REShow: Rich Eisen & James Palmer - Hour 2

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That's Dell.com slash gift guide. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Rich Eisen Show. And we thank you for sharing that with us. With guest host, Steve White. Let's go live. Live from the Rich Eisen Show Studio in Los Angeles. I'm sorry for saying that you're an average wide receiver that they eventually will move on and when teams call me and ask him, should they trade for you?

I will say no. Earlier on the show, from NBC Sports Bay Area, Matt Mayoko. Coming up... NFL Network reporter, James Palmer. NFL Network insider, Tom Felicero. And now, sitting in for Rich, Steve White.

Hi, welcome to the Rich Eisen Show, which you can watch on Roku TV. I am Steve White, joined by Chris Brockman, Jason Feller, TJ Jefferson in the house. And trust me, they are carrying me.

I'm sitting here just hoping that the rip cord, that the parachute opens as I'm falling down from the sky. But no, I'm actually having a ball today. We had a great first hour.

Chris, wouldn't you say so? It was a pretty good start. Absolutely great start. Yeah, real positive talk about the Giants and Broncos and the directions of their team seasons. Kind of tank city USA for those guys.

But hey, it's all good. We talked to Matt Mayoko, we talked to Brock Purdy, Rich's fourth son. It's crazy. Yes, and how Russell Wilson is playing his way out of the Hall of Fame consideration. But speaking of Rich Eisen, Rich is over in London because he's going to be calling this weekend's Ravens-Titans game on NFL Network. And Rich is joining us. And Rich, good stuff last hour. And now it is time for the top five.

Yes, it is. I've got my top five games that I'm looking forward to most this very weekend. Hit it, please. Hit it.

Hit it. High five. One, two, three, four, five. Rich's top five. All right, I need the music.

I need to get the sense of things. Thank you, sir. Here we go. Number five on this list. Number five on this list. It's a reunion.

It's a reunion in Las Vegas, Nevada. I am saying Patriots and the Raiders are one of the most intriguing matchups of this weekend. The Patriots, after starting over, whatever the hell that means, they're not going one and five, are they?

They are not starting one and five. Yes. Yes, they are.

Yes. I can't believe it. I can't believe. I need to see that to believe it. And then Josh McDaniels, is it possible that the Raiders can get back to 500 and place him off the griddle there in Sin City?

It is the master against the Jedi Knight, if you will. And I can't wait to see this. Patriots versus Raiders. We all know what happened at the end of last year's game. Jacoby Myers is now switch teams and I imagine will not be throwing a pass on Sunday.

That's number five on this list. Winning teams, baby, winning teams playing, winning teams, winning record versus winning record. And I say the Lions at the Bucks are in a match up four and one Detroit.

They play really good football on the road, even better at home, although they have won a couple in a row at home. They're four and one going to three and one Tampa coming off of the by the Bucks said today, Mike Evans is expected to play. They're expected to have Evans and Godwin and Rashad White and Baker Mayfield coming off of the the Oklahoma win over Texas. And eight, who's been playing better quarterback in the NFL than Jared Goff?

There's only maybe a handful of guys. I mean, he's been terrific. He has been on point.

Let's see what the lines look like on the road. Can they beat another team with a winning record that they, you know, otherwise in previous years wouldn't have beaten? They could take another step forward against the NFC South leading Bucks and keep their lead padded in the NFC North number three on this list. Can the Bengals get back to 500 with the Seahawks coming off of there by visiting Cincinnati? Joe Burrow looked terrific against the NFC West Arizona Cardinals. What about the NFC West Seattle Seahawks coming to town? We're expected to see the press. Jamal Adams hopefully last more than just a couple of snaps this time around. Devin Witherspoon and Jamar Chase already chit chatting. Gino Smith coming in with the Seahawks sitting there in the NFC West at three and one, having won three in a row after their season opening clunker against the Rams. Bengals Seahawks look forward to this one. Number two. Okay.

Glasses. I cannot say in this. I cannot believe I'm saying this, but can Zach Wilson beat the Philadelphia Eagles? Can he do it? Can he get the Jets to 500 against the Philadelphia Eagles who, as we all know, have not really put anything together? Offense defense special teams yet to just look like the NFC champion team from last year. They are undefeated, but the Jets defense has been balling of late. What is going to happen when these two teams face off later on Sunday afternoon with the Jets having a bye week? If they can go three and three into their bye coming off of this game and hand the Eagles their first loss of the season, what a monster situation that could be. Or, you know, the Eagles just wind up having Zach for breakfast, lunch and dinner and keep on keeping on and just keep steamrolling people. And then, of course, the latest individual that's going to be on the business end potentially of, you know, the brotherly shove being Quinnen Williams. The Eagles are 12 and 0 all time against the Jets. Let's see what happens in this one.

And number one, TJ, this one's for you again. Hopefully you get a better result this time around out there in the left coast. How about them Cowboys? The varsity again. Cowboys against the Chargers. Chargers coming off of their bye.

How will they look? Austin Eckler is back in the mix. The Chargers with Justin Herbert coming off of that bye week.

Hopefully the non-throwing hand will be a little bit better for him. Kellen Moore, the former offensive coordinator of Dallas, is now coordinating the offense for Brandon Staley and the Justin Herbert charged up Chargers. Can they just keep Mike McCarthy on that griddle after the trip to San Francisco was such a disaster? This a Monday night game after the Sunday night disaster in California.

