Russell Wilson Speaks

Let's face it, most people aren't making massive turkey feasts on the regular, and after 364 days of not thinking about it, it can be hard to get that bird just right. That's where Instacart, the holiday rescue app, comes in. From getting all the ingredients to prep a full seasonal spread to getting last minute swaps in a turkey emergency, Instacart has everything a holiday host needs to save face and save dinner. And right now, if you download Instacart, you'll get free delivery on your first three orders and delivery in as fast as one hour.

Offer valid for a limited time, $10 minimum per order, additional term supply. Thanks for calling Discover. This is Anjali. Hi, it's Jennifer Coolidge. I just got an alert for a strange charge on my card.

No problem. We make sure you're never held responsible for unauthorized purchases on your Discover card. Let's see, did you purchase something from a t-shirt can in store yesterday? Absolutely not.

No, I already have like three. Zero dollar fraud liability guarantee. It pays to discover. Learn more at discover.com slash credit card. Limitations apply.

All right, you have a number three of already a program. That's right. It is the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. So Russell Wilson just held court in the Broncos locker room. Man, that kind of shows you how quickly it's fallen for Russ.

You don't even get a podium anymore. I don't even put him in front of a podium and do a traditional press conference. It's just right by his locker and you have a scrum with all those reporters that are just lining up and circling around Russ.

And it's like, have at it. All righty, let's hear from Russell Wilson. So he did confirm that the reports were true, that after the Kansas City game. So they beat Green Bay. They beat Kansas City.

And think about that. That was the start of their winning streak where they start to turn it around before it didn't fall off once again. That the Broncos approached him and they asked him to take out the injury guarantee clause in his contract or else. They were going to bench him. Russ said they came up to me during the bye week and beginning of the bye week, Monday or Tuesday. They told me if I didn't change my contract, my injury guarantee that I'd be bench for the rest of the year.

I was definitely disappointed about it. It was a process for the whole bye week. We just had some we just came off beating the Chiefs.

I was excited for us fighting for the playoffs and getting on a hot streak. The NFL PA and NFL got involved or whatever at some point. Like, Samter, maybe you understand the legal part of this better than I am and I usually hate when sports end up becoming a litigious situation.

But that just doesn't seem right. Like you agreed to a contract. I understand there are modifications to a contract from time to time, like when COVID happened and there was a lot of financial happenings involved in the company because the whole world was changing. A lot of us had our contracts modified or there were some tweaks made in our contracts, but it wasn't ever like you have to do this or we get rid of you.

You have to do this or you lose your show. It was a peaceful process. And also I have I'm a union member and my union got involved as well. Just as like a general landscape of guidelines for union employees. But can an employer go like in the NFL and I I guess they can't. I don't know what was the extent of the NFL PA and the NFL got involved, but you agreed to a seven or a five year contract and then there was two previous years on it, which makes it I guess the seven year deal. Can you go to a player and say I'm going to bench you? And the only way I won't bench you is if you take out the injury guarantee clause in your contract. Like Santa to me that seems like the Wilson camp if it did go down that way and there's two sides to every story.

There was a report. We haven't really heard Sean Payton talk about this because he won't be honest with you anyway, whenever he talks and now Russell Wilson confirms the report, but that just doesn't seem right that the Broncos who had an agreement with Russ can go to Ross and basically threaten him saying we're still going to pay you but you're going to lose your starting position. If you don't take out the injury guarantee clause in your contract. The way I look at it is the NFL and this is the brilliance of the NFL and the owners is that because it's the only sport that does not have guaranteed contracts. There's a lot of wiggle room and you hear it all the time about these players who restructure their deals. Yeah, you don't see that in any other sport baseball players don't restructure their deals, right NBA players oftentimes don't restructure their deals. They'll opt out and then resign or something guaranteed. What the money's guaranteed right and they don't restructure so that their their cap hit is different for this year compared to next year.

They don't do that. The NFL does that and I think that that is one of the things that the players need to negotiate out of these contracts. It's non-guaranteed stuff because it gives so much leverage to the teams to be able to move this money around and cut guys who still have years left in their contracts. And so I don't think I've heard of this specific situation before but we've definitely heard of situations before where players were told that they have to adjust their contract or else they're getting cut or benched or moved or traded or whatever and sometimes the player will call the bluff and say, you know what do it and then they get cut or traded or whatever. And then sometimes the guys agree to it because they want to stay. Russell Wilson has options. So he's decided to say no and he's going to get moved.

