Ross Tucker, "Ross Tucker Football Podcast" Host

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So get started and download the free Odyssey app today. Ross, how you been? I am awesome, Zach. I'm very appreciative of you letting me jump in line at Lincoln Financial Field because there was a long line to get into the stadium for the media and I had to be doing the pregame show.

So just so everybody knows, Zach is the man, very nice, hooked a brother up. I didn't get to Buffalo as quickly as Peyton Manning did. Here I was, Zach, all proud, all happy that I was going to be the only person that was at both Giants, Eagles, and Bills-Bangles. And I see Peyton Saturday night and I just said hi real quick. Then Sunday, pregame, he's there again. He's there again. And I went up to him and I said, look, I got a bone to pick with you. He's like, what are you talking about? I'm like, you're here again?

I thought I was going to be the only person that was at both games. He said, yeah, double header for my son. I said, well, I'm going to guess you didn't drive four hours to Corning, New York last night and get three hours sleep. He said, no, no, I did not.

Yeah, I'm going to assume he had a private jet. I'm just going to go out on a limb there, Ross. It must be nice, Zach. It must be nice.

Well, I'm sorry. That's a bad job out of Peyton Manning. I know that you did not know that he was going to the game, but he should have asked you on the sideline and offered you an invitation on the private jet.

The thought did cross my mind when I saw him Sunday that it would have been real nice to catch a ride with him, yes. Alrighty, so let's get to this NFC title game first. These two teams are so evenly matched. Is the difference in this one, in your opinion, just going to be home field advantage?

I think there's probably three things. I think the Eagles are the more talented team. You know, the Niners certainly have a lot of talent, right?

And we know who those guys are. I don't think they have the depth of talent, right? So, you know, they've got some high-level players, Hufunga and Bosa and Fred Warner, but the Eagles just have so many of them. I tweeted this today, Zach, at Ross Tucker NFL, that 18 of the 22 starters on offense and defense for the Eagles are Pro Bowl players or alternates. Now, 16 of them actually got voted. The two that didn't are Gardner-Johnson and Dallas Goddard because there's some insane role that if you're on IR, you're not allowed to be voted in.

If you're on IR at the time of the vote, you can't go. But, like, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson led the NFL in interceptions, Goddard's a stud. So, essentially, you know, 18 of the 22 starters for the Eagles are at that level. It's just unbelievable. I mean, it really is remarkable, including, I believe, every offensive starter. The both wide receivers, the whole O-line, Goddard, as discussed, Miles Sanders and Jalen Hurts.

I mean, it's just really, really impressive. So, the Eagles have home field advantage. They have more talent from a depth standpoint. You know, Trent Williams is great and McCaffrey's great and Debo's great.

It's just they don't have the same volume. And then the Eagles have the better quarterback. You know, Brock Purdie's an amazing story. He's been fantastic, but he's not Jalen Hurts. You know, Jalen Hurts can be second in the MVP voting. So, this is a huge opportunity for the Eagles that they can't let slip. I mean, they are the home team with the more talented team with the better quarterback against a rookie seventh round pick.

You know, I really do think on some level the pressure's on the Eagles to win this game. What's interesting and sort of plays into the Niners' favor is just how much playoff experience they have. I mean, this is their third NFC Championship game in the last four years. How do the Niners then, and it's not inconceivable for the Niners to win this game like we're talking about. These are two of the better teams in football. There's a reason they're in the NFC title game. I agree with you. I think the Eagles are the better team. But how would you make this argument? What do the Niners need to do in order to win this game?

Probably two things. One is play with a lead. I really, if you watch them, man, they struggle. If it's like obvious passing downs, third and long, not a great spot for the row line. Not really where Purdy's most comfortable. So, that's one that jumps out to me is find a way to get a lead early. Because if they get down two scores, sort of like the Giants did, and you were there for the game, Zach.

That's not good against this Eagle C line. I mean, you really need to try to play with a lead if you're the Niners. And in doing that, I think run the football. You know, they did it in the second half. Very effectively against the Cowboys. They couldn't really do it in the first half very much at all.

But in the second half, they did it effectively. And you run the ball, and I think you can run on this Eagles defense. Run the ball, you possess the ball, you keep the Eagles offense on the sideline.

