REShow: Chris Long - Hour 1

You know, in today's world, it seems the best treatment is reserved only for a few. Well, Discover wants to change that by making everyone feel special. That's why with your Discover card, you have access to 24-7 live customer service as well as zero dollar fraud liability, which means you're never held responsible for unauthorized purchases. Finally, no matter who you are or where you are in life, you'll feel special with Discover.

Learn more at Discover.com slash credit card. Limitations apply. How are you and your your mates viewing this rematch, Jason? This is the Rich Eisen Show.

Who claims that she's Kingdom? I know I'm not viewing it as a rematch. I think that every year is different for us.

We're just really trying to focus on who the Chiefs are this year. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Today's guests, two time Super Bowl champion and Greenlight podcast host Chris Long, ESPN NFL analyst Lewis Riddick.

Plus your phone calls, latest news and more. And now it's Rich Eisen. Oh, yes, it is.

Oh, yes, it is. Welcome this edition of the Rich Eisen Show. It is the Monday of Thanksgiving week, everybody, which means a couple of things. We're going to eat well this week. And my gosh, is every single football game that we're watching right now, having commercials with Christmas jingle music in the background right now, it's already starting. It's already starting.

It means one more thing, a lot of football conversation and and family and food and all that good stuff. And we're thrilled to have you here on this edition of the Rich Eisen Show. Live on the Roku channel, live on this terrestrial radio affiliate, Sirius XM, Odyssey and more. We're we're going to be doing overreaction Monday later on today. Our podcast will launch and the latest episode of overreaction Monday podcast with Chris Brockman and yours truly. As soon as this show is over, we record it.

We'll pop it up there just in time for you to consume it for several hours before the game of the year. If you will, the rematch of last year's Super Bowl, the Eagles and the Chiefs on many of these stations that you're listening to, the Rich Eisen Show. I will be on Westwood One's Monday Night Football Studio broadcast. Kurt Warner on the call with Kevin Harlan. Kurt will be a guest tomorrow. First up on our Tuesday program to discuss what goes down tonight. Lots of significant action throughout the week in professional and college football to discuss eight four four two oh four.

Rich is the number to dial here on the program. Christopher Brockman, I say hello. Good Monday to you, sir. What's going on? Hello. Hello. I'm great. What's up? What's going on over there?

Mike Del Tufo is back from doing a lot of games somewhere else. Good to see you. Happy Monday, everybody. Good to see you.

TJ Jefferson, candles lit. How are you over there, sir? Well, you know, it was another successful day at the office yesterday, so.

What office? You weren't here? We weren't here. I mean, for for these of the Dallas Cowboys. OK, very good.

Can't get my. How about the guy who said that all those years ago, finally getting his due to get into the Dallas Cowboys ring of honor? I'll discuss how we learned all about that yesterday on NFL Game Day morning. That was a fun, fun moment watching Michael Irvin learn this information and one of his first, blessed reactions. I heard what he said. Oh, yeah. So we'll discuss it on this program. Chris Long, Chris Long on this program.

It's going to be a lot of fun with him. Lewis Riddick of the worldwide leader in sports, which I guess they're not calling it anymore. I'm just I'm dating myself. Yeah, apparently not. Yeah. I was told that's not what it is anymore. Is there is a new phrase? I don't know. Galaxy? I don't know. I have no idea.

They have that kind of work for like 30 years. I was told that because I said that in I believe the Dolphins and the Chiefs broadcast when they were showing what's coming up later on in the day and the week and that week's activity. And I said Monday night is on our friends of the worldwide leader, whatever be that as it may. Let's start this program with a team that we've been we've been following. We've been caping for quite a bit. And I'll tell you what, in this world where, yes, the Bills bounce back yesterday, a lot of folks focused on that team in western New York because Josh Allen and the Bills coming in the season, Super Bowl aspirations. And then, of course, the way week 11 started with the Cincinnati Bengals losing Joe Burrow for the year and a lot of hand wringing over another team with a chance to win the Super Bowl. And Lamar Jackson looking as well as he has looked for a team currently, as we're sitting here right now, waiting to see if the Chiefs will join them in the eight win club in the AFC.

Ravens the first to eight in the AFC in 2023. And then, of course, you've got the Dallas Cowboys starting to put the pedal to the metal and the Philadelphia Eagles taking on the Kansas City Chiefs tonight. And the San Francisco 49ers coming off their bye week, looking like world champs in the NFC West, where they just got a huge result. Thanks to the Rams that the Seattle Seahawks, who they see on Thanksgiving night for the 49ers, could now have lost a real good footing on trying to win this division. Obviously, they've got the Niners in two of the next three weeks and vice versa.

