Vikings Are NFC's 3rd Best Team (Hour 3)

Alrighty, hour number three of our radio program. That's right, it is the Zach Gelb show.

Infinity Sports Network. Last night, you had the Detroit Lions off the aggressiveness from Dan Campbell. Sometimes the stupidity, but when stupidity works, we call it aggressiveness.

Yeah, they found a way to get the job done. That's always been a big pet peeve of mine, Stu. Oh, well at least the coach is aggressive. At least he's aggressive. At least he takes risks.

Don't get me wrong. The Lions would not be where they are today if their head football coach wasn't aggressive. But at the end of the game, two of the situations, because they converted four out of five on fourth down, the one at the end of the third quarter where they're backed up at, you know, inside their own 20, 30 yard line, and they go for it on fourth and one. That was stupid in the moment when you're up by three. Correct? That was stupid.

Yes. And it didn't work. So stupid thought before and a stupid result afterwards. Now at the end of the game, you're going up against Jordan Love, who I get it. Jordan Love's a good quarterback. People that have already put him in Canton, Ohio, and already had him get in a Super Bowl and a gold jacket like Favre and like Rodgers.

I think we could pump the brakes on that. He has a promising career. He still has a lot to do. He still needs to do a lot over the full duration of a season. Because last year through eight, nine games, he wasn't to do it. He wasn't looking great. And then he had a monster and I mean a monster second half of the season.

And this year there's been a mixture of injuries. There's been a mixture of really, you know, good touchdown passes and a ton of turnovers, which gives a lot of us saying, hmm, he reminds you a lot like Brett Favre because of the gunslinger mentality that Jordan Love does have. But with Jordan Love on the other sideline, with 40 seconds left, fourth and one, to me to go for it there in that spot, I know he got it, Dan Campbell. I know the Lions who golf, he fell over and was still able to get the handoff off to Jameer Gibbs and it goes to the first down. In that spot, even though it worked, I thought it was a foolish decision.

If you tell me, hey, it's Brady, it's Montana, it's Mahomes, you know, current day quarterbacks, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow. If it's one of the top three quarterbacks of all time or, you know, top five quarterback of all time, like a Peyton Manning or a top three quarterback in the league, OK, I could understand why if Mahomes on the other sideline, how many times you've seen Mahomes in, I don't know, 10, 11, 15 seconds or less. Go get their team into field goal range after surrendering up the league, why you would say on fourth and one in a tie game, even though I don't love it, you go for it, you try to get the first down, then you could really run out the clock and not get the ball back to him. But with Jordan Love on the other sideline, I'm sorry, I know it worked for Dan Campbell, but you shouldn't be that apprehensive of a really good quarterback in Jordan Love, where I know your defense has been decimated with injuries and your patchwork and that defense through to get through game to game, where you don't think your defense can hold them in 40 seconds and keep them out of field goal range. So I thought that was a stupid decision, but it ended up working. What did you make of the last decision by Dan Campbell on fourth and one?

Yeah, it wasn't smart. If this was my team, I would be pulling my hair out and I would just be waiting for the point where, okay, it does seem to work. Like when the Raiders had that really good year in 2016, Jack Del Rio was very aggressive. A lot of going for two to take the lead, a lot of going for fourth down in shorts, like all of that. Not to this level, but there was a little bit of that. And I liked it, but I knew the second it wasn't going to work, it's going to come back to bite the team. And that's the one thing I worry about with Campbell. And the Raiders that year were a wildcard team, right?

Yes, a 12-win wildcard team, but yes. Where Carr got hurt at the end. The second to last game. Oh, we've talked about this before.

We have. Cook? Was it Cook? So it was originally Matt McGloin. McLaughlin-ness. And then he got hurt and then it was Connor Cook.

It was Connor Cook. Okay. So you never though looked at that Raiders team though as a team that could go to the Super Bowl then? No. They had 12 wins, right? They had 12 wins, but it was still to a point where it was like, is this real? You knew there was a limitation?

Yes. For my football team, I'm begging for my coach and Jerrod Mayo to be aggressive because they're going nowhere this year. So at least go all out, be aggressive when you have Seattle in overtime, go for it on 4th and 1.

He didn't like to do so. But there's really nothing to lose when I'm saying my coach needs to be aggressive. For the Raiders, even with Jack Del Rio at the time, there's nothing really to lose because you knew that team wasn't winning a Super Bowl. But for Dan Campbell, the stakes are at the highest because the Lions are arguably the best team in the NFL.

