My dough never sees a freezer. Faye Hollis makes the biscuits at Hardees. I'm up at 5 a.m. every day making biscuits from scratch. Easy there, biscuit lady.
Ought to create the Hardy's $2 for $5 breakfast menu. Try the new Oscar Meyer bologna biscuit, sausage and egg biscuit, smoked sausage biscuit, biscuit and gravy, or a cinnamon roll. The $2 for $5 breakfast for a limited time only at participating Hardees. I got up early. The least you can do is show up hungry.
He's not wrong. What's going on? Welcome to the program. I am Jim Rohm. The show is brought to you by FanDuel.
My thanks to my pals at FanDuel. Happy Hump Day to all of you, especially you, Alvin DeLoro. Hump Day again. Hump Day. All right, good show for you.
Lots to get done if you want to take part. Just figure out how you want to take part. If you want to hit the phones, go ahead and do so. We've had our best phone week in a number of months. The phone lines are open right now: 1-800-636-8686.
You don't need to wait. You don't need to wait to hear what I'm going to start the program off with. If you already know what you want to get into, hit us up. You just have to get through Alex Hardy to get to me. And when he picks up the phone, he's going to say to you, What's your name?
Where are you calling from? What do you want to talk about? What you don't want to do is say, Hey, Hardy, just put me through. Rome wants to hear it. Or hey Hardy.
Just put me on hold, all right? I'm just gonna wing it. No, we just we just need to know what you want to talk about. That's why we screen you out. We want to make sure you're going to make it better, not worse.
Now, if you can do it, if you can do it. Didn't do that. Unless you're a smack-off champ, you need to give him a reason and a take and where you're from. And no, Larry, you can't play that. You can't throw that card, Larry.
You are not a Smackoff champ. Larry was like, oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
Now I'm going to get right on the air because I'm a smackoff champ. No, you are not, Larry. You're not. A Larry, you're not a smackoff champ. Hardy, come on, man.
Rome just said a smackoff champ can get rat on the air. Right, Rome did say that. You were not a smackoff champ. Anyway, I I've already spent way too much time on this. Have a take, don't suck.
Get through the call screener to get on hold, to get on the air. Otherwise, just run to the X. Hit me up at Jim Roam. Email me at RomeRwimme at Happitake.com or go to our YouTube channel if you don't mind. Once you get there, if you haven't done so already, can you hit the subscribe button?
Can you ring the bell and then jump up into chat and do what you want there? I don't care what you do there. Do what you want there.
Alright, coming up at 1240, TJ Lang. He's a former Pro Bowl offensive lineman. He played for the Packers. He played for the Lions. He's a Lions radio analyst.
TJ Lang joins me at twelve forty. That's the one guest we have today. I've got a podcast right after the program. My man, Mac Brown. I love Mac Brown.
Great coach, better human. Mac Brown will talk about UT and Texas' big win over Ohio State and a number of other things.
So that's episode number four hundred twenty six. Look for that after the program. I'm going to tape that, then we will push it out. And Wednesday also includes the ATP. Ask the pros.
All right, there it is. Let's get into it.
Now, this is a really unique week in the sense that for years, Years. I'm Mountourette. for years on this show. There was nothing better than hell week. Nothing better than a Chargers Raiders game week.
Now, part of the reason I syndicated the program was I didn't want to spend thirty years just doing Hell Week talk. When I started on 690, it was a real thing. Like, it's still a thing. Chargers, Raiders, Hell Week. But on the air back then, it was especially a thing.
I just knew I didn't want to spend my entire career talking only about that thing. But I will acknowledge it. It still exists. I'll acknowledge this too. I love it.
Hell week. It's got juice once again, given the way those two teams started. And Hell Week's even better when it turns into a Double hell week. Double it. Double it.
This is my guy T Price. It really feels like college football. He's got its own version of Hell Week right now. Don't believe me, ask the enhanced security team the Lane Kiffin needs to make his highly anticipated return to Oxford. Ask anybody in the state of Mississippi for their take on Lane right now, and you will immediately feel the Hell Week vibes.
Or you could just ask the star Edge Rusher for LSU, who just got served lawsuit papers in the parking lot of the LSU football facility yesterday. And you will never guess who filed that lawsuit. That's right. Old miss. Because of course they did.
Because it's hell week. I'm just showing you on the Monitor what it is. The paper's being filed. All right, so what we're talking about here. Serving opposing players with lawsuits on the week of the game is now normal in college football, apparently.
