As many of you clearly know, I love going to watch football live.
There's nothing like it. Whether it's college football or professional football, there's nothing quite like the excitement of being in the stadium. And game time tickets and game time picks through game time is exactly your way and your gateway to getting the seat that you want and the experience that you'll never forget. Game time picks is a new curation feature that filters out the fluff to show you only incredible deals on great seats so you don't waste a single second searching through thousands of tickets. The all-in pricing feature, that's my favorite. You get to see your total up front, no surprise fees at checkout. With game time, you'll always get the lowest price guarantee or game time will credit you 110% of the difference. Take the guesswork right out of buying tickets right now with game time. Download the game time app, create an account, use my code of Eizen for $20 off your first purchase.
Terms apply. Visit gametime.co for restrictions. Again, create an account, redeem my code E-I-S-E-N. Boom, $20 off. Download game time today. What time is it?
Game time. This year, Santa's bringing the power of Energizer into his workshop. Whoa, the Energizer Bunny's got so much power. Wait, he's powered up all the toys.
I think that means we're done for the year. I love this bunny. He's the hardest working helper the North Pole has ever seen. And he wants all your gifts to have the power of the number one longest lasting double A battery. So this holiday season, stock up on Santa's and the elves favorite battery, Energizer Ultimate Lithium.
Oh my God, you guys are my favorites. This is the Rich Eizen Show. I know what I'm talking about.
That's the headline. The Rich Eizen Show with guest host, Brian Weber. OMG. Live from the Rich Eizen Show studio in Los Angeles.
Oh my gosh. And now, sitting in for Rich, here's Brian Weber. Final hour of the program.
We're live on this holiday, and I really do appreciate if you've taken a few moments to enjoy the audio only extravaganza. I'm Brian Weber, part of the not ready for the simulcast players. Although at some point, I am tenacious.
I wear people down. I will be sitting in that studio. You will be soaking in a man who has given up diet soda.
So the morbid obesity that I was challenged with not too long ago is fading. I will be bantering with my guy, Del Tufo, who I worked with at NFL Network a lifetime ago. But enough of me reading my resume, because this is the last hour of the show, and I like to backload the program.
Back that thing up. In 40 minutes, we wrap it up with gusto, taking you across the NFL with my pal, Nick Ferguson. We worked together in the past. Nick used to have to endure a seven-hour radio show with me with no commercials, literally red zone radio. And if you think I'm obnoxious as a talk show host, you would not have enjoyed that because I was hyper-caffeinated and doing a bad Scott Hansen, although I had to talk. And just a quick sidebar, Scott's very talented, although I preferred the Andrew Siciliano version on DirecTV because I did the baseball version of the red zone.
It was called Strike Zone Channel for DirecTV. It was outstanding, not just my contributions, more importantly, the production. Scott is terrific at what he does. I just think he's talking too much this year.
The game is the thing. Get me to the actual venue. Let's hear the play-by-play announcers, and that is me critiquing somebody who has a far more successful career than I do. Nick Ferguson, former NFL safety. 40 minutes from now, play for the Broncos, Texas, and Jets. We'll take you across the league. We're not going to spend a lot of time on the Giants and the Cowboys because we shouldn't. A lousy matchup. Dallas has owned New York looking for an eighth consecutive victory, at least, and this is a reflection of just how bad it's gotten for Big Blue, at least you have Drew Lock out there instead of injured Tommy Cutlets, and that forearm injury came from nowhere.
I'm not saying he's not hurt, but this feels a little bit like Caddyshack with Rodney going, oh, my arm. We're going to talk dolphins and Packers in detail coming up in 20 minutes. More college football. Hope you enjoy the insights from our friend Chris Venini of The Athletic.
I will steal from the insights he laid out. Made a fair point about Penn State having quote-unquote equality win over Illinois, and I'm well aware that Brett Bielema has had a terrific year in Champaign-Urbana. Really, Penn State is going to have a high seed as a non-conference champion in the playoff because of equality loss, because they didn't get hammered by Ohio State in Happy Valley, but that was a game that James Franklin pulled to James Franklin, and they should have won five different ways. Remember, they had it inside the Ohio State 10 and got way too cute and bizarre with the play calling and couldn't punch it in. Getting closer to halftime in Detroit as the Lions are mauling the Bears. Last time I gave you a scoring update. It was 13-0.
I beg your pardon, right? It was, let me do the math quickly, yes, and now we're at 16-0. Lions in front of the Bears. So, many red zone opportunities, few have been forced to, and I don't like the term settle for a field goal, how about this yielded a field goal, but while it feels like the Lions should have a much bigger lead, and technically Chicago only down by two scores, at 16-0 and the Bears now with just a handful of seconds left in the first half trying desperately either to get into long field goal range or go for a Hail Mary, and they know what it feels like to be on the wrong side of a Hail Mary.