So that's what makes it a lot more compelling and a lot more fascinating. And even though I think it's easy radio today to slam Dan Campbell, call Dan Campbell a dope, say that Dan Campbell is going to be held back and the Lions are going to be held back because Dan Campbell's decision making. It would also be disingenuous if you didn't acknowledge that's why they're in this spot, too. So in one breath, you could say, hey, I didn't like the decision of Dan Campbell last night, even though it worked at the end, it doesn't make it a good decision. And I thought Dan Campbell made two laughable decisions last night.

One time it worked, one time it didn't work. But you know how this is going to play on out. Either Dan Campbell is going to continue to coach this way, which he will, and they'll win a Super Bowl. Or Dan Campbell's going to coach this way and in a big spot like last year in the NFC Championship game, it's going to come back to bite him in the you-know-what.

But here's the overall point with Dan Campbell. If he doesn't coach this way, if he doesn't have this mentality, he would have never built the Lions up from being a bottom feeder to an elite team in the NFL that could win a Super Bowl. Because even when the Lions had some playoff teams, right, with Jim Caldwell, you never looked at them as a Super Bowl contender. The Lions for the majority of my life have been a joke of a franchise, an absolute joke of a franchise. So you need that quirky coach, you need that different dude, you need that bizarre dude, and you need a dude who, yeah, there's going to be some decisions where, sure, you're going to want to rip your hair out like Stu said.

And you're saying, what the bleep, what the F is this guy doing? But if you didn't have the coach that coached that way, you would be the same old loser Lions, where you'd be sitting around four wins, five wins, new GM, new coach, new quarterback every two to three years. So yes, I understand Dan Campbell during a game will make some decisions that you want to call him a bonehead for, and there'll be some boneheaded decisions. But if he didn't coach that way, I don't think you're getting the same overall results that we've seen from this organization.

Because the Lions needed someone with a strong message, the Lions needed someone with a different line of thinking, the Lions needed someone with an A-plus aggressive personality to turn down, to turn around a miserable losing organization. And that's what he's done. So you take the good with the good, and you take the bad with the bad.

But I don't want Dan Campbell to be someone that he's not. Now, can you smarten up a little bit? Yes. Can you realize that you got away with one last night?

Yes. But you know, as he did, he played the odds last night, four out of five times, they converted on fourth down, and they ended up winning the game. So I look at what Dan Campbell did last night, he got away with it. But I look at the state of football right now, who are the four best teams in the NFL? Well, the Lions, well the Eagles, well the Bills, and the Chiefs. Think about it. If I said who are the six best teams in the NFL, give me three in the AFC, three in the NFC.

Stu, you know this. Eagles, Lions, Bills, Chiefs are on everyone's list. Who's third? Who's third in the NFC? Who's third in the AFC? Who would you say right now is the third best team in the NFC if, you know, forget the order, Lions 1, Eagles 2, or vice versa, doesn't matter. Who's the third best team in the NFC?

Yeah, there's a massive gap, but I would still say it's the Packers. You would? Yes. Okay, I would give a different answer.

And my answer would be the Minnesota Vikings. Do I feel great about that answer? Am I going to sit here and say, Stu, what football are you watching? Are you an idiot? Are you a moron?

Are you a dope? No, I'm not going to say that. There's some answers where Stu would say that, that yes. I'd be like, Stu, what the heck are you talking about?

What are you smoking? Maybe the YouTube chat is right about you and what they say about you all the time. Maybe that's what I would have said. But I look at the third best team in the NFC, why I think it's Minnesota is because Minnesota, I don't think they're elite. But Minnesota, to me, they're just consistent. You know, Sam Darnold, it's bizarre to say this now, he's just a consistent quarterback. Justin Jefferson, we know, is the best wide receiver in football. They have enough complimentary pieces around him with Addison and Jones and Hopkinson now back. And then on defense, they got a wonderful defense under Brian Flores.

So I look at all three phases. I just trust the three phases of the Minnesota Vikings, where if you looked at the other teams that could be in the running in the NFC, the commanders are good. But just making the playoffs is an accomplishment for them. Whoever wins the NFC South, just making the playoffs is an accomplishment for them. We'll see who prevails out of the NFC West. You know, if the Rams get in, I think they can be dangerous.

I don't know if they'll be there. If the Cardinals get in, heck, that's basically their Super Bowl just making the postseason. Seahawks are a good team. Do I trust Geno Smith in a big spot?

No, I don't. So I really do feel as if that conversation does come down to the Vikings and the Packers on who's the third best team in the NFC. And for the Packers, do I think there's a higher ceiling for the Packers?