Yeah, I think that there's more that happened with this one behind the scenes. Like they won games. So maybe you're not going to bench the quarterback while you're winning games, right?

They won the two games in a row then they came out of the bye week and they did go on that win streak. But I do wonder how much the NFL PA got involved and they were able to delay the actual benching of Russell Wilson because I hear what you're saying and what you said makes sense and I'll give you the reality of the situation. The owners are always going to win over the players. It's 32 owners that you have to get on the same page and you don't even need all of them to get on the same page.

It's the majority. The players, there's so many more players obviously than NFL owners and not everyone makes 30, 40 million dollars a year and you only have such a short lifespan in the NFL and this is a brutal, lethal sport and there's a lot of times that's why the contracts aren't guaranteed. Just the personal truth of it because you could sign someone for five years then the next year or next day he could break his leg go running for a first down and then he's never the same player again. But I don't think you'll ever get players on the same page because even when it gets contentious and they go on strike eventually paychecks start to get missed and then ultimately everyone is selfish and they're in it for themselves and that's when you eventually just get players that go okay, we're getting a good deal. We need our money now.

Let's just do this. The owners will always have the upper hand on the players but in this case in particular and I'm not naive. I know the NFL is a ruthless business and I know there's a lot of things that goes on that we don't know that if they ever like whenever the NFL gets an illegal matter a lot of times like how can we rectify this situation as soon as possible because if we ever had to tell you the truth man, we're going to find out how the sausage is made and it ain't pretty and that is the NFL has been caught covering up for things for years I go back to one of the public ones like you're telling me that Roger Goodell the first time he saw the Ray Rice video was when TMZ released it that's a bunch of hogwash. The NFL was definitely offered something and for whatever reason they didn't pay it and they could have had that go away which thankfully they didn't because at least we got to see what happened and then without that video I don't think the Ray Rice situation goes down the way that it does just because of the way that we live right now the power of video is so big but that was another instance I'm not directly comparing it to this but just with what we were talking about with how much the NFL gets away with that most of the time the NFL they cover up and they hide a lot of things but in this case this one's actually playing out public and maybe there's a little bit more behind the scenes that we know but I just don't think that's right that an employer could go to you and say we agreed to this deal like it's one thing if they're going to if they're going to say well actually they're still paying him right? like that's they're out it's like they're still paying him and then now he won't get hurt and it's going to be making it easier to move on so I guess the NFL technically won't lose anything here and Russ I guess from a legal standpoint won't have much of a case to be made when you talk it out and really think it through but that just seems wrong it really just seems wrong that they could say we agreed to a deal now what are the parameters of your deal that is insured to you in case if you get hurt we want taken out if you're going to continue to play as the starting quarterback that just it seems it's business and there's a lot of dirty business that goes on that seems like dirty business to me at the end of the day though I mean you know what I just realized?

I'm too good of a human being you know that's what I just realized right there it's funny Manny and I were just talking about that exact thing man Zachy's just such a good human being yeah and you know Manny was just saying like man Zachy's just a great guy and I'm like what are you talking about? I'm thinking of this from like a nice good way like just what's right or wrong and in business it's not always about what's right or wrong it all comes down to dollars and cents at the end of the day they're not demanding they're not forcing him to take this this clause out of his contract they're just basically saying yeah they are no no no they're not what I'm saying is like they're not forcing him to do it they're basically saying listen you can either do this or we bench you right so like it's like if you want to be our quarterback then you have to take this out if you won't take it out then then we're going to bench you because we don't want you to be our quarterback but they are for it it would be like for example if let's say I knew what your your contract situation was and let's say I came to you I actually say this 7 years 49 million a year yeah your nose just grew a little bit thicker Pinocchio it's not possible that's not possible ladies and gentlemen let's just say Spike Eskin came to you and you just agreed to a new deal Santa like this is it's not 3-4 you just agreed to a new deal and Spike goes if you want to keep on producing the show you need to take out of your contract like a guaranteed clause that we now disagree with and then basically if you take that out it makes it easier for us to move on from you in this offseason like that's what's going on here they went to Russ and they said we know you want to play you want to keep on playing well you got to take away your injury guaranteed clause and even if they didn't say this is us saying we want to move on from you we want this to end and we're going to expedite that situation in March but if you play and you get hurt and you can't pass that physical in March then that money gets guaranteed for the 2025 year so it is a threat now however they massaged it however they dressed it up however they worded it it's one thing but they dangled that carrot of do you want to play football and Russ say what you want about him he wants to play football and then they said you want the carrot? alrighty you have to give away any protection you have from an injury standpoint that would guarantee your salary for 2025 now I get how the NFL is going to get away with it but the union should be fighting this and I guess they have been fighting this and they should be making a big stink about this because it's different in restructuring a contract this is taking something out of the contract and I just think it's absurd really it's basically renegotiating terms of the contract but they basically gave Russell Wilson two options play football or more money right if you want more money you can stay as our starting quarterback we'll just remove this clause what was the more money part?

