Chief Pressure? (Hour 3)

Throughout the 60s and 70s, cops hunted down key figures of the Dixie Mafia, including its enigmatic ringleader, Kirksey Nix. I'm interested in making money.

I'm not interested in hurting people. Fifteen years into Kirksey's life sentence, the Dixie Mafia was practically folklore, but that would soon change. I'm Jed Lipinski. This is Gone South, a documentary podcast from C-13 Originals, a Cadence 13 studio. Season 2, The Dixie Mafia.

Available now on the Odyssey app, or wherever you get your podcasts. Is there something really absurd that skeeves you out? Getting a paper cut on my eyeball. A fear you can't shake? I'm going to leak ocular fluid down my cheeks.

It's going to go into my mouth and I will perish. Whatever scares you, I want to talk about it. Join me, Larry Mullins, on my new podcast, Your Weirdest Fears. Listen and subscribe to Your Weirdest Fears on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts from. Yo, yo, we're coming to you live from the Rocket Mortgage studios.

Whether you're looking to purchase a new home or refinance, your Rocket Mortgage can help you get there for home loan solutions that fit your life well, Rocket can. When we talk about pressure in the NFL, there's no team under more pressure this year than the Buffalo Bills. Everyone going into the season said, oh Buffalo's going to win the Super Bowl. Buffalo's just going to walk right through the AFC, walk to the Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona and hoist the Lombardi Trophy.

And it wasn't a crazy take, it was an obvious take, right? When you evaluated how complete of a roster that was before the start of the year. With Von Miller, Josh Allen, Stefan Diggs, Gabe Davis, you go on and on and on, Trey White, when you look at how good of a team the Buffalo Bills are. With all that being said though, I didn't pick the Bills to win the Super Bowl this year. I didn't pick them to get to the Super Bowl.

You may be saying, Zach, weren't you just the same talk show host that said that was the obvious pick? Yeah, that's why I didn't pick them. Because when every single person in our industry picks a team, I said, okay, let's be a little bit different. And I went with the Ravens.

I went with John Harbaugh, Lamar Jackson, relying on them getting healthier. And if they could actually find a way to close a lead in the fourth quarter and protect a lead in the fourth quarter, they may be one of those one-loss teams right now in the NFL. Because they have some big time blown leads this year, one to Miami, another to Buffalo, another one to the Giants.

They've done a horrible job at protecting leads. But once you navigate away from Buffalo, and it's Super Bowl or bust, I told that to Brandon Bean when he joined us this year. And I know he didn't want to acknowledge it was Super Bowl or bust.

And hey, I understand the GM that is not going to put that tag on his team. But the players in the locker room know anything short of a Super Bowl this year is an absolute failure for the Buffalo Bills. And this is now going to be the first time all year where the Bills are doubted because you lose to the Jets, okay? You lose one game. It's not the end of the world that happens in division games.

Sometimes you lose those games. Like even when the Patriots were dominant, they would always go down to Miami and they couldn't find the way to get the job done. So the Jets came back. They were down 14 to 3. They beat the Bills.

You didn't think there was going to be a carryover effect. But then last week, surprise, surprise, Bills actually get Josh Allen in the game. And they lose a close game. And they fumble away the game. They throw the game away with interceptions.

And now it's, uh-oh, or the Bills a little bit of trouble. Quarterback's not 100% healthy. You have injuries in the secondary. Micah Hyde already down for the year. We'll see when Jordan Poyer comes back. And oh yeah, by the way, the division is better than what anyone could have imagined.

Like Brendan Tobin's going to join us from QAM coming up in about 20 minutes. Like the Dolphins, he thought they were going to be playoff team for this sort of year. There's no way he thought that they were going to win the AFC East potentially. And they're sitting there at 7 and 3 right now. Who would have thought the Jets would be 6 and 3? I wouldn't have thought the Bills would be 6 and 3.

I thought they would be much better than that. And for the Pats, I've been realistic about my football team. I don't think they're a playoff team headed into the season.

And after that loss to the Bears, it looked like they were going to trend in one direction. But this is now a big game this weekend against the Jets. Because if the Pats win, they then have two wins against the Jets inside the AFC East.

And they'd be sitting at 6 and 4. So, football this year, all eyes are on Buffalo. And they want to see if the Bills can deliver that great fan base a Lombardi Trophy. But after that, you have a lot of teams that we had high expectations for that are not producing. At this point, there's no pressure on the Rams.

They're not making the playoffs. If you want me to believe again in the Green Bay Packers, you got to win first on Thursday night maybe. And just because you win on Thursday doesn't mean all of a sudden I'm going to be jumping up and down and saying, Oh yeah, the Packers, the Super Bowl pushes back on.

