This episode is brought to you by LifeLock. When you visit the doctor, you probably hand over your insurance, your ID, and contact details. It's just one of the many places that has your personal info. And if any of them accidentally expose it, you could be at risk for identity theft. LifeLock monitors millions of data points a second.
If you become a victim, they'll fix it, guaranteed, or your money back. Save up to 40% your first year at LifeLock.com slash podcast. Terms apply. This is The Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody.
Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show?
We've got a podcast so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash richeisenshow and you'll never miss a moment.
Now, on with the show. Hey, you know what show I love? The Rich Eisen Show. The pitch, the count. There it is, number 60.
From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Goodbye. Home run for the captain is number 51. Earlier on the show, NBC Sports Bay Area 49ers reporter Matt Mayocco. Coming up.
NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah. Actor and comedian Dan Soder. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Hour number two of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air. It's a higher register Thursday, which means we're going to tell you something about week number four in the NFL campaign that we believe only to basically have to go higher register to believe it.
That's coming up later on in this show. Dan Soder is joining us in studio hour number three. A lot of folks know him from his Billions Days Mafi, the comedian, is on a Golden Retriever of Comedy tour. Hey. and he's gonna he's here in in los angeles for a gig tonight at the united center uh united theater part of me on broadway in los angeles united center would be a bigger uh venue obviously in chicago different time different time i know different time different times as well uh 844-204-RICH is the number to dial daniel jeremiah is going to join us shortly uh he calls chargers games locally here on the radio um he also is uh my guy for the combine and the draft and your guy if you watch NFL Network's coverage.
And so clearly he knows a lot about what Jackson Dart could bring to the table. And so Jackson Dart making his first career start against the Chargers means he gets a phone call from us. And thankfully he will be joining us on Zoom shortly on this program as Jackson Dart joined the media after being named the starter by Brian Dayball saying, I'm not telling you what we said in the meeting. I'm not telling you what I told Dart and Russ. Just telling you i told russ it's jackson's gig and um both dart and russ met with the media upon the news and um jackson dart no pressure you're just the savior don't screw it up honestly counting on you um just ask daniel jones what people thought about being drafted sixth overall when you're drafted sixth overall and this guy wearing number six drafted by the Giants after the Giants drafted Abdul Carter third overall and then traded back into the first round to take the Ole Miss quarterback because they thought he had it.
And I'll be honest with you, he looks the part. Oh, yeah. I mean, if you're watching on Disney Plus or the ESPN app, you will see what I'm talking about. If you're listening on ESPN Radio presented by Progressive Insurance or Sirius XM channel lady or our podcast, just trust me. Yet another quarterback that if I ever have the good fortune of interviewing one-on-one on camera, it's going to be a bad two-shot for the kid.
And by the kid, I'm just referring to myself as such. Even though he is a child. You could be his father. Oh, my God. You're not wrong.
Other than the fact that he doesn't look Jewish. No, he doesn't.
Okay, very good. Jackson Dart. What a name, too, right? Great name. Hey.
I'm telling you, it's right out of a high school movie. Jackson Dart. Yeah. It's coming to Broadway, man. Here we go, Jackson Dart.
Throwing darts. What are you going to be bringing to an 0-3 team here, Jackson Dart? Your thoughts. First of all, we just got to continue to keep the main thing the main thing, process-wise. Everybody throughout a season is going to face adversity.
So I think for us, it's going to show what kind of grit we have as a team. character-wise, how do we handle when we punch when we're down, how are you going to respond to that? And I think the biggest thing for me is I just want to do my best to be a spark. I want to create excitement on the field. I want to be explosive when opportunities are there and try to just bring a little bit of swagger.
Bringing a little bit of swagger. Bringing a little bit of swagger. are words Daniel Jones never said as quarterback at the New York Giants. It's not his game. Neither did Eli, really.
No, I know. I mean, Eli really never said it, but he did. Eli brought some swagger. But this guy has got it just in absolute spades. You know what I mean?
It's coming out of him. Scadaboo, neighbors.
Now, that's the point.
Now, that's what you're talking about. That's the excitement here. I know. That's a young core. That's the excitement for Giants fans.
and he's wearing the headband to keep that quarterback hair out of his face. If I wore that headband, I'd look like Alex Caruso. You ever wonder why he wears a sweatband?
Well, it gets sweaty. Because your head will sweat. And there's no hair to absorb it? It's not to keep hair out of your face, bro. It's to keep sweatband.
