College Football Coaches Poll Reaction (Hour 2)

Alrighty, how you doing? It is the Zach Gelb show coast to coast on CBS Sports Radio. Lomas Brown is going to join us 20 minutes from now as we'll preview the Detroit Lions season. But first we have to get to all the latest in college football where you know by now Washington and Oregon will be off to the Big Ten. You already knew that USC and UCLA next year are joining the Big Ten. And when you look at the Big 12 who you'll see this year BYU and Cincinnati and Houston and UCF play Big 12 football. Next year Colorado going there back to the the Big 12 and you will also now see Arizona, Arizona State and Utah leave the Pac-12 pretty much down to the Pac-4. And there's been some reports that the ACC could be interested or at least exploring maybe bringing Cal and Stanford over and then we'll find out what happens with Oregon State and Washington State as well. But you are starting to see or you've seen the Pac-12 be the Power 5 conference that has been left in the corner where the Big Ten makes their big move to go get USC and UCLA. The SEC made their big move to go get Texas and Oklahoma and after that it was the ACC has some stability clearly with some of the teams in there. You know Florida State wants a bigger piece of the TV pie but they're gonna have to pay their way out. I don't think they're gonna do that right now in order to leave so the ACC for now is okay. They're in a fine spot but it was gonna be between the Big 12 or Pac-12 who was gonna fold and who was gonna be sit there and in a staring contest who was gonna be the team that blinks first to go make that move. And I'll give credit to the last two Big 12 commissioners who they were aggressive. They said we will pluck three American Athletic Conference schools and we'll go get them. We'll also add BYU as well which has done a nice job under Kalani Satake and from there Colorado.

Colorado's got this great program obviously but if they want back in we'll just take people because we need numbers to survive. So they did a good job for now to survive and then somewhat thrive and we'll see long-term what it becomes but the Pac-12 was left sitting there banking on Apple and this really not desirable deal where you get a flat fee and then it's based off how many subscriptions where it wasn't all that desirable and you never gave an incentive for other Pac-12 schools to stay. Because you could have lost USC and UCLA and still found the way to maintain your conference and I know that's an enormous loss losing USC and UCLA but we just saw the Big 12 earlier than you to lose Texas and Oklahoma which prints so much money.

So if the Big 12 was able to survive it was because they found a way to answer the question how are you going to survive as quick as possible. Where the Pac-12 just thought the brand of the Pac-12 was going to last. Where if you've been following this for the last few years I don't I know people get a bitch about geography and how does it make sense we've already had this argument it's all about following the money and the Big 12 did a good enough job in just getting teams to join them when we thought it was a sinking ship. The Pac-12 had a sinking ship and no one on the Pac-12 said we need help come save us. So that's why you see the Pac-12 be where it is right now and the Big 12 be where it is right now and it's two totally different outcomes and if you are one of these four remaining Pac-12 schools don't wait right for them to try to form with the Mountain West you have to operate with to the best interest of yourself and the death of the Pac-12 wasn't USC and UCLA leaving because we've seen as I just said the Big 12 lose Texas and Oklahoma. The death was really and the most ironic thing ever Colorado going back to the Big 12 being the death blow because not because you really lose anything but if Colorado said we're going to operate with to the best interest of ourselves why would any of the other Pac-12 schools not do that as well and Washington and Oregon will eventually become from a TV standpoint more lucrative where they're not going to get that immediate right away I think it's like 30 million dollars for now and if you're Washington and Oregon it wasn't that you got cold feet regardless of what was being said on Friday it was was the Big 10 gonna finally extend that offer and they waited but they eventually did and once that happened there was no way Arizona and Arizona State and Utah they could all say that they were surprised there's no way that there was any reason for them to stay in the Pac-12.

