REShow: Chris Long - Hour 1

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Options selected by customer availability and eligibility may vary. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Yes, this is nearly singing John Denver as one. This is awesome. This is literally happening.

Listen to this. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. The Rich Eisen Show, today's guests. Two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Long. Three-time Academy Award nominee Sylvester Stallone. From the new film Devotion, actor Gled Powell. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Oh, hey everybody.

Guten Tag here from Los Angeles, California. I'm back here in the chair. What'd I miss? That's a rhetorical question. Do you have a few hours? We do. We've got three.

We've got three. Hey, back in the chair here. Back from Munich, Germany. I want to say hello and thank you to my colleagues from the NFL Network and from doing everything.

He's the Jack of all trades. Kirk Morrison, who sat in to do this show yesterday. And then Tom Pellicero, Wednesday through Friday last week while I was working. One event, which is kind of rare for me, the Bucks and the Seahawks.

It was a lifetime memory of being in that stadium and in that country for that special week that we just saw for the NFL. And we'll talk about it on this program. But I just wanted to start to say thank you to them and to say hello to everybody here on Roku, on the Roku channel, Channel 210. And everybody who's checking us out on Sirius XM, whether it's Sirius 218, XM 202, or the app at 992, or the Odyssey stream. We say hello to our terrestrial radio listeners, our podcast consumers, and everybody else who might be checking us out on YouTube.com slash Rich Eisen Show.

And this is all over. Good to see you over there, Christopher Brockman. How are you? Good to see you, Rich. What's up, man?

Boy, that mustache is in full Yellowstone mode right now. Good to see you. We're halfway home. My gosh. Yeah. DJ Mikey D is in D's nuts. Good to see you over there.

It's T.J. Jefferson. Light the candle. Last time I saw you, the Cowboys weren't in third place, as they currently are. Wow. How about that? Welcome back, I guess. I'm coming in hot. How are you, T.J.?

I'm great, man. Let's not forget. I predicted this. I already knew this was going to happen, so I'm okay. He did call. He did call. Cowboys losing to Green Bay. Multiple times, and you know this. Last week, before the season.

He did nail it. I know my team's tendencies, Rich. You sure do. Good to see you.

It's a pleasure. The candle's lit, and we no longer have any undefeated teams in the NFL. How about that? That was a lot of joy in that game yesterday.

I didn't see that coming. I tried to tell you yesterday though, Chris. Week 10 was nuts. Rivalries, man.

Yes. In division games, and you never know. But the Eagles had the mini-buy. I mean, they had 10 days off.

And I guess they were rusty? I don't know how a team that's 8-0 and coming off of that mini-buy after beating Houston to start week 9. They start week 9.

They end week 10. And I don't know. Rich, it's very simple. It's the power of the Heinecke. It's the power of the Heinecke, I guess.

Hit them with the Heinecke. They didn't really hit them with the Heinecke. They hit them with the 1-2 punch of Bryan Robinson Jr. and they hit them with Antonio. They hit them with the Robinson-Gibson 1-2 punch, man.

And, you know, McLaurin had some great moments and Heinecke had some great moments. But what Washington did, I mean, when you look at the Washington game from last night and you look at their numbers, I don't know if this is the way they roll in the mid-Atlantic, but that had like a Ravens-type feel to it, where they're going to just come and run down at you and just hit you in the mouth. And they ran it to the tune of 152 yards. 49 rushing attempts.

49! They damn near ran it 50 times. And what they ended up doing is doubling up Philadelphia in time of possession. And Philadelphia had three turnovers on the entire season coming in and had four last night, including one that really, you know, if you will, shouldn't count, because the game was over and they start trying to do the Stanford band on the field stuff and turned it over and led to a touchdown. A touchdown to pitchy pitchy woo woo.

He knows Mr. Mid-Atlantic himself. Pitchy pitchy woo woo to make it a 32-21 final. And that's a way to beat the Philadelphia Eagles. Keep Hertz off the field. And when Hertz is on the field, keep Brown out of the mix.

A.J. Brown was kind of MIA last night. One catch on the opening drive, which he appeared to maybe do something to his foot. It was wrapped later in the game, but he was just disappeared.

He wasn't even out there. Make sure that they don't rush significantly. Just 94 yards. I mean, the Eagles got 4.7 yards a carry last night. That's usually pretty good enough to put a football game. And if you saw that number going in, you'd think that Philadelphia was going to be a winner last night and stay undefeated, but they're, they're now beaten.

