After Hours with Amy Lawrence PODCAST: Hour 1

If you're feeling down and having trouble getting up in the morning, here's a tip. Brush your teeth.

That's it. Often when we wake up, our brains go into planning mode, which leads to overthinking and stress before our head even leaves the pillow. Something simple like brushing your teeth can break that cycle and jumpstart your day. This tip was brought to you by BetterHelp Online Therapy, which connects you with a licensed therapist via video, phone, or online chat.

Visit BetterHelp.com slash positive and save 10% on your first month. What's up everybody? Guess who's hosting a new podcast? No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith. Listen as I pull back the curtain on everything beyond the world of sports. Interviewing influential guests, outspoken celebrities, and thought leaders across the political, financial, and social spectrum.

You know me, I'll give you my unbiased opinion. A No Mercy episode drops every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith, a presentation of Cadence 13 and Odyssey Studio available on the Odyssey app or wherever you listen to your podcast. Is it really that time of the week again? Sports never stop, not in October. And man, do we have a lot to jam into the next four hours. Everything from Tua's return, to Christian McCaffrey's debut, to the Bucks and Packers going the wrong way, to the New York football team still crushing it, to Dak.

He's back! And everything in between. Week seven.

Wowzers. I don't know that I saw a lot of offenses that are hugely improved from the last couple weeks where the brutal offense has been the conversation. We had a long talk about it with Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner.

Then we had a long talk about it with former Steelers defensive back and two-time Super Bowl champion Bryant McFadden. Some teams got their starting quarterbacks on the field again this week, and yet what is happening? The offense is still pretty rough. And even where teams show their offensive chops, we still end up seeing them drop off the map or only able to put together one or two quarters, maybe three. Except for the Kansas City Chiefs. And then the Buffalo Bills, obviously. This is a weekend in which we get a mixed bag yet again, and it's still hard to understand what's happening on the NFL gridiron. It's just odd. And I don't want to hear any complaints about how it's so terrible, this is the worst season ever, blah blah blah blah blah.

That's not even remotely the case. We're still sucked in like nobody's business, and man, there are a lot, a lot of storylines to pick apart. How about the Cincinnati Bengals? Up and down the field, up and down the field. Joe Burrow nearly at 350 passing yards by halftime at home against the Falcons. The Tennessee Titans leading wire to wire against the Colts, which you may not think is a big feat, but it is a team in their division. And now Tennessee, free and clear as the number one team in the AFC South, a few months after being the number one seed in the conference overall in the playoffs. There are definitely plenty of teams feeling misery and mortification as they go to bed on Sunday night, as they wake up on Monday morning. We will get to all of that. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. We're live from the Rocket Mortgage Studios. Do you need to know what it takes for a home to fit your budget and your family?

Rocket can. I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was spent with family.

Those are few and far between. If you missed it, there are some photos up on Twitter, ALawRadio. Haven't had a chance to put them up on Facebook yet, but I will do that. So yeah, just super cool to be able to host my brother and sister-in-law and to be able to spend some time outdoors. It was gorgeous. So I just retweeted some of the photos.

We did a little fall festival at a pumpkin patch and then we climbed a couple mountains in western New Jersey and it was exactly what I needed. So I hope your weekend was exactly what you needed. Then it was back to football and baseball on Sunday. And so to talk it over again, find me on Twitter or on our Facebook page After Hours with Amy Lawrence.

As always, our toll-free line 855-212-4227. Before we get to football, and actually we're going to head to South Florida coming up in 30 minutes, a conversation with Dave Hyde of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel who was there at the Dolphins game as the Dolphins host the Steelers. And welcome Tua back to the field and get their first win in the last month. So we will talk Dolphins, we will talk Steelers.

You'll hear from the quarterbacks as well as the head coaches. But I want to start with Major League Baseball. I don't know if you all expected this weekend to produce a World Series matchup, but that it did. And with some major back and forth, some plain old-fashioned drama in both Philadelphia and New York. The weather notwithstanding, there was a delay between the Astros and the Yankees.

Even that could not put off the inevitable. The Yankees put up a, we'll call it a mini fight. They put up a mini fight in game number four.

