Alex Curry and Carmen Vitali talk about what teams have made their holiday naughty and nice list for this years holiday season in the NFL. Alex and Carmen alos react to the crazy College Football playoffs with Texas taking on Clemson to advance to the next round. Plus, the ladies talk about sports gift giving, talk Chiefs beating the Texans, gear up for Steelers vs Ravens, and much more!!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to Fox Sports.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Welcome to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here with
Carmen Vitally. Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with
Carmie Me. Happy Christmas weekend. This really feels I think
like the first holiday week for me, maybe because I
just got back from a tropical island in Fiji. But
shout out to Namo too, because that was the most
insane vacation I've ever been on.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Yeah, in my life, I can use I can tell
you that I've ever.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Done anything like that, like an all inclusive private island
where you just wake up, you go down to the water,
you go to a boat and you're like, I want
to go surfing here and they take you. I want
to go fishing here and they take you. I want
to go startling here and they take it. It was
a dream like, it didn't feel like reality.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
I did feel.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
I like, I my cup is so full. I am
now ready to get back to work. I am ready
for the holidays. And we just hit the ground running.
And what a day to be back. Because sports fans,
this is like a dream day. Like there's two NFL games.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
I have such a hot take on, let's continue that.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Okay, three college football playoff games, but that's not all.
You got women's college basketball powerhouses USC and UKON playing today,
twelve NBA games, fifteen of top twenty five men's college
hoop games, Tyson Fury Fight Tonight Tiger and Charlie Woods
teeing off, and eleven NHL games.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Yeah, my hot take is I hate this.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Oh it's too much, overwhelmingly specifically with college football, the
college football Playoff.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
This is I mean, this is the first of the
expanded playoffs going against two NFL games, Like they are
really good games, and I as someone who wants to
pay attention to college but needs to pay attention to
the NFL, My my my, I'm pulled in too many directions.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
But by the way, nothing to say the NFL, like
the college football games are like T and T, which
are extremely major.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
I'm like, NFL relax back off. I am so mad
at the NFL for doing this, Like this is your
like for free feeder league and you are actively trying it,
but this is make it worse.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
And this is what they do.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
The moment like the regular college football season is over,
they're like, Okay, we own the weekend.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
Now we don't care like when you have other bowl
games or things nice.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
This year we're on the weekend. That's not the case
this year. Like make adjustments.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
I just like the NFL just completely takes for granted
that they don't have to pay anything for their feeder league.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
They do not need to invest in it.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
It's not their money, and they benefit so heavily from
college football. Why are you actively trying to make it
worse by poaching their audience.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
It was tough, It's stinks.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
What else was tough was like I wake up and
I put on like sport mix, right, and that's how
I see what channel everything's on in the morning.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Like I still love DirecTV, like I have cable and.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
College football game Penn State SME wasn't even on the
mix this morning because it's all like a TNT, Like
how is that?
Speaker 1 (02:56):
How is that not?
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Like it's on top three things on my score as
a sports fan that I want.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
To see too.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Think YouTube TV did have like the multiple like multiview
boxes where you could do college and NFL.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
But like if you don't have YouTube TV, like what
are you supposed to do?
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Well, that's what my sports mix is I wake up,
I go two of six Sport Mix, and I was like,
why isn't it popping up?
Speaker 3 (03:15):
I mean, I like, there's a whole other conversation we
had too about cable versus YouTube TV and all that
other stuff like YouTube TV prices just went up, all
this other I like, I could go on and on
and about.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
That, but that's not the point.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
The point is but the end of the NFL is
cannibalizing the audience of the league.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
Can that's so aggressive. I can feel that, Like, I mean,
you know.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Doing and can do.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Don't have to invest in your feeder league at all.
It is a self sufficient league, and you are actively
trying to take it over with like trying to take
away the audience, trying to take away so much about
it that we love about college football.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
I hate it. That's my hot take. Okay, I hate
that these games are on.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
At the same time, I hate that the NFL didn't adjust,
like nobody needed these games.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
On side, especially these teams.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
I gu city is about to play at two games
and four days, by the way, because we also have
games on a Wednesday because it's Christmas. I have never
been My fiance has never seen me more livid than
when the NFL announced that they were still going to
do Christmas games.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
If I was on a Wednesday, Yes so mad yep, okay.
Speaker 5 (04:16):
Anyway, group, deep breath, Thank you for joining us. We
are broadcasting live from the tark dot Com studios Tyrek
dot com. We'll help you get there an unmatched selection,
fast free shipping, free road housard production, and over ten
thousand recommended installers.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
Tyrek dot com The way tire buying should be.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Football fans be sure to tune into Fox Sports Radio
every Sunday morning, beginning at ten am Eastern seven am
Pacific for Countdown to Kickoff, presented by bet MGM, Brian No,
Jeff Schwartz, and professional better Bill Krackenberger will have you
covered three hours before kickoff. Every Sunday morning, listen to
Countdown to Kickoff, presented by bet MGM right here on
Fox Sports Radio and on the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
All right, guys, we've got a great show for you today.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
We've Ram's host Aaron Coscarelli joining us in about thirty minutes,
Lauren Helmbrecht in two hours to talk all through the
Green Bay. Executive producer Patrick with us today technical producer
Christoph Fete.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Monty Belano's at the.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
News desk, and we actually have our uh, our social
guy who is like the behind the scenes saga like Tree.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
He's in the studio with us today. Is fun.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
You'll be getting a lot of clips right away. I'm
putting him on the spot.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
All right.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Well, guys, since we're getting down to the last few
weeks of the regular season, and with Christmas right around
the corner, we're gonna be putting players and teams on
the naughty and nice list. We're having a holiday themed show,
so buckle up and get into it. CARMEI and I
are dressed for the occasion. I have my elf Oh
my god, Sanna he's real shirt on, and Carme has
(05:45):
got her Santa hat and her son devils like getting ready.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
I don't know, it's not Oh, it's Bucks Buccaneers.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Buccaneers like my same dollars, don't play until New Year's
do your day, So like I I've got time. I
think out the corner of my eye, similar colors kind yeah,
the red, yeah, yeah, but.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
You know I have to throw back Tampa Bay Bucaneers.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
I just got to see all my guys on Sunday,
I went to the game and I got to see
all of them in the locker room. I got to
see them all before. Yeah, it was just a really
nice nice thing to be surrounded by those guys.
Speaker 6 (06:16):
Again.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
What a game too, Oh my god, I mean an
absolutely hung forty on that on that Chargers defense last Sunday.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
It was so much fun. It was so good to see.
I'm happy for you. That's great. It was, Yeah, it was.
It was so nice. Any get to go home and
see family, I know, except they came to me.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
Ye're like yay, thanks. Okay, Well, let's get to it.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
I'm going to start with.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
A positive on the nice list, and my first player
on the nice list is Josh Allen.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Like he is having a career season and also an
incredible personal year. Just got engaged to Hailey Steinfeld. And
we heard one of his teammates say this week that
he believes because he is such a stable and supportive
and positive relationship at home that's helped be who he
is on the field and around his teammates right now,
which I love strong partnerships.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Like let's go.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
But there has been such a good amount of hype
around Josh Allen and the Bills since he got into
the league, and this really felt like the first season
where he exceeded all of those expectations. Like coming into
the season he lost Stefon Diggs, people thought like maybe
they would dip, they might miss like their playoff super
Bowl window.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Instead, he came out so hot.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Started the season three to zero, handed the Chiefs their
first loss. They're undefeated at home. Josh Allen's season fifth
straight season with at least four thousand passing yards. Fewest
interceptions in his career, and that was kind of a
big knock on him his entire career that he was
turning the ball over a little too much, I a
(07:48):
little too reckless.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
He only has five this season.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
He has the second highest passer rating ever in his career.
Also became the first player ever with a passing, receiving,
and rushing touchdown in a single game. That game was
just that was a snow game in Buffalo. I mean,
this is the Josh Allen season. He's the MVP Favorite
Favorite right now. He's running away with it. He's currently
minus nine hundred. Lamar's behind him at plus five point
(08:12):
fifty and the Bills should kind of have a cake
walk to the postseason. Their last three games or division
games versus Patriots, verse Jets at Patriots, like it is
lining up very well for this to be Josh Allen's year.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Well, it depends, I think too on what happens in
the postseason, but I agree he's That's the thing is,
Bills have never had an issue until it gets to
the postseason, more specifically until they run into a certain team.
But they beat him in the regular season. I think
Josh Allen two is such is such the MVP favorite,
given the fact like Lamar's numbers are better. Yeah, but
(08:51):
it again goes back to how you kind of view
the award because Josh Allen has done.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
More with less. Yeah, but the team, Bills in general,
have done more with less.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
And I think that's a testament not only to Josh,
but it's a testament to Sean McDermott. Having that defense
ready to go despite the fact that Matt Milano was
gone for a large chunk of this season. They've suffered
multiple injuries in that secondary all Like, all throughout the season,
they've been like cycling in guys. The pass rush has
gotten a lot better. They are they're doing just enough,
like Josh Allen and the Bills offense is like, are
(09:22):
the Kings of doing just enough? Like if the defense
is going to give up thirty points, they're gonna score
thirty one, And like Josh is so acutely aware of
all of that, and I think it's so I mean,
it gets you through the regular season.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Now we'll see what happens in the postseason.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
But he has, like to your point, had such a
wonderful year personally and professional, I know.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Which is great. And we love to see Dean.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
I think it was Deon Dawkins was the one that
came out and said that, you know, got a good
woman behind you, there's nothing you can't do.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
And I'm just like NAP's for that. But a right preach.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
The first guys on my nice list is the first
guy I should say. And it goes along with another
major award, Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota by Gangs, goes
to the year favorite. I do think that the Coach
of the Year is coming out of the NFC North.
And again it goes back to do you view the
Coach of the Year award as a guy that surpassed
(10:13):
expectations or do you want the guy that kicks ass
and takes names, Because if it's kicks ass takes names,
that's probably more Dan Campbell. If you wanted to go
with a guy that surpassed any and all expectations, that
has been Kevin O'Connell to a tee.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
And it's not only what he's.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Been able to do with Sam Darnold or like the
overall team, it's the offense in particular. Justin Jefferson leads
the league in receiving yards despite the fact that he
is public enemy number one whenever anybody plays the Minnesota Vikings,
and somehow Kevin O'Connell is able to scheme him up
and get him open. It's so it's it's absolutely insane.
(10:54):
Swallowed I got so excited I swallowed my spin a
little bit wrong. No, but Kevin O'Connell is the favorite
for a reason. And you have guys like Daniel Jones
who are willingly signing to the practice squad there just
because they know that this is a guy that can
help develop quarterbacks. He's it's a quarterback friendly system. Kevin
O'Connell was a quarterback, so he's kind of known as
(11:14):
this quarterback guru. And it's also why I think that
barring an actual super Bowl run with Sam Donald, they're
gonna let Sam Darnald go.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
And that's a wild part.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
That's a wild thing to think about when he's top
ten in the league in most major passing message.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
But he was always going to be that bridge like
the drafted their guy.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
But again he out like quarterback play is so hard
to find. Good quarterback play is so hard I'm saying.
I'm saying, only if they go on a quarter on
a on a super Bowl run does that kind of
come into play. But this goes back to again, Kevin
O'Connell be like the trust that this organization has in
him to say, yeah, you did wonderful things with Sam Donald,
(11:54):
but we're gonna let him go because we know you
can do the same thing with j. J. McCarthy when
we drafted for you to develop and.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
He he has the same talent that Sam Dotts has.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
I mean, that's remains sweetee Sam Donald. They're both first
round picks, so they come with that pedigree. I think
that JJ McCarthy can be really really good with Kevin
O'Connell as the guy that develops him. Yeah, I don't
know if that's going to surpass. I'm not going to
predict where that's going to go. Because j J McCarthy
was so green coming out of college. He didn't have
a whole lot of experience. He ran an offense that
(12:25):
was a run first offense under Jim Barbots.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
I mean, I mean, he has a national championship.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
But the one thing is, again, the defense was insane.
Their run game was insane. It wasn't necessarily because of
JJ McCarthy that you end up winning that game or
getting to the national title game. But what you can
say for Kevin O'Connell is that he is going to
develop him to the best of his ability, and he
is going to reach his ceiling, whatever that ceiling is.
Speaker 6 (12:49):
J J.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
McCarthy is going to reach his ceiling because he's under
Kevin O'Connell. Now, his the everything's kind of taken a
backseat given his rehab. He just had another surgery. It's
it's been him back. Yeah, essentially, yes, like he's he's
been rehabbing this entire season rather than being able to
switch into kind of development mode. But you're still gonna
have this off season hopefully that like that's still the plan.
(13:11):
That's the like the optimistic part of everybody is like,
all right, he's still gonna have a full off season
under Kevin O'Connell to get better. So like that's the
reason why I think you try and hold on to
Daniel Jones is because you have a high end backup
that you know that Kevin O'Connell can get the best
out of as well. Yeah, regardless, this all is to say,
Kevin O'Connell, coach of the your favorite Can.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
We also like take a moment to realize like how
under the radar the Vikings are right now?
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Like I keep asking, like what's it going to take
for people to take them?
Speaker 1 (13:37):
Seriously? Honestly?
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Good for them, because this is how you surprise and
sneak into late rounds of the postseason. Like, no, no,
one's like they're not only.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Two losses, they only have two losses. No, they're at
the top.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Like they're at the top with the Eagles and the Lions.
All these teams are twelve and two and fight.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
The Lions are account for one of those losses, so
they own the tiebreak are currently but those yeah, those
two teams are going to face off in Week eighteen, yes,
which could matter an incredible It's why the Lions haven't
run away with the NFC North.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
The Vikings are right there, right there, but like all
of them are fighting for that one seed.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
I think that there's a little bit left over from
twenty twenty two when they got into the playoffs and
then got bounced by.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
The Daniel Jones Giants.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
That's something that I think people kind of look back
like their their record was probably indicative of a team
that wasn't as good as their record was essentially okay.
But the difference this time around is Brian Flores as
the defensive coordinator and your defense is something that can win.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
You games and as games, and.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Yes you have two it but like before, you had
ed Donna tel and a defensive scheme that was not
good and you had to rely on the offense to
score points.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
They had.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
I think they had a negative point differential by the
end of that game, by the end of that season.
Wild stuff, because teams like that don't usually make the postseason.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
This is not that team.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
The Minnesota Vikings are for real, and I keep asking
what's it going to take for people to take them seriously?
And I do think that down on the stretch, they
can prove a lot, especially if they end up getting
that one over the over the Lions in Week eighteen.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Yeah, Okay, we're runn out of time here, but I
want us to get to a naughty list. I think
we'll both agree with this first one. The Bears. The
Bears are on the naughty lists. A hot mess this season,
firing their head coach midseason for the first time in
franchise history, also firing their offensive coordinator. Caleb Williams most
sat quarterback in the league fifty eight times a secret season.
(15:27):
The second most is CJ Stroud behind him at forty five.
So Bears there, Yeah, there's there's a big gap. Bears
are last and total yards per game. And I think
the hard part is there was so much hype. You
always you always maintained the hype, but there was so
much hype around.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
I did maintain the hype. Side temper it temper.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
I've been so much hype around Caleb Williams being a
quote generational player. And this really feels like I don't
want to call it a wasted year because you're always
gonna be able to take something away from this. But
next year it's going to have in a second season
a second head coach, possibly a second or third offensive coordinator.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
They have.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Bears have not won a road game or division game
this season. I think the only way this could have
gone worse is if Caleb got hurt. I don't even
want to put that in the universe, but like it's
not going to get any easier, Like Blonds are coming
to town on Sunday. They end the season playing Lions, Seahawks,
and Packers, Like, I don't think they win another game
this season.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
They probably don't.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
I'm going to get into them during my gifts segment
because the other organization that I would argue has a
worse reputation right now, and it's more on the nautilst.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
Is the YS.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Yeah, that bombshell that came out from the Athletic.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
I can't wait to get into that later. We're going
to do a deep dive.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
What the boon show that came out with the Athletic,
just the way that it's run and the power that
was given to Aaron Rodgers. But then also to put
actual decisions into things like Madden ratings and what your
teenagers are bringing you as far like having that level
of just like the bear theyre dysfunctional.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Yes, they're not that whatever that is so.
Speaker 4 (17:04):
Like there's that's definitely a different level.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
We'll say, like, that's like you're burning down low and
bears are like this, yeah, but you're not listen.
Speaker 7 (17:13):
Bears.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
The owners, the Bear's owners are arguably too nice. Whati
Johnson is. They're braiding his own players and saying f
you to his own players to their faces.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
That is so much, so much.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
We're going, okay, we're gonna get I have a feeling
both of our naughty lists. We're gonna bring up again
an hour two when we we give some gifts out
to players and teams. So we're gonna take a quick
break here when we come back. College football playoffs are
in full swing.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
Who you got That's the next? On Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 6 (17:42):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsportsradio dot
com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to listen live.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Welcome back to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Coriehe with
Carmen Vitali. We are broadcasting live from the Tark Talk
Studios in Los Angeles. Thank you for spending this Saturday
afternoon with carme and me and Happy Holidays. It's when
I love Christmas music like we are.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
We are in the red zone.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
I've been I've been in this week and no, I've
been in it for since Thanksgiving.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
That's when I turn on Christmas music. You are.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
I'm like, okay, this whole time of year, like it's
only a finite amount of time, and like my birthday
is at the tail end.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
Of all of this, and like God, but no, but
that's the.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Thing is, No, I don't celebrate my birthday because like
I go so hard during all of this where I'm
just like nobody because nobody wants It's January third, nobody
wants to do anything on January third. Everyone's hungover, they're broke,
they're doing soubber January. Like nobody wants to do anything.
So like I have, I'm just not a birthday person
and I've actually my fiance is on board. We now
(18:51):
celebrate my birthday in July, like July.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
Yeah, So like we were on vacation July third this
year and he like surprised me. As concert kids, I'm like,
now I get press.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
This is one it times a year can I give
a hot take though about the holiday season. I love
the build up to the holiday season, Like the weeks
leading up to the actual holiday almost better than the
actual holiday because then you're like, oh, this is it,
it might be done. I like the weeks leading up
to everything leading up.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
I really appreciate this is these are the times I
appreciate growing up like heavily Catholic, because it's not over
on Christmas, like you if you know, you know, January
sixth is the actual end of the Christmas season, so yeah,
it is. That's that's that's Lepithanya, which is like the
Epiphany and you get like little presents in your shoes on.
(19:39):
That's what we got. So like I got to like
enjoy Christmas. That's like I haven't tred this amount of
shame and guilt built in because of my upbringing.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Well, but I also have to celebrate Christmas.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Until January Catholic and Jewish, so imagine I got Catholic
and Jewish mom guilt, so sure I Haven'tnica is super late.
It's starting off for Christmas. Yeah, I know, that's wild.
Kind of pumped about it, like the latest it's ever,
like it can ever be.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
I was like, is it sure, We sure, yeah, day
after Christmas.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Yeah, so now you get Christmas and then we get
like you get eight and everything.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
Yeah, we love Okay.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
There was one girl in my in my grammar school,
I had that and we were all so jealous of her.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Yeah, it's you get both. Everyone's like, what did you do?
I was like, I went to church and I went
to temple. I do all the holidays. It was a lot,
very interesting.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
We were we were always jealous my friend, my friend
Molly and in uh in grammar school. Like she'd be like, yeah,
I got presents for eight days and then I got
Christmas and we were like, see we.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Chose to get them all on Christmas. Oh yeah. And
I was like she would get one. President at night
with honkkah, that's great.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Uh okay, I want to get this college football in.
Maybe we'll just get one and then we'll save the
rest for uh next hour. But you guys, twelve team
college football playoffs are in full swing. You heard Carmie
go off at the top of the show, ye that
it's kind of tough that they're competing with NFL today.
But Indiana at Notre Dame last night I mean it
was a dominant beffemance by Notre Dame. Weird game for
(21:02):
Indiana just felt like they just didn't show up. They
entered the playoffs with the number one rush defense in
the country and then they allowed the most rush yards
they had all season one ninety three.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
Like it was just I was gonna say it was off,
but like, well this is okay.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
There's this whole thing now if you're if you're paying
attention online, it's like, should Indiana have even been in it?
Speaker 1 (21:22):
Should Bamash been in it instead?
Speaker 3 (21:24):
And to that, I say, does like this format a
is going to change? Like the format's gonna change so quickly.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Those two games have been like very one sided, right,
But I'm also like, we're.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Not owed good playoff games.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
We don't we don't make any sort of like there's
no outcry. And when the NFL, when a seven seed
plays plays the one.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Seed, like yeah, that's not a thing.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
Like people like you're not guaranteed really competitive playoff games.
