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Now. On with the show. Yeah, I'm gonna call it. I'm gonna retire. This is the Rich Eisen Show.
Our expectation was to come in here and win the game. Who else? Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles, today's guests. NFL Network Insider Tom Pellisero. ESPN NFL analyst Marcus Spears.
Plus latest news and more. And now, it's Rich Eisen.
Well, hey, everybody, welcome to this Friday edition of the Rich Eisen Show Live on Disney Plus, an ESPN app, the ESPN app that. You can get everywhere to check us out. Stream us live every day between 12 and 3 Eastern Time. We say hello to our audience that's listening to us on ESPN Radio, presented by Progressive Insurance. Everybody out there saying hi to you on SiriusXM Channel 80, 844-204, Rich is the number to dial to have a conversation with us today.
Week three beckons in the National Football League, another weekend of college football. And I believe this is going to. Are we running out of weekends for Major League Baseball's regular season as the wild card weekends? Uh beckon as well. Thus We're headed towards October.
844-204-Rich again is the number to dial. Tom Pellisero to join us, my colleague from the NFL Media Group on everything going on in the NFL. And Marcus Spears of Everything ESPN, you see him on pretty much every show. He will join us in the middle of this program. Tom is up in about 18 minutes' time, eager to know about Jaden Daniels, eager to know about Brock Purdy, all the injuries that you need to know.
Good to see you over there, Christopher Brockman. What's up, brother? Rich, getting a little worried about the Sox, not going to lie.
Okay, yeah, the Guardians are closer and closer and closer. Once upon a time, they finished, and now they're right there, one and a half back. Good to see you over there, Jason Feller. Jay Feller's here. What's up, Rich?
TJ Jefferson, I hear you rustling over there. What's going on? How's it going? I'm just thinking about how happy Pete Alonzo has made me the last four games. Yeah, the Polar Bears taking you off the griddle.
Home run over after home run. Me too. Fantasy Finals. Oh, good. Good for you guys.
Terrific. And TJ, after today, heading off to Indianapolis, Indiana, where you... And O. Shea Jackson Jr. will be honchoing a two-hour pre-Wrestle Perusa show on the ESPN YouTube and Facebook pages.
We're very excited for you and about that. I'm starting to get a little nervous. And a 15-minute post-wrap-up show. You're not Robin. You got your five.
Anyway, do you got your fit picked out? What are we doing with the t-shirt? How many pairs of sneakers do you think I went through last night? Probably 80.
Well, like five or six.
Well, all I know is he's checking three bags because that's what he does for a two-day trip. And I'm not going on this trip, which means you don't have to. You don't have to worry about it, we can do whatever you'd like to do. Beat me over the head enough with it. It's carry on alive.
Wow. Wow, that is top story. That is top story. Jeez. Breaking news.
My eyes see. Outstanding. Like a flying your bullying piece. And it's always right here on the Rich Eisen Show on our Elsa Gungo campus, where there's hardly a soul. The two people who are here are standing directly in the camera behind us.
Move! To be honest, there were six back there right before we went on airline.
Okay, let's get jumping to it here, please. Our competition's already at halftime by the Thursday Night Football Game. Listen. Going into this game, the Miami Dolphins going into Buffalo. With The weight of the world on their shoulders.
As I mentioned, the hardest 0-2 in the National Football League, I guess you are what you are. 0-2 is 0-2. And when you're 0-2 with a blowout loss in Indianapolis to start the season that causes a players-only meeting to happen two days later, and then you lose your home opener five days after that, there's a banner circling ahead.
Somebody's paying for. A banner to read, you know, hey, uh, fire everybody. And then you lose a division game at home. And then five days later, you got to go to. Western New York.
Where the history, recent and even Not so recent, says the Buffalo Bills. are about to take you down and out. Because that's what they do to the Miami Dolphins. And when we talk about the Bills in short order, you will hear exactly why everybody thought that. because they wound up doing it again.
That said. The Miami Dolphins performed way better than a lot of people thought that they could or would. Chris Brockman, your higher register on Thursday was, I mean, the Dolphins can make it a game.
Well, your higher register. Spot on. You nailed that one. Thank you. Hey, yo.
Because the Dolphins came out with an impressive. drive to open it. A touchdown, marched right down the field, and Ollie Gordon, their. rookie back who Is bringing some heft to the running game. Yep.
