1-9-23 After Hours with Amy Lawrence PODCAST: Hour 4

This show is sponsored by BetterHelp.

When you're at your best, you can do great things. Working with a therapist can help you get closer to the best version of yourself, because when you feel empowered, you're more ready for life's challenges. BetterHelp is a great therapy option. It's flexible, affordable, entirely online, and it matches you with a licensed therapist. Let therapy help empower you. Visit betterhelp.com slash positive to get 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp.com slash positive. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp.

When you're at your best, you can do great things. Working with a therapist can help you get closer to the best version of yourself, because when you feel empowered, you're more ready for life's challenges. BetterHelp is a great therapy option. It's flexible, affordable, entirely online, and it matches you with a licensed therapist. Let therapy help empower you. Visit betterhelp.com slash positive to get 10% off your first month.

That's betterhelp.com slash positive. Good morning to you. Happy Monday! And it is a happy Monday for a lot of NFL fans. It's also a morbid, morose, moody, melancholy, mad manic Monday for a lot of NFL fans. And as always, maybe our last one of the season, but following the final weekend of the regular season when all the teams are playing, we have put up our Monday mortification poll, because as you know, mortification and misery love company. And I can see it on our social media. Fans, commiserating. But there are other fans who are exalting.

Good to the last drop. That was the NFL season. We had a win and get in scenario on Sunday Night Football, the very last game of the year.

I hope that you were expecting the unexpected. The Detroit Lions, the Seattle Seahawks, the Jacksonville Jaguars. Are there better stories in the NFL than those this season? Try to think of another story that I would put in there with those teams. Minnesota Vikings, a real good story in the first year under Kevin O'Connell.

Brian Deball, of course, with the New York Giants. The Miami Dolphins, it'd be tough to see this version of the Dolphins in the playoffs next weekend against the Bills if they don't have Tua. But we've got a ton of teams that are ending significant playoff droughts. Do you know the top two seeds from last year's playoffs are on the outside looking in? The Tennessee Titans and your Green Bay Packers, they were the top seeds who had the buys last January. And they're not moving forward.

They're designated for assignment, if you will. But there are some non-playoff teams that are looking at this offseason with more hope and optimism. Maybe even a little bit of joy because they finished on a high note. We've not only got your seeds now set in stone, we've got your playoff schedule. Super-sized wildcard weekend hot off the presses, baby. It's after hours with Amy Lawrence, our last Monday following a regular season Sunday. Tonight, Monday Night Football is not the NFL variety. Instead, it's the College Football National Championship.

So if you're already feeling some shakes, maybe you're already starting to feel the withdrawals set in. Well, don't you worry. There's football tonight. And then we've got three days that are part of that super-sized wildcard weekend. So before I go any farther, we're going to kind of back into it, right?

Everything that happened on Sunday or as much as we can cram in to this next hour. The great thing about hosting a radio show four hours a night, four hours a morning, depending upon your perspective, there's so much time. I have so much time, which is why I could take the scenic route, which is why I can tell you I'll be back here tomorrow night slash tomorrow morning and we'll talk about it then. Yeah, it's one of the reasons I love radio and would never be a TV gal because TV is too compartmentalized.

It's too compact. I like to tell stories. I like to meander.

I like to take my time. So we've got time this week leading up to the wildcard weekend, but we'll also feature a national championship in football, some frogs and dogs on Monday night from Los Angeles. All right, NFL nerds.

That's a compliment, really. Your wildcard weekend starts with the Seattle Seahawks. The last team to get into the playoffs will be on the field first against Oidea. The San Francisco 49ers, could there be a tougher assignment for the Seahawks? Really could be the tougher assignment for anybody in the playoffs right now.

But the Seahawks, they get in. And again, that's got to be one of the most unlikely improbable special stories. It's special.

Special stories of 2022. Maybe one of Pete Carroll's best coaching jobs ever, college or pro. Hello, Geno Smith. Welcome to the playoffs. So the Seahawks and the Niners, 1.30 Bay Area time, 4.30 Eastern time.