But you look at the way that this has kind of shaped out so far and has played out. Philadelphia, their expectations going into the year was NFC East. Win that division. Now, the Super Bowl expectations. If they lose on the NFC Championship game, I wouldn't say the season's a failure. The Giants, they already exceeded expectations. The Cowboys, no one looked at them as saying, Oh yeah, they're definitely going to win a Super Bowl. You probably, for McCarthy, going to have to get to an NFC title game. The Vikings, now a Super Bowl contender, if they lose in the NFC title game, is anyone going to kill them for having this year?

No. Tampa, it's always Super Bowl or bust because you have Brady. Seahawks, no pressure.

The fact that they're going to get into the playoffs is a miracle. 49ers, he has some pressure. But there's always that thought that Jimmy G isn't the guy. And you look at the AFC, Chargers, pressure to make the playoffs.

Not much more than that. Tennessee, no one's thinking they're winning a Super Bowl this year because of who their quarterback is. Alright, there's pressure on Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens, but I think we can all acknowledge that the Baltimore Ravens are really Lamar's team. And until they go get him a number one wide receiver, I think there could always be that excuse. And the way that Lamar's playing individually, we're already talking about how he's going to get that contract extension. Now you go lose wild card weekend, people will be slamming you.

You win a playoff game, maybe two, and then lose in the conference championship game. I don't think people are destroying the Baltimore Ravens. So if you take the bills out of it, I actually think the long way of saying this, the team with the most amount of pressure on them are the Kansas City Chiefs.

And here's why. No one's in danger of losing their job in Kansas City. Reed, he's going to be the coach there as long as he wants to be. We know Patrick Mahomes is tied up under contract and he's the best quarterback probably right now in football and the leader to be the MVP. But you look at Kansas City, it's been now a little bit. Not a long wait, but it's been three years since they won a Super Bowl. Three years ago they won a Super Bowl. Then after that, you had people on that team talk about a dynasty.

Talk about six, seven, eight rings. The year after that, they lost in the Super Bowl. Got blown out of the Super Bowl against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. The year after that, they had what you thought was a gimme. At home AFC title game against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals. A surprise story up.

Midnight was going to hit for Cinderella. Right before the end of the half, Mahomes messed up. Second half, never able to recover. Overtime throws the pick. If you go three years without a Super Bowl victory, which is in line this year since their last one, that dynasty talk fades. Because you got to have three and four years, three and five years, kind of, to go win a dynasty. To go be a dynasty team. So you need to go get that second one because who knows, not that I think this is going to happen with Mahomes, but after Roger's first Super Bowl, did anyone think we'd still be sitting here in 2022 and the guy would not have another ring? Or not even, just not have another ring. Not get to another Super Bowl, period.

Now Mahomes has been to another Super Bowl, he's been to an AFC title game. So I think there is a lot of pressure on Kansas City because I don't know if the road's ever going to be easier. Right now, if I ask you who you feel great about in the NFL, like, and we'll do Take 5 later on, like, Hickey, if I say right now that five teams that you feel the best about in the NFL, through what you've seen through the first ten games to win a Super Bowl, who would those five teams be? Chiefs, Bills, I mean, I don't know if I can pick anyone in the NFC right now, to be honest. Like, I like the Bengals, I like the Dolphins, Eagles.

So hold on, so you don't even need to give me any more teams? You're telling me you don't feel great about anyone in the NFC? That means you get through the AFC, where your challengers are, Miami, first-year head coach, Tua, playing great. You have to get through the Ravens, where the Ravens have been really good but haven't had a ton of postseason success.

You have to get through a Bengals team, maybe, if they bounce back and get into the playoffs. Like, the Bills, yeah, the Bills are going to rebound, the Bills are going to be good. But if this injury continues to linger, it maybe, maybe will make the road even easier for Kansas City.

So we all know the narrative is Buffalo, Buffalo, Buffalo, pressure, pressure, pressure. There's no team in the NFL that has more pressure on Buffalo because they were picked to be the team win or it's a disaster of a season this year. But with how this has shaped out the first 10 weeks of the season and the way that this has played out, if you're a Chiefs fan, you got to be licking your chops right now. And that's even with losing Tyreek Hill. And I know your defense isn't great, but it could be serviceable. And you have the best player in the sport right now in Patrick Mahomes.

He's the best quarterback in the game. And even though you'd rather have Tyreek Hill still, not having Tyreek anymore has made them bring in more depth pieces to try to replace his production, which is almost irreplaceable. But they have now diversified that offense a little bit. When you went up against Kansas City, it was who are you going to try to take away? Is it Tyreek or is it Kelcey and you let one guy just beat you? Now you line up with four or five guys like a motivated Juju, a motivated Marcos Valdez-Scantling. And you have now Kadarius Toney there with Kelcey.

Mahomes finds a way to get the ball to whoever that guy is that's open. And I'm looking at Kansas City. I don't think anyone has really crushed them since winning that Super Bowl. You know, there was some blowback after the AFC title game last year. But after the Super Bowl against Tampa, it was all the offensive line was all banged up. If they don't win the Super Bowl this year, I wonder what the narrative is about Kansas City. Because Mahomes was tabbed, and I think he's great, as that next multiple Super Bowl winner. Andy Reid for years had that narrative around him.

