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Jason McCourty: Everything Is Clicking At The Right Time For The Chiefs

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January 3, 2025 3:21 pm

Jason McCourty: Everything Is Clicking At The Right Time For The Chiefs

The Rich Eisen Show / Rich Eisen

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January 3, 2025 3:21 pm

1/3/25 - Hour 1

Rich and the guys react to Notre Dame’s win over the Georgia in their College Football Playoff quarterfinal in the Sugar Bowl, and explains why he, a Michigan alum, will be rooting for the Texas Longhorns to win it all.

CBS Sports NFL Analyst Jason McCourty and Rich discuss which NFC team had the defense most capable of stopping the Lions’ potent offense, the Eagles sitting Saquon Barkley in Week 18 instead of going for Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record, the Chiefs’ 3-peat odds, if the Bengals or Broncos will snag the final AFC wild card slot, his choice for NFL MVP, and which two teams are most likely to face off in the Super Bowl.

Please check out other RES productions:

Overreaction Monday: http://apple.co/overreactionmonday 

What the Football with Suzy Shuster and Amy Trask: http://apple.co/whatthefootball

The Jim Jackson Show: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jim-jackson-show/id1770609432

No-Contest Wrestling with O'Shea Jackson Jr. and TJ Jefferson: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/no-contest-wrestling/id1771450708

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Visit the SEC store or sleepnumber.com for details. Today's guests, CBS Sports NFL analyst Jason McCordie, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, actor O'Shea Jackson Jr. And now it's Rich Eisen. That's right. Welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show back here in the Los Angeles studios. I am your humble host, Rich Eisen, thus the name of the show. 844204, Rich is the number to dial right here on this first Friday of 2025, but it is our last day not being on the Infinity Sports Network. Our terrestrial and satellite listening audience, listen up. Starting on Monday, you will be listening to us on the Infinity Sports Network. Check your local listings to make sure you get us. And if you've been listening to us on Sirius XM, we are switching up to Sirius XM channel 58158 starting on Monday.

You could stream us for free still on the Odyssey app or odyssey.com. Don't worry, we're going to keep on sending this information out. We're very excited as our listening audience is about to expand, to say the least. And it means a ton for all of us that have been here on this program for 10 plus years to be back on a sports radio, terrestrial network.

It's going to be awesome and I look forward to it. Good to see you over there, Chris Brockman. How are you? Hey, Rich, I'm OK. What's up? Good to see you, DJ Mikey Diaz and Deez Nuts. Good morning, Rich.

And TJ Jefferson, candles lit. Good to see the candle. Hey, welcome back, man. Thank you, sir.

Good. I'm thrilled to be back. Listen, the circumstances under which the Sugar Bowl was played last night, both teams deserve major plaudits, kudos in their direction to have the start time slide to a different day, 18 hours delayed for the kickoff of the Sugar Bowl.

So the circumstances for the players, as we all know, a panel in comparison to the circumstances is the reason why the kickoff time was slid. I just wanted to start with that and again, to send all of our heartfelt prayers, wishes and and thoughts to everybody in the city of New Orleans. We're going to see you in about 30 days anyway for for the Super Bowl.

And we look forward to giving you a hug and and and and being there for the biggest game in the world of football. Last night's Sugar Bowl, Notre Dame plays a physical, aggressive game of football. Marcus Freeman is build built a paint swapping team that is well coached and can come downhill and hit you. And they play smart.

They're situationally smart. And what they also are and having beaten Georgia. Is a semifinal team in the first ever 12 team college football playoff system. And what they also are in so doing is a perfect example of the world that we live in for college football as a newfangled 21st century new world college football team. And that's interesting since they are also the last team to have sign of a kind of a vestige of a throwback since they're an independent. They have no affiliation with any conference, which is not part and parcel of the 21st century newfangled world of college football. What they are, as I said, is a semifinal team. Thanks to last night.

Five transfer portal players. If you take a look at Notre Dame again, I wanted to give them their flowers as a well coached team and unit. And obviously it's not about individual players, but when you can go at Notre Dame from what they were last year to what they are now. And the quarterback that's leading the charge in Riley Leonard is a Duke player.

And just take this sequence, for instance, to make my point about how Notre Dame successfully used the transfer portal to not only become the team that they are, but make it to the final four of the first ever 12 team playoff field. Take this 54 second sequence from last night's Sugar Bowl. This game is clearly a defensive battle with Gunnar Stockton, the backup quarterback for Georgia, showing that he's the backup quarterback for Georgia.

And it's a 3-3 game. Notre Dame slogs its way down the field. Mitch Jeter kicks a 48 yard field goal. His second of the game.

He's a transfer from South Carolina. And then Notre Dame kicks the ball off. Georgia decides to, with half a minute left on the clock, and even though their young quarterback has not shown much of an ability to move the football, I don't blame Kirby Smart for saying, let's try and make some hay here. Clearly it's a defensive battle. You could sneak three through the uprights before the end of the half with Notre Dame starting the second half with the football.

You give it a shot. Even if this kid has not shown very much, you never know. One play, boom, you're in field goal position.