Okay. He pops it in the end zone. And the Dolphins not only start the game that way, but they finish the first half with another touchdown drive with eight seconds to go. And there's Jalen Waddell in the end zone. After It looked like the Bills had gotten their sea legs under them.
On a short week game for them coming off of a 20-point beatdown of the Jets on the road. not too far from western New York. In New Jersey. I'll give you Bill Sands that piece of red meat. The only team that plays in New York.
Petty.
So.
Well, it's not petty, it's facts. Listen. The Miami Dolphins are in this football game. And then as a matter of fact. Not only in this football game.
But they do something that is so rare to be done to Josh Allen at home in a game. In the fourth quarter. It's tied, and they got Josh Allen off the field with ten minutes to go. And then Two of the Miami Dolphins captains. Make plays that they want back in the worst way.
Like this morning, Zach Steeler has got to be waking up. With the pit in his stomach and feeling like I feel every single time I lose a fantasy game. Which is, you need consolation and need to remind yourself about good things that are happening to you in the world. I mean, he absolutely folds. The Buffalo Bill blocking him on a punt.
And just gets in Gets in the backfield, and he probably's thinking about glory. As he reaches out for the punter, Cameron Johnson. Yeah, he probably thought he blocked it.
So inertia took over. He's 6'6, 300 pounds. What do you want him to do? Just maybe. Not Try and block the punt.
I know that's 2020 hindsight, but It was a turnover. It was essentially a turnover. You're not going to see it in the turnover column, but the 15-yard penalty puts Josh Allen back on the field. And just like that. Those horror movies where you know the calls that are coming from within the house are going to take somebody out.
Yeah. You you knew like Josh Allen wasn't going to go three and out with this extra opportunity. You just knew the inevitable was just who's scoring and when. And it was five plays later in Khalil Shakir for the third touchdown pass of the night for Josh Allen. And it's just like, okay, are the dolphins going to fold now?
And the answer to that question is no. Tour comes out. And he starts marching down the field in a drive where I'm sitting there with my poker buddies, and we start talking out loud. Would they go for two? I thought the same thing.
If they score and you're in Western New York and you're 0-2. And you're scoring a touchdown, and what are you going to do? Give the ball back to Josh Allen? You know Nope. Let let the old man pray to her?
Do to you what he did to the Ravens? And then Tua, another guy with a C on his chest. throws a brutal interception. I mean A brutal interception. Torrell Bernard just steps right in front of it.
Yeah. Never saw him. And That's all she wrote.
Now it's all she wrote. And you're starting to wonder now what? Miami Dolphins 0-3 for the first time since 2019. When Brian Flores was their head coach, they started 0-7, finished 5-11, got the fifth overall pick, and chose Tua. Who now you're sitting here saying What's happened to him?
I mean, this is a guy, if you remember, in Mike McDaniel's first year. puts a 40 burger on the Ravens in a fourth quarter that The Dolphins were finished, and then the next year he put seventy on the Denver Broncos. in an offense that you're wondering Who's going to stop this offense? Is this the newfangled thing going on? And now, two of his first three games this year, he hasn't even topped 150 passing yards.
And last night was one of those games, and he found both Tyreek and Waddle for touchdowns. in the same game for the first time since week eight two years ago. And it still couldn't pull it off. Uh and you know and so You're wondering like how When's this all going to get put together? Can it be put together?
And you know Tour said last week or two weeks ago that he Keeps the outside night noise off. goes home and his kids put on Disney Plus.
Well We say hello if the tongue of Iloa household is, they probably don't turn us on if you want to turn off the outside noise on Disney Plus. Yeah. They might be hating that Pixar tile more than anything, that house. But Now what?
Now what? Because they played well. They did. And if you're questioning whether Mike McDaniel has the locker room, They came out prepared. They made plays and just two cat two captains.
I mean, McDaniel had to be back on the flight thinking to himself, two guys that I got to depend on. This is what McDaniel had to say afterwards about, hey, I guess higher register question. Hey, you guys did play well. I mean, could you take something from that? Like silver lining conversation.
I'm never proud of a loss. Um And I'm not Uh We we came here to win and I I I refused uh Um take moral victories. Uh as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, we Um it wasn't good enough, so that's that's where I'm at. He he's got to be sick to his stomach. And then he asked about, you know, again, he's put in a position.
