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Now, on with the show. Check this out. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Barbara Cabbage, let's hear it. Live from the Rich Eisen Studios in New York City.
Fly home safely. Atlanta wins. Today's guests, host of ESPN's first take, Stephen A. Smith. NFL network insider Tom Pellicero.
Panthers defensive end, Derek Brown. And now, it's a rich I said. Oh, yes, welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show. It is our final day here in New York City, the final of four days here on Disney Plus on the ESPN app, and of course, ESPN Radio presented by Progressive Insurance. For those who are listening on SiriusXM Channel 80, I will describe.
As well, what you're listening on ESPN Radio, what people have just seen, it is our first guest leading us off here to kick off the final day here in our home away from home in New York City and the Disney and ESPN family. Could not stop by here without asking this man on and kind enough, fresh off of us stay in Los Angeles and fresh off the first take set, which is right next door. Good to see you, buddy. The great Stephen Ace. How y'all doing?
How are you? I'm good, man. It was 70 degrees in LA yesterday. I get off the plane last night. It's 25.
That's, by the way, that's a heat wave. That doesn't make me happy, but I'm here. I'm here.
Well, I mean, you're still Hollis Queen's. Tough, though. Always. You know what I mean? Always.
But, you know, when you're in Los Angeles, you can thin out the blood grace. It's a little bit different. Hey, this place is incredible. It is. I mean, for us to hang out here all week long.
Get up here, first take there. We're here when get up's out, and then everybody else around here.
Now, I know when you were, I saw you on the view the other day, it's just walking down the hallway. It's unbelievable. 20 feet. 20 feet. Good morning, America, is 50 feet.
I'm like, this is why they did it. It ain't hard to get these people on the show. They're right here. You got no excuse.
So let's just jump in because I know you're heading off to one of your many other shows. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The best team in the National Football League, in your opinion, entering the final four weeks of the season is. It's tough. I'm going to go with the Los Angeles Rams.
You will. I just think that Matthew Stafford is playing out of his mind. Puka Nakua is big time. Devontae Adams, with what he's doing, is a reliable weapon in the red zone, obviously, and getting touchdowns, closing the deal for you. And that defense is special enough to make that kind of noise.
And I think that Sean McVay is arguably the best coach in all of football. I think right now, coach of the year is between Vrabel and Benjamin. Johnson, in my estimation, because of what's been going on in New England and Chicago, what the expectations were, what they've done to exceed them. But Sean McVay is just a steady hand. And I found myself actually fantasizing, just like you had Brandon Graham come out of retirement to play for the Philadelphia.
What if Aaron Donald had decided to do that for the Los Angeles Rams? I mean, it ain't going to happen in all likelihood, but you're watching the Rams play this year, seeing how formidable they are. I actually found myself fantasizing about Aaron Donald returning to the Los Angeles Rams because I think they're a big-time team, and I think they have a big-time coach.
Well, I mean, I can pretty much say with certainty that the Rams have called Aaron Donald about that more times than the Colts have called Phillip Rivers. I just don't think Aaron wants to do it, but it would obviously put the Rams even on a different plane. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you've got two 15-win teams from last year: Chiefs. And the Lions on the outside looking in. The Lions have a much better shot to make it than the Chiefs, who really need a lot.
to get some help. You've got the Vikings fourteen wins from last year, definitely not making the playoffs. Commanders, twelve wins from last year, same thing. It seems to be completely turned upside down. If you had to name the team that's disappointed you the most, This season, I gave you a little bit of a flatter there.
I would say it's the Baltimore Ravens. I mean, I expected a hell of a lot more. From the Baltimore Ravens, I can't believe what I'm seeing from them. I mean, you've got Lamar Jackson, you've got Derrick Henry, you've got Zay Flowers and Bateman and these boys. You've got Andrews as a tight end.
You've got likely, you're looking at these guys and like, what the hell is going on? Where's the signature defense? Where's the signature toughness? You always knew it was going to be a war with the Baltimore Ravens and they'd win more than they'd lose. And now you don't see that.
You're seeing an offensive coordinator that's forgetting half the time that. Derrick Henry's his running back. You're looking at Lamar Jackson who's been playing with injuries, but even as he's come back and looked a bit healthier, his game hasn't been indicative of that because it's been a bit sluggish compared to what we're accustomed to seeing from him. They're not finding ways to win. And then I think about, well, I think about Baltimore and Buffalo.
And Buffalo's not in that category in relation to your question, of course. But I think about them in this way. I think the window of opportunity is rapidly closing. Once upon a time, it was Patrick Mahomes. And then we looked at.
