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Now. On with the show. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles.
So bad. Watches it fly. The Rich Eisen Show. Chapman, leave the. The face is loaded.
Today's guest. Right. Hall of Famer Kirk Warner, Bears wide receiver, Roe. What will Junze? Dancing with the Star Toes.
Alfonso Ribero. And now. It's Rich Eisen.
Well, that's true, and I can confirm it by my presence. Welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show, live on Disney Plus, the ESPN app everywhere, ESPN Radio, presented by Progressive. insurance Rama Dunze one of the Young hot receivers in the National Football League, fresh off of the Bears, improving to 2-2, is going to join us in the middle of this program. Kurt Warner is first up on his usual Warner Wednesday spot. Alfonso Ribeiro, everybody, the delightful Alfonso Ribeiro of everything, I guess that Jimmy Kimmel doesn't do for anything on Disney or ABC, is on this program, Dancing with the Stars.
America's Funniest home videos, all of that good stuff. You saw him at the American Century this month. I did indeed. I did. He's one of the 87 other players.
I went. Looking up at and saying hello. Poor Dylan Dreyer. Yeah. Catherine Tappen is the only one that I can listen to the side and save.
What's up, T88? At any rate, they were delightful to play with, all of them. I didn't get a chance to play with Alfonso, but we'll have fun with him when he joins us in the program. Good to see you over there, Christopher. How are you?
Hey, Rich. I'm great. What's up, man? DJ Mikey D is indeed nuts. Good to see you.
Just so you know, my analytics says I've pushed enough faders. I should be taken out of the game. Good to know. Oh, wow. Oh, what's up?
TJ Jefferson, how are you, sir? Good to see you. I too would like to say hello to Dylan Dreyer.
Okay, nice. I have a random question. You know, it's always random with you. Yeah, yeah. Did you have a show name picked out if it wasn't the Rich Eisen Show?
Was there ever anything else that you were going to call a show? No. No. I don't know why. I don't know if you're aware it's born out of a podcast called The The Rich Eyes of the Express.
Yeah, I don't know. It just popped into my head, so I don't know why.
Okay. Great. I didn't know if you had a funky name pin or no funky names. But you bald guys. You know what I mean?
Uh let's start this program with um uh a general um question that we see in across sports. Is when do you pull your starter? And interesting, it's a tale of two such stories right now. Because one Has done so when everybody thought maybe it's time to do so. And we'll see how it works out.
And another one who did it. when I can safely attest everybody who roots for that team. says do not take your starter out. One is football, the other is baseball. A tale of two starters being pulled.
One In Cleveland, Ohio, where unfortunately for Guardians fans, A.J. Hinch decided to say to Tyrek School, just keep pitching. You stay out there. Oh, you know, because again, it's the wild card. Right.
round and it's three straight games in a row. And if you don't advance, your season's over. And if you do advance... Your game one starter isn't most likely, depending on the way things play out for the divisional round, isn't going to be your game one starter for that round due to the five days of rest.
So you might as well just push the pedal to the middle, which AJ Hinch decided to do, yada, yada, yada. Tarek Scoobel. has a victory in Cleveland that stands up. And as you know, a lot of Cleveland sports fans have been pouring their heart and soul and hopes into the. Guardians for their remarkable run to the playoffs to not only even make it, but host the wild card round as American League Central Champs.
And the reason why they're doing that is because they have a great story, great team to root for. And also, there's the Browns. And the CAV season hasn't started yet. And they know how the CAV season, despite it being so remarkable in the regular season last year, there was a drain and it circled it pretty fast.
So The Browns have a head coach in Kevin Stefansky, two-time coach of the year. who has decided to pull his starter. His name is Joe Flacco. And Flacco. Once upon a time was the comeback player of the year.
From his couch. Two of the Cleveland Browns in the Stefanski system, and everything there lit up like a Christmas tree. With Deshaun Watson being out for the rest of the season, and the Browns made the playoffs. With Joe Flacco as their starter. And It was amazing.
There are a number of people who won their fantasy leagues because they decided to take a flyer on Flacco when he first started for the Browns and did well in his first start. And he was unreal. And so when the Browns brought him back for one year, four million bucks. and then decided to draft not one but two rookies. To join Kenny Pickett, who was there, who they acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles.