It's been Detroit dominating all the key statistics. Goff, 145 passing yards. He's already thrown it 24 times, hooking up with Sam LaPorta for the touchdown pass. On the ground, Lions have also, because they've controlled the action so much, run it 21 times. Gibbs, Jamir, seven carries for 83 yards. Montgomery, first name Davis, has tacked on 58 yards. That gives them roughly 150 on the ground.
In contrast, Chicago's done nothing. Caleb Williams, five completions for just 34 yards, and he is technically the leading rusher for the Bears. He scrambled once for 10 yards, so 34 plus 19.
Again, math is a challenge, but you can do it for me. The Bears are getting mauled defensively by a Lions defense that has not allowed a point in the second half in three consecutive weeks, and now you go back-to-back. Shutout in the second half of their win over the Colts. Shutout so far with just a few seconds left on the clock in the second quarter of the first half against Chicago and the Lions revealing why they are the most complete team in all of football. Still, if you haven't looked at the standings, nor should you, because it is a holiday and it is my job after all, the Lions are not, by any stretch of the word, running away with the division.
In fact, they're only a game in front of Minnesota. Vikings amongst the most positive surprises in all of football at 9-2, although if you've been paying attention, more interceptions creeping into Sam Darnold's game. That's what slowed him down at USC. I wasted a lot of money to go to grad school at the University of Southern California, so I saw Sam play just about every important game of his college career. Not fair to say it was merely the turnovers that ended his run with the Jets, we are talking about the Jets after all, but to be cast away from the Jets, wind up in Carolina, which is purgatory now in the NFL, and then a chance to jumpstart his career as a backup in San Francisco. I'm pleased for Sam Darnold, seems like a nice guy, I just wonder how reliable he's going to be in critical situations when this team makes it to the playoffs, because to me, and this is going back a bit since the hot tub time machine, he's a taller version of Case Keenum. And remember that run, that the Vikings had all the way to the NFC championship game, and then Case, between getting hurt and imploding with a bunch of interceptions, revealed himself to be, in fact, Case Keenum.
Like the guy on Scooby-Doo, another contemporary reference, the octogenarian who rips off the mask, Fred and Velma got him, and he says, I would have gotten away for it, except for you meddling kids. That's my fear for what's happening to Minnesota, because Sam Darnold has a body of work that says, even though Kevin O'Connell has coached him up, and I hope for the sake of Daniel Jones, I'm not anti Daniel Jones, it's not his responsibility for being grossly overpaid by the Giants, that's a reflection of the Giants. Not like Daniel Jones could say, no, no, no, I don't want the 40 million guaranteed each year, I don't want you to make a decision between me and Saquon, that's on a horrendously run franchise that's about to go through another coaching search, and this is feeling like shades of Joe Judge and Ben McAdoo, we have seen this time and time again in the New York Tri-State area, but Daniel Jones should never have been a top 10 pick.
That was a blunder by Dave Gettleman, who saw something in him, remember, just trust Dave, trust the process, and now we have the Giants situation that is eerily reminiscent of so many lousy years for this franchise, other than obviously the aberrations of the Parcells era, and then Eli somehow, some way, winning a pair of Super Bowls head-to-head against Tom Brady, but for Daniel Jones, good situation, and with all the injuries around the league, I know he's currently on the practice squad, but who's to say there's not a chance there in Minnesota, and more likely, this is a chance for him to rehab his image, get back to some fundamentals, have his confidence assuaged, and Kevin O'Connell does all of those things, because clearly the Jones chapter in New York was amongst the worst quarterback play we've seen for a franchise that used to have Joe Posarchuk under center back in the day. Half-time in Detroit, Bears got nothing out of that final possession, in many ways summing up a first half thoroughly controlled by the Lions, who have won nine straight, and this is feeling more and more like a typical Chicago game, although their problem has been losing it in the critical moments at the end of games. Remember, this five-game losing streak, the Bears are currently mired in. Three of those matchups were lost on the final play of the game, going all the way back to that ridiculous Hail Mary that was aided by defensive backs taunting the crowd in our nation's capital, and then scrambling back, trying to make a play, and it's becoming clearer and clearer that this is the end of the vaunted Matt Eberfluss era, and Chicago opening up would be, in my mind, the premier destination because of what's on that roster. Remember, this was a Bears defense that was pretty formidable.
Think about all the money they spent on that defense in recent off-seasons. You have the foundation of a franchise quarterback in Caleb Williams, you have a young playmaker like Rome Oduzneh, it's really going to be about finally changing the culture of the Bears, and all they have to do is look across the field and see what Dan Campbell has done and continues to do with the Lions, who are in a much worse situation than the Bears as Chris Venini, our college guest from the athletic who wrapped up our number two, reminded us, remember Detroit couldn't buy a win. What did they lose, 15 consecutive games, which for the Lions is about right, when they had the full Rod Marinelli and were the first team to go 0-16, and Campbell shows up along with the acumen of Brad Holmes, a very skilled GM.
