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Now, on with the show. There's no one. One and only The Rich Eisen Show. Snap to Love has time. Describe for me if you wouldn't mind your relationship from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles.
Matt is great. We're talking the same language all week. We're in each other's ears. Earlier on the show. NFL Network Insider Mike Garifolo.
Still to come. ESPN NFL analyst Jason McCordy. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Three of The Rich Eisen Show is on the air. That's not a threat, it's just a fact.
We're here in hour number three: 844-204-H is the number to dial. Got all the phone lines lighting up. We're very appreciative of that. Everyone wants to play win-loss games, so we'll do our best to get it all in. I've got my bills.
Four-down season preview that is coming up. Also, have for everybody to chew on. Um the latest on the Browns quarterback. decision that Todd Muncin's going to have to make. And the first two hours of the program, a lot of fun.
We had Mike Garfellow on hour number one. T.J. Jefferson threw the Penn State Nittany Lions banner off of his favorite teams list because Dan Lanning, the head coach of the Oregon Ducks, came through and gave him a fresh pair of rare Nikes, right? You got them right there? We unpacked them.
Look at that. What are these again?
Now, again, I'm out of shoe of file. What are some Jordan 1s? Jordan 1s. Oregon P Es. Woo, baby.
Okay.
So that's what. That's. That's how you take a team you've been rooting for since you're a kid and throw them overboard. See, this is you starting stuff. When the ducks quack, feed up.
Thank you. Every time you get it. If you missed anything in the first two hours, Disney Plus page for all three hours of the program. There's also our podcast to listen to all three hours, our YouTube channel, our socials, if you will, at Rich Osen Show for so many of them. On Instagram, Facebook.
There's our website, richeisandshow.com, our store, rich eisonshop.com. Jason McCordy, who I've known for quite some time from his good morning football days. We called some games in Germany back in the day as well. He is a meteor rising in our business, part of the Monday Night Countdown crew for coming up this season, as it was announced just yesterday. Good to see you, Jason McCordy.
How are you? I'm doing well. Good to see you guys. TJ, that's all it takes: a pair of exclusive kicks, and you throw the banner down. That's it.
Jay, I wasn't in charge of the banner. You know, that wasn't, you know, I couldn't. You didn't say no. It wasn't me. You said actually.
Listen, Jason, this is the new. You want to pop up the old? Do we have the old? Because the old, you know, we thought we just, okay, there you go. I mean, I don't know why you're the new.
Take Penn State. All right. Yeah, you got the see ya. They could, they could. Yes, they could.
So the answer is yes. The Clippers out or someone, Jesus. Yes, it's yes. The kicks are fresh, though. I like the kicks.
I can respect it. The kicks are fresh. Look, man, you know, it is what it is. You know, so which is that's really Penn State's gone. Uh, where have I found you?
Are you on the road somewhere? Where are you, Jason? I'm in New York City. We got a countdown show tonight for the preseason game Raiders versus Houston.
So hanging out for a little while until we go on there.
Okay, so the new crew is getting unveiled tonight, pretty much because I'm seeing Pat in Indianapolis. Is he going to hop a plane to get there tonight? Are we all in the whole thing? It won't be him. It won't be everybody.
So it'll just be a few of us in tonight.
Okay.
Well, I heard the news and I wanted to get you on right away. As you know, I invited you yesterday. You had your schedule all locked up. I wanted to tell you straight to your grill, if you will. I'm happy for you, man.
Congratulations. I really appreciate that. I appreciate that, Rich. You know, because you're going to be going on the road and you're going to be doing your thing. And, you know, so the story of tonight, let's hit that.
Fresh off, what's the story of tonight's game? I think it's Mendoza, the way he played in week one against the Cardinals. Just being able to show us some of the things that we didn't see in college, quarterback under center, going play action, delivering the ball over the middle, a layer throw. That's not an easy one to make. He did that.
Going through his progressions throughout the course of his time in that game, being able to work from the left side all the way over to the right side and find an open guy. He scrambled outside the pocket. There were a few things that when you look at it, there were times he ran backwards in the pocket. There was a hit he took on the sideline that you're hoping that those are the things with more experience that he kind of gets out of it and kind of moves in that right direction. But I mean, watching him in week one, like for Raiders fans, you should be fired up of what's to come for this guy.
I don't think there should be in a rush. I think Kirk Cousins looked really good. There was a third down. He's checking plays, moving him in to something different. That's what a veteran kind of brings to the table.