That's how the commanders beat them. That's how the Saints beat them. Keep the offense on the sideline and run the football.

Ross Tucker here with us. When we go to the Bengals Chiefs AFC title game, is the pressure still on Kansas City? Or do you look at Cincinnati coming in extremely confident they've defeated the Chiefs three straight times? Or do you go, okay, there's more pressure on Cincinnati?

That's a really good question. Because the Chiefs keep losing to the Bengals, and because it's another AFC Championship home game, I guess I would say there's more pressure on the Chiefs. But I think what changes the dynamic a little bit is the Mahomes injury. Because it's like now, I mean obviously the Bengals are the betting favorite. We talked about that today on the Even Money Betting Podcast.

Just the crazy line movement. The Chiefs were some places that started out as three point favorites. It's like they weren't taking into account the fact that Mahomes is hurt.

And then it swung all the way to the Bengals now being two and a half point favorites. But that almost makes me wonder, are we putting too much stock in the previous game's performance? Because by the way, it feels like everybody thinks it'll be a Bengals-Eagles Super Bowl.

Which means it probably won't. I think everybody thinks that because they were the two teams that looked the best this past weekend. But that's not necessarily a predictor of what's going to happen this upcoming weekend. I think on some level there's some pressure on the Bengals because now with Mahomes being hurt, there's a level of expectation that the Bengals will win. Which is weird because that's not usually the position they've been in the last couple years. Yeah, I think the reason why the answer is that there's more pressure on the Chiefs, because I do think the Bengals should win this game like everybody else. But you look at the Chiefs, I look at it as if the conversation is going to be, it goes from a team that we all thought was going to be a dynasty that hasn't won a Super Bowl then in the last three years. And then you get to this fact that they would lose to the Bengals four times in a row. So I think it makes the Chiefs look human if they lose this one coming up on Sunday.

Yeah, and losing back to back home AFC Championship games for sure. They're like the poster child to me for just how hard it is to actually be a dynasty. It's hard, man.

It is really, really hard. You know, it's why like all these fans and these certain teams, whether it's like the Steelers or the Cowboys, where they're like, Super Bowl or bust, man, that's the standard. Like, there can only be one out of 32. I mean, do the math on that.

Very, very hard to get that standard. And so, you know, if you're the Bills or the Chiefs, whoever, you just got to keep knocking, keep being right there. But yeah, I think the way I disagree with you is because if they lose, I feel like it'll all be about the fact that Mahomes couldn't be Mahomes because he couldn't move around to the ankles. Also, Ross Tucker, when we talk about this game, if Borough wins, you then view him as the best quarterback in football or would it be Mahomes just wasn't healthy? No, I think Mahomes is the best quarterback. I think Mahomes is the best quarterback by like a decent margin. He's so good. I mean, look at his numbers this year.

Look who he's throwing it to. He's just, I love what Jalen Hurts did this year. I was on the sideline for Borough and I was so impressed. He kind of reminded me of like a Peyton Manning, Tom Brady. It felt like Borough knew where he's going with the ball before the snap every play against the Bills. It was so impressive. Josh Allen is a phenom.

But I really believe this, Zach. If you ask, you know, exclude those teams. If you ask 28 GMs, okay, which of those guys would you take for the next five years, next two years, next 10 years? I think they'd say Mahomes.

And I don't think there'd be a ton of hesitation. He's that good. I think maybe you get a couple of Boroughs, but the second reaction plays from Mahomes gives him an edge over Borough. Wrapping up with Ross Tucker, make sure you follow Matt Ross Tucker, NFL, My Front Page Story.

We'll talk about that in just a second. And he is the host of the Ross Tucker Football Podcast. Where's Aaron Rodgers playing football next year, Ross? Green Bay.

Yeah. I mean, there are people that think he's going to be traded. There are people that, you know, think he might retire. The retiring thing would shock me. He's going to get over $60 million fully guaranteed.

First of all, that's a lot of money. Secondly, I don't think he wants to go out that way. I don't think that loss at home to the Lions is how he wants it to end. Which also is, by the way, why I think he goes back to the Packers.

I think he cares about his legacy greatly. I think he does this thing every offseason because he kind of likes to be wanted. The thing I don't know about that is just how much the Packers want him back. There's enough rumblings out there that you almost feel like the Packers want to be able to trade him at this point.