And then if you're gonna want to put a guy
a team like Alabama three lost team in the playoffs
just because they come out of the SEC and they
have the pedigree and all that.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
Like, because to that, I say, but does the regular.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Season matter or does it not? Because if it doesn't,
then yeah, all right, put a three, put a three.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
Lassus in Indiana deserve to be here. They it was
just weird. They just didn't show up.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
I mean, they were the far inferior team to Notre
Dame and that was But again I'm saying, like that's
just that kind of the way it goes. I don't
know how you change that with the way that the
conferences are aligned, especially now that the conferences are so big,
Like you're not necessarily going to play a fair schedule,
Like it's just gonna rotate every year where it's the
(22:33):
luck of the draw. If you have to play like
if you're Indiana, if you have to play Oregon, Ohio State, Michigan,
Washington like a whole provided they get back to being good,
Like that's just kind of like or you don't have
to play them at all, and you get to play
Illinois and you get to play a really bad Iowa
team and you get to play like the Minnesota was
good this year.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
There's just a lot of options.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
It's the first it's the first year of a new format,
like there were going to be learning curves, are going
to be bumps in the road, and they're going to
figure it out. I mean SMU at Penn State. Penn
State got out to do an early lead and never
looked back. They shut out SMU in the first half.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Yeah again again like with the current playoff format where
like the automatic bids go to the big time conference champions.
Like as much as Arizona State has benefited from this,
I am fully expecting them to not advances. Like the
only reason they're advancing past the first round is because
they got the first round.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
By I mean, this is gonna like they're playing Clemson
or Texas. Who's playing right now? Clemson's up seven to nothing.
Who do you want your Sun Devils to play?
Speaker 3 (23:32):
I don't get, Like, I don't think it's going to
be close either way. And like I love them and
they've surpassed all expectations.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
I am.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
I am enjoying my football superiority while it lasts. Yeah,
but like again, on any given year in college football especially,
there's maybe three or four teams that are actually capable
of winning a championship.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Which may I think will come out of this like
next tier at the end of the Tennessee Ohio State
and then the winner that plays organ Yeah, at the
end of the day is going to be like, at
the end of.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
The day, you're going to get a deserving champion.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Yes, at the end of this Yes, you're not guaranteed
really competitive playoff games on the way there. Like, that's
just the way that the conferences are aligned, how many
teams are in each conference, the fact that college football
has the most parody, Like the haves and the have nots.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
Have never been more stark between.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
You got like the SEC and like I mean, like
I said, Arizona State won a major conference. Like that's
insane to me. The Big twelve is just not as competitive, right, No, exactly.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
I'm gonna enjoy it.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
I'm gonna enjoy it while being very self aware that, yeah,
this is probably gonna end up being lopsided and did
in Arizona State deserve the first round by probably not.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
But I'm going to enjoy the hell out of it.
I love that. All right.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
Now, let's second with Manti Bolanos and see what's trending.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
Hey, Gil's welcome back. Thanks you were missed last week.
Speaker 8 (24:51):
But you know, Steve and I held the fort down. Yeah,
we got you, we got you, but glad to have
you back.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Yes, you just mentioned Alex.
Speaker 8 (24:58):
The Tigers are currently eating the Longhorns seven zero in
this College Football Playoff first round game. But the Texas
Longhorns literally at Clemson seven yard line. It is fourth
and one. It looks like they're gonna maybe go for.
They're figuring it out what they're gonna do. I think
they're gonna go for instead of kick here, so I'll
keep you guys posted on that one.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
But yeah, earlier today, Penn.
Speaker 8 (25:18):
State crushed, as some of you in the first round
of the College Football Playoff thirty eight to ten. Penn
State will now face Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl
on December thirty.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
First, Yeah, I know what. Arizona State doesn' play till
New Year's Day? What are we doing?
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Also like why did you get why did I get better?
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Why didn't we let the shot gets? Why don't we
win the top seeds? Like pick where they got to play?
Like Arizona State doesn't get to play a home game now,
like well you could have at least given them the
Fiesta Bowl or the choice.
Speaker 8 (25:45):
Right, And then you're talking about how today NFL is
competing with college football, so.
Speaker 4 (25:49):
Like, we really could have done this a little bit better.
Speaker 8 (25:51):
It's like, really, yeah, I don't understanding pains.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Sure we'll we'll start multi billion dollar industries, but that's fine.
You're right, you're right.
Speaker 8 (26:00):
The Chiefs are now fourteen and one after defeating the
Texans twenty seven to nineteen. Patrick mahomes two hundred and
sixty yards in the air and a touchdown. He also
had a rushing touchdown.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
What ankle sprain? I don't know.
Speaker 9 (26:10):
CJ.
Speaker 8 (26:11):
Stroud threw for two hundred and forty four yards, two
touchdowns and two interceptions. Unfortunately for Houston, wide receiver Tank
Dell caught a thirty yard touchdown pass from Stroud in
the third quarter, caught it off the field with the
left leg injury. He was transported to University of Kansas
Medical Center. There's no further update. Something else to keep
on eye on. Chiefs star defensive lineman Chris Jones got hurt.
He actually didn't end the game. Could it have been
(26:32):
a precautionary thing?
Speaker 1 (26:34):
Maybe so.
Speaker 8 (26:35):
With a win in either of their final two games
or a Bill's loss in any of their final three games,
the Chiefs will clinch the number one.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
Seed in the AFC. Just starting right now, Ravens and Steelers.
Speaker 8 (26:45):
With a win today, the Steelers would clinch the AFC
North title, or the Ravens with the win today would
clinch a playoff spot. And last, for you gals here
in baseball world, Paul Goldschmid will be wearing pins stripes now. Yeah,
he and the Yankees are in a on a one year,
twelve point five million dollar deal.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
Back to you guys, Thank you Monsi. You're listening to
Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitali.
We are broadcasting live from the tire dot Com studios
in Los Angeles. Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon
with us. It is time for our first guest. You've
seen her on NFL Network Raiders, Rams, Tennis Channel. Her
infectious personality will make you smile the moment you see her.
Eric Coscarelli, thank you for joining the show.
Speaker 7 (27:26):
What's up, ladies, how we do today?
Speaker 4 (27:28):
Thank you for having me here.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
We're doing to you Holiday Spirit. It's a holiday theme show.
But since we got you, we got to talk about
the Rams. Because the Rams got hot at the right time.
After the starting the season one and four, what would
you attribute their turnaround to this year?
Speaker 7 (27:45):
I mean, isn't that crazy, Guys, Like they started so slow,
it was almost kind of like last season, right, and
then to buy everything seemed to change.
Speaker 9 (27:55):
And I think a couple of reasons.
Speaker 7 (27:57):
First of all, healthwise, right, the Rams are in a
gift in place than they were at the beginning of
the season, whereas most teams dealing with a few more
injuries later in the season. And I also think here's
a big thing. Okay, remember heading into the season. First
of all, the Rams have the second youngest roster, but
Aaron Donald retired, they have a new defensive coordinator. I
(28:18):
think part of why we've seen this sort of resurgence
down the stretch is because the reinforcements have come in
at the right time. You've got, of course, Puka and
Cooper Wealthier. They had a banged up a line, and
like I mentioned, with that buye. Right after that buye,
they say the Vikings Thursday Night football. That was back
when Pucka and Cooper both were on the field at
(28:40):
the same time. And I really feel like that was
the game changer of the season, when like the whole
team was like, Okay, we're dialed.
Speaker 9 (28:47):
In, let's do this.
Speaker 7 (28:48):
And I really believe it was after the bye when
all things started to sort of split to the rayp.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
Well, it's a good time too, because this NFC West
has been I mean, the Seahawks have pulled away just
a little bit, but I mean it's pretty much been
every team for themselves all season long. I mean, nobody
has any sort of comfort in like that they're going
to win this division, that they're going to end up
and then you talk about the NFC at large with
(29:15):
the wild card spots. I mean, this is these are
huge games that these the Rams are playing down the stretch.
Speaker 7 (29:21):
Yeah. Yeah, And you know it's interesting too. No one's
run away with it with the NFC West. I've been
saying it all along. I'm like, hey, guys, keep hope alive.
Speaker 9 (29:30):
Like I think.
Speaker 7 (29:31):
Every single team in the NFC West is actually claimed
first place at one point. But yet at the moment,
the Rams are first. They're just ahead of the Seahawks.
They've got an interesting few more games down the stretch.
But one thing I will say, if we're looking at
the postseason, possibly do not count out Sean mcsay, You guys,
(29:51):
y mom ming May is insane. So that's my one
thing of why I think for the NC West, you
got to keep your hope alive because Sean McVay dangerous
in the postseason.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
Yeah, I mean, they're sitting at the top of the
NFC West right now and in control of their playoff destiny.
You went out and they should they should be in
and host a game in the divisional round. But they
have three games left Jets, Cardinals, Seahawks. Which of these
matchups do you think is going to be the most
difficult for the Rams?
Speaker 7 (30:19):
I mean, it's so interesting, right because they play the Jets. Please,
we're all like fingers crossed. Do not let this be
a trap game. But how do you know a ten
am start for a West Coast team never easy. They
have lost to the Cardinals. They got like man handled
forty one to ten. I want to say it was
Week two, so they've already have dropped the game to
the Cardinals. But they're behind, right, The Cards are a
(30:42):
little bit behind in terms of the standings. And then
you've got the Seahawks the season finale. The Rams have
already beat the Seahawks once, but I feel like you
can't you discredit what they can do and sort of
the danger that they impose. That final game, in my opinion,
I think is going to be the most important game
of the season for the Rams. So I'm going to
(31:03):
go with the with the Seahawks, but I will say
I'm nervous about this game in New York Singers crossed.
It's also going to be twenty four degrees, you know,
Alex Curry, and I.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
Thank you, give me it. Yeah, I love it's for.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
Well talk speaking about, you know, not counting out Sean
McVay and just this Rams team in general. I mean,
I think that they're another team that has absolutely surpassed expectations,
especially when you talk about the defensive side of the ball,
losing a guy like Aaron Donald to retirement, but then
immediately making up for that absence along the defensive line
with some really young players, first and second year players.
(31:45):
As someone who's been around the team, like, tell me
more about our Jared Verse and Brayden Fisk and these
really fun young guys that are so that that are
really really good. And I mean Jared Vers has a
wonderful case for defensive rookie of the year.
Speaker 9 (32:00):
Yeah, he does.
Speaker 7 (32:01):
Jared versus Braden fifth, you know, they both came from
the same college. I think I had Marshall walk on
my show. I love that too, and he said one
of the hardest things when you're a rookie trying to
you know, acclimate to a new place and a new
team and all that, it's nice to have a buddy. Obvious,
you guys are more than just talented teamweight teammates from college.
(32:23):
They're really showing up in time and like you mentioned
Carmen No Aaron Donald, They've got a new defensive coordinator
and Chris.
Speaker 9 (32:30):
Shula, and it's young.
Speaker 7 (32:33):
It's a young team. It's a really interesting mix of
teammates because you've got veterans right like Stafford and super Cup,
but then you've got this influx of young guys. I
think figuring out what the identity of this defense as
we've seen it's been a roller coaster, has been interesting
to identify. But they're showing up and they're making big
(32:53):
plays and it's impactful, and they're they're you know, they're
we're seeing this team win, whether it's through the defense,
whether it's through the kicker, or whether it's with their
two crazy, you know, lethal wide receivers on both ends.
This team is showing up in my opinion. They're getting
healthy at the right time and they're dialed in at
the perfect time of the season as they try to
(33:15):
close out and win these last three games.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
Yeah, we love a full team effort.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
But let's look at tomorrow because Matthew Stafford is going
head to head with a very familiar opponent in Aaron Rodgers.
Stafford has gone four and three against Rogers thanks to
their many matchups in the NFC North. But do you
think Stafford looks at this as kind of a revenge
game with Rogers?
Speaker 7 (33:35):
So it's so funny, don't guys like always say, I'm
you know, every game's the same game and they're not listen,
they're secret recircling some of those games.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
They are this question.
Speaker 9 (33:48):
These guys have.
Speaker 7 (33:49):
More history than like a real Housewives reunion.
Speaker 9 (33:53):
They they see each other.
Speaker 7 (33:54):
I think it's what eighteen times now, and I want
to say that's fits most in the Super Bowl era,
but starting quarterback eighteen times. I'm telling you they know
each other very well. And you said it, Rogers has
Stafford's number. I think, look, it could be a possibility
where these two guys will.
Speaker 9 (34:12):
Face off for the last time.
Speaker 7 (34:14):
You know, no doubt Stafford is going to want to
end this on a high note and you know, pull
away with a win for Shore.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
Yeah, Aaron, thank you so much for joining us. Loved
having you on the show. Loved all the rams insight
and it's crazy to think they have a chance now.
Speaker 1 (34:30):
This is this is so fun, this is so cute.
Speaker 7 (34:33):
Yes, thank you guys so much for having me on.
Speaker 9 (34:35):
You guys are one of my favorite shows. Listen to
and fingers from Love you guys.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
Love you all right, guys, and we come back the
Dues and the Dunes and sports.
Speaker 4 (34:46):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 6 (34:48):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to listen.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
Welcome back to Fox Football Saturday. It is the most
wonderful time. I'm Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitali. We're
broadcasting live from Attire dot com studios in Los Angeles.
Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
Carme and me.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
It is time for the Dues and the don'ts in
sports highlighting.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
Duh.
Speaker 6 (35:19):
I love that putting a spotlight on the don't.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
The subject brings me no joy. That's insane.
Speaker 6 (35:26):
It's time for the dues and the dots in sports.
Speaker 1 (35:30):
All right.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
I'm starting with the do And if you're a quarterback,
do give lavish gifts to your offensive line.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
It's wild, It's so beautiful.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
I mean, quarterbacks typically give Christmas gifts to their offensive
lineman to thank them for blocking them all year. This year,
Patrick Mahomes gave a gift Fox that included a Rolex Watch,
the Nomadic Air compression pans, Yeddi Cooler's Oakley sunglasses, Cowboy boots.
Speaker 3 (35:52):
With CAZy Cowboy boots a big deal. Oh my god,
I who Cazys are incredible boots. I have a well
full disclosure. I have a very very good friend who
works for them.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
But they are. There are thousands of dollars. There are thousand.
Speaker 3 (36:07):
Dollars Cowboy boots at the I think the ones that
Patrick Mahomes gave his linemen were like ten grand yes,
because they're like a special type of croc skin or.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
Something like that.
Speaker 4 (36:18):
He went all out and the Rolex watches alone could
have been like, oh.
Speaker 3 (36:21):
Yeah, I'm rock Party. Gave his offensive line Toyota.
Speaker 2 (36:25):
So, which is funny because he like must have a
deal with Toyota because Perty makes under a million dollars.
Speaker 3 (36:32):
That's the dirty little secret, Alex is that all of
these guys have deals.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
Well, Joe Burrow gave his O line authentic Samurai st
you don't have you don't have.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
A deal with Samurai story.
Speaker 4 (36:41):
That was just But he also bought himself a batmobile,
so like kind of.
Speaker 1 (36:44):
Very Brian that Joe Burrow thinks he's a superhero. And
I'm not going to.
Speaker 2 (36:48):
Disagree a superhero love it, but like live in your
fantasy world.
Speaker 3 (36:52):
It's beautiful with a lot of these guys, like Patrick
Mahomes has a.
Speaker 1 (36:56):
Deal with Yettie, like all of that kind of stuff.
Speaker 4 (36:58):
Like you're not the compression pants. Do you think you
would deal with Rolex?
Speaker 3 (37:03):
He could, honestly, because like Rolex has deals with like Golf,
I don't know how much, like they have deals with
the NFL guys, but like especially because and you know
how you know how you know is that the Chief's
official account like staged it all and like posted it
out there, so you know that there was like a.
Speaker 1 (37:18):
Push for publicity.
Speaker 3 (37:19):
I'm not saying it's like it's any less generous or whatever.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
Worth of deal, because I'm like, right party exactly.
Speaker 3 (37:27):
Like, Also, how do you decide who gets the trucks
and who gets this coil with?
Speaker 1 (37:31):
Well, they get to choose. It was like, there you go.
Some people are truck.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
People, I know, but I feel like one of those
guys would be truck people, and like what if all
the trucks are gone and then like you're stuck with this?
Speaker 1 (37:40):
I mean they're really nice cars.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
Hey, I yeah, they're still like sixty cars beautiful.
Speaker 1 (37:44):
It's kind Yeah, they're great. Okay, I'm gonna go.
Speaker 6 (37:48):
With it.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Don't okay, don't give up, don't ever give up. Okay.
Speaker 3 (37:52):
David Montgomery sought a third opinion on his injury and
now looks as he's going to avoid season ending surgery
and it's going to try to come.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
Back wash why.
Speaker 3 (38:05):
I know Christophett has something to say about this given
his Lion's fandom, But like Sonic.
Speaker 1 (38:09):
And Numgos may not be done for the year, whoa
come back? Sonic threes on the Way and thee come Wow.
Speaker 3 (38:15):
I'm like the movie's coming out the two characters are
coming back like you can't, you can't never say die.
This Lions team is so incredibly like resilient doesn't even
cover it.
Speaker 1 (38:25):
Yeah, if only they could get a little bit of
that luck on the defense side.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
Know into that. We're going to get into that in
my Christmas list.
Speaker 7 (38:32):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (38:33):
But yeah, don't don't, don't give up.
Speaker 3 (38:35):
David Montgomery trying to stay on the on the field
for his teammates and forge near Gibbs.
Speaker 1 (38:39):
They like they.
Speaker 3 (38:39):
Posted like these really cute things to each other when
he originally had the intory, Like on Instagram, they had
like a little heartbreaking up of these.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
It was so cute.
Speaker 2 (38:48):
Okay, I've got another d If you're a billionaire, do
lower your prices. The Phoenix Suns owner changed the food
prices at the stadium. Hot for hot dogs, sixteen ounce
water bottles, soda, bag of chips, and bag of popcorn
are all now two dollars.
Speaker 1 (39:04):
So they're doing the Atlanta Falcons thing.
Speaker 2 (39:06):
Making it the most affordable fan friendly menu in the NBA.
So a family of four used to have to spend ninety
eight dollars on like hot dogs, water and popcorn.
Speaker 4 (39:13):
Now they'll get that same meal for twenty four bucks.
Speaker 3 (39:15):
That's the Atlanta Falcons did that when they opened their stadium.
Speaker 1 (39:18):
They opened Mercedes Benz and it is so expensive, so expensive,
so expensive.
Speaker 3 (39:23):
Absolutely yeah. Also, yeah, billionaires be nicer. Yeah, which is great.
Speaker 1 (39:29):
That's good. Good job, Phoenix Suns.
Speaker 3 (39:31):
I've got to do Okay, and it's due show up
for your team no matter what.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
Okay, Notre Dame fans. Yes, dude, that was insane. Our
friend Michael Junior, he went viral for them VideA. He
took a.
Speaker 3 (39:42):
Video at like five am and all of these cars
are lined up to don to campus at Yeah, it
was still dark out knowing, and these guys were tailgating
their little hearts out despite the fact that it was cold.
Speaker 1 (39:57):
I love it. That's football weather to me. I grew.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
That's this is what I love. This is this is
football to me. December football, snow, cold, get through.
Speaker 1 (40:07):
It anyway, I love it.
Speaker 2 (40:09):
Okay, quick, dude, do have fun with food at your wedding.
Bobby Wood Junior got married and had a wit A
Burger restaurant at his wedding. Wit a Burger, Bobby whit Junior.
All right, when we come back, we're giving out gifts.
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Welcome to hour two
of Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitali.
(40:30):
Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with Carme and me.
Happy Christmas weekend. We've had a full holiday theme show
if you were with us in the first hour, and
we're going to continue it in the second hour. Real quick,
before we get into everything, all time favorite Christmas movie,
I'll go first.
Speaker 1 (40:48):
I'm wearing it elf. Gee, I could have ever guess,
I like, it's.
Speaker 4 (40:53):
One of my comfort movies.
Speaker 2 (40:54):
We've talked about this before, so I've seen it probably
over two hundred times.
Speaker 1 (40:58):
Yeah, what's your favorite? My favorite Christmas movie is a
Santa Claus. Oh, it's the g Yeah, the one where
he gets knocked off the roof.
Speaker 3 (41:05):
Yeah to Mellan, Okay, it's like also, yeah, I like
to claim a little bit of Christmas periority too, because
all of the major Christmas movies Chicago take what in Chicago, Chicago,
The pranks of Santa Claus Home Alone, Christmas Vacation, all
of these take place in Chicago, in the suburbs.
Speaker 2 (41:25):
Of Channel I tell you the first time I went
to Chicago, the first thing we did on our way
to the city was go see the Home Alone House.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
Oh my god, those real people, those books than I expected.
I mean, it's still it's a really nice neighborhood. I
used to I went to Northwestern for grad school and
so that's it's right near there, so like I would
pass it on my way to school sometimes.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
But like, I feel so bad for the people that
live there.
Speaker 4 (41:46):
I mean, you know what you're getting into your buying
home alone house.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
Actually you just went up for sale again. That you're
going to be an a fish.
Speaker 3 (41:53):
It just went up for sale again because the previous
owners that had just bought it, they were only there
for like two years and they couldn't handle it.
Speaker 6 (41:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:59):
No, it was gnarly, like everyone's looking inside your house
taking photo, especially on the market four.
Speaker 1 (42:05):
I think it's like three three million something like that.
Three million.
Speaker 3 (42:08):
Yeah, Chicago is like and it's a it's a gorgeous
yeah house like Chicago is pretty affordable.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
Home Alone's got to be up there.