It's not a hairband. It's a sweatband. I don't know, okay? A sweatband. I don't wear them.
That's why I'm asking. but at some point today i don't think there's any stupid questions around here at some point today there will be a picture of you wearing a sweatband popped out somewhere i'm sure fine i'll take it just so i can see what it looks like yeah sure it won't be pretty i saw matt naggy in um in uh brazil and i told him glad to see you're stopping wearing the uh the visors you told him that i did he sent us one because he did i know a bear's visor on back in the day and and uh I told him, it accentuates the baldness. Then you wear a headset on top of it. It just, you know. Accentuating baldness.
That's a name. Good fantasy name. At any rate, back to Jackson Tartt. With the flow. They asked him if he thinks he's playing for his coach's job.
Ooh. Pressure. I don't really feel pressure. I feel like, you know, pressure is given to those who play at a high level. and, you know, the best players in the world are the ones that you are kind of involved with that word pressure.
So I don't feel it in that standpoint. You know, my focus is just trying to just win one game at a time. And, you know, we've been just, you know, we've been so close each week and it's been tough to watch. It's been tough, you know, as a team to come back in the locker room when I, you know, like I said, when you're just that close to winning. Good answer.
Good answer. Good answer. Atta boy. Good answer. that's what we said after del tufo good job said something on celebrity family feud it was a bad answer that's the problem it's like fine jewelry you know oh wow the board treated you like the chargers intend to treat jackson darts just gonna say yeah survey says that's the phrase says all right exactly right exactly right very good um i think come on oh look at you you got actual off-camera sound effects oh my god he's ready for anything you're like a vaudeville comedian right now with a horn.
Jeez. Where's that giant hook? Please. Same man at the Apollo. What's he supposed to say?
Because he's playing for his coach's job. I mean, that's the bottom. And the front office's job. I mean, if he doesn't perform well, and it looks like it's a lost campaign, but again, as I always say here, teams just have to make, based on their situation, based on the reality smart bets and jackson dart appears to be a smart bet to have gone up and have drafted him because you can't sit around and wait hey if we don't perform very well with these veterans you know we're going to go back with tommy devito again with all due respect damn it should have said that fast well you know and then and then we'll figure out the quarterback situation in next year's draft, certainly when management has made it clear and fans have made it clear, like it's now rubber meeting road time for Brian Dable and Joe Shane in the front office. And the smart bets were, okay, we're going to draft the kid.
We'll see how far we can go with the veterans. And then what we're going to do is build this defense so insanely out that all we need to do is get about two, if not three scores from our offense, and we're going to win more than not. and sure enough if they had gotten two scores in Washington D.C. they still would have been a little bit short but it would have been better. They got a bunch of scores in Dallas and suddenly couldn't stop Dak.
You know like if you could blame Dayball for anything or the coaching staff for anything was allowing Brandon Aubrey to get close to the star to kick a field goal to send it to overtime. You know and then you have to make these smart bets and Dart, it's time for the bet to now start paying off. And you're right, Chris, and I think I speak for Giants fans. Dart handing off to Scadaboo and throwing to Malik Neighbors to give a lead to Kayvon Thibodeau and Brian Burns and Abdul Carter and Sexy Dexy and Okereke, who, if I'm not mistaken, is leading the league in tackles right now. That's better than what you've had.
for the Giants in a while in terms of exciting and in terms of what the future could look like. Just protect the kid. Get Scadaboo running and running people over. Get the Chargers in one of those crazy East Coast early window moments for a West Coast team Maybe you start shocking the world you know what i mean and uh one thing is for sure is the future does not include russell wilson who i mean the nfl is a cruel cruel world sometimes one one week you're turning back the clock you're russ cooking for 450 yards against the dallas cowboys you damn near come close you set things up to end the losing streak to the Dallas Cowboys to go to one and one, send the Cowboys reeling to 0-2, heading to Chicago. And two Brandon Aubrey, 90-yard field goals later, you're back under center at 0-2 against the Kansas City Chiefs, who damn sure were going to make it sure that they weren't going to go 0-3.
You have this awful series inside the red zone in a game that you're down 22-9.
So a lot would have to happen in order for you to win. But the a lot will never happen if you don't score a touchdown here. And it was just a brutal series of four snaps. And now he's back to the role of saying things like this about his career, whether it's over or not. You know, I think for me personally, you know, as well as I'm not done.
