Fly Eagles Fly (Hour 2)

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And did we mention it's all free? Download the Odyssey app today. So the biggest story is that the Miami Dolphins are 3-0 from that Dolphins-Bills game yesterday. But Tua-Tunga Vailoa did briefly leave the game and we all thought it was going to be a concussion. And we were told he was getting evaluated for a concussion. Then I guess he cleared concussion protocol and we were told it was a back injury for Tua-Tunga Vailoa. Tua came back in the game, the Dolphins did take down the Buffalo Bills yesterday.

Bills fall to 2-1 and the Miami Dolphins are now 3-0. And the NFL PA told the NFL they wanted to initiate a review of the concussion protocols in light of the Tua-Tunga Vailoa's return to today's game in Miami. That was from yesterday from Adam Schefter. Mike McDaniel after the game discussed why Tua was wobbly during the contest. He kind of got bent back pretty significantly on a quarterback sneak earlier. And so I was kind of with everyone else when he hit his head on the ground. I assumed it was a head injury.

But his legs got wobbly because his lower back was completely loose. It's also here from Mike McDaniel on how Tua was feeling after the game. He was pretty sore, which we knew he was going to be. His ankle was a little sore too from all of his inner trench warfare. And then Mike McDaniel says he wouldn't put Tua in harm's way. One thing I think our players know more than anybody, there's certain things that I'm very sensitive to.

I've been called emotional from time to time. And one of those things is player health, so I don't mess around with that at all. So how many times have you heard of a coach or an organization putting someone out on the field that shouldn't be a ton? I know we're more sensitive of it right now and there's tougher obstacles to climb to get that player back on the field. But when you do watch it, I thought like everyone else that it was immediately a concussion when his head hits the turf. And then you're told they're evaluating for concussion and then it became a back injury.

I don't know what exactly occurred here, Ryan. But if it is a back injury, then you've got to monitor that moving forward for the next two, three weeks for this Dolphin season. Because your quarterback is standing upright and is going to take some hits throughout the course of a football game.

I really don't know. It looked like it was a head injury. And then he was wobbly and he fell down. Could it be a back injury? Could his back have given out?

Sure. And it's kind of just tough to figure out which one it is. And I guess we'll never know the truth to that. I hope he's alright. He looked good in the second half. So it wasn't like you could see any lingering effects if it was a head injury. But I have a hard time believing this is a back injury. He did throw a bomb on that 30-22.

He did. Let's say he looked good. You would never know he was injured. Which is the crazy part, whether it was a head or a back.

He looked pretty good, but still. Let's hear from Tua on why he felt like he was wobbly during the game. I kind of felt like I hyperextended my back or something. And then on the next play, I kind of hit my back and kind of hurt. And then I got up and that's kind of why I stumbled. My back kind of locked up on me.

But for the most part, I'm good. Could he have hit his head and not got a concussion? And it was really his back that made him have that movement right after. I guess it's plausible.

Right? If your back is hurting and your back gives out, even though it just came right after your head hit the turf. I know that's how we all look at it. Oh, it was definitely a head injury, but how many times does a player's head hit the turf and it ends up being nothing. So I guess it's plausible. We'll never find the real answer out of it. But I did find it interesting how the NFLPA wants a little clarity on the return for protocols when it comes to a concussion. And then also they wanted to investigate a little bit and see what was actually going to transpire. I don't think we're going to find out much from this, Ryan, right? We'll probably never get the answer on this.

Well, not that it's the end of the world, but it's just something that was being talked about yesterday. I'm not really sure how you prove it either. If you pass concussion protocol, I'm not really sure then how else you prove. Well, that's the other thing. If you legitimately pass concussion protocol, they didn't suffer a concussion. Right. So it's like, then why would they make up a back injury?

I honestly, maybe I'm a sucker. If I, if you put a gun to my head, is it a back injury or a concussion? Even though it looks like it's a concussion and it's a head injury, I would, I would say it's a back injury. But at first they did evaluate him. Maybe they thought he got a concussion.

And then they realized, no. And he was like, it's my back that's hurting me, not my head. I mean, I have no idea. I think it's a concussion. I'm assuming it's a concussion when you wobble like that. But I don't know. Do you say if it's a back injury, then they don't give you a concussion protocol in the half time? I have no idea. Yeah, he was cleared for concussion protocol.

Very bizarre. Yeah. TyreekKill, I love this after the game. I'm not a big fan of TyreekKill. And I don't know how much I believe that TyreekKill didn't know that they were playing the Bengals on Thursday, but there's NFL players that didn't know that a game could end in a tie.

