Can Texas Hook Bama? (Hour 3)

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For home loan solutions that fit your life well, Rocket can. 20 minutes away from kickoff, the national anthem being sung right now, as we have the Los Angeles Rams, the defending Super Bowl champions in their house, whose house? Rob's house, getting set to take on the team that many are predicting to go to the Super Bowl and win the Super Bowl, the Buffalo Bills. I gave you my Super Bowl prediction. In the last hour, I took the Baltimore Ravens, take down the Green Bay Packers. Hot take Hickey is going with the Denver Broncos to win the entire thing up against the LA Rams.

So now, you gotta know how the way that this works. And I know we're on in Colorado right now. I will apologize in advance to all Broncos fans. I'll be actively rooting against your team this year.

It's just the way that this works. Hickey digs his heels in so deep on one team where he just makes that team become unlikable. And last year, it was the Indianapolis Colts, his team. So I kind of give him a pass for that because it was his team and you're supposed to always support your team.

But it just wasn't realistic. Now this year, Denver made some good moves this offseason. Denver's a heck of a team. But if I could make a wish of one team to not win the Super Bowl this year, it's Ryan.

And here's why. Do you really want to see Ryan win? Do you really want Ryan to get on the radio and go, Folks, I told you, the Denver Broncos are the best team in the league. Russell Wilson is the greatest quarterback ever. And I am right. You were wrong. You don't want to hear that.

So hold hands with me as we walk together throughout this NFL season rooting against the Denver Broncos. Quick question. Do you remember who picked the Super Bowl champion right last year? You know, my memory gets a little bit hazy. I don't really remember things all that well anymore.

I think part of the reason I don't remember is because I was not taking my own victory lap for the most part. I was not rubbing it in anyone's face. Just pointed at it, folks. Someone may have said it earlier in the year.

Someone may have said it in the offseason Rams. Look out for them. But you know, no reason to take another lap. So for those maybe now having an anti-Broncos or really anti-me bias, you're not someone who's going to rub it in their face if the Broncos win a Super Bowl? Yeah, you will.

You will. Because you're still annoyed. I'll give you credit. You called the Rams winning the Super Bowl from a year ago. But you weren't obnoxious about it.

You're one obnoxious prediction last year. And you said it to me. You're not. I remember the audio.

It's engraved in my head. You're not listening. The Colts are a good team. They're a great team. You're not giving them enough credit. They're better than Tennessee.

Those are the things that you said over and over and over and over and over again. And so far this offseason, it's been Denver, Denver, Denver, Denver, Denver, Denver, Denver, Denver, Denver to win it all. That's why I want people to join forces with me and root against the Broncos this year. And I have a friend of the Denver Broncos. Brandon McManus was a very close friend of mine in college. I was very happy when the Denver Broncos won the Super Bowl over the Carolina Panthers. Good moment when Brandon McManus had three field goals I think in that game. And he did a nice job.

If it wasn't for Von Miller, could have won the Super Bowl MVP if we're being honest. But this year, it's just me rooting against you. That's what it is. It's that simple. I don't want to have to deal with you being right on the team that you've been so obnoxious about.

Also too, if you want something else to blame, blame the Titans. Folds like a cheap suit. My goodness. Jeez. Straight away, A.J. Brown.

How it lands, you can't really control. But I'm in agreement with you this year. I don't think Tennessee is making a playoffs.

I know, but I'm saying they made it easy to wear both aligned. It used to be you could just hate me for my Colts opinions. And last year, I was trying to will it into existence and drag the team by myself to win the AFC South.

It did not work. You had more heart in that final game of the season with you rooting on your couch than that whole entire Colts team had. I would agree. I would have tackled Trevor Lawrence if I was on the field that day. What is up with you producers at CBS Sports Radio? What do you mean you producer?

What is that supposed to mean? I hear Sean Morash this morning saying he would beat an NFL MVP, a former NFL MVP in Boomer Esiason in almost any athletic competition now, unless if it was golf. And now you're saying you would have tackled Trevor Lawrence? You would have not even made it, even though the Jaguars offensive line was garbage last year, you would not even have been able to get past their offensive linemen. That was just showing how much heart and passion I had to try to will this team to victory. I would have suited up and I would have tried to tackle Derrick Henry if they needed me last year. Now that wasn't the issue, you know, Carson Wentz throwing picks in overtime is the issue and throwing left-handed passes. But I mean, if Frank Rugg needed a play, we need a body, I was jacked up enough to where I would have been like, okay, coach, put me in.

