Nico Collins: Bring Your Energy Texans Fans!

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Now, on with the show. Josh Allen, it's a touchdown. Chad Michael Murray here on The Rich Eisen Show. This is The Rich Eisen Show. Let's talk, Josh Allen.

Let's do it. Every single fan was hoping the quarterback that they drafted turns out to be Josh Allen. And what would be better than to have the AFC Championship as the last game ever played in that stadium? Today's guests. Nico Collins, touchdown Houston.

Texans wide receiver, Nico Collins, senior writer for the MMQB. Albert Breer, plus your phone calls, Overreaction Monday, and more. And now it's Rich Eisen. Allen number two of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air. I would tell you what's coming up, and I'd get to more pleasantries, but this man's time is a wasting.

And he's got to get to a meeting. And the last thing I'm going to do is make a fellow Michigan Wolverine. Fellow Michigan man Wait, certainly when he's one of the best receivers in the league, the beast himself of the Houston Texans, Nico Collins, up in kickoff hour number two of the program. How are you doing, Nico? I'm doing good.

I'm doing good. No complaints. How you doing today? Was that an appropriate... Introduction worthy of your talents, Nico.

Nah, it wasn't. It wasn't. It wasn't. What else can I say? How else can I get to it?

You know, like, I just want to make sure your time's not wasting and your talents are. Yeah, I really appreciate you, though.

Okay, great. Back at you. How you been, Nico? What's going on? Great.

Been great, been great. Can't complain, man. We just got done with practice, you know.

So we're in this end. We're into practice right now, so we're on to taking care of our bodies.

Okay. And what can you tell or you're willing to share right now about your new offensive coordinator and the way this offense is going to be run? Nico Collins? Yeah, man, Nick Kaylee, man. He's a young, fiery coach.

Man, it's exciting, man. Just the way he's just come in the building every day in meetings, man. You know, you feel that energetic, you feel his enthusiasm, man, as he breaks it down and install, you know.

So I'm excited about this year, man, about this group. You know, it's going to be a great year. What about schematically that you're willing to share? That's different. I feel like, no, it's pretty much the same.

Pretty much, again, the player isn't, you know, a great situation to make plays. You know, Nick, he's doing a great job, you know, is making the play calls, you know, simple, you know, easy for us to understand. You know, so we go out there and just have fun, you know, make plays, you know, and get the crowd on their feet. You know, so that's all we want to do as an offense, you know, go out there and make plays and be explosive. You know, that's what that's what we are.

Okay. And. Who are you? Are you uh overlooked? Nico, are you an overmod 20?

Yes, sir. in this league. You know. I really don't pay attention to things like that. My main mission is to get better every single day.

Just be 1%, you know, be there for my teammates. You know, whenever my numbers call, just go out there and make a play, you know. And I just let the numbers talk. I just let people have their opinions, you know, say what they want to say. But at the end of the day, man, whenever I step on the field, step between them lines, you know, it's a blessing to be out there, you know, because any moment, you know, it could be taken away from you.

So it's only right to go out there, you man, make the most of it. And I feel like that's been my mindset every single day. You know, just go out there, get better, 1%. That's my goal.

Well, my colleague and friend, Maurice Jones Drew at NFL Network, once upon a time got drafted in the second round, and he wore number 32 for the number of franchises that passed on him in the first round. You're a third round pick out of our shared institution of higher learning in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Do you think you were overlooked then? Nico College? You know, it was right that time, it was a crazy situation.

You know, it was COVID.

So actually, they canceled the Big Ten, you know, so I had no choice but to opt out. You know, I came back to my senior year. You know, I was looking forward to coming back to my senior year in Michigan. But I kind of had no choice. I had to end my career early, you know, and I had to go prepare for the draft.

But I feel like, man, throughout that process, man, it was hard. It was weird. crazy timing. But I had the senior bowl to go out and show the scouts what I can do. And I knew it was a gamble, just opting out.

And the Big Ten did end up bringing back, I think, like four games, but it was kind of too late for me because I signed with an agent and I couldn't come back to college.

So it was kind of a rough path for me.

So it was only right for me to go. To the senior bowl, you know, and show the scouts what I've been doing. I had that opportunity, and I had the pro day. Pro day was at Michigan, so it was great to see to go back to school, man, see all the coaches, you know, and have all 32 teams come out, you know, and watch us have pro day. You know, so that was my only opportunity to, you know, show the teams what I've been doing because I didn't have film that year because I opted out.

So I feel like, man, I took a gamble, rolled the dice, man. End of the day, man, I got picked. You know, that's everybody's dream. And you have made the most of your opportunity. I mean, you have kicked the door down, Nico.

You have done so. And last year's numbers on the screen there that we can see, highly impressive. Certainly, since you did not play a full season, you've mentioned that you're trying to get 1% better. What can you be better at? Yeah, a lot.

Take care of my body. Take care of my body. Take care of my mental. You know, it's a marathon, man. It's not a sprint.

You know, it's just a long season.

So I feel like, man, just stay on top of my body, stay on top of my mental, you know, before things start hurting. But my goal, man, is to finish this whole season with my teammates, man. You know, I feel like it's always just little hiccups, you know, throughout the year for me. But my main goal, my main mission this year, man, is to be available for my teammates. You know, step on the line with them every single game.

Go out and see what's happened and see what happened, you know.

So that's my only mindset, man. Just be available for the team, you know, and just let the rest work for itself. And then, obviously, you know, when you got there, you mentioned how wild it was because it was COVID and things of that nature. You also wound up having three head coaches in your first three years as a professional. football player as well.

How has D'Amico Ryans changed things? Around there and your relationship with him that you can share with us here. And Domico changed a lot. Once we hired him as a head coach, man, it was one of those feelings. Like it was a change in the environment.

