Cowboy Up (Hour 1)

The NFL playoffs live on Odyssey. Non-stop coverage from the biggest sports radio stations in the country. Podcasts dedicated to each NFL team and post-season games streaming live for free. Your playoffs, your Odyssey. Get in the game and download the free Odyssey app today. The NFL playoffs live on Odyssey. From the police show yet not overly ostentatious studios, CBS Sports Radio here in beautiful New York City sitting on top of the tenth floor of 345 Hudson Street. Welcome on in to a divisional round football Friday on the Zach Gelb show across all our great local CBS Sports Radio affiliates. Sirius XM channel 158.

And of course that free Odyssey app. 855-212-4CBS is the number to jump on in. 855-212-4227. You can always get at me on Instagram where I'm straight flexing or via the good old cesspool of Twitter at Zach Gelb. That's Z-A-C-H-G-E-L-B. And producing this extravaganza, of course, for the next four hours is no other than Hot Take Kiki. I don't know about that Hot Take Kiki. Ryan Horvat from BetMGM tonight going to join us, get his gambling takes coming up on this weekend of football in 20 minutes from now. Brian Baldinger Baldy at the top of the hour and then at 9 p.m. Eastern, 6 p.m. Pacific, a man that will be on the call via Westwood One for Eagles and Giants, Kevin Kugler will be stopping by. So when I look at this weekend, the two games I'm most excited for are the Bengals-Bills game and then the Dallas Cowboys game going up against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara. When you look at Jaguars and Chiefs, that's the one game that trips me up.

I haven't had a feel on it all week. You look at Kansas City, you want to lay the points nine, nine and a half with Kansas City. It feels like whenever Kansas City and you're making a bet, you always have to lay the points with them, but it wouldn't surprise me if that's going to be a close game. So when I look at Kansas City-Jacksonville, the obvious take is Kansas City is going to win all throughout the week. That's the one game I've had zero feel on by how many points. Giants and Eagles, I think that's going to be a close game. I think that's going to be a touchdown or less.

That hook, seven and a hook could come up large. I would plus the seven and a half points. I think the Giants have a shot to win, but I ultimately think the more talented team and the more well-rounded roster is going to win, so I do like the Eagles this weekend in a tight game. But those other two games, like if we're here on Monday and you're telling me Jacksonville beats Kansas City and the Giants beat Philadelphia, those to me out of the four games would be the two biggest surprises. But when you look at Bengals and Bills, that is truly a coin flip. And when you look at the Cowboys and the Niners, I know everyone's going to tell you the Niners have won 11 straight.

They haven't lost a game since going to three and four. They have the most well-rounded team in the NFL, all that stuff. I do think that game is a 50-50 game. When we're here on Monday and when we're doing this show at 6 p.m. Eastern, 3 Pacific, if you tell me the Bengals are in the AFC title game, wouldn't be a surprise. If you tell me the Bills are in the AFC title game, wouldn't be a surprise. In the NFC title game, if you would have told me four weeks ago it would be the Dallas Cowboys, yeah, I'd be shocked. Now, wouldn't be surprised.

And obviously with the 49ers, wouldn't be surprised. Those two games are heavyweight fights. And I hope that both those games back-to-back on Sunday with the appetizer, and some may say it's the main course. Maybe you're serving the main course first or you just forget about the appetizer, you go to the main course, then you get some dessert.

That's probably the best way to say it. You get the filet mignon out there first, forget all the great appetizers, maybe you had a late lunch. You get the filet mignons out with the Bengals and the Bills, and then afterwards you get a kick-ass dessert.

Or maybe one of those brownie sundaes. That's really what would be like the Dallas Cowboys game up against the Niners. Let's start with the Cowboys 49ers game though.

We'll go in reverse order. I've been saying it all week. I thought throughout the week, maybe I would do a 180, but I said it on Monday after they found a way to go win that game in the dominant fashion that they did. I thought it on Monday night, and then I said on the show Tuesday, I think the Dallas Cowboys are very much alive in this game. I told you earlier in the week, jump on the 4.5, 4-point spread, I think it's now down to 3.5. And throughout the week I've been saying this, I may pick them to win the game outright. That's what I said all throughout the week, as we sit here 5 minutes past the hour, on a football Friday in the divisional round, the 20th day of January in the year of 2023. I can't believe I'm going to do this.

This is very unlike me. This goes against everything I usually say on this show about the drama Dallas Chokin' Cowboys. But I think Dallas is winning the game. I'm picking, ugh, I feel disgusting doing this.

Like get, hickey, get me mouthwash. Because after I say this, I need to go to the bathroom and wash my mouth out. But I believe the Dallas Cowboys are going into Santa Clara, and they are winning the football game this weekend. I feel as if I'm cursing right now.