Really good coach, but doesn't get the job done in a big spot. Now that monkey got lifted off his shoulders and off his back when he won a Super Bowl. But if you don't win another one, Andy Reid, it will, even though he's had a great career, kind of be disappointing because you've had this window so wide open where you've been to another Super Bowl since winning one. You then got to an AFC title game, lost on your home turf. And this year, I just asked you, Ryan, to give me five teams you feel great about.

And I know I was setting up to basically fail there. Because there's not a lot of teams to feel great about this year in the NFL. Everyone has warts this year. So yes, Buffalo, there's a ton of pressure. But if you take Buffalo out of the conversation, Ryan, I don't even see how it's a point that could be argued that the team with the next most pressure on them to get the job done are the Kansas City Chiefs, especially with the way that everyone was ready to claim them the next Dynasty team after their Super Bowl victory up against the 49ers three years ago. I think there's actually a few teams in the NFC that have more pressure on them than the Chiefs.

Really? Okay, who? Yeah, the Eagles. You start off 8-0. You are the only team that is consistent right now in the NFC. We look at the three big teams we saw coming into the year, and the Packers, the Rams, and the Buccaneers, all floundering.

All floundering. All of the three big quarterbacks that are saying your way either will miss the playoffs like the Rams, or will kind of go in the Packers, or go in limping like the Buccaneers. That's your conference to win right now. Did the Cowboys scare you?

No. Did the Vikings scare you? You already beat them once at home, so if they come back to your place, I would feel good about the Eagles against the Vikings in that game if it's an NFC title game at home at the link. You look around, it's kind of like the Cardinals last year. When they got off to that 7-0 starting, they were the best team in the NFL. It's, wow, you're after this hot cell.

You're looking great. Now, forget about the good cell. You've got to finish strong. Obviously, they crumbled, but I think now the same pressure is on the Eagles. Yeah, but naturally, if the Eagles lose in an NFC title game, I think people will look at that as a step in the right direction. Because even though expectations do change throughout the course of a season, heading into this year, it was, okay, let's see if the Eagles go win the NFC East and find their franchise quarterback. We now think they have found their franchise quarterback and they will win the NFC East. Even though expectations change and it's open and you want to capitalize on that moment, I find it tough to see myself really bashing the Eagles and saying that there is more pressure on the Eagles to win this year than Kansas City.

Because we're talking about all-time greats when you start to get into that conversation of Mahomes and Reed. And they are stuck on one. The last two years they've had, and Mahomes is still so young, they've had chances to go get that other, maybe no easier road than this year. We've also got worse.

We've seen the first ten. Which I think also takes some pressure off. They didn't go all in. They were one of the few teams that actually took a step back compared to everyone else going all in.

But they got a break. We were told that division was going to be great. The Raiders are horrible and the Broncos are horrible. Okay, right now it's not good.

Halfway through. But if the Chargers get healthy, can they make a run? The Bills, we're talking about rebounding.

I'm with you. The Bills are the most well-rounded team in the NFL. So you said you had a bunch of teams that there's more pressure on the Chiefs. Who's the other teams? I think the Vikings also have pressure on them too now with the hot start.

With the rookie coach though, there's pressure not more than Kansas City. The Buccaneers, they already won one with Brady. Tom Brady. It's open.

Go get it. Well, that's the biggest argument from Holmes. Isn't he the best quarterback in the sport? Yeah, you guys are the worst team. You're going against the best team that everyone declared in the Bills. We saw the Bengals. I don't think it's that big of a deal that they lost to the Bengals last year. The Bengals are a good team.

Oh, that's a big deal. You're at home and you're choked in the second half. You didn't show up. You had no pulse. The Bengals are a good team. Yeah, they're a good team.

They had no pulse. And you talked about before, they were, what, a second away from winning the Super Bowl? If that half second away, like someone chips Aaron Donald?

You're probably right. Like, Joe Burgess passed off. Sure. But the Bengals weren't expected to win that game. And so we're talking about potentially a Super Bowl champion.

They lost to them twice. There's a lot of pressure. There is a lot of pressure on Kansas City. Because also, you look at all those teams, coach, quarterback, duo. When you look at the duos, they have the best coach and the best quarterback in terms of it being a duo. A lot of those other teams, they may have a good quarterback, then the coach, you're like, eh, don't really know. Or have a really good coach, quarterback, eh, don't really know. This is wide open for Kansas City.

And after how much things they talked about after winning that Super Bowl and how many they were going to win, you go three years without winning a Super Bowl, there are going to be a lot of people starting to criticize the Kansas City Chiefs. We'll take a break, and this is Zach Gelb's show on CBS Sports Radio. Brendan Tobin joins us. A lot to listen to.

