Gator Chomp (Hour 1)

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Viator, one site, over 300,000 experiences you'll remember. Live from the police show yet not overly ostentatious, studios of CBS Sports Radio here in beautiful New York City, sitting on top of the 10th floor of 345 Hudson Street. Welcome on in to a Wednesday edition of the Zach Gelb show across all of our great local CBS Sports Radio affiliates, Sirius XM, Channel 158 and that free Odyssey app. 855-212-4CBS. I'm going to jump on in.

855-212-4227. You can always get at me. And follow me on Instagram where I'm straight flexing or via the good old cesspool of Twitter, at Zach Gelb.

That's Z-A-C-H-G-E-L-B. And we're coming to you live from the Rocket Mortgage Studios. Whether you're looking to purchase a new home or refinance yours, Rocket Mortgage can help you get there for home loan solutions that fit your life well. Rocket can and producing this fine extravaganza for the next four hours is no other. Then, hot take hickey.

This dumb producer, hot take hickey. Got a whole lot to do today. We got to start off with some football. Tomorrow is going to be our big NFL preview show as we will have the Buffalo Bills and the LA Rams kicking off the season. So we will give you a full hour tomorrow at 7 p.m. Eastern, 4 p.m. Pacific, telling you every single thing that is going to happen throughout the NFL season. We will give you a prediction on all 14 of the playoff teams and we will give you a Super Bowl prediction tomorrow. You usually know how this works. We give you a lot of predictions. Mine usually are right.

Hickies are usually wrong. And away we go. It will be a very fun and fine NFL season. So a lot of NFL today, a lot of NFL tomorrow, a lot of NFL for the next few months and really 365 days out of the year.

But I do got to start you off with a little college football. So yesterday we had Harry Douglas on, a former NFL wide receiver, used to play his college ball at Louisville. He does a very good job breaking down all things college football. He claims to be the leader of the Anthony Richardson bandwagon. Last year he was begging Dan Mullen to play Anthony Richardson when Dan Mullen was going with Emory Jones and was being loyal to his guy. Anthony Richardson though in a start to kick off the season up against Utah.

We all know what did transpire. Hickey claiming Utah is going to be going to the college football playoff. Utah having a lot of palpable buzz with Cam Rising with Kyle Whittingham. expected to win the Pac-12.

And in their first game of the season, it was a back and forth seesaw ride. And Anthony Richardson gave the Florida Gators the lead. Utah marching down the field.

Looks like they're at a bare minimum going to send this game to overtime with a field goal. They're inside the 10 yard line and Cam Rising throws a pick and the next thing you know Florida wins. And ever since that game, and you saw the way that Anthony Richardson played in the contest, 17 to 24 throwing the football, 168 yards throwing the rock.

He also had 11 rushing attempts for 106 yards and 3 touchdowns. There has been a seismic shift in the way now that we are talking about Anthony Richardson. And it wasn't just Harry Douglas who started the party yesterday where he said on this show, and I did a double take and this is not me saying that Anthony Richardson can't become a great player, but right away the takes about Anthony Richardson from Harry Douglas was he is mechanically better than Cam and athletically better than Cam Newton. That is what Harry Douglas said with us yesterday and he guarantees that when the NFL draft rolls around in April that Anthony Richardson is going to be a top 10 pick.

So naturally, when you hear someone so excessively praising one guy, I wanted to see how far he was going to take it. We've been told the entire offseason leading into college football that the next draft it's going to be Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, those are going to be the two first quarterbacks taken in the draft. Maybe not the first two picks, but the first two quarterbacks. So I followed up with Harry Douglas and I simply just said, Ken maybe you have Anthony Richardson usurp Young or Stroud and potentially be the number one overall pick. If you're telling me you guarantee he's going to be a top 10 pick, can you take it to the road of could he be the number one overall pick and Harry Douglas didn't say no. He said potentially Anthony Richardson could become the number one overall pick.

So if that was just one former player, one analyst who said that, it really wouldn't be that huge of a deal and maybe not starting to dictate the entire media landscape. I was watching ESPN yesterday, Paul Finebaum, effusive in his praise over Anthony Richardson. I was seeing our guy Roman Harper, friend of the show, listener of the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio, and he believes Florida is going to win this game this weekend up against Kentucky. Remember last year, Kentucky beat Florida in Lexington for the first time since 1986.