Yes. But am I confident that they're going to reach that higher ceiling with the quarterback who's been inconsistent and a defense that ran out of the gate last night on the first drive didn't show up and the Lions just marched right down the field? I think there's more to lose for Green Bay. When I look at Minnesota, they know that only had two losses, 10-2. Everyone's like, oh, yeah, they're good.

But no one's expecting much out of them. I just expect them, even in a five-game win streak right now, to be the team that just shows up more consistently than the Green Bay Packers. And I know the Vikings, they play the Packers again, but the Vikings beat the Packers earlier in the season and that was at Lambeau Field. And I look at this Green Bay team, Green Bay's best win is up against the Texans, which that has not aged in an all great way. You look at Minnesota and what the Minnesota Vikings have done. Minnesota, their best win. They beat the 49ers earlier in the season. They beat the Texans just like how the Packers beat the Texans and they beat Green Bay. So I just trust the Vikings more where I don't think their ceiling is higher, but I do believe the floor is lower for a Green Bay. It seems as if Green Bay is either all in or they're all out with some of these performances. Now in the AFC, who's the third best team in the AFC?

Because you would agree, right? You have to have one, two, in some order, chiefs and bills. Definitely. So who's the third team in the AFC? I think this is tough for the NFC.

It's tough for me. It's between the Steelers and the Ravens. I would still give the edge to the Ravens even though they have the five losses just with what Lamar and Henry can do, but I don't feel great about that one either. You know, it could be after this weekend. Some may say the Chargers have to this weekend.

Yeah. Now the Chargers are not going to win the AFC West, obviously, but Herbert not really having any elite weapons on the offensive side of the ball. Lad McConkie has been a solid football player. That defense is playing well. You know that defense is going to show up, but I'm not going to say it's the Chargers. They need to go get a signature victory. A signature victory would be up against the Chiefs this weekend.

Maybe that changes the opinion. It's not the Texans. I've been disappointed with the Texans this year. It is probably in that AFC North. You know when you look at the Steelers or the Ravens and the Steelers have played better football this year than the Ravens. That's not an opinion.

That's a fact. But I still look at the Steelers and I say, hmm, where have we seen this story before? Well, we've seen this story ever since the 2016 season where they always have these great records. They always overachieve.

We always genuflect to Mike Talbot in the regular season and then come postseason time. What have they not done since the 2016 season? Have won a playoff game. So even though I like the Steelers defense, they didn't play well up against the Bengals. And Russell Wilson has been better than what I thought he would be in Pittsburgh. I still look at the Ravens and I go, sure, we don't know if they're going to show up in the postseason. Their defense is nowhere in the same class as the Steelers defense run circles around the Ravens defense. It's not the early 2000 Ravens defense, but you have Lamar and you have Derrick Henry. And Lamar and Derrick Henry, if it's a race to who's going to be the third best team in the AFC come playoff time, they should be able to run you to that third spot.

So I would agree with you. I would say that it's the Ravens. All right, this is Zach Gelb showing the Infinity Sports Network. We'll take a break. We'll talk some college football on the other side, preview the Big 12 Championship game, also make some NFL picks with Ari Tempkin of Big 12 Radio. Let me tell you, this could be the coolest backdrop we've ever had for our guests.

And this is not like a Zoom background. Joining us live from Jerry's World right now, Ari Tempkin of Big 12 Radio, Big 12 Championship game, Iowa State, Arizona State. We will talk some Big 12 football.

So look around the conference championship weekend slate of games, and then we'll do some NFL picks with Ari, who's kind enough to join us right now. How you been, my friend? I'm great, Zach. How are you? Long time, no talk.

Well, yeah, I appreciate you coming on. So I can't wait for the Big 12 Championship game. I've had a soft spot for the Big 12 all throughout the year, and I feel as if they've been disrespected at times in the national landscape, but give me a thought here. Iowa State, Arizona State.

How do you see this one playing on out coming up tomorrow afternoon? Yeah, I mean, just to echo your sentiment, I completely agree. And as somebody that's covered this league for as long as I have, I mean, you literally have an example of teams moving up from the American Athletic Conference, Cincinnati, Houston, UCF. UCF absolutely dominated American Athletic Conference for a long time. They lost like two home games in like a 10-year stretch, and they come into the Big 12, and they're an average team. And yet now the Big 12 is in a position to potentially lose out on a buy to Boise State, who, you know, look, with all due respect to Boise State, it's a good program.

Very consistent. But again, the step up from the Mountain West, the Big 12, is substantial. The step up from the American Athletic Conference, the Big 12, is substantial.