But they have a lot of good players. He started to click towards the end of the year with Watson and Dobbs. The O-line got healthy. I think he sees a path to them being a very competitive team at the highest level in the NFC again next year. What about Brady? Where's Brady playing next year?

I'm with you. I think it's going to be Las Vegas. I think for Brady it's more likely than not that he plays. If you look at the teams, who's the team that knows him the best? Josh McDaniels. They need a quarterback. They're going to trade Derek Carter. Honestly, Dana White tried to broker some deal where Brady was going to go there the last time. Not only that, I think he would like the Vegas thing. Mark Davis strikes me as an owner, Zach, that just would think it's cool that Tom Brady is his quarterback. But even if they had a.500 record, he'd be like, yeah, that's cool though.

I had Tom Brady as my quarterback. Alrighty, the floor is yours, my friend. Tell us once again about my front page story. Well, there's only three weeks left until Valentine's Day. A lot of guys don't think about it until February.

That's not where it's at. Don't just get flowers or roses. I'm just telling you, everybody driving in your car right now, it is the best Valentine's Day gift I've ever heard of. You either fill out five questions in an email or you talk to a writer for five minutes. They write the most unbelievable story about your wife. It looks like it's on the cover of the newspaper, framed, pictures of her or the two of you. When she opens it up to be able to say to her, I had a story written about you, sounds like the coolest, most unique, most romantic gift ever. She reads the quotes from you about how much she means to you. They cry every time, dude. Happy tears.

Myfrontpagestory.com, trust me, myfrontpagestory.com. I'd be stunned if you tweeted me or emailed me or whatever and said it's not the best Valentine's Day gift your wife or significant other or whatever has ever gotten. Last thing I'll ask you, I need you to be honest with me here. I did not like the ribs in the press box in Philadelphia.

Your thoughts? Didn't have any. Smart man.

He didn't miss out. And I usually think the press box food at Philadelphia is excellent. The ribs were horrible this past weekend.

That makes me feel good. I don't know why, but I went with the chicken tiki masala, which was pretty good. And then the sour tuna. Because I travel so much, dude, I try to eat. If they have something healthy that also looks like it would taste good, then I load up on that. So that's why I double dipped on whatever that tuna was.

I thought it was pretty good. Did you get wings in Buffalo? Did you pig out at least in Buffalo? I did not pig out. Well, I did pig out.

I did not pig out on wings. It was the best press box food Buffalo's ever had. It was one of the best of the season. The beef on weck mac and cheese was heavenly. The street corn I loved.

Got a bunch of wings. It was delicious. I probably got four or five drums, of course.

We all know drums are way better than flats. And it was awesome. I ate a bunch because I knew I was going to be on sideline and that they had no food for the people on the field at halftime. Have you ever had a Lamar Jackson issue where you say it's cramps, but then you're really just going to the bathroom while you call it a game?

No, I haven't. I'm pretty good. First of all, I have an iron stomach.

No matter what I eat, I'm good. But also, I'm really good about taking care of that business before the game starts. I have a whole schedule and a process. I may drink caffeine that helps me with that. I clean out the pipes well in advance of the game to make sure I have no distractions. And then final thing. Do you think differently of my producer, Ryan Hickey, Hot Take Hickey, because he hates regular wings and he prefers boneless wings?

Yes, I do think less of him. There's no such thing as boneless wings. Those are called chicken fingers or chicken tenders. Have you ever seen chicken that has wings that don't have any bones in them?

I understand. Look, I am not a big fan, like when it comes to steaks of the bone. I like fillets. I don't like to have to deal with the bone in ribeye.

I don't like to feel like the fatty cut. I like the fillet and just to eat my unbelievably savory meat. So I respect the fact that he doesn't want to deal with the bones when he's eating his whatever you call them wings. Chicken nuggets. Yeah. Yeah, chicken nuggets.

Exactly. But they're just not as tender. They're just not. They're like more fried and harder because they're fake.

They're just not as tender. Excellent, excellent, excellent job. I just got off my fat ass and I'm giving you a standing ovation. The great Ross Tucker. Ross, thank you.

Of course, Zach. Anytime. Thank you for hooking me up Sunday, buddy. So get started 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. 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. Your playoffs, your Odyssey. Get in the game and download the free Odyssey app today.