Almost within a month after he took the victory formation to start a parade in Philadelphia. It's like, okay, it's only a matter of time, one would think, unless Flacco lights it up. that they'll start Pick it. Or one of the rookies. And as it turned out, Pickett.
Got hurt in training camp. He wound up being. Traded to the Raiders, where there's so many interceptions being thrown by. Geno Smith, there's some conversation in the desert right now about whether maybe Pickett should start there. because there's only one person who's turned it over more.
In the first four weeks of this season. than Geno Smith. And his name is Joe Flacco. Mm-hmm.
So Sure enough. As soon as we left the studio here yesterday. getting set to watch all the playoff baseball games on ESPN and the family of networks. Um Stefansky made a move. and it's Dylan Gabriel starting at quarterback.
And we'll see how this one works out. As Dylan Gabriel Um is now going to be the first quarterback. In NFL history. to make his first career start in an international game. Yes, he will play in the home of Tottenham before he plays in the home of the Browns or anyone else's home in the NFL.
And he's taking on a Vikings team that is only traveling to London from Ireland. And Gabriel knows all about traveling. Central Florida, Oklahoma, Oregon. Six years in college, so he's gotten some reps. Responsible for the most starts.
And touchdowns in the history of college football quarterbacking, 63 starts. He basically turns to Bo Nix and Brock Purdy says, Hold my beer and 189 touchdowns. And in terms of passing touchdowns, he's tied with somebody who's, I think. See being brought in as a backup in commercials these days, Case Keenum. 155 passing touchdowns there.
So he's gotten some experience, and Stefansky. Let it be known, some first-team reps during the first month of the season as well.
So there's been some writing on the wall internally. This was Kevin Stefanski about making the move. From the second he's been here, he's been working very hard. Very intelligent young man. He's done a nice job throughout practice.
And, you know, he's been This whole season he's been learning how to get yourself ready and and uh understand the rhythm of an NFL week and what that looks like as a backup and uh obviously now feel like he's ready uh to go in as a starter. Why now? Yeah, just my decision where I felt uh this decision was was uh best for the football team. Would you slide into the number two roll? Yes.
You decide to make Joe the backup and not Shador. Yeah, Joe's the backup. And again, that's a question that's not being asked of any coach who's drafted somebody in the fifth round of a draft. Why is. Why is uh Shador not backing up?
And we'll have more time to talk about Shador. This is more about what Dylan Gabriel is going to do in the moment, to be honest with you. I know everyone's going to make it about Shador. I know pretty much any other show that's being broadcast and distributed by. Uh Disney or ESPN is going to make it about Shador.
Um But this is Dylan Gabriel's gig right now. And It makes sense Go be Jackson Dart, kid. Because Dart's the only one from that draft class that's won a game so far. Cam Ward is yet to. Maybe Dylan Gabriel could be the second.
Taking on a Vikings team. that will no doubt look at this What I People would call Tua Junior, right, as potentially fresh meat. We will see. What he can do, Quinchon Judkins can help. His rushing attack has um Come alive.
But guess what, Browns fans? You now have a 41st different starting quarterback since. Reconstituting in 1999, that is way. way deep in first place. The second Place team in terms of most starting quarterbacks since 1999 are your Chicago Bears with 30.
Wow. 30, they have an 11 QB lead. That is correct. And who knows, maybe by the end of the year, if Shador gets his shot. A dozen.
Dang. And this is all about the Browns picking in their way through this year with multiple draft choices next year. And I know nobody in that locker room and certainly in that town wants to already talk about 20. twenty six, but Is Gable going to be the guy? We'll see.
If not, Do they finally give Shador a shot? We'll see. But it doesn't surprise me that after a one and three start with the way everything's looked on offense and the fact that. Flacco threw another couple of interceptions last week. that he makes a move like this.
Because he reads the room? And he has a gut and feel. And he makes a move. Dylan Gabriel We just mentioned over the first few minutes of this program. is the football.
portion of the conversation over the last twenty four hours of somebody deciding to pull His starter? His starting thrower. pitcher, if you will, in football. Um Dylan Gabriel, the guy who comes in, is left-handed, like the guy who Aaron Boone took out. Last night.
After six in the third shutout innings. And Max Freed. On the mound with a 1-0 lead on Garrett Crochet and the Red Sox, their left-hander. Cy Young Award candidate, just like Max Freed. 19 wins for Max Freed in his first season as a Yankee, and it was crucial.