So I guess it is plausible. But how quickly TyreekKill was able to reference Eli Apple was just phenomenal, as they do play the Bengals in Cincinnati in Thursday Night Football. And let's hear from TyreekKill. Are we playing on Prime time that week? I didn't even know that. Amazon Prime. Are we playing on Amazon Prime? Thursday. Oh, that's going to be lit right there.

I didn't even know that for real. But yeah, we're looking forward to it. Who we play?

Bengals. We're looking forward to the challenge. It's going to be fun, you know. And I can't wait to go against Eli Apple, man. I owe you, boy. I owe you. I'm here.

The cheetah is here. Do you buy with how quickly he was able to pivot to Eli Apple, going back to all that transpired in that AFC Championship game, and they played him twice last year. And Eli Apple, the Bengals, did get the victories both times up against Kansas City. Do you buy that TyreekKill did not know that the Cincinnati Bengals were the opponent coming up on Thursday? No. Yeah. Especially for a Thursday game. That was so scripted. You know. Oh, we got a quick turnout.

We got a game. TyreekKill would be a good WWE character. He really would. There's no way he did not know. And then, out of thin air, I know that him and Eli Apple, they've exchanged some words, but then just right away, you pounce right to Eli.

And he tried to hide it for a second. Oh yeah, the Bengals, you know, short week. Oh yeah, and Eli Apple, I owe you one. Come on.

I see right through that. Brady the Bucks offense didn't have much going. Tom Brady says the offense just simply needs to be better. Too many plays where we are behind the sticks and not good on third down and penalties, turnovers, missed opportunities. And, you know, defense played great. We got to play better on offense. We got to do a lot better job. We haven't scored many points all season, so three games, we got to get a lot better. Yeah, you got to get some players, actually, on the field. Mike Evans can't be suspended. Chris Godwin got to get back on the field, and the same can be said for Julio Jones. You think Brady has called Gronk yet?

Hey, Gronkie, how you doing? Time to start thinking about a comeback. I think he's close if he hasn't. And how can you not at this point, right?

That's only three games, but. And he was firing that ball to Cameron Bright yesterday like he was Rob Gronkowski. And here's a hot take, Cameron Bright, no Rob Gronkowski. Just going to cut a lemon on that one. Hot take, Gil.

Yeah, I'm trying to be like you. Probably the only time I'll ever say that on CBS Sports Radio. This courtesy of Fox Sports, and we were talking about this in the last hour. Aaron Rodgers says he noticed the Bucs having a play clock issue late in the game. What was going through you during the two-point conversion, especially after you saw the fact that they took the five-yard penalty? Well, they should have on the previous play, too.

It was a delay on both plays. But sometimes you see things in the game. Sometimes the jumbotron shows things they probably shouldn't show, even at home. I saw something and just passed on the information. So what was the information? That doesn't add up to me. So you see something that they were having play clock issues, and you pass it along to Matt Leflore, but it's not as if you could do something that's going to make the Bucs not snap the football in time.

Ryan, like, that's what I didn't get. Unless it's just making the refs more, like, hyper aware of, hey, look, you missed this one. Like, there is a usual grace period, right, of like about a half second between zero and the snap. I thought it was a quick whistle, too. You get on their ass, like, hey, look, you screwed this one up.

Make sure it doesn't happen again. And then if you're the ref you're looking at, and then that's when you throw the flag the second time. Well, from my understanding, the way that it's supposed to go is you look at zero on the play clock, and then you have to look down. And if when you look down, the ball is not snapped, then you throw the flag. Right.

So you get like an extra half second, I guess, from the time that you look up at the play clock, see zero, and then you do look down to see if the ball was snapped. Was Rodgers on something there? Hey, I don't know what it's all conveying. It could be rooms or something, a little ayahuasca.

High off life. That could be it, too. Dude, Rodgers has really lost me. Well.

He's out there these days. Let's just say that. You think that witch that he's dating casted a spell on him? Maybe she cast a spell on the Bucks on that offense. Tom Brady, you will not snap the football. You're going to get a magical delay a game. You may be onto something.