How do you handle calling your quarterback out? Again, there's there's We'll ask Kurt Warner next Wednesday, or I'll see him on Sunday. He might be watching the all 22 and he understands why Tuo did what he did, or route wasn't run here, or whatever. But it always looks bad on a quarterback with three minutes to go, and you're on the opposing teams 21, and you're marching down the field, and I'm sitting there thinking. You know.
Does Mike McDaniel go for two? Do you wind this thing down with less than 30 seconds to go and give yourself a chance for one, two? Point play, one play from the two-yard line, and instead Tua just throws it right to Terrell Bernard, and that's all she wrote. This is what McDaniel had to say. I wanted to Uh protect the ball.
Um I wish I could Um Yeah. Uh I think I think the quarterback has to be responsible for it.
However, Um I wish I could just uh put it on him but i i think uh there's Uh It's a tough job to do when there's someone in your face. We need everybody Needs to do better. Um and we we can't you know, if you if you're you gotta ditch the ball to the flat. Um Uh in moments like that and that's what we have to learn from.
So All right, before I comment, I think two of us Talking about that. I think we have that soundbite as well. Let's load that one up. Here's what Tua had to say about that pick. You know, I thought I was in rhythm and timing of the play.
Seeing the flat defender go over the top of Jalen, Jalen's turning around. I think that was a really good play by the defender. Um And You know. had had some color in my face trying to maneuver the the throw as well. Um But I 10 out of 10 times, if we're looking at that same thing.
You know, I think I'd Yeah. try to work that timing of of hitting that um that spot. And I I think the linebacker made a great play on that.
Well, I guess He and McDaniel are going to have a conversation about. No, the flats where you're supposed to go with him, if he's thinking about. Nine more cracks at it, he'd do the same thing. Listen. This is now going to be, and he knows it too, Tuaneau knows it's going to be an extra half a week of the question of like.
Did you make the wrong decision by signing this guy long term? Because it is just not. on tilt anymore. This offense isn't on tilt anymore. And then the The defense He's given up 30 points a game now in every game.
this season. Last time the Dolphins defense Started a season with giving up at least 30 points in the first three games. It's only the second time in franchise history. The last time they did it was their last 0-3 start where they went 0-7. Last team to do it in the NFL period was the 2020 Falcons who finished 4-12.
So that's. If that's the canary in the coal mine, this season's over. One two last team to do it finished four and twelve. The last time the Dolphins did it, they were 0 and 7 and found out wound up picking fifth overall. Let's put up the schedule, if you don't mind, and let's hunt and peck for a silver lining before Tom Pellocero joins us from what looks like his car.
You've got a Monday nighter. Home against the Jets, who could stroll in their own three. The Jets have Tarod Taylor in Tampa for the Buccaneers home opener. And if the Bucs do to the Jets what they've done to the first two opponents, it's going to be a long day. For the OG.
to Rod Taylor. They're at Carolina. And home for the Chargers.
Now, that's going to be obviously a significantly important game if they win their next two. and may be their toughest opponent with all due respect. to Buffalo, by the end of the day we might see it. That the Chargers are the toughest team in the American Football Conference period. I mean, can you say there's two games that they should win when you're 0-3?
But when you see an opponent Like the Bills be beatable last night and then two. Foot shoots At the worst possible time in the fourth quarter, one by A defensive captain won by an offensive captain. Go figure that. The captains. They got to win the next two.
There's no if ands or buts about it. And then they're at clear. I mean, there are some games that the Dolphins, if they put up points and just. Slice a touchdown off of what they're giving up. It's possible.
It's possible. I mean, but the light at the end of the tunnel is quite dim. And I don't know what it's like in South Florida. You can call us from there. I know we're on the air on the SPN radio.
down in South Florida I phoned into the station a couple of days ago.
So we say hello to everybody out there. Call us. Like our I mean What's the mood like down there? I can assume what it is, but You know, Stephen Ross might hear it and make a rash move. I don't think he should do that.
I think there was just enough what we just saw on Thursday night football to stay the course and see what could happen. Clean this up, clean that up. And I know Mooch says it all the time on Sunday mornings, and it kind of frustrates me because I need. as a fan to hang somethin' more on it. Just play better.
That's what he says. Play better, coach better. Yeah. And that's what coaches say. Just.
Clean this up, clean that up. They walk out of western New York with a wind. But As we all know. If a particular uh matriarch had wheels, she would be a particular vehicle. It just seemed like to me that.
