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Now. On with the show, ladies and gentlemen. This is the Rich Eisen show. Keke Hernandez crushes one from the Rich Eisen show studio in Los Angeles. And the Padres have a pulse.
Today's guests: Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, Panthers wide receiver Tadarius McCollum, UCLA head coach Bob Chesney. Emmy award-winning actor Sam Richardson, and now it's Rich Eisen.
Well, hey everybody! Welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show, live on Disney Plus. Live on the ESPN app. If you are listening live on this ESPN radio station, coast to coast, Sirius XM channel eighty. For those who have the satellite, it's great to chat with you today eight four four two zero four rich.
If you want to chat with us on the Weather Tech fan line, it's wide open. Got a lot on our minds here today. The San Diego Padres are still alive. They took two shots in Milwaukee, but they're still alive, and that series is just exhilarating to watch. It it really is great.
The Dodgers are back, showing everybody why they're the Los Angeles Dodgers, two-time defending World Series champions. Tonight, the Yankees will try to get on the board like the Padres did, and the Guardians trying to make sure that the White Sox do not clinch their first playoff series win. At home since 1906, they want to keep. They want to keep that in the Teddy Roosevelt administration more than anybody else.
So twenty years. Good to see you over there, Chris Brockman. How are you, brother? I'm great. I'm great.
We need a need a Braves win tonight. Good to see you over there, Mike Del Tufo. What's going on? Good morning, E. J.
Jefferson. Candles lit over there. Candles lit. LeBron James is indeed the Sixers.
So I got that. The first one.
Well, he's he's not happy that Embiid showing up late to practice. That's not true.
Okay, LeBron has already come out and said that he. Oh really? Oh okay.
So Mike Bryan doesn't know he's talking. He hasn't been around basketball, and he's got a sore foot, right? Already injured. All right. All right.
No, no, that's that's that's for another day. We got it. We're going to start with another team of yours. Oh, imagine that. Yeah, because I've got my power rankings that I'm about to reveal, and they play tomorrow.
Yeah, the Cowboys play tomorrow. They're first up. That's great. Versity early. By the way, Kurt Warner is going to join us 18 minutes time from London, from London, England.
Hello, bro.
So he's going to be joining us shortly, and the Dallas Cowboys, everybody, getting ready to take on Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are winless and without Baker Mayfield. Look out! Yeah. And certainly, if they're bringing the greatest offense there is to the field. Hey, listen.
I love saying "Gotti" because it sounds like my home run call from Sports Center back in the day. Plus, you know, having it an acronym of "Gotti," Mike and I from the New York Metropolitan area all have a different sense of what that word would entail and view the fear, the actual real fear. Fear it would it would bring. We all know we were growing up. At any rate, fascinating that the first time we saw Gotti unveiled this year was in New Jersey.
It got buried underneath the stadium. Did they find it? Different sort of metaphors being mixed. But anyway, I kind of dig it. You think these scripts are a joke?
Last week, last week it showed up in Houston in the second half, not first half, second half. Ceedee Lamb. Caught a gajillion ball. He was targeted twenty-one times, twenty-one Dion Sanders times. He was targeted in that game, and he had a career day.
And this is without George Pickens having scored a touchdown yet. Devontae Williams is even better this year than he was last year, so it's beginning to go. And I have to, I have to play this soundbite because this is great. Clarence Hill, our guy, who's been on this show over and over and over again. With the team two and two, again, week one, not so much.
Week three, you know, Gotti was in the southern hemisphere, and the head coach basically said, "We Gotti overtime in our midst. We don't want to throw a touchdown here if it's not immediately open." That led to a whole to do leading into Houston, where they were aggressive and came out with a win. Instead of going for the field goal to tie, they went for the end zone, which helps when C.D. Lamb is getting wide ass open every single time. That's the technical term, y'all.
It is indeed. Couldn't stop.
So this is a great exchange, Clarence Hill doing the questioning of Dak Prescott, who came up with this an acronym: GOTI. Hit it. Do you believe you're gotti yet, one more time? Do you believe you guys are gotti yet? Have you been gotti?
So you're saying you don't believe we are yet? I'm actually just asking you a question. Yeah, so if that was, I mean, we. Are you clams? Are you clams?