He's more as a player. He's a player's coach. We can relate to him a lot.

So in the meetings, kind of feel like. Not even a head coach, you know, he kind of feel like a a captain almost, you know, a team captain, you know.

So just his his thought process, man, his energy behind everything, man. He just wants you to swarm, be relentless, man, and just, you know, leave everything out there. You know, that's those his only message, man. Just Brick by brick, man. Just be yourself and just have fun, make plays, you know, and that's that's why no better way to go out, you know, and play for him.

You know, he runs through a big roll for Coach D'Amico, man. Love him to death for sure. Yeah, and you know, obviously, him being a Houston Texan player from back in his day and being part of the community. And I'm just wondering, you know, how what's he selling to you guys right now? Are the words super and bowl ever said openly in your locker room?

You know, just iron, just iron sharpen iron. You know, that's how that's our motive, man. You know, iron sharpen iron.

So I might say every day going out to camp, man. Don't go out there, brother, in law. You know, don't go out there, you know, just trying to survive the practice. You know, go out there and get better. You know, get better from yesterday.

You know, work on something that you need to work on. You know, go out there and tech. You know, go out there and just go through the motions, you know, just to get through practice. You know, it's hot. It is.

But, you know, walking out there, what you're walking into, you know, it's part of camp. It's supposed to grind. It's supposed to hurt. You know, it's supposed to be hard right now.

So. On Sundays, you know, it's easy, not even thinking about it, you know?

So that's his message, man. Just iron sharpen iron. Um Man, just be yourself. Be committed to the process, man, and just love it.

Well, in terms of why you do it. Sure. And in terms of iron sharpening iron, it helps to have a. Tool in the drawer, if you will, like C.J. Stroud.

How good is your quarterback? Miko. He's great. He's phenomenal. I feel like he's one of the best, man.

He's calm, collected. You know, whenever, you know, it gets hard for him, hard for him, he's still the same. Whenever, you know, it's great for him, he's still the same. You know, I feel like for him, he's never, he's never changing. He he always wanted to get better.

You know, he always, you know, looking Asking you questions, how are you feeling?

So it's a great quarterback to have in your room, man. His mindset is phenomenal. You know, he he won the lead. Um, so it's only right we go out there and it happens back. And you just you guys seem to have this connection.

It's it's it's really remarkable. Certainly, you know, that first play and that must-have game against the Indianapolis Colts in Indianapolis, winner moves on, and the one who does not goes home. Up top, like you guys are at the combine together in that building, you know what I mean? Like, that was one of those, yeah, man. It was special.

We know, we know that game was very important, you know, to this program, to the team, man. You know, so we want to go to the playoffs, you know, and um. You know, Bobby, he called the right player. You want to take a shot? You know, Indy on the road, you know, me and CJ, we was like, let's go.

You know, it's time to go out there and be us. You know, just not making the moment bigger than what it is. You know, it's football at the end of the day. You know, so. Um, when CJ called hype, man, I just did the same thing I've been doing: repetitions, man, run that post route.

You know, he just took his drop. You know, put the ball into the basket, man. You know, just repetition. You know, so it was a great feeling, you know.

So, one and done. You know, that play always lived in my head, rent-free for sure. It should. It should. It was such a great moment.

And obviously, CJ Stroud and you have such a terrific connection. I'm just wondering, this is maybe the most important question. I'm asking you in this interview, Nico, is what is your relationship with C.J. Stroud like on the last couple? if you will, uh November Saturdays to end the Novembers.

What what are those moments like when the result from a place like Ann Arbor, Michigan. Or the horseshoe. When the result comes in on that Saturday, what's it like between you and C.J. Stroud? Yeah, you know, it's real.

It's real quiet. It's real quiet. No, the whole week, it's not much. It's not much being said. I feel like it's kind of mutual.

I never beat Ohio State. He never beat Michigan, but then when that week come it's like Yeah, you know you know what's up, man. You know the Michigan boys about to come out. You know, handle business and we finna walk away with it. You know it.

So the next Sunday you say nothing to him because that's just you seeing the game. You see what I see?

Well, I take the opposite approach. I just don't stop talking. I start speaking with my chest, Nico. I mean, you know what I mean, when it comes to that. But it is kind of wild that the Houston Texans.

have a Michigan-Ohio state connection of note. At such an important quarterback-wide receiver relationship, right? Does that get lost on you guys in any way, shape, or form? It does, it kind of does. You know, we kind of don't think about it anymore.

But when he first came, it was kind of like a odd man, you went to Ohio State, you know. And then, uh, we ended up getting K too, so it was two buckeyes, two all.

So it was, it was weird, you know. But end of the day, man, you know, whenever them guys play, you know, it's, you know, I got to talk about noise. You know, I got to hold it down for Michigan, you know, always because you know, them boys in blue are going to hold it down. I like it. And the last minute I have with you here, your message to Texans fans entering the 2025 season, Nico Collins is what?

What is it? Just bring your energy. You know, we we feed off the fans' energy, man. It's for the city. And whatever we do, man, we're gonna go out there and be our best, our best version of ourselves every Sunday, every Thursday, every Monday night, whatever we got.

You know, every time we step on that field, man, it's for the city, you know, it's for the facility, man, it's for everybody, you know, so. Can't wait for this year, man. It's going to be a great year for everybody. Outstanding. And not to turn you into my own information individual, but can you tell me how tanked L is?

I think a lot of fans are concerned after seeing what we saw. Yeah, he's great, man. He's great, man. He's walking around, man. He's in the meetings with us.

You know, he's locked in with us, man. You know, he's being a part. You know, he's the guy that we need to be. You know, he needs to be around, you know, which he is.