So get started and download the free Odyssey app today. Is there something really absurd that skeeves you out? Getting a paper cut on my eyeball. A fear you can't shake? I'm going to leak ocular fluid down my cheeks.

It's going to go into my mouth and I will perish. Whatever scares you, I want to talk about it. Join me, Larry Mullins, on my new podcast, Your Weirdest Fears.

Listen and subscribe to Your Weirdest Fears on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast from. Throughout the 60s and 70s, cops hunted down key figures of the Dixie Mafia, including its enigmatic ringleader, Kirksey Nix. I'm interested in making money.

I'm not interested in hurting people. Fifteen years into Kirksey's life sentence, the Dixie Mafia was practically folklore, but that would soon change. I'm Jed Lipinski. This is Gone South, a documentary podcast from C13 Originals, a Cadence 13 studio. Season 2, the Dixie Mafia. Available now on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. You're listening to the Zach Gelb Show. Zach Gelb Show, CBS Sports Radio. You can think of Riley 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. You can hear this man mid-days on WQAM in Miami, does a show with Leroy Hoard. And that, of course, is Brendan Tobin, who's going to swing by with us right now as the Dolphins are in their bye week. And everyone's going nuts in South Beach because the Dolphins, they have a really damn good football team this year.

Sitting in at seven and three and two at Tunga Vailoa is looking like that guy. And Mike McDaniel is starting to really work his magic with the Dolphins. Brendan Tobin, how you been? I'm good, Zach. Thanks for having me, man.

Well, I appreciate you coming on. So we had a little bit of a back and forth before the start of the season. You were really optimistic about this Dolphins team, even though you would probably admit you didn't see seven and three coming and being on top of the AFC East right now. Give me kind of the lay of the land and the pulse of the fan base right now with this incredible start. And this city's on fire with this team, man. I mean, this is the legacy franchise of South Florida.

They have been thirsting for this for a very, very long time. And it's not only the fact that they're very good, but they're exciting. I mean, they're one of the best shows in the NFL just between the offense that they have and all of the weapons, the big personalities. They're in the national landscape now because everybody, too, is just one of those guys that draws an opinion on everybody. And Miami kind of thrives on that going back to the Canes, the big three heat. They love the idea of having a guy who people have very polarizing opinions at, thinking that people will call it a persecution complex. Miami has a little bit.

They love this. So this city's on fire, man, not only because the team is good, but the relevance feels like it's back with them. Now, you guys haven't had a quarterback, as you know, since Marino. Is there at all some skepticism still where, yeah, the city's on fire, but they're waiting for the other shoe to maybe drop?

You know, that's the weird thing about it. I think that you're so used to the curse kind of coming for the Dolphins, and I think a lot of people felt that because of the first three weeks of the season, especially that Baltimore game. They just never win that game where they have this improbable comeback.

A quarterback and an offense leads it. All of the weapons that you brought in lead you to do a game against a team in Baltimore that everybody thinks is very good. And then the other shoe that dropped was to a getting hurt. I think that was the thing that everybody was like, oh, my God, he looks like he's on his way. They had just beaten Buffalo.

They have this prime time game against Joe Burrow. And then the worst that you could think happened after, of course, what had happened in Buffalo where he stumbled. And everybody is mad at the franchise and think that, you know, they should be held accountable because they put him in harm's way. And so, yeah, they kind of went through that already, strangely enough. And so to bounce back from that with three straight wins, that to him looked as efficient and as clean as any quarterback in the league. I think people are kind of starting to put that that that doomsday mentality behind them a little bit.

Brendan Tobin here with us from WQAM. So before the year was playoffs or bus for this team, they had to make the playoffs in year one of Mike McDaniel's a big year for two a tongue of Vailoa. All the excuse throughout the window and they get Tyree kill to add him along with Jalen Waddle with what you've seen so far. Expectations change during the course of the season.

You know that. How do you kind of look at it from your Dolphins fans perspective of what expectations are for this team the rest of the way? I mean, people are going to get nutty if it continues on this pace. And I do think that I think right now, if you ask the Dolphins team, especially the way they look last week against Cleveland, who, you know, I know is going through a lot of turmoil, but the balance that they had and the way the defense that showed up all the moves that Chris grew made at the trade deadline to show up. Really, I mean, like you'll ask all the fans the biggest concern, probably the kicker, which is not something you can stay around here in a long time.

And so I do think that that confidence is really growing and, you know, people get crazy. I honestly think that if they can get a playoff win this year, something they haven't done in over 20 years, that would be just a monster leap for this franchise. And, you know, obviously everybody would be crushed if they win that playoff game and then they, you know, lose as you get further in the playoffs.

And so the pain will be there, but that would be such a big step for them if they could get in that direction. Not just making the playoffs, but winning a game. There's a separation in this division. It's Buffalo, Miami. And I know the Jets just beat the Bills and they beat the Dolphins, but they didn't have two in that game. But I think the Jets and the Patriots are clearly grouped behind Buffalo and Miami.