So lots to focus in on all of that. But let's talk about the team. From Detroit, Michigan, that has a chance to win the NFC this year and how they overcame adversity on Sunday to do so. This is one of those games that you expect the Detroit Lions to step all over themselves, because that's the way things have gone for them.

For ever in a day. Barry Sanders, by the way, on tomorrow's program, I should mention. And he and those Lions in 1991 were the last team for this franchise to make the playoffs and win a playoff game. And those teams, as we all know, had a lot of hope and a lot of, you know, big time players on it. And this team for the Detroit Lions has got a collection of really good to becoming great players for a head coach who introduced himself to the world in the NFL as if he was Hannibal Lecter.

And a lot of people took that to mean he wasn't really serious. And Dan Campbell. And now here we are entering Thanksgiving week, and these Detroit Lions taking on the Chicago Bears yesterday had a ton of adversity thrown right in their faces because Justin Fields was coming back from injury. And he started to apply the bang thing, as did the Bears defense with Montez Sweat coming up with his first sack as a Chicago Bear of Jared Goff, who had a nightmarish day with a three interception day and having one of those days where you could just say, oh, chalk it up. Just like what happened to this team in Baltimore.

Wasn't their day. Maybe they're just going to have to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to take on a team that is being really physical with them and is in their quarterback's face. And then with four minutes to go, down 12, the Detroit Lions mounted a comeback. Mounted a comeback. Amanrah St. Brown, who I've been caping for top 10 receiver in this league.

I said it last year. He is that on a day where his quarterback is not looking very good. This team put its foot in the ground, started moving the football. Jameer Gibbs and this kid, Amanrah St. Brown, getting it done, putting himself in the end zone, over the middle, making himself available.

And we saw a dart thrown by Jared Goff. And then the Detroit Lions defense makes some plays. It gets the ball back and the Lions march down the field again.

And interestingly enough. Hand the ball to this former Chicago Bear, David Montgomery. And he gets in the end zone and that's a touchdown. And they take the lead. And it's time to play some defense one last time. And they're Michigan man.

You know I'm going there. Hey, Dan Campbell, I had man love with this guy before you did at the combine when you first saw number 97 in your program, number one in your heart. A kid who grew up in the state of Michigan and knows about the Roar restoration project that everybody there has been waiting for for some time. And he called game. Sack force fumble. Ball kicked out of the end zone by the Chicago Bears. And then he takes the ball and punts it into the crowd. And Ford Field's going nuts.

And they know. They have eight wins going into Thanksgiving for the first time since that 1991 season. And they tell the Chicago Bears and their young quarterback like it's Game of Thrones, not today. Dan Campbell, my choice prior to the season for coach of the year had this to say. What did he tell his defense after the Lions took the lead and the Bears took the field with Justin Fields and a chance to tie the game. If not, go ahead and win it. You guys kicked it off to them. Did you feel the need to address the defense at all going into that last round?

Yeah, no, I actually went down there. I said it just didn't get any better than this. Like this is the moment.

This is what you want to be in right now. Game on the line. You got a chance to make the big stop, man, to win this game.

And Hutch goes out there and makes the sack fumble of his life for a safety. I mean that to me is, those are the moments, man, we're built for. Like that's how we have to think. And I mean that was what it felt like when they took the field. You know, this is why you play this game at this level. It's for moments just like that. It was awesome.

And I just love this guy and how they're all buying what he's selling right now. And with all due respect to Dan Campbell, the sack force fumble of Aiden Hutchinson's life was the one that happened against Michigan State that Big Ten referees went under the hood and somehow, some way, overturned even though the evidence was against it. That was, by the way, in the last time Michigan lost a Big Ten game, that was back when Aiden Hutchinson was on the Wolverines.

But maybe I'm just too close to it. And what it means is tonight, tonight, the Lions will be rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs. Because with this win, they're flat out in the mix for the one seed, staying a game ahead of the 49ers instead of losing and winding up in a position where they're in a mosh pit with the 49ers and potentially still with the Eagles as well.

But they are a step ahead of San Francisco now because of that. And this is the type of win where they feel like we can do it. Doesn't matter.

Down 12, 4 minutes to go, we got it. Going to Kansas City in week number one, beat the Chiefs on a night where they're hoisting a banner. I understand Chris Jones and Travis Kelce weren't there as they will be tonight against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Doesn't matter. You got to beat the teams that are right in front of you. And for them, for them, tonight, if the Philadelphia Eagles lose to the Kansas City Chiefs, they would have the same record as the defending NFC champs going into a Thanksgiving Day game at home against the Packers who, by the way, shocked the Los Angeles Chargers. And I think will give the Lions a run for their Thanksgiving Day money, certainly since they saw what happened with the Bears. And then the Philadelphia Eagles will wind up having to take on two very tough opponents. After that, Buffalo and San Francisco at home before they take on Dallas while the Lions take on Green Bay, New Orleans and their final outdoor visit of the year at Chicago.