So, man, his mental is great. You know, it's only right that we're there for him every single day, you know, keeping his spirits up because we know how bad he wants to be out there with us.

So it's only right to be in his corner every step of the way, man. But, you know, it's a stepping stone day by day with him, you know, head on straight. You know, he's still smiling. You know, so the mission is still the same. It never changed with him.

So I'm happy for him, you know, proud of him, man. And can't wait to see his process.

Well, I don't want you to be late for your next stop. Really appreciate the time. Look for more of my invitations if you're so willing during the season and go ball out, Nico. I love watching. No doubt, I got you anytime, Rick.

I really appreciate you, man. Have a good one. Back at you. That's Nico Collins, everybody. Houston Texans wide receiver right here on the Rich Eisen show heading off to his next meeting because we don't need him in trouble.

At all. No doubt.

Okay. And it's interesting, the other day when we were talking about Super Bowl contenders, Here because Aaron Rodgers said 10 to 12. 10 to 12, right? Is that what you said? 10 to 12 or in the conversation.

Yeah. Was that the date you were not here, TJ? Uh Friday? Yes. Yeah.

Okay. 10 to 12 is what Aaron Rodgers said. Yes. 10 to 12 teams. Do not are Eligible or worthy of being a Super Bowl contender.

Can actually win it. Yes, can actually win it. And um We went through the list. Yep. Which teams?

I had 15 teams. Yep. Chris had 12. Mark Schlareth had 13. Correct.

15 that you believe can win the Super Bowl. Yes, sir. Okay. Yeah. That I believe can win the Super Bowl.

This year. I don't believe I have anywhere near 15.

Okay, well, let's do this. By the way, my buddy Jimmy, who takes in this show quite a bit. Um And he said he enjoyed the segment. But also thinks it's really only four or five for real. Wow.

I'm probably going to be on that ladder. Really? Like four. He goes, it's really, he kind of looked at me. He goes, Tom, you.

You know, you got to be kidding me. There's only got to be four or five that really can win the Super Bowl.

So let's see if you again, this is how we did it.

Okay. Because I put the Texans on the list. That's the reason why I'm bringing it up right now. I put the Texans on the list as a team that can really win the Super Bowl. Because you never know.

Last year the Washington Commanders were not in the mix, and they wound up in the Final Four. That definitely throws a wrench into all these. But this year, if we conducted this experiment endeavor conversation. At this point last year, none of us would include the Washington Commanders at all. This is a team that's got a quarterback that's won a playoff game in each of his first two years, including last year when Stroud was getting his ass beat.

And they had a lot of injuries on the skill players. Taking on any team with a significant pass rush. He had Grown ass men in his lap. Quite a bit. And they still Won the division, made the playoffs.

And won a game in it. eliminated our friends and neighbors across the way.

So TJ, we do it division by division. Let's do it real quick. All right. I know you don't like me to talk a lot. I'll just give you yes or no answers.

That's not true. No, no, we're just going to give you a division and you do the team. Say that. You do the team. AFC East, how many teams can win the Super Bowl with one?

Okay, that's the Bills.

Okay. I was thinking the Jets, but sure. Thank you. Thank you. Pandering.

Now you're talking too much. Yeah, Bill. Good job, Rick. Bill's out the East. AFC North, how many teams can win the Super Bowl?

North, realistically, in 25, 26, one. One. You're talking about it.

Well, just say who it is. Ravens. Yeah, okay. All right. I had both the Steelers and the Bengals as possible.

I also only had the Ravens.

Okay. AFC South, any teams that can. Pass. 0.000. AFC West, how many teams can win the Super Bowl?

Uno. The chefs. That's the Chiefs.

Now, here comes the rubber meeting the road here. NFC East, how many teams can win the Super Bowl? Ah! One And that is? The birds.

You don't think the commanders could take another step forward?

Well, I feel like, you know, sometimes when a quarterback is a great rookie season, then, you know, a lot of times the defense kind of gets to know them.

So maybe I'm not saying he takes a step back, but I think we should pump a little bit.

Now that we're in the middle. of this conversation. You really think? The Washington Commanders entering this season are not Super Bowl contenders. Really, and you don't think anybody else in the AFC West other than the Chiefs, you don't think there's a single South team that's a Super Bowl contender, and the only ones in the East and the AFC North are playing each other on the first Sunday of the season between the Ravens and the Bills.

So far. That's so far.

Okay. The NFC North. How many teams can win the Super Bowl within that division? Can, okay, how many teams can you win? They are Super Bowl contenders.

They're ones that you're on your radar. Who can actually win?

Okay, to be honest, I only see one team there that I think could possibly, and it would be the Lions. The Lions. You don't think the Vikings with J.J. McCarthy, and you don't think the Packers with Jordan Love and their levels of improvement and drafting cannot. Consider when they play.

In week one, they are not Super Bowl contenders. See, I mean, you're looking at it like that, but I'm looking at it like I'm feeling like in my soul, like, who do I think when it's all said and done? I just don't know. I don't see the Vikings. I'm sorry.

I don't see the Pacific. I don't let Rich talk you off, though. No, I'm not. You're doing great.

Okay. NFC South. I do not see a team in the South that I believe in my heart could win a Super Bowl. No. The Bucs, man.

You don't think the Bucs can go on a run here? You don't think so? No. Okay. How about the NFC West then?

I'll put two Rams Niners.

So the only division with multiple Super Bowl contenders residing in it Going into this season is the NFC West. The Rams and the Niners, and you put the Niners in Y. Because I kind of feel like with the healthy, and I know that their receiver core looks a little weird. I just have a feeling that CMC is going to have an incredible year.