That could be your best theory ever. Let's hear from Patrick Mahomes and what he and Eric Bienemy were arguing about at the end of the first half between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Indianapolis Colts, a game where Hickey's Colts finally won a football game. I'm always going to be wanting to score, and I pretty much just said, let me have a chance at it. And then he was just like, let's get back in our locker room and we'll get something going for the next half. And I guess, I don't know if that's an altercation, but I mean, that was just the end of the conversation. Yeah, it's no big deal to me. How many times do you see a coach and a player get into it?

You know when it's a serious deal. Like Quinnen Williams and his defensive line coach, that was much different than Eric Bienemy and Patrick Mahomes. So I have no, just like when I had no problem with Brady and Bill O'Brien going at it, I have no problem with Patrick Mahomes and Eric Bienemy going at it, if you want to say going at it.

I thought one of the dumbest things yesterday. So Justin Herbert was a game time decision. The Chargers are getting slammed by the Jaguars and they kept Justin Herbert in the whole game. Guys playing with fractured ribs.

That doesn't make sense to me. Justin Herbert and why he wanted to continue to play late in the game despite getting blown out. I just didn't want to quit on my team. You know, obviously a tough day for us, but didn't want to go out and, you know, felt like we were getting the ball out quick. So I didn't want to quit on my team.

Yeah, you didn't want to quit on your team, that's fine, but your coach should pull you out of the game. That's a bad job by Brandon Staley. Doug Peterson, Jaguars. Two and one? What? What world are we living in?

How about Thuggy P? He discusses what he's most proud of from the Jaguars blowout victory coming up, which was yesterday for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Let's play cut 12. I think it's how we finished. I think it's how we finished this game. You know, the offense went down and scored when we had to at the end and then the defense stopped them at the end, you know, and that's something that I think hasn't been the case here and these guys are playing with confidence and, you know, winning can do that. But at the same time, we understand that, you know, it comes down to the preparation during the week, you know, and that's what pays off on game day. Devontae Adams and if he's more frustrated or angry with the 0 and 3 start, can't you just say I'll be both?

Both. Frustrated and angry. Expect more.

I mean, it's not easy to win in this league, so we know that and we, you know, nobody's naive to the fact that it's not, nobody's just going to lay down and just give you a victory, but any day we expect more and we'll do better as we move forward. It's amazing how Aaron Rodgers, Brian Gunakunz, and Devontae Adams couldn't find a way to keep Devontae Adams in Green Bay. Packers could use him and Devontae Adams, I know him and Derek Carr, BFFs going back to Fresno State, but I think he wouldn't mind going back to Green Bay at this point. I know he took less money to go to Las Vegas, but you got to find a way to keep Devontae Adams happy and maybe that was a year prior we started to lose faith in the organization.

And finally, Brandon Graham going to join us coming up in five minutes. Jalen Hurts, the Eagles quarterback, says Devontae Smith plays bigger than his frame. That's who he is. He's a great player, all-around player, you know, a slim reaper.

Slim reaper. By the eyes, he may be a little sly, but he plays like a big boy and he is. He's a grown man.

Yeah, they call him Skinny Batman in Philadelphia. Eight catches for 169 yards. Had a great play to set up his touchdown. Then he had the touchdown, which was an unbelievable catch, and the Philadelphia Eagles are 3-0. Devontae Smith, one of my favorite college football players of all time. I know he's only two years removed from college, but I loved him, absolutely loved him at Alabama. You saw him touchdown to win the national championship game and that Heisman Trophy-winning season that resulted in a national championship was oh-so-fun.

Come on back, we'll talk to Devontae Smith's teammate, Brandon Graham, who had two-and-a-half sacks yesterday in the Eagles' dominant victory over Carson Wentz and the Washington Commanders. And did we mention it's all free? Download the Odyssey app today. Looking for stories about the black community and you don't want to wait until, oh, I don't know, February? Then check out Beyond Black History Month, the podcast that tells inclusive stories year-round, like how today's labor movement is connected to the civil rights movement and why black neighborhoods keep getting hit with water crisis after water crisis.

We're still being charged for water that we can't use. Listen and subscribe to Beyond Black History Month on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts from. Looking for stories about the black community and you don't want to wait until, oh, I don't know, February? Then check out Beyond Black History Month, the podcast that tells inclusive stories year-round, like how today's labor movement is connected to the civil rights movement and why black neighborhoods keep getting hit with water crisis after water crisis.

We're still being charged for water that we can't use. Listen and subscribe to Beyond Black History Month on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts from. You're listening to The Zach Gelb Show. We continue this The Zach Gelb Show coast to coast on CBS Sports Radio. What a week it was for the Philadelphia Eagles. It started off on Monday Night Football where they dominated up against the Minnesota Vikings. And yesterday they opened up a can of whoop-ass on their old quarterback in Carson Wentz.