I feel as if I just had a horrible meal when I said that, but that's what I feel. And maybe it's caught up in how dominant they looked up against Tampa, who's a crappy football team. But last week would have been the typical performance by Dallas, where they should win and they don't win, or they should win and they have to sweat it out. They blew out the Buccaneers led by Tom Brady, a team that Tom Brady was 7-0 up against up until Monday night. That defense played well, and they're going to need to continue to play well.

I know Micah Parsons hasn't been the most consistent player the last month of the season. Dak Prescott maybe played the best game I've ever seen him play. You got Tony Pollard, you got Ezekiel Elliott, a nice little one-two punch.

C.D. Lamb played well. Dalton Schultz got in the end zone. You look at this game, I never want to pick the Cowboys. And I know the Niners built in the trenches masterfully. We know what that defense is. It's the best defense in the league, and it's not even close. And on offense, you thought they were tough to stop with Deebo Samuel. Now they had Christian McCaffrey. But I just keep on looking at the Niners, and even though right now they look like they're the best team, not just in the NFC, the entire NFL, and Brock Purdy has been rocking out with his Brock out. Brock Purdy has been Purdy awesome. We've been saying that for the last five, six weeks with what this guy's been able to do.

And he keeps on just getting better and better and better. But is a rookie quarterback really never going to lose? And I think a lot of people this week are going to jump on the Niners, say, oh, it's all from Monday night, that momentum of the Cowboys. This spread shouldn't even be that close. And you may have a point, but I believe this is going to be a three-point game. And wouldn't it be something if Brett Maher makes a big kick in this game? But I really do believe, and if the Niners win by three, tip their cap to them, they should win the game right where how many people break this thing down beforehand and then being a three and a half, four-point favorite.

But I just look at this game and I think we're going to be 27-24, 30 to 27, where you're going to have a lot of heart palpitations in this game as there's going to be a lot of shifts in momentum. But this has been a year in the NFL where it's been expecting unexpected. This has been a year where you look at the teams that are standing here, who would have thought Jalen Hurts would have been playing like an MVP before the start of the season? Who would have thought Daniel Jones would be in the playoffs, let alone win a game? Now you look at this NFC, if you would have told me that the Niners would have lost Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, I would say playoffs?

What are you smoking? But here they are. So in a week where everyone just expects Philadelphia and the Niners, that's going to be the NFC title game. Every show, every boring, typical show that doesn't think outside the box, oh, I'm going to go with the 49ers and I'm going to take the Philadelphia Eagles.

Whenever that usually happens, when we think we know what's going to happen, one team upsets the other. And maybe it's the Giants this week, maybe it's the Cowboys. I will place my trust, ugh, I can't believe I'm saying this, my belief in the Dallas Cowboys. I like Dallas this week. It's just a feel.

You could argue it 10,000 ways and I'll be wrong and you probably have a lot of reasons to be right and thinking that way. But I'll take the Dallas Cowboys to win by three points this weekend. And that's a shift for me, going from I think they'll cover to I think they're going to win the game outright. Now in the other matchup, Bills and Bengals. I've been such a big fan of Joe Burrow. And I've said before on this show that if Burrow gets back to the Super Bowl and wins it this year, you could start to make the case that he's the best quarterback in football. And right now the three best quarterbacks in football in whatever order you want, Mahomes, Burrow, Allen. If I was ranking those three, I would probably right now go Mahomes 1, Burrow 2, Allen 3.

But if Burrow gets back to the Super Bowl and if Burrow wins this weekend against Josh Allen and then beats Mahomes for a four straight time, I gotta put him in the number one spot. And Joe Cool has been so cool the last two years with crap in front of him on the offensive line. Last year, he didn't have an offensive line. His offensive line was like a turnstile in Penn Station pre-COVID. And he was like one or two plays away from winning a Super Bowl. That's how close Joe Burrow was last year. And now this time around, Joe Burrow, they revamped the offensive line this offseason, got off to a slow start, started to play better. Then Lael Collins, your expensive right tackle, out for the year.

Then Alex Kappa, out. Not gonna play this week. Then last week, knowing that they didn't have their whole right side of the offensive line, their left tackle. Jonah Williams, he's now out. So this is a game where if you're a Bengals fan, you go in and write, wouldn't every Tom, Dick, and Harry say, you win a game in the trenches.

It's all about the battle in the trenches. There's a lot of pressure on Buffalo. Without Von Miller, they have to harass and make sure that Joe Burrow is under duress all throughout the game. Because there's one thing when your line isn't well, and this Bengals line is not good and now they're extremely banged up, there's another thing to take advantage of someone's weaknesses. Because we do see from time to time in the postseason, everyone say this is a weakness, this is a weakness, and they find a way to keep the ship from sinking. Burrow, in a crazy way, when you look at him really the last three years, even the year when he got hurt, he has found a way to turn a garbage offensive line into making it look like gold on the field.