I think that happens when you recognize your own sports mortality or season on life support. But as I say, not a whole lot could hold off the Astros. It wasn't a shutout. I guess the Yankees can say that.

And they did rally to take the lead multiple times in this game four. Ultimately though, every time the Yankees would produce even a sliver, a glimmer of offense, the Astros would answer. So initially, Yankees jump out to a 3-0 lead. Doesn't take long for the Astros to respond. Here's the 3-1. Swing and a drive to left field.

It's a rainbow. Deep. Did he? Did he?

Did he ever? Jeremy Peña with a three-run jack and we're tied. Peralta third base side of the rubber comes set. The pitch. And it's a chopper to the right side. That's a base hit. The Astros take the lead 4-3 on the chopper by Gurriel.

So many different names. So many different guys who can produce. So yes, after the Yankees go up 3-0 in the first two innings, coming out like a house on fire, determined to extend their season. Jeremy Peña, another huge postseason home run.

The three-run variety that wipes that lead right off the board. And before the inning is over, Julie Gurriel again with an RBI single to give the Astros the lead through the third inning. Now the Yankees would rally. Anthony Rizzo would drive home Harrison Bader in the fourth.

And once again, we're tied at four. In the sixth inning, I don't know where the Yankees would be without this guy. And Nerris deals, swung on, hit high in the air to left. That ball is high. It is far.

It is gone. Oh, he is Darth Vader. Hey, homers to deep left.

Oh, I'm just wild about Harry. Hey, homers to left. And the Yankees take a 5-4 lead. The Yankees wouldn't have been clinging to even the tiniest little bit of hope if not for Harrison Bader. In fact, I don't know if they'd even be in the ALCS without Harrison Bader. It was a rough postseason for Aaron Judge. Now he gets everybody's best pitch. He gets everybody's best pitchers. And he does every now and then go through these slumps. It doesn't change the season that Aaron Judge had, only that for most of the big bats for New York, they were nonexistent in this four-game series, this sweep by the Astros.

So you already know where this is going. Harrison Bader puts the Yankees in front in the sixth only to see the Astros respond immediately. The first pitch to Yordan. It's a ground ball through the right side. That's a base hit. Altuve around third. He's going to score. It's a tie ball game.

Alvarez comes through again. Two and two to Bregman. Here's the pitch. Swing and a drive to right center field. That's a base hit for Bregman. The Astros take a lead, 6-5 on the bolt from Alex.

They want two to Judge. Ground ball. Weekly hit.

Presley has it. Jobs brought away the first. Underhands to Uli inside. Starts running anew. The Houston Astros break out the rooms in the Bronx, and they're headed back to the World Series for the fourth time in six years. Your 2022 American League champions, Houston Astros. Robert Ford and Steve Sparks on the Astros radio. We just spoke to Steve in the last ten days, and I talked to him about the Astros flying under the radar. They did.

Weirdly enough. 50 games above.500. The best record in the American League. The second best record in all of Major League Baseball. Maybe it's because people don't want to acknowledge that this Astros team is damn good based on what happened in 2017. And yes, there are a few guys still left, but Dusty Baker has turned this team into a legitimate winner, and you cannot pick them apart. The front office has paid the right guys and brought the right guys in, and they are not only power packed, but they have one of the best pitching staffs in the Major Leagues. Flying under the radar, no longer the Astros reach the World Series in a sweep of the Yankees. Immaculate! A sweep! Are you kidding me? I certainly believe the Astros were favored in this series, but in a sweep, every single move the Yankees tried, the Astros stifled it. Stymied it. Yankees clearly do not have the same pitching, but the bats, until this final game, were nearly silent.

It's after hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. I will say this. Glaber Torres had an unfortunate error in the seventh inning that did lead to that rally by the Astros. So they were close to getting out of that inning with the lead, but that's all part of the game. So the Astros win their second consecutive American League pennant, and they move to the World Series for the fourth time in six years.