Josh Allen with Lamar Jackson, who's going to knock him off his pedestal? Which one of y'all are going to get it done? Because you got to get it done. It was a three-horse race. New England saying, nah, it's a new day.
Denver's saying, nah, it's a new day. They weren't won 10 straight. They haven't lost a home game in 14 months. They're like, nah, it's a new day. The Chargers are like, nah, it's a new day.
The Texans are coming. I believe that the Texans are the sleeper to come out of the AFC with their defense, which is ferocious as it gets. I'm just looking at this and I'm saying, How could Baltimore? have fallen like this. I mean, they still got a chance.
But they don't look good. They just don't. It's been difficult for, I think, a lot of us in the national media to wrap our arms around the idea that it is a new day, that there are a lot of teams coming for a new day. And it's been difficult to watch what the Eagles have gone through over the last three weeks. But the people I still can't put my finger on what the rest of the iceberg looks like.
The problem with the Philadelphia Eagles is the offensive coordinator. And the reason I say that, it's not him like, Oh my goodness, he doesn't know what he's doing. But Here's the problem. He's a first-time coordinator. And when you look at Kevin Petullo, you must he doesn't deserve to have his house, his house aged.
But we don't need that kind of belligerence and stuff like that. We get it. But the flip side to it is this. You have the same weapons. A.J.
Brown is still there. Devontae Smith is still there. You know, that offensive line, even though Lane Johnson was out, still there. Jalen Hurts is still there. What's going on?
Right. And the difference is the offensive coordinator. And, you know, one minute you're running the ball more than you're passing it. Another minute you're passing the ball 113 times, but over a three-game span, we're only running it 60 times. You look at Saquon Barkley.
What the hell has happened to him? I went into Monday night's game because I was at the Chargers game against the Eagles. And I walked into the game saying there's an APB out for Saquon Buckley, LAPD looking for him. When you go find him, and they found him because he showed up. Yes.
122 yards rushing, but they still lost. AJ Brown has been one of the top two receivers in the game over the last three weeks. They still lost. A defense that's got a 21-point lead on the Dallas Cowboys. They lose the lead.
You're like, what the hell is going on? And they just don't seem to know who they are, what their identity is. And unfortunately, I don't think it's something that you could just turn on and turn up because Seattle's going to have something to say about it. LA is going to have something to say about it. And the Detroit Lions showed you.
You know, that they're gonna have something to say about it as well. Do you think the Cowboys are gonna catch him? No. Of course not. Of course not.
I mean, you know, I know Michael Irvin's somewhere watching, and I'm laughing. I just knew it would happen. I told everybody, just be patient. Just wait for it. You know, just wait for it.
Everybody was excited. You know, even I was excited. I'm like, you know what? I'm like, Jerry's my buddy. That's my Libra buddy right there.
And I said, you know, damn it, I'm tired of rooting for him to lose. I mean, damn it, he's 83 years old. I want him to get something. All right. But when they lost, when they ended up going to Detroit and getting romped like that, I just laughed at myself because I kept telling everybody.
Be patient, just wait. I didn't know I was gonna be that gay. But I just said, just when you heap expectations on them, they will collapse. They just don't let me down. It's been 30 straight years.
They haven't let me down. This is what they do. And so, I mean, I just laugh about it, but in the same breath, Listen, give the credit where credit is due. They have looked formidable. And Jerry Jones and how much he was maligned for letting go of Micah Parsons.
We can't do that now. They have looked like a different team since Williams arrived. They have looked like a different team since Logan Wilson and Overshawn has come back, and Logan Wilson was acquired. They have looked like a different defense. And offensively, they've looked like a juggernaut.
When you lost to Chicago, C.D. Lamb. Got hurt because stupidly somebody had him coming out of the backfield running the damn football. That's what TJ said. They're very dumb.
Very dumb for them to do. He's not built to be going up against. Defensive lineman and linebacker. He's built to get into your secondary against safeties and quarterbacks. You can't put him in that position.
So you got her that game, and then he got concussed, obviously, last game or whatever against Detroit.
So all of those things you look at and you just say, it's just not going to happen for the Dallas Cowboys this year, but next year they'll be ready next year. This is what they're going to do. You win the Super Bowl next year. This is what we're going to hear. No, I know you're friendly.
I know you're friendly with Jerry Jones. I know that. And one of my favorite moments of the year is when you were sitting with Jerry in that Monday night game in Dallas against Arizona. And when things began to go south, they showed you, and at that point in time, you were like, I got to run. I got to get south.