That's the new normal. Because a week cannot go by without some sort of legal drama in the SEC. Because, of course, there had to be a brand new episode of Law and Order. NIL element to this game. As if there wasn't enough of that already swirling around this game, now you have some more.
Ole Miss is actually suing two LSU players right now who used to be Ole Miss players last season. Two players who, according to Ole Miss, hit the portal after initially signing revenue sharing agreements to stay in Oxford. According to Ole Miss, these two dudes owe them about a mil combined. And Old Miss wants their cash. We only finally got done with the last L S U legal controversy like ten seconds ago, and here we are now seeing players getting served with a lawsuit from this week's opponent while walking out of practice.
Sounds like hell week to me. Or Or if you prefer, maybe it really is just Lane Week, because we all know that's actually what this is, right? We all know that everything that's going on right now is happening pretty much because of Lane Kiffin. Everybody knows this.
Well, except for Lane himself.
Somehow Lane doesn't know. Even though he's done everything in his power to make this all about him, he doesn't seem to know that it's all about him. But, but, even though it's all about him, no pressure, right, Lane? He actually tried to say that this week. That the pressure is not on him, that it's not on LSU.
Oh, sure. It's lane weak, but none of the pressure is on you. Oh, all right. I mean, I can't believe the dude actually believes that. or even worse, that he tried to say, The pressure is not on me, it's not on us, it's not on L S U it's not on my players, the pressure actually is on old Miss.
But I told the players today, man, like, you don't have anything to worry about as far as like. Attention on you all week, and everything. There's just gonna be so much attention, hatred, everything on me. I said, You just get to go play. And I said, really?
The pressure's on them. We won seven games last year. They won 13. They returned. you know two Heisman candidates.
How often does that ever happen in the same backfield? I mean, we had it one time with Matt Leiner and Reggie Bush. and second longest winning streak in the country.
So you guys just get to go play and the the pressure is not on you. My dude. That take right there. That response right there. He's so rich.
I mean so rich. Richer than every last one of your donors. Combined net worth. That is one of the worst takes. or biggest lies ever.
Or both. The pressure. Is all on ole Miss? We don't have any pressure. They won 13 games last year.
We won seven. Don't y'all worry. None of it's on us. No, dude. Actually, it's all on you.
You are the one who is too good for them. Remember, you are the one that wrecked their moment with your ego. Remember? And now you have to back it up, or the entire world is going to judge you for it. Period.
You were the one that they gave everything to, everything you wanted. Everything you ask for. And it still wasn't enough. And you still bounced on them right when they were making a run into the playoffs. And yet you wanted to stay.
and coach both teams. But none of this is on you. Man, it's all on you. This is what's at stake this weekend, Lane. Your reputation, my dude.
And by the way, that's exactly how you want it. That's exactly how you set it up.
So don't try to be us, BS us with this nonsense that it's not about you and the pressure is not on you, that it's all on them. No, dude, it's all about you and the pressure is on you just the way you wanted it, just the way you like it.
Somehow, there might be an even crazier lane take this week because the dude also tries to argue. That both sides won from him divorcing. For the hot chick in Baton Rouge. Like, nobody lost here. Both sides were happy.
We all win. Listen to him selling this, too. I mean, if you think about it, they've been playing this matchup for a long time. and this is the first time in the last sixty four years that both teams are in the top ten.
So that says to me it's the most relevant matchup of these two teams in sixty four years, both teams being that relevant.
So I think that's a really neat thing, that we were able to be part of building a program there, that Pete's doing a great job of continuing it. As a top ten program, um that when we got there they won four games. And we got here eight months ago and they were seven and six.
So I think it's a really Really good thing that I think a lot of people could look at it and say, hey, both sides are doing really well, and both sides won. You think a lot of people can look at it? And say both sides are doing really well and that both sides won. Lane, I don't think anybody would look at it like that. I think you're the only one who looks at it like that.
I've got a funny feeling. I've got a funny feeling that nobody there feels that way. I've got a funny feeling that nobody in Oxford thinks that both sides won. I don't think man on the street in Oxford thinks, man, this is awesome. We're both relevant.
We actually are better for this. Both sides won. I don't think anybody in the state of Mississippi thinks that both sides won. I don't think that you would need your own security, increased security this weekend, if both sides won. If both sides are so thrilled with the outcome and it's not about you, then why are you rolling into Oxford with all that additional security?
If both sides won. And they're all happy there. Because both sides didn't win and they're not happy there. What's next? They all still love you in Oxford.
Lane, e even for you. Where every one of your Relationships with whatever program it is end in an ugly divorce. That might have been the single ugliest divorce. in terms of football divorces that we've ever seen. But but No.