Because of just how great of a player he is. With that being said, I'm looking at the gambling line here, and I see this as a five, five and a half point spread. Your gut tells you that's too many points.

These are two heavyweights. These may be the two best teams in the AFC. It feels like to me Vegas is begging you, imploring to you, getting down on one knee and saying pretty, pretty please to take the Cincinnati Bengals.

Plus the points. It's too many points. Even if the Bills win, they won't win by six points.

It's not going to happen. I think the Bills are going to win. I think the Bills are going to win by touchdown. I think Buffalo is going to win this game like 27 to 20. And if there's more points, maybe it's like 37 to 30.

So I'll lay the number with Buffalo. Josh Allen can't be turning over the ball. Both these teams did not play well last week. Because Bengals defense is really underrated with Lou Arrama. Whenever you say his last name, I can never say his last name.

That's why I just say it so quickly. He's done a really good job getting the most out of that team on defense the last two years. And for Buffalo, you have a weakness when you look at that Bengals team and that's their line.

You got to take advantage of it. And if they had Von Miller, I think the spread could be even greater than this, but they don't have Von Miller. I do think Buffalo is going to win the game. I think this is going to be a classic game. But Buffalo is going to win it late with the Josh Allen either touchdown run or a touchdown pass.

All right. Quick predictions here right out of the gate. Hickey, just tell me who you think is going to win the game.

We'll get into gambling stuff later on. Jacksonville, Kansas City. I'm assuming we're both going with the Kansas City Chiefs. Chiefs.

Okay. We get to the game on Saturday night. I think the Eagles win, but I think it's going to be close yourself. Giants win. Wow. Giants win job.

I wasn't expecting that out of you. Now, is that because you've been a Debbie downer on Daniel Jones all throughout the year? And even like as recently as three weeks ago, you were like, I don't really believe in this team. Is this because you were maybe proven wrong last week that now you're coming around to the Giants?

Give me the explanation real quick. Jones playing the best football career the last month. And on the other side, I don't think Jalen hurts anywhere near a hundred percent. And I think you have to have them near that in order for this offense to be humming for Philly. So I don't trust right now the way the Eagles are playing. I don't think the buy is going to help that much in terms of getting their offense, getting their health back on track. So the way the Giants have a lot of momentum and Dan Jones playing great.

And I don't really trust Jalen hurts health right now. Going to giant. Well, thankfully, you're not joining me at the game tomorrow night because walking into the stadium, I think those Philly fans will be throwing things at you and be looking to put your head on a stick. You know, I hope they wake up.

I follow a few Philly fans. They think it's going to be a massacre tomorrow. I hope they get their heads out of there.

You know what? Because it's going to be a close game. Well, going into a game like there's a lot of times everyone thinks your team's going to lose and you think they're going to win. They should be pumped up. They should be jacked up. You should be fired up. I'm just saying like to think it's going to be a forty one nothing game.

Who knows? Let's, you know, maybe look around how the Eagles have been playing recently. They haven't had many moments that they had to sweat this year and it all comes down to if your quarterback's going to be healthy. I do like the Eagles, though, in a close game that on Sunday. Bills and Bengals. I'm going with Buffalo yourself.

Bangles. And then finally, earlier in the week, you said there is a zero percent chance that the Cowboys can win the game. And you said there's a zero percent chance that the Cowboys would cover.

Where are you at now on that game? Is it still a zero percent chance in your opinion? Zero times zero is still zero. Zero percent chance. They cover a hundred percent chance the 49ers win and cover the four points or whatever it is.

I so hope. And this is so weird because I never root for those those cockroaches with the Cowboys. I hope the Cowboys fans are in your mentions on Monday at Ryan underscore Hickey three, right?

That's right. I'll be there. They're celebrating a nice 49er win Sunday night. I know that you're hosting a show coming up from two to six a.m. Eastern. What's your lead tonight? Your lead has to be. If I if I had your take, which I don't think the Cowboys are going to win the game. But if I'm hosting your show tonight and you think the Cowboys are going to lose and have no shot in the game, I think that's what you got to come out of the gate swinging with tonight on the hot take Hickey show. I mean, sorry. The Ryan Hickey show on CBS Sports Radio.

That would be my advice to you. All right. I was probably going to think about, you know, Bangles disrespect, but ah, come on. Come on. The Cowboys are the big brand. You got to go attack and and rile up those Cowboys fans. And I want you Cowboys fans tonight.

8 5 5 2 1 2 4 CBS 8 5 5 2 1 2 42 27. This is the one and only time I'll be on your side. Attack Hickey tonight starting at 2 a.m. Eastern on CBS Sports Radio. So you have Hickey just winning the games, Kansas City, the Giants, the Bangles and the Niners. I am going with the Chiefs just to win. We'll get into all the gambling stuff later. I'm going with the Chiefs.

