After Hours with Amy Lawrence PODCAST: Hour 4

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. So my biggest fear is there's going to be sneaks in the toilet. We're all afraid of that one strange thing. I'm Larry Mullins, the host of a new short 10 minute podcast called Your Weirdest Fears. We unpack where these fears come from, a rat climbed into my toilet and learn how to manage them.

Listen and subscribe to Your Weirdest Fears on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey hey, Tuesday morning, we're getting closer to Christmas. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. And I heard on the radio, the news when I was coming into work last night, that Tuesday is the busiest travel day at the airports.

So today is the day. If you are attempting to get out of town, if you are attempting to catch a flight, today is expected to be the busiest travel day of the Christmas week. And get this, 113 million Americans expected to be on the road. I could be wrong with that's nearly a third of the United States of America is going to be moving.

I think the last I knew our population was about 330 million-ish. Maybe it's grown. Well, it probably has considering. Nevermind. It probably has grown.

So 113 million may not be a third. However, that's a lot of people on the move. And when you think about today at the airports, I would say get there early. Maybe listen to our podcast.

How about that? I'm driving, but not until Wednesday. Again, I'm driving again on Wednesday. My family's worth it. They are.

They're so worth it. I've told them this. A lot of people heading out. So please be safe. And yes, take our podcast with you after hours, AmyLawrence.com. This is my last hour until next week. So I'm out the rest of the way. My mom's already at my brother's house. She's staying for the duration of the holidays.

And so I don't get a lot of time with her. So I'm heading back down there to be able to spend a week with her and my brother and my sister-in-law, my nieces, mom's husband. It's, I'm hoping, a relaxing week.

Sometimes the dog. Not so relaxing. But she's going to. Penny's going to. You don't have to ask. 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. P.S. I know I sound like a man.

Let me just get right out in front of that. I'm sorry. Actually, I'm just sorry that I sound funny. I actually don't feel terrible. Just a little tired. But I'm thinking someone passed along their cold.

I just don't want to pass it back to my family. So I've got to feel better by Wednesday. We had the last game of Week 15 in the NFL on Monday night. It was cold. Speaking of cold, I bet there were a few people who had colds at Lambeau Field. The formula always for winning football in the NFL, like it or not, is run the ball, stop the run. And we have seen that emphasized more and more this season. Think about the number of teams that have emphasized ball control and running the ball, even if that wasn't their M.O. before this year. Now, that's what Tennessee does, right? We know who they are. But there are teams out there who are adopting that philosophy, recognizing that if you possess the ball, of course, you don't give it back to your opponent, well, then it's a lot harder for them to hurt you.

It's hard to score without the ball. Hey, there's a bug in here. I'm pretty sure, Producer J, that is your job responsibility. That's your job description when there are bugs flying around the studio. I thought I just had the crawling ones. Oh, is that how we make a distinction?

Oh, interesting, because I don't remember ever saying that. Maybe they came out of the poinsettias in here because no one's watering them. They're just hemorrhaging leaves.

No one's watering the poinsettias. Yeah, they arranged them. They brought them in.

They're alive. They stacked them up on books, but they're dying because no one's watered them. They're not my poinsettias.

I suppose I could water them, but a lot of times I just want to get out of the studio as quickly as possible. Also, I think it's amusing that they went to all the trouble to put poinsettias in here, but decided, eh, watering them is too much trouble. Last year we had a Christmas tree in here.

It was awful. It was dropping needles, not leaves. It was dropping needles. It was also hemorrhaging its greenery, and it was all over the floor. So this year they did not put the Christmas tree here, but they did put the poinsettias in still. No one's learned the lesson.

Right, nothing's still watered. Who's in charge of foliage at CBS Sports Radio? That's an excellent question. Yeah, no one, maybe?

Could have said about a lot of different things. Who's in charge of the Christmas decorations? Some of them have hit the floor.

Some of them are still here. So Happy Hanukkah. Merry Christmas to you.

