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Now. On with the show. Initiating Stardust Sequel. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Ready, TJ Jefferson?
You ready? Michael Parsons is coming to town. It's gonna be painful. I wish him well, except this weekend. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles.
Today's guest, Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, Syracuse head coach Fran Brown. Grammy Award-winning artist. Zach Proud. And now it's Rich Isen.
Well, hey everybody, welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show live on Disney Plus, the ESPN app everywhere, ESPN Radio presented by Progressive Insurance. Hello to everyone, SiriusXM Channel 80, listening to us. Hello to our podcast listeners through the ESPN Pod Center. Wherever you get such things, all three hours available there. There's our YouTube channel for a backstop as well, closing in on 990,000 followers/slash subscribers there.
We're very proud of that. A caper that we've been cultivating for darn near 11 years, 844204 Rich. Is the number to dial. My buddy Kurt Warner from NFL Game Day Morning, NFL Network, NFL. Uh Game Day Compadre, you're getting ready to do that at the end of the day.
Yeah. four in the morning on Sunday Pacific time, getting you ready for Steelers and Vikings in Ireland. We're excited to do that. Hey. And our number two Of this program, I'll be getting in my nap.
No, no, no, in all seriousness. We've got Zach Brown in studio as well. And then Fran Brown. Chris, that's for you. My coach.
I'm not going to lie. Thanks, Rich. Did we mention what happened the last time we had one of your coaches on here? Nope. Why?
Why would we? I don't know why you would do that. Kind of went south.
So I'll be honest with you. That's not my fault.
Well, you play in that. Excuse me. Excuse me. I did that to surprise you for your birthday. And I was very appreciative.
And it was great. It was great. And then everything that was going on with the program went right down the tubes. We accused you of being a cooler.
So when our booking staff reached out and said, hey, fresh off of Syracuse beating Clemson. Do you want Fran Brown in the program? I literally thought to myself. Do I want to do this or not? And I said yes for you.
Yeah, thank you. And so, Fran's going to join. And I thought, should we get a Cleveland Brown? Anyone named Brown? Zach Brown, Fran Brown.
Oh, okay. Good to see you over there, Jay Felly. How are you, sir? What's up, Rich? Good to see you.
And good to see you, TJ Jefferson, as well. The Ormets came up with the dub last night. Back in the wild card position. Everyone in my apartment building knew that last night. Oh, that's true.
So, by the way, are we getting like Chris Brown, Bobby Brown, Shador Sanders? You said famous Browns. No, this is, as I mentioned, that's our guest list. But thank you for following up. Kurt Warner's favorite color is Brown.
I don't know if that's true. Oh, all right. Just made it true.
So I've been saying over and over and over again: hey, listen, at some point we will stop talking about Micah Parsons not being on the Dallas Cowboys, but that isn't happening at present because he's showing up in Dallas on Sunday night. We're page turning to week number four that starts on prime video. With Al Michaels and the gang presenting to you Seahawks and Cardinals, pretty big two-in-one versus two-in-one game. I like it. And we've got the Packers licking their wounds coming off of the loss to the Cleveland Browns that nobody saw coming, including some people that might have gotten bounced from their survivor pools this past week based on that.
Um but uh hey, uh the Cowboys at one and two feeling Like they gotta, they gotta stop somebody, they gotta stop this. this uh this slide that they're on. And I know that they've only lost one in a row, but Feels like two losses coming out of Chicago. Been very generous with uh the points. Give it up to the five.
On the defensive side of the football. Warren Sapp, my friend, who's currently on the Deion Sanders staff. in Colorado. Always told us on NFL Game Day morning: the front and the back end of the defense must play together. And the defensive backfield right now, Trevon Diggs, just does not look like himself anymore.
And they're not stopping anybody back there. And they're also not getting much pressure on anybody up front, so the back end is a bit more exposed. We all know why the Cowboys might be struggling to get some pass rush. And Micah Parsons is coming back to town. And his first comments On the subject matter, were made public.
I believe he spoke to the Associated Press. Um Um an interesting choice here. Um but um Micah Parsons had this to say about facing his former team on Sunday night. It's going to be painful. You know what I mean?
Dak's my guy. You know, he was always like a good mentor for me. But you know what it is. He always told me if I ever faced him that, you know, it'll be a great matchup.
So I'm excited to see what Sunday brings us.
Okay. Not any fire and brimstone just yet. But I can guarantee you there's going to be.