he doesn't get any more money by this well not more money but it's basically money or play football you can either be on the bench and have this clause in your contract or you can play football and we'll remove it it's play football have no insurance right that is what this is not have no insurance but have limited insurance no future insurance that's what they asked him to do because well all these players especially the quarterbacks they take out their own insurance policies and everything too so it's a little bit different but yes insurance on the deal the insurance on the deal that you agreed to where if you get hurt then your salary becomes guaranteed in 2025 that's what they essentially did here and I just think like I'm sure this goes on more than what we actually think and know but if I'm a player I would want no part in the Broncos right now I think Sean Paden is a jerk right now I thought he is poorly mistreated Ross all throughout the season and then your quarterback who I know he's not well liked but the quarterback is the face of the team is the face of the organization and you bring in a coach and I still don't know why Sean took this job and he comes in Russ improves he's still not great he's probably still not the the future of the franchise and while you're winning back-to-back games Green Bay and Kansas City you go up to him and you say hey you want to keep on playing well then you take out any injury protection clauses in your contract that just it does not sit well with me and I would go somewhere else if I was a player because the Broncos just they seem toxic right now I know it's like pick the lesser of two evils there's a lot of toxicity all around the NFL but the Broncos seem like they're toxic and I don't see how they're going to turn this thing around anytime soon Dubai think to your point I think that there's toxicity everywhere around the NFL I don't think it really matters whether it's the Broncos or the Jets or whatever team all these teams do it to all the players right this was specifically probably went to Russ behind closed doors and said listen we don't want to embarrass you by benching you so if you want to keep playing here's what we need from you so that we can continue forward with the team that we need to build at the end of the day here's the thing but why did he take the job though like that's the thing like when you take the job they had a long-term financial commitment even if you could get out of it and the team has to pay a lot of money you had to believe in him in some point right and this just seems like too quick of a give-up it seems like he took this job and he had this preconceived notion about Russ before and he was like I'm gonna get time they're gonna give me all the power we're gonna dump Russ and then we'll find our quarterback eventually have you ever been in a situation that whether it's a job or a date or something where you went in with the preconceived notion a positive one and it turned out to be the complete opposite yeah and then you're just like man I really expected this to go a lot differently than it did all the time okay so is it possible then that Sean Payton went into this and was like I think I'm gonna love Russ Wilson like I'm gonna like this guy he's gonna be my kind of leader he's gonna be my kind of quarterback he can run my kind of offense and then he got there and he's like man this dude is cheesy this guy is corny this guy is a loser this guy doesn't control a locker room his teammates hate him he can't run the offense he stands up to me too often he's entitled he's not as good of a player as I thought he was gonna be this is just not going to work and I'm gonna cut bait as quick as possible here's why no it's understanding who the person is like if you told me that this was Manny from all regards Manny's a nice guy you know good dude hard-working guy team player you know no ego if this was Manny it was like positive and then Manny says eh not a real fan of it alrighty I would value that Sean knows like to get to this point where you are you are convicted in what you do you have a ton of ego and you are driven one way I don't think Sean especially with the way that he talked about Russ early on went into this oh this is gonna be like all lovey-dovey and amazing and I love Russ and I think we're gonna turn Russ around and Russ is gonna be great I think Sean took this job knowing in all likelihood Russ probably won't see the duration of this contract and there's going to be a divorce we'll see what we have in your number one but if it doesn't really turn the page drastically and it was so bad and so ugly last year then we'll find the way to get out of this deal cuz look at it he gave up on him the moment you go to the player and you say take this clause out of your contract to revenge on you you are setting up that is the appetizer for we are getting rid of you even if you listen we are going to get rid of you because even if Russ takes that injury guarantee clause out of his contract they're moving on from many way after this year so they set the stage that quickly to get rid of him and then Russ won a few more games and they're like oh we gotta wait until we go below 500 okay we did that alright let's pull Russell Wilson so I don't buy that I'm not giving Sean Payden the benefit of the doubt that he went into this like oh it's all great and then it was like oh man I was just wrong on that alrighty this is Zach Gelb's show on CBS Sports Rate I'll just say one more thing that