And yet the way that the committee is viewing that step is not commensurate with the reality of the situation. So I would say that the Big 12 is a lot closer to the ACC, the Big 10, and the SEC than they're getting credit for. As for this game tomorrow, it's going to be fantastic. These are two very similar teams. Obviously, Arizona State is the huge surprise here with the three wins last year, turning over rosters. Sixty new players that are on this team this year.

And it's the work of Kenny Dillingham and their brilliant staff. You just can't say enough about what they've done in galvanizing and creating a culture that is very similar to Matt Campbell's at Iowa State's. In fact, Kenny Dillingham mentioned when he was at Auburn under Gus Malzahn, he went and studied the culture at Iowa State under Matt Campbell for a little bit to kind of see what that was like. And so it's interesting that these two teams are playing against each other in this first Big 12 championship with the way that the conference is not situated. The big thing for me is Iowa State, this was a team that was kind of expected to be here preseason way more so than Arizona State was. Arizona State without Jordan Tyson, who's emerged as a big time weapon, especially on third down for Arizona State. Arizona State wants to run the football.

Their passing game has evolved, but I think without Jordan Tyson and with the defense as strong as it is for Iowa State, I do like Iowa State to win this game. And I just think that the more experienced team, they're kind of on schedule in terms of being here, whereas Arizona State seems to be a little bit ahead of schedule. You know, it's kind of funny in the name image and likeness era, a coach like Kenny Dillingham, if this wasn't around, you'd be like, okay, what job is he going to get in a few weeks at a bigger program, especially with the young hotshot coach and the success that he's had in this year. Now with NIL and how you could get a lot of players your way and you see him like through every press conference after a big win hounding people to go donate to the collective, you know, how likely do you think it is that Dillingham stays for, you know, a few years here with Arizona State?

Yeah, very likely. In fact, I'd be shocked if he left. I mean, he went to Arizona State.

He grew up in the area. It really is an incredible stroke of luck for Arizona State to have this guy at 34 years old who has the commitment to the diversity because, again, he went there and is from the area. So, yeah, I mean, I think given what you just mentioned, you know, you probably have a lot of coaches that 34 would be looking for, you know, the next great opportunity, whatever the big opportunity is going to be. And it's just a very unique circumstance that in luck, I mean, quite frankly, that Arizona State, it was in position to not only hire this guy and smarts to hire him. I mean, to hire a 33 year old coach and they hired him without much in terms of credentials for a program that had been, you know, I mean, the book on Arizona State, Michael Crow, was they were not committed to athletics.

They were not going to be spending money. They were, you know, divesting. And it's it's it's like night and day with the last year has been like for this athletic department in this program where they bring in Gramercini, the athletic director, you know, after basically seven months of not having or having an interim AD. And, you know, you're like, who's this guy? And it's just it's incredible. Now, I mean, Bobby Hurley has the basketball program off to a seven to one start. And then obviously what they're doing in football, it's incredible.

And yeah, it is. It would be shocking to me if Cady Dillingham left again, considering his history and his love of that area. All right, Temkin here with us from Big 12 Radio.

He's live on the field right now at Jerry's World for the site of the Big 12 championship game tomorrow. Matt Campbell was such a hot name. And then a few years ago, they didn't win the Big 12 when they were supposed to win it. He had that horrible quote, a that was your guy's expectation, not our program's expectation.

And here he is very quietly right back in the fold. How about what Campbell's been able to do at Iowa State this year with Rocco back to his quarterback? Yeah, I mean, you know, look, he is one of the best coaches in America and we talk about luck with Arizona State. I mean, Iowa State is lucky to have found a guy like Matt Campbell who is committed to Iowa State and, you know, and has gotten overtures. I mean, he turned down an opportunity to interview for the Jets years ago, which is just insane to think about. And, you know, I don't think he's going anywhere.

You know, he did fall out of favor. But that was always weird to me because it's like you didn't suddenly forget how to coach. It's just they just lost talent. And at a program like Iowa State, very developmental program. You're not you're not, you know, Georgia or Alabama. We're just going to be in a Big 12 championship game and then resurface the next year at a Big 12 championship game because you're constantly, you know, have an insane amount of talent. I mean, they've got some talent, certainly, but it's a developmental program.

But the quarterback position has been a game changer for them. I mean, Brock Purdy has really ushered in a new era of offense for Iowa State and the success that he's had. You know, a guy like Rocco Beck, who, you know, is fairly highly recruited, obviously has the NFL lineage, but he saw the success that that that Brock Purdy had. He wanted to be a part of that. He came to Iowa State. There was luck involved in him even getting the starting job last year because of, you know, the gambling fiasco that happened. Iowa State, their their presumptive started last year, got embroiled in. So it put Rocco thrust him into a situation. You know, last year they lost a game early in the season to Ohio and Rocco back in his first three starts was not good. And he was just he was just reluctant.