It was actually great for them and for us. No, that was a great divorce. We're still best friends. And that was not a great divorce. In fact, that was one of the worst, nastiest divorces.
This is why they're still serving papers right before the game. The divorce isn't even over yet. Lane's almost like, oh, Miss Van, actually. actually should thank me. Thank you.
Thank me. You're welcome. Oxford, you're welcome. Like he's he's almost up there like I I want to know why you're not thanking me for ruining your best season ever. By abandoning the team.
Before the college football playoff, while trying to stay there and coach both teams and then try to poach some coaches and players on the way out the door. Why are you not thanking me? You're welcome. You dumped their asses. It caused even more chaos.
But yes, sure, both sides won. Everything worked out for everybody. And everybody at Old Misses thrilled with that guy. And you're under no pressure whatsoever. Again, is my dude this clueless or just this disingenuous?
clueless or disingenuous. This is probably where LSU fan runs up in here and says, yeah, well, at least he isn't Brian Kelly. At least he didn't show up with a jug band and talk down to us and then lose a ton of games. Fair. Fair.
I'm here for that. I get that too, LSU fan. I know that all this nonsense seems well worth it right now because of how miserable you all were with the last guy. I get that. I'm also sure that all of you LSU fans will be very happy to hear that your old coach, the former member of your LSU family, Family.
Picked Old Miss to win that game. According to USA Today's Sports, former LSU coach Brian Kelly, who was fired midseason in 2025, picked old miss to beat the Tigers in week three. No way. He did? Family.
I'm really surprised he'd go against the family like that. I really wonder why B K is leaning old Miss. It's not like he's going to be rooting harder for Ole Miss than anybody in Oxford or anything. It's not like Brian Kelly is going to be the biggest Old Miss fan on the planet this weekend or anything. BK is going to be pulling for Ole Miss so hard, he might roll up to the stadium with a jug band and put on a live pregame performance for free.
Part of what is super game. He really should. Ride here, that would get everybody so hyped up because I can't think of a better way to honor Hell Week or Lane Week. Then with a pair of spoons. a washboard and a jug and a front man.
rooting against his former family. Family. Yeah, all I'm saying is Lane Lane being lane is fine. Lane even leaving old Miss to me is fine, not the way he left. But him even leaving is fine.
What's not fine is for this guy to get up there and act like nobody there has any reason to be upset. They should actually thank me. I turned that program around. They've never been more relevant. And it's because of me.
You're welcome. Anyway, Lane, that may be your take. But certainly you don't think that anybody there thinks that, because nobody there thinks that. They hate your guts. And if everything is so copacetic, why are you rolling in with all this security?
It's hell week. It's double hell week. Chargers v Raiders, L S U v O Miss. Who you got? And as I mentioned.
Hellweg, from an NFL standpoint, taking on a... New relevance. If you want to talk about relevance. The Raiders by the end of this weekend. I'm not saying that I'm predicting this.
I'm just saying. By the end of this weekend, the The Raiders can be 2-0. And the Chargers, who everybody thought were legitimate Super Bowl contenders, could be Owen Two. Looking up. At the 2-0 Raiders.
Man, that would be something else.
So it's Hell Week. Let's throw it back. Let's throw it back to the 690 days. I want to hear from a Raider fan. And a Charger fan.
Remember that night back in the day in that bar when that Charger fan and Raider fan got into a fight?
Somebody helped me with this because I don't remember. I just know that one of them got their earlobe bitten off. A real thing. Look it up. Google it.
Don't Google me. Google Charger or Raider fan getting their ear bitten off.
Now that's hell week. That's how that's how they used to get down back in the day. But now that the Raiders won, and the Chargers lost and they're meeting early in the year And you know what? This is a must-win game for the Chargers. Hell yes, it is.
You imagine the panic around there if they opened the air by losing to the Cards and the Raiders?
Somebody's ear is getting bitten off again if that happens. Mm-hmm. It's hell week. You know what I want to do? I want to talk a little baseball.
Man, that time of year. Mets fan going Mets fan. I can't believe, given all the money that they have dumped into that roster, that this is what Mets fan and Mets player is fighting about. Nothing to do with anything important, mind you. But a former player coming in hitting a bomb and Mets fans cheering for that former Met.
Current Mets don't like it, some of the current Mets fans don't like it, and then some of the other current Mets fans don't give a damn. Because you're not giving them anything to cheer about anyway. It's like the most Mets thing ever. We're not playing for anything in the matters. But we got drama now.