That's the most intriguing matchup for me coming into this week. Week number six. We need one more.

All right. We'll get one more. I'll do this, even though this was number two on my list until the Browns said that it's no Deshaun Watson. I mean, this would have been the second most intriguing matchup of the weekend, but it's now PJ Walker is the backup quarterback. They're replacing Dorian Thompson Robinson, who clearly showed he wasn't ready for NFL play. Certainly not against a ravaging rampaging defense like the 49ers, but Brock Purdy in San Francisco coming to Ohio where, you know, this is the backyard of the York family and the DeBartolos. This is a kind of a homecoming. Can Myles Garrett and this defense rule the day in an early window for a West Coast team?

It's never easy. Kyle Shanahan coming back to the spot where he coordinated the offense for Mike Petten. There it is. And Brian Porter, a quarterback. How about that? A little Kyle Shanahan, Mike Petten homecoming.

You didn't see that come in. And, you know, there is an eye and rich and eyes and Ravens Titans. Obviously, I'm looking forward to that as well.

But the Niners Browns is the proverbial one more on this list. So there you have it. I love that. Love it.

My top five list. Little Mike Petten love for me for you out there. Didn't see. All right. This is another Friday edition of the program. So, Chris, I'm ready to now throw things in your direction. You have the floor for the ever the ever popular. Always interesting. What's more likely? Play my music. What?

What's more likely? Never say never, but never. Right. Shout out to us for allowing us to say play my music all the time. All right. I like it. Hey, breaking news. Rich, you're in London.

You've been here in London. You're there. Yeah.

Yeah. Hey, you got Ravens and Titans coming up. What's more likely to be the higher total Ravens dropped touchdowns or combined actual touchdowns in your game?

I'm going to go. I'm going to go combined actual touchdowns in this game. I think the Ravens have heard all about these drop passes. And and they're going to they're going to hold on to the football a little bit better.

They have to. Let's put it that way. I mean, five drop passes and a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. But if you like running plays, tune in Sunday morning on NFL Network at nine thirty a.m. Eastern Time. Since Mike Vrabel came in the league, I have this note on my card on my board since Mike Vrabel came into the league in twenty eighteen. No two teams have run the ball more times or for more total yards or for more yards per game than the Tennessee Titans and the Baltimore Ravens.

They are one and two on both of those lists or all three of those lists. Nobody's run the ball more times for more rushing yards and for more rushing yards per game than these two teams. Get ready for a lot of running and maybe from Lamar Jackson as well.

Your game's going to be over in two hours and 15 minutes. That was a that was a lot there. That's amazing. That's a lot of running.

That's a lot of running. That's all right. Have fun. Have fun.

Have fun. Are you going to welcome Spade in at 15 seconds ago? No, no, because he said it was only for Jaguars football. So got it. That's too much enough. I already gave him enough of a shot. I love him.

All right. Some quarterback love. Who is more likely to throw for 300 yards for the second straight week? Trevor Lawrence or Joe Burrow?

Hmm. Trevor Lawrence, they are taking on the Colts. I hear Franklin. Oh, man. I will go. I'll go Trevor Lawrence.

At home against the Colts. I kind of dig this new. Do we call them a new legion of boom yet?

Why is that? Is it fair to say, you know, I think we can call them right now. I think they're light. They're not 2.0.

They're light, not 2.0. How about this for a nickname? T.J., this is Arias Consulting and you are you are you are you. How about this?

All right. Boom point. Oh, are they boom point? Oh, what do you think?

Initially, I don't hate it. So I think you might be or is it or is it two point boom? I don't know. What do you think?

Oh, I like boom point. Oh, what do you think? That's it. Hold on a second. Hold on a second. Hold on a second.

I want to say it. Felly hit it. Boom. Point up. Point up.

So there is a comma and a period in there. I love it. There's people walking down the hall in this hotel saying, what the hell is going on in that place with all the pottery? OK, what else you got over there? Fantastic.

All right. These two quarterbacks both have 11 touchdowns on the year. Justin Fields has four TVs and back to back games to has a four TV game earlier this year. Who's more likely to have a four touchdown game on Sunday?

Justin Fields or to about. Oh, come on, man. Let's go to a let's go to a man. Let's go. Let's go to a Tongo Vailoa against, you know, you know, a Carolina team that they've got their hands full.

Let's put it that way. And just because the Bears did it once, I need to see it again before I'm going to sit here and say it's more likely that Justin Fields will do it again. He did it on the right for two. The number one on the I get it. The number one guy on the right is is is on fire, as is his team. And I think they're going to win this one. Boy, I'm telling you, the whole crew, we're excited to do Ravens Titans. We're already looking down the steering wheel. And I know you don't talk about you only you only talk about the game that's in front of you. But Dolphins chiefs in Germany in about three weeks time. Yeah. Is is something we're all excited about. So I'll go to a right here.

What else you got? All right, Rich, this is one of your top five games. Who is more likely to have a hotter seat after losing on Sunday?

Bill Belichick or Josh McDaniels? Come on, man. What? We're on fire. What?

This is real. Josh McDaniels. I've been telling you these guys are hot seats for years and you're not listening to me.

