Evan Washburn, NFL on CBS Sideline Reporter

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$10 minimum per order. Additional terms apply. It is Zach Gelb's show on CBS Sports Radio. Evan Washburn probably wishes he was going to Miami this weekend, but he will be in Baltimore. Dolphins at Ravens. And this is going to be a spectacular game.

A lot of playoff implications in terms of seeding on the line in this one. And Evan Washburn will be on the sideline. You'll have Ian Eagle and Charles Davis in the booth for Dolphins at the Ravens. And Evan is kind enough to join us right now. Evan, appreciate it. How are you? I'm good. I'm good. And I can one up you, Zach. I'm actually in Miami right now.

Oh, are you? To sit down with Bradley Chubb. So I'm being able to check both boxes of some South Florida sunshine and then some good old Baltimore charm city life.

But you always live the good life. The only thing I get concerned about with Evan Washburn this time of the year, you have some of the best hair that I've ever seen. So when you go to Baltimore and you have one of these windy games, how do you make sure that the hair just stays so perfectly in place for all your reports? You know, this is where experience and preparation really comes into play.

This is why we put in those hours in August, September, October, November, because in December and January, this is where it counts. And it's about, again, process and protection and making sure you're ready to step up in the moment call. So I'll be ready.

Is there like a firm wax that you use or you kind of go for some of that medium wax stuff? You know, I don't much like coaches like to divulge the game plan. I'll let the play on the field tell the story. People are just wondering if there's any performance enhancers that are used here. You know, people then start to question the hall of fame resume for one Evan Washburn.

Completely natural on all fronts. All right. Get into this game. I'll start you off with the Dolphins since you're around them today. They needed to win a big game.

They did so last week. Just what has kind of been the vibe around this team as I never thought when they were losing to some of these big games that got to them. But naturally, as a human, you hear that noise that is being said about you. Yeah, I think they've done a proper kind of ratio of embracing the doubt, embracing the question, using it as motivation, which I feel like this year more than ever, athletes are really dialing into the underdog, the doubters, all the noise. And it's really become, I think, a powerful tool for them.

As much as in the moment, it's criticizing those that are criticizing them. The outcome has often been a positive thing. And I think that's what you've seen from the Dolphins in what they did against the Dallas Cowboys. Not just because I spent a lot of time with Bradley Chubb today. I think the defense for Miami has really been the story the last month. They've been as big a reason, if not the reason why they went 3-0 in December, 3-1, excuse me, and why they find themselves in a chance to kind of keep chasing that one seed. Why is that defense improved? Because I thought it was a big loss when they suffered the injury on Black Friday with Jalen Phillips. I thought he could kind of be what Hassan Redick was to the Eagles last year. What have you seen in this last month from this defense to get them playing a lot better as a unit?

Beautiful things. I would agree Jalen Phillips' loss was huge, but Andrew Van Ginkle has come in and been a revelation. And he's really honored him with his play, and he's proven to be not just a good story, a grinder with great hair, a fifth rounder a few years ago. He's a legit pass rusher and game changer. Jalen Ramsey came back as well. Having him in the back end is huge for all the obvious reasons.

He's a future Hall of Fame cornerback. They lose Javon Holland, but Deshaun Elliott and some guys really stepped up. They also lost Jerome Baker, their middle linebacker. Duke Riley slid in there.

So it's an example of depth that they have. Vic Fangio doing what he does best in dialing up defense. And that front to me is really where it starts with Bradley Chubb, with Andrew Van Ginkle, and Christian Wilkins having an incredible year in a contract season. And Evan Washburn right now, do you think the MVP has won this weekend? Because a lot of people have been making the case for Tyreek Hill, and a lot of people have obviously made the case for Lamar Jackson, who right now is the front runner to win the award, I would say. Why not Tua? That's fair as well. I would personally go Tyreek, though, over Tua, would you not? Well then, are we going Christian McCaffrey over Brock Purdy?

I would. I don't know what other people would, but yeah. It's the Heisman of the NFL. I mean, that's what it is. Yeah, quarterbacks are at the 50-yard line, and then everyone else is 50 yards behind them.

We can call it what it is, but it's really, that's what it comes down to. So look, and I think quarterbacks do have the highest value, even though they might not be the best player on the field. I think, to answer your question, I think Lamar has put himself in a position where he can win this award with them winning out or not winning out. He just can't have a Brock Purdy event on Sunday afternoon. But I also think Tua is right in the mix.