Instead, disaster happens. RJ Oben sacks Gunnar Stockton. RJ Oben was Riley Leonard's teammate on Duke last year. And the kid had zero sacks for Notre Dame this year until this moment.

Go figure that. And with 33 seconds left in the half, Notre Dame has the ball deep in Georgia's end. And what do they do on the next snap? Riley Leonard of Duke from last year throws over the middle to Bo Collins, a transfer from Clemson. Touchdown.

Extra point kicked by the transfer from South Carolina, Mitch Jeter. And then after what felt like the usual 15 year long halftime for college football, because we got to have the pageantry. And then I don't know, were there people I didn't watch.

Were there people shoving, you know, a shovel, you know, chess passing footballs through a soda can? I did not watch halftime. After that. Kickoff, Jaden Harrison. A transfer from Marshall.

Peace. Turns into the 21st century of Rocket Ishmael. And returns at 98 yards for a touchdown to open the second half. Longest touchdown return in the history of Notre Dame postseason football. Second longest in the history of the Sugar Bowl. And that 54 second sequence with the extra point kicked by the transfer from South Carolina, Mitch Jeter. That's how you win football games in the 21st century where you get the kids from another school if they want to transfer.

That makes you better. Notre Dame is a throwback because these kids, you know how to get past the provost in South Bend, Indiana. So they have a little bit of the old school way of doing things and a lot of the new school way of doing things. And then on top of it, they are extremely well coached.

Perfect example. Notre Dame in the fourth quarter goes forward in midfield on fourth down. They are stopped. They stopped Georgia on downs, by the way. The last three possessions of the game for Georgia were turnovers on downs. So the defense was doing its job for Notre Dame. And after Notre Dame goes for it, as I mentioned on their own 50 and don't go for it. They wind up pulling a little bit of a trickeration on their next possession in their own end.

Let me get this actual marking of the. You get this correct. This was at the top of the fourth quarter. Notre Dame sends its in the third quarter.

Pardon me. Notre Dame sends its punt unit out. Timeout is called by Notre Dame.

Then what ends up happening is they put their. Offense back out there. Georgia jumps off sides. Notre Dame gets to keep the ball. Smart stuff.

You'd think they wouldn't try something like that after they couldn't get it beforehand. Marcus Freeman describing it and Riley Leonard interjecting, hit it. That's got to be one of our edges.

Right. Is that we are going to be an aggressive group and not fear making mistakes, not fear. Hey, it didn't go your way. We went for it on fourth and one.

It didn't happen. We didn't execute. OK, here we go defense and they got to stop.

And so that's how I want this group to attack our preparation and attack performance when we have the opportunity. Real quick, he's being humble. That was completely his play and we were going to do it a different way like two days ago. And then he flipped it and we executed it that way and it worked.

So he's being humble like all throughout the year. You know this guy, but I'll say it for him. Great call.

Great execution. Fun stuff from this team, right? Someone needs to make Marcus Freeman an NFL head coach. Well, you want him now? It's kind of funny because, you know, you know where he went to school, right? Marcus Freeman?

I don't. You went to Ohio State. Oh, and that's all I heard from a bunch of Buckeye fans after the aftermath of November 30th. That's one of our guys.

Maybe we should get him. But that, as you know, ship has sailed because now everything's all hunky dory in Columbus, Ohio. Yeah, but you just got to be wondering what a certain friend of the program to be straight up is sitting there on the campus of Baton Rouge right now. Because don't forget, this guy kind of got thrust into the gig because Brian Kelly left for LSU and shocked a bunch of people in so doing. And look at what he has done with the opportunity. And you know, that's got to resonate with his kids.

Like when I tell you kids about opportunities and what you can make of it, he's leading by a shining example. So kudos to Notre Dame. Moving on. Georgia out. And we will discuss later on how all four bi-week teams are gone and every single home team in the opening round of the playoffs have moved on to the Final Four and what that means for the Comms football playoffs.

And I want to discuss it with you guys here in studio and with everybody at home at 844-204, rich number to dial. But before we do, just now that I have been extremely professional and handing out the flowers to Notre Dame, I want to take a moment for myself and just share with everybody what I'm feeling right now as a Michigan Wolverine. I will say this. With Notre Dame, Ohio State and Penn State all making the Final Four, the only team missing is Michigan State to complete the four horsemen of the college football apocalypse for us in Ann Arbor, Michigan. To have these three teams vie for the right to succeed Michigan as a national champion is, quite frankly, tough to swallow. Not going to lie, watching Penn State and Notre Dame play each other is going to be a hate watch.

You're rooting for the media. It's going to be a hate watch. Well, nothing compared to the winner of that potentially against Ohio State. That's going to be like me watching the Red Sox take on the Mets in 1986, where I'm like, can both teams lose?

Is it entirely possible? Can both teams lose? So in that regard, seriously, Michigan State would be, if you had to ask me, hey, Rich, or any other Michigan Wolverine fan, worst case scenario, worst case scenario, name me the four teams you hate the most.