That he would make all those starts and perform as well as he performed with an ERA less than three because Garrett Cole, as we all know, blew out his arm. needing Tommy John surgery before anything happened this year. And so Freed in his first start in Yankee Stadium, coming up with strikeouts, cruising through the first three, and then escaping some jams, some of his own making in the next three innings. Got a double play ground ball to get out of the sixth and uh Jaren Durin? Coming up.
In um The seventh in, left-hander, keep him in, and he gets him out. And out comes Aaron Boone. to take out his starting pitcher after 102 pitches. And at that point in time, You know what lit up like a Christmas tree? My phone.
Cooper, my 14-year-old die-hard Yankee fan son, who sits next to me watching Michael Kaye and the S Network for six straight months. My buddy Paul. Name anybody else in my life who's a Yankee fan is texting me. One particular. Man whose enthusiasm can be curbed every now and then?
Oh. Texting. What is Boone doing? What's he doing bringing in Luke Weaver? In this game?
And, you know, sure enough, Luke Weaver last year. took over the role of closer. from eventual New York met Shme Schmoms as he's referred to in our house because Kurt Cooper and I could not. Bear to say the name Clay Holmes after a while last year. Weaver was great in last year's playoffs.
Maybe there's some gut and there's some feel here.
Well A walk, double. Bay said later. There goes the lead. Just like that. And underneath, if you look at the box score of last night's game, you could see the ERA because they start from scratch in the playoffs.
The ERA of Max Fried is 0.00. And then right underneath are the letters INF, which stands for usually infielder. Not with when it usually stands for infielder in baseball, but in this particular point. It stands for infinity. And beyond.
We are on Disney Plus. I guess I should. Say and beyond. Yeah. Infinity!
Let me out.
Now, interestingly enough, you look at Garrett Crochet's total pitches. Um He's still in the game. You know, Alex Corn says, you know what? I'm riding my horse. I He pitches 117.
Total pitches. Max Freed at 102. And you had to know, Aaron Boone had to know. He's been through enough of these rodeos. He's been through enough of these postseason rodeos.
He's been through enough of these postseason rodeos against the Red Sox. Yep. To know. That at that very moment At that moment. When A second Boston Red Sox crossed home plate.
As Luke Weaver now comes out of the game, he had to know. It would be on, like, the proverbial Donkey Kong after the game as to why did you do it? Why'd you do it? Because right now, as a Yankee fan, I'm sitting here thinking.
Well, at least Max Freed is rested for his first start of 2026, right? But I'm not a manager. I don't have that keen eye to know when somebody's. Flagging, this is what Boone had to say. Yeah, just uh They pressured them pretty good in the Fourth, fifth, sixth, you know, I had a couple base runners each inning.
So I felt like he kind of cruised through the first few and obviously he ends up pitching great, but I felt like he had to work pretty hard and I was going to have the six B at the end. But once we got the double we finished with the double play, I wanted him to go out and get Duran and then felt like we were lined up. I don't know what lined up means other than the fact of. I guess lined up Weaver and then You know, Devin Williams and then Bednar for the, for the, for the close. I guess that's what he meant by lined up.
Um The thing I I just don't get it. I don't understand it. It's an easy second guess. It's a simple second guess. And all you have to know is, I'm sure.
Um you Chris were being kind to not hit me up. Same thing with everybody on Susie's side of the family. You had to be doing cartwheels when you saw Aaron Boone coming out of the. dug out to take Max Freed out with 102 pitches. Knowing again, by the way, am I correct in that assumption?
I can't do a cartwheel. Can you confirm figurative cartwheels, mental cartwheels? Very exciting. You can confirm it. Great.
Because again, Max Freed isn't going to, if you advance, start game one of the American League Division Series because that's Saturday. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Tarek Skubel, if the Tigers advance would start game two. at the earliest. And he stayed in.
If you guys advance... Crochet will start game two. And you'll deal with that later. Gotta get to game two. You have to get to game two of the American League Division Series, and in order to do that, The history of these three gamers now is the way that the league is set it up.
The, the, the way that Major League Baseball is set it up. No team that's lost the first game has won the next two to advance.
So the Yankees are going to have to set a new standard. Again, there's not a lot of history in it. And they do have Radon to go tonight. It's been great all year. And they I'm just wondering.