It's funny. Now, whenever I think of Derrick Henry, I can only think of one thing. When we got Aaron Donald last week in our interview that went viral with him, we were offered Aaron Donald or Derrick Henry and we went with Aaron Donald. But in the decision-making process between Hot Take Kicky and yours truly, we sat there and we said, why should we go Henry over Donald or Donald over Henry? And one of my reasonings why we should go Derrick Henry over Aaron Donald, and I agreed that we should have gone with Donald and we did go with Donald, was because we could show Derrick Henry, since it was via Zoom, a photo of you and play him all your bad takes trashing the Colts, and then try to set up an Oklahoma drill at the Super Bowl. If, if, if, if, if, if Tennessee wasn't in the Super Bowl and we could have had an Oklahoma drill between the Hot Take Kicky potentially against Derrick Henry, just to see if he would have been on board. Drop the if.

I mean, we can assume that they're not going to make it, but the whole of the thing. If the guys on the show, you know me, I'm usually pretty blunt, but I want to give them an opportunity to at least think he's going to the Super Bowl this year. We'll tell you right now, Derrick Henry would put me in the ground. It's only in a game situation when he's going against the Colts where I have just that pent up frustration of him running through them for years. Or I would just, just see him just break so many tackles. Just, just get in there and tackle him. I have been in the same room before multiple times as Derrick Henry.

I was there interviewing him the night he won the Heisman Trophy and then at a Super Bowl right before the pandemic started, he was there on Radio Row in Miami. The dude is bigger in person than what he looks like on television and he's enormous on television. I'm a pretty large human being. I'm taller than Derrick Henry. I don't feel small around too many people. I felt small next to Derrick Henry.

There's only two people in my life that when I stood by them, I felt just really small and that's Shaquille O'Neal and Derrick Henry. Derrick Henry would eat you alive. He would, but in that situation, I think it could be like Rudy.

No, no, no. I don't care if you had 15 cups of coffee. You would not have a chance. You would cry when the guy hit you. And I would, but if I tackled him to the ground, it'd be a win.

That's how much frustration that I've had with Derrick Henry, just running through the Colts and me speaking how this Titan team is not very good, knowing what they're going to do and still having them succeed. The only way you would tackle Derrick Henry is if he fell. On his own two feet. Doesn't matter.

It still counts. If I'd be the first one to tag him, someone's got to get the tackle. He trips over his shoelace and I'm the first one to touch him down.

That's the only way you'd be able to tackle Derrick Henry. Give me a break. You know, you're really becoming a piece of you-know-what. What? A piece of work? What did you think I was going to say? Yeah, please. Either one.

A piece of something else or a piece of work. I mean, both are very false. What are you thinking about this game tonight? I like the Rams. I don't know why, again, the Bills are favored on the road by 2.5 points. Bills are a great team. The Rams, sure, they lost Von Miller. They lost Robert Woods. They added Allen Robinson. Matthew Stafford is claiming to feel healthier now than he did at any point last year. You're number two in the Shaw-McVay system.

He's more comfortable. Cooper Cup, Allen Robinson, healthy offensive line. I like the Rams in this game.

I think they're going to win and Buffalo's getting off to an 0-1 start in what is a very pressurized season. So last night, I was watching the tennis and I did not make it through the entire time until like 2.50 in the morning to see Carlos win in what was an epic battle, an epic match. So I fell asleep on my couch and I had two TVs. One, I was watching the Barstool college pick show with Portnoy, Big Cat and Rico Bosco. So I was watching that and then the other TV, I was watching the tennis. So I must have fell asleep at like 1.30 in the morning.

I woke up at 7 a.m. just to make my way from the couch into the bedroom where then I got like an extra two hours and 30 minutes of sleep. From the five-foot walk from my couch to the bedroom, I made three bets last night on this game. I took the LA Rams to win the game outright tonight on the money line. Their odds at the time were plus 1.15. I think the Bills on paper, probably the best team in football this year.