I'm talking McDaniel now. You know what I mean? This version of the Dolphins, to me, just kind of. Died on the frozen turf of Arrowhead a couple years ago. Interesting that you say that, Chris, because I've got one last stat for you here: courtesy of the National Football League Network research staff.
Um And of course I did not. Uh peggit. But they are since that loss. in Kansas City. They have Only eight wins.
I do believe. Since that loss in Kansas City. on that frozen day. No, it was the ESPN article. Let me get that out before we throw the break and get Tom Pellisero here for the first time.
On this Friday program. And unfortunately, maybe Tom can clarify this too. They're kind of stuck with Tua. His cap hits are monstrous for the next couple of seasons. I thought I heard he's owed more money than Josh Allen.
Yeah, they're not going to, they can't move off of him, unfortunately. Eight and three since that wild card loss in Kansas City. In 2023. 8 and 13, maybe? 8 and 13.
Did I say 8 and 3? 1813, yeah. Uh Conveniently, for Miami, left off the one. Not good. Maybe that's my like for Mike McDaniel that I dropped that one.
All right, let's take a break. Tom Pellisero is in his car, everybody. But he's still going to dispense information like nobody can. That's next. Marcus Spears of ESPN and you at 844-204-Rich on a what's more likely Friday as well.
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The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Tom Pellisero, we're back on our ESPN radio, presented by Progressive Insurance Airwaves, and Tom Pellisero joining us. From his front seat of his car due to Wi-Fi issues in his house. We're all fully up to speed here on the program. Let's jump into things with Jaden Daniels first up.
What do we know about him? The media didn't see him out. practicing on Friday and we heard uh he was Mentally preparing, or preparing mentally, as Dan Quinn said, giving me an idea for a new racehorse name, should I ever own one. like I guess like your colleague, our colleague Ian. What do you think here?
About Jaden Daniels, Tom. Jaden Daniels is not going to start on Sunday. It's going to be Marcus Mariota for the Commanders against the Raiders. Daniels was able to get out there after the media viewing period. He did a little on the field, but you go back to what Dan Quinn said at the start of the week, which was they were going to proceed with caution.
They had to see him practice in order to play.
Well, he got, again, some limited type of activity today, but clearly not enough. They also made very clear, DQ did, that they weren't going to put Daniels on the field unless he was full go.
So all those things together obviously got you to the point where they feel most confident moving forward with Marcus Mariota.
So Marcus Mariota's played on enough teams now that we could have any number of revenge games around the league. This is certainly one of them. He was a member of the Raiders at one time. He'll be out there against Las Vegas.
Okay. So there's a question looking back, and now there's a question looking forward. First up, the question looking back: when did this happen? in the Thursday nighter game in Green Bay. Do we know?
When this happened, it was a play where he got tackled awkwardly from behind. It was in the, I believe, the second or third quarter. He just kind of got wrapped up. He came up limping a little bit. He did have a wrap on it in the locker room after the game.
They MRI'd him. It's a knee sprain. You know, so there is a ligament involved here. It's not something that's expected to be long term. I would not anticipate Jaden Daniels goes on injured reserve.
He may well be back in week four, but it makes sense. I mean, you know, we don't have to bring up the comparisons to another young bright Washington quarterback who had a knee injury and they rolled him out on the field. It made it worse and his career was never the same again. Obviously, Commanders fans don't need to, you know, relive RG3 all over again, but this is not that injury. This is not as significant.
This is very much a conscious decision that, yes, if this were a playoff game, maybe the decision making is different, but it's week three. There's a long way to go for a team with high expectations.
So hold Jaden Daniels back this week. He'd probably put himself on the field if it were solely up to him, but hold him back right now, get him fully healthy. And I would anticipate in the coming weeks here, he'll be ready to roll.
Well, I mean, The next two games for Washington are against two teams that, in the first couple weeks of the season, have shown some pass rush. To say the least, at Atlanta at the Chargers, Tom.
So you think it's possible he's back for week four? At Atlanta the Raiders also have Max Crosby who can make your life miserable regardless of how mobile you are back in there in the pocket. But, you know, it certainly seems like this is a day-to-day type of a situation. They gave him the week. He was able to get out there a little bit today.
Not enough to convince them.
So Mario gets to go on Sunday.
Okay, before we continue on with any other injuries of note to keep an eye on in week three, Tom Pellisair here on the Rich Eisen Show. Uh what happens with the Dolphins at 0-3? Um, any temperature pulse check of Stephen Ross here that's worthy of looking at, or the Dolphins aren't even thinking about? this sort of stuff. Here's what I would tell you, Rich, because there's going to be people who talk about that game last night, which was a loss still, even though they were certainly competitive in that game as well.