I do believe this is the case that for Dusty Baker, while no one's probably too hyperbole, while there are very few people outside of Houston that will be rooting for the Astros to win the World Series, if they do that, and Dusty Baker finally has a ring, this baseball lifer who's so respected, who was so good as a player, and has been one of the most constant forces as a manager in baseball, I do believe that he will be a sentimental favorite, and that he will finally bring some respect back to Houston begrudgingly, even if people don't want to give it to him now. This is our second year in a row, and it's hard to do. It's a long road to get here. There's a lot that happens in the months, you know, to get here from spring training, and it means that we persevered and we stayed together. It's a dream come true to be here, you know, shout out to my teammates, and yeah, we're just going to enjoy it, and we know we still got work to do.

I stay hungry, and you know, people, some people, most people are rooting for us, some people are rooting against us, doesn't matter, that motivates you. Either way, there's a lot of positive thoughts coming our way. There's a ton of positive thoughts and spiritual togetherness in the city of Houston.

I believe that for sure. Houston Astros fans, the city of Houston definitely has the us against the world mentality, and Dusty Baker, he knows how to get the best out of his players. I don't generally root for teams, I root for storylines, and just like Brian Snitker, a baseball lifer last season when the Braves finally broke through for their first World Series since the mid-90s, this Astros team that's not cheating deserves your respect, and Dusty Baker is the central figure in their story.

So congratulations to Houston getting back to the World Series for a second straight year, and of course the fourth time in six seasons, and who is their opponent? The last team to get into the playoffs, I mean the last team, the last wild card in the National League, but boy did they come up with a thrill ride over the end of the regular season. They've been fighting for their playoff lives because of the division that they're in, because of the start that they had, because of the managerial change, and let's not forget, because Bryce Harper was on the shelf for a good chunk of the season. But boy did his bat show up in a powerful way in this postseason, and again with the Phillies trailing the Padres 3-2 in the eighth inning on Sunday. Two balls, two strikes to Bryce Harper, Suarez delivers, swing and a drive, left field, it's deep, it's going, and it is gone! It is Bedlam at the bank as Bryce Harper has put the Phillies on top! Suarez kicks, here's the pitch, breaking ball, popped up, shadow right, Segura going out, Castellanos coming on, Castellanos has it, and the Phillies have the National League Championship! They have beaten the Padres 4-3 and they celebrate on their home turf as the Phillies are the 2022 NL champs! Bryce Harper named NLCS MVP, he hit.400 in this series against the Padres, that only goes five games, two homers, five RBI, but this go ahead blast in the eighth inning when the Phillies are trailing 3-2. It was a no-doubter off the bat of Bryce, and the Phillies reached their first World Series since 2009, and again they're the last team in, but they're the first team to make it to the Fall Classic. Unbelievable run, it reminds me a lot of the Washington Nationals in 2019, a team that was way below.500 going back to the spring, had to fight and scratch and claw. They got healthy at the right time, they got the perfect leadership, but also they were so used to fighting with their backs against the wall, they were so used to having everything on the line, that sense of urgency playing on the edge, and there is something to be said for being comfortable in this place. There's something to be said for the Phillies, having nothing easy all year long, and now here's Bryce Harper, who, though mistakenly, did say that he looked forward to bringing a World Series to DC.

He meant Philadelphia, you knew what he meant! They just want you to work hard, they want you to play hard, they want you to be who you are, no excuses. They don't care if you're hurt, or if you're not feeling good, or if you didn't sleep the night before, they don't care. They pay their hard-earned dollar to get to the ballpark every day for us, and they're doing it right now for us during the playoffs, and they just want you to work hard, they don't care. They just want you to grind for them, they want you to go out there and play the best baseball you can, no matter what, and I loved walking in as an opposing player, knowing that I was going to get absolutely blasted by these fans.

And it was what it was, and I loved it, and it made me want to come here and play, because I knew how much they cared, I knew how much they loved their players, and how much passion, how much drive they all have. And everybody talks about the blue-collarness of this city, and the fight that they have, and it just rubs off on all of us. I've said it multiple times, we have 46,000 people in this stadium.

It's 46,026, because we're all in this together, no matter what, where they're at, who they are, where they come from. If you've got Phillies across your chest and you're a fan, you're part of our team, you're part of our organization, and you fight with us each day. Bryce Harper, with rave reviews for the Phillies fans, and boy has it been absolute pandemonium at their stadium, as first, they welcome their arch-rival and the World Series champion Atlanta Braves in the NLDS, take them out, and never let that series go back to Atlanta. And now, against the Padres, after the split in San Diego, they come back and they win three in a row. And Harper loves that the team embodies what the fans bring to the table, who they are and what they want. Definitely, we've seen this team grind, we've seen this team work hard, we've seen this team refuse to give up.

