Phil Simms, CBS Sports NFL Analyst

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Visit felixcatinsurance.com slash terms. Let's welcome in a super bowl MVP, longtime NFL on CBS broadcaster. And that is the great Phil Sims kind enough to join us right now. Once again on the Zach Gelb show, Phil appreciate the time as always. How you been my friend? Oh, I'm doing okay. I had a little run in with the floor a couple of weeks ago, but I'm doing well now.

And look at you, man. You've been lifted way. Oh, it's good to talk to you.

And I hope everything's going well for you. You had a little run in with the floor. What do you mean? I fell down and hit the floor face first. That's why I got my glasses on. If you can see right.

Oh, that's, but I just got the stitches taken out and it's doing better. Did so is the real story here that boomer size and just punch in the face. Is that the truth there? Well, if he punched me in the face, what would he look like? I can hear the headline from the New York post. Now, boomer size and punches. Phil Sims has revealed that we're getting a fight. Oh my God, please.

No, we wouldn't do that. Phil Sims here with us. Let me get your reaction. The last three weeks. It's been awesome with Tommy DeVito. How about what you've been seeing out of the giants quarterback?

Well, it's been really good. I think this past game we saw on Monday night against Green Bay was the cleanest one he's played by far, but I think what surprised me, well, two things, you know, I saw him in training camp. I watched him at Syracuse and saw him at the University of Illinois and his arm strength looks better than it did in college. And his movement has been really good too. So the giants, just to talk about them, it's kind of like the, the league has slowed down, which it always does after a certain period of time, you know, wide receivers, pass rushers are not as explosive as they were just because of duration of the, of the season. But we're just seeing people come around the receivers for the giants, Jalen Hyatt that looks every time I watch them, Wandell Robinson. And then the other thing, the biggest thing of all to me is Kayvon Thibodeau. The fact that he is constantly getting after the quarterback and, you know, Zach, you know, as well as I do, if you can't hit the quarterback in the NFL, you're going to lose games. No, no, no doubt about that. So people are like, I know it's a three game stretch.

The kids playing great. No one knows what to make of the future of Tommy DeVito, but that storyline is there, even though they just paid Daniel Jones. Some people don't believe in Daniel Jones. Like, do you think DeVito could take it to a level where he's challenging for Jones's spot next year? Well, let me think about that. No.

How's that? I mean, it's just, no, it's not going to come on every, every backup quarterback that comes in the NFL now after a game. Well, I don't know, but I think they found the guy, you know, uh, Josh Dobbs, he might be the future of the Minnesota Vikings. No, Kirk Cousins just rips it up almost every single year.

And they were on a roll and that really hurt them. But it's amazing how quickly we jump into that. No, Tommy DeVito, what he has done, he has shown everybody in the NFL. And of course the giants and live action that really counts that he's really come through and played some good games. But you know, to me, he's just solidified himself probably on the team again next year.

That's for sure. If Daniel Jones could say, wait, Zach, yeah, he won't be the starter unless Daniel Jones or whatever is, uh, not ready to go or something like that. But, uh, yeah, it's, let's just see how it plays out, but he's doing great so far.

No doubt. If Daniel Jones can stay healthy, what do you think he could still be though, as a quarterback? Well, you know, I'm, I'm a fan. I liked him, liked him coming out of college. So I didn't, you know, was I surprised he was a six pick of the draft.

Yes, of course. But I thought he would go high, you know, somewhere in the top 15 of the NFL draft. Uh, he's got everything you want as far as size. He can run. He's got a good arm. I think he's very accurate throwing the football and it was just a mess this year for him.

