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It's time for the week 15 edition. Rich eyes, along with Chris Brockman, how are you, sir? What's up, brother? What a weekend. Yeah, thrilled to be back from New York City after spending almost a full week in the warm embrace of the ESPN Studios in Lower Manhattan.
We're back in Los Angeles. Yeah, only the studios were warm in New York. You know, it's warm in Los Angeles, not just the weather, but both football teams here, sir. Rams and Chargers taking care of business. Lots to talk about, so let's hit it.
Boom. That was terrible. That was crap. That was garbage. This place sucks.
Overreaction. Mondays. Monday. I don't know why I just said boom, but that's the first time I've ever done that. No, it was fantastic.
Maybe that was an overreaction. Yeah, Berman-esque. Boom. Boom. Let's go.
Hey, very good. Let's go. What do you got? Overreaction. Right out of the gate, I got to start with, man, so many good games.
I'm going to call this the game of the day. We talked about it on Friday as possibly being a Super Bowl 60 preview. Denver and Green Bay. Sunday was the best game of Bo Nix's career and Broncos AFC Championship game. I don't think that's an overreaction.
How does that sound? This is what we were waiting to see out of this Denver team. A complete four-quarter game. They came from behind. Best game of Bo Nix's career, four touchdowns.
He looked awesome. And before the season, when Sean Payton was like, we have a Super Bowl team, I think they finally, finally showed it on Sunday.
Well, to have the Packers come in off of what they did against the Bears and what they did against the Lions. on Thanksgiving. Um, to come in to their home stadium and put the four quarters together, as you said, complementary football, which is another way to, it's a the football version of pound-for-pound boxer, where you gotta figure out what it is, other than the fact is like you can run it and you can pass it as well. Bo Nicks with a four-touchdown game. Did you know?
Not to go full, did you know on you? Where's the misery? I know. Bo Nicks tied a career high with that four-touchdown passing touchdown game. It's his fourth career game.
With four or more touchdowns.
So I know we've been waiting to see it, but maybe we've been waiting to see it in a situation where the Broncos are expected to. Take that next step if you think they have that ability. And they went ahead and showed it. And Nick's now has 22 career wins through his first two seasons. That is tied with Big Ben, Andrew Luck, and Dak Prescott for the most.
Um since 1950. And if they win out the rest of the way, which is now possible because that Christmas game in Arrowhead looks a lot more winnable. It sure does. And there is that Chargers game at the end of the season, and this big one against Jacksonville coming up in week 16. Three very difficult games.
I know that.
So. Um, if they win their home games, is what I'm saying, I guess, now that we're looking at the schedule. And that game at Arrowhead is now against Gardner Minshew, against the Chiefs team that doesn't know what to do in a game that doesn't matter in the regular season when they're. Playing a game that doesn't matter in the regular season because they're not benching their starters for the playoffs. Then Bo Nicks would set the record all-time breaking Russell Wilson's 24.
most wins by A player in his first two seasons at quarterback in the National Football League since the middle of last century.
So Bo Nix is. ascending and slowly building. in a way that This ascension feels a lot More real than perhaps any other second-year flash in the pan type situation. And even just earlier in the season, you know, we've been talking about, look, they look like crap for three and a half quarters and then pull it out at the end, or, you know, they have a weird penalty. I mean, you could make a case Denver could be undefeated in this game, but I just think you put it all together, huge game, the home feel.
It looks like they're going to lock up the one seat if they kind of handle business the rest of the season. And, you know, everyone's saying, you know, Denver, this is a team that won the Super Bowl. The bandwagon was full. They really showed it.
Well, Pat Sertan, with one of the interceptions of the year, that was incredible when he jumped in front of a Jordan Love pass. And the defense then. Tacked on three more sacks. They needed 15 more sacks in the final three games to break the 84 Bears record of 72 in a season.
So they're playing the. Complimentary football, although they're not running the ball all that well. They're 89 rush yards. Um I guess doesn't matter because would you believe In games that they've ran for fewer than 90 rush yards. This is the fifth such game.
