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Now, on with the show. Uh This is the Rich Eisen Show. Rich Eisen. He's super bad. He's photacular.
He's Rich Eisen. He never kicked it. He kicked it wrong. From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Today's guests.
ESPN Sports Center host Scott Van Celt. Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Kelly. WWE Superstar Seth Rollins. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Oh, that's right, everybody.
Welcome to this attention of the Rich Eisen Show. Thrilled to be with you here on a Giving Tuesday on ESPN Radio, presented by Progressive Insurance here on a Giving Tuesday on Disney Plus. The first time there's ever been such a thing, I believe, live on this wonderful place to stream for you and your kids. Also on the new ESPN app. Welcome to the first ever Giving Tuesday there as well.
And yes. For the first time since I did intermission reports. Um seven different times in my first year at the Once upon a time, as it was called, worldwide leader in sports. in a playoff hockey game on ESPN two, where I was on for seven hours basically during a hockey game. I don't know.
This is the longest stretch. This next three hours, the Rich Eisen Show on ESPN two will be the longest I've had since the Back in the day on the deuce, handing off the network to Bill Pito at 2:30 in the morning for NHL 2 night.
So we're thrilled to be on ESPN2 here for all three hours today. Scott Van Pelt, my buddy from back in the day, is going to be joining us first up on this giving Tuesday. Jim Kelly will be joining us in hour number two. And then Seth Rollins. in studio because this is the most consecutive weeks I think he's liked football in a long time.
And the Die Hard Bears fan will be here. And there's you at 844-204 Rich. Number to DAL while you are watching us today. Do us a favor. Do yourself a favor.
Do everyone. Who's part of the Jimmy V Organization a favor and donate. See if you're again watching us on ESPN2 or streaming us on Disney Plus and the ESPN app, there is a QR code for you to scan to donate. If you're listening to us on ESPN Radio, v.org/slash donate, whatever you can give. Let's give because on this Giving Tuesday to kick off V Week.
For the very first time, thanks to the Principal Foundation, in support of Principal and the Principal Foundation. Um Launching a $1 million match challenge.
So if we raise $1 million over V-Week, Boom, two million, just like that. Let's do it. You know what I mean? Let's do it. So it's a Giving Tuesday, and we're thrilled to be part of it right here on the Rich Eisen Show.
Good to see you here, Christopher Brockman. The Patriots have been giving you joy for a long time. Ten straight games. Yeah, for a long time. Ten straight games.
We're changing spark plugs. We're getting the lube out, Mike. The duck boats? The duck boats are coming. Start coming soon, people.
Start them up. Get ready. Be careful. You're sitting next to the man who is the arbiter of what's insufferable on this program and what isn't. Good to see you, Mike.
I'm going for the Patriots. No, we don't need it. He's going for them. I'm going for them. Good to see you.
Good morning, Richard. That's DJ Mikey D. TJ Jefferson. The candles lit in the corner. How are you, sir?
Good to see you. We're on to Detroit. Look at you. We need a Patriots Cowboys Superball, TJ. You know what I'm saying?
I mean, why not? I've never seen it before. I think the television football gods would be certainly on NBC all over. Over that. They would take it.
They would take it. So would you, and so would you. And talk about insufferable. But anyway, listen, I guess I should say hello to you. I should be more charitable.
It's a Giving Tuesday. I'm going to go to the next store on ESPN Radio. At any rate. Um It's kinda crazy what's going on in New England. Because this team, as you know, Changes coaches, they change coaching staffs, even though we're all familiar with them, right?
Um and We see um What's going on there? And what's going on there, it's a back to the future season. Yeah. to the point where It's now a conversation of how far can the Patriots go? I mean, that's basically it, right?
And I want to put a pin in that. For the moment. Because here lies the New York Giants. Once again. For their fan base.
To have to see something and go essentially headline. What the F was that? And last night was a whole sack full of what the F was that.
Okay. starting with Abdul Karda standing on the sideline to start the game. I thought to myself, was he hanging out with CD and George Pickens in Vegas and we didn't know about it? It's possible. I mean, Buck and Aikman must be sitting around going, how many times are we just going to sit here and go?
Why aren't those guys out there on a Monday night? Are they looking at each other going, is it us? Is it something I said?
Something we did on a Monday night where, you know. Or all of a sudden, it's bad. I don't know, dude. Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge sit around in the pregame meetings, and which one of us is going to go to the sideline to go, what's up with that? Why aren't they this time?