Well, there was already wording of that. Said Micah says it's going to be painful to see. When I first read that, TJ. I thought to myself, I need to see the context because I thought is he going to be. you know Um coming for Dak.
And I'll tell you, Dak, it's going to be painful when I see it. I took it, I'm like, I don't know. I took it like. Probably what he means is it's going to be painful to him to sack a guy he adores. That's right.
And that's the manner in which he. He said it. But you know, when it's on a news stack, like at our friends at ESPN, somebody's going to see it and think that he is.
Now Turning full heel. Yeah, trying to bring the ball. Yeah, I mean, but when it all comes down to it, he might. You know, he sees everybody on that field. On Sunday night.
And he goes back there wearing the Rode uniform, and he goes to the road locker room. It's going to feel really weird for him. Absolutely. It's going to feel like out of body, out of place. his usual pregame warm-ups that he goes through to get in his His Lion readiness Because that's you know a Penn State nitney lion.
He refers to himself as a lion. ready for him to show his teeth and roar. Um It's not going to be the same. Certainly if one particular Owner and general manager of the opposition is standing on the field.
Now, I'm sure NBC cameras, the minute that Mike is on the field or the minute that Jerry Jones steps on the field, there will be every camera trained on both of them just to see what what may happen. And if they do see each other. Um I'm sure Jerry will be extending a hand. I'm just wondering if There's a little bit of Baker Mayfield in. and Micah Parsons.
But this is all going to happen like every Again, to use your point, TJ, seeing that it's going to be painful as the headline, pull quote to use the phrase. Um Folks are going to be thinking, oh, he's locked in. He's ready to grow. He's just going to. term to uh pieces and that may happen.
That may happen once it all starts. And it may happen that, again, he's going to show up. Ready to show out. But when he steps in there and he gets all and he pulls up to the stadium, You know, it's just gonna feel weird to him. And he's going to have to fight through all that.
and prepare himself. And I'm sure he's going to be reaching out to some people this week about how to prepare for it. And um The human element is going to be Kicking in. Taking a bus to the stadium, probably for the first time, is ever done that. To this particular stadium, I was like, taking a bus.
Yeah. Oh, yeah. Whereas he was driving to his car. Oh, yeah. But then when rubber meets road.
And it's now time. And I'm just wondering if there's anything that might trigger him to get into that mindset. for him to just go ahead and crush it, find the zone, and go kill it. And um I just wanted to kind of add the gray area here. That's kind of what we like to do here.
Because I'm sure folks are just going to think he's going to show up and he's going to tear him to pieces. He may do that, but it's going to be a process. It's going to be a process. I do think he's going to have a big night. Because when it's all said and done.
An athlete. when they put on the eye black and the helmet and everything else. You know Brian Dawkins Hall of Famer. once referred to himself as the Idiot Man. A very mild mannered God fearing.
You know, family man, and he puts on the iBlack and he turns into the idiot man. He's going to start thinking to himself what happened over the previous months, and it's going to piss him off. And I think he's going to say, I don't care if I love Dak or not. I'm going to go get him. Certainly, since this team needs the win.
So. Yeah, Rich, I'm afraid we're going to get Jefferson against Lincoln. You know, when Ridgemont High played Lincoln and fast times, Ridmont High and Jefferson just destroyed Lincoln because his car got trashed. I think that that's. McColey can't save us.
Yeah, the NFL record for sacks in a single game is seven. I don't know, Derek Thomas. Back in the day, now you're bold predicting right there. That's a lot. That's not happening.
Just saying.
So, um That's my two cents on what may happen on Sunday night. And just to give you an idea of how it ain't easy. There's really only a handful. of revenge games where it went particularly well for one individual. In returning.
or playing against this former team and that's how I lead this show off. with the top five NFL revenge game performances. Of all time, presented by Hyundai. Hit it, please. One, two, three, four, and five.
Riches, tax. Pop five. And just to illustrate the point that it's you don't just roll out the footballs and it's just like a revenge game that you're all expecting someone to go kill it and crush it. and they do, and they come away with a win. Yeah.
Tom Brady's return to Gillette. He didn't throw a touchdown pass. Right. And it's still on my top five because of who he was and how anticipated it was. And it was.
him coming back with a Super Bowl ring on his finger. And it was a big night for him and Belichick to have a conversation apparently after. after the game. to start maybe burying some hatchets. But in the New England reign, Brady coming back.