We got drama. Also, it's like I can't help it. I'm trying not to talk about the Browns. Why would I talk about a team that bad that much? But they leave me no choice.
Especially the creep. every time this dude opens his mouth, The wrong thing comes out. And then I'm like, great, here we go again.
Now I have to comment on that again. Hey, creep. Can you go one day, Deshaun, without saying something lame or saying something dumb so I can just go one day without talking about you? Creep. But no, apparently not.
Apparently not.
So we will get to that as well. Telephone number is 1-800-636-8686. Or if you want, you can find me on the X, or if you want, you can find me on email. Or if you want, you can jump up into chat and maybe work your way in there. TJ Lane, coming up at 1240.
Lions, Bills, Thursday night matchup. Love that game. TJ Lang joins us then, and we are wide open the rest of the way. Lots of room for you. Every small business owner dreams of scoring a touchdown.
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Gusto.com. You're listening to the Jim Rome Show. One quick question for you. Why is Old Trapper Beef Jerky so amazing? Why don't we start with the fact that?
It's a family-run business. A family-run business that I know. In a family-run business that stands by quality and produces the world's finest beef jerky, do not be fooled by the other brands. All beef jerky is not the same. Make sure you choose Old Trapper.
You can actually see the quality right through their iconic clear view packages. They do that on purpose. They want you to know exactly what you're getting. Every single bite of Old Trapper is tender, it's never tough because they use just the best ingredients. Once again, they don't need to do that.
They choose to do that. From their lean strips of beef, seasoned with top-quality spices to their real wood-fired smoke, O Trapper delivers quality in every single bite and it comes in four amazing flavors: old-fashioned, classic beef jerky flavor. Exceptionally tender, it's smoky, it's delicious. Also, teriyaki with the yellow label. Where old Trapper turned the flavor down to 11.
Hot and spicy, with a spice so nice, you know, you're gonna wanna stack twice. And then you've got peppered. Tender seasoned beef covered in cracked pepper, a cold beer's best friend.
So grab and go with a four-ounce bag or load up with an 18-ounce bag. That way, there's enough for the entire team if you don't see it, and you will. But if you don't see it, ask for it by name because no other jerky comparison, trapper, what is your beef? In business, there is no room for guesswork. Every shipment matters.
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So we got Hell Week. If you want to take the NFL version of Hell Week, let's do that. Chargers v. Raiders. If you want to take the college version, Although Lane would say that no, it's not.
This is great. Old Miss and LSU. Let me see. We don't need to make this any more difficult than it is. It's pretty basic as to why the stakes are so high and why the pressure is on lane and not all miss.
The only thing about all miss is they're playing that game at home, right?
So you have that. You want to beat them badly, and you have them at home.
So, maybe in that regard, there is some pressure, I guess, maybe, sorta, kinda, not really. But what this becomes, everybody outside those two areas, the rest of the country watching has already decided. That's what this one game is, is a referendum. A referendum as to whether or not Lane did the right thing. If Old Miss wins this game, everybody who hates Lane Kiffin is gonna say, see?
See, you didn't have to leave to win. You could have won there. You were winning there. You made the wrong decision. They're still winning without you.
They just beat you.
So what was all that about anyway?
Well, I think if you're looking at it objectively, we know what that was all about anyway. L S U is a better job. L S U does have more resources. L S U will give him more than what Ole Miss could have given him. I know why he did what he did.
I just don't like the way he did it. I don't even have a problem with him leaving. It's just the way he left, and the way he's talking about it right now, and some of the things that he's done since he left. Let's not act like these things aren't really happening, Lane. Let's not act like, you know what?
Everything is cool. We both won. You know what he's trying to say. Y'all had one jack before I got here. And actually, that's kind of true.
He did make them better. But I think what he's trying to say is: man, I left that place so much better than I inherited it. Why the hate? Why are you not thanking me? Why are you not giving me a police escort as opposed to me having to bring more cops in?
That's the issue I have with it. that he's acting like he doesn't understand or he actually thinks they're happy with him. I mean, come on, man. You know how badly they want to beat you. Lane is a lot of things, but dumb is not one of them.
Jack in NC quote Or Miss B. Better get their clocks calibrated. Sign Michigan Man. Alan L. 9031, this is out of the chat.
Leave Lane alone. You're lucky he even coaches for you. Bastard! Leave Wayne alone! I would.
I wouldn't even be talking about it. I mean, I'd be talking about it in a different light. I'd be talking about, man, this game's awesome. This game is really, really awesome. This is a great game.