Rich's face has turned beet red by this question. Listen to me. Listen to me. The one way that Bill Belichick's era and there are so many different ways you could say era. Right. In the NFL, like we're in the Justin Fields era in Chicago, even though it's like two plus years.

Right. That's that's usually the way we in sports media terms something as it is happening for a quarterback or a coach. It's the era, the Frank Reich era in Carolina. Hot seat outside of him being the first quarterback.

This is truly an error. The last way the Belichick era will end is with him having been fired midseason. It ain't happening. Not happening. No way. I'll go McDaniel's here just to save you from yourself, Chris.

Want this quick theory? How about this? Bill is done after coaching this year. Herb Street trying to do the ESPN and Thursday night thing too much. Bill goes in the booth with Al for TNF next season.

Let me just say something to you. Bill, if he wants to do that, would be phenomenal. How about him and Al for a year? Oh, my God. Nominal.

Yeah, I bet that you're on fire right now. What's more likely that or Bill goes to coach the Carolina Panthers? Or the Washington commanders or the Cowboys? Lombardi finished his career with Washington. Just saying, look at you. All right.

What else you got? Who's more likely to still be leading their division? After week six, Lions or Bucks? Lions. Dude, Lions are a very good team that's bordering on becoming a great elite team in this league right now.

They are right there. We need to see more wins. And if they they could mall their opponents with more consistency in the next couple of weeks and just be the proverbial team. You don't want to face becoming the team that has a shot to go deep and maybe be the team to knock off one of the NFC championship teams from last year. That's how good they're playing. If they stay healthy.

And man, I, as you know, I was high on the lines to begin with. I chose to win the division. I'm staying on them and I'll say Detroit. Hell, yeah, certainly after week six.

I mean, you know, who's going to be who's going to come up and catch him in the NFC North anyway? So I'll go. I'll go Detroit right there.

All right. Wide receiver duo to combine for more yards and touchdowns this week. A.J. Brown, Devontae Smith or Puka, Doncic and Cooper Cup.

I'll go Pukka. And how about how about Cooper Cup and Cooper Nakua or Pukka Pukka Cup? I mean, that's who they look at. Honestly, they found it. They found another they found another cup. They found it's Cooper Cup and Samoan Cup.

I mean, good lord. A mini Cooper. Right. He's not so many Cooper.

He's bigger than Cooper Cup, actually. Dude, not really. They're both all you know, they're both full Jamar Chase. They're always effing open. Yeah. And they're they they catch everything. I mean, Stafford, Stafford has to do is put it in their area code and they're bringing it in. I know. Oh, yeah, man. Also, after all, yes, Brown yelled at his quarterback, as I told Brockman, you got to happen. Smith has literally been nothing. So he's going to have to have an explosion on the sideline so he could get some. Yeah.

And plus, yeah, there's nobody there's nobody like sauce gardener on Arizona's, you know, defensive back or cornerback roster. So, yeah, I'll go I'll go with the Rams. All right. Two more, Rich.

And then we send you on your London day. Who's more likely to have their MVP odds improve the most after Sunday party? They're both it's 30 30. They're both seven. They're both seven. Let me finish. Hurry.

They're both seven to one right now. Purdy, Brock Purdy or Josh Allen, Brock Purdy, Josh Allen. Purdy, baby. That's his guy. What is Purdy going to do, though?

It's going to be raining. And the Cleveland is actually decent. Excuse me. Excuse me. I just wanted to be said after your fourth son eviscerated the after he did what Allen's going to do to the Giants after he eviscerated the Giants. And that Thursday night, that week three Thursday night, that Friday, I came on the show and started saying the letters MVP with Purdy.

I believe your response was get out of here. We need to get we need to look on that that that video. And I keep talking about not just his value on the field. They don't mention Trey Lance's name and what he makes right now allows John Lynch to spread the wealth and allow this team to be good this year and next. Look out.

You bet. Man, I heard a stat. I heard a stat this morning. Brock Purdy is 30 is is the 35th highest backup quarterback in terms of salary. He's like Purdy, 47th highest paid player on the forty niners. He's like the 60th highest quarterback in the NFL in terms of salary.

Purdy, I should just let's just open my window here in London, here in this room and just scream that word out. Rich, quick, what else you got? Rank your sons real quick. Zander, Baker, Mayfield, and Brock Purdy. Rank your sons. All right.

What else you got? Last one, last one. Big college football weekend. Who is more likely to be the Pac-12 representative in the college football playoff? Oregon, Washington or USC?

Man, this is good. Oregon and Washington play each other this week, obviously. I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know. I'm going to go. I don't like I'll go Washington right now. Oh, Michael Pennix, your Heisman Trophy favorite at the moment. I'll go Washington right now.

But man, how fun is this? All three of those teams can absolutely win it all. And we've got Colorado Stanford tonight. Yeah, that's right. Looks like Travis Hunter's coming back for prime. All right. Thank you for putting me on the spot. Now I'm going to go get a spot of tea. Rich, real quick before you bring James Palmer on after the break. If Seattle beats Cincinnati, do we start talking about the Seahawks a little differently? I already talked about it. I'm there already.