Funny how that works. You have a analytical GM who knows how to do his job, picking the right players, and a motivational head coach who occasionally gets in his own way. I think Dan Campbell will have learned from the disastrous decisions when he was way too aggressive in the second half of the FC title game last year. You put it all together, Lions, red hot and rolling, 16 to nothing, is deceptive. They have controlled this game in every important area. Who says kickers don't matter, especially indoors, because Jake Bates, remember he was playing minor league football earlier this year, 3 of 3, and you tack on what happened early in the game with the golf touchdown pass to Sam LaPorta, and it all adds up to a complete effort, a comprehensive output from the Lions so far.
First of three games, we hit on the Cowboys and the Giants, we gave it as much time as that lousy matchup deserves. I'm Brian Weber, in for Rich Eisen, winding down with the phone call possibility, because I'm talking college football coming up in less than a dozen minutes, but jot down the number for the next time Rich is in the chair. That'll be Monday, 844-204-7424. You can always get at me on social media, B. W. Weber, Weber with two B's after the show. I'm hitting the steam room to be vain, and I'm watching football, so if you want to have back and forth on the X platform, have at it later today. Coming up now, less than a half hour, looking forward to conversation with my buddy Nick Ferguson, the former NFL safety played a decade in the league. We've not spent a ton of time on the Dolphins and the Packers.
Let's rectify that. Reason to stay up tonight if you can overcome the tryptophan and all of the other reasons that you might be comatose on the couch. I'm a bigger tool believer than a lot of people with the understanding that your best ability in the NFL is availability, and I hold my breath every time he's involved in any kind of collision, because that's what was so scary about the last concussion, when coincidentally, if you want to use ironically in the wrong context, it was DeMar Hamlin, and two are coming together. If you remember that play, that didn't seem that jarring in real time, but concussions are misnamed. They are brain injuries.
You don't get your bell rung. You're suffering damage to your brain, and we have far more knowledge about this field than we did even 10 years ago with all of the research being done into the CTE area. Never mentioned that in the NFL. They already wrote the check, so concussions, they claim, are in the rear-view mirror. Too unfortunately is well aware that every concussion he gets moving forward from the glaring issues he had last year gets exponentially worse.
At the same time, I can't tell him how to live his life. He is obviously someone who identifies himself primarily as a football player, and can you blame him? He's still in his 20s. He feels vindicated that he got the second contract despite the doubters, but when you assess the Dolphins, it comes down to two things. Can you count on Tua to be available? And I'm not rooting against him.
I'll say it again. I think Tua is a much more efficient quarterback than many people give him credit for being, and the easy way to dismiss Tua is, all right, if you had Waddle and Hill, you could throw anybody out there. How did they look without him would be my counter to you. So I'm buying Miami at five and six, and if you haven't started thinking too much about the playoffs in either conference, and I don't blame you, still November, here's the quick synopsis. This is actually a larger point to throw out there.
You want to do a talk show at your family's dinner tonight instead of talking politics or who owes whom money. Get into how many good teams are there really in the NFL? I'm talking quality, legitimate Super Bowl champs. The list is shorter than you think, and if you just spend a moment on the AFC, and yes, Kansas City is living dangerously, and my biggest issue with them is the defensive laps. Yes, Steve Spagnuolo is one of the brightest defensive minds in all of football, and that defense was the primary reason that Kansas City got hot in the playoffs and showed that last year the regular season was thoroughly irrelevant. If you want to poke holes in the Chiefs, you can clearly simply point out all of the one-score games as recently as Sunday, when they almost lost. Now remember, the game was tied when Patrick Momes engineered his latest game-winning job, which was to get his latest game-winning drive in the fourth quarter. So, could have gone to overtime, but the fact that they allowed the absolutely horrid Panthers, understanding that Bryce Young is playing marginally better, but that game should have been a 21-point beatdown, but that's not what Kansas City does. We have seen this throughout this dynastic run.
They play with their food. So, no conversation about Kansas City is going to be meaningful until we get to the playoffs. I don't care what happens tomorrow against the Raiders, who are abysmal themselves, and I'm aware the Raiders are one of two teams this last Christmas, Buffalo this season being the other, to beat Kansas City. It's all about what they do when we get to the postseason, in position to be the one seed. That gives them a bye, meaning they went two games at Arrowhead. They're going back to the Super Bowl, and they're getting healthier. With Isaiah Pacheco back on the practice field this week and slated to play tomorrow. Beyond that, you got Buffalo. You know all about Josh Allen making his MVP case in the head-to-head win over the Chiefs and doing it in a year that felt like the attempt was to revamp the roster on the fly and remain competitive.