That's the beginning. And it's an NFC West battle. Oh, you're going to hear the theme a lot here about rematches and divisional battles. The Chargers at the Jaguars. That's your first AFC battle. The AFC South champs, the Jacksonville Jaguars second consecutive Saturday playing a game at home under the lights against the Chargers who were playing all of their starters deep into Sunday's game and may have suffered a couple of injuries because of it.

So we'll hear from Brandon Staley and keep our eyes on that during the week. But that is your Saturday wildcard doubleheader. A tripleheader on Sunday. More divisional love.

Love. The Miami Dolphins last team into the AFC playoff puzzle at the Buffalo Bills. The Giants at the Vikings. And then the Ravens at the Bengals.

Not only a rematch of the AFC North game that we saw already twice this season, but just yesterday. I don't love that. I know it's how it broke down. I don't love it, but it's just, those are the numbers.

P.S. There is no coin flip. The coin flip is not a thing, but the Bengals are not going to let it go either. Did you see Joe Mixon's coin flip celebration after his touchdown last Sunday? You gotta hand it to the Bengals. They know how to celebrate. They come up with some of the most unique TD celebrations, but it's irrelevant. It's a moot point.

There isn't a coin flip. They are hosting the Ravens on Saturday night. I'm sorry, Sunday night. And then on Monday, remember NFL's got urban sprawl, so it just continues to spread out.

It's a new thing, the second year in a row. The Cowboys at the Buccaneers. So that's your 4-5 matchup in the NFC and it takes place on Monday night. I did hear this actually, in case you're wondering. It's going to be on every platform ESPN has. Once again, you've got like the all out blitz.

5 networks, 17 podcast channels, I don't know. But most importantly, Peyton and Eli. That's what I heard. Peyton and Eli have the Monday night Mannings for Dallas at Tampa Bay. Could you imagine Peyton's comments about Tom Brady and the Buccaneers and how that's going to go? Fantastic. Also, Eli Manning apparently is a hockey lover because over the weekend he was photographed, I think it was Rangers Devils in New Jersey. He was hanging out at the hockey rink. So that's your schedule for Super Size Wild Card Weekend. How did we get here?

Oh, well there are stories to tell. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. Brand new poll up, so check it out on our show Twitter, After Hours CBS.

Also on our Facebook page. We are glad to hear from so many of you. Even now people are hearing the show for the first time. This is the time of the year where sports radio and sports TV have more listeners and viewers than any other time of the year. It's phenomenal.

The electricity. It's palpable. People get so excited over these games and no doubt we're going to have playoff games that are 35 million, 40 million people watching. And that's Wild Card Weekend.

To say nothing of Championship Weekend when the games generally have more than 50 million viewers a piece. So why don't we start with Sunday Night Football. Even before the Lions and the Packers kicked off at Lambeau, Detroit already knew that they were officially eliminated.

Right? So the only role that the Lions could play, they could keep their momentum going and they could take out the Packers to wrap up the regular season. Meanwhile, it couldn't have set up better for the Packers. After starting 4-8, they win four games in a row and they get to host Sunday Night Football at their own place. Where, to be fair, they've owned Detroit for most of Aaron Rodgers' tenure. And all they gotta do is win.

Doesn't matter how you win, a win gets you in. The first half, it was a bear. All field goals. No touchdowns. Because, you know, it's football. Who needs touchdowns? 9-6 at halftime. And then early in the third quarter, there is a turning point. And you're going to have to stick with me here.

It kind of goes with the theme. It's a missed opportunity. The punter Pat O'Donnell will hold. There's the snap.

Hold. Kick is away. It is up and it is off the crossbar and no good. Where was that against the Ravens? Off the crossbar and no good. That's what's supposed to happen. Listen to them giggling on the Lions Radio Network.

They're slap happy. Again, already eliminated. Nothing theoretically to play for. And why is that the turning point? Well, after a 53-yard miss.

So Mason Crosby, one of the reasons they're giggling is because Mason Crosby earlier in December. Off the crossbar. Or was it last week?

I can't remember. Maybe it was last week. Anyway, he had a 53-yard kick that had the perfect spin. So it hit the crossbar and rolled through. And it didn't happen against the Lions.