Everything else in a dome. Rest of the year for this offense and that this is to their benefit. If they finish up with the same record as the Philadelphia Eagles, do you know what the tiebreak is first? It's not conference record. So like strength of victory?

It is not. It is record against common opponents. And tonight the Eagles could lose to a team that the Lions have beaten. Other games on the docket that the Lions and Eagles share. Minnesota, who the Lions have yet to play. The Eagles beat Minnesota way back when Kirk Cousins was the starter. Philadelphia won at Tampa. So did the Lions. Check that box. The Lions also have as a common opponent.

Wait for it. The Dallas Cowboys coming up. So, you know, Philadelphia will have, as we all know, two games against them. So the Lions will have two games against Minnesota as well.

Tonight's huge is basically what I'm saying. Another common opponent, by the way, unfortunately for Dallas is Seattle. I mean, for Detroit is Seattle. Detroit's already lost to Seattle. Philadelphia is going to Seattle week 15. So they'll be rooting for the Seahawks in that one. Tonight could wind up being the difference between the Lions being the one seed or not. Flat out because of what happened with the Lions yesterday. That is still the case.

Even if they had lost, maybe that might still be the case, but less likely. What a W for the Lions yesterday, which is the way I wanted to start this program. I'd love to hear from you.

844-204-rich number to dial. By the way, I know there's a lot of kids at home because it's Thanksgiving week. School's out. I want to hear from children. I want to hear from kids. I want to hear from kids.

I do. I watched football yesterday with two 12 year olds, Coop and his buddy Ryan. Ryan, watching the games with him. He's in 90 fantasy leagues, it seems, and every single play that happened, he's like, oh, I have him or I'm going against him. Literally every snap of the football.

That's why I hate doing that. No, I get it. It was a delight to be around. So I want to hear from children today. Kids, let's hear it.

844-204-rich number to dial. It should be. You know why? Because we educate. We're educators.

Except for Del Tufo. You're not an educator. I'm an educator. You're a schooler. You school. That's a difference. That's true.

844-C. You don't need anything for the kids. Chris Long, the host of Green Light Pod will be joining us. His levels of concern. You got to throw the Steelers in that mix now, man. And the Jets, we won't even bring that up with him. But don't worry, I'll bring it up.

That's coming up. You know, in today's world, it seems the best treatment is reserved only for a few. Well, Discover wants to change that by making everyone feel special. That's why with your Discover card, you have access to 24-7 live customer service as well as zero dollar fraud liability, which means you're never held responsible for unauthorized purchases. Finally, no matter who you are or where you are in life, you'll feel special with Discover.

Learn more at Discover.com slash credit card. Limitations apply. All right, folks, let's talk about game time and let's talk about buying tickets to big time events because it can be worrisome. It can be time consuming and it can be expensive. So game time is the fast and easy way to buy tickets for all the sports, music, comedy and theater events near you. You can see the view from your seat before you buy.

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Call clickgrainger.com or just stop by. Our friend, the host of Green Light Podcast himself, two-time Super Bowl champ. It's been a while since I've spoken to him because I've had my German walkabout. I'm back here in the States. Happy Thanksgiving to you, Chris Long. How are you, sir? Rich, you too, man. Where are you spending Thanksgiving?

On on the set of NFL Network. How about you? Oh, lovely. That's like when I used to be a kid and my dad worked all the time on holidays. Yeah. And he would like try to slick move the holidays and I'd be at school wishing kids like a Merry Christmas two days after the break. And they're like, dude, it's not Christmas. Your dad's lying to you. You know, what do you mean? He's like, give me seriously.

Give me give me Howie's moves. What do you what do you mean? What do you mean? So basically, if he'd had to play on Thanksgiving, he would say Thanksgiving was like two days later. OK, we'd have Thanksgiving, you know, on like a Monday or something. And then the same thing with Christmas and all that stuff. So that's what it's like, you know, growing up in a football family. The holidays are kind of flex.

Yes. You flex them. You know, that's the way I used to handle moving the clocks with my kids. You know, like we wouldn't. Susie and I would not change the clocks on them. You know, until later in the day, because they would look at the clock when we moved, you know, when we would ever spring.

What was the problem? We'd we'd ever spring back, right? We'd keep them where they were. Whatever it was, whatever is to our benefit.