Now this game is going to be played in the swamp. Roman Harper believes that Florida is going to win the game and he thinks they're going to win it handily. So after one weekend of college football, after week one, the big name, the big buzz, and the player that's getting a ton of praise is Anthony Richardson and this Florida program.

And it's wild the way that it works. I'm not telling you that the guy isn't going to be a first round pick. I'm not ready to say it right now that he definitely will be. I'm not ready to say that he could potentially be a number one pick. I still don't even know what Florida is going to be this year. But I love the way that this works, that you went into that game and there was definitely a chance it was a coin flip, maybe a slight advantage to Utah in that game because Utah at the time was the seventh ranked team in the country. But I anticipated that game to be a grinded out, close game. And when Anthony Richardson not only marches his team down the field, but then on the back end of that, you have the Cam Rising pick.

That is what the impetus is now. When you have a moment like that in Billy Napier's first game and Anthony Richardson's game up against Utah, when you play like that in one of those big games to kick off the season, it's a narrative changer. I'm not saying that no one had Anthony Richardson in the first round of mock drafts, but now people are at least putting him in the conversation as one of the best quarterbacks in the country. And the top 10 talent in the draft, Feinbaum said top 10.

Harry Douglas said top 10. And I'm curious to see with all this hype, with all this buzz and all this quick momentum, how Florida shows up on Saturday evening. When you're in the swamp, you're welcoming in a Kentucky team that beat you last year, 20 to 13. Mark Stoops has a good program. Mark Stoops also has an excellent quarterback in Will Levitz who has to show something this year. But there's a lot of buzz on Will Levitz. You remember Chris Trapasso? He had a mock draft. He's been on this show a bunch. And one of his mock drafts claimed that he believes that Will Levitz could be the first quarterback taken in this draft.

So there has been now a lot of big time opinions on Will Levitz, and also big time opinions on Anthony Richardson. And I know there's a lot of good games this weekend. I know there's a lot of big time programs playing this weekend.

You have Alabama and Texas. Does anyone think, though, Alabama and Texas are going to be a classic game? Alabama is favored by 20 points. I don't know if Bama's going to cover, but I expect Bama to win that game in the fourth quarter really not to mean much. You have an intriguing game this weekend between Pitt with Pitt going up against Tennessee.

I do like that game, and I think that's going to be an excellent game. Baylor and BYU, that is a fun game. But if I'm going to be honest with you, right now, the game that I'm most looking forward to this weekend is going to be Kentucky and Florida. The 12th team in the nation, the Florida Gators who have jumped into this party, going up against the 20th team in the nation, the Kentucky Wildcats, we're Mark Stoops. Now doesn't want to hear that Kentucky is a basketball school if you want to go back a few weeks ago, which I thought was a little bit nuts that he got so annoyed by John Calipari's comments because that's just the truth of the situation.

You, though, now have an established program, a program that is on the rise in Kentucky. Mark Stoops, who has done a wonderful job in changing the narrative about that program. Going up against a Florida team that with Dan Mullen was good, not great but good, and eventually the excuses and the time was up for Dan Mullen. Now you bring in a new guy in Billy Napier who did a wonderful job at Louisiana, and his first game of the year, he beat a Utah team that some believed was going to be playing in the college football playoff at the end of the year. So this narrative on Anthony Richardson could, it's already skyrocketing, that could augment this weekend and also the buzz and the love for Billy Napier could really pick up in intensity if you start out your season beating Utah, who was ranked seventh, and then finding a way to take care of business at home up against Kentucky inside the SEC, who's the top 20 team in the nation.

So I'm just fascinated to see where this story goes with Anthony Richardson and where this story goes with Billy Napier year one together in the swamp at Florida. And if they win this weekend, then after that they should beat South Florida and you have a good game, Anthony Richardson against Hendon Hooker up against Tennessee, eastern Washington, Missouri, LSU. It would not be crazy to sit here and say that Florida could start the season off 7-0, and then their schedule picks up with Georgia, A&M, back to back weeks, and then you end the year with South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and Florida State. I look at this schedule rhyme, and it's not a gimme that they're going to beat Kentucky. It's not a gimme that they're going to beat Tennessee. But this could be a two-loss Florida team this year.

I don't think that's wild to say. But they should only have two or three losses this year when you look at the Florida Gators team. And if that's the case, that's a super successful year one for Billy Napier. I'm talking about the regular season.