Russ did pass along here in that press conference or just media gathering I came here to play a play here to win I knew it was going to be a process I signed a seven year deal Russell Wilson said I want to be here I want to play here I want to win championships here well who's going to tell Russ that ain't happening because them benching you is them moving on from you so it's the nice thing to say but there's no way Russ actually still wants to be in Denver after what did transpire this week Ryan Horvat next Zach Gelb's show on CBS Sports Rate drinking and driving will change your whole world drive sober or get pulled over paid for by NHTSA college picks NFL picks we'll do so right now with the host of BetMGM tonight via BeckQL he joins us each and every football Friday and that of course is Ryan Horvat Ryan appreciate the time as always a happy 2024 what's happening my man? Happy New Year Zach I hope you enjoyed the holidays hopefully you're going to continue to enjoy the holidays because these bowl games, you know, especially with some steam you never know what's going on with some line movement, right? Like Notre Dame, for example I'm sporting the ND shirt today because I hope it's a really bad number I bet them as 11 and a half point favorites turns out Sam Hartman doesn't play in this game Audrick Estimay doesn't play in this game and it doesn't really matter what number you got because they just won by 30 points so that didn't really matter but I'm excited for the college football playoff man I'm really excited to watch some games that actually matter these New Year's games and it's the best time of the year in my opinion yeah probably for what you do you're not going to like my comment I equate the bowl season outside of the college football playoffs to the NBA regular season like I have no clue who's showing up I have no clue who gives a rat's ass and as someone that bets it's almost a turn off because you have no clue what's going to happen like I hate I made a bet last night in the NBA regular season I don't remember the last time I bet in the NBA regular season it was Pistons money line just because everyone in the world was getting on and it was like 800 plus 800, 850 whatever it was but it's so tough to bet these games because there's all these opt-outs the transfer portal and guys are going to the NFL as well yeah absolutely like tonight for example you know Missouri and Ohio State we still have no idea now I don't expect Marvin Harrison to play in this game he has in practice I probably wouldn't risk the injury but you know there's still not any confirmation which is funny which is why the number keeps bouncing from five and a half back to four and a half if he gets ruled out which I expect it's probably going to be six so if you like Missouri you wait for the six and it's all just a big guessing game and sometimes it doesn't really matter that's why again with the playoff at least we know the motivation for those four teams you know everybody's going to be out there everybody that's healthy at least alrighty Ryan Horvat let's start off with the college football playoff 5 p.m. Eastern New Year's Day so after all the party and after all the food you're eating you're going to sit down on the couch you're going to do what we do best as men and we're going to watch these games and we're going to stuff our face with foods and we're going to make a lot of bets and hopefully we're going to win them Alabama-Michigan Michigan being a two-point favorite I think this is begging you begging everybody to plus the two points with Alabama oh you give Nick Saban a month of course he's going to win the game blah blah blah blah of course Alabama could win this game but I'm not picking them I like Michigan I think Michigan wins the game 23 to 20 give me Michigan in a very uncomfortable line of two points laying the two how about you? I love it and this is a perfect opportunity for anybody that followed the advice before the LSU game where you had the Jayden Daniels-Heisman future still at 8 to 1 and you had Alabama 14 to 1 and I really like Michigan in this spot if Alabama happens to win that's fine with me more money coming my way if they get through the you know winner of the Texas and Washington game of course but you know here's the only thing that concerns me I also like Michigan I'm going to say a lower scoring game I think it correlates with an under so I'll say like 17-13 Michigan runs the ball on 55% of their plays this season which is the 5th highest rate among Power 5 schools and J.J. McCarthy he only attempted 8 passes in that November game against Penn State you know and if you look he had a 69.7 passing grade you know in his last couple matchups he hasn't really done a whole lot also I wonder how healthy he is but now he's had some time off I think he's going to have to make some big time throws in this game but I think he's going to I know he didn't last year against TCU also you know Michigan they've been really good against these quarterbacks that can move a little bit except for Max Duggan last year college football playoff that was the last quarterback to go over 60 rushing yards I just don't see it happening again I think they're going to be able to contain Millrow in this game I like Michigan on the money line I also like the under but I'm fine with the two points as well Alrighty Texas and Washington 845 p.m. Eastern I think this is a high scoring affair there's going to be a ton of offense between Quinn Ewers and Michael Penix Jr.