We didn't move the clocks. You know what I mean? So, you know, that's what we used to do. But other than that, all that. Hey, fall back at the bar at two a.m. is great.

I was in Tuscaloosa a couple of weeks ago for that. Oh, yeah. We're talking more time in T-Town. So that's true. There you go. Well, I need to take notes right now.

In case you're ever out at two a.m. Tuscaloosa. All right. Let's let's hit it right here on the program. Did the Bills fix everything? What do you think? I don't know if they fixed everything, but, you know, coming into this game, I was excited about Joe Brady.

I don't think it's a lesson. You can't judge a coordinator, you know, on a stand in Carolina. You also can't judge him for one game in Buffalo. But what I will say is they attack the intermediate part of the field more. I thought they they looked more like the Bills. It was Josh with the QB run stuff.

I thought they did a better job. Guys, latent downs, finding voids and zones, continuing the routes, breaking them off in the right spots. There was a Kincaid play where it kind of looked like Kelsey and Mahomes, you know, that relationship on an extended down.

And that's what's missing. I mean, I just think the artistry of Josh Allen is not always taken advantage of. And I thought with Ken Dorsey, they they weren't calling games. They were just calling plays. And with with Joe Brady, it felt more like my one complaint would be give the ball to James Cook in the red zone early in that game. They did a good job at the running back position, including, you know, like Josh, just Josh, just being a part of the run game. So I was much happier with the way the offense looked.

And your Jets, man, they have a good defense, but that's 30 points on the Jets. That's that's a really good day at the office for Joe Brady in his first game. What I saw out of the Bills was, you know, Allen taking profits instead of going profits. You know, I saw that more. And of course, I saw some, you know, designed runs. I saw actual runs that they were sticking with. And so I saw a much better.

Obviously, the Shaqir throw was gorgeous and Shaqir made some great moves himself to get in the end zone. So I I saw some real positive signs, quite frankly, that certainly when you're making a coordinator change in a short week, just before the Thanksgiving week. You know, I mean, that's what I saw out of. Yeah, I feel like they got to be rejuvenated, excited. They have a really tough schedule down the stretch. But if there's a team that slides in, they're going to be as dangerous as anybody because they'll they'll have passed these tests.

So excited for them. And, you know, I thought just overall look more like the Bills. You said it taking the profit the middle of the field. You look at his passing map. He was peppering that thing. And a lot of times it was either the ball or something in the flats or an extended play where he has to make magic. Now it looks like they're actually running an offense. So let's let's talk about the Jets here. What what in the world do you think is going on in that locker room right now?

Chris, give me your best. My best guess is is the defensive players are feeling like they're wasting some time, some valuable time at any any time you you trot out there. I played on a team for eight years that, you know, we were one in 15. We were two and 14.

We couldn't get together offensively. And you look up at some point, you're like, Damn, I just wasted the prime my career. And that's a heavy, heavy realization for some of these guys. And so, you know, last year you felt like, OK, it's one year of this.

We've come to a conclusion. We're going to bring Aaron in the whole thing. But as the season's gone on and they haven't made a move at quarterback until Tim Boyle late in that game yesterday, it just feels like too little, too late. Anything you do from this point on just feels like a half measure. Doing it the right way would have been to see the sample size and see that it doesn't look much different than last year. There was a time for a couple of weeks here where we were like, the Jets are different this year and they really aren't. I mean, when you when you add up to some of the parts, they're kind of the same team. And, you know, it is the definition definition of insanity, trying to continue to do the same thing and get a different result. And that's where where I feel like you guys are at.

And for defensive players, it's got to be tough. But I give them a lot of credit because you don't hear a peep. I don't hear a peep out of those guys. You know, like they go out, they put their butts off. You know, it doesn't go their way every week. But they're the reason that they're in a lot of these ballgames. And I haven't heard a guy at the podium after the game, you know, turning on Zach or the offense.

And so I took my cap to those guys. Well, I mean, you've got to give Salah credit for that. And and he his you know, his body language doesn't move ever. You know, and you know, as a defensive guy, seeing his defense playing the way that it is playing, he must be his inner monologue. He must be shrieking in his head, watching one of the worst offenses ever. My question for you is the the moves, you know, they were talking about playing younger players going into the Bills game and then hardly any of them played.

But be that as it may, it does feel like they are totally paralyzed because they're not making moves that they normally would make. Benching the quarterback, changing the play caller, benching some of these wide receivers who are not, you know, performing very well. Because Rogers might not like it.

You might antagonize the guy who's working his butt off out here in Southern California to prove himself a modern medical miracle. And I'm wondering what you think about that, Chris. Well, listen, I mean, like Aaron Rodgers. Incredible player when you know, when they made that made this move, I was all about it.