Now with all the Miami losses and then the injury concern with Josh Allen, have you guys, like, got to that level of thinking of, hey, this AFC East, it's right there and now we expect to win it? I just think that the thing that's interesting with the Bills, and there's a lot of bitter reaction, like that old 90s Dolphins-Bills rivalry, that bubbled up a lot after that game. Because they did a lot, like the Bills fans, there was a lot of them that came down here, they're all partying on Fort Lauderdale Beach. And then after they lose that game, they're blaming the sun.

Like, it hasn't been in the same city forever. And they're like, oh, it was so hot. And the sideline is exposed.

It's like, yeah. And you guys had won six straight games against the Dolphins, now all of a sudden it's a problem? And, you know, I find the Bills thing interesting because they're one of the most notorious losing franchises in sports history, losing at the highest of levels.

And they get rolled out this red carpet like they're some distinguished champion. I get why Patrick Mahomes gets that kind of rub. The Bills thing, how is every Bills fan not freaking out with Allen having the injury? How do they not have their own curse mentality that started to bubble up with this season and everything going awry? So, I think the Dolphins fan is swaggering right now and are looking forward to that Bills game. And certainly, two has had a couple of disasters in late cold weather games, but a lot of people will tell you, they feel with this offense, with this coach, and of course with the weapons, that this is going to be a different beast for him this time around.

Well, you know what it really is? We went into this year, like in the NFC, you could only see three teams get to the Super Bowl before the year started. It was the Rams, it was the Packers, and who was the other team?

The Rams, Packers, and the Buccaneers. And then after that, it's like, okay, two of those teams aren't going to make the playoffs. Then in the AFC, it was okay, it's Buffalo, yeah, you still always give Kansas City a chance. There's just so many teams that are alive right now that no one thought much of before the start of the year, and now it's starting to, where people just don't alter expectations, I guess, in the season. Yeah, and I thought, it's a strange thing, I get it, the Dolphins, it's not like they have a resume where people are like, oh, we're believing this franchise, I mean, all the scandals they have, it's a new one every year. But I just find it interesting that the Bills have garnered all this confidence.

I get it, Josh Adams looked like a monster, trying to tackle him is near impossible, but now with his injury, and now he's throwing it all over the place. It's concerning, and they're also, you know, they're kind of front runners, and I just, I find, I think all the Dolphins fans, they like the fact that these robberies are back, I think that that's brought a lot of fun, because this is a division that has been run by the Patriots, as you know, for a very long time. And it is fun that all these three teams now feel like, hey, we got a reason, we got a say at the table, and all the beefs kind of feel like it's not just, oh, because we're playing each other, it's also they're playing for something, and so that's brought a lot of fun to the season as well. What has impressed you the most about two of this year? I think the thing that's just impressed me most is the idea that he's just taken everything that he had to deal with last year, he came in with such a confidence into this season, and he's just executed such a leader. I think that he had every reason to maybe freak out, get down on himself, all that stuff, with the franchise actively trying to replace him, he gets this coach that is just backing him all the way, and you know, they had a cool thing this past week where he was miked up, and they released 10 minutes of him, and the interactions between him and McDaniel are just so great, because he's like going to the coach, and the coach asks him, what do you want to do?

He goes, I want to do whatever you think gets us a touchdown next play is that pass to Tyreek Hill to really put it out of reach for him. So I think that's been the thing that's been impressive is that he's still a young quarterback, but he is executing this offense with such precision, and a lot of what Tyreek Hill got heat for early in the year about talking about his accuracy and the way that he throws in an offense, you know, he's looked like a profit Tyreek Hill, because two has looked that good. I mean, three touchdowns, no picks the last three games.

He's unbelievably accurate, he has been able to get the ball down the field with chunk plays, he throws over the middle with confidence, and then, you know, this offense, I think the offense are surprised now when they punt, and that is a crazy thing to say as an offense fan. Well, when you look at Tyreek Hill, is he the MVP of this team, or is it two in your opinion? That was his thing, and we did a little bit of that debate, me and Leroy the week beforehand, because of the record pace that Tyreek was at, I actually thought it was Tyreek Hill. But then this past week, you know, Tua goes and he dices up the Browns, and you know, it was probably the first game where Waddle and Tyreek were kind of kept in check, and Tua was thrown to like, Sherfield, Alec Ingold, he was finding like his, you know, the guys that nobody has in fantasy and lighting it up.

So, they haven't lost with him in a game that he has played healthy this year, and I think that he is bolstering his argument very strong. I was very much on the, it's Tyreek Hill, and that wasn't a shot at Tua, I just thought that Tyreek, you're on record pace for things. Receivers never get love, and he really does feel like he's changed the temperament of the franchise with the swagger that he's brought in, but I do think that Tua took the reins a little bit of that last week.