Oh, I see. Name the four biggest rivals of the University of Michigan. Name the four teams you least want to lose to. You would choose Ohio State, Michigan State, Penn State, and then Notre Dame. But we don't play them anymore because they ran away from us and ended our series that we used to start the year against each other.

Maybe Marcus Freeman would take us back. I don't know. I think, again, the next time they were playing is in the twenty thirties, correct? Isn't that isn't that? Didn't they announce that years ago?

Next meeting is twenty thirty three. That's right. We used to do it every year. Yeah. And this happened so long ago, I believe it was Brady Hoke who called them chicken for running.

That's how long ago this thing was set up. So I'm just saying. All right, all right, all right. I'm with that minister, man. I'm with I'm with the minister.

I'm rooting for Arch, not just for your trading card. Straight up for every last one of us who wears maize and blue. The only one missing is Michigan State. It's a shame that they're not there.

It might be a while for them. Yeah. So just pointing that all out right now to succeed, to be succeeded by any of these teams.

Yeah, no. Hey, hey, but at least Notre Dame is the only one of those teams that's got a winning streak of longer than two games. Because, as you know, Texas lost to Georgia in the SEC championship game. Right. And Penn State lost to Oregon in the Big Ten championship game.

And then. Remind me why Ohio State's only on a two game win streak. I forget. Oh, God.

I just when I was beginning to learn the Oregon fight song, now I got to learn the Texas one. Yeah. Yes, which. Yeah. Right.

Vivo. Or you could be above the fray. I'm not defending.

I was above the fray for the first 11 minutes of this show, sir. Just say just look at the reel that we put out yesterday in the videos that we put out yesterday. Me talk about how Ohio State, pardon me, the Ohio State looks like the best team remaining. And they playing like a national champion. Yeah, we could just say these words professionally and mean them because it's there's it's the truth.

And mean. I'm not right. I can point it out that Jeremiah Smith's on guardable. You can't mark him unless you're Chip Kelly on November 30th.

So I'm saying, Chris, like we didn't have to go there. Well, like I like I pointed out, Ohio State doesn't care about that game anymore. Oh, no, I just want to win the national championship. Disagree slightly.

I think they might. I was texting Breier and the money manager to the stars who I'm on a text chain with frequently. One of a handful of Ohio State people. OK, I'm like, so you want you want Marcus Freeman anymore, right?

Like. I know you went to school, but you don't want him anymore, right? I mean, because you're Ryan Day people now, right?

I mean, like he's your guy now, right? Rich, just know that they have a separate chat. You're not on all the leopard face eating Buckeye fans right now.

It would be great if it's Notre Dame versus Ohio State in that regard, if some one of their own. Oh, that stands in their way with all the portals guys and their portal guys, all the portal guys and the guys that they have. All right. See, I had to get it all off my chest.

You feel better? But at least I didn't lead the show that way. That's true.

That's true. Progress, progress, progress. Thank you. New Year's resolution? No, no, it's just the professional I always am.

You showed incredible restraint on this New Year day. I don't even know if it's Ohio State versus Notre Dame to hear it from the Ohio State people. Are you going to watch? Would you even watch? Of course I'd watch. But the worst one would be if Notre Dame wins and then that guy over there all of a sudden.

Oh, my God. Mr. Notre Dame, Mr. Mr. Rudy times Joe Montana. But it makes the fence. And I hate this.

That is the only team that we do know for sure. He really does like this, right? Really. Hey, Mike, bring in your diploma. He doesn't have that. You don't have to have that right. Notre Dame fans don't.

I have one thing to say, and I'm just going to stop because I might have said a word. I've liked Notre Dame longer than all of you people. I've liked your team. That's true. That's true. And I say thank you, TJ.

OK. But yes, I don't have a diploma, but my sister went there. My nephew went there and my father loved that team. And I love him. The Newt Rockne of the Rich Eisen Show. Mike Del Tufo win one for the Del Tufo.

Let's take it over the squirrel for the squirrel. We'll take a break right here. Jerry. Oh, yeah. My friend, my friend. You know, you go you're tight with people and you spend 10 days in Frankfurt, Germany with them.

Jason McCourty next right here on the Rich Eisen Show. Don't go anywhere. Membership rewards points on select business purchases, and you can get complimentary access to more than fourteen hundred airport lounges worldwide, including the Centurion Lounge, so you can keep running your business while you're on the go. See how the Amex Business Platinum card gives business owners like you the tools and rewards to do more of what you love.

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Follow and listen on your favorite platform. Do you think it would have been any different? Maybe. Yeah. I mean, for sure.

You don't want a guy making his first start in a playoff game. That's called suboptimal. Suboptimal. Yeah.

I don't know. I guess hindsight is 20-20. Would have liked to have seen them kneel out the half, go in 6-3, you know, kind of regroup. But that's why I wanted to include that, at least in my commentary. Because I know Kirby Smart was asked. He was. He's talking about being aggressive and trying to steal three points.

30 seconds is still a lot of time. Let me ask this question again. We're not tape heads here.