But I'm just talking about these other things because of what he's saying right now leading into the game and the other things that he did when he left them. And this nonsense about how it's a win-win, and everybody's happy. When really there can't be a single person in all of Oxford that likes this guy at this point. Yeah. Lane, just do what you've always done.
Have you already forgotten how you left Tennessee? Have you already forgotten how vitriolic that was? Uh what's next? All Vol fans still love me and wish I coached their team. Orman Ormadillo.
Leave teams, talk self, like Lane Kiffin. DJ JB, you can tell by his statements, he's throwing all the pressure. On everybody else but him. He exudes pressure on others. Whatever that means.
It's all on him. Trust me. really the pressure's on them. He's trying to deflect But it's not working. I could even see him trying to take it off of his players and say, hey, guys, man, just go out there and play loose, play fast, play violently, do what you do.
Man, they're not coming for you anyway. They're coming for me. They hate me. Even though that's not really true, they also hate them. But I could see where he would try to take the pressure off of his guys.
But to sit up there and say that the pressure is actually on Ole Miss and not L S U because Ole Miss was much better last year and won more games I mean, it's nonsense. And I said, really? The pressure's on them? No, it's not. Actually, Lane, and you know it's not.
What a statement. The pressure is actually on them. And the pressure on them. Oh, my bad. I thought it was on you, Lane.
Thanks for clearing that up for me. The entire world thought the pressure was on you, and so you set the entire world straight. Thanks for clarifying that for us. pressures on them. This is at Doc Martin and the Flannels.
Quote: Creepland! This take is for you. Sign Massage Washington. This is for you. I have no idea.
What Massage Watson is doing up at the podium. I'll get to it later on, but like the kids say, man, say less. Say less. In fact, say nothing. Say nothing.
You do nothing, so say nothing. Because you're just making it worse and worse and worse and worse. This guy writes, this is one of the stoners from yesterday. Imagine all Rome sponsors food now because I asked a question and Rome found out the clones were bakers. Bro.
You didn't dial me in. Stop acting like I found out because of you. You act like I don't know that people who are in chat three hours a day are baked out of their minds. No way at. I five, Moke Three, AI, on three.
I had no idea that we had people getting high in chat. Thanks for dialing me in. Do I owe you a thank you, too? For something I already knew? I smoke alone is what he's trying to say.
No you don't. All of chat smokes, bro. You do not smoke alone. Change your handle. Romy, I feel like we need to fire up the Mississippi Queen in advance of this weekend's game.
Gino in Chattanooga. Totally up to Albie. My favorite thing about the Grove, hands down, is the alcohol. Um it's not always free, but It's Always there.
So, yeah, alcohol, hands down. Answer your question.
Next question.
Okay, but you can get that at the square, right? My favorite thing about the Grove is getting to meet people and see everyone from other schools that you know, and you run into people, and it's, I don't know, it's just fun. It's like a big party. And let's get it. To me, it sounds like you don't care that much about School Spirit.
I love School Spirit, but like, let's not get me wrong, like, I wouldn't have School Spirit without a couple of Vodka waters. Yeah, let's not get it twisted. I'm all about School Spirit, but let's not get twisted. I'm not having that kind of spirit without a couple of Vodka waters. As long as you get a 2-0.
That's the Mississippi Queen when we come back. Can't get enough for her. She's a a legend. She's probably 50 now, but she's a legend. TJ Lang joins me when we come back.
Stay tuned. You're listening to that Jim Rome show. One quick question for you. Why is Old Trapper Beef Jerky so amazing? Why don't we start with the fact that?
It's a family-run business. A family-run business that I know And a family-run business that stands by quality and produces the world's finest beef jerky. Do not be fooled by the other brands. All beef jerky is not the same. Make sure you choose Hulch Rapper.
You can actually see the quality right through their iconic Clear View packages. They do that on purpose. They'll want you to know exactly what you're getting. Every single bite of Old Trapper is tender, it's never tough because they use just the best ingredients. Once again, they don't need to do that.
They choose to do that. From their lean strips of beef, seasoned with top-quality spices to their real wood-fired smoke, Hulch Rapper delivers quality in every single bite, and it comes in four amazing flavors: old-fashioned, classic beef jerky flavor. Exceptionally tender, it's smoky, it's delicious. Also, teriyaki with the yellow label. World Trapper turned the flavor down to 11.
Hot and spicy, with a spice so nice, you know, you're gonna wanna stack twice. And then you've got peppered. Tender seasoned beef covered in cracked pepper, a cold beer's best friend.