I got so much belief in myself and know what I'm capable of. I believe I was able to show it, especially, you know, on the road in Dallas and everything else. I know that can help this football team, you know, if that comes up. But, you know, I think also, too, just for me mentally, you know, just have the best practice, you know, have the best have the best workout session in the morning, early in the morning, you know, getting here and having the same routine and and just find every single way to get better. That's what you can control.
And, you know, you control your attitude, control your gratitude. And those two things, you know, are important to me because I love the game. I love the process and I respect it. man for a guy that just did what he did in seattle and you know and it's just a shame that he's in these in this position again and you could sit here and say his plays is what put it there and you know um i have nothing but good things to say about him nice things to say about him and people who saw how to front row seat in denver i imagine that is what i shouldn't speak for but that might be behind of what him saying that him throwing the ball away rather than try and put it on a receiver and those four snaps against the Chiefs was indicative of his of Russ's selfishness which makes what we just heard sound hollow um but I I don't know Denver dead captain the Steelers just said we're done here and now the Giants three three games in are are laying in essentially at that crossroads for him. I don't know.
The crazy thing is his dart might need a blue tent moment. He comes in and he's got to stay ready.
So what he's saying makes sense. You know what I mean? You've got to be ready. If you're Jameis, do you go like, what needs to be done around here for me? He should ask for a trade.
Right. One of these other spots with the QB issue, maybe Cincinnati, I think a caller brought that up this week. But for him to go to Cincinnati? If Jake Browning has a bad Monday night against Denver? If Jake Browning is less than for a second week in a row, you know, maybe that's a situation where Jameis can be like, hey, get me out there.
Some Ws. But for the Giants, as I said, Jackson Dart. It's funny. I said to Cooper, did I say this yesterday when I told Cooper? He said, he was wondering why wasn't Dart coming into the game against the Chiefs?
Why is he just coming in for one snap and then running off the field? And running it. Right. And you know what I mean? and I basically said it's because in a struggling team, the most popular player is the backup quarterback.
Always.
Now the backup quarterback is it's time and it's here. And man, I'm telling you, I was stunned that it would be against the Chargers. But to give them some oomph at home, where the fans aren't already booing the first Russ overthrow, if it happens, now it's just excitement. Unfortunately, Tyrone Tracy Jr. is out.
uh for him but cam scadaboo the first moment that scadaboo runs someone over the fans are just plugged into that kid and then if dart turns that into points to malik neighbors i mean there's going to be a roar in in met life for the giants that you haven't heard in a very long time and then abdul carter comes up with a sack and then the front office could sit back go see we drafted it that's what's got to have to happen and then show enough of a sign a pulse that for Dable, who I like, and I think Giants fans should not discard. I know I'm saying a lot there. For him to be able to go to management or management to him and say, let's keep it going. And Dart, if Dart does well and does suddenly have some juice and some capital in the building, go, I like this guy.
Well, okay then. That's why he's being asked, can you play enough to save the coach's job? Which is kind of unfair to ask someone who's never taken a starting snap in the NFL just yet. But he can take it. He looks the part.
The question is, will he look the part when it's time to play? That's what's coming up on Sunday. Chargers at Giants. Early window. Let's take a break.
Man who's going to be calling that game locally on the radio here, my guy from NFL Network, Daniel Jeremiah, next on The Rich Eisen Show. The Rich Eisen Show podcast. ESPN Radio presented by Progressive Insurance. We're back on our simulcast. Disney+, the ESPN app everywhere, and ESPN Radio, Sirius XM Channel 80.
This man calls the Chargers games locally here on the radio. Perfect guy to be chatting with, certainly since Jackson Dart's making that start. Ladies and gentlemen, Daniel Jeremiah back here in the program. What's up, DJ? I'm doing great, buddy.
I like to see you trying to will fall to get here. I can't get enough of it. I can't get enough. Exactly what I thought to myself today. There's no chill in the Southern California here, but damn it, I just want to start to will that to arrive.
How great is that? How great is that first night, by the way, where it's just a little cold? I know. That's what I'm looking forward to. I know.
Spoken like two Southern Californian residents right now.
Some of the country's like, what are you talking about? Let's just jump into it. I texted you yesterday. You are the perfect guest in every way, no matter when. But in this instance, having probably watched as much Jackson Dart tape as anybody else prior to the draft and calling Chargers games, as you do locally here on the radio, now those two shall meet.
Were you surprised that Jackson Dart now is the time against this defense that you know is one of the top in the National Football League, DJ? I'm not surprised, and more so just because you look at their schedule. I don't know where the break is, really. I mean, there's just so many tough defensive opponents lined up for the Giants. Kind of as you look through it, you're like, okay, well, he could have gone to New Orleans, but then you turn around and you go Philly.