Have you performed that way? What I'm asking. No. I'm with you. I got you.
Do you regret the mantra? No, no, no.
Well, I'm not asking him to finish. No, I got no regrets. We're what four games in? I think we can get better. Am I complacent with what we've done?
Absolutely not. Do I think what we've done is it enough? Absolutely not. Do I still believe that that's who we are and that's who we're going to be? Damn right.
I like this version of Dak. I do too. I like this version of Dak. I like Dak. Year eleven.
That's which is why you like. Which is why it's which is why if it's fourth and inches in week one, doesn't matter if it's the first drive of the season or not. Go for it. Which is why if you've got one shot at an end zone in Rio with seconds to go, go for it. Which is why in in week four in Houston.
He's feeling it with C.D. Lamb, and you've got a a field goal in your back pocket. Go for it, and they did, and they came with a win. I like it. Clarence wasn't happy that he didn't get his question answered because somebody else jumped in with another, equally valid question.
Do you regret it? Then he basically he did the Favre thing, which is asking a question and then answering it, and then asking a question of yourself and then answering it, and then asking a question of yourself and then giving two different answers. Basically, saying, you know, do I believe that that's what we're going to be and what we are? Two different things. Defensively, they've got a backup quarterback in their house.
And a team that hasn't won yet, they should destroy Tampa. With all due respect to the Bucks, who are a very, you know, cornered, talented in certain spots, team with a coach flat out on the hot seat. Let's not lie. Let's not lie. Yeah, no doubt.
And a defense that's even more talented with the Cowboys.
Now that Joey Porter Jr. is there, and on his Tuesday appearance on 105 Three, the fan in the Metroplex, that will never not. The old man with money, old man with money. You can rely on the old man with money. Bust the budget.
He says he might not be done. Adding, hey. I have some suggestions. Hit it! I'm never shut down from trying to get something that would really advance the needle, especially one that could do it now and into the future.
And again, I said at the start of training camp, I'm willing to put some things out there that are for today. Lean more today than they would be three years from now.
Well, that's the future we're talking about.
So I'm open. We're open. We've got a trade deadline coming up when you can do some things. Let's see what happens. Let's do it on the defensive side of things.
Can they have a what do we? Gaditti? Can we get a Gaditti to go with the Gotti? Defense there.
Well, there's a lot of GD going on when the defense is out on the field. But listen, we just call it dooms. I will just say this: aggressive Cowboys is the way through this year. TJ, aggressive, I know, aggressive on offense, aggressive on the play calling, aggressive on the talent acquisition, and aggressive on defense. That's it.
Do not take the pedal off. Because the NFC East, in my estimation, is is open. It's open for business, for sure. The Eagles don't look anything like the Eagles in their championship season so far. Even with a two and two record, Lane Johnson is retired.
Um, and we'll get to that later on. The Giants are three and one with the Jameis Winston experience, and the Commanders are one and three currently. With their only healthy quarterback being the their big fat Greek touchdown thrower from Rutgers.
Now the question is, where do the Cowboys sit on my power rankings? Because they were off the list at one and two. Big win at two and two. I've got my power rankings in my hand. Oh, doing it now?
I'm doing it now. Oh, let's go. We're doing it live. Come on, hit it. My week five power rankings, brought to you by Sofi.
Lot of teams going from one and two to two and two that had some Super Bowl aspirations. Season saved. Are they on my power rankings? It's time to answer that question. I have only one, two, and two team on the list.
Let's just give that off the top. I bet we can guess. Number ten on the list. They're three and one. I'm keeping the Raiders right here.
Okay. I'm keeping the Raiders ten. I kind of like that. I do too. They had the Chiefs in their house with a lead with five minutes to go.
And then the old Raider stuff happened. Kenneth Walker called game.
Well, Walker called game a fumble on a crushing special teams fumble. And then Kenneth Walker called game. But they they looked toe to toe. And I understand people are giving Clint Kubiak a little bit of the business because he says, "Yeah, we're leading right now. We're going to win the game." I don't care, man.
What's he supposed to say? The same way that you know. Matthew Hasselbeck years ago. We're gonna take the ball. We're gonna score.