And we also saw them make a managerial change, Rob Thompson taking over for Joe Girardi, and the whole atmosphere changed. It's just amazing, and so I'm so happy for them as well. I mean, I'm probably more happy for them than I am for anybody else. So, it's just an incredible feeling, and I'm happy. I'm happy for you, Rob Thompson. I'm happy. We're happy, so happy.

Not zappy, but happy. So, congratulations to the Phillies, first time since 2009, and the Astros, who defy all of you and are back in the World Series. That's your matchup, which, crazy enough, the Fall Classic doesn't start until Friday. Because they had to make sure that they had plenty of days built in just in case these series went 7.

They didn't. Houston wins in four games, the Phillies win in five games, and now we wait. Astros will host the opener of the World Series coming up on Friday. So, Friday, Saturday. Phillies at the Astros.

Don't have times yet. We just know those are games one, and games two was Sunday off. Thanks so much for hanging out with us. That's your World Series. We're going to shift to Sunday Night Football and the return of Tua Tango Veloa. Our thanks to Phillies Radio as well as Astros Radio for the calls, plus John Sterling on Yankees Radio worked in there as well. And a little bit later, we'll hear from the two teams that are on the outside looking in. It's an honor to be in this position, but man, not the way the Padres and Yankees wanted to go out.

Much bigger disappointment for the Yankees than for San Diego as a wild card. On Twitter, ALawRadio, also on our Facebook page. Always good to connect with you. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. So get started and download the free Odyssey app today. The listening you love is on the free Odyssey app. Your trusted local radio stations. Coverage of your favorite teams. Live news from your hometown. And millions of podcasts on demand. Best of all, you can completely customize your listening experience. Follow topics you care about, like leagues and teams. Pause or rewind your local sports and news. And add shows to your queue to catch up later. There's a lot to listen to. So get started and download the free Odyssey app today. This is your operating system talking.

Not your computers or your phones, but your internal human operating system. I'm feeling a little overloaded. Here's how you can ease my stress. Close your eyes or softly gaze at something in front of you. Now inhale for four counts, exhale for six. Keep repeating.

Much better. Longer term, there's better help online therapy. They'll match us with a licensed therapist we can connect with via video, phone or chat. Visit betterhelp.com slash positive and save 10% on our first month. Find your perfect fall suit with Indochino. Customize every detail of their seasonal designs for a one-of-a-kind look at a great price.

And get $50 off purchases of $399 or more at Indochino.com promo code fall update. You are listening to the After Hours Podcast. Hill goes in motion to the right. Snapped it to him. Back to pass.

Looking. Steps up in the pocket. Moving left. Swings it out left side. Caught. Most are down the sideline into the end zone.

Touchdown dolphins. Tongue of Loyola able to flip it out to Mostard on the left sideline and he walks in untouched. Harris will line up in the backfield to Pickett's left. Pickett is in the shotgun. Two receivers stacked to that left side.

Pickens is alone on the numbers on the right. Claypool who had been to the left now motions over into the right slot. Pickett takes the snap. Back to pass.

Looks right. Throws right. Fade for Pickens in the end zone. He caught it. Did he get the feet down?

It looks like he did. Touchdown Pittsburgh. This is After Hours with Amy Lawrence.

The voice of Ryan Radke on Westwood 1. Steelers at the Dolphins in South Florida for Sunday Night Football. The return of Tua Tagovailoa after really a month saga with a concussion going all the way back to the Buffalo game in which he was pushed over. His head hit the turf. He was cleared to return in the game. But then following that up with that tough tackle, legal tackle, but tough tackle and another hit to the head against the Bengals and has not seen the field until tonight. But it's good to see him out there.