So grab and go with a four-ounce bag or load up with an 18-ounce bag. That way, there's enough for the entire team if you don't see it, and you will. But if you don't see it, ask for it by name because no other jerky comparison trapper. What is your beef? In business, there is no room for guesswork.
Every shipment matters. Every deadline counts. When you're trying to keep operations running smoothly, the last thing you need is uncertainty. That's why reliability is at the core of USPS Ground Advantage. From the moment your package is first scanned in, it moves through a secure nationwide network, aiding in a timely and accurate delivery.
You get near real-time tracking so you can keep up with your shipments. And with affordable upfront pricing, there are no hidden fees or surprise surcharges to throw off your cost sheets. It all adds up to predictable deliveries that you can depend on because knowing your logistics are handled lets you focus on everything else: your customers, your team, and the future you're building.
So visit USPS.com/slash ground advantage to start shipping with confidence. USPS Ground Advantage, we mean business. That's true. We are on Westwood One. We are on Sirius XM as well.
We're also on our YouTube channel, and we're streaming on eight other platforms on the Rome TV channel.
So, find the best way to consume the product and go ahead and do it. All right, as promised, we are joined right now by a Super Bowl champion, a two-time Pro Bowler, a former NFL offensive lineman who played 10 years for the Packers and the Lions both. He is a sideline analyst for Lions Radio Network, also an NFL analyst for 971 FM, the ticket radio in Detroit. I'm talking about TJ Lang. TJ, really appreciate you making time.
How are you doing, dude? I'm doing great, man. How are you doing, Jim? Good, good. Good to see you.
Appreciate you. Listen, having spent a decade, just want to jump right into it, a decade in the league, you know this as well as anybody. No style points. Nobody cares. The dub is the only thing that matters.
So let me get your thoughts. What were your biggest takeaways from the Lions season opening overtime win over the Saints, even though they blew that 21-0 third-quarter lead? Yeah, I think the biggest takeaway was exactly what you said. They found a way to win. And that's a good characteristic to have, especially early in the season, man.
Week one, there's a lot of weird things that happen. We know that. Just look around the league. Everybody thought, you know, the Rams were going to win every game by 40 points and smoke everybody, right? And they get punched in the mouth a little bit.
So things happen. I think that the biggest takeaway, though, was, you know, when they had to. Backs against the wall there when it got into a dogfight in the fourth quarter and overtime. And you need your big guys to step up and make plays. And that's exactly what happened with, you know, on offense with Jared Goff and Amon Ra St.
Brown. And we know Jameer Gibbs is a stud. And even on the defensive side, man, hey, we need our big guys to show up. And overtime, Aiden Hutchinson getting some stops, getting some pressures. Elaine McNeil, you know, good to see him back healthy coming off a full offseason.
You know, he's a high-paid player, and I know he's feeling a lot of pressure, but stepping up and making some big plays when they had to make them, that was a big takeaway and a lot of positives that you can look for, you know, if you're in that locker room saying, okay, didn't go, it wasn't perfect, wasn't pretty, but we found a way to get it done when it mattered the most. TJ Lang joining us, you actually mentioned one of the guys that I was going to mention, and you described him with a word that I was going to use. I mean, there might have been some ugly moments or some kind of uneven moments, but Jameer Gibbs showed once again, he's a freaking stud. Busts out for over 150 yards, a career high, 29 carries. I mean, looking.
Back on your career, TJ, you block for some quality backs to be sure. What makes this dude so different? What makes this dude so special? I mean, he's just got everything, right? Like, he's not just a guy that, hey, we're just running outside zone or we're just going to run, you know, gaps, gap scheme, or hey, we just got to, you know, run inside zone.
Like, he can do everything, man. And he can protect too. Like, that's the biggest thing that I love about Jameer Gibbs. And I think why the offensive linemen respect him so much in that room is that you see what he can do when he's running the ball or when he's catching the ball out of the backfield. But when you watch him, you know, put his nose into a linebacker on a third down where you got to protect the quarterback, like those are the little things that don't, he probably doesn't get enough credit for, but he's just a full package.
And I tell guys all the time, man, like I, if I was blocking for a guy like Jameer Gibbs, it's pretty much, hey, I just can't get beat right off the snap. Like if I hold, you know, if I can lock onto this defender for a second or two seconds, like he's going to be passionate. He's going to be gone. And he just has his vision and his awareness and his football IQ really stick out. To me, like he is not just a guy that, okay, hey, I'm running to the right.