So you're saying that the Niners are going to be able to do that. I feel like their defense is good. The Niner teams that went to the Super Bowl. every other year, pretty much the decade turned is returning.

Okay. You have seven teams, that's it. And by the way, here's the deal: I'm jealous of this. You know, I don't like Washington, but do I feel like they're going to win the Super Bowl? Maybe I put an asterisk, I guess, in there that he's made for Washington, but I don't know.

Excuse me, sir. There is a difference between you're making a prediction as to who's having a parade next February. And I'm saying these are teams that could have a parade next February. And always there's a team that you're not thinking of. And always there's a massive team that takes a big step forward.

I'm not even saying the fifteen of the fifteen teams that they're going to make the Super Bowl. I'm just saying they can put something together. Over the span of 18 regular season weeks. and one month of the playoffs, that is particularly special. for their fans and their franchises.

And you're saying it's just seven. You're going less than half of what I'm saying. I'm saying realistically, winning a Super Bowl is, and it's not a knock on anyone's team. It's just, I'm just talking to them as I'm looking at them when people are like, I can't believe you say my teammates. Just like, you just have to be realistic with this, man.

DJ Gray. Why are you jealous? I'm jealous of this list. And my list last week of 12 had just a little too much fat on it. A little too extra.

A little too much extra. Yeah, because obviously, but this is a league, this is not like Major League Baseball where. There truly is only a handful of teams that can win it all. There's four teams that are, you could see, are particularly tough and special, and one team that you just never know if they're going to make a run starting now all the way through. Wild card Giants.

Baseball teams get hot in September, and then all of a sudden they just get a ride light. Baseball teams going into the season truly have a chance. They truly do have a chance. No, no, there's there's half the league has no chance. In the NFL?

Yeah. I that's why I put 15. Rich question. Half the league is 16. I know, but even half of that.

You have no chance of even making the playoffs. Every year. Every year those teams, like they have no playoff chance. But the commanders are the exact Team. Yeah, they're there.

You can puncture your confidence. That's true. That's the plus or minus one. That's not one a decade. What a decade.

No, it's not. What a decade a team like that pops out. I would need to see it again from Washington. This year great season last year. I've taken anything away from them.

I would need to see that. Let's talk about Houston for a second, okay? Joe Mixon is going to be out for a while. I heard.

So now they're relying on Nick Chubb, who. Is not the Nick Chubb that we grew to love. Or at least he wasn't last year.

So. That's a huge question mark. And they had big question marks with wide receiver injuries last year. They obviously couldn't block anyone. And then they traded their best lineman this offseason.

So they still have the. I mean, they're great. They have a lot of great players. Nico Collins is going to be a first-round pick in fantasy. You know.

I don't know if they can play this room. And all I'm saying is, going into the season, if things work out. significantly well. and they actually take a step forward, they make the AFC championship game. which means you're a Super Bowl contender.

That's what I'm talking about. You're saying, can they win a Super Bowl? Yeah, I understand like who's gonna win the Super Bowl this year. Do I do I choose one f From the 15? Of course.

Do I choose one from only half of my 15? Of course. Which is why you're you're making Trip all that.

Well, TJ, what you decided to do is just stomp on a dream. You could have had maybe another AFC West team. You could have put their kick stomping on a dream. You could have put the Cowboys or Commanders in there. Oh, then the uproar, I would have gotten it.

You might have had the Powboys. You might have had the Packers in there. Cowboys.

Okay. Come on. All right. Reaction right there. My point.

You're the one who bashed on the Jets about 10 minutes ago to start this segment. How did I bash on him? Yes, you did. Why for Lemignads, real small. By the way, they're bashworthy.

I understand. All right, we'll take a break. 844, 204 rich number to dollar. An overreaction. Monday on a Monday.

Albert Breer from Browns Camp coming up. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy. Just drop in some details about yourself and see if you're eligible to save money when you bundle your home and auto policies.

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Visit lifelock.com slash podcast for 40% off. Terms apply. Uh 16 years from today, Greg Gerstner will finally land the perfect cannonball. Epic Splash. Unsuspecting Friends, a work of art only possible because Greg is already meeting all these same people at AARP volunteer and community events that keep him active and involved and help make sure his happiness lives as long as he does.

That's why the younger you are, the more you need AARP. Learn more at AARP.org/slash local. What nickname are you most proud of that you did? By the way, I knew that's when I arrived, is when you called me Rich Betty Davis Isa. Rich Davis Isa.

The thing about the nicknames, and I know we talked about it, is they never, this is revisionist history, when people write, well, he really wanted to do this to be famous. Garbage. I did it because it was 2:30 in the morning and It said Seattle 5, Kansas City 2 with no pictures for a minute. Yeah, right. You gotta go with something.

So here's Julio, won't you let me take you on a seat cruise had three doubles for the Mariners?

Okay, so it's just, it came out, it worked. That's not the question you asked me. The ones that work the best are the ones that they're all plays on names, none are derogatory. But you don't have to eat.

So, Bert be home, Black 11. Right.

Okay. That's a good one.

So, well, you don't have to know he's a pitcher. You don't have to know he throws a curveball. You don't have to know anything. Right.

Every kid's heard it. Every parent said it. You don't even have to be a baseball fan to get that.

So, a lot of them are food, some of them are. I mean, John tonight, let it be Lowenstein. I mean, there's Jose, can you see Cruz, O to B, Young again, McDowell? That was good. I mean, there is Jim, two silhouettes on.

Deshays. I mean, that's music. Joe, actual retail price. I mean, there's just. It's, but there's.

It's a game everyone can play, you know, and then with football, you go over to high only under highlights, and you know, Eric sleeping with Bienni. Eric sleeping with Bienna. Benard innocent until proven guilty. Until proven guilty. Everybody has their different.