He was smiling. He was leading the offense and he started out hot with the Dolphins. In fact, they scored 13 points on their first three drives, including a 71 yard touchdown drive on their very first possession where he mostered catching the eight yard TD. And after a slow start, we saw the Steelers find a rhythm. They go 86 yards on 13 plays and it's George Pickens who catches the TD from Kenny Pickett. And so in the first half at least, we saw movement by both teams. I hope you enjoyed it while it was taking place because that was not the case after halftime.

It's After Hours here on CBS Sports Radio. Miami is up 16-10 at the half. Miami is up 16-10 at the end of the game. Zero points.

No joke. Zero points in the second half. Between the two teams, five three-and-outs and there was no drive longer than 58 yards until the very last Pittsburgh possession. And rookie or not, Kenny Pickett made some poor decisions and the Dolphins defense, at least, was able to slam the door. Play pool wide to the right, Johnson in the slot, shotgun snap, Pickett back to pass. Phillips fires on the right side, intercepted, back to the 30, near sideline 40, 45, up to the 50. Javon Holland is knocked out of bounds. The second year man out of Oregon makes the pick and the Dolphins take over with 2.57 to go. A big time play made by Holland and the Dolphins' D. Pickett, out of the shotgun, back to throw, looking, looking, rolling, looking left, he throws it down, field's intercepted by Iqbonoggini, can he get his feet down? They're going to say no.

Oh my gosh. They're going to say no. The other received, the other official coming in to say I did, he did get him. Tell you what.

They're having a conversation. Either way, Iq, he just made a heck of a play and will be, if this is an interception, it stays. One, two, he's in. Oh, he got him down. He's in. He got him down.

He is in, Joe, without question. No, Iqbonoggini just made his biggest play. On Dolphins' radio, before that, Ryan Radke on Westwood One, so yes, back to back interceptions on Pittsburgh possessions and it's got to be one of my favorite names in the NFL, Noah Iqbonoggini. Noah Iqbonoggini, his ceiling interception on the goal line, slamming the door, and actually it was some pretty impressive toe drag swag for the defensive back. So the Dolphins' defense is able to hold off the Steelers, neither offense really finding any spark, any flame, I mean the embers weren't even burning in the second half for the Steelers and Dolphins, but a win is a win is a win is a win and Tua back on the field to the tune of 261 yards and that early TD. It felt good. It felt good running out the tunnel. The atmosphere was great. I had a lot of support from the fans and just being able to be out there with my teammates, it was awesome.

Not being able to play two games does have an effect on my performance in a way that I haven't seen full speed reps in practice where guys are coming to hit me. If he wasn't so prepared and hadn't put himself in the position of playing quarterback when he was out, he wouldn't have been able to have any sort of success like that. It's all about Tua returning and certainly about ending the losing skid and the Dolphins are able to do that.

They're able to get their first win in a month coming up in 10 minutes. Dave Hyde of the South Florida Sun Sentinel who was there for tonight's game in Miami. You know what else happened in Miami tonight?

This is really cool. The 50th anniversary of the 1972 Dolphins, their perfect season with the Super Bowl. I was not on this planet. I know some of you are not on the planet, but it was the last time that the Dolphins, well any team in the NFL, but the last time that a team was able to celebrate perfection including the Super Bowl. I know the Patriots had a perfect regular season going back a few years, but it was spoiled by the Giants in the Super Bowl. So these Dolphins and the members of the team that are still remaining, and it's not all of them as you can imagine, that was 50 years ago. They were celebrated.

They were honored in South Florida on Sunday night. Really sweet. An amazing occasion. The author of a book called Still Perfect, which now has an updated version for the 50th anniversary, Dave Hyde not only covered tonight's game, but also has that book out. So we're really excited to welcome him following the update. As for the Steelers, they get Kenny Pickett on the field again, right? So Mitch Trubisky's return was brief.

Pickett clears through concussion protocols. Ultimately though, the offense doesn't do nearly enough, and Pickett's- The listening you love is on the free Odyssey app. Your trusted local radio stations, coverage of your favorite teams, live news from your hometown and millions of podcasts on demand. Best of all, you can completely customize your listening experience. Follow topics you care about like leagues and teams, pause or rewind your local sports and news and add shows to your queue to catch up later.

There's a lot to listen to, so get started and download the free Odyssey app today. If you're feeling down and having trouble getting up in the morning, here's a tip. Brush your teeth.

