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Now, on with the show. This is not a drill. This is real. This is the Rich Eisen Show. The Steelers are not winning the Super Bowl this year.
Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Pittsburgh Steelers. Cam Hayward. The Rich Eisen Show. The way you win this game is on the field.
Today's guests: Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, Academy Award nominated actor. Adam Driver, comedian Jake Lambert, and now it's Rich Eisen. All right, everybody. Welcome this edition of the Rich Eisen Show, live in Los Angeles, California, on a Wednesday. Getting ready for Week Nine in the National Football League season.
All the latest news there. Keeping an eye on any of the trades that we're expecting to happen. The NBA will be back after its Election Day break. Lots going on in this world, in this neighborhood. At eight four four two zero four, Rich number to dial.
Always great to have repeat customers like Adam Driver coming back in studio. He's in a new film, terrific new film with Miles Teller and Scarlett Johansson. Adam Driver in Paper Tiger will be joining us in hour number two. We'll have some laughs with Jake Lambert. In hour number three, Kurt Warner is going to be first up.
How are you over there, Chris Brockman? What's going on, sir? Much going on. I'm pretty good. I think so good.
Jason Feller, good to hi Rich over there. How are you?
Well, TJ Jefferson, candles lit. It appears. What's going on? Candles. Man, it's a good day today.
It is a good day in the neighborhood. That is for sure. Coming into the season, by the way, I don't think I'm wearing purple just to try and connect with the Ravens world. Oh, and give them the hug that they need. I'm wearing blue today.
Okay, good to know. Yeah, and I'm I didn't know when I put this. Outstanding, if I might add, a quarter zip on today that I'll be leading the show with the Ravens because I I didn't I didn't know that Snoop Huntley would also be out for the season. As it appears that Lamar Jackson might be. That's what happens when you get thumb surgery on your throwing hand.
Jeez, and it's a toe injury, turf toe injury. For Tyler Snoop Huntley, so Lamar's out. What's being called indefinitely by Adam Schefter, Huntley' season's over, and it means it's it's Joe Fignano time. You know, I I I can't believe the Ravens' Super Bowl hopeful season going into the season. You heard Bills, Ravens, Chiefs, maybe Broncos, Patriots defending their AFC title.
We'll see what happens in the AFC South with the Texans and the Jaguars. But the Ravens season that started so brilliantly in Indianapolis and then took some hits in the fourth quarter of Week Two against the Saints at home, and then the second half of. Week seven, at home against Cincinnati, you know, has now headed into the dustbin. To be straight up with you, unless we get another American underdog coming at you with Joe Finiano out of UConn, protect his thumb and toes. Because I'll tell you, man.
I guess it's like what? Got to look at the head and the shoulders and the knees as well. Right? It's like an operation board. It's it's so unfortunate, but one never knows, does one, until we get to see it.
Him thrown in the action in Buffalo. I mean it. It certainly doesn't help you get any confidence when the best offensive player, arguably on the team at receiver, doesn't even get a single catch in Zay Flowers. But stranger things have happened, and this is what the kid from UConn has to say about it. Special.
It's really the only way I can think about it. You know, you you work a a lot to get into this position. It's unfortunate to see what happened to to Lamar and Snoop, especially being two guys that I look up to. Since coming to the organization with the Ravens, have helped me out a ton.
So that part's tough, but you know, I've had talks with them, and you know, it's truly you know next man up mentality. And my my job now is just to you know play the best of my ability. He's from Williamsport, right? Home in the little league. I know.
I mean, I'm just trying to learn more, and I understand my doubts and what I'm saying, and only feed a fire. But Jesse Minter, the head coach, who's now needing to find the silver lining and going to his third string quarterback, who's never made a career start. On a short week, on a Thursday night for a team that's at five hundred, and everybody else in the division's above five hundred, this is what he had to say about starting the kid again: a guy that kind of waited around, was studying, was staying on top of his work. And then took advantage of the opportunity when it came. He's like a cool, calm, collected.
Doesn't really get rattled. Has a really good demeanor. Played in a bunch of games in college, and so you know you certainly feel good about. I thought we operated really well when he was in there in the preseason, just from you know like time on the play clock and penalties and substitutions.
So excited to see him go out there Thursday.
Okay, one and one in the Fenway Bowl.