It really was in every aspect. And no matter who you are as a quarterback, when you're not getting protected or things are not going well, it can affect you. And I thought it did a little bit. Uh, but, uh, you know, I don't know the future as far as what the giants think of him and things like that, but I would, I feel pretty safe in saying he'll be if he's ready, which I don't know if that that's a big question after an ACO entry, if he's ready, he'll be the starting quarterback at the start of the year. Next year, Bill Sims joins us right now in the Zach Gelb show on CBS sports radio. Big Ben, uh, was talking the other day about how the Steelers have lost their way and people don't fear the Steelers anymore. Uh, when you look at the current state of the Steelers, right? There's been a lot of questions about the Patriots as well with Bill Belichick. Do you think it'd be a mistake if the Steelers look to move on from Mike Tomlin this off season? Well, I, I've never even thought about it, Zach. I mean, they're not going to move on from Mike Tomlin.

There's just, there's no way. I hear it talked about sometimes all that. They're not look, I think this about them, if their defense was completely healthy, they would be a tough out every single week, but they got some injuries over there. I think the Steelers finally, their offensive line starting to come around a little bit.

And I kind of like it. You know, I've been watching, I watch every one of their games. You know, I think we overrate sometimes the talent around the quarterback. Oh, they got great skill people.

No, they don't. They got it's good, but I never look at it and go, wow, Deontay Johnson and pickets. They're just top big time, top 10 NFL wide receivers, which they're not. So, and you don't turn it around because we fire coordinator. They're not going to explode on the offense right away. That takes off season training camp, create a new place, new system, everything involved there.

And the thing you're going to change that during the middle of the year, it it's just not going to work. Right. You know, you know, very well, right. You've had success. And then when you did go down, right, you saw Jeff Haas settler come in and have success as well.

What has this been like? Just wondering for you this year, because we talked about it with DeVito. There's been now Joe Flacco, right?

Jake Browning. There's been these backup quarterbacks that get these opportunities now. And they're, they're really running with it this year. It's been wild to see.

Yeah, it's unbelievable. I think I did it today and I've already forgot the number, like 24 different starters this year across the NFL. I mean, some teams like Cleveland, four different starters. I think it's, and it's a good time of year because you know who you are and how to manage your team better for the backups to come in. But I, I think what we're seeing and I talk about it all the time to one, you should have truly three quarterbacks that you trust going into the season now.

Okay. We're all over this, this thing that, well, we got a number one, but we don't want to pay the backup any money, Zach, because we're trying to save it for the guy that runs down in the kickoff on the outside or whatever, you know? So, you know, who was it that told me this pet Kerwin, who is behind the scenes, CBS, he goes, and I believe this. And if I was running the team, we would have it four quarterbacks on the roster, you know, two on the roster, whatever, and maybe two on the practice squad, because for many reasons to one, to groom a couple of them, but as we see one and two can get hurt in this NFL very easily, the speed of the defense just keeps going up and the offensive line, the separation between them and the defensive lineman gets, it gets a bigger separation every single year. So if you're a quarterback in NFL, I don't care what your offensive line is and anything you're going to get hit these defensive guys, no matter what rules we bring up and try to do, you're going to get hit as a quarterback and a lot of times it's just luck if you can stay healthy. Phil Simms here with us. Phil, Cam Newton the other day on his podcast, I'm sure you've seen it, called Dak Prescott Game Manager. How would you describe Dak Prescott as a quarterback these days? Well, man, I tell you what, I would love to be a game manager like Dak Prescott.

I mean, oh my God, that'll be my opening statement this Sunday on CBS, so it really will. He is on fire. He's leading the team.

His energy is real. Mike McCarthy, what happened to him? He's like changed, and I'll tell you, but I really mean this to Zach. He changed after they lost that game against San Francisco and I can almost draw off the plays they did that game out in San Francisco. It was just something that everybody runs at the beginning of training camp. It was so basic and now they've gone and they've opened it up and Mike McCarthy is calling the plays. Hell, by the time they even tackle the guy on offense, he's already over there.

Here we go back. I got it already and of course he's got a play sheet that looks like a New Jersey diner menu. I mean, is it unbelievable? But he's ripping through it and it's, hey, you know, it happens in the NFL.