It was Laura. They're over there like this. Yeah, right. But while we're wondering about that, And we have been wondering for the last couple of weeks, why would Jackson Dart come back and play in this season? Like, we've already seen enough from him, as far as I'm concerned, for the Giants to say, we've seen enough from you.
And Enough's enough. Check the box. We've checked the box. Malik Neighbors will come back next year. Cam Scatabu will come back next year.
You'll come back next year with a new head coach. And um That's that. But if I'm Mike Kafka and I am potentially auditioning for the gig, and I'm, you know, benching Abdul Carter to make a point. Because he's late to meetings, and I want to win football games. And Jackson Dart is, at the end of the day, a football player.
Which Joe Burrow reminded everybody: this is what I do for a living. Yeah. Right.
Okay. So Out comes Dart, and now the question is. him sitting in concussion protocol for two weeks. Two games, watching Jameis do his thing. Does he come back and understand?
Oh. you know Um I'm not in the SEC anymore. You know. That There are some grown-ass men on this field. who are faster.
And it takes some time for people to adjust to this sort of thing. I'll tell this story. I'll give on this giving Tuesday. Marshall Falk. Oh, pardon me.
New head coach. Coach Falk. Coach Falk. Coach Falk. Yes.
That's yeah. Once told me this story. He stood next to the sheriff. in his rookie season. In Indianapolis.
He was Marshall Falk was Peyton Manning's first running back in the NFL. Which is crazy, right? Yep. First ballot of famous standing next to each other. And with Bill Pollyan, the general manager, is going to have a bust one day, you know, putting them together and.
No, breaking them up. But listen, that's not what I'm giving about here. Marshall would say Peyton Manning would throw interceptions. He threw, I believe, 28 in this rookie season. That After a while, he had to say something because Peyton would say the same thing coming off the field.
I didn't think he could get there. Meaning the defensive back. Didn't. Think Marshall said that Peyton didn't think the defensive back would get to the spot where he's. and pick him off.
So Marshall said to him at one point, Hey, Peyton, this is the NFL. They can all get there. And I feel like Jackson Dart needs to get this message. Because if you're sitting here wondering, how would he come back? Would he protect himself a little bit better after spending a couple weeks in concussion protocol?
The answer is no. And Christian Ellis is the one who delivered the message. On the sidelines, he blew him up. Blew him up like the roadrunner on Wily Coyote. Super genius.
blew him up and it was a 100% Legal hit. It was a massive shoulder to shoulder pad hit. There was nothing contacted at the head. And Dart should have stepped out one step sooner, but didn't. And the question is now.
Did he learn his lesson? And the answer is again. Mm. I don't roll tape. Roll tape.
This is football. Like, I'm gonna. Get hit if I'm in the pocket or outside the pocket. Like, it's I don't. I feel like I've played this way my whole entire life.
This shouldn't be like any shocker to anybody if you've followed along with my career. Um And I d I don't we're not playing like we're not playing soccer out here. Like, you're gonna get hit. Things happen. Um It's part of the game.
You know, I'm gonna play aggressive. I feel like if I just turn into a a complete pocket passer. Um That's just not how I want to play the game. I feel like there's an advantage to me using my legs. I don't know what else to say other than the fact it's again, it's a giving Tuesday.
V.org slash donate.
So let me give.
Okay. 'Cause I don't know if there's anybody there that's delivering the message for it to land. Here. I've never met him. I love the way he plays football, and I think it's perfect.
He's perfect for this team, this market, this situation. I'm a native New Yorker. Jackson Dart is exactly the type of guy you would want to have as a quarterback of a New York football team. He's got a little bit of the glitz and the glamour. Showing up looking like he's about to knock off Nakatomi Plaza last night.
But I guess Hans Gruber is not around to deliver the message. She'll let me do this.
Okay. The NFL Yes. counting to three. There will not be a four. That's a die-hard reference.
Again, what happened when Hans counted to four? It didn't work out.
Well, I mean, and I'm just saying. Mr. TikTok. In the NFL, there's a difference between playing. With abandon?
and reckless abandon. And Jackson Dart, you better find it. Because teams like the Patriots, coached up by Mike Vrabel, are going to light you. Oh. And it's not just the Patriots well coached in the NFL with defenders who are fast and can all get there.