And obviously that's going to take front and center in everyone's conversations today because they were the last remaining undefeated team and atop many people's power rankings, including this guy's right here. Everyone's. But you got to give it up to Washington. Yeah, absolutely. You got to give it up to the Washington commanders. It's so tough to say that. It really is. I actually like football team better than commanders.

Me too. I've never said that C-word. But what they've got is a team that, that believes a team that believes they've won four or five. I think Carson Wentz should just, you know, get used to that clipboard and that earbud because Taylor Heinecke isn't gonna, you know, win any contests looking like your usual quarterback in the NFL. But what he's got is just the grit and moxie and the team loves him.

Yeah, they do. And what he can do is come up with big plays. And they've got a grade A number one rod receiver in the NFL and Terry McLaurin.

He is dynamite. And if they can run the football like this and they can win games like this where they can keep the offense that's supposedly better off the field and the MVP quarterback in the MVP race off the field. And turn a team over. They can win a lot of football games and I'm going higher register. I understand that. But they're five and five.

You didn't really though. You take a look at the NFC standings right now. And they are a half game behind the 49ers who I think are going to improve their position after Seattle lost. And the 49ers are just a half game behind them. Boy, there's a huge Thursday night football game coming up between these two teams to kick off week 15 down the road. That's going to be just a monster mid-December game between those two teams.

But the commanders are in this mix. And Ron Rivera just shows again he knows how to coach. And I had no idea in the middle of last week that he lost his mom. And there's a rousing video of his speech to the team where he couldn't hardly get through it. And then McLaurin took over.

Just as he did in that game in Indianapolis where he said this is my city coming up with a huge grab towards the end of that game to win one of the four of the last five for the Washington commanders. Can't sleep on this team right now. They have an absolute shot to make the playoffs. And then starting the season the way that they looked with Carson Wentz. It looked like they were dead in the water. Not anymore.

Not anymore. And the NFC East potentially rivaling the AFC East right now. As I come back in this chair and look at the AFC East and if you look at the AFC standings through 10 weeks. Every team in the AFC East is in the playoffs.

All four of them. The Dolphins are your two seed after they pounded the Browns in Miami hitting their bye week at 7-3. A half game better than the, wait for it, second place Jets at 6-3. Currently your five seed. It's the truth.

I don't know what's so funny about it. Second place Jets. The five, six, seven.

Your seeds in the wild. All wild cards. Jets, Bills, Patriots. As the Chargers and Bengals are sitting on the outside looking in. Bengals, nice bye week for them. As the Chargers lost on Sunday Night Football and they're the nine seed. Then there's the Colts. We'll talk about that coming up. But you know, I just want to say this about the Buffalo Bills.

I'm not concerned about them right now. I see a quarterback who is trying to proverbially do too much right now. I don't see an injured quarterback. I see a quarterback trying to do too much. That throw into the end zone in overtime. The Josh Allen try to stick it in there to Gabe Davis on second down. Unnecessary.

Unnecessary. He's trying to be the hero with every throw where, and again this is what will happen with supremely talented people and this is what will happen in my estimation when they don't run it enough. They don't run it enough. They never have.

Buffalo. And Devin Singletary's actually been picking up some yards. Sometimes you just forget about the run.

They just forget it. And Josh Allen turns into their best running back. But I see a quarterback that attempted to do too much. And then of course that botched snap that happened after they stopped the Vikings on fourth and goal from the one inch line. I don't know if that had anything to do with his injured elbow.

I doubt it. Meaning of course Allen will never admit it. But we saw the top team in the NFC and one of the top teams in the AFC because the Chiefs are in my mind the best looking team in the AFC right now with all due respect to Miami. You saw two teams just make too many mistakes. And in the NFL, doesn't matter if you've got an MVP candidate, a quarterback, it doesn't matter if you've got a defense that's really stout, you make too many mistakes, they will catch up to you. Didn't catch up to Buffalo a couple weeks ago when Allen threw two picks against Green Bay. Because I guess Christian Watson wasn't playing.

And so the mistakes are catching up. They caught up with the Bills in the home of the Jets two Sundays ago. And it caught up with them against the Minnesota Vikings up 27-10 and they blew it. They couldn't put Dalvin Cook down on the ground.