So that's what you have going on right now and ultimately it will lead to three different sectors of college football where you have the Big 10 you have the SEC the two enormous conferences out of what was the Pac-5 and eventually schools will leave the ACC and then once that happens where schools leave the ACC it's going to be inevitable that the Big 12 the ACC and you know you can forget about the Pac-12 because they're dead but whatever remains years from now and I know the ACTV deal expires in 2036 where whoever doesn't join the Big 10 and the SEC who will be selected they'll come together and that's how we'll operate in what was used to be a power five really then down to three schools where it's really two power conferences and then everybody else. So that's the latest with college football also today we got our our first coaches poll of the year and I was curious after Georgia how this would play out because Georgia in a year where we really don't know what to expect from college football Georgia winning the last two years and after winning their first championship with all they lost them coming back stronger they deserve to be number one and they're the school now not Alabama that everyone is hunting in college football so I was curious and it's just a coach's poll but how these teams are going to fall in order and if you've been listening to this show all season long I said on paper Georgia's the best team right they deserve to the best team in college football but if you want to look at the team that maybe from a talent perspective could be right there it's Michigan because Michigan you get McCarthy back you get Blake Coram back you get Donovan Edwards back they've been able to produce enough talent defensive side of the ball remember two years ago they lose Ojibwe and Hutchinson everyone's like how they're going to be defensive they were fine defensively last year so Michigan even though they've had shortcomings the last two years where they finally get over the hump crush Ohio State win the big 10 within the college football playoffs get embarrassed by Georgia and then just did not come to play early on up against TCU they now have an opportunity to take the next step and that's to get to the national championship game world still remains four teams and win a national championship so I like Michigan being at two I'm not gonna crush the coaches for putting Alabama three and a month and a half two months ago I would say Alabama deserves to be the second team in the SEC and you look though at last year Alabama was on the SC championship game and LSU Brian Kelly everyone clowns him a year ago my family and the cringe-worthy TikTok dances you know Brian Kelly and Hickey actually have a lot in common when it comes to social media because Brian Kelly puts out some cringe-worthy posts if you have no clue what I'm talking about I see you know Hickey with the the shower no cap videos hot take Hickey where he's posting videos of him in the shower and then and then I saw a photo of Hickey who's at a bachelor party and he's not here today that's why you have Chris Hess with us and hot take Hickey is rocking a mustache and let me tell you if I saw Hickey walking down the street I'm dialing 911 because he looks very creepy and the mustache was unevenly cut where the left side is stronger than the right side so Brian Kelly and hot take Hickey put out a lot of cringe-worthy content but you can't disagree with the results I guess now Brian Kelly does a lot more winning than hot take Hickey but look at what Brian Kelly did last year he found a way to get into an SEC championship game now I lost to Georgia but you have maybe the best defensive player in the conference back and maybe the best defensive player in college football and you have your quarterback back as well and there's uncertainty who's going to start for Alabama at the quarterback position you lose Will Anderson you lose Bryce Young personally I would put LSU above Alabama now you look at the rest of it Ohio State once again it's the same thing I just said about LSU I would go LSU three if I did this Alabama four and then I would put Ohio State fifth and Ohio State and Alabama are both similar where Ohio State they have a ton of talent a wide receiver but there's major question marks at what is going to be able to what are they going to be able to look like at the quarterback position now after that I don't want to say the rest of it is irrelevant because it's not USC is in at six it's easy to say USC is going to have a great season they lost to Utah twice last year where they couldn't protect the lead and we know that they have the reigning Heisman trophy winner and already going to be the number one overall pick in next year's draft in Caleb Williams but my big concern about USC which is in the final year of I'll say the Pac-12 and the Pac-12 has a loaded quarterback class and a big difference here not saying all these other schools are great defensively but USC doesn't play look at defense and I don't know how much is going to change this year well you know they'll be able to put up a ton of points but is Lincoln Riley with Grinch they're going to have enough on defense and I don't think they will and you look at that conference USC is in at six Washington gets Michael Penix back and he's healthy in at 11 you have Utah at 14 we'll see what happens with the health of Cam Rising with that late injury that he suffered up against Penn State you got Oregon at 15 Bo Nix is back and Bo Nix changed his storyline last year you got a lot cooking there in the Pac-12 so everyone's picking USC yes going into the year I'm okay and it's a sexy pick but I will take the field in the Pac-12 USC against the field Penn State's in at seven I never give Penn State any compliments you know I'm disgusted