It just does not sit right with me when a defending Super Bowl champion is an underdog. So I'm going to go with the Rams. I was thinking about placing them on the two and a half points, but it was minus odds. So I said, all right, let's go plus 1.15 Rams on the money line because I do think the Rams win the game tonight.

I then took two prop bets. I believe Dawson Knox is going to have a monster season. That catch that he had in the wild card game, it was great escape ability by Josh Allen, but the catch, I thought that ball was going out of the back of the end zone. And Dawson Knox caught it for a touchdown. I'm taking Dawson Knox tonight, who just got the contract extension.

Unfortunately, his brother did pass away and our condolences to his family. I think Dawson Knox is going to get a touchdown tonight and he's going to have a monster year this year for the Buffalo Bills, plus 200. Anytime touchdown for Dawson Knox tonight.

And then here's one where I'm going to get a little bit risky. This is what I need to happen. I need the Rams to get down to the one yard line. And I need the Rams tonight to give Matthew Stafford a rushing touchdown. I took Matthew Stafford anytime touchdown, that's not a passing touchdown, it has to be a rushing touchdown.

Or he could receive, I don't know, go Philly special. Oh, I didn't even think about it that way when I placed this bet. But I'm thinking Matthew Stafford gets a rushing touchdown tonight, plus 625 is what I got that at. So those are my three bets for the game tonight.

Now you know what's funny, Ryan? I thought this year I was just going to make one bet. One bet every NFL Sunday. The game I was most confident on, I would throw 100 bucks down every single Sunday. Last weekend I knew that wasn't going to happen. Because I had four or five college football games sitting next to Mraz and Tommy Lugauer and we were betting games left and right. This weekend I already have action on Penn State, minus 25 and a half points up against the Bobcats. What are you slamming the desk for?

Where are you going? Leave Penn State alone. Leave them alone. I bet someone else. Bet Clemson for me if you want to bet a cupcake here. Why not? Why can't I go with Penn State? No, you've talked down about them too much, you've trashed them too much, you've rooted against them too much.

One of my favorite athletic directors in the country, Pat Kraft, is now at Penn State and I can't pick the Nittany Lions to win a game? That's right. No, sir. Sorry. Well, I did. I did. 25 and a half point favorites.

I then took another cupcake. Miami, 24 and a half point favorites up against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. And then the last college football bet I took for this weekend. I took Dave Aranda's Baylor Bears on the money line, plus 150. You liking Kalani Satake this weekend with BYU?

Tough going into the mountains in that one. I like BYU. That's going to be a first of all, very underrated game. That is a great game.

Oh, I said it. If it wasn't for the Florida Kentucky game this weekend, that would be the game I'm most excited about. Even though Alabama, Texas, because of the programs, you should be excited. I just don't think that's going to be a close game. I think Alabama's going to thump Texas. How about you? I would agree.

I hope Texas can score just to keep it at like a shootout, 50 to 35. Whoa. You know who is standing there as they reveal the banner? It's Andrew Whitworth, expected.

Odell Beckham Jr. He was on the podium as they were getting ready to drop the banner at SoFi Stadium. Now, you know what's interesting to me? The Rams have two championships in their history. On their Super Bowl ring, they only put one Super Bowl, the Lombardi Trophy. They have both banners up in the stadium. It was weird how they did not acknowledge, and I know it was in St. Louis when they won that Super Bowl at the one-yard line. It was weird, though, how they did not put that Super Bowl logo, that extra one, put two Super Bowl logos on their Super Bowl ring. Did you notice that when they...

I did. Is that commonplace to add? Is it commonplace for teams other than the Patriots to add to the bevy of Lombardis that they have on there? Yes. Interesting. I think so. And I don't know why they would... Now, I'm basing it off the Patriots, but I think so.

Yeah, I can't... Now, people made the rounds. They said maybe it's because Kroenke and St. Louis and how messy that divorce was. That was a shot at him, and they don't want to acknowledge St. Louis or anything like that. But why hang the banner? I agree with you. I think it's a little bit hypocritical.

I would agree. Get those rings back. It is the Zach Gelb Show on CBS Sports Radio. We will take a timeout when we come on back. We will preview Alabama against Texas as we'll talk to a member of the Longhorn Radio Network, Fosse Whitaker, next.

You're listening to the Zach Gelb Show. NFL season about to kick off. We'll talk a few minutes of college football right now.