He runs and rips one off down 17 on a huge touchdown run in a hole blown open by Justin Jefferson. And then you saw that mistake on their own goal line that left the Vikings take the lead and they made the mistake in overtime with Josh Allen. Trying to force one in and in between all that, they just let one of the best, because there's Tyree Kill still out there and a whole bunch of other ones, one of the best playmakers we've seen in a very long time make a play. We were sitting in a conference room after calling Seahawks chiefs, watching most of the games on the game pass out there in Europe and Germany. And we were watching Bills Vikings. That was the one game we were watching and the rest were just Scott Hansen-ing with the red zone. And when it was fourth and 18 and Kirk Cousins threw that ball up near and it was in the direction of Justin Jefferson and there were two Bills around him and only one Justin Jefferson hand on the ball and two Buffalo Bills hands on the ball.

I'm like, oh, that's all she wrote. We have seen great catches, obviously, and Odell Beckham, I think, is the clubhouse leader of great catches and regular season games, helmet catches, playoffs, right? This is one of the greatest catches I've ever seen. It's up there with that fourth and 18 on the road. I know it's a regular season game. I know it's a week 10. We're talking about the Minnesota Vikings here with a new coach and a team that's seven and one and trying to keep on keeping on and believing in self and having their quarterback put on the ice and take off a shirt and celebrate wins. But this is one of those where you could just chalk it up.

And I know that's not the way that players think in the NFL, but it's the way we think who comment on the sport. You know what? It's Buffalo. It's tough for one to win. You're down 27-10.

Nice moral victory, Minnesota. Fourth and 18, ball in the air. And he comes down with it. And I don't know how the hell he grabbed it with one hand, ripped it out of the hands of a defender, brought it in. And as he goes down to the ground, make sure the ball doesn't hit the ground and bring it in without losing control of the football the entire time to move the chains on fourth and 18 in Buffalo. Now, yes, they did get a huge break with the Bills fumbling the snap because that drive that continued thanks to the Jefferson catch, as we all know, did not lead to points. And the defense came up big and Allen made the mistake later on. But just that catch alone, what it did in the moment for the team of the moment in the NFC right now, and they are, they've got the longest win streak now in the NFC.

Haven't lost since that week two loss to Philadelphia, which currently has Philadelphia still in first place in the NFC because of it. That was unbelievable. That's one of the best catches I've ever seen. And Justin Jefferson is one of the great playmakers this game has put on the field in a long time. He doesn't make the Tyreek Hill type deuces runs and stuff like that. He's unbelievable.

And it would be up between him and Tyreek Hill for MVP that doesn't play quarterback right now through 10 weeks. That was unreal. And the Vikings should believe.

Because why the hell not? So much to talk about. I got so much to catch up on from what happened on Sunday. I want to do an overreaction Tuesday.

Let's do it. I can't believe the Colts beat the Raiders. I cannot believe that happened. I can kind of.

But you know what? I'll say my two cents on that subject matter. I do have some great stories to tell you from Munich. It was unbelievable. I will never forget it. I had a great meeting with the Bucks before the game and the Seahawks. I can't wait to tell you some of these stories. I had a meeting with Brady for about 15-20 minutes.

I'll tell you my impressions of that. And then Sylvester Stallone is on the program. Tulsa King is currently streaming on Paramount Plus near you. Sylvester Stallone is on the show. And then Glenn Powell of the new movie Devotion. A lot of folks saw Glenn in Top Gun Maverick. Glenn is here in studio.

He'll be here in person. And another dreadful two shot for me. And coming off a week of beer drinking and pretzel eating? Not great. Timing is off. Terrible. Oh my gosh.

But hey, I did visit the hotel gym just to see it. 844-204 Rich is the number to dial. We'll take some phone calls. Next phone call is with Chris Long who is going to join us. He usually is on Monday but he was kind enough to wait until I returned.

Talking about everything going on in the NFL with Chris Long when we come back. Geico asks how would you love a chance to save some money on insurance? Of course you would. After all, who doesn't love a great deal, right? And when it comes to great rates on insurance for all the things in your life, Geico can help. Like with insurance for your car, truck, motorcycle, boat and RV. Even help with homeowners, condo or renters coverage. You could save even more with a special discount when you bundle your coverages. Plus, add the easy to use Geico mobile app, available 24-hour roadside assistance and more and choosing to switch to Geico becomes an easy choice. Switch today and see all the ways you could save with great rates and discounts. It's easy.