Speaker 2 (42:17):
I think the home Alone memes are probably number one
around Christmas.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
Home Alone and home Alone two for that matter. The
Limo the Pizza.
Speaker 4 (42:24):
That's number two's Those were iconic.
Speaker 3 (42:28):
But no, A lot of the major A lot of
the major Christmas movies take place in the suburbs of Chicago,
which is where I grew up. So like that is
Quinck essentially my Christmas experience.
Speaker 1 (42:35):
I get that.
Speaker 3 (42:36):
But the Santa Claus, I just think it's so funny.
My dad and I like, we watch it every year.
Speaker 1 (42:41):
Yeah, and I know we're not gonna get you that
this year because we're not gonna be together, but.
Speaker 2 (42:44):
Because games on Christmas, just like we lose it every
single time at certain parts.
Speaker 1 (42:51):
So I love my favorite.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
All Right, we are broadcasting live from the tar dot
com studios. Tirec dot com will help you get there,
an unmatched selection, fast free shipping, free road has a
protection and over ten one thousand recommended installers. Tirac dot
com the way tire buying should be.
Speaker 1 (43:06):
Gifts with the holidays. Yeah yeah, do we not have one?
Oh yeah, you got to read and I was like,
oh yeah, yeah, gives her the holidays. I got.
Speaker 6 (43:16):
You go.
Speaker 2 (43:17):
Okay, So, like we said, we are going to keeping
the holiday theme alive and now we are going to
give gifts to players or teams.
Speaker 4 (43:28):
So my first gift is to the Jets, and I
would give.
Speaker 1 (43:34):
Them a new owner. Yeah, that's on my list.
Speaker 2 (43:37):
There was a lot of drama that came out this week,
like Wow, basically talking about how dysfunctional this franchise is.
And it all starts at the top with Woody Johnson
in the Athletic article that came out on Thursday. Apparently
these are a couple a couple like key points that
came out of the article.
Speaker 1 (43:55):
There's quite a few anecdotes. There's a lot.
Speaker 2 (43:57):
Wood jon blocked a Jerry Judy trade because his reading
was too low.
Speaker 4 (44:01):
Excuse me, what what out?
Speaker 10 (44:04):
Like?
Speaker 3 (44:05):
You employ an entire department, Yeah, to evaluate job.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
The article also claims that he takes advice from his
teenage sons.
Speaker 1 (44:14):
One of which is named Brick.
Speaker 2 (44:15):
Yep, he will like they will have influence, like real influence.
Speaker 4 (44:19):
This comes from a Jets executive.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
When we're discussing things, you'll hear would he cite something
that Brick or Jack read online that is being weighed
equally against whatever opinion someone else in the department has.
Meaning people that you pay.
Speaker 1 (44:34):
Well right to do their job.
Speaker 2 (44:36):
Yeah, to look into these players, you are letting your
teenage sons google searches.
Speaker 3 (44:41):
J Douglas has reportedly said before I report to a teenager.
Speaker 2 (44:45):
Yeah no, I mean there was a player with this
team in twenty twenty three who called the just the
most dysfunctional place, imaginal, imaginal, Like there is a reason
this team has been so bad for so long.
Speaker 1 (45:00):
When you have owners like this that won't.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
Let the people you hire football people that you hire
do their job, and they think they are smarter than them,
this is where things go bad. I mean Woody Johnson,
his brother, bought the team in two thousand. They've only
been to six the playoffs six times in twenty four years,
haven't been since twenty twelve, the longest active playoff dra
among the four major pro teams. I mean, I don't
(45:28):
forget all the other drama that went down this year,
firing their head coach Robert Sala, firing their GM Joe Douglas.
Speaker 1 (45:34):
I mean they need a full reset. We've already heard,
which is weird.
Speaker 2 (45:38):
Aaron Rodgers say this week that he's willing to mentor
a rookie quarterback in twenty five but like, you're not
the mentoring type, you don't have a mentoring history. You
got mad he just wants to hear bay When they
drafted Jordan Love, I just wanted.
Speaker 3 (45:53):
To hear himself talk like him. All reports have said
like him and are in love. Actually did have a
good grid relationship, which is interesting, but like it's because
it was a good relationship as long as Aaron Rodgers
was going out.
Speaker 2 (46:07):
And being act so again, which she was. If he
hit the fire choosing, he's choosing I want to be here.
I want to mentor with whoever you bring in. I
don't also like, why would you bring him back?
Speaker 1 (46:19):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (46:20):
I just jets see the money situation that is your gift.
The money situation with Aaron Rodgers, it's it's a lot.
Speaker 1 (46:29):
I've talked, I've written about it. I've talked about it
quite a bit.
Speaker 3 (46:34):
If you got rid of him now, you could at
least spread out the dead money over the next two
years if you were to wait, wait win, like if
you were to let him play out this next year
with the Jets, because then he's under contract one more year.
Speaker 1 (46:47):
But that backloads so.
Speaker 3 (46:50):
Much as far as like how much he's going to
hit the cap for it's it's there's there's a feasible
way to get out of it if you don't mind
kind of being the Denver Brown goes with the Rala
Russell Wilson stuff right now after this season.
Speaker 1 (47:05):
But the Jets, I think people would be.
Speaker 3 (47:07):
So shocked to really understand how many of their favorite
teams are run like mom and pop joints literally, Like
these are multi billion dollar franchises that are literally run
by families.
Speaker 1 (47:20):
The owners. Teenagers have a say.
Speaker 3 (47:23):
That's and like, the thing is the wild part about
it is that's not uncommon. That's the worst part is
that people not maybe not necessarily like teenagers, but people
that are not qualified to make these decisions get to
make these decisions across the league.
Speaker 1 (47:37):
That is just that's true.
Speaker 3 (47:38):
I mean, you look at it with the Chicago Bears,
who aren't to that level of dysfunction as the New
York Jets.
Speaker 1 (47:44):
Because again, I go back, the most.
Speaker 3 (47:46):
Shocking part to me about that whole thing was what
Woody Johnson said to Mike White, their backup quarterback, and
told him to his face expletives about how much he sucks.
And I'm like, you can't do that. He's a backup courquarterback.
What do you want from him? Like that is just
to walk up to players and and do that and
(48:08):
be that involved, and be in the locker room and
be such a cancer that you are telling players to
their face that they suck and that, Like I just it's.
Speaker 4 (48:16):
The most dysfunctional place imaginable and like.
Speaker 3 (48:19):
The vibes are terrible. So I would give the Jets
a new owner as well. Okay, uh, the other the
other team I just mentioned, I would give Caleb Williams
yep quarterback for the Chicago Bears, yep, a stable organization
because across the board there is dysfunction, but it's in
(48:42):
the form of instability. Yeah, so you look at for instance,
I don't think it's all the offensive line's fault, but
the Bears have used one of the most amounts of
offensive line combinations this year.
Speaker 1 (48:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (48:56):
They have played eleven different offenses linemen at fifty steps.
Eleven different offensive lineman have played at least fifty snaps,
which is tied for the most in the league. You
started a rookie left tackle who came out of the
third round from Yale last week against Brian Flores's defense.
Speaker 1 (49:17):
It didn't It went about like you would expect exact.
Speaker 3 (49:21):
Caleb Williams, I think has the mentality to come out
the other side of this. I trust him more than
his predecessors. But this has been a pattern that I've
talked about throughout this The tenure of this organization, which
has been run by the same family for all one
hundred and.
Speaker 1 (49:37):
Five years of its history.
Speaker 3 (49:39):
Crazy And there's a common denominator here as to why
this is dysfunctional. And then you look at the fixes
that the Bears have tried to do, and it starts
the top, right. You have the ownership, which is more
involved than they say they are. But then below that
you now have a team president that's over football on
top of being over the business side. So he is
now Kevin Warren trying to build a new stadium for
(50:00):
the Chicago Bears, on top of now having to hire
help hire a new head coach and figure out all
the football aspects of everything. And then you have the
general manager, and then you have the head coach that
reports to the general manager. That amount of levels, those
amount of levels of red tape just it makes it
so it's not efficient, it's not an easy place to
(50:21):
get something done. Also, you have people that are in
ultimate control of these situations that are either spread too thin,
or the only qualification they have is they were born
into it. That's the issue across a lot of teams.
That's not unique to the Chicago Bears. And I do
believe that the mccaskeys mean well. But just because you
were born into football's first family does not mean that
(50:44):
you know how to run a franchise, especially when all
of your money and I wish I could go back
to school and do a thesis on this, all.
Speaker 2 (50:52):
Of your money, do an arcle on it, All of
your money is tied up in the team.
Speaker 3 (50:57):
Like you notice different differences between own that make their
money off of the team that they own versus owners
that make their money elsewhere and treat the team like
a glorified hobby.
Speaker 2 (51:06):
Well, the team is a write off, like the team
is a loss. Most but teams or loss until you
sell them.
Speaker 3 (51:12):
But when you are a team like the Chicago Bears,
where all of your family money going back generations, because
you were the first NFL franchise going back generations, is
from the team. George Tallis bought this team for sixty
seven dollars or whatever it was back in nineteen twenty.
Yeah that is, and then this family is wealthy because
(51:34):
of the Chicago Bears. You cannot make money off of
a team and expect to win because even winners barely
break even. To your point, there is a they're mostly seen.
Speaker 1 (51:46):
As tax ride offs.
Speaker 3 (51:47):
Yes, but you're not making a profit if you're doing
your job. You're giving your team the resources they need
to win and all of that kind of stuff. You're
barely breaking even even the good teams. Yeah, and so
if you're a team that you're to make a profit
off of, of course you're not going to be putting
in the correct amount of resources here. So I would
get I think Caleb Williams could really be different.
Speaker 1 (52:09):
I do.
Speaker 3 (52:10):
I see it with him. Yeah, but you got to
get this head coaching higher.
Speaker 2 (52:14):
Right, So that's I would gift Caleb an offensive coach,
someone who can tap into his potential develop him into
a top NFL quarterback, maybe like a Cliff Kingsbury if
he wants to be a head coach again.
Speaker 1 (52:26):
He worked with Caleb at s.
Speaker 9 (52:27):
See.
Speaker 4 (52:27):
We've seen what he's done with Jaden Daniels the.
Speaker 1 (52:31):
Season idea, but I just it hasn't gone.
Speaker 2 (52:35):
If we want to see greatness from Caleb, they need
to get the coach right, and this is going to
be a franchise defining higher the franchise wants, franchise defining
higher the fans want Ben Johnson.
Speaker 1 (52:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (52:46):
Yeah, he turned down jobs last season.
Speaker 2 (52:48):
He's in such a great situation and with such a
great franchise right now.
Speaker 3 (52:51):
The biggest thing though, is, like we were just talking about,
are the Bears going to.
Speaker 1 (52:55):
Pay for that? Yeah, he's got He's going to need
to get like take care of money right his own.
He can, You can give him. You're gonna have to.
Speaker 3 (53:01):
Give him a blank check because every team that needs
a head coach is going to want him.
Speaker 4 (53:06):
Yes, So you are number one, like number one.
Speaker 3 (53:09):
Everything I heard behind the scenes asking about it, all
the other stuff, the eight big year number that was
being floated last year for Ben Johnson, fifteen to seventeen
million a.
Speaker 1 (53:19):
Year was true. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (53:21):
Everything I've talked, everybody I've talked to has corroborated that.
Speaker 1 (53:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (53:26):
And it's because he can. And he also doesn't care
if he leaves or not because he loves his situation
in district.
Speaker 1 (53:32):
Great situation.
Speaker 3 (53:33):
And if Detroit doesn't win the Super Bowl this year,
I am so not convinced Ben Johnson leaves.
Speaker 4 (53:38):
No, they still have all the pieces.
Speaker 1 (53:40):
They just paid all their guys. They got time.
Speaker 3 (53:43):
They have time, but they also, like you feel, at
this point, with all the injuries they sustained, Yeah, things
have kind of been ripped away from them where you
try to make another run at it next year because
you do have young guys under contract, you have guys
signed to extensions, like Brad Holmes has done a beautiful
job in Detroit of building this team the right way
and for sustainable success. So you figure you can do
(54:05):
this again next year before you have to end up
paying guys like Aiden Hutchinson and Brian Branch and all
those guys. But to that end, the other thing I
would give oh oh to the Detroit Lions.
Speaker 2 (54:16):
Oh wait, I was going on to my next one.
I was just adding on tears, but I got I
got one more. Here onto the Rams. Cooper Cup and
Poka Nakua, I'm gifting them bunk beds now hear me out,
don't get weird.
Speaker 4 (54:32):
Pookah shared earlier.
Speaker 2 (54:33):
This season that Cup's been like a big brother to him,
like did we become best friends?
Speaker 1 (54:39):
Yep?
Speaker 2 (54:40):
So hearing him say that Cooper Cup has been a
mentor and it's a blessing to be by him and
spend time with.
Speaker 1 (54:48):
Him outside of football.
Speaker 2 (54:49):
They're actually close on the field and off the field.
Is what helps create an incredible young player. And we
saw Cooper Cup kind of do this with Matthew Stafford
their first year together. There were reports that they were
together all day every single day, like they would eat
meals together, they were doing walkthroughs together, and that's when
(55:10):
they went on to win the Super Bowl. It's so
rare and important to have a mentorship with a teammate.
And because of that, Puka had an incredible sophomore season
after setting records his rookie season, most receptions in a
rookie season, most receiving yards in a rookie season, and
the rams like when they were both back turn their
season around and have a chance to win the NFC
(55:32):
West team. Chemistry has a lot to do with that,
these two guys being on the same page and cut
to be so supportive to have Puka be there and
just like both get those number one reps.
Speaker 1 (55:45):
Bunk beds. Huh bunk beds. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (55:50):
More intangibly, I would, I would give Aid and Hutchinson
my leg if I thought it would help for the
Detroit Lions. They've just been bitten so badly by the
injury bug. And I do feel like we were robbed
of of a season, a crazy season by Aden Hutchinson
because there are still metrics that he leads in despite
the fact that he has not played for sweak six.
(56:10):
I would David Montgomery, we talked about it might not
be done for the year, but then you look at
the defensive side of the ball. With Alee McNeil out,
I think that's the biggest one. You have Carlton Davis out,
your linebacking corps completely decimated. You're on like your third
and fourth backers at the inside backers. At this point,
I trust Aaron Glenn more than I trust anybody to
(56:32):
figure it out. Ye, but at some point there's a
breaking point for everybody. Yeah, And I do hope that,
you know with I hope the Lions can lock up
the first seed, the one seed for the sheer fact
that they need the rest they need the bye week,
and then they could maybe still make a legitimate run.
I have them in the Super Bowl. I think that
they can still get there. I'm not out on the Lions, yeah,
(56:53):
but I do think that the road got a lot harder,
and so I would I would gift them health.
Speaker 2 (56:57):
Okay, another team that's like right there with them, the Eagles.
I would give this whole team and staff friendship bracelets
because they've been playing great, but they are creating their
own drama blaming it on everybody else. Two weeks ago,
after the game, in case you missed all this, A J.
Brown called out the passing game, said it need to
be worked on. Then a couple days later, Brandon Graham
(57:20):
said that AJ Brown and Jalen.
Speaker 4 (57:21):
Hurts aren't really friends anymore.
Speaker 2 (57:23):
So last week you could tell they really focused on
that in their last game, Like A J. Brown and
DeVante Smith had really strong games, and Jalen Hurts at
the podium right after the game said, so is this
what you want to see?
Speaker 1 (57:35):
Huh?
Speaker 2 (57:36):
It's like, why aren't we celebrating the fact that you
picked up one of the best offensive players in Saquon Barkley,
who's been carrying this team and has a chance to
break the single season rushing record.
Speaker 1 (57:47):
But instead of the game, he's okay, we still don't
really know what's wrong.
Speaker 4 (57:50):
With true, but like instead of getting sassy, like.
Speaker 1 (57:55):
Well again, it was it was your own teammates, Yeah,
it was Brandon Gham.
Speaker 2 (57:59):
Goal is to win, right, Like, that's that's your goal,
and you guys are winning, like keep that, keep that
in house.
Speaker 4 (58:06):
That was ridiculous. You all need to get along, you
This was all you guys.
Speaker 1 (58:09):
This was not.
Speaker 3 (58:09):
Then projecting right, the projecting out of the media being
like this week like we didn't want to see we.
Speaker 1 (58:15):
Want you guys. You just need to like friendship.
Speaker 2 (58:18):
Bracelet's get along, all right, We're gonna take a quick
break here when we come back.
Speaker 4 (58:21):
Chief Texans Raven Steelers breakdown. That's next. You're listening to
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (58:26):
Welcome back to Fox Football Saturday.
Speaker 2 (58:28):
I'm Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitalite, coming to you
live from the tire dot Com studios in Los Angeles.
Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with Carmi and me.
This makes me smile. All the holiday music this.
Speaker 3 (58:40):
Is just like, I mean, this is what the season
is all nostalgia.
Speaker 2 (58:44):
We were just talking about it like off air before
we came back on air. Carmen's from Chicago, I did.
I'm from here Los Angeles, so I'm not used to
like cold Christmases.
Speaker 3 (58:54):
I was built in it, I was molded by it.
I'm the bane of Chicago, Like are the bane of
cold wather I should like I was born in I
was born in the cold molded bias. It's so true
we take such pride because like otherwise we would just cry.
Speaker 1 (59:11):
That's that's the thing. Chicago cold, that California cold. Like
right now, like this is nice.
Speaker 3 (59:16):
I love like honestly though, Like there's something so magical
about walking through the city with your big park on
and your snow boots and it's snowing, with.
Speaker 4 (59:24):
Your hairs freezing and you can't beat your hands on your.
Speaker 3 (59:26):
Tongue, Like that's why all the parkers that I have.
My hood goes further than my face and so it
blocks the wind and it's just you get to look
around and it's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (59:35):
It's magical, like.
Speaker 3 (59:36):
Especially when it's the fluffy snow that's just like falling
so prettily. I don't know, it's so it's so cool
and it's such a it's such a good.
Speaker 2 (59:45):
Chicago in her mind. Yeah, I'm always holiday state of
all those all of.
Speaker 3 (59:50):
Those memes of like I'm mentally I'm here right now, mentally,
I'm pretty much always in Chicago.
Speaker 2 (59:55):
Yeah, that makes sense, all right, we had two well
we have two NFL games that along with the three
college football playoff games. This morning, Chiefs win again now
thirteen and one over the Texans.
Speaker 4 (01:00:08):
Can anybody, like, can anybody really stop them?
Speaker 1 (01:00:11):
Now?
Speaker 2 (01:00:12):
Like me Bills did? But like, are they destined for
a three peat? Because we know Mahomes gets better in
the postseason, like he gets.
Speaker 3 (01:00:20):
Yes, yeah, well but he gets better because the like
uh Andy Reid has a completely diferent playbook for the postseason.
And so yeah, like at fourteen and one, they've got
who do they get? They have the Steelers next, so
that's gonna be an interesting game, and then they have
the Broncos after that.
Speaker 1 (01:00:37):
The Broncos are playing good football right now. They're in
the division. They are.
Speaker 3 (01:00:39):
They always play the Chiefs tough too, So like I
you're not you're not totally out of Like you're not
out of this thing yet. As far as like locking
up the ones, we'll see.
Speaker 4 (01:00:50):
But yeah, thirteen and one, I.
Speaker 1 (01:00:53):
Also think they lock up. Yeah, though what.
Speaker 3 (01:00:57):
I'm never going to bet against the Kansas City Chiefs.
I have learned my lesson that last year. I love
how everybody thought, like, oh.
Speaker 1 (01:01:06):
Patrick Patrick Mahomes is an ankle injury.
Speaker 2 (01:01:07):
Nope, he has an ankle injury all every year, this time, always,
this time, every single year, Patrick.
Speaker 1 (01:01:13):
Mahomes has an ankle injury. Does it ever matter? No? No,
absolutely not.
Speaker 3 (01:01:18):
And then when you get to the postseason, Yeah, like
I mentioned, there's an entirely separate playbook that Andre Reid
has for the postseason, and they played completely different football
in the postseason.
Speaker 1 (01:01:29):
Also last year with a receiver corps.
Speaker 2 (01:01:33):
That had the most drops of any team insane in
the league.
Speaker 3 (01:01:37):
And then you win the ball Super Bowl. I am
not going to pretend like that didn't happen.
Speaker 1 (01:01:43):
I'm saying I don't know if anyone can stop there.
Speaker 3 (01:01:45):
So on a game by game basis, we can talk about,
Like I said, they're fourteen and one. Next week you
go to the Steelers. That's going to be interesting. I
think that's going to be an interesting game. Ending the
season against the Broncos, who always play you top, that's
going to be interesting. I'm not I'm not making any
projections on those games individually, but when it comes through
the postseason and the Kansas Chiefs, I know it's kind
(01:02:06):
of a cop out to just be like, yeah, well
I trust them to the.
Speaker 1 (01:02:08):
Chiefs, but like I trust them, they're the Chiefs. No,
you have to like you have to. It's all it is. Now.