Forget about the bowl game and what happens with that if you win or lose a bowl game. But in the regular season, this could be at most, you know, they could be a two or three loss team at a bare minimum. And if that's the case, that's a super successful season for Billy Napier.

That means Anthony Richardson is playing his ass off. And the opinions that we're already starting to hear about Florida and Anthony Richardson are only going to continue to grow louder and louder and louder and get louder. Especially if they take care of business these next few weeks and you just keep on winning games and you set up those big games up against Georgia, who right now is the best team in the country, Georgia and Alabama, and then you play A&M after that. What are your expectations this year for Florida? How do you view the Gators? I'm still not getting too crazy.

You know, eight and four ish. I'm still, you know, I still want to see more from Anthony Richardson. Still want to see more from Billy Napier. You know, that was a really nice Utah win. Really nice win. We've also, especially in college football, early on in the season. You better follow it up with the win though against Kentucky.

Seeing teams have impressive week one performances and then struggle to kind of follow it up on a consistent basis. So they get all the credit and they get all the praise so far this week. They deserve it all. But now to your point, Kentucky, they're coming to town week two. They're here to kick some ass. Like, you guys, you know, it's not just, you can't send your laurels here and just be like, oh yeah, nice win and kind of bask in that. And Kentucky is a tough program.

Tested right, right, right away. They are a tough program and you're going to get Will Levis coming in and we know Will Levis is a very good quarterback. Mark Stoops, with his defensive mind and his family background in the coaching world, you know what he's going to try to do. He's going to try to contain Anthony Richardson, not let him beat him on the ground. And they could do that with the way that they play off the edge and they're going to make him throw the football.

And they're going to make him throw the foot and try to have him throw the football a lot. But if they get through Kentucky and Tennessee, Ryan, and then you obviously sandwich in between, expect them to beat South Florida. They'll be 4-0. Then you should beat Eastern Washington. You should beat Missouri. So we're talking about 6-0. LSU, they got a lot of talent.

I'm not really loving Brian Kelly, though, in your number one. It's not crazy to say that they'll be 7-0 going into Georgia. However, even though we like what Billy Napier has done in the past, we got to see what he's going to do as he makes a jump from small-time college football to the big leagues when you're going to a school like Florida. And this week we'll learn a lot about Anthony Richardson going up against another really good quarterback in Will Levis. We'll also learn about Billy Napier and how he's going to be able to keep his team level-headed and beat a Kentucky team that they should beat. But if you don't have things go the way that you envision it from the start and you get off to a slow start, Mark Stoops has done a heck of a job within 10 games twice at Kentucky. And he's done a great job building up that program.

A veteran coach like that at a program inside the SEC will take advantage of you if you leave that door open. So this weekend, that's the game I'm most excited for. Is that the game that excites you the most this weekend? Florida, Kentucky? And I never thought I would have been saying that a few weeks ago, but here we are now after what Florida did in week one and what Kentucky's done the last few years.

It's not number one for me. I'm still very true to Alabama, Texas to see what Texas is with Quinn Ewers and Steve Sarkisian. I'm really interested in Tennessee-Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh, you know, nice year last year.

I'm high in Tennessee this year. This is a nice test, nice revenge opportunity after Pitt came in there last year and won in Knoxville. Those are two games I'm looking at too in terms of excitement, maybe a little bit more than Kentucky-Florida. And that will tell us a lot about those two quarterbacks too.

And even USC-Stanford. Week two is a big opportunity for a lot of college quarterbacks. Caleb Williams gets a tough Stanford defense.

There's a lot of prove it kind of opportunities here in week two already. Well, when I go through with what you're saying, Hendon Hooker going up against Keaton Slovis. And Keaton Slovis a few years ago through for 30 touchdowns, wasn't even expected to start, wasn't even expected to be the backup at USC. Hooker's done a really nice job, even though it's early and we know what the type of player he could be.

Then you take a look at the Quinn Ewers point that you bring up. This year for Quinn Ewers, you're playing for your job next year. Because you know who's coming right around the corner, that's Arch Manning. You ball out this year, Quinn Ewers, you basically make that decision before the competition starts. If you leave the door open, then you allow an actual genuine competition to occur over next summer and in next offseason. So a lot to prove for some of these young quarterbacks this weekend and some of the quarterbacks just in general in college football.