They're 5-0. in those contests.
So they're Playing Terrific football at a time when they knew the Patriots had just lost. And they also know they have a tiebreak on the Patriots.
So they're close to clinching a one seed if they keep on winning these games.
Now, Jacksonville is red hot, and that's going to be a fabulous week 16 contest between the one and three seeds right now. Yeah, we'll talk about them in a minute. But I thought for a second you were saying that this was still a Super Bowl preview, and the fact that Micah Parsons is now down for the season. Can you hold that thought? I will put a pin in that for the moment.
10 seconds. Ah. What's next then, Chris? Let's just go to the other half of that game. The Packers side.
It's less intensive. It was actually less. I thought you had one more thing to add there before you tossed it. But the Packers' Super Bowl chances ended with Micah Parsons de-introde. Can't say ended.
I can't say ended, although Micah Parsons. leaves the twenty twenty five Playing field and campaign with 83 quarterback pressures, according to next-gen stats. I mean, on a heater of all heaters. That leads the National Football League.
So removing him and that, from the defense will absolutely change the dynamic. And revert the Packers to the team that we've seen over the last few years coming in. And to the playoffs, which is a pretty darn good defensive unit, but potentially without a unicorn. in the middle of that line wherever he wants to play. in the middle of that front seven wherever he wants to play.
9-4-in-1. is maybe not going to be Good enough to go into the last three weeks. to come out with the one seat. Maybe not. With the Rams and the Seahawks playing each other this weekend, barring a tie.
or this week on Thursday night to kick off week sixteen, barring a tie. In that game, somebody's going to have 12 wins with two to go, which means the Packers would need to win out to get to that.
So the one seed might have just gone out the window for Green Bay, but the two seed isn't. The two seeds knot. And if they're the two seed. Welcoming in somebody like the Rams, Seahawks, Niners, Lions, Bears. Oh my.
That's the mix of, I think. Teams that would come in as the seventh seed in the NFC, which are stout seven seeds, man. NFC is stacked. They are. Like, you know, when the seventh seed was invented a few years ago, it was always that team that barely made it that was running on fumes or had no business being in the playoffs otherwise.
Eight and eight team, something like that.
So it's not going to be an easy road, but I don't think anybody's road in the NFC is going to be easy anyway. I can't sit here and say that their Super Bowl chance is ended. You can't. say that. Uh I'll call that an overreaction.
But um The likelihood of it is less, which is why I was sitting here saying I might choose a different Combo. For Super Bowl 60, then Packers, Broncos. Thought about it even in the middle of that game. Parsons goes down and it changes things. I know I'm contradicting myself here, but I'll just call this an overreaction because I just gave you the scenario under which the Packers.
who have the Bears this Saturday to try and sweep them. which would be a great reinvigoration of uh a team that had won four in a row prior to last This past week's loss. Then they're home for Baltimore, which is entirely winnable. And then against my guy, J.J. McCarthy, who was dealing on Sunday night.
He was. He was never know what that's going to look like. But there are some winnable games the rest of the way, if not all three of them, for a team that is really talented all over the place. That tie is just sticking out like a sore thumb for a team that otherwise, if that was a win, would still have a chance to win the conference. Um but That tie means They'd have to win out to match.
The 12 wins of whoever wins between the Rams and Seattle to kick off week 16 with two games to go for both of them.
So I'll just call this an overreaction for the moment and say, what a bummer. That both Micah and Patrick Mahomes suffered the injuries on. On Sunday. Yeah, leading me right into our next topic: Major Bummer in KC. Patrick Mahomes going down, Torn ACL.
He posted about it. Looks like it's going to be next season before we see him, probably middle of next season. Are you now prepared to say the Chiefs are done? You know what? I don't appreciate that snark from you.
Okay, great. The next time the Chiefs make the playoffs, Andy Reid will not be the head coach. What an overreaction. But an overreaction. I think we're ready for a complete and total rebuild next year for Kansas City.
