1-8-24 After Hours with Amy Lawrence PODCAST: Hour 3

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Visit Carvana.com or download the app to get an instant offer today. Good morning to you if you're waking up in Detroit or in any of the cities up and down the eastern seaboard. Maybe you're digging out of snow in parts of the upper Midwest and New England or maybe you're awake all night and you need some company and you're trying to figure out this NFL playoff puzzle. Man, we're just getting started on looking at the brackets and we'd love your initial reactions on our show Twitter after our CBS.

You can also vote for Monday MVP there and on our Facebook page where we have Jim Mora making his... Well, one of his annual appearances on our Facebook page. Playoffs? I don't quite have the tone there. Those were the wrong notes.

I was a little off key, but you you catch my drift. Playoffs? See? Playoffs?

Oh, that was much better. That was actually playoffs. You kidding me? Are you kidding me? Playoffs? Playoffs?

See? Getting better. I don't do many impressions, but Jim Mora, not too bad. So either of our social media sites, early impressions of the NFL playoff slate. I'm gonna call it reunion weekend as much as it is the wild card weekend that that is now the norm, super-sized from Saturday afternoon through Monday evening. It's also reunion weekend. I'm writing my CBS Sports Minute about it at this very moment. Well, I was before we started this hour.

Penn is down now, don't you worry. The Browns at the Texans. So Deshaun Watson, even though he's not playing for Cleveland, this is his second trip back to Houston, right?

Because they played in the regular season last year. So the Browns at the Texans, and of course Houston, an incredible story. As stunning as the Jaguars' demise over the final six weeks of the season. Do you remember when the Jaguars had a two and a half game lead in the AFC South?

Oh my gosh, it gets worse. The more I talk about it, the worse I feel about the Jaguars. But it's an opportunity for the Texans and they win on Saturday night. We'll get to that game this hour and they end up in the first season with D'Amico Ryans as well as CJ Stroud. Could they possibly have a coach of the year and an offensive rookie of the year tandem? Maybe Mike McCarthy's the coach of the year.

I don't know. Took over play calling. Producer Jay, who would you say is the coach of the year if not D'Amico Ryans? I probably would give it to D'Amico Ryans first.

If not D'Amico Ryans and McCarthy, it's not a bad option. I mean, Kyle Shanahan, except that they maintained. I don't know if they got a lot better than last year, but they maintained.

Yeah, they're the top seed this year. Answer, I mean, he might have the best roster probably you could say in football. They have navigated injuries, but every team has. Matt Leflore?

Matt Leflore is a good answer. Considering that last year's winner was Brian Dayball and the turnaround with the Giants and them making the playoffs, the Cowboys again, same thing as the Niners, they really toed the line. I mean, they were perfect at home. It's another 12 win season. They're the NFC East champions, so there's that part of it. But in terms of a huge turnaround, D'Amico Ryans, if the Colts had made the playoffs, I might throw Shane Steichen's name in the ring. I think Kevin Stefanski, you deserve some votes with just the amount of quarterbacks and injury they've dealt with. Yeah, five different starting quarterbacks, if you include who they, Jeff Driscoll? Who started for them on Sunday? Yeah, yeah. Was it?

Oh my gosh. Anyway, so Kevin Stefanski, D'Amico Ryans, two potential Coach of the Year candidates facing each other in that first game on Saturday. Then we've got Tyreek Hill, the Miami Dolphins at the Kansas City Chiefs. I know he's been there before since they won a Super Bowl. Still a bit of a reunion there and I'm still not sure he's right about them missing him. Although, I don't know, the Chiefs didn't have a great year with their wide receivers, so last year they didn't miss his offense.

This year probably could have used those 1,800 receiving yards. So those are your two games on Saturday, Houston and Kansas City hosting. The games are at 3 30 and 7 o'clock central time, so 3 30 and 7 o'clock local time. Then on Sunday, you've got Pittsburgh at Buffalo. Buffalo ends up winning the AFC East and we are on high alert for the appearance, the phone call from one Sal Capaccio of the Bills Radio Network is supposed to connect with us when they land or when he is finally off the team playing on his way home.