I'm going with the Eagles, the Buffalo Bills. And then yuck. Can't believe I'm saying this. Get the mouthwash out. We need to go gargle the Dallas Cowboys. Ryan Horvat. Ryan Horvat.

We'll see what he says next. Zach Guilfshow, CBS Sports Radio. So get started and download the free Odyssey app today. The NFL playoffs live on Odyssey. Touchdown as time expires.

Unbelievable turn of events. Nonstop coverage from the biggest sports radio stations in the country. Podcasts dedicated to each NFL team and postseason games streaming live for free.

Thinks the handoff, looks right, throws right, hands on clock, touchdown. Your playoffs, your Odyssey. Get in the game and download the free Odyssey app today. The NFL playoffs live on Odyssey. Touchdown as time expires.

Unbelievable turn of events. Nonstop coverage from the biggest sports radio stations in the country. Podcasts dedicated to each NFL team and postseason games streaming live for free. Thinks the handoff, looks right, throws right, hands on clock, touchdown. Your playoffs, your Odyssey.

Get in the game and download the free Odyssey app today. You're listening to the Zach Guilfshow. Man, I'm going to gain like 10 pounds before this show ends. In the newsroom, they have Philadelphia soft pretzels, just alone. That's going to make me gain like five or six pounds. Then they have hot dogs wrapped in pretzels. Then they have your little pretzel nuggets as well, which are probably made for Hickey, because if it's like the way that he eats his chicken wings, he wouldn't go for the big soft pretzel on the traditional chicken wing. He always likes that boneless crap, which I do like the little pretzel nuggets. You know me, I don't like boneless wings.

I'm a traditional wing guy. They also had Taylor ham and cheese wrapped in a pretzel. And they did say, I was looking at the boxes in the newsroom. One said Philly cheesesteak pretzel, but I think those already got devoured, because I could not find a Philly cheesesteak pretzel in there. So some goodies here at 345 Hudson Street.

Let's try to get you some goodies this weekend as we'll do some NFL picks right now with Ben MGM, tonight's very own Ryan Horvat via the BetQL network. Ryan, how you been? Not as good as you, because here at the studio, I go up to the cafeteria. We don't even have the landing hot Cheetos anymore. We don't have any bacon wrapped dogs or anything like that. We barely have, I don't even think we have Doritos right now, so I wish I was where you are. Here in DC, we don't have that kind of stuff. Well, I have to place a phone call then to our dear friend, Mitch Rosen, who's your boss, and tell them they got to pick up the food game there in the DC studios.

They really do. See, that's been the biggest transition for me, man. It's moving from, well, I grew up in Chicago, and then I spent the last couple of years in Wisconsin, so the food on the East Coast, much different. Well, where you are, the food's great, but in DC, it's kind of hit or miss. Well, also, when you were working in Wisconsin and you were working for Bart Winkler, like, Bart is a celebrity there. He got hooked up at so many of those restaurants. I went out with Bart when I was in Milwaukee, and we just ate for free everywhere we went. Yeah, man, and the food there is addicting. As soon as you get to Wisconsin, as soon as you cross the border, all you smell is cheese. It's everywhere, but I miss the cheese curse the most, obviously.

Yes, and a few spotted cows as well. Anyway, I always say this each and every year, and I probably say this each and every week with my picks, but I really do feel this way. I think the toughest week to bet is actually Wild Card Weekend. I got destroyed last week, so let's see if we can do a little bit better in the divisional round. I'll start you off, Jacksonville, Kansas City.

This is the one-game Horvat that I just have no feel on. I think Kansas City is going to win. I hate plussing the points when it usually goes against Kansas City, but 9 is a big number. Where are you at as the Chiefs right now are a 9-point favorite?

Yeah, I agree. 9 is a big number, and with the total being the highest of the weekend, the total sitting there at 53, it's kind of telling me that they think the Jags are the side here because the 53 total points are going to be scored in this game. You would think that Jacksonville is going to put some points on the board. Last week didn't look good for them. They won that game, though, despite being minus 5 in turnovers, which you never see. Usually that means you're losing that game by three scores. Even though I went back and watched, even though Trevor Lawrence threw those four picks, some of those were floopy interceptions.

He only had one turnover-worthy throw, which was really hard to believe. Everybody keeps, when we talk about the Chiefs, we talk about their offense, but their defense has actually been much improved. If you go all the way back since week 8, they're number 8 in EPA per play allowed. So they're kind of limited in those explosive plays, and what scares me a little bit, because I took the points with Jacksonville, I just thought 9 was too many. Kansas City having the bye is obviously beneficial, but they haven't played in two weeks. They really have struggled to cover these big numbers the last couple years.