And he did lead the team down the field. for a go-ahead field goal. in a game that Mac Jones was winning. And almost had a chance to win if Nick Folkett actually made the field goal at the end, but Ryan Suckup is the one that made the game-winning field goal. And Tom Brady led that seven-play, 45-yard drive.
And you knew everybody in Gillette was like, uh-oh. Tommy's got the ball in the fourth quarter. We know what's going to happen. And yada yada yada, it happened. but he didn't have a great statistical game.
unlike some of the other people I'm about to mention. Number 4 on my top NFL Revenge Game Performances of All Time. Joe Montana cooled off the 49ers. Joe Cool. In two years after he left the 49ers in 1994, it was week two.
Of the 94 season, and Montana and the Chiefs welcomed in the Niners into Arrowhead. And um Steve Young took a 14-7 lead, and then Montana and the Chiefs scored the last 17 unanswered. And 203 yards and two touchdowns for Joe Montana. It was. Only one of three times these 49ers were beaten this year.
If you remember in 1994, they won the Super Bowl. That was when Young famously got the monkey off his back, and the monkey was still on it. 'Cause he lost to Joe Montana in week two and they two faced one another. for the first time. That was revenge game number four on the list.
Number three on the list. Five weeks after Montana, beat the 49ers. The 49ers went into Atlanta. And Deion Sanders high-stepped all over his former team. Remember, he spent five seasons in Atlanta.
They didn't keep him. He goes to the 49ers. And he picked off in the second quarter. Jeff George deep in his own end. And he took it 93 yards to the house and 63 yards into his pick sticks.
He began high-stepping. It's the famous moment where he puts his hand behind his head and he high-stepped looking at the Atlanta sideline for the last 30 yards. And it was one of three pick sixes for prime that year. He was defensive player of the year. And as a matter of fact, he wound up tied for third.
in the MVP voting with teammate Jerry Rice behind Fellow Draft classmate Barry Sanders and eventually Steve Young won the MVP that year. They did win the Super Bowl. That was when Deion went back into the Georgia home and proclaimed it his house. Number two on this list. Another Hall of Famer Randy Moss gobbled up the Cowboys on Thanksgiving.
We all know Dallas. Did not draft him in the draft eighth overall. He did. He basically said, take me. He thought that the Cowboys were going to take him.
They took Greg Ellis out of North Carolina instead. Great, great, great Cowboys. And then he was still on the board for the 21st overall pick. The. Vikings took them.
And then on Thanksgiving Day, three catches, three touchdowns, 163 yards, and Mossing. was born. Do you know, uh, Chris? Uh Had Moss been on the board, you know, he was picking 22nd overall in that draft? Your patriots really they took to Bucky Jones Uh one of four Hall of Famers in that draft class: Peyton Manning, Charles Woodson, Randy Moss, and then 26th overall, Alan Faneka went off the board.
Nice.
So Randy was pissed on that day in Dallas on Thanksgiving and dominated.
So we're Cowboy fans, Rich. And then the number one revenge game performance of all time. was Brett Favre of going back to Lambeau Field. You want to talk about highly anticipated. This made Brady's return to New England at that That's what this was.
And 2009.
Now, he had already played the Packers earlier in the season. In week four in Minnesota, and he threw for three touchdowns and 271 yards and no interceptions in that one. And then in week eight, he goes to Lambeau. and throws for four touchdowns and no interceptions. 17 of 28.
as Green Bay And the Packers saw Favre come into that house. and dominate And awesome. And He sweeps. The Packers in his first season playing for the Vikings, and in that week four victory. became the first player in NFL history to beat all 32 franchises.
In the history of the sport, he was great that year. Favre back in Green Bay doing what he did, seven touchdowns overall. Uh the greatest Revenge game performances of all time.
Alright, we'll get it. I got one more and it's a very simple headline. Very simple headline. Don't ever. Piss off Steve Smith.
Seriously. Words to live by. Yes. Oh, that's so funny. 13 years with Carolina, the Panthers released him.
He signs with the Ravens. And before signing with the Ravens, he basically said, if I ever play Carolina again, and I have the quote here, there would be quote unquote blood and guts everywhere. And in week four, in Baltimore, Carolina strolled in. And he went seven for 139 and two touchdowns, including taking a tipped pass from Joe Flacco, 61 yards to the house in the 38-10 final. Again, headline.
Don't ever. Piss off Steve Smith. Ice up, son. Ice up. That is the top five NFL revenge game performances of all time in advance.
of Micah Parsons showing up in the Metroplex on Sunday night football. I'm watching this Deion pick six. Me too. He turns around at the 50, right? And starts yelling at the Falcons bench.