And then Andy Reed is going to be 70.
Well, Kelsey's going to retire now, right? I can't sit here and say that. I can't sit here and say that. I can't also sit here and say that Mahomes, if he doesn't get surgery fast and doesn't rehab fast enough. I mean, I know nine months.
We've seen a nine, ten-month turnover. Yeah, but we've also seen how players look coming back in that, you know, the nine-ten-month period. He might not run around as much or have the escape ability, the Mahomes' magic. He's not going to be the Chiefs' best running back next year. Is that what you're saying?
Well, that's the one thing the Chiefs need to do is address that situation. But Andy Reid teams, as you know, never really had that. Oh, Brian Westbrook.
Well, Brian Westbrook was always a guy coming out of the backfield, too. He was a dual threat guy. I. I understand of the highest order. I understand that.
I'm saying, look, Andy Reid is going to be. It would be great to see the Chiefs just bang on you sometimes, man. It would. He's 68 years old, right?
So that's the oldest coach that's ever won the Super Bowl. That was Bruce Arians, was 68. Say gap year next year, rebuild year. Then he's 70. Why is next year a gap year?
Because your best player just had a very serious knee injury. I understand what it looks like right now. But I'm not ready to quit the Chiefs on next year either. That is preposterous. Why is it preposterous?
That is preposterous. Why is it preposterous? Because you want to help into the locker? Because that's just how it works. What works that way?
Just knees? Knees, bodies. He's now in his 30s. Your Hall of Fame tight end is probably at the end of the line. Your defensive.
Best defensive player is on the wrong side of 30 as well. Yes. They have no roster is aging. There's no doubt. They have no plausible wide receiver one.
The Chiefs are in big trouble. They're in absolute cap hell next year. They're a $40 million plus over the cap. This is going to be a very different-looking Kansas City Chiefs team next season. I'll just call this an overreaction and say Andy Reid is probably not going to go anywhere.
Um Unless there's something... larger underneath the surface that's a large ass iceberg. and they're going to want to go into this market right now for a new head coach. And it's not like there's anybody that's. I mean, will will somebody grab spags?
I know everybody keeps mentioning Matt Nagy as a head coaching candidate. They might get some coaches rated. They didn't get coaches rated after Super Bowl wins. In a row, why would they get their coaching staff rated after a six and whatever or seven whatever season, Chris?
Well, that might feel like it was their personal decision to keep the row going. I just don't know. You may wind up being right, but I'm just going to call this an overreaction. Fair. For the moment.
And just say this to you. Just throw it out there. Let me just say this to you. Just in advance of what I'm going to say. Is this recording so we can play this back in like a year and a half?
If we play back in a year and a half, I'm going to say this. On the flagship show.
Okay, great. And I'm not just saving material.
So we're doubling down.
Well, I'm. Yeah. You're going to miss the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs. Absolutely not. You're 100% going to miss them.
What are we going to miss? The star quality, the football, the on the edge of your seat. Is this the end? Is this the end of the dynasty? Is this the end?
Could they pull it out out of nowhere? There's going to be a lot of first-time quarterbacks, second-time quarterbacks doing it that don't have the same. Pizzazz or jazz as Mahomes and the rest of this Chiefs team. the wanting people wanting them to lose. People wanting them to win.
I mean, I know all about what that's like. You can be as, again, New England snarky as you want. I'm not being snarky, but you know the real, the reality is that you're not going to be able to do it. I'm just saying. It's basically going to be like when LeBron leaves.
You're going to miss them. You're going to miss. There's going to be a void. You're going to be sitting around saying, why am I somewhat empty inside? I think there's other reasons why I'm empty inside.
Going to miss them. Most of them were from yesterday. I'm just going to repeat. You're going to miss them. I'm not.
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That's cheaper than parking on Game Day. Learn more at McAfee.com slash online protection. But that's okay. We move on. It wasn't great for my team yesterday.