Speaker 2 (01:02:14):
The afternoon game going on right now is tied at
seven seven Steelers and Ravens. If Steelers win this game,
like they win the AFC North, So this is this
is a good game for them. Lamar Jackson obviously, Steelers
have his number. He's one and four against the Steelers
lost earlier this season. They get into the game, yeah,
(01:02:39):
currently the five seed probably will end up there too.
Speaker 1 (01:02:44):
I don't what are they could.
Speaker 3 (01:02:49):
The AFC playoff picture is not as mysterious, actually not.
The playoff pictures is really not mysterious at all this year.
Like it's very much there are.
Speaker 2 (01:02:58):
A little more up in the air and terms of
like the see divisions right now.
Speaker 1 (01:03:02):
Yeah, but you kind of know already who's going to
be in it.
Speaker 3 (01:03:04):
You kind of know already who's gonna be in It's
very interesting this season in particular because you look at
there are coming into this week, there were six teams
already in double digit wins. Yeah, and then there are
nine teams with four or less wins coming into this week.
So it's like there's no middle class of the NFL
this year, which is what makes all of these wild
(01:03:26):
card just in general, like, yeah, it makes all these
wild card you know, scenarios very interesting when the middle
class is very bolstered.
Speaker 1 (01:03:34):
Yeah, but that's not the case this year. It's either
you're really really good or you're really really bad.
Speaker 3 (01:03:39):
Yeah, And it's honestly, these games now are coming down
to especially for the teams that are bad, the draft
positioning can vary so greatly.
Speaker 1 (01:03:49):
Like you can vary like.
Speaker 3 (01:03:51):
Five to seven spots based on if you win or
lose a game down the stretch here, Like that is
the scenario for multiple teams right now, where if they
win a game, they're now picking eighth, ninth, tenth in
the draft. If they lose, they have the first or
the second pick. So like not that you want to
like tank, yeah, but you want to turn if you're
if you're one of these teams like Vegas, New York,
(01:04:13):
the Giants, the Patriots, the Jets, the Panthers, the.
Speaker 1 (01:04:17):
Titans, the Browns, the Jets, the Bears. Yeah, numbers, those
are all the teams that have four or less wins.
I know, I know. So that's why, like, that's why.
Speaker 3 (01:04:29):
We're seeing it's just like this playoff. There's not been
a whole lot of mystery with this playoffs and the
playoff scenarios this year at all. But that being said,
these games that are on today, like has meet something matters. Yes,
this game right now is Steelers Ravens, Like you said,
matters the division. Ravens can punch their postseason ticket, whether
or not that's in the division or just a postseason birth.
Speaker 1 (01:04:51):
We'll see Steelers playing.
Speaker 3 (01:04:53):
Good football though, I mean, are if you're ever going
to be in on a Steelers team, it's this.
Speaker 2 (01:04:57):
Wow, they're gonna have to make a decision too, Like
it's are you going to keep Russ or are you
going to keep Justin?
Speaker 4 (01:05:02):
What are you gonna do? Like that has to have
big dicision.
Speaker 3 (01:05:05):
Have some fun numbers between what they're like with what
they were like in the first six weeks with Justin
Fields at.
Speaker 1 (01:05:11):
Quarterback, Okay, real quick, then we gotta get yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:05:13):
Real Quick scored an average of twenty point seven points
per game under Dustin Fields okay thirteenth and average depth
target eight point three thirteenth in NFL Passer Rating Week
seven onward with Russell Wilson.
Speaker 1 (01:05:23):
Yeah, scored an average.
Speaker 3 (01:05:24):
Of twenty six point five points seventh and averaged up
the target at nine point three yards fifth in NFL
Passer Rating.
Speaker 4 (01:05:31):
Okay, I mean Russ is having a comeback prove yourself season.
Speaker 3 (01:05:35):
Like he's a couple coverting with that defense, you are
now getting actual offensive production out of Russell Wilson because
he looks like the Russell Wilson from.
Speaker 1 (01:05:42):
Three years ago.
Speaker 4 (01:05:42):
He said he loves it there and wants to stay.
Speaker 2 (01:05:44):
And I don't believe are they going to pay him honestly,
something like a Baker deal.
Speaker 1 (01:05:49):
Yeah, would love to see that.
Speaker 5 (01:05:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:05:51):
All right, now let's check in with Bonzie Bilanios to
see what's trending.
Speaker 8 (01:05:55):
You mentioned it, Alex that the Ravens scored again Lamar
Jackson connecting with Sean Bateman on his second touchdown pass
of the game. But right before they scored, Justice Hill
took a hard hit on the sideline.
Speaker 1 (01:06:06):
He is out with a concussion.
Speaker 4 (01:06:08):
He was out knocked out.
Speaker 8 (01:06:09):
But before that drive, yeah, yeah, before that drive, Russell
Wilson took a hard hit at Baltimore's three yard line.
He was about to score, took a hard hit, fumbled
the ball, lost it.
Speaker 1 (01:06:20):
That's what led to this Ravens drive.
Speaker 4 (01:06:22):
Yeah, that's what led to this.
Speaker 8 (01:06:24):
It was a hard hit though, to this Ravens drive
where they are now on top of the Steelers fourteen
seven halfway through the second quarter. Lamar Jackson is five
of ten for seventy yards in those two touchdowns. Russell
Wilson seven of eight for seventy five yards and not
one touchdown. And yes, the Chiefs are now fourteen and
one after taking down the Texans twenty seven to nineteen.
Patrick Mahomes a touchdown in the air and one on
the ground. Houston wide receiver Tank Dell was hurt in
(01:06:45):
the third quarter, cart it off the field with the
left leg injury. The latest is that he is going
to spend the night at University of Kansas Medical Center.
Speaker 4 (01:06:51):
That is the latest update.
Speaker 8 (01:06:53):
I know, not what you want to hear. In college
football playoffs, Clemson scored first against Texas this and they
did that night night, Sally Well, Texas has twenty one
unanswered points.
Speaker 11 (01:07:07):
Do that.
Speaker 9 (01:07:08):
Yes, so.
Speaker 8 (01:07:12):
They did hit up field goal the Tigers right now,
but Texas is up twenty one to ten with ninety
seconds to go in the first half. Earlier today, Penn
State crushed SMU thirty eight ten. So Penn State is
not going to face Boise State in the festival on
December thirty. First, and I'll give you just quick NFL
updates for the games for tomorrow. Bucks have downgraded tight
end Kate Auton. He is not playing in Dallas due
(01:07:34):
to his knee injury. Yes, and the Saints, we kind
of knew this. No Alvin Kamara and no Derek Carr
from Monday's.
Speaker 4 (01:07:39):
Game at Green Bay.
Speaker 1 (01:07:40):
All right, back to you.
Speaker 4 (01:07:41):
Girls, Thank you, Monsi Jaz you give me every time.
Speaker 2 (01:07:45):
Whatday it is just Yes, you're listening to Fox Football
Saturday at Alex Curry here at Carmen Vitally. We are
broadcasting live from the tartalk Com studios in Los Angeles.
It is time for our next guest, Green Bay host
and reporter Lauren Hembreckt.
Speaker 4 (01:08:01):
Thanks for joining the show.
Speaker 9 (01:08:04):
Hey, thanks so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (01:08:05):
Hi, Lauren, how are you.
Speaker 9 (01:08:08):
I'm doing well. I'm surviving this Green Bay winter. On
the ground it's in the teens. It's the very Wisconsin We.
Speaker 3 (01:08:16):
Were just talking about like, I know you went, you
went to USC you know what the climate is like
out here. The But like I was, like, I love
this weather in December, and I think that there's no
more magical place than Green Bay. Lambeau Field in the snow,
with snow on the ground. I mean, the Saints are
(01:08:37):
in for a rewakening.
Speaker 1 (01:08:38):
Yeah, all right.
Speaker 9 (01:08:40):
The frozen tundra which snow is incomparable. It looks so beautiful.
Speaker 1 (01:08:45):
Bucket list hackers.
Speaker 9 (01:08:46):
Players love it. Oh, they love it.
Speaker 1 (01:08:47):
It's on the bucket list.
Speaker 3 (01:08:48):
Yeah, they're making snowballs. They're like they're doing the Lambeau
Leave and people like they're throwing snow up in the air.
Speaker 1 (01:08:53):
It's the best, all right, Lauren.
Speaker 2 (01:08:55):
Green Bay has been looking good, and we heard Matt
Leafloor say that Jordan Love is playing the best ball
he's played. So what's impressed you most about what Jordan
Love has been able to do this season?
Speaker 9 (01:09:08):
Honestly, it's the fact that for a second year in
a row, right after around Week ten, Jordan can just
turn it on. At the beginning of the season, his
touchdown to interception ratio was not looking good. He was
throwing up pick a game, and then he started keeping
control of the ball. And now I assume you both
have heard of the Toyota.
Speaker 3 (01:09:30):
Toyota are Toyota, Yes.
Speaker 9 (01:09:34):
Yes, the Toyota don Jordan Love, meaning that during the
promotion by Toyota, the car company called Toyotas on Jordan's
Love happens to play really well.
Speaker 4 (01:09:43):
Listening at the stats right now, does he have like
does he have a deal?
Speaker 9 (01:09:47):
Have a sponsorship's figure it out?
Speaker 1 (01:09:50):
Coota figure it out?
Speaker 9 (01:09:52):
But so not during toyotas on Aka before week nine.
During the last two seasons, thirty eight hundred yards twenty
nine TV twenty five interceptions, during Toyogathon which is week
ten and after thirty two hundred yards twenty six t
d's two interceptions. I mean huge different when it comes
to later in the season, and obviously a big difference
(01:10:13):
this year is a guy named Josh Jacobs is on
the packs.
Speaker 1 (01:10:17):
That might help a little bit, help me.
Speaker 9 (01:10:19):
So Jordan's played super well for the second year in
a row. Right when football matters. The factors are in
their fourth of four straight primetime games, and people are watching,
they're seeing Jordan Love play like this and this isn't
a flute pizza It now twice. He's really good in
the end of the season.
Speaker 3 (01:10:35):
And I mean the other kind of explanation for all
of this, too, is you have the bye week that
happened and the adjustments that Matt lafoor was able to make.
I've been on record now Lauren multiple times saying that
while I don't think that Matt lafor had a shot
to win Coach of the Year, he should absolutely be
in the conversation for the adjustments he's been able to
make when Jordan Love wasn't in the lineup with Malik Willis,
(01:10:57):
and then what this team has looked like prior to
bye week and then after, and that's something that we've
seen throughout Matt Laflora's tenure. But then defensively, even Jeff Hafley,
new defensive coordinator. Since week twelve, the Packers are tied
for the most sacks their top ten and pressure percentage.
That is something that they were trying so hard to
do earlier in the season. What have you seen has
(01:11:17):
been the difference since the bye week of how this
defense is behaving and now finally getting pressure.
Speaker 9 (01:11:24):
No, because it feels like it was so obvious right
start attacking, But I do really think the growth of
the linebackers has really helped that attack. So Edrin Cooper
just won NFC Defensive Player of the Week for the
second time this season. Team is three straight games, comes
back and immediately makes an impact in the Seahawks team.
Having a linebacker core that you can really trust, I
(01:11:46):
think has you see it divvied up across the defense,
because that makes it so that your front seven can
get some more attacks while also knowing that I mean
sure Davi or McKinney is back there. I also think
teams are playing the hackers differently because of Xavier McKinney.
So at the beginning of the season he was getting
a pick a game and he currently still is tied
(01:12:08):
to the lead in the NFL total interceptions. But teams
aren't going to challenge him. They know what he can do,
so therefore they might be doing some jump offs closer
to the line of scrimmage, or the quarterback might be
keeping the ball a little bit longer. And that's why
I think the pass attack is working. So it starts
up front. But I do think Xavier McKinney is making
(01:12:30):
his impact felt, even if you don't see it in
the statcheet teams are playing differently because he's back there.
Speaker 1 (01:12:35):
Gropoint.
Speaker 2 (01:12:36):
Now, if the Packers going to win against the Saints
on Monday Night, they secure a spot in the postseason.
How dangerous can this team be in the playoffs now
that Jordan Love has some of that experience, it.
Speaker 9 (01:12:50):
Be really dangerous. You don't want to play Jordan Love
at the end of the season. Yeah, Josh Jacobs is
as healthy as he's been all year. It's his right.
This week called him the Wolverine because so healthy and
he can regenerate pretty much. He's not getting worse. I
don't think Jaie or Alexander should be returning coming up soon.
We don't know if that's going to be this weekend
(01:13:13):
or next week. But the Packers are pretty healthy for
how late in the season they are. Right now, they
are still one of the youngest teams, if not the
youngest team in the NFL, and so they're young, they're hungry.
They know that they made it into the second round
of the playoffs last season. They only want to approve
upon that. They're playing some of their best football right now. Also,
(01:13:36):
they kind of have a chip on the back of
the shoulder because they have this record and yet they're
still third in the NFC North, right, so proving themselves.
I mean that's tough for the rest of the NFC.
If the third best team in the NFC North is
ten and four and they're six seeds, I mean they're
better than the two the best team in the NFC
South and the NFC West. So I think the Packers
are really dangerous.
Speaker 3 (01:13:57):
Yeah, that's the biggest thing to me where looking at
this season going into it, I was like, it's gonna
take twelve, thirteen, fourteen wins to win this division and
there are going to be three playoff teams that come
out of this division, and like that's it's not the
Packer's fault that they're just in the toughest division in football.
But you know, even if they get a ticket to
the dance, I just think that there is so much
(01:14:20):
Again when you talk about the adjustments that Matt Lafloor
is able to make, like seeing them behaving a little
bit differently and doing different things that maybe haven't been
on tape up, and like once they get into the
postseason and that can make them so dangerous.
Speaker 1 (01:14:34):
What do you see at practice.
Speaker 3 (01:14:35):
From Matt Lafleur as far as kind of just the motivation,
you know, by like that he brings to the team
and the vibe, the overall vibe.
Speaker 1 (01:14:44):
Just of them you taught you mentioned they had a
tip on their shoulder.
Speaker 6 (01:14:47):
I'd say the.
Speaker 9 (01:14:48):
Vibe is very loose. So I was at practice yesterday
and carried to Valentine who was just awarded G of
the Week, which is given out to a Packers player
who just emulates the G on their jam. He was
dancing up a storm. You could have told me their
aunts and his pants. He was dancing at any moment
he had. And yes, this team knows that there's very
(01:15:11):
high percentage that they're making the playoffs, and they know
that these are all must with games. But they're still
young and they're still fun, and they're still dancing around
of practice. We don't get the opportunity to watch a
lot of practice, so you know, when it really matters,
they're probably not dancing and grooven as much as I
see them, but they're still having that fun even in
the cold weather. Exactly, even when they have three games
(01:15:35):
left in the regular season, they're having fun and they
know that. Hey, especially after this Lions game, we are
planning to see them again. That was the mentality after
the loss, the second loss of the season to the Flies.
We're planning on seeing them again. They could be focused,
they can have that chip, but at the end of
the day, they're a really young team. They like to
have fun, they're happy to play football, and they're happy
(01:15:55):
to keep winning the way that they are.
Speaker 4 (01:15:57):
Love that, Lauren, Thank you so much. Have such a
fun game on.
Speaker 9 (01:16:01):
Thank you so much. Carmen Hallick Bye.
Speaker 2 (01:16:03):
All right, we're gonna take one more break here, but
when we come back, we're making our week's Week sixteen
NFL picks.
Speaker 4 (01:16:08):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (01:16:10):
You're listening to.
Speaker 2 (01:16:11):
Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitale.
We are broadcasting live from the tart dot Com studios
in Los Angeles.
Speaker 1 (01:16:19):
Is this a Christmas? This is a hardcore Christmas song?
Who's it? Bye? Give it a second? Ted Nugent?
Speaker 2 (01:16:24):
Oh okay, okay, how long do you go?
Speaker 1 (01:16:27):
There?
Speaker 10 (01:16:27):
It is?
Speaker 9 (01:16:28):
There?
Speaker 4 (01:16:28):
It is okay, love it?
Speaker 2 (01:16:31):
Okay, Well, it is time for our Week sixteen NFL Picks.
I've been out for two weeks, but gave my picks
in two weeks ago.
Speaker 4 (01:16:39):
So producer Patrick set us up.
Speaker 1 (01:16:41):
How we doing lead us through well, Alex and Carmen.
I'll tell you what I'll go.
Speaker 11 (01:16:47):
I'll go with last week the score was forty two
twenty seven Alex, thirty six thirty three Carmen. And that
was when we last when you have mailed it in
all that good stuff. Now you you have a you
have a still our fearless leader and still big lead.
Speaker 1 (01:17:04):
Now after this past one. We didn't do this past one.
Speaker 10 (01:17:08):
This past yeah, wait a second, actually, wait a minute,
let me reiterate, let me let me hold on scratch that.
That's the news score now, forty two twenty seven for Alex,
in thirty six thirty three for Carmen. That's that's a
lot of numbers there.
Speaker 1 (01:17:27):
That's where we are. Okay, where we are. We have
a dawn of a new week, and we are both
in the booth.
Speaker 11 (01:17:31):
We're going to start with the first when we got
the Philly Eagles three and a half point favorites on
the road taking on the commanders of Washington.
Speaker 1 (01:17:39):
Alex, go ahead, our fearless leader.
Speaker 2 (01:17:41):
I'm going to take the Eagles here. Eagles can clinch
the division with a win.
Speaker 1 (01:17:46):
Hopefully.
Speaker 2 (01:17:46):
We've been talking about this earlier. Saquon Barkley is okay.
Speaker 3 (01:17:49):
They've been a little Yeah, he doesn't have an injury designation,
but they like rested him.
Speaker 2 (01:17:53):
All.
Speaker 1 (01:17:53):
Yeah, it's it's a weird thing. You didn't finish the
last week. Yeah, who knows. But it should be fine.
Should be fine.
Speaker 2 (01:18:00):
They've already beat the Commanders this season, Jay Browns in,
I think they come in.
Speaker 1 (01:18:04):
I think Eagles take this one.
Speaker 3 (01:18:06):
I'm actually gonna take the Washington command I think they're feisty.
They've been a little bit inconsistent down the stretch, but
I just feel like they've got a lot.
Speaker 1 (01:18:15):
To prove still and they can. They're still gunning for
a wild card spot.
Speaker 3 (01:18:18):
So yeah, yeah, I just I have a lot of
trust in Jadon Daniels. He scrambles the most of any quarterback,
and I that's going to stress the Eagles linebackers a lot,
and that that's been a strength of their team.
Speaker 1 (01:18:31):
But I'm interested to see what Jadan Danel's can do.
Speaker 11 (01:18:33):
Let's see, Well, you're interested in what Jayden Daniels can do, Garmon,
I'm interested to see what the Lions do.
Speaker 1 (01:18:39):
You at six and a half one point, it's it's
I'm taking the Lions like a.
Speaker 3 (01:18:45):
Hurt but like this this is not the Bears team
that they played on Thanksgiving. The Bears seems so defeated
right now and like they don't really have much to
play for. Their interim guy is not going to be
the guy. It's just it's a whole mess. Plus the
Bears are dealing with some injuries themselves, so I just like,
I know that there's a ton of defensive injuries with
(01:19:06):
the Lions, but I trust Aaron Glenn to figure it out,
and I trust the Lions offense, even without David Montgomery,
to score points, which is something the Chicago Bears cannot do.
Speaker 1 (01:19:15):
So I'm taking the Lions.
Speaker 2 (01:19:17):
I'm also taking the Lions. They're gonna have a big
bounce back game. Plus they need to keep pace with
the Eagles and Vikings. They need to win out, So
I'm taking the Lions. Kay, let's all right. Next through these,
we got the Rams on the road taking on the Jets.
Oux are we feeling? I'm taking the Rams. They're getting
hot at the right time. They have all the pieces.
Great coach, great quarterback, great weapons. Jets are hot mess so.
Speaker 3 (01:19:36):
Far, yeah, and say talk about bad vibes Jets. So
I'm gonna take the Rams.
Speaker 11 (01:19:39):
Oh okay, all right, all right, we got my Vikings
versus my Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (01:19:43):
Here, who we go in garment? Where are you going?
Is ways more of the question. Oh oh yeah, I'm
gonna take the Vikings. I kind of went back and
forth on this, but again, the Vikings are capable of
scoring so many points and with as good as the
Seattle secondary is. Jordan Addison, Justin Jefferson, T J. Howkinson,
all those guys.
Speaker 1 (01:20:00):
Credible. Yep.
Speaker 2 (01:20:00):
I'm always this is huge for both teams. Both need
to win to win their division, but Vikings are so
hot right now. They're on a seven game win streak
and have flown under the radar. I'm taking the Vikings,
all right. Final one Bocks Cowboys?
Speaker 1 (01:20:12):
Who we going?
Speaker 11 (01:20:13):
Bocks?
Speaker 1 (01:20:13):
Baby Bucks?
Speaker 6 (01:20:14):
Yucks?
Speaker 1 (01:20:15):
My good get closer to the thousand yard mark. He's
gonna go to this season. I'm calling it.
Speaker 2 (01:20:19):
Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with us.
Speaker 1 (01:20:20):
Have a great holiday.
