Disappointing AFC West? (Hour 3)

Hey guys, Mike Valenny for Cash the Ticket Podcast. If you like sports betting or if you just like sports, it's the podcast for you. We try to cover all the big games and maybe some of the games you didn't even know were important.

Give you some angles, pick some winners, have a good time, and hopefully help you meander through college and pro football season. So join us a couple times a week to get all your information you need to bet the games that you watch. It's Cash the Ticket on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey guys, Mike Valenny for Cash the Ticket Podcast. If you like sports betting or if you just like sports, it's the podcast for you. We try to cover all the big games and maybe some of the games you didn't even know were important.

Give you some angles, pick some winners, have a good time, and hopefully help you meander through college and pro football season. So join us a couple times a week to get all your information you need to bet the games that you watch. It's Cash the Ticket on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Yo, yo, our number three of our radio program.

That's right. It is Zach Yelp's show Coast to Coast on CBS Sports Radio. 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 could help you get there for home-owned solutions that fit your life well. Rocket Cam, the head coach at Kansas State. Chris Kleiman is going to be stopping by. In 40 minutes from now, K-State did find a way to take down Oklahoma again.

That's three out of four times in the Chris Kleiman era at Kansas State. So he'll be swinging by 40 minutes from now. You can always give us a follow on social media, Instagram, Twitter. Let's go, folks. Press the follow button at Zach Yelp, C-A-C-H-G-E-L-B.

You can always hit us up, 855-212-4CBS, 855-212-4227. It's time for a little overreaction or proper reaction. I don't know about you, Hot Take Hickey. We have now done this, I think, the first four weeks of the season. I think we did it in week one. We were only in week three, so three weeks into the season. But now this is the fourth week we're doing this. Didn't we start off heading into week one, overreaction, proper reaction? I think it was after week one.

After week one, after week two, now going into after week number three. So I'm not trying to fast forward the football season. It goes by too fast as is. I like to have it slow down a little bit. Gotcha.

Okay. I thought we did this before the start of the season. That's why I had it going four times. But anyway, we're on to week four of the NFL season. It is time for overreaction or proper reaction. I think we made it to do some imaging for this.

Have the fancy NFL music, get the big voice guy, some sound effects, some hot takes, all that stuff, and put together a little production on this. All right. I'm going to leave that to you. I'm going to put that on your plate. I'm going to push that off my plate. I had delicious dinner tonight, grilled chicken, asparagus, and also some garlic pesto mashed potatoes. My, those ain't no mashed potatoes. Because that was absolutely delicious.

So I don't have any more room on my plate. I got to send that your way. You can take care of that. Send me the little script.

I'll prove it. Then we'll see if we send it on and everything. Sure.

No problem. You sound enthused to do that, man. No, you're fired up. I'm going to run through a wall for you after that.

Do you want to be like, yes, I am so excited. Yes, let's do it. Do I need to get Jack Stern back in? I know Jack Stern would be fired up for a little task. I don't know if I want to deal with everything though, else that comes with Jack Stern. Anyway, what do you got for me?

Go ahead. Z man, the Cowboys have won two in a row behind Cooper rush. The Dallas Cowboys are now a playoff team overreaction or proper reaction.

I think that is a proper reaction. It's not a lock that they're going to make the playoffs going into the year. I thought this Cowboys team was a wildcard team. I did not think they were going to win the NFC East. They will not win the NFC East this year. That's going to be Philadelphia, but these last two weeks when I thought their season was dunzo, they showed me fight. Even though they had every reason to tap out and quit. There's going to be some weeks where you're praising them.

Like we've been doing today. Then there's going to be a lot of other weeks where it's a, they disappointed, ah, they're not great. The Cowboys could be a good team, not a great team. And I think it's a proper reaction to expect them to make the playoffs.

The Raiders are Owen three, the only winless team right now. So far in the NFL, Zach overreaction or proper reaction. Josh McDaniel's is on the hot seat.

That's an overreaction. You bring in a new GM. Who's best friends with Josh McDaniel's.

I know that there was a meeting after the game of Mark Davis and Josh McDaniel's behind closed doors. This roster needs to get better upfront. I know they have a lot of offensive talent, but the line needs to get better and they got to get some pieces on the defensive side of the ball.

I don't think he's on the hot seat. I think that's an overreaction, but heading into next year, if this losing continues, then it's one that you raise your eyebrow and your monitor and you better go win some football games or it'll be out of a job two years out in Las Vegas. Your AFC South leader right now, the Jacksonville Jaguars at two and one, they are the team to be in the division overreaction proper reaction.