Because, you know, it's like. It's not great when you're around the owner of the NFL and it's not a lot of sound. I got a lot of love for Jerry Jones. I've gotten to know him over the years. You know, through the playmaking and so many others, there's so much good that he's done that he doesn't get recognized for.
And I really, really do have a lot of love. And I was recently honored by Nancy Lieberman's Foundation, and Jerry Jones was a surprise presenter. Of the Lifetime Achievement Award, and he did that for me. And I had no idea it was gonna be him, and I was real touched by that as well.
So, fast forward to a few weeks later, and here we are. We're doing, I'm a part of Monday Night Countdown for that particular week because I do several Monday Night Countdowns a year with the NFL now. And so, I'm there, and Jerry Jones, like, come on up to the suite. And so, I said, I gotta come up there and see him. He's invited me, I gotta come up there and see him.
So, I get up to the suite. And then one touchdown gets scored. One turnover happens. And I'm like this. I'm going to get on out of here.
I'm going to get on out of here, man. Because I don't want to, you know, I don't want to, I'm not that. I'm not a bad guy. I know it's hard for people to believe, but I'm actually a very nice guy. I don't want to do that.
I don't want to troll you like that to your face. Not to his face like that in his booth.
Now, I'm here on television. That's different. I'm doing my radio show. That's different. I'm sitting there on X or something.
All right, but damn, in his face and the sweet. No, I don't want to do that. You know, that's just classless. I'm not going to do that. When I was up there, I was hoping that the Dallas Cowboys would do well.
So he'd have a smile on his face sitting next to me. But as I saw. They coming. I was like this. Let me get out of it.
Let me get on that. Did you say we start scoring once you got to the box? No, no.
Well, I said, well, no, they started. Detroit scoring. Arizona started living up. Arizona started living up, and I saw what was coming. And I was like, let me get out of there.
But does he ever say to you, hey, just lay off or something? Never, never, never, never, ever. Not one time. He loves it when I talk about the Cowboys. Because, you know, a lot of times, and there's, and believe it or not, there's a lot of times we have serious discussions off the air where I'm literally giving him my honest, heartfelt opinion about what he should do for them to get better.
And he's like, I ain't listening to that. You know, and he said it. And there's a couple of times he said, CC, I did do it. But there are other times where, you know, 80% of the time, like, I'm not listening to a damn thing you saying. This is what I want to do.
I'm like, okay, certainly Micah Parsons. I didn't want to see Michael Parsons going to me. He's a Dallas Cowboy and he wanted to be a Dallas Cowboy. He just wanted his money. And Jerry didn't want to give it to him.
Well, my attitude is if you're going to move him, move him earlier. Why are you waiting? Yeah. Until right before the season begins and trading him for two late first-round picks. You could have got more than that in Kenny Clark for Micah Parsons.
So a lot of times, Jerry's stubbornness, his procrastination gets in the way. But it's my vitriol, I shouldn't say vitriol, but the way I like to troll Cowboys is because of their fans. It's not because of Jerry. It's not because of Michael Irvin. Even though when Michael Irvin's off team, I mean, when Michael Irvin and I were doing first take together, I remember when they beat Tampa.
In the playoffs and Tom Brady, and they spanked him. And they had the footage: Michael Irving walking into the suite with Jerry Jones and the family and hugging everybody. I said, Look at him. He's so, ooh, he's so pathetic. And I was like, I said, he got me now because I knew he was looking forward to coming on the air and getting at me.
And I said, what am I going to say? And my girl asked me, Well, what are you going to say? What are you going to say? I said, You'll see, wait for it, wait for it. She said, Okay.
And we went on TV the next morning, and I said, You got six days because San Francisco is next. I said, You got six days, bro. I said, So you enjoy this moment? And he's like, There you go. There you go.
Michael, there you go. And sure enough, six days later. Here he comes. Here he comes. Well, Just like I said.
It makes me sick. It's like you could set your clock to it. Stephen A. Smith, a couple minutes left that I have with you here. The story in the NBA is what?
Is it Oklahoma City? Maybe 81 and 1? You know, like, is that? I think they're going to win. Listen, I think they're on the verge.
I walked into this season being very, very, very excited about the season. I think my Knicks are going to the finals. I think they could take the East, but Detroit is coming in. Detroit, you got to pay attention to them. They are for real.
But then I looked at Oklahoma City and I'm like, my God, what can't they do? And Shea Gildis, Alexander. I mean, they're just. They're walking through the league like it's nothing. It's like we're the champs.
We know we're the champs. We know we're better than you. And we're going to show you. Maybe this game was short in the first quarter. Another game was short in the third quarter.