I just saw Denver and saw them hammer Herbert. I mean, they are very good up front. Philly twice, San Francisco. I mean, like it's just, you know, I don't think they want to wait until Chicago week 10 to get him out there on the field.
So not surprised that it happened this early. There's no perfect time to do it. And, you know, I thought, OK, maybe Russ bought him some time with the Dallas game. And then we've just kind of learned that Dallas is just just awful, dreadful defensively.
So that wasn't something that they felt was sustainable. OK, so now what do you think Jackson Dart can bring to the equation starting this weekend against those Chargers?
Well, the things the thing that 100 percent is going to bring two things, going to bring energy and athleticism.
So he's going to he's going to get everybody excited. he's going to get the stadium excited you know and as someone who's been a New York sports fan Rich you know when there's the new thing I mean that gets everybody fired up and excited so that's going to take place and then the athleticism side of it he's going to be able to get away from some things that maybe Russ couldn't get away from they can they can create some design quarterback runs if they'd like to help in that regard I mean it's going to be it's going to be a very tough challenge with the Chargers because you know the Chargers can collapse the pocket with their rush It's not really an individual rusher. It's more kind of like a rush plan that they use where they're just going to kind of condense you in and try and just crowd your space inside the pocket. And they do it with four guys. And now you've got seven to comb through on the back end that can kind of muddy the picture.
So, you know, I went back through all the preseason stuff. I went back through my college notes and I watched all the preseason stuff with Dart. And he got better and better each game, each of the three weeks. And I thought they kind of figured out where he was comfortable, which was a lot more empty stuff. It really spread in the formation, spread in the field, giving him some clear sight lines, kind of a catch, rock and throw from the gun with quick decisions.
And then it also creates some running lanes when you spread the field like that, where he can use his athleticism, take off and go. I don't think you want to condense things down. I think that would make the picture very, very muddy for him in his first start. What do you mean condense? What do you mean by that in terms of what Dayball would do?
Is that what you're saying?
Well, I mean, look, there's a lot going on with teams playing with a lot of tight ends, and you're seeing 12 personnel, a lot of two tight ends. You're seeing a lot of teams condense it down, you know, so you're going to bring the receivers into the formation. You're going to kind of condense everything down and then kind of break out from there, run the ball, play action, and then try and hit some things off of that. I don't think that's, you know, at this point in time where Dart's going to be the most comfortable. I think he's going to be more comfortable if you think back to when Joe Burrow was coming into the league we advocated the same thing for him which was he likes to have answers and be able to see everything spread across the field find an individual matchup that he likes and try and get the ball out that's when he's going to be at his best at this point in time Daniel Jeremiah here on the Rich Eisen show and let's talk Chargers here sir I mean you've been part of the Ravens Eagles organization prior to doing what you do on television and so you've been there done that when you've seen championship organizations start to coalesce around a roster and a coach.
Do you see championship stuff through three weeks with the Chargers right now, Daniel? I think there's some championship DNA in there. And what those organizations have in common and what Jim Harbaugh has kind of instilled with this group is that you're going to have those three or four plays. I mean, how many times have you guys come in on a Monday and you're recapping games and you go, man, if just this one play happens differently. I mean the Eagles could be 0-3 right now if not for three plays in their first three games.
Well that's the NFL and those teams in those winning time moments, they're comfortable in those moments and they thrive in those moments You seen it with the Eagles and it not just offense defense it special teams as well They block a kick Last week the Chargers defense had to get a stop late in the game They get it You got to get a drive down the field Herbert making plays to you know a rookie tight end and a rookie back. And then you've got a kicker that's got to nail the field goal and Cameron Dicker doesn't miss.
So they've really kind of, they've really got comfortable in those stressful winning time moments. And I think that's all Harbaugh, man. It's all him. It's all instilling belief in all of his guys. It's the extra work and the grinding, you know, that they do during training camp and the extra periods.
And that's how you finish well. And in the NFL, I mean, that's every week you're going to be in games, in tight games, and you've got to make winning time plays in those moments. And you were there for Herbert taking off and running to seal the Chiefs game. I mean, they've done this each and every week. Yeah, and chargering, there was even a name for it, right?
what the Chargers would have happen to them, wild, odd, self-inflicted, whatever you want to talk about to prevent them from winning games like the ones that you're talking about. And I know you came up to me during a commercial break on Game Day morning last week and you mentioned number three in the program, number one in everyone's hearts here in Los Angeles. I just want to give you the floor on Derwin James, what you're seeing out of him defensively and what Dart is going to be dealing with this weekend with him.