Oh, it was great. And then it wa wasn't great. After you blow a twenty one nothing lead at home to lock up the division, that's never good. The Patriots are going to be one and done in the playoffs. Wow, you're really putting this up for grabs, huh?
I don't love what I saw in the second half, especially. Really need Milton Williams to come back healthy. You know, the Pat's run D has been pretty bad since he's been down. Robert Spillane wasn't a soft benching, he wasn't fast enough in this game. Where's Stefan Diggs?
Well, Drake May can't do it all by himself. It'd be nice to have a little help. Jayvon Henderson, obviously a monster, very, very fast, but he can't do that on every play. I can't get this question on every play. Let me ask you this question then.
So, that whole win streak, was it really the. Benefit of a soft schedule? Perhaps you can only play on the who have we really beaten front? You can only play who you play, and they did dominate those teams, and they were dominating for us. We did throw a pretty damn good punch at the Bills against Buffalo.
Look, we won a close game at their side. They won a close game on our side. And I feel good about finishing up the game.
So, what do you think about it? What do you think? You're not going to win the division? You're still up. You're still one-up.
I just think you kind of need to fall down before you can really get up and rise to the top. And I think that was a good loss. But I think one and done in the playoffs, that's fair. That's a fair take after watching them on Sunday. Hold on.
Hold on. So you're saying, again, are you aware that are you aware that the Patriots have a better Division record. Against the the AFC East than the Bills have.
So all you've got to do is beat the Dolphins and the Jets. Doesn't matter if you lose to the Ravens, because the next tie break after head-to-head in division is division record. You've only lost once there. That's it.
So beat the Dolphins and beat the Jets. Doesn't matter what you do against the Ravens. If you suddenly have the Bills having the same record as you, you have got a better division record. That's the tiebreak.
So you could, you're still probably going to win this division, Chris, unless you lose. Two of the last three. I mean, you'd have to lose at Baltimore and then against The Dolphins Or the at the Jets. The Jets aren't beating anybody right now. They just fired their defensive coordinator before we sat down here.
Tua's got a great track record against the Patriots. At the Jets near home from Miami, the last one to Tua's got to come in in like 10-degree weather and probably have the U-Haul backed up. But come on, they might be in for a playoff.
So you'll be the two seed. You'll be the two-seed or the three-seed if Jacksonville can leapfrog you or Houston leapfrogs you, which would still have to be significant. One of those two teams coming into New England, they're more skilled offensively. I don't think either one of those teams will be coming into New England. It might be the Chargers, could be the Bills.
I think Chargers is best case scenario for the Pats, but don't want to see the Bills again in the playoffs. Don't want to see Houston in that defense and the way C.J. Stroud has been playing. All right, would it make you feel better if I said this is not an overreaction?
Now I'm going to try and drill down on your New England psyche. Would it be better for you if I'm like, no, or I'm like, you know what? You're right. Did you give an honest answer? You're right.
What do you think of this team? I think this is an overreaction. I think you've arrived. I'm a little worried. I'm not, and I am going high register, but I think you've arrived.
I think you're not wanting done in the playoffs. Dude, you just won like 10 in a row. Then you lose a half of football. Needed to finish that on time. I totally agree.
Couldn't do anything. And I mean, I think he should definitely start out snapping Ramondre by a nice margin, too.
Well, it's been a long time since the Patriots had a true home run hitter every time he touches the ball. That's right. And that's a lot of them from Pop Douglas to that Kid Williams. You got some. It just, you know, the bills.
Are who we sometimes think they are. And they certainly have one. He doesn't hurt when you're put on his cape, man, in that second half. Doesn't hurt when you got 17. It's an overreaction, Chris.
Don't worry.
Okay, great. All right, I feel better. Not really. Yeah. You know, you should feel really good.
Jacksonville Duval. Yes. The Jaguars are the team nobody wants to see or play Cup January. How about this? How about the top two in the AFC South are that way right now?
Just grabbing it. First game on Saturday, wild card weekend division. I know we always have our fun. Everyone respects them. Jacksonville.