Another game was short in the fourth quarter. But make no mistake, by the time we get finished with you, it'll be very, very clear. They've won 16 straight. They're 24 and one. The only loss on their game on their season was to Portland, which was the second game of a back-to-back.
And by the way, they had played that game without Jalen Williams, and I forgot who else they were playing the game without. I mean, they are just unreal on both sides of the ball. And so I look at them as repeating. I don't see any competition for them right now anyway. I'm hoping Houston steps up.
I was hoping the Lakers would step up, but they can't guard me on the perimeter. And they got a problem with that.
So, I mean, you know, when you look at it, all of a sudden we were raving about Luca being in shape.
Now we're looking at him. He doesn't look to be in the same shape, that level of defensive tenacity we were hoping would ascend. We haven't seen that. You're seeing people attack the Lakers. And stuff like that.
So you wonder about that, and then you get reminded, say, okay, Denver. Denver did take them to seven games. Did take them to seven games last year in the semifinals. Jokic is still Jokic. Murray is still Murray.
Porter's gone, but they still got Aaron Gordon too. Plus they went younger and they retooled and they revitalized their bench.
So maybe Denver has a shot. But OKC just looks in a class. Of their own by themselves, and not only a team that's going to win 73 games, but a team that'll coast to it unless they make it difficult for themselves by taking nights off, which I don't see happening. Me neither.
Next time we see you, potentially the Super Bowl will be there in Santa Clara watching who? Are you Rams and something else? I started the season thinking Philly and Baltimore. Let me put myself on Front Street about that. I don't think that's going to be the case now.
I honestly believe that the Los Angeles Rams are probably going to the Super Bowl. I really, really do. I believe as long as they don't, you can beat Seattle, but you don't want to have to go to Seattle to do it. You want them to have to come to SoFa. Going to Seattle is a different monster altogether.
But I'm still picking the Rams to likely come out of the NFC. The AFC is a bit tougher because Denver and New England seem to be the two best teams. I don't think. It'll be one of them though.
Okay. I'm high on the Texans. I just think their defense is something to behold. With Hunter and Anderson and those boys getting after you, D'Amico Ryan's got them boys on another level. But offensively, Do they have enough?
That's the question mark, and that's why it's tough right now. But I would tell you, if I had to pick anybody, it would probably be the Houston Texans. Texans versus Rams. What a Super Bowl that would be with Stafford and Puka and Devontae in that run game. Yes, sir.
Thanks for coming. You're the best. Thank you very much. Always appreciate your time. That's Stephen A.
Smith. Tell everyone what you're going to do. Everyone knows that. I'm getting ready to go do my show on SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio. I'm on from 1 to 3 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time every weekday. I love it. Oh, yeah, right. And, of course, first take. Stephen A.
Smith, everybody, right here. What better way to kick off our final day here in New York City? We'll take a break. We'll come back, talk about Thursday night football when we return. 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. Alongside over 850 dealers, they've raised more than $277 million, helping over 25,000 kids and supporting more than 1,400 research grants at 175 institutions nationwide. This year alone, they've committed another $27 million in honor of the 27th anniversary of the program. And they're proud to have national youth ambassadors like Jackson Trin and Emmy Cole who bring hope to kids across the country by sharing their stories.
Because at Hyundai, hope is our greatest feature. And it comes standard. Visit HyundaiUSA.com and search Hyundai Hope on Wheels to learn more. Yeah. This episode is presented by State Farm.
Having insurance isn't the same as having state farms. It's like needing the protection of an offensive guard on the football field, but getting an elementary school crossing guard. Sure, they're both guards. but you can only trust one to keep your quarterback safe when the game is on the line.
So don't settle for just any insurance when there's state farm. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. The Rich Isa Show Podcast. Back on the ESPN Radio Network and ESPN Radio presented by Progressive Insurance, along with our Disney Plus and ESPN app feed. As you know, we rarely start a program with a guest right off the top.
Usually we do it at the Super Bowl because we're jam-packed, or in the case of today's program, Stephen A. Smith right next door. He's got to go to a Sirius XM show. And so he led us off.
So Hollis Queens out. Livingston, New Jersey in. Yes. Mike Del Tufo. Big shoes to Phil.
Good to see you here on the program. All right. So let's get into what we normally would have started the program with, which is a big-time Thursday night football result. And Derek Brown of the Carolina Panthers, he of the causing Matthew Stafford to fumble late in the game to beat the Rams fame. Is going to join us in hour number three of this program, and it'll be great to tell Derek Brown.