Right. Yeah, I still think he's got gas left in the tank. And next year, if he wants to come back and light the world on fire, I'm not going to doubt him.

The ball looks different coming off his hands, even at this age. But this team was designed for Aaron. You bring in a play caller that suits Aaron, you bring in personnel that suits Aaron. And so, you know, where you look at Cleveland and what they've built, I actually feel just as good about them. Maybe better this week than I did last week. And, you know, I feel like that team can buy in in the style of football that they play. It's going to simplify things like, OK, we've got to win with DTR.

It is what it is. We're going to play defense where it's the fancy is a great play caller. You saw what he did yesterday. The Jets just weren't set up for this.

And, you know, I feel like at this point there's not much you can do. But with Aaron Rodgers and talking about coming back, I also think he knows they're going to be out of it. So you're never going to have to make good on that unlikely prediction. You know, it's why would Aaron Rodgers come back if the Jets are four and eight? Why would Aaron Rodgers come back behind the line that's been banged up and have to run for his life on half an Achilles, if that's the plan? So I think, like, you know, while Aaron Rodgers is saying, hey, I'll be back later this season, you're not coming back if the team's four and eight. You're not coming back if the team's five and nine. It's there's no there's no gain to that.

And I think he knows that Chris Long here on the Rich Eisen show, I left the Jets out of the three teams I have for your level of concern segment. Oh, that's beyond that. They're off the chart. Exactly.

They're off the chart. All right. So let's get to it. Here we go.

We even have production value. Chris Long's level of. All right.

It's Chris Long's level of concern. I love it. Give a round of applause. Yeah, that's good. You know, I once I once asked Scott Van Pelt when I went on Midnight Sports Center, what's the budget on the show?

I'm going to ask you the same thing, because that's like Microsoft Paint there. What's I mean, we passed the hat around. I mean, you know, that's how we do it right there. That's one of the finest right there.

That's good. OK. OK. Nice little shout out. Chris Long, your level of concern for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who is running back. Najee Harris had this to say after yet another offensive flop.

This one in Cleveland. There's just a lot of stuff that goes around. It's just that you guys don't see this.

I'm just at a point where I was just like, I'm just tired. Does it seem like the other teams know what's coming? In some situations, to be honest with you. Do you think everybody has a team first attitude? Do I think everybody has a team first?

On his team? Yeah. All right. I'll talk about tomorrow. Just talk about my performance.

If you don't want to ask a question about me. All right, Chris, in case you're wondering, we counted it is length of waiting to answer the question of whether his offense is predictable. Ten Mississippi's. Ten of them. Yeah.

Ten Mississippi's. That said everything. And honestly, I hadn't heard that quote yet. But when you watch the tape, it's obvious they are predictable when it comes to panic on the Steelers. I'm not because, you know, they have such a high floor, even with the coordinator issues, even with not knowing really who Kenny Pickett is.

I don't even give him a chance to prove that he's not just a guy. Yeah, I I think if you look at their their run down the stretch, I think they have Cincinnati twice. So that's a big come up for them.

Not seeing burrow in those two games. They're a playoff team. They'll get in the playoffs. Can they win a playoff game? I don't know. But what's the ceiling on a team like this?

You've traded the the the ceiling for a floor. You know, that's kind of the way I think about this team. You know, everything's playing not to not to lose the game.

And Tomlin, I give him so much credit because he is such a great coach and he's the reason why they win a bunch of close games, low scoring games. But offensively, you don't have to do every damn situation this way. And to the predictability, there's a play. They run a swing pass to Warren on the trip side and they try to clear everybody out with the receivers. But the slot defender, he's breaking on that throw before Pickett even catches the ball. You know, he's not he's not flatfoot in zone for a second. He's just going. Same thing on a swing pass late on third and four.

You know, I think they're in cover two. Corners just comes off and makes play in the flat. There's a ton of stuff that is is completely predictable from this offense. You give the ball, Warren, or you give the ball to Warren like nine times on the game.

That guy's electric. He's your best player on offense. And, you know, when you look at yesterday, they're just not ready to play. Whether it's the safety that they get bailed out on or the play after that, where Hayward gets blown up or, you know, it's the it's the delay game in the first half.

It's the 12 men on the field. We got to take a time out the second play the game, really uncharacteristic stuff by them. And the passing attack from Cleveland was actually more in sync.