today that one Penn Stater is in here in hot take hickey and they give me another Penn Stater in Chris Hess I can't escape Penn State ouch sorry it's just the truth ouch you go to Penn State I look at you differently ouch I always expect you to be up to something just you know you're just going to find a way to to to cause some pain in my life now I look at these Penn Staters I get very skeptical you guys are all a part of this cult now I will say I love your athletic director in Pat Kraft love Pat Kraft hate your defensive coordinators guts and Manny Diaz and James Franklin if it wasn't for Jimbo Fisher would be the most overrated coach in college football and I know last year I'll give credit to Franklin they did a solid job but this year James Franklin with all the talent that Penn State has and listen to me right here folks because this may be the last time I ever say it I'm optimistic about Penn State this year because I'm fair even though I can't stand them I'm fair they have a really good team on paper now Michigan is what everyone's hunting most people will say Ohio State's too in the Big Ten for Penn State and you know this Chris has their schedule outside of Ohio State and Michigan bunch of cupcakes and that speaks a little bit about the Big Ten if James Franklin who is Mr recruit recruit recruit and then when the games happen I know he's won a Big Ten championship there for the most part top ten teams top five teams his record is putrid his record is about as putrid as hickey's mustache that I saw on social media spot on you have to bare minimum I'm not even saying you have to beat both Michigan and Ohio State you have to beat one of them exactly you got to split with either one of them and it doesn't matter who I don't care who they who they beat who they lose to they can get 11 wins awesome and I will say this also what Franklin lacked in those two years the Big Ten championship year and the year after what they lacked was offensive line oh yeah I saw the I saw the career of Christian Hackenberg come to an end it was terrible in south Philadelphia where Temple finally beat them the first time in 74 years second bird as did I that was awful I was at that game it was awful yeah and you know what I actually in the in the media world we now consider Christian Hackenberg a friend to the show oh I called that guy Sackenberg I used to have so much fun he used to be the punchline of every joke but then he came on the show I told him that and he was cool about it but you look at that Penn State schedule West Virginia their coach is about to get fire Delaware it's a disgrace that hickey's even going to that game uh Illinois Iowa Northwestern UMass if you're a Penn State fan Chris Hess I don't know your relationship status but let's just say you have some obligations on a Saturday go do your obligations then you know go do your chores go apple picking or whatever because West Virginia Delaware Illinois Iowa Northwestern UMass you lose one of those games oh it's done it's over but then the season gets started October 21st at Ohio State then after that Indiana and Maryland they have a good offense with Talia Tunga by Lola but uh then you play Michigan you play Rutgers PU and then Michigan State which Michigan State Mel Tucker was the greatest thing two years ago now the guy is that worth the what the 90 million 100 million dollars that they gave him you have two games this year you gotta split and then don't lose a game that you get surprised by a team because you get lazy you overlook them the Illinois and the Maryland games I think are the ones if anything they would get surprised but at the same time it's a joke if they lose them exactly I don't think they lose to Maryland because Maryland's lines of scrimmage are awful yeah especially the defensive line Illinois's got a very good they're very good on the line of scrimmage Illinois I will give them that Luke Altmyer quarterback okay Chase Brown gone if you just stop Illinois's bread and butter which is literally running the ball that's all they do with Brett Bielma stop them a little bit you could score 21 in the game and be fine now the rest of the coaches poll I know Clemson won the ACC last year but going into this season I like where Mike Norvell's team is at they put Florida State eight Clemson nine Tennessee everyone talks about the arm of the quarterback in Joe Milton who used to be at Michigan and we saw a little bit of Tennessee and then we saw uh Hendon Hooker what he was able to do we'll see how great that system is of Josh Heiple this year and then we talked about it Washington at 11 the first big 12 team is Texas everyone's hyping up Texas we'll talk more about Texas later to welcome a new affiliate the horn I'm actually believing in the Texas hype and I never do just in term of them emerging in the big 12 Notre Dame's at 13 I like bringing in Sam Hartman Marcus Freeman year two and then you get some Pac-12 teams in their back-to-back Utah and Oregon TCU is going to take a step back they're in at 16 I like what Klimen has done at Kansas State they're 17 Oregon State with DJ Wengle LA now in at 18 we'll see if he could bounce back getting away from Clemson Oklahoma big year for Venables and at 19 you still have Gabriel Drake May who is the uh projected second quarterback off the board maybe even the second overall pick in the draft with UNC and Mac Brown in at 20 Wisconsin someone's got to win that division and Luke Fickle's a heck of a coach he got Cincinnati to a college football playoff they're in at 21 uh Kiffin we'll see who's going to be his quarterback at Ole Miss in at 22 Tulane who won the American Athletic Conference last year at 23 I like Joey Maguire Texas Tech in at 24 and if you are an A&M fan them being in at 25 they have so much talent but Jimbo Fisher