They saved their jobs. I never got the sense. In speaking with people and understanding the situation, I never got any sense that this was even a consideration.
Now, you lose 100 to nothing last night. A lot of different things can change. That was not that type of game. You saw that they were competitive, especially on the offensive side of the football. You know, you got the ball in the hands of Tyreek.
You got the ball, at least in the end zone, once to Jalen Waddell. You really seem to have found something in Ollie Gordon. You know, the issues that they ran into were very much the issues we've seen through the course of this season. And a lot of it boils down to Tuatunga by Loa. I know that.
The quarterback gets more of the credit than they should when you win. They get more of the blame when you lose. But he's got five turnovers this season, and they have been some big ones, and they've been some fundamental ones. You go back to week one in Indianapolis. Luanarumo just calls a standard zone drop, and Tua throws a ball right to Leatu Latu that looks like he's targeting him on the play for a pick as that thing kind of got away from him.
Last week against the Patriots, there were operational issues late in that game, too, which were not great. But Tua, from a decision-making standpoint, it wasn't great. Then, and I heard you guys talking about this in the last segment. There's Tua's version saying, hey, he just made a great play. There's McDaniel's version saying the ball's got to go to the flat.
When I watch that play back, and I am not, you know, a quarterback guru, you certainly could follow up Rich. You've got enough of those guys in the rotation on this show. But that play, which is a concept, by the way, the Dolphins don't run a lot. This was, I know that there was a comment made by Terrell Bernard when we saw things on tape. They don't run that play a whole lot.
When I watch that play and knowing what it's supposed to look like, the whole thing looks rushed. Watch Tua Tonga Vailoa on that play. He's in the shotgun or the pistol on that play, but there's still supposed to be a drop. He kind of gets it and doesn't entirely look off the flat and then just kind of comes back and his feet are stuck in cement. The whole thing just looked like it was sped up.
And so when the timing is off and the angles are off, if there's things with your drop or the timing of the play, that creates opportunities for defenders to make plays on the football. You know, there's obviously other things that happened in that game last night. The Zach Seeler punt block, why are they trying to block the punt? Why is Zach Seeler on the field? Why is Zach Seeler anywhere near Bill Burr, the new play?
Hunter, Cameron Johnston for the Bills. And then the, you know, the Jordan Brooks one, where it looks to me, I've watched that play back because it was running over and over on a loop on TV this morning. I've watched it 10 times. It looks like Brooks is kind of, yeah, he maybe is giving on the business a little extra, but he's trying to ease off and he kind of falls awkwardly. Official throws the flight.
You just can't put yourself in that, in that type of a position. But in terms of if you're looking for, Has Mike McDaniel lost the locker room? Have the leaders bailed on this thing? Does Tyreek Hill look like a guy who's going to push the eject button? Um, I don't sense any of that there, and I don't sense that in the building.
The other part of this, Rich, and I know you alluded to this as well, the Dolphins are very much tied. Tatua. For the 2026 season, he is due, forget the cap hits if you cut him. He is due $54 million fully guaranteed in 2026. And if he's still on your roster, I think it's the third day of the league year in March, which when you own $54 million fully guaranteed, it's a good bet he is, another $3 million in 2027.
becomes fully guaranteed.
So, if you move on from, let's say, Mike McDaniel right now, which again, I've never gotten the sense that was a consideration three weeks into a 17-game season. What purpose is it serving? What are you trying to get out of the next 14 games? And oh, by the way, then you're locking yourself into: well, we have to hire a new head coach for 2026. And that head coach is going to be told, all right.
We got $54 million in Tua. What are you going to do with them? This has to be your quarterback. That may not be palatable. To a lot of people.
I mean, there's not enough said, and I don't mean to just be a Mike McDaniel defender here, but there is not enough talked about. With the hoops that Mike McDaniel has to jump through on a week in, week out basis. To design a game plan, For a quarterback who can't get hit. You can't have him holding the ball. You can't have him.
designed runs you can't really run quarterback sneaks we've seen some of the You know, in relative terms, the least athletic quarterbacks in the NFL get exposed at times as runners. Tom Brady ran a pass route in a Super Bowl, it didn't end well, but they put that in the game plan. You can't do that with Tua, you can't run a naked bootleg, you're not going to run zone read with him just to keep people honest. If you watched the game last night, whether it's he's not trusting the protection. Whether it's he doesn't want to get hit or he's been told don't get hit, he's not stepping up in the pocket.