By the way, he was he was given an old former teammate a little bit of the the business as well, and a hot mic caught it. Listen, I'm not holding this against Kubiak. I'm gonna focus on the fact that he has got them playing really good football. Complementary football, as they say, which means passing and running, which means offense and defense. The special teams did let them down with a turnover, but I am not going to turn away from the Raiders right now, and I am sending them east to take on the Patriots this week in a terrific Week Five contest.
That's truly another test because they just took one in the chops from the Chiefs, stayed toe to toe with them at home.
Now they got to go out east and take on a Patriots team feeling good about themselves. Let's go. Number nine on the list. I don't care what you think. I don't care what you are going to say.
I don't care what you, Cooper, say. I don't care. The two and two Rams are ninth on this list because they are that good. They are that good. I mean, they are that good.
They they made their mistakes. Philly is that bad? Oh, but Philly in Philadelphia still has some really good players on defense.
Okay. And the defense did its job in the second half of that game. And Kyron Williams is a difference maker, and so is Puka, and so is Devonte Adams, and so is their quarterback, just to name a few. And they're all. I'm looking over the steering wheel.
Sometimes I look, I see into the future. They played the Falcons tomorrow. Who you taking? I'm taking the Rams. Laugh all you, or you're taking the Falcons?
All of a sudden, all of a sudden, all of a sudden, best offense in the league the last two weeks.
Okay. Number eight on the list, up one spot. The Chicago Bears. Man, this guy Ben Johnson just keeps on clicking his pen, doesn't he? And then the offense keeps clicking.
Doesn't matter who's out there. Oh my! Yeah, oh my is right. Oh my! Kyle Montgomery, you know, thirty carries right down, right down the shoot.
Monster.
Okay, DeAndre Swift's a little banged up. Let's give it to him. Let's give it to Montgomery. At some point, Caleb's coming back. I'm looking over the steering wheel there.
Okay, Bears are at eighth, up one spot. The Jacksonville Jaguars are here. Jaguars. Yeah, they're going to London to take on the Eagles and Texans.
Okay, they're going to go on this run here. I think. Trevor Lawrence is just a different guy now with Liam Cohen in the in the headset and in his grill and in his film sessions and everything else. I, then defensively, they get after you and they turn you over and they take you away. They take it away.
Down five spots. They've been sitting atop my power rankings for quite some time, but I'm putting the Bills here. I'm going back and forth. I almost put the Bills above the Ravens, but the Ravens would have been dropped one spot after having won a football game, and I just can't do that in my power rankings. It's just the way I, I do my business.
I tell you, the Bills are six. Are your rankings?
So the Ravens are fifth. I'm putting the Ravens here. No change. Like the rent, stays like before. The Vikings are four.
I mean, they're four and zero. I would, I would potentially take if the Vikings are playing the Ravens, Bills, Jaguars, Bears, Rams. I might take them over the Vikings right now, just because of the way that their offense is playing under Kyler Murray. And I'm not ready to say this guy is never going to do it or can't do it. Right now, it's not pretty watching him do it.
Nope. And you just got to keep throwing him out there. And a good way to keep throwing him out there is you keep winning because your defense is throwing everybody out of the club. Which they're doing, and next up is a Saints team that just had the Falcons all over them in New Orleans when it was a night of nights. This is going to be a Sunday, day of any old Sunday, and I think the Vikings are ready to try and make the poor man's Josh Allen even poorer.
They better do something on offense, the Vikings. Yeah, what do you mean they better do something? What does that mean? I think they're going to lose to the Saints. Yeah.
Okay. Number three up three spots of the defending Super Bowl champs. I understand they didn't look great in the final throws against the Chargers, but they certainly bounced back. And I can't wait for this Week Five game, home against the San Francisco Forty Nineers. Monster indeed.
Number two up one spot of the Chiefs. And my new number one atop my power rankings. Are the San Francisco Forty Nineers, Chiefs on a buy? Niners taking on the Seahawks, Vikings fourth taking on the Saints, the Ravens taking on Chris Brockman's favorite favorite favorite Atlanta Falcons team on Sunday night. The Bills finishing Monday night against my ninth ranked Rams.
The Jaguars in London against the Eagles, who are off the list. The Chicago Bears this week now up one spot at eight. Taking on Green Bay and Green Bay in a big time contest, and the Raiders taking on Brockman's Patriots—the only team that was on it that is now off it—are the Denver Broncos. I'm not seeing enough out of Bo Nix right now to be straight up honest with you all. That's fair.