Who's going to step up and deliver? 8-5-5, 2-1-2 for CBS, 8-5-5, 2-1-2, 42-27. Hickey's most intrigued this weekend by Bama, Texas. I'm most intrigued and excited for Kentucky going up against Florida.

Lucky for us, we don't have to just watch one game, we can watch them all. And we'll be talking about them all throughout this week and then recapping them early on next week as well. We'll take a break when we come on back. If Clemson does not win the ACC, and they've started off their year with an underwhelming performance going up against Georgia Tech, even though Clemson did get the victory, and we know Clemson did not win the ACC a year ago, that was pit.

But if Clemson repeats as not winning the ACC, change the way we use repeat with Clemson over the last decade or so, but if they can't win the ACC this year, who will? Hickey will have an answer, I will have an answer as well. When we come on back, it is the Zach Gelb show. We'll return in five minutes.

to choose from in over 190 countries. In fact, just last year, Viator helped my family put together this amazing adventure on the island of Kona, swimming with the manta rays, trying to avoid the barracudas, whatever your wildest dreams. If you can imagine it, Viator probably has an experience just for you. Download the Viator app now and use code Viator10 for 10% off your first booking in Viator's World of Wonderful Experiences. Viator, one site, over 300,000 experiences you'll remember. You're listening to the Zach Gelb Show. That's right, it is Zach Gelb Show on CBS Sports Radio. You can think of 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-O-O-O-O-Reilly Auto Parts. So yesterday we talked a lot about Clemson, how I was disappointed with the first three quarters, really the entire game, going up against Georgia Tech Monday night. Defensively, Clemson is one of the better defensive units in the country. Offensively though, the line stunk, receivers were dropping the football, D.J.

Wengill LA did not impress me. And there wasn't just anything on offense that I really loved for this Clemson team. Cade Klubnick comes in, I know it's in garbage time at the end of the game, and he goes on a drive and leads him right down the field and gets a touchdown. And we know that Cade Klubnick, even though D.J. Wengill LA was once a five-star recruited quarterback, Cade Klubnick is also a five-star recruited quarterback, someone that we've not seen much of yet. And the Band-Aid has been ripped off from D.J.

Wengill LA and it's still showing a wound, it's still showing some cause for concern. So I asked this question yesterday on Twitter, at Zach Gelb, and it was Clemson this year will, it was fill in the blank, be winning it all, make the playoff or miss the playoff? 79% said miss the playoff, 18.8% said make the college football playoff, and 2.2% said they'll be winning it all. Now, you could win the ACC and still miss the playoff.

We saw that a year ago. Pittsburgh win the ACC and no one was advocating for Pitt to get in the college football playoff. So if I had to tell you that Clemson was going to not win the ACC this year, who then is that team that you're going to rock and roll with inside the ACC? We'll get Ryan's response in just a second. I'll just give you my response in a matter of a few seconds as well. But I want you to think about that.

I really want you to let it marinate. If I'm telling you that Clemson doesn't win the ACC, who is then the team that you roll with inside the ACC? But you look at this Clemson schedule, Furman and Louisiana Tech, those are tune-up games.

Then after that, you get a little bit of a tough back-to-back stretch. Sam Hartman now back with Wake Forest, you play them at the Demon Deacons on the 24th. And then the week after that, you get NC State. I know NC State stunk up the joint up against ECU. They did survive.

They did win the game. And NC State is the top 20 team in the country. So I look at this Clemson schedule, we'll see how they perform up against Wake Forest and NC State.

The next two weeks, it's kind of a snooze fest. And then after that, the next two times, you really get jacked up for a Clemson game. It's going to be up against Notre Dame on November 5th, the first weekend of November. And then towards the end of the season, you get a Miami team. And I know Miami was playing a cupcake team in Bethune the first week of the season, but they won 70-13. And there's a lot of buzz with Tyler Van Dyke, who's a very good quarterback. And now for Miami, they play Southern Miss this weekend, and then they get A&M.