Well, Well, Derwin's one of the best football players that I've been around. And I started in 03 in my scouting time. And I'll get to the player in just a second. But I also told you this. He's my favorite person that I've ever been around in the NFL.
I've been around for every single one of his games. This guy brings energy. And I'm not talking like energy in the huddle, on the sideline, on the field, all that stuff, you can see that on TV. I'm talking about energy on the plane. I'm talking about energy in the meal room.
like this guy is just a galvanizing force everyone loves being around him he knows everybody in the whole operation i mean he'll come up to me and ask me how my my kids are doing like he's just an unbelievable dude so you start with him as the person which is exceptional then you get him on the field and they've mastered how to use him jesse menner has where you know he can do so many different things so it's like okay you know is there is it too much do we narrow it down They've got him living closer to the line of scrimmage, and he is a dynamic blitzer. He is going to get tackles for loss in the run game. He can buzz underneath coverage and take away tight ends and backs. There's screens. I mean, he just kind of erases screens, which you're going to see a lot of, I think, with the Giants this week.
With Jackson Dart, I think they'll try and get the screen game going, but Derwin just kind of eliminates that and erases that.
So I think he's one of the elite, elite players in this game, and I know people say it's corny and cliche, but I'm telling you, without a doubt, he is a better person than he is a football player. He's just a complete stud. Daniel Jeremiah here on the Rich Eisen Show. Loser of the Ravens and Chiefs. I'll ask the same question I asked my colleague, our colleague, Kurt Warner yesterday.
The loser of this game, which one are you more concerned about?
Well, I just think when you look at the makeup of the division and where the Chargers are right now, I'd be more worried about the Chiefs in terms of trying to run them down and win the division. I don't think that anybody's going to run away from the Ravens and the AFC North. Obviously, they don't want to start the season one and three, but I still think that division would be within their grasp if that were to happen. If you're the Chiefs and the Chargers are already 3-0 in the division and you go out and lose this game, look, I know there's help coming. Xavier Worthy coming back, and they'll get Rasheed Rice back.
They're going to be playing good football. I'm very confident in that in the back half of the season, but that could be a pretty big hole to dig out of. All right.
So then which team that is currently 3-0 are you, outside of the one that we just hit with the Chargers, which one are you saying, okay, that's the real thing here? Would you say it's the Eagles for sure? I mean, the Eagles just know how to win those games, man. They're not even playing great. And then every week it's like, oh, they got a couple guys hurt, and I saw Nolan Smith's going to be down on the IR, for he's going to be out for a month.
They keep losing guys, and then they just keep finding ways to win. And you never leave the game thinking that they've played their best, but they're just kind of finding ways to do it. You could say the same thing about Baker and the Bucs, right? And that game happens this weekend. It's going to be a great game.
Let's start drilling down on some of these things. What do you think about that one, Daniel? I think it's going to be the most physical game you watch this week is going to be that game. And both those teams pride themselves on the physicality. both of those quarterbacks ironically had the same training with Lincoln Riley, but both of them are very, very poised, and they're very good when you get into those big moments, which I think you'll find yourself in in this game.
I think if Tampa was healthy up front on the offensive line, I would lean towards them in this particular matchup, but I think with some of the injuries that they've sustained there not being whole on the offensive line, I could see the Eagles kind of doing an eagle thing and finding a way to eke one out there. And then just up the road from here, uh three you know daniel jones danny diamonds okay coming in to take on a two and one rams team that had a shot to knock off the defending world champs again and couldn't couldn't finally finish couldn't finish the deal um what do you make of both of those teams in this matchup daniel i think if you just look at them um emotionally neutral i would say the rams would win this game and i'd feel confident in that i just i'm a little bit worried with how much the Rams put into last week and how much energy that took out of them, you know, in losing that ballgame. I'm curious to see if there's some carryover there. You know, I'll still lean towards them winning this game, but I think it's maybe closer than it would have been if they didn't just come off of an emotionally exhausting game against the Eagles. But, you know, what the Colts done has been impressive.
And, you know, we've talked about this before, Rich, but, you know, if you're looking for a quarterback in the future and you don't love guys in the draft, just find somebody who was in the New York market who didn't work out. Gino, Sam, Daniel Jones. I mean, it just kind of seems to be a thing that's happened here. And Zach Wilson's waiting for his chance, I guess. Yeah, he's waiting for his shot.
