

Dangles. Xavier Howard in coverage. T. Higgins made the catch, broke out of an ankle tackle and took it in for the long touchdown pass on third down and 11.

This is After Hours with Amy Lawrence. There were a lot of yards in this game for the Cincinnati Bengals and for the Miami Dolphins. Both teams able to have a bunch of chunk plays and T. Higgins, Tyree Kill, the two beneficiaries for the most part. T. Higgins, 7 catches for 124 yards and that score that you hear with Dan Hoard and Dave Lapham and it was just before they hit halftime.

The third quarter came to a grinding halt. There was only a field goal for Miami in the third quarter before the Dolphins kind of ran out of steam. There were turnovers obviously and the fact that the offensive line was keeping the Bengals clean. So the Miami D line and the pass rushers couldn't really get to Joe Burrow and we're starting to see the improvement and the cohesion of that Bengals O line.

It's amazing what Joe Burrow can do when he has time to throw, time to seek, time to look and also his receivers have time to get down the field. And so between the way the Bengals offensive line is playing now and the fact that Burrow can distribute the football to all of his weapons and the way the defense is playing. The Bengals are able to run away with this in the fourth. Second and 10, Bridgewater fires a quick pass and intercepted at the 9 yard line. Running the ball back now to the 20, 25, 30, Von Bell to the 45, the 50 and the Dolphins 45 yard line. Von Bell's second interception of the game gives the Bengals the ball back in Miami territory with 3 minutes and 5 seconds to go. They still have a 6th offensive lineman in, Burrow wants to throw, caught by Hurst, touchdown Bengals.

And that should be coffin nails. Bam, bam, bam. We do love Dan Horton, Dave Lapham, the Bengals radio team here on CBS sports radio. Do you know this was a humongous crowd, largest crowd ever for a Bengals game, how is it even possible? And I know they were inducting a few new guys into their ring of honor.

67,260 the announced attendance, again the largest ever is what they were saying. And so the Dolphins have won back to back games now, lots of offense, over 300 passing yards for Burrow as well as two touchdowns, only one sack. Joe Mixon records his first touchdown of the year, this looks more like the Bengals that we know from late last season. We got a great team man, I love this team, I love everything about them. They didn't hesitate for one second after those first two weeks when all the noise was getting loud about the expectations.

They didn't let that affect them for one second, they just came out there and answered the bell and responded two consecutive weeks. Just really proud of them on this stage against that team, that's a really good football team, they're going to win a lot of games. And I just thought they really handled every moment in this game exactly how we needed to, especially in the second half. Turnovers, capitalizing on turnovers with touchdowns, special teams stepping up big and that was just a great way to win a Thursday night game. On offense we're finding our stride, defense has been great all year. We're starting to click on all cylinders, we can keep getting better on offense. There was a spell halfway through the game right there that we didn't put any points on the board but I thought we responded well.

Scored points when we needed to, defense is going to keep playing great, that's what they do. Just like I said after the two losses, we just got two wins. It's still a long season, we still got a long ways to go. Doesn't mean anything if we go out and lose the next 13 games.

So we're going to enjoy this win, enjoy the long weekend, come back ready to go next week. I suppose anything is possible but I can't imagine that the Bengals are going to go out there and lose the next 13 weeks. But it is the AFC and it is a juggernaut to be sure and obviously the AFC North is very competitive.

What is the after hours game of the week? We've got some AFC North flavor in there so you can check out that poll on Twitter, After Hours, CBS or on our Facebook page. So the Bengals, we're starting to see them round into form. Isn't that what the season is about, the early part of the season, especially this first month. It's been a roller coaster ride for a lot of teams to this point. Even the Buffalo Bills, as great as they looked in the first two weeks, last week we're losing their secondary had a bunch of guys out. The receiving corps, it was the dehydration, it was the defections, it was the dolphins, it was everything.

And they didn't look nearly like the team that had run rough shot over the Rams in the season opener. And so it's a race to consistency in this first month and we'll have even a greater sample size after we get through Sunday week 4 and then Monday as well. We're waiting to find out about Dak Prescott, he's getting closer. We're waiting to find out about Christian McCaffrey. We think Zach Wilson is going to start this week for the Jets. It'll be Brian Hoyer for the New England Patriots, so a lot of moving parts as well with injuries and guys on and off the field.