Kurt Warner's going to have his two cents on that. My power rankings are brought to you by SoFi. Get your money right. Went back and forth. Do I put the three and one Giants or the three and one Browns on there?
Thought to myself, Raiders play them right now. I take the Raiders. I really would. Thought about two and two New England. Thought about two and two Dallas.
Couldn't do it. Two and two Rams. They're in my club, and I don't care what you say. That's not. I don't care what you say anymore.
This is my power ranking. Yes, just went Billy Joel on you. I'm. I. I gotta say, I am shocked the Chiefs aren't first.
Why? I'm stunned. Why would I leapfrog the Chiefs over the 49ers, who are now four and zero, and they keep on losing players, and they keep on chugging along. And if I'm Debo Samuel, I never leave the warm embrace. Of a Kyle Shanahan coached offense, the rest of my life, never leaving that team ever.
And Brock Purdy is currently playing the best at the position of anybody this year through the first month. And Kyle Youseck had his fine rescinded. Wins all around.
So put that all together, the Niners are atop my power rankings. Eight four four two zero four Rich. Number to dial here on our WeatherTech Fan Line. We'll take your phone calls. But when we come back, London calling.
See what I did? Amen. Kurt Warner next here on the Rich Eisen Show, the Rich Eisen Show podcast. In a world in need of a hero, one man rises to the challenge in style. He is just driving the kids to soccer practice.
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Terms and conditions apply. Sunday, they lost it two weeks ago against Houston, but have found ways to win. That's got to get eliminated. And then on the defensive side, they got a lot of young players that that are playing over there, and so we've seen a whole lot better the first two weeks. Over a thousand yards they gave up, and then they've cut that in half against Houston and did a nice job this past week.
And so that'll be the other question: is a lot of those young guys having to grow up and get familiar? You know, talking to Coach. Arumo last week, he was saying these guys know what their responsibility is, but they're not, you know, at the point where they can adjust to what the offense is showing them. And when they see a certain look or they see motion and and understanding, you know, the nuance of being able to change and adjust accordingly. And so that's what he was saying: is that think they have really good players.
When they get to that point, you know, with Jonathan Taylor and you know, if they get some of their weapons healthy on offense, I definitely believe they're a team that's you know. Viable to to make a push for a playoff spot. Kurt Warner here on the Rich Eisen show. Our radio audience returned in the middle of his response about whether the Colts is a real team or not. Did Lou Anna Rumo mention that I went to high school with his sister and my brother went to high school with him?
Did you mention that? No, that did not come up in our production meetings. No, I talked to him a lot too. Surprised that didn't throw that out there. He buried the lead.
He buried the lead. Yeah, Kurt Warner here on the the show hosted by a proud alum of Susan E Wagner High School in Staten Island, New York. On this Wednesday, what did you see on film about Drake May? Is he back? Do we got a guy who's back now, Kurt?
I'm not going to say he's back yet. Come on, but I mean, all right, let's just take baby steps here. Baby steps, like, but he obviously played better and he made some throws. I thought what he did really well in this last game was just used his athleticism. He played the position more athletically, and to me, that may be leaning back to hey, let's get back to doing what you're comfortable with.
Drop back if you don't see it. Go create. And make some plays, and maybe that's the step that he needs to getting back to what we saw last year during the regular season in terms of the way he threw it and played inside the pocket. Was just, hey, go be yourself again. And that's what I saw in that game.
Is he did make some throws down the field, but more so than that, it was quick decisions, get out and create, make a bunch of plays with your legs when you're not seeing it, and it just felt like he got more into a rhythm because of that.
So, if he's not back, then the Raiders have a shot this week. After having seen what we saw against the Chiefs, because I think they're for real, right? I mean, I wonder what you thought when you watched that. Film. I mean, they they just continue.
I mean, again, you know, the Raider Raider Nation continues to let me know on game day morning a couple weeks ago how they said that the Raiders were fake, they weren't real because of who they had played and who they had beat. These last two weeks, to me, have convinced me of some things that this team is better than I thought they were. They were very competitive this past week. They gave up some big plays. I think Kirk Cousins is playing some really good football.