Speaker 4 (01:20:22):
We'll see you next week's same time, same place,
You're listening to Fox Sports.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Welcome to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here with
Carmen Vitally. Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with
Carmie Me. Happy Christmas weekend. This really feels I think
like the first holiday week for me, maybe because I
just got back from a tropical island in Fiji. But
shout out to Namo too, because that was the most
insane vacation I've ever been on.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Yeah, in my life, I can use I can tell
you that I've ever.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Done anything like that, like an all inclusive private island
where you just wake up, you go down to the water,
you go to a boat and you're like, I want
to go surfing here and they take you. I want
to go fishing here and they take you. I want
to go startling here and they take it. It was
a dream like, it didn't feel like reality.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
I did feel.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
I like, I my cup is so full. I am
now ready to get back to work. I am ready
for the holidays. And we just hit the ground running.
And what a day to be back. Because sports fans,
this is like a dream day. Like there's two NFL games.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
I have such a hot take on, let's continue that.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Okay, three college football playoff games, but that's not all.
You got women's college basketball powerhouses USC and UKON playing today,
twelve NBA games, fifteen of top twenty five men's college
hoop games, Tyson Fury Fight Tonight Tiger and Charlie Woods
teeing off, and eleven NHL games.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Yeah, my hot take is I hate this.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Oh it's too much, overwhelmingly specifically with college football, the
college football Playoff.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
This is I mean, this is the first of the
expanded playoffs going against two NFL games, Like they are
really good games, and I as someone who wants to
pay attention to college but needs to pay attention to
the NFL, My my my, I'm pulled in too many directions.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
But by the way, nothing to say the NFL, like
the college football games are like T and T, which
are extremely major.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
I'm like, NFL relax back off. I am so mad
at the NFL for doing this, Like this is your
like for free feeder league and you are actively trying it,
but this is make it worse.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
And this is what they do.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
The moment like the regular college football season is over,
they're like, Okay, we own the weekend.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
Now we don't care like when you have other bowl
games or things nice.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
This year we're on the weekend. That's not the case
this year. Like make adjustments.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
I just like the NFL just completely takes for granted
that they don't have to pay anything for their feeder league.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
They do not need to invest in it.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
It's not their money, and they benefit so heavily from
college football. Why are you actively trying to make it
worse by poaching their audience.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
It was tough, It's stinks.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
What else was tough was like I wake up and
I put on like sport mix, right, and that's how
I see what channel everything's on in the morning.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Like I still love DirecTV, like I have cable and.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
College football game Penn State SME wasn't even on the
mix this morning because it's all like a TNT, Like
how is that?
Speaker 1 (02:56):
How is that not?
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Like it's on top three things on my score as
a sports fan that I want.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
To see too.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Think YouTube TV did have like the multiple like multiview
boxes where you could do college and NFL.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
But like if you don't have YouTube TV, like what
are you supposed to do?
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Well, that's what my sports mix is I wake up,
I go two of six Sport Mix, and I was like,
why isn't it popping up?
Speaker 3 (03:15):
I mean, I like, there's a whole other conversation we
had too about cable versus YouTube TV and all that
other stuff like YouTube TV prices just went up, all
this other I like, I could go on and on
and about.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
That, but that's not the point.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
The point is but the end of the NFL is
cannibalizing the audience of the league.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
Can that's so aggressive. I can feel that, Like, I mean,
you know.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Doing and can do.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Don't have to invest in your feeder league at all.
It is a self sufficient league, and you are actively
trying to take it over with like trying to take
away the audience, trying to take away so much about
it that we love about college football.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
I hate it. That's my hot take. Okay, I hate
that these games are on.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
At the same time, I hate that the NFL didn't adjust,
like nobody needed these games.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
On side, especially these teams.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
I gu city is about to play at two games
and four days, by the way, because we also have
games on a Wednesday because it's Christmas. I have never
been My fiance has never seen me more livid than
when the NFL announced that they were still going to
do Christmas games.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
If I was on a Wednesday, Yes so mad yep, okay.
Speaker 5 (04:16):
Anyway, group, deep breath, Thank you for joining us. We
are broadcasting live from the tark dot Com studios Tyrek
dot com. We'll help you get there an unmatched selection,
fast free shipping, free road housard production, and over ten
thousand recommended installers.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
Tyrek dot com The way tire buying should be.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Football fans be sure to tune into Fox Sports Radio
every Sunday morning, beginning at ten am Eastern seven am
Pacific for Countdown to Kickoff, presented by bet MGM, Brian No,
Jeff Schwartz, and professional better Bill Krackenberger will have you
covered three hours before kickoff. Every Sunday morning, listen to
Countdown to Kickoff, presented by bet MGM right here on
Fox Sports Radio and on the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
All right, guys, we've got a great show for you today.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
We've Ram's host Aaron Coscarelli joining us in about thirty minutes,
Lauren Helmbrecht in two hours to talk all through the
Green Bay. Executive producer Patrick with us today technical producer
Christoph Fete.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Monty Belano's at the.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
News desk, and we actually have our uh, our social
guy who is like the behind the scenes saga like Tree.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
He's in the studio with us today. Is fun.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
You'll be getting a lot of clips right away. I'm
putting him on the spot.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
All right.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Well, guys, since we're getting down to the last few
weeks of the regular season, and with Christmas right around
the corner, we're gonna be putting players and teams on
the naughty and nice list. We're having a holiday themed show,
so buckle up and get into it. CARMEI and I
are dressed for the occasion. I have my elf Oh
my god, Sanna he's real shirt on, and Carme has
(05:45):
got her Santa hat and her son devils like getting ready.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
I don't know, it's not Oh, it's Bucks Buccaneers.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Buccaneers like my same dollars, don't play until New Year's
do your day, So like I I've got time. I
think out the corner of my eye, similar colors kind yeah,
the red, yeah, yeah, but.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
You know I have to throw back Tampa Bay Bucaneers.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
I just got to see all my guys on Sunday,
I went to the game and I got to see
all of them in the locker room. I got to
see them all before. Yeah, it was just a really
nice nice thing to be surrounded by those guys.
Speaker 6 (06:16):
Again.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
What a game too, Oh my god, I mean an
absolutely hung forty on that on that Chargers defense last Sunday.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
It was so much fun. It was so good to see.
I'm happy for you. That's great. It was, Yeah, it was.
It was so nice. Any get to go home and
see family, I know, except they came to me.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
Ye're like yay, thanks. Okay, Well, let's get to it.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
I'm going to start with.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
A positive on the nice list, and my first player
on the nice list is Josh Allen.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Like he is having a career season and also an
incredible personal year. Just got engaged to Hailey Steinfeld. And
we heard one of his teammates say this week that
he believes because he is such a stable and supportive
and positive relationship at home that's helped be who he
is on the field and around his teammates right now,
which I love strong partnerships.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Like let's go.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
But there has been such a good amount of hype
around Josh Allen and the Bills since he got into
the league, and this really felt like the first season
where he exceeded all of those expectations. Like coming into
the season he lost Stefon Diggs, people thought like maybe
they would dip, they might miss like their playoff super
Bowl window.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Instead, he came out so hot.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Started the season three to zero, handed the Chiefs their
first loss. They're undefeated at home. Josh Allen's season fifth
straight season with at least four thousand passing yards. Fewest
interceptions in his career, and that was kind of a
big knock on him his entire career that he was
turning the ball over a little too much, I a
(07:48):
little too reckless.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
He only has five this season.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
He has the second highest passer rating ever in his career.
Also became the first player ever with a passing, receiving,
and rushing touchdown in a single game. That game was
just that was a snow game in Buffalo. I mean,
this is the Josh Allen season. He's the MVP Favorite
Favorite right now. He's running away with it. He's currently
minus nine hundred. Lamar's behind him at plus five point
(08:12):
fifty and the Bills should kind of have a cake
walk to the postseason. Their last three games or division
games versus Patriots, verse Jets at Patriots, like it is
lining up very well for this to be Josh Allen's year.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Well, it depends, I think too on what happens in
the postseason, but I agree he's That's the thing is,
Bills have never had an issue until it gets to
the postseason, more specifically until they run into a certain team.
But they beat him in the regular season. I think
Josh Allen two is such is such the MVP favorite,
given the fact like Lamar's numbers are better. Yeah, but
(08:51):
it again goes back to how you kind of view
the award because Josh Allen has done.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
More with less. Yeah, but the team, Bills in general,
have done more with less.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
And I think that's a testament not only to Josh,
but it's a testament to Sean McDermott. Having that defense
ready to go despite the fact that Matt Milano was
gone for a large chunk of this season. They've suffered
multiple injuries in that secondary all Like, all throughout the season,
they've been like cycling in guys. The pass rush has
gotten a lot better. They are they're doing just enough,
like Josh Allen and the Bills offense is like, are
(09:22):
the Kings of doing just enough? Like if the defense
is going to give up thirty points, they're gonna score
thirty one, And like Josh is so acutely aware of
all of that, and I think it's so I mean,
it gets you through the regular season.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Now we'll see what happens in the postseason.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
But he has, like to your point, had such a
wonderful year personally and professional, I know.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Which is great. And we love to see Dean.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
I think it was Deon Dawkins was the one that
came out and said that, you know, got a good
woman behind you, there's nothing you can't do.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
And I'm just like NAP's for that. But a right preach.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
The first guys on my nice list is the first
guy I should say. And it goes along with another
major award, Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota by Gangs, goes
to the year favorite. I do think that the Coach
of the Year is coming out of the NFC North.
And again it goes back to do you view the
Coach of the Year award as a guy that surpassed
(10:13):
expectations or do you want the guy that kicks ass
and takes names, Because if it's kicks ass takes names,
that's probably more Dan Campbell. If you wanted to go
with a guy that surpassed any and all expectations, that
has been Kevin O'Connell to a tee.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
And it's not only what he's.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Been able to do with Sam Darnold or like the
overall team, it's the offense in particular. Justin Jefferson leads
the league in receiving yards despite the fact that he
is public enemy number one whenever anybody plays the Minnesota Vikings,
and somehow Kevin O'Connell is able to scheme him up
and get him open. It's so it's it's absolutely insane.
(10:54):
Swallowed I got so excited I swallowed my spin a
little bit wrong. No, but Kevin O'Connell is the favorite
for a reason. And you have guys like Daniel Jones
who are willingly signing to the practice squad there just
because they know that this is a guy that can
help develop quarterbacks. He's it's a quarterback friendly system. Kevin
O'Connell was a quarterback, so he's kind of known as
(11:14):
this quarterback guru. And it's also why I think that
barring an actual super Bowl run with Sam Donald, they're
gonna let Sam Darnald go.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
And that's a wild part.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
That's a wild thing to think about when he's top
ten in the league in most major passing message.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
But he was always going to be that bridge like
the drafted their guy.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
But again he out like quarterback play is so hard
to find. Good quarterback play is so hard I'm saying.
I'm saying, only if they go on a quarter on
a on a super Bowl run does that kind of
come into play. But this goes back to again, Kevin
O'Connell be like the trust that this organization has in
him to say, yeah, you did wonderful things with Sam Donald,
(11:54):
but we're gonna let him go because we know you
can do the same thing with j. J. McCarthy when
we drafted for you to develop and.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
He he has the same talent that Sam Dotts has.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
I mean, that's remains sweetee Sam Donald. They're both first
round picks, so they come with that pedigree. I think
that JJ McCarthy can be really really good with Kevin
O'Connell as the guy that develops him. Yeah, I don't
know if that's going to surpass. I'm not going to
predict where that's going to go. Because j J McCarthy
was so green coming out of college. He didn't have
a whole lot of experience. He ran an offense that
(12:25):
was a run first offense under Jim Barbots.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
I mean, I mean, he has a national championship.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
But the one thing is, again, the defense was insane.
Their run game was insane. It wasn't necessarily because of
JJ McCarthy that you end up winning that game or
getting to the national title game. But what you can
say for Kevin O'Connell is that he is going to
develop him to the best of his ability, and he
is going to reach his ceiling, whatever that ceiling is.
Speaker 6 (12:49):
J J.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
McCarthy is going to reach his ceiling because he's under
Kevin O'Connell. Now, his the everything's kind of taken a
backseat given his rehab. He just had another surgery. It's
it's been him back. Yeah, essentially, yes, like he's he's
been rehabbing this entire season rather than being able to
switch into kind of development mode. But you're still gonna
have this off season hopefully that like that's still the plan.
(13:11):
That's the like the optimistic part of everybody is like,
all right, he's still gonna have a full off season
under Kevin O'Connell to get better. So like that's the
reason why I think you try and hold on to
Daniel Jones is because you have a high end backup
that you know that Kevin O'Connell can get the best
out of as well. Yeah, regardless, this all is to say,
Kevin O'Connell, coach of the your favorite Can.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
We also like take a moment to realize like how
under the radar the Vikings are right now?
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Like I keep asking, like what's it going to take
for people to take them?
Speaker 1 (13:37):
Seriously? Honestly?
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Good for them, because this is how you surprise and
sneak into late rounds of the postseason. Like, no, no,
one's like they're not only.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Two losses, they only have two losses. No, they're at
the top.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Like they're at the top with the Eagles and the Lions.
All these teams are twelve and two and fight.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
The Lions are account for one of those losses, so
they own the tiebreak are currently but those yeah, those
two teams are going to face off in Week eighteen, yes,
which could matter an incredible It's why the Lions haven't
run away with the NFC North.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
The Vikings are right there, right there, but like all
of them are fighting for that one seed.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
I think that there's a little bit left over from
twenty twenty two when they got into the playoffs and
then got bounced by.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
The Daniel Jones Giants.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
That's something that I think people kind of look back
like their their record was probably indicative of a team
that wasn't as good as their record was essentially okay.
But the difference this time around is Brian Flores as
the defensive coordinator and your defense is something that can win.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
You games and as games, and.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Yes you have two it but like before, you had
ed Donna tel and a defensive scheme that was not
good and you had to rely on the offense to
score points.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
They had.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
I think they had a negative point differential by the
end of that game, by the end of that season.
Wild stuff, because teams like that don't usually make the postseason.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
This is not that team.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
The Minnesota Vikings are for real, and I keep asking
what's it going to take for people to take them seriously?
And I do think that down on the stretch, they
can prove a lot, especially if they end up getting
that one over the over the Lions in Week eighteen.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Yeah, Okay, we're runn out of time here, but I
want us to get to a naughty list. I think
we'll both agree with this first one. The Bears. The
Bears are on the naughty lists. A hot mess this season,
firing their head coach midseason for the first time in
franchise history, also firing their offensive coordinator. Caleb Williams most
sat quarterback in the league fifty eight times a secret season.
(15:27):
The second most is CJ Stroud behind him at forty five.
So Bears there, Yeah, there's there's a big gap. Bears
are last and total yards per game. And I think
the hard part is there was so much hype. You
always you always maintained the hype, but there was so
much hype around.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
I did maintain the hype. Side temper it temper.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
I've been so much hype around Caleb Williams being a
quote generational player. And this really feels like I don't
want to call it a wasted year because you're always
gonna be able to take something away from this. But
next year it's going to have in a second season
a second head coach, possibly a second or third offensive coordinator.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
They have.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Bears have not won a road game or division game
this season. I think the only way this could have
gone worse is if Caleb got hurt. I don't even
want to put that in the universe, but like it's
not going to get any easier, Like Blonds are coming
to town on Sunday. They end the season playing Lions, Seahawks,
and Packers, Like, I don't think they win another game
this season.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
They probably don't.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
I'm going to get into them during my gifts segment
because the other organization that I would argue has a
worse reputation right now, and it's more on the nautilst.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
Is the YS.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Yeah, that bombshell that came out from the Athletic.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
I can't wait to get into that later. We're going
to do a deep dive.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
What the boon show that came out with the Athletic,
just the way that it's run and the power that
was given to Aaron Rodgers. But then also to put
actual decisions into things like Madden ratings and what your
teenagers are bringing you as far like having that level
of just like the bear theyre dysfunctional.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Yes, they're not that whatever that is so.
Speaker 4 (17:04):
Like there's that's definitely a different level.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
We'll say, like, that's like you're burning down low and
bears are like this, yeah, but you're not listen.
Speaker 7 (17:13):
Bears.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
The owners, the Bear's owners are arguably too nice. Whati
Johnson is. They're braiding his own players and saying f
you to his own players to their faces.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
That is so much, so much.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
We're going, okay, we're gonna get I have a feeling
both of our naughty lists. We're gonna bring up again
an hour two when we we give some gifts out
to players and teams. So we're gonna take a quick
break here when we come back. College football playoffs are
in full swing.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
Who you got That's the next? On Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 6 (17:42):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsportsradio dot
com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to listen live.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Welcome back to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Coriehe with
Carmen Vitali. We are broadcasting live from the Tark Talk
Studios in Los Angeles. Thank you for spending this Saturday
afternoon with carme and me and Happy Holidays. It's when
I love Christmas music like we are.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
We are in the red zone.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
I've been I've been in this week and no, I've
been in it for since Thanksgiving.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
That's when I turn on Christmas music. You are.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
I'm like, okay, this whole time of year, like it's
only a finite amount of time, and like my birthday
is at the tail end.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
Of all of this, and like God, but no, but
that's the.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Thing is, No, I don't celebrate my birthday because like
I go so hard during all of this where I'm
just like nobody because nobody wants It's January third, nobody
wants to do anything on January third. Everyone's hungover, they're broke,
they're doing soubber January. Like nobody wants to do anything.
So like I have, I'm just not a birthday person
and I've actually my fiance is on board. We now
(18:51):
celebrate my birthday in July, like July.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
Yeah, So like we were on vacation July third this
year and he like surprised me. As concert kids, I'm like,
now I get press.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
This is one it times a year can I give
a hot take though about the holiday season. I love
the build up to the holiday season, Like the weeks
leading up to the actual holiday almost better than the
actual holiday because then you're like, oh, this is it,
it might be done. I like the weeks leading up
to everything leading up.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
I really appreciate this is these are the times I
appreciate growing up like heavily Catholic, because it's not over
on Christmas, like you if you know, you know, January
sixth is the actual end of the Christmas season, so yeah,
it is. That's that's that's Lepithanya, which is like the
Epiphany and you get like little presents in your shoes on.
(19:39):
That's what we got. So like I got to like
enjoy Christmas. That's like I haven't tred this amount of
shame and guilt built in because of my upbringing.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Well, but I also have to celebrate Christmas.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Until January Catholic and Jewish, so imagine I got Catholic
and Jewish mom guilt, so sure I Haven'tnica is super late.
It's starting off for Christmas. Yeah, I know, that's wild.
Kind of pumped about it, like the latest it's ever,
like it can ever be.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
I was like, is it sure, We sure, yeah, day
after Christmas.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Yeah, so now you get Christmas and then we get
like you get eight and everything.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
Yeah, we love Okay.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
There was one girl in my in my grammar school,
I had that and we were all so jealous of her.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Yeah, it's you get both. Everyone's like, what did you do?
I was like, I went to church and I went
to temple. I do all the holidays. It was a lot,
very interesting.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
We were we were always jealous my friend, my friend
Molly and in uh in grammar school. Like she'd be like, yeah,
I got presents for eight days and then I got
Christmas and we were like, see we.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Chose to get them all on Christmas. Oh yeah. And
I was like she would get one. President at night
with honkkah, that's great.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Uh okay, I want to get this college football in.
Maybe we'll just get one and then we'll save the
rest for uh next hour. But you guys, twelve team
college football playoffs are in full swing. You heard Carmie
go off at the top of the show, ye that
it's kind of tough that they're competing with NFL today.
But Indiana at Notre Dame last night I mean it
was a dominant beffemance by Notre Dame. Weird game for
(21:02):
Indiana just felt like they just didn't show up. They
entered the playoffs with the number one rush defense in
the country and then they allowed the most rush yards
they had all season one ninety three.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
Like it was just I was gonna say it was off,
but like, well this is okay.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
There's this whole thing now if you're if you're paying
attention online, it's like, should Indiana have even been in it?
Speaker 1 (21:22):
Should Bamash been in it instead?
Speaker 3 (21:24):
And to that, I say, does like this format a
is going to change? Like the format's gonna change so quickly.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Those two games have been like very one sided, right,
But I'm also like, we're.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Not owed good playoff games.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
We don't we don't make any sort of like there's
no outcry. And when the NFL, when a seven seed
plays plays the one.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Seed, like yeah, that's not a thing.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
Like people like you're not guaranteed really competitive playoff games.
And then if you're gonna want to put a guy
a team like Alabama three lost team in the playoffs
just because they come out of the SEC and they
have the pedigree and all that.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
Like, because to that, I say, but does the regular.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Season matter or does it not? Because if it doesn't,
then yeah, all right, put a three, put a three.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
Lassus in Indiana deserve to be here. They it was
just weird. They just didn't show up.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
I mean, they were the far inferior team to Notre
Dame and that was But again I'm saying, like that's
just that kind of the way it goes. I don't
know how you change that with the way that the
conferences are aligned, especially now that the conferences are so big,
Like you're not necessarily going to play a fair schedule,
Like it's just gonna rotate every year where it's the
(22:33):
luck of the draw. If you have to play like
if you're Indiana, if you have to play Oregon, Ohio State, Michigan,
Washington like a whole provided they get back to being good,
Like that's just kind of like or you don't have
to play them at all, and you get to play
Illinois and you get to play a really bad Iowa
team and you get to play like the Minnesota was
good this year.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
There's just a lot of options.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
It's the first it's the first year of a new format,
like there were going to be learning curves, are going
to be bumps in the road, and they're going to
figure it out. I mean SMU at Penn State. Penn
State got out to do an early lead and never
looked back. They shut out SMU in the first half.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Yeah again again like with the current playoff format where
like the automatic bids go to the big time conference champions.