I can't wait for Thanksgiving night. Seattle versus San Francisco. All they got to do is to stay within hailing distance and then we'll see what goes on right there. But yeah, I mean, Seattle was a playoff team last year. And look at the other, you know, wild card weekend playoff teams from last year. And and they're performing the best through the first, I guess, four games of the year with Dallas.

The Giants, the Vikings and they being the other ones, you know, along with probably missing one more Tampa. I mean, absolutely. You know, so I kind of dig what they're what they're looking like right now, big time. And Rich, I'm also taking a page out of your vision winners. I guess I'm taking a page out of your book. You've taught me so well. I was hoping that production would hit you with the boom. Yeah, I set that up and they missed it.

They dropped the ball. Get on. It's all right.

You come back stateside. All right, man. Thanks for doing this today, Steve. Enjoy the rest of your show, guys. I will see you on Sunday for Ravens Titans at nine thirty a.m. Eastern.

And then overreaction Monday podcast. I will be back in studio to do that and then back in the chair Tuesday. So thanks. Thanks for everybody. Thanks, everybody. Behind the scenes to you guys. The best ladies to point out. All right.

All right. Rich Eisen over in London again, calling the Ravens Titans game on NFL Network this week. And when we come back on the Rich Eisen show, James Palmer of NFL Network and also my co-host on the NFL Report. He was in Kansas City Thursday night. He'll be with us next.

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The podcast is available Tuesdays wherever you listen. I've got a nickname for you, certainly since, again, as we established earlier on that that that people are concerned of the amount of usage that you have and you're getting and that, you know, running backs wind up showing diminishing returns. And I don't think you're showing any diminishing returns and that's not going to happen as a matter of fact, you are the one who does the diminishing. You're the one who comes downhill and does the diminishing. So I have a nickname for you.

You, Derek Henry, are the diminisher. I love it. I love it.

Whoa. Should we love it? OK, so you understand this is this means a lot to me because I've tried a lot to give nicknames to people in the NFL and they have rejected them.

I've been I love it. I love I can tell you put thought and time into this nickname. And I definitely appreciate it. Like you say, we've known each other for a long time. Yes. I know that you put a lot of thought into this and I'm very appreciative.

It comes from the heart. I love it. Right here. You are the diminisher. You're the diminisher is coming to your town to diminish your chance of winning. You are the diminisher in the fourth quarter.

The diminisher is running downhill. Derek Henry. Yes. Right. But you know what I got to do? I got to live up to it. The only thing I live up to it.

You gave the nickname not coming to it. I am not concerned about it. That's all I'm saying. Appreciate it. OK.

I am not concerned about. So let's print up the the shirts and the hats and let's go. And you can have it. You take it.

How does that sound? All right. You take it.

Hey, sounds good. Derek Henry. The diminisher. Say that one more time.

I want to hear it. Say it one more time. The diminisher.

Yes. Derek, you had no idea how much you made it. You have no idea, Derek. Welcome back to the Rich Eisen Show on the Rich Eisen Show Radio Network, and I am sitting at the Rich Eisen Show Desk, furnished by Grainger with supplies and solutions for every industry. Grainger has the right product for you. Call click Grainger dot com or just stop by. I'm Steve White sitting in for Rich Eisen, who's over in London.

He'll be working for NFL Network this weekend calling the Ravens Titans game. I'm here with Chris Brockman, Jason Feller and T.J. Jefferson, the crew. The guys are carrying me all show.

Appreciate you guys. Big time. Crushing it, Steve.

Hey, man, I don't know if I'm crushing it. You know, I got to have people carry me all the time, which is why our next guest. We're bringing in James Palmer from the NFL Network.

And James is my co-host also on the NFL Report, which, like the Rich Eisen Show, J.P., you can watch on Roku and other fast channels and streaming apps. J.P., we see you are in your car. You're not being driven, so much props to that.

We're not like Rich, you know, we're not sitting in the backseat. So you just landed back home in Denver because you were at the Kansas City Broncos game last night. And we've been sitting here talking ad nauseam about the Broncos and how they're struggling and Russell Wilson. But let's go to the Chiefs right now, J.P. matching home throws for 300 yards last night. They have all these great statistical numbers, except for on the scoreboard, where only they have 19 points. And it still does not seem, even though the Chiefs are 5-1, that they have hit their stride offensively.

What's going on on that side of the ball? Yeah, Steve, it's funny. You know, I talked to Chris Jones on the field after the game and it was funny.

Our conversation started with so many years, Chris, right? Your defense has kind of had this slow start and then Steve Spagnuolo gets them better as the season goes on. And what are they doing? They're playing their best football by the end of the season and into the postseason. It's almost flipped this year, like the offense is trying to find their footing in this first quarter of the season.

And the defense has come out screaming hot. And we can talk about the defense, but talking to people pregame and being on that sideline because of our show, Steve, because of being on the insider show that's also on the network. I believe Mike Garofolo and I arrived to the sidelines sometime around 1030 in the morning for this Thursday night game. So I had plenty of time to talk to people on the sideline, right?

And so talking to people, it was essentially this. It's not like Patrick Mahomes trusts everybody out there outside of Travis Kelsey. Actually, Justin Watson was a name that I kept being told is the other guy he trusted quite a bit. And then he has a dislocated elbow in this game. He's going to be out a few weeks, to my understanding, maybe more. We'll see how the scans go. But that's why we're seeing him run more.