last year was a disgrace and they bring in Bobby Petrino he's going to call the plays not going to call the plays we all know he's going to call the plays I think that's a sign for A&M fans where on on paper you could have the fourth best teams you know in the SEC but you're only at 25 let me tell you right now I do not expect A&M to have this monster season they should win some games because they have so much talent but at the end of the year I don't think many people are going to be clamoring for Jimbo Fisher to be back and you know what the buyout is and that's the only reason why he's back for this year and also the recruiting class that he's put together Wigman's gonna have to be a heck of a quarterback for them but they're not going to win games this year because of Jimbo Fisher's in-game coaching they're gonna have to win nine games minimum for him to save his job you know what though I agree in terms of if he doesn't do that with the talent that they have you should be right but the buyout on that contract is so big oil money baby let's go I understand that it's still a lot of digging that you got to do to get out of that deal but get out of that deal but their their schedule they play New Mexico you should beat them Miami people don't I like crystal ball but Miami so far is not a team that you should lose to Louisiana Monroe Auburn all right Hugh Freeze year one got a lot of talent there Arkansas I like K.J. Jefferson and Sam Pittman but you got more right there Alabama tough game Tennessee South Carolina I like Beamer and you have Rattler there Ole Miss Mississippi State Abilene Christian Cupcake LSU so you're what you should definitely beat New Mexico Miami Louisiana Monroe and then Abilene Christian then you have your your tough SEC schedule of Arkansas Auburn Alabama Tennessee South Carolina Ole Miss Mississippi State and LSU that's eight games I don't think they'll go five and three in that eight but with the talent that they have I don't want to hear these excuses if you're not five and three in those eight games we got to take a break on the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio when we come on back we'll do a little first and goal previewing the Detroit Lions with their former offensive lineman Lomas Brown now back to the Zach Gelb show the NFL season is inching closer and closer who are the contenders and who are the pretenders we have four downs to figure out your team's future each time now for first and goal on the Zach Gelb show all righty time to discuss one of the more talked about teams in the NFL entering the 2023 season and that of course are the Detroit Lions and will do so right now with a former Lions offensive lineman does their games on the Lions radio network and that is Lomas Brown always kind enough to join us on the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio Lomas appreciate the time as always how you been I'm great how you doing today well I'm doing fantastic so I'm excited for this year of Detroit Lions football I got to start you off though going back to the draft at the end of the month in April a lot of people were surprised when the Lions selected Jamir Gibbs with the 12th overall pick what did you make of that selection and how do you kind of think of it a few months later yeah I was one of those people that was really surprised you know when they called this name but man after watching this guy that training camp and some of the things that you see what Ben Johnson our offensive coordinator is going to do with him how he's going to incorporate him not just only in that run game but incorporate him in the past game he's going to be a weapon for us and we know with Jamison Williams serving the six games suspension we can use as many weapons out there on the field as we can get so very excited to see him get his action and very excited to see how Ben Johnson is going to utilize him in this offense this year so I like Jamir Gibbs I was surprised like you were that he was selected with the 12th overall pick we know Ahmad Ra Saint Brown is an excellent wide receiver as well everybody else do the Lions have enough for Jared Goff once you get away from Gibbs and Ahmad Ra Saint Brown I think we do I really think we do I mean look Sam Laporta we know he's a rookie but he has been impressive in training camp of course you know we're going to miss Shane Lester our tight end that we just lost for the year when we put on IR and then you got guys like Marvin Jones you got Trinity Benson we got a quality receiver core that's coming back and to me like I tell anybody when you got the offensive line that we got you could plug and play anybody behind them so I think we have one of the best offensive lines in the league so again to me I think we do have enough on the offensive side of the ball to make some real noise this year. We know Jamison Williams is not available for most of last season had that one big catch for a touchdown you mentioned the six game suspension because the gambling when he gets back what do you think we're going to see from Jamison Williams as they're high expectations but so far mixed reviews. Yeah it is high expectations and you're right the productivity has matched the expectations and it hasn't and it's been various reasons like you stated the injury and now with the suspension we just want to see them play meaningful football I mean we know he's been teasing us man we know what the guy can do we know what we've seen with all that speed out on the field and like I said we know what the creative offensive coordinator that we have so we just got to be we just need Jamison to like I said go through this suspension that he's going to go but he has to stay on top of his preparation he has to hit the ground ready to run when he gets his opportunity in week seven.

