REShow: Hour 3

This is the Rich Eisen Show.

Goats have home lives too. Live from the Rich Eisen Show Studio in Los Angeles. Rich Eisen. Hello Rich Eisen. Rich Eisen. Oh that's Susie Eisen's husband. The Rich Eisen Show. And now, sitting at for Rich, here's Brian Weber. Final hour of the program. Still have much to do. We appreciate you spending part of your Thanksgiving holiday. With us, you can slide in at 1844204rich.

18442047424. Conversation never stops on Twitter. That's B.W. Weber. Weber with two B's. In 40 minutes, we'll bring in our second and final guest as I never overwhelm you with guests.

I'm just that fascinating. But I also want to have plenty of time to get in all the content that I have lined up anytime I'm lucky enough to sit in for Rich. I'll chat with my old friend, former radio co-host, Nick Ferguson. He is a media personality in Denver. Played safety for the Broncos.

Jets and Texans will go across the NFL. Want to thank Matt Fortuna of The Athletic joining us. Enjoyed that conversation. He was kind enough to roll with me interrupting a couple times because I am just that passionate about college football. And in the merits of what he said, he's correct. I get the notion that when we get to the 12-team playoff, every week we'll be thinking about playoff.

Mr. Moore, a senior. We'll be thinking about all of the ripple effects. Here's a useless big word. Permutations, the different scenarios. I just prefer the current setup because I think it's much more interesting, especially heading into this weekend. I'll get back to the college football in 20 minutes. And mostly, though, NFL, as it should, is going to dominate this final hour of the program. Halftime in Motown. I don't have the TV on because I have a tendency to get distracted.

So I'm just riding the computer updates, my man. Been a good game so far with the Bills on top of the Lions. 17-14 at the half.

I mentioned wrapping up the last hour of this program. Buffalo was driving to get into field goal range. Field goal, good. That's the difference with Jared Goff playing like a functioning quarterback. 12 of 19, 124 passing yards and the late touchdown to momentarily tie the game.

After early on, it was a steady diet of Jamal Williams. He had the first touchdown for the Lions after he had three last week against the New York Giants. As for the Bills, if they're going to be in position to win a football game, it largely hinges on what Josh Allen is doing. He's got a touchdown pass to Isaiah McKenzie. Allen also with a rushing touchdown. That's the story at the half. Spent a lot of time in the last hour of the program talking about the relative strengths of the Giants compared to Dallas.

I still have to incorporate Washington into the discussion. Coming up, we're going to start this final hour of the show talking Vikings and Patriots. Yes, if you bash New England, they're giving you a lot of material. But Bill Belichick does have all those rings for a reason. Primarily because he got to coach Tom Brady. Look at what he failed to achieve in Cleveland as head coach. Look at what he has done since Brady has departed. But if there's one thing Belichick can do, it's coach defense.

And that's the only reason why a little bit along with a running game. But primarily it's defense that's kept the Patriots in the mix. That's six and four and winners of three straight. They currently have a wildcard spot in the AFC. We'll talk about how that game could play out tonight in the third and final game of the triple header and also continue to put the playoff picture in more of a resident focus. So since I gave you the update from Detroit with the Bills in front of the Lions 17-14 at the half, a reminder, this NFL season, every Westwood 1 NFL broadcast streams live for free.

That's Mondays, Thursdays, Sunday nights, Thanksgiving, Christmas triple headers, the international series, and every postseason game. Minnesota and New England both in shape to make it to the postseason. Let's start with the Vikings. Although I could, if I'm talking about galling games, talking about atrocious performances, all those words apply to that debacle between the Patriots and the Jets as well. But since I already gave you my thoughts in the first hour of the program, what's happening with gang green and the right decision, the only decision that Jets head coach Robert Solid could make, benching Zach Wilson to get his attention. I don't think this is long term unless Mike White somehow balls out. Although as the numbers bear out, even if Mike White is not even close to being serviceable, statistically, he can't be worse than Wilson was last week. That was one of the most embarrassing performances we've ever seen. Plus, it was equally atrocious postgame when Wilson refused to take any accountability. That's why he's sitting this week against the Bears.

But if I'm going with all of these synonyms for bad, I should be more upbeat on a holiday. Let's just tell it like it is. Minnesota was flat out garbage last time we saw them against the Cowboys.