Brock Bowers back is a difference maker for. This team and they're playing some good defense as well, and so I think this team is for real, also, and so I definitely believe they have a chance. But what I've seen through four weeks, I don't think I, you know, I look at a team out there and say the Raiders can't be competitive every single week out, and so yes, I definitely think they're formidable. You know, against the Patriots, no doubt. And so let's talk about a couple teams that are.
Doing well, although one just lost in Denver. But let's go to the Vikings. It doesn't look like we're clicking yet. I know I'm going on a deep limb here or a long limb here with with Kyler Murray. What are you seeing?
What what what what can you hang your hat on? Do you think Carson Wentz is around the corner at all, Kurt? I gave you three questions. Can you ball it all together for me?
Well, I mean, first of all, let's look at Minnesota as a whole. Their defense is balling out. Their defense is making it tough on everybody, and that's why they're winning football games. They're actually running the ball decent, which is I think keeping their head above water offensively and allowing them to. You know, score at least a few points, enough points.
But yeah, they haven't figured out their quarterback spot yet. You know, Carson, when he was in there, the one thing about Carson is he will give you some big plays. He also might turn the football over, or he might miss a number of plays as well. The with Kyler, yeah, it definitely hasn't found its rhythm yet. You know, Kyler again is a guy that needs to, I think, advance from.
Hey, when the first reads. There, Kyler can throw it as well as anybody. When that first read's not there, or things don't happen, you know, kind of when he sets his feet, if he doesn't see the picture down the field, he gets very impatient as a quarterback, and it's either take off and move, or find a checkdown really quickly. And that, to me, you know, within the offense that KOC likes to run, you know, that's where Carson Wentz, I think, gives them an advantage because Carson wants to hold the football and throw it down the field, and That's what KLC wants to do, especially with Justin Jefferson, and that's the brand of football that you know that they've played for years. And that, to me, is the disconnect right now.
Is that you know when when you have to be patient as a quarterback, Kyler just isn't there yet. You know whether it's you know throughout his career or there yet in the offense to allow things to take shape and to trust the offense. And so right now it's very stagnant because they're not getting you know a lot of the. Big plays, and they're not really pushing the ball down the field, and and obviously it's a big reason why they're not scoring a lot of points. What are you seeing on film out of Bo Nix, Kurt?
That might be of question. Yeah, you know, I I actually just did a breakdown. I'm going to post on my YouTube page a study ball, just you know, from this past game, and you know, because I know there's a lot of questions. You know, Davis Webb taking over is it Davis Webb and not Sean Payton, and you know, what's happening early in games? Do people, you know, are they predictable?
Do they know what's going on, or is there something with Bo Nix? And this last game against the 49ers, I broke down five plays that happened in the first half, and there were huge opportunities on those. Those five plays for Bo Nix to make a throw and set him up for points, set him up inside the red zone, maybe get some big play touchdowns, and he passed on all of them. And so, just like I was talking a little bit about Kyler Murray being impatient when he gets to the top of his drop, this is something that I've seen with Bo really throughout his career. He's a guy that when he gets to the top of his drop, he wants to move, he wants to create, he wants to throw on the run.
He feels more comfortable there, and so too often. He misses opportunities that are coming within the structure of the play that's called because he's impatient with it. And if you go and watch the breakdown, you'll see there are five huge opportunities where I almost, you know, the guy's almost wide open. What I would call wide open in the NFL. And you know, he's turning quickly and getting to his checkdown or turning and moving quickly instead of just letting that play develop and tying your feet to the route.
And so, you know, you make two of those five plays in the first half. And it changes the complexion of everything in that game. And so, why is it that later in a game, when he's forced to have to do that stuff, when they're down, he plays such good football and he makes those kinds of throws? But he doesn't early in games. I think that's what Denver has to figure out: is is why is he playing a little more frantic early, and how do we settle him down so he can make some of these plays and and give us a better chance early in games?
How do you do that? I mean, Sean Payton. Sees it. There is no question he does, and there is no question he knows what it means to be aggressive, right? And.