See, that's what I was told repeatedly is he's kind of looking at it going, I don't know if I want to pull the trigger. I can get these eight yards. I can get these 10 yards. Keep moving the football because it's not entirely sure he trusts what she writes is doing or what Sky Moore is doing. And, you know, that's why you're seeing him running the football to greater clip than he ever has in his career, because he's he's taking that in some of these instances, as opposed to to maybe taking a chance on some of these throws that you've seen him do. And he's protecting the football in a sense as he's learning with these guys. But the part that stands out to me the most is I'm told he's been brilliant with them.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday in the meeting room, working on things, telling them how they want how he wants certain things. Two routes by Rashid Rice recently stood out to him as, OK, we're getting somewhere. And so this is a work in progress with it. But part of it, I'm told, is a trust factor that's not entirely there yet. And that's why we're seeing him run a little bit more. Well, I mean, it's interesting when you think about, you know, some of the greats, you know, Tom Brady, when they change receivers, not having necessarily a trust factor. Same thing with Aaron Rodgers, not necessarily having a trust factor at some point, though, James, when you get to the end of the season, that trust factor has got to develop.

So, again, it may be a work in progress, but they're still getting dubs. But what is keeping them in games is this defense. So you mentioned this defense typically starts peaking at about week 12, 13.

They've been doing it from the outset. What is working on that side of the ball this Eastbagnolo has helped drum up? I think they're deep, Steve. I mean, I mentioned Chris Jones. He told me this is the most complete defense he's been a part of in Kansas City from, you know, every position that you look at on the field. They have two really good corners in Trent McDuffie and the Jerry. They have three different safeties that they play. You know, Brian Cook can play down and in the box. And, you know, Justin Reid can do a variety of things. Obviously, they're still looking for more from a couple of their young edge guys. That's why I don't know, maybe a new available edge rusher. Talk about it.

Go ahead. Drop that news in there before. I'm not sure if when Frank Clark arrives in Kansas City, Chris did yell it to me when he was running off the field. He's like, Chris will be here Monday. He doesn't have a say in the front office, but obviously he wants his running mate back there in Kansas City. So the part that stands out to me the most and talking to front office people in Kansas City is these little moves.

The right. We talk so much about big free agent acquisitions, that first wave of free agency when everybody's going, oh, this guy's signing for this. They went out and got drew, drew crank will.

And they go out and get Mike Edwards. And these are two sleepy, quiet signings that have done wonders for this defense. When Nick Bolton missed a stretch and there's a lot on this middle linebacker, right?

Spangolos defense, you know that that position has a lot on its plate for triangle to just come in and just own it, play it. They're trying to find ways to put them on the field because he's been playing so well. That's the problem they have on defense. They have some guys they'd like to get on the field and they can't get them enough snaps. They're deep and get after the quarterback and they can cover.

Yeah. I mean, that's an absolute good problem to have is the cliche. Cliche goes when you have so many talented players and have them on defense where injuries are going to show up. But I like what you said about you tranquil because when he was with the Chargers, he was a tackling machine. I mean, I was kind of surprised that they let him go but they went out and got Kendrick so he became, you know, somebody who could be replaced. But adding him, this is such a great Brett Veitch, Andy Reid move to kind of add a player to a position of strength. Because like you said, Nick Bolton, he's one of the best inside linebackers in the NFL.

But to add a tranquil to play alongside him or to replace him, just a deft move right there. So real quick, we talked about the Chiefs. Let's go over to the Broncos. We saw their defense actually play a good game last night. But offensively, James, I mean, they were just stuck in the mud.

What's happening there? I'm not sure how long you're having me on, Steve. So I don't know if that really goes where we could finish. Let's go to the quarterback because Russell Wilson had played, you know, for the most part, decent football leading up to this game. Even though I think that bar has been lowered for him based on what he was in Seattle. When we talk about decent football, he did not play well last night.

No, he did not. And he's actually, his loss of a step, I think it's a microcosm of the entire team on really both sides of the ball. I think they lack team speed on defense. I think they lack team speed on offense as well. And you've seen them kind of searching for it because where they're getting their explosive plays, it's the two rookies in all honesty.

Julia McLaughlin out of the backfield, running the football. And Marvin Mims, the rookie wide receiver. Those are their two explosive players.

Outside of that, you're not seeing a whole lot of speed. They wanted Greg Dulcich to be a big part of this offense, play that joker role that they assigned him to that you've seen a variety of players have in New Orleans over the years. Just can't stay healthy. Came back off of IR for this game from the hamstring.

Gets a hamstring injury again in this game. You know, the receivers have not been able to find separation, although Courtland Sutton had a phenomenal catch in the end zone for the touchdown. It's been difficult to move the football because the offensive line as well has not been able to really pass protect. And you thought they'd hang their head on running the football. But they've been oftentimes just abandoning the run entirely. They did that against the Jets a week ago in the second half.

They barely ran the football. And this is where we thought a great defense, running the football, running play action would be all the things that would help out Russell Wilson. And we'd see him play better than we did a year ago. We are seeing him as a whole playing better than he did a year ago because I don't know if you can get much worse than the way he played last year.