Like as much as Arizona State has benefited from this,
I am fully expecting them to not advances. Like the
only reason they're advancing past the first round is because
they got the first round.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
By I mean, this is gonna like they're playing Clemson
or Texas. Who's playing right now? Clemson's up seven to nothing.
Who do you want your Sun Devils to play?
Speaker 3 (23:32):
I don't get, Like, I don't think it's going to
be close either way. And like I love them and
they've surpassed all expectations.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
I am.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
I am enjoying my football superiority while it lasts. Yeah,
but like again, on any given year in college football especially,
there's maybe three or four teams that are actually capable
of winning a championship.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Which may I think will come out of this like
next tier at the end of the Tennessee Ohio State
and then the winner that plays organ Yeah, at the
end of the day is going to be like, at
the end of.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
The day, you're going to get a deserving champion.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Yes, at the end of this Yes, you're not guaranteed
really competitive playoff games on the way there. Like, that's
just the way that the conferences are aligned, how many
teams are in each conference, the fact that college football
has the most parody, Like the haves and the have nots.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
Have never been more stark between.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
You got like the SEC and like I mean, like
I said, Arizona State won a major conference. Like that's
insane to me. The Big twelve is just not as competitive, right, No, exactly.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
I'm gonna enjoy it.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
I'm gonna enjoy it while being very self aware that, yeah,
this is probably gonna end up being lopsided and did
in Arizona State deserve the first round by probably not.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
But I'm going to enjoy the hell out of it.
I love that. All right.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
Now, let's second with Manti Bolanos and see what's trending.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
Hey, Gil's welcome back. Thanks you were missed last week.
Speaker 8 (24:51):
But you know, Steve and I held the fort down. Yeah,
we got you, we got you, but glad to have
you back.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Yes, you just mentioned Alex.
Speaker 8 (24:58):
The Tigers are currently eating the Longhorns seven zero in
this College Football Playoff first round game. But the Texas
Longhorns literally at Clemson seven yard line. It is fourth
and one. It looks like they're gonna maybe go for.
They're figuring it out what they're gonna do. I think
they're gonna go for instead of kick here, so I'll
keep you guys posted on that one.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
But yeah, earlier today, Penn.
Speaker 8 (25:18):
State crushed, as some of you in the first round
of the College Football Playoff thirty eight to ten. Penn
State will now face Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl
on December thirty.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
First, Yeah, I know what. Arizona State doesn' play till
New Year's Day? What are we doing?
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Also like why did you get why did I get better?
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Why didn't we let the shot gets? Why don't we
win the top seeds? Like pick where they got to play?
Like Arizona State doesn't get to play a home game now,
like well you could have at least given them the
Fiesta Bowl or the choice.
Speaker 8 (25:45):
Right, And then you're talking about how today NFL is
competing with college football, so.
Speaker 4 (25:49):
Like, we really could have done this a little bit better.
Speaker 8 (25:51):
It's like, really, yeah, I don't understanding pains.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Sure we'll we'll start multi billion dollar industries, but that's fine.
You're right, you're right.
Speaker 8 (26:00):
The Chiefs are now fourteen and one after defeating the
Texans twenty seven to nineteen. Patrick mahomes two hundred and
sixty yards in the air and a touchdown. He also
had a rushing touchdown.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
What ankle sprain? I don't know.
Speaker 9 (26:10):
CJ.
Speaker 8 (26:11):
Stroud threw for two hundred and forty four yards, two
touchdowns and two interceptions. Unfortunately for Houston, wide receiver Tank
Dell caught a thirty yard touchdown pass from Stroud in
the third quarter, caught it off the field with the
left leg injury. He was transported to University of Kansas
Medical Center. There's no further update. Something else to keep
on eye on. Chiefs star defensive lineman Chris Jones got hurt.
He actually didn't end the game. Could it have been
(26:32):
a precautionary thing?
Speaker 1 (26:34):
Maybe so.
Speaker 8 (26:35):
With a win in either of their final two games
or a Bill's loss in any of their final three games,
the Chiefs will clinch the number one.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
Seed in the AFC. Just starting right now, Ravens and Steelers.
Speaker 8 (26:45):
With a win today, the Steelers would clinch the AFC
North title, or the Ravens with the win today would
clinch a playoff spot. And last, for you gals here
in baseball world, Paul Goldschmid will be wearing pins stripes now. Yeah,
he and the Yankees are in a on a one year,
twelve point five million dollar deal.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
Back to you guys, Thank you Monsi. You're listening to
Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitali.
We are broadcasting live from the tire dot Com studios
in Los Angeles. Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon
with us. It is time for our first guest. You've
seen her on NFL Network Raiders, Rams, Tennis Channel. Her
infectious personality will make you smile the moment you see her.
Eric Coscarelli, thank you for joining the show.
Speaker 7 (27:26):
What's up, ladies, how we do today?
Speaker 4 (27:28):
Thank you for having me here.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
We're doing to you Holiday Spirit. It's a holiday theme show.
But since we got you, we got to talk about
the Rams. Because the Rams got hot at the right time.
After the starting the season one and four, what would
you attribute their turnaround to this year?
Speaker 7 (27:45):
I mean, isn't that crazy, Guys, Like they started so slow,
it was almost kind of like last season, right, and
then to buy everything seemed to change.
Speaker 9 (27:55):
And I think a couple of reasons.
Speaker 7 (27:57):
First of all, healthwise, right, the Rams are in a
gift in place than they were at the beginning of
the season, whereas most teams dealing with a few more
injuries later in the season. And I also think here's
a big thing. Okay, remember heading into the season. First
of all, the Rams have the second youngest roster, but
Aaron Donald retired, they have a new defensive coordinator. I
(28:18):
think part of why we've seen this sort of resurgence
down the stretch is because the reinforcements have come in
at the right time. You've got, of course, Puka and
Cooper Wealthier. They had a banged up a line, and
like I mentioned, with that buye. Right after that buye,
they say the Vikings Thursday Night football. That was back
when Pucka and Cooper both were on the field at
(28:40):
the same time. And I really feel like that was
the game changer of the season, when like the whole
team was like, Okay, we're dialed.
Speaker 9 (28:47):
In, let's do this.
Speaker 7 (28:48):
And I really believe it was after the bye when
all things started to sort of split to the rayp.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
Well, it's a good time too, because this NFC West
has been I mean, the Seahawks have pulled away just
a little bit, but I mean it's pretty much been
every team for themselves all season long. I mean, nobody
has any sort of comfort in like that they're going
to win this division, that they're going to end up
and then you talk about the NFC at large with
(29:15):
the wild card spots. I mean, this is these are
huge games that these the Rams are playing down the stretch.
Speaker 7 (29:21):
Yeah. Yeah, And you know it's interesting too. No one's
run away with it with the NFC West. I've been
saying it all along. I'm like, hey, guys, keep hope alive.
Speaker 9 (29:30):
Like I think.
Speaker 7 (29:31):
Every single team in the NFC West is actually claimed
first place at one point. But yet at the moment,
the Rams are first. They're just ahead of the Seahawks.
They've got an interesting few more games down the stretch.
But one thing I will say, if we're looking at
the postseason, possibly do not count out Sean mcsay, You guys,
(29:51):
y mom ming May is insane. So that's my one
thing of why I think for the NC West, you
got to keep your hope alive because Sean McVay dangerous
in the postseason.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
Yeah, I mean, they're sitting at the top of the
NFC West right now and in control of their playoff destiny.
You went out and they should they should be in
and host a game in the divisional round. But they
have three games left Jets, Cardinals, Seahawks. Which of these
matchups do you think is going to be the most
difficult for the Rams?
Speaker 7 (30:19):
I mean, it's so interesting, right because they play the Jets. Please,
we're all like fingers crossed. Do not let this be
a trap game. But how do you know a ten
am start for a West Coast team never easy. They
have lost to the Cardinals. They got like man handled
forty one to ten. I want to say it was
Week two, so they've already have dropped the game to
the Cardinals. But they're behind, right, The Cards are a
(30:42):
little bit behind in terms of the standings. And then
you've got the Seahawks the season finale. The Rams have
already beat the Seahawks once, but I feel like you
can't you discredit what they can do and sort of
the danger that they impose. That final game, in my opinion,
I think is going to be the most important game
of the season for the Rams. So I'm going to
(31:03):
go with the with the Seahawks, but I will say
I'm nervous about this game in New York Singers crossed.
It's also going to be twenty four degrees, you know,
Alex Curry, and I.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
Thank you, give me it. Yeah, I love it's for.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
Well talk speaking about, you know, not counting out Sean
McVay and just this Rams team in general. I mean,
I think that they're another team that has absolutely surpassed expectations,
especially when you talk about the defensive side of the ball,
losing a guy like Aaron Donald to retirement, but then
immediately making up for that absence along the defensive line
with some really young players, first and second year players.
(31:45):
As someone who's been around the team, like, tell me
more about our Jared Verse and Brayden Fisk and these
really fun young guys that are so that that are
really really good. And I mean Jared Vers has a
wonderful case for defensive rookie of the year.
Speaker 9 (32:00):
Yeah, he does.
Speaker 7 (32:01):
Jared versus Braden fifth, you know, they both came from
the same college. I think I had Marshall walk on
my show. I love that too, and he said one
of the hardest things when you're a rookie trying to
you know, acclimate to a new place and a new
team and all that, it's nice to have a buddy. Obvious,
you guys are more than just talented teamweight teammates from college.
(32:23):
They're really showing up in time and like you mentioned
Carmen No Aaron Donald, They've got a new defensive coordinator
and Chris.
Speaker 9 (32:30):
Shula, and it's young.
Speaker 7 (32:33):
It's a young team. It's a really interesting mix of
teammates because you've got veterans right like Stafford and super Cup,
but then you've got this influx of young guys. I
think figuring out what the identity of this defense as
we've seen it's been a roller coaster, has been interesting
to identify. But they're showing up and they're making big
(32:53):
plays and it's impactful, and they're they're you know, they're
we're seeing this team win, whether it's through the defense,
whether it's through the kicker, or whether it's with their
two crazy, you know, lethal wide receivers on both ends.
This team is showing up in my opinion. They're getting
healthy at the right time and they're dialed in at
the perfect time of the season as they try to
(33:15):
close out and win these last three games.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
Yeah, we love a full team effort.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
But let's look at tomorrow because Matthew Stafford is going
head to head with a very familiar opponent in Aaron Rodgers.
Stafford has gone four and three against Rogers thanks to
their many matchups in the NFC North. But do you
think Stafford looks at this as kind of a revenge
game with Rogers?
Speaker 7 (33:35):
So it's so funny, don't guys like always say, I'm
you know, every game's the same game and they're not listen,
they're secret recircling some of those games.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
They are this question.
Speaker 9 (33:48):
These guys have.
Speaker 7 (33:49):
More history than like a real Housewives reunion.
Speaker 9 (33:53):
They they see each other.
Speaker 7 (33:54):
I think it's what eighteen times now, and I want
to say that's fits most in the Super Bowl era,
but starting quarterback eighteen times. I'm telling you they know
each other very well. And you said it, Rogers has
Stafford's number. I think, look, it could be a possibility
where these two guys will.
Speaker 9 (34:12):
Face off for the last time.
Speaker 7 (34:14):
You know, no doubt Stafford is going to want to
end this on a high note and you know, pull
away with a win for Shore.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
Yeah, Aaron, thank you so much for joining us. Loved
having you on the show. Loved all the rams insight
and it's crazy to think they have a chance now.
Speaker 1 (34:30):
This is this is so fun, this is so cute.
Speaker 7 (34:33):
Yes, thank you guys so much for having me on.
Speaker 9 (34:35):
You guys are one of my favorite shows. Listen to
and fingers from Love you guys.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
Love you all right, guys, and we come back the
Dues and the Dunes and sports.
Speaker 4 (34:46):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 6 (34:48):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to listen.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
Welcome back to Fox Football Saturday. It is the most
wonderful time. I'm Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitali. We're
broadcasting live from Attire dot com studios in Los Angeles.
Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
Carme and me.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
It is time for the Dues and the don'ts in
sports highlighting.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
Duh.
Speaker 6 (35:19):
I love that putting a spotlight on the don't.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
The subject brings me no joy. That's insane.
Speaker 6 (35:26):
It's time for the dues and the dots in sports.
Speaker 1 (35:30):
All right.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
I'm starting with the do And if you're a quarterback,
do give lavish gifts to your offensive line.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
It's wild, It's so beautiful.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
I mean, quarterbacks typically give Christmas gifts to their offensive
lineman to thank them for blocking them all year. This year,
Patrick Mahomes gave a gift Fox that included a Rolex Watch,
the Nomadic Air compression pans, Yeddi Cooler's Oakley sunglasses, Cowboy boots.
Speaker 3 (35:52):
With CAZy Cowboy boots a big deal. Oh my god,
I who Cazys are incredible boots. I have a well
full disclosure. I have a very very good friend who
works for them.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
But they are. There are thousands of dollars. There are thousand.
Speaker 3 (36:07):
Dollars Cowboy boots at the I think the ones that
Patrick Mahomes gave his linemen were like ten grand yes,
because they're like a special type of croc skin or.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
Something like that.
Speaker 4 (36:18):
He went all out and the Rolex watches alone could
have been like, oh.
Speaker 3 (36:21):
Yeah, I'm rock Party. Gave his offensive line Toyota.
Speaker 2 (36:25):
So, which is funny because he like must have a
deal with Toyota because Perty makes under a million dollars.
Speaker 3 (36:32):
That's the dirty little secret, Alex is that all of
these guys have deals.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
Well, Joe Burrow gave his O line authentic Samurai st
you don't have you don't have.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
A deal with Samurai story.
Speaker 4 (36:41):
That was just But he also bought himself a batmobile,
so like kind of.
Speaker 1 (36:44):
Very Brian that Joe Burrow thinks he's a superhero. And
I'm not going to.
Speaker 2 (36:48):
Disagree a superhero love it, but like live in your
fantasy world.
Speaker 3 (36:52):
It's beautiful with a lot of these guys, like Patrick
Mahomes has a.
Speaker 1 (36:56):
Deal with Yettie, like all of that kind of stuff.
Speaker 4 (36:58):
Like you're not the compression pants. Do you think you
would deal with Rolex?
Speaker 3 (37:03):
He could, honestly, because like Rolex has deals with like Golf,
I don't know how much, like they have deals with
the NFL guys, but like especially because and you know
how you know how you know is that the Chief's
official account like staged it all and like posted it
out there, so you know that there was like a.
Speaker 1 (37:18):
Push for publicity.
Speaker 3 (37:19):
I'm not saying it's like it's any less generous or whatever.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
Worth of deal, because I'm like, right party exactly.
Speaker 3 (37:27):
Like, Also, how do you decide who gets the trucks
and who gets this coil with?
Speaker 1 (37:31):
Well, they get to choose. It was like, there you go.
Some people are truck.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
People, I know, but I feel like one of those
guys would be truck people, and like what if all
the trucks are gone and then like you're stuck with this?
Speaker 1 (37:40):
I mean they're really nice cars.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
Hey, I yeah, they're still like sixty cars beautiful.
Speaker 1 (37:44):
It's kind Yeah, they're great. Okay, I'm gonna go.
Speaker 6 (37:48):
With it.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Don't okay, don't give up, don't ever give up. Okay.
Speaker 3 (37:52):
David Montgomery sought a third opinion on his injury and
now looks as he's going to avoid season ending surgery
and it's going to try to come.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
Back wash why.
Speaker 3 (38:05):
I know Christophett has something to say about this given
his Lion's fandom, But like Sonic.
Speaker 1 (38:09):
And Numgos may not be done for the year, whoa
come back? Sonic threes on the Way and thee come Wow.
Speaker 3 (38:15):
I'm like the movie's coming out the two characters are
coming back like you can't, you can't never say die.
This Lions team is so incredibly like resilient doesn't even
cover it.
Speaker 1 (38:25):
Yeah, if only they could get a little bit of
that luck on the defense side.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
Know into that. We're going to get into that in
my Christmas list.
Speaker 7 (38:32):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (38:33):
But yeah, don't don't, don't give up.
Speaker 3 (38:35):
David Montgomery trying to stay on the on the field
for his teammates and forge near Gibbs.
Speaker 1 (38:39):
They like they.
Speaker 3 (38:39):
Posted like these really cute things to each other when
he originally had the intory, Like on Instagram, they had
like a little heartbreaking up of these.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
It was so cute.
Speaker 2 (38:48):
Okay, I've got another d If you're a billionaire, do
lower your prices. The Phoenix Suns owner changed the food
prices at the stadium. Hot for hot dogs, sixteen ounce
water bottles, soda, bag of chips, and bag of popcorn
are all now two dollars.
Speaker 1 (39:04):
So they're doing the Atlanta Falcons thing.
Speaker 2 (39:06):
Making it the most affordable fan friendly menu in the NBA.
So a family of four used to have to spend ninety
eight dollars on like hot dogs, water and popcorn.
Speaker 4 (39:13):
Now they'll get that same meal for twenty four bucks.
Speaker 3 (39:15):
That's the Atlanta Falcons did that when they opened their stadium.
Speaker 1 (39:18):
They opened Mercedes Benz and it is so expensive, so expensive,
so expensive.
Speaker 3 (39:23):
Absolutely yeah. Also, yeah, billionaires be nicer. Yeah, which is great.
Speaker 1 (39:29):
That's good. Good job, Phoenix Suns.
Speaker 3 (39:31):
I've got to do Okay, and it's due show up
for your team no matter what.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
Okay, Notre Dame fans. Yes, dude, that was insane. Our
friend Michael Junior, he went viral for them VideA. He
took a.
Speaker 3 (39:42):
Video at like five am and all of these cars
are lined up to don to campus at Yeah, it
was still dark out knowing, and these guys were tailgating
their little hearts out despite the fact that it was cold.
Speaker 1 (39:57):
I love it. That's football weather to me. I grew.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
That's this is what I love. This is this is
football to me. December football, snow, cold, get through.
Speaker 1 (40:07):
It anyway, I love it.
Speaker 2 (40:09):
Okay, quick, dude, do have fun with food at your wedding.
Bobby Wood Junior got married and had a wit A
Burger restaurant at his wedding. Wit a Burger, Bobby whit Junior.
All right, when we come back, we're giving out gifts.
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Welcome to hour two
of Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitali.
(40:30):
Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with Carme and me.
Happy Christmas weekend. We've had a full holiday theme show
if you were with us in the first hour, and
we're going to continue it in the second hour. Real quick,
before we get into everything, all time favorite Christmas movie,
I'll go first.
Speaker 1 (40:48):
I'm wearing it elf. Gee, I could have ever guess,
I like, it's.
Speaker 4 (40:53):
One of my comfort movies.
Speaker 2 (40:54):
We've talked about this before, so I've seen it probably
over two hundred times.
Speaker 1 (40:58):
Yeah, what's your favorite? My favorite Christmas movie is a
Santa Claus. Oh, it's the g Yeah, the one where
he gets knocked off the roof.
Speaker 3 (41:05):
Yeah to Mellan, Okay, it's like also, yeah, I like
to claim a little bit of Christmas periority too, because
all of the major Christmas movies Chicago take what in Chicago, Chicago,
The pranks of Santa Claus Home Alone, Christmas Vacation, all
of these take place in Chicago, in the suburbs.
Speaker 2 (41:25):
Of Channel I tell you the first time I went
to Chicago, the first thing we did on our way
to the city was go see the Home Alone House.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
Oh my god, those real people, those books than I expected.
I mean, it's still it's a really nice neighborhood. I
used to I went to Northwestern for grad school and
so that's it's right near there, so like I would
pass it on my way to school sometimes.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
But like, I feel so bad for the people that
live there.
Speaker 4 (41:46):
I mean, you know what you're getting into your buying
home alone house.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
Actually you just went up for sale again. That you're
going to be an a fish.
Speaker 3 (41:53):
It just went up for sale again because the previous
owners that had just bought it, they were only there
for like two years and they couldn't handle it.
Speaker 6 (41:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:59):
No, it was gnarly, like everyone's looking inside your house
taking photo, especially on the market four.
Speaker 1 (42:05):
I think it's like three three million something like that.
Three million.
Speaker 3 (42:08):
Yeah, Chicago is like and it's a it's a gorgeous
yeah house like Chicago is pretty affordable.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
Home Alone's got to be up there.
Speaker 2 (42:17):
I think the home Alone memes are probably number one
around Christmas.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
Home Alone and home Alone two for that matter. The
Limo the Pizza.
Speaker 4 (42:24):
That's number two's Those were iconic.