But why is that significant? Well, because the Lions then get to set up with a short field. And right away, Jared Goff, who really hadn't seen a whole lot of what he's done to this point in the season. 43-yard heave to Kalief Raymond. He nearly gets into the end zone. Instead, they leave that to their touchdown maker.

First and goal from the 1. Goff takes the snap. Handoff Williams.

Running right. Watch into the end zone. Touchdown Lions. A 1-yard touchdown run for Jamal Williams.

His league leading 16th of the year. It ties the Lions' single-season record. And it gives Detroit a 12-9 lead. Now the Packers answer right away. It's almost as though they were awakened.

Maybe a little fear in them. Realizing rut roh. This could get serious pretty quick. And we're talking about playoffs here. And so Rogers almost does the Jared Goff imitation.

I know that's sacrilegious. He launches to Christian Watson. This was probably one of the highlights of the game.

Would have been more highlighted had the Packers followed through. Christian Watson has his one arm pinned by the defensive back. He reaches out his other arm. He hauls in the ball.

He cradles it against his body. All at breakneck speed. 45-yards down the field. So a one-handed grab.

Really impressive. And the Packers have to cap off the drive. Rogers under center. Single back offense once again. Dylan the lone setback. Faked to Dylan. Rogers to throw.

Looking around. Throws end zone. Touchdown. Tyler Lazard. Left side of the end zone. And the Packers are back in front. Wayne Larrabee on Packers radio. Right.

So it's a nice back and forth. And I'm thinking oh we're getting some redemption for the first half of all field goals. But the Lions clearly saved the best for last. Their next possession is 8 minutes, 13 plays, 6 first downs. So I got the sense that the Packers defense was a little worn out at this point because Detroit seemed to pick up the pace and became more and more relentless and bold. Dan Campbell, his coaching staff, they got nothing to lose. So what do they do? They go for it on fourth and two.

Why not? What are you playing for except for misery for the Green Bay Packers? So they're able to convert another fourth down and Jamal Williams, he is what did I say? He's the touchdown maker. He is the closer. Third and goal for the Lions from the six inch line.

Golf out of the gun. Hands to Jamal. This time he's in. Touchdown Detroit Lions.

They are back on top. Second of the night for Jamal Williams. 17th of the year breaking Barry Sanders all time franchise record for rushing touchdowns in a single season. I'm sorry but Dan Miller just put Jamal Williams and Barry Sanders in the same highlight. Really impressive. Sanders set that mark in 1991 with 16 rushing touchdowns. Jamal Williams just broke it and is now the franchise record holder.

It's after hours here on CBS Sports Radio. So the Lions were showing off their offense and their capabilities. They've got multiple guys that they feel like are really strong weapons. Not to mention Jared Goff. Get this.

I feel like I have to whisper it. Of course they're done for the year so it doesn't matter. Jared Goff used to have a major turnover problem. Do you know he has gone nine games without an interception? I'm thinking the Lions are good at quarterback.

Maybe there's a question mark coming into this season but he's answered all of those questions. So after the Jamal Williams touchdown there is time. It's Aaron Rodgers' house. It's Lambeau. It's the fans.

It's the cold. It's everything the Packers want dangling in front of them. And all Rodgers has to do is go out there and call up some of that old MVP magic like he's done so many times before. Three receivers left, one right. Rodgers has got it.

Back blitz comes. Rodgers throws deep down the right sideline. It is intercepted by the Lions.

Kirby Joseph's got it. To the 45, to the 50, and into Green Bay territory where he's shoved out of bounds. Fourth interception of the season for Kirby Joseph and baby how big was that? Don't quote me on this but I'm pretty sure Joseph had two interceptions against Rodgers the first time they played. Four picks by Aaron Rodgers. Actually one was called back on a penalty in this game. So he officially ends up with a pick. Not two.

But against the Lions he did not play well this year. Not at all. This is a new era in Detroit.

Is it not? So Rodgers' floater is intercepted by Kirby Joseph about three and a half to go and get this, the Lions run out the clock including another fourth down conversion. Brash. Bold and ultimately buoyed by the fact that they end the Packers run. It's crazy.