So he is better in a sense. But the offense in its entirety has just been so sluggish. And to me, the biggest thing that stands out is when they have had success, Steve, it's been in the first half. Look at the first half splits for Russell Wilson compared to the second half.

He's been phenomenal coming out with the script and Sean Payton script in the rolling. But when they have to adjust, and in my opinion, Russ has to start reading all the adjustments himself. And this coaching staff has to adjust. That's where they've struggled just mightily. This was a really good defense that throws a variety of things at you. And they just kind of look lost on that side of the ball with what Spags was throwing at him.

You know, JP, we're going to go a little bit to the right here, but you talk about the Broncos explosive players. And one of those is supposed to be Jerry Judy. And we saw pregame our colleague, Steve Smith, who we love. You know, him and Jerry Judy had an exchange.

And you were there for all of it. And look, I think Steve showed an issue for those who didn't know about it. Pregame, Steve Smith tried to approach Jerry Judy and apologized to him for saying some critical remarks. They said about Judy on his cut to a podcast to which Judy responded with some profanity and some talk that hit Steve. It was personal. And so Steve went on air and said, look, Jerry Judy's a tier three wide receiver.

He's kind of just a guy. But you being there because Steve also came back and said he doesn't want to sit there and pile on and talk about this. He doesn't want to have black on black crime, so to speak, a black analyst talking about a black player. But you being there and seeing this whole atmosphere. What about the way that went down the way that was handled and kind of where everything got buttoned up? See, I was standing with with Steve on the sideline when the whole thing went down. I mean, I heard everything that Jerry said to him that Steve wanted to approach him. I talked to Jerry in the locker room afterwards, asking him, you know, if he's going to talk to Steve. And I mean, Jerry did tell me in the line. He said, how was I supposed to know he was going to apologize? I mean, he was referring to what he's read and seen from from Steve Smith and the comments about his play. I'll say this. Jerry, Judy reads a lot of that stuff in social media. So he sees it and he hears it.

And so I more or less. Well, maybe, you know, you didn't give him a chance to say it. But anyway, what ended up happening was obviously Steve can get hot. What we do know is this happens every place I've been with with Steve, where he interacts with every receiver. I mean, receivers just flock to him.

They just come over and he talks to him. I mean, hell, I remember being at an Ohio State's pro day with him and we were talking to Jackson Smith and Jigba. And man, was he being honest with Jackson about what he has heard about him and things he wanted him to correct because he wants him to be a good receiver. And he's got the credit.

Steve, he has all the credibility in the world and the way he played the game with the toughness, the way he played the game and his approach and mentality to the game. He does this with every receiver. Now, it's whether the receiver wants to take the criticism or not, because I would say Steve is very constructive with his criticism. He doesn't go and bash these guys. He honestly wants all of them to succeed.

He wants every receiver to see. And so when I hear him have these conversations that are very frank and they're very private, honestly. And I don't talk about what I hear is a fly on the wall next to him in a lot of these. And they're always ending with, you know, I got you like, come on, you can do this. Like, that's usually the way they end. So that's probably and talking with Steve on the sideline. That's where that conversation was going to go on the sideline if it ever was going to happen and it ended up not happening. And then, you know, it kind of escalated when Jerry was dancing and I was recording it for the Twitter's or the the X's out there. And he was doing it right behind our live shot with with a purpose.

So it got a little weird, honestly, because it lasted for a very long time. But it just it was it was something that you didn't expect pregame, especially with someone that might be headed out of Denver as a weird showcase. If somebody could be available to the rest of the league on a Thursday night. Yeah. And Jerry Judy ended that game with three catches and 14 yards. So for anything, you know, Steve was saying it played out right there. Look, I know Steve and I know I've known him.

He was a player covering back in the day and I know how much he is really about finding inner peace, being better as a human being. I think at some point they'll have a conversation to be private. I guarantee they will.

Yeah. And hopefully it stays private and those two can become better men because of it. So I think there's a lot of lessons to be learned for everybody there. And again, I'm sure they'll have that conversation.

Last thing, JP, before we get out of here, our show, the NFL report. How much do you have to carry me like these guys in studio are carrying me today to get through Rich's show? Guys, what's it like? I mean, he's polite and all. It's heavy lifting. Sometimes when you tell him certain things that you want to say and it snatches them, it steals them from you all the time, uses them before you can say. Right.

The words. No, this is this show has been an absolute blast to do with Steve so far. I mean, getting the chance to just talk ball. And I was talking to some of the coaches on the chief staff who were like, we've been listening to this podcast. Like it's a smart like football show because they've listened to the audio version.

And obviously it's on Roku and everything else in streaming. It's you know, Leslie Frazier the other day. Steve Wright yesterday breaking down 21 personnel and how the Dolphins and Niners use it at a rate that nobody else does is fascinating for, I think, any football fan. So that's essentially what we're getting at. And it's been a really, really good time. You're heavy.

Yeah. You're lighter than your playing days, but it's a treat, man. And I will tell you this, in doing the show with James, we've been friends for a while. It's just so great work with somebody who I respect and appreciate and have such an affinity for. And, you know, someone who does so much of the heavy lifting for, we can't say a network anymore. We're kind of a network slash channel slash streaming app slash podcast. But there's so much heavy lifting traveling across the country with his beautiful, you know, his good beautiful wife, Meg, wonderful son, Nix.