And so the Bills end up with the two seed and are hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers. Then you've got the Cowboys hosting Mike McCarthy, Mike McCarthy's old team. The team that Mike McCarthy won a Super Bowl with. The team that Mike McCarthy guided to victories over the Cowboys in the playoffs roughly, I guess not quite a decade ago, but multiple times with Aaron Rodgers. So Green Bay at Dallas and Jordan Love is playing spectacular football right now along with Aaron Jones. That'll be a load for the Dallas Cowboys, though AT&T Stadium gives the Cowboys an edge. They're a very different team at home.

Then you've got the Rams and Matthew Stafford going back to Detroit. Stop it. How is that even possible from the category of you can't make this crap up? We will use this as fuel. I got pure octane right now. I woke up. I'm ready. We're going to get to the Lions here coming up because they do have one major, major concern, but the Lions will host a playoff game against their former QB and the more recent Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams. Now the Lions have one playoff win going back to the 50s. It's a refrain we hear every year when the Lions have made the playoffs, but this is their first division title since the early 90s. It's their first 12 win season since the early 90s. This is not your father's Lions. It's not your grandfather's Lions. These are a different Detroit Lions team.

And Dan Campbell's a major reason why. Every week is different. I'm not a lunatic. I swear to God, I'm not a lunatic.

I've got controlled fury. Biting kneecaps is all the rage in the NFL. Finally on Monday night, we talked about this just before the top of the hour. The Eagles at the NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This is gonna be fun. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. All right, let's talk about those Lions if you want to.

Anybody want to? I think we want to. Sam LaPorta, a rookie season for the Lions. The rookie tight end.

In fact, we could probably make this segment about rookies setting records if we wanted to. Both of them coming in the NFC. You got some pretty impressive rookie candidates for that offensive rookie of the year. We just mentioned CJ Stroud.

We're going to talk about Puka Nakua. But how about the Detroit Lions and the fact that with Jared Goff, now they made a concerted effort to run the ball more this year. They actually drafted Jameer Gibbs to the surprise and many people drafted him high in the first round last season.

Or last spring, sorry. So they get Jameer Gibbs, but they also get Sam LaPorta and he was a revelation at the tight end spot. Second and goal for the Lions from the Viking 2. Goff turns, fakes the Gibbs, sets the pocket, left side, wide open, touchdown Detroit Lions. Sam LaPorta, number 10 on the season for the rookie tight end. Hard run fake, Vikings all sucked in. Goff looked up 87 wide open.

How's that happen? It's the same type of befuddlement I have when Travis Kelce is somehow wide open and you lose track of this large body in the midst of the secondary of your defense. So Dan Miller on Lions Radio and LaPorta ends up with 86 catches, an NFL record by a rookie tight end. That's going back to Keith Jackson in 1988. Did it with the Eagles. And we're talking about a second round pick here out of Iowa. Good stock there.

Nearly 900 yards and 10 touchdowns this year, but set the new tight end record for rookies with 86 catches. The issue is that he ends up hurt and he leaves not long after that with a knee injury. The best way I can put it is, it's probably, it's not as bad as it looked, but it's not good news. You know, so it's kind of in this, we'll know more tomorrow, but I know it looked awful.

It's not as bad as that, but it doesn't mean that it looks good in the immediate here. The report from NFL Network is that LaPorta suffered a hyperextended knee. Which, isn't that what Travis Kelce had? Was it to start the season?

Maybe I'm thinking about last year, but I seem to remember that Travis Kelce had a hyperextended knee at some point recently and it kept him out for a couple of games, or at least one game. It was the beginning of the season. It was the very first game of the season, right? So he did it at the end of training camp, right? Or end of pre-season?

Suffered a hyperextended right knee during Tuesday's practice, right before the season. Okay, right. So all right, I'm not crazy.