Okay, there is that he played at Maine. He did play at Maine before going to UConn. Yeah, so okay. Hey, he's got more postseason wins in Fenway than the Red Sox past few years. That wasn't nice.
Unnecessary, yeah. Unnecessary. I mean, jeez. I don't know. Just spitting facts over here.
You know, when you first started to say his name, you said Joe, and the F came out. My first thought was Flacco, but I guess that's not going to happen because since he doesn't have, he's only backup QBs. Stranger things have happened, but it's just there, but for the grace go anybody. And you made an interesting point, Chris. Was it an overreaction Monday on a Tuesday, or was it the overreaction Tuesday?
Okay, great. They should they should call up the Cardinals for Jacoby Brissett. If he's sitting there, third string, maybe inactive, not dressing. Yeah, he could be had. You know, if whatever.
I think. You look at the schedule for the Ravens after Jacksonville, the Monday nighter against the Chargers, the Finiano v. Herbert matchup that nobody saw coming, at Carolina, at Houston, then a bye. They finish with four in their division. That's the rubber meet in the road.
And again, I I don't I just don't know if Lamar's out indefinitely when when we find out of something more definitively with him. But for the Ravens, it's just crazy, crazy three game losing streak. They lose two in a row with Lamar out. You're waiting for him to come back. It's a long journey for him to come back.
Over a three-week stretch, without you know seeing him one and two, and the minute he gets back, he breaks his thumb.
Sort of like The Shining, right? Scatman Crothers travels all the way just to get an axe in the chest. Spoiler alert: whack. Then it. It does feel like a horror movie for the Ravens right now.
We'll see. I hope I'm wrong. I hope Joe Fignano comes out and he balls out against Duval. And but this is a team in Jacksonville that just eviscerates yo a squad that makes mistakes. Man, if they beat Jacksonville, it would be something.
It would be something. We'll talk about it with Kurt Warner. Knows a thing or two about shocking from the backup position. Another piece of news jumped out at me here. As we're waiting for the trade deadline next Tuesday, I'm kind of surprised I have not seen a trade Monday or Tuesday, and now here we are at just afternoon on Wednesday.
I thought we'd see a trade because if you're going to go for it, and you're going to you you know right now if you're in need of a player and you're in playoff position. You're just under 500, at 500, above 500, or a team that has Super Bowl aspirations that knows it can turbocharge an effort with a big time acquisition. Um, certainly after seeing what the the Bears looked like in their first game with Jeffrey Simmons, you you want to continue an arms race here. And I'm surprised I haven't seen anything pop yet. Certainly, now for the teams that need a receiver, there's another new name that's out there that you'll have to do your homework and kick a tire or two on Brandon Ayuk, whose agent Drew Rosenhaus said he's going to report to the 49ers on Friday afternoon, healthy and ready to get back on the field.
Rosenthal told Sheffy, "Once he gets back out there to the Niners, their options are to keep him under his contract, release him, or trade him. And we've already heard from Kyle Shanahan; he's not an option for this team that could use him. Yeah, right. And for the Niners to basically close the book, it's kind of wild because they once took a playbook away from a quarterback and then gave it back to him." And Jimmy Garoppolo, and then started him, and for them to basically say we're done here means it's either trade him or cut him. And any team that's out there knows the Niners aren't going to keep him, so just going to wait until they cut him, unless what the Niners can get a six or a seven.
And it's interesting that Rosenhaus is, you know, terming it as him being healthy now. Yeah, because otherwise, I would think he would have shown up to the Niners way before this. Certainly before they voided his guarantees on his twenty seven million dollar a year contract because he wasn't showing up. And doing off-season workouts, and also his rehab that the Niners wanted to check on. Instead, he's making videos speeding past the field of jeans in his car to make points, and then alienating the Commanders as potential trade partners.
And the quarterback who he went to college with before Jaden Daniels became number five in LSU. It's just weird, which is why you've got to think about it before you hire him. But last time he was fully healthy in 2023, before he blew out his knee and then everything else yada yada yada has happened. 75 catches, a 1342 yard season with seven touchdowns, second team All Pro. Three years ago.
So if you're Kansas City, right? Who else needs one? Pretty much anybody. Yeah, then they're not going to trade him to the Rams, obviously. But they're in the receiver market.
Well, they're not going to. I don't think there's going to be a trade market for him. Unless they're going to start now making you know making it sound like oh we'd be open to him returning, I mean that I think that door is shut. I mean Shanahan has even said it. Didn't he chuckle once when he was asked?