They sacked it nine times. Brandon Graham in the game had two-and-a-half sacks and the Philadelphia Eagles are 3-0. And they welcome in Doug Peterson back to Philadelphia upcoming on Sunday. And Brandon Graham is kind enough to join us right now.

BG, congrats on the victory. I know it's been a while. How you been? Oh, man, it's been good.

It's been good just, you know, enjoying the season, trying not to let it pass by too fast without enjoying it all. What did your defense prove to the rest of the NFL really in these last two games? Because now people are starting to realize nationally, okay, the Eagles are pretty legit this year. You know what, we know that we got a lot of work to do. We got to make sure that we keep that name, you know, across the league.

But it's going to take work. And so I think, you know, we got a big task with Doug and those guys coming in because, I mean, looking at the film already, we can tell how athletic their team is and they want to run the ball. And, I mean, man, this is going to be a big challenge for us this week. But I think what our attitude and, you know, our standard of what we just do in practice each and every day, should carry us throughout the year if we make sure we maintain that. Well, you guys are a good team. I also think you're a likable team as well. A lot of people are easy to root for inside that organization, inside that locker room. Just kind of give me the vibe inside that Eagles locker room right now. You know what, the vibe is good. Everybody is, you know, all smiles right now.

I mean, we all feel good. I love it because of how competitive our team is outside of football. You know, we do a lot of stuff. Like we got a bunch of, you know, we play ping pong. We got a bunch of ping pong players. We got a bunch of, you know, hoopers that be shooting in the rim. You know, it's a lot of – I feel like we got a real good team, man, that we building right now based on just how we – he even lounge around the facility after hours. So I think it's heading in the right direction.

We got people that's all in. It's just only going to show even better as we continue to go through the season. Well, we know you're a pretty damn good football player. How are your skills at ping pong, though? You know what, hey, I haven't touched that table yet, but my shot has been better on the hoop.

So I've been just sticking to that. Who is the best ping pong player on the team? You know what, it's between Avante and Josiah Scott.

Them boys be going at it. I mean, even when we was in training camp when we was in Miami. And we – and Cleveland, they brought the ping pong table. That's how serious it was. They had all the same stuff we had at the facility there. So it got real.

So, you know, it's a lot of fun. Brandy Graham here with us. You've been with the Eagles since 2010. Nothing surprises you about Eagles fans anymore. But it must be nice to have an extra home game each and every year because every time you go to the Commanders' place, man, those Eagles fans are everywhere.

Yeah, they everywhere. That game right there felt like a home game. Whenever you got the home team doing silent counts, that's when you know it's serious. Brandy Graham here with us.

I love that. What did you see out of Jalen Hurts so far this year? And what has he proved to you really the first three games? Well, you know, I see him every day. I knew during the offseason, you know, it was going to be something special because how dedicated he was in that locker room.

I mean, even in the weight room because I was rehabbing. So I got to see him a lot more. And just even with him, I just felt like he knew his issues.

He knew what he needed to work. And so this year, I feel like, you know, he's knowing the cause, knowing exactly what it is that the coach is looking for. And, you know, I feel like the coach and the player relationship is really great because of how him and Nick and all the coaches, you know, they got a great work relationship.

And I feel like when you the guy and they show you that you the guy by their actions and how they, you know, pour into you, I feel like it's a lot easier to, you know, really work a lot harder when people make you the guy. And I'm happy that Jalen has at least two years with them because he really didn't get the chance to, you know, be the guy under Doug as much or be the guy during the offseason where he could pour into him and give him everything like he did Carson. But now I feel like in year two, now with Nick, I mean, man, he's throwing a big jump already and, I mean, man, it's only going to keep getting better.

But I knew he was the quarterback for sure. I'm just happy he just kind of sees a lot of people, you know, is Jalen going to be the future or not? So I think that he's established that so far and now he's only going to keep getting better. So you're confident that he's the Eagles franchise quarterback moving forward, right? Oh, yeah, I'm confident.

I know that, you know, just his attitude along, how he handled that whole little thing with everybody, you know, being unsure, he just stayed the course. And, I mean, now it's starting to show, and I hope that it continues to keep getting better so that we can put a ring on it for him. And he's also starting to look a little MVP-like as well.