I think Washington continues to get disrespected I know Texas right every Tom, Dick, and Harry this week is going to tell you Ryan Horvat oh it's the difference is the trenches Texas is so much better in the trenches you know I heard for a week got to take Oregon got to take Oregon Oregon a 9, 9.5 point favorite up against Washington and I just think that this is another spot where Washington gets disrespected and I don't know why they're getting disrespected like I love Sark I like Quinn Ewers I love Kalen Dubor I like Michael Penix so I want to see a great game here I want to see a high scoring affair I would probably what I'll do here is I'm going to plus the 4 4.5 points and I do think that Washington is going to win the game outright and they continue to play that disrespect card Completely agree I'm going to go with Washington here I think it's going to actually be a little bit lower scoring than a lot of people expect I can see this being 28-24 maybe maybe 35-32 I just you know exactly what you said and I bet Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game because I thought that that was the best offensive line in the country turns out Washington's offensive line is pretty damn good top 5 in the country and that's the one way that you could affect what Michael Penix does Texas is going to have to get some pressure in this game Penix only completes 47% of his passes when he's outside the pocket which is 84th among FBS quarterbacks also only completes I believe 59% of his passes against the Blitz which is outside the top 50 but the good thing is that offensive line that I just talked about top 5 and Texas also just doesn't blitz a whole lot just 35% of dropbacks which is 73rd in the country so I think we're going to see Michael Penix with a clean pocket going against that Texas secondary which is still a little bit shaky so I think that Washington's live in this game and again I mean I don't think they're going to get bullied in the trenches they didn't against Oregon and again I like Sarkman I really like Kalen DeBoer so I'm not going to say Kalen DeBoer and Washington has the coaching advantage but I trust them a little bit more in this spot here so give me the points with Washington I think this might be a classic game kind of like USC Texas years ago when it was Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush against Vince Young and all those guys I think it's going to be back and forth so I'll take anything over a field goal here with Washington who I think has just been disrespected all season long because of the conference that they played in You can always watch our show youtube.com slash CBS Sports Radio Ryan Horvat is here with us and Horvat the YouTube chat is popping off and usually when that happens they like want to say like down with Horvat what another dumb pick by Ryan Horvat they're actually giving you some praise and they're actually saying you look like someone have you ever got that you look like Jake Elliott the former Memphis kicker who's the kicker for the Eagles right now that's who Craig in the YouTube chat youtube.com slash CBS Sports Radio saying you look just like Jake Elliott you know I've never got that one but I could see it especially not a bad comp so it's not it's not and I'll take it because and his wife is very good-looking too Jake Elliott yeah, he makes a little bit more money maybe maybe maybe we could get like in his range if we have a really good college football playoff and we hit all three of our NFL picks I believe we went two and one last week so parlay home but I'm glad to hear man because I went back home and now I'm used to the East Coast living in DC living in Maryland, you know kind of like split in time I found my barber I went back home my barber in Chicago out of business. He's retired after six plus years so I went to and I hate to admit this well, I'm not going to actually hey every sponsor could be a future sponsor so I'm not going to name where I went but man, yeah, it was rough the back is really rough this week you look like you could you know, you look like you want to wear a hat but you don't want to wear a hat that and the fact that I've I've got so much sodium and garlic and butter and Italian I went back home. So there was a lot of deep-dish pizza and now that's what that's one name. I will drop because man can get much better than Portillo's what did they the guy that was cutting your hair? He was like blindfolded. It looked like he took a chunk out of your head right here. I was calling him Devin Leary outside of today because he was just he missed the target.