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It was the pool guy. So obvious. Whatever motivates you works for us. It's all about letting your run be your run. And Brooks is here for every runner doing the research and sweating the details to create gear that works for you. It's your run.

Brooks run happy. 844-204. Rich is the number to dial.

We'll take your phone calls. He's usually on Monday, but we appreciate that he's willing to do this on a Tuesday. His usual spot now that I'm back here in the chair, joining us here to talk about all of week 10 and so much more.

The two-time Super Bowl champ and host of Green Light Podcast on the Mercedes-Benz Vans phone line, our friend Chris Long. How you doing, Chris? Rich, what's up, man? How are you? I'm hanging in there.

I'm a little jet-lagged, not gonna lie, but that was incredible. Did you ever play internationally, Chris? Did you ever do that? No, I did.

I did. Allegedly twice. One time, I don't remember, Tom Brady beat us like 44-7. So I blacked that out, but then we played against Jacksonville, which is basically like a road game, because Jacksonville is like a damn home team in London. We beat them in London my last year in the league, so a couple times, and it was awesome, but that Germany atmosphere was like, you could just feel it. It was unreal. I'll never forget it. I know Brady said afterwards, and we'll play that soundbite later, that it was one of the greatest football experiences he's ever had.

And I have to concur. It was unbelievable. The league's gonna have to go back. And then when the game was over, I started watching the 1 o'clock Eastern Games, which there is 7 o'clock. It's prime time.

And I think that's why the Germans can get into the sport, at least know it too. It's right there. Prime time. Yeah, prime time football and big pitchers of beer.

Everybody was carrying around these big DAS boot beer mugs. That was amazing. Yeah, I know. So let's get into it. The Vikings, how real are they, Chris? How real are the Vikings? You gotta give it to them.

They're real. You go on the road, and you beat that team out. Listen, this year, the NFL's down. Some teams are starting to round into form, and actually there's some real good teams at the top, but a lot of bad teams this year. So some of these teams that are reeling off wins, for good reason, we question them. Minnesota goes to Philly on a Monday night, and they get kind of blank early in the season. I think that just sticks in people's minds.

And then here's their big stage, right? You go right down the field. And for me, the whole week, I thought Josh Allen was a player. The way the line was moving, the way people were talking about it, and for him to play, period, speaks to kind of his mentality and the way he played. But, you know, they come out and they punch him right in the mouth and score, and then next thing you know, they're down 27-10. And I thought one of the biggest plays of the game, now Justin Jefferson gets a lot of credit for the balls he caught, but the Dowling-Cook touchdown, when you're down 27-10, you need a quick score.

It hasn't been going well for you. Doesn't feel like you can stop Buffalo, and you reel off that 80-yard run or whatever it was. Justin Jefferson had a huge block on that play.

So, you know, not just what he did on the 4th and 18, the back shoulder ball in overtime, you know, everything in between, bailing Kirk out at times, who made some big throws, but it was really about Justin Jefferson and the day he had. And the Vikings are absolutely for real. I mean, they are. That's a really tough environment to go into a win. And if you're the Bills, you know you're good.

You know you're a top-five team. You know you might be the best team in the league when everybody's healthy, but Josh has got to make the right decisions. And, you know, he almost threw a pick the first drive of the game. He's been erratic the past couple weeks.

I don't think it's all health. You know, I think some of it's just decision-making. I don't care about the 4th and 2. You know, some people were rolling that, you know, b-roll over, talking about his poor decision-making. But the 4th and 2, he's got to throw that ball. It's the second downplay on overtime.

There's just no need to force that ball in. And the Bills go down again, and it's because of bad decision-making. And now the Week 2 win for the Eagles over the Vikings is what's keeping the Eagles in the top spot in the NFC, because they have the same record now based on what we saw from the commanders last night. You're two cents on how we should view the Eagles now after nine weeks, Chris Long. I don't look at them much different.

Now, it depends on how you looked at them before. They're a really, really, really good team. They might be the best team in the league. But, you know, this was coming. They weren't going to skate all the way to the playoffs.

And it's better they don't. And this is not a game that surprised me. I mean, you know, them losing the game probably surprised me a little bit, but you knew this was going to be a battle. That defensive front, you know, you talk about Terry McLaurin, the way Heinecke's playing. They really have found a little lightning in the bottle with Heinecke and McLaurin.