His teammates apparently are saying this to him. This was brought up by the media after that soliloquy about. Aren't your your teammates are saying to us, talking to us about Your welfare and needing to take care of yourself. Johnson, your colleagues admire your competitiveness, your fire, but they also. I've been telling you to protect yourself better.
What do you say to that? Hmm. I thought I did a good job tonight. You need to protect yourself better. Mm-hmm.
Listen, that's maybe just after a hard loss, and he just lost on Monday Night Football, and he's taken it really hard. And that's another great example of why I think he works out in New York City. Because we all want in New York City, I'll speak for us. We all want guys who it matters, right? Where it looks like he matters.
So that's all good. Bye. If you think you did a great job last night, because you did slide here and you did slide there. All it takes is one instance. That's it.
I don't know what else to say. And somebody's got to say it to him. I don't know if it's the interim head coach or not. I don't know if an interim is going to really matter to him. I don't know.
We always view the interim as like a substitute teacher. I'm sure the substitute teacher always views him or herself as the actual authority in the room, anyway. I don't know. But it was a whole bunch for the Giants last night. And they're fans.
A whole bunch of what the F was that. Abdul Carter getting benched. For being late again, he has one and a half sacks on the season. He was the best player in the Big Ten last year. I don't know what the hell's happened.
Okay. He had his first full sack of the season. Last night. And then he had this to say afterwards about being benched. I'll be the second time in three weeks in the story for Apple.
What happened? I ain't gonna get into detail when I said shit happened. Why? Why at all? Ask me the same question I just answered.
Was it justified? With your pencil? Yeah, I mean, I let my team down in the first two drives I was out. They scored 17 points. I take responsibility for that.
I got to be out there. I got the better. Uh You failed the message got through. Yeah. Yeah.
And and then In terms of, all right, here's Mike Kafka on the benching. By the way, he told Laurel Rutledge, coach's decision. What you just said, okay, was what Joe Buck said, okay.
Okay, all right. Here's Kafka African game. There was a report that he was part of or all of a team. Um other than? Is that true?
No, it it's it was just strictly my decision. Yeah, no, it's it's unfortunate, but you know, those are that's the way we kind of work with it this week. I mean, Mike, I imagine that when you benched them the first time you hope that the message would get there is the fact that this now Two weeks later, it's the same exact thing you had. I would just say we have great communication, and he's one of my favorite players on the team. And that was one thing that we talked about.
And it was my decision to not blame this this really Again, this is one of the things that I decided to do. Yeah, he's just not going to. Tell you any details. And then so the Giants have a third overall pick with one and a half sacks through. 13 weeks.
They've got a dynamic dynamic Quarterback Receiver, running back. Combination That we saw for about one half before Malik Neighbors went out for the season. And then we saw the running back-quarterback combination be the football version of Tango and Cash for like three more weeks after that before the running back went out. And then the quarterback can't stay healthy and hasn't learned a single lick about what it is to protect yourself in the NFL despite two concussions already. Two stints, one of which the last one that cost the coach his job.
Not seeing he cost.
Well, I should disappear. The coach cost himself his job, and the quarterback's ascension should have saved it. But the last concussion was the last straw in terms of the way the ownership. viewed coaching. And then In the middle of all this I've never seen a place kicker Become the Lucy.
of a kicking situation where But young young way Go didn't Reached down and snatched the ball away from himself. But he stopped kicking. And the ball did move slightly, but it was stationary enough to kick it, and he stopped. Like what what's gonna happen once you I've that's you can't even call that a it wasn't a missed field goal because he didn't Swing his leg as a sack of the Hold her. We saw the holder get sacked because the kicker didn't kick.
A ball that was ready to be kicked. I've never seen anything like it.
So I guess the headline coming into this segment was what the F was that? But coming out, I guess we'll quote the third overall pick, as happens. And the Giants, just real quick.
So we got to Van Pelt. You saw all this. Um the New York Giants Have now Um seven games in a row they've lost They're going to finish with six or fewer wins for the eighth time since 2016. Eighth. Most such seasons by any time in that span.
Oh, and the Giants have now allowed a passing touchdown in each of their first 13 team games. Last time that happened. Richard Nixon was president in 1972. I was three when S was really happening.
Okay. 844-204-RICH, number 1. We'll talk about the Patriots in a moment. Let's take a break on this Giving Tuesday. Scott Van Pelt will join us next.
He will give us his time. You give your cash if you can to v.org/slash donate. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. 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.