It is unbelievable. And when did he start high-step? He didn't high-step until like the 10. The 10. I thought it was the 30.
No, because he was turned around the whole time. He was running, turning around, yelling at the Falcons bench. Oh, my. Thank gosh. That was a 42-3 win, too.
By the way, in a. divisional contest yes kids the falcons used to for some geographic unsound reason play in the NFC West. And so they were rivals. The Niners in the Falcons division Rhinels Rivals and he 42-3 went. stepped in front of Ricky Sanders.
To pick off Jeff George to go 93 yards to the house.
So those are all things for Micah to shoot for on Sunday night. I've got my power ranking still to come. Let's take a break. My friend Kurt Warner joins us next. Here and as usual, Wednesday Warner spot on The Rich Eisen Show.
The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game?
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Because at blinds.com, the only thing we treat better than windows is you. Visit blinds.com now for up to 40% off site-wide, plus a professional measure at no cost. Rules and restrictions apply. Back on ESPN Radio, presented by Progressive Insurance. For the radio audience, we've just been chit-chatting with Kurt Warner in our TV-only segment about returning to St.
Louis as a member of the Cardinals, just sort of giving us an idea of what Micah Parsons was going to be dealing with on Sunday night. What were the numbers of Kurt's return, Christopher? All right, Kurt, week 11, November 20th, 2005. Cardinals win 38-28. Kurt 27 for 39, 285 yards.
Retuddies. Take that. Yeah. Yeah. Take that.
Take that. Take that. Yeah. Because again, you know, I mean, Micah is going to, you know, walk in there. TJ was pointing out first time he's ever taken a bus to the stadium.
Right. Like at that stadium. And he's just going to be looking around and seeing everybody, and it's still fresh. I mean, these were all. He was part of this organization six weeks ago.
You know? All I would say about this is that you know this obviously wasn't a situation where maybe more like mine hey we think you know you're kind of you know best years are past you we're going to let you go and we're going to take the next guy I think everybody in that building is going to know that, you know, so far. Um you know, he's won the trade, so to speak, but they know he's a great player. I mean, that was not in question, you know, and so it's not as if he's got to go necessarily prove anything. To everybody else.
I just think this puts a bigger spotlight on it if he goes. If he goes in and has a big game, and we've already seen the impact that he's had with Green Bay and the struggles that Dallas has had without him.
So I think everybody already knows that part of it. This would just add, you know, fuel to the fire or insult to injury if he goes in there and just dominates this football game in front of everybody. Kurt Warner here on The Rich Eisen Show. For those listening, Kurt's wearing a QB confidential hat. You should all.
Check out Kurt's channel. On YouTube, makes you smarter. Right here on the Rich Eisen show. Let's start with the Giants' decision to start Jackson Dart. Over Russ.
What have you been seeing on film that leads you to believe why this happened? And do you agree with the move? Kirk. Yeah, um Well, I think why this happened is it's a big picture thing to me more than it's a Russell Wilson thing. And again, you know, I've got my thoughts on Russell Wilson.
I don't necessarily think he's a great podcast. Rocket passer. I think his best years in terms of creating are behind him.
So I think we all understand that. But if you just break down the tape, and I actually put out a piece this morning just about, you know, in the red zone.
So, you know, this team has has been in the tight red zone.
So 10 yard liner in seven times this year, which ranks eighth in the National Football League. They've scored one touchdown in those drives inside the 10-yard line. And, you know, I broke down basically every throw. Russell Wilson is, I think, two for 16. Um on throws inside the red zone.
And so automatically, that would make you say, oh, well, that's the problem. They're getting there, they're just not scoring. It's all about the quarterback. But there are very limited opportunities for Russell Wilson or this offense to score. There's not easy opportunities.
There's not guys open all over the place. And that to me, and it goes even beyond this year. If you look back over last year, the struggles with this Giants team, Brian Dayball, the offense has been putting points on the board, finishing drives. And so as much as it's, you know, you can say it's about the quarterback or maybe Jackson Dart gives you, you know, a little more versatility or something in your offense that you're going to do different. You know, this is about creating better opportunities in the red zone.
So when you get down there, you score. And when you score, you have opportunities to win some of these games that they haven't won the last couple of years because they can't. Put points on the board, and so you know, so this is interesting to me. I've seen this a million times. You know, I saw this happen in Arizona.