I also like how the GM approached the last two off-seasons. You know, I know the Flores situation was more than just firing a coach, but him and Tua clearly did not get along. You bring in a coach that fully supports the quarterback, but there's one thing to say that Tua is your guy, and hey, they flirted with Deshaun Watson, right, they looked at other places, but before this year started, they had Jalen Waddle for a second year. They got him, Tyreek Hill, they put the quarterback in a position to see if he's the guy or not, and he's really rewarded them.

That's the cool part to me about this story. Yeah, and certainly they've gone with an all-important, look, they did the whole... I wonder if Belichick would do that with Mac Jones, I'll tell you that. Absolutely, it's a funny thing, you know, it was interesting reading that going into the Bears game, reading articles out of Chicago, they're like, they need to treat Justin Fields like they're doing it, too, and that would have been a crazy thing to say a year ago, because they were dumping on this guy every press conference every week. So it is good to see that they have turned over that around, and they really, I mean, Zach, the two needs that they hit at the trade deadline, Jeff Wilson ran like an absolute monster, he's right out of the McDaniel's system, he knew it right away, and he just runs with an anger they haven't had to that bounce. And then the pass rush, which has been missing all season, they re-signed Agba, but he didn't really come to fruition because he was dealing with a back injury, now he's out with a tricep, so they bring in Bradley Chubb, and it looks like that got really humming last week, too.

So he went out and they saw their two big weaknesses, and they really feel like they fortified that, and that's why, you know, whether they are true contenders or not, they're acting like it, and that's something that hasn't happened down here in a while. And you know what, I love the Jeff Wilson Jr. move, because like you said, he knows Mike McDaniel, and that guy's biggest problem is just getting an opportunity and staying healthy, but any time he's been given the ball in a game, he has been great in the NFL, I think he's a really underrated player. Yeah, he is, and then just the idea that, you know, I think that last game was just Mike McDaniel's dream, it was just like all of these guys who knew it, Sherpiel getting involved, he brought in Alec Ingold, Bostert now has that compliment to him, because Chase Edmonds, I thought he was going to work out, he was a disaster, couldn't catch to save his life, and Jeff just brought that attitude they needed with the run game to balance things out. You know, Mike McDaniel had to be completely pleased that this, that was probably, as fun as it's been seeing, you know, to Obama, to Tyreek, and Jalen Wilder running all over the place, they've been a very explosive team, I think that game was more his vision probably of what this team was going to be going into the season, more than any other this year. Alright, before we let you run Brendan Tobin, how do you rank the top three teams in the AFC? Top three teams in the AFC, I'm going to go number three, Ravens, I'm going to go number two, Cheaps, and number one, Dolphins.

Not the Buffalo Bills, is that a homer pick with the Dolphins that won? Zach, how can I respect a team that complains about the sun? What am I doing here? Like, come on, you know, get some sunglasses, butch up, and, you know, then call me, but until then, no, they're out of my range. You got it, Brendan Tobin, and at first I was throwing some daggers at you, now I kind of like you, I guess you have a lot of kindness in your body, I will say. Listen, I'm glad you're turning around, Zach, and, you know, anybody who's good by Leeboye is good by me. That's good, well we could have brought you on during our number two, but we blew that by bringing you on the third hour. Alright, Brendan, appreciate the time, thank you.

Alright, see you man. There is Brendan Tobin joining us on the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio, yeah, before the start of the year I was driving around in Miami listening to Leeroy Hord, and he was the guy, I was listening to Leeroy and what his cause, I didn't know what his name was, and they came out with this hour number two a song that he came up with and, like, plays and sings and all that, and I'm like, oh, the song was terrible, and then he got wind of it, and I had to go on and basically fight him, but then through Leeroy we have kind of become whatever friends are in this radio business, so we bring on the show to talk a little bit about the Miami Dolphins, good stuff with Brendan Tobin. Is there something really absurd that skeeves you out? Getting a paper cut on my eyeball. A fear you can't shake?

I'm going to leak ocular fluid down my cheeks, it's going to go into my mouth and I will perish. Whatever scares you, I want to talk about it. Join me, Larry Mullins, on my new podcast, Your Weirdest Fears. Listen and subscribe to Your Weirdest Fears on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast from. Throughout the 60s and 70s, cops hunted down key figures of the Dixie Mafia, including its enigmatic ringleader, Kirksey Nix.

I'm in a rush to making money, I'm not in a rush to hurting people. Fifteen years into Kirksey's life sentence, the Dixie Mafia was practically folklore, but that would soon change. I'm Jed Lipinski. This is Gone South, a documentary podcast from C-13 Originals, a Cadence 13 studio. Season 2, The Dixie Mafia, available now on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Give us a call right now.

855-212-4CBS. As the dust settles from last week's games, it's time to look at which teams are rising and which are falling. Zach ranks his top five NFL and college football teams on this week's edition of Take 5, only on the Zach Gelb show. HGH, hot take kicky, not to be confused with HGH, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are listening right now. My physique would look like someone who takes HGH. Yeah. Jacked. Okay.