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Back here on the Rich Eisen Show on ESPN Radio, presented by Progressive Insurance. It's the first ever Giving Tuesday for us here on The Rich Eisen Show on ESPN2 and the Disney Plus app and the ESPN app. We're streaming on the internet. We're linear cabling right now. And Scott Van Pelt, I couldn't think of a better first guest to have in our first ever Giving Tuesday to kick off V Week as part of our new world with the Rich Eisen Show and Disney.
And I'm just going to go here first, Scott, because we all know V.org/slash donate is the spot to donate to. And part of the V-world is our buddy Stewart. And the Booyah event that's going down in New York next week, and his documentary is coming out next week, next Wednesday, it's 30 for 30. What what's the first time you met Stu, Scott? Do you remember when the first time you you came face to face with Stuart-ish?
At all. Vaguely, vaguely, because I was at the golf channel, which is where I began, and I was uh Tiger Woods had descended into this place that was just its own. almost tear, which is amazing, really. That he took golf. And then and a golfer became that athlete that was on par with a with a Jordan or a Jeter or a Kobe or whomever.
And I think our orbits crossed at some event that involved Tiger And we just instantly had this thing because I was an ACC guy where Maryland was at the time. It was before the whole college landscape shifted.
So we instantly had this Maryland, Carolina thing, and I had this relationship with Tiger, and Stewart did. And so it was really Tiger that I think kind of brought us into each other's orbit. And that was before I came to ESPN. Yeah. He, you, a lot of folks were really good to me when I came to ESPN.
Just in welcoming me. But I think Stuart, as much as anyone, had so much to do with sort of acknowledging me as a worthy peer, someone who had enough juice, as you did and do, to sit side by side with him and go, Kind of line for line, barb for barb. And you know what that kind of energy was like and what it required of you. And so. We met before I was a colleague working together and then My on-ramp with him, I think, was so much Maryland, Carolina, and we had so much fun with that.
And then You know, as time moves on and you have a chance to really become peers that are working with one another, then it becomes an entirely different thing. And there aren't many of us rich that are lucky enough to know what that was truly like. To try to, you know, hang on to the bull or the rocket ship and ride. But what a blast it was to do that on those big nights when a game ends and here it is, and it's you and him, and off we go. Yeah, and you know, part of the V Foundation, we're talking about the Stuart Scott Fund at the V Foundation that's already awarded over $22.1 million in grants.
And I can't believe I'm saying these words since his passing in 2015. He's been gone 10 years, Scott. 10 years. And it feels just like yesterday we were watching them on television. you know, it I can't believe it.
I agree. And I was really, it was a blessing. I mean, I don't use that word lightly. It was a blessing to be asked a couple of years ago to have Taylor and Sidney on and share with them that there was this, that a dedicated space within the V Foundation in Stewart's name was happening to serve underserved communities in terms of research and funding. I sat there and I'm a crier.
I get like moved to tears easily. And I have Taylor and Sidney and you, again, we knew them as children, and now they're these women of such substance, and they're beautiful, and they're just like their mom and dad, because it's not just dad that are wonderful parents. They've got so much to them, and I look in these faces of women, and I'm like weeping because we're talking about their dad who's not here, and it's just so. It's just so messed up, you know? That he's not here and yet, and yet.
Because he's who he was, he always will be.
So he always will be Stuart Scott. Like, that will always exist in the universe. Which I think is magical in a lot of ways, right? A legend truly doesn't die. They live on.
And Stewart, like Jimmy V's words, you know, Stewart's words, the last time he spoke publicly. Um I would argue were his most impactful. No question about it. But and having sat in the The um Rafters of Radio City Music Hall with him prior to Espy Awards. Uh after Jim Valvano's passing.
And we would show video of Jim's speech that you're referring to here. And I hope today's show and what you're doing later on today, or if next time you're on the air, if it isn't today, you that and that's the beauty of your show that you host. Every night when you do it, it kind of is like Jim Valvano's speech, and that's what I hope to get out of today's show: laugh and cry, touch grass, you know, live it-like that's living. Um and so I'm a crier too, certainly when it comes to Stewart. And and I just frequently you know, think of him.