You saw that. They did feed up on the Raiders, but they almost lost to the Broncos a couple weeks ago. The Texans played them really close. What concerns me, though, is the matchup, man. Trevor Lawrence has looked really good the second half of the season, but Spags right now has Kansas City playing a whole bunch of two-high shell. In fact, they're playing it right now at the fourth-highest rate in the league. Trevor Lawrence, he's rated quarterback number 19 against those looks. And for context, against man coverage, he's the number one rated quarterback in the league the final 12 weeks of the season. Also, the Chiefs have made some adjustments on the defensive side of the ball.

Their rookie DB Trent McDuffie is playing more inside, so I think maybe now they move with serious need to the outside. Maybe that shuts down Christian Kirk. I think 9 is too many points. Ultimately, though, I do think Kansas City wins this game.

They move on. But I do like the Jacks to hopefully keep it close. With the total, I guess I lean me over, but, man, 53, that's way too many points for me to get involved. Ryan Horvat here with us, BetMGM tonight via BeckQL. Giants and Eagles, I'll be there coming up tomorrow evening at 8.15 p.m. Eastern. Looking forward to being in the building for that one. I think the Eagles win, but I like the Giants to cover the 7.5. You? Yeah, I agree, man.

I think we were texting about this, and I was going back and forth up until about Thursday. The reason I really like the Giants, I mean, historically, this is just a great bet. They're 8-1 as playoff dogs since 2007. I know this is Daniel Jones, not Eli Manning, but I like them because of Daniel Jones right now.

I think they're going to have to switch some things up, but I trust Brian Debel and Mike Kafka to do that. The Eagles, they limit the explosive plays. You can't hit the explosives on them, but they do. I mean, you could run the ball on them, and also, they struggle to defend those passes between one to nine yards. They struggle against the shortstop. Last week against Minnesota, I really liked the Giants and Daniel Jones because Minnesota struggles to defend play-action passes, and Daniel Jones this season using play-action on 35 percent of his drop-backs. He's not going to be able to do that against Philadelphia.

They're number one defending play-action passes, but I think they're going to be able to do the dink-and-dunk stuff, get rid of the ball quickly. What I find hard to believe, Daniel Jones, the road split, he's a better quarterback on the road, so I don't think the home field advantage is going to be a huge thing against them. And since week nine, he's actually quarterback eight.

He's a top-ten quarterback, an EPA-plus completion percentage over expectation. He's been really good on early downs. That's big against the Eagles, man, because we don't want to see Daniel Jones in third and eight, third and seven known passing downs. And the other crazy thing, and I think he deserves to get paid, he's done this all since week nine against the second-toughest schedule of opposing defenses. So it's not like he's been seeing a bunch of cupcake defenses. I think the Giants are going to be able to keep this game close. The other concern I have, you go back, you watch that game week 18, Jalen Hurts returns.

No quarterback design runs, though. I don't know how healthy he is. I know he's had a couple weeks here to heal up, but he also only had four throws in that game, I believe, ten yards down the field. So I'm a little worried about his health, so I think the Giants at least keep this game close.

Anything over seven, I like New York. When I look at the Bills-Bangles game, it seems like Vegas is begging you, imploring you to take the points here, because these two teams are so even, right? These two teams, I think, could be the two best teams in the AFC. This feels like an AFC championship game, even though it's getting played this weekend. That's why I kind of lean Buffalo in this game, because, hey, whoever has the ball last can go drive down the field, get a touchdown, and then you go cover the spread, if it's like 27-20 or somewhere in that realm.

Maybe it's 37-30 if it's more a little bit high-scoring. Do you get that field, too, that Vegas is begging you to take the points here with Cincinnati, or do you look at the spread differently? No, I mean, this game, it's really hard, because if it's played two, three weeks ago, I mean, Buffalo's a two-and-a-half-point favorite on a neutral field. I think that maybe the market's overreacting a little bit to the offensive line injuries for the Bengals, but, man, I'm not like that.

That's three missing starters on the offensive line, and everybody keeps bringing up the fact that Joe Burrow played behind a makeshift offensive line and took that team to the Super Bowl last year. But Buffalo's defense is finally getting healthy. The only concern I have, so I played Buffalo. I'm with you. I think that they're begging you to take the Bengals.

I'm not going to do it. I think this is Buffalo's year. I think they're coming out of the AFC. But the only concern I have is Buffalo's defense, I think we overrate them just a little bit, especially since the Von Miller injury.

Very fair. They're not getting the same pressure, man, and they're having to blitz more, which now you're not able to drop all those guys back in the secondary in coverage against Joe Burrow and all those wide receivers. What I find really hard to believe is on third down, they're getting the second-least pressure in the league, only next to the Chicago Bears since that Von Miller injury. So I do like Buffalo, but that's the only thing that makes me a little bit nervous. I don't like betting against Joe Burrow, and right now they're not getting a whole lot of pressure. And we saw it last week in that game against Baltimore.