Speaker 3 (42:28):
But no, A lot of the major A lot of
the major Christmas movies take place in the suburbs of Chicago,
which is where I grew up. So like that is
Quinck essentially my Christmas experience.
Speaker 1 (42:35):
I get that.
Speaker 3 (42:36):
But the Santa Claus, I just think it's so funny.
My dad and I like, we watch it every year.
Speaker 1 (42:41):
Yeah, and I know we're not gonna get you that
this year because we're not gonna be together, but.
Speaker 2 (42:44):
Because games on Christmas, just like we lose it every
single time at certain parts.
Speaker 1 (42:51):
So I love my favorite.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
All Right, we are broadcasting live from the tar dot
com studios. Tirec dot com will help you get there,
an unmatched selection, fast free shipping, free road has a
protection and over ten one thousand recommended installers. Tirac dot
com the way tire buying should be.
Speaker 1 (43:06):
Gifts with the holidays. Yeah yeah, do we not have one?
Oh yeah, you got to read and I was like,
oh yeah, yeah, gives her the holidays. I got.
Speaker 6 (43:16):
You go.
Speaker 2 (43:17):
Okay, So, like we said, we are going to keeping
the holiday theme alive and now we are going to
give gifts to players or teams.
Speaker 4 (43:28):
So my first gift is to the Jets, and I
would give.
Speaker 1 (43:34):
Them a new owner. Yeah, that's on my list.
Speaker 2 (43:37):
There was a lot of drama that came out this week,
like Wow, basically talking about how dysfunctional this franchise is.
And it all starts at the top with Woody Johnson
in the Athletic article that came out on Thursday. Apparently
these are a couple a couple like key points that
came out of the article.
Speaker 1 (43:55):
There's quite a few anecdotes. There's a lot.
Speaker 2 (43:57):
Wood jon blocked a Jerry Judy trade because his reading
was too low.
Speaker 4 (44:01):
Excuse me, what what out?
Speaker 10 (44:04):
Like?
Speaker 3 (44:05):
You employ an entire department, Yeah, to evaluate job.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
The article also claims that he takes advice from his
teenage sons.
Speaker 1 (44:14):
One of which is named Brick.
Speaker 2 (44:15):
Yep, he will like they will have influence, like real influence.
Speaker 4 (44:19):
This comes from a Jets executive.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
When we're discussing things, you'll hear would he cite something
that Brick or Jack read online that is being weighed
equally against whatever opinion someone else in the department has.
Meaning people that you pay.
Speaker 1 (44:34):
Well right to do their job.
Speaker 2 (44:36):
Yeah, to look into these players, you are letting your
teenage sons google searches.
Speaker 3 (44:41):
J Douglas has reportedly said before I report to a teenager.
Speaker 2 (44:45):
Yeah no, I mean there was a player with this
team in twenty twenty three who called the just the
most dysfunctional place, imaginal, imaginal, Like there is a reason
this team has been so bad for so long.
Speaker 1 (45:00):
When you have owners like this that won't.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
Let the people you hire football people that you hire
do their job, and they think they are smarter than them,
this is where things go bad. I mean Woody Johnson,
his brother, bought the team in two thousand. They've only
been to six the playoffs six times in twenty four years,
haven't been since twenty twelve, the longest active playoff dra
among the four major pro teams. I mean, I don't
(45:28):
forget all the other drama that went down this year,
firing their head coach Robert Sala, firing their GM Joe Douglas.
Speaker 1 (45:34):
I mean they need a full reset. We've already heard,
which is weird.
Speaker 2 (45:38):
Aaron Rodgers say this week that he's willing to mentor
a rookie quarterback in twenty five but like, you're not
the mentoring type, you don't have a mentoring history. You
got mad he just wants to hear bay When they
drafted Jordan Love, I just wanted.
Speaker 3 (45:53):
To hear himself talk like him. All reports have said
like him and are in love. Actually did have a
good grid relationship, which is interesting, but like it's because
it was a good relationship as long as Aaron Rodgers
was going out.
Speaker 2 (46:07):
And being act so again, which she was. If he
hit the fire choosing, he's choosing I want to be here.
I want to mentor with whoever you bring in. I
don't also like, why would you bring him back?
Speaker 1 (46:19):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (46:20):
I just jets see the money situation that is your gift.
The money situation with Aaron Rodgers, it's it's a lot.
Speaker 1 (46:29):
I've talked, I've written about it. I've talked about it
quite a bit.
Speaker 3 (46:34):
If you got rid of him now, you could at
least spread out the dead money over the next two
years if you were to wait, wait win, like if
you were to let him play out this next year
with the Jets, because then he's under contract one more year.
Speaker 1 (46:47):
But that backloads so.
Speaker 3 (46:50):
Much as far as like how much he's going to
hit the cap for it's it's there's there's a feasible
way to get out of it if you don't mind
kind of being the Denver Brown goes with the Rala
Russell Wilson stuff right now after this season.
Speaker 1 (47:05):
But the Jets, I think people would be.
Speaker 3 (47:07):
So shocked to really understand how many of their favorite
teams are run like mom and pop joints literally, Like
these are multi billion dollar franchises that are literally run
by families.
Speaker 1 (47:20):
The owners. Teenagers have a say.
Speaker 3 (47:23):
That's and like, the thing is the wild part about
it is that's not uncommon. That's the worst part is
that people not maybe not necessarily like teenagers, but people
that are not qualified to make these decisions get to
make these decisions across the league.
Speaker 1 (47:37):
That is just that's true.
Speaker 3 (47:38):
I mean, you look at it with the Chicago Bears,
who aren't to that level of dysfunction as the New
York Jets.
Speaker 1 (47:44):
Because again, I go back, the most.
Speaker 3 (47:46):
Shocking part to me about that whole thing was what
Woody Johnson said to Mike White, their backup quarterback, and
told him to his face expletives about how much he sucks.
And I'm like, you can't do that. He's a backup courquarterback.
What do you want from him? Like that is just
to walk up to players and and do that and
(48:08):
be that involved, and be in the locker room and
be such a cancer that you are telling players to
their face that they suck and that, Like I just it's.
Speaker 4 (48:16):
The most dysfunctional place imaginable and like.
Speaker 3 (48:19):
The vibes are terrible. So I would give the Jets
a new owner as well. Okay, uh, the other the
other team I just mentioned, I would give Caleb Williams
yep quarterback for the Chicago Bears, yep, a stable organization
because across the board there is dysfunction, but it's in
(48:42):
the form of instability. Yeah, so you look at for instance,
I don't think it's all the offensive line's fault, but
the Bears have used one of the most amounts of
offensive line combinations this year.
Speaker 1 (48:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (48:56):
They have played eleven different offenses linemen at fifty steps.
Eleven different offensive lineman have played at least fifty snaps,
which is tied for the most in the league. You
started a rookie left tackle who came out of the
third round from Yale last week against Brian Flores's defense.
Speaker 1 (49:17):
It didn't It went about like you would expect exact.
Speaker 3 (49:21):
Caleb Williams, I think has the mentality to come out
the other side of this. I trust him more than
his predecessors. But this has been a pattern that I've
talked about throughout this The tenure of this organization, which
has been run by the same family for all one
hundred and.
Speaker 1 (49:37):
Five years of its history.
Speaker 3 (49:39):
Crazy And there's a common denominator here as to why
this is dysfunctional. And then you look at the fixes
that the Bears have tried to do, and it starts
the top, right. You have the ownership, which is more
involved than they say they are. But then below that
you now have a team president that's over football on
top of being over the business side. So he is
now Kevin Warren trying to build a new stadium for
(50:00):
the Chicago Bears, on top of now having to hire
help hire a new head coach and figure out all
the football aspects of everything. And then you have the
general manager, and then you have the head coach that
reports to the general manager. That amount of levels, those
amount of levels of red tape just it makes it
so it's not efficient, it's not an easy place to
(50:21):
get something done. Also, you have people that are in
ultimate control of these situations that are either spread too thin,
or the only qualification they have is they were born
into it. That's the issue across a lot of teams.
That's not unique to the Chicago Bears. And I do
believe that the mccaskeys mean well. But just because you
were born into football's first family does not mean that
(50:44):
you know how to run a franchise, especially when all
of your money and I wish I could go back
to school and do a thesis on this, all.
Speaker 2 (50:52):
Of your money, do an arcle on it, All of
your money is tied up in the team.
Speaker 3 (50:57):
Like you notice different differences between own that make their
money off of the team that they own versus owners
that make their money elsewhere and treat the team like
a glorified hobby.
Speaker 2 (51:06):
Well, the team is a write off, like the team
is a loss. Most but teams or loss until you
sell them.
Speaker 3 (51:12):
But when you are a team like the Chicago Bears,
where all of your family money going back generations, because
you were the first NFL franchise going back generations, is
from the team. George Tallis bought this team for sixty
seven dollars or whatever it was back in nineteen twenty.
Yeah that is, and then this family is wealthy because
(51:34):
of the Chicago Bears. You cannot make money off of
a team and expect to win because even winners barely
break even. To your point, there is a they're mostly seen.
Speaker 1 (51:46):
As tax ride offs.
Speaker 3 (51:47):
Yes, but you're not making a profit if you're doing
your job. You're giving your team the resources they need
to win and all of that kind of stuff. You're
barely breaking even even the good teams. Yeah, and so
if you're a team that you're to make a profit
off of, of course you're not going to be putting
in the correct amount of resources here. So I would
get I think Caleb Williams could really be different.
Speaker 1 (52:09):
I do.
Speaker 3 (52:10):
I see it with him. Yeah, but you got to
get this head coaching higher.
Speaker 2 (52:14):
Right, So that's I would gift Caleb an offensive coach,
someone who can tap into his potential develop him into
a top NFL quarterback, maybe like a Cliff Kingsbury if
he wants to be a head coach again.
Speaker 1 (52:26):
He worked with Caleb at s.
Speaker 9 (52:27):
See.
Speaker 4 (52:27):
We've seen what he's done with Jaden Daniels the.
Speaker 1 (52:31):
Season idea, but I just it hasn't gone.
Speaker 2 (52:35):
If we want to see greatness from Caleb, they need
to get the coach right, and this is going to
be a franchise defining higher the franchise wants, franchise defining
higher the fans want Ben Johnson.
Speaker 1 (52:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (52:46):
Yeah, he turned down jobs last season.
Speaker 2 (52:48):
He's in such a great situation and with such a
great franchise right now.
Speaker 3 (52:51):
The biggest thing though, is, like we were just talking about,
are the Bears going to.
Speaker 1 (52:55):
Pay for that? Yeah, he's got He's going to need
to get like take care of money right his own.
He can, You can give him. You're gonna have to.
Speaker 3 (53:01):
Give him a blank check because every team that needs
a head coach is going to want him.
Speaker 4 (53:06):
Yes, So you are number one, like number one.
Speaker 3 (53:09):
Everything I heard behind the scenes asking about it, all
the other stuff, the eight big year number that was
being floated last year for Ben Johnson, fifteen to seventeen
million a.
Speaker 1 (53:19):
Year was true. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (53:21):
Everything I've talked, everybody I've talked to has corroborated that.
Speaker 1 (53:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (53:26):
And it's because he can. And he also doesn't care
if he leaves or not because he loves his situation
in district.
Speaker 1 (53:32):
Great situation.
Speaker 3 (53:33):
And if Detroit doesn't win the Super Bowl this year,
I am so not convinced Ben Johnson leaves.
Speaker 4 (53:38):
No, they still have all the pieces.
Speaker 1 (53:40):
They just paid all their guys. They got time.
Speaker 3 (53:43):
They have time, but they also, like you feel, at
this point, with all the injuries they sustained, Yeah, things
have kind of been ripped away from them where you
try to make another run at it next year because
you do have young guys under contract, you have guys
signed to extensions, like Brad Holmes has done a beautiful
job in Detroit of building this team the right way
and for sustainable success. So you figure you can do
(54:05):
this again next year before you have to end up
paying guys like Aiden Hutchinson and Brian Branch and all
those guys. But to that end, the other thing I
would give oh oh to the Detroit Lions.
Speaker 2 (54:16):
Oh wait, I was going on to my next one.
I was just adding on tears, but I got I
got one more. Here onto the Rams. Cooper Cup and
Poka Nakua, I'm gifting them bunk beds now hear me out,
don't get weird.
Speaker 4 (54:32):
Pookah shared earlier.
Speaker 2 (54:33):
This season that Cup's been like a big brother to him,
like did we become best friends?
Speaker 1 (54:39):
Yep?
Speaker 2 (54:40):
So hearing him say that Cooper Cup has been a
mentor and it's a blessing to be by him and
spend time with.
Speaker 1 (54:48):
Him outside of football.
Speaker 2 (54:49):
They're actually close on the field and off the field.
Is what helps create an incredible young player. And we
saw Cooper Cup kind of do this with Matthew Stafford
their first year together. There were reports that they were
together all day every single day, like they would eat
meals together, they were doing walkthroughs together, and that's when
(55:10):
they went on to win the Super Bowl. It's so
rare and important to have a mentorship with a teammate.
And because of that, Puka had an incredible sophomore season
after setting records his rookie season, most receptions in a
rookie season, most receiving yards in a rookie season, and
the rams like when they were both back turn their
season around and have a chance to win the NFC
(55:32):
West team. Chemistry has a lot to do with that,
these two guys being on the same page and cut
to be so supportive to have Puka be there and
just like both get those number one reps.
Speaker 1 (55:45):
Bunk beds. Huh bunk beds. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (55:50):
More intangibly, I would, I would give Aid and Hutchinson
my leg if I thought it would help for the
Detroit Lions. They've just been bitten so badly by the
injury bug. And I do feel like we were robbed
of of a season, a crazy season by Aden Hutchinson
because there are still metrics that he leads in despite
the fact that he has not played for sweak six.
(56:10):
I would David Montgomery, we talked about it might not
be done for the year, but then you look at
the defensive side of the ball. With Alee McNeil out,
I think that's the biggest one. You have Carlton Davis out,
your linebacking corps completely decimated. You're on like your third
and fourth backers at the inside backers. At this point,
I trust Aaron Glenn more than I trust anybody to
(56:32):
figure it out. Ye, but at some point there's a
breaking point for everybody. Yeah, And I do hope that,
you know with I hope the Lions can lock up
the first seed, the one seed for the sheer fact
that they need the rest they need the bye week,
and then they could maybe still make a legitimate run.
I have them in the Super Bowl. I think that
they can still get there. I'm not out on the Lions, yeah,
(56:53):
but I do think that the road got a lot harder,
and so I would I would gift them health.
Speaker 2 (56:57):
Okay, another team that's like right there with them, the Eagles.
I would give this whole team and staff friendship bracelets
because they've been playing great, but they are creating their
own drama blaming it on everybody else. Two weeks ago,
after the game, in case you missed all this, A J.
Brown called out the passing game, said it need to
be worked on. Then a couple days later, Brandon Graham
(57:20):
said that AJ Brown and Jalen.
Speaker 4 (57:21):
Hurts aren't really friends anymore.
Speaker 2 (57:23):
So last week you could tell they really focused on
that in their last game, Like A J. Brown and
DeVante Smith had really strong games, and Jalen Hurts at
the podium right after the game said, so is this
what you want to see?
Speaker 1 (57:35):
Huh?
Speaker 2 (57:36):
It's like, why aren't we celebrating the fact that you
picked up one of the best offensive players in Saquon Barkley,
who's been carrying this team and has a chance to
break the single season rushing record.
Speaker 1 (57:47):
But instead of the game, he's okay, we still don't
really know what's wrong.
Speaker 4 (57:50):
With true, but like instead of getting sassy, like.
Speaker 1 (57:55):
Well again, it was it was your own teammates, Yeah,
it was Brandon Gham.
Speaker 2 (57:59):
Goal is to win, right, Like, that's that's your goal,
and you guys are winning, like keep that, keep that
in house.
Speaker 4 (58:06):
That was ridiculous. You all need to get along, you
This was all you guys.
Speaker 1 (58:09):
This was not.
Speaker 3 (58:09):
Then projecting right, the projecting out of the media being
like this week like we didn't want to see we.
Speaker 1 (58:15):
Want you guys. You just need to like friendship.
Speaker 2 (58:18):
Bracelet's get along, all right, We're gonna take a quick
break here when we come back.
Speaker 4 (58:21):
Chief Texans Raven Steelers breakdown. That's next. You're listening to
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (58:26):
Welcome back to Fox Football Saturday.
Speaker 2 (58:28):
I'm Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitalite, coming to you
live from the tire dot Com studios in Los Angeles.
Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with Carmi and me.
This makes me smile. All the holiday music this.
Speaker 3 (58:40):
Is just like, I mean, this is what the season
is all nostalgia.
Speaker 2 (58:44):
We were just talking about it like off air before
we came back on air. Carmen's from Chicago, I did.
I'm from here Los Angeles, so I'm not used to
like cold Christmases.
Speaker 3 (58:54):
I was built in it, I was molded by it.
I'm the bane of Chicago, Like are the bane of
cold wather I should like I was born in I
was born in the cold molded bias. It's so true
we take such pride because like otherwise we would just cry.
Speaker 1 (59:11):
That's that's the thing. Chicago cold, that California cold. Like
right now, like this is nice.
Speaker 3 (59:16):
I love like honestly though, Like there's something so magical
about walking through the city with your big park on
and your snow boots and it's snowing, with.
Speaker 4 (59:24):
Your hairs freezing and you can't beat your hands on your.
Speaker 3 (59:26):
Tongue, Like that's why all the parkers that I have.
My hood goes further than my face and so it
blocks the wind and it's just you get to look
around and it's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (59:35):
It's magical, like.
Speaker 3 (59:36):
Especially when it's the fluffy snow that's just like falling
so prettily. I don't know, it's so it's so cool
and it's such a it's such a good.
Speaker 2 (59:45):
Chicago in her mind. Yeah, I'm always holiday state of
all those all of.
Speaker 3 (59:50):
Those memes of like I'm mentally I'm here right now, mentally,
I'm pretty much always in Chicago.
Speaker 2 (59:55):
Yeah, that makes sense, all right, we had two well
we have two NFL games that along with the three
college football playoff games. This morning, Chiefs win again now
thirteen and one over the Texans.
Speaker 4 (01:00:08):
Can anybody, like, can anybody really stop them?
Speaker 1 (01:00:11):
Now?
Speaker 2 (01:00:12):
Like me Bills did? But like, are they destined for
a three peat? Because we know Mahomes gets better in
the postseason, like he gets.
Speaker 3 (01:00:20):
Yes, yeah, well but he gets better because the like
uh Andy Reid has a completely diferent playbook for the postseason.
And so yeah, like at fourteen and one, they've got
who do they get? They have the Steelers next, so
that's gonna be an interesting game, and then they have
the Broncos after that.
Speaker 1 (01:00:37):
The Broncos are playing good football right now. They're in
the division. They are.
Speaker 3 (01:00:39):
They always play the Chiefs tough too, So like I
you're not you're not totally out of Like you're not
out of this thing yet. As far as like locking
up the ones, we'll see.
Speaker 4 (01:00:50):
But yeah, thirteen and one, I.
Speaker 1 (01:00:53):
Also think they lock up. Yeah, though what.
Speaker 3 (01:00:57):
I'm never going to bet against the Kansas City Chiefs.
I have learned my lesson that last year. I love
how everybody thought, like, oh.
Speaker 1 (01:01:06):
Patrick Patrick Mahomes is an ankle injury.
Speaker 2 (01:01:07):
Nope, he has an ankle injury all every year, this time, always,
this time, every single year, Patrick.
Speaker 1 (01:01:13):
Mahomes has an ankle injury. Does it ever matter? No? No,
absolutely not.
Speaker 3 (01:01:18):
And then when you get to the postseason, Yeah, like
I mentioned, there's an entirely separate playbook that Andre Reid
has for the postseason, and they played completely different football
in the postseason.
Speaker 1 (01:01:29):
Also last year with a receiver corps.
Speaker 2 (01:01:33):
That had the most drops of any team insane in
the league.
Speaker 3 (01:01:37):
And then you win the ball Super Bowl. I am
not going to pretend like that didn't happen.
Speaker 1 (01:01:43):
I'm saying I don't know if anyone can stop there.
Speaker 3 (01:01:45):
So on a game by game basis, we can talk about,
Like I said, they're fourteen and one. Next week you
go to the Steelers. That's going to be interesting. I
think that's going to be an interesting game. Ending the
season against the Broncos, who always play you top, that's
going to be interesting. I'm not I'm not making any
projections on those games individually, but when it comes through
the postseason and the Kansas Chiefs, I know it's kind
(01:02:06):
of a cop out to just be like, yeah, well
I trust them to the.
Speaker 1 (01:02:08):
Chiefs, but like I trust them, they're the Chiefs. No,
you have to like you have to. It's all it is. Now.
Speaker 2 (01:02:14):
The afternoon game going on right now is tied at
seven seven Steelers and Ravens. If Steelers win this game,
like they win the AFC North, So this is this
is a good game for them. Lamar Jackson obviously, Steelers
have his number. He's one and four against the Steelers
lost earlier this season. They get into the game, yeah,
(01:02:39):
currently the five seed probably will end up there too.