That's an overreaction. And here's why I don't know who the team is to beat in that division. I know one team that will not win that division.

That's the Texans. But if you tell me the Jaguars win the division, I would not be stunned. Now, if you tell me the Colts are going to win the division, I would hate to see it, but I would not be stunned.

And if you tell me Tennessee rebounds after that 0-2 start and now they're 1-2 and they find a way to get the job done and win that division and go 9-8, that would not stun me. So I'm not going to say that the Jaguars are the team to beat because I don't think there is a team to beat yet in this division. Yes, Jacksonville, give them credit. They dismantled the Chargers. Week two, they dominated the Indianapolis Colts.

But I do think after this week, once Jacksonville will lose to the Eagles and either the Colts or the Titans will win, whoever wins that Colts-Titans game will then be looked at as probably the favorite to win the AFC South. Chargers banged up. They lost for Sean Slater for the year with the torn biceps.

Unfortunately, Joey Bosa left the game on Sunday with a groin injury. They've lost two games in a row. Justin Herbert battling fractured ribs is an overreaction or a proper reaction to say right now, 1-2, these Chargers are more likely to miss the playoffs than make the playoffs.

Overreaction and here's why. I'm not ready to press the panic button and I can't stress enough that that Rashawn Slater loss is massive with the way that he's played going back to last year, which was his rookie season in the NFL. But here are their next five games. Texans, Browns, Chargers play the Broncos, the Seahawks and the Falcons. Easy win against the Texans. Should be an easy win against the Seahawks. Should be an easy win against the Falcons. Broncos is a toss up. Browns is a toss up. I could see them even with all the injuries in the next five games going four and one. That's my expectation.

They should be able to go four and one. And because of the way that the schedule breaks for them in those next five games, I'm not ready to say that they're in danger of missing the playoffs. The NFC East right now is the best winning percentage of any division in the NFL. The Eagles are 3-0, Cowboys, Giants, both 2-1 in the season. Through three weeks, Zach, is it an overreaction or proper action to say the NFC East has been the best division so far in football?

It's an overreaction. Because you feel good about the Eagles, really good. Cowboys, you feel OK about. Giants, I know they've done a good job, but they're not making the playoffs this year and the commanders stink.

So I think that is an overreaction to say that's the best division in football. Because if you look at it, it's really the Eagles and the Cowboys that are the only two teams in that division that you still give a chance to make the playoffs. Eagles are probably a lock, and then the Cowboys will see if they go make a wildcard spot. The Bills are one of the best teams in the league.

The Dolphins are undefeated. So you give some love to the AFC East. The AFC West has been disappointing, but I think the Chargers will play better. Broncos have not looked great. Chiefs are two and one.

Yeah, I, you know what? The NFC North Vikings still unpack your side. I love in the Bears, but the Bears are kind of like similar to the Giants right now. I would say right now the best division in football in a weird way is the AFC East. You agree or disagree with that? I would agree, and it's not necessarily in terms of depth.

It's just top heavy. Yes, Bills and Dolphins have been two of the best teams in the NFL so far. I'm with you. Because there's not a single division in football right now, one through four, that you go, wow, like I could see any of those four teams making the playoffs right now. So that's why I would go AFC East just because it's top heavy. It's really twosomes right now.

That's fair. Speaking of the AFC East and the Bills and the Dolphins, they played on Sunday, Miami won 21-19. That's a one-score game. Buffalo lost. Going back to 2021, the Bills are O-N-C seven now in one-score games. Overreaction or proper reaction, you're concerned of the Bills' ability to win a close game. Overreaction because they have Josh Allen, and I think Von Miller on that defensive side of the ball brings a sense of calmness to that defense that they didn't have a year ago, even when they were the number one overall defense in the league.

Didn't work out this past weekend. I know their first two games, it was blowout city. They didn't play the best brand of football. They won by 21 and they just annihilated Tennessee 41-7. Weather was bad. Could have won the game up against the Dolphins.

Really hot. You could tell those players just weren't conditioned for it, but I'm not freaking out because they lost that game. And I do believe the Bills could close out games this year. And once again, the expectations for the Bills are to not only go to the Super Bowl, but win the Super Bowl this season. And finally, Lamar Jackson has been tremendous so far. 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns as well.

Through three weeks, is it an overreaction or proper reaction? Say Lamar Jackson is the league MVP. Well, who would be your candidates? Josh Allen has to be a candidate. Lamar Jackson has to be a candidate.

Absolutely. Jalen Hurts has to be a candidate. Ever since I've made the push for Justin Jefferson, he's been abysmal the last two weeks, so he is not a candidate. Would you put Mahomes in there?