They're Denver. It just, you know, my respect for him just as a human being on top of a great journalist, top shelf. All right, JP, go ahead.

Drive home to that beautiful family again. Guys, he's being he's driving. Yeah, no, it's amazing.

No, I'm not driving. James, also real quick with Tom Pelosaro is coming up next. Who's got better hair? Be honest, you or Tom?

Oh, my God. This is a competition. Oh, life is a competition.

James, you understand this is something we talk about all the time. Who won last night? Who won last night? My hometown Philly, Philadelphia Phillies or the Atlanta Braves? Oh, there we go, the Phillies. Phillies reference, there it is. Oh, Phillies.

Got to get the old man a ring before he retires. They're the hot team. They're going to get it done. All right, JP. Be well, brother. Appreciate you, man. All right, guys, take it easy.

Take care, James. All right, after the break here on the Rich Eisen Show, we have plenty of more conversation. Football or college ball?

Well, NFL ball. We keep on going. What do you got for us, Chris? Let's do it. Let's do it. We're going to talk everything. Elsa, we want to hear from you. Not footballs. Call us right now.

844-204-RICH. If you want to talk to Steve or any questions about your games coming up this weekend, any bigfoot, who cares? So you guys don't have unique names. What do you mean, you guys?

What do you mean by that? I'm not saying. There's no one saying, oh, Tom Brady won the Super Bowl, I'm going to name my baby Tom.

That's not how. Tom is too simple. Shaquille, Alsan. These are unique names that people will name their kids.

I promise you. Steve. Steve is not laughing.

He's not looking at you, and he's swinging as far from the mic as possible. Steve is a regular name. Steve is a regular name. Steve is the name that folks can pronounce. Now, Steve has another name. Steve, what's your other name? My real name, which is three people called me, my mom and my grandma, and my wife, is actually Steven, S-T-E-V-O-N-N-E. Now, Steven, had you used that name, had you used that name, had you used that name, had you used that name, do you know what would have happened in any city you played in? Everybody who had a baby would have named their baby Steven. You know what would have happened. Do you know what's up? I don't care what city you played in, Carolina, Baltimore, whatever city you played in, that city would have had babies with that name.

Santa Monica. Every time you score a touchdown, they'll be like, I'm naming my baby Steven. Right? You're doing right. Well, Steven, thanks for coming on, Steven. Thanks for coming on, Steven. He's been mentioned in that name right now. A few light bulbs went off. This baby due tomorrow is perfect.

This baby due tomorrow is perfect. You're on some dirt, man. All right, welcome back to the Rich Eisen Show. I am Steve Wyche, and stream the NFL on Westwood One for free, sponsored by AutoZone. All season long, you can listen to every Westwood One broadcast of the NFL Live on the NFL app by asking Alexa to open WWO Sports on your Westwood One affiliate station's digital platforms.

That's right. You can listen to Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner, and Rich all season long for free, and get in the zone with AutoZone. The free AutoZone fix finder service can help you find a fix for free. Get in the zone. AutoZone. Restrictions apply. All right, Chris Brockman, you told me we have a phone call. Yeah, Steve.

Let's do it. Let's go to Dave in California. All right, Dave. Dave, what's up, brother?

Oh, no. Dave. Dave's with us. Dave, are you there?

No, I'm here. Yes. Dave, in the spirit of what's more likely, is it more likely that Russell Wilson's play just spontaneously fell off a cliff, or that Seattle's coaching staff recognized his limitations and coached around him for a few years before just unloading him? Oh, great question, Steve. Oh, that's a fantastic question.

Great question, Steve. And I do think, and that goes, Dave, thank you for that, I think that goes to earlier on the show, we had Matt Mayoko on from Bay Area Sports, who was a Hall of Fame voter, right? And so I think that's going to be the question that a lot of them are asking, was it Russ who helped Seattle win that Super Bowl and make all those great plays with Doug Baldwin and, and curse and players like that? Or was he just a product of their offense with a great defense that they could do some great things because they had the Legion of Boone, they had Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett, and Brandon Mebane and great guys like that on the defense that kept things in check that let them take certain risk. Because of Russell Wilson, I frankly feel that he's just fallen off some. I mean, and I how far he's fallen, I don't know, because the player who I used to see, I don't care if there was 30 seconds or 13 seconds left on the clock, he could lead the Seahawks 70 yards downfield and throw a touchdown, get them in position for a game winning field goal. He was one of the most clutch quarterbacks I saw for years playing with receivers who were undrafted or drafted in the lower rounds, and helped that whole I mean, Doug Baldwin is my favorite receivers of all time, right? I don't know if Doug or curse were drafted, and these guys were fantastic players, and I think Russell Wilson played a lot into that he didn't have a great offensive line had a great running game with Marshawn Lynch, some of the running backs that they had, but I think this is more a case of him leaving that organization and maybe some of the comforts that that coaching staff provided him to succeed and going someplace where he has just fallen off. I don't know if he's been exposed, but I just think physically and some things like that.

He is not the same guy. Let's make some presumptions about how the rest of this season goes. Okay, let's assume Denver kind of just plays this way the rest of the year, they have a top five pick Russell Wilson's owed I think Mike Florio said 37 million on the fifth day of the new league year next March.

