It's the JR Sport Brief Show here with you coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network. Joining us right now is someone who's covered all things NFL, does so for Sports Illustrated, fansided, is the founder of Pro Football Guru. Joining us right now Is Russell Baxter. Russell, how are you? I'm terrific, but I'm really concerned about Matt.
Hey, he he thinks the Dallas Cowboys are winners because they win games in a regular season. Yeah.
Well, that's very interesting. I kind of get where he's coming from, but. Um you know This team hasn't been in the NFC title game. since nineteen ninety five, much less winning a Super Bowl. In 30 years.
And I think that's the longest route in the NFC. Yeah, thirty years. Yeah, 30 years since it died. I mean, it it's almost unimaginable. when you think about it it's kind of like It doesn't even span.
You know, you think about the Raiders haven't won a playoff game since 2002. The Dolphins haven't won a playoff game since 2000. Miami Dolphins, who are the great teams of the 70s. You know, it's been over fifty years since they won the Super Bowl. It's uh you the 49ers have won a Super Bowl since 1994.
Yeah.
It's funny, but in between the Cowboys, yeah.
Well a lot of these blue blood Franchises that a lot of us grew up with. In the 70s, and that would be the 1970s, not me, the 1870s. Um kind of fallen upon hard times in terms of winning but but that's just the cyclical nature of the NFL. It's very tough. to repeat and much less repeat as the Chiefs found out last year.
I think a lot of people don't realize that the longest stretch of championships. in the history of the NFL. And we're getting ready to go on season 106. Um is three. That's it.
The Packers did it from 29 to 31. When there was no playoffs, it was based on winning percentage. And then the Packers did it again from 65 to 67. The last two were the first two Super Bowls. This is not the NBA or the N.H.
Ellert or Or baseball, where you're going to have five championships in a row. I think the Celtics win eight championships in a row. It's just the nature of the physicality. of the game. But going back to Jerry Jones for a second is You know that People will point to Mike McCarthy, Jason Garrett, Tony Romo, different reasons.
There's only one constant in Dallas during that stretch, and that's Jerry Jones. And I think the biggest flaw.
Well, wait a minute. Yoner? The general manager. Uh he runs the post office. He runs the CBS.
He runs everything. Everything goes through him. And that, I think, has has been the biggest problem. with the Cowboys. And I'm exaggerating a little bit, but He not only Tries to do things, but it has to be his way.
And I think it's inevitable. We're waiting. for Mike and Parsons to re-sign a new deal. And it's going to be an exorbitant deal because he likes to pay play his players. But it has come at the detriment of the team, which you know is has reeled off some big years.
There was a span there in two of three years, they were the highest scoring team in the league. But they can't get to the NFC title game. They've won some playoff games along the way. But it's kind of Jerry's way or the highway. And you know, so far the highway is getting It's getting it's a 30-year highway.
Yeah, I think most Dallas Cowboy fans understand that. And, hey, if you think winning 12 games or 10 games and getting to the divisional round. You know, every year is wing, and God bless you. You're just a hamster on a wheel. But, Russell, you had mentioned a team.
I'm going to say this. Yeah.
If I will say this, it's too bad. The Dallas Cowboys defense isn't as defensive as some of their fans. Ouch. Russell Baxter is here with us on the JR Sport Brief show. Hey, you talked about winners.
We were close to a three peat this year. With the Kansas City Chiefs. We saw what happened there. Patrick Mahomes, everybody's now laser-focused. Travis Kelsey not hanging out with Taylor Swift.
He's losing some LBs. They do have some issues when it comes down to their wide receivers. Xavier Worthy bumped his head. You got Hollywood Brown with a leg injury. You got Rashi Rice, who's going to be suspended.
What do you think this is going to look like this season for the Chiefs? Are they taking a step back or same old, same old with Mahomes?
Well, I don't know if listen, if they they went 15 and two.
So if they go 13 and 4, that's a step back theoretically.
Okay. And they were supposed to take a step back when they traded Tyreek Hill, and that worked out. Uh pretty well. Um I don't know if it would be so much a step back other than the fact that the division is getting better.
Okay, I mean Denver and the Chargers were both in the playoffs last year. Um you know in the in Denver Denver was in the playoffs for the first time in almost a decade.
Now the Chargers were there. For the second time in three years, but the Chargers still haven't won a playoff game since 2018. Denver hasn't won since 2015. about the Raiders.
So I don't know if it's so much a step back. But it's funny of all the things you just mentioned. Xavier Worthy and the receivers and Travis Kelce and so on. I'm surprised you didn't mention something else. which was really their undoing in the Super Bowl.
The offensive line. Yeah, it was also their undoing when they lost to the Buccaneers. in the Super Bowl. And it's the one thing that every team needs to be secure in. If they're going to win a Super Bowl, I heard someone talking.
once three or four years ago, Joe Burrow, you know, what a great year. Um he had in 2021 he got got the team to the Super Bowl. They They fell a little short.
Well, You can only go so far if your offensive line isn't set. You got sacked seven times against the Rams. in the Super Bowl lost at SoFi Stadium.
So you have to be solid in the trenches. And That's what the Eagles have been. Blender There are various head coaches under Howie Roseman. The general manager who has done a great job. I mean, this is a team that Uh he's been in Two of the last uh three Super Bowls.
I'm going back to 2017. They beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl in Minnesota. That's where it starts. It's in the trenches. Think about how.
Philly won. They control the ball. And Saquon Barkley didn't have a huge afternoon. But he didn't have to. But I mean, they've sacked the home six times.
Turned them over, had a pick six. It's really the big guys up front. Nothing happens. without them. You know, all these passing numbers and all these great offensive stats that we see and so on.