Let's get to the next down. Lomas Brown here with us Jared Goff has impressed people I don't think anyone believed that he'd probably still be the starting quarterback of the Lions and they made that trade a few years ago what's your read on the Lions quarterback entering this season? Yeah he's been fantastic man he ended the season as one of the best quarterbacks in the league and I thought he just carried over that momentum he's been very very great at camp so far he's been you can just see that the progression now with him is so much quicker you can see that the game is slow down for them and it's kind of crazy to be able to say that about the future but you can tell it slows down. Jared's out there he's doing his leads going through his proper reasons making the proper throws he's leading this team and that's what we're going to need if the Lions are going to get to where they want to get at this year which is I think you have to win the division this year. When you look at the future of Goff Lomas Brown he still has a few years left under contract an unrestricted free agent in 2025 they drafted Hendon Hooker because he fell because of the ACL injury do you think that Goff is in a long-term plan and they'll eventually get an extension ironed out here or is there still more to be seen from the quarterback? You know I'm quite sure there's more to be seen but I think he's deserved an extension here I really do I think Jared is you know what 28 years old I think he is you know he's a guy that's accomplished a lot in this league early in this league he's a guy that's continuously growing he's a guy that I think the club and play put guys around him and he's a natural going leader man I've heard nothing but positive things from the teammates about Jared and to me to be the guy like that a guy that came in with things real rocky with this organization I think he's steady to ship with the organization so a guy that comes in and can do that you have your spirit and I hope the Lions do have a tendency to reward that guy because I think he deserves it. Let's get to the next down Lomas Brown here with us going to the other side of the ball with the defense Aiden Hutchinson had a phenomenal rookie year we know other pieces as well that shined in 2023 2022 but the defense got better down the stretch with the success that they had at the end of the season how do you think the defense carries over now into 2023? Man I tell you what Aaron Glenn he's up and pushing those guys he really is I mean to watch him out there working with that defense each and every day some of the things that he's incorporating with that defense and just to see the growth of our second year guys I mean just rolled up Aiden Hutchinson you know you got Malcolm Rodriguez a guy that had a phenomenal rookie year that you want to see grow Jerry Jacobs another guy young guy that had a great year that you want to see continuously grow and then you got the young guys and some of these guys that we brought in the C.D. Garza you know you got the Brian Johnson the young guy from Alabama Brian Branch yes Brian Branch that we brought in you know you got a lot of the guys that that are in their second year third year guys that are still improving still trying to prove that they belong in this game and it's great to see so I think Aaron Glenn has the attention of this defense I think this defense is ready to take that next step to becoming just a better defense than they were last year. Let's get to the final down. Lomas Brown here with us former offensive lineman in the NFL was a great Detroit line does their games on the radio you talked about earlier the expectation for this team a lot of people are picking them to win this NFC North how do you think they'll handle those expectations this upcoming season? Yeah that's been great you right and look Zach I don't heard Super Bowl that one was just being thrown around here with a lot of our fans so a lot of our fans they snuck with the kingdom title they skip winning the playoff game which we haven't done in 30 some odd years they go straight to the Super Bowl so you know the anticipation you know the excitement you know everything the hoopla that's going on around there I think Dan has been I think he's been sheeting the right message to those guys that hey we haven't done anything yet which they haven't you know it's nice to have the hype it's nice to have this on behind you but you got to go out there you got to win so until they get that done until we win the game win the playoffs game and prove that we're not the same old lions you know I think these guys are ready for that challenge we only know when we lace it up against us Kansas City on Thursday night but I do think Dan has the attention of his team and they're following his lead you know I was talking about this the other day what the expectation should be bare minimum for the Lions and at first we were like all right it's to win the division because everyone's picking them but they just got to make the playoffs this year like Lions fans are not going to be bummed if they're the the seventh seed in in the wild card right yeah and I do think we got to win one I think we got to win one I mean it would be great to give in there but Zach 31 years 32 years since we love a playoff game I think we have to win one this year and I'm really curious to see inside that division because the Bears they're not ready I think the Packers