So that leads to a larger conversation point. Who are the Vikings really? And back to the default, and there's ways around it if you want to make it a debating exercise, but ultimately if you're 8-2 like Minnesota, something has to be working. And that something has been their penchant for finding a way late in games like they did against Buffalo.

One of five comeback wins they've authored this year. Although, and I did do the research here beyond confirming my own bias, I'm not a Kirk Cousins guy. You like that, you like that. I'm going to save the voice.

I'm back on the radio tomorrow. Kirk Cousins is a Hall of Famer when it comes to finances. And it's not his fault that Washington butchered his situation using the franchise tag, not once but twice.

Not his fault that he pulled off a Kaiser Soze-like trick. Remember, for all of the outrage about the fully guaranteed contract that Cleveland gave to Deshaun Watson, understandably so given the depravity of Watson off the field, and don't look now, he's back in practice for Cleveland, getting closer to his return from that suspension for his horrendous behavior. But we somehow overlook the fact that Kirk Cousins got all of his money guaranteed from Minnesota as well because he had a other bidder in the Jets. So Cousins is phenomenal, outstanding, stellar at making a buck. He's going to that version of the Hall of Fame on the field. He's alright. I'm not going to say he is one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL.

He is low-end, middle-of-the-pack. But when you make that kind of bread, expectations change. Obviously, the organization realized that they were married to him. That's why they got divorced from Mike Zimmer. But something had to change because that franchise had been stuck in neutral far too long. And then they get off to the sensational start, and then everything comes crashing down last week. And to use the right word, how about this? Cousins was horrific.

I looked at it again this morning just to make sure I had the particulars in front of me. Cousins, last week against Dallas, 12 of 23, 105 yards, sacked seven times. That's a reflection of just how steely the Dallas defense is. Remember, they're number one in the league in sacks, which foreshadows potentially a long day today for Daniel Jones. Especially with all the injuries the Giants are dealing with along the offensive line. But Cousins just couldn't do anything right last week.

So what's it mean moving forward? Well, the Patriots are playing solid defense as well. In fact, overall, they're number two in the league in defense. And you throw in that atrocious game to watch between the Jets and the Patriots that came down to that miraculous punt return to finally give us a touchdown in the closing minute last week.

Patriots now have produced three games in which they've held the opposition to three points or less. Games in Minnesota, that is relevant because of how loud it gets in that glittering Taj Mahal of football. I was there for Super Bowl week. Didn't stick around for the Philly special because that week, when I was doing shows on Radio Row, NFL, in all their wisdom, had us at a mall. The Mall of America, famous for two reasons. Hosting Radio Row of the Super Bowl and the first ever Monday Night Nitro. Is that Lex Luger? Wait a minute, he just walked past Pastamania, but I'll save that for my podcast, The Squared Circle with B-Web.

So after I froze my tuchus off, I left. But having been at that stadium and you just watch on TV, especially with those folks having all day to get fueled up, it's going to be a cauldron tonight. I have no faith in Mac Jones like most Patriot fans do. That's why anytime Bailey Zappi comes near the field, they lose their minds.

But in a lot of ways, this comes down to the, who do you trust more? And we're really splitting hairs because I have no faith in the New England offense whatsoever. And I have just a little bit more faith in Minnesota overall. Now maybe I'm being prisoner of the moment.

Maybe I'm overreacting to a game that you burned the tape and Dallas was out of their mind. But I've been saying on Twitter, and it's B.W. Weber, Weber with two B's. I'm Brian Weber in for Rich Thanksgiving edition of the Rich Eisen Show. We're live. You can be a part of the show at 1-844-204-Rich.

That's 1-844-204-7424. Twitter, as mentioned, B.W. Weber, Weber with two B's in 30 minutes. We take you across the league with Nick Ferguson, the former NFL safety. Minnesota, as a result of that beatdown applied by Dallas, now has been outscored by the opposition over the entire season. They have a negative point differential.

What's that tell you? They've been very fortunate. Now I'm not going to parse the wins. You take the victories. But a lot of those games could have gone the other way. So what I am saying is, I don't think Minnesota's that good.

We'll find out more tonight. But if they beat New England, how much credit am I going to give them because Mac Jones can't do anything. And remember, New England could go back to the playoffs like they did last year. Do you recall that postseason game? They went to Buffalo and got abused. Absolutely destroyed. So this is a game in which the winner is going to move forward and we're going to have instant analysis of what the victory means.