But one game in the books and the Bengals have now won back to back and are sitting at 2-2 while the Dolphins fall to 3-1. And who knows how long Teddy Bridgewater will be out there, but they pay him a lot of money. This is a guy that they have paid to be their backup for this reason because they want to make sure that there's not as big a drop off or they're hoping for no drop off if Tua gets hurt. Now this is a situation that's the extreme where he has the head, neck injuries, but the fact that he was upright, that he was on the team plane, that he was laughing, he was awake and he had all his movement. And that the hospital released him is awesome, but how quickly does he get cleared? It's got to be extra scrutiny on that team now considering the situation with Buffalo and just the back to back variety of these two coming just a few days apart.

We talk so much about offense and quarterbacks, of course, because we're obsessed, but defense wins championships or so they tell us. Also, you're not going to believe what might happen on Friday. It's been a long, long, long time.

And no, I'm not talking about an Aaron Judge home run or anything else like that. No, this is something completely different. How's your mental health? I'm listening with Katy Perry. There's a lot of natural tools to be able to use to combat depression and anxiety. You know, I do things like meditation and conversation with other friends. We've all had to face a lot of things. I do believe that you can get through it.

It's not always easy, but you can. More at I'm listening dot org talk saves lives. How's your mental health? I'm listening with Charlie Puth. I just surround myself with my family.

And if you don't really have a big family, just surround yourself with some of your closest friends. And it's pretty amazing how other people can lift one up just from their energy alone. Mental health in general is not to be looked down upon. It's a very serious thing. And it's important that your mind is healthy just as much as your body physically is healthy. More at I'm listening dot org talk saves lives. How's your mental health? I'm listening with Charlie Puth. I just surround myself with my family.

And if you don't really have a big family, just surround yourself with some of your closest friends. And it's pretty amazing how other people can lift one up just from their energy alone. Mental health in general is not to be looked down upon. It's a very serious thing.

And it's important that your mind is healthy just as much as your body physically is healthy. More at I'm listening dot org talk saves lives. Team Scenario. We'll explain. You are listening to the After Hours podcast. As we wrap up the week, we contemplate the mysteries of the universe. I just laid down the a law. The best highlights.

Fire. Thanks for taking my call. I really appreciate the greatest sports show in America. After Hours presents the boom moment of the week.

Here's Amy Lawrence. The payoff there goes that he left it as high as far as God number sixty one he ties Roger Maris for the American League single season record with sixty one home run. It's a two run judge.

Ian blast here comes the judge to run blast and the Yankees take a five three lead on number sixty one for judge. Well, I was hoping I got over the fence. I didn't know at first.

And I don't want to, you know, be standing at home plate when it hits the wall. And that's it's an incredible honor. And, you know, there was a lot of emotions.

You know, it took me a little longer than I wanted to. But, you know, getting a chance to add two runs to the board. You know, how about Gary going to get another win? This is something pretty special. The voice of one Aaron Judge, who this weekend will go for sixty two and solo possession of the American League single season home run record that right now he shares with Roger Maris and want to hear something super cool. This Friday morning is September 30th. Saturday is October 1st, which will be exactly sixty one years since Roger Maris hit his sixty first home run in 1961.

I'm not big into numerology, though I do find it fascinating at times. Could you imagine if Aaron Judge hit sixty two sixty one years to the day that Roger Maris club sixty one? I mean, come on.

That's from the category of you can't make this stuff up. That'd be cool. That would be cool.

It's after hours with Amy Lawrence, John Sterling, the play by play voice of the New York Yankees. So what is the after hours game of the week? Come on. You can do it. You can vote. Are you shaking out the cobwebs on this Friday morning? I just had this epiphany.

It's also payday. So, you know, that makes it a little more enjoyable to work overnight. So you can vote for that poll on Twitter, a law radio or a show Twitter and then also on our Facebook page. And I did post the latest details from my conversation with Josh Moser of WSVN in Miami and joined us in the first hour of the show.

And he saw to what he spoke to two. So the details are there on Twitter as well. Right. We know offenses, flashy offenses, gaudy offenses, what attracts all the eyeballs to the TV and all the ear balls to the radio. But, you know, there is a whole crew of guys who are on the other side of the ball. Defense wins championships.

Defense wins championships. I wanted this so bad. I dreamed this, man. I don't know who the tackle is I'm going against, but I'm going to kill him. No. No.