It wasn't good man. Tommy DeVito the last two weeks. Yeah, the cutlets were burnt a hundred percent Ryan Horvat here with us. Cue me my NFL music. Let's get to some NFL picks Horvat has been really hot as of late. So since you have the hot hand we'll let you go first. What is the first play for Ryan Horvat?

All right, I appreciate it. Let's actually you know, what let's go to the Giants here at five and a half. So we get Tyrod Taylor here. Tommy DeVito was a really fun story for a couple weeks, but I just think this is an obvious upgrade with Taylor being healthy and I really like this Rams team. I don't want to be cliche guy, but nobody wants to see this Rams team in the playoffs because right now they're trending towards being a top five offense.

Kyron Williams might be the top fantasy back next season, especially if Arthur Smith continues to not use Bijan Robinson, but this Rams offense second and DVOA the last six games. They're five and one during that stretch. They've scored at least 28 points in five straight games. I feel like now is the time to fade them because you have the Giants who are going to look to play spoiler and you have Brian Deball coming off a loss.

He's 10 and 5 after a loss. I'm not the biggest trends guy, but also we get the Rams. They're not going to be in the dome here.

I'm hoping for some windy conditions. So give me the points actually with the Giants also the Giants at home their defensive splits much better. Not that they're a top five defense, but I think they could keep this a little bit closer. So I'll take New York plus five and a half. Alrighty, so Horvat goes Giants plus five and a half.

I'm going to take a dog to start off as well. And that dog is going up against an NFC East team. And that's the Philadelphia Eagles. I think the Eagles have a lot of team chemistry problems right now. I do believe Philadelphia is going to win this game. But even though Jonathan Gannon was wrong in how he departed Philadelphia. I do think the players in Arizona like Jonathan Gannon and this is a big game for him. So I think they're going to be there at the start give a good first half effort and maybe it gets away in the second half in the fourth quarter. Kyler Murray in this game is massive and I just think Philadelphia is missing that team chemistry that they had from a year ago Philly wins the game, but the spread is too big. I'm not taking the Eagles by 12 points up against any team right now in the NFL. So give me the cards plus 12 right out of the gate.

I agree. I'm going to pick I'm going to do something I haven't done in a couple weeks here. I'm going to take a favorite and I'm going to take a big favorite. I'll take the bills.

I got him at 13. I still like him at 14 anything over 14 and a half is probably a different story but two touchdowns I think is fair. It's a revenge game. They lost to the Pats earlier this season and they've they've dominated though. If you look at they've won four straight games in their division by 12 points.

They probably need to win out to get themselves in a situation where they're a playoff team. I mean that game against Miami could be big we might get winter winter conditions. I was going to say windy conditions. We might get winter conditions looking at the radar right now in Buffalo.

I just want freezing conditions in this game. I think right now man. I love what the bills have been able to do since they've moved out from Ken Dorsey. They're averaging over 30 points per game cooks been cooking on the with the run game and I think they're going to be able to run the ball against the Pats here. I know it's been a you know, fun story with the Pats and Bailey Zappi the last couple know it has it as a horrible they're winning games and they're screwing up the tank.

I'm annoyed exactly. Well, I think I got some good news for you this week. I think Buffalo beats up on them. I think they win this game by 17 plus points. So I like the bills. All right, you go back into the favorite.

Well, so why? It looks like we'll Levis is in line to start this week for Tennessee. CJ Stroud though is back and getting CJ Stroud back is spectacular news for the Houston Texans. I will take the Texans at home to win the game and I like Houston to cover the for the four-point spread. So give me the Texans laying for your final pick Ryan Horvat.

All right, I'm going to go with a well. I like the total a little bit more. I like the over in Lions Cowboys, but I'm actually going to take the points here with the Lions. If you look at the DVOA numbers, these teams six and seven. So they're both top 10 with the Lions barely get past Minnesota last week. Nick Mullins threw for over 400 yards against that secondary. I know the Cowboys have some fleas especially on the road this season. They've been much better at home, but I'm looking at the injury report here. I just I think that the Lions are going to have some success in the middle of the field right now. The only thing I'm worried about with Dallas is the middle of the field and you look at what the tight ends are doing right now for Detroit. I mean, I think that this is going to be a really big game here for Jared Goff if they're able to keep them clean. I mean, that's the thing like Dallas right now is number one and pass rush win rate, but I think if golf's able to get rid of the ball quick, you know, use your tight ends use St. Brown. That's the other area where Dallas is really struggling right now is covering the slot position. If you stick St. Brown in the slot, you have La Porta, obviously your tight end position. I think he's going to go over his 46 and a half receiving yards. I think St. Brown has at least seven receptions and I think Detroit keeps this game close.

We get a lot of points. So I like the Lions and I like the over here. Alrighty the last game that I'm going to pick. You know what?