I mean, is if Ayuk's an option for for this team? Yeah, I think if they cut him though, they're eating a pretty big cap hit on him.
So I don't think I I'm not a capologist, but they voided everything. They voided. He can't get that money back just because he's showing up now, which is why I don't understand why he didn't show up before. Who else could use somebody like him? Pittsburgh.
That's who, as you know, he was rumored to be headed. Let's say, go play for. When the Niners were having an impasse contractually with him, and the Steelers are ready to take him.
So that would be an interesting spot there, for sure. How about New England? How about them? As you're waiting for AJ Brown to come back healthy, and Romeo Dobbs is on IR. Just seems like they already exhausted.
You know the wide receiver move they were going to make. Mac Hollins returns to practice today. I would rather the Pats get line help, but he is showing up to Forty Niners. Hello, hello, hello! Right, he's just going to show up on Friday and just go to the Forty Niners facility.
Hello. I mean, weird. Denver, they're kind of in on everybody. Weird. Certainly, if he's going to be free, I can't imagine there's going to be a trade here.
But just keep an eye on all this stuff. Yep. Kurt Warner is going to join us next. I can't wait to ask him about Caleb Williams' ascension and if he is now joined the top five elite status quarterbacks in the National Football League. That is next.
Kurt Warner in his usual Wednesday spot, my Hall of Fame NFL game day morning friend.
Next, the Rich Eisen Show podcast. Rich Eisen here. Get into the Hyundai Getaway Winter Sales Event and get away with a deal so right it almost feels wrong. Right now you can get great deals on our most popular models, including our adventure-ready SUVs like the Hyundai Santa Fe or Santa Fe Hybrid and the Tucson or Tucson Hybrid. Plus, there's our bold and stylish Elantra loaded with the latest tech, or go all electric with the Ionic Five or Ionic Nine.
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How are you, Kurt? Good to see you, man. I'm good, man. How are you?
I'm great. I'm hanging in there. You complaining about the you complaining about the fantasy league? Yeah, man. If if somebody prematurely complains and says, "Oh, you've got me.
You've beaten me." There's no way I'm going to win this one. It should be accepted, and you lose. That's it. Yeah, because that's more annoying than 107 other text messages that go on. Stop it!
I hear you. I hear you. I feel both of you. I feel both of you. He's not.
He's not going to have an opinion on this. I mean, I I agree with both. You don't play fantasy football, right? I am actually in one league right now. Buddy called me up and said, "Hey, we need one more person," so I jumped in.
Yes, who said? Who asked you? Just a buddy of mine had a league every year, and for some reason they had an extra spot, so I did jump in. I'm hanging around, but but I'm not great. You know, this league only has you know four guys on the bench, so when you start getting some guys injured and stuff, you got to start making some tough decisions.
So it's it's a little bit tougher, but but it's all good. We're hanging around.
Okay, Kurt.
Okay, his buddy's name is Larry Fitzgerald. Former teammate? I'm just kidding. No, he's just kidding. All right, let's jump into the real stuff.
Has Caleb Williams reached elite quarterback status? You know, I always I hold elite at a whole different standard. Like, there's only four or five, maybe at any one time that that fall into that elite category. And I'm not ready to put Caleb there yet. But I love the ascension.
I love what I see from him. And specifically, since he's come back from his injury, which you know is interesting. A lot of times, people come back from an injury, and you're like, okay, what are we going to get right away? It's going to be a little sluggish and rusty. I've seen a quarterback that, to me, has more command in the pocket, has more patience in the pocket since he came back from the injury.
Now, I have no idea if okay when he was practicing and coming back if the hamstring, you know, said, "Hey, you can't move, you can't run, you've got to play inside the pocket," and and he was kind of forced to do that a little bit more, and and he's gotten more comfortable. But that's what I've seen from him the last few weeks: is a a quarterback that plays inside the pocket and is patient, and you know, knows. What he's looking at. If he doesn't like it, he gets to his checkdown and and he only takes off and runs. Like the other night against Seattle, you know, there was one on the first drive where nothing was open and had plenty of time in the pocket, and he kind of hung in there and hung in there.