Burrow was just getting rid of the ball really quickly. So it's always scary betting against them, but I'm with you. I like Buffalo, man. As long as Josh Allen doesn't turn the ball over in the red zone, I think we'll be all right there. Ryan Horvat, Cowboys and Niners. My producer Hot Take Kick, he said there's a 0% chance Dallas wins, and there's a 0% chance that the Niners aren't going to cover in this game. He thinks the Niners will win. He thinks they're going to blow out Dallas. I never, never, ever, ever, ever support the Dallas Cowboys.

I said it in the open. I think the Cowboys cover, and I'm even thinking that they're going to win this game outright. Yeah, I've talked myself into Dallas, too, and I don't trust Mike McCarthy. I never trust Dallas, but I think this is a different situation here, where the concern I had with Dallas last week, the reason I kind of like Tampa Bay with the points, was the pass defense. They're just 26 in pass defense since week 14, the Cowboys are. But the thing is, if they get pressure, like they did in that Tampa Bay game, like if Parson looks like he did last week and he's fully healthy, and they could get pressure on Brock Purdy and force him into making some mistakes, I think they win this game if they force two turnovers. Another concern I have with San Francisco, so they're really good against the run. They stop the run, and they take away the middle of the field, because Fred Warner and their linebackers can cover. We know how good Nick Bose is, but you could actually get them on the outside, and they also struggle right out defending slot-wide receivers. Slot receivers are averaging almost 10 yards per reception against the 49ers.

That's where C.D. Lamb's lining up on 70% of his routes run, so I really like C.D. Lamb to go over his receiving yard, and I like Dallas. As long as Dak, again, same thing with Josh Allen, as long as when Dak gets into the red zone, we don't get those stupid interceptions, they're able to run the ball somewhat with Zeke and Tony Pollard. I want more Tony Pollard, less Zeke.

And again, they got to force a turnover to contain Christian McCaffrey. I think Dallas is live to win this game. There's going to be an upset this weekend, and I think that's the one. All right, Ryan Horvat, last thing we'll ask you.

We've got to do the ride with Ryan Horvat parlay. Give me a favorite spread this weekend, your favorite over-under, and then your favorite prop bet. All right, so my favorite spread, we're going to go with Dallas plus four, as scary as that is, but try to get the four, of course.

I know there's some three-and-a-halfs out there right now. My favorite total, I'm actually, I like the over in the Cincinnati-Buffalo game. A lot of people making the case for the under. I just, I can't do it with Burrow and Josh Allen, even with a beat-up offensive line. I think Cincinnati's going to score some points. I know Buffalo's going to score some points. Let's go over anything around 48, 48-and-a-half. We'll see where some of these close, of course. My favorite prop bet, definitely Travis Kelce, over six-and-a-half receptions. It's a little juiced right now.

I believe it's minus 125 if you get it at that MGM. Jacksonville just cannot cover the middle of the field. So pick your choice. You either go with Travis Kelce, or you could go with JuJu Smith-Schuster, over four-and-a-half receptions. I like both. The Jags are just getting torched, especially tight ends across the middle.

Worst team in the league defending that spot on the field. So I really like Kelce this week. Ryan Horvat, appreciate the time. As always, BetMGM tonight via BetQL. Thanks so much. Thanks so much for having me, Zach. There you go.

Ryan Horvat from BetMGM tonight and BetQL as well. We'll come on back. We'll do a little divisional round.

This QB or that QB? Welcome to the NFL playoffs. I want to say a lot to listen to, so get started and download the free Odyssey app today. The NFL playoffs live on Odyssey. Touchdown as time expires!

Unbelievable turn of events. Nonstop coverage from the biggest sports radio stations in the country. Podcasts dedicated to each NFL team. And postseason games streaming live for free.

playoffs. Your Odyssey. Get in the game and download the free Odyssey app today. The listening you love is on the free Odyssey app. Your trusted local radio stations, coverage of your favorite teams, live news from your hometown, and millions of podcasts on demand. Best of all, you can completely customize your listening experience. Follow topics you care about like leagues and teams. Pause or rewind your local sports and news 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. You're listening to the Zach Gelb Show. Zach Gelb Show, CBS Sports Radio, Baldy, Brian Baldinger going to be stopping by at the top of the hour.

Kevin Kugler, who will be on the call tomorrow evening in Philadelphia Eagles and Giants via Westwood One will join us at 9 PM Eastern, 6 PM Pacific. But first, and let me ask you this real quickly, Hickey. That's a tongue twister.

Real quickly, Hickey. Is this the last this QB or that QB? I mean, no, we could do it next week. I think there's still four intriguing like, you know, obviously if let's say the Chiefs win, Mahomes versus Allen, Mahomes versus Burrow, I think it's still a good conversation. You could have Hertz versus Purdy, Hertz versus Dak, Purdy versus Daniel Jones.