That's it. Often, when we wake up, our brains go into planning mode, which leads to overthinking and stress before our head even leaves the pillow. Something simple like brushing your teeth can break that cycle and jumpstart your day. This tip was brought to you by BetterHelp Online Therapy, which connects you with a licensed therapist via video, phone or online chat.

Visit betterhelp.com slash positive and save 10% on your first month. What's up, everybody? Guess who's hosting a new podcast? No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith. Listen as I pull back the curtain on everything beyond the world of sports, interviewing influential guests, outspoken celebrities and thought leaders across the political, financial and social spectrum. You know me.

I'll give you my unbiased opinion. A No Mercy episode drops every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith, a presentation of Cadence 13th and Odyssey Studio available on the Odyssey app or wherever you listen to your podcast. Introducing a new offer from Xfinity. It's unlimited Internet with gig speed and supersonic Wi-Fi. And get this, there's no annual contract required, no equipment fees and a two year Internet rate guarantee. It even comes with a free Flex 4K streaming box. It's all just $50 a month when you add Xfinity Mobile with unlimited data. It's a supersonic bundle, go to Xfinity.com slash gig, call 1-800-XFINITY or visit a store to learn more. Limited time offer, restrictions apply, requires paperless billing and auto pay. New gigabit Internet customers only. Xfinity Mobile requires post pay Xfinity Internet.

After 24 months, regular rates apply to all services and devices. Interceptions really doomed any of their opportunities late. I thought, you know, just miscommunication, thought he was going to come back down.

He went vertical. That's on me. I either got to throw it away and give it some other chance or make a better throw over the top to him there. So that's definitely on me. There's a lot of things to build on, but obviously turnovers.

They can't happen. That causes the game. So, you know, I got to fix that.

I'll be in there tomorrow getting to work on it and getting ready for next week. It was a defensive battle the way that game developed into, man. It's about, you know, who catches their interception opportunities and who doesn't. And that's just kind of the lens in which I see it. You know, the Dolphins caught theirs and we didn't catch ours.

And that's probably the difference in the game. Mike Tomlin following the Steelers loss. So they beat the Bucks and Tom Brady last week, but they are unable to get anything going outside of that initial drive. Steelers and Browns now at two and five. Little separation between the Ravens and the Bengals who are at the top of the division at four and three. So now clear by a couple of games, but still every division in the NFL essentially is tight. Almost through seven weeks and we know a whole lot of nothing. Still Dolphins welcome to a back to the field.

It's a huge deal for them and they get the win. So coming up, Dave Hyde, who covered the game in South Florida. He's with the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He will join us now that his work is done and we'll talk to him about what happens with this team when they run up and down the field with all these weapons, but can't seem to punch it in to the end zone. Love to hear from you on Twitter, ALawRadio put a few photos up from the weekend with family, which was cool.

And also on our Facebook page, we're going to put that poll up as soon as we have an opportunity who will feel the most misery and mortification on Monday because there is plenty to go around. You are listening to the after hours podcast. Steelers hustling up on the football. Second down at two pick it back in the shotgun, two receivers left, one of the right pick.

It wants to snap. He's got it back to throw, pick it looking steps up in the pocket, pick it thinking about running. The sideline intercepted in the end zone and it's Iqbal Nogginy. Kenny Pickett threw it to the corner of the end zone, Iqbal Nogginy picked it off. The officials are talking about it.

He's in. Off the field, on the money and after hours, it's time to talk football with Amy Lawrence. That's the call with Ryan Radke on Westwood, one third interception by the Miami defense off Kenny Pickett and the dolphins hold serve despite no points in the second half.

It's after hours with Amy Lawrence here on CBS sports radio. We're going to quickly turn our attention to south Florida and Dave Hyde who covered the dolphins win for the south Florida sun sentinel and Dave, we're so glad to have a couple minutes with you. How does it change things to have two back on the field? How did it change things for the dolphins tonight as he returns? Well it's certainly the first drive you'd say they're back to being an inventive and functional offense in that he completed six of his first seven passes including a touchdown 68 yards. By the end of the first quarter they had 10 first downs which second most by the franchise since 2000 and a quarter. But then the next three quarters they had seven total first downs so at the bottom line is it really didn't change much. They scored 16 points. The offense really hasn't scored all year more except for Baltimore, the big game against Baltimore, big comeback.