You get in these grooves where it just works and Dak Prescott, Mike McCarthy, the offense, everything about that side of the ball is really clicking. And like I said, if he's a damn game manager, I'd hate to see the guys that really go out there and can win games. I mean, they, that would even be Patrick Mahomes that were doing it this way. So no, he's not a game manager. He's much better than that.

And you know, I'll say this too. He stole the ball better than he ever has in his career. More power. He's limber as hell. He's moving around, making plays, running and throwing. He's just a different guy that I've seen in the past. And I really think it changed after that Frisco game and where he broke out was the Los Angeles charger game. I think it was a Monday night or Sunday night, 20 to 70 where we saw him move around and make some plays.

And I think that's where the damn broke. They go, let's start doing more for him and make him the central figure of the offense. And he has carried him for sure. Did I answer the question? Yes, you definitely did Phil Simms. He never tiptoes around the question.

Never danced around a question. There's no doubt about that. Who is your MVP though, right now with what you've seen? Is it Dak? He's right there. You know, this, you know, Dan, we're getting into the Heisman trophy thing after week one, who's going to win it in college though. He's my trophy.

What do you think? And you know, this MVP is just constant. I think it's Tyree kill personally. But yes, if he could stay healthy, if he's, you know, I was watching Mike McDaniel's or reading what he said today that made it a little iffy about where he is and they do what's best for him and be careful because they need him for the long run and not just this week. But yeah, I would say that too, that if it all stays healthy and he keeps on the trend that he's going, yes, you can see as we watch that game Monday night, when Tyree kill goes out, it changes the Miami Dolphins football team, not just the offense. It changes everything about them, I think.

But Dak would be right there too, right now. Also, when you look at Brock Purdy, your view of Brock Purdy right now is what? Is it similar to the Dak conversation when you heard people call him a game manager, you roll your eyes at that or you put some validity behind that? It's this game manager thing. Stop it.

You know, what the hell is this? You know, to be a game manager, you know how hard that really is? It's really hard. And people just throw the thing out there because they don't want to give credit to somebody. But to manage a game from the quarterback position along with the team and the coach to score and to really be thinking of all that is only for veteran quarterbacks. And but answering with Brock Purdy. Oh, but his guys catch it and run for extra yards. Oh my God. Did we wait? Did we say that when when Patrick Mahomes had Tyreek Hill, that receiving group, when they were doing plays that nobody else did, did we say, well, it's Patrick Mahomes. They're catching it. But look what they're doing afterwards. You know, there's some of these arguments are so stupid.

I can't even get into it. But Brock Purdy makes really good decisions. And I was just watching the game last week, yesterday, probably. I can't remember. And he threw a couple of these, what I call, what's a throw it in the bucket.

You know, that's what everybody says. It went over to the fender, came down right into the hands of his guys. And I counted three of them that I went, wow, those were the difference in the game.

One of them is the Deebo Samuel. I think he went across the field, but that was the difference in the game. So to call him a game manager, first, he's a better athlete than we give him credit for. He's bigger than you think. And his arm.

Well, it's not a rocket, but his touch and his feel throws great spirals. It's all really good. So I'm on the bandwagon with Brock Purdy, the guy that does their games. God, I'm losing his first name, the big X defensive player, Ryan, Tim Ryan, Tim Ryan.

Thank you, Tim. When they were in preseason, you know, a couple of years ago when he was a rookie to you last year or two years, I remember him saying on the telecast, if he was six, four, he'd have been drafted high in the first round. And I went, wow, that's an overstatement, you know, but he's the work for the team. But I, he was at practice every day and he saw it and they were just, and I heard some of the vibes coming out of there. I thought, oh, they're overdoing it.

But now we see Zach that what he was saying was real. You know, Phil Sims, there's some years in the NFL where teams struggle the first three months, and then they get hot in December. And the next thing you know, they're in the Super Bowl. Can you see the bills be in that team this year currently at seven and six with a big game this weekend up against the Cowboys?