Thanks for hanging out with us. Run the ball. Stop the run. The Packers have an advantage at Lambeau when it's, I don't know, 17 degrees. As Aaron Jones said on Westwood 1 after the game was over, it hits a little different for those defensive players when they try to tackle you in this kind of cold. Football just inside the 8-yard line.

A Los Angeles Rogers shotgun. Dylan to his right. And he takes hands off to A.J. Dylan busting his way. Inside the back to the goal line. And he piled right into the North End zone. A.J. Dylan on an 8-yard touchdown blast. Rogers under center. Dylan on the long back.

Lazard motions inside. And here's the handoff. Dylan follows Lazard right side to the end zone. Touchdown! Touchdown A.J. Dylan and the Green Bay Packers.

It is 16-6. Aaron Jones, oh that was an ugly word. Aaron Jones, A.J.

Dylan. That has always been the best option for the Packers. Now they got away from it multiple times this year.

Whether cold or 80 degrees, that's still the best option. I know Aaron Rogers doesn't throw a ton of interceptions. He threw his 10th one last night I believe. So he's generally a guy who takes care of the football. But he's also seen a lot of duress. He's also seen a lot of traffic in his pocket. And so run the ball, stop the run.

And you can tell that they were committed to that. Even when the run game or the running backs were used out of the backfield in the passing attack. Packers second down and goal. Shotgun snap and a quick sideways throw. Caught at the 10-yard line. Got a block at the 5. Into the end zone. Dropped as he crossed but he got into the end zone. That is a catch and run for a touchdown. And it was Aaron Jones, the running back, who got it. Kevin Harlan on Westwood won before that.

Wayne Larevey on Packers radio. Just one touchdown for Baker, Mayfield and the Rams. So no late game heroics orchestrated by Baker in this one.

Instead it was a smothering Green Bay effort on D. Mayfield looks it over. Under center. Stack to the right. In motion off that stack. Atwell to the left. Mayfield play action.

Deep drop. Steps up. Hit by Smith. And covered up back outside the 45-yard line.

Preston Smith again. We always go out there each and every game trying to do our best. We all played at a high level tonight.

We played together and we played sound. Sometimes you don't even know what the stats are until the end of the game. The second half was huge. We dominated the time of possession in the second half. Unfortunately there was a little lull there I think where we had the punt and then we had the fumble where we had an opportunity to kind of like just really close out the game that we didn't get it done.

But all in all it wasn't perfect and there's a lot of things to still work on, still improve upon. But you know we're happy with the win and I thought the Rams came in and played with great effort as well and we'll enjoy it tonight. That's it. Just tonight and then back to work because the Packers are still alive. Their playoff hopes are on life support. They're on a ventilator right now but they are still alive.

They're just going to need a bunch of help in addition to winning out. It's after hours with Amy Lawrence here on CBS Sports Radio. 138 rushing yards for the team which is actually about the same number of yards that the Rams accrued total. Preston Smith had two of the five sacks against Baker Mayfield. Another nine QB hits in there.

There was a takeaway as well. So this is total domination. And while the Packers keep their playoff hopes alive, Sean McVay, the Los Angeles Rams, officially eliminated from playoff contention. As a Super Bowl champion they matched the earliest elimination that's ever taken place. So a little bit awkward but the Rams as a defending champ with three weeks to go. Only one other team has ever seen those playoff hopes extinguished with three weeks to go.

That was the 1999 Broncos and that was after John Elway had retired in the wake of back to back Super Bowls. Certainly not the way that Sean McVay expected this season to play out. I think it's hard to say that you could. You certainly can't but this is the reality that we're in and this is where we're at. There's a lot of things that when you look at it, especially when you get a chance to step back after the season's over, how do we try to avoid some of these things? My job is to focus on let's finish up the season with the right competitive spirit, with the mindset and mentality that's reflective of who those guys are in the locker room and who those coaches are. And that's what we'll do but there's been a lot of things that I've kind of thought about that I think you can make sense of why you've gotten here. But it still doesn't make it any easier and it's a very humbling season for sure.