Andre Badmoon Rising.

Well, that was next.

Well, he tattooed Bad Moon right here. On pre-tattoo days, Andre's great mind. On the left bisect. No way he knew who Creedon's Clearwater Revival was. No way.

But Bad Moon Rising, you know? There's tons of them. YouTube is the spot for our entire show archive, entering year 12, celebrating our 11th anniversary this fall. Right here on the Rich Eyes and Show, everybody. Out of um Respect to you, Christopher.

Let's go to Syracuse, New York. Syracuse, Andrew in Syracuse, New York. What's going on, sir? He's up. Uh-oh, I think he's on a delay.

Let's give Andrew and Syracuse, New York, a little bit of time. Not everybody. Uh from Syracuse. You there, Syracuse? Andrew?

All right, let's put him back on hold. It's unfortunate. It's so sad. I try to be respectful. That was nice.

Let's go to Ronnie in Indiana. You're on the ranchising show. What's up, Ronnie? Hey, Ronnie. Hey, Rich, can you hear me?

I can, Rich.

Sorry, Ronnie. What's up?

Sorry, guys. How are we doing? I'm great. What up, man? Uh just had a overreaction, right?

Okay. Don't know if we have time. I gave a production value last time, but I don't need it today. If we if Yankees don't trade for a starter, are we going to miss the playoffs this year? Hey, right now, I mean, they traded for Ryan McMahon over the weekend, which was much needed.

And Rosario. I respect them. Yeah, I hear you. They've got a lot more work to do. I mean, they have a ton of holes.

Thanks for the call, Ronnie. I mean, once again, the Yankees are a strikeout-heavy, home run-heavy team. If they hit home runs, they've got a shot. If they don't, they don't. I mean, a number of times, trust me, I watch this team so much.

To the point where Michael Kay is, you know, like the soundtrack of my house. You know? Um I I don't you know, they played the Blue Jays. Number of times the Blue Jays Have you been watching a lot of the Blue Jays lately? Chris Franklin.

They're so good. Double, single, double, single, single, triple, home run. I mean, they rally and they put up crooked numbers. It's not like, you know, ground out, strikeout Homer. Or bloop.

Homer, strikeout, strikeout, strikeout. And so you only put up one or two. This These cats put up five, six, seven. Like they put up crooked numbers. They all hit, many of them hit for power.

A lot of them are fast and they are really emotional. They're really good. They're good. And so the Yankees need to put together a ton. And now Aaron Judge.

In Toronto. Last week. Last Thursday Wednesday. Grabs a flyball in right field, throws it back in. And all of a sudden he's like going like this with his right hand.

Yeah. And I'm like, get out of here. Did he just hurt himself? No, he stayed in the game. Then they had an off day.

Then he played Friday night. And then Saturday's on the IL with an elbow injury that, thank goodness, doesn't require surgery, isn't some sort of a. You know. Could have been Tom.

Well, I mean, he's going to DH when he comes back, which means. You know, where does Stanton go? I mean, they're seem to be at this point poorly constructed.

So I don't know how they're going to put together a team that's That could overcome the blue jays or the tigers. The Astros are hot again? And they might not make the playoffs. I do not. Cooper FaceTimed in from camp.

You know? Thank God I had yesterday and I told him, I told him, I said, I don't know if the Yankees are making the playoffs. I also gave him the big headline, which is our fantasy team. He picked up Nick Kurtz after he went six for six with four home runs. He was available?

He wasn't. Might have been better had you picked him up before. I understand that. The horse was out of the barn, sir. He almost had a cycle of home runs over the weekend.

He was a grand slam shy of a cycle of home runs. He had the best, you could say he had the best offensive day ever in the history of the year. Could he make that case? He's the rookie of the year, right? No doubt.

Okay. The athletics. The athletics. Cityless athletics. The cityless athletics.

Sacramento. By the way, they don't have a City Connect jersey, right? No. Pit them off a City Connect. I don't know.

I mean, they do. It's technically Sacramento, but they don't want to be called it. I don't know. What would the Sacramento City Connect be? Like, you like the beam?

What do you got? Sabonis? The Bradford family? I'll go way back. That's where 8 Off took place in Sacramento, California.

All right. 844-204 Rich, number to dial. It's a Monday. We did not do the podcast today. Um so We got ourselves an overreaction Monday.

You ready for this, Christopher? I mean, I prepared items, yes. That was terrible. That was crap. That was garbage.

That's why it sucks. Overreaction. Mondays. Mondays. Auto Mondays.

All right, what's up, everybody? Good to see you guys. What up, G? Good, TJ. Great to see you, man.

Thank you, man. You know, I'm looking at, we go up the Rams. We love talking about the Rams. Yes. Devontae Adams' heir said he could go for 2,000 yards.

Who's throwing in the ball? Matthew Stafford still is not practicing. And Sean McVay said he's week to week, week at a time. That's strange. I'd be worried.

However, The Rams can still win the West. If it's Jimmy G season, You can't quit him, can you? Can't quit him. Saw some dimes? Look, I know.

Was it JJ Watt getting all upset at people posting practice video? JJ, get over yourself. Practice video is cool. Why are you hating on content? JBG's throwing dimes out there.

He's back. Hmm. The Rams could still win the West. If it's Jimmy G a quarterback? If it's Jimmy G season?

I think so. I mean, this guy, as we all know. A throw away from winning the Super Bowl. I know that. And uh when the last time You know, he was supposedly gone from...

San Francisco, he took the 49ers into that building. Lost the Rams, but I hear you, but dude, it's an overreaction to talk about Jimmy G season right now. Is it? Yeah. Matthew Stafford is not doing anything.