That connection's really great. And they played tough, but they ran the football. And that's something that, with Jordan Davis out, the Eagles are going to have to figure out a way to shore that up, whether it's bringing in a veteran who might be out there on the street somewhere, to shore up that defensive line and stop these explosive runs. And the way that, like, Washington never, it wasn't even all the explosives. It was just possessing that football.

I mean, there was a time I looked up and I couldn't believe the time possession. And so you keep the ball away from Jalen, which keeps him from getting in a rhythm. Obviously, the refs missed the face mask and everything, but the Eagles lost this game fair and square. You know, they made a lot of mistakes. You know, the Quetzalocans fumble, you know, obviously Brandon's penalty at the end of the game. This is uncharacteristic of this team, but they have great leadership listening to these guys at the podium after the game. You've got Jalen Hurts saying all the right things. And not just things that fans think are the right things, like players know when they watch that press conference.

This guy is a leader. And the same thing with Brandon, standing tall at his locker and being like, Hey, that's my fault. I've got to be better there.

I don't love the call, but I've got to be better there. I think this team is going to be fine. And I'm not surprised that Washington, who deserves a lot of credit, came in there and beat him.

I mean, this was just one of those games. And the NFC, and I want to say this, Scott Turner was great last night. And that was a guy that I really doubted when they made that hire.

He's been very good at times. And I think when you've got Heineken in that lineup, it's hard to go back, right? I don't think you go back at this point to Carson. No way.

With all due respect, I should always front load the disrespectful. No way. No shot. Although, you can never tell in the NFL, but in terms of just injury, barring injury, I mean, this is Heineken's gig right now, and they've won four or five, and if they can run the ball like they ran it and play defense, they're getting Chase Young back, they've got a shot at that seventh wildcard spot for sure, if not better. Oh yeah, I mean, hey listen, this was a team a couple years ago that was right in it with Tampa, I think the year that Tampa won the Super Bowl, and they played them really tough in that wildcard game. I think it was one of those late games, wildcard weekend, where you're like, man, enough.

I can get enough of a ball today if that's possible. But for those who stuck around and watched that Tampa-Washington game, this was a bizarre game, they were in it, and so I think they're better than they were at that point. And the back end has stepped up and made some plays, and I really like the way that St. Juice kid battled last weekend, Justin Jefferson, he made a big play stripping the ball at Quiz Watkins last night, they just, you know, Jonathan Allen throwing Landon Dickerson out of the club, this is a good football team, and the coach's lot of stuff was done early in the season maybe.

Oh, not so. Chris Long, two-time Super Bowl champ, Green Light podcast host here on the Rich Eisen Show, and you know, I mean, this league is as unpredictable and wide open as ever. I mean, who would have thought it, we're going to enter week 11, both the Bills and Cowboys are third place teams, that's a fact. And both bays that a lot of people were discounting two, three weeks ago, I mean, I saw Tampa Bay with my own two eyes, man, that's the stuff we're looking for.

The running attack was significant for a change, and Brady was lighting it up, and then Christian Watson shows up, and he's suddenly counting on his fingers like he's Tyreek Hill with all the number of touchdowns that he's had. So which bay do you think has the better shot moving forward? You know, I'm going to stick to my guns on this one, and I may be wrong.

I think Tampa, because of the division they're in, they're going to be in the playoffs, right? But it's hard for me to imagine them making a run. I could be wrong, and I'm going to be pulling for Tom. I really am, because I respect Tom a lot. And I think it's fun to see him in an actual underdog situation. I remember when he was in New England, Jules and him, especially Julian, he loved to say, oh, we're underdogs this week, people are counting us out. Like, no they're not, you're New England.

Like, no you're not. Tom wants to be an underdog, he's an underdog now, and I will be pulling for him, but there's just a lot that has to happen for that team to come together and make a run. I think Green Bay, and this isn't being reactive, because I've said all year, I just feel like, and this is even after the Dobbs injury, if they can figure some things out, if Watson is more confident now, if Rodgers is more confident in him, I mean, that ball had to hang up in the air on that 75-yarder so long for that kid. You know, after the ball he dropped in Minnesota and everything, all the baggage, listening to Aaron at the postgame presses. I mean, that was about as pressure-passed a quote-unquote easy catcher there was, and it really wasn't that easy to track the ball. And then the other two, I mean, you know, he adds a different element to that offense, the way, I mean, watch him attack that single high safety on that long touchdown, and the panic that ensues when you realize how long his stride is, and how fluid he is, and just what he adds to that offense. I think Romeo Dobbs being hurt, it's a shame.