No, Tyreke, I know they lost. Yeah, he's in the conversation. Like if I had to look at this, AFC East, Josh Allen, AFC West, Josh Allen, AFC West, Mahomes, AFC North, Lamar, AFC South, Punt, NFC East, Jalen Hurts, NFC West, no MVP candidate there, NFC North, I think they're gonna have to run the football so I don't see Rogers winning it back to back to back. Yeah, those are probably the four. The four guys you look at right now. And out of those four guys, Lamar is that offense. Like Josh Allen, as great as he is as Staphon Diggs and Gabe Davis, I know Gabe Davis has missed the game. Jalen Hurts has Devante Smith and also AJ Brown. Mahomes, yeah, weapons aren't great.

Still has Kelsey. Now Lamar does have Mark Andrews, but the way that Lamar has been dominant and the only loss was the game that he was leading 35 to 14. That's just a choke job by the defense. Lamar having five total touchdowns against the Pats, four through the air, one in the ground, rushing for 100 yards. He would be the MVP if the MVP award was given out after the first three weeks of the season. And if you recall last year, he was my pick to win the MVP. And for them to make the playoffs, he was gonna need to be the MVP of the league because that entire offense was based around him and they had no health last year. This year, the entire offense is still based around him. DuVernay has played well.

We're seeing it for Shaad Bateman could be that guy. Mark Andrews has been a stud. JK Dobbins finally back, just got into his first game at like seven or eight carries on Sunday. But really that offense goes by the heartbeat of Lamar Jackson. And he's gonna be the MVP conversation all year because the Ravens are gonna be making the playoffs. If they win the division, it's probably just gonna come down to how explosive can Hurts continue to be and what are the numbers for Josh Allen? Cause the bills should easily win 12, 13 games, maybe even North of that. Would you agree with that in Lamar?

Yes, the three weeks. Absolutely. I wonder what his odds are right now.

He should be the leader. Would you think I bet you it's still Josh Allen? I would say Josh Allen. I saw like last week it was like plus two 75 or something like that.

This is from BR underscore betting. Updated MVP odds. Josh Allen plus 300. Jalen Hurts plus 600. Patrick Mahomes plus 700.

Will Mar Jackson plus 700 and to a plus 1400. We got to take a break. You know why? Hickey, you know why we got to take a break? I have no idea why. Because I got to go place a bet on Lamar Jackson to win the MVP. That's what I got to do.

But you know what's wild too? You made a great point yesterday. It's probably either going to be Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson. Now, Jalen Hurts' schedule is very easy, so it could be Jalen.

Plus 600 is pretty good odds. But for Josh Allen, he's their best rusher right now too. Like we talked about Lamar being the Ravens' best rusher. At least like in Philadelphia, you have Miles Sanders, who could run the ball. If no one emerges out of that backfield, it's going to be all on the plate. Yeah, they have great wide receivers and a good tight end, but it's going to be all on the plate of Josh Allen. And you know the Bills are going to be a double-digit win team. So that's probably why Josh Allen's at plus 300, because we all know about the hype train of the Bills.

And it seems like the Bills got every award before the season started, and it's can they do enough throughout the year to then take those awards away from them? Zach Gelb shows CBS Sports ready to take a time out. Hey guys, Mike Valenny for Cash the Ticket podcast. If you like sports betting or if you just like sports, it's the podcast for you. We try to cover all the big games and maybe some of the games you didn't even know were important.

Give you some angles, pick some winners, have a good time, and hopefully help you meander through college and pro football season. So join us a couple times a week to get all your information you need to bet the games that you watch. It's Cash the Ticket on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey guys, Mike Valenny for Cash the Ticket podcast. If you like sports betting or if you just like sports, it's the podcast for you. We try to cover all the big games and maybe some of the games you didn't even know were important.

Give you some angles, pick some winners, have a good time, and hopefully help you meander through college and pro football season. So join us a couple times a week to get all your information you need to bet the games that you watch. It's Cash the Ticket on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey guys, Mike Valenny for Cash the Ticket podcast. If you like sports betting or if you just like sports, it's the podcast for you. We try to cover all the big games and maybe some of the games you didn't even know were important. Give you some angles, pick some winners, have a good time, and hopefully help you meander through college and pro football season.

So join us a couple times a week to get all your information you need to bet the games that you watch. It's Cash the Ticket on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Chris, pro sandwich artist, amateur spokesperson, rolling. New Subway delivery. Order only on the Subway app and get special deals.

Like, zero dollar delivery fee. Chris, are you ordering on the Subway app right now? Uh, maybe?