Um And I can't believe that we're talking about him in the same breath as Jim Volvano because of his speech. Because we used to talk about it, and obviously. you know, neither of us knew what was going to happen to Stu. And And so I do think of him often. For instance, the Bears right now, like nine and three, he'd be going out of his gourd.
about the Bears being nine and three right now. And the one for sure. For sure. I mean the he was A man-of-many interests, and I have I always joke with him that I appreciated how he had more, he had more width than I did as it related to things that interested him. I was just way more knucklehead sports fan, but he has lanes that obviously Carolina was his most prominently known passion.
But he spent a bunch of time in Chicago, so he would be bandwagoning. I'd say that to you, Stuart, over in the Great Beyond. You'd be bandwagoning because you would have abandoned them over the past, you know, however long it's been, but hell, I mean, what a story they are. But we can certainly get to that. But I'm with you on just the ability.
Uh when I did radio And The T V show that I'm fortunate to do, which takes some of the elements from that, right, which allows you the wit to discuss whatever the hell you feel like, to bring Taylor and Sidney on and do what we did, is a great reminder. That we, what we are so fortunate to do, Rich, is connect to an audience and to people. And that people largely almost they not largely almost exclusively that we care about each other, right? You can fool yourself if you live with your face and your phone and social media and think that that's it. That ain't it.
And I hit the world cares for one another largely. And, you know, moments like this, opportunities like this to give and to think about the people that you love, some of whom we've lost, and others who will be in the fight at some point. What is it you can do to try to be helpful? And what we do is try to bang the drum for Stuart in his name and smile as we remember the times we had and weep for the things that we don't get to do anymore. And certainly on This Giving Tuesday, v.org slash Stuart.
If you'd like to give to the Stuart Scott Fund at the V Foundation, and again, the principal and the principal foundation are matching all donations up to a million dollars.
So, V.org slash Stuart in that regard and V.org slash donate overall. Scott Van Pelt here on the Rich Isand Show on a Giving Tuesday. And for those listening on ESPN Radio, presented by Progressive Insurance, Scott's 100-pound Rhodesian Ridgeback named Red is curled up on a beautiful leather chair. Look at the snow in the background. I'm feeling like a warm fire right now, Scott.
I'm not going to lie. Looks very cozy. It's festive. It is festive. It is that.
I'll do a Christmas album at some point. I'm kidding, but I threaten the world with that every year because I listen to that, you know, the holiday song. Today's different. Hasn't Kelsey done that? Hasn't Jason done that?
Didn't he do that back? What hasn't he done, I guess? Because he was dressed like he was ready for Elf 2 last night. That's what it looked like. They did this, it was this Irish road bowling.
It looked like I said, Was Guy Ritchie there? I was looking for Turkish. I thought the Pikeys were going to go bare-knuckle boxing. You know, You've you've crossed paths with him. He his energy is really infectious and he's um he's got he's pulled a lot of directions because he's got a lot of things in the hopper.
But uh man, the couple of years that we've been lucky to spend with him, he's got he's got inc incredibly infectious energy and um and makes makes us better and certainly we have fun in his With him, football and otherwise. Yeah, so I hear, I'm going to try and make the turn here. All right, so he was dressed like he was getting ready for Vinnie Jones. And we got Marcus Jones throwing the Haymakers. There you go.
Right? Did I do that? Did I do that? That's really nice. Yep.
Thank you. I appreciate it. I'm just trying to bring my A-game here. It's called giving. on Giving Tuesday.
But uh are the Patriots the best who is the best team you've eyeballed? this year. Scott. The best team you've seen with your own two Van Pelt orbs are I like the Rams the best, and I'm picking the worst time to say that because they just lost to the Panthers. I think, and you've made your living covering the NFL.
Not exclusively, but primarily for decades now. I can't recall a year, Rich, where we were into December, where I think you could ask this question and get so many answers. that would be different. And so few answers are if you ask the question differently, which is who's the team you trust? Because I might like the Rams the best, but I don't know that I trust them after they just lost to Carolina.
And I just watched in order. Over the Thanksgiving holiday. In order, I watched Detroit, Kansas City, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. Four teams I'm pretty sure are good, all lose. And all but one of them, Kansas City, lost on their home field.
And so I don't know who the best team is. I'm probably holding out, anointing the Patriots, who were great last night, but their frame of reference with their schedule, they haven't played a great schedule. And then you could counter, but they won at Buffalo and they won at Tampa.
So and I love Mike Vrable and Drake May is awesome.
So they might ultimately prove to be the best team. I just think that to to anoint them At this stage It just feels premature simply because May is only in his second year, and we haven't seen him take a snap in the playoffs yet.