Speaker 1 (01:02:44):
I don't what are they could.
Speaker 3 (01:02:49):
The AFC playoff picture is not as mysterious, actually not.
The playoff pictures is really not mysterious at all this year.
Like it's very much there are.
Speaker 2 (01:02:58):
A little more up in the air and terms of
like the see divisions right now.
Speaker 1 (01:03:02):
Yeah, but you kind of know already who's going to
be in it.
Speaker 3 (01:03:04):
You kind of know already who's gonna be in It's
very interesting this season in particular because you look at
there are coming into this week, there were six teams
already in double digit wins. Yeah, and then there are
nine teams with four or less wins coming into this week.
So it's like there's no middle class of the NFL
this year, which is what makes all of these wild
(01:03:26):
card just in general, like, yeah, it makes all these
wild card you know, scenarios very interesting when the middle
class is very bolstered.
Speaker 1 (01:03:34):
Yeah, but that's not the case this year. It's either
you're really really good or you're really really bad.
Speaker 3 (01:03:39):
Yeah, And it's honestly, these games now are coming down
to especially for the teams that are bad, the draft
positioning can vary so greatly.
Speaker 1 (01:03:49):
Like you can vary like.
Speaker 3 (01:03:51):
Five to seven spots based on if you win or
lose a game down the stretch here, Like that is
the scenario for multiple teams right now, where if they
win a game, they're now picking eighth, ninth, tenth in
the draft. If they lose, they have the first or
the second pick. So like not that you want to
like tank, yeah, but you want to turn if you're
if you're one of these teams like Vegas, New York,
(01:04:13):
the Giants, the Patriots, the Jets, the Panthers, the.
Speaker 1 (01:04:17):
Titans, the Browns, the Jets, the Bears. Yeah, numbers, those
are all the teams that have four or less wins.
I know, I know. So that's why, like, that's why.
Speaker 3 (01:04:29):
We're seeing it's just like this playoff. There's not been
a whole lot of mystery with this playoffs and the
playoff scenarios this year at all. But that being said,
these games that are on today, like has meet something matters. Yes,
this game right now is Steelers Ravens, Like you said,
matters the division. Ravens can punch their postseason ticket, whether
or not that's in the division or just a postseason birth.
Speaker 1 (01:04:51):
We'll see Steelers playing.
Speaker 3 (01:04:53):
Good football though, I mean, are if you're ever going
to be in on a Steelers team, it's this.
Speaker 2 (01:04:57):
Wow, they're gonna have to make a decision too, Like
it's are you going to keep Russ or are you
going to keep Justin?
Speaker 4 (01:05:02):
What are you gonna do? Like that has to have
big dicision.
Speaker 3 (01:05:05):
Have some fun numbers between what they're like with what
they were like in the first six weeks with Justin
Fields at.
Speaker 1 (01:05:11):
Quarterback, Okay, real quick, then we gotta get yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:05:13):
Real Quick scored an average of twenty point seven points
per game under Dustin Fields okay thirteenth and average depth
target eight point three thirteenth in NFL Passer Rating Week
seven onward with Russell Wilson.
Speaker 1 (01:05:23):
Yeah, scored an average.
Speaker 3 (01:05:24):
Of twenty six point five points seventh and averaged up
the target at nine point three yards fifth in NFL
Passer Rating.
Speaker 4 (01:05:31):
Okay, I mean Russ is having a comeback prove yourself season.
Speaker 3 (01:05:35):
Like he's a couple coverting with that defense, you are
now getting actual offensive production out of Russell Wilson because
he looks like the Russell Wilson from.
Speaker 1 (01:05:42):
Three years ago.
Speaker 4 (01:05:42):
He said he loves it there and wants to stay.
Speaker 2 (01:05:44):
And I don't believe are they going to pay him honestly,
something like a Baker deal.
Speaker 1 (01:05:49):
Yeah, would love to see that.
Speaker 5 (01:05:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:05:51):
All right, now let's check in with Bonzie Bilanios to
see what's trending.
Speaker 8 (01:05:55):
You mentioned it, Alex that the Ravens scored again Lamar
Jackson connecting with Sean Bateman on his second touchdown pass
of the game. But right before they scored, Justice Hill
took a hard hit on the sideline.
Speaker 1 (01:06:06):
He is out with a concussion.
Speaker 4 (01:06:08):
He was out knocked out.
Speaker 8 (01:06:09):
But before that drive, yeah, yeah, before that drive, Russell
Wilson took a hard hit at Baltimore's three yard line.
He was about to score, took a hard hit, fumbled
the ball, lost it.
Speaker 1 (01:06:20):
That's what led to this Ravens drive.
Speaker 4 (01:06:22):
Yeah, that's what led to this.
Speaker 8 (01:06:24):
It was a hard hit though, to this Ravens drive
where they are now on top of the Steelers fourteen
seven halfway through the second quarter. Lamar Jackson is five
of ten for seventy yards in those two touchdowns. Russell
Wilson seven of eight for seventy five yards and not
one touchdown. And yes, the Chiefs are now fourteen and
one after taking down the Texans twenty seven to nineteen.
Patrick Mahomes a touchdown in the air and one on
the ground. Houston wide receiver Tank Dell was hurt in
(01:06:45):
the third quarter, cart it off the field with the
left leg injury. The latest is that he is going
to spend the night at University of Kansas Medical Center.
Speaker 4 (01:06:51):
That is the latest update.
Speaker 8 (01:06:53):
I know, not what you want to hear. In college
football playoffs, Clemson scored first against Texas this and they
did that night night, Sally Well, Texas has twenty one
unanswered points.
Speaker 11 (01:07:07):
Do that.
Speaker 9 (01:07:08):
Yes, so.
Speaker 8 (01:07:12):
They did hit up field goal the Tigers right now,
but Texas is up twenty one to ten with ninety
seconds to go in the first half. Earlier today, Penn
State crushed SMU thirty eight ten. So Penn State is
not going to face Boise State in the festival on
December thirty. First, and I'll give you just quick NFL
updates for the games for tomorrow. Bucks have downgraded tight
end Kate Auton. He is not playing in Dallas due
(01:07:34):
to his knee injury. Yes, and the Saints, we kind
of knew this. No Alvin Kamara and no Derek Carr
from Monday's.
Speaker 4 (01:07:39):
Game at Green Bay.
Speaker 1 (01:07:40):
All right, back to you.
Speaker 4 (01:07:41):
Girls, Thank you, Monsi Jaz you give me every time.
Speaker 2 (01:07:45):
Whatday it is just Yes, you're listening to Fox Football
Saturday at Alex Curry here at Carmen Vitally. We are
broadcasting live from the tartalk Com studios in Los Angeles.
It is time for our next guest, Green Bay host
and reporter Lauren Hembreckt.
Speaker 4 (01:08:01):
Thanks for joining the show.
Speaker 9 (01:08:04):
Hey, thanks so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (01:08:05):
Hi, Lauren, how are you.
Speaker 9 (01:08:08):
I'm doing well. I'm surviving this Green Bay winter. On
the ground it's in the teens. It's the very Wisconsin We.
Speaker 3 (01:08:16):
Were just talking about like, I know you went, you
went to USC you know what the climate is like
out here. The But like I was, like, I love
this weather in December, and I think that there's no
more magical place than Green Bay. Lambeau Field in the snow,
with snow on the ground. I mean, the Saints are
(01:08:37):
in for a rewakening.
Speaker 1 (01:08:38):
Yeah, all right.
Speaker 9 (01:08:40):
The frozen tundra which snow is incomparable. It looks so beautiful.
Speaker 1 (01:08:45):
Bucket list hackers.
Speaker 9 (01:08:46):
Players love it. Oh, they love it.
Speaker 1 (01:08:47):
It's on the bucket list.
Speaker 3 (01:08:48):
Yeah, they're making snowballs. They're like they're doing the Lambeau
Leave and people like they're throwing snow up in the air.
Speaker 1 (01:08:53):
It's the best, all right, Lauren.
Speaker 2 (01:08:55):
Green Bay has been looking good, and we heard Matt
Leafloor say that Jordan Love is playing the best ball
he's played. So what's impressed you most about what Jordan
Love has been able to do this season?
Speaker 9 (01:09:08):
Honestly, it's the fact that for a second year in
a row, right after around Week ten, Jordan can just
turn it on. At the beginning of the season, his
touchdown to interception ratio was not looking good. He was
throwing up pick a game, and then he started keeping
control of the ball. And now I assume you both
have heard of the Toyota.
Speaker 3 (01:09:30):
Toyota are Toyota, Yes.
Speaker 9 (01:09:34):
Yes, the Toyota don Jordan Love, meaning that during the
promotion by Toyota, the car company called Toyotas on Jordan's
Love happens to play really well.
Speaker 4 (01:09:43):
Listening at the stats right now, does he have like
does he have a deal?
Speaker 9 (01:09:47):
Have a sponsorship's figure it out?
Speaker 1 (01:09:50):
Coota figure it out?
Speaker 9 (01:09:52):
But so not during toyotas on Aka before week nine.
During the last two seasons, thirty eight hundred yards twenty
nine TV twenty five interceptions, during Toyogathon which is week
ten and after thirty two hundred yards twenty six t
d's two interceptions. I mean huge different when it comes
to later in the season, and obviously a big difference
(01:10:13):
this year is a guy named Josh Jacobs is on
the packs.
Speaker 1 (01:10:17):
That might help a little bit, help me.
Speaker 9 (01:10:19):
So Jordan's played super well for the second year in
a row. Right when football matters. The factors are in
their fourth of four straight primetime games, and people are watching,
they're seeing Jordan Love play like this and this isn't
a flute pizza It now twice. He's really good in
the end of the season.
Speaker 3 (01:10:35):
And I mean the other kind of explanation for all
of this, too, is you have the bye week that
happened and the adjustments that Matt lafoor was able to make.
I've been on record now Lauren multiple times saying that
while I don't think that Matt lafor had a shot
to win Coach of the Year, he should absolutely be
in the conversation for the adjustments he's been able to
make when Jordan Love wasn't in the lineup with Malik Willis,
(01:10:57):
and then what this team has looked like prior to
bye week and then after, and that's something that we've
seen throughout Matt Laflora's tenure. But then defensively, even Jeff Hafley,
new defensive coordinator. Since week twelve, the Packers are tied
for the most sacks their top ten and pressure percentage.
That is something that they were trying so hard to
do earlier in the season. What have you seen has
(01:11:17):
been the difference since the bye week of how this
defense is behaving and now finally getting pressure.
Speaker 9 (01:11:24):
No, because it feels like it was so obvious right
start attacking, But I do really think the growth of
the linebackers has really helped that attack. So Edrin Cooper
just won NFC Defensive Player of the Week for the
second time this season. Team is three straight games, comes
back and immediately makes an impact in the Seahawks team.
Having a linebacker core that you can really trust, I
(01:11:46):
think has you see it divvied up across the defense,
because that makes it so that your front seven can
get some more attacks while also knowing that I mean
sure Davi or McKinney is back there. I also think
teams are playing the hackers differently because of Xavier McKinney.
So at the beginning of the season he was getting
a pick a game and he currently still is tied
(01:12:08):
to the lead in the NFL total interceptions. But teams
aren't going to challenge him. They know what he can do,
so therefore they might be doing some jump offs closer
to the line of scrimmage, or the quarterback might be
keeping the ball a little bit longer. And that's why
I think the pass attack is working. So it starts
up front. But I do think Xavier McKinney is making
(01:12:30):
his impact felt, even if you don't see it in
the statcheet teams are playing differently because he's back there.
Speaker 1 (01:12:35):
Gropoint.
Speaker 2 (01:12:36):
Now, if the Packers going to win against the Saints
on Monday Night, they secure a spot in the postseason.
How dangerous can this team be in the playoffs now
that Jordan Love has some of that experience, it.
Speaker 9 (01:12:50):
Be really dangerous. You don't want to play Jordan Love
at the end of the season. Yeah, Josh Jacobs is
as healthy as he's been all year. It's his right.
This week called him the Wolverine because so healthy and
he can regenerate pretty much. He's not getting worse. I
don't think Jaie or Alexander should be returning coming up soon.
We don't know if that's going to be this weekend
(01:13:13):
or next week. But the Packers are pretty healthy for
how late in the season they are. Right now, they
are still one of the youngest teams, if not the
youngest team in the NFL, and so they're young, they're hungry.
They know that they made it into the second round
of the playoffs last season. They only want to approve
upon that. They're playing some of their best football right now. Also,
(01:13:36):
they kind of have a chip on the back of
the shoulder because they have this record and yet they're
still third in the NFC North, right, so proving themselves.
I mean that's tough for the rest of the NFC.
If the third best team in the NFC North is
ten and four and they're six seeds, I mean they're
better than the two the best team in the NFC
South and the NFC West. So I think the Packers
are really dangerous.
Speaker 3 (01:13:57):
Yeah, that's the biggest thing to me where looking at
this season going into it, I was like, it's gonna
take twelve, thirteen, fourteen wins to win this division and
there are going to be three playoff teams that come
out of this division, and like that's it's not the
Packer's fault that they're just in the toughest division in football.
But you know, even if they get a ticket to
the dance, I just think that there is so much
(01:14:20):
Again when you talk about the adjustments that Matt Lafloor
is able to make, like seeing them behaving a little
bit differently and doing different things that maybe haven't been
on tape up, and like once they get into the
postseason and that can make them so dangerous.
Speaker 1 (01:14:34):
What do you see at practice.
Speaker 3 (01:14:35):
From Matt Lafleur as far as kind of just the motivation,
you know, by like that he brings to the team
and the vibe, the overall vibe.
Speaker 1 (01:14:44):
Just of them you taught you mentioned they had a
tip on their shoulder.
Speaker 6 (01:14:47):
I'd say the.
Speaker 9 (01:14:48):
Vibe is very loose. So I was at practice yesterday
and carried to Valentine who was just awarded G of
the Week, which is given out to a Packers player
who just emulates the G on their jam. He was
dancing up a storm. You could have told me their
aunts and his pants. He was dancing at any moment
he had. And yes, this team knows that there's very
(01:15:11):
high percentage that they're making the playoffs, and they know
that these are all must with games. But they're still
young and they're still fun, and they're still dancing around
of practice. We don't get the opportunity to watch a
lot of practice, so you know, when it really matters,
they're probably not dancing and grooven as much as I
see them, but they're still having that fun even in
the cold weather. Exactly, even when they have three games
(01:15:35):
left in the regular season, they're having fun and they
know that. Hey, especially after this Lions game, we are
planning to see them again. That was the mentality after
the loss, the second loss of the season to the Flies.
We're planning on seeing them again. They could be focused,
they can have that chip, but at the end of
the day, they're a really young team. They like to
have fun, they're happy to play football, and they're happy
(01:15:55):
to keep winning the way that they are.
Speaker 4 (01:15:57):
Love that, Lauren, Thank you so much. Have such a
fun game on.
Speaker 9 (01:16:01):
Thank you so much. Carmen Hallick Bye.
Speaker 2 (01:16:03):
All right, we're gonna take one more break here, but
when we come back, we're making our week's Week sixteen
NFL picks.
Speaker 4 (01:16:08):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (01:16:10):
You're listening to.
Speaker 2 (01:16:11):
Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitale.
We are broadcasting live from the tart dot Com studios
in Los Angeles.
Speaker 1 (01:16:19):
Is this a Christmas? This is a hardcore Christmas song?
Who's it? Bye? Give it a second? Ted Nugent?
Speaker 2 (01:16:24):
Oh okay, okay, how long do you go?
Speaker 1 (01:16:27):
There?
Speaker 10 (01:16:27):
It is?
Speaker 9 (01:16:28):
There?
Speaker 4 (01:16:28):
It is okay, love it?
Speaker 2 (01:16:31):
Okay, Well, it is time for our Week sixteen NFL Picks.
I've been out for two weeks, but gave my picks
in two weeks ago.
Speaker 4 (01:16:39):
So producer Patrick set us up.
Speaker 1 (01:16:41):
How we doing lead us through well, Alex and Carmen.
I'll tell you what I'll go.
Speaker 11 (01:16:47):
I'll go with last week the score was forty two
twenty seven Alex, thirty six thirty three Carmen. And that
was when we last when you have mailed it in
all that good stuff. Now you you have a you
have a still our fearless leader and still big lead.
Speaker 1 (01:17:04):
Now after this past one. We didn't do this past one.
Speaker 10 (01:17:08):
This past yeah, wait a second, actually, wait a minute,
let me reiterate, let me let me hold on scratch that.
That's the news score now, forty two twenty seven for Alex,
in thirty six thirty three for Carmen. That's that's a
lot of numbers there.
Speaker 1 (01:17:27):
That's where we are. Okay, where we are. We have
a dawn of a new week, and we are both
in the booth.
Speaker 11 (01:17:31):
We're going to start with the first when we got
the Philly Eagles three and a half point favorites on
the road taking on the commanders of Washington.
Speaker 1 (01:17:39):
Alex, go ahead, our fearless leader.
Speaker 2 (01:17:41):
I'm going to take the Eagles here. Eagles can clinch
the division with a win.
Speaker 1 (01:17:46):
Hopefully.
Speaker 2 (01:17:46):
We've been talking about this earlier. Saquon Barkley is okay.
Speaker 3 (01:17:49):
They've been a little Yeah, he doesn't have an injury designation,
but they like rested him.
Speaker 2 (01:17:53):
All.
Speaker 1 (01:17:53):
Yeah, it's it's a weird thing. You didn't finish the
last week. Yeah, who knows. But it should be fine.
Should be fine.
Speaker 2 (01:18:00):
They've already beat the Commanders this season, Jay Browns in,
I think they come in.
Speaker 1 (01:18:04):
I think Eagles take this one.
Speaker 3 (01:18:06):
I'm actually gonna take the Washington command I think they're feisty.
They've been a little bit inconsistent down the stretch, but
I just feel like they've got a lot.
Speaker 1 (01:18:15):
To prove still and they can. They're still gunning for
a wild card spot.
Speaker 3 (01:18:18):
So yeah, yeah, I just I have a lot of
trust in Jadon Daniels. He scrambles the most of any quarterback,
and I that's going to stress the Eagles linebackers a lot,
and that that's been a strength of their team.
Speaker 1 (01:18:31):
But I'm interested to see what Jadan Danel's can do.
Speaker 11 (01:18:33):
Let's see, Well, you're interested in what Jayden Daniels can do, Garmon,
I'm interested to see what the Lions do.
Speaker 1 (01:18:39):
You at six and a half one point, it's it's
I'm taking the Lions like a.
Speaker 3 (01:18:45):
Hurt but like this this is not the Bears team
that they played on Thanksgiving. The Bears seems so defeated
right now and like they don't really have much to
play for. Their interim guy is not going to be
the guy. It's just it's a whole mess. Plus the
Bears are dealing with some injuries themselves, so I just like,
I know that there's a ton of defensive injuries with
(01:19:06):
the Lions, but I trust Aaron Glenn to figure it out,
and I trust the Lions offense, even without David Montgomery,
to score points, which is something the Chicago Bears cannot do.
Speaker 1 (01:19:15):
So I'm taking the Lions.
Speaker 2 (01:19:17):
I'm also taking the Lions. They're gonna have a big
bounce back game. Plus they need to keep pace with
the Eagles and Vikings. They need to win out, So
I'm taking the Lions. Kay, let's all right. Next through these,
we got the Rams on the road taking on the Jets.
Oux are we feeling? I'm taking the Rams. They're getting
hot at the right time. They have all the pieces.
Great coach, great quarterback, great weapons. Jets are hot mess so.
Speaker 3 (01:19:36):
Far, yeah, and say talk about bad vibes Jets. So
I'm gonna take the Rams.
Speaker 11 (01:19:39):
Oh okay, all right, all right, we got my Vikings
versus my Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (01:19:43):
Here, who we go in garment? Where are you going?
Is ways more of the question. Oh oh yeah, I'm
gonna take the Vikings. I kind of went back and
forth on this, but again, the Vikings are capable of
scoring so many points and with as good as the
Seattle secondary is. Jordan Addison, Justin Jefferson, T J. Howkinson,
all those guys.
Speaker 1 (01:20:00):
Credible. Yep.
Speaker 2 (01:20:00):
I'm always this is huge for both teams. Both need
to win to win their division, but Vikings are so
hot right now. They're on a seven game win streak
and have flown under the radar. I'm taking the Vikings,
all right. Final one Bocks Cowboys?
Speaker 1 (01:20:12):
Who we going?
Speaker 11 (01:20:13):
Bocks?
Speaker 1 (01:20:13):
Baby Bucks?
Speaker 6 (01:20:14):
Yucks?
Speaker 1 (01:20:15):
My good get closer to the thousand yard mark. He's
gonna go to this season. I'm calling it.
Speaker 2 (01:20:19):
Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with us.
Speaker 1 (01:20:20):
Have a great holiday.
Speaker 4 (01:20:22):
We'll see you next week's same time, same place,
Fox Sports Radio News
Host
Jonas Knox
Popular Podcasts
40s and Free Agents: NFL Draft Season
Daniel Jeremiah of Move the Sticks and Gregg Rosenthal of NFL Daily join forces to break down every team's needs this offseason.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.