They haven't scored more than 17 points on offense really all year and so you know they're putting up a lot of yards not a lot of points. Outside of the struggles offensively specifically in the second half and that goes for Pittsburgh too, what did the dolphins have to say though about having to a back on the field and seeing him healthy and what that means to them? Well that's big for them you know not only from the standpoint you know he's captain he's her first quarterback he's the guy who when Mike McDaniel came aboard you know that was project number one to get his game straightened out and they think they've done a pretty good job of that. It's telling that Brian Flores was on the other sideline and asked if they talked to us said no no.

And so but you know it's big for the team and it's equally big for the franchise because they need to see two out there and know what do they have in him and you know at some point the big contract is going to be in the air and they want to decide that with his play. It's certainly not for lack of weapons right because Raheem Mostert and Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddle and we see what these guys can do when the offense is in a rhythm. What explanation does McDaniel or anyone else give for what happens when they rack up all these yards but can't capitalize on the opportunities? Yeah it's you know they give all the similar answers not one thing it's not one person it's not a you know I think McDaniel said tonight there's not pixie dust you can just blow in the air and put over the offense and so and they're right you know there isn't one simple answer for what's going on here and you know it was true it was you know when the other two quarterbacks were in there it was similar things they were they were moving the ball a lot I mean in the fourth quarter of the previous game it's Minnesota I think Teddy Bridgewater had a hundred and thirty three quarterback rating in the fourth quarter and yet they couldn't put the ball in the end zone enough. So it's you know that's the mystery of the Dolphins offense right now. Dave Hyde is with us fresh off covering Sunday Night Football between the Dolphins and the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers he's with the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and it's after hours with Amy Lawrence here on CBS Sports Radio obviously it was a strange and wacky last few weeks with the revolving door of quarterbacks Skyler and Teddy Bridgewater and then Skyler gets hurt and Bridgewater I didn't even know Bridgewater was available last week and all of a sudden he's back out there on the field how much does that have to do in your opinion with the fact that they haven't been able to settle into a groove or at least be able to put together a full 60 minutes of football? Yeah well certainly the last three weeks you know since 2-0 went out in the Cincinnati game for sure between who's the quarterback and you know who's in concussion protocol why is Teddy Bridgewater in protocol when he didn't have a concussion and you know there's just all sorts of bizarre questions around the team and then you get to the just functioning in a day-to-day practice and that's why McDaniel thought Skyler Thompson was going to start the Minnesota game and I mean he did start but the point being he practiced that week and he thought that was more important than Teddy Bridgewater coming out of protocol on Saturday and being able to play Sunday so I mean there's been a lot of a lot of moving parts and you know sensitive questions but at the same time you know just practical questions on how to who to put behind the offense so you know you know that's why it's you know this week it was clear from the start too it was going to start and and you know got all the practice necessary and the offense was geared for him and all that good stuff and but really they were in the same place they've been before where they move the ball they look like they move the ball well and but they're not going in the end zone. The offensive struggles notwithstanding the defense did come up with three interceptions including one on the goal line on Pittsburgh's last-ditch opportunity and holding an opposing team to 10 points so there has to be some happiness, happiness is a weird word but at least some excitement over the way the defense performed. Yeah Mike McDaniel walked behind the podium and was asked about how he felt with the interception he said hooray you know and that sort of sums up the day for if you're a dolphin fan hooray you won your four and three and your defense you know says one of the problems in the last the they lost the last three games they had given up the ball eight times and they had no takeaways well tonight they had three takeaways two in the last three minutes with interceptions of Kenny Pickett and they didn't give the ball up so I mean there was a some progress and certainly it's a hooray night and that you come out with a win but you know by week seven you're sort of seeing who the team is and where can they go and after being three and oh the thought was well hey maybe something special is happening but now you you look at the off they have some problems they got to solve right now.