So. I'm stubbornly hanging on to these teams that I have seen be good in the past, even in the mounting evidence that maybe they're ordinary this year. Maybe they're just kind of pedestrian teams. I don't know, but then you hear echoes, man. Like, for instance, a second-year player.
Ascending one game after another after another in New England at the quarterback spot for a head coach. Getting his second time being a head coach and might be better at it this time around. Taking on a Rams team in the Super Bowl that they have no chance in, right? I mean, it's kind of. You know, we deal in narratives, you and I.
More than X's and O's and all 22s and things like that. And then there's Super Bowl XXI in the same spot where there was Super Bowl 50 when there was a Broncos team. that was led by a defense. Even though they had a future first ballot Hall of Famer at the quarterback spot. I don't know.
There's so many echoes of past that could be prologue for all of us here. I love that imagery and the past. It often comes back in some form or fashion. I would say that. As it relates to New England, I made the comment on Countdown last night.
All you folks that got so sick of the Patriots being great, you probably didn't enjoy them not being great in that little window where they weren't enough. Because whether they're great or not, they're certainly not garbage. They're clearly really good. I am a monster believer in Vrabel. I've known him for a long time.
I know how he authentically connects to his locker room. It's a real thing. and the buy-in is is clear. I also am a big believer in Peyton, and Sean Payton said it out loud, Rich. I don't know if you played the sound or heard the sound.
He used those words. He said, this is a Super Bowl team. And The one caution I have as it relates to Denver is it's wonderful to win nine in a row, but when you have to come back in every single game at some point, And you keep having to win one score games at the gun. That's a really tough way to do business, and you don't last for too long. in the playoffs if that's if those are the margins you're living in.
You know what I'm saying? I I you'd like to you'd like to see them win more comfortably, they being Denver. I think you'd like to see them have more games where it's not two or three quarters of being Absent, and then one miraculous quarter. You'd like to see a little bit more consistent, sort of a slow burn. But man, they're 11-2 and 10-2, you know, they being the Patriots and the Broncos.
The Bears are the one seed in the NFC. I don't even, it's the Lombardy line that Boomer always used. What the hell is going on here? I mean, that's where we are. And then just to wrap it all up, we're talking about the top, right, the high-rent district here going into week 14.
You and I both know that usually there is a team that comes out of the mist, if you will, over the last five, six weeks. And before I let you go, looking at the standings in both conferences here, one by one, Chargers, Colts, Bills, and then here on the Rich Islands show, we don't do in the hunt. We just say sniffing it. It is the playoffs in case you're wondering what's being sniffed. Texans, Steelers, Chiefs.
So those are your wild cards and those are your your sniffing it.
So I'll throw the Jaguars in the mix as well as a three seed. In the NFC, you take a look at Seahawks, Packers, Niners. Lions, Cowboys, Panthers. Put your marker on one team, wild card, sniffing it. In either conference, that you think could come out of the mist and make a run and win it.
Scott Van Coat. What do you hear? If I'm allowed to take a wildcard team in the NFC, I'll say Seattle just because I think that they're, I mean, The Darnold in a big spot, is that scary?
Okay, I get it. What about the Cowboys? They played pretty darn well last three weeks, man. They don't look that like. I told Troy Aikman I thought it was reasonable to put them in the playoff conversation, and Troy said, I don't know, it's reasonable.
And I keep texting him, I'm like, it's getting more reasonable all the time. He goes, Oh, no, that's a confident team. It feels like a loser-goes-home spot for the Lions and the Cowboys on Thursday. This weekend's massive just in terms of the head-to-heads. I like them.
I like Dak, and that defense is a hell of a lot better. Obershawn is a game changer, along with getting a trade. That's a different defense than they were when they were giving up 500 yards to everybody. And the AFC, the team that I don't think anyone wants to play, which is such a tired cliche, but I really believe it's true. Who wants to play against Houston's defense right now?
I say no one. No one wants to deal with that group.
So I mean the Chiefs were on that logo and I can't quit them. But they just In the same way, I said Denver can't keep winning one-score games. Kansas City was 10-0 in that lane last year. This year, they've lost all of them but one, which was the game they came back against the Colts. They're one and six in one-score games.
Oh yeah. I should I can't quit them. But I wouldn't pick them. I'd pick Houston to come out of the mist because they've been in the playoffs the last few years, and I think Seattle is potentially as good as anybody in the NFC, especially when they play to their ceiling. Scott, you the man.