It's after hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. Dan Campbell's bunch. They win eight of their last ten. They come oh so close to the playoffs. That will have to wait for another year but they have one of the youngest rosters in football and almost all the pieces in place. To win in a game like that, division opponent, on the road, they're playing for everything and we're playing for something too and for them to come through, it was a great feeling.

I just told them how proud I was of them. I love the foundation of this team. I love the core of this team. That's the youth and that's the veterans that we have. The guys that we have re-signed here. The guys that we plan on re-signing.

But the guys that are here are people that fit us. Dan Campbell wants everyone to know he's not a lunatic. I say he should embrace his inner lunatic because a lunatic Campbell is exactly what the Lions need. He has been the right personality, the right leader, just the perfect fit for Detroit. And I wish they were in the playoffs because I enjoy rooting for these Lions. Also the Seahawks are rooting for the Lions too. Their social media was not only using the hashtag Lions Pride but there was one Lion King type of a meme that they put together featuring the Lions logo being held up. Like what you got in the Lion King.

Anyway it's really cute. I don't know if you want to retweet it Jay from our show account. Jamal Williams, an emotional week for him. And so as he's talking with NBC after the game, he's asked about breaking that record of Barry Sanders with 17 rushing touchdowns. My great-grandfather died on me. I just dedicate this to him. I'm just grateful to do this for him. My grandfather, he was 92 but I'm just grateful for him to be in my life and I'm grateful to be able to play football and do this for him. So there's a lot of memories, a lot of emotion happening right now but I'm just grateful.

I'm grateful to be able to play this game for my great-grandfather and I'm glad that he's looking down on me and I know I'm making him proud. Jamal Williams in the midst of grief, able to go out there and set a new franchise record and yes, grandparents are special and they are gifts. Now as for the Packers, well this is certainly not the way they wanted to wrap up but they put themselves in this position. They started out four of eight and were only able to see a path to the playoffs because they ran the table over their last four games. But it's been really inconsistent for them throughout the year.

Aaron Rodgers, he said we just needed one win to kind of find some momentum and that's true but against the Lions, they lost both their games this season. It was frustrating at times but it's ultimately really some really beautiful moments. It's weird to say and I actually do really believe that as disappointed as this is, there was a lot of really incredible moments and life lessons. Life and the season is like a big ceremony and ceremonies can be tough. Okay, so Aaron Rodgers is already answering questions about his future because this is where we are. It's not that different from what happened with Brett Favre before he officially walked away from Green Bay. But here's what happened with Aaron Rodgers at the end of the game which is why it stirred the pot even more. Not only does he linger on the field, it's the end of the season so that makes sense, but he lingers on the field, he's got some emotional hugs and moments with members of the Lions.

There's people trying to interpret what he says and read his lips. Then as he's walking off the field, he's taking the time to gaze around at Lambeau. He's got his arm around Randall Cobb, so they're walking out of the stadium with their arms around each other. It appears from Aaron's face that he's emotional. Now, here's the cynic in me, Rodgers loves to toy with us. I wouldn't be surprised if knowing that the cameras were on him, he played it up.

But that's just me, that was a thought, I don't know that for sure. So he walks down the tunnel, he and Randall Cobb are talking, one of his longtime friends, and it seems as though there's this element of, hey this could be it. Now, I don't know if he's made up his mind yet. Maybe he has, maybe he hasn't.

He is under contract for 2023 and already addressing the R-word, retirement. That's a normal thought, but at some point the carousel comes to a stop and it's time to get off. And I think you kind of know when that is. And that's what needs to be contemplated. You know, is it time?

Also, what's the organization doing? You know, it's part of it as well. And so it begins, like what we've gone through the last couple of years. Remember two seasons, two off-seasons ago he didn't speak for months. Last off-season he talked a bunch.

And ultimately, right before, well it was right before Russell Wilson got traded to the Broncos, right, because they were theoretically waiting on Rodgers to see if he was available. Will he retire? Will he ask out, like Devante Smith did? Does he want to finish up and say, well the Bay Area is kind of a different animal now because of what Brock Purdy has done. I'm not even sure Trey Lance has a job anymore. But will he want to go to play for another franchise where he feels like he has a better chance to win?