will be better than what people expect but they have a big question mark with Jordan Love it seems like everyone's sleeping on the Vikings I get it they're not as good as what their record said they were last year they still got a good chance to win this division absolutely the Vikings have a good team they have a lot of weapons done they're a team that we have to battle each and every year again we split with them last year probably shooting one of those games against them last year but they're dangerous I mean even with everything like you said that's going on with no doubt they still have a lot of weapons on both sides of the ball and the other team that has to be respected when you start talking about this division I know a lot can change from now until the start of the season it's only a month until you'll see the Lions kick off against the Chiefs in that first game of the year like you were talking about what do you think the Lions can show people in that first game of the year up against Kansas City yeah I mean that what they don't show is their grit that's the word in Detroit is grit that grit and determination and that's what you go get out of the Lions believe me going into that game the one thing about the Detroit Lions is they're going to fight you for that whole 60 minutes you're going to be in for a fight and I expect that out of them against Kansas City on Thursday night to open the season up I mean that's a tall task going up against the Super Bowl December champs in their home raising their banner against one against the best quarterback or the best player in this league but hey that's what challenges are for the Lions love to put challenges in front of them to see if they could conquer those challenges and that's a big one to try to cock on Thursday night opening the season well miss brown I will tell you what the key is for the Lions this season and I don't think anyone else is saying this if people know your story you were a great trombone player in high school and then eventually found your way to the football field when someone said hey I don't think you have a career in the trombone let's get you out there and play some offensive line I think you have to fire up the squad dust off the old trombone and play the trombone for the Lions before each and every game they'll be undefeated and you know what Zach so I'm gonna start working on those lung exercises so I can hold those notes out I got you my good man you'll be playing the trombone all the way to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl I love it I love it he's the great Lomas Brown Lomas always great to hear your voice thanks for doing this thanks Zach take care now back to the Zach Gelb show all righty Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio so you know this and I know this everybody in football right now is chasing the Kansas City Chiefs it doesn't mean that you can't find a way to beat them you saw Tampa Bay with the great Tom Brady do so a few years back in that 2020 season coming off a Chiefs championship then the year after that you had Joe Burrow and that Cincinnati Bengals defense find a way to out duel Mahomes in that second half of that AFC title game and last year a lot of people were jumping off the bandwagon of Kansas City saying no more Tyree kill now they're vulnerable and who gets the last laugh it's Kansas City defeating Cincinnati in that AFC title game and then a few weeks later even though Philadelphia had a 10-point lead in the Super Bowl they found a way to come on back in that defense for Philadelphia which was a great defense and they were slipping and sliding all over that field and they couldn't find a way to contain Patrick Mahomes for the majority of the game they did a fine job in that first half but in the second half Mahomes was just sensational in that contest so you'll look at the NFL right now with Kansas City is the champ so to be the champ you got to beat the champ this question more so is for the AFC but if you look at the NFC there's really only two teams that I feel if they go up against Kansas City they could find the way in a Super Bowl to beat them and first and foremost it's the Eagles they gave Kansas City everything they could and then some and they lost the game then you see the 49ers same story a few years ago Jimmy Garoppolo I know he's no longer there but he outplayed Mahomes for three quarters and then in the fourth quarter with about seven and a half minutes ago in that game it just changed so you take a glance at the NFC I know Dallas on paper has a great defense offensively they have talent but I don't trust Dak Prescott in a big spot no one in the NFC North Vikings go win a playoff game but I don't think they win more than that the Lions they have a lot on offense is their defense ready to take that next step no one in the NFC South and you look at the NFC West we already talked about the Niners like I like Seattle on paper but am I picking Seattle to beat Kansas City in the Super Bowl no I wouldn't do that I would even though I'm optimistic about the Seahawks I think they could be the third best team in the NFC I'm not telling you I'm gonna trust Geno Smith over Mahomes in a big game and I look at the Niners to be fair the Niners I even have some concerns against them up against the Chiefs and they got to a Super Bowl not because of the Niners defense but am I trusting Brock Purdy Trey Lance if it gets to that point to