See, I swear to God I'm not a lunatic. So Travis Kelce missed the first game of the season because of that. If it's a hyperextended knee, I also saw Bone Bruise, which again comes from NFL Network, there's a chance that LaPorta could miss their game on Sunday, which is unfortunate because he is, along with Jared Goff, again an incredibly productive tandem.

He's one of the top targets now with that position. It's been a down year for tight ends, but also he and Goff have developed a great Laporte. Laporte. It's a Laporte for LaPorta. A rapport with LaPorta.

Nah, LaPorta sounds better. It's a new word. I liked it.

Thank you. Jay was like nodding as though I said it right the first time. It's after hours here on CBS Sports Radio. Yeah, Jared Goff's been awesome this season. Second and five from their own 30. Gibbs the back behind Goff, who's up under center. Jared takes turns, fakes the gift, sets in the pocket. Jared drifts left, looked, looked. Now he throws downfield.

It is caught. Left sideline. Cutting back.

That is Amand Ra's same brown. Angling at the 25. To the 20. To the 15. Cuts back at the 10.

Amand Ra off to five. Fighting at the two. Into the end zone.

Touchdown Detroit Lions. Oh baby, what a run by Amand Ra's St. Brown. Angling across the field.

Cutting it back. 70 yards from Jared Goff. The type of adversity that this group has over the last couple of years and, you know, we're ready. Yeah, we're ready.

It feels like we've been waiting for quite some time to get these opportunities and they're here now. Fort Field will be rocking and it'll be fun. Against Matthew Stafford and the Rams. That's crazy. You would think the NFL writes a script.

Well, that is what they told us at the beginning of the season, so maybe we should take their word for it. It's after hours, CBS Sports Radio. Dan Campbell is also a Coach of the Year candidate. I like it. Thank you, Scotty. Finding me on Twitter, ALawRadio. He thinks Dan Campbell.

Why didn't we think of that? Campbell certainly has everyone in the Detroit locker room believing that they can make a difference. That they are, in fact, a Super Bowl contender. All right, hey, listen, man. It's a great job now. It's a great job.

All right, there's nothing easy about that. You come in this type of environment that we have, but I know this. You guys, here's what, here's what weather's doing.

If you guys want to come with me. They win and they go handle their business. It was the next challenge and you guys stepped up and did exactly what you needed to do.

It was back and forth, but man, you talk about all phases, confident in each other and coming to life. We did that. Special teams, holy. We have been harmed by adversity. We've heard that theme in this week 18 for teams that have moved on. We've been hardened by adversity. I wonder if he's referring to the illegal touching call against Taylor Decker.

Controlled fury, if you will. I'm good. So we'll wait to see about Sam Laporta, but that certainly is a concern. I know that there are plenty of Lions fans who are nervous about it.

All right, so that's one rookie who blew us away this year and how about Puka Nakua? Whence ready? Has it? Play face. Throws the dart. Caught by Nakua.

Right side 50. Puka Nakua breaks Bill Grohmann's record by NFL rookies for most receiving yards in a debut season. I think that may be it for Puka Nakua as they they're saying, hey, you got the record, you're good. Oh no, they tell him to go back in. I love it.

Oh dear. Get him another catch. Get the other one. He's got the receiving yards. Now he needs one more reception to break Jalen Waddle's rookie record. Heads out left with Ben Scaramu.

Split out right to Marcus Robinson. First down Rams at the San Francisco 49. Carson Wentz in the shotgun.

Has the snap. Throws down the line left. Leaping catch made by Puka.

Cuts inside. Tripped up inside the 45. The 20th receiver drafted in this class now stands alone in NFL history among rookie receivers. More catches and more yards than any first year pro. Puka Nakua. As much as it will say Puka Nakua, I feel like I wish you could say everybody, all 11 guys up there because it really takes all 11 and they should all feel that award just as much as I am because without the guys in the front, without obviously with we have Matthew with them, with Carson out there and everybody involved. Really happy for Puka Nakua.