Aaron Jones looked awesome. I don't want to count the Packers out. You know, I'm not saying that they can make a run and win the whole damn thing, because that would be backpedaling. I don't think they can.

But they could make a little run here, and they could improve. And, you know, while we're on the subject of you can't make it up, how the hell did the Raiders lose that game? And I know that Jeff Saturday has a significant history with the Colts as a player. Their play caller had never done it before, ever done it before. And I think the one thing that Saturday did significantly, other than just making the guys in the room believe him, was to go, from what I think, to Jim Irsay and say, we got to play Matt Ryan. I don't know what we're doing here, but you want to talk about what you wanted, how to win, and what the locker room wants, this is what happens. But for Matt Ryan to rip off a 39-yard run on third and three when the game is on the line, I don't know what the hell is happening in Vegas. You went 17 miles an hour.

Look, man, I shouldn't, as a 53-year-old man with a lot of ish going on, who runs once a year, I shouldn't comment. So how did you interpret the comments from Derek Carr and what he had to say after the game and the vote of confidence that Josh McDaniels has? Walk me through that from your perspective. No, man, I don't know what's going on there.

I mean, obviously, not having a wallet for stretches hurts. Obviously, not as good as we thought they were, period, but there's no way that they're this bad, and that ultimately falls on the shoulders of coaching and how you get these guys ready to play and prepare and motivate them. You know, I also want to be fair to Josh in a little bit because I think people looked at it like he was hopping into a sports car and just driving off the lot because they were a playoff team last year. They won a lot of close games last year, and they had a little magic in that whole thing, and they pulled together through some tough times and some tragedy and all that stuff, but that's a tough team.

But, you know, I just think we overestimated their ceiling, myself included, and here they are, man, and it's tough. I mean, to lose that game to Indy with everything that people have been talking about, listen, just because they won that game doesn't mean the hiring process is totally unorthodox and probably offended some long-time NFL coaches. I know there's this whole victory lap that's being taken by some media members that seem to be pushing back on anybody would be kind of a little bit confused by the hire, but you beat the Raiders. Now you're going to get the Eagles, and they're going to be pissed off this week, and they're having trouble stopping the run, so you want to prove to everybody, Jim, you know, fans of the hire, that this is the right hire, go do this.

You know what I mean? I like Jeff Saturday, man. You find me somebody on the planet that doesn't like Jeff Saturday, right?

So, I mean, I hope it works out. And, you know, I do think that if there's anybody who can stick the landing on this thing, it might be him, because ultimately NFL coaches, they have a lot of decisions to make, more than people realize, but at the same time, if you have a certain level of humility, you can delegate, and I think that's what some coaches struggle to do, and I think it's their Achilles heel, so he might not have a big resume or a background in, hey, point stands, that's a little jacked up for a lot of the guys that may be in that locker room who've been sitting in training camp and all that stuff, but I think there is some validity to some of these monologues I've seen, albeit they're a little bit dramatic, right? But, you know, Jeff Saturday, if he can delegate and he can be humble, he might have a leg up on some of these lifetime coaches, you know?

And say, hey, that's just not my area, and I'm going to delegate this offensive coordinator, this defensive coordinator, and I know the value of the coaches I have in the room. If he can do that, you know, they're going to have a fighting chance, because they're playing Matt Ryan, like you said, that's the biggest thing, and that's also interesting because they're risking $17 million. No question, and I was kind of surprised that he was warming up and then got the start, because I thought that that was the reason why, I mean, if you're Frank Reich, you're like, really?

You're playing him now? Like, really? Is that what's happening? You know, and that may have been Jeff Saturday's most important contribution to the 2022 Colts right off the bat is that he got Matt Ryan out of the mothballs that I thought he was going to be in for the rest of the time.

Absolutely, and one more thing, Rich. Like, while we're on this team, or this game between two sub-500 teams... Sure, it's a fascinating part of the week, that's for sure. It really is, and it just keeps up, because I was talking to Robert Mathis Sunday night, he was in Vegas and we were doing my show, and he joined us for a little bit, and I was expecting some canned answers on, you know, this whole thing on Saturday, but he thinks that, you know, this is Ursay's way of begging Peyton to come home. You know, not begging, but trying to show Peyton that, like, you know, there'd be a place for him in the front office or that sort of thing, so getting, you know, your guys back, hey, look, I'm hiring Jeff Saturday, come home, Peyton.