Mission accomplished. Ravens and Eagles, spicy matchup on Sunday. I want to see a lot more from the Baltimore defense, especially against the pass, although they got to sell out to slow down Saquon Barkley, who's been a one-man wrecking crew.
And then, in my mind, a massive drop-off to everybody else. Are you really embracing the Steelers? Think about who they've lost to. Remember, they lost to the Cowboys, and I get that. The other side of the ledger is that they're 5-0 against teams with winning records. Still, for all of the, hey, Russell Wilson is looking more like the Russell Wilson of, say, five years ago conversation.
I'm not convinced Russ can get it done in a high leverage situation. And then you keep digging and digging, and you're looking at the Broncos and the Chargers. We found that that defense that was putting up the best scoring numbers in all of football was largely a result of lackluster competition based on what Baltimore was able to do, shoving them around on Monday night. And that gets us to Miami at five and six with a chance to extend the winning streak to four in a row tonight and take care of the, I don't like the word narrative, it's a media word, the perception. That's a better way of saying it.
And it's also factual, they can't win in cold weather. Okay, show up tonight at Lambeau Field against a Packer team that I don't think is as good as their eight and three record would suggest because of all of the turnovers that Jordan Love is coughing up. Get that done, and then Miami's got a cakewalk of a schedule, primarily because down the stretch it's back to the division. Other than Buffalo, we're talking straight garbage with the Jets and the Patriots. So this is the show me game tonight, Tua. And even if they lose a five and seven, they're not dead, considering all the mediocrity in the AFC. But I'm going to ride with Tua tonight, and I'm also a big Mike McDaniel supporter, mostly personally.
I like his swag, I like his charisma. But if we're going to be objective, remember, Mike McDaniel has a brutal record against teams with winning records. And basically, the same body of work heading down the stretch of his second year as the overall record of Brian Flores, who got whacked after two years, and I'm on team Tua there, clearly made Tua's life more miserable than it needed to be, although I'll give Flores a degree of credit for owning it. I think that's primarily because he wants a head coaching opportunity. Again, he deserves it based on what he's doing defensively with the Vikings. We talked about the fact that the Vikings only gained behind the Lions in the NFC North.
Some of that Sam Dardold, I think that's primarily the defense with all of the exotic blitzes that Flores dials up. But if you want the Weber to lean, lean back, lean back, do the Rockaway, I'm saying Miami finally makes a statement tonight and shows they can win when they're not kicking it with Crockett and Tubbs on South Beach. I'm Brian Weber. Always having a good time in for Rich Eisen.
Hit me up on the X platform. That's B.W. Weber. Weber with two B's. Longer half times in Detroit and Dallas because they have some pageantry. I don't have the game on.
I don't want to be distracted, but it's usually a middling act I'd never heard of or someone doing an homage to Aretha Franklin and the greats of Motown. Lions cruising past the Bears. 16-0 at the half.
I'll keep you updated in 20 minutes. We move across the NFL with Nick Ferguson, the former NFL safety. Straight ahead, a little bit more college football. I won't let it go since we got Ole Miss and Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl tomorrow, along with Georgia versus Georgia Tech. All of the traditional rivalry games coming up this weekend.
How many teams is the SEC going to get into the playoff? That's coming up. I'm Brian Weber, appreciating you spending part of your Thanksgiving with us here on the Rich Eisen Show. For business owners like you, the American Express Business Platinum Card works just as hard as you do to help you pursue your passions. With its world-class business and travel benefits, you can get more for your business wherever it takes you. The Amex Business Platinum Card offers a flexible spending limit that adapts with your business, enabling you to flex and adapt as your business evolves. And you'll earn five times membership rewards points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com so that going that extra mile for your business is even more rewarding. See how the Amex Business Platinum Card gives business owners like you the tools and rewards to do more of what you love. Not all purchases will be approved. Terms apply.
Learn more at americanexpress.com slash Amex Business. Let's talk sleep number people. There's a reason why sleep number is the official sleep and wellness partner of the National Football League because in the NFL, there's no margin for error. One mistake can change the outcome of a game and science proves quality sleep can help boost reaction time, recovery time, and overall athletic performance. Imagine what it can do for you. I know about it. My sleep number setting is 60.
My wife's is 70. It's just 10 numbers of different, but it really does make the difference. We can adjust our side of the bed the way that we want and get the perfect quality sleep that we need to be more ourselves and work around the kids. It's awesome. Get ready and get yourself to a sleep number store. If you're in the market for a new bed, you should stop at a sleep number store and why not? It's awesome. Again, there's a reason why it's the official sleep and wellness partner of the National Football League.