Alabama, Texas this weekend, and Austin, Texas. Let's bring in a former Longhorn, a part of the Longhorn Radio Network, also does a great job on Big 12 Radio, and that is Fosse Whitaker. Fosse, appreciate the time. How are you? Yes, sir. Man, what's going on?

I am doing well. The buzz is alive and well out here in Austin this week in preparation for that huge game. So, appreciate you having me on.

Yeah, thanks for coming on. So far, what have been the early impressions now, a year and a game in on Steve Sarkisian in Austin, Texas? You know, it's been a tricky rollercoaster per se. You look at a season ago when Texas went 5-7. You had really high hopes going into the season, built some momentum early on in some of those non-conference games.

And then that first game in conference against Texas Tech where you had an absolute showing of offensive dominance and then, man, just really falling apart the rest of the way. And then obviously getting a taste of what that SEC football life was about against Arkansas in Week 2 last year wasn't probably what Steve Sarkisian had on his plate as well. But coming into the off-season, man, Steve Sarkisian and company, they recruited extremely well given the circumstances that they went 5-7 and had such a horrible showing in his first year. I thought that was signs of a positive coach and a positive outlook on what this Texas team could be like because if people were believing in what Sark could do, and then he returns in the No. 5 recruiting class in the country and had the best offensive line signing class that Texas has ever had since they started computing those stats, I thought there must be a buzz and a positive direction that, you know, Sark is the guy that could possibly turn Texas around.

And looking at Week 1 so far against ULM, I know the opponent isn't of the same caliber, but the team definitely looked like a better version of what we saw a season ago, and they seem to be heading in the right direction. It's obviously clear he's doing a heck of a job recruiting. Everyone knows that they got Arch Manning. Since you're on the ground there and Arch is going to be entering that campus next year, we'll see if he'll be the starting quarterback or it'll be Quinn Ewers.

We'll get to that in just a second. Anything behind the scenes on the recruitment of Arch Manning and how Sark got him to go to Texas? You know, the biggest thing that I've heard, and I haven't heard like I guess the true reason why, I mean Arch has been on statements saying that he wanted to go somewhere where he felt comfortable and could find himself playing at the next level eventually and who could prepare him best for that opportunity. And you look at Sark's track record with quarterbacks that he's had in his system, and you can see he has a long list of guys that have performed and have performed at a high level on so many occasions with different teams and different conferences. So I think that might have been probably the biggest recruiting tool that Sark didn't even have to probably tell Arch Manning. It was part of the product of what Sark has been able to do over the course of the past 20 or so years that you can see the proof is in the pudding with him. And I think that probably allowed Arch Manning to feel very confident in his choosing of pairing up with Steve Sarkeesian at the University of Texas. Fosse Whitaker here with us.

When we get to this weekend, I'll just get to it right out of the gate. What do you expect out of Quinn Ewers up against this unbelievable Alabama defense? Man, I think that's the million dollar question, right?

Everybody's wondering. This is a guy Quinn Ewers that had his first collegiate start, first full collegiate game, well I guess not even a full game since he didn't finish out through the third quarter after Texas had a sizable lead. But he got his first meaningful snaps at the collegiate level and I can say one of the things that I was most impressed with was he faced adversity early on in that game. On his second collegiate pass, he threw an interception and we wanted to see how he would respond and I thought he responded beautifully. Sark obviously helped him out with the play calling and then Bijan became his best friend. But we witnessed what it was like to handle adversity and how he responded to that.

And I thought he did a phenomenal job with that. This matchup this weekend is no ULM, that's for sure. It's not going to be the Warhawks anymore. But I think this will be a great barometer and a measuring stick for him to be able to see what it means to play the top talent in the nation, what it means to play one of the top coaches to ever have coached the game and where did the coin stack up and how favorable is the matchup for Bama? Or how favorable are some of those matchups for Texas? And I think we'll all get an opportunity to see that and I think Quinn will be prepared for the moment. Obviously given Sark's tenure with Nick Saban and his experiences that he's had playing underneath Saban, I think Sark will have a great offensive game plan ready to help combat some of these explosive defenders that Alabama has on the defensive side of the ball.