I know it's early, but he's really taking the league by storm this year. Yep, yeah. I mean, you know, everything is going great right now. And I know, like, you know, we're not trying to fall into the trap of, you know, I know how I go. Everybody's, you know, feeling good about everything right now. But I know for us, we got to make sure that we put that work in every day. And I think that, you know, Coach Nick Sirianni does a great job just making sure that we really back in because he wants us to enjoy the season, enjoy the ups and downs. But, you know, he tried to make sure that we don't get too full of ourselves and we always in the room are getting better. So I think that, you know, it starts with him first to keep our mindset, you know, focused on the little things that can kind of get away.

But I think that he's done a great job just keeping us all, you know, motivated to just keep working. Talking to Brandon Graham, you've been around a lot of coaches in Philadelphia. When you bring up Nick Sirianni, how did he win you over? Was it last year? Was there a certain point he won you over? Or was it more so the start of this year, the offseason?

What was it specifically with Nick? I think it was more for him, just his attitude every day. Like you want to just make sure that it's consistent.

It's consistent every day. I mean, when you've got consistency, that's always a great start in anything. And so it takes time, though, with guys to kind of, you know, believe. And I think that he came right in. He had a good report, you know, from other people that, you know, the other references that, you know, other people he's worked with, they, you know, let us know that we got a good one. And, you know, it just was cool that everything that they said was cool.

And everything was – and we knew we could build off that. And, I mean, what I love most about Nick is his attitude and how he holds everyone accountable. Not just, you know, the young guys and, you know, get on them. He get on us, too, when things are not right. And that's what you need in a head coach. You need to not be afraid to, you know, get on your vets sometimes when they make mistakes.

Because we all sometimes need to be real back in. And, you know, I'm just more excited that he's here. And, you know, I'm just excited that he's having success and he's about the details. And now we just, you know, trying to continue to keep proving what it is. You know, our goals are for the year that they come out based off how we work and how we, you know, make sure we take care of those little things.

Brandon Graham here with us. You talked about the belief the coaching staff had in Jalen and how their relationship only keeps on getting better and better with time. Last year you guys were 9-8. You made the playoffs.

You impressed some people. I know it wasn't the way that you wanted the season to end in Tampa Bay. I was really curious, Brandon Graham, about the approach Howie Roseman was going to take this offseason. When he traded for A.J. Brown, that to me seemed like a move to go support Jalen and it was also a win now move. How did you guys process that and some of the big moves at Howie made this offseason? Well, you know, I was more like Jason Kelce reacted when he was on screen yelling and screaming, saying, what? They let him go?

What? We got him? You know, that's how even with Jordan Davis, I knew I liked him, you know, just from what I've seen, you know, and the combine and stuff like that. And he just had a nice buzz.

Yep, yep. And I was more, I mean, I was screaming, screaming and yelling, because it was like Howie just never seems to amaze me, you know, just on how he put stuff together, how he, you know, get money out of nowhere and just make a big splash. So I think that, yeah, I mean, I trust in Howie. You know, I was his first, I was one of his first guys, you know, when he got hired as GM. So I'm always appreciative of him, and I'm always trying to pick his brain of, you know, what he's thinking, all certain stuff.

And, you know, it's just been a good work relationship over the years. Talking to Brandy Graham, yesterday's performance, especially with how it ended in Philly with Carson Wentz, was that a little extra personal for you? You know, not really personal, but I knew we had a chance, and so because we know each other, and he knew me too.

You know, we talked before the game, and, you know, I told him I hope he has a great season, but not today. But, you know, I think that Carson, for the most part, we knew that if we got pressure on him, as any quarterback, once you get pressure on him, you know, we'll see what they're all about. And, you know, I was just happy that we was able to put together, you know, a nice, fat game, especially up front. That's the first time in a long time since the Jets.

I think when we had that type of game, that was probably 2019, I want to say, when I had that type of game. And that was, man, that was so much fun, and, boy, it was even more fun because of the type of team we have now going into it, going 3-0 right now, trying to continue to keep going 1-0 every week. And I know that, you know, Doug's definitely going to come in here trying to crash our party. Yeah, what does that relationship mean to you with your time with Doug Peterson? Looking back at it a few years later, we know what you guys accomplished in Philadelphia, but how do you look back on that relationship?

Man, it's always going to be there. You know, Doug was cool. For us to let Doug go and get Nick, I mean, man, we couldn't have gotten two great coaches.