He was just not pulling the trigger. And it was like after that game, a light switched and and flipped. And he was totally different. Like he just became the quarterback that we now see. And, you know, when Matt Campbell's had really good teams here historically and I mean, Matt Campbell is literally rewriting the history books for Iowa State football. It's the first 10 win season they've ever had. They're trying to win a conference championship for the first time in one hundred and twelve years tomorrow when it was the Missouri Valley Conference.

Right. So Iowa State football historically has just not been good at all. And there's not much history here when Campbell had been good. It's, you know, ground and pound there. The Breece Hall, David Montgomery, really good feature running backs with great defenses under, you know, the very incredible defensive coordinator, John Haycock, who's revolutionized defenses across college football with his three three five.

This is a totally different deal. I mean, they don't have a feature back now. They've got three running backs. They are a pass heavy offense. They've got two thousand yard receivers. No, no offense in college football has two thousand yard receivers. Iowa State does.

So, I mean, back is I mean, they're airing it out. They're going to throw the ball a ton. I think when I look at this game specifically, that stands out to me because Arizona State just hasn't played a passing offense like Iowa State's. You know, they played rush heavy teams so far in the Big 12. The one team that Arizona State has played this year that can pass the football kind of like Iowa State would be Texas Tech.

And even then, I still think Iowa State has a much more prolific passing offense. So, you know, Campbell's always been a fantastic coach. He is a program builder.

He is. You know, we hear so much in sports about culture and everybody wants to have a good culture, but nobody's really sure what to do and how to do it. But when you you look at that program, you go to practices, you see the inner workings of that.

I mean, it is culture at its core and they really are not process. They're very process oriented, not results driven. So when Campbell said that, you know, about the expectations like that, that's not surprising to me because, you know, in knowing Campbell and being around him as long as I have, like that's that's who he is. He is not about the results. He is all about the process and to a fault at times. But, you know, this is a testament to what he's done at that program. And, you know, so far there's no indication he's ever going to leave.

Ari Temkin here with us talking about leaving. I saw that report from Pete Thamel today that Oklahoma State and Mike Gundy are in a standoff. Mike Gundy is not someone that I think you really tell him what to do. So with that being said, how likely do you think it is that he's back next year?

It's crazy to think that this is even a question. You know, I mean, look, I don't know how much leeway certain coaches should get in situations, but Mike Gundy deserves some leeway here. Mike Gundy as a quarterback at Oklahoma State and head coach has basically every 10 win season in the history of Oklahoma State football, even playing football in Stillwater, Oklahoma, for over 100 years and every single 10 win season, except for one. Mike Gundy was the quarterback of the head coach of they were just here last year in the Big 12 championship game in an improbable situation where nobody, except for me, picked them to win the Big 12. Yet they lost the game.

But still, they were here. It was an incredible season last year. They brought back their entire roster. People expect them to be the Big 12 champion. They were terrible.

They were God awful, as bad as they've ever been. But to do like to me, let Gundy do what he does, see what happens next year. If they're three and out again, then now you look at firing him, moving on, going somewhere else. But this seems foolish. You know, I know he's he's made some comments over the years. And certainly this this year we was talking about, you know, the people in their mom's basement and the pores and whatever like didn't sound great. But that's always been Gundy. I mean, he was wearing the you know, the the the shirt for the news network that really rub people the wrong way. That's just who he is. So to your point, Zach, like nobody, nobody puts baby in a corner with Mike Gundy.

And so do you think he's out? Do you think he's going to leave? I don't knowing Gundy, like I don't see a situation where they're like, you're going to get less money and have less autonomy and deciding who's on your staff. And he's like, you know what? Sure, I'll take that. I don't see any situation which Mike Gundy would say that's OK. And that's what's being reported is that is that they've asked him to take less money and have less autonomy.

That makes no sense to me. I know they're coming off a horrible season. I get it. But again, this guy has an unbelievable track record. He has brought Oklahoma State football to unprecedented heights.

There's got to be a little bit of leeway here. It was a really bad season. He's moved on from coordinators. He certainly made a bad hire in Brian Nardo. But I mean, he is the dude has struck gold with hiring coordinators previously. I mean, this is a guy that constantly hires coordinators from smaller schools and they graduate on to head coaching jobs.

And bigger jobs elsewhere. So this if I'm an Oklahoma State fan, this is maddening to me. This this creates a lot of drama around a situation that doesn't need any drama. Again, this year is inexcusable. You cannot go 0-9 in the Big 12 and 3-9 overall. That's terrible. That is a really bad season. And they were dreadful.