But in the overall context of what could happen, I don't think it's going to be that material either way. Because if we're shaking down the NFC, I told you in the last hour, because I know you're hanging on every word, taking notes along the way, I believe in Dallas more than other folks do. I'm not as sold on Seattle, although Geno Smith has been a terrific story.

I think we should be talking more beyond the division leaders that I already addressed in detail. For example, about a Washington football team that has overcome the meddling in the past of the worst owner in all of sports. And thank the football gods that at a minimum, Dan Snyder now is looking for equity partners, although who would want to go into business with that fool? Even with the NFL being a license to print money, I think he's really looking for the exit. And if he can get more than the Broncos were sold for, and that was north of $4.5 billion, it's good to have Walmart money, just ask Stan Kroenke, owner of the Rams who married into the Walton family. But if Snyder can get something that starts with a five, call it $5.2 billion, even if he has to sell to Jeff Bezos, who he does not want to because the Washington Post has been doing their job reporting all of the horrific things that Snyder has presided over in our nation's capital. But think about what Ron Rivera has done with that owner, even though remember gambling in Casablanca, I'm shocked, shocked, Snyder wink, wink, nudge, nudge, wasn't around the team. Remember, he was suspended with his wife taking over day to day affairs.

I'm sure they had no conversations over dinner as to what was happening with the franchise. But with that as the backdrop, somehow, Washington six and five, I'm not putting Taylor Heinecke in the Hall of Fame, but he makes fewer mistakes than Carson Wentz, and he's not as polarizing. I don't know what happened to Carson Wentz. We're just going through a career arc. I'll go back to that Sunday at the LA Memorial Coliseum where Wentz was in line to win the MVP, playing for the Eagles, went down with a torn ACL.

He's never been the same physically, nor apparently emotionally and psychologically. He lost his confidence in Philadelphia when they drafted Jalen Hurts, lost the locker room, and indeed lost that game to the Jags that cost the Colts a shot at the playoff and the regular season finale last year was on his way out the door. I know he's got a lot of guaranteed money still in the mix, but Washington ain't going to care so long as they continue to win with Heineke, and they've been winning with a running game. If you spin that forward, well, Dallas has real issues slowing down the run with their defense, and we'll find out how that plays out tonight with Saquon Barkley on the national stage. And Philadelphia, their one primary weakness is run defense, namely what Washington was able to achieve a couple weeks ago on Monday Night Football when they handed the Birds their first loss. So I think it's a year in the NFC where you could throw several of these teams all in the same sentence, and then you come up with the most interesting answer as to who moves forward. If I had to pick one right now, and again this could be recent seed bias, although I am aware of who the Cardinals are and that Colt McCoy had to start in Mexico City. And this might be nostalgic because I went to college in the San Francisco Bay area, was lucky to start my career there. Didn't have to go to Missoula, Montana.

If you're listening in Missoula, I'm sure it's a lovely town. I'm buying the Niners to a large degree. And with the victory now, they have the tiebreaker early on against Seattle, but it looks to me like the Niners will emerge as division champs. We know about their playoff resume. If I'm just saying objectively a team that made it to the NFC title game last year has a chance to go back, that is not shocking.

But just think about the twists and turns along the way with Trey Lance going down after the team made the decision to move forward with him all in. And there's Jimmy Garoppolo who does just enough primarily because of the assortment of weapons around him. Samuel and Kittle in that defense. I'm buying San Francisco more than anybody else in the NFC.

That includes Minnesota. We'll learn more about the Vikings tonight in primetime when they take on the Patriots. Half time after that lavish spectacle at Ford Field is over third quarter just underway. Buffalo gets the football first. They lead the Lions 17 to 14.

Josh Allen with a rushing touchdown and a passing touchdown to Isaiah McKenzie. We'll keep you posted. Coming up in just over 20 minutes, we wrap up the program with gusto taking you around the league with my friend Nick Ferguson, the former NFL safety play for the Texans Broncos and the Jets coming up.

I thought this was a good point of synergy most days. In addition to the audio experience that you're enjoying now, you can see the program on the Roku channel. You can watch all the time with Rich and the fellas in that terrific looking studio.