I didn't expect this to happen but it did and the biggest thing is fighting, having some pride. There's still games left and still playing at a high level regardless of the situation. I think it's fairly obvious why the Rams struggled so much this year. They went through their top two quarterbacks, they didn't have Cooper Cup, they had a revolving door of running backs. They only had one offensive lineman who's played every single game to this point. Aaron Donald's been out for a couple of weeks so they've had a ton of injuries. Every team deals with that.

I think if I remember correctly they only had two guys who've started every game on the offensive side or who have played every game on the offensive side. But no one's going to feel sorry for them obviously because they're the defending Super Bowl champions and they had a magical run in 2021. Obviously being able to host the Super Bowl and win it on their own field was just a cherry on top.

It's after hours, CBS Sports Radio. As for the Packers, it feels a whole lot different when you are winning and when you have something to play for in December. If you win a game, the vibes are pretty good. We've just been practicing a little bit better, energy's been a little bit better.

It's hard to put your finger on it. We've played a couple of teams we should have beat. That being said, it's still tough to win in the league. I said it earlier, I think we can beat anybody. We can also lose to anybody. But when you win a couple in a row, it starts to give you some confidence. Now we're playing against some better football teams down the stretch that we can go to Miami and win.

That's coming up on Christmas Day. The Dolphins and the Packers. It's one of the themes of this year in football is the struggles of the Packers and the Buccaneers. What were the chances? What were the odds that both those teams would finish below.500? I guess there is still a chance. So you're saying there's a chance. Their paths have been tied, it seems like, all year long.

Lots of questions about these two. Certainly we obsess over the quarterbacks. I love Aaron Rodgers. They have their teams in position. They could end up in the playoffs. A little easier for the Buccaneers because the entire NFC South is below.500. But if they have another game the way that they did on Sunday, blowing a 17 point lead at home against the Bengals, they can find themselves falling back into a tie in the NFC South division.

Depending on what else happens in week 16. So what do you play for then? When you know that you're eliminated, what do you play for? I think that's a question that these guys have to answer now. And I appreciate that Leonard Floyd, he would say, hey, there's still a lot more on the line here.

We can't just mail it in because a lot of us who are thinking about the future and our next job. When the last few games put good stuff on tape, we're still being evaluated. Guys got to fight to keep their job and try to win at the same time. Got to keep balancing the two. Put good stuff on film and fight to win. Yeah, it's not just about the playoffs, though of course that makes it a lot easier to keep going when you have something to play for.

Definitely about jobs now. There's guys being evaluated. There's guys who aren't expiring contracts. There's guys who are only on one year deals. There's guys who don't know where they'll play next year or what the offseason looks like. Kind of the downside or the business of football that can be harsh. The Rams are facing it. And I've already started to hear the rumblings about whether or not Sean McVay will reconsider and will walk away.

I don't know. I don't know Sean McVay personally, but if it's me, this is not how I want to go out. The question was asked of Tom Brady, why are you still playing? I thought it was wise, speaks to his experience, and before the end of the hour you'll hear Brady explain to you why he continues to play football. On Twitter, ALawRadio.

Also on our Facebook page. Got some photos up and we are planning on recording a Christmas video. You're just going to hear me sounding like a man. Sorry not sorry. I just don't want to give anyone else the cold. Jay, I don't want to give anyone else the cold. I would hate to do that to somebody.

Yeah, I'm sure you would never do that to me, right? I couldn't even dream of it. Oh my goodness. We had a chance to talk to JP Shadrick, Jaguar senior insider and reporter earlier on the show because there's a lot of buzz coming out of Duval countries.

We'll bring back part of that as well. Career milestone for Damian Lillard on Monday and also Donovan Mitchell facing his former team. Thanks so much for listening on a Tuesday morning. We're hurdling our way toward Christmas.

Happy Hanukkah to you as well. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence, CBS Sports Radio. You are listening to the After Hours podcast. 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. 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.

What's the strangest thing you're afraid of tails without fur on them such as rats or possums. I'm Larry Mullins host of the podcast your weirdest fears where we dig into the crazy things you're afraid of everything from animal people hybrids, you know people who get surgeries to look like an animal to giant statues if I ever saw one of those giant statues, I probably would poop my pants. Listen and subscribe on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast from. This is after hours with Amy Lawrence. Amy Lillard was busy last night that's blazers radio game that Portland did not win, but a career milestone even as they fall in Oklahoma City. Travis Demers on I think it's blazers radio right or was it the OKC call.