Take it from me. You'll love sleep number. Let's talk O'Reilly Auto Parts people. You love their jingle. You're going to love their friendly, helpful service even better because they're in the business of keeping your car on the road and the parts knowledge they have, it's all you need for your maintenance and repairs. They've got thousands of parts and accessories in stock, either in-store or online, so you never have to worry if you're in a jam. The team at O'Reilly Auto Parts can test your battery for free in or out of your car. If it needs to be replaced, they'll find you just the right battery for your vehicle.
Need your windshield wipers replaced, a brake light fixed or quick service? They'll help you there and find the right part or point you to the nearest local repair shop for help. The professional parts people at O'Reilly Auto Parts are your one-stop shop for all things auto. Do it yourself and you can find what you need in-store or online. So stop by O'Reilly Auto Parts today or visit us at OReillyAuto.com.
That's OReillyAuto.com E-I-S-E-N O-O-O-Reilly Auto Parts. Brian Weber back with you. Hope you're having a great Thanksgiving wherever you may be and however you may be consuming this audio experience. Rich and the guys back on Monday and they'll have all the fallout from not only another jam-packed Sunday across the NFL in addition to the three games today and the Black Friday new invention because we need more football in our life, but the NFL is a master at monetizing and who's going to turn down a very big check from Amazon.
In fact, we write too many checks to a lot of those giant oligopolies. On a big word Thursday, Rich and the fellows will not only be talking about the NFL. Also, Rich is an enormous college fan and he'll have the full recap of the game between Ohio State and Michigan. Ryan Day finally looking to get off the schnide. I'm talking college football presently and then coming up in 10 minutes.
We wrap it up with style points when we check in with my old friend Nick Ferguson. Former NFL safety spent a decade in the league. A Georgia Tech grad will certainly tell me do not sleep on Georgia Tech throwing another wrinkle into the college football playoff when they have their quote-unquote rivalry game against Georgia tomorrow. Second half of the first of the three games on the NFL schedule just underway. It's the Lions rolling past the Bears 16-0. Lead should be a lot bigger, but Detroit has bogged down in the red zone a few times, come away with three field goals in addition to a Jared Gough touchdown pass to Sam Laporta.
I'll keep you posted in the remaining 30 minutes. So, before we get back to the NFL with Nick, I do want to circle back to the college football conversation and I am redundant to a degree. Believe me, there is some methodology here. Don't just walk into the studio. Well, the former boss used to say, because I was very lucky, I got a start in television.
It's amazing that people put in a box. This was a lifetime radio guy. He didn't bother to ask me that I started in college radio, but I'm a TV guy, right?
I put gel in my hair. You TV guys don't have any opinions, okay? Because some guy he worked with in Denver used to walk into the studio and read the USA Today. So, I took that as a challenge even when I was in my 20s to have a firm roadmap of where I was going on any radio show and have strong opinions about everything.
And this was before Hot Take World took over. What is going on with the playoff expansion, which is only going to get bigger? We're on the brink and I was surprised, although I should have been more cynical or just more pragmatic. The answer to any question in your life is typically money. You want to be more trite?
I'll rip off all the president's men, simply follow the money. When we heard the drumbeat sound for we need playoff expansion, we need this to be more equitable, the little guy needs a better chance. Well, we didn't go from four teams to six teams or four teams to eight teams to see how the new format would work. We went all the way to 12 for one reason and one reason only, to give the SEC and the Big Ten more money. That is the sole purpose of playoff expansion. And, because I don't think this is being discussed enough, this current format is only locked in for this year and next year. So, with the contract up, of course the powers that be, the folks who run this sport, are going to go for playoff expansion to get more money and to get a streamer involved. I mentioned Amazon in passing. You probably know by now they have a piece of the new NBA deal that will kick in next year.
Everybody wants to be in business with Amazon because they have more money than these dying traditional linear broadcast entities. So, it's going to be, you pick your number, 18 or 24. And when we get there in two years, nothing is going to change in terms of the ratio. It's still going to be dominated by the Big Ten and the SEC. Now, you could say those are the best conferences, they deserve more slots. Okay, fair to have that conversation, but how good is the SEC really this year? I don't know, because we don't have 11 playing field because they still play eight conference games, even though they expanded to add Texas and Oklahoma. And I realize the ACC still has that wrinkle. I don't even think about the ACC, mostly because I still have the emotional scars that my alma mater, based in Palo Alto, Northern California, is getting on planes. Forget about football, because we are episodically bad in football. And I can say we, mom and dad wrote the check, a volleyball team that wins national championships now has to fly to Tallahassee to play Florida State.
In what world does that make any sense? But if you think that I'm just ranting here, I'll give you another reason why playoff expansion is certainly going to happen. And there'll be even more incentive for the Big Ten and the SEC to get as many teams in there. Starting next year, we're going to have revenue sharing in big time college sports.