Let's assume that he's not going to get that money. He's going to be released by Denver. What is the market for Russell Wilson in free agency next March and that is often the greatest determiner of what quarterbacks think and I say that I'm with teams think about quarterbacks and I say that because it was only about five years ago and Carson Wentz was an MVP candidate, right? He's not getting I mean, will careers getting calls before Chris went to be a backup right now. Carson Wentz is ATC. He's in the crib right now hunting posting pictures on Instagram like he can't even get a call from the Jets who you know a couple weeks ago looked like they were in the market for a quarterback.

Yeah. I mean look Cleveland situation. I mean, it's it's interesting and I'm so glad you asked the question that way Chris because if Russell Wilson were to hit the free agent market next year and let's say he's willing to play for 15 million dollars a year. How many teams are going to go there and if he's saying I got it's got to be 30 plus, you know, he's no, no, no one's no one's doing that.

They're just going to draft a quarterback make moves that can they can do for an affordable, you know, an affordable contract. I guess he's suddenly in the Cam Newton zone from a couple years ago or is he in the Jimmy Garoppolo zone even I mean where he's playing for that type of money. I mean, I think that's that's going to be a great determiner because it's just do you say well, he has to go to a certain type of system as he's at I just don't know how he is valued now because it does seem like something to me when I watch him. He doesn't seem as confident as he was in Seattle and again, I and he shouldn't be he's the team's not what it was. He's not playing the way he was he's not playing the same style that he used to play but is that because it's physically there is it, you know, those are questions.

We just don't know again. I'm a I'm speaking to this as a big Russell Wilson fan as a human being and as a football player you heard this just a little while ago. We had James Palmer from NFL Network on who was at the Chiefs Broncos game on Thursday night talk about a situation that happened between our colleague Steve Smith and Broncos wide receiver Jerry Judy pregame.

I think we do have that sound queued up. Let's go ahead and address this and hear what Steve had to say on air which kind of made their private conversation very public Broncos wide receiver Jerry Judy was walking by and Steve called out to him because on my podcast cut to it. I just talked about guys that maybe have not showed up in a way or in a manner and so they work that I've used to describe him in the past was a Jack just a guy and so when I saw him he's playing well, I wanted to say to him face to face like hey, I know I said some things in the past are probably shouldn't have and I'm sorry. That's what I wanted to say to him.

His response might Rob and Bucky was a ninja ninja yes, I'm using the word ninja that's I'm just using the word ninja I don't mess with you and it was a it was a curse word and so I was like alright and then he repeated it. So I'll say it again. I'm sorry that I said you were a Jack just a guy who's an average wide receiver they use the first round pick on that isn't doing anything. I hope today that you actually show up in a way that you haven't showed up in the last couple years since they drafted. So if you ever got a problem with Agent 89, I'm sorry for saying that your average wide receiver that they eventually will move on and when teams call me and ask him should they trade for you I will say no don't trade for Jerry Judy because he's mentally unable to handle constructive criticism from people who watch specifically can he be a wide receiver he could be a wide receiver he's a tier three go back into the studio I'm done now thank you. Alright this is my colleague Steve Smith and it is a man that I love dearly so any anything I say about Steve comes with tremendous bias because I from when I covered him to now he's a much more famous 89 than I was when we shared the number but look I think one of the reasons why it's such a conversation piece is one the people who know Steve know he's honest we've had a couple comments of former players recently being critical you know Dante Whitner saying Dak Prescott sucks this and that Steve was a much more professional in the way that he handled that okay we're gonna address that and more and we come back after the break here on the Rich Eisen show. Alright so you know let's you know the Steve the Steve Smith thing what he said about Jerry Judy I spoke to somebody who was there and we had said James Palmer on he said he was there too heard the exchange is a little bit more heated from the Jerry Judy side we all know that you know Steve Smith has had some things in his past or you know he would get triggered he would he would act out in a certain way and here I thought he handled himself pretty professionally but let me tell you this is somebody who's a beyond middle-aged man right here much closer to the grave than I am the legal drinking age with somebody in their 20 speaks to me a certain way you know it's kind of the get off my yard mentality get out of my yard mentality but you know we've lived a lot more life than you have to and when you treat people of a certain age a certain way they're gonna react like dummy like you don't know what's coming and I think that right and I think that's why Steve said okay go ahead and be an average receiver I'm just gonna keep on telling people what they've already seen on film and you know again the way he said it may come off as being spirited or trying to mess with Jerry Judy's potential money but he's telling people what they've seen on film and so again I've said this before you know it's a black man I hate seeing black men go after other black men publicly or whatever it's not something that's healthy because there is a kind of a crabs in the bucket mentality with some folks but I'm really hoping these guys you're gonna speak privately and they're gonna settle this and they handle business like men all right we'll be back after the hour here on the rich eyes and show which you can watch on Roku every Monday rich Eisen and Chris Brockman react to what's happening in the world of football on overreaction Monday dolphins final four AFC team oh that is not an overreaction at all I'm with you you're in now I am in the other three final four teams if you ask me to call my shot this is the overreaction podcast all your shot entertainment purposes only unless I'm right yeah Chiefs dolphins bills Ravens Ravens final four overreaction Monday the podcast wherever you listen