And then he rolled to his right and made a nice throw to to Loveland for for a first down. And then there was one later where the pressure broke down and somebody had his leg, and he was able to pull out of that one and and make another play. But that's about all you're seeing from him in terms of drop back not. You know, doesn't see his first read. He's not panicking, taking off, trying to create.
Which I think we saw, you know, at times in his college career and early in his NFL career. That to me has been the biggest breakthrough that I've seen from him. And I think a lot of it is leading to you know this seventy-one percent completion that he has is seeing it not there.
Okay, I don't have to run around and try to make a hero play. Throw my check down, get a completion, and let's keep the chains going. And you know, it's what he did so well on Monday night against. Especially on that first drive, seventeen play drive, just taking what's in front of you. I just—he's playing really good football.
I'm just not ready to put him in that elite category yet. All right, so who's in that elite category for you? What do you got?
Well, I mean, you know, guys that have done it over and over again. You know, the Josh Allen's and the Joe Burrows and the Patrick Mahomes. You know, Lamar Jackson when he's healthy. You know, those are the guys to me that you know that I've seen do it over and over and over again.
So I can really hang my hat on.
Okay, I know what these guys are. You know, when they're at their best. You know, a Matthew Stafford when when you know he's going good. You know, so I think those are the guys that have proven it over time. And you know.
Don't just take you know one or two games and it looks pretty good.
Now he's elite. They got to earn the right to get into to that club.
So did we then? In the way that we said that the Seahawks had exposed the Chiefs, have the Bears exposed the Seahawks?
Well, you know, I know we talked on our show about you know the blueprint and you know expose this team, and you always have to have the players to be able to you know find the weakness of another team. You know, very few teams don't have a weakness, or if you can do this against them, you can have success. I mean, there's very few teams that you know doesn't matter whatever you do, we're just better than you across the board, and so you know I think what I've seen from the Bears, and then maybe what you see. From the Seahawks as well is you know so much of it is in the trenches. You know we get so caught up with the shiny pieces on the outside and the quarterback play and and all of that, which I completely understand because it is so much a quarterback-driven league.
But you still notice week in and week out, the teams that win the line of scrimmage are the teams that win and dominate football games. And when Chicago has won this year, they have dominated the line of scrimmage, and you could. The same about the Seahawks when they've won this year, they've dominated the line of scrimmage on one side or both sides of the ball. But specifically defensively, they dominate the line of scrimmage. And Chicago dominated them up front.
You know they had trouble getting pressure on Caleb Williams every time they handed the football off. It was four five yards at a chunk. They couldn't create negative plays. They couldn't create create quick pressure. And that was the story of that game.
And so as good as this. Seattle defense is—they're usually built off of you know playing zone coverage and rushing four guys, not coming at you with the you know an abundance of blitzes—and they could not get home in this game against Chicago, and that was the determining factor. You know, I know there was one point where it seemed like the game was close, but calling the game and being there in person, I never felt like Seattle was in this game. I felt like Chicago dominated them from start to finish, and even though the points got.
Somewhat close, you know. They were dominating them and could do whatever they wanted because of what they were doing up front. And so, you know, that's always a great blueprint. If you can dominate a team up front, you have a great chance to win. But how many teams are going to be able to dominate that front four of Seattle?
I don't know. There's probably not very many that are out there. But Chicago surely did it, and I think exposed that. Hey, if you want to play zone coverage on the back end as good as your guys are, if you can't get pressure, you know. We're going to be able to to figure this thing out, get completions, and move the ball down the field.
I thought Ben Johnson did a couple really good things too when he when he half rolled Caleb Williams. You know, one was off of the kind of the wildcat, and they flipped it to to Caleb. But half roll, you know, your quarterback, and it changes the the rush lanes for a defensive line. And so now all of a sudden they got to start playing lateral, slows them down a little bit.
So I thought there were some some really cool tweaks in their offense as well. From Ben Johnson that helped to slow down the guys up front, but more than anything, it was just that that front of the Chicago Bears was was dominating all night long, and it's the reason they got a big victory on the road. Yeah, I mean Simmons, what what an addition already? Correct, and and so Caleb just sat back there and picked him apart. Yep.
Now comes Tampa. Which you know is going to blitz him coming off the bus. Is that the way to take care of him, or or there's so many different pressure plans from the coach, and the the the speed outside and the run game that the Bears are are just going to be a wagon here.