And something Mendoza can learn while he's watching Kirk Cousins, assuming he's still going to start this season.
Well, I, you know, and Um I'm wondering. How His demeanor. that we see. At the podium, after he has a game or a practice, he plays in the locker room. And how you would you know, as a teammate of him, take for instance A soundbite like this after he practices with the ones for the first time in a joint practice against the Texans.
Be able to get some reps with the ones against the superstars on their defense. And then obviously, the chews are fantastic as well. We got.
So much work, whether it was move the ball, first down, third down, red zone, two-minute. There's so many situations, and I believe overall it was a positive day. There were plays that I loved and plays that I wish I had back, but in reality, that's a lie. I wish I didn't have them back because it's a growing experience. And it's practice.
It's practice, and this is what I love. And it's a beautiful day to play football here. And I'm so happy of so many things we learned from today. You're a teammate of his. How do you?
How do you take that in? Jason, I think within the locker room, like if you're genuinely yourself and it seems as though that's who Fernando Mendoza is, we love you. As long as you can go out there and throw touchdown passes and lead this offense and do the things necessary, for me as a defensive guy, I'm speaking from that perspective. I don't care what my quarterback sounds like in the post-game conference or what he's saying. It's about what he's doing on an everyday basis.
And from what all reports are saying, he's been terrific since he's gotten to Vegas. Those are the things you want to see. Are you coming in early? Are you staying late? Are you putting the work in to learn the playbook and all of those other things?
If you're a little quirky, you can be a little dorky, whatever the case it may be. I don't care. If you can play that quarterback position and you can go out there and excel and uplift the guys around you, that's all that matters. The guys in the locker room, we're all not going to be best friends. If we can put together that common goal and move in the right direction, hey, I love you.
Be who you are. Go throughout the entire practice schedule, two-minute red zone like he did, and say it all. We're all good. What do you think? Is he a week one starter?
What's your general sense of it? I don't think so. I think the Raiders will stick with the plan. They brought Kirk Cousins over there for a reason. I think you look at that first preseason game.
Cousins played well. He did the things that you would expect him to do as a veteran.
So I think if he continues to do that, they're going to start the season off with Kirk Cousins. And it'll be dictated by how he plays. If the Raiders are winning games and Cousins is playing well, I don't see them going to Mendoza. The issue, I don't want to say issue, but where the Raiders are going to, you're going to see a test of what the plan is and how you respond. If Mendoza tonight goes out there and plays really well, if he plays well in the third preseason game and then the regular season starts, and let's say.
Cousins is playing okay at best, but they start to season off 0-2, 0-3. You're going to start to hear all the rumblings. Guys like me and you on the media saying, Hey, it's about time to give Mendoza fans chanting Mendoza at games. That's going to be where they're tested. Because is he ready?
Is he going to be ahead of schedule? All of those things factor in, but you want to get a look at him at some point this season.
Well, again, that's the question, right? I mean, we could figure it out all we want prior to the season. Um but then you look at their schedule. And you're wondering where would be the soft space to put him in there. What do you think?
You got that up on the screen right there. Give me a week. Or even if it doesn't matter, like if Cousins is winning games, right? You can't. You're not going to do it.
You're not going to do it. And you look at that and you look at week four. You got Kansas City, you got at New England, Buffalo Rams. And you can say, all right, let's throw him in there against the Jets potentially. And then you got the 49ers coming.
Like, there are no, there didn't seem to really be a soft landing. I think as you go throughout the course of the season. If you've made the determination from where he's been throughout training camp to the preseason, the growth you're seeing from him going against your starters and the reps he's getting throughout the course of the regular season, to me, it's more about him. Forget about the schedule. When you feel like he's at a point where he's ready to go and lead the team and beat a starter, throw him in there.
It doesn't matter if it's against the Denver Broncos or the Rams or whoever. If you feel like he's ready to be a starter in the NFL, there are going to be games where you're going against a really tough defense. There's going to be games where you might be going against a 32nd ranked defense, but you've got to be prepared.
So to me, it's all about Mendoza. Preparation and where he's at before you thrust him into the lineup. Jason McCourty, new to Monday night countdowns pre-post. Halftime show right here on the Rich Eisen Show. Where are you on your Super Bowl prediction?