We don't have the all 22. Was that Stockton's fault? Did he not see him? Did he not slide a protection because of him? Or was it just a, damn it, great play by a kid who had double-digit sacks in Duke last year, but zero this year. And of course, he comes up with his first one in a force fumble. Like a disaster strikes.

Right. And you're hoping to open the second half with, all right, we get a three and out. We get the ball back, get some points. It's a one-score game again.

And the kid makes a house call. What if Stockton makes, again, throws it over the middle 20 yards. And then suddenly you're in position for a Hail Mary or even a long field goal. Right. They had the ball inside the red zone a couple of times and came up empty in points. It just wasn't their day. I don't blame him for a, 6-3.

You could maybe steal three. Right. But 6-3, like this is a game.

You're not expecting a force fumble to happen. Disaster. Back on the Rich Eisen Show radio network. I'm 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 clickgrainger.com or just stop by. Again, when you spend 10 days in Frankfurt, Germany with somebody, you bond. And I bonded with this guy and I miss him. And he is NFL Network's loss in so many different ways.

Now with CBS Sports and see him also on ESPN, Jason McCordie. Good to see you again, Jason. How you doing? I'm doing good. It's always good to see you, Rich. I know. You know, listen, when you bond over waffles and smoothies in a, by the way, nothing beats a European hotel breakfast buffet.

Right, Jason? That's the greatest. Absolutely. And then when you can eat pretzels all time of the day, it just makes for a better trip. Yeah, because the calories don't count overseas. Right.

You know, the exchange rate is actually helpful. Let's let's let's just jump into the game of the week. Minnesota and Detroit. How do you see that one playing out, Jason, on Sunday night? Obviously for Detroit with being so banged up defensively, they're going to have to put up 30, 40 points in this one. So the key matchup I'm looking at, everybody's talking about the Lions defense. I want to see what Brian Flores does against Jared Goff because as great as his defense has been, Goff has been able to figure it out when he's brought pressure. He's been able to hit his receivers, hasn't turned the ball over.

I think it's like 77 percent completion rate. So I think that's the game within the game of how Flores attacks this. We know week in and week out that scheme can change. But he loves the blitz.

He loves to bring pressure. And Goff has been able to figure that out. So as much as we love this Vikings defense, I want to see what Goff is able to do. And with those guys, the Vikings have a ton of pro bowlers and two outside linebackers.

Byron Murphy got named there. So that's the matchup that I want to see, especially with Ben Johnson calling those players. Yeah, man, he's gotten in his bag, too, right?

Stumble Ruski won one week. Next week, that hook and ladder that hits with Jamison Williams. And and I think you're right. They got to get deeper into that bag because, you know, I guess we'll see. Can can a team make the Super Bowl and win it?

Winning 40 to 30. Right. Like that. That's basically that they have to do that. Yeah. And the formula they showed it against the 49ers come up with two or three takeaways that that can be the difference.

Kirby Joseph's two interceptions in that game was literally the difference because it gained him two extra possessions that they were able to score on. So it's not going to be the ideal way. I'm a defensive guy. I love to go out there and see guys shut other people down. But Aaron Glenn's an aggressive play caller. He's not going to change. They're going to play man to man.

They're going to come after you. But they just don't have the guys. Anzalone being back should help with him kind of returning from injury. But they're going to have to put up those 40 points. And I will say Ben Johnson has proven that he can do it.

I don't know how deep this bag is, but he continues to go in there and keep pulling things out. Well, give me a defense that can send the Lions home. You know, will we maybe see one on Sunday night? Obviously wouldn't send the Lions home.

It would send them away. But I'm also returning to just the playoffs who the Lions might see in the NFC. I mean, the Rams are young. Haven't really done it together in the playoffs as a unit yet. But they have been on quite a roll since giving up forty two to Josh Allen. You've got the Eagles with with with with them.

You're nodding your head. Is that the is that the defense you would choose in the NFC? That was the first one that came to my mind just because of how deep they are from front to back. You look at the ability of Jalen Carter and how he penetrates up front. And then the way Zach Bond has played this year of just coming downhill and making play after play.

But a lot of it has to do with just secondary. I think when you're as deep as they are and you have guys at every position. And look, this is an Eagles team where last year adversity hit and they kind of fell apart.

And this year we just continue to see them respond. I mean, C.J. Gardner Johnson gets tossed from the Washington commanders game and you've got to learn your lessons. You've got to be able to rebound. The next week he comes out and gets two interceptions, one for a pick six.

I think this is the defense and how they're able to pose a threat at every level. I think for me, looking at that NFC, they would be the ones that I would choose that jump off the page for me. Well, you and Andrew Catalon and Tiki Barber have the call of Eagles hosting the Giants. I'm just thinking you probably haven't had your broadcast meetings yet, right? Are you going to have them?

Not yet. We'll meet with Philly on Saturday. Well, because again, I'm sure first question of Sirianni, if you don't mind me suggesting, will be about his decision to sit Saquon and what did go behind that decision. Saquon did talk on Wednesday about having a conversation that Sirianni asked him point blank, do you want to do it? And clearly, you know, I think Saquon would want to do it, but it doesn't look like he's going to get a chance to do it.