Yeah, so certainly the question keeps on being asked of him: When are you taking the play calling back? Which would quiet down if they start putting points on the board, but for sure. The the one thing I'll say is that yeah, I kind of just go back to my story. Is when I started playing quarterback in high school, I didn't start till I was a freshman in high school, and I used to be a receiver. And so when I would drop back in the pocket, I would want to take off and run, just kind of like what I'm talking about with Bo.
Is like I don't want to stand in here and get hit. I want to go. And create and move and make a play. And my high school coach designed a drill called the Kilcurt drill. And the drill was set up where I could not leave the pocket.
I had to drop back. I had to stand in the pocket until either a defensive guy hit me or I found a guy open on you know whatever you know concept they gave me. But we did that over and over and over again.
So I would get used to understanding bodies, understanding the pocket, understanding the timing. Plays and you know ultimately it would become one of my greatest strengths. But I hated it when I was you know early in my quarterbacking career. And you wonder if something like that has to be done with Bo. Like, hey, Bo, there's no moving out of the pocket in this drill.
You have got to stand in, and you've got to let things develop. You got to tie your feet to things. You got to get comfortable with bodies around you and your feet set. And you got to make some of these throws because again, yeah, I've seen it for years that there's big opportunities. Opportunities there simply within the structure of the play that he misses because he gets impatient at the top of his drop, and so you know something like that to to create you know a feeling like that's not an option.
These other things aren't options right now. You got you got to play more conventionally. I thought Greg Williams came up with that drill. No, no, no.
He was trying to knock me out so I wouldn't be in the pocket.
Well, he he sent you to the NFL Network, I believe. If I'm not mistaken, I'm just writing notes to make sure I get that correct next time. All right. Next up here, you're seeing the Eagles, Kirk, and you're seeing a team that has not done a lick on offense in the last two second halves. Against the Bears on that Monday night, and then six days later against the Rams team that came back and won.
Lane Johnson, as I'm sure you're aware of, made the news across the pond, as we say, that he is retired. The hall he's going to join you in a bust room one day. What do you think we're going to see out of these Eagles? Kurt, I mean, right now I'm I'm not. I mean, they got so many guys out.
You know, if Devonte Smith isn't able to come back from the hamstring, and and Saquon Barkley, you know, isn't able to come back, and Bigby, you know, getting surgery, and obviously you mentioned Lane and Dickersons. I mean, they have so many issues from that standpoint. And you know, as you mentioned, they're not hitting on all cylinders anyway.
So, what are we going to see? Who's going to to beat a Dallas? It's not like so many of their weapons and guys that they've you know really hung their hat on over the past few years aren't I don't think are going to be playing in this game or maybe they get a couple back and and they're still trying to make that transition to Sean Mannion in this system. I'm going to be fascinated when we get a chance to talk to him to to really see what the difference is because I know Jalen Hurts has had six different play callers in six years in the NFL, but when I would watch film in. Past years, I still felt like the play concepts were very similar to what he had done.
You know, in previous years, this year is the first time where I feel like it's different.
Now, is that just you know what I am seeing? I really want to know if that's the case because you don't have your you know your favorite pieces, and you are trying to transition to a new style of offense. That to me is where some of these issues are coming from, and so, so I'm interested to see what we're going to get. How are they going to adjust with kind of their secondary playmakers offensively when they're already struggling? And then you know the defense played a little bit better the last couple weeks until the you know final two drives this past week against the Rams.
But can they show up? You know that's really been a calling card for them over over the last couple years, and they haven't lived up to the billing this year. Maybe it's all. About the defense having to step up and and carry them for a little while while while their offense figures it out. Do you want to take a moment to talk about Lane Johnson, Kurt, and the struggle that caused him clearly to make this decision at a juncture you rarely see a decision like this made.
Yeah, I mean, you know, obviously, I don't. I haven't talked to Lane. I don't know all the ins and outs of it, you know. But obviously, you know, when you start, you know, mentioning mental health and and what that means and the connotations there, I know there's a lot of people out there that don't fully understand what that can mean. You know, I can say, knowing through my family that I understand that at a different level and how serious that can be.
And you know, you go through different things in your family. You go through different things after a long. Career, you go through injuries and stuff. You know that to me, that's a very sensitive subject, and so I don't know all the ins and outs and what percentage was this and that. But when a guy starts mentioning those types of things, you understand there could be bigger things going on, and that's your hope for a great player like this.