Thought process right now? Where are we? I'm still, I'm still working through that. I haven't even determined all of my playoff teams just yet. The funny thing is, as you go through it, week one of the preseason is completely different from the regular season.
Of course, yeah. Think about Houston right now. Higgins was a guy that all training camp, all they talked about as the number two wide receiver, Jaden Higgins, in year two. He's been skyrocketing how well he's playing. They just lost him for the season.
To me, Houston is very much if C.J. Stroud can play the way he played his rookie year, a team that I'm thinking about potentially being in the Super Bowl. What does Nick Cacero do? Does he go and try to make a trade for Kayshawn Booty? Do they kick the tires on Brandon Ayu?
Like that determines where they fit into this entire scheme and all of those things.
So I'm still working through my Super Bowl pick. Do you have yours ready to go? Listen, Jason, this is not my first rodeo here.
Okay.
I've got a daily seat here, right? And then there's the season preview show that's on the radar screen for NFL Game Day morning, the Tuesday of after Labor Day. Which is really the rubber meets the road. Like, that's it. Like, that's the, that's, that's the, the last.
stop of the predictive markets. Um of folks like you and I, right?
So I'm going back and forth. We held a segment this week about put one in, take one out from last year. We did that. You want to take a swing at that one, Jason? Put one in.
Take one out. Take one out. Put one in. From last year. Kurt, just so you're aware of this, because I think you might be seeing Kurt every few so often on Mondays.
Be careful of him, okay? Walter Payton man of the year, sweetheart of a guy, great dude, great husband, great father, great grandfather. But when it comes to time to the rundown, he's already sending in an intergroup text chain, the put one in, take one out, because the he knows the producers don't like when we repeat.
So he wants to get his in right away, like literally, is doing that now.
So be careful of him. All right. Is basically what I'm saying. Have your head on a swivel with that, with that Kurt Warner guy. I'll definitely be doing that.
I'll definitely be doing that. Put one in. Take one out. Okay, take one out. I'm going to take out the Pittsburgh Steelers.
I'm going to take them out. And who do you put in? Put one in Mm. I'm going to division, which means you got a new division winner. You can make it as simple.
You can make it an AFC North. You could put it in an AFC North box. I was going to say, I'm going to go with the Baltimore Ravens.
So if I'm taking on out Steelers and I'm putting in the Ravens, I'm flipping that.
Okay.
Do you want to tell? Jason McCordy, what I did on the program for my AFC, put one, take one out. Jason, Chris here, big Pats fan, love you. Rich did the exact same thing that you just did. Look at us.
Great minds think it was those pretzels in Germany ever since then. We got locked and voted. Pretzels in Germany. Was that was what who said that? Pretzels in Germany.
Yeah, that might be a Hasselhoff B-side conversion. Yeah, okay. I thought the same thing. Although I'm sitting here thinking that it is possible, though. That the Steelers got more explosive on offense just because of who the head coach is now.
I dig that Bernard kid that they drafted. Pittman can have more chunk violence, right? You know, they added Rico Dowdle at the running back position to go with Jalen Warren. Jalen Warren, yep. You know, they got Robert Tunyon, rhymes with Funyon.
To go along with the wagon, Darnell Washington, and of course Fryermuth. They protect Rodgers and they might be more explosive, but why do you like the Ravens, Jason? Why do you like them to me? When you have a two-time MVP and a quarterback and Lamar Jackson, who's still in his prime, I don't see him missing the playoffs and back-to-back years. I also like the addition of Jesse Mentor, not only as a head coach, but he's going to be the guy calling the defense.
And the Ravens' defense wasn't good last year. In the last two years, it's been a roller coaster where they start the season, they're giving up a ton of points, and they fix them. Kyle Hamilton goes from safety to more of a linebacker role, then he switches back. I think Mentor comes in and he just kind of puts that at ease. And those guys on the defensive side of the ball are going to know what they're doing, where they're supposed to be, and are going to execute at a high level.
I'm also fascinated to see Declan Doyle as a play caller mix with Lamar Jackson. I think there's multiple teams, probably about eight teams or so, that are true contenders and have stars at the quarterback position that have somebody new in their ear. I think that's going to be a fascinating thing. Think just to continue to see how it all develops. Jalen Hurts is another guy, brand new offensive coordinator.
But I think Declan Doyle, with some of the things they did in Chicago, with the quarterback under center, the run game mixed in with the play action, with Lamar's athleticism, I think there's still another part of his game that we might not have been able to see just yet. And every time he's gotten a new OC, he's won an MVP.