Or ask him, hey. Are you ready for some football? Are you ready to step up? Because the door To win the NFC South has been left wide open by the once-upon-a-time 6-2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Now, seven and seven, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as we are sitting here now on the Friday of week 15, that is now underway in the National Football League with one month to go. Four games left for every team in the NFL, with the exception now of Tampa and Atlanta, because Atlanta. beat Tampa to kick off week 15 on Thursday night football. and shocking the system. Coming back from two touchdowns down with 10 minutes to go, 28 to 14.
To hand the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a bitter home loss just five days after suffering a wait for it. Bitter home loss in division. The Buccaneers, at once upon a time, six and two have lost back-to-back home games. to the saints And the Falcons, the bottom half of the division, to now leave the door wide open. For the Carolina Panthers, who are visiting the New Orleans Saints this week in New Orleans, before they play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers twice the rest of the season, week 16 and 18, and that week 17 game against the Seattle Seahawks at home should be huge for both.
That is what is up right now because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in first alert mode. They have fallen. Can't get up, even though they have gotten Bucky Irving back, even though they got Mike Evans back last night. And he was targeted 12 times, catching half of those targets for 132 yards. He was doing his job.
Bucky Irving got only 60 yards rushing and only one catch coming out of the backfield.
So if you're looking at any results of last night's stats. That you're saying boy they could have done a better job They could have done a better job running the football against the Atlanta Falcons, but you're just nitpicking. Because The Falcons did all they could do to basically Give the game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 19 penalties the Falcons had last night. 19 penalties, which is the most in a National Football League game.
Since the Oakland Raiders lost. Actually, hold on a minute. The Oakland Raiders committed 23 penalties in week eight of 2016, but also won. at Tampa Bay.
So this is the most penalties in f uh call I Most and penalties committed by a team In a game. since that time and also in a win. Since that time. And Kirk Cousins did his thing. With a 373 passing yard, three passing touchdowns, and no interception game, it's his first such game.
since week two of two years ago. And it's the first time an Atlanta player's done it because two years ago he was a Viking. The last Atlanta player to have a stat line like that was Matt Ryan in the COVID year in week fifteen.
So they come back from two scores down. After committing a fumble to give the two-score lead, Bijan Robinson fumbles the Bucs go. Was that a fumble? You know what? I'm sure Ravens fans are saying that sure looked like Isaiah Likely's touchdown grab.
So I don't know. But it was a fumble. And then a two-score lead taken, and then Atlanta does what it seems everybody's doing these days, which is going for two when they didn't have to, only to try and go for two, because I get it. everybody out there who's giving me You know, analytics that you do this sort of thing.
So if you get the two, then you now only need a touchdown and you can walk out with a one-point win, which wait for it. The Falcons did anyway. Exactly. We'll talk about that analytic stuff in a minute or later on. Because this is really about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers blowing it.
at home. They have the Saints at home. They have the Falcons at home. All they got to do is keep winning these home games in division. when they've already 1-1 at Atlanta.
And they've got two coming up. In Against Carolina, and they've got one that they've already won in New Orleans. That's all they got to do is home field turf protected. against their division. And instead, they lose two in a row.
And their win against Arizona that they had to pull out, if you will. comes after a three game losing streak against much better opponents.
So they have been struggling and spinning their wheels and the conversation for the Bucs have been wait till they get healthy. When they get healthy, the team that started 6-2 is going to show back up again. And yet, this past two-week run, with Godwin back for a while, and Evans now back, and Bucky Irving now back. They couldn't defend their home turf. And the big problem at the end of the game.
was a an interception that Baker Mayfield threw. that Atlanta used to try and get back in this game. which they did, and they kept again shooting themselves in a two-point conversion foot. Only to get the ball back because of a third-down conversion that the Buccaneers could not do, letting up defensively. A fourth down and 14 on the final drive.
All they got to do is defend that small piece of turf. At home. And they couldn't do that. And the Falcons Unlike week one. Do get a kick to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and move on and send Baker Mayfield to the podium saying, I've got broad shoulders.
Put it on mine. Disappointing obviously, but falls on my shoulders. Can't turn the ball over, can't have that interception. And then just gotta gotta hit Meck and stride on that third down. Listen, you can say what you want about being up two scorers and the defense right there, but We have to be better on offense and it comes down to how I play.
And this one this one's gonna haunt me. This This falls on my shoulders. Again, The Interception, the inability to get one more first down. A lot of people were talking about, again, that fourth down conversion that Atlanta came up with to march down the field and get the game-winning field goal. Third and 28 at one point.