There's some intriguing. I'm all confused here that there could be Dak in the NFC title game. I thought you were Mr. No chance that the Cowboys are going to get. Well, they have no chance, but I'm just trying to be objective for like, you know, the possibilities that could happen. Okay.

That's all. I'm not trying to have my bias, you know, infiltrate the show. Oh yeah, because you've never let that happen before.

Well, for my I have my own opinions, but I'm not going to have that, you know, speak for the Zach Gelb show in and of itself. So that's why we're talking about options for this QB or that QB. It's possible. Sure. There could be a Dak versus Daniel Jones conversation next week. Big journalist Ryan Hickey over there.

But not in my world, that's for sure. All right. Well, hit the music. I guess you convinced me that we'll continue to do this QB or that QB.

We've been doing it all throughout the year. Give your disclaimer. Say what you got to say. This QB or that QB is a question about what court I could you have for this week and this week only. We do not care about prior results. We do not care about prior accomplishments.

This is not a career lifetime achievement award. This is the game is on Saturday. In this case, a playoff game is on Saturday.

You add your team. Do you want ex quarterback or this quarterback on your squad for your team? First game, Chiefs, Jaguars. As we know, last week, Trevor Lawrence started off his first ever playoff game in the worst possible way. Four interceptions, roared back, four touchdowns as the Jaguars didn't complete that incredible 27-nothing comeback.

On the other side, it is the great one. Patrick Holmes, when you look at his career in the divisional round, he has been in the divisional round of NFL playoffs four times, 4-0, nine touchdowns, zero interceptions in that time. Would you rather have for Saturday's game on your team Trevor Lawrence or Patrick Holmes?

I think this is gonna surprise some people. Cuz for the foreseeable future in the AFC and I'm excluding Lamar out in this conversation cuz I don't know if Lamar's gonna stay in the AFC or what's gonna happen with him in the Ravens. Your quarterbacks are the foreseeable future in the AFC. Where if you wanna win, you're gonna have to go through these quarterbacks. Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, Justin Herbert.

To me, those are the five best quarterbacks right now in the AFC and I can see all those quarterbacks clearly staying put for the next five to ten years with those teams. Trevor Lawrence, what he did and I think this is gonna surprise people my answer. What Trevor Lawrence did was unbelievable last week.

To dig yourself into that deep of a hole down twenty-seven to nothing and come back. That's ridiculous. It is.

It was just flat out stupid. With that being said though, that's where the surprise does end. There's one guy that could find a way to dig themselves into a deep ditch and find a way to climb out very easily and he's done that throughout the years. That is Patrick Mahomes. I know no more Tyreek kills that takes away a big playability but that offense has not been as dominant at times as you thought it would be just reflecting the scoreboard but that's a team that no one's gonna wanna see. They're gonna be a tough out there right now.

The number one overall seed. You're gonna have to play a complete 60-minute game and that still may not be enough to go beat them but it's gotta be Mahomes here clearly. I tried to talk myself into going Trevor Lawrence but there's just no way to do so. Lawrence is a stud.

We all know that. Mahomes right now is the best quarterback in football so you gotta go with Patty Mahomes. The night cap on Saturday feature in NFC East battle. Giants and Eagles. Dan Jones has been tremendous in these last four games that he's played carried over last week where he was basically flawless against the Vikings. Two touchdowns.

Giants do pull off the upset there in Minnesota. On the other side, you have Jalen Hurts coming off of an injured shoulder. He's played one game since January since December 18th.

That was week eighteen against the Giants which he did not look good. The Eagles did not look good but again, you wanna say how much are they trying to actually reveal that? It's a big question but either way, we'll see about the health of Jalen Hurts. We'd rather have Jalen Hurts going to Saturday night or Daniel Jones.

Giant fans, let me just talk to you real quickly. Your quarterback has impressed the heck out of me. Your quarterback is going to be back next year on a long-term extension. Your quarterback is doing this with weapons that are not very desirable. With that being said and I love the mobility of your quarterback. The arm of your quarterback, that clutch throw to Hodgins, it was a great catch but it was an unbelievable throw has been extremely impressive and Daniel Jones this year is playing like a top ten quarterback. If you watch the games, I know that's a crazy thought cuz we see him get drafted six overall and it was like, oh, what are we doing?

What are you doing? You can't go with Daniel Jones? The guy's not a good quarterback? Last few years has been put in the right spot.

This year is being put in the right spot. He's kicking ****. He's taking names and he's making a name for himself in the NFL. With that being said, there's a difference in being good and then great.

There's a difference in being good and elite. And Jalen Hurts this year, just like how Jones has taken a step, Jalen Hurts has taken a giant step. And that has been playing like an MVP. I know there's a concern about the injury. I don't have a feel how healthy he is or is not. When I have a guy and I see someone that's been playing MVP football throughout this year, even now coming off the injury and it's been some time and he came back in week eighteen, then had the bye week and now coming off the bye.