So I think it's going to be a big year for him.
Okay.
So now let's do it for the NFC while I'm throwing you pitches you didn't see coming. Put one in, take one out. This is now this is this is a lot tougher for me on the NFC side. I'm gonna automatically go with my put one in, and I'm gonna say the Detroit Lions. That's a team that I'm high on.
The schedule is gonna be easier, healthier.
So, who do you take out? Who you take out? Take it out when I speak Jason out. Because you could have them win the division, I know, which means you might kick the Bears out, or you could now go wild card team. And last year, two of the wild cards, as you know.
came from the West, Niners and Rams. and one came from within their division. In Green Bay, Jason McCordy. Who's going out? You put the Lions in.
You're so close because I put the Lions in too. I did. All right, I don't feel great about this, but I'm going to say the 49ers. I'm going to take out the 49ers. I'm going to say the injuries get up to them, age.
I don't feel great about that, but I'm going to say the 49ers. Everybody can't make it. It's just how it is. I chose the Packers and then didn't really elaborate on it because I wanted to keep it quiet because Jordan Love said yes to coming on the program yesterday. You know what I mean?
A man that's done this for a while. Not my first rodeo. I love it.
So, okay, Jason, before I let you go. You're doing Mondays. Devin's doing Sundays. Yeah. Swap where And you don't tell anybody?
Would you be able to pull that off? Would you be able to pull it up? I think so. We gotta tell one person that can sneak us in and out. But what does that mean about this?
I mean, you just he he. You get his credential, he gets yours. Who the hell knows the difference? Can you pull that off? No?
I don't think anyone will know until we get to the first segment and ESPN sees how bad he is. And they're going to be like, this cannot, this cannot be Jason. We've just seen way too much good footage for him to be this bad today.
So ESPN management would be the first to sniff it out. This is great. Because I guess you haven't worked. How often have you worked with Scott with Van Pelt yet? Have you worked with him yet?
I haven't.
Okay, so you wouldn't know. Maria Taylor might sniff it out because she's worked with your brother. Or she's just going to think he's made mass improvements from the last year to this year. She's going to be blown away. NBC's going to be like, what got into Devon?
Okay.
Try it. Try it. We got to set that up. That's pretty cool, though. Your family must be jacked, right?
Oh, mom's fired up. She's like, I'm only watching football Sunday and Monday. The rest of it, she's like, I'm over it.
So just Sunday night and Monday night.
Okay.
That'll be fun. Give it a try. That sounds like some bad 80s movie, right? Where brothers swap networks and primetime games. Let's see how hilarity ensues.
Hilarity ensues. That sounds like we can put it on Disney Plus. All right, Jason, thanks for the time. Have a great time tonight. And I'm so happy for you, truly.
I appreciate that. I appreciate that. Thanks for having me, as always, man. Always. Yes.
And look for more of my calls. As a matter of fact, I'm going to make one to you later. That's Jason McCordy right here on the Rich Eisen show, everybody. That was a delight. And by the way, that's Jason's like probably good morning football.
Experience right. He had no idea I was going to ask him. Yep. And boom, take on the spot. And of course, I'm extremely happy that He and I are almost locked up.
Almost. Getting there. Almost locked stuff. 49ers. That's an interesting.
I mean, that... Mike Evans, again, has got his leg wrapped. Again, and the tightness. What are we doing? I know, but it's these are the times.
It's a tight winter. Let's, again. I'll just say this. It's apples and oranges. It's different people, different ages, different injuries.
At this point last year, Everybody thought. Not a chance Matthew Stafford makes it through the first half potentially of week one, let alone the entire season. And he had the best year of his life. That's true.
Well, because he had that airstream parked up. He had that back this, the back that, right? People here in Los Angeles were like sending herbal teas and stuff, trying to figure out how to help them through it. Yeah, you weren't offering your guy to walk on my back. That's right.
I was offering, yeah, Deron. Deron. Hold on. Deron Bland. I met that.
Oh, you did? Yeah. Susie definitely has a photograph of him walking on my back. Oh, I might have it. Hold on.
What are you talking about? What do you mean you may have it? I mean, look. Susie sends us a picture of her. I mean, she sends stuff.
Don't you know? She shouldn't. And she's in the green room. Hey Suze, let's get that picture. Yeah, no, no, no.