Everything when there's pressure, he's going out the back of the pocket and he's flushing left. And all those things combined make it really hard to produce on a week in and week out basis. That even when you draw up a play that maybe has a chance to succeed, he either doesn't go to the right spot with it or the timing and the drop is off. It's just a lot of different things that go into this. And having said all that, Rich, they've still, if you look at the schedule on the other side of the buy, they've got four or five winnable games coming up.
Here, where they've got a chance to get back in it, but they've got to get better as a team. They've got to clean up those self-inflicted errors. And Tua's got to play a lot better than he's played through these first three leagues. Tom Pellisero with the latest on the Miami Dolphins here on The Rich Eisen Show. Is there a shot for Brock Purdy to play for the 2-0 Niners against the 2-0?
Cardinals, you want to talk about a game somewhat under the radar. Um what do you got for me on that one? Tom, we had uh, we had Callais Campbell on the insiders the other night, right? Oh, that guy, and you know, he's back. Obviously, he was gone for almost a decade from Arizona.
I'm like, this is probably the biggest game they've had since you were there the first time, and they went to the NFC championship game and then got their doors blown off in uh in Carolina in that game. But there's not been a lot of those opportunities. And for a Cardinals team that's been steadily building with a really young, dynamic coaching staff, this is huge. This is a moment to kind of say we're not just the team that kind of hangs around and they're fun. Hey, yeah, you won seven games, congrats.
No, like we're actually a playoff type of force. Ian Rapperboard asked Callaius, like, what quarterback do you want to face? Callius does, do you want the honest answer? Yeah, I'd rather face Mac Jones. He just got there.
You know, Brock's a master of the offense. Like, nothing against Mac, but I'd rather face him just because he doesn't have all the time on task that Brock Purdy does, which I appreciate the honesty of that answer from Callaeus, who's seen a lot through the course of his career here. But yes, it does sound like Brock. Brock Purdy's got an opportunity and there's a possibility he could go, but there's, you know, there's several different moving parts here. One is they're seeing how his body reacts.
He's got a left shoulder and a toe. The toe's the real problem. It's on the bottom of his foot. It's kind of like a variation of turf toe, not nearly as severe as what Joe Burrow had, but it's uncomfortable. And so he's got to see from a functionality, a pain tolerance, a body response perspective, how he gets through these practices.
And then the other part of it is: do the 49ers want to put Brock Purdy out there if Brock Purdy is not 100%, you know, from how he protects himself, how, you know, just how the game plan can function, what you can put in it here.
So there's going to be some discussions, but you heard Brock Purdy say it himself to reporters yesterday that, you know, he, you got to see how he's feeling on game day. That would indicate Brock at least wants the opportunity. Hey, listen, it's questionable. Give me another 72 hours. Let's see how I feel here.
You know, we don't know on the outside exactly what the division of reps has been through the course of the week here. This may just be the ramp-up period in Kyle Shanahan's mind. Play Mac again and then. the following week get Brock out there, but they have not ruled them out. Kylo said that there's a chance.
We'll find out a little bit more this afternoon.
Okay, and then you mentioned about Burroughs' toe. I guess is today surgery day for him? And walk me through what his. process might look like and and because I know when we were talking about it last week, Tom, you were saying three months from now would be Cincinnati's game. uh home for for Baltimore on week 15.
So Uh even if he gets some more Rest time. It's Jake Browning's show. Potentially for the rest of the regular season, unless you tell me differently right now. That's been sort of the belief, you know, Joe Burrow being a competitor and frankly, having missed as much time as he's had and, you know, not being want to be labeled about, you know, the guy who's just always got the injuries. He's going to do everything he can to get back, assuming that Jake Browning can keep the Bengals in this thing long enough.
for Burrow to get back. But three months is really the baseline here. This is like, you know, 12 to 14 weeks probably from the people that I've talked to familiar with this injury. You know, a grade three turf toe, you're talking about things torn under there. That's why there's no rehab option.
There was no, hey, hope the pain goes away and, you know, heal up and maybe you're back. No, that's that's not possible. This is not a Brock Purdy type of injury. This is something really severe here.