I get it. I understand that. I'd be. I mean, if it was August, I'd. Could be a little worried.

Right.

But I'm close to getting worried. Nah. Really? Talk to me if he doesn't if if if he doesn't even practice over the next two, three weeks.

Okay. I don't know. Didn't seem to be any hitching as Giddy up, you know, at the Espys. He seemed to be sitting comfortably in that seat. It's not like he was, he needed to get up and walk around because his back was hurting them.

There's no point in it. But it's not like he's holding out or holding in. Why are we faking a back injury? He's got to really have something going on. Is it good?

No. Is it great? Of course not. Is it terrible? Huh.

We'll see. But I hear you. That's why they have him. That's why he's a backstop there. Yeah.

What else Chris? UBG season.

Alright, let's talk about the other team in town. The Chargers. Have you seen this quote? When Jim Harbaugh is here, he said he wakes up in the middle of the night thinking, how can he get Justin Herbert to the Hall of Fame? I saw this quote about Herbert Herbert.

He said something to Jamie Erdahl on Back Together weekend on Saturday. The quote: The truth is, Justin Herbert's biggest weakness is all of those he's counting on: offense, coaches, line, playmakers, receivers, running backs. They got to get up to his level. I wake up every day trying to get to his level.

So what's your question? Justin Herbert's going to be top three MVP this year. Ah I hope for Charger fans. I hope for, you know, as you know, I root for Jim. Uh top three.

So it'll be name the other two. Name the other two.

So he's up there, like just Alan Herbert, Lamar, and Alan Herbert.

Okay. It would be a natural step. Listen, it's obvious what Jim is doing here, and he's done it since the second he showed up. On um I almost said campus. Hmm.

So kind of like a game. He is breathing as much confidence into his quarterback as he possibly can. He's also removing as much pressure. off his quarterback's shoulders as he possibly can. Him saying Herbert is at the A Super Bowl level.

We all have to join him in that regard. is exactly the type of Um statements and actions. support this kid getting to where he wants to go. and getting him to where he knows Herbert can go. And him saying he's already at that level is another way of him doing it.

If the kid doesn't come through, Then what?

So it's a nice gambit here. It's a great gambit. They do have a team that they were one of my 15. Saying that there are Super Bowl contenders entering the season. They have to prove it.

But I understand what he's up to, and I don't think this is an overreaction. And I think they do have the weapons. improved. around him. That run game, bro.

Marian Hammond. That's one way to make it. That's the one way to take the pressure off him. It isn't just verbally. It's.

with a running game. And an offensive line, and they just made Rashawn Slater the highest paid tackle in the game. Smart moves all around. Let's see if it pays off. What else, Chris?

All right, every year we talk about divisions. We're trying to predict where teams are going to slot. We talk about who can go worst to first every year. Yes, sir. You know, we don't talk about somebody's going first to worst.

this season. I'm taking you back. First. It's worse. You wanna name your uh name your candon?

Well, sure. You're saying hold on a minute.

So I imagine in the AFC, you'll choose the Texans. First to worst. Looking at the Bills, Ravens, Texans, Chiefs. You're talking about the Eagles, Eagles, Lions, Bucks, Bucks, Rams, Rams.

Somebody's going. First to worse. I'll push back on this and say no shot. No shot. Even the Lions last year were the one seed with 19 million people on injured reserve.

And they've lost both coordinators. Everybody thinks the Lions can get got. But you believe that McCarthy's play. McCarthy's going to come in and maintain the Vikings. The Packers are going to be up there again.

Say the Bears go 10 and 7. Why the Lions go 9-8? Suddenly they're in last. I'm going to say this is an overreaction. And just for your, you know, what's in giggles, name me the team that you think.

Well, if Matthew Stafford is not playing, then the Rams could be the last there. Out of these ones? Do you believe somebody's going from first to worst? Is that an overreaction or not? Oh, yeah, I think it's a bit of a stretch there, Chris.

Okay. What else you got over there, Chris? I can't see. You guys don't like that one, huh? I certainly don't like it.

I just don't see one of those ones in particular. Speaking of a team that came in worst last year, I don't think they're going to do it again. I don't think the Giants finished fourth in the NFC East. They could finish higher obviously.

Okay. I'm watching look again JJ Watt.

Sorry, bud. I'm watching all the videos. What have you been getting on JJ Watt for? Because he hates everyone posting videos from practice.

Okay. Get over it, bro. And so I'm looking at all these. He doesn't hate people posting video from practice. He hates how people read into practice that somebody sucks.

What are we supposed to do? And overreact.

Okay. It's July 28th. I know, but we can't. We can't be at practice.

So if someone makes a cool one-handed catch, I'm going to get excited about it. But when we, if we ever, we don't rehearse here, we don't practice here, for that to be shown and say, is that an Emmy-worthy program when we're just spitballing and throwing things against the wall because it's practice? You see what I'm saying? No, I don't.

Okay, what else? I see Russell Wilson. I see Malik Neighbors. Looks great. Their defense we know is good.

And I'm looking at Scataboo. Oh, baby. Scattaboo is going to be the sleeper of all sleepers. Because you talk in my language. Scataboo.

So who finishes last in the East? You know, I'm just saying maybe there's a regression in our nation's capital.

Okay. Maybe Micah sits out all year like he should because he's getting lowballed.

Okay. I'll buy it. Teacher? I think we're sleeping on the Giants. As someone who met Scatterboo and and and liked Cam, you know, we chopped up.

At Fnatic Fest? At Fnatic Express. That was when you were not in there because LeBron, you missed, it's when you missed LeBron? Yeah, we missed that old book. I was there for Scatterboo, missed LeBron.