No, I and they're balling, man. They are, and they're just, you know, what they're in right now. is in the vortex of the who have they really beaten lately situation, which is always so funny. Who have they really beaten? It doesn't matter.
In the NFL, the other professionals across from you Think you're taking food off their table. That's the way NFL players approach games. The same thing with all these Eagle fans that are pushing back at me for saying, I told you to relax. You're now three games left in the season, and you're one game away, one win, one match. Your magic number to win your division and host a playoff game, if not maybe wind up the two seed in the NFC playoffs, is one.
One, you got to beat the Washington Commanders once out of two times in the final three weeks. That's it.
And you're like, well, and. And even some people who know better in the NFL, covering the NFL, are like, it's the Raiders, Rich. They beat the Raiders.
Well, if they hadn't beaten the Raiders, they struggle beating the Raiders, you'd be like, they're still in the crapper. But no, they eviscerate the Raiders. It's like, yeah, but who have they really beaten? Jacksonville. Has beaten up on people, and they were 19 up on the Texans before they blew that lead.
So, anybody's like, yeah, but who have they really beaten? They've got Denver this week. Let's see. But they destroyed the Jets. They destroyed the Colts.
They basically brought Phillip Rivers out of retirement. Right? They took care of business at Tennessee, which is. Definitely a trap game for anybody in division. They wanted Arizona.
You know, the Chargers, they destroyed them. Destroyed the Chargers. And the Chargers are teams, is a team that is going to end Dallas's season next week. Yep. Because they are tough and they are physical, and they were up at Houston and they beat Vegas.
In overtime after a bye week, after a London game, I called when they couldn't tie their shoes properly. They were shooting themselves in the foot so badly with all of these cell phones and these mistakes.
So Liam Cohen, by the way, has also gotten the game out of Trevor Lawrence that everybody saw. Him doing Clemson and thought that's why he's a first bout, first overall choice without. Questioned Barnum, one of the more valuable first overall selected quarterbacks, no doubt. And he's finally getting those games out of Trevor Lawrence. Brian Thomas looked back.
Trevi, Jeffers Antiette has been unbelievable this year. Jacoby Myers has been huge. And, you know, so. Uh ETN. Is dynamite as well.
So, yeah, I'll say this is a proper reaction, but the same thing is with the Texans, too, right now.
So everybody's overlooking and disrespecting two teams in the AFC South, Abduval. as company for that sort of disrespect. We were talking about the NFC North earlier, and you think you're talking about the Green Bay could be in the Renaissance. Uh-uh. It's not their division.
It's the Bears' division. The Bears are going to win the NFC North. I'm going to push back on that and say. Yeah, with three to go. They've got The half-game lead.
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Learn more at AmericanExpress.com/slash business dash platinum. Home for Green Bay. At San Francisco. Home for the Lions. If they win the NFC North, they will have earned it.
They will have earned it. Their defense is just Stupendous. It's been terrific. Dennis Allen is the DC there. Yep.
You know, when you bring in your. offensive guru head coach. And you get rid of the head coach who's also the defensive side of the football guy, and Matt Eberflus, who. you know bears fans i know Always Kind of pushback whenever Eberflus is mentioned in a positive light, but Eberflues is a darn good. Defensive coach.
All right. The Cowboys' defense got lit up by J.J. McCarthy last night. It did. Quinn and Williams went out.
They're still, listen. I think they showed in that three-game winning stretch. That they have some ability, and I don't, I'm not placing it on Iber Fluis's feet, and I'm sorry to keep mentioning that guy's name when the Bears are. brought up here as a possible NFC North champion, and that Ben Johnson did just come up with a 10-win season in his first year as head coach. The last guy to do that for the Bears was.
Matt Naggy.
So It's been a while. Since the Bears have seen this. But They've got the Packers coming in this week. Yeah, who are stumbling a little bit?