Hooray! Dave Heidt is with us here on After Hours CBS Sports Radio after seven weeks and of course a preseason and a training camp who is Mike McDaniel in your opinion Dave? Dave Oh he's fascinating I really hope he succeeds because I hope there's place in football for this someone who is as open and quirky and humorous and at the same time really creative with how he how he sets up an offense as he so I hope for the last 20 years I've been covering the Dolphins meeting people as the elevators going down on careers for these coaches I hope he makes it in that there's a place in football for someone with a fun personality like he has.

Hooray! He definitely is unique speaking of personalities it was really cool I thought to have the members of the 1972 team that could still be there honored on the 50th anniversary of that perfect season what are your impressions especially since you've covered the Dolphins for a long time? Dave Yeah I actually wrote a book on the 72 team called Still Perfect and here it is uh 50 years are still perfect and the only ones and I think they're a treasure in South Florida and yeah you know there's only a handful of teams you can point to the year or their name the 27 Yankees the dream team the Miracle on Ice the 1919 Black Sox for different reasons and 72 Dolphins how many teams can you single out like that and say they stand for something and the 72 Dolphins stand for perfection for winning every game and here they are 50 years later they're the only ones to have done it still so it's uh I think they're amazing guys and what they've gone on with their lives too you go down the list and it's uh you know they've gone on to you know makes football a pretty much a secondary part of the life in a lot of cases. Is it still really neat for them to get together as a group whoever can be there? Oh they love it you know they you know right now 17 players off the team have died and all the coaching staff so they're very appreciative of you know every five years or so coming together and getting to relive their achievements and to see each other you know a lot of them keep in contact you know and the other one of the great stories you know Bob Griese and Don Trull used to go to the track every month and have lunch and make five dollar bets and when Jim Kick was dying Mercury Morris would visit him at his assisted living facility every few weeks make an hour drive in and there's stories up and down the roster like that that they remained a team years after they quit playing. Dave Hyde is not only covering the Dolphins but he's got time to write books so the one that he's referring to is still perfect is the story of the 1972 Dolphins that's been updated for their 50th anniversary and then I see you've got a new one a memoir coming out about Jimmy Johnson the brand new Hall of Famer who is such a case study so that one's available next month for pre-order you can find Dave on Twitter at Dave Hyde Sports with the South Florida Sun Sentinel it's great to catch a couple minutes with you thanks so much for your time tonight yeah thanks Amy thanks for having me on. So the Miami Dolphins end their losing skid which is huge right because they had been essentially running a revolving door of quarterbacks and now they're sitting at four and three weirdly enough the Jets have won five in excuse me four in a row they're at five wins they're in second place all by their lonesome in the AFC East but they now have the same number of wins as the Bills who are on their bye in week seven what's stranger that the Jets have the same number of wins as the Bills in the AFC East so they're a half game back of course but they still have the same number of wins as the vaunted Bills or that the Seattle Seahawks are in first place in the NFC West tell me you saw that coming they've got a better record than the Super Bowl champion Rams than the Niners and the Cardinals all three teams made the playoffs last year Seattle traded away Russell Wilson has Geno Smith as their starter and they've got the lead in the NFC West it's after hours with Amy Lawrence CBS Sports Radio if you're feeling down and having trouble getting up in the morning here's a tip brush your teeth that's it often when we wake up our brains go into planning mode which leads to overthinking and stress before our head even leaves the pillow something simple like brushing your teeth can break that cycle and jumpstart your day this tip was brought to you by better help online therapy which connects you with a licensed therapist via video phone or online chat visit betterhelp.com slash positive and save 10% on your first month if you're feeling down and having trouble getting up in the morning here's a tip brush your teeth that's it often when we wake up our brains go into planning mode which leads to overthinking and stress before our head even leaves the pillow something simple like brushing your teeth can break that cycle and jumpstart your day this tip was brought to you by better help online therapy which connects you with a licensed therapist via video phone or online chat visit betterhelp.com slash positive and save 10% on your first month if you're feeling down and having trouble getting up in the morning here's a tip brush your teeth that's it often when we wake up our brains go into planning mode which leads to overthinking and stress before our head even leaves the pillow something simple like brushing your teeth can break that cycle and jumpstart your day this tip was brought to you by better help online therapy which connects you with a licensed therapist via video phone or online chat visit betterhelp.com slash positive and save 10% on your first month.