So the plan was to have the surgery today, but the swelling needs to come out. And so they were going to evaluate. I don't know at this moment whether they actually got the surgery done today, but that has been the plan. That then starts that three month or 12 to 14 week clock.
So sometime late in the season, you know, this reminds me a little, Rich, of Aiden Hutchinson last year, where there was always that carrot out there for Aiden Hutchinson of, hey, if the Lions get to the Super Bowl, that's the soonest. Maybe you can get back. With Joe, it's like, hey, if the Bengals can stay alive until the end of the season, maybe you can get back. It's not a guarantee that you're going to be in. That situation.
It's not a guarantee everything's going to go right from a rehab perspective. But I also know from talking to Lions people about Aiden Hutchinson, different injury, obviously. But the reason that you've heard Dan Campbell and others say, hey, Aiden looks better than he ever has. Part of that is because they feel like because he was so aggressive and attacked the rehab the way that he did, he actually came back and was in a better position than he was previously just because he had rehabbed so aggressively. Maybe you get something similar here with Joe Burrow.
He'll push that timetable. It does sound like it'll be three months, and we'll get our first real taste of can Jake Browning keep this train on the tracks on Sunday against Carson Wentz and the Vikings. Right there in that town in Minnesota, Tom, I'm pleased to be able to give you information for a change. I think quite literally, while I was asking you the question, Zach Taylor in Cincinnati confirmed he did have the surgery, Burrow did have the surgery today.
So that timeline you just laid out for us is now officially a clock that's running. Before I let you go, my weekly question that I promised you I would ask you every single time is. Yeah. Because again, you know, I know the way your life is and the information men and women in our business. constantly getting texts from people around the league looking to you.
For information as well, and also to. Maybe spill tea or wanna Uh gossip about other teams. Which team has been I guess blowing your phone up the most in terms of interest. Whether because they're 2-0 or 0-2 or wondering about their situation, which Which is the team that's uh that's showing up on your phone from around the league? The most.
Well, I think we covered Miami pretty thoroughly.
So let's set them aside for a second and assume that over this mini buy, things calm down a little bit, at least locally and nationally, around that team. I would say the team that I'm asked about the most is What's going on in Cleveland? What is the Browns' plan here? They have been ineffective offensively to this point. They have a 40-year-old quarterback in Joe Burrow who certainly can operate the offense, but it's not operated at a particularly high level.
You know, Quinchon Judkins, who just got back, and who knows how long he will be able to stay on the field if the NFL does, in fact, enact discipline, which that process is still ongoing. He's not yet been able to make the impact that they wanted him to make. Jerry Judy is your top receiver. Where else is the playmaking coming from here? And oh, by the way, you drafted two quarterbacks who are both sitting.
Embodying their time. I'm not saying the Browns right now are on blow-it-up watch. What I would say is. A lot of people within the league are going to be monitoring what is happening with the Browns in the coming weeks. Remember, they got a week five game.
In London against the Vikings, we all know that when teams have pressure on them, those international games, the flight back, the buy after, I don't remember if they actually have their buy immediately after, but that's a lot of times they don't have their buy after, but neither did the Jets when they fired Robert Saul on a Tuesday.
So You've got a unique type of a situation here where people are just wondering, like. What buttons are they going to push? Could they be a team that ends up wanting to sell? Do they feel like they can afford to be sellers at the trade deadline if this thing does not turn around? Again, they could go out and they could stun the Packers on Sunday, but failing that, they're going to be an 0-3 team in a division where you've got at least one team in the Ravens who looks, regardless of how things ended against Buffalo, they look like they could be one of the NFL's best.
You're chasing the Steelers. You're still chasing the Bengals who are 2-0, despite everything that they've got going on here. Where does it lead in Cleveland? There will be a lot of focus on that. The trade deadline is still.
I believe seven weeks away right now. It's the first week of November. You know, as we lead up to that, and there will be, of course, additional scrutiny if you continue to lose games on the coaching staff, on the front office. But the short term is at what point do they change quarterbacks? At what point could they become sellers?
Those are all questions that people within the league are asking right now about the Browns. Yeah, and in the short term, where do they go after the home game with Green Bay at Detroit before they then head to London against the Vikings and potentially still Carson Wentz or J.J. McCarthy?
So keeping an eye on all of that, Tom. I really appreciate you going the extra yard. And after your Wi-Fi goes out in the house. Please go home so you can respond to the text as to whether the Wi-Fi's back on. And also, to be honest, I think you're creeping people out in that parking lot, sitting in your car for 25 minutes talking to you.