I'm just going to run to the right as hard as I can. Like, he is going to set some things up throughout the course of the game to really make some defenses pay.
Now, I don't think the Lions would like to probably give him 35 touches a game for the rest of the season, but just the way that that game went, Jim, where you know, you got into a dogfight a little bit there, you had to probably overuse him a little bit. But, you know, that's that's they're comfortable if they get into games doing that because they know that he can handle it. And even Jameer after the game said, you know, I could have had 45 touches, 50 touches. Like, I felt great. I feel like I'm in great shape.
Now, most guys do in week one. That body's going to start to wear down a little bit. But, man, just the attributes that he has. It doesn't matter what the play call is, whether it's an inside zone or whether it's an outside toss or whether it's, hey, we need you to go pick up a middle linebacker blitzing on third and eight to give our quarterback some time. He's going to find a way to get it done.
TJ Lang, breaking it down for us, joining us right now. TJ, let me ask you something. You started your career with the Packers. You want to ring there. For those who have never been, What was it like to live, work, and most of all, win in Titletown USA?
Unbelievable. Unbelievable. I tell people all the time, I was, I consider myself so lucky and grateful to end up in such a unique place. And all eight years, Jim, that I played there, first of all, we had great teams, right? And we had, you know, Aaron Rodgers and Charles Woodson, Donald Driver, Clay Matthews, like Julius Peppers, all these lists of guys that I was so lucky to play with.
But not only to be on a good team, but to be with a good organization and a unique organization where, you know, it was just all about football, man. Like it's, it's one of the only towns, you know, in America that just has one major sport.
Now, I know Milwaukee has, you know, their sports, obviously, with basketball and baseball, but that's two hours away. Green Bay was just, it felt like a college town, to be honest with you. It felt like almost like a Tuscaloosa or something like that, where people just live and breathe football. And that's all you get to focus on. And it was easy to know, you know.
Get rid of a lot of the distractions up there.
So I was grateful, man. I was so lucky. And I was also in a great spot. And I mentioned a lot of those guys where, you know, we had a very strong veteran group of guys that kind of taught you how it was supposed to be, how you're supposed to be a professional and how to keep things focused and how to keep football the main thing. And, you know, that started with not only guys like Aaron Rodgers and Charles Woodson, Donald Driver, but a lot of the offensive linemen I got to play with, Chad Clifton, Mark Tausher, who played a long time up there in Green Bay.
I really, I was, I was kind of a knucklehead my first couple years in the league, Jim. But I was lucky to have some veteran leaders that I could look back on and lean on a little bit to kind of put me back in the right direction. Green Bay is a special place. It is. I appreciate that so much.
I know because I remember the first time I went there, it was 1996 for the NFC Championship game, and that's when our show first started to take hold. And I couldn't believe when I got there. I'm like, damn, like time has stood still. I can't believe what Green Bay is. I've never been in.
Green Bay and I went to Lambeau and I was on the field before the game and Reggie White stretching out and Favre's doing what he's doing. And the night before, I was in Fuzzy Thurston's bar. I'm like, this place is absolutely incredible. Like, it lives up to all the hype. It's special.
Then we sent our son to Wisconsin.
Now we have a house in the Northwoods.
So I love the state. I get the state. Let me ask you, TJ Lake, my guest.
So we've got TNF. You've got a huge, huge game coming up tomorrow night, Detroit and Buffalo. After seeing what Josh Allen did to the Texans' defense, what do you expect the Lions to do to try to slow him down or at least knock him out of his rhythm? Yeah, it's going to be interesting because obviously, you know, Josh Allen is one of the best players in all of football, if not the best, right? He is such a dynamic player.
And I think there's been a stigma around the Detroit Lions for the last couple of years that they really struggle against quarterbacks that can run and with the mobility and get outside the pocket and make you pay with their feet. I go back to really last year, I think it was week three, the Lions had to play a Sunday night game, or it was a night game. I can't remember which night. They all blend together, but it was a primetime game against Baltimore. And watching Kelvin Shepard and the plan that he had against Lamar Jackson, and it's going to be, okay, we're going to load up the box early, you know, in the first down and second down.
We're going to try to take the run game away, and then we're going to try to, you know, mess with the quarterback's eyes a little bit with, you know, bringing some different pressures or dropping some guys and kind of spying that quarterback to keep him in the pocket. It's going to be interesting. I think that's something that Kelvin Shepard can look at in his Rolodex that he had success with. Last year against a very mobile quarterback, like they're going to see tomorrow night with Josh Allen. But it's really going to come down to, you know, can you be really good on first down?