One year from today, a year plus a day, 366 days from now. Hopefully I'm sitting in this very same chair. Next year we're going to have a Black Friday NFL game because of the avalanche of money and it's going to be streamed. So with everything going on right now on old fashioned network TV, CBS, Fox, NBC in primetime, now let's buy everything going on in streaming. Are you ready for a brave new world of sports content that is already well underway? We'll get to that. We'll talk more college football as well. Then we'll say hello to Nick Ferguson, the former NFL safety.

Hope you're having a terrific Thanksgiving. I'm Brian Weber, always having a good time with you in for Rich Eisen. It's the Rich Eisen show. Influencer.

It's a word that gets tossed around a lot these days. There is a woman who went the distance, who broke ground as the first true influencer by living a remarkable life. Her name, Elizabeth Taylor. I'm Katy Perry.

This is the story of the original influencer. This is Elizabeth, the first Elizabeth, the first podcast wherever you listen. The world tournament of soccer happening in Qatar is finally here.

And with all the weird kickoff times and all the other sports happening simultaneously, it could be kind of hard to keep up. So to make sure you're up to speed, be sure to listen to Qatar Kickaround for the daily wrap up of all the action from the tournament from the group stage all the way to the final. Andy, Lars and Peter are here for you with recaps and opinions of what happened that day in Qatar.

Everything can be found at the kick around dot com. The Cumulus podcast channel on YouTube or wherever you listen. Brian Weber back with you home stretch. We're live on Thanksgiving. Infra Rich. It's a holiday edition of the Rich Eisen show. My pal Dan Schwartzman with you tomorrow. Rich and the fellas back on Monday.

Number won't change. You know, Rich always finds time for your phone calls at one eight four four two four four. Rich hit me up after the program.

My Twitter handle is B.W. Weber Weber with two B's in 15 minutes. More NFL in addition to what I've already covered. I try to be comprehensive, but if there are other topics I've yet to get to, I'll tackle that with my friend Nick Ferguson spent close to a decade in the league. Former NFL safety playing for the Texans, the Broncos and the Jets.

Certainly a lot to discuss with two of his three former teams unless you want to get into draft scenarios. Thank you very much for that horrendously run franchise in each town. Third quarter rolls on in the first of three NFL games on the holiday triple header schedule. Good game continues. Bills on top of the lion 17 14. That was the score at halftime.

Nothing's changed. Five minutes into the third quarter. So 10 minutes left in quarter number three. Buffalo against a to a degree resurgence. Detroit team, if you haven't been paying attention to the lines, can't blame you. They were just unwatchable to start the year, but very quietly.

And I think they made some noise with the win over the Giants last week, especially since Troy kind of done on the road. Lions now won three straight if they can keep this going. We'll have a much more detailed conversation about what's wrong with Buffalo coming into the game, having lost two of their last three and that meltdown against Minnesota. But let's just say Detroit wins at five and six. They're in the hunt for a wildcard in the NFC.

Probably not going to be the case as bills are back in the red zone. I'll let you know how that drive plays out. I mentioned not only in an attempt to show my appreciation and my loyalty to the program. I listened to Rich. Great deal. I'm here in Southern California.

Catch him on the blowtorch that is the mightier 10 90 50,000 watts reverberating across the West Coast, as wise man once said from Southern California to the Canadian Rockies. But I also check out rich on the Roku channel and I do a variety of sports for many different outlets and several of them now are streaming. So when I'm not on Pac-12 Network, I know you'll be watching the regular season finale between USC and UCLA women's volleyball live from downtown LA tomorrow night on Pac-12 Network. We, I feel like I'm part of the company until they turn off the lights, have a streaming platform.

I did a soccer game for Pac-12 Insider a couple weeks ago. So I'm not adverse to technology. I wasn't beat up with a coaxial cable when I was a kid. But as we see things now getting more and more fractured and I'll connect this to the NFL momentarily. I think right now we're in the golden age for being a sports consumer, but it's reached its tipping point. And as we get more into the streaming world, it's going to be harder and harder to track all this stuff. Now, I realize if you're flipping around, there's the TV guide, not the TV guide that my family used to collect like George Costanza's father did.

And you can't rip off the cover because then it's damaged goods. Quick update from Detroit. Josh Allen intercepted in the red zone.

Stop me if you've heard that before. Lions get the football at their own eight. So Allen's penchant for turnovers in big spots continues. Bills maintaining the three point lead. But here's a shot for the Lions with nine fifty to go third quarter.