They could not stop anybody against the run. But I just I don't know how it gets so bad in a situation to where now you're you've got him back to the corner. Again, let let the next season play out. And if they're bad again, then then you can move on. Then I think it's much more justified.

This does not this is not justified. You're a year removed from playing in this game. All right.

I got to get to picks in just a bit, but I got one more thing to ask you. Ari Temkin, Colorado, a wonderful season. I thought for a while they were going to be in this Big 12 championship game.

We know that's not the case now. We know what Dion was able to do. Get in Julian Lewis there. The future of Coach Prime. How much longer do you think he'll be around this as the Colorado head coach? Look, I mean, his recruiting class indicates he's going to be around. You know, they were able to flip really highly touted quarterback in in Julian Lewis.

And I mean, he's not flipping if he doesn't get assurances that Dion's going to be around. So and look, I mean, I know everybody. I mean, I came in on the show a few a few months ago and was like, man, I am rooting really hard for the Cowboys to take and draft Chidora Sanders and hired Dion Sanders. I want that so badly.

But I mean, that's just I just wanted it for the fun of it. Like that's not going to actually happen. I thought maybe the Florida State job could open this year. After what happened with Mike Norvell, Florida State, obviously that's not happening.

And I don't even know that he's, you know, that enamored with his own mother. So, you know, look, is he going to be a Colorado forever? No. I mean, he said it.

His kickstand is down. Right. So, I mean, he's not going to be there forever. But yeah, I don't as long as he's continuing to recruit a high level. And this is his best recruiting class at Colorado. And I think he's going to continue to be in the upper trajectory in terms of recruiting. You know, that will tell you how what he's telling recruits. If they're continuing to get four and five star recruits during recruiting cycles, then he's telling them he's going to be there. And I believe that. So will he be there forever?

No. But I certainly think he's going to be there, you know, for the next few years, as long as, you know, Julian Lewis is there. Ari Temkin here with us. Let's get to some NFL picks. Give me the music, Stu. Alright, Ari.

We'll quickly breeze through this. Give me your first pick this weekend against the spread. Who are you looking at?

Who do you got? I'm going to take the Vikings to cover five and a half against the Falcons at home. I like that one. I mean, it seems like the line should be a lot more than five and a half in that game. Okay.

So Ari goes to the Vikings. You said lay in five and a half, right? Yep. Lay in five and a half. Lay in five and a half. Little Kirk Cousins going up against his old squad with now Sam Darnold.

All right. I'm going to take a look at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They're going up against the Raiders. I know the Raiders gave a nice fight up against the Chiefs on Black Friday, but I think the Bucks are going to win this one and win this one big one p.m. Eastern Time game. Give me Tampa lay in six and a half points. Your next pick. I'm going to go with the home dog. The cross country travel. I'm taking the Rams to cover three and a half points at home against Buffalo.

Again, that East Coast West Coast travel is difficult. I think the Rams have not been playing as well as their talent indicates they should. And yes, I like I like the home dog there. Three and a half points for for the Rams. I'm going to actually go with an upset this week. And I think this team could win the game outright. You also get the boost of an interim coach and the 49ers as banged up as banged up could be to win some money.

You got to be uncomfortable. I like the Bears this week. Plus the four points.

Are we allowed to take the same game? Yeah, because that was my third pick because I'm a huge Bears fan. They've lost six consecutive games. Three three straight that are just inexcusable losses on their former head coach.

And like you said, the interim bump. I'm with you. Totally. This is a team that has is due for a win. I think the Bears win this outright this week.

Totally. And then for my final pick, I'm going to go to Monday Night Football. Both these teams are not playing well, but I know Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase, they always put up good points and good production on the field.

Yeah, but the defense does nothing. So we're going to see probably more defense in the Big 12 championship game than on Monday night between the Bengals and the Cowboys. Give me the Bengals lay in five and a half.

So the picks this week. Tampa Bay laying six and a half for me. Bears plus four. Bengals laying five. Ari on the field that Jerry's World has the Bears plus four. The Rams plus three and a half.

And the Vikings laying five and a half. Before we let you run Heisman Trophy. Can Ashton Genti still win the award? Or do you think that this is going to be Travis Hunter winning the award next Saturday?

I think he absolutely can. And you know, it's funny because people have been like, oh, you know, should Travis Hunter win or Genti? And I say Hunter, but like then people want to argue with me about I'm like, look, either way, I'm fine here. I mean, the idea here of gauging Travis Hunter, how good he is based on stats is ridiculous. Like, just watch the games. The dude takes away half the field on defense and he is a problem on offense the teams have to account for.