Can we get more than 102 pitches at him if it happens? Again, it's an easy second guess. Simple one. And he had a no. Certainly, when Crochet goes 117 pitches into the eighth and hands things off.
to her all this chap and for a four out save and Chapman showed up in the ninth inning of that four-out save, looking exactly like the Chapman that a lot of us from Yankee fandom saw. As he loads the bases only to get out of it, Mm. Yeah. With two strikeouts around a pop flat or right field that the Yankees weren't running on. And that's the unkindest cut.
It's also a dislike Let the Yankee fans see the nice light at the end of the tunnel to flip this entire script, and we're not. talking about what Aaron Boone did with Freed. Instead, we're talking about Giancarlo Stanton with a walk-off Base hit or anybody else, and it didn't happen, and now the Yankees are in trouble. Carl Swordone, season high pitches this year, 109.
Okay. He did it twice. I'd like to go longer. I'd like to see longer than that if he is succeeding. Yeah.
Right now, I'm sure Max Freed is like, okay, this will be great. Uh I'm I guess I'll be fully well rested for the. First week in April. Last week in March. That's the beauty of baseball.
We're back at it today. And the same thing goes for the Guardians. Same thing goes for the Padres. Same thing goes for the Reds, who lost their respective games to the Tigers Cubs. And Dodgers.
So Know when to pull your starter. Stefanski's done it. We'll see what happens. Boone did it. We saw what happened.
We'll see what happens from there. That's the way we start. Our first. segment of this three-hour program. Kurt Warner will join us next.
Right here on The Rich Eisen Show to talk about what he expects from Dylan Gabriel, what he saw from Jackson Dart, and more. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. As many of you know, supporting pediatric cancer research is something I care deeply about. That's why I'm proud to share what Hyundai is doing through Hyundai Hope on Wheels. For over 27 years, with every Hyundai sold, they've helped fund pediatric cancer research.
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Visit HyundaiUSA.com and search Hyundai Hope on Wheels to learn more. Back on the Rich Eisen Show, Simocast, everybody. We're on ESPN Radio, presented by Progressive Insurance. And as usual, Wednesday spot. Ladies and gentlemen, Kurt Warner.
Good to see you, Kurt. How are you? I'm good, buddy. How are you? What's your opinion of the move that Kevin Stefansky made, sir?
What do you think about Flack Dylan Gabriel in? What do you think? I think most of us felt like it was just a matter of time. You know, that the future of their franchise wasn't Joe Flacco, even though he was the best quarterback. Obviously, coming in, and I think he's played well at times.
I don't think he played very well. On Sunday, with the record, where it is, and I think I've heard a few people talk about it. They've got some draft stock in the first round next year. Where they could get a quarterback if one of those guys is the right guy. I'm not sure watching college football who that right guy is to pick high in the draft quite yet.
But if they wanna do that, they gotta figure out these two guys that they drafted this year, if one of them can be. Their guy or can be their guy for a while until they find that right guy that they think can take over. And so, again, if they started out hot, Joe would have obviously kept the seat with some of the struggles that they've had with where their record is. I don't think this surprises anybody that Dylan's gonna get his shot. If he plays well, I think he'll obviously hold on to the seat.
If he doesn't play well, I would not be surprised if Shadur at some point gets an opportunity as well, just to say, hey, let's empty this thing and let's see who is our best guy. And if one of these guys could be A franchise quarterback, or if we've got to make another move. What'd you see from Jackson Dart on film as Dart became the first quarterback from the. Rookie class to win a game. In the NFL, he's one for one now, and against the Chargers defense, that's no joke, as you know, Kurt.
What did you make of Jackson Dart's first appearance? Yeah, I mean, if you just break down the X's and O's, it wasn't. A great performance, you know, made some throws, missed some throws, missed some things. But I think you could feel the spark that he gave this team. And, you know, you never can really quite put your finger on: okay, what was that?
You know, the first drive, they take the ball all the way down, they score, he runs it in, he makes a couple big runs in there. And I think those big runs energized people. You know, why their defense play so much better this week than they have. You know, I mean, those are things that you can't explain other than. They're fired up to have him for whatever reason, whatever he brings to the table.