You can find the information. I get it. And especially if you're not in your early 50s like me, you're more optimistic.

Your life's not over like mine is. But for example, when I'm watching Thursday Night Football now and I have a decent TV, if I'm going to spend money, even though I'm cheap, I'm going to spend it on TV. Plus, it's a tax write off. It's my job, after all. I don't like that I can't flip around between Amazon and my normal cable.

Now, there's probably a workaround that I don't realize, but when I'm on Amazon, I'm stuck there. These are first world problems. But half the fun of being a sports fan is you're going back and forth. Or if the game's kind of lousy, you flip between second and third down to see what's happening elsewhere. So as we move towards a streaming dominated world.

What's this all going to look like? And I don't have the answer. If I did, I would use the MBA degree that I got years ago and I would not be working on a holiday. But I just find it fascinating that people complained about cable for years. Oh, it's too expensive. Oh, the cable guy won't show up.

Oh, my Internet's down again. You're going to miss cable TV when it's gone. And again, I am in the availability business. I work for streaming platforms and I'm sure the technology will evolve to match what we have now with cable TV.

But it just feels like we don't appreciate the current setup. And as things get more fractured, you're going to go to a bar someday and they're going to say, no, I can't put the game on. And you're going to say, hey, it's on my phone.

And they're going to say, well, I'm going to hold your phone next to the screen. There are a lot of places right now struggling with Thursday Night Football. So I'm just looking ahead.

I will write it down. I will be in this very studio filling in for rich one year from today going through another game of Detroit. I hope it's as competitive as the current game is. And I'm going to be talking about the first ever Black Friday NFL game that is going to be played next year. Now, the NFL stayed away from Fridays for decades, mostly because of some antitrust legislation. The NFL agreed to get the waiver from Congress, as Borean will do in 30 seconds, to back off Fridays and Saturdays to give high school and college football necessary platforms. That's why we get the Saturday NFL games after the college football season is done. That's by statute. And then there was a gentleman's agreement that college football and the NFL worked out together. Nothing codified that the NFL would back off most Fridays, because especially the day after Thanksgiving, traditionally, that's a huge college football game. Well, now, more than ever, NFL says, is there money to be involved? Oh, a lot of money to be involved?

Sign me up. And that's what we do in capitalism. But just marking it down, this little esoteric beyond all of the X's and O's we've done, I don't know. The transition period is going to be as clean as it should be. We'll be fine. We'll find the games.

More is better. But the current setup, and maybe I'm being biased because it's been good for me, all the jobs I'm currently performing did not exist in my world 15 years ago. Because remember, sports is always on the cutting edge of advancements in technology.

It's just another way to consume the games we love. Just think the future is going to be more muddled than a lot of people think. Because I'm going NFL the rest of the way, final thoughts on college football, and then we'll say hello to Nick Ferguson coming up in 10 minutes.

So, as I discussed with Matt Fortuna, but I had a lot to say there, I stepped on him a couple times. Here's how I see things playing out. I don't think Georgia is going to lose. Tomorrow to Georgia Tech, that's not a sizzling hot take.

Although Georgia Tech did beat a one loss North Carolina last week. Quick update from Detroit. Buffalo's defense flexing their muscle. Jared Goff sacked in the end zone. That's a safety. Two more points for the Bills after Josh Allen had the red zone interception. 1914, Buffalo on top with the free kick coming nine minutes ago in the third quarter. Georgia will handle their business tomorrow in a pseudo rivalry game.

I know the history. And Mr. Heisman in the rambling wreck. And then I think they beat LSU because I don't think LSU is that good. Now if LSU were to beat Georgia, then we have some chaos. Because as Matt laid out, a five loss team from the SEC would get into the playoffs because they're the SEC champion. But if LSU can do what I don't think they're going to achieve, but if they can pull off the upset of Georgia, undeniably LSU makes history as the first two loss team to get into the playoffs. Don't think it's going to happen. So let's put Georgia in with a Sharpie.