Is there some rust? Is he not 100% sure? But I'll just go off what I've seen for most of the season. Even though there's some skepticism cuz you really don't know how healthy he is. And I'll just bank that even Jalen Hurts, not at his best, is still gonna be good enough for the Eagles. Give me Jalen Hurts and I'm banking that you're gonna see more of an MVP type of performance from Jalen Hurts this weekend than what you saw in that final week of the season. The best quarterback matchup of the weekend. Sunday afternoon in Buffalo, Joe Burrow take on Josh Allen on the season. Each had thirty-five touchdown passes tied for second in the NFL.

Both quarterbacks so coming in kind of off of some bad games in the wild card round. You had Josh Allen have three turnovers and almost crossing the game against the Dolphins. On the other side, Joe Burrow did not really look good against that Ravens defense. Was sacked four times.

Real quickly. On that game, the Bengals Ravens game. Early on, Joe Burrow looked awesome and then as that game went on, like I tweeted out, wow, it's such a treat to watch Joe Burrow each and every week and then as the game did go on, you're right, that offense really wasn't able to do much. So, it was very compelling how quickly that did change cuz I was like mesmerized by Burrow for a little bit. I believe they scored in the first possession, right?

If I'm not mistaken. 17 points with a full game offensively at least before Sam Hubbard bailed them out late. So, which quarterback would you rather have this weekend, Joe Burrow or Josh Allen? I do think the Bills are gonna win.

With that being said, and this is splitting hairs here. I do think Joe Burrow is the better quarterback and the reason why I go Burrow over Allen just in terms of which QB would I rather have is for Allen even though his ceiling is so high and his big playability is so high. It does come with a lot of turnovers and sometimes he's able to avoid those turnovers still win but there's just other times where it's one pick and then one pick turns into two picks and then you get a fumble like things as we've seen throughout the year where there was that jet game where the game last week against the Dolphins were looking to be a blood and then they got him right back in the game. I just think even though there's more upside and highlight plays with Josh Allen that Burrow manages the game better. So, yeah, from a skill and talent standpoint, yeah, you'd rather have Allen over Burrow but there's just something about it and sure Josh Allen does have it but I think Joe Burrow has it just a little bit more. Once again, I think the Bills are the better team. I think the Bills win. The Bengals offensive line is banged up but if it's just the quarterback position, I trust slightly more Joe Burrow over Josh Allen. If it's the rank of the top three quarterbacks in the league, I go Mahomes one, Burrow two, and then Allen sitting in at number three.

And finally. Who would you take on that one by the way? Joe Burrow. You would? Okay.

Yes. Finally, 49ers Cowboys, you could say features the two quarterbacks that were the best last week in Wild Card Weekend. You know, Dak Prescott, Monday Night Football, total five touchdowns, throw for 300 yards, and Brock Purdy basically almost matched him. Over 300 yards passing, four total touchdowns in his first playoffs or whatever.

Brock Purdy six and oh is a starter in San Francisco in his career. Which quarterback for this game would you rather have Brock Purdy or Dak Prescott? Dak Prescott. Dak Prescott. The answer is Dak Prescott. I hate this week.

I really do, Hickey. I hate this week. I can't stand the Cowboys. I can't stand the drama Dallas Choking Cowboys.

But I gotta be honest. As I've said, I think the Cowboys are gonna cover the spread. I thought all week long they were alive to win the game.

I'm picking them to win the game outright. I know Brock Purdy has been on a magical run. Eventually at one point you would think he has to lose a game. Is this gonna be 12 in a row? It could be. Could be 13 row.

Could be 14 in a row. But I just gotta think and I know Purdy hasn't been the quarterback for all those wins that he's gotta drop a game eventually. And Dak last week balled out.

He balled out. He was as good as I've ever seen Dak Prescott play. And usually whenever the Cowboys play really well they have a letdown. I just trust Dak more than Brock Purdy. And I'm not a huge, I'm a huge fan of Dak Prescott the person but I said for a while Dak's a good quarterback not a great quarterback. I think Dak plays another great game this week up against what is an extremely tough, the best defense in the league in the 49ers. So I do go with Dak Prescott there. Real quickly who do you go with on that one? Brock Purdy.

I've not seen him play a bad game yet. Can't play against that. I can't. Yeah. Small sample size but impressive. It is.

That's fair. Zach Gelb shows CBS Sports Radio. We connect with one of the best analysts when covering football when we return in five minutes.

That's our pal Baldy, Brian Baldinger. The NFL playoffs live on Odyssey. Touchdown as time expires. Unbelievable turn of events. Non-stop coverage from the biggest sports radio stations in the country.

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