Well, no, I mean, I think it's you know it's it's the challenge that you throw out to him, you know, because that's what I thought the challenge was going to be in Seattle was you know I thought they would have more trouble running the football, and I thought it would fall on Caleb more inside the pocket, read coverages, get the ball out on time against a secondary that plays zone coverage. Didn't play out like that, but I thought that was going to be a test for him when he went to Seattle. Yeah, I think the next test for a team would be yeah, let's let's blitz him. And see if he can handle the blitz, and you know specifically keep him in the pocket and force him to see it and get the ball out of his hands. But you know it's much easier said than done.
That yeah, you can blitz, but you've still got to stop the run game.
So you know you've got to be in situations where you're not just throwing these all-out blitzes and get gashed in the run game and give up big plays just because you're trying to throw Caleb off. And so that's where it starts with this Bears team. As great as Caleb has played, the bottom line with this. Team is they're a run first team and they are going to try to win running the football and allow Caleb Williams to come along as a complementary piece and so if you can force them force the game into Caleb's hands I think that's what with any good team you know I mean we say that about Patrick Mahomes hey you know stop Kenneth Walker right now and force it into Patrick Mahomes and his weapons hands I mean that's what you want to do is make any team one dimensional even with a good quarterback so I think that would be a great test is if you can throw blitzes. Adam, can he continue to answer that question?
That would be a great test for him. But again, you've got to stop the run first, get him into those situations, and then force him to have to play that game. And it just hasn't been easy for teams to do that. With you know how the Chicago Bears team is built. Kurt Warner here on the Rich Eisen show.
Your takeaway from Chiefs Broncos is what? Um. Yeah. My my biggest takeaway is that you know both play callers I thought did a great job of creating some big play opportunities for their quarterbacks. I think both teams have some issues in their pass game.
We've talked a lot about Bo Nix and you know being aggressive and and again I continue to scratch my head because I've watched Bo make big throws and big reads and attack down the field at critical times in game. I've watched him do it over. Over again, I know he can do it. I just can't figure out why he won't do it for three quarters. Like why he plays so conservative and so fast early on.
And I know it's easy to say, well, when he's forced to have to do it. Yes, I mean I get it. When you're forced to have to throw the ball and make plays to to come back, I understand that aspect of it. But if you can do it, and if you can see it. Why would you not do it the entirety of the game?
And you're not going to be in the balance in the fourth quarter all the time.
So that leaves me scratching my head because you know the pass game has been you know a real struggle for the most part. But then they get into these moments and it doesn't look like that much of a struggle at all.
So where's that disconnect? But I thought you know Coach Payton did a great job. You know down in the tight red zone, calling some you know some plays to get them touchdowns. It's fourth down situations, the big play call after the missed field goal. That you know that set up the kind of the dump off pass, but turned into a fifty or sixty yard play that set them up for the game winner.
I thought Andy Reid did a great job as well. You know, designing things, you know, for for their second back and creating some opportunities there because I think they have limitations with their wide receiving core on the outside.
So I really like that part of it. But I think that's what I take away: is both really good teams, both going to be in the mix when it's all said and done. Who's going to be able to put this pass game together?
So when it does fall on their quarterback or the quarterback in the pass game has to carry them, that they're more efficient than they've been with their wide receivers and dropping back and pushing the ball down the field. They're more efficient than they have been up to this point.
Well, I feel like I'm asking you this question about Kyler Murray every week as well. As a takeaway from the Vikings and Lions game, is this was there for the taking? You know, he did throw a touchdown. Pass a couple of them in this game. One was a nice circus catch from Justin Jefferson, but it was his first multiple touchdown pass game.
So there's that. But it just doesn't feel like this offense is clicking in a way that we even saw Sam Darnold do it. I know that sounds like I'm denigrating a Super Bowl champion quarterback, but are we going to see this with him, or you think it's winch time? You know, it's a hard one. I actually just did a breakdown.
People can go check it out on QB Confidential on YouTube. Just kind of diving into this same thing, and you know what? What is the disconnect? Because you're going to watch Kyler make some really nice throws in the game. You know, when he sees it and knows where he wants to go, he can make some really nice throws.
I feel like there's a lot of things where he's hesitant, like he's he's not sure. And I can't figure out why he's not sure. You know, because he's looking at it. He seems to be, you know, in the right spot. He seems to be set as a quarterback.