God, that was frustrating to try to figure that out. I didn't, you know, after the first drive, thought we were able to do that and I thought our guys just did a great job, but for him to be able to break both of those records is such a credit to this team, but also his consistency and his body of work. The Rams didn't have a whole lot to play for on Sunday, but they did go out there and give Carson Wentz his first start with the team and actually he played really well and also wanted to get Puka Nakua those records. I love Puka Nakua. I love Puka Nakua. Those records.

I love Puka Nakua. Yes, Matthew Stafford is healthy and will be raring to go in Detroit next weekend and he did, I don't know if you saw this producer Jay, but he did actually talk about it after the game. Yeah, so if you want to see if you can grab that, if not for this show then for our Monday night show. So the Rams had already clinched the wildcard spot. He did not play on Sunday, but he called the return to Ford Field quote exciting. Just can't believe that Stafford will be back in Detroit for a playoff game and he knows, Stafford knows the frustration, the consternation, the near misses all of the years that he was there.

The narrative always. The Lions can't win a playoff game. The Lions haven't won a playoff game at home in eternity. The Lions will never win a Super Bowl.

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. How many coaches, general managers, top receivers. Oh my gosh, they've searched for a running back for years post Barry Sanders and he was part of all of that and now he is a Super Bowl champion, right? Such an incredibly redemptive opportunity for him with the Rams. I don't know that I've ever been happier for a quarterback to win a Super Bowl than Matthew Stafford with the Rams. I wish it had been with the Lions. He probably wished it had been with the Lions at the time, but now looking at the the arc of his career, right? Where he's, he's poured heart, soul, blood, sweat and tears into that team. There's no way he isn't going to feel that nostalgia.

Now once the game starts, they're all good. But for Stafford after, gosh, getting drafted there in 2009, he was, I mean he was a Pro Bowler. He was a Comeback Player of the Year as well, ended up winning that award. Got traded after the 2020 season because he didn't want to be part of a rebuild and who can blame him?

Ends up in LA, where of course they win the Super Bowl. Has seen this resurgence to his career thanks to the likes of Cooper Cup and now even Puka Nakua. And what a surprise this year with both Puka and Kyron Williams as rookies leading the charge and now is heading back to Detroit and heard about it following the Rams game. It's awesome. The opportunity happens to be in Detroit, which is fun for me on a personal level. We have some other guys on our team that are from the city too, which is really cool. I know it's going to be rocking there, you know, having had a playoff game there about 30 years or whatever it is.

Good for them. It's unfortunate that one of those teams are, I think you're going to see the Lions be a sentimental favorite. Browns will be a sentimental favorite because of of them having such playoff utility for years. The Bills, I think until they win a Super Bowl will always be a bit of a sentimental favorite. I don't know that anybody feels bad for the Rams, but just the Matthew Stafford element is thick.

It's thick and rich, if you will. JB Long on Rams radio, by the way. What a season. I don't know who I would cast my vote for if you're asking me to pick the offensive rookie of the year, but Houston's, I don't want to call him a baby, that's not fair. Houston's brand new quarterback is certainly a candidate. CJ Stroud, the Texans. We knew they were in the playoffs on Saturday night when they took care of their business, but Jacksonville left that door wide open and now they are division champions. Whoa.

Is this a good time to mention that a rookie quarterback has never won a Super Bowl? Join the thousands of professionals who rely on Graybar to help keep them up and running. Yeah, Graybar does that. Well, well, well shopping for a car. Yep. Carvana made financing a car as smooth as can be.

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Get six times longer lasting freshness, plus all the protection with Downy Unstoppables in wash scent beads. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. You are listening to the After Hours Podcast. CJ under center with Nico Collins for the wide side left. And Schultz in motion to that side. CJ calls him out. CJ will throw on the first play for the Texans, steps up, fires deep down the field and caught by Nico Collins at the 20, 15, 10, 5.

Rock and roll. Touchdown, Houston. 75 yards on the opening play.

This is After Hours with Amy Lawrence. Nico Collins back on the field. Good for CJ Stroud.

CJ Stroud back on the field as well these last couple of weeks. And the Texans on Saturday night knew that if they won in Indianapolis, they would be a playoff team. That was for a wild card spot or possibly an AFC South championship, depending upon the Jacksonville Jaguars, who certainly held their fate in their own hands. We know that they're going to have a lot of fun.