Now, no Micah. I understand. Christian Watson might be hurt again. And if they let's just say this, if they don't win it, they could still win the division because they're only a half game behind well, they're only a half game behind Green Bay, having been swept by them. And that tie for Green Bay removes their ability to put that tiebreaker on the table and eliminate Chicago.
So even if Chicago loses this game. They would need to have be just one game better than Green Bay. the rest of the way and Green Bay is home for Baltimore and at Minnesota to finish the season.
So, even if they lose this game, they could still win the NFC North. But at San Francisco, if Chicago drops this one. You put up the NFC standings, and I know that they are in first place in the NFC North. and second overall. But that final two games could be A big Big tumble.
because they could fall right out of the playoffs. Because the Lions have that tie break on them. From week two. And if the Bears lose out. to go 10 and 7.
the Lions can finish up and beat him. Because Detroit as well. I'm just talking real stuff here. Detroit's got Pittsburgh at home at Minnesota, at Chicago. And the way they were playing midway through that game against the Rams, they looked tremendous.
But I think we're going to find out at the end of the day. Detroit, once again, has lost too many people on defense. I don't know what they have to do to sort of. Break that injury curse on that side of the football. But long story short is.
It looks good for the Bears, but their final three are really tough. They will have earned it. That Week 17 Monday night football game. to finish up the Monday night season. San Francisco Hosting Chicago is monumental because San Francisco still has a shot at the one seed two.
Somebody in their division have the same record as them. At the end of the week, if San Francisco goes into Indianapolis and beats Phillip Rivers. Unreal. Unreal. Um So So much is wide open in the NFC right now.
Including the North, including the Conference, including the West, including the South. The NFC East is really the only thing. Right. But Eagles fans should be on their ledge because of the way they played for the previous month. Get out of here.
I'm going to die on that hill too, pal. It's fine. They're going to win the division probably, but they'll lose to the five-seed who will be an NFC West. No, they're not going to be a five-seed. They're not going to be four?
The Eagles won't be four? This forcey is whoever wins the South. Ugh, that division.
Alright, I have a solution for that at the end. Hold on a second.
Okay. Let's talk West, Rich. Just to skip ahead and look ahead to Thursday night, this Rams Seahawks game is going to be an absolute slobber knocker. Winner of that is going to be the one seat in the NFC. I think that's an easy thing to say.
Yeah. Easy. Yeah, because the winner of it's going to have 12 wins. You know, the Niners, and by the way, nine, the Niners finished the season. Home for Sam Seattle.
So if Seattle wins this one. San Francisco stays right behind him. Don't forget that's how the season began with Brock Purdy and that injured toe finding Jake Tongas in the end zone to beat Seattle.
So they could wind up being the one seed also. That's the only thing that I think can catch them. I don't know if the Bears are going to win so much over those final three. We just established how difficult that stretch is for them.
So I think the winner of the NFC West is going to be the one seed. And obviously, whoever wins this game to kick off week sixteen has a better chance of doing that than the Niners who are a game behind him. Don't forget the Rams and the Niners split.
So, if I'm the Niners, I'm rooting for Seattle to win this game. They stay one game right behind him. And they stay one game right behind them the rest of the way and beat Seattle. Either way, Seattle is going to be in a situation where Sam Darnold looks like he's going to be in a situation where he's either the one seed or he's the five seed. Just like last year?
Just like last year. Except this time, the four seed is not going to be somebody like the Rams. It's going to be a team like the. Bucks or the Panthers, who I think somebody could go west to east and take care of. But I will just say this is an overreaction because the Niners are still sitting there.
And if the Seahawk, I just gave you the scenario under which the Niners could be the one seed and the winner of the NFC West and the one seed. At the end of the day. Which would be unbelievable. Because the Niners, again, they're at Indianapolis. They're home for Chicago.
They win those two games. And if Seattle beats the Rams, they could stay right behind Seattle, which is in Carolina in week 17, a big game for both. I mean, the Niners could have a real shot at winning the division and the one seed. If Seattle wins this, it's better off for them. Because they don't have the tie break on the Rams to put on the table at the end of the day.