Everybody wants to see him on the field and would love to see him play longer because he's such a fun player to watch and such a great dude. But more importantly than anything. It's it's taking care of yourself, making sure you're in the right position moving forward to live a great life and to be able to be there for your family. Hizack Kurt Warner plus one to say the least.
Meanwhile, Jacksonville's coming in feeling great about themselves. What a nice win against Cincinnati to say the least, right? They eviscerated New England and Cleveland to start the season, so. Last year, you and I are sitting there in London. Rams are coming in fresh from Los Angeles.
Jaguars were there all week. I mean, Travis Hunter had his first 100 yard receiving game and then got hurt a couple weeks later. But Lawrence looks like a different quarterback, like totally remade. What are you seeing? You remember in the production meeting that we had last year with Trevor, where I was asking him, you know, what's different because it looks different, and you'll remember when he told us, "Yeah, this is the first time a coach has come in and taught me how to connect my feet to the routes." And I remember him saying that, and I was like, "Hold on a sec, this is the first time in your life as a quarterback where a coach has said, 'Hey, your footwork.'" Be this because it connects to the timing of that.
Like I couldn't believe it, and he said, "Yeah, in the past." And I think that's a thing with a lot of these, you know, shotgun quarterbacks is they've never really understood the the the mental timing. You know, when you start under center, you know, I take a three step drop, it connects to a certain depth of route by a receiver. I take a five step drop, it connects.
So you understand this this mental timing that these guys that have lived in the shotgun world forever don't ever. That mental timing because there's not a true correlation between snap and throw and so when he said that I was taken aback by it but that's exactly what it looks like is that he's finally being able to connect the mental the physical with the concepts they're running we've always known that he's had all the physical ability in the world and now you connect that with the mental stuff that we're seeing and the connection that you know Coach Cohen and him have within the system. That they're they're running and the plays that they're calling, that to me has been the biggest difference that you see. Is it he's truly lining up his feet to throws and he's confident to rip throws when when he sees it. It has really been fun to watch.
And then you know we talk a lot about their offense. Their defense is is probably even better than their offense and has been better than their offense this year.
So this team is without a doubt a contender. But but you're right, loving to watch the quarterback position. It has been fun. You know to watch Trevor over these two years continue to grow in just the way he plays the game, but also the confidence in which he has every time he steps on the field. Yeah, and they they exude the coach's personality now.
There's just no question about it. And lastly, I always ask you who looks best on film from the previous week. And I'm going to take a stab that it's the the guy who we saw in Munich a few years ago, fresh off of his benching in Carolina, and now look at him. Can I can I take that stab? Was it Bryce Young?
Did he have the best week on film? I think he did have the best week on film. I didn't think it was a stellar week of quarterback play across the board, but yes, I mean, you know, I even posed it on Twitter as a. If we had to go back and do it all over again, you know, Stroud or Bryce Young, who you take it? And and to me, it's not like, hey, you know, one's bad one, but a couple years ago, you know, Bryce really got braked over the calls and people talking about him being a bust, and you know, we've talked about it on this show, you know, here for.
The benching and and and the things that he went through, that it has been fun to watch his ascension, his confidence, all those things you saw in college that to me made him the number one overall pick. You're starting to see again at the NFL level, and and he's not there yet. There's still growth to be made, but it has been fun to watch, and he sustained it here for for four weeks, where he's out there making play after play after play and big plays, and you know. Tet McMillan is is you know has really become one of those dudes as well and become his guy and it's it's just been it's been a fun thing to watch that again we we talk about quarterback development all the time in this league and how this league doesn't necessarily do a great job with it this has been a cool story of a guy that you wondered a couple years ago is he a bust is he done you know or is Carolina going to move on from him there were some of those talks and they've stayed. And they've allowed him to grow, and they've taken him through a benching, and he's learned from some some different situations he's been in, and now he's you know continuing to move up the charts in terms of how well he's playing and where he fits in this league.
And so, again, just another cautionary story to all these teams out there that a guy doesn't play well early, we think he should be a finished product. That maybe pump the brakes a little bit. Maybe it's going to take a little time to become Sam Darnold, and and. To become this version of Bryce Young and and some of the other guys we've seen in the league, and so I love stories like this because I think it opens up you know our minds to the possibilities with different guys, and that everybody doesn't have to come in. And be that guy right away that you know you can take some time and still become a really good quarterback in this league.