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When we come back, more phone calls latest on the Browns quarterback decision and my bills for downseason preview. And Rich Eisen here for Gusto. After all these years talking to athletes, coaches, entertainers, and people at the top of what they do, one thing is pretty clear. Success usually depends on getting the details right. For small business owners, that includes payroll, hiring, onboarding, benefits, you know, the work that keeps everything moving, even if it's not the reason you started the business in the first place.
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Yeah. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. We're on the Rich Eisen Show. Ohio football. OH And oh, it's not where I'm going.
Professional football. Oh, the real deal. Although, Ohio says, Well, I mean, Ohio says writing letters. Yeah. Latest Joe Burrow press conference, everybody.
Joe Burrow. Oh, but Hacksy Burnett says something to read into it. He got a t-shirt on. A sense of urgency and a wind-now mentality. From the quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals Joe Burrow.
I'm trying to put it out into the world. I'm trying to manifest it. I'm trying to... Show our guys the urgency that I have and that I want us to have as an organization to go and make it happen. Uh you know the You can keep pushing it down the road, or you can talk about it now and say this is the gear.
You know, I'm tired of saying next year, next year, next year, this is it. Uh No, you're Life is too short to to keep pushing things down the road and Um I'm trying to instill some urgency and some intensity in everybody to Go and get be great every day and and try to go make it happen. You feel like it's gotta be now or never? True.
So I worked at that time tree net for sure. I love it.
I love it.
Listen, I know what you're I could see on your look over there, Chris. 'Cause we've been saying over and over and over again that every single thing he says from the podium Can be parsed and looked at and read in between the lines. The I Work Here hat, we're the only ones, by the way, talking about that. I know, but it's fun. No, we're having fun with it.
Yes, people, there is nothing else to talk about. No, I know. I know people's reactions to that. Slow news day, yeah, bro. Can't wait for football to actually start and whatever.
That was a slow week. Three hours ago.
Now it's just like I'm treating it like now or never. Like, if it doesn't win, if he doesn't win now with the Bengals, then he doesn't want to, then it's never. for him to be there and I understand how That could be construed, but this tracks. with everything that he's been saying. Um about how he feels about this team.
Where he's just like, hey, how do I feel about this team?
Well, look at what I said prior to my. Big season in LSU about the team. And you look back at that, and he says the same thing about this team. He believes in it. He really, really believes in it.
Like, this is it. And then the now or never about, like, you know, can't keep pushing to next year, next year, next year, next year, I think has to do with the reason why he was depressed last year. Remember when he was like saying stuff from the podium, like, oh, the Bengals are broken, Joe Burrow. You know, it's his body. And the fact that he he gets hurt.
or the injury gods see fit to to sideline em. And I think he's like This whole next year, next year, next year thing is Yeah. hell with it. He feels good. He looks at his team.
and he sees a winning team. And I think Mm. Sexy Dexty being there. I think Dexter Lawrence being there really gives him some Excitement. That they went ahead and they're like, okay, we could take somebody who can protect Joe, or we could take somebody who can grow into a role on defense for us to put Joe back out on the field and give Joe a better sense of, you don't have to score 15 touchdowns for us to win.
Um And they're like, we're going to take somebody and put them right in the middle of the defense, and off of that will come a better. Scheme and a better result. and I think he feels really good about it, and that's exciting for Bengals fans, man. I would take what he said as exciting: that you've got a guy who's been there and done that. And I understand he only made the Super Bowl once.
That's still more than most other guys who are making as much money as him and who have been drafted in the same position as him or just right below him. Yeah. You got a two time MVP in Baltimore who's never made it. You got a guy across the street in Justin Herbert who's got all the talent in the world. He hasn't won a playoff game.
You got Trevor Lawrence, who's first overall choice. He hasn't gotten past the divisional round. This guy's actually made it, and he can figure it out, and he's damn good, and he's got some incredible talented people around him. Let's keep him upright, Cincinnati, and go deep. Baby.
Pretty big year for Joe Burrow, man. That excites me, man. He's been dining out on that Super Bowl appearance for a while now, and it's time to. Time to go, man. I need you to make all-pro team.
I need you to be in the MVP hunt. I need you to take this team deep again. Again, it's not because he's. been unable to uh Where he's lost his talent. It's just the guy has not been.
His body has failed him. His protection has failed him. His front office. fails has failed him Um I think a lot of things out of his control have failed him. More than his own talent.