This is the result of a long court case that's been winding its way to its conclusion. Starting next year, for the sake of simplicity, these schools are going to have to come up with roughly 20 million bucks to pay the players however they see fit. And clearly the majority is going to go to football and men's basketball, some women's basketball, depending on which school we're talking about. But we know who creates the revenue. That's another 20 million bucks that these powerhouses are going to have to account for.
How do you make the money? Get to the playoff, because there's a huge financial incentive. And with the new format, the opening round games will be hosted on campus. That's ticket revenue going directly back into the coffers of the big boys. So I understand I am screaming at windmills here and in no way has it hurt the product on the field. But playoff expansion has done this. It's diluted the importance of the regular season. Now, you can say the other side of that argument, you could say, no, it's made all these games more important.
Okay, I know what the logic is, but it's wrong. We can have a disagreement understanding what the facts are objectively, because we're talking about three loss teams having a chance to play for a national championship that have no business being in the conversation. I don't care who the 13th best team is in college football. I did care who the fifth best team was. Forget about the nonsense of Florida State and Alabama last year. And I agreed with the committee, and we certainly see the value of Jordan Travis this year with Florida State not having him. But this is all fueled by money. And when the first rankings came out, the Big Ten had four teams. Well, here we are now on the cusp of December.
And what do you know? Big Ten still has four teams. They're going to get four teams. At a minimum, the SEC is getting three teams. I do not buy the two-team argument at all.
And you're already hearing about what about a three-way tie for third or fourth in the SEC standings and a three-loss team being in the mix, because this committee has shown repeatedly they will do whatever it takes to stack the field with teams from the Southeastern Conference. So I'm not telling you how to feel. I'm just telling you how it is. Enjoy the games.
I do. Nothing better than watching college football from 9 a.m. Eastern all the way until the wildness in the Big 12 because, unfortunately, the Pac-12 got killed. No more Pac-12 after dark unless you count Washington State.
Soak in the excitement of the games and the college experience, but don't tell me this is an effective or honest system. Chicago's on the board. Caleb Williams airing it out a 31-yard touchdown to Keenen Allen. Point after pending, this game is going to get a lot more interesting. If the extra point is good, the Lions lead will be knocked down to 16-7 with nine minutes to go in the third quarter.
I'll keep you posted before we wrap up the program at the top of the hour. So one score game in Detroit, even though the Lions were in total control in the first half. Back to the NFL.
Coming up, any chance the Chiefs are going to play down to the level of competition again and mess around with the Raiders tomorrow on Black Friday? Well, check out the view from Denver when we say hello to Nick Ferguson, former NFL safety who played for the Broncos, Texans, and the Jets. He's now a radio host in Colorado. All that and more still to come.
I'm Brian Weber, always having a good time with you and for Rich on the Rich Eisen Show. that filters out the fluff to show you only incredible deals on great seats so you don't waste a single second searching through thousands of tickets. The all-in pricing feature, that's my favorite. You get to see your total upfront, no surprise fees at checkout. With game time, you'll always get the lowest price guarantee or game time will credit you 110% of the difference.
Take the guesswork right out of buying tickets right now with game time. Download the game time app. Create an account. Use my code of Eizen for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Visit gametime.co for restrictions.
Again, create an account. Redeem my code E-I-S-E-N. Boom, $20 off. Download game time today. What time is it? Game time. This is a mini meditation guided by Bombas.
Repeat after me. I'm comfy. I'm cozy.
I have zero blisters on my toes. And that's because I wear Bombas. The softest socks, underwear, and t-shirts that give back. One purchased equals one donated. Now go to bombas.com slash listen and use code listen for 20% off your first purchase.
That's B-O-M-B-A-S.com slash listen and use code listen at checkout. Brian Weber back with you. Always a delight to keep the chair warm and make sure that the outstanding brand that Rich has worked so hard to establish is not tarnished, especially on the holiday.
Wrap it up with gusto. Always a pleasure to check in with an old friend, Nick Ferguson, former radio partner of mine. Spent 10 years in the NFL playing at a high level as a safety for the Jets, Broncos, and Texans.
You now hear him on the radio in Denver. Nick, it has been a while. Happy Thanksgiving.
How are you, buddy? Happy Thanksgiving, B-WAB. It seems as though this is becoming a standard tradition, so thank you for allowing me to take a little bit of your time.
No, no, it's the other way. Thank you for being available because as you told me, pal, surviving a deck in the NFL, your best ability is availability. Yes, sir. I know you are multitasking.
I know you have family commitments. Have you been tracking what's going on in Detroit? I don't have the TV on.
I want to focus on the show, but I've been trying to stay on top of the game with the computer updates. Felt like the Lions should have had a much bigger lead at halftime, and here we are at 16-7 midway through the third quarter. Well, yeah, it seemed as though the Lions were moving the ball well down the field, both the passing and through on the ground, and you're absolutely right.