Okay, so along the way in the third quarter. Damian Lillard hits a three and ties Clyde Drexler the Hall of Famer for most points in a blazers uniform and Damon spent his entire career with the Portland Trail Blazers 730 games. If you include last night, but it was on a free throw that he was able to take over the record all by himself. Here is Lillard for the record. And he knocks it down congratulations to Damian Lillard knocking it down from the line 21 points and he has now moved past Clyde Drexler for the all-time scoring mark in blazers history.

Congratulations to Damian Lillard. I've always admired his commitment his loyalty which is rare in sports when it comes from the athletes and I'm not saying that's bad. I'm not criticizing athletes who leave and go somewhere else. I would never do that. It's a business is their business.

They should do what's best for them just like we do the number of job changes. I've made over the course of my 25 year career. It's astounding.

Like this is the longest I've been in any one place. It's rare and so we begrudge athletes that even though we don't hold ourselves to the same standard and I get it. We are emotional and irrational and illogical about our favorite players.

In a perfect world they would stay with our teams all the way through and yeah there are some athletes who will do that but it's not right to hold them to a loyalty standard when it's their business and they have a limited window in which to succeed and sign contracts and make money. But congratulations to Dame. I have always admired his commitment to Portland. He wants to win there.

Maybe that changes at some point. Maybe he decides it won't happen in Portland but he's he's had opportunities to leave and he's chosen to stay put. And so for that blazers fans should appreciate him all 730 games but also appreciate the fact that he's not about records.

He's about double use tough loss. You know I thought any time you lose the buzzer is a tough way to go out. You know but we we had our opportunities and just you know didn't go away.

Obviously it's not the same as if we had won the game. You feel better about it but you know it's a it's an accomplishment that you know came with a lot of losses and a lot of wins you know so you know I don't want to not acknowledge it. You know it's an honor. It's a great feeling to I guess reach the top. It's been a goal of mine and you know the list has so many great players.

You know the great history of the organization so to to climb it and be number one is a special accomplishment that I'm proud of. I'm thankful for all the people that played a part like I've been saying for the last couple days. But you want to you want to enjoy that moment in the win and you know even during the game tonight I didn't I wasn't playing focused on getting to the record. You know I was playing the game and just trying to win. And you know I knew it would happen eventually.

And you know it just is it takes it takes away from a little bit. You know you want to win and experience it. Big fan big fan of Damian Lillard and similar to say Chris Paul who is a sentimental favorite. If he has an opportunity to get back to the NBA finals I would root for Dave. I know a lot of the NBA community would root for Dame. And he's done it the right way.

And I don't mean just by staying in Portland. I mean he carries himself the right way. He's a great example. Kevin Calabro with the TV call and then Dame himself following that loss in Oklahoma City. It's after hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. Not quite a milestone but a moment worth mentioning as Donovan Mitchell faces his old team the Utah Jazz on Monday. Four on the clock. Mitchell two on the clock. Into the lane. Crow steps to the basket. Laid it in as the shot clock went off.

Donovan Mitchell with some holiday moves right there. It was good man. You know like I said this morning man it's always good to play against you guys and have fun. You know I think the bigger game will probably be when we go back out there. But as a whole for a group as a team we played really well. We did a lot of really good things collectively.

Obviously we shot the ball really well. So Donovan Mitchell kind of plays it down this reunion but knows that on the flip side he and his team will be in Salt Lake City. If you didn't see his comments or listen to the Mark Spears podcast Donovan was more open about his time in Salt Lake and I think in sharing his feelings about living in the city. He was not only genuine and honest about his experience but compares it to what he's feeling in Cleveland now. Talks about the racism that he saw which is not exclusive to Salt Lake to be fair. He tells a story about being pulled over by a police officer and feeling like the cop was giving him attitude until he showed his I.D. and that made him think about all of those young black men who were pulled over that maybe didn't have the opportunity to say in a manner of speaking do you know who I am. And I don't know that Donovan said that I'm just kind of giving you the scenario. That's his version.