Okay. But I wouldn't have got a chance to talk to LeBron, and me and Scatterboo chopped it up.

So that being said, Chris, yeah, I think you're wrong about that. Because who else is going to finish fourth? You got one more over there? Oh, I have a bunch more.

Okay. I'm prepared. Keep going. You guys see the Madden 99 Club got announced.

Okay. Here's the list: Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Saquon. Justin Jefferson, Jamar Chase, Lane Johnson, Miles Garrett. You're a 99 club. Nobody else?

Here's the deal. The Patrick Scott host! Where's Mahomes? Where's Sertan? What are we doing?

I watch the games. These guys are 99 players. What the hell are we doing? Come on, Madden. Is Micah not a 99?

Is Micah not 99?

Well, he won. Micah's not 99 because he. Has to show he wants to be hard. If he tried a little harder, if that's what it was. Where's Derrick Henry?

It's a want to. It's a want to. Where's Tristan Wurfs? Yeah. Wait, what?

I got you.

Okay, not no reaction. I'll buy it. Bye-bye. The outrage over uh a video game rating though is It's amazing. A big deal.

I might go J.J. Watt on you right there. Really? Okay, that's what we're talking about. Rich, some owners base their whole roster construction on these types of things.

Stop it.

So stop it. Yep. You know what I mean?

Okay. All right. Uh-huh. What else? All right.

How about this one? A couple non-football ones, Mike. You can change the. There we go. Kyle Rowley, the big dumper, is doing it.

Two more home runs over the weekend. He's got 41. He's winning MVP, and he's going to hit 63 home runs this year.

Well, with Judge being out, I would agree that there's not much. If judge has a lengthy absence. Got two whole months to hit 22 dingers. I don't think that's an overreaction right there. I don't think that's overreacting at all right there.

I'm pumped for that. Mereditis picked up Josh Naylor, too. Not a bad pickup. Yeah. What else, Chris?

Last one. Look, we saw the picture as we talked about it earlier: men's health. Luca's going 35 plus, triple double, and he's going to easily win MVP this.

Now, triple double, it's. Points. Lack of gluten. Yeah, and protein protein injection.

So, okay, there we go.

So, it's points, protein. And Spike Zempic. You're right. Spike Zempic. PPS.

35 Trip Dub MVP. Oh, yeah. Easy. Sure. Book it.

I'm with you. Not overreacting at all just because he's. He's cut and he's determined. Again, story as old as time here in Los Angeles, California. A guy.

Suffers a bad breakup, moves to Los Angeles, and gets in shape. 7-1 odds right now. Jump on it now. That's value, people.

Okay, very good.

Well done. Over there, Chris Brockman. Thank you. Good to overreaction Monday on a Monday. Right here on the program.

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This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Ladies and gentlemen, back on The Rich Eisen Show. Mike Del Tufo. Yes. Have you seen the Billy Joel documentary on HBL?

It is recorded. You move. Not have watched. I heard it's great. By the way, it's a great.

It's recorded. It's sitting on the DVR. But it's not. Oh, you're recording it off of HBO. Yeah, regular.

Yeah, it's like something you can get it on Roku right now, on HBO Mac, Mike. I just got it. By the way. Spectacular. I did not know.

Half If not. 90% about Billy Joel like this, and I'm a diehard. Yeah, you lie. No idea. about his first wife, who she was.

What she did for him. None. Clueless. How She was his muse. A lot of the hits that he made, he was writing about her.

Oh, wow. Blew me away last night in Vienna. I'm getting goosebumps. about his dad. Who moved to Vienna.

And his estrange father. who escaped the Holocaust. And he went, and he, Vienna is about reuniting with his father in Vienna. Wow. Whoa.

And talking about his Judaism and, you know, October 7th. Unbelievable. Unbelievable. And the hits that he made, and the songs, and the stories behind it. The people they interviewed, McCartney.

Springsteen. Unbelievable. Unbelievable. Massive fan of his first wife. We just got to the Christy Brinkley part of it as well.

Uptown girl. Dude. Gents Yeah, I haven't watched it yet. I'm gonna see it. It's a first step, they're both two and a half hours long.

You don't want it to end, it moves fast, it's spectacular. I cannot. Recommended any higher. And for those who are listening or watching us right now on Roku, Yeah. You can get it not right now.

I mean, we're done over the next hour and 10 minutes. I mean, Albert Breer's going to join us and everything.

So Um but Make a note of it. I gotta watch it. For you, Mike? Yeah, I gotta watch it. He's one of my favorites.

I mean, you can't grow up in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut area, and not love Billy Joel. And My God, what a story. What a life. Demons, the whole thing. Jeez.

He's had a couple hits. Yeah, I know. You think. Springsteen says his melodies are better than Springsteen's. Bruce said that his melodies are better than mine.

I said I agree. I love 'em both, but I mean, I agree. Billy's like my, he's amazing. You know, such a good live performer. I mean, oh my God.

Great live. Amazing. Oh, and some of them, they have stuff from back in the day of him performing live, present day, the way they work it all in together, the way they weave it. They talk about only the good die young and how that. The Catholic Church went crazy about this.

And he went to the top of the charts. He said he was going to call up the Catholic Church and ask them, can you ban all of my talk? Exactly. It was a line that he used in the documentary. Yeah, they hit that.

Ain't it all, bro? Yeah, I gotta watch it. I have to. Yeah, I just know that the next hour plus is going to be about a lot of stuff that doesn't go well for Billy Joel. Oh, yeah, yeah.

You know, his brother-in-law ripping him off. Apparently, from what I've heard. East. Allegedly? I don't know.