Ooh, could I get in on that? Eat fresh refresh. From the top, please.

Freshly prepared for your order, limited time and participating shops, terms, taxes, and other fees still apply. Cut. You're listening to the Zach Gelb Show. Zach Gelb Show.

This is Zach Gelb Show on CBS Sports Radio. Chris Kleiman going to be joining us coming up 20 minutes from now. Big victory for Kansas State this past weekend up against, at the time, number six, Oklahoma. They lost to Tulsa, then they bounced back, and they dominated Oklahoma.

So we'll talk to Coach Kleiman coming up in 20 minutes from now. The AFC West this year. If I have one word to describe it so far, disappointing. We were told this division was going to be the greatest division of all time. We were told this division easily going to send three playoff teams. I thought they were going to be three playoff teams. I personally went with the Chiefs, the Chargers, and the Raiders.

But so far, it's been unfulfilling. The Raiders are 0-3. Now, if the Raiders start off their year, I can't say I'm stunned by the loss to the Chargers.

I can't say I'm stunned by the loss by Tennessee. The really bad loss is being up 20-0 against the Cardinals. Then that game gets to overtime, and in overtime, you fumbled, recovered, almost threw a pick, and then you fumbled and you fumbled and did not recover, and Byron Murphy Jr. takes it into the end zone. If the Raiders were 1-2, and they get this upcoming week with the Raiders, when you look at their schedule, you have the Broncos. Like, yeah, this would be a game this week where it's, okay, now the pressure's on the Raiders. But the fact that they're 0-3, they could go win this game this week up against the Broncos, it wouldn't stun anyone. The Broncos offense so far has been a disaster. But if you win this game, where are you going long term? Like, where are you going, not even just long term, for the rest of the season? Even if you win, you're already 0-3, then that gets you to 1-3, and it's not as if you have a break then the following week because you get Kansas City.

So this is already ugly. They gotta win this week because if they lose to Kansas City, okay, no one's gonna be stunned. But if you start the year off 0-5, then you get the Texans, you get the Saints, you get the Jaguars, okay, winnable games. But if you want to save your season and still give your team a chance to go make the playoffs, you gotta split these next to Denver and Kansas City, that gets you at 1-4. And then you gotta win Houston, New Orleans, and Jacksonville. And that gets you to 4-4 with then a three game stretch of Indy, Denver, and Seattle.

But this entire division, it has not met the hype. And the one team that everyone was ready to see who was gonna get replaced to Kansas City, I know Kansas City just had an embarrassing loss to the Colts, where they gave that game away every way possible. They gift wrapped it to Hickey. And do you have the Chiefs as your secret Santa this year?

Because all Kansas City did on Sunday was gift wrap you that victory. Jaleel St. Andy. I owe him a big one. He would look like Santa Claus. He'd do a great job. He could definitely be the company guy that would play Santa Claus because he's a large man. Oh, he has to. The Chiefs Christmas party.

No one else can even offer. Let's see, Andy Reid, Santa Claus. He's definitely had to dress up as Santa Claus.

Yep. Oh yeah, he did it at the press conference. He did so in the locker room after the game, and then he went to the press conference dressed up as Santa Claus. Yeah, he has to.

That was like four or five years ago, I think. So yes, Andy Reid, jolly old St. Andy, giving you a nice little, hey, you've been good this year, Hickey. We'll give you a present. Christmas in September. No colon your stocking just yet.

I was gonna say yet. But like this whole division, there's big time concerns right now with the Raiders. The Chargers, the scary part is Herbert is hurt.

And you saw that play a factor in the game up against the Jaguars. The Broncos could be the worst two-in-one team I've ever seen. How they are two-in-one with that incompetent coach, Russell Wilson looking like crap. Melvin Gordon coughing up the football.

The weapons being underwhelming. The Broncos should be kissing the floor that they're two-in-one. I hope the Raiders eviscerate them this week. I really hope they just dominate them this week because that's a team that deserves to lose Denver with the way that they've played through the first three weeks of the season. I know it's Raiders teams all in three and this Raiders team is defensively wolf. If the Broncos can't get some points this week, if the Broncos can't score two touchdowns this week, Hickey, you may need to revise your Super Bowl prediction. You should already revise your Super Bowl prediction, but you're being stubborn.

You're digging your heels in deep. You're still thinking that Daniel Hackett's going to be this wonderful coach and Russell Wilson's going to be a superstar this year with the Denver Broncos and this offense is going to hum and defensively they are good. But this is a week for Denver.