Their fate in their own hands. We see how that went. But for the Texans, you can't take away what they accomplished this season and it culminated on Saturday against the Colts. Now after a Jonathan Taylor 49 yard touchdown run, you know what?

I was just going to talk about it, but why not hear it? Just because it's Jonathan Taylor. He's had quite a season. The Colts deserve a little bit of attention considering that they not only missed out on the number one pick last year, they had a new head coach. They ended up drafting a rookie quarterback. He gets hurt. They have to turn to Gardner Minshew. Their roster has seen some turnover and yet Jonathan Taylor, he really did take ownership and plays his stamp on the season in the second half.

Minshew to Taylor. Jump cuts his way. Big run.

Angling lift. 40. He's at the 30.

Down the near sideline. 20. 15. 10.

5. Touchdown. Touchdown. I-N-D-Y. Jonathan Taylor. A 49 yard gallop to Pater.

It's the Texans 14 and the Colts 12. Okay, I'll just be honest. I really wanted you to hear those roars. Do you hear those roars in Indianapolis?

Unbelievable. Love the support. Love the Saturday night. Raucous atmosphere for the AFC South. That's Matt Taylor on Colts Radio.

It's after hours with Amy Lawrence here on CBS Sports Radio. So after that JT 49 yard score, the game is tied early in the third quarter and the Texans answer with a 12th place seven minute drive. CJ Strout, again rookie quarterback.

We still get to call him that. Goes six for six on the drive. Now his seventh pass attempt is the one in which there was a long pass interference call but they also had a healthy mix of Devin Singletary. Hutchinson to the right side. Singletary in the backfield.

Strout under center. First and goal at the three. Texans try for the go-ahead touchdown. Motor with the handoff.

Motor to the right. Motor to the goal line and in and the Texans are back in front. Mark Vandermeer on Texans Radio. Now the Houston defense still had to face Jonathan Taylor and that Colts offense a couple more times. They did Stonewall Indy in the red zone and take over on downs with a minute to go. First playoffs for the Texans since 2019 but there was more in store on Sunday which is pretty impressive. Let's hear that last call just because it's the Texans and D'Amico Ryans.

He was a pro bowler on defense for the team that he now coaches. Fourth and one at the Houston 15. Minshew in the gun. Minshew to throw.

Minshew swings it out to the back left side. It's incomplete and the Texans take over on downs with 103 to go in the fourth quarter. What a stop. Feels awesome. All glory honor and praise goes to God. Man we've just blessed us throughout this entire season. Our team has been humbled and worked and fought right behind the scenes and I think it means a lot to our guys to get you know this spotlight today and you know just to come away with a with a gritty win. Really gritty win. Wasn't our best performance but it was it was gritty it was tough and it was a special performance. D'Amico is is a perfect guy for this job man. He brings something out of his players that like is undescribable just like that strain that mental stability that toughness that he talks about so um and I can do nothing but just be appreciative and just be thankful for where I was picked and like the situation right now and it's just been a blessing. And they are now AFC South champions.

Rock and roll. Mark Vandermeer on Texans radio. I heard this I don't remember the year but the last year that D'Amico Ryans played for the Texans they were AFC South champions and now in his first year at returning to Houston and you may remember he was walked into the facility by Cal McNair and all of maybe not all the majority of the Texans employees were standing in the big foyer and they went up and over the staircase and down the other side and they were along a balcony up top and they were cheering for him for D'Amico to welcome him back and they were chanting Mico, Mico. This is when he got walked into the building after getting hired for heaven's sakes.

But in 2011 not that long ago they remember, thank you producer Jay, what it was like to have him on the field. That same quiet confidence that comes with humility. Let your feet do the talking.

Let your actions speak volumes. That's the same D'Amico Ryans and now they are the AFC South champions because the Jaguars can't take care of their business. But I love it for the them. Love it for C.J.