And this is DTR, the guy who the last time we saw him looked awful against Baltimore. And I want to give the kid credit because they believed in him enough to operate that that drive at the end of the game and go win it. So I got to be honest with you, your last 45 seconds of your take there, Chris, did not sync up with I'm not panicking their playoff team. You know, they are a playoff team, but like really what you know, you have to you have to define what what panic is like. Did you expect that they'd win 12 games and make a run at the Super Bowl? I don't you know, I if you if you expect that, then you should panic.

But you should have been panicked five games ago. I know they went on this run. And, you know, people people feel like it's all sunshine and rainbows, but obviously just one loss.

And Naji's sitting on the stool there. And it sounds like this is a sub 500 team. So obviously they've been bailed out. And, you know, in a in a number of situations where it probably feels like a loss to some of these players when they get back in the building. Because of the way things are operating, but they're winning games. I still think they're a playoff team. Somebody wants to take the other side of that.

Let's let's let's talk Turkey off air. But I, I think I think their ceiling is is what it what it is. And it's always been Chris Long. Level of concern for the Seattle Seahawks, who got swept by the Rams. You're high. Why is that high?

Hi. Well, I mean, listen, they're they're they're bad in some of the most situationally. I mean, situational football is huge. They do not ace red zone. They don't ace third down. Yesterday in that game, you talk about end of game management where you get the ball with with a chance to kick field goal and win to D.K.

Metcalf. You're at about the 40 yard line to catch the ball with 35 seconds. You can't get the play in the headsets busted or whatever. Gino runs a run play. They end up kicking the ball from a million yards away with eight seconds to go like they're failing at situational football. And with Seattle, you're looking at the rest of the schedule. I mean, they have like Dallas sandwich with two San Francisco's. They've got a bunch of tough teams down the stretch. Billy, I just.

Yeah. I mean, the red zone stuff showed up yesterday. They kicked two field goals up seven, nothing, 10, nothing, 200 yards and penalties. They're not disciplined enough to be this average.

And I mean, like, I'm not saying Geno's turned into a pumpkin. I'm giving him a lot of credit for coming back in that game after that shot from Aaron and orchestrating that drive, as he's done so many times this year. But when you watch this team, they're always off kilter outside, whether it's him and D.K.

or JSN or even lock it. Guys that have been there a while. They're just they're just not on the same page. And it just comes down to a lack of details. And I do panic about this team because I don't think they're going anywhere with the situation they put themselves in and the schedule down the stretch. Then it's interesting. The last team of level of concern I'm asking you about is on the outside looking in in the AFC.

But there's a ton of room for improvement. And the teams in front of them are five and five. Whereas, you know, the Seahawks, you're concerned about them.

They're six and four. There's a whole bunch of teams, you know, behind them at four and six that might not supplant them. And so that's a long winded set up to say, what's your level of concern for the Chargers, Chris Long? Oh, elite level of concern. Elite level of concern. OK. Like, I'm so concerned.

I mean, like and I did this I did this on my YouTube channel last night. And I think I think. I think Chargers fans feel the same way is what I took away from the comments. I mean, these these guys sometimes you just tell people what they're thinking and you're like, OK, this is a window into what being a Chargers fan is.

It's insane to me that you wake up Friday morning. Joe Burrows hurt. Buffalo fired a coordinator. You can go to you can go to Green Bay, win a game and go on this run because the back half of the schedule is pedestrian and you can't get up for this game. Jordan Love looks like a franchise quarterback, as a lot of quarterbacks have playing the Chargers. The offense makes a ton of mistakes.

Tolesco picks Quentin Johnson, who might end up being a really good player, but he picks him over, you know, Addison and flowers. And with the game on the line, drops the ball. You've had four of these drives with opportunities to win their last 11 games. I think they've lost.

And this includes the collapse in the playoffs. They've lost five one score games. They've beaten Aidan O'Connell, Kirk Cousins, Zach Wilson and then somebody else. I can't even remember who, but they haven't beaten good quarterbacks. They've lost close games. They've blown leads. They've lost games on defense. And this is a problem that predates Brandon Staley. You know, it's it's it's whoever's coaching the Chargers. Philip Rivers over a span from 15 to 19, I think, lost 31 games by one score. So it's like they built the thing on a burial ground is what I think is like there's some bad juju going on that this team can't shake this franchise.

So it starts top. But with Brandon Staley and that press are after the game, that doesn't seem like a guy who's going to lead this team on a run. This seems like a guy who knows his days are numbered and he wants to blame it on the offense. They've been in the bottom 10 and EPA defensively since he got there. So listen, I think Brandon Staley is a good coach, otherwise he wouldn't be a head coach. But as a head coach, it's not working out. And if there's ever a time to try to galvanize the team, it's now and it's making a change. But I just think being a Chargers fan has to be the most if it's not for the sunshine out there. You guys, I don't even know what you do.