We should be on the Roku channel because for some reason I'm writing this out and I'm not even on camera today. Winner of Ohio State Michigan is in so long as they don't stumble against presumably Iowa. Oh, we want to watch Iowa in the Big Ten title game. I'll go with Ohio State. Although if Ohio State loses, I can give you a path for them to get into the playoffs, but I'm going with chalk right now just to keep it simple and efficient. Georgia plus Ohio State. I believe USC wins out. And I'm not a USC hunk. That NBA I mentioned, that pile of money, I should have lit it on fire. I would have gotten more return of investment than I did from my two years on campus at the University of Southern California.

But I'm trying to be objective. I know a lot of people are all in on Notre Dame. I'm not a gambler, but I pay attention to the line.

That line is moved still. USC about a five point favorite, a last check over the Irish. Despite the fact, ND has run the ball well, six of the last eight games, better than 200 yards on the ground against an abysmal USC defense that can't stop anybody. I wouldn't be surprised if Notre Dame wins, but I'll take USC and I'll take them again against a very good Oregon team. Bo Nix has been in college longer than I've been alive and Dan Lanning doing a great job year one in Eugene. Still, I'll go with USC with the best player theory.

That's Caleb Williams. He's the best player right now in college football. So USC plays their way into the playoff. TCU wins out.

Case closed. There's your four. Undefeated TCU, undefeated Georgia, undefeated Ohio State. One loss USC. Remember the loss for USC, a one point loss on the road against a very good Utah team. However, if I'm looking for some intrigue, what if TCU were to lose? Let's have them lose tomorrow or Saturday rather being upset by Iowa State than bouncing back to win the Big 12 title game.

Then it gets very interesting. One loss TCU versus one loss Clemson, both power five champions versus two loss Alabama not even making their own conference championship game. What's the answer? Who would have the worst loss? Well, be TCU to a Iowa State team with a losing record for all the people that left Clemson for dead when they got stopped by Notre Dame. Notre Dame is red hot and rolling number 15 in the nation, even if they lose to USC.

So I don't have all the answers, but I love the scenarios and that's why I appreciate the current construct. Four is better than 12, but it's going to 12 either way. A reminder, the Bills safety has upped the Buffalo lead to five. Buffalo in front of Detroit 19 to 14, Josh Allen 14 to 26, 163 passing yards, a rushing touchdown, a throwing touchdown to Isaiah McKenzie who has 93 receiving yards. Bills also with the field goal and the safety leading Detroit by five with seven minutes to go in the third quarter.

We will keep you posted. Straight ahead, we wrap up the program with more NFL. We'll talk Jets and Zach Wilson being benched with a former Jets safety plus the three and seven Broncos flat out embarrassing. Is there a chance the first year head coach Nathaniel Hackett doesn't even make it to the end of the season? We'll ask a former Broncos safety to the same guy.

Nick Ferguson played safety for both the Jets, the Broncos and also the Texans. Final segment coming up. Hope you're having a great Thanksgiving. I'm Brian Weber in for Rich Eisen. It's the Rich Eisen Show. Brian Weber back with you. Always a pleasure to be in for Rich Eisen. Rich back with you on Monday. I've appreciated all the positive feedback on social media. We can have the conversation at the conclusion of the program. Hit me up on Twitter. B. W. Weber, Weber with two B's.

We have saved the best for last. Say hello to an old friend, a man who has had to endure working with me on the radio on many holidays. Nick Ferguson, media personality in Denver, former NFL safety played for the Texans, Broncos and the Jets. Nick, it's been a minute, my man. How are you?

I am fine. Happy gobble gobble day to you, my friend Brian Weber. I appreciate the sentiment and mostly because you know how it works in this business. Thanks for answering the phone. Most people say, you know, I love you, B. Webb, but I love my family more.

Plus, the Lions are actually making this a game, despite the fact that Jared Goff took that safety. But I don't want to get into details because people will flip over. I want them hanging on every word of this conversation.

So I was looking forward to talking to you either way because you're a pal and offer terrific insight. However, when I mentioned your connections to the Broncos and the Jets, there's a lot to discuss, my friend. So let's start with the Jets. Would you make a Robert Salas decision to sit Zach Wilson down? And how long do you think this is going to last?

Feels like to me he's just trying to get his attention. And we know the limitations of Mike White. Plus, feels like if Sala hadn't done that, there was a real possibility he would lose the locker room because Wilson had been alienating.