Can you make if Buffalo is able to run the ball and they can just do whatever they want to do? And if they're living in second and shorts and, you know, first downs after first down after first down, then it's going to be a really tough day for that Lions defense. Kelvin Shepard last week against the Saints brought a lot of pressure and he brought unique pressure. It was not just the linebackers like we saw a lot last year. It was corners.
It was safeties. It was that nickel pressure to try to throw off Tyler Shuck a little bit. And they did a really good job of it through about three quarters of that game. And then the Saints kind of started picking up.
Okay, the pressure's coming here. Like we're going to have some success if we can just hold up for a second and get that ball out. Josh Allen is that type of guy that it's feast or famine. I mean, it's damned if you do, damned if you don't almost, because if you bring that extra pressure and that one guy doesn't, you know, that one free runner at the quarterback doesn't. Get the quarterback down, Josh Allen is going to either run for 40 yards or he's going to throw the ball for 60 yards over the top.
So I think that that's got to be the biggest plan for Kelvin Shepard to slow Josh Allen down is to slow the run game down and put him in some of those long second and third down situations and make him beat you with his arm. And as the Texans reminded us last week, don't give that guy another chance. Do not give that guy another chance. If you have a boot on their throat, choke them out. TJ, you're on the sidelines, Marni, right?
So, I'm actually not doing the games this year. I have been for the last five years. I should have clarified that. This is just one of those years where, Jim, I'm sure you've got kids and a busy schedule, and I'll still be around. I'm still doing a lot of things with the Lions throughout the week and whatnot, but I'm actually not there on game day this year, which kind of hurts a little bit.
But it was different last Sunday watching and not being there in person. But, no, I have been around the team, and I'm still very connected with the team. I got a pretty good pulse of what's going on over there. I know, obviously, you are. There's no doubt about that.
So, I'm glad that we cleared that up because I was going to say, as somebody who has been on sidelines before, even if you're not going to be there tomorrow night, man, you understand what it's like. We're talking about a brand new stadium, Thursday night football, the mafia in its element. And, like, when you worked the sideline, you weren't up there in the comfort and luxury of the box. Like, how wild do you expect it to get at their new stadium tomorrow for a primetime game? Oh, it's going to be nasty.
It's going to be incredible. I mean, it's, it's, the Buffalo fans are, I kind of equate them to Green Bay fans where, like, that's really what you have. Like, that is like your passion, right? And opening the new stadium, I know there was some, you know, pictures and videos out in the preseason with some people that said, hey, like, what is this? I got a, you know, rail in front of my.
Nobody's going to care about that tomorrow once the game kicks off, man. Buffalo fans are incredible. And they've, they have a team that, you know, for a few years now, legit Super Bowl contenders. I know they haven't got over that hump, but there's that anticipation and that excitement there in Buffalo. And it's going to be rowdy.
It's going to be raucous. I'm bummed that I'm not going to be there because, Jim, like those are the type of games that you're just like, this is awesome. Like, this is what I get to do for a living, man. Like, this is so cool and so awesome. I would say the one thing with the Lions that they could probably lean back on is like this, they've been in some of these games for the past couple years, right?
A couple of years ago, they opened up week one, I think, on the road, primetime game. Game at Kansas City, which is one of the, if not the loudest, places you can ever try to watch a football game.
So there's some guys that can kind of share some of the experience of, hey, man, like, just soak it all in, right? And Dan Campbell does a really fine job of making sure his players, you know, don't feel intimidated. And I would say this about Lions fans, just being with the team for the last six years on the road, it's incredible how much, you know, how many blue jerseys you see on the road at opposing stadiums. They've been waiting. They've been waiting.
And as a player, oh, yeah. And as a player, like you, when you look up in the stands and you feel like you've got some people on your side, man, that can give you a little bit of extra motivation and a little bit of a boost. A Super Bowl champion. That'd be awesome, though. Absolutely.
Not only a Super Bowl champion, a two-time Pro Bowler, and breaking it down for us. TJ, man, great to see you. Really appreciate you making time. Great to talk some ball with you. We'll steward again soon.
I appreciate it, Jim. Anytime, bro. Appreciate you, big dude. TJ Lang, good stuff. Good information.
And a major TNF showdown tomorrow night. Who you got? Detroit. The Buffalo. Our number two when we come back.
My dough never sees a freezer. Faye Hollis makes the biscuits at Hardee's. I'm up at 5 a.m. every day making biscuits from scratch. Easy there, biscuit lady.
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Mm.