I have no idea. I've stopped trying to read the mind of Aaron Rodgers. I only know that they put themselves in this position and they ultimately had too deep of a hole to climb out of and that is their own fault. But for the Lions, 8 of their last 10, the Lions went 5-1 in the NFC North this year. I'm telling you, this is not the same old Lions. Alright, coming up, hottest team in football is the San Francisco 49ers. They get the Seahawks in the wildcard weekend, so we'll look a little bit at those two teams. And then Buffalo, the fans, the atmosphere, the electricity, the kickoff returns for touchdowns. It was everything that we could have wanted, everything the Bills could have wanted and more on Sunday.

It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. That's BetterHELP.com Slash Positive. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp.

When you're at your best, you can do great things. Working with a therapist can help you get closer to the best version of yourself. Because when you feel empowered, you're more ready for life's challenges. BetterHelp is a great therapy option. It's flexible, affordable, entirely online and it matches you with a licensed therapist. Let therapy help empower you. Visit BetterHelp.com Slash Positive to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHELP.com Slash Positive. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. When you're at your best, you can do great things. Working with a therapist can help you get closer to the best version of yourself.

Because when you feel empowered, you're more ready for life's challenges. BetterHelp is a great therapy option. It's flexible, affordable, entirely online and it matches you with a licensed therapist. Let therapy help empower you. Visit BetterHelp.com Slash Positive to get 10% off your first month.

That's BetterHELP.com Slash Positive. Caught by George Kittle again. Give him 11 on the year 2 today.

Touchdown George Kittle. I feel real good. You know, I felt real good about our team when we won the division there about a month ago. And I feel better about them now.

I think we've gotten better since that point. And we'll be ready to go, see if it's Saturday or Sunday. But excited for this week, excited to find out who we're playing and real excited for the playoffs. Off the field, on the money and after hours. It's time to talk football with Amy Lawrence. The Eagles locked up the top seed in the AFC. Duh. In the NFC. Sorry, it's been a long night, long day. Not that I'm complaining.

This is one of my favorite things in the world. Looking ahead to playoffs. So take two. Eagles lock up the top seed in the NFC by finally winning as Jalen Hurts returns on Sunday. So San Francisco is then relegated to the two seed. However, I'm not sure of all the teams in the playoffs that there is one I would least want to face right now than the San Francisco 49ers.

Whether it's Bay Area or anywhere else. Defense travels and Brock Purdy has gone now six straight games since he took over for the injured Jimmy Garoppolo with at least two touchdown passes. Do you know that he's only the second rookie in NFL history with multiple touchdown passes and at least six straight games.

Three of them on Sunday. A quarterback rating above 141. This is a rookie. And yet you do not see that. The moxie is there.

The boldness, the knowledge. Obviously getting great coaching from Kyle Shanahan. It's Greg Papa on Niners Radio as San Francisco rattles off a tenth straight win and finishes 13 and 4 nearly 175 rushing yards.

Elijah Mitchell, he had a couple of touchdowns. Honestly, who they played and what happened yesterday didn't really matter as long as they didn't get hurt. But that momentum now carries them into the postseason.

It's after hours with Amy Lawrence, CBS Sports Radio. This will be Brock Purdy's first taste of the playoff stage. We look at it as a challenge, but we're also excited because it's like, man, if we do play to our full potential, it's like, what else can we do?

So those are the kind of things that we ask ourselves every day and we're excited about, but I'm excited moving forward for being on a win streak. I think Brock should 100% be in that conversation. I know other guys played the entire season for a rookie quarterback to come in and play the way that he has.

That's pretty special. And I don't really know anyone else that has played at the level he's played at. He definitely has been a guy who stepped in without a major drop off.

And what he does is different from Jimmy Garoppolo, obviously, plus that defense, that Niners defense. They're bold and they're tough and they're physical. And right now they're healthier than they've been. So, yeah, 10 straight wins. The hottest team in football. Also, actually, this is kind of funny.