You don't open up a can of whoop ass on this Raiders defense. It's going to be, it would be a rough, rough Monday show for you out there, Hickey. You may have to call out sick again. I will not call out sick. I will be here no matter if the Broncos win, they lose. That's right. You'll take your beating on a Monday and then Tuesday, Wednesday, you'll call out.

That's right. And Kansas City, that's been the only team that I guess you could say has impressed you so far in the AFC West, but they just lost to the Colts too. But what they did the first two weeks, just dominating the Cardinals, them being down 10 twice to the Chargers. They've shown you that they're probably, I don't want to say not take a step back because we'll see if they get to the Super Bowl, but look at the AFC. Kind of the entire AFC has been a little underwhelming. We thought this was such a deep conference on Miami has impressed a lot of people.

Buffalo's obviously impressed a lot of people. Ravens are going to be good. Browns better than maybe what you thought they could weather.

Storm to Watson comes back. Bengals got off to a rough start. AFC South, you don't love any of those teams. And then that AFC West is really supposed to make this such a deep conference where before the year one team from the South, maybe two from the AFC East, at max two teams from the AFC North, but there was supposed to be every team in the AFC West be a legit playoff contender, not that all would get in. And so far, not that the season's over for any of these teams. Raiders in a rough spot, but this AFC West has not met the way that it was billed and hyped up heading into this season. And that, Ryan, when you look at the AFC to the NFC, remember how we talked about the NFC?

Oh, it's so weak. Eagles have been dominant. Packers will be fine.

Bucks will be fine. Rams will turn it around. Maybe Minnesota could catch lightning into a bottle with all the way that the talent that they have, maybe they could be better than what people thought.

Defensively, though, that could be a problem with the Vikings. They've been up and down, played really well against Packers. But you don't feel great about really any of these teams so far in the NFL. The Eagles I feel good about. Are the Eagles locked to get to a Super Bowl?

No. The Dolphins, yeah, you think they should make the playoffs, but I don't expect them to get to a Super Bowl this year. I still think Buffalo is going to be a force to be reckoned with. I think the Ravens are going to be tough. But that AFC West is really supposed to lead the way in the NFL this year.

And that was supposed to be the storyline all throughout the year. The Raiders on life support for this season. The Chargers are one more hit away to Herbert for their season being Donzo. Broncos, how they're two and one is one of the greatest mysteries in the history of sports. And the Chiefs will be solid.

We always know that. But the Broncos lose to the Seahawks. They beat the Texans, whipped a damn do.

And then Jimmy G was running out of the back of the end zone and didn't even realize it. And you only beat them by one point. So this AFC West, I don't want to say it stinks because that would just not be fair because there's still a lot of upside with these teams. But this AFC West has not delivered so far, Ryan. You don't know what I wonder. I was kind of thinking about this on Sunday night.

Sorry to cut you off. It's the biggest disappointment so far. In terms of storylines this year, the AFC West was supposed to be the last place team was going to be 9-10 wins. And so far that division just has not popped the way that we thought it was going to pop through the first three games of the season. You mentioned before, and this kind of goes to an overall point, how much of these slow starts for the most part by almost every single team has to do with the lack of playing in training camp and really in the preseason? Well, so I would say, yeah, but every team has... That's okay.

And like you mentioned, almost every team outside of really one or two has looked shaky at one point or another. So it's kind of like, you know, there's... Okay. I get what you're saying now.

Yeah. Like the Eagles look really good. The Dolphins had their time, but they were 3-0 and the Bills had a bad game. The Eagles are 3-0.

I did an interview with Angelo Cataldi this summer when they had me down at Borgata. And he was complaining that the first day of training camp, Nick Sirian had the team out for like 20 minutes and he thought they were going to get off to a slow start this year. And I love Angelo, but I told him that day, you play the Lions week one, you're going to win.

Now they're 3-0. So Philly didn't really go all that aggressive in the off-season. Just the way the CBA is set up now in terms of getting prepared for the season and what you could do on the field.

And has it come back to kill them? I don't remember pre-season how many of those guys actually played them and whatnot. But you look like, okay, the Raiders, right?

For example, new cast of characters, new coach, new players, 0-3. The Broncos... Yeah, but I won't use that as an excuse. Here's why. The offensive line just stinks for the Raiders. Carr's not a great quarterback and they got nothing on defense. Now we all, I fell victim to it because they have the Waller, they have Adams, you have Josh Jacobs, you have Renfro.

Carr's good enough. But you know it in this league. If you can't play defense and you don't have a line, you're not going to win many games in this league. I don't care who your coach is. I don't care if Lombardi is your coach. You don't have a line and you don't have a defense?