Yeah, interesting. Evan Washburn here with us. It annoys me, though, and I don't know if you feel this way as well when it comes to Lamar. This guy has been doubted for so many years, and I thought the coverage around him and the draft process, Bill Polian saying changing the position was absolutely laughable, and all this guy has done has had success. I know he hasn't won a Super Bowl. I know he's only won one playoff game, but it's crazy to me how that's like the end-all be-all when a lot of players that are all-time greats didn't win until later on in their career. I can't really find any flaws right now with Lamar Jackson, but it still feels like there are a contingent of people that don't want to give him his credit and give him his due. Well, I think part of it is the apparatus has changed in how we do this, and we're part of it. And what we're doing right now didn't exist to the degree that it does now when I'm trying to think of a quarterback who took a while to win one or to have success in the postseason.

I mean, even Peyton Manning. It wasn't built in that way. There were columnists. There was no real strength in newspapers, and yes, there was TV.

This isn't the Dark Ages, but I think to this level, the conversation just has so much more power and, at times, vitriol and negativity. But when it comes to Lamar, his greatest asset right now, in my opinion, is just how he's elevated this team and allowed them to maintain and, as he likes to say, stay locked in through a real challenging year. I mean, they've been dealt their injury blows just like every team.

Their schedule has been hellacious when you look at not just trips to London, but you go through it, and we did some of the games there. And the fact that they, in the games that they lost, they shouldn't have lost. I mean, they lost them themselves.

They wouldn't say they were really beat. So I think that falls on Lamar, and I trust his teammates when they say he's different this year. The numbers are the numbers. They're even not as good as some of his previous seasons, but he's been an absolute alpha leader, and I think he's the reason why they are where they are right now. I don't know if one team has the advantage over the other, and what I'm about to ask you, Evan Washburn, who will be on the sideline for Dolphins at the Ravens. So the Ravens had that huge victory last week on Monday night up against the 49ers. The Dolphins had a huge victory up against the Cowboys.

If one were to have more of a letdown and maybe be a little bit hungover in that first half from the euphoria of last week, do you think that's a challenge for either one of these teams this weekend? I mean, if there was one team to have it, it would be Baltimore, and it's less mental but just more physical. I mean, they played a Monday night game across the country against a rugged opponent, and yeah, they blew them out by all intents and purposes, but that game left an impact physically on that team. Kyle Hamilton, for example, he has his injury. They've had guys banged up this week. Dave Flowers kind of working through a calf. So those are just specific, but across the board, you talk to the guys in Baltimore, and they're sore.

They're a day behind in recovery, and that will matter when you have to re-prime the engine, if you will, Sunday at 1 Eastern against a Ferrari in the Miami Dolphins. What's your take on Joe Flacco and what he's been able to do with the Cleveland Browns, Evan Washburn? My favorite story in the last, I don't know, maybe 10 years of doing this, and look, I'm proud. I went to the schools at Delaware with Joe and then got a chance to cover him all those years in Baltimore when I was coming up in Baltimore. He's a great guy. I'm so happy for him. The best part about it, Zach, is all the things that people have fallen in love with this year, it's the same guy he was for 11 years in Baltimore, and everybody was questioning whether he was elite and all those things.

It's a great example of packaging and story building. When he's a first round pick in the Super Bowl MVP, expectations completely go through the roof. When you're coming off your mom's couch and you jump in in whatever it was, week 10 or 11, and then you start playing well, it's completely different.

I'm just happy for him because he's also embracing it and enjoying it, which is what you want any of these guys to do. It's great to see elite Joe Flacco back, and I'll take it a step further. In all likelihood, they'll probably be the 5 seed. I think it's a lock that they're going to be playing in the second round of the playoffs. Whoever wins the AFC South, even if it ends up being Kansas City falling down to the 4 seed, I think the Browns are winning on Wild Card Weekend. Which means a potential divisional round game in Baltimore, and those NFL scriptwriters deserve, I don't know if they're getting Emmys or Golden Globes.

I don't think they get Oscars, but that'd be a great episode for the 2023 season. The Flacco return to Baltimore as the shining King of Cleveland. And we also could get potentially, not looking too far ahead, how about the Rams with Stafford maybe having to go into Detroit? Imagine we get both of those on divisional round weekend? I don't know for that, are we that worthy, Zach?

I'm not sure. Stepping up with Evan Washburn. Kansas City, where's your level of concern? I compared them earlier in the week to Brady's final season in New England, where the record may say one thing, but when you actually watch that team play, it just feels like they're missing it and they don't have a lot of weapons. Yeah, I've heard that.

I think that's a decent comp. It has Brady vibes. I wouldn't know if I'd go as negative or as drastic as that final season. There was a season there before the knee injury, maybe it was 06.