I want to be careful because I don't know the police officer. I didn't hear the the officers version. But he's fairly pointed in his comments about his experience being draining in Salt Lake. And so that's on the Mark Spears podcast. He gets in scapes. We say that in scapes with Mark Spears the link is on our CBS Sports Web site. What Jay just and escape. No I'm not.

Oh sorry. In scape with Mark Spears. Of course it'll be a big deal when he returns to Salt Lake. I can imagine the fans will shower him with praise and there'll be a video. I still go back to why did Danny Ainge trade him. It doesn't make any sense to me because I think he's a cornerstone piece. I think he's someone that you build around. But that's just not who Danny Ainge is. So he's starting fresh and it sounds like in Donovan's opinion it's a better fit for him.

And of course they love him in Cleveland. The call on Cavaliers radio. You know what's coming right at the end of this week. The unofficial start to the NBA season. I'm just kidding.

It doesn't annoy me when people say that but how often do you hear that. Oh that's when the NBA season really tips off. Well you missed a lot if you're just getting to the NBA season now. But I know football is a bully and takes up a good chunk of the center ring of the circus.

Coming up on Sunday. It's actually interesting to think about how the NBA scheduled these games. Thinking that they would be really attractive battles. And some of them will be. I say Milwaukee and Boston. You're talking about two of the best teams in the east and really two of the best teams in the NBA. Memphis and Golden State maybe doesn't have that shine. Though if Dev is playing. If the superstars are out.

Well Ja Morant. That certainly brings eyeballs to the TV. The Lakers and the Mavericks. Okay probably not flocking to the TV for that one.

It's eleven thirty in the morning on Christmas. L.A. time. But hey before you scoff at Sixers and Knicks. Do you know the Knicks have the longest win streak in the NBA right now.

Got to make sure I didn't miss anything. Yeah they've won seven in a row. The Sixers have won five in a row.

I know we're not yet to Christmas. So there's a chance these winning streaks could end. Right now the Knicks have got the hot hand. The NBA officially tips off on Christmas.

So what will you watch. So I told you the NFL has urban sprawl. Remember going back to the year of the Covid year where the NFL for the first time ever played games on every single day of the week. And it was because they were retooling the schedules kind of scheduling on the fly. They had to right because there were teams that had to clear covid protocols and and their goal was to play every single game which the NFL did in 2020 played every single game. But they played on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday and Saturday and of course on Sunday. And I said to you at the time the NFL may take a step back but it is not relinquishing this real estate.

No. Now that they've got a taste of playing on every single day of the week they're going to keep doing it. They're going to figure out a way to host games on every single day of the week. Now coming up this weekend it's Thursday.

The bulk of the schedule is on Saturday and now Sunday Christmas Day as well as Monday. It's urban sprawl I'm telling you. The NFL's version of bullying and urban sprawl.

You know the NFL is crazy. Definitely is. If you missed it earlier I got this little tidbit. We call them nerd alerts. Oh I'm actually impressed that my voice did that.

We call them nerd alerts. There was no game in which the margin of victory was more than 12 points this weekend. Packers Rams 24-12 was the widest margin of victory. That was Monday night. Uh huh. No it's not rigged.

Nerd alert! Every week I get those tweets or Facebook posts. It's definitely rigged.

My mom says that to me every now and then but she mostly thinks the NBA is rigged. I'm going to have to talk her out of it yet again. On Twitter A Law Radio there's photos. What a cool surprise. I wasn't expecting to be on anyone's jumbotron on Monday. And also on our Facebook page After Hours with Amy Lawrence. Thanks so much for hanging out with us.

Coming up a chunk of my conversation with J.P. Shadrach because the Jags and their fans have got the fever. You are listening to the After Hours Podcast. 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. 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. 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. Pause or rewind your local sports and news.