defeat Patrick Mahomes and out to Patrick Mahomes no I think we're kind of in a similar spot where Garoppolo was a few years ago so you look at the AFC and the first team that jumps out to you on dethroning Kansas City it's Cincinnati and we'll get into more of this later with Jamar Chase saying maybe Joe Burrow shouldn't play week one as long as Joe Burrow is healthy by the playoffs I'm going to operate under the assumption that he will be just dealing with the Cavs strain we've seen Kansas City not only get defeated by the Bengals but it happened three times twice in the regular season and won the AFC Championship game and then Kansas City gets defeated by the Bengals and then Kansas City got their revenge last year so those two teams even though Cincinnati doesn't have the Super Bowl the last few years they've been neck and neck and in one year Cincinnati beat them the other year in the AFC Championship game and went to Kansas City but those games have been really close so the team that has done the best job in trying to dethrone Kansas City has been Cincinnati now they talked too much crap last year defensively led by Mike Hilton with that Burrow had nonsense going into Arrowhead and they didn't deliver but after that you look at the AFC I'm not going to count out Buffalo now I don't I have Miami winning the AFC East it does not mean I think the Bills are going to be putrid this year if Miami met Buffalo in a playoff game even though and you can try to figure this out I picked Miami to win the AFC East I'd probably feel more confident about the Bills but the Dolphins played them great three times last year beat them once lost them twice but they went into that AFC wildcard weekend with Skyler Thompson and almost beat the Buffalo Bills but I look at the Bills they've been so close they've been able to defeat Kansas City in the regular season but come playoff time they've had leads and they've not been able to hold them but you have that quarterback in Josh Allen it's going to be can Von Miller get off you know get that team off the field and look what happened last year Von Miller against the Chiefs we all remember it comes off the edge I think it was Terron Johnson who made the interception but that was because of the pressure of Von Miller once they lost Von Miller for the year that season changed drastically for the Buffalo Bills if you look in the north outside of the Bengals if Lamar's healthy but you you look at what happened the Bengals almost even the Bengals almost even make it out of wildcard weekend last year and that was with Tyler Huntley at quarterback for the Ravens so I'm not going to sleep on the Ravens in terms of if they go up against Kansas City that they could get the job done because we've seen Lamar play well against the Chiefs but look at the team that you compare right the uh the Kansas City Chiefs the most two in terms of having a chance to beat them it's the Bengals and last year the Ravens almost beat the Bengals in a playoff game without their starting quarterback the south Jacksonville I think is dangerous I do Jacksonville to me as a team that defense of it needs to be more consistent but Trevor Lawrence is the real deal and they made the second round last year and then the AFC West if the Chargers could just put it all together and Brandon Staley could find the way to coach himself you know into favorable waters in the NFL the Chargers are always a team that they could get really close and they were close last year but until that coach finds a way to get away from some of his craziness there's always going to be questions so if I had to give you three teams best shot of taking down the Chiefs in the AFC it'd be the Bengals one Bill's still two Bill's still two and I put a lot of stock still in the Jacksonville Jaguars Zach Gelbs shows CBS Sports already let me get to Kevin and Missouri right up here before we get to the break eight five five two one two four CBS Kevin what do you got yeah um I'm thinking that the Chiefs will probably not do as good this year because of their not getting a getting some like good spots in the NFL draft and also I think the Pittsburgh Seals may do better this year I just want your opinion on it uh the Steelers could be a team that I could see them making the playoffs but is anyone really gonna question the Chiefs roster heading into this year we all just did that last year where it was oh they don't have enough surrounding you know Mahomes once you get rid of Tyreek Hill and what did they do they won the Super Bowl so as long as you have 15 and as long as that offensive line is competent I don't want to hear about you didn't like some of the draft picks I don't want to hear that and we'll see if the Chris Jones situation can get figured out from a contractual standpoint but the formula is not crazy here for Kansas City it's Andy Reid finds a way to design great plays I know they don't have the enemy anymore Mahomes to Kelcey is unstoppable and they'll have enough other pieces to find a way to get it just to work and defensively the two years they've won Super Bowls we've seen Spagnola's defense not be great but find a way to make timely stops so if Kansas City doesn't win it this year it's not because oh they don't have enough talent and they didn't draft well and they didn't draft well it's because the AFC is really damn good and only takes one good performance by another team to get the job done in the playoffs