And you know, there's some things to me that that look, you know, pretty wide open from an NFL standpoint. And it's like, okay, why is he not? Letting it go. Why is he playing tentatively now? It could be the process of we're in a new offense and we're trying to figure things out.
It could be you know some of the things that we've talked about in the past that you know Kyler has not been at his best when he's got to play and see the entirety of the field and kind of play on time and get past kind of his number one read. You know, could be some of that. You know, kind of rearing its ugly head again. But I'm not really sure. And you know.
Got to try to figure it out. I even break down, you know, the whole idea of pure progression and how that hurts a quarterback. There's a couple looks at it in there that explain a little bit more on why we can look at the tape and go, "Why this guy's open? Why are you not hitting him?" Even when you turn and look at him, but there's a lot for a quarterback to gather when they're looking one side, and then all of a sudden they got to flip back to the other side and figure out what the picture is there when they they have no idea what was going on before because they were looking to the other side of the field, and so so there's there's a whole Bunch of things in the tape that just kind of leave you scratching your head, like, okay, what's the solution here to this? Is it just Kyler getting you know more comfortable and and and just being able to attack those things?
You know, you talk about Carson Wentz. I think the the one thing with Carson Wentz is you know he's going to throw the football and he's going to attack down the field, which is something that they're not doing you know really well right now. He's going to give Justin Jefferson some opportunities to make plays that maybe Kyler isn't right now, but there's Also going to be the risk reward part of it is that you're going to get some more big plays probably, maybe score some more points, but are you also going to get some turnovers, which has been a problem from Carson Wentz? And so, are you going to give some short fields to the other team? Are you going to make it harder on your defense because Kyler's protecting the football pretty well, even though he's taking some sacks and missing opportunities?
He's protecting the football and not doing that, and so I think that's kind of the juggling match right now. If you're Kevin O'Connell, to go okay. You know how are we going to play this thing? You know what are we going to do? Are we okay putting our you know defenses back against the wall a little bit and getting a couple more touchdowns or big plays offensively with the Carson Wentz?
Or you know are we just going to continue to ride this thing in hopes that Kyler can get to the point where it gets a little more comfortable and can give us some of those opportunities and those plays that are out there, and that changes the complexion of things.
So yeah, I'm interested to see moving forward. Yeah, there's just something that's that's off. When you watch the video, there's just a lot of opportunities that are just not being taken advantage of.
Well, that's why I asked you. You just sounded out the options.
Well, I mean, what would what would you do? I mean, it is it's week nine, right? The the divisions getting tighter. The Bears look terrific. They're a half game behind you.
You already have a game against them. The Lions have now won two in a row in division, three in a row overall. The Packers are also a five-win team. I mean, this thing's getting tight fast. And what would you do as you're taking on Buffalo in front of the whole country?
You give Kyler one another swing at it, or or what? What do you do? Yeah, I mean, if it's me, I think I stay with Kyler. I stay and ride this thing out in hopes that he can start giving me a few more big plays. But I mean, we're six and one.
We're winning this way, and I think my concern would be I just don't want to hand any games away. You know, with with turnovers, and and give the other team some easy opportunities with the way that my defense is playing. You know, is that yes, I want more offense, especially because I'm an offensive coach. But I like the fact that we are in every game, and even this game, they had their opportunity to win the game, and the game was really in their defense's hands, which is exactly. Hey, if you say, hey, we get in any game and we've got the lead with a few minutes to go, we'll put the ball in our defense's hands.
Will you take it? I think you know they're going to say we'll take it every single time.
So I think you stay kind of where you're at right now and hopes to get more. And then if it starts to cost you some games, then I think you really have to assess it and and where that risk reward is. But I think you stay where you're at right now. What advice do you give Joe Fignano, who's now suddenly thrust into a major role for a team that has Super Bowl aspirations, and it looks like it's his gig for the time being, if not the rest. rest of the year they they just brought on Keaton Slovis, Mister Desert Mountain High School, you know very well there in Arizona.
What do you think? I mean, I would just say you know, go out and and don't try to you know be the hero. Is that you've got some playmakers around you? You got a guy in the backfield that can play. You got some guys on the edges that can play.
Is allow them to make plays for you. I think that was a key for me in my early process was you know going in and not feeling all the pressure. That again, I get it. You know, Lamar Jackson and who Lamar Jackson is and how he's hurt and You got to take over and try to try to keep the dreams alive of all these guys. I understand the pressure of I got to go out and play well and make these big throws and show that that I can be that guy.