Give me a dog here and it's basically a pick them. I was going to avoid this game. I was thinking about taking the Saints plus two and a half against Tampa, but I don't want to have to root for Derek Carr. I can't stand him and I was thinking about going Atlanta plus two and a half but Arthur Smith really does annoy me because he's messed up their season. Um, I will go with Green Bay plus a point they're going up against Jaron Hall and the Minnesota Vikings. This game is at Minnesota Vegas.

Chloe doesn't have a feel on it. So I'll just take the dog in this one, even though it's basically a pick them. But give me the the pack with Jordan love plus a point. Ooh, I think you should have won Atlanta. I think you should redo the pick.

I'm not going to do that. I think I think you should go Atlanta. I really do like Atlanta. I worry a little bit about the Jordan love Green Bay pick here only because Jair Alexander that suspension. Yeah, it's good point. I now we need to see we may see Preston Smith trying to cover Justin Jefferson down the field now, like you said though the Vikings around their what fourth quarterback this season. So we'll see how that plays out. Sometimes you got to be uncomfortable to win money and this is an uncomfortable pick and I feel uncomfortable going with the Packers.

So, you know, what they have me just I have them right where we're where I want them. So giant Giants plus five and a half for Horvath bills minus 14. Did you make your final pick? Yeah, it's plus five and a half.

Yeah, we're going to go with the Lions plus five and a half but we do like the over a little bit more there gotcha and I go with the Cardinals plus 12 the Texans minus 4 and then the fighting Jordan loves plus one which Horvath clearly doesn't love that pick Ryan Horvath. Happy to know you appreciate you doing this is always thanks so much Zach. Enjoy the new year.

All righty. That is Ryan Horvath from Ben MGM tonight via Beck QL. It is a Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. We'll come back with our ask the pros question.

But first up with the latest CBS Sports Radio update here is Dexter Henry. It's time to answer ask the pros question of the day and it's brought to you by O'Reilly Auto Parts. Tully on Eugene says Zach who do you like for the college football playoff?

You could submit a question by tweeting at CBS Sports Radio at Zach Gelb using the hashtag ask the pros think O'Reilly Auto Parts for all your car care needs get guaranteed low prices and excellent customer service from the professional parts people at O'Reilly Auto Parts O'Reilly Auto Parts. Alrighty game number one. I'm going Michigan 23 Alabama 20 Michigan advances to the National Championship game the mobility of JJ McCarthy's going to be massive here. They need to let JJ McCarthy cook. They need to trust his legs and then I do believe Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards will both make one big explosive play and that will lead to the Michigan victory. So give me Michigan 23 to 20 up against Alabama Sam sir.

Who are you rocking and rolling with in this affair? My mind my football knowledge my football whatever has Alabama. I just I can't that's good. I can't pick against Alabama. However, no, I'm going to let my heart make this decision because I want no Michigan to win this game. So I'm going Michigan 27 24 even though deep down inside. I know Alabama is going to win this game. Oh, I'm crushed. I just must you I'm sorry buddy. No that is what now hold on Manny who wins the game. I think the Crimson Tide win the game.

I've got them 32 20. All righty. See now I'm conflicted here because usually my rule of thumb is if I agree with the producer and I'm agreeing with Sam sir, everyone should fade for both in agreement. But now we've added a third person here in Manny who is he just doing like the Scott Velt van Pelt trick where it's like, okay, let's pick the other one.

So it's not all three of us being all in on on Michigan and then we end up just getting wrong there. So I don't know. I don't know if there's good intentions by Manny Rodriguez. I mean you also just called Manny a person and I don't know if that really qualifies either. So why I mean, I don't know if Manny is human. What do you mean? He's a great guy.

He's he's half man half something. I don't know. I think now you're bullying Manny here.

How about that? Have you seen that mustache brother? This has been going on for maybe we may get an email for management about people bullying people.

I thought you were just bullying Manny right there. All right, game number two, Washington and Texas. I'm going Washington 34, Texas 30. I like Washington in a high-scoring affair. I think the Huskies continue to get disrespected. I don't know why maybe it's just because people don't like the Pac-12 even though the Pac-12 is going away, but I trust Michael Penix Jr. And Romay Adunze to have a great connection in this one and I know everyone's talking about the Texas defensive line and the Texas offensive line as well. I'm not betting against Kalen DeBoer in two years at Washington.

He's only lost two games and both of those were by less than eight points. I like Washington 34, Texas 30. Samter, Washington, Texas. What are you doing?