Fozzie Whitaker here with us. I think Quinn Ewers is a top five storyline in college football because if he balls out this year, you basically end the quarterback competition that's going to happen in the offseason. It's going to be tough to sit Quinn Ewers if he plays really well and then maybe have Arch Manning on a bench for a season. At the end of the year, how do you think we're talking about Quinn Ewers?

You know, I think it'll be in that form of fashion where he has solidified the starting job. Whenever I look at what he was able to do well and some of the things that he can still work on, obviously being a freshman in that first time game type environment, decision making is going to be critical and key, especially this week going against a team like Alabama. You can't afford to have turnovers, especially not turnovers, on your side of the field. So you've got to be very wise and you've got to be smart with the ball. Make sure you're getting the ball on time, out of your hands. Find that rhythm and that pace to allow you to hopefully stay on schedule because if you get out of schedule, that's whenever Alabama, those guys, Will Anderson and Dallas Turner will pin their ears back and make it hard for this Texas offense to get something going.

But for Quinn Ewers, you've got to continue to play like he knows how to play. We saw the arm talent on display a week ago, a couple of passes to Ja'Tavian Sanders that were just like wow moments, him getting those off-balance throws, those completions out to the backs. Dijon obviously got a touchdown out of the backfield, being able to utilize those playmakers in space.

But if he can continue to build off of what he did in week one, if he can have a solid showing again this week, I think his confidence levels will be off the roof and then I think that was all that he would need in order to solidify himself as the guaranteed starter moving forward until it's his time to hopefully enter into the NFL draft. When we flip gears to the defensive side of the ball for Texas, it's such a tough task for what Texas has to go up against offensively since you have Will Anderson going after your quarterback. But when you look at their offense, they may have the best quarterback in college football, the Heisman Trophy winner from a year ago in Bryce Young. It's almost impossible to slow down this Alabama offense unless if you're Georgia in the national championship game. What is the approach this week defensively for Texas other than going to the church and prying? You know that's probably the number one thing that they need to do is make sure they are in that church house, understanding that Nick Saban done recruited some guys that can absolutely ball out. But the first game plan that I always look at, and this is a game plan that I remember whenever I used to play for Coach Brown, whenever I played for the Panthers as well with Ron Rivera, you got to stop the run. And that is what Alabama loves to do. They will establish to run within any game.

And it doesn't matter who the running back is. Obviously Bryce Young is a runner himself, so you got to account for him as an additional runner in the pocket, but I think you got to stop the run. Take the line of scrimmage away from what Bama wants to do, which is obviously easier said than done. But if you can start playing on their side of the ball from the snap, creating penetration up front, allowing yourself to be able to be more physical at the point of attack, that's what we saw Georgia doing a season ago in the national championship game, is Georgia got a lot more physical than Bama up front and started to negate that run game.

And if you can do that, it starts to make Alabama one-dimensional. And one thing that Bryce Young does not like is pressure in your face. And that's not just Bryce Young. That's a quarterback's worst enemy, honestly. It's just pressure in the pocket or pressure in your face. So after you're able to, if you can, stop the run, you need to be able to collapse the pocket and keep Bryce Young sitting in there because if he gets outside of the pocket, that's where a lot of damage is done and creates those big plays.

But if he's pressured in the pocket, it's a lot harder for him to see over those taller offensive and defensive linemen, and it just makes it a lot harder to complete those passes. So I think the biggest thing that this Texas front will have to do is be able to penetrate and cause some havoc up front, whether it's stopping in the run game or being able to penetrate and contain Bryce Young in the pocket on drop-back passes. That gives Texas a chance to hopefully stay close and make some plays or turnovers late in the game. Hitting up the rest of the Big 12, Fosse Whitaker. Baylor BYU this weekend. I can't wait for that late-night game.

What do you think the difference is there? Man, that is obviously one of the most anticipated games as well for this week. Whenever I was breaking down the most significant games within the Big 12 Conference, I actually dubbed this Baylor BYU game as the most significant because a season ago, we saw what Dave Aranda was able to do whenever BYU came into town and Baylor absolutely controlled the line of scrimmage and really dominated that BYU team, but not only were they able to dominate them on the field, they were able to take that same confidence with them the rest of the season and instill that into Big 12 Conference play and eventually wound up as the Big 12 champion. So I can see this game having that sort of impact again for Baylor. If they're able to go onto the road where it's going to be an extremely hostile environment and come away with a win, especially if it's a sound win and be more physical than what this BYU team has shown on tape so far, that can prove a significant confidence booster for this new-look Baylor team with Blake Shafen at the quarterback, but if BYU is able to find a way and get the victory, Baylor still has a chance obviously to win the Big 12, but it could catapult BYU into another opportunity for them to have that same confidence booster that allows them to get on a hot streak, and their schedule is not favorable, but if they get on a hot streak against Baylor, improve to have that momentum the rest of the way in their first probably five weeks of the season, man, you could be looking at a playoff team if they can come away with that unscathed with the momentum they can generate this weekend.