Thanks for the time. Greatly appreciate it. Greatly appreciate you being part of our first ever Giving Tuesday here in the warm Disney embrace. And since it is Giving Tuesday, give Red a scratch for all of us. Will you please, sir?
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Okay. So, listen, when a New York football team Has its season fall completely apart. And their dynamic young quarterback who comes back from concussion protocol. gets blown up, you know. On a hit that's completely legal, and then comes out afterwards and basically says, Yeah, you know, like we're not playing soccer.
This is the way I played my entire life. And then their third overall pick. Chosen before Jackson Dart, and Abdul Carter is suspended. Yeah You know, benched for a quarter because he's late again, second time that's happened. And then their replacement place kicker.
You know, he stubs his toe and purposefully doesn't swing the leg because the ball's not perfectly enough for him. I mean, We're going to lead with that. Even if there's another team that's just won its 11th game to be the first 11-win team. of the season. Even when that team is an unexpected first to 11.
and is a team that appears to be on the path To being in your face win after win after win after win because they are better coached than you. And they have a better quarterback than you, and they have a better team mentality than you. And they are better situationally than you, and their P's and Q's are completely with cross T's and dotted I's. In the Patriots. And sure enough.
You know, we are at the point where this team is 100% making the playoffs. The only question is: how many home games could they have? And I know that's potentially sacrilegious because there's the bills just two behind them. But while the Patriots are on a bye week, the Bills have Joe Burrow in their house to try and keep pace. And if they lose that game.
to Joe Burrow in western New York. And I don't need to go too deep here because out of respect of Jim Kelly showing up in about nine minutes' time. I'll say it here. It's happened. Then the Patriots would have the opportunity as Cooper.
The diehard patriot fan of my household. Turn to me with a couple minutes to go. And says, Dad, 'Cause he's good at math. If the Bills lose while we're on a buy and we beat the Bills, we clinch the division, don't we? Hello, Mike.
Yeah. You do. You do. With a home game. And this team destroying everyone in front of them.
Including The bills And when two. of their current 10 game win streak. And so That's the question: is how far can they go? And when I saw the Ravens. winning five in a row and And certainly before the season, Ravens.
Um Taking on the Patriots. in week 16 at home. That's an entirely winnable game. And as a matter of fact, the Patriots should win it playing the way that they are, with the quarterback playing the way he is. Drake May looks more healthy and spry than Lamar Jackson.
I said those words. You tell me. Use the eye test. It's that simple. Drake May had a passer rating of 126 last night.
That's 10 straight. games with a passer rating of 80 or more in a win. Last guy and only other guy to do that on planet Earth is named Dan Marino in 1984, and he won the MVP. And that's two better than the aforementioned Lamar Jackson, who did it in 2019, and he won the MVP. Is this kid the MVP of the National Football League, Drake May, in season two?
May just be. Coached by a potential coach of the year, he's got Ben Johnson on his heels, Mike Vrabel. And the Giants they have that Pass rush. Last night he was just basically like... Shrugging it off.
Because he's got the run game and he's got the blitz beaters that he that get open. Pop Douglas Booty? Kyle Williams, my goodness. I didn't even mention Diggs, I just did. Hunter Henry.
They're all killing it. May versus the Blitz last night was 9-12 for 148 yards and two touchdowns and a pass rating of 155.6. It was better if you didn't blitz him. The kid's barely shaving. It's unbelievable.
It's the truth. And then they hit you in the mouth on special teams. This guy, Marcus Jones, is Dion 2.0. He's returning interceptions, and he's returning punts. Honestly.
The thing that was really weird last night is your place kicker actually missed something. He's been great. He's been Vinichieri 2.0. Also a rookie. Stop asking if this team's for real.
The only question is: who's coming into their house? And what's going to happen then in the crucible of a winner-go-home game? And if you think the coach and quarterback and offensive coordinator is going to be spooked by it, You might have another thing common. For real. This is real talk.
They're on a buy, mostly healthy, coming back, taking on a Bills team that should be an underdog in New England. And the same thing maybe with them going to Baltimore the week later.
Okay. This is real stuff. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Hey, Ryan Reynolds here, wishing you a very happy, half-off holiday because right now, Mint Mobile is offering you the gift of 50% off unlimited. To be clear, that's half price, not half the service.
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