But A&M is a non-conference game inside the SEC. So that's not going to impact if Miami can win the ACC or not, but that's a big moment for Mario Cristobal and his quarterback. And that's honestly my team that if Clemson, if you're going to give me the statement that Clemson isn't going to win the ACC, even though it's a new coach, but Mario Cristobal, I've been a big fan of him for a while, even when he was back coaching in Florida back years ago. And then we saw what he was able to do at Oregon, had that big win up against Ohio State. He's been a guy who wanted Temple to hire him before they hired Matt Ruhl. I've been watching him coach and I've been listening to him do interviews ever since he was back at FIU. And he got a lot of credit from Nick Saban, who was at Alabama for a few years, then took over at Oregon. That was after, really, Taggart was one and done at Oregon, did a very nice job, and now he's going home to Miami. And I'm not telling you Miami is back back. I'm not going to be like Sam Ellinger.

I'm not going to be, you know, one of those people that just go, oh, the U is back. But I do believe Mario Cristobal with the way that NIL is now set up and recruiting is now set up. I think Mario is going to help try to bring that swagger back to Miami. He knows the ins and outs of the university. He knows everything, what it means to be a Miami Hurricane, the way that Miami Hurricanes fans think that program should operate.

And he does bring some excitement. So this is a big year and you're number one for Mario Cristobal because that could be a narrative driver for the next few years. And if I'm going to tell you Clemson doesn't win the ACC, I would then zero in on Miami because I love the coach and I do love the quarterback. And we're going to find out about Miami two weeks from now against A&M. You don't have to win that game, just keep it close. And then you get into that ACC schedule with North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Duke, Virginia.

None of those four teams really do scare me. Florida State, that's always a good game. Norvell had a good win up against LSU. You should clobber Georgia Tech and then the end of the season for the Hurricanes, you get Clemson and Pitt. And that's a heck of a way to end out the season with Clemson and Pitt.

So you could start to build up your program, get things going for Miami and then really test things out at the end of the season. So if it's not Clemson, I'm going to say Miami wins the ACC. Mr. College Football, hot take Kiki, who are you rolling with to win the ACC this year if it's not Clemson? I'm going with NC State. I like the timing of the matchup against Clemson.

It's October 1st, so three weeks from now. So you got to think at least with what we saw on Monday night with Clemson's offense looking shaky. And you got to think if a quarterback change will be made at some point, that's kind of the conclusion or the assumption.

I don't think it's going to happen before October 1st. So in theory, again, Clemson's offense will still be kind of sputtering by the time they go host NC State. Plus, I mean, you're going to need a quarterback that's going to be able to really dice up this Clemson defense.

It's elite. This Clemson defense, especially their front four, is really damn good. So I like Devin Lehrer in terms of talent-wise being one of the best options to take down Clemson. So I will go with the Wolfpack to take down Clemson and also win the ACC. Why doesn't Week 1 concern you?

Do you just chalk that up to Russ? Because you're going up against an ECU program. I've watched a lot of American Athletic Conference football ever since really Ruffin McNeil was fired from that program. And I actually, I think Lincoln Riley was actually the offensive coordinator at ECU because I remember a game Temple played ECU and the Owls made the Pirates walk the plank when they were a Top 25 program. That was the call I had on Temple radio. And the Owls make the Pirates walk the plank.

Matt Ruhl and the Owls, they have a Top 25 victory. I did something cheesy like that. So that was a nice little play on words.

I thought it was creative and not just being some traditional boring pedestrian broadcaster. So for a while ECU has been a bad football program and they should have beat NC State. So why do you still have confidence with the Wolfpack? Look Devin Lehrer did not play good in that game whatsoever. Costly pick that almost should have cost him the game frankly. They got lucky to win. I'll say this. Sometimes better to be lucky than good. Better to be lucky than good. First game.

And I'm not making any excuses. In college football that's just how it goes. It was one of those weird games where that's a very rare home opponent for ECU to get a team like NC State there.

A lot of in-state bitterness. There was just a makings of a perfect storm for where an upset should have happened. They got lucky they didn't but I think they'll be better coming out of it going forward.

Just kind of put that one in the past. Yeah and ECU, they had a solid year a year ago. They did go 7 and 5. But before that they were 4 and 8, 3 and 6.

When Montgomery was there, 3 and 9, 3 and 9, 3 and 9. I was surprised and as you were as well that that was a close game. So you're rolling with NC State if it's not Clemson and I'm going with Miami if it's not Clemson.

Now here's the big question. Do you think it will be Clemson winning the ACC? Because I set up the way that I worded that question to you was if it's not Clemson. Are you out on Clemson winning the ACC? We already got the opinion yesterday that we both think they will not make the college football playoff. How about just winning the ACC?