So that was an interesting take from Robert Mathis. I don't know, man. Peyton Manning gets to call Monday night football games from his own bed, you know, from his own house with his brother for his own production company, and he doesn't pay a dime for the rights to do it. I mean, he's got... The delay on that, it's really tough, you know, he's got to be, you know, do you know how tough that is to be on the Manning cast? Well, you know, because you're on TV all the time, but there's like a slight delay, there's three people talking, that's got to really wear on the guy. He has got the broadcast table wired, if you want to use a Vegas term right now.

I don't know why he'd want to just go, unless he wants the challenge. Before I let you go, sir, I want to give you the floor on your alma mater, and the dreadful, I know we use the word tragedy when there's a shooting, but there's too many damn of these tragedies in the world, and it has now hit Charlottesville, which as we all know is still dealing with the wounds of years ago when the Klan and white supremacists took over that town, but three members of the Cavaliers football team killed, cut down by another kid who played for the program. I saw your statement, but I do want you to put some words to it, if you don't mind, about what's going on. Yeah, I mean, first off, you know, you said it words, they don't mean anything in a situation like this. You know, I was sitting there trying to type something out, because I was numb, I mean, I was really numb to it. I mean, you know, and again, that's a word that I hear all the time, like, I'm numb, you know, people are numb, and you don't know what it means until the proximity is really close to you, I feel like, and you know, I'm trying to type something out, and I legitimately don't have the words.

You know, like, every word you type is not sufficient. You know, numb included, devastated, crushed, whatever it is. And yeah, the proximity is pretty close to me and my family, and it's short of a small town, you know, it's a college town, and the program's pretty tight-knit, and you know, like, one of my best friends in the world, Marcus Hagans, coaches the receivers. You know, so, it's like he lost family members. You know, he cared about these kids so much, and the three of them were, you know, such bright kids, and there's, you know, still a player fighting, you know, for his life in the hospital, going through surgeries and that sort of thing. It's such an ugly feeling, you know? I mean, people, life is short, people die, you know, there are terrible surprises, and the older you get, I feel like you see more and more of it, and you get used to it, but you never get used to this, or somebody just takes somebody's life.

And these three kids were so bright, I mean, I got to know Lebel Davis pretty good, just because he was so close to Marcus and that family, and he was just such a wonderful kid. And you know, these kids bust their ass, and they sacrifice so much to play this game and represent their universities, and to think when you're getting ready to go home for Thanksgiving or Christmas, and one day you get shot. I mean, it's just, it's the saddest thing in the world, man, and it's going to really test the resolve of this community, but I think Virginia students, Charlottesville, the athletic department, man, there's a lot of strong people here, and they'll try to rally around one another, but the words don't really do it justice, they really don't.

I mean, it's been a long couple days for people around here. Chris, I appreciate, you know, your contribution every week, and obviously your words here, even though, as you point out, words are not sufficient action, really is, so I appreciate the time. As always, send my best to your colleagues and comrades in that program, and, you know, normally I end by saying who's going to be on your pod this week, but I already know that's going to be, that's me, that's me. How'd you book him? How'd you get him?

How'd you get him? He's a tough guy, tough guy. Right back at you, right back at you, Chris. I look forward to doing that later, and everybody check out the Green Light podcast with Chris Long and me this week.

How about them two cents? Fantastic. I'll chat with you later in the day, Chris. Thanks for today, as always.

Thank you. That's Chris Long right here on the Rich Eisen Show. You can check everything out in the NFL app on westwoodonesports.com via Westwood One. Station streams are by asking Alexa to open Westwood One Sports. If it's the NFL, it's on Westwood One.

Big injury news breaking in the NFL definitely affects your fantasy league. That is for darn sure. 844-204-rich number to dial your phone calls and that news when we come back right here on the program with Sylvester Stallone waiting in the wings. This episode is brought to you by Smart Food. There are a bunch of ways to be smart during the holiday season. Getting the shopping done early.