I checked all the boxes. Late rush. He throws it down the field. Intercepted at the 30.

25-20. Patrick goes into the end zone. Defense. Defense. Defense. That's dangerous. According to the voice guide, defense wins championships.

All right. So let's look at some of these games this weekend through the eyes of the defense, shall we? Von Bell, pair of interceptions for the Cincinnati Bengals against the Miami Dolphins, including fourth quarter that led to the capper touchdown for the Bengals. It was quite the night for him, but certainly the Bengals defense showing off. It just feels great to play at a high level tonight and just hats off to the guys, hats off to the coaches. We put on this play tonight, so hats off to the guys. We got full belief in these guys in this room, so they let them go out there on defense.

We trust in one another, and the guys that come in, they contribute. We believe in everybody to make a play, so this is my night tonight. It's maybe somebody else's next week, so we just love the guys making plays and going out there playing for one another. Pair of interceptions for Von Bell, win number two for the Cincinnati Bengals, and that's one game in the books. Wow, remind me, I didn't write it down, Producer J.

81, that's what I have. That's right, okay, so one of the games of the week, sorry, a little bit of a Friday morning for me. This is a big game coming up in Tampa between the Buccaneers defense and Patrick Mahomes, and according to Shaq Barrett, you better not miss their defensive performance. We have a lot of favorable matchups. I think we have an opportunity to really dominate the game as long as, like, I just think, yeah, we got an opportunity to really impose our will as pass rushers as rushers this game, and we could really have like a coming out party, because I know we had six sacks the other game, but we could really have a coming out party as edge defenders in the position group for this game. I'm sorry, did Shaq Barrett just say it's going to be a coming out party for the Bucs defense against Patrick Mahomes, Clyde Edwards-Alere, Travis Kelce?

All right, can't wait to see that. There are other weapons there besides Tyreek Hill, who's dearly departed to Miami. That's the linebacker Shaquille Barrett for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who right now lead the NFC South.

Okay, I think I've got my bearings again. My wits about me, it's after hours with Amy Lawrence here on CBS Sports Radio. Thinking about the battle between the Raiders and the Broncos, so this is the challenge of the Raiders to corral Russell Wilson. We get a little bit of an insight into the defensive game plan. Just making sure he's contained, and then, you know, he also has a big arm, very accurate passer, so just making sure we stay deep when we need to stay deep and, you know, just play out like that.

Stay deep when we need to stay deep. Okay, he's telling us, obviously, you don't want to give up the big play, but he's not going to give us the actual playbook or the strategy. That's Trayvon Morrigg, a safety for the Raiders, and man, how badly do the Raiders need a win. They're not the only team without a win in the NFL, but at 0-3, they are in the basement of a very competitive AFC West.

Crap. Just as a side note, oh, thank you, Derek Carr, for weighing in. As a side note, the Raiders are the only 0-3 team in the NFL because the only other 0-fer squad is the Texans, who have, I mean, it's even worse, but they have a tie on their resume, 0-2 and 1. So Raiders and Broncos didn't make our Game of the Week poll, but it could have, certainly could have. All right, moving forward, the Tennessee Titans, they got a taste of winning, and now they want to win again.

Linebacker Rashad Weaver actually has all kinds of family issues when the Titans don't win. I hate losing, and I'll try to avoid that the best I can because I don't be in a good mood. You know, I'll tell you all this, my mom texts me at every game unless we lose.

That's all I need to know. She doesn't text you when you lose. Is that because she knows it? Yeah, she knows that I ain't going to, yeah. I don't like being mean to my mom, but sometimes when she call after a loss, what's wrong? What do you mean what's wrong?

Wow. What do you mean what is wrong? So your sisters don't even remotely try to either. A couple hours we can talk, maybe a minute a day, something like that, you feel me? Mom just asking him what's wrong. What do you mean what is wrong?

Actually, that's, I mean, that's not too different from what I do with my mom too. What do you mean? Wrong. What do you mean what's wrong?

Gas falling. Everything's wrong. Why are you asking me that dumb question? I've had those exchanges with my mom before too. But man, the Titans dropped their first two games of the year. Did he not talk to his mom for four weeks? Wow, poor mom.