I am out on them. The offense is just not, it's too shaky. And it's not just the quarterback. It's the offensive line.

It's the receivers. I just think with their schedule too, you know, you have the back to back games. NC State, WIC 4s, that's tough. You play Notre Dame later on in the year. Like it's a tough schedule where you got to kind of manage through the ACC starting to get better.

I just don't think they make it through unscathed. I will go NC State or basically the field if you will, if it's Clemson or anyone else to win that conference. Now I'm not thinking either these next two games will be all that close for Clemson. Clemson should block the two opponents. But if it's a shaky first half, you're basically getting your answer handed to you if you're Dabo Sweeney. Dabo owes it to the rest of the players on that roster to not let his loyalty get in the way of what is making the right call for the football team.

Because we're both in agreement. That Clemson defense, the defense is college football playoff worthy. But when you look at that offense and you could say maybe DJ is the right guy but he's not in the right spot because the offense line stinks. The wide receivers can't catch a cold right now. And there's no creativity on the offensive side of the ball.

If you're those seeing DJ not be able to really captain that ship, which they have not given any indication publicly that's the case. But if you're seeing that and if those things are telling you that through your eyes and in your gut as well. You then got to go to something else because that defense could be a college football playoff defense. But if your quarterback can't elevate the rest of the offense to just go get you 20 something points consistently up against good opponents.

Then you got to have a quick plug to go to Cade Clubnick. I'm not saying this is just a quarterback and that's going to change everything. But you do see what happens when you change a quarterback last year when one quarterback was winning but was winning sloppy. And look what happened with Oklahoma. They were winning early on the season. But Spencer Ratliff had a lot of close games.

And eventually the moment when that Red River showdown looked like it was getting out of reach. They go to Caleb Williams and Caleb Williams anchors that comeback. And the next thing you know he's the quarterback for the rest of the season in Oklahoma.

Those situations Ryan are very similar. Spencer Ratliff last year with Oklahoma. And then Clemson with D.J.

Angoulou. Now D.J. the big hype was a year ago and people have cooled off. But this is a big proven year. And I don't care what you thought the guy was going to be and what your eyes told you in the past.

You got to deal with the present moment. And if you have a better option second on the depth chart. You got to then eventually make him the first option on the depth chart.

And we saw we know Dabo is not shy to do so. With Kelly Bryant and Trevor Lawrence a few years ago. Kelly Bryant got him further than D.J. Ouyoungole did. Got him to the playoff.

You know where D.J. didn't last year. Yeah Lawrence though generational talent.

Oh he is. I'm just saying you know it's kind of like what we're seeing right now in Michigan. Where it seems like Jim Harbaugh desperately wants to change quarterbacks. But also at the same time it's like well this guy just got us to the playoff. You know we did see Dabo make the move that right now Harbaugh should make.

But is either unwilling to or scared to. He's going to. Because when you have Cade Mack the matter who you just said it when won the Big Ten last year got him to the college football playoff. If that guy can't be named the starting quarterback outright without any statements attached to it.

That means you really don't believe in him and you think the other guy's better. You just feel as if you owe it to Cade Mack the matter to give him the the Max opportunity to win the job. And when you're going to see it in these easy games for Michigan their first three games you saw it this past weekend. McCarthy is the better quarterback. It's obvious McCarthy is a better quarterback. Now you may not win the Big Ten this year you may not be in the college football playoff. But you got to play who the better player is. And that's the tricky spot spot when you have a guy that you've had success with doing what's in the best interest of your football team. And we've seen that for the entire existence of football in the NFL and then also in college as well.

Zach Yelp shows CBS Sports Radio will take a break when we come on back. One player the Buffalo Bills should sign at some point throughout this season. And he's interested. There's no doubt about that. Viator is the world's leading travel experience marketplace offering everything from simple tours to extreme adventures and all the niche interesting stuff in between. Extensive options ease of selection and flexibility at your fingertips help make sure your time is wonderfully spent. Viator is the place to go to book experiences that will create long lasting moments that make lifetime memories. And Viator has over 300,000 bookable experiences to choose from in over 190 countries. In fact just last year Viator helped my family put together this amazing adventure on the island of Kona.

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Viator one site over 300,000 experiences you'll remember. You're listening to the Zach Gelb show. Hey ESPN I'll take 75 percent less of what you're paying Joe Buck.