It's terrible watching this team play. Yeah, the fourth quarterback was a agent of Chicago agent. And so so are you advocating for what?

Kellen Moore, throw him in there and say thanks for the memories, coach. And I know you're for the radio audience. You just, you know, bristled a bit because I know you don't you don't traffic in the hot seat bag coach's business. But it did sound like you were.

Oh, I said I said it last night. Like, listen, like, you know, and I feel bad when I say this because Brandon Staley is a human being. He's coaching his butt off.

He's not doing a great job at it. But this guy's pouring everything into it. But so is every damn quarterback we bench all season. So is every guy we cut.

So is every. So, you know, at a certain point, you know, his coaches have no problem upstairs. Like this ain't working out. We need to get this guy out of town. This guy needs to get his snaps cut down.

This situation where it's a production business and they're not producing. And if you outline the way they've lost all these games, the way they're wasting what I think is a very big time talent guy and Justin Herbert. You can blame him for all this stuff, but I think that's lazy. Brandon Staley is not getting it done.

So if I were Tom Tolesco and I actually felt like spending money, which is something he's not known for doing, I might hit the reset button because if you want to salvage this season and you have an opportunity to do that, even at four and six or whatever they are, I would make a change. But I also am not naive. I'm not in the building. And sometimes, like if you called somebody on the Chargers and was like, hey, what kind of. You think Kellen Moore's a head coach? Maybe the elephant in the room is he doesn't have control of that room. Maybe the elephant in the room is he would not be highly respected by players.

So I don't know those things. But what I do know is accountability in the NFL works every single way, except sometimes with the head coach. And I think there's a situation where he's got to be accountable in the two minutes I have left with you, sir. What's your two cents about tonight?

What do you think happens Monday night? I like the Eagles. I really do. I mean, don't be surprised.

I am biased. I know that team well. But I really do feel like in last year I was worried about them in the Super Bowl because I felt like the Kansas City team was a little bit different. I think the Eagles are built for this.

They get Juergens back. They're really good up front. This is the year if you've had problems in the secondary for the Eagles and this is going to be the best group that they've trotted out since Vontay Maddox got hurt. You're getting Kansas City, relatively speaking, when they're down from an offensive standpoint. So I think this could be a game where how you run the ball and they didn't do that well in the Super Bowl really matters. And for Jalen Hurts, if you looked at the coverages that they ran against him in the second half of that Super Bowl, Spags threw the kitchen sink at Jalen. They ran everything and they changed the look up every play. And I know Jalen doesn't love motion. I think maybe he wants to see that picture and he's one of the best at it. But maybe tonight, a little bit of motion, maybe a little bit of pre snap stuff to combat what Spags is doing and get some tells out of them because Spags is a wizard when it comes to giving different looks, late rotations.

And that's what they majored in in the Super Bowl. Who's on your show? What's promo this week? We got Justin Tucker. So I'm pretty excited about maybe one of the only kickers I'd be excited about talking to. We're trying for Josh Dobbs. We might get Josh Dobbs here. Even though they lost last night, I don't feel like Josh Dobbs lost. He's unbelievable. The guys.

How can you not love the guy? I mean, thank God for Josh Dobbs. I love Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, but he has he has given us a respite from that. If it's not for Josh Dobbs, you know, we're doing the you know how they they track SEC coaches, private jets. We're doing that with Taylor Swift tonight. We're not even thinking about Taylor Swift. We're just thinking about Josh Dobbs. So for Swifties, you're saying Josh is the antihero.

So you're saying he's the antihero. Thank you so much. Karma is the dude on the Vikings. Take care of yourself, Chris. Have a great Thanksgiving. We'll chat next week, brother.

Yeah, I'll take care. The one and only Chris Long. Love our chats. Let's take a break. So much to hit. I've got a new coach of the year candidate that's next.

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AutoZone. OK, let's talk coach of the year candidates into the season. I said Dan Campbell later on. We were discussed it like last week. Right. We did it from.

I was in Germany. We did some mid-season. You had a really good one, TJ. You said D'Amico Ryans, right? Didn't you say him?

Because you're looking for coaches that are overachieving. Surprising, right? Yep. Yep.

Not not a bad one. I said John Harbaugh because I'm looking for coaches who are also leading your team to a one seed, right? Who did you say? I mentioned Dan Campbell before the season two. I kept Mike Tomlin.

He was mine before the year. Understood. Yeah. Got it. I've got another one that nobody's mentioning right now. No, no.