I haven't seen that part yet. But it's Highly recommended, certainly for Billy Joel fans out there. Spectacular. Susie and I are. locked in to say the least.

844-204-RICH. Number to dial. Let's go. Let's give Andrew in Syracuse, New York, one other shot here. Last chance.

Andrew, are you there? He's back. Hey, Rich, how are you doing? I mean, better for not having dead air when you're calling for your name, Andrew. Where were you?

Where were you? We'll just call it a technical malfunction.

Okay, very good.

Okay. Raise a hand. Oh no, don't d it's it wasn't you, I don't think, right? What do you want to what what's on your mind, Andrew? I wanted to play the win-loss game for the New York Giants.

For the New York Football Giants, okay, we've got it hard out, as they say, at the end of the hour. Let's get right to it. At the Washington Commanders, what happens when they kick the season off, Andrew? Lost? Then they're at the Dallas Cowboys.

Another lock. Oh man.

Okay. You just gave the Oprah Jif, right? Right that?

Okay, very good.

0-2, home for the Chiefs. Look out. That's gonna be another lot. An 0-3 start home for the Chargers. Another loss for the Giants.

Oh my god. Oh for September at the Saints.

So, I'm going to say this is going to be another loss for them, and this is going to be Russ's last game as a starter.

Okay, 0-5, then they. Come home for the Eagles on a Thursday night. Insert Jackson Dart. That's also going to be a loss. 0-6 at the Broncos.

I think we pull out a win on this one. Boy, a much-needed one. One and six at the Eagles. Another loss. One and seven home for the Niners.

Another loss. One and eight at the Bears. I think another loss, and there might be a head coaching change. One and nine home for the Packers. Lots for the Packers, or lots against the Packers, excuse me.

1 and 10 at the Lions. Big loss for the Giants. 1-11 at the Patriots on a Monday night. Lost for the Giants as well. One and twelve, home for the Commanders.

Uh, lost to the commanders. One and thirteen, home for the Vikings. Lost to the Vikings. I think J.J. McCarthy is going to have a pretty good year.

1 and 4. My goodness. 1 and 14 at the Raiders. I think they do pull on out against Geno and Pink.

Okay, and 2 and 14, home for the Cowboys. And then another loss for the Giants. 2 and 15. Is that the worst win-loss game for? Are you a fan, Andrew?

I I I am a fan. Yeah, unfortunately. Andrew and Syracuse Albert Breer in Cleveland coming up. Andrew. Andrew, my goodness gracious.

This is a. And then, so you're hoping Arch Manning's at the end of this rainbow? Is that what you're saying? Uh I mean I don't I I I don't know. I mean, who who knows?

I think Jackson Dart will be good, but I just think that this is gonna be gonna be kind of another rough year. for the Giants. I think our defense is really good. I think we'll have the opposite problem of the Bengals. I think we'll do a pretty good job on defense, but I think we're just going to have a hard time scoring points.

Andrew, thanks for the call. Andrew in Syracuse has the Giants going 2-15. Vinny in Long Island called in once upon a time said 5-12. Um Is it Adobe? Remember Adobe called in?

Yep. It was a, is she, correct? Right in Minnesota? 10 and 7 in Allen, Dallas. Our buddy Alice is 10-7.

I'm looking at this: two games against the Cowboys and Community. They've heard before their home opener against the Chiefs, followed up by the Chargers. I mean. That's a rough. That is.

I'll say this. Likely 0-4. Yeah. If you're 0-4 and you're at the Saints, do you start Jameis? against its former team.

Or do you just say, screw it? It's Jackson Dart. No, it just depends how Russ is playing. He could be playing well. They could lose one score games, and Russ is still playing.

And then you're home for the Eagles before visiting the Broncos at the Eagles, and the Niners come in. And if the Bears are improved, you've got the Packers after that with the Lions before you're at the Patriots on a Monday night. Good lord. That's a rough sketch. Could be bad.

I think it could be bad. And then a late week 14 buy.

So if you want the buy to get your kid ready, that doesn't come early if things go poorly. Do they have any international? Is that a situation? No. That's not a situation.

What about a Thursday early where they could they do have the Eagles week six at home on a prime video?

So that could be a blowout home against the Eagles, take the ten days, the mini-buy to get Dart ready. For the Broncos situation, Dart v. Knicks. I mean, y yeah, I'm sure Russ would like to play in that game, but, you know. It might be taken out of his hands.

Or rust. Russ Met Russia. He shows up. He cooks. He made cooks.

Russ cooks. He cooks. And he suddenly found a youth there in New York City. He made neighbors. He takes a win away from the commanders of the Cowboys.

A way to put the card on the table is to say, guess what? Cowboys aren't dominant anymore, man. Yeah, that would be nice, right? You know? Yeah, I don't know.

I don't think that's. Mike is sitting at home. Trying to prove that he wants to be paid still. Man, if the Giants win week one, at the Commanders. And the Eagles blow the doors off Cowboys.

Suddenly, you're now Cowboys week two, looking at 0-2. With the Giants looking at 2-0. What a fascinating scenario, don't you think, TJ?

Okay. The only scenario I recognize is a tribe called Quest and Buster Wildlife. Here we go. It's not going to happen. Here we go.

Great. Jim Rome takes on sports. Why? Because you're not playing me. With rapid fire takes and a lot to get to, and I'm not sure you're gonna like all of it.

Honestly, I don't even care if you like all of it or not. I have a job to do. Scorching debates. On any given week, you have lots to beef about. Take advantage of it.

Get up in here. He's the Spitfire of Sports Smack. Which is not my fault. We will get to all of that. The Jim Rome Show podcast.

Get up in here and we'll beef later on. What's your beef? Follow and listen on your favorite platform. You've been warned. Yeah.