This is After Hours with Amy Lawrence. That is one of your candidates for TD of the week. The Rashawn Jenkins pick six in overtime off a tipped ball thrown by Dak Prescott. And Jacksonville snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, not just once when they were trailing by 17 points, but twice because Trevor Lawrence fumbled the ball away with 90 seconds to go and the defense held in overtime that might be the most that might be the most talked about replayed moment of the Jaguar season and maybe the last couple seasons considering that the Urban Meyer campaign was a disaster last year before that they were the worst team in the league so they ended up with the number one pick that became Trevor Lawrence it's been tough sledding for the Jags but not anymore her it's after hours with Amy Lawrence it's cool to catch up with JP Shadrach who is a longtime reporter for the Jaguars and their radio network last him what's the reaction in Jacksonville as the Jags actually have playoff hopes games that count in December I think it's about time right I mean this is a Jags team that is young it's a new coaching staff it's a second year quarterback it's a defense that had a lot of new parts and free agency than the draft and they had some hiccups earlier in the season I mean it started two and one but then they lost five in a row and they had fourth quarter leads in a lot of those games and just couldn't figure out how to finish a football game it felt like and then you know kind of came to a head in London in week eight Jaguars had it Trevor Lawrence threw a couple interceptions in that game including one on a first and goal with the one and it just kind of unraveled there but since then Trevor's been playing better football and the defense is opportunistic they're giving up some yards but in key moments they've been okay they're starting to take the ball away again so they're getting winning results it gets pretty good football teams now too when it matters and all of a sudden they control their own destiny for the playoffs which is remarkable to think about said that week nine that it with three weeks to go the Jaguars would have controlled their own destiny you'd be crazy but they are that's the way it is three to go down one of the division they've already beaten Tennessee once you'll see them again head-to-head in week 18 so the fan base is over the moon right now it is the Jaguars town for sure how did they keep going or keep working or not lose confidence during that five-game losing skid where people were sputtering out the same old lines about this is the Jaguars it doesn't matter who's coaching blah blah blah questioning Trevor Lawrence how did they stay steady during that stretch well I think it's Doug I think it's Doug Peterson I mean he's it's his messaging it's his consistent day-to-day approach that never wavered you know there's there's never he's the same guy at least that I can tell day in day out win loss okay lose a fourth quarter lead again okay let's come back Monday and figure out why and here's what we have in front of us our goals are still out there we're playing football we play again on Sunday at one o'clock and we're playing the next nameless faceless opponent if you will and it's all it's all about the Jaguars right it's all about us improving and trying to finish as a football team and we're all in this thing together that that's really I think what kept this group going and you know in in years past when you'd have a stretch of losses like that it would turn into eight in a row or okay they might sneak one and then lose four more no there's a there's a little bit more poise and confidence now and I think that comes with that steady everyday approach that Doug has and that's comforting and that I think is a big reason why they're where they are it then JP when you look around at the top teams in the AFC so we're talking about the Bills who are 11 and 3 same record as the Chiefs what separates the Jaguars some teams like that or the Bengals or even the Ravens who have had some extended success let's start with a little bit of where they are right okay consider the last couple years around here and the Jags still are six and eight by the way it's not like for Cincinnati right now or Buffalo 11 and 3 I don't know I want I don't want to get too far out in front of our skis here but you know the offense I think is pretty darn close to what they like they've got a little bit of a running game with ETN he's had a fumbling issue but they can they can work on that and and maybe if they have a secondary back to him that could that could help out then haste he's kind of stepped up there the receivers have been fantastic for them a lot of people gave them flack for the amount of money they spent on Christian Kirk and Zay Jones and free agency and to that point Evan Ingram the tight end and a one-year deal but all three of those players are if not already past career best seasons they're on their way within a game or two of having career numbers all three of those guys in one season so they've done a good job there I think they could get another true deep threat on offense and be able to maybe hang with those teams I think the quarterbacks pretty close to being able to make a lot of the throws that some of those guys you you listed can do some of those teams have defenses to Baltimore so okay and Buffalo right I mean those those teams are complete both sides of the ball teams and I think this defense does need they put some a lot into it a lot of equity a lot of cash and free agency a lot of draft equity there's been some holes there at times this year especially in the secondary this is a Jags organization