Here's here's another one. You're looking for, again, a team that's performing better than expected going into the season and then based on what you're seeing in the season. Right. You also want somebody who can somehow adapt. In season and also make the changes in the nonplaying season that comes home to roost in the regular season. You also want somebody who's winning in tough places, whose team is winning in spots. You also want somebody who the adversity in season are, say, multiple starting quarterbacks and you also lose arguably your best offensive player. I'm talking about Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns. Interesting. A former coach of the year.

Why not? OK, so Deshaun Watson's your starter and then he goes down last second. You start your rookie in Dorian Thompson Robinson. He gets smoked by the Baltimore Ravens and then you go to P.J.

Walker. So you are one of five teams at present who has started three different starting quarterbacks this year. Of those five teams, only two have gotten wins from all three of their starting quarterbacks.

The Giants are the other. After Tommy DeVito just took care of the Washington commanders last night, yesterday, on Sunday. And hold on a minute. Nick Chubb goes down. Poof. Gone. What are you going to do? Start Jerome Ford? Yeah. What are you going to do?

Go sign Kareem Hunt off the couch? The OTC? Yep. Pretty much.

Yep. And by the way, what a move he made in switching defensive coordinators. I think the Browns fans would have appeared in Berea with pitchforks and torches had he not made a change at defensive coordinator. But for you to knock on Jim Schwartz's door and say, how about us?

And all of it. And when Watson goes down for the season after he wins in Baltimore, which is the aforementioned toughest place to play and win. Just ask Cincinnati, ask Detroit, ask Seattle. You go and win that game. You lose Watson for the year and you say, you know what?

We're going to go back to the rookie who got eviscerated. And we're going to come up with a game plan for him and we're going to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. And he's already been named the week 12 starter and, you know, an eight clap for this kid. Marking a terrific weekend for UCLA football. Beating USC on Saturday. Maybe saving Chip Kelly's gig, putting Lincoln Riley on the hot seat. And then this kid coming up with a win.

He was teary eyed. Love it. Kevin Stefanski.

Bravo, sir. This team can win this division. This team can win a one seed with the way they're playing defense with Miles Garrett and then the way that they're believing. Honestly, joke all you want. They're seven and three.

You are what you are. You're half game behind the Ravens. Who you got a split from because of that win in Baltimore. What do you think this team can go and put a shock in the system for the high flying Dolphins offense? You don't think they can go in and give a scare to Kansas City? All I would just say, if you're DTR in that game, don't leap for the pylon like Baker Mayfield did.

That changed the entire tenor of that playoff game in the season that Stefanski won coach of the year prior. Why not? Right. That's a new candidate.

Not bad. Twenty eight to one now. A little bit of a long shot. I bet because nobody believes that DTR is going to go on this run. Stranger things have happened, especially this season.

Stranger things have happened. Cleveland, after taking care of business against Pittsburgh. How about them at Denver? How about that for a week twelve Sunday game? Suddenly pretty fun at the Rams, too. A lot of Ohioans are going to show up in so far for that one. So Kevin Stefanski put him on your coach of the year list right now after what the Browns have been doing.

Kudos to him. Look at that schedule to Jacksonville coming up. These are some fun games that you think, hey, the Browns can just dirty it up. You you try. You're going to have to put what? You're going to have to put up. You're saying you put up 17 if you're the offense.

Browns offense. Correct. 20. I think that's going to win. Seventeen probably win most games. Don't you think?

I think so. You take a look at Denver. They couldn't put the ball in the end zone last night until the final throws of the Sunday night win against Minnesota. The Rams. You know. Just came up with a big win. Obviously, Cup came out hobbled. Jacksonville.

Isn't that a big one? Certainly if Jacksonville might not be in first place at that point in time. Because of the way Houston's playing. Chicago. Then they go to Houston. The Jets.

OK, sounds good. And at Cincinnati. These are some very winnable games for the Cleveland Browns.

The way that they're playing defense. Put up 17. Put up 20. DTR.

Don't turn it over. Game manage. They might manage to come up with what? Eleven wins? Twelve wins? That's four more wins. That's eleven W's. That's eleven and six. Eleven playoff team. Yeah, it is.

And then they're coming to your town with Myles Garrett with his crossover dribble. Yikes. All right.

Thanks. I've got my top five surprises of the season coming up. So much more to come in 844204 Rich for you to call with our friend Lewis Riddick in hour three. How wrestling really works and how you get the ratings.

Eric Bischoff and Conrad Thompson explain on 83 weeks. Too much time is spent discussing talent's age. The younger demo is just as excited about Paul Heyman or John Cena or an undertaker or Becky Lynch. I don't care what their birth certificate says. They're going to draw a younger demo because they're fun to watch and they're great entertainers. Eighty three weeks on YouTube or wherever you listen.