How about that, Fosse Whitaker here with us. Brent Venables, year one, there's high expectations. I think Oklahoma could win the Big 12. You have Dylan Gabriel at the quarterback position. How do you think the transition from defensive coordinator for all those years to head coach will go for Brent Venables? Man, everything that I have heard about that Oklahoma camp has been extremely positive. I played against Coach Venables, so I know exactly how well versed he is as a defensive coordinator.

His resume also speaks for himself while he was the D.C. at Clemson and at Oklahoma, so he is well respected around the country. And then seeing the way that the recruits have responded to it, I talked about Steve Sarkeesian this offseason, but the way Brent Venables has been able to recruit this offseason as well, not having even played a single game, I thought was truly indicative of the type of culture and the type of people that he wants around on campus in Norman, and I thought he's done a phenomenal job of assembling his staff and getting people in the right places at the right time. And you saw that, obviously, a week ago, the way that they were able to dominate UTEP.

Going up 21-0, it seems like before five minutes was even into the game. That just shows how powerful the brand of Oklahoma is and how powerful whenever you have somebody like Brent Venables at the helm, everybody wants to follow, and Jeff Levy is an excellent offensive coordinator who's going to put Dylan Gabriel in the best opportunities. And whenever you have playmakers like they do on the offensive side of the ball, and then you look at Reggie Grimes and Billy Bowman making plays on the defensive side of the ball the way they were, David Awegbu as well, manning down the middle linebacker position, this is also a Big 12 Conference championship caliber team that can win the Big 12 this year and Brent Venables' first year. Who's your pick, by the way, to win the Big 12, Fosse Whitaker? I actually picked Oklahoma State, and the reasoning why, it really doesn't make sense, but it kind of does, but Baylor is the favorite by media, and that is probably understandable why, especially the way that they move the ball against Albany and the expectations that they have, but it's really hard to repeat as a conference champion if your name is not Oklahoma.

It really hasn't been done before, so it would be really hard, in my opinion, for Baylor to repeat as a champion just because history proves otherwise in the Big 12 Conference. I didn't pick Oklahoma just because I thought there was still too much fresh of a turnover with the guys that have left, and then first year for Brent Venables trying to establish the culture that he wants even though he has a talented roster. I just thought it could surmount to a little too much at the end of the day, but the most consistent and longest tenured coach in the Big 12 was my go-to pick because Mike Gundy has been there.

He's done it. He has a very, very solid team, and he has the most veteran quarterback, and that was probably the biggest key reason why I picked Oklahoma State is because Spencer Sanders, the returning first-team all-Big 12 quarterback, is coming back for his final season. He has the most experience in the Big 12. He has the greatest connection with Mike Gundy, and that defense typically throughout three-quarters against Central Michigan, they look like remnants of what Jim Knowles had them playing like a season ago. So if you compare that up with excellent quarterback play with Spencer Sanders accounting for six touchdowns, I felt like Oklahoma State was going to be a really, really tough team to beat. So I picked Oklahoma State because of that veteran leadership at the quarterback position and the longest tenured coach in Mike Gundy in the Big 12. Last thing I'll ask you, Fosse Whitaker, and I want to end you on an NFL point.

You played a few years with the Carolina Panthers. Are you a believer in Baker Mayfield now as their quarterback won? You know, I've always been a believer of Baker Mayfield. I mean, I got to see the guy grow up in the Austin area. He played at Lake Travis High School, which is basically QBU for high schools, and he did a phenomenal job at the high school ranks, and then he'd get to college, and his story is obviously well-documented, going from Texas Tech and then going to Oklahoma and doing what he does there on a national stage and being a Heisman winner as well.