So, folks. Well, when you look at the situation, it's always a tough position for a head coach to be in in order to know your defense is playing well and your quarterback, your young quarterback at that is having some some trouble. So right now, hopefully that the Jets can dig themselves out of this offensive slumber. But once again, you've got to think about Zach Wilson. He was drafted in the first round. Everyone in New York was so excited about this kid's ability, his mobility, his ability to escape the pocket and throw the ball down the field. My biggest concern is what is going to do to Zach Wilson mentally to know that they are pulling you out and sending you on the bench and putting another player in the game that is not as talented as you are. But I do know as a player, and that's the situation that's happened to me in my time in the NFL, is that when you have a chance to sit and you have a chance to kind of watch someone else go out there and perform your job, it kind of reinvigorates you.

It kind of is like the defibrillator to your career. And that's what I think Robinson is hoping he's able to do with Zach Wilson. And I'm hoping that Zach Wilson proves that he is that type of player that can actually sit back, take this on the chin and grow and develop from this moving forward.

Chatting with Nick Ferguson, the former NFL safety. Nick, as you think about how this decision was made, you can argue that Zach should be sitting based on that horrendous performance against the Patriots. Plus, I looked it up this morning just to confirm, of 34 guys who qualify for the stat, he has the worst completion percentage in all football. So the numbers say it's time to take a break. But do you think the tipping point really was Wilson's lack of accountability postgame at his press conference?

No, I don't think so. Because as players, I mean, you get up there at the podium and you have said that you didn't perform well, and you let your team down, but I don't think that had anything to do with the situation. Robert Sollers is not looking at his team. He's saying, okay, well, we're playing great defense and we can't afford to drop games, especially to the vision rivals and more importantly, to build Bellatrix and the New England Patriots. Sometimes coaches have to make tough decisions. But once again, I go back to the idea that I hope Zach Wilson can actually bounce back from this because he's still a young player, he's got a lot of playing career in front of him. I think if you're just saying, you're wondering if Robert Sollers and the Jets are having Ayers' remorse, and if that starts to happen, now you got to think, with a great defense, how much is that going to set this team back and this organization back? Knowing as though, hey, listen, we need to now go hit the reset button and go back and try to find another quarterback to lead us forward.

Something that the Jets have had trouble with over the past couple years. Yeah, well, they just demonstrated the ability to move on quickly from Sam Darnold, and we know it's been a revolving door under center for gang green. A lot to talk about in Denver, and I'll give you as a media professional, we got about five minutes left in the segment. I know you could spend five minutes just trying to diagnose what's happened to the Broncos.

I am in the doom and gloom business. You're more positive than I am. But considering that Nathaniel Hackett gave up the clock management responsibilities early on, last week he gave up the play calling duty, so he was supposed to be overseeing things in general, and they still lost in overtime to a terrible Raiders team. Is there a real chance that Nate Hackett could lose his job before the end of the season? Yeah, that's a strong possibility, especially with the way the Broncos have played thus far. And I mean, the Broncos fans here, man, their voices are really loud locally, and they have been really frustrated.

And the best way to show your frustration as a fan is not show up at the game. Last game, 16,000 no-shows, and for a Walton-Tinner family that's walking through the football business for the first time, that is not something that you want to get used to. So I know that discussions are taking place as far as what to do with the Broncos moving forward. But now, the way I look at it, there is a chance that Hackett could save his job, saying, OK, well, we brought in Rosenberg to help us with some of our in-game adjustments. I've made switches at the play calling duties, given them over to Clinton.

Who be at? So maybe if the Broncos start to show progress, like George Page, General Madison, Denver Broncos want, there's a strong possibility that Nathaniel Hackett could save his job. Now, another thing that he will have to do once the season is over, look at his staff and maybe cut ties with some individuals that he has long, outstanding relationships with.

And you know, coaching businesses like broadcasting business, it is really tough when you're dealing with your friends and you have to part ways with them. So Nathaniel Hackett, I don't MDM in being in this position, but the Broncos definitely need to win some games, starting with the Panthers on Sunday. I thought you were going to say coaching is like the broadcasting business you're hired to be fired, chatting with my friend Nick Ferguson, who is resilient because he's a pro.