So when you say dining out, it's not like, hey, I'm Joe Burrow, we're just gonna win. And it's that guy right there is like, follow me to freedom. They also did what he wanted. Remember, it was that stick-figure meme of. Yeah, I know.
Do we draft Panay Sewell to produce them? Exactly. He pushed for Jamar Chase, they got him. He wanted to re-sign T. Higgins, give him the bag.
They did.
So, okay, Joe, let's go. It's on you. But I also hate the fact that we put this pressure on the quarterbacks, right?
Well, we say, well, the quarterbacks got to do this, that, and the third. But the fact is, if the quarterback's left tackle stinks, right? And he's getting blown up all the time, that's a hole that obviously has nothing to do with Joe Burrow. Like, if the defense sucks. Has nothing to do with Joe Burrow or the quarterback.
So we do the, it goes back to the quarterback win and loss, Chris. Like, do they deserve to have these numbers, these records put on them? It's far more than just this one position. Everything's got to work. I just love what Joe Burrow put out there.
He says he wants to manifest it, and everybody hopefully is following his lead. And if I'm the coach in Zach Taylor, who is Everybody thinks he's on the hot seat, but the m the There is no hot seat in Cincinnati if the coach is on the hook to be paid. They just don't pay dead money to coaches. Marvin Lewis coached there 16 years. That's not an exaggeration.
That's the number.
So I like that.
Meanwhile, in Cleveland, they don't know who the quarterback is.
So there's that. But it seems like Munkin is going to make it, has to make it decision, obviously, in the next couple of weeks. Here's Todd Munkin's latest on that. It's hard to be Everybody uses the word even or equal. Or fair.
The reality is that each block's a little bit different: rundowns, pass-downs, pass, skelly, and red zone.
So They're each going to get five and five with the ones. And So they're all gonna get it. But like I said, what plays they get I really don't have time to look at exactly what the plays are. I mean, you've got to be able to go do it. But I'm excited to see him play.
All right, I have to share this post that I had sent my way. It was directed at me that you. You're not going to be able to listen to Monk in the same way again. According to Rob Row W211 on Twitter, close your eyes and listen to Todd Monk, and it's Funkhauser from Curb. Oh, it is.
He does. He does have a feet. He does sound like Funkhauser. Miles? We talked about this this morning.
He does. Yeah, that's funny. That's funny.
Now I see it, I hear it.
So if I do meet Moncin, I'm going to have to have him tell that joke. I don't know if he has it in him. You would never ask somebody to repeat that. It's kind of fun. By the way, great joke.
Where I'm out of you know what's to give. Great joke. All right, Shadur, it's his time against the Bills. This is his mindset going into starting a massive preseason game for him. I'll say every day of my life is important.
Every day is important. I wanna say it's a day that's not important, so That's just another day going out there doing what I gotta do, honestly. I don't really feel anxiety or any pressure, you know, even going into things like that anymore because it's like That's how I approach everything, so You know, it's just another day of going to work, you know. That's all it is for me. He's prepared.
I'm rootin' for him. Just kind of feel again that My car follow Joined us in our one, said somebody who he trusts implicitly, not with the Browns organization, but that they know everything about everybody and everything, and said, back at the Combine, it's going to be Deshaun Watson. If healthy, it's going to be Deshaun. End of story. Because again, they put so much.
Money, time, effort, all that business.
Now he's healthy and he's going to play with the twos and I think he's gonna look great. Which is what somebody who's played as long as he has in the National Football League should look like. That's what he has to say. No, I mean every opportunity for me I just want to go out there and prove that I'm Capable of being a starter. But as far as just nailing it and trying to, you know, my main focus is just trying to improve.
You know, I'm not really focused on just the competition. You know, I think the front office and Coach Monkin is going to make that decision based on how they're going to make that decision. You know, so I can't really control that as far as what they want to go with, but I can't control my opportunities and my reps that I get and being successful with that. I mean, these guys are basically out of. Inventive ways to say they've been saying it.
They've heard the same thing now for weeks over and over again. Big game against the Bills, Browns and Bills. Which brings me to my four downs season preview for the Buffalo Bills. Hit it. Four downs with Rich.
Here we go. Why did you suck? All right, everybody, here we go. Four downs on the Buffalo Bills. Hey, nobody's certain.
Me, what? I say this. for every new coach. When it comes time for me to talk about their team. in four downs.