You know what I'm saying? Like, both of them I felt like are almost the same person, like real players, coaches, play the game the right way, coach the game the right way. Them guys, you know, somebody that you will run through a wall for, because when we lost Doug, for sure I was like, man, what are we going to, you know what I'm saying, what, how, Doug, come on, man, he brought us our first one. But for us to lose him and for who we've got now, and I mean, I'm thankful for both because I learned a lot from him and I'm learning a lot from Nick too. So, yeah, I mean, I'm always going to have that relationship with Doug. Every time I see him, it's all love because, you know, we got our first championship together in Philly.

So, you know, that will always be close to me. Well, we know the big role that you played in that game and we know that you won that Super Bowl and you'll always be a Super Bowl 52 champion. Do you get a sense since you've been through it before that this team has a little bit of a Super Bowl feel?

I do feel like that. I do feel like if we handle the success the right way and the ups and downs the right way, we got a shot. We got a shot to put ourselves in a great position to make a run. But, you know, I just know that it's going to take that work every day and we got to stay healthy. We got to make sure if people do, if some stuff do happen, that people are ready, are always ready, because that's why I try to get on the young guys about just making sure they stand prepared, stand ready, because you never know when your name is going to get called and it always happens when you least expect it. And so just try to clear your mind of the mental clutter that tend to get in your head, especially if you're not playing as much as you would like. But I try to tell them, boys, practicing hard, like you're playing in the game, is only going to make you ready for when the game comes.

So make sure that they, you know, stay focused on what's the task at hand for the week, because you never know when your name is going to get called. Do you think this team has more talent than the team that won the Super Bowl in Super Bowl 52? Oh, I do. Oh, yeah.

No question. We have some talent now. I mean, because you had to outshine them boys. We had receivers. We had a running game. The O-line was dominant.

You know, we got even better corners than we had, because Darby and them guys was really good, but, you know, we got Slay and that boy James Bradbury, and them boys locking down and Evante. I just feel like it's just different, different. But it's almost the same, because it's all about the togetherness of the team, and that's what I feel. I feel that togetherness.

I feel like it's natural. It's not forced, and so, I mean, man, you always heading in the right direction with a team of 60-some guys that's all fighting for the same thing, and we all got our own, you know, goals, but, you know, you don't see it as much. You don't have people going crazy on the sideline when stuff's not happening. You really got people cheering for each other, and I'm like, even if they faking it, they're making it look good. I mean, you know, so.

But I don't think that's the case. I just think that, you know, we got a lot of guys that understand, in order for us to have success, I'm going to need you, just like you're going to need me. And some days, some games you're going to be the guy, some games I'm going to be the guy.

And it just bounce off each other like that, but just make sure that you, you know, encourage each other and be happy for someone when they want it, just like you want somebody to be happy for you. And that's how I kind of play it with the young guys, because it start with the young guys. I try to tell them, like, y'all the future. And so, you know, I got to make sure y'all stay right. And it's going to start with me too, you know, being a leader, so on, being that example for them. And so that's what I try to do. When they winning and we all winning, we all out there having fun, I say this is a group effort, you know. Yeah, we might have our accolades where, you know, this guy get this and this guy get that, but he don't get that without this guy and without that guy. So you always got to know that.

So I always try to make sure I push that as a captain of the team. And there's no doubt in your mind that Jalen Hurts could be one of those leaders to get you guys to a Super Bowl this year? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, man. That boy, I'm excited for him to keep on silencing those doubters, you know. And I know for him it's just more about just staying the course.

That's what he say. Stay focused on the task. We know our standard. And make sure when we not, you know, playing at our standard that, you know, sometimes you need a kick in the butt, sometimes you kind of wake up, you know. And so that's going off on somebody, not even going off, but just like, you know, talking to one of your vets saying, man, you ain't doing what it is that we, you know, strive to do. And sometimes you need that, even for myself. If I ain't practicing the way I need to on certain days, that's what happens. You know, I need a little motivation. Somebody need to tell me, hey, man, remember what you told me.

You told me you wanted to go here, but today that wasn't it. All right, I can take that because I'm a big boy, you know what I'm saying. And so I feel like it's all about that, man. It's all about how you accept the criticism and how you take it. Because if we all got one goal, it shouldn't be personal. It shouldn't feel personal. It should just feel like that guy, he want me to be better than I. I already showed him that I could be better.

And when I ain't at that standard, I got to face him. And I'm always thankful for that because, you know, that's only going to help me in the end. Well, best of luck the rest of the way. I really do appreciate you giving us some time today. And I'm sure we'll be talking throughout the season.