But I think a big part of it is just leaning on the guys around you and not trying to do too much in the early phase of of this thing until you kind of gain that that confidence in what you're doing and they can build this system around who you are as opposed to who Lamar Jackson was. That would be my biggest piece of advice: is is lean on those guys, okay? To throw a checkdown and let a guy make a play for you, you know, throw it underneath instead of having to to push the ball down the field and make the big throw every time. Kurt Warner. Before I let you go, the usual final question for you: Who played the best last week, based on what you've seen on film for QB Confidential?
Yeah, you know, I really like Caleb, who we talked about before. But yeah, I'm gonna throw a young guy in there. I'm gonna say Cam Ward.
Okay, I thought it was the best game that I've seen Cam Ward play as a pro. You know, made some big time throws, which he usually does in every game. He makes some throws that that wow you. But I just thought his poise, the way he played in the pocket, the number of throws that he made. I really like kind of the play calling.
You know, for the most part, in this game too, to give him some some opportunities.
So I thought he played really, really well, and it's exactly what you want to see from a young guy, as a guy that continues to get better and shows glimpses of of growth. and And I thought he really did that on Sunday as they, you know, pushed Cincinnati to the limit. And then we we put this board together, Kurt, that I think you're. You're gonna dig because in that game, you know, Cam was going throw for throw, point for point with Joe Burrow was going nuts. You know, accounting for six touchdowns, five in the air, one on the ground.
And those are his numbers on the left. And there's another winning quarterback on the right, and Baker Mayfield with no passing yards, no completions. I mean, is that amazing, Kurt? From Week Eight here. I mean, it is.
It is amazing. You know, I. I'll take the stat line on the on the left if I can, if I can, and get a win. But you know, I know we're all about winning, and you know, there are times that obviously you'd love to throw the football, but there's also times that it's nice. I mean, I remember a couple times, you know, in our run where obviously we threw the ball all over, but the couple games that Marsha went for 200 yards rushing, and it was nice to be able to just kind of sit back and go, oh gosh, I don't have to do anything.
I got no pressure. Just flip it to two eight and watch him run. It's nice to get a win that way, and I'm sure that's how Baker's feeling. I mean, these last two weeks, what did I see? Four completions in these last two weeks, and they've gotten two wins for Baker.
So nice to be able to kind of usher you back in off of that hand injury without having to do too much and too much pressure. But most importantly, to win football games, and we all saw the weather there. I mean, it would have been hard to throw the football for anything, anyways. But but yeah. That is pretty incredible.
I obviously never seen anything like that before. But they're running the football extremely well, and I think that's going to bode well for this team that had been kind of a pass first team the last couple years. I don't think they're built the same way now.
So the fact that they're running the football as well as they are, and that Baker and and company can be complementary piece, hopefully moving forward, I think bodes well for them in a division that you know obviously nobody's running away with it. Yeah, I'm I'm looking. I just decided to look up while you were telling that. You know history with you and Marshall, obviously for the greatest show on turf in that NFC Championship game against Tampa, you threw it 43 times in that 11-6. Like, so it wasn't like you were just handing it off.
I mean, you kept trying. You got picked off three times. You had a touchdown to get to the Super Bowl, but I mean, you you just took a beating. Yeah, no, you know, and I mean that was most of the time that was how we were built. You know, I look at Joe Burrow stat line, and I kind of say that about Cincinnati is they're kind of built that way.
Is he's going to be out there throwing the ball, you know, more than they're going to be handing it off, and so that's a lot of pressure on your quarterback. And we've seen it a number of times this year where, you know, it becomes a struggle, and you know, it's like you got to make every play and you got to make every throw to win those football games. It's a tough place to be for a quarterback, you know, week in and week out, and.
So it is nice to have, you know, every once in a while get a reprieve because you know you can hand the ball off and run for two hundred yards or Baker situation where they run for like three hundred and seventy yards or something. Right? You know, it's nice to have those games. I'm sure Joe Burrow wouldn't mind a game or two like that. He hasn't hasn't had very many in his career.
Well, we'll see Joe Burrow with our own two eyes on television on NFL Network from Spain this coming Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons and. You are not calling the game. You're going to be with us in studio. I am. My international travels are done.