We'll see what happens. I hear you. Lions looked terrific. Do you think they're back? Any concern?
Yeah, I think they've kind of put it out there for us that we can't ignore it, that, hey, that was just a mulligan week one. That wasn't who they are. They've kind of proven who they are the last couple weeks with dominant performances. I love seeing the creativity. You know, I know our buddy David Shaw is on that staff there, and that kind of reminded me, you know, obviously the culture that Dan Campbell's installed there.
But you remember when Stanford used to always talk about intellectual brutality? That's what the Lions looked like in that game. It was like, okay, they physically beat up the Ravens, which is not easy to do. But then they also had the creative component to it as well.
So it's almost like they out-thought them and then they out-physicaled them. And when you've got that combination going, you're in pretty good shape. But I think that's the most impressive win we've seen this year. Do you think that they are the best team in the NFC North? Or it's just recency bias because the Packers had issues with the Cleveland defense that may turn out to be top five at the end of the day anyway.
But the Vikings got Carson Wentz opening up a playbook that clearly wasn't as open for J.J. McCarthy. as it was with Carson Wentz. What's your read of the NFC North here? I just think if you look at a snapshot of where they are now and you take out what we saw week one, to me I just look at it and say, okay, well Detroit's playing the best football and I think it's sustainable what they're doing.
So I would put them there as the favorite inside this division right now, but there's still a lot to be sorted out. I think it's a really, really good division. Looking forward to seeing how that kind of shakes out as we go forward. I was just looking at all the divisions the other day. What was the most intriguing one or what am I curious to follow?
That would probably be number two for me. I think what's going on in the NFC West, I think the Seahawks are playing really good football. I think the Rams, I mean, again, you mentioned it. They had that game well in hand and couldn't finish it against the Eagles. But those teams going at it and then somehow you look up and minus some key players, including their quarterback, it's like, wait, the 49ers are undefeated?
What? Yeah. So, you know, that's an interesting division to keep an eye on. The Cardinals are 2-1. They lost James Conner.
But that's the way things kick off tonight for week four is Seattle at Arizona. And the winner of that team, winner of that game is 3-1. And if the Seahawks knock down the pass from Purdy to Jake Tonjes, you know, they're 3-0. You know what I mean? I like them, man.
I really like what I've seen from them, watching them on tape. Why? Sam is playing great. Sam's comfortable. He's just playing with a lot of trust in his guys and his eyes.
I mean, he's seeing it. He's letting it rip. JSN looks like a legit number one. Torrey Horton, we sat together on the draft set. I thought that was one of the all-time steals in the draft where they were able to pick him up.
He should never have been there that late, and you're seeing him make plays. Oots, who was a favorite of ours at the Combine. Oots, there it is. Oots, there it is. That was one of our favorites.
That's another one. We were having a lot of fun. He's been great. And then defensively, I've been kind of beating the drum on this one, but I think Leonard Williams is playing as good as anybody in the league. And I would put Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy up there against any defensive tackle combo in the league right now.
Those guys are awesome.
Okay, so you're high on the Seahawks. Before I let you go, let's talk a little college football. What are you seeing out of that quarterback class that we might be waiting for in a few months? I know we still have a lot of playing season left, but what are you seeing at the collegiate level that's intriguing you at the quarterback spot, Daniel? I think it's wide open.
I don't think anybody's kind of blown the doors off of evaluators at this point in time. Mendoza's played really well at Indiana. I'm excited to kind of dig in and study him. I haven't seen a ton of him. I know about him, obviously, coming over from Cal, but he's played really well.
Watching those guys over the summer, I was really excited about Sellers, but he's kind of battled some injuries for South Carolina so far this year.
Well, there's a lot of talent. There's a lot of ability in there.
So it's going to be, you know, Clubnick has been not good. I didn't love him when I watched him over the summer. I think he needs more time. Nussmeyer's been, you know, solid.
So I don't know that anybody's kind of just taking it over. And, you know, I think it's all out there. I think we've got some huge games starting this week. Aller going to have a big opportunity at Penn State to kind of you know get back into the national spotlight on a big stage you know coming off the last image you had of him at the end of last year which wasn the best that going to be a huge challenge a huge test for them with Oregon coming to town. He's got a huge opportunity in front of him to see if he can grab a hold of that thing.
Yeah, man. The Browns are going to tank for Arch. Conversations are gone right now. Again, I don't know how much you've been focusing on film or anything drilling down on Arch Manning's first month. And it's potentially unfair to have placed some sort of expectation level on Arch Manning coming into the season.