And then going into Cleveland, and you can see his rookie year, man, he was phenomenal, on point, having that team headed in the right direction, and I think injuries kind of derailed the narrative that he wants to write, but now that he is completely healthy and got a fresh new look and a new teammate in Christian McCaffrey, I think the pairing of those two guys will be extremely explosive and dynamic, and I know CMAQ as a competitor, as one of the ultimate competitors, and in that same vein, I can definitely see Baker Mayfield being one of those ultimate competitors as well, so the pairing of those two on the offensive side of the ball I think will prove more successful than what we've seen Carolina in the past couple of seasons. He's Fosse Whitaker. Make sure you check him out.

Big 12 Radio on the Longhorn Radio Network calling the games. Always appreciate the time. Thanks so much. Yes, sir. Appreciate you having me on. Y'all have a good one.

You got it. There's Fosse Whitaker. We'll take a timeout. We do got a touchdown. Told you this guy was going to have 10 receiving touchdowns at least this season, and that is Gabe Davis as the Bills march right down the field.

They're up 7-0, and I just saw Von Miller get his first sack, I believe, as a member of the Buffalo Bills, taking down the quarterback Matthew Stafford, so Von Miller already making a name for himself in a Buffalo Bills uniform for the two-time Super Bowl champion, and he did win a Super Bowl MVP with the Denver Broncos. Visit westwoodonesports.com via Westwood One Station streams or by asking Alexa to open Westwood One Sports, sponsored by AutoZone. It's time to say goodnight to that check engine light with the free AutoZone fix finder service that will help troubleshoot the likely cause of your life for free. Hey, can you know what I just wondered? If someone's listening to us on Alexa right now, when I read that part, or by asking Alexa to open Westwood One Sports, do you think when that's played through someone's Alexa speakers, Hey Alexa, open Westwood One Sports, that people's speakers then pause our program and try to open Westwood One Sports? You know, I don't know. Maybe, I would think so, right?

Can the computer decipher if it's the voice coming from the radio versus the voice of someone in the house? Yeah, of its owner. I don't know. I don't know. I don't think so, but who knows? Well, let me know.

If I just messed up your Alexa, drop me a tweet. Jason Kelsey says the team isn't getting wrapped up in their preseason expectations. I think we got enough older guys around this building to understand that expectations are just that. They're f***ing nothing. You know, the moment you're comfortable in this league, somebody's coming for you. You know, Mr. T and Rocky III, you know, he's going to be on this every single week. And we haven't won f***ing nothing yet, so we're not even the champion.

So we better work our asses off. Yeah, he's the heartbeat of that locker room. And if you get complacent, it's clear Jason Kelsey's going to be all up in your face. Matthew Stafford and his Rams are down 7-0 to the Bills, I think. The Bills, they're going to review this as I'm actually reviewed.

The ball was in Isaiah McKenzie's hands, and then it popped up in the air, and I believe it was intercepted. But Matthew Stafford, who had offseason elbow surgery, says his elbow is good to go. No limitations. You know, still think there's, I don't know. I feel great. I mean, I'm ready to go play. Can always be better. Can always try to feel like I'm 21 again.

I'll keep trying. But no, I feel really good. I feel like I can make every throw. I don't know what else you need to hear from me. That wasn't really convincing. It seems as if he was talking himself into the fact that he feels good when early on in training camp there's reports that that wasn't the case. So far, he's four for four, 43 yards. It's very early in the season. I'm not going to tell you I'm really concerned. But he didn't sound all that convincing there, Hot Day Kiki.

Yeah, I will say, listening to it did not sound like maybe he fully believes it. Aaron Rodgers isn't worried about the Vikings or any other NFC North team winning the division. We've played in some tough environments. This will be another one.

Good test. Just like all the other teams in the NFC North, it seems like every single year. I think their fan base and their teams feel like this is our year to win the North hasn't really been the case during my time for the most part. That's Aaron Rodgers saying, did you see what I said to Bears fans last year? I bleep and own you.

I bleep and own all the teams in the NFC North. Kyle Shanahan is concerned that Trey Lance wasn't named a team captain this season. I didn't look into it that much. He was seventh in the voting. I just didn't want to put seven on there. Deebo was eight. We just didn't want to go with six.