Stroud. Now at the time they didn't know that they would be the South champions but they did knew they would make the postseason. Oh it's a good game. It's a lot of respect for those guys over there and to be my first season to make the playoffs man it's just it's been um it's been it's been a heck of a year man I'm blessed enough to be um in this position for this great organization. It's a great city of Houston and I'm blessed to be here.

I'm blessed to be in this city of Houston and man I'm just blessed man. We clipped him. I guess we decided we'd want to hear about C.J.

Stroud. Here's the problem. On Saturday evenings we have people working in our newsroom that don't have a ton of experience. It's not producer Jay so sometimes the sound is a little rough.

It's after hours here on CBS porch radio. It is definitely worth excuse me mentioning that the Colts finished above 500. They were nine and eight second in the AFC South so same record as the Jacksonville Jaguars right which is wowsers.

Texans finish up 10 and seven. Again I'm going to say D'Amico Ryans is a very prominent candidate for coach of the year and considering what Brian Debo won for last year I think it's a big deal but I don't know that they'll go that route. Some of you mentioned Kevin Stefanski, Dan Campbell, both those franchises. They've had to battle through a lot. Now in the case of Stefanski they lost Nick Chubb in week number one. They lost their guaranteed money starting quarterback for most of the season.

He was dealing with multiple injuries. They started five different QBs and Joe Flacco will be the guy who's out there on the field for them come Saturday afternoon. So yeah there's there's definitely a candidate there.

You can look all around. Matt Lafleur getting the Packers to the playoffs. I don't know how much love there is there. Todd Bowles post Tom Brady and post breakup of that Buccaneer Super Bowl team. So I like it. I like that we have such great storylines around the NFL. Sean McVeigh get any votes? That's a good question.

He should. I mean yeah they have Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald but pretty much everybody else is brand new. Got it done with rookies right? Right a lot of rookies and second year guys.

Jonathan Taylor turns into a revelation for the Colts. He'd had a tough season last year because of injuries. Remember didn't start this season. He claimed it was injuries. The team knew they weren't going to give him a contract extension. They finally or they weren't going to give him the fat deal that he wanted. They finally worked it out. He got back on the field though it did take him a while to get comfortable.

Ultimately as I say he put his stamp on the season. Let's play all football. Let's play all football and when it becomes crunch time you got to make those plays. We got to make those plays. We got to make them.

You have to. Let's play all football. Play all football.

There are the teams who make the most plays. We didn't make enough. I don't know what his future holds. I don't know if he's still there. It was definitely a mess at the beginning but it was good to see him get out there and run like the wind. Ultimately finishes with 740 yards and seven touchdowns. I mean they used him whenever he was ready. They finally relied on him again. He's only 24. Actually about to turn 25 in a couple of weeks but still very much in his prime but the Colts just missed the playoffs. Texans are the AFC South champions. Wow.

Love love that storyline. All right on Twitter A Law Radio. What are your impressions? A lot of you weighing in on Twitter A Law Radio or our Facebook page. Phone number 855-212-4227.

That's 855-212-4CBS. Super Bowl. Super Bowl Monday. Five weeks from right now. We'll be talking about the last game.

Not the last game of the regular season mind you but the last game of the 23 slash 24 run. No I'm not going to think about it. Tacovas is a terrific boot brand and they're bringing a fresh perspective to heritage boot making so they've carried forward all the time-honored traditions and quality you find in a great pair of cowboy boots but they've innovated on comfort style and service. As someone who tries to pursue a minimalist lifestyle I highly value quality over quantity. I'm telling you you can't find a higher quality boot than Tacovas. Their western boots for men and women are handmade.

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Visit Tacovas.com that's t-e-c-o-v-a-s dot com and point your toes west. I'm Tony Kornheiser and this is my show. My friends come on and you know them. We talk about the sports you care about.