But do you have an opinion on that, Daniel? Yeah, I mean, I haven't gone through all the tape, so I wouldn't give you the stamp one way or the other. It's just TV scouting and watching on TV. It just doesn't look like he's gotten settled in and comfortable.
Now, obviously, the quality of the opponent went down, and you saw him put up some better numbers outside the UTEP game, which that was not a great first half there. He just needs to play. He just needs to play. We can eliminate the talk about him jumping into the draft this year. He needs to play a lot of football.
And the size, the athleticism, that's all there. I thought he looked a little bit nicked up in that game against Ohio State. I didn't think he looked. He kept just rolling his shoulder on the sideline and stuff. I didn't know what was going on there.
That might be something we find out at the end of the year. Maybe there was something there. But that's my only takeaway, Rich. It's not a headline grabber, but just give the guy some time. He needs it.
All right.
Very good. Before I let you go, who do you think is the best team in the National Football League through three weeks? And you can obviously include the team that you see all the time. Go for it. What do you have for me?
Yeah. I mean, I'm going to get called a homer, but I just think the way the Chargers are playing is very – it's very easy to replicate the way they're playing. They're not relying on just one guy on either side of the ball. They're really good on special teams. They're playing really good football, and they've banked three division wins.
So, you know, it's hard for me to, you know, not be a homer on that one and say that they look like the best team. I do have one question for you before we leave. You're asking me if I'm going to relieve for the Dodgers in the playoff? No, no. I thought you were going to Padre fans about to come out.
I'm sorry. No, no. I wasn't going to say that. I was going to say, is Del Tufo now closing for the Dodgers? I saw he was wearing a Dodgers hat.
Please give him grief, Daniel. I didn't know that was the case. Because this guy showing up in a Dodger hat. He's the worst. He's laughing.
He thinks he's funny. Go Dodgers. But honestly, for all of us in the New York City metropolitan area, it's like the goodfellas line, we have to turn our back on him now. You know what I mean? This is an outrage for him.
Was he Mets or Yankees previously? Yankees. His entire life. They got to get rid of the whole front office. I'm done with him.
I'm done. Done with him. You can't quit him. Of course he can't. I can't.
After last year, it was like I was done. Could you believe that? They were in the World Series. I know. He makes no sense.
What are you doing? He makes no sense. Please get on him. Go for it. Goodness gracious.
Do you know how much bad baseball I've sat through at Jack Murphy, Qualcomm, PECO over the years? But I've actually watched one of those years when the Yankees beat him. Get him, Daniel. But in saying that, it's like they're not. Come on.
Get him. Daniel. DJ, get him. They got to get. Come on.
This is embarrassing. Do you realize my youngest is 18 years old, okay? My youngest son's 18 years old. I will make this proclamation. If the Padres were to get, not even win, if they were to get to the World Series this year, his great-grandchildren will be Padre fans.
I am very confident in saying that. You're going to quit him. They were in the World Series last year. Are you crazy? First of all, I didn't quit.
You did. Oh, you definitely quit. A hat on your head. You're literally wearing a Dodger hat.
something that says like i can have two teeth mike the hat on your head screams i quit in the same way that costanza and seinfeld always said anyone who wears sweats is quitting on life as well i'm wondering if you're wearing sweatpants right now seriously okay now now look at him now look at him this is just an outrage oh my god I go back and forth. You're terrible. It's so unacceptable. I'll even give you this. I don't love it, but I will give you, if you have another sport in a different city, like if you're a Yankees fan, but maybe you had spent time in Philadelphia, you're a Sixers fan.
But you got to stick with your one team and your one sport. That's non-negotiable. May I introduce you to one, TJ Jefferson, who is just sitting back and enjoying this entire exchange. I got nothing to do with this, TJ. No, no, a Met Sixer Clipper fan right there.
Okay.
So you don't get Sixers and Clippers. You don't get both of those. No, he can. I mean, there's like East and West Coast, but there he is right there. His New York Metropolitan is holding on for dear life right now.
Dear life. Finally getting a Dodger save out of the bullpen last night to save the Mets from being behind the Diamondbacks this morning, Daniel. That's great. All of a Yankee hat, too. Get that off.
Get that off your head. You don't mean it. I've watched the nine hours of HR videos that I was responsible for as an employee of the NFL Network. You're way late on that, man. Oh, my gosh.