I was actually benched in a situation. Like this, where sometimes you start to feel that the coach is starting to feel that the seat is getting a little bit hotter. And that you know, you have to make some kind of move and change to try to spark something inside the locker room because what's going on on the football field just hasn't. been good enough. And I just hope that's not the case.
Here, that you're throwing Jackson Dart out there with a tough schedule and with all the issues you have offensively, and he's not quite ready. And even if he's ready, and you're not ready as a team to allow him to have success early, and you're just making the move because you have to do something. I don't like when moves are made that way. They don't normally work out really well when moves are made that way. But maybe there is just something that we don't get to see that they're seeing in practice that says, hey, we get an upgrade or we get the ability to open up our offense in a different way with Jackson Dart that we didn't have with Russell Wilson.
And that's what I'll be paying attention to as they move forward is is there something that looks different that he brings to the table that we didn't get a chance to see from the practice state? Yeah, it could be something in the locker room as well that he's taking a pulse check of his locker room. We just don't know, fair or not. Um, you and I both saw the Chargers defense. That's no joke, man.
That is, that's why I was kind of surprised. Like, maybe one more week, then you get New Orleans before. Um Two out of three weeks against Philadelphia wrapped around a visit to Denver. You know, like that's. That is a tall order.
The Chargers are marauding right now. I mean, you could make the case they're one of the best, they are the best team in the NFL. Right now. Yeah. I mean, and then, you know, you're talking basically four out of five.
If you're looking at that, you know, the Chargers defense, Philly's defense is really good. We all know Denver's defense. Niners is good. Yeah. And the Niners' defense is playing great.
So yeah, four out of five there. But but Again, you know. We can look at it from all those different perspectives. Like you said, maybe this is simply just. We're not good enough.
We need a spark, you know, and Fortunately or unfortunately, that's the position that you see changed more than any others. You don't pull. Pull out your left guard. You know, you don't pull out a linebacker and spark your team, so to speak. It starts and ends oftentimes with that position.
Fair or unfair, you know, to Russell Wilson or Jackson Dart, that's the most natural position to go.
Okay, we want to make a change and we want to try to change things up, or like you said, you know.
something different in the locker room or the fan base or whatever that is. The quarterback position is the move that's made most of the time. And let's just hope that it works out. for everybody involved, because I hate seeing young guys. thrown in.
Too soon, you know, and not having success early. And now they've got to face a whole nother battle. Of people wondering, are they the guy, you know, or can they the savior? Are they a boss? You know, when they're just getting thrown in, to me, too early and not quite ready for what the NFL has in store.
Kurt Warner here on the Rich Eisen Show. Let's talk about the Eagles' offense. A lot of conversation about it being simple or overly simple or boom or bust, right? Where Hertz just finally. Started winging it around.
I mean, I don't know if they took the governor off of anything. I have no idea, Kurt. You're seeing it, your opinion of the Eagles' offense and. And its effectiveness moving forward is what? And we do talk about it being simple and the concepts that they run in their past game are fairly simple.
But if you know, if you had to take any coach in the world and say, okay, how would you want to play football?
Okay, here's what we're going to do: we're going to run the football. And when a defense decides that they have to put extra guys in the box to stop us, then we get one-on-one on the outside. Then we'll throw the football and we don't have to get complicated. We don't have to fool anybody with our scheme and be all fancy and be one of these gurus. I got AJ Brown out there one-on-one.
So if you want to stop Saquon and add an extra guy. I'm just going to run a simple concept over here to this guy, and I'm going to throw it to him one-on-one. Oh, and then you're going to drop into coverage.
Okay, now we'll go back to running the football and doing what we do. And then, when you want to change it up again, hey, we got Devontae Smith over there. You go one-on-one, we'll throw it to him. And so, I understand. You know, I'm a quarterback.
I love the X's and O's. I love design and plays and the new thing. But I think if any coach out there. You know, could say this is how we want to play. It's like the Eagles play.
Run the football, do what you do best. You know, work to your strengths, the offensive line. And then once a team changes it up. Know that you've got guys on the outside and you can keep it simple. You don't have to overcomplicate it and make it too.
Too hard for your team. This is a simple game. Our guy's better than your guy. Play pitch and catch. Let him make a play.
And we'll go. Oh, our guys are up front are better than your guys. You want to leave extra guys out there? We'll just block a hat on a hat. And we'll beat you that way.