You could feel that. You know, even just me watching the all-22, I felt like it was a different team. Out there, and like I said, it wasn't great, um, you know, just from you know, quarterback play. But he gave him a couple big plays in the game, a couple big runs, you know, some things to excite the fans. And so I think it was obviously a great first outing that you don't play great, but you energize your team and you get a win against a 3-0 team.
That's exactly how you want to start. And there's a lot of room for improvement. Kurt Warner here on The Rich Eisen Show. As you know, we're always looking for corners to be turned, sir.
Okay. Have the Chiefs turned it? Have the Chiefs turn the corner. Kurt Warner. You know what?
I want to say yes, and solely because of the fact of how they played this game you know we covered the first game in brazil And I talked about it a lot. Like, it didn't look like the same Chiefs team, just from the standpoint as they weren't running RPOs. They weren't throwing a lot of their quick throws, you know, and supplementing their run game with that kind of play. And that had really been their MO. For the last couple years, they couldn't push the ball down the field.
So it was a lot of quick throws. That was their run game, yards after catch. And we just didn't see that early. And maybe it was because, you know, as we talked to Andy Reid, there's a big package for Xavier Worthy, and he goes out in the third. Play.
And so maybe they didn't have anybody that they could plug in and run those plays. But when I popped on the tape this past week, It looked like the Chiefs to me. Um, you know, there were a lot more RPOs and those quick throws to supplement that run game and to use Patrick's ability to get defense out of position and then just make those quick throws, a lot more wide receiver screens. Um, and then they got some big plays down the field. But that to me is the Chiefs' offense, and I finally saw it again.
And so, maybe it is because Xavier Worthy is back. We know Rashi Rice is a couple weeks away, and he adds that piece as well. And so, I feel really good. About where they are after that performance against the Baltimore Ravens. And I know a lot of people expected the Ravens.
To win that game just because of better roster across the board. But they dominated that football game and they were doing what I expected the Chiefs to do all year long.
So I do believe they have turned the corner and gotten back to, you know, maybe not a perfect formula, but the formula that was a winning formula for them a year ago. And then the corner in Houston. Has C.J. Stroud and that offense turned it? A 26-0 win over the Titans, in which.
Stroud was 22 for 28 with a passer rating just a little north of 125. Have the Texans and Stroud turned a corner. No, I'm going to say no. You know, I was watching that film and I kept asking myself, they won 26 to 0, right? Like, where's this offense?
Where is it at? You know, like, I thought it would be more explosive. Than it was. And so, yeah, the numbers were good. I still think they have issues there.
I'm still trying to put my finger on what's going on with CJ. And again, the numbers were good. And sometimes you have those performances, but I can't shake the first three weeks of the season. Out of my head, quite yet, is there was a lot of struggles. CJ just doesn't look like the same player that he was.
As a rookie, just awareness, seeing things, getting the ball out of his hands.
So I'm not ready to say that they've turned. a corner quite yet. I think they played a Titans team that really struggles. Offensively, and that's why it looked like it did. I'm going to need to see some of that against a better football team.
Okay, so have the Falcons. Turned a corner offensively. Have we found something with Pennix? that they were able to uncork on Washington.
Okay. Yeah, here's another one that I'm not quite sure. I'm starting to wonder. Cause I thought they looked really good in week one of the season. And I thought, man, Michael Penix looks.
really good and you know this team could be you know something to reckon with because of all their weapons And then we go two weeks where He doesn't look very good. And then he comes back and he looks really good again this fourth week.
So, for me, consistency is the name of the game at the quarterback position. And that means Seeing it. That means being able to work through things when your first read's not open and being able to find the next guy. That's how you have to play the position. There are going to be some games where the number one read is open quite a bit and you just have to drop back and throw it.
And most of these guys that are starting in the NFL can drop back and throw it. And so So I can't just take one game where things just kind of worked out pretty favorably. for them. Um, and say, okay, they've turned the corner. I think they've got.
A very simple offense. They run a lot of these choice routes and things every single week, a lot of the same concepts over and over again. When those things are open, the team looks pretty good. When those things aren't open, they don't look very good. And so I have to see some more evolution here.
And I've got to see Michael work through some things beyond just. His first read, and those guys getting open before I'm ready to say that this offense has turned the corner. They've got lots of talent, and we see what they're capable of. We've seen it a couple of times this year: what they're capable of. uh but then you wonder you know why you have how do you have a carolina game Where you can't put any points on the board and you struggle.
So, again, not ready to say they've turned the corner. Obviously, it was a great performance on Sunday, but I need to see more consistency there. Kurt Warner here on the Rich Eisen Show. Kurt, you're the perfect guy to ask so many questions with your Hall of Fame resume and your QB confidential. YouTube page, but this one I think is particular.
You're the perfect person to ask about this because it involves passing concepts. And a Bible verse. Like, you're an expert on all of these, okay? H.A. Brown tweeting out a Bible verse about patience, essentially.
After another minimal target game to say the least. What are you seeing about this Eagles passing game that is a problem? And what do you think A.J. Brown should do other than just Staying patient. Perfect.
What do you think? Yeah, I mean, this is a tough one because we understand the formula that Philly has. And that's to run the football. And then when a team wants to take away the run, give you one-on-one on the outside. And A.J.
Brown's as good as anybody in the league when he gets one-on-one situations to just go and play pitch and catch. out there. And so that's what they do. And so we saw it a couple of weeks ago, you know, against the Rams. They struggled in the first half, but when they had, were forced to throw it.
They could feed AJ Brown on the outside and he has a big game. And so that to me is a formula that's worked really, really well for them. In that formula, though, you know, when teams aren't doing that and they're not extending an extra guy and they're not leaving A.J. Brown one-on-one. it becomes a lot harder for them to get him the football in those situations.
Um You know, I think the remedy would be to move him around and do some different things with him and find ways to kind of focus on him early in games. But again, the more you move them around, the less you have them out there in those one-on-one situations. when you want them. You know, I think a lot of Cincinnati. Cincinnati, when Joe Burrows playing, it's almost like every time they get Jamar Chase one-on-one on the outside.
Those two guys just connect. They just throw it to him some way, shape, or form. It's just like nobody's better than him. We will throw it to him every time we get one-on-one.
So we want to keep him out there. But then, you know, you get Jake Browning in there, and you're like, okay, we can't play the same way.
So let's move him around. But. Then you don't get that guy on the outside when you want to take those shots. And T. Higgins is a good player, but if you watch Monday Night, all their shots down the field.
were T. Higgins and they weren't Jamar Chase. And so I think that's the fine balance that you have to play is that We know where we want him and we know where he's best. But we would love to use him more.
So, how do we balance this out with moving him around, making him the focal point of a passing game, throwing it a little more early to get him some touches? Instead of just going, hey, we're going to leave you out there. And if the defense dictates it. we'll throw it to you but if they don't we're not going to throw it to you and you're going to just have to deal with it and so that to me is the wrestling match i think with you know with a lot of teams but with the eagles right now and uh and again they're 4-0.
So the formula continues to work, even though it doesn't look pretty. And that will be, I think, the wrestling match. All year long, with what do we want to do? How do we wanna do it? AJ's really happy one week, and then he's not happy, and he's sending scriptures the next week.
And so I just feel like that's going to be what they do just because that's been the formula that's worked for them. It's the first 15 scriptured? Is that what you're saying right now for him? Has he got 14 more? He's got 14 more to go, or is he got, or is the passing game going to get better, Kurt?
The question is: those first 15 scriptures, are they talking about patience or are they talking about aggressiveness and feeding him? I don't know which one it is.
So we'll have to see each week.
Okay, very good. Kurt Warner here on the Rich Eisen Show. And then you alluded to the Ravens earlier, Kurt. Looks like we're going to see Cooper Rush for at least the next two weeks. They've got to buy three weeks from now.
Joe Flacco is out and Dylan Gabriel is going to be a raw rookie starting in an international setting. Joe Burrow's out until at least December. And Aaron Rodgers chilling on a bye week at three and one.
So the Steelers appear to be set up right now. What about what you're seeing, what we saw from them on NFL Network in Dublin moving forward? Kurt, what do you think? Yeah, I mean, you know, we talked about it on game day, and I didn't think the Steelers were a contender based on what I had seen the first few weeks of the season. Boy, they looked really good.
You know, in this game in London. And, you know, it starts with their defense, you know, defense being able to slow down the run, but get turnovers and do the things that they have been doing on the back end. that just feeds into their offense. I still feel like their offense. Has a way to go.
You know, that they got the big play to DK, that 80-yard touchdown. But that was actually on a busted coverage by Minnesota. And again, no fault of the Steelers. You take advantage of mistakes that defenses make, of course. But outside of that, it was still a lot of the short dink and dunk.
Type stuff.
Now, can they live in that world if their defense is taking the football away and doing the things that they do?
Well, yeah, they can, but I still believe that this offense is going to have to take a big jump. And either being able to run the football better or developing more of a passing game to really be a threat. In the AFC, but right now, you know, I don't want to say by default because they've earned their wins, you know, but they're sitting. In a great spot right now, you know, looking down at teams that are having quarterback issues, and then of course the Ravens who are reeling a little bit and haven't kind of found their footing and figured it out. And as you said, possibly without their quarterback for a couple of weeks.
So they've got to be feeling pretty good right now, but. If I was the Steelers, I wouldn't be sitting back saying, okay, after the London game, we've got this figured out. They've still got room to grow on offense for sure. All right. Through your film study, as you always do for NFL Game Day Morning and calling games for Westwood One, and then, of course, QB Confidential, your.
uh terrific YouTube channel. Uh which quarterback had the best performance in week four that you saw. Curry. I'm going to give you two this week, Rich. And I'm going to give you Dak Prescott from Sunday Night.
Okay. You know, with all the issues they've got around him, he just continues to be that steady. Force. And what I love about him, and a little bit different than the other guy I'm going to talk about, is he's making big plays down the field. I think besides Matthew Stafford, he's gotten more 20-plus-yard chunk throws this year than anybody in the NFL.
And that to me has been what's been the difference. Struggling defense, run games okay, but it's been the big plays on the right arm of Dak Prescott. And so, you know, to bring his team back and, you know, I know it's not a win, but to get that tie in that game when nobody expected them. To be in it, you know, he gets my nod. And then the second guy is gonna be Patrick Mahomes.
Who had struggled mightily throughout the first three games of the season?
Some him, some the guys around him, but really came back into form for touchdowns. And as I said earlier, they were playing their brand of football, the things that they do: quick throw, quick throw, quick throw, and then Patrick making a few of those special throws down the field. In this game. And so I thought he looked really, really good. This week.
And so those are my top two guys from the film study. Yeah, I mean, and then so you did mention Stafford. I mean, he and Nakua are connecting in such a way that honestly, there's some numbers that make it you to Isaac Bruce. I'm serious. There are some Rams numbers.
that they are threatening from your greatest show on turf. Uh, based on how he's come out of the box this year, Nikola. Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if they broke any of those. I mean, I was fortunate to have. A whole bunch of guys.
And not that Matthew doesn't have a couple guys. I mean, Devontae's awesome and Puka's awesome too.
So he's got a couple guys to feed as well. But their offense goes through. Pukunakua. I mean, you know, everything that they do, they move them around. You get them one-on-one.
I mean, and there's such great confidence. with Matthew Stafford and Puka. I mean, the catches that Puka makes on a on a weekly basis. Is amazing. I mean, diving catches, you know, going low into, you know.
coverage and and bodies all around him and his ability to run after catch. I mean, Yeah, I mean, he is he is awesome. I mean, he is a really, really good player. And what I love, too, he reminds me a little bit of Aquan Bolden, where you watch him play and you don't. Look at him, and like everybody wants to look at these measurable traits.
You don't watch him and go, Wow, that guy's the biggest or the fastest or the quick. Like, you don't see that. He's just a football player. He just knows how to get open. He understands what Matthew is seeing and how to use his body and how to find the open spots.
And because of that, you know, these guys can work so well together. And Matthew can take some chances with Puka that he might not take with somebody else because he's got such great trust. In his ability to play the game. And, you know, so when I watch all the film every week, He always jumps off as one of the best football players. in the National Football League.
Regardless of measurable traits, he is so much fun to watch. And the way these guys are working together is really, really special. Yeah, I mean, Nakua. started the game. In third place behind Tori Holt and Isaac Bruce for the most catches in the first three NFL seasons of their careers.
The entirety, right?
Okay. Yeah. And, um And he surpassed both Holt and Bruce in the game. And he now has. 13 more games to play in his five.
Third NFL season. Yeah, I mean, you gotta let me defend my guys. No, no, no, no, I'm not criticizing. I'm just talking about that. First and foremost, right?
They were on opposite sides, so they had to battle that. Second thing is, come on now, this is a whole different NFL.
Okay. I mean, Puka gets five catches a week at the line of scrimmage. You know, we didn't do that back in the day. Our guys were getting the catches down the field.
So it is a different NFL. As great as Luca is, and I'm not diminishing how great he is. I just don't, you know, it's a different era when you're trying to go stat to stat, catch to catch. It was just played completely different when. When my guys are out there versus where they are now.
Yeah, this is the Rams record book. He needs. He needs 98 more catches to tie Justin Jefferson for the most catches in the first three games, first three seasons.
So, as we all know, Justin Jefferson is a contemporary. Kurt, thanks for the time. Really greatly appreciate it. As always, I'll see you. I guess in London.
Yeah, I won't see you this weekend, but I will see you in London. Can't wait to call those games. That's right, Kurt Warner and I will be calling Jets, Broncos, and Rams. Speaking of Rams and Jaguars in London over the next three weeks, good to see you, Kurt Warner right here on the Rich Eisen Show. We are back with more and more of your phone calls and hour number two with Roma Dunze, my power rankings still to come.
The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. ESPN Radio is presented by Progressive Insurance. Save when you bundle motorcycle, RV, and boat insurance. Visit progressive.com.
So, Mike, check it out for your boat. And TJ, check it out for your future boat when Arch Manning hits. Yeah. And all those cards of his you have going on. Call me Christopher Cross when Saul said.
Nice. Ah! Very good. You don't want a sailboat. Hey, um, listen.
We love sound bites. We love when guys. Ladies give us sound bites. I mean, Nafisa Collier gave us all a soundbite yesterday. Did say.
But at any rate, Certainly in the NFL. If you will, bespoke segments out of it. When Belichick was finishing up his tenure in New England, we did the Bill Belichick press conference moment. Of course. Jim Harbaugh, we called it the Harbaugh Files after when he arrived here, he lived like Jim Rockford in an RV by the beach.
Yes. So he got the Harbaugh Files, whenever Jim provides us one. Salty Tua. Whenever Tua Tongo Vailoa goes salty on the media, which is rare, we like it when he goes salty.
Well, we've got a new one. Oh. And it's off of Baker Mayfield. We've noticed.
Now, you know, he's feeling it now. Enjoy these moments because they're usually like passive, aggressive, which normally he's just aggressive-aggressive. Right. But he's just been blowing like these verbal. Blow darts at people.
And so, with him taking on Sam Darnold, it's Bucks and Seahawks big game. Two three and one teams with eyes on their division and eyes on going further.
So we know that two of them once upon a time were there when it all fell apart, Matt Ruhl is Steve Wilkes. In Carolina. And yada, yada, yada, neither of them are there anymore.
So he's asked about that in our first ever edition of Let's Bake. Fire the cannons! We don't take any s ⁇ That's about it. Let's speak! Are you guys reminiscing about the good old days in Carolina?
What are you talking about? Reminisce about what days?
Okay. Good old days in Carolina. Oh, nope. No, we don't. Let's speak.
The what? No, we don't. That's a great drop. Debut edition of Let's Bake. What?
Nope, nope, we don't. Nope, nope. Caught me in a lie. Anyway.
Okay, there we go. No, we don't. Sam Darnold, remember he started. He was the MVP of the league, then he was down. MVP for three weeks.
Right? Yeah. Baker was playing. Scout team defensive end there. That picture is just scout team.
It doesn't get any more. You know One would think wayward. In your skull, in your heart, in your gut, am I doing the right thing? What is happening to me right now? Yeah.
As it's definitely falling apart organizationally, coaching, it's all falling apart around you. You know. It's a dumpster fire. You know. There are people who are backing up the U-Haul.
I learned that phrase. From Marshall and Dion and Irv and Warren, when we were all working together at NFL Network, as a team was falling out of contention. Um and some guys were already thinking about I'm not getting hurt. I'm done for the year, even though I've got to play. They would call those games U-Haul games because they were backing up the U-Haul to pack up to get out of town.
And I'm sure they were playing U-Haul games in like October. He winds up getting cut, shows up in Los Angeles. And how about this? I have Darn it, I hope I have this stat handy. Um I do not have it right here, but I'll mention it in a second.
If you're listening, stay tuned to our YouTube page for all of that, because Baker, man. He's been through it. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Mm-hmm.