At least if I can find it really quick. The Bengals won yesterday. They were able to lock up the three seed in the AFC and they finished up 12-4. They've won eight in a row. And Zach Taylor kind of had this aside, this nod to San Francisco. He did say, hey, we're all about business and we're all about getting back to the Super Bowl this year. Today was just about finishing off the regular season and being back-to-back divisional champs, first time in franchise history.

So, again, that's something to celebrate. These guys have worked their tails off to be in this position. Anything less and we wouldn't be in this position right now if we'd done anything less in these last eight games. And so just really proud of the way these guys have focused every single week.

That's so hard in this league. There's not another team that's won the last eight games in a row. You know, maybe San Francisco. Oh, maybe. You know, it's just really proud of the way these guys have been able to focus and find different ways to win.

I love Zach Taylor. What a week it's been for the Bengals, the Bills, the rest of the NFL. But that might have been one of my favorite kind of asides. Oh, maybe San Francisco. Are we to assume that he's not paying attention to what the Niners are doing? I guess that's saying something when you've won ten in a row and you're flying under the radar because you clinched the NFC West a month and a half ago. So, yes, the Bengals are also hot. San Francisco right now, though, ten wins in a row.

I was saying this to producer Jay earlier. It's crazy that in the NFL you could have one team finish with ten straight wins and another team finish with ten straight losses. Not to mention you've got a couple of teams that have completely fallen off the edge of a cliff, right?

Most of them in the South divisions. But, yeah, you've got every manner of crazy streaking going on in the NFL. Really quickly, the Seahawks were not in the driver's seat. They needed help to get into the playoffs. First they had to take care of their business against the Rams, though.

And, whew, a little dramatic there for a while. They had to go into overtime. They got a late field goal, actually.

This is always kind of drama, right? They get a late field goal bite from Jason Meyers. They're able to send this game into overtime. And on the Rams' first possession in overtime, they come up with a huge defensive play, which is awesome. Second and 15, Akers in the backfield. Mayfield from his own 21 under center.

Play fake. Mayfield's looking left. Going to let it fly deep.

Got a man, Van Jefferson. And it is picked off. Diggs picks it off. Steps out of bounds.

Four side. Finally, Baker Mayfield throws us one. From 32. Can Meyers win this one in overtime for the Seahawks? There's the snap. There's the spot. The kick is away.

And the kick is good. The Seahawks win the game. The final regular season game of the year.

They win it at home against the Rams. And now the playoff chances still live for the Seahawks. We did everything we could to make the season last as long as possible. We squeezed every drop out of it. It was a really good finish to the season for our guys. And get some wins and get something going here and feel good about it and doing the things we had to do. This win is an important win for everybody on our team. We put everything we had into it. The guys rose to that thought and really everybody battled. The Seahawks had to wait a couple hours but they were cheering for the Lions, no doubt. Their social media was hysterical.

The memes and the hashtag Lions pride and everything else. So yes, the Seahawks get help and they get in as the number 7 seed in the NFC. Now they have a rematch waiting with the Niners in the Bay Area in Santa Clara. And they just faced them a month ago, three weeks ago with Brock Purdy as the quarterback. So I guess there's that. They have a little bit of familiarity with him. There couldn't be a tougher assignment. That's a bunch of crap.

Excuse me. This might be Pete Carroll's best coaching job. I'm so happy for him. I'm so happy for Geno Smith who was a journeyman quarterback. He couldn't find a home until Pete Carroll took him in. He's like an orphan.

He adopted him. And after a few years behind Russell Wilson, Pete Carroll had faith in this family member of his. And has been telling us since the beginning. Since the beginning of OTAs that Geno Smith was the likely starting quarterback.

By the way, this is just crazy and then we'll get to Brad Heller. Geno set a bunch of new franchise records on Sunday. Most pass attempts in a season, most completions in a Seahawks season, most passing yards. These are all records held by, most of them are held by Russell Wilson. 4,282 yards for Geno Smith this year. And lastly, just missed, becoming one of the few quarterbacks in NFL history ever to complete 70% of his passes.