Brandon Graham, congrats on the victory on Sunday. Thanks so much. Let's go, baby, let's go.

Let's go, baby. I got to mention it's all free download the Odyssey app today, looking for stories about the black community. And you don't want to wait until, oh, I don't know, February. Then check out beyond black history month, the podcast that tells inclusive stories year round. Like how today's labor movement is connected to the civil rights we can't use. Listen and subscribe to Beyond Black History Month on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts from. Looking for stories about the black community and you don't want to wait until, oh, I don't know, February? Then check out Beyond Black History Month, the podcast that tells inclusive stories year round. Like how today's labor movement is connected to the civil rights movement and why black neighborhoods keep getting hit with water crisis after water crisis.

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That is what makes AutoZone America's number one battery destination. Get in the zone, AutoZone. Coming up in about a half hour or so, we do have our final game of week three as the New York football giants of the swamps of Jersey to host the drama Dallas Chokin' Cowboys. Usually I have a feel in these games, not that it's always the right feeling, but I usually have an idea of who I think is going to win the contest. Ryan, these are one of these games, and usually I like to bet the Monday night game, have a little action, have a little skin in the game.

This one I have no feel tonight. Cooper Rush coming off a win. The Giants are 2-0. You think the law of averages would usually suggest that the Lions are due to lose.

I mean, the Giants are due to lose. I look at this game, I don't trust Daniel Jones. I don't trust Cooper Rush. I don't love Ezekiel Elliott anymore.

Tony Pollard's okay. The Cowboys don't really have an offensive line. It seems like a Saquon Barkley game tonight. Where offensively, between both these teams, Saquon's the biggest star on the field.

Now, C.D. Lamb's good for the Cowboys, but what can I anticipate Cooper Rush doing when he just played a good game up against Cincinnati Bengals? So, if the Giants win tonight, I think this is going to be a mega Saquon Barkley game like it was up against Tennessee in week one. But if Saquon doesn't come to the table and deliver, then who knows how this game's going to play on out. For the Giants, it has to be a Saquon Barkley game, because like you mentioned, this Dallas defense is really good.

They've gotten after the quarterback a ton so far in the first two games, whether it's Tom Brady, whether it's Joe Burrow. And I mean, I'm not trusting Daniel Jones to win this game if you're the Giants. No, but are you trusting Cooper Rush? I am. I actually feel pretty good with the Cowboys tonight. Now, hold on. You are trusting Cooper Rush.

To win this game, yes. Is that mean Jerry Jones may have called you during the break and said, Ryan, start the Cooper Rush propaganda because I'm not loving my quarterback Dak Prescott anymore? Honestly, if I was Dak Prescott, I don't think I'd be sleeping well tonight. On his sleep number bed, they crank those settings up a little bit, because your seat's getting a little warm there, buddy.

Well, you could. Could be tough for him to sleep anyway right now. If he's a guy that puts his hands down on the pillow, then his head on top of the hands with that thumb injury, that could be a little bit uncomfortable. Maybe that's why he got injured. You know, like, you know, sleeping on his hands, loosen up the bone and then, boom, hit the helmet.

That's when, you know, the actual fracture happens. Yeah, I'm just going to go out on a limb and say that's a common quarterback injury. Thumb hitting the helmet, injury, boom, bad job. I think the Cowboys should look into those sleep number commercials. See the way you sleep and reevaluate the way your quarterback is sleeping at night. Isn't it wild that Jerry Jones is trying to make this quarterback controversy? You just paid the quarterback.

What? And now this is what Jerry Jones does. But right before the season started, you said this team runs Suzyc.

It does not. And now you're saying I would love to have a quarterback controversy because that means Cooper Rush is playing great. Now, you should want to see Cooper Rush play great.

But there's no way when Dak Prescott is healthy that they're going to say, yeah, Dak, take an extra week or two off and we'll see when we'll give you back your starting job because Cooper Rush is lighting up the scoreboard right now. You know, like so many coaches and players say we want to limit the distractions. We don't want to let the outside noise get to Jerry. Mike McCarthy would like to limit the distractions. Jerry invites the controversy. Let's have a quarterback controversy.

Why the hell not? Let's let's get a little spice here. Jerry Jones is the friend that when you say, hey, I just want to have like an easy guy's weekend, just chill. Jerry Jones is like, nope, we're going to the club. We're getting a table. We're turning up. We're getting the bottle service and we're staying out till four thirty in the morning. And here's the cocaine. Let's have a weekend. Oh, I can see Jerry bringing Coke. Whoa, this is a family.