Poor mama Weaver. It's after hours here on CBS Sports Radio. All right, wrapping up with this because I am blown away by the endorsement that Von Miller gives to one Lamar Jackson as the Bills will battle the Ravens on Sunday. Early on in his career, they tried to say he was just a runner. And he did nothing but prove that he's a total package. He can throw the ball. He can run the ball. He can do whatever it takes to win games, to put his teammates in great situations to win. And that's why he should be the highest paid player in the NFL. And that's why he should have the biggest contract out of all the quarterbacks, which will make him the highest paid quarterback in the NFL.

And he's done everything that he could possibly do to put himself in a great situation for that. I love Von Miller. We had a brief discussion earlier on the show.

In fact, producer Jay is going to get on this like immediately, if not sooner. Who would I rather have if I could only have one? Mike Tomlin as an interview on the show or Von Miller as a guest? Going for both. Oh, well, shoot for the moon.

And then we'll see whether or not we grab a couple of stars along the way. After hours here on CBS Sports Radio. So week four. Yes. College football. Yes.

All about it. We know that in October, because tomorrow will be October, just seriously try that on for size. Say it out loud. Tomorrow is October. Say it again. Tomorrow is October.

You say it a few times, that kind of shock value. Wow. I can't believe it. But Saturdays in October, Sundays in October generally belong to the NFL. However, the NFL's got to share the center ring of the circus just a little bit when it comes to pro sports in October. Why? Because baseball.

And get this. For the first time in more than 20 years, one team is about to, about to taste October again. First and third.

The one two on the way to JP. Swing and a light shot off the glove of Young at third. Here comes Moore from 30 scores. The Mariners win it.

The magic number is down to one. A face hit for JP Crawford off the glove of a diving third baseman. Josh Young, Dylan Moore scores easily from third. And the Mariners win it. In the bottom of the 11th inning, the final score and a nine. And they are going crazy here at T-Mobile Park. They're going through the happy dance right now. And the Mariners magic number is down to one. All they need is a win tomorrow. And this team is going to the playoffs for the first time in a couple of decades.

Holy smokes. What a finish. Even when you get down in the 10th inning, 11th inning, whatever innings we're in out there, there's no doubt that we're going to come back, tie the game and win the game. That's just how this team has been wired all year long. We've played a lot of games like that.

Our guys are certainly used to it. We had some big hits and big at bats there at the end. Scott Service, manager of the Seattle Mariners. As you hear with Rick Rizz on Mariners radio, after a walk off last night in extra innings, the Mariners magic number is one. Just one finger. Just one finger in the air for the Seattle Mariners.

The magic number is one. Now, we found this super confident. I'm going to call this a guarantee. A super confident guarantee from Scott Service about what happens for the Mariners moving forward.

The goal is to win the World Series. And it's not just to end the drought. We will end the drought tomorrow.

We're going to. And by tomorrow, he means today. Scott Service, we will end the drought tomorrow. There's not a whole lot up for grabs in this final few days of the regular season, but there are a few wildcards that have not yet been clinched. Congratulations to the Blue Jays, who did lock up the American League wildcard, or one of them on, was it Thursday?

I guess it was Thursday. But congratulations to the Mariners, who are now down to one as their magic number. Scott Service says they're going to clinch today, so I'm going to take his word for it. First time since 2001. First time in 21 years. Can't say it yet, but unofficially Seattle, welcome back. Have a great weekend. Talk to you Sunday night after hours on CBS Sports Radio. Boom! How's your mental health? I'm listening with Charlie Puth. I just surround myself with my family.

And if you don't really have a big family, just surround yourself with some of your closest friends. And it's pretty amazing how other people can lift one up just from their energy alone. Mental health in general is not to be looked down upon. It's a very serious thing, and it's important that your mind is healthy just as much as your body physically is healthy. More at I'm Listening dot org. Talk saves lives. How's your mental health? I'm listening with Charlie Puth. I just surround myself with my family.

And if you don't really have a big family, just surround yourself with some of your closest friends. And it's pretty amazing how other people can lift one up just from their energy alone. Mental health in general is not to be looked down upon. It's a very serious thing, and it's important that your mind is healthy just as much as your body physically is healthy. More at I'm Listening dot org. Talk saves lives. How's your mental health?

I'm listening with Katy Perry. There's a lot of natural tools to be able to use to combat depression and anxiety. You know, I do things like meditation and conversation with other friends. We've all had to face a lot of things. I do believe that you can get through it. It's not always easy, but you can. More at I'm Listening dot org. Talk saves lives.