Right, and then they got just enough to make it fourth and. Not even manageable, but they still got that. As what David Sills IV kept catching pass after pass after wide open touchdown earlier in the game. I mean, and he got targeted 10 times as Drake London was out. Mooney seemed to fumble, but they got it back.
There were four bucks around that play, too. Kyle Pitts had the best game of his Falcons' career. They have been literally waiting for a night like Thursday night since they drafted him. It's his first 100-yard game since his rookie season. That's how long it has been.
And he became the first tight end with 150 or more receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns in a game since Shannon Sharp did it. in week six of 1996 That's How they torched the Buccaneers' defense.
So, Todd Bowles, who watched this team go six and two. And is now seeing this Buccaneers team lose five of their last six to be at 500 or worse in week 15 or beyond for the third time in the last four seasons.
Now staring into that same abyss of still having to pull it out. of the fire. Which, by the way, the Buccaneers have done every single one of these times, and they've been 500 or worse entering the final three games of a season. He had this to say, and this is a guy, I mean Let me just say this. What you're about to see from Todd Bowles.
Is 100% the equivalent of Dennis Green ranting or any other coach. losing his Um filter. At the podium, losing, raising their voice to pound the podium. Todd Bowles doesn't do that. but he does this instead.
It's inexcusable. You don't make excuses. We you gotta f ⁇ ing care enough. Where this hurts. You gotta care enough where this hurts.
It gotta mean something to you. It's more than a job. It's your fing livelihood. How well do you know your job? How well can you do your job?
Well, you can't sugarcoat the It was in it. Excusable and he has no answer for it. He has for no excuse for it. That's what you tell him a lot. Here.
That was 10 beeps. It wasn't a truck backing up. That was in response to a question of what do you tell your team? And that's what he said he told his team.
Well, I saw that transcript, so I was curious how that was going to sound. And again, that is him ranting. Yeah. That's his version of a rant. Yeah.
Baker Mayfield was told. about what Coach Bowles had to say because he was first up. at the podium on Thursday night. He hit the nail on the head. saying that and questioning does it does it mean anything to the guys?
Like you does this hurt enough for you to actually make changes, to to come in, do the work that you need to do, to do the things that we need to do as a team to get better, fix these things and win ball games? And He repeated it and it's it really is as simple as that. We have talent. Talent doesn't get you f though. doing the work and executing on game days does.
And that's We didn't do that today. Like I said, I did not do that. Yeah, the Falcons left the Buccaneers cursing, which nobody I didn't see coming with 10 minutes to go in this game. With them up 14, I thought that was going to be a wrap. And instead, kudos to the Falcons and Raheem Morris, who could have had the U-Haul backed up.
But they decided to come up. Um with their uh They're Biggest overt overcoming a deficit win. Last time, the Falcons overcame a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter and won. was nineteen ninety three. Week 15 against San Francisco when they trailed 24-7 in the fourth quarter.
and wound up scoring the final twenty unanswered to win by three. And that's how Todd Bowles Watched his team. Fold. to the Falcons in the fourth quarter and leave them a half game behind the Carolina Panthers. Who have a monster game in New Orleans on Sunday?
If they win that, they take a one-game lead into the final three weeks with two to go against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And that game will be for the Buccaneers, that game will be at home, the first one.
So they'll get the Buccaneers in their house to start it. And they have been better at home than they have been on the road. As you know, they beaten the Rams there. They did beat Green Bay in Green Bay.
So this Panthers team is a shot. And so do the Bucs, obviously. Listen, if I'm going to counsel Philadelphia Eagles fans to relax. I will try and do the same to the Bucs because it's in their hands. It's in their hands.
All they got to do is win those games, and that's the end of it. And while Carolina plays. Seattle, Tampa Bay visits Miami.
So, the game in between the two that they play each other. Tampa has, if you will, the more winnable game, although the way that they have been playing of late, You can't chonk anything up as winnable. For this team.
So the NFC South has just gotten far more dramatic. and far more wide open. For a team that comes in. with an opportunity. Until week 15.
Carolina at New Orleans win that game against the three wind Saints. And off you go. With a one-game lead into the final three to play. And if they beat the Bucs to start it, If they're a Game above the Bucs to start that stretch at home and beat Tampa, they would be two up with two to play. And I don't know what the tie breaks are.
I don't know. But we'll find out when we get the playoff clinching scenarios based on what Carolina does over the weekend.
So now. The Bucks are in the unenviable position of sitting at home and rooting for the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. And I've got my top five list of other games that I'm looking forward to seeing the most later on. 844-204-Rich is always the number to dial right here. It's a what's more likely Friday.