Just going off what the callers say this is Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. Hickey I got to go to you for a little checks and balances here. This is a litmus test because I have a thought on the game tomorrow. And if we're in agreement maybe that should be a sign warning a warning a warning. Zach don't put your money on this game. Because if I say something and then you disagree with it I feel good.

But if I say something and then you agree with it I go oh oh we're all on one team maybe another thing happens. Now I want to be clear here Buffalo on paper is the best team in the AFC. Buffalo on paper will easily win the AFC East. Buffalo could be the best team in football. Buffalo is expected to win a Super Bowl this year.

For game one of the season though they're going up against a defending champion L.A. Rams. It was Stafford. We'll see how his elbow is.

Cooper Cup. Allen Robinson. Cam Akers back. Aaron Donald who won't have to talk about the helmet swinging incident on the field. He could just be bathing in that Dr. Teals Epsom salt before the game. And maybe we can motivate him a little bit.

Ah that talk show has tried to get an answer out of me. I'm going to kick the crap out of Josh Allen. And we know all the other pieces that the Rams had the debut of Bobby Wagner in a Rams uniform for the regular season.

Jalen Ramsey all that jazz. Usually when you have the defending champions kicking off the season you would just think naturally they're the favorite. Now this is two titans. This is two teams that it's the first game of the season. It could be the last game of the season. And the Los Angeles Rams are a home and I know L.A. does not have this great home field advantage.

But they are a home dog in the first game of the season. Buffalo is a two and a half point favorite and everyone this year as Chris Berman would say is all on the bills. I kind of think the Rams cover tomorrow. I would plus the two and a half points with the Rams in this game coming up tomorrow night.

Where are you at? This is a litmus test and we'll see if I actually put my money down on the bank account. I guess we half agree. I think the Rams will win tomorrow. Forget cover.

Just outright win the game. I don't like that they're a home dog. I don't really get it. And one thing that I've been wondering. Yes.

Well you're saying cover. I'm not sure if you're saying the bills will win. But you know by one or something like that. If I'm plus in the two and a half points you probably think then yeah I'm taking the Rams. All right.

Yeah I'm going the Rams. Also the thing that does scare me. Well now I'm not probably. Now I'm concerned.

You said it. Everyone's on the bills. I'm not picking the bills to be my Super Bowl champion. I'm not sure if you are.

But if I was that would scare the hell out of me. Two reasons. Number one everyone in consensus is usually never a good thing. Especially when it comes to NFL.

Number two. Are you worried about the bills like feeling the pressure. Like it's been without a doubt a consensus. Best roster. Best you know team they should get to the Super Bowl. Even last year for how good they were. It was still kind of the Chiefs and everyone else. There was still this thought of Oh the Bills you know they're a good team but it's not their Super Bowl. Well they should have beat the Chiefs in the playoff game. No you're right. But I'm saying going into the year.

The expectations weren't you know this is by far the team that should reach the Super Bowl without a doubt. This year it is. So it's funny you say that. Because I was doing a radio interview and I do a lot of interviews in season where a bunch of shows around the country have me on. And I was on The Fan in Rochester today and they do a great job. Mike Danger and Gene Pataglia they air our first hour of our show. Quite frankly they should air all four hours of our show. But Odyssey wants them to do a BetMGM tonight. And that's a wonderful show for three hours after us.

But with how much I go on with how much we have a good relationship. They're at training camp asking Tyler Metikevich about what I was like in college. Odyssey as much as I love you you signed my paycheck.

We should be on four hours in Rochester. Anyway though. They asked me that same question. Should I be concerned about the Bills. Because Bills fans right now. They're not used to this.

Where everyone's throwing bouquets at them. If this was a Buffalo team that was eh the last two years. And this was a team that had no heartbreak. And now this year there's all those expectations. Oh they had a big offseason. Oh Josh Allen's really developing. They should go win the Super Bowl.

Then I would be concerned. Since they've come so close the last two years. Stefan Diggs AFC Championship game. They were up in that game like 9-0, 10-0.

Forget what it was. He's standing on the field after the game. Sulking and deservedly so. Because his team just lost. You remember all the confetti falling on his head and arrowhead. Then last year. That game was over.

All you had to do was squib kick it. That game doesn't get to. All you had to do was play a lick of defense. For the number one defense in football. And you were in the AFC Championship game.