69.8% of his passes, which is in fact a new Seahawks record. And that has nothing to do with number of games. That's just about consistency. It's just about reliability. It's about being smart with the football. And Geno Smith was all of those things rewarding the faith that Pete Carroll had in him. Coming up, after a tumultuous and emotional week for the Bills, the Bengals, the rest of the NFL, you couldn't have scripted it any better.

In fact, I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it in Buffalo on Sunday. It's after hours with... This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. When you're at your best, you can do great things. Working with a therapist can help you get closer to the best version of yourself. Because when you feel empowered, you're more ready for life's challenges. BetterHelp is a great therapy option. It's flexible, affordable, entirely online, and it matches you with a licensed therapist. Let therapy help empower you. Visit BetterHelp.com slash positive to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHELP.com slash positive. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp.

When you're at your best, you can do great things. Working with a therapist can help you get closer to the best version of yourself. Because when you feel empowered, you're more ready for life's challenges. BetterHelp is a great therapy option. It's flexible, affordable, entirely online, and it matches you with a licensed therapist. Let therapy help empower you. Visit BetterHelp.com slash positive to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHELP.com slash positive. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp.

When you're at your best, you can do great things. Working with a therapist can help you get closer to the best version of yourself. Because when you feel empowered, you're more ready for life's challenges. BetterHelp is a great therapy option. It's flexible, affordable, entirely online, and it matches you with a licensed therapist. Let therapy help empower you. Visit BetterHelp.com slash positive to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHELP.com slash positive.

Amy Lawrence. You are listening to the After Hours Podcast. We got a text from DeMar 231 in the morning, and for him to text us, and what he said was, I'm thinking about y'all. I'm sorry that I did that to y'all. And for him to check on us when he's the person that's going through what he's going through, that just shows what type of person he is for him to check on us in a situation like that when he's the one that's going through it. So it just shows what type of person he is, and hopefully we can just get him back. I just want to hug the shit out of him, because in the meeting room, he's sitting two seats away from me, and every time he comes in the meeting room, T Weezy.

So I can't wait to hear his voice and be able to touch him and just hug the shit out of him and hear that again. So we miss you, man, and just get back to us. But it's been a hard week. It's been a hard week.

This is After Hours with Amy Lawrence. The voice of Bill Tredavious White, and to a man, really, with the thousands of fans there at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on Sunday, there were more threes than you'll ever see anywhere in one place. Caps and sweatshirts and jerseys and signs and players and fans holding up the number three. There were tears in the pregame. Thankfully, it was carried on TV. We were able to see the standing ovation. The PA announcer asked for them to show their appreciation and love for DeMar Hamlin.

Then the national anthem. We already know, or we knew at this point, that DeMar and his family were watching in their hospital room in Cincinnati because they shared a photo. If you haven't seen it, it's on our show Twitter, After Hours CBS. DeMar was tweeting. And while I won't read you the whole thing, what stuck with me, this is pregame, he said, tell people that you love them. Tell someone that you love them today.

Make sure you tell people that you love them. And there's a lot of that going around the NFL this week. After what was an anxious, emotional, exhausting week for the NFL and its players, waiting for DeMar Hamlin to wake up to hear something positive about his condition in Cincinnati.

The NFL actually put pretty much everything on ice. There was nothing going on for two days, really, except support, compassion, care, love for DeMar. It really became not just a league-wide thing, but a U.S.-wide thing.

And it was amazing. It was incredible, the wave of emotion and support for DeMar and his family. He knows it now, but man does he miss being with his teammates. So he's live tweeting during the game. As they start the lineup for the opening kick, there's still this emotion after the pregame ceremonies. Sean McDermott's still crying. Fans are whipped into a frenzy. All they needed was a little magic.

From the category of you can't possibly make this stuff up. Temperatures around 35 degrees here this afternoon as Folt puts his foot into the ball. It's going to be short, fielded at the 4 by Hines, coming straight up the middle to the 20. Cuts it back at the 25. He's got an alley down the right sideline to the 40. 50, down to the 40.

35, 30, 20, 15, 10, 5. Touchdown, Naheem Hines. 96 yards.