And so I understand it. I understand why it's boring and it's simple, but it's because they're built in a way that they don't have to overcomplicate it. And too many teams overcomplicate it, I think, at times. And it's more of a negative than it is a positive. And I think Billy has just said we are fine.
being born. We are fine just doing these things that we're really, really good at. and forcing a team to show us they can stop us doing those things before we're gonna create, you know, reinvent the wheel and try to do something that may overcomplicate or make it a little bit more difficult for us to succeed. Can't wait for this game against Tampa in Tampa because they're 3-0 as well. Baker Mayfield with three straight game-winning drive victories in the fourth quarter.
And um and and there's You know, his offensive line is banged up. Mike Evans is now out. We're waiting for Godwin to come back. Bucky Irving has done well, but it really has been Baker just putting everybody on his back in the fourth quarter and getting it done. What are you seeing?
I mean, yeah, I've been a Baker fan for a long time. You know, I was one of the guys that felt like he should have stayed in Cleveland. He was a perfect fit for what they did. And then they send him to the Wade's Eye, and then he has to bounce around. But I've felt for a long time being the starting quarterback in this league.
And I think he's just gotten better. As a drop back passer. And you're right. You talk about believe, you talk about in the locker room. I think that, you know, as much as anything, is what Baker has.
In Tampa, they love this guy and they will battle with this guy. And they know that he's gonna give it all. Like he's not running out of bounds, gonna run somebody over, he's gonna talk, but they believe that he's going to get them in position to win every time out. Like you said, three straight weeks. You know, where their defense loses the lead late or the special teams, and he's got to bring them back, and he does it.
Every single time, and so uh, it's gonna be fun. Like you said, no Mike Evans, no Chris Godwin yet. Um, you know, Abuka has been incredible. I love Bucky Irvin, but you know, so they still got playmakers, but uh, they're down a couple guys, so that'll be interesting against the Philly defense. But maybe the bigger story, um, and so I've watched it for two weeks.
I watched it on Monday night a couple weeks ago with the Texans. And I was calling that game and then watched the Jets. Against Tampa this past week. And what Todd Bowles is going to do is, he's going to blitz you. He is going to give you blitz looks and you better have an answer.
The Texans had absolutely no answer. CJ Stroud looked confused. They looked confused offensively. It's what cost them the game. I couldn't believe it that the Jets came back last week and saw the same sort of things and they had no plan and they had no answer for it.
And, you know, it cost them the game.
So here we go with Philly. You know, they're going to see it. Maybe if there's one area of all the areas that, you know, Jalen Hurts doesn't excel at, it has been handling pressure. over the years. And I think one of the reasons why Tampa has had success against them is because they're going to show a bunch of different looks.
They're going to bring a bunch of different pressures and the quarterback is going to be responsible. Both are handling that, whether that's in protection or getting the ball out of his hands.
So, that may be the biggest storyline that I'm looking at going into this game. Pressure package of Todd Bowles and the Bucs defense. Against this Eagles offense and Jalen Hurts and company on the outside, that will probably be the determining factor for the third week in a row for the Bucs on whether they win this football game or not. What's your level of concern for the Ravens and Chiefs loser? It's amazing.
Last year, when we saw him, it was the opening night in Arrowhead. You were calling it for Westwood 1. I was there with you. And it was two teams who just played in the AFC championship game. With a shot at the Super Bowl, we all know They wound up being uh Super Bowl worthy and the Chiefs went.
The losers one and three, Kurt. What what what what's your concern here? You know, it's a weird thing because, you know, I still look at the Ravens. I still think they're a really good football team. And you've got to tighten up on defense for sure.
Um you know and find a way that to make more plays. I think they have Plenty of good players over there. They're just not making those plays. Their offense is going to be good. You know, to think Derrick Henry is going to fumble every week, just not going to happen.
And, you know, so I still think they're a really good football team. They just have to work out a few of the kinks. I think we remember last year with the Ravens, their defense struggled early in the year. And then they rounded into form and were really good. Later in the year.
So even if they lose this game, you know, I think I would be surprised if they lose because of what I've seen from the Chiefs. But even if they lose, I think they're going to be.
Okay. I'm more worried about the Chiefs if they lose. because they have not looked good. Um, you know, and we've talked a lot about their passing game. I mean, they struggle to run the football first, so they don't have the balance that other teams.
Their pass game looks uh really bad. Um, to me, Now Patrick Mahomes is allowing all of that to affect the way he plays. He's starting to look at the pass rush. He's starting to want to move around instead of playing the game inside the pocket. It reminds me a lot of the Super Bowl they played against Tampa.