Um, you know, and the notion that it's it's a quarterback driven league, it's It's a quarterback driven league publicity wise. It's not a quarterback driven league. In terms of what works, what works is balance and being balanced. It's one of my favorite stats. in the 59-year history of the Super Bowl.
There's only the one quarterback lead the league in passing yards and win the Super Bowl the same year. in fifty nine years. That was Patrick Mahomes. In 2022. one time in 59 years.
Guards don't mean Squat. NFL historian Russell Baxter is here with us on the JR Sport Brief Show. We've been talking about this for a few days, Russell, and it's changed a little bit here and there. We learned Matthew Stafford needed an epidural.
Okay, it's August, it's not September. He had a back issue a few seasons ago. What is your level of concern with his back, his age, and the Ramps?
Well, that's a great question. Listen, and they're a great organization. But I don't think you're equipped. To handle life without Matthew Stafford, not necessarily at this point. I know they've just re-upped with Kyron Williams, who I think is a very.
Uh underappreciated running back. I hear a lot about their defense. And the youth and You know, Jared Verse was defensive bookie of the year last year and You know, remember against Sam Darnold in the playoffs last year. And Jalen Hurt in the pl in the playoffs. They really got after them with the pass rush.
Now, there's an old notion. It's hard to sack the quarterback. When the running back has been has the football. And I saw the Eagles line up against the Rams twice last year. And I think Saquon Barkley went for a double C note each time.
So I don't know if their defense young and hungry. But I don't know if it's stacked to be a team. That can stop other teams in terms of controlling the football against them.
So If He's going to miss any time, and he might not miss any time. And I love the pickup of Devontae Adams there. Um and they're in a division where You know, things can get very, very crazy. I mean, Seattle was a weird tiebreaker away from winning that division last year. At 10 and 7.
I'm not sure what we see from the from the 49ers who ever The two times they've gotten the Super Bowl. With Kyle Shanahan, they had a losing season the season after.
So Uh I would be a little concerned.
Now, of course, we're still Four weeks away. From the season kicking off, and a lot can happen. And we can see with, you know, we watch guys go down, and then three weeks later. They're out.
So, but no Matthew Stafford. And again, I can't stress enough. I'm not a quarterback beats all end all type of person. But the way that team is constructed There would be a level of concern because if you build around your quarterback, And dependent solely on your quarterback. You can very easily turn into the 2011 Colts.
where all of a sudden no Peyton Manning. And they were ill-prepared for that. The Rams do not want that. Hey, Russell, last question for you as we get ready to hit our break. When you think about a team that you think is ascending, a team that might take a big step this year, may not be getting attention, who do you think that might be?
I'm very intrigued by the Carolina Panthers. Um last season was not only bad but was one of the worst in nfl history They closed that. They gave up a 179.8 yards per game rushing last year. In their last six games, he got up over two hundred yards. General Jer Dan Morgan, you might remember him as one of their great linebackers.
And so when they went out and addressed it in the big way.
Now you combine the fact that last year Bryce Young who new head coach Dave Canalis benched after two games. And it might be the best thing that happened to him. That's a you know the NFC South has been ruled by the Buccaneers four years in a row. This might surprise people. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers own the longest active playoff streak.
in the entire National Football Conference. They've been there five years in a row. That's better than the eagles. And have a Super Bowl title as well, Tom Brady and the Wildcard Bucks. in 2020.
But You know, only twice in the last four years as an NFC team.
South team won 10 games, both of those times. She got a lot of dormancy. when it comes to the NFC South. I believe the Bucs and the Panthers play each other twice in the final three weeks. of the season.
I don't know how the NFL quote-unquote gods come up with some of this stuff, and I wouldn't be surprised. If the Panthers, who won four of their last nine games last year, which doesn't, that's not awe-inspiring. But two of those losses were three points to the Chiefs and six points to the Eagles.
So this was a team that made definitive strides. After a really rough one in seven start last year. And how often do we see it? We saw it twice last year. Five and twelve chargers.
11-6 playoff team one year later. 4 and 13 Washington. 12 and 5 in the NFC title game last year. We always see these teams. The double-digit losses, last place teams in some instances.
They were, you know, and officially the Saints, I'm sorry, the Panthers weren't last place. it was actually the saints but we see these turnarounds all the time. Keep an eye on Carolina.
Okay. In an NFC South, it doesn't get a lot of publicity other than The Buccaneers. Yeah, well we'll see. We know Bryce Young and and Dave Canellis are trying to turn things around. Russell, thank you so much for the time and your your expertise.
Please tell everybody where they can follow you and all of your work. Uh Bax Football Guru on Twitter. I'm still calling it Twitter. I know it's X. But theoretically, it's ex-Twitter, right?
So it is. You still I type in Twitter but it sends me the X. That's exactly right.
So that's all my work, my work for on SI. uh fan-sided, the spin zone, the various things I do. And for people who do follow me, I hope you enjoy my. My daily countdowns to the season.
Now we had to count down to the Hall of Fame game. That was last week. Grand time out in Canton, visiting old friends Eric Allen and Sterling Sharp, who I was privileged to work with. when I visit ESPN, so proud and happy for them and so on. Um but tomorrow it'll be 28 days.
Until the season open between the Cowboys and the Eagles. Who's your favorite? Or who's the greatest number 28? Let me know. All right, we'll we'll see.
Well, as as with well, in in regards to what? Yeah.
Your favorite what, 28? Mine?
Well, it could be your you think who's the greatest player to wear number 28. your favorite player to way in 28 i'm going to give you plenty of options tomorrow Okay. All right. Thank you, Russell. I had some in mind.
I'm going to drop them on the other side. Russell, thank you for the time. We'll catch you soon, okay? I'll look for you tomorrow morning.