And the Rams, at the end of the day, after this Thursday night game are at Atlanta and home for Arizona. Yeah. No bueno for the Niners to capture them.
So if the Rams have, I've just talked myself to the end. If the Rams win this. Then this is not an overreaction. If Seattle wins this, The niners have a good shot to shist. upset they'll just ruin the buffet.
At the last second.
So we don't know the extent of Devontae Adams' hamstring injury. I think it's you could, I was there. And I saw it. I'm obviously not in the MRI machine with him, but I turned to Cooper. He looked pretty bad.
And I'm like, you won't see him to the playoffs. Yeah. You know what I mean? Like somebody who's on the north side of thirty going right down like that. And hamstrings, as you know, take a long time to figure it out.
The Rams punch their ticket to the playoffs by beating the Lions.
So they're in. Just don't know what their status as in is going to be. And they have enough weapons to basically tell Devontae Adams, hey man. Yeah, just chill, get out. Just chill.
And if they keep winning, they got the one seed two, they can give them an extra week off on that front too and have a full month of rest, rehab, relaxation, come out. and be full strength division round of the playoffs. That's the way that one looked to me, unless they come out of the old MRI machine and it's something that is. Less significant. And Puka took some big hits too, man.
He did, but he came back in the game. Yeah. But I'll show you. Any concerns with Seattle, just the way they barely escape? Here, I'll give you the one stat on that front.
Okay. Before we get to the last two topics. Last two topics. I'll give you the one stat on it. This is what is concerning to me because this is the difference between settling for field goals or not.
And we all know that was their problem in losing to the Rams. Is they settled for too many field goals. This is also the way that you lose playoff games. They went 2 for 13 on third down against the Colts. Seattle has the three lowest third down conversion rates of any team in a win in 2025.
The three wins with a third down conversion rate under 20% in 2025. Is leading the NFL. The rest of the NFL has four such wins. Jeez.
Okay. And they're tied with the 2024 Dolphins. You don't want to be tied with them. and the twenty ten Ravens for most such wins in a season since two thousand. You know, that's it.
Obviously, they've got terrific defense. They have a quarterback who can wing it when he's protected. And they got a guy who can catch it, Jackson Smith, and Jig, but they got running backs. They got some other tight ends and wide receivers that just probably aren't on your fantasy team or sitting on a waiver wire. But third-down conversions, if they can't.
staying on afield. That's a problem. when you're in winner-go home games.
So that's the one stat that would concern me. All right, last two. Let's talk about the other big story from that game in Seattle. Flood Rivers, man, it was good. He almost did it.
He threw a touchdown pass. He really managed the game really well. And I think he's going to be in the NFL in 2026. I knew that would be a topic here. I don't know about that, pal.
I mean May maybe what he'll stick around. in case Daniel Jones isn't ready to start the season? I think Daniel Jones probably won't be ready to start the season. And do you really trust if it's a spring training, if it's a training camp quarterback battle between Rivers and Anthony Richardson, who are you picking? I'm however, assuming by this title, this this topic bar here is you're saying that it may not we be with the Colts?
You think another like he would stick around, bounce around with another team? I'm sure it's going to be the Colts, but I didn't want to lock it in.
Well, I mean, part of the reason why he did this is because he and Steichen go way back. He's running their offense at his high school. Exactly.
So, you know, his high school. Players told Ian Rappaport that they would be running the plays in the film that he would show the team Rivers. It w we're the Colts.
So I want to say, yeah, man, you're right. There's three more weeks in this carriage ride. No, no, no, no. Did he look a little round out there? Yeah, sure.
But that's right. Come on, though, man. But he took care of himself. Yeah, you can get that way out of it. And it's funny.
You know, we were watching the game. on my phone. at SoFi Stadium. You know, because there were massive games going on there, these Lions were devinning slate was incredible. All right, so we're watching the game, and somebody says, How's Phillip Rivers doing?