They had issues up front. And I felt like Patrick didn't play his game. In that game, and was just running around and trying to be Superman. And I feel like. He's at that stage now where he's so frustrated with what's going on around him.
that he's trying to do too much. And in trying to do too much, He's missing opportunities, he's missing throws, he's missing reads, and all of those things. I'm concerned about them as a football team.
Now, maybe they can quiet those concerns if they beat a good Ravens team and they show me some things that I haven't seen in three weeks. But right now, I'm really concerned about them and them keeping their head above water because I know we want to think that Rashi Rice comes back and Xavier Worthy comes back and all their problems go away. They still have problems. I definitely think that will help. But can they keep their head above water long enough for those guys to come back and them to put something together offensively?
Because right now it just doesn't look very good. All right. We've reached the portion of the interview where I ask you which quarterback had the best week of all those that you watched all 22, if not in person. Um and I'm I'm going to Maybe take a stab at who that might be. How about that?
How about our flip? Wait, what are you getting? Goff? Was it Jared Goff? Dear golf was was really good.
You know, I. If I was just doing halves, I might put Jalen Hurts there because I thought his second half was. You know, ridiculous, really good. I think Baker Mayfield's playing. really good.
I think Jared Goff, like you said, is playing really good that fourth down throw Hop over the top to Amin. I mean, just. Beautiful. But I'm going to give the nod this week. And it may not have been like every throw that he made, but I'm going to give the nod to Justin Herbert.
this week. Um, that yeah, sometimes I think their offense is hard on a quarterback with some of the scheme that they run. And Man, that guy is just playing great football, making the plays. finding the open guys, making the big plays. I mean, that touchdown throw that.
That he made the other day where he eluded two free runners, and then, with a guy in his face, throws it, moving to his left for a touchdown. He's playing really, really good football right now. The reason that they're. 3-0, and I'm going to give him the nod this week, although there were some really good performances this week. Yeah, and I guess, too, if you, in that game, the Broncos.
were performing really well. They had it. They had it again. They're one and two now. Um they they they had the the charges right where they wanted, and and Herbert helped lead.
Lead them off the mat with two great final drives of that game. And it kind of leads me to this final question for you that I wasn't planning on asking, but I'll ask it anyway. I mean, Caleb and Drake May from last year's. Quarterback class. through the first three weeks of this season.
We know Jaden Daniels is hurt. Nix is not looked yet like last year. And Pennix sat and watched the fourth quarter in a shutout loss in Carolina, and J.J. McCarthy. One quarter on Monday night.
Yeah. That's been a bit. It is well for him with injury. You want to throw that out there? Yeah.
I mean, yeah, it's interesting, isn't it? I mean, after C.J. Stroud's rookie year. you know we're all saying oh my gosh you know That was the pick of the draft. you know, better than Bryce Young, all of that stuff since that rookie year.
CJ has struggled mightily. And, you know, although Bryce hasn't been great. Rice continues to get better. And so maybe it's a cautionary tale that we shouldn't jump to conclusions right off the bat on. How things are going to work out.
Still think Jaden Daniels is going to be awesome with maybe the best quarterback. In that class, well, obviously, he was the best quarterback in that class a year ago. But, you know, Caleb struggles last year. A lot of people wanna label him. I just think he's only gotten better.
Week in and week out. Bonitch, as you said, I thought he played really well down the stretch last year. He's really struggling right now, in my opinion. He's playing way too fast. He's looking at one guy, he's moving, he wants to throw everything on the run.
After the first game of the year, I thought Michael Penix looked really good. I thought, okay, all right, here we go. And he hasn't looked nearly as good. You know, he's throwing the ball too hard, in my opinion. His technique is getting away from him, he's missing.
Opportunity.
So, you know, I think it is a cautionary tale that, like, it's going to take some time for all these guys. Let's not make a snap judgment. I mean, let's look at JJ McCarthy, you know, because I know you're always interested in that, Rich. Is that I thought. The play calling by Kevin O'Connell was completely different.
This past week with Carson Wentz than it was the first two weeks with J.J. McCarthy. And so again, I don't have any inside knowledge. But it just makes me wonder. is yeah, JJ's their guy and JJ's going to be their guy moving forward.