First down. First down. Is Joe Brady ready for prime time? That's it. What's going to happen?
What's going to happen with a red challenge flag? What's going to happen with timeouts? What's going to happen when things. Move fast. Um I mean he's you know Been just used to just calling the plays, just getting Josh Allen's headset and let McDermott handle everything else.
Mm-hmm.
Now it's time for him to handle everything else, and Josh Allen. Smart guy, ready for prime time. We shall see. And by the way, I use that for real. If you look at their schedule, Mike Hoskins, if you don't mind calling it up, I'm sure there it is.
Take a look. The asterisks on the screen are prime time games. Six of them. And then... Then You've got the fact that two of those games Thanksgiving and Christmas.
So the whole world's gonna see it. Actually, one of the games that's not asterisked is is Um is Christmas because it's not prime time, but Bill's home for Kansas City on Thanksgiving night. And then bills at Denver on Christmas Day. I mean, the bills are front and center. their home opener in their new stadium, you know?
So, is you ready for prime time? Because everyone's going to see it. Because it's the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen. I feel like we say this about so many teams. Look at those first five games.
No, it's nuts. That's not bad, Houston, home for Detroit, home for the Chargers. All five of those teams could win the Super Bowl. And then you've got um at Yeah. at the uh the Rams before there there's Vegas.
Um second down. Second down.
Alright, the the wide receiver room. Hoskins came up with this one. I got to give you credit. Everybody eats. Or does Josh need more?
More Yeah. Nice. You heard Mike Garifolo say in hour one. He did the spring, the summer camp tour, and obviously on Inside Training Camp for NFL Network, Bill's best team and DJ Moore is already on the same page as this guy. And that's the question: how many times have we heard throughout Josh Allen's career, if he had a true number one?
If he had, you know, give him Jamar Chase, give him CeeDee Lamb, give him, you know. Stephon Diggs was awesome. I know. And they gave him Stephon Diggs. That was the guy.
So that's it. You know, you're going to take a look at the Bills' wide receiver room, and they added DJ Moore to it. And then you got Khalil Shakir. Keon Coleman is he going to have the same gear grinding with the new head coach as he did with the previous? I don't know.
We'll see. Because after that, it's Joshua Palmer, Schuyler Bell, Micole Hardman. Third down. Third down. Jim Leonard's the new defensive coordinator.
It's a 3-4 defense. They're totally revamping the defense. You ready for this one? I came up with this. Can the revamp defense provide an obstructed view?
Oh, look at you guys. We're turning phrases. Look at you guys. That's it. Can they stand in the way?
Oh. You take a look again at the schedule. Look at the offenses that they're facing. Look at them. Yeah, man.
Lions. Pats. Deep throws. The Rams. You've got also...
Kansas City with the top of their Baltimore, Green Bay, Chicago, Denver. Here we go. The defense. Jim Leonard's now calling him. the plays and they're like 3-4 and I could go down the roster who's there, who's not, but it's a whole new scheme.
And that brings us to fourth down, which is the ultimate question. And this is any year, any four downs for the Buffalo Bills. Is this finally the year the mafia can die happy? Uh I hope so. New stadium.
New home field advantage potentially. Same old awesome top notch Maybe best in the world quarterback. Fanbase is ready to roll. Is this finally the year? AFC, everyone's like, oh, it's wide open.
Well, the bills are part of the wide open. And all they got to do is just get to SoFi, and four quarters later, it doesn't matter who's on the other side of the field, can they die happy? And it's going to be red and blue confetti on the field. And snap it up. That's my four downs.
on the Buffalo Bills. What I miss. Thoughts Conversations? I don't know. Yeah.
You know, is it all on him again? You know what? An interesting item. When you look at their. Defensive roster popping off the screen.
There's Bradley Chubb is there. That's of interest. Ed Oliver's still right there, man. Rousseau, some names like Twitter. All of them were down last year.
C.J. Gardner Johnson is going to be yapping at people. You know that.
So Same thing with Deion Dawkins, one of our favorites. That's my four downs on the Buffalo Bills. When we come back, Suze is here. Chop it up with us in advance of Women's Sports Now. You're watching The Rich Eisen Show.
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That's three months of free payroll at gusto.com/slash rich. One more time, gusto.com/slash rich. Can Gusto help me get organized because I'm a hot mess when it comes to that. What do you mean? I just feel like I'm a constant hot mess when it comes to paperwork and numbers and all that stuff.