I thought that the Lions would have a much larger league known as the Bears. They've had a lot of struggles, but the game is still close. They're still in reach for, you know, the Chicago Bears, and if you are Matt Evenfoose, you have to be happy about how things have transpired thus far.
Yeah, and we know it seems apparent that Matt could desperately use a win, because we're getting closer to Black Monday with more firings across the league in addition to what's already happened with the Jets and elsewhere with some spots opening up. Hey, I've been talking more about big picture stuff than what's going on in the game right now in Detroit, so as you slot the best teams in the NFC, how much separation would you put between the Lions, who I think are the most complete team in all of football, and the Red Hot Eagles? Well, I just kind of give it a slim difference between the two, because here's the thing, both teams have two running backs and they can run the ball well, and it goes back to the quarterback position, but when you look at skill for skill position, I'm just going to give the nod to the Philadelphia Eagles. This is a team that found themselves in the Super Bowl B web a couple years ago playing against Kansas City, so they know how to win tough games, and when you got a back like Saquon Barkley, I think last game he went for like 252 yards on the ground. Philly fans are happy.
When you look at the Giants fans, maybe not so much, but I'm going to give the nod to Philly in this one, even though I know the Lions have been electric over the last couple of weeks. No, I think that's fair, because if we're going to break it down area by area, I think you would take Jalen Hurts over Jared Goff. No disrespect to Jared, he's had a wonderful resurgence, and you know defense better than I do, and the Lions have been balling out on that side of the football, but I want to see how they play in the postseason without Aidan Hutchinson, and hey Nick, just from the standpoint of watching the game, and Troy Aikman and Joe Buck were talking about it, how about the physicality we're seeing now from the Eagles defense? Yeah, that has been nice to see for Jalen Hurts. I mean, you have to welcome that, because I remember last year that the Eagles defense with so many first-round players, they were not playing at a high level, but when you get your defense playing physical and they can turn the ball over and they can stop teams, that makes it easier for you on the offensive side of the ball. Taking you across the NFL with my good friend Nick Ferguson.
Check him out on the radio in Denver, and he can take you anywhere you want to go for football conversation, pop culture, if you follow him on the X platform. Nick, I don't want to waste our limited time talking about the Cowboys and Giants, there's just nothing appealing about that game, but I do think, I'm just telling it like it is, if we had seven hours like we used to back in the day, you know we'd break it down for a half hour, but I got five more minutes with you. Packers, Dolphins intriguing on a variety of levels. How much are you buying Miami as a wildcard contender, and do you think they can finally show up outdoors in frigid conditions?
You know what, really, I'm not buying Miami as one of those playoff contenders. Also, I mean, it's difficult playing in the cold when you're not used to it. Listen, I grew up in Miami, and you know, fortunate for me in my professional career, I had to play in so many cold places. When you haven't done that on a frequent basis, it makes it really difficult, and as a coach of the 49ers, we played a Monday Night Football game in Green Bay, and it was bone-chilling cold.
This is for a guy who played in New York City and played in Canada. Well, I'll tell you something that also is going to be interesting, I'm going to pay attention to, because in this Dolphins-Packers game, they got two guys that I previously worked with in the 49ers, Mike McDaniel and Jeff Halfley, who happens to be the Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator, and I think he's going to have something, you know, nicely planned for tour in McDaniel's offense, because last week, he had to do the same thing for Kyle Shanahan. So, these are two familiar schemes, and I think the Packers are going to be ready for it. Nick, you know how it works if there's a big moment. I tried my best to keep the audience updated while you were breaking it down in expert fashion. Jared Goff with the answer back to the end zone, hooking up with Sam LaPorta once more, current score 22-7, Lions on top two minutes ago in the third.
I will keep everyone posted. Well, as always, my friend, you got me where I was going. I was going to reference your time in San Francisco, and we understand there's so much radical change in the NFL, especially when you lose the Super Bowl and the way the Niners did, after all the first overtime we've ever seen in the big game. So, how much of what's going on this year do you think is solely the result of injuries, or how much do you think maybe it's just a little bit of a reset after all the winning they've had in recent years?
No, I think just the case of injuries and being battered and bruised. You look over the years that both Kyle and, you know, John Lynch have been there, you know, running that 49ers team. They've been constantly a mainstay in the playoffs or in the Super Bowl, and that means that you have very little time to heal up in the offseason. So, there are pros and cons to it, but everything that we're seeing right now is definitely because guys like Andrews McCaffrey is coming back.