Your two cents on that subject matter, Jason. Yeah, as a fan of the game, I would have loved to see him go out there and attempt to set the record and work in the game. Being up in that booth, you have a game where I guess wins and losses, it doesn't really matter. Both teams are set of where they're going to be other than the Giants and their draft position.

So that gives you something else to talk about. And then the fact that Eric Dickerson said he doesn't want him to get it, I would have loved to have been on that call where he was actually able to get it. And then the piece with Tiki Barber's on the call, all-time giant great when Saquon left, we see everything that transpired there with that part of it.

So I think I saw what Saquon said. Like at first it was kind of like, man, forget about the record and you go home and you sleep on it and your name is etched in the record. But for as long as Dickerson had that record, who knows the next time that somebody is going to come this close to be able to achieve it.

So, yeah, personally, I would have loved to see him go out there and do it. But from a grand scheme thing, I understand it. You're trying to get healthy. And what I've said to people is if Saquon goes for that record, that means the starting offensive line has to play. It means you're probably going to play your receivers on the outside because that helps open up the run game knowing that you can't leave Devontae Smith and A.J. Brown open.

And then if everybody on the offense is playing, do you sit your defense? So it's a way bigger conversation than just Saquon playing and going for the record. Jason McCourty here on the Rich Eisen Show.

It's kind of wild, man. Last year when you and I with Dan Orlovsky were in the booth in Frankfurt, Germany for Chiefs and Dolphins, the conversation was, well, who have the Dolphins really beaten yet? And then we wound up still asking that question by the end of the year. And then the Chiefs, it was the beginning of their issues scoring in the second half. And that led to a narrative all season long of, yeah, well, are they going to ever really be able to flip the switch to repeat?

And we we got the answer. And it seems like, again, another season of wondering if a flip of a switch is going to happen for a three-peat. And it looks like they've already flipped it, Jason. I'm not going to lie. It looks like they're they're finishing up strong enough here. I would love to get your thoughts on that subject matter.

Absolutely. And it almost seems like it's not fair. You looked at him all throughout this season and you're saying, well, it's going to be the tackle position that holds them back. There's no way they can win a Super Bowl with what they have on the outside with Wange Morrison, Suomata Iya. They're not going to be able to figure out that left tackle spot, Juwanta. And then they just move their all-pro guard Joe Tuni over to left tackle. And he just has to block Miles Garrett and all of these Max Crosby and all of these guys and then gets Watt and Highsmith. And he just continues to hold down the forward.

And I agree with you. You get Hollywood Brownback Jalen Watson. He's just been the cornerback on the other side. He's just been activated to come back from I.R.

as he opens up his practice window. It seems like everything is clicking at the right time. And the more I watch the Kansas City Chiefs, the more I continue to say to myself, there's so many teams throughout this league that they find ways to lose games. We look at it every single week.

Matt Eberfluss is no longer in Chicago. We criticize everything that they were doing at the end of the game. Raheem Moore has just lost the game where he said in retrospect, he probably should have used his time.

I'm out. And you just look at the way Kansas City wins football games. The Raiders have them beat. They fumble the snap at the very end of the game. They block a field goal kick against the Denver Broncos. They are not going to lose the game. They're going to go out there and make the plays in crucial time. And that has a lot to say about Andy Reid and his coaching staff. They figure out ways to win.

And now everything is starting to click. They're getting healthy. It's scary hours, I think, for the rest of the league because we still haven't seen the best from that man this season. Patrick Mahomes, those signature deep throws and all of that, he continues to show up in the clutch moments. But I mean, Kansas City, they're looking a lot better now as the season is coming to an end. Yeah, the next time we see 15, we'll be in divisional playoff weekend and we'll have to obviously wait and see who they're going to get. In the meantime, part of the wait and seeing is that seven seed in the AFC. And, you know, with all due respect to Denver and Miami, I would proffer to say the six teams that are in the tournament for the American Football Conference right now at least like to see Joe Burrow and the Bengals show up in their building.

So I will ask you this. We need to see the Bengals beat the Steelers first for the Cincinnati to make it. And then they need both Denver and Miami to lose. Denver and Miami take on the Chiefs and the Jets together in the late window on Sunday. If the Bengals lose on Saturday night, the Dolphins can get in if the Broncos lose. Obviously, if the Broncos win, the entirety of my setup is totally moot. They're in.

My question for you is what do you think happens? You have to choose from me, Jason McCrory, the seven seed for the AFC playoffs will wind up being fill in the blank, please. Well, I like I like the Bengals to win.

So I think Saturday, Sunday is going to matter that much more. OK, I think at the end of it, I think the Broncos are going to be the team that gets in. I do think they beat the Kansas City Chiefs. I think they had them beat when the Chiefs were at full strength and got that field goal blocked.

So I look at this. The Chiefs aren't going to play a lot of their guys. I think with Sean Payton, he finds a way to win this game.