It's not earth-shattering news. You don't have a PhD in football. You're not going to win many games.

I'm with you there? But overall sloppy play? Yeah, I think the way that teams do prepare for the season, it's limited now and most of these teams don't even participate. Like the Rams? Yeah, I know they're 2-1, but the Rams haven't played a clean game of offense. They didn't play anyone in the preseason.

And Stafford, that elbow has to be hurting him to some extent because he's looked lost through the first three games. So I guess we'll have to see where we are a month from now. But that kind of stinks as we but that kind of stinks as a football fan. Now each and every week it's entertaining.

It's fun. We get caught up in the moment, but maybe you are right because there's not been one team in the NFL. Now Eagles and Dolphins have been leading the way, but it has kind of been either a even or teams just not delivering to the way that we thought they were going to. Like, I feel like at this point in the year, we usually have more than just two undefeated teams. We're only playing the fourth game and now we only have the Dolphins and the Eagles with a second-year head coach and a rookie coach.

So I don't know exactly what it is. I'm not saying you're totally wrong, but everyone's playing by their standards and then maybe that is why you just see a lot of these wacky games and you know how it is early on. Team wins a game, they start failing themselves and they lose a game that they have no business of losing.

And early on in the season, that's where a lot of these upsets do happen. Like, I'm in a survivor pool. I'm knocked out now.

I had 200-something entries to start the year in the survivor pool. There's less than 15 people left. Like that is unprecedented. Everyone, people get knocked out early.

Don't get me wrong. But only 15 people left? Less than 15 people left? And I don't think that number is close to 15 to be fair. I think it's like more like seven or eight. That's wild.

But you've had some major upsets where like not only just the entire way, but like in the fight, like the Browns blowing that lead to the Jets in the final 90 seconds is just bonkers. All right, we'll take an update right here. Chris Klein is going to join us on the other side, talk about Kansas State's big victory up against Oklahoma. or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey guys, Mike Valenny for Cash the Ticket podcast. If you like sports betting or if you just like sports, it's the podcast for you. We try to cover all the big games and maybe some of the games you didn't even know were important. Give you some angles, pick some winners, have a good time, and hopefully help you meander through college and pro football season. So join us a couple times a week to get all your information you need to bet the games that you watch.

It's Cash the Ticket on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. You're listening to the Zach Gelb Show. It is Zach Gelb Show Coast to Coast on CBS Sports Radio, Kansas State.

The Wildcats are ranked 25th in the AP poll following their big victory up against Oklahoma at the time they were ranked sixth in the country over the weekend. And now joining us is their head football coach before their game against Texas Tech this weekend in Chris Kleinman. Coach, congratulations on the win.

Appreciate the time. How are you? I'm doing great. Thanks for having me on tonight.

Well, let me start you off. So you guys lose to Tulane 17-10 in a heartbreaking way. Then you bounce back to beat Oklahoma, which was a top 10 team in the country. What does that say about your group that they were able to overcome that tough Tulane loss, quickly flush it, and then make a dominant performance? Well, it was great resolve by our guys. I don't think we ever panicked early in the season. We've got a lot of new players and knew we'd have some ups and downs. Nobody wants to lose a game, but that's what happened. And so a big thing we talked about is how do you respond?

When adversity strikes, how do you respond? And that was the challenge all week for the guys. And we knew we were going into a great environment at Oklahoma and playing a top 10 team that has tremendous personnel on both sides of the ball, but kind of focused on us and what we needed to do to get better and play more aggressive on offense. And it kind of was a perfect storm for us. We had a great start to start the game and then weathered the storm, so to speak, when they tied it, but we never trailed.

And I thought our guys kind of stayed in the fight through the full 60 minutes and found a way. Do you guys start to have a confidence? You always said the game against Oklahoma is going to be tough, but this is now your third victory in four tries up against them.

You know, that's a good question. I wish I knew I'd bottle it up and have it every week, but our players feel they can compete with anybody, but in the same respect, we're smart enough to realize in college football has seen the show itself all year in the first month. Anybody can beat anybody on any given Saturday. And so we have to have our best plans and best execution. And our guys were really focused all week long going into that tough environment. I thought, you know, even though we've made some mistakes, we played really hard and we found a way to make a lot of plays, especially offensively.

Chris Kleiman here with us. You talked about what you sense from your kids throughout the week. Was there ever a moment though last week where you said, okay, we got to reel it back in or was it right to work after that loss? Unfortunately, you guys had two weeks ago.