Tom Pellisero is going to join us to tell us about everything going on around the rest of the league. He does have a report on what has happened to TJ Watts lung. He will discuss that with us, all the other coaching carousel. Concepts. And then, as I mentioned, Derek Brown of the wide open for the taking.
Carolina Panthers in our three. This episode is brought to you by McAfee. Yes, playoff tickets. I need to click here and Wait, what? Big site?
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The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. Back here on The Rich Eisen Show, ESPN Radio is presented by Progressive Insurance. They make the claims process easy so you can get back on the road in no time. It's why over 43 million drivers trust Progressive. See for yourself at Progressive.
844-204-Rich is the number to dial here on the show. Let's go to Terrence in Cleveland, everybody. Terrence, I have a feeling I know what's coming, which is why I'm. I'm calling you in here on our final show. in the ESPN studios in New York City for the week.
What do you got over there, Terrence? Dowrich, have a little bit of a chest cold to him and then sound like I normally do. The reason I'm calling this is because we have it Okay. No, no, my wife says she thinks I sound like a spam caller. Have you gotten one of these lately?
I'm looking for Sarah Connor.
So gotta call an extended warranty. I said, no, you idiot, but Sarah lives here. The reason I'm calling you is hard and harder than I check out browser this season. I watch you, I watch you every week on the pregame and my dad will call and ask what is best on a football Sunday. I said, to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and to hear the lamentation of the opposing fans.
But then when the game starts with the the bad free calling and the holding penalties that push us out of the field goal range, I just want the clean brows to get to the end zone. By by the fourth quarter, down to three scores. There should be a mercy room in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns. They keep shouting: Come on, do it. Come on, I'm in the game already.
Come on, I'm here in the game, do it now. And Rich, that's when I thank God for the sweet, sweet jazz. The Cleveland Browns may be three and ten, but George Benson's weekend in LA is undefeated. We thought we were getting Morgan Freeman, but he snatched it up. He'll be back, James O'Brien.
He'll be back. Thank you, Terrence. Appreciate it. It's Terrence in Cleveland, everyone. Who's your father?
What does he do?
Okay. Gabriel in Washington State. Let's take your phone call. What's up, Gabriel? You there, Gabriel?
Hello? Hello, sir. Yes, sir. You're on the air, brother. All right.
How are you guys doing? What up, though? Hey, I was. What's going on? What up, man?
A couple things I want to talk about. I want to talk about. You're on the monitor real quick and then uh touch on the Seahawks before you hang up on me. But um I think this is an opportunity for Michigan to fail up. Let's get the jet fueled up.
Let's buy his house. Let's buy this new one. Let's bring Pine to Ann Arbor. Prime to Ann Arbor. Whoa.
You can hello on that front, but Okay, yeah, I'll do that. Sure, Dion, hey. Yeah, Dion, this is where I was at the student news page. Is that good sandwich place? Deion?
Oh, my goodness. Red Hot Lovers. You got the deli, you know, going around town.
Okay. But that's what I added to the Red Hot Lovers. Mr. Spots is the spot. Yeah.
And then Mr. Spots is where we go, right? But no, even with Colorado over down here, I was surprised that. You know, and maybe maybe Dion did tell say no to some of these bigger schools that were looking for a new coach this uh Cycle, but Um but no, yeah, I think uh I think Beyond to Michigan would be great for college football. And then also I'm the Seahawks fan.
And I'm actually going to the game next Thursday night when they bring come to. When the Rams come to town. But uh But seven weeks ago, I put money on the Seahawks and the Broncos to go to the Super Bowl, a readmatch of forty eight. And Seahawks to win.
So pay with my test. The Seahops are the best team in the NFL, and they're confident Thursday night they're going to take it to the Rams after we see Uncle Philly on Sunday. I'm telling you, one week from today, it's going to be a heck of a conversation on our show because the Rams and Seahawks will have played one week from today already to kick off week 16. Thanks for the call, Gabriel. Listen, the Seahawks can win the whole shooting match as well.
I mean, we wrote down a number of teams that you can absolutely see winning the Super Bowl this year. You know, Rams, Seahawks, Niners are in that mix. We'll see if the Buccaneers and Panthers can come out of the NFC South, although we saw from Tampa last night that they needed to clean a lot of things up. Packers, Bears, Lions. Eagles, can they pull it together?
Your Cowboys, TJ, I mean, can they go on a run and make the playoffs? And if they win four in a row to make the playoffs, we'll be as hot as possible. Yes. Clearly, you've got in the AFC, you've got the Patriots and the Bills. You've got You know, I mean, you look at the Steelers.