But I agree with you, Rich. I think the Bengals are the scariest team because of what Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase, T. Higgins and those guys offensively have been able to do. The fact that they even have a chance at the playoffs with how bad their defense has been this season gives a ton of credit to them. And I would love to see Burrow get in there. I honestly don't think it's going to happen this year. That said, who's your MVP then, Jason McCrory? Josh Allen. Josh Allen. And I think if Burrow, if they had the wins, then, yeah, he'd probably be at the top of the list. I think he's in the conversation. But I don't think a team with nine wins, I don't think the MVP should come from their team when you look at what Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson and Saquon Barkley even have done this season on winning football teams.

So I have Josh right now. I think narratives matter as much as people want to remove it and only look at the stats and look at this and that. I think with the Buffalo Bills, when you looked at it this offseason and Stephon Diggs has traded to Houston, and you're saying, well, you know what, this is going to be kind of a reset for the Buffalo Bills. They lost Poirier. They lost Hyde. So many guys on the defensive side of the ball that they're going to try to restructure and figure things out. And the next thing you know, we're looking at a team that had their division wrapped up. It seemed like the third week of the season with how the rest of those teams have played. And Josh has been an instrumental part, spreading the ball around and doing the things that he's done this year.

He's made history as well. So right now, I definitely would say it's Josh Allen. And so the best team that you have seen with your own two eyes, this is week 18 for you two, going around the country, going around the NFL for CBS.

And what do you think? Who do you think was the best team that you've seen in person with your own two eyes there, Jason? I would say the Baltimore Ravens. We got them and they were playing the Giants coming off their bye week. But you just could see a different tenacity talking to Lamar Jackson before that game. That was when they lost to Philly.

And he said he wanted his mom told him to run more. And you're talking to him about MVPs and records and historically how good this offense is. And you could tell all he cares about is winning.

And you can the way that everybody talks about them, Zay Flowers. I went out to eat with Kyle Van Noy the night before the game, one of their leaders on their team. And he just said, Lamar is one of the best leaders he's ever been around. His ability to connect with people and his ability to get guys who want to play for him and go out there and play at their absolute best. So I would say it's the way the Ravens are playing right now.

Derek Henry these last two weeks has looked unstoppable. So the Ravens, especially now that their defense after that Bengals game, had a meeting and figured some things out, the Ravens to me are the best team I've been able to see in person. So now I got to put it all together because you say Josh Allen's your MVP and the Ravens are the best team that you've seen.

And again, you haven't maybe seen all of them. Which one do you put your marker on? If it's neither of them, you can to go in the arrowhead and end a three-peat opportunity.

Jason? Well, the Ravens were my team to make it to the Super Bowl from the beginning of the season. And I'm sticking with that. I think this is the year for Lamar. I think they'll be encouraged to run a little bit more if they get in that AFC Championship game again.

And I think the difference has been, as I see Derek Henry just staring at me, I'd be terrified with that person coming at me. But I look at what they've been able to do with Kyle Hamilton playing in a deep part of the field, or Dennis Washington and how well Marlon Humphrey has played. I think it's going to be their year.

Okay. So then who is your NFC team for the Super Bowl? I'm rolling with the Eagles. I think they're going to be the team as well as the Vikings, Lions, and everybody's playing. I think Philadelphia can come out of it on the NFC side. Was that your preseason pick as well?

No. Preseason I had the Lions. But the injuries, man, defensively I think is the toughest thing to overcome.

Like you said earlier, to keep winning at that clip, to have that much pressure on the offense, to have to win and put up that amount of points each and every week, and especially depending upon what happens come Sunday night. All right. Hey, Jason, watching you do your thing and certainly watching you on ESPN, I'm shaking my head because I'm just disappointed that you're not with NFL Network anymore, but I'm also nodding my head because I'm seeing you do what I know you can do and what you're doing is awesome. You're really terrific. I really appreciate it. That means a lot coming from you, Rick. I appreciate you saying that too, but honestly, you're awesome and I just love watching you. Just your star keep rising. You deserve it. Appreciate that.

Will do, man. You got it. That's Jason McCordie right here. Everybody check him out with Andrew Catalon and Tiki Barber and A.J. Ross on the call of CBS's coverage of Eagles-Giants in week 18 right here on the Rich Eisen Show. There goes Jason McCordie to the rest of his January day.

Yeah. Eagles-Ravens. That'd be fun.

Please, please. You know, obviously the Ravens last Super Bowl in New Orleans. They went, they won it. It was the Harbaugh.

True. So that was Ed Reed's New Orleans homecoming party, right? Ray Lewis's farewell. So that would be an interesting.

And then if I'm not mistaken, will you look it up? Did the Eagles' first Super Bowl appearance with Vermeil and Jaworski, was that in the Superdome? Why does that ring true to me? Against the Raiders, right? I think that. I think it was. Wasn't it Jaworski versus Plunkett in a dome? Wasn't that it? It was. Yeah.

Look at you, Rich. So kind of that would be an interesting sort of nod to the past two teams. But the Eagles did not win that one.

The Ravens won theirs. And it would be fitting. It would be an incredibly fun Super Bowl with all due respect to the other teams' fan bases. Would be bummed that they're not there.

That would be a real fun Super Bowl. You know. Boy, oh boy. 844-204, Rich. Number to dial here on the program. Still to come here on the show.