This is a family friendly program. And you've got to start bringing up drugs. What are you, Aaron Rodgers all of a sudden? Psychedelics?

Yeah. What happens if there's like a 10 year old listening in the car right now? Now he's asking his father, why are they talking about the white powder stuff? Well, I'm going to get carried away.

What has got it in? I was just trying to just really complete the Jerry Jones like analogy. You should just shut up right now. Cults win one game and now you're talking about cocaine. What's going on? Why did you hang around Michael Ervin too much? Oh, that was you, not me. It's very so fired up for Miami U Games.

No. Oh, yeah, especially these days. I thought that you was not back, but I thought that you was trending in the right direction. And then you lose to Texas A&M, which, OK, I could survive with that. But then Middle Tennessee?

Yikes. Bad few weeks for schools that want to be quote unquote back. Yeah, Texas. Losing to Texas Tech. Miami losing to Middle Tennessee. Yeah, not good.

There's the analysis of the night. Not good. Not what you want. Are you conflicted watching this Giants Cowboys game at all? You're personal. You should be conflicted. So I have Penn State on Penn State, Micah Parsons versus Saquon Barkley.

That's exactly where I was going. Micah Parson going right up against Saquon Barkley. That's going to be some high speed collisions tonight between those two. Big time bragging rights. Maybe James Franklin will be on the field.

Actually, probably not. You got to get game plan for Northwestern. Big one. Oh, you want to know mindset. Stop it.

Northwestern, Northwestern, Northwestern. I'm a loser. I'm a loser.

I'm a loser. But that's an interesting battle. That's a that's going to be that's the most exciting part of this game tonight. The speed of Micah up against the speed of Saquon Barkley. Since now, you're all about talking about like speed and all the things that make you highly engaged and going nuts and like a hamster. Ten thousand miles per hour on that hamster wheel as they just show Lawrence Taylor on Monday Night Football. Only to pan to Michael Urban.

Let's get some analysis. Lawrence Taylor is in the building. Well, Hickey, maybe him and Jerry Jones are hanging out tonight.

Maybe, maybe. Come here, Lawrence. Big fella. Good to see you. Let's make this game exciting.

I would not mind. I don't want to say that I was about to say I would not mind the Cowboys winning tonight. But I just want to the only reason why and there's no rooting interest in this for me, but why I could root for the Cowboys tonight and let me go wash my math out with soap.

Is just because. Jerry, after the game. If you are a member of the media after he gives you the low hanging fruit for a quarterback competition when there's no quarterback competition and Cooper Rush is 2-0. When in the one game Dak Prescott played and they lost. Man. Jerry would sound a little intoxicated after the game.

Let's just say that. That's if you're a Cowboys reporter tonight, you're hoping that Cooper Rush not only wins, there was like four passing touchdowns. Could you imagine?

Jerry would go crazy. He'd be 3-0 as a starter in Dallas. Going back to last year. Is Dak undefeated? I don't think so. Yeah.

You really are a bleep star. I want to see controversy. I want to see chaos. So yeah, I'm rooting for the Cowboys big time. Could you imagine Dak Prescott actually having a field questions about his job being in jeopardy? Let me tell you, I'm so not looking forward and I love when the Cowboys just start drama. But if Cooper Rush plays well tonight, even though what I just said, how many Cowboys fans or how much of the conversation that will be directed there, because it's so easy. It's the Cowboys. It's Jerry Jones. I don't know if I have the energy to do like an hour on that. That's why we just did it in five minutes, but maybe Jerry Jones could help you out.

And you get all the energy that you need, according to hot take Hickey. No huddle offense coming on backs at culture, CBS Sports Radio. Looking for stories about the black community and you don't want to wait until, oh, I don't know, February. Then check out Beyond Black History Month, the podcast that tells inclusive stories year round, like how today's labor movement is connected to the civil rights movement and why black neighborhoods keep getting hit with water crisis after water crisis.

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And do we mention it's all free? Download the Odyssey app today. Looking for stories about the black community and you don't want to wait until, oh, I don't know, February? Then check out Beyond Black History Month, the podcast that tells inclusive stories year round, like how today's labor movement is connected to the civil rights movement and why black neighborhoods keep getting hit with water crisis after water crisis. We're still being charged for water that we can't use. Listen and subscribe to Beyond Black History Month on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts from.