How many months overdue were you on that one? I did it this summer. Yeah, I just – That was overdue. Yeah, I just – I would finish one, and then another one would pop up. I know.
Joey Lawrence is making some sweet cash on those videos. If you didn't know that, he is killing it on there. I just got an email. I got to do a sexual harassment training for ESPN. Do I got to do this?
So here's my question, though. Welcome to the machine, sir. Here's my gambling question.
So based off of what the knowledge that I just gleaned right there on TJ, if he goes to Vegas and plays roulette, does he just put like one chip on every single number? No, man. Hey, I won. Hey, I won. Hey.
Jeremiah. Hey. I don't care. You know what I'm saying? I don't care, DJ.
DJ, I watched Justin Vegas, and I played roulette three times. We took $100, and we just betted on one color, and we won three times. Hey, look at you. That should inform your sports fandom right there. That is a great metaphor.
Ladies and gentlemen, give TJ Jefferson a coin flip of odds, and he'll make money is basically what he's saying. Thanks for the time, DJ. Thanks for the time, Daniel. There he goes, Daniel Jeremiah, here on The Rich Eisen Show. And Daniel's one of the nicest people on planet Earth, and even he's all around you.
I mean, Rich. See, that's what you engender with this sort of behavior. Let's take a break. 844-204-RICH is the number to dial. Dan Soder's going to make his way to our studio in hour number three.
Let's go. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. back here on the Rich Eisen Show. ESPN Radio is presented by Progressive Insurance and Progressive. They offer auto home and commercial auto insurance plus a variety of business insurance options to cover your small business needs and more.
Visit Progressive.com today. Derek in Missouri. Let's take his phone call. What's up, Derek? How are you, sir?
Hey, Rick. I'm doing good. I just want to check out my good friend Brockman over there from his little blunder that he had yesterday. I hope he's doing all right. And somebody brought in some donuts and cookies He said to, you know, take it off his mind, you know?
Uh-huh. I don't need to take it from you, too, Derek. Come on now, man. There we go. He's turned the page, Derek.
That's right. Take it from friends. That's it. Correct. Thank you.
I'm doing good. But, Rich, I have a higher register take for you, if I may.
So it's no secret that the last two games have been bone crushing for the Broncos, thanks to the Colts and the Chargers. But hopefully Monday night we break off the streak and we don't maybe have a heartbreaking loss again as time expires. I hope. Derek in Missouri, everybody.
Well done. Derek in Missouri. So you need to go high register to believe that your Broncos go 2-2 against the Bengals, sir? Is that what you're saying?
I mean, we should be 3-0 realistically. I mean, just because what happened these last two games. I mean, the Chargers game, my gosh, Rich, I mean, penalties just killed us at the end. That's what happened. But, you know, I have a good feeling about it tonight, but, again, you just, you never know.
Thank you very much, Derek. Only time will tell, I guess. Derek in Missouri, thank you. Did you see the stat that the Broncos have trailed in the fourth quarter this year? 0.0 seconds.
their two losses came with no time off oh my god and they're you know one loss they didn't they never they never led in the fourth quarter so actually no no their one win they they led in the entire fourth quarter and their two losses came at the time left right they have trailed in the fourth quarter zero seconds and you're one and two well that's the way the ball i mean you can't even say bounces kicks the leverage penalty through the air leverage penalty they'd be two and one or obviously stopping Justin Herbert well nobody's one of two drives nobody's doing that right now I mean Daniel was just talking about how dirt so we had Kurt Warner say Justin Herbert's playing like an MVP and we just heard Daniel Jeremiah saying Derwin James is playing like a defensive player of the year which he very well could be by the end of the day That's how you can get to be 3-0. Jim could be coach of the year, Justin Herbert MVP, and Derwin James defensive player of the year. Is that an overreaction Thursday? I like that. Justin Herbert is third in MVP odds.
What about Derwin James? I bet you he's even top five. That's the sort of thing that folks wouldn't pay attention to on the left coast. He's way down. I wonder where Patrick Sertan was after three weeks last year.
Probably not anywhere near the top either. I don't think so. Derwin James is 100 to 1. That's an absurd number. I don't understand how these odds work anyways.
Coach of the year, Jim Harbaugh's second, plus 650. Behind? Shane Steichen.
Okay.
Kyle Shanahan third. Why is it always like, we didn't see it coming, and so you actually do well, so you're now coach of the year? That's how that award works.
Okay.
Is that how it works? Yeah. What about Dan Campbell? Didn't see what that's coming. He's sixth.
That's kind of nutty. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast.