Well, the good thing that you know me and I know you, and we know Gusto. I know you, you know me. I'm here, you're there. I are a hot mess, Susie Schuster. Everybody.
What's on the docket for Women's Sports Now today? Oh, I'm so excited. I'm going to make my case for NECA for commissioner.
Okay.
I believe that she should be, I think she should already be the new commissioner for the WNBA. Really? Yeah. I'm going to go straight to camera and tell you why I think she should be, why I think she should have already been appointed the minute that she decided to announce her retiring from. The N the WNBA.
And look, I mean, who better to lead than the woman who ran the WN The PA for this many years was so successful uniting this entire squad. I think they need a total reinvention, and I think she's just the person to lead it.
So you think. The Management. Of the WNBA needs to change? 1,000%. And you believe?
That The owners Of WNBA franchises. would really appoint as the next Commissioner. The person from the other side of the negotiating table.
Well, if you really want to hear what I have to say, then you have to tune into Women's Sports Now at 3 p.m. Pacific, 6 p.m. Eastern.
Well, I'm offered Disney. Plus, app, ESPN app, ESPN2, you know, you find us everywhere. Understood. It's very exciting. I'm well aware of that.
Late night bar.
So you're like saving the gold, is what you're saying. Yeah. You're not giving it up here. Drop the knowledge here.
Well, I'm just saying. I would love to. I can elaborate just a tiny bit. Sure. I think we're at a point of inflection here where this league is constantly bombarded with bad news.
I don't think that the management has been great. I don't think the leadership has been great. I think that I think that the owners have to really figure out who they want this league to represent and be. It's very different than any other league out there. It is so personality run.
And I think that there's a real um They need to reinvent Rich. I think that they are on the precipice of possibly losing the momentum that they've garnered the last couple of years. And this would be huge. This would be different. This would show that they really listened to their players.
And this is a very, very diverse group of women who are in this league, the fans who support this league. and the businesses that are flocking to this league.
So they need to go big or go home. Chris, you want to look this up to see if we support it? W NBA MVP? Is it a wrap? At this point, oh yeah, absolutely.
For linear? No. No. It's a rap for Asia Wilson. Yeah, I think that Asia Wilson's going to continue to roll.
I think that Olivia. What are you looking at me like that for? I think Olivia is no doubt rookie of the year. And I actually went on the show two weeks ago saying that I would love to see her get both. Olivia Miles, a second MVP running right now, 10 to 1.
Asia Wilson minus 1,100. No matter what happens, Asia Wilson is your MVP. But is the Donald Fatigue in the WNBA, like the NBA? Like, oh, we can't give it a Jokic again? We can't give her to somebody else again.
There is no fatigue like that. When she's that better. Every time she hits the floor. And look, last night in the Valkyrie's Lynx game, there was a behind the back pass to Kayla McBride who put up a three and it was just a work of art. It's she she she creates from everywhere on the court.
And she's so consistent and such a joy. She did go off the court with a bit of a limp last night. I think everyone's wondering if she is okay. But she's a joy to watch. She's great to see her get both.
The Lynx are 30 and 7. Yeah. Okay.
Yeah. Press it. That is the best. It's almost like Olivia Miles should have gone first in the draft. There's a great argument.
Where's that coming from? By the way, but you're playing the result, like you always said. And also, how about Terrell Reed for coach of the year? I mean, that's a wrap. How about the fever?
They have just they've won five in a row, just like the Lynx. Eight of ten. Coming on. They're twelve over. Which I said on the show last week that all of this hubbal hubbubaloo.
You've got three hours to get that one right. But I have to say that I think that all of this, should we say Michigas?
Okay, that's another way to put it. Pulled the team together. It has united this team.
Okay.
And it may not have been pretty, but they are playing and winning for Steph White. Women's Sports Now with the squad all together? Everybody together? Sarah Renee.
Okay.
And Susie. Tune in to hear her use the word Michigas for the first time in the history of the show. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. In ESPN's wild world of college football, every Saturday, begins with a ritual. And then, the migration turns to mayhem.
Predators hunt, territories are defended, rivals clash. In this wild world, legends are unleashed on Saturdays. No one brings you closer to the wild than ESPN. College football on ESPN kicks off August 28th. Witness the Wild on ABC ESPN and the ESPN app.
Mm.