I can't remember exactly. I don't have my Patriots season by season in front of me, but there was a season where it was before they brought in Randy and all those guys. Yeah, it was with Doug Gabriel and Reshay Caldwell. They got to the AFC Championship game. Yeah, so that to me is a more apt comp, more so because I just think that where Mahomes is in his career, there's not the external drama that existed with the New England team that was Brady's last year.

It might end up, in terms of result, being more in line with what you're saying. Maybe they lose in a wild card or the divisional, but to me it's a transition year in Kansas City. It feels that way. It feels like the shift from the first era of Mahomes and Reed, much like with Bill and Tom, to now those transitional, hopefully for them it's only this season or a season or two before they're able to influx it with new talent offensively. But it's still hard as we sit here, Zach, in week 17, as bad as it's looked, to completely bail on Kansas City. It's just a scary proposition when you think about who Mahomes is, and I know Travis Kelsey hasn't looked like it recently, but I'm slower to bail these days than I probably have as a younger man.

Two more for Evan Washburn. I remember sitting next to you last year during the playoffs for one of the Eagles victories. That team had great team chemistry. It seems totally different this year. Is this just because they got into a bad losing streak before getting away from that after taking care of the Giants last week, or do you think there's some legitimate team chemistry problems with the Eagles this year?

It's funny. I was talking to a player last week, and we were talking about chemistry in the locker room and the bond. This is a guy who's been in the league for 10 years.

He's a pro bowler. He's like, look, chemistry is good when you're winning. Yes, that's not to say there aren't strong bonds that obviously need to exist and at times thrive during hardship. I don't know if, and I'm not living that beat every day in Philly, and it's a different beat as we know on so many fronts. Similar to Kansas City, I still think there's a team in there that can get right and go on a run. It almost feels like sometimes these Super Bowl teams and teams that do find themselves in that final game or final couple of weeks have that bump in the road, and maybe it's a three game stretch. Maybe it's a four game stretch. That's why I thought San Francisco has lost some Monday nights in Baltimore while disappointing for them.

Maybe the best thing that happens to them. I still have so much invested in terms of what I believe that team can be. Similarly, probably not to the level of San Francisco. That's how I feel about Philly. And then finally, Evan Washburn, Lions and Cowboys coming up tomorrow evening at 8.15 p.m. Eastern. This Cowboys team, we know the Lions have already won the division championship. When you look at Dallas, how earlier in the year, some people thought maybe they were going to be a little bit different. They found a way to get a big victory up against the Eagles, and then last week, even when Dak gets the ball in the end zone, then their defense crumbles at the end up against Miami. What do you make of the Cowboys as they enter their final two weeks of the regular season?

Look, until they start Saturday to some degree, but that will put it to bed. It's about kind of creating that edge and hardening much like what Baltimore's done and how they've navigated their schedule. You have to kind of win those hard games and those grimy games and against Miami, they fell short and they now are gifted in a lot of ways an opportunity to reset that whether you call it narrative or just belief from the outside of what this team really is because their goods really good, but you've got to be able to go into challenging environments and now that's pretty much a given for them in the postseason and be able to come out with a win. It's a tough game for them, but I think it's a really important game to show themselves and then, for whatever it's worth, show everybody else that, yeah, no, we failed to do it a number of times during the season, but we're figuring out how to do it at the most important time now in week 17. And then one final one for you, actually, Evan Washburn, and then we'll let you run. Russell Wilson getting benched this week and basically lining up for an eventual release this offseason. How'd you process that one?

I can't say it's shocking. It felt like it was heading in that direction really before the season even started. I know the contract with the albatross that had to be figured out and probably still will have to be figured out. We had Denver at one point and things were positive. It was ahead of the loss to Houston and I think that it's just, it's a reminder that, and I know Russell had put words to this at one point, no matter how high you get, that inevitably there's going to be a fall and Russ has been going through that the last two years. Thankfully, his bank account doesn't offer the same ups and downs. And to me, what's more interesting at this point is what does he... Because much like guys like Cam Newton or, I mean, Tim Tebow's a tough comp, player status by any means, but I just don't see Russ's up anywhere.

So it makes your options limited. So it'll be fascinating to see how that all plays out once the season ends. Yeah, I thought maybe Pittsburgh or Atlanta, those are the first two teams that came to mind for me for Russ's next stop. Compete with Joe Flacco, in my opinion, for that next great bridge quarterback opportunity because my man has played himself into a spot.

How about that? Evan Washburn, enjoyed the game this weekend. You guys have a great one. Thanks so much for doing this.

You got it, buddy. All right, he's streaming the NFL and Westwood One for free. Sponsored by AutoZone all season long. You listen to every Westwood One broadcast of the NFL Live on the NFL app by asking Alexa to open Westwood One Sports on the Odyssey app. Get in the Zone AutoZone.

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