I'm back home with the fellas.
So looking forward to it.
So does Mooch get you up for that when you? Because you know, I mean, you you come from the same hotel here locally. I mean, this is a two. Yeah, this is a two way way. I don't know how that's going to work.
I haven't had one of those in a while. Oh no! I've I've had a few. You've had a few. I know.
Gallivanting about with your passport and the. All right, Jay. Show him your shirt before we we get going here. There we go, Jason Feller. Put him on camera right there.
Oh, I can't see. Oh, all right. I see you. I see you representing. There you go.
I got you. All right. Yeah. See the QB. I've never seen.
I've never seen Rich in in in his.
Well, I mean, just saying. I'm just. How about this? I'll I'll wake up in it and come straight to work.
Okay. All right. Sounds sounds good.
Sounds good. Roll this week. Thanks. I'll see you soon, Kurt. You got it, guys.
It's our Hall of Famer, Kurt Warner. Check out QB Confidential. Not just on the shirt, but on YouTube. That's the way Kurt rolls here on the Rich Eisen Show. Let's take a break.
We'll be back. Phone calls. The old College Football Playoff Committee is put Notre Dame back on notice. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. It's that special time of year when Saturday means two things.
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So, college football playoff committees, you know, last year told Notre Dame, "Nice season you had there, but sorry, you're not even going to be in the playoffs." Not interested.
So, we had CJ Carr on the program prior to the season. He says, "You know, Coach has come up with a mantra this year: 'Leave no doubt.'" And I'm like, "Sounds to me like that's a response to being left out." Just keep on beating people up, and they'll put you in, unless they think that you play a soft schedule. The College Football Playoff Committee's first rankings of November coming out, ladies and gentlemen. Here's the top ten, and who's not in it? That would be Notre Dame.
Not even in the top ten. Thanks. I mean Alabama, Texas, and Ole Miss. Hey, it just means more in the SEC. We're the toughest conference, so they're in.
You pop it up to the rest of them, and there's Notre Dame, one loss, they're out. Two for Ohio State, two losses. One to Texas, one to USC with a backup quarterback. Playoff committee's yawning at that because there's SEC teams. That have to be in there because they're SEC teams.
It's a Southeast bias in college football. I will say it over and over and over again until I'm blue in the face, which means I'll keep saying it. I don't like your tone. It's the truth. It's a fact.
It's a fact. There's Kentucky, another SEC team. Top four. What SEC? What are you whining about?
I'm not whining about anything. I'm just saying.
So Notre Dame, if they lose to Miami, are they out? Is that what they're telling us? That's what they're telling us. A two-loss Notre Dame team that's playing its ass off and is really talented doesn't make it. I'm.
It upsets me so much. I'm capping for Notre Dame. I still think Rudy was offsides.
Okay, so at least I can say that. They are telling you. Put a competitive schedule together. They dictate who they play, unless there's so many, so much action between now and the end of the day. You know, so many more SEC teams playing against each other in the highest competition known to man.
So there's that tone. All right, but I mean the matchups—they're—they're interesting. They're compelling. Of the four teams that are getting a buy right now, Utah, Georgia, Miami, Indiana, how many are the the buy teams when it's all said and done? Oh, if I give you one and a half, I would take the over on that.
I think Miami will be one, and Georgia will be another because they play in the SEC.
So there's that. If they win the conference, then yes, they deserve a buy.
Okay. Certainly, that conference because it's really tough. Alabama and Boise State, you're aware, right? Look at UCLA's an eight seed; they're undefeated. You know what?
But they're Big Ten, and you know, Big Ten's down this year. They're, they're, yeah. Come on, don't, don't, don't play this up. But there's Arch. Arch is in there.
Because it just means more. He plays in the SEC. Thanks for listening to the Rich Eisen Show podcast. You can watch and listen to the Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from noon to three Eastern on ESPN Radio, Disney Plus, and on the ESPN app. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
It's that special time of year when Saturday means two things. Football and getting ready for the holidays. Tree up, lights on. Let's go! And if you're missing something, express delivery from the Home Depot can deliver holiday essentials fast.
Order in the app or online, and track your delivery along the way. Because the most wonderful time of the year doesn't have to include another holiday to do. Get what you need in two hours or less with express delivery from the Home Depot. Subject to availability. Order select in-stock items by 4 p.m.
Restrictions and fees apply.