Run, run as fast as you can. You're not catching Hines. He's your end zone man. Buffalo on the board with the first play from scrimmage. Are you kidding me, Chris? They showed Josh Allen his arms on his head on the sideline. Sean McDermott it appears has tears rolling down his face.

What a tribute to tomorrow. Nick Folt kicking it off now. Hines takes it a yard deep in the end zone.

Going to bring it out. Out to the 10, to the 15, up over the 20. 25, 30. Gets away with the tackle. 35, 40. 45, 50.

They're not going to get him. He's going for another one. 102 yards. Naheem Hines sets Highmark ablaze with his second kick return touchdown of the game. It was electric and you know we've had so many prayers and so much support. And to be able to start the game off like that, it's amazing. I even talked to family and friends and I just said, look, we're going to be ready today.

Our boys are going to play spirited. And just being around all those guys, even though I have not been here a long time, he even motivated me. And you seem like we have threes on.

I had three on my thigh pads today. It's been amazing, but all that was for him. And I'm happy for the things that happened to me, but I was spirited. I felt like he was out there with us. I can't remember a play that touched me like that, and I don't think in my life.

So it's probably number one. It was just spiritual. I was going around and just something I was going around my teammates saying, God's real.

Like you can't draw that one up, write that one up any better. And I was just told by Kevin Kearns it's been three years and three months since the last kickoff return. So it's pretty cool. Josh Allen crying tears of a different kind on Sunday following the Bills win, but not just the win, an emotional display, one that DeMar Hamlin could be proud of. In fact, he was tweeting.

You'll have to check it out. You can find it on my Twitter or just go to his account at Hamlin Island. He was blown away as well. It was perfect.

It was more than perfect. And I'm not even sure Sean McDermott had finished crying from the pregame ceremonies, by the time Naeem Hinds goes 96 yards to start the game. And then it happens again. Early in the third.

And by that point, the floodgates are opened. I don't know. There were threes everywhere. Is that somehow influencing how many touchdown passes that Josh Allen throws? Second and ten from the New England 42, 143 left in the third, Allen in the shotgun, two receivers to the right with Quinton Morris the tight end inside of them, one to the left. Fakes the handoff to Cook, evades Josh Uche on the pass rush, waving a receiver down the field.

Did he overthrow him? No! John Brown runs it down for the touchdown! 42 yards! Allen takes the snap back to pass. Has time. Pressure coming. Unloads down the left sideline. He's got Diggs.

Caught! Touchdown Buffalo! A 49-yard strike as Allen hits Diggs.

Can you dig it? We felt comfortable. Our guys ran the ball hard, got some guys open.

Obviously missed a few throws too. But again, we're just trying to get in the groove of things. It don't matter how we win now, it's if we win.

The main goal from here on out is score more points than they do, no matter what it takes. A lot of unknowns, just not sure how the players are going to handle it. I feel like I had a pretty good control on how I was going to handle it, but you never know. Again, just because it was a new situation for us and we were all thinking of DeMar and his family. Then we come out with the first play there and it's kind of surreal watching Nahim. Yeah, it was surreal for the Bills and their fans.

It was a moment that really is unforgettable. And after what they went through, to be able to deliver that win and that kind of magic for number three, who was watching in Cincinnati, is phenomenal. There's so much more to get to, but that was really the centerpiece of NFL Week 18. Meanwhile, the Patriots are eliminated from the playoffs. By the way, Chris Brown, Eric Wood on Bills radio, just a quick thought.

John Murphy, who is the longtime Bills radio voice, suffered a stroke last week. So he is recovering, but yeah, really tough. Not just a tough week, but a tough season for the Bills. There's been weather issues and so a lot of challenges in western New York for that Buffalo fan base.

But they are resilient and they love their Bills, the Mafia, right? So the Bills will be the two seed in the AFC hosting Miami coming up on Sunday. That starts the triple header. But Saturday is when they begin. Super-sized wild card weekend.

San Francisco and Seattle, Jacksonville and the Los Angeles Chargers will do previews throughout the week. We'll deliver eulogies. Hey, it's Black Monday.

Lovey Smith already got fired. So we'll talk to you tonight. A lot more to come. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence, CBS Sports Radio.

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