Former NFL safety, I'm Brian Weber, in for Rich Eisen. Rich Eisen Show, I can let you know the Lions turned it over on downs, unable to score. Inside the Buffalo 10, Bills maintaining a five point lead over Detroit 1914 with 90 seconds to go in the third quarter. So Nick, for the sake of argument, let's say the Bills hang on to win this game. As you assess where they are at this stage of the season, remember, they lost to the Jets and the Jets earned that victory because of their defense and then they had that crazy, insane game against Minnesota. If the Bills win to go to eight and three, are you viewing them differently now than you did, say, a month ago? Yeah, absolutely, because now you lose the guy you paid enormous amount of money to, and he was extremely a positive boost to what you were able to do on the defensive side of the ball with Bob Miller. Now he's out of the mix and you look at the Buffalo Bills offensively today, they don't really look the same as though we've seen them as maybe offensive powerhouse.

So there should be some concerns, you know, on Bills nation as far as what's going on with his team. But at the beginning of the year, they were bonafide team that you said that the passport and send them on to Arizona to be in the Super Bowl right now. I can't really say that because their offense and their defense are struggling, especially you're talking about losing to the Detroit Lions who, oh, by the way, they're not your father's lion. This is a team, if they pull this off today, that's four victories in a row for the exciting game, Campbell. All right, but, but, Nick, it's still the Lions because you remember the start of the year, they had the worst defense we've ever seen in the history of the NFL. So let's not put them in the playoffs yet and they're still losing this game, but I hear you. Got about a minute left.

Where are you on Minnesota? I don't want to be a prisoner of the moment. They looked awful against Dallas, but they came back and had that thrilling win against Buffalo. Still the record is sizzling. At eight and two, how much are you buying this team overall? I still buy the Minnesota Vikings and you know how this works. It's week to week league and sometimes you don't put of your best performance, but just looking at what they've been able to do and Kevin O'Donnell coming in there. I mean, Justin Jefferson still is magnificent. Kirk Cousins is the only concern.

Sometimes he can keep you in the game, but he also can lose a game for you at the same time. But I still believe in this team. They're playing their best football. And to me, I'm not just going to look at that loss last week and I'm just going to push Minnesota to the side. Still a very exciting team and I think once we look at the back half of the season, we look at the playoff alignment, Minnesota is going to be right there with everyone else. Nick, I love your positivity. I love your mindset.

But to say Minnesota's only problem is Kirk Cousins is like saying the Titanic's only problem was that iceberg. But I'll leave it there because you're upbeat and you're a better person than I am. My man, love reconnecting with you. I hope you and your family have a great holiday and enjoy the rest of the holiday season. And you know I work throughout the holiday, so we'll be chatting somewhere on the radio coming up. All right?

All right. Be good, brother. Be good. Nick Ferguson, a good man who has dealt with my act for a long time. Minnesota's got that small problem.

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how'd you like to play? But Nick's a great friend and he actually played the game. So that was interesting that he thought that the decision by Robert Saleh to bench Zach Wilson for now was more driven by the horrendous play than the awful press conference. And Nick's believing in the Lions who are back on the edge of the red zone.

At last check, it's the second of nine. Detroit coming up at the Buffalo 21. Bills hanging on to that five-point lead. The difference, a Buffalo field goal and a safety. They're at 19-14, less than a minute to go in the third quarter. Jared Goff, 177 passing yards and a touchdown. Jamal Williams, another score that gives him 12 rushing touchdowns this year. But for Goff, who can never get out of his own way, also took a sack in the end zone for a safety.

That is the margin. Well, that'll do it for me today. Another cliche. This show flew by. No, it went really quickly and I really do appreciate Rich's confidence in me. He's got a massive platform and the fact that the phone rings and I'm asked to be here throughout holidays during the year. I am happy to pitch in. Want to thank our guest, Nick Ferguson was terrific. Matt Fortuna talking college football from the athletic. Thanks to Rich for the honor of sitting in for him again. All the great people at Westwood One led by Bruce Gilbert, our technical producer.

Curtis Poindexter was phenomenal running the board. I'm Brian Weber. Have a great Thanksgiving. Dan Schwartzman here tomorrow. Rich is back on Monday right here on the Rich Eisen Show. It could be information to change your life forever.

Or the Something You Should Know podcast could just be something interesting. Ramit Sethi talking about being rich. The old definition of rich had a lot to do with how much money you accumulated. But it wasn't about how to spend it. It was more about how to get it. But okay, so once you get it, what do you do with it? In our culture, everybody tells you how to save. But nobody teaches you how to spend it. Something you should know wherever you listen.