I'm not going to get some wings.
Okay, yeah, please tonight. I can actually smell it too often.
Okay, all the senses. Thanks, Rich. Thanks to my boys in the studio. Creeping people out in a Minneapolis parking lot. Tom Pilicero.
He goes. For the rest of the day. Love it. All right. Hey, Rich, say hi to Tom.
I'm a sending this. What's up? That's what's stupid. Got it. Gotcha.
Why am I lending credence to this silliness? That doesn't happen. All right. We will take a break, come back, talk about what the Bills did on Thursday night and how they moved forward, and more of your phone calls at 844-204-Rich. There's a reason Chevy trucks are known for their dependability.
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So, by the way. Um We did not, we were very. 0-3 dolphins are in trouble-centric to kick off the program. Buffalo Bills football. Again.
They pretty much have won every different way you can so far. One at home in a track meet where they're losing, and it looks like they're not going to be the best team in the AFC, just one game out of the gate, and we'll use this as a prism for the rest of the year. Certainly having a. A problem with the Ravens and a tiebreaker throughout the year, and then boom, fourth quarter. For the ages, and it's a 40-burger over 44-40-burger win.
Then they go to. Met life to take on the Jets. They win by 20. Beat the Jets straight up. Knocked the quarterback out of this week's game.
And Josh Allen accounts for zero touchdowns. They still win by 20. And then last night's a 10-point win. when Allen scores, you know, has three touchdowns, but. They needed a little bit of the uh Luck.
You know, where For some reason, Zach Steeler. Ruff's their punter. And they take advantage. That's what championship teams do. You make a mistake, we're going to beat you over the head with it.
I talked about how the Eagles are doing that now, and the Bills are doing that. as well. Also, they win a game without Ed Oliver, without Matt Milano up the middle.
So they're just next man up is doing what they need to do. The guy on the screen though. When you play for the Buffalo Bills. It's tough to be their MVP when Josh Allen is suiting them. But James Cook.
is playing Most valuable. Snaps. He's logging. Excellent repetitions for them. And Thank goodness they signed him.
Yeah. They took care of that business. Because what James Cook is doing is Getting the ball in the end zone and creating massive problems, massive. I know, listen, not everybody is rostering Chicago. Khalil Shakir or Keon Coleman.
Dalton Kincaid scored almost a second time last night. Where was this Kincaid last year? But James Cook, man. As Alan is doing his thing. 13th career win against Miami.
Only Tom Brady has more career wins against Miami. 24, I might add. 302 offensive touchdowns now for Josh Allen, fastest player in NFL history, reached 300 career offensive touchdowns, including playoffs. Surpassing Mahomes in that regard. 86th career quarterback win.
First reigning MVP since Mahomes in 2019 to start 3-0. But James Cook, man. He is putting the ball in the end zone. Rushing touchdown in seven straight games now, tied for the longest streak in the history of the Buffalo Bills. Back-to-back 100-yard rushing game for only the second time in his career.
He's getting it done. as a matchup nightmare in the Bills R Output transcript. Standing. I say it all the time, I'll say it again. When you look at them, you're like really they won by 20?
They won by 10? And each time you're like, It feels like it's more than that. Because they have a sense of inevitability. Josh Allen is as dominant a quarterback as we've seen. Anytime.
He's that good. And They are maybe the best team in the NFL as a sum of its parts. Together, collectively, coaching McDermott. At the helm. And Joe Brady as their offensive coordinator.
Um As a sum of its parts, you're looking at them and you're like, individually, really? Am I scared of that guy? Am I scared of that guy? Am I scared of that guy? Together, they're frightening.
And The team That they cannot beat In the playoffs. is owing to.
So The ultimate higher register? Maybe this is their year. Mm.
Well, you mentioned the luck aspect, right? They're getting kind of the bounces and that type of. Lucky stuff that we've seen Kansas City get during their championship run here. Maybe so.
So you're wondering, yeah, maybe the tide has turned Buffalo's way. Certainly, it would be fun for the league, and obviously, their fans deserve it. And they've got Josh Allen, so anything's possible. Tiebreak against the. Ravens in their back pocket.
Chiefs are 0-2. They do not play the Chargers in the regular season, and the other 2-0 team. 2-0 teams in the conference are the Colts. and the borrowerless bengals. Things are looking good for the bills after three weeks.
The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Mm-hmm.