So, I mean, I'm not here to say that Genti shouldn't win it. He's a stud. He's from the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex where they just breed insanely good football players. And he's going to be toting the rock very successfully in the NFL next year. But, yeah, I mean, I absolutely think he's very much in this conversation. This is probably as close of a Heisman Trophy race as we've seen in a long time. Yeah. And you know what? I've been a big supporter of Genti.

You know, we're on Boise. I've also love watching Travis Hunter and Coach Prime in Colorado and Chidor and what they've been able to do. But I will say this. I feel like if it was up to social media, Travis Hunter would win the award. I'm curious how a lot of these voters are going to go and if the push on social media reflects the voters. But, you know, Zach, this tends to be a popularity contest. There's a ton of voters. A lot of the voters aren't watching as many games as they probably need to be. I'm sure they're watching a lot more Colorado games than Boise games. It kind of is what it is.

But, yeah, I agree with you and I think that's probably the reason that Hunter ends up winning it. How about that? Ari Tempkin live from Jerry's World. The best set we've ever seen from a guest on this show.

That is not some Zoom background. Does a great job for Big 12 Radio. Appreciate you doing this. Absolutely, Zach. Thanks for asking, man. Be well. Take care. You got it.

Thanks so much. Unbelievable job there by Ari Tempkin joining us. Big 12 Championship game coming up tomorrow. We'll take a time out. We got a news brief to get to next.

First, we have an update. Here, Zach. Alrighty, it's time to answer Ask the Pros' question of the day. It's brought to you by O'Reilly Auto Parts. Bella B. in Calgary says, Zach, are you a regifter?

Very appropriate question this time of the year. You could submit a question by tweeting at iatfsports.net or 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. I'm not a regifter. Stu, are you a regifter? I am not a regifter.

Here's why I'm not a regifter. First off, I think it's a little cheap if someone gives you a gift and you actually can't because I only give gifts to people I care about. So if I actually care about you, I'm not going to give you a gift that I got, number one. Number two, I would be so paranoid about the person that gave me the gift finding out that I gave the gift to someone else, especially if there's like a mutual connection. For example, if I got some crappy gift and I go, oh, I'm going to give it to Stu. But the crappy gift, I don't know, was sent to me by Samtor.

There's a chance Stu could walk in having no clue it's regifted. And then Samtor goes, oh, I got Zach that. And then you're saying, oh, Zach didn't really get me the gift. And then Samtor's thinking, oh, Zach just gave away my gift.

So I would be very fearful of that potentially happening. So that's why I don't regift things. One, because I think it's cheap. And two, because I don't want someone to know that I gave their gift away. If I just don't like your gift, I'm never going to tell you I don't like your gift. I think that's one of the rudest things someone could do. And I've seen it before happen in my family where someone gives a gift. They're like, oh, I don't like it.

Like put a smile on your face. Say you like it. Shut up.

All right. And then when you get home in the comfort of your own home, stash the gift away. And then when the people come over, you wear the gift or you have the gift out. So they actually think you like the gift. It's not that tough.

But sometimes people just like to be difficult. Let's get to a news. Time for your daily news brief. We get you caught up on the rumors, reports and reconnaissance from the day in sports. Here is Dan Campbell.

I was going to call him Danny Campbell, but I don't think anyone's ever called Dan Campbell, Danny Campbell. Why go for it all those fourth down scenarios? I just felt like we needed to end it on offense, you know, and I did not want to get that ball back. And I believe we could get that.

I believe we could convert, you know, and I trust that old line. I trust David. And they came through for since a hell of a call by them. I knew how I wanted to play this game. The team knew it. And everything in me told me to let's let's finish this. And so we did. And they got it.

I didn't love it. And they were lucky to to get that first down after golf did fall right out of the gate. But you hand the football off. I think I said Jamir Gibbs earlier.

It was David Montgomery. And you get the first down. Here is Dan Campbell with an awesome postgame speech after beating the Packers 34 to 31.

I'm so freaking proud of you, man. That's a way to show up. You talk about pressure, we live in pressure. That's what we freaking thrive. You did it again.

It doesn't matter who's playing for us, no matter what's going on. You always find a way to win. This has been in the making, man. This has been in the making. We were all supposed to be here together, man. We're destined for this.

Just stay the course. Even if you dislike some of the decisions by Dan Campbell last night yourself, they still won the game and he gives you that gem afterwards. And he needs to be aggressive. That's what he needs to be. You may not always like it. I did it last night.

I thought it was stupid. But that's how they put themselves to be in this position. Let's hear Jordan Schultz. We know Bill Belichick has interviewed for the UNC job. Who are three NFL options for Bill Belichick this year, courtesy of FS1?