What possibly can they do to go on a run with Aaron Rodgers? Could they go on a magic carpet ride? The Jaguars, Stephen A. Smith, choosing the Texans to make the Super Bowl out of the AFC. They've won five in a row, and their defense has been unstoppable.
Broncos, Chargers, the Chiefs went out to go. 10 and 7, and make the playoffs as a seven seed would be great to watch. Oh, yeah. I mean, so you never know on that front. And as you just said right there about.
My amazer.
So we we just uh hung up with a caller who's like, What about Dion to Michigan? What do you say? That that Michigan would fire up the jet? and pay off Dion's house in a second. If I could speak for Prime, he wouldn't say this.
I don't think Dion needs help paying off his house. You know what I mean? Well, again, cause you throw it in there. I understand. I'm not saying you would say no.
I'm just saying. I'm not saying he would say no, but. That's also not Michigan's um Mm oh. Not to say that there's no you know Nobody in the Michigan alumni base that doesn't have a plane to send. And again, I'm getting so much.
Online sent my way and comments and whatever about Michigan's next coach and who is it going to be and There's still so many pieces to land right now in Ann Arbor. And so much Healing that kind of needs to go on, and I know you can't. Hold anything up on that front. You've got to be able to. Run dual tracks here because at some point The focus will have to be completely on.
Who's the next head coach of the Michigan football program? And I'm getting a lot of questions. Who's it going to be? Who's it going to be? Who do you want it to be?
So I'll give you this answer here. The next head coach of the University of Michigan football program. I want the football version of Dusty May. That's what I want. If you can find somebody with a similar background and a similar Self-made builder.
somebody who comes from a smaller pond? If you will, somebody who has made more with less and now can do more with the more that Michigan will be able to equip this coach with. That's the one I want. I'm seeing, we gotta buy this person out. We gotta buy that person out.
I don't think Michigan's buying out.
somebody with Yeah. You know Yeah. 25, 30, 40 million dollar buyout. It just strikes me as just a waste of time. Maybe I'll be wrong, I'll be surprised.
Whoever it's gotta be, it's gotta be somebody who's... 100% focused on football, 24-7, 365, can recruit like Sharon Moore. Sharon Moore was getting some players coming to Michigan, which is why. I'm freaking out. The rest of the alumni football fan base is freaking out about these kids that have committed.
You know, transfer portals coming up. You got to get this thing in ducks in a row real fast or... And I know a lot of people are saying, how about getting the Oregon Ducks head coach? We spoke to Dan Lanning a few weeks ago. And he's like, I'm not going anywhere.
Yeah, but that was a few weeks ago. No, I was a whole different. To me, I mean Brian Kelly is available.
Somebody who is currently a head coach somewhere that has shown the ability to do more with less. I mean, Bo Shen Beckler came from Miami of Ohio. All right, so you don't have to go to some big, huge football program and buy someone out. for high 10 figures and say come to Michigan. Find somebody like Dusty May.
Same makeup, same character, same doing more with less, the same smart roster builder. And Master Motivator. Find that guy. Yeah, who's the football version of this guy? Screw it, I'll just say it.
Weird. We're here at the ESPN studios. I'm going to go there.
Okay. Oh, do it. Clark Lee was in the green room. It was every fiber of my being. I just had to be respectful because there were Vanderbilt staffers all over the place.
He says, Hey, coach, you want to come here for a second? I don't know. Real quick. But this is what I'm talking about. Yeah.
This is what I'm talking about. Yeah. And I don't know, he might love it in Vanderbilt. He might love it wherever he is. And as he keeps saying, you can win from anywhere.
Indiana and Kurt Signetti have proven this. Let's take a guy from James Madison, stick him in a program that's hardly ever won a damn thing. And suddenly, boom, a few years later, they are dominant and maybe winning the national championship of the Heisman Trophy quarterback who they wisely had transferred from Cal. Like that's What Michigan should do. Easier said than done.
Obviously. But I'm hearing like they should go here. They should go there. Let's let's hope You know, John Harbaugh is gone from Michigan. Like, he would take his brother's job.
You know, like it just seems to me so many. I don't want to ever speak something into non-existence. Exactly. But I think you need to be smart about it. While you're healing in one track and dealing with whatever You know, legal stuff that might be coming down the pike on what just happened over the last 48 hours, if there is anything.
You still have to maintain this track. The football Dusty May. Go get him. The Ridge Eisen Show Podcast. Mm-hmm.