Tom Pellicero with the latest on hot seats and things of that nature. And the other star of no contest wrestling, O'Shea Jackson Jr. comes in as a guest in support of Den of Thieves 2. And at least for him, the Lakers coming off a win too, right?

Right? A rare one. A rare one. That would be helpful for him? A rare dub for him. Does he want Jimmy Butler?

Because Jimmy Butler has raised his hand saying, I'll go somewhere. That's still to come right here on the Rich Eisen Show. There you go. Bagels. Yeah.

Watch what Lala is talking about on YouTube or search for Give Them Lala wherever you listen. When you see the video of you throwing to Tyree, OK, what do you think of when you see that? I just smile. I'm just thankful. Thankful for David Tyree, man. There's not a better person and a guy who just, you know, who has the worst week of practice in the history of all practices on that Friday and dropped every pass.

You know, thought he was going to be the starting receiver. And then, you know, comes back and plays that game. And then, sure enough, in the game, David Tyree has a touchdown catch and then they beat catch. You know, Rodney Harrison hanging all over him. You know, Bob Poppa give him the call saying, you know, he's got a wide open receiver, you know, and I guess that's wide open in the NFL. And, you know, David Tyree, the will, the desire was there and just catching it off the helmet. Just what a what unbelievable story.

And, you know, never get tired of watching that play. All right. Chris Brockman, my on air compadre here. Would you tell him, go ahead. Tell him what you say every time now that he's here. You can say it to his face.

Go ahead, Chris. Well, usually I say it to Sean O'Hara because Sean is here. But I mean, there are 14 different holdings on that. He sees holdings. What do you say to that when he sees holdings? Yeah, he sees holdings.

How can you get holdings? They didn't block anybody. You know, they let them run in. You know, I almost get stuck by all four players. You know, they kind of just blocked them off. I think if the guy's holding me, you know, like a defense player is holding me, I think you're allowed to do whatever you want to the hash rusher at that point. If I'm in the grass, they can just grab them also and pull them off. It's kind of free range at that moment.

I agree. Chris, you see holding. Eli sees grasping. That's what he sees.

I see the greatest play ever. That's right. That's right there. I was sitting right there.

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Get a free quote at triethos.com. That's T-R-Y-E-T-H-O-S dot com. I just was looking at my NFL Network email during the break, and Mike McDaniel just called Tua Tungovailoa's chance to start Sunday quote unquote very unlikely, meaning it's Snoop Huntley's turn to try and get the Dolphins in the playoffs if the Broncos lose to the Chiefs at the same time. Again, the Bengals playing the Steelers on Saturday night have no bearing on the Dolphins at all.

The bearing on the Dolphins is what's going on in Denver because if Denver loses and Cincinnati's having already lost, then Miami losing would put Denver in. So Snoop Huntley's going to have to play this game. It looked very unlikely, a hip injury for Tua.

Does that mean if they make it that Tua might not go in the playoff game for a second straight year or two out of three years? Remember that? Skyler Thompson had to play one time? That's not great. Jalen Waddles playing Status McDaniel said he's feeling optimistic in a positive fashion. How about that?

We've got to talk to Mike. That's not in the cliche department. Because if you're optimistic, you're positive, right? Yeah, positive is optimistic.

Optimistic is positive. Meanwhile, how about this for a little plot twist, T.J. Jefferson? Apparently Jerry Jones spoke to 105.3 The Fan today as well. Oh my goodness, keep talking, Jerry. I'm just wondering if that's because he's not doing it next Tuesday because they will be in the throes of having to figure out what to do with Mike McCarthy, which we'll talk about in hour number two with Tom Pellicero is about to join us. We're going to listen to this man this end.

It's a man just a little bit. Never, T.J., never. Jerry, by the way, McCarthy's contract does not run out till January 14th. Oh, so we got another? So what that means is no decision needs to be made right away. So Japan will keep you hanging on by that proverbial string for a few more days. In terms of whether anything that could happen Sunday against the commanders could affect any decision on the future of the coaching staff, Jerry said, quote unquote, the hay is in the barn as far as our staff is concerned.

Mike, get ready to hit the dump button because I got to say something. What does that mean? What that means is he's decided whether they're coming back or not already. And guess what?

He's coming back. Yeah, we know that. That's what that means. The hay's in the barn. Hay's in the barn.

Hay's in the barn and I'm low enough to horse to get out of town. You know, pick a new team. It's possible. By the way, he was mum on whether Cooper Rush is going to start. They should start Trey Lance.

Why not? Well, Cooper Rush has some reasons to start. He can get a nice chunk of change. So if his contract stipulates, if he plays fifty five percent of the snaps on the season, he gets a certain dollar amount.

He's currently at fifty two and a half. And this game would take him over the fifty five. So Cooper Rush really wants to play Sunday. They should. Then they should play him. I did not know that for me.

So anyone understands I'm not trying to stand in between anybody and their money. He's he deserves that extra. Yeah. Two and a half percent of snaps. I tell you, if they don't give it to him.