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So now is the time to discuss what it is that moves you most. Don't wait, unlock your potential inside a Mercedes Benz Sprinter. 844-204 Rich, number to dial. Al and Atlanta, you are here on the Rich Eyes and Show. How are you doing Al? Good morning Rich, welcome back to the States. Thank you sir.

Good morning gentlemen. What's up Al? I have one quick sports question but before I go to that I think I've found the best way that we can get TJ back on Twitter.

Okay. We informed Twitter that if TJ is back on Twitter he is forced to wear a Braves jersey for his day. I don't think Elon cares.

And what better way to punish a Mets fan than to have to wear a Braves jersey. By the way, has Elon stopped with the that'll be $8? Yes, the $8 has stopped.

Like he told Dan Rather that'll be $8 as if Dan Rather who was there on the grassy knoll needs a blue check mark. What's your sports question Al? What do you got? It pertains to my Falcons, the Bills, the Raiders definitely, possibly TJs, Cowboys and maybe even the Eagles since they lost to the commanders last night. Is it time to panic yet?

Nice high register. Again, it's not time to panic if you're any of those teams. None of those teams. You just mentioned, except the Raiders.

Thanks for the call out. They're past the point of panicking anyway. And we'll discuss their situation later on in the program. You could add the Rams to that mix. I don't know if they're going to panic when they got a trophy in the case and a SoFi stadium size championship ring. But moments ago, the Rams announced Cooper Cupp is having surgery on his injured ankle.

I don't know if it's one of those famed tightrope surgeries to help you come back from a high ankle sprain. But he's been their offense. That's it. Period.

End of story. They have had nobody else flash this year. Nobody else on offense flashed this year. And the thing that has been so remarkably disappointing about the Rams offense this year has been their running game.

And you know, the running game is something that's so crucial for them to have their offense built off of. The Buccaneers had 161 yards rushing in Germany. They came into the game with averaging 60 yards per game rushing, which was the worst. The worst in the Super Bowl era. The worst. And now that they came up with 161 yards rushing, the Rams are DFL in the NFL and average rush yards per game.

68. It's remarkable what's happened there. And you know, John Walford gets the start as middle of the week we learn that there's a concussion protocol for their quarterback. I don't know what the answer is because Odell's not going to walk through the door for a team that's sitting there, you know, with Stafford still in concussion protocol. I hope he is okay, obviously.

But there's no one going to walk through the door. I have been all over the don't give up hope on the Rams. I've led that bandwagon. But it sure looks like entering week 11 right now with the Rams. You know, they're taking on the Saints this week. The Rams are at Kansas City. They have both of their games against Seattle left. It sure is beginning to look like the Rams are, we're going to have a new champion this year. And I don't throw those things around lightly around week 11, ever.

But Cup is out now? Oh my goodness gracious. That's tough. Alan Robinson, you are now on the clock, sir. Van Jefferson, too. All of them. Every last one of them. Every man on deck for the Rams.

Sly Stone coming up. Yeah, I didn't see very much of that. I saw the highlights, obviously Rams and Arizona. Where it was the backup quarterback battle. Speaking of, you know, Justin Jefferson's catch, Richard brought this up yesterday. There were a few incredible catches on Sunday. AJ Green had a back of the end zone toe drag swag. Tony Toe Touch touchdown. There was one in our game, Marquise Goodwin grabbed one in the end zone. On fourth down. What an amazing throw that was. And they had a habit, too. Trent Sheffield, Toe hit him in the back of the end zone.

He's dropping dimes. And him, it was him versus him in Buffalo. Right.

It was him, it was the battle of hems. You know, and Staphon Diggs had a one handed grab and later on, Justin Jefferson's like, hold that beer. A lot of good wide receiver play. I mean, CB Lamb balled out. He did.

Not enough for my fantasy team, though. Which is really all that matters. You know, after you got mad at him for that one drop, I think he took that offense. Took that personally. Well, later in the game, he made up for it. Yeah, so I'm saying that actual game. Maybe you should curse him again, just randomly, just to make sure.

Well, and in Gallup, it seems is significantly hurt. Yeah. There's only one. Odell, they need him. Odell's going to make a decision. That's going to be a huge one. Within like the next two weeks, you would think. Apparently so.

Apparently so. Sylvester Stallone, hour number two. 844-204-RICH, number to Del. Here on the Rich Eisen Show. Don't go anywhere. Nobody tells you how to save, but nobody teaches you how to spend it. Something you should know wherever you listen.