So I believe having all that heartbreak allows the focus to be as strong as ever. And even if you are rolling in the regular season. I don't think those players get at a too high of a level of euphoria. Because they know when they really need to pick it up. And they know when their season really does start. And especially if you could have home field advantage. Imagine going to Buffalo. I was there for a playoff game.

Negative two degrees. Imagine that in a conference title game. Imagine if the road to the Super Bowl has to go through Buffalo. So the regular season does mean something. But we're really going to find out a lot about this Buffalo team in the postseason. Because they've been knocking on the door the last few years. So they could lose on Thursday. But I think overall there's no concern because I don't think complacency can set in.

Because you haven't really won anything yet. And they were tested last year. Remember. There was a time when people thought they got complacent. The Pats, they beat them in that game. Or Mac Jones to the football less than five times. And then they destroyed the Patriots two other times to clearly win the AFC East. Now, the AFC East is a given.

It's been a given the last two years. Now you've got to go get to the Super Bowl. And I've talked to, obviously, I have relationships with two players in the Bills.

Deion Dawkins and Tyler Metikevich. I know what drives those guys. And that's winning. And that's winning it all.

And we've even had Tyler on this show a few weeks ago. And he talked about how you never really move on from a loss like that. But mentally you eventually have to. And you've got to go take care of business this year. And they know bringing back that shiny trophy is the only thing that will make that season a success.

But to answer your other question. I'm not picking the Bills to win the Super Bowl this year. It has nothing to do with the way that I view them as a team. Everyone's picking the Bills. I haven't seen someone not pick the Bills to win the Super Bowl. To me, they're the best team in the AFC. They have the best roster in the NFL. But since everyone is doing so, I've talked myself into another team to get out of the AFC. And I will give you that full prediction tomorrow on the show.

So that's what I said when I was on with Danger and Battaglia today on the fan in Rochester. You want to know who I think should be on the Buffalo Bills though? Odell Beckham Jr.? Now the Bills don't need him. You've got to be all in though this year. And they made it all a move bringing in Josh Allen.

And I know the contract is not what it was perceived to be. But you look at Buffalo, they're loaded on offense. With Josh Allen, I like the draft pick of James Cook. Devin Motor Singletary is a good player. But the receivers, what a duo Staphon Diggs and Gabe Davis are. And Dawson Knox just got paid today. He's a heck of a tight end. And I think he's very underrated. He's still got Jamison Crowder there. Isaiah McKenzie is a good player. If you could go get and you got Aaron Rodgers' best friend Jake Coomer on that team. Which I think we could probably forget about him. But anyway. If you go get Odell and have Odell be a number three wide receiver or a two wide receiver.

And you could line up with Diggs, Davis, Odell and Dawson Knox. Hello. Hello for Josh Allen regardless.

But really, hello. That would be something. And Von Miller's kind of been recruiting him ever since he's joined the Buffalo Bills. And Odell is playing into it. Because Odell's last team is the Rams.

He just won a Super Bowl there, tore his ACL in the Super Bowl, had a touchdown in the game. And Odell tweeted out yesterday, Whoever wins Thursday, can't wait to all the boys going into the season. May God bless you with peace of mind and physical strength to endure the season. God watch over all my brothers this year. Let them shine and stay healthy. Love. Odell knows what he's doing.

He's one of the greatest promoters of all time about inserting himself into the story. Whoever wins Thursday. That's him basically saying Rams, Bills, you want me? Go win.

And then I'll join you guys. I don't know if that's necessarily the way that it's going to play out. Buffalo though Ryan, they have to be a team that's all in this year. And if you go get Odell, that just strengthens your team even more.

Why would you leave any stone kind of unturned this year? I think Buffalo with the way that they've kind of dictated this offseason and navigated this offseason, they should go get Odell Beckham Jr. Where do you think Odell's going to be real quickly? I still think the Rams.

Yeah, so do I. But if I was him, go to Buffalo. T.O. once played in Buffalo. Everyone that goes to Buffalo, they love Buffalo. T.O. comes back for any time they honor big time players of the past. T.O.

is in that building. I would love to see Odell be with Bills Mafia, Eden Wings, jumping through tables, all that stuff in Buffalo. It would be fun. Viator is the world's leading travel experience marketplace. Offering everything from simple tours to extreme adventures and all the niche interesting stuff in between.

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