But maybe JJ isn't fully ready because we talked about Jackson Dart, isn't fully ready to handle everything. That is this Minnesota offense and all the weapons and what Kevin O'Connell wants to do. And they kind of forced into. You know, starting him because they could have kept Sam Darnold, of course, but they think JJ's the guy for the long term. But so we got to start him right away.
And now it looked like they opened up their offense. They could do more things with Carson Wentz. He was more comfortable with what they did. And you saw the results of what they did offensively, obviously, helped a lot by their defense. But, you know, it.
It always leaves you these questions: is where are these guys when they get thrown into the mix? You know, I had that interview with. Jordan Love last week. And, you know, I asked him, Would you start or said, You had to do it all over again. Would you start or sit?
And he said, I wouldn't change a thing. The things that I learned, the things that I, where I grew as a player in that time, even though I wanted to play and be out there. We were vital to him being the guy that he is today. And so, yeah, I just think we all have to just. Hit the brakes a little bit and understand it takes time.
Even if you have some success early, like we've seen from some of these guys, that doesn't guarantee that you're there. And you've got it, and it's going to be easy moving forward. And so, um, so let's just let this thing play out. I don't know right now because, like you said, we had our, you know, well, we had an idea going into the season, okay, this is how it's going to work out. And I think we even asked the question somewhere: you know, Caleb Williams, the worst quarterback of the quarterback class from last year.
And, you know, and again, I understand why we're asking it. And based on what happened last year. But there are so many factors that go into that. And we could be, you know. You know, labeling them all differently halfway through this season, and then even differently again by the end of the season.
So, let's give these guys some time to show us where they're at. And who they are before we start judging every one of them and what they are as a quarterback. QB Confidentials, NFL Networks, Kurt Warner. I'll see you this weekend, brother. Thanks again for the time.
All right, buddy. Ladies and gentlemen, Kurt Warner here on The Rich Eisen Show. We beat it on down the line. Back with more of your phone calls in a moment. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
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You can't hide. ESPN Radio is presented by Progressive Insurance, Progressive Commercial Insurance, protecting your business vehicles 24-7. See if you can save at progressivecommercial.com. All right. Brian Dayball just finishing up his press conference in New Jersey.
We'll turn that sound around. He has, in fact, confirmed the reporting. It's Jackson Dart against the Los Angeles Chargers. Good luck to him and them.
Meanwhile, the latest on Jaden Daniels. Will he be able to come back? For the commanders in Atlanta. Uh here's Dan Quinn on the latest. First, let's start with Jaden.
He'll continue in his return to play process and You'll see him out there today. in a limited fashion. And we'll continue to rely on the medical team, you know, to fully clear in what I can say. is man he is doing everything you possibly can. uh to get there the guy's the ultimate competitor for us you know that i know that What do you make of that?
He's trying everything. If he's limited, don't play him. How's that sound? Don't play him. Send Mariota to Atlanta.
Yep. Atlanta didn't score a lick. You in last week. You lived in the Raiders backfield last week.
So you're feeling good defensively. Terry McLaurin, man. He looks like he's scoring a touchdown. In fact, he's caught from behind. He's down at the half inch line.
And then he doesn't play anymore, and now he's got a quad injury that requires second opinions. Mm-hmm. to see if it is in fact a quad injury. They're looking to see if it's like a core injury or something like that. And so You might not have Daniels or McLaurin.
You're wondering who's the running back. All that said, if this kid is still limited, don't put him against this pass rush. Just don't do it.
Well, why would you when it's a Mariota Revenge game? Is it every game he plays a Mario to Revenge game?
Well, this one he got benched in. You know what I mean? He got benched with Atlanta. Seemingly, yeah, but he got benched everywhere he went.
Well, I mean, to be very honest, a lot of revenge. Listen. You're just talking it up because you just want us to stop talking about Micah. See? That's all.
We almost want us to talk. And I told you. We always made a full 60. You're almost there. Once this is true, it is.
Once this game is over, again, we're in day two of this week. Tomorrow's another day. Friday's another day. Sunday is a whole game of it. And then you're saying it's done.
We in the media will be tired of talking about it.
So, again, I asked you, like I asked you yesterday, for went off air. That means we can delete this sound bite then. What? Which is what? The drop?
Yeah. Yeah, it's still great. I thought we turned the page. I'm just talking about, oh, what happened with Dallas? What happened with Jerry?
And Jerry's on. Let's just put it this way. If he's on his. radio station After this week, he'll talk about it because it was this last game. If they're still asking about it again, he's going to get all pissed.
The Rich Heisen Show Podcast. Mm-hmm.