It was the third quarter. I said, Well, He's alive, and the leader has the lead. And those are the two things about Philip Rivers. That were Clearly, it needed to be box checked yesterday, right? It was 13.
It was a good day for him. Come out alive, win the game. And he checked the most important box on that front and almost checked the second. That's right. All right.
So, yeah, that was great. And his message after the game saying, I wanted to show kids, my kids, any kids out there that you should try, go for it. in this world. Don't be afraid of what might go negative. what might go wrong.
Think about like, just shoot, go for it. I love it. I love his message. I love his essence. I love his play.
I love all of it. And he looked like he could take care of himself, get rid of it, neck up abilities. He's deciphering the defense. He gave the Colts the chance to win. They definitely wouldn't have had if they just went into.
This week without him.
So But back in the NFL in 2026, I will just call this an overreaction, Chris. All right. What do you got to finish up here? All right, let's finish up. I'm watching the Panthers and Saints game.
First off, this isn't the topic, but it does seem like Tyler Shuck can play. Yes. And I'm thinking about nobody really wants to win this division. And then we got to watch the tonight. Then we got to watch the Steelers tonight and how, you know, the Ravens.
It's time to get rid of divisions for playoffs. Make it the top seven, and that's that. That's just stupid. Yeah. Come on, man.
Divisions have got to, you want to make this the NBA where you don't even know who's in what division anymore? You don't even based on record and tiebreakers. When you look at the NBA standings, when was the last time you looked at it in a division-by-division breakdown? Never. Ever again.
Anymore. And these division games matter. You can tell that they matter. You can tell that they're tougher to win on the road. You can tell that it is truly throw the records out.
And that is a thing that is 100%. Slowly but surely A fingerprint that is one hundred percent An NFL fingerprint. Take a look at baseball now with the interleague play. You can't even tell anymore who's in what league. Yeah, but the best teams play.
You can't even tell anymore. The best teams make the playoffs. Don't you want the 14 best teams?
Well, who's not making the playoffs this year that that that deserves to be in? Do you think the playoffs will be the Lions may not make the playoffs or the Bears, you just said it. Do you think they're not a better team than whoever wins the South? But the South is one hundred percent I guess I hear you on that front. It's tough for me to push back on it, but I don't think the answer is to just get rid of divisions.
That stinks, man. You might want to realign them a little bit. I don't know. But uh I I I don't think you should touch this golden goose that is laying eggs that are more valuable than gold. Like we're undervaluing, I say this all the time, we're undervaluing.
The eggs by calling them just gold. You can still have more valuable precious metals. Still have the divisions, still set up the schedule in that way. But when it comes to the playoffs, top seven at each conference. Don't touch it, man.
Don't touch it. Let's just call it the NFL's version of college football teams being snubbed because people sit in a room and whiff on who should make it and who should not. You know, it's just an egg you got to crack to make the omelette. And then you need to be better. to win your division.
You need to be better to make the playoffs if you're going to lose out to a team that You know, and every single one, and then one year, like, why is this team even making the playoffs? And then Marshawn Lynch goes on a Beast Quake run. and eliminates a Drew Brees quarterback to Sean Payton coach Saints team. You know what I mean, saying, man. This is an overreaction.
Yeah, 10-win Lions or Bears teens when he left at home so we could watch the Panthers or Bucs. Come on. Potentially win a playoff game. Ugh. Potentially.
Let's see how it plays out. Let's put a pin in this one. All right. Good stuff, Christopher. Great to see you, buddy.
All right. That'll wrap it up for this edition of the Rich Eisen Show Beckons.
Okay. So that wraps up this show. We got to head over there and shoot that show. Do that show. We're going to do it live.
Don't threaten me with a good time. Very good. No guests on a Monday. Love it. As always.
But Frank Caliendo's coming in studio on Tuesday for some laughs. We got a great guest list for one and all. Thanks for taking in this edition of Overreaction Monday for Chris. I'm Rich. Peace out.
Yeah.