They don't allow eight to the coin toss, I don't believe. It's also his first year of starting for us. I think guys do, there's not many rookies who end up being the captains. I know this is his second year, but he's a rookie for us in terms of his first time being our starting quarterback.

Trey Lance isn't upset that he wasn't named a team captain. Obviously that's a goal of mine, but I don't think you can look at any six of those guys and be like, that guy's a bozo. Because those guys have all played football at a very, very high level.

So yeah, situations are different. I'm excited. I voted for every single one of those guys. So I think each and every one of them deserves it.

Yeah, it's definitely a goal of mine moving forward, but those guys have all proved it. I respect the use of the word bozo there, Ryan, but I wasn't expecting it from the quarterback of the 49ers. Is this really Bo Callahan's birthday party and who was in attendance or not? I think people are making a big deal over really nothing here that this guy wasn't named the team captain. I agree. I don't think it's that big of a deal.

It's like, you know, find a new slant here. I hate to sound like Barbara Botini and Brian Colangelo, but that to me is no big deal whatsoever. It seems that every day people are trying to just create a negative storyline with Trey Lance.

I'm just ready to see the guy play football throughout the entire season. Mark Schlerth was on the DA show earlier this morning. He said Cowboys players go over the head of their head coach, Mike McCarthy. Do you think that happens? The Cowboys players go to Jerry Jones and say, hey, I want to do this or we should do that.

They go to him instead of going to Mike McCarthy? Not do I think that happens. I know that happens. I know that happens and within bad organizations. Those are the things that go on and if the guy that's leading you the guy that's creating and setting the culture isn't in charge truly doesn't have anything to do with being in charge.

There's a respect factor there that just doesn't it doesn't exist to the level that it needs to exist. And I think it starts with Jerry Jones. Jerry Jones is not believable when he gives you the vote of confidence in Mike McCarthy. You have Dan Quinn there who remember that quote McCarthy said, yeah, a few years ago, I would probably told you to go leave now. I'm okay with you being here. Everyone's talking about Sean Payton.

Mike McCarthy is good coach, won a Super Bowl. But when the team wasn't prepared last year and you admit that it seems like there's just something funky going on in that locker room. Tom Brady was asked if he's pondering his future after the season in the last few recent weeks when he actually took an 11 day hiatus from being the Bucks quarterback in training camp.

I think we're all getting one day older at a time. So, you know, we're all not sure whether we're going to be here next year or not. You know, this is the reality for every player, every coach, every parent, you know, you just never know.

So we should all take advantage of the opportunity that we have, which is the one we have in front of us now. Yeah, he gone. He will either retire and that's what I think is going to happen or he'll play for a new team next year.

I think though he's going to retire. Baker Mayfield doesn't look at the Browns as a revenge game. Okay, Baker. I think it's a great storyline. Obviously there's history involved, you know, leading up to this week. There's other games in the NFL that guys are playing their former teams. It's just it's the excitement leading up to week one that I think is building that anticipation up. But for me, it's the familiarity anytime you're playing guys, you know, it makes it just more interesting, more fun.

You get to smack talk a little bit with your buddies that you've been with for a little bit and you know how to poke and prod and get the best out of them. And it's I'm looking forward to the opportunity. Baker also says he holds no ill will towards Cleveland. I'm grateful for the time I've had in Cleveland.

Like I said, started my career there. Fans, their football town, you know, obviously, like I've mentioned multiple times, it ended abruptly and you know, unexpectedly, but we're here now. Everything happens for a reason and I'm rolling with the punches and I'm like I said, I'm happy to be a panther. Yeah, he's going to try to believe him up this weekend. This is a revenge game. Nick Saban learns that horns down is a penalty. Clarified this offseason that the horns down hand gesture would be a penalty. Have you addressed that with the team going into this game?

What's that? Horns down gesture could be a 15 year penalty. I have not addressed it with the team, but I appreciate you letting me know that. So, you know, we got a lot of other things we need to really worry about. But I think that's a good thing for me to go over with the team. So I appreciate that.

Wow. The most prepared coach of all time was unprepared about the horns down being a penalty, which is such a lame rule. If Texas wants to throw the horns up when they score, you should be able to throw the horns down when you kick their ass. Oh, I can't wait till the fourth quarter when it's a blow and a player does it at Alabama and cost them some yardage and Saban's freaking out of the sidelines. That's going to be great.