Yeah, no, you have to go right to work, especially in the fact that you're mid-September. Shoot, there's a lot of football left. And we hadn't even started conference play. And ultimately everybody's goal in their conference, and especially for us in the Big 12, is to compete for a conference title.

So in order to do that, you had to get up off the deck and get your best plan together. And guys play the best we can so we can try to start 1-0 in league play. And we happened to play a great opponent on the road and found a way. Now, whatever we did last week means nothing this week as Texas Tech looms and comes in here after a big win against Texas.

But I think that's the parity you're seeing right now in college football. Adrian Martinez has been around college football for a while, has had some good moments, had some bad moments like any college player. 21-34, 234 yards against Oklahoma.

A touchdown and then we know what he did on the ground with the four rushing touchdowns and rushing for nearly 150 yards. Has he been the type of guy that you thought he was? Has he surprised you, impressed you? What about your quarterback? Well, he played exceptionally well and he's had some ups and downs, but I don't know if anybody gets ridiculed more for the downs than Adrian Martinez has for four years. And the kid's a rock.

He's very mature, doesn't listen to the outside noise, although it's been around him for so long that I think he's probably numb to it. He's shown that around us. And bottom line is, even after the Tulane game, I visited with him quite a bit on Sunday and just told him, hey, we believe in you. And we know that your best football is in front of you. And all I want you to do is cut it loose and let it rip like I know you can, like I've seen you in practice, like I've seen you through fall camp. And what a great state to do it on, on a nationally televised game at OU. We got nothing to lose.

You just go let it rip and play. And he had that mentality all week and saw it in practice. And then, you know, I thought the first drive was really important. We won the toss and took the football, which is something we typically don't do, but we did it to try to get him on the field and run the football with him to get him into the flow of the game, make some big time throws down the seam, get a touchdown. And I think that just increased the confidence of, of not just Adrian, but the entire football team. And he played as good a football game as a quarterback as I've ever had a guy play for us. And we've coached a lot of great quarterbacks in our system between Carson Wentz, Trey, Trey, Lance Easton, sticks, Heather Thompson. And that was the best performance I've seen. Wow.

Those are some big time words for you. I, it takes two to tango transferring happens all the time now in the sport. What really drew you guys to him and had that kind of go down where you got him to come to your program? One, the proximity, you know, we were able to get him down here a couple of times because Lincoln to Manhattan isn't a very long trip.

It's only a couple of hours. We were able to get him around here and around our players. And, you know, as many games as he played at Nebraska, you know, he's a good football player.

You know, the stage isn't going to be too big for him. And, um, he has such great experience. And we were looking for a guy that would be a dual threat guy, uh, that could, that could, uh, run it around it and, uh, uh, use his legs to beat chip, but also push the ball downfield, uh, and make some explosive plays in the pass game and, uh, all the things, you know, he missed all, even though he was in here in the spring, he missed all of spring ball with an injury. So, you know, he's just six just six weeks into, uh, playing football for us when you start fall camp the 1st of August night. And I knew there'd be a transition period, um, for him to continue to learn what coach Klein and our offense is doing. But, uh, um, it, it came to fruition and all came together, uh, last Saturday night. We just got to build off of it now. Chris climate here with us.

Yeah. What type of team do you think you have the rest of the way you gotta be optimistic with the way the first four weeks have gone? Well, you know, yes, we are. We, we know we have a good football team.

Um, the problem is there's a lot of other really good football teams that are on our schedule. And so, uh, that's everybody. So you have to have your a game every week. Uh, and that's not just physically. I think that's as much mentally and emotionally, uh, focus wise, your preparation, a lot of it's between your ears to make sure that, uh, you put your best foot forward because you know, whether or not you can't turn the ball over, you can't lose on special teams, all that other stuff. Yeah. But we've seen it in four weeks, the amount of upsets, the amount of close games.

I think that's part of the transfer portal. That's part of the fact that there's a, not a lot of, there are a lot of, uh, people that are in new programs. And, um, so it's going to potentially be like that. And so we've got to try to, um, continue to be consistent on both sides of the ball.

And if we can do that, it gives us a chance each Saturday. Talking to coach Chris Kleinman for a few more minutes, it is the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. We know what you did as the head coach at North Dakota State for five years, you only had six losses, a bunch of championships. When you take that job to go to Kansas State, people wonder how you're going to do taking a bigger job in the world of college football. What have you learned, I'm wondering about yourself in these last three, four years at Kansas State? Well, for starters, what an honor it is to follow coach Snyder. Bill Snyder had the greatest turnaround in college football history. And I'm the one that gets to fill his shoes, which I'll never fill his shoes, but I'm the one that gets to build on his legacy.