Football, we're now basketball too though we don't really pay attention until later in the year and the absurdity that is our lives. Line etiquette at your local pharmacy, the current phase of the moon, the importance of talking to a human being on the phone and most importantly the power of a box of that. Listen on the Odyssey Apple wherever you get your podcasts. As we turn the corner into the new year a lot of people are looking to get healthier. That includes hero bread who have just launched their new recipe using heart healthy olive oil. Hero bread serves up zero to one grams of net carbs, five to eleven grams of protein and high fiber in every delicious serving. Made with natural ingredients hero bread supports gut health, promotes weight management and helps maintain blood sugar. All with no compromise on the taste, texture and bready goodness you expect from your favorites.

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Let's see how it transpires. He rolls it right on her head where it falls on it and that should secure the Steelers victory to keep their playoff hopes alive and you see the purple shirts heading for the exit and this rain is still coming down it's still very chilly and windy but what a performance by the Steelers when they had to come up with one. It's time to pull on the pads and hit somebody on after hours with Amy Lawrence CBS sports radio. I'm almost hesitant to ask this question even though it's tongue in cheek. Are those of you anti-Tomlin Steelers fans out there still ready to fire him?

You still think that he's not good enough or you could upgrade at the head coaching position or that simply having a team without a losing season for I don't know almost 20 years isn't enough? You guys blow me away. I can't believe that because I know they're going to be half the teams or half the fan bases in the NFL that we take Mike Tomlin tomorrow including me. Raise my hand.

Raise Jay and I both of our hands up. It's after hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS sports radio. So Mason Rudolph starts again this time in a monsoon in Baltimore on Saturday and fourth quarter the big strike is the 71 yarder to Deontay Johnson puts them up 14-7 but Najee Harris played a huge role once again. So second straight week for Najee leading the way in the rushing category. The Steelers were brilliant in the slop 155 total yards and Najee had 112 of his own plus an early touchdown.

The call's there with Bill Hillgrove on Steelers radio and before that Mike Watts on Westwood won. Now the Steelers finished the regular season with three wins in a row. This is without Kenny Pickett of course and even after he was healthy they chose to stay with Mason Rudolph. They liked the spark for the offense. They had to wait and see how the dominoes would drop on Sunday but with that Jacksonville loss in Nashville the Steelers sealed the number seven seed. Keeping in mind of course that Mike Tomlin did not know about this on Saturday night but still they took care of their own business. Man I'm just really appreciative of the effort of the guys.

Obviously this is a tough place to play. That's probably three or four years in a row right there that we've been able to come up here and get it done and so we're thankful for that for the efforts. Enjoying each day because whether it's practice or or visiting with you guys or playing out there I mean it's it's been a long time and I'm just so thankful and grateful for the opportunity. I do love this about athletes that have to wait, watch, wonder when it comes to their next chance in this case their next pass thrown in the NFL. They never take it for granted.

Never. Mason Rudolph will never take one practice or one opportunity for granted for however long his career lasts because yeah it's been a while. A near perfect now this is impressive in what was a cold chilly steady rain. I mean nasty the cameras didn't even manage to give us a clear picture of what was happening on the field in Baltimore but Mason Rudolph goes 18 of 20, 152 yards he has the score mostly relying on the guys around him and then the defense played extremely well. Of course the TJ Watt piece of this a little bit of concern. TJ is being evaluated with a knee injury I'll have more information probably next time we get together obviously disappointed in in that but you know their challenges in the game of football their challenges in life and so we'll deal with it whatever it may be. Mike Tomlin said on Saturday that he wasn't sure how much football he would watch or who he would watch but obviously for the Steelers they were paying attention to the Jaguars once they got back to the steel city. Baltimore did not start Lamar Jackson of course and could you imagine I know the Steelers had something to play for but in that weather not a good idea and as it is there's still some some pending concern over TJ.

He did have two sacks on Saturday to take over sole possession of the NFL lead at that point with 19 but did leave in the third quarter with the knee injury. It's after hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS sports radio so the Jacksonville Jaguars out the Texans in the Steelers in and Pittsburgh will be on the road at Baltimore to start off the Sunday triple header. We're still waiting on Sal Capaccio. We know they just landed actually in western New York. Okay it's nearly five o'clock in the morning New York time so just landed he's supposed to call us when he gets in his car which will be after the top of the hour. I have no doubt they were celebrating in fact the game is being replayed right now in NFL network. Five consecutive wins for the Bills to not only get into the playoffs which they also found out by virtue of that Jacksonville loss but to claim the AFC East.