Ripped. Sure. You need new glasses? No.

The blue lights I have work perfectly fine. You may want to do that. I don't know.

I see something else when I look in the mirror. NFL or college football, who should I go with first? Let's go college football first. Get that out of the way. You think it's that easy? Well, I guess we'll find out. Think it's easy peasy?

Only one way to know. Number five, Tennessee. You're right. Like the college football is so easy. Four, TCU.

That's the easy. Now you go Michigan or Ohio State, Michigan or Ohio State. I put Ohio State three. I put Michigan two because of their run game.

And I just think they're better built in the trenches. So I give them the slight edge, like the fifty one percent to forty nine edge Michigan over Ohio State. And then in at number one. Go dogs, Georgia.

No, that was when you left out. No, you know, or do they got blown out by Notre Dame? Washington marshaller this year. Washington had a nice one over the weekend. Love Kalin Deboer.

Friend to show Kalin Deboer. Good guy. Michael Pennix has had a really good year. And, you know, I love Michael Pennix because he had that great touchdown run up against Penn State all those years ago. That was definitely a touchdown.

No doubt about bounds for sure. And Washington was a heck of a win against Oregon. Dan Lanning and company. What are you doing going for it on fourth and one there? Bad job. So not not enough to get in your top five this week. No, no, no, no, no. All right.

How about the real only one with right there. USC with nine and one. But the Trojans got to do or why aren't they should say in the top five. If they played Tennessee because I got to evaluate them up against that last team, I think Tennessee would win.

Even though you have Addison, you have Caleb Williams, Lincoln rise, a heck of a coach. But I look at this USC team like Tennessee's best win was up against Alabama. And then the Georgia game was lopsided. The best win for USC this year was Utah and nothing against Utah. But they lost to Florida or they lost. That was the best game.

That was a team that they played in. It's like they don't have a great win. That was their best opportunity to get a good win. They just don't have a good win on the schedule.

Like I'm looking at it. Who's the great win for you? I honestly I have no idea. It could happen. I like it.

Oregon State, UCLA and Notre Dame. That's something crazy. You're not wrong. So that's why only top 10 team without a 12. Well, it's actually never mind.

Take that back. Oregon State snuck in up to last week, at least before Oregon State snuck in the top 25. They were the only top 10 team without a top 25 victory to highlight your point on the schedule, which has been terrible. It's like you're looking at it.

What's so great about it? And they should have won that Utah game. There are big and then cam rising happened. So that's a top five. We're going to go to the NFL now.

Let's do it. In at number five. The Buffalo Bills.

I almost left them out of the top five. But this is their moment of adversity. You lost back to back weeks. You blew the game to the Jets. You blew the game to the Minnesota Vikings. Josh Allen's been hurt.

Fumbling the football, throwing picks. But that roster is just so talented. That's just a well-rounded roster. I'm going to keep them in the top five. And it's probably more so not with what they've done the last two weeks because they lost both games.

But it's more so. The rest of the NFL is not top heavy this year. A lot of people trying to get to the top and every start to fall in love with someone.

They fall. At four, it's the Dolphins. First place in the AFC East, sitting at seven and three.

And Brendan Tobin made a great point. What the Dolphins did last week was they showed you they could win without just having Tyreek Hill go off and Jalen Wilder go off. Yes, they're going up against the Browns. Yes, the Browns are starting Jacoby Brissett. But that was a nice, diverse win.

And it showed a different weapon in their arsenal for the Miami Dolphins. So I put them in at number four. Three, Kirk Cousins. Put some chains on him.

Take his shirt off. Celebrate. You like that.

You like that. Minnesota is the third best team in the league. Their win up against the Bills was so crazy. And how many times they probably should have lost that game or won that game and they end up finding their way to win.

It's wild. Like on fourth and 18. When they make that catch up, they're going to either go down the field and get a touchdown. Then you think Justin Jefferson gets into the end zone up. They reverse it. You throw the ball to Dalvin Cook. He drops it.

Tyler Metikevich makes a hit on him. And after that, you get stuffed. Once you get stuffed with Kirk Cousins, yeah, there's no way. It's over. Turn off the lights. Party's over. Game's over. And then Josh Allen fumbles the ball. And if you heard the Paul Allen call, because that was going viral today.

And I know we played it for you earlier in the week. But Paul's like, oh, the game's over when they score a touchdown there. Like they're going to win the game. And then the Bills go get a field goal. Then you get to overtime. Looks like you're going to get a touchdown. You settle for a field goal. Then Josh Allen's driving.

Then boom, Patrick Peterson makes the pick. Is Darrius Smith playing really well? That defense is serviceable. Not great, but serviceable.

And offensively, they are just filled with weapons. Jefferson, Cook, Thielen, Osborne. Even their backup running back. Alexander Madison's a good player. You traded for TJ Hockinson.

I know Irv Smith Jr. is out for a long time, but maybe he could come back and be tight at number two for that team. Just a really damn good football team. And they're playing for Kevin O'Connell.