That's for starters. And I know how blessed I am to have that opportunity that I had a guy, Gene Taylor, believe in myself, believe in our staff to come from the FCS world, uh, and get a chance to come to the power five world. Um, and, uh, so I kind of have a chip on my shoulder, just like a lot of players do that maybe don't get the opportunity or feel like they should play at a higher level or whatever it may be.

Or, um, you know, Adrian Martinez, uh, having a chip on his shoulder, wanting to prove himself, I'm no different. And, uh, uh, we have a good situation here and, uh, I'm excited about, uh, the now, and I'm excited about the future at Kansas State. We're building a lot of new facilities. We have an unbelievable administration that supports football and the landscape of college football is changing.

And we want to make sure that when people think of the haves in college football, that Kansas State comes to mind and that's our job to make sure that we stay, uh, in that top 25, uh, top 30 schools. We talk about Trey Lance a lot on this show. It just so unfortunate to see the injury when he's finally going to be able to look to be that guy for an entire season. He hasn't played a full season.

Now at the end of this year, going to be in three years. Just what would be your message to try? I don't know if you had any conversations with them and what are the 49ers have, uh, just kills me because I know how hard he works. I was around him. I recruited him. Um, I believe in him. Uh, he's going to be a phenomenal NFL player. It's a speed bump right now that he hits. Uh, but, um, he's a young player.

That's the great thing. Trey's really young, uh, entered the league really young. He's going to be a star. Uh, he has all, all the attributes, all the intangibles. He's got character. He's got integrity.

He's a competitor. Uh, the 49ers made a great choice in drafting him and yeah, he's got a setback, but, uh, uh, I'm excited for Trey and wish him well as he, as he gets a speedy recovery for next year. I know you're locked in and we'll let you run because you got to get ready for Texas tech. I'm a big fan of the story of Joey Maguire. What stands out to you about his football team coming off a big win, man, finding ways to win a big win over, over Houston. They came from mine and won that game. They battled a really good, uh, North Carolina state team.

And then I knew what a huge signature when it is for Joey. Uh, I've gotten to know him at tons of respect for him, but what a signature win for him in his first season to go, uh, beat Texas. And, uh, they're playing really well, really well coached team. And it's going to be another paddle in the big 12.

That'll come down to the fourth quarter. Like most of these games in our league do well coach a good luck this week. We appreciate you carving out some time for us today. And once again, congratulations on the victory against Oklahoma.

Appreciate it. Thanks for having me. There's Chris Kleinman head football coach at Kansas state really did enjoy that conversation. And you think about his football journey so far being at North Dakota state with Carson Wentz, uh, being there for the early part of Trey Lance now takes the Kansas state job. And it's kind of wild Ryan, when you see the success that he's had, and now Venables is at Oklahoma, the three years before that it was Lincoln Riley, but to see the success that he's had up against Oklahoma, which has been a team in recent memory, college football playoff, Heisman trophy, a finalist to be able and winners to be able to take three out of last four matchups for that program. It's pretty remarkable when you make that jump from FCS to a power five school in the big 12, uh, that, that is a he's against Oklahoma.

He's done a heck of a job. And now you get both those teams, Texas tech, and then also Kansas state coming off big wins against Oklahoma and Texas, who are both Bolton for the, uh, SCC. I'm sure that they're probably loving that inside the big 12 offices.

And now you get them both up against one another and probably going to be another close game this weekend with Texas tech going up against Kansas state. This is that guilt show on CBS sports radio. We will take a five minute time out. When we come on back, I have a bunch of thoughts on this NFL season, but I keep on circling back to one. And there's a player that's on a new team that he should just be back on his old team.

And I think he'd be okay with it. And I think his old team would be more than welcoming as well as that guilt show CBS sports radio. Hey guys, Mike Valenny for cash to ticket podcast. It's cash to ticket on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey guys, Mike Valenny for cash to ticket podcast. If you like sports betting, or if you just like sports, it's the podcast for you. We try to cover all the big games and maybe some of the games you didn't even know were important.

Give you some angles, pick some winners, have a good time, and hopefully help you meander through college and pro football season. So join us a couple of times a week to get all your information you need to bet the games that you watch. It's cash to ticket on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey guys, Mike Valenny for cash to ticket podcast. If you like sports betting or if you just like sports, it's the podcast for you. We try to cover all the big games and maybe some of the games you didn't even know were important. Give you some angles, pick some winners, have a good time, and hopefully help you meander through college and pro football season. So join us a couple times a week to get all your information you need to bet the games that you watch. It's cash to ticket on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.