Yeah, that third and fourteenth connection with three minutes to go to McMillan, where he's throwing, he's moving to his right, and he threw it. What a what a put it only McMillan could get it, and then he he went and got it. McMillan's coming up in in seventeen minutes time to talk about that and so much more. Taking Brenda out to dinner now is that what's going to happen? Yeah, well, kind of a late.
Day it's a rainy London day here, so I'm not sure what we're doing. We we hit Hamilton last night to dinner, and so it was a great night. It was awesome. Oh, so we've hit hit a couple. What I got a great question for you.
Oh, how do the Brits take the king in Hamilton? I I'm fascinated. They they they find it funny. It's not like it's still not hashtag too soon. You know, not over the moon at all.
They the hit of the show, hit of the show. Oh, you'll be bad. It was funny. We were walking home after the show, and Fred and I were like. Wonder how the people here in London just think about this show as a whole.
Like, you know, what do they know? What do they understand? Yeah. So yeah, we were kind of having a laugh about that as well. But no, hit of the show, like always, is is the king.
He he was awesome. I just yeah, I know how it plays in America. Just don't know how that would play over in London. I appreciate you being my my West End correspondent as well as the broadcaster along with Jason Kelsey and Dave Pash on Sunday on NFL Network Eagles. And the Jaguars.
Great to see you, Kurt. We'll chat again next. You too, buddy. I'll talk to the best of Brenda. There, there goes Kurt Warner.
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One more time, gusto dot com slash rich. Back here in the Rich Eisen show, in my house, the best moments don't always happen when I'm sitting still. Maybe the game's in overtime. My favorite podcast is getting to the good part or playlist that one of my kids popped up there, just found its groove. We all use Sonos together in our household.
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What's up, Austin? Nothing much. Thanks for having me on, Rich. I appreciate it. I'm a prideful commander, Stan.
Coming from Lancaster, it's Lancaster. Pardon me, you know, my bad, my bad. I also, you know, I don't want the Amish getting upset with me either.
So, where's it, Amish? What is it? I get it right, Amish, Amish. Thank you. All right, so hold on a minute, let me do it again.
Austin and Lancaster, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. That better. Great job. Great.
So now you could cajole your commanders properly. What what what do you got in your mind here?
Okay, so hear me out here. I'm I'm speaking from the lens of a prideful commanders fan.
Okay, you have you have appropriately set us up. Hot take. This sounds like it should be a higher register Thursday subject, but go for it. Hot take is commanders. Can win the NFC East, and I am going to tell you why.
I am going to tell you why.
Okay, I think if you put the Commanders in the NFC West, if you are looking at the Cardinals sitting at the bottom at one and three, I would essentially say that their their season's over. You got the forty niners, you got the Seahawks, you got the Rams. They're not getting out of that. But the NFC East, on the other hand, you have the Giants at the top. Which are the the Giants with Jameis Winston, and he'll give you some good games, but he's also going to give you a lot of bad games.
That's the experience part. Only the consistent. That's the experience. It's the Jameis Winston experience, Austin. Let's not disrespect him.
He's the starter now. He's the captain. Oh, never. I would never. Austin, I see what you're saying.
It is a winnable division. No one's running away with it. The Eagles are in dire straits. The Cowboys are only a game in front of you. Had had Jaden Daniels' non-throwing arm not accordioned in a freak accident, they could have won that game.
They almost had the Eagles at in Week One, you know. And and so so there's enough there. I hear you. We just got to get some health out of the quarterback spot, you know. Let's get Jaden Daniels in there playing a full four quarters, you know.
And and and Sonny Styles is the real thing. I think we can say that. What we were suspected, we're seeing, you know, and so I appreciate the call, Austin. Call back if you don't mind. We're up at the end at the end of the hour.
I can't put it past. I know. I I know if that was an overreaction subject matter, I would say, you know, it's it's it's a bit of an overreaction, but it's not out of the realm. No one's running away with it yet, right? For American-made floor liners and a cargo liner that laugh in the face of fall weather, visit WeatherTech dot com today.
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