They believe in Kevin O'Connell. Two, it's the Eagles. First loss of the year to the commanders. A game where if maybe the face mask was called, they don't lose and they find a way to come from behind. Now they turned over the football a lot.

So that's on them. In division game, can't really kill them for it. Run defense, a little bit of a concern. But the Eagles are a damn complete team this year.

And then number one, I like to see a team that gets a little adversity. And they had a crappy loss to the Colts where they just couldn't kick the ball in that game. They probably win. Then they lose to the Bills. Von Miller off the edge. Forces Patrick Mahomes to rust the decision, make a hasty decision.

It goes to Terron Johnson. After that, though, this has just been a Chiefs team. They crushed the 49ers. OK, close game against Tennessee. You beat the Jaguars by 10. That game was never really as close with the final score indicates. And then this week you have the Chargers, who last time you played them, you were down.

You came back. And that was that great first Thursday night football game of the season on Amazon. I just think this Chiefs team is rolling right now with Mahomes. You have the best quarterback coach duo in the league right now. And the only concern you can have about that Chiefs team is just is the defense going to continue to be serviceable for them? So right now, here are my top five for the NFL. Bills five, Dolphins four, Vikings three, Eagles two, Chiefs in at one. Hot take Hickey. Speak now.

Forever hold your peace. How about a team that you call, I think, every all year, the third best team in the AFC, the Ravens. No love for Baltimore this week. Dolphins beat them. They did. Dolphins beat them.

That's the difference. Dolphins beat them. Then you also look at the Buffalo Bills. They came back to beat them as well in a game that was 20 to three. I got to put the Dolphins and Bills in front of them. And that 5-4 spot. The one we have not talked about a lot were the Titans.

Pains me to say it. 6-3. You know, it's a loss, so it's a moral victory, but they did have Malik Willis backup quarterback losing overtime to the Chiefs. Vrabel's an exceptional coach. He's a top five coach in the game. They have a good defense. Derrick Henry's a force to be reckoned with. I just can't trust Ryan Tannehill. That team needs to go get a franchise quarterback. Maybe it's going to be Malik Willis. But who knows when Malik Willis is going to look like the franchise quarterback. They need a franchise quarterback because that team, even with losing A.J.

Brown, Mike Vrabel just always has them there. And maybe it's a little bit of product to the division, but last year, they lost Derrick Henry on October 31st, and they were the number one seed in the AFC. And who screwed him in that playoff game against the Bengals? Ryan Tannehill. So I can't put them into that great category in a year where there's not that many great teams, where it's like you struggle to find who the five best teams are in the NFL because of who their quarterback is, Ryan Tannehill, where he's very vanilla. Like, he's fine. Not the worst quarterback in the league, not the best quarterback in the league. We'll have some good stats, but in a crucial moment, in a gotta have it moment, he don't got it.

That's why I don't put Tennessee in there. You call him vanilla. Is he vanilla Vic too or no? No, no, no, no, no, no. That's just an franchise.

He don't got the speed like one Daniel Jones. It's a good nickname by Saquon Barkley. Vanilla Vic. I love that. That was awesome.

I'm surprised that hasn't gone more viral. Usually, like, I'm plugged into these things. Usually, I see these things. Until you put that on the cut sheet, because there's like a lot of moments I'll be like, oh, did you see this?

Until you'd be like, no. And I'm like, oh, well, you missed this, this and this. But until you put that on the cut sheet, I had no clue what the nickname was. It went pretty viral today. It was trending for a while.

Vanilla Vic. Oh, was it? It was trending on Twitter? Yeah.

Oh, yeah. I don't know what your analytics are compared to my analytics on Twitter. I didn't see that trending on Twitter today for me.

But I also get some weird, like, right now, you want to hear what's trending on my Twitter right now? Sure. Sure.

Bride mask. Hmm. And New York election news and updates. That's what's trending on my Twitter. I didn't know what the election was last week. I don't know why that's trending.

No, it's carry over and stuff like that. Bride mask. What is it?

What's a bride mask? I guess it's an entertainment. It's probably some TV show or something like that.

Huh. I have no clue. Oh, a lot of people you follow must be watching it. Maybe on the Masked Singer, maybe. Maybe someone's wearing a bride mask or something like that. So, I don't know, I have weird things trending on my Twitter. You usually expect sports, but no, not the case always.

Zach Geltz with CBS Sports Radio. Is there something really absurd that skeeves you out? Getting a paper cut on my eyeball. A fear you can't shake? I'm going to leak ocular fluid down my cheeks.

It's going to go into my mouth and I will perish. Whatever scares you, I want to talk about it. Join me, Larry Mullins, on my new podcast, Your Weirdest Fears. Listen and subscribe to Your Weirdest Fears on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast from. And add shows to your queue to catch up later. There's a lot to listen to. So get started and download the free Odyssey app today.