that's had troubles over the years and I think we've talked about this on your show I mean that they've had trouble resigning first-round picks and it's not just a recent phenomenon it's about a 15-year phenomenon they've only had I think one first-round pick they've signed to a second deal here and we're seeing some of the effects of that now on defense right I mean they had Jalen Ramsey here he didn't make it to a second contract right the right pick it's great player we didn't make it he moved on he got traded and then they tried to backfill that with CJ Henderson well that didn't work out he's off he's gone Carolina right so now they've had to double up and go to free agency and get Shaq Griffin he wasn't playing that well this year then he got hurt and he's on the bench right so they're trying to backfill the the cornerback position from two first-round picks ago still so that's where they are that's where that's the difference I think in some of these established teams in the AFC they've had you know eight years six years of consistent drafting and success and keeping those guys as a core group and the shags teams not quite there yet but they feel like they're on the verge of starting that kind of a run a lot of excitement a lot of buzz in Jacksonville a lot of duvalls showed of my social media JP Shadrach of Jaguars radio he's a senior reporter there's more there about Doug Peterson and what he's meant to the organization so you can check that out on our podcast after hours Amy Lawrence calm he said he hopes that his phone rings again soon or that we send him a text again soon to have him on the show because it means we're talking Jaguars football yeah it's kind of fun to to look at the infinite possibilities over these next couple weeks right because there are only four teams that have made the playoffs each of the last three seasons and the Packers are unlikely to extend that to four now they could write their six and eight they're not out of it they're not officially eliminated but they have to win out and get some help but think about the other teams we know that roughly half the NFL playoff bracket turns over every year but this could end up being a little extreme this season because we're looking at right now all of the NFC beast making it in we're looking at the Seahawks who weren't there last year right we're looking at the NFC West having a different champion now the south in both the AFC and the NFC has no winning teams which means that it's completely wide open we could have the Falcons or the Saints or the Panthers overtake the Buccaneers and in the AFC south because the Titans have left the door wide open in fact they kicked it open and said hey it's lonely up here at the top do you want to hang out with us just climb through this trapdoor they've dropped four in a row and now the Jaguars are in a position where they could overtake the Titans because they play again before the season is up love that the Titans were the number one seed last year even if they do end up winning that division I don't believe they're a Super Bowl contender certainly there the Bengals and the bills the Chiefs those could all be repeat division champions but there is definitely going to be some turnover I'm looking forward to it it's after hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio speaking of the NFC south Tom Brady talked about the painful loss to the Bengals on his let's go podcast on Sirius XM NFL radio but he also answered the question posed to him by Jim Gray why are you still playing when it's so bad you would think oh well why is he still playing because all you want to do is win and that's all sports should be about is winning and I agree it should be about winning but it's also I'm looking at like no what am I learning what am I learning from you know putting a similar amount of energy in over the last couple years and not winning what is that teaching me you know why should we feel like we're just entitled to win all the time we're not that's not what life's about you know and I think anyone who's gone through life and struggles at their job or struggles in other aspects of life when you do put effort and energy into it you know what are you learning from that as opposed to you know why is that happening to you and for you you know why why you're not a victim of that we're not a victim of losing games the Sun came up today we got something to do about it we woke up we have a chance why you know this is not the time to you know feel sorry for yourself so get up go into work and make it better and improve it no pity parties the Sun came up we're still playing football for a living we're not feeling sorry for ourselves yeah that's not only mental toughness but it's being an adult you're still playing football for a living you're still getting paid a lot of money to play football for a living so why do you keep playing even when the success isn't there well because he enjoys the process because it's hard soul blood sweat and tears and it's just as important to Tom Brady but he did say losing sucks too he was awake at 3 a.m. and couldn't get back to sleep and was is furious and it was another crappy night though he didn't use that word all right I'm out the rest of this Christmas week you've got I don't know six minutes left to send your guesses for the number of M&Ms in our after-hours Christmas Basin jar you can see that video on Twitter vote for TD of the week happy Hanukkah Merry Christmas to you it's after hours with Amy Lawrence CBS Sports Radio boom 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 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 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