The three most interesting jobs are Dallas, who we just hit, Jacksonville, and then kind of the sleeper to me is Tampa. Now I know Todd Bowles is there. But if they don't make the playoffs, should they move on from Todd Bowles? I'm just saying he was with Jason Light, the GM in New England. He also loved, Bill did, Baker Mayfield coming out of the draft. And there were rumblings that he was going to try and try and trade up to get Baker.

And then he goes one and that ends up blowing up in smoke. That would actually imagine Belichick stew on the Bucks when Brady went to the Bucks. That was my first thought. It's kind of weird that that's Brady's second team.

I don't know. It feels weird. Well, you look at it, I guess Bill would take any NFL job that they would give him at this point. So I still think it's going to be Jacksonville. If it's not Jacksonville, it's Dallas.

But maybe the Bucks are a team. I just don't think Todd Bowles is deserving of losing his job. Now you tell me to go get Bill Belichick.

Okay, Todd, see you later. I just don't know if they're going to make that move. I think they're happy with what Todd Bowles has done.

Let's go to Rich Damini, Flight Deck Podcast. Would Mike Vrabel be interested in the JTS jets? Many people assume that Rabel wouldn't even consider the Jets because what's he going to do? He's going to call up one of his mentors, Bill Belichick, and ask him his opinion of the Jets. And we know what Belichick's going to say. He's going to trash the Jets and say, don't take that job if it's offered. But I talked to people who know Vrabel, and he has told friends that he would consider the Jets as a possibility as long as he likes the GM that they pick. So he says he doesn't care what Belichick thinks.

He'll judge the situation based on its own merit. Yeah, I don't think that Vrabel gives a flying you-know-what about what Bill Belichick thinks. And I think it all goes back to their time together when Bill traded Mike Vrabel to Kansas City. Vrabel's never coached under Belichick, so to say that Vrabel comes from the Belichick tree just isn't true, and that's why it wouldn't surprise me whatsoever if Vrabel now, which I wouldn't have thought at the time when the Jets job became open, would end up taking the Jets job. Let's go to John Lynch. He was on KNBR on this idea that Kyle Shanahan could get traded, that it's been floated out there, maybe he gets traded to the Chicago Bears.

I've found the whole discussion on Kyle and some of the stuff rather comical. I mean, we haven't won four of the last five division championships. We've been in two Super Bowls.

Look, the standard here is to win championships, and we've fallen short of that, I understand. But we have an excellent head coach, and the fact that people are talking about stuff like that, I do find it comical. We're 100% behind Kyle and what he brings to our organization. Yeah, the only way that he's not coaching the 49ers next year is if he doesn't want to be. I'd be surprised if they got rid of Kyle Shanahan this year. Alright, let's go to Urban Meyer on the Triple Option Podcast on Ryan Day and all this hot seat talk surrounding the Ohio State Buckeyes coach, who, by the way, if you haven't heard, lost to Michigan four straight years. It's uncomfortable to hear the fired word, and it's uncomfortable to hear about pressure, but it's also reality that you're compensated very, very well.

You get all the resources. You're expected to be the very best at what you do in the country. If you're a coach, a running back coach, you better be the very best.

If not, you're going to have to answer to me and say, why? Because there's a lot of places out here, Mark. It's really not that important. You don't have to be the best.

There's 120 schools. You don't have to be the best tailback. You be good, you're fine. You go eat your dinner and you go home for vacation and all that.

At Ohio State, to the world, you don't. If you don't like that, go pay your taxes. Be a good person, but leave here. Can you actually give your opinion on that?

Right? It didn't sound as if he was dancing around the whole thing, Stu. It was almost like, yeah, you know, he's not meeting the standard, but I'm not going to directly say they should get rid of him because he was my guy when I was at Ohio State. And then you release a statement that you're not interested. But if they actually called you and said, would you coach? I think you would be interested. So that's an urban liar kind of quote right there.

It really is. Alrighty, that shall do it for the Zach Gelb show on the Infinity Sports Network. I'll be on WFAN in New York City tomorrow from 9 to 930 a.m. Eastern time. And then we'll be on Sunday morning football right here on the Infinity Sports Network, 10 a.m. to noon Eastern on Sunday. Then we're all back together on Monday for the Zach Gelb show.

3 p.m. Eastern, noon Pacific time. Sue Stamter, each and every one of you. Ack, have a great weekend. Big thanks to Ari Temkin for joining us.

Dan Mullen as well. Enjoy the games everybody. We out. Bye-bye. Peace.