The yes or no is no, I don't. I mean, I know if you're going into playoffs or whatever, there's a couple teams you really don't want to see the bills would be one like, I don't know. Oh my gosh, you know, we're expecting a, you know, expecting a game where we're going to be really favored and have maybe an easy game, not easy. It's never easy, but make mistakes and still beat this team. The bills, I think the Denver Broncos, if they make it, wow, they're extremely dangerous.

And I forgot my last team, who it was Cleveland, but Cleveland's beat up, got a lot of injuries too. So those are hard to overcome, but the bills, it, you know, Zach, it's such a tough road and I think their margin of error is so small and, uh, but you never know quarterback that they can protect him enough. He can get really hot. I do like what they've done the last few games on the offensive side.

It's a little more diverse, I guess you would say. And I like it when they put Josh Allen under center. I think it's great to play action game, but they don't do it enough. Last thing I'll ask you as a Phil Sims is here with us. I just want your take on everything that transpired with the homes after the game, with all the complaining with Kadarius, Tony lined up offsides and it ended up negating that crazy play. Kelsey throwing it back to Tony for the touchdown that ended up not being a touchdown. Well, my favorite statement is, okay, Rob is one of the great plays and highlights. I go, this is not by the Kansas state is people on team. I go, it's not about you.

It's about what's right or wrong. Look, it was an egregious lineup, but basically offsides and I'm sorry, but Kadarius, Tony is a good player or he has great potential and they kind of need him to come through and Patrick Mahomes and all them, how they reacted and Andy Reed. That's just what that was real. I mean, my gosh. I mean, thank God that the coverage wasn't back then. What it is now to me with my mouth and some of the things I could say after the game.

Oh my God. But you know, Patrick Mahomes truly is loved by almost everybody that follows football. And so we had a little outburst. This was the first moment. He's really got some, some criticism like in the majority of people criticizing him.

That's how likable he is. Yeah, you're right. But it's, it's okay. You know, every once in a while, you gotta get dirty. You gotta get in there and just state your case.

So I don't blame him, but I didn't look at it and go, wow, that they cheated the Kansas city chiefs. Now everybody's got all the records. Well, it's only been this. And I don't know what else to say. You'd look down the line and you see it.

I will say this to you, Zach. I watched a lot of games, even as I'm watching live at CBS and trying to see things. I see illegal formations all the time, but they don't call them all because the rule is this a blade of grass. So if there's even the, it's 99%, we're not whatever it's, they call it. They usually give the offense the benefit of the doubt. And, uh, but the one with good areas, Tony, I thought, I thought it was so evident or whatever that they had to call it.

So it was tough, but you're always going to lose a couple of tough games every dang year and Kansas city, you know, they still have the talent to get it done and we'll see how it goes. Well, this Sunday, we're all going to be tuning into the NFL on CBS and everyone expects you to do one thing. And that's the Tommy DeVito celebration. Are we getting that this Sunday? Hey, all I can say is I'll say I was getting ready to do it.

Can we get a little preview here? Come on, Phil. No, no, no, no. We're not going to, we're not going to do it.

One. I'm not going to, because you just can't do it right. If I'd have grown up here in North Jersey, I probably would have had to play linebacker because I don't like Italian food. I love it. I love it. Oh my gosh. I was about to have a heart attack here. Phil, if you said you actually love Italian food.

Okay. The Italian food up in this area is better than New York city. There's some mom and pop places here. You're not wrong. Oh my gosh.

I think it was 1980. My wife is from right up here where we live. And we went to an entire Russ and I was trying things.

Oh my gosh, this is awesome. Yeah. It wasn't fried chicken and mashed potatoes.

And what we had down in Kentucky all the time. So it was great. And Tommy DeVito, the whole thing. Good for him. It's a lot to overcome and keep your head clear as a quarterback. But I think just listening to him and he's really playing it like he's listening to him and he's really playing it low key, which I respect and good for him. He's the great Phil Sims. Phil, appreciate the time as always. Thanks for doing this. Thank you.

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