They are clearly one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now and once again a force to be reckoned with. Let's talk to Alan who's in Detroit. Welcome to after hours. Good morning Amy thanks for taking my call.

You're welcome. Here in Detroit it's interesting um you know we I think a lot of folks myself we share the concern about Dan Campbell and we love his aggressiveness we love his toughness but his controlled fury yeah the controlled fury the decision making though you know it starts to pile up that you start to question that there was a Dallas last week not the initial two-point conversion play I actually have the problem with going at the sport the second and the third time but anyways then this week playing with starters and Laporta which golf relies on a lot probably being out for the playoff game against the Rams so the I'm concerned that coaching is going to make a difference here against the Rams which you know a lot of times it's it's not the the difference maker but you know I think it could be here and you know where we waited so long for a playoff game and to make the playoffs that's the big concern I think for a lot of people here in Detroit. Okay well I agree with you about the two-point conversion I was pretty surprised they went for it the second and third time however they had really nothing to gain or lose and so I do love the aggressiveness that perspective going for the win and not just the tie and also you think about it and I hear this from players all the time they love it when coaches trust them to do it again I agree with you it felt ridiculous even Micah Parson said what the heck are they doing after they've got the first flag and then the second flag and they you know they weren't able to capitalize the third time as for Laporta being on the field and some of these guys being on the field I will say this about the Lions considering the way they played in Dallas right that Dallas defense is really good it wasn't an off it wasn't a grand offensive performance one that you could kind of feel comfortable with we certainly didn't reflect who they had been most of the season so I understand but not wanting to come off that game in week 17 and then not play your guys in week 18 and then turn around and host a playoff game and not feel like you were back in a good rhythm and so that's kind of what we heard from the Lions is that they wanted to be playing better football to wrap the regular season before the playoffs began. Now it's understandable I think that the from my perspective kind of the the the hinge of it all so to speak is that I'm not a big uh I'm not as trustworthy on Goff as others are and so the question I and and Goff Laporta has been Goff goes to him so often uh he hit the he set the tight ends record for for yeah we got you just got about 20 seconds sir go ahead yeah and so that's the concern that um whether or not you know Goff has that go-to guy that's the that's the problem. Jason Williams has been inconsistent but anyways thank you. You're welcome sir I agree with you I would think that Sam Laporta would be a huge loss Allen in Detroit thank you so much for calling uh I I know that it'd be easy to worry about Jared Goff I think Jared has been fantastic I don't know how you can ignore Amunras St. Brown and what he's done this season I know he wasn't a pro bowler uh and much to his dismay he's using that as fuel but how about their run game this year Jamir Gibbs has been fantastic I also think that there's a great balance one we haven't seen for the Lions in quite a while David Montgomery and Jamir Gibbs and then again uh Amunras St. Brown and Josh Reynolds and yes Sam Laporta and Donovan Peoples-Jones and they've got different guys they work in so it would be a big loss because of the position and the impact but it wouldn't be the end of the world it's after hours on CBS Sports Radio says here that Graybar is a distributor yeah we support electrical and datacom projects all over the country so you can get me the products I need where and when I need them yeah thanks to our national logistics network any industry yeah construction industrial plants schools hospitals so you could say Graybar is much more than a distributor yeah you could say that when you need a hand powering connecting or maintaining your operations doing the thousands of professionals rely on Graybar to help keep them up and running yeah Graybar does that HyundaiUSA.com call 562-314-4603 for complete details I'm Tony Kornheiser and this is my show my friends come on and you know them we talk about the sports you care about football now basketball too though we don't really pay attention until later in the year and the absurdity that is our lives line etiquette at your local pharmacy the current phase of the moon the importance of talking to a human being on the phone and most importantly the power of a box of that listen on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts