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Now, on with the show. Oh my god, you guys are my favorite students. This is The Rich Eisen Show. Rich Eisen. I know what I'm talking about.
That's the headline. The Rich Eisen Show. With guest host, Dan Schwartzman. I mean, honestly, he's brilliant. He's a poet.
Dan Schwartzman. Oh, my gosh. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. And now, sitting in for Rich. It's Dan Schwartzman.
Back at it in the big boy chair again. Black Friday, Dan Schwartzmann in for rich Eisen. And yes, I've locked my credit cards, my wife's credit cards.
So by the time I'm done today, I am not in the poorhouse. Fun as always to fill in for rich. A lot to get into coming off a NFL Thanksgiving triple header. And by the way, I want to start off before we get to looking at some of these games, talking about what we saw. I do want to get into what the heck did you do for Thanksgiving?
Did you shove food in your face, stuff yourself? I find that Thanksgiving as great a holiday as it is because you get together with the family. You have fun. It's a nice time. Maybe you go to the backyard if you live in the suburbs and you play a little football, a little two-hand touch, flag football.
Maybe some of you go all out and play a little tackle football. But overall, any time you get to spend with the family to me is quality time. That's the fun part about Thanksgiving. Let's get to the nitty-gritty stuff that people don't want to talk about. One is preparing it.
Who the heck wants to do it at their house?
Okay? I've done it before, and all I know because Maybe I have a little OCD might be an issue on my part, but you You get to a point where you see. How many dishes pile up? How much you have to clean up. And as you are eating and everybody is enjoying themselves, if you are responsible for cleaning the kitchen at your house after a large family Thanksgiving gathering, all you're thinking about is how is this going to fit in the dishwasher?
That's what I always do.
So this year, did not do it. My parents did it. I was very glad, didn't have to clean dishes, and that to me was the best part of Thanksgiving, not dealing with it. But here's the other aspect of it that we have to think about. It's become a holiday where we shove our faces full of food, right?
It's not even about oh, let me enjoy some turkey and mashed potato and stuffing and cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie and pecan pie, all the goodies, right? It is how much of this can you shove in your face till you feel sick. Gluttony at its finest. And then the leftovers. And everybody's like, oh, I got the biggest turkey at the store.
I got a 24-pounder. I'm like, why? You're going to be in this stuff for a week. Do you want the leftover turkey? Maybe I am trying to bring Thanksgiving.
down to the reality of what it really is for a lot of us. But it's a great holiday, and then you shop today and you spend a lot of money and you get great deals, and the holiday season has begun. The one thing that also you have to think about is it's when Christmas music is supposed to start. And even in my Jewish household, my wife goes, What are we getting a tree? Thanksgiving happened.
It's time to get a tree this weekend. Let's drive and find a tree.
So that's what I put up with. But I did get to enjoy lots and lots of football yesterday. And let me tell you something, it did not disappoint. And as much fun as a Packers Lions game is, or An AFC North matchup with Cincinnati and Baltimore. I always love watching Derrick Henry play.
My mindset was I have to see what the Cowboys have, I have to see what the Chiefs have, because ultimately these are two teams going in opposite directions. And that's where I really want to start the focus on today as we talk about the three Thanksgiving matchups that we witnessed. Because I have not been a believer in the Cowboys, They had won two games in a row going into yesterday. They had knocked off the Eagles, and it was a short week for them, let's not forget. But they had knocked off the Eagles defending Super Bowl champions a division rivalry.
Bad blood between the Cowboys and Eagles, the fan bases. I lived in Philly for four and a half years. I can tell you all about the hatred. It is, my friends, genuine. And what did we witness yesterday?
A Cowboys team that is potentially, I'm not all there yet, I don't want to be teased or tickled. But potentially showing us that they are the real deal and an actual contender. In a season when there is massive parody in the NFL, I dare you to tell me right now. that there's one team in either conference that stands out to you As better than everybody else. For years, you could say, Yeah, it was the Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes.
They're going to win 14 games, 13 games, turn the Jets out in the postseason. They're going to win the Super Bowl. And for the most part, that's what's happened. The Bills, they're going to compete. They'll be there at the end.
They'll choke it at the end. But in the end, you kind of knew who those good teams were: the teams that were going to play in conference championship games and potentially in the Super Bowl. This year, though, you're sitting there scratching your head, your scalp is raw from scratching it. Because there is not a single clear-cut team, at least in my eyes, that I look at and say they are the best. They're the best NFC team.
They're the best AFC team. This is wide open. And that's why, as much as the Chiefs have struggled this season, and they have struggled. There comes a point you expect them to turn it on. I actually had a discussion with a good friend of mine this week.
About the Chiefs. And I'd watched the Chiefs Broncos game with him. He's a big Broncos fan. And I said, I I just get that feeling. That Kansas City at this point, because they've been so good in the Patrick Mahomes era.
That truly began in what 2018, right? He played what one game in 17, took over as a starter in 2018. The rest has been history. They've won three Super Bowls. They were in another one last year and lost.
It's been automatic for them. It is a dynasty. Andy Reid, one of the greatest head coaches in the history of the sport, in the history of sports. And that deadly duo of Reed and Mahomes every year. Is most people's picks to win the Super Bowl, and rightfully so.
They haven't done anything where you doubt it. But I told my friend it's as if they sleepwalk through the regular season, and when it counts, they're going to turn on the Jets. They'll get into the postseason, and they'll And they're going to be great. But somehow they have to get through these 18 weeks of a regular season that they will do just enough to win. Not kill themselves doing it And then turn it on.
But as I'm watching yesterday, and you know how important a game this is for the Chiefs because of the fact their playoff chances are slipping away. And they have not missed a postseason since 2014. In fact, Patrick Mahomes has never missed a postseason since coming into the NFL, which is an incredible statistic, by the way. This is not one of those games where you can sleepwalk your way through it. With the playoffs right around the corner, thinking to yourself, okay, yeah, you know what?
We need to win this game. We're in Dallas. Cowboys are playing better, but. Let's not kid ourselves. They were, what, 5-5- and 1 heading into this one.
It's time to start doing something. And that she couldn't do it. And one of the reasons, besides the fact their defense isn't very good, is. The Cowboys are the team now that's turning it on. Three straight wins in a matter of five days.
They beat the two participants In last season's Super Bowl. Think about that. You knock off the Eagles? You knock off the Chiefs? That's big time wins.
And you don't do that as a fluke. It's not a fluke.
Okay? Maybe he beat one of the two teams. That's a fluke. But when you're talking about, you know, you beat Vegas and you beat the Eagles, okay, whatever. But now it's time to wake up and take this team seriously.
They're six five and one. They are peaking. You can make a very legitimate argument that they are better than the Eagles, less holes than Philadelphia, because Philadelphia has a lot of holes right now, and a huge question mark at quarterback with Jalen Hurts. And you have a lot of stories coming out of Philadelphia about unhappiness in that locker room with the way Hertz is playing.
Now, fair or not, that's just the way it is. There's a lot of pressure to win in Philadelphia. They want to continue what some would think is their little dynasty that's brewing. And when they struggle the way they have, and Jalen Hurts has been a reason for it this year, people will even question, even though they've won a bunch of games and you have a Super Bowl winning quarterback. But I watched yesterday because I wanted to see if, in my eyes, the Cowboys are real.
And I'm not a Cowboys fan. I will throw it out right now. And if you've listened to me filling for Rich before, you know, as Rich is, I am a Jets fan. I am a struggling Jets fan. I have subjected my soon-to-be four-year-old to watching the Jets, where on a Sunday she goes, Daddy, are we going to watch the Jets?
And my wife, who knows nothing about sports, goes, Why are you doing this to her? Look what it's done to you for all these years why will you subject her to the same punishment? That you have had to endure. Watching the Jets all these years and the lack of success. And she is correct, by the way.
But the cowboys to me. What I witnessed with this team yesterday Is there as good as anybody right now in the NFC to wear you have to tell yourself. Make it come out of it. The Quentin Williams trade with the Jets. Yes, they overpaid, but If you win a Super Bowl it's worth overpaying for a player.
The Quinnen's been great. You lose Micah Parsons. You think to yourself, can they replace? A star player and all-pro like Micah Parsons? The answer is you really can't.
Not the pass rushing ability. But you bring in an absolute force. And I was fortunate enough to watch Quentin Williams in Alabama and also with the Jets. He is a star player. He is an all pro caliber player, and you're seeing that out of him.
He has added an element to that defense that has been, frankly, incredible. Their wide receiver core with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. As good or better than anybody else out there. Pickens, what a star he's become C. D.
Lamb, we know he's a star. But Dak Prescott has to prove that he's more than Kirk Cousins. A guy that's going to put up big numbers, a guy that is going to. Get you into the postseason, but then find a way to disappoint, right? Have that four-interception type game.
Just lay an egg when it really counts. And I'm not convinced yet that Dak Prescott is a guy that is capable of leading the Cowboys to a Super Bowl. All I know is this: they are good enough to get to a Super Bowl. They are good enough talent-wise to beat anybody else in the NFC. And you look around the NFC right now, okay?
Because I don't want to get to the AFC yet because they don't have to get their way through the AFC to get to a Super Bowl. But you break down the NFC right now. Are the Eagles really better? No. Are the Chicago Bears?
A TV you believe in at eight and three? I don't think so. Maybe we'll find out a bit more today with them playing. Are you convinced about the Green Bay Packers? They did look good yesterday, but Jordan Love had struggled the previous four games.
Tampa Bay, Carolina, and the NFC South. I don't think anybody believes in them. The Rams, I think, are legit. But are they head and shoulders better than the Dallas Cowboys? Again, I don't think so.
Do you believe in Sam Darnold and Seattle? I watched Arnold. I'm happy for the kid. Seems to be a great guy. Didn't maybe get the best opportunity in New York, maybe didn't get the best opportunity in Carolina, woke up with Minnesota, got himself paid, having a nice season with Seattle.
49ers, give them a lot of credit. Banged up team, lot of injuries, yet they are 8-4. My whole point is, you break it down. They are not exactly a bunch of teams that you're going to say are better than the Dallas Cowboys. They are as good as anybody else.
The question is, is Dak Prescott good enough to lead this team to the next level. Shake off the ghosts from the past, and get to a Super Bowl, and finally Jerry Jones has something to celebrate. I'm not going to sit here and tell you for sure that he can. All I'm saying is, he needs to step it up at this point because they are as good as anybody else to reach the pinnacle of getting to a Super Bowl. And playing in February of 2026.
ESPN Radio presented by Progressive Insurance. Not only does Progressive let you bundle your insurance, they also give you round-the-clock protection. Quote today at progressive.com. We are on our way on a Black Friday here. Dan Schwartzmann in for Rich Eisen.
Excited to be here as always. I do want to get to the Chiefs, the Patrick Mahomes situation, the possibility that Kansas City will miss the postseason for the first time since 2014. For the first time ever. In the Patrick Mahomes era in KC. Lot to get into.
We will talk next. And break more of this NFL down. Our buddy Mike Sando from the Athletic NFL Senior Writer will be joining us here next. Dan Schwartzmann and For Rich Eisen on this Black Friday. Avoiding your unfinished home projects because you're not sure where to start?
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That's o'reillyauto.com slash Eisen. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Back on the Rich Eyes and Show, Dan Schwartzmann in for Rich on this Black Friday on ESPN Radio, the ESPN app, and Siri XM Channel 80, presented by Progressive Insurance. You can reach out and join us at 1-888-SAESPN. That's 888-729-3776.
NFL triple header yesterday, lot of fun. We learned a bit about the cowboys, maybe learned a bit about the chiefs as well in a negative manner. We'll get to the Lions. We'll get to the Packers. Bengals, Joe Burrow, good to see him back.
First game action in two and a half months for him, coming back from that toe injury. And then of course the Ravens' five-game winning streak snapped. Lamar Jackson did not look MVP ish like we have gotten used to seeing him. A lot to get into in the Cowboys, the big topic of conversation. When you think about are they, after three wins, including in a five day span, wins over the Eagles and now the Kansas City Chiefs, Super Bowl participants, In last season's Super Bowl.
Are they legitimately real and a scary team as good as anybody in the NFC? We bring in our buddy Mike Sando from the Athletic NFL Senior Writer. And Mike. First of all, I have to start with the Thanksgiving question: Did you stuff your face with family and friends, my friend? I did, yeah.
We didn't have a large gathering, a little bit of family, and I'm better than I used to be about the overstuffing part of it. But yeah, I did well. We did well. Yeah. And you watched a bunch of football, and I want to get right to this, Mike.
The Dallas Cowboys, three in a row, six, five and one. Peak in interest now in terms of are they legit? Can they catch the Eagles, who have struggled a little bit here and there. What did you see with this Cowboys team watching them knock off Kansas City yesterday? Are they good enough in your mind to get out of that NFC talent wise?
I think the state of the league this year is such that we don't feel like there's super juggernaut teams.
Now I do think that the Rams look like they're on a different level. I think Seattle can get to that a little bit more consistency offensively for them. And I still feel like even though Philly's not what they've been, I mean, some of these teams I still think are in the way for Dallas and are better than Dallas. But It's very encouraging for them, I think. Definitely, we've seen them look good on offense and better on defense.
We're seeing some movement on that side of the ball. I think the Quinn and Williams trade has been good for them. They have a little bit of juice. Um but they're also Their reputation from their owner is just really being a front-running team. It doesn't handle success well.
So I guess it's impressive that they beat the Eagles in a super great comeback and then came back against Kansas City. And didn't look like a team that was reading its clippings, so to speak, right? They did it. And so I think that's a real positive step for them. I could have easily seen them.
Kind of lay an egg yesterday after a big win.
So they've stacked a couple here. I think that's. significant. I think that Brian Schottenheimer is a is I thought this since they hired him, a better coach and people were giving credit.
So let's let it play out. Let's not get too excited. But certainly, when you look at the state of either conference, really, I mean, if you're a team that's hot at the right time, you're going to like your chances. It's parody packed to say the least, Mike. And you talk about obstacles or even roadblocks for the Cowboys.
One that we have seen over the years is in its own locker room, and that is Dak Prescott in big game situations. Still a big concern for you, Mike, as we move forward? I think it's a concern. I do think he's really good. I don't know that there's.
The playoff sample sizes are so small that it's hard to just it's not like he's had twenty playoff games and they were all the same. He's had a few and they were kind of similar.
So until he until he proves otherwise, it is what it is. But I don't necessarily see some Complete fatal flaw with him.
Now I think we just need to see if, hey, in a playoff type scenario, if they make it, You know, do they Are they good enough in all the phases? The defense has certainly been bad most of this year.
So that would be my concern. It's just. Is Dak going to be good enough to overcome maybe some other areas of their team against good opponents in a playoff situation? Mike Sando, NFL Senior Writer for the Athletic, joining us here on the Rich Eisen Show. Dan Schwartzmann in for Rich on this Black Friday.
On the other side of it, let's look at the Kansas City Chiefs. We've gotten accustomed to them just winning, winning, winning, getting through the AFC, getting to Super Bowls, winning Super Bowls. But this year, they're now 6-6. They continue to struggle. What is wrong with the Kansas City Chiefs right now, Mike?
Yeah. Well, it's crazy when you look at their, they have a top five offense, and you're like, what's going on? They can't win any of these close games.
Well, there's a couple of things going on. I think one, Well, offensively for them to reconsider in the offseason is just a little bit of their structure. I think that they do not do as good of a job as some other teams. In presenting at least a threat of a run or making you be in conflict. I think they rely a little bit too much on Mahomes at this point.
He's great and can do a lot. And then defensively, they clearly need pass-rush help. I mean, I think that if you look at their performances in these one-score games we hear a lot about, remember they were 11-0 last year, had won 17 in a row in games that were decided by eight or fewer points. This year, they're now one and six. One of the big differences in those games has been their defense.
In the close games, just hasn't been as good. We certainly saw that yesterday. They're paying a lot of money to George Carloptis. They're probably got another year or two with Maybe near prime Chris Jones, some debate whether he's still as good as he was. and they're not getting the results in that area.
So as we watched the Thanksgiving games and we saw Micah Parsons absolutely making a huge difference for Green Bay, that could be instructive for a couple of these teams. I think Buffalo is another one that could really use Pass Rush help in the AFC.
Okay. That's a great point you bring up. The defense has really been an issue. And as you said, it's kind of funny you think top five offense for Kansas City, yet how are they six and six? But when you have Andy Reid and you have Patrick Mahomes, the reality is it is a sexy landing spot potentially for free agents, right?
It's a place where you want to go play now. And that's funny because prior to that era, you didn't really look at Kansas City as a place you wanted to go. But now it is. It's a hotspot. And you have a great coach, you have a great quarterback, as we mentioned.
Is this a quick fix for them? Is this a situation where a couple of drafts, maybe free agency, and this dynasty of sorts just continues as long as Pash Mahomes is there?
Well, I think it's a lot well, maybe they'll be picking higher this year, so they'll have a better chance to get an impact player on the defensive side of the ball. They've done decently with some of these guys. Like Carlottas is a success story. I don't know if he's worth what they're paying him now, probably not. But it's hard to impact your team.
Picking waiter in the draft.
So, and it's also just a crapshoot a little bit anyway, right? You're. counting on that, counting in year one and year two production at a high level to tip the scales in a pass rush, that's hard to do. You're probably not going to do that.
So they may need to be in that targeted free agency realm. And I've wondered even going into this year, like if they were to miss the playoffs, I asked this before the season, if Denver or somebody else were to win that division, what would Clark Hunt do? The owner of the Chiefs, would he be a little bit more willing to make one of those kind of Riskier, higher profile type of moves that cost you money in free agency, because they haven't really had to do that because they just go to the Super Bowl anyway. But would there be some kind of a reckoning, right? You're obviously not going to fire Andy Reid, nor should you.
You're not going to do Mahomes, who's going to be there. The core guys are going to be there. But what would missing the playoffs do to a competitive owner? Would they make that type of a big move? I want to get to the Lions and the Packers, the game from yesterday as well.
The Lions, a lot of expectations coming in this year, Mike, coming off what we saw last year. Dan Campbell taking over play calling duties this year. Is it time for him to give those to somebody else?
Well, no, I think it's time for them to decide who their collar is probably going to be next year. I think that's going to be the equation. As far as You know, where they're at as a team, I think clearly defensively was a bigger issue for them yesterday than offense, and probably has been the case. A lot of this season. There's still uh A pretty good offense.
Now, they, you know, injuries were an issue yesterday, but when you look through, other than the Philly game where they really couldn't score, there's a lot of twenty-fours and thirty-fours and forty-fours, thirty-sevens, thirty-eights in their scoring column this year.
So I think they're good enough on that side of the ball. Definitely will need to get the offensive. You know, you want to have a. a more dynamic offensive coordinator so the head coach doesn't have to call it. And I think that that's going to be hard for them to replace.
They had a really good one, probably a top five one in the league in Ben Johnson.
So probably not going to happen, right? You're going to need to, I think, get some more out of your defense. I thought it was striking how good Micah Parsons looked yesterday. Didn't really feel Aiden Hutchinson quite as much. Uh so maybe they need to, you know.
Augment that side of the ball a little bit. I think they're going to be fine offensively, just not as dynamic as they could be with Ben Johnson. NFL senior writer for the athletic Mike Sando joining us here on the Rich Eisen Show. Dan Schwartzmann in for rich. Last question.
As this show ends today, we have a heck of an NFC matchup in Philadelphia. Eagles hosting the Bears. Mike, we know what the Eagles are coming off a Super Bowl win. Bears are 8-3, looking pretty good. Are you a believer, Mike?
I'm a believer that they've made progress and are better on offense and that I want to see more of them. I'm not a believer in them in terms of being a top team in the NFC. I think that they're a I don't even know that they're a top half team in the league. And you say, wait, what are you talking about? And what I'm talking about is.
The run of quarterbacks they faced has really been a key component to this, and just some of the teams overall they faced defensively, certainly with the Bengals, the Commanders, some of these teams.
So good for them. I think that this is a positive step for them. There's been some encouraging things with Caleb Williams, too. But I'm not taking them seriously yet. I think we'll find out in the next three weeks.
They're going to play Philly, Green Bay next month, I guess. They're going to play Cleveland's defense. Green Bay again, San Francisco, Detroit. Hey, if they navigate that, and win most of those, then I'll have me back on and I'll say I was wrong. But I don't think that's going to happen.
Yeah. Mike Sando, the athletic NFL senior writer here on The Rich Eisen Show, Dan Schwartzman in for Rich. Mike, appreciate the time, as always, my friend, and happy holidays. Same view, thank you. Thank you, Mike.
Great stuff from Mike Sando. I am in agreement. We will get to that game a bit later on in the show. Philadelphia, Chicago, both 8-3. And I think a lot of people see Chicago at 8-3.
You're like, wait a minute. You're eating three? The Bears? They're playing good football? How's this happening?
Well, you got a young quarterback, a new head coach. Things are different. They can do things on offense. There's no more Justin Fields there. That's a big help.
I am saddled with Justin Fields here in New York. Unfortunately Loved him at Ohio State. Fake little offense there. Every wide receiver goes in the first round. Not so hard to play quarterback in Columbus, Ohio, when you have offensive linemen all go to the NFL and every one of your wide receivers goes to the NFL.
And you're just better than everybody else. I hope that wasn't a mean shot at Cheston Fields. I'm just speaking in reality there. But the Lions, a team that last year, just looked great, and you thought to yourself, here we go. Things turn around in Detroit.
From a peren you know, a perennial loser. There being a team that can now dominate for a few years a quarterback. Head coach Good talent there. Things are different in the city of Detroit. I got buddies from Detroit, and they are.
pumpin' their chest out, the Pistons goin' a few games. the tigers, the lions Not even sure what the Red Wings are doing. It's too early to think about hockey right now. Apparently, a season is ongoing there in the NHL. Lot of matchups today on the ice.
We will not get to that. I hate to tell you this. There's not enough time. But I have to be honest, the lions to me are a disappointment. And yesterday was a test for me.
That's a rivalry matchup, Detroit and Green Bay. You want to make a statement if you are the lions. You're kinda teetering, right? You're good. You're not great.
Not as successful as last year. Let's go out there and make a statement and put some fans at ease who are questioning. What's going on with that team right now? You are home. It's Turkey Day.
You are perennially playing on Turkey Day. You are used to this. And you get absolutely hammered. By Jordan Love, four touchdown passes. Best game he's had in a month.
And to me, the Lions had that opportunity to make that statement, and they did not take it. And instead, you come out of watching that game with more questions. And Mike Sandoy kind of alluded to it. That defense has been disappointing. And Aiden Hutchinson is, you know, the expectations are high.
He got paid. He is a top pick. He's a guy that you think is going to become Miles Garrett, that level player.
Now he's not far off, let let's be fair, although Miles Garrett is playing at a different level right now than anybody else. If you want to talk about defensive player of the year in the NFL right now, that conversation may already be over. That door may be closed. Because I don't know if you've seen this, but if you just look at statistics right now in the NFL, people talk: well, Jonathan Taylor's got like 1,100 yards rushing. The guy in Seattle that I can never pronounce his name I really can't.
Jackson. Renee, I have to bring you on here. I am fairly good with names usually. But when I try to say Bull Jackson's name from Seattle. I can't say it.
Are you good at it? Can you do it, my friend? It's old Jackson Smith Njigba.
Okay. Anytime I'm going to mention his name on the show today, I'm just going to have you open your mic and just do it for me. I got you. I won't let you down. Jackson Smith and Jigby.
And Jigba. Yes. Yeah, not happening.
Okay. I got you. But whatever. He's great. The guy is fantastic.
He's on pace for 2,000 yards receiving right now. But if you want to talk about a guy that is going to break a record this year. As much as people want to talk about Michael Strahan, the 22.5 sacks, did Brett Farf take a dive for him? Yes, we all know he did. He took the dive.
I get it. And then J you know, and TJ Watt then equaled the 22.5 sacks in the season. Have you seen that Miles Garrett? Through 11 games this year. Has eighteen sacks?
Miles Garrett has eighteen sacks in eleven games this year. He's had a five sack game, he's had a four sack game, and 18 sacks in eleven games. You want to talk about the most dominant defensive player in football right now? It is not even close. No one is a scarier dude right now than Miles Garrett.
And if you are a quarterback in the NFL today, You better hope Whatever play calls coming in. That your running back or your tight end is helping out that tackle. Because no one's stopping Miles Guerrero right now. It is just comical. How dominating he is The guy's not going to even be thirty years old till the end of December.
And he's got like 120 career sacks. By the time December rolls around, Miles Garrett could have 25 sacks this year. It's utterly incredible what he is doing. And because he's playing in Cleveland, maybe we don't talk about it as much. And he's a defensive player, so you don't hear as much.
But just look at the statistics and what he's been able to do. It is worth the price of admission. I got to tell you, very few players in my eyes In the 47 years I've been on this earth and watching sports for a good 37 of them or 40 years of sports. Not a lot of guys to me are worth the price of admission. It's a term that people throw around left and right.
Oh, yeah, he's worth the price of admission. Oh, he's a generational talent. That's a great one, too. He's a generational talent. Oh, he's a unicorn.
I love that one. He's a unicorn. Porzingis is a unicorn. Is he? He's good.
I'm not a unicorn. There's no horn on his head, and he's this mythical figure my daughter tries to get me to dress up as. Not happening. He's not a unicorn. Chet Holgrim, not a unicorn.
Very few guys are in that conversation for generational talent or price or worth the price of admission. Miles Garrett is. I like scary defensive players in the NFL, right? Who doesn't love to see old Lawrence Taylor clips the highlights? Rodney Harrison ripping off quarterback heads, things like that.
That's what you love to see. Miles Garrett is that old school football player that is just feared. When teams meet to talk about how to play a defense, he is the guy most talked about from anybody. And what's incredible to me is when people know he's coming, right? You know what he's doing.
He's played enough games in the NFL. There's plenty of tape. Miles Garrant isn't exactly reinventing the wheel with some new move that it's. Wow, I don't know how to defend that if I'm a left tackle or right tackle. How do I defend that move?
You know what's coming. And he's still yet to make you look like a high school player. He's the NFL guy. He's making tackles look like high school tackles. Worth the price of admission, generational talent, both fit Miles Garrett.
And I'm not overusing the phrase or the term when I say it for him. Had to throw that out there because if a guy is going to do something as amazing as what he is doing, he deserves the accolades and to be talked about. Miles Garrett is that guy right now. All right, we are going to get into this Lions and Packers game a bit more. I've kind of teased it a bit.
And I do have this problem when I just go off on something, it just continues, and I can't help myself. My wife doesn't like it, but it happens.
Okay. She's like, focus. I'm like, I can't focus. I'm unable to focus. And that's my problem.
You're seeing it today. You're hearing it right now. But we will get to this lines. And I do want to get into Joe Burrow because Any team that's got talent and you see what it means to actually have a very good quarterback and the difference they make in a game, all you have to do is watch yesterday Cincinnati without Burrow, Cincinnati with Burrow. It is a different story.
We'll get to that next. It is a Black Friday. That's right. We are days away from December. It's only getting colder.
Dan Schwartzmann in for Rich Eyes and on ESPN Radio, the ESPN app, and SiriusXM Channel 80. This message is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union. As a credit union dedicated to serving all veterans, active duty and their families, we know that during the holiday season, every little bit counts. That's why, for a limited time, you could earn a $250 cash bonus when you spend $2,500 on the cash rewards and cash rewards plus cards in the first 90 days. Give joy, get joy.
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Thanks for reminding me. We are that close to having to spend thousands of dollars on gifts. The Rich Eisen Show, Dan Schwartzmann in for Rich on Black Friday here on ESPN Radio, the ESPN app, and SiriusXM Channel 80, presented by Progressive Insurance. You can reach us at 888-SAI ESPN. That's 888-729-3776.
Oh man, Christmas music You know, it used to be that Thanksgiving opened the door to Christmas music.
Well, now it's October Halloween's opening the door for Christmas music And I have to be perfectly honest with you, I am not a fan. It's nothing to do with religion. I just don't like Christmas music. I don't like any religious music. I hate to say it.
It's not even the religious. I just thought, you know, it's not my kind of music, not my cup of tea. But you have those people out there who are these. They're too happy in this world, right? They're always happy and...
It's like in uh Groundhog Day, Ned Ryerson, right? The guy that comes up to him, and he's always in this good mode every day when he sees him if it's Groundhog Day. That is the people to me who love Christmas music. And they can't get enough of this stuff, and they post their Christmas stuff on social media. I'm like, wait till Thanksgiving, at least.
It's Halloween just ended. Come on. Renee, you look like one of those Christmas music fans. Like, it's you know I mean, I'll I'll I'll throw it on when I'm in the car. You know, if I'm going on on a long drive.
Like, all right, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Stop right there. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. On a long drive?
Solo in the car. Yes. You're going to listen to Christmas music? I'll give it like a good 10-15 minutes before I get bored. Nah, you're so full of it.
You are listening the whole ride. No, no, I wouldn't dare. Oh, my gosh. This tomato Irving Berlin is amazing. This is Mike E.C.
on the board, Dan. And I used to work at a music station before coming here to ESPN. And we used to actually monitor the other radio stations to make sure we were one of the first stations to switch over to Christmas music. That was like part of my job. We actually had it like ready to go.
Here's the problem I have. Is there enough Christmas music to last a whole day? Like, how many times listen to Mariah Carey's Christmas? You see, that I can't do. The Mariah Carey, the Jose Feliciano, I can't do those, you know?
But I'll I'll go with uh You know, Nat King Cole, and I'll go with the old school stuff. A Bing Crosby. Bing Crosby. I'll do a little Bing Crosby. Yeah.
But What I will agree with is Christmas music shouldn't start playing until after Thanksgiving. Exactly. You get those weirdos. It should start. Yeah, those weirdos that start putting, you know, thinking about it in September.
I'm out on that. I'm good. No, I agree. I can't do the Mariah Carry one. I understand the big pull of it, I get it.
Who else is doing it? Has Taylor Swift put out a Christmas special yet or not yet? No?
Well, let's ask Travis Kelsey. Yeah. Yeah, let me reach out to my buddy Travis. Hey, Travis, can you ask her? Is she putting out a Christmas album yet?
If she does, by the way, it's going to sell a gajillion copies, be number one downloaded on Spotify, whatever it is. And she's going to make another fortune off of it, and her net worth will be worth even more billions of dollars because of a Christmas. She could just sit there and say, Have yourself a Merry, you know, Merry, Merry Christmas. What is it? Have yourself a Merry Christmas?
I'm missing a word there. Holly Jolly Christmas. You almost had it. You almost had it. I almost had it.
She could just utter those words over and over again, and the Swifties would go mad. They would love it. You're killing me. You are absolutely killing me. Christmas music.
I do look at the windows. I'm not going to lie. I live in New York and I do go and I like to see the windows. I don't mind that. I will go see the big tree at Rockefeller Center.
I'm one of those I like that Christmassy spirit. And I'm not dragged to do it by. I got two daughters and a wife, so right there, you know, like, you know, they love this stuff. But I will go and I like to see the windows. As a New Yorker, though.
Yeah. Is it How do you feel? Is it a requirement to go see the tree? Or do you leave that up to the tourists? As a fellow New Yorker, I do not go see the tree.
Why not? What's wrong with you? You are a dude who sits in the car and listens to Christmas music. Yes, yes. There's a lot of people, but I like to go late.
Like, I will go late. I'm a night owl anyway.
So I will go late. Like, I don't mind doing that, you know. But the wife's more of an early riser, so I have to adjust to her schedule. If it's up to me, I'll go at two in the morning. I'll go later.
Oh, meet you. Oh, my goodness. I'll meet you over there. Let's do it. I'll pick you up.
Let's go. Two and a half. We'll brown bag it and we will, you know, go look at the tree, right? Then we'll drive back listening to Christmas music to appease you. How about that?
All right. The old school stuff, too. That's a win-win. I'll put my cassette away from Mariah. I'll get the eighth track from the Bing Crosby days.
Renee will be a happy camper. That's how we'll do it. Watch us actually do it. It would be absolutely hilarious.
Okay, just saying. I don't think it's going to happen, but you know, we can dare to dream, okay? How do I explain that to life? Yeah, honey, I'm going to go pick up Renee.
Okay, and we're gonna go to see the Christmas tree at two o'clock in the morning and then drive back listening to Christmas music. Do you know how quickly I'll be sleeping on the couch? Because there's no way she would believe that story as to why I'm out late. Right? What what's what's the first question that she would ask?
Who's Renee? Or why are you going to the tree at two in the morning?
Well, she'll say, Renee, boy or girl. That's the first question she will say: Stellar. Stellar. I dated a Renee once, so I can tell you all about it. But yes, that would be the first question: girl or boy?
And let me tell you something. My wife is tough, okay? She will vet you, okay? She is like an HR person. What's his last name?
What's his quote unquote last name? She will vet you.
Social media. Check you out.
Okay, honey. You're fine to go. Be home at this time. There you go. Yes, honey.
Sounds good. When she's looking up the name, just make sure she knows. It's just one E. Just one e. Not two, just one.
Watch the two person be this beautiful lady. I am then going to be absolutely in trouble. Who's Renak? What you're talking about. Who's this for Naked Alice?
Exactly right. I would be in a lot of trouble. But actually, maybe we'll make it happen. Would be a fun outing. I do have to get out of the house once in a while.
I did not get out of the house yesterday because I was watching football all day, literally, hours upon hours upon hours. And we talked about the Chiefs and the Cowboys, but we haven't really gotten enough into this Packers and Lions NFC North showdown, the Turkey Day game, you know, Lions always playing on Thanksgiving. But uh I was disappointed. I want to get really quickly into this. Disappointed in the Lions.
I expected better this season. I thought they'd be a better team. They have struggled. You kind of know what you get every year with Green Bay. But I was disappointed with the Lions, to say the least.
And that really comes down to. Where Based on last year, the talent they have, I kind of root for them because. As a Jet fan, I hope the Jets are what the Lions have become. Which is a team that lost a lot of games. Had a real strategist being down.
Where they finally started winning a bit. They got talent, they got a charismatic head coach. and they turn things around. Last year they were great. This year so far, they have struggled up and down.
Defense not so good. Offense is okay. Dan Campbell play calling. Maybe he shouldn't play call. A lot of question marks for the Lions this year.
We'll get more into that, obviously, as we continue the show. Do want to get into some college football as well. Lane Kiffin, a decision is expected tomorrow as to which SEC school he will be the head coach of. Rich Eisen Show. Dan Schwartzmann in for Rich on this Black Friday on ESPN Radio.
The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Mm-hmm.