He's trying to find his groove. Hopefully, you know, we can see what we thought of McCaffrey last season, but with things winding down in Arizona playing well and that being the Cardinals, it may make things really difficult for San Francisco. Nick, somebody's got to win that division. If I put you on the spot, you want to go Arizona or Seattle? You know, I'm going to say more towards Seattle because Ali, I like what I've been seeing from Geno Smith, and his story is a good story because it's the tale of someone being drafted, being pushed aside, not being in the right situation, being considered a bust, going to a different team, waiting his time, and then finding a system that works for him. So, I'm rooting for, you know, those guys out there in Seattle and Geno Smith. Taking you across the NFL with one of the best in the business, it's Nick Ferguson. I mentioned repeatedly a former Bronco standout, now getting it done on the radio in Colorado.
So, you track everything that Denver does on a very detailed basis. Bo Nix, another strong performance, albeit against the Raiders. Everybody looks good against the Silver and Black this year. Where would you put Bo in the offensive rookie of the year race now? Well, I put him right up there at the top. I mean, he's competing with Jay Daniels and, you know, I don't even envy the individuals who have to make their decision and vote for these two guys, but it's going to come down to the last couple of games to see who's going to be able to pull it out. But both of those guys have performed well. I mean, Bo Nix has definitely put himself in that conversation. If he has another great game on TV, where everyone's watching, you're the only game Monday night against Cleveland, he'll be able to jump a couple slides a hit and ding-dangs. But right now, it's a two-horse race, in my opinion, between Jay Daniels and Bo Nix.
Good point. Always excellent to have the opportunity to ball out with a national platform. And let's wrap it up with tomorrow's game, and I'm not just taking shots at the Raiders. I will quote what Antonio Pierce said at the podium. Hey, people think this is the best team versus the worst team.
Let's shock the world. Hey, Nick, I always appreciate your defensive expertise. And just go back to last year. Clearly, it was Steve Spagnuolo's defense that carried Kansas City in the postseason. What's been going on on that side of the football this year?
It feels like they've taken a step back. Well, I mean, due to injuries and maybe some slippage in play, they've probably taken a step back. But let's not forget, Vince Raiders teams played Kansas City tough a couple weeks ago. And if it were not for Spagnuolo's defense, that would have been another L for the Chiefs. But to me, Chiefs are one of those teams that you definitely fear, even though offensively, it doesn't look the same, is because they know how to win. They know how to finish and close our games. This is the thing that still makes the Chiefs team very dangerous.
And if their defense that plays well in the back half of the schedule, especially in December, if they can turn it on, this is a team that can get hot. Well, speaking of finishing, your alma mater, Georgia Tech is finalizing the big win over Miami, handing the Hurricanes their lone loss so far. I know what your heart is saying, Georgia versus Georgia Tech tomorrow, but being an analyst, how do you think this game might play out? I think it's going to be a tough game. It's always a tough game when Georgia Tech and Georgia gets together.
And Carson Beck, I mean the quarterback for Georgia, he's been struggling as of late. And I like what Georgia Tech has been doing from a quarterback standpoint, having balanced offense. And I know this is uncommon for us Georgia Tech people, but the defense has shown that they can come up and they can force some issues and put stress on opposing offenses.
So I'm hoping that Tech would be able to pull it out. And I know that it's always a big game. Everyone's always watching and Georgia Tech, we've always ended up on the wrong side of this rivalry. I think this is the year that Georgia Tech kind of writes a ship and gets the win over Georgia. Well, win or lose, as you know, a fellow alum, Brent Key, has changed the entire culture at your mutual alma mater.
And at least Tech is relevant once more, which is good for the sport in general. Nick, always a pleasure. Hope you know, I appreciate you. I appreciate our friendship. And if you look at your calendar, now that we've gone through half of Thanksgiving, that means Christmas week is coming up. You know, I'll be on the radio frequently. And I hope we can do it again. Come Christmas time.
Absolutely. Give me the call anytime, anyplace, Walmart parking lot. Thank you, my friend. Best to you and the family. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Send me your B web. Nick Ferguson, good person, excellent analyst, but most importantly, a wonderful human being. And as Nick pointed out, and he's too humble to talk about his football odyssey, played in Canada, smart guy, went to Georgia Tech. He's worked in a coaching capacity with the 49ers, a Renaissance man, and I'm pleased to call him a friend. So as I mentioned in passing, the quick response by Jared Goff and the Lions after Caleb Williams got Chicago on the board with a long touchdown pass to Keenen Allen.
It's Goff coming back to Sam LaPorta for their second combined touchdown, 23-7, Lions in front with 90 seconds to go in the third quarter. As always, ton of people to thank, especially on a holiday, starting with Mr. Eisen, who was kind enough to allow me to defend the brand, and I greatly appreciate each and every opportunity. Also want to thank Bruce Gilbert, all the terrific people at Westwood One, our technical producer, Curtis, doing a fabulous job as always.
My name is Brian Weber. Happy Thanksgiving. I'll talk to you Christmas week. Rich is back on Monday here on the Rich Eisen Show.
Get hot. Come react or overreact with us. Overreaction Monday, wherever you listen. It's game over. Over, man.