This is another going with my heart. I think that Texas just has too much for some reason. I there's just something that this I don't buy into Washington. I want to I just can't so I'm going Washington 30. I'm sorry. I'm going Texas 34, Washington 27.

Okey-dokey Manny. I still can't trust those Texas Longhorns. I don't I don't think they've got it yet. Why like both the narrative both of you guys just said something go ahead that I think we do this in the media and it's ridiculous the damn media.

We have now seen an entire season. It's like I can't trust Washington. I can't trust Texas, Texas. They had they walked into Alabama this year and they beat the Crimson Tide by 10 points Washington for an entire month was told Oregon's better than them and Washington beat Oregon. You have to the Santa have to put some respect on Washington's name and man you have to put some respect on Texas's name.

I'm good. I've got Washington 45 38 over Texas and also if you're going to make the prediction the Washington. Why don't you just say Washington wins like 42 to 7 if you're saying that Texas is wait until I've been waiting until I give you a final score for the national championship game. Okay, which your national championship game would then be Alabama and Washington.

How fun is that? That would be good genuinely this year and I think people have preconceived notions about the college football playoff. But this year is truly the year where we don't know who's going to win the national championship like I can make a legitimate case for all four of these teams to win the national championship and that's not always been the case and I know people like last year see what also bugs me is people they don't remember what happened and I heard a lot in the college football playoff conversation a lot of people were trashing TCU getting in a year ago. It's like Florida State's not getting in because everyone's afraid that another TCU is going to happen when I heard that argument.

I just cringe and I like screamed I'm like are people just stupid. TCU beat Michigan so you can't tell me TCU didn't deserve to be in the college football playoff just because they got there just destroyed and they got obliterated by Georgia in the national championship game. They lose in the semi-final you could make the case. Oh, well, maybe they didn't belong and maybe they didn't deserve to go but the fact that they beat Michigan and then they got into the championship game and then got destroyed doesn't mean that they weren't worthy to get into the college football playoff. So we really talk over ourselves and talk in circles when it comes to the college football playoff and when it comes to all these things and I just hate that argument on Texas here they are or Washington undefeated and then Texas here they are one loss this year and that was in Red River to Oklahoma and they still found the way to get to the college football playoff, but I don't know if I could trust them.

If you can't trust them now you're never going to trust them. Washington's undefeated Texas beat Alabama this year by 10 points and you know, what's funny about that Manny? I thought you were going to pick Texas for a second. Why is that because you're like I can't trust them and then you're picking Alabama to win it all right? Yeah, I am well who beat Alabama this year according to your knowledge. I do believe that was Texas. Yes, they beat him by 10 back in week 2 that's just it's funny to me any given Saturday. Am I right?

Yeah. Well the national championship games on a Monday. Well, I'll be there Monday. I will be there. I will be there. Yeah, say it again. Well, you're going to be there.

Yes. I will be there and in Houston in the stands or up in press room. I will be in the the press box.

Yeah, I have a nice little cozy seat even though it's in I wish I had your life last last time I went to Houston. It was for 28 to 3 where I was in the stands as a fan and I saw the Patriots come on back. You may have heard about that. It was 28 to 3 in the Super Bowl in the page. No, I had him hurt actually Tom Brady right had a great game some guy named James White as well. So really phenomenal already.

It is that Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. I hope we have someone ready coming up in five minutes because I'm who's who's in today should be Mark Ryan. Yes. Okay, I feel good.

I don't know. I see there's a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes right now. And this is my biggest fear on a Friday where the host is not able to connect and then they're going to say Zach. We need you to stick around and do the show afterwards.

Well, guess what? I am bolting out of here Manny Manny Rodriguez may be hosting for the next four hours on CBS Sports Radio. Alrighty fun show today like to thank each and every one of you for listening to the program interacting with us also happy New Year to all we will be off on Monday, but we will be back on Tuesday at 3 p.m. Eastern noon Pacific. So have a great start to the 2024 big. Thanks.

Evan Washburn Roman Harper and also Ryan Horvat for joining us. We out. Bye. Bye peace. Okay, what's the number one reason you should try instacart shopping over 1.5 million unique products from over 1,000 retailers and get everything delivered right to your door and as fast as one hour all in one app so you can spend more time with the ones who matter most visit instacart.com to get free delivery on your first three orders offer valid for a limited time $10 minimum per order additional terms apply.