Oh, man. Well, that's what they should do is let him get those number of snaps. Figure out the math and figure out the math, whatever that is.

Well, I don't know. You'd have to let him go past that, because let's just say Lance goes into overtime. Suddenly the math puts him underneath fifty five percent by the end of that happened.

Well, so you'd have to you'd have to go over that. Right. Or they could just give him his money. You know, let him play Lance by the fourth or something. Right. Let let Trey Lance let Trey cook.

You know, there is less pie. JG in New Mexico. Let's take his phone call or her.

What's up, JG? Hey, Rich, I wanted to know if you being a Michigan fan would trade that Michigan win over Ohio State to be in the playoffs in Ohio State position with two awesome wins over their last couple of games. So you're saying one question. Well, that's a good one. Well, you know, so you're saying someone could wave a wand, put Michigan in the final four right now. Abracadabra.

But we would have had to have lost to Ohio State. Yeah, that's what he's saying. Correct. Oh, that's a great one. Oh, this is great. Thank you. Will in the sky. Keep on turning. Here's what I will say to that, JG. Yes. First of all, how dare you?

JG Wentworth. You do know that, you know, it's impossible because Michigan would have had to have beaten Ohio State to have the record to get in. But you're saying forget all that. And it's the current team.

It's the current team is what you're saying, JG? Yeah. Yeah.

And all those kids. National championships. What do you think about that? Wow.

I don't know, Rich. Back to back. Oh, of course I would.

I'd go back to back. And we get the kids that are basically saying I'm staying healthy for the combine. We get them back in. Right.

So we can get our full compliment. Right, JG? Is that what you're saying? We'd have our best chance to win. One team lost to the team from up north. And then you have to take that for a year, but you get a national championship. Because Ohio State could be in that position right now, right? They got to take that. We've won four in a row for an entire year. Yep. But they could be like- Your 12-game playoff system has saved the coach's job at Ohio State.

Well, which is great for us. Right, because you can get a couple more wins out of it, right? Oh, you know, your recent history says yes, JG.

I just don't want to answer this question, do you? No, I would take the Wolverines in the playoffs. Notre Dame.

Simple. Of all of Michigan, Wolverine fandom. If I'm waving a wand and putting Michigan in the college football playoff, I can do it. So what I heard is Rich Eisen wants Ohio State to win. Is that what I heard? No, no.

Yes. How dare you? JG. JG. No, don't clap for somebody twisting my words. No, you didn't hear that, JG.

You came up with this, I wave a wand and Michigan gets into the college football playoffs and all it would cost us would be a November 30th win over the Ohio State and the bragging rights that I currently have. Is that what you're saying? Right. Okay. Under those circumstances, I accept those terms. I accept those terms.

Everything else that you've done, I don't appreciate. Thanks. Thanks for the call, JG.

It's JG in New Mexico. That was great. I like that. I like that. You like that call, huh? That was good.

We can go home now. That's what we used to do on our Twitter feedback in the day, right? We would just put fire emojis and take things out of context. Yeah. You need to think a little. Oh, definitely.

You were tapping like Gregory Hines back then. Well done. It's a good reference right there.

Spoken like somebody who's over 50. Literally three people in this room got it. I'll give you a guess who didn't. You didn't. Oh, because you did.

Come on, man. It wasn't a black and white movie, Brock. No, it's not. I know. It wasn't. I said it wasn't. I don't honestly I don't begrudge Ohio State for having the ability to say what they might be able to say in two wins which is you know forget all that stuff about us firing our head coach because of the awful coaching job that he did against Michigan forget about all that we've won it all and you know it would be what's running scared it certainly would soften it would it would soften the blow of my Canton appearance in August Tom Felicero coming up in our number two yeah Ohio State's now minus money to win the championship why wouldn't they be look what they just did to Tennessee and Oregon smoked seriously so why wouldn't they do that to Texas and why wouldn't they be able to do that against either Notre Dame or or Penn State I mean in the same way in the same way that Ohio State in the last four years has had something with us where they they have some sort of mental block in a way I would profit to say that's there the Michigan and Penn State is the Ohio State in that equation with Penn State Ohio State Ohio State's won that one right and then of course if no Ohio State takes on on Notre Dame then last time that happened Notre Dame forgot to put an 11th man on defense right and Ryan Day used his first minute and a half of his postgame interview opportunity to bark out at a at Lou Holtz you know you know McAfee would have a field day with that one doesn't that look like a Photoshop right I don't know let's just have a white background yeah right we're all rooting for Texas is Caleb downs in that photograph counting is his money how much more do I get for getting to the third round I'm wondering I want to talk now uh-huh actor Michael Rosenbaum you know some of the most talented people in the business and now he's getting the inside story let's get inside of Heather Graham I can't look at like boogie nights and think that you were a nerd Johnny Knox don't think you're gonna do another jackass movie what are your kids want dad's not gonna do you gotta be careful how you choose your heroes here from some of the most fascinating people in pop culture today Danny Trejo you're a legend do you know you're a legend you can't be alleged having this much fun the inside of you podcast follow and listen on your favorite platform
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